No more lies (To Victory)

••°CHAPTER 13 °°•

For once in his miserable life Severus didn't regret attending such a public event as the Malfoy Yule Ball.

He's been avoiding it for years, using being a professor as his excuse, but now he had none of them left. Not when he had to chaperone two of his students.

Draco, of course, could've just flooed alone, but Potter was a wild card.

Severus didn't trust that teenager to be left alone. Not for a second. And certainly not after seeing that deranged smile on the child's face after he was made aware just what sort of people would be in attendance.

Death Eaters. Dark sympathisers.

Of course, there were plenty of people from the Ministry, Ministers and allies of the Malfoy family, but the majority were allied with the Dark Lord.

And Potter was excited about it.

How unfortunate it was that it was too late to withdraw his own attendance and have someone else make sure Potter doesn't kill or maim anyone.

However, he couldn't deny that it was fun, in a sense.

Watching Potter dancing around those vultures, goading them like prey with a smirk on his lips, safe in the knowledge that no one would dare to harm him in such a public event, such a public setting.

No one would dare to upset Lady Malfoy at her own event.

Even Theodius was impressed, despite the sheer horror Harry’s implications had caused, and he was not an easy man to impress.

Just like most Lords of his generation, Theodius was stubborn and set in his ways. Firm and downright stoic, unwilling to waver on his beliefs on most days. The only person Theodius bent to was the Dark Lord himself. He was one of the most loyal, after all.

Potter, however, was seemingly becoming an exception.

"He's got something… special," Nott said eventually. "And there's something else, something I can't put my finger on. It's like it-"

"Just slips away?" Severus frowned, having the same thought himself.

"Yes."

"Hm…"

It was suspicious, but now wasn't the time to ponder about it.

Severus continued to avoid interactions and observed keenly how expertly Potter spun his web, knowing full well that tomorrow the high society circles would be buzzing with whatever that lunatic child was telling them.

With the way things were going, it'd probably end up in the Daily Prophet.

He didn't know what Potter had done to Skeeter, but it must've been something effective; there's yet to be a bad word said towards the boy, and if anything, Rita was unreliable. She always turned on the hand that fed her.

Really, grasping at the loose ends was leaving Severus with more questions than he had answers. And while he expected some sort of chaos to erupt at any given time, what Severus wasn't expecting was to find Potter intoxicated in Lucius' office.

And he thought that the night was going well. Apparently, too well.

"Seriously, Lucius? Trying to get Potter drunk?" He motioned towards the almost empty glass of wine at where Potter was sitting moments ago.

And it's not like he didn't notice the flushed cheeks and much more open expression than Potter tended to have these days. 

Severus has seen his fair share of intoxicated teenagers; he knew what they looked like when they were trying to act sober.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Severus flicked at the glass.

"Don't take me for a fool, Lucius. I've seen my fair share of inebriated teenagers and one just left your office. I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't encourage such behaviour in the future."

Lucius simply rolled his eyes, which was a rare thing for the usually stoic man to do.

"I needed answers, Severus, and I got enough of them to draw conclusions. Besides, Potter asked for it."

"You're the adult, Lucius," Severus hissed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Merlin, it was like he couldn't escape childish nonsense even amongst the adults. "You were supposed to say no."

Lucius shrugged, unconcerned now that he had his answers.

They chatted for a few more minutes before Severus left, needing to take his charges back to Hogwarts and back to their beds. It was quite late.

And he wasn't looking forward to dealing with an inebriated teenager who had some power over his Mark and had a tendency to run off. Really  it was best to just get it over with.

Except, Potter wasn't there.

"Where is he?" Severus asked immediately after stepping out of the fireplace.

Draco frowned. "Oh, I thought you held him up or something. He didn't come through."

Merlin gracious-

Severus pinched the bridge of his nose, wishing he could indulge in a glass of firewhiskey. This couldn't be happening.

"He didn't show up? At all?"

Draco shook his head.

"Bloody hell."

Just what he needed.

"He must be somewhere around; just don't lock your floo and he'll show up. He did tell me that floo travel hates him, so he's probably in Hogsmeade or somewhere close."

That is if Potter was lucky.

Or if he didn't do this on purpose, but considering his altered state of mind and his unusual misfortune of travelling like a normal wizard, Potter could be anywhere.

And now Severus had to find him by morning, or they'll have a missing teenager on their hands.

He knew that the Ball with no incidents was too good to be true.

Harry scrambled to his feet, panic momentarily clearing his addled mental state better than any potion could. 

