The Nightmare Man

Summary: In the depths of the Ministry, there is a cell for the world's most dangerous man… and he wants out.

Pairing/s: None.

Warnings: Time travel, OOC-characters, Light!bashing, Twisted!Harry, Evil!Harry, violence, mention of gore. Yeah, stuff like that.

Disclaimers: I don't own Harry Potter nor do I make any money writing this.

-o-

Edited 2021

-o-

Chapter Seventeen

The letters exchanged between Harrison and Harry continued, Harrison responding to his questions and fears. He did enjoy it, surprisingly. If someone had told him before his imprisonment he would have two children at home that he wasn't killing, and reassuring a teenager via letters, Harrison would have thought them mad.

Or killed them for being annoying.

But here he was, and he wasn't going more insane than usual. His wounds were completely healed from his run-in with Aurors, and that meant he could move about as he pleased.

However, the incident had made his servants more prone to trail after him wherever he went. At least one servant went with him, and Harrison didn't complain too much about it since they only did it out of worry.

Elise would have loved to be breathing down his neck, but as she was kept busy with the manor and the others, the task of keeping Harrison out of trouble fell to Lucian most of the time.

"You know, I'm the master here," Harrison said as they arrived at Voldemort's manor one day. "I can take care of myself."

"Yes, of course, master."

"… You didn't believe a word of what I just said, did you?"

"You are absolutely correct, master," Lucian said with a straight face.

"I hate you."

"No, you don't."

They found Voldemort in his study, papers and maps strewn across the desk, as well as the floor. Harrison took a step in, and then stopped as he realized he was about to step on a map. Voldemort glanced up and muttered a greeting before turning back to whatever he was reading.

"You don't strike me as a messy man," Harrison said as he began to pick his way through the room, stepping between parchments and books. "Busy?"

"I want to attack Hogwarts and the Ministry simultaneously."

"You can't be at two places at the same time. Unless you have a time-turner, but that would be a bit too complicated for two large-scale attacks."

"I wasn't planning on being at two places," Voldemort said. "I also discarded any plans with time-turners quite early. No, I intend to be at Hogwarts and kill Albus while my Death Eaters attack that Ministry."

"That does sound quite lovely."

"But getting into Hogwarts will be troublesome."

"Why's that?" Harrison asked.

"The wards are old but well-cared for," Voldemort replied. "It won't be easy to get through. Also, new ones have been added over time."

"I can get us in," Harrison said and leaned onto the desk to see what Voldemort was studying. "Oh, that's Godric's design."

"Yes, it is. How did you…?"

"I was there when he designed that ward," Harrison said. "Anyway, I can get us in."

"What do you mean?"

"Also, probably without being noticed."

"You can work around the wards?" Voldemort asked.

"No, I'll just tell Hogwarts to let me in."

"Like hell the castle will allow a dark wizard in."

"This dark wizard, mind you, made some of her bloody wards, not to mention several rooms and corridors, so I'll be a very crossed dark wizard if Hogwarts refuses me," Harrison said. "And she knows that."

"Never thought a castle could get nervous," Lucian said, "but master did do that once. The walls were shivering."

"I was in a bad mood, and also a lot more unpleasant back then," Harrison replied. "I don't want to hurt Hogwarts, and she knows that too. So she'll let me in without much fuss."

"Are you… did you make some of the wards?" Voldemort got out.

"What, you think I just stood there watching the four founders build her? I was older than them; they kept looking at me for advice."

"Not sound ones," Lucian added.

"Did I say that? No, I did not, Lucian, now shut up. Hogwarts hasn't fallen apart, now has she? No, she stands very steadily, thank you very much."

"You're the one who basically told Salazar Slytherin to make a secret chamber," Lucian pointed out.

"Secret chambers are part of the charm in having a castle," Harrison replied. "You can't have a castle without at least one secret chamber. Godric had a good laugh about it."

"And the stairs?" Voldemort asked.

"Joint effort," Harrison said. "Me and Helga. They're funny, right?"

"Not when you're in a hurry," Voldemort muttered.

"Oh, they aren't designed to get you anywhere in a hurry."

"It's a school, you're supposed to be on time!" Voldemort said, slamming his hands down.

"Are you?" Harrison asked Lucian.

