A/N: This is my first attempt at fanfiction, my first attempt at any sort of story really so don't be too harsh with reviews. And excuse all mistakes in spelling and grammar. Read and enjoy. Oh yeah, and review.
Disclaimer: All characters and settings that can be recognised from the Harry Potter Books written by the wonderful J.K Rowling belong to her. Any new characters or settings come from my own imagination and therefore belong to me.
The War Begins
Written by Gandalf
Chapter One: The Ride Home
"Hurry up boy!" snapped Uncle Vernon glaring at Harry. "I have better things to do than drive you around."
"Ok I'm coming" Harry replied dolefully as they walked out of Kings Cross into the busy London Street.
Vernon walked ahead leading Harry to the corner of the street where he parked the car. He motioned for Harry to place his trunk into the back as he unlocked the car doors. Harry did so and got in beside his trunk on the back seat. As they pulled out Harry noticed Hermione with her parents. She was smiling happily as she hugged a man Harry recognised as her father, they had never actually spoken but Harry had seen him a few years ago in Diagonal alley. Harry couldn't help but feel a little envious as he watched Hermione with her parents. She looked very content in her father's arms, as if nothing in the world could harm her as long she stood in his embrace. Hermione of course would be returning to a relatively happy home, where she had people who loved and cared for her and could expect a fairly pleasant summer. Harry on the other hand, had nothing to look forward to but a long and painful summer with the Dursleys. Truly horrible people, who hated everything about him, treated him like he was dirt, denying him any of the normal rights or privileges, and desperately trying to conceal him from the rest of the world.
For the first ten years of his life he had be forced to live in a cupboard under the stairs as if he were some horrible secret, and the only reason for such treatment was simply because he was different. He was a wizard, something the Dursleys didn't understand, and instead of trying to understand him their confusion turned into fear and hate. The Dursleys feelings towards him had been something he had inherited from his parents, who were also wizards and were never discussed in the Dursley household. He had never known his real parents, they having died when he was still only a baby, which of course is the reason for him having to live with the simple minded Dursleys. After everything that had happened, he wished more than ever now that his parents were with him. He really needed someone he could talk to without feeling afraid or embarrassed. Someone who had an idea of what he was going through and wouldn't panic at his words. He wanted to talk to them about all the things that had happened over the last year and his fears for the future. Be able to hug them as Hermione had hugged her father and in return tell him that things were going to be all right. He had Sirius of course, his Godfather. However, the fact that the Ministry still wanted him meant that he could not be there for Harry, and had to remain in hiding, so he rarely got a chance to see Harry. There was also the fact that he had only known his Godfather a year and only seen him a few times since they first met. Sirius had spent most of Harry's life in Azkaban, the wizard prison, falsely accused of murder and for betraying Harry's parents. So, they haven't really had time to build a proper relationship where Harry could feel totally comfortable.
He glanced back at Hermione one last time before she disappeared from view as Vernon drove on leaving Kings Cross and starting the journey back to Privet drive. He wondered whether or not he would actually see his best friends Ron and Hermione again before the start of the next school year, when they would journey back to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Ordinarily Harry would have seen both his friends when he made his annual escape from the Dursleys; each year Harry would spend part of his summer at Ron's house, the Burrow. However this year the chances of this happening were particularly low. This was due of course to the return of the evil wizard Voldemort. After a 13-year absence the Dark Lord had finally got back that which he had lost, his body and magical power. Only months ago Harry had been unfortunate enough to be guest of honour at Voldemort's rebirth, and now that he was back everybody's safety was in question, especially Harry's. The History between the evil mage and the young wizard put Harry particularly high on the Dark Lord's list of victims. So, Professor Dumbredore in concern for his safety had told Harry and the Weasleys that he would not be able to stay over the summer and would have to remain with his Aunt and Uncle. Obviously Harry wasn't overjoyed at the prospect of a whole summer with those horrible muggles, but he knew Dumbredore had his reasons for wanting him to stay there. He also knew that if Voldemort did try to get to him over the summer, his presence at the burrow might endanger the Weasley family and there was no way he was going to let that happen. If spending six or seven weeks with the Dursleys would help keep his friends safe, then it was a small price to pay. Besides, at the very least he might be able to meet up with them at Diagonal alley to buy his school things.
