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batsutousaiTitle: Abandon
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
batsutousai
Beta:magickmaker17
Pairings: Harry/Tom(Voldemort)
Warnings: This will have slash(Guys on guys, ppl.).
Disclaim Her: *goes out to buy the first Ron and/or Dumbly doll(s) she can find so she can dismember them*
Key:
Mind-speak
:Parseltongue:
-
Chapter 26
-
"I'm officially confused," Ginny announced, stopping in the doorway to stare at the people already in Tom's rooms.
Harry waved from where he sat in Tom's lap, much to the Dark Lord's annoyance. "Come in! Be polite to Herm, too!"
"Polite, Harry?" Draco enquired, giving the brown-haired young woman a glare, which she returned.
Harry groaned and hid his face in his hands. "I'm surrounded by idiots. Tom, help."
Ginny was the first to catch the slip. "Wait!" Her eyes wide, she looked between her fellow female Gryffindor and the young man in Tom's lap. "She knows and Dumbledore hasn't killed us all yet?"
"Did Harry not tell you all to be polite?" Tom enquired mildly. "I don't believe it is polite to stare, especially with one's mouths hanging open."
There was the sound of many mouths snapping shut and the group of Slytherins and Gryffindors sat in their own chairs or couches, staying away from Hermione.
Harry gave Hermione a pleading look. The girl rolled her eyes but nodded her head.
"You'll be nice to Herm or I'll prank you all," Harry informed his friends with mock seriousness.
Blaise pretended to look properly horrified. "Why ever would you do that?!"
"Because it's not polite to attack a pregnant woman," came Tom's mild reply as he glanced around Harry.
"Pregnant?!" All eyes turned to Hermione, who blushed deeply and ducked her head, mentally making a list of horrible things to do to the Dark Lord for dropping the bomb so.
"Even if she is a Muggleborn..." Tom added almost thoughtfully. The following shout let everyone know that Harry had punished him for the comment, probably with his elbow in the man's gut.
"Hermione, how?" Ginny asked the older girl softly, eyes worried.
Hermione glanced over at Harry pleadingly and the green-eyed young man brought the attention back to himself, saying, "It was Ron. When he took her out for her birthday, he got her drunk." Emerald-green eyes burned fiercely as the teen spoke.
"I'm going to give Ron a piece of my mind," Seamus declared, standing despite Blaise's protests.
"Don't worry about it," Hermione said coolly. "Harry turned him into a tomato a couple of hours ago."
The group of students turned to stare at Harry in awe, Draco smiling widely. "Weasel the Tomato. Has a certain ring to it."
"Right." Attention returned to Harry. "Draco, make sure the rest of your House knows that Hermione's under my protection when they return. Make sure the word is spread to your Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs as well?"
"Yes, Mum," Draco replied, rolling his eyes.
"Is being under your protection something special?" Hermione enquired of her friend.
"I ordered my followers to have their children listen to and behave around Harry," Tom answered for the teen in his lap.
"It's not like Harry's pranking isn't scary enough," Theodore pointed out wisely.
"No one wants to be on his bad side," Pansy agreed.
"Don't I feel special?" The black-haired Gryffindor sneered.
"Harry, love, you're extremely special." Tom snorted, hugging the teen to his chest. Harry smiled among the cat-calls of the Slytherins, Ginny, and Seamus. Hermione smiled, amused by their antics.
This is a very different group than how I expected them to be, she admitted to herself.
Someone knocked on the door.
"Do you know how annoying this is?" Ginny complained as the group shuffled around, much to Hermione's surprise.
"There's got to be a spell that will figure out who's outside before we move," Harry had to agree, sitting between Hermione and Ginny on the couch. Seamus stuck his tongue out at his Gryffindor friends and cuddled closer to Blaise; the two boys had come out to the school the day before the students all went home for Christmas, so it didn't matter if they sat together.
"I hate you two," Theodore informed them as he sat next to Blaise.
"Why did you all do that?" Hermione enquired while Tom made his way, slowly, to the door, ignoring the incessant knocking.
"Appearances. We don't know who's at the door. If it's, say, Dumbledore, we're screwed if we're just sitting like we were," Harry explained softly as Tom reached the door.
"Silence," the Dark Lord ordered before opening the door.
Severus Snape pushed past him and into the room, skin paler than usual. Tom slammed the door closed, automatically setting the wards while Harry vaulted the couch to get the Potions professor some calming tea. The other students all watched, shocked.
"Start talking," Tom ordered once Harry had handed over the tea.
"Dumbledore's ordered some aurors to come and search your rooms," Severus explained. "I think he's trying to get rid of you as best he can."
"He suspects something?" Harry enquired, curious. The other students watched on silently, Hermione with eyes wide in shock.
"He noticed some missing information," Severus replied, looking to Tom meaningfully.
The Dark Lord's gaze darkened. "Damn him." His eyes swung over the watching students. "I'm going to suggest you all clear out. Harry, take those books of yours with you. Ask Slytherin to watch them, if you must."
"Right." The young man slid into Tom's bedroom to grab all of the illegal stuff he'd told the Dark Lord to watch for him. It was in a trunk, which he miniaturized and stuffed into a pocket before going back out into the living room. "Done."
