Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognise. Harry Potter, the characters and all that stuff belong to JK, I'm just twisting them for my own amusement.

Basically I decided to redo this story, I'm changing a few things like pairing Harry with someone, adding a few new characters, etc. This is NOT a dark fic more of a Harry taking control of his life and flipping Dumbledore the birdie fic. I am not a fan of the traditional pairings so I am pairing Harry off with Susan Bones for this story seeing as there are not many decent HP/SB stories on here.

-HP-

It was early evening and a lone figure walked along a beaten path leading up one of the many mountains to the south east of Jumla in Nepal. The mountain winds biting into the bones of the figure even though he had a powerful warming charm on his many robes. He was struggling to walk along this path although you wouldn't be able to tell it by looking at him. He walked with his head high and even though he was freezing he showed confidence in his ability to get to his destination. He refused to let the temperature beat him, he had face death countless time in his rise to power and refused to let something as insignificant as the weather stop him. He was Voldemort and in his eyes nothing stood in his way.

Through the blizzard he could see a shape forming ahead of him. It was his destination, an old monastery, hundreds of years old and a popular rest stop for travellers in the past although not any longer. Now it was claimed by one individual, a powerful individual who liked his privacy. Like most wizards he used wards to ensure nobody found the location of this place but unlike traditional wards which repelled people these ones drew people in. As soon as you see the building you are compelled to enter it and only the most powerful of wizards ever leave. Those without the power to overcome the compulsion charm were drawn in and sacrificed by the owner in rituals.

Voldemort walked up to the door to see it wide open. He looked in and noticed that the blizzard did not enter the building, the magic protecting this place destroyed the snow as it hit the entrance. Voldemort could feel the sensory charms on the door frame and walked through them letting his presence be known to the master of the house.

As soon as he was inside Voldemort warmed up instantly, he turned around and could see the snow not a foot away but he could no longer feel the biting wind or the sub zero temperature. He cancelled his warming charms and began his journey into the heart of the building. It had been a long time since he had last been here, almost thirty years had passed but he still remembered the way to the throne room.

Voldemort walked into the throne room and it was exactly like it was thirty years ago. There were marble columns on each side of the room holding up two balconies that spanned the length of the room. There were black bones moulded to the columns and you could hear the faint echo of the screaming souls that those bones used to belong to although if you listened for them the screams would disappear causing anybody who didn't know this man to believe that they were just hearing things.

Voldemort continued walking until he was only about ten meters away from the raised platform that housed the throne. He looked up at the person sitting there. The man was looking back at Voldemort with eyes that pierced your very soul, not that Voldemort had much of one left. The eyes were the only part of the person that looked alive. He was draped in a thin black robe with the hood up which hid his skeletal face. Voldemort could see his arms and they were as white as bone and just as thin, it was only after looking carefully that you realised that he did in fact have skin.

The man name was Abaddon. This is not his real name, his real name he would not tell to anyone as he believed that names hold power, although Voldemort doubted that the man could even remember it himself. Abbadon was where the British legend of the Grim Reaper came from. During the 15th century he was the most powerful wizard alive and took to harassing and killing people as he saw fit. Word spread of him and he eventually became a legend. In the late 15th century he mastered the arts of blood magic and necromancy and through a mixture of the two manage to make himself immortal. He never revealed how he did it but it is said that when he finds an apprentice who shows as much talent and skill as he did when he mastered the arts then and only then would he pass on the secret and move on to the next great adventure. Although this was only a myth, one that Abaddon neither admits to nor denies. Five centuries later and he no longer cares about ruling people or inciting fear, he sits in his old monastery only leaving when he finds an apprentice to train.

"Tom, it has been a while since you last stepped foot in my home, what brings you here?" Abbadon said in a wheezy dry voice.

"You have a visitor, did I come at a bad time?" Voldemort said not really caring if he had or not.

"Of course I have a visitor, you are standing here are you not?"

Voldemort cringed slightly at this, he had always hated the old mans weird and dry sense of humour. "That is not what I meant and you know it old man."

"Old man, where is your respect for your old master my former apprentice?"

"I am your apprentice no more, now I am the master."

"You twist these words to suit your need, you may no longer be my apprentice but you are no master either."

"I have my followers, my servants who do my bidding when I require them to."

