Title: Pen Pals

Author: Nekoanima

Summery: What if Harry had a pen pal as a child another boy who was all alone. Harry makes friends with the young Tom Riddle as their letters bounce through time to the one they needed the most.

DISCLAIMER!: I own nothing or Harry never would have ended up with Ginny.

YEAR 4

It had only been a couple of weeks since Harry had returned from Hogwarts back to the woefully normal life of Privit Drive. There was not another magical person for miles. There was no one for him to talk to at all really. All the neighbors seemed to believe the Dureslys and thought that he was just not right in the head or a delinquent. But he didn't care, the loneliness didn't bother him- not anymore.

When he was small and didn't know any better he had been fine. Everything had a place in the world, his was to make himself useful to his family.

But when he got older he met someone who made his whole world wonderful. But if Harry had known anything in his young age it was that good things don't come without a price. Tom had made his life good and he had taken away the loneliness that Harry hadn't even know existed. But with it brought the painful realization that he had been alone all that time. Tom made his world good but his friend made him see how dark the world around him really was.

He had gotten a few letters early on telling him where his friends were going to be for the summer holidays but then they stopped. They always stopped, Tom was just as he had always been, he kept writing he kept Harry's world spinning sometimes. Harry wondered sometimes if the other boy ever knew what he meant to him. But then he would shake his head, Tom knew, Tom always knew.

While the Dureslys were afraid at the moment that a murderer might come and avenge him if they hurt him it really hadn't changed things much. There were no fists being dodged or kicks delivered, no hunting or screams sent his way. No they didn't do anything, anything at all, he was still expected to make breakfasts he would not eat and he still cleaned a house he barely lived in. at the end of each day he was given a slice of bread and water to keep him from wasting away if they were in a particularly good mood he was allowed a single meal with them but that was a rare occurrence on its own.

But since summer had begun he had been suffering nightmares. He hadn't told Tom of them yet they weren't worth troubling his friend. he would avoid telling him about something so trivial unless it became a problem.

He stared into the fire before him, Nagani would be returning from her hunt soon.

"Master a man is outside the door."

" I see."

"it is the old one from the shack."

"Wormtail, the old muggle caretaker is standing outside the door. He's been listening to us. Why don't you great our guest."

"Yes master."

The rodent-like man went to the door and revealed an aged muggle man with a bad limp.

Harry awoke in his bedroom at Privit Drive in a cold sweat with the remnants of tears in his eyes. He had seen Voldemort in his dreams as he tortured an old man. He could still hear the old man screaming, his screams grew loudest before he was given the mercy of that acidic light.

He hated mirrors. They reminded him exactly how much he wasn't worth every time he saw them. The only thing he could ever see when he looked into a mirror was a girlish boy who would probably never reach average height. He saw the beginnings of patrouding bones that warned at further weight loss if he did not soon get real sustenance. He couldn't see what everyone giggled over or talked about when he was in school. There was little to no redeemable quality about him. Even now after two years into the wizarding world he found that the only good things about his appearance were unfortunately the things that made him identifiable in a crowd, his death-curse bright eyes and his scar. When he was small he would trace over his scar and pretend that it was a family member or a friend, someone who cared that it hurt sometimes. After he started writing Tom he would imagine it to be him that was massaging the wound. In so many ways Tom made his life brighter.

Just thinking about the other boy made him feel better at times. The very thought of Tom made him feel as though he wasn't alone, as if he was- dare he think it –loved. Tom cared for him even when no one else did, in ways that he doubted anyone else would. But mirrors always made him wonder when Tom would see what everyone else saw too.

Perhaps it was time that he wrote his friend, maybe he would understand. He needed someone right now.

Tom,

I've been having horrible dreams lately. The only thing that seems to help at all is my animagus mediations. But that doesn't get me back to sleep. I need to get back to the wizarding world. I understand if you don't want to talk right now. Its just that I needed to tell someone about it.

After Hedwig took flight harry laid his head back down to rest tears filled his eyes at the very thought of sleeping, at the thought of dreaming. But exhaustion won out in the end and pulled him into its clutches.

"Harry, why are you crying precious?"

"Tom. I can't sleep."

"Are you hurt? Have they hurt you again."

"No, I'm scared. Every time I close my eyes something bad happens. They haven't done anything I just don't get to eat a lot is all."

"lift your shirt precious."

"no." Harry said stubbornly looking down in shame.

"I wont look. just enough for me to see your rib cage."

Tom released a baby blue stream of light upon Harry's body

"what was that?"

"a nutrition charm precious, the same one that I had been casting on your letters for years to keep you with me. "

"you've been keeping me alive haven't you."

"Yes. Hush now my friend. I will watch over you. Nothing will harm you while I am here."

"Thank you Tom." Harry hugged the taller boy closely and leaned into his embrace as he closed his eyes. He trusted Tom, he would keep him safe.

He laid his head on Tom's chest as the other boy hummed softly to him.

When Harry opened his eyes he found himself feeling for the first time in while, peaceful and relaxed Hedwig watched him from his window sill with a letter held in her beak and a wise look in her golden eyes. It would seem that Tom had written back.

Harry,

I wish I could do something for your dreams. The reason that the meditations help is not for reasons of rest it is that they are calming your spirit. You can contact me at anytime my friend. I will never turn you away. Is everything alright with your family? Are they the cause of your nightmares?

Tom

Harry closed Tom's letter, as he sat on his bed he couldn't help but find comfort in his friend's words. Everything Tom did for him he took comfort in. he looked up at the holly ring pined to his wall over his bed, the gossamer strands of unicorn hair that crossed it sparkled slightly in the gloom of his room while the pearly feathers that had come from his own owl seemed to shine with a light all their own.

I know you would help if you could Tom.

No they aren't doing anything they are too scared that my godfather will turn up at their doorstep. I never actually told them that he's innocent so they are under the impression that I am liked by a mass murderer.

I had a dream about you. I finally slept and I dreamed about you.

You held me and you healed me. You made all the bad things in my mind go away. I know it wasn't real but it feels nice that my mind conjured you up and you took care of me when I couldn't take care of myself.

Thanks for everything,

Harry

Tom found himself being exceptionally pleased at her letter but he couldn't understand why in particular. He had always been important to her. Why did it matter now? Nothing had changed between them, they still trusted each other more than anyone else. If nothing had changed then why was he so much more pleased with this letter than the one's before it? Was the idea of her forgetting him so terrible that he was sinking to being pleased with her dreaming of him?

Yes it was, it would seem that he had become dependent on her. It was a strange thought that didn't seem to fit with anyone other than Harry. Yes he could live with her being the object of his obsession. She would never leave she was too devouted and dependent on him for stability.

A smirk crossed his face when he thought of it. Neither she nor he were dependent at all, no they were symbiotic with each other. This was no weakness like the foolish 'love' that had led to his own mother's death. Apart they were powerful he knew they were, Harry was the most powerful light witch he had ever heard of. And he was easily one of the most powerful dark wizards of his time, in time perhaps even greater than the current Dark Lord. But together, they would be invincible. Harry was the only one he could possibly ever trust to stand beside him. He knew she would, she always did.

Days and weeks passed like that, Harry would write to Tom for comfort while Tom took some strange sense of pleasure from her need of him. He realized that all too soon they would be returning to school.

"Tom, can you watch Libby?" the fourteen year old glared up over his book but Martha had already gone to answer the door. The now three year old was rushing around the room picking up toys to hand to Tom.

Tom shoved the toys off of his chest and continued with his book only to have a stuffed animal shoved in his hand.

"Its s'posed to be really really soft see." Libby chirped. The threadbare toffee colored stuffed bunny in his hand suddenly became plush and velvet like. Tom looked down to see if perhaps it had been a trick of his senses. But it hadn't the bunny in his hand looked as soft as it felt. Tom looked at the little girl who was still running around the room her dark chocolate curls bouncing as she did.

Tom knew exactly what this meant but he was still hung up on how this impossibly annoying small child could be a witch, a lower caliber witch obviously but nonetheless. He had not perceived the chances of him not being alone to be high enough to even consider the possibility of another appearing in the same orphanage as he.

"Tum, are you 'wake?"

"Yes Libby I am awake." Tom muttered. He had no way of telling Harry at the moment. He needed to discuss this with her. Then suddenly as if to answer his need an owl's screech sounded through room as Harry's snowy familiar flew through an open window.

