Chapter Seventeen- Resuming
"Hello, Tom."
The hall fell completely silent as Lord Voldemort narrowed his eyes. Harry felt the Dark Lord's overwhelming rage emanating from him, and could sense the equal mix of shock and confusion from everyone else.
"Oh, forgive me, Tom," Harry drawled, face betraying nothing but his own anger. "I don't believe everyone here knows your name. Shall I introduce you?"
Though he realized that it may be considered reckless to taunt the man before him, Harry found the urge too extreme to discourage. The persona he wore when faced against enemies was fully in force, with all hint of his churning emotions hidden from even his own conscious mind. He was tense as he watched Riddle, his wand hand pointing unerringly at his foe.
"Oh, now, Harry," Voldemort answered back in the same patronizing tone, "I think all are well aware of just who I am, so we gain little with the social niceties. You would do well to hold your tongue." The glare Riddle levelled upon Harry promised retribution should he continue.
Uncaring, Harry shook his head lightly. "I somehow doubt that most know that half-blood Tom Marvolo Riddle is none other than Lord Voldemort. Of course, some do- like those you attempted to use nearly five years ago to regain power."
Riddle jerked slightly as several quiet exclamations echoed through the Great Hall, many from his own men. Harry could see the man grip his wand tightly, clearing fighting the want to use it. Though he didn't understand why the Dark Lord hadn't yet attacked him, Harry stood ready should he try. However, Voldemort merely smiled wickedly.
"Harry, what do you think to accomplish with such statements?" Riddle asked with a dangerous inflection in his hissing voice.
"I really don't know," Harry flippantly responded. He smirked slightly. "Perhaps I'm just trying to figure out why exactly you haven't just cursed any of us. Is there a problem, Tom?"
Though his manner was insinuating an issue with Riddle's magic, Harry had figured out that the man may actually not be able to harm the students in the hall. As of yet, neither Voldemort nor his Death Eaters had come near the students, beyond Riddle's pulling Harry closer. By baiting him, there was a chance he could prove the theory. Keeping the Dark Lord's attention squarely on him, so he would be the one injured if his assumption was incorrect, Harry stepped closer. Someone whimpered quietly behind him.
When Riddle did nothing but sneer at him, Harry widened his smirk. "One would think you would take advantage of such an opportunity."
One of the cloaked figures near the door shifted, and Voldemort gestured sharply for him to remain still. "I plan on having many more opportunities, as uncouth as that word sounds," Riddle stated quietly, though no less menacingly. "Nothing will stand in my way."
"Really?" Harry asked moderately. "Because it appears that I am, right now."
"Have no fear, Harry Potter, had I wished you dead at this moment, you would no longer be breathing," Riddle assured him.
"Well, it's good to know you only want me dead at some meetings, Tom Riddle," Harry retorted. "Not that wanting it has made it happen."
Harry knew that Hogwarts itself had many means of protecting its occupants, and now wondered, based on the enemies' lack of movement, though it allowed them entrance, whether it might not give them leave to curse the students. At any rate, he had only to delay them until help arrived, preferably in the form of the professors, if they were able to return from where ever they had been Portkeyed. The Order members from outside the school would no doubt have been alerted by the wards at this point, but their assistance would take longer to appear. Harry held no thought that the Ministry would be of much help.
"Now, now, Harry," said Riddle, a smirk of his own appearing. "I have only come here to offer these fine young wizards and witches that which I offered you, not so long ago."
Movement and hushed gasps behind Harry alerted him to the fact that the other students were considering what Voldemort had just let slip. Harry's expression changed to a sneer as he realized that the man was attempting to discredit him.
"You know, Tom, you really can't do more damage to my reputation than you already have," Harry informed him, though inwardly he winced. "Everyone believes whatever the latest gossip holds."
"Do these rumour-mongers know of your actions of a few nights ago, young Harry?" Riddle questioned acerbically. "About your little jaunt to a coastline village, or your visit with a certain child that turned up rather dead?"
