Undone
by Healer Pomfrey
All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
COMPLETELY AU! Partly OOC.
It is my story, and I intend to write it the way I want it. If you don't like it, don't read it.
Reviews are very welcome, as they inspire my muse. Thank you very much for the kind feedback on the previous chapter!
"When Dolores forced me to open the Chamber of Secrets and make Amaterasu kill a student, she also forced me to accuse Hagrid of opening the Chamber," Tom explained, sighing. "He was expelled from Hogwarts in spite of being innocent, but there was nothing that I could do about it at that time. Can you please find a way to give him a trial, even if as much as fifty years have passed since then?"
Amelia and Harry stared at the boy in surprise. 'Oh no, poor Hagrid and poor Tom,' Harry thought.
Before he could voice his opinion in order to help Tom, Amelia nodded. "I'll see what I can do," she promised before asking, "Tom, are you sure that you don't want to press charges against Umbridge?"
"Oh I want, but the time isn't ripe yet," Tom replied in a firm voice. "I already have a plan, and I'm looking forward to it."
"Me too," Amelia said, grinning.
"Umbridge," Harry mused aloud. "Do I know her?"
"She usually wears pink robes or a pink cardigan and is extremely unfriendly," Amelia informed him, only to add, "Deem yourself lucky if you haven't met her yet."
Tom nodded his agreement. "One thing though," he then said, pensively, "I don't want to admit in the trial for Hagrid who I really am. It should suffice if Harry and I confirm that it's only possible to open the chamber with an incantation in Parseltongue, shouldn't it?"
"I'll do my best," Amelia promised. "If not, Hagrid will have to wait until you're ready to put Umbridge on trial, whenever that might be."
HP
"Tom," Harry whispered, when they were in the boys' dormitory later the same evening, "can you show me the Chamber of Secrets? Is there really a basilisk?"
Tom chuckled. "I'll show you. Yes, there is, and she's really nice. Her name is Amaterasu like the Japanese sun goddess. You'll like her."
HP
Before everyone gathered in the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, Tom led Harry into the Chamber of Secrets. "Keep your eyes closed," he advised Harry, before hissing out in Parseltongue.
"Amaterassu, where are you?"
A moment later, Harry heard slithering sounds, before a voice suddenly began to hiss back.
"Ahhh visitorsss. Are you friendsss or foesss?"
"Friendsss," Tom replied quickly. "Isss it safe for usss to open our eyesss?"
"Yesss," Amaterasu confirmed.
After a longer conversation with the basilisk, during which Tom apologized for sending her out into the castle to kill a student while being under the Imperius curse, Amaterasu showed them to Salazar's living room, which allowed entrance to his personal library and potions lab.
While the two boys explored Salazar's quarters, Amaterasu rested in front of the large fireplace, glad that Tom had been so kind as to light it for her.
Promising the basilisk to visit her again soon, the two second-years finally hurried back to the castle's surface barely on time for the Halloween feast with the intention to check out the library and the lab at the next opportunity. 'Both are absolutely amazing,' Harry thought, still stunned at their discovery.
HP
Hagrid's trial took place a week later, and Harry and Tom were invited as witnesses. The headmaster was going to attend as well, but since he was due to sit with the Wizengamot, Rosie offered to accompany her two students.
Before the beginning of the trial, Amelia introduced Harry and Tom to a witch with bright green hair, who was sitting not far from them. "This is Tonks," she explained, causing the two boys to give the Auror a knowing look.
"Nice to meet you Tonks," Harry said, smiling. "I've already heard a lot about you."
"Oh I hope only nice things," Tonks replied, grinning, "knowing my cousin Sirius…" She trailed off, looking at Tom. "You must be Regulus' son Thomas. I'm glad to finally meet you."
"Please just call me Tom," Tom whispered, carefully glancing around.
Just then, Amelia greeted everyone and opened the trial, and it was just a few more minutes before Tom and then finally Harry were called as witnesses.
Harry could more or less only confirm what Tom had already explained and was relieved when the questions stopped.
Just when Amelia instructed the Aurors to administer Veritaserum to Hagrid for questioning, a female voice from the direction of the Wizengamot spoke up. "Em em."