He wasn't at Hogwarts.

He was-

He was at that thrice cursed Riddle Manor, and in front of him was-

"Crucio!" Harry hissed with a venomous sneer on his face and the screams that filled the house were heavenly.

Unfortunately, other's magic immediately rose in order to find him, the invader, and Harry knew he needed to leave. Immediately.

"Tom, I don't fucking know how to apparate," he hissed, sending a body binding curse to that traitorous rat.

He needed Pettigrew alive if he wanted to free his godfather. Unfortunately.

And such a great opportunity to kill him, too.

"Show yourself to me, and I might let you leave this house alive," an amplified voice rang through the entire house, and Harry froze.

That was Voldemort. 

Fuck.

Fuckity fuck.

"Try the floo," Tom hissed back, materialising next to him.

Harry looked around frantically, spotting a small jar of what had to be the floo powder, and threw some into the fire.

"Hogsmeade Station," he said, clearly this time, and stepped into flames.

Only to be thrown back on his ass.

Oh Merlin, the room was spinning-

"It's locked," Tom gritted his teeth. "I- I think I might be able to apparate us both if we get out of the house, but-" he looked over Harry worriedly. "But it takes a lot of magic, Harry."

"Better than being dead, yeah?" He quickly jumped to his feet, swaying a little. Oh, that wine was hitting him hard.

He wasn't bloody ready to fight Voldemort like this.

He glanced at the rat man on the floor. "Maybe he can get us out. Or distract your worse half."

"Even insane, I wouldn't be so easily distracted," Tom gritted his teeth. "No. I shall speak with him. He's me. He will listen."

"Are you out of your mind?!" Harry hissed. "He could- he could trap you. He could do Merlin knows what to you. I'm not risking it."

"You don't have a choice." Tom turned to loom over Harry, using his height to his advantage. "You are drunk, you're tired, and in no way, shape or form you could fight the Dark Lord in his own house and escape unscathed."

"I'm not risking you." Harry didn't let up. "'nd I'm not drunk." He was.

Tom placed his hands on Harry’s shoulders and squeezed. "And I'm not risking you. He can't kill me, but you are fair game. No. Don't even argue. We will try to get out through the wards, which I'm sure you can tell are locked tight, and if we can't, we'll negotiate. Or try something else."

Harry frowned. "How did you get in last time?"

"He and I are the same person. The wards recognized us as such."

Harry frowned.

Tom would say he looked adorable if the situation wasn't so dire.

"You possessed Ginny once," Harry muttered, a brilliant smile crossing his face. "Do it to me."

Tom flinched back with an incredulous expression on his face.

"No."

Harry blinked. "What do you mean, no? Then the wards would let me through!"

Tom glared at him.

"Possession isn't without risks. And I don't want to possess you." Tom looked angry but controlled it well. "And… perhaps this is a perfect opportunity to negotiate with my counterpart. Find out his plans."

Harry graced Tom with an incredulous look that hopefully carried out his thoughts about how he sounded completely off his rockers, but before he could say anything, the door creaked open.

Harry stumbled back, hiding himself halfway behind Tom when a giant serpent slid into the room.

"Rat man is on the floor… Nagini should eat him… but who are you?" The python rose to their eye level, the double-forked tongue tasting the air. "You smell like my Master." She flicked her tongue again, this time slithering towards Harry, who was having a hard time not cringing back. If he didn't think the snake would bite him immediately, he would've tried to petrify her at least. "You… I know you… but you smell like my Master too… are you his mate?"

"Why, yes, he is," Tom smirked and slid an arm around Harry’s waist, pulling Harry closer. Harry yelped in surprise, but didn't struggle.

He was too busy staring at Nagini, a snake that Voldemort wanted to feed him to.

"You claim to be my Master?" The snake asked, circling around them.

"Yes. I am a part of him. Where is he?"

"My Master is resting upstairs… come, I shall take you to him."

The serpent slid out of the room while Harry was having a hard time calming down his wildly beating heart.

"This is insane."

"Right up your alley then, darling," Tom said carelessly, leading Harry out of the room with his arm still tight around his waist. "Trust me on this. And if it doesn't work, then we can go with your plan."

"If he kills me I hope he drops you into the sewer," Harry hissed back, furious that Tom wanted to speak to that lunatic when just weeks prior he was ranting and raving how Voldemort was unreasonable and insane, and not worth negotiating with at all.

He just knew this would end badly.

Tom was nuts.

And while he was curious, he wasn't curious enough to go meet Voldemort- wait.

