A/N: Thank you all so much for your kind reviews! I have no other story to compare this to, but the number of followers almost doubled last chapter; now I really don't want to screw this up anymore *laughs nervously*.
Anyway, I hope you'll like this chapter, so enjoy! :)

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Chapter 4

Basic psychology implied that if you spend your morning already in a miserable state of mind, your day won't get any better.

It was going to be an awful day.

Harry had not slept nearly enough, because he spent the little time he had left after Riddle's oh-so-nice invitation disposing a mutilated body.
What he did first thing on this wonderful morning? Cleaning a dry pool of blood in his workshop. Not Harry's favourite pastime either.

He decided to stay at home for today and only serve customers who came directly to his shop. All errands could wait, he intended to stay away from Riddle or his followers...or group phoenix for that matter.

Riddle. Dumbledore. His precious few friends. His future.

Harry scrubbed the floor angrily. He knew lord Voldemort's appearance was not the actual cause of his problems, but he couldn't help the anger that coursed through his veins when he thought about how Riddle destroyed any hope of a peaceful life within a few hours. Or rather the new knowledge that Riddle brought with him.

The strongest lord in the city was trying to kill Harry and for some bizarre reason he had waited for years to do it.
Even if Harry joined Riddle, could a new lord really provide enough protection against a man who controlled the strongest and largest group, potentially not only in London, but whole Britain?

Who knew what was happening in this country? News travelled slower than groups were formed or disbanded. Group phoenix had been there right from the beginning and has been steadily growing since then. It was very well possible for them to be the oldest and thus most experienced group in the history of this new society.

Harry sighed half exhausted, half irritated. For now, his best bet was to trust Riddle that Dumbledore would not make his next move in the near future. And Harry didn't like trusting Riddle one bit.

He looked down on his floor. Luckily only his living space and the shop in the front had wooden floor, the rest was plain stone. The blood came off completely, leaving Harry only with a bloodied cloth and stained hands.

The bell above his front door clattered and Harry tried to look past the shelves to see who entered. The shop was empty. Harry walked warily past the shelves and came to a stop behind his counter. Still no sign of a customer.

"Hello?" he asked the empty room.

"Is that blood?!" squeaked an indignant voice from below Harry's eyesight.

Harry looked down and froze.

It was a child. A child! All alone in his bloody workshop. That was impossible! Where were his protectors? His group, his parents, his lord, anyone?

A child never was left alone without strict protection. They were the most precious things a group had; and their weakest points. They were better guarded than their lords for fuck's sake, what was it doing here? And what on earth should he do? He hadn't seen a child for years; no one knew how many children a group had, they were often kept inside. Harry couldn't remember talking to one even once in his life, since he was always surrounded by people who were at least 10 years older than him.

"Daddy told me people who are gaping are idiots. Are you an idiot? You look like one."

It was a boy, at least that much was clear. A slender boy with an aristocratic face and bright blond hair. The proportions were all in order but he was so small. He barely reached the height of his counter.

"Excuse me?" replied Harry shell-shocked.

The boy regarded him as if he was the dirt under his little shoes. Harry was confused. Weren't children supposed to be pure, innocent and kind-hearted and, well, nice?

"Well at least I now know you're not a threat. That's good. Daddy told me to run and hide somewhere safe in case of an emergency, so unless you don't want to die a very painful death, you better protect me with your life, is that understood?"

Harry could have read a dozen books claiming how pure children were, in this very moment he decided that this boy was a complete and utter brat.

"And if you don't want to die a very painful death, I suggest you do not touch anything and tell me where the hell your protectors are and what you are doing here." he hissed.

"You can't harm me!" yelled the boy and although his stance was defiant, his quivering voice betrayed his fear. "If-… If my father or-…or if my lord finds out about this then-!"

"Who is your father?" Harry interrupted.

"Lucius Malfoy. He was a great lord once! But he decided to follow the noble goal of another," the kid replied with obvious pride.

Harry groaned. A lord following another lord? "Please don't tell me you're from group Voldemort."

If anything, the child's chest swelled even more with pride. "If you dare to touch me, he will torture you to death, that's what he promised me."

"Lovely fellow," replied Harry dryly.

"But he will surely reward you if you were to help me," the kid added hastily.

