Chapter 29: Twenty Nine

Notes:

I apologise for the long wait for this chapter, especially after I promised it wouldn't be long. Real life threw some problems my way, but I've had a sort through of my thoughts, and I really want to get this story flowing again. I will post an author's note at the end of the chapter with more details if you want to know more.

Also, just so you know - this chapter is skipping forward about a month in time. It err, may be slightly Winter holiday themed, which was maybe perhaps because of my original plan to have finished the chapter the same sort of time, maybe, but yeah, life ruined that idea. Ah, well, the chapter plot is still important.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

X

Harry found the most horrifying thing for him hadn't been the death of Romilda, surprisingly. It wasn't even the almost purring sounds Tom was making in his ear as the girl's body fell to the floor, or the sadistic smile on the face of Voldemort; no, it was Draco's reaction that was the worst thing. Harry had expected the blond to be horrified, or disgusted, or maybe saddened, but he didn't expect to see a look of respect and admiration on Draco's face.

Even worse was when Draco later told him that seeing Harry cast the Killing Curse so willingly to save his family had inspired the Slytherin to work harder at his task, as killing Dumbledore would be the lesser evil than allowing his parents to die. In Draco's words, if an awkward little Gryffindor could kill, a bold Slytherin surely could too.

Harry also had the issue of dealing with his sister. He had left the topic of self injury alone, because Heather seemed in shock at the disappearance of Romilda Vane from school, even though Tom had given Harry a mock runaway note to leave in the Gryffindor Common Room, made out like the girl herself had written it. He had vaguely asked Heather if she was okay, and he reassured her if she ever needed to talk to anyone, he would be there to listen. She didn't seem willing to say anything, and Harry didn't want to pressure her into anything right away, but he was definitely keeping his eye on her. It was Winter Holidays now, and he decided to leave her be for the moment, so she could enjoy her break from school. Plus there was the fact Tom had basically confined him to his room, which meant he didn't have time for spending with his family.

He had only been at home for a couple days, but Tom had told him he wanted to go to Egypt as soon as possible. The older boy would have simply taken Harry without a word of warning to his parents, but Harry said he would speak to them first so they didn't panic, and Tom had reluctantly allowed it.

It was the scent of baking gingerbread that finally persuaded Harry to go downstairs and speak to James and Lily, who were sat with Remus in the kitchen. James now had a prosthetic leg, and he seemed to be coping well with it. Severus never came round to their house during holidays, because things were too awkward between him and James.

"I thought the smell of baking would bring you down," Lily smiled, looking up from the icing she was putting into piping bags; she always baked and cooked by hand. "We've hardly seen you and Heather since you've been back. I suppose you have Tom, and Heather needs her space; I do hope Romilda's alright."

Harry looked down awkwardly, pulling a chair out to sit on so he didn't cause any suspicion.

"She's a silly girl, running away in the middle of a war like this," James muttered. "Hogwarts would have been far safer than anywhere else."

That much was true; Lily and James hadn't been happy about having their children back for the holidays, because a lot of Muggles had been murdered in their village. In the end, they had permitted them to return, on the promise they wouldn't leave the house. Of course, Harry would be leaving, and not just the house but the country.

"Err, Mum, Dad, can I ask you something?" Harry asked, tapping his fingers on the worktop nervously. His parents looked at him curiously, and he raised his eyes to meet theirs; even if they said no, Tom would still take him. "Tom is planning to go to Egypt soon, and he wants me to go with him."

"Egypt? Why?" Lily questioned, placing down the piping bags and looking at Harry seriously. "I know Tom will probably try and convince us, but I'm not sure it's a good idea. I don't feel it's safe enough to let you go to the village; how am I meant to know you're safe when you're in another country?"

"I doubt Death Eaters are going to attack their leader's son," James stated logically. "And do you really think Tom is simply going to talk to us to convince us to say yes?"

"I suppose you're right," Lily sighed. "I'll let you go, on a number of conditions." Harry nodded, and she continued. "First of all, I want you to Floo me every day; secondly, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but you do not leave Tom's side, and you do as he tells you, and thirdly, you can go only after Christmas and Boxing Day, and be back by the time school starts again. The Weasley's have invited us over to their house Boxing Day, so you have to be there then."

"Thank you," Harry grinned, astounded his parents had agreed so easily, but he supposed he would be wary of saying no to Tom as well. His smile brightened as his mother opened the oven and cast a Cooling Charm over the gingerbread, and iced him a cookie.

"Oh, and sweetheart," Lily called, as Harry thanked her and turned to leave. He turned to face her, the gingerbread already in his mouth, ready to be bitten. "Tell Tom we would like him to join us for Christmas Dinner; he's obviously a big part of your life, so he should be with you on special occasions."

Harry nodded, although he wasn't sure it was right to tell Tom he was invited; it was safer to ask, even with an expected answer of 'no'.

He climbed the stairs back to his room, snapping off half of his cookie to offer Tom the rest, though the offer was refused.

"My parents said I can go to Egypt," Harry told Tom as he sat down on his bed, curling his legs up beside him. "But we have to go after Christmas and Boxing Day."

"Their permission wasn't necessary," Tom said, his lip curling. "However, at least it's far easier for you that way, rather than smuggling you out. I can't say I'm surprised that your parents wish for you to be here over Christmas; people are so obsessed with the holidays, and spending time with their families. I haven't once surrounded myself with others, not since I was old enough to understand and make my own choices."

"Well, about that," Harry laughed awkwardly. "My mum says you're invited to join us for Christmas dinner, and, err, she seems pretty adamant you come. I guess it saves you being up here on your own all day; not that you probably would sit around here doing nothing, but yeah," Harry added awkwardly with a shrug; it would be nice to spend time with Tom in a more normal setting, but Tom would never be swayed by someone else's opinion.

"Fine," Tom said, eyes rolling.

"Mum won't be happy you said no-wait, what?" Harry said, taken off guard, and Tom chuckled.

"I rather like being around your parents; especially your father, though don't mistake that for me liking them. I can see the horror in his eyes every time I touch you," Tom smirked, and Harry had to laugh at the expense of his father.

"You shouldn't like being with my parents purely because you like to infuriate them," Harry reprimanded jokingly; Tom only smirked further.

