Chapter Nine
"THE PHOENIXES ARE NOT WHAT THEY SEEM"
Written in blood on the walls of the corridor. Has the Chamber been opened once more?
Right turn. Left turn. Torchlights. Girl's lavatory.
- Open!
Pitch black, down.
Damp air. Crunchy bones.
The statue of Salazar Slytherin.
"THE PHOENIXES ARE NOT WHAT THEY SEEM"
Written in the air with swaths of fire. Who is that behind it?
Frederic's drained husk, lying on the blood-drenched floor next to someone else.
Myrtle. Horror stuck forever in her glassy eyes.
A giggle nearby.
Tina and Tom, standing side by side.
- You! - Harry's voice. Such a weird sound.
- Us?
Tina points at the letters hanging in the air.
"THE PHOENIXES ARE NOT WHAT THEY SEEM"
No air. Can't breathe.
Tom's face, so close.
- Him.
- No.., - Harry was choking.
- Him. No dark magic. No weak links.
- Dumbledore wouldn't...
- The phoenixes are not what they seem.
Tina holds Tom by the shoulder. His face turned to hers. Her lips locked with his. Bite.
- No! – hoarse throat, almost no sound.
No air.
Harry woke up, desperately gasping for air. His head was spinning and he felt sick. It was still dark out, and the dormitory still empty.
What kind of dream was that?! What the bloody hell, phoenixes? Tom and Tina kissing? Where was this even coming from?
Potter lay panting, trying to put two and two together.
Last night, Riddle told him some things about Dumbledore – things Harry wasn't ready to hear. He would never believe it - he could not. He trusted the man since his very first day at Hogwarts. If he really did say those words about Myrtle, it would turn Harry's world upside down.
And Frederic? Would he really be expelled for using dark magic in such a way? Harry broke a whole lot of rules, and the headmaster never did anything serious about it. And if Frederic doesn't get help, he might kill himself. This had to take precedence over using dark magic, to soften Dumbledore's punishment.
He had to talk to the professor. Gladly he had a scheduled meeting with him that same day.
Alright, the part of the dream about Dumbledore seemed logical enough.
But what about the kiss? And why did Harry feel so angry about it?
Tom felt something grab his ankle and pull. It was that annoying percussionist once again.
- Get away from me! - he shook it off his leg, accidentally ripping off the puppet's hand in the process, - Look what you've done now!
The puppet stared at Riddle with empty eyes.
- Do you want your hand back? - Tom shook its hand before its face.
His percussionist started making croaking noises, pointing at its stomach.
- Stop it, now, or I will destroy you!
The puppet shuddered and bowed its head.
- Why is there always something wrong with you? Why are all your other friends quiet and obedient, - Tom pointed to the rest of the crowd with the ripped-off hand, - but you just keep resisting my spells?
He got up and moved to the unruly percussionist.
- Give me your wrist, - Riddle outstretched his hand, and the puppet did as it was told. Tom placed the ripped-off hand back where it was and fastened it with a Reparo spell, - Give it a go.
Riddle pointed at a drum set, and the puppet shuffled its way to the instruments. It took the drumsticks apprehensively and played a small beat.
- Again, and faster, - Tom commanded, and the thing repeated, but not good enough, - Faster! Faster or I will burn you!
The puppet tried over and over, until, after ten more repeats, Riddle felt satisfied with it.
- It's a good thing you're not a violinist, or this might have affected the sound beyond repair, - Tom murmured under his nose.
He looked around the room, empty eyes staring bleakly back at him. He wondered what others might think if they ever saw his puppets. Would they be scared? Would they appreciate the perfect sound they could produce; the sound Tom put so much effort into? Would they realize what Tom did to them?
What would Harry think?
Harry couldn't wait for his "tea time" with Dumbledore. He was the first at the Great Hall for breakfast, but somehow could hardly get anything into his mouth. The Slytherins that managed to get up early kept walking up and congratulating him, some even patting him on the shoulder, although it did seem their yesterday's euphoria over the victory began to wear off. He was the mudblood they used to despise, after all, and this wouldn't change overnight.