Harry was in - probably - Voldemort’s house, with Voldemort’s snake, Voldemort himself and Tom - another piece of Voldemort by his side.

It was kind of funny, if absurd.

An hysterical giggle escaped his lips before Harry could stop it.

Tom looked sharply at him, with a clear question in his eyes, but Harry just shook his head, slapping a hand over his mouth. 

Now probably wasn't the best time to start laughing, but the more he thought about it, the funnier it seemed.

"Master… they were downstairs with the rat man… Master, they smell like you…"

Harry froze when Nagini spoke to someone - with Voldemort. 

His legs stopped working, but Tom, that bloody bastard, pushed Harry inside the room.

For this alone Harry was going to make Tom regret his own existence.

"Ah… my guests. Welcome."

Harry watched with equal amounts of fear and sick curiosity how an armchair that was turned towards the fire started turning around.

Harry gripped his wand tighter, ready to fire at a moment's notice.

This whole thing felt like an out of body experience or a dream to Harry: maybe he was dreaming, having dozed off in Lucius' office.

It would make more sense than being here.

The only thing stopping him from stepping back was Tom's hand that was still on his waist, and if he wasn't in such a dire situation, Harry would find it endearing.

Now it was stopping him from leaving.

The armchair finally stopped turning and Harry was met with a disgusting small creature, a homunculus Voldemort was currently possessing.

It looked weak and frail, but the magic coming off it was anything but.

Merlin’s balls, Harry was excited.

What the fuck was in that wine?

"Well… I didn't quite expect to receive such a Yule gift from… myself," Voldemort looked Tom up and down, ignoring Harry completely. "How are you corporeal?"

Tom smirked.

"Courtesy to Harry here."

Oh, so Tom wasn't going to lie?

"Yep. Me. So sorry for crashing in your uh… home. Didn't mean to. Complete accident, I swear. So uh… yep, thanks for having us and now we'll just go, yeah?"

Harry gave Voldemort a charming lop-sided smile and tried to step towards the door, but they slammed shut right in front of his face.

Fuck.

"You're not leaving," hissed Voldemort. "How did you get in here?"

"Uh… accidentally?"

Tom sighed loudly. 

"He's terrible with the floo travel. I just didn't realise he was this terrible."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!" Harry immediately turned to Tom, ignoring that he was in a room with one person that still wanted him dead. 

But that could wait.

His eyes narrowed and he shot Tom a menacing glare. "I'm terrible all of a sudden, am I?"

Panic entered Tom's eyes as he, too, seemed to forget just where they were.

"That's not what I meant-"

"No?"

"Of course not, darling," Tom smiled placatingly, hoping to defuse the fire before it burned the all down. "You know that magical travel isn't one of your strengths and, well, that wine was pretty strong." Harry continued glaring and pouting, so Tom stepped closer, trying to convey his apologies with a soft smile and his hand gently stroking Harry’s cheek. "You know that's not what I meant, Harry dear."

Harry narrowed his eyes one more time before releasing a loud sigh. "Fine." He deflated. "You owe me, though."

Tom's eyes darkened and his gaze stayed on Harry’s lips a few seconds too long to be appropriate. "Anything you want."

Harry flushed at the innuendo, suddenly feeling excited at the prospect of snogging Tom again, but life clearly had other plans.

"What in the name of Merlin is going on here?" Voldemort hissed, his wand ready and pointed at them both.

"Younger Master intends to mate…" Nagini slithered closer, flicking her tongue. "It's time for the Master to have hatchlings, Nagini approves: Master's mate smells of power."

Harry jumped back as if scalded, eyes wide and cheeks flushing at what the serpent just said.

Oh my god, it was humiliating.

"I don't want to have hatchlings, I'm fourteen!" Harry screamed, or, well, hissed. It was a bit hard to scream in the serpent's tongue.

"You speak?" Nagini asked, surprised.

"No, I hiss. Hiss hiss, motherfu- ouch! What the hell, Tom!"

"Be quiet," Tom spat, his own cheeks burning, even though he pretended not to be affected by the snake's words.

"Your mate is feisty, Master. Nagini likes the new speaker."

"What do you mean, be quiet?!" Harry shrieked. "How can you be calm right now?! Nagini just announced to the Dark Lord himself that we are going to- toshag!" His face was scarlet and it wasn't from the wine. "I can never live this down!"

"Harry-"

"No!"

Harry covered his face with his hands, having a sudden urge to scream and cry at the same time. It was overwhelming.

Never in his entire life had he been so embarrassed. It was mortifying.

