Disclaimer: Most characters belong to J.K Rowling. The bizarre plot is
mine. :o)
A/N: I have had so many qualms about this chapter. I've re-written it like 4 times! I'm a very individual person, and refuse to have my fic like so many others, (although it may very well be) hence this strange chapter. You'll find out why Voldemort fears Dumbledore in this chapter. And let me tell you, it's-um different (hehe). Enjoy!
Piercing the Darkness
Chapter 8 Painful Memories
******
"Have you found them yet?" Voldemort snapped, as Lucius Malfoy strode into the room.
"Yes my lord, they are staying at a muggle hotel in London." he replied. "One of the Death Eaters spotted them in Diagon Alley, and followed."
"Good. This whole ordeal has been very bothersome."
Lucius hesitated a moment.
"Would you like us to go in and perform the killing curse?" he asked.
"Well well, to perform the curse on your own son is very honoring to me Lucius." Voldemort said. "But first tell me more about the girl. Is she not Arthur Weasley's daughter?"
"Yes master, you are correct. All of that man's children are cursed with red hair. She was the one I gave your diary too, but of course that ended in disaster. Potter is friends with the Weasleys, I have seen them together a number of times. I would dearly like to perform the curse on her myself!"
"Hmm. You say that Potter is friends with them?"
"Yes my-
Voldemort impatiently interrupted him.
"Tell me Lucius," he said. "Would Potter once again risk his life to save the girl?"
A could, cruel smile formed on Lucius' face.
"I want them followed." Voldemort said. "I want it all very inconspicuous. Find out where they are headed. I want to make Potter sweat before we do anything. Just follow them!"
******
"But first," Dumbledore went on. "I think it's time that one of us headed back up to bed." He looked over at Jimmy, who sat there dumb-founded. "Jimmy, go and get some rest. Don't think to much on what has happened tonight, and don't tell anyone about what we have discussed." Jimmy nodded a determined and proud nod. He stood up importantly, as if daring anyone to try and pry out the information he withheld secretly inside himself.
"But Professor!" Ron finally cut in as Jimmy left the office. "What about Ginny? Shouldn't we be out looking for her?! I mean Malfoy kidnapped her!"
Dumbledore looked down on Ron through the half-moon spectacles hanging on the end of his long nose.
"I believe something else happened here tonight. Something that our friend Jimmy did not witness. And now I think it's time that I filled in the missing pieces for you three, especially for you Harry. "
Harry glanced up and looked into Dumbledore's eyes. He was still worried about Ginny, but Dumbledore knew what he was doing. And he wanted to hear what he had to say. Harry nodded to show that he was ready for the information that the headmaster was about to lay on him.
Ron sat back and sighed, Harry could tell that he really wanted to go and try to find Ginny. Harry felt the same way, but as Dumbledore began speaking, his attention was diverted from Ginny for a moment.
"Years back," Dumbledore began. "When Voldmort was strong and everyone feared him, your father and mother Harry, worked with me as aurors. Voldemort was steadily killing off any resistance the ministry put up against him, and there weren't enough of us left. Then one day, Severus Snape came to me and repented from his evil ways, but that is a different story which is between Professor Snape and myself. Anyway, he became our best spy, because he was very close to Voldemort. Severus was able to tell me many things I had not known, and one in particular caught my attention. Voldemort had begun performing the Amplifino Spell on a select few of his followers." Dumbledore looked up. "Do any of you know what that spell is?"
Harry and Ron both glanced at Hermione.
"The Amplifino Spell is performed by one with great power. He is able to withdraw portions of that power and give it to another. It amplifies or enhances the other's capabilities without making the giver lose any." she said without missing a beat.
"Could you repeat that in English?" Ron asked Dumbledore.
"As Miss Granger has accurately stated, it simply means that Voldemort was able to give some of his dark magic to others. It's a hard process, but Voldemort was able to do it, without losing any of his own power. Meaning that he could make others powerful, but not so powerful that they might become a threat to him."
Harry was speechless. This was all new to him. His parent were aurors!?
