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The First Horcrux	By : magentasouth Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Tom Views: 27297 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I neither own nor profit from any part of the Harry Potter universe.

Chapter List
- 10
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- 12
He had almost solved the necklace, he thought.�

It was closing in on six in the morning and he was putting Draco�s wand back
into its hiding place.� It would not do
to have it discovered and yesterday Snape had let himself into his rooms
without warning at a very early hour. �

After six and a half hours of focussed concentration and careful probing, he
had identified all of the spells upon the necklace and mapped their
interconnections. �

There were only eighteen different spells, although two were repeated twice. �
He was fairly certain that if he severed one and redirected only
four connections, he would be able to slip the necklace off, provided he placed
it upon another living being.� The charm
to detect life signs could not be removed.�
If the necklace left the contact of a lifeform,
even for a moment, it would call alarm.�

No prizes for guessing who would receive the alarm.

Dumbledore would certainly modify his restrictions if any alarm went off.� At the moment the necklace did not prevent
him using magic; or magic flowing through him.�
He was having trouble understanding why the
old goat had not rendered him a squib.�
If all he wanted was the information in his mind, he could still access
that irrespective whether Tom might be able to perform magic.
So.. it obviously wasn�t all Dumbledore
was after.
He had detected a spell that did seem to register whether he used magic and which was connected to another alarm spell.� At first he had been fundamentally confused,
finding it there.� It was logical that it
should be there - Yet.. why
had no one come to confiscate Draco�s wand?!�
Why had he been permitted to hex and take his pleasure with Harry Potter
last night?.. �He had cursed Hermione and Dumbledore had done
nothing.

After a lot of delicate investigation of the interlinkages,
he had discovered that that particular spell had been rendered inert.� Layering and interweaving charms was a
complex business � and with so many it quickly became difficult to maintain an
overview over the operation of each, particularly if they were feeding back
into one another.� He had determined that
the monitoring spell which should have triggered an alarm at even wandless
magic, was in fact doing so, however its reaction was being caught in a
feedback loop with the area limitation spell which was communicating with the
wards around these chambers.� In short �
the necklace was �telling the walls� when he used magic.� The signal flowed into the location charm
which did not activate because he remained within the walls.�

The snag was not bidirectional.� The
location limitation spell was functionally linked with an alarm notification
charm that would contact Dumbledore,
a warning charm that would punish him
with pain if he tried to violate the wards and a stunning charm that would activate if he successfully passed
them.
He wondered who had charmed the necklace and whether they
had been hurried or actually incompetent.
There was a third option � It was possible that he was being
allowed to access his magic.�

Perhaps Dumbledore was testing him.�
Perhaps he had other active means of monitoring him here.�

If that was so � it suggested that actually escaping this little prison would
be far more complicated than simply breaching the wards and heading for the
closest apparition point.� Furthermore
the consequences of transgression could be more far-reaching.��

It would also imply that Dumbledore had allowed
him to hex Hermione.. allowed
Draco Malfoy into the chambers.. allowed what had
occurred with Harry last night.�

And that strained plausibility, in Tom�s eyes.�

He could have killed Harry Potter
last night.. had every
intention of doing so.� He could have killed
him with his own wand.�
There was no way that the old goat was that confident in predicting his behaviour.
So it was probably an error..
There was a locus
charm on the necklace which could probably be monitored at intervals to
register where he was within the chambers.�
It was the most likely explanation he could come up with for why Severus
Snape been in his room implying that he knew of some transgression.�

On the other hand..the charm had to be actively
checked and he couldn�t believe that Dumbledore would place that capability in
the hands of another.� If they had known that he slept in the mudblood�s bed, surely there would have been some kind of
consequences.�

Perhaps Severus Snape had been bluffing entirely...� Perhaps he was truly only there to poke
through his mind in place of Dumbledore, and he had detected some faint
fleeting wariness in Tom�s reaction and used it to advantage.�
Could he really ignore the opportunity to rid himself of the
necklace, simply in order to appear �compliant?�� Docile?� Committed to doing whatever Albus Dumbledore
wished?
Around seven thirty in the morning there was a knock on his
bedroom door.�
He glanced down over himself.� He had not had a shower yet this morning and was
still wearing the clothes he had been wearing the previous night. �It was nevertheless..
acceptable attire for receiving someone into his room.
�Enter� he commanded quietly, strolling back toward his bed
and lowering himself onto it in time to see Hermione
poke her head in the door cautiously.�

When her eyes fell on him and she noticed he obviously hadn�t slept her timid
hopeful expression devolved into a glower.
�Seriously?!� You�re actually
going to force yourself to stay awake until Professor Dumbledore insists I let
you sleep in my bed?!� That�s.. that�s just..�� She emitted a frustrated growl and withdrew,
closing the door hard.�

�And I was actually worried you might
still be upset!!� she snarked as she stamped down his
stairs.�
Tom smiled.�

Perhaps it was a foolish plan.� If he
could leave here soon there might not be time to slowly bring the girl around
to his way of thinking.� Would he be able
to force her to accompany him?

What would happen if he did?� If his
other self found them.. when his other self found them,
would he kill the dirty-blooded girl?�

She was his.� Dirty blood and pretty
lips and wild hair and all.

And the other one?�
Harry?�
His mind was divided on that topic in a way that it was not
when it came to Hermione.
He would discover the reason why touching the boy felt so
extraordinary and then he would kill him.
But it wasn�t quite that simple somehow.

He�d had Harry IN his grasp.. he�d
had him pinned.. helpless.. he�d
had a wand.. �a wand that he never
should have given back.. and instead of doing the logical thing � using legilimens
to find out everything he needed to know before killing the green eyed beauty �
he�d become distracted with the thought of having
him.. and then he�d gotten to the point where he
did not want to hurt him.. He�d
become an irrational sot after minimal exposure.�

Was that somehow part of the effect of whatever it was that had tingled when he
touched him?� Did it make him stop thinking
like a reasonable wizard?!�

He would test it the next time the boy appeared.�

And he didn�t think it would take very long.�
Harry had enjoyed what they�d done together.. and now he seemed to believe that there was some �we�
between them..that Tom would teach him defensive magic.

