____________________________________________________________________________________

Hello again everyone! I was so happy to see so many people read chapter 13 that I thought I would make you all happy and put up Chapter 14 as soon as I possibly could. I must apologize for the shortness of every chapter of every story that is going up right now, but I believe that getting something up to prove I am not abandoning my work is better than putting nothing up at all.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the Harry Potter Series…those rights belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brother's Studios. I do however own Nigella, Datura, Kason, Dentana, and a few others. Please respect my rights and don't take these characters.

The spell: "Il loro dolore è il suo dolore" is Italian for "Their pain is your pain". It is meant to make the recipient suffer the pain someone else experienced at their hands. Many thanks to Wolf-of-Dragon13 for the spell idea!

From the first -- to the second one is a very mature scene (not intended for those with a weak stomach). This part was written and edited by Wolf-of-Dragon13. Thanks again!

Thank you very much everyone!

___________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 14

Nigella looked over and beamed at Tom as they walked towards the Potions classroom together," You know Tom; it is really nice having a guy like you around me all the time. It makes me happy to know that I have such a good friend in you." She said continuing to smile brightly at him as she tried to hide the salmon pink color that had begun to invade her cheeks.

"You'll always have me as a friend Nigella." He said looking over at her, instantly returning the smile that lit up her face. He noted the way these big smiles made her dimples come out, and with one glance out of the corner of his left eye his thoughts went into a much darker realm. Kason Culver would pay dearly for what he had done to Nigella. He better believe that Tom would never let him get away with such a horrible act, even if he didn't know that he had committed it. "Don't worry Nigella. I won't allow Kason to get away with this. Tomorrow night down in the Forbidden Forest he will get what he truly deserves." Tom thought to himself as he quickly shook away all thoughts of his plans and went back to his more pleasant banter with Nigella.

She grabbed his arm lightly stopping him dead in his tracks," You are way too sweet Tom. I don't understand why so many people are afraid of you."

He looked up at her with a slightly surprised noise escaping his lips," You've apparently never seen my temper flare up."

"No, I've never seen you angry, but I think that I will always be kept away from such a thing." She said in a halfway knowing voice as she picked up their pace again so that they wouldn't be late for Potions.

Upon arriving at the classroom Nigella quickly sprinted up to the front to give Professor Slughorn her two rolls of parchment, and then sauntered back over to the table that she shared with Tom. All this time Tom watched her intently trying to figure out the mystery of her, he had never met someone that could give him any feeling aside from anger or hatred, but this girl made him feel something that he couldn't define. Something he was sure that almost no one could rightly define, but he wanted to try. Screw being young, he knew that this emotion was something big. Something that no one would want to be rid of if they had it. It made him feel like he could walk on her words, and drown in the depths of her teal eyes but still he couldn't understand everything that it did to him.

Before he could really begin to delve deep into the mystery that was his emotional state around her Professor Slughorn stood behind his desk and motioned for everyone to pass their rolls of parchment in. "Now class I told you I won't be treating you any differently than I do my students who are in their sixth and seventh years." He said in a chiding voice as half of the class began to groan and curse heavily under their breaths.

"I can't believe this bloody old bat." Kason said as he grabbed out his one and a half rolls and began to scribble some things that didn't really make a whole lot of sense," I hope he doesn't really grade these…if he does that's bad mark number one for the year."

"That doesn't surprise me at all Kason; you're good at getting a whole lot of bad marks." Lucius said as he removed his essay from his top of the line school bag and trotted up to the front setting it on the professor's desk with a snotty know-it-all smile plastered contently on his face.

"I hate to admit it but Lucius is right Kason. You seem to be the king of bad marks." Dentana said as she took his rolls and her own up to Slughorn's desk and then walked back to give Kason a funny look that none of the ones in that area really understood.

"Den…why are you looking at me like that?" Kason asked looking up at her inquisitively; Dentana merely shrugged and took her seat next to Lucius so that the class for that day could truly begin.

