Chapter Three

Tom lied to Augustina, of course. He wasn't busy with prefect duty that night, he just had better things to do than play with Malfoy's toys. Practice the Rhapsody, for instance. Besides, he already got his portion of satisfaction when Granger called Abraxas an asshole. Riddle chuckled, remembering his school rival's furious face.

He and Malfoy never got along. Abraxas was one year older than Tom, drastically richer and utterly pure-blood. The bastard envied Riddle's success in studies and his charisma, and always tried to remind everyone that "Riddle" was not a pure-blood family name. Each time Malfoy threw shade at Tom, he liked to imagine the Basilisk biting his limbs off one by one, ripping him to pieces, while the douche was still conscious.

If Abraxas only knew Tom was the Heir of Slytherin. Oh, he wouldn't dare to show disrespect then. Only this was Riddle's secret, because, if the truth came out, adding two and two, what with the attacks from last year and Myrtle's death, wouldn't be a difficult equation.

Riddle walked into the Room of Requirement, shaped as his concert hall. The puppets raised their heads in greeting and started taking their positions, moving awkwardly, their limbs at unnatural angles. Riddle sighed. He never taught them to walk or do other human-like movements properly, because that was not their purpose. He needed them only to produce proper sound without mistakes, and that they could do well.

Tom walked up to the piano and took his position.

- Let us begin.

The music started flowing through the hall, penetrating every part of Riddle's body. He watched the violin puppets' elbows move in sync, just as he needed them to.

Tom started the piano part, moving flawlessly through the melody, the quick and light movement of his fingers causing his hands to vibrate and tickle a bit. He knew his technique was perfect. No wonder Tina liked his fingers so much.

Riddle and his orchestra reached the legendary part of the Rhapsody - X Variation eighteen, and he raised his hand to pause the puppets.

- Silence for now, I must practice alone.

He didn't need distractions. Tom had to make sure his part was perfect first. Thirty or so repeats could help improve the technical side of the Variation, as this was the part he played the least due to the hate he felt for his inability to grasp the spirit of the melody.

Time passed as he was practising, the puppets staring at him in silence. Repeat twenty-seven, repeat twenty-eight, repeat twenty-nine...

Suddenly he felt a cold and bony hand snatch his wrist so tight it was painful.

One of the puppets, his percussionist, brought up its head close to his, making hoarse moaning sounds from the depth of its throat.

- Get back to your position! - Riddle shook its hand off his wrist. The puppet ducked his head in submission and crawled back.

Yes, they did that sometimes. They were not perfect, but Tom needed them.

- Let's pick up where we left.

The puppet orchestra did as he said. They moved through X variation eighteen, Riddle cringing at its artificial sound, on to the next part, finishing as good as they started, which significantly improved Tom's mood.

He finished with a confident accord and shook the pressure off his hands.

The percussionist didn't cause any more problems.

Harry tried to spend as much time in the library as possible. No one was interested in picking on him there. It was finally Friday, and the approaching possibility of putting Malfoy in his place was the only thing keeping the boy going. Why was it that all Malfoys were such douchebags? Potter's hands were itching to put a nasty jinx on Abraxas.

He was dreaming of his victory, dozing off in the comfort of his chair, when a short-haired Hufflepuff came up to him.

- It's Harry, right? My name is Damian Shacklebolt.

Harry sat up straight. Shacklebolt. Just like Kingsley. Could this be his relative? Looking at Damian now, the resemblance was quite clear.

- Hi. Yes. I'm Harry P...Granger.

- Sorry about everyone.

- What?

- You know. Everyone giving you a hard time.

The boy sat down in an armchair next to Harry's.

- Yeah, thanks...

- I know what it feels like.

Potter looked attentively at the Hufflepuff.

- You do?

- Of course. Hufflepuff is the most mocked House. But it's fine. We learned to just chill.

Harry smiled at him.

- That and we have the strongest Quidditch team, so we get to... what was that you said to Malfoy the other day? - Damian squinted trying to remember, while Harry flushed, reminded of his harsh language, - Oh yeah. We get to kick everyone's asses.

Shacklebolt laughed with a deep, chesty laugh. Harry was beginning to really like him.

- So, Harry... a piece of advice, if you'll let me, - Damian's face turned serious.

- I'm all ears.

- Find the leader of the wolf pack, corner him down alone... And frighten the hell out of him. Or form an alliance.

Shacklebolt frowned, realizing his words contradicted one another.

- It's complicated, go with your intuition, - he said with a pat on Potter's shoulder, - I'm sure you'll work something out.

So, the leader of the pack... Harry knew exactly who that was. Maybe he should follow the Hufflepuff student's advice.

- Well, gotta go. See you later, Harry.

Damian stood up just as suddenly as he appeared and began walking away with the ease and coordination only an agile athlete could have.

- Hey, Shacklebolt! - Harry called after him, - What position do you play in?

Damian grinned back at him with perfect white teeth.

- I'm a seeker, Harry.

It was late, and Tom was barely scraping through his prefect duties. He had to sleep more. His rehearsals were wearing him out, and the growing assignments, as easy as they were to him, took time. All he wanted was sleep. Lots and lots of sleep. In a quiet atmosphere, without puking noises, slammed doors and other distractions. But he could only hope for that.

Although Harry did prove to be perceptive, he somehow managed to make mistake after mistake. As a dormitory neighbour he was a nightmare. The boy left clothes all around the room, stomped, was too impulsive and loud if someone tried to reason with him, and was really annoying in general. Tom was getting seriously tired of reprimanding him.

Outside the dormitory Harry was a magnet for trouble. Granger lost endless amounts of points for Slytherin, which it seemed he enjoyed by now, was drowning in problems with proud pure-bloods and seemed always on edge. Tom had never heard of a new student getting into a duel on his first week. But Riddle was looking forward to that duel and even had thoughts about training Granger to make sure he defeated Abraxas.

