A/N: Wooo we've arrived in the 20's! I'm back and after the last chapter, I wanted to show a bit more closeness between Harry and Tom. Its not much, but its there. This is a bit of a filler chapter, but it adds to the story.
Oh, and currently, there may be Mpreg in the story, the votes for were WAYY higher than against, but nothing is confirmed yet. I shall, of course, let you all know when I come to a decision.
Disclaimer: I'm not J.K,
Warning; Slash, mentions of blood and gore
Parsel
Chapter 20,
"The reason I don't curse you is beyond me." Tom grumbled and Harry rolled his eyes.
"It's because I am the most awesome person you've ever had the pleasure to meet." Harry said seriously.
"This is completely your fault."
"We've been over this, Tom." Harry sighed,
"You don't seem to understand. You banned me from one of the best libraries I've ever seen!" Tom exclaimed and Harry bit back a groan. All he had heard from Tom since he had woken up was complaints and threats against his person because the man hadn't been able to go to the Gryffindor rooms since Halloween. It hadn't actually been that long, less than a week, but apparently Tom used the library more than Harry thought.
They were on their way up now and Harry had had the sense to collect Moony's chocolate before leaving, there was no way he was going to face the irate werewolf without a bribe and the only reason he had stopped Tom from going up there was because Moony would see it as an attack on his cub and since the man now had this weird, but brilliant, connection with his inner wolf, like he should have had without Dumbledore's influence, he could change at will and Harry didn't know what would happen if that came to pass, nor did he want to. Unfortunately, Tom had decided it would be today he would point out his problems to Harry and he was being very vocal about it.
"I've lost valuable reading time because of you," Tom complained
"I am only doing this so I don't have to mediate." Harry stated, "So for the love of Merlin, stop complaining, you're acting like a PMS'ing girl." Harry wasn't fast enough to stop the overpowered stinging hex hitting his leg, he hissed and only stopped himself from falling by grabbing on to Tom.
"What the hell?" Harry demanded and Tom shot him an unimpressed look.
"PMS'ing girl," He stated and Harry couldn't help his grin,
"But it's true."
"I am going to hurt you." Tom warned and Harry snickered,
"No, you won't. You want to get back in to the library." He said confidently and Tom glowered at him knowing it was true.
"I hate you,"
"I know," Harry said brightly. They got to the entrance and Harry took out the shrunken crate, which had to have a double shrinking charm on it so it would go in his pocket, and enlarged it back to its original size.
"What in the name of Merlin is that?" Tom demanded, looking at the crate in alarm.
"That is my bribe for Moony, I think it should be enough chocolate to last him a few weeks." Harry said and Tom blinked a few times stunned.
"A few weeks, there is enough chocolate in there to last a year."
"Which means it would last around two months for Moony, the man is a major chocoholic. This should keep him sweet enough to listen to reason and not try and kill you." Harry explained.
"I still fail to see why he would try and kill me, it was you who initiated everything." Tom muttered as they climbed the stairs.
"You caused me pain and put me in danger, I am Moony's cub and the only remaining person in his pack." Harry pointed out, "Besides, why do you think I have a bribe, Moony is not going to be happy that I placed myself in danger."
"This is ridiculous, I highly doubt your werewolf will be that concerned-," He was cut of by a furious warning growl, Harry winced.
"You were saying," he hissed. Harry crept in to the Gryffindor rooms and stuck close to the walls where he could see a furious Remus pacing the room, his enhanced speed clearly being used. As soon as Tom stepped in to the room, Remus released a truly dangerous snarl and started towards him, Harry could feel Tom was slightly apprehensive but he stood his ground.
"Whoa, calm down, Moony," Harry said soothingly, placing himself between wolf and Dark Lord.
"I will be perfectly calm once I've seen to the person who dared hurt my cub." Remus growled, his voice mix between his own and Moony.
"You cannot attack Tom, you do remember he is the Dark Lord, right?" Harry said slowly and Remus bared his teeth.
"I am aware, but I am also one of the few werewolves that doesn't rely on brute strength, is well educated and can actually duel." Remus got out and Harry conceded he did have a point, he felt Tom's wariness increase, it seemed the man had also forgotten that Remus Lupin, while indeed a werewolf, was foremost a wizard and was a very intelligent one at that.
"But you can't attack Tom, it was my idea." Harry said not really happy admitting that fact to the clearly angry werewolf, he winced at the furious glare he got pinned with after.
"I know that too." Remus stated, "I don't know what you were thinking, cub, but let me tell you that I am not in the slightest bit impressed. All I get a notification that there is an attack on Hogsmead, where you are on a date (Harry bit back a hiss at the sharp pain from his scar) with Ginevra Weasley, of all people, and the attack is being led by the Dark Lord."
"If it makes you feel any better there was actually only one other person who knew the whole of my plan." Harry hedged and it turned out that it didn't make him feel better.
"No, no it does not make me feel better funnily enough." Remus snapped, "Of all the careless, ridiculously dangerous things you have done, one would think you were learn that nothing good ever comes from them!"
"At least it wasn't a basilisk this time." Harry tried and he heard Tom groan under his breath and felt a wave of resignation just as he saw the expression of Remus' face, Harry realised that his pseudo uncle didn't know about the Chamber yet, Sirius decided it was best if they left that particular story out, and he had just told him.
"Shit,"
"Basilisk, what do you mean basilisk, you should have never seen a basilisk." Remus exclaimed going from angry to alarm in seconds.