Throughout the day Tom continued to think about the diabolical plan that he and Dentana had been working on for days. He knew that this was going to send a message that even an idiot like Kason wouldn't forget. A message that he wouldn't let Kason tell anyone else, they would all in time learn that he would do anything in his power to protect Nigella. At dinner that night his thoughts consumed him even more as Kason sat across from him laughing jovially like most of the other boys in their year did, but Tom just plastered a smirk on his face as his and Dentana's plans were set into motion.

"So as I was saying, it doesn't matter if I don't do the potions or charms coursework. I have all the brains I need to pass them both. Homework is just so trivial and useless that I don't see a real reason for doing it." Kason said to Lucius as they began a somewhat heated debate on the over or under development of Kason's brain.

"If you know so much about both of them, why do you feel the need to cheat off of anyone who will let you? I mean yeah your mom is a scary man but that doesn't mean you shouldn't at least try to use your almost non-existent brain to its potential." Lucius said in a snide tone turning away from the other boy so he could focus on the food that he had piled on his plate awhile ago.

"MY MOTHER ISN'T A MAN!" Kason growled pushing Lucius into the seventh year boy that sat next to him.

The older boy glowered over at the two of them and in a chiding voice said," If you two love birds don't quiet down the entire hall will hear of your marital disputes. And next time you decide to have one at the dinner table I suggest keeping me out of it or I will have to get physical."

The two boys looked over at the other guy shocked and Kason being the idiot that he is opened his mouth and said in a defiant tone," We aren't having a marital dispute you overgrown, spineless, bowtruckle."

As the older boy rose from his seat to take Kason out into the hall Dentana placed a few drops of a very potent knock out potion into Kason's pumpkin juice. No one but Tom saw her hands move away from her plate, and no one saw her place the small phial of yellow liquid into the goblet. She and Tom exchanged smiles knowing that in just a few short hours they would be able to exact the revenge that they felt would right the sin that Kason had committed.

"What did you call me boy?" The seventh year said taking the two steps so he stood behind Kason so he could pull him off of the bench and into the entranceway of the school in order to give him the beating that he thought would out a little bit of respect into this first year who thought he was someone.

"I called you an overgrown, spineless bowtruckle…why?" He asked putting a little bit of innocence in his voice hoping to gain a little bit of mercy, even though he didn't see it happening.

"I thought that was what you called me boy! I hope that you are ready to receive the beating of a lifetime." The seventh year said as he began to drag him out of the great hall towards the double doors to make good on his words of giving him a good beating. Little did this bystander know the gravity of the words he had said, because Kason would be receiving the beating of his lifetime this night, just not by this boy's hands.

Tom watched and laughed as the older boy took Kason out into the hall and everyone heard a loud scream of pain through the partially open doors. The group that he usually sat with laughed heartily when he rejoined them a few minutes later with a black eye beginning to form and his lip split on the lower left side.

" THIS ISN'T FUNNY! I LOOK LIKE A SQUIB!" Kason howled at them tenderly touching his lip as he took a few more sips of his pumpkin juice ignoring the strange aftertaste that it left in his mouth.

" Actually your right, this isn't funny…it's hilarious." Dentana remarked through fits of laughter. Kason glared over at her and made a loud and dramatic 'hmphing' sound.

After the group had eaten they returned to their common room for the night to begin on homework, and for some an even more dastardly plot. They took to the corner farthest from everyone else in the room and began to talk in low voices to each other.

" This is all a pain." Helianthus said as he began to pour over the transfiguration notes that he had taken earlier that day. He scowled at them not understanding much of what he had been doing. The rest of them nodded in agreement as they too looked at notes from various classes.

Concentration on homework wasn't high on a few of their priority lists. Nigella was busy thinking of things that were to come in her life, and the fear that she could feel consuming her. Tom and Dentana were both separately thinking about the pain that would befall Kason in a few hours, and Kason was busy thinking about how tired he was suddenly becoming.