The Gryffindor part of the Hall was a whole other story. It looked like they didn't just finally acknowledge he existed, but realized he represented the essence of what they loathed about the House of Slytherin. Potter wondered whether Draco Malfoy felt being exactly that for Gryffindor back in Harry's time. Although Draco sure was a proper little shit, the perfect grandson of Abraxas Malfoy and, apparently, Augustina Lestrange.
Harry felt a wave of anger wash over him again. Sure, that kiss happened only in his dream, right? Why did he feel so sick thinking about it anyway? He didn't have any business with it, did he?
But if she was the mysterious person behind the bite mark... It was just wrong. She's Malfoy's goddamn fiancé, and haven't Riddle sinned enough? Where did he get off with his peccancy?
Potter snorted, remembering it was actually Voldemort he was thinking about. Not the handsome youth with the perfect school record, but the man who would one day become an evil murderous abomination. The twisted young man that had already murdered a bunch of people.
Would Tom have committed his first crime, though, had Dumbledore not push him to it?
Harry felt his fingers go numb as he actually processed this thought. He just admitted to believing Riddle's words – as if it was nothing, before even talking to Dumbledore. The venom in Tom's words had sunk in.
Think of the devil and in he walks. Riddle entered the Great Hall with his usual air of relaxed confidence, although looking a bit too tired than normal, dark shadows under his eyes giving him a mysterious aspect. Harry looked away hastily, fixing his eyes on his plate, finally grabbing that toast and stuffing it into himself at an impressive speed, effectively choking on it. He grabbed his goblet of pumpkin juice trying to ignore his cheeks burning up. It must be this damn toast, and not the fact that Riddle had just walked in the room, that made him flare up. Definitely the fucking toast.
- Are you alright?
Of course, Tom had to walk up and stand right across from Potter. Harry gulped down the juice, finally managing to clear his throat, and wiped the tears off with his sleeve.
- I'm fine, - he croaked, - The fact that you're actually asking is what bothers me more.
- Well, we wouldn't want our Quidditch hero to pass out over breakfast. Are you feeling better after all that whiskey, by the way?
Harry raised his eyebrows, surprised by this concerned small talk. It looked like Riddle was surprised too, as he looked uncomfortable, which was way out of character for him, and folded his arms on his chest.
- Didn't throw up all over the dormitory, I hope? - Tom asked in a more scornful tone.
- No, just on your bed.
Surprisingly enough, all Riddle did in response to that was frown and turn to leave without saying anything, leaving Potter to wonder if it was actually the first time the Future Voldemort failed to clap back with something snappy and/or threatening.
The Great Hall kept filling up until everyone was there, except Rosier and the Lestrange cousins. Harry's teammates dropped beside him, everyone except Avery, who took his place, as always, by Riddle. Harry wondered just how close they were. He sometimes noticed them return to the dormitory together. What did they do? Why was Avery closest to Tom? Somehow today these questions mattered more than before.
Merlin, was Luke his "friend"? No, no, that wasn't possible.
Harry focused, trying to catch a glimpse of their conversation.
- ... and the sounds I've gotten out of her, Riddle! Proper music to my ears that was. If that's not something worth breaking the school rules for, then I don't know what is.
Potter blushed, realizing Avery was speaking about the ginger girl from yesterday. Okay, Luke was definitely not Riddle's mysterious "friend".
- And what did you do? - Luke asked Tom, forking a sausage.
- I think you've learned by now it's none of your business, - Riddle's voice was calm, not even cold, but it nonetheless caused Avery to shuffle uncomfortably on the bench.
- Sorry, Tom, I just remember you sticking your wand into Harry last night, so I wondered how that ended. He's the star of my team, wouldn't want him hurt or anything.
- I didn't hurt your precious seeker.
- Alrighty.
Luke relaxed in the shoulders and started cutting his food. Harry couldn't help a smile spreading on his face. He was grateful his captain had stuck up for him. He looked away only to have his smile melt away as he saw Tina Lestrange finally storm into the Great Hall. She was wearing the gloomiest expression he had ever seen on her, walked right past a surprised Abraxas and Orion and, much to Potter's horror, walked straight to where he and his teammates were sitting.
- What are you looking at? - she barked at Daphne Rackharrow, who rounded her eyes in disbelief, - Granger, I need to speak with you.
Harry felt himself choking again.
- What?! - he managed to wheeze through a spray of pie crumbs.
