Disclaimer: Only the plot, which isn't that great, belongs to me. The rest belongs to J. K. Rowling. She created it, and I'm just messing around with her toys.
Correspondence
Summary: Harry isn't getting his letters, so he decided to see if Voldemort is intercepting them. A surprising thing happens- Harry starts to make a friendship where he shouldn't. After all, he does have to kill the guy. Right? Mostly told in the form of letters.
Chapter Three - Of Course You're Not All Evil
Last Time
Harry and Hermione-
You never realized that Lockhart preferred men? Tell me, what do you think all those re-enactments in class were? Sorry Harry. And Harry, If you hide behind me, and he comes after me, I will hide behind YOU. The enclosed book is on Legimency. Enjoy. Hermione, I know I'm not all evil, after all, I'm corresponding with two Gryffindors.
-Tom
Tom-
We do know that you are not as evil as you are. After all you didn't try and find a way to kill me in my third year. Or did you think that I'd go after Sirius and meet up with Wormtail? Or Wormtail would get me? I don't know how you think. It scares me sometimes. But hey, that's just me. Hermione's Occulmency is getting good. So is my Legimency, I haven't been able to get into Hermione's head, she is able to block me out, but I can get into Ron's head. He has the strangest thoughts!
-Harry
Harry-
I am glad that Hermione's Occulmency is good. How are Weasley's thoughts strange? Nagini sends her greetings. Has Ron been able to sense you at all? If he can't he is not that strong, or you have a natural gift for it. I wonder which. Well, I have other things to do, like find out why Hermione hasn't written.
-Tom
Tom-
Ron's thinks about the Chudley Cannons a lot, and chess. And Hermione' breasts. Something about how much he'd like to... I won't scar you for life. If you were wondering, I was just in his head, not trying to find out something, I was more, listening to his thoughts. Hermione hasn't written because she's trying to figure out her family tree, she's gotten back to the fifteen hundreds, and I believe that she is composing a letter to Ollivanders in hopes that he has some records that go father back. She says hi. And she might owl you.
Uncle-
Sorry, I've been busy. I shall try and attempt to Owl you more frequently, but I'm, still waiting for the owl from my mum, asking if I could go and have tea with a Dark Lord who up until a few weeks ago probably wanted to kill me. I saw Malfoy today, and you're right about him fancying me. Git. He tried to look down my robes, but Ron gave him a black eye. Then I gave Ron a black eye because Harry told me what he was thinking of doing to me. Perhaps I should tell him of my newly found relations. Would you mind uncle dearest?
-Hermione
Okay.... Please tell me that scared you just a little. Well, I suppose I should send this before Ron reads it. He might have a heart attack. It would be funny... Okay, I think your sense if humor is starting to rub off on me.
-Harry
Hermione-
No you may not tell Ron that I am your uncle. He would tell his parents, and they would tell Dumbledore, and then he would find out that we are writing letters, and then you'd be locked up, and I'd be forced to rescue you. Try to be kind to Malfoy, he is insecure. Not to mention that he's quite fearful of being murdered by his own house. By the way, I would try and delay him from going to his dorms on the twenty second. Crabbe mentioned something about a revolt.
-Uncle Dearest
Uncle Dearest-
Okay, I shall try and rescue Draco. I'm not sure why, it could give him some ideas. Harry told me to write my own letters to you. About the parseltongue thing, I am able to talk with snakes, it's very odd. Me and Harry are working on trying to do it without a snake, so we can carry on conversations without Ron noticing. Do you know if it is possible to 'learn' the language of snakes? About the Ron 'problem', are you positive that there is nothing to do? I like him, but I'm not sure that I like like him. It's so confusing. What's your take?
-Hermione
Harry-
HELP! Hermione just asked me for romance advice! What do I do? I don't know how! I'm the Dark LORD!! I've never liked anyone, and been in a romantic relationship before. Help!
-Tom
Tom-
First- Calm down and BREATHE. Let me break it down for you. Hermione thinks that Ron cares for her more than she does. She likes him, but Ron thinks that he might love her. Hermione isn't sure about what to do. Apparently, she looks up to you because she is asking you for advice. Okay?
-The boy who bloody lived
The boy who bloody lived-
Thank you. Do you think I should: A) offer to kill Ron. B) tell her to break up with him C) break up with him for her D) tell her to just keep going and see what happens E) have her become a DE so Ron dumps her?
-Tom
Voldie-kins-
I'd go for D. Did you ask your Death Eaters for help on this?