"I have no need to be pleasant for them; they've served their purpose now, so I can treat them as I wish," Tom stated. "Though please be aware just because I will be joining your family for a meal, does not mean I will be celebrating any holiday; and do not bother with a gift." Harry was glad Tom said that, because he would have had no idea what to get the man. "Your promise to make a Horcrux is pleasing enough for me."

"Err, okay," Harry nodded. "And on Boxing Day I have to go to the Weasley's, but you could prepare everything and we can leave when we come back?"

Tom was silent for a moment. "I shall accompany you to the Weasley's as well," Tom told him. "Though the parents are blood traitors, they are still a Pure-blood family, and the children only believe in the Light side due to the way they were raised; it will be beneficial to see who is worth persuading to join my side."

"Ginny, definitely," Harry muttered. "But, are you sure you want to go? What if Neville Longbottom's there?"

"I'm not planning to commit murder and torture any of them just yet," Tom said with a dark glare. "And I shall be in disguise so they cannot trace me, or connect your family to me. I am also intrigued as to how a poor Pure-blooded family lives; all those I have visited have been wealthy. Your family lives comfortably, and I am very aware that the Potter accounts have enough money for you to live almost as well as families such as the Nott's and the Parkinson's."

"Which is probably why my mum and dad are happy here," Harry said under his breath, his eyes studying the back of Tom's hands.

"Once we have finished with your familial duties, we shall visit the mental asylum you wished to see, and then leave for Egypt in the early morning."

X

Christmas was soon upon them; term had finished so late that there was hardly time to get used to being at home. Because he would be spending the rest of the holiday abroad, he and Tom had completed all the homework he had to do. He hadn't wanted Tom to help him, but the man assured him that he would be taking over the Wizarding World soon, and he didn't care what qualifications Harry had, and he would train him to be a freelance Curse-Breaker. Freelance workers were often looked down upon, because they had a reputation for finding more Dark artefacts than gold, and sold mostly to sleazy shops down Knockturn Alley, but Harry thought that Dark artefacts were tame after the things he had experienced, and he had no problem with them providing they didn't attempt to kill him.

By Christmas Day, all his work had been finished, and it had lifted a load off his shoulders which he hadn't known he had had. In the morning, he left Tom to go downstairs and open his presents, and went with Remus and his father to visit the memorial headstone that had been placed for Sirius, while Heather and Lily popped over to visit Snape. Even knowing Sirius would return soon didn't stop the three men returning red-eyed, but Christmas had been Sirius' favourite holiday, and he wouldn't have wanted them moping around.

Tom finally joined them downstairs while Lily was chopping vegetables, with Remus assisting her. Lily had banned James had from cooking Muggle style years ago, so he was sat watching and sneaking food when he could, which resulting in him being threatened with a carving knife numerous times.

"That's an impressive blade," Tom commented, Accio-ing the knife out of Lily's hand and into his. Harry flinched, though the handle landed smoothly in Tom's grip. "When I was a seven, I remember trying to skin and slice open a rabbit with a simple dining knife; it was terribly difficult and messy, but I got the job done in the end. This would have made it much easier."

Tom slammed the knife into the worktop, the metal tip digging into the surface, and the adults in the room jumped. Tom smirked as he picked up the knife and ghosted his fingertips across the sharp blade.

"What were you doing cooking with knives at that age?" Lily asked sternly. "Especially with inappropriate ones?"

"Oh, it was nothing to do with cooking," he answered with a dark smile. "Young Billy Stubbs called me a demon for talking to a snake, so I skinned and gutted his pet rabbit, and then hanged it from the rafters for him to find."

Lily paled and summoned the knife back to her.

"How about you two go sit in the living room?" Lily suggested, her tone soft but slightly wary. Her lips were pursed, and Tom only smirked further. He glanced back at the knife, and Lily closed her hand tightly over the handle.

Harry sighed; Tom had only been around for two minutes and he was already affecting his family.

Getting through the dinner itself was the most awkward part. Tom was very charming, and made pleasant conversation and complimented the food; Harry wouldn't really know if the compliments were true, because the way one of Tom's hands insisted on touching him made it almost impossible to eat.

Tom managed to maintain a flowing conversation despite what he was doing to Harry, and only Lily and Heather seemed to be able to match him. Heather was only managing because she likely didn't realise what Tom was doing. Lily's words were harsh and forced, while Remus kept his eyes on his plate, and James only managed a few grunts.

"I have told Harry I'll be joining you at the Weasley's tomorrow," Tom informed the group, his hand pressing down over Harry's crotch and making him squeak. "I bring no threat; I simply desire to see how a Pureblood family with no money lives. Of course I shall be in disguise too; we can keep to the story of Sal, except alter the Muggle background to that of a home-schooled, travelling Wizard."

"That's fine," Lily said, managing a smile, no matter how forced it looked. "James, stop that!" she hissed, and James begrudgingly removed his fork from the table he had embedded it in. "And then I hear you and Harry are going to Egypt?"

"Yes, though our business is no concern of yours," Tom muttered darkly, and Lily nodded.

"I don't particularly want to know," she responded, her eyes flickering over to where Tom's arm disappeared beneath the table. "I just want to make sure Harry will come back in one piece."

"Of course; he would be no good to me if his body was in pieces," Tom smiled, and Harry shuddered. He also hadn't missed Tom's use of the word body; if Harry managed to create his Horcrux, and he didn't think Tom would let him leave Egypt until he did, his soul certainly wouldn't be in one piece.

"Well, I suppose it's good work experience," Remus managed to mutter, still looking at his plate as he spoke.

"Do you think maybe Romilda went abroad?" Heather piped up. "She said she had an Italian boyfriend over the summer once; she might have gone and hidden with him."

James and Lily exchanged a weary look, as though they knew Romilda was now ashes. Tom had told Harry that was the easiest way they disposed of bodies, as Nagini could only devour so many at a time.

"Any magical victims the Death Eaters take are brought to my father and I," Tom answered, taking Harry by surprise. "No girls have been brought in for some time, so abroad or not, the girl is likely alive, unless she met death by hands of another mean."

Heather seemed to brighten considerably, but Harry was left somewhat confused. As far as he knew, Tom disliked Heather, and he certainly had no reason to try and convince her to side with him. He supposed Tom must have his reasons though, even if they may be something as sinister as playing with Heather's head.

Lily decided to bring the conversation to a topic less serious, and dinner continued as normal.

