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Thank you to Autumn077 for beta-reading this chapter! All remaining errors are mine only.

Previously: Harry accidentally brings back Tom Jedusor's shade with the Resurrection Stone. The shade is quieter than his past self, he claims to have been through Hell and begs Harry to let him stay on Earth. Confused and revolted, Harry goes back to the clearing and abandons the Stone.

Of smoke and stone

chapter 3: burning fire

"Harry! I can't believe you're here! What are you looking for?"

Harry winced. He had hoped no one would go out of their way to talk to him in the dark and dusty section he was standing in, but here came peppy, enthusiastic and stubborn Hermione Granger.

"It's the library, Hermione. I'm looking for a new cauldron, obviously," he said, hiding the cover of the book he had just picked up.

"You know what I mean. I'm not sure I've seen you here since the beginning of term," Hermione tilted her head curiously, trying to read the book's title.

"I visit when you're not around", deadpanned Harry. "But to answer your question … I'm looking for a book about ... about," he stalled "… weed. About dependence, in fact. I'd like to, yeah, I'd like to stop. Smoking, I mean."

He was lying through his teeth and he didn't give a shit. He was aware he should have felt bad about giving Hermione hope - her eyes were glimmering with love and joy and awe - but he just … didn't.

After having nodded three times to her 'Oh my god, Harry, it's such a brave, responsible and wonderful decision you made, I'm so proud of you' and promising her to 'talk later', he waved and exited the library.

He spent the rest of the day in bed, curtains closed, reading Summoning the Dead: will and wishes , searching for an answer. It was the first time since the war that he felt so motivated. He had almost forgotten how it felt to crave knowledge, to absolutely, desperately, want to know something. It was different from his usual desire for oblivion, but it burned as hotly and it felt as good. It felt like being alive.

Harry fell asleep without an explanation as to why the Resurrection Stone had invoked Tom Riddle instead of his parents. Which was a shame, for it was the only thing he had cared about more than getting high during the entire month.

xXx

"Holy crap," groaned Harry, stumbling over a root. "You should clean up your grounds a bit, y'know, make a nice and smooth dirt path just heeere. I'd be grateful."

The Forest didn't answer. Harry shrugged and continued walking. He was quite wasted - had had a couple joints and drinks with the gang - , but in an okay way. He was optimistic and resolved. Tonight, everything seemed crystal clear: if he wanted an explanation, all he had to do was find the Stone and directly ask Tom. Easy plan, fast result.

"Finally!" he opened his arms when he reached the clearing. "Now, where are you, lil' pebble? Accio Resurrection Stone! Godric, I said Accio !"

Accio was useless and so was every single spell he could think of.

"Incendio!" he yelled angrily.

A couple of seconds later, he was surrounded by rings of smoke and fire. The trees were screaming, screeching and breaking. The world was falling apart, the grass, wood, twigs, everything crackling, bursting and turning black. Meanwhile, Harry just stood in the middle of the blaze, watching the clearing become dust around him.

When the last ashes settled on the ground, he saw it at last: a glowing and perfectly dark gem waiting to be picked up, a few steps from him.

With no hesitation, he took it, turned it three times in his hand and watched as the shade of Tom Riddle appeared in front of him. He expected Voldemort to say something sarcastic or to laugh like a madman, finding it absolutely despicable and hilarious that Harry had brought him back a second time. However, the human-shaped cloud of smoke didn't say a word.

Harry came closer to Riddle, trying to make eye contact with the young specter.

"Potter? Harry Potter?" asked the ghost after a few seconds. Even taking his new smoky condition into account, he looked ghastly, with his haunted and unfocused eyes.

"Yeah, me again," Harry grumbled, running his hand through his hair. "Let's walk."

xXx

"I needed to know -" started Harry on the way out of the Forest.

"Don't send me back. You don't want to do that. If only you knew -" the shade was slightly trembling, failing in looking composed and sane.

"I don't care at all about where you were!" Harry glared at the ghost. "I just need to check something."

"Don't send me back, and I'll tell you whatever you want."

Harry sighed. Above them, the stars were beginning to show through the leaves. They were reaching the Forest edge.

"You're in no position to ask for anything, Tom. Anyway, you're not crazy enough to think I'll keep you around, are you? Why would you even want to stay? No one but me can see you and talk to you. If this is not Hell, it sure sounds the same."

"You ignorant and foolish creature. Any company is better than what I was enduring. You have no id -"

"I already said I don't care, did you get your eardrums punctured down there?" Harry sneered. "Now shut up or I'll throw this" - he opened his hand, revealing the Stone - "out there" - he pointed out at the Lake.

Tom fell silent at once.

Harry sat at his old usual spot by the water. For years, Hermione, Ron and him had hung out at the feet of the giant tree, after classes and on lazy Sundays. They didn't anymore.

He fetched out a roach and a lighter from his robe pockets and took a puff. The smoke traveled down his lungs, filling him with contentment. Weed was the best, after all.

"I was defeated by a junky, "said the shade with a scornful frown. "If old Dumbledore heard..."

"Don't start. Just tell me what I want to know."

"Or what? If you throw me in the water, you'll never know. And it would be a big loss for you, wouldn't it? I hold some important information, something you're very interested in, or you'd never have come back to the clearing to ask."

Ah, so Tom had found the loophole.

"I'll keep you," Harry exhaled the smoke out, pleasantly relaxed. "For ... for some time."

"Until spring."

Hm, spring didn't sound so bad. It was only a couple of months away. But still. A commitment.

Harry inhaled slowly, thinking the deal over. The joint was burning his fingertips. The suspended smoke was mixing up with Tom's shade, and it was blurry, eerie and hypnotizing. In his dizzy state, Harry thought the shade of his dead enemy felt way more real than everyone else in the castle.

"Okay," he said. He was comfortably numb so he didn't say anything more, and neither did the shade.

To be continued