Playing the Game
Chapter Two
Author: Evening Ivory
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, but would sure like to! :D
Rating: T (might go up later)
Summery: Harry Tobias Snape. Lord Syon. A life that was ended was given anew by Death. Now the Dark Lord Harry is the Boy-Who-Lived and he will have his revenge. Eventual HP/LV, Dark!AU!Harry.
UPDATE 6/5/15: CHAPTER TWO HAS BEEN COMPLETELY REWRITTEN AND IT'S IMPORTANT YOU REREAD IT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE LOST! Thank you. :)
~LV-HP~
It was nearly dead silent as Harry continued his work with precise focus. A choking gurgle a few feet away made him grimace.
"Quiet!" he barked at the dying man. He waved his hand and the man's neck turned with an audible snap.
He returned to his ritual, the blood staining the floor as he painted. Muggles, he thought irritably. It was interesting how he'd never really thought about them before, that had been a separate issue in his takeover. Now he understood.
The two adults lay on the floor soaked in red and eyes blank. Vernon and Petunia Dursley. Their fat child was away at a friend's for a party or something. Harry had a policy not to kill children and as it was, he had more than enough...material for what he needed done.
Pleasure still ran through his body as he remembered how he'd ended them. It took years for his body to grow enough to stabilize his magic and in those years he'd bid his time as they abused him. Out of fear, he thought and bared his teeth. No matter. This was the end of that.
At the very least he'd had time to plan.
The circle was nearly complete. Harry walked to the center where two blades were floating in the air, waiting for him. He held out his palms and began chanting.
This where it all really began again for him. He would retake the world by the throat and finish what he'd started.
As his chant continued more and more dark magic swarmed around him. Finally at his end, he sliced both his palms on the blades and slammed them to the ground. The blood fused with the magic and swarmed to a spot outside the circle. It boiled over creating a solid form. Dark hair, small frame, scar on the forehead. Perfect. The grin on Harry's face was sharp.
He stood and looked at his hands. Even with a healing spell they would scar. Dark magic did that. He didn't mind though as it would always remind him of this moment.
Harry made sure to grab everything he would need and went to the bathroom. He looked at himself and smiled at the blood all over him. Unfortunately, he couldn't enjoy the sight as he had a time limit to watch. Quickly, he stripped down and cleaned himself off.
He hummed to himself as he dried off and dressed. He looked at his reflection again and called enough magic up to change his appearance. His hair went light and his eyes dark. His scar disappeared. It wouldn't fool everyone but it would be enough for now. No one was looking for Harry Potter anyway. Not yet.
Finally, he was ready.
Avoiding the blood splatters Harry walked to the front door. Once he stepped through, the magic holding the blood ward up would start to dissipate. He'd have a few hours before whoever was watching him (Dumbledore he assumed from what little he remembered as a baby) was alerted that something was wrong.
He smirked and looked back at the house. They wouldn't find Harry Potter. With a flick of his finger, the carpet lit a small flame. He opened the door and stepped out. He walked quickly in the fading light, pulling up the hood on his over-sized jacket to hide himself. The smell of smoke in the distance made him smile.
Harry made it to his first destination just as the muggle bus arrived. He sat down and couldn't help but chuckle to himself a little.
Oh, everyone was in for such a surprise.
~LV-HP~
Dumbledore jumped as several mini alarms went off in his office. He stood quickly and with haste strode over to one of the strange objects. A sinking feeling hit his stomach and he turned to his fireplace. He quickly threw in floo powder and stuck his head in the fire.
"Minerva!" he shouted.
It took only a moment for the older witch to come around the corner to her fireplace.
"Albus?" she asked, her brows furrowed. "What is it?"
"Minerva, gather all of those that remain of the order. Bring them to me at Little Whinging."
Her eyes widened. "Albus—Did something happen?"
His old eyes were troubled. "I fear the worst. Please Hurry."
~LV-HP~
Diagon Alley was...odd. Quite a few shops and stores were different but that wasn't what made him pause curiously. It was the feeling of the place. It was...too happy, too peaceful. Odd. Was there no one to take the place of the last Dark Lord? Harry hoped they'd enjoy it while it lasted.
At the moment, though, he was focusing on getting to Gringotts. No one seemed to recognize him which was convenient. He had a few tasks to take care of and they needed to be done quickly.
He inclined his head to the goblin at the gate as it bowed to him. Harry glided through, ignoring the goblins on the sides as he headed to the front desk. Harry took his hood down, though the goblin didn't seem too interested.
"I'm here to do some business," he said bluntly.
"Name," the goblin asked/said in boredom. He didn't even look up from his paperwork.
"Harry Potter," he said with a smirk.
At that, the goblin stopped, his eyes flickering to Harry's forehead. Harry could see his eyes sharpen as he saw through his glamour. "I see. Well, Mr. Potter, I didn't expect you here for several more years. Not at such a young age."