Harry was rudely awakened from his thoughts as he suddenly realised Vernon was yelling at him. Startled he turned to face his uncle.
"I'M TALKING TO YOU BOY!" yelled his uncle who was purple faced and glaring viciously at Harry. "Don't they teach you any manners at that school of yours?"
"What? Er, yeah sorry Uncle Vernon, what were you saying?"
"I was saying boy, that I'm not going to tolerate anymore nonsense from you this year, none of that abnormality of yours. Marge will be staying for awhile later this summer and if you want to live to see that school of yours again then you're behave yourself!"
"I always do", said Harry. "She's the one who…"
"I haven't finished yet!" snapped Vernon who was quickly turning purple again. "You hold your tongue boy! Especially when she comes. While Marge is staying you will speak only when spoken to, when she asks you a question, you keep your answers short, in case you let something slip. In fact the only words I want to hear out of your mouth are yes and no. She doesn't know about you boy and that's the way it's staying. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I understand." Harry said, he really couldn't be bothered to argue.
"Good, because you know what will happen if you don't behave?" Vernon said in a deadly whisper.
"Whatever."
"DON'T TALK TO ME LIKE THAT!" Vernon yelled furiously.
"Look, I already said I'd behave, but if you want me to keep my word, then threats are not the way to go about it. All I ask is that you talk to me properly and I'll do what you want, but I won't be intimidated. Not by you or anyone."
"Oh really, you won't be intimidated eh?" He said and stared incredulously at his nephew.
"I'm only asking you to be civil towards me, it's not a lot to ask."
"I think you've forgotten who your talking to boy!" Vernon said and poked Harry forcefully in the chest with his finger. " I'm the boss around here, and anymore talk like that and your be black and blue!" Harry looked from his uncles purple face and then down to the chubby finger now pressed against his chest. This was ridiculous, did he really have to put up with this, after all that had happened over the last year he would now have to endure abuse from this idiot. No, the days when Vernon could intimidate and bully him were over.
"I think you've forgotten a few things yourself Uncle. I may not be able to do magic over the summer, but I know plenty of people who can, like my Godfather for example."
"Wh-what do you mean?" Vernon stammered dropping his finger and becoming very pale.
"I mean that you lay one finger on me, and you'll regret it. He's very unpredictable when he gets angry, and if I told him I was be mistreated in the manner you're describing, well…lets just say he wouldn't be very happy." Harry smiled grimly as he saw the fear show in his Uncles eyes.
"You wouldn't dare…"
"Oh, I would, but don't worry. Things don't need to go that far. You promise to treat me fairly over the summer and I do whatever you want."
"Treat you fairly? Ha. You're getting treated the way you deserve, and be grateful for it!
"Grateful!" Harry laughed bitterly. "What do I have to be grateful for exactly? Hmmm, let me think…perhaps you meant the 11 years that I spent living in that dark and dusty cupboard, sharing my bed with spiders. Perhaps you meant all those wonderful birthday and Christmas presents you bought me over the years, oh wait I forgot! You never actually celebrated my birthday have you, or even allowed me to join in on Christmas. No wait, now I got it! It must be the fact I never be allowed to eat as much as everybody else, never had my own clothes, instead having to put up with Dudley's oversized hand me downs. Yes Uncle, I can see what you mean, I have a lot to be grateful for!" he finished sarcastically.
"WHY YOU-YOU UNGRATEFUL - INCILATE LITTLE BASTARD!" Vernon screamed, his eyes bulging and face deathly white in anger. "How DARE you talk to me in such a way, after all I done for your worthless hide. I took you in, feed and clothed you. All the money I wasted on you, and you have the gall to talk to me like THAT!"
"Well if you want paying, I think I still have that fifty pence piece you sent me for Christmas, that should cover all the expenses you ever went to on my behalf." Vernon sat there for a few moments stunned, he couldn't believe it, the boy had never dared talk back to him like this before. Forcing himself back to reality he turned to face Harry and raised his fist ready to hit out.
