"Could you please leave me alone for five minutes." Harry looked up at the ghostly shade that was Tom Riddle.
It was de middle of the night and they were all alone in the commonroom. Harry was attempting to write a letter to Sirius, but it was hard if someone was looking over your shoulder all the time. The Slytherin had the annoying habit of pointing out every mistake he made, in class or otherwise. It was getting on his nerves. Now even more so, because it was late and he was tired.
"And where would you have me go? I cannot remove myself to far from either you or the diary." The elder replied.
"You could just sit over there, until I'm done." He gestured towards a couch a couple of metres away.
"Why should I?" The Slytherin asked, a smirk appeared on his face. "Writing secrets to your boyfriend."
Harry's cheeks turned red at the thought of that. "I don't have a boyfriend! I happen to like girls." He waved his hand. "That's beside the point! I'm trying to write to Sirius, it's hard when some creep is looking over your shoulder. I asked nicely, so please, move!"
Riddle stepped away from him reluctantly, after which he sat down on the couch, looking utterly bored. "Why write a letter to that mutt, when you can talk to me."
"Because you're an emotionless git, who doesn't understand me. Please bugger off." It was not his fault that Riddle was bored. It wasn't even his fault the idiot got trapped in that diary in the first place! Why did he have to go through all this mess?
He looked back at his almost empty parchment, concentrating on his letter once more.
Dear Snuffles,
I don't know what to do or think anymore. Dumbledore kept so many secrets from me. About you, and Pettigrew, about my parents, and why they were killed. I don't know if I can still trust him. I'm actually not sure whom I can trust.
Ron and Hermoine are acting weird as well. Something is going one with them. It could be my own fault of course, I haven't been a really good friend for them lately.
And then there is Umbridge. She works for Fudge, I don't trust her one bit. She's trying to take over Hogwarts, I believe.
I need to talk to you. Could we meet somewhere?
Harry
His letter wasn't as long as he had hoped it would be, but the message was clear, he really wanted and needed to talk. "I'm going to the Owlery." He said to Riddle, even though the Slytherin had no choice but to follow.
"This late at night? You will be caught, brave little Gryffindor." Riddle smirked.
"No, I won't." He got up from his chair and hid the letter in his robe. "I'll be right back."
He left for the boy's dormitory to get his invisibility cloak. Perhaps it was not that smart to let the future Lord Voldemort know he had this, but otherwise he would be caught. He would do anything to prove the Slytherin Heir wrong.
The other boys were al sleeping, Ron snoring the loudest of them all. He opened his trunk, to get his cloak out.
"What is that?" A voice whispered in his ear.
He almost jumped ten feet in the air. His heartbeat increased. "Riddle!" He hissed, pulling the cloak closer to his chest. "Could you not sneak up on me, when I'm trying to be quiet?"
"I did not sneak up on you. You knew I would follow, that I did not have any other choice." The elder replied. "Now tell me, what is that."
"It's still...never mind." Arguing with Riddle was a waste of breath and time, the other would not see what he meant, and would presume he was always right, the arrogant git. "It's called an invisibility cloak, even you've heard of it. Now shut up."
Riddle was quiet immediately, due to their agreement of course. They might be asleep, he was still in a room full of other people.
They left the boy dormitory again. As soon as they were downstairs again, he cloaked himself, ready to go outside, towards the owlery.
"It does not work very well, now does it?" Riddle Asked.
"And why is that?" He looked at the elder boy, who was standing right behind him.
"Because I can still see you."
"What?" He stepped towards a mirror and looked at himself. Well, there was not much to look at, he couldn't even see his own feet. The cloak worked perfectly. Then he looked back at the Slytherin heir, who was looking straight at him. Someone, who could not see him, would not be able to look directly at him. There was something seriously wrong.
"I can't see myself." Harry said.
"But I can see you." Riddle replied, just as puzzled as he was. "Perhaps it is our bond. You are after all the only one that can see me."
"Yes, but that's because you somehow connected me to your bloody diary!" And Riddle was of course connected to his own diary.
"Language Harry." Riddle drawled. "You are bound to my diary, because you made those promises to me."
"I can say whatever I want, Riddle." Harry replied, irritatingly.
"We have already been through this Harry. You mind your language and I do not have to hurt you." The Slytherin Heir said.
"Git." He mumbled at that, before leaving the commonroom. Riddle might be able to see him, but he was pretty sure that no one else could. Besides he just needed to go to the owlery and back. It was not that big of a deal, he had done it a million times.
He was careful enough not to make any noise while walking. The Slytherin walked beside him, not bothered by the need to be silent or unseen. Harry noticed only then how gracious Riddle was. The elder was really like some prince, walking amongst lesser people. His steps were not too big, neither to small, his back was always straight and his hand were folded behind it. And the Slytherin heir always held his head high.
He didn't notice that he was staring, until he felt Riddle's eyes upon him. "What is de matter, Harry?"
"Nothing." He said, too fast, forgetting for a moment he was sneaking through Hogwarts.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes I'm." He was not going to tell Riddle he was somewhat jealous of his confidence. He had no such thing. He still felt uncomfortable when people looked at him, even though he should be accustomed to it by now. For the past four years he had been in the centre of attention pretty much all the time.