"I assure you I am plenty mature enough to know what I'm doing."
He sneered slightly, "We shall see. Do you have your key, Mr. Potter?"
"No, I do not. I would like to receive one."
The goblin sneered more. "As this is unusual it is required that we prove your identity before allowing you access to your vaults."
Harry raised a brow. "And how would I do that?"
"Griphook!" he barked. Harry briefly thought he was insulting him somehow before another goblin came to the desk.
The goblin at the desk turned to Griphook. "We will be needed a blood test on young Mr. Potter here."
"Of course," the goblin said smoothly, "This way please." Before waiting for Harry's affirmation, he turned and walked to a side door. Harry quickly followed.
They entered a large room which Harry must have assumed to be their business offices. Harry had never seen a room like it however. The walls were decorated with metal and the design to him seemed to impress upon him the strength and cunning of the goblins. This room was just as dangerous as any of the vaults.
There was a small box on the large office desk which Griphook walked over to. He opened it and removed a small, jagged dagger and a roll of parchment.
"If I may, may I use my own?" Harry said as he removed one of the daggers he'd used earlier. Goblins were clever and he didn't want his blood going missing.
Griphook smirked, "I must check it for enchantments first."
Harry nodded and handed it to him. The residue from the ritual would be there but there was nothing for him to hide. Goblins only cared about one thing. Griphook looked at the blade and looked up at Harry a bit curiously. After a moment he handed it back.
"It will do."
The boy walked forward and placed his already injured hand over the parchment He made a small cut and dripped three drops onto the parchment before healing himself and hiding away the dagger. Slowly the paper began to reveal names.
Harry Potter
James Potter – Lily Evans
The names of his parents were in a deep red with dates below them in small print. Harry was curious as to why when their names also began to branch off, starting with his mothers. All the names that appeared except for Dudley's were red. Ah, he thought, it shows if they're deceased.
He didn't care much for his father's side at first until it began revealing some very interesting names. Dorea Black? If I'm a decedent of the Black House, then I have ties with nearly every part of the Wizarding World... he smirked a bit but frowned when he realized something.
Griphook noticed raising a brow. "Something wrong Mr. Potter?"
"Yes. There's something wrong with this chart."
"Impossible." Griphook came around and looked. Harry pointed out the spot above James Potter's name.
"Here, it says Dorea Black and Charlus Potter died in 1977. And below that it doesn't list a name for a son but there's a space for some relative. I know that James Potter was an only child and his parents died of old age. The time is off."
Griphook picked up the parchment and looked at it closely. "I see...Wait here Mr. Potter." Griphook left the room with the parchment and Harry sat down. Something about that was odd. After all, wasn't it interesting that he'd not been taken to any of his magical relatives first? Surely they had a chance at custody. And if he'd been a descendant of the Blacks, he'd have several options.
And the Potters might not actually be dead.
Griphook returned shortly with another parchment. Harry raised a brow.
"Mr. Potter. This test is more in depth and could possibly reveal the missing information. But it requires more from you this time." Griphook gave a grin that reminded Harry of knives.
"Of course it does." Harry pulled out his dagger again.
Griphook set down the parchment. "Cut open your palm and place it on the parchment. It will draw out some blood."
Harry nodded and cut open his hand. He placed it on the paper and had the uncomfortable sensation of his hand being sucked and blood leaving his body. Some was a bit of an understatement he thought as the parchment took much more than he thought would be necessary.
Finally, names appeared as they had before. Harry's brows rose in surprise. There were two lines connected to James Potter. The first lead to what Harry originally thought should be his parents. And the other lead to Cygnus Black and Violetta Bulstrode, what would've been James's grandparents. The dates under the names had changed. Dorea, the woman who would've been his mother, had died the year he was born. The father had died a few years after.
Hmm. So did Cygnus and Violetta raise James? Harry didn't know, but the line from James to them seemed to imply that. Harry noticed another name to the side where there should've been a line leading from Dorea and Charlus to it. Caelum Malfoy. Who the hell is that?
It was the only name not deceased.
"Why is this name over here?" Harry asked. Griphook looked and raised a brow.
"That, Mr. Potter, I am unsure of. I was...unaware Caelum Malfoy was related to the Potters in any way. He is very infamous, or was until he seemed to vanish."
So Harry did have a living relative. Somewhere. It was worth finding out about if it would gain him one ally. But how to approach it, he wondered.
"I see. May I take this?"
"Of course," Griphook waved to him. Harry took the parchment and placed it safely away.
"Now. My key and vault?"
"Right this way Mr. Potter."
~LV-HP~
Finally, the updated version of Chapter Two. Much better than the original I think. First mention of an OC and he'll be pretty important later so keep an eye out. In canon, James Potter's family tree is mathematically incorrect, which gives me creative license. Yaaaay creative license! :D Chapter Three is being written as I'm posting this. Please rate and review!