Tom,

I finally did the transformation. And I am not quite as happy with it as I thought I would be. My form is a female black Staffordshire Terrier puppy. Don't you dare tell anyone.

Harry

Tom laughed quietly to himself at the image of his delicate friend being a barely knee high dog. Considering what he had been told of her godfather's animagus form it was even more amusing. She really was her godfather's pup. For all the frustration he had at sharing her with others he knew that the man was an important part of her life. He was what gave her the ability to say 'I have a family'. He knew that she wanted that more than anything and as much as he cared for her Tom knew that he couldn't be her family. Even as similar as the are the thought of it just didn't work.

Perhaps all the so-called doctors that Mrs. Coal had allowed to study him had been right. Perhaps he was a little wrong. They had all come claiming him to be a sociopath, or antisocial, one of them even claimed that was bipolar. But he had done as he always had and did his research. He had driven them mad to their own institutes or whatever hell that they had come from. He refused to believe that there was any problem with him after all a sociopath or an antisocial cant form any attachment his attachment to Harry proved them completely wrong.

Harry,

Your form is better than mine. Staffordshire Terriers are known to be called 'nanny dogs' they are non-human aggressive and they are very protective of their family. They are also fairly small. Unfortunately they trust humans far more than they should and can easily follow a complete stranger home. Females in particular excel at all of these innate traits though they are more known for having a temper. It would seem to me that your form fits you perfectly my dear friend.

I am a crow. An abundantly common black bird with red tinted eyes. This does not amuse me at all. I believe I had been expecting something a bit more impressive.

Tom

Tom,

Are you saying that I'm too trusting or that I have a temper? Or are you saying something about my height?

Anyway, crows are Morrigan's messengers they fly over battlefields and collect the souls of the dead. They are emissaries of Hecate a goddess of magic and fate. I found a mythology book one time and crows had been in it pretty cool huh. I think that it fits you perfectly and after all. Your magic is always amazing I think that having the form of a patron goddess of magic's totem suits you perfectly.

Another thing to consider is that if your form is so common then no one would ever know you're there.

Harry

Tom sat on his bed pensively, he still had not told Harry about Libby's being a witch. Normally he had all the answers but really it had been Harry who had told him to look after her. He had no idea how to proceed,

Harry,

Take my statement however you will.

The books you find amuse me sometimes. I suppose that you are right it could be an advantage.

Harry could practically see Tom's smirking face in his mind. His friend really was quite terrible for picking on his height. But Harry wouldn't fault him. It wasn't that Tom could do no wrong, no it wasn't that at all Tom could do a lot of wrong. No it was that no mater the wrong his friend had done Harry would always forgive him because Tom was always there for him.

Also my friend something uniquely interesting has come to my attention. It would seem that the child you so graciously shoved into my care is a witch. Now my dear friend I must ask what am I to do about this?

Tom

Harry stared at Tom's letter for a moment. Tom was right to be lost. He had a toddler witch in his care and by default under the same care of the matron who had on numerous occasions let him down. Harry remembered a time when Tom had said that the only good the woman had ever done for him was let him write that first letter.

Tom,

I know this will seem terrible but please don't let anyone adopt her. Especially when she get to be older, I don't want her to go through what we have. Maybe a biological muggle family would have understood but not an adopted one. I know that you can do that.

Tom couldn't help but agree with his friend. While he didn't particularly care for Libby one way or another it was Harry's request for him to watch over her. For his Harry he would give her, the world, protecting one child would pose no problem for him.

Finally a letter from Ron. if he accepted then he wouldn't have to see the Dursley s for another whole year.

Quickly he scribbled his reply as the feathered tennis ball known as Pigwidgeon zoomed around his room excitedly. Hedwig glared menacingly at the intruder before turning to her master, clearly asking for something to be done about the small nuisance.

Hi Tom,

Guess what.

Ron and his family scored tickets to the Quidditch World Cup. I'm kind of excited now, I'm not really sure how they are coming to pick me up though. I hope they wont do anything too bad. There is only so much that fear of my godfather can stop with my family.

I'll be staying the rest of the summer break with his family so Hedwig is going to stay with you and Nagani for a little while sorry if they bicker. I just don't want her deciding that its easier to just eat Pigwidgeon.

Tom felt a vein in his temple throb unpleasantly. Oh how he hated her friend. The sniveling whelp seemed to take pleasure in getting his friend into danger. Time and time again if something happened to her while she was in his care at the tournament, anything at all he would make sure that boy would suffer.

A malevolent smirk crossed Tom's face at the thought. It would be even better if he couldn't beg for Harry's help.

Harry frowned as he and the Weasleys passed the Minister of Magic. After what happened at the end of his third year he had little to no faith in the current government. How could they be so dense as to let a man, who was kept in a size-adjusting cage, out? Was it really so hard? Better still they let out a man the entirety of wizarding Brittan thought to be dead. Perhaps Tom was right, the ministry really was just full of block heads.

After the match ended disaster struck and a riot broke out. throngs of people were running and screaming in terror while Mr. Weasley told the teens to head for the forest.

"Mum?" Harry turned back as he heard a child's voice calling out. Back in the swarm of people was a little girl perhaps no more than nine years old standing there with a Veela doll in hand. Harry rushed back to her causing the rest of them to pause

"here climb on my back. I'm sure your mum is somewhere over there. And if she's not I'll help you look for your dad afterwards ok."

"you promise?"

"I promise." With that the doll like blonde climbed onto Harry's back.

With the girl now situated on his back he broke off into a run. Years of avoiding Dudley had made him good at it.

"Malfoy!" Ron hissed as they came to a clearing a while later

"Shut up Ron they're just as lost as we are." Then Harry turned to Draco "come on everyone is going this way it would be better if we all stuck together."

The group nodded in acceptance and began running again along the way they saw Crouch's houseelf having a fit. But as they passed it something green burst into the sky like it was weaving the clouds then there came rustling in the trees all around them, they were surrounded. Just before everything went dark there were flashes of bright light coming at them from all directions. Harry and the others stood back to back protecting the little girl who was on his.

Moments latter they all came to at wand point.

"is this your wand boy?" a gruff man barked in Harry's face while holding his wand in his other hand

"yeah I thought it got lost in the crowd."

"no he didn't, he didn't have a wand this whole time." The little blond chirped with her big blue doe eyes.

"so you allowed someone to borrow your wand for the dark mark."

"no."

"Leave the boy be Crouch."

"Greengrass?"

"That's my little girl he has on his back."

"Daddy?" the nine year old slid off of Harry's back and ran up to the man who had spoken.

"and that's my son." Arthur Weasley called out causing Ron to turn towards his father. At the same time Draco saw his own father amongst them. The look in the blond man's eyes was enough to cause Draco to reinforce his Slytherin mask. He would never show himself as weak before his father.

After the start of term feast was done Tom headed down into the bowels of the castle to the Slytherin dorms respining that warming charms set into the wards as he went.

As he reached the fourth year boy's dorm he stopped. Tom frowned as he heard the other boys in his dorm discussing the Quidditch World Cup. He was still rather sore about Harry going to such a thing with her red headed friend. No sore didn't even begin to cover it, it pissed him off.

"Hey Riddle did you go to the Cup?"

"No."

"Aw too bad. It was awesome. Ireland's team was great this year. They nearly always get the best players. Bulgaria gets lucky they only get in maybe once every ten years or so."

"If you all would so kindly cease your babbling about that infernal sport. I have already heard quite enough about it from an acquaintance of mine."

"Oh damn Riddle, your girl likes Quidditch? Honestly she's wasted on you."

"Avery." The air in the room became heavy with Tom's magic as he made his ire at the other boy very clear. Like many times before the mouthy boy paled in realization to whom he was talking. Really Avery had no control over what came out of his mouth most days.

"Sorry Riddle." With that the air around them became breathable again as if there had never been a difference in the first place.

"And to your answer yes Harry enjoys Quidditch, she's a seeker."

"I wonder how she managed that, there are not many places that will allow a girl onto a team."

"She got in on talent and sheer force of luck." Tom's voice was barely audible as he said the last part

"Then you heard about the riot at the Cup then right, if your girl was there?"

"What riot? She told me of nothing other than the match."

"It was nothing big just a couple of the Dark Lord's supporters getting together, they couldn't resist something that big. All they did was stir up the little light wizards a bit"

"Nott, as you all so eloquently put it 'my girl' happens to be a light witch."

