Chapter 28

Grindelwald's Return

Headmaster Dippet did not approach Harry, or even mentioned the Knights since then. Harry would glance up at the staff table to see the headmaster looking at him disappointedly, however, Dumbledore always had an encouraging smile that countered any anxiety that Harry might have felt. Finals were around the corner, and the entire school was in study mode. Harry and his friends spent more and more time in the library studying for their final exams, with Orion stressing out completely over his O.W.L.s. Harry felt a touch of sympathy for the younger Slytherin and took it upon himself to tutor Orion in Defense Against the Dark Arts, which he was very thankful for.

It almost felt strange for Harry, stressing over something so commonplace. Around this time of year, he would be normally be worrying about what nefarious plot Voldemort and his followers would be doing, how he would inevitably almost die, and most importantly how to keep his friends out of harm's way. Now, however, he knew exactly what Voldemort was doing, he was even helping his lover plan them, and all of his friends are in on it as well. There was only one looming deadly factor, Grindelwald, but as far as the older Dark Wizard was concerned, he and Harry were on the same side. There would be no problems, no complications until Harry and Tom were ready to strike.

But before any of that, Harry had to get past his final exams.

His first exam was Transfiguration on Monday. When it finally came around, Harry felt mostly prepared. He walked into Professor Dumbledore's classroom to see the desks all separated and in neat rows. There were two parts for the exams, written first then afterward. Harry was sitting in the middle of the classroom and waited nervously as Dumbledore had the written exams pass out themselves, the stack of papers flying out and landing on each student's desk. He then tapped his wand on an hourglass that waited on his desk. "You may begin," he said, and Harry picked up his quill. It was difficult for Harry, he had forgotten the description used for the incantation to turn a teacup into a gerbil, however, Harry felt rather confident when he reached the section describing Human Transfiguration. When the last sand in the hourglass fell, their papers all flew back to Dumbledore's desk and they were allowed a five-minute break to rest their hands before they had to come in to do the practical.

"Good morning Harry," Professor Dumbledore smiled when it was finally Harry's turn. He had Harry's exam in front of him, as well as a quill in his hand. "Shall we begin with making this teacup into a gerbil, and back, if you would. Nonverbally, of course."

Harry nodded and took a breath as he turned to the teacup that waited on Dumbledore's desk. He tapped the teacup and it unrolled, growing furrier and larger into a brown gerbil. It squeaked and moved around briefly before, with another tap, it turned back into a teacup. Dumbledore nodded and smiled. A teapot appeared and poured tea into the cup. "Drink up," he said, holding his own cup as the teapot filled it. "I have to admit, confidentially, of course, it has been quite some time since I last had a cup of tea this morning." He chuckled and Harry took the cup, sipping politely.

"Now, shall we move on?" Dumbledore asked. He had Harry conjure birds as well as a snake before transfiguring both into other objects. He saved Human Transfiguration for last, always smiling encouragingly. "Now Harry, the last one will be the hardest," he said. "If you would, kindly transfigure your fingers?"

"Into what, sir?" Harry asked.

"Let us start with feathers and move on from there," Dumbledore said ruefully, looking down at Harry's exams. "I have to say as well, confidentially, your section on Human Transfiguration is magnificent. Of course, you did not hear that from me now, have you?" he chuckled.

Harry nodded then concentrated on his fingers, turning them into feathers easily before turning them back. He then changed his hair a different color with help of a mirror, as well as lengthen and shorten it before returning his hair to its normal look. Dumbledore praised him immensely and nodded, sending Harry on his way with a "Good show Harry, good show! You can send Mr. Riddle in."

Harry did as he said, waiting with the others for Tom to perform his practical. He waited in silence with the others, smiling only when the door opened, and Tom walked out looking calmly perfect as always. He offered no facial hints of how his practical went, however knowing his boyfriend, Harry knew he had nothing to worry about. The two left as Castor walked in.

The rest of their exams followed a similar suit and Harry just relaxed and embraced the strange normality of it all. Exam weeks moved by with this mundane stressful normality and before Harry even knew it, they were all done and were in the final days of their sixth year at Hogwarts.

