Death's Gift

Chapter Twenty-Five - Dealing with the Dark

"While he is a adequate Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher, you will be having a better one this year."

Harry raised an eyebrow. Tom smirked and help up a paper in his left hand, "I figured it would be better to be in Hogwarts myself."

Harry gapped, "You're going to be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher?! How did that even happen?!"

Tom's smirk widened, "Pollyjuice slipped by Dumbledore in your fourth year, so I have been working with Severus to combine that with a Glamour. Quirell recommended me to Dumbledore as an ex-student he'd personally taught. Edit a select few memories of some and you have an excellent reputation behind your false name and appearance."

Harry was silent for a moment before sighing, "I want to say that Dumbledore will know that whatever name and appearance your going by is fake, but he hired Lockheart and Crouch so..."

Tom chuckled, "I will be going under the name of Nicolas Vanidestine. I've apparently been stationed in Europe for the past two years."

"Is there any particular reason you want to be at the school? You being there yourself is really risky."

"I must start steering those who will join me in the future towards the dark arts. Perhaps I will even gain more if I slowly integrate them into their Defense Against the Dark Arts classes."

"But why do you have to be there yourself?"

Tom scoffed, "You talk as if you do not want me there."

Harry dramatically faked a look of pain, "Woe is me, I'll have to deal with your constant lectures in person now."

"Ah yes, and all of the detentions with me you will have to endure since you never listen in class." Tom replied, playing along.

"I already know everything so why should I have to listen?" Harry defended himself.

"You won't know everything this time around." Tom told him, a new smirk on his face, Harry wasn't sure weather to be curious or anxious.

"I really want to say 'I doubt it' but you've looked through my whole mind at this point so..." Harry trailed off.

Tom chuckled, "Say it anyway."

Harry looked at him, "I thought I was supposed to think through things." He teased, using Tom's own words against him.

Tom paused, "There are certain times." he said with a wave of his hand, walking up towards the manor.

Harry rolled his eyes, and followed Tom up to the Manor. When they didn't take the turn to get to the meeting hall, which Harry knew that there was a meeting in session, he was confused.

"Don't you have a meeting to go to?" Harry asked.

"You will need the potion to get rid of the Trace first." Tom told him.

Harry fell silent again, him and Tom walking into a different room than last time. Harry looked around in awe at the potions lab. There were different caldrons lined up on a really long table that had different potions brewing in them, some were magically scooping the potion out into vials, and the smells in the room all counteracted with each other,but for some reason it wasn't displeasing. Tom walked up to one of the potions and magically filled up a vial, he then turned around towards Harry who was still looking around the room.