"Is it Worth It?"
Summary: NO SLASH! After fifth year Harry's life begins to change when he finally realizes that people only wanted him as a tool to defeat the DL. Harry decides enough was enough. Features slightly Dark Harry.
All characters belong to J. K. Rowling...except Krett, Drasto and Laudia!
_______________________________________________________________________
THANKS TO THE PEOPLE WHO REVIEWED!
ATHENAKITTY
LADY PHOENIX SLYTHERIN
SHEWOLFE: If Harry told Voldemort there would have been a lot more pain.
HOSHIHIKARI4EVER
KRISSY RIDDLE: YOU GOT IT!
CKAT44
LEGGO-MY-LEGOLAS
EMBER EYEZ
BLUEBERRIE
CORRESPONDENCE
MARIA
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A/N: Did I mention that this story isn't SLASH.
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Chapter 7 "The Tide Turns"
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Harry could tell Mrs. Figg didn't want to give out the information. Her eyes were twitching and the words she formed made absolutely no sense. She was resisting the Verriteserum.
The longer she resisted, the more impatient Voldemort became. All Harry could do was stay clear of him.
"She's practically a muggle. How could she stay this long without breaking? Voldemort turned to Harry. Harry had backed up against the wall as he felt the aura around him.
He normally wasn't intimidated by Voldemort's anger, but he had never truly experienced this much of anger. Not in the Department of Mysteries or at the graveyard.
"Serpent, persuade her." Harry stood his ground watching Voldemort with weary eyes.
"We didn't agree to that. I won't do something that might scar me." Harry said.
Voldemort's eyes narrowed. He took his wand out and pointed at Figg.
"Serpent, if you want what you are looking for you will listen to me."
Figg was sitting on the floor, her bound body twitched once in a while, but she didn't give in.
"Crucio." Harry jerked out of his thoughts and stared as Figg began to writhe on the floor screaming.
Harry closed his eyes tightly, trying to erase the image.
"Now, where is the Order of the Phoenix located?" Voldemort asked.
"Burrow." Figg choked out the answer and Harry froze.
/Oh no, not that./
"The Burrow? What is that?" Voldemort asked.
Harry kept his eyes averted and at the wall opposite. The mark on his arm had begun to sting, though not enough that it hurt too much.
Voldemort was still questioning Figg what the Burrow was, but the woman wasn't responding and had slumped to the ground.
Voldemort turned to Harry.
"Serpent do you know what the Burrow is?"
Harry was still staring ahead. He didn't dare to look into Voldemort's eyes.
"Serpent?" He seemed closer now. Harry slowly turned to him. Voldemort grabbed his chin and Harry noticed that his mask had gone.
"You know." The two words he uttered struck Harry deeply.
Harry gulped.
"Tell me. Now." Voldemort hissed, tightening his fingers around his chin.
"The Burrow is the name of my best friend's house." Harry said.
Voldemort let go of him and turned to Figg.
"Discard her. No one must know where she is. Her mind is broken. No one can stand to have Verriteserum in them and the crustaceous cruse on them."
"I can't...I can't get rid of her." Harry said. Voldemort turned to him again, swiftly grabbing his arm. Pressing his thumb on the snake wound around the arm.
A searing pain shot through and Harry gasped. He fell to his knees with Voldemort still holding to his painful arm.
"You will do as you are told, do you understand?" He hissed.
Harry shut his eyes tightly, but didn't answer.
The pain began to build and Harry wished that he had never agreed to join Voldemort. But he had had no choice, Voldemort had promised that he would kill his friends if he didn't join.
~FLASHBACK~
"Join me Harry, you could be great." Voldemort said.
Harry stood at his bed, glaring at the dark lord, but not saying anything.
"Don't make the foolish mistake your father made." Harry perked up at the mention of his father, but said nothing.
Voldemort was getting impatient, and his threats for the Boy-Who-Lived were not working.
"Harry, I can easily tell my Death Eaters to find your friends and kill them. The mudblood Granger will be easily found as her parents are not from magical descent. What do you say Harry?"
Harry growled and grumbled under his breath, but he refused to show his weakness to the red-eyed monster in front of him.
"And then there is this creature that is not far from here that I hear howling like mad every moon. I could be wrong, but wasn't someone that was somehow related to that creature a friend of yours?" Voldemort asked. He had a finger on his chin as if in deep thought.
Harry swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and made it painful for him to breathe.
Voldemort had seemed to notice Harry's discomfort and pressed on.
"You wouldn't want them to become like that godfather of yours. Sirius Black would have made a good Death Eater, if only he had listened to his father. He died because he was a fool."
