Disclaimer: This story is based on characters created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

AN: Thanks for all the amazing reviews! I'm extremely happy! And here's a fast update for my loyal reviewers!

I agree, Orion should have planned for it beforehand, but I really don't want to make him perfect… so he'll keep making mistakes. And well, he had a very tough year, studying for his WITs, planning DA lessons, training his magic, etc... So he didn't have time to spare to plan for a break into the Department of Mysteries. Besides, how do you plan a break into someplace no one knows how it's like? Orion didn't know anything about the Department, and there's no information about it anywhere; only Unspeakables know about it. So how can one plan an attack? Voldemort could plan it since he had Rookwood's help. So that's my excuse, anyway, –grins-.

A few pointers about the last chapter: No one has seen Tom's locket, Orion has it under his robes; Voldemort did hear Orion calling him 'Tom' and saying that Lezander was his mate –though they aren't yet, not completely- (and that was the part that shocked and angered Voldemort so much), but also remember that Dumbledore called Voldemort 'Tom' during the fight; as for what Dumbledore suspects, you'll soon find out; Orion had been using his Phoenix wand during the whole episode; and some important parts of canon I'm not changing, just adding some more twists to it, as it will show as the story progresses. Well, that's it. Some other things will be cleared up in this chapter, though some others won't; the important revelations will come later, –grins-.

Enjoy & Review!

Chapter 37

An old man was lying on a small, tattered cot against a wall. He was emaciated, the bones of his face sticking out sharply against the yellowish skin, on a face which had been handsome in the past. The hands that lay upon the old blanket could have belonged to a skeleton. His hazel eyes seemed vast in their sunken sockets, but there was liveliness in them, still. Blond curly hair, with many streaks of grey and white, was filled with grime and matted against his forehead.

"I don't understand what I'm doing here," said Orion frantically, looking around the room.

It was very small, filthy, and dark. Orion shuddered as it reminded him of the cell in which his father had been locked up in Azkaban.

The old man rose from the cot, and inspected Orion shrewdly. Then he said with a slight German accent, "Have you come to kill me?"

Orion's eyes snapped back to him. The old man seemed completely unconcerned, as if expecting it, and perhaps, welcoming it.

"No!" said Orion. "Why would I? But why am I here? Where are we?"

"In the topmost level of Nurmengard Tower, of course," said the old wizard.

"The prison you build for your political enemies," whispered Orion. He intently looked at him. "I remember now, they threw you in here in 1945, after Dumbledore defeated you. But what am I doing here with you, Grindelwald?" Then he added desperately, "What's the meaning of this? How do I get back?"

Grindelwald arched a white eyebrow. "I assume someone gave you a portkey and that it just activated."

Orion gasped and quickly took out the onyx pendant around his neck.

"What a nice touch," said Grindelwald with a snort. "A Deathly Hallows pendant."

"You can see through the glamour?" said Orion in wonder.

"Oh, yes," said Grindelwald gleefully. His eyes roamed Orion's face, and instantly, he reached Orion and trailed a dirty, thin finger over Orion's invisible scar. "Interesting… very interesting…"

Orion took a step back in alarm, and gasped out, "You see through my blood glamour? How?"

"Oh, relax, boy," said Grindelwald pleasantly. "I doubt anyone else can see it but me, and some few who have some rare creature blood in them. I can see it, because, I'm simply the most powerful wizard alive. Well, until now, I dare say."

The old wizard's eyes inspected Orion's scar intently, and then he said with an amused chuckle, "Oh, they won't like that at all…"

"They?" said Orion. "Who are they?"

Grindelwald arched an eyebrow, and said mockingly, "The omniscient spirits of Sturm und Drang, of course. Don't tell me they haven't approached you yet?"

Orion's mind swirled with thoughts. He had picked up some German at school, inevitably, since many students were from German-speaking countries. Finally, he said quietly, "Sturm und Drang, Storm and Stress, Durmstrang… You know them? Who are they?"

"Who do you think they are?" replied Grindelwald, with a smirk on his gaunt face. "Mother and son, founders of an ancient Institute which specializes in the Dark Arts, which admits no mudbloods…"

"Morgana and Mordred," whispered Orion in wonder. Then he added excitedly, "Merlin's beard! It's amazing! But how are they still on this plane? How did they do it? And why?"

Grindelwald chuckled with amusement. "Better not mention 'Merlin' in front of them, boy, unless you want to be bored to death with a long, vicious, diatribe against him."

"Then it's you who is going to give me information, right?" said Orion eagerly. "Morgana told me that I had to see you – well, that I had to see whoever the portkey took me to. And that I would only find them after this portkey activated. So you must know something!"

Grindelwald smirked at him. "Oh, I know many things, my little successor."

Orion's eyes widened, and he said nervously, "What do you mean successor? I'm not your successor!"

"Well, they certainly believe you are," said Grindelwald calmly. Then he asked eagerly, "Tell me, have you found all the Hallows already?"

"I- I found two," said Orion quietly. "I still need the Elder Wand. As you know, Dumbledore has it now. But it's an unbeatable wand, isn't it? So I wonder how I'll get it from him." He frowned and added, "Though it can't be so unbeatable if Dumbledore took it from you, and if Dumbledore can't even defeat Voldemort…"

Grindelwald snorted. "The wand is unbeatable for its true master, though you still have to beat Dumbledore, which isn't easy. I can tell you from personal experience."

"Right," said Orion with a deep frown. "But what do you mean, that I'm your successor?"

"Well, I applied the term loosely," said Grindelwald. Then he added bitterly, "After all, I was a failed experiment, wasn't I? They must be very excited with you, boy. A Black, correct? I can tell from your features… Yes, perhaps they finally got it right..."

Abruptly, he tightly grasped Orion's shoulders, and said fiercely, "Don't be fooled by them. They believe themselves to be omniscient and omnipotent but they certainly aren't, considering that scar on your forehead. They obviously can't control everything; they couldn't prevent that scar from happening to you. I don't even think they know what it is. What an excellent surprise for them, I would enjoy seeing their faces when they found out what it truly is. They will be furious that someone messed with their latest experiment. I bet that they're counting on you being the one. Finally, what they have been ruthlessly plotting for countless centuries. But don't let them control you. They couldn't control me, so don't give them that power over you. Your destiny might be fixed, but if you're the one, you can find your own path, on your own terms."

Orion's jaw had dropped and he was looking at Grindelwald with wide, confused eyes.

Finally, he said hesitantly, "I- I don't understand. What do you mean, experiment? And what do you know about my scar? And what fixed destiny?!" Then he added frantically, "I need more time to talk to you, but I can't do it now, I have to get back! I must help my friend and my mate!"

Grindelwald snorted, and then said harshly, "Mate? What mate, boy? The Vindico Atrum has no mate, no equal, no love; his path is one of darkness, pain, and solitude." His eyes adopted a fervent glint, and he added in a zealous voice, "But it's all worth it; for the immense power, the glory, and the strength to ravage the world and rebuild it as it should be."

"Ravage the world?" said Orion deeply alarmed. Then he aggressively grasped Grindelwald, and hissed, "And I do have a mate, without the bond complete, but I have his blood, and we'll complete the bond soon." He pulled down his collar, clearly showing him the two small marks.

Grindelwald's eyes widened, then his head snapped back as a boisterous laughter sprung from his throat. "Oh, wonderful, this is wonderful! Just wait until they see this! Oh, what I would give to be there! Vampire blood in you as well... I wonder what you are now, boy!"

