Wow! *hugs imperial queen and HP-fanfic-fan101* Thank you guys so much for the awesome reviews! I don't think my little story is a "masterpiece" though, HP. I'm nothing next to the genius who is J.K. Rowling. Anyways, I wasn't quite as happy with this chapter as the others, but I tried writing it a couple different ways and this was the best I could do. Enjoy!
"Tom's singing is getting really old," Frank said as he and Albus walked down to breakfast the next day.
"You can say that again," muttered Albus, who was sporting two very large bags under his eyes, courtesy of Tom singing far into the night.
THIS IS THE ANNOYING SONG! LA LA LA LA LA! YOU'LLHATE IT BUT YOU'LL SING ALONG! LA LA LA LA LA!
"Can it," Albus snapped. "Anyways," he said, continuing his conversation with Frank, "at least I didn't have that stupid nightmare again."
"Small comfort," said Frank. "You can't keep going without sleep. You'll die."
"But if I go to sleep I meet Death," Albus pointed out. Frank was about to respond when both the boys fell victim to a well-placed tripping charm. Frank hit his head on the side of a table, while Albus skidded about five feet to have his bag ripped open by another spell. Books, parchment, and a few Blister Bonbons fell to the ground, and, as a grand finale, Albus's ink fell and all but exploded as the bottle broke. His face splattered (probably fortunate, as he was blushing), Albus began to gather his things and tried to ignore the snorts of laughter from Scorpius's part of the Slytherin table. Frank, muttering colorful curses under his breath, crawled over to help Albus.
"Al, what's this?" Frank asked. Albus looked up.
"What?"
"What is this?" Then Albus noticed that Frank was holding a photograph.
"It's a picture," he said. "What else would it be?" Frank didn't seem to hear a single word.
"But- but it's her."
"What are you talking about?" Albus was starting to get a bit irritated with his friend, who still seemed to not be hearing him.
"Her- her eyes. How could I have forgotten? I killed her."
"What are you looking at?" Albus tore the photograph from Frank's hands to find that it was of him, James, and Lily the last summer in Diagon Alley. "Frank, why are you freaking out?"
"I killed her. I told Him, and now she's gone, dead."
"Frank, snap out of it!"
"I have to warn him. I can't let him die. I can't obey, but I have to. Dumbledore said." Albus secretly wondered whether Frank had cracked.
"Frank!" he yelled, slapping his friend across the face. For a moment Frank looked enraged, then the Gryffindor's eyes glazed over.
"Al?" Frank whispered as he collapsed, his breathing loud and harsh.
"It's okay, Frank," said Albus. Frank shook his head.
"I-I was gone," he said. "I hated you. You killed Lily."
"I'm sorry, Frank."
"No, Al. It was me. I... lost control. Too many memories. Too many ghosts. I told Dumbledore I'd forgive you. I can't. I'm too weak."
You're not weak, Frank. Tom said savagely. This is Dumbly's fault, none other's.
"Can't stop them. Can't let go. Can't."
"Then we'll help you," Albus said. "Meet me in the Slytherin common room at midnight tonight. The password's 'worm guts'. We'll contact Dumbledore together and put a stop to this."
"But what if we can't!"
We'll be able to, I promise.
"How can you be so sure?" Frank said. Albus, truth be told, was wondering the same thing.
I'm Alby's memories, remember? I'll just tell Dumbles that you two fancy a chat and BAM! you're in.
"Sounds good to me," said Albus, "Is tonight okay with you Frank?" Sitting up, Frank gave Albus a small smile.
"Count me in," he said.
"Did you get here alright?" Albus whispered.
"Didn't even meet Peeves," said Frank as he sat in one of the hard armchairs. Albus smiled to himself despite his nervousness. The last time he'd seen Dumbledore, in the memory, it had been rather awkward. Albus wasn't sure he could even think about the old man without seeing the image of him naked and drunk.
Everybody ready? Tom asked suddenly, snapping Albus out of his reverie. Both boys nodded. Then sit down and buckle your seatbelts. Please remember to keep you hand, legs, and other bodily parts inside the car at all times. Do not remove your seatbelt until the ride has come to a complete stop. And hold on, boys, this might be a bumpy ride. Barely a moment after Tom had said this Albus was swept into a meaningless montage of images. First he was in an orphanage, then at Hogwarts, then in a bathroom, then in a grand house staring at a man who looked a lot like him (but in his early forties), then he was in a dark shop, then gathering followers, then... then... Darkness. Pain. Suffering. And somewhere, hidden even from himself, remorse and regret for what he had done, yet still the horrible knowledge that it had all been necessary.
