Binaries
By BEWD Sorcerer
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not owned by me. If I owned him then he'd be on the floor.
Get it? Owned? Pwned? C'mon!
AN: It's difficult writing when twins are speaking. – . – ;;
thoughts
"Out loud speech, English"
'Parseltongue'
:Link Speech: Note: not L337 speak
4. Possibilities
Voldemort hissed in frustration, flopping back onto his bed. The dreams kept coming, increasing in number and frequency, and after every dream the Potter boy would feel confused. It seemed as if he was also being visited by dreams, though they could be different or it could just be a coincidence, very unlikely but a possibility.
Each dream made him think more and more of Potter and it was quickly becoming annoying. He didn't need any more reminders of the child than he already did.
His was so tired. Maybe staying up for the past three days wasn't the best idea.
"It's a good thing we couldn't get a pet, isn't it?" Tom glanced at his brother perched beside him on the roof.
"Yes. They can't kill a pet of ours in retaliation if we don't own one in the first place. You want one though, don't you?" Kieran smiled sadly.
"It would have been nice, maybe some sort of snake so we could talk to it or a cat that we could pet and would seek us out for attention." Tom pulled Kieran into a sideways hug.
"Maybe when we leave here for good or if we found a snake that likes us it could stay at Hogwarts without us during the summer." Kieran relaxed into the hug.
"Wouldn't it get lonely?"
"If it had lived there its whole life, then it shouldn't be too much of a problem." They stay like that for a few minutes more. "It should be time." Kieran nods and they both get up, heading over to the ladder they had constructed to escape any would-be disturbers of their peace.
Voldemort shot off the bed, glaring at it suspiciously before starting to pace.
We hadn't been able to afford a pet after purchasing all the necessary supplies and a few important books like 'Hogwarts, A History' and two reusable paper charms that would shrink and resize our trunks on command, but we weren't too upset because that meant there wasn't anything that could be killed and we kept our shrunk trunks hidden at all times.
He stopped pacing.
"These aren't real! The dreams are just that! Dreams! Fake! False! A plot to weaken me! Harry Potter is Harry Potter and always has been!" He raised his fists, still shouting.
"I have no other living relatives; I killed them, the father that abandoned our mother when he found out she was a witch, the grandparents who agreed with their son and didn't want anything to do with the witch's child even if I was their grandson, the uncle who was nothing but an inbred drunk that didn't put up any fight when under the Imperius and made kill the three Muggles! I have no brother nor have I ever had any siblings." He paused, making sure the Silencing Charms were still in effect. They were, so he could continue ranting to himself in peace.
"Dumbledore must be scheming again, thinking that if I believed Potter to be my brother I wouldn't want to kill him. I thought he knew that I've killed my other relatives, but he must not. I'll let him think his plan is working, then kill the Potter boy anyway." A gasp escaped as his chest tightened painfully.
"What spell is this? I think of killing Potter and my chest aches, my blood runs cold, my eyes burn. There is no spell that could cause this nor any potion." He collapses onto his bed, still pondering, but soon slips into dreamland.
He wakes up, blinking open his eyes. It's September 1st and time to get up if they want to make the train. Getting up to go shake his little brother awake, he chooses their least ragged clothes to wear to the train then they could change into their uniforms.
Kieran stretches as he gets out of bed, slipping on the clothes his brother hands him and pocketing his trunk and wand. They leave the room, going down to grab two rolls and remind Mrs. Cole that they'll be gone for the school year before heading out. Neither looks back.
They arrive at King's Cross and immediately begin looking around. Its 9:00 and they don't see any Platform 9 ¾, though they do notice a rather large boy with his seemingly tiny father, trying to be inconspicuous and leaning against the barrier between platforms nine and ten. The twins watch closely, but right before their eyes the father and son simply vanish. One second they're there and the next they're gone.
Tom and Kieran share a look before strolling in front of the barrier. Kieran turns, meaning to just examine the suspicious architecture, but when he prods the wall, he simply falls through.
The twin left on the other side is alarmed and immediately moves to find out where his brother went, unintentionally going through the not-as-solid-as-it-seemed wall, only to find the other brushing himself off and standing under a sign that clearly said 9 ¾ for the Hogwarts Express.
They share a flabbergasted glance before composing themselves and boarding the train, finding a compartment near the back that is deserted. Once there they pull their trunks out of their pockets, resizing them to pull their robes out, changing and then re-shrinking the trunks, replacing them in their pockets.
There aren't very many people, but both twins agree it must be because they're two hours early. Settling down, they wait and watch.
