Ch. 16 Of plans and people

Tom continued to stroke Harry's hair as he slept, his tiny hands clutching Tom's pants. He watched his hand move through the black locks, touch gentle. Without the comb he wasn't really helping to tame the curly hair but he didn't stop. A warm feeling had begun to spread within him, similar to when Nagini had first come into his life but…more.

Harry had quickly become something precious to him. More than a pupil or future ally, he had both found and wormed inside Tom's black heart somehow with ease, And the idea that Harry could discover that Tom himself had in a way murdered his parents made panic rise in a way he wasn't familiar or comfortable with.

Harry would hate him, he wouldn't look at Tom in awe when he showed him a new spell, and his eyes wouldn't sparkle when Tom helped him with his work. He'd never hear the boy sing or see his smile ever again. Harry would look at him with loathing in those green eyes.

Tom would be the enemy.

"Nagini…" he hissed quietly.

"Yes?"

"How did I die? The other me?"

Nagini shook her head, "I don't know, you- he, simply left one night. He said that a baby would be born who would be a threat to him. That's when I knew that you, my Tommy, were gone." Nagini hissed softly.

Tom cocked his head, "You believe I wouldn't kill a child?" He inquired, remembering the revenge he had taken upon his fellow orphans, true he had never physically harmed them but still, Nagini's certainty surprised him.

"No, you aren't a wild animal Tommy; you have laws to your fights. I taught you that honor was something you must never forfeit. To kill a helpless child, it is not who you are."

"I killed Myrtle." He stated.

"Accidentally, and as I recall you cried about it."

Tom's cheeks warmed. So he had, unbeknownst to him Myrtle had been in the bathroom when he'd called the snake from the tunnels one night as a teen, ready to prove firsthand that his power and his control over the great beast was absolute.. When he heard a gasp just behind him, he turned and saw frightened brown eyes behind a pair of round glasses, only seeing the gigantic snake in front of him and its glowing yellow orbs.

And then he had watched Myrtle die, it only took mere seconds. Heard her breath stop in her throat with a high-pitched choke, watched those brown eyes grow lifeless as her body pushed the stall door open wide and thudded to the ground in front of him.

Tom remembered staring at her for a long time, her eyes wide forever in terror, looking up at him in blame. And his own eyes were open in a horror he had never expected to feel, the horror of ending a life. The unexpected emotional blow had made him force the basilisk back to the tunnels and he ran away. Sprinting through the halls with tears in his eyes and streaking down his cheeks he had locked himself in his room and sobbed the truth to Nagini. She had been so angry with him, reminding him that subtlety and code of honor was the tipping point of success. She also made him realize that if Hogwarts was closed he would possibly be sent back to the orphanage, for good. So he decided to change his plan to long-term and more….political.

'I suppose you're right. Perhaps we aren't the same anymore. And now he seems to be intent on killing Harry." He said, still petting the sleeping boy. He turned his eyes to Harry's slumbering face, briefly seeing him like Myrtle, white skin grey and cold. Those green eyes darkened and unseeing, laughter silenced forever.

There was only one way to protect Harry, and only one way for Tom to once more control his death eaters.

"I have to kill Voldemort." Tom hissed, eyes narrowing, Nagini looked up at him, her eyes sad. "Is there no other way?"

"As long as he lives he will be a danger to me and to Harry. He isn't a horcrux, so I can't simply absorb his conscious. I'll have to collect all of them and kill him in a duel. Then, I will be completely whole."

"But no longer immortal." Nagini said.

"There are many ways to obtain immortality. I believe the philosopher's stone exists still. Clearly the horcruxes were an erroneous method. I shouldn't have risked sanity for longevity."

Tom and Nagini stopped talking as Harry stirred with a soft noise, face scrunching up then blinking.

"Feeling better?" Tom hissed gently.

