One moment Voldemort is flipping through books of different torture methods. The next moment he is on the ground, writhing in soul splitting agony more painful than the cruciatus curse. It went on and on, seemingly for days on end, but in reality, it lasted no more than a couple minutes before fading away.
He stands up, realizing that his thoughts have been clearer then they have been in years. Burying his face in his hands, he notices another oddity: he has a nose. This new development causes him to pull his hands away from his face, revealing that his nails are normal length and that his skin is soft and fair rather than the paper white scales he previously possessed.
Making up his mind, he conjured a mirror and was greeted by the image of him in his 30s. He once again had his full lips and high cheekbones, his fair (not paper white) skin and his slightly wavy dark brown hair. The only feature that was not his natural looks were his eyes. His eyes looked almost the same color as they used to be; the same rich brown, but it had an edge of unnatural red to it from the repeated splitting of his soul.
That must be why he looks almost normal. Part of his soul must have come back to him. Voldemort thought back to where each of his horcruxes were, he decides that the diary is the one to have most likely been in peril. He willbe talking to Lucius about this later… and by talk he means punish.
However, he can't exactly complain about his soul coming back to him. He no longer looks like an utter monster; the deformed snake look was something that Voldemort was self conscious about, even when both his intelligence and his sanity were extremely limited. However, as appreciated as his return to old looks were, Voldemort is not shallow; his returning sanity and intelligence was the true gift of the evening.
Looking back on some of his previous actions, he realizes that they were completely insane. For starters, he doesn't understand why he used that cringey anagram he created in his Hogwarts years. He supposes that it was useful for identity concealment. Nonetheless, he will restart going by the name Tom; that is, at least in his head, As he cannot let the Death Eaters know that he has changed.
Speaking of his Cult of pureblood supremacists; Tom no longer understands why he would practice or even tolerate pureblood supremacy. He whole-heartedly agrees that muggles are filthy beings, but muggleborns? Muggleborns have also been blessed with magic. They are just as worthy, if not more worthy, than purebloods and halfbloods, and therefore, should be treated with such dignity. And halfbloods? Well, Severus, Dumbledore, Potter, and himself are all halfbloods who are much more powerful than their pureblooded counterparts, as much as it pains him to give any compliment to the old goat.
Potter, however, he has no complaint with complimenting. Which is ironic considering that he is Tom's greatest enemy. Regardless, he was in awe of how, no matter what he put that boy through, he would get right back up again. Every. Single. Time. As a first year he stood across from Voldemort and defied him, calling him a liar to his face. As a 14 year old he survived a competition that was closed due to it's killing of legal adults. In the graveyard he took Tom's crucio and stood up to fight him immediately after. Even then, hurt, surrounded by enemies, and just off the cruciatus curse as he was, he still managed to throw off Tom's imperius. All accomplishments that he doubts even his strongest Death Eaters could even consider attempting, much less achieving. The prophecy was correct, and so is the name on his wrist; Potter is truly his equal.
That lead him to king of all his insane actions. He heard half of a prophecy and he ran in without knowing anything else and killed a baby. It doesn't matter that Potter is his Greatest enemy; magical blood is to be protected. Especially in children, as -with a few red haired exceptions- they were rare in the Wizarding world. He should have left an innocent baby out of it, but what did he do instead? Instead he heard part of a prophecy, and rather than doing the sensible thing and trying to figure out the rest of the prophecy he rushed in with no Information and did the unthinkable. For all he knew, there may have been something in the prophecy saying that he would only be defeated if he attacked first; for all he knew, it was a self fulfilling prophecy! Either way he pushed the prophecy into motion and unless he figures out some way to stop it, it will continue till its finished. However, the vanquishing could have been the decade he spent as a wraith. Merlin, if only he was able to listen to that Prophecy.
However once he starts on those thoughts it's going to take him hours to stop. Casting a Tempus, he realizes that there is a scheduled Death Eaters meeting in no more than a few minutes. Tom applies a glamor to himself, giving him his previous snake-like appearance. He then walks down to the hall that has been used as a meeting/throne room. He sits down on his throne only seconds before the first Death Eaters start to arrive.
Tom was growing tired of the talk of raids and pureblood supremacy. He was just about to dismiss his followers when he realized he had another opportunity.
"I want reports on Potter".
He may no longer be interested in the majority of his dark lord activities, but he still has the prophecy to think of-he doesn't want to die after all. Besides, Potter is quite interesting and always seems to be up to something, so this report will surely be more interesting then the rest of the meeting was.
"My lord, my son is in the same DADA class with Potter. Apparently they recently did boggarts; Potter… had a strange greatest fear." Lucius said.
"Severus, don't you teach that class?"
"Yes, my Lord."
"Everyone dismissed except for Severus." Tom called out.
As he watched the Death Eaters file out, he felt a build up of anticipation. What could scare a 16 year old that took on their parents murderer without begging for mercy?
"Severus, put your memory of Potter's boggart in." Tom said after summoning a Pensive once everyone was out of the room.
"Yes, my Lord" Severus intoned while pulling out a silvery memory from his temple.
Tom took a moment to breathe before he stepped inside the Pensive, hoping he was ready to face whatever could shake somone as fearless as his Greatest Enemy.
He was not ready for what he saw.