" I think I am going to go to bed." Nigella said to the rest of the group as she rose to her feet packing up the things she had scattered around her. Tom stood and took her things from her carrying them towards the girl's dorm continuing his gentlemanly routine. " You know Tom you really don't have to carry my things for me all the time. I really am capable."

He smiled warmly at her for the first time all day and said," I enjoy carrying your things. It makes me feel like I am contributing to your day." They stood in front of the dorms smiling at each other for a few minutes before she took her things and walked towards her bed.

" What does he see in her anyway?" Kason asked as he too stood up and worked on getting things ready for his own departure for bed.

" Who knows…I sure don't." Helianthus said as he continued to pour over his notes only barely hearing the words that were coming out of any of their mouths.

" He finds her fascinating. She doesn't fear him like most people do, and she treats him like a person." Dentana said as she continued to read an excerpt from their charms book to look like she was doing homework, not thinking about a good old fashioned torture.

" That doesn't mean anything. Just because she treats him human, doesn't mean he should act like a love sick puppy towards her. It is really sickening." Kason said without looking back at the rest of the people around the table as he made his way towards the boy's dorm.

Tom looked up from his halfway dazed expression to see Kason walking towards him. He gave a sick smile to himself and a nod over to Dentana who looked up at him. They both knew that their plan would come into action, and retribution would finally come. Tom followed Kason to the dormitory a few minutes later with a murderous glint in his eyes.

--

Dentana stood from her chair and went into the dormitory without an explanation to her friends. Tom smiled at her from over Kason's bed, holding his arms out displaying Kason. Dentana returned his smile as her eyes went from the color of pale sea foam green to a dark sapphire blue. She produced her wand from somewhere within her clothes and waved it over Kason's sleeping head, tapping his forehead as she murmured the disillusionment charm.

"How exactly are we supposed to know where he is?" Tom asked skeptically staring at the now 'empty' bed where Kason lay unconscious. Dentana shook her head and shrugged. Tom sighed heavily and motioned for her to carry on with her strange powers.

Dentana grinned and performed the disillusionment charm on Tom and herself before whispering the levitation charm, making good ole Flitwick proud with her perfect 'SWISH AND FLICK' motion. They waited patiently by the door, exiting when the door opened as Helianthus walked into the dormitory yawning. The occupants of the common room were too preoccupied to notice the soft click of the portrait hole closing behind the invisible trio.

Tom and Dentana crept through the corridors Kason floating behind them, barely avoiding confrontations with the wall and random suits of armor. They slipped through the grand doors of the front entrance with the hope that their exit wasn't as noisy as it seemed to them. Tom led the way, or he believed he did considering he couldn't see his friend and their prisoner, into the Forbidden Forest and through the thick trees to a clearing he'd discovered on one of his late night walks.

"We're here." Tom declared to the air. Dentana removed the disillusionment charm from herself and then from Kason. Tom tapped her on the shoulder and let her remove the disillusionment charm from him as well.

"Where do you want him?" Dentana asked looking around the clearing. She looked at Tom waiting for his answer.

"Just drop him here…it looks like the most uncomfortable place to be dropped." Tom replied after a few moments of contemplation. Dentana stifled and giggle and removed the levitation spell from Kason. His body thunk-ed to the forest floor in an awkward position that both friends knew had to be terribly uncomfortable. Tom smiled a smile that spoke volumes of why nearly everyone feared him. He felt himself slip back into his 'bully' mentality from the orphanage, the mild excitement of torturing defenseless creature.

Tom glared down at Kason's unconscious body, more excited than he'd ever been, even more than when Dumbledore had come to him at the orphanage. Dentana stood off to one side with her hands shoved in her pockets, a thoughtful look on her face. A groan emitted from Kason, a sound that sounded both pained and relieved all in one. He sat up rubbing his head, looking around the clearing in confusion. He caught sight of Dentana and Tom from the corner of his eye, and a strange feeling over came him.

"Hello, Kason, did you enjoy your nap?" Tom asked in a voice devoid of the anger he felt. He stalked a circle around Kason, his mind going over everything he planned to do one last time before the 'execution'. He only wished he could kill Kason.

