§ Parseltongue§

''Speech, foreign languages will be written in English''

''Thoughts''

Please read AN, at the bottom of the page.

Chapter 8

''Sorry…do I know you?''

Fleur, at seeing his complete lack of recognition of she was, realised that he didn't remember her at all. She swallowed hard, and sniffed back her tears and spoke, not consciously realising that she and Harry were conversing in fluent French. ''No, I don't suppose you do know me''. She gave a watery smile, and although she tried, her tears still spilled down her cheeks. ''Fleur, Fleur Delacour''. She held out her hand hesitantly, not sure whether a hand shake was appropriate enough. Harry took it smilingly, but still unsure what the girls were so sad about.

Hermione spoke again; she was confused about a couple of things. One, how much did he remember. Confusion number two, when did he learn to speak fluent French. Hermione decided to stick with how much he remembered. The apparent fluency in French could come later. ''Harry, what was the last thing you remember?''

He thought silently for a few moments, before his cheeks were entirely red. He turned to look at her, but refused to meet her eyes. ''Err…waking up at the Weasley's, about to go to the Tournament. So why aren't we there?''.

Hermione was at a loss for words, she didn't know what to say, but Ginny decided to pitch in. She too looked upset, but was able to speak without crying. ''Fred and George spiked your drink after the game, you don't you remember It because you passed out''. She paused to look at Fleur, seeing if it was okay to carry on. She continued when she received a nod from Fleur. ''Yes, it was cancelled, and you said that you didn't feel well on the way here, so you slept on the train''. She seemed satisfied with the lie she conjured up quickly, I guess living with the twins does have its benefits.

Although the satisfaction wore off fairly quickly, once she remembered what Harry had done, or rather what Tom had done. She saw those red eyes; she saw how happy he seemed after he petrified Malfoy. She saw the thing that was living inside of the boy in front of her. But now you couldn't even tell. He seemed so innocent, so friendly. Nothing to give away that he somehow had that monster inside him.

''Okay, but then why don't I remember getting on the train, or arriving here. And why are we wearing our own clothes at the opening feast, which is also midday.'' Now he was confused, he could tell they were lying. But he knew they wouldn't do it without reason.

But before he even got a chance to receive and answer, he was interrupted by Dumbledore coming to the table. ''Good afternoon Harry, I was wondering if I might be able to steal you from your friends for a moment?'' Although he asked, it wasn't really a question at all. But for politeness' sake, he complied. ''Sure professor.''

So that's what found Harry 5 minutes later, up in Dumbledore's office. ''Would you care for a Lemon drop…Harry, or should I call you Tom?''

Instantly Harry's expression changed from something curious to something sinister.

''So you guessed then? Well I suppose it wasn't too hard. I'm not surprised the charm didn't get you. I also suppose you're wondering why I am not trying to kill the boy. Well, why not, if I get something out of it. The Tri-Wizard tournament, I want Harry to be entered into it, he was curious when it was mentioned, and he could win it. He wants to be recognised for something "of his own merit". This is the perfect opportunity for it''.

Dumbledore's curiosity was too high to refuse, plus out of all the Hogwarts students that would be entered now, it would be very unlikely for him to be picked. ''Okay, I'll lower the age to Fourth year and above. But if he isn't chosen, I can't do anything about that.''

'Harry's' face hadn't changed; he was smirking, as if he knew that what was Dumbledore was going to say. ''The old fools curiosity, has always gotten the better of him''. ''You needn't worry about him not getting picked, he will. Okay, ask away.''

Dumbledore reached into his bowl of Lemon drops, and popped one in his mouth, using the time to form a few of his questions.

''How is it you're here?'' That was the question that he had been waiting to ask. How was it that Voldemort was here in front of him, within his pupil?

Of course, Tom would have to mess with him first though, ''Well, around sixty years ago my mother decided she wanted a child…''. At The glare he received he decided to just get on with it. ''As you already know, I created several Horcruxes.'' Dumbledore gave a sad but solemn nod, for him to continue. ''Well that night, after I killed the boy's parents, I performed the ritual to make his death a Horcrux, but something went wrong. Rather than a fracture going to my intended object, it fused with his soul exiting his body and went back in. But I was prepared for this. If the ritual went wrong and my soul fused with his, then over time mine would overpower his. He would become more like me. Take on some of my characteristics, my cruelty etcetera. What I wasn't prepared for, was that a one year child would have an inhibiting spell on them. Over time, his magic was stored in his body, not flowing constantly as it should. All of that excess magic battled with mine, and overpowered me. So rather than him becoming more like me, I became more like him. But not completely like him. No, I still have the same cruelty, the same thirst for power. I 'Harry' reached into the Lemon drop bowl on Dumbledore's desk, and put one in his mouth, savouring the flavour, before swallowing the sweet and carrying on with his story.

