Warning: Language, violence. Full credit to JKR and WB. Not beta'd and English is not my first language so please excuse errors. One more chapter to go.

First Kill
Chapter 6 Flutter
By WittchWay


"Ennervate, Ennervate, Ennervate" a furious Dumbledore yelled, wand pointed at the three wizards.

Flitwick, Black and Lupin sat up each shaking their heads as the stunning spell wore off.

Dumbledore paced not bothering for the three to totally wake up. "Flitwick explain." Dumbledore growled watching the tiny wizard get to his feet.

"He wasn't stunned when they brought him back, he was faking it," he squeaked trying to shake the groggy feeling from his head.

Dumbledore stopped pacing and turned to stare at Flitwick. How could this boy not be stunned, he had cast the most powerful spell on him he knew. Either the pull to join Voldemort was that strong or Harry was strong enough of a wizard to fight such spells. Dumbledore shook his head reminding himself that it was most likely a combination of the two.

Dumbledore all but growled and headed back to the castle. They had to get Harry Potter back. He was their only hope on defeating Voldemort, it simply was not an option losing the boy to that monster.


***

Harry held the stitch in his side, he felt as if he had been running for days, instead of the hours it really had been. He was almost there, almost at his goal. Voldemort, Lord Voldemort, Master. Harry smiled, he was gleefully aware that he was soon going to be able to serve his master...freely.

Harry tore through the woods, crazed with his desire to find Voldemort and his fellow death eaters. Thickets and thorns on vines tore at his clothes, leaving scratches along his arms and neck. He could see the light cast from a small fire. The glow of shadowy figures up ahead. He ran toward Lord Voldemort.

Harry burst through the woods, through to the clearing where the death eaters were assembled around Voldemort. They turned instantly wands pulled. Several had sent small hexes at him that had missed or he had dodged. He rushed into the circle throwing himself at the feet of Voldemort. Grabbing at the hem of the mans robes, kissing. 'Master, master, I've returned, I'm free..." he muttered.

Two ruff hands pulled him away from Voldemort. Dragging him to the center of the circle.

"Damn it Dumbledore" Snape muttered.

Harry had just known that Voldemort was going to be mad at him. But he knew he deserved whatever punishment was inflicted upon him.

"My lord" Severus Snape strolled forward, his cloak billowing behind him. He dropped to one knee in front of Voldemort, "sir this is what I wished to talk to you about." Snape pulled the masked boy forward.

Voldemort's red eyes narrow, he nodded for the man to go on.

"Sir...Harry Potter has bound himself to a death eater's mask..."

Voldemort held up his had for Snape to stop, cocking his head to one side, he pulled the boy to his feet. "This is Harry Potter" he whispered a slight grin playing at the corners of his mouth.

Snape nodded, as Harry launching forward hugging the hem of Voldemort's robes.

Voldemort knelt tilting Harry Potter's bowed head up. Looking into the boys emerald eyes. "Master" Harry murmured contentedly.

Voldemort threw his head back laughing. "Precious" standing, pulling the boy with him.

"Severus if this is a trap....

"It is not master"

"... you will pay"

"My Lord..." Snape stuttered, "It is not, the boy tried on a mask of the first death eater he killed...mind you he was bleeding at the time and blood bonded himself to you."

Voldemort gave a rare smile, pulling the boy toward him, the red in his eyes gleaming a little bit more furiously.

The boy's eyes danced wildly around. Pale fingers tapped around the base of the mask. Voldemort looked down at the boy, death eaters watched mildly as the boy watched them all back intensely. Voldemort was thinking. Stroking the cheek of the boy through the mask.

The groups of followers were silent though fidgeted. They could see the wheels spinning as Voldemort thought how to use this strange twist to his advantage. Harry was leaning into the mans touch for approval, just short of purring.

Voldemort looked back down to the boy, "Severus I want you to take Mr. Potter back to the castle." He remarked softly, looking down into his young would be death eater's eyes.