Tom snorted, smirking.
There was little point in remaining up here if Hermione was
awake.� He couldn�t work on the necklace
with her around.� Besides... she still
believed she had escaped unscathed for her abominable behaviour yesterday.� That wouldn�t do.
Banishing the nasty smirk from his face he got up and went
downstairs.��

He found Hermione dressed in her uniform, puttering at her desk, obviously
preparing to leave the chambers.�

oh yes.� Monday.� She would
need to go to classes again.� A momentary
wave of anger flashed through him.� She
would escape before he had the opportunity to punish her.�
Hermione�s head turned as he reached the bottom stair and he
was certain that she had suppressed a flicker of fear at seeing him.

Good!� She should fear.� Perhaps she too
realised that she had behaved appallingly yesterday.
�I would like you to give me a copy of your timetable, in
order that I know when to expect you each day.�
And I wish to know who else is capable of accessing these chambers� he
stated matter-of-factly.
�No.� the girl responded simply.�
�No?!�

He found himself infuriated once again.�
His hand itched to curse her
for daring to be dismissive with him.. daring to refuse him..to treat him
with disdain.
�No.� I�m not
authorised to tell you the second part and I�m not going to tell you where I�ll be when I�m not locked in here with
you.� ..I�m not a delivery girl or a
girl-Friday either.� I will not go to the
library for you or pick up potions ingredients, or pass messages or visit the
kitchens either. You are a prisoner,
not a student and I just have to live
here � At best I�m a jailer � but I�m not one of your servants!�
He saw red.

For a moment it was as if a sheet of red glass had come down over his vision
and he actually saw red.� It was extraordinarily difficult to keep the
rage from his face to offer a small sad smile and nod.�

�Yes.. I am very aware that I am a prisoner, Hermione.� There is no need to remind me.�

You may or may not realise it...but I have never been as ...vulnerable.. as I am here. ��Never. �I have no wand
and am unable to defend myself.�

I am not naive.� It is almost certain
that my presence here will be detected by other students and, particularly, by
the children of my other self�s followers, if indeed this has not already
occurred.�

When this happens I will be a target � not only for those who hate and despise
my other self and whatever he has done over the last decades, but also for
those who serve him.� No doubt he will
wish to acquire me too, when he learns of my existence.�

Therefore � I wish to know when to expect you and who else might come here, in
order to better prepare and perhaps stand a chance of defending myself, should
an attack occur.� It was not.. as you seem to imply...to
control your movements.�
Hermione looked irritated but seemed to be turning the idea
over in her mind.� It was clear that she
was more than a little reluctant to give him the information he wanted.� After a minute of internal debate she
responded.� �You�ll just have to learn to
put your faith in others.� Professor Dumbledore
won�t allow anything to happen to you.�
You don�t need to know about where I am all the time or when I�ll be
back.� If anyone can access these
chambers, it�s because Professor Dumbledore has determined that they�re
trustworthy.�

Now.. I�m going to be late.� I�ll see you later.�
There was no point in continuing the debate, he realised and
made no further comment while the thrice damned little mudblood swanned out of the chambers.��

Insolent little piece of refuse!� Now he
had no way of knowing when he might be interrupted.� He could not place wards up in case they were
detected.�

The risk of losing the wand he had acquired was too great to attempt to work
upon examining the wards placed on the door.�
He had a long dull day to look forward to in the blasted girl�s
absence.�
Turning, he stalked angrily to the sofa.�� The orange-haired, flat-faced animal that
belonged to the girl was curled up there.�
Obviously she had forgotten yet again to be sure that it was trapped
within her room.� He raised his hand,
considering killing the animal ..but then another
thought occurred to him.

The necklace had to be transferred to a lifeform, or risk
setting off the alarms.
He narrowed his eyes at the cat speculatively.�
It never left the chambers.�
But it was frequently in the girl�s room.�
IF the locus charm was being checked periodically then
someone would find it odd that he seemingly spent all day within Hermione�s
room when she was away at class.. and
they would find it even more troubling if they detected him there at
night.�
On the other hand.. after he had wheedled Dumbledore into allowing him to sleep
in the mudblood�s chambers it would no longer be
suspicious to find him there at night.

And perhaps he might do something about the cat�s favourite place to spend the
days.� Once he had access to the girl�s
bedchambers, it would be a simple thing to move the cat to his own room during
the day.
Experimentally he transfigured the cat into a replica of
himself.�

It woke as it found itself unable to curl adequately
into a ball and tried to leap up, falling over and then panicking, large human
limbs tangling and lying heavily.�

The sound it emitted was a mindless wail and it disturbed Tom to see it come
out of his own mouth.. the
fright twisting the familiar features.��
He moved closer to the doppelganger on the floor cautiously.� It hissed at him.
�There kitty kitty kitty.. shhh.�� He crooned
at it, moving to kneel beside it and stroke it�s... his own..
hair.
After a while it calmed slightly and he smirked as the
creature started to emit a low growl that he assumed was the cat�s attempt to
force a purr through a human body.�� It
still didn�t seem to have its limbs under control.�

Carefully he helped it back up to sit on the sofa.� Now it was turning and twisting its head all
around, looking, as if perturbed by the strange angle.� He wondered what the world looked like to a
cat.�

It turned to him and narrowed it�s
eyes.�

�aaaaauuuuuuoooo� it said
stupidly.
�Fish?� he enquired and the doppelganger looked surprised
and leaned into him with wide pleased eyes.�
It was disturbing.� He leaned
away.� ��

The creature liked fish then.� Good.� He wondered to what extent it was possible to
train an animal to simulate a human.� How
intelligent was the cat, anyway?!

�Fish and milk?!��

It was making that growl again and rubbed it�s head on him.�� He smirked and petted his own likeness,
scratching it�s hair lightly.
�Come.. � he tried, standing up and
walking away a few paces.� The Tom-cat
didn�t seem to know what he wanted at all.�
It looked disappointed that no fish and milk would be forthcoming.�

Thoughtful, he transfigured it back into a cat and then called for a house
elf.�
After he had finished his own breakfast of scrambled eggs,
he took up the small bowls of sliced tuna and warm whole milk that he�d placed
under a stasis charm on the mantelpiece out of the cat�s reach.� It had been prowling back and forth
impatiently in front of the fire the entire time while he ate.� He�d watched with enjoyment its frustration
at being unable to reach the food it could smell.
He levitated the bowls wandlessly to follow him and stalked
to the cat, picking it up and holding it at arm�s length like a small furry
bomb that might explode at any minute.�� The
hairy orange animal turned to him and gave him a filthy look, but it didn�t
struggle.� Its eyes seemed to flick back
and forth between Tom and the bowls floating behind.�

