A/N: We're closer to the end. If everything goes as planned, there's no more than two chapters ahead and maybe, and *just* maybe, an epilogue or something. I'm happy with how the story went so far and even though I didn't get many reviews, the few people who read this seem to be content, so I'm happy.
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TIME-TRAVEL
Chapter 9: Time.
"Harry?"
Dumbledore rose up from behind his desk and walked next to Harry.
"So..." Harry noticed Draco Malfoy sitting in one of the chairs in front of the Headmaster's desk. "am I interrupting anything?."
Draco smirked and stood up and bowed "of course not, prince Scarface. You know there's always time for The Boy Who Lived."
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled with amusement "we'll continue our little chat later, Draco. Until then, please, wait outside."
Draco nodded and left the room. Harry then proceeded to ask the Headmaster "what was he doing here?"
Dumbledore sat back on his chair behind the desk and motioned for Harry to sit down "he came to tell me a few things about Voldemort's plans."
"I'm sorry. What?"
Dumbledore smiled "Draco is one of our spies, Harry. The day after your departure, he came to me. We had a little talk... and he joined our side."
Harry was still sceptical "just like that?"
Dumbledore was getting a little tired of Harry's "what else were you expecting?
"I don't know! How about a Death Eater?!!"
"Harry!! Calm down. I don't know what this fuss is all about but Draco IS on our side and a risking spy. He is a Death Eater only to Lord Voldemort and the only reason for him to be such a thing is his father."
"His father?"
"Yes. His father gave him to Voldemort and got him marked. Back in your fourth year."
"But- I never-"
"Saw the Dark Mark?" Dumbledore interrupted him "do you think he would be showing it around?"
"No, I suppose not."
"Exactly. Now, I believe you didn't come here to talk about Draco..."
"Oh! Of course, not. I, um... have a few things to tell you..."
Harry told Dumbledore about Tom's past and the ghost of Salazar Slytherin. The old man noticed Harry's nervousness and knew he was hiding something. He also knew what was that he was hiding. He had his ways.
"Salazar Slytherin... I should have guessed! And what Tom told you about his past does not coincide with what Voldemort himself told you after the Triwizard Tournament Incident..."
"Except..." Harry thought "the fact that his father was a muggle and was murdered by him."
The Headmaster nodded "right... but I believe they had different reasons. Tom wanted to avenge his mother's dead and Voldemort, or Salazar, hated his father and killed him just for the pleasure of it."
Harry was now completely sure of Tom's innocence, but a new kind of fear approached him. "Headmaster?"
"Yes, Harry?"
"If Voldemort is, in reality, Salazar Slytherin and he still has Tom's wand, in which case mine would be useless, how are we going to defeat him?"
"Well, Harry, that is an intelligent question. You'll have to use Gryffindor's sword."
"Gryffindor's sword? Do you mean...?"
"Yes, Harry. We know your wand wouldn't work against Voldemort's and we also know the Killing Curse will only destroy the body. What we need is to destroy the evil within; the ghost of Salazar Slytherin. And the only way to do that is using the sword. Nothing can survive its power."
"But- how- the sword-"
"Harry, when you defeated the basilisk back in your second year, you drove the sword into its mouth's roof. It couldn't have died because of the wound. It died because of the magical attributes of the sword. It eliminates all evil. It kills beneath the skin. Think, Harry. We need to get rid of a ghost. The sword is he only way."
"I understand, Headmaster, but it will be difficult. I mean, by the time I aimed the bloody thing he would have cast an Avada Kedavra!!"
"I understand this is too much pressure for you, Harry, but there's no other way."
Harry didn't respond. Words failed him and even knowing the Headmaster was right, he was enraged. And scared. -I'm just a boy of sixteen!! How can I defeat a Dark Lord by myself? I mean, I've done it before, but this time is different. Too much pressure... of course, it's too much pressure!! Tell me something I don't know! Fuck! Always me... as if I wanted to be The Fucking Boy Who Lived...-
Harry conjured all the sanity he had left and asked "how does the sword work, exactly? What are those 'attributes' you mentioned?"
"Even having belonged to Godric Gryffindor, the sword is cursed with an ancient Dark Arts spell. It doesn't only kill at the slightest touch, it burns the soul leaving just an empty corpse."
"But that's like-" Harry's face twitched in horror.
"The Dementor's Kiss" Dumbledore finished the sentence with a stern look in his eyes. "The only difference is the sword leaves the body lifeless and the Dementor's Kiss only eliminates the soul."
"Let's not talk about it anymore, please?"
* * *
Almost an hour later, Draco Malfoy stepped into the Headmaster's office. He asked for the old man to spare him a few minutes, for he'd have to leave in an hour to a Death Eater meeting. Voldemort would strike soon.
"Headmaster, before I leave you two alone..."
"No, Harry. There's no need for you to go back in time."
"But that's exactly what I wanted to ask you. Could I go back? For a couple more weeks, at least?"
Dumbledore froze at the request. A thousand questions formed in his mind. He assumed the only way for those questions to be answered would be dismissing Draco once more.
