It was a subtle kind of torture, Harry decided, to be able to ride along with Tom, but not to feel him. Harry was trapped in a glass box, or so it felt. He saw through Tom's eyes, but couldn't sense his soulmate and it was maddening, to be so close and not be complete.

Tom was having similar sentiments, if his pacing and snarling were any indication. They were back in the reception room of Riddle Manor and Harry wondered how much time had passed.

"Something happened," Tom muttered as he paced around the room like a caged dragon. Barty was sitting in a chair at the coffee table and Harry did a double take when he saw Barty's new face through Tom's eyes.

Barty's dirty-blond hair was now a rich, chestnut brown, his watery, blue eyes were a dark grey, and even his normally pale skin had the slightest olive hue. The shape of his nose was different, a little pointier instead of the blunt nose he'd had before, and his cheekbones were higher and lips just a bit fuller. He still obviously looked related to the Crouches, but nothing that would specifically remind one of Bartemius Crouch Jr. All in all, he looked good, and Harry was disappointed he couldn't tell him that.

"It's been 24 hours. The kid probably fell off his broom and is sleeping it off in the hospital wing," Barty said, but his tone was unconvincing and he was wringing his hands in his lap.

"If he was sleeping I would feel him," Tom snarled at Barty, who looked at him with wide eyes. "And I cannot feel him. I haven't felt him in twenty four hours. He might be dead for all we know!" Tom kicked against a side table, sending it scattering across the floor. "That blasted Quirrell is useless. He knows Harry is important to us yet he sends no news!"

"If Harry was dead it would be in the papers, I'm sure," Barty said, but his tone suggested he was trying to convince himself of this even more so than he was trying to convince Tom. "I'll try my mirror again." Barty took his mirror out of his pocket and held it against his Dark Mark to activate it. Harry knew it was useless since his own mirror was locked in his trunk and Harry was stuck in Tom's mind and in no position to answer it.

"We need someone on the ground at Hogwarts to protect Harry. He is far too important to lose." Tom stopped pacing and ran a tired hand across his face. "I'm going to call in Severus."

"My Lord?" Barty looked up at Tom in shock, fumbling with the mirror in his hands and almost dropping it. "If you call Snape, he'll tell Dumbledore immediately you've returned before answering the summons. I thought we agreed it was of the utmost importance that the old man never gets confirmation who Thomas Gaunt really is."

Tom snarled at Barty. "I know, but Harry might be dying or dead! And I will not sit on my arse and do nothing when there are people I can call in to take action."

Barty pursed his lips, brow furrowed as he held up a finger. "If we send in Winky to tell Snape he cannot let Dumbledore know before you call him it might work to keep it from the old fool."

Tom paused for a moment and turned to look at Barty. "Yes, that might work. Send Winky, have her tell Severus that if he so much as breathes a word to Dumbledore about the upcoming summoning his life will be forfeit and then I can call him without alerting the old man. And once Severus is here, he'll take an Unbreakable Vow or he dies."

"That'll work," Barty said with a smile and he called Winky to give her instructions. Meanwhile, Harry wanted to tell Tom there was no need to kill Snape, but of course he was still trapped in this metaphorical glass box so he could only sit and watch. Winky popped away and Tom resumed his pacing. No more than five minutes later, Winky popped back into the room.

"Master Snape was being alone in his room, so Winky is giving him the warnings. You is calling him now and Winky is staying with him to be watching his every move." And with that, Winky disappeared again.

Barty pulled up the sleeve of his left arm and offered the Dark Mark to Tom, who pulled out his wand and pressed the tip against the mark. Barty winced a little, but it seemed to hurt a lot less than Harry had seen from other Death Eaters in his previous life. Another five minutes later, Winky walked into the room, Severus Snape on her heels, without mask or Death Eater robes, as per Winky's instructions.

"He is not telling anyone he is being called, Winky is making sure," Winky said with a little bow.

"Thanks, Winky," Barty said with a warm smile.

"You is having guests, so Winky is making tea." Winky popped away again, and Snape briefly looked around the room, obviously wondering who Barty was. Then his eyes landed on Tom and widened ever so much. Snape dropped to his knees, forehead pressed against the floor.

Tom had no patience for Snape's show of submission. "What happened to Harry?" he all but yelled as he halted in front of Snape's kneeling figure.

Snape looked up in confusion. "My Lord? Harry?"

"Harry Potter, who else? How many fucking Harries do you know, Severus?" Tom snapped in Snape's face as he bent over a little to glare at him. "What happened to him yesterday? Is he all right? So help me Merlin, if he is dead I will tear Hogwarts apart brick by brick until I find the culprit and then I will spent the rest of my existence torturing the fool who killed my soulmate!"