"Yes Master" Snape grabbed Harry by the arm as Harry shrieked, "Master master...please forgive me. They held me...imprisoned me, Dumbledore" he snarled, "stunned me and took me to Saint Mungo's...they took my wand but I got away. I returned straight to you...don't make me go..."

Snape flinched and stilled. Harry desperately clung to Voldemort's robes, Voldemort smiled down at the boy, looking up at Snape, "Yes child and I' am very proud of you and your loyalty." Voldemort leaned in "and for your loyalty I have a special mission just for you" he whispered, placing both hands on top of Potters head, "Release the devitas" he muttered in Old Russian.

Harry dropped to his knees as shrieking scream tore from him. He twitched wildly, throbbing in pain. The masked seemed to have come alive, bubbling along the seam as if a little animal was alive under the mask scurrying around. Most of the death eaters in the circle stepped back watching the boy. Harry shook, clawing at the mask upon his face. Screaming, then just as sudden all movement stopped.

Harry lay shaking in a heap at the foot of Voldemort. Lord Voldemort stood watching with interest as the mask appeared to reach up at him and then stopped moving.

The mask glistened and then slowly melded into the boy's face, revealing his skin,it turned several shades of black, blues and grays and the mask disappeared. Absorbing into him.

Harry lay still.

"Back to the castle Severus" Voldemort snapped, a coy smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Snape wanted to ask what he had done. "Yes...Sorry My lord." Snape's hand fluttered above Potter, not wanting to touch the boy.

Was the boy still dangerous, was he still barking mad.

But he knew better then to question Voldemort. He, like most Death eaters has seen the consequences of that. Voldemort nudged the boy with his toe sharply in the ribs. Harry's eyes flew open. He stared blindly up at Voldemort who smiled back at him. Snape could see the boy flinch.

"Severus?" Voldemort looked at him

"Yes," he hauled Potter to his feet clutching the boy to his chest. He waived his wand around them once and disparate away.

Voldemort walked the circle of the death eaters once, smiling at him, most cringed as he circled. "You all are dismissed." he waved them away. Most looked at him questioningly others left instantly. There was no sense in them sticking around. He was to wound up. The gods had smiled on him today. A gift had plucked down in his lap. The last of the death eaters left, leaving him alone.

Voldemort was amazed at his good luck. He could possible kill two birds with one stone. If he had been a different man he would have danced a little jig.

**

Snape appeared at the gates of Hogwart's, clutching a shaking boy who lived. Waiting for him was Remus Lupin. Other times Snape would have scowled but now he was semi glad he was here. Remus pulled Harry from him immediately clasping the boy to his chest. Then held the boy at arm length looking the boy up and down. The boy was visibly pale and shaken, bags of sleep were deposited under his eyes, the boy looked dazed.

Sirius was running from the castle toward them, he swooped Harry up in his arms. Harry clung to the man, drooping into his Godfathers arms. Dumbledore walked slowly toward them with Professor Flitwick, whispering softly to each other.

Harry stared at Dumbledore, his green eyes widening, something seemed familiar about him. Something clicked in Harry's mind, Headmaster Dumbledore. Harry knew something about him though he couldn't quite focus his thoughts. Something he had to do but not yet. But it was there on his mind, there edging around the traces of his brain.

Dumbledore had his wand out resting at his side, "Gentlemen lets take this inside." he motioned all of them to follow, "Severus walk with me".

Harry let himself be guided by his godfather, throwing glances over his shoulder at Dumbledore. Both Sirius and Lupin pulled him toward the infirmary, while the others headed toward Dumbledore's office to hear Severus side of the story.

Sirius helped Harry into infirmary issue pajamas and into bed. He seemed weaker and a little out of it. He stared at everything and at him, it was a little unnerving. He seemed to recognize no one. "Harry, have a little chocolate," professor Lupin said snapping a large bar of chocolate in half, "you'll feel better"

Harry took the chocolate holding onto it, "Where was I?"