Harry rubbed his red eyes with his palms and sat up, face resigned

"I think so." He whispered, Tom reached out and brushed wild lock of hair from the boy's forehead. Curling his hand around Harry's face and remarking softly.

"I'm sorry Harry, I wish I could bring your mother and father back to you."

Harry gave a sad little smile and leaned into Tom's hand. "It's okay, if I'm good, I'll get to see them when I die too, right?"

Tom drew the boy into his arms, whispering a soothing lie "I'm sure you will Harry."

It was a lie, because if Tom was successful, he intended to have Harry by his side forever. He didn't plan on relinquishing the boy, not to Black nor death itself. Not even to his parents. And as selfish as that may be…well, Tom curled him arms tighter around the seven year old

"I sure you will." Tom was a selfish man.

Suddenly and without warning his vision blurred, the room around him disappearing; replaced by the sight of Lucius Malfoy kneeling in his own study, grimacing as he held his wand against the dark tattoo on his arm. And there, perched on the expensive desk…..was Helga Hufflepuff's cup. Tom breathed in a quick breath as the vision vanished and his own surroundings righted themselves.

His mouth quirked in a satisfied smile, eyes glowing with vicious intensity, Lucius had managed to complete his task, and Tom was one shard closer to freedom.

"Nagini….take Harry back, Kreacher needs to fix him something to eat, then I will need your help with a task." Tom said, smoothing his expression, and releasing Harry from his arms.

Nagini nodded then wrapped her large tail around Harry lifting him up and onto the floor. "Very well Tommy, come on little one, time for food."

"Okay, do you want anything Tom?" Harry asked the older wizard, some of his old cheerfulness returning.

Tom chuckled and patted the messy head, "I'm fine Harry. Make sure that mutt doesn't attempt culinary magic though, I don't believe it's within his mental capability."

"Umm….okay!" Harry chirped, not quite understanding. Tom waved as they faded from in front of him.

-Elsewhere-

Sirius sat outside the closed bedroom door, one knee bent and head against the old wood. He'd tried magicking it open but his unlocking spells just bounced off. Harry had disappeared into the room over an hour ago and there wasn't a sound coming from inside.

Shit, Harry's devastated face still hung in his memory, causing his chest to tighten and he sighed, pulling out his ancient pack of menthols from his very old but usable robes, and tapping the end with his wand.

"Incendio." He muttered, breathing in to light the tip and letting the smoke drift out. He closed his eyes and took a second drag, inhaling in a deeper breath, then letting the smoke out of his nose.

He shouldn't have said anything, but he couldn't let Harry believe his parents were still out there, still waiting for him.

"Rock and a hard place." He muttered, sliding his free hand over his face. He hefted himself to his feet and, glancing again at Harry's door morosely, trudged down the stairs. He cocked his head at hearing the fire crackle in the library; tiredly he pushed the door open and walked into the room, collapsing on the old armchair in front of the fireplace. Staring into the fire and drawing in another breath of nicotine, the cigarette hanging from his fingertips. He breathed out the smoke in a gust of breath, watching the white fog dance into the fireplace and trail up the chimney.

"So…you have come back." A deep voice muttered, Sirius glanced up at the portrait of Phineas Black, grey eyes locking on a painted twin set.

"No choice." Sirius grunted, lifting the cigarette again and inhaling.

"And if you had a choice?" Phineas probed, grimacing as Sirius blew the smoke in the paintings direction.

"Then I would never have set foot in this shack again." Sirius growled, fingers clenching around the cigarette, ash falling to the immaculate wood floor. Sirius spared a moment to relish in the kanipshit that Kreacher would throw over 'the muggle taint' in his mistress's house.

"You truly hate your family that much?" Phineas leaned forward in his own chair, resting his elbows in his knees and fingers weaving together.

"What do you think?" Sirius snapped glaring up at the old man.

"I think you have more anger than you know how to deal with."