Tom's eyes swept over the group of students, who looked ready to leave, and then at Severus. "Severus, you'll want to clear out as well. If he thinks you warned me..."
"Right." The Potions Master stood with a weary sigh, beetle-like eyes catching on Hermione's form and frowning.
"Professor?" Harry asked smoothly, making the attention return to him. "Perhaps you could help me with that potion we were working on in class last time?"
The Slytherins caught on quickly. "Harry wasn't the only one having trouble," Draco said softly. "I think we could all use some help."
"And I wouldn't be such a bad thing for Ginny to get ahead," Hermione murmured, picking up on their trick.
"Indeed?" Severus nodded and motioned towards the door.
As the group filed out, Harry gave Tom a quick hug. : Careful, Tom. Dumbledore's crafty,: he hissed in warning, making the Dark Lord smile.
"You be careful," Tom responded before pushing him from the room. Take them the back way.
Love you too. Harry laughed mentally as he motioned for the group to follow him behind a tapestry.
"Nobody knows this school like our Harry," Draco murmured appreciatively.
"I do believe you'll have to fight Professor Brutús before you can claim Mr Potter as yours, Mr Malfoy, even in part," Severus pointed out.
"Don’t you hate it when he's right?" Harry teased the blond as they came out near Severus' office in the dungeons.
"Sod off, Potter," Draco shot back. The students all laughed while Severus opened his office for them and motioned them all inside.
"Might I ask why Miss Granger has joined your little party?" the Potions Master asked, closing the door behind him.
Harry glanced at Hermione for permission to tell the professor her secret, but the teen just shrugged helplessly. Harry scowled at her before turning back to Severus. "It appears that Ron got her pregnant a while back. I blew up at Ron, turned him into a tomato, then helped Hermione down to the infirmary for her daily check-up. On the way down, we got into a discussion about Tom and he kinda of showed up to check why I was angry." The teen shrugged helplessly.
"That's the second time you've slipped!" Ginny shouted, annoyed.
Harry blinked a few times while the other students bit back their laughter and Severus tried not to smile. "Uhm, Gin, I normally know what I'm doing. Herm already knew, so you should be assuming that Snape also already knows, should you not?"
"Harry, Professor Snape didn't know last time we were all around," Theodore pointed out reasonably.
"Hey, not my fault you’re all behind on the times."
"You're asking to be hexed," Ginny growled.
"The best prank is the one you least expect," Harry retorted.
Severus rolled his eyes at the two. "That's all lovely. However, I have a stack of papers to be graded. You can either help me, or suffer through the Headmaster."
"Well, I'm helping," Draco volunteered immediately.
"Me too," Theodore agreed as Blaise and Pansy both nodded.
Hermione sighed. "If you'll let me, Professor..."
Severus waved his hand at the stack of papers and they landed in piles on various desks. "Go on, then." The five got to work as he turned back to Harry, Ginny, and Seamus. "And you three?"
"Seam can help me," Blaise ordered his boyfriend. Seamus walked over to him with a sigh of relief.
Severus turned back to the other two. "Well?"
"Sir, I do need help with a few of the potions from class..." Ginny mumbled.
Harry frowned at the Potions Master. "Help her," he suggested. "Tom and I agree that you need to be more polite towards those in our little group. Give the other students ample reason to rethink Dumbledore's side and the such. Take things out on Ron, especially."
Severus scowled. "Who needs Dumbledore? We have you."
"Oh, do you think I'm manipulating things again?" Harry responded teasingly. He and Severus had built a strange sort of friendship that was mostly supported by light barbs and insults. However, Harry had found that Severus would listen to him, and, even more, often agreed with him.
"Quite."
"Ah, I guarantee I'm not as bad as Dumbledore," was Harry's response.
"Indeed." Severus nodded to Ginny absently. "Go get a cauldron and the ingredients," he ordered, motioning towards the storage room. As the girl went to get the things she'd need, Severus returned his gaze to Harry. "What makes you think we'll seem so much better if I stop biting off just a few heads?"
Harry smirked. "Rumours. Rumours that will start when the students return. No matter the House, they'll be there. Rumour feeds Hogwarts, Professor. Rumour will feed the discord in the school."
"What sorts of rumours?" Hermione asked over a paper. The others all watched on curiously.
"The truth." Harry shrugged. "That we have Death Eaters on staff. That Voldemort is winning. That my faith in Dumbledore is wavering." Harry's green eyes were lit with mischief. "The seeds of doubt are already sprung. Dumbledore's letting me get away with things. Slytherins hate him, Ravenclaws are questioning him, Gryffindors will start to wonder at their own bounds, Hufflepuffs are wavering in their loyalty, and the teachers are questioning Dumbledore's motives; there's a large factor of them that want me expelled."
"You've been planning this for months..." Ginny whispered, gaping at him. "And we had no clue." The Slytherins looked just as gobsmacked as the red-headed Gryffindor.
"Yes and no," Harry admitted. "The pranks started out for personal gain, but they evolved. The outcome is helping Tom, slowly."
"One would never think that a simple prank could turn a whole school." Draco hummed. "Harry Potter, I believe you've outsmarted us all."
"Dray, truth be told, I outsmarted myself on this one."
"Remind me to stay on your good side," Ginny murmured as she set up her cauldron.
