Harry watched as Dumbledore walked through the Hospital Wing. His dæmon wasn't anywhere in sight.
Tom's fingers tightened instinctively in Harry's bedsheets.
"Mr Potter," Dumbledore began, blue eyes sparkling brightly from behind his half moon glasses. "I'm glad that you are relatively unhurt after your fall, you had many of your classmates worried."
Harry struggled to find his voice.
"I'm sorry, sir."
Dumbledore only smiled at him and sat down on the chair beside Harry's bed.
"Not to worry. I remember my first time on a broomstick. Fawkes was most excited when I could fly with him."
"Yes, sir," Harry answered as he glanced across at Tom.
Dumbledore too turned briefly in Tom's direction, before settling back on Harry.
"Forgive me, Harry," he began "I would have preferred to have had this conversation when you had recovered, but alas there is no time like the present."
Harry didn't say anything.
Dumbledore sighed heavily.
"Can you please explain to me why you fell off your broom?"
"No, he can't," Tom interrupted before Harry could even open his mouth.
"I'm clumsy, Professor," Harry added with a shrug. "I've never flown before-"
It was if Dumbledore's eyes pierced right through him. The headmaster was silent for a moment.
"I have numerous students who said that you fell from your broom after you both flew above the dæmon line?" Dumbledore prompted.
"Must be a coincidence," Harry lied, his own panic increasing.
Something wasn't right and Tom's sheer terror pulsing through him wasn't helping.
Harry tried not to fidget as he held the headmaster's gaze.
"Perhaps," Dumbledore commented. "Harry, how long have you known that Lord Voldemort is your dæmon?"
Harry hadn't expected Dumbledore to come out and say it, not after weeks of nothing. Tom was frozen, eyes cold with clear resentment.
Instead of answering directly, Harry wet his lips.
"I don't see how that is relevant, sir," he said.
"He wants to know if I remember," Tom said coldly. "He wants to know if I've been converting you to the dark."
Dumbledore shook his head. It was almost like he was disappointed in Harry. He turned towards Tom.
"I see you are still as sharp as ever, Tom," Dumbledore said. "However, I am here only for Harry's well-being. I trust you will understand that?"
Tom's expression darkened.
"Somehow, I believe our definitions of Harry's well-being are going to be different," Tom said coldly.
"Naturally," Dumbledore replied with an odd smile, he turned back to Harry. "Forgive my forwardness, Harry. I can assume you are very protective of Lord Voldemort?"
Harry didn't like this.
"He's Tom," he bit back stubbornly.
Dumbledore continued regardless.
"As Voldemort has no doubt worked out, I am currently interested in discussing your real dæmon."
Tom shifted in an instant, gripping Harry's wrist as he lent over him.
"Get out," Tom hissed.
Dumbledore didn't even flinch.
Harry tried to sit up, but everything hurt.
"I don't have a hidden dæmon-" he started, as Tom's earlier conversation spun in his head.
Dumbledore however held up his hand to interrupt.
"Harry, I know when my students lie to me."
"I'm not lying-"
Dumbledore fixed him with a very stern gaze before he sighed heavily, "Your dæmon is an essential part of you, Harry. Their absence can only be a result of Lord Voldemort's deliberate actions, I trust you realise this?"
"Get out," Tom hissed, louder this time.
Harry just blinked, totally thrown by Dumbledore's comment.
"If my dæmon was real, Tom would never do that."
"Lord Voldemort killed your parents, Harry," Dumbledore said calmly.
Harry struggled to sit up at this, temper flaring. Tom's hands at once darted to hold him down.
"I know that," Harry snapped. "He's Tom. And I don't care if he used to be Lord Voldemort or not."
Dumbledore straightened himself, eyes moving over to Tom who was looking as angry as Harry felt. He was silent for a moment.
"Lord Voldemort is an evil wizard, he killed and tortured many innocent people."
Harry's stomach jolted.
"I know that."
Dumbledore didn't answer him, instead he stood slowly and tucked the chair aside. He looked troubled.
"Harry, I expect you to accompany me to the ministry of magic when you have recovered. You are not allowed to protest."
And with that he turned around and left.
Sure enough, the first morning Harry was out of the Hospital Wing, an owl arrived at breakfast carrying a very official letter. Hedwig, who had only brought Harry a few letters from Hagrid so far and had been eating Harry's toast, snapped her beak at it angrily.
