Chasing Harry

Chapter Two: Quintessence of a Slytherin

"I have an announcement to make."

The buzz in the Great Hall quieted as the students who had gathered there for dinner turned their attention to the Headmaster. Dumbledore had risen from his seat and was currently looking at them with a grave expression.

Harry knew what was coming. Dumbledore was about to announce the presence of Tom Riddle to the school. He exchanged worried glances with Hermione and Ron. He already told them about Tom earlier and though the two were the most reasonable beings he knew, even they were quite horrified with the situation. Ron in particular got so angry that he threatened to storm Dumbledore's office and demand the removal of Tom from Hogwarts. Ginny's near-death experience was very hard to forget. They only calmed down a bit after Harry reminded them that Dumbledore was the finest and wisest wizard in Britain, probably even in the world. He certainly wouldn't expose the students to danger if he believed that Tom still posed a threat to their lives.

Still, Harry couldn't help wondering if this was right. He had met Tom earlier and he couldn't deny the fact that the young man had seemed tamer than before. The Tom he had met in the Chamber was a vengeful person bent on success and domination through any means. Harry still dreamt about the horror of it all sometimes. This was why he found it hard to believe that the Slytherin had done a complete turnaround. Inside, Harry still didn't trust the boy. It would take more than Dumbledore's endorsement to make him see Tom as innocent... much more a friend.

In spite of his feelings, Harry trusted Dumbledore with his life. Just for the Headmaster, he would try to make Tom's stay in Hogwarts a little easier. He turned to the teacher's table. Dumbledore was still in the middle of introducing the new student.

"...student shall join us until he graduates. Now his presence may surprise you, even scare some of you. But as your Headmaster, I trust that this school has trained you enough to keep an open mind on all things. What I am going to say to you right now involves the dead Dark Lord, Voldemort."

Several students flinched at the mention of Voldemort's name. Though the villain was dead, the war had taken its fair share of casualties--mostly friends and family members of some students.

"Here we go. Harry, get ready to hear the screams." Ron muttered with a lopsided smile and poked Harry lightly on the arm.

Dumbledore continued. "The death of the Dark Lord resulted in the birth of another. You might remember the events that happened in the Chamber of Secrets two years ago when Tom Riddle nearly came alive through a student..."

Upon hearing this, Ginny's face paled considerably. Hermione took her hand, preparing the girl for the greater shock that was about to come.

"...Tom was imprisoned inside Voldemort's mind for three years, not having a body or even the freedom to decide for himself. He merely acted as an observer--a sixteen-year-old observer aghast with all the carnage that Lord Voldemort had unleashed upon the magical world. Now, with his death, Tom Riddle has been brought back to life and is now back with us in his own body."

A couple of students fainted at this. Almost everyone paled. A silence rang through the Great Hall--a silence so loud it hurt Harry's ears. Then, suddenly, everyone started talking at once. Violent shouts and objections were heard as a number of people stood and aired their anger.

"Silence!" Dumbledore called sharply, his voice echoing around the room. The buzz slowly disappeared as the chastised students sat back into their chairs. "I need your cooperation if we are to conclude this matter in the shortest time possible."

The Headmaster paused before speaking once more. "I want all of you to remember that this boy is a different person from the scoundrel who caused so much death and destruction for so many years. He is young--as young as you--and, in his way, still unspoiled by the evils this world has to offer. He is not Voldemort! Tom is a person who deserves to live his own life as normally as possible. I need your help, all of you, in molding him into the kind of person that Hogwarts and the rest of the magical community would be proud of. Please give him a chance to prove history wrong. I trust I have made myself clear?"

Most students nodded resignedly but some were too dumb-struck or scared to respond. They couldn't help but connect Voldemort's reign of terror to the boy who he used to be. The boy who was soon going to be one of them.

"And so, I present to you... Tom Riddle."

The great doors opened and revealed the tall young man. He entered the silent hall with his head high and face devoid of expression. He kept his eyes carefully blank and made his way to Dumbledore without looking at any of the students.

"Professor," Tom greeted the Headmaster with respect.

"You shall sit among the Slytherins."

A chair magically appeared at one end of the Slytherin table--a vacant space. Tom walked to the chair and sat. Most of the Slytherins merely smirked. They shot arrogant looks at the pale faces on the Hufflepuff table near them.

