After so long time, here's the next chapter. It's not very good because I
didn't have a lot of time and peace to write it. I was in school camp and
then there were these nice little sisters of mine running around here all
day. So I had to write this while caring for fighting-and-then-crying
children. I sometimes really wonder what my parents had been thinking.
Thanks for the reviews, guys! I love you so much! That people are really
reading this... tz, tz, tz...
HermioneGreen: Thank you again! You reviewed all my chapters now! But you don't expect Tom to tell our lovely headmaster everything, do you?
tia: Thank you!
Insanechildfanfic: oh, thank you too!
Dreamer-3041: This is realistic?! You sure? Well, thank you, really.
'Mes: Someone figured out... cool!
HoshiHikari4ever: Thank you for reviewing again!
Vlanna (vlanna@bellsouth.net) : Thanks!
eressëa : Danke, ich weiß aber noch nicht, was mit ihnen passiert! Wenn du eine Idee hast, sag es mir.
Carya: Thank you. And the story actually wants someone to know more...
Silver Phoenix of Light: Thank you, here's the next one...
Chapter 6
The next morning when Tom went down for breakfast with Sylvie hidden in his robes he saw that there were some ministry people standing around and watching for trouble. He recognized one of them as Dawlish, an Auror. He bought a copy of the Daily Prophet and sat on a table. He started to read the front page. There was a large picture of the barkeeper and a rather old one of Bellatrix.
Death Eater kills barkeeper at the Leaky Cauldron
This night Tom Baker, barkeeper at the Leaky Cauldron, was found dead. The body was found in the house-elf-room short after his death. Eye-witnesses tell that there had been trouble before, with a Death Eater. Bellatrix Lestrange had been seen running down the stairs from the guest rooms which are secured with anti-apparation wards and disapparating. Two Aurors have come straight to the pub and questioned some people, without any more success. The guests all didn't pay attention to the barkeeper then, but when he didn't turn up again some guests looked for him and found him dead. "It was a terrible sight.", says Mr. Ermling, one of them. "He just lay there cold and dead with open eyes." So now the ministry is wondering: What was Lestrange doing there? Has she really killed him or was it someone else (as no one actually saw what happened)? Why? Did he know too much? And what was she doing there in the first place? Our ministry has no idea, like always. If anyone in the magical community has any information please contact the ministry.
Tom grinned at the sentence 'our ministry has no idea, like always'. The next pages were full of articles about Fudge's incapacity of being minister for magic. He folded the newspaper and put it away. Then he went out into Diagon Alley.
~ "Where are we?" ~ Sylvie asked.
~ "In Diagon Alley." ~ answered Tom.
~ "I heard about it." ~ she hissed. ~ "There are magic shops. But I heard they aren't as good as in Knockturn Alley." ~
~ "Depends on what you want to buy." ~
~ "Why? What's the difference?" ~
~ "Well, in Diagon Alley, where we are, there's the normal magic stuff we need for school, or pets, just the legal things. Most wizards buy their things here. In Knockturn Alley are the shops for dark magic. I'm not really sure what's all there, I was there only very short, but a lot of people never set a foot in there." ~
~ "Why not?" ~
~ "Because it's dangerous." ~
~ "There are shops! They're not dangerous, are they?" ~ Sylvie tried to look out of Tom's pocket.
'Why is a snake that curious?' he wondered.
~ "It's more the people who go shopping there than the shops, I sink." ~ he said ~ "Be careful, it's better if no one sees you." ~
~ "Why?" ~
~ "Yeah, well... most people don't like snakes." ~
~ "I've heard that before. But why?" ~
~ "They're afraid of them." ~
They both were silent. Sylvie thought of this. Why should humans be afraid of snakes? Yes, there were some snakes who had something against humans, but most were just not interested in them if they couldn't speak. She really liked Tom. He seemed to be a nice person. Though she thought he seemed to be a little confused all the time.
Tom was a little confused. At the moment he didn't feel like really living, more like being caught in a very real dream. A part of him was all the time expecting to wake up and everything would be normal again. Did he want that? He wasn't sure, he was in no way clear about his feelings, he was just testing them to find out what they were. Everything was just so different.
*Tom? What are you doing?* Voldemort's voice asked in his head. He felt funny, some mix of excited, afraid and happy.
*Nothing, actually. I was just walking around and talking with Sylvie, she's really nice.* He answered. *This is so strange! Very short ago we hated each other, I mean.*
*I'm glad we don't do that anymore. If I'd known... I just want you to know, I never really hated you. I thought your existence was a personal insult to me, you had after all nearly killed me when you were a baby and for all the world their savior and just the right person to defeat me... you were Dumbledore's golden boy, his favorite.*
*He lied to me!* said Tom angrily through his necklace.