Orion released him, and snapped, "Glad that I provide you with some amusement. Now tell me what you meant with experiments and this whole Vindico Atrum issue."

Grindelwald smirked at him. "How many hours do you have?"

"I don't have a single minute to spare, much less hours!" said Orion impatiently. He shakily carded his fingers through his hair, and said frantically, "I'll just have to come back later, I must return!"

Grindelwald snorted. "That portkey only works once, boy. If you leave now, you won't be able to come back."

"What?!" said Orion desperately. "Why?"

"Because the portkey activated when you had a major breakthrough with your dark powers," replied Grindelwald calmly. He looked intently at Orion, and added, "Maybe you bested Death, hmm? That would certainly do the trick. Though I wonder if you could do it again… Regardless, the portkey will disintegrate once you go back."

"Fuck!" said Orion, as he frantically started pacing the small room. Suddenly, he swirled around and snapped his eyes to Grindelwald's, "What do you know about my dark powers?"

Grindelwald arched an eyebrow, and with a smirk, he lifted his left palm, and in an instant, a small sphere of black flames sprung from it.

Orion's eyes widened, and he gasped, "You're like me!" He abruptly grasped Grindelwald, and said quietly, "Were you the Vindico Atrum?"

Grindelwald chuckled with amusement. "No, boy, as I said, I was a failed experiment. And there can only be one Vindico Atrum in all human kind and in all eternity. Oh, I certainly tried, but in the end, I wouldn't subject myself to the ultimate test; I knew I wouldn't pass it."

"What test?" snapped Orion impatiently.

Grindelwald smirked at him. "The one which signifies your death if you're not the one, but which makes you the Vindico Atrum if you are. It's supposed to be very painful and almost impossible to survive, even if you are the one with the powers to become the Vindico Atrum."

"Oh, Merlin," said Orion wearily. "There's so much I need to ask you. But I can't do it now! I've taken too long as it is." He narrowed his eyes at Grindelwald, and added, "If you have your powers intact, why don't you escape?"

"Because I've been waiting for you, and I have no purpose any longer. Not to mention that this prison is heavily warded, even against my powers," replied Grindelwald calmly. He pierced Orion with his hazel eyes, and added curtly, "If you're leaving, you must kill me first."

"What?" gasped Orion. "I have no intention of killing you! Oh, I know you were a cruel and vicious killer, but you're my only source of information. And besides, I wouldn't kill you without a good reason."

"You must kill me!" snarled Grindelwald. "It's the way it works!"

Orion frowned at him. "Another thing you must explain, I'm sure. But I'm not doing it." He pierced Grindelwald with his eyes, and added in steely determination, "If I can't portkey here, then I'll break in, and take you out. Then, you will tell me everything."

Grindelwald crossed his bony arms over his chest, and smirked. "That would be greatly entertaining."

Orion snorted and gave him a mock, flippant bow. "I live to amuse you, Lord Grindelwald."

"Call me Gellert, boy," said Grindelwald, with an amused sparkle in his eyes. "After all, it seems we're brothers in arms, or better said, brothers in destiny."

"It would seem that way," said Orion with an arched eyebrow. Then he added in stern determination, "I will find a way of getting you out of here, I promise. I don't know how long it will take me, but wait for me. I WILL come for you."

Grindelwald gave him a small crooked smile and nodded.

Orion instantly brought out his Death and Life wand and pointed it towards the onyx pendant.

He was about to activate it, when Grindelwald said faintly, "You have it?"

Orion snapped his eyes to him. "What? This wand?"

"Yes," said Grindelwald breathlessly, looking intently at the wand, as if craving to touch it.

Orion frowned. "What's so special about it?"

"You're joking, right?" said Grindelwald incredulously. "The Elder Wand serves a purpose, for the ultimate test; but the wand in your hand is the one which will stay with you for the rest of your life. It's the one which allows your dark magic to flow more purely and potently."

"My dark magic works with another wand as well," said Orion with a frown. "Though this one is better."

"It works with another wand?" asked Grindelwald confusedly. "That shouldn't be possible..." Then he intently looked at Orion, and added quietly, "If you're able of wielding this wand, then you have very good chances, boy. They wouldn't have given it to you if they didn't think you had it in you to become the Vindico Atrum."

Orion sighed wearily. "Well, yeah, we'll see about that once you've told me everything." He shot Grindelwald a grateful glance, and said quietly, "Thanks, Gellert, for your help. Oh, by the way, I'm Orion Black."

Grindelwald smirked at him, and tapped the side of his forehead with a finger. "Already knew that, boy."

"How?" asked Orion with a frown. Then he said with a frustrated sigh, "Never mind, I must leave." As he was about to activate the portkey, he shot Grindelwald a smirk, and said, "Wait for me, old man. Don't kick the bucket before I get you out."

"Cheeky brat!" said Grindelwald with a small, crooked smile. "Be gone, be gone, before I show you that this old sack of bones could still kick your ass!"

With a chuckle, Orion activated the portkey and disappeared from the cell, leaving behind an old dark wizard, sitting on his tattered cot, deeply concentrated on his thoughts, and fervently hoping that the boy would really be the one; but also deeply concerned about what laid in the future, wondering if the boy would be strong enough to survive all the devastation and sorrow to come.

In a blink, Orion appeared on the dais of the Veil Room, as the portkey disintegrated in his hands, in a puff of black smoke.

Orion instantly ducked at a flying spell that shot over his head. Crouching, he looked around with widened eyes. If the battle had been fierce before, it was even more now. He estimated that he had been gone for ten minutes, and the Order and the Death Eaters had resumed the fighting as if it was for their very lives, which wasn't too far from the truth.

Orion frantically scanned the scene, looking for Calypso and Lezander, his heart pumping fast, desperate to reach their side and see how Lezander was faring.

Wild spells flashed and ricocheted, in an array of startling colors, in the glum, dark atmosphere of the Veil room. There were about ten Death Eaters, fighting against twelve Order members, all scattered around the room, in pairs of three or two. As yells, bellows, curses, and beams of light ignited the room, he caught sight of the most spectacular duel he had ever seen.

Voldemort and Dumbledore were fiercely battling each other in the middle of the room. Their powerful auras clashing and permeating the room with saturated, breathtaking magic, that made his skin tingle.

Voldemort had conjured a gigantic snake of fiery red flames, which darted its head, here and there, trying to bite Dumbledore, who kept apparating and disapparating from one spot to the next, dodging it, and casting an array of spells against it.

In the next moment, Voldemort was lifted from the ground, trapped in a spinning ball of rushing water. Orion gasped, as Voldemort, still madly spinning inside, transformed the ball into a huge glass sphere, which instantly broke in a powerful explosion, glass shards shooting everywhere, as Dumbledore protected himself with a powerful shield.

In a hitch of breath, Voldemort disappeared in a swirl of black mist, to appear behind Dumbledore, quickly casting the killing curse. The old man swirled around and swiftly conjured a metallic mirror, which shattered at the moment of impact, saving his life.

Orion forced himself to wrench his eyes from the duel, and he kept searching, frantically, breathlessly. Finally, he saw them, and his heart stopped.

Calypso was crouched on a corner, to a side from where Dumbledore and Voldemort were battling each other, with thick tears rolling down her cheeks, as she rocked Lezander on her lap, who lay with closed eyes, and motionless.

With a shriek of horror, Orion jumped to his feet, madly rushing towards them, his face pale, anxious, and desperate; not wanting to believe, not thinking it possible, as tears started streaming down his cheeks.