"You seem uncomfortable." Riddle stated.
"Shut it." Harry replied, irritated again.
They didn't come across anyone on their way to the owlery, for which Harry was very thankful. He might have panicked if they came across anyone, even though he had his invisibility cloak. The fact that Riddle could see him, still made him anxious, despite it was probably due to their link.
They entered the owlery. Harry took his letter and gave it to Hedwig. The snow-white owl wasn't all too happy with him waking her from her slumber, but she left nonetheless. He was ready to leave again himself, when he heard voices.
"I'm sure they'll keep an eye on Harry, Minerva." Dumbledore entered the owlery, at the exact some moment he hid behind a big box. He wasn't entirely sure his cloak worked with the headmaster. After all the man had known he was there in Hagrid's hut in his second year.
"I am certain of that, but Albus, there is something seriously wrong with him. He is distracted in class, he talks a lot to himself. I am worried." McGonagall entered behind Dumbledore.
"Voldemort is influencing him, there is no other explanation. I had hoped he would not be tempted with me out of the picture." The headmaster replied.
They were talking about him! But he was not under the influence of Voldemort. Not his snake-like older-self anyway. And Riddle wasn't influencing him, not really. He still did whatever he wanted and his thoughts were his own. The only thing Riddle was influencing was his sleep and his concentration, but that was something that was bound to happen, when someone was talking to you all day long.
Slowly and carefully he looked up, just in time to see Dumbledore step right through the ghostly image of Tom Riddle. The headmaster stopped immediately, his brilliant blue eyes darted around.
Harry looked at the scene that was playing out right in front of him. Riddle was walking around Dumbledore, like a predator stalking his prey. Those cold dark eyes were filled with hatred, pure hatred, there was no place for anything else. And yet it did not show in the Slytherin's posture. The older boy remained calm and as gracious as a few moment ago.
"Albus?" McGonagall asked worried.
It took Harry out of his trance as well. He looked back at the head of his house, her eyes followed the blue once of their headmaster, but she did not see anything, judging by the look in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Minerva." Dumbledore smiled slightly, after which he attached his own letter to an owl and turned around. This time Riddle stepped out of his path. Soon enough both professors were gone again.
Harry let go of the breath, he didn't know he was holding in. He looked at Riddle. "Are you crazy? They almost discovered us."
"No, they did not." The Slytherin heir simply replied.
"He knew you were there, you stupid idiot!" The anger was obvious in his voice now.
"Calm down Harry, they might still hear you." Riddle walked towards the entrance. "We do not want that, now do we?"
He breathed in and out a few times, to calm himself again. Then he got up from his hiding-place and went after his companion. "Could you explain to me, why you did what you just did?"
"You will have to be more specific Harry." The Slytherin heir descended the stair, giving Harry no choice but to follow.
"That thing with Dumbledore just now." Harry whispered furiously. "You looked ready to kill him."
"But I cannot, now can I?" Riddle turned around suddenly, looking straight at him once more. For a second Harry could see the desperation in those dark eyes, a moment later it was gone, but he could still feel in, inside of him.
"Thank Merlin for that." He muttered, walking passed the elder. There would be chaos if Riddle murdered the headmaster. He might not trust Dumbledore right now, but that didn't mean he wanted the headmaster death. Besides he had other things to worry about. Like who was watching him and what the headmaster was up to.
The trip back to the Gryffindor tower was filled with silence.
Dear Harry,
Hogsmead meeting is coming up. Meet me there.
Snuffles.
Harry held the little note tightly in his hands, while he was waiting at the shrieking shack. He didn't know why he came here. It was not like they had arranged their meeting to be here, but it was the only link he had to the marauders and therefore Sirius.
He had dumped Ron and Hermoine once more, at the three broomsticks this time. They had been reluctant to let him go, but he had told them he needed to talk to Sirius alone. As the good friends they were, they understood and let him go on his own. Not counting Riddle.
He had tried to be less distant towards his two best friends, but it was hard. His own thoughts had kept him busy most of the time. It was hard to concentrate on their words and thinking Dumbledore's words through at the same time. He knew it wasn't fair, but this was not something he was ready to talk about just yet, not with them anyway.
There used to be a time when he could tell his friends everything, but that time seemed to have passed. They tried, of course. Hermoine was still her overprotective and motherly self, sticking her nose in everything. He didn't really mind, but you would expect a smart girl like her to take a hint. Ron wasn't as subtle as Hermoine was, the red-head flat out told him that there was something wrong with him and that he really should talk to someone, preferably the both of them.
Soon, he told himself. When he had talked to Sirius about this, then he would talk with his two best friends, without Riddle if he could help it.
He looked down when he fell something wet on his fingers. A black dog was sitting next to him, licking his hand. Sirius might be a dog, but it was still weird that a grown man was licking his hand. Still he smiled, patting the dog on his head.
The black dog got up and ran off. Harry followed. They left Hogsmead and the shrieking shack behind them, only to end up on a green hill, out of sight of the small village. There Sirius changed back to his human form.
"Harry." The black-haired man smiled at him, before pulling him in a hug. "Are you alright?"
