Absolute Anarchy

Tom would undoubtedly consider the Summer before fifth year as the best of his life.

He claimed the Gaunt and Slytherin heirships, had a job working in an apothecary in Knockturn Alley, discovered he was a natural Legillimens and learnt how to control his ability so he wasn't constantly hearing people's surface level thoughts, and spent a suitable amount of time working on perfecting wandless magic. Not to mention being able to finally buy good quality, new things with the money from his vaults and being invited to high-society Pureblood galas as the official Heir Slytherin.

It had been amazing, to him, so long as he ignored the fact that he still lived in a muggle children's home. Despite being undoubtedly one of the most politically powerful Heirs in Britain, there was still no one that could take him in. The Ministry's child adoption laws stated that only families with connections two generations back could take in a Wixen orphan, unless the orphan was at risk of imminent death or over sixteen and could therefore put forward a suitable guardian for Ministry inspection. The Gaunts had already been inbreeding two generations ago, the children's home staff didn't seem likely to kill him as he slept, and Tom was still only fucking fifteen.

It angered Tom. Upset him too, not that he would admit that even to himself. The day he received the Ministry's letter informing him of the matter, he spent the rest of the day lying curled up in his bed staring at the empty bed on the other side of the room. That used to be Harry's bed- Harrison Potter-Black. He was adopted by Sirius Black, the current Lord of the family, the summer after first year. Lord Black was his godfather by blood-adoption, his claim further strengthened by the Black blood Harry had from his father's side of the family. He never would have been in the children's home if his godfather hadn't been illegally incarcerated in Azkaban without a trial over 'suspicions' that he was a Grindelwald Acolyte during the war that had taken Harry's parents.

Harry had begged for Sirius to adopt Tom too, and Sirius had actually tried. The Ministry still refused to see sense. Secretly, Tom believed that they'd allow such a concession for anyone else. He knew that the very existence of the Heir of Slytherin was something that the Ministry felt threatened by. Nonetheless, Lord Black still told Tom that he wanted to try again when Tom turned sixteen. This would be his last Summer in Wool's, next year would be spent with Harry.

Oh, Harry.

Tom didn't think he truly know Harry like the back of his hand any more, even though they were still very close friends. Sure, they were both Slytherins, sharing a dormitory ten months of the year, but they were different now. Harry always had a temper, but now that evolved into lacing every other sentence to someone he was not overly fond of with thinly-veiled threats or insults and blatant sarcasm. He didn't hide this, no matter how good his blank mask was when he wanted it to be. He was popular with every House, and cursed anyone who dared to insult his friends in his vicinity with an incredibly illegal range of curses. 

Tom admits to himself that he has surely changed more. He was never able to hide emotions like disgust and anger from his face as a child, so when he learnt how to create a Pureblood mask, he made it impenetrable. He stripped himself of visible joy, appearing emotionless more often than not until he realised the joys of being adored by the student body. Even still, he keeps his true emotions to himself. He pushed Harry away slightly in the process, becoming such a stickler for not being caught breaking the rules and being the best that little else mattered. All he cared about were his grades and learning as much about the new world of magic he had found himself in. He hadn't consciously pushed Harry away, of course, but he had done it all the same.

They still ate together, either beside or across from each other, they paired up in several classes, and studied together more often than not. But it just wasn't the same, really. Sometimes they could pretend, since Harry was the only person who could make cracks appear in Tom's mask. Sometimes some of his scathing remarks towards Bellatrix Black-Lestrange or Zacharias Smith had Tom choking on a drink or snorting gracelessly in class. 

Tom missed that, he missed Harry. Growing up, he viewed Harry as something akin to a brother. Now, with age and a sexuality crisis, Tom realised the sparks of attraction for what they were- partially aided by the time he heard about Harry being involved with the Hufflepuff seeker, Cedric Diggory, and set Draco Malfoy's transfiguration essay on fire in a burst of accidental magic. That had been embarrassing, even more so three weeks later when he worked out why he had reacted like that. Ah, well, Tom had always been the jealous type.

He vowed to himself that this year, he'd make up for lost time. In any way he can. Even if that meant changing the person he had become since they started Hogwarts

•••

Stepping onto the Hogwarts Express on the first of September always felt like he was embarking on a journey home. That's what Hogwarts was to him, really. The first place he had ever called home.

He made his way through the third carriage, the Slytherin one, towards the familiar compartment that himself and Harry had claimed back in first year. It was where they met up with the other Slytherins from their year every train journey now.

Harry was already there, in the middle of an animated conversation about Ancient Runes with Theodore Nott- his best friend (aside from Tom, no matter how much they may have drifted from their childhood). Draco and Abraxas Malfoy were there too, along with Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson, Daphne Greengrass, Tracey Davis, Millicent Bulstrode, Felix Rosier, Reginald Lestrange and Gabriel Avery. Thank Merlin for expansion charms.

