Chapter Two

In his old home near a shadowy graveyard, the same graveyard he had finally achieved his greatest achievement, his physical being, Tom Marvolo Riddle, now known asDark Lord Voldemort, was planning the permanent downfall of his rival, his so-called equal.

He had learned, through his contact from Hogwarts, Professor Severus Snape, that his recent attack on a Muggle village had incapacitated his rival, Harry Potter. With this knowledge, he also learned, through another contact, thatthe boy would only be comforted by the evil Potion Master. This would allow the boy to give his trust to a man who would betray him in the future, and allow Voldemort to have some hold over them both.

Red eyes gleamed as they watched his humbled servants, his Death Eaters, crawl forth to kiss the hem of his hooded robes. He had called all to his side, but allowed Severus to remain at Hogwarts to comfortyoung Harry Potter. At the two sides of his large stone, hand carved throne laid, in waiting, a huge, lovely white snake and a middle-aged thinned male. His hissing confidante, Nagini, and his betrayer, the rat animagus Peter Pettigrew.

"I have learned, my loyal ones, that the Muggle-loving fool Dumbledore has allowed his students to begin their weekend visits to Hogsmeade next week. I have also learned from my dark angel that Harry Potter will be there, still weakened from his summer incident. My dark angel, Severus Snape, will be accompanying the students with two other professors, Minerva McGonogall and Remus Lupin. I'm sure the werewolf and transfiguration teacher will be no trouble if you allow the Dementors free reign. I want Harry Potter captured alive."

The Death Eaters said nothing as the low hissing tones poured out words of a new plan. Some had wondered why their traitor would be the one to accompany the boy, but weren't foolish enough to question their master. "My loyal ones, our future will soon begin. With the death of Harry Potter, there will be nothing to stand in our way, nor will the weakened boy be any match for any of us." All believed that Potter's lucky streak was down coming to an end.

As they cheered in response to the Dark Lord's words, a single figure, hidden in the shadows, grimly smiled. Slender fingers brushed across the jewelled velvet, strapped to a thigh and hidden from view. 'It begins.'

With those words, the figure slipped from the darkened shadows to the world outside the stuffy home. In the cool air of a late night, the shadows careful shifted beneath the full moon. In the brightened, sudden, light a young female stood, half of her body wrapped in the dark and the other lit by the moon. She allowed the gentle voices to tug her body to the next path she must cross, 'The world trembles, ready to fall. And yet it can be stopped. But you, my master, have forbidden me. Yet you allow me to chose the one path for this world. No matter my decision, their fate's are sealed. I have read the ancient scrolls, but who do I choose to seal first? Who do I choose to change the other's path so that the darkness will blanket his world?What fate do I allow free reign while the other must not come to be free?'