Harry Potter And The Walkers

by ENSIGN

Summary: After the events occurring in the Department Of Mysteries Harry Potter arrives “Home” at the Dursley’s where he gains something unexpected, new powers, at a price. OOTP spoilers. Super Power Harry. Haitus. My first and worst HP fic.

13. Knocking On Death's Door

Title: Harry Potter And The Walkers

Author: ENSIGN

Betas: Ikono and Cyrano2.0

Chapter 12 – Knocking On Death's Door

Harry stopped running as soon as he heard those words. Stumbling forwards slightly when the Professor ran into his back. He turned around, "I beg your pardon?" He asked again not quite sure of what he heard.

"You heard me the first time Mr. Potter. The Headmaster requests your presence immediate in his office, the Ministry has just been attacked." McGonagall replied as she grabbed his arm.

"Let me Professor." Harry grabbed her hand as he focus on the setting of Dumbledore's office. Both were jolted slightly. Harry blinked his eyes to recover from the sudden influx of light. Teleporting straight from the dark halls straight to the brightly lit office did that to your eyes.

Dumbledore just gave them a glance as if two people appearing in his office were an everyday thing. "Excellent Harry. No time to waste now. Follow me." Dumbledore spoke as he threw floo powder into the fireplace turning it green. "Ministry Of Magic Atrium Level." He called out before stepping through.

"Never mind Professor." Harry stopped McGonagall from approaching the pot of floo powder above the fireplace. "This way's faster." Another instant jolt and they were standing before the Fountain Of Magical Brethren in the Atrium.

Harry was instantly on guard, his magical shield at it strongest in case he had popped right into a firefight. He didn't need to worry as he looked around him, he saw the battle was already over.

If the scene he had seen the Ministry in at the end of his fifth year was anything to compare to, this time it was much worse. The fountain this time had been completely reduced to rubble. A small stream of water gently flowing out from the pile of rock, flooding the ground and turning what dust it touched to grayish mud.

A small group of Aurors were in a corner of the Atrium trying to put out a small blaze by shooting jets of water from their wands. Medics rushed about tending to the wounded. Harry reached out with his magic and felt that the anti apparation wards were still intact. Not that it was going to prevent Voldemort from making an appearance. He had seen the monster tear through the wards after his duel with Dumbledore.

The fireplaces lining the sides of the Atrium were constantly bathed in green firelight. Non stop people were flooing in. Dumbledore had yet to appear for there must have been a serious traffic build up. Harry noted with slight amusement that the old man had forgotten about this little fact and that he could have gotten Harry to teleport him here directly.

The walls around him were covered in scorch marks and the occasional hole. Some Medics were throwing conjured sand onto the floor to soak up the blood and water.

A loud crumbling sound caught Harry's attention as one the Atrium's support pillars gave way. Its concrete giving way to the multiple curses it must have sustained. Slowly the pillar started to sway towards the center of the Atrium.

"Merlin be damned! Get out of the way! Levitation charms!" An Auror roared as he saw the falling pillar." Immediately five Aurors fired levitation charms, halting the pillars movements.

"Professor, transfigure that pillar into something small while I hold it up." Harry addressed McGonagall as she prepared to help. Reaching out with his hand, Harry let his magic flow. Gripping the air before him as if it were a miniature of the pillar, he slowly twisted his wrist straight.

The Aurors were slightly surprised to see the pillar suddenly move back into place and turned around to see a young man holding out his hand and a woman running towards them.

Harry released his hold when the Professor had transfigured the pillar into a smaller chunk of rock. Harry's respect of her profession went up a notch, the transfiguration of rock was no easy task, most Wizards and Witches lacked the skill to transfigure any rock bigger than a desk.

Jogging up to the Aurors who now had their eyes on him, Harry caught a bit of their conversation with McGonagall.

"Here with Dumbledore. We just got the notice. The Headmaster's still caught up in the floo." Harry heard as he came up beside Minerva.

"What's the situation?" Harry paused looking at the stripes of cloth on each of the men's shoulders. The highest Auror rank was first class, fifth rank, the lower being third class, first rank. The ranking Auror at the moment was the one standing before the Transfiguration Professor, second class, fourth rank.

"Who are you?" The man asked, his eyes scanning Harry.

"It's alright he's with me." McGonagall said.

"Harry Potter." Harry answered swiftly. Harry gritted his teeth in slight irritation as each of the men's eyes did that familiar flick up to his scar. After all the years, he had gotten accustomed at catching the slight movement of people's eyes as they did that.

"What's the situation?" Harry repeated himself.

"Wills Harrington, Auror second class, fourth rank, sir." The man suddenly stood straighter as he gave a salute to Harry. McGonagall just looked surprised as did some of the lower ranked Aurors. Those that did know, however followed.

"We were attacked by You-Know-Who personally with the aid of about thirty Death Eaters approximately thirty minutes ago. six minutes later Aurors were dispatched via the floo when news got out. None of the anti apparation wards have been damaged despite He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named Apparating through them. We belief the attack started at the visitors entrance before proceeding towards this location." The man said quickly.

"We engaged He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named here in the Atrium while the Death Eaters attacked and destroy the rest of the Ministry."

"What intensity of damage are we talking about?" Harry interrupted.

"Mostly moderate fire damage sir, nothing like what you see here. The Death Eaters were more concerned with the destruction of documents rather than the killing of the late shift workers."

"I take it Voldemort held you and you men here at bay then."

"Affirmative sir. We were unable to progress to the other parts of the Minister. About ten minutes ago He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and the rest of the Death Eaters left via portkey despite the presence of new portkey wards." The man said.

Harry nodded indicating he head enough. "Where's your commanding Auror?"

"KIA." Was the man's reply.

Harry grimaced slightly. He didn't want to know what the death toll was. From the amount of wounded lying around, most of them Aurors. Knowing Voldemort he had estimated the death toll around at least 30 Aurors.

"Auror Harrington, you're in charge until Professor Dumbledore arrives. No one else is to relieve you of your command except the Professor. I am now going to visit the Department Of Mysteries regarding the ineffectiveness of the anti apparation and portkey wards." Harry commanded.

"Yes Sir." The man said saluting.

"Resume what you were doing." Harry said dismissing the man.

"Mr. Potter. Will you please tell me what just happened?" Professor McGonagall said with a look of confusion on her.

"I'm the Phoenix Lord Professor. It means I am their top authoritative figure." Harry explained.

"Wah? How?" The woman was generally confused now.

"You'll find out tomorrow. I believe your skills could be useful here Professor. Tell Professor Dumbledore when he gets here that I would be in the Department Of Mysteries." Harry didn't wait for a reply. He quickly left the head of Gryffindor behind as he fast walked towards the elevator at the end of the Atrium.

XXXXX

Jabbing the number nine button after the grills closed with a loud bang. The lift began to descend, jangling and rattling. Harry silently mused why the Ministry didn't switch to the new more silent Muggle elevators. He concluded that as long as it worked they didn't really need to change it.

The lift came to a loud halt, "Department Of Mysteries." The cool female voice stated. Screeching the grills opened to a corridor lit by torches. Before him was a familiar black door guarded by two hooded Unspeakables sitting behind a table.

When he and his friends had last been here, they had been surprised by the lack of guards. He now knew why. Voldemort and his men had personally dispatched of them before hand. It was the reason why the Death Eaters had been able to ambush them.

As he got nearer both men stood up. "State your name, rank and purpose." The Unspeakable to the right spoke out, his voice muffled yet clear.

"Harry James Potter, Lord Phoenix, visiting Room Of Unknown Magic and Head Unspeakable's Office." Harry stated as he approached them.

"Identification." The man on the left pointed to a small tray before him. The tray held a small needle and a piece of parchment.

Nodding to show he knew what was expected of him, Harry picked up the needle and pricked his finger. Holding his finger and squeezing it above the parchment, he let a small drop of dark red blood fall.

The liquid hit the parchment only to be absorbed by it. Slowly words appeared.

Harry James Potter

Lord Of The Phoenix

Order Of Merlin First Class

Grand Sorcerer

Master Warlock

"The Head Unspeakable is expecting you Lord Phoenix." One of the men said to Harry who nodded.

Satisfied the men gave a salute. Harry returned the greeting and walked around the desk. As he walked over a threshold the door swung open on its open accord. Stepping into the circular room, Harry observed the black ceiling, floor and doors. The doors were identical, unmarked and stationed at regular intervals around the room. Between each door was a single candle holder with three blue flamed candles.

A click indicated the shutting of the door behind him. A great rumbling noise followed and the walls started rotating. Harry let his vision blur so as to prevent getting dizzy. The blue flamed candles soon became a singular line of blue streaking around the room. Slowly the rumbling died down and the room stopped spinning.

It was an ingenious piece of work. The spinning room created a constantly moving environment the rooms moved with the doors constantly. This prevented anyone from portkeying into the department of Apparating as the location was never the same.

Taking a deep breath Harry spoke out loud, "Harry James Potter, Room Of Unknown Magic." A several clicks was heard coming from his left. Turning he watched the door slowly swing open. A bright glare flooded the room. Proceeding through the door, Harry shut his eyes momentarily before opening them.

He was in the Room Of Time. Relentless sounds of ticking assaulted his ears. The room was filled to the brim with every single type of clock imaginable. Throughout the room, desks were positioned closely, atop each of them one or more clocks sat.

At the far end of the brightly lit room was the source of all the light. A towering crystal bell jar emitted the dancing diamond array of light. Navigating around the desks, Harry approached the door at the end of the room, stopping for a while to admire the bell jar.

Ginny had been correct. It was indeed marvelous to watch. At the heart of the giant human sized jar was a singular egg floating on the current of the billowing wind within the jar. Slowly Harry watched as the wind lifted the egg upwards.

Fine cracks appeared as the chick hatched. Drifting further up, the egg fell apart rapidly and a wet baby bird emerged. It soon rapidly grew, its skin turning from pale white to a nice shade of brown. Shafts emerged from its skin, elongating quickly, before bursting open to reveal bright blue feathers. The hummingbird mature to adulthood as it rose with current, its wings beating so fast they blurred.

