Dear Readers,
I am almost finished with the story! We're getting there! You will get your first glimpse of Volde in this chapter, as well as an interesting family secret. Enjoy!
LunarLitLover
Recap: Harry and his company are in transit via portkey to Godric's Hollow, where Voldemort's "base" is located.
Chapter 4: Preparation
The wizards landed with a small bang on top of some empty trash cans in a dark alleyway. "This should be Germane's Hollow," Dumbledore whispered, as the others got up and dusted themselves off. "Godric's Hollow is two streets over."
"Do you know how to get there?" Neville asked, voice quivering.
"Yes, but we must hurry," Dumbledore turned and soundlessly strode down the alleyway. The remainder of the group followed, eyes darting in all directions.
When they reached Godric's Hollow not a one of the company was comfortable with proceeding down the street in plain view. Harry, however, headed strait towards his old residence which was now reduced to a pile of rubble with a yew tree sprouting from it.
"No one is watching," Harry beckoned. "Voldemort is too cocky; he thinks that no one will discover the entrance to his headquarters because he himself is the secret keeper. He never thought I would find the location in his own mind."
"Potter, did you ever think that you may be making the same mistake? Of being too cocky?" Snape spat the question at Harry with disgust.
"Severus, there will be none of that here. I f we do not unite against evil, it will destroy us. Do you understand?" With a hesitated nod of affirmation from the potions master, Dumbledore continued, "I trust Harry's judgment. However, I must ask: Are you positive about this Harry? Of the guards and how to enter?"
"I have found it all in his own mind," Harry replied. "I'm confident that he does not know I've accessed it – well, he doesn't know yet, but he will soon. Yet I'm sure that my information is correct."
"But how do you know?" asked Kingsley.
Dumbledore held up a hand to silence Kingsley. Then the headmaster looked at Harry, and Harry looked back. They held each others eyes for a long moment. And in that moment something transpired between the pair which was indescribable. The silent understanding came to each of them in his own way: This was how it had to be. Both a blue eye and a green one yielded a single tear which dripped down the face of each owner. They understood well enough.
Dumbledore's soul seemed to retreat back into his body. He nodded as if accepting a grim fate. "Lead on, Harry."
Harry turned to approach the yew tree.
Whether it be the passwords in parsletongue, the snake unlocking the yew tree, the endless codes and keys, the room of illusions or the hall of mirrors, Harry got them through all of Voldemort's security systems with ease (or as much ease as possible with Neville, no offense meant.) Yet, when they finally entered the underground stone tunnels, Harry knew that time was up. "He knows," he said. "He knows we're here."
Death Eaters, although few, swarmed the corridors. Everyone began to fight them off, dueling in pairs with spells, curses and hexes flying everywhere. Lupin grabbed Harry and Neville by the arms as they tried to join in the battle. "Save your strength, Harry!" Lupin gasped. "C'mon! Neville stay with him!" Lupin dropped behind to block a curse coming their way. "Go!"
Harry set off in the other direction in a determined walk, wand at the ready. Neville scampered to catch up. "Harry, what are we doing! Where are we going!"
"To find Voldemort," Harry replied coolly. Neville stopped dead while Harry continued to walk, leaving Neville behind in the dimly lit concrete tunnel.
When Harry finally reached the "throne room" he heard two voices conversing. He stopped and listened, knowing one of them was his enemy, a wizard he was soon either going to murder or be murdered by. Harry blocked his mind to Voldemort, so he wouldn't know of Harry's eavesdropping. He then turned his mind to the conversation.
"You are my nephew, whether or not you wish it to be so. I am your mother's brother. We are family."
"I am no one's nephew. I have no family except Nagini here."
"Your mother loved you. She wouldn't want this life for you. I hope you know that. I care for you, too, whether you choose to believe it or not."
"I know nothing of love. You care for me, you say? Yet I grew up in an orphanage, against my mother's wishes, while you lived in comfort at Hogwarts! Even when I arrived at that pathetic that you now run, you never once showed me any kindness or even recognition! Yet you call yourself my uncle and say you care for me! Ha! You disappoint me, Dumbledore. On your last straw now that I no longer fear your once-greater power?"
"You would have nothing to fear in me, Tom, if we could agree on peace."
"Peace? What is peace? Many die in war for the sake of peace. Such a word is just the propaganda of those fools who try to divide the world into the good and evil."
"Peace is what's right, Tom, and that's the concept you failed to master. Yet despite your choices, despite everything, I still love you. We are family. But I must fight for the good of all. However, I do love you. I love the person you could have been. And nothing can break that bond."
"Nothing, Dumbledore? I think I could find something." Although Harry could not see Voldemort, he could hear the cruel sneer in his voice. "Crucio!"
Dumbledore responded by creating a triangular net with his wand and throwing it at the phantom who had attacked him. The net caught Voldemort's curse, heaving it back at its maker, who deflected it with a mere twitch of his wand while still sitting on his "throne." Dumbledore flung another curse at his nephew, who yet again deflected it and hurled a different one in return. This went on for several minutes as Harry stood, unnoticed, off to the side of the entry way, no longer trying to keep his mind barrier.
After about the twentieth exchange in curses, Voldemort hit Dumbledore. Harry gasped as strands of fire bound the headmaster's body and lifted him up to Voldemort. Dumbledore chanted words, perhaps spells, but did not struggle. Nevertheless, Harry could see the pain written on his face.
"Ah, ah, old man. Those spells won't help you now. I have too much power. Much more than you have or ever will have!" He laughed a high, cold laugh. "Crucio!"
Harry watched in horror as Dumbledore, whom now looked like an old, helpless man, began to squirm and moan in pain. The fire tentacles still bound him tightly, and when he fidgeted enough the strands would burn his flesh. His moaning only once turned to a scream and then ceased. All the while, Voldemort held a triumphant glint and the smile of pleasure on his face.
When the headmaster could clearly take no more, his nephew removed the effect of the curses and let the fire threads drop the old wizard to the stone floor. "Arresto morte!" Voldemort chanted the spell for a relatively slow, painful death, and Dumbledore again moaned. Harry, recognizing the spell, ran to his fallen mentor. He did not know what Voldemort would do while standing right above him, nor did he care.
"So the little baby Potter comes out to play only after…"
Harry tuned out Voldemort's taunting. Instead he listened to Dumbledore's last words as the headmaster's strength began to give out. "Harry... you knew this had to happen this way. Please don't grieve for me; I've lived more than my share of life. You must be brave… I know you must fulfill the prophecy… but Harry… I… he's… I… love you… and wish for you… to succeed… but he's… my nephew… please… Harry…" His eyes began to glaze over as Harry's began to water. The beloved headmaster reached for Harry's hand. "Make… your… mother… proud…" His grip gave and the weight of his hand was in Harry's. Those bright blue eyes sparkled no longer but stared, pain-filled, into space. The great Albus Dumbledore was gone.
Anger flooded Harry's heart and head, leaving no room for rational thought. He grabbed Dumbledore's wand, knowing his would be useless against Voldemort, and in rage, he ran up the "throne's" steps to the stone chair itself. Voldemort sat there like a king, still taunting Harry. Harry snatched his black hair and pulled it back so that Voldemort's head was tilted back to expose his neck. But to Harry's surprise, Voldemort made no move to stop him, even when Harry placed his wand on his neck. Voldemort laughed and said, "You think that will be enough to stop me, Harry? I think not, for you can't kill me." Voldemort apparated, but then reappeared behind Harry. "But I can kill you. Crucio!"