Disclaimer: I don't own HP.

Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out!

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Tom settled deeper into his chair. Harry had left quite awhile ago, and Tom had remained lost in his thoughts. For so long he had only thought of escaping the grip of the Beast King. Now he was a free man and it was hard to remember what his life had been like when he had been in control. The dark haired wizard sighed deeply. Loath as he was to admit it, he never would have gotten free if it hadn't been for Harry. He cursed silently; he hated this feeling of being indebted to someone else.

There was a sudden knocking at the door; and without waiting for Tom to answer, Dumbledore strode into the room. Tom sat up in his seat while the headmaster made himself comfortable on the couch.

"I just finished speaking with Mr. Potter," Dumbledore stated as he summoned a cup of tea. "He seems to think that you currently have no malevolent intentions." Dumbledore peered at Tom over his cup, "Would that be an accurate description?"

Tom paused before answering, "I'm tired of death and destruction."

Dumbledore nodded happily. "Good, good." He took a sip before his next question, "Have you given any thought to your future now that you're free from the demon lord?"

Tom raised an eyebrow, "I've been waiting for you to tell me what my future is. I don't think I really have a choice."

There was a chuckle from the old man. "There's always a choice," he said with bright eyes. "Actually I was going to propose a little deal." Tom tried to hide his suspicion. "It's very simple, you simply have to help us round up and provide evidence against the death eaters. And once they're all dealt with, you'll be free to go."

The young man stared at Dumbledore disbelievingly. "I just have to help you deal with the death eaters and then I'm free? You won't keep me prisoner?" Hope and excitement welled within him, but he kept his face expressionless.

"That's right."

Tom pretended to contemplate the offer, but it really was better than he could have hoped for. A thought struck him and carefully he asked his question. "Why are you trusting me?" Cold logic and distrust was clear in his eyes.

Dumbledore stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Honestly I wasn't sure you were to be trusted. I haven't forgotten about the Chamber incident and you did try and mold a demon lord's power in order to control the wizarding world." He chuckled, and Tom bristled. Dumbledore quickly turned serious again. "But for whatever reason you may have had, you did help Harry defeat the Beast King, thus protecting our world. I'll consider that a step in the right direction." Tom stiffened as Dumbledore's eyes turned to ice and the air was thick with power. "But if you ever attempt to return to your dark ways," his eyes narrowed slightly, "I'll crush you."

Tom tried to maintain his calm at this brazen display of the other wizard's powers. He had certainly never seen this side of the headmaster when he was a student. This war had hardened him. Or maybe, Tom thought dryly, he just knows better than to be indirect with me. Tom knew he shouldn't provoke him, but he couldn't resist commentating, "While I don't doubt that your threat will hold for some time, you won't live forever. What will stop me then?"

To Tom's surprise Dumbledore relaxed in his chair and laughed. "Oh ho, death won't stop me." And he gave another chuckle. Tom couldn't help but wonder at the breadth of Dumbledore's powers. Or was he just bluffing? It didn't particularly matter, Tom thought, he would just have to achieve his goals from a different angle.

Tom relaxed and gave a charming smile. "I accept your terms."

Dumbledore clapped his hands and stood up. "Marvelous. Come to my office tomorrow morning and we'll begin." The headmaster bade him goodnight and left.

A tension left Tom that he hadn't realized had been there. He flopped back into his chair and contemplated this new development.

XXX

Harry walked by the lake with a happy spring in his step. He had visited the Founders earlier and was met with a very enthusiastic reception. Hufflepuff and Gryffindor openly expressed their delight at Harry's victory. Ravenclaw had calmly complimented him and Harry had even thought that he saw a gleam of approval in Slytherin's eyes.

The day had been warm for January and Harry, along with many other students, had been glad to take the opportunity to get some sunshine. The snow that was on the ground had begun to melt and many students had decided against ice skating, concerned that the ice wasn't strong enough. A few reckless ones had decided on skating anyway. Harry noted with some amusement that they were mostly Gryffindors.

Harry paused as he looked ahead of him. Heading his way, obviously on a romantic walk together, were Ron and Hermione. He raised his hand to wave to them, when a loud cracking noise made him jump. He quickly scanned the area for any sign of what it had been. Several shrieks from around the lake made him run to the edge of the water. Right before he reached it, another crash could be heard and this time he stumbled at the shaking ground. The students who had been skating were rushing to get off the ice. Most of them had made it before the next crash.