"Careful Uncle," Harry said moving back from his Uncle slightly. "You wouldn't want to do anything to make my Godfather angry now would you, don't forget he is a convicted murderer after all." Vernon considered this; stared at Harry for a second more then lowered his hand as he turned his attention back to the road.
"I should have never taken you in," he said quietly after a moment's silence. "I should have packed you off to some bloody orphanage the same day we found you. You have been nothing but trouble ever since you arrived on our doorstep."
"Then why didn't you?" Harry replied hotly. " I would have rather lived in a muggle orphanage than live all these years with you. At least there I would have been treated like a normal person, not like some dirty little secret, some freak."
"You are a freak boy! Along with the rest of your kind! I couldn't let anyone find out we were related to you, one of those things, just like your parents."
"You say it like it's a bad thing, I'm extremely proud of my parents actually! And if I'm anything like them at all it's a good thing. I don't understand why you hate me so much. Most people would be proud of having a wizard in the family; it's actually something quite wonderful. But you hate me and you don't even really know what one is or anything about the magical world."
"HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT USING THAT WORD IN FRONT OF ME?" Vernon yelled hysterically. "I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT! YOU UNDERSTAND? WIZARDS AND MAGIC, OR ANY MORE OF THAT NONSENSE. NOT ONE MORE WORD, I'VE HAD ENOUGH!" He paused for a moment to catch his breath before continuing in a low hoarse whisper. "I hate you because of what you are boy, an idiot like you doesn't need anymore explanation than that. I thought I would be able to drive it out of you, stop you from turning out like your parents, but you've ended up just like them."
"I can see I'm not going to get anywhere with you am I Uncle Vernon" he said exasperated. "Its pretty obvious you're never going to change, so am not going to try, let's just stay out of each others way over the summer OK? Then I be out of your way for another year." Again Vernon was silent a moment before continuing, he seemed to be thinking something over.
"Not quite boy, you behave over the summer and in front of Marge and I leave you alone. I might even treat you like a normal person. But after this summers over, I don't want you back. You leave to go back to that world of yours and stay there. I don't want to see your face again. You're to take everything and leave my house for good, go live your ruddy Godfather or that family of freaks. I put up with you for long enough, you can find someone else, one of your own kind. You've contaminated my household for long enough, I don't want you near my family anymore. Do you understand what I'm saying boy? I want you gone forever."
"If that's what you want Uncle, I'd be more than happy to do what you ask. Its not like I have anything to keep me here. I hate living with you, I hate Dudley, I hate Aunt Petunia, and I hate you. You treated me like dirt for years! In fact I'm sure if any of the muggle authorities knew how you treated me you would have been locked up for child abuse years ago. It would make me extremely happy to never have to come back here again, besides in a two years I would be leaving anyway."
"Well, as long as that's clear."
***
Ron, Ginny and the twins sat in the back of the Car, Mrs Wesley in the passenger seat while Bill drove the Car. Mr Weasley had managed to borrow a Ministry car again; it was a lot more convenient than using muggle transportation and a lot safer considering recent events. Bill had managed to get a few weeks off work to spend with his family. The group was particularly glum, and there was an uncomfortable silence. Mrs Weasley surveyed her children in the rear view mirror with concern etched on her face.
"Common you lot, cheer up", she said brightly. "Things will be alright, you're see." Unfortunately her words didn't do much good and the dreary silence continued for several minutes. Finally Ginny spoke up.
"Mum" asked Ginny. "Where's Dad?"
"He's at work dear. He'll be home later tonight, he's been very busy lately."
"Does that mean the ministry are working against you know who now?" Ginny asked hopefully.
"I'm afraid not dear, Fudge still won't be convinced that you know who has returned. But don't worry dear, Dumbredore has already begun the fight, and not everyone is blind as Fudge. Your father has been gathering support."
"Is that why he's so busy?"
"Partly, he has been doing several things for Professor Dumbredore, but he still has to fulfil his regular duties for the Ministry." She Signed. "If Fudge doesn't change his mind soon, he may not be Minister for magic for much longer, but again don't worry dear. Although you may not realise it, many things are being done even now to stop You Know Who."
"Mum do you know anymore about Harry coming over this summer?" Ron asked.
