Chapter 19

The Time Traveler

The cool summer air breezed through Harry's hair. The teen smiled as he leaned against one of the trees that dotted the coast of the Black Lake, watching the sunlight shimmer against the dark waters. It was a perfect cloudless day, the sun shone over Hogwarts, and Harry did not have a care in the world. Exams were behind him, and all that was left was the peaceful laze between now and the end of the school year. Sighing contently, he relaxed against the tree and only looked up when he heard footsteps.

A tall lanky teen with red hair and freckles along with a girl with bushy brown hair smiled down at him. "There you are Harry; we've been looking all over for you!" Hermione Granger said. "I asked Jasper to even run around the Quidditch Pitch!"

"Sorry Hermione," Harry said, "I was just here, relaxing."

"I get you mate, those exams almost killed me," Ron said, falling to the ground, "I mean can you believe Snape? The greasy bastard's stood over my shoulder the entire exam!"

"Ron!" Hermione said in a warning tone.

"What? It's true," Ron shrugged. "Right Harry? Snape's an old greasy git!"

"Then you better not let Snape hear you say that," a higher voice said. Jasper Lestrange bounced towards them, smiling proudly as he pointed at Harry, "There you are! You know how worried we've been?"

Harry shrugged, "Everything's fine," he said, "It's not like Voldemort's going to jump from the Black Lake to kill me."

"Still, it's not nice to run away from us," Jasper frowned. "I thought we all were going to meet in the library."

"Sorry Jasper, I couldn't resist," Harry said, "Besides the day's a beautiful one, eh? Shame to waste it in the library."

"Yeah, and who wants to even go there after exams?" Ron asked, scrunching his nose up. "I don't want to even think about books or tests or anything for the next few months!"

"Same," Jasper said, sliding down to sit with Harry and Ron. "Ron, got any plans over the summer?"

"Not really, but Harry and Hermione are coming over to the Burrow for Bill and Fleur's wedding," Ron said, looking at his friends. Harry and Hermione nodded in agreement. "You're bringing your boyfriend, right?" Ron asked Harry.

"Of course," Harry smiled, he looked down at the ring on his hand. "We'll definitely be there together," he promised.

"I'm so happy for you two," Jasper smiled, "I wish I had a man like yours," he looked wistfully at Harry.

"Charlie's single," Harry shrugged, "How do you feel about older men?"

"Harry!"

"Mate!"

"What?" Harry asked, looking at his best friends, "I happen to think that Charlie would be good for Jasper. What do you think, Jasper?"

Jasper looked thoughtful for a moment, stroking his chin, "Charlie does have those huge arms," he said with a small smile, "and I do love big arms and chests—and he's really nice! And he's really good with dragons! And did you see his hair? It's so long and looks like it feels great too—"

"That's enough please," Ron said, looking mortified. "I don't want my two gay friends fawning over my brother!"

Harry and Jasper laughed loudly as Ron groaned. Hermione joined them and Ron stared at her, "You too!" he said accusingly.

"I mean, you do tend to overreact," Hermione smiled. "Harry, where is your boyfriend anyway?"

"I don't know," Harry shrugged, "but he should be here next to me." He pushed himself up and looked around. The sun was shaded for a moment and he looked up to see a lone black cloud drifting in the sky, blocking the sun for a moment before the sunlight returned. He smiled and looked down at his friends, "Let's go find him!" he said.

"And maybe we can write a letter to Charlie too," Jasper said hopefully. "Do you think Fred and George will help?"

"No, we are not using my oldest brother's wedding as a place to have you and my gay brother have a hookup!" Ron argued, but Harry and Jasper just laughed. They walked together, Ron and Hermione running to catch up. In the end, they didn't need to search the castle for Harry's love because, as they entered the entrance hall, a deep voice chuckled. "Harry Potter, there you are, my pet."

Harry smiled and turned to see the tall muscular form of Xavier Mulciber. He ran towards Xavier and hugged him, kissing him deeply. "We were just going to look for you," Harry smiled.

"Really? What did I do to earn the worry of my future husband?" Xavier chuckled.

"You weren't with me while I was relaxing, I missed your touch," Harry said sweetly. "Jasper, Ron, and Hermione were wondering where you were too!"

"Were they now?" Xavier asked, "Then we should go and relieve them too." He chuckled and took Harry's hand, leading him towards the big doors that led outside. Ron, Hermione, and Jasper were waiting for them, Jasper grinning.