"It's from the ministry," Tom said as Harry pulled the roll of parchment off its leg. Hedwig, flapped her wings indignantly, screeching at the ministry owl as it departed. Harry unrolled the parchment and scanned it cautiously.
"Mr Potter, we request your presence at the Ministry of Magic on the 1st November," Harry read aloud. "For assessment of your dæmon."
He looked up at Tom.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Tom took the letter and read over it quickly.
"They are probably going to decide what to do with me," he answered after awhile.
"They can't hurt you though?" Harry asked tentatively.
Tom sighed and handed Harry the letter back.
"I don't know, Harry. Until we learn more about magic we don't know what they're capable of."
Harry stomach churned uncomfortably at this, trying to get his bearings.
"Okay then, library?"
Tom only nodded silently.
The next few weeks flew by and before Harry knew it, it was nearing the end of October. Harry was finally grasping the basics in his lessons and was now capable of some decent spells. Tom of course had already advanced well beyond the curriculum. They often spent hours in the library where Tom could practice every time Madam Pince wasn't breathing down their necks.
Harry had never known a place like Hogwarts and it was beginning to feel more like home then the Dursely's ever did. If it wasn't for their approaching meeting at the Ministry of Magic, Harry probably would have been completely happy. Even the time he spent down in the Slytherin common room wasn't too bad, although Harry would never admit it to Tom.
On Hallowe'en morning, they woke to the smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors. It made Harry's stomach churn.
The Professor's had been watching Tom closely. Every word Harry spoke, and every interaction with Tom seemed to be of particular interest to them.
Currently, it was Professor Flitwick who was watching them from a distance in his charms class.
"Flick your wand more," Tom commented as Harry failed again to make the feather hover.
Harry flicked it again and nothing happened. Ron, at the next table, wasn't having much more luck.
"Wingardium Leviosa," he shouted as Sephronia ran around in circles.
"You're saying it wrong," Harry heard Hermione snap. "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the gar nice and long."
Sephronia snarled towards Ramiron, who was sitting on Hermione's desk.
"You do it then," Ron retorted angrily.
Hermione then proceeded to hold out her wand and perform the spell perfectly. Ramiron looked smug which caused Sephronia to growl at him.
Professor Flitwick was delighted, his dormouse dæmon bobbing up and down on his head as he praised Hermione.
Ron was in a very bad temper by the end of the class.
"At least Hermione speaks to you," Harry commented bitterly.
"I don't know why you care," Ron muttered. "She's an insufferable know-it-all. It's no wonder she doesn't have any friends."
Someone knocked into Ron, pushing him into Harry. It was Hermione, Ramiron held tightly in her arms.
Harry caught a glimpse of her face – and was startled to see that she was in tears.
"Looks like she heard you," Tom smirked.
Ron looked uncomfortable at this and Sephronia's tail dipped.
"Well she must have noticed no one likes her," Ron defended himself awkwardly. Hermione didn't turn up for their next class and wasn't seen all afternoon.
On their way down to the Great Hall for the Hallowe'en feast, Harry, Tom, Ron and Sephronia overheard Parvati Patil telling her friend Lavender that Hermione and Ramiron had locked themselves in the girls' toilets and wanted to be left alone.
Ron looked anxious about this, but Hermione soon left his thoughts as they entered the Great Hall. Sephronia had perked up too, she wagged her tail, eyeing up the hundreds of live bats which flew overhead.
Despite all the decorations, Harry couldn't bring himself to be excited. Him and Tom were going to the ministry in the morning, and he didn't know what was going to happen.
Tom was also silent, eyes scanning over the teachers table with a frown on his face.
Harry was just pushing around his dinner miserably when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the Hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table and gasped, "Troll – in the dungeons – thought you ought to know."
He then sank to the floor in a dead faint. There was uproar.
It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.
Tom grabbed Harry's arm at once, pulling him into the crowds of students as they moved back to their dormitories.
It wasn't until they were half way up the stairs did Harry freeze, a horrible thought coming to him.
"Hermione, she doesn't know about the troll," he began.
Ron's face paled, and Sephronia barked.
"Oh, all right," he snapped. "But Percy better not see us."
They moved to duck down but Tom caught Harry's arm tightly.
"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded.
Ron and Sephronia halted, startled.