Albus surfaced from the strange vision to find himself in a painfully bright white room. The first thing he noticed was that Tom and Dumbledore were arguing again. No surprise there. The second thing he noticed was that Frank wasn't there.
"Oy!" he shouted. "Where's Frank?" Tom scowled.
"I tried to bring him along, but he wouldn't come. Something's keeping him tied to the land of the living."
"Which is very bad news," Dumbledore added. "I may have lost control of his soul." Tom turned toward Dumbledore, shock and anger etched into his every feature.
"Control?" Tom said suspiciously. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"What I mean is that I was in charge of Severus's soul, but he must have become to attached to something in the physical world. If so..."
"Will he die?" Albus asked quickly. This time it was Tom who answered him.
"No, worse. He might keep on living."
"Huh?" Tom sighed.
"When Dumbly here had you two reborn, he had to take time off the lives of other people. You are quite literally living on borrowed time."
"So if Severus has gotten too tied to his life for some reason, that's not good," Dumbledore said. "He's been set to die at a certain point, but he could keep stealing time off other people, most likely those closest to him, and live on indefinitely. The balance of everything could be disrupted."
"Really?" said Albus. "What's so bad about that?" Dumbledore looked shocked that Albus could even think such a thing.
"Albus, there's a reason messing with fate isn't allowed."
"But if he just wants to keep on living-"
"Then Severus's personal preferences will have to be set aside for the greater good. We cannot afford any missteps now."
"Oh, really," Tom said. "I suppose Alby's continuing denial isn't a misstep."
"I told you before, it is a setback, no more."
"Why did Frank crack?" Albus said loudly, trying to get the conversation back on track. Dumbledore and Tom turned toward Albus; Tom looked slightly amused.
"Frank didn't crack," he said. "His old memories were trying to remind him why he had been reborn in the first place."
"But why then?" Tom shrugged.
"Hey, this is uncharted territory. I think it might be because he experienced something that allowed the memories to take hold, but I can't be certain."
"Great," Albus groaned. "Bloody brilliant. Even if I meld I'll have to deal with the memories taking over all the time."
"Hey, at least if we meld I'll be able to get high on life all the time. What do you say? Is it worth the tradeoff?"
"No," said Albus. Dumbledore rolled his eyes.
"This," he said, "is beside the point. What we need to do is find a way to make sure Severus is completely under my- er, I mean, the Council of Light's control." Tom and Albus exchanged a meaningful look, then Tom turned his full attention back to Dumbledore.
"Look, Dumbly, Frank's happy as he is. More than happy, he's on cloud seven researching all about the last war and all that shit. Thinks he can find the new Dark Lord in The History of Magic. The best thing you can do for him is leave him alone and hang your grand plans." Dumbledore looked over his spectacles, his ice blue eyes stern and foreboding.
"Tom, you know what a serious thing it is to mess with fate," the old man said. "Voldemort changed it so much already. Just a little more and the whole world will be done in-"
"And I can see why you wouldn't want that for all those poor people. Horrible company up here."
"I wouldn't joke about this if I were you. Everything hangs on a balance now, and our two boys could tip the scales. Besides, a little bird told me you've been neglecting your duty-"
"I'LL SHOW YOU A BIRD!" Tom yelled, pointing both his middle fingers at Dumbledore. Dumbledore, naturally, looked rather offended. Albus, also naturally, began laughing. Tom looked very pleased with himself.
"Tom, your childishness doesn't change anything," said Dumbledore grumpily. "If you don't attempt to fetch Severus, I will, and neither of us want that."
"Fine, Dumbly," Tom grumbled, sticking his tongue out at the old man. Then Tom screwed up his face in an expression of until the wavering image of Frank Longbottom gradually flickered into existence.
"What happened?" he asked, his voice faint and echoing.
"Severus, it appears as though you have become too attached to something in the land of the living," Dumbledore said irritably.
"No idea what that could be," said Frank glibly. Tom raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, really?" he said. "What about a certain little red haired girl?" Frank blushed furiously.
"That was confidential!" he protested. "You promised you wouldn't tell anyone, especially Albus."
"Wait a minute," said Albus. "You're in love with my sister!"
"Well she is sort of a stud," Tom remarked.
"You pervert!" Albus yelled. "She's only nine!"