Tom made his way across the compartment, his trunk shrunk down securely in his pocket, and sat down in the free space on Harry's other side. It was beside the window, and Tom had claimed that seat every year since first year. He liked watching out the window, scheming (daydreaming).

The compartment was filled with idle chatter until the train departed. It was their unspoken rule that any important information for the year would not be uttered until they were already on their way.

Draco had a rather troubled look on his face the moment the train started moving. Tom watched him out of the corner of his eye as he stared out the window. Harry seemed to be getting impatient.

"Fuck me, Draco," he finally said, "Spit it out then, you irritating git."

Draco bristled at the insult, but began speaking anyway, "The Ministry has appointed the Defence teacher this year."

"So they're meddling in Hogwarts? After all these years?" Tom said, leaning forward, his eyes shining with intrigue.

"I don't think it's a good thing," Harry said, frowning, "I mean, yeah, Dumbledore certainly needs taken down a few pegs, but the Ministry is corrupt to its core."

"Precisely," Abraxas sighed, running a hand through his hair, "Father told us to suck up to the new teacher, get on her good side. But I'm getting a really bad feeling about it."

"Mother told me to do the same," Daphne said, scrunching her nose up slightly, "Wouldn't tell me any details about the teacher, though."

"Care to enlighten us with the details then, Draco darling?" Blaise asked.

"It's Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister."

"That horrid toad woman?" Pansy gasped, "Salazar, I won't survive it. I can only look at so much pink."

Harry had went rather pale, visible even with his darker skin, "Oh, Merlin. I'm fucked. She was the one who tried to block Sirius getting out of Azkaban. I'm not passing my Defence OWL."

"Mama informed me about her," Blaise said slowly, "Not that she was becoming a Professor, but she's warned me to stay clear of her. Nasty piece of work. She wants muggles eviscerated and muggleborns put on a trackable registry, mudblood or not. She also believes anyone with creature blood should be culled, so frankly she's lucky to be alive after saying that to mama's face. She's going to raise hell as a Professor."

"She doesn't have teaching credentials," Gabriel added, "Mother heard her lamenting at the Ministry Ball last summer about how she wished she did because she felt the call to help educate the youth properly."

"I have a bad feeling about this year," Theo grumbled.

"You should," Felix said, grimly, "You all should."

Ah, that's fucking fantastic, Tom thought to himself. The resident seer, Felix Rosier, is starting off the year by telling them bad things are coming. Unfortunately not with any clear warnings, but he supposed he shouldn't be picky. The other students were going in totally blind. 

"I suppose we need a strategy for this year, then," Tom said, "I propose we try to keep our heads down and stay on her good side."

"Not bloody likely," Felix muttered. Tom's eye twitched.

"Fuck me, Felix, we aren't starting the year off with absolute anarchy. I propose we try to keep our heads down and stay on her good side for as long as humanly possible. Then we adapt."

Felix gave a slow nod.

"Tom Riddle proposing anything other than sucking up to the devil? The world's gone fucking mad," Harry joked.

"I suppose I've done some, ah, self-reflection this Summer," Tom replied, "In short, I'm bored. Yes, I'm still going to get straight O's, no, I'm not going to fucking duel Umbridge at the welcome feast or something, but Merlin's beard, I need to do something fun every once in a while. I feel as old as Dumbledore."

Everyone stared at him, silently. Harry grinned.

"Good to have you back, Tom. It's been a while. What do you say to helping me brainstorm the latest ways to remind Bellatrix that I'm Heir Black and she's not?"

Draco sighed at that, "Honestly, Harry. We don't need an all out war in the first week of term."

Tom mused for a moment, "I think a casual verbal reminder to show some respect to her future Lord will be enough for the first week. Perhaps, later on, you can charm banners to drop from the ceilings in front of her when she starts up that infernal racket she does."

"Perfect! I'm sure I'll find a reason to do that during the feast. Maybe even before, if she starts doing the rounds of the train."

Draco put his head in his hands and groaned.

"I don't care that she's your cousin, Draco. Don’t forget she’s mine too. She's still a murderous psychopath who tortures the firsties for fun," Harry chided.

"You haven't had to spend Yule with her! Every year I have to listen to her going on and on about how you aren't worthy of being so much as a ward of the family until great-aunt Walburga silences her. Uncle Rodolphus and Aunt Andromeda don't even care and cousin Nymphadora pretends she isn't there."

"Honestly, Draco," Abraxas said, disappointedly, "Does my company mean nothing to you? We shared a womb, and you don’t even think my presence makes Bella more tolerable."

"You won't be alone this year, Draco!" Harry said, "Sirius and I are actually joining the family for Yule this year, it's time to show our faces in High Society again. Tom, care to join?"

Tom smiled serenely, "Of course."

"This is it, this is the end for me. I'll be tortured," Draco lamented, a hand draped across his forehead.

"Do grow up, Draco," Pansy scowled, "Tom’s the only one who can silence Bellatrix, anyway."

"Yes, because she’s in love with him."

Tom didn’t even bother to suppress his shudder at the reminder.