A/N: As you can deduce from the fast (and long!) update, I should be learning for my exams. My brain is currently trying its best to ignore that fact...
There seems to be some confusion about the cause of Harry's recent blackout. Allow me to spell it out for you, because Harry's behaviour in this chapter might be strange otherwise: It was caused by Riddle's unexpected (for Harry) kiss. It forced Harry to analyze how he responds to him and made him realize the true nature of Riddle's hints. Bottom line is: He had to acknowledge his attraction towards Riddle. Or as a reviewer stated so merrily: Harry's brain couldn't handle Riddle's perversion xD. Anyways, just know that Harry is now fully aware of the sexual tension between them.
Thanks a lot for reviewing last chapter! :)
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Chapter 21
"A- a what?" Harry swallowed hard while he tried to look anywhere except Riddle's eyes.
"A dance," repeated Riddle smoothly, his amusement easily shining through.
It took all of Harry's willpower to not simply gape at him. Aberforth and Moody remained stiff and silent in their seats, watching them.
Harry's eyes flickered shortly to Riddle's, then hastily back to his still outstretched hand. He considered his options, trying to come up with a plausible excuse.
"You saw me with Bella, I can't dance. I'm fairly sure it wouldn't do you any good to be seen with me on the dance floor."
Riddle's smirk widened. "You just need someone who can lead properly." He tilted his head, watching Harry's frozen form. "You're not going to pass out again are you? It would be quite…inconvenient if that happens every time I come near you." His tone was sweet and caring, but Harry's face grew hot from the obvious taunt.
He was at a loss. It was clear that Riddle wouldn't leave before he got what he wanted. Going with him was inevitable, the problem was, Harry didn't know how he should behave anymore. His own ignorance had let him react to Riddle with confusion or nonchalance. Now though… His own self-consciousness drove him mad and made him increasingly flustered. Which of course, was exactly what amused Riddle the most. Bastard.
Harry abruptly stood up, ignoring the outstretched hand. If Riddle thought he could toy with him that easily, he was sadly mistaken. Riddle expected him to be flustered, clumsy and most likely in denial. All he had to be was the exact opposite. Or well, pretend to anyways.
He took a deep breath and strode past Riddle without a second glance. At the door he turned around and looked back expectantly.
Riddle gradually retracted the offered hand and cocked his head. "A plain escape?"
Harry glared at him. "The ballroom is this way. Do try to keep up Riddle."
With that, he spun around and began walking down the corridor. He tried to calm his racing heart and his panicked brain. All he had to do was…what? Act natural? Normal? What a load of bullshit. There was no normal with Riddle. The man was a bloody rollercoaster.
So deliciously thrilling.
Harry mentally slapped himself. Okay, so maybe he shouldn't think about him at all. Yes, because ignoring Riddle was so easy, that should work brilliantly. Harry had to retain himself from slapping his cheeks for real. Stupid.
"Are we trying to be forceful now?" teased Riddle a few steps behind him.
Harry gritted his teeth. Don't react. Just don't react. Don't-
"I always knew you would be a rather pushy bo-…"
Harry whirled around and snarled at him. Only Riddle's fast reaction prevented them from a collision.
"Don't force me to make you scream again," hissed Harry, a bit proud that he was trembling from genuine rage and nothing else.
Riddle's eyes became hooded. Before, Harry had taken this expression as threatening. Now however, he saw his eyes were actually hooded with pleasure. His own eyes widened slightly at the realisation.
Riddle slowly reached up to Harry's face, his hand curling around the back of his neck, pressing him closer. Something akin to sincere wonder spread over his face when Harry didn't struggle, blush, or break eye contact.
"My, so firm today child. I take it your little episode was illuminating?"
"Very. Now get your hands off me, unless you want me to walk all the way backwards."
Riddle pulled his hand back deliberately slow, still eying Harry in slight amazement.
Harry coolly stepped back and began walking again.
"Soon child, I'll make it so you won't be able to walk in either direction," promised Riddle hoarsely.
Harry almost froze at the raw tone. He had already come to the conclusion that the attraction went both ways, but he had never considered that he may affect Riddle just as much as Riddle did him. Interesting. He stored the information for later while he pondered on Riddle's remarkable self-control - And almost tripped when he tried to imagine a flushed Riddle.
A smug chuckle followed him from behind.
"What?" he snapped, but didn't stop walking.
"You are tense. No need to pretend child." The smugness was literally dripping from Riddle's words. So much for his plan to act confident.