"No, sorry Ron, I asked your father to ask Dumbredore about it again last week but he said the same thing. If the situation changes he said he would let us know. It is a shame though, after last year he does deserve a nice summer and I would like to keep an eye on him."
"It's not fair! Ron said hotly. "I don't get it, why can't he stay? Those muggles don't care about him. He'll have a horrible summer. He doesn't need that. What was Dumbredore thinking?"
"Ron." Molly said softly. "I'm sure Professor Dumbredore has his reasons, we just have to trust his judgement."
"But why is it safer there than with us?" "I don't know Ron, but whatever the reason, I'm sure it is a good one. Professor Dumbredore is a great wizard and knows many things we don't, especially where you know who is concerned."
"I know but I just wish he could stay with us."
"It'll be ok Ron, you'll see." Bill said trying to reassure his brother.
"Yeah, don't worry Ronikins, he'll be fine, Harry can take care of himself." George said brightly.
"And you can still keep in touch, you can write to him and see if he ok, anytime you want." Fred added. "Anyway, it only be about 6 or 7 weeks and your both be back at Hogwarts again."
"I suppose, but I still rather he was here."
"Mum", Fred said as if struck by a sudden thought.
"Yes Fred" "I was, er…wondering, do you know what really happened? You know that night? I mean we know You Know Who Came back and that he killed Cedric, but we don't actually know what happened."
"No Fred, Professor Dumbredore never went into details, only a handful of people probably known the whole story, and I wasn't about to ask Harry."
"Did Harry tell you Ron?" Fred asked eagerly.
"No, he didn't seem to want to talk about it, so we didn't push it."
"What nothing at all?"
"No", Ron said flatly.
"Well if he didn't tell his best friend then it must have been bad."
"We know everything that matters Fred, You Know Who has returned, the details are for people like Professor Dumbredore to worry about." said Bill. Once again everyone was silent for a moment before it was broken once again by Ginny.
"Mum, do you think they can stop him?" Ginny asked quietly.
"I'm sure they can," Molly replied confidently turning to face her daughter.
"But how?" Ginny replied in a sad and doubtful tone. "I've heard the stories of what it was like the last time, he was taking over. He was winning. If the ministry and everyone couldn't stop him then, what can they do now? If it hadn't been for Harry…"she trailed off turning away to look out the window as a single tear trailed down her cheek. "I'm sorry, I'm just worried about what going to happen now he's back." Ginny had seen for herself the sort of things Tom Riddle was capable of, experienced first hand how ruthless and cruel he could be. Those months in her first year when she was under his influence, using her as a tool for his evil scheme, they were the worse months of her life and she still hadn't gotten over them completely. She still had the occasional nightmare or flashback. Still remembered how confused and frightened she'd been. Still remembered the moment he had emerged from the diary, feeding on her very soul to give life to his own. But then he had just been a memory, a shadow, an echo of his sixteen-year-old self, now he was back for real this time. The evil wizard was back in full force, as terrible as he ever had been. Ginny was terrified that history would repeat itself, that she would be put back into that situation. Where she would lose her free will, lose herself and who she was, to be forced to hurt the ones she loved.
"Ginny, I understand." Bill said softly. " Its ok, everyone here knows how you feel. A lot of what you say is true, if he hadn't disappeared he may have won, yes, who can really say how it would have worked out. But things are different now. He doesn't have the support he once had. His followers were scattered, most of them were put in Azkaban. And don't forget Dumbredore, I'm sure he knew You Know Who wouldn't be gone forever and has prepared for his return. He has a plan. I'm sure of it!"
"I hope your right Bill, I really do."
***
About an hour and an a half after leaving Kings cross, Harry and Vernon arrived in Privet Drive and had just pulled up to number 4. Harry looked up at the house miserably, thinking about the horrible 6 or 7 weeks he would be spending there. He hated this place; just the sight of it bought back all those memories of the horrible years he spent there. He didn't belong here. As his uncle got of his door, Harry saw the tall figure of his Aunt peering through the downstairs window of the living room. Her face formed a scowl and her eyes narrowed as her gaze fell on him. The curtain snapped back into position when she disappeared from view. Harry signed and took in a deep breath before opening his car door preparing himself for the hell that was living with the Dursleys. Then stepped out and went to retrieve his trunk and Hedwig in her cage. Harry followed Vernon up the driveway dragging his trunk behind him along with a disgruntled Hedwig. Just as they reached the door, his Uncle turned to him.