Tina rolled her eyes.
- I'm sure you've heard me. I need to speak with you, dammit, Granger!
There was something different about her that morning. Her hair wasn't combed, strands sticking out, her shirt wasn't ironed and the makeup on her eyes was smudged. She too had dark shadows around her eyes, which made Harry's stomach turn unpleasantly, as it was all the more evidence that she might be Tom's bloody "friend". Maybe he could even find out now.
- Alright, whatever. Where and when do you want to talk?
- Now, Granger, now! Follow me.
Harry got up from the table and followed the girl, catching stares from bemused Slytherins, Tom included. Once they were out of the Great Hall and in the nearest empty corridor Lestrange turned to Potter, and he saw a glimpse of something desperate in her eyes.
- I need you to tell Dumbledore about the duel with Abraxas. Tell him about the Cruciatus Curse.
Harry felt his eyebrows shoot up.
- What?
- Orion doesn't have anything on you. You're just a newcomer, a mudblood with no history.
- Why, thank you.
Tina ignored his sarcasm.
- He can't possibly hurt you, you are immune to him, unlike anyone else who witnessed the duel...
Potter raised his hand, interrupting Lestrange.
- This doesn't make any sense! Why would you want to cause such problems to your own fiancé? He could end up in Azkaban for something like this!
- This could end my stupid engagement with him!
The kissing scene from Harry's dream emerged again.
- So you could be with Riddle? - the words flew out from his tongue before he could control it.
Tina froze. Her face went pale, as Harry's heart thundered inside him.
- What on earth gave you that idea? - she asked him in a small voice.
Potter felt sick. Her reaction only confirmed it. Who else, if not the pretty sly bitch? She was a perfect match for Riddle, pureblood and all.
- So, it's true then? You are having an affair with him?
- Of course not! - she hissed this time.
- I can see pretty damn well that you're lying!
- You are an imbecile, Granger!
Harry was angry. He turned to leave, but Lestrange caught him by the hand.
- Don't go! I need your help!
- You just called me an imbecile.
- Well, don't say those things about me and Tom! - she hissed.
Harry sighed. Maybe he was actually going nuts and overthinking the stupid dream.
- It doesn't matter. I won't help you.
Augustina looked furious.
- Why? - her voice cut like a knife.
- I'm not a rat. I would never run off and squeal on my dueling opponent, even if it's a stuck-up snob like Abraxas Malfoy.
A bitter smile crossed Lestrange's face.
- No, our hero Harry Granger wouldn't do that, of course. How desperate of me.
Her voice sounded like she was fighting away tears. Potter experienced it with Hermione enough to know what he was facing.
He sighed. Harry knew he would regret his next step, but he couldn't do otherwise.
- Are you alright? - he asked, preparing for whatever the hell might come after.
And there came the tears.
- I can't do this anymore, I can't and I won't, - Augustina covered her mouth with a shaking hand, looking around as if searching for a way to escape.
- Do what?
Lestrange gave him a long testing look, and then her anger was back.
- Marry him! Have my life thrown out completely to be just Missus Malfoy! The mother of the future Malfoy heir being the only purpose of my life! I can't...
She hid her face in her hands and stood there shaking, and Potter found himself pitying her. Harry searched for something to say, but nothing seemed to come to mind. Instead, Tina continued.
- You know, I'm so jealous of this freedom you have... You can say whatever you want, do what you want, fight for yourself...
- Believe me, it only looks that way, - Potter sighed, - I'm a magnet for problems. I attract everything dangerous and often have people that matter to me most hurt in the end.
- Oh, dangers, - Tina rolled her eyes and reached for her handkerchief, - How restraining! I'd trade all your dangers for a future without Malfoy.
Harry thought to himself that he would rather not give away all his problems to become Malfoy's wife, but decided not to say it out loud.
- So why can't you break the engagement if you hate it so much?
Tina let out a frustrated breath.
- This is how I know you're a mudblood, Granger, - she pinned him with her eyes as if he said the dumbest thing she ever heard, - If I do this, my family will turn on me. I will be left without my heirlooms, without my home, my reputation will be ruined and I will be kicked out of all my social circles!
- The ones you hate so much?
- I specifically hate one man, Granger, I am quite fine with the rest of them!