"What the fuck is going on?!" Kason demanded hiding his fear as best he could. Dentana smiled in a pleased manor, sensing Kason's fear like it was a thick layer of slime that had attached itself to her skin. She watched Tom stop in front of Kason, his eyes flashing to a deep scarlet that reminded her of fresh blood.

"I am going to teach you a lesson, Kason." Tom replied in a deadly calm voice that sent chills up Dentana's spine. She was afraid and she wasn't even on the receiving end of Tom's cold fury. Kason stared up at Tom with wide eyes, his fear easily read in their moldy green depths.

"Explain yourself, you piece of rotten wand wood!" Kason screeched in an attempt to look intimidating. Tom laughed, the sound echoing throughout the clearing in a creepy ringing sound that made one think of a blood bath. Kason shivered involuntarily at the sound, finally beginning to understand why Tom was so frightening to so many people.

"I wouldn't press your luck any more, Kason. If I had my way, you wouldn't get out of this forest alive." Tom whispered sweetly leaning over Kason, his breath brushing Kason's face like a soft caress. He turned and went to a rotten tree where he produced a bag from the hollowed inside. Kason watched with wide eyes while Tom pulled items of torture out.

Tom caressed the handle of the bullwhip he'd made from thorns and strips of tightly woven-together bark from what appeared to be an incredibly gnarly tree. Tom cracked the whip a few inches in front of Kason's face, the air from it blowing his hair back gently. He smiled with a slight insane glint and set the bullwhip aside, but still within Kason's line of sight. He produced a large hunting knife from the bag next, the blade glimmering in the moonlight reflected Tom's face with a deadly intent in his now scarlet eyes.

"FUCKING TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON!" Kason screamed as his fear began to consume him and leave him shaking in his clothes.

"You will see very soon, foolish Kason." Tom cackled while setting the knife down next to the whip. He produced and ancient-looking contraption from the bag and caressed the wood like it was his lover. Tom smirked over the worn wood as he set the device down directly in front of Kason's face.

"Let me know when you need me." Dentana murmured before she began her bit keeping watch. She doubted anyone would find them but Tom wanted to cover his ass. She understood completely knowing that what they were doing could get them expelled and their wands snapped.

Tom grabbed Kason's hair and yanked him into a sitting position. He grabbed Kason's hands and fixed his thumbs into the old device. Kason was too afraid and confused to fight which was a very stupid mistake on his part. Tom began screwing the little device tighter and tighter, Kason's thumbs making a sickening cracking noise. Kason's eyes widened even more as he screamed in pain.

"One of my old friends, the thumbscrew…" Tom whispered in a delicate tone. His eye shone with a disturbed light, making the crimson of the orbs reflect with blood that had yet to be shed. Kason continued to scream, unable to get his head around the pain to pay attention to what Tom was saying.

"You can scream as much as you'd like, Kason, because no one will hear you out here." Tom whispered as he screwed the thumbscrew even tighter. Kason shrieked thrashing away from Tom. Tom cast a full body-binding curse on Kason before tightening the thumbscrew again.

"Your screams send shivers of pleasure throughout my body." Tom whispered. He caressed Kason's face with a misleadingly gentle touch. His smile was demented and wide, leaving no room for argument that Tom was truly enjoying himself.

Dentana hid a grin, staring up at the night sky. She knew Kason was probably close to pissing his pants, what with the way Tom was acting. How many people would be able to stare at instruments of torture, knowing that those instruments would be used on them, and not be scared? Dentana shook her head and went back to watching out for anyone who happened to wander across them. (She still couldn't figure out who would wander across them in the middle of the Forbidden Forest. No one was stupid enough, except for Tom obviously, to walk the forest at night…right?)

"Now then, dear Kason, I shall begin the knife portion of this little escapade." Tom purred as he picked the knife up and cut his thumb with the tip. He licked the blood that dribbled down his finger with a wicked smile.

"NO NO NO!" Kason cried helplessly. He fought futilely with Tom's spell, tears filling his eyes as his fear became paramount.