Harry seethed in anger. How dare that man stand in front of him and insult and threaten his only family. And how could Harry make such a deal with this monster. How could he agree to join if either way his family and friends would be in trouble.
"I'm glad Sirius didn't join you. I'm glad he didn't listen to his family."
"Yes. And look where its gotten him. Straight to his untimely death." Voldemort sneered.
"I have the killer, Harry. I can hand her to you."
"As much as I want to strangle Bellatrix Lestrange with my bare hands, I won't join for something that you could give me. If I wanted to kill her I would have done so, but I'm just waiting for her to make a mistake. And when she does, I'll kill her."
"You could use that anger, form it into power and use it as you please.
"And you would teach me how to do it."
"Of course." Voldemort said.
"I'd rather die then listen to you." Harry said suddenly. His anger had reached its peak and it was just waiting to be provoked.
"I don't think that is an option." Voldemort hissed. "You will have no choice. Either you join and spare your friends, or I let you go and kill everyone you love and still make sure that you lived to see their demise. Think clearly on your decision, Potter. I do not have all day."
Harry knew that Voldemort would do that. There was no escape, no chance at all. All he could do is give in. Let Voldemort teach him, do as he was told and then when the time came, he would strike back. His friends would be safe then.
Harry couldn't admit to anybody for a long time that he had always had a problem with the ministry. How it covered everything up and didn't state that Voldemort was back and then resulting in Sirius' death. He couldn't. Now though, he could use this chance to train and maybe someday make the ministry better.
He had never told anyone that some of Voldemort's ideas for the Wizarding world were exactly the same as Harry's. Without the purification of the mudbloods.
"I can give you power beyond your imagination. I can give you what you desire, all you have to do is say the words."
Harry sighed and nodded. There clearly was no escape.
/Is it worth it? Is it worth it to betray everyone I loved, just so I could keep them safe? If I join I will have to listen to him. Follow his orders./
He could see the evil grin on Voldemort's face. The Dark Lord knew that Harry had submitted.
"Good decision, Potter. Your initiation will be tomorrow morning if there is time. Be ready."
"Wait.." Harry said before Voldemort could turn to go.
"What is it?" "I want to make a deal, too." At Voldemort's raised eyebrow Harry elaborated.
"I want to make a deal that could keep my friends safe and hopefully many others."
Voldemort nodded.
"I don't want to be part of any raids." At this Voldemort's eyes narrowed and he advanced. Harry continued.
"I want to make my own decisions. I will do what you ask, but I will have the chance to say who lives and who dies if I capture them." Voldemort nodded slowly.
"I also want you to understand that I'm only joining your side to protect my friends, but if you harm any of them, especially Remus, you will pay." Harry said, meaning every word that was uttered out of his mouth.
"You sure can make a bargain. We shall see as time goes on. I will not kill your friends, but if you /ever/ disobey me, you will be the one to pay. Is that clear?"
"Crystal." Harry said.
"Good." Voldemort walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him.
~END FLASHBACK~
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"You are a fool." He heard Voldemort say. The pain in his body had not gone yet and he stayed on the floor. Voldemort though had let go of his arm and was pacing back and forth in front of him.
Harry watched for a while, wondering what was going to happen. Voldemort was watching him back as he paced.
"Would you go against my orders and kill your friends in the process?"
Harry swallowed, "I had said I had a choice to let someone live or die if they were my charge."
"I gave an order, you are not allowed to go against it. Do NOT think that just because you are not like my normal Death Eaters that I will go easy on you. I will make you suffer if that is how you will behave."
"But..." "Take her, do what you wish with her. And do not disobey me again, because if you do it will be the worst mistake you ever make." Voldemort said.
Harry stood up and went to Figg. He levitated her and turned to Voldemort. He was still watching Harry like a hawk. There was something on his face that Harry couldn't quite comprehend. His face was slightly dazed as if thinking, and Harry had never seen him like that.
He grabbed Mrs. Figg's arm and prepared to apperate.
"Serpent." Harry turned at the sound of his nick name.
"Remember what I said, or I will not hesitate."
Harry nodded.
/Oh how I wish I said no./
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Mrs. Figg lay on the grass as Harry paced up and down in front of her. Her gaze was watching him, but the dull eyes never fully seeing him.
"Come on Mrs. Figg, please get to your senses." Harry said exasperated.
She had been like this since they had apperated to the valley. There were trees all around them, except the large grassy clearing that they resided in.
She never acknowledged Harry's presence, and Harry was getting mad.
"Please don't make me put you in a mental hospital, please." He begged getting down on his knees next to her. Her body jerked slightly, but fell back down and took up its peaceful watching.
How Harry wished he had never done what he did.
