Chapter Text
## Sixth year – December ##
Harry cocked an inquisitive eyebrow, but Tom gestured for him to go ahead without him. He had been looking forward to corner Slughorn for a quiet chat for a while. Harry gave a shrug and turned to engage Rosier into a conversation with no other ends, Tom was sure, than to torment him for a while with artfully crafted and painful chattering.
Sometimes, Harry remembered Tom of a cat. They had a vicious streak for playing with their prey before killing them. It was a pleasant thought to entertain, and he let his hand wander about some of the cluttered objects assembled on the potion master display table, waiting for the evening guests to fill out of the room. When he was the only one left with an oblivious Slughorn, he rang a hourglass with a deliberate pinch.
‘Tom! I had not seen you were still there!’ Slughorn exclaimed, startled as he poured himself a liberate glass of brandy. ‘You need to hurry, it’s already past curfew.’
The tone was benevolent, the old man lulled by the pleasant evening, food, and conversation. It was perfect for the conversation he wanted to have.
‘I wanted to ask you a question, professor. I have come across a term, during my readings, that I do not fully understand,’ Tom stated coyly.
‘Well, you may as well ask me Tom,’ Slughorn answered, stuffing himself in his plush armchair and fishing out a piece of candied pineapple with obvious relish.
‘I wonder what you could tell me about … Soul bonds.’
‘Soul bonds, Tom? Been indulging in fairy tale reading then?’ The old professor inquired in a fond paternal tone. ‘I wouldn’t have placed you as interested in that kind of things.’
‘Fairy tales are part of wizarding culture. Some say there is a bit of truth in every story, and the concept seems fascinating.’ Tom flickered his eyes to the potion master to convey his not-all-faked embarrassment. ‘I confess I sometimes find it difficult to part old or rare magic from fairy tale.’
‘Understandable, of course, with your background Tom. I did not mean to dampen your investigative streak. It is rather admirable.’ The man drummed absentmindedly his fingers against his glass, obviously digging up his brain for something relevant to say. ‘Soul bond is a recurring fairy tale element, without being widespread I’d say. Star crossed lovers, unvanquished battle brothers, undying love… You name it. There is always some form of persistence of the involved pair. Nevertheless, it appears quite fictional,’ he added with a chuckle. ‘I have never heard of a piece of magic binding the souls of two persons. Magical binds, like most binding vows or contracts, act on the magic of the people involved.’
‘I see. Forgive me if my question was naïve.’
The professor waved a placating hand toward him, obviously endeared in some paternal way by Tom seemingly childish question. A small smile tugged at Tom’s lips, all too aware his next question would wipe the expression from his face.
‘I have one more question for tonight, if you’ll allow it. I was in the library one night. In the restricted section, and I read something rather odd about a bit of rare magic. It is call, as I understand it, a horcrux.’
Slughorn whole body went rigid as the term passed Tom’s lips.
‘I beg your pardon?’ He asked.
‘Horcrux. I came across the term while reading and I didn’t fully understand it.’
‘Well, Tom, that is dark stuff, very dark stuff you’ve been reading.’ He let out a disbelieving, uneasy chuckle. ‘Let it not be said you are not extensive in your studies and chosen reading material.’
## # ##
‘Everything I know to do it is in there! It’s not even that complicated, you just need the guts to go it.’
‘Tom, this is just one book. If it was all so simple, there would be a lot more immortal blokes going about,’ Harry answered irritably.
‘It requires having killed someone. It’s not simple,’ Tom seethe.
‘It is. It really is. I am sure that for the sake of immortality there’s a lot of people that wouldn’t mind becoming murderers,’ Harry sighed, passing a hand over his tired eyes. ‘We’ve talked about this. You are being obsessed and it clouds your judgement. You need to research this more, before doing anything. It looks good, but black magic always finds a way to bite you in the arse. You need to figure out the price before tearing your soul apart and that book doesn’t tell you that.
Tom harrumphed, closed the heavy volume with a bang, and stormed out of their little nook in the library. Harry sighed and stretched, gazing out the high window to see the moon was well up. It was dark and muffled. Only a few students had slips to work that late in the library and most of them were reasonable enough to be in bed by this time of the night.