At this Abbadon just shook his head. "Maybe so, but what are you a master of Tom?"

"I am their master, they are my servants."

"Yes and what great servants they are, abandoning you for all those years, living the life of comfort while you were stuck in a half life. You control them with fear. Fear is good when in the heart of you enemy but it is a weak tool with which to control people."

"You used to control people with fear unless what you told me was a lie."

"Yes and I would've thought someone as smart as yourself would have learned from my mistake." Abbadon almost shouted.

"Is that why you betrayed me?"

"I did no such thing. I promised to train you and train you I did, I did not swear any vowel of loyalty to you, I did not promise to follow you. I follow no one, even when there were witches and wizards as powerful as myself around I still followed no one. No, I left because you refused to learn what I was teaching, nothing more, nothing less."

"Yet out of everybody you could have trained you picked one of my enemies."

"She was the most powerful witch alive and she was willing to learn. I taught her more in a year than you learned in ten."

"Yet I still killed her."

"And it cost you dearly, I hear you still have yet to kill her son." Abbadon said with a dry laugh.

"So you have made up your mind. You are going to help the boy and Dumbledore. That is why he is here isn't it?"

As Voldemort said that Dumbledore walked out from behind one of the pillars. "Hello Tom." Dumbledore said in his normal calm voice.

"I can see that I am wasting my time here." Voldemort said before turning around to leave.

"Yes, Albus is here for the same reason as you are, to recruit me in your little war but it is not something I care for, it is your problem and not mine so it is something I will not get involved with. As for training Lily's son I have yet to decide either way, I never accept an apprentice without first setting my eyes on them. But you are correct about one thing Tom, you are wasting your time here, you have proven that you do not wish to learn anymore of what I teach so you really have no business here." Abbadon said before dismissing Voldemort, making him disappear and reappear outside of the now locked Monastery.

"Now Albus, please continue with what you were saying before Tom showed up."

"Very well Lord Abbadon. As I was saying, now that Voldemort is back Harry is his prime Target. Harry has had a few confrontations with him and has been lucky so far. I am hoping that you will train him like you once did Lily."

"As I said to Tom, I do not want to get involved with your war. Tom is powerful, he may be undisciplined and arrogant but he does have more power than the average wizard, it was one of the reason I recruited him as an apprentice all those years ago. This boy, he is still at school? If that is the case then he cannot be as powerful as Tom."

"But with the right training he can become more powerful than Tom and defeat him. Lily was a powerful witch, you know this, she was your last apprentice, and his father was an above average wizard as well. Harry comes from a good line, he is slightly undisciplined but he has a determination to survive."

"Be that as it may, he is still a risk. I'll be honest with you Albus, I am old, I am almost 650 years old, this is my 15th body and I am almost at the end of it and will require another one soon. I am tired, I just want to find the right apprentice to pass on my knowledge to so that I can die happy in the knowledge that all I have done and learned will not die with me. I do not want to waste my time with Lily's son if he is to face Tom and loses."

"Yes it is a risk, but it will be a risk with whoever you find and train. They could get into a duel and lose, they could contract an illness and not get the cure in time, there are hundreds of ways, natural and unnatural that can kill them. Harry is the most talented wizard I have seen in my time at Hogwarts, even surpassing that of Tom, I can guarantee that you will not find a more talented apprentice were you to look for another 650 years. The potential reward is worth the risk involved."

"I will concede that if he is anything like his mother then he will be talented."

"Come and meet him, talk with Harry and then decide but do not refuse him before you've even given him a chance."

"What has he said regarding this?"

"He does not know yet, I wanted to speak to you before speaking to him about it."

"That is typical of you Albus, controlling people from the shadows, making moves for them without their knowledge or permission. Who is to say the boy even wants to do it?"

"He will if I ask him to, after speaking to you he will see this as the opportunity it is."

"I will speak with the boy, but if I do decide to take him on it will have to be his decision, any hesitation or even a hint of persuasion from you then I am out, he must want this. This is all hypothetical of course, I have not yet agreed to train him."

"Of course, I will ask him to meet you and the rest will be between you two."

"Are you sure you are prepared for this Albus? Blood magic is considered dark magic and some of it is. I will not just teach him the 'good side' of it, I will teach him all of it as well as necromancy if he asks."