Tom walked into the dormitory and was pleased to find the lights out and the room silent. He started changing to nightclothes, too tired and lazy to move fast, and finally pulled away the bed curtain and got into pitch darkness, leaving his wand at the bedside table.

Someone jumped on top of him, pinning him to the bed, and he felt a wand being pressed hard into his neck.

- I put a silencing charm up, so none of your kissass buddies will hear you, - he heard a furious whisper.

- So, why are you whispering then? - Riddle asked in a threatening voice.

He felt the wand being pressed deeper into his neck. It was still impossible to see anything in the dark. That could be a benefit.

- I am not afraid of you, - said Granger, his voice shaking, - And I won't ever show you submission. So stop right now.

Tom was entertained by such opposition.

- Stop doing what, Harry? - he said, unable to stop the grin spreading on his face.

Granger grabbed the collar of Tom's shirt.

- Stop making fun of me. I'm not someone you can push around. Tell your damn Slytherins to stop bullying me. Tell fucking Abraxas to stop killing me with his stare. Tell that Lestrange girl to stop dumping things accidentally on me.

Harry pulled Riddle closer by his collar, making Tom rise higher on his elbows. This didn't seem as entertaining as before. He reached for his wand, carefully, so that Harry couldn't feel him move, his well-toned abdomen muscles keeping him still.

- You're the leader of the snake pit. Make them stop.

- "My Slytherins"? "Snake pit"? Harry, this is your House just as mine. And since you came all you did was cause us trouble.

- Well, I hate this fucking place.

- Easy now.

- Don't fucking patronize me! - Granger was practically choking Tom now. What a serious boy.

Riddle pointed his wand at Harry and thought "Expelliarmus". Granger's wand flew out of his hand, painfully scraping the skin on Tom's neck. The boy on top of him realized what a weak position he got himself into and tried to make a leap for his lost wand, but Tom caught him before he could get away, pushing Harry face down into the mattress and pressing him down with his body.

- So, Granger, - a satisfied grin spreading on his face, - Who's on top now?

- Get off of me, I can't breathe!

- Not until you apologize and promise to follow all my rules.

- I'm not afraid of you, Riddle! I know exactly who you are!

Tom heard certain threat in Harry's voice. He frowned.

- And what is that supposed to mean?

Granger paused, panting. Riddle moved the weight of his body a little bit away to help the poor thing breathe. Harry swallowed, as if gathering his spirit.

- I know you're the Heir of Slytherin, - he said in a suddenly calm voice.

Riddle felt the hair on the back of his neck move. He turned the boy around to face him and put the light on with his wand. Harry squinted from the sudden light.

- What do you know? - he demanded.

- Everything. I know everything, Tom.

- Which is?

Granger focused on Riddle finally. His eyes were blazing, as if the boy finally decided on something.

- I know about the journal. Your diary. I know about the Chamber of Secrets. I know about the Basilisk and Myrtle Warren's death.

Tom felt like he was falling. His head was spinning.

- How? - he whispered.

- I won't tell you.

- Who else knows?! - Tom yelled at the boy.

- No one! But I'll make sure the right people know if you don't stop this mess! Tell them to leave me alone and promise me safety!

Riddle paused, calculating his risks.

- I can obliviate you, you know.

- That won't help, I've got the memories safely hidden.

And then Granger laughed. What was this? Was he bluffing?

- I've outsmarted you, Riddle.

- Shut up!

Tom was furious. This person knew too much. And either he was lying, or he truly did hide the memories making him immune to Riddle.

Tom tried to enter the boy's mind using legilimency, but he was blocked out. Harry laughed again, as if relieved. He was an occlumens?

- I can use the Imperious curse and make you tell me where your memories are hidden.

Riddle noticed how cold his voice got.

- Are you consulting with me, Tom? Do you need help figuring this out?

Riddle shoved Granger deeper into the mattress, but Granger continued.

- I know you can use the Imperious curse, Tom. I'm well aware what an evil bastard you are. The curse won't help either. Even I don't know where the memories are now. It's done.

- You said no one else knows the truth!

- One person will know if something happens to me.

Riddle thought of Dumbledore immediately. This Granger boy was smart. He did outsmart him. How on earth did he think this through?

This was extremely complicated. He needed more time to decide what to do with this.

- And if I take care of everything you will keep your mouth shut? - he growled at Harry.

- Yes.

Riddle took one last thorough look into Granger's strikingly green eyes. He finally made up his mind.

- Fine. Truce. The Slytherins won't touch you anymore. Do I need to prevent the duel from happening too?

Harry flushed.

- No, please let me have that. I really want to kick Malfoy's ass.

Tom sighed and got off Harry, who gathered himself together and was reaching for the bed curtains, eager to get away.

- I hate Malfoy, - Riddle said quietly.

Harry turned around.

- What?

- I said I hate Malfoy. Kick the bastard's ass.

Author's note.

This turned out as a small chapter, as it was originally a part of Chapter Two :) I know you expected the duel to happen, but that will come a bit later. Also, Harry's first week back in time is taking up a lot of... time, but it's all important. And I hope you like what happens in the Room of Requirement :) I've got a lot more written, and it just needs to be edited.

Thank you to everyone who followed and thank you very much for the reviews! It's the best feeling in the world to receive them 3 I hope I'm keeping you all satisfied.

Special thanks to my Editor, who found the time to edit this before his vacation! You rock and I'm too lucky to have a friend like you.

If you want to know how I'm doing with my writing and other things - I have a Tumblr blog you can check out. It's very deserted (to the point of being inappropriate). My nick there is shehonessky.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.