Remembering Love (Tomarry) (HP)

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The two boys stared in shock at the little girl. It was Tom who composed himself first. He cleared his throat. "I don't suppose you're of wizard heritage?" The little girl nodded eagerly, her pigtails swinging in tow. Tom mused this information. "Wool's Orphanage seems to draw in many of us." Tom muttered.

"What're they saying about me?" Harry hadn't been able to get his hands on a newspaper, and they only way he knew anything was up was from Tom. He wanted some explicit details. It'd be easier to prepare himself for the coming school year that way.

"They're calling you 'The-Boy-Who-Lied,'" She gave a grin, which Harry found unsettling considering half her teeth were missing.

"I haven't lied-"

"I know," she said, "But they don't. People are saying you manipulated the entire wizarding world for fame. That it was actually your cousin, Dudley, who defeated the Dark Lord. He's a squib. He'll be attending Hogwarts this fall."

Harry raised an eyebrow at that. Dudley? Magic-phobic Dudley at Hogwarts? That'd certianly be... interesting.

"Why do you suppose Dumbledore is changing the game like this? Did something happen?"

The litte girl shrugged. "I haven't a clue why he wants to use your cousin and not you. I suppose all will reveal itself in due time."

Tom absorbed this information thoughtfully. Figuring out Dumbledore's plan was an essential to Tom's own plan. Using a squib to try and defeat Voldemort seemed like a losing battle. Tom would need to help Harry work around Dumbledore's idoitic plan and defeat Voldemort on their own.

They ate their less than superb dinner in silence for a minute or so before Harry turned to the little girl again. "I never got your name."

"I'm Annabelle Lestrange. Who's your friend here? I don't believe I recognize him."

Tom stiffened at the last name. Harry would've, too, if only he knew what a certian woman named Bellatrix Lestrange was plotting. Bella was a crazy bitch Tom went to to Hogwarts with. He supposed that after Hogwarts she was became a Death Eater. Tom himself hadn't sent he woman in years, though he supposed Voldemort had. He guessed Anabelle was kin to Bellatrix. Why was she in Wool's Orphanage, then? He would figure it out later, he decided.

Harry was about to answer for Tom, but he interrupted. "My name is Cloud Lance." A stupid name, yes, but he didn't have much time to think. He considered telling her his name was Rom Tiddle, but that seemed worse.

Harry looked at him quizedly. Why lie about his name? Tom gave a subtle wave of his hand; he would tell him later.

Tom did not want to risk Annabella contacting Bellatrix and telling him he was there, though no one except Harry knew of his diary reform. Nor did Tom know if Annabella kept on touch with Bellatrix. Tom could not afford to risk it; if Voldemort found out Tom was back, and didn't come to Voldemort with this information immediately, Voldemort would surely know that one of his horocruxes had turned on him.

Tom needed to get this right.