Disclaimer; Sadly Rowling has better Lawyers than I do and thus I cannot claim to own these characters or locations. The thing which passes for a plot however is a product of my own twisted mind.

A/N; Hey guys, sorry I havent dropped anything new on you lately. I had to move last weekend (I am still a university student and was taking summer courses), and will be moving again on tuesday... I hate my lack of stable housing, but at least I can borrow a friend's computer fori nternet access...

Fortunately, I am moving to something like a writer's paradise for the next month. I am borrowing a friend's cottage in the woods while they are out of the country. Isolation, clean air, nature, and high speed internet... Let's see if I can finish all my current stories before september.


The insane genius cackled as he sprinkled the dust of a meteorite into the bubbling cauldron. After a week of precisely timed additions and stirs, the potion was in it's last stage. Soon his masterpiece would be completed and his target would rue the day... Or such was the plan. No, his target had no reason to rationally expect an attack in such a manner. His plan must work. It would succeed at all costs!


Dumbledore was quite happy as he strolled the halls of his beloved school. For the first time in five years, nothing dark and sinister was lurking in his school except for the sixth year Slytherins. There was nothing waiting for him to turn his back before it struck, and the Dark Lord was content to stay quiet and avoid distracting his staff. Or so he thought.

Now to be fair, there still wasn't anything dark and sinister, nor was the Dark Lord being a problem to any of his staff or students, but there was someone waiting for him to turn his back. Harry Potter lurked in one of the omnipresent shadowy niches that Salazar Slytherin had built for his students to plot in, and waited for Dumbledore to be reasonably alone or distracted. With a few waves of his wand and a moment of bone grinding agony there was another Dumbledore stalking the first. As the class bell rang, the hall cleared except for a few students who had a free period. When the real Dumbledore was ambushed by Hermione with questions Harry seized this as his chance.

"That will be quite enough Mr. Potter!" Harry yelled at the Headmaster.

The real Dumbledore recognized his own voice and spun to see what his golden boy was doing now. He wasn't as surprised to hear himself as he should have been perhaps, but then again he was a bit barmy. When he turned he saw himself with an enraged expression bearing down on him.

With a silent flick of his wrist, Harry cast a mass stunning spell at the Headmaster. Fifty bolts of magic spread from his wand and sped towards his victim. The Headmaster was too stunned to avoid being stunned. Someone impersonating him had attacked him in his own school and he had no clue it was coming! How? These were the questions that occupied him before he collapsed to the floor. Harry cast a few enervating spells at the innocent bystanders before collecting his victim and floating him back to the Headmaster's office, the password to which he had stolen from Filch's mind earlier.

Harry chained the Headmaster into his chair and force fed him two potions. One was a dose of his greatest creation, a potion to destroy mental barriers and prevented occlumancy from renewing them. The other was a dose of veritaserum he had stolen from Snape's stores when he was looking for ingredients. Harry had decided he was going to steal some information from the Headmaster that he wouldn't normally be forthcoming with. The veritaserum was going to be a diversion while he ripped the true target from the old man's mind with legimancy. Once the potions were administered, Harry cast an anti-magic ward around him to prevent the Headmaster from escaping before he revived his prisoner.

"Welcome back to the land of the living Headmaster. We're going to have a talk you and I, and I am going to get the answers you have denied me for so long. Let's start with you telling me your name and when you were born."

" I am Albus Percival Barnibas Wulfric Dumbledore, born December thirteenth in the year eighteen thirty seven."

"Why do people think your name is Brian instead of Barnibas?"

"I was nicknamed Barny in my youth, and then people began making the Barny/Barmy comparison much like Miss Lovegood faces. Instead I told everyone my middle name was Brian so I could keep my monogrammed pajamas."

"I am still not certain the veritaserum is working. What is your most embarrassing memory?"

"When I was still a transfiguration professor I once had to give The Talk to a young man with rather odd leanings."

"What was so odd about his leanings?"

"The young man had defanged a viper and convinced it to perform acts of an oral nature with its ability to unhinge it's jaw and superb muscle control. I found him with his pants around his ankles just prior to our talk."

"Okay, I'm convinced that the veritaserum is working. Incidentally, please never mention Voldemort's sex life to me again. Why did you leave me at the Dursley's home?"

"I wanted you to grow up ignorant of your fame and magic."

"Why did you want that?"

"An ignorant child is easier to lead."

"After you had clear evidence of the abuse I suffered at the hands of the Dursley family, why did you force me to return every summer?"

"The blood wards relied on your presence." Beads of sweat formed on the Headmaster's forehead.

"Was there another reason?"

"Yes." The Headmaster was clearly fighting the potion.

"What are all the reasons I was forced to remain at the Dursley home?"

"The blood wards were powered by the presence of both parties, it kept you ignorant, I knew you would be easier to control and manipulate if your spirit were broken or you saw me as rescuing you every fall, and finally because once I learned that you and Voldemort shared an abusive childhood I had to see whether it was the abuse that lead him to evil."