It allowed itself, quite docilely, to be carried up to his room where he placed
it down on the floor and then doubled back to close the door.�

He placed a mild sticking charm, just in case.��
The few seconds of warning it would give him would be sufficient to
transfigure the cat back.� Probably.
Mildly surprised, he took in the animal sitting, waiting
primly on the floor, with clear expectation that it was to be given the fish
and milk now.� It was, he thought, quite
intelligent, as far as cat�s went.�

He transfigured the cat back into a Tom-replica.�

It immediately fell over and looked up at him with annoyance again,
hissing.�
�Fish fish fish� he said
encouragingly, lowering the bowl so the Tom-cat on its side on the floor could
see into it.� Its eyes widened and it
struggled to get its arms to obey, successfully pushing itself up.�

The legs were the problem, he determined.�
He could probably teach it to crawl.�
But he couldn�t have his duplicate crawling around like a child.� That would never do.�

Placing the bowls of fish and milk on the ground he went to the clone, now
sitting on its bottom on the floor again looking frustrated.� It actually fought him when he moved behind
it and, wrapping his arms around its middle, dragged it to its feet.�

He had to hold it there for a while before its legs were in a suitable position
to balance it on the ground.� Its knees
collapsed twice before it managed to hold them and balance.�
�Goooood kitty� he praised it when
it stood, relatively steadily balanced on its feet with his arms around
it.�� He summoned a small piece of tuna
and fed it to the duplicate Tom.� It
nearly took his fingers off.� He couldn�t
help but smirk again at that.
�You like the fish hm?� Nice fish?��
The creature emitted another disturbing aaaauuoooo
sound.
Now.� First things first.�� Standing.� �
The cat fell over the first two times he released it and the
sounds it made would have been entertaining if they had not been coming from
his own face.�
Stepping back from the Tom-cat again, sitting mournfully on
its arse on the floor, he levitated it wandlessly up to the correct height
again.�

It straightened its legs, clearly recognising what was being asked of it.� He observed again that it was a very clever animal, relative to the
other cats he�d known.�

When he lowered it slowly to balance, it managed to stay upright for almost ten
seconds before it leaned forward toward the bowls of fish and milk and made
walking movements with its arms.��

The levitation spell kept it from falling.�
It struggled for a while, making hisses and arroooooo
sounds before it first moved one of its legs forward a fraction.� It was not quite a step but it was the beginnings
of a step..�

Tom levitated a small piece of tuna to its mouth, which it snapped at and
gobbled up with enormous satisfaction.�
It took less time for it to attempt another movement with
its legs.� The cat learned quickly.� After five bites of tuna it was making actual
steps and had covered a quarter of the distance to the bowls.� The steps didn�t look at all normal and would
not pass for a real person � certainly not for Tom himself..
but he began to imagine that this was quite possible.
He spent the next two hours training the cat.�� It was sitting on the floor washing its face with its hands when he
heard a soft tread on the third step in the staircase to his room.� It barely creaked.� The cat was a cat again before whoever was
outside even reached the top of the stair and he released the sticking charm
just as a hand turned the knob.�
He looked at the door expectantly, forcing his face into a
calm, neutral disposition.� He could feel
his heart beating faster.�

The cat, uncaring of events around it, had immediately gone to the bowl of
milk, with its bushy tail in the air and dropped its face, making lapping
sounds.
A head of black hair peered warily around the edge of the
door.
Harry.�

Already.�

He was impressed.� He�d thought it would
take a couple of days for the boy to convince himself to return.
�Crookshanks?!� What are you doing with Hermione�s cat?!� he
asked suspiciously.�
�Feeding it milk� Tom replied with an �isn�t it obvious?!�
tone.� �It�s rather dull here when I am
alone.�
The suspicious look did not fade from the green eyed boy�s
face.� �Where did you get the milk?�
�House elves.� They do feed me, you know.�
Harry moved further into the room, uneasily.�� Tom watched as his gaze shifted from the
orange cat on the floor to the bed and then back to
Tom, seated on the floor a few metres away from the cat.
�So... er...� he started eloquently.
�Close the door�

The instruction was voiced quietly and it seemed it was this very calm
authority that startled the boy.� Harry
took two steps backward back toward the door.�
He looked like he were about to run.
�Unless you wish someone to walk in while we are..speaking.. it is better if you
close the door� he rephrased quickly.
It didn�t seem to reassure his �enemy� much but Harry did,
reluctantly, move to shut the door although he hovered near it and one hand had
moved to his pocket where it was almost certainly gripping his wand.
�Harry.. you
are once again armed.. and I am not.� What exactly are you afraid of?!�
�I�m not afraid of you, Tom.� Harry pronounced with a hard
voice.� �But I�m not stupid either.�
With a smirk, Tom climbed to his feet, showing his empty
palms to the other wizard, who�d now pulled out his wand.

�Still unarmed� he reminded him and turned away to the balcony.� It would almost certainly frighten Harry off
if he went anywhere near the bed right now.�
The weather today was once again demonstrating that autumn
was well on its way.� As Tom let himself
out onto the balcony, hearing, at last, the soft tread of the other boy
following, he took in the bleak white low cloud and the cool wind.� It smelled like rain.� The grounds were almost empty.� He could see a large man dragging wood over
by the forbidden forest.�

Resting his forearms on the stone parapet he took a deep refreshing
breath.�

He could hear Harry hesitating a few steps behind
him.�
�Oh do stop dithering, Harry.�� he berated in a
weary voice.� �if
I intended to attack you, I would have done so last night.�
After a few moments the other boy moved forward another few
steps till he could stand a small distance away at the edge of the balcony
too.� He looked more than wary, he looked downright expectant that he would be
attacked at any moment.

Tom glanced at him, taking in the bright glimmer of the green eyes that he had
never seen by daylight before.� He looked
away again, detecting that his appreciative appraisal was not well received.

�Have you decided you regret it then� he asked quietly, eyes roving out over
the black lake.
�...I haven�t decided anything yet� came the cautious
reply.�
Well that was encouraging, Tom decided.� Perhaps Harry was here to be persuaded a
little more.�
�I want you to teach me some better defensive spells�
Tom sighed.�

Perhaps not then.�
�Is that the groundskeeper over by the forest?� he enquired
aimlessly, seeking to delay a response to the demand.�
Harry turned and his eye scanned the distance.�

�Yes.�
�In my time there was an old wizard named Rawley..� he offered.� �He was rather decent about students foraging
for potions ingredients in the forbidden forest, provided they could defend
themselves adequately.� ��
There was no response for a while and then Harry said� �That�s Hagrid.�� He was a Professor
for care of magical creatures for a while but Lucius Malfoy
saw to it that he lost his job.�
Tom startled. �Hagrid?!�

It was hardly a common name.� He strained
his eyes to peer at the figure.� He was
quite.. large. Even at this
distance.� Was it possible that this was
the same half giant that he had attended school with?

