Death Becomes Him
Disclaimer/Plot/Challenge Information/Author's Note/Dedication: SEE FIRST CHAPTER
Recommended Reads: I Want It All And More, Shouri no Hikarino Tabi and Harry Potter and the Judge of the Dead by Winged Seer Wolf, The Necromancer by MaeglinYedi, Yield to the Darkness and Lord of the Red Land by Quatermass, Harry Potter and the Rise of the Necromancers by Lordheaven, Dark Lord Potter by JustBored21, Lord Thanatos by Scarlette-Moon-Howl, Blood Crest by Cauchy, The Dark Witch and the Necromancer by Heiko2003 and Serpent's Ascending and Devilish Romance by Madriddler
Key Pairing: Harry/Colin/Dennis
Other Pairings: To be determined
Normal Speech
'Thoughts'
'Mental/Spiritual Speech'
/Parseltongue/
Review Answers:
Winged Seer Wolf: Not my plan for this adventure, but thank you, my friend: as you know, your review helped re-inspire another new piece of mine: oh, and get ready for a BIG twist to the tale that will leave you wondering what's going on in my head…probably;
Tempest Novastorm: I have a few plans: keep reading to find out what they are;
"Just like you said, Master; your Legion is growing thanks to this fiend. And soon, you will claim the biggest prize of all: the Horcrux!"
Chapter 3: Chamber of Darkness
Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever…
"What are you doing?"
As Harry stood before the blood-scrawled message, examining it with intent, curiosity and what looked like sorrowful dread, he visibly jumped suddenly when an ice-cold, sharp-toned voice addressed him. Seconds later, the torchlight in the hallway dimmed slightly before, as Harry turned to the source of the voice, he bowed his head when he saw the owner of the voice for who they were.
To anyone else, it would have suddenly looked like they were looking at a pair of identical twins, but, after looking at the two figures closely enough, it would soon become clear that they weren't twins of any kind.
Sure, they had the same wild, unruly dark hair and the same lean, almost-elflike physique, but it was there the similarities ended; whereas Harry was emerald-green-eyed, underweight and shorter than many of his peers, the other Harry was taller, more-well-defined, as well as pale-skinned and dark-eyed; eyes so dark that only by looking close enough would anyone else be able to identify the green colouring in those eyes.
However, the biggest change was that, where Harry had a lightning-bolt scar on his forehead, the other Harry had a mark of a different sort on his forehead; his was diamond-like in shape, with two prongs lifting out of the top of the mark, like horns on top of the diamond.
Weirdly, to look at the shape, you could even be forgiven for thinking that the second Harry's mark was made by duplicating his lightning-bolt scar and then flipping it around, like a mirror-image of the lightning-bolt scar, before the two shapes fused together at the top and bottom, forming the diamond shape that made up part of the second Harry's marking.
Also, whereas Harry-One was dressed in his Gryffindor robes, Harry-Two was dressed in a suit of black robes that seemed to wrap around him like wings of darkness, as well as a hood, which was lifted to cover his face, but that didn't stop Harry-One from recognising him for who he was.
A fact he proved when, after looking around to be sure they weren't being observed, Harry-One looked back to Harry-Two before he bowed his head respectfully, "Master. I wasn't aware you were planning to come back so soon."
"I wasn't," growled Harry-Two, aka the real Harry James Potter, his voice rippling with pure darkness and displeasure as he hissed, "However, from what I've observed through your eyes, my Shade, it seems the humans are making their stupid decisions even stupider by threatening to close this castle. Now, while I wouldn't be too sad to have to go elsewhere, especially if it meant I could put my full powers on display, we both know those insects in charge would only close it long enough to put a sheep, a fool or a corrupt little turd of a soul in the so-called seat of power. And, even then, my Legion would be in trouble because we also know that anyone who comes at their recommendation wouldn't hesitate to forsake the Muggle-born populace, including what I now know to be three of my most-devoted acolytes."
While the Harry identified as Shade trembled at the displeasure in his master's voice, Harry drew in a breath before he asked, "So, tell me, what have you discovered about the Chamber of Secrets and the feckless pretender responsible?"
"I…I know it's Riddle, Master," said Shade, earning a scoff from Harry.