"Um yeah… about that…" Harry trailed off when he remembered the chocolate, he saw the wolf was about to completely let go and he summoned it. "Here," he watched amused as Remus' attention snapped to the crate.
"I smell chocolate." He said,
"Yeah, call it an apology;" Harry said brightly, "It's the grand special box from Honeydukes."
"The 50 galleon one which has a selection of every type of chocolate they make including the Yule Cranberry Cream, mixed liquor slab and the 10kg Spring awakening Egg?" Remus asked with a trace of longing in his voice, Tom blinked in alarm at the amount of chocolate and the price.
"Yes that's the one." Harry confirmed.
"You paid 50 Galleons for chocolate, isn't that a bit much?" Tom asked shocked.
"You can never put a pay too much for chocolate." Remus stated his eyes not leaving the crate, Tom looked torn between amusement and incredulity.
"I'll take your word for it."
"Take it, Moony, it's all yours." Harry said and Remus all but lunged for the crate and horded it in to his room.
"That had to be at least 50kg's of chocolate."
"I did say Moony had a slight addiction." Harry pointed out, "It's actually a pretty handy addiction to have, I remember, back in third year when I first met him, when the dementors attacked me I would have been a lot worse off if not for the fact Remus had this huge slab of chocolate on him."
"He carries chocolate with him?" Tom said in disbelief.
"Everywhere he goes, even in battle." Harry said and walked toward the library.
"But that's insane."
"It's Moony, he was best friends with a Black; what did you expect?"
"Fair point,"
Moony appeared back in to the library and Harry only stopped himself laughing when he saw the man had two massive bars of chocolate with him.
"You are forgiven, but don't think I'm happy with you." Remus said and Harry grinned,
"Of course not, Moony,"
"That goes for you, as well." He said looking at the Dark Lord through narrowed eyes.
"I expected no less." They kept eye contact for a few moments before Moony nodded and turned to Harry with a smile.
"So, cub, what have you been doing, I did enjoy the articles this week. How did you get Hadrian Greengrass, of all people, on side?" Harry threw himself down in a chair as Tom vanished in to the shelves, the books were calling him apparently.
"See, all I did was suggest that he take the position because he would be better than anyone else and he did, I was honestly quite surprised that he did." Harry said with a shrug, "As for the others, well, those were rather glorious. Umbridge had to go, with the latest law she just passed there was no question and I did take an immeasurable amount of pleasure in doing so. And the article on Dumbledore was brilliant, I cannot deny that Rita has a monumental talent for ruining."
"She has a rather unique style," Remus agreed,
"Peverell Manor is on the build, goblins are working on it as we speak and all silver has been removed. Grinder told me that it will be done in two weeks, so I think I shall go and seen Ellen soon."
"I can't believe this is actually credible," Remus said quietly, "This is pretty inconceivable."
"I told you, Moony, I will not stand for it." Harry replied softly, and Remus smiled,
"I'll begin to plan my outing then, if this is going to be done soon the word will need to be put out." Remus said and Harry nodded,
"Definitely, Ellen will be too, I hope. I've planned all of this, but I haven't spoken to her." Harry frowned at that.
"Cub, you really don't need to worry. There is very little chance that she will turn down something like this, especially when she see's it." Remus reassured him.
"I'm counting on it, do you think I should tell her now or wait until it's complete?" Harry asked.
"I would say wait, that way, when you tell her she can go straight there." Remus said after a moment of thought and Harry nodded,
"My thoughts exactly, just in case something comes up with the buildings or something." Harry agreed. Just then, Tom immerged from the book shelves and Harry's jaw dropped at the amount of books the man was carrying, Remus blinked but didn't show any other response and Harry shook his head.
"What in Merlin's name are you doing?" Harry questioned as Tom sat down and laid the books out gently.
"Preparing to read, I would have thought it obvious." He answered and Harry glowered at him.
"No shit!" He snapped, "I meant, what the hell are you doing with a personal library in front of you?"
"My personal library is at least 5 times the size of this," Tom informed him primly and Harry shot him an unimpressed look. "And I have lost valuable time so I must catch up."
"So you are going to migrate in the library for a week. Tom, you teach."
"Harry, I have a time turner, I merely wished to select the books I shall be reading."
"You are impossible." Harry sighed, "You carry on like this and I'll be seeing your wings." He neatly dodged the hex sent at him and smiled sweetly in response to the glare he was sent.
"I may not Crucio you, but I know many other curses." Tom warned.
"I'll leave you to it then." Harry said and Tom nodded.
"Smart choice,"
"When are you going on your hunt?" Remus asked him and Harry tilted his head.
"This weekend, there has to be something there for us and I believe Swift and Paws have it covered." Harry said,
"I'm holding my next DE meeting this weekend if you wish to be there, I am waiting on for a full layout of the ministry, but I have a feeling it has been a failure." Tom put in and Harry perked up at that.
"Oh, why the certainty?"
"It seems the term 'lay low' means very little and as I have had… other things to occupy my time they are becoming restless. If they have failed, then I can remind them why it is unwise for them not to listen to me." The smirk that came to Tom's face was not reassuring for the death eaters and Harry laughed delightedly,
"I am so there." He said, and Remus shook his head.
"Poor souls," He joked and both Harry and Tom adopted indignant expressions.
"Well I never," Harry gasped.
"One would think you had little faith in us." Tom continued and Remus looked at them blankly.
"I wonder why,"
Their expressions melted and they smirked.
"I have a room booked in hell if I ever make it there." Harry said, "You should see it, it has a hell of a view."
