The life force from Ginerva Weasley bled into the plain muggle diary resting on the floor next to her unconscious form. Her magic gave form to the horcrux of Tom Riddle. He rose from the diary's pages imbued with her pure essence, the magic of a seventh child. A quirk of fate had lead to his rebirth via such a strong symbol of virtue and strength. As his form took shape he reached out his senses, the feel of distant touch of the magic of his creator, as he drew in the magical connection to his original form. Tom abruptly collected himself... there was another soul vessel in this Chamber of Secrets. Blue eyes searched ignoring the young boy sat by the prone form of the youngest Weasley. Tom knew the boy was the Potter Heir, his prophesied nemesis. Tom drew magic from the chamber to himself, the horcrux was near and alive.

The spectre like form floated forward to the boy and touched Harry. The magical connection between them was like a huge electrical shock. Harry's magic was young, wild and proved the boy was a mage, as yet untrained and ignorant. Tom grew solid from the huge jump start of energy from the boy and severed the weaker connection to Ginerva. She had served her purpose by opening the chamber. A trap for the Potter boy.

Tom looked at Harry Potter taking in the features of the young boy laying on the chamber floor, the shock of the two horcrux's connecting had overwhelmed the boys senses. He was dazed. The brief touching of the two soul fragments had caused Tom to view Harry's memories and he sneered, another mage growing up in Magical Britain, abused and unwanted in a Muggle environment. Tom knew that Harry would be aware of his own life. Such similarities between them.

Tom did not touch the prone boy again but hissed in parseltongue, "Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four.." He watched the basilisk slither into the Chamber. "Great Protector take the girl child to the bathroom. There the teachers will find her. She has done her duty. Harm no others and rest."

Tom was at an impasse, he had physical form, his creator was a wraith. He needed to ascertain his position and that of the Potter boy. The boy would be ignorant no longer. He now possessed the same knowledge as Tom himself. Decisions would be made for both of them. New opportunities and new plans needed to be formed. This child was precious, a strange feeling imbued the newly reborn Dark Lord, possessiveness was a strong personality trait but empathy and protectiveness were a novel experience. Above all he had to keep his brother-horcrux safe from harm and away from the manipulator of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore.

Harry stirred, and was enveloped in a rush of memories and knowledge. He opened his eyes to find himself still in the chamber but with a not so strange boy dressed in Slytherin Robes. He knew the boy, his name, his life, his hopes and desires. Harry felt a spike of empathy and understanding.

The newly reborn form of Tom Riddle had watched over his charge for several hours, as Harry recovered from magical exhaustion. "Good Evening Harry. I am Tom Marvolo Riddle. Ginerva is safe and is being looked after by Madam Pomfrey as we speak. The Basilisk is again sleeping. I have heard from the portraits that Ronald is uninjured. I am afraid Professor Lockhart is quite addled from his own memory charm."

Harry processed this and his new knowledge. He sat silent and thought of the lies and ommissions in his life so far. The abuse and the scorn of the school this year had already tainted his views of Hogwarts. The influx of Riddle's memories meant he could see his life so far for what it was. He had been the pawn of the headmaster. Tricked into Gryffindor with two Dumbledore worshipper's for best friends. "Do they think I'm dead?"

"That is what the teacher's and the Ministry have concluded. The chamber entrance to the Girls bathroom is sealed." Tom knew both Fudge, the entire Hogwarts Board and Amelia Bones were upstairs.

Harry looked at his fingers and conjured bluebell flames, the flickering ghosts of heat dances on his flesh but did not burn. "So I'm a mage and your soul-brother?"

"Yes, we are... family." said Tom and meaning it. His world had been tipped on its axis as much as Harry's had.

Harry looked at the handsome form of Tom Riddle and smiled "I always wanted family."