�Rubeus Hagrid?� he
queried.
�Yes.� Harry confirmed curtly.� He sounded annoyed.�
�Why would he become a groundskeeper?!� Did he not graduate?!� I remember that he was mediocre in classes, however I expected he would become something more than
a labourer.� He could have worked within
the ministry in a number of roles � particularly in the department for
regulation of magical creatures. ��Although.. I expected he would become some form of rare animal
breeder actually.�
Harry didn�t reply again and Tom turned to him, curiously,
surprised to find that the boy looked furious.�
His eyes were narrowed as he stared off toward the forbidden forest.
�Are you..� Do you dislike
Hagrid?!� Tom asked, unsure how to interpret the
reaction.� �Did he do something..�
�No!� Harry interrupted venomously.� �He didn�t do anything.� I don�t dislike him at all.� I hate you.�

At that the raven haired wizard turned away and stalked back into the castle,
obviously planning on leaving.� Tom
hurried after him, perturbed at how rapidly and without warning the atmosphere
had shifted.�

He caught up to Harry halfway across the room and tried to stop him with a hand
on his arm, but drew it away sharply when it was soundly hexed.� A dark red mark lay across all of his fingers
as if he�d been caned.� �He barely restrained himself from
retaliating.� When he looked up Crookshanks was glaring out from underneath the bed at them
both and Harry had continued toward the door angrily, still seeking to leave.
�What did I do?!�� Tom
demanded in frustration.� �Why are you
angry now?!�
Harry�s hand was on the doorknob.

He hesitated.
Tom was trying to put the pieces together.� Emotional reactions were taxing for him to
understand at times.�

�Is it something my other self has done?!� he tried hopefully.

�Perhaps.. something to do
with Hagrid?!��
Harry.. I have no idea why you are upset. �Stop!�
Tell me what has happened!�
He could see the other boy swallow and take a deep breath, huffing it out again.

Harry glanced back toward him, still looking very angry.� Seeing his genuine confusion, he seemed to
lose the wind out of his sails and his hand dropped away from the doorknob.
�Yes.� It�s something
your...other self.. did.� To Hagrid�
he confirmed softly. �It�s better if I don�t tell you about it.� Professor Dumbledore said we can�t tell you
anything that�s happened since you�ve been in the diary.�
Tom thought this was an inconvenient restriction.
�I want to understand why you�re upset� he tried. �I haven�t
seen Hagrid since we were 14.� He had received a detention for charming
Madeline Morrie�s plaits to drag her down the
corridor.� He was..not
entirely unamusing.. Some of his antics were quite
creative.. although.. obviously � as a Slytherin I could not exactly associate
openly with Halfbreeds.�
Harry�s expression, which had been transfixed in startled
surprise at the small anecdote, grew hard again when he mentioned that Hagrid was a halfbreed.
�It�s actually worse that you didn�t hate him� Harry
informed him unhelpfully.� �You got him
expelled.� They snapped his wand.�
Tom was shocked.

Had he?!� Why?!� The oaf was not really important enough to
hate.� He had saved all his hate for
people like Dumbledore.� Longbottom and Prewitt in Gryffindor were the closest that
a student came to gaining his loathing.

It must have been quite serious for the ministry to have snapped Hagrid�s wand.
�What happened?!� he asked, honestly confused.
Harry looked at him with a hard expression, seeming to study
him, as if searching for a sign of duplicity.��

Finding none, he stepped a little closer; wand still in hand.� His eyes had softened somewhat and he offered
a look of patience, almost understanding. �

�I can�t tell you.� But..
maybe I�m being unfair.� I guess you weren�t the one who did those
things.��
Tom wanted to know what exactly �those things� were.. but it wasn�t necessarily the
best time to ask.�

He put the matter aside and turned away intentionally toward the cat.� Crookshanks, Harry
had called it.�

�Crookshanks.� Come out now.�
There there..� he
crooned softly, crouching down next to the bed.�
�No one was shouting at you.� Do
you want some more milk?��
The cat crawled out at the offer of milk, giving them both
dirty looks.� Tom picked it up carefully and,
unsure exactly how to hold it, placed it on the top of
the bed.� He stroked its fur
gingerly.�
�You aren�t very comfortable around animals are you?!� Harry
commented, sounding amused.
Tom shrugged.

�Not.. furry.. animals, no.� he answered honestly.�� He had eviscerated Patrice Rosier�s cat after it had gotten into the boy�s dorms and
disturbed a potion he had had simmering for several weeks.� It had not been the first time he had killed
someone else�s pet.� If the cat were not
potentially so useful to him, he might have killed it simply to punish Hermione.
Harry moved to sit on the other side of the cat, which was plumping
the blankets with little rhythmic grips of its claws and purring.� Tom was barely stroking it.� He was sure the cat was overacting in the
hopes of more milk.�

His hand met Harry�s when the other boy moved to stroke the cat too.� The sensation of their fingers brushing was
like a mild electric shock.� Tom startled
and looked up.� Harry was wearing a
strange expression, his eyes fixed on Tom. �After a moment, the other boy�s fingers
reached again for his own, re-igniting that sharp tingling, and then lingered,
trailing over the back of his hand.�

Tom found his mouth was dry.