"Oh Merlin," Remus groaned and Tom laughed at that.
"I'll take the room next if I get there."
"I'll let Lucifer know." Harry agreed seriously, he cast a tempus and cursed. "Fuck sake, I'm going to be late to potions."
"Have fun with that, Snape loves you cub," Remus said cheerfully.
"I'm tempted to lock you in his damn office, he had a pathological fear of you, you know that?" Harry said as he applied his glamour.
"I know, its why I intend to smile at him every time we meet in the future." Remus said Harry laughed, he flicked his wand and switched his in to his robes.
"Have fun reading little ravens, I'm off to learn." He said and ran away from the curse sent at him by Tom. He darted down the stairs and in to the shadows of the dungeons, he snuck down the corridor and slipping in to the door just as it was closing.
"Potter! You're late, 20 points from Gryffindor and detention," Snape snapped and Harry glowered at him, he slunk over to his seat and dropped down next to Draco.
"I hate that man," Harry muttered,
"I don't think he likes you that much either," Draco said lightly and Harry turned his glower at the blond.
"Well done, your observation skill are truly something to be proud of." Harry deadpanned.
"Potter, I know you are of the belief you know everything, but pay attention. I would have to deduct from Mr Malfoy's grade because of your failings." Snape sneered and Harry glared at him.
"I am so dealing with this tonight." Harry stated and Draco nodded,
"Just don't kill him, Paws would kill me."
"I can make no promises."
Snape continued to lecture them on the potency of Amortenita before snapping at them to begin making a cure for the potion, Harry found it ironic that they would be covering this potion when Dumbledore was trying to get him dosed in it.
"The irony of this is unreal." Draco said with a smirk and Harry grinned,
"I was thinking the same thing." Harry agreed, "I'll get the ingredients." Harry went to the store cupboard and took out all the things he needed, of all the counters he was sure he could make, this was one of them. He walked back and he and Draco worked effortlessly together, they both knew this like the back of their own hands.
"I think I may have had a breakthrough with a love potion immuniser," Draco told him quietly, "The only problem is, I don't know how to test it correctly and I really don't want to poison you."
"Brilliant," Harry whisper exclaimed, and then he frowned, "You're gunna need Mr Malevolent over there, aren't you?"
"Unless you want me to accidently poison you, it would help yes." Draco said and Harry sighed,
"Wonderful," He grumbled, "Ok, tonight I'll try and drum it in to his mind that it would be wise for him to leave me alone."
"And not kill him in the process…"
"And not kill him, besides, I think Tom would be a more than a little pissed if I killed his potions master."
"Yes, funnily enough, I think he would." Draco agreed,
"Time," Snape called, "Bottle up your attempts and place them on my desk." Draco took theirs up and Harry packed their station away.
"Another O," Draco said and Harry grinned,
"This is the only class I can get away with it," Harry told him and Draco smirked,
"I'm guessing its getting to you."
"Just slightly, I had to ask for an extension from McGonagall!"
"Ouch,"
"Yes, and with the way things are going its going to get worse."
"We're picking things up from now though, yes?"
"Definitely, we're going out this weekend for our hunt so I have my fingers crossed." Harry told him and Draco nodded,
"I had an idea for the names on the list you gave the twins," the blond said,
"Go on,"
"Venom," Harry blinked twice before it registered in his mind what Draco was talking about and then he grinned.
"Confer with the twins and then run the final idea back before you go." Harry said,
"Will do,"
"Class dismissed, Potter stay."
"No killing,"
"Yeah yeah," Harry sighed and sat until the door shut,
"I want you back here at 6, do not be late."
"Yes professor." Harry said making sure to keep his voice even. Snape looked at him closely, with no expression on his face, before nodded.
"Go." Harry didn't need telling twice, he was out of the room and heading to the great hall. He had just sat down when Swift's voice cracked through his thoughts,
Snake, very bad news! He exclaimed and Harry blinked,
What?
She's awake. Swift stated and Harry felt his stomach drop.
You have to be fucking kidding me! He complained, Why!
I don't know, but we're in the wing now and she's up and complaining to Molly about the pain she's in because she agreed to go out with you.
I wonder if she'll stay away from me now! Harry said hopefully,
Don't get your hopes up, Snake, you know they'll think of something, Swift said and Harry nearly scowled.
I know, but I can hope. This means Dumbledore will make another move very soon. Damn, I have detention with the bat tonight and I have to speak with him because Bleach might have made a breakthrough, I want to go on our hunt this weekend and Tom's invited me to a DE meeting. He told him and he heard Swift whistle.
Are you not glad I snatched the turners?
Very much so, Harry agreed, But its going to be pushing it.
We got this, Snake,
I know, I trust you with my life.
Until the end.
Harry cut the connection with a warm feeling filling his chest, he didn't know where he would be without his friends and he knew he could count on them no matter what. He really wasn't happy about the news about Ginny and knew that Tom would be filled with joy at the prospect of her return, but there really wasn't anything he could do – he should have killed her.
Harry's final lessons passed in a blur, he didn't know how long it would be until he could use his full ability, but if he had to keep this up he seriously believed his brain cells might actually start dissolving or something. He slumped down on the sofa in his rooms with a groan, if it wasn't for the fact that he knew they had to tread carefully, he would have given Rita everything they had already and told her to do her worst, but it needed to look like she was researching because otherwise people would question where she was getting her information. Harry released another groan and pulled himself up, he smiled at Luna as she flitted in and kissed his cheek.
