A spark in the darkness forms a mighty flame that grows to consume and light the way.
A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.
Chapter Twenty – The Light Reborn
The thing that Harry had to out right laugh at, after their identities were all revealed to him, was that every single one of the Death Eaters in Hogwarts was in the D.A. this year, and they were at the top of it. Harry kind of felt as if he had his own little Death Eater Army, and at this moment, it was somewhat true. They came to him from their own diminutive groups. Asking questions in code about their families when news came about Death Eater captures and deaths. Everyone of them had learned in some way that Harry had a direct link to the Dark Lord, and they all, unless in the presence of Voldemort, revered Harry as the Dark Lords equal, and they feared and respected him as much. The only person who was ever bothered by this was Malfoy, as it used to be him that everyone went to.
It was the first week of December and Harry had just finished eating his lunch, at the Slytherin table, when he looked up to the glistening eyes of a Ravenclaw fifth year and Death Eater. Harry had been expecting this, Voldemort had told him to. Harry stood up and gently took the girls hand, leading her out of the Great Hall, and away from prying eyes. Malfoy followed their progress, but returned to his food with a scowl on his face.
As soon as they were out of the entrance hall and down one of the obscure passageways, which people rarely used, Harry stopped and turned to the girl. "I'm sorry Sam," Harry used Samantha Fawcett's short name and continued, although tears were already starting to well up in her eyes. "It was your sister."
The girl fought to hold back her tears but one slid down her cheek anyways. She closed her eyes for a moment and then looked back up to Harry with determination in her eyes. "How, how'd she die?" whispered Sam.
Harry looked away from the girl. He wasn't supposed to reveal too much, but some remnant inside him that was still good, couldn't let this girl go away without some sort of answer. Harry looked back to the girl and breathed out heavily. "I could be punished for this, but you should know. It was only supposed to be an in and out mission. All they were after was information that would damage the ministry. She was sent in with a new recruit and as they were leaving, he panicked, and it alerted the Aurors on duty. She managed to get a few curses off but was killed."
"And what of the new recruit?" Sam asked scathingly.
"Sam, it doesn't matter…"
She grabbed the front of Harry's robes. "He escaped and left my sister there, didn't he? What happened to the new recruit Harry, does he go to school here? Do I know him?"
"Yes. He portkeyed away, but he's being dealt with. And no, you don't know him."
Sam let go of Harry's robes abruptly and backed away. "Being dealt with? He left before the Aurors noticed, didn't he. That's why she was revealed. He attracted them!" Sam spat harshly.
"Yes. But it doesn't matter, Sam. This was a simple mission. No one should have been killed. The Aurors shouldn't have been using Killing Curses…" Harry trailed off. Something was wrong, or maybe something was right. He felt suddenly odd. Harry shook the feeling away as Sam threw herself against him, crying. Harry held the girl uncomfortably, until she got herself under control. As soon as she pulled away, Harry lifted her face with his hand. "Are you going to be alright?" He looked into her blue eyes.
"Yeah," she nodded. "I better go write my mother, she'll want to know…"
"Sam, do not tell her anything I've told you. You can tell her that she was killed, that is all," Harry said seriously.
Sam nodded again. "Yeah, I know. I won't tell her anything," she said looking up to his glamoured eyes.
"Good," Harry breathed as he watched her go, with a sudden stab of pain in his heart, which was a very unfamiliar feeling. He leaned against the cold wall and put his head in his hands, when he looked back up, it was to see Voldemort standing in front of him and he didn't look happy.
"I gave you one simple instruction. All you were to tell her was that her sister had been killed. That was all she needed to know!" Voldemort seethed.
Harry stood ridged as pain coursed through his scar. "I didn't give anything away that was secret. She would have found out eventually," Harry said with anger in his voice.
"Eventually would have been fine, but now she has her heart set on vengeance against the Aurors. As well as the new Death Eater, who abandoned her sister. She may leave the Death Eater, but I will not be able to send her on missions where there will be Aurors now. She will act too impulsively. She did not need to know that they were using Killing Curses. She would have formed her own conclusions, and thought that her sister had been killed by an overly powerful stunner, an accident that she would have accepted," Voldemort ranted and Harry had to force himself not to lean against the wall with boredom.
"I apologize my Lord," Harry said and forced himself to bow slightly. "It will not happen again." Harry looked back at the Dark Lord with loathing in his eyes. His hatred of the man was to boiling point. But what was odd was his hate for Voldemort had never been so great in the past.
"See that it doesn't, Potter. Do not disobey me again. I will not be so lenient next time!" Voldemort disappeared at the same time as sending a wave of pain through Harry's scar.
