Title: Ties That Bind
Author: Chiyo Javaid
Warnings: Slash (guy on guy ... eventually), coarse language and Character Death.
Summary: What happens, when you live in a world where nothing is as it seems. When everythingyou once believed was a lie? You get Serpens Malfoy's life, of course. SLASH.
Note: Well, ere's Chapter Six! And that's the end of my pre-written chapters, folks!! This was the last one, and from now on, until I somehow start to write ahead again, it'll be slower going with the updates.

Disclaimer: I live with my parents ...

Beta: I am looking for a beta. Someone who will read over my work, correct any mistakes in spelling and such, and give me constructive criticism. They need to be good at spelling and grammar, be open-minded (this is a Slash, after all) and be patient. Also, a sense of humour would be nice, lol. If anyone's interested, either PM me, or drop a line by review. Thanks. (Update: The way this is going, I shouldn't even bother ...)


chapter six
first sight


"Why?" Pansy managed to choke out, long before anyone else has regained the ability to speak. "What could he possibly want? How does he even know about this?" she continued, everyone else aside from Lucius and Serpens nodding in agreement.

"I was supposed to report any matters like these to him immediately. He suspected something like this to happen, as he has never trusted anything said by Dumbledore. So, he knows, and he wants to see the little miracle himself," he said sarcastically. Narcissa glared at him, clutching even tighter at Serpens who, by now, really just wanted her to let go.

"I'll go see him," he said, prying his mother off him, and standing up.

"I'll go with you!" Pansy said, immediately following his example and standing up beside him. Draco and Artemis both nodded, standing up as well.

"Pansy may go," said Lucius coldly. "You two, stay with your mother."

Draco and Artemis knew better than to protest.

"Follow me," Lucius murmured, turning around and heading out the door. Pansy and Serpens followed.

Lucius led them down the many halls of the Manor, twisting and turning, before finally coming to a stop outside a heavy, oak door, leading off into a study. It was one hardly used by the Malfoy family, and belonged to no one. More often than not, it was used for such meetings, or for when important guests who required studies stayed at the Manor.

"Well, go in," Lucius said tensely. Serpens could feel his anxiety rolling off him in waves, and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, before he went in.


The room was a dark one, the feeling of grimness only accentuated by the door closing behind Pansy, who had followed him in. He could just make out a lone figure sitting on the big, comfy looking couch, and he stepped forward, nervous, but still excited. His heart was hammering so fast, he thought it would rip out of chest and onto the floor.

Pansy shuddered.

"Hello," said Serpens, sounding more confident than he felt. "You would be Vold-"

"Tom," said the man. "Come sit," he said.

"This is stupid …" Pansy murmured, taking out her wand and lighting it. "Is there no light in here?" she asked Tom, who was, indeed, sitting on the couch. His face was amused, and Serpens was now able to see how handsome it was. His skin was lightly tanned, and his cheeks were hollow. His pale, pink lips quirked into a smile. His hair was a very dark brown, so dark it was almost black, and his green eyes were like emeralds, glittering in the light of the fire he had just conjured.

"Thanks," Pansy murmured, bowing her head so as not to look at Tom.

"Question," said Serpens. "Why do I call you Tom?"

"Because, little Malfoy, it is my name. Tom Riddle."

"… Oh."

Pansy giggled before she could stop herself, and Serpens and Tom looked at her.

"Sorry," she said quietly. Tom shook his head, amused.

"Don't be."

"So … you wanted to talk to me?" Serpens said, changing the subject. Tom nodded.

"Although I don't recall asking for Parkinson …" he said, more to himself than anyone else. Pansy raised her head to glare at him. It was a rather bold move, one which amused him.

"I go where Serp goes," she said firmly.

"Ah, yes, the bond, that's right …" he murmured, rubbing two of his fingers together as he stared into the fire. For some reason, the amusement in his eyes dimmed a little. "No matter. What's to be said can be said in front of you, I am sure," he said, recovering. "Now, I am to believe you have been missing for quite some time, care to fill me in on this?" he said, staring at Serpens.

"Er, well, I was stolen when I was a baby, and given the Glamour Potion, to make me look like who I was placed with …" Serpens said uncomfortably. How was he supposed to get away with not telling who he used to be to the Dark Lord?

"The Glamour Potion?" Tom said sharply. "What do you mean? Who stole you?"

"Dumbledore," Serpens said immediately. That much he could tell. Tom hissed, his eyes narrowing.

