FicWad

Chapter 23 - What He Fears Most

"No!" Harry screamed.

The tendrils shuddered, then stopped tightening.

Harry held his wand over the black mass and intoned, "Finite!"

Millicent gasped for air as the black tarry fibers receded back into the ground. Susan and Hannah helped her up and away from the cursed corner.

The spirit of Tom Riddle persisted.

"Who are you?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Harry, like all mages, knew the power of a name. He knew Tom Riddle's name and could command him in this form -he would not tell Riddle his name.

Harry extended his wand, "I name /you/, specter. I name you Tom Riddle and I charge you; tell me why your spirit is in my home when before it was in a diary?"

The spirit's eyes grew wide, he hissed, "You have seen me before?"

Harry nodded, "Yes, and Idestroyed the thing that held you with the venomous tooth of a basilisk."

"By what right did you do this?"Riddle insisted.

Harry smiled, knowing exactly what buttons to push, "Because I am Lord Slytherin." Saying this Harry held up his right hand, and revealed the founder's ring.

The spirit bowed and flowed back into the stone floor.

Harry fell to his knees beside Millicent, "Millie, are you alright?"

The big girl nodded and pointed to the other wall, "I'm okay, Harry." She managed to croak out, "Check on Dobby."

Harry moved like a shot to where Dobby lay, bruised and bleeding.

"Hold on Dobby, we'll get you to a healer."

Harry moved carefully, not wanting to worsen any of the elf's injuries and held out an arm to Millicent who gratefully fell into the one armed hug. The trio faded away, Millie held close to one side, the broken elf held gently to his other.

)O(

"Poppy, help me, please!"

The school nurse came as quickly as her legs could carry her - Harry was hurt, no, Harry would never cry for help, not for his own sake. One of the Coven Witches was hurt, or a friend, or just someone he found that needed saving - didn't matter. Harry needed her; she would be there for him.

Lady Millicent was on an enlarged hospital bed, angry red welts around her neck and on the bed next to her the naked body of a house elf, bleeding ichors on the bed sheets.

"Stay with me, Dobby! You can't leave me now - there's so much left to do."

"Mas-Master Lord Harry mustn't worry about Dobby. Mistress Lady Millie is needing seeing first."

Millicent sat up in her bed, "I'm fine, Dobby." She whispered, hoarsely, "You must let Madam Pomfrey help you."

"I'm sorry, Master Lord Harry. Idid not take the bad magic away."

"You couldn't have, Dobby. Only Riddle can take it away - or me."

Dobby looked puzzled.

Harry pointed to the scar on his forehead, "We're connected, he and I."

Harry looked imploringly at the school nurse who was checking Millie's neck.

"She's very fortunate," Poppy said at last, "some angry welts here and her throat and larynx are showing some bruising, but nothing broken. You're a strong young woman Lady Millicent; very few people could have survived whatever had you."

Tears coursed down Harry's cheeks, "She did it for me, she threw herself on a curse that was hurting me and it damn near killed her! It should be me lying there! Not her!"

Millicent sat up in bed and in ahoarse whisper said, "Right, like you wouldn't have done the same for me or anyone else for that matter."

"But. . ."

"No buts, Mister Lord Harry James Potter, Lord Slytherin, Lord of the Coven of the Four Houses. You are the most worthy of us - because you always put our needs and desires before your own. Well guess what, I need and desire to keep you alive so that you can kill Tom Riddle for good and all and then we can all have lots of sex and babies for the rest of our very long lives, understand?"

Harry looked to Madam Pomfrey for support.

"Oh, no. She's your witch, you sort her out. But I will say that I agree with her. You've needed an extraordinary amount of looking after since your first year here, Lord Potter. I think you just might need twenty-one able bodied, intelligent witches to look after you."

Dobby squeaked, "Listen to the Lady Ma'ams, Master Lord Harry. They is making sense."

Poppy moved to the elf's bed,"Now let's see about our little friend here, shall we?"

)O(

Harry walked into the Gryffindor common room, much to the surprise of everyone there.

"Harry?" Ron nearly shouted, "Are you back with us now? Really, mate, you wouldn't believe the rumors flying around about you and half the witches at Hogwarts!"

Harry clapped a hand on Ron's shoulder, "Later, mate, I need to talk to someone."

Having said that he walked up the staircase leading to the girl's dorm rooms, shouting, "Man on the floor!"

Lavender, who was a little piqued that Ron had unceremoniously dumped her out of his lap onto the couch said, "He can't do that!"

There were a few frightened squeals from upstairs and all the girls in the common room ran up to see what Harry was getting up to.

Ron followed the girls until he stepped on the seventh step, then the staircase became a frictionless slide which dumped him abruptly on his arse back in the common room.

"Hey, how come he gets to go up and we don't?"

The Gryffindor boys all looked at each other and shrugged.

Harry, followed by the female half of Gryffindor, found the door marked Fourth Years and knocked twice.

"Enter!"