Harry slid down the wall and put his head in his hands until his punishment had subsided. At least he hadn't been called for another round of Cruciatus. Like had been the week before, but that had been Malfoy's fault, and he had just gotten dragged along for the ride.
Harry eventually set off to his next class. He made it to Defense just before the start of class. Snape threw him a sharp look as he slid into his seat, next to Malfoy. Harry had, in a spectacular display of acting, dealt with Severus Snape two weeks ago. He had even turned on the tears. It had been masterful. The man still loathed him, but he was as harmful as a de-clawed kitten now, at least where Harry's secrets were concerned.
It was funny really. Harry had accomplished something that Severus Snape never fully did. He had wormed his way into the inner circle, and he had done it in less then a month. Harry had Voldemort's complete trust, and the man looked upon Harry as if he were his biological son. An unpleasant shiver ran up Harry's spine at that thought.
Harry glared back at Snape before he started on the assignment that was magically scrawled onto the black board. It was halfway through class when Harry had the odd feeling again, but this time it was worse. It was unsettling, and Harry couldn't pin point where it was coming from. He saw his hands were shaking and Malfoy noticed this too.
"Potter, what's wrong?" Draco whispered beside him.
Harry clutched the desk to stop his hands. "I don't know."
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, is there something you would like to share with the class?" Snape sneered from his desk.
Harry's hands stopped shaking and he looked up to his head of house. "No, nothing," he answer as he suppressed a growl of annoyance that wanted escape. Harry felt a bit light headed and empty, like he was missing or forgetting something, but the feeling was brief and then it was gone completely.
"Good, get back to work," Snape barked out and Harry shook his head and looked back to his assignment.
For the rest of the lesson Malfoy kept shooting glances at him, but Harry just shrugged them off. Whatever the feeling had been, it was gone now. Harry avoided Malfoy as he left the classroom on his way to his last class before dinner. He didn't have any answers, so hearing pointless questions was well, pointless. It had probably been nothing anyways.
Harry was just rounding a corner when Pansy Parkinson sidled up next to him in an overly affectionate way. She wrapped her slim hands around one of his arms, and put her body a little too close to his. "So Harry, do you have a date to the Yule Ball yet?" she purred
The Yule Ball, Harry should have known. Dumbledore had announced it a week ago. He had thought it would be good to lift spirits after so many Death Eater attacks. Harry hadn't given it much thought. He really hadn't planned to go, but he was sure that he'd be conned into it somehow. Pansy Parkinson was not high on his list of people he would want to take, and he had no intension of asking her.
"I don't," he said truthfully, wrapping his arm around the girl, in a false friendly manner. "Unfortunately I don't think that I'm going to be able to go. I already have something planned for me for that night," Harry said and the girl pouted sadly up at him.
Pansy leaned into him, much more closer then he wanted to be to her. "Are you sure you can't get out of it?"
"I don't think that he would allow it," Harry said in irritation towards the female Death Eater. Using Voldemort as an excuse always worked. "However, I believe that Draco has not asked anyone as of yet, and I know for a fact, that he has nothing else to do that night."
Pansy pouted one last time and then smiled at him sweetly. She got on her toes and whispered into his ear. "If you change your mind, I don't mind being taken by two," she purred before she turned away, walking back the way she had come. "Oh Draco, there you are…" Harry heard her squeal.
Harry shuddered and rolled his eyes. He kept walking towards his next class with an almost sickening feeling. If only Ron knew. Harry stopped dead in his tracks as an image of a determined, younger Ron Weasley, in the middle of a giant chessboard, passed through his mind. Where did that thought come from?
He hadn't spoken to Ronald Weasley since the Quidditch match a month ago, and had no intension of doing so now. Ron had stopped coming to D.A. lessons, as had Ginny and Neville, but for whatever reason Hermione never missed a lesson. Not that Harry cared anymore about his old Gryffindor friends, they had just held him back.
Harry rubbed his head as Hermione's face, exhilarated but frightened, flashed through his memory. When did I see her…? Harry remembered, it had been when they were on Buckbeak after they had rescues Sirius.
Sirius…
Harry staggered against the wall with his eyes closed as Sirius, happy at Christmas the year before, surfaced to the front of his mind. With such force that he was sure he was going to black out from it, the memory of his godfather falling through the vale in the Department of Mysteries followed. Harry held his head, what was happening to him?
Harry was startled out of his memories by a hand on his shoulder. It was Malfoy. Pansy and several other sixth year Slytherins were standing in the hall behind him.
"Harry, what's wrong?" Draco asked.