"I'm 21 bastard."
"Ah, such crude language Harry…. I keep wondering what went wrong, you started out so adorable."
"Yes, you've told me, you preferred me silent," remarked Harry brusquely.
"When you couldn't talk," corrected Riddle.
One of his arms sneaked around Harry's torso from behind, pulling him to a stop. Harry stubbornly stared straight ahead while Riddle's hand gripped his throat lightly, forcing his head to tilt up backwards.
"You did occasionally make such…delightful noises," purred Riddle.
"You are sick," grumbled Harry, trying not to think of how perfectly warm and solid Riddle's body was behind him, or how his cool hand felt on his exposed skin.
He still failed to suppress a shiver when Riddle's thumb began to stroke his throat.
"I'll have to check how those noises have changed since then."
Riddle pulled back his head even further and because Riddle was a good head taller than him, his face now appeared above him in his field of vision, only upside-down.
For a long moment they simply stood there, staring at each other silently. They were now near enough the main hall to hear the faint sounds of the ongoing music.
Then Harry began to writhe in Riddle's grip, trying to get out of the uncomfortable position. He quickly stopped, as his own movements put only further pressure on his neck.
Riddle's red eyes stared tauntingly down on him. Harry hissed at him in discomfort, earning another chuckle.
"What are you, a cat?"
"Still better than you."
Riddle quirked an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"You're a snake," specified Harry convinced.
"What gave you that idea?"
"You're sly and slippery like that."
"You know Harry, snakes hiss too," mused Riddle.
Harry frowned. "So?"
"Who knows, you might be a snake yourself."
"Am not!" hissed Harry indignantly, then realized that he just hissed again and shut his mouth annoyed.
"Well, if you're really a cat," smirked Riddle, dropping his voice to a low whisper, "go ahead and purr."
And he actually had the audacity to caress his throat, like he was petting an actual cat.
Harry snapped. He brought his arms up, determined to get out of Riddle's hold, even if it meant breaking his own neck. However, before he could really do something, Riddle released his throat and grabbed his right wrist instead, spinning him around gracefully as if they were already dancing.
"You owe me a dance," reminded Riddle.
"I don't own you anything."
"You already said yes."
Before Harry could tell him he had never verbally agreed to the dance, Riddle tightened his grip on Harry's wrist and pulled him towards the main hall. He would have protested more, if their recent closeness hadn't left him so out of breath. He really needed to work on that.
After walking through several unfamiliar corridors - how had he gotten to the library in the first place? - they finally arrived at the entrance hall. Quite a lot of people mingled there, since the music wasn't as loud here and thus conversations were easier to follow.
Riddle slowed down a bit, no doubt trying not to attract too much attention by pulling a reluctant Harry after him. Harry made another attempt at freeing his wrist, but Riddle's grip was iron.
"Behave yourself," mocked Riddle so only Harry could hear it. "Or I might consider getting you a leash."
"Leashes are for dogs," muttered Harry, "Besides, a snake can't hold anything."
"Oh you might be surprised, the big ones are strong enough to hold a person."
Harry glared at him suspiciously. "How would you know that?"
Riddle shrugged ominously and made his way through the crowded main hall.
At the edge of the cleared out dance space he stopped and smirked at Harry. "Ready?"
"Hell no! I told you I don't know how to dance!"
"You went with Bella." For a moment Harry could have sworn the lord actually pouted.
"Yes well…Bellatrix is insane. Are you telling me you're insane? Not that I wouldn't have known that…I'd just like to hear you admit it."
"They say there's a fine line between genius and insanity. I've merely erased that line," quoted Riddle.
Harry gaped at him. "Huh?! That's not comforting at all!"
Riddle used his temporal stupor to drag him to the middle of the dance space. The only positive thought Harry was capable of was that at least this time they weren't the first to start dancing. The floor was already rather crowded with dancing guests.
Riddle shifted his grip so that he was no longer holding his wrist but his hand instead and stretched both of their arms. Then he looked at him expectantly, with his ever-present amused glint in his eyes.
Harry stared at their entwined hands, trying to figure out if this really was normal or if Riddle just did it because he wanted to. Sure Bella and him had danced together, but now that he thought about it he realized they hadn't touched constantly, only if one of them had twirled the other around.
"What part of I don't know how to dance did you not understand?" asked Harry annoyed at himself as his cheeks began to heat up again. Damn it, and he was doing so well not to blush before.
"Put the other hand on my shoulder," instructed Riddle.
