Author's Note: Once again, my apologies for yesterday's cliffhanger ending. This chapter is dedicated to everyone who demanded that I write more.

Chapter Fifteen -- The Trouble with Lord Voldemort

A threatening hush fell over the Great Hall and Harry swore that he heard some utensils drop to the floor. Everyone just sat there, staring at them in shock. Tom pulled himself together quickly but Harry remained shuffling his feet nervously and keeping his eyes deadlocked on the ground.

"You make it sound so much more prestigious than it actually is," Tom said, smiling at Professor Dumbledore bitterly. "But I didn't want this subject to be surrounded by rumors and speculation. Here and now, the facts are given. I was once Lord Voldemort, the great Dark Lord. Due to rather odd circumstances, I have come to Hogwarts to reside for the next two years. That is all that I will say for now," Tom walked up to the front of the Great Hall, Harry quickly running to catch up with him.

"You're not going to tell him about us then?" Harry whispered harshly to Tom.

"Not unless you want me to. Telling my own secrets I have the complete right to do but this is a secret that we share. I cannot divulge it at my own will."

Harry sighed. "I don't have your courage and conviction, I'm afraid. I'll let people gradually come to it."

"Tom," Dumbledore called, beckoning to the boy. "Come here for a moment, won't you?"

"Be right back," Tom smiled at Harry, walking up to the staff table where Dumbledore stood. Harry was left alone, at the front of the Great Hall. He just stood there -- not really sure where he should sit, not really sure what he should say. So he just stood there.

"Tom, my dear boy," Dumbledore said gently. "I was wondering if you wouldn't mind sitting at the Gryffindor table with Harry -- Just for today. I'm afraid that the boy might need some moral support and you're the one best suited to give it to him."

"The Gryffindor table?" Tom said distastefully.

"I know that you're the heir of Slytherin, Tom," Dumbledore smiled. "But think of the boy."

Tom glanced over at Harry who was just standing there, not sure to what to do. Tom didn't even bother responding to Dumbledore, he just walked straight over to Harry.

"Don't be so nervous," Tom whispered to the boy. "I'm sitting with you today."

"You do realize that you're going to get completely trashed at the Gryffindor table, don't you?" Harry laughed.

"Yes but . . ." Tom gave Harry a quick pat on the back. "You might need me."

Harry walked over to the Gryffindor table, the room was still in that sublime hush. He slowly sat down next to Hermione (Ron sat next to her) and Tom sat at the end, next to Harry.

"So Hermione," Harry said softly, not wanting to disrupt the stillness of the moment. Unfortunately, his few words to Hermione and the entire Great Hall burst into noise -- A lot of constrained whispers, pointing, blatant staring, and some fairly harsh comments. "I guess I can tell you the details of that binding spell now."

It took the brilliant Hermione Granger a few seconds to put two and two together.

"Him?" she squeaked. "You're bound to him?"

"Excuse me," Ron said harshly. "But have I missed something here?"

"You've missed a lot," Hermione said, edgily, to Ron. She turned her line of questioning back to Harry, "But . . . I thought that you were supposed to be bound to the person in the world who is most complementary to you?"

"I guess I am," Harry said, smiling awkwardly. Tom automatically brightened up a little.

"But you . . . but he . . ." Hermione stuttered out. "But he's evil! How can you, the kind and brave Harry Potter, be bound to someone who's so extremely evil?"

"You just don't know him," Harry said, waving off her comments.

"I love it when people talk about me like I'm not here," Tom sighed, picking up a glass of water and saying "Vinum" with a quick flick of his wand. Harry glanced at him disapprovingly.

"What?" Tom asked incredulously. "I need a drink."

"What's this whole thing about binding?" Ron asked, puzzled by the entire situation.

"I'll explain it to you," she said, turning away with a scowl at Tom.

"My Lord . . . Tom . . ." Tom suddenly heard the very familiar voice behind him and turned around. There, looming over him, was Severus Snape. "If there is anything that I can do for you, please do not hesitate to ask."

"I won't Severus," Tom said, trying to sound cold towards his former Death Eater. "Although I don't know why you're volunteering your services so readily though. After all, you are a despicable traitor whom I am ashamed to say I know." He smiled suddenly. "'Those who cannot do, teach.' Have you ever heard that expression, Severus?"

Severus flinched but knelt down before Tom. He whispered quickly, "Please try to be gentile with the young Potter child, my Lord. I fear for his well-being at your hands."

Tom smiled but, at the back of his mind, he felt the harsh truth of this statement.

"How compassionate of you Severus," he said, with the slightest hint of respect. "And how brave of you to be so honest with me. I guarantee you that you have nothing to worry about. Mister Potter is perfectly safe in his current situation."

"Thank you my Lord," Severus said, slightly skeptical. He got up and rejoined the rest of the faculty.

Harry had meanwhile turned his attentions to Ron and Hermione. Hermione had finished explaining the binding ceremony to Ron and Ron just sat there -- staring at Harry and trying to understand.

"So you're bound to . . . Lord Voldemort?" Ron asked with an air of disbelief. "My god, Harry! That's absolutely awful! I'm so incredibly sorry!"

"Don't be," Harry laughed. "It's not as bad as you probably think it is."

"Not bad!" Ron scoffed. "You two have only been archenemies since the beginning of time! How on earth could it not be that bad?" Ron leaned over to whisper to Harry so that Tom couldn't hear. "He did kill your parents, Harry. You've been living in fear of him your entire life." Harry fidgeted nervously. "He's a monster, Harry," Ron said softly. "He's a downright monster and he can't stay here."

"Don't have a choice," Harry shrugged. "You have to make the best of the situation, not the worst."

"You are far too optimistic," Ron said, taking a piece of roast beef from the center of the table. "Far too optimistic. It's not natural."

"You know, Harry," Hermione said, trying to be the voice of reason. "This isn't just something that effects you. All of the students are going to have to live with the fact that Lord Voldemort is residing at the school. It's going to make some people very uncomfortable. I have no doubt that some parents are going to withdraw their children from Hogwarts and send them to other schools. I, personally, wouldn't feel safe."

"I know . . ." Harry said, sadly.

"People aren't just going to be putting the guard up against Tom. Once they find out that you're bound to him, well, they might put their guard up against you too. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people you thought were your friends shun you."

Fear suddenly leaped up within Harry. "You wouldn't do anything like that, would you Hermione? Ron?"

"Oh no," Hermione said, shaking her head avidly. "I know you much too well. I know that you would never fall into Dark Wizardry."

"I'd never just leave you," Ron added. "But I might avoid you a little, when you're with him." Ron indicated Tom with a quick nod of his head.

"I understand," Harry smiled.

"I just don't want you to get hurt," Hermione explained.

Harry nodded. Tom had been right. His friends were so sympathetic that things would undoubtedly go back to normal with them after a while.

"Well, well, well. Tom Riddle has come to Hogwarts."

The four of them quickly turned around to face the young boy with the silver eyes.

Draco Malfoy.

Author's Note: My apologies -- This is sort of a cliffhanger too (But at least it's not as bad as the one I wrote last night) -- In honor of the New Year, I'll update sometime before 2002 (Promise)