Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the Harry Potter universe; they were created by, and belong to JK Rowling.
Set during the Order of Phoenix, about half way through but then goes off canon.
Italics are thoughts and italics and underline are parseltongue.
PLEASE REVIEW!
Chapter Nine- Black holes and Revelations
It was a dark stormy night, the moon was full and shone brightly illuminating the countryside and allowing light into uncovered windows. The light revealed the features of Lucius Malfoy, highly regarded member of the wizarding world. The incredibly rich man of Pureblood status strode through the alabaster corridors of his impressive mansion, the Malfoy Manor. His long black robes of the finest quality had been made by elves and flowed majestically behind him. His peroxide hair fell straight from the crown of his head and he gripped his serpent walking cane in a vice like grip. The sound of a familiar bird shrieking caught his attention and he looked out into the sky.
A large black falcon flew in a large open window and landed softly on Lucius' outstretched arm. The letter attached to the bird's leg bore the Malfoy seal and Lucius instantly knew his son had written home. Taking the letter into his study he carefully opened it and studied its contents.
Father,
You told me to write and tell you of any 'odd' occurrences at Hogwarts, especially those concerning Harry Potter, so I am doing so. During a potions lesson yesterday he was involved in an accident (due to that idiotic, yet entertaining, Neville Longbottom) whilst we were making Stoush potion. He was surrounded by a cloud of red smoke and as it disappeared he began to scream and claw at his skin which started to bleed for no apparent reason (The class found it highly distressing but I personally couldn't help but laugh). He ran out into the corridor where he collapsed as the stone walls began to melt (Attention seeking behavior right there). When it was safe to do so, he was moved to the Hospital wing but I heard it took hours for him to stop thrashing and screaming.
The whole school as talking the next day about how, when he awoke, he tried to get into the Gryffindor tower and was refused entry. A fact which I found very interesting, after this he ran off. Teachers and Gryffindors were going stupid (or should I say stupider) with worry for their Golden Potter.
The next time I saw him was with Weasley and that mudblood Granger today in the dungeons. After some 'friendly banter' that I have become so fond of, Potter went to step forward and that oaf Weasley pushed him right into the Slytherin common room which Blaise had just opened the door to. As I mentioned a few months previous, Umbridge had made enchantments be placed on the houses so only 'true' members could enter.
I, and my fellow Slytherins, even Weasley in fact, were outraged. The idea of Potter, Dumbledore's pet in the Slytherin dungeon sickened me. Slytherins began (understandably) hurling curses and jinxes at him. I was there, right in front of him, when a cutting hex hit him right in the chest, ripping his shirt to ribbons and slashing his chest. I saw, believe it or not his skin healing within seconds, revealing a large snake scar on his chest. I remember seeing Potters chest during the second task of the Triwizard tournament and it certainly wasn't there then. No one could have missed that.
Father, I do not know what's happened to Potter but its not anything normal. He then threw Weasley over his shoulder and ran off. (Though I don't know why the idiot tried to attack him)
School is going well, send Mother my love
-Draco
P.S. Even as I was preparing to send this I heard that Dolores Umbridge has decided Harry Potter will now be a Slytherin. I am highly displeased as you can imagine.
Lucius' jar tightened and his grip on the letter from his son crumpled the paper. Whatever was going on Lucius felt he would end up being the bearer of bad news. The Dark Lord was not a fan of surprises. He prepared to leave immediately, the Dark Lord is especially not fond of delays.
Lord Voldemort sat in his lavish room decorated with drapes and furniture of black, green and silver. The well polished black marble floors glistened and reflected the light given off by the black crystal chandelier that hung ornately in the centre of the room, enchanted to produce a dim, all encompassing light. This residence had been discovered by the dark wizard before his downfall 14 or so years ago and lay, underground, on the boarder of England and Wales; it had allegedly been the home of Salazar Slytherin himself, though one could never be sure, the legend had many decoy homes due to the reputed assassinations within the Slytherin family.
The Dark Lord twirled his wand between his fingers as he stared into the bowl filled with silver liquid known as a pensive, seemingly mesmerized by the object. He was then disrupted by a tentative knock on the door.
"Yes?" Voldemort spoke low and deep, his red eyes looking towards the heavy double doors at the entrance of the chamber.
