Chapter 6 – The Daughter, The Mark and The Plan

Harry darted forward before Tom could hit the floor, his arm catching her under her knees and arms as she fell to the side. He scooped her up faultering as he readjusted for her weight, not expecting her to be as heavy as she was, her head lolling off his arms. "Tom!" Harry exclaimed shaking her a bit, she stayed out cold.

"We should get her up to the common room, Tyler will know what to do." Draco said Harry nodded following him as he sprinted up the stairs after him. He knew he needed to get help for her, but he wished it wasn't from Tyler. Draco yelled the password out barreling down the door, "Tyler! Its Tom." Harry came through the door next, being careful not to hit Tom's head or feet against the door frame.

As soon as he was in Tyler was instructing him on what to do as he came out of his room and was halfway down his set of stairs. "Lay her down on the couch." He called, Harry went straight to the couch, laying her down. "Has she started screaming or struggling yet?" Draco answered for him he was still concerned sitting next to Tom. His focus going in and out, Tyler was over the couch in an instant readjusting Tom so she wouldn't hurt herself, snapping Harry out of his daze. Harry watched as Tyler moved fluidly before he gave him further instructions. "Lay down on the outside of the couch from her, she'll be fine she's been due to collapse for the last week, today she just over did it, and it all caught up to her."

"This has happened before?" Harry asked.

"Yea once every few months, she passes out, it's a recurring issue between her and her dad. She'll be back to normal tomorrow morning. Also someone should stay down here with her." Tyler explained, "I can do it if you both want to sleep in your own beds, I've done it-"

"No." Harry cut him off, "I can stay with her." Harry couldn't have explained the rage he felt at that suggestion if you later asked him; he was appalled that someone would have wanted to take his spot.

Tyler nodded "Ok, I just need to put a binding charm on her so she doesn't throw you off the couch, she has a lot more strength than you'd expect. And a silencing charm so she doesn't wake the entire castle up screaming." He said touching Tom's forehead whispering under his breath.

"Why does she need those." Harry asked his voice quiet but you could hear the anger in her undertone.

"The process that causes these collapses is a painful one. At least I imagine having your own magical ability ripped from you is quite distressing."

"What?" Draco Hissed.

"Tom and her father are bound by a prophecy and by magic he gets stronger by taking her magic, they are bound and until her 21st birthday it'll continue to where either she dies or he does. At least that's the basics of it." Tyler said yawning "However I'm going to go to bed you should be good now." He walked off back toward his room.

"Wow her father sounds like an ass," Draco yawned loudly.

"I'll say, who would do that?"

"Someone who doesn't care about anyone but themselves." Harry said shaking his head.

Draco nodded yawning again. "Well I'm off to bed its been a long day." He trudged off to his room.

"Night Draco."

"Good Night Harry"

As soon as Draco's door clicked shut, Harry settled himself on the couch with Tom magically enlarging the couch a few feet so they both would be comfortable. "Accio Blanket" Harry said holding up his hand channeling the rage he felt at both Tyler and Tom's father into the spell. A big red and black plaid blanket flying from his room to his hand where he tossed it over them, making sure Tom's feet were covered. He pulled the pillows over tucking one under Tom's head, using the other for himself. Tom's body was still rigged from fighting against Tyler's spell her face scrunched up in pain. It wasn't until much later in the night did she relax allowing the charm to wear off, as she turned into the body asleep next to her, her head coming to rest on his chest, her arms resting on his shoulder and torso. It was almost a natural reflex of her laying next to this boy, she drifted into a deeper sleep than she'd known for the last 6 months.

Tyler walked in on his way to get some water shaking his head at the scene. "You really can't change destiny, even when you try." He sighed, looking at her with almost sad eyes.

Tom woke looking up at emerald green eyes staring down at her, She felt the weight of his arm around her back, the blanket snug around them. His other arm up turning the page of a book levitating above them it took her a second to register what was happening. Her eyes went from what Harry could only discern as satisfied to completely blank, she got up smoothly, and walked off to her room, not giving a second glance toward Harry as she quickly ascended to her room. He laid there watching her walk away, and as she closed the door to her room it felt like the pit of his stomach was gone and there was an odd hole in his abdomen causing him to grimace as an arm subconsciously wrapped around his waist. "What did I do?"