-Harry
Harry-
VOLDIE-KINS?? Yes, I did ask my DE's for help on this, how could you tell?
-Tom
Tom-
It was the offer to kill him, and having her join your not-so-loyal followers that tipped me off. Sorry about the name. I just thought it was funny. Although, Voldemort is a bit more scary than Voldie-kins. Maybe you should go around to muggle schools dressed as a clown, doing tricks. You could be VOLDIE-KINS: The traveling clown! I can see it now. Doing fabulous tricks, of course, using the wand hidden in your sleeve.
-Harry
Uncle Tom-
Why haven't you written? I suppose that it wasn't the best call to ask you for romantic advice. I'd ask my mum, but she's still trying to explain to me why she never told me that she's a witch.
-Hermione
Hermione-
Sorry I haven't written. I was a bit shocked, and, knowing absolutely nothing about having a boyfriend, I had to ask around. I came up with these. A) offer to kill Ron. B) tell her to break up with him C) break up with him for her D) tell her to just keep going and see what happens E) have her become a DE so Ron dumps her Harry helped me out a little and explained that you thought that Ron might be feeling stronger about you than you do about him. After much though we decided that option D was best. What's you take?
-Tom
Tom-
Hermione's in an 'interesting' mood since she got your letter. I think that something about KILLING her friends ticked her off. Just a little. And we intecepted the howler. Barely.
-Harry
Tom-
I thought you said that you weren't going to kill my friends? Yes, I suppose that option D is the best. He does get annoying. He hasn't noticed that we are practicing Occulmency on him. Although when I accidentally brought up spiders last night, he needed two calming draughts to just get to sleep. I'm glad that you know nothing about having a boyfriend, that's somewhat of a relief. Although Malfoy Sr. Is sort of cute...
-Hermione
Harry-
She said the Lucius is cute. What did Weasley do to her??
-Tom
Tom-
I was kidding about Malfoy Sr.
-Hermione
Harry-
Sorry I haven't written, your letter got buried under a stack of forms. Something about insurance taxes on the Riddle Manor. Tax collectors are annoying. I'm surprised that the forms even made it to my desk, Nagini was supposed to sign them for me. Then there were the Death Eater application forms. I've got to go, there's a meeting in five minutes. Being an evil Dark Lord is So stressful.
-Tom
Tom-
Death Eater Applicataions forms? You have to apply to join up? So you don't force people to take the mark? I'm writing during potions, Snape thinks I'm taking notes. Go to go, it's time to add the shredded boomslang skin.
-Harry
Harry-
What? Didn't you think that we were organized? And parents can apply for their children to join. Unless the child in question is over seventeen. Most parents get their child the mark for their seventeenth birthday, they do it the day before. Next Hogsmeade weekend I seem to have nothing to do, would you like to meet in the three broomsticks for butterbeers? She was kidding about Malfoy Sr. At least she said so.
-Tom
Tom-
I wouldn't mind, but your face is a bit distinguishable, don't you think?
-Harry
Harry-
Of course, but I'm a wizard. I can disguise myself magically, and they'll never know. Now, be a good little boy and run along to find Hermione to see if she wishes to join us.
-Tom
Tom-
We'll both be there. Hang on, Hermione wants to write.
Butterbeers? In Hogsmeade? Are you insane? What if Dumbledore sees you? What if he sees us?
Well now that Hermione's expressed her doubts, we'll be along for butterbeers around eleven o'clock. How does that sound?
-Harry and Hermione
Harry and Hermione-
That sounds lovely. See you then.
-Tom
Harry and Hermione had managed to loose Ron in Honeydukes.
"That was hard." Hermione commented, breathing slightly hard, from pushing her way through the crowd of students.
"It was only hard because he had a death grip on your hand. Hurry, we're late." Harry replied, walking a bit faster up the dirt road towards the Three Broomsticks.
"We can be a little late. How late are we?" Hermione asked.
"Ten minutes." Harry replied.
"What?" Hermione said, and then began walking faster, almost at a fast jog.
"You—don't—have—to—go—so—fast." Harry panted.
"Of course I do." Hermione replied, just as winded as he was. "I'm meeting my uncle face-to-face for the fist time in my life."
"Well we're here. Are you ready to go in?" Harry asked Hermione, just a bit nervous himself. After all, this would be the sixth time he met Voldemort face-to-face and survived. At least he hoped he would survive.
"I'll never be ready, but lets just get this over with." Hermione said, pushing open the door and scanning to room for her uncle.
Harry followed her in, and looked around. He shook his head, smiling when he saw the young man in the corner booth.
