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'…': thinking

Chapter Eighteen, Year Two: Explanations

Salazar yawned. He had sat up for a while, trying to figure out a way that he could possibly attend Walter's funeral, and couldn't think of any that didn't make it seem like he was deranged, or Dark, or both.

"I guess I can just go and let the world screw itself," he muttered.

"What was that Potty, you schizoid?"

"That's none of your business, blond nympho."

Draco gaped at Salazar. He 'humphed' crossed his arms, and stuck his nose in the air. "Fine then," he said, "I guess that means that you don't want to know this interesting tidbit about Grindelwald's funeral."

Salazar blinked. "Alright, I'll just check the Prophet then."

Salazar stood up, and was walking across the room to the door, when Draco shot out of his seat and stood between the door and him.

"You are supposed to ask me, 'What is it Draco?' And I'm supposed to say, 'Not until you tell me what's going on here.' And then you…" He broke off as Salazar started to chuckle. Draco crossed his arms again and pouted.

Salazar smirked. "I thought that the second brightest student at Hogwarts would be able to discover by himself at least half the story."

Draco blushed at the compliment. "Well, I know he's a vampire, but that's about it…I was thinking that he was the Childe of a vampire friend of yours or something."

"Close, but no cigar. Walter is my best friend from my previous life."

"Oh, er," Draco sat down on the floor, and stared up at Salazar in shock. "So, uh, that's why he had your wand and stuff."

Salazar nodded.

"Well, then, I'm sorry he died. I mean, I'm not sad that he died or anything, because I didn't know him long enough, but I'm sorry for you and stuff, yeah." Draco was now looking very uncomfortable.

"Well, I think he was pretty lonely. The rest of his family and close friends died off a long time ago. He actually hated the fact that he was immortal, he wanted to be with his family and love."

There was an awkward pause. Salazar sat down too. They were both trying to pretend that the emotional moments didn't happen.

Eventually, Salazar asked, "So, what was that thing with Walter's funeral?"

"Oh, just that he's not having one, that he's being cremated and the ashes scattered around some secret room, and that all his assets are being wired to some unknown wizards account. The whole thing is being kept hush-hush."

"Oh, well that solves my problem then. How do you know what wired means in that context?"

Draco tensed and stared at Salazar with wide eyes. "Well, you see, I mean, they say that knowledge is power, and it seemed like a good idea to learn about Muggles if I needed to fit in, and so I bought books, and was able to get DVDs that I was able to watch on the TV in the Muggles Studies room, and you aren't going to tell this to anyone, are you?"

Salazar sat, his mind trying to catch up with Draco's words. Eventually he said, "Why would I do that? I have nothing against Muggles. And really nothing against you either, yet."

At Draco's incredulous stare, he elaborated, "Well, you haven't really done anything that would cause me to try to kill you or anything, so you really have nothing to worry about." Seeing that Draco apparently still didn't believe him, Salazar continued, "I mean, you swore an Unbreakable Vow, so unless you fraternize with the enemy, you won't have to be silenced."

Draco was still staring at him. "No, that's not…I mean, why don't you hate the Muggles?"

Salazar sighed, it would be a long day.

…………….

Tom rubbed his hands together, looking for all the world like the stereotypical mad scientist with pink eye. One would almost expect it to begin raining for 40 days and 40 nights, and for lightning to strike rods, and for a short man with a bad lisp to be standing next to him.

But of course, Tom was the young Dark Lord, and it didn't do for a Dark Lord to begin mixing trades. That and Igors went out of style in the 70's.

None of that really mattered to Tom at the moment. All he cared about was that he would be gaining all of Salazar Slytherin's possessions. Or at least, all of Slytherin's possessions that Grindelwald had.

Tom could feel a cocky smirk crossing his features. Soon, he'd be even more powerful than the original Voldemort. He could just imagine that power swarming through his veins like bees. Tom paused at that thought, then berated himself for thinking like a Muggle. 'No,' he amended again, 'like a Hufflepuff.'

So Tom corrected that previous thought; the power slithering through his veins, amassing at his wand's point, like a basilisk. Actually, Tom realized, he could practically hear the slithering. He turned around, rather spooked.

There was a snake on the floor. Tom let out a relieved sigh and bent down to pet it. He pulled his hand back, and hastily retreated when he realized that the snake had eerily familiar red eyes. Tom looked up, and cursed. Lucius Malfoy was leaning against the door post with a lazy smirk on his face.

"I've only ever served one Master," Lucius said as the snake struck.

……………

Salazar let out an 'oof' as something large and heavy landed on him. He could feel his eyes widen, and was sure that his mouth was gaping too, but it was warranted in this situation. That and the fact that it was night, so there was no one to witness the indignity.

