Possession
Chapter IV - Realisation
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Harry looked down at the letter in his hands. It made absolutely no sense. It had been signed under the seal of Lord Voldemort but its tone was nothing like he had ever expected.

In fact, it was so unexpected that he had almost thrown it away, not believing that the Dark Lord had written this.

His 'noble Mother's sacrifice'? Since when did the Dark Lord consider his mother's actions noble? He had considered them unnecessary, he had considered them useless and he had considered them bloody hinderingly awkward but he had never considered them noble! From Lord Voldemort's stance, what could be considered noble or good about the actions that lead to his downfall?

And his Father! Dying valiantly... That just didn't make sense. James Potter's actions had been in vain but they had been from the heart and they had been the last ditch effort of a Father to save his family but to the Lord Voldemort they had wasted precious time and energy. They had been futile and pathetic. There was nothing valiant about certain death.

But other bits had been interesting... Very interesting.

His name for example... Both their names.

Everyone spoke of Voldemort being Slytherin's Heir but no one had spelled it out so clearly. And everyone expected him to be exceptional... Now he knew why... Even without being central to Lord Voldemort's downfall the expectation would still be there.

Potter, for the line that bears the Gryffindor inheritance.

But what was Gryffindor's inheritance and why was it more dangerous that the others?

Harry smiled... He bet Ravenclaw didn't know about their Founders Power... It sounded so creepy and the picture one got of Rowena Ravenclaw was some know it all, who was never tolerated lateness to class, some one straight laced and proper who didn't go about violating the peace of the dead. Someone like McGonagall without the sly approval of brave antics. Hufflepuffs ability didn't sound too bad though... To feel the Earth and know the truth...

He wasn't too sure about that whole 'to feel the Earth' bit but he could sure use 'know the truth'... Dumbledore was covering something up. Something big. The Headmaster had assured Harry that he would tell him when he was old enough but when was that going to be? If he had Hufflepuffs power he could know already and then he wouldn't need others to define his truth...

Wait... What was he thinking..? Dumbledore had never lied to him, he had just never told him whatever the information was. Withholding information was not the same as lying...

But what if he is lying? How could you tell that? You don't even know what he knows.

He will tell me when I am ready!

So when will that be?

Probably about the same time Lord Voldemort thinks I am ready to hear the other things he only hinted at.

The voice was silent at that rebuke and Harry allowed himself a small smile of triumph. It wasn't often he got one over his conscience.

He looked back at the letter. The first bit made sense. Twisted sense but it was obvious Voldemort wanted him to join the Dark Lord in his conquest of the world. The bit about him not understanding was very reminiscent of Dumbledore but Harry didn't dwell on the similarities now, instead he moved on towards patience and training.

Since he still didn't know what the Dark Lord was referring to patience wasn't going to be hard. He wasn't anticipating anything so time would move as it always would, glacially slow during summer, ligthningly fast during other times of the year. Training though... Hogwarts was training his magic but Voldemort didn't really think he believed the world was how the Dark Lord saw it? The Dursleys were bad Muggles but not all Muggles were bad. And what was that about the first few difficult times? Difficult times of what?

Harry shook his head and continued. Their names were interesting but since they'd both already been hinted at there was no surprise. No matter how grand the name, he couldn't help whom he was descended from. He was more concerned over what this power was meant to be. As for the Dark Lord fearing him, he would have had to fear something for him to be so intent on killing baby Harry. What else truly motivated evil but the threat to their own power?

But what was this about him bearing only a part of Slytherin's gift? Slytherin could talk to snakes... That was it, wasn't it? And if it wasn't, why hadn't Riddle revealed the whole gift in the Chamber? Harry shrugged his shoulders, so he'd only gotten part of Slytherin's abilities. Part was more than enough to turn the whole school against him and to have the world think him dark merely because he could talk to snakes... He didn't need the lot, the part he'd got had done enough damage already, thank you very much.

And the next bit... Voldemort no longer desired to kill him. Yeah, well, it would be a cold day in hell before the Dark Lord ever meant that, wouldn't it? Unless of course, he really did think access to Gryffindor's inheritance was worth keeping Harry alive for. But that line of reasoning just lead back to the question of what was Gryffindor's power.