"I didn't go to a school," Lucian replied. "Did you, master?"

"Once," Harrison said. "I mostly got in trouble, to be honest."

"But you can get inside of Hogwarts?" Voldemort interrupted.

"Yes, I can. So once I'm in, I can probably rework the wards to allow you and the Death Eaters in without trouble. Hogwarts does care about the students, so I suppose we'll lock them up in a room or something. That way she'll be satisfied."

"Isn't the castle supposed to have an underlining loyalty to the current headmaster?"

But Harrison had spotted one of the maps, and completely ignored Voldemort as he pulled aside parchments and flicked a few other maps to the floor. Voldemort raised an eyebrow and looked at Lucian.

"Yes, master gets easily distracted at times," Lucian confirmed. "Give him some time and he'll probably answer you."

"I see. I'll work on how to get inside of the Ministry until then."

Voldemort saved a few maps from Harrison, and pulled a few parchments close before he invited Lucian to sit down while the two lords worked. Well, Voldemort worked while Harrison did… something.

Lucian sat down and watched them both. After a few moments, he spotted a braid knotted into Harrison's hair, a bright blue ribbon securing it. No doubt Lucy's work. Harrison couldn't be bothered to stop her from playing with his hair most of the time, and then he usually forgot to check what she had done to it. The braid was better than the last thing Lucy had incorporated into Harrison's hair; several tiny branches that took Harrison well over an hour to remove later.

Considering Lucy ran around for two days after that incident with bright purple hair, Lucian figured the twins had put her up to it in exchange of changing her hair colour.

As they both remained quite glued to their papers and maps, Lucian sank down a bit in the chair and rested his head on his hand, eyes slowly slipping close.

Harrison suddenly looked up and said:

"Hogwarts loyal to the headmaster?"

"Yes," Voldemort said. "It's something I've heard over the years."

"She won't be if she believes the headmaster or headmistress endangers her or the children," Harrison said. "Or if one of the founders dislikes the current headmaster. That happened a few times with me, and I don't like Dumbledore so… no problems."

"You hardly know him."

"I know him better than one might think. Also, he visited me just before I got out of prison and he was very annoying."

"Everyone is annoying to you, master."

"Lucian, are you talking to me in your sleep?"

"Not at all," Lucian said, immediately betrayed by a yawn.

"Are two dark lords in the same room that boring to you?" Harrison wondered.

"Well, that dark lord isn't going to attack you so there is no need for me to be alert," Lucian replied.

"Are you his keeper?" Voldemort asked.

"Yes, for now," Lucian said before Harrison could protest, and while ignoring Harrison's glare he continued, "Since master can't go for a walk without getting injured."

"It was unexpected, that's all!"

"Injured?"

"Aurors," Harrison said, waving it off. "They're dead."

"I certainly didn't expect them to still be alive, but how exactly did you get injured?"

"I wasn't paying attention."

"That's an understatement," Lucian muttered.

"Lucian, hush."

"Are you two done anyway?" Lucian continued.

"I am, but Voldemort probably isn't. Need a hand?"

"Yes, actually. You don't happen to know a way into the Ministry that allows a large amount of people inside at the same time?"

"Ministry? I've only been there a few times, I barely know a real door in."

"Guessed that," Voldemort said and pushed his hair back. "Lucius knows discreet entrances into the Ministry, but that's the thing; they're discreet, and only two people can enter at a time apparently. I still wish to use your Inferi, but that and the Death Eaters it won't be very efficient."

"Can they be transported like your Dementors, master?" Lucian wondered.

"How should I know when I've never tried it?" Harrison asked. "But if they can't be, then we just have to ward the whole building, so people can't escape, and bring the Inferi in manually. They listen to my orders, so your people would be out of harm's way."

"They just look like they might eat you," Lucian said.

"Look like they might eat you?" Voldemort echoed.

"Don't worry, I take their teeth away if they try to bite an ally," Harrison said absently. "Their arms too sometimes. Possibly their tongue if I get crossed."

"Meaning they won't bite, even if they really, really want to," Lucian elaborated.

"They won't feel any pain from what he would do to them," Voldemort said.

"No, but they feel the humiliation of the action," Lucian explained as Harrison pulled a map of the Ministry closer to study it closer. "Quite vain, some of them are."

