CHAPTER 8 – WORDS OF CAUTION

"Leave us," Voldemort said to Harry's captor. Harry looked up at the Death Eater but could not tell who was behind the mask.

"But Master…" the servant said. It was Dolohov.

"I said leave" Voldemort hissed, not taking his eyes off of Harry.

"Yes Master." The Death Eater turned and walked out of the room. Harry looked around noticing, for the first time, the room they were in. It was a stone room with no windows. There was an old wooden chair in the corner with dust on it and a fire blazing in the fireplace to his right.

"I have longed for this moment Harry; to meet you again." Voldemort was almost smiling as he said this, but there was no joy in the smile. "Tell me, how did you feel before you were grabbed out from under the nose of your… 'protectors'," he stretched out the last s in the word as a snake would do.

Harry tried to remember what he was doing just moments ago. He was sitting at a table enjoying conversation with his best friends.

"Ah, yes, you were happy weren't you?" Voldemort replied as if reading his mind. Damn it, he can read my mind Harry thought to himself. "Yes, your thoughts are not safe so I would advise you to answer truthfully as it will be much more pleasant. Well, for you anyway."

Despite his shaking legs Harry stood to face his nemesis. He was scared. Dumbledore would not be here to save the day and his wand… wait…could it work again?

"No, you will not be that lucky again Harry Potter," Voldemort answered him. "Take a look behind you on the wall." Harry turned to see a man hanging from shackles against the wall. He looked closer and saw that it was Olivander, the wand-maker. "You see, the fancy trick you used to escape me the first time will not work again. I have a new wand, a powerful new wand."

Harry turned to see Voldemort clutching a white, cylindrical piece of wood in his hands. He was stroking it as if it were a pet.

"And now that I do, I will not need him. Avada Kedavra!" A green beam of light exploded from Voldemort's wand, hitting Olivander in the chest. His body flung up against the wall and then went limp. He was hanging by the shackles, swinging like a pendulum.

"NO!" Harry screamed and pointed his wand at Voldemort. Before he could say a word his wand was flying out of his hand and bounced several feet away.

"You will not be needing that."

Harry was scared now. He had just watched another person die because of him. There was an empty feeling in his chest. This is it, this is how I'm going to die.

"No, you stupid boy, I'm not going to kill you. The time for that final battle has not yet come."

So now he knows about the prophecy Harry thought to himself.

"Of course I know. It did not take me long to pry the memory out of that horribly stupid, weak woman. I can't say I was surprised though Harry. The two sides were destined to meet and, of course, who else but us. So you are probably wondering why you are here, if I am not going to kill you."

"Well, I had assumed that it has been a while since you bathed and you wanted me to get those hard to reach places." Harry smiled at himself. In spite of his fear, the murder he had just witnessed and the absence of his wand he was still fighting.

"Crucio"

Harry's scar exploded, ripping his body in two. His blood was boiling in his veins and he felt like his insides were bursting. He writhed on the ground yelling at the top of his lungs. When it was over Harry stood up as quickly as he could, although it hurt to do so.

"This is no laughing matter Harry. Well… at least not for you." What was left of his lips formed a wicked smile.

"Harry, the reason you are here is simple: Proof. This is proof of how powerful I am. You felt happy before, when you were with your friends didn't you? How do you feel now that you know I can get you anytime I want Harry."

Harry's stomach dropped. If he can get to me at will then he can get anyone.

"Yes, I can get your friends too. The ones you love, Harry, they will die in front of your eyes. I will force you to watch them suffer." Voldemort started walking along the wall, never breaking his eye contact with him. "Ah, and Miss Ginny Weasley, I can get her too."

Harry felt himself lunge at Voldemort. He got two steps in before he was thrown against the wall. With his wind gone it took some effort to stand up. He looked across the room and saw Voldemort smiling.

"Harry, Harry… you need to keep control of that temper of yours. It could get you into trouble some day. So," Voldemort said as he took several steps forward, "I think I would like to meet this Ginny of yours." Voldemort looked right into Harry's eyes. "Oh, it looks like I have already met her. It's a shame I do not remember it. That was another time, a separate entity." Voldemort's eyes widened into a look Harry had never seen from him. "Yes…yes it was a horcrux. So you know about those do you Harry?"

Voldemort broke eye contact and turned his back. He walked to the other side of the room before he whirled around. He looked furious and when he spoke his voice was filled with venom.

"It matters not. They will not help you. You will never find the last one Harry. Besides, a muggle-loving little boy like you could never defeat the greatest wizard the world has ever seen."

"I did it before and I'll do it again," Harry shouted. All that was returned to him was a cold laugh that filled the room.

"Do not mistake luck for skill Harry. It might breed a confidence in abilities you do not possess."

"Speaking of which, how do you feel Harry? How do you feel without Dumbledore here and with out the protection of your mudblood mother?"

Harry was fuming. How dare he call his mother that? No, calm down. This is what he wants you to do. His breathing slowed a little and an idea sprung into his head.

"What's the matter Tom, are you upset that you were outsmarted by a muggle born witch?" He stressed the name Tom and a smirk crept onto his face as he said this. But a few seconds later he almost wished he hadn't.

"Crucio!"