�Do you know.. why it feels
like that?!� he asked, his voice slightly husky.�

Harry shook his head.�

�Does it feel that way when you touch anyone else?�

Another shake.
�Do you want to..�
�Not..just now.� Harry interrupted
before Tom could even finish the thought.�
�maybe later.�
Teach me something useful�
Tom tried not to show his disappointment.� Harry still hadn�t removed his hand and the
tingling magnetic attraction was distracting.�

He decided it really must do something to his mind.� He couldn�t think straight when Harry touched
him.� Perhaps it was a spell.� Perhaps this was a defensive spell the boy
used.
�What do you want to know?� he found himself saying dreamily
and cursed himself for his weakness.� He
was not this easily controlled!!
With a supreme effort he persuaded his hand to withdraw from
where it lay on the cat�s back, caressed by the other boy�s.� The sensation abated the moment they lost
contact and he forced himself not to regret the exertion of will.� He would not allow his mind to be dulled by
pleasure.�

Harry reached for his hand again and Tom stood, moving away.� �What do you want to know?� he repeated in a
more businesslike tone.� He glanced back,
hearing the other boy rise to his feet too. �Harry was approaching him again.� ��He
retreated further with mild warning on his face.�
�Defensive spells� Harry said, but he looked preoccupied.�
�Fine� Tom thought quickly. �I saw you use Protego.� That is a
single sided planar shield.� I�ll teach
you a simple bubble shield.�
�I want to learn the shield you were using against me� Harry
said, looking down at him, now only a metre away again.� The other boy�s hand rose as if to stroke Tom�s
face.
Ducking away and retreating further he responded shortly �No.� Not only is that shield
my own invention, but it is far too difficult for you at present.� It is potentially lethal if used incorrectly
and you do not know which spells are compatible with it and which are not.�
Harry�s eyes seemed to light up at this.

Tom frowned slightly.� It was patently
obvious that the boy wanted to know what spells he could use to defeat the
shield or render it �potentially lethal� to the caster.
He found himself still retreating from Harry, who wore a
rather predatory expression now.� Tom did
not retreat from things habitually.
�Teach me that shield� Harry insisted.
�No.�� His eyes darted
slightly. Behind him was the balcony and Harry was between him and the two
doors out of the room.�

Just as he was considering stepping outside, the balcony door snicked closed behind him quietly, leaving him pressed
against it.� Harry�s wand was in his hand
�For someone who was so insistent last night, you�re really
shy all of a sudden, Tom.� Mind if I ask
why?!��
The damn gorgeous boy was smiling and was almost upon him
again.� He looked up defiantly.� He could withstand whatever spell Harry was
using, even if it was unlike anything he�d experienced before.� He�d break it and then he�d...

He�d what?!�

Fuck Harry?� Kill him?�

No.� no.. he had to use legilimency.�
He had to remember this time to find out what the boy had in his head.

And then his mind was falling into strands of pleasure because Harry was
touching his cheek, fingers lightly probing � experimental at first, before the
other boy�s entire palm cupped his face.�
He leaned into it, knowing his breath was growing shallow, even at so
chaste a touch.

To his satisfaction he was faintly aware that the contact was having the same
effect on Harry too.
He felt his shirt being dragged from where it was tucked
into his pants tidily and then he couldn�t suppress a low moan when Harry�s
other hand delved beneath, stroking up over the side of his abdomen and
igniting that delicious tingle more deeply.�

Writhing subtly he turned his face toward Harry�s hand and licked it, wanting
more.
Harry blinked hazily, as if struggling to focus.

�The... spell� he managed.�
�What spell?!� Tom said, in a tone
that made it clear that he didn�t care in the slightest what spell.
Suddenly Harry�s lips were against his own, his mouth
moving, the kiss ravenous.� Tom parted his
lips eagerly and was immediately gifted with a hot, wet, playful tongue in his
mouth, teasing and drawing his own out.�

The delighted inertia that had held him captive till then broke and he reached
for the other boy�s clothes, tugging at the school robes impatiently and
dragging them off.�
The hand beneath his shirt had migrated to his back and was
pulling him against the larger boy now.� He
was dimly aware as he struggled with the buttons on Harry�s school shirt that
the hand that had been on his face was now delving through his hair in the most
tantalising way.�

The moment he had the shirt open he abandoned his quest to
unclothe Harry and began to explore his body. �

It was so hard and warm. Touching him felt so good.�

He needed more. ��

He pushed Harry�s shirt off his shoulders and wrapped his arms around him.�

Better, but his own shirt was still in the way.�
A small sound of frustrated need was all that was required and
the other boy broke off his kiss for a moment and reached for the bottom of Tom�s
shirt, dragging it up and off him impatiently and then falling upon him
hungrily once more, kisses interspersed with small nips and sucks.� Now when Tom wrapped his arms around Harry,
there was so much more skin against skin.�
Acres.. miles.. light years of skin.�
He couldn�t think straight if he tried.
He was very, very, dimly aware of hands fumbling at his
trousers and it was wonderful.� He felt
the button go.. and then the
fly opened as they were pushed down his legs to pool around his feet. Toeing
his shoes off impatiently, he kicked the clothes
around his feet away.�

At that, Harry broke off the kiss and stared down at him, panting softly,
flushed and gorgeous with swollen lips.

�This.. wasn�t what I..� he
trailed off with a mien of faintly confused frustration.
Tom tried to catch his breath.� His cock was hard and straining upward and if
Harry changed his mind now he just might have to hex him.�
Cautiously, not breaking the viridian gaze, he reached for
the other boy�s trousers, unbuttoning them and sliding down the zip.� He could feel the large hard organ beneath
and gently dipped his hand inside, stroking Harry lightly over his underwear.� He heard a low hum from the other boy, who
was biting his lip and he felt him press against his hand a little.�

�We can talk after..� he offered, slipping his fingers
into the waistband of Harry�s boxers, to push them down along with his
trousers.
�The spell.� The shield you used last night.� I want to learn it.��
Tom scowled at the lovely defined collarbone at eye level in
front of him.� No.� he wouldn�t be sharing
that spell.� It was his.� It had taken a long time to perfect.
�You won�t manage it.�
I�ll teach you something else.�
Maybe in time you�ll be able to use that spell without killing yourself�
�No.�

Harry�s hands caught Tom�s as he was beginning to slide his boxers and trousers
down.
�No. Teach me that spell or I�ll leave now.�
Tom flicked narrowed eyes up to the face of the determined
looking boy who was threatening him with blue balls.�

How dare he seek to blackmail
him!!� And with sex of all things!�

This could not be tolerated.� No matter
how it might feel to touch him � he would NOT endure this manner of attempted
control.
Tugging his hands away abruptly he sidled out from between Harry
and the balcony door and stalked off.
�Then I�ll teach you nothing.� Get out.��
He didn�t spare the wretched creature a glance as he strode
to the bathroom and let himself in, closing the door quietly behind him.�

Inside however it was another matter.� He
wanted to smash the room to pieces.� The fury
and frustration were like wild animals fighting inside him.