"Oh, yes yes!" Tom hissed while he advanced on Kason, holding the knife like it was the most precious thing in the world. He crouched down, running the tip of the blade across Kason's chin gently. He pressed a little harder, drawing a thin line of blood at the juncture where Kason's lower jaw connects to the upper jaw. Tom pulled the knife away with a sweet smile, licking the blood from the blade.

Kason watched Tom with abject horror. He wished to any deity that the body-binding spell would lift so that he could run…or at least remove the thumbscrew. He felt his blood trickle down the underside of his chin.

"Your blood has a peculiar taste…the taste of fear, I do believe." Tom whispered in a tone that could send shivers up Voldy-boy's spine. He laughed inhumanly before plunging the blade into Kason's elbow joint. His smile became crueler as he twisted and pulled the blade out before plunging it into the other elbow joint.

Kason screamed as the pain rippled through his body. Blood began to soak his shirt sleeves, creating shimmering black pools beneath him. Kason felt the blade twist in his arm, his skin ripping as it gave way to the sharp blade.

"Oh…your screams have intensified…I must be doing an excellent job." Tom murmured. He licked the blood off of the blade and moaned softly. His eyes glimmered with an intense pleasure, the scarlet color deepening.

Dentana sighed and kicked a twig. She paced the opening to the clearing as Kason's screams dissipated into the cold night air. She rotated her shoulders attempting to relax a little. She didn't want to laugh, but she couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped every few seconds.

"Hmm, I wonder how much you'll like my whip…" Tom murmured picking the object in question up. He snapped it in the air a few times before letting it slice Kason's chest. He directed the end to Kason's thighs, letting the whip slice Kason's legs several times before dropping the thing next to his feet.

"P-p-please s-s-stop!" Kason begged as tears poured from his eyes freely. His blood pooled around his prone body, leaving Kason cold and woozy.

"Dentana, could you please come work your magic? Kason is beginning to pass out from the blood loss."

Dentana rolled her eyes and strolled to the two boys. She waved her wand over Kason's body twice before returning to her post. She ignored the excited giggle from Tom, suppressing the shiver it caused.

Tom turned from Kason and went to a corner of the clearing. He lifted a wooden cross and drug it across the leaf-strewn clearing. He ignored Kason's begging as he dropped the cross next to Kason. He turned to the powerless wizard and leaned over him, licking some of the drying blood from Kason's chin as if he were his lover.

"Now, Kason, you will understand the pain you've caused her." Tom whispered into Kason's ears.

"Who's pain!?" Kason screamed in confusion.

Tom ignored Kason's question and pulled his wand out. His eyes gleamed with power, hatred…darkness. Tom lifted his wand and closed his scarlet eyes. "Il loro dolore è il suo dolore," Tom whispered passionately as he pictured the innocent Nigella lying in the Infirmary.

Dentana turned to face the two, her shoulders twitching. She felt a wave of shame wash over her briefly, guilty for breaking her peoples' confidence by telling Tom the spell created by the Dragon shape shifters to avenge their fallen at the hands of the wizards' eons upon eons ago.

Shame filled Kason, along with worthlessness, self-hatred, sorrow, and horror. He felt a ripping, burning pain in his nether regions. Confusion swirled around him as he felt blood he knew wasn't there pour from his groin. Kason cried out in shock as sharp pain shot through his belly. He tried to curl into a ball, tears leaking from the corner of his eyes as the physical and emotional pain continued to assault him.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Kason? Does that make you feel powerful…do you feel like a man?" Tom growled letting the white-hot anger fill his voice.

"Please…S-S-STOP!!!" Kason moaned as the pain continued. He was so agonized by the new feelings that he completely forgot about the thumbscrew crushing his thumbs.

"No…it will last, for the rest of your life. It will lie dormant…you will think that it has gone away, but then the pain will fill you to your breaking point when you least expect it." Tom snarled. He kicked Kason's face hard, smirking at the sound of crunching bone. He stared at Kason's cheek, wishing he could do more to the bastard.