Tom had wanted to return to Harry's room after they had finished, but Harry insisted that he wanted to spend time with his family by being downstairs with them. Tom had finally agreed, but warned Harry he would be facing a punishment for making him spend more time with the Potter's than necessary.

Harry pointed out Tom didn't have to stay down there with them if he didn't want to, but Tom had just rolled his eyes and held onto Harry possessively in a chair really only aimed at holding one person, which made reading the book Luna had sent him extra difficult, never mind the fact Tom seemed to be reading it too, only at twice the speed of Harry and tutting every time he took too long to turn the page.

The day had certainly been different to what Harry was used to, and although he had tried to keep his mind off it, he had definitely noticed the missing presence of Sirius.

This made him even more determined to help Tom find the Tablet though, and when they did, Harry would be straight to the Veil to bring his Godfather back.

X

The next day, a very blond, disgusted looking Tom stood with Harry and his family outside the Weasley home.

"They call this a house?" Tom sneered. "It looks like poorly made shacks stacked on top of each other; I wouldn't be surprised if their bodies were found under the collapsed ruins one day."

"I hope that isn't an implied threat," Lily said shortly, giving Tom the look that drove fear into the heart of her husband and children if they were unlucky enough to warrant it. Tom, on the other hand, was not fazed in the slightest.

"No threat at all; I was merely observing the poor workmanship that has been put into this building," Tom drawled. "As I said before, I have no intention of harming anybody today; I'm surprised you don't trust me." Tom flashed a dazzling smile, and James actually shuddered.

"Yes, I wonder why that's a surprise," the man stated. "And do try to keep your hands off my son while we're here, please."

"Of course; I think Harry quite satisfied my needs last night," Tom smirked, causing James to stutter and break into a coughing fit.

The door then opened to reveal a beaming Mrs Weasley.

"Hello; goodness, James, are you alright?" Molly said as greeting, looking cautiously over the choking man. Her eyes then darted around the open countryside, as though checking there were no Death Eaters standing in wait.

Lily leaned forward, and whispered something into Mrs Weasley's ear, and the woman seemed to visibly relax, and pulled Lily into a hug before welcoming her and Heather into her home.

James ushered Harry inside, standing beside Remus behind him in an odd form of barrier. He would have rather been protected from Mrs Weasley, who drew him into a tight hug as he tried to pass.

"You look in good shape," she beamed at him. "Your poor mother was so worried about you after that fall; fancy Hagrid keeping such dangerous creatures next to the school; it was just an accident waiting to happen. And you must be Sal," she said, turning to Tom. "Lily told me all about you; we're happy to have you."

"Thank you," Tom said quietly, a shy smile plastered on his face.

Harry followed the sound of cheerful banter, until he reached the doorway where he froze and Tom almost had to drag him through.

It seemed like almost all of the Weasley's were gathered, with Fleur Delacour, Neville Longbottom and his grandmother there as well.

Tom's eyes did a rapid study of the room, and Harry saw the quick gleam of contempt before it was disguised.

"Hiya, Harry," Ginny sang, running up to Harry almost bursting with excitement, and she all but pulled him into the corner; Tom had already separated from him and was circling the room like a vulture. "Who's he?" Ginny asked once they were in the quietest bit of the room. "I thought your boyfriend was a brunette called Tom? Mum said he was called Sal."

"Oh, err, that's a funny story," Harry muttered awkwardly. "He's, err, not naturally blond, and when he's dark haired he looks the spitting image of his father whose name is Tom, and me being the drunken idiot that I am decided to call him that, forgetting how much it annoys him."

Harry thought his story was believable enough for something he had come up with at short notice, and Ginny seemed to fall for it.

"Oh, Harry," she grinned. "I thought you'd know all about hating people who comment on how much you look like your parents. Let me see; you look so much like your father but-"

"I've got my mother's eyes," Harry finished, sighing. "Yes, I've heard that exact sentence a million times in my life."

Ginny laughed, covering her mouth with her hand.

It took a moment for Harry to realise Ginny had stopped laughing, but her hand was still in place. Then he noticed the silver band on one of her fingers, with a shining diamond flashing in the light.

"That's beautiful," he commented. "Is it from Blaise?"

Ginny nodded enthusiastically. "Don't worry; we're not engaged; this is a Courting Ring. Apparently it's a tradition for Zabini men to give a diamond ring to their intended. I've told my family it's a cheap fake from a female friend, and as far as I know they believe me. Fleur gave me a knowing look, but she's not said anything."

"That's wonderful news, Ginny," Harry smiled.

He was going to say more, but Tom had returned.

"The eldest, Bill, used to work as a Curse-Breaker in Egypt," Tom told him, not even bothering to say hello to Ginny. "He said he would get some information for you later."

"You've probably made his day," Ginny cut in. "He loved that job; he only moved back here because of the war, but now he's met Fleur I don't think he'll ever go back."

Tom made an 'hmm', but then he also noticed Ginny's ring. "That's a lovely Courting Ring; I hear only men from the most prestigious Pureblood families still use them."

"Err, Sal travelled a lot; he knows a lot about Wizarding traditions," Harry explained to Ginny who looked slightly perplexed.

"It's not something I'm announcing to my family," Ginny said in a low whisper. "He's not from a Dark family or anything, but he's not particularly Light either, and I don't think my family would approve."

"Foolish, really; neutrality often offers guaranteed safety, providing you are prepared to choose a side if needed," Tom mused. "Are all of your brothers here, Ginny? Harry told me a lot about you; he said you were the youngest of seven."

"Yes, and the only girl too, as though being the youngest wasn't enough to be babied. The only girl in seven generations," she sighed. "Only Percy and Charlie aren't here; Percy has been a bit of a prat lately, and Charlie has too much work in Romania."

"Seven generations, you say?" Tom questioned, interest gleaming in his eyes.

"Yeah, but I don't believe in any of that power of seven stuff," Ginny shrugged. "Have you met Harry's friend Luna? Yes, Harry, she is your friend, don't deny it," she said warningly as Harry made to interrupt. "She's really into all that sort of stuff."

"Yes, I have met her; somewhat eccentric, but a brilliant mind. It's a pity she chooses to focus her skill on such oddities," Tom stated, before grinning at Ginny. "Forgive me; my parents were academics and brought me up with similar values."

"Fair enough," Ginny grinned back.

Harry found Tom's fake happiness rather unnerving.