"Why do you want to control and manipulate me?"

"I've grown accustomed to being the one everyone looks to for advice. If you became the new hero and savior, my influence would wane."

"Do you believe that your experiment with me worked?"

"I am not sure."

"Why are you not sure."

"Your attacking and questioning me forces me to consider your loyalties."

"Let me clear it up for you, I am loyal only to myself. I will protect my own interests first, last, and always. When I kill Voldemort it will not be for you or for society, or even for my parents, Sirius, and Cedric. I will kill Voldemort for purely selfish reasons. Now what have you decided about your experiments? I am curious too."

"In my mind you are still just barely on the side of the Light."

"Did you consider that I may have used the blackest of Black Magic, including human sacrifices?"

Tears formed in Dumbledore's eyes. "I did not know that. Is it true?"

"I'm afraid you are going to have to divine that information for yourself. I will tell you that my knowledge of the Dark Arts is on par with Voldemort himself. Now you must ask yourself if a child who has been hated, abused, reviled, and slandered can resist the sultry sweet temptress that is the rush of Dark Magic."

"I don't know."

"What you need to understand Albus Dumbledore is that people are not chess pieces. We make our own choices and we are damned by fate to accept their consequences. Severus Snape declared his loyalties and soul a long time ago. Whether he spies for you or Voldemort, it doesn't affect where his loyalties lie. He is and will always be a Dark Wizard."

"I thought we were talking about you."

"We are, but we are playing your favorite round robin guessing game, only you aren't allowed to lie by omission any more. Oh veritaserum, how I love thee!

"We are discussing loyalties and whether or not I have begun as Tom Riddle did all those years ago, correct? We were discussing if I was Dark or Light? Whether abuse was good for kids because it inspires a strong character? Did you know Albus Dumbledore, that according to my good friends at Gringotts, that I am the only person in the wizarding world under the age of twenty to either have or need a last will and testament?"

"I admit it, I was wrong. I have wronged you and many others. If you are worried about your fate, let me take care of it, I promise everything will go as you wished."

"I wouldn't let you know what to do when I die if you swore an unbreakable vow to do it exactly as I say! I've already arranged everything, outside this office your rights and authority extend only as far as you can physically or magically force me yourself. Singularly or as a group, the Order cannot cage me. I will tell you right now so that there is no possible way to misunderstand, The Order of the Phoenix will vacate 12 Grimmauld Place before the winter break or I will raze it and everyone inside to the ground." In truth, Harry thought this sounded like a good idea anyway. Sirius hated that house and he would rebuild his own home when and if he ever won.

"Harry, how can I mend this rift between us? We must remain united if we are to defeat Voldemort."

"Hmm... Looks like I will have to give you more Veritaserum, you just lied to me. Or maybe you are so deluded as to believe I need your help? In any event, there is nothing you can every do to correct the damage you did long ago, nor the absolutely despicable motives you still hold in your black little heart.

"It's time to end this interrogation, I haven't much time after all. This next part is going to hurt immensely, but rest assured it hurts on my end as well. Legimans!" Harry ripped through the non existant walls around his Headmaster's mind and sought out the knowledge of one spell. As he ripped the knowledge out of the older man's mind, he suddenly had a flash of insight.

"Obliviate!" Harry erased all knowledge of the spell and certain secrets tied to it, but left the knowledge of their discussion and even the obliviation intact. He then stunned and bound the Headmaster.


After a quick turn of his time turner, the two Dumbledores left the office and headed for the dungeon. The reason no one had noticed the duplicity was that the real Albus Dumbledore had been force fed a polyjuice potion to resemble a particularly troublesome first year before he was awoken. Harry left the anti-magic ward in place for safety, his own of course. Harry dropped his second most reviled staff member with his first for a detention.

Dumbledore tried to talk his way out of the detention, but only succeeded in getting a few more for his cheek. By the time his cauldron cleaning punishment was over, Dumbledore raced for his office never knowing he had lost an hour and had in fact just disappeared from his office after being interrogated.


Harry spent the next few days dodging the angry Headmaster, but he was busy. Nearly everyone in the school could somehow feel that something important was about to happen. Some experienced unexplainable paranoia, others a sort of euphoric tenseness. Not everyone felt the extremes obviously, and some were completely ignorant. Ron for instance only noticed that other people seemed to be acting a little off, and if Luna noticed anything at all no one could tell.

December twentieth was the day after the end of classes and the day before the Hogwarts Express would take the students home. It was also a Saturday so the fact that Harry slept later than usual went unnoticed. Harry went through his routine before a meeting with Voldemort. He slept in, took a long and thorough shower, dressed in his battle robes, and ate a ridiculously large breakfast. The students in the Great Hall when he arrived for breakfast took note of his unusual clothing.

"Harry, are those the robes Madam Malkin made this summer?" Lavender Brown asked.