"Help you? Shouldn't you be surrounded by protectors who could help you? What happened?"

The kid bit his lower lip and nervously began fiddling with the hem of his shirt. His eyes darted to the windows, as if to make sure no one was watching.

"We got ambushed," he whispered, "We were walking back to the inn when they came out of nowhere. Most of our men were already on the ground when Daddy made the secret sign that told me I have to run. So I did and ended up in here." His little face frowned with worry. "Do you think they will hurt my father?"

Harry sighed and swiftly walked to the window and closed the curtains. Then he opened the door and changed the 'open' sign to 'closed'. It hasn't even been 12 hours and he was already in trouble. Again because of Riddle. That man could not possibly be good for him.

"Okay, was lord Voldemort with you?" he asked the child.

"N-No. He left the inn early this morning, I think. It was just my f-father and about 4 of our members."

The kid clearly was beginning to panic. It was obvious he tried hard to compose himself, but soft sobs shook his little body.

Harry was at a total loss. He wasn't good at comforting people, how was he supposed to comfort a child? He crouched down in front of him - with a good distance between them, mind you.

"Err, look… What's your name? Your first name I mean."

The kid looked at him with watery grey eyes that seemed entirely too big for his small face.

"D-Draco. Draco Malfoy."

The simple question had the desired effect and pulled Draco's attention away from the attack.

"Okay Draco, I'm Harry Potter. I have, err… met your lord and survived the encounter, so I guess he doesn't see me as an enemy. How about I take you back to the inn to your group, hmm?"

And then he could kick Riddle's ass for leaving a dead man in his house and shove an unprotected child in after. But Draco didn't need to know that part.

Draco shook his head determined. "No. The sign means I have to run and hide and stay there. Only after the danger passed should I try to return or better wait until my group finds me."

"Did this happen before? You seem pretty sure of what to do."

"No, but Daddy made sure that I memorised the plan and I promised him I'll do exactly what he told me."

Harry sighed. "Okay but wouldn't it be safer if you were with your group?"

Damn! What if someone followed Draco and some group was just getting ready to storm his shop?

Draco could not be convinced. "I'll stay here and you'll protect me."
He sounded very sure of himself and his grand plan. "And I'm hungry so you have to get me something to eat. And I want hot chocolate."

Harry snorted. "Are you sure you're not Voldemort's own kid? You certainly have his attitude."

He stood up and pondered on his options. He could tell Draco to stay hidden here and go to the tavern alone. There he could notify the group of what had happened. Or he could stay here with Draco and wait in hope none of the attackers followed him. And what if they came here? Should he fight? Let them take Draco and then go notify Riddle? Or should he tell no one, so nobody could blame him afterwards? Yeah that should work brilliant, as if Riddle wouldn't notice his guilt immediately next time they meet.

Fighting was only an option against a limited number of attackers. Harry had some nice traps he could activate in his front yard that should give them some protection. The problem was that they couldn't distinguish a harmless customer from an attacker.

"Hello? I'm still hungry, go make me some food or I'll tell lord Voldemort that you mistreated me."

"Mistrea-… Hey! I'm helping you out here kiddo, how about some gratitude?"

Harry did not want to imagine Riddle's reaction if he somehow heard Harry mistreated his children. Even keeping Draco alone in his shop could probably get him killed. What if Draco's group found him here, after he went missing several hours ago? They would most likely kill him on the spot if there was any indication that Harry himself was the kidnapper.

"Gratitude? It's an honor I let you speak to me!"

"Yeah right, as if I asked for it. Okay, you stay here and don't touch anything and I'll see what I can find. Then I'll set some traps up okay? Don't move!" he warned.

Harry walked back through the shelves to his living corner and scraped some food together. Hot chocolate; the kid was a spoiled brat. As if anyone would just have chocolate powder at home. A glass of plain milk would have to do, Harry hoped it wasn't already expired. The last thing he needed was a sick or injured kid.

He heard a loud yelp from the shop and rushed cursing to the front.

"What part of don't move did you not understand?!" he scolded.

Draco had stepped in a smaller version of the force field that already caught Sirius. Harry thought he had turned off the damned thing but obviously he was wrong. Now he had a child several feet in the air and upside down in his workshop. Someone was going to kill him for that, he was sure of it.