"But why did Voldemort do this?" he asked.
"Voldemort had plans to overthrow the Ministry of Magic and the rest of the aurors. But the aurors put up a good fight, and Voldemort wanted more powerful servants. By this time Severus had gained much of Voldemort's trust, and Voldemort wanted him to be the first servant that he would perform the Amplifino Spell on. Severus came to me saying that he would not go through with it, he didn't want more dark magic within himself. He was afraid it would be too much of a temptation. But we couldn't have a faithful Death Eater telling Voldemort that he didn't want more dark power! It was a place of great honor to be chosen by the Dark Lord. But Professor Snape came up with the idea of me going in his place. He would make a polyjuice potion for me, and I would take on his looks. Then I would go to Voldemort and he would perform the spell on me. And we would be able to use that dark magic that he gave me against him and the Death Eaters."
Dumbledore turned to Harry.
"Your parents agreed with this idea, as much as James disliked Professor Snape. Things were getting to out of hand, and too many people were dying. Lily had just given birth to you, which meant we were already short an auror, and James was getting worried. I reluctantly agreed, although honestly the thought of having Voldemort transferring powerful dark magic into my body terrified me."
All of the sudden Hermione sat straight up in her seat.
"But Professor! If this was all before Harry's parents, you know, were- before they passed away," she stopped, glancing at Harry, hesitant to go on.
"It's okay." Harry said. "Go on."
She continued. "If this was all before that, and you and Professor Snape were disguised as Death Eaters, how come you didn't know that Wormtail- Peter was one of them? Was he not the Potter's Secret Keeper?"
"Ah, very good question. You see the only one who really knew whom all the Death Eaters were was the Dark Lord. Your name was not revealed unless you chose to reveal it, and that could be dangerous. Many times Professor Snape tried to get some of their names, but it was hard information to come by, and there were so many Death Eaters at that point, it was almost impossible to know who was who. I'm afraid we did not know that Peter Pettigrew was a Death Eater. Actually, we thought he was on our side- he and James were friends you know."
"Oh." Hermione said. "So did Voldemort really perform the spell on you?"
Yes, he would summon Professor Snape, and I would go in his place to meet with him in secret, disguised as Severus. Each meeting, Voldemort would perform the spell, giving me powers a little at a time, testing me or who he thought was Severus, to see how much I could handle. It was terrifying. This new magic got me thinking on all the things I could accomplish with it, not all of them good. But the resistance group as we called it helped me through, encouraged me on. But I messed up-," Dumbledore faded off for a moment, a painful look in his eyes.
"Professor? Are you all right?" Hermione asked with concern.
"What? Oh yes, I'm fine dear. Painful memories you know." He forced a bit of a smile.
"Anyway, one of those meetings went on especially long. Voldemort had performed the spell on me again, but this time he gave more power over to me than I think he meant to give. It had taken longer than an hour, and I had forgotten to take the potion again. So of course I began to get my own appearance back, and Voldemort recognized me. We began to duel, and it was my first chance to use the dark magic I had withheld. That magic combined with the good powers I had, helped me to overpower him in a way I had not thought I was capable of. It was a very close fight, I was becoming very drained, but I kept trying to kill him. Finally, I had to make my escape, because I was so weary and knew if I tried to hold on any longer, it could be a fatal ending on my part."
The room was silent after the headmaster finished speaking. Hermione had tears in her eyes, Ron was fiddling with his thumbs, and Harry just sat staring.
"So, you had good powers that you-know-who didn't have," Ron broke the silence. "And with those, and the magic Voldemort had given you, you were able to duel with him as an equal opponent."
Dumbledore nodded.
"So that's why Voldemort is afraid of you? Because he had finally met an equal opponent?" Harry asked.
"Yes, he knew the strength of his own powers, and he knew that I had obtained quite a lot of them."
"But, if our side was so strong now, because of the addition of your powers, then why did my parents have to go into hiding?" Harry asked.
Dumbledore sighed, and that pained look came into his face again.
