All the Time in the World

Chapter Forty One

Harry was flung across the room and he crashed into the wall. Riddle was advancing on him, wand outstretched, a look of demented fury on his face.

"What the hell!" Ron never got his wand out as Riddle flicked his wand in his direction and Ron crumpled to the ground. Hermione too fell, Riddle's stunner catching her squarely on the chest. Riddle flicked his wand and ropes formed out of thin air to bind the two. He turned to Harry.

"Up, Potter."

Harry rose, cautiously, wondering what was going on. Riddle had come back early from his holidays. He wasn't supposed to be here for another two days. Harry wondered what happened during the holidays to provoke this attack. Had Riddle discovered that it was Ron and Harry who had told his father about his existence? But how could he have?

"To the dormitory," said Riddle, his voice throbbing with anger. "And keep your hands where I can see them."

Harry lifted his hands and walked to the dormitory, Riddle's wand on the small of his back. He heard the dormitory door close and the lock click.

"Turn around," said Riddle.

Harry turned around.

"I told you I would find out the truth, Potter. I warned you not to lie to me."

Harry said nothing. Riddle's wand was on his chest. And his hand was rock steady now. His fury appeared to have spent itself. His eyes were narrowed now.

"I know who you are, Potter. I know the truth about you."

Harry again remained silent. Riddle's wand tip was digging painfully into his chest now.

"You are from the future. From the year 1997. And you came here to kill me. You came here for revenge, Potter! I am the dark wizard who killed your parents!"

"Yes," said Harry. He didn't know how Riddle found out, and it didn't matter anyway. They had failed. And now, he had to find a way to get out of this situation alive, with his friends.

"We are from the future, from 1997, and yes, you are the one who killed my parents, but we did not come here to kill you. I am not here for revenge, Riddle."

"Don't lie to me, Potter!"

"I'm not lying! Look into my eyes, you'll see I'm telling the truth! Besides, if I wanted to kill you, I could have done it that day, when you were incapacitated by the Befuddling draught!"

Harry prayed Riddle believe him. It would really be ironic if after all their lies were believed, Riddle would refuse to believe the truth.

"How do you speak Parseltongue?"

"You..." Harry paused. "The future you... put a bit of himself into me when he gave me my scar."

Riddle's eyes shifted to the scar. "What does it do?"

"It hurts a lot when Voldemort is near." Harry did not want to say "you" anymore. This Riddle before him wasn't Voldemort yet. "And it hurts when he's angry or feeling any strong emotion."

"And you have some of his powers in you."

Harry shook his head. "Only the ability to speak to snakes, as far as I know."

"Strange behaviour for a curse scar."

"I don't know. I am no expert."

"Tell me why you are here. The truth, Potter."

Harry drew a deep breath. He was only now beginning to appreciate how ridiculous their mission was. As ridiculous as his story was going to sound.

Riddle did not interrupt him at any point. He was staring at Harry a bit oddly by the time he finished. Then he lowered his wand and walked away, laughing.

"You came here to save me?" He laughed. "You really have a saving-people-thing, don't you Potter?"

Harry winced, hearing an echo of Hermione's words to him last year just before he'd set out on that disastrous attempt to rescue Sirius; the attempt that had, ironically, led to Sirius' death.

"Has it ever occurred to you, Potter that I do not require saving?"

"That's because of your mother's spell on you," Harry did not know what made him say it.

Riddle gave him a speculative glance. "You really believe that? Of course you do. Very, very, foolish, Potter. But you did do me a favour when you convinced my father about my existence."

"He believed he wasn't able to have a child, Riddle. Otherwise, he would never have abandoned your mother in spite of how she treated him."

"How she treated him?" Riddle sounded incredulous.

"You're unbelievable!" Harry snorted. "She all but raped him, Riddle! You honestly think he enjoyed it? She took away his will and he married her not out of choice but out of compulsion! But of course, it doesn't matter to you, does it, because he's only a muggle! A muggle who faces his demons and the worst nightmares of his life every time he steps on to platform nine-and-three-quarters to bid you goodbye. You think that's easy for him? But what do you care?"

"Enough!" Riddle's tone was dangerous. "I told you, Potter, I don't like talking about my father."

"Why? Because you're already planning to kill him?"

"That's enough!" Riddle's wand was again on his chest and Harry cursed himself for not disarming Riddle before. His own wand was still in his pocket. It seemed he never learned.

"Explain that statement, Potter."

"Which one?"

"About my father. You said I'm planning to kill him. He was killed by my uncle, Morfin. He killed my father and my grandparents and he died in prison!"

"No, Riddle. You killed them. You framed your uncle."

"I was in Hogwarts at the time. Or would be."

"Yes. But you sneaked out of the castle, apparated to Little Hangleton, stole your uncle's wand, killed them all and planted a false memory in your uncle before apparating back and sneaking back in."

Riddle bared his teeth in a snarl. "What is to prevent me from killing you here and now, Potter?"

"This," said Harry as he kneed Riddle in the groin and whipped out his wand.

"Petrificus Totalus!" He bellowed before Riddle could straighten and Riddle fell on to the floor, stiff. Harry was breathing hard as if he had run a race.

"Your father loved you enough to let you come to Hogwarts in spite of what your mother did to him, and you killed him! You don't deserve a father, Riddle! You only deserve that orphanage where your mother put you because she didn't love you enough even to fight for her life! But you know, what? I'm done with you and with trying to save you!"

Harry pulled out his trunk. He was furious. He grabbed it and Ron's too. Then he noticed that his device was on the floor, next to Riddle. It looked all tarnished and old, he wondered if being in the past did it. He picked it up and walked out of the dormitory. He would get his friends and they would go back.