Chapter 10 The Old Riddle House

Harry landed next to a small graveyard and looked around. Although he had never been there it was instantly familiar to him. This was the place where Voldemort had been reborn and then killed Cedric Diggory. Harry remembered watching it clearly as if it had been yesterday. Cedric had stood no chance against Voldemort and had been killed as soon as Voldemort had finished with him without even being given a chance to fight. Harry sighed and walked over to the gravestone that was Voldemort's father and stood looking at it. A soft hiss sounded and Harry jumped looking around before realising that it came from the small snake wrapped around his arm.

'What are you still doing with me?' he asked in surprise.

'I don't know. I was just on you and suddenly we were here. Where are we?' the snake asked looking around the graveyard in surprise.

'We're in a small town but you better leave me now.' Harry told the snake and tried to put her down.

'No!' she cried and squeezed tighter around Harry's arm, 'I want to stay with you I don't know where I am and I like you. Please can I stay?' she hissed.

'It won't be safe for you where I'm going,' he told her firmly.

'I don't care. I like you.' The snake said.

'Fine then,' Harry said, getting tired of the argument, 'You have to stay quiet okay? You don't make a sound or let anyone know you're there unless I say it's safe.'

'Okay.' She agreed, 'what's your name anyway?'

'Harry. What's your name? I don't know it either.' Harry asked as he walked out of the graveyard.

'My name's Shonda.' She said happily and crawled up Harry's sleeve to be out of sight.

It didn't take Harry long to walk to the edge of Little Hangleton where the Old Riddle House. He didn't need to worry about being seen by muggles because there was none left. In recent years the Death Eaters had taken to killing them or torturing them and they were all dead now or had fled in fear after seeing most of their neighbours killed. The town was in ruins and had a dark brooding feeling. The sky was dark and stormy and Harry wondered if the sun ever shone on this town. The Old Riddle House as it used to be called was vastly different now than when Harry had first seen. It was much larger now and looked dark and forbidding. It was built on a small hill that overlooked the village so the house now seemed to tower over the town.

'I don't like it.' Shonda hissed from somewhere up his sleeve.

'Why?' Harry asked in surprise. He didn't think she could see anything from where she was.

'It smells nasty.' Harry laughed quietly at her comment.

'Well you can still leave if you want.' He told her.

'No I'm staying.'

'Well have it your way then but we're going in to the nasty smelling place. Don't speak again until I say it's safe.'

'Okay.' She hissed and went quiet.

Harry walked through the grounds easily disarming the numerous wards and traps that surrounded the house. They were undetectable to those who didn't know where they were but Harry knew where they were and how to get through them after having watched Voldemort come through numerous times. The moment Harry walked through the front door he found no less than 10 wands pointed at him. The Death Eaters that surrounded him all had masks on so he couldn't tell who they were. One stepped forward and when he started talking Harry recognised him as Lucius Malfoy.

'What do we have here. Are you really so stupid that you thought you could walk in here and kill the Dark Lord? Even though you got past the outer defenses did you really think that we wouldn't stop you?' He asked as he walked forward and pushed his wand into Harry's chest.

'No I was relying on it.' Harry replied.

'What do you mean?' Malfoy asked, surprise evident in his voice.

'Well it would hardly do to turn up to a meeting without arranging it beforehand.

'A meeting with the Dark Lord? I don't think so.' Malfoy said suspiciously. 'It is more likely an excuse to get close to him.'

'Think what you will Malfoy but it is not up to you is it? It is Voldemort's choice.' Harry told him calmly. Malfoy flinched at the use of his name. Malfoy lent over and hissed in Harry's ear.

'You are not worthy to say his name. If you do again you will regret it.'

'Oh really?' Harry said and smirked. 'I'd like to know what you think you could do to me.' Before Malfoy could answer a Death Eater came forward and spoke to them in a voice Harry knew was Snape's.

'The Dark Lord will see you Potter. Follow me. Malfoy you will come too.' Harry assumed Snape had told Voldemort of his arrival after he slipped off soon after Harry came in. Snape led the way through a side door. Harry followed with Malfoy walking behind him, his wand against his back.

'You were lucky this time. Don't think you will be next time.' He said viciously but quietly enough so only Harry could here him.

'Well then there is no need for me to worry because I don't need luck.' Harry said as he walked along. Finally they came to a room that Harry knew to be the lounge room and they went in. Voldemort himself was in the room and as they came Snape and Malfoy went to him and knelt down and kissed his robes but he didn't appear to notice them. He looked at Harry intently and as Harry looked into his mind he could feel the curiosity and suspicion he was feeling.

'Why are you here Harry Potter.' Voldemort asked after Harry didn't say anything. Even though he had thought about the answer to that question for so long actually saying it now to the person that Harry had thought of as an enemy for so long was hard but he steeled himself and spoke without any emotion.

'I want to join you.'

Author's note: Sorry it's been so long since I updated but I've been away. Anyway thanks to everyone who has reviewed I hope you like the chapter.