"That's where Peter Pettigrew comes in again. We found out that someone had leaked information to Voldemort, about the Potters. We didn't know who it was then, and we didn't know it was Peter until everything was set straight in your third year."
"What information?" Harry inquired again.
Dumbledore paused in serious thought, trying to decide if he would tell. He looked down at Harry, who had waited so patiently and so long to know why his parents had to die.
"Because Harry, you are the last remaining heir of Godric Gryffindor."
******
Ginny finally dragged herself to bed in the wee hours of the morning. She didn't understand herself, she didn't understand Malfoy, and she didn't understand why no one had come to rescue her yet.
Images of her family flew into her head. She had never wanted to see her mum so badly before in her life. She even missed Ron. Which was pretty unusual. Ginny wished she had a muggle gun with her.
"I'd shoot Malfoy if I did. Save Voldemort the trouble." she muttered, as she finally drifted off to sleep.
******
Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. But everything was beginning to make a little more since now.
"Gryffindor's heir?!" Ron said in amazement. "Bloody hell Harry! You're related to Godric Gryffindor!"
"Yes," Dumbledore continued. "Voldemort had plenty of reasons why he didn't want the last line of Godric Gryffindor remaining. Remember pulling Godric's sword out of the Sorting Hat in the Chamber of Secrets Harry?" he pointed to the sword, which he kept in there in his office.
"Yes." But the mention of the Chamber of Secrets pushed Ginny back into his mind. Apparently it did the same for Ron.
"What's happened to Ginny Professor? Do you know where she is?" Ron asked, with distress in his voice.
Dumbledore hesitated before replying.
"I have reason to believe that Voldemort was here tonight, and that both Draco and Ginny were in his presence."
"What!?!" the three of them exclaimed at the same time.
"Of course I didn't realize it until it was too late. But wherever they are now, I have a feeling that they're safer there than here."
"What do you mean by 'until it was too late?'" Ron asked.
"Until after Draco and Ginny had flown off." Dubledore replied.
"Oh." Ron said with relief, but the worry was still there.
"Voldemort was here tonight?" Harry asked.
"Yes." Dumbledore's face clouded over. "Along with Lucius Malfoy."
"How do you know that?" Hermione asked.
"With a little help from Harry's map."
******
Ginny awoke with a start. Draco Malfoy was standing above her bed.
"Good morning. I hope you slept well. Would you like some breakfast?" he pointed to a plate of eggs and toast.
"What do you think you're doing!? Get out of my room!"
"I only came to wake you up! We've got to get a move on!"
Ginny glanced at her clock. It was six o'clock in the morning. She had only slept about two hours!
"Well you don't have to come into my room to wake me up! And I'm going back to sleep. I didn't have a very good night!" she turned her back to him again.
"Oh no you don't!" Malfoy walked around to the other side of her bed, where she lay with her eyes wide open.
"Get up!"
"Go away!"
"No! Get up!"
Ginny turned over again. But this time Malfoy lurched forward. He grabbed her, pulled her up and out of the bed, as if she were as light as a feather. Ginny had to steady herself against him, it had all happened so fast, and her ankle hurt even worse now. He took her hand to steady her, and caught her eye.
"How's your ankle?" he asked in what seemed to be a sincere tone.
This really surprised Ginny; she couldn't remember Malfoy ever saying something nice.
"It's fine." she snapped. That was a lie. She tried walking forward to prove it, but stumbled and fell into Malfoy again.
He smirked.
"Apparently not." he said, this time in a happier tone, as if he was enjoying watching her limp around.
"Shut up!"
"Make me!" he yelled.
Ginny realized she couldn't make him. She didn't have control over anything. Life pretty much sucked right about now.
Malfoy smirked again. "Come on Weasley, grow up sometime already."
Ginny glared at him.
"You sit there and bicker with me," he continued. "When you know it's a hopeless cause for you in the end. You aren't going anywhere. You're staying with me."
Ginny was determined to prove him wrong.
A/N: Please don't flame me! But let me know my mistakes in a pleasant manner! I seriously thought about just throwing this whole story out, and starting over, but because of all the phenomenal reviews, I have continued. So I express my deep gratitude to you guys who reviewed! I love you!
