CHAPTER 2

It had been a few days since the intervention and Harry had barely slept. He was laid on his bed in his own rooms since Dumbledore saw fit to isolate him from his friends for his protection; Dumbledore believed the Dark Lord was recruiting students and Harry needed to be safe. He scoffed, Tom wasn't recruiting students he was teaching them; rather well if Harry was being honest. He'd already skipped one of his DADA lessons feigning illness but he knew he couldn't avoid the man forever and he knew he said he'd consider fulfilling the prophecy but what sort of life would he have then? He'd survived a torturous childhood, did he have to suffer for the rest of his life too? Could he do this, or should he ignore it and try to enjoy the time he had left.

Interrupting his conflicted thoughts he prepared for the day, washed, dressed and glamoured he walked slowly to the defence corridor. Ron and Hermione were stood talking quietly but stopped in shock at seeing him. They couldn't be seen talking, and it was clear that Hermione at least was fighting the urge to hug him he rolled his eyes at her but he managed a real smile. He cursed in his mind when his body reacted to the Professors presence, stupid soul bond why did she have to tell them! Why couldn't he stay oblivious?

"In" Tom ordered "As mentioned in our previous lesson, we'll be having mock duels using only non verbal spells."

The room was cleared of desks and chairs, replaced with small duelling platforms.

"Your pairs are on the board, the victors will compete against each other until there is only one winner."

Harry faced Neville first, levitating the teen before summoning his wand before Neville could react. Harry just wanted to leave, it wouldn't be suspicious for him to do well in Defence it was expected of him if he were to defeat the Dark Lord after all. Hermione and Ron's duel lasted a little longer, before Ron got a lucky stun on her. He was to face Harry, knowing his friend wasn't willing to stick around this lesson he stepped in front of Harry's confundus before Harry stunned him.

Draco duel with Harry lasted a little longer, Draco tried to distract Harry with a Baubillious a charm that shot lightning from his wand potentially harmful but Harry dodged it easily. Draco received a bat bogey hex which made him cover his nose leaving Harry free to summon his wand. The victor, he cancelled the spell.

"Now sit down and write why you lost your duel, quietly. Mr Potter stay behind" Tom told them and Harry sighed before sitting at a desk refraining from banging his head against it. When the students handed in their observations and left. Tom motioned for Harry to follow him inside the Professors office.

"You've been avoiding me" Tom stated and Harry inclined his head before nodding.

"Most of my life" Harry agreed and Tom sucked a calming breathe through his teeth

"Do you not want that thing removed?" Tom asked calmly

"I do"

"Did I not offer to do that for you" Tom asked

"Yes"

"So you'll accompany me to my home this evening where we'll remove it" Tom told him

"Do I have a choice?"

"Neither of us do" Tom sneered

"Right, till later then" Harry said quickly departing from the classroom.

*Will have to rearrange our meeting till tomorrow* Harry thought to his team. The twins had taken the idea from muggle ear pieces, instead of speaking into it they could send thoughts to each other. Completely undetectable and worked no matter the distance.

*What's happened Snake?* the voice of one of the Weasley twins voiced into his mind

*I couldn't avoid him forever.* Harry mentally sighed

*I'm surprised he has allowed you this much time* mused Hermione

*Yeah. Well we'll meet tomorrow. Could you split up and search for those rooms, Ron could you meet with the twins and plan Moony's rescue. I need some good news* Harry asked them and when he received affirmative answers he closed the connection.

Classes went slowly the rest of the day, which should have pleased Harry but it only gave him more time in his own mind that didn't help at all. When he entered Tom's office after finding the classroom empty he found the man unglamoured and his presence made those ruby eyes snap towards him. They weren't terrifying at all, they were like 2 deep pools of swirling blood and Harry found it difficult to avert his eyes from their gaze. Tom silently offered him an arm indicating that they would be side apparating and Harry didn't hide his distaste at the idea.

"You have another way?" Tom asked with an amused smirk

"Yeah, show me where you want to go" Harry told him and Tom pushed the image of his home, a castle! Of course it was. Harry took hold of Tom before using shadows to move them to Tom's home.

"They are foul" Tom sneered, whilst Harry shredded his glamour

"I don't see it" Harry replied simply, though he'd been told numerous times how disgusting his shadows felt.

"You wouldn't, they are impressive I admit" Tom allowed

"I think so too"

"You'll need to eat first, I don't imagine that you want to pass out" Tom drawled before entering his home, Harry followed slowly behind taking the time to calm his breathing and look at the place. It felt like Hogwarts.

"Where are we?" Harry asked quietly

"Slytherin Castle" Tom answered not turning around until he entered a large sized room that held a small table, it didn't look out of place as the walls were littered with portraits most were sleeping snakes and a man Harry recognised instantly.

"You have his portrait?" Harry said a little awed, before he frowned why wasn't there one in Hogwarts

"I do. The ones in Hogwarts were hidden away by Dumbledore, I have been trying to find them" Tom answered, an elf popped in with food and the pair fell into a contemplative silence.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Tom asked him, and Harry knew he didn't mean removing the bind

"She'll die if we don't" He answered

"What about you? Don't you want to live?"

"I don't understand what you're asking me"

"Do you not care that I'm the one who killed your parents, tried to kill you, made you live with those filthy muggles." Tom hissed

"You were manipulated, you lost your mind because of it, your body, 10 years of your life. Punished for being a victim just as much as I was. Alone just like I was." Harry reasoned

"It's not the same!" Tom fumed

"Do you think I'm weak, is that what this is about?" Harry asked flatly

"No! You deserve more then to be a pawn" Tom hissed

"I'm not a pawn, for the first time it's my decision well ours. I want to save her, she's worth fighting for." Harry answered his temper rising "Why don't you want that!"

"I do, I always have. Just not like this!"

"There is no other way! this was a mistake." Harry snapped rising to leave, but Tom was in front of him before he could blink and his mouth was seized in a demanding fiery kiss that felt like it was pulling his soul through his mouth and he'd let it because nothing had ever felt this good. One of his hands had fisted into Tom's robes pulling him closer whilst the other pulled at Tom's hair, until he remembered where he was, and he pushed him away.

"I couldn't stop myself" Tom explained frustrated and Harry nodded understanding, the bond would force them together.

"Can we just get this over with?" Harry suggested and Tom nodded before leading them away from the dining room and into a ritual room with a bed on the centre. Which he laid on whilst Tom hovered over him, how could someone feel so warm they weren't even touching but Tom felt like fire, flames licking at his skin. Skin that wasn't clothed because Tom had to remove it, why wasn't he cringing away when Tom's large callused hands touched him? Then the soothing voice began chanting in Latin and Harry felt like his throat was being squeezed. The bind was fighting Tom, squeezing tightly around Harry's neck and Tom saw his lips begin to turn blue before a loud crack boomed in the room, cracking the walls, ceiling and floor as the bind finally snapped. Harry squeezed Tom's hand who didn't seem to mind his fingers being crushed as Harry was battered by imaginable amounts of pain.

"That was much more then just your necromancer ability" Tom said eyeing the remains of his room in amazement

"I feel like I've been ran over by hippogriffs" Harry said his voice slurred

"You'll need to be monitored, sleep you'll feel better after rest" Tom instructed and Harry didn't bother trying to fight how exhausted he was. He fell asleep still holding the Dark Lord's hand.