It buzzed downwards and slowly its beatings stopped. The bird's feathers regained their sheaths , which reentered its body. Its skin going from that handsome brown back to its pale white. The bird now a chick grew damp before tucking its head between its legs as a shell formed over it. The light blue egg floated gently back towards the bottom of the bell jar where it settled in a nest.

Tearing his eyes away from the process which was to repeat itself over and over for ever, Harry moved towards the door by the bell jar. It swung open and Harry stepped through.

Hearing the click behind him, Harry took a deep breath before he opened his eyes. The room was dark, lit dimly by the glowing blue flames of the torches around the room. Its ceiling was high, ten meters or so. But what made this room special to Harry was its contents.

Around him stood shelves upon shelves of glass spheres which glowed a dull silvery light within them. Prophesy spheres. His eyes flicked to the right where a shelf was. Unlike the others, this one was mostly empty. Stepping closer he observed a few dusty glass globes, each giving of its own silver hue. They didn't interest him, only one of them did. Fixing his glare on a single empty indentation, his eyes moved slowly down. Written in small spidery writing were the words.

14th February 1979

S.P.T to A.P.W.B.D

Dark Lord

And (?)Harry Potter

A single prophecy from Sybill Promethei Trelawney to Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. It was his prophesy.

Closing his eyes, Harry took a deep breath as he forced down age old memories. This was not exactly his most favorite place in the Ministry.

Tearing his gazed from the shelf, he quickly paced to the door at the other end. Not waiting for it to open, Harry grabbed the handle and pulled. Before him lay his destination, the Room Of Unknown Magic. It too like most of the other rooms was lit by the blue candle and it was a long corridor. However it was slightly different, throughout the corridor there were doors lining the sides, each leading to unknown rooms. Only one door interested him here. All the doors were unmarked but Harry knew which one he wanted. He stopped before the fifth one on his right. Slowly reaching out a hand, Harry stroked its handle gently, as If caressing a baby. A soft click was heard and the door swung open.

Torches flared to life as he entered. The orange glow illuminated the room to reveal a single dark blue orb supported upon a pedestal. From what he had seen so far and judging from the lack of damage, the Department Of Mysteries was one of the places the Death Eaters had problems penetrating during the attack.

Removing his eye band and dropping his illusion Harry truly looked upon the artifact. It emitted a dark deep blue sparkle that slowly switched to a softer hue and back again. Mesmerized but the slow sparkle within it, Harry stared attentively. Reaching out with a hand he caressed and ran his palm over the smooth cool surface.

Small tiny jolts of current went up his arm and spread over his body. Accepting the gentle flow of power at first, Harry relaxed. Slowly he begun to force against it, pushing that power back into the orb and slowly adding his own.

As soon as he had started this the orb had begun to loose it deep blue hue and had turned bright blue. One could now clearly see what was going on within the thing. A white maelstrom of swirling substance could be seen. As he poured more power into it the orb glowed brighter. Finally the end came when a large explosion of light filled the room, blinding Harry and forcing his hand away.

Blinking his eyes, Harry noted the orb had returned to its original color of switching between dark and medium shades of blue. His work complete, Harry replaced his eye band, recast his illusion and left for the main revolving room again. The Sphere Of Ages had been recharged again.

Quickly walking by the Room Of Prophecies and the Room Of Time, Harry soon found himself back in the black revolving room. Walking right to the middle he heard the doorway he had come through click shut. The rumbling once again started as the walls spun at great speeds, the torches once again blurring to a thin blue line.

"Head Unspeakable's Office." Harry called out clearly.

Once more the room revolved, rumbling as it randomized the location of the rooms. Banging to a halt a door clicked open. Harry cracked his neck, stretching the aching muscles and walked onwards. He was greeted by a somewhat bustling room.

Unlike the other divisions of the Ministry Of Magic the Department Of Mysteries worked twenty four, seven. The whole department never truly ceased working. As soon as someone got off a shift for the night a new Unspeakable would take his place. At least most of them preferred to work during the day. Thus there were considerably less Unspeakables in the room he had emerged in.

In order to reach the Head Unspeakable's Office, Harry had to pass through the main working area for the Unspeakables. Like any other department, this workroom was well lit by white flamed candle. The candles floated unsupported by anything visible, the light given off resembled the same intensity one would achieve from a florescent lamp.

He tilted his head back slightly, allowing a mail bird to zip past. Harry briefly contemplated introducing the members of the Ministry to the conveniences of an intercom system. Flying post it notes while useful didn't quite have the same effectiveness.

In true professionalism, none of the Unspeakables paid him any notice except for a few that gave him a passing glance. Harry knew they recognized him, how could they not? He was the frigging Boy-Who-Lived-To-Somehow-Unknown-Become-The-Phoenix-Lord. At least they had the decency to not gawk at him.

The layout of the main work room was simply boring and simple. A plain square room, to allow one perfect visibility of the whole area and desks lined side by side with only three feet of space between them. At the far ends of the room there were a number of unmarked black doors. Each belonging to some of the much higher ranked Unspeakables.

Striding up to one of said doors, the emerald eyed man gave the door a sharp rapt.

"Come in." A male voice called out clearly.

Harry turned the handle and entered. The office was dimly lit, but one could make out it was very plain and empty of personal items. A couple of filing cabinets stood at one end of the office and a fire place at the other. Beside the door that Harry entered from was a navy blue three seat sofa. In the middle of the room was a desk. Two mahogany wooden chairs lay before the desk and a figure sat on a tall backed leather recliner on the other side.

"Mr. Harry James Potter, Lord Phoenix." The figure stood up bowed, and saluted. He was cloaked and his face shrouded in a darkness charm. All Unspeakables used it. The man was somewhat normal in statue, not overly muscled, large or tall. At first glance he would pass off as an ordinary Joe, but the man must have been skilled or reliable, if not he wouldn't be the head of the Unspeakables.

"Head Unspeakable." Harry nodded. "At ease and no need for the formalities, call me Harry, besides I'm not even part of the Ministry anymore.

"You may not want to be part of the present Ministry Harry, but wouldn't you give our department a chance? Also call me Aiden." The man said as he sat back down.

"Of course." Harry smiled as he wandlessly transfigured one of the wooden chairs into a comfortable armchair. "I know for a fact that your department is one of the only places that Voldemort hasn't yet been able to infiltrate. That and the Centaur Liaison Office."

The man snorted slightly, the Centaur Liaison Office was set up by the Ministry in order to help or provide any information to a centaur should they come. Unfortunately since its founding the Centaur Liaison Office had never been used and currently had only three employees. Anyone transferring to that particular department, should have easily figured out they were soon to be sacked.

"Our department prides itself in security Harry." The man said as he conjured up a tea set. "Where's have my manners gone. Forgive me. Tea, crumpets?"

"Thank you. Two lumps." Harry accepted his cup and proceeded to check it over with spells. The first, made the cup glow blue, indicating it hadn't been tampered with. The second, turned the tea green, there was no foreign matter within the drink. The third, gave the cup a faint white glow, indicating the drink was something herbal.

"Harry, one might get the impression that you didn't find me trustworthy with all the spells you are using. Even 'Mad Eye' Moody wasn't this paranoid." The man said interrupting Harry's fourth spell.

"You should know better than most about my trust in Ministry personnel, yourself included. Not that you would poison me, but you never know, even if it is conjured, it could be still tampered with."

"I assure you Harry. Everyone in our department is very loyal to the department. If they weren't they would be discovered soon. We routinely run a Veritaserum questioning session every fortnight to weed out any Death Eaters or Voldemort supporters." The man explained.

Harry seemed mildly impressed at the lengths the department head would go through.

"So, Harry what can I do for you?" The Head Unspeakable asked as he sipped the warm drink.

"As you no doubt know I have visited the Room Of Unknown Magic to reinforce the protections over a particular artifact." The man nodded his head, showing he knew which artifact it was that Harry referred to. "Another matter would be the strength of the anti apparation and portkey wards on the Ministry. May I enquire how they were set up."

"Ah!" The man nodded in understanding. "Yes, we have received reports from one of my men in the Auror division reporting that Voldemort had not only tore through the anti apparation ward six months ago but again last night through the newly constructed wards."

"Voldemort I understand, he's powerful enough. Professor Dumbledore himself could probably do so as well. What I am confused is how the Death Eaters made it out via portkey, despite the wards." Harry mused raising an eyebrow.

"I can explain that. When the wards were renewed last June they were designed in such a way that they would allow the leaving of personnel, but not the entering." The man explained

"I see." Harry said as he brought the tea cup to his lips, an unreadable look on his face. "I want you to select your best men and have the entire Ministry's wards stripped down and reconstructed." Harry placed the cup back on its saucer, where it gave a slight rattle. A frown came upon his features. Aiden's magic had left a faint imprint on the cup when he had summoned it. An imprint that Harry was somehow familiar with. His eyes narrowed beneath his blindfold and his eyes, already seeing through the piece of cloth, forced itself through the darkness charm.

"Yes sir. Sir?" The head continued as he saw the look on his superior's face.

"Weren't you surprised at all when of all people, me, Harry Potter was announced as the Phoenix Lord?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow.

The man seemed taken aback momentarily at the sudden topic chance but recovered. "You have been destined for greatness Mr. Potter. Even if not by your fame, you exploits speak for you. We know much about you Mr. Potter, even the prophecy that you are bound to. It would seem logical that some unknown twist of fate and history would always involve you."

"Yes." Harry said as a smile came upon his face. "One so young like me attaining such a high post does seem rather weird." Harry paused and fixed the man with a knowing look. "Much like yourself Aiden."

Aiden seemed taken aback. "Pardon?"

"You're not fooling me. Like me you may be young, but you have attained an extremely high ranking position in the Ministry. I'll admit that you are much more successful than I, in the fact that I am actually a few thousand years old." Harry said leaning back a small smirk on his face.