"We need to find Hermione," Harry said as he attempted to pull Tom out of the crowd.
Tom yanked him back with a severe look.
"Trolls are dangerous."
"Trolls are stupid too," Ron added which didn't help in the slightest.
"We can't leave her not knowing," Harry argued, tugging on Tom's sleeve as he attempted to move away.
"We'll find her and go to the dormitory straight away," Harry added.
"I said no," Tom said coolly. "I won't let you put yourself at risk."
Harry sighed annoyed. He knew exactly how to get what he wanted from Tom.
"Fine, I'll owe you one," Harry said as he squeased Tom's hand.
They held each others gaze for a moment before Tom finally relented. He would never miss the opportunity for a favour.
"Okay, but seriously if you get hurt-"
The four of them duck down, joining the Hufflepuff's going the other way. They easily dodged Percy and Bronwyn, who was yapping at the every first year who went past.
It took only seconds to slip down a deserted corridor and hurry off towards the girls' bathroom.
"Can you smell that?" Sephronia asked after a short while.
Harry paused, sniffing the air. He couldn't smell anything.
"The troll is that way" she instructed, her dog nose more sensitive then everyone else's. "It smells fowl"
"That's in the direction of the girls bathroom," Tom said quietly. Harry felt his stomach drop.
Before he had time to comment, someone screamed.
"Hermione!"
Ron and Sephronia broke into a run. Harry grabbed Tom's arm, surprised when he followed. They sprinted round the corner and into the bathroom. The troll really did smell bad and Harry wrinkled his nose in disgust.
Hermione was crouched in the corner. Ramiron standing in front of her, his otter form small against the huge Troll which towered over him, club in hand. It was twelve feet tall, its skin dull, granite grey with a small bald head.
Tom snatched Harry's wand out of his hand.
"Accio Ramiron," he shouted.
Ramiron jerked, zooming into Tom's arms, as the club slammed down exactly where he would have been.
Hermione gasped, disorientated that her dæmon was suddenly in Tom's arms. The troll grunted before raising the club again.
"Distract it," Harry yelled at Ron, darting away from Tom to the sinks which ran along side the wall.
Hermione was confused, her eyes searching out her dæmon in panic.
"Rami," she yelled.
The troll had readjusted its focus, grunting at Hermione.
Ramiron twisted out of Tom's arms, landing perfectly on the floor. Tom ducked down, hands pressing onto the small otter to hold him still.
"Stay still," Tom hissed.
"No," the otter hissed, fur sticking up wildly. "I need to help her-"
"You'll only get yourself killed," Tom snapped.
Ramiron sunk his teeth sharply into Tom's hand. Harry stumbled, shocked as the pain reverberated into him.
"Ron," Harry yelled desperately.
"Winggardium Leviosa," Ron cried, swishing his wand. The club twitched, but it was only enough to stop it swinging down on Hermione's head.
Sephronia started barking loudly. The troll didn't like this, twisting away from her to find the source of the annoying noise.
Harry edged closer to Hermione but he didn't get very far.
The troll locked its beady eyes straight on him, it raised its club.
Tom stood suddenly, letting go of the struggling Ramiron. He slashed the wand forward instinctively. There was a large yelp as blood spurted out everywhere, splatting across Harry's robes and face.
Tom had severed the trolls arm. The club still attached to the lifeless hand which fell to the floor with a heavy thud, inches from Harry's feet.
The troll roared, small eyes flashing in anger and pain. It raised its other hand, convinced that Harry had been the one who had wounded it.
Tom moved again, expertly slicing the wand to cause a huge gash across the trolls stomach. The troll staggered. It was losing too much blood, its huge arteries pumping the life out of it.
It howled loudly. Harry ducked, dodging the still attached limb as the troll flailed around in distraught confusion.
"Move," Harry yelled towards Hermione.
Startled, Hermione pulled herself to her feet, barely dodging the lumbering troll as it moved around the small bathroom.
Harry jumped forwards, grabbing her hand and yanking her close. Quickly they rushed behind Tom and Ron as the troll came to a halt, swaying on the spot in the blood soaked bathroom. It fell to the floor with a huge thud, shaking the floor violently.
Hermione fell down on her knees, sobbing, scooping Ramiron into her arms.
"Are you okay?" she rushed, cradling her dæmon to her chest.