Harry blinked and his jaw tensed as he realized to what the Dark Lord was alluding. He had no idea how the man knew of it, but Harry's breath caught in his throat at the thought of others finding out.
Swallowing thickly, Harry allowed his own eyes to narrow darkly. "Why don't you slither back to your little snake den, as you apparently are completely unable to attack me? I'm sure that help will soon appear, and you must be making your escape, like the coward you are." Harry raised his wand higher and flicked it slightly towards the Death Eaters. "Take your little pets with you, if they still want to follow a half-blooded weakling."
Harry knew then that he had pushed far enough, as Riddle's eyes flashed crimson. The Dark Lord raised his wand, garnering screams from the students, and snarled the Cruciatus Curse without apparent thought. Immediately, Harry countered with a quick mild spell, deciding to connect their wands, as a shield would not block the curse heading for him.
Before their spells could meet, a wall of oscillating translucent colours rose in the centre of the floor, absorbing them as they hit each side. Voldemort breathed out in a hiss as Harry watched the shielding wall recede back into the stone beneath their feet. Glancing back up, Harry saw Riddle's frustrated expression and realized that the man had known he couldn't curse the students, but had clearly not wanted them to know as such.
Wondering if the school's apparent safeguard worked both ways, Harry shot off a sudden Disarming Charm, only to see the wall of colour rise again and block it. Shrugging lightly, he locked eyes with Riddle.
"As you can see, snake-ling, you have little more chance of cursing me than I do of you," Voldemort hissed, and by the shifting of the students behind him, Harry recognized that the man was speaking in Parseltongue. "Make no mistake, though, my little lion-snake, the next time we meet, there will be nothing to save you."
"Nor will there be any protection for you," Harry returned, his words too hissed in snake language.
Riddle chuckled darkly, then stopped abruptly. Harry smirked once again as he registered what had startled the man. Beyond the doors of the Great Hall, several shouts could be heard, as well as blasting noises as those outside attempted to break in.
Turning back to Harry, Voldemort reverted once again to English. "Encourage your schoolmates to consider my proposal, Harry," he drawled. "As for us, we'll meet again, I'm sure."
"As am I, serpens," Harry muttered as Riddle and his men called upon their Portkeys and were whisked away.
For a moment, he stood staring at the place Voldemort had been, the full extent of what had just occurred nearly overwhelming him. Silently cursing his mental weakness, Harry cleared his thoughts forcefully and raised his wand. Pointing to the hall doors, he murmured several releasing spells, then lowered his arm as they burst open.
Several professors strode inside, Dumbledore in the lead, flanked immediately by McGonagall and Snape. They glanced around for any sign of threats, then turned almost as one to Harry, who hadn't moved from his position in front of the still cowering students. As he caught the headmaster's eye, he noticed motion behind him, as the other young wizards and witches moved forward slightly.
He vaguely registered his name spoken softly almost directly beside him, as Hermione slowly approached, but didn't have time to turn before Sirius ran over and grabbed his shoulders.
"Harry!" Sirius exclaimed, looking his godson over for injury. "Oh, Merlin! Are you all right!"
Harry pulled back from his godfather's grip, shrugging Sirius's hands off in discomfort, and nodding quickly. "Yes, I'm fine, Sirius. I think everyone is," Harry told him neutrally.
Blinking at Harry's slight retreat and tone, Sirius didn't have a chance to speak again, as Dumbledore stepped up to them.
"Harry, are you well?" Albus questioned quietly. At Harry's affirmative, the headmaster nodded and turned toward the other faculty. "Would the Heads of the Houses please see to their students? Take them to their respective Common rooms, then report to my office. All others assist, then join me." Glancing at the students, who still looked nervous and were shooting unnerved looks at Harry, he then said, "Do not worry. You are no longer in danger, I assure you. Please go to your Common rooms with your Head of House."