"Patience brother," She told him and he grimaced,
"Never been my strongest point," He grumbled and she laughed lightly,
"We both know that is an understatement, and if it was only your life on the line you would have risked it all." She stated and Harry conceded to her point. If it was just him it would have been so much easier, it was much simpler for one person to dodge attacks than a group, but he would never risk his friends like that; it was not worth it.
"I'll try and keep it together,"
"It will pay off,"
"What would I do without you?" He asked rhetorically and she giggled.
"We've discussed this. You'd be in a cave."
"I don't think I'd even make it to the cave if I'm honest." He sighed in mock despondence,
"Don't you have detention tonight?" She asked and Harry groaned yet again,
"Damn, I knew I had to do something tonight."
"I have a plan for you, to get him on side." Luna told him, "But you'll have to play it carefully."
"Do tell,"
"Ask him why he always compares you to your father, and not your mother." Luna said, "Mention that he never mentions her and see his reaction."
"Why would he have a reaction?"
"I have found out a bit of information on our resident potions master," Luna informed him, "I was extremely surprised."
"Go on,"
"It turns out that he was the one to introduce your mother to magic, they were childhood friends and up until that memory you saw last year they were best friends. Only, I believe Snape's feelings went further than that." She explained and Harry looked at her stunned.
"I'm sorry?"
"Yes, I was rather surprised too. You can confirm this with the Dark Lord, but I believe Snape was the reason why he told your mum to step aside." Harry would always remember the sound of his mother refusing to move aside despite the fact she was offered a way out. It was crazy to think that it was because of Snape that she was even given the option,
"That is… completely mad." He said eventually,
"I know, but if you play it correctly then I think you will have him. You may also want to know that, while he is loyal to the dark, he is not fully committed because he believes the Dark Lord ignored his wishes."
"I seriously need to know how you do this." Harry said to her amazed, "You are incredible." She blushed lightly and he grinned.
"You're going to be late," She reminded him and he cursed,
"Thanks," Harry bolted out of his room and ran down to the dungeons, he only just knocked on the door at 6 and was ordered to enter.
"So you are able to tell the time, Potter. You should do that in my lesson." Snape drawled and Harry bit back his instinctual snappish comment, he took a deep breath and remembered what Luna said.
"You're just like your father, not caring about whose time you waste."
"You know, sir, you always compare me to my father, but you never my mother." He said innocently, "Why is that? Did you not observe her enough to know that I might have some of her qualities other than her eyes?" he wouldn't have caught it if he hadn't been looking for it, but Snape paled slightly.
"What are you talking about, Potter?"
"Well, it occurred to me, that it's always my father you compare me too and he is the only one you ever mention, but I do have a mother. Why do you not ever mention her? Did you hate her as much as you did my father, I know you've insulted her, so you must have known something about her." Harry said and it was much more obvious when Snape lost colour this time.
"I did not hate your mother." Snape all but snarled and Harry blinked, not that he doubted Luna, but that was a strong reaction for Snape.
"Oh, so am I just not like her then?" Harry asked and Snape pinned him with a filthy glare, it was more venomous than Harry could remember and if he hadn't been used to Tom's glares he would have stepped back.
"Why the need for this sudden questioning, Potter, has your arrogance increased so much that you believe I have time for this?" Snape hissed and Harry took another deep breath to calm himself.
"No, it just seems to me that everyone forgets that I do have a mother. Everyone is always mentioning my father, but it's like they forgot Lily Potter died to protect me, especially you." Snape looked as if he had been kicked in the stomach and Harry caught a brief flash of pain in the obsidian eyes so he continued. "Its funny, I know enough about my father know what he was like, but next to nothing about my mother. Unless you count everything Petunia told me about her, but I like to think my mother wasn't an unnatural freak."
"Petunia Evans was a foul, selfish, jealous, heartless bitch." Snape growled and Harry nearly smirked, the man had slipped.
"Did you know my aunt, Professor?" Harry asked shocked, "She always spoke so badly of my mother, both my parents really, but mainly my mother. She told me she died in a car crash."
"As if a car crash could have killed Lily," Snape scoffed in disgust and then he blinked, he realised what he had done and pinned Harry with a look, Harry made sure to keep his expression openly frustrated.
"Did you know that I had never even seen a picture of my mother before I got here? And I still know nothing about her, she was good at charms – that's about it. I'm good at charms, but I'm not like my mother."
"Why are you telling me this, Potter?"
"You knew her, didn't you? Besides, if anyone is going to be honest to me about anything it's you." Harry shrugged and Snape sighed through his nose.
"Yes, I knew your mother." He said reluctantly, "She was… a wonderful person."
"Am I not like her?" Harry asked, "You seem so set on the fact I'm a prince like my father, but I grew up with Petunia, she hated me more than you do."
"I do not hate you, I merely have a high amount of dislike for you." Snape corrected and Harry nearly laughed. "And I suppose you have a few qualities from your mother."
"You were friends with her, weren't you, professor?"
"Who told you that?" He demanded and Harry shrugged,
"None of the people you suspect," He said,
"What do you want, Potter?"
"I want you to remember than I am the son of Lily Evans, and, just for a second, can you think how she would react if she knew how you've been treating me for the past 5 years." Harry said and Snape actually winced, "Believe it or not, I share very few qualities of James Potter, it is nearly impossible for me to be like him because of Dumbledore."
"What has the headmaster got to do with anything?"
"He sent me to Petunia after my parents were killed because of his fake prophecy." Harry told him
"Fake prophecy, what are you talking about?"
