The days that followed, were the most exhausting day's in Harry's life. Avoiding Ron and Hermione was the easiest part, even though it became harder when more guests arrived. Most of the Weasleys were staying at Grimmauldplace, and Harry tried very hard to avoid them as well. He managed quite nicely, eating after all the others and disappearing back to his room before anyone could say anything.
There was only one person, who made it practically impossible to ignore him. Tom. Ever since the incident in the library, he had refused to speak to the Slytherin, other than the occasional pleasantries of course. Being alone in a room with his companion, was something Harry bluntly refused, even though he had no choice, there shared a room after all. Tom had noticed this as well, staking him throughout the house, not giving him a moment of peace. The fact that they had to stay near each other and the diary, didn't help.
That was why Harry was hiding behind a large cabinet in the corridor, right next to the lounge. He closed his eyes, praying, to whoever might listen, that Tom wouldn't find him. Usually he had better hiding spots protected by magic. Which made him undetectable, even for Tom. But this time the Slytherin caught him at the wrong moment.
Footsteps went past him. Harry let out the air he had been holding, opening his eyes again, only to see the dark blue ones of the Slytherin Heir.
"Did you really think you could hide from me forever?" Tom purred. "Your godfather can not always be there to protect you." Most of the time Sirius had been there to made sure nothing happened to Harry. He hadn't told his godfather what had happened, but the marks on his skin were enough for Sirius to know something went wrong.
Harry stared at the Slytherin Heir and swallowed. "I think I managed rather nicely, don't you?" He tried to keep his voice from trembling, keep it strong, but it was hard. There were still small marks on his neck were Tom had grabbed him, that was something he did not want to relive.
"All you have managed to do, is drive my patience to its limits." The elder stepped closer, grabbing Harry's wrist, preventing him to take his wand out. "There are certain things you and I need to do. Avoiding me is counterproductive."
"I think it's rather productive when you want to kill me." Harry swallowed again, feeling uncomfortable about the proximity of the other.
Tom's cold fingers traced the barely visible marks on his skin. "You angered me." Was al the Slytherin said, while tracing his hand over Harry's shoulder and chest. Tom came even closer, whispering into Harry's ear. "Perhaps we need to do this differently."
Before Harry could do anything, the Slytherin had taken the diary from him. He looked at the small book, realising what would happen if he did not get it back. He had to stay close to the diary in order to avoid headaches and other unpleasant feelings. If Tom had the little book, he would have to follow the Slytherin around, there would be no more hiding.
"Give it back!" He pushed Tom away, reaching for the diary.
"And why should I? It is mine after all." Tom held the diary out of his reach. The Slytherin was taller than he was, at least four inches. Al the Slytherin had to do, was keep the diary over his head and it would be impossible for him to grab it. But Harry was a wizard, and for once he thought about it, instead of jumping into action without his wand.
He drew his wand and aimed it at Tom. "Accio diary." The small book lipped out of the elder his fingers and ended up back in Harry's hand. "Thank you very much."
Before he could step away, or even turn around, Tom had grabbed his wrist again, turning it around and pushing him with his chest against a wall. When he tried to move, pain shot through his arm. Tom had trapped him, a feeling he did not like. The feeling became even worse when Tom took his wand from him.
"I do like a challenge." The Slytherin whispered. "But you are really driving me to my limits. Be glad I find this more amusing then annoying."
Actually, Harry wasn't happy at all. Amusing the Slytherin Heir was not what he had intended, knowing all too well that Tom wouldn't leave him alone, until he got bored again. There was only one thing he could do: Stop fighting.
He smiled weakly, looking half over his shoulder. Tom's breath brushed his face, but he tried to ignore it. "I am terribly sorry." He said, not meaning a single word of it. "It's just that I've grown attached to that diary. Please don't take it away from me."
For a moment the Slytherin looked puzzled, but that look was quickly replaced by a smug one. "I thought you refused to become one of my puppets?"
Harry stared at the other for a few moments, or at least the part of Tom he could see, seeing how he was still facing the wall. It was a trap. And there were only two things he could do. He could continue this game, which could result in getting back the diary and being released from this awkward position. Or he could start fighting again, telling Tom just how much of a puppet he was. The second option was tempting, but not in his best interest. He was going to regret his decision, he realised that the moment he made it.
"I simply realised fighting you is not going to get me anywhere." He answered. "Perhaps we could make some form of agreement. You give me back my precious diary, and I will do something for you in return." Of course, Harry didn't consider the diary his, but claiming ownership would help his cause.
"Your diary?" Tom smirked. "What a strange turn of events. Al right, we can make a deal. Stop ignoring me and come to the library at seven o'clock tonight, then I will give you back the diary. Our diary."
