Drawing the Line
Chapter I: Reflection and Decisions
It had been four years now since he had regained his physical and corporeal body unto the world. Four years since the fated tournament that he had taken Potter's blood to revitalize his own magical core into a structured form during the ritual that was partially meant to stabilize it inside the new body that would become his over time. Four years since he had come back and began to plan his movements once more.
Tom Marvolo Riddle, also known as the infamous Dark Lord Voldemort, was pacing before the fire within his study and had a very serious look to his red eyes. Most of his followers would have been either concerned for their welfare if he had any ire of some kind or would have been very afraid of the look he wore and tried to make sure it was not turned onto them.
Tom was well-aware that he had isolated himself for the last two or three days and his followers were concerned, but he did not need them to know what was going on in this. At least, not yet. But he had been given reason for concern; ones that he did not need all his followers knowing of until he was sure he knew what the sensations meant.
'Can it be that I have been so blind to such an obvious thing?' He thought to himself, 'Was I so desperate before that I neglected to validate the concerns over this properly and that this neglect caused unforeseen miscalculations on my part?'
Tom sighed in frustration and anger at himself. This was not supposed to be happening now and yet it was!
Tom had regained his youthful appearance through the ritual that he had used Potter's blood in. It had been expected to a degree. He had expected to be at least fifty looking in age with his mind becoming in-tact once more despite his split soul. However, the overall result that occurred on him was one that he had not thought of. Not that he minded it necessarily…
He was literally nearly seventy something years old; yet, the ritual powered with the ingredients called for…it had returned him to his twenty-five-year old body. His original looks and his sanity now clear; Tom was as he should be.
Except for one small miscalculation. As he paced before the fire; something was not right with him. He felt things he was not used to. His Horcruxes should have prevented him from feeling such trivial emotions, but it appeared he had miscalculated somewhere.
Then there was the tingly feeling in the back of his mind that was a stranger to him. He was not certain he knew what to think on it. Perhaps having made six Horcruxes had displaced the power of his core between them and the conclusions was that with his magic spread out too much; the Horcruxes could not adequately control his emotional responses due to his returned clarity from the ritual. He honestly wasn't sure.
The most powerful dark lord quietly snorted to himself at his thoughts. He wondered if any of his followers would know the answers he sought; he doubted it. Horcruxes were an ancient magic; few were knowledgeable in them, and those who were had to tread lightly when seeking new information of them.
Horace Slughorn, where he had first learned of the art, was an exception; he enjoyed collecting…whether rare objects, powerful people into his circle, or ancient arcane knowledge to be used academically. It was one reason he had expertly exploited him when he was younger. He then sighed again and sat down as he summoned a glass of brandy.
He had reached for the glass, but as soon as he had sat down; he doubled over in agony and pain of the like he had never felt before. As he tried to ignore it; he then felt something else.
Another sensation; and one with Potter's magical signature attached. He grinded his teeth together. What in the name of Merlin was the boy up to? Why was he feeling the pain?
Suddenly his eyes went out of focus and Tom knew he was witnessing something important. And then felt his body become more solid and he was also no longer in the comfort of his home either. His eyes narrowed; something to do with Potter had forced him here on purpose?
The area was decidedly muggle; given the look of the houses. He noticed then that he was within one of the said houses there and his eyes widened slightly. He realized he was somehow inside Potter's home despite the supposed wards there.
However, his gaze became decidedly suspicious the more he looked around. The house looked as if it had been abandoned some time ago. It was bare of pictures except for a few that had been left behind; and none of them featured the boy wonder who had lived here.
Furniture, tableware, food and all; it was as though it was empty and lifeless now. The wards were near non-existent too. But, as Tom continued to look around to try and figure out what had happened to bring him here…he knew it was not empty completely. He felt a presence here.
Tom knew to follow his instincts, and so he tried to find the source of the presence there. He was led to what appeared to be stairs to a basement. He trailed down them and as he come closer to the bottom; he paused as heard the thrashing of metal chains and an unholy sounding screech.
Magic was radiating venomously here. Magic that was very lethal and potent too. It held the taint of Potter's signature, but was faded somehow in effect. He was unsure what that meant, but internally knew it wasn't good.
Tom was also unsure of what he'd find, but he knew that whoever or whatever was here either needed helped or put down. The noise came from the last room on the left. He hesitated slightly; not knowing what he was to find.