"There was a prophecy made-,"
"I know about the prophecy," Snape dismissed, "I want to know why you believe it was fake."
"The centaurs told me and the when I checked with Trelawney, it shows she was imperiused." Harry explained and Snape's eyes flashed in fury.
"Why would Dumbledore do that?"
"That is something we are still working out," Harry said, "You must have noticed that the man sits back like a chess master directing his pieces, and he always has back up plans and covers."
"Lily died for nothing? He killed her." Snape breathed and Harry knew it was time for the final point.
"Not for nothing, she died to protect me." Harry said softly, "Tom told her to move out of the way, told her that she didn't have to die but she refused to move."
"He did?"
"Yes, multiple times actually. It's what I hear whenever dementors come near me."
Snape sat unsteadily at his desk and Harry gave him a bit of time to compose himself, the man had just had many of his beliefs shake up so he was allowed discrepancies.
"Why are you telling me this? You have absolutely no reason to."
"Because I'm honestly sick of the abuse you give me." Harry told him truthfully, "You hate me because of my father, and I can understand that with what I saw last year, but I am not him. And I am half of Lily, so remember that next time you feel like slating me for breathing."
"I do not slate you for breathing." Snape said and Harry raised an eyebrow.
"You took points of me for breathing too loudly." He deadpanned, Snape narrowed his eyes before looking away, he remembered that incident.
"You would not have brought this up if you didn't have a reason to," Snape pointed out and Harry nodded,
"True. I propose a truce. We are never going to like each other, it's a given fact. But, there is nothing to say we cannot work together in peace. You are dark, I am dark, and there are things in works that would really benefit a brilliant mind like yours." Harry said to him and Snape looked at him with an unreadable expression.
"How do you know that I am not with Dumbledore? You have seen me with the Order and if that were true then I could go and report you to the headmaster immediately. Keeping silent about the Dark Lord is one thing, you are completely different." Snape said slowly and Harry conceded he did have a point.
"Professor, your magic is inky, you are dark and going against it would be pointless because the arts, not matter what, will always call to you. You've never left the dark, you may have lost faith because you believed the Dark Lord ignored your request to spare my mother, but you have always been dark." Snape looked openly shocked at that before he masked it and Harry took it as a personal success, "But if you are that way inclined and wish to inform the headmaster, then you would be making sure that my mother truly did die in vain because I would be dead. Not only that, but you would forfeit your own life because Tom really doesn't like it when things don't go his way, and me dying constitutes as not going his way."
Snape shuddered at that, he knew exactly what sort of death would be coming to him if that were to occur. What Potter said was true, he was dark and that wasn't anything he could change, and he could never live with himself if he got Lily's only child killed.
"Ok, Potter, you have yourself a deal." Snape agreed and Harry grinned,
"Wonderful, I can guarantee I won't be poisoned now." He said brightly and Snape blinked.
"Excuse me?"
"Well, Dumbledore likes to use potions in controlling me and Draco has been working endlessly to create counters for many of them. He created a counter for a blood poisoning potion and he believes he had created a love potion immuniser, but he is at a lost at how to test it without using it on me." Harry explained and Snape nodded,
"Send him to me, I'll make sure he doesn't poison you, Potter."
"Awh thanks, Professor, that sounded like you actually cared."
"Do not blind yourself, I merely wish not to be the one trying to cure you." Snape sneered and Harry laughed,
"That's better,"
"Remove yourself from my classroom, Potter,"
"I'm already gone," And he slipped out of the door. He finally released his smirk and disappeared in to the shadows, he all but skipped in to Tom's rooms as he vanished his glamour and threw himself down on the sofa once he had switched his clothes.
"What did you do and how many people did you kill?" Tom asked and Harry shot him an indignant look.
"Well that's rude. I am allowed to be happy, you know."
"Indeed. What did you do if you didn't kill anyone?"
"You are no fun," Harry huffed with a pout and Tom raised an eyebrow.
"I apologise." He deadpanned and Harry laughed,
"If you must know, and not allow me my suspense and bragging rights, I finally got through to Snape and got him onside." Harry told him and Tom looked surprised.
"Did you curse him?"
"Shockingly enough, no I didn't. I did, however, play on his emotions and make him see it my way."
"Impressive, trying to get emotions out of Severus is the same as trying with a rock. What did you use?"
"My mother," Harry answered and Tom blinked, then he blinked again and then he tried speaking before blinking again,
"I'm sorry."
"Did he not ask you to spare her life?" Harry asked and Tom nodded slowly,
"Yes, and I did try. Severus is in my inner circle, and, contrary to popular belief, I do listen to them and take their thoughts and questions in to consideration."
"Exactly, and there would have been only one reason Severus Snape would lower himself enough to ask you, of all people, to save a muggleborn's life."
"He was in love with her." Tom said and a moment,
"Yes,"
"And you played on that. How?"
"A few reminders that he's been treating the only son of Lily Evans like utter shit for the past 5 years, that I know nothing about her and that Dumbledore faked the prophecy and voila, one potions master."
"Very impressive, Snake," Tom said with a smirk, Harry mock saluted.
"What can I say…?"
"Where did you find out the knowledge about Snape? I have never spoken about it and I highly doubt Dumbledore would have told you." Tom inquired and Harry smirked.
"Raven,"
"Of course it was her,"
"You think that's good, that girl has a gift."
"I have no doubt,"
"I have some bad news."
"Oh?"
"Yes, the female Weasley is awake." He said and Tom's expression went dark.
"Is that so?"