"Tom…" Dentana called.

Tom nodded and released Kason from the body-binding spell. He levitated Kason onto the cross that lay next to him, Dentana conjured vines to tie around Kason's arms and the cross. Tom pulled three large spikes and a hammer from the bag and proceeded in nailing Kason to the cross.

"Okay…ready…" Dentana murmured to herself before she cast a strange spell on Kason, one that would wipe his memory of who tortured him. She tapped Kason's head with her wand and muttered the disillusionment charm . She tapped the cross, muttering a separate spell that made the wood and vines go invisible. She turned to Tom and tapped his forehead while muttering the disillusionment charm before doing the same to herself.

They levitated the crucified Kason and stalked through the Forbidden Forest and to the castle. Inside, they crept through the corridors until they reached Professor Slughorn's office. They lowered Kason and Dentana took the disillusionment charm off of Kason. She left the invisibility spell on the cross and vines, smiling at the morbid image. Slughorn would get quiet the surprise when he left his office for breakfast. Who wouldn't be shocked to see a floating student slowly bleeding from the hands and feet, positioned in a manner that made them look like a cross…

Dentana sensed Tom's desire to do more to Kason. She shivered, worried that Tom would lose control. She reached out and managed to find his arm. Tom flinched and tried withdrawing his arm from her grasp. She suppressed an annoyed sigh and tugged on it, dragging him back to their common room.

Inside, she removed the disillusionment charms from the both of them. Dentana lowered her eyes, avoiding the scarlet gaze that was directed at her. Tom collapsed against a leather armchair sighing tiredly. Dentana lifted her gaze, staring at Tom's tired face.

--

" Are you going to be okay Tom?" Dentana asked as she looked at his worn face a pang of worry for her best friend taking over her heart. She had and always would care about Tom. He was the one person who knew about her 'special' side. A side that was more dangerous than most of the wizards that were in this place.

He looked up fighting desperately to stay awake so he could continue to enjoy the pleasure that the torture session had brought him. He felt completely justified in his actions, Nigellas virtue had been avenged and Kason would forever feel the pain of his actions. " I'll be fine, Den. Don't worry about me. I just need a good night's sleep."

" It's good to know that you will be okay. I worry about you sometimes Tom. You're anger is almost incomparable." Dentana said as she stood from the armchair that she had sat in to stretch her weary bones.

" No need to worry about me, Den. I'll be fine now. " He looked up at her and said with a very serious tone," Thank you for everything that you have done for me tonight, Den. If it weren't for you I don't know what I would have done in order to make Kason pay for his sins."

She smirked and then looked down on him her eyes softening considerably," If I didn't help you in your true hour of need Tom, what kind of friend would I be?"

" I'm not really sure about what kind of friend you would be if you hadn't helped me. I can however say this…I wouldn't have been able to rest until I was able to recruit you for this mission." He smiled sickly as he replayed his actions again like a true horror movie.

" I believe that. You can be very persistent when it comes to the things you want." She said looking at the almost extinguished fire in the hearth and then back to Tom." We should get going to bed, Tom. Before we know it morning will be here, and the news of your handiwork will be spreading through the school like wildfire."

" It is morning dear friend, the sun just hasn't decided to grace our side of the earth with its presence yet. But I do agree some sleep will be good for both of us." He smirked at the comment about his handiwork being spread around the school. He didn't need people to know that he had done it, all that mattered to him was that retribution had come and Kason Antonius Culver would never again bother his sweet flower.

Meanwhile, in the time that Nigella had come from things were beginning to change.

Dumbledore sat at his desk looking over some papers from all over the world. The Dark Lord had once again begun to terrorize the muggles as he tried to rid the world of any that he deemed unworthy. The old man sighed as he read some of the stories. They saddened him greatly, for he knew that these were horrible fates to befall innocent people. He did notice however some very interesting changes in the world around him. Some were minor and almost unnoticeable, but others were big and necessary to make known.