"I know but he is the only one who can defeat Voldemort, sometimes the rewards are worth the risk."

"You place too much stock in that prophesy Albus, but very well, as long as you are aware of the risks. Tom was not the first student of mine to go dark."

"And Lily wasn't the first to sacrifice herself for someone she loved."

"Very true. Now it is time for you to leave, I must make preparations to leave. I will meet you in your brother's pub at midday in three days time.

-HP-

Thousands of miles away from this meeting, in the suburb of Little Whinging, a boy sat at his window looking out as if waiting for something. This boy was Harry Potter and he sat at his window waiting for his snowy owl Hedwig to return, he had sent her of the previous day with a letter and was more than eager for a reply.

Harry turned away from the window and looked at his bed which had the Prophet from the previous day lying across it. He picked it up and read the front page for the fifteenth time.

Wizengamot passes a vote of no confidence, Scrimgeour replaces Fudge as minister of magic.

In a spectacular session of the Wizengamot a motion was put forward for minister Fudge to be replaced as minister of magic. The members of the council agreed that Fudge had let the general public down by refusing to accept that he-who-must-not-be-named had returned and for allowing death eaters to easily break into the ministry of magic. This is the first time in almost 150 years that a no confidence vote has been put forward.

With a vote of 47-3 Fudge was removed as minister and the Wizengamot then put forward names for an interim minister to replace Fudge for the remainder of his term in office. After several hours of discussion and several votes it was decided that Rufus Scrimgeour would serve as the new minister of magic until the election next May. The new minister vowed that he would actively search out you-know-who and his followers and swiftly bring them to justice. Continues on page 2.

Harry began pacing his room. He was bored, he had only been back a week and had spent the whole time in his room. During that week Harry had little to do but think. He thought back to last year, about his decisions and how he had been tricked by Voldemort, but most of all he thought back to how Dumbledore had ignored him and failed him yet again. He realised that Dumbledore didn't care about Harry or what he wanted, he only cared about keeping him under control and physically 'safe'.

The death of Sirius still hurt Harry and he blamed himself for falling for Voldemort's trick. Harry knew that he wasn't to blame even if he couldn't let go of some of it. Dumbledore knew about the prophecy and refused to tell Harry until it was too late. He also knew that Voldemort could get into Harry's mind but instead of helping him block Voldemort out he actively avoids Harry and leaves it up to Snape to teach Harry. Harry knew that professor Dumbledore trusted Snape but he also knew that Snape despised Harry. He should have known that Snape would not teach him properly and because of that he allowed Voldemort to place those images into Harry's mind. In Harry's opinion Dumbledore was as much to blame for Sirius' death as Bellatrix was.

Harry realised that he needed to get out from under Dumbledore's thumb and it was Remus' letter that arrived two days ago that got Harry planning an escape.

Dear Harry,

I hope your relatives are treating you well so far and that you are keeping yourself safe. We have just had an order meeting concerning you and I felt that it was best to let you know what was said. To be truthful Harry it did worry me slightly, even Moody was not pleased and he is Dumbledore's biggest supporter here.

He found out about what a few of us said to your aunt and uncle when you got off the train and he was not pleased. He told us that we are not to harm your relatives unless it is clear that you are in great danger.

I don't care what Dumbledore says Harry, if they so much as threaten to hurt you then you let either myself or Moody know and we will come. I know you are required to let the order know how well you are doing once a week but if there are any problems then please do not put it in that letter. I fear nothing will come of it if you do. Remember, let me or Moody know and we will be there.

I was rather impressed with the coins Hermione made for the DA last year (yes we know about it) and so Moody created three coins. The one attached to this letter is yours. If you are in trouble then squeeze it and it will alert mine and Moody's. Ours are also portkeys and will bring us to your location when we activate them.

Be safe Harry, and let me know if there is anything I can do for you.

Your friend,

Moony.