"Now you remember what we discussed boy, I don't want any trouble from you."
"Yes, Uncle Vernon I won't forget."
"Good, now go say hello to your Aunt." As if on cue the front door swung open, reviewing his Aunt Petunia.
"Vernon! There you are." She exclaimed. "I was just wondering where you could be, dinners almost ready!"
"Well, it looks like we're just in time then." He walked over to her and gave her a peck on the cheek. "Where's Dudley?"
"Oh, he's watching television in his room." She turned to Harry. "I suppose it was too much to ask that you spend your summer with your own kind. Why couldn't you have stayed with that family of freaks again?"
Harry gritted his teeth, the Weasleys weren't freaks, if anyone was it was her and the other two members of her disgusting family. Keep calm he told himself, only one more summer and you never have to see them again. Trying his best to form a smile he replied, "Yes, well I'm afraid that won't be possible this year Aunt Petunia."
"Really, well that is a shame" she said sarcastically. "Well don't just stand there, you're letting the heat out. Take your things up to your room and keep that disgusting animal in its cage." She said and pointed at Hedwig. She stepped back to allow Vernon to step through, and sending one last glare in Harry's direction turned on her heel and left him alone outside.
Several minutes later Harry had finally managed to heave his very heavy trunk up the narrow staircase. He took a moment to catch his breath outside his bedroom door and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He kicked open the door and surveyed his room. It hadn't changed over the past nine months and judging from stale air and the considerable dust build up no one had been in there since he left. The room was glowing slightly from the amber light filtering through the curtains, the streetlight outside casting deep shadows around the room.
He dragged his trunk in and slid it over towards the wall by the end of his bed, then opened the window to let some fresh into the room and so he could let Hedwig stretch her wings after the long journey back from Hogwarts. As soon as she was out she nipped his finger affectionately and with a hoot took off out the window. He watched her retreating form from the windowsill as she flew over the nearby houses and then off into the horizon. He was about to close the window and head down to dinner when a deep voice from the shadows behind him said "Hello Harry".
Before he could even yell out, a hand reached out from behind the left side of his head and clamped his mouth shut, and another hand came around his right shoulder and gripped his arms tightly to his side. Harry terrified struggled violently against the arms of his attacker, but stop short when who ever it was spoke again.
"Harry calm down" he whispered softly into Harry's ear. "Its me Sirius."
"SIRIUS!" Harry choked out hoarsely, still naturally very shaken. "What the hell are you here?" A lot of it came out slightly muffled because Sirius was still covering his mouth slightly.
"Shhh! Not so loud, you're gonna scare your Aunt and Uncle!" Sirius released his grip on Harry and stepped back. Harry turned around and saw through the shadows the face of his Godfather. He looked tired, but through the amber light Harry could see that his dark eyes were twinkling and he wore a wide grin. He pulled Harry into a tight hug, which Harry while still very confused slowly returned after a few seconds.
"Sirius, I don't understand, what…" Sirius held up his hand to silence him and motioned for Harry to sit down. Harry sat down on his bed and looked up at Sirius waiting for an explanation. Sirius turned on Harry's bedside lamp and sat down beside him.
"I was on my way back to Remus's house, and it was on the way, so I thought drop in and see how you were. Aren't you glad to see me?"
"Of course, its just well, you startled me a little."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you like that but nobody can know I'm here and I couldn't exactly knock on the front door."
"Yeah, I understand" Harry said and smiled up at his Godfather. "So, how are you?"
"I'm pretty good. I've been staying at Moony's place since you last saw me. His couch isn't the most comfortable in the world, but the food is pretty good. Enough about me, I came here to find out about you. Are you alright?"
"I'm O.K." "You haven't had any pain in your scar or anything have you?"
"No, not lately, not since…well you know that night." It was still quite painful to talk about. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, really I'm fine." "Alright, I was just a little worried about you that's all." "So, where were you coming from?"
"I had a meeting with Dumbredore, he needed my opinion on something."
"Oh ok, what about the thing he asked you to do, those people he asked you to find? Did that go ok?"
