Friend or Foe

Chapter 6: Darkness

Tom?

Harry got no respond. He ventured deeper into Voldemort's mind and winced at what he found.

Darkness.

Hatred.

Images began to flash before Harry's eyes.

Blood.

Corpses.

Killing curse after killing curse.

People falling to the ground lifelessly.

He heard screams, followed by high pitched laughter.

A girl crying beside her dead parents.

Tortures.

Beatings.

A man crying in pain on the floor.

Harry was scared. What he saw scared him more than anything he had seen in his life. Surrounding him was nothing but negative feelings. How could a person live with all of this inside his mind? He could find nothing that was pleasant at all. No joy. No warmth. And definitely no love.

Harry wanted nothing more than to leave this place, but he knew he couldn't. He swallowed and called out again.

Tom?

Without warning, Harry felt a force blocking him from going any further. Within the darkness he heard a voice.

Potter?

Harry actually felt Voldemort's surprise, but then the surprise turned into suspicion almost immediately.

Legilimency? What is the old fool playing at this time, boy?

Dumbledore doesn't know.

Harry could tell Voldemort didn't quite believe him.

I'm not lying. You would have known if I lied.

Ah, the connection. Interesting... So you, a Gryffindor, learned Legilimency, a dark art, and try to use it to contact the Dark Lord?

Harry suppressed his fear as much as he could and answered firmly,

I need to talk to you.

Harry heard Voldemort's mocking voice,

Now, now, where has Dumbledore's little boy gone?

That boy doesn't exist. At last he no longer exists after the last summer. And I'm not so sure about the Gryffindor part. The hat said I would do well in Slytherin, and I do agree with it to some extent.

The hat wanted to put you in Slytherin?

And actually did.

Do not play with me, Harry Potter.

I was once a Slytherin, you know? Fifty years ago.

Enough with your nonsense, Potter.

Harry could feel Voldemort's impatience. Harry took a deep breath.

Time traveling. You've heard of that, haven't you, Tom?

Harry replied softly.

Do not call me by that name, Potter!

Why? 'Voldemort' is way too long, I'd prefer calling you 'Tom'... or do you prefer 'Voldie'?

Something stirred inside Voldemort's mind. It was a new feeling that was not there before. Harry could not tell what that was as that feeling was engulfed by the surrounding darkness immediately after it was formed.

Assuming that as a good sign, Harry continued,

Don't you remember who choose that name for you?

Again, something in Voldemort's mind responded to Harry's statement. Harry was not sure what that meant, but he knew that Voldemort still remembered Alex. No matter how deep that memory had been buried, it was still there.

Silence followed Harry's statement. Then Harry heard Voldemort's quiet yet dangerous voice,

What have you done, boy?

Harry did not answer, instead he told Voldemort what happened in the summer.

I found Nicolas' stone this summer. I was transported into the past but lost my memory. I was sorted into Slytherin and made a new friend, my only friend during my stay. He was a second year, an intelligent boy who was an expert in finding hiding places and was as ruthless as any Gryffindor. He-

Harry was stopped by a surge of power rushing towards him. Voldemort was angry. Harry felt as the darkness surrounding him grew thicker, and was about to engulf him. He involuntarily flinched.

That's enough! I don't know what you are playing at, Potter! Get out of my mind this instant!

Again, Harry felt a force pushing him out. He struggled to stand his ground.

I'm Alex, Tom! I'm your fri-

I don't know what you are talking about. GET OUT OF MY MIND!

Voldemort bellowed, pushing Harry out with a stronger force.

I've made a promise long ago that I'd find a way to reach you, no matter what...

Harry forcued to stay in Voldemort's mind.

...happened in the future. And I will keep it. I know you are still...

Enough...

...the same Tom... that I learned to love as...

Get out!

... my brother.

And with that Harry was thrown out of Voldemort's mind and into nothingness.

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Harry slowly opened his eyes.

"Harry! You're awake!" he heard Ron's voice.

He knew where he was even without his glasses. The Hospital Wing.

"What happened?" said Harry, putting on his glasses.

He saw Ron and Hermione standing next to his bed, looking worried.

"You fainted!" said Ron. "I tried to wake you up this morning, but you didn't wake up no matter what I did."

"What? I fainted?" It must have been by the force Tom had used to push him out and the power Harry had used to stay in Tom's mind.

"What happened, Harry?" asked Hermione.

What happened? Harry winced. What he saw in Voldemort's mind was so horrible. For the hundredth times he wondered what had happened to Tom. What turned the boy he once knew the way he was now?