But it was the visions that interested Harry the most. Upon first reading they seemed incredibly straightforward. In the first one, he fights Voldemort and is eventually helped by his Father thus winning the battle. The Death Eaters turn on their Master and in the ensuing chaos he and his dad finish the job. The second one, something happened that turned him towards the darkness and he defends the Dark Lord from his own minions before helping him win over the Wizarding World. And the third one, while not being complete, Voldemort forces his compliance before they have to fight the Death Eaters, winning that battle and then... Voldemort hadn't relayed how that vision had ended.

They seemed easy to understand but Dark Lord had been correct. Who was the other Phoenix? It appeared in all three visions. The first as a seeming ally, the second as an enemy and the third as what..?

Harry blinked. If he had to guess then he would say that the other Phoenix was Dumbledore. It would all fit together nicely then but could a vision really be that easy and did the Phoenix have to represent a single person? While the third vision was new, there was nothing there that negated the first two. After all, in both the first two he had his famous scar and in the third... Harry looked back at the parchment. The third vision said nothing about his scar. Had the Dark Lord merely forgotten to mention it, or was it possible that the third vision referred to something else entirely? And what was that darkness that was meant to be released?

He shook his head. The visions were interesting but he couldn't make sense of them. Bits seemed to fit together but not the whole. Maybe he should give them to Trelawny, tell her that he foresaw this over the summer and needed her help in interpreting them. He could see the old bat now. She'd find a way to say that the dark was his death or something like that... It would almost be amusing to see her fumbling with them. He supposed though that he should tell Dumbledore but after a moments consideration Harry shrugged. What would telling the Headmaster really achieve? They already knew Voldemort was acting to some twisted scheme only he saw and these visions were probably only figments of the Dark Lords imagination. They didn't mean anything, despite what Tom Riddle might wish.

Harry looked back at the last bit of the letter. Well, Voldemort might want the third vision to come to pass but Harry definitely liked the first. He would see his Father again. But it seemed the Dark Lord would be intent. 'I will come for you.'

He felt a small shiver pass through him before he remembered. The only reason he stayed with the Dursleys was so that the ancient magic would be induced. Magic like the Fidelus charm but without the need for a Secret Keeper, magic that went further than that and provided solid resistance against the Dark Arts. At least, that's what Dumbledore had told him when he had asked. The Headmaster had also assured him that the Magic was completely involuntary. It didn't matter how the Dursleys felt because their feelings had nothing to do with it being invoked. The other thing he had been reassured about was the fact that if it came down, there were further, more conventional magic wards cast around his house: anti-apparition wards, alarms and shields. Nothing as elaborate or as long term as those surrounding Hogwarts but formidable enough in there own right. He'd actually caught a glimpse of them for the first time, this year on his return from Hogwarts and had been surprised at their strength.

While he might not like the Dursleys, he was quite safe here. Voldemort could try to come but he wouldn't get very far.

Or will he? 'Know that nothing will stand in my way.' Do you really believe a bunch of aging wards will keep out the Dark Lord?

Harry gulped. Why did he have to remember that line now? Especially with what the paragraph before had said.

I will not go to him willingly!

What makes you think he's going to give you a choice?

Harry's eyes snapped open at that. It was true, wasn't it? Imperio wasn't the only way to control a person, just the only way that was guaranteed to get you into Azkaban. The Dark Lord didn't care about that, but he did know that Imperio wouldn't work on him. But how many other ways would a Dark Lord know to control someone? How many potions or spells could be used? Harry didn't know but he had a feeling Voldemort knew and had already planned which method he was going to use. And that would make the third vision very likely.

But could a vision tell the difference between his willing submission or his coerced willing submission? And was there a difference? Submission was submission.

Harry shivered as his eyes lingered on the last part of the letter.

You will give me what I want, Harry and you will
do so willingly. You will give me such pleasure...

Know that I will come for you Harry. Know that
nothing will stand in my way.

You are my little one, Harry. You are my Phoenix
crested Basilisk and I will come for you.

Wait for me, my little one, wait for me.

You are mine.

The words stated it clearly and suddenly Harry knew it was true. The Dark Lord would come for him and one way or another would gain his submission before the first lines would come to pass. The whole letter had been written for them.

You will give me such pleasure...

Not from the torture of submission but in the servitude after. Servitude that would go far beyond any other Death Eater's and would be so personal that he could never escape. The letter had been written, long winded and strangely gentle, just to purvey this one line and the hidden meaning it contained.

Voldemort didn't want Harry to serve him, the Dark Lord wanted him to sex him

The Dark Lord wanted Harry to stand beside him as his wife.

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Before anyone asks - again - yes, I do mean 'wife'.