Aiden couldn't reply. He seemed slightly shocked.

"You may be good at your job and position Aiden, but at such a young age, one lacks experience. As shown by you inability to counter my sudden statement and hide your emotions well. Actually I should have realized your identity sooner but I have been somewhat distracted of late. Quite the surprise I must say."

"How?" The stunned man whispered.

"You must have forgotten that I am a Walker who is very experienced with the form of magic a Wizard or Witch uses. I am able to recognize and see magic. You forgot this little detail and accidentally used magic before me. I may have not been able to analyze it as it was simple conjuration, but by touching it I knew." Harry sat up straight again and waved his hands over his shoulder. Casting a locking and silencing charm he turned to the man before him. "Why don't you take off that hood, Nymphadora?"

XXXXX

He sat upon the soft green velvet lining of his arm chair. Before him lay a fire place. It's waving its bright red flames casting shadows of unseen horrors upon the back wall. Lord Voldemort sat within the confines of his soft comfortable arm chair.

None of his Death Eaters would ever see him in this state of comfort. Contrary to belief, he still needed to eat, not as much as regular humans needed to, one of his dark rituals had seen to that. Occasionally he'd indulge himself in a glass of fine wine. The three hundred year old bottle of red liquid had been a gift from one of his Death Eaters, it had come from one of his family's great vineyards.

His attack on the Ministry had gone well. The destruction of records, structures and deaths would knock the Wizarding world into panic. It was time. Time to show the world that Lord Voldemort had risen again. Power, he could feel it coursing through his veins, a newly acquired strength from another of his latest dark rituals. Just a few more and soon he would be able to rival the brat himself, possibly even outstrip him. The thought brought a smile upon his lipless mouth.

The Dark Lord let out a breath, a soft hiss emerged, together with a thin forked tongue. A new addition to his image, the serpent's tongue was the result of the dark ritual involving snake's venom.

Answering her master's call, the Dark Lord's familiar entered the room from a hidden passage.

"You summoned me, Master?"

"Yes, Nagini. Tonight we will show the world my return. You will enjoy your feast tonight."

If possible the snake seemed to hiss in content. "Is it wise Master, I taste that you're wounded."

Lord Voldemort looked downwards at his robes, a rapidly healing gash at his abdomen still oozed the thick black sludge he called blood. "It matters not my pet. Soon I will be healed." Indeed the wound was almost closed. He had taken most of the curses used by the Aurors without the aid of a shield. It had given them the impression that he was indeed immune to them. True, he was immune to most harmful curses, but one of the more senior Aurors had seen fit to use a dark cutting curse on him. Oh yes, he remembered the horror filled face of the surrounding men as he personally tore the whelp's head off.

With a slight sizzle and a few tendrils of smoke the injury ceased to exist. Lord Voldemort was whole again. He stood from the arm chair, a small flick of his wrist and the chair and decanter of wine was banished to a cupboard across the room. Wandless magic was becoming easier and easier every time. Soon the use of a wand would be obsolete.

Thirteen inches of yew emerged from his robes, held loosely and lovingly by pale skeletal finger. A complicated pattern was made, a small flash later and the illusion had settled in. Gone was the nicely decorated living room and personal retreat for the Dark Lord, instead was a cold dark barely illuminated dungeon.

"Wormtail." The monster barely whispered the command, yet by magic it was carried by the wind to it recipient.

"Y… you s… s… summoned Master." A man scuttled into the room via a side iron door.

Voldemort scowled in disgust at the sniveling worm as it attempted to kiss the hem of his robes. A truly worthless and pathetic excuse for a pureblood. At least he was somewhat useful as both a spy and entertainment.

"Crucio."

The servant's scream echoed around the room. Lord Voldemort closed his eyes enjoying the change in pitch as the spell worked its magic. A pure wave of contentment flooded his body from the dark magic's backlash.

It was believed that dark magic if uncontrolled, slowly drove one to insanity. Lord Voldemort disagreed, could he be tagged insane. Insane people weren't capable of controlling their actions and contemplating organized thought. The same could be said about the old fool. He wasn't the least bit dark, yet was somewhat barmy. No dark magic ever made anyone insane. It just removed one's inhibitions about certain things.

Voldemort swayed his wand away from the twitching man, cutting off the curse. For a slight moment, the Dark Lord held a small amount of respect for Snape, Malfoy and Potter. All three didn't show weakness when under the curse, only twitching. Bellatrix, he knew could remain silent under it, but she was too willing to please him. She knew he enjoyed her screams and thus refused to stay quiet. Too bad she had gone and lost her soul.

"Your arm." He commanded. He had no time for amusement this night. He would normally beat around the bush, pelting the worm with unanswerable questions before punishing him, but not tonight.

The Dark Lord lowered himself, clutching the forearm in a vice like grip in his right, he pressed his index finger to the blackened tattoo of a skull. Power flowed into his finger and into the mark. It burned red, symbolizing it accepted his magical signature and calling those he wanted to him.

He held on a little longer than necessary, his finger's contact with the mark causing Wormtail to scream longer. He released the arm and with a small kick, sent the man hurling into a wall at the end of the room where he lost consciousness. Ra Em's blood certainly had its advantages of gifting the drinker with superhuman strength. A soon as Peter had made contact with the wall, the first few of his Death Eaters begun to appear. Most were new recruits who formed a large ring around him after crawling and kissing his robes.

Soon enough his smaller inner circle begun to appear and they too formed a smaller circle. He could see one or two missing places within the inner circle. He attributed them to injuries sustained from the Ministry raid.

The Dark Lord remained silent and still till ever single person had turned up, even the wounded. His eyes scanned ever person as his pet snake slithered between their feet. They shivered and refused to meet his eyes as his gaze fell upon them.

Finally after ten minutes he hissed. "Serverus, report." His forked tongue flicking out, causing some of the Death Eaters to visibly flinch.

"My lord." The Potion's Master approached and bowed before him. "Both the boy and Dumbledore have left the school to sort things out at the Ministry. I believe they should be returning to the school any minute now."

"Any thing else my spy?" Voldemort hissed as he fingered his wand.

"No my Lord. Forgi…" Snape never managed to finish that sentence before he was hit by the unforgivable.

"I'm disappointed. Next time I hope you have more to say. You wouldn't want me questioning your loyalty."

"No my Lord. Never. I serve only you." The man remained in position throughout the curse, only twitching and short spasms were evidence he had been affected by it.

"Return to your post before the old man suspects anything." Snape walked backwards till he resumed his place in the inner circle before dissapparating.

"The wounded may return as well. The rest stay." Those having minor injuries were torn between staying with the Dark Lord any longer and leaving for the comfort of their homes where medical treatment awaited.

"Going somewhere Samson?" Voldemort called out to a retreating junior Death Eater. The man's eyes widened.

"No my Lord." The man was visibly terrified. He shifted his weight to his left leg as a small trail of red could be seen trickling beneath his robes from his right.

"Don't lie to me Samson. The Dark Lord knows all. You wish to escape my presence with such a minor injury?"

"Forgiv…"

"Amputo." The man howled in pain as his injured leg was ripped off. "Now you may leave. You two take him, you're excused." Two Death Eater spotting minor wounds escorted their wounded comrade away via a portkey.

"Now my faithful servants the time has come. The time when we celebrate my return to power. We shall now show the Wizarding world that the dark reign of Voldemort has begun." Lord Voldemort addressed his audience. A small cheer went up.

"Tonight we attack."

XXXXX

"Wotcher Harry." Tonks greeted as she threw back the hood, a weak grin on her face. She had returned her vocal cords back to their original state.

She looked like the same way she did all the time, heart shaped face and all. Harry suspected that her face was her own, it was only the hair she constantly altered. Right now it was a midnight black, very much like his.

"Good evening Tonks." Harry greeted.

"Funny." She muttered. "I somehow thought that it would be Dumbledore that figured it out first."

"Really? I'm flattered. That old codger's observation skills surpass my own. I have been dropping hints that his old house must have been Slytherin. He however has yet to admit it." Harry said brushing a piece of lint off his robes.

"Slytherin eh? Wait a sec." The metamorphmagus stood and moved to one of the filling cabinets on the wall. "Government member. Dumbledore. Albus." A fluttering sound of paper could be heard within its confines. It was a short while before it stopped and one of the drawers popped open. A yellow folder shot out and Tonks grabbed it.

Still standing she thumbed through it sometimes muttering words like. "Wow… I didn't know that?... He did?... Impossible… That's his age…"

Finished she stuffed it back into the drawer, which shut closed, before returning to her seat. "Slytherin, definitely Slytherin."

"Didn't you ever read his file before you went into his employ as a Phoenix Agent?" Harry asked somewhat amused.

"I did. It's just that the Professor has an extremely large file. It's filled with all the events he has done throughout his abnormally long life. Then there are all the rumors he starts or encourages that I don't even know what to believe in there." Tonks defended herself. "That and the records that I could dig up at the time only spanned the last hundred year."

"True, anything other than he was a Slytherin. I'm looking for good blackmail material." Harry said with a weird gleam in his eye.

"Well I'm normally not allowed to give out information, security reasons you know. However seeing as you are my boss, I'll make an exception." Tonks leaned forwards. "There was this one charge he had when he was seventeen. Both he and his twin brother Aberfroth had been arrested for drunk and disorderly behavior involving a convent of nuns. I can't tell you more."

"Really." Harry seemed interested. "Must ask him about that sometime, possibly in the presence of Minerva."

"Now back to the main topic of conversation Harry. How did you know it was me? Apart from my conjuration that is." Tonks asked suddenly serious.