"Me too," Severus agreed, shocking everyone, even Harry. "If I ever say a Gryffindor is the worst being in existence, someone smack me and remind me of Potter," he added.
Harry grinned while the others laughed. "I wouldn't say that in my presence if I were you, Professor. I might just take you up on that offer."
Severus cocked an eyebrow at the boy. "Weren't you supposed to be doing something with whatever it was you got from my Lord's room?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes. See everyone at dinner."
-~*~-
Tom scowled at Dumbledore as he opened the door to the man's twinkling smile. "May I help you, Headmaster?"
"Yes. Marcus, these gentlemen–" Dumbledore motioned to the aurors behind him and Tom had to bite back a rude comment on calling them 'gentlemen', "–would like to look around your rooms."
"And if I refuse?"
"Then we might just have to drag you out of here under the suspicion that yer working for You-Know-Who," one of the aurors shot back.
"No, I don't know who," Tom responded idly. At the dull looks he received, he rolled his eyes and sighed in exasperation. "Voldemort, you morons. Say his name, already." He smirked as they yelped. "As for me being a Death Eater, I assure you that I bear no Dark Mark. Check me to your heart's content. I don't work for the Dark Lord."
"Really?" Dumbledore responded, disbelieving.
Tom cocked an eyebrow at the elder wizard challengingly. "Really. Must you contest me when I speak the truth? What is it about you high-up people that makes you prefer the falsities to the truths, anyway?"
The aurors didn't look happy about the accusation, not that Tom cared.
“Marcus, you're only making this more difficult on yourself.”
Tom scowled and stepped back to let them in. He managed to trip two of the aurors on their way in, smiling innocently when they turned to glare at him. Dumbledore easily stepped over the outstretched foot, but Tom managed to make it look like he’d been stretching without knowledge of the Headmaster’s passing.
He watched, darkly, as the men started tearing his rooms apart. They expect me to keep my Dark objects in my room?
Harry chuckled at the complaint. They don’t know where you live the rest of the time. For all they know, you don’t even have a real house to keep your things in.
So glad I have you for the basic facts of life.
You wouldn’t know what to do without me and you know it.
I know quite well what I’d do without you, Mr Potter. I made a list thirty or forty years ago, in fact. I could probably find it, if I looked hard enough.
You prat!
You talked to Severus about easing up?
Yes, yes. He’s good with it. We’ll start the rumours once the students start returning. In fact...
What?
Is there any way one or two of us could be on the train on the way home to start the rumours so they’re already travelling before the train arrives?
Good idea. I’ll see what I can pull together. Tom smirked mentally. Perhaps a few of my Death Eaters wouldn’t mind having their children and some of their friends over for the holidays.
Let me guess, including yourself.
Perhaps. I could store all those Dark objects these idiots are looking for.
Ha! You could!
I think I shall leave to call a meeting as soon as these idiots leave. You’ll be fine with Slytherin?
Yes, yes. Be sure you don’t call Snape. He’s got everyone else busy and, therefore, harder for Dumbledore to get his hands on.
I know. Tom paused, eyes flicking around the room as the aurors traded shrugs. “Are you quite done yet?” he grumbled. Harry laughed in his mind.
“Yes.” One of the men stood and dusted himself off. “Done. Didn’t find a thing.”
“Did I not tell you? No respect for the honest people these days.” Tom snorted, rolling his eyes. “Merlin.”
Dumbledore shook his head. “Very well. Thank you for your time, Marcus.”
“Oh, of course. Next time you plan a visit, give me a little more warning. I’ll be sure to have something a little more incriminating than, say, my own wand.”
Dumbledore frowned at the other wizard as the aurors filed out. “Really...”
“You know, Dumbledore, I’m not sure I’ll be spending the rest of my holidays here. It’s not private enough. I’m sure you’d understand.”
“Of course,” Dumbledore ground out, knowing there wasn’t anything he could say otherwise.
“I knew you’d see things my way!” Tom smiled winningly. “Good bye, Dumbledore. Perhaps I shall see you at dinner, perhaps not. We shall see.”
“Yes, we shall.” The old Headmaster left the room and turned to watch his Defence Against the Dark Arts professor close the door firmly behind him. Wards flared in to life and Dumbledore had the feeling that the other man planned on Flooing out to a friend’s house for the holidays sooner than he’d like. He sighed and turned to go back to his office. The aurors were already gone.
-~*~-
“Salazar?”
The ghost peeked into the bedroom and stared at the Gryffindor for a long moment before pulling the rest of his body into the room. “You look troubled.”
“I don’t know what to get Tom for Christmas, and now there’s a chance we’ll all be leaving for the holidays.”
“Why?”
“To spread rumours on the train back.” Harry shrugged meekly.
Salazar sat back in his chair and stared at Harry as the boy tumbled into his thoughts. “We both know one gift Marvolo would like and would treasure...”
Harry sighed, shaking his head. “Not yet... I–“
“Yes, yes.” Salazar cut Harry off with a wave and the teen fell silent with a smile. “Where will you be staying, do you know yet?”
“Probably with some Death Eaters, so Tom’s sure we’re all okay.”