"Nothing." Tyler said still not looking up from his spot in front of the fire scribbling on a 2 foot length of parchment.

"Then why did Tom react that way?" Harry asked sitting up.

"That I can't say," Tyler said darkly Harry opened his mouth to question when Tyler looked up at Harry his face holding no emotion "its not my place, she'll tell you if she deems it pertinent that you know."

Tyler finished his paper closing his book, getting up Tom walked back downstairs having changed into Muggle clothes, he banished his books back to his room with a wave of his arm. Tom and Tyler walked into the kitchen Tom conjuring up two steaming mugs of something with an absentminded flick of her wrist. Their heads came together over the breakfast bar starting to whisper.

"You need a plan Tom"

"I know that, I don't want events repeating themselves again." Tom whispered taking a sip of her tea.

"Have you thought of telling them?"

"And going through what happened last time? No." Tom stated definitively, giving an involuntary shiver. Hermione walked into grab a glass of water, at that point but both of them were so involved in the conversation neither noticed the extra pair of ears "I'm back to make sure Harry defeats Voldemort without us all dying."

"Well its not working now is it." Tyler countered. "You already have some tricky spell work in place to make sure you have a backup plan. But you have yet to tell me what you've done in the past versus what you plan to do for this time that will make a difference."

Hermione leaned against the counter next to Tom, Tyler immediately raised his hand toward her temple, but Tom caught his wrist. "Don't even think about it Tyler." She warned. He grimaced but nodded dropping his hand. "I could use another mind on this."

"I don't even understand what you are talking about." Hermione said looking at Tom as though she wasn't quite sure what to make of her.

Tom's spine went ramrod straight as she jolted with surprise from hearing another voice. She spun to face Hermione, as soon as she saw her friends face she let out the breath of air she'd been holding. "Upstairs." Was all Tom said before she lead the way out of the kitchen and to her room bolting the door Tyler casting a complex spell on the doors and walls that lead to the other dorms and common room. "We can speak more freely." Tom said as Hermione took a seat on her bed. Tom put her hand on an old photo album her thumb tracing the edge of it, Tyler relaxed into a high backed green chair. "Simply put, this isn't my first time living through this year." Tom said opening the photo album tracing two pictures with her index finger. "I've lived through it twice before. Both times, I fall for the same man and him for me."

"Harry?" Hermione asked her face telling Tom she already knew the answer but Tom indulged her with a nod all the same.

"In one, the first time, I didn't think it would matter, and we were happy. We stole away before the end of the year and got married. We hunted down the last of the Horcruxes together trusted each other beyond what either of us thought was possible. But I also kept a terrible secret from him, one that I could never bring myself to tell him, one that was his ultimate downfall. One Voldemort knew and he used it against him and," She said stopped closing her eyes and biting her lip "and he won, he used the one thing I never brought myself to share with him, I may as well have just killed him myself. I lived out that timeline until a week before my 20th birthday, I saw what becomes of this world when Voldemort wins. It is a sight that still keeps me up at night." She shuddered gripping the book tighter, "I came back, I transplanted my soul back in time, to my 17 year old body before the start of this year, I gave myself a redo. In that one I did tell Harry my secret and as far as I could tell nothing else had changed however yet again Voldemort used me against Harry and won. He made Harry think he'd killed me, he used the fact that Harry loved me to kill him." Tom said tears filling her eyes her voice shaking as she squeezed her hands wringing them her knuckles white from the force.

"What secret? And how did he use it against Harry twice." Hermione asked her voice calm but her eyes were wary looking at Tom's sad smile, knowing this wasn't a secret that she told very often or easily.

