'An Idle Mind Is The Devil's Playground'

By: Night Flame Miko

Contributed to by: Chocolate coated Blue

An:

Hi. Sorry this one took a bit longer than normal. I just have to warn you that over the next couple of weeks I probably won't be updating at an even pace. I have some really important exams going on, and whilst I definitely won't drop this whilst I do them, these updates may take time between each.

So just be patient please.

Disclaimer: We don't own anything.

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Harry was angry.

This, most would say, was completely understandable; as he had been standing, reciting sweets to the stupid gargoyle for the past 7 minutes. And nothing! You would think that when Dumbledore had requested the meeting after breakfast this morning, he would have at least told Harry the password.

But nooo.

Hearing a muffled sound (suspiciously like a snort) Harry turned the glare on his Dark Lord, floating behind him and looking all too inno-…scratch that, stoic. Tommy-Boy couldn't do innocent if it smacked him across the head. That thought prompted a smile from him and a subsequent eyebrow-raise from said D. Lord.

Shaking his head he turned back to the gargoyle, doing a double take when he swore the thing was smirking at him. Letting out a frustrated sound he reared his foot back, prepared to kick the stupid thing (first the owls and now freaking statues! What next, the fucking squid?); he was just about to let loose (which thinking about it was probably incredibly stupid and was going to hurt like a bitch) when he was thankfully interrupted by Professor McGonagall who was watching him with an eyebrow raised in an eerily similar fashion to Riddle floating beside him.

"Mr Potter. You are not just about to kick a statue, are you? I imagine that would hurt."

Turning he grimaced/smiled at his teacher,

"Who me? You think I would do something as stupid as kicking a sometimes-animate piece of rock?" Blinking at her with large, 'see I'm not stupid' eyes she merely chuckled before walking up and speaking to the stupid-sometimes-animate rock.

"Lick our rice."

He blinked as the statue immediately leapt out of the way and Professor McGonagall stepped to the side.

He was still contemplating the password and the fact that it wasn't a sweet when he arrived at the top of the staircase. Turning to Voldemort he opened his mouth but said Dark Lord just shook his head a slight sneer on his face,

"Liquorice. Just ignore it. He did it to fuck with you."

Blinking again his eyes narrowed. The old man had bloody done it on purpose (of course he had, old coot), he only had 15 minutes to get this meeting over with and get to potions. It would have to be enough time; otherwise Snape was going to kill him.

Raising his hand to knock on the door, his hand hadn't even touched wood before a genial, "Come in Harry" greeted him.

Opening the door he walked in, grinning innocently. Dumbledore looked up from where he had been petting Fawkes, his eyes twinkling happily.

"Ah, Harry, my dear boy. How are you?"

Slumping across a chair in front of the Headmaster's desk he smiled at Dumbledore,

"I'm great Big Al. How're you?"

Dumbledore blinked at the nick-name, but as always just took it in stride; his only reaction to twinkle brighter.

"Fine, fine, my boy." Leaning forward Dumbledore laced his fingers together and adopted a more serious expression. Harry purposefully refused to meet his gaze, knowing his Occlumency shields (he had started working on them over summer)were crap, and instead looked around the office.

Of course that brought his gaze to the twitching Dark Lord next to him, who was apparently attempting to A-K Dumbledore with his eyes alone. His attention was dragged from this fascinating sight and to Dumbledore('s forehead) when the old man coughed lightly. "Harry. I have been hearing some interesting rumours about you being haunted, but only you could see or hear the spectre." His voice gentled as he tried to catch Harry's eyes, "Is it anything the Order has to worry about?"

Adopting a slightly worried look he turned his gaze back to Voldemort, seeming to contemplate their worst enemy; who was apparently back under control of his immediate homicidal urges.

"Nope. Not at all."

Voldemort smirked slightly at that, crossing his arms and watching what he realised was going to be an amusing game of cat-and-mouse. The question was, who was the cat?

"Are you sure my boy. You don't want to jump to conclusions and have another grievous accident like what happened with Sirius happen again." Harry immediately felt that anger from earlier increase into pure rage and snapping his eyes to Dumbledore's he very nearly spat his next words at the old man,

"No. I'm absolutely sure that Elder Samoht cannot hurt me. He's a ghost for Merlin's sake! And trust me; he is not nearly snake-like enough to be Voldemort."

