Author's note: I apologise for the long delay in updating this chapter. Next chapter won't take this long.

"So now you are her legal guardian ?" Salazar asked as he scratched his chin.

Tom nodded, as he sat next to Harry while holding her hand.

Slytherin founder stared at his heir, "I hope you are aware about your responsibilities as a guardian?"

Harry frowned at this question and looked towards Tom, who met her eyes and said, "Yes I do." He then gazed towards his ancestor, "I will have to look after her education, her living arrangements, her needs, basically everything."

Salazar nodded and added, "But you have to be financially stable to achieve that."

Tom just shrugged, "I will look for some solution."

Slytherin founder shook his head, " I don't want you to face any difficulty in this. I want you to contact the goblins at the earliest. I made some exceptions in my will, and if they were applied correctly then you should be getting some fortune as my heir. "

Harry who was staring at Tom this entire time, moved her eyes towards Salazar and asked, "Exceptions?"

Slytherin founder chuckled and nodded, "Lets just say that I made a special exception for any of my heir who falls in love. "

Tom frowned slightly as he stared at his ancestor, "But some other Slytherin heir might have fallen in love before me to claim that."

Salazar nodded and replied, "You might be right, but only if they were aware about this. You have to check with Gringotts."

"You know Tom... Salazar is full of surprises. I never expected Slytherin founder to be so passionate about love."

Tom chuckled, "He is. But if no other heir claimed to be in love before me then Salazar's passion for love would be very helpful for us. "

Harry hummed in agreement as she walked hand in hand with Tom towards Great Hall for dinner.

"Harry I might not come tonight."

"Why?"

"I was thinking about contacting Goblins tonight. I don't want to wait. If there is no money left as a heir then I have to look for an alternative option before school finishes."

Harry shook her head, "Tom you don't need to worry. I will manage. I just want to be with you thats it. During summer vacations I can stay in that orphanage with you. "

He stopped and stared at her, "That place is not for you Harry."

She met his gaze, "Any place with you is a perfect place for me. "

He smiled slightly and started walking again, "We will look for alternative option. "

"But.."

He shook his head, "No. You will never put a foot in that orphanage. I will find a perfect home for us."

She frowned, "Tom would we be allowed to stay alone?"

He nodded, "As your legal gaurdian there are certain exceptions. I will be checking about emancipation with Goblins. "

As soon as they entered Great hall, Harry looked towards Slytherin table for Sirius but he was not there.

She sighed and gazed towards Hufflepuff table to find her ex-bestfriend glaring at her. She gritted her teeth, this was all because of him. She wanted to inform Sirius at right time but Barnes forced her to tell her secret to her godfather at wrong moment.

Tom frowned as she glowered towards Hufflepuff table.

He squeezed her hand slightly and she met his gaze then let go of his hand, " Give me a sec Tom. "

And she marched straight towards Marcus. He stood up as soon as she stopped near his seat.

He smirked and murmured so lightly that only she heard him say, " So I presume your brother was not happy?"

She glared at him and then SMACK

She punched right on his face as hard as she could. The result - he fell face first on the floor. She did not stop there and started kicking him.

"Miss Evans" , Hufflepuff head Herbert Beery shouted.

Tom grabbed her and dragged her away from Marcus before she could get herself into more trouble. He was trying his best to control his laughter. His lover beating up that Puff prefect made his day.

Harry gritted her teeth as she tried to free herself from Tom's hold," Leave me Tom I will beat the crap out of him."

Tom did not lose his grip and said, "Calm down sweetheart. I don't know why you are so upset with him. But you will get yourself into alot of trouble."

Her house head was checking Marcus, whose nose and lips were bleeding. Other Professors were staring at them from the head table, while students were talking excitedly about that scene.

Harry looked around as the great hall filled with noise of students and professors, then realised her mistake. What would Tom think? She gazed towards him, "I am sorry Tom. I should've controlled myself. But his smirk made me so angry."

Tom just stared at her then said, "You will tell me why you did this right?"

She nodded, "I will ."

Professor Beery after making sure Marcus was alright stood up and looked at Harry. She shook her head and said, "I never expected this sort of behaviour from you Miss Evans. Attacking your House's Prefect and that too muggle way. You should be ashamed of yourself."

Harry did not say anything as she was not at all sorry about attacking Marcus, she wanted to hit him more.

Hufflepuff head waited for few seconds but when Harry did not say anythins she said, "Detention for a month. You will report to me every evening for a month."

Harry opened her mouth to protest but Tom squeezed her hand to stop her from saying anything. She closed her mouth and gazed towards Tom then towards her house head and said, "Okay Professor."

As Professor left, Tom took Harry hand, "Come on we will eat in the kitchen today. "

In school kitchen Tom stared at Harry as she gazed down at her plate. She just finished telling him why she attacked Barnes. He was feeling very angry and wanted to go then kill that Mudblood the most brutal way, as he dared to think about stalking then blackmailing his fiance.

"Why didn't you tell me about this before? I would have very well taken care of that stalker. How dare he? "

Harry shook her head, "Tom please calm down."

But he looked as if he did not hear her. "You are mine. I will kill him."

She stared at him," That's why I didn't tell you Tom. I know you will do something to him then get yourself into trouble. I don't want that. "

Tom gritted his teeth, "SO WHAT SHOULD I DO? Sit here queitly while that Mudleblood blackmail you or stalk you?"

She shook her head, "I don't expect you to.. "

He cut her and shouted, "THEN WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?"

Harry closed her eyes. Whats wrong with them? First Siri was shouting at her for not telling him about Tom and now Tom shouting at her for not telling him about Marcus.

She stared at Tom, "Why are you doing this to me? First Siri now you? WHY ARE YOU BOTH UPSET WITH ME? CAN'T I HAVE MY OWN SECRETS?"

"Harry you have to listen .. "

She cut him with her tear filled eyes, "I need your support but I also need some space Tom. "

And she stood up then ran out of the kitchen.

"Harry.."

Tom growled and kicked the table with frustration.

Sirius was sitting alone in the library, trying his best to control his anger. He knew anger lead to wrong decisions. How could Harry chose that snake? He had to do something.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. The person who took away his best friends, his future, now influencing his daughter, he would never let Harry ruin her life. He would never let that snake take her away from him.

What should do? Kill him or kidnap Harry ? He need to look for a way. He need to take her away from Riddle's influence. Or, crush that snake before he could drag her deeper into the pit of dark magic.

He gazed around the library thinking about the best solution for this problem.

Somewhere else in the castle another wizard was sitting alone. Should he contact his old friend to inform him about his discovery, or, should he persue that discovery himself ?