Chapter 3 – The Shadow Threat
"You will no longer have to worry about Potter ambushing you. I have sent an agent to bring him to you."
"Do you not believe I can capture Potter My Lord?" Voldemort asked.
"Quite frankly, I don't. Once he is in our captivity, then you will duel him."
"Why not just kill him?"
"I have my own reasons," the Cloaked Figure smirked.
"I-," Voldemort began.
"What?" The Cloaked Figure tried to bait, "Don't you have faith in your abilities? Is Lord Voldemort losing his nerve?"
"That is not for you to say," Voldemort replied harshly.
"Crucio!" the Cloaked Figure said smugly. Voldemort fell flat on his back and screamed. "Voldemort I can do what I want and say what I want. Do you understand?" He let off the curse.
"Yes," Voldemort gasped and tried to get up. He couldn't so he just lied on the floor, like a dead thing.
"Good."
Another bar, another drink, the same worries. Ron was forgiven although he had been a total ass to Harry; it was not the first time. Harry looked around at the dozen other patrons of the bar, some having a quiet chat over a drink, some having a secret conversation in the corners of the buildings, and some of course, were staring at him.
Harry pretended not to notice, he just continued his drink as normal. After twelve years of being gawked at, he just learned to ignore it. Over the years, less and less people had been staring at him, but of course, there were the few that could not help it. It became second nature to him, and he really learned to live with it.
Harry smiled. How different it might have been if Hagrid never picked him up from the Dursleys', he would not know Voldemort and he would have had a completely different life.
Nevertheless, as bad as life here was, it was not much better at the Dursleys'. They stilled lived on Number 4 Privet Drive but Harry had not seen them since before he was seventeen. Apparently, another kid that lived on that street was going to Hogwarts. Harry was surprised that that lot had turned out a wizard. It's a small and surprising world.
Harry suddenly felt awkward. He glanced around to look at the other denizens of the place, and only one was sticking out to him.
It was a man on his left, who was staring fixedly at him. Yet the man was not gawking, as some other witches and wizards were, but just watching Harry. He was stealing glances whenever he could. It was almost as if he did not want Harry to notice the man watching. Harry turned to the right, so all the man could see was his back. Harry did not like the way he was staring at him. If he'd just come ask Harry what he wanted, Harry would feel a lot better.
Interrupting his thoughts, the man started to come over. It was as if he had read his mind. "Good day Mr. Potter." he said. "Pleasant day today, I just hope you don't get caught in the rain." It was not a sinister smile, but it was unnerving and something about the way he said that made Harry shiver. Why come all over here to say that? Harry put on a plastered smile and said, "No I'm sure I won't."
"Care to join me for a drink?" the man asked. Harry stared at him. He didn't like this at all. What was going on here?
"No I've actually got to run, but thanks anyway," Harry turned to leave, and walked out quickly looking over his shoulder. The man did not even notice that he had half of his drink left.
"Take care, Mr. Potter!" the man called out behind him.
As the man said, it was raining outside. The water was falling onto the cement like pellets of deception. Harry didn't know who that man was, but he was getting out of here fast. Maybe he was just being paranoid, but maybe he was right. It was better to be safe than sorry.
Harry turned to the left, looking back at the crowd. It was so foggy he could not distinguish anyone that caught his eye. They seem like they were going about their business unaware of anything else so Harry did not worry about them.
Something wasn't right here. Harry began to run. As he looked over his shoulder he saw the man come out of a side-door of the bar he was just in. Harry estimated he was maybe one-hundred yards back. The man was walking in his direction, and not slow either.
For the first time Harry saw his face. It was pale gray and looked as if he had not seen daylight for days. It was almost as if he wore a cloak. Harry shivered at what that could mean and started to run again. His feet splashed in the puddles, soaking his socks. He heard splashing behind him and as he turned he saw the man running right towards him.
"I've got you now Potter!" he said. Harry turned and started to run. Now he was sure that he did not like the man. Up ahead was another busy section in the street, and he sprinted towards it. He shoved people away, looking for holes in the crowd. He heard the man pushing his way through behind him , although not getting far.
When Harry broke through he tried turning left. It was a dead-end. Harry stopped weighing his options until finally he said aloud, "This isn't good." By instinct, he took out his wand and aimed it at the corner. He did not have time to get out and still be ahead of the Death Eater.