June was a beautiful month. Each day passed with nothing but comfortably warm temperatures and sunshine. It was a picturesque prelude to Harry and Tom's plans for Grindelwald. The boys spent the days lazing about, Orion in particular looked the happiest to be on the other side of his exams, practically falling asleep every time they all relax out on the grounds. Harry did not want these moments to end, these small, peaceful moments with his friends. He could openly lay on Tom's lap, both reading books or Harry just watching him as the others just sit around in their own conversations. Sometimes others walked by them. Harry and Tom did not even try to hide themselves or move. The Slytherins just stare, obviously disappointed, but also fearful of any repercussions. The Gryffindors would just sneer while the Ravenclaws just stared disappointed. The Hufflepuffs, surprisingly, did nothing. Sometimes during these times, Harry caught Tom hunched over his diary, writing something in it that Harry could not see.

Their final days were upon them. Harry has gotten his scores from his final exams and smiled to see that he passed everything. Soon, their trunks were packed, and they were leaving the Slytherin Dungeons, moving in a mob down to the train station in Hogsmeade where they filed into a compartment in the Hogwarts Express.

Rosier made sure that the blinds on the compartment door and windows were closed as Harry relaxed into Tom, who wrapped an arm around him. "Well gentlemen, another year gone," he said. "Cassius, we're going to miss you next year, but I know you'll still be loyal to us." He nodded towards Rosier.

"Yes, my lord," Rosier said.

"Good," Tom said. He looked around and took a breath, "You should all rejoice, for this summer shall be the rise of Lord Voldemort," he said. The boys all looked at him, waiting for him to explain. "This summer, Harry and I will be traveling to stay with the Dark Wizard Gellert Grindelwald. He will be training us, and once we have what we require, your Lord Voldemort will take care of Grindelwald."

Harry glanced up at Tom but said nothing.

"My lord, what exactly will he be teaching you?" Nott asked.

"Dark Magic, obviously," Tom said. "However Harry and I will spend the time to also probe his followers, pick out the most skilled and knowledgeable, and take them for our own. We need a potioneer, as well as officials and other professionals. Once we have made our connections, we shall make our moves. Meanwhile, I have tasks for all of you. Harry has brought to my attention about how infantile our alliances with the other Houses are. During the summer, I need you all to keep our alliances alive. Reach out to our members, even if it is just letters. Answer questions and befriend them if possible. Jasper, can I trust you to handle Gryffindor?"

"Yes, my lord, Castor and I will handle them," Jasper smiled. Tom nodded in approval.

"Good, the rest I am expecting to handle the other three houses. Malfoy, you and Nott shall handle Ravenclaw; Avery, Black, Slytherin. Rosier, speak with your fellow Hufflepuff graduates, and have them talk with the current Hufflepuff students," Tom ordered.

"Yes, my lord," the boys said.

"My Lord, should I also reach out to other graduates?" Rosier asked.

"At your own digression," Tom said. Rosier nodded. With their business done, Harry found it shocking at how the boys all easily relaxed and switched roles, becoming a group of friends once more as the Train hurried along back to London. During some point, Castor visited to pull Jasper out to talk holiday plans, but Harry was too relaxed and comfortable in Tom's embrace to even care about eavesdropping on the young lovers.

Jasper came back, and more time passed until Rosier shifted in his seat, looking at Harry and Tom. "My lords, if I may?" he asked. Harry shook a little, caught surprised by 'lords.' However, Tom just nodded and waved for him to continue. "Grindelwald is collecting both of you from my home… correct?" he asked.

"Yes," Tom answered. He looked down at Harry and smiled, "I've written to him. He shall pick us up later today at Rosier's estate."

Rosier looked a little uncomfortable at that, however, he did not voice it. Instead, he just breathed deeply and closed his eyes as the Hogwarts Express finished its journey to platform nine and three quarters.