"You're joking."

"I do not joke."

"Does she know that you're… well you."

"She knows more about me than any of you ever will." Tom said sagely.

"and she still you know, likes you?" Alphard chirped.

"I think the better question is does she trust you?" Travis Nott said evenly. Everyone went silent at the look in Tom's eyes.

Harry,

My dear friend, I believe you left a few minor details out of your description of the events of the Quidditch World Cup. One would think that you don't trust me?

Tom

Harry paled slightly, he had been hoping that with as much as Tom hated Quidditch he wouldn't find out, but then again he also read the paper. It only furthered his shame at being caught that Hermione and Ron were discussing it.

"Really Ronald, yes it was terrible what they did but this is not the first time this has happened they were staging themselves to prove a point."

"what point was that and what do you mean it's happened before?"

"it happened in the early 40's there was a riot of the Dark Lord Grindelwald's followers at the world cup then too. This was to prove that even with their lord gone the Death Eaters are just as powerful as their forefathers were with their lord."

"Huh." Ron said off handedly. Out the corner of his eye he could see Harry writtin a reply to his curse happy friend.

Tom,

That's not true I do trust you. I trust you with my life any day of the week. You mean the world to me and I didn't want you to worry when it wasn't necessary. I wasn't hurt and neither were any of my friends, the only ones that might have been hurt were a family of muggles that were helping to operate the grounds. But even they weren't hurt bad the aurors showed up in time.

"Leave him alone Parkinson." A delicate pixie like hand grabbed Pansy's own and forced her to lower her wand from its train on Potter as he was crouched over a piece of parchment scribbling away.

"but Daphene…"

"I can see his boyfriend's magic on those letters of his from here. His boyfriend's magic is almost black flecked with blue and silver like a clear night. Potter wont hold being dark against anyone. He saved my sister from the crowds at the cup. That earns him something."

"What about Potter himself then surely he's not dark."

"No, his magic looks like lapis. He is very light."

"Then how is the letter writer dark? I don't get it!"

"Stop whining. There is nothing to get, he is accepting of the other side that is all there is to it. But wont Dumbledore be in for a surprise when he realizes that his 'golden boy' is love struck neutral."

"You mean he wouldn't fight?"

"Oh he'll still fight of that I'm sure. But he wont be doing it because we are dark, he'll be fighting to protect the ones he loves. Even his knight in dark armor."

"Do you think he knows yet?"

"He has no idea. He is still innocent in the old fool's eyes. As long as he's innocent he wont know."

"I almost feel bad for him, he's a weapon and he doesn't even know it."

"My little cousin will look after him."

"But she's…"

"Just let him be for now."

"if you say so."

A few weeks past with nothing particularly remarkable happening, Tom quite simply was board out of his mind. He planed, he plotted, he coerced people into doing things that were necessary but it seemed that he went through this phase every year where he would have to acclimate himself to the lack of intelligence surrounding him. He would haunt the library until he had a pet project.

However his spell of boredom was sporadically interrupted by his friend's letters. Letters about the upcoming tournament, her classes, just irreverent whimsical things, they were things that they didn't even need to say but they did. Like so many times before Tom found that those little moments with her were the ones he enjoyed most. Ones where he didn't share her with anyone, where they only belonged to each other. They were simple times for two very complex people.

There were letters of warning like one would expect between them.

Tom,

Have you ever heard of a Triwizard Tournament?

Harry

Harry,

I have, if that is what your school is so energized for I must ask that you refrain from entering. People die in that tournament. Even if you are offered the chance to compete I want you to turn it down.

Tom

Alright Tom,

I wasn't planning on entering anyway, I don't need the prize money and I don't want fame. But our headmaster has put up an age line just in case. It's probably better that the younger students cant enter at all. That way they cant possibly get picked right?

Harry

But then there was a letter that came that was not one such letter, it came in the middle of the night during dinner with a howling storm making its furry known to the outside world, as it forced the tall doors of the great hall to creek a single blur zipped into the hall. How she did it he would never know as all the owl entrances were sealed off for the storm, but there she was.

Hedwig. instead of her normal pristine white she was drenched and grey with wide fearful, anxious eyes. If any were ever to doubt her intelligence or capacity for human understanding it was times like these that threw away any doubts.

Tom pulled the sopping letter from the bedraggled bird's talons while one of the other Slytherin's tried to handle her only to be clawed, bitten and screeched at in return. Tom quickly cast drying charms on both bird and letter standing as he went. The entire hall's eyes were upon him as he left without a care. There was only one worry to him right then only one- Harry.

After reaching the dungeons Tom opened the letter again, there still glaring at him, still blurred and smudged, where those terrible words.

Tom,

I've been chosen. I never put my name in I did what you said. I don't understand how this happened and they wont let me withdraw. They said that my name in the cup was all that was necessary for a binding contract to think I was willing. Tom please help me.

Harry

Every feeling of helplessness he had ever felt came crashing over his ears as he stared at those words. His friend was trapped in a blood-sport with no way out and competitors with two and even three years more training than she. Every other danger before seemed like child's play now. But there was a stern realization to it. With every trial his Harry endured the closer and closer it seemed that he came to losing her.

'Harry please don't ever do that to me.' Tom thought as he leaned brokenly against the stonewall of the dungeon corridor. He was as he would never show anyone, he was vulnerable like this.

Days passed on and letter by letter things seemed to get better but that looming grey cloud still stood in the back of Tom's mind. This year is friend was truly afraid and was hiding nothing. She gave him every detail; the ceremonies, the reactions, everything. But in the end he still reached the same conclusion as before. There was truly something terrible coming for his friend this year. Something that he had no means to protect her from

Hi Tom,

I had an interesting day. This afternoon Draco was being a nuisance, not that he isn't always but apparently he was going to hex me when my back was turned. Our defense professor, who is an old auror, caught him and turned him into a ferret Draco was a bouncing ferret for a few minutes. Then my transfiguration professor came and asked what was going on. He said he was teaching. Then she realized that the ferret was a student. So this ends with me having to carry Draco the ferret to the hospital wing. The stupid git climbed in my shirt when I was carrying him. Ferret claws are not comfortable things.

I hexed him hot pink with red hair after he was human again. I don't think the nurse will put him right for a while.

'Good girl.' Tom thought as he read Harry's letter. His ire at her Slytherin-like friend was still very present. But knowing that his actions had not gone unpunished had settled it slightly. It annoyed him greatly that he had used his animal state to get a look down his friend's shirt. Tom quickly stood from his place at the table after packing his bag he made his way to the seventh floor. He was in desperate need to take his anger out on something or blow something up.

Yes that sounded quite nice.

Harry felt like a specimen in a jar, everyone seemed to be watching him. They were either in awe at his being a champion or they were jeering at him. Whispers floated through the school of how he cheated while others said that he had been destined to do it, that the cup chose on its own. Whatever they chose to believe every student was watching him.

They all watched and waited. They were like vultures on his shoulders; they wanted answers to the very questions he had asked himself. But there were no answers no one knew, and very soon he would be forced to risk his life because they would give him no other choice. If he forfeit or withdrew from the tournament he could be marked as a coward or even be stripped of his magic. It had been so long since anyone even wanted the tournament let alone wanted to withdraw from it that they didn't know the repercussions of withdrawing.

As the rest of the school and their visitors watched him his own house began to shun him. They were furious that he had made it passed the age line when none of them had. Hermione was beside herself with worry and frustration once she realized that he had not entered his own name. Ron was being as frustrating about the tournament as he had about learning that he spoke parseltounge. The twins oddly enough were on Hermione's side with a bit more humor about the grimness of the situation.

This was just one of those times that he wished Tom was here with him. Even if his friend didn't know what to do, he could be a comfort. Even in his most demanding and cynical of moods Tom was a comfort. Harry wondered if Tom knew exactly how much he meant to him sometimes.

SLAM!

Tom was startled up from his writings as a very old and very large tome was thrown upon the table he was working at.

"Why have you given me a book on dragons? I do not take care of magical creatures." He looked up at Abraxaus balefully.

"I am sorry my lord I didn't know what its subject was on."

"Abraxaus are you blind? It quite clearly states on the cover 'Dragons A Many: The Great Beasts of Our World'

"It is a manual in parselscript, my lord. I can not read it."