"Like I said. I should have seen it earlier. I mean come on, what sort of Auror as clumsy as you could have made it through the academy without failing. Sure you had the metamorphmagus ability which counted for something, but think realistic, with the way you walk, you wouldn't last five minutes in a battle. It was definitely an act, Dumbledore must have seen through it if not he wouldn't have initiated you into the Order. He probably doesn't know about you being an Unspeakable, but he knows you aren't as clumsy as you make out to be. Also the excuse that you are a metamorphmagus and you constantly have problems adapting to your new feet doesn't really work all the time. An observant person would notice you hardly change most of your body except your hair style and color. True, changing your most outstanding feature does give the impression that you are different all the time, but it wouldn't last for ever. Currently I believe the old man thinks you are a well experience Auror who is hiding everything under an act of clumsiness." Harry explained to the now nodding Tonks who was committing this to memory.

"I was wondering though, how did you get around all the time, you're mostly in Hogwarts during the day and someone would miss you if you left Grimmauld Place during the night." Harry asked.

Tonks just smiled and held out a small hourglass attached to a gold chain. "I'm not as young as most people think Harry."

"Ah. I should have guessed you were using one of those." Harry said as another thought came to mind. "Come to think of it, I was actually very lucky that you were the one I ask to dig up dirt on Fudge. If it was someone else like Moody, they wouldn't have the resources to have gotten so much in such a short time." Harry got up from his chair, signaling the talk was over. "I would love to say longer Tonks but Dumbledore's waiting. Good luck." He waited till she had her hood back on before disabling the charms. "I'll see you soon."

"Harry wait" She called out as she recast the privacy charm. "What is the Sphere Of Ages?"

"Harry gave her a dry look, it's the power the Dark Lord knows not. Goodbye." He said, disabling the wards and walking out.

"You too Lord Phoenix." She replied in a male's voice.

XXXXX

Harry exited the revolving room and back to the elevator corridor. He never made it to the elevator as he soon found the Headmaster of Hogwarts awaiting him at the main entrance of the Department Of Mysteries.

"Ah Harry, my boy. I take it your errand here is complete." The old man asked.

"Yes." Harry said turning round momentarily to close the door. Both the Unspeakables stood up and gave him a salute in which he returned. "Thank you gentlemen." He said.

"Albus?" Harry questioned as he approached the wizened Wizard.

"I have settled the affairs here at the Ministry. Come, let us return to my office. Would you be so kind as to share in the experience of your special mode of transportation?"

"Gladly." Harry said as he grabbed hold of the Headmaster's forearm.

His teleportation was interrupted when elevator gave off a clanking sound of another lift approaching. The doors swung open to reveal McGonagall running towards them.

"Albus. Thank god I found you." The Professor panted out of breath, it looked as if she had been running the whole way.

"Calm down Minerva, what is it?" Dumbledore asked gently. Harry just looked on curious.

"Hogsmead. It's under attack."

Immediately Harry's hand went to his scar. He hissed in pain. A few seconds later he had blocked the connection. "He's ecstatic. I have never felt him this happy. This is bad. We need to go. Minerva, you stay here."

Harry grabbed Dumbledore and vanished in a whirlwind of flames.

XXXXX

Fools, these pathetic Mudbloods were. They feared him so and yet they fail to erect the correct protections. Another thing he had to thank the idiots at the Ministry for. If Fudge were a Death Eater he would have been rewarded beyond his wildest dreams for laying the red carpet out for him.

The magical world of Britain was practically defenseless. The most the Ministry had done was hand out self defense leaflets and increased the number of Auror patrols around top official's homes. The leaflets themselves were useless.

Stunning and disarming spells indeed. Useless against the power of the Unforgivables.

"Avada Kedavra." He spoke as a man emerged from a store, wand drawn ready to defend his home. 'How the brave and mighty have fallen.'

Around him his servants, the Death Eaters were laying waste to the town of Hogsmead. Stores and homes had been set alight, their occupants sealed within, suffering as the fires slowly consumed them.

Those that had made it out onto the street had either being tortured or killed. He could see out the corner of his eyes, Lucius was currently in the process of using an acid blood spell on a Mudblood Witch. Avery, joining him in torturing the husband with a flesh stripping hex.

He would have joined in with the festivities, but he had pressing matters in this town. As per Wormtail's directions he headed towards Honeydukes.

A passing Wizard ran by. His hands unnaturally fast, snaked out and caught hold of the fleeing man. Lifting him off his feet by the collar and holding him before his face, Lord Voldemort bared his fangs and forked tongue. The man promptly lost control of his bladder.

'Pathetic.'

Punching his hand into the man's stomach, he broke skin and muscle. Grabbing onto his target, he tossed the man into the sky, his entrails still within Lord Voldemort's grasp.

'Just like fishing.' He thought as he admired the perfect parabolic arc the man made as he came crashing down, intestines still attached.

He released his hold on the chunk of meat. What a sight. A man with his stomach strewn across the pavement, puddles of blood everywhere, bodies dying, people screaming and building all around burning.

"Leave some alive." He called out. The survivors would spread stories and push the Wizarding world further into fear. He didn't say to leave them unharmed though. One or two missing limbs still ensured their survival. He had made one thing clear tonight. No killing curse, no Cruciatus, only honest to goodness physical torture spells. He wanted blood. He wanted a scene so horrific the image would burn itself into the minds of all who read tomorrows paper. Harry Potter's front page as Phoenix Lord would be replaced by Lord Voldemort's massacre. Hope would be replaced by fear and despair.

Muggles were sometimes right. 'It's better to rule in hell than to serve in heaven.'

He now stood before Honeydukes and stared at the bright yellow sign. Sweets. He scowled at the old fool Dumbledore's number one obsession. If it weren't for what was inside the store, he would have leveled it just to spite the old codger.

The building was probably the only one untouched by the Death Eaters. He had warned his men not to scratch it. They weren't foolish enough to disobey him.

"Explodra." He hissed as the spell streaked towards the front door. The entire front of the building was demolished. Glass and small packets of candy flew into the air. He stepped in, picking his way around the rubble.

The basement's entrance was located at the back of the shop. 'So be it.'

"Reducto." The red curse blew a hole in the wall. Clouds of white smoke and dust filled the air. He held his breath. He spotted it, a simple wooden stairway leading down.

He slowly descended into the dark hole. His night vision proved useful as he saw all. Bottles upon bottles lay around the place. All of them stocked up with sweets. There it was in the corner. Just as Wormtail had said. The secret passage to Hogwarts.

Imagine his surprise when a strong shock went up his arm when he touched the loose tile. His hand snapped back, tendrils of black smoke curling upwards from his finger tips. The passage way had been sealed and probably collapsed like the others Wormtail had scouted out.

The rat would pay. But first.

He drew out a small device from his robes. A small glass marble. Pressing his wand to it he uttered a single phrase. "Activate." He tossed it to the ground and tore through the anti apparation wards.

He appeared in the middle of the street.

"Enough Death Eaters. Retreat." They began portkeying out. Lord Voldemort stayed behind a few more seconds to cast a killing curse at a small girl cradled in her mother's arms, before dissapparating.

Minutes later, Honeydukes went up in flames as the small device exploded releasing the power equal to a stockpile of TNT. So much for the old fool's number one obsession.

XXXXX

Harry appeared as he heard a killing curse being cast. He watch in horror as the green light hit a small girl within her mother's arms.

His senses told him there were no more Death Eaters around, forgetting about the fires he rushed towards the sobbing mother.

She was in hysterics, rocking back and forth cradling and whispering to her dead child.

"Madam, what was her name?" Harry asked. The woman ignored him and continued to cry. "God damn it woman. What was her name." He yelled as he delivered a slap.

It seemed to work. The woman snapped out of it to stare at him with dead eyes. "Samantha." She choked out.

"Her full name please." Harry demanded.

"Leave us alone. Please." The woman looked away.

"I can help, give me her full name." Harry tried to pry with legilimency but failed, the woman's mind was too confused at the moment.

"Williams, Samantha Sabrina Williams." The woman spoke after a few seconds.

"Thanks." His power suddenly flared. A strong warm wind kicked up as in blew all around him. The force of the winds extinguished some of the nearby fires. A brilliant white halo glowed as Harry let most of his power out. His illusions dropped as he slowly grew in size and matured to a young man in his thirties. Twin golden wings sprouted from his back and his hair elongated.

A sudden explosion of power burst from the ground. His hair blew in the wind, lashing out in various directions above him. A second burst ripped his blind fold off and for once Dumbledore received a true glimpse of Harry's eyes.

They glowed an eerie green glow with a single black iris in the middle. Power seemed to radiate out from them, power he had only heard about in myths and story books. For once in his life Dumbledore felt truly afraid. The power he could sense just by looking in Harry's eyes felt unlike anything he had ever seen before. The power of the wards of Hogwarts was nothing compared to this. Harry could probably tear them up if he wanted to.

Dumbledore was glad that there was no one else near them at the moment, anyone else apart from him would have gone into shock, the mother didn't count, she was already in shock.

Harry ignored the looks and concentrated on his spell. He stated into blank space, vividly picturing the face of the little girl. She had a round shaped face, much like her mother. Cute dimples lay on either side of her cheeks and a small nose with a mole on one side. Straight blond hair cascaded down her shoulders. He didn't know what her eye color was as she had died unconscious and so he gave her one.

"Panacea Detineo Excessus. Calo Immortalis Anima Samantha Sabrina Williams." He chanted over and over again as he waved his arms in a complicated pattern. "Panacea Detineo Excessus. Calo Immortalis Anima Samantha Sabrina Williams."

His vision switched to that of images of death and decay. He found himself in a swamp. Rotting trees and vegetation lay everywhere. It was night and the place was illuminated by a full moon. Dark water splashed at his boots. He stood upon an island in the swamp. There were other small plots of land where trees grew. His had a dying tree, it was yew. The tree of death.

He spread his arms and felt the connection with the land. Pain, suffering and death filled his senses, but within it he found something, a small spark of life. He held onto all the feelings and pulled. He could feel it, a cold chill ran up his arms and into the pit of his stomach. A sense of euphoria ran in his blood, but he ignored it.

