CH20: Defiance

~ Harry hesitated in reaching out his hand. There was no going back from this, nothing would be the same again. But as he scanned the crowd, his eyes locked with a small, nine year old girl, tears streaking down her face. And he knew what he had to do.

He clasped the orb and disappeared.~

Harry landed with a jolt on a hard, wooden floor. He sat up and looked around.

'The Riddle House.'

"Welcome, Harry, welcome!" said Voldemort. Harry started a bit. He hadn't heard the Dark Lord Apparate in behind him.

Voldemort smirked as he gracefully sat by the fire. "Come and join me. We have much to discuss."

Harry cautiously went over to the other high-backed chair. "Like what?"

"How do you like being a Death Eater so far?"

"Seriously? I feel like jumping out of a window."

"I assure you that you will be much happier after you officially belong."

"What?"

"Tomorrow morning, 9 o'clock." He said, standing up and heading for the door.

"Again, what?"

"Your marking ceremony, of course."

Harry's eyes widened as the door closed behind Voldemort.

"What?!?"

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Voldemort smiled evilly as he walked down the hallway. Harry Potter was here. The Boy Who Lived was here. And tomorrow, he would be able to control him.

Today was a great day.

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Harry stared at the door in shock.

"I forgot about that," he mumbled despairingly.

The Dark Mark. The symbol of all the things he hated in the world. The symbol of the people who killed his parents.

........ the people who he was now serving.

Harry shut his eyes tightly, hoping with all his might that this was a bad dream. But, when he opened them, he was still in the Riddle House.

"No. No, no, no, no, no." He slumped down to the floor. "What have I done?"

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Voldemort entered his study to find Lucius Malfoy waiting for him.

He ignored his groveling servant and snapped his fingers. A small, shaking house elf appeared, eyes wide with fright.

"Go and take Mr. Potter and his things to his room!" he ordered. The poor creature squeaked and hurried off.

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Harry sat on his new bed after being led there by Tily (she had looked terribly startled when he'd asked her name, being so used to yelled commands). It was a lavishly furnished room. The bed was swathed in a deep silver comforter and the walls were emerald green ('It figures', Harry thought). But, the most helpful thing by far, were the books lining the walls. Harry plucked a random one off and started reading. He had work to do.

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"If you don't mind me asking my Lord .... " Lucius said when Tily had left.

"Go on, Lucius."

"Why don't you want to kill Potter?"

There was silence for a moment: Voldemort deep in thought and Lucius twitching, worried about being tortured for his question.

"Have I ever told you about Erana?" Voldemort finally said. Lucius seemed to sag in relief.

"I don't believe so, lord. Who is she?"

"Not who, what. Erana is a small town in Africa. I traveled there just after I graduated. The town is famous for its ancient magic. While there, I met a local sorcerer and .... I suppose you aren't familiar with a Tenporus spell?"

"No, my lord."

"I didn't think so. You really need to brush up on your dark magic, Lucius."

"I will, master," he said quickly.

"A Tenporus spell shows the spirit of a person, their magic. He granted me a with a power similar to that spell. I can see feeling and emotions, all in color. It's the most thrilling sensation in the world."

"What does this have to do with Potter?"

"You must have more patience. I was getting there." He stood up and started pacing. "As I was saying, I can sense the very essence of a person. And Harry's is .... It's hard to describe. The colors ..... the power ..... it plays on the senses." He turned to stare his servant directly in the eyes. "Harry Potter is perfect. And to kill something that wonderful .... that is a crime even I don't dare commit."

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Harry rubbed his eyes, flipping through his third Dark Magic book.

'This isn't working,' he inwardly groaned. He had been looking for a way to prevent Voldemort from marking him, with no luck so far.

'Come on, I know the Marking spell is dark. There has to be something in here ..... ' Then it dawned on him. 'Maybe there isn't a way to stop it, but ...... '

With a new hope in his heart, he set back to work.

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November 1, 1995, 9:00 am

"Today we welcome a new member into our ranks. Harry," he motioned Harry to the front. "Kneel. Now, as you accept this mark ...... " He stopped as he took in the sight of Harry's arm.

Voldemort's wand was just inches away from Harry's skin ...... but there was already a mark there.

A small phoenix glowed brightly from Harry's left forearm, its eyes glittering as though alive. Its red and gold plumage was like a smack in the face to Voldemort.

"You ..... " His eyes bored into Harry, who glared back unwaveringly. The Death Eaters around them shifted nervously. Nobody had ever defied the Dark Lord like this before.

"I can mark your other arm," Voldemort snarled softly.

Harry just simply replied, "I know."

Voldemort clutched onto his other arm, fingernails cutting into his skin, and pressed down his wand, muttering the spell furiously. Though Harry winced and bit his lip, he didn't break his gaze with Voldemort and he didn't utter a sound.

Harry Potter had taken the Dark Mark that day, but everyone in the room had know who won that battle.