"My Lord," replied the male Death Eater who guarded the door. "Lucius' son has sent word of Harry Potter."
Lord Voldemort arose from his decadent seat and strode to the ancient wooden doors which opened as he neared, revealing white haired Antonin Dolohov who instantly bowed his head in respect muttering "My Lord he is in the Meeting hall."
The Dark Lord however was unresponsive and his robes floated out behind him as he made his way up the grand staircases and through the plainly decorated corridors.
The Death Eaters present in the hall fell to their knees as the doors opened and their leader moved to take his seat at head of the room in his ornate obsidian chair.
"Lucius I believe you have news for me." He drawled. The platinum blonde stood and approached the dais respectfully.
"Yes my Lord, my son Draco sent a letter home of events involving Harry Potter." He bowed his head and presented the letter to his master. Who quickly took it with his long thin fingers and began to read. The gathered Death Eaters remained still and quiet. Voldemorts eyes went cold as ice; Lucius wisely took a step back and kept his head bowed. The Dark Lord stood, grabbed Lucius Malfoy and pulled up his sleeve and pressed his long white finger hard to the Dark Mark and bellowed
"SEVERUS!"
Lucius flinched slightly at both the loud sound that now echoed through the chamber and the pressure that was being applied to his arm as blood was drawn.
Death eaters moved away as soon enough, a figure in black robes materialized that was potions master Severus Snape.
"Yes my Lord" he bowed only to have his head fly back and his body stiffen as Voldemort pointed his wand at him.
"Severus, who do you work for?" The Dark Lord whispered menacingly near his ear.
"You my Lord" Snape managed to croak out.
"And as you do my bidding and are my eyes and ears at Hogwarts." Snape nodded quickly. "Why is it then that I was not informed of recent occurrences?" He twisted his wand and Snape grabbed at his throat trying to breathe "Occurrences that happen in your very classroom in your very presence!" The Dark Lords slit like nostrils flared
Snape tried to speak but could only emit a gasping sound, his greasy black hair becoming wet with a fine sheen of perspiration. Voldemort flicked his wand and Snape flew backwards and slid on the smooth marble floor. He scrambled to his feet.
"My Lord, I am sorry I was unable to contact you as Dumbledore has been keeping a close eye on me after the Potter was in the Hospital Wing, I feared he believed I was involved."
Voldemort lowered his voice and stepped towards the Hogwarts professor. "Yes I thought you would have an excuse like that Severus, it is … plausible which is why you are still alive and standing before me. But that does not mean that I am not… disappointed in you, if you had given the task more importance I believe you could have sent word to me." He glanced at Severus throat that was now bruising. "Learn from your mistakes."
Turning to the rest of his loyal followers, he addressed them loudly."You may leave us." So only Lucius and Snape remained. He questioned Snape directly.
"Tell me exactly what happened" Snape recounted his story and then was asked to leave. Voldemort turned to Lucius. "Get Bellatrix and Dolohov in here."
When Malfoy man had left Voldemort sat back down in his throne like chair and closed his scarlet eyes, focusing his mind on the connection he and his rival shared, the tether he had to the boy. Concentrating, he homed in on it and focused, he had previously used this method to send the boy images but never, surprisingly, in order to receive images or make contact. He was met with resistance surprisingly, resistance he had never encountered before but before he was blocked out he saw the very parchment the boy was seeing…
Father: Tom Marvolo Riddle
Father: Tom Marvolo Riddle
Father: Tom Marvolo Riddle
Father: Tom Marvolo Riddle
The Dark Lord put his head in his hands. Nagini made her way into the room, her long green body moving smoothly against the cold stone walls. She slowly wound herself around her masters chair. "Master what is wrong?"
Slowly, Voldemort turned his solemn face towards his loyal serpent, his expression unreadable. "My child is not dead."
"Is that not a good thing?" The snake seemed slightly perplexed as she moved around and arranged herself on and around her master
"He is Harry Potter!" The Dark Lord exclaimed, pointing his wand at the large table in the middle of the room and sending it flying in frustration.
"Ah yesss you were always curious about the sex. sshe bore you a male heir then." She snake remarked seemingly ignoring the issue at hand.