"Figures," he muttered darkly, looking positively murderous. "Who were you placed with?"

"I … can't say," Serpens said lamely. Tom raised an eyebrow.

"Ohhh?" he said slowly. "Why not?"

"Because I won't," said Serpens, glaring at the man. Tom's eyes narrowed even further. "And nothing you can say or do will change my mind." Okay, that wasn't entirely true; he was screwed if Tom threatened Pansy, but still.

Tom exhaled very slowly, closing his eyes in his impatience. "I do not want to fight," he said through clenched teeth. "So I will let this go, for now," he continued. "Where have you been all this time?"

"Living with 'relatives'," Serpens answered instantly. That was an easy one. You could even hear the quote marks. "And going to Hogwart's," he admitted as a last minute thought. "My supposed parents died when I was little."

Tom gazed at him, a scrutinizing look on his face. He fingered a bit of his hair, twisting and pulling it as he thought.

"You were a Gryffindor," he said into the silence. Serpens blinked.

"Yes," he said, before he could stop himself.

"I thought so," Tom said with a nod. "You are, no doubt, worried about what you have always heard about me and the way I run?"

Serpens nodded. "I don't like mindless killing, or even killing in general. And I don't agree with the ideals I have heard you hold."

"Understandable," said Tom. "Well, it's all pretty much a lie anyway, if that eases your mind. The ideals are fabricated, and the deaths were necessary in the mask. I do regret that, but I can't have Dumbledore catching on."

"I … suppose I can understand that," Serpens said painfully. "So … what are your ideals, then?"

"It's rather simple, really. I want to bring back the old wizarding traditions. With each new muggleborn, another tradition is lost, and bringing with them, are more muggle ones. Despite popular belief, I do not hate muggles. But this is a wizarding world we live in, and very soon, our history will be lost. I want muggleborns to be sought out earlier, and given more of an idea of what our world is like, and I want a compulsory course in wizarding customs and traditions to be put into place in every wizarding school.

"I still hold the belief that the muggleborns are weakening us, but am prepared to compromise on that. Witches like that Hermione Granger have caused me to rethink my opinions on that particular issue."

"The mindless killings?" Serpens said. This was one of the major issues for him.

"A lot are actually necessary. I have to kill some people, or Dumbledore will start to get suspicious. He wants a Dark Lord to defeat. I'll give him a Dark Lord, but he won't defeat me. Where possible, I try to save people, but usually, it is my Death Eaters doing the killing. I only kill the ones that I must. That is where the mindless part comes from. My Death Eaters. Many do not know of all this. They believe only what I want them to believe. The more people in on this secret, the more chance of it getting out."

Serpens thought back on Severus Snape and his role as spy. Did he know?

"Okay," Serpens nodded. "I can accept that."

"You two talk as if you're going to induct him," Pansy murmured.

"And if I am?" said Tom smoothly.

"Really?" Serpens said, actually sounding eager, to his, and the other's, surprise. Tom nodded thoughtfully. There was something else in his eyes that Serpens couldn't quite decipher, but it didn't matter. What mattered was that for once in his life, he was being told the truth, and being trusted to actually do something. Hallelujah!

"That would be acceptable," Tom murmured. "Do you plan on going back to Hogwart's this year?"

"Yes," said Serpens. Pansy narrowed her eyes.

"Why?" she hissed, eyes narrowing even further if it were possible. She looked positively murderous, but Serpens could feel that she was terrified for him. She didn't want him to be in any sort of danger.

Wait, what?

I don't know …

I can hear your thoughts? Serpens thought, almost hysterically.

Apparently. The wide look in Pansy's eyes told Serpens she was just as surprised, and scared, as he was.

"Well this is an interesting revelation …" Tom murmured. Everyone looked up in surprise, amazed.

"You can hear our thoughts, too?" Pansy whispered, shocked.

Tom paused, before nodding grimly.

"Well, this is weird," Serpens muttered.


Note: Huh, I didn't actually plan on bringing in the thought speak until next chapter ... weird. But the oppurtunity presented itself, so ah well ...

Hey, who can hazard a guess as to who Serpens used to be? I've given over more than five clues throughout the fic so far!!!! It might start to get clearer when they get back to school!

And I apologize in advance for any spelling errors - the keyboard to my dad's laptop is starting to stick so it's missing out letters - I'm obsessively watching the screen right now, and pressing down as hard as I can to stop it, but it might slip through every now and then.

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Oaf74: Thanks for your review!!

- Chiyo, xx.