"Unfortunately yes, which means Dumbledore is going to be calling again soon. I'm expecting it to be tomorrow,"
"No doubt the old fool will have something planned." Tom agreed, and Harry was following the man's feelings through their link and raised an eyebrow.
"She's still in the wing complaining about being in pain, and I've bought myself time because of Swift so I can avoid her like the plague." Harry told him and the growing possessiveness died down.
"Good," Harry rolled his eyes.
"You are impossible,"
"I know,"
"I know what I wanted to ask you." Harry remembered suddenly, looking at the Dark Lord.
"Oh?"
"Yes, it came to me the other day… Where is Nagini?" He asked and Tom's expression went mulish.
"She is at Malfoy Manor, she's refusing to talk to me." Tom said and Harry blinked,
"Refusing to talk to you… but why?"
"When I told her I was coming here she was extremely excited, you see I've had her since I was 16 and she grew very attached to the castle. Unfortunately, for obvious reasons, I couldn't bring her with me and she was not happy. She threw a complete fit about it, tried to attack me and then she was awful to me before slithering off and refusing to speak again. She refused to even come in the same room as me! It was like I had committed the ultimate betrayal because she was not with me, honestly, you would have thought I had found another familiar." Tom explained indignantly and Harry fought, with a great amount of difficultly, not to laugh. He couldn't believe his ears, this was gold!
"You had an argument with your snake?" He clarified making sure to keep his voice completely even, Tom scowled at the wall.
"She was being completely unreasonable. You can't hide a snake that size, and she would have hated to have been kept in the chamber because it's cold."
"You had an argument with your pet snake." Harry said again, his voice only shaking slightly with the effort to hold in his laughter.
"Nagini is not a pet, she is a familiar." Tom corrected and his eyes narrowed when he saw Harry's slightly shaking shoulders.
"You had an argument with your snake familiar." Harry repeated and Tom's scowl deepened.
"She started it," He muttered petulantly and that was Harry could take, he burst out laughing and tried to smother it with his hand when Tom glared at him.
"I'm sorry," He gasped, "But you had an argument with a snake, and by the sounds of it, she won the argument."
"She was mean to me!" Tom exclaimed and that saw fit to renew Harry's hilarity, he bent over and clutched his sides, he laughed until tears ran down his face and he forced himself to get under control.
"I have to meet Nagini on better terms, she sounds like a delight."
"She's a menace." Tom grumbled, "She tried to turn herself in to a living belt or something. She would not let go of me and she was wailing, it was… odd."
"Can snakes even wail?" Harry asked and Tom rubbed his temples.
"I didn't think it was possible until the day I told her she would have to stay at the manor. It was extremely strange to see a 12ft long, highly venomous snake wailing,"
"I can imaging, really I can. But I still want to meet her."
"She'll be at the meeting, the Death Eaters are terrified of her and she loves it."
"Perfect," Harry got up and stretched,
"Where do you think you are going?" Tom questioned and Harry raised an eyebrow,
"To my rooms,"
"Yes… that is not going to happen," Tom stated and Harry smirked,
"Is that right?"
"Most definitely," Harry walked over Tom and trailed his finger along his neck, he leaned down and spoke directly by his ear.
"I supposed there might be something to make me stay." Harry smirked as Tom's eyes darkened and walked towards the bedroom, "I wonder if you can convince me."
"You know you have to leave very soon." Tom pointed out and then hissed as Harry bit down on his neck.
"Unimportant," Harry muttered as he continued his assault, he made sure to leave a mark before going up his neck.
"Breakfast is in less than 20 minutes," Tom tired even though he made no effort to stop Harry, Harry hummed in agreement.
"I know, but there are other things I would much rather put in my mouth." Harry told him and Tom groaned, Harry smirked and kissed him. He slithered down Tom's body kissing and biting as he went, Tom moaned when Harry covered him with his mouth. Harry relaxed his throat and took as much as he could, he hollowed his cheeks and felt Tom's hand fist his hair. Tom's head dropped back in ecstasy, Harry had a talent with his mouth and Tom bit his lip to stop his moan of pleasure only for it to emerge when Harry hollowed his mouth. Harry dragged his teeth along the thick flesh lightly and then sat up smirking when Tom groaned,
"You want to finish this?" Harry asked lightly and before he could blink he was pinned down with Tom over him.
"You are an awful tease," Tom informed him, his voice low and husky in his arousal.
"Show me how wrong I was," Harry said coyly. Tom muttered a spell and pushed in to him, Harry gasped at the feeling of being full and his legs instinctively wrapped around Tom. Tom moved slowly at first teasing Harry and only when he was gasping and moaning for more did he speed up, he hit Harry's prostate making the teen cry out and dig his nails in to his back. Tom moved so he hit that spot repeatedly and Harry finally screamed out his release, his muscles clamped down milking Tom for his seed and they both lay panting.
"I think I'm late for breakfast." Harry said and Tom scoffed,
"I wonder why."
"I may have gotten distracted." Harry shrugged, "I have to shower."
"A cleaning spell would also work."