*Yes, he did a lot. I wish I hadn't been so blind and figured out his plan with you. He let you grow up under the care of some idiot muggles.*
*Yeah, the Dursleys are terrible.*
*And I nearly killed you several times. Dumbledore would have told me who you really are after your death, and I would have lost my mind. I loved your mother so much, and I still do. She was the greatest person I ever met. You'd like her, too.*
Tom felt a wave of anger towards Dumbledore again. *I just thought you killed my parents, but as they're not my parents... And you appear to have stopped trying to kill me...*
*I never knew Lily Potter was Matilda's friend... well, she didn't talk a lot about her school time, and though I knew that she sometimes didn't get along well with her family, her friends were never a matter. After we met, she didn't bother to keep contact to any of them...*
*Wait a moment.*
An owl flew down to Tom and sat on his shoulder. It was Hedwig. She hooted and held out her leg with a letter. He tied it off and read.
Please come to your room quickly. I'm waiting for you there. A. Dumbledore
What the hell was the headmaster doing in his room? Oh yes, he had asked for him. Why had he done that? Well, there had been no one else to talk to instead.
*My owl just brought me a letter from Dumbledore. It says he's waiting in my room.*
*Then I'd go to him if I were you, but be careful about what you tell him.*
*What do you think I should tell him?* Tom asked walking back to the Leaky Cauldron.
*Ask something about your friends maybe, just make sure you don't mention our little meeting yesterday. He would not be pleased. In case you really need me, I will come.*
*Better not, but thank you.* He had reached the pub and was now going up the stairs.
~ "Sylvie, you need to hide yourself and be quiet now. There's a man who may not see you in any case, understood?" ~
~ "Yes" ~ hissed Sylvie.
~ "Good. So now..." ~ He opened the door.
Albus Dumbledore was sitting in a chair again holding in his hands the box from Tom's mother. "What are you doing there?" Tom asked coldly. Hedwig flew to the small bedside table and sat down on it.
"Ah, good morning, Tom. I'm allowed to call you that now, am I not?", Dumbledore said happily, eyes twinkling. Without waiting for an answer, he continued. "Did you manage to open this? I didn't. Nymphadora Tonks told me you had a picture of her mother's, and your mother's of course, family. So I guess you did open it. What was inside? Can you show me?"
Okay, don't say anything you'll regret now. Ton told himself. Why the hell is he so damn happy? He has no right to go into my room and feel like home taking my things! "I think I'll keep it private, as it's quite personal. I'm sure you understand that."
Dumbledore's smile faded, but he recovered quickly and put the box away and said "Well, if you don't want to... that's not the reason I'm here. Tonks and Moody told me that you asked to speak with me. That's right, you surely have quite a few problems to tell me at the time. Did you see Bellatrix Lestrange yesterday?"
"No, I didn't. Did you find out anything about her or Voldemort?"
"Nothing at all. I have no idea why this happened yesterday, he doesn't know about you, and he didn't do anything else. He's possibly trying to confuse us. So, what's the matter now?
"Well, I'm not entirely clear about what you are planning to do now, with me and my friends and everything. And what have you told Ron and Hermione?" Tom asked politely.
"Of course, your friends. Miss Granger and the Weasleys are currently believing this is all about keeping you safe you from Voldemort. It'll be the best if you tell them the truth. You will attend Hogwarts with them, as a transfer student from Durmstrang, but act as if you were not knowing them at first, then you can pretend becoming friends. They are teaching Remus Lupin about your usual behavior. We will put him under a glamour charm and he'll pretend to be you. You can talk to your friends on the train. I don't think you need to know more now."
"Okay." Why would you?
Dumbledore looked as if "okay" wasn't a proper answer, he had been expecting more questions. "I know that you're having a hard time, and you can tell me when something's bothering you..."
"I'm okay, really." Tom said firmly.
Dumbledore cast him a worried look. "If you say so... you can contact me if you need to. Otherwise we'll be expecting you on the Hogwarts Express on September the first. Good-bye for now." He gave Tom a Hogwarts letter.
"Good-bye." And Dumbledore left.
*He's gone.* Tom told Voldemort.
*What happened?*
*Not much.* He told him everything they had said.
Suddenly Voldemort asked. *Do you want to come to me?*
*For how long?* Tom asked surprised.
*As long as you want to. If you want to stay the whole summer, I would be very glad about your presence.*
*Yes, I'd love to! But I'll keep the room so Dumbledore will not notice.*
He quickly packed his things into his trunk, and put Hedwig into her cage and left with her and Sylvie through the fire. Although he didn't even dare to think that, it was a bit like when he met his godfather for the first time, but like if everything had worked perfectly.