He nodded to the knot of girls in the corridor and then stepped inside to see Ginny Weasley and Romilda Vane. Both were clad only in bra and knickers, sitting on their beds painting their toenails.

"Harry?" Romilda screeched, upsetting her polish as she dove for a bath robe.

Ginny kept glossing her toenails.

"Romilda, would you excuse us for a moment?"

Ginny's roommate left but wished above all else she could be a fly on the wall for the conversation that was to come.

As the door closed Harry said, "I saw an old friend of yours today."

Ginny continued to concentrate on her painting.

"Tom Riddle."

She stopped.

"He's dead."

"How do you know?"

"When he died, his connection to me snapped. I felt it go."

"I saw him, same face, different clothes, but definitely the same Tom Riddle."

"He's dead."

"Maybe not."

"Has he said anything about . . ."

"About you?"

"Yeah."

"No."

Ginny carefully placed the cap back on the bottle of nail polish. She made no move to dress.

Staring into space she whispered,"I worshiped the ground you walked on, Harry. You know that, don't you?"

Harry kept his gaze steady on her.

"And you breezed past me like Iwas nobody." Ginny continued, "And then there was this incredible, magical friend, who just happened to be a diary. He was a boy, who talked to me, asked me about what I wanted and of course all I wanted at that time was you.

"But Tom, he was interested in me. Me! Little Ginny Weasley! I could tell him everything. I got my first period in first year, I was scared to death, thought I was dying. But Tom explained it to me, what it was and what it meant - how I was becoming ayoung woman and all and should be proud."

Harry started to say, "I understand . . ."

"No!" Ginny shrieked, jumping to her feet to stand nose to neck with Harry. "You can't even fucking begin to understand Mister Great and Wonderful Harry Potter! I was alone. I ached/for you and /where were you?

"Tom Riddle possessed me, and you know something? I let him - I liked it, the feel of someone else inside me giving me direction, giving me purpose. I've fucked half the boys at Hogwarts since then just trying to get a little bit of that feeling back and it's not, it's not even close. Godsdamnit Harry, where were you when I needed you?"

"I'm where I've always been, Ginny. Right here. Just a bloke trying to get by, but the powers that be have decided that I'm their favorite plaything lately.

"I've just seen a girl I love nearly strangled to death by your precious Tom, I've just left the bedside of agood friend who may or may not survive because he got a little too close to whatever is holding the spirit of Tom Riddle."

"So tell me, Harry, which member of your harem was it?"

"That's not important. You've already answered my question."

Ginny looked puzzled, "What question?"

"It's the same Riddle, but not the same, and I think I know why."

Harry put a hand on Ginny's shoulder and smiled a sad little smile.

"We could have been good together, Ginny."

Ginevra pushed his hand away,"We'll never know."

"I guess not. Goodnight."

Harry left.

Ginny sat on the bed and refused to cry, refused to dwell on "might have beens."

)O(

It had been a long journey to the Ukraine, but Bellatrix had recruited the last of the Empire's magical Cossack guard. With the promise of loot and rape and all the Blue-flame Vodka they could drink, she had gathered a score of pitiless magical predators. She also had a list of mudbloods and known muggle sympathizers.

The leaves would indeed be turning red this autumn.

)O(

Harry stepped into the second floor bathroom just as two first-year girls lit a pair of fags.

"Just so you know, girls, the smell of those things stay in your hair and on your skin for hours. And it makes your breath smell of old ashtray."

They squeaked, dropped the burning fags and collided with each other as they ran out the door.

Harry leaned over the sink with the serpent engraving and hissed, "Open!"

The sink slid back to reveal the opening to the chamber below.

Harry didn't bother to slide down this time, he simply phased down to the bone-strewn floor.

He opened the door to the outer chamber and braced himself for the stench of decay - but it never came.

The carcass of the Basilisk was still in place, looking somewhat dried, but there was no rotting-meat smell.

Moving to the head of the great beast Harry gingerly touched the fangs, some of which were loose in its head.

"Good," he said to no one in particular, "I can use some of these."

Then Harry got an idea.

"Winky!"

The tiny she-elf appeared, "Yes, Master Lord Harry?"

"Can you work basilisk hide, or find me someone who can?"

"I can be finding a good elf who can work with great serpent hide, Master Lord Harry."

"And what about the teeth, what if I need something made of the teeth?"

"Yes, Master Lord Harry, Winky can be finding elves who can work with all the great serpent parts. Great serpent is very valuable. Meat, hide, bones, all parts of the great serpent can be taken and sold for many thousands of galleons."

Harry sat cross-legged on the floor and explained what he wanted to do. Winky's eyes grew wider and wider as he explained what he wanted to do with the basilisk's remains.

"I know I can leave the details in your capable hands, Winky."

The little elf shuddered in gratitude for the amazing amount of work and, more importantly, responsibility she'd just been given. That level of trust between human and elf was unprecedented.

"Please let me know as soon as you have the fang and venom."

Winky's head bobbled as she popped out of sight.

