Tomarry One Shots

No one can know

Summary: Harry faces a boggart when retaking his Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L.S. but this time, what comes out of the closet isn't a dementor. How is he going to explain this one away?

Ship: HarryPotterxTomRiddle

All credit goes to Mister_Mooncalf on Ao3

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"Now that we've gotten the written portion of the exams over with, I feel like it's time to-"

We? You didn't do anything but stand there for hours, Riddle. You'd think the minister of Britain would have better things to do than to look at Harry writing on paper for Merlin knows how long...

His hand hurt. Harry was starting to admire his younger self for being able to do this every day for five days a week.

Oh wait, Riddle was still talking.

"Sorry, what?"

The minister looked a tad annoyed at being interrupted and not having been listened to in the first place but repeated what he was saying from the beginning again.

Good. Let him be annoyed, maybe if I annoy him enough he'll leave me alone? Then I could go back to living my normal, uneventful life. No ministers trying to find out his secrets, no aurors following his every move, no fear for his soulmark to be discov-

Wait, did he just miss Riddle's explanation again? Learn to pay attention, Harry.

Let's just act like we heard him.

"Uhuh," Harry said in a way that made it obvious to everyone that he wasn't paying attention.

He's normally better at acting, you know. But retaking all exams of seven school years is mentally tiring, didn't N.E.W.T.S literally stand for Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests? Whoever came up with that name was probably feeling what Harry was feeling right at that moment.

If Riddle were a lesser man he would probably sigh deeply right now, but as it is, he had a reputation to uphold. Patience is virtue, especially when it comes to Harry Potter, Tom had discovered.

"As I was saying. I arranged for the Defense Against the Dark Arts portion to come first because that's what you're best at. What spells you have to perform or what you have to fight against was decided randomly, there will be three to four tests for every exam level."

Right, they had chosen to cut the written portion of the exam back and concentrate on the practical one. Lucky him... faking magical power is harder than it looks. But even so, everyone knew he was powerful now. Was there even a point in faking it anymore? They don't know how good he is at magical theory, but if he acted weak, casting simple spells, everyone would know he was lying... again.

"Actually, minister," Mrs. Mcgonagall said "we have decided on two for each. I'm afraid we won't have time to evaluate all practical tests if we let him take so many per subject. Besides, I'm sure we all know Mr. Potter is fully capable of getting an 'Outstanding' for D.A.D.A.." She looked directly at Harry.

Something told him she wouldn't be happy with him if he faked his exams again.

The backdoor of the testing room opened and professor Pettigrew came through, levitating a familiar wardrobe behind him.

Harry got flashbacks of spiders on roller skates and dancing skeletons.

The professor put down the wardrobe in the middle of the room and spoke up. "I'm sure you know what to do, Harry. Detain the boggart using the correct spell, using your fear's weaknesses against it or detaining it by other means will also allow you to pass."