Dumbledore gestured for Harry to come with him, and as Sirius refused point blank to leave his side, they swiftly made their way out of the Great Hall. The trip to the headmaster's office was completely silent; Harry studiously stared straight ahead as they walked, and Sirius watched him with concern, which Harry ignored.
He'd long ago learnt to deal with negative situations by remaining detached and focussed, and he couldn't bring himself to allow Sirius to try to parent him. At the moment, Harry wasn't comfortable with anyone too near him, not with what was pushing in his mind to be remembered, having just faced his old tormentor. Narrowing his eyes at just that thought of the Dark Lord, Harry clenched his jaw, lengthening his stride.
Reaching the office in little time, the group stepped off of the swirling staircase and walked through the door. Dumbledore ushered both of them into chairs, then gazed shrewdly at Harry.
"Harry, I need you to tell me what happened," Albus quietly ordered, dispensing with the usual pleasantries.
Harry looked back at him, raising an eyebrow, then glanced imperceptibly toward Sirius. Locking eyes with the headmaster's, he waited without speaking.
Dumbledore nodded slightly. "Sirius, perhaps you would wait outside for a moment? This might be easier that way."
Sirius blinked once, then looked between Harry and the headmaster. "No, I'm not about to leave Harry right now, Albus."
Before Dumbledore could answer, Harry spoke up. "Sirius, it might be better if you did. Please."
"Harry?" Sirius asked, his voice slightly hurt.
Harry glanced out the window with a sigh, then at his godfather. "Please, Sirius."
Sirius nodded slowly, his eyes showing that he didn't understand. Harry saw that he'd made the man feel bad, but merely turned away and closed his eyes until he'd heard the door to the office close. For a moment, Harry merely looked at the floor, then finally raised his gaze.
Taking a deep breath and steeling his emotions, Harry dropped back into the persona he wore during warlike situations. Nothing was shown on his face, and his eyes contained only determination and strength. He immediately got to the business of informing Dumbledore of all that had occurred.
The headmaster didn't interrupt him, though he looked quite thoughtful and nodded a few times. Upon finishing his recount, Harry leaned back and fixed the same look on Dumbledore that the man had given him when they had sat down.
Smiling slightly, Albus nodded. "I suppose you have some questions?"
"Indeed," Harry answered quietly. "First, I would ask how they got in, but really, that would just be redundant, as it is obvious they found some way through the wards. What I have to question, is why did the wards allow Portkeys through? Did the school board, or whomever takes care of that issue, learn nothing from the Triwizard Third Task?"
"I am afraid that it appears not," Dumbledore said regretfully. "Now, though, I will personally force through extra wards immediately."
With a quirk of the lips, Harry then said, "I assume Riddle made the Head Table into a Portkey? How did he manage that, and how was he able to make the House Tables disappear? I am surprised Hogwarts allowed that."
Albus raised an eyebrow. "You address the school as a sentient being?"
"Any place imbued with such magic would undoubtably develop almost a cognizance. As you well know, Headmaster," Harry stated in light exasperation. "I would ask that you not pry into what I know or have learned these last years, as I am not of the patience to go along with it. Please, just explain how Tom Riddle was able to manifest in and manipulate the Great Hall. Not to mention, threaten me and the other students. Or should I just see what I can find out in the library, since you never have been one to give me a straight or thorough answer." Though his voice remained level, Harry's tone was sharp as he finished.
"Of course I will tell you, my boy. There is no need to get caustic," Dumbledore chided softly.
"My apologies, Headmaster," Harry murmured. "Please continue."
"I do believe that Voldemort was able to have such ease as he did based on his blood. Being an heir would make it much more simple to make the school do as you wished. As long as it wasn't done to outright harm another, that is," Dumbledore explained. "The Great Hall has always been guarded against its occupants cursing one another. While those wards can be disabled for short periods, as during that ill-conceived Duelling Club those years ago, they reestablish themselves to protect everyone. As you saw.