- So, if I squeal on Malfoy, and he gets punished, and your family will go through with breaking the engagement, you will have more freedom? - Harry cast Tina a sceptical look, - You will be able to pick anyone you actually want to marry? Even Riddle?
- Damn it, Granger, will you drop the Tom subject?! Do you have some kind of crush on him?
Harry felt his face grow red.
- What?! Hell, no!
Lestrange sighed.
- No, I wouldn't ever marry Riddle, because he is a mudblood too, just like you!
It was the third time she called Harry a mudblood in the last ten minutes, but this time it actually hurt. What was more shocking, it hurt because she called Tom the same name.
What a funny situation. Voldemort was the leader of all muggle-haters, the pureblood heir of Slytherin, and he would be worshipped by people like Malfoy in Harry's time, but Tom, extremely talented, smart, handsome and charming Tom, was just a mudblood to them now. A wasted potential for something so much better than Voldemort.
That thought helped him make up his mind.
- I won't help you, Tina. I can't help you. You're the only one that can help yourself. If you want the freedom you long for so much, then you are going to have to get off your high horse and join the mudbloods.
Lestrange had the decency to look as if she had received a slap on her face. Harry turned to leave, but Augustina caught him by the hand.
- Don't tell anyone about what I said, Granger! Swear to me!
- Why would I tell anyone? Didn't I tell you already? I'm not a rat!
Tina looked convinced enough, and Potter pulled his hand out of hers.
Harry didn't know what to say. He waited for his meeting with Dumbledore all morning, but when he sat opposite the man, who was staring back at him with the usual half smile, it was as if he lost his voice.
- I have some good news for you, Harry, - the professor's smile broadened, - Not to get your hopes up too early, but I have finally obtained the lost scripts of Calimera, which contain crucial information on time travel.
Harry widened his eyes.
- This is fantastic, sir! - he straightened up in his chair, - Is there any way I can help you? Any way at all?
- Oh, no, - Dumbledore raised his hands, - It's best I do the research on my own. Besides, you will need to learn Ancient Greek to help me.
- Oh... alright, sir, - Potter slouched back in the chair and drifted away thinking how to ask the professor about all the things Riddle said.
- You are very far away today, Harry. Is there something bothering you? - Dumbledore asked, - You should know that you can ask me anything as long as it doesn't affect the future.
- But doesn't my presence here already affect the future, sir?
The professor chuckled.
- There is not much we can do about that. We could probably isolate you, but that would be quite harsh, besides we don't know how long the isolation would last.
Harry shuddered at the thought. Isolate him? Did those thoughts actually cross Dumbledore's mind?
- Sir, the question is actually about your past...
- Is that right? I am sure it is safe to ask then.
Potter took a sip from his tea cup to wash off the dryness in his throat.
- I've heard rumours about the time when you were younger. With this war raging, with Grindewald and the oppression from muggles... It's just, people talk, and I've heard...
Dumbledore interrupted, raising his hand.
- It's alright, Harry, I can tell you about my friendship with Grindelwald.
- So, it's true then, sir?
- Yes, quite. We were the greatest of friends.
- But... how is it possible? Everyone knows you have progressive views on muggles!
- I do, Harry, but it took me time to get to this point. And Gellert's revolution was one of the reasons I changed my views.
- So, you wouldn't say that muggles are inconvenient, sir?
- Not more than wizards, I suppose. Some more inconvenient than others, but many of them change this world into a better place.
This got Potter nowhere. It turned out Riddle didn't lie about Dumbledore and Grindewald, but what of the part about Myrtle? How could he possibly ask that without letting too much out about Riddle?
- Sir, could I ask you one more question?
- What else bothers you, Harry?
- Last year... I've heard from other students that there had been a number of attacks on muggle-borns in the school... and one of them died.
It was Dumbledore's time to slowly sip tea, focused far in his thoughts.
- Surely you don't think I am behind the attacks, Harry? Considering your previous question.
- No, no! Sir, of course not! But... Hagrid? Do you really think it was him?
- Careful, Harry. Just now you've told me you know Hagrid. But as you have surely noticed, he's nowhere around. Judging by this only commentary I know the answer to my plea to Wizengamot on allowing Hagrid to work as a groundskeeper here at Hogwarts.
Then the professor smiled.