"Xavier! Guess what! Harry is going to work with Fred and George to introduce me to Charlie Weasley during the wedding this summer!" Jasper grinned.

"That's so good of my boy," Xavier chuckled. "Hello Ron, Hermione."

The two nodded at Xavier. "How was your exam?" Hermione asked.

"Alright, but I was a bit distracted," Xavier shrugged, "One by Professor Slughorn's endless eating of his pineapples, and two I had a cute boy next to me who smelled and tasted like pineapples."

"Xavier!" Harry gasped, "Stop!"

"Anyway, what were you guys doing?"

"Just hanging around outside," Harry shrugged.

"In that weather?" Xavier frowned, pointing past them.

"What do you mean it's sunny—" Harry turned to see that it was raining hard now, the grounds soaked and the small courtyard flooding. "It was sunny a moment ago," He said.

Xavier shrugged at that and pulled Harry away. "Come on love, I need to talk to you about something."

"What is it?" Jasper asked excitedly.

"Future marriage stuff," Xavier said. "I mean, look at my Potter, he is too beautiful not to turn him into my wife!" He smirked as Harry blushed. He pulled Harry away and waved goodbye to their friends. "Come on, Master wants to talk with you," Xavier said, and then Harry felt freezing water crash onto him.

The first thing he noticed was that he was wet. Followed by a rope tied on his legs and arms, holding him tightly in place. He groaned and opened his eyes to blurriness. "Finally awake," a cold voice chuckled. "Let me help." There was movement and a figure stood in front of him, and as he bent forward, slipping Harry's glasses onto him, the figure focused and turned into Tom Riddle. "Hello Harry Potter," the teen smiled coldly, almost murderously, "I think we need to have a long chat."

Harry blinked and looked around. He was bound to a chair in a small study. It took him several moments to realize that they are in Slytherin's study in the Chamber of Secrets. Outside the door, he could hear heavy moments and loud hissing. "Riddle! What are you doing?" he demanded.

"Riddle? Come now Harry Potter, are we not past names?" Tom Riddle chuckled darkly. "I am your lord supposedly, the one you've tried to kill many times. So, call me by my name, my true name."

"Lord Voldemort," Harry gritted out. Tom smirked at that, "Why are you doing this?"

"Because of you, Harry Potter. Or would you Harry Peverell? Strange I must admit, when I saw you dream of others, of people who don't exist. Stranger still, is when they called you 'Potter' when I know for a good fact that the current Potter family is childless. So imagine my surprise when I slowly enter your mind while you sleep, learn all of these fascinating aspects of your life, of our lives. I've seen you as a child sleeping in a cupboard, and then I saw you in Hogwarts, not as you are now, but in disgusting Gryffindor colors… I saw you holding the Philosopher's Stone and fighting against a vaporous wraith of myself. Me! Who has done the unimaginable to escape Death! Me! Who looked so deathly at that moment. … I had to find out why, so I looked deeper, I saw my return, I saw my rise to power, I saw me, Lord Voldemort, powerful, fearful! Yet—somehow tied to you, little snake. So tell me now, what is it that ties us together?"

Harry stayed quiet, his mind working overtime as he came to the grim realization that there was no way out of this situation. Tom's eyes glint madly, "Nothing?" he said. "Does my love have no response? Loathed as I am to do this, I must, for my safety. Crucio!"

The torture spell only lasted a few seconds, but it was powerful enough for Harry to scream. He glared at Tom as the older teen looked pitifully down onto him. "Won't you please speak little snake? Why are we tied together?" Tom said, "If we are to kill each other, then I must know the reason. If you don't talk, I will make you." His wand pressed against Harry's neck, pushing upwards towards Harry's chin.

Harry's eyes met Tom's. "Because you are a homicidal maniac," he spat out.

"I am not! I kill only those who deserve it!"

"You kill indiscriminately," Harry spat out. "You led a war to kill muggleborns."

"That does not sound like me," Tom said, "You are lying, my little snake. Your master does not like it when you lie to him."

"I am telling you the truth," Harry said. "Where I am from, you are a disgusting old Dark Wizard with no nose. You've made Horcruxes—"

"Yes, yes I did," Tom nodded. "How do you know about my Horcruxes, sweet Harry?" Tom asked, his voice purring once more. His wand was replaced by his hand as he traced Harry's chin with his finger. "Do you know what I have done then, to cheat Death?" He leaned away and walked towards one of the bookcases, pulling out a black diary. Harry's eyes widened. Tom smirked.