"Now, Voldemort was able to cast spells to create Portkeys- you are right about the Head Table, as soon as all of us seated touched it, we were sent away- and he was able to move things, including yourself, but he could not inflect injury upon any person."
"I see," Harry said with a nod. "Tom clearly did not want me or the other students to know that. He wanted to show that he could manage to override our defences. His whole reason for showing up was to put us off balance."
"Yes," Albus agreed. "I don't think he knew that you would be there, or that you would foil his plans, once again, though."
Harry snorted softly. "Something tells me that he was more than happy with what he did accomplish. The other students are once again questioning my allegiances. He also knows of, and alluded to, the situation in that village the Death Eaters attacked a few nights ago."
Albus's expression didn't change, though his eyes were piercing. "Do you believe he was able to access your thoughts at the time, or your memories of it?"
"No, not to my knowledge," Harry responded. "All I can think is that someone was watching." Harry sighed, shaking his head. "But I should have realized that. I don't understand how . . . Unless-"
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow and waited for Harry to continue. After a moment of silence, the headmaster said, "Unless, what?"
Harry refocused a sharp gaze on Dumbledore. "It had to have been a Vampyr. Nothing else accounts for my not sensing them, not to mention that the Ministry and Order sensors detected no one else once they all arrived in the village, as I believe you mentioned," he explained. "We can guess then that it is Tom's source."
"Yes," Albus murmured, thoughtful again. "One thing, though. By your indications, and your wish to keep your true abilities hidden, you imply that Voldemort doesn't know what you are capable of. Nor was that revealed during the attack upon you, Remus, and Sirius. How is that possible, if, as you once said, you believe this Vampyr source is a Jumper, and that he can sense you?"
Harry glanced aside, staring out the window as he thought. Finally, he turned back to the headmaster. "I was known somewhat in the Other Realm, though not very extensively, overall, and not by everyone. Neither was it commonly known that I completed my training so well." Harry gestured towards his cheek, acknowledging the hidden phoenix symbol. "I would say that this creature knows not of it. As for the fight, not many of the enemy were left in a state to describe what happened, and even if it was watched, I didn't reveal much.
"Tom's overconfidence, and his belief in his own superiority, causes him to underestimate his opponents. He is proud of his strength in wielding wandless magic, as I well know," Harry said, his voice turning dark, "and therefore, doesn't see that others may be as capable. Any that he may have seen of mine, he would, by all chance, assume was wild or accidental."
Again, Albus nodded agreement, but his expression was still slightly troubled. "We are making many assumptions," he said quietly. "We can not know for sure if that is true."
"No, we can not," Harry admitted. "But based on what we know, we'll have to do what we can. We just have to hope that they tip their hand first."
As Dumbledore agreed, a knock sounded at the door. "Ah, the others must be arriving." Turning a twinkling look on Harry, the elder wizard then said, "Classes are cancelled for the day. Why don't you go into my library. It will keep you at hand, should I need to speak again to you, and I'm certain you'll find something in there of interest. And with the door closed, there couldn't possibly be a way for you to hear everything that is said out here." Albus covered a slight smirk by popping a lemon drop into his mouth.
Harry smiled, his eyes containing a glint reminiscent of the man in front of him, and went quickly into the room to which the headmaster gestured. Listening to the proceedings outside, he found that the door seemed to have a charm to clarify sound on it, as he heard clearer through it than if he had left it ajar. Harry even found himself wondering if he would need to place a quieting spell when the conversation got especially loud after Dumbledore finished his explanations of what had happened.
As the several hours long meeting progressed, most of what he overheard was what he had expected. Other than the obvious, many of the professors were concerned by what they had been told by the students. Apparently word was around that Harry was either in league with the Dark Lord, or that it was because of him that the man got in the school. As Harry narrowed his eyes in annoyance, he was startled when those that defended his loyalties included, besides Dumbledore, Remus, and Sirius, the Potions master.