Slowly he entered the room and his ears noted that the thrashing had silenced at his entry and there was no more screeching. He cautiously opened the door and observed the room. It was bare to the untrained eye in the dark. He noticed the power in the house was cut-off.
"So, you finally deign to answer my summons for help, Riddle? But only after I use what little strength I have left to physically force apparition upon you to get you here?" A voice said acidly to his right
Tom turned around in surprise; ready to lash out in shock to the voice as he drew his wand onto the voice. What he saw was something he would never forget.
There on the wall hung an eighteen-year-old boy and one who had recently finished Auror training faster than anyone else ever had. Namely he was called Harry Potter, and this young man was one who had transitioned into some form of creature after his inheritance at seventeen. He was naked as the day he was likely born and frail from lack of food. He had injuries all over his body.
"I called to you, but you refused to open your mind to me. So, I forced you here with my power and will alone. I wanted to warn you." Harry said as he coughed up blood and his eyes exuded extreme pain, "Albus knows of your soul-containers. He intended for me to destroy them. Your diary and the Gaunt Ring are gone, and soon he would have had the Slytherin locket if I had not confiscated it from Kreacher and hid it. All would have gone his way; until he accidentally found out that you made me into a horcrux as well. Eighteen years ago…"
Tom's mind went blank with numbness now and he was too shocked to do anything.
"Albus became distant to me while I trained with Mad-eye. He was afraid of the influence your soul fragment had over me. After I finished Auror training; he tried to remove it without killing me, but he could not. After my inheritance and transformation; I could no longer agree to be what he wanted; he felt threatened."
"I was then summoned one afternoon to his office. Something about 'special' training. I was knocked out dragged off somewhere. Imprisoned and experimented on; I became something that even I do not know what is. When they realized they could not keep me there anymore due to the inquiries being made of them; I was brutally beat and knocked out again. They brought me here and left me to rot away in these magically bound chains of mine." He said as his verdant eyes showed the betrayal he felt
"I have learned the hard way that the magical world does what is in its best interest when needed. Did you ever wonder why you could not have killed me so long ago; despite the evidence of a Prophecy?" Harry asked him
Tom's mind then turned back and his gaze narrowed on Harry though it seemed softened.
"What do you know of it?" He hissed at him
Harry smirked, "Everything and then some."
Tom eyed the boy suspiciously and despite his collapsible state he smirked, "There was a prophecy and it was given to you. However, it was done on purpose and it was done to eradicate both you and my family."
"Severus is not as faithful as you are being led to believe. He might be salvageable if you deign his abilities as ones worth keeping; but, I for one would not trust the bastard. Being that he is the mind rapist that he is." Harry said slowly
Tom's eyes narrowed at that one and Harry refused to elaborate further.
"I called out to you because I wish to make you a proposition?" Harry said silkily
Tom knew internally that this boy's voice was something that should not be arousing to him; yet, back to being twenty-five…injuries or no injuries; Harry was beautiful and something said to listen.
Tom inclined then to show he was listening.
"I am still a horcrux of yours; therefore, I in some manner of thought belong to you. I am still a person, and so I expected to be treated as one. My former allies betrayed me and left me to rot where no one but they would ever know to look for me. Hence, why I have tried to summon you here for weeks." Harry said cautiously
"I am not sure what creature I have become and I know that the experiments done to me made things even worse or better depending on view, but I know only that my magic calls to yours. I am unsure of why. My proposal for you is this; get me out of here and heal me. Take care of me as you would have any of your other Horcruxes."
"Keeping in mind that I am a being and not an object. I do not wish to be locked away once I am healed and able to help you in whatever manner I can do this. Do me this request, and I will give you the answers to whatever I can. I will willingly let the world fall into your hands and you will have my loyalty as yours until you decide the war is over."
"When the war is finally over; I want you to remove your soul-piece from me and transfer it to something else if possible. I will then go about my way and not hinder you further unless you decide you want me to stay for another reason." Harry said
"If you do not wish to take me in now and to do me this request; I ask of you to remove your soul-piece now and then to kill me. I am injured worse than what I am showing you and if you do not decide soon; I will die here. I would rather die at the end of the wand to the one who is supposed to kill me than to know I died because I was betrayed by those I believed I could have trusted with my life."
Tom was eerily silent as his red eyes barreled into the emerald green ones with emotions of all kinds zipping in and out of sight. Tom honestly did not know what to do here. The boy who had been a thorn to him now pleaded sanctuary, and if that safe-haven could not be given; he asked for death without any signs of resistance to him dealing it.