Before Harry could protest, or even agree, the Slytherin had stepped away from him and was descending the stair. "Wait! Why the library?"
"Just be there, Harry. Seven o'clock, not a minute later." And with those words Tom disappeared behind the corner.
Just great. For once he had thought he outsmarted Tom, but he failed again. If he wanted the diary -and his freedom- back, he had no choice but to go to the library that evening.
She knew it! Harry was being controlled. His actions weren't his own, or at least not completely. Ginny had been through this herself. It was not exactly the same, but the similarities were definitely there.
The Harry she knew, would never comply with any request of Voldemort, or even Tom Riddle. But now the ex-Gryffindor did everything Riddle asked willingly. Harry had no mind of his own any more, referring to the diary as 'his'.
But there was nothing she could do on her own. Perhaps she could go to Ron and Hermione, and if they weren't prepared the help her, then she would go to Dumbledore. Their headmaster was a powerful wizard. Surely, he could do something about the pestilence, that is called Tom Riddle.
She ran down the stairs, past the lounge, were Harry was sitting, toward the kitchen. Hermione was reading a book and Ron was playing with his wand, not noticing he was levitating half the supplies in the kitchen. No one else was present. "I need to talk to you." She said, setting herself down on the opposite site of the table.
Hermione was the first one to look up. "What's wrong?" The girl asked, a concerned look in her eyes.
"It's Harry." She answered.
Ron dropped his wand, looking at her directly now. "Did something happen again?" Her brother asked, anger was already rising in his voice. "I will kill that bloody snake, if he touches Harry again."
"Ronald, calm down." Hermione hissed.
"You saw what that snake did, Hermione." Ron continued. "The marks are still visible on Harry's skin."
Ginny had seen it as well, the red marks in Harry's neck, clearly finger-marks. Whatever Riddle did to Harry, it must have hurt. Another reason why they needed to get rid of Riddle as fast as possible.
"Perhaps they like it...a bit rougher." Ginny looked at Hermione, the girl's cheeks had turned red. Her Harry would never do something like that. Harry loved her, not that manipulative psychopath. But that was not something she was going to say out loud.
"That's beside the point." She said, leaning a bit closer to the two of them. "I heard them talking in the corridor just now. I'm fairly certain Riddle is controlling Harry. He referred to the diary as his. The same diary that made me do horrible things in my first year."
"I saw it two." Hermione bit her lip. "When Harry was in the hospital wing, with Riddle. It was lying on the nightstand."
"We have to destroy it, before Harry starts doing things he will regret for the rest of his life." Ginny answered.
"Like transferring to Slytherin?" Ron asked dryly.
"Exactly like that." Ginny looked towards the entrance, just to make sure no one was coming in. Then she leaned in even closer. "We have to steal that diary and destroy it, tonight."
"I don't know." The bushy-haired girl hesitated. "What if Harry isn't possessed? We might ruin our only chance to get him back."
Ginny stared incredulously at Hermione. How could she even doubt this? Her best friend was possessed by evil itself, and she was just going to let this opportunity slide? Her gaze turned towards Ron. Even her brother was doubting.
She got to her feet. "Fine, then I'll do it on my own!" She said, walking out of the kitchen. She was perfectly capable of stealing an item like Riddle's diary. And when she got it, she would go to Dumbledore and make sure it got destroyed. There was no way she would let Harry be Riddle's puppet.
With a sigh Harry left his room and went downstairs. Whatever Tom had planned for him, he wasn't looking forward to it. But he had no choice. If that diary remained with Tom, he had to go to every single place the Slytherin came up with.
"Stupid diary." He mumbled, while putting his hands in his pocket and mustering the willpower to go inside the library. He took a deep breath, before he stepped inside.
"Ah Harry, I am glad you decided to show." Tom said to him, too polite to be trusted. Harry looked around the library, everything was still in its place. The only thing -or rather someone- that didn't belong there, was Malfoy. What the hell was the blonde doing here? In the old days he would have grabbed his wand and cursed Malfoy into next week, but now it didn't even occur to him.
"Evening Tom, Malfoy." He said, before sitting down in his favourite chair. "Could you please explain to me what we are doing here?"
"Potter." Malfoy simply said, his eyes were neutral and fixed upon Harry.
"You wanted lessons, I am providing them." Tom explained, grabbing his wrist and pulling him up. "Now please, face Draco, we are going to test your defences. I seriously doubt your godfather is doing a great job."
"He's doing just fine, you just don't like him." Harry replied. With his wand he moved the furniture aside. Then he faced Malfoy.
"Your Godfather?" The blonde asked, aiming his wand at Harry. "Sirius Black?"
Harry grinned. "Yeah Malfoy, the very same one. He's been teaching me DADA, because our current teacher sucks at it." Actually, Umbridge was no teacher, she was a deranged woman, send by the Ministry to reform Hogwarts, and hold an eye on Dumbledore. She wasn't going to get him involved in this. He wanted to pass his OWL's, that was all that mattered.