"Parselscript?" Oh Tom could guess quite clearly what parselscript was but he wanted the conformation. Harry would say that it was his ego needing to be stroked; that he wanted someone else to tell him he was right.

"It is the written word of your ancestors, my lord." With Abraxaus' murmured words the gears in Tom's mind started spinning faster than they had before.

"I see. Have you any other texts such as this one?"

"Yes my lord, they are in an old section of my family's library."

"I would like them. They are of no use to your family so you should have no qualms about giving them to me."

"No my lord."

"See to it that you do then."

"Yes my lord."

Harry wandered the forgotten corridors of Hogwarts. They were places that were either hidden or places that had long been out of use. It made him wonder sometimes why the castle was so big when they only used a small fraction of it for classes. There were so many empty rooms and places to hide; it really was built like a fortress. He used the wonderful fortress to his advantage a great deal of the time now, honestly he was as alone as often now as he had been in second year. For all of Gilaroy Lockhart's moronic babbling he was right. Fame was a fickle friend indeed.

Draco watched Harry from afar. Ever since he was chosen he became more and more distant. He really couldn't consider Harry and himself truly friends; there were too many differing opinions between them. But they weren't enemies either. They simply had an odd understanding between them.

But he wasn't the only one. The other Slytherins had started watching him too. There were whispers going through the old families. Whispers of things to come and of blackening marks. Their children knew what this meant just as they did. The Dark Lord was returning and it was only a matter of time.

Draco hadn't known about Harry's apparent boyfriend until Daphene had mentioned what her sight saw over the letters. That had been one of the times that he was very thankful that his father hadn't carried through with contracting him to her. That girl and her sight scared him. Better Blaise than him any day really. Xalia Zabini was snake if there ever was one and she made sure she got her son a wife she would be proud of.

Daphene and her sister both had that sight just as their mother and her sister had before them. Though given how their cousin was it was a good possibility that she had it too. That family was full of crazy women. Dangerous, crazy women, those Ravenclaws did not know what they were meddling with. Really he almost felt bad for them if that family ever took action.

Weeks passed slowly and Harry found himself visiting Lyra and exploring the castle grounds more and more. On one such exploration he came across the Thestral herd in the forest. He could sit on a log and simply watch them, frequently he felt very much like them.

Harry stood in a clearing near the edge of the forbidden forest. It was far enough he could be alone and have time to think but still on the near side of the basilisk's dividing line. The line that marked the wild part of the forest. At least here he could find some peace.

"They're Thestrals." Harry turned away from the winged horses in the clearing to see a small blond girl standing beside him. She was small and delicate looking. She stepped past him and pulled a tin from her bag, which revealed a rather large slab of raw meat.

"I know my friend told me about them in my second year." Harry said as the girl tossed the meat to the small Thestral foal.

"They are really quite gentle. Your friend is very clever."

"Yeah, he is."

"He makes you feel. You don't know it yet but you will. " Harry looked over at the girl startled. Her crystalline blue eyes sparkled similarly to Dumbledore's but different still there was just something unexplainable in her eyes.

"Wait what?" Harry still pondered over her statement

"You should know that just because something can't be true doesn't mean it isn't."

"What?"

"And just because something is wrong doesn't mean it isn't right either."

"You make no sense." Harry shook his head at the strange girl with starlight blond hair.

"I'm Luna by the way. My name. You were going to ask." The fae-like blonde said as she turned to walk away.

"Well yeah but."

"No buts you should sleep soon you have a big day coming up."

"I don't even know what to expect how can I sleep."

"The nightmares wont go away. But if you let him he can make them better."

"Who?"

"Neither of you know it. You are both very funny. Always spinning each other around your words. The only ones who know each other it's really quite romantic." She spoke dreamily as she turned back to see him as he jogged to catch up to her.

"You have wrackspurts floating all through your mind right now. You'll figure it out soon enough." She laughed lightly.

"What are wrackspurts? And who's romantic?"

"Wrackspurts are funny little things their invisible you see and they swarm all around your head making your thoughts go fuzzy."

"Oh."

"But you should rest soon. Your answers will come when you need them." Luna smiled again. Harry didn't think he had ever met anyone as odd as she was.

Not three days after his talk with Luna Harry got a letter from Hagrid telling him to meet him. That night he found what they were giving the champions as a first task.

The next morning as he past Cedric he felt guilty. He couldn't let the other boy go on without telling him what they were facing. He carefully pulled the sixth year away from his friends and informed him of the dragons.

The other two schools' champions had obviously been informed of their first task like he had. There was no surprise in their eyes as Bagman revealed the task to them.

Harry stood in the arena for the first task over in the other areas he could hear some one screaming.

"Filthy humans! Away from my nest! Away from my clutch! AWAY!" Harry could only stare in amazement, as the words seemed to be spilling from the maw of the Welsh Green. He turned to the other dragons and found similar utterances coming from them. While the Swedish Short-Snout and Chinese Fireball had a strange accent it was still heard in perfect English to him but no one else seemed to hear their cries. It was then that it dawned on him that they weren't being understood by the people at all. He truly was the only one to hear their vengeful words. They were speaking parseltounge. He hadn't been close enough to hear anything more than roars before but now that he was close he could clearly hear them.

This revelation made him feel much better about his own trial. But as he walked towards the great beast that the Horntail was he couldn't hear any words coming from her, only vicious snarls and a deafening roar. Why did he get the only one of the bunch that couldn't be reasoned with? Fate was a cruel mistress indeed.

Hey Tom,

Did you know that Swedish Short-Snouts and Chinese Fireballs spoke parseltounge? Guess which dragons I didn't end up dealing with. Of coarse I don't get to deal with the dragons that I could actually talk to and convince. No I get stuck with a Hungarian Horntail, it speaks parseltounge about as well as a cave man does English and the back end was as dangerous as the front, if I hadn't summoned my broom she would have killed me just standing. I hate this stupid tournament. Whose bright idea was it to have tournament that you cant withdraw from?

Harry

Tom felt relieved, one task was over and done and his friend seemed no worse for it than before.

Hello Harry,

I found a parselscript manual. It says that nearly all dragons speak parseltounge. The exceptions to this are those of the largest breeds namely Ukrainian Ironbellys and Hungarian Horntails. It said that they had evolved too far different from snakes to retain that ability.

Apparently a descendent of Salazar Slytherin's did try to reteach it to an infant Ironbelly and eventually it could speak a few words but they were thick and guttural. The study ended when it was big enough to consider him a snack. The whole story was quite interesting.

Tom

"Tooom." Harry groaned as he read his friend's letter. Why hadn't he sent a letter to him before the task? Oh right he didn't want to cheat and using a magical prodigy as a reference guide was defiantly cheating in his book and most likely the judges too.

Tom,

You my friend are a sadist. But I love you anyway. Now where did you find a parselscript manual I didn't even know there were any. The only reason I even know about parselscript at all was because I found a portrait of a snake and an inkpot. The snake was writing with the tip of its tail and when I asked him what he was writing he told me it was a parsel poem. I rather like talking to him so I made copies of his portrait. I think next summer I want to try painting him another one. You know I kind of wonder what it's like for paintings, they aren't alive but they have emotions and thoughts. I wonder if they get board or lonely.

I don't really want to do this but I'll try doing it on my own. I wish I was just a spectator in this stupid thing. Why won't anybody actually believe me that I didn't put my name in?

Harry

Tom felt an odd sense of delight at Harry's words. She accepted him, loved him she said, even though she knew he was… Tom smirked. 'Less than moral' he thought. There were times that he wondered how someone so perfect as her came to be. Even after seven years he still didn't know the answer to that. She defied everything around her that should have made her cold and harsh to those around her but every time she forgave and gave more than the last.

Harry,

My friend, you may not realize it but the tournament you are currently a part of is not about sportsmanship at all. It is essentially what are the most creative ways you can cheat and not get caught. If you don't find your answer I want to contact me about it no matter what. I don't want you facing something without knowing what you will be going up against.

I do believe that it would be an interesting venture to learn. Not particularly useful or practical but it would be interesting.

Tom

Harry shook his head as he read Tom's letter. He knew that the only reason his friend was interested in paintings was a) because it would keep him out of trouble. B) There were not very many magical artists. So Tom would see it as an academic challenge.

Hi Tom,

Things are pretty hectic here. There is going to be a ball here soon for the tournament. All the boys in my year and higher are searching for dates for the ball.