Tom had lowered the wand too and was silently checking over Harry for any damage.
"Is it dead?" Sephronia whispered, nudging forwards to sniff the body.
"I think so," Ramiron answered quietly from Hermione's arm.
Harry moved towards it and gave it a kick with his foot.
Tom had definitely killed it.
There were rushed footsteps, and then Professor Quirrell appeared. His turban was half askew and it looked like he'd been running.
He took one look at the dead troll before his eyes fixed directly on Tom who was still holding the wand.
"What do you think you're doing?" Quirrell hissed furiously, his stutter completely gone. He was absolutely livid.
"You fool, give Potter back his wand." He grabbed Tom's arm and jerked him away from the dead troll.
Harry's scar burned as he hissed in blind pain. He fell to his knees, clutching his forehead.
Harry barely acknowledged Ron grab his shoulders as everything spun.
"Professor," Hermione gasped. "You're not meant to...not meant to touch someone else's dæmon."
Harry could barely concentrate. His vision was blurry as pain seared through him.
Quirrell let go of Tom. It was an immediate release. The paralysing pain dissipated as Harry's body relaxed, but the stinging in his scar remained. Harry sought out Tom at once, he'd never felt so weak before.
"Give Potter back his wand," Quirrell repeated stiffly.
Tom looked completely unhurt, and Harry couldn't place the look on his face. He dropped the wand silently in front of Harry, eyes never once leaving Professor Quirrell.
"Tom-" Harry began reaching forwards as he pulled himself to his feet.
He didn't get a response.
It was just then that Professor McGonagall and Einaris came rushing into the bathroom.
They both froze.
"What an earth happened here?" she demanded, eyes moving over the damaged bathroom before landing on a blood soaked Harry.
"Mr Potter," she began aghast "Are you hurt, what happened?"
Harry opened his mouth but he didn't get a chance to explain.
"P...Potter is unhurt...I...I dealt with the t...troll," Professor Quirrell interrupted.
Ron's month fell open and Hermione had to jerk an elbow into his side to force him to rearrange his face.
"I...I found P...Potter, Wealsey and Granger in here," he stuttered. "The t...troll must have f...followed them in."
There was complete silence.
"You certainly made a messy job of it, Quirinus," a voice commented. Snape had arrived with his dæmon, Laraine. "By the looks of it, you had no time but to amputate it's limbs."
Snape's eyes drifting deliberately over to Harry and Tom and the severed arm lying in the middle of the bathroom.
Harry's stomach churned.
"It was lucky Professor Quirrell was here," McGonagall stated carefully. Einaris had his eyes firmly locked onto Laraine.
"But what an earth were you three doing? You were told to go to your dormitory." McGonagall began sternly.
Laraine moved closer to the troll, carefully inspecting it before bat eyes moved over Harry and Tom.
Harry wished she'd look elsewhere.
"I...I didn't know about the troll," Hermione started at once, drawing eyes towards her. "Ron, Sephronia, Harry and Tom came to find me and Ramiron, to tell me."
"That's when the troll appeared, but Professor Quirrell arrived. He killed it," Ramiron piped up. Harry had never heard her otter say so much, let alone a lie.
Harry's head spun, everyone was protecting Tom.
Tom's face was carefully in place, but his eyes never once left Professor Quirrell's.
McGonagall looked furious as Einaris skirted her heels. "Why an earth didn't you tell a teacher, you could have been killed?"
Harry cleared his throat, trying to push aside the hollow feeling of being ignored.
"We didn't think, Professor."
"That much is obvious," she stated. "Ten points from Gryffindor, for your sheer stupidity. You were lucky Professor Quirrell got to you in time."
Harry ducked his head, trying to look embarrassed. He just wished Tom would look away from Quirrell.
"Go up to your dormitory at once," she instructed. "The feast is being continued up there."
They didn't waste any time, each moving hurriedly away from the wrecked bathroom. Harry had to grab Tom's arm and pull him away from Professor Quirrell.
They didn't speak until they entered the common room.
Numerous eyes turned their way and furious whispers broke out. Harry was still covered in blood after all.
"Why the hell did Quirrell cover for us?" Ron began as soon as they were in a corner. "What happened to his stutter, and what was that spell? We haven't been taught that?" He nodded atTom.
Hermione glanced over at Ron and Sephronia, before looking towards Harry.
"Does he know?"
