Written For The Houses Competition: Round 8: Never be Forgotten
House: Hufflepuff
Position: Potions
Category: Standard
Prompt: [Event] Celebrating somebody's death
Summary: (Voldemort wins AU) The Dark has won. Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore are dead.
Word Count: 1162
Warning: character death and mention of torture
The celebration was in full swing when Ron arrived. People chatted and danced around the room, a certain cheer that was never there during the war livening the atmosphere.
Ron, himself, was in a good mood. After two years of war, they had finally done it. Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter were dead. He was seventeen now, the war having started in his fifth year, but Ron felt so much older.
Three years ago, Ron never thought he would be in this position. Serving the Dark Lord and joining the Death Eaters had not been an easy decision, but he knew it was the right one.
Albus Dumbledore was a liar who manipulated others to his cause, and Harry Potter was his loyal pet who obeyed his every order. The world had been fooled by their 'noble' act but no more.
It started three years ago. Hermione, of all people, had come up to him, suspicious about Dumbledore and Potter, and Ron, knowing how smart she was, listened to her.
Ron had never felt so betrayed when she laid out all of Dumbledore's schemes, from making sure three first years would find out about the Sorcerer's Stone, not investigating the Chamber of Secrets properly, and even about Sirius. Dumbledore, of all people, should have known Sirius was innocent, but he just let him rot in Azkaban for twelve years.
It was chilling, and even Ron, who admittingly wasn't the brightest in the block, could see the truth in it. Looking back on what happened, Dumbledore had to have known what was going on. There was no way he would just let students handle problems like the ones they faced.
Potter, on the other hand, was more of a victim, as Hermione explained. Dumbledore probably placed Harry with the Dursleys to easily manipulate him to his views, since they hated magic and were abusive towards him. Ron had seen the signs himself, from the bars on his window in second year to the way he flinched when people tried to touch him in any capacity.
They decided to drift from Potter until they figured things out, and during that time, they confronted Draco Malfoy about the Dark side's views. What he told was very different from what Dumbledore, Harry, and even the Weasleys taught Ron and Hermione.
Ron remembered vividly the tales his mother told about the atrocities Voldemort committed, especially how his Death Eaters killed his uncles, Fabian and Gideon Prewett. Hermione, having been a Muggle-born, only knew what happened from books written by Light wizards and what Harry told her.
Everyone pretty much knew what Dumbledore thought about Voldemort. He often spoke of how he would return and what he might do if he did. And since Dumbledore was a respected figure, many believed him, including Ron and Hermione.
Initially, they didn't believe him, but after a week or two after joining them, they had to admit he was right. Although there was some discrimination based on blood status, most just cared about how powerful you were. And although they killed people, it was mostly the people fighting the war, not civilians or Muggles.
Draco admitted it wasn't always like that. They had grown closer to the boy as he was the one to introduce them to the Dark side. He told them stories about what Voldemort was like in the first war, from what his father had told him. Back then, he really had been the monster depicted by most.
Something changed him this time, though. No one knew what it was, not even the Inner Circle. Hermione speculated, but they never figured out the answer.
But now, they would get an answer. Lord Voldemort had an announcement to make during the celebration, and Hermione was sure it was about why he changed. It was too weird not to announce.
Ron was broken out of his thoughts by a cry. He turned towards the noise and he grew amused when he realized it was his mother. Ron was the only Weasley to defect during the war, and the rest of his family was being held captive as entertainment for the night.
It was free rein and he could already see some of the effects. Most of their clothes were torn, and some had physical deformities. Another was bleeding while one looked numb.
Once upon a time, Ron might have been with them, but he was a changed man. He held no pity for his family, who deserved what they got for going against his Lord.
"Ron!" a voice called out to him and he turned to see Hermione walking briskly towards him.
"Hey 'Mione," he greeted, pulling her in for a kiss.
They had gotten together a year into the war, and it was a bright light in the middle of such dark times. Ron couldn't imagine life without her now.
"Have you seen your family?" she asked somewhat gleefully when they pulled away.
Hermione also no longer cared about them. There was no room for her to care. Her parents were dead thanks to Ron's family and now, they could finally get revenge for them.
"Yes. I was about to head over. You?" he asked back.
"Yes. I've been researching new spells to use and I've found some interesting ones. I'll teach you them and we can use the rest of the Weasleys as target practice," she said matter-of-factly.
Before he opened his mouth to agree, the room went silent. At the entrance of the ballroom where the celebration was being held, Lord Voldemort stood, looking like thirty-year-old Tom Riddle rather than a snake.
"My Death Eaters," he started.
His voice was soft but cruel, and it seemed to carry across the room. Everyone was paying attention as Voldemort scanned the room with his red eyes.
"It has been a long two years, but finally, Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter are dead."
A cheer rang through the room, which was silenced when Voldemort raised his hand.
"There is someone I must introduce you to tonight. He has been serving by my side for four years now, and I have kept him a secret for important reasons. Now that we have won, it is pertinent that I introduce him."
Murmurs swept the room, wondering who he could be talking about. Hermione looked like she had figured something out and seemed very excited.
"He is my consort and shall be treated with the same respect you hold for me. Any attack on him is an attack on myself. May I introduce the Prince of the Dark, Alistair Slytherin."
From the door, a young man walked out. He was wearing a mask which obstructed his face and his black hair was neatly combed back. But what startled Ron the most was his eyes.
Looking right at him were emerald green eyes like Harry Potter's, shining with cruel amusement.
And at that moment, Ron knew Harry Potter wasn't as dead as he seemed.