Together, Or Not At All: a Harry X Voldemort|Tom

Lord Voldemort's Interview...

Narrator's POV

Since Lord Voldemort knew that Former-Headmaster Dippet refused to hire him because of his age, he waited fourteen years before returning to try again.

Even back when he was a professor, Headmaster Dumbledore hadn't liked the Dark Lord, but said Dark Noble knew he had to try again —hopefully the old man would see that he was perfect for the job.

***

Now at the Hog's Head Inn in Hogsmeade, Headmaster Dumbledore and Voldemort sat at a small table in the back of the pub.

Having handed Voldemort a goblet of wine and poured one for himself, Dumbledore returned to his seat, "So, Tom, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

Voldemort did not answer at once, but merely sipped his wine, "They do not call me 'Tom' anymore, these days, I am known as-"

"I know what you are known as." Dumbledore said (he had heard that name whispered around Knockturn Alley for several years), smiling pleasantly, "But to me, I'm afraid, you will always be Tom Riddle. It is one of the irritating things about old teachers. I am afraid that they never quite forget their charges' youthful beginnings."

He raised his glass as though toasting Voldemort, whose face remained expressionless.

"I am surprised you have remained here so long." Voldemort said after a short pause, "I always wondered why a wizard such as yourself never wished to leave school."

"Well," Dumbledore said, still smiling, "to a wizard such as myself, there can be nothing more important than passing on ancient skills, helping hone young minds. If I remember correctly, you once saw the attraction of teaching too."

"I see it still," Voldemort said, "I merely wondered why you —who are so often asked for advice by the Ministry, and who have twice, I think, been offered the post of Minister-"

"Three times at the last count, actually," Dumbledore interrupted, "but the Ministry never attracted me as a career. Again, something we have in common, I think."

"I have returned, later, perhaps, than Headmaster Dippet expected, but I have returned, nevertheless, to request again what he once told me I was too young to have. I have come to you to ask that you permit me to return to this castle, to teach. I think you must know that I have seen and done much since I left this place. I could show and tell your students things they can gain from no other wizard." Voldemort said

"Yes, I certainly do know that you have seen and done much since leaving us. Rumors of your doings have reached your old school, Tom. I should be sorry to believe half of them." Dumbledore said, glancing at Voldemort over his glass of wine

Voldemort's expression remained impassive as he said, "Greatness inspires envy, envy engenders spite, spite spawns lies. You must know this, Dumbledore."

"You call it 'greatness', what you have been doing, do you?" Dumbledore asked delicately

"Certainly," Voldemort said, his eyes slowly going from an icy blue to blood red, "I have experimented; I have pushed the boundaries of magic further, perhaps, than they have ever been pushed-"

"Of some kinds of magic," Dumbledore corrected him, "of some. Of others, you remain —forgive me— woefully ignorant."

"The old argument, but nothing I have seen in the world has supported your famous pronouncements that love is more powerful than my kind of magic, Dumbledore." Voldemort cooly said

"Perhaps you have been looking in the wrong places?" Dumbledore suggested

"Well, then, what better place to start my fresh researches than here, at Hogwarts? Will you let me return? Will you let me share my knowledge with your students? I place myself and my talents at your disposal. I am yours to command." Voldemort offered

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. "And what will become of those whom you and Mr. Potter command? What will happen to those who call themselves —or so rumor has it— the Death Eaters?"

"My friends," Voldemort paused, "will carry on without me, I am sure."

"I am glad to hear that you consider them friends," Dumbledore smirked, "I was under the impression that they are nothing more than a order of servants."

"You are mistaken." Voldemort said through grit teeth

"Then if I were to look around the pub right now, I would not find a group of them —Potter, Malfoy, LeStrange, Nott, Rosier, Prewett, Mulciber, and Dolohov— awaiting your leave? Devoted friends indeed, to travel this far with you on a snowy night, merely to wish you luck as you attempted to secure a teaching post." Dumbledore smirked, proving that he had detailed knowledge of those with whom he was traveling was even less welcome to Voldemort

"You are omniscient as ever, Dumbledore." Voldemort complimented bitterly

"Oh no, merely friendly with the local barmen." Dumbledore waved, "Now, Tom, let us speak openly. Why have you come here tonight, surrounded by henchmen, to request a job we both know you do not want?"

Voldemort looked surprised, "A job I do not want? On the contrary, Dumbledore, I want it very much."

"Oh, you want to come back to Hogwarts, but you do not want to teach any more than you wanted to when you were nineteen. What is it you're after, Tom? Why not try an open request for once?" Dumbledore asked

Voldemort sneered, "If you do not want to give me a job-"

"Of course I don't, and I don't think for a moment you expected me to. Nevertheless, you came here, you asked, you must have had a purpose." Dumbledore explained

"This is your final word?" Voldemort asked

"It is." Dumbledore confirmed

"Then we have nothing more to say to each other." Voldemort said, standing up

"No, nothing." Dumbledore sadly said, "The time is long gone when I could frighten you with a burning book. But I wish I could, Tom, I wish I could."

For a second, Voldemort's hand twitched toward his pocket to his wand, but ignored the urge, turned away, and left the inn, soon followed by those Dumbledore named...