He tried to control his rage and turned on the shower.� Cold.�

Stepping beneath it was like a shot of adrenalin to his heart.� He gasped and shuddered.� It hurt.�

By the time he had adapted to the temperature and was glaring at the walls,
thinking about the most enjoyable ways to kill Harry Potter, his erection had
wilted.�

Hermione had apparently already replaced the shampoo he had
tipped away so he again explored the scents one by one till he found one he
felt suitable.� Then he wandlessly placed
targeted stinging and fastening charms on all but the peach scented one .� She would not
be able to open the incorrectly scented shampoo and she would get a nip for trying.� He would train her just as he might train the
cat.
He took his time drying off.�
He had a nasty suspicion that the brat who had provoked his foul mood
would be waiting in his room, preparing to take up the argument again.
And he was.�
Tom stepped out of the bathroom with dripping hair and a
towel around his waist to find Harry lying on his bed with his trousers
fastened and his school shirt on and open.� The pain in the arse had his hands resting on
the lean muscled abdomen that Tom had to concede was his second favourite part
of the boy, after those amazing eyes.�

He looked over when Tom walked in but, wisely, remained silent.�
�I believe I told you to get out�
Harry looked a bit more worried. �Look..
can we talk about this?!� he tried.
�No.� We�ve
talked.� We reached an impasse.� I�ve changed my mind about my very generous
offer to teach you something.� Get out.�
Sitting up smoothly, Harry pulled off his shirt and tossed
it away.� He looked at Tom with the faint
beginnings of desperation on his anxious face.�
�I�m sorry.� I shouldn�t have
tried to-�
�I don�t care.� Tom lied.�
�Get your clothes.� Leave before
someone discovers you were here.� I�ve
had enough of children�s games for the day.�
Harry was on his feet and in front of him in half a
second.� He reached out to touch Tom�s
chest, to pull him back into the mindless arousal they�d shared before, but Tom
evaded his hands, stepping around him and moving to the wardrobe.

�Do not worsen my mood by attempting to force
me to desire you.�
Harry yelled, incensed �Why not?!� It�s what you
did to me yesterday!� �He seemed to struggle to pull himself back
under control. �Look.. I�m sorry..
alright?� I won�t
do it again.�
Tom turned to find the other boy combing a hand through his
hair in frustrated worry.� The gesture
was so familiar.� He blinked at him.� Had he ever done that in front of Harry?� He was not certain.� Perhaps it was coincidence.� But then..he rarely
did it at all.. and very seldom in front of
others.�
�How did you get your scar?!� he asked incongruously, his
attention falling onto the small white lines as the other boy�s hair was pulled
aside.�

He�d noticed it yesterday.. it
was quite nice, as scars went.� Very clean
and sharp, like the rune �Sigel� from the younger Futhark.� A rune for the sun.� Had the boy perhaps carved it himself?�
�What?� Harry looked blindsided.
�It doesn�t matter.� Tom amended, recovering his irritated
expression and turning back to the wardrobe.�
He ignored the sound of the other boy approaching quickly but did not
expect it when Harry grabbed him roughly, turning him and tossing him back
against the closed door on the other half of the wardrobe.
�You know don�t
you!� he growled.
Blinking in surprise, Tom thought back to his last comment
he�d made and tried to work out what might have transformed the anxious worried
Harry into a spitting and shoving one.� �
�About your scar?� he probed quietly.�

The Avada green eyes darkened in a way much like they had when Harry had been
upset over Hagrid.�
He took a leap of faith.

�I know that I gave it to you.� That is.. my other self did.�
�How did you find out?!� Harry
snarled.
�You just told me.�
Harry stepped back quickly, horrified.� �You.. you..�� He seemed to
be about to flip back into livid anger.
�I had actually only mentioned it out of curiosity because I
thought it rather pretty.� How was I to
know you would react this way?!��
The other boy was shaking as if he were deciding between
running out of the room or leaping on him and pounding him.�

Tom wondered about the scar.� Draco had
told him that he had attempted to kill Harry Potter when the boy was a child
but that something had gone wrong.�
Somehow he had destroyed himself for a number of years.� Was the scar perhaps related to that event, as opposed to any of the
subsequent conflicts that Draco had mentioned?!�
It was speculation, however it felt
correct.� He made a note of it and pushed
the thought aside.
�And since I doubt very much you are going to tell me
anything further about it, forget I mentioned it.�He shrugged, retaining a calm
appearance and turned back to the wardrobe, absently retucking
the towel at his waist which had loosened with the shove.
Behind him, Harry was silent.�
Tom kept his attention focussed on him in case he decided to
erupt again.� With half an eye he rifled
through the wardrobe till he found another decent shirt in pale green and a
pair of grey trousers.� The shade of
green was not optimal for his colouring, he thought � but it was hardly
relevant today.�
�Why do you always dress that way?!�
What way?� Tidily? - Tom wondered, turning and
raising an eyebrow.� �Why are you still
here?!�
Harry made a face and folded his arms over his chest.�

The way the boy looked when half-clothed was of no importance whatsoever, Tom
told himself, keeping his eyes turned away.�
He retrieved a pair of boxer shorts from the drawer and was about to
slip them on when they were snatched from his hand.
�What do I need to say or do to apologise?!� Harry demanded
irritably, glaring down at him. �It was a stupid idea.� I�m a Gryffindor, not a Slytherin.� I wanted to know that spell � I thought an
ultimatum would work.� I�m sorry.� Goddamn it - Would you stop getting dressed now?!�
Tom snorted, un-amused and retrieved another pair of boxer
shorts.�

�No.��

He bent and slipped them on, unfastening the towel and tossing it in the
direction of the bathroom.
�Harry.. You wish something from me.. I do not require you in any way.� ��Even
when your wand is pressed to my throat you do not control me.� If you are armed.. it is because I allow
you to be.�

...Should I generously offer to teach
you something � I expect you to
respond with graciousness and obey unquestioningly.� I have no intention of attempting to teach
you something I know that you cannot manage � it would be a waste of my time at
best and dangerous for us both at worst.��
Impress me with how quickly
and easily you master easier spells and in time I might teach you some more
complex alternatives.�
The other boy�s face brightened and softened in relief.� �So you�re still going to teach me?!�
�I am still deciding..� Certainly not today,
however.� I was not speaking
simply to hear the sound of my own voice.�
I am annoyed with you.� We are
finished for today.� I will neither share
knowledge nor my body with you today.�
It was gratifying the way the attractive face fell in
disappointment.�

�But.. I apologised� he said almost plaintively
�Apologies are the coin of Gryffindors, Harry.� Slytherin�s never apologise
� rather they offer reconciliatory gifts to compensate for whatever loss they
inflicted.�
The way the other boy furrowed his brows, he was trying to
apply this to his experiences of Slytherins.�

�As far as I�ve seen � Slytherin�s aren�t very generous either.. but ok...� what do you want?!�
Tom, pulling on his trousers, shook his head slowly.�

�The point is for you to have some
idea of what manner of thing the one you have offended desires and to offer
something independently, rather than clumsily requiring them to demand something
from you.� But I see that you are making
an effort.��

�There are many things I desire, Harry.��
Most of them are simply pieces of information.�

I desire to know why you reacted so severely to the mention of your scar.. I would like to understand what exactly happened that led
to Rubeus Hagrid being
expelled ...but I do not think you will be prepared to offer me that kind of information.�

I would like a list of who is
presently authorised to enter these chambers, as well as a copy of Hermione�s
timetable, in order that I might know whether someone entering the chambers is
likely to be her, as opposed to a potential threat.�

Conversely � I asked Hermione quite politely yesterday whether she might bring
me some books from the library. �The
topics are irrelevant, provided that the books are published after 1970.� I would like to read something that I have
not read several hundred times already.� Dumbledore
has filled these chambers with books that I have already spent decades upon.�
Harry bit his lip, frowning, as if in thought.

�I..don�t know..if I�m
allowed to give you any of that.�

And I don�t know who�s allowed to come in here either.� Hermione.. Professor
Dumbledore, Snape I guess.� Me.. I don�t know if Ron is still keyed to the door after...
well I think he might not be keyed to the door anymore.� Some of the other Professors could be.� I guess maybe Madam Pomfrey too..� ��
�You have not told me any more than I could have guessed for
myself, Harry.� Do you at least know Hermione�s
timetable?�
Harry looked uncertain again.

�I�m pretty sure that if she didn�t give it to you, then she doesn�t want you
to have it.�
Tom rolled his eyes and started to button his shirt
quickly.� �Hermione and I are not
currently seeing eye to eye.� If believe
it would not matter at present what I
asked her for or how justified my reasoning, she would refuse obstinately� - just as
she refused to bring me books yesterday.�
�Professor Dumbledore is a bit er.. insistent.. at
the moment about what we can and can�t do here.�
He told us three times not to bring any books in here that he hadn�t
approved. I don�t think she really could
bring you books from the library.�
Tom�s eyes drifted to the book on the bedside table.� Elemental magic.� So the old bastard truly was trying to force him to read particular texts.�
�Did he mention anything about taking books away?!�
Are you allowed to do that?�� Tom
asked in a low voice.
Harry gave him a strange look and shrugged.� �I guess.�
�Good.��

He did up the last button and then strode to the bedside table and picked up �elemental
magic.��

�Get dressed, Harry.� he instructed absently for what felt like the umpteenth
time. �You will take away a selection of books for me.� I don�t care what you do with them.� Leave them in the library, burn them, sell
them in Knockturn alley, but I would like you not to
mention to anyone that you have removed them.�
�Er.. I
don�t know if that�s a good-�
Tom tossed the door to his bedroom closed on his way out,
shutting off the protesting Gryffindor.��
It took him minutes to locate all of the �new� books among
those he knew cover to cover backwards.�
He summoned parchment from Hermione�s desk and transfigured it into
empty duplicates of the books Dumbledore had planted, levitating them back to
their places on the shelves.� By the time
Harry came downstairs, he had the books ordered neatly in a stack and there
were no gaps at all in the bookshelves.
�Here are the books I do not want� he informed unnecessarily.
Harry still looked worried at the thought of potentially
doing something that Professor Dumbledore would be upset about.
�Have you told him that I am going to teach you defensive
spells?� Tom asked pointedly.�

The expression on the green eyed boy�s face screamed �are you crazy?!�

�Well then, this is no different.� Tell
me, Harry, would you like Professor Dumbledore
interfering with your mind?!� With your ability to reason
rationally?!�
Harry sighed and drew his wand, shrinking down the books
till they fit in his pocket.
�I�m sure Professor Dumbledore wouldn�t do that to me.� he muttered.� �I�ve
no idea what is supposed to be wrong with these but if he put them here, they�re
probably for your own good in some way.�
Tom nodded ��Of course.� And he�s never secretly fed a student potions to get answers out of them either.� What time will you return tomorrow?�
�He hasn�t ever given students potions!� I�m not going to believe lies about Professor
Dumbledore, Tom � you can give up now!�
Tom didn�t dignify it with a response.
�I�ll be back.. before
lunch again.� I have a free when Hermione
has Arithmancy.�
Nodding he gestured in the direction of the door.� �Harry
complied, walking off, before turning when he�d almost reached it.

�Hey.. did you sleep last
night?!� he asked, as if suddenly remembering.�
�No.� Tom responded shortly and stalked away in the
direction of his room.�� He heard the
door close when he reached the top of the staircase.

He ignored Hermione when he heard her return later that evening.� All seemed peaceful until he heard her
calling for Crookshanks.� There were sounds of her moving around,
probably peering under furniture.� She
opened the door to the apartment again and he could imagine her looking out
into the corridor, worried.� Finally she
stomped up to his room frantically, to find him lying comfortably on his bed
with Crookshanks asleep on his stomach.�
The horror on her face when she�d seen it.� One would have thought she had come in to
find him dancing around flinging the cat�s entrails like streamers.�
�WHAT are you doing with my cat?!� she demanded.� �How did you even get your
claws into him?!� He was locked in
my room!!�
Tom took a minute to digest the rude attack.
�I am stroking your
cat and serving as a convenient pillow, as I am sure you can see.� I did not.. as you so politely put it.. get my
claws into him-� he inspected his manicured nails for a moment before looking back
at the frizzy haired harridan.� �-I did
not so much as call him.� He came to me.� You did not
lock him in your room this morning.� You
locked your room this morning. �I believe you were distracted while you were
being rude to me.� Crookshanks
was sleeping on the sofa when you rushed off feeling pleased with yourself for
denying me yet another reasonable request.�
If it was possible, her anxious annoyance grew.� �I was not
rude to you.� You asked for something
unreasonable and I explained it was not possible.� Give my familiar back now!�
�I am not restraining him in any way, Hermione.� He is sleeping comfortably.� Take him if you insist upon disturbing him to
satisfy your own insecurity.�

She hesitated.