Ron made an absolute fool of himself by trying to ask a part Veela witch. She turned him down and he was a bit of a mess afterwards. I wish I didn't have to go. But as a champion I'm expected to get a date and lead the opening of the ball.

On other news Ron managed to insult Hermione. After all his magnificent failures at getting a date. He turned to her and said and I quote 'mione you're a girl aren't you.' she was furious with him. She turned him down and pointed out that she already had a date. After she left he said that she was just saying that so she wouldn't feel bad about not being able to get a date. That was actually pretty cruel of him to think that. I'm fairly sure that Hermione wouldn't say she had a date if she didn't.

Now Ron and I have to bite the bullet and get a date. Draco was making fun of me saying I would have to wear heals just to be seen by my partner. On that note I'm stuck taking a girl from my house. It feels really awkward. I'm supposed to lead because the champions take first dance but I barely know her and she's taller than me. Our head of house has been giving us all dancing lessons though so here's to hoping. On another note giggling should be outlawed it is incredibly frustrating to try and talk some girl into going on a date with Ron only to have them start giggling when I'm talking. This whole thing might as well be considered the fourth task for all its troubles.

"Is something the matter my lord?" Abraxaus looked over at Tom's form lying on the black leather sofa nearest the common room's fireplace. The other boy had a deep frown marring his handsome features clueing to trouble for someone.

"Harry is attending a ball at her school."

"Really this is good is it not?"

"She found a date at the last minute and is now going with another girl."

"I see and you are not fond of her attending with a partner?"

"Abraxaus please think before you speak." Tom said menacingly.

"I do not understand my lord?" Abraxaus paused cautiously if there was one thing he had learned about the other boy in four years it was that he was dangerous.

"She is attending the ball with another woman."

"I can not see the problem."

" Explain how it is not a problem then I may explain why it is?"

"Um perhaps it could be a problem as her partner was chosen out of dire need. But I do not see how anything could be wrong with it."

"Abraxaus. You are a pure blood correct?"

"Yes my lord thirteen generations."

"You believe that magic should only breed with magic correct?"

"Yes my lord." Abraxaus said carefully he didn't understand where this was going.

"Then tell me how it is that you would not be bothered by two women together. There is no breeding of any kind to be had." Abraxaus breathed a sigh of relief his young lord was merely confused. Despite all his lord's intelligence he really was just a child. A child abandoned to the muggle world, armed with only the knowledge he had procured himself.

"My lord it does not bother me in that way because they can produce children. There are potions and things that would allow a partnership of that nature to produce a child. There is no stigma against such things as a witch or wizard that is not betrothed is free to be with whomever they may choose and it will still allow them a family. The only difference is that it is a great deal more complex a process than with a witch and wizard.

"How interesting." Tom says with no emotion coloring his voice to give away his inner thoughts. It was a trait that Abraxaus found himself very weary of. There were many times that his lord seemed to be a very unsettling creature.

Tom,

The Yule ball was terrible. Please Avada Kadavera me now. It was embarrassing. Not only did I have to dance in front of three schools, I had to do it all the while my dance partner was remarking on how terrible a dancer I was. Though funny enough Hermione got a dance with Victor, one of the other champions. Fred was sore all night for some reason; he even went so far as to give his and George's sweets to a first year. Those things are dangerous really they are still experimental. He cooled off about whatever he was mad at when Hermione busted him for experimenting on helpless first years.

Everyone keeps asking if I've solved the egg yet I keep telling them that I've almost got it but truthfully I haven't even started. I don't know where to begin really. Every time I open it, it starts screaming.

One of the other champions gave me a tip to take a bath with it. Whatever that means I'm not so sure that taking a bath with it will help me solve it.

Harry.

Tom frowned slightly at his friend's words while he was quite pleased with the fact that her date had gone poorly he wanted her happy. The riddle of the egg however that was incredibly interesting obviously it wasn't what it seemed. 'Screeching and water. I wonder… Merfolk!' Tom scrolled through the entire repository of knowledge his brain possessed for any information he knew of merfolk. Unfortunately what he knew of them was not pleasant news for his friend in the least.

Merfolk while considered beings found amusement in luring humans into their territories and drowning them to watch them struggle.

Harry wandered to the prefects' bathroom that Cedric had informed him of. He really didn't understand the purpose of it, maybe Tom was right and the other boy was just pulling his leg. Harry hoped this wasn't the case, as he rather liked being able to trust people. He knew good and well that not being able to trust led to problems. Tom was proof of that. The only people in his friend's life were himself and Nagani.

"Ooooh another one." Harry turned to the sound of a crooning voice only to see one of Hogwarts' many resident ghosts- Moaning Myrtle.

"Hi Myrtle. "

"Hello Harry." The youthful ghost said coyly. Myrtle leered at the bubbles surrounding Harry. But the boy didn't notice the look on her face; he was too busy trying to solve the egg's puzzle.

"You should try dunking it, that's what the other one did. "

"Thanks Myrtle." Harry did as she suggested submerging the golden egg completely under water. As he did so a wordless melody began to echo through the bathroom.

"Well that's great at least it isn't shrieking now." Harry found himself getting annoyed with he task more and more. But suddenly inspiration struck him and he submerged himself with the egg. Suddenly the melody began to spin words with an ancient but beautiful woman's voice singing them softly."

"Come seek us where our voices sound

We cannot sing above the ground

And while your searching ponder this

We've taken what you'll sorely miss

An hour long you'll have to look

To recover what we took

An hour's gone, the prospect's black

Too late, it's gone, it won't come back" The ancient flowing voice died off only to begin her poem once more.

"Myrtle are there mermaids in the black lake?"

"Oh you are clever Harry. The other one took so much longer."

"So all I have to do is be able to hold my breath for an hour then. That's not all that hard." Harry rolled his eyes in annoyance. Quietly he leaned out of the tub and pulled from his robe a piece of parchment. He conceded, he would ask Tom. He paid no heed to the wandering eyes of the voyeuristic ghost behind him. He redressed himself quickly and set off for the tower where he knew Hedwig would be.

Meanwhile deep in the underbelly of the school the judges were casting the spell for the tournament's second task.

Dumbledore watched carefully as Ludo Bagman drew the names of each champion's most precious person.

"Fleur Delecour, Gabriel Delecour- relationship, Family"

"Cedric Diggery, Cho Chang-relationship, Romantic"

"Victor Krum, Hermione Granger- relationship, Romantic/Friendship"

"Harry Potter…" Ludo paused for a moment a look of confusion crossing his face.

"Is something the matter, Ludo?" Dumbledore asked gently.

"It would appear that we have a problem with Mr. Potter's person."

"What does it say Bagman?" Bartimus Crouch gruffed sternly. Even in a game the surly man did not tolerate the nonsense the other man lived by.

"It says Harry Potter, Tom- relationship, Romantic/Friendship."

"Do you know anything about this boy Dumbledore?"

"I'm afraid I do not." Dumbledore said with just the right amount of confusion coloring his voice. He had never expected this. He knew that Tom would get close to Harry. It was simply the way he operated he would deceive one into thinking he was wonderful and generous before going in for his last strike. He never had ever believed that even Harry would have the capacity to love such a terrible monster, even in his larval form as Tom Riddle. They must never realize what they were to each other, if they did Voldemort would be able to use this misplaced love to manipulate Harry and then the light would stand no chance at all.

"Well then what do we do?"

"Perhaps we should replace the boy with someone else Harry is of similar standing with."

"Hey that is a good idea. Why didn't I think of that?" Ludo Bagman said jollily.

Not a moment too late Harry saw a white speck coming closer to him. Hedwig dropped what appeared to be a cluster of green rubbery rat-tails and a letter in front of him.

This is Gillyweed. It will help you. Be careful my friend. Send me a letter as soon as you can.

Tom

Harry smiled softly to himself Tom always pulled through for him in the end.

Soon the whistle sounded and all the champions dived into the frigid depths of the black lack.

Harry swam the murky depths of the black lake, escaping the grabby long fingers of Grindelows and carrying on further into the darkness of the aquatic domain.

After a long while it seemed, he found a mermish village.