Harry shook his head sharply.
Sephronia didn't like this at all.
"Know what?" she growled.
"It doesn't matter," Harry said, stuffing his hands into his pockets.
Ron looked affronted.
"But-"
"Drop it," Tom said quietly.
Harry opened his mouth, angry that now Tom was responding.
Hermione cut across him sharply.
"We'll wait for you down here," she said loudly, looking pointy towards Ron.
"What-?"
Hermione kicked Ron in the leg and Sephronia whimpered.
"Oh, right," he muttered, catching on.
Harry only nodded stiffly as he followed Tom up the stairs to their dormitory.
Tom pushed Harry into the shower, hands tugging away his clothes.
"You didn't have to kill it-" Harry began quietly as his shirt was pulled over his head.
Tom's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"You said you wouldn't get hurt," he stated thinly.
Harry shrugged.
"I didn't get hurt."
Tom shoved Harry's head into the running water at that comment. Harry spluttered, coughing as he inhaled some water.
"You nearly got killed," Tom hissed. "What was I supposed to do?"
"We're meant to be going to the Ministry tomorrow. If they knew you killed something-" Harry stressed.
Tom's looked deadly at this comment.
"Lucky they don't know then".
Harry bit back a retort, the sticky blood was starting to wash off his skin now but he had more pressing questions.
"Why did Professor Quirrel cover for us?" Harry asked.
Tom actually looked away at this comment and became distinctly interested in rubbing the blood out of Harry's hair.
"I don't know-"
"Tom," Harry pressed. "Are you not telling me something?"
They always shared everything. Tom just shook his head, eyes still averted.
"No."
"You're lying," Harry said, stomach churning as he pushed Tom away. He ducked down, hair dripping wet as he stared into Tom's eyes. "Tom?"
Tom just shook his head and his hands fell to his side.
"It doesn't matter Harry, you wouldn't understand."
Harry felt himself go hollow in an instant. He stood there, water and blood dripping over him, feeling worse then he already did. It was always him and Tom, what wouldn't he understand.
Before he could even ask, Tom reacted, stepping away from him.
"I'll wait outside for you to finish."
Harry remained standing in the shower, not moving as Tom left. He didn't hear the bathroom door open again.
After cleaning himself up and still feeling dejected, Harry followed Tom back down to the common room. Ron and Hermione were waiting for them, sitting in the corner with a load of Halloween treats.
It was odd, something seemed to have shifted between the three and it was nice that Hermione and Ramiron were there too.
Trying to push aside his detachment from Tom, Harry decided to shed some light on the matter.
He handed Ron over the letter he'd received a few weeks ago.
"You have to go the Ministry tomorrow?" he gaped.
Harry nodded dully.
Although Ron and Tom had never seen eye to eye, it was encouraging when Ron handed back the letter.
"That's stupid," Ron argued. "Just because Tom is different doesn't mean they have any right to assess him."
Harry tried not to catch Hermione's eye at this.
"Thanks Ron, there's not much we can do though. They think Tom is dangerous."
"Yeah, well after that stunt with the troll I guess they sort of have a point...Oh," Ron trailed off awkwardly. "Is that why Quirrell covered for you?"
"I guess," Harry shrugged.
Although from Tom's reaction earlier, Harry had a funny feeling that more was going on.
"So what does that mean, assess your dæmon?" Ron frowned.
"Oh," Hermione blushed at this bit, Ramiron moving in her arms. "I've actually done a bit of reading about that."
All four of them turned to look at her, stunned.
"It's not the first time students have come to Hogwarts and had dæmons which are considered to be dangerous," she shrugged, obviously trying to sound casual.
Harry blinked, that he hadn't expected. Hermione shifted awkwardly.
"Is there anything you don't read?" Ron scoffed as Sephronia started to eat his left over sandwiches.
Harry however, knew exactly why Hermione had read up about the Ministry procedures.
"What did you find out?" Tom asked slowly.
"Well take Merlin for example," Hermione explained. "His dæmon was a dragon. When he started at Hogwarts, that caused all kinds of havoc."
"Merlin's dæmon was a dragon?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, and she was basically uncontrollable," Hermione offered. "Dragons are temperamental at best, let alone when attached to an hormonal teenage boy. Daemon's still have their animal traits after all."
"Do they? It doesn't say that in Me, Myself and my Dæmon," Harry said.