'Let him be alright! Please, he must be alright!' desperately thought Orion, as his heart clenched painfully in his chest.

He dodged spells, jumped to avoid curses, and blasted everyone who stood in his way, until he finally launched himself to Calypso's side, as the fierce battle raged on, a small distance away from their secluded corner.

Calypso snapped her tear-stained face to look at him, and she frantically said, "Where have you been, Orion?!"

But Orion didn't hear her, he pulled Lezander to him, and frantically started checking his body for injuries, for any clue.

Calypso stilled his frantic hands, and cried with desperation, "I already checked, Orion. I can't find his pulse! He's dead!"

"NO!" bellowed Orion at her, pushing her away from Lezander. "He's not! I saved him, Calypso! I felt his soul returning to his body! He's alive!"

Calypso looked at him with infinite sorrow, and whispered softly, gently touching his shoulder, "He's gone."

"HE IS ALIVE!" cried Orion desperately, choking sobs that threatened to tear his heart apart.

He tightly held Lezander against him, and caressed his handsome face, rocking him, as he whispered urgently, brokenly, "Come on, love... Wake up, wake up… I know you're there… I saved you, remember… I felt your soul… I gave it back to you… I know you're alive… WAKE UP!!!!"

Calypso grabbed him frantically, and yelled, "Stop this, Orion. HE'S GONE!"

"NOOOO!" bellowed Orion insanely, as he violently pushed her away.

He desperately grabbed Lezander and laid him on the floor. Orion savagely bit his wrist, and forcefully opened Lezander's mouth, placing his opened wrist against Lezander's lips, blood flowing to his mate's mouth.

Orion frantically massaged Lezander's throat, to make him swallow all the blood he was giving him. "Come on, Lez… Come on, my love… drink…drink…"

His mind became dizzy and clouded, as his blood kept flowing into Lezander's mouth. He slumped on Lezander, still giving him his blood-life, and gripping him tightly, as he weakened further.

Trembling, as sobs started to wreck his body, and summoning all the strength he had left, Orion straddled Lezander, and he hysterically started to pound his chest, to make the heart pump the blood, as his own wound quickly closed, healing itself.

He shrieked desperately, insanely, pounding Lezander's chest and slapping his face, "YOU'RE NOT DEAD! You're not dead, my love… You know why? Because I feel you in me, coursing through my veins… Remember, love, we're mates…. We were going to get married…"

Orion choked a despondent sob, and as he kept beating, he cried, "We were going to be together, love… You helping me, me helping you…remember what we promised each other… YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME!"

He pounded Lezander's chest hard, "LIVE! - COME ON, LIVE! DAMN YOU! - LIVE! - I GAVE YOU LIFE! - YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME ALONE! - WHAT ABOUT US? WHAT ABOUT WHAT YOU PROMISED ME?! - OUR LIVES TOGETHER! - DAMN YOU! WAKE UP!! - YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE FOR ME! - LIVE!- "

But Lezander didn't react, he lay motionless on the hard stone floor. Orion threw himself on Lezander, as he felt his heart breaking irreversibly, a sorrow so profound encompassing him, that he knew that he would never be the same again, that love wouldn't exist for him anymore, that he would never be able to feel it again…

He desperately kissed Lezander's parted, blood-stained lips, as if willing his own life into him, while he caressed Lezander's face. Orion broke the kiss, his lips lingering on Lezander's, and he whispered brokenly, in between heart-breaking sobs, "Without you I can't go on, Lez… I will lose my mind… You showed me what was worth fighting for… To have a life next to you… If I can't have that, then why fight?...But I can still feel you…I know you're alive…You'll soon wake up, won't you? I'll wait…"

Orion rested his head on Lezander's chest, tightly hugging him, his body shaking with despondent sobs, which didn't seem to end… He refused to believe, he had felt it himself, Lezander's soul surviving…He only needed to wait, and Lezander would come back… He was certain… He had to come back…. Orion closed his eyes, wishing nothing more but to feel Lezander's body against his…wishing to hear their hearts beating as one again….

Calypso watched them in silence, tears streaming on her face, sobs wrecking her body.

Suddenly, Orion's eyes snapped open, and he swiftly got up from Lezander, crouching by his side, and he desperately touched Lezander's chest.

He looked at Calypso, and said frantically, "I felt him, Calypso!... Very faintly… But his heart is still beating!"

"What?" gasped Calypso, scrambling to his side. "Are you certain?"

"Yes, yes!" said Orion urgently. "I have a vampire's perceptions, I heard his heart!"

Calypso shot him an alarmed glance. "What do you mean you have a vampire's perceptions? By Merlin, Orion! Did you two mate? What possessed you? He's not the one for you and you know it!"

"Watch what you say!" snarled Orion. "You know nothing!"

"This is not the time, but we will talk about it!" replied Calypso resolutely. "Now, what do we do?"

"His parents!" said Orion at once. "If anyone can help him, it's them!"

"But how do we take him there if the portkeys don't work?" said Calypso frantically.

"First, we go to my Manor," said Orion. "You will stay there, safe, and I'll take him to Zraven Citadel."

"But the Ministry wards!" retorted Calypso worriedly.

"I'll deal with them!" said Orion with fierce determination. "It's quicker to open a hole through them, than trying to find the exit of this bloody place."

"We don't know how to bring down such wards," said Calypso, looking at him with concern, as if fearing he was losing touch of reality.

"I do, Calypso," said Orion sharply. "Roman prepared me for it. Don't know why, but rest assured that I'll ask him."

Calypso looked at him worriedly, but she instantly gave him his Phoenix wand, as she said, "I kept it safe for you."

Orion gave her a grateful smile as he took it, and then, he said with deep concern as he remembered, "Are you injured? My dark magic didn't hurt you, did it?"

"I'm not hurt," said Calypso quietly. "I don't know why, but your magic didn't hurt me, it seemed to have a mind of its own. I was the only one not threatened." She chuckled and added, "Everyone kept shooting me weird glances for it. As if they believed that I had done something to stop it. They'll think I'm a great powerful witch, now!"

"You are," said Orion with a grin.

Orion shook his head, as he emptied it from every thought except what he needed to do. He pocketed his Phoenix wand, stood up with his other wand, and closed his eyes, to concentrate on the task. He blocked all the noises, yells, and screams from the battle, as he remembered the spells.

With fierce determination and urgency, he gathered all his magic around him, as his heart started pumping fast, his blood rushing, and cold sweat starting to break on his forehead.

'If I believe I can do it, then I can,' said Orion to himself. 'Never fear my powers, as Karkaroff told me. I'm powerful enough, I just have to realize it, like Vagnarov said.'

He heaved in a breath, and with fierce determination, he encouraged his dark magic to swell up in him again, to fill him like it had happened before, to come to his aid… He felt it obeying, rushing through his body, and he did it much more easily than ever before. He allowed himself to be completely filled by it, his senses tingling in pleasure, and the intense surge of dark energy igniting him.

Orion snapped his eyes open and slashed his Death and Life wand through the air, in constant motion, pouring all his magic through it, as he whispered the litany of spells, "Wardum visibilum occulis… Runaes muestrum corpus… Modificum protectum alica… Visibilum mobilis bloqueum…"

In an instant, as he had hopefully expected, the walls and ceilings of the huge room seem to ignite before his eyes, as he was the only one who could see the layered grids of runic and arithmetic codes inscribed in every inch of the stone walls. They colorfully flashed before him, in constant motion, vibrating in power, as they moved along the walls.