"You've destroyed this once before, my little snake, fifty years from now," Tom said. "But here it is, whole as whole can be. Unbroken. Protected. Full of the piece of the soul of your loving Master. Do you want to feel it?" He stepped up to Harry and opened the blank diary. He pressed it against Harry's hand and Harry braced himself for a scream—but there was no pain. Instead, he felt warmth, familiarity as if a small part of himself found his way home.

"Warm," he whispered, looking up at Tom Riddle. "What did you do to me?" he demanded.

"Me? I did nothing… yet," Tom smirked. "However it seems that I've claimed you even before I knew you were mine." He closed the diary and looked at his ring lovingly. He took it off and grabbed Harry's ring hand, sliding the ring onto Harry's ring finger. He gasped as he felt the same warmth.

"Two Horcruxes," Harry whispered.

"Out of the six you know of," Tom Riddle chuckled. "I am surprised that I've made others, I must admit, but still I was in the mind thinking that two was not enough. Luckily, it seemed that I was successful in making my seven."

"Seven?" Harry asked, "What do you mean Riddle?"

Tom laughed. "You don't feel it?" he asked. "The warmth of my ring? The pull you have towards it—towards me? Harry Potter, you are my last Horcrux."

Harry felt like the world was closing in around him. His chest was icy, his lungs filling with the piercing coldness as his vision focused. His breaths became shallow and his scar started to sear with pain, blood bleeding from it as he felt something deep inside him push forward from the deepest crevasses of his soul, making itself known. It hurt. He felt as though his entire body was both being instantly frozen as well as being dipped in lava. His body trembled, straining against its restraints as he spasmed at the thing pushing forward. Tears fell from his eyes as it stopped suddenly, and a voice whispered inside him. "Finally… Sweet Potter, you've finally noticed your True Master." The cold voice laughed inside him, and Harry sobbed. "I'm a Horcrux," he whispered.

"That you are Harry," Tom purred, staring at Harry with unadulterated lust and want. "My little snake, you are also my precious Horcrux. Created, no doubt, when I failed to killed you as a babe." His wand pressed against Harry's bleeding scar and the boy cried out in pain. It was the first time his scar bled with pain in a long time, Harry almost forgot about it. Tom shushed him, holding him lovingly as he continued to press his wand against Harry's forehead, "Shush my snake, shh..."

"Stop, please," Harry gritted.

Tom pulled his wand away and the pain ended. "Will you please tell me why we must kill each other, my little snake? I have no want or need to bring you any harm, I am hating every second of this so please, Harry Peverell, tell me why."

Harry glared at Tom. "There's a prophecy," he said. "Some stupid Divination Professor made this prophecy about me before I was even born. You thought it was about you and me, you chose me as your equal and that is why 'neither can live while the other survives.'"

Tom chuckled, "Interesting," he said. "To think they would pit my precious Horcrux, against his master. The Harry Potter in your time must be in an awful situation."

Harry's eyes focused on Tom, "What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean that the prophecy did not happen yet in this time, Harry," Tom said. "That is still in our future. So, I come to two choices: Have you join me, or keep you chained here, forever."

"Chains?" Harry whispered.

"Yes, chained, for I must protect you, my Horcrux," Tom nodded. "I will leave you alive, but just barely. You will be given enough food to survive, but other than that, nothing. It will be a desolate life, a meaningless life."

"I would fight," Harry said.

"Then I will remove your limbs," Tom shrugged. "My little snake, we really should stop talking of that, for we know that you will kneel before me." He smirked. "Though, now I am curious as to why you stood in our way of our goals."

Harry gave a short laugh. "Our goals? Please Riddle," he sneered. "You are nothing like the Dark Lord I know. The you that I know cared only for blood purity and killing all those who had muggle blood in them."

"Interesting," Tom muttered, "I wonder, what could have happened to change my goals as such?" He looked down at Harry, "Could it be the absents of my little snake?"

Harry watched Tom cautiously, "So you were being honest about your goals?" he asked.

"Of course! I do not want to kill the world!" Tom said, "I want to rule it! Be its god, and judge. I will judge who is good and who is evil, I will kill those who do evil to my people and show mercy to those who worship me. I will be this world's God. And I will do that without wiping out the Muggles."

Harry stared at Tom. He frowned. "Maybe the making of seven Horcruxes changed you too much," he muttered.

"Impossible!"

"It's true," Harry yelled, "At least it might—do you know what happens? Why you became that ghost during my first year? Or even that disgusting monster in my fourth?"