"WHAT IS THIS? WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME?" yelled Draco with a loudness that Harry wouldn't have thought possible from such a small creature. And that could probably be heard several blocks away from here.

"O-Ooookay, clam down Draco, everything's fine!"

"FINE? FINE?! IF MY FATHER HEA-.."

"Shh! Quiet you imbecile!"

"DON'T TELL ME WHA-…"

"Look, you're…err…flying, right?" Harry said, desperate to shut him up before half London knew Draco was here. It was a ridiculous thing to say, but Draco shut his mouth and frowned.

"Flying?" he asked astounded.

"Flying," Harry nodded seriously, even though he had no idea what that would change for Draco.

Draco paused to think about that.

"Then why am I upside down?" he demanded suspiciously.

"Err, you erm… Well, it's your first try, right?"

Draco nodded slowly, what looked absolutely ridiculous in his position, but Harry was just relieved he actually seemed to believe him.

"How do I get down?"

"Err… You just think really hard about it," he answered slowly and moved to the small generator. "Got it?"

Draco nodded again, his face a mask of pure concentration. Harry turned the generator off behind his back and caught the now falling Draco.

Draco's face was flushed from being upside down but seemed otherwise unharmed. Harry thought he would sob again or yell at him or demanding to eat, instead Draco's face lit up excited.

"Can I try that again?"

Who would have thought? Now his inventions already served as toys for children, Harry wondered what came next.

Loud banging on the front door startled the two.

"Open up! Resistance is useless, we know a child is in there!"

"Shit!" Harry cursed and grabbed Draco by the arm. "Back door, come on!"

"We have the whole house surrounded! Give yourself up and we might not harm you!"

Might? Incredible convincing. Harry's mind rushed. The back door was useless, they would never make it out. Attack was their best option, even if they were probably only stalling time.

Harry went back behind the counter and activated one of the more harmful traps. The men standing too close to his house were instantly catapulted backwards by an invisible pressure wave. As if a huge explosion just happened inside the house, except there was only the shock wave, no explosion. Harry heard cursing and hectic shouting.

"Draco, tell me when they are advancing again."

Draco hurried to the window and peeked through the curtains.

"Awesome, some crashed into the other houses!" he bounced excited. "Do that again!"

"Tell me when they're near again."

He couldn't keep blasting them away, the power was only sufficient for three waves.

"Some others are coming! T-There are so many of them outside!"

Harry blasted them away once more and then activated some other mechanisms. Not as destructive, but maybe it was enough if he could somehow trap them and then get out.

"They aren't coming again, they are just standing there talking," informed Draco. "Wait! They are lighting torches and…a-and now they are putting them on things, like…like a crossbow."

"Fuck! Of all the things they could have-… Draco get away from the window!"

Draco stood frozen, staring with wide eyes through a slit in the curtains.

"Draco! Get down!" Harry yelled.

Draco's knees gave in and he crouched down just when an inflamed torch burst through the window. The curtains and a wooden shelve caught fire immediately.

"Oh gods, this isn't good. This is not good at all." Harry sprinted to Draco and seized him up by the waist.

"W-What are you doing?" asked Draco scared.

"We are getting out of here"

"But-…But they are out there!"

"Believe me, we are better off with them than inside here."

Harry burst through the door, Draco in his arms. Their attackers were momentarily stunned by their appearance. Surely they never thought their prey would come out after only one torch.

"ARE YOU FUCKING CRAZY?!" yelled Harry at them while crossing the front yard.

The idiots just gaped at his outburst. So did Draco.

"Put the fire out NOW!"

"Well, we are terribly sorry, but if you would have cooperated a bit quicker, this would not have been necessary," mocked the leader.

"Do you have ANY idea what's in there you fool? If you don't stop the fire then this whole neighbourhood will explode, including you and your little gang!"

Confused, the man looked at the others. He turned back to Harry and opened his mouth when a loud explosion from inside the house stopped him. Luckily it was only something small or they would all be toast already.

"Put the fire out!" the leader yelled, and the others hurried to comply.

Harry watched not without satisfaction as about half of them got caught up in his traps. Although he was glad that the other half made it. There was not much time, something bigger could blow up all of them any second if they didn't hurry.

