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Ok, this chapter's kinda boring, but a lot happens next chapter! Seriously the plot starts to take shape.

Harry plopped down on the floor. His breath was coming in short gasps and his t-shirt was damp with sweat. His grip on Gryffindor's sword loosened slightly.

He was in Gryffindor's practice room. Once Gryffindor had deemed his wandless magic acceptable, he had been insistent on teaching Harry how to duel with a sword. Harry wasn't quite sure he saw the point of this (who dueled with swords in this day and age), but he didn't argue. Hopefully Gryffindor would teach his some powerful dueling spells once Harry became proficient with using a sword.

His time with the Founders had been interesting. Gryffindor had been a great slayer of dark creatures. Slytherin had been a great dark wizard, one of the most powerful in history. Ravenclaw had created many spells, she was the most brilliant undoubtedly. And Hufflepuff... Harry hadn't been able to get an exact answer as to why she was known as one of the greatest witches of her age. Actually, he felt like they were all keeping something from him. It aggravated him slightly, but he would be patient. If he got angry and left, he would never find out.

His research into his visions of Tom Riddle was not as successful. He had gone through all the books in the library without any luck and he finally told the Founders of his dreams in hopes that they would have some clue as to why he was having them. None of them had a solid answer, and they all felt like more information was needed.

"It could be a trap," suggested Ravenclaw. She twisted a lock of hair around a finger and her face was contemplative. "He could be playing on your sympathies, hoping to create a weakness in you."

"That seems like too much trouble for a strategy that would most likely fail," Slytherin murmured.

"Maybe Voldemort's not sending them consciously?" Gryffindor wondered. "Maybe they drift through your bond when his defenses are lowered."

"I doubt that his mental control is so low," Slytherin scoffed.

"Do you have a better answer?"

Slytherin was silent and it looked like he was already thinking on something else.

"It seems like the first step would be to find out if what you see in your visions really happened," Ravenclaw said. This seemed like a logical suggestion to all and Harry had been trying to think of a way to determine the veracity of his visions for some time now. He had been able to find in the school records that there had been a John Avery in Tom's year and house. But he had died some years ago. He could ask Dumbledore if it would be possible to see the memory of Tom Riddle's sorting, but what reason could he give for wanting to see that? His thoughts ran in circles as he tried to figure out what to do. Luckily the solution came in the next dream.

Harry found himself in the Slytherin common room. He glanced around, not much had changed in fifty years. The atmosphere was still solemn and Harry was sure that there would be a chill if he had feeling in the visions. There was a group of older students in the corner. One of them had apparently made a joke because they were all laughing. But suddenly they all stopped and looked down at the previously abandoned books. Harry looked over to try and see what had made them silent. Coming down from the dormitories was Tom Riddle. He was older now and he had a Head Boy badge pinned to his robes. His handsome face was expressionless as he looked to the group of students.

"Crayer," he said addressing a blonde boy in the group, "I heard that you were in a scuffle with some Gryffindors earlier."

The boy, apparently Crayer, looked annoyed and spoke defensively, "They started it and I wouldn't have gotten caught if that obnoxious Head Girl hadn't shown up."

Tom frowned, "Obnoxious or not, McGonagall had every right to report you to the Headmaster."

His eyes narrowed slightly and his voice was stern, "This is the third incident this year, don't get caught again you fool! I'm going to have to go talk to McGonagall and straighten this out."

Crayer glared at Tom, his look was a mix of hatred and what looked like fear. His hand reached for his wand, but stopped right before it reached it. His voice was resentful as he spoke, "I won't get caught again."

Tom nodded and walked to the portrait door. The scene began to fade as the vision ended.

Harry sat up in his bed, going over the dream in is mind. Was there anyway this vision could be at all verified? He could go look in the records to see if there had been a Crayer. Maybe there would be some record of his fights with Gryffindor. But maybe, he thought for a second, maybe he could just ask McGonagall. Maybe she would remember dealing with Crayer. It wouldn't verify the vision directly, but it would make it more credible.

Harry flopped his head back onto his pillow. Once again he couldn't get Tom Riddle out of his head. If these visions all really happened, then he was getting valuable information into the character of his arch foe. It was fascinating really. Even as a student he had wielded control over his fellow classmates. Harry wondered how powerful Tom was at that age. In the Chamber of Secrets he had battled the basilisk, not Tom himself. He wondered if he had any friends during his time at Hogwarts, Harry had never seen him with anyone, but maybe they just hadn't been in the visions. He had killed Myrtle at this point, but how dark was his heart really? Was he already an evil, soulless murderer? He just seemed too young to be.