He needed to touch him with both hands?! "That seems…counterproductive. Wouldn't our feet be too close to each other to properly move?"
The lord was obviously trying very hard not to laugh. "The whole point of pair dancing is to synchronize with your partner and the music."
"Synchronize," echoed Harry flatly, "With your-…" Yes, his face was definitely red by now.
Since Riddle looked as if he would comment rather inappropriately again, Harry decided the best way to shut him up was to just follow his instruction.
He warily placed his other hand on Riddle's shoulder, with his arm stretched out to avoid further contact. This only seemed to amuse Riddle more.
He sucked in a shocked breath when Riddle placed his other hand on his lower back, pulling him close again.
"Why do you get to touch there?" asked Harry suspiciously.
"Why, to lead you of course."
"You're just making this up aren't you?"
"Believe me Harry, if I did, I would arrange it so I could touch you elsewhere."
To prove his words, Riddle's hand crept even lower.
"Stay where you are bastard!"
Riddle smirked, the music stopped for a few seconds and when the new piece began, he began to move.
Harry expected to stumble, or simply getting yanked along with him, but there was no clumsiness about it. Riddle led him steadily, managing to pull him in the intended direction by the simplest nudge of his hands. After only a short moment, their steps synched up naturally and instead of the crazy spinning he did with Bellatrix, they seemed to smoothly glide over the floor. To be fair, the relative slow melody helped as well.
"Stop staring at your feet."
"Why not?" grumbled Harry. There is nothing else that's safe to look at.
Riddle chuckled and his hand left Harry's back, tilting his chin up instead. "It's not polite."
Harry began to falter in his steps due to the lack of stability that came without Riddle's additional support. Riddle spun him around instead, and when Harry disoriented arrived in the same position again, the hand once again guided him.
"See? It is to lead you."
Harry glared at him. He couldn't deny dancing properly was easier than he thought thanks to Riddle, but he couldn't bring himself to like it as much as what he did with Bella. They had just moved with the music. Now he didn't have any saying in where they were going, when they would spin or how they moved. All the decisions were left to Riddle. The man was probably high on the additional power rush by now.
Riddle seemed to read his thoughts. "There are options for you to lead as well."
Harry frowned and nudged his shoulder experimentally, but Riddle didn't budge.
"However, I don't think it would be a good idea for now, since you obviously have no clue what you're doing."
Harry couldn't argue with that, so he opted for rolling his eyes instead.
The piece ended and Riddle smirked at him.
"What?" asked Harry warily as Riddle made no effort to let him go.
"After a slow piece, they always play a fast one."
The music began anew. To say it was fast was an understatement. It was murderish. Harry soon lost all orientation as Riddle whirled him around as he pleased. Harry couldn't oppose any of his motions, otherwise he would have certainly fallen flat on his back.
Though he had to admit that this was much better than the last one. He wasn't forced to constantly look at Riddle, the world was a single blur of colour yet Harry didn't have to worry he might crash into something, hell, he didn't have to think at all.
Riddle spun him back so that they once again faced each other.
"What were you doing with those men in the library? I know they are non-members."
Harry's mental defences snapped back into place at once. Clever bastard. He had probably hoped Harry would be too delirious to think properly by now.
"Riddle, I'm doing my best here not to stand on your toes constantly. Do you really want to overstrain me further?"
"One would assume the truth shouldn't require that much thought."
Harry laughed hollowly. "You have no idea."
He was forced to do another twirl, before they faced each other again.
"What do you know about the seven missing followers?" inquired Riddle.
Harry marvelled at his deduction skills. He wasn't surprised Riddle had caught up to the rumours by now, but his insight about which topics Harry could have discussed with Aberforth and Moody was uncanny.
The music began to slow and Harry guessed it would come to a stop soon.
"The truth?" he asked innocently.
"Preferably."
With the last notes of the piece, Harry stood on tiptoe and brought his mouth deliberately close to Riddle's ear, feeling the other tense.
"I think they ate an apple," he whispered.
The music stopped. Harry left a frozen Riddle behind as he walked away, feeling rather smug with himself for a change.
He was a bit surprised when Riddle made no inclination to come after him, but he guessed the lord was too preoccupied with figuring out whether Harry was joking or simply crazy. Oh well, he had other things to do.
He let his gaze wander, searching for Luna in the hope he could ask her a few more questions. Now that he was certain that she wasn't giving him random answers, he wanted to learn what else the young lady knew.