A bunch of them stayed back and surrounded Harry and Draco with guns, crossbows or bats in their hands.

"You're both coming with us to our lord. No tricks, or we'll have to harm you," warned the leader.

"And who is the great lord that abducts little kids?" spat Harry while one man tore Draco from his arms and another two grabbed his arms.

"Our lord is Fudge, and I'd show some respect if I were in your situation."

Harry groaned. Just his luck. Not only was Dumbledore after him, now he had managed to piss of his greatest rival. Fudge was always trying to go against Dumbledore. His group occupied a good part of London's outskirts. It was clear that the moment Dumbledore stopped being on full alert, was the moment Fudge would take over the city.

There were also recent rumours that Fudge planned to merge all the little groups in the city and then destroy group phoenix. He was a strong believer in the old society and rumour had it he wanted to establish a ministry and dissolve the groups. With him as the minister of course, as if there was any difference whether the city was run by a lord or a minister. He was certainly the second most powerful man in London and because of his beliefs in a ministry, he had not given a name to his group or himself.

The only question was: what did Fudge gain from kidnapping a child from a new group that only had a scouting party in town?

Like Voldemort's members, they put a bag over Harry's head so he couldn't see anymore where he was going. At least they left him conscious. Fools.

Even though he couldn't see, he still felt each turn they took and tracked their route on his mental map of London. As long as they let him walk on his own, he could retrace the path between his house and their no-longer-secret headquarter.

Harry's house was rather far away from the centre, so they didn't have to walk that long to reach the outskirts.
After approximately 30 minutes Harry was led down a flight of stairs. The bag was removed from Harry's head and he could see where they were.

They were walking down a long corridor with no windows. Harry suspected the stairs had led them into some kind of underground building.

He also noticed two other peculiar things: The floor was flooded, so they stood ankle-deep in water, and they had electricity. Electricity wasn't that uncommon, since generating minimal power was quite easy but it wasn't possible to maintain the kind of network that could be used for a whole housing block, left alone a city. Harry was surprised they went through all the trouble to have an electricity network for their whole house. Then again, Fudge was most likely holding on to every piece of old order he could find.

"Fancy floor" remarked Harry.

The leader grumbled. "It leaked in last night. Damn that rain! We tried to soak it up but it just kept raining."
He opened a door at the end of the corridor. "After you," he mocked over-politely.

Harry shot a look at Draco, who was still carried by a man but apparently unharmed, and entered.
It appeared to be a kind of office, with a coach, armchairs, an old-fashioned sturdy wooden table and a fireplace.

A slightly podgy man with little hair sat behind the table. A bowler laid next to him on the table.

"Lord Fudge sir, we successfully captured the child. And also this err…" he looked uncertain to Harry, as if noticing him for the first time.

"We need the child alive but who might you be?" asked Fudge and eyed Harry up and down. "You can't possibly be his father, your faces are way too different." He looked Harry over a last time and then waved dismissively. "Kill him."

The men who had brought Harry and Draco here immediately raised their weapons and Harry's mind began racing. Fudge didn't know who he was and had no interest in him, only Draco. He had said he needed Draco alive, probably to put Riddle under pressure.

Harry decided that he was damned should he really die because of Riddle. A ludicrous plan took form in his brain. He straightened his spine and took on a self-assured, invulnerable stance.

"You have no idea who I am, don't you lord Fudge?" he sneered.

Curiously Fudge held up a hand and the men surrounding Harry stopped still.

"And who would that be?" he inquired.

Harry felt not nearly as confident as he pretended to be, but his life depended on the credibility of his act. He placed the very best imitation of the smug smirk, which haunted him since last night, on his face and took a calming breath.

"I am lord Voldemort."

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A/N: Wondering how Tom will react to his imposter? We'll find out soon. :)

At first I wanted to continue straight on with the mystery of Harry's past etc. but Draco was really persistent in making his appearance and I thought hey, two things can happen simultaneously in your life so why not. We'll get to Harry's past I promise. I also apologize for not having any Tom in this chapter, I know, I know, I hate it too :P

Anyway, congratulations! You now all get to be judges, fun no? So let me know your sentence in your review, it only takes a few seconds of your life :)