"You're vain," Harrison mumbled.

"So are you, master."

"I don't like wrinkles. Also, tongue."

"Tongue?" Voldemort asked Lucian.

"He did use to take ours too, when we didn't behave the way he wanted," Lucian said. "Quite embarrassing. But we didn't talk much, which was his end goal."

"I was quite moody back in the day," Harrison said. "But it was also kind of funny."

"Taking tongues?" Voldemort said.

"He liked taking eyes too," Lucian whispered.

"Lucian…"

"Terribly sorry, master. Likes, I mean."

Harrison grumbled but pulled at another map, eyes flitting over the different floors and corridors. Voldemort observed him and said after a while:

"You truly are strange."

"Why's that?"

"You aren't truly studying the maps. You're not learning them. You already know them. This despite the fact the Ministry was built on top of you."

Harrison looked up.

"Alright, so I have a secret or two," he confessed. "But I don't know the entire Ministry. I know the departments, mostly, but not all the ways in and out. Are all ways marked out on these maps?"

"I don't think Lucius has found them all," Voldemort said. "I'll tell him to have a look around."

"He's able to sneak around that much?"

"Lucius has the Minister in his pocket. I basically own the Ministry already."

"Isn't Lucius considered to be like us?" Harrison wondered. "Not on the good side, I mean. Cornelius has, as far as I can tell, changed quite a bit due to my escape."

"Due to you torturing him, you mean, but while he has changed he has not dismissed Lucius," Voldemort said.

"Oh, then he must be really good at convincing people."

"Dumbledore is no fool, he's suspicious of Lucius, as are most of the Order but Cornelius has been hooked for many years. Lucius did support him a lot to become Minister, and has donated quite a lot of money."

"Ugh, politics. But as long as it works for you, that's nice I suppose."

"You never tried to have a politician in your pocket?" Voldemort wondered as he marked out a few places he wanted Lucius to check.

"Sounds boring. I liked chaos and mayhem too much to care about politics."

"Master was very good at that," Lucian said. "Politics, not so much."

Harrison shrugged at Voldemort's amused look.

"How about this?" Voldemort said after a while. "Your Inferi would make a truly wonderful impact if they arrived at the same time from every available fireplace as well as the official entrance. Can they Floo?"

"I can try with them, but I get what you're thinking."

Lucian settled back in his chair as Harrison and Voldemort began to work out a plan.

-o-

Harrison moved through the snow, trailed by some Dementors as he made his way to where the Inferi were stationed. Lucy had wanted to come with him, but Harrison wasn't sure she would react well to see an Inferius up close. Might get her to shut up when she was annoying if he threatened her with an Inferius nibbling on her, but when he proposed that to Elise he was quite violently shut down. So, no threatening annoying children under his care with Inferi.

Dementors were fine, she was used to them, but walking corpses was probably a bit much. Also, if she saw said corpses chewing on humans in her village it would probably make her even more annoying. Elise kept saying "traumatized", but Harrison just translated that to noisy and annoying. So no Inferi for Lucy just yet.

If he truly thought about it, he kind of understood that Lucy wouldn't react well. He had seen them when he was sixteen, and hadn't liked it because back then he was a stupid teenager that didn't know Dumbledore was a bastard. A bastard with good intentions maybe, but still a bastard.

As he walked, he soon spotted the leader of the Inferi; she had climbed out to meet him.

"Love, that's not just right," he said as he came closer. "Look at those eyes, they're all shrivelled up."

She was wearing a necklace made out of eyeballs and what could be string, but it could also be a part of a human.

"Eyes dry out, silly," Harrison told her as she pawed at the necklace to see for herself. "You should have told me, or someone else, so we could've preserved them for you."

She grunted in what Harrison guessed was great displeasure once she did see the eyes.

"Next time, give the eyes to us first so we can continue making them look pretty."

She nodded and tore the necklace off. Harrison peered closer at it.

"Humans nerves?" he asked, and she nodded again. "Bit creative. Not very durable though. Might I suggest tendons? You can make thread out of tendons. Well, you can't but I probably can."

The growling seemed positive, and then he followed her back underneath the ground. There was the assumption that Inferi reeked of rotten flesh, but that was wrong. Inferi didn't rot. His Inferi also didn't make a habit of taking human flesh with them after they feasted on it. So their underground home smelt only of winter air and rich, cold earth.