Salazar nodded. “Keep brainstorming. Meanwhile, question the Death Eaters on what they’d get him if they were to give him something for Christmas.”
“I suppose that could work...”
“Of course it will work!”
“You came up with it. Yes.” Harry smiled fondly. “You’ve mentioned that before.”
“Good to know you’re finally listening, then.” The ghost snorted. “Now, what’s that trunk you’ve dropped by my bed?”
“Oh, it’s got some of my darker books and artefacts. Tom was keeping them, but he had to lose them quickly when Dumbledore called some aurors to check over his room with a fine-toothed comb.”
“Did they find anything?”
“They missed it all. Tom’s not the Dark Lord and a genius for nothing. Of course, Dumbledore doesn’t know he’s dealing with his most brilliant student when he’s telling them to search, so he doesn’t think to run a magical scan over the room or, if he did, it wasn’t set high enough to detect the shields.”
“Good.” Salazar sighed softly. “I suppose I will miss having you two around for company.”
“Oh, I’m sure you’ll survive. I mean, you’ve lasted this long...” Harry responded teasingly.
Salazar scowled at the Gryffindor. “You, little Gryffindor, think too highly of yourself.”
“Not really. I mean, I’m in the Chamber of Secrets and that’s under the school. As my rooms happen to be in Gryffindor Tower...”
“Oh, shut up, you.”
Harry laughed. “Don’t worry, Salazar, I’ll miss having you around to talk to as well.”
“Humph.”
“Oh, I turned Ron into a tomato earlier.”
“A tomato?”
“Yes! He got Herm drunk over her birthday, then, like the jealous ex-boyfriend he is, forced her in to sex and got her pregnant.”
Salazar snorted. “A tomato. That was the best you could come up with?”
“No, he was just starting to look like one, and I promised Herm to not make it too dangerous or life-threatening, or what have you. Why?”
“There are better things to do than just turning him into a tomato.”
“Well, that was after I shouted until he was deaf and peeing his pants...”
“Was he really?”
“There was that dark bit in the front, yeah...”
Salazar gave a sharp bark of laughter. “Priceless. The Gryffindor who pissed his pants and was then turned into a tomato. You should have taken photos.”
“Why, you wanted to see?”
“No. However, I though giving it to the paper would do him some good...”
Harry fell into a bout of helpless laughter at that.
Ah, little Gryffindor, what a picture you make when you laugh. I think Marvolo would be plenty pleased just to see you laughing openly this Christmas.
“Hey, Salazar?”
“What now?”
“What colour were your eyes in life?”
“Red.”
“Red?”
“Yes. About the same colour as the red of your House.”
“Wow...” Harry scratched the back of his head. “What colour were Godric’s eyes?”
“Why?”
“Curious, that’s all.”
Salazar sighed. “Green. They were the same colour as yours.”
“Ironic.”
“What is?”
“That your eyes were the colours of the other’s House. What about Helga and Rowena?”
Salazar smirked. “Rowena’s were yellow, Helga’s a deep blue.”
Harry shook his head. “You four were weird.”
“I suppose we were.”
“It’s cute, though.”
“Cute?”
“How you picked each other’s eyes as your colours.” Harry smirked. “So, did you and Godric have a fling?”
Salazar cocked an eyebrow at the boy. “What makes you think that?”
“Oh, a few different things. Your favourite colours, your tendency to talk about him all the time, that picture of him that you forgot to put away this time on the fireplace shelf...”
Salazar’s gaze swung over to the fireplace and he scowled for, sure enough, there sat his picture of Godric. “Very clever.”
“It’s cute.”
“Shut up.”
Harry laughed. “And what about Helga and Rowena?”
“Love at first sight, as I recall. I hear they died within days of each other.”
“That’s sweet.”
“At least I already know you’re gay.”
“Hey!”
“Oh, go find your friends, little Gryffindor.” Salazar waved a hand at the boy. “Tell them about this leaving idea. Prank someone. Whatever.”
“You okay?”
The ghost shrugged. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
Harry pursed his lips, but stood anyway. “Fine, fine. I’ll see you when I get back, Gryffindor’s honour.”
“Not worth much, that.”
“So you’ve said.” Harry sighed. “Happy Christmas, Salazar. I–“He paused and the ghost turned to look at him, which, for some strange reason, brought a blush to Harry’s cheeks. “I’m sure he misses you too...” he managed in a whisper before turning to flee down the hall.
Salazar just smiled after him thankfully. “Trust a Gryffindor to know what to say.”
-
-
Abandon & Reclaim Series:
Abandon the Prequel: Sixth Year
Abandon Chapters:
01 || 02 || 03 || 04 || 05 || 06 || 07 || 08 || 09 || 10
11 || 12 || 13 || 14 || 15 || 16 || 17 || 18 || 19 || 20
21 || 22 || 23 || 24 || 25 ||26 || 27 || 28 || 29 || 30
31 || 32 || 33 || 34 || 35 || 36 || 37 || 38 || 39 || 40
41 || 42 || 43 || 44 || 45 || 46 || 47
Reclaim Chapters:
One || Two || Three || Four || Five || Six || Seven || Eight || Nine || Ten
Eleven || Twelve || Thirteen || Fourteen || Fifteen
Epilogue
Side Stories:
Ginevra Weasley & Theodore Nott
Minerva McGonagall || Minerva McGonagall (again)
Author:
batsutousaiBeta:
magickmaker17Pairings: Harry/Tom(Voldemort)
Warnings: This will have slash(Guys on guys, ppl.).