Harry concentrated; using the technique Dobby had taught him at the beginning of the school year and let the ambient magic of Hogwarts carry him from the Chamber of Secrets to Rowena Ravenclaw's library. If Harry had ever been taught to surf he'd have recognized the sensation as he "rode" the magic, elf style.

No surprise, Hermione was in the great wingback chair, studying for her own OWLs.

"Hermione, have you seen The Book?"

"/Majiks Moste Darke/?"

"Yeah."

"In your study desk, second drawer, left." She put down her book, concern showing in her pretty face, "How's Millie?"

Harry leaned down to kiss her,"She's much better, Luv. I'm worried about Dobby, though."

"Dobby is going to be better, Master Lord Harry, sir. Is just taking some time is all."

Winky had appeared holding along, slightly curved sword in one hand and a belted scabbard of reptile skin in the other. She offered the sword to Harry.

Winky explained, "Is from the great serpent's longest fang, Master Lord Harry. Tulle, the crafter, is happy to be working with most powerful magical stock."

There was an ingenious tapering of the great fang to form a hilt - the grip fit his hand perfectly and was long enough to be wielded by both hands. The grip itself was wrapped in basilisk leather and capped with a pommel set with small amber cabochons all around. The hand-guard was a thin cross-section of vertebra; oval, more reminiscent of aJapanese katana than an English broadsword, but it fit well with the curved blade.

"Tulle is charming fang to be unbreakable, always sharp and releasing great snake poison when you needs it."

The matching sword belt and scabbard were of basilisk hide. "Tulle is sorry boots and gloves and vest are not finished yet, but Master Lord Harry is saying he wants to see fang sword first."

"Winky, this is truly a work of art! How did you and Tulle ever get it done so quickly?"

The little elf, in the full flush of pride of a job well done simply smiled and said, "Magic!"

Harry dropped to one knee and gathered Winky into a gentle embrace.

"You're magic, little friend. Thank you for this."

Winky returned the embrace, patting Harry's shoulder as she did, "You are welcome, Lord Harry."

Hermione wiped tears from her cheeks and asked, "What will you call it?"

"Winky already named her," he held the saber high; "she is /Fang/."

)O(

Harry stood in the cellar of the founder's cottage wearing a vest, gauntlets and boots of basilisk hide. In one gloved hand he held /Fang/, in the other his wand.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle, by what right do you disturb my home. By whose authority do you attack my loved ones?"

An exhalation of vapors rose from the ground, coalescing into the image of Tom Riddle. The spirit moved toward Harry but found he couldn't pass the white circle on the ground.

"Salt." Harry explained, "Simple, but effective."

Riddle moved within the circle, testing its effectiveness, then seemed to shrug, allowing Harry this small victory. "This cottage was my mother's. As there are no surviving blood relations I claim it by right of progenitor."

"The only reason there are no surviving blood relations is that you've murdered them. Your claim by blood is denied - you have no blood, you are non-corporeal."

"Then to exorcise me you will have to destroy my soul vessel, feel free to try."

"I know of your Horcruxes, Riddle. Is life so cheap to you that you can snuff it out without any feeling, any remorse?"

"Magical life is dear to me. My own life, however, is most precious. I would gladly spend the life of every mudblood in Britain, and that of half the wizards if it meant I could master death."

"What do you know of horses, Tom?"

Riddle was confused by the apparent change in topic.

Harry continued, "The average horse weighs about five-hundred kilograms, that's around eleven-hundred pounds. Yet even a young girl can tame a horse, and ride it. But there's one absolute truth that all equestrians know. You cannot master a horse if you're afraid of it!"

"What has that to do with me?"the spirit whispered.

"You will never master death, Riddle, because you can not master that which you fear above all else." He chuckled, "/Voldemort/. Even your make-believe name means "flight from death," sounds kinda pathetic, if you ask me."

The specter drew himself up to his full height and prepared his rebuttal, but Harry silenced him with a simple dismissive wave of his hand, "Yeah, yeah, I know, "I will pay for my insolence, yadda, yadda, yadda." I just need to know, Riddle. How many Horcruxes have you made, how many are you planning to make, what are they and where are they?"

Riddles spirit was compelled to answer, not that he could be of much help.

"I have created two Horcruxes, soul jars, if you will. The diary, which you have already destroyed and the ring I took off my uncle's finger. I intend to make another of my mother's locket, if I can ever find it, and then Ravenclaw's Diadem. After that, who knows?"

The way Riddle smirked made Harry uneasy, "Now tell me what you're not telling me, /tell me/!"

The spirit was shaken to see Harry use the same compulsion charm that he himself had used so effectively for years, "I - I didn't just depend on Horcruxes for my assurance, there's another strategy already in place - resting peacefully in the cave."

"What else? You're holding out on me Riddle, /tell me the truth/!"

"At some future point, I must have fought you, just after killing someone . . ."

"What are you saying?"

"You, /True Heir - /you are a Horcrux. Even if you destroy all the soul jars, I will live on in /you/!"

And the spirit of Tom Marvolo Riddle laughed.