Not even a complete lie, Harry smirked not noticing the exact same expression spread across Tom Riddle's face a few feet from him.

It was only as he felt a slight pressure in his mind that he realised he was looking directly in Dumbledore's eyes, which was probably exactly what the old bastard had wanted. Attempting to look away he began to panic when his eyes refused to leave the Headmaster's, even as the pressure increased. Clenching his hands he tried to clear his mind, hoping with all his might that it would work, he knew that Dumbledore was seconds away from entering his mind completely.

And that was when things got weird. Just as he felt the Headmaster's mind slip past his meagre barriers; there was a sharp twinge in his scar and a low snarl from Voldemort next to him. Dumbledore's eyes widened as…something was suddenly between them, a barrier he hadn't known existed sprang up between his and the intruding mind. Then with no further ado, the Headmaster was thrown out, not having even scratched his surface thoughts.

Standing up Harry glared at the headmaster before sneering,

"I think that is all Headmaster. I warn you, I do not appreciate anyone ever going into my mind with or without my permission. Do not call me for another meeting unless you are inducting me into Fawkes' Order or someone is dying. Anything short of that and I will be extremely pissed." Leaning forward he glared into the not-twinkling eyes. "Good day, Headmaster."

Twisting on a foot he stalked out of the office before the Headmaster could even got a word in. He was down the stairway and heading to the dungeons before he realised that right now Voldemort was fighting very hard not to laugh.

Feeling the amusement coming from the Dark Lord he couldn't help cracking a smile despite his anger,

"Told 'em good. Didn't I?"

Regaining himself, the Dark Lord sneered at Harry; though he didn't feel anything truly behind it,

"It was adequate. You haven't gained many points, though, until you atleast attempt to hex, if not kill him."

Raising an eyebrow at Voldemort he shook his head,

"You Dark Lords and you're little 'killing people thing'. You seriously need to get a new hobby."

Sniffing imperiously, Voldemort looked down on him.

"I'll have you know that my 'hobby' is far more than just a 'killing people thing', and if you cannot realise that yourself then you are not worth my valuable knowledge."

Snorting at the stuck-up statement Harry muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'Head so far up his ass he can't even breathe', but Voldemort merely sneered at Harry, deeming that not even worth a reply.

It was as they reached the entrance hall (which branched off into the dungeons) that it happened. Harry was striding towards the staircase, knowing he had five minutes to get to class, when he spotted Ginny heading up the main stairway, obviously in a hurry. She must have noticed him as well because she turned and smiled shyly at him; which he returned, before she spun round and took off once again, taking the stairs two at a time.

The whole thing lasted barely a few seconds, and Harry hadn't meant anything by it. So he was completely surprised when a crippling amount of rage and possessiveness flowed from the Dark Lord and straight into him. Gasping he slumped to his knees, cradling his head in his hands and biting back a whimper. Surprisingly his scar didn't hurt, but having such conflicting feelings (his own and Voldemort's) hurt enough to bring and keep him down anyway.

The feelings abated slowly and it was only once they were gone that he looked up and glared at the unrepentant Dark Lord.

"What the fuck was that?!"

All he got was a sneer in return, but Harry wasn't going to drop it. Turning he looked at where Ginny had disappeared and realising what the feelings implied he turned disbelieving eyes on Voldemort.

"Oh, hell no. You can't like Ginny Weasley! That's so many different kinds of wrong I don't even know where to start!" In fall rant mode he didn't notice the taken-aback expression on Voldemort's face before it was smoothly replaced with the impassionate mask. "I mean you possessed her and tried to use her life force to-"

"I assure you, I do not like the Weasley brat. And on my remaining sanity, I never will."

Harry opened his mouth, about to demand what the feelings were about then; when a bell tolled and he realised that he was late, and that Snape was going to end him.

Sending a look at Voldemort that promised an interrogation later he swung round and took off for the dungeons, hoping that if he wasn't too late, he might survive with all his appendages in tact.

Voldemort followed at a more sedate pace, watching the retreating back and wondering whether he should be worried about this turn of events.

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An:

Sorry everyone. This was going to be longer, but work, sleep and procrastination deemed this the ending of the chapter. It at least started the point I wanted to bring up in this chappy. But from here on out, things are definitely going to get interesting :P

-NFM