Disclaim Her: *goes out to buy the first Ron and/or Dumbly doll(s) she can find so she can dismember them*
Key:
Mind-speak
:Parseltongue:
Chapter 26
-
"I'm officially confused," Ginny announced, stopping in the doorway to stare at the people already in Tom's rooms.
Harry waved from where he sat in Tom's lap, much to the Dark Lord's annoyance. "Come in! Be polite to Herm, too!"
"Polite, Harry?" Draco enquired, giving the brown-haired young woman a glare, which she returned.
Harry groaned and hid his face in his hands. "I'm surrounded by idiots. Tom, help."
Ginny was the first to catch the slip. "Wait!" Her eyes wide, she looked between her fellow female Gryffindor and the young man in Tom's lap. "She knows and Dumbledore hasn't killed us all yet?"
"Did Harry not tell you all to be polite?" Tom enquired mildly. "I don't believe it is polite to stare, especially with one's mouths hanging open."
There was the sound of many mouths snapping shut and the group of Slytherins and Gryffindors sat in their own chairs or couches, staying away from Hermione.
Harry gave Hermione a pleading look. The girl rolled her eyes but nodded her head.
"You'll be nice to Herm or I'll prank you all," Harry informed his friends with mock seriousness.
Blaise pretended to look properly horrified. "Why ever would you do that?!"
"Because it's not polite to attack a pregnant woman," came Tom's mild reply as he glanced around Harry.
"Pregnant?!" All eyes turned to Hermione, who blushed deeply and ducked her head, mentally making a list of horrible things to do to the Dark Lord for dropping the bomb so.
"Even if she is a Muggleborn..." Tom added almost thoughtfully. The following shout let everyone know that Harry had punished him for the comment, probably with his elbow in the man's gut.
"Hermione, how?" Ginny asked the older girl softly, eyes worried.
Hermione glanced over at Harry pleadingly and the green-eyed young man brought the attention back to himself, saying, "It was Ron. When he took her out for her birthday, he got her drunk." Emerald-green eyes burned fiercely as the teen spoke.
"I'm going to give Ron a piece of my mind," Seamus declared, standing despite Blaise's protests.
"Don't worry about it," Hermione said coolly. "Harry turned him into a tomato a couple of hours ago."
The group of students turned to stare at Harry in awe, Draco smiling widely. "Weasel the Tomato. Has a certain ring to it."
"Right." Attention returned to Harry. "Draco, make sure the rest of your House knows that Hermione's under my protection when they return. Make sure the word is spread to your Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs as well?"
"Yes, Mum," Draco replied, rolling his eyes.
"Is being under your protection something special?" Hermione enquired of her friend.
"I ordered my followers to have their children listen to and behave around Harry," Tom answered for the teen in his lap.
"It's not like Harry's pranking isn't scary enough," Theodore pointed out wisely.
"No one wants to be on his bad side," Pansy agreed.
"Don't I feel special?" The black-haired Gryffindor sneered.
"Harry, love, you're extremely special." Tom snorted, hugging the teen to his chest. Harry smiled among the cat-calls of the Slytherins, Ginny, and Seamus. Hermione smiled, amused by their antics.
This is a very different group than how I expected them to be, she admitted to herself.
Someone knocked on the door.
"Do you know how annoying this is?" Ginny complained as the group shuffled around, much to Hermione's surprise.
"There's got to be a spell that will figure out who's outside before we move," Harry had to agree, sitting between Hermione and Ginny on the couch. Seamus stuck his tongue out at his Gryffindor friends and cuddled closer to Blaise; the two boys had come out to the school the day before the students all went home for Christmas, so it didn't matter if they sat together.
"I hate you two," Theodore informed them as he sat next to Blaise.
"Why did you all do that?" Hermione enquired while Tom made his way, slowly, to the door, ignoring the incessant knocking.
"Appearances. We don't know who's at the door. If it's, say, Dumbledore, we're screwed if we're just sitting like we were," Harry explained softly as Tom reached the door.
"Silence," the Dark Lord ordered before opening the door.
Severus Snape pushed past him and into the room, skin paler than usual. Tom slammed the door closed, automatically setting the wards while Harry vaulted the couch to get the Potions professor some calming tea. The other students all watched, shocked.
"Start talking," Tom ordered once Harry had handed over the tea.
"Dumbledore's ordered some aurors to come and search your rooms," Severus explained. "I think he's trying to get rid of you as best he can."
"He suspects something?" Harry enquired, curious. The other students watched on silently, Hermione with eyes wide in shock.
"He noticed some missing information," Severus replied, looking to Tom meaningfully.
The Dark Lord's gaze darkened. "Damn him." His eyes swung over the watching students. "I'm going to suggest you all clear out. Harry, take those books of yours with you. Ask Slytherin to watch them, if you must."
"Right." The young man slid into Tom's bedroom to grab all of the illegal stuff he'd told the Dark Lord to watch for him. It was in a trunk, which he miniaturized and stuffed into a pocket before going back out into the living room. "Done."