Harry and Tom followed Rosier out of the train into the large mob of people on the station. The group split up with promises to write as soon as they were all situated on the platform. Harry and Tom kept close to Rosier as the older Slytherin led them from the crowd towards where an older woman was waiting. "My dear Cassius," she said as soon as they were near, "I am so sorry that your father could not attend your graduation."

Rosier shrugged. "It is fine, mother," he said. He looked at Tom and Harry and cleared his voice. "Mother, these are Tom Riddle and Harry Peverell, the two I've told you about in my letter. Someone… important is picking them up for the summer and they asked if they could be collected at our home."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, madam," Tom said. "Thank you for letting us stay, even momentarily, in your lovely home."

"My you certainly are a charmer," Rosier's mother chuckled. She looked at the three of them and nodded, "Do you have a time of when you will be picked up?"

"Two hours from now," Tom said.

"Oh, then I see no problem at all," Rosier's mother smiled. "Come along now, and perhaps there will be enough time for the three of you to enjoy a small cup of tea before the two of you leave."

Tom smiled gratefully and tapped his wand against his and Harry's trunks, shrinking them so that they could fit inside his pocket. Rosier apparated to his home with Harry while Tom traveled with Rosier's mother.

The manor was smaller than Harry expected. It looked to be like Number 12 Grimmauld Place, in that it was a perfectly normal house caught between two other muggle homes that the muggles did not seem to notice at all. They all apparated inside the home's property line so that the muggles walking by did not even blink an eye at the four people suddenly appearing in front of them. Rosier walked up to the front door and held it open for his mother and guests. It was rather lovely inside, lighter in both color and mood than from what Harry had expected. As they walked towards the kitchen, Tom said to Rosier's mother, "Our business with this individual should be completed around midsummer, if not on Litha itself, that would be the summer solstice. Harry and I would be very honored to return here, albeit briefly until we can have something more permanent in place."

"I don't suppose that would be a problem, however what of your parents?" Mrs. Rosier asked. Harry and Cassius Rosier stopped, glancing at each other.

Without missing a beat Tom's smile faltered slightly and he sighed. "Truth be told, I am an orphan, my parents were great witch and wizard, however, they both died when I was a babe, as for Harry—"

"My parents died protecting me," Harry whispered. "We were on the run."

"Oh, you poor dears! Cassius! Go get our guest rooms ready immediately—and how dare you not tell me about them? I could have sent you extra in your gifts to share with these two!" Mrs. Rosier ordered.

"I'm sorry, Mother," Rosier muttered and immediately walked away, his footsteps going upstairs not a moment later. Mrs. Rosier just smiled and led Harry and Tom to the kitchen to have something small to eat, Rosier joining shortly afterward.

"It must have been awful, for the both of you," Mrs. Rosier said, "Two pureblooded wizards out in the world all alone. You two are purebloods, are you not?"

Harry glanced at Tom, who answered. "I am a descendant of the great Salazar Slytherin himself, my good friend Harry here, is also the last Peverell. He has our family jewelry as proof. A ring from Peverell's line as well as Slytherin's Locket."

Harry blinked and nodded, quickly pulling out Slytherin's locket from under his robes.

"Why then, is young Harry wearing it if it belongs to you?" Mrs. Rosier frowned, "Surely, it would look better around a woman's neck."

"Currently I have no girl in my life," Tom answered smoothly, "and the locket was a gift from me to Harry, to show our deep friendship."

Harry nodded, quickly jumping onto where Tom's lie was heading. "Since we both are orphans, we bonded quickly. There is something that orphans can talk and truly know about that others cannot."

"I see—however you should really give that necklace back one day, Mr. Peverell, for I think it would look so much lovely on the next Mistress Riddle, whoever she will be," Rosier's mother said happily. Both boys just nodded, sharing a secret look. She had tea and small foods ready for them by house-elves and left the three boys alone after a while. The two hours passed surprisingly quickly for Harry, and before anyone knew it, there was a knock on the door.