The look of utter bewilderment on Snape's face was hilarious. He obviously wasn't expecting a Voldemort announcing Harry was his soulmate, especially since such a thing didn't really exist. It was just a joke Harry had come up with to describe their unusual connection and Tom ran with it to tease Harry right back.

But Snape wasn't a first-rate spy for nothing, and he schooled his face into an agreeable mask while looking calmly up at Tom. "Mr Potter was indeed injured during the Quidditch match yesterday, but he's expected to make a full recovery."

"How badly was he injured?" Tom demanded and he straightened up and crossed his arms tightly over his chest. "And who did it?"

Snape cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable with ratting out the Weasley twins but obviously trying to hide that sentiment. The old Voldemort would have doled out a cruciatus curse at the least if he suspected Snape was uncomfortable telling the truth. Harry doubted Tom would do the same, though. "Mr Potter has suffered a traumatic brain injury," Snape started saying and was immediately cut off by Tom.

"WHAT?" Tom whipped out his wand and pointed it straight at Snape's face. "Who did this? Tell me now!"

Snape nodded and spoke quickly. "Just as Mr Potter caught the snitch and won the game, George Weasley hit a bludger against Mr Potter's head from close range. Fred Weasley, trying to hit the same bludger, missed and hit Mr Potter's head with his bat instead."

"Fucking hell," Barty breathed while Tom actually took a step back and covered his mouth with a trembling hand. Harry himself was equally shocked by the extent of his injuries and also rather thankful he wasn't awake to feel the kind of pain that undoubtedly accompanied such an injury.

Snape nodded gravely. "Poppy Pomfrey called in a specialist from St Mungo's and they are keeping him unconscious with dreamless sleep potion while administering a regiment of regenerative potions to help his brain heal. They are expecting him to make a full recovery, but it might take up to a week."

"Tell me, Severus," Tom said slowly, carefully articulating each word. "That those two attempted murderers were expelled at the least."

Snape's expression soured, his sneer full of disgust. Harry doubted it was fake. "The headmaster, in all his infinite wisdom, thought a point-loss of twenty points each should suffice as a punishment. Thankfully, the deputy headmistress has more sense and agreed to suspend the Weasley twins from Quidditch for the rest of the year, plus she gave them a month of detention. If it is any consolation, I do believe their actions were an accident and they didn't mean to cause such grievous injuries. Unfortunately, the headmaster has also decreed that Mr Potter is not allowed to play Quidditch anymore, either, for the rest of the year since it's obvious first-years are not well-suited to play in matches, according to him."

"What?" Barty gaped at Snape and shook his head. "Oh man, Harry's going to hate that."

Yes, Barty was absolutely right. Inside his glass box, Harry was quietly fuming at Dumbledore's latest petty act.

Snape nodded and then apparently couldn't contain his curiosity any longer. "I'm sorry, but I don't think we've been introduced before. Severus Snape, Potions Master at Hogwarts."

"Bartholomew Crouch, pleased to meet you," Barty replied with a huge grin.

Snape's eyes widened, recognizing that name at once and he looked back up at Tom with fear shining in his eyes, suddenly understanding that if Harry had spent time with this Bartholomew Crouch, second cousin to the late Bartemius Crouch Sr, there was a chance he had spent time with Voldemort as well.

"Come, Severus," Tom said, sinking down in a leather chair beside Barty. "We have much to discuss. Do sit down." He waved at an empty chair opposite his own. Snape carefully, warily got up and sat down with his back straight and knees pressed together. It was clear he wasn't used to being treated like an actual human being by the Dark Lord.

Winky popped into the room with a huge tea service on a silver tray. "You is needing yous Earl Grey, Master Gaunt," she said, quickly serving Tom a cup of tea. "You is worrying so long for the little soulmate, you is needing to calm down." She all but pushed a plate with a slice of Battenberg cake on it into Tom's hands. Then she served Barty and Snape and popped out again.

Tom took a few sips of tea and inhaled a deep breath as he stared at Snape. "Severus, I am about to tell you the truth, something which, besides myself, only Barty and Harry know. You will take an Unbreakable Vow before leaving here, or I will kill you. Understood?"

Snape swallowed and clenched his fingers a little tighter around his cup of tea. "Yes, my Lord."

Tom nodded slowly and said with a measured voice, "The reason I'm telling you this is that Harry needs a protector at Hogwarts. You are already sworn to keep him safe, aren't you?"

Snape looked a little bit shocked, his eyes widening ever so much. "My Lord, I assure you – "

"Cut the crap, Severus," Tom interrupted him with a sharp gesture of his hand. "I am not the Voldemort you think I am. I know for a fact you swore a vow to Dumbledore to keep Lily's child safe, after you went to the old man pleading for him to save your childhood friend. Not her husband or her son, just her. The fact that you are sworn to protect Harry is the only reason, aside from Harry's request to keep you alive, that I won't kill you for betraying me."

