Chapter Seven: Malfoy Manor

Tom strode up the cobblestone road to the wrought iron gates of Malfoy Manor.

Lucius Malfoy was one of the most influential Death Eaters, Dumbledore had told him. He was Chairman of the Governors of Hogwarts, leader of the Traditionalist Party in the Wizengamot, and was a personal friend to the Minister of Magic.

Lucius was also the wizard most likely to have been the previous owner of Tom Riddle's diary. If he had known who the diary belonged to—which was probable—then he'd be primed to believe Tom's story.

A gruff wizard, a bodyguard by the looks of him, moved to the gate from inside.

"Who are you?" He snapped.

"I'm here to see Mr. Malfoy."

"Mr. Malfoy has no business with children."

"As one of the Governors of Hogwarts, I would think he does."

The bodyguard looked stumped for words.

"Tell Mr. Malfoy I'm the owner of the diary he lost. The original owner."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Just give him the message. He'll know."

The bodyguard spat. "Wait here."

It was some time before Lucius Malfoy came out, flanked by two bodyguards and sneering. "Miss Weasley, is it?"

"Guess again."

"I'm not in the mood for games, girl."

"I'm not a girl." Tom knew he could have his fun.

Lucius's eyes narrowed. If the bodyguard had passed on the message, Lucius must already know who Tom was claiming to be. Tom just needed to get him on his own so they could speak plainly.

His bodyguards exchanged looks, unsure of themselves. Lucius puzzled over him. "How did you get here, anyway? Shouldn't you be in school?"

"I apparated from Hogsmeade." It was true. Tom had experimented and discovered he was still able to apparate in his new body. Dumbledore had suggested that method for getting here, and had even announced an impromptu Saturday Hogsmeade afternoon for the students to provide Tom with the opportunity.

"They won't be expecting me back to the castle for three more hours. The sooner you let me inside, the longer we'll have to discuss."

"Discuss what?"

"Why I'm in this body."

Tom sat in the manor's private study, a windowless room full of books and gargoyle lamps. Lucius sat across from him, clutching the silver snake-head of his walking stick.

He had just told Lucius everything—his true identity and all the events since he was transported to 1994. He only left out the parts about Dumbledore knowing and the deal Tom had made with him.

Tom had given his account under the effects of one drop of Lucius's veritaserum, which had forced him to tell the truth but had allowed him to withhold information.

After a long moment of silence, Lucius finally spoke. "I have never heard a stranger tale in my entire life. And yet, therein lies its believability."

"Then you do believe it?"

"'I'm inclined to," said Lucius. "I cannot imagine this is one of Dumbledore's ruses. Even he would never endanger a student by sending them here as a spy. Not that I'm a danger to students..."

To gain access to the manor, Tom had also been required to pass through an entrance with the Thief's Downfall, which removed any illusions and undid the effects of Polyjuice potion. Surely after all his precautions, Lucius would be well convinced that he was Tom Riddle.

While Lucius's mind would be busy wrapping itself around that reality, the idea that Tom would have formed an alliance with Dumbledore would not have crossed his mind.

"First, I should like more proof."

"What proof would you accept?"

"If you were to touch the Dark Mark tattoo on a Death Eater's arm, the others would be summoned. That would prove it beyond a doubt, as only the Dark Lord had that power."

"I am not ready as of yet to announce my return to the Death Eaters," Tom said. That was too big a move to make so early in the game before he knew the rules and the shape of the field. "The secrecy of this body is a great asset to me. It would be unwise for me to give up that advantage."

"Who else knows?"

Tom wondered how he was going to get around the veritaserum. He could not lie. He could not say 'only you' or 'no one else', as those statements were not true.

"My dear Lucius, if word were to spread of my true identity, I'd know the leak came from you."

Yes, that had done the trick. Technically, it was true, as he trusted Dumbledore to keep the secret more than Lucius.

"Very well," said Lucius. "We won't resort to touching a dark mark. After all, it remains to be established that I even have a dark mark."

"Of course. I wish you would drop such pretensions with me, however."

"After the proof."

"Then I ask you to name another proof you'd accept." They both knew that Tom could not suggest one, as it would be suspected he had manipulated the evidence in advance.

Lucius stood up and walked to the bookshelf. He pulled out a dusty leather-bound volume of The Hogwarts Register from the year 1942-1943 and flipped it open.

"You say you were lately a sixth year student in 1943. Therefore, name me every member of Slytherin House in the sixth year at that time."

Tom smiled. Too easy. "I'll tell you the names of every single person at Hogwarts from there back to 1936."

"Let's start with Slytherin '43."

Tom recited the names alphabetically by house. Lucius stopped him after he had listed everyone in both Slytherin and Ravenclaw.

"That's enough. I'm satisfied with your mastery of names," said Lucius. "But I have one more question. What were the Hogwarts quidditch scores that year?"

This bewildered Tom. Quidditch? He didn't follow Quidditch any more than required to relate with other students on the subject. As such, he attended most of the games, followed the results, but the scores were not something he ever committed to memory.

"You mean who won the matches?"

"No," said Lucius, "The actual scores at the end of each game."

Tom's lip twitched. Was Lucius actually going to stake everything on this stupid question? What cheek the man had, what absolute hubris! What would knowing quidditch scores prove?

Tom could make his best guess, but what if he got it wrong? Would Lucius terminate the meeting? Would he refuse to divulge any information? Tom was furious at having to take this.

"I don't know that! You really think I cared that much for quidditch?!"

Lucius shut the book closed. "And there's the Dark Lord's temper."

Ah. Of course. All he had needed to do to prove he was Tom Riddle was to be himself.

"That is the last time you provoke me," Tom said through clenched teeth.

Lucius bowed his head. "Of course."

"So you're satisfied I am who I say I am?"

"Completely."

"Good. It's my turn to be satisfied. Show me your dark mark."

Lucius rolled up his left sleeve, revealing the tattoo of the snake emerging from a skull's mouth. Now that they had traded secrets, there could be trust.

Tom adopted his most commanding tone. "Tell me Lucius, who is leading the Death Eaters? Why has there been a resurgence of activity before my return?"

"We acted without a leader. We believed the return of the Dark Lord was imminent."

"But I was not the return you anticipated?"

"No. Someone proposed a different way, a restoration of the Dark Lord we knew—that is to say, the Dark Lord who disappeared on Halloween night of 1981."

Dumbledore had told him the original Voldemort had died. Had the Death Eaters learned of another clone, one that Voldemort had created shortly before his death?

"How?"

"Perhaps it's best if I show you."

Malfoy set his hand on a volume of The Hogwarts Register from an uneventful year in the nineteenth century. He pulled on it and the bookshelf itself creaked aside to reveal a secret compartment glowing with blue light.

Inside was a stone basin filled with luminous wisps of pure memory. It was Lucius Malfoy's pensieve.