Chapter Four: The Voice of a Snake

The only thing Harry could hear now was his own breathing. The moment he pushed the door shut behind him was the moment all the yelling and clicking of shoes stopped. Harry placed a hand on his chest to try to slow down his racing heart. The dark that surrounded him only made the pressure worse. There were no windows making the air dense and everything impossible to see. Slowly Harry took his other hands and moved it from the old peeling door to get a feel for the wall, it was thick, cold, and Harry raised his arm a bit to feel the dent between each block, bricked like a concrete he noted. Harry took the same arm he used to feel the walls and took his wand out of his pocket.

"Lumos." Harry whispered as a warm yellow light bathed a section of the room before him. Harry scanned the room, his eyes went over every empty corner in the room carefully until he realized, more like convinced, himself that he was the only living thing in the room.

The only thing that made him uneasy was the big bulky object that stood straight ahead of him. It was wide and much taller than him and took on a slim rectangular shape. Harry looked at it up and down, left to right, but saw nothing to reveal its true form as it was covered from head to toe in a red silk cloth. Harry stepped forward cautiously, as the sound of his own footsteps echoed against the walls, Harry squeezed his hands into a fist to steel his nerves.

"Ahh." Harry groaned in pain as his scar began to prickle beneath his skin as he got close enough to touch the fabric. Despite the pain, Harry reached out brushed the cool fabric the cool fabric with his fingers. He felt a sense of familiarity wash over him as he continued. He wanted to see what was behind the sheet, what beautiful secret might he have stumbled upon now. Harry knew he should probably fall back, leave, receive his punishment, and then bring Hermione and Ron to come investigate this with him. However, Harry knew deep down this was a time to rely on himself, only he could feel the pain of his scar as he felt the smooth fabric. Only he could understand this attraction he had to it. Harry grabbed onto the fabric with a firm grip and pulled.

"And why would you do such a thing like that?"

Harry yelled in fright as his hands retracted back to his sides as the fabric rustled before remaining in position as if it was never disturbed.

"You're always going head first into potential danger."

Harry whipped his head around with his wand at the ready. "Who's there?" He spat with as much authority as he could muster.

"Oh Harry Potter." The voice said.

It was smooth, cold, and …familiar? Harry clenched his jaw as he tried to fight off the feeling of de ja vu once again. This familiarity, this feeling of remembrance was becoming suffocating. Harry carefully stepped forward with his wand sticking out of sweaty palm. One step. Two. Three. Harry stopped as a pair of black shoes entered his peripheral. His eyes climbed up the figure, up the black robes, to find the Slytherin crest that was pinned below a pale neck that supported the face of-

Harry's jaw fell open as his eyes rested on pale skin, dark eyes, and a head full of dark brown hair, neatly sculpted to fit his face. Before him stood an image he never thought he would see again.

"It's not you T-Tom. No, it can't-Is it?"

"Curiosity killed the cat Potter." Tom said as he crossed his arms and gave Harry a cold smile. "Didn't your parents ever teach you that?"

"Stupefy!" Harry yelled, bathing the room in darkness.

"So you can hit me with a non-lethal spell but curse your peers. How saint-like of you Potter." Tom said as the fiery spell went right through them and hit the wall behind him. "That won't work anyways."

"Lumos." Harry whispered in a strained voice and once again he could see, see Tom standing in a corner with his hands folded together, a smirk embedded on his pale face.

"I won't hurt your Harry."

"What? What are you even doing here!? How are you possibly in front of me?" Harry stuttered.

"I can't even…" Harry rambled on as he paced viciously back and forth, combing his hands through his hair as he groaned. "I must be absolutely mad."

"Ha is that really new news?."

Harry turned towards Tom and pointed at him accusingly. "You're not real. You can't be. You're just a result from, from stress. That's why I can't touch you! A figment of one's imagination."

"Well it's pretty complicated."

"Well I'm listening." Harry spat.

"When you destroyed my diary that night." Tom started, his voice full of disdain as he recalled his defeat. "The last remnants of my soul, this piece of it anyways, latched itself onto something much more ancient and more powerful."

"That." Tom pointed behind Harry. "Is the mirror of Erised."

"Why is it covered?"

"Use your brain Harry."

Harry's expression softened as his lips pursed in confusion. "I thought Dumbledore," he mumbled to himself as he looked at the covered mirror. The mirror that shouldn't be in front of him to begin with. "Dumbledore said…"

"He says a lot of things Harry, you of all people should know that. Here I'll give you a tip, you can't trust your precious Dumbledore ever. He-"

"Shut up Tom."