Harry shook his head as the sudden memories left him completely. "Damned if I know," he scoffed. "Probably my punishment for disobeying the Dark Lord this afternoon," Harry laughed and several other chuckles followed. "Come on we're going to be late for Transfiguration. I wouldn't want to see the look on old McGonagall's face, if all the Slytherin's were late. Especially with us having the bloody class with Gryffindor," Harry laughed, as he brushed by Malfoy. Several laughs followed as they all set off in the direction of the transfiguration classroom. Malfoy hung behind with a deep scowl on his face, and a glint of mistrust in his eyes.
The next morning was the worst Harry had ever woken up to. He had a throbbing headache, which had nothing to do with his scar. And the odd feeling was back with a vengeance. Harry rolled out of his bed with a groan and slipped his deep green slippers on. It wasn't late but it wasn't early either. Some of his dorm mates were already up. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle, were surprisingly gone, but Zabini and Nott were still asleep. Harry grabbed his toiletries and robe and staggered across the hall and into the bathroom. The lights were dim but they hurt Harry's eyes. If he didn't know better, he would have thought that he had a hangover, except that he hadn't drunk anything the night before.
Harry moved over to the sinks and splashed cold water onto his face, hoping that waking himself up some more would rid him of the headache and the odd feeling. After he dried his face, he looked up to his reflection in the mirror, and then stumbled back in fear. Harry shook his head and rubbed his eyes but his reflection was the same when he looked back up. It was his reflection but it showed pure evil. Harry took a deep breath in and then walked backwards away from the mirror. What was happening to him? Why should he care if his reflection showed him what he was. But that was the thing; he did care.
Suddenly the image in the mirror screamed in his voice. "WHAT HAVE YOU BECOME!"
Something snapped in Harry's mind and emotions flooded his senses. "NO!" Harry screamed and turned from the mirror. He slammed his fists onto the stonewall. "What have I done!" Harry cried and slid down the wall as he looked up to the mirrors in horror, all of them seemed to follow him, even as he tried to get away from the truth. Darkness had claimed his very soul and he had let it.
Harry curled up into a ball and started shaking near uncontrollably. It was then that Voldemort started to speak in his mind. "Potter, what are you doing?" Voldemort asked just as his projection appeared beside Harry.
Harry calmed himself and then looked up to the Dark Lord, loathing in his eyes. "You thought you had me; didn't you? You thought the Dark Magic had consumed me completely. Looks like you were wrong," Harry whispered as he stood. He walked to the nearest mirror and grasped the sink below it with both of his shaking hands. "What have I done?" Harry said just as quietly to the green and red-eyed reflection. A look of revulsion washed over his face. "WHAT HAVE I BECOME!" Harry screamed and smashed his fists into the mirror, which abruptly shattered into hundreds of pieces, all showing his hated eyes as they fell.
Harry looked at his hands, which were imbedded with shards of glass and covered in his blood. Harry bent down calmly and picked up one of the larger shards and slowly ran it across the visible Dark Mark. He did it again, and again with tears in his eyes, but the mark refused to be distorted. Harry collapsed to his knee and dropped the piece of mirror as he was racked with sobs.
"Your life is mine Potter, nothing you do will change that. I am your master and that mark means you belong to me for as long as you live," Voldemort said harshly but calmly. "Give this madness up and come back to me. Darkness is in your soul, let it have you."
Harry stopped sobbing and looked up to Voldemort with revulsion and determination in his pure emerald green eyes. The Dark Magic that had flowed through him was gone. It had simply vanished. "I may belong to you Tom. I may have been your servant for a time. But I will no longer serve you," Harry whispered as he stood up and faced Voldemort who had anger washing across his face. "One day, very soon, I will see you destroyed by my own hands. NOW GET OUT OF MY MIND!" Harry roared as he concentrated just as he had done, what seemed so long ago, and the link was snapped and Harry fell to the floor panting and covered in sweat, as if he had just run several miles. The link wasn't going to come back this time, at least not for a long while.
The bathroom door opened and Blaise Zabini came in. His face paled considerably as he took in the sight of Harry and the blood pooling around him. "Harry, what happened?"
Harry smiled, a genuine smile, not a smirk or sneer, for the first time in months. "I've beaten it. I was so lost for so long, but I've beaten it..." he whispered and then his face suddenly went very grave, very pale. "Voldemort's going to kill me," Harry said weakly, seriously.
"No, Harry, your going to kill you, unless we stop this bleeding." Blaise seemed to have snapped out of his shock, and had picked up Harry's towel from the floor. He wrapped it around Harry's forearm. "Rather sloppy job you did there. Thought you would have been smart enough to know you can't do any damage to the mark," Zabini said with a half smirk as he helped Harry to his feet. "Come on, we should get you to Madam Pomfrey."