This was what he needed to power his spell with, death. The least understood aspect of magic, black magic. It was dangerous to those who couldn't accept it for what it was. Most saw black magic as one dealing with death and pain. Harry disagreed. Black magic indeed brought with it death and pain, but it also brought with it renewal and a chance of new life. That was the small spark he felt earlier. Black magic was not evil, just dangerous and misunderstood.

"Panacea Detineo Excessus. Calo Immortalis Anima Samantha Sabrina Williams." He chanted once again and released his hold on the magic. It pushed its way out through his arms and into the surroundings. Harry felt the warmness seeping back in, this was what one looked forwards to when casting black spells. The feeling of warmness after the release of the spell, not the euphoric feelings of power. To do so would be to fall to the darkness like his old friend.

"Panacea Detineo Excessus. Calo Immortalis Anima Samantha Sabrina Williams." The spell was complete. Slowly the air before him gained a white tint and solidified.

A silver apparition formed in the air. She was just as he imagined her. The ghost of Samantha Sabrina Williams floated before him.

The mother of the girl had stopped crying after the first explosion of power and was now staring at the ghost of her daughter in shock.

"Samantha." Harry addressed her. "It's not your time to leave this world yet. Do you wish to remain?"

"I want my mommy." The voice came from both the ghost and her body.

Harry nodded. "Your mommy wants you back as well. I can help you, if you let me." She nodded.

Harry slowly raised his arm to hug the girl. "Close your eyes my dear. Don't be scared. This will tickle a bit."

She smiled and gave a short giggle. "I like you eyes Mr. they're pretty." She commented as she opened her arms.

"Really?" Harry said amused as he came closer.

"She says you should show them more often." Harry looked at her startled.

"Pardon?"

"She says your eyes are beautiful. I think so to." The girl had shut her eyes, a smile on her face.

"Who said my eyes are pretty?" Harry asked interested.

The girl gave a giggle. "She did." The girl pointed to someone behind him. Harry didn't turn. There couldn't be anyone behind him. There was a solid wall.

His arms touched the child as an icy chill washed over him. He had experienced this many time when he was a child. He had felt it the first time when he accidentally walked through Nearly Headless Nick.

The chill vanished as did the apparition, instead a small glowing ball of light hover before Harry. Quickly Harry grabbed it and moved towards the mother. She obediently handed him her daughter's body.

Kneeling and supporting her with an arm and his left leg. Harry gently forced the glowing ball into the girl's chest.

A few seconds later. The child gasped as she drew in a fresh breath of air. The mother squealed in happiness as she pried her child from him, muttering thanks as she inspected her baby.

The girl's eyelid lifted and both the mother and Dumbledore gave a gasp. Harry only smiled back as he lock eyes with her. He didn't know what eye color she had, so he giving her his. Thank god she loved his.

"Merlin. Her eyes." The mother turned her head looking from Boy-Who-Lived to her daughter. "They are the same. Both of you."

Harry realized he had toned down his power and his eyes had returned to normal.

"She says you shouldn't hide your eyes." The girl spoke suddenly.

"Who?" Harry asked still curious.

"The lady with red hair. You both have the same eyes. Didn't you see her? She is still behind you. She's always behind you."

A chill ran down Harry's spine and he pivoted. He eyes wide as he scanned the area behind him. There was no one. He turned back eyes wild.

"You can see her?" Harry said kneeling beside the girl.

"She disappearing, but I see her. She's beside you now, her hands on your shoulder."

It was true. He felt a slight weight on his left shoulder, it was faint like the weight of the fabric of his robes. He slowly reached up and placed a hand on his shoulder where the hand would have been.

"She say's she's very proud of you and she loves you very much." The little girl said as she squinted.

"Goodbye my son." The voice drifted away.

Harry shot up in panic as a voice whispered in his ear. He tripped as his back rested on the wall of a building. He was in shock. His breaths came in sharp bursts. He vaguely registered a spell hitting him. It must have been a calming charm as he felt his head slowly clear and his heart rate slowed.

His mum had always watched over him. He felt tears come to his eyes. His mum had always protected him. No wonder he survived his first fifteen years relatively unharmed. He always thought it had been luck but now he knew better.

She was here, following him wherever he went. She was always with him, but he couldn't see her, couldn't touch her, and couldn't talk to her.

Maybe if he tried too…

"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live." An old memory surfaced.

Harry blinked his eyes and opened them to concerned blue ones staring into his own.

"Are you alright my boy?" Dumbledore asked as he laid a wrinkled hand on Harry's shoulder.

Harry shook his head and massaged his temples. "I so need a pensieve."

In true Dumbledore fashion, the old man threw his head back and laughed at the joke. "Harry, you never cease to amuse me."

Harry scowled playfully despite the situation. "I don't know how many more surprises my mind can take old man."

Aurors were beginning to apparate in to rescue and tend to the wounded.

Harry turned to the mother who was now cradling her sleeping daughter. She was staring at him in awe. "Harry? Harry Potter?"

Harry sighed. "Yes madam. I'm Harry Potter and would you be as kind as to not mention what I just did this evening to anyone."

She nodded.

"Thanks." Turning to Dumbledore he spoke. "Come lets go help the rest."

"Have you ever thought about writing a book my boy?" Dumbledore asked suddenly.

"No, but I'm having second thoughts now." Harry said as he moved towards Honeydukes.

Suddenly he felt an influx of magic in the air. Wasting no time he threw up a shield around Dumbledore and the woman. He however wasn't fast enough to include himself. An explosion ripped the sweet shop to shreds. Shrapnel hurled in all directions slicing and mutilating nearby people and buildings.

Harry registered a thick bar of metal impaling him before he was tossed across the street as darkness claimed him.

XXXXX

The man took a breath of midnight air, his sensory neurons in his nasal passage told him the air was cold. Smell on the other hand he couldn't quite discern. He could tell the obvious like smoke and poison but anything else was fuzzy. Thus he had a new way to smell air, by taste. His forked tongue slipped out into the cold air, its saliva collecting scent particles in the air and bringing them back into his mouth. Each forked end inserted into an organ at the roof of his mouth.

Instantly a wealth of information entered his brain. The smells of the night air. He could taste the scent of humans all around him, the smell of grilled meat somewhere and the smell of smoke. London's air was always much cleaner during the night. Less pollution from the Muggle's steel contraptions. Tonight, all that would change.

Diagon Alley will become a whirlwind of flames and so shall London when the magical fire spread.

Raising his skeletal hand, Lord Voldemort smiled. "Enjoying the view Potter?" He hissed. "Death Eaters, Attack."

The vision became blurred as explosions rocked London city.

XXXXX

Crying.

Someone was crying.

"Harry…"

He could catch snippets of conversations and crying. Someone was crying.

"Should be dead…"

he tried to open his eyes, but they weren't cooperating. They felt so heavy.

"Pass me that bottle of…"

A sharp pain was felt in his right forearm, something cold had been injected into him.

"Pretty bad shape…"

"Don't worry…"

Gathering his strength he forced his eyelids again. He needed to inform the Headmaster about Diagon Alley.

His strength ebbed away again. He was growing weaker. He needed strength and healing. He had no idea what his body had been through, but from the unresponsiveness and sounds of his audience, it was definitely bad.

Awareness of the pain he should be feeling made his brain accept the sensory input from his nerves. There could be only one word to describe what he felt.

Pain.

Lots of it.

Harry tried to think of a spell he had ready for a time like this, but was interrupted by the pain. It was oozing throughout his body, clinging to him like it was a second skin and then he came, a pressure on his chest. He could not breath, his lungs were collapsing. The lights filtering through his eyelids were dimming.

All he could hear was, "We're loosing him. Get me that potion. Sanatio."

A small pop and spattering was heard. His face felt wet, he realized it wasn't raining water but blood.

"Oh Merlin! Shit! He's loosing blood."

Harry's entire world was red now, and he could feel his heart lumbering to keep pace with the blood he was spurting. His body was giving out on him. Without magic to keep it corporal, it would soon degrade completely. He cursed himself for using such a high maintenance container to house his soul. He tried once more to unleash a spell but failed. The pain was too great. His soul was being ripped out.

"Oh Merlin!" Someone gasped as Harry felt the spattering cease.

Harry felt his heart seize and stutter. He tried to move, to do anything to remain semi conscious, but his strength failed him.

Then all lights went out for the Walker Of Time.

XXXXX

Ron was in panic, he didn't really show it, but then again he was pacing. Ginny was crying, Hermione was in hysterics, Neville had fainted, again. Luna seemed to be the only one able to cope with what was going on. The small Ravenclaw was currently dashing across the ward, grabbing bottles of potions and passing them to Madam Pomfrey as she injected them directly in to Harry's blood stream.

Everyone had been woken up by the explosion in Hogsmead. Ron and the gang, like everyone else had rushed to the main doors of Hogwarts to see the Headmaster running up to them levitating the bloody body of his best friend, Harry James Potter.

As per standard Death Eater tradition before an attack, anti apparation and portkey wards had been erected. Thus Dumbledore had dragged Harry up to the castle, big metal beam sticking out of his chest and all.

The group had of course demanded to be let into the hospital wing immediately. In all the confusion of patients being brought in from Hogsmead, no one tried to evict them. Madam Pomfrey, on seeing them, asked them to help her stabilize Harry.

Harry was in a bad shape. He had a large steel beam sticking out of his chest. Madam Pomfrey had said it had severed his spine and tore out one of his lungs. Luckily his heart was still intact.

Of course their help only got so far as to remove is upper robes. Upon seeing the gaping hole in his chest, Neville had fainted. Ron being near the back had revived him only to spew his stomach into a bedpan at the sight of Harry's openly beating heart. The three of them, Luna, Neville and himself had managed to help the matron.

That was until one of Harry's main arteries had blown a fuse, and in doing so splattered everyone in blood. Both girls screamed, and Neville fainted, the bottle of potion he carried, crashing to the floor.

Seeing him in shock, Madam Pomfrey had asked him to stand by. Feeling helpless and with nothing to do, he begun to pace.

