Embracing His True Self

Apologies for the continuous mistake of Rabastan's name – putting Rabastian instead – last time I make the father and son have similar names! Gah!

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Chapter 54

Harry swiftly made his way towards a different part of the dungeons, the one where prisoners were kept. He and Severus had given up on the potion for the moment, no matter what, he couldn't get the potion perfected. It worked, it gave you one shapeshift, you do retain your 'birth' look as well, but that was it. There was no other changes possible, and it wasn't because of the inability to do so, since the recipients of his potions were under the Imperius curse and were capable of it. The Imperius Curse was quite an ingenious piece of work, Harry had always been fascinated with it. You could do anything while under that curse, even if it would otherwise be impossible. Although he suspected Severus had an idea of some sort, judging by the odd look that appeared on his face when they were leaving, instead of discussing it he'd hurried out, just like he would have done. No point to discussing it, you're better to just do it, and if it worked…wonderful if not, there was no embarrassment to endure.

"Hello, Nymphadora Tonks, I've heard a lot about you," Harry said as he wandered into the main cell area, opening the empty cell nearby her and sitting inside, legs stretched out comfortably.

"Can't say the same about you," Tonks spat defensively, hair blood red, her face white despite her flushed cheeks due to her temporarily bout of anger.

Harry laughed, "That's amusing," evidently she didn't recognize him, which was good he supposed, it meant more freedom. Then again she didn't know him, not in the way Dumbledore had watched him closely over the years. He still might recognize him he supposed. Eyeing her perceptively, "My name is Harry James Potter-Black, I am the Lord of both the Potter and Black estates," and actually responsible for the girl sitting in that cell in more ways than one actually. As Lord of the Black estate, she was under his care, and he had claimed her to prevent her from being used as a bloody plaything for all the Death Eaters. Plaything of course, referring to them all cursing her when they were pissed off, being used a Dummy might have been a more appropriate name given what 'plaything' usually meant but these were Pureblood's not Muggles.

Tonks' breathing hitched, "No," she whispered, eyes bugging out in disbelief, shaking her head, it was impossible, this couldn't be Harry Potter, it just couldn't be. The entire Order had been searching for him since he'd left the school after a disagreement with Umbridge. Something Albus reassured her that had been blown well out of proportion, Umbridge had gone into hiding afterwards, in order to get out of being detained. There was still a warrant out for her arrest actually, but there had been absolutely zero sightings of her since. She obviously knew how to disappear, the consensus was that she had fled the country. "It can't be," left her lips most unwillingly, she refused to play their games, whatever they hoped to accomplish by this mind game, she would not surrender.

Harry just shifted his hair, showing off his lightening bolt scar, that he'd received the night his parents was killed and everyone knew about before they knew what he looked like. It had become a symbol of light and hope, all thanks to Dumbledore no doubt, who else could they have realistically got the information from? It was either Dumbledore or Hagrid but he reckoned it was Dumbledore. The old fool was a manipulative bastard.

Tonks paled, shock replacing her disbelief, "Why?" she croaked out, why would Harry Potter betray the light like that? Betray his parents? Betray Dumbledore and everyone in the magical world?

Harry snorted derisively, staring at her from the cell he'd wandered into. "You actually have the audacity to feel betrayed?" a fucking Auror that didn't know him had the daring to feel as though he had betrayed her? That just pissed him off to no end, it really, really did. Why did he stick his neck out for her again? He must be mad.

"You've betrayed everything you and your parents have stood for!" Tonks rasped out, there was no real indignation in her tone, still too shocked to really feel anything other than that primarily feeling.

"Tell me, Tonks, what do I stand for?" Harry asked dryly, "Since you know me so well, go ahead!" annoyance bubbling within him.

"You're Harry Potter," Tonks retorted but her voice was weak, "You're everyone's hope for a better future, you make people fight for that future,"

Harry closed his eyes, "No, Tonks, I might be everyone's false hope for a better future but I don't make them want to fight, they want to bury their heads in the sand and make me fight for them. Even you, an experienced Auror expects a sixteen-year-old to fight the good fight. Without giving me a reason for it, everyone gets to choose which side to be on its hardly my fault if everyone believes I have to be on the light side."

"Your parents would be rolling in their graves," Tonks said spitefully.

"Probably," Harry replied immediately, unbothered by her words, if he'd known them maybe it would have hurt but then again if he had been raised by them…he probably would never have come to this side. "I'd like to think they would like to see me survive my seventeenth birthday though, even if it meant joining a side they fought against. They loved me more than fighting a damn war in the end," only in the end though, by then it was too late. Then again perhaps it was fated that they die and he live the life he did, well, fate being the name Dumbledore he thought darkly.

"They died for the light side, for you, they wouldn't want to see you like this!" Tonks stated sharply, perhaps she could get herself and Harry out of here. "Your mum was a Muggle Born witch, something they despise,"

"Do you know why they dislike Muggle Borns?" Harry countered, "Do you even know the dark ideals before you joined the Order? And on that note, you're already on the front lines as an Auror…why risk your career and life by joining the Order…something you surely realize draws a massive target on your back and the likelihood of your death with a greater capacity?" her parents weren't Order members, so there was no reason other than manipulation. Had Dumbledore seduced her to the light side? Made her feel even more special? Persuaded her she'd be saving even more lives? Dumbledore was good at what he did after all.