Tied to a large stone in the middle of the mermish village were the limp forms of four humans. Fear flooded him. 'Please don't let them be dead' he thought worriedly. He swam quickly to their side. Now close to them he could see their identities. It was Hermione, Cho and Ginny and a little girl with silver hair like Fleur. He checked the pulse of each of them, he sighed a steady stream of bubbles, they were all alive and well. He swam to the base of the stone where a shell bed lay and picked up a particularly sharp shell and took it back up to the captives. As he tried to cut them loose a clawed hand grabbed his.

"You may only take that which is yours." The monstrous water dwelling being said, her voice ancient and musical like the waters she lived in.

"But they're all my friends." Harry yelled though his words were muffled by a stream of bubbles flowing from his mouth.

"Only yours." The chieftainess stated again revealing her wickedly sharp teeth.

"They are mine!" Harry said again as he turned back to cut them loose again.

In the middle of his toils Cedric came. His head was surrounded by a bubble and he simply waved his wand and clearly said the cutting spell, releasing Cho and swimming up with her.

Victor came next with a poorly done transfiguration. In the interests of protecting Hermione from her boyfriend's teeth he handed Krum the shell, which he quickly used and he swam up as well.

Now all that remained were Ginny and the little girl. But Fleur was nowhere to be seen and time was running out. He would not leave her to the merefolk's mercy for if what he knew from reading was correct then they had none to give.

He cut Ginny and the little girl loose and fought his way to the surface with them.

Once back on land he was surrounded by people and judges all the while having Ludo Bagman ranting something or another.

"There was a bit of a mix up when we first did the spell to see who would be sent down there. When we did it all we got was a boy's first name."

Harry looked up at Ludo Bagman slightly. "Um… who's name was it sir?"

"Well it said Tom, but you see we couldn't find anyone in particular with just that so we picked from your friends." Harry didn't know whether to be grateful or annoyed with this turn of events.

Tom,

Be vary glad I don't know your surname. If I had you would have ended up submerged for about an hour unconscious. They made Ginny- Ron's sister, my person instead. It's a little weird with her now.

On another note Fleur thinks I'm not worthless anymore after I got her baby sister out of the lake.

Bye Tom I'm going to go sleep for a week.

Harry

Tom had very mix feelings about this task of hers, they had wanted the person most important to the champion to be taken. They had drawn his name, which meant that he was the most important person to his friend. That gave him … something he couldn't quite place what the feeling was exactly. Only that it was good. On the other hand the tournament committee had chosen that red buffoon's little sister as his friend's most precious person. That was an emotion he could identify quite easily, rage and annoyance. Then again he would probably feel that anyway if they had been capable of taking him instead. Yet again if they had he would have finally met his friend in person. That would have made all of it worthwhile.

In his amusement he wrote his reply to his friend.

Harry,

My surname will be given if you ever desire to know it. I would have been most displeased to be in that situation. As for Ginny I find her to be a nuisance that I have no problem what so ever cursing. Simply say the word my friend and I will do it for you.

But truly my friend you keep saving little girls from danger, honestly I would not be surprised if they started calling you mother and line up like a row of ducklings behind you.

Sleep well my friend you have earned it.

Tom

Tom,

I'm alive if that's what you wanted to know. I forgot to mention that in my last letter. I finished the task and even got bonus points for my 'saving people thing' as you and Hermione called it.

Did you know that a wizard could speak Mermish? My headmaster did and they didn't try to actually harm any of the champions. It kind of makes me wonder if the books were wrong or if maybe they just like the headmaster.

Well now that that's over we have a good long while yet till the third and final task. So breath easy and stop worrying I know you are.

And don't call me a mother duck it's weird. Which Ginny still is. She broke up with another one of her boyfriends recently and she seemed to want me to say something about it. All I could really say was that I was sorry she was so upset. Everybody's been weird lately Ron is acting like Ginny too. If I ever start acting like that can you curse me to knock some sense into me.

Harry

Tom shook his head lightly he really didn't understand people's emotions any better than she did. He had no advice to offer. But he would most defiantly do as she said if she started behaving oddly. After all, he would not permit lies even ones from her lips. For her to behave oddly would entail that something was very wrong or that someone was controlling her. Neither of which would he allow to happen. If they did they would be swiftly remedied. She would not be able to fault him for harming others in an effort to keep her safe.

Harry,

My friend I am glad you completed the task with out any problems. I am amused that you seem to think just because your task is over that I have no need to worry over you. I will always worry about you my friend it is simply the way things are you could find trouble in a padded round room.

Mermish being spoken is actually an impressive feat. It is one of the hardest languages to learn it is only ranked second because the first is parseltounge, which requires a genetic predisposition to speak. Mortem Linguam is ranked as the third hardest to learn.

I do not think that the books are wrong on this one my friend I believe that the Merfolk in that lake may have a pact with your headmaster as there are children near their shores it is most likely. However I have no idea what could have swayed them to listen.

Tom

Tom sighed as he leaned back in his chair. He had found an odd little room on the seventh floor. It changed as it was needed, he had been studying it diligently as well as studying in it. It had a wonderful selection of books and manuscripts that it could provide. He had discovered it early in the year and had been using it for a number of things since. He had been using it largely to avoid furthering Dumbledore's apparent suspicion of him by releasing his anger out on dueling dummies.

Another ting he had used the wonderful room for was a study. He had kept journals that no one had any need to see. He had kept record of his and Harry's animagus training, he had archived much of his research into many different journals and hidden them in his study room. After he had begun to gain Dumbledore's suspicion he explored the castle for places to keep his things hidden.

FLASHBACK!

"Tom! Hide your shit. Dumbledore's coming to inspect us!" Alphard said frantically as he burst into the dungeon common room.

"Why on earth would he do such a thing he has not in the four years we have been here already? Why would he start now?"

"Some Gryffindor said that one of us had dark artifacts." Avery rolled his eyes.

"Of course they did. And the old man feels obligated to believe them." Tom answered simply. How he loathed that old man. It had seemed that he disliked him from the start even with that mask he gave.

"No shit. Hide books to anything that could be incriminating for any of us." Alphard fussed.

"And where exactly do you propose that I hide things Black. There is nothing that can incriminate me for there is nothing to find." Tom replied slyly. The other boy seemed to pause for a moment.

"Are you sure you don't need any help? I can get my cousin Dorea to hide your stuff with mine…"

"I am quite sure." Tom's smirk broadened into a sadistic wolf like grin. He had taken precautions from the very beginning; he had known full well most wizards frowned upon what he was getting into.

Moments later Dumbledore arrived in the dungeons. He oddly enough went for Tom's dorm first. Tom narrowed his eyes at this. Of course the old man would come after him.

"Tom please open your trunk." Dumbledore said in his infernal grandfatherly tone. Anyone else would only see an old man making a request but in four years Tom had grown wise. To him it was a demand and he had never been one to listen to demands well.

"I would rather not professor."

"Tom, I am afraid you have no choice. I am sure that you have nothing to hide but we were informed that there were dangerous items being kept here."

"Very well then professor." Tom said silkily.

Dumbledore looked in Tom's trunk; he went through the carefully organized parchments, quills, and ink. He searched thought the neatly folded clothes. He removed everything from the box to see its contents strewn across the boy's bed.

Among the emptied contents there were very few personal items at all the only one that stood out was a single piece of parchment with a carefully drawn pair of figures detailing the young Riddle and a girl of similar age. Sitting on a stone wall in the astronomy tower. Dumbledore found it odd as the little girl in the picture was also wearing robes indicating that she was in fact a witch. It would seem that the young Riddle did have an attachment. How he pitied that little girl for having such a boy's attentions.

After deeming that Riddle had no artifacts at least in his trunk he allowed one of his coworkers to examine the rest of the dorms. He had already scanned the area for Tom's magic and found ner a trace.

"Why did you not wish for the search if you had nothing to hide my boy?"

"I am sorry professor but I found myself in a rather ill mood as of late. I believe I may have simply been disagreeing to disagree so to speak. How ever there could be an issue as the school is not in the right to be able to search its students effects. I would be most upset if this trivial matter led to problems for Hogwarts."

"There is nothing wrong Tom, Hogwarts will be fine I assure you. We were merely informed that one of you had something dangerous to your fellow students. Obviously our informant was mistaken." Albus looked down to meet Tom's eyes only to find that the boy was looking at his scattered things.

"Are you sure it was nothing professor? After all you wouldn't come and search our things on just a hunch would you?" Tom said with a mask of concern.