Then, cutting through the fog was a red blast that missed Harry by a hair. It hit the bricks behind him, chipping some of them and sending debris all over Harry. He got up sputtering. The man turned around the corner.
"The great Harry Potter, cornered in an alley."
"Never thought I'd see it," Harry replied, trying not to show his fear.
The man laughed. "Neither did I." He started walking towards him. Harry got ready. He resolved on the count of three to try this. "The Dark Lord will defeat you Potter! You didn't think you could hide from him forever did you?"
"You think I would run?" Harry asked incredulously.
"Yeah that's about right," he said. "NOW!" Harry thought, but stopped dead. "All I had to do was flush you out of the bar," the man was explaining. "If you just had stayed in there, I wouldn't have been able to capture you." Harry grimaced. So, it was capture mission, was it? It must be, after all. The man could not kill him; only Voldemort could do that.
"So you think I'd rather stayed in the Hog's Head?" Harry asked, trying to laugh and throw him off guard. "I'd rather take my chances with you." Harry gazed at him. "You don't look so tough," he sneered.
The man laughed. Harry's arm moved up instantly, and the Death Eater's laughter seized. He grabbed his wand. Harry was too quick though.
"Expelliarmus!" he shouted. The wand flew towards Harry and dropped in the middle of a puddle about five feet in front of him.
The man made a grab for his wand. "Oh no you don't," Harry said and quickly snatched it up before the man could get there. Harry held out his own wand at the man's forehead.
"What're you gonna do to me Potter? You aren't worth to spit on my shoes?" His eyes were fierce, and anger was botched all over his face.
"And I suppose Voldemort is?" Harry asked amused. With that he spat on the man's shoes. "There! Now I guess I am."
The man's face started to turn redder. "Potter you have no idea what the Dark Lord has planned for you."
"Yeah. Every time he plans for me and I embarrass him every time. I wonder what he's got planned this time."
"You'll never know," the man replied nastily.
"And you'll never see it carried out," Harry shot back simply. "You will be in Azkaban. Anyways, Voldemort's been hiding the last few months. He doesn't have anything," Harry said with a smirk.
"You are not fit to say his name!" the man said. "The Dark Lord has many powers which you know nothing of Potter!"
"Yeah I'll bet," Harry replied. "A portkey? Tried that. An old diary? Tried that. The Sorcerer's Stone? Tried that. He's tried everything and failed. All he knows how to do is send a little prat like you after me. He's tried everything else."
"Why you little-! Potter you don't know how many people will die. Your friends will be with them."
"What?" Harry asked, alarmed. Shoot! He had lost his advantage of self-security.
The Death Eater grinned triumphantly. "Oh yes Potter! We will destroy the station that your friends are going on their little honeymoon on," the man had a smirk on his face.
Harry felt his anger start to boil with his hate. This puny little man was bragging about killing his friends. Something rushed through Harry like never before: A darkness he could only begin to comprehend. It also felt good.
"You will never get there in time," the man started cackling.
"Shut up!" Harry shouted. "What time."
"In an hour, but you're already too late. There's nothing you can do!" His cackling was going insane, and it was driving Harry insane.
"The great Harry Potter, finally defeated! So you have a weakness after all," the man said in between laughs. "Y-," but he never finished the sentence.
In that moment, Harry stunned him, unable to take anymore of his gloating. The man fell limp to the ground, his hair splashing into the cold puddle as the rain splashed down around him.
Harry was shaking when he got up. He had almost done murder, what he had always feared to do. What was happening to him? Harry had felt the darkness in him, and had wanted to kill him. If Harry had waited another second, he probably would have.
He could not tell Ron and Hermione about his growing darkness. It would only worry them. One thing was for sure though, Harry had to save them. He could not let them die! If he did, Harry didn't know how he would live, or worse, what he would do to the unlucky people who killed them. For unlucky they would be to have the wrath of Harry Potter taken out on them. Harry smiled. They would pay.
He shook his head, pretending he didn't just think that. He had to try to save them though. He had to forget about what had just gone on inside his head. If he did not, his friends would die. Thus, trembling from head to foot, soaked in rainwater he got up and dashed out of the alley, not sparing a second glance at the Death Eater. He hurtled to his apartment. He had to save Ron and Hermione! He couldn't let them die!
He had to try.