Tom took her time taking a few deep breaths nodding to herself she looked up but never met either Tyler or Hermione's eyes. "Two things worked against him, one was his love for me, and my father's lack there of and two who my father is. The first time, I had never told anyone, it's hard to see or guess but I'm actually named after my father. Thomasina Morvi Riddle his initials," Hermione's eyes widened at the last name. "my mother's more feminine version of Tom Marvolo Riddle, an anagram as well, she disguised the name he wanted to give me in Parseltongue, with in it as well." Tom said her voice soft, she picked up her wand writing out her full name much like her the 16 year old apparition of her father had years ago for Harry 'THOMASINA MORVI RIDDLE' She waved her hand threw the letters scattering them and when they came to rest they read something new. 'I AM HISINDRA VOLDEMORT' Tom watched as Hermione leapt off the bed as she wrote Riddle even though they both already knew what she was going to write and where this was going. Hermione stared at the words backing into Tom's dresser. Tom sighed running her hand across her face "This is why I don't tell anyone, they react like I'm suddenly different. But I'm not Mione I'm still the same girl who was raised by Muggles and I have a sister and a best friend who is a Muggle-Born, I couldn't be less inclined to foster my Father's views on the wizarding world." Tom said waiting calmly for Hermione to stop pacing and staring at her like she had a second head.

"Why do you have light goldish green eyes then?" Hermione finally asked hung up on a detail, "Harry said Voldemort had brown eyes when he was younger. And I know Bellatrix has brown eyes your eyes shouldn't be genetically possible."

Tyler let out a bark of laughter "Out of everything you just hear her eyes are what got you hung up!?" He laughed.

"Brown eyes are genetically dominant, so the fact that she has greenish gold eyes shouldn't be a possibility. So yea that is what I'm hung up on." Hermione said.

Tyler continued to laugh and Tom even laughed "Only you Mione"

"Only me what?" Hermione demanded.

"Only you would notice the minute details like my eye color and call me out on it." Tom laughed waving to tyler as if giving him the go ahead to proceed with something.

Hermione turned to face Tyler as he coughed "The eye color is from a distant relative and only comes up once in a while an is a mark of the familial power." Hermione's eyes narrowed at him. "Our eyes, they are the same color as Merlin's. They are the Mark of Merlin," Tyler answered, Hermione's eyes widened as she looked up to see his eyes, they were the same golden green color.

"The what? Like in the prophecy? How do you know? How long have you known?"

"The Mark of Merlin, yes like the prophecy they are passed down to his heirs, we both have the same eyes, we are both descendants of Merlin, we have both known for quite a while," Tyler answered watching her. "However I believe Tom should finish her story, its almost time for lunch." Hermione nodded turning back to Tom.

"So the first time I lived this year, I didn't tell anyone Voldemort was my father, he surprised Harry and Draco with that fact when the met, Harry was prepared for anything, everything except hearing that his wife was Voldemort's daughter." Tom said running her finger along the side of the photo album "After coming back to the beginning of this year I tried again, and for my second attempt, I told him, I didn't keep the secret. I didn't plan for my fathers ruthlessness instead of using the secret of who I was he used me against Harry, torturing me to gain the upperhand. Luckily I set up a precaution when I came back, a spell tethered to Harry's life. If he died I got sent back again. So now I'm back a third time, and this time Harry can't fall for me."

"He already is." Tyler said matter-of-factly crossing his arms "You have to think of something else."

"Memory charm." Hermione said quietly. "You can carry on with this year, but right before he goes to battle Voldemort, he can't know you, remember you or love you." She explained looking at Tom. Tom sat very still her eyes closed the only thing moving was her hand, before she looked back up nodded slightly.

"That might just work" Tom said half way smiling.

"That's the easiest way I can think of."

"Tom this doesn't have to all be for nothing though, you could just conceal those memories, build a block in his mind that comes down if something happens after he's defeated Voldemort." Tyler said.

"Tyler that is an incredibly tricky spell to weave." Tom said, "Especially if it has to span multiple people, and is totally dependent on how much you have to alter their memory of events."

"You've cast it before, you can again." He said watching her, she grimaced but nodded agreeing with the proposals for how to deal with this time through the year. "Its time for lunch," Tyler said looking at the clock.

They all got up heading toward the door. Tom for one was much more relaxed then she had been. Draco and Harry had already left the common room, they noticed as they emerged from Tom's room "So are you going to tell Harry and Draco?" Hermione asked letting Tyler lead the way.

"I'm going to wait until the first task is over with, no need to burden him with anything else just now."

"Also didn't you tell me your middle name was after your mom?" Hermione asked.