Tom took hold of Harry's hand and pulled him back to the centre of the room, where the liveliness was still continuing. The twins, Neville and Ron were playing a game of Exploding Snap, and even the people watching seemed to be enjoying the game.

"Is Hermione not coming?" Harry asked Ginny, who shook her head.

"Nope; she and Ron are still fighting over Lavender," she answered.

"If she is in love with 'im, why does she not simply tell 'im how she feels?" a soft, French-accented voice drifted through.

"They're kids, Fleur; they don't know what they're doing," Bill smirked from beside her. "So you're Harry? Sal told me you're heading to Egypt tomorrow."

"Yeah," Harry answered lamely.

Tom had turned to speak to Fleur in fluent French, and Ginny wandered away to get snacks.

"I'm not officially allowed to condone people who want to see if they'd be any good at Curse- Breaking without training, but obviously I'm not working for that area of Gringotts anymore, so I can't stop you, but just be careful. Muggle pyramids are usually your best bet, because the Wizards who put curses on their tombs didn't do as good a job as they did on their own. Where abouts are you staying?"

"The outskirts of Giza," Tom answered for Harry, before returning to his conversation with Fleur.

"Probably a good area," Bill nodded. "You're close to Cairo too, although I suppose if either of you can Apparate it doesn't matter where you stay. I told Sal I would Floo some of my old work friends to hand over information once you're there."

"Thanks," Harry smiled.

"It's no problem," Bill grinned. "I reckon you'll be perfect at the job; you don't seem to like people very much for one thing, and it's one of the least sociable jobs there is. Even Charlie has more contact with people than I did, and he works with dragons."

Harry laughed, feeling slightly more relaxed than he had done at first. Tom and Fleur were still chatting animatedly, and Harry gathered that Tom must have an interest in Fleur; her being part Veela would probably be useful, at the very least.

His mood brightened even more when Ginny returned with a plate full of home-made cookies. He was grateful for Ginny's presence; the adults had all but escape to another room, sometimes laughing, and sometimes looking deadly serious, while Heather sat with them but keeping to herself. The younger Weasley boys and Neville were keeping themselves entertained, and he imagined Ginny would have joined in had she not chosen to keep him company instead. In the meanwhile Tom had certainly bewitched Fleur, and by default Bill. He heard Tom talking enthusiastically about dragons at one point, and how he'd love to get in touch with Charlie. That was a terrifying thought; Tom chasing people around on dragons, setting towns ablaze.

And talking of setting things ablaze; he hadn't heard anything from Marvolo since the last time he had seen him at St Mungo's, and nor had Tom. Harry honestly couldn't decide whether that was a good or a bad thing.

"Are you alright? You look worried," Ginny commented quietly, fixing Harry with a glare that looked like it had been learnt from his mother.

"It's just been, you know, too quiet lately," Harry shrugged, and Ginny nodded.

"I know; it's weird how quiet can actually be more worrying," the girl laughed awkwardly. "Might as well make the most of it, I suppose. Are you any good at chess? It's really only Ron who plays it, and he always beats me."

"I know the basics, but doubt I'm any good," Harry told her, and Ginny grinned.

"Perfect; I might actually win for a change," she beamed, getting up to run to her room and get her chess set.

"Once we're finished here, we're to go straight to the asylum," Tom hissed in his ear, making Harry jump; he had never heard the man approach. "The sooner we leave the better; this place is a sty."

X

Tom soon got his wish; his parents had wanted to leave while there was still daylight, and given it was British wintertime, they had left by mid-afternoon.

"I do love Molly," James said happily once he was settled into his own living room. "She's like a doting mother."

"She isn't quite old enough to be your mother," Lily retorted, rolling her eyes as her husband grinned sheepishly at her.

"Harry and I have business to attend to now," Tom announced, grabbing hold of Harry and Apparating before his family even had time to respond.

"That was kind of you; actually telling my parents we were going out," Harry joked, his smile faltering as Tom looked pointedly at him.

"The eldest Weasley child and the part Veela are very intriguing characters; I'm pleased I was able to meet them; they seemed very interested in what I had to say. The daughter seems to have a lot of power, and a dragon trainer would be very advantageous," Tom stated, recounting his findings from the day. "The young Mr Zabini already seems partial to siding with me; I must ask his mother to ensure this happens, and that he brings his intended with him too."

Tom tapped him over the head with his wand, and Harry felt a cold chill run through him, and his skin began to tingle.

"I certainly prefer you with dark hair," Tom mused, but not giving Harry a mirror to see how he now looked. He then grabbed Harry's wrist and dragged him towards a run-down looking building. The walls were made of old bricks, chipped and cracked, and the doorway hung off rusty hinges. There was a sign, the background faded yellow instead of what was once most likely white, and in flaking letters the sign read 'Mentis Morbo Asylum'.

"Is this a distraction to ward off Muggles?" Harry asked, looking in shock at the shabby building.

"Oh no; the Ministry has little care for those who have been afflicted with illnesses of the mind," Tom drawled, as though he didn't have a problem with the statement. "There is a St Mungo's ward for those who have been damaged by magic, but those who have no obvious cause are locked away and forgotten."

"That's horrible," Harry murmured, looking up at building and trying to imagine being thrown in such a horrid place and left. He knew mental illnesses were taboo in the Wizarding World, but he hadn't known it was to this extent. It was no wonder his mother had been so angry at the Mind Healer trying to diagnose him as delusional; a diagnosis that severe could have meant he'd have been locked up in the asylum, although he doubted Tom would even let Harry go through the door as a resident.

Tom strode through the doors, and walked to the lone woman on the front desk. The inside was just as shabby, with peeling wallpaper and stained floorboards. The receptionist was a middle-aged woman, with dark circles under her eyes, thinning hair, and severely emaciated.

"She's a resident here," Tom told Harry as the woman blankly allowed them through the doors to the resident ward. "She works the front desk, and in return isn't forced to eat anything."

"That's awful," Harry hissed, grabbing on to Tom as some of the residents seemed to leer at him.

"Saves hiring a normal person to work here. The Mind Healers come simply to feed and water them, and make sure nobody has attempted suicide; their main interests lay in diagnosing rather than curing," Tom stated, looking disdainfully at the people in their cell, for that is all Harry could call them, rather than rooms.

Harry jumped and yelped as a man grabbed him through the bars; Tom's wand was drawn instantly, but the man just grinned widely at Harry.