"Dumbledore was right. Voldemort is doing this, threatening my friends just so I join him. He could kill me with this damn mark if he wished just as easily as he could kill his Death Eaters."
Figg jerked again. She stood up suddenly and stared horrified in front of her.
"Harry how could you do this?! How could you betray us like this?!" She was repeating the same words she had said to him before.
"He helped you, he saved you!" Those were different. Harry wondered if she was coming to her senses.
"Mrs. Figg, are you back?" She jerked at his voice and stared blankly at him.
Harry sighed, "Guess not."
"YOU IDIOT BOY!" She yelled before jumping up and pushing Harry down on the ground, her hands around his neck.
"I guess you are back." Harry choked.
"How could you?! I am going to kill you, you bloody bastard! I hope you rot in Azkaban for betraying us!"
"Mrs. Figg-calm-ack-down!" Harry could barely breathe.
"You! I want to kill you so badly right now!"
Harry tried pushing her away from him, but she was sitting on him, preventing him from getting up. He couldn't do his magic as his hands were tucked to his side.
"Please let me explain." Harry said.
"There is nothing you could explain that will make me let you off the hook! Do you have any idea how many people you have just killed? Do you have any idea that you just led Voldemort straight to your best friend's house?!"
Harry felt anger and with a strong push with his legs against her back, she fell down and he pushed her off.
"What the hell do you think? I didn't get a choice in the matter! I had to do what I had to do! Do you really think I'd want Ron and the others hurt? I only joined Voldemort so my friends could be safe!"
Mrs. Figg sat on the grass watching him as he glared at her. His eyes were blazing and his fire was crackling around him.
"If I had the choice I would never have brought you to him! I never wanted to, but if I came back empty handed or without information, he would probably call it as disobeying an order and would try punishing me like he did a while ago. He wanted to kill you, I wouldn't let him and he took it to himself to remind me what he can do! This bloody mark is the cause!" Harry lifted his arm up and showed her his mark. The serpent hissed at her in warning and Mrs. Figg backed away.
"This is an obedience charm, his own twisted spell. It burned when I went against his orders and tried to keep you alive. He let me go if your memory was modified."
"Modified?" Her expression became pensive for a moment, but she suddenly exclaimed.
"Your the Golden Serpent!" Harry gaped at her.
"Didn't he erase that from your mind?"
"Y-yes." She said slowly.
"Mrs. Figg, has anyone ever told you that you are the most unusual squib ever?"
Mrs. Figg smiled, "No." Her face became grave. "Will you erase my memories?"
Harry sighed, "This will hurt me, but no I won't. I'm letting you go, but you must pretend that your mind was modified, or Voldemort will have my neck."
"Potter, what do you intend to do?"
"I intend to go to the Burrow and warn them."
"What if Voldemort finds out?"
"Well if he does find out then I'll just take the consequences."
"You are brave Potter. Foolish, but brave."
"I haven't heard that in a while, but we have to go before Voldemort gets a plan to attack."
"How will we get there? We can't walk! As you can see, I'm not fit for walking long distances."
"Don't worry, I'm a wizard you know, there are ways we get around." Harry smiled, extending his arm to her. She grasped it tightly and Harry apperated.
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The Burrow was bustling with activity as Mrs. Figg and Harry appeared. They had to apperate a mile from the house and walk the rest of the way.
Harry walked, supporting Mrs. Figg's body. Her leg had started to hurt bad and she had begun to limp, making their journey harder.
"Harry!" Harry jerked his head up as a familiar voice called his name.
Ron came running out of the house to meet them, Mrs. Weasley came after him. Harry could see she was clutching her wand in her robes.
"Harry! I can't believe you'd show up here!" Ron yelled as he neared them. Harry let Mrs. Figg sit down on the grass and turned to Ron.
"Hey Ron," He had nothing else to say.
"Harry, where have you been? Everyone's been looking for you?" Ron said.
Harry smiled at him slightly.
"Ron, we'll talk later, but right now Mrs. Figg and I need to talk to Professor Dumbledore or your mother." Harry said glancing at Mrs. Weasley.
She was watching Harry as if he was a time bomb ready to explode.
"What are you doing here Harry?" She glanced at Mrs. Figg. "And what is she doing here?"
"You know who she is Mrs. Weasley. And I know Dumbledore told you what happened."
Mrs. Weasley clutched her wand in her robes, but said nothing.
"Harry what are you talking about?" Ron asked looking between Harry and his mother.
"Nothing Ron. Please Mrs. Weasley I have to talk to you. If Dumbledore can show up I have to talk to him too."
"Why?"
"We don't have much time, Voldemort's coming." Mrs. Weasley screamed and Ron yelled something that would've made Mrs. Weasley reprimand him if she hadn't been so busy gaping.