"Ahh yes. My legal middle name is Morvi but the middle name my Muggle family gave me, and thus the name I go by is Belle, short for Bellatrix." Tom says rolling her eyes at the name "Its where Chatelaine gets calling me TomaBelle from." Tom said as they met up with a group of people walking from Hogwarts. "You met her in History of Magic the other day."

"Oh the Latina?"

"Yea, the gorgeous one. She's wicked smart too, she's heading up our wizards chess team." They had just reached the Entrance Hall.

"Hermione!" Both girls turned to see Ron Weasley his face as red as his hair.

"Yes Ron?" Hermione answered her eyebrows raising but she made no movement toward him knowing all to well what this tone and facial coloring from Ron meant.

"What are you doing?" Ron seethed looking down at Tom with distain.

"I'm walking to Lunch with Tom."

"She is their Champion. Hermione, you should show a little more school pride."

"Are we really doing this again? The point of this tournament is to build relationships with international witches and wizards, its to strengthen the bonds of the wizarding world, we are stronger against Voldemort together Ronald. We already went over this in our 4th year." Her retort caused Ron to go even redder in the face than before if that was possible. Tyler had stopped to watch them as well as the rest of the school who could see the Foyer through the gaps between the columns separating the Mess Hall from the entrance.

"Against Voldemort?!" Ron bellowed. "For all you know she could be on a mission to befriend you and lead Harry into a trap! Her mother is a known Death Eater!" He lunged for her left arm.

He suddenly froze in place. Tom's wand was pointed at him, yet she hadn't uttered a word. Harry and Draco were across the hall in an instant but were held back when Tyler stopped them "Don't," he warned "You're no match for her when she's mad."

"Yes my mother is a known Death Eater, who was in Azkaban while I was young, meaning I was not raised a Death Eater, if that's what you were going with."

"You go to Grummerlich we all know what that means. You might as well have a special spot in his inner circle waiting for you when you leave here, especially with your Mom being who she is."

"Yes I do, but as everyone knows there is the path you must walk and the path you chose, they are not always the same." Tom unfroze him.

"So you have his mark." He said backing away.

"I was all but born with it." Tom lazed rolling her eyes. "But that doesn't mean I agr-"

"You're a Death Eater!" Ron yelled. Tom's eyes flashed, turning liquid gold.

"And you are a fool!" Tom bellowed "Do not attempt to ridicule me for things you do not understand! If you knew anything about me, what I have done, or if you have seen what I have you wouldn't be so quick to pass judgment." Tom strutted forward bearing down on the taller boy. "Perhaps a taste of what your future could hold will make you less bold next time when you decide to give your unsolicited opinion on things you know nothing about." Ron was backed against a wall. Tom put two fingers to her temple when her fingers pulled away a small silvery stringy light clung to her fingers. Harry had broken free, from behind Tyler but he found he couldn't reach Tom something was holding him back from her and Ron. She placed her fingers to Ron's temple. His face immediately went slack, his mouth opening and closing, terror crossing his face as his eyes glazed over seeing only what Tom was showing him, slowly slumping down the wall farther and farther.

"Tom." Tyler finally said sharply his voice cutting through to her she slowly pulled away her fingers.

"Do you understand now? That is what I'm trying to stop." She said softly.

"Your not on his side." Ron whispered looking up at her.

"Of course not," she said helping him up. "Not when that is the result. But me refusing the Dark Mark would be like you telling your mom you want to stop being a wizard and live as one of those Muggles who spends their day on the street begging for money and food." Tom said turning back to the crowd everyone was backed away from her a good 12 feet except Harry who was right next to her. "Are we ok now?"

Ron gave a short nod indicating that he understood her side, although he didn't really like her. Tom walked into the Mess Hall people scattering away from her as she walked, they were clearly afraid of her and what she could do, now that they had seen it in some capacity beyond Grummerlich's Tri-Wizard Tournament entrance.

Harry stormed after her grabbing her shoulder and spinning her around heedless to Tyler's warning, "What the Hell was that Tom,"

"I'm tired of being judged on by what people think I am or who they think I should be. I am my own person, and I'm not the person that everyone expects of me or wants me to be." Tom said her eyes back to their normal golden green, but that didn't steady the intensity of her glare at all. "You of all people should understand that." Tom hissed, walking to a separate table from the heads table sitting next to the girl she was with during History of Magic. She immediately flung her arm around Tom, laughing at something. Tom pulled out a piece of paper and the other GA girls all huddled in circling her a buzz of excitement going around them.