He kept his attention firmly on the business of war, not allowing himself to succumb to his own thoughts. Only his most severe training kept the grip on his emotions, but while continuing to listen, he did use the time to also focus his attentions on exploring the headmaster's library.
Knowing that Dumbledore fully expected him to do as such, Harry looked over the shelves, glancing through a few volumes that caught his eye. On a low table near a large, overstuffed sofa, he was amused to find quite a number of texts on Side Realms and Jumping. Glancing past the end table, Harry then noticed a glowing bowl on a bottom shelve.
Stepping around the sofa, Harry knelt by the bookshelf, still paying half a mind to the professors. As he leaned down, he realized that the bowl was in fact a Pensieve. Harry raised his eyebrow and peered inside, keeping far back from the swirling mist of thought, so as not to get pulled in.
With a muttered spell, Harry activated the memories, watching several flow in succession. As they played, his lips quirked into a slight smile as he recognized that they all revolved around him. As Trelawney appeared and started speaking in a halting voice that he'd heard once, Harry nodded. So, I knew Dumbledore was the one to have witnessed this blasted thing, he thought as he rose back to his feet.
He noticed different ones of Hogwarts's staff leaving, then returning, and he remained in the library the entire time. Twice during his isolation, the house-elves sent in food, of which he forced himself to eat some. Dumbledore came in a few times to see how he was getting on, but was called out almost immediately by another visitor. Harry found the fact that none of those talking with the headmaster had any idea he was listening in most refreshing. Many seemed to like putting in their opinions of him, and Harry heard everything they said.
Shortly after dinner, Dumbledore returned to the library as Harry was scanning a volume about the school. After loaning it to the younger wizard, the headmaster indicated for Harry to come back out to the office.
"I trust that was informative, my boy?" Albus asked blithely.
"Most, Headmaster," Harry stated. "Especially just who of my teachers is of the opinion that I'm evil."
Dumbledore snorted softly. "Never mind that, Mr Potter. They will eventually see the truth, or if not? It won't ultimately matter."
After another short conversation, the headmaster finally dismissed Harry, sending him to the Gryffindor common room. With a farewell, Harry made his way out of the office, walking through the silent halls. As the students had all been allocated to their respective houses, no one was roaming the school except for select professors. Harry avoided all of those he saw with ease.
Arriving at the portrait of the Pink Lady, Harry took a deep breath. Murmuring the password that Dumbledore had given him, he gracefully climbed through the hole and stopped, hearing the painting close behind him. As everyone in the Common room turned and stared, Harry stepped further in. He took notice of the students' reactions, mentally cataloguing them according to what they seemed. From the side of his vision, he saw Hermione rise from beside Ron, who was carefully avoiding Harry's eye. As she walked over, she smiled.
"Harry, oh, thank Merlin that you're all right!" Hermione exclaimed, giving him a quick hug, which startled several of the watching Gryffindors. "I'm so glad the Great Hall has those protections. I can't believe how you handled Voldemort. Anyway, where have you been? What's going on?"
"Well, I've been with the headmaster, mostly," Harry explained to her, though he made his voice loud enough for the room to hear. "He is instituting new wards to protect the school. The faculty is making sure this won't happen again. They're taking care of it."
Whispers broke out, then a voice near the wall called out, "What about you? What do you have to say about You-Know-Who?"
Harry glanced in the boy's direction. "No, as a matter of fact, I don't know who. Hermione, do you?"
She snickered, and no one tried addressing him again. He bid goodnight to Hermione, claiming he wanted an early night, and started to go up the stairs to the Seventh Year male dorms. As he went, Harry realized that most of the others were shying away and ignoring him. Neville and Ginny shook their heads at their peers' behaviours and called out their goodnights to him. He smiled, nodded, then continued upstairs.
