The-Boy-Who-Lived-Again...

Chapter: Twenty-three

Harry followed Professor Snape out of the room in complete and utter silence. They were about to do the very thing he had spent the last few weeks trying to prevent. Harry and Snape were about to tell Dumbledore of his existence.

'Why was I trying to hide it from him in the first place?' Harry wondered. 'I mean he's a very powerful wizard, and he's on our side so it's not a matter of safety... But what is it?'

'It's about freedom.' That naughty voice in the back of his head told him. 'If only Hermione and a few Weasleys know you're still alive, they won't be able to trace you down and catch you.'

'What do you mean?' Harry asked the voice.

'You wanted to run away from all of this. But if Albus Dumbledore knows you're still alive, you could never escape. He's just too powerful to hide from for any meaningful length of time.' The naughty voice replied. If something without substance could smirk, this voice was doing it.

'What?' Harry demanded. 'Why would I run away?'

'Cowardice, high expectations from others, fear that you can't live up to them, a deep seeded desire for freedom, and doubt that your side can win.' The voice listed off.

Everything the voice "said" struck home. He hated it when that voice was right. Instead of responding, he sighed. He couldn't run away, he had to face his destiny.

'Destiny? Is that what this is all about? Am I destined to do all of this? Am I just a pawn in someone's hands right now? Are even these thoughts I'm having right now pre-determined?' he thought.

That was just too much for him. He stifled all of his thoughts and musings, and was blessed with internal silence.

"Milk Duds." Snape said.

The sudden speech almost made Harry jump. The Gargoyle stepped aside and the stairway appeared. Harry realized that "milk duds" must be the password to Dumbledore's office.

"I will go in and tell him everything. Then I'll send you in. Wait here until I'm done." Severus said, walking through the door and closing it behind him.

Harry was noticing something different about Professor Snape. When Snape spoke to him, there was no longer that harsh coating of malice to his words. He seemed... Genuinely concerned for Harry's well being.

After standing at the top of the steps thinking for a few minutes, Harry got bored with his thoughts, and sat down.

'I should check on Voldemort.' He thought. 'I wonder what he's up to...'

Harry separated his spirit from his body, and immediately went to check on the dark lord.

For once, Voldemort was alone. His brow was wrinkled and his chin rested in his hand, indicating that he was very deep in thought.

"Wormtail my pet! Come insssside." Voldemort hissed.

"Yessssss, massssster." Wormtail hissed from outside the room.

'Wait... Wormtail doesn't hiss.' Harry thought. 'Oh...wait...'

Harry remembered what happened just over an hour ago. Wormtail getting "rewarded" by Voldemort with a sickening transformation. Apparently, part of the transformation involved a snake tongue.

When Wormtail opened the door, Harry almost fainted with shock. (Harry had passed out before seeing Wormtail's transformed state.)

Wormtail was no longer the short, pudgy balding man Harry knew. He was nearly seven feet tall, muscular, and very hairy. But that wasn't even the start of it. Pettigrew's arms had lengthened considerably, to the point where he could use them to walk with. His teeth had become pointed and sharp, his back hunched more, and his torso narrowed. His skin had turned to a transparent whitish color, allowing one to see all his veins, and in some places, his blood. Pettigrew's fingers were now about a foot long with three-inch nails at the end of each one. His metallic hand warped in the same way. He didn't look vaguely human. If it wasn't for the fact that Voldemort called him, Harry wouldn't have known it was him.

"My pet." Voldemort said. "Let me use your mark. I need Lucius, Flint, Macnair, Rockwood, Rabastan, Bellatrix, Crabbe, Goyle, and Teannon. Every Death Eater whose identity can be revealed must be summoned. In other words, everyone except the spies and operatives."

If it wasn't such a serious matter, Harry would have laughed. After all, Voldemort forgot to hiss.

"You forgot Nott and Bankssss my lord." Wormtail hissed.

"Yesss. Ssssummon them. You are going to lead them in an attack on Diagon Alley in two hoursss time. Burn it to the ground. Sssshow the world that it is not wisssse to defy Lord Voldemort!" Voldemort hissed.

Harry bolted back into his body and slammed open the door to Dumbledore's office.

"Professor! Headmaster! Voldemort is going to attack Diagon Alley in less than two hours!" Harry shouted.

Dumbledore looked as if he was going to cry.

"Tom, Tom... What have you done?" The headmaster asked himself, letting a single silver tear trickle down his cheek.