This chapter has been edited.

---------------------
Possession
Chapter XI - Rescue
---------------------

"Quiet," Severus breathed the warning, black eyes brilliant as he scanned hallway. They were deep inside the Dark Lord's stronghold, approaching Voldemort's personal chambers to rescue young Harry Potter.

Dumbledore had almost had to restrain himself when Severus had reported that he knew where Harry was and he didn't really want to think about Sirius' reaction. The dog had been beside itself and had been very quiet on the mission so far. Focused.

The Order had sent three people to accompany him. Any more would have been suspicious. The castle was Voldemort's stronghold but it was not crawling with Death Eaters. The Dark Lord preferred for his servants to be out in the world, not fawning over him so the calls for a larger task force had been argued down. Four could bluff their way through the halls, any larger number would only be acceptable if Voldemort had summoned his forces, and then they could hardly be here.

"Here," Snape gestured towards a non descript door before whispering the password. "Salamir Ascendant."

The door swung back silently and with quick motions everyone pilled in, wands at the ready and eyes searching everywhere for dangers.

"Stupify" The curse was still effective even if it was whispered. Several snakes hissed defiantly before they fell to the ground.

"Cover me," Sirius ordered as he strode into the room. His eyes were everywhere as his old Auror training took over.

Snape had warned them that Voldemort wasn't keeping Harry in the dungeon but had chosen a more personal setting but seeing it was nothing like expected. Sirius would almost have preferred the dungeons than the blatant opulence of the room. It would have made him feel better, especially with what he knew the Dark Lord had inflicted upon Harry. With a growl that was more like Padfoot he shot several curses at the snakes that were still conscious and were entwined around the large bed.

Harry was asleep, his face calm. His hair was spread around him like a halo and he was curled around a pillow. The blankets were covering him haphazardly but the room was warm enough so that he would not be cold. Sirius reached out, bundling the covers around Harry before lifting him.

"What!" He snarled. As he'd moved Harry there had been the soft chiming of metal links and he'd caught sight of the chain. Sirius saw red as he levelled his wand at the silver links, obliterating them. "I'll kill him," he growled, shaking his head as he picked Harry up again, turning back to the door. Two large snakes crawled into his path and he glared at them, watching with a cold sense of satisfaction as they quailed before him and slithered away.

Severus looked on with an amused expression. The Dark Lord had told him that the snakes wouldn't hurt him but it was still amusing and he privately suspected that Voldemort had intentionally packed the room with serpents just to see the reaction but it was interesting to see them retreat before an angry dog.

"Let's go," Remus said, sniffing the air delicately. "We're still in the clear."

"Hmm..." Harry blinked.

"Shh... Harry," Sirius soothed.

"Who..?" Harry murmured.

"It's me, Harry, Sirius."

"No..." Harry frowned, struggling weakly. "I can't go... They'll hurt me."

"No, they won't," Sirius said calmly. "I won't let them."

"But he promised..."

"No, Harry, no. He didn't mean it, he only wants to hurt you." Sirius forced himself to keep his voice quiet. Yelling at Harry would not serve now. In his current state he wouldn't understand.

Harry blinked sleepily, not really comprehending but he nodded as the man holding him stroked back his hair. Sirius smiled at him and gently placed a kiss on Harry's forehead as green eyes closed again.

"Can we go now?" The voice was Snape's and despite the edge to it, Sirius didn't snap back since he understood the Death Eaters urgency.

"We can go," he whispered back.

---

Voldemort watched as the four cloaked figured carried Harry away. Dumbledore's chosen task force had been interesting. Snape of necessity, for no one else could lead them through the veritable maze that was his stronghold. The werewolf Lupin, whose superior senses had helped them avoid detection several times was also necessary. The Auror Moody, whose years of experience had allowed them to disarm several of his more elaborate traps and who provided a slight stain of legality to the operations had been unexpected since he had been expecting someone younger. And Sirius Black, the wanted criminal who completely destroyed any legality the Order of the Phoenix might claim but who also seemed to be someone Harry trusted. And that was very interesting.

Of course, he knew who Sirius Black was. Having Wormtail for a servant, he could hardly not know who the other Marauders were but seeing Black on active duty was surprising and it only highlighted exactly how incompetent Wormtail was. Black was intense and eminently capable. His expression made it was easy to see how the Wizarding World would have thought him capable of killing Wormtail and the Muggles. Voldemort sighed... Wormtail had his uses... But Black... He could be so much more.

The Dark Lord waved his hand dismissing the image after taking one last look at Harry before he turned to his Elite's. Two of them were holding the Auror Arabella Figg while the third had their wand trained on the woman.

"You needn't worry," he spoke to her softly, ignoring the look of loathing she gave him. "The Order of the Phoenix has just rescued your charge. He should be back at Hogwarts within the hour."

Arabella nodded briefly, her eyes betraying her relief before they clouded with resignation.

Voldemort smiled, red eyes meeting hers squarely. "Which means I don't need you anymore," he purred.

She merely nodded again.

"I'm not going to kill you. That would be a waste. I have a different task for you," he continued before he was interrupted.

"I'll never serve you!" She hissed, eyes sparking.

"I don't want you to," he said easily as he raised his wand, stunning her. The Dark Lord looked at his Elites who placed binding spells on her turning to look at their Lord. He looked at the Auror, she would be a suitable bait. "I need you three to capture the Vampire Xeoaph Casitial. Use the Auror as bait and go to the dark city of Karpesh. Talk to the lesser Vampire Ikhan and tell Xeoaph I am prepared to pay for his blood, with the currency he desires. Then bring him to me. Bring her back if you can but I will understand if you can't. And I want Xeoaph unharmed."

"My Lord." The three Elites bowed before Apparating out, taking the Auror with them, leaving their Lord to his thoughts.

Voldemort sat back on his throne, alone. He half closed his eyes as he looked into the dark. He supposed he should be presiding over some Mudblood torture session but it had lost its appeal. It was useful to spread terror but ultimately unsatisfying and wasteful. He needed followers, not corpses if he wanted to rule and while Mudbloods weren't pure, they were better than Muggles and they tended to breed true and that was enough, barely, to spare them.

Muggles on the other hand...

With a vicious wave of his wand he brought Harry's relatives into the room. They looked at him, eyes wide with fear. The silencing spells were still on them so he could only smell their fear, thick in the air without having them bother him with their noise.

"I had wanted to wait until I had the others," he addressed them, turning to regard them. "But I think I can begin without them."

With a casual flick of his wand he released the binding and silencing spells on the fat boy and his father. "You, woman, have earnt some mercy... You get to watch as your husband shows you what he did to my prize when you were absent."

"No..." The man bleated. "No..." He shook his head.

"Imperio..." Voldemort barely raised his wand and his voice was lazy as he cast the curse. "Now do it," he ordered, blood red eyes burning.

Petunia watched on with wide eyes as her husband raped her son. She couldn't cry out in denial or do anything because of the magic still around her but she felt sick. A part of her was screaming.

The Dark Lord looked over at her. "I do not lie. This is what he did to Harry. Many, many times... And he allowed other's to violate my treasure. This is the beginning... I will extract full vengeance."

When it was over Voldemort removed the Imperio from Vernon, watching with interest as the man found his strength, lying on his back on the cold stone floor gasping.

The Dark Lord laughed at the pained expressions on their faces before a cold detachment settled over his features. The torture he inflicted couldn't even begin to avenge the torture Harry had to endure for years. With a negligent flick of his wand he transported them back to their holding pens.

For now, he just needed to be alone.

--------------------------------------