"Because I was Death's Master—"

"No, you were not," Harry said. "You were far from being Death's master. Death was your biggest fear!"

"NO!" Tom roared, and his magic lashed out. Books flew from their shelves, Harry fell in his chair, and shallow cuts ripped through his arms. "I AM DEATH'S MASTER! I AM LORD VOLDEMORT I FEAR NO ONE!" His magic continued to lash out, slashing at the ropes holding Harry. They cut open and Harry rolled off his chair.

"You idiot," Harry said, staggering to his feet. He glared at Tom and without hesitation, raised his hand and brought it down, slapping Tom straight across the face. Tom blinked, his shock turning to anger as Harry backhanded him. "You idiot!" Harry said again. "Listen to yourself. You became obsessed with dying. You did not even know about the Deathly Hallows I'm guessing, and your Horcruxes were the only way to beat it. You do not get the Elder Wand. Dumbledore does. He beats Grindelwald. He always beats you. You lose Tom. You obsess with death, avoiding it and giving it, so much so that you lose your focus. You become a killer—a feral killer whose plans bend to his followers' views!"

"No! I will never let my followers dictated what I do—"

"You do. You do, and you will," Harry said. "You are a sliver of the man you are now, and you will always fail… without me." He took a breath and closed his eyes as he fell to his knees. "I hate the monster you turn out to be. You will murder my parents; you will murder countless others and yet you're always scared of Dumbledore. Your beautiful dream turns into a feral need for genocide. But that is not you yet," Harry looked up at Tom. "I want that beautiful world Tom; I want that world we create together. So…" He took a breath and looked at the ring on his finger. He slipped it off and held it up.

Looking down curiously with a raised eyebrow, Tom held out his hand. "I pledge my loyalty to you, Tom, my Lord Voldemort. I will work with all my body and mind towards making our beautiful world. I will follow your commands in order to make our beautiful world real. Lastly, if I see you falling, if I see you slipping and bending towards your followers' demands, I will end it all." His eyes met Tom's, and Harry was surprised to see amusement in Tom's eyes.

"Kiss my ring, my Harry," Tom commanded. Harry nodded and bent his head, his lips meeting the ring and once more feeling the familiar warmth of Tom's soul. His lips held for a second, and he moved away slowly. "Good boy," Tom praised. He slipped the ring off of his finger and held out for Harry's hand. "I am holding you to that promise, Harry Potter," he said, slipping the ring on. "Keep me on this path. As both my most loyal follower and my little snake."

He pulled Harry to his feet and pressed his lips against Harry's. Harry didn't shrink away. He did not know why, he was angry at Tom, understandably, and yet he allowed the kiss to continue. He wrapped his hands around Tom as Tom held onto him. Harry deepen the kiss, opening his mouth and sticking his tongue out. Tom's tongue met his and they danced together before Tom pushed Harry's tongue back, proving dominance as he conquered Harry's mouth. They separated a line of spittle still connecting their lips before they smashed together once more.

Harry whined and gave a moan as Tom's lips trailed to his neck biting and scraping his teeth against the pale flesh. "Fuck," Harry hissed. Tom hummed against Harry's neck before returning to Harry's lips. "Does this mean you're my boyfriend now?" he breathed.

"As well as your Master," Tom smirked.

"Okay, Master," Harry nodded. He looked at Tom's eyes and sighed, "Looks like my fate's seal," he breathed, "I'm yours."

"You always were," Tom breathed and captured Harry's lips once more. Harry moved away, his eyes still untrusting, but only just.

"Never think of using an Unforgivable Curse on me ever again," he warned. "I am saving you, Tom."

"It was an act of passion, my sweet little snake," Tom purred. "I apologize."

Harry did not look relieved however his eyes did relax somewhat. "How will this move us forward?" He asked. "Am I going to be your secret like I was Mulciber's?"

"Never!" Tom seethed, "You will never be my secret. I will parade you around, displaying you like my lover as you are. There will be jealousy and anger alike from all sides, and I will throw them all away to keep them from your beauty."

"Pretty words," Harry said. He played with his hair, frowning. "Will you let them see me as a man, or a woman?" he asked.

"You are a man," Tom answered easily. "We are to build a new world, little snake. We must act like proper guides."

Harry smiled, pleased by Tom's answer. He heard the slithering again outside and moved towards the door. He pressed his ear to the door and listened. The large body behind the door slithered loudly, dragging itself along, as though it was patrolling the main room of the Chamber. Harry turned back to Tom, "You have the basilisk patrolling," he stated.