A/N: I have had so many qualms about this chapter. I've re-written it like 4 times! I'm a very individual person, and refuse to have my fic like so many others, (although it may very well be) hence this strange chapter. You'll find out why Voldemort fears Dumbledore in this chapter. And let me tell you, it's-um different (hehe). Enjoy!
Piercing the Darkness
Chapter 8 Painful Memories
******
"Have you found them yet?" Voldemort snapped, as Lucius Malfoy strode into the room.
"Yes my lord, they are staying at a muggle hotel in London." he replied. "One of the Death Eaters spotted them in Diagon Alley, and followed."
"Good. This whole ordeal has been very bothersome."
Lucius hesitated a moment.
"Would you like us to go in and perform the killing curse?" he asked.
"Well well, to perform the curse on your own son is very honoring to me Lucius." Voldemort said. "But first tell me more about the girl. Is she not Arthur Weasley's daughter?"
"Yes master, you are correct. All of that man's children are cursed with red hair. She was the one I gave your diary too, but of course that ended in disaster. Potter is friends with the Weasleys, I have seen them together a number of times. I would dearly like to perform the curse on her myself!"
"Hmm. You say that Potter is friends with them?"
"Yes my-
Voldemort impatiently interrupted him.
"Tell me Lucius," he said. "Would Potter once again risk his life to save the girl?"
A could, cruel smile formed on Lucius' face.
"I want them followed." Voldemort said. "I want it all very inconspicuous. Find out where they are headed. I want to make Potter sweat before we do anything. Just follow them!"
******
"But first," Dumbledore went on. "I think it's time that one of us headed back up to bed." He looked over at Jimmy, who sat there dumb-founded. "Jimmy, go and get some rest. Don't think to much on what has happened tonight, and don't tell anyone about what we have discussed." Jimmy nodded a determined and proud nod. He stood up importantly, as if daring anyone to try and pry out the information he withheld secretly inside himself.
"But Professor!" Ron finally cut in as Jimmy left the office. "What about Ginny? Shouldn't we be out looking for her?! I mean Malfoy kidnapped her!"
Dumbledore looked down on Ron through the half-moon spectacles hanging on the end of his long nose.
"I believe something else happened here tonight. Something that our friend Jimmy did not witness. And now I think it's time that I filled in the missing pieces for you three, especially for you Harry. "
Harry glanced up and looked into Dumbledore's eyes. He was still worried about Ginny, but Dumbledore knew what he was doing. And he wanted to hear what he had to say. Harry nodded to show that he was ready for the information that the headmaster was about to lay on him.
Ron sat back and sighed, Harry could tell that he really wanted to go and try to find Ginny. Harry felt the same way, but as Dumbledore began speaking, his attention was diverted from Ginny for a moment.
"Years back," Dumbledore began. "When Voldmort was strong and everyone feared him, your father and mother Harry, worked with me as aurors. Voldemort was steadily killing off any resistance the ministry put up against him, and there weren't enough of us left. Then one day, Severus Snape came to me and repented from his evil ways, but that is a different story which is between Professor Snape and myself. Anyway, he became our best spy, because he was very close to Voldemort. Severus was able to tell me many things I had not known, and one in particular caught my attention. Voldemort had begun performing the Amplifino Spell on a select few of his followers." Dumbledore looked up. "Do any of you know what that spell is?"
Harry and Ron both glanced at Hermione.
"The Amplifino Spell is performed by one with great power. He is able to withdraw portions of that power and give it to another. It amplifies or enhances the other's capabilities without making the giver lose any." she said without missing a beat.
"Could you repeat that in English?" Ron asked Dumbledore.
"As Miss Granger has accurately stated, it simply means that Voldemort was able to give some of his dark magic to others. It's a hard process, but Voldemort was able to do it, without losing any of his own power. Meaning that he could make others powerful, but not so powerful that they might become a threat to him."
Harry was speechless. This was all new to him. His parent were aurors!?
"But why did Voldemort do this?" he asked.