"Yes, ssshe did Nagini, and now we are pitted against each other. I cannot believe he is alive. I grieved for him! For so long I grieved! Dumbledore has innocent blood on his hands for what we did in revenge of my son's supposed death." A situation like this was the last thing he needed or suspected. It complicated his plans greatly. He had planned to kill the boy, not that was not such an easy prospect to accept.
"Does he know of hisss parentage?" Nagini questioned as her master stroked her gleaming skin.
"He knows I am his father, I saw it, though I hardly think he is happy about it. This was not how thingsss were supposssed to work out!" The Dark Lord felt so frustrated, he flicked his wand again and blew the chairs of the table apart.
"I know Massster"
"Now he wantsss nothing more than my death" Voldemort said angrily to his loyal pet.
"Don't you want hisss?" Voldemort paused in thought, trying to decipher what he wanted to do, what would be the best and most appropriate course of action.
"No, what I want most is Dumbledores!" Voldemort hissed angrily "What hasss the old fool been playing at! What wass hiss motivation for all this! If he is truly not the son of Lily and James Potter then his precious prophecy is lies I have heard some 'Born to those who have thrice defied him' How can I defy myself?"
"What will you do Massster."
"I'm not sure, if things were less complicated I would say to bring him home, but I fear his mind belongs to Dumbledore now.."
"So you will give up?"
"No Nagini, it just means I must prepare myself for a posssible …failure I suppossse but I am persssistant. After all, if he unites with me, I will certainly not benefit from his death. If he does not, he could be my greatest ally."
Lucius knocked and when beckoned entered the room with Bellatrix and Dolohov in tow, all paid little attention to the scattered furniture fragments. They bowed low respectfully.
"Approach." Voldemort commanded and they drew near. .
"I have an interesting turn of events I thought I would inform you three of, and we all know what the penalty will be if such information is spread." They quickly nodded "Very Well," he waved his wand and three chairs reformed appeared around his own and they sat down. "My child is still alive" Looks of surprise came across all of their faces.
"My Lord that is astounding, I thought that muggle loving fool had…" Dolohov trailed off, not wanting to bring up past events that had made his lord so infuriated.
"Yes as did I, but apparently he committed kidnapping instead. My son is known today as Harry Potter." Voldemort told them aloofly.
They gasped and Bellatrix looked like she was going to be violently ill, her face turning white. "My Lord! Your flesh and blood is him?" Lucius quickly gave her a cold look that clearly said 'watch you tongue'
"It makes sense in an odd way" remarked Dolohov "I have known and worked for your cause my Lord since you were fresh out of Hogwarts, known your power, it makes sense that the only one who has ever came close to defeating you was of your flesh and blood"
Voldemort stared at the old man then began to laugh manically pleased with his statement. 'What an amusing thought indeed!' The Dark Lord thought, all the more excited at the prospect of having his son at his side.
"My Lord, what action will you be taking?" Lucius asked calmly.
"He is my only heir, my only son, only living relative and the only known one capable of carrying on the Slytherin line. It is my desire that he be 'reformed' if possible and brought home. I believe he is being moved into the Slytherin house correct?"
"Yes my Lord."
"Then I wish for your son Draco to become more… civil and survey him. So I know if his loyalties truly lie with Dumbledore or to what extent he trusts him."
"Do you think he will be any different My Lord?" Bellatrix asked intrigued.
"Snape has given me the boy's hospital records and if Dumbledore had done what I think and gave the boy potions when he was younger to distance himself from me and make him more like a Potter then they may just have been counter acted by what the boy was exposed to."
"What do you mean M' Lord" asked Dolohov his aged forehead creasing in concentration.
"Well I am sure there would be certain characteristics and extra powers maybe that Dumbledore would have want to get rid of or hide depending on his agenda and potions like that can only be broken by something strong or potent, for example, Basilisk blood that is connected to the Slytherin line."
"I imagine the boy wouldn't be too happy by being manipulated by Dumbledore." Lucius remarked. Voldemort just smirked.
"In the mean time, there is to be no taking lives of members of Dumbledore's men." Bellatrix's mouth gaped open in horror. "Now, now Bella Are you questioning my orders?" Bella bowed so low her black curly hair touched the floor of the chamber. "my son is not on my side yet, I do not want the death of a friends parent or someone he knows to be killed and incline him towards Dumbledore's side. In fact, no massacres either, nothing that would get into the media."
His followers nodded in the agreement.