"Guarding, and yes," Tom said. "I use everything Harry. I will use everything to keep you in my hands." Harry just nodded slowly, looking back at the door, his heart pounding.

"I've killed it before," he said.

"I know, just as you've destroyed my diary," Tom said, "However that future will no longer come to fruition, will it?" Harry could hear the amusement in Tom's voice although his face only had a simple smile.

Harry shook his head, "No, it won't," he said. "I'm stuck in here, at this time, and I'm fine with that. My parents are dead, yes, but… that doesn't mean that Harry Potter's parents need to die too."

Tom gave a low laugh, "Is that what you want? To give your future self a happy childhood?"

"To give him the childhood he deserves," Harry counter. "A childhood that was not pure hell. I was stuffed in a cupboard, forced to do chores even before I could talk, and constantly surrounded by a family who did not love me. I do not want to see Harry Potter suffer through that now that I am in a position to stop it."

"But you are Harry Potter," Tom said, "Try as you might, you will never escape your name, and all that you have experienced."

Harry frowned, "No, I have what I have, and that is my life. Everything I went through, and everything I will go through. I am not a Potter anymore, I am Harry Peverell."

Tom nodded, watching Harry carefully, "And who is Harry Peverell?" he asked.

Harry was shocked by how quickly he answered, "Your faithful and loyal boyfriend, your most trusted follower… and future teacher. As you said, we need to be the proper guides right? So I should be one of the first teachers in our elementary schools."

"It seems reasonable," Tom nodded. "However I believe we have more pressing matters at hand. But before that, I want you to sit down, tell me everything about your future, everything that I must look out for, and why you are here." He looked like the Tom Harry knew once more, soft and loving. Harry flowed towards him, sitting down gracefully as Tom played with his hair. "Never change your hair either, Harry," he commanded. "You look so beautiful."

Harry blushed and smiled, He tried to clear his head and remember what happens in the future, his first thought surprisingly going to Malfoy. "Abraxas dies of dragon pox and his grandson was a major pain in my ass, he's just as uptight and egotist as his grandfather, but only prettier. He had a friend named Blaise Zabini who was pretty hot, I was actually thinking of asking him out before I was transported here. It was a very windy day…"

Harry and Tom stayed close to each other, and Harry talked about everything. It was like opening a floodgate of all his secrets and shame that burdened his shoulders. He spoke of his parents dying by Voldemort's hand when he was a baby, of living with the Dursleys, and finding out he was a wizard by the half-giant Hagrid. If Tom was surprised that Harry went to Hogwarts, and was sorted as a Gryffindor, he did not show it as Harry told the story of his school life and the many, many times he almost died. Hours passed without them noticing. The Basilisk outside stopped patrolling, instead, even hisses were heard in the room suggesting that it was sleeping. When Harry was done, he too felt extremely tired but did not find the energy inside him to get off the couch, let alone walk all the way to Slytherin's Dormitory. Tom saw this and chuckled. He looked at the room and let out a hiss, "I am tired."

A bed appeared with emerald and silver blankets, along with deep emerald curtains. Tom stood up and helped Harry. He wasn't as strong as Xavier, so he couldn't lift Harry up, however, he did help the boy walk towards the bed. Harry sat on its edge and Tom knelt, taking his time as he untied and slipped Harry's shoes off.

"Master," Harry hissed tiredly, and Tom smirked.

"Yes, my little snake?" he asked, pleased that Harry was already calling him 'Master.'

"You don't have to do that," Harry groaned, but Tom ignored him as he slipped Harry's pants off along with his socks. He maneuvered Harry under the covers before he took off Harry's robe and shirt.

"You are my little snake, and I am your Master, I will do what I wish," was Tom's response. He pushed Harry down before undressing himself. "You have no idea how long I've waited for this, pet, to finally have you in my hands." He slipped in the bed and for a moment, Harry's sleepy mind thought that Tom would try something, but he didn't. Tom just laid in bed, staring at Harry. He reached out and interlaced his fingers into Harry's, and they both closed their eyes, sleeping hand-in-hand.

A/N: Well now we got Tom and Harry together! Step one is done! Step two: Take over the world! Oh and try to find out why Time did what it did.

Honeybear84: Thank you! Glad you're enjoying it!

Splodee: It looks like that he doesn't, but don't worry we'll find out who did send the letter soon enough.