Harry did not even get the appeal of immortality that much.
## Sixth year - August ##
The bell tinkled discreetly in the hushed atmosphere of the stuffed little shop. Rows upon rows of stacked wand boxes, climbing their way to the ceiling and gathering dust, dormant until one wizard’s magic whispered to rouse them.
It was late enough than the shop was empty despite the rather busy time of the year, and Harry was rather happy about the absence of cowed firsties and their preening parents.
‘Ah! Mr Riddle! Eleven inches, holly and a phoenix core. Nice and supple. I believe it serves you right?’ Ollivander piped, emerging from the shadows of the back shop.
‘I am very happy with it, sir,’ Harry answered with a large, honest grin. He really was fond of his wand.
‘What bring you today then, Mr Riddle? Your brother is not with you?’
Harry had dumped Tom in Knockturn alley. Tom always seemed to have one thing or another to do there, and the place gave him the creep. Dark magic was theatrical enough on its own, there was no need to make a show of it.
‘He is busy, and I had some questions concerning my wand, so I took the opportunity to drop in, if you are not too busy,’ Harry explained politely.
Ollivander gestured for him to continue, in his rather terse and somehow benevolent way.
‘How to say this. My brother and I, you see, we have the habit to practice spells together. Over the last year, we have given a go at duelling practice,’ Harry explained, twirling his wands between his fingers absentmindedly. ‘On a couple of occasion, I am afraid some nasty accidents should have happened. But it seems my wand, or Tom’s …. Happily misfired.’
‘I gather these misfires never happened in other circumstances, or you would not have taken notice?’
‘Only when it’s the two of us. Minor accidents did happen with other students.’
It was not technically a lie. Nobody was dead because of those practice sessions, and given his and Tom’s history, Harry believed he could pass any other problem as minor situations.
Ollivander gave him a searching look, before holding off his hand for Harry’s wand. While examining it, he continued.
‘Your brother’s wand also possesses a phoenix feather core. Of the same phoenix. A very rare occurrence. Thirteen and a half inches, yew, if I remember correctly.’
He passed his wand back to Harry.
‘You do sir.’
‘What you need to understand, Mr Riddle, is that both your wands possess a very strong core. Brother wands are rare and their magic severely under documented, but what you have experienced may be a consequence of your wands refusing to work against each other in a significant way.’
Harry replayed the sentence in his head.
‘There is a specific magic around wands with a same core?’
‘If the core comes form the same magical beast, yes,’ Ollivander confirmed with a gruffy node.
Of all the things the man should have mentioned when they first purchased their wands….
‘It’s the first time in my lifetime it has come up, though,’ he added, ‘I believe the link is strengthened by both the natural powerful cores, and the close relation you share with your brother.’
Harry’s eyes snapped right to the old man piercing ones. Ollivander was perceptive, almost hawk like. It crawled under Harry’s skin, like it was searching for a crack in the mask.
‘There are spells,’ he continued, ‘that benefit from several casters being involved. I would advise looking into it. I would not be surprised you obtain uncommonly powerful results by combining your and your brother’s magic. I believe we can expect great things from the both of you, if you set your mind to it, Mrs Riddle.’
Harry gave the man a wooden smile. Exiting the stuffy shop swiftly, and the scrutiny of its owner, seemed like the best course of action. Nonetheless, Tom would want to know more.
‘Would you have any book on wand lore to advise me? I’d like to research this a bit futher.’
## Seventh year - June ##
Harry had perched himself in a tree, a convenient way off the graduation celebration currently being held on the castle ground. It was a beautiful summer day, the sun caressing his skin in a gentle way. It was a good day. In a few hours they would be packing, and tomorrow, they would take the Hogwarts Express for the last time.
It felt terribly nostalgic.
Taking a bite of his buttered scone, Harry let his gaze drift and fall on Tom, who was currently engaged in smooth talking Lord Malfoy. It was always funny to see Tom wrap those uptight families tightly around his little fingers, while being private to how much he despised every one of them, save for a select few.