When Harrison started making Inferi, meaning when he had no idea what the hell he was doing, it freaked him out when he realized they never slept. Never. Then he realized they were dead. Dead people didn't need to sleep but it was still a bit freaky.

Their heads turned towards him. Dried blood, stiff and brown, still covered some of them. Others were cleaner. Harrison moved through the groups, picking some out and placing them in other groups. He knew which ones were strong, which ones held back. Some he couldn't send into a place like the Ministry, they wouldn't know what to do with themselves in confined spaces. The leader could face anything, but Harrison was still going to cast a few charms so they'd be more protected against flames.

"There," he said and made a head-count. "All here, and moved into groups. Stay like that, alright?"

Some nodded. Others moved a little but they didn't start mingling with other groups. The leader turned to him and Harrison put his palm against her clammy forehead.

"There you go," he said as he sent to her mind what each group was for. "We'll invade the Ministry soon. What a look Cornelius will have. Or maybe I should take care of him before that. After all, a Ministry without its Minister ought to be easier to take over…"

-o-

Harry's letters were actually starting to worry Harrison. Dumbledore was pulling him out of school more and more for training, and Harrison couldn't quite understand how James and Lily allowed it. From what he could tell, they really loved their son. They were protective over him, and loving. They wouldn't just hand him over and leave him to his fate. Perhaps they didn't think the training was a bad thing.

But Harry did. He was worried and scared. People said he wasn't progressing as fast as he should, getting stronger as quickly as they hoped.

"Children don't grow strong overnight," Harrison muttered to himself.

Harrison did understand Harry's situation. He hadn't received much in terms of training when he was Harry Potter, but had experienced plenty of times when people expected far too much from him. One day he was the hero, the other a lunatic but they all expected him to fight an experienced dark lord and win in time to be back for tea. It was plain stupid. Harrison had won over Voldemort because that time's Voldemort was too desperate to live to see clearly.

Then again, Harrison hadn't been much better. He had been desperate to live, and missed Dumbledore planning to throw him aside if he survived Voldemort. He continued reading, fuming over those stupid memories. Those times were long since over and he had survived it. Harry would survive it too, no matter what Harrison had to do…

I'm not sure if the headmaster wants me to survive. The training is hard, but it's not meant for combat. Why won't they teach me how to survive fighting?

Harrison stilled as he read that over. He read it again. And again.

"Wait," he said. "No, did I… I did. How could I have forgotten about that? His scar."

Was Harry Potter of this time a Horcrux as well?

Harrison got up. He had to find out, right now, because if Harry was one then it was no wonder that Albus Dumbledore didn't teach him anything that would actually give him a chance to survive. But the fact that James and Lily appeared to allow this didn't sit right. It didn't fit them. They wouldn't abandon their son.

"Everyone," he said as he came into the room with the portraits of the four founders. "I'm sorry to bother you, but where is Harry Potter right now?"

"Oh," Rowena said where they sat gathered in one of the paintings. "I haven't seen him today when I went to check."

"Outside of Hogsmeade," Salazar said. "I overheard it. Training again."

"Outside of Hogsmeade? Thank you, Salazar."

"What is it?" Helga said.

"Just a hunch," Harrison said. "I need to know why they're training a child to fight a dark lord."

"You know, once upon a time you wouldn't have cared about that," Godric told him. "You would've just killed him to spite them."

"Yes, I would. I guess I've gotten old and soft."

Salazar's snort was opinion enough from them all. Harrison left but met Severus in the hall.

"You're not playing babysitter?" Harrison asked. "Where are the little devils?"

"With Ywgraine and Joanne. Where are you going?"

"I'm going to visit Harry."

"Isn't he protected?" Severus asked.

"Yes, but I'm me. I want to see something. And at one point he needs to know who he's telling his secrets to. Might as well be now."

"Will you kill him if he turns to the Order?"

"Severus, I already promised you I wouldn't."

"You said you would steal him."

"Meaning I won't kill him," Harrison said. "Don't worry. He won't die as long as I have any say in it."

"… You truly are a strange man."

"I don't think I want to hear that coming from you."

Severus didn't respond to that but looked at him and said:

"At least wear a cloak. It's February; sane people dresses properly when it's cold."