Orion quickly scanned them, translating the runic and arithmetic symbols in his mind, looking for the right combination to break, searching for any weakness in their links.

At last, he caught sight of a thin, long line of vibrating purple codes, which crept all around the walls, the ceiling and the floor. He read the runic and arithmetic combinations once more, ascertaining that it was the anti-portkey ward code.

Very carefully, making sure not to disrupt other codes since it seemed that none were broken and there was one which didn't move, as if halted - surely done by Voldemort to prevent the Ministry from detecting the presence of people inside-, he aimed his wand at purple code. With a muttered spell, he froze it.

Then, Orion aimed his wand at the section that needed to be disrupted. With intense concentration, wrinkling his sweaty forehead, he started chanting, as he rushed out his magic through his wand once again, "Desvinculum combinae… Permutas runaes e numerae… Severi mobilis bloquem…"

Orion repeated the chant, over and over, as the small symbols started to break from each other, the runes shifting, the combinations changing, as more sweat broke on his forehead at the intense and constant effort, his exhaustion increasing by the minute, but he kept on breaking the small links, pushing all his magic towards them, to force the symbols into compliance….

Finally, he saw the last link breaking apart, and he immediately froze the section, to avoid raising the alarm, and he dropped to the floor, panting for air, and exhausted. He flicked his wand to cancel his visibility of the codes, and as the flashing codes disappeared from his sight, he crawled towards Calypso, who was tightly grabbing Lezander.

She instantly asked, "So, did you do it?"

"Yes," replied Orion tiredly. Then he hastily said, "I opened a time-window of one minute for us, or the alarm system of the Ministry would have gone off by detecting my tampering. So get the portkey out, now!"

Calypso frantically took out the portkey from her pocket, and she tightly hugged Lezander.

Orion stretched out a hand to grasp the portkey as well, when suddenly, Calypso shrieked, looking past Orion, "NOOOOO!"

Orion quickly spun around but was too late to dodge the incoming spell. With a startled gasp, Orion fell to the floor, and instantly, he felt a pull around his body and he started sliding on the floor at full speed….

It stopped, and he looked up.

"I'm afraid I can't allow you to flee Mr. Black. It's very difficult to get a hold on you," said Dumbledore with twinkling eyes, his wand aimed at Orion.

Orion desperately looked around and saw Calypso, several feet away, on the corner, looking at him with wide, fearful eyes. He yelled frantically to her, "Scaly! Take Wildmane away from here – You don't have any more time, do it now!"

In an instant, she nodded with understanding and he saw her disappearing with Lezander. He sighed with relief, and with an angry snarl, he jumped to his feat, aiming his wand at Dumbledore.

Orion saw that he was in between Dumbledore and Voldemort, who seemed to have stopped battling, surely because of Dumbledore's unexpected action of pulling him towards them.

He furiously spat at Dumbledore, "Why did you do that? Do you want to duel with me, old man?"

"My dear boy," said Dumbledore gently, "you misunderstand me completely. I merely wish for you to come with me. There's much we need to talk about."

Orion snorted. "What about? Why I'm here perhaps? I came to help my school friends, who you just saw disappearing. I have no interest in whatever you want to tell me. This vendetta between you and Voldemort is your own issue. I have nothing to do with it."

"What's the meaning of this, Dumbledore?" hissed Voldemort angrily, his wand aimed at Dumbledore, but not casting since he wanted answers.

Dumbledore ignored him, and said calmly to Orion, "You have been lied to, Orion. There's much you don't know. And you're wrong about your position in matters that are currently affecting the wizarding world." He narrowed his eyes, and added, "Don't believe me to be ignorant about you, boy. I saw you helping the Death Eaters. Now, you'll come with me and-"

"You're not taking him anywhere!" snarled Voldemort furiously, pulling Orion towards him.

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, and said to Orion, "It seems you're in much deeper than I suspected." Then he added sternly, "Do you know what this man has done to you? If indeed he could be called a man. It seems that he has brainwashed you. But you need to know the truth, my child. I can't allow you to remain in ignorance any longer."

In an instant, Dumbledore slashed his wand through the air, shooting a spell at Orion.

Voldemort immediately pulled Orion to a side, as he countered, "Vertum obscurum!"

Orion jumped to a side, as Voldemort started dueling Dumbledore again. In that second, his perceptions about Voldemort started changing. Voldemort had protected him, but not only that, he knew that Voldemort must have his suspicions by now, but still, Voldemort helped him. Maybe, just maybe, he could work things out with him…

Suddenly, Dumbledore sent a spell towards him and Orion stumbled out of the way. But then, his heart froze.

As if in slow motion, he saw the prophecy orb shoot from his pocket, flying towards Dumbledore's extended hand. The old man knew who he was!

Orion instantly shot his own spell towards the orb, to prevent its advancement, and he threw himself towards it, extending his hand as far as he could, eventually falling to the hard floor with a painful groan, and sliding a few feet on the smooth floor, as the orb formed an arch through the air, about to hit the floor.

It slipped. The glass orb, slipped through his extended fingers, and noisily crashed on the floor.

Everything seemed to freeze: Orion motionless on the floor, looking with wide eyes at the smashed orb; Dumbledore with an unsatisfied look in his eyes; and Voldemort fixing his eyes to where the orb had crashed.

A pearly-white figure fluidly unfurled from the fragments of broken glass, draped in shawls, as it rose into the air, her eyes magnified to enormous size behind her glasses, and she revolved slowly. Then she spoke, but not in the ethereal, mystic voice that Orion remembered from her classes, but in a harsh, hoarse tone:

'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches… born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies …and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not … and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives …the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies …'

Then the slowly revolving Professor Trelawney melted into thin air.

Abruptly, Orion started to laugh hysterically, insanely, and brokenly.

It was too much. He just couldn't cope with it; everything seemed to be fixed in his life, all his life planned for him in advance… Possible Vindico Atrum with an apparent future of vast power but loveless solitude, and now, he was destined to kill Voldemort… It was as if he couldn't escape from anything, it seemed that he couldn't choose for himself, since how could he be a Vindico Atrum, fighting for the Dark, if he also had to kill Voldemort in order to live? Just what was his real place in the world? Both sides pulling at him… demanding his support, because obviously that was what Dumbledore and the rest of the Light wizards wanted from him, that he fought for them…. and on the other hand, his own blood and magic made him dark, his own conscience making him want to help the dark wizards, to liberate them from their oppression… He couldn't think clearly anymore… He simply wanted everything to stop!

Voldemort violently pulled Orion to his feet, and he hissed furiously, "It was you all along, you deceiving, back-stabbing, little piece of shit!"

Dumbledore jumped at them, casting a spell to disengage Orion from Voldemort, to protect him.

Orion flew through the air and hissed with pain when he crashed against a stone bench. He couldn't think straight anymore, his mind was dizzy from the impact, and every single bone of his body seemed to ache. He confusedly saw Dumbledore fighting against Voldemort, who was determinate to get to him.

Suddenly, a bright green beam of light shot from Voldemort's wand, careening towards him. His mind slowly processed the information, and when it was mere inches away from him, Orion launched himself to a side, the killing curse impacting on the stone bench and shattering it.

In a flash, Dumbledore grabbed him, and said quickly, "If you want to live, come with me!"

"No! I have to clear things up!" said Orion frantically, wanting to explain things to Voldemort, not believing it could end like this: with the Order protecting him and Voldemort wanting to kill him. He didn't want to change sides!

