Harry Potter and the Return of Voldemort: edited the post on page 32 - Page 30

Originally posted by: asha_mehta

Superb part.

It's good harry has managed to earn Bolt's trust once again. If not the Ministry he is a part of DA and there should not be any drift in the Army.

Tom has indeed earned his way into the DA.

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The Christmas holidays when spent happily went by a little too early for Tom. Alex had visited him nearly every day for the rest of the holidays. He had gifted him a diary which he had bought from the Zonko's Joke Shop. It had a habit of answering sad and hopeless posts with very humorous and hilarious jokes. Alex's mood had changed a lot since he had started writing in it. He had seldom stopped smiling since. Every other day Tom, Alex, Porch, Duds, Lily and even Estella would gather for just about anything and everything. They would all huddle together in the Entrance Hall with flaming blue fires cracking jokes, playing games. Estella was a great addition to their small company. She was fearless. She sang, and danced about them as if she was butterfly. She was so radiant, sometimes it seemed she glowed. Lily had been quite taken with her too. She would follow her lead in the singing and dancing and the boys all sat and appreciated their brilliant efforts to entertain them. Tom and Estella were now very good friends but they still felt quite awkward whenever they were alone with each other.

The last day of holidays came and their meeting with the Dumbledore's Army came up. When on one side of the picture Tom was happier than ever on the other side it was time to depart with his very good friends. It was the last day of Ron and Hermione in the castle. They had arranged a farewell for the two before they left for the meeting in the Great Hall.

"I wish you guys weren't leaving." Tom said as they all walked through the Hogwarts' grounds.

"So do we, but this is far more important, isn't it." Hermione said reaching into her pocket, "But before we go Tom I want to give you something," She pulled out a gold galleon from her pocket and handed it to Tom. "Now that you are a part of the Dumbledore's Army you should keep this with you all the time."

"A galleon?"

"It's not just a galleon it's a way of communication that the Dumbledore's Army uses to send the date, time and location of the next meeting. Every member of the D.A has it."

"Location? Do you move the meeting around?"

"No, we have more than one Head Quarter now. Harry will explain to you in detail."

"Can I make it a locket?" Tom asked holding the galleon. He had a thing for strange things. He liked making accessories out of them, lockets, chains, rings, even decorations. Anything strange that caught his eye would be a part of his collection that he kept losing. His memory was the likes of Neville's. Nevertheless, he wasn't discouraged. He enjoyed collecting.

"Sure, if you want to. But never take it off you."

"So, how does it work?"

"Well when we change the date, time and location of the meeting it burns hot and if you've got it in your pocket you'll feel it burn and you'll know you're being called. It works-_"

"Like the Dark Mark." Tom completed her sentence quietly, light leaving his eyes. He had never known Harry Potter would resort to the ways of the Dark Lord. Hermione didn't meet his eyes.

"You can use this if you need help with something. We'll be there. We should have given you this a little earlier then you would have reached us earlier than you did." She continued.

"Never mind that now." Tom smiled to make her feel better. "C'mere, I don't know when I'm gonna see you guys again." Tom said giving a big hug to Hermione and then to Ron.

They walked out of the Hogwarts' gates and reached outside the Hogshead.

"Tom we'll be apparating to the D.A headquarters." Harry said.

Harry handed him a note written on which was the clear address of the HQ. Tom read it then burnt it into ashes.

"Who's the secret keeper?" he had understood how well it was protected.

"I am."

Harry took Tom by the hand. A few seconds' darkness and they all stood facing the hill top house overlooking the village.

The house was no longer covered with ivy. It stood like a handsome manor, its windows shining in the sunlight.

Tom stood rather lost. He had never been here before.

"Do you know where we are?" Harry motioned to Hermione, Ginny and Ron to go ahead and stood Tom behind with himself. He had to tell him a few things before he led him inside the HQ.

"Not exactly." Tom replied. "I have read what Little Hangleton means to you in Modern History. This is where Voldemort returned to power. I am, however, unfamiliar with this place." Tom had read the name of the Village on the note Harry had given him,

"This Village is home to Wizards and Muggles alike and that," Harry pointed at the handsome Manor. "is the Riddle House."

It took Tom a moment to understand exactly what he had said.

"It belonged to your Grandfather, Tom Riddle jr. He was a muggle." Harry answered his unasked question. "Your Grandmother fell in love with him but she belonged to the great House of Gaunts. Her father, Marvolo Gaunt, would never have allowed her matrimony with a Muggle and Tom Riddle did not love her. She was, however, compelled by love." Tom stood staring at Harry. He knew more about Tom than he himself had ever known. "She tricked him into taking a love potion, married him and conceived your father. After she bore Tom Riddle's child, she felt that he would not need to be compelled by a love potion anymore. She felt he would love her for the sake of their child. But the moment he was out of her spell, Tom Riddle deserted her. She could not return to her father and she could not turn to her husband. Nevertheless, she provided for her only child the best she could but could only live long enough to name him. She named him after his father who had abandoned him and after his Grandfather who had abandoned her. Voldemort killed his father when he came of age in this very house. "

Tom stood listening to what had and would have been his family had things been different. But if things had been different, if Tom Riddle had not abandoned his wife, perhaps, there would have been no Voldemort, there may never even would have been a Harry Potter and neither there would ever have been he and Riddle. "Perhaps, Voldemort's hatred towards Muggles and Muggle-borns comes from the betrayal of Tom Riddle." Tom had quite unintentionally thought out loud.