The start of the next day proceeded in much the same manner. Neville was the only one of his dormmates to speak directly to him, though he caught Ron glancing at him several times with thoughtful expressions. Dean Thomas gave him a rather shaky grin, and Seamus Finnigan practically ran out of the room as soon as he got out of bed. Harry merely rolled his eyes, and got dressed.
The Great Hall was subdued, and Harry noticed many of the students were nervous and eating quite quickly as they continually glanced up at the Head Table, as though to assure themselves that the teachers were still around. Harry ate in silence and made his way to his first class since his return- Double Potions.
The class filtered in, several members from each house, as it was a NEWT program. All gave Harry a wide berth, even Hermione, though that was more from Ron keeping a grip on her hand, then anything. Snape glared venomously at Harry for a moment, then started the class, ignoring him after he gave his instructions. Harry found himself preferring that manner, until he noticed the man watching his movements suspiciously over the paper he was pretending to grade. Harry sighed, and continued his potion, though he was careful how he did it.
The next couple hours passed in veritable silence, besides the hissing and boiling of the cauldrons. As Harry added the last ingredient, something hit his leg and he glanced down. In that moment, a vial of dragon's blood crashed into his potion, breaking in the mixture. As the compound exploded, Harry flicked out his wand and cast a blocking charm around it. Unfortunately, in his haste to protect others, some of the scalding liquid lashed across his arm, and he clenched his jaw as it burned through his robe sleeve.
"POTTER! What do you think you are doing!" Snape's voice carried across the room as he strode over, robes swirling ominously.
"Casting a Blocking Spell, sir," Harry responded, careful to keep his voice neutral. He ignored the stinging of his arm.
As the man reached him, the Potions master's eyes slitted dangerously. "Funny, Mr Potter," Snape drawled, pulling his own wand. Several students flinched. "Evanesco! How, even in your extreme idiocy, did you manage to drop an entire vial of Dragon's Blood into your cauldron!"
"I didn't, sir. As you should know, since you were watching the whole time," Harry shot back angrily, garnering equal gasps and snickers from the other students.
Snape sneered. "And just who do you blame for this mess, Mr Potter?"
Harry glanced at Malfoy. "I believe it came from that direction, sir."
"How dare you!" Malfoy exclaimed. "Professor, you can't believe I would do something like that!"
"Of course not, Mr Malfoy," Snape assured him. "Potter, your first day and already you're back in habit. Twenty points from Gryffindor for the ruined potion, twenty more for lying and accusing a follow student."
Before Harry could retort, the signal sounded for the end of class. The students looked at Snape, unsure if they were allowed to leave.
"Place your vials on my desk and go quickly," Snape snapped. "Mr Potter, you will return for detention after dinner."
Harry closed his eyes and forced a nod. Grabbing his bag, he returned the ingredients to their proper places and made for the door with the rest of the class.
As soon as he entered the hall, Malfoy yelled out, "Oi, Potter! What a way to return. Just my way of welcoming you back." The Slytherins cheered.
Shaking his head, Harry turned away and saw Snape coming out of the classroom.
"Wait, Potter. One thing," Malfoy said quickly. "Yesterday? What did the Dark Lord mean when he asked about your latest actions?"
Harry glanced back at him. "I am sure there is no need for me to explain myself to you. Frankly, Malfoy, you aren't worth my time." With that, Harry turned his back to the blonde, clearly taunting him by acting as though unconcerned should the boy attack.
Malfoy scowled, then it changed to a lecherous sneer. "Oh, Potter, I get it. He must have meant you returned to your old position in the Death Eaters. My father explained, you see, about what happened two years ago."
Harry set his jaw and continued walking away, through the gaping students. He heard one question Malfoy. The Slytherin laughed.
"Oh, yes, Potter had an exclusive job with them," he explained loudly. "As the Dark Lord's whore."
Harry halted in mid-step, his eyes flashing, and slowly turned back around.
A/N: Thanks for reading, hope you are enjoying! Please review, I love to know what you all think.
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