"I knew that when the Seed bloomed inside of me, you weakling! Tell me something important!"
"Ginny Weasley has been taken into the Chamber by its monster."
"Well, that's a lie," growled Harry, moving past Shade without looking at his cowering underling, his movements so silent and fluid, he might as well have been gliding across the floor as he looked to the message on the wall. "If the Basilisk did take Ginevra Weasley, it would only be for a snack. No, I suspect this is Riddle's doing, in a bid to make the sheep panic and bleat all over again. Now, tell me: what are the weaklings doing?"
"They seem to be happy leaving it to Lockhart."
"Who, as we speak, is hurriedly packing up his trunks and getting ready to make his excuses and leave," said Harry, earning a shocked look from Shade, which only displeased his master further. "For someone with a connection to my power, you really are as blind and naïve as I used to be, aren't you, Shade? Lockhart is as much a real teacher and genuine celebrity as I am the next Dumbledore: no matter. I'll deal with both your stupidity and his cowardice soon enough; for now, what about the Weasleys?"
"Ron's gone to pieces; he left me here while he went to go and visit Hermione," said Shade, earning another scoff from Harry, while the shadow of his former self went on. "Fred and George have gone to contact Bill and Charlie and Percy…"
"Is an egomaniacal idiot who is more concerned about how he won't become Head Boy if Hogwarts closes down, yes, we know," drawled Harry, earning a gulp from Shade as he watched his master lower his hood before, with a wave of his hand, Harry's robes transformed into his original Gryffindor colours, his seemingly-transformed, better appearance now more like the Harry of old, including his lightning-bolt scar in place of the new symbol on his brow.
He even seemed to conjure a pair of glasses, sliding them over his face, as he sighed with a mixture of annoyance and disappointment before he added, "Very well, since this place is so full of fools and idiots that they need a child to pull their asses out of the fire…again, I suppose I have no choice. But, rest assured, my servant: you will be punished for this!"
"I understand, Master," said Shade, before his body seemed to turn completely-black and opaque, like a real, living shadow, which melted down onto the floor before it once again fused to Harry's body, leaving the young sorcerer shivering with a mixture of dark amusement and wonder.
"I've got a funny feeling I'm never going to get tired of that bit," drawled the one and only Harry James Potter, before he drew himself to his full height, running a hand through his hair as he stared up at the message once more.
"Now, Riddle: I think it's time we finish what we started eleven years ago."
With that, he turned on his heel and headed off to face his target.
Death
At the same time that Harry went off to finish what he started, in another part of the school, Gilderoy Lockhart felt a satisfied, self-centred smile touch his face as he slammed his trunk closed, his left eye twitching with self-induced madness as he looked around his chamber.
"Oh well, it was fun while it lasted, but once Hogwarts closes; I'm going to need a new meal ticket."
Here, he turned to look down at the floor, where a naked, unconscious Ronald Weasley was lying on the ground, his ass bleeding and his eyes glazed over as Lockhart chuckled softly at the boy, "You know, you really should have gotten your wand repaired, Mr Weasley; maybe then, you might have stood a chance when you came to ask the brave and famous Gilderoy Lockhart to save your deliciously-lovely Lily-Evans-lookalike of a sister. Still, it was nice to have one last meal before…"
Before Lockhart had a chance to finish his boasting, however, his eyes widened as what could only be described as a mass swarm of silvery mist and Dark Magic swarmed through his chambers. As Lockhart screamed in horror, unable to even fire off a spell at the phantasmal horde – since the only one he knew how to cast successfully was an Obliviate – a high-pitched, evil-as-evil-can-be cackle tore through the man's chambers before, as darkness rushed up towards Lockhart, leaving him almost-swimming in a sea of dark souls and horrific visions that slowly crept into his mind, a sinister voice addressed him from within the swarm.
"You really should have run like the lying little cowardy-cowardy Custer you are when you had the chance, Little-Limp-Dicked-Liar-Lock-FART!"
Then, while Lockhart was left to the mercy, or lack thereof, of his attackers, the swarm left the office, taking the still-screaming, terror-filled Lockhart and all his possessions with it. The only thing that was left in the office was a still-bloody and, once he finally awoke from his unconscious state, also dazed and confused Ronald Bilius Weasley.