�One would think you would be eager
to leave him with me.� Many say that
stroking a cat is calming.� Perhaps I
might sleep.�
Her face crumpled into apprehension.� She came closer looking miserably uneasy.
�Please don�t do this� she said without a waver in her voice,
although it was clear that it cost her a lot to get it
out.
�What am I doing now
that is unsatisfactory?� Stroking your cat?� Speaking with you calmly?�
�You know
what.� Don�t scheme your way into my
bed.� Don�t stubbornly make yourself ill by staying awake and possibly even
somehow counteracting the effects of potions until Professor Dumbledore practically
forces me to let you sleep next to me.. I know that
you can but please just don�t!�
�You could simply invite
me..� he observed quietly, his eyes upon the orange
monster snoring softly on his stomach. �An invitation can be rescinded when
inconvenient.. If you insist upon being difficult,
then I will be obliged to press the issue.��

Glancing up at her, he took in the wide eyed fretful hand-wringing and wondered
whether she was truly that
reluctant.� The thought was followed by a
query why he should care if so.
�Look.. I�m sorry for being rude to
you� she started and he rolled his eyes thinking that he was going to have to
have the same conversation with her that he�d had with Harry only hours before.� Gryffindors!�

�And.. I�m sorry for calling you a child. �A few times.� possibly.� But I really.. I�m not ..um..� comfortable.. being close to
you.� I have a boyfriend.. who I love.�
At that he did snort and roll his eyes.

�Indeed?� On what basis have you determined
that you �love� the red headed moron that you brought here?!�

While we are on the topic - as far as I have been informed � the drip has already
told the entire school that I am here.�
Either he is an imbecile, or he hopes that someone else will take the
initiative and eliminate me.� I am
leaning toward the first interpretation as I doubt he has the capacity to plot
strategically.
The girl fluffed up like a chicken going to battle.� �Actually, I�ll have you know � Ronald is the
best chess player in the school.� He�s
quite adept at thinking
strategically!��
Tom raised his eyebrows, already entertaining the
possibility that �Ronald��s little slip might have been an intentional
play. �If so, it would require an
immediate response.

�In that case, Hermione � you are telling me that you believe your boyfriend
has deliberately gone against the will of the headmaster, yourself, and all
decent moral standards, to increase the chances of my being assassinated or
abducted � and what�s more � that you support his actions.�
She frowned. �No.. that�s.. that�s not what I said at
all!� I just disagreed with you when you
called him a moron.�
�And yet you believe him to be a moron!� He embarrasses
you!�� Tom found he was enjoying
this.�
�No he doesn�t!� How
can you say that!?� You�ve met him once!�
You don�t even know him.�
�Hermione.. There are only two
alternatives � either you believe Ronald
intentionally revealed that I am here � In which case you believe him to be
intelligent and malicious.� OR.. you believe he did so
unintentionally � i.e. you believe he is a harmless idiot.� Which is it?!�
She folded her arms and glared. �Neither.� I believe Ron is a wonderful, well-meaning
boy who can sometimes be a little excitable and speak before he thinks.� This does not
say that he does not have dozens of other positive qualities which balance the
occasional thoughtless comment.�
Tom smirked and nodded.�
�Keep telling yourself that!� ...The
next time he says something unflattering about you in front of others, ignores
any or all of your interests and preferences or offers an uncouth remark about
another witch he finds attractive � remind yourself of all of his dozens of
positive qualities.�

...I would advise you however, not to attempt to enumerate them � as I believe
you will find yourself coming up short quite quickly.� Ronald�s most positive quality is that he is
no longer able to enter these chambers independently and is therefore not here.�
Hermione looked suddenly quite unhappy and tightened her
arms around herself.� He watched it with
hidden delight.� He had struck a
nerve.� She was truly dissatisfied with
the idiotic redhead.� Now was the time to
be compassionate.

Gathering up Crookshanks he carefully got up from the
bed and approached her slowly.� The wary
glare she wore remained frosty but she did not break into flight.�

He stepped close and very cautiously passed her the large floppy cat.� She took him with relief so great that he
could almost taste it.
�It really is quite comforting to stroke a cat� he said
softly.� �I thank you for forgetting him
this morning.� I have not had much
experience...with animals.��

He stroked the cat gently on its flat little head.� A pink tongue protruded between its lips and
it started purring like a motor at his touch.�
Hermione looked stunned.
She walked out of the room as if she�d been hit with a bludger.� He heard
her descend the stairs, cross the room and then ascend the stairs into her own
room.� Her door was closed quietly.
Sighing, he considered what to do with the rest of the
night.� It would be several hours until
it was safe enough to venture down with Draco�s wand and examine the wards on
the door.

He wandered off toward the balcony.�
The sun had recently gone down and the faintly luminescent
blue was still present in the sky although the school grounds were dark.� A few of the brighter stars were appearing in
the sky. �The rain he had anticipated
earlier had not come after all.� The sky
looked quite clear although the scent of autumn was still detectable on the
cold night air.
He mused on what his other self might be doing.� He had not heard anything back yet.� Surely Draco should have returned.�

Perhaps the security precautions surrounding his little �cell� had been
increased in light of Ronald�s slip.�

Perhaps the youngest Malfoy was dead.� ��
Although, perhaps it was for the best that
he had heard nothing.� Rescue was
likely to be tantamount to abduction and incarceration elsewhere.� The creature that his other self had become
did not appear to be someone that he himself might be safe around.�� It would be more likely that he would use
him for potions ingredients to restore himself, than
that he would protect him and allow him to inform himself on all that had occurred
in the wizarding world while he was in the diary.� �

The �cell� he was held in here was more comfortable than anywhere else he had
resided in his life.� Elves brought him
food.� He had two entertaining objects of
desire to play with and, at least today,
Dumbledore had remained elsewhere. ��

No doubt incarceration by his other self would not be as pleasant.
Perhaps then, he had to consider exactly what he wished to
do;� Whether he
really required his freedom or not.� It
was loathsome to be locked away anywhere.. but he could not risk escape and possible capture by his
other half unless he knew exactly what the likelihood of capture was and what
it would entail.
Until then he would quietly continue building his defences and
chipping away at Dumbledore�s chains.� Even
if he decided it was best to remain here � it was always advisable to be
prepared for every eventuality.
�

�

Author note.
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The First Horcrux