Once upon a time this idea might have amused him; considering how fiery and hot-tempered Harry was when angry. The fire that ran through the boy and his actions had been noted by him over the years. It had even allowed him to come and respect Harry in some ways. Now the thought of Harry asking for death like this only made him feel cold and like lead. Tom gently pulled his wand again from his sleeve and released the chains from the boy.
Harry landed in a graceful pile with an inelegant sound as he then cried out in pain. Wings of a leathery texture and black as night had burst forth again. Showering the room in his blood as he gritted his teeth from screaming in agony. Blood leaked from the corners of his mouth as he tried to contain his agony over the pain he was in.
His frail body then curled in on itself as his wings surrounded him in the attempt to guard him from Tom and whatever danger he might pose to him. Tom red eyes only softened to this sight. He saw the veteran warrior Harry was inside and how he was fighting like any wounded animal did to survive even if he knew it might be all for naught.
His eyes clouded with pain, but so determined to live. It was nearly the same gaze as his mother's had been so long ago. Tom cautiously stepped forward and Harry's eyes burned with wariness and he growled softly to Tom as he came close; his senses heightened and wary of anyone.
"It's alright Harry. I am going to get you out of here now." Tom said softly to him, "Even I know that you deserve better than whatever Albus and his Order has done to you."
Harry's mind circled the words until it must have reached a conclusion. He then blacked out from pain and his wings went limp over his bare frame. Tom wasted no time in conjuring a thick blanket. He carefully picked up the boy, wrapped him in the cloth to keep him warm and delicately held him to avoid further injury. He apparated out of the house with thoughts of murdering Albus again for this injustice.
Reappearing instantly at his home; Tom rushed to his chambers and to get the boy out of sight from anyone else there. He did not trust them not to try and harm him further yet. The walk was short, and Nagini was curled by the fire as he entered the room. She seemed to want to know what had happened and why he carried another human in with him, but Tom merely shook his head and the snake knew she had to wait for answers.
Tom had taken them into his bath and ran a lukewarm tub of water. He stripped himself of his robes as he cradled the boy's body to his after he gently unwound the blanket from him. He began to clean the wounds that were covering him literally from head to toe once submerged into the water and situated comfortably.
The more he saw that had been done to the boy; the angrier he became at Albus for this. Why? Why had he done this at all? It did not make sense, but maybe Harry had the answer. Many of the lashes he saw on him were barely healed and some were even cursed to not heal. The boy was lucky he did not have any infections.
Tom also noted that Harry must have hung on that wall for the better part of the summer and into the first three months of the new term at the school. Tom's eyes held an uncanny softness to them as he washed away the blood and grime that Harry had on him. Harry remained semi-unconscious and whimpered every now and again in pain.
The fierce and determined dark lord knew that this boy had suffered because of his soul fragment inside him. One he had not even been aware he had made. But it made sense; how else would the boy have known to save Arthur Weasley years ago from Nagini's venom?
Tom made sure the wounds on Harry had been cleansed thoroughly before getting out and tenderly laid the boy down on a towel before he dried off and hastily robed himself. After that was done, he made sure the boy was dried and conjured some silk pajama pants and boxers for him.
Tom was not sure how go about conjuring a top with his wings. Once he was dressed; Tom laid him into his bed and ran a diagnostic charm over him as Nagini watched her master intently. Tom seemed guilt-ridden and displaced.
Tom's eyes watched as the spell rattled off all the lingered injuries and his eyes hardened to them as his anger became apparent. He wasn't the best healer; but with Severus's betrayal to both his side and Albus's…he would make do. Narcissa would have been his next choice, but she had died last year and thus; he had no one else to rely on for healing than himself now.
Tom went about casting charm after charm on the boy. Seeing broken bones underneath the skin mend and set was something he was not accustomed to, but he acknowledged that Harry seemed to be in less pain than before, so he assumed that was good.
Lacerations, cuts, knife and whip marks became less pronounced and red on his pale skin and eventually faded into and almost invisible rosy hue. He was left with a few very unnoticeable scars unless you were keenly observant, but he figured most people would not be, so the scars would go without much inquiry. The redness around the wounds would fade eventually. Bruises that had marred the perfect porcelain skin had been washed away as if they had never been there.