A nervous sweat fell upon Harry and he and Tom stood up to follow Cassius Rosier to the door. The older teen opened it and swallowed heavily at the sight of Grindelwald standing at his doorstep. "Hello there," Grindelwald said, looking pass Cassius onto Harry. A predatory smile appeared on his lips as he stepped in. "Harry! There is my little protégé, as well as the other one." He grabbed both of them then looked at Cassius, "Thank you so much for looking after these poor sweet defenseless boys," he said in a mocking tone. "But don't you worry now, Daddy has them." He laughed and before anyone could react, he apparated with the two.

Harry was so shocked at the events that the moment his feet felt solid ground, he fell and began coughing. Tom rushed to his side and glared up at Grindelwald. "A little warning would have been good," he muttered.

Harry caught his breath and looked up to see that they were once again in the courtyard of Nurmengard Castle, its walls high and jet black. Grindelwald's followers all froze for a second at the three's sudden appearance before going back to their usual business. Harry got to his feet just as Grindelwald turned back to the two teenagers, smiling, "Welcome to your summer home, boys," he said. "I am so glad that you have accepted my invitation."

"We are happy that you have decided to teach us," Tom said.

"Yes, and of course this is your first time in my castle," Grindelwald smiled, "Shall we take a tour? I shall show you boys where I will teach you, as well as everywhere you are allowed to go but first… I want you both to kneel and call me 'lord.'" Grindelwald smirked at the boys.

Tom did not miss a beat, kneeling with Harry following only a second later. "My lord," they both said, however, Harry's stomach felt heated as he did so. The dark wizard in front of them smiled, and clasped his hands together momentarily, "Oh! My two boys! Stand up! Stand up! Follow me now!"

The two did so and Grindelwald led them out of the courtyard. From Harry's last "visit" he remembered that there was a door that led directly to a large, long study that overlooked the courtyard. Grindelwald brought them first and said, "This is our study and small library. I have a rather interesting collection of books and manuscripts here, you boys can spend hours upon hours reading away if reading is your thing that is. The chairs are also rather comfortable, and we have a nice view." He pointed to the windows. "I like to relax here from time to time, and even eat here. But you remember that Harry," he chuckled.

"Yes, I do," Harry said a little tensely.

"Excellent! Now let's move on," Grindelwald said. He walked the length of the room towards a pair of double doors. Harry and Tom followed him. The doors led to a hallway with two stairs both leading downwards. Grindelwald moved to the left, and they went down the stairway, into another hallway that turned at a corner where there was only one door as well as a stairway that led further down. "There is the dungeon where we have live test subjects, muggles of course. In here, is where we keep the potion ingredients as well as do anything potion-making that is needed." He opened the door and walked in.

The room was made of stone and reminded Harry of the potion classrooms in Hogwarts as he looked at all of the cauldrons bubbling away. There were a few wizards working on the potions, keeping their heads downwards as they focused on their work. Tom looked around and Harry could see a calculated look in his eyes as he did so. "Here I will teach you both all about poisons and how to make them intractable," Grindelwald said before, once again, moving on. Tom stayed for a moment while Harry followed immediately.

Afterward, Grindelwald showed them the library proper, whose walls seemed to be built by bookshelves and all filled with what Harry assumed to be almost every dark magic tome imaginable. He walked over towards a nearby section and took a moment to browse, only to be surprised that one shelf near the bottom had nothing but copies of The Tales of Beedle the Bard. He looked up at Grindelwald, almost expecting an explanation only to be given none. From the library, there was a door that led towards an empty room that Harry immediately realized was for actual training and spell practice. "THIS! Is where we shall practice all of the little nasty spells that you boys could only possibly dream of," Grindelwald said. He stomped his feet two times, and a trapdoor in the middle of the room opened, "Another passageway to my lovely dungeon where we shall take our joys in maiming, murdering, and dismembering muggles." He gave a sick smile at the two and stomped his feet again, the door closing. "Magic is meant for Dominating all others, for we are truly superior. Never forget that boys," he said. "And now, for your rooms."

From the room he led the two through a series of corridors, stopping only at a dining room, "Here is where we all shall eat our meals together. Harry, you will be sitting next to me for obvious reasons. Tommy, you may sit anywhere else." Tom glowered behind Grindelwald's back and he kept flexing his hand into a fist as they walked. Harry immediately grabbed it and squeezed reassuringly.