Hermione shook her head.
"That book explains the basics, but fails to acknowledge the instinctive. Every witch or wizard's dæmons resembles an animal of sorts. That they have attributes of the form they take." she nodded at Tom. "You wouldn't know that though, your dæmon is a human."
"Oh," Harry paused, glancing towards Tom too. "So what happened to Merlin?"
"He was subjected to a number of examinations and hearings. All to demonstrate his control over his dæmon. Of course he did though, Merlin was the most powerful wizard of his age."
"Somehow I don't think the ministry will care if Harry can control me or not," Tom stated.
"I don't get it," Ron interjected. "There is no reason to assume Tom is dangerous, just based on the fact he's human. There has to be more to it then that? What have you done, aside from killing a troll?"
Harry chewed his tongue, now would probably be the best time if any to tell Ron and Sephronia the truth, he just couldn't bring himself to do it.
"I guess it's just because he's different," Ramiron spoke up, once again lying. "Anything from the norm is going to unnerve them."
"He does feel different," Sephronia added. Harry opened his mouth to protest, but she continued.
"What? I'm just stating the truth. You must have felt it too, when he rescued you?" Sephronia asked Ramiron.
Ramiron looked nervous, before he eventually relented.
"I guess he does."
"And I am still here," Tom said coolly causing both dæmons to jump.
Ron and Hermione watched the three of them bewildered.
Tom turned to Hermione.
"Are there other examples, any where the witch or wizard's dæmon was deemed...uncontrollable?" Tom asked.
"Actually..." Hermione looked nervous now, she bit her lip. "Apparently there was a dæmon who killed another student, about fifty years ago."
"They killed a student?" Ron said.
Hermione nodded.
"The report I found was vague, but it seemed to imply that the dæmon was somehow changed artificially after the incident."
Harry's blood ran cold, and his eyes darted to Tom's in fear.
Tom however looked surprisingly calm as he studied Hermione carefully.
"It's not very common," Hermione said "And it's so unnatural, the ministry keeps it hushed up. I had to go through half the library and tons of old Daily Prophets before I found anything."
"What was his dæmon before?" Tom asked. "And how did the ministry change it?"
"I don't know," Hermione said clutching Ramiron close. "But it's barbaric."
She locked eyes with Tom.
"I wouldn't wish that upon anyone."
"Yeah, but the Ministry aren't going to do that," Ron said leaning back, ignorant to Harry's rising fear. "Why would they? It was only a stupid troll."
"I received the letter weeks ago, Ron," Harry said.
"Fine," Ron shrugged. "Is it because Tom can do magic? Again that's not a very good reason".
Harry was silent for awhile.
"Your guess is as good as mine."
Tom actually looked at him for the first time since they'd come downstairs, eyes narrowing. Harry couldn't help but raise his hands at this.
"Oh come on?"
Tom however sat back, crossing his arms.
"It's your loss, Harry," he said, a smirk appearing on his lips.
Harry opened his mouth, angry at this comment but Hermione interrupted.
"Tom does have a point, Harry. I imagine your secret isn't going to stay quiet for long."
"What secret?" Sephronia asked again. Ron was looking suspiciously between the two.
Harry leaned back, glaring at Tom.
"It doesn't matter."
It was hours later when most students had gone to bed when Harry and Tom finally got a chance to speak to Hermione alone. It seemed she had been waiting for Ron to go to bed as well which hadn't been easy, considering he hadn't stopped pestering Harry and Tom.
"Thank you," she started as soon as they were alone. "Ramiron-" She pulled him closer in her grip. "If you hadn't saved him-"
Tom didn't say anything.
Hermione fidgeted, before finally finding her courage.
"W..When I worked out who Tom really was I told Professior McGonagall," she looked towards Tom before flicking her eyes down again, ringing her hands together. "I didn't know what else to do. I'm sorry."
"What did she say?" Tom asked.
Hermione chewed her lip.
"To avoid provoking you as much as possible, and that they were dealing with it. That's when I started looking up Merlin and other cases. I wanted to know what they were going to do with you"
Harry's stomach churned, feeling sick. Surely the Ministry couldn't change Tom.
"Harry. I want you to know, I'll help you and Tom in whatever way I can. He's your dæmon now. It doesn't matter what he was before," Hermione said.
Harry wished he could take some sort of relief from her.
