To Kill You With a Kiss

Chapter 17

Tom stepped forward into the light from the front door. "Good evening, Mr. Dursley. I am Professor Riddle, one of Harry's teachers. I was traveling in this area, so I decided to accompany Harry here myself, so you wouldn't have to go to the trouble of picking him up from the train station, sir. May we come in?"

"Ah." Uncle Vernon studied Tom intently. "You are from... from... that bloody school, are you? A professor, you say?" He blinked rapidly several times. He clearly had no idea what to make of Tom. His glance swept over Tom's handsome features and elegant dark clothes. Apparently, Tom passed muster, for Uncle Vernon said stiffly: "Well, you certainly dress more professionally than the doddering old Santa Claus in a dress who came by here last autumn. Called himself a professor, too, but I had my doubts. I suppose you can come in. Hurry, before the neighbors see you all standing out here. And you, too, of course, my boy." This last part was addressed to Draco; he didn't acknowledge Harry's presence at all. Harry wondered vaguely if he had accidentally put his invisibility cloak on, but he hadn't.

"I don't think I am able come in, sir," said Draco politely.

Harry smiled to himself. Bet you aren't, Draco, not with that Dark Mark on your arm and all the protective spells surrounding this house.

"I should go back home to the Manor before Father sends out a search party." Draco turned to Harry. "Merlin only knows what things will be like back there when I return. If anyone asks, you two disapparated out of there, but I was able to grab hold of you at the last instant and track you here. At least, that is the story I will tell my father. Unfortunately, I was unable to follow you inside once you entered the protected space of your family's dwelling."

Uncle Vernon stared open-mouthed at Draco. Apparently, only a single thing that Draco had just said made any sense to him, for he whispered: "Home? To the... Manor?" He eyed Draco hungrily, as if he were a particularly lucrative contract for drills. "Oh, what's the rush, my dear boy? Won't you come in for a moment? Any friend of my nephew's is of course welcome in our humble home. I'm sure you will enjoy meeting my son Dudley as well. He's always eager to make new friends from - ah - compatible circles."

Uncle Vernon turned to Harry, who was now apparently fully visible to him: "Now, I'm glad to see that you are finally making some nice friends, boy. About time, too! Those red-haired ruffians who came by here in the past-" He shuddered violently at the thought.

"Good-bye, Draco," said Tom firmly. "Give our love to your aunt, if possible. If she is still capable of hearing anything, tell her I will never forget her... er... hospitality. You really should be going. It won't do to keep your parents waiting."

"Draco!" Harry turned to him, desperately. "Tell the Dark Lord that I need to talk to him, please."

Draco nodded briefly and disapparated in a quick flash that left Uncle Vernon reeling in the doorway.

"Tell the Dark Lord? Of course he won't," said Tom under his breath. "We know what a reliable messenger he is."

"Now, that was a nice, civil young gentleman," Uncle Vernon mused to himself, staring at the spot where Draco had been a moment before, "although I really wish he wouldn't do that - that flashy thing in front of the neighbors. Do his parents know that he has fallen in with your lot, I wonder? He might turn out quite decent, that boy, with some firm guidance and some nice normal friends."

He ushered Tom and Harry brusquely into the house. Harry held his breath for a moment as Tom crossed the threshold. If the magic of Malfoy Manor had recognized Tom as Voldemort, surely the spells Dumbledore had cast on Number Four, Privet Drive, would do so as well?

But Tom walked easily into the house. Harry smiled. Perhaps Dumbledore knew that people can change? It wouldn't surprise me if he adjusted the protective spells to allow for the possibility of repentance and transformation. His spells would never let Voldemort in, unless he was no longer Voldemort.