"Draco?" he whispered. "Draco?"

"What is it Potter? It had better be good, I was just falling asleep."

"Shut up, Draco!"

"What's wrong?" Draco asked, now whispering too.

"There's someone on me."

"What wrong with that?"

Salazar paused for a moment to run that through his head, then felt the urge to kick Draco hard in the genitals.

Fortunately for Draco, the person began to stir. It seemed like his genitals would be spared Salazar's abuse for tonight.

"Hmm, wah?" Tom groaned at the sudden light.

"Shit!" Draco cursed.

"Oh, bother!" Salazar snapped.

"Zzzzz." Ron slept like he was dead, completely unaware that there was a young Dark Lord in his room.

As Tom's eyes adjusted to the light, he noticed that he was lying on someone with black hair and who was very short. It was hard to see the majority of the person's features because the light was behind him. Oddly enough it was still blinding.

Tom looked at the source of the light, and saw Draco. His eyes darted between Draco and the other person, realization dawning in his eyes.

"What are you doing? Stun him!" Draco yelped when he saw that Salazar wasn't doing anything.

"Oh yes, because I'm in the position to stun him with my hands being squashed!" Salazar said sarcastically.

"Oh dear, this is an embarrassing position, isn't it?" Tom asked with a hesitant chuckle.

Draco made a choked sound.

"Don't just stand there thinking perverted things, Draco! Stun him!" Salazar yelled.

"But how can I stun him if I can't see him! I can't keep the light and cast a spell!" Draco wailed.

"Look, can we discuss things?" Tom asked.

There was complete silence as things were being thought over. Tom cursed his lack of foresight. He didn't have his wand with him. Or any other weapons for that matter.

"Will you try to kill us, maim us, or do other unsavory things to us, or anyone else?"

"Can I defend myself?"

Salazar and Draco traded looks over Tom's head, unsure whether they could trust him to not curse people out of "self-defense".

"…Why don't we hear your story first, and then decide the defense issue after?" Draco suggested.

"Well, then I can't agree to your first stipulation."

"Can you just get off me?" Salazar muttered.

…………….

They eventually came to an agreement. Tom wouldn't try to harm people, unless it was out of the dictionary's definition of self-defense. Tom agreed to remove himself from Salazar, and also agreed to be questioned under Veritaserum that would be administered by Professor Snape (who would also do the questioning). The questioning would only by about what had transpired to cause him to appear in the Burrow. Questioning on any other subject would be viewed as an attack, and so he would be allowed to kill them.

The document that the four drew up (Severus had been dragged out of his room) succinctly stated all of this.

Ron was, amazingly, still sound asleep. Severus threw up a silencing barrier while Tom took the instructed dose of Veritaserum.

Satisfied with the barrier, Severus turned around to do a preliminary check. "What is your name?"

"Tom Marvolo Riddle," said Tom, making a face as though he had just swallowed a mouthful of expired milk.

Severus nodded. "It seems that the potion is working."

"How do we know that's true?" Draco asked Severus, suspicious.

"I don't think the Dark Lord would have admitted his Muggle name in any other circumstance except under the influence of Veritaserum," Severus said, calmly.

Salazar watched the proceedings quietly.

"Why did you appear here?"

"My life was being threatened."

"By whom?"

"Lucius Malfoy and Tom Marvolo Riddle."

Severus blinked. "Do you mean the Dark Lord?"

"Yes."

"Okaaay," Draco said slowly, confusion written all over his face.

Severus thought for a moment. "Do you mean the original Dark Lord, the one who tried to kill Harry Potter?"

"Yes."

"How did he appear?"

"I think he was possessing a snake."

"How did you arrive here?"

"Portkey."

"What did you set the parameters to?"

At this Tom glared at them. "Wizards with magical signatures identical to those born to the Slytherin family."

There was silence, and as the effects of the potion wore off, Tom said, "You have some explaining to do, Harry Potter."

A/N: Heh heh, it's been a while, hasn't it. Don't hurt me!

But honestly, I sat down, and tried to write this about 20 times, and each time I got stuck on what to do about the funeral and will and stuff. And then what to do with Tom. The real bout of inspiration came through a book. Everyone, you all have Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman and Good Omens to thank for the completion of this chapter. So if you two read fan fiction, here's Pocky. . I don't really like this chapter at all though. It just doesn't seem to be well written.

Reviews:

kawaii chibi shun: Thanks! Yeah, unfortunately, that was the only really funny part of that chapter, like there was really one section that was really well written in this one. I think my writing is slipping.