A/N: Yes, I still skulk among the living. Unfortunately the last several months have been very difficult for me, so I haven't been able to write. I thought I'd taken a moment to breath and update some of the stories for you all. I know this is short after such a long wait, but I hope it is good.

Also, I have a new poll up about this story, and I won't be updating this story until it's been answered so go do it.

Rose Basilisk

Chapter 10- Interlude

Hogwarts

Harry lay in the grass, listening to the Bowtruckles of the lakeside trees carry on a conversation. His mind spun with the scraps of information he'd gathered together. Somehow, Voldemort had gotten a new body; one that was grotesque, infantile and unable to fend for itself, yes but a body none the less. Now, Wormtail, the little rat, had returned to his deformed master along with a new servant. Someone who also couldn't hide in plain sight, unlike most of the Death Eaters still free, but was able to escape imprisonment.

Voldemort had plans to get a fully formed, powerful body but it involved Harry's participation in some ritual. Harry assumed that willing participation was optional. He needed to be alive, though, that much he'd gathered from the visions he had... That, and they planned to get to him somehow during the tournament. It was tempting to blame the nefarious trio on his impromptu entry into said tournament.

However, Harry couldn't be sure it was Voldemort behind his now forced participation. It didn't make sense, not really, what was the point in having him participate? Also, how had they convinced the goblet to add a fourth participant. Hermione was researching the history of the tournament, but it didn't change that somehow a proverbial loophole had been exploited, and Harry didn't even know what that loophole was.

None of this would be happening if you had done what I suggested and just ended that little rodent when you had the chance, said a whisper in the darkest part of Harry's mind.

Oh, because I should always do what voices in my head tell me to, Harry retorted. The voice had been around since his first interaction with the dementors. It had made third year interesting and insane. After a little over a year, and some intense digging on his own, Harry figured that somewhere along the way, a splintered soul had crossed paths with Harry; the result being that a fragment of that soul now was stuck to his own soul like a barnacle...

That's rude, how dare you compare me to some vagrant marine parasite! The whisper retorted. Harry forgot that needed to work on his occlumency shields.

Actually, most barnacle species are harmless to whatever they live on, only some are parasites. They also don't move, they remain on a particular object, or animal, for the entirety of their lives. I was merely using them as a metaphor for our own situation, Harry corrected.

Well, it's still insulting compared to something so, so, dependent. It isn't like I wanted this, I was purposefully split off, rejected. Do you have any idea what it's like to just be a sliver of what you should be?

We've had this conversation before. You know I don't, and you know I didn't mean to cause you distress. But it's your fault for prying into my thoughts. Besides, you agreed that until we figure out how to do so safely, and where to put you, expelling you from my soul is akin to murder, or suicide.

I think I'm mostly emotion, or sensory input. Something instinctual. I'm pretty sure I've created whatever sentience I now have.

Well, we have more important things to worry about. Such as the tournament, and whatever the first task is.

True, the ostracizing isn't helping. We should find out what the first task is, the whisper now felt calmer than it had before. After realizing they now had to actually share a mind until some unknown future date, Harry and the whisper had struck a tentative truce that now was an uneasy friendship.

"Harry!" Called a male voice from the direction of the school. Harry opened his eyes to see Henry and Draco heading towards him. The two strode quickly, their long legs carrying them further than Harry could manage. Harry felt a wave of envy, his friends were nearing six feet, he seemed to be stuck at a height of five foot four. Harry sat up from his comfortable position.

"Hey," he said once his friends reached him. "What's with you two?"

"Hermione thinks she's found out how the goblet was tricked into spitting out your name," Henry breathed. Harry hopped to his feet.

"Repeat that?" Harry said. His hands were rubbing together in anticipation.

"Apparently, it has to do with the very first Tournaments, back when Hogwarts was just founded," Draco said. "She wouldn't explain it to us, but she found it in a history book. She thinks there may be a chance to get you out of the tournament."

"She's still looking into that, but we came to get you," Henry said. Harry bounced on the balls of his feet.

"Well, come on then. Won't do to keep her waiting!" Harry said before running towards the castle.