Grindelwald led them to one of the many towers. Harry felt like they were spiraling endlessly until they reached a landing that had only a single door. "I am sorry but you two must share a bedroom," Grindelwald said, sighing. He pushed the door open and walked in. Inside was a miniature common room furnished with chairs and a small couch by a wide fireplace. There were desks by windows, and everything was colored with dark blues and blacks. There was another door that led to a bedroom with a wide king's sized bed and two dressers. Tom immediately walked in and pulled his and Harry's trunks from his pocket, both growing to their natural sizes.

"And that, my dear boys, is all I have to show you. Now, Daddy is busy and so I ask that you entertain yourselves here until you are summoned," Grindelwald said. He gave them both a flourishing bow and left the tower.

"Finally," Tom sighed. "I don't think I could have stomached him a moment longer." He looked around and frowned. "My love, speak in our language when we are along, just to be safe."

"Yes Master," Harry hissed.

"Good, my pet," Tom hissed back. He opened his arms and Harry walked into them, the two falling gracefully onto the couch. They both sighed and stared at the fireplace. "So we are finally here," Tom said, Harry nodding. "Though he seems like a fool, we must not keep our guard down for a second," Tom continued. "There is a reason for how and why he influenced so many. Which is why…" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small leather bag. "Floo Powder," he said, putting it back into his pocket. "The second we have the Elder Wand we are to use this to go back to Rosier's home."

"Do you think it'll take long, Tom?"

"I hope not my little snake, I intend for all of our business to be done by Midsummer. We will celebrate Litha with Grindelwald's demise," Tom said. Harry just hummed and closed his eyes, wanting to just relax in Tom's presence. The older Slytherin smiled and kissed Harry's cheek before pulling out his diary and continuing with his writing. After a while, Harry did not know how long, he opened his eyes to see Tom still writing. "What are you doing?"

"Creating a spell, a special mark for me and my followers," Tom hissed, looking at Harry with pride. "I had the idea floating in my head for a while. It wasn't until after exams that I could start working on the spell and image seriously. Take a look, my love." Tom looked prideful and happy with himself as he handed the diary to Harry. Harry stared at the pages and he felt his heart grow cold as it sank inside him.

In many various designs, with different types of skulls and different postures of snakes, the Dark Mark stared grimly at him. Some had the skulls be thinner, more alien-looking, or even an animal or snake's skull while others had the snake move in different ways, wrapping around the skull or coming out of its eyes. But one, in the middle, looking to be the latest version, was the Death Mark that Harry knew and feared, under which was a paragraph of text with one word underlined.

Morsmorde.

Harry inhaled deeply and looked at Tom, but in that moment all he could see was the Dark Lord Voldemort. A Young Voldemort who looked so prideful, so accomplished at the spell that marked the sky numerous times. Harry couldn't look away, his hands started to tremble, and he felt the diary responding to him. "M-Master," he whispered, "why?"

"We need a symbol, a mark to rally behind. This mark shall burn in the sky, and all who sees it will cheer in our victory," Lord Voldemort said. Harry just continued to stare. Why aren't the words fading? Please fade. He begged mentally.

However, they stayed, the writing did not disappear as it as whenever Harry or Ginny used it what felt like a lifetime ago. Harry's eyes started to water, and his mind went back to Cedric, back to his parents and Sirius. He squeezed them shut and closed the diary.

"Little snake?"

"Master—Tom, please." He felt the book pulled from him and Harry forced himself to open his eyes. Tom's eyes were sparkling as he smiled.

"Don't worry my little snake, when you see it in the sky, I guarantee you will be moved to tears," Tom smiled. He kissed Harry, but still, Harry's heart refused to thaw as all he saw were his lost ones and that cursed mark.

A/N: Finally, everything that's been building up is going to come crashing down soon. How will Harry and Tom take care of Grindelwald? What will happen when they hold all three Deathly Hollows? And why exactly has Harry been sent back in time?