"I'm still getting in the shower, what is the point?" Harry pointed out, "Unless you don't like the thought of your cum inside of me, then we may have a bit of a problem." He smirked at Tom's low hiss and climbed out of the bed heading for a shower. Harry came out dressed in his robes and cast a tempus,
"See, just in time to get to Transfiguration." Tom pulled him down in to a hot kiss from where he was led on the bed,
"Come back here tonight." Tom told him, and Harry nodded,
"Of course," Harry slipped out of the room and began yet another boring day or pretending to be an average student. It was mind numbing. It was the same things he had already learned about only much slower and he had to pretend he didn't know them. For some reason it was getting to him more, little things were annoying him and come dinner that evening he really wasn't feeling seeing the headmaster for another lesson. Unfortunately, McGonagall had passed on the message in his first lesson and so Harry found himself trooping up to the head office and having a round of guess the password until he found the correct sweet. His mood decreased when he saw the pencieve led out on the desk, but he hitched on a curious expression on his face and sat down when invited.
"Good evening, headmaster," Harry greeted cordially,
"Good evening, Harry, are you well?"
"Yes thank you,"
"Wonderful." Dumbledore said joyfully, "I believe I am able to inform you of some good news."
"You can?"
"Yes, young Miss Weasley is recovering from her ordeal splendidly and is now awake in the hospital wing." Dumbledore said and Harry tried, he really did, but he couldn't fully get a pleased expression on to his face and the old man noticed. "What is the matter, I thought you would be pleased."
"I am, its just, I got her put in there in the first place." Harry said looking down at his hands, "I can't help but feel responsible."
"I understand, my boy, but she is going to be ok."
"I know, and I am thankful."
"I am sure, as soon as she is released, she will want to tell you herself that she doesn't blame you."
"It would be safer is she stayed away, sir, who knows that Voldemort would do to her next time." Harry shuddered but it had nothing to do with Ginny.
"I think, Harry, this is an argument for another time." Dumbledore decided, "Because right now we have to delve in to the past and try to uncover the truth about a boy called Tom Riddle."
"Is this going to have him in it, sir?" Harry asked and Dumbledore nodded,
"Yes, Harry. This time, we are going in to my memory and it is the first time I ever met Tom Riddle. I was deputy headmaster at the time, and it was my job to introduce the new students to the world of magic."
"You were the one who told Voldemort about Magic?" Harry said genuinely shocked.
"Yes, and I think you will find my memory rather filled with detail." Dumbledore rose to his feet, "After you." Harry fell in to the memory and landed in an old fashion street which was bustling with people. He looked around and easily spotted a younger version of Dumbledore, the man was dressed in the most revolting purple suit Harry had ever had the misfortune to lay eyes on and he wasn't surprised the man was drawing looks from the surrounding people. It was odd to see the old man with auburn hair, and it really didn't help the suit whatsoever.
"Sir, why that suit?" He asked before he could stop,
"I liked the colour, Harry." Dumbledore said brightly, and when Harry looked at him as if he was insane the man merely chuckled. They followed the younger Dumbledore through the street to a grim building surrounded by a wall and iron gates, it wasn't a pleasant sight and Harry grimaced. He was looking at the surrounding area and felt a pang of sympathy for Tom, it must have been hell growing up here especially during the war and he mentally patted the man on the back. Which he was looking around, younger Dumbledore had entered building and was following a woman to in to an office Harry hastened to catch up so he could watch. She invited Dumbledore to sit on a rickety chair and seated herself behind a cluttered desk, eyeing him nervously.
"I am here, as I told you in my letter, to discuss Tom Riddle and arrangements for his future," said Dumbledore.
"Are you family?" asked Mrs. Cole.
"No, I am a teacher," said Dumbledore. "I have come to offer Tom a place at my school."
"What school's this, then?"
"It is called Hogwarts," said Dumbledore.
"And how come you're interested in Tom?"
"We believe he has qualities we are looking for."
"You mean he's won a scholarship? How can he have done? He's never been entered for one."
"Well, his name has been down for our school since birth —"
"Who registered him? His parents?"
There was no doubt that Mrs. Cole was an inconveniently sharp woman. Apparently Dumbledore thought so too, for Harry saw him slip his wand out of the pocket of his velvet suit, at the same time picking up a piece of perfectly blank paper from Mrs. Cole's desktop. He watched as the old man cast a compulsion charm and conjure up some gin at the same time, Harry spotted the tell tell signs of Legilimency and nearly scowled; the old man had been doing that for too long. They spoke about Tom's history and how his mother died, it wasn't detailed but that didn't make it any more pleasant, but he found out why Tom was named so.
Harry wasn't surprised that Tom was an odd child, and he didn't doubt that he was strange growing up what with his accidental magic, but there was something about how Dumbledore confirmed that Tom had a place at Hogwarts that got Harry to pay more attention to the memory. She started to explain some of the odd happenings that had happened around Tom, a dead rabbit, scared children and Harry marvelled at the control Tom must have had to be able to accomplish that at such a young age. As she continued to speak, Harry watched Dumbledore's reaction and his eyes narrowed when younger Dumbledore had a flash of anger in his blue eyes when she mentioned the incidents, it was mixed with confusion and Harry blinked; what was going on?
She asked if he wanted to see him and this was the bit Harry was looking forward to, he noted Dumbledore's reaction and followed them up the stares and knocked on a door. The room was bare. There was nothing in it except a wardrobe and a bed and Harry's eyes were immediately drawn to the child whom sat upon the bed, he was tall for eleven, pale skin with high cheekbones and perfectly shaped eyebrows, he had pink lips and nose which had the smallest traces of an upturn. There was no doubt that this was Tom Riddle. He was sat, not that Harry was surprised, holding a book and his eyes narrowed when he took in Dumbledore, they looked at each other before Dumbledore introduced himself and sat down.
Dumbledore's introduction had set him on edge, that much was obvious and Harry was watching the headmaster for what Tom had seen, he found it in the form of fury in the blue eyes even though he was smiling pleasantly.
