Severus looked at Harry, a look of bemusement spread across his features. He had dropped the potion he had been bottling and it's silver contents now rested on the floor.
"You are telling me, that you killed and first year? A Weasley?" Severus said calmly, though his voice was laced with unrealness.
"Yes. Well, no. We didn't kill her, per say. We just... let her die." Harry said. "It was Tom that killed her. And I feel kinda bad but... Tom's more important."
"Tom?" Severus asked, confused. "As in, Tom Gracefield?"
Harry rolled his eyes. Tom Gracefield? Kill someone? Harry took Tom out of his pocket and hissed at him in parseltongue.
Harry placed Tom on the floor, and Severus looked at the little snake with confusion. When Tom Riddle appeared, however, Severus turned from confused to so shocked he had to double take.
"Riddle?" Severus looked at him, eyes wide and mouth gaping. Harry gave a small smile.
"Uncle." Said Tom, taking a small bow. "It's a pleasure to see you again after all these years."
Severus looked at him, still shocked at the fact he was there.
"You're... you're alive..." Severus looked at him, then at Harry, then at Draco. "How?"
They explained what had just happened, and Severus' face grew darker.
"The school is going to be shut down, you know that?"
Harry grinned.
"I don't think so. I killed the Basilisk." Tom and Draco gasped.
"When? We didn't see you do it." Draco said, voice horse. "And that was dangerous."
"I killed it with a roster. I conjured one as we left. You wouldn't have noticed." Harry said waving his hand dismissively.
Severus was stunned, to say the least.
"Could you persuade Dumbledore to let Tom stay, father? He had changed his appearance, but it seems he's gone back to normal..."
"Yes... yes of course. Under what name?" Severus asked.
"Tom Rätsel." Tom said with a small smile.
"Okay, Mr. Rätsel. I'll see what I can do."
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Okay, so Rätsel is german for Riddle. And yeah, this is a changed chapter.
