Chapter 34: The Pain of Memories

~*~

He pulled Harry's wand from his pocket and began to trace it through the air, writing three shimmering words:

TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE

 The he waved the wand once, and the letters of the name rearranged themselves:

I AM LORD VOLDEMORT

[Chamber of Secrets]

~*~

 Harry had to admit to himself that he was only somewhat relieved to see Ginny go. He was obviously happy that she was now safe, but a small part of him wished she was still there with him. The part that needed someone to support him. He tried to shoot those thoughts down. Pesky selfish thoughts like that weren't going to help him anyway. At least one of them had managed to get away, and it had been his choice. Perhaps she could get Dumbledore to send help... He was unable to deliberate this any farther as a cold voice cut through the night.

"Hello, Potter."

 Harry clutched his wand tightly as Voldemort began to approach him. As he walked towards him it seemed more like he was gliding. Harry was reminded of the soul-sucking dementors. He shuddered.

"So nice of you to grace me with your presence once more," said Voldemort to him as the death eaters began to encircle them. Harry was reminded of his fourth year again. He was once again grateful that Ginny had gotten away. He didn't need anyone else to have to suffer the fate of the "spare." Harry simply glared at Voldemort, trying to delay the moment when any torture or dueling would begin.

"Saved your little red-head though, didn't you?" continued Voldemort. "No harm done though, I'll see to her later."

"What do you want with her anyway," said Harry, trying to keep his tone calm. Inside he was dying to scream 'Leave her alone.' His better senses told him that would only encourage Voldemort to hunt her down later.

"Good question, Potter," said Voldemort. He seemed to be smirking but it was hard to tell with the slit of a mouth he had.  "It's surprising how valuable she could have been, how valuable she could be. Very strange considering her breeding and background, but there you have it."

"And what is there to brag about of your 'breeding,'" said Harry coldly, knowing he didn't feel as brave as he sounded then.

"Silence," shot Voldemort, and all his followers seemed to renew their interest in the conversation.

 Harry upon realizing this decided to continue on this topic, knowing it would probably cost him painwise, but that it might buy him some time.

"Haven't told them yet, have you, Tom," said Harry. "Tom Marvalo Riddle, wasn't it?"

"You dare speak with such insolence now," said Voldemort. "But soon you shall forget it."

"Don't your dear, devoted deatheaters deserve the truth, Tom?" he said, pasting on a smirk much like Draco Malfoy's. "Your Dad was a muggle wasn't he? I suppose that makes you a half blood, doesn't it?"

 Harry had known he wouldn't have much time to talk like this. Of course, he hadn't expected Voldemort to crack that quickly either. Perhaps, he mused, it was not that, but just that he was eager to kill him. In fact, he didn't get past that point. He had barely just finished this sentence when Voldemort had raised his wand.

"Crucio."

 A scream seemed to linger just below the surface, boiling within him and attempting to burst out. He refused to cry out though, as searing pain seemed to spread through every nerve. The same sensation of being stabbed with white hot knives engulfing him. In the distance he thought he could make out Voldemort laughing as his body arched in pain. He bit his lip resolutely, still refusing to cry out. Refusing to give the dark lord the satisfaction such and outburst would bestow. After what seemed like an eternity, but which probably lasted for no more than ten seconds, the curse began to fade away so that all that was left was a dull ache. Half moon circles welled with blood as he unclenched his hands, gathering the strength to rise. A coppery taste led him to realize that in his determination not to scream, he had bitten right through his lip.

"So brave now," sneered Voldemort, watching amusedly as Harry rose from the ground, still trembling slightly. Harry did not deign him with an answer. "Ah, you aren't as much fun now," said Voldemort. "I don't suppose I'll use cruciatius again, then."

Harry looked at him now with mingled feelings of shock and doubt, as well as fear.

"I suppose there's no use in inviting you to join me?" inquired Voldemort, seeming bland and bored.

"What do you think," exclaimed Harry, surprised that his voice was still stable.