Sirius leapt up with a scowl, brandishing the cigarette angrily, "What the hell do you want from me! Why shouldn't I be angry? Huh?! Do you know what my life was like! What Azkaban was like?! I spent nearly seven years in that….hole, surrounded by dark wizards, all night and day screaming and shrieking like banshees. Do you know what lurks in a dark wizard's heart? I do!" Sirius growled, tossing the butt of the smoke into the fireplace. "Dark wizards are murderers and mad men! My family is just like the ones who killed my friends!" He roared and knocked the leather armchair to the ground with a ferocious gesture and a bang, " I AM NOT LIKE THEM!"

As he screamed, his voice morphed into a loud menacing growl. Black fur began to sprout from his skin, and the sound of bones cracking echoed in the room as Sirius's jaw began to extend, teeth sharpening into fangs. His eyes became larger and a pitch black seeped into the grey iris.

Phineas lips thinned as he stared at the half formed Animagus his descendent had become. "Are you sure about that?" he remarked finally. "Look at yourself boy, the closer we get to that which defines us the more we begin to become it."

Sirius growled but closed his eyes, panting out slow breaths as he tried to calm down; soon the man was standing in the study again.

Phineas cocked his head "Tell me son, are light wizards truly any different? Do some not, as they become closer to power use their own image as a hero to manipulate those around them? We are all guilty of bad choices Sirius, but the outcome may change, if we choose so."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sirius rumbled, clenching his eyes shut and gripping his head.

"It means that life is too short to live thinking there's only one truth in the world boy. You might want to ask your mother."

"My mother?" Sirius looked up again but Phineas was gone from the picture, leaving only an empty seat. Glancing at the fallen armchair Sirius sighed and righted it, flopping ungracefully into it once more and staring at the flames, he lit another cigarette and snarled "Useless painted fossil."

Harry opened his eyes slowly, and lay on his bed for a while. Gazing up at the green canopy above him, he felt..very sad. Like there was a cloud inside of him, slowly filling up his heart with rain and his heartbeat sounded like thunder in his ears, leaving an ache every time it boomed. Feeling a nudge at his side Harry looked over to find Nagini peering at him,

"Come little one, to the kitchen." She curled her large body under him and moved him to the edge of the bed, sliding the little boy onto the floor.

"Nagini….do you think my parents would have liked me?" Harry asked thoughtfully.

"They would have adored you little one, you were their hatchling." Nagini shrunk herself to coil around the boy's tiny frame, and nuzzled Harry's face. Harry giggled and nuzzled back, rubbing his own face along Nagini's smooth scales.

"But now you are MY hatchling, and I will never let anything hurt you." Nagini murmured to the boy.

Suddenly a loud bang startled the pair, echoing from the floor below. Soon after someone could be heard yelling.

" I AM NOT LIKE THEM!"

"That's Sirius!" Harry shrieked in concern, darting forward to snatch the door handle and wrenched the door open easily.

"Hatchling, wait a moment..." Nagini warned the boy as they rushed down the stairs. Harry didn't hear her as he ran towards the open library door, intent on making sure everyone was okay.

"HATCHLING!" Nagini hissed suddenly growing larger and tugging the boy to a stop to keep the seven year old from entering the room.

"What-….Sirius?" Harry whispered, distracted from questioning Nagini because the man standing in the library didn't look like Sirius at all. It looked like a mix of Sirius the dog and Sirius the wizard. He almost looked like a werewolf except black fur. Harry felt frightened for a moment but soon enough Sirius changed back, looking like himself again so Harry relaxed.

He could hear Uncle Phineas talking but Harry wasn't close enough to hear most of it, as he strained to listen he only caught the last sentence.

"It means that life is too short to live thinking there's only one truth in the world boy. You might want to ask your mother."

"My mother?" Sirius asked, but Phineas had gotten up and left at that last statement. Harry heard Sirius sigh and put the chair back where it was before slumping in the seat. Then he took out his wand and lit a funny looking white thing.