"I'm okay." He said, closing his eyes for a moment, letting the warm touch of his godfather warm his heart. The man was like a father to him, and that was exactly what he needed now.
Sirius sat himself down in the grass, gesturing for him to do the same. "Now tell me, what exactly is bothering you."
Harry sighed. "Dumbledore lied to me."
"Yes, you have said that in your letter. About what has he been lying to you." His godfather asked without a sound of prejudices in his voice.
"There is this prophecy, about me and Voldemort." Harry said. "It says that I will have to kill Voldemort, or be killed by him. We are bound to each other, with our lives."
"He kept that from you?" Sirius wondered.
"Yes. Did you know this?" A horrible feeling was settling inside his stomach.
"No, I did not." His godfather sounded enraged now. "He has known this for all these years and didn't even decide to tell it to the order? He should have at least told it to you. What was Dumbledore thinking?"
Harry had never seen Sirius so angry. The horrible feeling was gone in an instant. No one but Dumbledore had known. Apparently Sirius was not to happy about that either.
"So, it's not wrong that I yelled at him?" He asked carefully.
"Of course not Harry! This involves your live. You had the right to know from the beginning." His godfather placed a hand upon his shoulder. "Listen to me Harry, I know that what Dumbledore did was wrong. He has his own agenda, something with which I'm not happy, especially when it involves you, but he probably had a good reason."
"He said it was to protect me, to give me my childhood." Harry said, a bitter tone in his voice. "But I've lost that the day Voldemort killed my parents, and Dumbledore decided to leave me at the Dursley's."
He looked around, Riddle was sitting in the grass a couple of feet away, apparently not interested in their conversation. He was grateful for that, this was something he wanted to keep between him and Sirius.
"I know that Harry, and I'm so sorry. I should have been there for you. I should have protected you and cared for you." Sirius said guiltily.
"This is not about you Sirius." He replied softly. "I don't blame you. You got framed for something you didn't do. It's Dumbledore I blame."
"It's not his fault either." His godfather said.
"Yes, it is." Anger rose again. "He should have known you wouldn't betray my parents. He should have looked into it. He could have found it out, being as smart and powerful as he his. He could have placed me somewhere else, instead of the stupid muggle relatives of mine! He could have chosen to tell me the truth from the beginning! He could have helped me in my first year, help me to stop Voldemort! He could have been there to destroy the basilisk! He could have even stopped Pettigrew, if only he was humble enough to do it, and not leave everything up to his most cherished pawn!"
Harry didn't realise how much he sounded like Riddle now, a little bit less graceful, but with every ounce of hatred and disdain as the Slytherin Heir had shown Dumbledore a couple of days ago.
"Harry calm down." Sirius grabbed his wrist. "I know he could have done a whole lot more, but he didn't. I'm not going to defend him, because I agree with you. Everyone claims your just a child, but still they trust you to fight alone. You're not a pawn Harry, don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
He looked straight at his godfather, who pulled him closer for a second time. For a moment he lay immobile in the older man's arms, before he grabbed the man's shirt and closed his eyes. "Thank you." He whispered. At last there was someone who understood him.
"We'll figure this out, you and me." Sirius said, letting him go again. "At Christmas you'll come to me. And I'll make sure you can come live with me in the summer as well. I'm going to take care of you, like I should have for the past fourteen years. I'll figure something out."
That meant he was going to live with Sirius and that he never had to go back to the Dursley's! Relieved filled him and washed the anger away. "I would love that!"
Sirius smiled at him. "Now, about your friends, don't worry about them. They're good friends, they will come around and support you, like they've always done."
"I know." Harry said. "They're just worried. But I just can't talk to them now. It will change."
"Trust me, it will. It's just like James, Remus and I when we were young." His godfather's smiled saddened. "When something happened at home, they would be worried as well, but talking about such things is not easy. They supported me until I got over it."
"What was your family like." Harry could not help but to be curious. He had heard a lot about their schooldays, Remus had told him a few things, but he knew nothing about Sirius's life at home, besides the fact that the other had ran away at sixteen to live with his father.
"Like any pureblood family." Sirius said bitterly. "Blood purity was all that counted. My parents were furious when they heard I was sorted into Gryffindor. And when they heard I became friends with your father, a Potter, they almost exploded with anger."
"I guess they never forgave you." Harry looked back at Hogsmead, which they could see at the other side of the hill.
"Not really, I was no longer their favourite son. Not that I really cared, but it was difficult to hear them talk so proudly about my little brother."
"You have a brother?" Harry asked. He didn't know that. He had always thought Sirius had been an only child. "What happened to him?"
"He died." His godfather replied, without much emotions in his voice.
"Didn't you li..." Harry stared at the little village. Smoke rose from one of the roofs. He could hear people screaming. A moment later his was back on his two feet and took out his wand.
"Go back to Hogwarts Harry." Sirius commanded, mimicking his actions.
"But Ron and Hermoine are down there!" he would not leave them, not in the middle of a Deatheater attack.
"Harry watch out!" Riddle's voice, cut through him like a knife. He looked around, just in time to see a deatheater fire a killing curse at him.