Harry chewed on his lip as he waited for his punishment in Dumbledore's office. Surrounding him were Snape, McGonagall, and the ever so dreaded Umbridge. Dumbledore sat in his chair in front of Harry, looking stoic. All three teachers were rapidly talking over one another, trying to recall the events to Dumbledore, that made Harry end up in his office. Snape who wasn't even there, squeezed Harry's shoulder painfully, everytime he tried to interject them. McGonagall waited for the other two to calm down before stating her piece once more, finding that the constant yelling over each other was foolish to say the McGonagall turned to Harry and gave him a very stern look.
"I am very disappointed in you." She said. "From everything we've just heard I think the proper punishment would be a lengthy suspension."
"I think expulsion would be most suitable." Snape challenged.
"I agree!" Umbridge chirped. "But not before you are severely punished Potter." She added.
Harry didn't have to look at her eyes to know there was an excited gleam in them.
"Punish him in what way Professor?" Professor McGonagall asked, her thin lips tight as she raised her eyebrows. "Here at Hogwarts we do not bully our students nor do we severely punish them in such a manner than you would propose."
"What are you suggesting Minerva? Well none of that matters, does it? This place needs a reform to restore order." Umbridge chirped.
"Our students are under control." McGonagall hissed.
"Oh yes and Mr. Potter is a prime example of such control."
"Silence!" Dumbledore roared.
The two of them stopped bickering and watched alongside the others as Dumbledore rose from his seat. The headmaster walked past his desk encircling them. When he spoke, Dumbledore didn't even glance at Harry.
"To perform one of the unforgivable curses is at most, unforgivable, and will not tolerated here at Hogwarts. Because of this, all points are to be taken from Gryffindor, and you shall have two months worth of detention with Mr. Filch."
"Professor! We're almost a month into the semester." Harry cried out, but immediately he closed his mouth.
"Well you should have thought about that before you spat out that curse Harry." McGonagall said with her usual tone of tough love.
Harry slid back in his chair and let out a groan. He knew this wasn't the worse punishment he could receive however, he knew his house would rip him apart. He could see Hermione's beet red face now as she scolded him for hours on end. Seamus's ever-growing disdain would spread across his face. Ron's surprise. Dean's disappointment. There resentful faces raced through his mind.
"Again, I propose the boy be expelled." Snape insisted.
"Nonsense." Dumbledore said. "Hogwarts is the safest place Harry can be at the moment." By then Dumbledore had made his way back to his chair, with his back towards them. "I believe there's nothing else here to discuss."
"What do you mean by that Professor?" Harry urged as he got up. "Is there something going on outside? Is nowhere else safe?"
"Snape see that Harry is escorted to his chambers. The rest of you are dismissed." Dumbledore spoke as if Harry hadn't said a word.
"My pleasure." Snape clipped.
"Wait but I…" Harry stared longingly at Dumbledore.
The man he trusted the most in world had his back turned to him in more ways than one. As Snape dragged Harry out of the office Harry felt a heavy sense of sorrow. For the headmaster he met in his first year was not the same, he was distant and indifferent now. Once they were out of sight Snape grabbed Harry by the back of his cloak and yanked hard. Harry winced as Snape brought his mouth to his ear. His breath was thick and hot.
"Listen here you insolent swine ball. If you ever pull a stunt like that again I will curse you with my own spells do you hear me!" Snape released Harry, causing him to stumble on his footing. Harry tried to pat the wrinkles out of his cloak as Snape got in his face.
"I will be watching you Potter, ever so closely." He spat.
Harry blinked, but didn't say a word. He knew any retort would just dig him in deeper trouble. All he could do was rotate his neck to get rid of the pain Snape had bestowed upon him. As he did so Snape backed away from him, carefully watching until he made it to the end of the hall. Once he reached the end he gave Harry one last nasty look and then walked away. Snape was gone in a fury of black robes, black hair, and to Harry, a black soul.
"Harry you blithering idiot! You could have gotten expelled." Hermione screamed as she paced back and forth, her shoes clicking on the floorboards.
Ron sighed. "Cut him some slack Hermione, did you hear the things Draco said to him?"
"I don't care! Nothing Draco says is worth Harry's time." She snapped. "He would've wanted you to react like that, you know that Harry!"
"In hindsight, yes." He uttered. "I didn't even have to time to think about it before it slipped out. It was so fast, and so scary." Harry turned to Ron. "The worst part was the aftermath though. I was in Dumbledore's office, and he hadn't looked at me once. Only acknowledging me to tell me I wasn't getting kicked out."