"What?" She asked. She couldn't quite get it through her head that Voldemort was coming to her house.
"Voldemort's coming and I need to find a way to get everyone to safety." Harry said urgently. He grabbed Mrs. Figg under her arms and hoisted her up. She leaned against him and they limped up the walk to the house.
"Harry what's going on? How can Voldemort come here?" Ron asked walking beside them. Harry said nothing, keeping his eyes in front of him until he had reached the house.
"Here this way." Mrs. Weasley led the way into the living room and sat Mrs. Figg down.
She bustled around getting some tea. Harry meanwhile set to work thinking up a way to call Dumbledore.
"Potter, use fire call." Mrs. Figg said.
"I don't know if I can, Umbridge blocked all the fireplaces at Hogwarts last year."
"You can. Mum was talking with Dumbledore through fire call last night." Ron said.
Harry quickly grabbed some powder and threw it into the fireplace.
"Professor Dumbledore, Hogwarts!" He yelled.
Couple of minutes later a head appeared and Dumbledore stared at Harry.
"Harry? Where are you?"
"At the Burrow. Professor you must come here right away."
"What are you doing there? Did Voldemort come. Oh Harry you betrayed us haven't you?"
"Just come, please?" Harry said. Dumbledore nodded and came through the fireplace in front of Harry.
His face turned to shock as he scanned the room to find Mrs. Figg sitting on the sofa.
"She's alive?" He turned to Harry. Harry nodded and told him to sit.
"What is going on?"
Harry began his story from the first time his assignment was given to him and with the help of Mrs. Figg he told his story.
They were all surprised when they heard how Mrs. Figg barely fought off the Verriteserum.
"All right, we must get everyone to safety and place the Order somewhere else. Harry I-" Dumbledore didn't get far.
Harry was shaking and clutching his arm firmly.
"What's wrong?" Dumbledore asked.
"N-nothing. J-just go d-do w-what you w-wanted to do." Harry stammered. He was wondering when the serpent was going to react to his disobeying attitude, and it had started to burn intensely as he had gotten to the climax of the story. Now he couldn't stop the shaking. His arm felt like fire and he could barely stay awake.
"Ssserpent." Harry jerked up his head and wildly looked around.
Did he hear what he just heard?
"Yesss, you can hear me. You have disobeyed me again after I told you the consssequencesss." Voldemort hissed in his mind. Harry's pain in the arm increased.
"You feel pain when you disssobey, but I forgot to mention that I can provoke more pain. Pain only you can imagine. You will not essscape me. You will wait for me at the house I know you are in. I knew you would do thisss. You will learn that betraying me again will be the last thing on your mind."
Harry screamed as the pain intensified even more. His arm went numb long ago but his body and the scar on his forehead burned more now that Harry retched on the floor.
"Little Ssserpent will learn his place." Harry couldn't take it anymore and slumped on the ground.
"Harry!" Ron shouted and Harry groaned. The pain amplified the voices in the room. He felt someone grab him and put him on the couch again.
"Professor what's wrong with him?" Ron asked. Dumbledore shook his head and examined Harry's body for any sign of curses. Finding none, he sighed.
"I do not know Mr. Weasley. Harry what is wrong?"
Harry tried to respond, but the pain got worse preventing him from saying anything.
Mrs. Figg came to the rescue.
"He has a mark on his arm put on by You Know Who. The mark makes sure he obeys him. Mr. Potter disobeyed by keeping me alive and for warning you of You Know Who's coming."
Mrs. Weasley gasped. "Oh Harry I am so sorry! I really thought you had switched sides."
"He has switched." Figg said, "He had switched, but he didn't do it on his own. He had explained to me that the only reason he switched was because You Know Who threatened Lupin and his friends."
"Oh god, Harry. Please forgive me. I knew Severus was trying to tell me something about you, but I just couldn't get myself to listen to him when he got back. I was so angry with you. At you and myself." Dumbledore said.
Harry almost snorted, but the pain prevented him again. Instead he gave a muffled yell. Harry grabbed the sleeve of his arm and wrenched it up. The golden serpent mark was glowing and Harry could see that the restless serpent had wound itself tightly around his arm and was biting every now and again. Shooting its venom into his veins.
Harry groaned as he watched it sink its teeth into his arm again and the pain intensified.
"Harry you've got to hold on!" He heard Ron yell as he began to drift to unconsciousness.
"Harry!" Ron's voice was faint.
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"You will wait for me, Sserpent." He could hear Voldemort's voice again.
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A/N: There we go...This cliffy is far from the other one. This chapter isn't that long but is longer then the others. I wanted to make it longer, but decided that this was enough. Thanks for reviewing and keep on doing what you've been doing!