Well, as I said, I don't like the chapter, it's written horribly wrong, but I still want to know your opinion.
And what should I do with Harry, Ron and Hermione? Because I really don't know.
So please
REVIEW!!!
HermioneGreen: Thank you again! You reviewed all my chapters now! But you don't expect Tom to tell our lovely headmaster everything, do you?
tia: Thank you!
Insanechildfanfic: oh, thank you too!
Dreamer-3041: This is realistic?! You sure? Well, thank you, really.
'Mes: Someone figured out... cool!
HoshiHikari4ever: Thank you for reviewing again!
Vlanna (vlanna@bellsouth.net) : Thanks!
eressëa : Danke, ich weiß aber noch nicht, was mit ihnen passiert! Wenn du eine Idee hast, sag es mir.
Carya: Thank you. And the story actually wants someone to know more...
Silver Phoenix of Light: Thank you, here's the next one...
Chapter 6
The next morning when Tom went down for breakfast with Sylvie hidden in his robes he saw that there were some ministry people standing around and watching for trouble. He recognized one of them as Dawlish, an Auror. He bought a copy of the Daily Prophet and sat on a table. He started to read the front page. There was a large picture of the barkeeper and a rather old one of Bellatrix.
Death Eater kills barkeeper at the Leaky Cauldron
This night Tom Baker, barkeeper at the Leaky Cauldron, was found dead. The body was found in the house-elf-room short after his death. Eye-witnesses tell that there had been trouble before, with a Death Eater. Bellatrix Lestrange had been seen running down the stairs from the guest rooms which are secured with anti-apparation wards and disapparating. Two Aurors have come straight to the pub and questioned some people, without any more success. The guests all didn't pay attention to the barkeeper then, but when he didn't turn up again some guests looked for him and found him dead. "It was a terrible sight.", says Mr. Ermling, one of them. "He just lay there cold and dead with open eyes." So now the ministry is wondering: What was Lestrange doing there? Has she really killed him or was it someone else (as no one actually saw what happened)? Why? Did he know too much? And what was she doing there in the first place? Our ministry has no idea, like always. If anyone in the magical community has any information please contact the ministry.
Tom grinned at the sentence 'our ministry has no idea, like always'. The next pages were full of articles about Fudge's incapacity of being minister for magic. He folded the newspaper and put it away. Then he went out into Diagon Alley.
~ "Where are we?" ~ Sylvie asked.
~ "In Diagon Alley." ~ answered Tom.
~ "I heard about it." ~ she hissed. ~ "There are magic shops. But I heard they aren't as good as in Knockturn Alley." ~
~ "Depends on what you want to buy." ~
~ "Why? What's the difference?" ~
~ "Well, in Diagon Alley, where we are, there's the normal magic stuff we need for school, or pets, just the legal things. Most wizards buy their things here. In Knockturn Alley are the shops for dark magic. I'm not really sure what's all there, I was there only very short, but a lot of people never set a foot in there." ~
~ "Why not?" ~
~ "Because it's dangerous." ~
~ "There are shops! They're not dangerous, are they?" ~ Sylvie tried to look out of Tom's pocket.
'Why is a snake that curious?' he wondered.
~ "It's more the people who go shopping there than the shops, I sink." ~ he said ~ "Be careful, it's better if no one sees you." ~
~ "Why?" ~
~ "Yeah, well... most people don't like snakes." ~
~ "I've heard that before. But why?" ~
~ "They're afraid of them." ~
They both were silent. Sylvie thought of this. Why should humans be afraid of snakes? Yes, there were some snakes who had something against humans, but most were just not interested in them if they couldn't speak. She really liked Tom. He seemed to be a nice person. Though she thought he seemed to be a little confused all the time.
Tom was a little confused. At the moment he didn't feel like really living, more like being caught in a very real dream. A part of him was all the time expecting to wake up and everything would be normal again. Did he want that? He wasn't sure, he was in no way clear about his feelings, he was just testing them to find out what they were. Everything was just so different.
*Tom? What are you doing?* Voldemort's voice asked in his head. He felt funny, some mix of excited, afraid and happy.
*Nothing, actually. I was just walking around and talking with Sylvie, she's really nice.* He answered. *This is so strange! Very short ago we hated each other, I mean.*
*I'm glad we don't do that anymore. If I'd known... I just want you to know, I never really hated you. I thought your existence was a personal insult to me, you had after all nearly killed me when you were a baby and for all the world their savior and just the right person to defeat me... you were Dumbledore's golden boy, his favorite.*
*He lied to me!* said Tom angrily through his necklace.