''Now over the years, I have been unable to communicate with him directly as I have done today, or the past week. But some part of him, has always known I was there with him, he just accepted it. But in the summer, he went to Gringotts for a blood test, and the Goblins took the inhibitor off of him. He collapsed, though that wasn't a surprise, thirteen years is a long time for magic to be stored in your body. But after his magic was flowing normally, there wasn't so much strain on me. His magic was no longer keeping me trapped, I was then able to merge with his mind, and take control…when he let me. Over the years, I have formed a section of magic in his mind, and deposited bits of knowledge, and some of my own magical power into it. Small amounts, so that he wouldn't notice, but it was there. Occasionally he would delve into it. Two years ago, when he fought the basilisk, he used some of my strength to slay it. With me, he knew just when to dodge, and just when to stab. Any other questions Albus?''

Dumbledore did in fact have another question. ''Just two more actually, though I may have some more later. Why did you Obliviate young Harry? Was it really necessary?''

''Yes, I couldn't have him be aware of me just yet, he needs to build power. He needs to understand that he cannot let people walk over him because he is too much of a wimp to take action on his own. If he is to ever face me in my restored form, he needs to be a formidable opponent, and I won't have my destined nemesis throwing stunning spells at me, I killed his parents, he at least owes me a few Bombarda's. If he thought that I was altering his way of thinking, pardon the pun, he be reticent to act in such a way. I may hate him for cursing me into such an existence, but I can respect that he had a worse childhood than mine; I am however disgusted that he became weak because of it, when I in turn became strong in spite of it. Are we done now, all of this talking has made me bored?'' Harry/Tom looked rather nonchalant and was feigning boredom.

Dumbledore looked sick, but he needed to know one more thing. ''What is your plan for his current record of events, as I overheard, he remembers the morning of the World Cup, nothing up to now?" 'Harry' tilted his head to the side and smirked, ''I'll leave that in your capable hands Fumbledore. Simply give him the memory of him going to match, going to bed after it and coming here on the train, and talking to you about Black or some such.''

Dumbledore swallowed hard, and looked back at the glowing red eyes of his nemesis that had been talking for the last hour and nodded, doing what he needed to. The glazed daze from the effect of the spell disappeared, and only the familiar Emerald of his eyes returned, ''Okay Harry, I think that concludes our chat, thank you.''

The seventh floor found one Harry Potter walking aimlessly back from Dumbledore's office, thinking over the past week, despite it being a bit of a blur, he knew for a fact he went to Quidditch World Cup, and how could he forget sharing a bed with both Ginny and Hermione. He was confused as to why Hermione and Ginny were lying to him about the world cup, and it being cancelled. Maybe they were trying to pull some big practical joke on him.

But one thing did bug him, he couldn't shake the feeling that something bad had happened, but for the life of him he couldn't remember anything bad happening in the week. He went to the tournament, watched Ireland smash Bulgaria, shared a room with Hermione and Ginny, ''Big plus'' he thought to himself, stayed at the Weasley's for a couple of before getting on the train with Ron and Hermione and coming to Hogwarts, and then learning about Godric/sorting hat and him being Gryffindor's heir. He could remember the big events like that but small details like conversations where just a blur. ''Maybe I said something rude to someone without realising''. He said to himself, ''Oh well, they'll soon get over it, I hope''

He found himself at a painting with a mermaid decoration. It was all fine until she turned around, winked and blew him a kiss. It was then the painting swung open, and he entered.

''This must be the prefects' bathroom; the twins were talking about last year''. The bathroom was large and covered in silver and brass. The bath itself was massive, bordering on swimming pool size. It was then Harry decided that relaxing is exactly what he needed. He twisted the large ornate taps, and immediately the bath began to fill with hot soapy water. After folding his clothes on the bench and grabbing a towel and Slytherin pair of the room provided swimwear, he eased himself into the hot water. ''If only Ron could see what I'm wearing, probably thinks my favourite colour is red or gold.'' Harry thought to himself mirthfully.