This didn't surprise Harry at all. Most of the Slytherin's families were loyal to the Dark Lord in the first place. It was no wonder that Tom Riddle's presence on their table didn't frighten the. On the contrary, they were probably proud of it.

Professor Dumbledore sat and sighed in his mind. At least the introduction part was over. But there certainly would be more challenges ahead for Tom. The Headmaster raised his goblet and smiled at the students.

"Now, let's eat."

Food appeared on the table and soon, everybody started eating. At first, no one spoke but soon, the buzz of conversation started to get louder. Many were shooting hesitant looks at the Slytherin table, fearful yet curious about the new student that sat there, eating quietly on his own.

Tom placed the cut piece of steak in his mouth and chewed slowly. He really wasn't hungry but as there was nothing else to do, he supposed it was better for him to eat than sit in silence. He moved stiffly, painfully aware of the watchful glances from his fellow students. Obviously, they still didn't trust him.

"You have to relax a little."

Startled, Tom raised his eyes and met the icy blue stare of the boy next to him. Putting his fork down, he coldly stared back.

"What is it to you?"

"I meant that you don't have to be so defensive. You're too distant. I could almost feel the walls." The boy's arrogant look disappeared as he smiled easily at Tom. "Draco Malfoy."

Tom took the offered hand and returned the smile with a slight raising of his brow. "Tom Riddle."

Smirk. "So I've heard."

They shook hands, looking at each other down their respective aquiline noses, before they continued their meal. The silence was more companionable after that.

***

"Look, I promised him I'd introduce you two," Harry said apologetically.

"You and your big mouth," Ron grumbled.

The Gryffindor trio just left the common room thirty minutes after dinner and was on their way to Tom Riddle's room. It had taken Harry at least half an hour to convince Ron to come. The redheaded boy had been adamant in wanting to keep his distance from the Slytherin but Hermione dragged him along irritably, annoyed with his stubborn attitude.

"At least you'll get it over with at once. We'll just have to introduce ourselves, not make friends with him." Hermione tried to placate Ron.

"The bastard tried to kill my sister!"

"Shut up!" Harry admonished him as they neared the door.

As soon as they were in front of the entrance, the door swung open before they could even knock.

"Come in." Tom motioned them in with a formal smile.

"How did you know we were outside?" Harry asked him.

"I heard you coming," Tom answered, glancing at Ron for a moment. The redhead flushed and looked away.

They all sat on the couches in front of the roaring fire. For a few seconds no one spoke as they all looked at each other awkwardly.

"So," Harry began, "this is Hermione and Ron. Herm, Ron, you both know Tom."

Tom nodded, smiling slightly. "Nice to meet you Hermione, and Ron."

Hermione smiled softly. "It's a pleasure meeting you, too."

"Well, it's not mine," Ron snapped resentfully.

Taken aback, Tom's eyebrows rose. "May I ask why?"

"You tried to kill my sister!"

"Ah... of course. Your red hair. Ginny Weasley." Tom's eyes moved to the fire as his memories brought him back to the Chamber.

"Yes. Ginny. The girl you almost killed!"

Shooting killer looks at Ron, Harry stood frantically. "You know, Tom, we'd better be going back. Ron's really tired from all the classes today and--"

"No!" Tom turned back to them, raising his hand. "It's all right, Harry. Ron's right."

Harry sat back slowly, unsure. Tom gave him a reassuring look before turning his gaze back to a defensive Ron.

"I do have something to say about what happened."

"Nothing you say will ever change the fact that you tried to murder her just so you could live."

"Indeed." Tom stood and walked to the front of the fireplace, watching the flames. His back to them, he continued.

"What happened in the Chamber was inexcusable. I not only attempted to take Ginny's life, I also released the basilisk in my effort to kill Harry and take revenge on the destruction of my future self. I had been a stupid, ruthless son of a bitch at the time and I find it hard to forgive myself for ever letting it happen."

He faced them again, his face impassive but his voice painting a different story.

"It was driving me crazy. Fifty years alone in that diary with just myself to communicate with. I was forever sixteen and imprisoned within while my other self continued living. Of course..." He chuckled bitterly. "I was just a memory in reserve for emergency purposes."

"I was so desperate to get out that I would have done anything... anything in the world if there was a way for me to be released from my prison. When Ginny appeared, she gave me hope--hope that through her I might be able to live again. I didn't even consider her life. I just wanted to get out like that genie in the lamp. Free myself and take revenge on everyone I believed had wronged me."