This is not how he was supposed to meet the Dark Lord.

All of a sudden, firm but soft hands enveloped him and he was crushed against a firm chest.

"Shh… it's not that bad, darling," Tom whispered into his hair. "Could be Dumbledore."

Harry whimpered.

"That would be funny though."

"One of you will tell me what is going on immediately or I will torture it out of you, my wayward soul or not," Voldemort spat, after watching what was unfolding right in front of him with a lifetime worth of bewilderment. He still wasn't certain it wasn't some messed up hallucination. Would be right up Wormtail's alley to poison his food.

Tom glared at him through the top of Harry’s head.

"Isn't that obvious? We came to visit my main counterpart. You." Tom's eyes no longer held a shred of fondness it did for Harry, only disdain as he looked at this… thing. "I'm one of your pieces, as you so expertly deduced. Harry has been keeping me alive. This visit is also a complete accident; like I've said before, Harry has trouble with magical means of travel and he clearly must've been thinking of you for us to fall out of your fireplace."

"Impossible," Voldemort sneered. "My fireplace is locked down."

Tom raised his eyebrow, thanking the gods that he had them.

"Oh? Perhaps you should ask that snivelling servant of yours why it was open then. Or perhaps it was just one of the Harry things." Because Merlin knows, rules of magic seem to just bend over for Harry.

"Wormtail," Voldemort hissed menacingly. "Where is he?"

Tom's smile turned bloodthirsty as he recalled what his darling had done.

"Downstairs," he said lightly. "Harry… crucio'ed him. He's unavailable to comment."

Voldemort’s eyes widened. "Impossible." He looked at the boy still cradled in Tom's arms.

He looked disgusted.

"What is the meaning of all- this," he motioned to them.

"He's mine," Tom hissed, giving no fucks that his main part clearly disapproved of what he was seeing. Harry was his.

He didn't care if he has to kill this Voldemort to keep Harry, if he has to entrap him - he will.

For Harry.

The one and only person in the world that has given Tom his complete trust and everything else.

Harry finally pulled away from Tom, embarrassed that he was acting like a child at the worst timing possible.

He just knew Tom will make fun of him for this later.

"Wormtail should be counting his lucky stars he's still breathing," he addressed Voldemort seriously for the first time, even though he still had a hard time comprehending who was in front of him. Harry offered a deranged little smile to the man. "He screams so prettily though; don't mind if I curse him again."

Voldemort stared at him.

Harry felt a push inside his mind and he didn't fancy the Dark Lord rummaging somewhere he had no right to be, so he offered the memory where he cursed Peter. And a few more fantasies of what he wanted to do to that man.

It made Voldemort pull away, thankfully. Harry was certain he wouldn't be able to fight off a legilimency attack from someone of the Dark Lord's calibre.

"The wonders never cease," the homunculus muttered. "Have you ensnared Potter?" He asked Tom, ignoring Harry’s look of indignation.

"You'd think that, wouldn't you?" Tom muttered. "I'm afraid Black Madness is prevalent in this one- ouch!"

Harry elbowed Tom in the ribs, his eyes glinting with unleashed malice. "This again?" He hissed. "I'm not mad, but I'm about to be!"

"Enough!" Voldemort snapped, having seen enough. "Keep your pet on a leash," he told Tom, only making Harry bristle even more.

"I'm not a bloody pet!" He screeched, his magic snapping like a whip inside the room, making the chandelier rattle and flames flare dangerously high.

"Of course not, Harry," Tom raised his hands in surrender, hoping to placate the boy that currently seemed more dangerous than the literal Dark Lord. "Calm down."

Harry bared his teeth, but the next moment he was blasted back and landed painfully on his arse.

"What the fuck!" He screeched, furious, but nobody answered him.

"Black Madness indeed," muttered Voldemort, addressing Tom rather than Harry. "He possesses some of the Walburgas' infamous traits as well."

Tom nodded, discreetly, because he'd rather not incur Harry’s wrath later.

"Now, tell me. How come you became acquainted with my enemy… Tom," Voldemort asked, completely ignoring Harry. Like he was insignificant.

Which made Harry bristle even more, but Nagini was there to distract him, apparently.

She slithered closer to him, then on top of him, draping herself so Harry couldn't get up. She was quite heavy, after all.

"What are you doing?"

"Hatchling is warm. And skinny. Nagini can feel your bones… Nagini should bring Master's mate a jucy rabbit to feast on so the hatchling becomes stronger."

Not this again.