"Somebody's finally come; I knew my journal would help, I just knew it."

Harry glanced at the peeling plaque next to the cell door. It read 'A. Outterridge'.

X

Notes:

Here's hoping the chapter was worth the long wait.

If you read any of my other fanfictions, please note that Left 4 Dead abd Gears Of Love are going on a temporary hiatus. Fear not; this story is not going on hiatus. I may be bad at updating at times, but this story is still my baby. I am writing for two fests due in March and April, but I am planning a Hobbit/Harry Potter cross-over, and I have a poll on my ff.net profile regarding pairings, so can you please go and vote if you are interested, or just drop your choice in a comment.

I also hope you liked my depiction of the attitude towards mental illness in the Wizarding World. They are literally never mentioned (apart from spell damage) yet, in my opinion anyway, Sirius clearly suffered from Depression, and Harry likely did too, as well as PTSD, and who can blame him, the poor baby. I can only hope J. might one day reveal the truth.

Chapter 30: Thirty

Notes:

Okay; I'm the worst updater in the world at the moment. I'm really, really sorry, because every one of you readers is awesome, and I keep letting you down. Please let me know how I can make it up to you, and I promise I'll try more. I want to go back to the once a week updating I was doing a while back, instead of this awful wreck my updating is at the moment.

Err, there's smut at the end of this chapter, at least. That's a good thing, right?

Chapter Text

X

Harry stared back at Algar Outterridge, mouth partway open as any words he tried to speak got lost.

The man's face was waxy and sullen, much like that of an Azkaban prisoner. He was drastically thin, with his cheeks hollowed, and his light brown-grey hair was tangled in impossible knots. Surprisingly he was clean shaven, but that didn't make him look any less wild.

Algar frowned, muttering to himself lowly when Tom sent a red warning light at his hand, and he reluctantly pulled it back towards himself, pacing in the cell as he continued muttering to himself.

Tom cast another charm over the bars of the room and pushed Harry through them as he copied the motion, before putting up a Privacy Charm so they couldn't be overheard.

Outterridge paid no attention while Tom did all that, though the resident across from him; a man who sat on all fours, seemed enthralled by the bright lights of the magic.

"Err, so…," Harry started, but Algar ignored him, continuing his pacing. His mutterings were getting even louder, but were beginning to sound less and less like understandable words.

"Cease your foolish actions and listen to me," Tom hissed, sounding horribly like Voldemort. The tone caught Algar's attention too, and he stopped what he was doing to eye Tom critically.

"I don't like you," he stated plainly, and Tom's lip curled.

"Pity," he said softly, yet the contempt was obvious.

"Listen, err, Mr Outterridge-" Harry tried again, but the man cut him off.

"Algar, please," he said, sending Harry a dazzling smile; Tom's hand curled painfully around Harry's arm.

"Algar," Harry accepted. "I was wondering if you could help me."

"When did you find out? How long have you been infected?" Outterridge asked, almost bouncing in excitement. "I can feel it in you; you must be new; why else would you be here?"

"I guess, so, yeah," Harry nodded. "I found out a couple of months ago really, but I probably had been, err, infected, for a while now." He had been twelve when Tom transferred the Horcrux into him; the Ancient magic must have been flowing through his veins since then.

"Well you need the right scenario to set it off," Algar said thoughtfully, tilting his head from side to side. "You look like an adventurer; are you one? But of course you must be; can you follow maps? I have a lot of maps here." He crouched down on the ground, a faint yellow glow dusting along the floor as he dug through the soft ground with his hands.

"I'm not an adventurer," Harry said, glancing at Tom who looked simply bored. "Look, I just wanted to learn more about how to control it."

Algar let out a high pitched laugh, pausing his digging and looking up at Harry. "Silly; you can't control it; it controls you. I thought I could control it; I tried so hard, but in the end I realised, why bother? It's raw magic; none of this silly wand stuff. Let it flow through you as it wishes, and you'll soon see better results. Aha, I found it."

Harry was going to ask what he had found, but a battered, rolled up map was pushed into his hands.

"I told you I'm not an adventurer," Harry stated, but Algar shook his head, gathering up an old metal compass and a rusty dagger and pushing them into Harry's hands as well.

"Oh, but you are, you are," Outterridge smiled. "You follow that map, and you'll find just what you're looking for. And don't forget; let your magic do what it wants; it knows more than you do. My dear lady Rowena Ravenclaw wouldn't have been caught dead with a wand."

Algar's head suddenly whipped around, staring at a blank spot on the grimy wall.

"Go; you must go," he said hurriedly, making a move to push Harry but being blasted back by Tom's wand before he had chance.

"Tom!" Harry hissed, but Tom sent Harry a glare and tugged him back through the bars. "We can't just leave him in there; he's going crazy here."

"I feel you've confused the words 'going' and 'gone', dear," Tom mused, but he looked thoughtful. "Outterridge," he snarled, "what is coming?"

"The lights. The lights," a woman muttered from a cell nearby, and the man who had been on all fours started howling.

They didn't even get chance to ask what the lights were, because then a blinding white light flashed through the building as a high pitched siren wailed loudly through the corridor. Harry shut his eyes and covered his ears with his hands, but the light and sound still filtered through painfully.

It stopped for all of two seconds, before starting again, and Harry jumped when Tom touched him.

"Does this happen all the time?" Harry said to nobody in particular when the lights stopped again.

"Yes," the on all fours man said, creeping nearer the bars of his cell. "Too much, too much."

"Every night," Algar agreed. "And every day; twice each time, but sometimes three."

"It happens whenever the birdies disappear," a woman said sorrowfully. "I miss them when they go; they sing such sweet songs."

"If you've quite finished making friends with the insane?" Tom muttered to him, but Harry shook Tom's hand off his shoulder.

"So do any of you here actually like it?" Harry said loudly, and he was met by a loud mass of hisses and snarls. "And it was the Mind Healers who locked you up? Or the Ministry?"

"Both; they both locked us up and torture us daily," a skeletal man hissed, leaning against the bars; he was so thin Harry was sure he could just slip through them. "I hate them, I hate them. I want to rip their skin from their bones."

"Yes; make them bleed," another woman shouted.

Tom was watching Harry passively now, but the fact he hadn't dragged Harry away already meant he was curious, even if he was trying to hide it.

The woman from the front desk was watching them carefully, her hands still covering her ears.