Summary: NO SLASH! After fifth year Harry's life begins to change when he finally realizes that people only wanted him as a tool to defeat the DL. Harry decides enough was enough. Features slightly Dark Harry.
All characters belong to J. K. Rowling...except Krett, Drasto and Laudia!
_______________________________________________________________________
THANKS TO THE PEOPLE WHO REVIEWED!
ATHENAKITTY
LADY PHOENIX SLYTHERIN
SHEWOLFE: If Harry told Voldemort there would have been a lot more pain.
HOSHIHIKARI4EVER
KRISSY RIDDLE: YOU GOT IT!
CKAT44
LEGGO-MY-LEGOLAS
EMBER EYEZ
BLUEBERRIE
CORRESPONDENCE
MARIA
______________________________________________________________________
A/N: Did I mention that this story isn't SLASH.
______________________________________________________________________
Chapter 7 "The Tide Turns"
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Harry could tell Mrs. Figg didn't want to give out the information. Her eyes were twitching and the words she formed made absolutely no sense. She was resisting the Verriteserum.
The longer she resisted, the more impatient Voldemort became. All Harry could do was stay clear of him.
"She's practically a muggle. How could she stay this long without breaking? Voldemort turned to Harry. Harry had backed up against the wall as he felt the aura around him.
He normally wasn't intimidated by Voldemort's anger, but he had never truly experienced this much of anger. Not in the Department of Mysteries or at the graveyard.
"Serpent, persuade her." Harry stood his ground watching Voldemort with weary eyes.
"We didn't agree to that. I won't do something that might scar me." Harry said.
Voldemort's eyes narrowed. He took his wand out and pointed at Figg.
"Serpent, if you want what you are looking for you will listen to me."
Figg was sitting on the floor, her bound body twitched once in a while, but she didn't give in.
"Crucio." Harry jerked out of his thoughts and stared as Figg began to writhe on the floor screaming.
Harry closed his eyes tightly, trying to erase the image.
"Now, where is the Order of the Phoenix located?" Voldemort asked.
"Burrow." Figg choked out the answer and Harry froze.
/Oh no, not that./
"The Burrow? What is that?" Voldemort asked.
Harry kept his eyes averted and at the wall opposite. The mark on his arm had begun to sting, though not enough that it hurt too much.
Voldemort was still questioning Figg what the Burrow was, but the woman wasn't responding and had slumped to the ground.
Voldemort turned to Harry.
"Serpent do you know what the Burrow is?"
Harry was still staring ahead. He didn't dare to look into Voldemort's eyes.
"Serpent?" He seemed closer now. Harry slowly turned to him. Voldemort grabbed his chin and Harry noticed that his mask had gone.
"You know." The two words he uttered struck Harry deeply.
Harry gulped.
"Tell me. Now." Voldemort hissed, tightening his fingers around his chin.
"The Burrow is the name of my best friend's house." Harry said.
Voldemort let go of him and turned to Figg.
"Discard her. No one must know where she is. Her mind is broken. No one can stand to have Verriteserum in them and the crustaceous cruse on them."
"I can't...I can't get rid of her." Harry said. Voldemort turned to him again, swiftly grabbing his arm. Pressing his thumb on the snake wound around the arm.
A searing pain shot through and Harry gasped. He fell to his knees with Voldemort still holding to his painful arm.
"You will do as you are told, do you understand?" He hissed.
Harry shut his eyes tightly, but didn't answer.
The pain began to build and Harry wished that he had never agreed to join Voldemort. But he had had no choice, Voldemort had promised that he would kill his friends if he didn't join.
~FLASHBACK~
"Join me Harry, you could be great." Voldemort said.
Harry stood at his bed, glaring at the dark lord, but not saying anything.
"Don't make the foolish mistake your father made." Harry perked up at the mention of his father, but said nothing.
Voldemort was getting impatient, and his threats for the Boy-Who-Lived were not working.
"Harry, I can easily tell my Death Eaters to find your friends and kill them. The mudblood Granger will be easily found as her parents are not from magical descent. What do you say Harry?"
Harry growled and grumbled under his breath, but he refused to show his weakness to the red-eyed monster in front of him.
"And then there is this creature that is not far from here that I hear howling like mad every moon. I could be wrong, but wasn't someone that was somehow related to that creature a friend of yours?" Voldemort asked. He had a finger on his chin as if in deep thought.
Harry swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and made it painful for him to breathe.
Voldemort had seemed to notice Harry's discomfort and pressed on.
"You wouldn't want them to become like that godfather of yours. Sirius Black would have made a good Death Eater, if only he had listened to his father. He died because he was a fool."