*Yes, he did a lot. I wish I hadn't been so blind and figured out his plan with you. He let you grow up under the care of some idiot muggles.*
*Yeah, the Dursleys are terrible.*
*And I nearly killed you several times. Dumbledore would have told me who you really are after your death, and I would have lost my mind. I loved your mother so much, and I still do. She was the greatest person I ever met. You'd like her, too.*
Tom felt a wave of anger towards Dumbledore again. *I just thought you killed my parents, but as they're not my parents... And you appear to have stopped trying to kill me...*
*I never knew Lily Potter was Matilda's friend... well, she didn't talk a lot about her school time, and though I knew that she sometimes didn't get along well with her family, her friends were never a matter. After we met, she didn't bother to keep contact to any of them...*
*Wait a moment.*
An owl flew down to Tom and sat on his shoulder. It was Hedwig. She hooted and held out her leg with a letter. He tied it off and read.
Please come to your room quickly. I'm waiting for you there. A. Dumbledore
What the hell was the headmaster doing in his room? Oh yes, he had asked for him. Why had he done that? Well, there had been no one else to talk to instead.
*My owl just brought me a letter from Dumbledore. It says he's waiting in my room.*
*Then I'd go to him if I were you, but be careful about what you tell him.*
*What do you think I should tell him?* Tom asked walking back to the Leaky Cauldron.
*Ask something about your friends maybe, just make sure you don't mention our little meeting yesterday. He would not be pleased. In case you really need me, I will come.*
*Better not, but thank you.* He had reached the pub and was now going up the stairs.
~ "Sylvie, you need to hide yourself and be quiet now. There's a man who may not see you in any case, understood?" ~
~ "Yes" ~ hissed Sylvie.
~ "Good. So now..." ~ He opened the door.
Albus Dumbledore was sitting in a chair again holding in his hands the box from Tom's mother. "What are you doing there?" Tom asked coldly. Hedwig flew to the small bedside table and sat down on it.
"Ah, good morning, Tom. I'm allowed to call you that now, am I not?", Dumbledore said happily, eyes twinkling. Without waiting for an answer, he continued. "Did you manage to open this? I didn't. Nymphadora Tonks told me you had a picture of her mother's, and your mother's of course, family. So I guess you did open it. What was inside? Can you show me?"
Okay, don't say anything you'll regret now. Ton told himself. Why the hell is he so damn happy? He has no right to go into my room and feel like home taking my things! "I think I'll keep it private, as it's quite personal. I'm sure you understand that."
Dumbledore's smile faded, but he recovered quickly and put the box away and said "Well, if you don't want to... that's not the reason I'm here. Tonks and Moody told me that you asked to speak with me. That's right, you surely have quite a few problems to tell me at the time. Did you see Bellatrix Lestrange yesterday?"
"No, I didn't. Did you find out anything about her or Voldemort?"
"Nothing at all. I have no idea why this happened yesterday, he doesn't know about you, and he didn't do anything else. He's possibly trying to confuse us. So, what's the matter now?
"Well, I'm not entirely clear about what you are planning to do now, with me and my friends and everything. And what have you told Ron and Hermione?" Tom asked politely.
"Of course, your friends. Miss Granger and the Weasleys are currently believing this is all about keeping you safe you from Voldemort. It'll be the best if you tell them the truth. You will attend Hogwarts with them, as a transfer student from Durmstrang, but act as if you were not knowing them at first, then you can pretend becoming friends. They are teaching Remus Lupin about your usual behavior. We will put him under a glamour charm and he'll pretend to be you. You can talk to your friends on the train. I don't think you need to know more now."
"Okay." Why would you?
Dumbledore looked as if "okay" wasn't a proper answer, he had been expecting more questions. "I know that you're having a hard time, and you can tell me when something's bothering you..."
"I'm okay, really." Tom said firmly.
Dumbledore cast him a worried look. "If you say so... you can contact me if you need to. Otherwise we'll be expecting you on the Hogwarts Express on September the first. Good-bye for now." He gave Tom a Hogwarts letter.
"Good-bye." And Dumbledore left.
*He's gone.* Tom told Voldemort.
*What happened?*
*Not much.* He told him everything they had said.
Suddenly Voldemort asked. *Do you want to come to me?*
*For how long?* Tom asked surprised.
*As long as you want to. If you want to stay the whole summer, I would be very glad about your presence.*
*Yes, I'd love to! But I'll keep the room so Dumbledore will not notice.*
He quickly packed his things into his trunk, and put Hedwig into her cage and left with her and Sylvie through the fire. Although he didn't even dare to think that, it was a bit like when he met his godfather for the first time, but like if everything had worked perfectly.
Well, as I said, I don't like the chapter, it's written horribly wrong, but I still want to know your opinion.
And what should I do with Harry, Ron and Hermione? Because I really don't know.
So please
REVIEW!!!