A/N: As a treat me (GL) and Seph decided to post the next chapter right away because of my 'little' holiday. So here it is!
Disclaimer: See first 2 chapters.
Chapter Three – What Have I Done?
The people in the room sat in a contemplative silence as they watched the water filled bowl, each pair of eyes trained on the small figure of the boy as he collapsed to the ground.
"What have I done?" they heard his whisper, and watched as he clutched his head with bloodstained hands.
"Poor boy." The woman with frizzy red hair said, her brown eyes full of sympathy. "He shouldn't have this responsibility on his shoulders."
"He has no choice," the black haired man said with a small grimace. "We have no choice."
"There is always a choice!" the silver haired woman snapped.
"Not always." The blond man sighed and stood up. "Lord Riddle?"
The Dark Lord looked up in surprise, "Yes, Lord Gryffindor?"
Godric Gryffindor's eyes looked at the boys figure with pity, saying, "It's time to fetch the boy, before the Ministry sends more Aurors and while the Hogwarts wards are still down."
Voldemort bowed at the waist, "Of course, my Lord. I shall do so immediately." He left the room with quick, graceful strides.
Godric turned to the black haired man, "Sally, what do you think?"
Salazar Slytherin scowled. "I told you to stop calling me by that infernal nickname! And I think the boy is powerful, more powerful than expected."
Godric turned to the silver haired woman. "Weeny?"
Like Salazar, Rowena Ravenclaw scowled at the nickname, but chose to ignore it, saying, "I agree with Salazar, the boy is powerful. But he needs to be trained. I spoke to Ignis before that blasted bird so inconspicuously blew up that old fool's tower, and he said that the boy was one of the strongest wizards he has ever come across. Ignis said that Dumbledore put a block on Harry's magic when he was a baby, because apparently he could sense the boy's power and didn't want him to become a Dark Lord. But I think that's not it, I think he knows of the prophecy. Of course, I wouldn't be surprised if he does know the prophecy!
"Apparently, Dumbledore had been placing compulsions on Harry ever since he had started going to Hogwarts. The boy managed to break free after his god father was 'killed' in the Department of Mysteries a few hours ago. Now, as we know, Sirius Black is safe and currently asleep in one of the guest quarters, after Severus brought him to us after Dumbledore told him, to kill Black. Severus didn't."
"Yes, yes, we know all this." Godric cut in. "There's no need to give us a lecture!"
Rowena only rolled her eyes and continued, "Harry's magic broke free and is now awakening the other half, hence the animalistic instincts. Now that we have him, all we have to do is tell the other two and find the third."
"technically," Helga Hufflepuff said, sweeping her red hair out of her face, "we don't have him just yet. He still has to agree to accompany Tom."
"And when he does get here," Salazar slumped down in his chair with a sigh. "We can start his training."
†
The bloody sword fell from Harry's limp grasp as everything that had just taken place registered in his mind.
Harry? Ignis asked, concerned at the look of Horror that crossed Harry's face.
The boy fell to his knees, staring at the carnage that surrounded him. "What have I done?" he whispered and clutched his head, tears welling in his eyes.
He had killed. He had murdered human beings.
Beside him, Ignis let out a soft, comforting croon. You did what you had to do. The phoenix said in his mind, you had no choice. They would have locked you up given the chance.
Tears streaking down his cheeks, Harry turned to the large, immortal creature. "What's going on?" he whispered. "First, Sirius died, then this… this new power, I get lied to by Dumbledore, then m-my friends betray me… What the fuck's going on?!"
"We can answer that, Harry."
The Boy-Who-Lived looked up sharply. He knew that voice. A few feet away, the Dark Lord Voldemort stood with his hands clasped in front of him.
Harry felt fear well up inside of him. "y-you!" he gasped. "What d-do you want?"
Then he noticed the tall, black haired woman standing behind the Dark Lord, as if she wanted to stay hidden. Immediately, fury override he's fear.
"you!" Harry snapped, struggling to his feet and picking up the black sword. "You killed Sirius!"