"Madam Umbridge, did you have a question?" Amelia asked, efficiently hiding her annoyance.
"Yes. How old are you boys?" the witch in the pink cardigan asked in what Harry thought as of a falsely polite voice.
"Twelve," they both replied, simultaneously, causing the witch to let out a strange chuckle.
"They are twelve, young boys," she said. "How would they know anything about the Chamber of Secrets? They're nothing more than attention seeking brats."
"That's enough," Amelia replied, sounding angered. "I know both boys quite well, as they're my niece's friends, and I know for a fact that neither of them wishes for attention whatsoever. Now please proceed and administer the Veritaserum."
"That was Umbridge. Isn't she an absolute bitch?" Tom whispered to Harry, while Hagrid was questioned.
"Absolutely," Harry agreed full heartedly, feeling very sorry for Tom to have been forced to marry such an evil witch.
'I'm so happy that I have Luna,' he thought, feeling extremely contented to have been able to choose his future wife by himself.
After a short break, Hagrid was declared innocent of all charges. He was allowed to carry a wand again and was compensated for the fifty years of injustice.
With large tears running down his cheeks, Hagrid approached Harry and Tom and profusely thanked the boys, who reassured him that he was very welcome and promised to take Hagrid with them to the Chamber of Secrets and introduce him to Amaterasu sometime during the weekend.
"I'd love to meet a real basilisk," Hagrid said in clear amazement, when they followed Rosie back towards the fireplace to return to Hogwarts.
HP
On Saturday morning, Harry and Tom skipped the Quidditch match Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff and led Hagrid into the Chamber of Secrets, together with their girlfriends, who insisted to accompany them, and Professor Snape, for whom the potions lab was supposed to be a treasure trove.
While Harry spent about two hours translating between Hagrid and Amaterasu, Tom led the girls and the professor through the library into the potions lab.
When Harry and Hagrid finally followed the others and Amaterasu curled up in front of the fireplace, Snape seemed very much agitated. "Let's go," he spoke up. "Messrs. Potter and Gaunt, you will accompany me to the headmaster."
Harry and Tom exchanged a shocked look. 'What did we do wrong?' Harry wondered, as he followed the others out of the chamber.
HP
"Listen," Snape spoke up, when they reached the gargoyle that was guarding the headmaster's office. "From now on, the two of you are going to become my student assistants. Provided that you agree," he added, smirking. "There are thousands of potions recipes, which I'd like to have translated into proper English, and since the two of you are the only people capable of reading Parselscript, I'm afraid that I can't give you much of a choice."
"Our girlfriends are going to kill us…"
"… but yes, we agree," Tom completed Harry's sentence.
HP
Harry inwardly groaned upon entering the headmaster's office, declining the offered lemon drop in silent disgust.
Snape told the headmaster about the Chamber of Secrets and the library and potions lab that it contained.
"I wish to hire both, Mr. Potter and Mr. Gaunt, as student assistants," Snape finally said, almost giving the headmaster a heart attack.
'Severus hiring the child of his arch enemy?' Harry sensed Dumbledore wonder, while Snape further explained the matter.
In the end, Dumbledore agreed, although he was surprised to hear that Tom was a Parselmouth, but Tom explained it to his apparent contentedness as a trait of the Gaunt family. "As far as my mother told me, we're descendants of a side line of the Slytherins, while Harry is a direct heir of Salazar," he reasoned.
"Well, you're related to Tom Riddle as well, who was also a Parselmouth," Dumbledore commented, before he asked the boys if they wanted money as payment or rather privileges.
"Privileges please," both boys chose to reply and were glad when they were dismissed and could return to the girls, who were eagerly waiting for them, even if Harry had telepathically informed them what their conversation with the headmaster was about.
HP
During the following months, Harry and Tom each worked ten hours a week for the Potions Master, translating titles of the recipes from Salazar's books. If the professor deemed a recipe interesting, they proceeded to translate it completely.
One of the privileges that they were given for their work was that they were allowed to participate in the Hogsmeade visits. Even though their girlfriends could not accompany them, the boys had much fun, especially when they visited the village together with the Weasley twins. Sometimes, they bought flowers for their betrotheds on these occasions, sometimes chocolate frogs or other sweets for their eight Wallace classmates.