When said redhead finally recovered, however, the first thing he said was, quite possibly, the smartest thing that redhead could ever have said;
"Who am I? What am I doing here?"
Death
"It's here…you're certain of this?"
"Y-y-y-y-yes, Master," stammered Moaning Myrtle, a small part of her wishing with all her might that His Excellency, the Bloody Baron, hadn't given the order to do nothing to stop The Dark One, who'd walked right into her domain and demanded answers from her.
For once in her undead life, Myrtle wished she could go and warn a teacher, tell them what was going on, instead of lying around in the U-bend, sobbing pitifully like the silly little ghost-girl she was, as she was forced to not only obey the call of The Dark One, but answer him truthfully and help him in his task at hand.
"Very well," hissed Harry, drawing in a slow breath before, licking his lips, he hissed icily, /Open, and grant me safe passage!/
A loud, almost-earth-shattering crash of a noise suddenly filled the bathroom as, to Myrtle's horror and dread, the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets opened, but not just by lowering the right sink into the ground as it used to do. Instead, each one of the sinks descended into the bowels of the earth where, on by one, their basin-mounted shapes and designs all shifted and transformed into a winding, circular stairway, which led straight down into the ancient and majestic chamber itself.
Once the stairway was forged, Harry smiled before he turned to Myrtle, "Thank you…"
"You're welcome, Master!" cried Myrtle, fear and desperation edging her voice as she hoped he would just leave her in peace.
"For your loyalty."
That was the last thing Myrtle heard before her crying, sobbing voice became a high-pitched shrill scream as she was thanked by the Dark One.
The last thing she saw being his jaws widening as he swallowed her up, spirit and all, with no other purpose than to feed his hunger for power.
Power that every spirit of the ether knew the Dark One acquired and nurtured by feasting on souls like some humanised Dementor…
And now, she was nothing but a snack to him.
Death
/Seal yourself./
As soon as Harry reached the bottom of the stairway, he made absolutely certain to ensure he couldn't be disturbed, even though he also found himself annoyed, if not disturbed by the fact that the first impression of the Chamber of Secrets involved wading through a small ocean of bones and offal, all of which he guessed were the remains of the prey of the Basilisk.
Fortunately, instead of having to go ankle, or even knee-deep in the muck and the bones, Harry was able to literally walk on water as he proved when he walked across the surface of the pit before, touching the ground again, he wiped the scum from his shoes as he looked up at the dark passageway ahead of him.
"Mental note: buy some new boots…and some new clothes too; it's time I started living like the king I am, instead of the sheep they want me to be."
The passageway ahead was as dark as the rest of the Chamber, but Harry wasn't too concerned; thanks to the Seed, the Darkness was as bright as the Daytime to him; it held no terrors, nor mysteries that he couldn't face and, as he walked through the passage, Harry even allowed himself a thin, interested smile as he imagined what might be done with the Chamber once he'd dealt with the threat that awaited him at the end of the long, dark passageway.
After all, with what he had become now, he was going to need somewhere to safely entertain himself and host his Legion and, if a Dark Wizard like Salazar Slytherin could keep his power base within Hogwarts and hide it away for so long, why shouldn't Harry do the same?
As he entertained the thought of the palatial residence and base of operations he could turn the Chamber into, Harry stopped when he saw a barrier in his way ahead of him; a large, stone seal that, when he looked closer, Harry noticed was actually a door, undoubtedly leading into the main annexe of the Chamber itself.
"Showtime," said Harry, before he spread his arms wide as he added, /Show yourself./
Suddenly, had anyone else been watching, they would have been alarmed, if not a little troubled to see Harry's robes shift and ripple before, from within one of the sleeves of his robe, the head of Harry's new pet, Rio, poked himself out, slithering along his master's body until he touched the floor where, like a certain other snake, the boa constrictor curled up faithfully, awaiting his master's commands.
/Open,/ commanded Harry, watching as the door obeyed his wishes, as was evident by how one of the snake images on the sealed door suddenly slithered its way around the door, causing several other snakes to retreat into the door design before, once the outer snake had wound its way around the whole door, the large, stone seal opened, admitting Harry entrance to the Chamber.