Only a few minutes later a family of pointy-faced blonds arrives, looking very haughty in their entire well-dressed splendor, and what must be two more families that seem rather troll-like.
Tom looks amused by this, but Kieran just rolls his eyes.
"Peacocks guarded by trolls. I've never heard of such things." Kieran elbows his brother.
"It must be a rather normal thing, since no one else seems surprised. It wouldn't surprise me if they're Purebloods, probably the Malfoys." Tom grins at his twin.
"You did read Wizarding Politics and Culture then and I must say I agree." Kieran just nods and they turn back to watching families arrive.
Not ten minutes later they turn away from the window. It hurts to watch as their fellow students dismiss their parents so carelessly when they have no parents to see them off.
No one has dared enter their compartment and they don't want to be disturbed. One pretty brunette, who looks about 15, almost does, but Tom glares at her menacingly and she quickly decides that it would be best not to.
No one wants to be near someone who death glares at them, even if the glare is from someone who is obviously a first year.
The train ride is a quiet affair with the two brothers sitting beside each other. A witch pushing a cart comes by and offers them candy around lunchtime. Tom buys four Pumpkin Pasties and a couple Chocolate Frogs for both of them with the last of the money that Dumbledore gave them.
The Pasties are savored and it is Kieran that opens his Chocolate Frog first. The frog immediately springs into action, but he has always been quick, so the sweet doesn't get far. When Tom opens his he's ready for the first leap.
The sun is warm and both Riddles are so sleepy. They settle down for a short nap.
Voldemort snarls, but doesn't get up off the bed, just rolls over onto his stomach.
:Why can't I just sleep in peace?He groans, huffing when shock and confusion filter into his mind.
:That's my line.: Voldemort's eyes widen. Potter wasn't sleeping well either?
:What are you going on about? Sending me dreams of a brother I never had.: His chest constricts and hurt shimmers down their link followed by confusion.
:I thought you were the one sending me fake dreams.: He scoffs.
:To lure you to the Ministry, I did, but what would I gain from sending you visions of my childhood:
:I don't know… sympathy: Voldemort hisses, feeling Harry flinch.
:What would I need sympathy from you for, Potter: Silence and no small amount of confusion settles over the two. Neither was sending dreams to the other, so what could be causing these dreams?
:I haven't been taking any experimental potions or doing any rituals. No other side effects have been noticed…: He rolled onto his back, still thinking.
:Do you think I should ask Dumbledore about them: Voldemort sat up in shock and anger.
:NO! What if he is the one who's doing it: He could feel Harry raise an incredulous eyebrow.
:What would he gain from me knowing all about your childhood: Laying back down, he considers it for awhile, not coming up with anything.
:What if he doesn't want you knowing? What if something happened and I really did have a twin brother named Kieran: Harry thinks this over.
:Why would I have dreams of only Kieran in Dumbledore's custody being questioned before force-fed potions to block his memories and turn him into a child: Voldemort lay, stunned into silence.
:Then it is possible that you are…. When did you have that dream: Harry felt taken aback, debating whether he should answer or not.
:That's the first one I had. It was about three weeks ago, right after I arrived back at the Dursley's.: Voldemort nodded. Even though Harry couldn't see it, he could feel it and it made him rather dizzy.
:You had just made it back to your relatives' house and then you have a dream that could be a memory, the last memory of another life. I had just possessed you a few days prior, am I correct: Harry growled, but nodded. Sirius had just died; Bellatrix had gotten away. :Calm down. Did you have a headache: He could feel Harry making a face in confusion.
:Yeah… I still have one.:
:Of course. Muggle pain killers won't ease the pain of a cracked memory block.: Harry snarled and would have glared at him, but mind speaking like this didn't allow that.
:I wouldn't know. I've never had any Muggle pain killers.: Voldemort snorted.
:You grew up with Muggles. Don't tell me you never got hur - : Harry's anger flared up again.
:I have never had any Muggle pain killers! Not when Dudley used me as a punching bag, not when I've burnt my hand while cooking breakfast for them, not-: Finally he interrupted.
:You were abused as a child! The Wizarding World's Savior was allowed to be abused when he couldn't defend himself! Dumbledore's Golden Boy was beat up by his cousin? Did your aunt and uncle know: He realized that was the wrong thing to say when he felt Harry's rage surge.