Harry, from his secluded perch, was unfortunate enough to catch the eyes of Professor Dumbledore who, seemingly amused to find him hidden up a tree, decided to come and chat him up.
‘Harry,’ Dumbledore greeted cheerfully.
‘Professor,’ Harry answered politely.
‘I must say, I was most pleased with your transfiguration marks. I wished to congratulate you.’
‘Thank you, sir.’
‘I am not sure I’ll have the occasion to congratulate Tom on his own success. He keeps on being otherwise engaged.’ Dumbledore’s eyes flickered up to Harry, and back to Tom. ‘I don’t think I have had the pleasure to be informed on his future projects.’
Ah. That was more of a Dumbledore line of things. Harry had almost thought they were in for a pleasant chat and civil conversation.
‘He was very disappointed to be refused the Defence position sir,’ Harry answered, aware the man was possibly involved in dissuading Dippet from considering Tom. ‘I believe he had in mind to go for a couple odd jobs to kill the time until he could apply again. I dissuaded him.’
Dumbledore cocked an eyebrow up.
‘You did?’
‘He’s received a lot of propositions to work at the ministry. I think he is going to reconsider a couple of them,’ Harry answered, because frankly, he was proud of Tom’s success and flinging it in the mingling professor’s face felt terribly gratifying.
Dumbledore chuckled.
‘You know, I believe most of the teaching staff here will remember Tom as the responsible one. But I rather think you were the one that kept him in check all this time.’
‘I’ve done my best sir, but Tom was a terrible troublemaker,’ Harry jested back.
There was a smile on the professor’s lips, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes.
He knows, Harry thought, but he doesn’t have any proofs.
‘And you Harry? Any firm plan? Travelling perhaps?’ Dumbledore asked lightly.
‘I have on good heeds my application for auror training is being seriously considered.’
Dumbledore seemed to take and turn the idea in his head for a few moments.
‘That would place the both of you in rather interesting positions within the ministry.’
‘I really couldn’t say, sir,’ Harry chirped merrily.
It would. It really would. That would be playing the long game, but Harry had a good feeling about their chances. Tom was brilliant, and Harry was by all mean a defence prodigy. The positions would allow them to keep close to each other. They could do this.
Dumbledore gave him a rather sad smile.
‘Did you ever consider cutting yourself off from Tom? To try and go your own way?’ He asked, tentatively. ‘I believe I know the feeling, to be close as you are with him. But Harry,’ he continued, something Harry believed to be sorrow in his voice, ‘you don’t have to do this.’
Something went very rigid in Harry’s soul. After all these years, after all these trials, Dumbledore chose now to try and counsel him?
Tom’s eyes flickered in their direction, and a minute frown appeared on his face when he spotted whom Harry was conversing with before he had to turn back to his current interlocutor.
Ah. But before we were only a problem. A monitored one. Now Dumbledore believes we could become a menace.
‘I am sure I don’t see what you mean, sir. Now, if you don’t mind, I believe I should go and embarrass Tom a little. Being obnoxious to uptight society is what I do best.’
The professor watched him go and mingle with the graduates and their families. Harry grabbed a glass of some fizzy drink and inserted himself by Tom’s side.
Tom’s eyes flickered to his, without turning from the scene he was observing. A group of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw students had lured the giant squid to the surface of the lake and spelled each of its tentacles to change colour over a pallet of rather flashing hues. Harry had to admit the sight was distracting.
‘What did he want?’ Tom asked.
‘To snoop. And to talk me away from you,’ Harry answered lightly, taking a sip from his drink. ‘It was a rather lame attempt if you must know.’
Tom’s knuckles blanched from his sudden grip on his glass. Harry was mildly concerned the thing would break.
‘He is a little late for that I suppose’ he added.
‘I’m not sure he ever had a chance,’ Tom finished.
Harry toasted to that, and Tom surprised him with one of his rare, honest, and broad grins. It had a vicious streak to it, but it brought Harry back a few years.
In just a few hours they would leave Hogwarts behind them.
‘You, and me,’ Harry stated, toasting his glass against Tom’s.
‘You, and me,’ Tom confirmed regally.
Wherever it was they were taking each other.