Once the pool was filled he turned the taps off and swam around for a little bit, deciding to do a few laps of the pool, he was so engrossed in swimming it wasn't until his third laps that he felt and noticed someone watching him. It was a Slytherin girl in his year, ''Greengrass'' a name popped into his head. Sat down on one of the benches, legs crossed and head tiled slightly if analysed, but to anyone who knew her well enough, slightly closed off as if nervous and defensive.

He slowly swam over to her and climbed out of the pool, he grabbed his towel from beside her, backed off a few steps and began to dry himself, running his towel over his abs he….''wait abs, since when the fuck do I have abs. I'm not complaining but surely I would have noticed becoming this toned.'' Whilst buttoning up his shirt up he looked back at the girl who looked as if she was wanted to say something so he began for her.

''Do you want something Miss Greengrass?'' Whilst he wasn't rude, he wasn't strictly polite about how he had phrased the question to her.

She flinched at this but spoke at last, ''Do you...know who I am Harry?''

He raised an eyebrow, and whilst he finished buttoning his shirt he said ''I know who you are Greengrass, what I didn't know was that we were on a first name basis with eachother.'' With that he started to walk towards the painting. Before he got there he realised he had forgot his belt and realised that he had left on the bench. Before he had even made it two steps towards the bench he saw Greengrass. Her Green dress pooled at her bare feet, and red laced lingerie set that adorned her body. With a big gulp he closed his eyes and cleared his throat, he heard her turn around and say ''Yes Harry?'' She said coquettishly.

''Could you pass me my belt please? It's on the bench.'' He replied after a pause. He heard her move towards the bench and pick up the belt. He felt her take his hand and turn it around. ''Only if you promise to call me Daphne from now on.'', she said. He replied to her with a shaky nod and felt his belt in his hand, when heard her walk away, and the sound of a shower curtain being closed, he opened his eyes, as he started to go back to the door, he noticed red lace at his feet, and with that blushed and beat a hasty retreat, his only thought being…

''Women kill me they really do."

I know, I know, it's been far too long. Well as much as I would love to say I had loads on my plate or I got some rare disease that rendered me immobile (I wouldn't actually love to say that, but you get what I mean) I have just been a lazy fool and said to myself so many times that I would start writing again, but never ended up doing it. As some of you may notice I deleted the last two chapters as they were about me wanting to re-write the story bla-bla-bla, NOT HAPPENING. I've tried to make it a rule to only read completed FF, as I never liked getting into a story and having the Author either not update or abandon it all together. I've felt for a long time that I've not only let all of you down, but myself primarily, so now, that I've finished College and am working, I have every evening to do what I want with, and at long last I can get back to this with the peace of mind that I'm not missing out on coursework etc.

Now, I've stated in previous Author's note and in the last two Author's updates I have since deleted, that wrote and am continuing to write this story for myself. This still holds true, but I contradicted myself by allowing the reviews of some to cause me to question whether or not I should continue, and for a year or two it did. That ends now, I realise that no one is ever going to be loved by everyone, there will always be those that vilify you, or those simply looking to troll, and I don't give a damn what about how you hate me as an author or how shit you think my plot is.

From the various FF I have read, I sometimes zone out and think of things that I would like to happen, this story was/is that thinking coming to 'life'. I am writing a story that I can eventually read, I am using fanfiction as a base so hopefully other people could enjoy as well. Which please allow me to thank everyone who has enjoyed this story and left nice reviews and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. If you wish to see some of the destructive/flame reviews feel free, you don't have to look far.

I lost passion for writing this story two years ago, not just because of bad reviews but simply because I didn't know why I was doing it, but I believe that I am beginning to find that passion again. For the time being, there won't be a specific date for next chapter, it could be tomorrow evening, it could next or next month, but I know that I will no longer be letting myself or you guys down, I will finish it.

P.S I also understand it has been a long time since I last updated, and document that held key character information/basic plotline, along with a few old coursework files were deleted when I cleaned up my computer a while back, so I read the story a few times and wrote this chapter from memory and from looking at old chapters, therefore somethings may not make sense or may be confusing, if this is the case, send me a PM and ask, I will explain ASAP, sorry for the rant but some things needed to be aired.

Dan.