Tom's eyes swept over the group of students, who looked ready to leave, and then at Severus. "Severus, you'll want to clear out as well. If he thinks you warned me..."
"Right." The Potions Master stood with a weary sigh, beetle-like eyes catching on Hermione's form and frowning.
"Professor?" Harry asked smoothly, making the attention return to him. "Perhaps you could help me with that potion we were working on in class last time?"
The Slytherins caught on quickly. "Harry wasn't the only one having trouble," Draco said softly. "I think we could all use some help."
"And I wouldn't be such a bad thing for Ginny to get ahead," Hermione murmured, picking up on their trick.
"Indeed?" Severus nodded and motioned towards the door.
As the group filed out, Harry gave Tom a quick hug. : Careful, Tom. Dumbledore's crafty,: he hissed in warning, making the Dark Lord smile.
"You be careful," Tom responded before pushing him from the room. Take them the back way.
Love you too. Harry laughed mentally as he motioned for the group to follow him behind a tapestry.
"Nobody knows this school like our Harry," Draco murmured appreciatively.
"I do believe you'll have to fight Professor Brutús before you can claim Mr Potter as yours, Mr Malfoy, even in part," Severus pointed out.
"Don’t you hate it when he's right?" Harry teased the blond as they came out near Severus' office in the dungeons.
"Sod off, Potter," Draco shot back. The students all laughed while Severus opened his office for them and motioned them all inside.
"Might I ask why Miss Granger has joined your little party?" the Potions Master asked, closing the door behind him.
Harry glanced at Hermione for permission to tell the professor her secret, but the teen just shrugged helplessly. Harry scowled at her before turning back to Severus. "It appears that Ron got her pregnant a while back. I blew up at Ron, turned him into a tomato, then helped Hermione down to the infirmary for her daily check-up. On the way down, we got into a discussion about Tom and he kinda of showed up to check why I was angry." The teen shrugged helplessly.
"That's the second time you've slipped!" Ginny shouted, annoyed.
Harry blinked a few times while the other students bit back their laughter and Severus tried not to smile. "Uhm, Gin, I normally know what I'm doing. Herm already knew, so you should be assuming that Snape also already knows, should you not?"
"Harry, Professor Snape didn't know last time we were all around," Theodore pointed out reasonably.
"Hey, not my fault you’re all behind on the times."
"You're asking to be hexed," Ginny growled.
"The best prank is the one you least expect," Harry retorted.
Severus rolled his eyes at the two. "That's all lovely. However, I have a stack of papers to be graded. You can either help me, or suffer through the Headmaster."
"Well, I'm helping," Draco volunteered immediately.
"Me too," Theodore agreed as Blaise and Pansy both nodded.
Hermione sighed. "If you'll let me, Professor..."
Severus waved his hand at the stack of papers and they landed in piles on various desks. "Go on, then." The five got to work as he turned back to Harry, Ginny, and Seamus. "And you three?"
"Seam can help me," Blaise ordered his boyfriend. Seamus walked over to him with a sigh of relief.
Severus turned back to the other two. "Well?"
"Sir, I do need help with a few of the potions from class..." Ginny mumbled.
Harry frowned at the Potions Master. "Help her," he suggested. "Tom and I agree that you need to be more polite towards those in our little group. Give the other students ample reason to rethink Dumbledore's side and the such. Take things out on Ron, especially."
Severus scowled. "Who needs Dumbledore? We have you."
"Oh, do you think I'm manipulating things again?" Harry responded teasingly. He and Severus had built a strange sort of friendship that was mostly supported by light barbs and insults. However, Harry had found that Severus would listen to him, and, even more, often agreed with him.
"Quite."
"Ah, I guarantee I'm not as bad as Dumbledore," was Harry's response.
"Indeed." Severus nodded to Ginny absently. "Go get a cauldron and the ingredients," he ordered, motioning towards the storage room. As the girl went to get the things she'd need, Severus returned his gaze to Harry. "What makes you think we'll seem so much better if I stop biting off just a few heads?"
Harry smirked. "Rumours. Rumours that will start when the students return. No matter the House, they'll be there. Rumour feeds Hogwarts, Professor. Rumour will feed the discord in the school."
"What sorts of rumours?" Hermione asked over a paper. The others all watched on curiously.
"The truth." Harry shrugged. "That we have Death Eaters on staff. That Voldemort is winning. That my faith in Dumbledore is wavering." Harry's green eyes were lit with mischief. "The seeds of doubt are already sprung. Dumbledore's letting me get away with things. Slytherins hate him, Ravenclaws are questioning him, Gryffindors will start to wonder at their own bounds, Hufflepuffs are wavering in their loyalty, and the teachers are questioning Dumbledore's motives; there's a large factor of them that want me expelled."
"You've been planning this for months..." Ginny whispered, gaping at him. "And we had no clue." The Slytherins looked just as gobsmacked as the red-headed Gryffindor.
"Yes and no," Harry admitted. "The pranks started out for personal gain, but they evolved. The outcome is helping Tom, slowly."
"One would never think that a simple prank could turn a whole school." Draco hummed. "Harry Potter, I believe you've outsmarted us all."
"Dray, truth be told, I outsmarted myself on this one."