This statement caused Hermione to pause and then sit next Harry to comfort him. "Dumbledore's a wise man Harry…" She said softly, "...I mean he probably has his reasons."
"Yeah but what reason is good enough to ignore me at a time like this. I mean Voldemort is back, my godfather is away, and I have no idea what I'm supposed to do next. I feel like everyone is just walking on eggshells around me, trying not to talk about the Triwizard tournament. As if that would make anything better!"
Hermione sighed and gave Harry a warm hug. "I'm sorry Harry." She said as they broke apart. "I wish I knew what to do, honestly."
"Reckon what even happened in there mate? Did you get like a lifetime of detentions with Umbridge?" Ron asked. Harry shivered at the thought of seeing Umbridge everyday for the rest of his life, scraping I mustn't tell lies indirectly on his skin forever.
"No no that would probably be worse than a dementor's kiss. I…" Harry swallowed suddenly remembering the loss he caused his house. "I got something really terrible that I don't want to tell you guys about right now."
Concern crept into Hermione's throat. "What was it?"
"You'll kill me if you found out now."
Hermione's brows scrunched together and she shot up. Her concern now turning into fear. "What did you do Harry!"
"Oh for the love of all things good, could we please drop this? I don't need to tell you right now, trust me!"
"Whisper it in my ear then. It's a noted fact that you can keep a secret longer if you release it to one trusted person." Ron urged.
"What a load of rubbish." Hermione said, but was shocked as Harry leaned over and whispered it to Ron, who shot up from couch.
"You did what!" Ron yelled.
"What was it?" Hermione asked. Harry begged Ron with his eyes, not to tell Hermione.
Ron being the good friend that he was, got the message, turned to Hermione and shook his head. "You'll find out soon enough Hermione, trust me." Ron looked at Harry, then Hermione, and then back at Harry. "Umm this is definitely news Harry should deliver to you."
Hermione stared Harry down. "If it's really that bad you should tell me now!"
"What happened to the trusting and less bossy Hermione you promised." Harry said.
Hermione grew red in the face and huffed. "...It's a bad habit, but you're probably right, I'll trust you and...and wait."
Harry tried to give her a small smile. "I'll tell you both though, that I found a secret room." Both Ron and Hermione's eyes lit up almost immediately.
"Where Harry?" Hermione asked.
Harry began to scratch his pant leg as he tried to conjure up a careful string of convincing words. "To be honest with you I'm not quite sure. I ran for a quite a while before I found this empty room. Looked like no one had been there for decades, like a secret hideout." Harry tried to laugh. "It wasn't that secretive because they found me in there. It's beneath the stairs and I...I found something in it."
"What was it?" Hermione chimed.
Harry's scar began to tingle. Instinctively he knew he had to be careful. "I'll let you guys see it for yourself, tomorrow after our classes, I say we go together."
"Well I reckon that's a good plan." Ron said, smiling.
Harry smiled back and glanced at Hermione, who stared at him with her analytical glare. She looked as if she was peeling back the truth and the unsaid truth within his statement. Harry hoped he looked innocent.
Ron soured. "Geez Hermione why does it always have to be a bloody interrogation with you?" Hermione shot Ron a look as he shot one back, standing up.
"Ronald!" Hermione screamed as Ron grabbed her by the waist and threw her onto the sofa in front of them.
Quickly Hermione grabbed a cushioned pillow and threw it at him. Ron grabbed it skillfully and threw it back, hitting her in the side. Hermione squealed as Ron ran at her to grab his thrown pillow. Simultaneously she grabbed another beside Harry, who had managed to stay out of the way. Hermione and Ron exchanged glances, their lips stretched into a pair of smirks. Simultaneously they turned their bodies to Harry and slammed him with their pillows. The three of them all laughed together, playing an innocently as any pair of youth should. For once in their life they were playing for fun and not for survival. Here in this moment, they only had to focus on protecting their faces from plushed pillows. Ron had both Hermione and Harry on the floor, both laughing and complaining as Ron snatched their pillows and claimed himself victor. With ease he offered them both a hand, which Harry used to pull himself up. Hermione stood up on her own, brushing her skirts. The few curls in her frizzy brown hair had all disappeared into a big puff from their game. "See Harry, everything's going to look up mate.
"Forget Umbridge and Snape. Hell, forget Dumbledore." Ron said, giving Harry a small but encouraging pat on the back.
"We'll always be here for you Harry." Hermione chimed.
Ron smiled as he squeezed them both into a hug. "Always."