Tom sighed. The lonely sound swirled in the room.

"I'm sorry, Ron. I'm sorry for hurting your sister. I know that now. I couldn't stomach the horror I've seen during the war. And I cannot believe that I nearly caused the same pain."

Ron stared at Tom, meeting the Slytherin's green eyes. Eyes so much like Harry that it was rather spooky to see them in the face of a stranger.

"I can't forget that easily," he said softly, looking down at the floor. "She can't forget."

"I only want the chance to apologize for what I have done." Tom walked closer to Ron and touched his shoulder. "I ask permission to ask for her forgiveness."

The seconds stretched. Finally, Ron spoke. "You should ask her."

He raised his blue eyes to Tom, but they were no longer hostile. There was a long way to go before he could be friendly to the Slytherin but at least, he no longer wanted to kill him.

"I will."

A bit shakily, Harry stood. The past few minutes had been intense. The tension in the room was stretched so tight that he had been afraid to speak, fearing it might snap. Undoubtedly, Hermione felt the same way, judging from the way she let her breath out in a rush.

"So, Tom... It's getting late. We all need to rest for tomorrow, especially you." Harry walked near him, touching his arm a bit.

Tom's eyes lit up. "Yes, I'll have my first classes tomorrow."

"Good luck, then." Harry smiled. "Good night."

Harry herded a silent Hermione and a subdued Ron out of Tom's quarters back to Gryffindor Tower. As he and Ron walked up to their room, he couldn't help commenting about the evening.

"That was a close call."

"Yeah," Ron answered. He turned to Harry with a slightly quizzical expression. "But, you know, if he's really sorry about Ginny, then I guess he couldn't be so bad."

"Hmmm... maybe."

"Of course, that doesn't mean I totally forgive him. He has miles to go before that happens. I'm just saying that maybe there's a chance for him to redeem himself." Ron declared.

Amused, Harry tapped his friend's back. "Of course, Ron. I understand."

***

After breakfast, Tom made his way to the Transfiguration classroom. It would be quite weird for him to start studying again. It was so long ago since he was last in school. After being locked inanimate for more than fifty years, he was eager to start practicing magic again.

As he walked, the groups of students in the hall gave him a wide berth. They stared at him through wide eyes, still scared that he might suddenly give them the killing curse. Generally, it made Tom uncomfortable but he couldn't help but feel slightly pleased with the intimidation. Oh well, at least he wouldn't have to worry about hall traffic to make him late.

"Tom! Tom Riddle!"

Tom turned to see a boy with slicked-back blond hair hurry towards him.

"Hello," Draco Malfoy nodded affably, adjusting his speed as he walked by Tom's side.

Tom raised one ironic brow. "I'm impressed with your nerve. Why aren't you sticking to the sidelines like the others?" He gestured towards the other students keeping to the walls.

"Malfoys never take the sidelines. Besides, we Slytherins have to stick together." He glanced at Tom from the corner of his eye, his lips lifting slightly.

"I see." Tom merely nodded, looking at Draco. Slytherins weren't known for showing open affection but they had their own language. In those few moments, they had reached an agreement between themselves.

Draco looked down at Tom's left hand. 'You have a new wand."

"Yes. Ten inches, unicorn hair, oak. Isn't it a beauty?" He waved it around proudly, producing a few sparks. A few Hufflepuffs walking nearby gasped and jumped farther away.

Tom met Draco's eyes before the two of them broke into laughter. They arrived in the Transfiguration classroom a few minutes early still wheezing a little from the hallway episode.

Draco grinned. "I think I'm going to like you, Tom."

Green eyes twitched in amusement. "Likewise."

They took their seats in front of the classroom under Professor McGonagall's apprehensive eye. As the other students spilled into the room, Draco leaned over towards Tom and whispered.

"Perhaps I should warn you... we're having this class with Hufflepuffs."

They laughed again before they were silenced by a stern look from the Professor.

"Uh-hrrm... Sorry," Draco muttered.

When the Professor turned her back on them, Tom couldn't resist giving a Hufflepuff across the aisle a pointed glance. The poor boy whimpered making Draco snort even louder. The blond quickly tried to disguise it as a cough before Professor McGonagall had the chance to reprimand him again.

"He couldn't take a joke," Tom quipped, loud enough for only Draco to hear.

The blond sniggered before replying. "You are going to love Potions."

-TBC-