"Cheeky brat. Be glad I don't rip out tongues anymore as punishment."

"I'm shivering down to my very boots."

Harrison snapped his fingers and Severus yelped as his feet were pulled out from underneath him, making him fall to the floor. The Nightmare Lord grinned as he left the house and Apparated, landing outside Hogsmeade. He could hear the spells, people calling out orders, or encouragement. He snuck closer, forcing himself to become lighter so he ran over the snow without leaving any footprints. A spell took care of him being visible but he wasn't sure how long it would fool Aurors.

Harry was duelling. He was getting better but Harrison saw he wouldn't stand a chance against people like Voldemort. The Dark Lord might pity him for a few minutes but Harry would be killed in an instant if the man got serious.

So what the hell was Harry training for? To look like he was fighting so when he went down people mourned him, hailed him as the tragic hero?

What a loud of bullshit. Harrison tilted his head to the side as there was a pause. Harry was left alone for a moment and stood leaning over his knees. The Nightmare Lord took the chance and came closer. There was something different, now when Harrison focused on it. A darkness… there. The scar. That damn scar. He could feel Voldemort's magic in it, but only if he went looking for it.

So Harry was a Horcrux. That explained the weird training. Dumbledore actually wanted him dead. But it didn't explain why James and Lily weren't protesting more. Were they aware what their son had inside and decided not to care? No, Lily cared; Harrison had seen that much when he broke into her mind. If she cared, it was likely that James did. He could be a bastard, but surely not to his own son.

"Harrison?"

Busted. Harrison stepped closer as Harry straightened up, eyes wide.

"How did you find me?" Harry asked.

"I have very powerful friends," he said. "Plus they're portraits. They snap up a lot more information than people think."

"You know portraits at Hogwarts?"

"A few."

"So you came to see me?"

"You sounded quite worried in your letters," Harrison said and reached out. His finger brushed over the scar. Harry didn't even blink. "Naturally I worry too."

"You do?"

"Of course."

Harry smiled, wide and open.

Then it all went to hell really. A spell rushed at Harrison and he just managed to block it and keep Harry out of harm's way. Someone Apparated and pulled Harry away, and Harrison found himself once more surrounded by Aurors.

"Dear me," he said. "My, you are fast lads. And ladies of course."

"The Nightmare Lord!" the Auror holding Harry spat out.

Harry went rigid, shock evident on his face. Harrison waited on the disgust, the hatred. He had nearly broken Harry's mother, killed his aunt and also "kidnapped" Severus, and killed a lot of people in this time. Stories of his past crimes were no doubt spreading through the magical community and were discussed at Hogwarts.

But…

Why did this boy insist on keep surprising Harrison time and time again? There was the expectant shock in those emerald orbs but no hate. No feelings of betrayal. Harrison wondered if there was something wrong with Harry, or what the hell Dumbledore had made him feel.

"You killed those Aurors last month but we won't let you have Harry Potter! We'll destroy you here and now!"

"Really, you lot always show up when I don't want you to," Harrison said with a sigh. He undid his outer robe and let it slide to the ground. "Come at me then but be aware; I'm not going easy on you."

Spells flew at him. Harrison gathered magic into his legs and launched himself up in the air. When he was up there he felt wards come up and groaned.

Again? He really should have notified Lucian so the man could've stalked him here, or let someone else stalk him. Harrison landed and slashed a man's throat open. Blood coloured the snow underneath them. He did quick work of them all, worried that the sounds would alert someone in the village or Hogwarts. He didn't have much time.

Minutes later he and Harry stood alone. Harry had his wand up at last but he was shaking.

"Harry," Harrison began.

"Sectumsempra!"

The spell flew right past him. Harry had been aiming… but at what? Harrison whirled around just in time to see one Auror, arm missing, fall over, chest torn open by the spell Harry uttered only moments ago. Harry Potter, the hero, one of the good guys… just helped the Nightmare Lord.

When he turned back Harry was crying, eyes wide and snot coming out of his nose. Harrison smiled and held out his empty hands as he came closer.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Harry. You just saved me, thank you."

"I… I don't… you killed my aunt."

"Your aunt was a monster and deserved it, Harry," he replied.

"You kidnapped my mum! And professor Snape!"

