Harry Potter and the Return of Voldemort: edited the post on page 32 - Page 54

Originally posted by: N0306

Thanks for updating.. Execellent update.. I like how you do not deviate much from original characters and it is hard to carry them forward in a story..

Good work.. I stil hadn't expected George to react so strongly and go against Harry's judgment.

Originally posted by: Periopaque

Thank You😃

As far as George is concerned, I am surprised you're feeling this way. True, George has always stood by Harry's decisions but too much has happened for him to have his doubts. He lost Fred in the battle at Hogwarts. They were twins and closer than anyone else. His loss was unbearable, now, he discovers that Voldemort has sons and they're twins and they have lived while so many have died. For him, it is as if, all of it was their fault although it was not.

Tom returned not to St. Mungoes but back at Hogwarts. He had no desire to be anywhere but his home. He wanted nothing more than peace and yet all that he could feel was misery. It didn't matter how hard he tried, tears simply kept leaping down his eyes as their words rang out in his ears. They were holding him responsible for everything. That was not their fault, it was Riddle's but they had not even given him a chance to trust him, that was hurtful. He had been with them for months now. Seeing that kind of impulse from them had not been easy.

Before anyone could see him and stop him, he rushed inside his room, shut the door and locked himself inside. He didn't want to see anyone. May be Harry and Hermione had been right when they had shut him out. May be he should have stayed out of their way. He shouldn't have visited Bolt's funeral. All he had done was bring more trouble in their lives. He was not worth any more than them, why then should he live while they died? Although, no one had said that to him, Tom had seen all their minds quite clearly. They all were thinking the same thing. The Dark Lord's son lives while they are dying one by one as if by a plan, as if he was eliminating them and his presence amongst them was a sign of danger and nothing more.

Tom turned his back to the door and stood staring out of his window with tears streaming down his eyes. He would never try to harm them and yet he was a threat to them. He had no idea how to convince them of his loyalty, he had never been disloyal to them and yet he was the one they doubted.

About 9 months ago he had stood right here, crying over the death of his two best friends. Today, he was exactly where he had been then. He was responsible then, he was responsible now. If only he had the courage to engage Riddle in the early going, Bolt would still be with them. Riddle, as he thought about him, the sheer mockery that Riddle had enjoyed inflicting him with had torn him apart. 'I will not kill you, my snake will'. Riddle had not said it, yet his departing wink had conveyed the message loud and clear. The exhibition of power, that Riddle enjoyed by dominating him, had brought nothing but pain and suffering to Tom.

As Tom thought about him he felt angry. He had never felt anger like this before. It was not in his nature. The last time he had been this angry was when Greyback had taken Alex. Before that when Riddle had admitted to his face that he had killed Mayweather. Right now, he was feeling that angry. His breathing became sharp and intense. The sharp breaths irritated the wound in his chest and Greyback's claws burned in his sternum as a searing pain took hold of him. He had not had the time to examine his wounds, see if he could fix those. He walked to the mirror but the moment he stared at his reflection he retreated. His face was frowned in a rage that he had never seen on it before and his eyes were shining bright. He realized he was sweating too much and he felt like the urge to hurt something, someone-_

"Tom!"

There was a mild knock on his door that brought him back to his senses. Tom looked at the mirror again as he felt some of his anger ebb away from him. His face relaxed and his eyes turned to their normal brown colour but the pain in his chest had only been building and did not seem to be leaving him. There was another knock. Tom wiped his face with his hands, patted his hair back in place then pulled out his wand and swished it. His door opened and Porch doubled in followed by Duds.

"What did I tell you?" Duds said to Porch the moment they had entered and he had shut the door behind him. "He enjoys shutting himself up." He retorted at him as Porch gave him a 'not now' look and turned to Tom.

"Are you alright?" Porch asked him stretching out his hand to put on his shoulder when Tom stepped away from him.

He looked at their shocked faces. They deserved an explanation. But then what if they didn't. He was hated by several, two more wouldn't make a difference. As this thought struck him the tears that had dried moments ago sprang right out of his eyes and down his cheeks and at that moment he realized that they would make a whole lot of a difference.

"Why are you distant from us?" Porch said quite hurt. "We trust you."

Tom shook his head. He knew he would have to be honest with them. Someone would have to be with him in this, if had to survive this alone, he didn't think he would even make it. "I know...and I have no words to tell you how glad I am to know that you trust me."

"What's wrong then?" Duds asked observing how he kept backing away a step or two as they stepped forward.

"You should keep your distance with me... I don't think it's safe..."

"Safe? Harry told us about Greyback's claws but he mentioned there was an antidote, that you'd be fine."

Tom nodded. "Yes, but it'll take time and what I saw in that mirror a few minutes ago was enough to tell me that the antidote would take its time to work...It has a process... It has to be taken every full moon... The part that scares me is what would happen when it's not full moon... I just saw a glimpse of what I could become, in one flare of anger the sight that met me scared me more than the events of the previous night.

"You speak like you've never known me." Porch grinned as he grabbed his shoulders and looked into his eyes fearlessly. "I have been able to tame beasts of many kinds, a wolf would be the least of my worries." He winked, grinning at him as Duds laughed out.

"Yeah, if he can take care of a box full of Blast Ended Skrewts, he can deal with anything.

