Chapter 13
Hermione entered Harry's room, and made her way to the side of Harry's bed. She smiled softly as she looked down at her two boys. She was unsure as to why Harry had decided to date Cedric seeing as his soul mate was currently wrapped around him. She sneered as she thought of the Hufflepuff pretty boy, he was nowhere near good enough for Harry. She stared expectantly at the two boys occupying the bed, waiting for them to sense her stare. She lost patience rather quickly however and jabbed her wand into Harry's stomach. He groaned but did not awaken. She smirked and jabbed harder, causing Harry to swing his arm directly into Draco's face. She smiled as Draco bolted up right, wand at the ready. Harry continued to sleep. Her smile vanished as she stared at the boy who lived.

She ordered Draco "Wake him up and get ready, we have breakfast with Tom in forty-five minutes." She shook her head and stomped out of the room. Draco stared after her then turned his gaze to the sleeping boy next to him. He grinned and shot a jet of water directly into Harry's face, making him sputter and gasp. Harry sat up and wiped the water from his face, then glared at Draco.

Draco shrugged at Harry's accusing look and said, "Hermione told me to wake you up." Harry scowled and Draco continued, "We have breakfast with Tom so you had better hurry." Harry's face went from playfully petulant to angry in less than a second at the mention of Tom. Draco slipped out of Harry's bed and cast his friend a sad look as he made his way to the door. Harry sat still and silent on the bed, a dark look settling over his face.

It took Draco a short time to dress himself in black slacks and a slate gray shirt, with a ribbon to match tying back his hair. He slid out of his room and almost collided with Hermione who looked surprisingly muggle in her jeans and dark purple tank top. Her flat refusal to obey Tom's wish when it came to her clothing had never failed to amuse Draco.

He spoke "Tom won't like what you're wearing." Hermione shrugged and leaned against Harry's door. Draco cast Harry's room a forlorn look and addressed Hermione, "Harry told me something about Tom last night."

Hermione stood straight and asked, "What did he say?"

Draco answered quietly, "He said that Tom isn't always Tom."

Hermione started and demanded, "Be clear Draco, what does that mean?"

Draco snapped, "It means that Tom is insane!"

Hermione snarled "Watch your mouth!"

Draco hissed in return, "I'm just telling you what Harry told me."

Hermione glared at him and said, "You can't just say he's insane, you have to tell me how he is insane."

It wasn't Draco but Harry who replied, "It means that sometimes the lights are on but it isn't Tom who's home, sometimes it's Voldemort." Harry had come out of his bedroom behind Hermione. She whirled to face him. Harry continued, "Voldemort sometimes takes control of Tom's body, I have a feeling it was Voldemort who hit you back in first year."

Hermione breathed out, "How is this possible?"

Harry asked, "Do you know what Horcruxes are?"

Hermione nodded and answered, "Pieces of some ones soul, hidden in an inanimate object."

Harry nodded and went on. "During the first war Tom made seven of them. He has collected all but one to date. Since the soul is still partially separated the mind is fragmented, the strain of that one missing piece has been allowing Voldemort to gain more control as the time Tom is separated from that piece increases."

Hermione looked skeptical, she turned to Draco, "Is that all? You are holding something back. What is it?"

Draco glanced at Harry, Harry shook his head. "The meetings that Voldemort calls are not pleasant. I have seen every single one of them since they were first called. For Voldemort, the Death Eaters are expendable tools that can be broken at any moment he wishes. The visions I have of the meetings are painful, I feel every curse he uses. Crucio is his favorite, if I weren't connected as I am to him, by now I would probably be insane."

"Harry, have you told Tom about the visions?" Hermione was worried now. As much as she respected Tom, the fear she had experienced in his presence was now being explained. If it was true that the side of Tom that was Voldemort was gaining strength then they would need to remedy the problem soon.

"No. When could I have? He has not been in the manor except for meetings. The meetings where Tom hasn't been Voldemort are rare."

"This morning at breakfast…it will be Tom." Hermione sounded sure of this, but the boys weren't sure of whether she was trying to convince herself or them.

"How do you know?" Harry asked. "You didn't know it wasn't him in first year."

She thought for a moment. "We can't provoke him. Voldemort only has come out when Tom is provoked by someone, as long as we don't do anything to bring out that side of him then it should be Tom at the table."

The boys nodded. Draco eyed her clothes. "You should change then."

She nodded and left them in the hall.


The trio arrived at the breakfast table, all were strangely quiet as they sat. Tom noticed this and brought it to the attention of all sitting.

"You aren't arguing about something this morning. Or have you all decided to not talk to each other?" Tom looked expectantly at Hermione, usually by this time she would have commented on how stupid the comments the boys made were. Of the times the trio had actually stopped talking to each other it only took a few moments after they sat down for them to start talking again. Unless of course they were waiting for something to happen… "What are you three up to?"