Harry seethed in anger. How dare that man stand in front of him and insult and threaten his only family. And how could Harry make such a deal with this monster. How could he agree to join if either way his family and friends would be in trouble.
"I'm glad Sirius didn't join you. I'm glad he didn't listen to his family."
"Yes. And look where its gotten him. Straight to his untimely death." Voldemort sneered.
"I have the killer, Harry. I can hand her to you."
"As much as I want to strangle Bellatrix Lestrange with my bare hands, I won't join for something that you could give me. If I wanted to kill her I would have done so, but I'm just waiting for her to make a mistake. And when she does, I'll kill her."
"You could use that anger, form it into power and use it as you please.
"And you would teach me how to do it."
"Of course." Voldemort said.
"I'd rather die then listen to you." Harry said suddenly. His anger had reached its peak and it was just waiting to be provoked.
"I don't think that is an option." Voldemort hissed. "You will have no choice. Either you join and spare your friends, or I let you go and kill everyone you love and still make sure that you lived to see their demise. Think clearly on your decision, Potter. I do not have all day."
Harry knew that Voldemort would do that. There was no escape, no chance at all. All he could do is give in. Let Voldemort teach him, do as he was told and then when the time came, he would strike back. His friends would be safe then.
Harry couldn't admit to anybody for a long time that he had always had a problem with the ministry. How it covered everything up and didn't state that Voldemort was back and then resulting in Sirius' death. He couldn't. Now though, he could use this chance to train and maybe someday make the ministry better.
He had never told anyone that some of Voldemort's ideas for the Wizarding world were exactly the same as Harry's. Without the purification of the mudbloods.
"I can give you power beyond your imagination. I can give you what you desire, all you have to do is say the words."
Harry sighed and nodded. There clearly was no escape.
/Is it worth it? Is it worth it to betray everyone I loved, just so I could keep them safe? If I join I will have to listen to him. Follow his orders./
He could see the evil grin on Voldemort's face. The Dark Lord knew that Harry had submitted.
"Good decision, Potter. Your initiation will be tomorrow morning if there is time. Be ready."
"Wait.." Harry said before Voldemort could turn to go.
"What is it?" "I want to make a deal, too." At Voldemort's raised eyebrow Harry elaborated.
"I want to make a deal that could keep my friends safe and hopefully many others."
Voldemort nodded.
"I don't want to be part of any raids." At this Voldemort's eyes narrowed and he advanced. Harry continued.
"I want to make my own decisions. I will do what you ask, but I will have the chance to say who lives and who dies if I capture them." Voldemort nodded slowly.
"I also want you to understand that I'm only joining your side to protect my friends, but if you harm any of them, especially Remus, you will pay." Harry said, meaning every word that was uttered out of his mouth.
"You sure can make a bargain. We shall see as time goes on. I will not kill your friends, but if you /ever/ disobey me, you will be the one to pay. Is that clear?"
"Crystal." Harry said.
"Good." Voldemort walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him.
~END FLASHBACK~
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"You are a fool." He heard Voldemort say. The pain in his body had not gone yet and he stayed on the floor. Voldemort though had let go of his arm and was pacing back and forth in front of him.
Harry watched for a while, wondering what was going to happen. Voldemort was watching him back as he paced.
"Would you go against my orders and kill your friends in the process?"
Harry swallowed, "I had said I had a choice to let someone live or die if they were my charge."
"I gave an order, you are not allowed to go against it. Do NOT think that just because you are not like my normal Death Eaters that I will go easy on you. I will make you suffer if that is how you will behave."
"But..." "Take her, do what you wish with her. And do not disobey me again, because if you do it will be the worst mistake you ever make." Voldemort said.
Harry stood up and went to Figg. He levitated her and turned to Voldemort. He was still watching Harry like a hawk. There was something on his face that Harry couldn't quite comprehend. His face was slightly dazed as if thinking, and Harry had never seen him like that.
He grabbed Mrs. Figg's arm and prepared to apperate.
"Serpent." Harry turned at the sound of his nick name.
"Remember what I said, or I will not hesitate."
Harry nodded.
/Oh how I wish I said no./
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Mrs. Figg lay on the grass as Harry paced up and down in front of her. Her gaze was watching him, but the dull eyes never fully seeing him.
"Come on Mrs. Figg, please get to your senses." Harry said exasperated.
She had been like this since they had apperated to the valley. There were trees all around them, except the large grassy clearing that they resided in.
She never acknowledged Harry's presence, and Harry was getting mad.
"Please don't make me put you in a mental hospital, please." He begged getting down on his knees next to her. Her body jerked slightly, but fell back down and took up its peaceful watching.
How Harry wished he had never done what he did.