The boggart floated out of the cupboard, flashing from fear to fear faster than Tom's crucios used to fly. Finally the boggart settled into the form of…himself…as a teenager?
An uneasy pride flooded through Tom at the thought that his Greatest Enemy's fear was himself. Soon after though, confusion overtook the pride. Why would Potter be more afraid of his teenage form than the literal nightmare fuel that greeted him in the graveyard? How did Potter even know what he looked like as a teenager? As if he wasn't already confused enough, Boggart Tom's next actions just made his confusion multiply.
Boggart Tom walked over and stroked his hand over Potter's scar, and down his cheek, saying: "I can touch you now, my dear". As if in an affectionate mockery of his actions in the graveyard. But, what was the pet name for?
"Tom!" Potter gasped. His tone had the horror and confusion that was expected from one facing their boggart, but it also had another overpowering note of ...longing?
"Oh darling,"- again, what was with the pet names?- "I don't see why you try so hard to keep yourself away from me,"- with how many times I tried to murder him? It's surprising that he doesn't try harder –"wouldn't it just be easier to give into what you want?"- and what is that exactly?- "What we both want?" Boggart Tom said with a laugh highlighting his voice. What is this want that Boggart Tom is teasing Potter with? A want that both of them supposedly share? But requires Potter to stop running away from Tom?
"You know exactly why I need to stay away Tom. You.You're the reason I need to stay away." Potter's angry response actually calmed Tom; it was the only thing that made sense in this mixed up memory.
"Don't you miss me Harry?" Boggart Tom asked. But why would Harry miss him? It was such a ridiculous idea he wanted to laugh! So why would that question even come up? Tom doesn't think that he could be more confused.
"Of course Tom, always". And then was immediately proven wrong; he could be much more confused than he was. Why would Potter miss him? Why are they acting like Lovers coming back together after a fight? …Maybe Potter doesn't know who Tom is. Yes, that would make sense; Potter would never act this way or think this way of somone that was a younger version of Tom. Still though, how did Potter know what his younger self looked like? And if they're like Lovers, why is Potter so scared of him?
"Of course you do! You belong to me!" Boggart Tom proclaimed proudly. Maybe that was why Potter was scared; maybe the possessiveness frightens him, and with good reason too.
"No I don't!"… So maybe it isn't the possessiveness causing the fear. Yes, Potter did disagree, but he didn't seem upset just …vaguely petulant. He didn't even say it like he truly disagreed; the way he said it was like he fully believed that he did actually belong to this teenage Tom.
"Darling, you belong to me. Mind, body, and soul." Boggart Tom claimed, obviously not believing Potter's half-hearted claim otherwise.
Boggart Tom slotted each of his hands on Potter's face before saying "Mind: The majority of your thoughts are about me. They belong to me." Which makes sense. It's natural that a teenage boy would think of their Greatest Enemy a lot, and even more when said Greatest Enemy has attempted to murder them several times. However, Potter can't know who Teenage Tom is, otherwise his voice wouldn't be full of those weird tones that suggest that Potter misses Teenage Tom, that Potter longs for Teenage Tom, that Potter believes he belongs to Teenage Tom.
"Body:" Boggart Tom said, moving his hands to Potter's hips. "I know my name is on the tip of your tounge whenever you bring yourself pleasure. Even now, you're leaning into my every touch." Tom is just getting more convinced by the second that Potter somehow had a Love affair with his teenage self. But that doesn't explain why Potter would be afraid. He obviously wouldn't still have the longing if this Teenage Tom did something to hurt him, but he wouldn't have a reason to be scared without it. It made no sense.
Then Boggart Tom held both of Potter's wrists in his hands. "And soul: My names on your wrists." Tom supposes that makes sense. He probably just saw Tom's name on his wrist and convinced himself that Tom was his soulmate rather than his Greatest Enemy. Tom doesn't blame him; it's hard only having an Enemy and no soulmate. But Wait! Wrists?!? Plural?!?
Apparently my confusion would not slow anything else down because Potter than said "Tom, I'm sorry, but I need to finish this. Riddikulus!", turning Boggart Tom into his diary, and banishing him with a hysterical laugh. Tom will later realize that this just confirms that yes, it most likely was the diary that was destroyed, and that the diary was how Potter knew of Teenage him. And will later decide to torture Lucius- he may no longer gain pleasure from causing others pain, but Lucius was irresponsible with part of his soul, and therefore must be punished. However, Tom is reeling to much from the implications of Potter's conversation with Boggart Tom to really think of anything else right now.
Potter than walked over to the side of the room, baring his wrists before quietly saying to himself "Why am I more afraid of his humanity than his monstrosity?" Confirming to Tom that he was wrong; Potter most certainly knew who he was.
And then Tom glanced at Potter's wrists.
His left wrist said Voldemort.
His right wrist read Tom Marrvolo Riddle.
Tom exits the Pensive in a daze, not fully remembering how he dismissed Severus, only that Severus was no longer there. He was too focused on how both his names adorned Potter's wrists. How was it possible? Then he remembered that as a teenager Potter's name was on his right wrist. After he stepped out of the cauldron at the graveyard though? Potter's name rested on his left wrist. He stripped his wrists to confirm what he remembered. Time stopped as soon as he saw them.
Neither wrist was bare.
They both had the name Harry James Potter filling up the space.