Warning!

Half Blood Prince Spoilers! If you have not read the sixth book, though I highly doubt it, do not read on!

THE VICIS CLOCK

BY ABAY

--Chapter--Five--

--Meeting The Dark Lord--

Enjoy!

---The Graveyard of Tom Riddle

Due to the situation he was in, one would have thought that Harry Potter had gone completely insane by the smile that had crept upon his face, but if one would have known Harrys' history, then one would have thought how heartbreaking and tear-jerking the boys' life story was. For now, Harry Potter thought himself exceedingly lucky, for this was his second opportunity in his life to speak to his deceased father and mother, be it minutes or mere seconds, for rarely did any orphans get a chance to speak to their departed parents. It was a chance of life time.

"Mum," Harry whispered as they approached him. "Dad…"

A graceful, yet sad, smile spread across his mothers face, as though she knew the very thoughts that were accumulating through Harrys' mind. Enthusiastically, he returned her a smile, though a bit shakily, but when he turned to his father however he found that he had turned around to face Voldemort whose face was fearful and gaunt. His father seemed to have no intention on letting his hateful gaze come to an end, but he finally tore his eyes away, turned around and knelt beside Harry placing a hand upon his shoulders, which he had expected to pass right through him.

Harry took an intake of breath as his fathers hand made contact with him, for the hands of James Potter were cold as a blustery weather of wintry ice. A sensation of touching a lifeless dead body coursed through him causing Harry to swallow hard due to the bile that was threatening to escape him.

"Harry," his father said squeezing his shoulders tightly. "I want you to hold on son, as long as you can. Keep your hold for a while longer."

He shut his eyes tight and nodded his head with sheer determination, but keeping his hold on his wand was proving difficult, for the wand vibrations were increasing by the minute, and the uninjured arm was getting sweaty. He feared that the wand might slip out of his one handed grip.

"Listen to me carefully Harry." His mother was speaking now. "As soon as we tell you to leave, I want you to break the connection—"

"But there's no way for me to return," Harry said, his voice sounding strangled. "There's no portkey to take me back, and I'm not fit to run—"

"Then you disapparate out of here, get as far away as possible," whispered his father, fearing that he might be overheard. But there was no need of whispering for the screams of the silvery figures, which were accumulating since the connection was still intact, drowned away any of their words before reaching Voldemorts' ears.

"What?" Harry said through clenched teeth as the tremors of his wand amplified.

Fear coursed through him as realization dawned; he could not escape! There was no portkey, he had no chance of fleeing, and he was not in any way knowledgeable nor trained to apparate his way out of this graveyard, he would unquestionably splinch himself, and when that happens, well, he might as well be handed to Voldemort on a silver platter! It would be quite a vulnerable situation to be in indeed.

The only way to survive through this, though impossible the prospect may be, was to fight. He was destined to find himself dueling for his life in the end sooner or later, and perhaps it was better if he met his fate sooner. How many lives would elude death if he vanquished Lord Voldemort tonight? Countless. How much impiety would relinquish if he destroyed the very foundation and backbone of evil itself? Innumerable.

Setting his mind on a choice that could possibly lead him to his own doom scared him senseless, but Harry spoke his haunting thoughts nevertheless, "No. I can't…if I end this now, if I kill him then it'll be over, it'll end."

A flicker of light flashed through Harrys' emerald eyes as his minds eye foreshadowed a world were no blood was shed ruthlessly. Were no greed or malice existed. Were no treachery or hatred could weave its way into peoples hearts spoiling them and poisoning others like a deadly plague, and at seeing that same shimmer of hope that subsisted in her once upon a time, Lily Potter smiled at her son, all knowing of her sons heart desires.

"We know your woes, we lived in a time of war just like a time that you're about to pass through, but listen to us Harry, do as we tell you. Now is not the time to ponder on revenge and nor is it the time to loose yourself in what might come to be if you took Voldemorts life tonight."

Harrys face screwed up into one of great loss and confusion. He was torn between two alternatives; to flee or to fight. And to him, the latter seemed more rewarding, for if he escaped, then death would claim so many lives, but if he fought…He knew his chances were very narrow…but there was hope…he could do it…couldn't he?

Seeing that Harry was growing weary from both the shuddering of the wand and from the thoughts he was struggling with, James spoke, knowing that his words would end the feud in Harrys' head.

