Unforgivables

Chapter 7: Tom Talk

Harry always thought that nothing could be more nerve-racking than walking down to the Headmaster's office after being called down personally. Or waiting for his uncle to return home to punish him for his latest misdeed, but walking down to the Dark Lord's study had to take the cake.

Harry didn't fight Lucius when he left Draco's room following closely behind Severus. Or the quick pit stop at his room to get changed.

He didn't whine when he heard that they're heading to Voldemort's personal study.

He didn't even flinch when Lucius starts rubbing his back, trying to reassure him that this will benefit everyone in the end.

The only noise Harry makes is a choked sob when Lucius tries to place him on the chair in front of Tom's desk.

"I'll do anything. Please don't leave. Please," Harry pleads quietly with a bit of hesitance.

Lucius shocks him by getting down on one knee and removing his family ring.

"Remember what I said about this ring," he gently sets it in the young child's hand before rising and exiting the room behind Severus. 

"G-good afternoon, L-lord..." Harry nervously twiddles his fingers, regretting leaving his bear in Draco's room.

"There's no need for such formalities," Tom interrupts the clearly nervous child before he could work himself into a panic. "You can call me Tom during your stay here as I would greatly appreciate it if I may refer to you as Harry."

"Harry is fine, Lo-Tom" he pulls his feet into the chair and curls more into himself. In this position, he feels a little more secure. "We don't really have to talk if you don't want."

"I should be the one telling you that," the older Slytherin chuckles a bit. "No, Harry. You deserve a proper explanation and I'm going to give it to you. I just ask that you save your questions until I'm finished. Alright?"

"Alright," Harry sits up a little straighter, prepared to give his full attention to Tom's story.

"I was always an outcast of some form all throughout my life," Tom starts. "Other children never wanted anything to do with me at the orphanage I grew up in. And the other students avoided me because I was sorted into Slytherin. By that time I barely knew how to be around others my age. Dumbledore soon took an interest in me and I was so desperate for anyone to talk to that I readily agreed to my Defence teacher's meetings.

"I don't know how it happened but it seems that time went quickly from then on. Before I knew it people were looking up to me, especially those in my house, wanting to follow my every command. They believed I would do something great for the wizarding world with my vast knowledge of both muggle and magical politics and history. One day, I made the biggest mistake of my life." Tom starts to get a faraway look in his eyes. "I excepted a book on Horcruxes. It's supposed to be a ritual that lengthens a wizard's natural lifespan, depending on the person's core," Harry perks up a bit. He hadn't heard anyone mention the specifics on Horocrux making.

"At first I was of course highly considering lengthening my life so that I have more time to better not only our world but also possibly the muggles' as well. But I discovered that the ritual must be completed differently depending on the casters magical core."

"I didn't know people have different cores, si- Tom," Harry interrupts softly.

"Despite which side you may be on in this war everyone has an either light, dark or gray magical core. It's not commonly taught in school due to not much being different on the more common spells, charms, and even potions," Tom happily explains. He's glad the child isn't so scared of him that he's able to ask questions.

"Few potions ingredients react negatively based on your core. But all advanced masters know to never use centipede legs to reverse the effect of too much slug slime in hair growth potions instead they use millipede. I soon found out that I have a dark core which naturally gives me a slightly longer lifespan than someone with a light core. To lengthen that further a great sacrifice must be made."

"Myrtle."

"A sacrifice that I simply could not bring myself to do."

"W-what? B-but she... I saw... t-there was," Harry goes back to his stutter as he tries and fails to understand the story.

"I know it doesn't make sense but all I remember is trying to confront Dumbledore about an alternate solution as he was the closest thing to a mentor I had at the time. The next thing I know I'm standing next to Myrtle's lifeless corpse holding my diary. I knew that I had to have killed her and made my first Horocrux but I still have no recollection of that day. Years later after I got my body back I went to the goblins to get a full cleanse and we found a number of compulsion and memory charms dating all the way back to before my Hogwarts days."

"H-he made y-you do all that bad stuff?" the raven hair child questions with slight tears in his eyes. "J-just like h-he m-ade me..." Harry trails off with a broken sob making Tom kneel down in front of him.

"What did the horrid old man make you do, little one?" Tom attempts to rub soothing circles on the boy's back and becomes very pleased when, for the first time, he doesn't flinch away from the gentle touch.

"I didn't wanna go fight the troll," he confesses. "Or... or go into the chamber. He knew Ginny was in trouble and he made me fix it. He always makes me fix it. I can't fix it," Harry continues to cry out his frustration.

"And you shouldn't have been forced to. Neither one of us should have been subjected to the old coot's insane delusions for becoming rich and powerful. But you know what?"

"W-w-what," the little Gryffindor inquires, looking up at Tom with his impossibly huge green eyes.

"You're not alone anymore," Tom gestures to the Malfoy family ring still clutched tightly between Harry's small fingers. "And when you defeated me all those years ago it gave me the strength to fight off Dumbles charms. The strength I am now going to use to help you."

Now Harry's eyes turn fearful as he quickly scoots away from the man. It takes Tom a second to understand the reason behind Harry's sudden fear but when he does he's quick to correct himself.

"Of course not in the same way you helped me. I swear to you while under this roof no harm shall befall you, youngling. And I will continue to tell you that for as long as you need to hear it." Harry allows himself a small giggle at his posh tone of voice.

"Now if you will allow me, I would like to give you a hug before you run off to go play," Tom hesitantly opens his arms. He's not usually a very affectionate person but he can make a small exception for the two youngest members of what he now considers his family.

"Ok," Harry answers as he slides into Tom's hold, finding nothing but warmth.