Disclaimer: See Chapter One.
Chapter Seven:
Harry Learns the Truth
Harry and Hermione quietly made their way to ROR under the invisibility cloak and the marauder's map in hand. They didn't won't to chance of getting caught after curfew. Harry could tell that she had been wanting to tell him something for a very long time, but he knew better then to push his best friend. He knew that she would come to him when she was ready. But sadly, they had begun keeping certain things from their other friend Ron because they knew that he was not mature enough nor did they feel like hearing his jealous and mean remarks if things didn't go the redhead's way.
Harry pushed opened the door to the ROR and they entered a nice comfortable room that had a large fireplace, a large couch with a few books shelves that lined the wall. The smell of tea and snacks hit their noses.
The couple sat down on the large couch and Harry poured two cups of hot tea while Hermione chewed on her bottom lip and began to fidget with the old beat up book in her lap.
"Harry do you mind if I floo call Professor McGonagall?" asked Hermione.
"What for Mione?" asked Harry with frown.
"It will be easer to explain if she was here." Hermione told him.
Harry's eyes widen. "Oh, of course. Sure, I understand."
Hermione kissed him on the cheek in a brotherly fashion and got up from the couch. She floo called her mother to the ROR. She sat down next to Harry just as their head of house stepped into the room.
'Hogwarts, please keep this conversation from the Headmaster. He seems to know everything that is going on. I want my family safe.' thought Hermione to the castle.
'Yes, of course my dear child. He only knows because of the portraits spy for him.' Hogwarts explained to her heir.
"Ok. So, Dumbledore won't know nothing is being said. Hogwarts told me that the paintings report and spy for him. That's how he knows everything that is going on in the castle. So, we must be careful around the paints and possibility the ghosts as well."
"You can talk to the castle?" said Harry in awe.
Hermione only nodded her head. "It's part of the long story I want or we would like to tell you."
"Oh. I want to tell you a couple of things too." Harry told her.
"I think we better tell you my story first Potter. Then everything may tie into what you need to tell Hermione." said Minerva.
The transfiguration professor fixed herself a cup of tea and sat back with her cup and ginger newt. She took a sip of her tea and let her mind think back. She told her story about her first coming to Hogwarts and was like Hermione always studying to prove herself that she could do anything.
Then in fifth year potions she was paired with Tom Riddle. A powerful, smart wizard in own right. He was brilliant in potions, dark arts and defense against the dark arts. He wanted to study to become a professor to teach what he knew.
Harry's eyes widen that her professor was so close to the Voldemort. He took a bite of his cookie not daring to interrupt the witch's story.
She went on to explain how her and Tom's friendship bloomed into love and into lovers. He proposed to her in their seventh year. She held out her left hand showing them the ring.
"You seem to always leave out the fact that you are related to Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, and that Tom is related to Hufflepuff and Slytherin." Hermione pointed out with a smile.
"Yes, dear. That is something try to keep to myself. The less people know the better. They fear what they don't fully understand. But getting on with my story." said Minerva.
Harry placed a pillow in his lap. Hermione couldn't help but smile at him. She could tell that this was his first time for what she saw as in away story time for her best friend.
Minerva got to part of story when she was kidnapped and held at Voldemort hideout for six months. She turned out becoming pregnant. She went into the muggle world to hide her pregnancy from everyone. She met the Granger's and they adopted Hermione before she was born.
Harry's eyes widen at the end of the story that had been told. He knew that Hermione hadn't changed who she was just because of her parents she was still Hermione his best friend.
"I understand if you want to stop being my friend." Hermione whispered. "My father has tried to killed you since you were born."
Harry shook his head not realizing that he had been quiet for that long. He quickly pulled her into his arms in a brotherly hug. "Stop being your friend! Of course, I would never stop being your friend Mione. You are my sister in everything but blood. I love you!"
