Work Text:
Harry was looking in his backpack for a pen, knowing that he would soon have to be taking notes and keeping up with his philosophy professor's fast gab.
"Can I help you?"
Harry looked up, quickly and shocked, recognizing the voice from the boy who spent much of the hour discussing morality and knowledge with the professor. Tom Marvolo Riddle. The smartest student in the entire college, the one who, Hermione claimed, made a deal with the devil or else he could never have taken all the classes he took as well as he did.
“No, I… It's all okay.” Harry smiled sheepishly before glancing down at his backpack again. "Thanks anyway."
Tom said no more, but he just put something down on the desk before walking over to his own seat.
Harry looked up when he saw his feet move far enough away from him, admiring his profile for a moment, before looking down at the desk and realizing that Tom had left him a pen.
With a blush on his cheeks, Harry smiled slightly, thinking of how he would thank Tom for his help.
***
“Tom?”
Tom Riddle stopped, turning and smiling at Harry. “Harry. Can I help you?"
Harry reached out his hand, where he clutched the pen he had received at the start of the interminable two hours. "Thank you. For the pen. I was going crazy trying to find one, so…really, thanks.”
Tom didn't move, looking confused at the pen and then at Harry.
Harry blushed. “Uh… I'm giving it back to you… If you want to take it…”
“Do you have other lessons today?” Tom asked and Harry nodded. “Yes, all afternoon. Why?"
“You didn't find your pen, I assume. You can continue to use mine for as long as necessary." Tom smiled. "It's not a problem."
“But… it's yours! I want to return it." Harry protested, and Tom nodded. “You can return it after class. Maybe in front of a coffee?”
With a pleasant smile, Tom turned and strode down the corridor to his next lesson.
Harry blushed. Had Tom Riddle just asked him out on a date?
*****
That first coffee had been a month ago, and now it was a recurring appointment for Harry and Tom to meet after school and discuss their hours together, doing their assigned workload in company, even if the courses taken together were not numerous.
“I'm just saying,” Harry said, taking a sip of his coffee and turning the page of his Behavioral Education book, taught by Professor Umbridge, “that she has a terrible way of teaching. Why should we study the criminal mind from a book, when it would be enough for us to observe how she thinks, speaks and behaves?”
Tom smiled lazily, asking. “So she bothered you that much?”
“Not so excessively.” Harry shrugged. “But I just don't like her way of questioning everything I say just because of a mistake that was made towards Sirius. He's innocent . In the process it was proved. I don't like how she behaves."
"It would be nice if she wasn't your teacher anymore, I suppose." Tom agreed. "She seems to be highly prejudiced against you."
Harry chuckled. "Well, no matter how handsome you are, Tom, you can't get her fired."
"Of course not," Tom smiled, looking amused at the boy. "I was just saying."
****
Dolores Jane Umbridge, a professor at Hogwarts University, was found dead this morning in her home. Authorities are still investigating whether it was a suicide or a homicide.
*****
Harry banged his head against the table.
Tom looked at him, raising an eyebrow. “I thought your problems were…solved now.”
“Umbridge killing herself was a blessing.” Harry shook his head. “It appears that even the most horrendous criminals may be capable of normal human emotion. I wasn't sure. She changed my perspective."
Tom sighed, and Harry conceded. "It's about Snape."
"Sirius's old friend." Tom acknowledged and Harry snorted. " Friend ? No, they hated each other."
Tom frowned and Harry continued, ignoring the growing tension in the boy's shoulders. “And some aren't out of their teens yet and think that picking on the son and godson of two former classmates he didn't get along with is the best way to deal with differences. I mean, he even tried to get Remus fired and he's doing a great job of compromising my grade in Chemistry."
Tom murmured. "Maybe he'll commit suicide too."
Harry snorted in amusement. "Sure."
****
Severus Snape was found dead in his study. It would seem that the man was involved in an accident in his laboratory, ending up submerged in various chemicals. The exact time of his death has yet to be determined.
***
Harry looked up at the velvet box that had been handed to him by Tom.
“What am I supposed to do with this?”
“Open it.” Tom replied, smiling.
Harry snorted in amusement, before reaching over and taking the box, opening it to view the contents.
"It's beautiful." Harry smiled, looking up for a moment, before returning it to the box to better see the bracelet that was sitting on top. “This is…thank you.”
The bracelet was silver, high quality, with lilies woven into the link. It was a well-crafted job, clearly extremely expensive.
“How did you even…?” Harry stopped and Tom explained. “I know your mother's name was Lily. Her name comes from Lilium, a beautiful flower. I thought you might take pleasure in having something that reminds you of her, instead of just memories of your father." Tom stopped, saying. "I got a job at the library, and I've been saving up to get you this gift."
Harry smiled, standing up and pulling Tom into a big hug. "This is beautiful. Thank you."
Tom smiled, returning the gaze, before saying. “Do you want to… dine out tonight?”
"Sorry, I have a different program." Harry smiled, blushing and saying. “Cho and I are going out to dinner. It's a date."
Tom smiled pleasantly. "Another time, then. Enjoy your… date.”
"I will do it, thank you." Harry smiled, putting on the bracelet. “Well, enjoy yourself too.”
“Oh, I sure will.” Tom promised.
****
It was a terrible accident that involved two girls today. Cho Chang and Marietta Edgecombe were walking home from work when they were hit by a car. No one has been able to identify the car or the driver, but the proper authorities are still doing their research.
***
Harry was leaving the house, his eyes still puffy from the news, when Tom joined him.