"Excuse me-?"

"Marissa," the woman supplied, her face suddenly smiling brightly.

"Marissa; do the residents here have their wands anywhere?" Harry questioned, and she nodded, hurrying away and coming back seconds later with a small box.

Tom casually aimed his wand at the box, blasting the locks on it open; by now, all the residents were watching with hungry gleams in their eyes.

"I don't like the Mind Healers," Harry announced as Marissa went to each cell, allowing each resident to find their wand. "They tried to lock me in here too."

"But you're a child," one woman declared, horrified.

"A baby," another agreed, making Harry scowl slightly, but otherwise ignored the comment.

"And I'm not happy with the Ministry either," Harry continued. They had lost his support the day he saw a Ministry worker spit at Remus and told the werewolf he'd be better off dead, and they hadn't particularly done anything to redeem themselves since. One look at Tom, who easily read his mind, and then the cell bars were disintegrating, allowing the people inside to shakily stumble forwards and gather around Harry and Tom.

"We'll let you go to the Ministry now," Harry said, smiling at the brief look of pleasure that passed over Tom's face. "St Mungo's and Azkaban are run by the Dark Lord; the Ministry can't send you to either, and I'm going to make sure this place no longer exists after tonight. You'll be free to live life as you want."

A roar of excitement coupled with disbelief went around the crowd, and Harry suddenly felt self-conscious feeling all the eyes on him.

"How?" somebody whispered.

"Why?" said another, and the second question seemed to get more murmurs.

"They treat you like filth in here," Harry answered honestly. "And you're not."

"I am," a frail looking, young-ish woman said, stepping forwards. "I killed my baby; I jumped with her in my arms, and she died but I didn't."

"That doesn't make you filth," Harry said, offering the woman a reassuring smile. She jumped forwards, grabbing Harry's hand and bursting into tears, only stopping when Tom snarled at her. "So go; cause havoc, and then live however you want."

"Can you destroy this place first?" a man asked. "Make it blow up; make those lights go away. Make the lights go away forever."

"Algar, you'll guide me?" Harry said, turning to the man who now had a smirk across his face.

The large group moved outside, the ex-residents all gathering behind Harry, Tom and Algar.

"There's nobody else inside, right?" Harry questioned, and he took the few nods as his answer.

"Remember, let your magic do the work," Algar whispered, his own fingers clenching as though itching to cast a spell. "Your mind and your magic are one; let it free."

Harry's arms rose upwards, mimicking the position Algar seemed to be insinuating.

For a moment he stared straight at the dreary, run-down building, feeling hatred bubble inside him, knowing the horrors that had been carried out within.

Then there was a bright flash of light, and he winced remembering the lights from earlier, but then the brightness moved inside the building, streams bursting through the cracks and casting rays on the dark ground around them, before finally the asylum began to crumble, debris scattering across the ground.

The group cheered, and the sobbing woman from earlier managed to capture him in a hug, while the crawling man sat at his feet and nuzzled his legs.

"I recommend you leave for the Ministry now," Tom announced, waving a Portkey above his head. "This is the time when the late workers finish and the night workers begin; more toys for your pleasure." He tossed the Portkey into the crowd, watching as the mass surrounded it and somehow transporting them all in one go, leaving only Algar behind.

"Did you not want to go?" Harry asked, and Algar shook his head.

"No, no, no," he said firmly. "My heart lies with Egypt; I must return there at once."

"Do you want your stuff back?" Harry said, holding the map out, and Outterridge shook his head again.

"I am too old now," he smiled. "You are the adventurer now; you proved it tonight. Take your reckless attitude and your openness with you, and thank you for setting me free at last." He grasped Harry's hands in a quick form of handshake, before Disapparating without another word.

Tom grabbed hold of him and Apparated before the dust from Algar's Apparition could settle on the ground.

They landed in Harry's room, and Harry was immediately pushed onto his bed with Tom clambering on top of him.

"Your mind is strange," Tom said, his lips just over Harry's, "and you accept the wrong sort of people, but you've proved your place beside me, tonight. Your name and mine shall be feared for eons to come; they will always know us, and know they are below us."

Tom's lips finally descended on Harry's, and all thoughts of Ministry workers being slaughtered were driven straight out of Harry's head.

X

A hand roughly shook his shoulder, but Harry squirmed and wriggled away from it, pulling the bed covers over his head.

"Get up," a voice snapped, but Harry wriggled further into his covers. His eyes were far too heavy to open, and he was perfectly content sleeping.

He felt the tip of something poke him through the sheets, and then a jolt of pain coursed through him, so severe that he yelled loudly and fell out of bed, his covers coming with him.

"Get ready; the earlier we leave the better," Tom said firmly, grabbing the covers off him and throwing them back onto Harry's bed.

"What time is it?" Harry said groggily, rubbing his eyes with his fists.

"Four," Tom answered dismissively, rummaging through a pile of books on Harry's floor.

"Four?" Harry repeated dumbly. "As in 'four in the morning' four?"

"Yes, of course in the morning," Tom answered sharply. "That means it's already six in Cairo, and I would like to be there by eight."

"Fine," Harry muttered, trying to throw Tom a glare, but his eyes were too tired to work properly.

He felt his slow movements getting ready was punishment for Tom waking him up so early, but it only took one dangerous look from Tom to make Harry speed up.

At half five, Harry was finally ready, but when Lily knocked on the bedroom door Harry could have almost laughed at the expression on Tom's face.

"I just wanted to see you off," Lily said with a small smile. The others had waited up for Harry the previous night, when Harry eventually got to go downstairs once Tom was done with him, and Harry felt she had an ulterior motive for being there now, given the suspicious look she was giving Tom.

"I'll be fine, Mum," Harry said. "Tom won't let anything happen to me, if that's what you're worried about."

"I know," she answered, almost too quickly. "There was a riot at the Ministry last night," she said after a moment's pause.

Harry immediately tried to not look guilty.

"There was a lot of property damage, and twenty workers were killed," Lily continued. "And I heard the asylum was destroyed last night too. The Order didn't see any sign of Voldemort or the Death Eaters behind it though."

She looked at Tom, and Tom smirked in response to her unasked question.

"No, I didn't have anything to do with it," he told her curtly, and Harry hoped she hadn't picked up on the emphasis on the word I.

"Who died?" Harry asked, trying to distract her from thinking about what Tom had said.