"Taking away lives is not a game, it's not that simple. Voldemort can't be killed that easily Harry. He breached the laws of nature; he succeeded in gaining immortality in ways that are even beyond your realms of imagination. In time you will understand, but for now, save yourself."

At these revelations, Harrys' emerald eyes questioned his fathers with a mere gaze, but he knew that now was not his opportunity to do so, for around them, the Death Eaters had started to send curses at Voldemorts' command, trying to break through the web of light, but it would not falter, the web stood strong not even shuddering at any force of dark magic.

He could see Voldemort was now mumbling under his breath, reciting an incantation that was way beyond his expertise and comprehension.

"Tell me what to do," he said stiffly, his face dripping with cold sweat.

---Hogwarts, by the pumpkin patch

Sirius watched in his dog form—which he usually kept more than his human one-- as his new Patronus form sped across the ground, standing out clearly against the murky black sky, until it was nothing but a white speck gleaming upon a sheet of darkness, and once more, he presumed his pacing, his brain puzzling, buzzing with questions that was starving for any answers.

Though it felt like days, it had been hours since he heard any news of Harry, and he was sick with worry. All the information that Dumbledore had notified him with was that they were unable to detect the portkey, but he kept assuring Sirius not to loose hope, for he had sent a trustworthy spy to bring bearings about Harry. But who that spy was Dumbledore would not tell, for every time Sirius would inquire him on who it was, Dumbledore would keep saying that in time he would be revealed to all.

But Sirius was known for his impatience and his recklessness, and now he was starting to growl with concern, thirsty for any news of Harry, be it dire or good news, though Sirius desperately pleaded for the latter. And if by the dusk of dawn no news reached him, then he vowed to himself that he would go against Dumbledores' wishes and search for Harry himself.

As his paws grew tired and weary from walking back and forth, Sirius slumped by a pumpkin and let out a soft mournful whine. His black eye-lids started to drop with exhaustion, but he could not rest, not until his godson was far away from Voldemorts grasps.

Looking up at the moon that was starting to fade behind veils of silvery clouds, Sirius let out another somber howl, wishing that his only friend, his brother, was here to share a part of his heavy burden, for he was the sole person in the world he could turn to in his times of need. But soon, he knew, Remus would come, for that was were his message was heading this very moment.

---The Gore

Remus Lupin lay sprawled on his wooden floor, pieces that used to be a mug lay scattered beside him and the robes which he wore were shabbier and grungy more than they usually were. No more than a few hours ago did his ordeal of transforming into a werewolf come to an end and once again, Remus' body altered into his own human form, leaving him exhausted and worn out after that painful torment he had to go through each month.

Although he had gratefully accepted the wolfsbane potion that was provided by Albus Dumbledore, the transformation of his human body into a werewolfs' was still unbearably excruciating. Despite the fact that the wolfsbane kept his mind and lessened the anguish through out the alteration of his body, it still did not condense the pain that felt like a blaze of fire in the interior of him when his bones and joints would start to reform, growing, stretching his skin as they grew rapidly…

Suddenly, his werewolf senses which were exceedingly strong at this time of the month kicked in as an abrupt whiff of air reached his ears. Raising his head slightly, Remus gazed around blearily, until his eyes set upon a tiger patronus at the centre of the room.

Knowing that Remus Lupin was playing a spy's role, the Order Members scarcely sent him a message unless it was extremely significant, but he pulled himself to his feet nevertheless, immediately taking the necessary precautions by silencing the room and pulling down the shutters of his window with a flick of his wand, concealing himself from any of Greybacks' spies who might be ordered to surveillance his every move.

Striding over to the foreign patronus, Remus addressed it in a hoarse whisper. "Speak."

The tiger's wide eyes blinked then spoke in a human tongue, revealing the voice of Sirius Black, which had left Remus taken aback because this was not Sirius' patronus form that he recognized.

"Remus, I can't explain much at the moment, but Harry's in trouble and I really need your help. Meet me at the Pumpkin Patch as soon as possible."

Then with a sudden wisp, the tiger patronus burst into a sparkle of silver and diminished, leaving Remus stunned and sore in the inside. Instantaneously, Remus summoned himself some clean robes, though they were just as shabby and frayed as they always were, and dressed himself quickly, letting some thoughts coarse through his mind as he did so.

