Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
WARNING: Again, unbetaed.

Chapter Three: The Present and Past / Fool 0

Harry was almost sleeping, he had spent the majority of the day thinking, and he had heard from Dumbledore his plans. He was staying in Percy's room, as Percy had moved out and it would be to painful to sleep in Ron's room.

"So what are you going to do?" asked Harry.
Dumbledore was quiet, until he had finished packing. "I will try to make the philosopher's stone. Follow Nicolas' instructions; oh, and you got this owl from Lucius Malfoy."
"But isn't he...?" Harry started
But Dumbledore cut him off. "Was. Since the Dementors have left Azkaban, then it was only to be a matter of time, until they broke out. And they distroyed the prison. It is now in ruins."
"So I have to meet Lucius Malfoy... Alone?" Harry asked.
"Yes, tomorrow. In Knocktern Alley, outside the shop where I believe that you met him before. It run by Mr Borgin. Do you remember?"
"I do."
"I will give you a portkey for getting there now... You will then tell him who you want to be given back... Then they will meet you in the Leaky Caulron after one hour, then Tom with give you a portkey when he first sees you. If you may, you can have sometime together... But you need to say so to Tom so that he knows you are there and safe."
Harry nodded.

Harry awoke early, like he always did when he was either excited or nervous.
Harry looked at the clock in Percy's room it said it was "03:01". It felt he had slept forever. If it was later, he would go out and fly on his broom, but for now he will try to get more sleep.

Ron and Hermione were asleep too. None of them had spoken for a a couple of hours before they slept. They had no got much to say.
Ron awoke to the sound of muttering, as soon as he had it stopped and there silence... Ron looked across at Hermione and smiled.
Ron wanted to tell her how he felt about her. But would she return the feeling? Would they be unrequinted? Did she know, she was the cleverest witch in Hogwarts history (he thought)?
Ron saw in the cloud a shape like a jester's hat. He shook his head and tried to get back to sleep.

Harry awoke again to the sound of Mrs Weaasley shouting from downstairs.
"Harry, dear. You have to go in an hour. Come on. Breakfast is ready."
Harry opened an eye and groaned. It was today. After a few seconds he was up and getting dressed. Already in a frenzy with worry... What if he fucked this up?

Everyone seemed to read his mind, they were all wishing him luck and telling him it will be fine... No need to worry, they told him... Before taking the portkey and being transported with the usual jerk behind his navel.

He landed on either side of a dog, which yelped and ran.
"Ops." Harry said. He noticed that Lucius Malfoy was stood talking to Mr Borgin.
"Potter, you are a minute late. Why?" Malfoy senior demanded loudly. He gave Harry a cold look. "Come with me... Now!" He grabbed Harry by his t-shirt and pulled him into a dingy pub and intoa small room in the back.
"Now... Your choice please." Lucius asked, his voice not hiding the hatred for Harry.
Harry also showed his hatred. "Hermione."
Lucius smiled knowingly. "Thought you would try and save the mudblood..."
"She is not a..." Harry inturupted... Well started to at least.
"Whatever... I am sorry... But soemthing has come up so... On time... Off we go." And Lucius grabbed something then Harry and the feeling behind Harry's navel was back with vengance.

He landed on solid ground and then Lucius swiftly out the other door, which after being closed withered and melted. Harry frowned, were had the old bastard taken him?

