A Bond
Hendrix was tending to the two snakes he had rescued from that vile man at the pet shop. He knew that he should not have done it. He should not have risked his safety for the two serpents, but he could not help himself. If he were destined to die fifty years in the past at the hands of a pre-Voldemort Tom Riddle, then he supposed that was what he would do. He knew that he would not be able to kill Riddle. If he did then time would unravel or something like that.
He had to admit, the Slytherin dorms were much more comfortable than he first believed they would be. With twelve fifth-year boys now, he thought that it would be cramped. It was much more bearable when he learned they were split into four rooms of three students each. They each had a wardrobe to store their clothes, a bookcase for their textbooks, a bedside table, and a desk to do their homework. It was much more than the Gryffindor dorms had ever had for him. That was before he noticed that the beds were not the same single four posters that he had always used. They were double beds with rich, dark green curtains that hid the dark wood of the frame that matched the other furniture. Silver, silk sheets peeked out from under the heavy black comforters. Rich charcoal carpet covered the floor of the room to help ward off the chill of the dungeons. Torches lined the walls to banish the shadows to the deep recesses of the hidden corners. It was much more luxurious than Gryffindor. It made him wonder if the dorms would be similarly laid out fifty years in the future. If they were then he was sorely regretful for not taking the Sorting Hat’s suggestion to join Slytherin.
Hendrix had taken his time to unpack his new supplies. He had made sure that all of his clothes were hung up and folded properly. All of his books were sorted and stored on his bookshelf. Quills, ink, parchment, and other homework supplies were stored in the two desk drawers. His trunk was tucked neatly under his bed and his potions supply bag lay tucked under the foot of his bed. He was dressed in a set of his new pyjamas already, long blue flannel pants with a simple sleep shirt. It reminded him highly of the muggle t-shirts that were vastly popular in the nineties. For the first time in his life, all of his clothes were properly fitted to him. It was an intoxicating feeling that made him wonder why he had never thought to purchase more than just the Hogwarts uniforms for himself in the past.
The teenager had just settled himself on top of the blankets when the door was flung open. Without a conscious thought, Hendrix stood up from his bed and aimed his wand, which had previously been holstered, at Riddle’s heart. Hendrix knew that his movements had been rather too instinctual and practised to go without Tom Riddle noticing. He would have to make sure that he toned down his reflexes somehow. Make them more subtle than rash. He would have to learn quickly how to fit into the house that he had been sorted into.
He watched the future Dark Lord activate wards that had been painstakingly carved into the stone of all four walls. “Riddle.” His green eyes shone with anger at being accosted in the fashion he had. He watched as Tom Riddle glanced down at the wand that was pointing at his chest and saw surprise flicker across his face. That was odd, maybe Tom had not noticed his quick reactions. After a moment, Hendrix lowered his wand but did not put it back in the holster. “Sorry about that.” He said while he tried to mask the anger that he was feeling. “Reflex.” His own eyes looked back at himself with the same fury that encompassed Voldemort’s scarlet orbs. It was rather neurotic. He could feel fear start to bubble up inside of him, but the same thing that rattled him about that fury was the same thing that calmed his fear.
Green, not red.
“You disappeared before I made it back to the Headmaster’s office. I thought you were going to wait for me so that I could show you to the common room.” Hendrix saw those green eyes narrow in thought. “How did you find your way down here?”
‘Shit! I forgot that I wasn’t supposed to know my way around Hogwarts!’ His mind raced as he tried to cobble together something that would be plausible. “Another Slytherin showed me.” He forced his voice to not waver and made sure to keep eye contact with the other Slytherin to convince Tom that he had nothing to hide, but also not knowing that allowed Tom to skim through Hendrix’s surface thoughts. ‘I can’t keep slipping up or Voldemort is going to get suspicious. No!’ He mentally berated himself. ‘He is still Tom. No matter that the anger in his eyes is so similar to the anger in Voldemort’s. I cannot, will not, see him like that.’ He remembered that night, not too long ago in his past, but so far in the future, where his blood was taken and the pale, snakelike figure that rose from the cauldron. ‘He will never be Voldemort if I have anything to say about it.’ He was not paying close enough attention to Tom thus missed the looks of shock, anger, and disgust that flitted through those killing curse eyes. ‘No matter if the sorting hat believes that what happens in this time has already happened in my time. Tom is innocent of any of Voldemort’s crimes.’ The Boy-Who-Lived felt his resolve harden. His friends were correct, he did have a saving people thing.
He was pulled from his thoughts by Tom crossing the dorm room in his long strides. “That makes sense.” Tom’s voice was without feeling. “How are the snakes?” He asked abruptly.