"Draco?" the blond boy turned his attention to the Headmaster "could you fetch the time-travel potion for me? And, please, ask Severus to come here."
"Yes, Headmaster."
Draco left the room with a quizzical glance at Harry.
"Why is it you want to go back, Harry?"
Harry shifted nervously on his seat, before telling the Headmaster about Tom and their relationship (in the wizarding world no one cares about love between different species, let alone same sexes). When the story was over, the Headmaster looked at Harry with a sad, apologetic expression.
"Harry, as much as I understand how hard it must have been for you to accept your feelings for Tom, I can't let you stay much longer. We can't risk changing time and I definitely don't want you to be hurt, nor Tom. One week and that's all."
Harry nodded "I understand, Headmaster."
They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Dumbledore invited them to come in and Draco entered the office with professor Snape following.
"Potter." Snape greeted without the silky, venomous voice he kept for him, but with an emotionless tone. "Headmaster. Mr. Malfoy said you requested my presence."
"Yes, Severus, I need you to alter the potion's effects. Make it last for only a week."
"A week only? I assume Mr. Potter found out something useful, after all."
"Indeed, Severus."
"Then why would he want to go back?"
"That, Severus, is between Harry, Tom Riddle and myself."
Snape nodded and proceeded to add some new ingredients into the potion. After it was done, he handed Harry two vials. One with the green and yellow antidote ("just in case...") and the other with an electric blue liquid.
Harry held the vial and, before drinking the potion, turned to Snape.
"You know, professor? You look similar to Tom's potions master. Quite the good-looking lad, I must say..."
Without waiting for Snape to blow a temper tantrum, he swallowed the blue liquid and felt his body levitate. Everything turned white and he closed his eyes.
* * *
-He's going to kill me. I'm sure. At least I'll get to see Tom once more. I wonder what will happen to him when I'm gone... what a stupid question! He'll feel alone and depressed, he'll go to that park and- and... and Salazar will steal his body. Oh, Lord. Salazar became Lord Voldemort because of me? No. It just couldn't be... But, it makes sense. At least it explains why Voldemort wanted to kill me. I'm the only who knows about him. The only one who might suspect anything... But, what if...?-
Harry landed on the cool floor of the Great Hall. It was late at night and everyone, except a black-haired boy who was sitting at the Gryffindor table, was probably asleep. Harry walked to were Tom was sitting and held him close. The boy turned to press his lips to Harry's in a sweet but rather passionate kiss.
"What's wrong?" Tom asked as they pulled apart. He had noticed the look of sadness in Harry's face and he probably knew the reason.
"I can only stay for a week."
They stared at each other in silence for a few seconds, before Tom broke spoke "then... we'll have to make this week last as much as possible."
He smiled and took Harry's hand in his. They walked to the Slytherin dungeons.
"You know... I went to Hogsmeade two hours ago."
"Hogsmeade? But, how?"
Tom chuckled "there's a little... secret passage... I'll tell you later. The point is, I went to the Ghosts Park. I talked to Salazar about you and well... I somehow knew you wouldn't be staying long, so... he said he would help me."
"What?" Harry listened carefully to each word, but he hardly believed them. "What did he say?"
"I don't know exactly what was he talking about" Tom explained "but he said he'd help me, you know, get over..."
"...me?"
Tom nodded. The sadness he tried to hide, showing through the glow in his eyes. "He wants me to go back this next Sunday. He said he'll make me forget..." He shook his head "but I don't want to forget you."
"Well, have you told him?"
"Yes. He said I wasn't going to forget you. He said I'd only forget the pain I feel. But I'm still scared." Tom paused "when are you leaving?"
-On Monday!!- "on Sunday" -I have to follow him. I have to know if...-
"Let's stop talking" Tom pleaded, interrupting Harry's thoughts "at least for a short while."
Harry just nodded and followed the prefect inside their room.
* * *
The next five days flew by without any major events. The boys didn't attend classes, with Dippet's authorisation, and spent all of their time together. Every minute breathing each other's air. But, unfortunately, all things come to an end... and theirs was near.
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A/N: I don't know how, but I managed to make this chapter look a little more decent. I'm glad, it was rather sucky. Okay, really horrible. Despicable.
Please, leave a review. A pretty one, if possible. No flames. I hate flames.
Two more chapters and this will be over!! OH, NO!!
Now, it's time to thank the beautiful people who reviewed chapter 7 and/or 8.
Kafka: umm... thanks? What else to say... I dunno... thanks, just that =)!
Jess: I'm willing to.
MarsMoonStar: I'm really glad you do!
Solana: Good to know someone still cares ;)!
Darla: I won't, I really like the story (even if only a few people are reading it =(!). You know, my PC is named Darla. Yeah, I'm insane, I know...
Lady Leah: I don't think I can. Not the next one, but I guarantee the eleventh one is extra long. Really long.
Carya: Yeah, I hate that, but I can't do better... I mean, I first write on a notebook (a paper one, mind) and then transcribe everything into my lovely Darla (yeah, my PC) so it takes quite a good amount of time...
