Chapter 23: (Tom's POV)
He ducked instinctively, feeling a stunner brush the top of his head. He spelled a protego and several more…effective wards into place immediately. He felt a snarling hiss slip passed his lips. He yanked Harry behind him - easily - martyr really was too light. The dark haired boy's eyes widened slightly at the swift, abrupt movement.
"To-""-You really think you can handle two wars at once, old man?" he sneered. "You're already losing one." Dumbledore regarded him coldly, no sign of a twinkle present.
"Let him go," the old man ordered. He glanced at Harry, then arched his brows at Dumbledore.
"Should have kept him while you could," he replied icily.
"He needs to speak with family!"
"He needs someone to actually fight his bloody corner for once," Zevi snarled. "Instead of sending him to fight a war with no help as if he's the messiah and hoping he'll come out alive, cause then you won't have to get your own grubby hands dirty."
"I have his best interests at heart! I have my utmost confidence in Harry," Dumbledore said calmly, only his hard features betraying his rage.
"His best interests?" Tom repeated mockingly. "Repeat that will you? How does sending him to live with a pack of filthy worthless magic phobic bastards count as his best interests? How does expecting him to win a war with no training count as his best interests?"
"He'll do fine -"
"No, scratch that," Tom continued thoughtfully, his expression lethal. "How does screwing up my bloody campaign, letting me go insane when you know damn well that you could have done something, painting me as the personification of evil and, to top it off, setting a child up to be your soldier, count as Harry's best interests?"
"Not a child," Harry muttered. He almost smiled.
"Well?"
"It's not like that. He is needed to win this war. It's for the greater good -"
"-Oh, here we go," Abraxas chimed in resignedly.
"- I hardly believe that you're here, shall we say, to protect Harry's best interests, yourself?" Dumbledore finished, whittling his words to cut like a blade. Harry's eyes flicked to him, then uncertainly back to the old man. Crap.
"Evading the question, gramps?" he questioned delicately. "No, I'm not here simply to protect Harry's interests…but nor am I pretending to be. What does that say to you?" he directed the enquiry to the green-eyed enigma, who stared at him for a moment. "What is this, a custody battle?" he quipped weakly. Tom felt a smirk tug at his lips. Oh, if only he knew. Despite how Harry could act like a hardened war veteran, he could still be so endearingly innocent…
"Mr Potter. I must insist that you talk to your family," Dumbledore stated firmly. "You need to go home with them for a while."
"No," Harry said flatly, aghast. "Why should I?"
"The wards need to be updated. So then the house can be used as a Headquarters when your relatives move to the states."Was this some kind of joke? Harry's eyes had frosted over.
"Great," he bit out, through gritted teeth. "Of course I'll just up and jump whenever you tell me to sir, in the middle of exam year, without forewarning," he said sarcastically.
"I knew you'd understand," the old man smiled.
Tom however, kept his eyes on Harry. He could feel the emerald-eyed boy's magic swelling, snapping self-implemented restraints. He almost laughed. It was growing subtly darker, the light and the dark meshing to form one single stormy grey. It was beautiful.
"So, basically, this is the bit where I pick a side, right?" Harry asked lightly. Everyone went very still. Tom flicked his eyes to Harry's face, but found that he couldn't read it.
Dumbledore frowned.
"You're the boy-who-lived Harry, you're already on a side. What are you talking about?"
Harry's head tilted, dangerously. Then he smiled, beamed actually. It was quite a dazzling grin, but not particularly pleasant if you thought to look beneath its exterior.
"Thanks sir! You've just made this a lot easier." Harry took a step forward. Tom forced his features to remain blank, expressionless. He really didn't want to kill the boy if he decided to mould into the light's perfect little warrior. Make or break.
"I'm glad to help," Dumbledore smiled. "So, you'll go with your relatives then?"
"Sure!" Harry said cheerfully. Dumbledore shot him a smug look, making him want to claw something. He waited for Harry to finish, sensing he wasn't done. "As soon as the date hits 'never'."Dumbledore's eyes widened.
"Harry, m'boy?"
"I'm not your boy. I'm not your savoir. I'm not your tool. I quit."
Harry's POV
"I what?" Dumbledore spluttered. "You can't just quit!"
He coolly regarded the man he'd once seen as Grandfather, his features cold and his insides hurt. He'd gone too far this time.
"I just did," he spat.
"Does that mean your on our side now?" Alphard asked bluntly. He glanced at Tom, smiling.
"Nope."
Tom smiled, just slightly.
"I give it until the end of the year."
"You do that."
"Playing hard to get doesn't suit you."
"I'm sure I'll live."
The smile became just a fraction more pronounced. He grinned.
"Harry, I really must protest -" Dumbledore began.
"What are you all talking about!" Vernon suddenly roared. "Sides? Warriors? Soldiers? You're all insane."
Everyone's heads turned to watch the huffing, red-faced muggle.
"Can we celebrate?" Zevi asked him innocently. "That you've, no pun intended, seen the light?"
"Do what you will," he replied. "But I still stand by the fact that you can't torture my relatives."Vernon's face went white. Tom looked at the muggles for a moment, then at him.
"Pity…not even a little bit?"
"Nada."
"But why?" Alphard whined, a malicious grin on his face. The Dursley's took a step back. "They'd make such good toys."
"I really, I don't -" Vernon fell silent. "Freaks," he spat.
After everything, Tom's temper snapped.
"Harry, define torture for me?" he asked coldly, his wand in his hand. The Dursley's took a step forward.
"Mr Riddle -"
"No pain, be it mental or physical. No accidents that mysteriously lead to torture or them falling down the stairs and dying. No asking or hinting or implying that anyone else should torture them for you. Er…no killing. I think that's it?"Tom smiled, chillingly.
"Great." His wand flicked out, a bright light smacking into Dudley. Dumbledore, abruptly, took a startled step forward. There were many horrified gasps - this was Tom.
The next second, the hall broke into laughter.
Dudley had gained the attributes; nose, skin, hair etc…of little miss piggy. He bit back a snort.
"My baby!"
Tom eyes were icy, dangerous, as he looked between the muggles.
"Get out of my sight, muggle, or line up."
AN: Well, here we go. I hope its not too much of a disappointment. Check out my companion fic - Destiny's Darling. Thank you so much for all your reviews! And enjoy - The Fictionist.