Prologue

Oh! My False Dark Lord

Harry's age - 16

Severus Snape

Not even in my wildest dreams had I imagined this happening. I stare at my godson along with tens of thousands of other death eaters, Lucius and Narcissa included.

The Dark Lord is standing in front of us, very still, his monstrous face white as death and his eyes wide in shock.

There's a line between us and them. A literal line that is drawn in blood, Katherine's blood. Katherine, the Dark lord's daughter - her hands are covered in blood. Her face, the most angelic, beautiful face that we have seen looks tragic and heartbroken as Draco Malfoy, the king of deception keeps a strong hold around her waist, his wand pointed at her heart and a dagger resting on her throat. There are shackles on both her hands. Blaise is holding the iron chain of one and Pansy is holding the other.

The three of them are smiling. It's a ruthless smile, the smile that doesn't belong on their faces. It belongs on the faces of monsters like the Dark Lord.

Bellatrix is tied to a wooden stake standing on the line, her hands and legs tied on either side and a ball of cloth in her mouth. Blood trickles down her face from an open wound making a puddle below. She looks sickly and tired and white. Besides the stake, there is Molly, her face cold and hard, in complete contrast to the colourful robes, she's dressed in.

Behind Draco, Pansy and Blaise is the golden trio with Albus and Greg on one side and Minerva and Vince on the other. They are not quite so cold, especially Potter. His face is etched with concern as is Albus'. But then, you never know with Albus. There are thousands of wizards and witches of all ages behind the trio with the Weasley clan surrounding them. All the Weasleys from various parts of the world have been called today and surrounding the Weasleys are the aurors.

Behind the wizards and witches are tens of thousands of magical creatures. Their army outnumbers the Dark lord's. The dark lord has Albus' spies and the dark Lord has no spies on that side now, no one except Katherine and Bellatrix that is.

The castle is nowhere to be seen. We have hidden it. It's safe and shall remain untainted.

No one speaks. No one that is until Draco says in a loud and clear voice, "just one more surprise for you, my false Lord."

The Dark Lord trembles.

"So, this is what you have become Tom Riddle."

The voice is very familiar to my generation and those older than us and the face is known by everyone, the face of Gellert Grindelwald, in the flesh, appearing out of nowhere and walking to stand beside Albus.

His tone is as arrogant and superior as ever. His face is charming and he's dressed in crisp, handsome robes. I can see what Albus saw in him.

The Dark Lord takes a step back when he sees them together.

Everyone has heard rumours of Albus' past. Albus is staring at Grindelwald as if he has seen a ghost. Gellert is smirking at the Dark Lord who seems shaken enough that it's showing on his face.

While death eaters seem unstructured and are positioned randomly, Potter's army's formation was designed by several experienced wizards and witches and I spoke to Gellert about it though we kept Gellert a secret from Albus. We knew he would never agree. It was a decision that the ministry took actually because together, Albus and Gellert are terrifying.

Even I'm terrified. The most powerful wizards of all time standing together against us. If I wasn't a spy, I would be trying to escape.

Of course, this thing with Katherine and Bellatrix was kept secret from me and it seems, from many others who are staring at Draco with awe on their faces. Potter knew. Of course, he knew. He understands Draco very well, more than Draco wants anyone to understand him.

"There will be no war, my false lord," Blaise says mockingly, his lips upturned in a vicious smirk.

Pansy, mirroring his expression, murmurs in a very deceptively sweet voice, "oh! My false Lord no one will die today."

I can remember them running around in the Malfoy manor, playing and laughing their hearts out, their fates already sealed by their parents.

I can still remember the day everything changed. The day I saw them realise something that they would never have realised had I not taken them to Surrey.