"I'm not sure you'll know anyone by name; oh no, of course you will. That horrid woman Umbridge was killed; not that I'm pleased about it, but the trouble she caused for Remus…" his mother told him, and Harry felt oddly happy that of all people to be killed, Umbridge was one of them. His hand itched subconsciously from where she had forced him to use a Blood Quill; he was fortunate enough to avoid so many detentions that his hand ended up scarred, unlike some unlucky students.

"Anyway," Lily continued, turning to Harry and gesturing for him to come forwards so she could hug him. "Be careful, and make sure you pay attention. Egypt has fascinating history, and you're lucky you get chance to visit. And you, Tom," Lily said, releasing Harry and facing Tom with a stern expression. "If anything at all happens to him-"

"You'll attempt to make it regret it, yes," Tom interrupted blandly, and then he sneered. "Fret not; I have no desire to be rid of Harry."

"Mm," Lily muttered, eyeing the pair warily. "Contact me every day, Harry, and be safe."

His mother gave him one last hug before leaving the room, and Tom's face held a distasteful expression.

"What?" Harry questioned. "She's my mother; of course she'll be worried about me going."

"I simply thought she was better at controlling her emotions than that; in the hospital she seemed very strong," Tom mused, and Harry rolled his eyes.

"She is strong, but that doesn't mean she can't worry about me," he said defensively. "She's irritating at the best of times with her constant nagging and worrying, but she's terrifying too; you've never seen her mad, have you?"

Tom raised an eyebrow but said nothing, and turned back to sorting through the parchments he had placed neatly on Harry's desk.

"Tom, can I ask you something?" Harry said after a moment of silence, waiting for Tom to turn around. "So like, those people I set free killed a lot of people."

"Does that bother you?" Tom asked nonchalantly, turning back the stack of parchment.

"That's just the thing; it doesn't. I mean, I despised Umbridge, but that doesn't mean I should feel glad she's dead, but I am," Harry admitted. "I remember a while ago you thought I was too innocent to kill anybody, and now look at me."

"You still are innocent," Tom muttered, scrawling on something with a quill. "You will forever be innocent to me; killing doesn't mean that's taken away. Don't view the world with visions of good and evil, because that's entirely wrong; the world is nothing more than yours for the taking. Innocent doesn't mean being good, because being good doesn't exist."

"But killing people is against the law," Harry tried, already knowing Tom would dismiss the point. To his surprise, Tom laughed.

"We didn't get to write the law; why should we accept it? Come here, lovely," Tom ordered, beckoning Harry to him. He held up the piece of parchment he had been writing on, detailing a rather complicated looking ritual of sorts. "This enchantment is the Darkest of all magic, yet it can bring your Godfather back to you. It is banned by our government, but who are they to deny you having people you miss back in your lives? Harry, we are going to make the rules one day, and people will follow what we say, and the only way we can get to that point is by doing what we need, instead of listening to the weak fools who think they're running our world. Now go finish getting yourself ready; we're to leave in ten minutes."

The ten minutes passed very quickly, and soon they were ready to leave. Even though they weren't going as tourists, Harry still felt excited about the prospect of going to Egypt. He and his family had travelled to a fair few places, but never out of mainland Europe, so going further afield was new to him. He knew Tom was taking him on nothing more than a business trip of sorts, but Harry hoped he could sway Tom into having at least one day as tourists.

"Have you Apparated overseas before?" Tom asked, holding his arm out for Harry to take hold of.

"No," Harry answered, shaking his head. "Mum prefers travelling the Muggle way, and Dad has a love affair with planes. I thought it was really difficult to Apparate overseas anyway. Wouldn't Floo or Portkey be easier?"

"Yes, it would be," Tom agreed, "but they are also heavily regulated. Apparating is impossible to trace, but I shall warn you that, being inexperienced, the journey shall be rather unpleasant for you."

"How unpleasant exactly?" Harry asked, but Tom dismissed him, and instead shook his arm slightly to encourage Harry to hold on.

The second Harry took hold, Tom Apparated.

The horrid sensation of being shoved through something too small seemed even more intense, and the sensation didn't seem to end. A wild wind was whipping around them, and Harry had to shut his eyes against the force of it, as water began to unwillingly stream from them.

The sensation stopped just as suddenly, and Harry stumbled and fell onto the ground, Tom jerking away from Harry's grip so he wasn't pulled over as well.

Harry decided to stay on the ground until it stopped spinning, and stood up only when Tom looked impatiently at him. He shakily got to his feet, reaching out to grab Tom so he didn't fall again. It was no wonder people didn't bother learning to Apparate long distances and overseas if it felt like that.

He brushed the sand off his clothes, and looked at his surroundings. Tom had Apparated them into the desert, and Harry could see pyramids in the near distance. The sight was rather awe inspiring, and Harry found he couldn't tear his eyes away. It was early, but the sun already seemed to be beating down on him, though he supposed he had just come from the English mid-winter, so it was bound to feel hotter. He couldn't begin to imagine what the heat would be like at midday.

Tom was shuffling around behind him, and when Harry eventually turned back, Harry could see nothing to suggest Tom had made any sound.

Tom gestured for Harry to hold his hand out, and he complied, jerking back when a dagger quickly sliced across his wrist.

"Give me your hand back," Tom demanded, and Harry reluctantly held it out again. Tom dragged him forwards slightly, jerking his wrist until a splatter of blood dropped onto the sand. The blood seemed to disintegrate with the sand, and then a small tent appeared in front of him.

"Blood Warding is the strongest protection," Tom explained as, opening the flap to the tent and stepping inside. "Not to mention numerous other Wards and Protection charms, combined with curses who anyone else who tries to enter."

Harry didn't want to imagine the sort of curses Tom might put on somebody, so instead he followed the man into the tent, and looked around at the impressive lodging.

Like any other magical tent, it was far bigger on the inside, and looked more like a fancy room that wouldn't have been out of place at Malfoy Manor.

There was a large sitting area, with a wooden pole at the centre, drifting up to the high ceiling of the tent, and a soft looking sofa at the side. A large wooden desk seemed to have pride of place, and it already had a stack of books and parchment on top of it. A small kitchen was just to the side, and Harry heard the clattering of pans; he looked at Tom curiously, but Tom ignored the unspoken question.

He followed Tom through the rest of the tent; a large, luxurious bathroom next door to a bedroom which had a four poster bed in the centre with deep green curtains hanging around it.