"Hermione?" Harry asked. "I think he's over there." Harry said pointing.
"Where?" Hermione asked, and then saw the man waving at him from the corner. "That's him? He looks like you almost." Hermione said.
"Thanks Hermione." Harry replied sarcastically, and then began to walk towards the booth where Tom was sitting.
As they got nearer, Tom rose and said, "Miss Hermione Granger, and Mr. Harry Potter, I presume?"
"Yes, that'd be us." Harry said.
"Uncle Tom?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, that's me." Tom shook Hermione's hand, and gestured for them to sit down. Neither of the three noticed the red-head across the room watching them warily.
"It's nice to meet you finally." Hermione said.
"It is." Tom replied.
"As it is nice to talk to you and not have to worry about getting hit by a Killing Curse." Harry said.
"It is nice to be able to talk to you without having to worry about Dumbledore interfering." Tom replied.
Harry gasped. "It just occurred to me. What if Dumbledore recognizes you?" Harry asked.
"Only Dumbledore, you two, and Hagrid know who I am." Tom said smugly. "Then they'd have to recognize me and it's been fifty years since they've seen me looking like this, not to mention, this form has gotten a bit older."
"Fine." Harry replied.
"How did you recognize me anyway?" Tom asked.
"My second year. Your diary." Harry replied, and Hermione gasped.
"Ginny!" She said, and looked around the room, and her eyes met Ginny's who was watching them with wide eyes. "Tom, "I'll be right back, do you mind if I introduce you to Ron's sister?" Hermione asked.
"Not at all." Tom replied. "Why is Hermione going to introduce me to Ginny?" He asked Harry.
"Do you remember your diary?" Harry asked. When Tom nodded, Harry continued. "Well, in Ginny's first year, Lucius Malfoy slipped it into one of her books, and Ginny wrote to you all year, and you being that evil git that you were—"
"Hey! I resent that!" Tom broke in.
"It was true then, you're not so evil anymore, I think associating with two 'good' wizards and witches is doing you some good." Harry said, "well, back to the story. You ended up possessing her, and you nearly killed, her, but it ended up with me getting a bite from your basilisk when I killed it, and the diary being destroyed with the fang I pulled out from my arm." Harry said.
"You survived a basilisk bite?" Tom asked, incredulous "More to the point, you killed my basilisk?"
"Yes, Fawkes helped me, and it was either me or the snake." Harry replied. "Oh yeah, me and Ron both got Special Awards for Services to the School. Dumbledore might have even revoked yours." Harry said grinning.
"He did no such thing!" Tom replied.
"Really? How do you know?" Harry asked, teasing Tom.
"Because only Dilys could have and he's dead." Tom replied smugly.
Harry muttered something about overbearing pompous Dark Lords.
"Now that wasn't very nice." Tome said. "Oh look! Here come the butterbeers."
Indeed, Ginny and Hermione were coming over, each of the carrying two butterbeers.
Hermione sat down next to Tom, and Ginny sat next to Harry. "Well, Tom, I'd like you to meet my friend, Ginevra Weasley, and Ginny, I'd like you to meet my uncle." Hermione said.
Tom took Ginny's hand and shook it. "Pleased to meet you."
"Aren't you the Dark Lord?" Ginny asked quietly.
"How very astute of you." Tom replied. "Yes I am, but I have promised not to hurt kill, main, or torture any of Hermione's friends and family." Tom said.
"Why?" Ginny asked. "you're not really—?" She trailed off.
"Her uncle?" Ginny nodded. "That I am. Hence the afore mentioned agreement." Hermione elbowed Tom in the side.
"What was that for?" He asked, glaring at Hermione.
"For being an overbearing, pompous, evil, Dark Lord." Hermione said.
Tom muttered something that they didn't quite catch.
"Ginny, you can't tell anyone about this, okay?" Hermione asked.
"I won't." Ginny replied.
"Thanks." Hermione said, grinning at Ginny.
"Your welcome." Ginny said, then thought for a moment, taking a sip of her butterbeer. "Now, Hermione I can understand. But why Harry?"
"Apparently a lower ranking Death Eater was intercepting my mail, so I learned a little spell to put on my letters and sent one to him to see if he knew what was happening to them. The letter to Tom got through, and that's what started it off." Harry said.
"Oh. But WHY?" Ginny asked.
"Because I needed to hear from you." Harry said. "Did you guys even get any of my letters?" Harry asked.
"Two at the start of summer, and then after that none. But we were told not to write to you, so we sent one telling you that." Ginny explained.