Hogwarts, especially under the eye of Albus Dumbledore, was perfectly safe, so how could anything happen to Harry while he was under the watch of Dumbledore? He thought with panic as he donned his trousers. But then again, a more fearful voice said, if the likes of Wormtail capable of fooling Dumbledore, then other were.

And with that fearful thought, he pulled on his black cloak and disapparated to the gates of Hogwarts without any further ado.

---The Lair

When a Death Eater came up to Severus informing him that the Dark Lord had requested to meet him, he found his master incensed and enraged more than he had ever seen him before, for Harry Potter escaped from his grasps once again, and though Severus Snape would never admit this openly, he found the stunt of magic the boy had come up with was extraordinarily remarkable indeed.

The minute he pushed back the black doors open and entered the Dark Lords' lair, a curse like none other hit him, making him yell hoarsely in agony, waiting until his punishment ended, and when the Dark Lord finally did raise his wand, he hissed. "Get up Severus."

Trembling to his feet, Severus stood, instantaneously washing away his mind from any thoughts, and when his eyes looked back into those scarlet ones, he felt the Dark Lord search his eyes for any treachery and disloyalty, but he knew that he would find none, for the only skill that Severus could master as the Dark Lord was Occlumency. He knew how to hide his memories from his foe, he was not ignorant. For if it was not for his wide knowledge in Occlumency, he would have been caught in his double agent role long ago.

"I see no remorse in you Severus," the Dark Lord said, standing up from his seat of a throne.

"I have none, I am your most faithful servant my lord."

His mind was blank; he was thinking of nothing as he bowed before the most villainous wizard that ever existed.

"No Remorse? You have no guilt Severus? Not even when you left your Master frail and powerless. Tell me my faithful servant, "he spat narrowing his red eyes, "where were you when I needed you most?"

"My Lord," Severus said, bowing to his knees. "Forgive me for my ignorance, but I had thought you finished all this years."

"And yet you remained with Albus Dumbledore all these years, deploring for a place among them. You thwarted me when I could have regained my power three years ago. You have betrayed my trust Severus, and you know the fate that meets my deserters," the Dark Lords' eyes flashed dangerously as he raised his wand.

"My lord, I beg you to listen to me!" he cried, panic overcoming him as the Dark Lords intentions became clear to him. "I admit, that I did all I could to prevent Quirrell from gaining the stone, but I knew not that it was for your need! Forgive me! If I had known, then I would have rushed to your aid."

His master hand hung mid air as he scrutinized him. He held his breath as the sweat dripped down his pallid face, and not until the Dark Lord spoke did he let out a relieved breath. "True, you knew nothing of my plans three years ago. Proceed."

Calming down as he saw that the Dark Lord was willing to pay him mind, Severus went on. "I will not doubt that I have turned to Dumbledore to escape the prisons of Azkaban, but when I felt the Dark Mark burn again, I was ready to join your side my Lord, and only by staying a few hours at Hogwarts, I made certain that I still kept my task as a spy, and I assure you master, that I am willing to do all that is needed of me. All I need is your command."

Slowly, but still calculatingly, the Dark Lord sat upon his arm chair, and gazed down at him for what felt like ages, until he finally spoke softly, easing the apprehension that was threatening to break his control over his emotions. "Very well," he said softly, "I shall let this pass, but if I ever see a single sign of betrayal, then mark my words Severus, you will meet Lord Voldemorts wrath! Now leave my sight!

Shuddering profoundly at hearing the Dark Lords name, Severus walked out of the lair, not daring to give his back to his master, with his head bowed, letting his master fade into darkness, away from his sight.

: Authors Note :

Hehe, now before you go throwing tomatoes at my face, I really want to apologize for the wait! I'M SORRY! I know, I know, this is a revised version so it's supposed to finish quicker, but it feels as though I'm starting from scratch and school's not helping either. Projects and tests and blah, blah, blah…I'm sure you know what I mean!

And as for Convincing Harry readers…I'm sorry too! I have not abandoned the story; it's just that I'm suffering with severe writers block!

You can check out my bio page if you want to know how my progress is (( I update my bio page weekly )) and if you've got any questions, feel free to ask, you'll also find the answers there.

I'll try to get the next chapter up sooner, but until then, please, pleaseREVIEW or FLAME ! :D