It happened so fast, that Orion didn't even have time to blink. Dumbledore cast a mobilus corpus on him, and he was floating in the air, unable to move, the scene flashing in his eyes, as Dumbledore flew up the stone benches, with him floating by his side…

People were shouting behind him, he could hear Voldemort bellowing, chasing them, and casting spells to stop them.

They were speeding along the brain room now, only Orion eyes being able to move, he saw the two Death Eaters on the ground, still with the brains tightly wrapped around them…

He was jolted in the air, as Dumbledore lifted him to dodge a spell Voldemort had shot. Then Dumbledore kept running, casting spells over his shoulders from time to time, with him floating by his side…

They entered the circular black room, and the walls started rotating at once. When it stopped, Dumbledore shot a spell and one door opened, they sped through it, along a corridor, towards the lifts stretched ahead of them…

Orion heard a lift clattering ahead, in the next second, they were inside, the lift jangling and banging as it went up and up…

He didn't know what to do, his arms were frozen by his side, he couldn't speak, he couldn't reach his wands, he couldn't use his palms to use his dark magic…

"Atrium," said the female voice.

Dumbledore sped with him along the Atrium, towards one of the many fireplaces lined up a few feet away from them….

As they were rushing past the fountain, suddenly, Orion heard a bellow and something hit him. He crashed against a wall, and slumped down to the floor, his Death and Life wand slipping from his hand, and rolling away from him….

With a groan of pain, Orion opened his eyes, and stilled. Voldemort was aiming a wand at him, towering over him, with furious crimson eyes glinting insanely.

Orion felt a burst of pain in his head, his scar aching with a stabbing pain, feeling Voldemort's wrath… 'It shouldn't be happening,' thought Orion, his mind a mess of jumbled thoughts wrapped in pain. 'Not with Lezander's blood…'

"I have nothing more to say to you, Orion," Voldemort said quietly. Orion snapped his eyes to his. Was there a flicker of pain and regret in those crimson eyes?

"You have been betraying me all along..."

Orion shakily tried to stand up, as he desperately cried, "NO! Listen to me! I didn't –"

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Orion's mind was blank as the green beam shot towards him… He couldn't believe that Voldemort would end things like this….

In the last second, his instincts kicked in, and he started to fling himself to a side, just at the same time when the golden statue of the wizard of the fountain sprung to life, leaping from its plinth to land with a crash between Orion and Voldemort. The killing curse glanced off its chest as the statue flung out its arms to protect Orion.

"Dumbledore!" hissed furiously Voldemort, as he swirled around. "Won't you ever die! Protecting your pet once again, I see!"

Orion, panting for air and his heart pumping madly, looked past Voldemort and saw Dumbledore with his wand aimed at Voldemort, and a thunderous expression on his face. 'Dumbledore looks disheveled; Voldemort must have cast at him a nasty curse before making me crash against the wall…'

Voldemort raised his wand and another jet of green light streaked at Dumbledore, who turned and was gone in a whirling of his cloak. Next second, he had reappeared behind Voldemort and waved his wand towards the remnants of the fountain. The other statues sprang to life. The statues of the witch, the goblin and the house-elf scuttled towards the fireplaces set along the wall and the centaur galloped at Voldemort, who vanished and reappeared beside the pool.

"THEY ARE GOING TO ALERT EVERYONE!" yelled Orion at Voldemort, as the statue of the wizard thrust him backwards, away from the fight, while Dumbledore advanced on Voldemort and the golden centaur cantered around them both.

"It was foolish to come here tonight, Tom," said Dumbledore calmly. "The Aurors are on their way-"

"By which time I shall be gone, and you, and your little spy, will be dead!" spat Voldemort.

He sent another killing curse at Dumbledore but missed, instead hitting the security guard's desk, which burst into flame.

Dumbledore flicked his own wand: the force of the spell that emanated from it was such that Orion, though shielded by his golden guard, felt his hair stand on end as it passed. And this time Voldemort was forced to conjure a shining silver shield out of thin air to deflect it. The spell, whatever it was, caused no visible damage to the shield, though a deep, gong-like note reverberated from it - an oddly chilling sound.

"You do not seek to kill me, Dumbledore?" called Voldemort, his scarlet eyes narrowed over the top of the shield. "Above such brutality, are you?"

"We both know that there are other ways of destroying a man, Tom," Dumbledore said calmly, continuing to walk towards Voldemort as though he had not a fear in the world. "Merely taking your life would not satisfy me, I admit –"

"Or maybe it is because you can't kill me, old man," snarled Voldemort. "We all heard it, did we not? It's that traitorous piece of shit who can. But I will kill him as well, Dumbledore."

"Not while I'm here to prevent it," said Dumbledore, still closing in upon Voldemort and speaking as lightly as though they were discussing the matter over drinks.

Orion's blood boiled with anger. He had had enough!

He whipped out his Phoenix wand and blasted the golden statue away from him.

With a snarl, he jumped to his feet, and bellowed furiously at Voldemort's back, "I'M NOT DUMBLEDORE'S SPY! YOU FOOL! I'M NOT A TRAITOR!"

Both wizards swirled around to look at him, and Dumbledore yelled worriedly, "Stay where you are, Harry!"

"I'M NOT HARRY!" roared Orion madly. "I'M A BLACK! NOT A POTTER! I'M ORION BLACK!"

Voldemort narrowed his crimson eyes at him, and spat furiously, "But you are the one of the prophecy, the one who brought on my downfall!"

Voldemort didn't give him time to retort, and Orion instantly yelled, as a curse shot towards him, "Protego atrum!"

The black beam of light blasted from Orion's Phoenix wand – the spells met in midair - and suddenly Orion's wand was vibrating as though an electric charge were surging through it; his hand seized up around it; he couldn't have released it if he'd wanted to - and a narrow beam of light connected the two wands, of a bright, deep gold.

Orion, following the beam with his astonished gaze, saw that Voldemort's long elegant fingers too were gripping a wand that was shaking and vibrating.

And then - nothing could have prepared Orion for this - he felt his feet lift from the ground. He and Voldemort were both being raised into the air, their wands still connected by that thread of shimmering golden light. They glided away from the destroyed fountain and Dumbledore. The golden thread connecting Orion and Voldemort splintered; though the wands remained connected, a thousand more beams arced high over Orion and Voldemort, crisscrossing all around them, until they were enclosed in a golden, dome-shaped web, a cage of light, beyond which Dumbledore was watching them intently, with a deep, thoughtful frown on his face.

"What is this?" snarled Voldemort furiously, and Orion saw his crimson eyes wide with astonishment at what was happening, saw him fighting to break the thread of light still connecting his wand with Orion's.

Orion held onto his wand more tightly, with both hands, and the golden thread remained unbroken. "I – I think it's because we have twin wands!"

Voldemort narrowed his eyes at him, then at Orion's wand.

Voldemort was about to retort, when an unearthly and beautiful sound filled the air... It was coming from every thread of the light-spun web vibrating around Orion and Voldemort. It was a sound Orion recognized, though he had heard it only once before, from his Phoenix patronus.

It was the sound of hope to Orion. . . the most beautiful and welcoming thing he had ever heard in his life. . . . He felt as though the song were inside him instead of just around him. ... It was the sound he connected with his Death and Life wand, though it lacked the hissing of his basilisk patronus… His beautiful wand which was lying on the floor, far from him… He had to get it back soon…..

