The Devil and Mr. Potter
A Harry Potter One Shot
Lying half dead after his impromptu meeting with Nagini at Godric's Hollow, harry wakes up and glances to his side. Sitting up in a chair, Hermione is dead asleep. He wonders why he woke up in the first place when he hears a whisper coming from outside. It was calling his name. The voice was a man's, but it wasn't mocking or malicious. It was a bit familiar to be honest.
Sitting outside was a pale man with dark hair in a pony tail. He wore simple black trousers, gray shirt and a black jacket. It was not his appearance that was surprising, but that he was perfectly balanced on the little wooden fence, crouched and perched like a bird of prey awaiting his next meal.
"Do I know you sir?" Harry reached into his back pocket expecting his wand. It was still broken, lying useless on the floor next to the bed.
The stranger looked up to meet Harry's gaze, "Little Harry Potter, of course you know me. Don't you remember those nights in the cupboard where you prayed I wasn't outside your locked door waiting for my chance to finally take your soul?"
Harry felt his body go still, his curiosity turning to anger. How could he possibly know about the cupboard. He never told anyone, even Hermione about the earliest nights of his life. Those nights when he swore he heard a monster scraping around outside his door.
The stranger smile changes to something far more sinister and primal than Voldemort could ever make. The next few words from the stranger freeze Harry to his very core, "I was there Harry. My mouth waters at the thought of what I could do with a soul like yours. The fun we cold have!"
The stranger than did the most unusual, the most unexpected thing, he started laughing. This was the most belly shaking, deep and jolly laugh Harry heard in a long time. The famous Potter temper was coming to the surface as he stares at the stranger.
"Sorry Harry. You are not the one I'm here for," the stranger wipes a tear from his eye still chuckling.
"Who are you?" Harry demanded. He was too frightened and confused to think of anythign else to say.
The stranger stopped laughing and bared his teeth. A bestial growl came from his throat, "I am not one who answers to demands Harry Potter. I may look like a man, but I can still lay you out and fill your mouth with your mother's feces or you can change your tone and we can have a civilized conversation."
Fear was the most prevalent sensation now. The cold took a backseat to complete and total fear. Without his wand he was defenseless. He had a feeling that even with the wand, he might have not been a match against this person. He swallowed the fear and took a deep breath, "As you already know, my name is Harry Potter."
The stranger's sneer changed to a smile at the attitude adjustment, "It's nice to meet you Harry. I'm sure you can guess my name."
"What should I call you, sir?"
The stranger leaned back while staying perfectly perched on the fence, "Well, in the old days I was called the Light Bringer, Ba'al and Beezelbub. Now? How about you call me Louis."
Harry felt the stranger's power when he recited the names and titles, but confusion was still on his mind, "Louis?"
Louis clapped his hands in a smile, "Yes, Louis. Now that we are acquainted, let me tell you why I'm here. Well first, let me tell you why you're here. You are hunting for Riddle's horcruxes to destroy them so you can kill him."
With the look of shock etched on Harry's face, Louis continued on, "What if I told you I know where they all are and how to destroy them. Imagine this world without the fear of the Dark Lord."
Louis snickers at the last statement, "Imagine the peace you can enjoy with your friends and family. No more dark lord, no more death eaters plaguing you. What would that be worth to you Harry?"
"Why do you want Tom Riddle's soul? It can't be worth much with it being split so many times." Louis smiles, Harry was intrigued by the offer.
"I hate cheaters. Cheaters are bad for The Game Harry. No one likes a copy cat. God doesn't like anyone coming back from the dead, that's his kid's thing. Neither side takes kindly to anyone who disrupts the natural order of the universe."
Harry thinks on the explanation, "So you want his soul for cheating death. What do you want in return?"
"Harry, if there's one thing you should know about the real world is that there's no such thing as a free lunch. Everything has a price. A loaf of bread is a few pounds, a wand eighteen galleons, and a fully loaded BMW is a hundred thousand American. The means to destroy the greatest evil the magical world has known in two centuries? I think we can both agree that may cost a bit more than just money.
When it comes to me and God, there's only one currency that counts and that currency is souls. Pure or not so pure, light or dark, clean or bathed in blood; they are all immortal souls. Your soul Harry, yours and Tom's are special. Not just because you're connected through that scar of yours. No, your souls have that special something that me and the God are always looking out for."
"My soul? You want my soul?"
"Not right now Harry, you're still using it. I want it after you're done with it. Yo know, when you're dead. I'm not in any rush for yours, just Tommy's."
"I don't understand Louis. Being who you are, why not just take his soul. We know he deserves a spot in Hell. Why go through all the trouble of using me?"
Louis came off his perch and landed on the ground. He peers into Harry's eyes, "That would violate the main rule in The Game Harry. We can influence anyone, you know whisper in their ear, give them that little push but we can't take any direct actions. So I can't just walk up to Tommy and peels his skin like a hard boiled egg and devour his soul.
So what do you think Harry? Ready to make a deal to ensure peace and long happy lives for your friends and the rest of Wizarding England?"