A/N: This chapter reveals quite a bit about the storyline, I think, and it should answer a few questions you may have wondered about.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, places, etc. etc, but only the plot of this story.
Chapter eight - Voldemort's musings
Voldemort lay back in his chair thinking. He had been doing so when Ben had made his fire call, but now they were over different things.
Previously he had been thinking of - well, things that really didn't matter too much, but now he was thinking of the puzzle that was his adopted son.
Sighing, Voldemort remembered back to raising the boy. He thought back to when he had first adopted him as his own.
To begin with, Voldemort had unable to touch him (A/N: I bet some of you were wondering about that), but after a while, he was able to touch Ben with feeling less and less pain, until he felt none whatsoever.
Voldemort had been puzzled by this, wondering why he could not have touch the boy without pain before, and could now, and it was still puzzling him to this day.
There were a great many other puzzles about Ben. One that Voldemort found especially confusing had just been aroused by the fact that Ben had gone to Slytherin. Both of his biological parents had been Gryffindors, in fact it was widely believed that the Potters' were one of Godric Gryffindor's many descendant.
Voldemort shook his head. He knew that it was down to a person, not their ancestry, on where they were put. Ben had been raised around Death Eaters, so he had been raised to believe that Slytherins were best, but still.... Voldemort shook his head. It was the old nature versus nurture argument, one which he had had many times previous.
Voldemort sighed. There were a great many things he didn't understand about Ben. One of which being the fact he was a parcelmouth. None of the books he had in the libraries he had built up since his school days said anything about this. None of the Death Eaters had any clue either, though that was hardly surprising. Very few of them actually had brain cells, and the ones that did had been plotting to over-throw him as Dark Lord for a while now.
Voldemort laughed humourlessly. They obviously thought he didn't know about it, otherwise they wouldn't have been doing so, but he knew alright, though he didn't do anything about them. Or at least he wouldn't just yet.
Slowly, he closed his eyes. He felt incredibly stressed at the moment. In the past, when he had felt like this, he would have gone and tortured a few muggle or mudbloods. But now... he had lost interest in such things.
That was another thing that puzzled him. Ever since he had completed Hogwarts he had taken great pleasure in torturing the muggles that had made his childhood living hell, then, once they had died at the Avada Kedavra curse, he had branched out into torturing other muggles, which he had found fun, to say the least. Now, it still gave him some pleasure, though it was nowhere near what it used to be. In fact, there was barely any pleasure in it for him at all anymore.
Voldemort sighed. The more he thought about it, the more he began to realise that his problems had started quite a while ago. Years in fact. And he even knew what had caused them. It was Ben. Well, not exactly him, but having raised him, brought him up, protected him all these years, he had taught something to the Dark Lord that no one else could have possibly taught.
Ben was a truly remarkable boy. He had done things that no one else had ever, or could ever do. He had survived the killing curse for one. This was one of many other achievements he had accomplished, and it was one of the more spectacular. Not the most spectacular, but close. The most spectacular was the fact that he had taught Lord Voldemort, Dark Lord, most feared wizard of modern times, commander of the Death Eaters and all around heartless bastard something that may well change the world. He had taught him the true meaning of love.
A/N: So what do you think? I know it took ages to get out, and it's not that long, but still, I got it out! I had to get down some of the stuff that's in here. And I hope it answered some questions.
Mella deRanged: I said in chapter two. Voldemort put an illusion charm on him when he was young so he wouldn't look like a Potter anymore.
Sycocallie: So my updates did nothing to bring you back? Well, maybe I should stop updating then! Lol!
The Bloody Queen of Hearts: yeah, it takes quite a bit of energy to write, so I usually write when I've had loads of sugar, or I just don't want to go to bed yet. Glad you like the idea. I love it when they're friends, and in this case, could they really be anything else?
Rain Warrior: You got that curse. My sympathies to you. I did! It took me a while, but I did!
Goldemgirl2: I will make a sequel to this. This is one of my few fics that's always fun to write.
Natasha: You sound like a commercial. I'm gonna keep going anyway. As I said before, this is way too much fun to stop!
Fulldark: It's okay. I think I wouldn't have gotten quite a few of the reviews I have at the minute if I hadn't. It's here now.
P.L.S: Hey! Thanks for your help. I'd have to say Voldie was seeker. No other explanation really. Actually, I worked out the exact age difference a while ago. Its 44 years I think. My maths may be a bit off though. That would actually be a good idea. Would be funny too. Maybe, just maybe I'll use that. Well, my idea behind that is that once James was killed Sirius turned the pranks down a bit, and it was enough for him to get the DADA job. He didn't sell out, as if I'd have him do that! How could I let him work beside Sev, and not be a prankster? Yeah, that's true, but there are other ways of communication, other than floo. I know. Ben/Harry won't be telling anyone else, and the ones he has, well, will be in for trouble if they tell. The idea of Voldy being a Daddy is funny. Very funny. But whoever said Voldemort tortured people when our fave Boy-Who-Lived was around? His detentions are gonna be fun though. Especially with what I have planned.
Sploogal: I'm glad you're interested. I'm interested where I'm going with it too. I do know, only I'm not sure how I'm gonna get there yet. I lost the map *looks sheepish*
Star Mage1: I love the relationship too. It's fun the write. Very fun in fact.
Okay, that's enough of me. More shall come as soon hopefully. I'm not gonna bother everyone for reviews now (hehe! Reverse psychology!). I should update soon.