- Now, I can't be angry with you, as the news make me too happy, but I must ask you to be more careful with me in the future - me or other residents at this school.
Harry couldn't stop his cheeks from burning red. Oh, if only Dumbledore knew how much he blabbered out to Riddle by this moment...
- As for the case of Myrtle Warren, - the professor's face darkened, - No, I am quite sure an acromantula can't kill like that. Everybody was sure, to be honest with you, Harry, as there were no fools on that case. But times are difficult, and wizards hurry to blame anything that differs from their understanding of normal, and Hagrid was always a painful sight.
The professor sighed, shaking his head in regret.
- That being said, Harry, there is nothing you specifically can do to help Hagrid. If you know anything about the true murderer here, then you must keep silent about it until a time comes when someone else will speak the truth.
But no one will. Not until Lucius Malfoy, son of Abraxas Malfoy, lands Riddle's diary right into Ginny's hands.
Oh crap. Harry just realized that with what Tina had said earlier that morning, there might not be a Lucius Malfoy! But Harry didn't have anything to do with her mood, right? He didn't interfere in her timeline. She couldn't have possibly decided to split with Malfoy after Harry came? What did she say?
"I'm so jealous of this freedom you have".
Harry felt blood rush to his face again. Maybe Dumbledore's idea to isolate him wasn't that bad at all.
- Sometimes I wonder what goes inside that head of yours, Harry Potter, - Dumbledore smiled at him, which didn't help in any way.
Harry gulped, but decided to give it another shot.
- Professor, May I ask one last question? It won't affect the future in any way, but it's something that started to concern me very much recently...
- Sure, Harry, go on.
- If there was, hypothetically, a student here at Hogwarts who might be hurting himself... What should he do?
- Hurting himself?
- Yes, doing something that might cause very serious consequences to his... or her health...
- Then he needs help, Harry.
Harry expected to get that response, but it was the answer to the second part of his question that he was afraid to hear.
- But what if the way he hurts himself is strictly against school rules?... Would he be expelled for that?
Dumbledore leaned back on his chair and locked his fingers together.
- The school rules exist for a reason, Harry. One who breaks them can move on to breaking any other rules as well.
- But if he's sick?
- Then Saint Mungo's would be the perfect place for him, not Hogwarts. We are a school, Harry.
Not Hogwarts. Frederic would be kicked out. Coming from the man who let Lupin attend school. That made no sense at all. Why would he save one and condemn the other?
- Is there something you wish to tell me, Harry?
That look again on the Professor's face. As if he could read every thought in Harry's mind. But Harry would know if he did... Wouldn't he?
- No, Professor.
Perhaps, Riddle wasn't that wrong. The nasty knot inside Harry's stomach that loosened with what seemed as a reassuring dialogue with Dumbledore, had tightened once again.
Riddle was pacing the corridor next to Dumbledore's office when Granger finally appeared in the doorway. The boy fumbled a bit as he noticed him. It amused Tom, but for whatever reason made him feel uncomfortable too. Especially after that weird breakfast scene.
- Riddle? Don't tell me you were waiting for me.
Tom caught a guilty glimpse on Dumbledore's door. Too suspicious. His embarrassment was wiped off in an instant.
- I'm afraid I have. I need to speak to you, - he levelled with Harry, - Walk with me. Please.
Granger's eyebrows flew up in surprise. He crossed his arms on his chest, but followed. As soon as they turned the corridor, Riddle lowered his voice and spoke.
- What did Augustina want with you?
Harry went into a sudden halt and looked angrily at him.
- Why the hell do you care, huh?! What is she to you?!
Tom was taken aback by his volatile reaction. What the devil did she tell him?
- I know Lestrange well enough. If she called you for something - you of all people- she's planning something. And Merlin knows the damage she could cause.
Granger looked at him mockingly.
- Oh, and that's the only reason you're asking, because you care so much for this school.
- I do, I'm a prefect here. And what exactly are you suspecting me in? - Then a sudden thought struck Tom, and he pointed back to the deputy headmaster's corridor, - Is this why you were there?
- What? No! - Harry's face was turning red, - This is not connected in any way!
Riddle was always good at guessing what others felt, but Granger seemed to throw him off all his senses. The boy stood there, stooped and crossing his arms so tight it looked like he might squeeze himself out.