Sirius looked up at him. "You ...went for a walk in the forest and got ...lost" he lied. He hated lying to Harry but he wasn't sure what was going on with the boy, it was simply best to ease into things.

Harry took a bite of his chocolate and leaned back shutting his eyes. Sirius patted his head, settling in the chair next to him.

***

Dumbledore paced like Snape and Flitwick had never seen before. Snape had just finished the story of Harry arrival at Voldemort's side and was now waiting direction. Flitwick was muttering to himself, which was a common occurrence, anyway.

"So the mask just absorbed right into his skin is that right."

Snape nodded, Flitwick fidgeted.

"What are you thinking Filus...some sort of charm?" Dumbledore nodded popping another lemon drop in his mouth.

"Perhaps...I think the mask is still in him. I believe the next call of Death eaters will again activate it." he stood reaching for a lemon drop for himself off Dumbledore's desk, his eyes barely glazing over the edge of the desk reaching for the bowl. He paced a few paced a few spaces, popping lemon drops in his mouth, "...he thinks that we will let Harry resume his normal life and then when he calls again, Harry will leave returning to him...freely"

Dumbledore seemed to consider this a moment, "that seems too simple" he said after a moment. "I believe we will keep Mr. Potter in lock down...just to make sure."

***

...And so days passed, several weeks and the students were gearing up to return back to the school. Sirius and Lupin who had become permanent guests at the castle were currently moving out of Gryffindor dorms that they had been sharing with Harry and into private rooms in the guest hall.

Time marched on and on. The death eaters and Voldemort were no less active; Snape was still called and left to join Voldemort frequently. Harry didn't react in the least. He did feel a small tinge behind his left eye each time the Death eaters were called but he had no need nor desire to join them. He shuddered at the thought.

He could remember none of the happenings, there were days where he thought he was going to remember something. Days that seemed hazy to him. Days he thought he knew what had happened, he would zone out, his eyes would glass over but in the end nothing was remembered.

He started to think frequently that he had a memory charm put upon him. But several hours in the library looking up reversal charms had dismissed that. He hadn't really believed that anyway. But his head had a constant pressure in it, it just didn't feel right. Sirius had dragged him to see madam Pomfrey more times than he could remember but it was always nothing and the headache medicine just didn't work. For it wasn't quite a headache.

Soon school started and his friends drifted in and out and life returned to normal. The restrictions at on his lock down were lifted after a month and the threat that he was not really himself seemed to be less and less worrisome. Sirius of course had stuck by him that he was fine, though Harry did notice that he seemed to be watching him at times. He knew he was quieter, not as out going but he reasoned that he had a lot to think about.

It was shortly after Halloween that the pressure on Harry's head became too much. He had packed up his schoolbooks and was head back toward his 5th year room when he lost his balance sliding into the wall on his left.

Ron, whom he had been walking with, grabbed his arm to right him but it did nothing to stop his descent. Harry's eyes glossed over. He held on to the wall, sliding lower, finally sitting with his back against the wall, panting. He felt as if he couldn't breathe. His skin itched. His head felt heavy. His head hurt...his mind hurt. A pounding in his ears thudded loudly.

He could hear Ron asking if he was OK, but he just couldn't make himself answer. Fuzzy images sprang to mind. Someone else was talking to him, someone's who voice he must listen to above all else. They were telling him they had a 'special mission' for him. Twisted thoughts, crossed to his consciousness. Harry wondered if he was remembering things from when he had the mask on.

He remembered the mask, he remembered being in the forest after killing that death eater. Then he remembers being in front of the castle, Sirius holding him and of course the infirmary after that.

He had a sneaking suspicion that Sirius had only told him a half-truth. Something about "being lost in the forest" didn't quite add up to how he felt. Harry knew that Sirius was hiding something. Something big was happening. The panic that pulled at him, this madness that was constantly hanging around the edges of his mind was lessening, he understood now. It was all very clear.

TBC
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