Erased and Replaced

Part 12~A Story Not Soon Forgotten

"Why don't you tell us what happened first?" Riddle looked at Elijah who gulped. 

His hands were still shaking and he didn't know what had happened so explaining it wasn't exact;y easy. "I- I was asleep, but it wasn't a normal dream. It was... well, real. I saw... I saw Mr Weasley being attacked by a phoenix."

Riddle's eyes furrowed as he thought through the information. "How did you see this? How are you positioned when you see it?"

"Oh. Uh... I was the phoenix. I saw it from the phoenix's perspective." Elijah lowered his eyes. It was as if Elijah was the one who attacked Mr Weasley. 

Riddle pulled out a silvery, whirring instrument that emitted smoke. The grey cloud rose, forming a serpent before splitting in two. The two serpents coiled around each other as Riddle muttered under his breath, "Naturally, naturally. But in essence, divided?"

Harry narrowed his eyes. This didn't sound good. 

Riddle jumped up as Everard returned to his portrait. "What news?"

"I shouted until someone came. They carried him up seconds ago. He doesn't look good. Covered in blood..." Everard lowered his head as Dilys returned to her portrait. 

"Riddle, I've just seen them arrive at St. Mungos. Apparated there moments ago. He looks really bad."

"Good." Riddle turned to McGonagall." Minerva, the rest of the Weasleys will need to be awoken."

McGonagall nodded as she turned away, giving a last look to Harry who said nothing. 

"Phoenix huh?" Harry scratched his chin. Something turning in his eyes.

"What was that?" Riddle turned back to Harry who looked at Elijah. 

Over the time Harry had been here, it became clear he and Elijah were similar but that they were different as well. He never once thought about that though. And it wasn't as if he could ask it. "If what I think is true then you and you alone will be able to understand me, right Riddle? Morning Star is planning something, I don't know what but I think he was the one who brought me here. I felt it tonight, that magic was the same I encountered on the train. If you want my help, you'll have to help me," Harry hissed shocking everyone in the room.

"You're a parselmouth," Riddle gasped as his snake slithered out of the backroom, circling Harry.

"Yes, but there is more to it. You cannot see the big picture and as much as I hate saying this, I think I need your help just as much as you need mine. If you don't help me, then it isn't just this world that is in danger."

"What do you mean? Do you think the muggle world is in danger from Morning Star's attack?"

Harry shook his head. "You need to think bigger than that Riddle. I'm not just talking about this universe, I need your help to save my world; my universe; my reality. You wanted to know where I got my cut from, well I'll tell you. I got it on Halloween night when I was one year old. The dark lord broke into my house and killed both my parents. He tried to kill me but it didn't work. That was the night Voldemort died for the first time. That was the night I became the boy who lived."

Riddle jumped as the door banged open. Ginny and Ron walked behind McGonagall. Instantly, the twin went over to their younger siblings, trying to push away their pale faces. 

"Harry," Ron locked eyes with Harry as he spoke. "What's going on?"

"Your father has been injured," Harry announced bluntly as he wiped a small amount of blood off his forehead. "He is alive and one of the pictures said he got to St. Mungo's a while ago."

Ginny and Ron let out gasps of shock as they paled. Riddle snapped himself out of his thoughts as he walked forward. "We, however, are going to Reginald's house until the morning. We're merely waiting for Phineas to return."

Harry raised his eyebrow at that. He could only assume that Reginald's house was where the order of the phoenix stayed in this world. Wait, would it still be the order of the phoenix? Probably not. Order of the snake?

Riddle turned to McGonagall as Nagini hissed. "Umbridge knows you're out of bed. Minerva, head her off. Tell her anything you can think of."

McGonagall left again. Riddle was really getting his money worth tonight. Harry watched Phineas return. "He says he'd be delighted."

Riddle motioned for the Weasleys and Snapes to collect at the side, pointing at the pot. "I want you to go by portkey as I finish up here." They nodded as they vanished. The second they were gone, Riddle turned around to look at the others. "Blaise, I want you to return to your room. Use the secret passage." 

Blaise gave an untrusting look to the headmaster as he left. Riddle looked down as Harry who gave him an innocent look. "If you don't mind I would like to have my forehead looked at. It's bleeding quite a bit now."

"Not yet. What were you talking about? What do you mean but your world? Who is Voldemort?" Riddle wasn't usually easily panicked but this wasn't making any sense and if what Harry was saying was true, this could be disastrous.

"Right so, by my world I mean the world I grew up in. Voldemort is the dark lord, his real name is Tom Marvolo Riddle. He runs an army called Death eaters and hates any non-pure blood child. As for what I'm talking about, on my way to school at the start of term I was attacked by someone who I thought was Dumbledore. He brought me here and I've been pretending ever since. Earlier tonight I felt the same magic that brought me into this world when I saw Arthur getting attacked. I think whatever connection I have with Volde is letting me see into whatever Elijah experienced tonight. Mr Weasley is a good friend of mine in my world, I only hope he recovers. I know how badly his death would impact Ron and Ginny in my world so I can only guess it is the same here." 

Riddle sighed as he fell back into his seat. He saw no lies in Harry's eyes. Everything Harry said was true. "I'm evil... in your world I'm evil. I'm not even a pureblood."

"I know. I had an interesting conversation with your younger self. Tom was an... interesting person. He told me about his... your father. Dumble... er, my Dumbledore believes Volde passed some of his powers to me the night he gave me my scar. It's the reason I can speak parseltongue." Harry smiled as he petted Nagini's head. 

Riddle rubbed his eyes as he snapped his fingers. a small house elf popped by his side. "One cup of tea, please. I think we are going to be here a while."

"Maybe we shouldn't be, Umbridge is still on her way here and we can't wait too long. Might I suggest a nice conversation in the chamber of secrets? I assume that is still here?"

Riddle nodded as he told the house-elf to bring the tea down to the chamber. Riddle and Harry snuck across the school. It was a little weird hearing parselmouth from someone not trying to kill him, but Harry was glad Riddle knew how to get stairs. Riddle walked into the large chamber, summoning some comfy chairs to sit on. "Right, so, tell me everything."

Harry nodded, sitting down. "Okay, everything started when I got my Hogwarts letter..."