That letter had pissed Harry off more than he realised. He was thankful to Remus and Moody and had taken to keeping the coin on him at all times. After reading that letter he began planning how to run his own life. He couldn't trust Dumbledore anymore. The first brainwave came the day after the letter in the guise of the Daily Prophet. As soon as Harry found out that there was a new minister he sent Hedwig off with a letter to him. Harry knew he would need the minister's help to help him escape Dumbledore's grasp and he just hoped that this minister was not as stupid as the last. Harry continued to pace the room; he knew that he needed a back up plan in case the minister was not willing to help. He thought long and hard about what he needed to do and the first thing was to find help. Moody and Remus were willing to look out for him but he doubted that they would help him with this. In fact he could only think of one person who would help him. "Dobby. Dobby can you hear me." Harry called out quietly.

With a small pop the elf appeared on Harry's bed and began jumping up and down excitedly. "The greatest wizard alive Harry Potter calls for Dobby, Dobby is honoured master Harry Potter sir." Dobby said rather loudly and excitedly.

"Dobby be quiet please, I don't want my aunt or uncle to hear you."

"Of course Harry Potter sir, anything Harry Potter wants." Dobby said in a quiet but excited tone.

"Dobby, I am in need of your help but I need to ask you a few questions first."

"Dobby would be very happy to help the great Harry Potter."

"Dobby please call me Harry and stop with the great. Ok, first, are you able to detect wizard's magic?"

"Of course Harry Potter sir."

"Can you tell me if there is any monitoring charms or tracking charms anywhere in the house?"

"There is a monitoring charm in the living room as well as sensor charms to detect if anybody is passing on both doors plus a tracking charm on you Harry Potter sir."

"Great, looks like the invisibility cloak is out, perhaps I could use a window. Dobby, are you able to transfer my tracking charm over to say my bed?"

"No Harry Potter sir. I can remove it but not put it somewhere else. Also Harry Potter does not need to climb out of windows; Dobby can take Harry Potter outside."

"You can apparate with me in tow?"

"Yes sir, Dobby can, it is tiring and Dobby can only do it maybe two times before needing a break but it can be done."

"Ok, that's great Dobby, are you able to get out of your contract at Hogwarts and if so would you be willing to come and work for me?"

"Dobby cannot believe the great Harry Potter wants Dobby as his house elf. Dobby would be honoured to be Harry Potter's elf. Dobby can stop working at Hogwarts whenever he wants and can be back tomorrow ready to begin working for Harry Potter sir."

"That is great Dobby, now how much would you like to be paid for the job?"

"Dobby likes being a free elf but he cannot charge Harry Potter. The honour of working for Harry Potter is enough for Dobby."

"How about I match what you get paid at Hogwarts plus all the knitting materials you need. Does that sound fair?"

"Harry Potter sir is too kind. Dobby is going to go back to Hogwarts to let Professor Dumbledore know he quits."

"Dobby, please do not let Dumbledore know that you are coming to work for me. Just tell him you found a family who was willing to pay you for your service."

"Of course Harry Potter sir."

As soon as he said that he popped away. Harry began to see his plan roll out in front of him and he was happy that the first step went so well. His happiness was short lived though as two owls appeared carrying letters and a package. He knew right away that neither was Hedwig but he opened his window to let them both in. The first he recognised as Errol, the Weasley's ancient owl and the other was an unknown owl. He removed the letters and package while offered them Hedwig's water dish which Errol accepted gratefully while the other owl just flew off as soon as its letter was delivered. He noticed that Errol had two letters as well as the package and decided to read them first. The first letter was from Ron.

Hey mate,

How's things? Guess what, we are going on holiday again. I can't believe it; somehow mum and dad got the money together and was able to afford to take us all to Romania to see Charlie. I can't wait to see the dragon reserve although I'm not going anywhere near those dragons, I ain't mad. We are going to be there all summer which means we won't be able to see you until just before we go back to Hogwarts. We are returning on the 29th August. Ginny was not happy but mum said we are going and she would leave us there if we so much as moaned.

I hope you have a good summer mate and hopefully you can find a way to get away from those muggles. I will let you know all about it when I get back.

Ron.

Dear Harry,

I hope that your family is treating you well and that you are keeping out of trouble. I know that you don't like it there but it is for your own protection and professor Dumbledore knows best. I'm sorry dear but you will not be able to come to the Burrow this year. Our house is not warded that well and Grimmauld place is closed to us until after Sirius' will reading. Because of that there is no safe place for us to have you this summer.