Orion and Bast were curled up together on the pillows, and Harry couldn't stop a grin from forming as he ran to greet his cats.

"I've finished with my experimenting on them, and the results were very successful," Tom stated, standing beside Harry. "They shall be accompanying us on our travels; they will come in very useful for your Curse Breaking training."

"Why?" Harry asked, but Tom simply smirked at him.

"You'll see in time," came the simple answer. "Now, we shall be out for some time, so I'd advise that you come and eat something now, or else you'll not be eating until tonight."

"Alright," Harry said with a shrug, following Tom back into the sitting room and onwards into the kitchen.

A two person table had been set, with plates of a variety of breakfast foods freshly prepared and cooked laid out.

"I hope Sirs are liking it," a squeaky voice announced.

"Dobby!" Harry grinned, turning to face the little House-Elf. "I didn't know you were coming with us."

"Narcissa was kind enough to lend me it," Tom said dismissively, taking a seat and snapping his fingers. "Elf, prepare us some water for our trip today."

"Right away Sir Riddle," Dobby said, bowing to Tom and hurrying to the sink.

"Thank you, Dobby; it looks really nice," Harry told the Elf, who looked at Harry tearfully, though one glance at Tom and he turned back to what he was doing.

"Sir Harry mustn't be thanking Dobby; Dobby is only doing as he is told," Dobby responded as he worked.

Tom rolled his eyes, but managed to keep any insults to the Elf quiet.

When they had finished eating, and when Harry managed to calm a tearful Dobby down after thanking him once more, they were back out in the desert.

Tom had shrunk everything they needed and put it in a small bag inside his jacket pocket, including the cats. Harry had been alarmed at this, but Tom somewhat reassured him by saying that he knew plenty of ways to hurt animals, and using a Shrinking Charm was not one of them.

"We're going to go to a Wizarding tomb first," Tom said, pulling a piece of parchment from his pocket. He handed it to Harry to have a look at; the parchment had a long list of notes on it, and a scrawled picture of an amulet on it.

"Is that amulet important?" Harry asked, and Tom shook his head.

"Not to us; it is for the Dark Lord," he explained with a slight sneer in his voice. "This amulet will be no good when we have what we're looking for."

Tom held his arm out, and Harry took hold, shutting his eyes as Tom Apparated them once more.

Thankfully they only Apparated a small distance, and Harry managed to land on his feet. Tom cast Invisibility and Silencing Charms over them so they could not be seen or heard, and they walked towards a crowd of witches and wizards who were all bustling around excitedly.

They were standing in front of a staircase descending into the desert, yellow brick walls surrounding the top.

A tour-guide seemed to be handing out tickets to the members of the crowd, but Tom led Harry straight past them and down into the tomb.

"Those tourists are only allowed to see parts of it," Tom said as they strode down the stairs. "And of course, any important artefacts are further back where groups aren't allowed to go."

Tom walked briskly through the tomb, but Harry took a slow pace behind him. The air was cool, and a pleasant change from the desert heat. The tomb itself was impressive to look at too; the walls were carved in a way which made the place spacious, and fascinating hieroglyphics were drawn on them. Harry tried to decipher some of them, but Tom told him to hurry up.

Harry managed to sneak a few shots with the camera Remus had given him, but had to break into a slight run to catch up with Tom so he wouldn't get lost.

Harry caught up to Tom just in time to see a silver shimmer fall to the floor.

"I hope they have no curious tourists with them in their groups today," Tom smirked, heading through an opening where the shimmer had fallen.

Harry copied Tom's steps, and stopped when Tom did. Tom had pulled out the bag, and grabbed both the cats in one hand, dropping them on the ground and enlarging them to full size.

Orion looked around the tomb, his eyes flashing red and creating almost a laser look across the ground. The red beam was focused on one wall in particular, and Tom smiled darkly.

"This is the entrance to the treasure room," Tom announced. "I have given the animal the ability to see curses that we can't; of course, it can't do anything regarding taking them down, but it's a far easier method of testing whether a curse is fully gone or not."

"How'd you get him to do that?" Harry questioned, looking from Tom to Orion.

"I happen to find creating new spells to be simple," Tom answered. "A difficult skill for most, but shaping magic is natural for me."

"So how do we take the Curse down?" Harry asked, peering at the wall intently as though the curse may break with just a look; unfortunately no such thing happened.

"Ostendete," Tom cast, his wand pointing at the wall.

Immediately faint beams of colours covered the wall in front of them, twisting around each other.

"There's your curse," Tom said, waving his hand in front of him. "When the beams have gone, the curse is broken. Think of it as a puzzle of sorts."

"Where are you even meant to begin?" Harry questioned, edging closer to the magical colours.

"It is possible with a wand, which I shall show you," Tom answered, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Don't get too close, dear; I don't want you dead. The magic in you will also be able to break any curses, but you need to be aware of every option, so you can practice by wand today."

Tom pulled Harry back, and moved to stand in his place.

"You need to look closely at these colours," Tom told him, and as Harry looked at Tom, he could see the man's eyes travelling rapidly across each strand. "See where they connect and where they split. Any lone colours should be taken out first; the inter-woven ones are harder to undo."

"Like the green one?" Harry said, pointing at the emerald light that was untouched by any of the other beams.

Tom nodded, and ghosted his wand over the green light. "Focus on the beams as magic, and imagine bringing them away," Tom explained, as the green started to weave around his wand.

When the beam was completely gone from the wall of colours, and wrapped around Tom's wand with an eerie glow, Tom flicked his wand towards the ground, releasing the green light and causing a small explosion on the ground.

"Don't keep the light on your wand," Tom said warningly. "You try with the purple beam now."

Harry stepped forwards nervously, his wand shaking in his fingers.

"Don't be nervous; you need a slight hand or you could deflect the part of the curse and harm yourself," Tom hissed, not helping in calming Harry's nerves.

Harry took a deep breath and counted to ten, before placing the tip of his wand just above the purple strand of light. Much like Luna had told him with the magic in the Vanishing Cabinet, and learning about his inner magic strands from Animagus training, imaging the beam of light as the magic they were was easy enough for him.

He subconsciously gave a small tug, and the purple started to wrap down the length of his wand, causing it to feel heavier in his grip. He could feel the magic pulsing through his wand, a

Date: 2015-12-18; view: 585