Bellatrix Lestrange flinched at the accusation and bowed her head. Voldemort sighed and shook his head, saying softly, "Harry, your god father isn't dead."
No; he didn't believe it. he backed away. I won't believe it!
"Please, Harry." Bellatrix pleaded. "Please, listen to Tom!"
Tom?! Since when did Voldemort allow his followers to call him Tom? And why isn't he torturing her for not showing respect?
Voldemort stood tall, looking Harry in the eye. He wasn't the snake-like monster that had haunted Harry's dreams for nearly all his life; instead, he had long black hair that cascaded down his back, a straight, aristocratic nose, and crimson, cat-like eyes.
Confusion shot through Harry. What the hell…
Listen to them, Harry. Ignis crooned, rubbing his black and gold head against Harry's forearm. They are not what Albus Dumbledore claimed them to be.
The Boy-Who-Lived clenched his eyes shut, breathing in deeply. He could smell the blood that coated him, and almost gagged. He heard footsteps coming towards him, then stoping by his side. Kneeling down next the trembling boy, Bellatrix placed a hand on his shoulder. The Dark Lord, who was beside her, did the same on Harry's other side. The boy flinched but didn't draw away; Tom Riddle took that as a good sign.
"Tell me," Tom strained his ears to hear the softly spoken words. "Why did you kill my parents?"
The Dark Lord sighed. There is no way in hell Harry would believe him, but he had to be honest. "You must believe me, Harry," Tom started, "I didn't kill Lily and James Potter. They were on my side."
Harry looked up sharply, disbelief etched on his features. "What?"
Tom closed his red eyes and grimaced. "I don't know if you'll believe me, but," he opened his eyes and turned his face towards Hogwarts. The Headmaster's tower was still burning, and screams of panic could be heard. Tom turned back to Harry, "I was framed. I would not kill my own followers."
Harry frowned, "who would-" but then it all clicked into place.
Dumbledore.
†
The fire encompassed him, and it took all of Albus' self control not to scream in rage.
No, no, NO! It wasn't supposed to happen like this! Just before the fire could do any damage, Albus created a shield around his body, and then covered his eyes against the glare as everything exploded around him. The shock wave sent him crashing to the ground, and the old Headmaster felt the bones in his left arm snap. Then, Albus' eyes widened as he felt the Hogwarts' wards fall.
He grit his teeth and cursed, waiting for the fire's glare to die down.
This wasn't supposed to happen!
The Aurors had failed, the wards are down, Harry is loose, and Fawkes had betrayed him!
He just couldn't wrap his mind around that. Phoenixes were supposed to be creatures of pure Light, so why was one supporting the Dark?
A small little voice in the back of his head said, that maybe, Harry isn't Dark. Just maybe, Albus had managed to keep him from going down that path.
But dragging himself up of his destroyed, debris ridden office floor, Dumbledore looked out over the Hogwarts grounds just in time to see Harry kill all four of the Aurors.
No, Dumbledore thought with conviction. Harry is now just like Riddle. There is no turning back.
He closed his eyes as he saw Voldemort appear and approach Harry. A desperate hope welled up inside of him, a hope that the three others would not get involved, that the prophecy would not be fulfilled.
He opened his eyes again just in time to see Harry take Voldemort's hand and Apparate away, Bellatrix following and Fawkes disappearing in a flash of fire.
As long as I am alive, Dumbledore thought with utter conviction. I will not allow the five to come together. The Dark will not win!
†
Miles away, on the coast of Australia just as the sun was rising; a girl awoke with a gasp. Silk black sheets twisted constrictively around her sweat soaked body, and her long blond hair was matted and clinging to her face.
"Alexis," she gasped, wrenching open the curtains of her bed. "Alexis, wake up!"
A groan came from the bed next to hers. "Circe," yawn, "what's wrong?"
The girls stood up and started pacing. Then suddenly, she stopped, fingering the silver collar she wore around her throat. A mirthless smile twisted her lips and she turned to the other girls, Alexis.
"I think," she whispered, "a war has just begun."
A/N: See other chapters for review rules... PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE R&R, we have cookies!