"What are they doing? Did they not just see what she did?" Harry asked glaring at her as he sat down.

"They all go to school with her, they know what she's capable of and that little trick most of their 7th years could probably do." Draco answered sitting down next to Hermione digging back into his food that he'd left to see the raucous Tom had caused in the Entrance Hall.

"Yes!" One of the girls behind them crowed "Chaser!"

"She has her Quidditch teams already made!?" Harry choked on his pumpkin juice.

"She didn't have many cuts or positions to fill, from the sound of it, most of her the teams were are already made with only minor changes." Draco said but he also looked worried knowing that she would be the first to field a team and get practices underway.

"Speaking of, when is the first interschool event?" Harry asked taking a bite of chicken.

"Today." Hermione said staring at him as if he had 3 heads.

"What!?" Harry yelled.

Hermione rolled her eyes "Honestly Harry, you're Head Boy and the Hogwarts Champion you have to pay more attention. Why do you think Tom is over there? She's with Grummerlich's entries for the wizard's chess tournament tonight. The round robin was this morning now all the players have been ranked and they are going into bracket play after lunch" She glared at him.

"What?! Who is entering for us?"

"I put Ron in charge of that he's the best wizard's chess player the school has and we all know it." She said. "He's playing his first match at 2 he and one other person are bypassing the first round of the bracket."

Harry was still gaping at her, "When have they been practicing? Or do they practice."

"Of course they've been practicing I've been going and over seeing it, mostly Ron runs it and I study in the corner, but Tyler has been working with Durmstrang's team and Tom has been with Grummerlich's team since she's the only Head at Grummerlich." Hermione said "And close your mouth Harry, I don't want to see your half chewed food." She rolled her eyes going back to her lunch. Harry spent the rest of lunch moving his food around his plate. How had he totally missed this development, one of his best friends was competing and he had only just found out. Hermione excused herself to go study before watching Ron play, casting Harry a 'get yourself together' look as she left.

"Don't worry about it you've been studying for the first task she's taking the stuff you can't." Draco said trying to reassure his brother.

"Its not that." Harry confessed looking over Draco's shoulder. Draco turned to see he was staring at Ron.

"Ahh." Draco remarked realizing the turmoil Harry must have been feeling "You can be there for him today. You've had a lot going on the past week. He knows how tough this tournament is you've been here before. He will understand. And no it doesn't make you a bad friend."

"I know he will, but I still shouldn't have ignored him this much, Ron, Hermione and I are normally attached at the hip."

"Really? I didn't know that." Draco countered smirking "Invite him to our common room more, I don't think any of us will mind, and it seems like his issue with Tom was solved."

"More like she scared the crap out of him," Harry laughed "But he does still have an issue with you."

"Yea, it's about time he got over that its not like I'm going anywhere anytime soon between you and Hermione." Draco said finishing his food. "Ok. I have to go finish my Quidditch team rosters. Since it would seem we are both already behind in that interschool challenge."

"Ugh. Don't remind me. They are really prepared for this tournament." Harry groaned letting his head fall to the side into his hand.

"Grummerlich is ranked 1st in the world for magic schools, there is a reason for it." Draco said looking at Harry like it was absurd to eve think Grummerlich wasn't going to be completely prepared for the Tournament in all aspects. "Out of all of these interschool challenges though, I'm most worried about their dueling team. They have been the Junior International Champions for the last 5 years."

"Wow, who's it been?"

"Who do you think?"

"Hey we've been 2nd the last 5 years." Tyler cut in coming back from the table he had been talking to in the corner.

"We have?" Draco asked spinning to face him.

"You end up facing Tom in the finals every year don't you?" Harry asked smirking already anticipating the answer.

"I'm good, Tom is just better. Ticks me off every time cause she's always gone easy on me, she is a force of nature when it comes to dueling and magic in general, she could give the adult league a solid run for their money. That's her plan this year, since she's 17 she can't compete in the junior division again."