Hendrix turned back to his bed so he could look at the small serpents. “A little better now that they are somewhere that is saturated with magic, but still not good.” He ran a finger down Seraphina’s smooth scales. “Dahlia said that they must bond with us.” He glanced over at the Dark wizard. “I don’t know what she means by that.” He heard a resigned sigh from the other teenager.
“I know what needs to be done.” Hendrix watched as the future Dark Lord lowered one hand down to the bed. ~Come my little one.~ He saw one of the little black snakes glide up into the teenager's hand. As Tom raised his hand towards his face, Dahlia shifted around so that her head rested on the tip of his pointer finger, her mostly black body wrapped around his fingers and hand. Tom looked into startlingly vibrant yellow eyes. ~Bond with me and I shall take care of you as long as I shall live. This I vow to you.~ Magic started to gather around the pair as they stared at each other. After a long moment, Hendrix saw Dahlia lower her head for a moment before the small snake struck out at Tom’s wrist. A blinding flash of light filled the room as her black-tipped ivory fangs slid neatly into the skin. When the light receded once more, Hendrix saw that Tom’s head was leaning back. His eyes were closed and his mouth was hanging open as the magic seemed to absorb into the spot on his wrist that had two small puncture wounds. Dark, rich blood tainted with black venom swelled to the surface as the punctures healed. The freshly disturbed skin soaked the bloody venom mixture into it and left twin triangular marks.
After a few moments, Tom finally spoke again. “I never thought that I would experience this. It is so rare for a magical creature to bond with a wizard. I think the last one was several hundred years ago. Before that was Merlin and the four founders.”
Hendrix reached out and took hold of Tom’s arm. He pulled it towards him as he studied the small marks. The teenager ran a finger over them, expecting to feel a bump or something to distinguish the marks from the untouched skin around them. There was nothing. They felt like normal skin. “You just let a venomous snake bite you.” He looked up to see guarded killing curse eyes watching him.
“Yes.” Riddle said. “That is how a bond forms. Once established, nothing except death can break a bond. It is a sharing of magical powers, from what I’ve read. There isn’t much lore available on the subject.” Hendrix was startled when Tom pulled his arm out of the other teenager’s hold. “The venom does not poison a wizard when the bond is formed. I do know that, afterwards, only something more deadly than the venom of your bonded can hurt you.” Hendrix was watching Tom, paying close attention to what the other teenager was saying. “For example, if a wizard bonds to a basilisk, then there is no other poison known that could hurt the wizard.”
The two heard a hiss that they decided was a type of laughter. ~Then you shall have nothing to worry about. We are basilisks, descended from the first ones created. Our venom is more potent than any other, even first-generation basilisks.~
Hendrix sat down on his bed heavily after hearing that from Dahlia. ~Basilisks? You are basilisks? And what do you mean by first-generation basilisks? Also, if you are both basilisks, then does that mean your eyes hold the power to kill?~ He rubbed his right forearm where there was once a puncture wound from a huge basilisk.
~You have been bitten by a first-generation basilisk.~ A weak voice was heard as Seraphina wrapped herself around the arm of the Boy-Who-Lived.
Hendrix hesitated for a moment before he hissed back. ~Yes. It bit me as I stabbed it with a sword. Then a phoenix cried on the wound.~
~You are a strong wizard. Even with a phoenix’s tears, not many can withstand the venom.~
Hendrix glanced over at Tom. He saw that the future Dark Lord was paying close attention to the conversation and bit back a sigh. ~Of course. That’s me, the one who defies most of the laws of the universe.~
Seraphina hissed out a laugh. ~I like you, speaker~ The snake reared back so that she was looking Hendrix in the eyes. ~May I bond with you?~
Hendrix ran a gentle finger along the ridge of her head. He felt magic swirling around the two of them and allowed it to guide his words. ~With this bond I devote my magic to you and your magic to me. We shall be strongest only when fighting together. I will protect you when you are weak and seek comfort when you are strong. With the blessings of Lady Magic, our vow shall be forevermore.~ Brilliant white light engulfed the pair as Hendrix felt a small pinprick in his wrist. The scent of lilies and the forest filled his senses and a trill of bell-like laughter rang in his ears. Burning flames ignited wherever his skin was touched by the serpent’s body only to be quenched in the cold, calm waves of water.
Then it was over and the white light disappeared. Hendrix breathed in sharply once before he swayed on his feet. His magic had drained rather drastically into Seraphina to heal her from her sickness. The time traveller sunk back into his bed. “I think I will go to sleep now.” He looked at Tom with a guarded expression in his eyes. “Thanks for going with me to Diagon Alley Tom.” He saw the other teenager give a short nod before he was left alone in the dorm room. After that, Hendrix swiftly drifted off to sleep.