"I saved professor Snape. Your father hit him by mistake at first, but didn't try to help him afterwards. Your professor would have died if it hadn't been for me."

"But Fred… and George… all those people…"

"I'm not saying I'm a saint," Harrison said. "No one is. Especially not Dumbledore. What was he thinking, forcing a child to fight a grown wizard?"

"But you…"

"I don't force children to fight."

"You kill people."

"Yes, I do." Harrison was right in front of Harry now and pushed his wand down. He wiped away the tears but fresh ones kept falling. "You're scared now, I understand that. You've heard so many things about me… many truths but also many lies."

"I… I don't know…"

"You knew who I was when you killed that Auror, Harry. That means something to me. You protected me even when you knew I kidnapped your mother and killed your aunt and her family."

Harry nodded helplessly.

"It's just… you listen to me. Mum and dad are so busy with this that they don't… I don't want to…"

"You don't want to do what?" Harrison inquired gently.

"I don't want to fight," Harry confessed. "I'm so scared and no one listen to me… just you… you're an enemy and I like you more than I like my friends."

"Harry, that's an honour for me. The trust you have in me… I'm glad. I wouldn't make you fight."

"You… wouldn't?"

"Of course not!" Harrison said and let Harry come even closer. "You know, I have two small children at home. And the twins of course, but they aren't really children."

Harry snorted.

"Alright, you got me there. They act like children. But the two little ones, I would never make them fight anything in their entire lives just because I desired it."

"Dumbledore…"

"He wants you dead, Harry."

"No!"

"Yes, he does. I know that. You have something inside you that he fears. He will let you die for the greater good, and your parents will allow that."

"No, they won't!"

"Why haven't they stopped him then?" Harrison asked. "Why haven't they demanded more protection for you, more serious fighting? What you can do now… won't face Voldemort. He'll kill you in an instant and that's what Albus Dumbledore wants. You are nothing but a chess piece to him, and you are about to be sacrificed to win the game."

Harry was crying even more now, sobbing and Harrison let him hold on for a little while before taking Harry's head in his hands and looking him in the eyes.

"I wouldn't do that," he said. "You'd be safe with me. Safe from Albus Dumbledore. Safe from Voldemort. Neither of them could hurt you and you'll get to see professor Snape again. And the twins. I'm quite sure the twins would be overjoyed to see you again."

"… Really? But I… school?"

"School is important," Harrison said. "Hogwarts won't let you get hurt inside her. I know that. She protects her precious students, and you are one of them."

People were approaching. Harrison tugged him close again and said:

"Albus Dumbledore will read your mind without your consent but I will cloak these memories. You saw this happen, the Aurors told you to run and you knew you wouldn't stand a chance against me. You are in shock, Harry, alright, but after this, after today, don't look into his eyes. You hear me? Repeat after me."

"Don't look into his eyes," Harry said. "Professor Dumbledore's eyes?"

"He'll tear into your memories and rip them apart if necessary," Harrison said.

"You're going to leave me?"

"No," Harrison said. "I'm not going to leave. But you'll be safe at Hogwarts. I want you to study and feel free. However, if you feel for the slightest instant that you are about to be hurt or taken away, call my name in your mind…"

Here Harrison reached out and put his palm against Harry's forehead, sending out a boost of magic.

"There. Call my name in your mind and I will hear you. I'll come and get you. Alright?"

Harry nodded.

"You promise?" he said. "That you'll come."

"Of course. Now I must go. Continue writing. It's not only me who gets joy out of your letters. Severus and the twins are happy when they hear how you're doing."

Harry nodded again and wiped his eyes. Harrison stroked his cheeks a last time and then Apparated before anyone reached them.

-o-

"Blood!"

"Not mine," Harrison told Lucian. "Where's Severus? Severus! Fred, George!"

"What…? Not yours, whose is it then?!"

"Aurors. Killed them… blasted, where are they?!"

Severus came to the hall and the twins came crashing down the stairs. Literally. They ended up on top one another and stared at Harrison.

"Damn it, master, you gave us a heart attack!" the twins whined.

"I would just restart them, don't whine," Harrison said. "Anyway, I called on you to say Harry's on our side, but he's at school right now."

"What?!" all three of them exclaimed.