This time a large crack appeared in the center of the lake. The students who were still on the ice fell and many of them started to scream with panic. By this time Ron and Hermione had reached the lake. Hermione had already started to levitate the students one at a time to the shore. Harry and Ron quickly followed suit. The job was mostly done when a final crash was heard and the arms of the giant squid rose up from the hole in the ice. The tentacles rose high above the air before diving back down. Harry gasped as the squid grabbed several students and held them over thirty feet above the ice.

Harry was frantically thinking of a plan of action when one of the tentacles released the student it was holding. The young girl shrieked as she plummeted down. Harry and Hermione cast a levitation spell at the same time and the girl floated to the ground.

"You guys stop any students from hitting the ground," Harry ordered. "I'm going to try and stop it." Ron and Hermione nodded their agreement. Hermione touched her wand to Harry's sneakers.

"This way you can walk on the ice," she explained. Harry gave a brief smile of thanks before running off.

Harry looked at the ice as he ran to the opening where the squid's arms were. He would probably need to find the squid's body under the ice if he wanted to seriously damage it. Harry shouted a fire curse at a new tentacle that was reaching for a student. The arm retreated from the younger boy and stayed still for a moment. Actually, thought Harry apprehensively, they're all still. Harry almost fell as another crash sounded as the giant squid's body emerged from the ice. It seemed to ponder Harry for a moment.

Suddenly the tentacles released their hold on the students and Hermione and Ron barely managed to break their falls. Harry didn't have time to worry about the others; as soon as the tentacles were unhindered they swiftly headed towards him. He dove as one tried to grab him, and then he sent a spell at another one. He tried hexing them all, but there were too many and soon he was held by the legs and waist.

Harry watched as the ground got further and further away. He flung spells at the tentacle holding him and at the squid's body, but the tentacles kept swinging him and his spells missed their targets. He rose even higher and then the tentacle stopped lifting him. He didn't have time to wonder why because he was being flung to the hard ice below. Harry cast another spell in vain and he closed his eyes as the ground came rushing up to meet him. He opened them in surprise when he started floating instead of falling. Floating into warm arms instead of the cold ice, he noticed. He looked up as he heard someone chuckle.

"You can defeat the Beast King but not a giant squid?" Tom's laughing dark eyes met Harry's emerald ones. "Your fans won't like that."

Harry turned his head as he felt more than heard Dumbledore drive the squid back into the lake. Tom gently let him down and Harry looked at Tom questioningly.

Tom glanced at him then explained, "We were in a meeting when a student came and told us something was wrong. Dumbledore rushed down here and I felt like following."

Harry looked to Dumbledore who was already walking over to them. "Come on you two," Dumbledore was smiling, but his eyes were serious, "Let's make sure that everyone is uninjured and then we can go discuss this."

Luckily none of the students were injured, though they were pretty shaken up. Dumbledore asked Ron and Hermione to take them to Madame Pomfrey just to make sure they were alright. He then took Tom and Harry back to his office where Harry quickly explained what had happened.

"What I can't understand," Tom said when Harry finished his narrative, "Is why the squid suddenly went after you."

"I assume it's because I was attacking it," Harry replied dryly.

Dumbledore stroked his beard, his eyes were contemplative. "That squid is there to protect students," he sighed, "What would have made it go mad like that?" They had no answer to that, and Dumbledore told Harry to go back to his room and get some rest.

Harry tried to keep the incident out of his mind, and he pretty much succeeded for the rest of the day. But in the morning the episode was brought back full force when the owls swooped into the Great Hall and Hermione opened her Daily Prophet. Her bright eyes were puzzled as she read the headline and then the following story.

"It seems like giant squid wasn't the only thing to go berserk," she leaned forward and spoke quietly to Ron and Harry, "There have been reports like that all through Europe. All types of water creatures are attacking people."

"What do you think is causing it?" Ron asked.

Harry didn't know, but he felt uneasy about the situation. He would go talk to the Founders later.

XXX

I'm really sorry it took me so long to update. RL's just been crazy. These next three weeks are going to be even worse, so I don't think I'm going to be able to update until winter break. Oh these weeks are gonna suck so badly. :slams head on desk:

So anyway, thanks to everyone who's reviewed! I really appreciate it!