"I'll try and dig more into that case. The one where they changed the dæmon. I'm sure they can't just go ahead and do it, not without proving Tom is dangerous."
Tom just nodded, moving out his hand to tug Harry upstairs.
"Thanks Hermione," Harry muttered, he was feeling even worse about the Ministry visit now.
Harry woke feeling like he hadn't slept at all. Hermione's words had been spinning around his head all night. Not to mention, Tom still hadn't explained anything about Professor Quirrell.
Harry rolled over in bed, stuffing his face into his pillow. He felt sick and queasy.
"Don't wanna get up," Harry grumbled into his pillow.
He heard Tom sigh.
"Staying in bed isn't going to change anything."
"It might do," Harry argued, as he blinked bleary eyed at Tom. Tom pulled Harry closer, his expression stern.
"If I say run, promise me we'll run."
Harry swallowed, chest feeling tight.
"To the death eaters you mean?"
Tom nodded, fingers digging into Harry's skin.
"But we don't even know who they are," Harry said.
"No," Tom agreed. "Not yet anyway."
Tom's heart was beating rapidly against his fingers.
"Are you scared?" Harry asked carefully.
Tom's smiled, and Harry could tell it was for his benefit only.
"Terrified, but it still beats the Dursley's."
Harry paused, he wished he could just lie here forever, with Tom by his side and no one threatening to change them in anyway.
"Come on, Dumbledore will be waiting," Tom said as he tugged the covers off.
Sure enough, Dumbledore was already there when they reached the entrance hall. It was early and Harry had only seen a handful of students as they made their way down to breakfast.
Dumbledore smiled at him as they approached. Fawkes was resting on a suit of armour, large wings spreading out.
"Will this take long?" Tom asked as he eyed up Fawkes warily.
"This is all for Harry's benefit, it will take as long as necessary," Dumbledore said.
Harry didn't like the sound of that. Feeling miserable, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and followed Dumbledore out of the castle and onto the grass.
It wasn't long before they came to the edge of the Hogwarts grounds. Dumbledore stopped and pulled a piece of parchment from his robe pocket.
"Please can you both hold onto this?" he instructed.
Harry and Tom both looked at each other. Neither of them moved.
"It is a portkey," Dumbledore explained. "It will transport us all to the Ministry. However, I would advise not letting go until we have arrived safety."
"Why?" Tom asked carefully, eyeing up the parchment suspiciously.
Dumbledore smiled at him.
"It would be most unpleasant if you or Harry got left behind."
Harry made sure Tom moved to hold the parchment at the same time as him.
It happened in an instant. Something jerked around his stomach and Harry's feet left the ground.
They were spinning, fast and uncomfortably, and a moment later it stopped. Harry fell onto the floor, Tom collapsing on top of him.
Tom glared at Dumbledore as he picked himself up, holding out a hand to help Harry to his feet. Harry turned to look around.
They were standing at one end of a very long and splendid hall with a highly polished, dark wood floor. Fireplaces lined the walls where every few seconds a witch or wizard would emerge, dæmon in hand or by their side. A large fountain was the centre piece of the huge room as people and their dæmons rushed around it.
Harry stared in amazement, his nerves almost forgotten.
In his wonderment, he didn't realise a tall bearded man approach them.
"Professor," the man nodded to Dumbledore.
Harry stepped back, alarmed. This man's dæmon was a bear and was almost twice the size of him. Harry reached out his hand, but Tom didn't move to take it.
The man noticed but his expression didn't change. He looked down carefully at Harry, before turning to linger on Tom.
"Mr Potter, if you would please hand over your wand?"
Tom shot Harry a wary glance at this, but Harry wasn't sure what else he could do. Numbly he pulled it out of his pocket and handed it over.
"You will get this back when you leave the Ministry," the man instructed briskly.
Harry really wished they had invested in a second wand for Tom.
Satisfied the man nodded.
"If you will follow me, please."
Harry followed, Tom right behind him as they entered a lift. It descended rapidly. Harry didn't like it at all, the man's bear dæmon was huge and took up most of the small space as it growled at Tom.
It came to a halt and the doors rattled open. Harry peered out. This was very different from the previous floor they had been on. No impressive stone work or statues stood anywhere.
Instead only bare walls greeted them. There were no windows and no doors apart from a plain black one set at the very end of the corridor. Instead of walking down the corridor the man lead them down a set of stairs to the left.