'Don't you dare die Harry. Cause if you do, I would personally kick your balls when I die.'

XXXXX

Harry was aware he was elsewhere, and it was a familiar place. Despite his inability to move, he reached for his chest but found it whole and unmarked by the steel bar that had impaled him. He let out a sigh of relief.

Then he stopped. He had felt himself emotionally let out the sigh, but no air passed out of his lungs. He was not breathing, he did not feel the need to breath. He put his hand on his chest, feeling the first pulsation of a single heartbeat, flowing slowly through him, and with that single heartbeat a dull tug of pain.

He was trapped within heartbeats and his consciousness was within his mind. Outside in the real world, his body was body was fighting its last desperate seconds to keep him alive. White mana burned in the back of his mind like hot coals, his chest ripped open and his body splayed in blood.

He looked around. He was in his mind, in the place he found the most comfort in, the place he found secure and protected. Hogwarts Castle, his first home.

It was an exact replica of the millennia old castle except it lacked any occupant besides himself. A fact that Harry was grateful for. He didn't think it would be a good thing having Voldemort or his Death Eaters prancing about in his head.

He took a deep breath, or at least tried to. It didn't work. Reality smashed back to him. He was just a man, a dying man.

Harry's lips formed a thin line, and he decided what he would do. When he reentered his body, reentered time, he would be overwhelmed by the pain, mere seconds from permanent loss of his consciousness. The prophecy may have prevented him from dying, but he wasn't looking for a lifetime in a comatose state. He would have to start the casting of his spell here and hope that his transference back to real time would not interrupt it at all.

More than hope, he was betting everything he had on it.

He mentally shaped the spell, fashioning it, he was aware of the white blaze in his physical mind. He pressed the mana into the proper shape, grasping it firmly, and willed himself back into his body.

The pain was like slamming into a brink wall at full run, and Harry wanted to gasp, but there was no air to reach his lungs. He almost forgot his intentions and let the spell slip away, but instead grabbed the white searing blaze in his mind and shoved into the framework of his spell.

Then he let the spell loose, the darkness pressing in on his eyes from all sides.

It worked.

It was a simple curative, the most basic healing spell. his body trembled, and he could feel the slightest trickle of air dribble into his lungs, cold as a stream off a glacier.

Again, he thought, and pulled at the white energy, the memories of farms and fields, into his mind. Without thinking he stuffed it into the same framework.

The shock was the same, the next breath a bit stronger. His heart made a staccato like beat form the interruption, then thundered strongly in his chest.

He noticed dimly that someone or something was pouring white mana into him, keeping him alive as long as possible. 'Thanks mum.'

Again, he thought and pumped more white mana into the spell. He jerked in a spasm and coughed up fresh pinkish blood. The darkness started to recede from around him.

He now felt safer. He pulled the mana at will. White and green for healing, black to knit together torn cartilage and bone, blue to determine and stem the mental loss as well as to regenerate damaged nerves, red to surge through the blood stream, replacing the loss fluids, regenerating muscle and replacing strength.

He fed on all five colors of magic.

Finally he stopped, breathing hard. The hole in his chest and shattered spine had been remade. He leaned over and coughed up a long congealed strand of black reddish blood, the last tatters from his punctured lungs.

He opened his eyes, his friends and the Hospital Matron were looking at him in surprise. He looked down. The top half of his robes had been cut off and the rest covered in blood. Actually everything was covered in his blood. The floor, the windows, the bed, Madam Pomfrey, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna, everything.

He gritted his teeth as the last remnants of pain ebbed away. Knocking on Death's door was really a bitch and he couldn't even open his eyes to see his mother. Fuck.

"How did you just accomplish that Mr. Potter?" The voice of the Matron caught his attention.

"Magic." He winked at the Matron. "I'll explain everything later. Where's Dumbledore."

"He left when he got wind of an attack in Diagon Alley." Luna said undisturbed that she was currently cover head to toe in blood.

At that moment an Auror rushed into the room. "Madam Pomfrey, have your people clear the beds. We're expecting more wounded. You-Know-Who just hit Ottery St. Catchpole."

Both the Weasleys and Luna paled.

"Damn." Harry said springing out of bed. As he vanished his robes, a cleaning spell cleared up most of the blood on himself. Unconcerned that he was in his boxers, he opened a trans planar portal. A set of dark green battle robes and armor fell out of it, together with a small assortment of daggers, wrist blades and swords.

Buckling on the armor and robes. He selected six daggers, attaching each to various parts of his body. He kicked up a pair of Japanese katanas and banished the rest back into the portal before closing it.

"Don't try to stop me." He looked at his friends and the Matron as he tied a band of cloth over his eyes. "This time it's personal. Oh and Hermione an infusion of unrefined white mana helps the healing process. Get the DA members up here."

With that he gave a nod to his still unresponsive friends before disappearing in a puff of black smoke.

XXXXX

The cloaked man walked down the empty night street of London. He stared at the wall opposite him heavily covered in graffiti. Scowling in disgust he approached the telephone booth in front of it. Pulling the door open his eyes still on the wall he didn't catch the person standing within it.

"What the… Oh sorry, my good man." He said.

"You should be. Avada Kedavra." The man clearly a Muggle dropped dead to the ground. The man in the telephone booth snarled at the offending corpse and kicked it out of the booth.

Shutting the door he lifted up the receiver and dialed. Six… Six… Two… Four… Two…. The booth gave a slight shudder as it sunk into the ground. The Ministry had a couple of Muggle entrances into it, they were situated throughout the country and London city. This just happened to be the most popular one. The man didn't and never wished to know why. Anything to do with Muggles sickened him, except killing and torturing them that is.

A loud smooth female voice addressed him, "Welcome to the Ministry Of Magic. Please state your name and business."

A malicious smile came upon the mans face, a forked tongue darting out in glee. "Lord Voldemort here to launch a double surprise attack on the Ministry."

"Thank you, visitor, please take the badge and attach it to your robes." The smooth voice said again.

The phone rattled to deposit a single silver identity card with the red words.

VISITOR

YOU-KNOW-WHO

PURPOSE

SECOND ATTACK UPON MINISTRY OF MAGIC

The Dark Lord stepped out from the elevator. With slight amusement he noted that they had replaced the man at the wand inspection desk but not the security measures.

"Wand pl…" The man never finished as he was interrupted by the voice of the Dark Lord.

"Avada Kedavra."

Voldemort flexed his fingers around his wand. In three minutes the rest of his Death Eaters would be in position, their infiltration from other entrances.

The Wizarding world wouldn't know what hit them.

XXXXX

Harry appeared in the field beside the Burrow. Not having any other place he could identify might have been why he chose that place. It was a good thing he did to.

A small squad of five Death Eaters was a hundred yards before him, their backs turned as they snuck up to the Weasley's home.

A small amount of anger sear in Harry's blood. They dared attack a place he called home. They would pay.

Concentrating on the spot before them he teleported in a flash of white light.

He reappeared in close proximity to the sneaking group. That meant less than two feet from the nearest Death Eater. Startled by the flash they each took a step back.

Harry didn't allow them the handicap of preparation. He swiftly buried his fist into the first man's face. The bone white mask shattering and embedding some of its smaller shard into the man's flesh. He followed up with a devastating knee into the man's crotch, causing him to double over, and a finishing uppercut to his jaw.

The man's head snapped backwards as a shower of blood sprayed into the air. The man had bitten off his own tongue, he would die soon enough from blood loss.

The others by now had recovered. The nearest raised his wand, but wasn't fast enough. Harry grabbed his arm as it came up, giving a short jab at the elbow joint, he was rewarded with a snap and a scream. Hammering the dislocated joint with his hand, creating another snap, Harry twisted the man's forearm and at the same time pulled his upper arm.

This counter allowed him to position the man facing forwards, intercepting his comrade's curses, while Harry held his arm behind his back. Luckily he did too. Both curses were dark and nasty. The Death Eater begun to scream as his flesh was pealed off and his blood acidified. A vicious punch to the man's spine snapped it in two. The vertebra propelled by the force of the punch drove itself through the man's abdomen and out. Acidic blood sprayed onto the third, Harry tossed the dying man onto him. The man screamed as more acid burned his skin.

A quick tug with his right hand and his Katana flew loose from its scabbard. The fourth man's wand dropped to the ground as both his hands reached for his neck. Crimson blood gushed out from his mouth and throat. The man gurgled as he choked on his supposed "pureblood" before collapsing.

Twirling side ways to let two curses fly by, he used the momentum to draw his second katana with his left. Harry dashed at the enemy. Three lightning quick slashes with both swords and the man literally fell apart. He failed to scream as both his arms, followed by his head dropped off. His body remained standing for a moment, before its center of gravity shifted and it dropped like a felled tree.

Harry turned, uncovered eyes scanning the last Death Eater. Emerald green eyes bore into brown. The man visible trembled, before bolting.

'No escape. No mercy.'

With superhuman speed he caught up to the guy. Lashing out, Harry grabbed the man's neck in a strangle hold. His left arm still holding the sword, tightened its grip as it crushed the man's windpipe. Raising his right, he stabbed the other sword into the man's back. The man gurgled as blood filled his lungs.

Harry pushed the man forwards, withdrawing the sword at the same time. In a quick scissors motion, flashed both swords horizontally, decapitating the Death Eater.

'Death.'

Harry did a blood slash with each sword, casting the blood aside from the blade before sheathing them. The Burrow would be safe for now. He understood what Voldemort was playing at. As much random attacks as possible to strike fear into the people's hearts.

In the distance, Harry could see a light show occurring as streaks of light flew into the night sky. The main village square was under attack.

In short bursts he teleported up the road, towards the chaos.

XXXXX

"Avada Kedavra!" The green light caught an unaware Auror on the shoulder as he dodged another oncoming curse. The man went limp, his momentum from dodging carrying him across the marble floor of the Ministry's Atrium. The body leaving a small path of clean floor in its slide across the dueling ground.