"Is he any good?" The Malfoy Heir asked.
"Yeah, pretty good." He shrugged.
Tom coughed, a slightly irritated look upon his face. "If you two start the duel already, we can see just how good Black his lessons have been."
"Ready Potter?" Malfoy asked, something he would not have done before. In the old days, he would have attacked without warning.
Harry nodded. "Bring it on, Malfoy."
Then the fight began. Malfoy was the first one to fire a spell, but Harry blocked it easily. Then it was his turn the attack, but the blonde blocked his attack as well.
The wall behind Harry scattered into a thousand pieces, when Malfoy fired a mean curse at him. Harry tanked his fast Quidditch-reflexes, without them the curse would have struck him right in the chest. "Are you trying to kill me?" He asked, aiming his wand again. He flicked his wand; speechless magic became easier after the first few lessons with Sirius.
"No, but childish spell work, will not help you, Potter." For a moment Malfoy looked confused, before raising a simple protego-shield. Harry's spell bounced of it, knocking over a lamp. "What the hell was that?"
"Speechless wand work." Harry grinned, flicking his wand again. This time the blonde had noticed it immediately.
"Protego!" Malfoy practically yelled, but it was useless. The shield-charm protected you from most spells and even physical encounters, it would not protect the caster from a blast. The floor at Malfoy's feet exploded, pushing the blonde and his shield backwards, against one of the bookcases.
Harry grinned. "Looks Like Sirius is a better teacher then you thought." He said to Tom, only to fall victim to a stunning-spell. He slummed to the floor. Tom was the first one to come into his vision, followed by the blonde. Malfoy looked wrecked. He had a cut above his eye, rather deep, blood dripping in his blonde eyebrow. His hair was a mess and his clothes were scrambled. There was even a cut in the boy's lip, and some red spots, that would turn into bruises.
"Yes." Tom said. "Your godfather is a great teacher, he only forgot to mention that you should never turn you back to enemy, until you are absolutely sure he or she is unable to fight. Or brag about a victory, that is not yet yours."
Harry glared at the Slytherin Heir. Snakes fought unfair. In a fair fight, he would have won. But that was just it. There were no fair fights, not in the real world. If he expected to survive, he had to learn to fight unfair. He closed his eyes, waiting until someone would lift the curse.
It didn't take that long. But when he opened his eyes, it was not Tom or Malfoy, that helped him back up, it was Sirius. "Are you okay, kiddo?" The man asked.
"Yeah fine." He looked past his godfather, towards Malfoy. "I think he had worse."
Sirius looked over his shoulder. "I think so to, but did you have to destroy half the library to do that?"
Harry smiled, looking almost innocent. "He asked for it."
"I still won." Malfoy crossed his arms, looking from Sirius to Tom and back again, clearly debating with himself, who was the scarier man.
"I apologise for the destruction." Tom said, for once he sounded sincere. "I will make sure all damage is repaired once we are done."
Harry raised an eyebrow, before rolling his eyes. This was Tom's way of saying 'Leave, you are disturbing us'. It was a lot better than all the vile words, and the cursing.
"You better. Otherwise I will wreck that face of yours." Sirius smiled, sounding almost as polite as Tom. Something was wrong here. They did their best to be civilised to each other. Perhaps they finally realised he wasn't all too pleased with their behaviour towards one another. Or they both had ulterior motives. Bloody Slytherins -he considered Sirius to be one as well-, he feared for the later.
"Hey Potter." Malfoy walked over him.
He looked up to the blonde, seeing Tom ad Sirius from the corner of his eye. "Yes?"
"I never tanked you for saving me the other day."
"What are you talking about?" Harry looked puzzled. It took him several second to realise what Malfoy meant. He shrugged. "You would have done the same for me."
"Going to Gryffindor to save your ass from a lion?" Malfoy asked, turning the incident completely around. "Not bloody likely.
"Perhaps not back then. But now you would. After all, Slytherins look out for one another, do they not?"
The blonde snorted. "You are still a Gryffindor at heart."
"Actually, I'm not. Never was. Gryffindor in my head, Slytherin at heart." The sorting hat always said he would do great in Slytherin, now he actually believed it. The destruction of Voldemort would be a lot easier when he did it the snake's way, then doing it the lion's way. He would still struggle, and it would still be hard, but at least now he didn't have to sacrifice anyone, besides himself perhaps. Helping Tom was the easy path -not considering the abandonment of his friends of course-, Dumbledore's plan would have caused him more pain and suffering, sacrificing other people along the way, like his parents, like Sirius.
"You are not half bad, Potter." Malfoy commented, while examining him.