It was almost as though a friend were speaking in his ear… Don't break the connection.

'Why?' asked Orion to the music, mystified. But no sooner had he thought it, than the thing became much harder to do. His wand began to vibrate more powerfully than ever… and now the beam between him and Voldemort changed too... it was as though large beads of light were sliding up and down the thread connecting the wands.. Orion felt his wand give a shudder under his hand as the light beads began to slide slowly and steadily his way… The direction of the beams movement was now toward him, from Voldemort, and he felt his wand shudder angrily…

As the closest bead of light moved nearer to Orion's wand tip, the wood beneath his fingers grew so hot he feared it would burst into flame. The closer that bead moved, the harder Orion's wand vibrated; he was sure his wand would not survive contact with it; it felt as though it was about to shatter under his fingers…

He concentrated every last particle of his mind upon forcing the bead back toward Voldemort, his ears full of phoenix song, his eyes determined, fixed . . . and slowly, very slowly, the beads quivered to a halt, and then, just as slowly, they began to move the other way . . . and it was Voldemort's wand that was vibrating extra-hard now . . . Voldemort who looked astonished, and almost fearful. . . . One of the beads of light was quivering, inches from the tip of Voldemort's wand.

Orion didn't understand why he was doing it, didn't know what it might achieve… but he somehow knew that he had to do it… his own dark magic spurred within him, making him know that it was the right thing to do… With a last surge of determination, he forced the bead of light right back into Voldemort's wand . . . and it rushed, very fast, and connected with Voldemort's wand.

At once, Voldemort's wand began to emit echoing screams of pain… then - Voldemort's crimson eyes widened with shock - dense, smoky forms began to blossom from his wand's tip…

If ever Orion might have released his wand from shock, it would have been then, but instinct kept him clutching his wand tightly, so that the thread of golden light remained unbroken, even though he saw thick gray ghosts of people Voldemort had killed… he recognized Bertha Jorkins… and others, still blossoming…

She and the other figures began to pace around the inner walls of the golden web, whispering as they circled the duelers, whispering words of encouragement to Orion, and hissed words Orion couldn't hear to Voldemort.

And now another head was emerging from the tip of Voldemorts wand… The smoky shadow of a tall man with untidy hair fell to the ground, straightened up, and looked at him… and Orion, his arms shaking madly now, looked back into the ghostly face of James Potter.

"Your mother's coming…" said James quietly. "She wants to see you ... it will be all right… hold on… my son…"

Orion's heart clenched painfully, and he whispered, looking sorrowfully at the man who had given his life to safe him, "I'm not your son, am I? But I thank you for what you did for me…"

James gave him a warm smile, and stretched a hand to ruffle Orion's hair. Surprisingly, Orion felt his ghostly touch, as the man said, "I consider you my son, Orion. Your mother told me the truth, she never deceived me… And I gladly made you my son…"

"But what about my father? What about Sirius? Why didn't you tell him that I was his son?" whispered Orion softly.

James looked at him sorrowfully. "We were going to, after the war ended, after we had protected you. I wasn't going to steal you from him, and Lily and I agreed that as a Black you would have been in a very dangerous situation…"

Then she came…first her head, then her body... a beautiful young woman with long hair, the smoky, shadowy form of Lily Potter blossomed from the end of Voldemort's wand, fell to the ground, and straightened like her husband. She walked close to Orion, looking down at him, and she spoke in the same distant, echoing voice as the others, but quietly, so that Voldemort, his face now livid with fear as his victims prowled around him and still trying to break the connection, could not hear…

"When the connection is broken, we will linger for only moments . . . but we will give you time to escape… we will attack him…."

"No!" said Orion at once, looking at her, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. "No, don't attack him."

Lily arched an eyebrow. "You know what he is, don't you, Orion? You know what he has done…"

"Yes," whispered Orion. He looked at her mother intently, and added, "How much do you know about me, mum? About my life?"

She smiled at him. "Everything, my baby, I know everything." But then she gasped as she started to fade away.

Orion snapped his eyes to Voldemort and saw him about to break the connection. He cried desperately, "NO, TOM! DON'T BREAK IT! LET ME SPEAK TO MY MUM! PLEASE!"

Then he commanded sharply to the ghosts tormenting Voldemort, "LEAVE HIM ALONE! DON'T BOTHER HIM ANYMORE! LEAVE!"

He didn't know why, but the ghosts obeyed, casting him a last glance, and disappearing into thin air.

Orion saw Voldemort narrowing his eyes at him, and he frantically pleaded, "Don't break it! The ghosts have gone, so please don't break it! Let me see my mum one last time!"

Orion snapped his eyes to his mother, and saw her regaining her form again. Lily shot Voldemort a narrowed glance, and then turned to Orion, saying quietly, "He might try to kill you, Orion…"

"I know," whispered Orion. Then he sunk his eyes in her's, and said, with a sob choked in his throat, "You know the path I've taken? What side I want to support? Even if he murdered you? Is it… can you forgive me?"

Lily sighed heavily, and then caressed Orion's cheek tenderly, as she said, "I gave you life so that you made your own choices… I might not agree with them, but I won't dictate your life… You must do as your conscience dictates…"

"It's not about conscience, mum," said Orion tearfully. "It' about what I am, about the blood and magic that courses and roars in my body… It's about ending an unjust repression… It's about the survival of Dark Magic… If it was about conscience, I would never support your murderer, mum… But it goes beyond that… Can you understand? Can you forgive me for my choices?"

"The path you've chosen is the most dangerous one, it can signify your death, and I still don't approve," said Lily sternly. Then her expression softened, and she said quietly, "But there's nothing to forgive… I'll love you always, regardless of what you choose to do."

"Thank you, I love you too, and James as well," whispered Orion, tears streaming down his cheeks. He looked at her, and added quietly, "You loved James, didn't you? But did you love dad as well?"

Lily smiled at him. "I loved Sirius. I loved them both, in different ways, but it was still deep love... Love is limitless, my sweetheart… It knows no boundaries… As you yourself know… You love two people as well, in different ways, but both, don't you?"

Orion's eyes widened. "I- I love only one."

Lily's smile widened in amusement, but then she frowned, and said worriedly, "Don't let your feelings blind you, it's dangerous for you, considering who you truly care for…" She sighed wearily, and added, "Another thing I don't approve or understand. It seems you never do things the easy way, do you?"

"Mum, what-?"

"James and I must leave now, my dear," interrupted Lily. "We can't stay for so long…"

"No wait!" cried Orion desperately. "I need to touch you, feel you, please!"

He shot Voldemort a glance, who had still his eyes furiously narrowed at him but maintaining the connection. Then, Orion tightly gripped his wand with his right hand, as he unwrapped his left hand from it.

Tentatively, he reached out his hand towards Lily's ghostly face, as she smiled at him. He softly touched her cheek, as he said in wonder, "Why can I touch you?"

"Because of your powers, my dear," said Lily quietly.

He looked into her beautiful eyes, and a sob wrenched from his throat, as he whispered sorrowfully, "Will I see you again? I don't want you to leave…"

"Oh, my baby," said Lily softly, as she tenderly caressed his cheek, "maybe you will... I love you, Orion, always…"

"Good-bye, my son," said James with a warm smile.

"No, wait!" cried Orion pleadingly, but they were gone, with a wisp of white mist, disappearing into thin air.

Orion sobbed despondently as he broke the wand connection, and dropped to the floor in exhaustion. From the floor, he tiredly accioed his Death and Life wand, and pocketed the other.