"Yes they are, she did a wonderful job with them too. The Chinese Fireball scales hold a perfect gloss that is nearly impossible to scuff and you just cant beat this silk lining for comfort."

"I was wondering who paid out the galleons for those. I worked for her part time over the summer so I saw them being made. She was happy to receive such and expensive commission."

"Who else would order the ultimate Gryffindor robes? The money was well spent, unless I am stupid enough to walk in front of the Knight Bus I am going to die in these robes. I wear them every time I expect to have to do some heavy fighting."

"So why are you wearing them now?"

"Well aside from the fact that I like the feel of silk against my skin," Harry brushed his hair aside and tapped his scar with a finger. "I've got a feeling I am going to need them."

"Do you think You-Know-Who might..." Lavender looked around as if a monster from her nightmares was about to leap from a corner at any moment.

"No, I think everyone else is safe, but I think it is about time for another kidnaping on my part. I figure that I'll face it with a smile on my face and a good meal in my belly, not to mention dressed to the nines." Harry gave the girl a lopsided grin.

Just then Snape marched up clearly looking to blow off steam at his favorite pastime. "Potter, that will be twenty points from Gryffindor for inappropriate dress, and another fifty for lying to Slytherin students in order to get them to obey your orders."

"Term ended yesterday at dinner, thus I am not out of dress code. Frankly I wouldn't care if I was, I like this robe and paid a lot of money for it. I'm not even going to listen to you babble about what lies you think I am spreading to your students."

With a wave of his hands, the unicorn hair sown into the cuffs of his robe cast a silencing charm and bound the irate professor in ropes. As Hermione was quick to point out, it looked a lot like wand less magic. She looked up from her book.

"Harry, when did you learn to do that?"

"I learned a silencing charm in first year, the binding curse while studying for the DA and the parsel-magic to prevent him from freeing himself over the summer."

"I meant when did you learn to do it wandlessly? I recognized the spells except for whatever parsel-magic is."

"I'm rubbish at wandless magic, about all I can do is summon my wand back. Just because you didn't see a wand does not mean it was wand less. And parsel-magic is magic only parselmouths can do. The most basic application we are currently seeing, I can make a spell uncounterable except to another parselmouth. Right now Snape isn't going anywhere or speaking to anyone unless either I or Voldemort set him free. If I am still alive, I might set him free before I leave tomorrow."

"Harry, do I need to point out the many things wrong with attacking a professor?"

"Hermione, I know exactly what's wrong with attacking and holding a professor hostage, I just don't care."

"What are you saying?"

"More than likely I've got another duel with Voldemort coming up, I'll either return a hero or not at all. I imagine that one of us won't be so lucky this time. If I win, Snape could have been just one more Death Eater I had to kill along the way. If I lose, Snape was a disloyal spy and will be executed. I hardly think a little time with a vow of silence and wrapped in ropes will be held against me."

"You better win!" Hermione gave him a pouty glare.

"I'll try but I still can't afford to underestimate Voldemort. He is my equal in all areas of magical skill and power, and he has more experiance using it. Instincts and our abilities to hide what we are about to do will play a major role in this conflict."

"Do you have a plan?"

"Of course I have a plan, but I don't want to talk about it. I'd rather spend today with you, let's go enjoy the winter scenery while we can." Harry gave her a wink and a grin.


When the dessert course was being served at the winter feast, a cold chill ran through the hall. The candles darkened ever so slightly and a church bell could be heard tolling mournfully in the background. The main doors opened silently and on their own as a dense fog rolled into the room. The sound of twelve people marching in perfect step range through the air. The thirteenth man to enter the hall walked with a graceful gliding step that made absolutely no noise.

The newcomers were dressed head to toe in black clothing and had simple black veils over their faces. When the others stopped along the center aisle, the last man proceeded three quarters of the way down the tables and turned to look in Harry's direction. Voldemort raised his veil.

"Harry James Potter..." The man spoke softly, but his words carried over an absolutely silent hall.

"Lord Voldemort, you always did like a dramatic entrance." Harry stood and returned the greeting, such as it was.

"Is everything prepared for my execution?"

"Who said you would go first? What if I wanted you to kill me first? I researched the execution." Harry let indignation seep into his voice.

"Who paid for it? Who is really responsible for this being able to happen at all?"

"All right you win, I'll execute you. Come with me, everything is prepared."

The students and staff of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry watched as the two mortal enemies walked out of the Great Hall with less fanfare but much more attention. As soon as the doors closed whispers and speculation broke out about where they were going and what was going on. Dumbledore stood and called for the prefects and professors to escort the students back to the common rooms which would be locked from the inside. Anyone found to be missing would be expelled.


Harry and Voldemort entered the darkened washroom. Even Myrtle didn't stop them to talk as they made their way to the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. The entrance opened and the men descended into the bowels of the castle after sealing the room and setting a few booby traps so they could not be disturbed, despite the unlikely hood of an undiscovered parselmouth helping Dumbledore or the Ministry.