"What? Oh yeah, fine. He just wanted me to inform them and a few others of what happened that night, Voldemort coming back and all."
"Who were they?" he asked curiously. "They were involved in fighting Voldemort the first time around, people experienced in the Dark Arts. And now he's back we're going to need their help again. Anyway you meet them soon."
"Really why?" said Harry as he frowned slightly confused. Why would they need to meet him?
"Well, I can't really say anymore now, but lets just say that you won't be spending quite as much time here as you thought." Sirius said and smiled slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"Just that Dumbredore has something planned for you this summer." His smile grew wider.
"What are you talking about?" Harry said becoming a little irritated. Sirius opened his mouth to reply, but before a single word crossed his lips an extremely loud high-pitched voice echoed up the staircase, they both jumped slightly and turned towards Harry's bedroom door.
"DUDLLEEEY" screeched his Aunt Petunia. "DINNERS READY SWEETUMS."
"OK MUM" He bellowed back. "I'M COMING." A second later came the sound of a door being slammed followed by heavy footsteps that shook the walls and went thumping down the staircase. Harry turned back to Sirius.
"I'd better be going now Harry, it's getting late. I don't want to keep Remus waiting and those muggles are expecting you downstairs in a minute."
"Alright, when can I see you again?"
"Soon, quite soon in fact, I see if I can visit you again on your birthday, but I can't make any promises. I still send you your birthday present though, even if I can't make it myself." He knelt down and hugged Harry goodbye, then stood up and went over to the window. He pulled it open wider and hooked a leg through so he could sit on the windowsill with one leg hanging out.
"Goodbye Harry, if you need anything or have anymore pain in your scar be sure to write to me or Dumbredore, ok?"
"I will, goodbye Sirius" Sirius smiled then climbed the rest of the way out of the window and onto the drainpipe. Just as he started to climb down Harry suddenly remembered something. He ran over to window and looked down at Sirius. "Sirius wait, you still haven't told me what you meant…"
"Sorry Harry, I've got to get going, but you're find out soon enough." Sirius smiled and waved goodbye while keeping a good grip on the drainpipe with his other hand. Harry watched as he descended the drainpipe and reached the bottom where he transformed. The huge black dog then took off across the lawn and leaped over the garden fence and off into the night.
Harry closed and locked the window as soon as Sirius disappeared from view. He sat down on his bed for moment thinking. What had Sirius meant when he said that I wouldn't be here as long as I thought? What had Professor Dumbredore planed? Why the hell was he always the always the last person to know when it came anything important in his life? Nobody ever told him he had had a Godfather in Azkaban, nobody had told why his parents had been murdered apparently too young and fragile to understand. He couldn't even decide where to spend his summer. He had met Voldemort three times since he came to Hogwarts and lived to tell the tale and yet he was still left in the dark. Nobody thought he could take care of himself. After all he had been through nobody thought he had the right to know the truth. Why does Voldemort want him anyway? He thought angrily. How could he affect the evil wizards plans? But then thinking he realised he had effected the evil wizards plans, more than anyone. He made him disappear for all those years, or more accurately the sacrifice his mother had made to protect him had, but what if there had been more to it. The killing curse was suppose to be unblockable, and if the magic his mother had used had be able to block the curse, why had hadn't anyone doe the same in the past. Perhaps it was magic nobody knew about he thought to himself. He needed answers to all these questions, he felt so isolated and vulnerable in the muggle world.
He needed to know what was happening in the magical world, if anyone had see or heard from Voldemort. What Dumbredore planned to do to stop Voldemort? Even if he wasn't involved, just to sent his mind at rest. All he knew was that Voldemort was back, wanted to conquer the magical world and to have him dead. As far as he knew the Dark Lord could fly through the window with half his death eaters and kill him while he slept. If there was a particular reason why he was safer here than anyway else, he more than anyone had a right to know. He needed answers to all this questions, it was his life, and it was about time he got them! He wasn't a little kid anymore, they couldn't expect him to go through all this and not know at least some of the reason why. After a few minutes of staring at the ceiling, he suddenly remembered that he was expected downstairs. He got up, cleared his mind of all his worries putting them aside for another day and went downstairs to eat.