"It is time then," said Voldemort, "for us to duel once more."

 This statement would probably have to be added to the 'most-shocking' list of the night. If someone ever bothered to write one at least. Why on earth, Harry pondered, would he volunteer to duel after seeing what happened last time. Momentarily he wished he'd researched more about brother wands. Was there something Voldemort knew about them that he didn't? Or did he hope to reverse the connection. Not that there were any echoes of the dead within his wand.

"It's a shame I can't dare use my regular wand for this," said Voldemort. He withdrew a second wand from his robe pocket, thus revealing his intentions. "Just think of all the great things we could have done," said Voldemort. "Brother Wands are very powerful when used together you know. Ah well, too bad you'll miss out. Considering you'll be dead then."

"I thought the third time was the charm," said Harry, tightening his grip on the only weapon he had. He doubted it would buy him an out this time though. Not with Voldemort using a different wand at least. "Aren't you a little late?"

"No need for bowing then," said Voldemort. "Pity, what a loss of chivalry."

 As the first curse was fired Harry's only thought was to shout "PROTEGO!" He was shocked when not only was the spell stopped, but was then reflected into the horde of deatheaters. Within seconds three of them lay writhing on the ground, obviously in discomfort. Harry forced himself to look away from them and barely managed to roll out of the way of another curse.

 The following curse struck a nearby branch, lighting the entire tree on fire. Moments like these made Harry very thankful for his quick reflexes. Three more curses came his way and as he was relatively unharmed it can safely be said that he ducked them effectively. The clearing they were in held the benefit  of  a few large moss covered boulders. Harry realized that without these he would have been unlikely to survive thus far.

 "Come out , Come out wherever you are," said Voldemort in the same bored tone. From where he crouched behind a large rock Harry wondered if Voldemort actually expected him to obey. Or if he even had the patience to wait for him to come out. His question was answered abruptly as the rock exploded so that only bits of pebble and dust fragments were left behind. A few bits of moss stuck to the front of Harry's robes. He didn't waste time brushing them off. The thought occurred to him now to cast a more permanent shielding charm, ut something like that required a lot of energy and he wasn't sure if he could even cast it much less maintain it for any amount of time. This definitely didn't seem like the ideal situation to 'test his abilities.' At least not any farther than they were being stretched at the moment. He stood there before Voldemort now clutching his wand and standing facing him once more.

"This is getting rather old now, don't you think?" said Voldemort. "I have a surprise for you though. A curse developed especially with you in mind."

 Before Harry had the chance to utter a word Voldemort cast the curse without warning.

"CRUCIA MEMORAE!"

 As these two words were spoken a dark grey cloud seemed to envelope him.

 Within seconds he was being taken back. Back to painful memories he'd been trying to escape for so long. A vision materialized out of the mist to stand in front of him. He tried to convince himself it was only a magical appartition... that it couldn't harm him.

"Useless Boy!" roared the beefy man. A beefy mustache rested on the specter's face which was purpling in rage.

 Harry scrambled back quickly, causing an outbreak of laughter from the death eaters. He tried to brace himself, to just stand still. After all, this vision couldn't very well hurt him, it didn't even seem solid...right?

CRACK!

 Harry lay on the dirt and raised a hand to his cheek. A trickle of blood escaped the corner of his mouth, showing just how hard the blow had been. Apparently he'd been wrong. The hand had definitely been solid. Familiar words were spewing from shadow Vernon's mouth, words that Harry had most certainly heard before. He moved to get up but a kick to his abdomen knocked the breath out of him and left him lying on the ground once more.

 He was trapped in his own sphere of misery now but he could still detect parts of the outside world. As he tried to shield his body from any more blows he could hear people laughing. Then there were several thuds as a few death eaters fell to the ground. Jets of light that he recognized as stunners flew shot through the air.

It wasn't until he managed to glimpse the people who had just joined him in the clearing that he realized it.

Help had arrived.