Then they stopped to look at each other.

"Oh, three in sync," Harrison said. "Impressive."

"Not the point," Severus growled. "You managed to convince Harry Potter to join you?"

"Well… sort of, I guess? He killed an Auror that was about to attack me. I wish I didn't have to leave him, that's why I want you two to get ready. Chop chop!"

"Get ready for what?" the twins said.

"I'm sneaking you into Hogwarts so you can be with him for a bit, of course."

"Why didn't you just bring him with you?" Fred said.

"He has school!"

"So did we!"

"Well, you were eaten by Dementors. That didn't give me much choice but to take you with me."

"Enough!" Severus said. "Mr and Mr Weasley, get ready. Master, what if Dumbledore finds out that Harry trusts you?"

"I cloaked his memories but it won't hold forever so I warned him about the eyes," Harrison said, making a stabbing-motion at his own eyes. "Was it stupid to leave him there? Of course it was, I should've just grabbed him… oh, why am I so stupid?"

"It's a gift," Lucian said. "Also, getting blood on your clothes is a gift. A cursed gift."

"Lucian, hush."

"Stop telling me to hush, master."

"You're sending the twins to him," Severus interrupted them. "So you're making up for it."

"Really? Good. I don't really feel like myself at the moment. Well, the blood isn't so surprising but I don't usually convince people to join my side."

"Having a conscience is harder than you think," the potions master said.

"Have you grown a conscience, master?" Lucian asked, poking at Harrison. "Where? Is it like a tumour, growing on your body somewhere?"

"What- no! Lucian, hands! Hands!"

The twins came tumbling back down to the sight of Lucian being sent flying and Harrison moodily staring into the wall. Severus cleared his throat and said:

"Master? Hogwarts. Twins."

"Ah, yes… wait. Let me wash off first."

Harrison vanished upstairs. Lucian came back, sniffing. He had a nosebleed from slamming into the wall but didn't look too upset about it. He stopped the blood flow with a tap of his wand and grinned at them.

"It's nice to see master care about people," he said.

"How was he back in the day?" George asked.

"Bored and violent. Never a good combination. He liked to experiment. I'm glad I was just made into a servant considering what he did to other hunters."

"Torture?" the twins ventured.

"Torture would be kindly put. He's mellowed out."

"Is that bad?" Severus asked.

"Savages of old times are so out right now," Lucian replied. "So no. He's changed into something more human and I believe we'll all be better off with that."

Harrison came back with less blood and calmer temper. He grabbed onto the twins and said:

"I'll be back in a bit."

"Have a safe trip," Lucian said. "What did you do with the bloodied clothes?"

"Will you be upset if I say I just threw them on the ground?" Harrison ventured.

"Yes?" Lucian replied.

"Well then, I didn't throw them on the ground, but they just might be on the ground."

"Master!"

Harrison Apparated before Lucian could grab him, laughing, the twins yelping.

-o-

Harry Potter's mind was jumbled after the day's events and sat alone on his bed in the Gryffindor tower. He knew logically he was betraying Dumbledore, his parents, his friends… everyone he knew. He killed an Auror. He killed an Auror to protect an evil man.

But Harrison was… he was just Harrison. The one person who listened to Harry. He perhaps twisted his words a bit but Dumbledore did that with everything he said.

Harry laid down on the bed with a sigh. His head hurt after Dumbledore's intrusion. It really felt like his memories would be ripped apart but then the headmaster had retreated and he was brought back to school. His parents hadn't come to see him. Harry wasn't sure they knew. Lily was out of the hospital and they were working very hard to find the Nightmare Lord's lair. They actually called it a lair. Maybe Harrison would laugh at that.

Anyway, Harry didn't know where Harrison's home was but he was sure he'd see it in the near future. Not that he could tell his parents. Not that he would. It was a funny feeling, this betrayal, because he didn't feel bad about it. Nowadays when he looked at Ron and Hermione he only saw the same blank faces that everyone around him wore. The faces that said one thing and one thing only; become the hero so we don't have to fight.

A tapping on the window startled him and he got up on his hands and knees, but when he saw who it was Harry dashed over and pulled it open. Fred was first, grinning madly and George followed. Harrison clung onto the window sill and said:

"Well, that's one way of getting inside the castle… but why climbing? There are other ways to get inside without walking through the entrance doors you know."