Instead, he found the nervous man that had fussed over Luna when they first arrived at the mansion.
"Err, excuse me, do you know where lady Luna is?" he asked him politely.
It took the man a moment to recognise Harry. "Oh you are the one she brought with her. I'm afraid, she left to search for one of our followers."
"Search?"
The man fidgeted. "Yes. One of our followers went missing after the first night."
Harry stared at him in disbelief. Luna was probably the only person who had known from the beginning what would happen. If she had warned Harry, surely she had told her followers? Was her theory wrong? Apples were a bit strange, but the number seemed too much of a coincidence.
Harry suddenly remembered that Riddle had asked him about seven missing followers. The twins were after the lords. Just what was going on?
With a familiar feeling of dread, Harry left the main hall. He didn't know where he was supposed to go, just that he had to do something. It also gave him an excuse to put more distance between him and Riddle.
In the entrance hall he caught a glimpse of a dark cloaked figure almost hidden beneath the stairs.
He approached the shadows. "Snape," he greeted the man.
"Potter." Snape looked him up and down. "You're still alive."
"Err…" Harry frowned, then remembered that Snape was most likely referring to his blackout. "Yes. Thanks for the food by the way. And for stopping Voldemort from knocking the door down."
Snape's eyebrows rose. "You remember that?"
"No, Draco told me."
"Just out of curiosity…How bad would it have been if I hadn't stopped him?"
"I have no idea. Though, judging by the state the coach was in when I woke up, he'd possibly have killed me right there."
He was rewarded with one of Snape's rare, tight-lipped smile.
"Have you seen lady Luna by any chance?" he asked, guessing that Snape knew all the lords and ladies by now.
"I haven't seen her this evening. Why are you looking for her?"
"One of her followers is missing."
"I know."
Harry snorted. "Figures."
"I don't think you should get involved with that."
"I'm afraid I already was," sighed Harry. Seeing the confused frown, he waved dismissively. "Long story."
Then another idea occurred him. "Did you see any twins?"
"I did not."
Harry groaned in frustration. "Hmm…If you wanted to kill several lords…and you wanted them to be found, but still hidden enough so no one catches you…Where would you do it?"
If Snape wasn't a master of concealing his emotions, Harry was sure he would have gaped by now.
"You certainly ask odd questions Potter."
Harry shrugged sheepishly. "And your odd answer would be?"
Snape paused, considering his question. "I'd say in a closed room, to decrease the chance of someone seeing me. One that is somehow connected to lords in general so I would know people would look there eventu-…"
He stopped when Harry clapped his hands excitedly. "You!" he pointed at Snape, "Are a brilliant man Mr. Snape."
Snape sneered at him. "Thank you for stating the obvious Po-…Where are you going?"
Harry ignored him as he ran up the stairs. If the twins really killed the lords as a sort of message, he knew the perfect room for it. Well, it wasn't closed anymore thanks to Harry, but still…
He ran down the corridor Lucius had led him on the first night. They wouldn't actually hurt Luna would they? Besides, he didn't know when they would kill the lords. Surely he wouldn't run into them exactly right now…
He froze when two identical figures stepped out of the door that led to the empty room and the destroyed secret doorway.
All three of them cursed simultaneously.
And suddenly Harry found himself facing two crossbows. He held up his hands weakly.
"The guy from the library!" they exclaimed at the same time, then frowned in honest regret.
"We're sor-…"
"Whoa wait!" exclaimed Harry hastily when he saw the two gripping their bows in earnest, his thoughts scrambling wildly in his head. "Your name…it's Weasley isn't it?"
They both looked equally aghast. "How-..?"
"Potter!"
The right twin immediately raised his crossbow and aimed over his shoulder.
"Watch out!" cried Harry and twisted around, the bolt swishing only centimetres from his head through the air.
He could see Snape letting himself fall, while the twins ran past Harry and sprinted down the corridor.
"No, wait!" Harry instantly began chasing after them but stopped short when he saw Snape's ashen face, the shaft of the bolt sticking from his shoulder.
"Holy shi-…Are you okay?!" he kneeled down in front of him.
"I've been better," pressed Snape out, drawing ragged breaths.
Harry's thoughts ran wild. The twins obviously knew how to handle their weapons, their aim was impeccable. If not for Snape's incredible fast reaction, the bolt would have hit his heart directly. As it was, it only pierced his shoulder. Harry had stood just in front of them, why had the other twin not shot him at the same time?