Snape seemed unsure what to say to that and Harry could imagine there wasn't much he could say with Tom spelling his knowledge of Snape's betrayal out like that. Snape finally settled on giving a simple nod and sipping his tea.

Tom appeared fine with that limited response and leaned back in his chair. "I have Harry to thank for my return to the land of the living," Tom started explaining and Snape leaned forward ever so much, obviously terribly curious what was really going on. Harry couldn't blame him. To Snape it must feel as if he'd landed himself in an alternate dimension overnight. "Both Harry and myself have lived the next seven years already. Harry was sorted into Gryffindor and the old man groomed him to be the perfect little sacrificial lamb."

It was weird, Harry decided, to hear someone else tell his life-story like that. Snape seemed riveted, hanging onto every word Tom said.

"Meanwhile, I made an unsuccessful attempt to get my body back in Harry's first year, but didn't succeed until the end of Harry's fourth year. Unfortunately, due to creating multiple Horcruxes I was batshit insane, as Harry would say, and what followed was a few years of murder and mayhem and utter destruction. To make a very long story short, Harry played the part of the brave Gryffindor perfectly, fought me at every turn and eventually sacrificed his own life because Dumbledore told him to."

Tom inhaled a deep breath and sipped his tea. Snape quickly mirrored his actions to hide his gobsmacked expression.

"When I murdered the Potters and my killing curse on Harry backfired, a piece of my soul was torn off the main soul and attached itself to Harry. Dumbledore told Harry he could destroy this horcrux by letting me hit him with a killing curse. Harry did so when he was seventeen, through some fluke didn't die, we duelled and through some other fluke my killing curse backfired and hit me, and since I was mortal I died. I ended up in limbo with my soul in pieces for all eternity. That is, until Harry joined me there a few months later."

"He died months after defeating you?" Snape asked quietly, voice filled with disbelief.

Tom nodded. "Dumbledore lied. My soul piece that entered Harry merged with his own soul, becoming a new soul altogether. Dumbledore knew this and posthumously sent a message to the Ministry informing them Harry had to die if they wanted to keep me dead. Kingsley Shacklebolt, the new Minister for Magic, gave Harry a farce of a trial and chucked him through the Veil in the Department of Mysteries. However, quite accidentally Harry had become the Master of Death and bargained with Death to return to the start of his first year and to bring me along for the ride, this time with both my soul and thus my sanity intact."

Silence stretched out between them while Snape stared down at his lap, clearly unsure whether to believe any of what Tom had just told him.

"Hard to believe, isn't it," Barty said with an amused smile. "I know I wouldn't have if eleven-year-old Harry Potter hadn't shown up on this doorstep last summer, called our Lord his soulmate and invited himself over for tea and amicable conversation with his prophesized enemy."

Snape nodded slowly. "So he's not really eleven?"

"Harry's quite sure he was executed on his eighteenth birthday," Tom said, finally starting on his slice of cake with a big bite.

"That at least explains the muscle memory," Snape muttered, more to himself. "And his tendency to get spells right as fast as he does. Minerva and Filius have been waxing poetically about him, the little cheat."

Harry was terribly amused Snape didn't even sound all that disapproving, just annoyed he hadn't figured any of this out by himself.

"This means, however, that Dumbledore still wants Harry dead," Tom said with a pointed look at Snape. "Not right away, not until Harry has served his purpose as a sacrificial lamb, but if it's up to Dumbledore, Harry won't make it to adulthood." Tom leaned forward in his chair, pinning Snape in place with his glare. "You must understand, Severus, that not only do I owe Harry my life, I owe him my sanity. There is nothing I wouldn't do to keep him alive and safe."

"I understand," Snape whispered, sitting perfectly still while caught by Tom's chilling attention.

"Harry wants to stay at Hogwarts, wants a chance to do his life over without becoming Dumbledore's marionette. He needs someone there in case Dumbledore gets the wrong kind of ideas about Harry's life or safety," Tom said and Harry wanted to yell at him that he was fine and didn't need a babysitter for fuck's sake, but at the same time he was really touched Tom seemed so concerned about his well-being. Harry had so rarely had people in his life who truly wanted what was best for him that he appreciated it all the more from his soulmate. "I want you to protect him, Severus. With your life if need be," Tom finished, leaning back in his chair.

"I will protect him," Snape said decisively, nodding deeply. "But what of your other plans? Do you require me to spy for you at all?"

"There will be no war this time," Tom said with a sigh. "My new identity is that of my own bastard son, and I plan to let only a select few know my real identity. Any changes I'll make to our society will be made through legal, conventional means. For the most part," Tom said with a slight smirk.