"Would you have felt the same if you were in his place?" Harry asked.

Tom turned to him almost angry. "Harry, you know I would never..."

"Exactly! You would never! And Voldemort did! Do you see the difference? You choose not to and Voldemort chose to! Tom Riddle's actions may have gotten him what he deserved but Voldemort chose to deliver that punishment, while you would never! Whatever justifications, or reasons one might find, there are simply none to justify ones actions. It is a choice pertaining to one's own self and none other!" Harry had cleared Tom's doubts about Voldemort's motives behind everything he had done so far.

All of this was a lot to take in for Tom so quickly. Nevertheless, he nodded. "How did you come to acquire it?" He asked looking at the Manor. He knew how Harry had lost a friend in this very Village. Why would Harry have the DA's HQ here of all places?

"You would know that we have destroyed the graveyard that played a major part in bringing Voldemort back. A complete account of it is present in Modern History. On our detour here, I couldn't help noticing that the Riddle House had remained vacant after the Riddles had died. No one had claimed for it. I needed a decoy HQ. At that time, the house could hardly come into anyone's notice. I knew no one would know it had disappeared and no one did but in time the need for a decoy never came upon us."

"Do you...expect him to return?" Tom asked not being able to contain himself. Harry knew Tom was asking him about Voldemort's return.

"Not now, not at least, while I am alive." Harry answered bringing a very quiet end to their conversation.

Harry and Tom made their way to the Riddle House. As they neared it, Tom realized that on the front there was no door to knock. There was a brick wall. Harry pulled out his wand and tapped the middle brick once, the third brick on the right from the middle three times and the second brick upwards from the middle twice. The middle brick started rattling making a hole through the wall. It became big enough for their size and they went through it to reach a narrow, darkened corridor. They walked towards it and upon reaching its end finally found a door. Harry again took out his wand and tapped the door thrice. After a lot of clinging and clanging voices the door opened to the smiling face of a very pretty French woman.

It was Fluer Delacour. Age had not touched her at all. Although she had now embraced the responsibilities of being the eldest in the Weasley family, she still looked as pretty as she had been years. Tom felt as if he was seeing a slightly mature version of Estella.

"Welcome arry!" She hugged him the instant she saw him and kissed him on each cheek in turn. She turned to Tom and stopped short. She didn't know who he was.

"This is Tom Riddle, deputy head of Hogwarts." Harry introduced seeing the query on her face.

She smiled widely. "Welcome dear!" She hugged him taking him inside by the hand. Tom smiled too. He had not expected such a warm welcome.

They entered a drawing room. It was exactly like that of a muggle's. Tom looked around feeling extremely strange in the house of his ancestors. It was quite ordinary. The walls of the room held pictures of several wizards in groups. One seemed aged.

"It's the original Order of the Phoenix."

Tom turned at a very familiar voice, it was Porch.

"What are you doing here?" He asked him astonished at the fact that he had not been the only one keeping secrets.

"I have been part of the Army since Dad died." Porch answered his unasked question and before he could say anything else hugged him. "I am sorry. I couldn't tell you before, the Army binds us for secrecy."

Tom stood listening to his apology not knowing what to say. He pulled him away from himself. "It's alright." He patted him on the shoulder. He understood his reasons but what he was feeling was guilt at still keeping secrets even though all of Porch's had now been revealed to him.

"I hope I am not late." Both of them turned to look at yet another familiar voice. It was Duds. He had just entered let in by Harry.

Both Tom and Porch looked at Harry who was grinning widely. "I couldn't separate the three of you, could I?" He winked and left them alone to catch up.

Duds hugged each of them in turn. "When did Harry ask you two to join?" He asked the moment he let go of Tom.

"I have been here for years. I only couldn't tell you two because the Army binds us for secrecy." Porch answered him.

"And I suppose, this is what Harry hadn't allowed you to tell us?" Duds turned to Tom before he could answer.

Tom nodded in reply.

"You gentlemen ought to hurry, Harry Potter has settled down to commence the meeting." A handsome wizard with long messy hair winked at them from a portrait who was accompanied by a man in round glasses and jet black hair exactly like that of Harry's.

"Who are they?" Tom couldn't help asking as the three of them entered the already filled dining hall.

"Harry's father James Potter and his godfather Sirius Black!" Porch answered him surprising him.

Originally posted by: asha_mehta

Awesome part.

Seems like their holidays have indeed come to an end. Everyone has set off to meet the challenges ahead.

Tom is surprised to hear that harry knows soo much about his family.

Once again harry has explained to tom how different he is from his father just like once dumbeldore had explained harry how he was different from voldermort. That it is the choices we make which defines us.

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Originally posted by: nilusoni

awesome part

tom and harry are wow

continue soon