He grabbed the shaft in an attempt to pull it out quickly.
"Leave it you ignorant dunderhead!" spat Snape harshly. "It's blocking the blood flow. If you pull it out now, I'll bleed to death."
Harry bit his lip nervously. Fixing up machines was easy, but humans… He only trusted himself to look after superficial wounds, not a freaking hole uncomfortable close to vital organs.
"S-sorry…I-…We need a doctor! Who is Voldemort's physician?"
"It's me you imbecile!"
Harry's eyes widened slightly. "Oh. I thought you-…"
"Potter! Do we really need to discuss my qualifications right now?!"
"Err, right. Just-…Tell me what to do then."
Snape closed his eyes exhausted. "Leave it. Go and get help."
Harry hesitantly stood up, his eyes darting back and forth between Snape and the room the twins had come from.
Snape of course caught his reluctance. "What?!"
"You're not going to like it."
"I have a bolt piercing through my shoulder, do I look like I'm enjoying myself?!"
Harry gulped. Good point. "I think there are seven dead lords behind that room." Don't let it be Luna…
Snape groaned, then took a deep breath. "Go."
"Huh?"
"Go. Look. Fast."
Harry spun around and ran into the almost empty room and through the hole in the wall into the hidden meeting room.
His breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened at the sight. There weren't seven, there were…"Fourteen?!"
"Seven are alive," came a gentle whisper from the far left corner.
"Luna," Harry sagged with relief. "I mean, milady! Thank gods, I-…"
"I don't deserve that title," she whispered brokenly. "Not if I can't even protect my…" She took a shaky breath, her eyes fixed on the man that lay next to her kneeling form. The strange airiness that had always surrounded her before was gone. It was as if she had snapped out of her own world only she could see and allowed her to look at things differently. But it didn't matter in which world you looked at death, the result was always the same.
She looked up at Harry, her big eyes glistering with tears. But she wasn't sad, she was angry, frustrated almost. "I tell them. I say and warn and repeat and they- they…"
"They don't listen," finished Harry, knowing the man next to her was dead and guessing he had been her follower.
"They don't believe. They don't believe. Me."
Harry shook his head, remembering that Riddle had described her followers as particularly devout. "They do, milady. But they can't see what you see." Because you might just be one of the smartest people alive.
A single tear rolled down her cheeks as she looked back at her dead follower. "It should have been me."
Harry instantly wanted to deny her statement, but then he understood what she really meant and quickly connected the dots. It should have been her. She was the lady, he had been the follower. The twins should have killed her. The seven that were still alive were the missing followers, the seven dead ones their respective lord.
If it was true that the twins weren't after specific lords but chose them randomly, it made sense. Seven poisoned apples, not deadly, but strong enough to knock you out. The chances of a follower taking one of the seven apples was higher, since there were at least ten times as many followers at the balls than lords. Missing followers attracted less attention than missing lords. The twins left the followers alive but hunted down their lords. Everyone searched for connections between the dead, but there were none, it was simple misfortune.
Demons indeed. What were they trying to achieve?
"He told them he was the lord," continued Luna emotionless. "I told them otherwise, but they didn't believe me either."
Harry eyed her dead follower. It was a tough looking fellow. It was natural one would believe him to be the lord and not the frail looking young women that now knelt beside him.
"Why would someone do this repeatedly? They aren't…" he trailed off helplessly
"…bad people? I know." Luna stood up, rubbed her eyes and straightened her dress. "They are searching."
"For what?"
"For whom," corrected Luna.
Harry looked around, thirteen men lying on the ground, seven of them with a bloody hole where the heart was, undoubtedly shot with a crossbow though the twins had removed the bolts. Practical thinkers, economical.
The followers were unconscious, but Harry could see their chests moving steadily. Kidnapped, not killed. Luna had arrived on her own, neither kidnapped nor killed, because the twins had thought it had been the lord himself who had taken an apple.
All in all, six dead lords in one room, and Harry did not have any intentions trying to explain the situation to their followers.
"We should leave. If others find us here…"
A small smile graced her lips, a shadow of her former joy, but still a smile. "They can't see, so they wouldn't believe us."
If Snape or Luna were surprised to see the other, they didn't show it.
"How bad is it?" asked Snape stiffly.
"Six lords and one follower dead, six followers unconscious." Harry carefully put Snape's unwounded arm around his shoulder and helped him stand up. "Sorry, but we can't stay here if we don't want to end up as the prime suspects."