"No," Harry protested. "No, no one can know about this. I'll take care of it myself," Harry whispered before he left the bathroom. Zabini watching him go with concern in his eyes, debating whether or not to tell someone.
A while later, Harry returned to the dormitory to see that everyone had already left. He looked down at his still blood-splattered watch. Classes would be starting shortly, but Harry hadn't any intension of going to them, he just didn't have the energy. Harry had managed to get himself cleaned up and the bleeding stopped, but he had to break into Lyndira's stores to get a strengthening and replenishing potion, just to keep himself standing. He had just managed to get out of her office before she arrived, and Harry hoped that she didn't notice the spots of blood that he had left behind. He gingered his bandaged left arm and his now blood free hands, as he pulled on his school robes. It would have been better if he knew some healing spells, but if he had learned anything from living with the Dursley's, it had been how to fix himself up the Muggle way.
Harry still had hundreds of tiny red nicks and scratches covering both hands but he hid them with his sleeves, as he picked up his book bag. He was tired, and all he wanted to do was hide and wait. Voldemort was coming for him, Harry didn't have to have the link with Riddle to tell him that. Harry stuffed a few of his schoolbooks into his bag and left the room. Hiding was exactly what Harry was going to do, but he was going to do it in plain site.
And so that's what Harry found himself doing hours later. He sat in the library with his books spread about the table in front of him. He had completed all of his assignments for the week to keep himself busy, and now he just sat reading on animagus traits. No one had bothered him. Madam Pince hadn't even asked him why he wasn't in class, and Harry was grateful for it, as he looked up and out the frosted windows.
The light was slowly fading, and Harry was wondering how long he had been sitting there, when Professor McGonagall's voice sounded throughout the school. "All students to their dormitories immediately, all staff to entrance hall!" Her voice was calm but urgent, and Harry, though he knew he should be alarmed by the abrupt announcement, had little indifference. But if anyone had looked at him close enough, they would have seen how pale he had gone.
Madam Pince hurriedly walked up to him. "You heard the announcement, Mr. Potter. Get to your dormitory now. Never mind your things, you can collect them later," she added as Harry had started to gather his books and parchments.
Harry found himself rushed out of the library moments later and pushed in the direction of the dungeons. He slowly walked in that direction but slipped into one of the less used passageways, where he took the stairs down two at a time. Harry wasn't heading for the dungeons though, he was heading for the entrance hall.
Suddenly he was accosted by Hermione on one side of him and Ron on the other. They had slipped out of a passageway just behind him. "Harry would you talk some sense into her! She seems to think it's crucial to get to the Great Hall!" Ron blurted trying to stop Hermione and in the process, stopped him as well.
Harry looked to Hermione suddenly. "It's too dangerous, Voldemort's here. Go back to Gryffindor Tower, both of you," he ordered.
"You don't control us, Harry. I have to get to the Great Hall. There is portkey there that leads to the ministry. I have to alert them now," Hermione said, wrenching her arm out of Ron's grasp.
"I'm sure they've already been alerted…" Harry began, just as a loud gong sounded throughout the halls. So loud, that it rattled the glass in windows.
"What the hell was that?" Ron blurted.
"I don't believe it, he's brought the wards down!" Harry whispered, and this time he couldn't be unconcerned by this. He had to get out of here now. Voldemort would soon be able to Apparate in. Harry grabbed Hermione's arm, none too gently, and pushed her into a near by closet, and then he did the same to Ron, who was too surprise to protest. "Dumbledore's reasoning is flawed if he thinks he can sacrifice my friends just to protect me! I'll go to the ministry. This is my fault anyways," Harry threw up a powerful locking charm on the door just as it was closed in his two old friends' faces. Hopefully Hermione wouldn't be able to unlock the door until this was over.
Hermione pounded her fists against the door. "Harry you don't even know where the portkey is!" Harry ignored her cry. He didn't have to know, Dumbledore's portkeys were always some sort of mug or cup and it was likely to be on or near the head table.
This time as Harry took the stairs two at a time it wasn't at such an easy pace. He could hear the sounds of curses being fired and shouts from just outside of the entrance hall, but the doors stood closed and strong. It took Harry every fiber in his body to not go help the teachers that fought unknowingly to keep him safe. Harry firmed his resolve. He needed to get to Luminous. They needed the Aurors here now. Not to mention, something in his mind was yelling at him that if he stayed, he'd be killed. If he were killed, there'd be no one to stop Voldemort. Harry flung open the large wooden doors of the Great Hall, as if they were kindling and weighed no more then paper weights. A shout rang out behind him, but Harry didn't hear the cry as he sprinted towards the staff table.