Tom sighed.
- Harry, what did Tina want with you?
- It stays between me and Tina!
- You don't know what you're messing with. She's a twisted girl.
- Funny hearing this from the most twisted person I know.
Why did that sound like an insult?
- The difference between her and me is that I would never do anything stupid.
Harry frowned, but said nothing.
- Harry, this is important. Didn't you see how easily she provoked her cousin last night into almost killing himself? Are you ready to shoulder the responsibility of whatever she might do next?
It looked like Granger was finally giving ground.
- How is Frederic?
- He is in decent hands, - Tom watched Granger's lips form into an unsatisfied thin line, so he added, - You can go visit him yourself. He will like that.
Harry sighed and made a step away, but Riddle caught him by the wrist. The boys sleeve moved up, showing a familiar letter-shaped scar, but Granger shook it back down before Tom could make out anything.
- I need to know what she is planning, Harry, this is no joke! Tell me at least something!
Harry gave him another long look.
- She wants to break the engagement.
That was a surprise. So Tina did listen to what Tom told her yesterday.
- And what is your role in all of this?
- It doesn't matter, I'm not doing what she asked me to.
- She will ask again.
- And will get the same answer from me.
Harry was stalwart. It was a good thing, considering he knew so much of Tom's secrets, but it could also get really annoying.
- Alright, but you should know I am probably the only one who can change her mind.
- How so?
That angry sparkle was back in the boy's eyes. Did Harry know about him and Tina?
- I know her well enough.
- Sure you do. You're having an affair, aren't you?
There it was. Did Tina tell him? Why? Tom wouldn't meet any serious consequences if this came out, but she was putting everything at risk.
- You should reconsider telling me whatever she's hiding.
- So you don't deny!
Riddle couldn't contain a grin.
- Do I understand you correctly, Harry? Whether there is or isn't something between me and Tina matters to you more than any stunts Tina might pull?
Harry stood fuming, realizing he was trapped.
- What if something that she is planning is for the good?
Riddle smirked.
- What good is breaking an engagement with another prominent family?
- How about being free? Not having to live up to anyone's expectations?
It felt as if Harry's eyes burned right into Tom.
- What about not having to lick anyone's boots for a portion of privileges? Maybe you should reconsider this, Tom.
He turned and left, and Riddle felt more wounded than the day his own father had rejected him.
Maybe he should kill Granger too?
Frederic Lestrange looked like a ghost of himself. His skin was stretched so taut around his skull that his face lost all of its attractiveness, black lifeless curls spread on the pillow. He looked incredibly sick.
But he was broadly smiling.
- Harry! It's so nice of you to come and check on me! I'm doing a lot better! I've been eating by the hour and taking Musclegrow, and it's been disgusting and painful of course..., - He paused and looked at Potter sheepishly, - But it's fine! I can handle the pain. How are you doing? You were so good yesterday! I've never seen anyone play like this! You should seriously consider Quidditch as a career! I mean, even Tom couldn't keep his eyes off you, and he hates Quidditch!
Frederic kept on chattering, as Harry's thoughts took him to another place. Yes, Tom did say that he enjoyed the game and that Harry was... magnificent? That was the word he picked, right?
Harry felt a satisfied purr inside of him, but shook his head, embarrassed at his own thought. This was Voldemort.
- No, you don't want to? It's alright, I can ask Ed to bring me my homework, or maybe even Tom will have a minute to study with me - that would be really fantastic!
Harry blinked at Frederic.
- Homework?... I brought your homework with me, here it is.
Potter reached in his bag and pulled out a couple of textbooks and a parchment.
- Oh, thank you, Harry! How thoughtful of you! You know, Ed should really reconsider the way he feels about you, but you know... He is very touchy about anything Tom gets interested in, I mean, we all are fighting for the limelight of his attention...
- Interested in? Tom is interested in me?
Frederic looked caught off guard.
- Well, I don't know...
Harry gave him a dull look.
- He doesn't talk about you much or anything, - Lestrange hurried to cover up, - It's just a feeling, I could be wrong. But then Ed feels it too...
- And Rosier is jealous.
- Yes, he is... But I can relate to Ed very much, so I need to seriously ask you to give him a chance.