"Voldemort had plans to overthrow the Ministry of Magic and the rest of the aurors. But the aurors put up a good fight, and Voldemort wanted more powerful servants. By this time Severus had gained much of Voldemort's trust, and Voldemort wanted him to be the first servant that he would perform the Amplifino Spell on. Severus came to me saying that he would not go through with it, he didn't want more dark magic within himself. He was afraid it would be too much of a temptation. But we couldn't have a faithful Death Eater telling Voldemort that he didn't want more dark power! It was a place of great honor to be chosen by the Dark Lord. But Professor Snape came up with the idea of me going in his place. He would make a polyjuice potion for me, and I would take on his looks. Then I would go to Voldemort and he would perform the spell on me. And we would be able to use that dark magic that he gave me against him and the Death Eaters."
Dumbledore turned to Harry.
"Your parents agreed with this idea, as much as James disliked Professor Snape. Things were getting to out of hand, and too many people were dying. Lily had just given birth to you, which meant we were already short an auror, and James was getting worried. I reluctantly agreed, although honestly the thought of having Voldemort transferring powerful dark magic into my body terrified me."
All of the sudden Hermione sat straight up in her seat.
"But Professor! If this was all before Harry's parents, you know, were- before they passed away," she stopped, glancing at Harry, hesitant to go on.
"It's okay." Harry said. "Go on."
She continued. "If this was all before that, and you and Professor Snape were disguised as Death Eaters, how come you didn't know that Wormtail- Peter was one of them? Was he not the Potter's Secret Keeper?"
"Ah, very good question. You see the only one who really knew whom all the Death Eaters were was the Dark Lord. Your name was not revealed unless you chose to reveal it, and that could be dangerous. Many times Professor Snape tried to get some of their names, but it was hard information to come by, and there were so many Death Eaters at that point, it was almost impossible to know who was who. I'm afraid we did not know that Peter Pettigrew was a Death Eater. Actually, we thought he was on our side- he and James were friends you know."
"Oh." Hermione said. "So did Voldemort really perform the spell on you?"
Yes, he would summon Professor Snape, and I would go in his place to meet with him in secret, disguised as Severus. Each meeting, Voldemort would perform the spell, giving me powers a little at a time, testing me or who he thought was Severus, to see how much I could handle. It was terrifying. This new magic got me thinking on all the things I could accomplish with it, not all of them good. But the resistance group as we called it helped me through, encouraged me on. But I messed up-," Dumbledore faded off for a moment, a painful look in his eyes.
"Professor? Are you all right?" Hermione asked with concern.
"What? Oh yes, I'm fine dear. Painful memories you know." He forced a bit of a smile.
"Anyway, one of those meetings went on especially long. Voldemort had performed the spell on me again, but this time he gave more power over to me than I think he meant to give. It had taken longer than an hour, and I had forgotten to take the potion again. So of course I began to get my own appearance back, and Voldemort recognized me. We began to duel, and it was my first chance to use the dark magic I had withheld. That magic combined with the good powers I had, helped me to overpower him in a way I had not thought I was capable of. It was a very close fight, I was becoming very drained, but I kept trying to kill him. Finally, I had to make my escape, because I was so weary and knew if I tried to hold on any longer, it could be a fatal ending on my part."
The room was silent after the headmaster finished speaking. Hermione had tears in her eyes, Ron was fiddling with his thumbs, and Harry just sat staring.
"So, you had good powers that you-know-who didn't have," Ron broke the silence. "And with those, and the magic Voldemort had given you, you were able to duel with him as an equal opponent."
Dumbledore nodded.
"So that's why Voldemort is afraid of you? Because he had finally met an equal opponent?" Harry asked.
"Yes, he knew the strength of his own powers, and he knew that I had obtained quite a lot of them."
"But, if our side was so strong now, because of the addition of your powers, then why did my parents have to go into hiding?" Harry asked.
Dumbledore sighed, and that pained look came into his face again.
"That's where Peter Pettigrew comes in again. We found out that someone had leaked information to Voldemort, about the Potters. We didn't know who it was then, and we didn't know it was Peter until everything was set straight in your third year."