"Remind me to stay on your good side," Ginny murmured as she set up her cauldron.
"Me too," Severus agreed, shocking everyone, even Harry. "If I ever say a Gryffindor is the worst being in existence, someone smack me and remind me of Potter," he added.
Harry grinned while the others laughed. "I wouldn't say that in my presence if I were you, Professor. I might just take you up on that offer."
Severus cocked an eyebrow at the boy. "Weren't you supposed to be doing something with whatever it was you got from my Lord's room?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes. See everyone at dinner."
Tom scowled at Dumbledore as he opened the door to the man's twinkling smile. "May I help you, Headmaster?"
"Yes. Marcus, these gentlemen–" Dumbledore motioned to the aurors behind him and Tom had to bite back a rude comment on calling them 'gentlemen', "–would like to look around your rooms."
"And if I refuse?"
"Then we might just have to drag you out of here under the suspicion that yer working for You-Know-Who," one of the aurors shot back.
"No, I don't know who," Tom responded idly. At the dull looks he received, he rolled his eyes and sighed in exasperation. "Voldemort, you morons. Say his name, already." He smirked as they yelped. "As for me being a Death Eater, I assure you that I bear no Dark Mark. Check me to your heart's content. I don't work for the Dark Lord."
"Really?" Dumbledore responded, disbelieving.
Tom cocked an eyebrow at the elder wizard challengingly. "Really. Must you contest me when I speak the truth? What is it about you high-up people that makes you prefer the falsities to the truths, anyway?"
The aurors didn't look happy about the accusation, not that Tom cared.
“Marcus, you're only making this more difficult on yourself.”
Tom scowled and stepped back to let them in. He managed to trip two of the aurors on their way in, smiling innocently when they turned to glare at him. Dumbledore easily stepped over the outstretched foot, but Tom managed to make it look like he’d been stretching without knowledge of the Headmaster’s passing.
He watched, darkly, as the men started tearing his rooms apart. They expect me to keep my Dark objects in my room?
Harry chuckled at the complaint. They don’t know where you live the rest of the time. For all they know, you don’t even have a real house to keep your things in.
So glad I have you for the basic facts of life.
You wouldn’t know what to do without me and you know it.
I know quite well what I’d do without you, Mr Potter. I made a list thirty or forty years ago, in fact. I could probably find it, if I looked hard enough.
You prat!
You talked to Severus about easing up?
Yes, yes. He’s good with it. We’ll start the rumours once the students start returning. In fact...
What?
Is there any way one or two of us could be on the train on the way home to start the rumours so they’re already travelling before the train arrives?
Good idea. I’ll see what I can pull together. Tom smirked mentally. Perhaps a few of my Death Eaters wouldn’t mind having their children and some of their friends over for the holidays.
Let me guess, including yourself.
Perhaps. I could store all those Dark objects these idiots are looking for.
Ha! You could!
I think I shall leave to call a meeting as soon as these idiots leave. You’ll be fine with Slytherin?
Yes, yes. Be sure you don’t call Snape. He’s got everyone else busy and, therefore, harder for Dumbledore to get his hands on.
I know. Tom paused, eyes flicking around the room as the aurors traded shrugs. “Are you quite done yet?” he grumbled. Harry laughed in his mind.
“Yes.” One of the men stood and dusted himself off. “Done. Didn’t find a thing.”
“Did I not tell you? No respect for the honest people these days.” Tom snorted, rolling his eyes. “Merlin.”
Dumbledore shook his head. “Very well. Thank you for your time, Marcus.”
“Oh, of course. Next time you plan a visit, give me a little more warning. I’ll be sure to have something a little more incriminating than, say, my own wand.”
Dumbledore frowned at the other wizard as the aurors filed out. “Really...”
“You know, Dumbledore, I’m not sure I’ll be spending the rest of my holidays here. It’s not private enough. I’m sure you’d understand.”
“Of course,” Dumbledore ground out, knowing there wasn’t anything he could say otherwise.
“I knew you’d see things my way!” Tom smiled winningly. “Good bye, Dumbledore. Perhaps I shall see you at dinner, perhaps not. We shall see.”
“Yes, we shall.” The old Headmaster left the room and turned to watch his Defence Against the Dark Arts professor close the door firmly behind him. Wards flared in to life and Dumbledore had the feeling that the other man planned on Flooing out to a friend’s house for the holidays sooner than he’d like. He sighed and turned to go back to his office. The aurors were already gone.
“Salazar?”
The ghost peeked into the bedroom and stared at the Gryffindor for a long moment before pulling the rest of his body into the room. “You look troubled.”
“I don’t know what to get Tom for Christmas, and now there’s a chance we’ll all be leaving for the holidays.”
“Why?”
“To spread rumours on the train back.” Harry shrugged meekly.
Salazar sat back in his chair and stared at Harry as the boy tumbled into his thoughts. “We both know one gift Marvolo would like and would treasure...”
Harry sighed, shaking his head. “Not yet... I–“
“Yes, yes.” Salazar cut Harry off with a wave and the teen fell silent with a smile. “Where will you be staying, do you know yet?”
“Probably with some Death Eaters, so Tom’s sure we’re all okay.”