- Give him a chance?! - Harry blurted our, - He's the one who hates me!
- Well, you took his spot on the team...
- His spot?! I didn't even try out properly, Luke insisted I joined!
- Well, yes, but still...
At that moment the healer, Mrs. Dwale, walked in, carrying a glass of dark-brownish goo in a glass.
- Time for the next portion, Mr. Lestrange, - she said, holding it out to Frederic.
He took the glass, breathed out and gulped it all down, eyes shut. After Lestrange got to the bottom of the glass, he shuddered and covered up his mouth as if he was going to puke.
- Now, hold it in, mister, or I'm going to have to bring another one.
Frederic crumpled the covers with his hands and squinted. The healer watched him until he looked stable enough.
- Next portion in two hours, - she said and left.
- This Musclegrow, Harry... It tastes like vomit with a rotten cabbage aftertaste.
- I'm sorry, Frederic.
- Oh, that's not the worst thing. The worst is the pain of growing muscles...
Lestrange crawled deeper underneath the covers. His face lost all colour it previously had, and his smile faded.
- Thanks for providing a distraction though, - Frederic looked at Potter, - It really helps.
Harry sat at the foot of the bed.
- Why would you put yourself through all of this? - he asked Lestrange carefully.
Lestrange sighed.
- It's a long and complicated story, and I'm not even sure I know the answer...
- Well, you need a distraction from the pain, right? - Harry smiled, and Frederic chuckled.
- Alright... But promise not to tell anyone, okay? I don't really talk about this...
- I promise I won't tell anyone.
- Thanks, Harry... You know, Ed can think whatever he wants, but I really like you, and Luke too, and it doesn't look like Tom hates you, and so I'm very happy you came from wherever you have.
Harry shifted uncomfortably, but Frederic didn't seem to notice. Instead, he began his story.
- Tina is my cousin, as you might now. We grew up in separate families, but she was around all the time. So much that it felt like she's the only other child in the world.
Frederic looked down, frowning.
- I have complicated relationships with my parents. No relationship, actually - they don't exactly talk to me. I mean, they hardly talk to each other, so... You can say I was mostly raised by our house elf Maisie. I hope you won't tell anyone that part too...
- Sure, but house elves can be great, - Harry stepped in, - I have a close friend that's a house elf.
- Better keep quiet about this, Harry, or even your Quidditch performance won't protect you from all the disdain, - Lestrange chuckled, - So, there was a house elf and then there was Tina. She was the only... human who cared about what I said and did. And I cared about her in return. Her marriage was arranged with Abraxas Malfoy long before she was even born, but we made a promise to each other that we would be together always, that nothing could separate us. Then, school began.
Frederic reached out his shaking hand for a glass of water and sipped from it, before he continued.
- I was very happy with us being sorted into the same House, and she was too at first, but... We were finally surrounded by other people, not isolated anymore from the world. She was still the most important person for me, but it seemed that I wasn't that for her anymore. She is obviously very beautiful, and she started getting a lot of attention, her popularity grew... And I was just… me, as always. She started drifting away from me, and as that happened I only realized that I was hopelessly in love with her.
The boy's voice broke into a whisper, and Harry suddenly felt embarrassed. Riddle rode off on a side issue when Harry confronted him about the possible affair, Augustina denied everything, but it was clear the two had some secret connection. It didn't look, however, like Frederic knew anything about this, which made Potter only angrier.
Lestrange didn't notice anything.
- I had new friends too, though. Lucas, Ed, Tom... And Tom was just brilliant! I looked at him and saw everything I wanted to be. The way he held himself, talked to people, his sharp mind - there wasn't a chance you wouldn't fall under his charm. Everyone did. Even Tina. She never admitted it, but I saw the way she looked at him sometimes... It is the way I want her to look at me.
- You should know, Freddy, - Harry started cautiously, - He is not as good as you think.
Lestrange just smiled back.
- But he is, Harry, - he raised his hand before Potter could object, - I know you've had your issues with him, but that's because he's not the one to share leadership.
- Oh, if it was only about the leadership! He is a manipulative egomaniac who won't hesitate to use any means necessary! He never cares what others think or feel!
- But he cares about me.
- Does he?
- I'm alive thanks to him only.