:Did they know! They encouraged it! My room for the first eleven years of my life was the cupboard under the stairs! My Hogwarts letter was addressed to it: Voldemort sputtered. :When I came back from my first year I was locked in my cousin's second bedroom with no less than six different locks on the door, bars on the window, Hedwig locked in her cage, a cat flap on my door so they could gift me with cold canned soup and stale bread when they remembered I was there, and I was only allowed out of my room to use the bathroom twice a day! My trunk and wand were locked in the cupboard under the stairs! I had to rush to finish my homework after Ron, George, and Fred rescued me in their father's flying Ford Anglia: Voldemort had trouble interrupting a second time, but he did.
:They what: He paused and Harry waited, feeling quite embarrassed by his outburst.
:Sorry.: Voldemort just waved it off, still thinking, leaving Harry bemused by the sudden odd feeling in his hand.
:He doesn't care.: Harry's bemusement vanished. :That's why. If you are Kieran, then Dumbledore wouldn't care how you are treated by your Muggle… they're not your relatives, meaning there aren't any blood wards. In fact, he probably put you there as punishment.: Voldemort shakes his head, trying to reason it out.
:Punishment for what: Harry is curious.
:Being my brother? But that doesn't… I don't remember. Why don't I remember: Astonishment and hurt filter down their link.
:Remember what? You don't remember having a brother: He sounds mournful, hurt.
:No, I don't, but a memory blocking potion only affects the drinker, so why did I forget? Did he slip me something that made me forget all about having a twin brother: Voldemort shakes his head again, feeling suddenly disgusted and ridiculous. :I can't believe I'm even considering this. It's ludicrous.: Harry started panicking.
:What! You were just – What if it wasn't a potion? Is there a spell? Or maybe something else that could cause a such a drastic change in you: Voldemort sneered.
:What are you talking about? I haven't chan - : He paused, realizing something. :You're remembering more.: Harry was quiet for a moment in surprise.
:I did, didn't I? You were talking about escaping death… about horcruxes:
Tom and Kieran were down in the Chamber of Secrets.
"Kieran! We could live forever!" Kieran crosses his arms, glaring.
"But all the books on soul magic say that the soul should always remain whole. There are drastic consequences for individuals with broken souls."
"But Kieran – " Tom argues, fighting between the want for acceptance from his brother and the need to assure they wouldn't die.
"But nothing! Find. another. way!" Tom snarls, hands clenched tightly at his sides.
"Well, sorry, I don't have a Philosopher's Stone handy!" Tom sneers, but his brother just sighs, calming down.
"Even that has its flaws. You would still age, feeling more worn the longer you lived and you'd have to keep drinking the Elixir of Life to stay alive. All anyone would have to do is steal the stone and you would die." Tom huffs, but concedes and Kieran approaches his brother, their anger draining out of them.
"I don't want to be weak, but I want to be lonely even less. If I find something, would you?"
"As long as it doesn't have any funky side effects then I might consider it." Kieran sighs. Compromising is such a pain.
:Did you – :
: - just have a flashback:
:Yes. We were in the – :
: - Chamber of Secrets.: They both paused, then burst out in laughter.
:I guess we are – :
: - twins, though this is – :
: - rather disturbing.: They pause again, thinking.
:Are you… still going to kill me: Voldemort starts, surprised.
:If you are my twin brother, then you weren't born at the end of July. You were – :
: - born on New Year's Day. We asked the matron – :
: - and she told us I was born at 11:59 pm on New Year's Eve and – :
: - I was born – :
: - seven minutes later at 12:06 am.:
:We were born – :
: - in different years, but we're – :
: - twins. How odd.: They both laughed again, the older with a surprisingly deep chuckle and the younger with a snigger.
:We used to annoy so many people doing that.: Harry grinned wickedly.
:Drove the teachers up the walls when one of us would start to answer a question – : Voldemort smirked.
: - and the other would finish it. We got more points to Slytherin that way since we both knew the answer.: Harry remembered something and pouted.
:Except in Dumbledore's class.: Voldemort sneered, feeling Harry's amusement die at the mention of Dumbledore.
:He was stingy with the Slytherins, especially since we bested his precious Gryffindor's all time.: Harry was quiet for a few minutes.
:I think… we need to get some sleep. We need to think over all this. Try to figure out what happened.: Voldemort sighed, knowing he was right, so they said goodnight and settled down in their respective beds, drifting off into a semi-restful sleep.
AN: Ok, I can hear it now: why don't they just keep taking De-Aging Potions to be 'immortal'? De-Aging Potions cause a lot of stress and pain.
If taken too much, there is a build up. When there is too much build up, it kicks in and instead of the person being turned into a baby they continue on until they're only one cell and die.