Harry was halfway down the Great Hall, when he was hit from behind with a curse. The curse had so much force in it, that Harry found himself lifted up, and flung around in mid air, and slammed painfully against the wall behind the staff table. Harry slid down the wall in a rush and landed hard on his knees, on the floor below the large stained-glass windows.
Spots danced in front of his eyes as he lifted his head to find Lord Voldemort standing over him with his wand out and pointed at Harry's head. Harry felt the start of the curse before the words were even spoken, and with the speed built from years of Quidditch, and his physical training, Harry rolled away just as the Killing Curse hit the wall right where his head had been moments before. The wall scorched and sizzled, from the curse hitting Harry's blood that stained the wall, where Harry been.
Harry was now on his stomach and he put his hand on the back of his head, and came away with his blood all over it. He didn't flinch at the sight of so much of his blood, but he did at one thought; less then a foot in either direction, and he would have been thrown through the windows, and more then likely, fallen to his death. That thought made him sick, and that thought was what kept Harry where he was for too long.
"Why do you keep escaping me Potter? Crucio!" Harry couldn't move quick enough to avoid this curse, and it washed over him. Harry bit his lip to stop the scream that ripped out of him regardless. The curse was lifted just as Harry was grabbed by his collar and pulled to his feet.
"Your master asked you a question, Potter. Aren't you going to answer?" Lucius Malfoy hissed into Harry's ear harshly, and twisted his robes in the back to strangle any response out of him that Harry would have given. Harry tried to get out of Lucius' grasp but just ended up having the grip tightened and making him gasp for air.
"You've betrayed me Potter, and I will make you suffer!" Voldemort's words were harsh and full of hatred. That in itself gave away the curse he was about to use on him. Harry reacted with all the strength he could muster to escape Lucius' death grip. He wretched his shoulder around and slammed his elbow into Malfoy's stomach, which promptly made the man let go and double over, just as Voldemort's spell would have hit him. Lucius was hit instead and dropped to the floor and screamed out in agony. Harry rolled away and started to sprint to the now closed doors, even as he was relishing in the sounds of Malfoy's screams.
Harry went to grab for his wand, but it was gone. He searched the hall frantically for it, but it wasn't there and he was in no condition to attempt Merlin's magic, after so long of not using it. It would drain him too quickly. Somewhere over his shoulder, he heard the high-pitched laughs of Bellatrix Lestrange. As he was almost to the door, he turned just in time to see one of the house tables flying towards him. It skidded across the floor with a loud wood against stone screech. It hit him before Harry had time to react and pinned him at the waist against the wall. All air was knock from his lungs and blood with it from the impact.
Harry was amazed that he was still conscious as he tried to get free. But every time he moved, an excruciating pain shot down his legs. Harry was slumped over the table as he lifted his head to Voldemort, who was slowly approaching. This was it, Harry was stuck and powerless, and it was a struggle to even put air in his lungs, as blood caught in his throat. He'd lost and for what? He'd turned against everyone, and now he was going to die for his mistakes. No one was going to come to his rescue.
"You and I could have been great. We could have ruled the world. I looked upon you as if you were my own son! But you've had your chance, Potter. AVADA KEDAVRA!"
The curse echoed in Harry's ears and throughout the Great Hall. Harry saw the green beam of light leave the wand as if in slow motion and his life did literally flash before his eyes. Starting with the most recent horrible memories, and descending backwards through time. Harry felt the beam hit him and the pain was excruciating, it was death and he felt his life leaving him just as his memories reach the night his mother had died. Her screams echoed through his ears, and then they turned into the loudest trill of phoenix song Harry had ever heard. Something forced itself out of Harry and forced life back into him.
Harry shuddered, and suddenly opened his eyes to the Great Hall, just as the Killing Curse rebounded off him. He saw Voldemort jump out of the way, but Bellatrix Lestrange, who was nearly in back of her lord, wasn't so lucky. She crumpled to the ground, dead, just as the curse hit her square in the chest.
"Impossible!" Voldemort screeched and then Disapparated with a earsplitting crack, just as the doors to the Great Hall slammed opened. The hall swarmed instantly with professor's and Order members.
Harry tried to take a breath in to draw there attention, but was unable to. All he could do was weakly cough up more blood. He looked up to Dumbledore who had just turned to him, as he felt his entire body go numb and then he collapsed and everything went black, as he fell into blissful unconsciousness.
A/N: I know, I know, next chapter please! Harry's back, but he's in some pretty bad shape. Try to wait patiently to see what's going to happen to our wayward Hero.