A flame curse followed the jet of green light. Engulfed in flames, a woman Auror, screamed in pain as she roasted alive within the raging inferno. Nearby teammates sprayed jets of water attempting to extinguish the magical fire. In doing so they were only distracted from their opponents and laid to waste as targets under a barrage of curses.

More magical fires sprung up as the Death Eaters switched to raze tactics. The water spewing out from the demolished fountain once again drenched the floor. Muttering a welding charm the Dark Lord sealed the hole and stemmed the flow of water.

The Aurors were now in full retreat, their forces thinned as they tried unsuccessfully to reply his attacks all over England. His Death Eaters pushed them back into the various departments with the used of flames and curses.

Suddenly with the battle almost won, a barrage of curses flew from a side entrance, the rainbow of light streams crashed into the Death Eater's backs. A whole line of the Dark Lord's servants went down in various stages of injury. Voldemort scowled as red and blue cloaked men begun to rush into the hall.

The Hit Wizards and Unspeakables had joined the defense.

Voldemort swore in Parseltongue and fired spells off at the newcomers.

"Retreat!" He hissed. His men, all green cadets, wouldn't be able to take on the battle hardened and well experienced Hit Wizards and Unspeakables. He should have brought more reliable men with him.

"Explodra!" He hurled the red explosion hex at one of the support pillars. The blast sent shrapnel and dust into the surroundings, his men portkeyed out under the cover.

"Retreat!" An Unspeakable roared as a section of the Atrium collapsed.

Voldemort sent a few more spells at the moving men and women before dissapparating out, a final explosion hex to another support pillar. The Ministry defenders ran for cover as one fifth of the ceiling came crashing down.

XXXXX

Placing a boot on the kneeling man's shoulder, he gave a push and tugged his sword out from the man's chest where it was embedded. The man fell backwards, dying as his once impaled heart begun spurting blood.

Returning his ward to its holster and repeating the blood slash and sheathing his sword, Harry inspected the town's center. Wounded, dying and dead Death Eaters lay around on the ground together with the bodies of Aurors and Hit Wizards. Those that were able to, tended to their wounded comrades. The Death Eaters were left alone to suffer their injuries, manpower was short and no one was interested in helping their attackers at the moment.

Dumbledore appeared just as he witnessed his student pull a sword out from a dying Death Eater. The old man winced as a spray of blood shot out from the man's chest cavity. The body fell to the ground, a small fountain of red thick liquid squirting up and down in height as the heart pumped. The man was good as dead when Harry withdrew the blade, blood being pumped out of the heart and around the body had a new destination, out through the chest. The man would die fast, lack of blood to the brain would kill almost instantly.

The old man looked away, he never did like death, bloodshed or suffering. It was against his morals, but he somewhat agreed with Harry's approach to the war. The Death Eater could only be beaten back with the same ruthlessness they dealt. It saddened him to see such things. Fifty years ago, after his defeat of the last Dark Lord, he himself had sworn off killing unless he really needed to.

"Harry." Dumbledore called out.

The-Man-Who-Lived turned to him, glowing emerald green eyes shone in the darkness, and an aura of power surrounded him. Light from the fires reflected off the wetness of his robes. Wetness that wasn't water but the blood of those he'd slain.

"Albus." The man greeted. "What's the situation in Diagon Alley?"

"Bad I'm afraid, child." Dumbledore said with a sigh. "The place has had its wards torn to shreds by the time I arrived. Not many were killed but the entire alley needs to be rebuilt.

"I doubt the Ministry would have the funds to cover such an extensive operation." Harry commented as he grabbed a passing Auror.

The woman looked at him in surprise before recognition flashed and her eyes did the usual flick upwards.

"Just so you know, there's a group of five disposed Death Eaters up the road in that direction." Harry pointed down a dirt road leading into the darkness. "Better take a few men with you. I'd doubt they would give you much trouble though."

The Auror nodded and ran off to a group that was helping the newly arriving crew from St. Mungo's.

"Harry could…" Dumbledore was interrupted by a whirling sound coming from within his robes.

For a moment Harry thought it might have been a Sneakoscope, he knew personally what they sounded like as he had one in his trunk for the entire third, fourth and fifth year at Hogwarts, too bad he never took notice of it.

The Professor withdrew as small glass ball and pushed a button. The whirling stopped and it flashed red. The Wizard's eyes widened for a second.

"Harry Privet Drive is under attack. The wards at your house just went off."

"Fuck! Come!" Harry grabbed Dumbledore's arm and shouted. "All Aurors, Hit Wizards and Unspeakables that are available, apparate to Privet Drive Surrey. It's about a hundred miles south from here. You can't miss it, the light show would be hard to miss. In a flash of light both men were gone.

The Law enforcement personnel realizing what was going on used the point me spell before dissapparating as close to the target as possible.

XXXXX

Voldemort walked down the pavement, hood off, his face in full view. He looked at the identical houses lining his end of the street and then at the road. A white line ran down the black tarmac indicating a perfect plane of symmetry as both sides reflected each other.

His crimson eyes scanned the brass numbers adorning each house's letterbox. Number eight… Number six… Number four, bingo. The house that stood out of his grasp the whole of last year. Well not anymore.

The sounds of screeching and gunfire rang out from the opened window. The lights were switched on and shadows could be seen playing on the curtains. Potter's only remaining guardians were spending some quality time together watching a late night movie.

Lord Voldemort may have hated all things Muggle but he still knew what a television was. Those infernal devices had been invented fifty years ago when he was still in the orphanage.

It didn't matter anyway, his hand fingered his wand as walked along the white two foot high fence. He approached the gate and leveled his wand at it. "Alohomora." The gate latch jumped upwards and it swung open. Lord Voldemort stepped over threshold into the garden.

A grin came upon his face. The blood wards had completely degenerated. A winding path lined with flowers led up to the front door. He took the direct route, straight, over stepping the confines of the stone path and into the flower bed. He gained slight pleasure as he stepped on the flowers in his approach. Giving his foot a twist with each step, he heard the crunching of stems and cellulose fibers mashing.

A two deep roars of laughter came from the living room followed by a shrill whiny sound he assumed was a laugh. With slight amusement he recognized the first two sounds also identical to those coming from Crabbe and Goyle Senior. Potter's relatives obviously shared their intelligence as well.

He reached the door and spied a single well polished brass knocker. "Silencio." He didn't want anyone interrupting his little visit now did he. Feeling amused this evening he decided to be polite. Reaching up, two pale bony digits curled around the brass handle. He could easily make out his face in the reflection of the metal. Crimson red eyes, pale snake like face, slits for nostrils and a forked tongue emerging every now and then.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

"What the?" A male voice spoke surprised, Potter's Uncle probably.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! The Dark Lord knocked again insistently. The irony of it, Death was knocking on his door, and he was answering.

"I'm coming, damn it." The man shouted.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! Again just for response.

"Damn it, I'm right here." The man that answers the door practically spits, his face purple in color till he saw his visitor.

"Mr. Dursley I presume." The Dark Lord addressed letting his tongue flicker out, tasting the man's fear.

"Aahh!" Vernon falls backwards in fear, his face paling dramatically. "Who are you? What are you?"

"I, Muggle am Lord Voldemort." Voldemort introduced as he bent downwards, watching the fat oaf scuttle backwards.

"You're one of those freaks aren't you!" He accused.

"Freaks? I assure you not. I am above them, I am Lord Voldemort and soon I will be god. It is you who are the freaks. Abominations born without magic." Voldemort spoke calmly as he brandished his wand.

"Vernon? Who is it?" A woman's voice asked as she came into view.

On seeing the monster at her door, Petunia screamed. "You!" She cried as she back up against the wall, finger pointing accusingly at the Dark Lord. "The wards."

"I see my reputation precedes me. I'm flattered, Petunia." Lord Voldemort spoke as he straightened. "So unlike Lily you are. Both Mudblood sisters, yet one special and worthy of my attention, the other a Muggle freak." He spat. "Your wards have failed."

"Mum?" Dudley ran into the room, drawn by his mother's screams. On seeing the Dark Lord he gave a porcine squeal and hid behind his mother's back, or at least tried to.

The Dark Lord would have raised an eyebrow if he had any at the boy's insistence to keep his behind covered. The family had now huddled together against the wall. Vernon, the father shielding both his wife and son.

"Now listen here you. Leave immediately, or I'll call the police."

"Crucio." Voldemort was unfazed by the man's threat. Harry's uncle screamed and trashed. His wife and son shouting and restraining him in alarm.

The curse was released and Vernon lay still.

'Truly pathetic.' The Voldemort was amazed at how Potter put up with his guardians. "Enervate." He aimed at the passed out man. "Aqua." A jet of water shocked him awake.

"Don't presume to threaten me Muggle. Your life now rest in my hands." Voldemort glared at him as he twirled his wand.

"I know about your kind, your magic hating kind. You believe us freaks of nature, but it is you who are the freaks." The family didn't reply for fear of another curse. "In the Wizarding world, there are those born without magic, abominations. They are cast out from society, you Muggles are what became of that impure defective bloodline." The Dark Lord paused. "I may hate your nephew, Potter, but I despise your lot even more."

"That boy should die."

"Tormenta." He used a lesser pain curse as he wanted Vernon to remain conscious when the pain let up. It still had the desired affect. " I agree, the boy should have died sooner." The Dark Lord sounded amused. Potter's guardians that sheltered him, hated his presence. Suddenly an ironic thought came to him. "Did you know about you nephew Dursley?" Seeing the head shake, he continued. "Your nephew," He spat the word, "was the reason for my downfall and the protection your family endured for the last fourteen years." He roared.

"But not anymore, his absence has ensured the falling of the protection over your family, you see, without us you are nothing." The heir of Slytherin leveled his wand at the Dursleys.

"What do you want?" Petunia cried out.

"Why a family reunion of course, that is before I torture and kill you." The Dark Lord gave her an evil look. "I'm here, your family is here. All we need now is Potter."

"I'm here, Tom." A voice called from behind him.