"Oh. Did you ever get that one, Tom?" Harry asked, glaring at the Dark Lord.
Tom shook his head. "No, I didn't."
"Could you tell me who it was intercepting my mail?" Harry asked.
"I can't well, see you later. I can feel Dumbledore approaching." Tom replied, "Ginevra, I suggest learning how to occulde your mind." Tom added, and he disapparated.
"Why?" Ginny asked the empty space of air where Tom had been.
"Simple, we can't have anyone finding out about Tom for obvious reasons." Hermione said.
Harry noticed that Dumbledore was heading over towards their table. "Hermione, Dumbledore's heading over this way. Shields up, Ginny, don't meet his eyes. Okay?"
Ginny and Hermione nodded, and Harry started talking about quidditch.
"I don't know Gin, I think you'd make a better seeker than me." Harry said.
"No, I'm a chaser. That's the position I'm best suited for." Ginny replied.
"Hi Professor!" Hermione said brightly, looking up at Dumbledore's nose.
"Hello. Do you mind if I join you three?" Dumbledore asked. "I find it's quite crowded in here today."
"Not at all Professor." Hermione replied. "How are you today?" She asked.
"Quite fine Miss Granger, are you aware that Mr. Weasley is looking for you? He's convinced that Voldemort has abducted you."
"I highly doubt that." Hermione said, laughing a little.
"Doubt what?" Dumbledore asked, trying to make eye contact, but failing miserably.
"That Voldemort will abduct me." Hermione said.
"What makes you think that?" Dumbledore said.
"I'm too well protected." Hermione replied.
"Really?" Dumbledore asked, his eyebrows raising.
"Yes, I can feel how much power you've added to the wards around Hogwarts and Hogsmeade, and the ones that alert you to the presence of Death Eaters at my house." Hermione said.
"You can feel them?" Dumbledore asked.
"It's not a difficult skill." Hermione replied.
Dumbledore was about to reply but was cut off by Ron's arrival.
"Hermione!" Ron said, sliding in next to Hermione, across from Dumbledore. "I was so worried about you? Why'd you leave?"
"It was too crowded. I decided to wait in here for you with Harry and Ginny." Hermione replied.
"Oh. Don't scare me like that again." Ron said, hugging Hermione with one arm.
"Okay." Hermione replied, taking a sip of her butterbeer.
Harry, Hermione, and Ginny-
Did Dumbledore come and try to find out if I was there? Dumbledore will be watching you three, so be careful. Ginny, work hard on your occulmency. Stay out of your brother's head if you start to learn Legimency. Ron thinks some 'interesting' things. Hermione and Ginny, in a strange bout of kindness, I've strengthened the wards around your homes. That should keep your families safe from errant Death Eater attacks. How is Ginny with this recent revelation?
-Tom
Tom-
Ginny seems to be fine, although she is working very hard at Occulmency. She said that Professor Snape was looking at her funny. DO you think that he could have been trying to get into her head? She also mentioned that she felt a slight brush against her 'fence', so could he have been trying to get in?
Thank you for adding to the wards at Ginny's and mine houses. I'm grateful for it. Have you ever talked to my mum? She might want to get to know her brother. She finally wrote back. She said something about not being sure how my father would take the news of being a witch. She didn't want children for fear that they'd be magical, but she had me, and now my dad knows about her. He seems to be taking it well.
This is strange. That last time I wrote to a Tom he ended up possessing me. Could you not do that? I think that I can understand parseltongue because of that. Harry and Hermione were talking in it, and I could understand bits of it. Ron overheard them, and now he's trying to get Hermione to tell him why she knows it. I think he thinks Harry taught it to her.
-Harry, Hermione and Ginny
Dear Readers & Reviewers-
First, i'd like to say thank you very much. I've decided that I'm going to try and update on Fridays or Saturdays, and Tuesdays. I'm not particularaly pleased with this cahpter, I found it somewhat lacking. I think that Dumbledore will findout eventually, and Ursus thank you for pointing that out to me, and if i get time, I'll fix that, and Harry's continuing with History of Magic because I was very hyper when I wrote that chapter, and didn't edit it that throughly. I'm sorry for those of you who didn't like the 'Michael Jackson tendencies' that Lockhart had, but again, I was very hyper and not really thinking, much. But I'm sorry, he just does seem gay. (No offense meant towards homosexuals), the hair, and the robes that he wore, think of Valentine's day, and, yeah... I'll just shut up now. One more thing, I love you guy so much for reviewing!
-emikae