Forever Yours, Tom Riddle (Completed)

I'm Back

I sat up straight gasping in much-needed air. The sun seemed to be glaring in on me and an old man smiled boldly at my side. "I told you, Dumbledore I can work the impossible." He said with a soft voice, sounding rather proud. I looked over at Dumbledore, he had aged so much since I'd seen him last. I thought I'd been dead... How was I here? Where was here? "Professor Dumbledore?" He ignored me for a moment and spoke to the man, "I see you can, my dear friend. I shall see you in my office." The man smiled at us both and walked noisily out of the room. "It is truly wonderful to have you back Miss. Payton, I'm afraid you've missed quite a lot."

I looked at him in confusion. "Tom Riddle used a very powerful spell on you, you've been stuck in between the dead and the living for almost ten years." I jumped out of the bed quickly and over to the mirror, I hadn't changed at all. My hair was longer, my skin paler. But I looked very much the same. I could only be 20. I turned away, "What became of Tom?" I asked, my jaw set. If he was alive I would find him and and and... What? What would I do? "He goes by Lord Voldemort these days. He's been traveling mostly with his followers, he believes you to be dead. I need your help. Voldemort is raising an army and-" I whirled back around angrily. "No. I don't care what Tom is doing. I've wasted ten years, I'm leaving and if what you say is true than I'm going into hiding." I walked right past him and tuned out whatever he was saying.

I walked straight into a young professor. "Minerva?" I asked in surprise. She smiled brightly through her glasses, "Harley? I didn't know you were even alive. What brings you to Hogwarts?" I hook my head, if she only knew... "Dumbledore just needed something." He came up beside us and smiled, glad he'd caught me. "I need to speak with you in my office- its dreadfully important." I nodded slightly, I had nowhere to go and questions I needed answered. Like why I was only 20 and Minerva was not. I followed him up to his office feeling rather uneasy the entire way. The man who brought me back sat at one of the two chairs in front of the headmasters desk. He was older than Dumbledore I could see now and he handed me a vial full of red liquid. "Is this why I'm still the same?" I showed Dumbledore the liquid and he nodded solemnly. "You will age of course, just slowly." I smiled slightly wondering if Dumbledore used this... How old was he? 100? More? I sat down beside the man.

"This is Nicholas Flamel. He invented the Philosophers stone which created the potion you're holding now. He is the only reason you're still alive." I stared down at the potion, who were they to mess with my life? "Can I leave now? I already told you I can't help...Sir." Dumbledore smiled sadly at me, I had to admit he made a fantastic headmaster. "That is quite a shame but no matter. Now Miss. Payton I would like to offer you a teaching job, as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. You were always the best and brightest in your year." He smiled proudly behind his half moon glasses a slight twinkle in his eye. Tom would never think to look at Hogwarts for me, he thought I was dead. If I left rumor would spread I was still alive and Tom-Voldemort would come looking for me I can imagine. And it's not like I had anywhere to go... "I accept, on one condition..."