"Or you can eat that rat downstairs, Nagini," Harry offered slyly. "Or not. That filthy man might poison you and cause a belly ache."

"Master doesn't allow Nagini to eat the rat… Master promised Nagini you, but you are too bony for me, and Nagini cannot eat Master's mate."

Harry thought it was lucky Nagini believed him to be Voldemort's mate, otherwise this meetup would've ended up on a completely different note.

Absent-mindedly he started scratching Nagini, just like he would his own little snake.

"Oh, yesss… higher, hatchling."

Voldemort stared bewildered at the image in front of him.

"Everything you've ever heard about him is a carefully crafted mask in order to deceive the old man," Tom said carefully, watching Harry fondly. "He found me two years ago and we've been… partners in crime ever since."

Voldemort's eyes were darting between his horcrux and Potter, and he felt disgusted by what he saw. But he could also manipulate the situation into something beneficial for him. He still needed Potter's blood and timing wasn't right yet.

"You could've drained him and procured a body."

"True. But I have a body and I have Harry. Completely willing. Win-win, isn't it?"

"This shouldn't be possible," Voldemort hissed. "You're a horcrux, for you to become like this would've drained him a long time ago. Tell the truth!"

Tom shrugged. "I admit that it is… unusual. But I don't know if you noticed, but the laws of magic seem to bend for Harry more times than not. The fact that we ended up here is a proof of that."

"Hm…" He was baffled. This must be some sort of trick.

No way in hell would Potter consort with his soul piece. Not the Potter he knew, unless something big happened.

He was missing something vital.

And he no longer felt murderous rage towards the boy… it was strange.

His mind was clearer.

"Potter!" The boy turned to look at him, and that insolent child dared to glare at him. "Get up here!"

"Oh, and how am I supposed to do that with your giant fucking snake wrapped around me?! Huh?!"

"Nagini darling, would you mind terribly allowing Harry some space to stand up?" Tom tried to diffuse the situation, because for some bloody reason Harry and his main part didn't seem so keen on getting along.

Must be the murdered parents thing.

"The hatchling gives excellent scratches…"

"How about a rabbit then?" Tom asked and gave Voldemort a pointed look. He wasn't about to waste his energy on a bloody rabbit.

The homunculus sneered, but lifted the pale yew wand that the Wizarding World trembled in fear from the sight of, and summoned a rabbit for Nagini to chase.

The snake immediately released Harry and went after it, leaving an adorably confused Harry behind.

Tom refused to pinch the bridge of his nose; he'll need to speak with Harry about alcohol. Clearly, he had next to no tolerance to it and Tom didn't want it to become a problem. There is a reason he refused to drink, even with his dormmates.

Being a good partner Tom went over and graciously offered his hand, all the while admiring Harry in his formal robes, finally befitting his station.

When he acquires a body Tom will not allow him to wear anything else but the best.

Harry swayed on his feet, grabbing onto Tom until the room stopped spinning.

"No more Malfoy wine, darlin'," Tom muttered. "I can't believe you let him get you drunk."

"I'm fine, just a bit blurry," Harry blurred out, trying to get a grip on himself. He was going to ask Tom to obliviate him of this tomorrow. "So uh," he turned to Voldemort, trying not to look like a bloody idiot, for once, "what does the Dark Lord require of me?"

The homunculus managed to look pleased somehow.

"My, what a stark difference between you and a boy I met a few years ago. And the things I've been reading… one might think you possessed."

"Funny. Last time I saw you you were the one possessing people. Me? I'm just being my honest self."

Tom's grip on him tightened painfully and perhaps it was a warning for Harry not to push Voldemort over the edge. He was already being more sane than either of them have ever seen him.

Which was suspicious.

"So, it's late, isn't it? How about we leave - because I really need to get back to Hogwarts before Snape skins me alive - and you keep enjoying this fine evening, hm?" Harry smiled brightly at the Dark Lord, hoping that he would not have to do something insane just to get out alive once more.

"Leave?" Voldemort chuckled. "Who said you are leaving at all?"

Harry felt a chill run down his spine.

"I did," he said.

"I second that," Tom piped up as well, receiving a murderous glare from his counterpart. Merlin, who knew dealing with himself would be so bloody annoying?

"I will not allow a child, let alone my nemesis, to take Tom back to the castle where Albus Dumbledore could destroy my diary at any given moment!" Voldemort shrieked.

"You have no right to him!" Harry shrieked back, his eyes glinting menacingly in the low firelight. "You lefthim in the filthy hands of Malfoys, did you not? And never thought about him again, did you? No, because you only think about yourself."