"It's more fun this way!" George said. "Hello, Harrykins! Well don't you look famished. Greg."

"Yes, Forge?"

"The kitchens?"

"The kitchens!"

"Wait… you two!" You're supposed to be freaking dead! But they were gone before Harry had time to say it. He fell back against the wall next to the window and buried his face in his hands.

"Yes, I believe I know that exact feeling," Harrison said. "Crazy, aren't they?"

"Crazy, yeah. Very… um… are you hanging onto the window?"

"I just might be doing that."

"You can come inside."

"Thank you."

Harrison heaved himself up on the windowsill and stepped inside.

"I thought you…"

"I'd leave you alone? You killed a person today, Harry. The first one is rather hard to forget so I thought I'd leave the twins with you for a few days. If that is acceptable."

"They'll be here? With me? Seriously?"

"Yes."

"Thank you!"

Harry was already hugging Harrison when the thought struck him that perhaps Harrison didn't like hugs. He had sort of done it earlier with the Nightmare Lord but it was to calm him down. Now he wasn't as upset so maybe… but no, that thought was squashed as Harrison encircled his arms around Harry and held on tightly.

"What a day, ey? And I was just going to check up on you earlier."

"Why?"

"Because of that something you have, which makes Dumbledore want you dead. I needed to see if it truly was there otherwise his actions wouldn't make any sense."

"What do I have?" Harry asked, looking up at Harrison. "Is it bad?"

"Well, it's certainly not in the realms of good but it's not going to kill you. Can you speak to snakes?"

"… Yes. Mum and dad hate that."

"That scar holds more than just a bad memory," Harrison said. "It holds Voldemort himself."

"What…?"

Harrison cast a charm to the door that would warn him before someone came inside and sat Harry down on the bed.

"A sliver of his soul," Harrison continued, "is right there."

He pressed a finger against the scar.

"Voldemort doesn't know it. Dumbledore obviously does. He wants Voldemort to kill you to kill the soul piece. It's not certain… that you'll die from it but you never know. Dumbledore obviously doesn't care."

"But they say I'm the only one?" Harry said, fighting tears. He had cried enough for one day. "Who can defeat Voldemort I mean."

"Destroy the pieces of souls he has scattered around, and anyone can kill him once he's mortal."

"He has more?!"

Harrison briefly explained about Horcruxes, the few details he knew and Harry seemed horrified.

"But doesn't that hurt?" he said at last.

"What hurts?"

"Splitting your soul."

"I imagine it does. Why?"

"Why would he do that to himself?"

"Maybe you can ask him yourself."

"Are you mad? He wants me dead!"

"Yes, I am mad but no, once I explain that you have a part of his soul Voldemort most definitely won't want you dead. Besides, all I've ever heard him say is how badly he wants Albus Dumbledore dead, he doesn't really mention you…"

"I don't know whether to be insulted or glad over that," Harry said.

"I'd go with glad," Harrison told him.

The twins came back with food soon enough and Harry stared at them.

"How did you get back here without being seen?" he said. "No, before that, how did you get out from the tower without being noticed at all?!"

"Secret passages," Fred said.

"Plus the house elves adore us so they won't tell on us," George continued.

"Disobeying house elves?" Harrison said. "I like it. Are you three set then? I have my own little tour to make."

"You're staying at the school?" Harry said.

"Not for more than a few hours. I'll say this again, that if you find yourself in trouble after the twins leave, or if you feel unsafe call for me. I'll come get you even if you don't get to finish the term."

Harry didn't want him to leave but he would have the twins with him for at least a few days, so he put on a brave face and nodded. Harrison stepped over to the window and climbed up on the window sill before turning back to them briefly and said:

"And you two, don't endanger him. I have Dementors and Inferi who would be quite happy to play tag with you two if you screw up."

"We won't! You're scary!"

"I'm not called the Nightmare Lord because I was a nice, benevolent person you know."

With that he jumped and disappeared into the dark.

To be continued…


Chapter eighteen: Cornelius Fudge has found the Nightmare Lord and tries to imprison him! And, Harry now alone at Hogwarts begins to feel uneasy. Dumbledore frightens him, and his friends are beginning to look more and more like enemies…

See you later,

Tiro