***
While Harry sat down to dinner with his disgusting relatives, some two hundred miles away in a dusty old country manner, two men stood patiently waiting for a third to acknowledge them. The first was quite a short man, fat and bald on the top of his head. The other was tall, slim, had blond hair and a pair of very cold grey eyes. The third was sat facing the window in a large armchair by the fire, a goblet in his hand. There was a large snake coiled up around his feet. The view from the window displayed a graveyard not far in the distance surrounded by several cottages. After a moment the taller one of the two decided to speak up.
"Master" he said softly. "What happens now?"
"We must regain our strength Lucious. We are too few to act yet. Now, we must find new followers, new allies and recover old ones. We rebuild what was lost."
"And what of the Ministry my Lord?"
"The fools at the ministry still doubt my return, and that is the way it shall stay. I will use the Ministry's idleness to my advantage. The more time they waste, the stronger we shall become. Dumbredore cannot fight us alone, he will die with the rest of the fools who stand in my way, and I shall make Hogwarts my own from which to rule. But for tonight my friend I will rest, tomorrow I will start looking for a new home. This place will not remain secure for much longer.
"But what of the boy my Lord? Harry Potter?" asked Lucious.
"Yes, young Harry Potter. I have not forgotten him. He has been in my thoughts a great deal lately. He is certainly not what he seems. He is but a boy, and yet he has achieved something that no other wizard has done before him." "And what is that my Lord?"
"He escaped me Lucious, no one has ever crossed my path and lived. Not one single wizard that I have decided to kill my own hands has survived the encounter. However, this boy has pulled it off not once, but has done it three times. Surely no one has that much luck."
"But what other explanation could there be my lord?" "That Lucious, is for me to worry about, you have other concerns. The boy has challenged my power and for that he will die. However for the moment, I must forget my vengeance and concentrate on more pressing maters, we must build our strength quickly, if we are to attain victory. The magical world we soon see how foolish they were to believe that I could ever be defeated, to doubt my power. Now go Lucious! Return home, when I have new orders for you, you will be summoned"
"As you wish my master" he said and bowed before dissapparating a moment later.
"Wormtail!" "Yes Master" he sputtered after jumping a foot in the air after hearing his name. "Fetch me another drink and then you may retire, I will have no more use for you tonight."
"Yes Master" and with that he left the room leaving Voldemort to his thoughts.
Voldemort turned back and looked out the window, towards the graveyard, he could see the exact spot where just a few months ago the ceremony had been performed and he had got his body back. He remembered the duel. Was it just luck, or was this boy special somehow. He had these doubts before, when he was a shadow, a lifeless wrath wandering the black forests of Albania. Constantly pondering the question, of how a baby, a defenceless baby, could have survived the deadliest of curses, and leave him in ruin. But he had got his answer; it was his mother's magic that saved the boy. There can be no other explanation for it. I killed the boy's parents to get to him, but my reasons were foolish, it could not be true. I didn't believe it then and I cannot now. It was a myth, a legend; he is powerful but cannot challenge me. Either way the boy must die. While he lives he is a symbol of hope to those I wish to conquer. Their hero, when he dies, so does their belief that I can be defeated. Soon, my followers will be returned to me, Azkaban will be broken open and the Dementors will become my soldiers of death. The Giants will return and all dark creatures that are shunned by the magical world will gladly join us. And both Dumbredore and the boy will kneel at my feet before they die.
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A: N: So what do think? Good? Crap? Too long? Not bad for a first chapter? Well whatever, if you read it please write a review, even if its just to tell me I suck, I just want to know how many people are reading my story. Remember I'm new at this, so I need encouragement, if you want more and want it to get better tell me. Because this is early on if any of you have any requests on things you like to happen I promise I'll consider them, I already planed out this story but its not set in stone. If all goes well this will be the first of three stories covering Harry's 5th year to his 7th and maybe after. I'll just like to send a big thank you to 'kittyangel and starfig' simply because they (I'm not sure which sister kitty or starfig) gave me my first proper review even though only half the chapter was posted. Since it was my first real review and a nice one at that you put a big smile on my face and encouraged me to get the rest of the chapter out. I really wasn't expecting anyone to read this.