Harry could contain his curiosity no longer so he tugged Nagini off him gently and trotted into the room.

"What's that?" Harry piped at Sirius's elbow, staring up at the burning white stick.

"Harry!" Sirius yelped, then hurriedly stood up and tossed the smoking thing into the fire.

"Aah, nothing, don't worry about that. Are you okay?" Sirius rushed out, kneeling in front of the boy and pulling him into a hug

"I'm okay." Harry's smile when he pulled back was subdued but sincere.

"I'm sorry pup, I should have told you differently but I just…I don't know…" The man sighed, "I just want you to know that I'm always here for you, okay? You and me, that's how it's gonna be from now on." He peered into the boy's green eyes and grinned.

Harry's smile became wider and happier, "I like that! We were going to go eat, wanna come with?"

Sirius looked past Harry to the snake still near the door, curled up and yellow eyes watching closely.

"Ugh, can't we just eat the snake. Tastes good I hear, like chicken." Sirius sneered at the serpent, standing up.

"I hear dog makes a better soup. And there's much less trouble skinning it." Nagini hissed back.

"What'd it say? That over-sized worm just insulted me didn't it?"

"WORM?! Disrespectful trash!" Nagini hissed in outrage, rearing up with a deadly glare aimed at Sirius.

Harry jumped in front of her and stroked her face scales soothingly, "Please don't be mad, he didn't mean it…he's just tired. Besides, Tom said he needed you." Harry remarked quickly. "Plus, I'm fine now….momma." He said a tad softer, eyes flicking down then back up to gauge Nagini's reaction to the word.

Nagini's face downright softened, quite the impressive look on a snake. "Oh Hatchling…..alright, I'll let the mutt live for today. But you warn him," Nagini wrapped herself around the child and nuzzled his hair, "Momma doesn't take prisoners." Harry giggled and hugged her coils.

"Mkay" He mumbled into her green scales. Nagini unwound herself from the boy and gave one last glare and a short but menacing hiss to Sirius before slithering out the door.

"Nyeh." Sirius childishly stuck out his tongue and mimicked a comical hissing sound.

"Come on pup I'm hungry!" Sirius barked suddenly and hefted the light boy under his arm, carrying him out the door and down the stairs. Harry's giggles and squeals to be put down could be heard echoing up the stairwell into the bedroom as a green and brown snake disappeared and a golden locket clicked shut.

HIYA PUPPIES! ^_^ -squeezes all the adorable yous- Did you like it? Boy this one's terrible, or was it? I really can't tell sometimes.

Sorry I've been away so long, but I have a reason! Well, actually it's more an excuse, see I was writing and for ONCE I was ahead of schedule (I know, surprised me too) with three new chapters, ready to be uploaded and posted.

And then….the flashing screen of DEATH, …my macbook DIED, that's right, CRASHED, GAVE UP, BIT THE METAPHORICAL METAL DUST, IT FUCKING DIED T-T

AND IT TOOK ALL MY CHAPTERS WITH IT DOWN TO MACBOOK HELL. :C AAAAAAAAAHHHHRUGH

BUT YOU MY FAIRY GODREADERS ALL ARE MADE WITH AMAZING AWESOMESAUCE SO WAS I GOING TO LET IT STOP ME?

NEVEEEEEER, so here is…one chapter …ugh

PS I know everybody's probably going 'WHEN IS HARRY GOING TO HOGWARTS?' and 'WHY IS HE STILL SO FREAKING YOUNG?!' that is because I suck at change sometimes and consistency's a hobgoblin lol. BUT never fear, the next Horcrux is here and Harry's actual magical journey will begin within the next two chapters, so be ready for a bit of a time skip soon-ish. PPS I know this really seems like a Dumbles bashing story but I promise you it actually isn't. It's more like a..'Politics suck and politicians are EVIIIIIL' kinda thing ^_^