Hermione and Draco looked uncomfortably over to Harry as he mumbled.

"Speak up Harry." Tom insisted.

Harry caught Tom's gaze and stated clearly: "Having visions of your meetings with the Death Eaters."

"I was afraid of that." Tom stood. "Come with me Harry."

The trio stood together, Harry for once leading the three into the adjoining room. Tom stared at Draco and Hermione as they sat on the sofa, Harry stood facing him.

Tom sighed. "Harry, when you were a baby I attacked your family intending to destroy the Potter line completely. The reason for this was a prophecy one of my servants had informed me of. The complete prophecy I never heard, but the part I received spoke of a child born to those whose parents had defied me thrice, the child would have the power to defeat me and would be born as the seventh month died. Two such children matched the description-yourself and the Longbottom boy."

"I know all of that Tom." Harry hissed out.

Tom glared at him, becoming agitated at being interrupted. "You know of the horcrux then?" At Harry's nod he continued. "To make a horcrux you must commit an act of supreme evil-killing a person will work the best. The night I attacked your family I unintentionally made the seventh horcrux."

Harry's eyes widened, he backed away from Tom with little fear showing on his face though he felt it throughout his body. "Me. You made me a horcrux? No, only inanimate things can become a horcrux."

"Not you Harry, your scar. Your scar-which connects your soul to a piece of mine-that is the last horcrux." Tom advanced on Harry who had stilled a foot from the sofa. Draco and Hermione looked ready to pull their wands out to defend their youngest member at any time.

"Take it back." Pain flared in Harry's scar as Tom pointed his wand at the lightning bolt. Harry brought a hand up to try and claw at the burning pain. 'Take it! I don't want it!"

Harry backed into the sofa and arched as a wave of pain coursed through him. Draco and Hermione felt helpless as they watched Tom take Harry's head in his hands. Red eyes seemed to glow and lock with Harry's as he took hold of the connection form by the horcrux.

A bright light burst from Harry's scar engulfing Tom, the sound of a scream ringed in the ears of all in the room as a dark mist trailed out of Harry's scar into Tom.

Both collapsed as the light faded, Hermione and Draco went to each as they both pushed themselves up. Harry put a hand to his forehead feeling the area now devoid of the scar that had marred it for so long. Tom shook his head clearing it of the fog he felt at the soul remerging itself.

Draco and Hermione waited for the two to give a sign that they were both well-physically and mentally. As Harry grinned up at Tom they knew all was back as it should be between them. Tom allowed Harry to embrace him as he hadn't done in years.

Can you still speak Harry? Tom asked in Parseltounge.

Yes. Harry moved away from Tom, he still had the gifts Tom had passed to him, but the connection was gone now. He could no longer feel the presence in his mind that had been with him since that Halloween night, he was glad for its absence.

A house-elf popped in to the room, breaking up the scene. It squeaked in fright at interrupting what it thought an important conversation from the stares sent its way. "Daisy is sorry masters and mistress, but Master Malfoy says the portkey is ready."

Harry and Draco shared a grin as Hermione rolled her eyes at them. Tom sent them on their way. Harry looked at him questioningly as he made no move to join them. "You are not coming Tom?"

"I will arrive later." The trio nodded and headed out of the room quickly.


Looming darkly in the middle of the ocean stood Azkaban prison. Though the day was bright, the sky overhead was clouded darkly, fear and pain emanated form the building itself, not counting the counting the dementors that floated through its dark halls.

The water sloshed against the rocks, making it difficult for the guard standing watch at the pier to help tie the boat up. The man in the boat stood, his hood covering his face entirely. The guard allowed him to step onto the deck, trying to catch sight of his face.

"Who are you?" The guard asked, his dark eyes wary of the stranger.

The hood was lifted slightly to reveal glowing red eyes. The guard stepped back in shock, but soon fell to a knee. "My Lord! When did you return?"

Tom looked down on his loyal servant. "Rise, I have not yet announced my return to the world. But soon it will happen. Soon my loyal Death Eaters will leave this cursed island and return to me and my heir."

The Death Eater rose from his kneel. His eyes glinting with maniacal glee. "I will be able to return my lord? My name will be cleaned of the word traitor?"

Tom smiled. "Yes, your name will be cleared. All will know that you have continued to serve me loyally, even when branded as a traitor."

The dark eyes for a moment turned to their original grey as Regulus Black bowed again to his Lord.


A.N.: Thought you might want to read the chapter before listening to me. Anyway, isn't motivation such a wonderful thing? The lack of it is certainly very annoying (at least for you readers out there), but as you can see I'm not dead yet!

Read & Review!

(It might give me enough motivation to finish the next couple of chapters quickly!!!)