Tom pulled Harry away from the crucio thrown their way, hissing at Voldemort to stop.

"What, don't like to hear the shit you've done thrown back at you?" Harry continued to goad him. "Tom's been with me for years and you didn't notice. Dumbledore didn't either, because I am that fucking good. And obviously, since he believes I'm going dark now, or whatever, Tom stays in the Chamber of Secrets that only we can access. Safest bloody place in the whole fucking Hogwarts. So no, you're not getting him. He's mine."

Tom wasn't going to lie. Harry claiming him so passionately was hot and he had to fight the urge to push him against the wall and devour him right here, in front of his main part.

Which was still a bizarre concept, but he conceded the point.

Voldemort, on the other hand, looked murderous to be denied something and also kind of awed that someone dared to say no. And give reasons for it.

Usually, people who said no to the Dark Lord didn't live long lives.

"Tom is my soul-"

"If you wanted to keep him so badly, then you shouldn't have discarded him!" Harry screeched. "I'm so sick of all of this bullshit- that's it, I'm out."

Harry grabbed Tom and went for the door that wouldn't open.

Voldemort looked a bit too smug while Harry was glaring murderously, in his humble opinion.

"Let. Us. Out."

"No. In fact, making you permanent guests sounds appealing and would make things so much easier for me."

"No can do, I have a busy schedule," Harry retorted sarcastically. "You know, you might read about it in the paper tomorrow, who knows? I'm terribly famous these days."

"I kno-"

Voldemort's voice was cut off when Harry blasted the door open with sheer magic, then turned to give one last look of absolute disdain.

Then smiled.

"Tom's way prettier than you and you suck," Harry said last before dashing out of the room, barely missing a well aimed curse.

"What the fuck, Harry, do you want him to kill you?!" Tom whisper shouted while they darted downstairs.

Thank fuck that homunculus wasn't able to walk.

But Nagini could - well, she could slither, and they heard Voldemort telling her to go after them.

Harry tried the same trick with the outside door, but it didn't even budge.

Wards.

Powerful fucking wards, but what could one expect from a paranoid Dadk Lord?

"You need to do it, Tom, there's no way out," Harry said hurriedly, because Nagini wasn't that far away, counting from her hissing about silly Masters and their mates.

"We could try negotiating, I don't think-"

"Tom, do it!"

The boy nodded and grabbed Harry’s head, pressing closer. "This will be uncomfortable," he said and pressed their lips together.

The very next moment Harry felt like he was falling and was being pushed somewhere at the same time. Like his mind was being pushed aside and-

Then his body went numb and he couldn't feel it at all anymore, he was just so confused-

Don't panic, you're okay. We're getting out of here.

It was weird hearing a voice in his own head but stranger things have happened to Harry.

But knowing it was Tom saying this put him at a considerable ease.

He watched like a spectator would a TV how he - or his body - all of a sudden just opened the door that his magical blast was unable to leave even a dent in, and he was outside. Closing the door just in time as Nagini tried to strike, hopefully not to kill them. 

That would be awfully inconvenient.

I'll apparate us now.

Harry would've nodded but his body was unresponsive. Not that he was trying to gain back control or anything.

All of a sudden the most disgusting feeling overcame him and his body, and he would've vomited if he could feel his stomach.

This was apparition?! It was way too overrated for such a poor experience.

Sorry, nothing I can do. We're in Hogsmeade.

Harry could see that.

But he could also see a billowing cloak of one figure he didn't want to see.

"Potter! What in Merlin’s name are you doing there?"

Oh shit.

I got you, darling.

"Sorry, professor. This isn't the first time I ended up in the wrong place while flooing."

It was truly like watching a telly, hearing himself speak but not doing it himself.

Snape sighed.

"Draco said as much. Come, we must get back. It's late."

"Of course, professor. My apologies, I didn't mean for it to happen."

Snape grunted but didn't say anything else and started walking Harry back to the castle.

I'd give you control back, but it would look suspicious and for all I know, you might pass out momentarily.

Harry was confused how to answer, so he just directed his thoughts where he believed Tom to be and said: Just be quiet and you can do that when we're alone.

Thankfully Snape wasn't in a chatty mood and led Harry directly to the Gryffindor common room, not giving Harry a chance to escape anywhere else.

"Goodnight, Mr Potter. Try not to get lost again."

"Goodnight, professor."

Harry - or Tom? - climbed through the portrait, and despite the later hour, the common room wasn't empty.