Harry buried his head under his pillow. Thinking about these things was not productive. He had transfiguration tomorrow, he would try and talk to McGonagall then.

"Harry, where have you been disappearing to lately," Hermione looked at him curiously. Her tone was light but Harry could see that she was serious. Harry delayed answering by taking a big bite of eggs. Luckily Ron interjected.

"So who is she?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows comically. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Harry pretended cluelessness.

"Don't be shy Harry! Who is this girl you've been going to meet?" Ron said loudly, causing some heads to turn.

"Shh!" Hermione reprimanded him, "There's no need for the whole table to know his business!"

"Sorry," Ron said in a noticeably softer voice, "But seriously mate, there's no need to hide this from us."

"Well, you know, we just wanted to keep it quiet for awhile, to see if we really like each other," Harry lied.

"Yea I can understand that," Ron nodded while chewing on some bacon, "People might be a little too interested." Hermione looked unconvinced, but before she could say anything Harry grabbed his bag and said that it was time for transfiguration.

Harry wasn't sure why he hadn't told Ron and Hermione about the Founders. There was no reason not to, he just felt like keeping it to himself for now. Eventually he would tell them, but for now it was his secret.

McGonagall lectured most of the period. Harry tried his best to pay attention, but he couldn't see the fascination in the theory of advanced transfiguration. Hermione seemed enraptured though. By the end of class though, Harry was more alert as he went through what he would say to McGonagall.

As the last of the students left the classroom, Harry lingered behind. He had sent Ron and Hermione to their next class without him, saying he had a question for McGonagall. This was true, but he doubted they thought that he would be asking about McGonagall's time as Head Girl.

McGonagall was sitting at her desk, taking out some papers to grade. He knew there was some time before her next class and she looked up as he approached.

"Can I help you Potter?" she asked without bothering to look up.

Harry paused, uncertain, before starting his question. "I was just wondering what the relations between Gryffindor and Slytherin were like when you were a student, you know, was there a big rivalry like there is now?"

McGonagall looked up at this. "Why would you want to know something like that?"

"Well," he began, "I was talking with Ron and Hermione about the hostilities between the two houses. Everyone says that it's been going on forever, and I just wanted to see if it that was true."

McGonagall raised an eyebrow, "I'm don't know about forever, I'm not that old, but yes there were hostilities between the houses."

"Any physical violence?"

McGonagall seemed annoyed at the questions, but answered anyway, "There were several fights in the halls, and I'm sure there were many more that weren't reported. There were several problem students, Jeremy Crayer for one, he was always picking on younger Gryffindors." Harry tried not to look to eager at her answer.

"And since the Head Boy was a Slytherin you had to talk to him to straighten things out?"

Her face darkened. "Well yes but," she paused and looked at Harry suspiciously, "But that's no concern of yours so you'd better run to your next class."

Harry took the hint and quickly left the classroom. But instead of heading to charms, he made for the entrance to the Founders' sitting room. Maybe now they could come up with a plan.

The next day found Harry talking to the Founders once again. They had figured that it was safe to assume that the memories were real for now, but the question still remained as to why Harry was seeing them.

"Go over the prophecy once more," urged Ravenclaw, "There has to be some clue in there."

"I've already told you what it said, it says that one of us has to die," Harry said, plopping down on the floor in front of the portrait.

"You've just paraphrased it, tell us in as much detail as you can, word for word," Hufflepuff said.

Harry paused and tried to remember the full prophecy. "I think it started out, 'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches." He paused as he saw Hufflepuff's eyes widen.

"Are you sure that's what it said, it said the Dark Lord?" she was staring at him.

"Yes, it said I was the only one who would be able to defeat the Dark Lord." Hufflepuff lowered her gaze from him and her friends glanced at her curiously. She knew something they didn't.

"Look at the time Harry!" Gryffindor broke the silence, "I really think you must be going soon!"

It was only after Harry had left that Hufflepuff explained.

"Throughout history a dark wizard has never been referred to as a Dark Lord," she said slowly.

"So what does it mean?" Slytherin asked, leaning against a the side of the portrait.

"I'm not exactly sure," she said, eyes distant and worried. "I have an idea but," she paused and her voice softened, "I pray I'm wrong."

The longest chapter of all! I had hoped to have Tom Riddle on the scene by this chapter, but yea that's not happening ;. This story is going to take longer than I expected. Things are going so sloooowly. And I keep adding things and taking things away from the story. But most of the next chapter is written, and stuff happens. Like seriously, you can actually get an idea of where the heck the story is going.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! (Especially you Batsutousai, you keep reviewing and you totally rock!)