His internal injuries had taken time, but Tom made sure none of them had been left to cause problems later. If anything did crop up later; he would take care of it. As he finished healing the boy and left him to rest; Tom felt oddly fatigued. He had not realized how taxing healing magic was. Of course, he did not make a habit of using it to this extent each day, so the strain might be due to his lack of using it.
He collapsed beside the bed in a conjured chair and sat down as he watched the slow and steady rise of the boy's chest in sleep and then as it fell. He felt somehow relieved that Harry was not in pain anymore and had lived. It was odd and displacing to feel such a thing after fighting to end him for so long.
Nagini slithered in and curled around her master's feet. He unconsciously reached down to calm himself inside as he stroked her head.
'Master, why have you brought him here?' She hissed curiously, 'I thought you wanted to kill him?'
Tom was silent momentarily as he contemplated how to answer his long-time companion and familiar.
'You know I have been isolated for the last few days from my followers and that I had been experiencing things I was trying to figure out?' He hissed to her calmly
Nagini merely hissed an understanding set of noises.
'Harry had been trying to reach out to me. He has been betrayed by those he once called allies. He convinced me of his sincerity, and told me some things that has helped me understand some other nuances of what I was trying to figure out.'
'He said he would ally with us if I took him in and healed him. Gave him sanctuary. I knew the risks, but for some reasoning I don't fully know; I felt that it was the correct thing to do'
Tom sighed deeply and Nagini watched him intently and then looked to the boy in question. He had caused her master so much trouble, but if he was willing to give his loyalty after all this time; how could she deny him that after seeing the broken body he had had because of those he thought he knew?
'He smells weird' She said as Tom eyed her now, 'Almost as if he was to have ascended in form. Not elven, human, demonic; but still ethereal. Yet, there is a shadow touch of darkness to him as well from several people.' She hissed slowly
'He feels similar to me somehow?' She questioned
Tom grimaced to that as Nagini eyed him warily, 'What have you done now Thomas Marvolo Riddle?!'
'I may have accidentally made Harry into a living horcrux seventeen years ago when I went to kill him as a baby' He told her sadly, 'I never intended that to happen, but apparently Albus turned on him when he found out about my soul fragment in him. He became worried over how much it had influenced him.'
Nagini his nastily now at him, 'How very convenient for you. He is what we magical creatures would say is 'Nithairi' or 'Beings of Ascended Wrath' in human words. He holds great magic; more than you believed he might ever have one day.'
'He is bound to you because of your soul fragment in him, but he is not an object you can simply manipulate or another familiar or minion you can simply order around. Tread very carefully now with him in your custody, Marvolo. If you treat him as you do your followers…he could turn against you and his magic could sway the piece of you in him.'
'On the other hand, you could show him the new you. Open to him as you would do to no one else. Harry understands your pains; for he too is alone. He may not share all the pains as you have, but he still knows many of them. Even without the soul-piece in him; you two have an oddly well-balanced mix of magic that could work together in your favor.'
'However, you know that for this to work; you have to be the one who is willing to accept it. He will in some forms, but you have no one else other than I who is called 'friend' and therefore; you must come to accept Harry for who he is and not what he is.'
'I did not know you intended to kill an infant who would one day be considered Nithairi or I would have advised against it heavily until you had much more information.'
Tom considered her words heavily and as he looked to the sleeping form of Harry Potter; he wondered how much more he could expect from him. He had to the admit that his familiar did have a valid point. Harry was a living being, and despite the horcrux inside of him; Harry still had a mind of his own.
'I shall consider your words Nagini, but for now; Harry needs to rest and recuperate. I want you to protect him as you do for me. When the timing is right; you could gift him with one of your hatchlings to show him we value his support to us. That he would be accepted.'
Nagini hissed soothingly, 'Do not fret Thomas. I was already thinking the same thing, but Harry would choose his own familiar from my young. His magic would tell him which of them would be best for him. I will stay here and watch him. You have work to do.'
Tom groaned slightly as he stood up, but admitted she was right. Not out loud, but still…
'If he wakes up or if something seems wrong, please come and get me immediately.' He said to her as he walked out
Nagini merely nodded her head and then looked to the boy curiously as he slept.
'He does not know it yet, but I think my Marvolo has grown quite attached to you young Nithairi child. I will protect you as he asks of me. You are more special than you realize.'
The large female snake then curled up and slept around the boy and made sure to keep an attentive eye on his condition.