Harry didn't know what to say. Tom did save Frederic yesterday, but there must have been reasons for it. He probably just didn't want the trouble of a dead body in the dormitory. Besides, this was a future Death Eater. Right?
Lestrange gave him a long studying look.
- To be honest, Harry, it looks like you have feelings for him.
- What?! - it was the second time he was accused of this in a day, and it was all too bizarre, - Did you hear what I said?!
- I did, and I also saw how much you stared at him last night.
- I didn't stare! - Harry felt his cheeks flame up, but Frederic only burst into laughter, - I hate his guts!
- Going to have to stand in line after Ed, Harry.
- Shut up!
- Although, it looks like you have more chances.
- Frederic, seriously stop! I do not have feelings for bastards like Riddle!
- He likes rare artefacts, if you're searching for a key to his heart.
- He has no heart! - Harry stood up from the bed, - And I absolutely hate him!
Potter fumed while Lestrange chuckled.
- You're just playing with me, aren't you? - Harry squinted his eyes.
- Sure.
- I hope that Musclegrow is very painful.
- It's pretty nasty.
Harry sighed and sat back down on the bed.
- So, you want to be like Tom, so she will love you back? And one comment about cheekbones could make you almost kill yourself?
Lestrange cringed.
- You make it sound so stupid. And I wasn't trying to kill...
- You're in the hospital wing! - Harry interrupted, - Listen, I don't mean to push or anything, but starving yourself over a girl who's too egoistic to care - I mean, where is she now? Has she even come to visit her own cousin?
Frederic's eyes saddened, and Harry immediately felt bad.
- Sorry for being harsh, Frederic. You're a great guy and you will find hundreds of other girls, just as beautiful, if you set your mind to it. And there's nothing you should change about the way you look, you are attractive in your own way. Don't lose your life over someone who doesn't deserve it.
Lestrange sighed.
- Thanks, Harry, for the compliments, but do you honestly think I don't know that? I don't need the others. They are invisible to me while she exists. And even if she didn't anymore, everyone would be measured by her. No matter how much pain she causes to me or anyone else.
- Freddy...
- Stop it, Harry! I'm not stupid!
It was the first time Lestrange ever raised his voice. He looked annoyed for a second, but went back to his smile eventually.
- Tell me, Harry, have you ever been in love?
Potter thought back to Chow Chang and his fourth year, as well as his interest in Ginny last summer.
- I didn't really date girls, but there were a couple that...
- No, you've never been in love, - Lestrange interrupted, - Because you would have known then that you can't really choose who you love. That you don't feel that way about someone because he or she is good, you love them even though they disappoint you. You believe in them no matter what.
Lestrange gave a shuddered breath and pulled himself in, deeper in the covers.
- I know Tina. I know who she can be. She's trying to catch all the freedom she can while she's still in a place with people. Before she is locked up in the Malfoy Manor, caring for a child she didn't want and living with a person she didn't choose. She needs me there, in the future. And I need to be the best person in the world for her. And if being more like Tom makes me better for her, then so be it.
What a messed up time it was. These people were born into roles they were too tied up in to break away from. The price of freedom felt too high for them - no one knew its taste anyway.
Augustina would marry Malfoy and raise Lucius, Draco's father, filling him with spite, drop by little drop of her milk.
Frederic would never be with the person he loved and would follow in the footsteps of the future Dark Lord.
Riddle would erase his mudblood past just to earn a place he felt that he had the right for.
And he did have a right for it. He was Slytherin's heir and he was a great, powerful wizard. He didn't deserve to be treated like the second sort.
Oh, if only these idiots knew what disaster they were dashing headfirst towards.
Author's note
Oh god, how sleepy I am right now, but I did promise a new chapter tonight in my tumblr blog, didn't I? I'm literally falling asleep on the keyboard right now, afraid I might erase everything accidentally... So if u still find mistakes - just imagine my sleeping face.
Its been a long 3 months of remaking and rewriting and redoing and scrapping everything, and then there is real life stuff getting in between... I'm just happy if anyone still reads this :D
About the way I form dialogues - srry peeps, it's too late to change anything now. Bear with me.
Good news: chapter 10 is almost done too, cause I had lots of material :D
People who leave reviews, follows and set alerts - you give me life.
My Editor rocks.