A thousand knives plunged into Harry's body. His head felt like it was going to explode and he was pretty sure he was screaming although he couldn't tell. And then it was gone. He was on the ground and he was shaking.

"Do you think that name has some sort of control over me? I don't presume to expect a muggle loving fool such as yourself can handle the reality of what I've become. Lord Voldemort is someone completely different than poor, weak Tom Riddle."

Harry was silently pleased with himself as he started to move. It hurt to do so but he knew that he must stand. He must show strength to his enemy. Every muscle in his body burned as he forced himself to stand.

"Harry, we are not that much different; you and I. Look into your past and you will see the similarities in our childhoods. We were both orphans who were ill informed about our powers until later in life. Our lives have been filled with tragic occurrences. The pain, the anguish, that is what you and I share."

"MY PAIN WAS BECAUSE OF YOU! YOU CAUSED IT ALL!" Harry screamed even though his throat was burning. He was pointing a shaking finger at Voldemort before he looked down and realized that his whole arm was shaking.

"Never the less, we are cut from the same mold Harry. It is a shame you have chosen the wrong path. Your anger, your hate, your contempt for those muggle relatives, they could have made you strong." He began to walk with his head down in a circle around Harry, who did not turn with him. When he completed the circle he snapped his head up.

"Instead you chose to love, and it has made you weak. But I guess I can expect no less from a Gryffindor." He began to smile and approached Harry until they were face to face.

"Now is the time Harry. Everywhere people will know Lord Voldemort's wrath. There will not be a muggle or mudblood alive who does not fear me and my Death Eaters. And anyone who stands in my way will be crushed." As he said this he closed his hand into a fist in front of Harry's face.

"You will witness the powers I possess. And I will not stop until everyone you love is dead. And then… and then it will be your turn Harry." He smiled as he backed away. "That is something I will be looking forward to with great anticipation."

There was silence in the room as Voldemort stood in contemplation. About what Harry did not know but he had to keep talking. He had to interrupt whatever it was Voldemort was thinking about.

"If you are so great," Harry began, "why do you fear death?"

"Crucio"

Harry smacked his head on the floor as he twisted in pain. He heard voices cry out in his head. His entire body was on fire and there were black spots starting to appear in his vision. This was longer than the others had been. He could not even yell and in his mind he begged for death. Finally it stopped and Harry lie on the floor breathing very heavily, which caused him great pain. He had no strength left to stand this time.

Voldemort walked over to him, put his foot on Harry's shoulder and rolled him over on his back. He looked up at the thing that had once resembled a man.

"Lord Voldemort fears nothing you foolish boy. If you only knew, if you had the intellectual capacity to fathom the depths of my power, you would not even dare to make jokes in my presence.

"You have a strange sureness of yourself boy, one that goes hand in hand with stupidity. Be careful not to let it overcome you. I would hate for someone else to kill you before I get the chance. Until then, perhaps a reminder of who I am would help you to understand the gravity of your situation."

Voldemort stabbed his wand at the air and Harry felt a piercing through his right forearm. As his wand lowered a very deep gash appeared down Harry's arm. He had never seen this kind of control over the Secumseptra spell. Voldemort did it slowly, painfully. It was worse than Harry could ever have imagined. If he had the ability to scream anymore he would have. He shut his eyes and he clenched his teeth.

Voldemort moved his wand and another gash slowly appeared down Harry's left forearm. He felt himself lift into the air and flip over. There were cuts across his back, each made as slowly as possible. It felt like his skin was being torn rather than cut.

Harry didn't know how long it lasted. It felt like several days but was probably only several minutes. When Voldemort was finished he had cuts all over his back and chest. Blood stained his clothes and the stone floor around him. Harry felt like if he moved he would pass out from the pain. When Voldemort spoke it seemed like his voice was muffled, like he was hearing it through a wall.

"Malfoy!" Harry felt a wand being shoved into his pocket but he couldn't look down. His whole body throbbed. It hurt to move, to breath, even to think.

"Yes, my Lord," a voice said.

"Take him back to his blood traitor friends."

"Yes, my Lord."

"And Draco, you can have a little fun while you're there."

"Thank you, my Lord. Your generosity greatly humbles me."

Harry, who was on the verge of passing out, felt hot breath in his ear. "Remember this Harry," said Voldemort. "And try not to lose consciousness, I would not want you to miss the show."

He heard a cold laugh as he felt like he was squeezed into a box. The pain was terrible. He wanted to yell but no noise came out.

All of a sudden he felt himself lying on grass and heard screams echo through the air. There were flashes of lights and footsteps but he didn't know what was happening. He heard something fall next to him but couldn't tell what it was.

And then he saw the cause of the disturbance. Silver white hair surrounding a face he hated. It was Draco Malfoy and he was attacking his friends. Harry mustered every ounce of energy he could. Even though it pained him terribly he reached down and grabbed his wand. His vision was starting to blur as he felt the comfortable pressure of wood in his grasp.

Looking up he saw a blur in front of him, but that blur had blond hair. This was his target. He pointed his wand and said the words he never thought were possible.

"Avada Kedavra"

There was a flash of light and a body dropped next him. He closed his eyes and welcomed death.