Suddenly, there were voices echoing through the hall, more voices than there should have been… Orion snapped his head up, and saw Dumbledore rushing towards him, as the Atrium began to fill with people, the floor was reflecting the emerald green flames that had burst into life in all the fireplaces along one wall; and streams of witches and wizards were emerging from them.

As Dumbledore pulled him back to his feet, Orion saw the tiny gold statues of the house-elf and the goblin, leading a stunned-looking Cornelius Fudge forward.

Suddenly, someone grabbed him tightly and violently, and in a swirl of black mist, Voldemort disapparated both of them.

Orion groaned in pain as Voldemort threw him against the hard floor, with his crimson eyes flashing with rage, as he aimed his wand at Orion, his hand shaking with fury.

"CRUCIO!"

A scream of unbearable pain tore through Orion's throat, as pain of such intensity wrecked his convulsing body that every nerve seemed to want to disintegrate. His flailing limbs snapped against the hard floor, and thick tears streamed down his cheeks. The pain was endless…unforgiving… savagely punishing… and Orion could only wish for a quick death…as his mind and body seemed to be about to be broken beyond repair….

Suddenly it stopped, and Orion furled himself on the floor, gasping for air in between sobs, without being able of thinking about anything but the pain to stop, to subside, as it still lingered in his body…

Voldemort pulled him up by the collar of his robes, and crashed him against a wall.

"What do you think your punishment should be, Potter?" hissed Voldemort at Orion, with savagely narrowed eyes.

"Not a Potter, I already told you-" said Orion hoarsely, as his body started to quickly recover, his mind returning to him.

Voldemort squeezed Orion's throat, as his scarlet eyes shrewdly inspected him. "No, you're a Black. At least you didn't lie about that! But that doesn't matter, does it? After all, you're the one who caused my downfall! You're the one who I have to kill!"

Orion's blood boiled in fury at those words. He wrenched Voldemort's hand from his throat, switched positions, and smashed Voldemort hard against the wall. "I DIDN'T LIE ABOUT ANYTHING BUT MY MOTHER'S NAME! You fucking bastard! You lied constantly! AND I CAUSED YOUR DOWNFALL? WHEN IT WAS YOU WHO ATTEMPTED TO KILL ME WHEN I WAS A MERE BABY! AND WHEN YOU KILLED MY MOTHER! You should be grateful that I didn't kill you for that! SELF-CENTERED, SADISTIC, MONSTER!"

Voldemort instantly stabbed Orion's neck with his wand, and he hissed furiously, "I should just kill you and be done with it!"

Orion viciously laughed. "Go ahead, take a fucking shot! We'll duel each other until we both die, and like that we'll fulfill the bloody prophecy, don't you think? And apt ending for both of us, since we're destined to be enemies!"

But Voldemort didn't seem to be paying attention to him. Orion saw that his crimson eyes were narrowed, fixed on his neck, while he felt a dangerous, wrathful aura coming from Voldemort.

Before he knew what happened, Voldemort ripped the locket from his neck, which seemed to have sprung out from his robes as they slammed each other on the wall.

"What are you doing with this?" hissed Voldemort, in a dangerous tone of voice.

Orion took a few steps back and instantly aimed his wand at Voldemort. "Found it."

Voldemort's nostrils flared. "Where?"

"Black House, Grimmauld Place," said Orion tensely.

Voldemort narrowed his wrathful eyes at him. "Do you know what it is?"

Orion quickly weighted his options in his mind. "I do, but I-"

Voldemort didn't wait for anything else, and a black beam of light shot towards Orion.

Orion swiftly jumped to a side, and bellowed, "CRUCIO!"

Voldemort apparated to another spot and roared, "Cruor hervire!"

They started casting dark curse after dark curse, circling each other, bellowing and yelling defensive spells, and increasingly harmful curses. Sweat broke from their foreheads, as they started to pant tiredly. Voldemort apparated constantly since they were in his own Manor, while Orion, with astounding speed and reflexes, dodged spells and attacks.

Orion didn't even think about using his dark magic; Voldemort was furious enough as it was. And in the end, he would use it if he had to kill instead of being killed. But Voldemort hadn't used the killing curse, yet. But Orion did use wandless and non-verbal spells, just as Voldemort did.

As Orion blocked an entrails ripping curse, there was a sudden frantic yell that filled the room.

"STOP! STOP THIS MADNESS! DON'T HURT ORION!"

Orion's eyes widened when he saw that the locket had been opened. It was tightly grasped in Voldemort's hand, but some jerky move of a finger must have clicked it open.

Voldemort brought the locket to his face and growled, "Mind your own business!" And he attacked Orion again, as Tom kept desperately yelling.

"NO! YOU FOOL! DON'T YOU WONDER HOW I KNOW ORION? HOW HE WAS ABLE TO OPEN ME?"

Voldemort blocked a curse which Orion had sent him, and then halted his attack.

"EXPLAIN!" he demanded furiously.

"HE'S OUR HORCRUX!!!"

Orion gasped and staggered backwards, as if the wind had been knocked out of him, the blood draining from his face, as he shakily stood on his legs.

Voldemort's eyes widened, before he instantly narrowed them at Orion, inspecting him carefully, and advancing towards him.

"Show me your scar!" he snapped.

Orion's mind was a mess of jumbled thoughts. He just looked at Voldemort disbelievingly. When Voldemort was about to seize him, Orion jumped out of the way, and quickly snatched the locket.

He looked at Tom, and said frantically, "You're mistaken, Tom! I cannot be a Horcrux! Human horcruxes aren't stable! I checked it! There's no way it could have happened!"

"I know they aren't possible, Orion," said Tom impatiently. "But it happened with you! I don't know why, but I realized it some time ago. It was what I tried to tell you last time we spoke. Don't you see? This locket can only be opened by me, yet you opened it. You have visions, you feel what he feels, you feel something when you hold me, and you have a stirring inside every time you're close to him. That's my piece of soul, which is merged with yours, trying to make contact with my soul! You have the link created by the killing curse that carved the scar on your forehead. It happened then! When I tried to kill you, your dark magic protected you, killing me instead, and piece of soul broke from me and attached itself to you!"

"No, no, no," whispered Orion desperately. "It can't be true…" Then he narrowed his eyes at Tom and said furiously, "You miserable bastard! Why didn't you tell me before? Not that I believe it, but you could have told me your suspicions! Is this why you care for me? BECAUSE I'M YOUR FUCKING HORCRUX? IS THAT ALL I'M TO YOU? A RECEPTACLE FOR YOUR PARASITIC PIECE OF SOUL!"

"No!" yelled Tom desperately, as Voldemort watched their interaction with an arched eyebrow. "I truly care for you! I couldn't tell you before because I knew you would be horrified by it!"

"So you wanted to inform me when I told you that I was mating with Lezander?" snapped Orion furiously. "Is that it? And did you believe that it would change anything, Tom? Because it doesn't change a fucking thing!"

"It does!" snarled Tom. "You have my soul within you! They stayed together! We are one and the same! You can't mate with anyone else! You belong to me!"

"I BELONG TO NO ONE!" roared Orion. Then he added with a nasty snort. "And what are you telling me? That your parasitic piece of soul latched itself to mine because – what? We are meant to be together? Don't be ridiculous, Tom! What are you talking about, soulmates or some stupid thing like that?"

"Of course not!" said Tom, deeply offended. "That's a pathetic romantic concept of the muggles! What I'm saying is that there's compatibility. As you said, human horcruxes aren't possible, but it happened in our case! It could be compatibility between our magic. Don't you say that you find Voldemort's magic enticing?"