It was packed.

With students, most just hanging out in the corners with blankets and steaming cups, some lying on the floor by the fire, but most were surrounding the table and cheering someone on.

Please don't do anything stupid, Harry said to Tom, even though he was quite curious to see how Tom would handle dealing with teenagers fifty years into the future.

Don't worry, darling, your reputation will stay intact, Tom said, but Harry could feel his excitement.

Merlin, sharing his body felt weird. This wasn't the way he ever imagined being with Tom.

Oh well.

When they stepped into the room everyone quieted and most did a double take on Harry.

Someone whistled.

"Where have you been, Potter?" someone asked.

"Yes, it's after curfew," a prefect whose name Harry still didn't know, said. "You know it's an immediate detention."

Harry - well, Tom, raised his eyebrow elegantly. "Detention?" He snorted. "Take that up with professor Snape, will you? He's the one who led me straight to the dormity, after all."

Harry knew they'd never do it; Snape would give detention for even bothering him with such nonsensical shit.

"Leave Harrykins be, Leo!" Fred bellowed, getting up from the table. "Can't you see our darling champion doesn't wish to talk to us, lowly peasants?"

He's tolerable, Tom said, which was a generous compliment from someone like him.

Harry just knew he was going to regret saying that.

"Yeah? And why does he get to go out? What, are we not good enough to be around all of a sudden?" Finnigan just had to open his big mouth.

"Yeah, where have you been?"

Harry felt the now familiar rage starting to simmer in his gut.

Months in almost-isolation allowed him to forget just how insufferable some of these people were, how they had no concept of boundaries or privacy.

I could kill them for you, darling, paint the walls with their unworthy blood,Tom offered, having trouble containing his own rage at such audacity.

No one would've ever even dared to ask where he was at his own time. Of course, back then people seemed to have at least an ounce of self preservation.

Let me take you up on that later.

"How rude," Tom chided. "Funny how you believe you can demand things from me. But since you'll hear it from other sources in the morning anyway, I was attending the Malfoy Yule Ball."

The silence felt crushing, before it exploded into furious shouts.

Apparently, he was a traitor once more.

How dare he consort with Malfoys.

Thankfully, at least a few students seemed more sensible than the majority, most likely purebloods who knew that getting an invite to any ball the Malfoys' host is a big deal. You can't just waltz in there if you're not invited.

"Damn," a seventh year boy whistled. "Who did you have to kill to get an invite?"

Harry grinned, but he was rudely interrupted before he could answer.

"Cosying up to baby death eaters and being a traitor seems enough!" Ron shouted, and for the sake of his slipping sanity, Harry wanted to strangle him.

"No need to be jealous, Weasley," he drawled. Harry could feel Tom preening under the attention of the whole common room; must've felt right at home. "Just because you never get invited anywhere - and mind you, after seeing your Ball robes you will never be invited anywhere again," the students started snickering much to Ron's rage, "-it doesn't mean that us, normal people of the Wizarding World, don't have places to be. And I'd be careful if I were you throwing such accusations around: just because you're a dim-witted idiot it doesn't mean you'll avoid consequences. Just look at your blood-traitor sister: she'll be lucky if Pierre's father doesn't press charges." Which was still a high possibility.

France and Britain were on a shaky ground already and this tournament was supposed to be a bridge towards a more solid alliance. However, such an attack could definitely be used to bring Britain to a begging point. Tom would definitely do that.

"Don't you speak about my sister like that after what you've done to her!" Ron screeched, coming towards him with a fist, but Tom was faster: with one flick of his wrist Ron was flying back.

Merlin, it felt so weird to be a mere spectator while your body does things like this, Harry thought.

"Yesterday your sister, today you… well, since there's a whole bloody quidditch team of you I sincerely hope you won't start coming at me one after the other, one for each day of the week."

That brought out snickers from other students.

"We would never!" Fred jumped to stand next to Harry, clapping him on the shoulder in a show of support, while he, along with his twin, glared daggers at his brother.

"Truly, Ronniekins, we know you are a mannerless buffoon…"

"We did have the displeasure of growing up around you." George nodded along. "Yuck, I know."

"But this is an all time low, even for you," Fred continued. "It's not enough that you abandon your fine friend here, because you're a jealous little bitch-"

"-no, you have to be a coward too."

"We are disgusted to be related to you."

"And we sincerely hope you enjoy what comes next."

With the whole common room watching, Fred walked up to Ron and blew something in his face.