"Call me Harry." He answered. "We've known each other long enough."
"We have hated each other long enough." The blonde added dryly.
Harry laughed softly. It was sort of true, even though he never really hated the Malfoy heir. The blonde just got on his nerves, and was kind of a git most of the time. But he also noticed how smart Draco really was, and how hard the boy worked for his grades, even if Hermione's grades surpassed most of them.
"I believe we need to stop our practise for tonight." Tom announced. "Your dearest godfather instructed us to clean this mess up first. It is already late, we will continue this the day after tomorrow."
"Why only then?" Harry asked. It dawned on him rather fast. It would be Christmas the next day, he almost forgot. "Since when do you care about any holiday at all?"
"Since your rabid dog said we have to attend." Tom replied. "I doubt I am going to enjoy myself. Being forced to spend an entire evening with those red-heads and the mutt, is going to drive me insane."
"Try an entire day." Harry grinned. It would be Christmas the very next day. There would be presents, and breakfast, he could spend some time with Sirius, like a real family would. After all Sirius was the closest thing to a father he had.
"I am not going to spend an entire day with them." The Slytherin said indignantly. "We are going wand-shopping tomorrow."
Harry laughed softly. His companion really resented these kinds of things. Perhaps he was the only one that understood. After all celebrating holidays on your own, was never fun. Maybe this would be the first time for Tom to actually celebrate Christmas with a real family. The smile disappeared from his face. It would not be like previous years. It wouldn't be the same without Ron and Hermione at his side. He tried not to think about it, while he helped Tom and Draco to restore the library to his former glory.
Soon the last book found its way to its spot between two other books. Tom hadn't been much help, without a wand the Slytherin was sort of useless.
"Thanks, Mal-Draco." Harry said to the blonde.
"Don't mention it." Draco waved it away. "I will see you the day after tomorrow then."
The Malfoy Heir exited the library, after making a weird gesture to Tom. It was something between a bow, and a regular salute.
Harry watched the boy go, then he turned towards Tom, who was staring intently at him. Before the Slytherin Heir could say anything, he raised his hand. "Save it for the day after tomorrow. I'm going to bed now." And with those words he left as well.
Tom stared at the pile of presents, lying on the floor at his and Harry's bed end. The younger boy was sitting on the ground, next to the pile, unwrapping a big gift. The boy looked up, his green eyes filled with joy.
"Here, these are for you." Harry pushed six presents towards him. Tom stared at the gifts. It had been a long while since he had gotten any gifts. Still sitting on the bed, he grabbed the first gift and looked at the tag. From Blaise Zabini. He never expected his fellow Slytherin to send him something, at least not this fast.
He unwrapped the present. A small glass ball fell into his lap. He grabbed it and looked at it. A remembrance ball.
"Who gave you that?" Harry asked.
"Blaise."
"Why?" The boy looked puzzled. "You never forget anything."
"It's symbolic." He answered, looking at the ball. The smoke remained white. Like Harry said, he never forgot anything. Blaise gave him this because of their earlier conversation, it was about Harry. This was a reminder that he should not forget that Blaise was in love with Harry. What did the boy think? That he was in love with harry himself? No, the Golden boy was his, but there were no feelings involved. Even though he would never give Harry tot Blaise, not in a million years.
Harry looked at him a little while longer, before turning back to his own present, a green sweater.
Tom took his second present and opened it. He got potion set from Draco and a book about transfiguration from Pansy. They were useful presents, so he wouldn't throw them away. In the old days, he would have thrown almost all the presents out, because of their uselessness.
"I got a present from Sirius." Tom said to Harry, raising an eyebrow.
"Really?"
"Yes." He opened the package. It was another book, about the dark arts. It was an old book, obviously out of the Black family library. He smiled slightly. "Interesting." Was all he said.
Then he looked at Harry again. "What did you get?"
"A sweater from Ms. Weasley, a book about Quidditch from Hermione, some Zonko stuff from Ron, books about defence against the dark arts from Sirius and a bracelet from Blaise. I still have a couple of presents left."
A bracelet from Blaise? And the boy did not think that was weird? It was all too obvious, but Harry was too thick to see it. He opened his last present, without looking from who it was. A small black book was wrapped in the dark blue paper. He looked at it. It was a diary. An empty one. Rather expensive, judging by the cover. He opened it. A small note was written inside:
Now you can start over again.
Harry.
No words past his lips. What could he say? It was a simple gift, but it was also the best gift he had ever gotten. His fingers brushed the soft leather cover. This was the perfect gift. He was so entranced by the beauty of such a simple diary, that he did not notice Harry looking at him, with a smirk on his face.
"I am guessing you are pleased then?" The boy asked.
Tom looked up. For the very first time, he found no words to counter Harry's.
