A/N: I really need to remember to check these chapters after I post them. Sorry it was in code! I hope you enjoy this next chapter!
Harry was having a normal day inside Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He went through his morning routine as per usual, and was currently eating breakfast in the Great Hall. He decided to have a bacon and egg sandwich today with his pumpkin juice. Ignoring Ron, who was busily shoving food down his throat, he ate and had a pleasant conversation with Hermione.
"Well, Harry, I for one prefer Chris Hemsworth over Tom Hiddleston. There is just something to be said for a caring and loyal man," Hermione said, trying to get her point across. This was a very important topic, after all.
"Honestly, Hermione. You just like him because he's tall, buff, and has blonde hair more luscious than Lucius Malfoy's!" he said smirking, watching her blush. "Tom Hiddleston is better because he plays Loki's part perfectly. He adds complexity to the character by showing he is a man hurting, that he has been broken time and again and is trying to cover it up through acts of confidence and mischief. And for blondes, I prefer Chris Evans."
She gave a huff, rolling her eyes at him. They were getting nowhere with this. They'd had this conversation all week without either making a single concession! It was getting tiring. Luckily for her, the owl post came swooping in. Wonderful! And she wouldn't have to share her copy of the Prophet with Harry this year since he was getting his own. Simply lovely.
Harry smiled as Hedwig came within his reach and gave her a strip of his bacon as he took the post. She gave a sassy hoot, saying something like, "That's right. I go all the way out to Diagon Alley for you to get the paper every day, and all you give me is a strip of bacon. I really love you, too, man." He quickly gave her his sausage. "Darn right you do," she said with her eyes as she went back to the Owlery. Hedwig was truly terrifying sometimes. Harry shivered.
Hermione gasped at the front page. How was this possible?! How could they even believe for a minute that any of this was true?! Why—?!
"'Mione? What's wrong?" Harry asked, looking concerned for his best mate. Even Ron was giving her quizzical looks as he momentarily stopped eating. She looked at him for a moment, then solemnly nodded to the paper. The Great Hall had gone silent for a few seconds after the papers came in before bursting into furious whispers. He looked at his copy, and couldn't believe his eyes.
Lord Voldemort: Evil Dark Lord or Dedicated Missionary?
He needed to see Dumbledore about this. Now. Harry quickly glanced at the teachers' table and made eye contact with the Headmaster, whose eyes were for once not twinkling. They both left the hall together to talk inside his private office.
—*^*^*—LINEBREAK I LOATHE MY PHONE RIGHT NOW—*^*^*—
"Sir? What is going on? I don't understand this. How could this even happen?" Harry asked the man he considered his grandfather. The situation seemed surreal to him. Voldemort. A missionary. He scoffed. Yet people were believing it.
"My dear boy, I admit that this could very well be a ploy to gain the support of the public," he said, and continuing through Harry's confused look, stated, "He is most likely using this to take over the world, if in a way that the people do not even know that he holds the power over them." Harry now looked horrified and—dare he say it—furious. Anger made his bright green eyes burn.
"Professor, how could anyone believe this tripe?! It's all a load of rubbish! He's a murderer, for Merlin's sake!"
Albus sighed, knowing the public was easily swayed if only a certain reporter phrased the situation right. It was proven yearly here in Britain, sadly. He was going to tell Harry their options when he suddenly got a firecall from a very unexpected person.
"Dumbledore! I don't care about fighting with you right now, there is a larger problem that we must address," came the voice of Lord Voldemort himself. He seemed upset.
"Tom, I warn you that after your stunt with the Prophet, I am not quite open to your presence at the moment—"
"That is what this is about, you old fool! I cannot stand the slander spread through that piece of rubbish!"
Albus and Harry looked at each other, surprised at the Dark Lord. Wasn't he the one who orchestrate the entire ordeal? It was also surprising that for once Harry and his nemesis agreed on something. Ragnarok must be upon us, the Light members decided.
It was agreed that Lord Voldemort could come inside the office to discuss how to stop the lies from spreading further as long as he took an Unbreakable Vow not to harm anyone while inside Hogwarts. He was clearly desperate by this point (since he came to his enemies for help) so he readily took the Vow.
The atmosphere was tense for all of five seconds before the Dark Lord threw himself into an overstuffed armchair, wailing about how unfair the front-page article was. Harry's jaw dropped at the spectacle. Was this man truly the creature who has been trying to kill him all of his life? The one who he dueled with in the graveyard? He had a hard time believing it. He had a hard time believing a lot of things today.
"—and they said I was the world's most dedicated and caring missionary in history! How dare they? I'm a Dark Lord, I don't do caring!" He was working himself into a right state, he was, Harry thought. So it looks like everyone here hated that darn article. Now, he figured, they could all work toward restoring the Dark Lord's reputation as evil incarnate. It shouldn't be that hard.
This was soooooooo messed up.
The leader of the Light working alongside the leader of the Dark for a common goal. This would either eventually lead to a form of truce or an even more intense war. He didn't know which.
The group in the Headmaster's office finally came up with a plan of action after Lord Voldemort stopped ranting. Circe, that man went on for hours! Anyways, they would first give an interview with the Prophet to see if any misconceptions could be cleared that way. If that failed, they would go around Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade to personally give speeches about Voldie's evilness. All three of them talking about how he murders and tortures without a care. And how he probably kicks puppies, too. That should be convincing…If not, they would go to the Ministry to let Voldemort wreak havoc. Without hurting anyone, of course. He would only destroy the Atrium and most of the offices. Nothing important.
Harry sighed as the Dark Lord flooed out of the office. He gave Dumbledore a tired look, and the Headmaster smiled. He was so proud of Harry for doing this. This was for the Greater Good, after all. Such a fine young man.
Chuckling, Albus said, "Harry, my boy, go to sleep. You've done well today. I'll let you know when we will put our plan into action."
The raven-haired boy nodded, then dragged himself back to his dorm. Thank Merlin it was a Saturday. He could sleep in tomorrow, since it was already eight o'clock tonight. That took all day! No wonder he was dead tired.
They only needed to carry out their plan in order for the world to be right again. At least, that's what he hoped.