Everyone waited with bated breaths for something to happen, but nothing did. Ron seemed to deflate after that, believing it to be a scare tactic, nothing more.

"Detention, Weasley," the previous prefect said, shooting daggers at the boy. As did the most of the common room, to Harry’s immense pleasure. It seemed that twins taking his side proved something to them.

I like the twins, Tom said. Even though I have no idea what they've just done. I don't recognize the powder.

Must be one of their inventions, Harry concluded. The twins were busy all the time. They rarely even pranked anyone these days, always disappearing somewhere.

"For what?!" Ron protested. "I was attacked!"

"For a disgusting show of backstabbing qualities and for initiating a fight. You should be ashamed to call yourself a gryffindor. Now get the fuck out of here."

Ron huffed and stomped off, probably to try and set Harry’s curtains on fire.

Oh well.

Harry ignored the other students and turned to the twins. "What was that thing?"

Both of them grinned from ear to ear, looking entirely too pleased with themselves.

"Oh, you'll see, our darling champion. No need to spoil the surprise."

Somehow, Harry didn't find it reassuring, but he couldn't be arsed to put effort into finding out.

He was exhausted, and still very tipsy.

"I'm heading to bed as well."

"What? No!" Each twin grabbed an arm and dragged Harry towards the sopha. "You must enlighten us about the horrors you've faced tonight."

"We've heard it's better to get things off your chest, you see."

"And you must have some juicy details after being gone for hours."

"Please, Harry," Fred begged. "Allow us, your lowly servants, a glimpse into your wonderful life."

Oh, they are delightful, Tom thought.

"Not tonight." Harry pulled away, knowing he was at his limit. "I'm truly exhausted. But I'm sure Draco wouldn't mind you two asking him for some gossip: he loves sharing all the gory details. Trust me."

The manic grins on the twins' faces meant nothing good for the Malfoy heir.

You just had to sicc them on Draco, Harry grumbled, even if a reluctant smile was forming on his lips. Could he smile while being inside of his head? They'll leave him in tatters.

Little did Harry know Tom felt it was completely justified. He didn't like how heir Malfoy’s eyes strayed to his Harry, how he dared to be considered one of Harry’s love interests.

This was as good of a payback as any.

If he can't handle these demons, then he's useless to you, darling, he said to Harry instead. Let's go now, I can tell you can't take much more of this.

They quickly made their way to the dormity, releaved that Ron wasn't inside the room, but taking a shower.

Without further ado Harry quickly spelled pajamas onto himself.

I'll leave once you're in bed, Tom said. We don't know what will happen.

Gee, thanks for the support.

They activated all the necessary protections Harry’s been meticulously placing around his bed and on the curtains, and he felt Tom leave.

It felt disgusting, like something ripping away from his body and his mind, and whilst it felt like an eternity, it took only seconds.

The moment Tom was sitting in front of him - much more transparent than before - exhaustion hit Harry like a train and he slumped back onto his pillows, feeling faint.

It felt like his consciousness was slammed back into his head. 

"How do you feel?" Tom inquired with a worried frown.

"Like I'm going to sleep for three blissful weeks," Harry muttered, squirming a bit: it felt weird being in control of his body again. It felt like there was an itch under his skin that he couldn't scratch, and he was too tired to do it anyway. "This thing was also super fucking weird."

"I told you possession isn't something to be messed with. But I understand there was no other way for us to leave immediately, so … we'll just have to monitor you a bit to see if there are any side effects."

"'kay…" Harry rubbed his eyes, wiggling his toes against Tom who was no longer solid. Shame. Harry would've felt immensely better after kicking him off the bed. "Can't believe I met Voldemort, that he didn't kill me and that I escaped." Oh, and that he acted like some bipolar nutjob in front of the Dark Lord. There goes making a good impression on the man he was going to try resurrect.

"It was the wine, darling. You're going to have a splendid hangover tomorrow."

Harry groaned. "Piss off, will you? It was your fault I was even there: Luci wanted to get his grubby manicured hands on you."

"Don't be disgusting," Tom recoiled. "I'm glad we set the record straight, though."

"Me too." Harry sighed and then yawned. Merlin, he was so bloody exhausted and his view was swimming.

"Go to sleep, Harry. We can speak about this when you wake up. You need to replenish your strength."

"Yes, my Lord. Right away, my Lord."

Harry fell asleep seconds after closing his eyes.

Tom watched him for a moment longer, reluctant to leave but knowing he had to go back to his confinement.

He leaned closer, placing a soft kiss on Harry’s forehead.

"Goodnight, brat."