He needed to find out what had happened to Tom. And that meant it was time to pay a visit to a certain old alchemist again.

"I'm not sure. Nightmare, I guess," lied Harry.

Hermione frowned. "Is it Vol... Voldemort?

Again, Harry shrugged. Those screams and cold laughter echoed in his mind.

"Dumbledore was worried when we told him," said Ron.

Harry said nothing in respond. He looked around. "How long have I been here?"

"It's near dinner time, but I doubt Madam Pomfrey would let you leave," said Ron.

The medical witch chose that moment to come out out her office.

"Why didn't you call me when he awoke?" she said to Ron and Hermione. "Now out. I need to work."

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"What happened, Harry?" asked Hermione again. "You need to tell Dumbledore if anything is wrong."

Harry sighed. "I'm fine. There's no point in disturbing him," he said. "Come on, we'll be late for potions if we don't hurry."

Hermione, who had been walking before Harry, stopped abruptly and turned around to face him, practically blocking Harry's path.

"What?" asked Harry impatiently.

"What happened to you, Harry? You've been acting so strange this year. You tried to befriend Malfoy and you've been distancing yourself from Ron and me. You used to tell Dumbledore everything, but you hardly trust him this year. Something must have happened." finished Hermione.

Harry rubbed his temple. Trust Hermione to be so observant.

"It's Dumbledore who's kept everything from me. He hardly talked to me or met my eyes this year." It was not a lie, though it was not the full reason of why Harry was angry with Dumbledore. "And you're still my best friend, Hermione, both you and Ron. As for Malfoy, I asked him to join HA merely because he knows a great deal about defense." Before Hermione could say anything, Harry continued, "Let's drop it, alright? I assure you nothing has happened to me and I will ask for help if anything goes wrong. Come on, we really need to hurry."

Hermione stared at Harry suspiciously, but said nothing else along their way to the dungeons.

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Nicolas looked up from the steaming caldron as he heard a pop sound coming from the living room. He had an anti-apparation ward around his house, which itself was located in the middle of a forest. A spot located in a place like that was perfect for him and his wife to work. And it was safe, too. Only a few people knew about this place.

He took a glance at the figure standing in his living room.

Well, safe might not be the word when a dark lord could enter the house freely.

"Why, Tom, it's been a long time," he greeted the man.

"Long time indeed, Flamel," came a cold reply.

"Flamel? So even I have become a stranger to you?" Nicolas took a look at Voldemort. His red eyes and slit-like nose sent chill down his spine. "What have you done to yourself this time, my child?" he asked softly.

"I am not your child, old man," Voldemort hissed.

Nicolas smiled sadly at the dark lord.

"Don't stare at me that way!" Voldemort snapped.

Nicolas found himself facing the tip of the dark lord's wand.

"Want to kill me, Tom?" Nicolas asked, staring into the red eyes fearlessly.

"It's Lord Vol-"

"Your name is Tom Riddle," said Nicolas, still staring straight at the dark lord.

Voldemort scowled. "I have not been that naïve child for a long time. Before you is Lord Voldemort, no one else."

"Is that it?" Nicolas asked quietly.

Voldemort did not answer, instead he said flatly, "Harry Potter found me yesterday."

Nicolas smiled. "Ah, so he's finally talked to you. By that connection?" he asked.

Voldemort pressed his wand closer, right between Nicolas' eyes. "Do not play games with me, old man. I know you are behind all this. You knew about that connection and told that brat everything. What do you think you can accomplish by this?"

"Harry chose to contact you, Tom. He is Alex, can't you remember your friend?" said Nicolas.

"My friend?" said Voldemort coldly. "It's all a lie. Pretended he did not know me, tried to be my friend and made me lower my defenses. Do you really think I would believe that so-called friendship?"

"Harry cares for you, can't you feel it? Why else would he contact you willingly? He had no memory about the future when he first met you in the past. Do you know how he felt when he came back and knew what his best friend had become?"

"I don't know what you are planning, Flamel, but Alex Salutor means nothing to me, neither do you, so don't waste your time."

"Why are you here, then?" asked Nicolas softly. "You do care, Tom."

"I have abandoned that feeling long ago," said Voldemort.

"No, it's still there, somewhere in your heart. Without that, you'd be nothing. Even animals know how to love, and you'd be even worse than them."

"Crucio!"

Nicolas sink to his knees, gritting his teeth in pain, but he refused scream out. He looked up and saw Voldemort had closed his eyes. The dark lord gritted his teeth and stopped the curse.