With unnatural grace and speed the Red eyed man spun around, wand still aimed at Vernon's head, to find his nemesis standing in the doorway, wand pointed at him. "Potter, so nice of you to join us. It seems you have yet again interrupted my fun."

Harry ignored his relatives and instead glared at the Dark Lord. Crimson eyes met Emerald ones.

"You did say you wanted me here Tom." Harry spoke calmly, his eyes quickly darting to the Dursleys.

"Yes, I did, Potter. You do seem to have the knack to show up at the most unlikely of places." Voldemort hissed, his forked tongue flicking.

"Damn, Tom. Another ritual to cheat death? I hope my great uncle hasn't yet given up his manhood in his quest for immortality." Harry taunted.

"Not yet Potter, but it seems you have caught a snippet of my conversation with our relatives. I don't suppose I could convince you to join your own flesh and blood?"

"Not on your life Tom, and I have known about our connection for a while now. While we may be distant family like most purebloods are, you're the heir of Slytherin and I'm the heir of Gryffindor. Both founders may have been friends, but we certainly aren't." Harry spoke as he thought up spells for a situation like this. "Furthermore don't you think it's unwise to point your wand at the relatives that I obviously wouldn't give a damn about if they died, instead of at me?"

"Would you care of they died?" Voldemort challenged.

"Would you care about any who died in your orphanage?" Harry countered.

A tense silence followed as the two Wizards stared at each other. Each waiting for the other to react, each analyzing the situation and contemplating methods of attack.

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Excessus!"

Voldemort's wand arm jerked. Both fired killing curses at each other at the same time and both jumped left. Harry out the door, whereas Voldermort into the living room.

Both opponents had aimed slightly off center in the hope of catching the enemy as they dodged. After all, it only took a fleeting hit to kill the other. Harry didn't know if Voldemort was human enough to die from such a curse and he himself, Walker or no Walker didn't want to take the chances of an Unforgivable.

Voldemort's curse blew a chunk of the wooden door frame apart, showering Harry in splinters, whilst Harry's curse connected above the Dursley's heads, showering them in plaster dust and chips.

Harry twisted, back to the wall as he dropped to a crouch. "Portus." He muttered three times at some rocks by the nearby flowerbed. Summoning them to him silently, he sprung across the doorway in a forwards dive, he twisted his waist and catapulted the stones through the doorway. On hearing the two exclamations and one grunt of pain, he shouted the activation words.

Landing in a forwards roll, he came up back again to the wall, wand by his side. An open window was on his right and the open doorway by his left.

"It's just me and you now Voldemort." Harry called out.

"Is this how you treat family Harry?" Voldemort taunted from the living room.

"Family? You've gotta be joking, I'd rather be related to the Malfoy's than be related to you." Harry countered as he peaked around through the window. He quickly pulled his head back as a brown curse burned its way through when his head had previously been. Harry shut his eyes and turned away as glass fragments flew out onto the well trimmed lawn.

Realizing his mistake Harry nimbly leapt to the right across the doorway again. No sooner had he done that the wall where he had previously stood blew outwards from an explosion hex. The only safe cover would be one where Voldemort had no straight line of fire.

"I assure you Potter, as much as it vexes me, you are the last remaining heir to the Slytherin line." Voldemort let loose another curse, removing the right arc of the doorframe.

"So was my mother. Was that why you didn't want to kill her?" Harry asked as he fired another curse back randomly.

"I believed that she would stand by her family, but obviously she was a fool too stupid to embrace her heritage." Voldemort spat.

"Explodra!" Harry spoke as he turned the corner, revealing himself. He caught a glimpse of the Dark Lord taking cover in the kitchen. A small line of sight could be made out from outside of the house to the stove. "You, know Tom? This method of dueling is very unlike you, the cowering and all."

"One must know when he's at a disadvantage Potter."

"True." Harry agreed as he took aim at the stove. "You know this is probably the most civil conversation I've had. Reducto." The minor explosive hex flew from his wand, narrowly missing the edges of the wall and smashing into the cooking appliance. A loud clang was heard as the metal twisted out of shape, soon a deep hissing sound could be heard.

"Incendio." Harry muttered aiming again into the kitchen, a whoosh of sound was heard before a dull roaring replaced it. A small line of swear words could be heard before the slamming of the back door.

Wasting no time Harry ran around the house, vaulting the low fence and ducked the branch of a small tree. He caught his foot on something as he trampled through a small bush. From the feeling of the thorns entangling in his robes, he figured it must have been a rose bush, Privet Drive always did seem to have too many of them. As he reached the back garden, a small explosion came from the kitchen as the gas main caught fire.

A figure could be seen, running away in the distance and Harry took aim. "Excessus." The jet of white light seared after the fleeing Dark Lord. Just as it was about to connect, the Wizard vanished with a soft pop.

"Damn." Harry cursed in frustration as he too high tailed it away from the house.

A larger explosion rocked the street, disturbing the other wise silent night. Harry turned around to see a black orange fireball shoot out the kitchen window as the mains exploded. The back of Number Four had been completely demolished. Amazingly, most of the second floor managed to remain standing as half the house's foundations gave out.

The explosion had awakened most of the neighborhood, as more and more bedroom lights could be seen turning on. A few windows were opened as people looked out. Harry was glad that he was safely in the shadows by this time.

Taking on look at the remains of his relative's home he looked up and down the street. 'Just where is that old man?' Harry asked himself. Last he had seen of the old man was when he had asked him to scout out the area for Death Eaters in case Voldemort had decided not to come alone.

At that moment Aurors began to apparate in at the edge of the wards by following Harry's fireball beacon. Not really caring about performing magic in plain view, they approached began to extinguish the fires using magic.

Harry teleported to them. "You wouldn't find anything much there." Harry informed them. "Voldemort's already gone." Harry rolled his eyes as the Aurors flinched at the name.

"Sir." One of the men recognized him. "We have a message from Professor Dumbledore, he says to assist him at the Butter Beer factory in Vertic Alley. It's under attack."

"Merlin." Harry sighed somehow feeling drained. Voldemort was definitely overdoing it this time. While Diagon Alley was the main spot for shopping, there were smaller out of the way alleys branching off. Each specializing in a certain range of products. Vertic Alley was mainly known for its factories and warehouses. Then there was Horrizont Alley, famed for it classy and expensive restaurants.

The last time he had been there was probably two hundred years back. He prayed that the layout of the place was still the same. He didn't fancy teleporting into a wall.

In a whirlwind of flames he vanished, leaving the Aurors and Obliviators to their jobs.

A few minutes after Harry had left, Number Four Privet Drive went up in a fireball as a small marble device detonated. The Dark Mark was released into the air as several nearby Aurors and Obliviators were thrown away.

Author's Note:

Here ya all go. Another update and much faster than my last. For the record this is probably the longest ever chapter that I have ever written. I have posted the first chapter of new story: The Innocence Of Guilt. It wouldn't be updated for a while until I have finished this story. I might change my mind though.

Another thing, a lot of my reviewers are complaining about my spelling or lack there of. Well I am sorry to say I haven't been sending my new chapter to my Beta due to the exams I am currently attending. Also spell check tends to miss out a few spelling mistakes that are both spelt grammatically correct but used wrongly.

ENSIGN

Nunquam Lamiae Morde "Me Dice". - Never Say "Bite Me" To A Vampire.

Review replies:

Marquerida: Yeah. The "To Kill Off A Few People" idea came from my sister. I'm still laughing about it.

Athenakitty: Harry definitely has complete control over the Ministry, but as he says he's retired.

King Dimension: Thanks.

GreySword: Whats wrong about Voldemort walking into the Ministry? Both he and his Death Eaters, not to mention Harry and his bunch of friends did it in book 5.

Zesuit: Thanks.

Fan Of Great Works: You know how Harry is regarding fame.

Valkyrie Nienna Helyanwe: Too bad eh?

Esper Jones: Harry controls the personality he wants. Thus old man James for diplomatic situations and kick ass Phoenix Lord for DE battle. Oh yeah plain ole Harry for school life.

Harrie: Thanks.

Tondo-the-half-elf: 12 pages only. Man you definitely haven't done University level Med. I have a friggin folder on that crap.

Lyfe.exe: Thanks.

I)ark /-)ngel: Thanks. Actually the Death and Decay spell was from Magic The Gathering.

Clingon Warrior Girl: Thanks.

Phoniex Love: Thanks.

Ice-Phoenix Tears: Thanks.

Nightwing 509: Thanks.

Yorkvillebird: Thanks.

GreyGranien: Thanks.

Midknight00711: Well Hogwarts is the best place to gather information while still maintaining as much anonymity Harry can get.

Nada: Hogwarts will always be a major piece of Harry Potter Fiction. Although I can tell you that the best place to monitor the wizarding world and still maintain as much anonymity Harry can get would be to stay at Hogwarts. That and the bloody castle would be a better strong point if an attack were to come. Not to mention Harry sees it as his home.

Jason: Yeah sorry regarding the spelling mistakes. Spell check even as useful as it is. Still manages to miss a few spelling mistakes. Sometimes grammatical errors are missed. Thus it's up to fans like you to help report them to me.

Psychoangel: Thanks.

The Lady Reaper Of The Shadows: Thanks.

Wizzan: Thanks.

Wolfbear: Thanks.

David 305: Many thanks to you for telling me about all those atrocious spelling and grammatical mistakes. Spell check missed them and I didn't send the chapter to my Beta.

Josh Maxwell: Actually the naked girl did come from Naruto. However the big boom stick thing came from MTG.

Smiley Face 3: Thanks.

Orenjinoneko: Thanks.

Venus Malfoy: If you like goblin logic so much you should play the game Warhammer 40K the computer one. The Goblins are extremely hilarious. There will be more Goblin humor coming later on.

Huggiebear: Thanks.

Nameless Heretic: Thanks.

Soul Hunter Of Death: Thanks.

Talix: Thanks.

Chaos Kitsune: Thanks.

Kit Winner: Thanks.