Hermione couldn't help but bust into happy tears and cried into his chest. Minerva dried her tears with a tissue. She was happy that her daughter hadn't lost Harry over this.
Harry pulled back and took a deep breathe. "Dumbledore only told me some of the story the other day. He completely left out your side of the love story Professor."
"Of course, he would Harry." Hermione said as her anger begin to rise. "He wants you as a pawn in his game." She told him fingering the journal. "I have learned a lot from this book. I have found out that Tom didn't kill his parents out of just killing them. Tom's father killed his mother. Tom killed his father because he was trying to kill him. After his parents' deaths he went to the orphanage." Hermione explained to them and went into explaining that no one had known.
Harry sat in thought. "Of course, Tom could speak to snakes because it's a Slytherin trait. Dumbledore can't stand anything based around the founder."
Hermione explained about how Slytherin wasn't against muggle borns but want a testing program and those that didn't pass the test or magically core was low they had their memories wiped and their magic bound.
"Dumbledore wants it all opened to all magical children and at the right of the muggle born students the wizarding world is almost exposed." Minerva said with wide eyes. "This is not safe at all children."
"Because it would be like back in the witch hunt days when muggles would kill us at the stake." Hermione said. She quickly opened the journal with a drop of blood. "I have got to find out why Dumbledore is so scared of Tom." She held her hand over the pages and concentrated on what she wanted to find. The pages flipped until the pages stopped. "Oh, I can't believe I found it." whispered Hermione.
"Why is Dumbledore afraid of Tom Riddle?" asked Harry truly wanting to know why the war started for no reason.
"Mum, what's a druid?" asked Hermione not realizing she had called Minerva mum.
Minerva's eyes widen at the information. "Oh, my Morgana. No wonder Albus is scared of Tom. A druid is natural healers, they get their magic from nature. They control the elements. Druids are extremely powerful."
"Would that make me a druid?" asked Hermione.
Minerva nodded her head. "Yes. It would. Now we really need to protect you Hermione because if Dumbledore did this to Tom, who knows what he will do to you."
Harry sank deeply into the couch. He removed his glasses and ran his hands down his face at all the information. He looked at his head of house. "So, the war and lives lost were unnecessary. Dumbledore started a war because Tom Riddle was more powerful then him. Dumbledore wanted to be the most powerful wizard alive?"
Hermione looked at the journal and flipped through the pages in hope to find more information about things. "Here's something interesting." She told them after reading over the chapter. "Apprentally Tom was friend's with Bane the centaur. He told him about the pain that would be in his life." Hermione buried her face in her hands and sob. "I don't want you to kill my father Harry."
Harry quickly pulled Hermione into his arms. "I don't want to kill him either. My soul would be tainted and spilt. I don't want that to happen." Harry's eyes widen, "What if we can do something else? Instead of killing horcruxes that would destroy Tom Riddle. What if we can create potion to cleanse the horcruxes. Then the prophecy would be fulfilled and Voldemort would be destroyed."
Hermione's teary eyes widen, "It's a good possibility. I'll have to talk to Professor Snape and find out if he knows anything."
"I don't mean to rain on our brain storming, but can we trust Snape?" asked Harry.
"He promised on his magic that he would do whatever it took to keep me safe Harry. I'm sure Professor Snape is extremely trustworthy. He wouldn't just throwaway his magic for nothing." Hermione explained. "Thank you for all have done for me."
"Good night Professor." said Harry.
Minerva grabbed the wizard gently by the arm and pulled him into hug. "You are my daughter's best friend Harry. I believe you can call me Minnie in private. Good night dear," and she walked to the door with her name on it that lead to her private chambers.
Harry grabbed the cloak and the map and the couple left the ROR through the door. They quietly whispered to themselves brainstorming on how to save Tom Riddle and possibility of having to stop Dumbledore their view on the war had completely changed.
TR/MM
Hit the button and tell me what you think about the new chapter. Severus will get into the mix of things and Tom shows more human emotion all coming soon!