Harry felt an overwhelming sense of relief overtake him as he squeezed his best friends in his arms. Alot of things in his life weren't going right for him, but he was eternally grateful for their loyalty. Harry knew he would never have to face the world or any big bad death eaters alone. Not with Ron and Hermione being by his side, always and forever more.
"Harry..."
"Harry."
Harry stirred in his sleep.
"Harry!" A voice hissed. Harry groaned, unable to fully understand the sounds.
"Potter!"
Harry shot up from his bed. Slowly he groaned and rubbed at the sudden headache that came with the grogginess of sleep. He squinted his eyes shortly,before putting on his glasses. His heart dropped. Tom stood...well floated right in front of his bed. As Harry raised his chin a bit higher he could see Tom's shoes barely scraping the floor. Harry hissed in a harsh whisper.
"What are you doing here?" He said.
"Where are my books Potter?" Tom asked.
Harry looked around at his friends, they were all sound asleep. Ron in particular, was snoring like a bear. "It hasn't even been a day! I never said when I was going to give them to you." He whispered angrily.
Tom chuckled. "Let me make myself clear. If you want me gone as soon as possible you need to give me those books as soon as possible."
"Who do you think you are?"
"Oh, Harry if I have to spell it out for you …"
Harry grabbed a ball sock and raised it at Tom. "Leave." He ordered, as if he had any control over the situation.
"Make me." Harry hardened his face and squinted his eyes in anger. If it weren't for the risk of the ball going through Tom's body and hitting Dean, he would throw the damn thing.
"Harry stop talking in your sleep." Ron groaned. Harry's heart lurched back up in his chest at the sound.
He lowered his voice, panicked. "Just leave Tom I'll give you your stupid books."
Tom inched forward and before Harry knew it, he was above him, closely, face to face. Harry stared into his dark black eyes and instantly felt cold. He couldn't feel the cloak nor could he feel the pressure of Tom's hands as he hovered them beside Harry's head.
"I don't think you understand the situation Potter. You work for me now, meaning if need be, I'll fire you. Do you know what that means?" Tom didn't give Harry any time to answer. "I'll kill you."
"You can't even touch me." Harry snapped.
Harry's scar began to prickle in pain. Harry bit into his lip, afraid of waking his roommates.
"You and I both know this isn't normal Potter. I am not a ghost nor am I a person. I am simply existence, a meer imitation, a slight variation, of the image you saw in the chamber of secrets. A shadow of a horcrux. So although, I cannot touch you…" Harry winced as Tom moved his head to the side of him, whispering in his ear. Another spike of pain caused Harry's whole body to contort in pain. He took quick, deep breaths as he dug his fingernails into his pj's.
"I can still cause you pain. And I know you cannot get rid of me without at least destroying the mirror, and who knows what will happen then? We don't know the full limit of my powers Harry, but if you keep making me angry I will test them. Want to know something exciting Harry? That Crucio curse you threw at that pureblood, part of that moment was me. That darkness that came and went, every ounce of it is me. Whether it's in this form or in flesh, I have influence over you. And the best part is, no one else can see or hear me, not even the great Dumbledore. The buffoon. This means that if I come for you Harry, no one will save you."
"Tom…" Harry closed his eyes as he tried to control his voice.
"If you want me to stop, beg for it."
"Please." Harry wheezed. "Please I'm sorry just ah! Make it stop…"
"Louder."
"I can't just...ah...please no. I'll do anything!"
And just like that the pain was gone.
Tom's lips hovered over his ear. "Sweet dreams Potter."
Harry froze without another word, and watched intently as Tom moved back and gave him a cold stare. The moonlight shined through his grey-white skin. Even as an apparition, his straight hair still held a uniformed side part, barely visible.
"Tomorrow night, in the room, no later than one." He said. "Oh and do avoid inviting your to dull-witted friends. I'm sure you would not want to see anything bad happen to them."
And before Harry could respond, Tom had vanished.
Fear shook Harry's bones, the type of fear that would keep a man twice his size paralyzed. He wanted so badly to believe all of this was just a very bad, very vivid dream. But he knew what he saw, and most importantly, he knew what he felt. Harry had felt air escaping from Tom's lips. It was a cold breath that had touched and tickled his ear, when he whispered his series of threats. Just a few hours ago Tom was could faintly be seen by the naked eye. Now, he still looked like a ghost, but this time he clearly looked more saturated. Harry rubbed at his scar, and clearly he wasn't acting like normal ghost. If Tom had made such a difference of appearance in a mere couple of hours, what exactly was he capable of? What was he? And more importantly what did that mean for him? Harry shivered at the thought. What had he gotten himself into.