"What information?" Harry inquired again.
Dumbledore paused in serious thought, trying to decide if he would tell. He looked down at Harry, who had waited so patiently and so long to know why his parents had to die.
"Because Harry, you are the last remaining heir of Godric Gryffindor."
******
Ginny finally dragged herself to bed in the wee hours of the morning. She didn't understand herself, she didn't understand Malfoy, and she didn't understand why no one had come to rescue her yet.
Images of her family flew into her head. She had never wanted to see her mum so badly before in her life. She even missed Ron. Which was pretty unusual. Ginny wished she had a muggle gun with her.
"I'd shoot Malfoy if I did. Save Voldemort the trouble." she muttered, as she finally drifted off to sleep.
******
Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. But everything was beginning to make a little more since now.
"Gryffindor's heir?!" Ron said in amazement. "Bloody hell Harry! You're related to Godric Gryffindor!"
"Yes," Dumbledore continued. "Voldemort had plenty of reasons why he didn't want the last line of Godric Gryffindor remaining. Remember pulling Godric's sword out of the Sorting Hat in the Chamber of Secrets Harry?" he pointed to the sword, which he kept in there in his office.
"Yes." But the mention of the Chamber of Secrets pushed Ginny back into his mind. Apparently it did the same for Ron.
"What's happened to Ginny Professor? Do you know where she is?" Ron asked, with distress in his voice.
Dumbledore hesitated before replying.
"I have reason to believe that Voldemort was here tonight, and that both Draco and Ginny were in his presence."
"What!?!" the three of them exclaimed at the same time.
"Of course I didn't realize it until it was too late. But wherever they are now, I have a feeling that they're safer there than here."
"What do you mean by 'until it was too late?'" Ron asked.
"Until after Draco and Ginny had flown off." Dubledore replied.
"Oh." Ron said with relief, but the worry was still there.
"Voldemort was here tonight?" Harry asked.
"Yes." Dumbledore's face clouded over. "Along with Lucius Malfoy."
"How do you know that?" Hermione asked.
"With a little help from Harry's map."
******
Ginny awoke with a start. Draco Malfoy was standing above her bed.
"Good morning. I hope you slept well. Would you like some breakfast?" he pointed to a plate of eggs and toast.
"What do you think you're doing!? Get out of my room!"
"I only came to wake you up! We've got to get a move on!"
Ginny glanced at her clock. It was six o'clock in the morning. She had only slept about two hours!
"Well you don't have to come into my room to wake me up! And I'm going back to sleep. I didn't have a very good night!" she turned her back to him again.
"Oh no you don't!" Malfoy walked around to the other side of her bed, where she lay with her eyes wide open.
"Get up!"
"Go away!"
"No! Get up!"
Ginny turned over again. But this time Malfoy lurched forward. He grabbed her, pulled her up and out of the bed, as if she were as light as a feather. Ginny had to steady herself against him, it had all happened so fast, and her ankle hurt even worse now. He took her hand to steady her, and caught her eye.
"How's your ankle?" he asked in what seemed to be a sincere tone.
This really surprised Ginny; she couldn't remember Malfoy ever saying something nice.
"It's fine." she snapped. That was a lie. She tried walking forward to prove it, but stumbled and fell into Malfoy again.
He smirked.
"Apparently not." he said, this time in a happier tone, as if he was enjoying watching her limp around.
"Shut up!"
"Make me!" he yelled.
Ginny realized she couldn't make him. She didn't have control over anything. Life pretty much sucked right about now.
Malfoy smirked again. "Come on Weasley, grow up sometime already."
Ginny glared at him.
"You sit there and bicker with me," he continued. "When you know it's a hopeless cause for you in the end. You aren't going anywhere. You're staying with me."
Ginny was determined to prove him wrong.
A/N: Please don't flame me! But let me know my mistakes in a pleasant manner! I seriously thought about just throwing this whole story out, and starting over, but because of all the phenomenal reviews, I have continued. So I express my deep gratitude to you guys who reviewed! I love you!