Tom Riddle paced inside the diary.
His expression was unreadable, but inside was a whirlwind of feelings: anger, concern, alarm, fear, and confusion.
His new friend -- the only one he'd had since being trapped in the diary -- had lost his parents and been dumped with Muggles because of him. Muggles that treated him like a house-elf!
Well, not entirely because of Tom. It had been because of his older self.
But that amounted to the same thing! Voldemort had killed Harry's parents and tried to kill him! Because of that -- because Harry was Voldemort's enemy (Tom was sure that was the only reason his older self would kill Harry's parents and try to kill a baby) -- because of that, Dumbledore was trying to manipulate the poor child into doing his bidding! If Harry discovered the connection between Tom and his parents' murderer-!
He took a breath and closed his eyes. Harry would never find that out, because Tom would never tell him. He liked his new friend and he didn't want to lose him.
Carefully, he reached out with his magic. The diary was still connected to his older self -- but, like Harry had said, Voldemort was only a spirit. He seemed to be possessing a snake. So unlike the other times Tom had reached out to his maker, Voldemort didn't notice the connection. Which was good; Tom wasn't sure he wanted to be loyal to a child-murderer.
He slipped back to the little room -- cell -- in his diary. Tom rubbed his forehead in frustration and worry. What was he going to do now? He had technically made friends with his enemy!
He shook himself. For now, he would continue as he had been: learning more about Harry and how Dumbledore was controlling the child. He would help him, guide him, and support him, until he knew who he would side with: Voldemort, or Harry Potter. He only wondered how long that would be....
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"Harry! Harry, wake up!"
Harry flinched at his "friend's" shout. "Goway, We- Ron."
"Breakfast's in ten minutes! We gotta eat!"
"Ron, you're being a bit loud," came Seamus' voice.
Harry felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and knew it wasn't Ron.
"Harry," Neville whispered, "he's not going to shut up until you get up. The shower's free."
Knowing Neville was right, Harry sighed and got up, ignoring Weasley's grin of relief.
Half an hour later, he joined Weasley and Granger at the breakfast table. Weasley was pale, and Granger had her usual haughty expression, this time tempered with disapproval. Harry also noticed that several people were sniggering, including Malfoy.
"What happened?" Harry asked Neville, ignoring Weasley and Granger.
"Ron got a Howler," Neville responded softly. "A Howler is a letter that's been enchanted to shout its contents at the reader," he explained at Harry's confused look. "Usually, it's written in anger. Mrs. Weasley was just scolding Ron for flying the car to school and putting you in danger."
Harry put a little bit of eggs on his plate, scowling. "Serves Weasley right," he whispered.
Neville gave him a concerned smile and broke his toast in half, putting one of the halves on Harry's plate. When Harry frowned, Neville said quietly, "You need to eat a little more each day, Harry, you need nourishment. I won't make you eat more at lunch," he bargained.
Harry sighed. "Fine. Thanks, Nev." He nibbled at his toast.
"Herbology's in ten minutes, you should probably hurry," Neville warned.
"'Kay."
"Harry," Granger said in a loud, disapproving tone -- Harry flinched -- "I hope you realize that what you did was wrong."
"I fail to see how it was," Harry said in a quiet, calm tone that was barely hiding his rage. "It was not my idea to take a flying car to Hogwarts. And it's legal to use magic in the wizarding world if it's in self-defense. I sent a letter, anyway, and either Dumbledore ignored it or the letter never arrived -- and since Hedwig has never failed me yet, it's the former."
"Professor Dumbledore," Granger corrected angrily. "And you could have stopped Ronald from taking the car-"
"Oy!" Ron shouted.
Harry flinched before glaring at Granger. "It's impossible to stop Ron unless with magic, and I don't know the spells for that. He literally shoved me in the car."
"I did not!"
"Maybe you're stronger than you think you are, Ronald, but from my perspective, it was definitely shoving," Harry hissed. "And I'm not speaking to either of you."
"Why?" Granger demanded haughtily, while Ron looked indignant. "I did nothing."
"No, you accused me of something I didn't do and refused to think otherwise," Harry snapped. "And you, Ronald Weasley -- you forced me to do something I didn't want to do, and got me in trouble over it. And you refuse to stop shouting, when I've told you many, many times that my ears are sensitive, and loud noises make them hurt. Goodbye, and good riddance." He turned to Neville as his ex-friends looked outraged. "Let's go to class, Nev."
"As long as you eat on the way," Neville said quietly, casting Granger and Weasley a dark look.
Harry sighed and grabbed his toast. "Fine, let's go."
He didn't notice as he got up the loud whispers that were spreading down the table, and the looks of shock the other Gryffindors kept casting the broken trio.