He saw another door, and he walked up to it and saw a sigh. 'Use the door of the number of the fool' It said. Harry frowned. The fool... Number... Tarot cards. He remembered from divination... It was zero. Because Trelawney had always brought out a zero for Ron when doing the demonstration... Ron protested that she always put it on the top... But... If she did... When she did him it she shuffled it... Either big coincidence, or that woman is a...
Harry moved to door number zero, Harry opened it and he saw a light and the surrounding rushed around him and then he felt like he was falling, a laughter and a jingle of bells was what he could hear.
Harry fell onto the floor and was in another room. It was dark and Harry had also lost his glasses. He pulled out his wand: "Point me." He told it and he felt to see when his wand tip was, he got on his knees and felt around for it. He felt sharp glass and he yelped.
"Reparo." He muttered and the glasses formed the lenses of his glasses and then he said: "Lumos." He expected to hear an owl coming into tell him that he was doing under age magic... yada,yada, yada... blah, blah, blah...
But he didn't.
He moved forward and then came to another door. He heard voices.
"Is he here, Lucius?" it was Voldemort.
"Yes, he should be either dead, if he chose the wrong door... or in the next room."
"Good... I hope he is in that room... Because if he is dead, then I cannot become immortal."
"Why?" asked Lucius.
"Because only the half blood prince can make a half blood immortal."
"A what? That is just a legend that runs in Potters Family..."
"It is not proven to be true... But if it is the case, then it carries a curse, which if broken can mean immortality for the boy. If he defeats me this year."
"I am do not understand you, my lord." Lucius said.
"So I shall explain.
"In 1,000 AD when the first of the Potter clan entered Hogwarts, he was cursed by a warlord that broke into the castle because he found out about the alliance of him and Slytherin... What Potter did was warn Gryffindor of Slytherins murders, and so he was cursed just before the warlord was vanquished.
"This curse was that he could give his enemy immortality before he was 16, when he if he is killed, and if he defeats me, it will be the same... But the time has to be exactly six months before he is birthday, I have to say it the right to the last second. And I know what it is."
Lucius smiled.
"Now, bring him in. If he isn't there, I will kill you."
"Nox." Muttered Harry. And he sat in the darkness. Lucius opened the door and then muttered "Lumos." He saw Harry sat in the middle of the floor. "Up Potter and this way." He dragged Harry into the other room.
"Can you excuse us, Lucius." Lucius nodded and left. Leaving Harry with Voldemort.
"Did you hear what I said?" Voldemort asked Harry softly.
"I did." Harry answered.
"Good. Do you have any questions?" asked the man with snake eyes.
"Why is being a Half Blood Prince a curse?" Harry asked.
"Because... You will find out. Your father suffered. That was the first time he defeated me, one out of three. No one knows apart from those who have heard the prophecy."
"Where are my friends? If I don't come back... they will come looking for me..."
Voldemort smiled. "Don't worry, that has been sorted out.
"Your friends are through here... But first... I would like to show you something..."
"Where am I?" asked Harry.
"This was my fathers house, you have seen this room accross the hall before in your dreams. I will show you something... It is through a lake, that is underneath the house."
Harry followed out of the room and Harry realised he did remember this room.
Harry found it really hard to move. He couldn't move very fast. It was like a dream.
"Nagini has interesting news, Wormtail." Vodlemort said.
"In-indeed, my lord?" Wormtail stammered in answer.
"Indeed. According to Nagini, there is an old muggle standing outside this room, listening to every word we say." Harry suddenly saw Frank, and Voldemort of the present vanished.
He saw Frank was trying to hide himself, but didn't get a chance to. From the room, emerged wormtail, who walked through Harry and didn't notice this fact.
"What the..."
Wormtail was now beckoning Frank into the room and Frank had no choice but to follow. Harry now was moving with Frank, like a zombie into the room.
Voldemort's cold voice spoke out from behind the chair to Frank. "You heard everything, muggle?"
"What did you call me?" asked an intimidated Frank.
"I am calling you a muggle," replied Voldemort evenly. "It means you are not a wizard."
I don't know what you mean by wizard," Frank said, who seemed to have found his confidence (and voice). "All I know is that I've heard enough to interest the police tonight, I have. You've done murder and you're planning more! And I'll tell you this. Too," he added. "my wife knows that I am up..."

"Finite Incantium." Came a voice and Harry came out of his trance and found he could move normally again. Harry walked to Voldemort and saw the amused expression on his face.
"I have sent to you a pensive." Voldemort said. "Got one from an old friend," He said 'old' as if he had completed something. "and I have somewhere for you to store your memories... It will all come clear in time.
"Now, just walk in there, you can have them both back... I just needed you here to tell you those things."
Voldemort nodded at Harry and walked off.
Harry opened the door and saw Ron and Hermione on a rug by the fire.
He ran over and saw them with their eyes open.
"Ron? Hermione?" he asked. He kneeled down and shook both of them in turn. "He turned to Ron and saw his eyes were had a look of death that Cedric had. He gasped and hugged Ron to him.
"Oh god." Tears were coming to his eyes. He felt so alone, so
vulnerable, so...
But what he felt, had been driven out of his mind... as he saw something that made his heart sink... He checked for the scare... and then checked Hermione arm... No... It couldn't be...
No... This has to be a joke... No...
"Well done, Potter." Said Ron. "I can finally get my revenge on you taking everything from me."
Ron and Hermione were death eaters.

The sign has something to do with the Chapter titles... This room is a porthole... It is a dark arts spell that takes you to what ever place you need to go. The sign is a seer, sees the future and then gives you the card number you are... ie fool is 0 and 15 is the devil... Both with different purposes and explanations of your future. A good place to go to to find information about Tarot cards is here.