Salazar nodded. “Keep brainstorming. Meanwhile, question the Death Eaters on what they’d get him if they were to give him something for Christmas.”
“I suppose that could work...”
“Of course it will work!”
“You came up with it. Yes.” Harry smiled fondly. “You’ve mentioned that before.”
“Good to know you’re finally listening, then.” The ghost snorted. “Now, what’s that trunk you’ve dropped by my bed?”
“Oh, it’s got some of my darker books and artefacts. Tom was keeping them, but he had to lose them quickly when Dumbledore called some aurors to check over his room with a fine-toothed comb.”
“Did they find anything?”
“They missed it all. Tom’s not the Dark Lord and a genius for nothing. Of course, Dumbledore doesn’t know he’s dealing with his most brilliant student when he’s telling them to search, so he doesn’t think to run a magical scan over the room or, if he did, it wasn’t set high enough to detect the shields.”
“Good.” Salazar sighed softly. “I suppose I will miss having you two around for company.”
“Oh, I’m sure you’ll survive. I mean, you’ve lasted this long...” Harry responded teasingly.
Salazar scowled at the Gryffindor. “You, little Gryffindor, think too highly of yourself.”
“Not really. I mean, I’m in the Chamber of Secrets and that’s under the school. As my rooms happen to be in Gryffindor Tower...”
“Oh, shut up, you.”
Harry laughed. “Don’t worry, Salazar, I’ll miss having you around to talk to as well.”
“Humph.”
“Oh, I turned Ron into a tomato earlier.”
“A tomato?”
“Yes! He got Herm drunk over her birthday, then, like the jealous ex-boyfriend he is, forced her in to sex and got her pregnant.”
Salazar snorted. “A tomato. That was the best you could come up with?”
“No, he was just starting to look like one, and I promised Herm to not make it too dangerous or life-threatening, or what have you. Why?”
“There are better things to do than just turning him into a tomato.”
“Well, that was after I shouted until he was deaf and peeing his pants...”
“Was he really?”
“There was that dark bit in the front, yeah...”
Salazar gave a sharp bark of laughter. “Priceless. The Gryffindor who pissed his pants and was then turned into a tomato. You should have taken photos.”
“Why, you wanted to see?”
“No. However, I though giving it to the paper would do him some good...”
Harry fell into a bout of helpless laughter at that.
Ah, little Gryffindor, what a picture you make when you laugh. I think Marvolo would be plenty pleased just to see you laughing openly this Christmas.
“Hey, Salazar?”
“What now?”
“What colour were your eyes in life?”
“Red.”
“Red?”
“Yes. About the same colour as the red of your House.”
“Wow...” Harry scratched the back of his head. “What colour were Godric’s eyes?”
“Why?”
“Curious, that’s all.”
Salazar sighed. “Green. They were the same colour as yours.”
“Ironic.”
“What is?”
“That your eyes were the colours of the other’s House. What about Helga and Rowena?”
Salazar smirked. “Rowena’s were yellow, Helga’s a deep blue.”
Harry shook his head. “You four were weird.”
“I suppose we were.”
“It’s cute, though.”
“Cute?”
“How you picked each other’s eyes as your colours.” Harry smirked. “So, did you and Godric have a fling?”
Salazar cocked an eyebrow at the boy. “What makes you think that?”
“Oh, a few different things. Your favourite colours, your tendency to talk about him all the time, that picture of him that you forgot to put away this time on the fireplace shelf...”
Salazar’s gaze swung over to the fireplace and he scowled for, sure enough, there sat his picture of Godric. “Very clever.”
“It’s cute.”
“Shut up.”
Harry laughed. “And what about Helga and Rowena?”
“Love at first sight, as I recall. I hear they died within days of each other.”
“That’s sweet.”
“At least I already know you’re gay.”
“Hey!”
“Oh, go find your friends, little Gryffindor.” Salazar waved a hand at the boy. “Tell them about this leaving idea. Prank someone. Whatever.”
“You okay?”
The ghost shrugged. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
Harry pursed his lips, but stood anyway. “Fine, fine. I’ll see you when I get back, Gryffindor’s honour.”
“Not worth much, that.”
“So you’ve said.” Harry sighed. “Happy Christmas, Salazar. I–“He paused and the ghost turned to look at him, which, for some strange reason, brought a blush to Harry’s cheeks. “I’m sure he misses you too...” he managed in a whisper before turning to flee down the hall.
Salazar just smiled after him thankfully. “Trust a Gryffindor to know what to say.”
-
Abandon the Prequel: Sixth Year
Abandon Chapters:
01 || 02 || 03 || 04 || 05 || 06 || 07 || 08 || 09 || 10
11 || 12 || 13 || 14 || 15 || 16 || 17 || 18 || 19 || 20
21 || 22 || 23 || 24 || 25 ||
31 || 32 || 33 || 34 || 35 || 36 || 37 || 38 || 39 || 40
41 || 42 || 43 || 44 || 45 || 46 || 47
Reclaim Chapters:
One || Two || Three || Four || Five || Six || Seven || Eight || Nine || Ten
Eleven || Twelve || Thirteen || Fourteen || Fifteen
Epilogue
Side Stories:
Ginevra Weasley & Theodore Nott
Minerva McGonagall || Minerva McGonagall (again)
.