"We should probably go finish our homework since we will be expected to be down here for the start of the Wizards chess tournament." Draco said the others nodded standing to walk back with him.

Harry walked over to Ron on his way out clapping him on the shoulder "Hey, good luck mate. I'm sure you'll kill it." Ron nodded still staring blankly over at the Grummerlich Table "Hey don't worry about her, she's not as bad as you think, I promise,"

"I'm not worried about Tom, its the one she's sitting next too, she's a wicked good chess player." Ron said, "Every game she played she won in under 30 minutes."

"You beat me in 10 minutes almost every time. If I last 30 minutes it's a shock!" Harry said looking at Ron.

"Yea that's you though"

"Gee Thanks mate."

"You know what I mean, we play each other for fun. In this case though everyone playing and that we are playing is in the chess tournament because we are good at the game. And she is really good, against people who have played their whole lives!"

"Ron you'll be fine. You beat our own headmaster at Chess." Harry said. "I'll see you at 2." Ron nodded his face still oddly blank.

Harry walked into the Entrance Hall where Tyler and Draco were waiting for him. "Is he still freaked out by Tom?" Tyler asked.

"No some girl from Grummerlich is a really good chess player."

"Chatelaine DeSuaza." Tyler answered. "Yea she's good, wicked smart too, but a blast to hang out with." Tyler drifted off looking back into the Mess Hall.

"You seem to know her." Draco teased.

"Yea we dated for a few months. We broke up a year ago."

"Ouch, sorry man." Draco said clapping him on his shoulder. "Don't worry I'm pretty sure you aren't the only one who's been through a break up."

"Yeah, my last girlfriend tried to break up with me on my birthday this last summer." Harry said.

"Hey now Harry," a voice called. Harry chuckled smirking there was no need for him to turn to know who was speaking. "That was a mutual parting of ways."

"But you did do it on my birthday." Harry said turning to face the red head who shoved him playfully, as she half glared at him through her smile.

"Yep, I'm obviously a cold hearted bitch," Ginny countered rolling her eyes putting a hand on her chest proudly. "While you are over here telling the story so only you look good."

"He tends to do that." Draco snickered.

"You're supposed to be on my side!"

"Not always" Draco laughed. Tyler was silent staring at Ginny his eyes wider than normal his mouth hanging slack. She had obviously noticed the tall light brown haired boy with golden green eyes her eyes flickered with something Harry hadn't ever seen her look at him with.

"Hi, I'm Ginny," She smiled at him sticking out her hand turning to face him.

Tyler obviously had found his footing his slack jaw replaced by a dashing smile. "The pleasure is mine, Ginny." He said taking her hand nodded to her as he brushed her hand with his lips only breaking eye contact with her to look to her hand for a moment. "I'm Tyler, I believe you sit a few rows in front of me in Ancient Runes."

Ginny's eyes widened and her face split into a grin. "Oh you were the one who answered Professor Yanis' Extra Credit question while he was grabbing something from his office right?" She asked obviously knowing the answer already; she'd taken a step closer to him.

He smiled and nodded running a hand through his hair. "It wasn't all that hard." He shrugged Draco coughed as he started backing away. "Should I save you a seat, for the chess Tournament later today?"

Ginny smiled blushing "Sure, my brother is playing in it at 2."

"Well then I will see you shortly." Tyler said with a nod letting her pass him up the stairs watching her until Harry and Draco broke his gaze.

"Wow, Tyler way to go after my ex right in front of me." Harry said glaring at him.

"I- I – I'm sorry. I didn't think -. She said it was mutual…" Tyler sputtered causing Harry to break his glare, as both he and Draco started laughed.

"Tyler its fine," Harry laughed. "We did end on good terms, she's like a little sister to me; so in all seriousness, you hurt her, I'll kill you." He said clapping him on the shoulder. "Now lets go finish our homework." Harry said smiling at Tyler who managed to smile back at him weakly understanding the thinly veiled threat.

AN: Hope you're enjoying the fic so far. Sorry if the updates are a little slow I'm swamped with school, and I'm facing a fair amount of writers block, :/

But Please let me know what you think I really do love to read the reviews and feedback