Behind his desk, he snatched up a sheaf of paper and thrust it at Harry. Then his face twisted cruelly.
"But you can't read, being utterly feeble-minded. Leave this business to the men who understand it. Men with all their wits."
Despite Harry's best efforts to steel himself, the blows landed. He opened his mouth, then shut it again, and Albus sensed blood in the water.
"Shall I read it to you? I'll use small words."
He cleared his throat,
"Tom Marvolo Riddle incited a mutiny aboard the HMS Leaside, then deserted on the twelfth day of…"
Harry stopped listening to his Albus, instead rolling the name around in his mind with care, as if the words might break.
Tom Marvolo Riddle….
Tom…
It was a beautiful name, and if Voldemort heard that, he'd snort and dismiss it. The pang of longing rocked Harry, and he had to reach out for the edge of Albus's desk.
He craved to hear Voldemort's voice again and feel the rough warmth of his touch…Simply to talk to him, to just be, to do anything as long as they were together. Harry would rescue him, no matter the cost.
"And as such, Tom Riddle…"
Albus sneered disdainfully,
"now known as the notorious pirate, Lord Voldemort… should receive no quarter."
Standing straight again, ignoring the dull throbbing of his wound, Harry clenched his fists, thinking of the scars on Voldemort's flesh,
"A deserter of a navy that enslaved him. You talk of savages… how is our government any better? They stole him from his home and impressed him against his will. Yes, he eventually deserted under a cruel tyrant of a captain after years of service. And despite this, he still wanted to aid his country. You destroyed that. He wasn't the first, was he? You lied and stole. You cheated for your own gain."
"Oh, for God's sake."
Albus's face reddened and creased,
"Enough of this nonsense. What does it matter? This pirate almost killed you, and you argue for his welfare? You truly are a simpleton."
"You forget that I was there. I know it was your man who attacked, waiting for his opening to kill V…Captain Voldemort. I foiled his assassination attempt. He had to have known it was suicide. I wonder how you convinced him to do your bidding; what threat you employed. And why you tried to have Captain Voldemort killed like that and not in a public spectacle."
"If that bumbling fool Taylor had been on time with the brigantine—"
Albus broke off, nostrils flaring,
"I had to have a secondary plan in place. The pirate had to die one way or another. I could not be bested by that nothing of a man. I had to prove that pirates will fall if they dare cross Governor Dumbledore. I had to be the one responsible for Lord Voldemort's demise."
He slammed his fist onto the desk, an inkpot rattling,
"I am to be respected!"
"And what of me? If your assassin had hit his target, do you think the pirates would still have released me? Or if they'd realized the ransom was largely counterfeit?"
Albus's cheek twitched, a nervous tic,
"It would have been…regrettable. But in war, some losses must be borne."
Harry stared at his mentor, this stranger in a crooked wig who had loomed so large over his life even from across the ocean. His voice was hoarse as he said,
"You're the criminal."
Narrowing his eyes, Albus hissed,
"We both know you haven't the wits to understand how the world works. You are my greatest disappointment. To think I was so determined to pass on everything to you…."
He broke off, swallowing thickly… Guilt slashed through Harry, anger eager on its heels,
"I never asked to be your heir… I don't want to inherit anything… Not that there's anything to inherit. You are bankrupt, morally and otherwise."
Ignoring the jab, Albus shrugged,
"Temporarily. There is a fortune up for grabs, and you will marry the Weasley girl and acquire it. Her brother is dead, and her father has willed everything to her. Even if the fool returns to Jamaica, as long as you marry the girl, we will eventually have enough to rebuild here. I'll make the Crown see that Godric's Hollow is not dead. Weasley's an old man. His heart is failing. God willing, it won't be long until the girl inherits."
"I won't marry her… I don't love her…"
Albus gaped,
"Love? What does that have to do with anything? I know you are an imbecile, so I will explain the situation slowly. Marriage…"
"Go to hell."
Albus jerked, more blood rushing to his face,
"My boy, you are treading on thin ground."
Harry shook his head, saying it louder this time,
"GO TO HELL…I won't give up my life for your delusion. You've destroyed this place with your greed. Almost everyone has fled. Luna and Neville are going to Jamaica with Mr. Weasley. The Crown pulled out the militia weeks ago, Neville told me. There's nothing left. He said the buildings are almost all flattened but for this one and several others. It's over."
The bell at the front door rang distantly, and in the silence following it, they stared at each other. The paper in Albus's hands shook, and he smoothed out the pages on his desk,
"I will not accept defeat. Godric's Hollow will thrive. So, help me, I shall be respected."
The bell rang again, and he snapped,
"For God's sake, why isn't anyone answering that?"
"Because they've all gone, Father. It is the worst wickedness to enslave people, and I pray they are never returned to you."
A voiced called,
"Er… Hello?"
"In here!"
Albus barked,
"What do you want?"
The messenger appeared in the doorway, a boy of about twelve with a shock of blond curls and mud caking his shoes and trousers almost to the knees,
"The pirate has been delivered."
As Harry tried not to sag in relief, Albus clapped his hands once,
"Ah! Some good news this morning. Excellent."
"Captain Taylor is demanding his fee, sir. He's taken the pirate back aboard until you deliver it."
Harry eyed his father's pinched face. My God, he doesn't have it. His mind whirled. If the messenger relayed that to Taylor, there was no telling what would become of Voldemort.
Harry spoke to the messenger,
"Please tell Captain Taylor he will be paid in full tomorrow morning. In the wake of the storm's devastation, the governor is occupied assisting his citizens."
With a dubious glance at Albus, the boy nodded and scurried away.
A vein pulsed in Albus's temple,
"I do not require your assistance. I am the governor, and my word is law. When I demand the prisoner be handed over, Taylor will do as instructed, or regret it."
You'll revoke his letter of marque too? Without a single redcoat to help enforce your rule?
Harry bit his tongue, letting Albus entertain his delusions for the moment.
Albus spoke almost to himself,
"Yes, let Taylor keep him tonight, and tomorrow at noon, Captain Voldemort shall swing. It will be a historic day for Godric's Hollow. We have withstood the hurricane, and we will see the fearsome pirate who has terrorized these seas brought to justice. They said it couldn't be done, that he was some kind of sorcerer. Now the New World will see he is only flesh and blood. Thanks to me."
Harry's feet itched to run to the harbour, but he had to be patient. There was only one thing to do, and he would have to wait for the cover of darkness.