"Yeah, but she's a nine-year-old stud, right Frankie?" When Frank didn't respond except by blushing even deeper Tom added, "Come on, Frank. Say you love her and won't get unattached, then we can go run in the fields with butterflies and cute little bunny rabbits. You know, true love and all that flobberworm shit." Both Frank and Albus were temporarily struck dumb, the former from embarrassment and the latter from anger and more embarrassment. Frank was the first to recover.
"Cute little bunny rabbits?" he said. "Kind of low for the big bad memories of LV."
"Hey, Voldemort had a soft spot for bunnies. And butterflies. And snakes. Any cute creature, really. And before you look at me like that," Tom added, for Frank looked as though he was trying not to laugh, "remember I'm just the memory man. I don't have a soft spot for cuddly creatures, Alby does."
"This is rather beside the point-" Dumbledore began.
"Shut up!" Albus and Tom said in unison. Frank grinned.
"Blimpy, you two are classic," he said. "Almost like brothers." Albus smiled too, but only because over the weeks he had begun to consider Tom as a sort of friend. Not a brother, mind you, just a very good friend.
Dumbledore must have guessed Albus's thoughts because he sighed and said, "How many times must I point out that Tom is not a person?" Tom bristled.
"Well I'm a damn better person than you are," he stated coldly.
"Tom, I'm warning you, if you say one more word I'll forbid you from taking over for a month."
"One more word," said Tom sarcastically.
"Tom-"
"One more word."
"Tom, I'm warning you-"
"ONE MORE FUCKING WORD!" Tom sang.
"TOM!" Dumbledore roared. Albus jumped backwards, startled and just a little bit scared. Even Tom was eyeing Dumbledore warily.
"Tom," Dumbledore said again, taking deep breaths to calm himself, "I'm in no mood for your antics. I've just had a meeting with the Council of Light, and they are 'suggesting' I fix it so you are no longer sentient. I must admit that after your display I am seriously considering doing just that." Tom's jaw dropped. He sputtered for a few moments, then finally found his voice again.
"But that's- that's murder!"
"No it isn't," Dumbledore said, "as you aren't alive and don't really exist."
"But I do! I am!"
"You fool, you are just memories. Memories cannot think and feel. Memories cannot be touched-"
"But I can be! Dumbles, just give me a chance-"
"You don't hate what you've done; you are dangerous!"
"According to you I didn't do anything, so what is there to hate?"
"Anyone with a spark of decency would be disgusted by the mere mention of what Voldemort did! To have his memories but not hate oneself-"
"It's not my fault, its Alby's!" Tom yelled, one hand shakily pointing a finger at Albus. "You don't get it, do you? Those memories are what I am. I don't hate them because that would be going against my nature!"
"Tom, I am absolutely ashamed of you-"
"Shut up, Dumbledore," Albus said quietly. To his surprise both Dumbledore and Tom did just that. Albus turned from one to the other. "I'm disappointed in you, both of you," he said. "Dumbledore, my father told me that you were a great man, a good man, Then I get here to find an arrogant, power-hungry dimwit who can't see beyond his own agenda and plans and assumes that everyone exists simply to be a pawn, his pawn. Tom," Tom fidgeted uncomfortably, "stop blaming everything bad that happens to you on everyone and thing else. Sure, the circumstances you've found yourself in are pretty crappy, but you can choose the way you react to them and make them better, both for yourself and others. Take some responsibility when you've made a mistake, and you might not be half as annoying."
"Hey, I'm not annoying," Tom objected. Albus rolled his eyes.
"See what I mean?" he said. Then Albus turned to Frank, who was still flickering and looking very nervous.
"What're you going to rant at me about?" he asked defensively.
"Frank," Albus said, "at some point you're going to have to choose. Between life and death; between love and duty. Whichever you choose, I'll support you. I don't think this problem has any right answer. It's just... you. You can't have a foot in both worlds, mate."
"Wow, Al, since when have you been so wise?" said Frank.
"Yeah," Tom said with a hint of respect in his voice. "What script did you get those lines from?"
"I don't know," Albus said honestly. "It just... came to me."
"Well one thing's for certain," said Tom. "I'm going to take your advice and be as annoying as a three-year-old singing Christmas radio jingles while doing it." Frank raised an eyebrow.
"Now there's the Tom we all know and love," he said with absolutely no sarcasm.
Whew! That took a while! Hope you liked the chapter! Review please!
P.S. Over 2500 words! Wow!