HP
It was shortly before the end of the school year, when the Potions Master let out a sigh of exasperation. "There are so many recipes, and due to your help, I've been able to brew some very interesting potions, but during these six months, we haven't been able to find any of the recipes that I was looking for," he admitted on the students' questioning looks.
"Why don't we ask Salazar, if you're looking for something specific?" Tom suggested, pensively. "I'm sure there has to be a portrait of him in the founders' quarters, hasn't it Harry?"
Harry stared at his friend in surprise. "Yes, there's at least one of all four founders," he replied, trying to remember what exactly was in the founders' quarters. "I really should go there more often. I've only been there once," he admitted.
"Are you able to take us with you?" the professor enquired, interest showing in his face.
"Yes sir," Harry replied, matter-of-factly. "Shall we go and pay Salazar a visit?"
Snape and Tom agreed, and the three wizards headed to the founders' quarters in excitement.
HP
Harry led Tom and the professor into the founders' quarters and introduced them to the four founders in their life size portrait that was covering one wall of the living room.
"It's about time that you bring my successor as Potions Master and head of Slytherin," Salazar spoke up, sounding grumpy.
"Ah Salazar, leave Harry in peace," Helga interrupted her husband. "He didn't have to bring anyone here. I'm just only glad to see him again."
"Really boy, considering that you're our heir and the owner of Hogwarts, you ought to come here more frequently," Godric spoke up, wearing a glare.
"I'm sorry," Harry replied in a small voice. "Tom and I have been visiting Amaterasu from time to time, but we didn't get around to come here."
"Professor Slytherin, we came here today to ask you a few questions about your potions recipes," Snape spoke up, causing the founder to turn to him, raising an eyebrow in silent question.
"Harry and Tom have been translating several of your recipes for me, as I'm not privy of Parselscript," Snape explained. "However, there are some potions, which are much needed in our time and I was wondering if there were some in your time that have been lost over the years."
Salazar nodded in understanding. "What exactly are you looking for my boy?" he enquired.
"A cure for lycanthropy, for insanity and for the Influenza Magica are the most pressing ones," the younger wizard replied, eagerly.
"Hmm, for lycanthropy you need the wolvescure potion, for insanity there are three different ones, which you'll find in my later books, probably between volume sixty and seventy, but the Influenza Magica I haven't heard of," the founder admitted.
"The wolvescure potion I assume was in your earlier works?" Snape asked, seeming reluctant.
"No, maybe between thirty and forty," Salazar corrected him. "I'm sorry, but I wrote so many books that I don't remember exactly where to find what. I've never published any books, so most of my recipes may be lost in the future. Feel free to publish them under your own name if you wish," he added, his former grumpy expression turning into a smile.
While Snape profusely thanked the founder, stating that he merely wanted to cure some very sad cases, Godric turned to Harry.
"And now go and explore these quarters. There are several useful rooms here, especially for the owner of Hogwarts. The adjacent room over here," he pointed to his left side, "is the Parlour, the only room in which you can freely converse with Hogwarts without having to hold on to her walls. I always found it quite comfortable while still being alive. Everything else you'll have to find out by yourselves."
"Thank you Godric," Harry replied, smiling, and, seeing that Snape and Salazar were finished with their conversation, motioned Tom and the professor to follow him into the Parlour, where they spoke with Hogwarts for a few minutes.
'This is really good,' Harry thought, 'especially than everyone can understand Hogwarts here. If I have to put my hand against the wall, only Luna and I can hear her.'
There were a couple of bedrooms with adjacent bathrooms, a library, a study with two large desks and chairs, and finally, they found themselves in a very small chamber. In contrary to all other rooms, there was no painting decorating the walls, and it was only equipped with a large, comfortable looking sofa.
"What's this room?" Harry wondered aloud, noticing from the other wizards' expressions that they had no clue either.
"Let's go back and ask Godric," Tom suggested. "It doesn't look much impressive, but I can't imagine that it was just a hideout for couples to cuddle."
Rolling his eyes behind Tom's back, Snape concurred and led the way back to the living room.