A/N: I have to say one thing before I start this chapter. I'm in shock. I got like 14 reviews in less than 24 hours! I usually don't get that many per chapter! Thank you!

Chapter nine - An Encounter

Together Ben, Blaise and Draco walked up to the Great Hall. It seemed that the prediction Draco had made proved true. They got lost along the way, and it ended up taking a lot longer to get to breakfast than it had taken to get down to the common room the previous evening, mainly due to the fact that they didn't have an older student to guide them.

After finally finding their way there they sat down and ate a rather hurried meal as their timetables were given out. Draco looked down at his and groaned.

"What's up?" asked Blaise, not looking up from his breakfast.

"Have you seen what we've got today?" asked Draco.

"No, why? Is it really that bad?" asked Ben.

"Let's see, double Potions, with Gryffindors, double Transfiguration, with Gryffindors, and double Herbology, with Ravenclaws. Why, what could possibly be bad about it?" asked Draco sarcastically.

Ben and Blaise groaned. Ben, having heard about Gryffindors from his father, knew this was going to be a long day. Well, he had over-heard a bit at dinner the previous evening about Potions with Snape, and even if he was a traitor, he supposedly favoured Slytherins, and pretty much hated Gryffindors, so that wouldn't all that bad.

 But then there was Transfiguration, with Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor house, along side the Gryffindors, so she was bound to favour them.

And last but not least, Herbology, with Ravenclaws, the 'intellectual' house. They were almost certainly going to show them up. Draco had been right to groan. It wasn't going to be a good day.

After finishing up eating Ben, Blaise and Draco got up and walked off, Ben in the lead. As they reached the doors someone else walked in, causing Ben to crash straight into him and them both to end up on the floor.

Ben scowled and looked at the person who had caused him to end up on the floor. It was that red-headed Gryffindor boy - what was his name again? Bon Wesley? Whatever. He supposed he'd learn it, even if he didn't want to.

"Watch it!" Ben growled menacingly. It was one of the advantages of having the most feared wizard in a century as a father. He had been taught to be menacing when ever he wanted to be.

Don... Lon... Ron... whatever his name was glared back at him. It was nowhere near as impressive as some of the glares Ben had seen and used in his time were, and it was obvious that this boy was an amateur as far glaring was involved.

"Why don't you?" asked the boy coolly. Draco sneered at this comment.

"Because, Weasley, or should I say weasel, we were here first," Draco said coldly.

The boy glared again before moving off.

* * * *

Up in professor Dumbledore's office the headmaster was frowning. Severus had told him that he had overheard several of the Slytherins talking about Voldemort's son starting Hogwarts that year.

Nothing about that seemed right. First off, Voldemort didn't have a son. He knew that, as well as anyone. So who was this supposed son?

Could it be... No! It couldn't be Harry Potter. They had never found the body, but it was almost certain that he was dead... almost.

Another thing that was puzzling him was the fact even if - and he wasn't saying that he did - even if Voldemort had a son, why would he send him to Hogwarts, where he would be watched over by his worst enemies?

Tom had been a puzzle as a student, and Dumbledore had never been able to figure out his logic behind things, even if it did always seemed to make sense. It seemed to this day his logic was still as puzzling as ever.

Tom's logic wasn't the only thing about him that had been puzzling. Another was his behaviour. In his first, second, third, forth, and most of his fifth year he had been a perfectly nice child, polite, caring, all around a great kid.

Dumbledore shook his head. Something had happened to Tom in his fifth year of magical education, and he had always suspected something, but he had never followed up on his suspicions, never found out the truth, never even tried.

He had always put it down to the fact that the boy was in Slytherin, and the house, along with his housemates had changed him, but now he realised it wouldn't have been that.

The change he had witnessed had been sudden, not gradual like it would have been if it was caused by the house, but at the time he had just passed it off as another child Slytherin had claimed, which he probably shouldn't have done in the first place, but it made sense. Or at least it did then.

Now he wasn't so sure. If anything, he was certain it wasn't down to Slytherin, but something much more sinister, much more evil than anyone would have thought.

Yes, something had happened to Thomas Marvolo Riddle in his fifth year at Hogwarts, and it was probably that which had forced the wizarding world to fight for its freedom, and its very survival. And whatever this... thing that had happened to him had been, it had only seemed to get worse with time.

A/N: So what do you think? Can anyone guess what happened to Voldy in his fifth year? I got the dates worked out just now, so I think it would fit.

I was gonna try and get the first day of classes in this chapter, but then I started on the Dumbledore interlude, and then I decided it would be fine like this.

Oh, and I should warn you. After the next few chapters I'll be skipping a few months in the storyline so I can get to a more important section a lot faster. It should be good, and the parts I'll miss won't have much of importance in them.

Goldengirl2: I know. I did it again. *grins*

Mirax: I know. Yet another person who has been gracious to give me a review pointing that error out. Very kind.

Mella deRanged: Nice review. Short and sweet. With a smiley included. Nice.

Saydee me me: Well, I enjoy it too. Fun to write, and read through. I did update, and a lot sooner than I expected too.

White Rider: Okay. Thanks. It's an easy mistake to make though, isn't it?

CassTheCurious: I know. Isn't he just?

Star2003: I know. What I wrote with Dumbledore in is down to your review. Though I've probably just dug my own grave, considering how hard it will be to write now. The parseltongue bit you mentioned it very true. But we can't have Harry without the ability to talk to snakes now, can we? Good question you asked. Does this answer any questions about the body? Of course he has. I wouldn't have that rat on the side of good!

Dezz1: okay, I'll try to keep them to a minimum, 'coz sometimes their necessary.

Natasha: I was joking. It did? I had no idea this fic was so powerful that it made people feel floaty. I will continue. It's way too much fun to stop.

James: I know that. I don't think I'll ever forget now.

linky2: I know. Lotsa people say that.

Hpcrazy: They don't seem nasty because when they're not around people they hate they're nice. Aren't you? Voldemort seems nice for one very good reason. I won't explain it yet, but in the future, in the actual fic, I will. And there's one reason behind the touching part. A very good one.

Cataclysmic: *grins*

Gothic_Gurl: I'm happy you like it. What writers' block? I don't have writers' block. How could I with all the ideas I currently have in my brain. I got rid of it (gave it to someone else) ages ago.

Hermionegreen: I know what you mean. Sometimes I do that too. Glad you liked it. I updated.

Rain Warrior: Um, if you're using Word, then when you first save it and the save window comes up, you click on the menu thingy that says 'Save As Type' beside it. You then save it under Web Page, and bold/italics should show up. I don't know about on other stuff though.

Okay, now that I've finished answering all your reviews (*grins* Hehe! Lots!) let me just say that I'm gonna try and update this more often. I'm getting to the point where I really want to get the next part out. Trust me, it's gonna be good!