"Tell the truth." Even back then Tom's voice was commanding, it was smooth and cool and it was ringing, so much so that Harry was shocked. But his shock was nothing compared to what hit him after he caught sight of Dumbledore's expression when child Tom said the caretaker wanted him in an asylum, the man was pleased, like he had wanted it to happen and Harry's eyes went in to slits.
"I'd like to see them try." Riddle sneered and Harry wanted to laugh, he had been sneering all these years and he had managed to perfect it. He had also managed to perfect an emotionless mask at eleven because not one came to his face when Dumbledore told him that Hogwarts was a school for magic, it was eerie if anything.
"It's. . . it's magic, what I can do?"
"What is it that you can do?"
"All sorts," breathed Riddle. A flush of excitement was rising up his neck into his hollow cheeks; he looked fevered. "I can make filings move without touching them. I can make animals do what I want them to do, without training them. I can make bad things happen to people who annoy me. I can make them hurt if I want to." Harry wanted to slap him.
What in Merlin's name was he thinking, not even he had made such a mistake when he got told he was a wizard. Dumbledore did not look pleased and when Riddle bowed his head the younger Dumbledore's expression went dark but it cleared when the boy looked back up. Harry blinked at the change in the young Dark Lord when Dumbledore told him how to address him and then hid his smile when his transformed in to, no doubt, the boy he allowed teachers to see. Harry nearly choked when Dumbledore set his wardrobe on fire because that was probably everything that Tom owned but when the flames went the piece of furniture was fine.
"Where can I get one of them?" Riddle demanded and Harry almost snorted, he didn't think he had ever heard Tom speak in such a way. It was weird to see Tom act in such a way, Harry found it endlessly amusing that Tom was a bit of a klepto and made a note to poke at him later.
"There are a lot of Toms," He muttered sullenly and Harry blinked, the man didn't like his name because it was common. He realised it must have been a bit of a blow to discover that hid father wasn't the magic wielder but his mother, but Harry took a guess that it was that that started the man's pathological fear of death.
"I can speak to snakes." Riddle said and Harry barely caught his groan, why wasn't he acting more guarded? There was something up with this and by Dumbledore's reaction, where he did not look even in least bit surprised, Harry was right in his suspicions.
"I think that will be all." Old Dumbledore told him and they fell out of the memory, "Sit down," Harry sat down in his usual spot and stared at the desk for a while, he had more questions than he could get answers too and it was frustrating, but one thing he was sure of was Dumbledore had something going on.
"That was… strange." Harry said eventually, when it became clear that Dumbledore was not going to speak.
"His powers, as you heard, were surprisingly well-developed for such a young wizard and — most interestingly and ominously of all — he had already discovered that he had some measure of control over them, and begun to use them consciously. And as you saw, they were not the random experiments typical of young wizards: He was already using magic against other people, to frighten, to punish, to control. The little stories of the strangled rabbit and the young boy and girl he lured into a cave were most suggestive. . . . 'I can make them hurt if I want to. . . .'"
"And he admitted he was a Parselmouth." Harry added seeing if he could get any ideas from this Dumbledore. Much to his disappointment, the man showed nothing except a smile.
"Yes, although his ability to speak to serpents did not make me nearly as uneasy as his obvious instincts for cruelty, secrecy, and domination." Harry knew all about all three of those things, but he failed to see the problem with them.
"He was still only a child though, sir, an orphan that just had really good control." Harry said and Dumbledore's eyes flashed in something Harry couldn't register.
"Indeed," He said, "But for now, I think we shall draw to a close."
"Ok,"
"There are a few things I want you to note down, Harry. They are incredibly important. The first is his dislike of his name, he shed it, as you know, within a few short years of that conversation and created the mask of 'Lord Voldemort' behind which he has been hidden for so long." Dumbledore said and Harry blinked, he wouldn't quite say hiding, the Dark Lord Tom didn't really have the same effect as the Dark Lord Voldemort.
"I trust that you also noticed that Tom Riddle was already highly self-sufficient, secretive, and, apparently, friendless? He did not want help or companionship on his trip to Diagon Alley. He preferred to operate alone. The adult Voldemort is the same. You will hear many of his Death Eaters claiming that they are in his confidence, that they alone are close to him, even understand him. They are deluded. Lord Voldemort has never had a friend, nor do I believe that he has ever wanted one." Now Harry knew that was complete crap. Tom did have friends, he was close to Lucius and Severus and Harry was sure that he had mentioned Theodore Nott having a grandfather that Tom kept in contact with. The man just had some severe trust issues, but being who he was made it understandable.
"And lastly — I hope you are not too sleepy to pay attention to this, Harry — the young Tom Riddle liked to collect trophies. You saw the box of stolen articles he had hidden in his room. These were taken from victims of his bullying behaviour, souvenirs, if you will, of particularly unpleasant bits of magic. Bear in mind this magpie-like tendency, for this, particularly, will be important later." So Dumbledore also noticed that Tom was a klepto, it wasn't surprising, but Harry was sure that there had been other things going on.
"Of course headmaster, I don't think I'll be forgetting it any time soon." Harry said and Dumbledore looked pleased.
"Of you go, Harry,"
"Night sir," He hurried down the stone steps and straight for the defence corridor; he had a Dark Lord to speak to.
There we go, a bit more on Dumbledore's plans and a bit of Harry and Tom! I hope you like it and I would me extremely pleased if you could let me know what you think!
Jess*