"He does nothing but tell half-truths and keep secrets for his own selfish reasons. And you Potter he just abandons you with no word and no explanation-"

"I said shut up!"

"At least I knew the reason why he kept away from me, it was fear but you? Nobody fears you so what is it? Embarrassment from your claims? Pity? I see the way you look lost in the hallways when he walks by you-"

"The hell with this." Harry muttered, knowing he was two seconds way from losing it, Harry turned sharply on his heels and made his way to the door.

"Where are you going Potter?"

Harry looked at him incredulously. "What does it look like? I'm leaving, I'm tired of this crap."

"You don't want to do that."

"You can't keep me here Tom. You're just a-" Harry didn't know what to call him. "a…a ghost." He settled on, quickly he grabbed for the door's handle.

"Wait Harry Potter!"

Harry paused, surprising himself.

"Look I'll strike a deal with you. One that will allow me to disappear from Hogwarts forever."

… I can't believe this…

"I'm listening."

"I need books. Several books which may give me insight on what to do. Of course, I assume you know I would need your help to research considering I am near intangible."

Hesitantly Harry asked. "What do you need?"

"We'll start with Royal Warfare and the Conjurer's Calamity. They are two of several books I'll be needing but we can stick with those for now and see how you fare."

"And how exactly will those make you disappear?"

"If I can find the right ritual and the right potion I may be able to separate myself from the mirror."

"Pfft. Just so you can go on and possess something else. Another student perhaps." Harry frowned. "Do you think I'm stupid?"

Tom chuckled. "We can talk about your stupidity another day Potter but for now. This. It's a risk you should want to take. If you leave me here I promise I will never leave you alone, I'll haunt you and your friends every hour, day and night. And let's face it, you'll never be able to fully destroy your present Voldemort without getting rid of me."

"What? I could just easily shatter the mirror."

"You could if you ever figure out how to begin with. Buy you would be destroying what may become of use one day. Who knows what you might need it for?" Tom said as he shrugged casually, but he as his eyes met Harry's, those lifeless dark eyes, Harry knew Tom had way more information than he let on.

Harry sucked in his teeth and sighed. "Where….where can I find these books?"

"The Conjurer's Calamity and Royal Warfare are in the forbidden section Potter so please care not to get caught. Maybe you could use that invisible cloak of yours?"

"How do you-" Harry shook his head, smiling bitterly at the utter ridiculousness of the situation. Of course, the apparition of his sworn enemy. The man who tried to kill him both past and present forms would know about his cloak.

"I'll get your bloody books Tom." Harry hissed. "And I'll help you even, but the moment I can touch you is the moment I will destroy you. This world has no place for you."

"I will see you again Harry Potter." Tom said in such a dismissive and arrogant manner that made Harry angrier, only because he was right. Harry would have to do this again.

"Don't get used to it." Harry spat defiantly. Without another word, he immediately yanked open the door and let it slam behind him.

Harry squinched his eyes as the light from the hallway pierced through his glasses. After a few seconds of rapid blinking Harry looked up the stairs, he could hear his professor's voices, knowing their image would pop up before him soon enough. He had to tell them about Tom immediately that away it would be out of his hands and out of his hair. But would they believe you?

Harry winced as the doubted planted itself in his mind. What would he do if they wouldn't believe him? What if only he could see Tom? Was he willing to risk more backlash for another claim he may not be able to prove? It's not like he could count on Dumbledore anymore to aid him. And the doubt itself? Harry shook his head in frustration, for all he knew Tom could've been the one to whisper it in his ear. He knew nothing of Tom's power, how much he was truly capable of even in a ghost-like state.

"Mr. Potter there you are, don't move!" He heard above him.

For now, Harry just had to play Tom's game. Hopefully, he thought as Umbridge performed expelliarmus and his wand went flying, hopefully he would win.

Hey guys! So here is the chapter as promised. I thought I would get through it much later but nope I managed to make it today Sweeet! I didn't even realize how much of it I already had done. Since I have a summer job this story may be updated between 1 to 3 times a month depending on the length of each chapter so I hope that's enough.

Also, I post updates as chapters because no one views my profile maybe like ten people (thanks mom haha (no I'm just kidding my mom doesn't have a FF)) so I want as many readers to know I haven't abandoned ship and what's going on so they'll prepare. I know it's frustrating but it's the best way for me, sorry in advanced! But they only get their own chapter when I've hit hiatus territory (I haven't posted in two months) and they get labeled if that helps, sorry. As always all of your reviews and concerned are welcomed and help a lot! So, I'm going to stop typing in a bit and you guys shall remain awesome.

Hope you guys liked it.

XO