Dumbledore being the kind person that he is has paid for our family to take a trip to Romania to see Charlie over the summer. He did this because of the lack of safe places for our family to live and he believes that if you-know-who cannot get to you then he will go after one of your friends. I have to protect Ginny and Ron and the best way to do that is to take them to visit Charlie for the summer. I hope you understand why we've done this. I tried to persuade professor Dumbledore to let us take you as well but he refused saying that you need to spend time where you are in order to charge the blood wards.

I have told professor Dumbledore not to leave you there all summer and he has agreed to move you out of there just after your Birthday. If headquarters is still inaccessible at that time he has promised to take you to Hogwarts for the remainder of the summer. I'm sorry we will not be here dear but at least you will still have Hermione and I hope you get a chance to enjoy your summer. I know your family do not feed you that well while you are there, you are always so skinny after spending time with them, so I have enclosed a food package for you and hope that this can at least see you until your Birthday.

Love

Molly

Harry began once again pacing his room. He could not believe Dumbledore. He had just lost his godfather and not only does he lock Harry up at the Dursley's he takes away his best friend for the whole summer. He didn't blame Mrs. Weasley at all; she had to look out for her children first. Harry understood that any parent would do that and he was thankful to her for speaking to Dumbledore about moving him after his Birthday because he had no doubt in his mind that Dumbledore would leave him here. It's not like he could even talk to Hermione like Mrs. Weasley suggested because she was on holiday in Greece with her family until the beginning of August.

Resigned to the fact that he had no one to talk to this summer he plopped down on his bed. It was at this moment that he saw and remembered the third letter. He looked at the envelope and saw it had the Gringotts crest on it. He opened the letter and read it.

Dear Mr. Potter,

You have been named chief beneficiary in the will of Sirius Black. You are required to attend the will reading on the 13th July at 10 am at Gringotts. If you cannot make this date and time then you will need to inform us of this and we will arrange for you to hear the will at a later date, note that even if you cannot attend the will it will still be read to those that are able to make it.

Ripblade

Head of contracts and wills at Gringotts London.

If Harry had not been sitting down he was sure he would've collapsed after reading that. He knew it was coming but now that he had read it, he felt different, it felt so final, like it was guaranteed that Sirius was not coming back. He knew that Sirius was dead. He knew that he wasn't just going to walk in through the door but after reading the letter from Gringotts it finally sank in that he was never going to see Sirius again and for the first time since Dumbledore's office Harry laid down on his bed and let his emotions out as he cried himself to sleep.

-HP-

Harry woke up with a thumping headache which centred around his scar. Harry rubbed his scar with one hand while putting on his glasses with the other. 'Hmm, I guess Voldemort is up to something.' Harry thought. Harry sat up to find Dobby sitting at the end of his bed.

"Good morning Harry Potter sir." Dobby said excitedly. "Your Hedwig returned last night."

Harry looked over to his owl cage to find Hedwig sitting there looking at him. She hooted and nodded her head towards the desk before flying out to presumably go hunting. Harry walked over to his desk to find a letter with a ministry seal on it. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach as he thought the worst and expected a negative reply. He slowly opened the letter and his spirit was lifted after each word he read.

Dear Mr. Potter,

I hope this letter finds you well and that you are enjoying your holiday with your family. I must admit that I was quite surprised to receive your letter. I had asked Albus Dumbledore for a meeting with you and he said it was not possible because you wanted to spend your holiday away from the wizarding world and enjoy some peace and quiet as well as to come to terms with your godfather's death. I can now guess that you knew nothing about that and that it was just professor Dumbledore's wish for us not to meet.

I can tell from what you've written in your letter that this meeting means more than you were letting on and that it is important to you that it happens sooner rather than later. I will admit that I am really busy, Fudge left a lot to mend at the ministry but I can put time aside for someone like you. I would be happy to meet you in my office at 9am on the 12th July. I know your house is not connected to the floo network so I will arrange for it to be connected for the morning. The connection to my office is a secure connection so all you have to do is step into the fire and it will bring you here automatically.

I look forward to our meeting.

Rufus Scrimgeour

Minister of magic

Once Harry had finished reading the letter his headache had vanished and he was in a much better mood compared to the one he woke up in. He quickly wrote a note to Remus asking him to make sure that either he or Moody were on duty outside his house on the morning of the 12th and left it on the table ready for when Hedwig returned from hunting.