"Of course not my boy. It seems that there was nothing to worry about after all one of your classmates simply got confused is all." Dumbledore's eyes glittered mirthfully as he spoke as if he thought that he had proven that Tom really was defenseless. Oh how very wrong he was.

A few moments after Dumbledore had left the room one of the many snake portraits that hung in the dungeons wandered into a painting on the wall.

"Young Master the old one is gone."

"Good." Tom hissed in return. All his dorm mates, with the exception of Abraxaus, gasped loudly at the startling realization of who was amongst them.

Tom went to his trunk and with the tip of his wand carefully drew out a rune in its base. After the rune had set he pulled the bottom loose revealing that his trunk was indeed much deeper than one would expect. In the true bottom were books and potions that were most certainly not for school. No these were books full of dark arts and parseltounge. The potions were even more precious than his books though. Those potions had been keeping his friend alive for years now even if she didn't know it.

After examining the hidden effects of his trunk he surmised that none of if was damaged. In that time it seemed that one of his dorm mates got his voice back.

"You spoke parseltounge."

"Yes. This room has also been spelled so that none of you may tell anyone."

"Don't you know what that means!"

"…." Tom raised a single brow at Alphard Black's antics.

"Enlighten me."

"It means that you are the heir of Slytherin. You control at least a quarter of the school. You could do anything you want."

"I am aware."

"Then why don't you do anything? "

"Because it is not the right time to do so."

None of them knew that the spell that protected his secrets was really just a spell holding back a toxin he had already released. If any of them betrayed him they would die painfully. It was odorless, tasteless, and quickly dissipating when airborne, but it could be warded in their bodies for the rest of their lives if he so wished it. It was ideal and untraceable.

END FLASHBACK!

He was dangerous and he knew it. But for Harry he would hide it and only let the world see the face they thought belonged to him. He would hide it for only his friend could possibly understand. He could be charming and endearing. He could seem like the perfect gentleman. But inside there was a black-hearted creature that horded its most precious possessions like a fairy tale dragon.

Harry was the only one he could ever bring himself to trust.

Time between the tasks passed slowly like the easy laziness a child feels. Every day is just an extension of the last and there is no real time everything just happens and flows together.

The flowing blend of time was shattered and perforated by the uproar of the masses whether the dissent was aimed at himself or his friends. Rita Skeeter found herself banned from the school grounds and a cursed letter in her possession.

There were times Harry really wondered how Tom did what he did, only to realize it would be better for him not to know. Whatever the case maybe the slanderous reporter was punished by his friend and his friend was scolded half-heartedly.

But even with the seemingly peaceful time there were hidden horrors just beneath the surface. All too soon those horrors began to show face. Mr. Crouch's madness, then his seeming death. Then there was the confrontation with Snape. It seemed like every year the man came to hate him all the more. Tom of coarse offered to make the man 'learn' but inevitably the man would have found a way to blame him for.

But the greatest horror of all had come- the final task was afoot. Harry and the other champions soon found themselves staring in awe at what was once the Quidditch pitch now only to find that it was covered in colossal hedges making a black maze for the champions to navigate.

"Hermione. I want you to hold onto this for me. I don't want it to get damaged in there." Harry slipped off the necklace that he always wore and put it in his friend's hand.

"Isn't this the one that Tom gave you?"

"Yeah that's why I want it to stay safe. I don't want it to get damaged in there." Harry said fondly.

"Good luck."

"I'm gonna need it. Tom's already wished me luck too so heres to hoping that whatever he thinks is coming waits till the end."

Rita Skeeter's eyes sparkled at the words she heard between the two teens. Who was this Tom they spoke of? Did little Harry have his heart set on someone already? Was that why her stories were received so badly? 'How sweet.' The beetle thought mischievously, she needed more information on this boy she kept hearing about.

As Harry traveled through the maze everything seemed nightmarish with only his wand as a light and everything around him half cast in shadow.

Among the nightmares were several of Hagrid's beasts. It was times like these that Harry found himself agreeing with Tom's opinion of Hagrid. Perhaps he was a little mad.

He found himself facing not only monsters but men as well, Krum had been cursed and Fleur was stunned. Soon only he and Cedric remained no matter the outcome it seemed that Hogwarts would win. Harry couldn't help but feel pleased with that but things took a turn for the worse all to soon.

It seemed that the law of his life had stayed true. The moment he felt anything good something bad would be following not far behind. Tom had always been the only exception to that law it seemed. But Tom never did listen to rules very well even if he told he did tell Harry himself to follow them.

Harry couldn't even cry as Cedric lay open eyed and vacant expressioned on the ground. He couldn't feel anything, He was too afraid to feel. He couldn't help but stare at the blood that poured from his arm that Wormtail had cut. The only thought that he had float through his mind was that he would have one more scar to glamour.

But as soon as the ritual the rat had done was complete fear flooded his mind. All thoughts and pain were forgotten in the face of true terror.

Voldemort looked at the frightened child on the ground. There was no purpose in this. The boy had vanquished him, leaving him as a spirit, but he was simply a boy. He was a child who was simply in his way. The boy was not even possibly an enemy. The only thing that made this child a threat at all was the prophecy.

There as the boy held his bloodied arm he looked him in the eyes. And for a moment he saw, overlying Potter's face, a seventeen-year-old girl. Her soft features and doll like almond-shaped eyes were looking up at him.

'You hurt me Tom. Why? You were my friend. You said you would protect me.' The thought of her flitted through his mind like a deranged humming bird.

He needed to compose himself, for her he would offer one more chance to the boy, only for her. He cursed the shallowness of the wizarding gene pool for giving Potter her looks. He would curse it a thousand times more before he was finished.

Nagini could not understand why her master wanted to destroy the boy. It caused her master pain that he resembled his mate who had gone. She didn't see why he would not take the boy as a new mate. He was a speaker as well and he had looks that her master had found attractive on his mate why was he being so stubborn on this matter?

Honestly it had been so long since her master had a mate. And he and his mate had never had any hatchlings. Her master would have been such a good sire, and having more speaker hatchlings in the world would make it all the better in her opinion.

The boy's scent was even similar to her master's mate. Nagini had a long memory and she could say that for certain. Her master's mate and the boy's scents were nearly identical if not exactly the same. If that wasn't a sign that he would make a good mate for her master she didn't know what was.

Her master offered the boy a chance only to have it thrown back. If she could Nagini would have smirked. Her master's mate had been the same way. So very resistant even if it was something that she did in fact want. She would never take any one's choices but her own.

Her master growled in annoyance possibly from the similarity possibly from being denied. It didn't particularly matter as they started to duel. It was obvious that the boy had no experience in dueling.

But then something happened that shocked them all.

Voldemort quickly broke the connection. If the spirits went back much further his death eaters would see his own father. But it seemed that he wasn't the only one afraid of the spirits from his wand. Fear burned brightly in the boy's eyes even as he had gazed up at his parents. No especially as he gazed upon them.

But that fear-ridden gaze made his mind drift back to a dream he had while he was in the golem form. When he was weak and drifting out of consciousness he had dreamed of his Harry when they were young, they had never truly met so it could never have been anything more than a concoction of his own subconscious.

"Nothing will harm you while I am here." He had whispered in the dream as he cradled her to his chest. The rest of the dream had been blurred but that moment had stuck with him. Why did his mind torture him so? Even after he had long failed to protect his most precious treasure, his mind still haunted him with images of that broken promise.

Every time he looked at Potter he thought of her. Every time he saw the boy he felt a pang in his chest. He was far too old for this nonsense; even if the boy wasn't an obstacle he was far far too old for one so young. A monster in many regards he may be but never that.

He let the boy leave as his mind troubled him. He would take care of the matter of his followers come morning.

Harry sat in the furthest corner of the hospital wing. He was emotionally drained. The only thought that he could rationally think was

'Why him?' the image of Cedric dying played in his mind over and over again. It had finally caught up with him that the helpful friendly boy was really gone and it was his fault. He could barely hear the people asking him about the happenings in the graveyard. He didn't register Madam Pomfry handing him potions. He was simply stuck. But there was something he couldn't even understand it but it was there. Something inside him was screaming, it was the same hurt that came when people turned their backs on him. But why? Why would he feel that there of all places? There was no one there. Only Voldemort and he would never be on his side. Never.

Tom,

You were right this tornament was bad from the start. One of the other Champions… he died right in front of me. Just for being there. I keep seeing it happen over and over again in my head. I want it to just stop. I cant stand it. It's my fault that he's dead. That his parents who were so proud of him don't have a son anymore.