Snape's eyes darted to Luna and Harry could almost hear the pieces click into place as he did the calculations.
"The twins," he pressed out, while leaning heavily on Harry's shoulder, "You knew them."
"Stop talking, you can't waste your energy."
Snape shot him a dark look and Harry knew the man would demand an explanation sooner or later.
When they arrived at the stairs, Luna stopped him. "Too many people, this way."
He followed her through a darker corridor that ended with a staircase as well, but it was much smaller than the one that led to the entrance hall. It didn't come as a surprise that the huge mansion had more than one exit. This one was rather shabby looking and obviously wasn't used by the guests.
Since the ball had still been in full swing when Harry had left, he had expected the outside to be empty. Instead the dark night was filled with screams, crying, running footsteps, people yelling at each other. It was chaos.
"What the hell?" he breathed out.
No one took notice of their little group, or Snape for that matter. In fact, Harry saw a man walking straight into the mansion's wall next to them.
"Voldemort." Snape jerked his head in the direction of the big entrance doors.
People flooded out of the mansion, most of them running and clutching at their eyes or throat, coughing.
Riddle walked calmly, his expression unfazed at the panic around him.
Harry turned to Luna. Neither of them said a word as mutual understanding passed through their eyes. They didn't bid each other goodbye as they walked in different directions. They knew it wasn't necessary.
Riddle's expression was unreadable as he stared at the bolt in Snape's shoulder.
"Careful now, I'm beginning to think you two are a recipe for trouble," warned Riddle coolly.
If possible, Snape paled even more.
"He's got nothing to do with that. I'm quite capable of finding trouble on my own," countered Harry.
Riddle's piercing eyes snapped to him, which did nothing to improve Harry's already shaking knees. Snape got heavier the more his own strength left him.
He gulped nervously. "What happened?"
"Something like your smoke-bombs. The smoke blinded us instantly and made it hard to breath. It's also spreading through the mansion very rapidly. Everyone scattered while trying to get out."
Harry looked at the coughing and stumbling people around them and the flood of guests that still spilled out of the great entrance doors. "You don't seem affected."
Riddle smirked pleased. "I remembered what my little inventor told me while being bound to an altar of course."
Harry rolled his eyes at the pleased tone then nodded to Snape. "He needs a physician."
"Inconvenient," dismissed Riddle coldly, making a gesture to the chaos around them.
"Inconvenient?! He's got a bloody-…"
"Potter will do," Snape rasped out.
"I-…What?! I- I'm not-…" he sputtered in protest.
"Narcissa can help, just get me back."
It was clear the man didn't want to trouble his lord. Harry chewed his lips to stop himself from protesting further. Snape had already lost too much blood, he needed to lie down and get treated fast. Still, the train was all the way down the hill, and Harry was too small to carry him fully. It was impossible for Snape to walk the distance, even with his assistance.
He glared at Riddle. "Help me carry him."
"And why would I do that?"
"Oh I don't know, maybe because he's your follower?"
"I protect them, it's not my problem if they run off into danger without my approval," shrugged Riddle dismissively.
"He ran after me!"
"My point exactly."
He was about to reply furiously, but suddenly Snape leaned on him completely, causing Harry to stumble. He glanced at the man and saw that he had lost consciousness.
Harry gritted his teeth. "What do you want Riddle?"
Red eyes focused hungrily on him, making him feel sick and thrilled instantly. "You obeying a command of my choosing, time and content being specified later on."
Harry silently fumed at Riddle's fast answer. Too fast. He had planned this from the beginning.
He knew he was being played, and not even subtly at that. But unless he wanted to drag an unconscious Snape down the hill and risk shifting the bolt or perilous blood loss, he needed someone to help carry him properly.
He looked around, hoping against hope to see another member of Voldemort's group, but the darkness and the panicked guests around them made it impossible to search for someone.
He scowled at Riddle, knowing that he knew that Harry couldn't refuse. "You're a cold-hearted bastard you know that?"
Riddle's smile was bittersweet. "Maybe, but I told you Harry, I usually get what I want."
.
.
A/N: Riddle quoted Oscar Levant.
So, this chapter wasn't supposed to be this long but things got out of hand.^^
Don't worry too much if the twins aren't making any sense. Harry will bump into them again sooner or later and this time I even expect some talking.
The same is true for the whole guild/resistance mess. The more Harry gets pulled into it, the clearer it should get. Either that or I'll tie myself a noose... We'll see ;P.
Any kind of remarks are welcome as always! :)