Dumbledore shook off the sadness that had engulfed him and rose from the desk deciding without really thinking about it to go visit some of the people that were close to him. In particular he needed to go and visit Tom to see how he was faring with all of the changes around him.

" I suppose that Mr. Riddle will be doing well in his apothecary, but there is no reason to not go and visit him." Dumbledore said to himself as he strolled towards the Astronomy Tower so he could apparate to Diagon Alley to visit the apothecary in question.

Before he could even get to the top of the tower Harry walked up to him," Hello Professor.' He said smiling up at the older man.

" Why help Harry, how are you?" Dumbledore asked returning the smile from his young student.

" I'm alright. Wishing I could go to Diagon Alley to visit Tom. He has sent me quite a few letters. He is really upset." Harry said looking down at the floor clearly upset by the letters that he had been receiving from Tom.

" You're in luck Mr. Potter I was just on my way to visit Mr. Riddle. He has been sending me some of the same letters. I must say that I agree that his letters are a little bit disturbing." Dumbledore said as he moved to climb up to the top of the tower.

Harry followed Dumbledore all the time worrying about Tom, and also thinking about Draco his lover who he missed horribly. Draco was spending more time with Severus than he had in a while. He had recently discovered that Severus was his biological father, not Lucius like everyone had thought for a long time. This had actually made both Harry and Draco a lot happier. They didn't worry about Severus trying to separate them as much as they should, but they had a feeling that he would allow them to be together.

" Professor, can I go with you?" Harry suddenly asked as he realized they were finally in front of the open area at the top of the tower. He looked out at the grounds under them and smiled realizing the true beauty of the place that felt as close to home to him as the Burrow did.

Dumbledore looked down at Harry and smiled," Harry I wouldn't have let you walk up here with me if I didn't intend for you to join me."

Harry smiled back and nodded as he took Dumbledore's outstretched arm so that he could apparate them to Diagon Alley so they could check on Tom.

Tom paced frantically around the lower level of his apothecary looking out the windows occasionally hoping to see a glimpse of Dumbledore or anyone who would be willing to help him. He had searched everywhere he could think of as he looked for his beloved flower, but he couldn't find her anywhere. Not even a glimpse of her with someone else…he thought that might even be easier for him. He would much rather see her alive and happy with another man then dead. Dead he could never deal with.

" Calm your nerves Tom. Nigella isn't dead." He whispered as the bell over the door rang, his heart took a leap hoping with every fiber of his being that it was Nigella walking into the apothecary looking for him.

" Tom…TOM!" someone yelled from upstairs and he rushed up noting that it wasn't his sweet flowers voice, but still one that he recognized.

" I'm downstairs. Please come on down." He said sitting down in his leather armchair drawing up into himself, feeling the weight of his loves disappearance start to hurt him more and more everyday.

Harry and Dumbledore hurried down the stairs and opened the door. They both stopped in their tracks seeing the proud Tom Riddle that they knew and loved sitting in one of his armchairs a mere shell of the man he had once been. They also took a minute to look around and the stacks of newspapers that now covered his kitchen table and coffee table.

" Oh hello you two." Tom said in a hollow voice as he flicked his wand clearing the place up in one fell motion of his wrist.

" Tom, are you alright?" Harry asked walking over towards him. He could tell that the letters hadn't been an exaggeration of his emotions, Tom was distraught and even looked a bit like Pettigrew in his sullen state.

Tom looked up at Harry and his eyes scanned his forehead," Harry….your….your scars faded." He stared astonished at the once prominent mark that had dulled to a pink lightning bolt on Harry's forehead.

Harry looked over at him a little astonished and rushed to the mirror and stared in amazement at the faded lightning bolt that had always been the mark that defined him. He didn't particularly mind that the scar was fading, but he did mind not knowing why this was happening. So many strange things were happening…Tom wasn't Voldemort, Nigella was missing, he and Draco were finally together, Sirius and Remus were alive and together, and Severus was Draco's father. So many things that only one person could understand, but the question is was the old man ready to divulge the reasons for the plans he had put into action?