“Harry?”
He turned around and, seeing his worried and sincere expression on him, Harry burst into tears, pulling himself into Tom's secure and comforting embrace.
"She's dead, oh my god, Tom, she's dead..."
“Shh, everything will be fine.” Tom hugged him. "It will all be fine. I'm here for you."
Harry sniffed at him, staying close to Tom.
“I will always be here for you.”
****
Theodore Nott was found this morning in a basement. The authorities cannot explain themselves…
Lucius Malfoy, CEO of the Malfoy Corporation, was found this morning at his seaside villa exsanguinated.
Bellatrix Lestrange committed suicide this morning. You'll all remember her connection to Sirius Black and the false accusation that nearly led to the innocent man's arrest.
Peter Pettigrew was found dead this morning with evidence that would finally indict him for murdering the Potters 20 years ago. Have guilt feelings finally reached man?
Gilderoy Lockhart drowned this morning on one of his exotic voyages.
***
“I… I can't figure out what's going on!” Harry yelled, shaking his head.
"Harry, please relax." Tom smiled, reaching out to take Harry's hand, only to see him scurry away. "What's the problem?"
“The problem is, every time I get too close to someone or complain about them, they die!” Harry was out of breath. “I complained about Umbridge and she died. Snape, Malfoy, Lestrange, Pettigrew. I was close to Cho and she died, and Gilderoy hit on me and then he drowned!” Harry kept pacing back and forth. “I must be cursed, or maybe I'm just unlucky!”
"Harry…" Tom muttered, trying to stop his boyfriend.
"No!" Harry shook his head. “Perhaps you too should take flight, away from me, before you are killed!”
“I won't die, Harry. Not me." Tom smiled and Harry snorted. “Well, how can you be so…”
Tom raised an eyebrow when he saw Harry stop and step back.
"Love?"
"How did I not see it?" Harry murmured, shaking his head. “I…I studied to understand criminals, to see into their minds… How could I have missed this ?”
"What are you talking about?" Tom asked and Harry stared at him, green eyes empty. “How are they always the ones next to me?”
“Excuse me?” Tom asked, and Harry shook his head. “You are narcissistic, possessive and protective. You clearly have charisma and a nature that leans toward violence.”
"Thank you." Tom smiled, and Harry didn't take the olive branch that Tom was clearly holding out to him.
They were happy . They were together .
Why dig so into the past?
“Umbridge had a problem mainly with me. Snape, Malfoy, Lestrange, Pettigrew were bonded to me. Gilderoy and Cho too, just differently.” Harry reasoned. “If we want to implement logical reasoning, the only thing tying these murders together is me.”
"You make it look like they're murders, love, when they're actually accidents," Tom pointed to the picture of Gilderoy that Harry had hung on the wall, the one they'd taken together at a party that made Tom shiver in disgust every time he posed his eyes on the blond's arm around his love's waist. “or suicide. Clearly there shouldn't be a link between these."
“But it exists.” Harry shook his head. “And I completely missed it!”
“Harry?”
“You are the only link.” Harry pointed to it. “You are obsessed with me, you knew I didn't have a pen! How did you know that?”
"Harry, I..." Tom tried to speak again, and Harry shook his head. “You've been stalking me for a while, haven't you ? You heard that I had problems with some people and you gave them to me as gifts . You realized I liked Cho and you killed her for what ?”
Tom was silent as Harry continued to speak.
“ What did you think would happen when I found out about all this ?” Harry stared at him. “That I would have stayed ? Well, no. Not gonna happen."
Harry turned, trying to get out the door.
But Tom couldn't bear to lose him.
He was on top of him, one hand over his mouth to stifle a scream and the other around his arms to stop any blows. Trying to be gentle, he forced him onto the couch, pinning him with his body.
"Leave me now." Harry hissed, flailing. “Or am I the next one?”
"What?" Tom shook his head. “Those were threats to you, to us . I just wanted to protect you, my love, and I will continue to do so. I will never leave you."
Harry fidgeted once more, but Tom held him back. " Don't leave me , Harry."
After a few seconds, Harry nodded. "I will not do that. You're right, you… you just wanted to protect me.”
"You understand?" Tom asked and Harry nodded, smiling. "I understand. You… thank you.”
Tom stood up, allowing the boy to stand up. Then, smiling at him, he locked the door again, as it had been before their argument.
He turned around, ready to ask if Harry had wanted takeout or if he'd rather eat some leftovers, only to see him standing by something green in the kitchen.
Tom, curious, approached him, finally recognising the bottle. “I used that to take care of Pettigrew.” He admitted, smiling at Harry, grateful that he had forgiven and accepted. It would have been better to explain how he had protected him from every enemy that had threatened him. Perhaps he would be willing to express gratitude in some way. Harry was always very inventive.
"Is it poison?" Harry asked and Tom nodded. “Immediate and easy to obtain. I thought it might be perfect for someone like Pettigrew. Also, it has no antidote.”
“It has no antidote.” Harry murmured.
Tom smiled satisfied, before turning to the fridge and opening it, looking for something to eat.
The sound of the bottle opening made him spin, a question on his tongue, then scream as he saw Harry drink the entire contents.
"NO!" Tom ran up to him, laying his head on his legs, "Don't leave me! You promised !"
Desperate, Tom placed his lips on Harry's cold ones, savoring the taste of poison from his mouth.
He hadn't said that a few drops were enough for it to take effect.
Yes , he thought, as his strength left him. Now, they will be together forever. Even in death.