"Dumbledore was right. Voldemort is doing this, threatening my friends just so I join him. He could kill me with this damn mark if he wished just as easily as he could kill his Death Eaters."
Figg jerked again. She stood up suddenly and stared horrified in front of her.
"Harry how could you do this?! How could you betray us like this?!" She was repeating the same words she had said to him before.
"He helped you, he saved you!" Those were different. Harry wondered if she was coming to her senses.
"Mrs. Figg, are you back?" She jerked at his voice and stared blankly at him.
Harry sighed, "Guess not."
"YOU IDIOT BOY!" She yelled before jumping up and pushing Harry down on the ground, her hands around his neck.
"I guess you are back." Harry choked.
"How could you?! I am going to kill you, you bloody bastard! I hope you rot in Azkaban for betraying us!"
"Mrs. Figg-calm-ack-down!" Harry could barely breathe.
"You! I want to kill you so badly right now!"
Harry tried pushing her away from him, but she was sitting on him, preventing him from getting up. He couldn't do his magic as his hands were tucked to his side.
"Please let me explain." Harry said.
"There is nothing you could explain that will make me let you off the hook! Do you have any idea how many people you have just killed? Do you have any idea that you just led Voldemort straight to your best friend's house?!"
Harry felt anger and with a strong push with his legs against her back, she fell down and he pushed her off.
"What the hell do you think? I didn't get a choice in the matter! I had to do what I had to do! Do you really think I'd want Ron and the others hurt? I only joined Voldemort so my friends could be safe!"
Mrs. Figg sat on the grass watching him as he glared at her. His eyes were blazing and his fire was crackling around him.
"If I had the choice I would never have brought you to him! I never wanted to, but if I came back empty handed or without information, he would probably call it as disobeying an order and would try punishing me like he did a while ago. He wanted to kill you, I wouldn't let him and he took it to himself to remind me what he can do! This bloody mark is the cause!" Harry lifted his arm up and showed her his mark. The serpent hissed at her in warning and Mrs. Figg backed away.
"This is an obedience charm, his own twisted spell. It burned when I went against his orders and tried to keep you alive. He let me go if your memory was modified."
"Modified?" Her expression became pensive for a moment, but she suddenly exclaimed.
"Your the Golden Serpent!" Harry gaped at her.
"Didn't he erase that from your mind?"
"Y-yes." She said slowly.
"Mrs. Figg, has anyone ever told you that you are the most unusual squib ever?"
Mrs. Figg smiled, "No." Her face became grave. "Will you erase my memories?"
Harry sighed, "This will hurt me, but no I won't. I'm letting you go, but you must pretend that your mind was modified, or Voldemort will have my neck."
"Potter, what do you intend to do?"
"I intend to go to the Burrow and warn them."
"What if Voldemort finds out?"
"Well if he does find out then I'll just take the consequences."
"You are brave Potter. Foolish, but brave."
"I haven't heard that in a while, but we have to go before Voldemort gets a plan to attack."
"How will we get there? We can't walk! As you can see, I'm not fit for walking long distances."
"Don't worry, I'm a wizard you know, there are ways we get around." Harry smiled, extending his arm to her. She grasped it tightly and Harry apperated.
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The Burrow was bustling with activity as Mrs. Figg and Harry appeared. They had to apperate a mile from the house and walk the rest of the way.
Harry walked, supporting Mrs. Figg's body. Her leg had started to hurt bad and she had begun to limp, making their journey harder.
"Harry!" Harry jerked his head up as a familiar voice called his name.
Ron came running out of the house to meet them, Mrs. Weasley came after him. Harry could see she was clutching her wand in her robes.
"Harry! I can't believe you'd show up here!" Ron yelled as he neared them. Harry let Mrs. Figg sit down on the grass and turned to Ron.
"Hey Ron," He had nothing else to say.
"Harry, where have you been? Everyone's been looking for you?" Ron said.
Harry smiled at him slightly.
"Ron, we'll talk later, but right now Mrs. Figg and I need to talk to Professor Dumbledore or your mother." Harry said glancing at Mrs. Weasley.
She was watching Harry as if he was a time bomb ready to explode.
"What are you doing here Harry?" She glanced at Mrs. Figg. "And what is she doing here?"
"You know who she is Mrs. Weasley. And I know Dumbledore told you what happened."
Mrs. Weasley clutched her wand in her robes, but said nothing.
"Harry what are you talking about?" Ron asked looking between Harry and his mother.
"Nothing Ron. Please Mrs. Weasley I have to talk to you. If Dumbledore can show up I have to talk to him too."
"Why?"
"We don't have much time, Voldemort's coming." Mrs. Weasley screamed and Ron yelled something that would've made Mrs. Weasley reprimand him if she hadn't been so busy gaping.