"Shut up! Or you will have the same fate as your wife," Voldemort hissed.

Nicolas' eyes hardened. "What holds you back then? Why did you release the curse? You killed and tortured innocent people without a minute's thought. Why did you hold back?" Seeing he would get no respond from the man before him, he continued softly, "You are not as heartless as you think, Tom. Grindelwald was a monster who knew nothing about love. But you, my child, are different. I know Harry will find a way, even if I can't, to bring you back from the darkness you've embedded yourself into."

Voldemort's red eyes met Nicolas'. Nicolas saw a quick flash of emotions in those eyes. Those emotions were not that of hatred, but what Nicolas used to see in young Tom Riddle's eyes.

Voldemort turned away silently. He took out something from his robe pocket with his long pale figures and whispered, "Vado."

Nicolas stared at the space where the dark lord had just disappeared. Maybe there was hope for this child after all.

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"Legilimens!"

Harry allowed Snape to view several well-selected memories before blocking the spell with a 'protego'.

Snape eyed him coolly. He raised his wand again only to be interrupted by a knock on his door.

"Uncle Severus?" came Draco Malfoy's voice from behind the door.

Snape pocketed his wand and mentioned Harry to do the same.

"Come in," said Snape.

The door was opened and Malfoy walked into the office. "Uncle Severus, what do you wa... Potter?" he stopped his speech abruptly when he finally spotted Harry.

"Mr. Potter here is having Remedial Potions," said Snape coldly.

"Remedial Potions?" Draco frowned at Harry.

It was obvious to Harry that Malfoy did not believe what Snape said.

"Come, Mr. Malfoy," said Snape, directing the blonde out of the room. He turned back to shoot Harry a glare that told him what the consequences would be if Harry dared to touch anything in his office.

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Severus watched his godson with a grim expression as Draco left the potions classroom after their talk. Drace looked troubled. Lucius had asked Severus to 'remind' Draco that his initiation in the Death Eater's ranks would be scheduled two weeks later. Severus had tried all he could without exposing his role as a spy to help his godson to escape his fate, but Draco seemed to be determined to follow his father's footsteps. Or was he?

Several months ago Draco would have been happy to hear the news; of that, Severus was sure. But now the boy seemed to be disturbed. What did that mean?

Severus shook his head and pushed the thoughts of his godson from his mind for the moment. For now, he had a certain student to deal with. Potter had better not have touched anything in his office, or else...

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Harry looked around Snape's office idly after he was left alone in the room. Suddenly something caught his eyes. Harry slowly walked towards Snape's open cabinet and found himself staring into Snape's pensieve.

'It must contain Snape's worst memory. I wonder what that is.'

Harry was curious to know what those memories were. For a moment Harry really wanted to take a look at the contents of the pensieve, but something held him back. He himself had some things he didn't want others to know. He knew how it felt when private memories were exposed. Snape must have reasons to keep those memories to himself and Harry had no right to invade that man's privacy.

Harry turned away from the pensieve and shut the cabinet as he walked away. He wondered what Snape was talking about with Malfoy. He could only hope it was not about the blonde's initiation.

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It was Wednesday night when Harry finally found a way to escape Ron and Hermione, when they both went to meet McGonagall to discuss their prefect duties. He fled to the Room of Requirement after his last lesson and left for Nicolas' home without wasting any time.

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"Lemon drop?"

Harry shook his head.

"So you've talked to Tom?" asked Nicolas.

Harry blinked. "How do you know?"

"You look troubled," Nicolas pointed out.

"It didn't go very well. He got irritated when I talked about Alex." Harry sighed. "I don't know what I should do, Nicolas. It's so... scary. In his mind, there are no good feelings at all. It's full of anger and hatred. The Tom I used to know... I don't understand, what happened to make him like that?"

Nicolas looked at Harry seriously. "Do you really want to help Tom?"

Harry nodded firmly.

"Come, Harry, I'll show you something," said Nicolas.

The old wizard stood up and led Harry into his room. He opened his cabinet and took out something that seemed to be quite heavy.

Harry's eyes widened as he recognized what Nicolas was holding.

"A pensieve!"

Nicolas smiled. "Ah, you've saw it before then?"

He placed the pensieve on the table and beckoned Harry to come closer.

Harry stood next to Nicolas and looked into the pensieve. His flickering reflection looked back at him.

"Come," said Nicolas, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder and pushed him forward gently. "I'll show you what happened to your friend after you left him fifty years ago."