Chapter 47 (and hell, when did I get so near 50!)
When Harry awoke the next morning, Tom was already gone.
What a surprise. The other could try and claim that he wasn't trying to avoid questions about the remembrall, but that was obviously a lie.
Did Tom truly believe he was destined to become Voldemort? Salazar.
No, it was too early. He wouldn't think of it before he'd even had breakfast, it would only make him feel nauseous. Well, more so than he already did. He like a good, strong caffeine shot for breakfast, thank you very much.
He rolled out of bed, blearily. Ever since Tom had put up the block, he'd slept a lot better. Which reminded him, he still needed to find that accursed information on Power Levels. Knowing Tom, the other had probably been fully aware that the appropriate piece of text explaining his question was utterly obscure. It was just like Tom to find amusement in watching him slave away and hunt through books for hours, smug in the knowledge that he could oh so easily just answer the question himself. And Tom called him lazy? Honestly.
He headed down towards the Great Hall, debating Quidditch with Abraxas. The Malfoy was adamant that Slytherin was going to trash Gryffindor in the oncoming match. Harry disagreed. It didn't matter if they were soon to hold trials for a Keeper, they would still beat the snakes hands down.
Tom was sitting at the Slytherin table, he noted, when he entered the hall. The young Dark Lord's eyes flicked up as they approached, still bickering good naturedly over the best sport in the world. He smiled briefly, not quite awake enough to attempt a greeting (well rested or not, he would never be a morning person) before spying Ron and Hermione and going to sit at the Gryffindor table for once.
Some of them, like Ginny specifically, glared at him but he ignored them - albeit, regarding the youngest Weasley with a disturbed curiosity. Something was definitely amiss there. Closer up, the other looked drained and tired…much like she had in first year. A chill skittered up his spine. He ignored that parallel too.
For now.
Ron was yawning deeply into his hand.
"Late night?" he asked. Ron reddened for some odd reason, before hastily nodding.
"Yeah…couldn't, er, sleep."
Liar. And dear god, his thoughts were even beginning to SOUND like Tom…he was going to schedule in a break from the Slytherin heir sometime. Spending just under twenty fours with a psychopath, or in close proximity anyhow, was probably psychologically damaging. Even if the psychopath in question was your kind of best friend, and a very talented actor. Especially then.
"Oh?" Hermione questioned worriedly. "Are you feeling okay? You're not getting sick, are you?"
Ron flushed further. Hermione was studying the red head, and they both exchanged looks of interest.
"Nah, I'm fine," Ron yawned again, promptly diving into his food with a gusto.
Suspicious. Very Suspicious.
He settled down with breakfast, not paying attention to the customary swoop of owls as they delivered the morning post.
"Harry," Hermione prodded him after a moment, her voice shaky and her hands brandishing the Daily Prophet in front of his nose.
It seemed the Daily Prophet had finally gone open with the war.
The Death Eater raid was splattered across the cover, continuing into a full three page spread. As if everyone weren't already aware of it. Still, something about the acknowledgment made him feel tired, made it more official despite his hatred of the press. It was acknowledged now, and things would only get worse.
He lost his meagre appetite.
"Page five," Hermione whispered. Ron was leaning over, almost grabbing the paper out of Hermione's hands with his eagerness. If the situation wasn't so dire, as all his situations appeared to be nowadays, he would have cracked a joke about Ron being more enthusiastic about reading something than Hermione, the quasi Ravenclaw, was. As it was, he didn't have the heart for it. Ron swore.
"That's bang out of order, mate," he exclaimed irately. Curiosity roused, Harry looked over at page four: 'The Dark 'Savior' of the Light."
It was all about him, and his apparent descent into Death Eaterness and darkness. He would have laughed, if he wasn't so disgusted. He glanced over at the Slytherin table. Tom was looking back for him, eyebrow arching as if to mockingly say "now really, you should have told me if you felt that way."
The whole hall was roaring with whispers, and he could feel eyes boring at his skin like a million miniscule needles. For god's sake. They'd all been there for the scene with the Dursleys (and what the hell had happened to the Dursley's anyway? Not that he cared, but it had been slightly random…another thing to look up if he didn't keep putting it off in distraction.) He rolled his eyes.
Another owl swooped in, dropping a letter in his lap. He sighed, feeling the stares from the head table and recognising the loopy handwriting. Dumbledore.
Harry, please come to my office after breakfast. I will write a pass for any lesson time that you miss. I have a partiality to Fizzing Whizbees. AD.
It was short, but to the point. Harry debated silently over whether or not to bother, but in the end decided to go and see what the old man wanted. He didn't hate Dumbledore after all, he just severely disagreed with his manipulative streak…but then again, if he was willing to play ball with Tom after the memory charm, he supposed it was only fair to give the Headmaster a hearing too.
He could always walk out again.
Not to mention, a private meeting with Dumbledore would drive Tom insane with inquisitiveness…it served the secretive git right. No, he wasn't being childish - and annoying Tom was NOT his only reason. He looked up at the head table, to find blue eyes already resting on his form. He nodded once, setting the parchment on fire.
"Who was that from?" Ron asked.
"Dumbledore," he said honestly. His eyes moved over to the Slytherin table again to see Tom's gaze narrowed on the leader of the light, with loathing. It seemed the other had noticed the message exchange; not that he'd thought Tom wouldn't.
"Get notes for me, will you Hermione?" he requested. His best friend nodded, anxiously.
Breakfast drew to a close.
AN: Thank you thank you thank you for all your amazing reviews. The interest this story is getting is fantastic! I'm so happy. Yay. I'm glad you are all still enjoying this, and I hope this satiates you're appetites for more. It seems a bit rough (the whole story) to me, but if you like it, than that's all that matters. - The Fictionist.
PS: HARRY POTTER AND THE DH2 IS OUT ON FRIDAY! I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT! I'm insanely excited! And also feeling very nostalgic…oh, it's the end of my childhood…