Chapter 2 The Truth
Harry stumbled back a couple of steps.
"Wh—What?"
Voldemort waved his hand and conjured up a chair and a plate of cookies.
"Please Thomas. Sit down and have a cookie." The Dark Lord's voice was soft, showing no sign of hatred of any sort. Instead it was filled with love. Harry just stared at him, even more clueless then before.
"You can do wandless magic?" Harry blurted out.
"Yes. Wandless magic is merely a derived form of Non-verbal spells, which are taught at Hogwarts to six and seven year students. The major difference is that wandless magic requires more strength and energy as not only is the spell not spoken, but also done without a wand. Only those who are powerful may attain such a skill. You are one of them. "
"No, I can't do…" Harry began to object.
"Yes, you can. You've done magic before without your wand when situations got tough, or when you wanted something done. The only difference is that was done out of desperation. However, with proper instruction, you'll be able to achieve this freely."
Harry thought back to a time years before he attended Hogwarts and all the times when things unexpectedly happened.
"Okay, so I can do a little…." Harry said nervously. He wasn't sure where this conversation was going and frankly he was somewhat spooked by being around a Voldemort that wasn't flinging curses at him.
"I know what you are thinking. Please relax. Take a cookie, it isn't poisoned."
Harry eyed the cookies suspiciously before finally taking one, figuring that if Voldemort wanted to murder him it wouldn't be by poison.
"Good son, now take a seat. I have much to speak to you about."
"Like what? More lies?" Harry retorted.
"No, all I am offering to you is the truth. Besides, why would I lie?"
"How should I know?"
"Then listen to me. Besides, if they are lies, isn't it better than knowing nothing at all?"
The boy slowly nodded.
I suppose so. Harry thought. Dumbledore and the others have offered me nothing so far. Always saying 'when you're older' and 'you won't understand' and shit like that. I mean, I've faced death and danger a billion times, why should I be the one who doesn't know anything until it is absolutely necessary?
With that thought in mind, he slumped onto the chair and prepared to listen to the truth, or more lies, either way he was willing to give it a shot.
"Now let me start in the very beginning, then you will understand. Decide afterwards. I will let you choose." Harry only nodded. The Dark Lord stared at Harry intently.
"It all began during my third year at Hogwarts." Voldemort paused. "Have you ever wondered why Lily never went out with James before the seventh year?"
"How do you know that?"
"Because since our third year Lily was going out with me."
"What?" Harry asked shocked.
"Yes, Lily was my girl. That is why she didn't go out with James."
"Liar, Mom wouldn't go out with you!"
"Well she did, and not only that, we made love countless times, at least when I was still Tom."
"Whatever. If that is true why did you break up? Because she found out that you were using her?"
"No. I told her of my ambitions, my greatest desires, everything, yet she refused me and my proposal, instead she went out with James."
Harry snorted, as if he was going to believe that.
"Later on, still, I think Lily was still attracted to me because even after Hogwarts, even after they married, we still saw each other. I even attended their wedding, though I don't think anybody knew besides Lily. It was then that she pulled me aside afterwards, and told me that she was pregnant. I congratulated her. However she told me that I was the father, because she and James did not make love yet."
Harry gulped, finishing the last piece of cookie. Voldemort swished his hand and another plateful appeared. Harry took a cookie.
"She told me to name you, and that James would raise you as his son, since he did not know, nor did anyone else but Dumbledore."
"Dumbledore knows? How did that happen?"
"Yes, he does. As for how, I do not know. Perhaps Lily confided in him, or he knew just because he's Dumbledore. Dumbledore knows everything. But the point I'm making is I'm sure if he knew, I knew now, he would throw a threat at me. I'm sure he would threaten to do horrible things to you, to my son if I didn't bend to his will. So, before I could let that happen, I had to get you, I had make sure you knew the truth."
"Wait, I'm confused. Why wouldn't Dumbledore know that you know? I mean if what you are saying is correct, then mom told you."
"It's complicated. I will try to explain it, but right now let me continue. I'm sure it'll explain itself out."
Harry merely nodded.
"The night you became famous, was the night Wormtail, having switched with Black as the Potter's secret keeper, told me of their hideout. With that information, I attacked."
"But why? I've very confused now. I thought you loved my mom. Why would you attack her?"
"I heard the prophecy, half of the prophecy. I was reckless, I attacked on false information." Voldemort paused.
"The prophecy, of course." Harry mused. "But that still doesn't explain…"
"Lily left me for Potter." Voldemort growled out. "You were prophesied to kill me." He continued. "I wasn't thinking straight. How could I be? One of the people that I had loved and treasured the most turned against me, the other was doomed to destroy me. I had nothing left but power and the title of being the Dark Lord. I wasn't going to give that away, I was desperate to keep hold of all that I had left Do you understand Harry? Can you understand that?"