Before he stepped into the Chamber, however, Harry looked down at Rio as he explained, /You're to leave the pretender to me, Rio! As for the Basilisk, use the power I've given you to make sure it remembers who the real Master Speaker is, do you understand?/
/As you command, Dark One,/ replied Rio, slithering through the open door as Harry walked into the main annexe; once through the door, Harry leapt off a raised walkway onto the scale-like-mosaic floor of the Chamber, which stretched out between two rows of large snake heads, each one of them so well-crafted, they may as well be alive.
At the far end of the strange-looking parade, Harry could see a large statue, depicting a figure whose visage he'd seen several times in books, as well as down in the Slytherin Common Room – well, technically, Shade had seen it back when he'd impersonated a Slytherin through the Polyjuice Potion, but what his spy had seen, so too had Harry done the same.
Salazar Slytherin, creator of the Chamber, rogue of the Founders and Master of Dark Magic.
At the base of the statue, lying next to a pool of stagnant water, was a still, unconscious body, which Harry easily recognised as Ginevra Ginny Weasley, a girl who'd been something of a mystery and a nuisance to him because of her hero-worship and her nervousness.
Honestly, Harry might never be able to look at butter in the same way again, thanks to this silly, little girl.
But, then again, her silly-little-girl-ness was probably what had made it so easy for Tom to possess her; speaking of, Harry could also see a small, black book, held in the hands of the Weasley girl, its pages and coverings just oozing Dark Magic while, as Harry looked at the book, he felt a small smile cross his face as he chuckled softly.
"So, this is how you store your soul, is it, Tom? Whatever next? A pretty necklace? A cup? Maybe even a sparkly little tiara?"
Silence followed his words.
Harry, however, scoffed, "Don't be shy, Riddle; I know you're there. Well, why not come out and show yourself? I promise you; this time, you'll have a much fairer fight compared to last year and when I was a baby."
More silence.
"Riddle?" asked Harry, growing annoyed with the spectre's silence, "Or should I just call you Voldemort? Would you prefer that?"
"Not really, my Lord."
Suddenly, Harry's eyes widened in abject surprise, if not disbelief when he looked off to one side, where he'd sensed the spiritual energy emanating from, only to see a lone figure emerge from the shadows.
But it wasn't Voldemort.
It wasn't even Tom Riddle.
It was someone Harry really didn't expect to see.
A little boy, with blond hair and dark-brown eyes that could have been described as black in a certain light, holding onto what looked like a blood-red orb, which had a weird-looking shape glowing inside of it.
A triangle, with a circle stamped over the triangle, and a thin, vertical line running down the two previously-mentioned objects, cutting them in half.
It was a symbol Harry had come to know, but not as the name that others had come to call it over the centuries.
To him, it had another name.
"The Mark of Nekron?"
"That's right," said Dennis Creevey, a note of genuine sorrow, as well as guilt and submission in his voice as he held up the orb.
"I apologise for deceiving you like this, Master, but my brother and I were told that it was the only way to get you to embrace your destiny, as the Dark God, Nekron: the Master of Death!"
Chapter 3 and…huh?
Wait a minute: where's Tom?
Where's the boastful spirit known as Voldemort?
Why is Dennis in the Chamber and what's this about Nekron, whoever, or whatever that is?
Keep Reading to Find Out
Next Chapter: Just when Harry thought the mystery was solved, a new one begins: unfortunately, the new Dark Lord isn't in the mood for games, as his servants learn when he shows little Dennis what happens to those who deceive their Master: trust me, it's not being sent to your room without dinner!
Please Read and Review
AN: Harry's New Scar
Also, weird confession here, but the look for Harry's new mark/scar was highly inspired by the angelic rune from 'The Mortal Instruments'
All rights to the original creator, obviously, but, curiously, I looked at an image of Harry's scar put up against a mirror and my mind went: hey, doesn't that remind you of something?
So, that's why I did this; also, it gave me a reasonable idea to explain the how and why behind Harry being recognised for who/what he is/he has become in this story, so...anyway, just thought I'd share that weird thought;