Harry was getting agitated as he followed. The walls down here were rough stone with torches in brackets. It felt like he was in the dungeons at Hogwarts.
They came to a stop in front of a grimy dark door with an immense iron lock on it.
"In you go, Harry," Dumbledore instructed.
Harry swallowed hard as he turned the heavy iron door handle and stepped inside. Harry stepped into a blinding light, Tom behind him. He blinked a few times, covering his face with his hands as his eyes adjusted.
Several very tall men stood before him, cloaked in long red robes with intimidating dæmons by their sides.
Behind the men were hundreds of witches, wizards and dæmons. All sitting in stalls, staring down at him and Tom in complete silence. Harry felt his stomach twist in horror as Tom turned to look at him at the same time, both understanding in an instant what was going on.
This was a court room.
A witch sat at the front, her dæmon, a tiny wren, sat on the desk in front of her. She cleared her throat.
"Can you please place the defendant in the secured booth and escort Mr Potter into the adjacent room?" she asked clearly.
Harry barely registered the instructions as his eyes shifted across to a large glass box which stood in the centre of the room. They were going to place Tom in there. Harry panicked, his hands wrapping around Toms arm instinctively, desperate never to let go.
The red robed wizards levelled their wands, some pointed at Harry but the majority focused on Tom.
"Please can you come with me, Mr Potter?" a man asked, stepping forwards.
Harry didn't move.
"Harry."
It was Tom.
"Do as they say," he said tightly.
Tom's whole body was rigid, his voice strained. His eyes were wide and he looked so alone, surrounded by wands as they remained trained on him.
"Tom-" Harry began.
"Do as they say," Tom repeated, eyes pleading with him to listen as his own fingers peeled Harry's own from his clothes.
Harry didn't want to, he wanted to hurt anyone that stopped him being with Tom.
"Please," Tom whispered, trying to sound reassuring. "I'll be okay."
Harry knew it was a lie.
Someone grabbed him around the waist, hauling him away from Tom in an instant.
Harry had no time to react, could do nothing as he was carried into another room. He didn't even get to look back at Tom. As soon as the door shut, Harry heard the lock click.
Harry pulled out of the red robed man's grip, rushing to the door as he yanked at the handle. It didn't move.
He resorted to pounding on the door, he needed to be with Tom. He was his dæmon, what right did they have to separate them by stupid walls. It was just like the Dursley's, being locked inside his cupboard.
"There's a silencing charm on it, they won't hear you," a female spoke as Harry continued to protest.
Harry turned around furious.
"Let me out," he demanded, unable to contain the tremors running through him.
The witch approached cautiously, she was also wearing red robes and had a jack rabbit dæmon beside her.
"Harry, I'm so sorry. I know this is going to be traumatic for you-" she started.
"Get away from me," Harry snapped backing away from her. All he wanted was Tom.
"You need to calm down," the man who had brought him in began.
Harry promptly ignored him, turning back to hammer on the door. If only he still had his wand on him.
"Not everyone agrees with this," the woman began hesitantly. "Lucius Malfoy he-"
Totally caught off guard Harry spun around, staring at the witch with wide eyes.
"Malfoy?" He demanded.
The witch nodded quickly.
"He's representing you, and if anyone can influence the Wizengamot it's going to be him. You still have a chance."
Harry's head was spinning, his own emotions pulsing through him. Tom's own terror seemed distant in comparison with his own. Hermione had been right, the Ministry wanted to change Tom.
"I still have a chance?" Harry repeated, unsure if he even wanted to know.
She nodded, hair changing from bright blue to pink in an instant.
"Of course you do. That's why you have a trial in the first place. The whole ministry has been in an uproar. It's surprising they've managed to keep the Prophet quiet for this long."
Her jack rabbit hopped up to him.
"There are people on your side, Harry," he said encouragingly.
Harry's head was spinning.
"You don't think...you don't think Tom should-"
The witch shook her head, her jack rabbit stamping its feet in protest.
"Merlin, no," she breathed. "He's yours. It doesn't matter what he was before, no one should have their dæmon removed under any circumstance. He's only a child."
Harry couldn't breathe, Hermione had been wrong, they didn't want to change his dæmon at all.
"T-they're going to...to remove Tom?"
Chapter eight updated May 2018