Harry was going to respond, but Voldemort did not let give him the chance.
"As you probably know, James tried to defend you and Lily. I hated him and so killed him without haste. Lily pleaded for your life. She kept reminding me of our most intimate, most pleasurable times together. I, being furious with her, killed her too. Then I turned my wand on you and preformed the curse that failed."
Harry unconsciously rubbed his lighting bolt scar.
"Much more then the spell rebounding on me occurred that night."
"Yes, you transferred power to me."
"That was done a long time ago, when Lily and I mated."
"Oh, then what?"
"I believe a strong memory charm was involved as well. From the time the spell rebounded onto me, until a month ago, I did not know you were my son. The whole ordeal was wiped away from my memories."
Harry looked stunned.
"The only reason I believe it has unlocked is because you will be turning 16. I know many spells of that nature which locks a memory away and then reopens it in the future. I believe Lily used one of these spells. Lily knew that if I knew the truth, I would come after you. You're mother loved you dearly and because of who I am, what I do, she tried to shield and protect you from it. At 16, you're old enough to make decisions for yourself and that is why Lily must have chosen now to reveal the secret. She knew I would approach you and whichever side you end up choosing, she knew it would change your life forever."
Voldemort stopped here to let the information sink in. In the meantime, he too ate a cookie.
"However, Harry, you didn't grow up a normal life, away from this madness that you might associate with the wizardry world, with me in particular. Lily tried to protect you, but in doing so, caused even more destruction. I swear Harry, if I had known, your childhood would have been very different."
"Right. We wouldn't be discussing this now and I probably would have ended up like you. I would have…"
"Been the heir to the Dark Throne." Voldemort whispered. "The offer still stands." He added.
Harry's eyes flashed opened, becoming even wider then before.
"Our lives are intertwined Harry, whether you like it or not. Lily tried to keep me away from you, but as you know, that did not work. In fact, this turned you into the Boy-Who-Lived, which in turn turned father and son into mortal enemies." Voldemort paused. "Say if Lily hadn't done that, you would have been my son, the Dark Heir. Face it Harry, either way our lives are intertwined, nothing will ever change that."
"I don't want to be the Dark Heir. I dislike you; I dislike everything you do, everything you stand for. I don't want to become what I've been fighting against." Harry whispered. "But at the same time, I do not want to be the Boy-Who-Lived. I dislike Dumbledore and the Order just as much."
"You will be given the time to decide." Voldemort said smoothly. "But I hope you understand where I am coming from."
"I do. I have no problem understanding, but accepting. The prophecy…"
"Again, I stress that it is false. All Dumbledore wants is to destroy us both. He cannot do that since we are both stronger then him. The line neither can live while the other survives should have been neither can survive without the other. Can't you see that Harry, don't you understand?"
"Sirius died because of it." Harry murmured. "Sirius died to protect me from something that wasn't even true."
"I'm sorry about your loss Harry. But if it helps, you weren't the only one who lost you're Godfather. I did not mean for it to happen. I liked him. I didn't like James, but I liked Sirius. I suppose I should say I was thankful that he was there to take care of you when I wasn't."
Again there was silence.
"I won't forgive him for that. I won't ever forgive Dumbledore for doing that." Harry whispered. "Sirius had been the closes thing I had to a father."
"I am your father." Voldemort interrupted. "You are my son Thomas, and that is not going to change Harry."
Voldemort waved his hand again and Harry's appearance changed dramatically. He could not see; everything was a blur.
"Take of your glasses."
Harry did so, and everything became clear. A mirror swayed in front of him and Harry gasped. His hair was no longer untidy. It was shoulder length. His eyes were blood red, like Voldemort's. The resemblance to young Tom Riddle was apparent.
On his neck he was now wearing a chain with a locket. The locket had a picture of a snake and a lion, intertwined on the front. Flipping it over, on the back was a phoenix.
"This locket is for you. Consider it your sixtieth birthday present from your father."
Harry tore his gaze from the locket and onto Voldemort. Voldemort took this opportunity and waived his hand in the air. The words Harry James Potter shone down on them.
"This is who you are or who you think." He waved his hand. The letters rearranged itself to form the name Thomas Jerry Reapt.
"Remember Thomas, all I speak of is the truth. Now you must choose your path. You say you understand, but do you accept? Normally I'll give you time to think and reflect, however this cannot wait. Your decision will ultimately sway the progression of the war. Will you stay with me, or return to Dumbledore with all memory of this meeting gone. May I add, if you choose the life as a Potter, then I will destroy you the next time we meet."
Harry fumbled with the locket. He closed his eyes as he thought deeply of the past, of Voldemort's words and the future that he wanted. At last he opened his eyes.
"I'll stay father," he whispered.