"So what?" snapped Orion. "I find all magic enticing, especially if it's dark!"

"Oh, but not as enticing as mine," said Tom with a smug smirk. "You can't deny it, Orion. You can feel the stirring every time my older self closely approaches you. And you shiver when you feel my powerful dark aura. When will you finally admit that we belong together? Our case is exceptional! And just think about all the amazing things we could do together, ruling the wizarding and muggle world!"

"This is too much Tom!" said Orion frantically. "I don't want to deal with this as well! I have enough problems already!" Then he snarled, pointing a finger at Voldemort, "Besides, that bastard and me are mentioned in a prophecy as well, Tom! We're supposed to kill the other in order to survive!"

Tom frowned. "That doesn't make sense. Why would I need to kill you in order to survive, if you're my Horcrux?"

Orion frantically carded his hand through his hair. "Well, I don't know, do I? I really don't give a fuck about prophecies but he put it in motion when he went to kill me. Because he marked me with the scar. And the prophecy says that the Dark Lord will mark as his equal the one who can defeat him." Then he narrowed his eyes at Tom, and snapped, "And we don't know if I'm your horcrux! So stop saying it! "

"You are! But that aside, you can simply ignore the prophecy!" said Tom. "You can stop it from being fulfilled if you ignore it!"

Orion snorted, and then, spat, "Tell that to yourself, then! It was you who put it in motion!"

"Fine, I'll make him understand," said Tom. Then he narrowed his eyes at Orion, and hissed, "Did you bond with the half-breed?"

"None of your bloody business," snarled Orion.

"Oh, but it is," interjected Voldemort quietly, who had swiftly approached him. "I find your interaction with my younger self very enlightening, Orion."

Orion snapped his eyes at him, and grunted, "Meaning?"

Voldemort smirked at him. "You seem to be rather attached to my younger self."

"We're friends," snapped Orion.

Tom scoffed and Voldemort arched a disbelieving eyebrow, and said, "Not by the way you spoke to each other. It's rather…revealing... You find my magic enticing, do you? And you care for my younger self… So I wonder why you are so opposed to becoming my consort."

"Because I don't want you or what it entails," snarled Orion. "I have already made my choice." Then he gasped, and added, "Oh, Merlin, Lez… I must leave at once!"

He made a move to activate his ring but then remembered that he hadn't used it to come here, so it wouldn't work. He spun around to face Voldemort, and snapped, "Lower your wards. I must leave."

Voldemort narrowed his eyes at Orion, and abruptly, he grabbed Orion's neck and tilted it to a side.

He let out a hiss of fury when he saw Lezander's bite marks. He clutched Orion's shoulders tightly, and furiously said, "You bonded with that filthy vampire? You allowed him to mark you as his own? What did I tell you, long time ago? Didn't I warn you not to allow it?"

"Warned me?" snarled Orion, wrenching his shoulders from Voldemort's grasp. "Just who do you think you are? I do what I bloody want!"

Voldemort smirked at him, and silkily said, "I think the issue is what you are, don't you think, my little horcrux?"

"That isn't proved!" spat Orion. "And it changes nothing, except that I have to find a way of getting your nasty piece of soul away from mine, if it's true!"

Voldemort tightly grabbed Orion's face, and snarled, "It is true; it explains many things. And you won't touch it! They have been merged for more than a decade. It would mean your death if you tried!"

"As if you fucking care!" spat Orion angrily. "Weren't you about to kill me a while ago? I clearly remember two killing curses shot at me in the Ministry!"

"Oh, but I do care," said Voldemort with a smirk, as he trailed a finger over Orion's cheek. "I have to protect you now, my little horcrux."

Orion furiously swatted Voldemort's hands away from him. "I don't need or want your protection! And don't call me that! I'm your nothing!"

"You were mine before, and, for even more reason, you're mine now," hissed Voldemort.

"How dare you say that to me?!" snarled Orion. "You've done nothing but try to kill me or crucio me, since I can remember! You have no rights over me and I don't want to discuss this further! I have to leave! So lower your wards or I'll just bring down your whole bloody Manor!"

"We aren't done, Orion," said Voldemort angrily, "not by far. There are many things that need to be discussed. And make no mistake, you better not have fully bonded with the half-breed or he'll pay the price for your stupidity. That said, I'll allow you to leave, because I need to hear the full intriguing story from my younger self, and also plan for the war, since my existence has been revealed. But we'll speak very soon, little one."

"You won't touch a hair from Lezander's head," hissed Orion wrathfully. "Or I'll kill you with my bare hands before you even make the attempt!" Then he paused, and said frantically, "What will happen now? They saw you, and Dumbledore knows that I'm the Boy-Who-Lived! Merlin, what will happen now?"

Voldemort smirked at him. "I've planned for the eventuality of them discovering my return. It doesn't worry me, it had to happen sooner or later, and now my followers can attack in earnest." He narrowed his eyes at Orion, and added, "As for you, if I even detect an attempt to cross over to the other side, you'll learn what true pain feels like."

Orion snarled furiously, "I won't change sides! Not for any consideration towards you, mind you, but because I'm Dark! Not everything revolves around you, you know? And I'm taking Tom with me!"

Voldemort scoffed, and quickly snatched the opened locket away from Orion, before Orion could even blink. "He's my horcrux, not yours."

Orion said uncertainly to Tom, who had been attentively listening to them the whole time, "Tom, I don't want to-"

"Go," said Tom quietly. "He's right, and I need to explain much to him."

"You will tell him everything about me?" snapped Orion angrily.

"You knew this day would come, Orion," said Tom softly. "I'll miss you greatly… but it's necessary."

"I- I did know," said Orion quietly. "But I still- Won't I see you- ?"

Orion saw Voldemort watching him with amusement, with a smug smirk on his face, and he clenched his jaw angrily, and snapped at Tom, "Fine, see you around then, or maybe not. Don't care either way."

"Oh, you'll be seeing me 'around' plenty," said Voldemort pleasantly.

"I wasn't talking about you," snapped Orion moodily. "Now, lower your wards so that I can apparate!"

With a jerk of his hand and a muttered spell, Voldemort did so, and then he said with a dangerous tone of voice, "Remember my warning. And better hope for your sake that you didn't do it."

Orion's nostrils flared, but he hastily apparated away, without giving Voldemort a second glance.

As soon as his feet touched the marble floor of the main parlor of Black Manor, Orion saw Calypso jumping from an armchair, which was in front of a couch were Lezander laid.

"Oh Merlin, what happened Orion?" said Calypso frantically, closely checking him for injuries. "Are you alright? Are you wounded? What did Dumbledore do to you?"

"No time to explain," said Orion hastily. "How is he?"

They both approached Lezander, and Calypso said desperately, "I don't know. I can't feel his pulse, as before. But you said that you heard his heart beating."

"It was," replied Orion, in a fearful hush.

He quickly pressed his ear against Lezander's chest, frantically listening carefully for that heart beat.

Orion snapped his head up with a sigh of relief. "It still is, but more faintly than before. And he still doesn't wake up. I'll take him right away to his parents."

Calypso clasped her hands with worry, and said, "I'm flooing to check on my father and I'll bring your trunk when I portkey back here to wait for you."

"Alright, thanks," said Orion quietly.

Orion picked up Lezander, tightly wrapping his arms around him, and he reached the portkey while he whispered Lezander's name.