Tom looked at them, no smiles crossed his face. He jerked Porch away. "You think this is a joke... You have no idea..." His pulse rose as he realized how foolish they were, cracking jokes about this...he couldn't explain to them what he was feeling but the urge to snap something was growing so much and so hard he didn't think he could control it. He backed away even more and found himself standing beside his bedside table with a flower vase. Before he knew what he was doing he had lifted it up and thrown it with full force at porch who ducked, the vase smashed against his wall and shattered into bits as Tom let out a relieving cry that was mingled with pain surging through his sternum.

As the moment of anger and relief all at the same time passed Tom felt his strength leave him and he started falling forwards clutching at his chest. Porch and Duds grabbed him in time and as they straightened him up they saw his shining brown eyes for themselves. Within the next minute his eyes had turned back to their normal colour, they had sat him down, handed him a glass of water and were trying to make sure not to let slip anything that would arouse him.

Tom felt much calmer now that he had satisfied the urge to break something and in manner of speaking howled his heart out at the anger and pain he had been feeling.

"Now you believe me?" He asked looking at their White faces.

Both of them nodded seriously.

"I just want you-_" Before Tom could say anymore someone knocked.

Duds opened the door to find Alex who didn't wait for the permission to come in and strode right past Duds to Tom who stood up the moment Alex entered.

"Are you alright?" He asked him as Porch and Duds stared at Tom shaking their heads at him who thought they had told him. Alex saw them.

"Oh, they didn't say anything."

"Where do you get your news then?" Tom asked nervously.

"Someone's well trusted extendable ears help in catching it. Never mind that now though, is it true? Did you hurt yourself again?"

Tom shook his head. "No, I am fine... I just... I was only just a bit busy..." Tom started boring his eyes into Alex's. He had decided something and he knew Alex was going to hate him for this but he was now capable enough to deal with everything without him. "I would appreciate that the next time you come here, you took permission before you entered, we were having a private conversation, one that you interrupted."

Alex looked embarrassed. "I am sorry... I would ask before emtering from next time..." He replied turning pink. Tom had never asked him take permission before. Alex had the liberty to enter his room as he wished but today he had... may be Alex had interrupted an important conversation.

"Good... Now, if you will excuse us, unless you have something important to say..."

Alex was suddenly feeling out of place. He had never felt that way with Tom. Somehow, Tom had never reminded him of the fact that he was older than him but today he seemed to be towering over him with a frown on his face that didn't quite suit him.

"Nothing important... I just came to check up on you...because I heard, what happened to Uncle Bolt, in that you got hurt too and so did Uncle Harry... I saw his arm in a sling...and I think I can see bandages on you..." He said peering inside his shirt. He had seen the wad of bandages taped to his chest trying to soothe the wound that would probably keep hurting regardless.

"I told you... I am fine. Yes, Harry got hurt..."

Alex nodded at his brief answer. Clearly, he was not invited to stay. Tom had not knelt down to talk to him, like he always did, neither had he hugged him today. Alex felt that Tom was being distant with him. But that was absurd, Tom was always nice to him. May be his mood was off because of Uncle Bolt of course. Alex had been like that when his mum and dad had died. Then Tom had not let go of his side, no matter how hard Alex had tried. Today, may be Alex could give him a hug, at least let him know he wasn't alone like Tom had done for days for him.

Before Tom could stop him Alex had hugged him and grabbed his waist with his small hands. As he touched him, Tom embraced him, he just couldn't help it and yet at the same time, he felt something else. He could smell something, something that he craved. For a moment he didn't know what it was but then he found himself staring at Alex's hands grasping his waist, his face pressed against his torso. He was staring at his bare flesh, inhaling the smell that he had not been expecting. He pulled Alex away from him quickly and turned away from him.

"You might as well be going..." He said not daring to turn back.

Alex felt strange but didn't say anything. He waved at Porch and Duds and left. Duds shut the door behind him as Tom grabbed Porch to stay where he was and to keep himself from the urge to follow him.

"You seem white!" Duds exclaimed when he saw his face.

Tom nodded. "I need a favour from both of you..."

"Yeah, anything..." Porch said quickly before Tom felt they were against him too.

"Keep Alex away from me."

"Why?" Porch asked him rather scared himself.

"I could smell his blood and I can't get rid of his scent..." Tom answered as both Duds and Porch retreated from him. "I know... It's disgusting...but I won't be able to overcome the urge to attack him every time I see him... Just make sure he doesn't get to me, I will be able to keep my distance as long as I don't see him..."

They nodded. "Tom, we'll find a way to keep Alex away from you but we live in Hogwarts, the school's full of children...how are you planning on dealing with them?"

"They'll leave in a month and I have a few things in mind...just keep him away, I'll take care of the rest..."

"You do that..." Duds said and before Tom could stop him, Duds had hugged him and pulled Porch with him. "But let us take care of you..."

Tom stood in the arms of the two men who had embraced him like a brother. His own brother had abandoned him and hurt him but they had embraced him. In that moment, it was the first time when he felt relief, true, pure relief, he felt safe and finally welcomed a smile.

Originally posted by: N0306

That does make sense..

For today's update.. Great way of shutting Sirius down.. I have always admired him a lot.. That character is different and you have used it pretty well..