I won the tournement, I gave the prize money to Ron's brothers. The twins needed funding for their joke products and I didn't want blood money. No amount of gold is worth this.

Tom stared at her letter, he felt absolutely nothing for the fact that a boy had died but he did feel for the fact that his friend was so upset by it. He felt jelousy that his sweet little friend was so attached to the boy. Harry seemed to have an ablity to care for anyone at all. If it had been him in that boy's stead her reaction would most likely be the same if not many times worse.

I'm finding it just a tad bit ironic that the best DADA teachers we have had were one a dark creature (he was a werewolf- you were right. Just in case I didn't tell you before.) two a dark wizard. The man was a genius… ok a bit of a mad genius but still I think we learned more this year and last individually then we did in the first two combined.

By the way Tom do you know anything about dueling? I need to learn and quickly. What I remember from the colossal bust that the dueling club in second year is almost nothing. Except launching a cobra into the air pisses her off.

Harry

Tom instantly felt worried at the lighthearted words coming from her letter. In the midst of her guilt driven depression she was trying to make light of something. Two things stuck out the most though. One it would seem as though her teacher all year had been a dark wizard, though she had thought him a retired auror. Perhaps he had been disguised or perhaps he had merely been dark all along and had decided that being an auror was a 'noble' path.

Tom didn't particularly care about the details with the man it was quite obvious by her speaking of him in passed tense that he was no longer a problem. No the greater problem was her asking to learn to duel. Not just to duel but to learn to do so quickly.

"Oh Harry, what have you unleashed upon yourself, my friend." 'And how much worse will it become?' He thought solemnly.

Harry,

I know it will seem cruel but I don't care that that boy died. I am just thankful that you didn't. He entered this tournament by his own choice knowing full well that he could die. You were forced into it.

With all this I do wonder what would you do if it were me instead. If I had died?

On another note I am not sure if I can teach you to duel though a letter my friend. I may be able to teach you spells but you have to condition your body to have the stamina to duel. Running would be the best starting point I believe. Then followed by shortening the time it takes for you to cast spells.

Tom

Harry's heart froze as he read Tom's letter. How could his friend even think of that. Why would he say that? It made no sense at all.

Tom,

Don't say that. Not even joking. Not ever. It hurts terribly that a boy I barely knew died in front of me. If you died I would never forgive you or myself.

Don't you dare. You may not care about anybody else but I care about you. You are my best friend in the whole world Tom. I know you don't have a lot of reasons to trust anyone or to care for anyone but believe me. I care for you.

I kind of figured that you wouldn't but thanks for the advice anyway. I'll give it a try. I'm already quick maybe I can be quicker. Then Dudley wont ever be able to catch me. I'm not sure how I can shorten the time it takes to cast a spell though.

Love,

Harry

Tom looked over Harry's letter in near shock. He had expected something along the lines of her being sad but such a vehement response was highly unexpected.

And for a moment it seemed that she forgot that he cared about her in her terror at the thought of him dying. She had even wrote out the valation (A/N: its what the sincerely at the end of a letter is called I don't think I spelled it right though) normally they didn't bother with them. Her powerful reaction defiantly soothed his jealousy of the boy she was mourning. Though perhaps it wasn't truly mourning so much as shock. She did say that he died in front of her. Though most of his jealousy was soothed by her exclamations of barely knowing the other champion.

Voldemort stared out the window of his study. It had been thirteen years since last he had been there. It was good to have a body again. Truly one did not know what they had until it was gone. That was a lesson he had learned painfully too many times.

The method that he had returned made him think of her so much. He hadn't been the one to instigate the tournament's return but he had utilized it's presence all the same. But his encounter with Potter had cemented it's connection to her. Somehow every time he met the boy all he could think of was how like her he was.

Voldemort growled in fury, the boy was nothing like her. No one was. There were no innocents left in the world. It didn't even matter if there were. He had killed men, women and children in cold blood. Innocence didn't matter to the world and it didn't matter to him either. He hated her for this weakness she caused him, he feared her even more. Perhaps that was why he feared death so. Perhaps he had simply been running from her instead. But it seemed that no matter the fear or rage he felt towards her, he would have done anything to have her back.

Dumbledore was wrong. So very wrong. The old man thought that he found love to be weak because he had never experienced it. But that couldn't be further from the truth. He knew love to make men weak because he still felt it.

"Hello Severus." Voldemort found amusment at the ever so faint shudder that went through the potions master as he spoke. A lesser man than he wouldn't even have noticed but that was what made Severus such a good spy, he lived by hiding and he breathed by deceiving.

"My Lord."

"So you have finally returned to me."

"Of course my lord. I have always been loyal to you" the dark man didn't even realize when he went too far. The loyal traitor. Oh how he hated traitors more than anything.

It made him think of the little trick of words that that his Harry had wrote to him when they were small.

'if a liar says he's lying, is he really? or is he telling the truth.' It had been nothing but a riddle of the mind but it was a phrase that suited Severus Snape like none other.

"Tell me Severus. What do you know about Harry Potter?"

"I teach him my lord. He is as arrogant as his father was before him."

"I see and what of his location."

"I don't know my lord. Dumbledore has him hidden somewhere in the muggle world where he is waited on hand and foot like the brat he is." The last part was hissed under his breath but Voldemort still heard every bit of it.

"I do not care about age old squabbles Severus. What I want to know is if the boy is truly the threat that Dumbledore seems to hope he is."

"I don't know my lord."

"Has he given off any signs of this supposed power?"

"No my lord, not that I am aware of."

"Tell me of the events that have taken place in the years of the boy's second and third years at Hogwarts I will decide if he is a threat or not. I do not believe as of right now that he is a threat."

"Potter is lazy my lord I highly doubt he will ever be a threat to you. His grades are mediocre at the best of times. "

"Spare me you're opinions and tell me what happened."

"Yes my lord." Severus flinched slightly at the tone in his master's voice.

"In the boy's second year the chamber of secrets was opened. The staff were never informed as to who opened it but the Weasley girl was taken into the chamber and Potter instead of waiting or telling an adult mounted his little group together and charged in."

Voldemort scowled darkly. He knew that there was only one way that the chamber could be open. How could his younger self have been so foolish as to leave the chamber entry open? He was going to have a nice long and particularly painful chat with Lucius after he was through with Severus.

"Continue Severus."

"No one knows what actually occurred in the chamber only that the boy rescued the Weasley girl and lost Lucius his house elf. All that I am aware of beyond his is that he still has the book."

"Who?"

"Potter. Lucius threw it at him when he lost his elf." Rage and fear began to flood through the dark lord. This was not a good thing.

"What was the state of the book upon its return?"

"Very poor my lord it had a hole run through it."

"Crucio." The word was said softly with no accent of emotion to it but it may as well have been screamed as it echoed in Severus' ears.

The dark man soon found himself writhing on the ground in agony as every nerve in his body was constricted by the curse.

After a few moments the curse was lifted. But for Severus those moments seemed as if each one was an eternity.

"Continue with your report."

"Yes my lord." The potions master gasped, pulling himself up from the thrown room's floor.

"In his third year Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban. I am sure that most of that year has already been told to you by Pettigrew my lord."

"Humor me Severus." The Dark Lord drawled as he lazily twirled his wand. Severus' flinch at that was even less well hidden as the first. The Dark Lord found amusement in how at his most relaxed appearance could be more unsettling than anything else.

"Yes my lord."

"Potter has to my knowledge grown close to Black. He saved Black from the dementor's kiss at least twice. He learned to conjure a corporeal patronus that year as well. He proved that he has little care to when people are trying to protect him as he charges into situations blindly."

"Do you care for the boy, Severus?"

The question was strange coming from such a man, if he could be called such, as Voldemort. The very phrase of it threw him off kilter.

"No, my lord. I hold no more feeling for the boy than I did his father."

"I see. Leave me now Severus."

"Yes my lord." With that he aperated away and quickly returned to his post. After returning to Hogwarts he found himself in the same position as before just with another master.

"What happened Severus?" Dumbledore asked with twinkling eyes. The man always did ask questions to which he already had the answers.

"The dark lord summoned me to give a report to him of what has happened in his absence. He is not pleased."

A/N: I hope I didn't make you guys wait too long for this.