"I am relieved to hear that, my Lord," Snape said with another nod. He seemed unsure how to act exactly around this new and improved version of the Dark Lord. Barty definitely noticed and chuckled.

"Chin up, Sev. You're still alive even after you betrayed our Lord," Barty said with a challenge in his tone. Snape gave him a curious look, probably wondering why this virtual stranger was addressing him with such familiarity.

Barty turned to look at Tom. "Well, at least we know my new look works." He waved at Snape. "I'm my own second cousin these days thanks to some permanent transfiguration."

Snape stared at Barty in disbelief. "Bartemius Crouch Jr?" When Barty nodded, Snape shifted in his seat, trying to look entirely unconcerned by this latest development. "Well, I see the rumours of your death were greatly exaggerated."

"My dying mother switched places with me in Azkaban," Barty said, with he kind of forced casualness that hid some real traumatic experiences. "Then my father kept me under the imperius, imprisoned in my family home until our Lord came to free me."

"And a few years earlier than last time," Tom added with a fond smile at Barty before turning his attention back to Snape. "You'll also be interested to know Peter Pettigrew is still alive, an active Death Eater and the real secret-keeper and betrayer of the Potters. Sirius Black is innocent and Harry has plans to get him out of Azkaban, I believe."

This time Snape couldn't hide his shock and he put his teacup down with a slightly trembling hand. "That is... unexpected."

Barty snorted. "Out of everything, that is what upsets you?"

"You mustn't blame dear Severus for that," Tom said with a slight sarcastic drawl. "He gave his heart to a woman who shunned him and married his childhood adversary. Naturally anything to do with her would upset him."

Harry was torn between hilarity and indignation. Tom dragging Snape about his unrequited love for someone who dumped their friendship as a teenager was funny, but on the other hand, that was his mum Tom was raking over the coals. Dammit, Tom.

"I know Harry told you Barty's new identity. Did you mention it to Dumbledore yet?" Tom asked while Snape had difficulty composing himself.

"Not yet, no," Snape said, his expression still slightly pinched but most of his visible annoyance carefully hidden again. "I planned to learn more about this new Barty Crouch before giving the headmaster my report."

"Good," Tom said while getting up from his seat. "Make sure he doesn't find out Harry knows him. Now for your vows."

Harry watched with interest as Tom and Snape clasped hands with Barty acting as their binder. Tom made Snape swear to never betray him and to protect Harry at all cost. Harry wanted to object, since he didn't think he needed a protector of any sort and because the consequences for breaking the vow was death. On the other hand, Snape did owe Harry's father a life-debt and it had transferred to Harry. This way Snape might be able to repay that debt so it would stop subtly trying to influence Harry.

"I will summon you on occasion, Severus," Tom said after the vows were done. "I will also enchant a communication mirror for you and have Winky drop it off tomorrow. I expect you to keep me updated on Harry's condition. I want to hear about any change at once."

"Of course, my Lord," Snape said with a deep nod, looking none the worse for having just signed his life away for Harry's protection.

"Barty and myself will be making our first public appearance later this week. Play along with the old man's assumptions, but tell anyone else you doubt Voldemort would ever pretend to be his own son. I want as many people as possible questioning Dumbledore's conclusions." Tom sat down again, pouring himself more tea. "You are dismissed, Severus."

Snape bowed deeply from the waist and left the reception room without further comment. Harry figured the man had had enough shocks for one evening and needed a couple of glasses of whiskey and some quiet time in his rooms to process it all.

"That went well," Barty said cheerfully, though not without a hint of sarcasm.

"If Severus tries to betray me he dies," Tom replied with a shrug. "Meanwhile he can look after Harry since that boy seems to have a natural talent for getting into trouble." Tom sipped his tea and gave Barty a hard look. "Find out everything you can about Fred and George Weasley. They will pay for what they've done. Dumbledore may believe they deserve forgiveness, but I certainly don't."

"Consider it done," Barty said with a look that promised severe retribution.

Harry yelled at them to stop, though of course it was no use since he was still stuck in a metaphorical glass box. Harry's feelings towards the twins were rather mixed these days. Fred had nothing to do with the betrayal since he'd been dead when it happened. It did sting that George hadn't been there for Harry when the world turned its back on him, especially seeing as Harry had given the twins his one thousand Galleons TriWizard Tournament prize money that allowed them to start their very successful business. Then again, Fred had only just died and George had taken his twins' death hard. It was entirely possible George hadn't realized what had happened until after Harry's execution. Hence Harry's mixed feelings.

Still, if Tom dared to hurt the twins for what was in essence a Quidditch accident as per Snape and his Legilimency skills, Harry was going to be having some very strong words with his soulmate.