"What?" She asked. She couldn't quite get it through her head that Voldemort was coming to her house.
"Voldemort's coming and I need to find a way to get everyone to safety." Harry said urgently. He grabbed Mrs. Figg under her arms and hoisted her up. She leaned against him and they limped up the walk to the house.
"Harry what's going on? How can Voldemort come here?" Ron asked walking beside them. Harry said nothing, keeping his eyes in front of him until he had reached the house.
"Here this way." Mrs. Weasley led the way into the living room and sat Mrs. Figg down.
She bustled around getting some tea. Harry meanwhile set to work thinking up a way to call Dumbledore.
"Potter, use fire call." Mrs. Figg said.
"I don't know if I can, Umbridge blocked all the fireplaces at Hogwarts last year."
"You can. Mum was talking with Dumbledore through fire call last night." Ron said.
Harry quickly grabbed some powder and threw it into the fireplace.
"Professor Dumbledore, Hogwarts!" He yelled.
Couple of minutes later a head appeared and Dumbledore stared at Harry.
"Harry? Where are you?"
"At the Burrow. Professor you must come here right away."
"What are you doing there? Did Voldemort come. Oh Harry you betrayed us haven't you?"
"Just come, please?" Harry said. Dumbledore nodded and came through the fireplace in front of Harry.
His face turned to shock as he scanned the room to find Mrs. Figg sitting on the sofa.
"She's alive?" He turned to Harry. Harry nodded and told him to sit.
"What is going on?"
Harry began his story from the first time his assignment was given to him and with the help of Mrs. Figg he told his story.
They were all surprised when they heard how Mrs. Figg barely fought off the Verriteserum.
"All right, we must get everyone to safety and place the Order somewhere else. Harry I-" Dumbledore didn't get far.
Harry was shaking and clutching his arm firmly.
"What's wrong?" Dumbledore asked.
"N-nothing. J-just go d-do w-what you w-wanted to do." Harry stammered. He was wondering when the serpent was going to react to his disobeying attitude, and it had started to burn intensely as he had gotten to the climax of the story. Now he couldn't stop the shaking. His arm felt like fire and he could barely stay awake.
"Ssserpent." Harry jerked up his head and wildly looked around.
Did he hear what he just heard?
"Yesss, you can hear me. You have disobeyed me again after I told you the consssequencesss." Voldemort hissed in his mind. Harry's pain in the arm increased.
"You feel pain when you disssobey, but I forgot to mention that I can provoke more pain. Pain only you can imagine. You will not essscape me. You will wait for me at the house I know you are in. I knew you would do thisss. You will learn that betraying me again will be the last thing on your mind."
Harry screamed as the pain intensified even more. His arm went numb long ago but his body and the scar on his forehead burned more now that Harry retched on the floor.
"Little Ssserpent will learn his place." Harry couldn't take it anymore and slumped on the ground.
"Harry!" Ron shouted and Harry groaned. The pain amplified the voices in the room. He felt someone grab him and put him on the couch again.
"Professor what's wrong with him?" Ron asked. Dumbledore shook his head and examined Harry's body for any sign of curses. Finding none, he sighed.
"I do not know Mr. Weasley. Harry what is wrong?"
Harry tried to respond, but the pain got worse preventing him from saying anything.
Mrs. Figg came to the rescue.
"He has a mark on his arm put on by You Know Who. The mark makes sure he obeys him. Mr. Potter disobeyed by keeping me alive and for warning you of You Know Who's coming."
Mrs. Weasley gasped. "Oh Harry I am so sorry! I really thought you had switched sides."
"He has switched." Figg said, "He had switched, but he didn't do it on his own. He had explained to me that the only reason he switched was because You Know Who threatened Lupin and his friends."
"Oh god, Harry. Please forgive me. I knew Severus was trying to tell me something about you, but I just couldn't get myself to listen to him when he got back. I was so angry with you. At you and myself." Dumbledore said.
Harry almost snorted, but the pain prevented him again. Instead he gave a muffled yell. Harry grabbed the sleeve of his arm and wrenched it up. The golden serpent mark was glowing and Harry could see that the restless serpent had wound itself tightly around his arm and was biting every now and again. Shooting its venom into his veins.
Harry groaned as he watched it sink its teeth into his arm again and the pain intensified.
"Harry you've got to hold on!" He heard Ron yell as he began to drift to unconsciousness.
"Harry!" Ron's voice was faint.
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"You will wait for me, Sserpent." He could hear Voldemort's voice again.
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A/N: There we go...This cliffy is far from the other one. This chapter isn't that long but is longer then the others. I wanted to make it longer, but decided that this was enough. Thanks for reviewing and keep on doing what you've been doing!