Dark Lords, Dungeon Bats and a Dunderhead
Prologue: Beginning of the end?
Disclaimer: I do not own HP, As it belongs to J.K.
Synopsis: After the war, muggle technology is brought into the Wizarding World and used more frequently. Harry becomes reclusive and Hermione tries to help by setting up an account for him on an online Wizard Dating Site. Unknown to Harry, some of the people he talks to and create an online bond with wanted to kill him at one point in time at least. Triad, established relationships, other ships.
Authors Notes: I have too many plot bunnies and this is one of them. Rated M, but anything remotely smutty will be on my Ao3 under the same username so follow the story there as well if you want the full version. Will be updated as I can, planned to be 4 parts. Enjoy the Prologue. Also check out my first story, Kidnapped if you haven't yet. It's roughly updated weekly.
Edited: October 4th 2020
The war raged on at Hogwarts, Harry having come out of hiding to face off against Voldemort. So far there had been no casualties to either side, only non-lethal hexes being thrown from either side. Both sides waiting for their leaders to throw the first deadly spells before they would follow through and do the same. One look at each other and they squared off, taking dueling stances. Both Harry and Voldemort aimed at each other. Everyone got out of their way and halted their own attacks as they watched.
Harry knew he had to get hit by Voldemort's attack, knowing he would mostly likely use Avada on him. He hoped anyway. He gripped the resurrection stone in his pocket, hoping he would come out of this alive. As Harry predicted, Voldemort tossed an AK at him, both dropping to the ground when it hit Harry. Severus, being more neutral to both sides, knew of both their tactical plans but decided to act swiftly. He grabbed a hold of Voldemort's arm and apparated away.
Severus apparated them to his home at Spinner's End, appearing in the living room. Voldemort was unconscious and would be until Harry would wake up again as well. He brought Voldemort to his guest room, placing him on the bed before gathering potions and a book for when he was to wake up. He had gathered information about the harm of making horcruxes, which he was sure that Voldemort was unsure of knowing about. If he had known, Severus didn't think he would have resorted to making so many since his youth and the Prophecy fiasco.
Severus had seen how Voldemort had declined further since being told the prophecy and making six horcruxes in total before being really paranoid and losing more than just his charming looks. Eventually, Severus was told that Harry was unknowingly a seventh one. When Lucius convinced Severus to join Voldemort's cause, he was swayed by more than just his goals. Severus had ended up in his bed on more than one occasion before he'd gone completely insane, mostly as an outlet for both of them even though they both didn't know at the time that it was much more than that.
Since Voldemort went crazy, Severus had been doing research into finding a way to restore a damaged and split soul hoping to find a way to bring his lover back. He more recently found that he had deeper feelings that still hadn't gone after Voldemort had gone insane and changed for the worst, hoping that the potions and books in front of him would help him in his goals to heal and bring back his love. He'd never gone to anyone else for his more carnal desires, choosing to ignore them to the best of his ability while researching all these seventeen years for answers.
Harry woke up after having an extended discussion with a dead Dumbledore at a very bright King's Cross Station, noticing that the Death Eaters and Voldemort were gone. He woke up in the hospital wing, noticing the sterile scent and brightness as he came to. Poppy by his side in seconds to give him a health check and inform him of what had transpired while he had been out cold for a few hours. The war wasn't over but they didn't know if there would be more fighting or if it would end in a truce. He was shocked that Severus apparated with Voldemort out of the battle, but it made the war end at least for the moment.
Harry, though weakened from dying, was allowed to to leave the hospital wing if he would take it easy. One slip up and Poppy would drag him back to his hospital bed. There was one exception of course, if the war resumed. He decided to go rest in the Gryffindor dorms.
Voldemort stirred, opening his eyes and not knowing where he currently was until he saw Severus asleep in a chair by the bed he was in, book open across his lap. He took in his surroundings while trying to remember what had transpired that had him feeling drained and achy. He knew they were battling at Hogwarts but not how he got to, he guessed by the colour scheme of the room, Severus' home. He moved to sit up, sliding gently out of the bed before walking carefully to wake Severus. He didn't want to startle his spy but also knew he had potions that would help him feel better.
Severus woke to Voldemort gently shaking him awake, glad to see he was alright. "My Lord, how are you feeling? You've been unconscious for six hours. The war is at a standstill currently." He asked as he got up and summoned a few potions for his Lord.
Voldemort took the potions Severus had given him, feeling immeasurably better and mind much clearer than when he had been asleep. He still felt Harry through their connection, even though the boy had been silent through it for about as long as he had been unconscious as well. He figured that piece of soul was no longer there, but why had they still had a connection then? The boy had to have died, but then again the boy never dies. For now though, they were both weak, he could feel it. "The boy lives, thought it is his namesake at this point. Why have you brought me here Severus? Why are we not still attacking the school?" Voldemort asked, now pacing and a little agitated that the boy still survived an AK twice now. Would nothing kill this boy? He waited for Severus to respond, temporarily placated when a house elf brought tea and some sandwiches.
Severus sighed, knowing that question among others were coming. He settled in for the long haul, sitting comfortably with a cup of tea to occupy his hands. "Everyone was shocked when you and Potter both collapsed, not really knowing what to do on both sides of the war. I knew the war would stop until you and the boy woke, or at least one of you, so I took the opportunity to bring you here. I ask you to hear me out before you wish to punish me, my Lord." He tread carefully, knowing that this Tom was not quite the Tom he had fallen for and wished to rectify that if he were allowed to.
Voldemort was deep in thought, hand clutching his wand as he had been about to cast the Cruciatus on Severus for not following his orders during the battle, surprised but agreed to listen first. "Go on Severus, I'm listening." Voldemort focused his full attention on Severus. To anyone else, hell even to Severus, it was an intimidating sight to see red eyes and a very snake-like nose-less version of your lover giving you full attention. Severus felt the intimidating stare, unnerved a little by that form not that they'd been together much since his Lord changed. Severus wasn't complaining, knowing his body was relatively safe from being used while Voldemort was not used to his looks either.
Severus got up, summoning from his rooms the research he had been doing before passing his notes over to Voldemort. He paced while Voldemort read over his findings, watching as Voldemort processed the information. He knew when he got to the most concerning parts as he saw Voldemort get impossibly paler than he was with the snake-like skin. Part of the reason for his botched looks was Peter Pettigrew and his lack of a potions ability, accidentally adding extra ingredients to the resurrection potion than necessary, one being an entire albino python heart. How Wormtail messed up, Severus did not know. He gave him explicit directions.
So, splitting his soul to make his horcruxes made him insane and paranoid. He thought it still would have connected enough to keep his sanity. That explained how off course he became with his goals and off track his morals became. Perhaps he would gather his horcruxes and keep them nearby and safe while getting Severus to look into a way to reabsorb the inanimate ones at least. "Continue your research, I will gather what I can of my horcruxes. I will need you to gather a few." Voldemort was worried one was already destroyed as he dismissed Severus and tried to check on his connections to each horcrux.
Severus agreed to do more researching about soul magic to find a way to bring his Lord back to his senses. He was surprised he got out of the room unscathed. For that he was thankful and hopeful that with time and answers he would get his Tom back. He also was going to find a way to reverse the snake-like features on him as well.
Harry knew Voldemort was still alive, seeing a snippet of his conversation with Severus. It seemed like the war was over for now. He was glad. Maybe he could resume his education unharmed for once. Maybe he could focus on what he wanted to do instead of what the Wizarding World expected of him. He also wanted to start enjoying his life and to do normal teenager things like experimenting and dating.