Tonks remained stubbornly silent, she didn't want to know what the dark wizards wanted, they killed people, hurt people, they didn't deserve to live let alone brainwash people.

"I didn't think so," Harry said dryly, shuffling until he got yesterday's paper, and flung it into her cell, "The reports in the newspapers about Dumbledore by the way are true, all the information is out there if you look for it."

Tonks avoided looking at it, remaining stubbornly silent and unmoving, for all of five minutes before interest won out. Snatching the paper up from the floor beside her, she opened it up, the light in the room giving her the ability to see the title. When she did, she resolutely shook her head, there was no way Dumbledore would do something or plan something so unspeakable. The Dark side was just trying to get into everyone's heads, Albus Dumbledore had fought for the light for as long as he'd been alive basically, decades for Merlin's sake.

"Things are different now," Harry said quietly, staring at the opposite cell instead of her, "Goals have changed, haven't you noticed the lack of raids and death? I'm just sorry you'll never get to see the outcome."

Tonks shivered at that threat, closing her eyes in dread, swallowing the lump in her throat, she didn't want to die, but there was no way to avoid it. She was in the enemy hands now, nothing short of a miracle would save her. "Come back with me, nobody needs to know, I swear," Tonks said, begging him, having no reservations as fear truly set in, she didn't want to die.

"Why would I want to give up my freedom?" Harry asked rhetorically.

"This…this isn't freedom Harry, you've been…brainwashed," Tonks whispered, her frightened eyes meeting Harry's.

"That's impossible," Harry said, holding his hand up showing off his two Lord rings, which meant it was impossible for him to be controlled via a potion, and the Imperius curse did not work on him. She was just thinking the same thing everyone else would, they would never believe he had joined the dark side on his own accord, Dumbledore had well and truly done a number on the wizarding population. "As I've said things have changed."

It was Tonks turn to snort despite her worries and fears, even if part of her mind conceded his previous words, it was true, there had been no mass breakouts of Azkaban, no raids, no fighting, no mysterious disappearances. If she didn't fully trust Dumbledore she knew she would have doubted it, the Ministry definitely didn't fully trust him and thus refused to listen to his 'warmongering' as they called it.

"Dumbledore is wanted by the Ministry, when they get him they will use Veritaserum and he will be brought down, the truth will be revealed," Harry pointed out, and he and Voldemort had poured over a list of questions for the interrogator to ask – who happened to be a dark sympathiser but not a Death Eater – so that he would have no choice but to answer them the way they wished. It was quite ingenious really, thankfully there was only one interrogator so they didn't need to worry about more plans going askew.

"No, they will see he's innocent," Tonks stated.

"It's interesting how much you're defending him…I doubt his name was brought up overly much in your family, so you met him what for the first time when you were eleven? Did he watch over you with concerned blue eyes? Raise his goblet to you with twinkling eyes, make you feel special? Award you points for breaking the school rules? Defend you against anyone who would say anything?" Harry's questioned rolled off his tongue quickly, giving her a knowing look, "You do realize he did that to certain people every year? He had his favourites alright, each of them were Order members and extremely smart and powerful…most actually Gryffindors but who can deny the trophy of having a Metamorphamagus in their cupboard?" that's all they were, trophies.

Tonks' eyes widened, as her hair turned black, she didn't want to listen to this at all.

"James Potter, Lily Evans, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Bill Weasley, Nymphadora Tonks, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley, Ginny Weasley, see the pattern here?" Harry said thoughtfully, "He's worse to people he doesn't trust, treats them like shit, especially the Slytherins, he's supposed to be impartial as Headmaster but he's not, another rule broken." Tom Riddle, Severus Snape…and truthfully he should have been on the list if he had let it place him in Slytherin maybe he would have been straight from the start.

Her retort was weak, "Go away," which of course, she didn't really mean, she didn't want to be alone.

"Very well, I'll give you time to think things over," Harry stated, as he stood up and made his way out of the cells, closing the door as he did so. He'd go down tomorrow and discuss the finer points on what the Dark hoped to accomplish. He didn't want to kill her, but if he had to, he'd do so painlessly, unlike the others who were quite sadistic against those who fought them. He'd also tell her every single goal the dark side had, it seemed to him as if she was wilfully blind, refusing to see the dark were fighting for a cause too. If she deluded herself that the light was any better…then there might not be any hope of making her see reason. Why he wanted her to see reason was lost on him, she would die, there was no doubt about that. She was a threat, she'd made herself a target, silly woman that she was fighting without knowing why.

The light side killed too, using the righteous path in order to do so.

Flicking his hand, watching the time glow red in mid-air, blinking in surprise, well, it seemed as though he would have had to leave anyway, he had a meeting to attend.

"Hey," Harry said, blinking in surprise at the sight of the hulking mass that was Fenrir Greyback before a grin split his face in two. "Hey big bad,"

Fenrir chuffed, finding himself amused by the wizard, who again smelt of absolute zero fear being in the same room as the Dark Lord Voldemort and himself, a known feral and 'savage' werewolf. He might not be what the Ministry make him out to be, but he was no saint, he had killed to protect pack and he would do so again and again. He was an Alpha it was his responsibility after all. It's why they trusted him, they knew he'd go all out to protect them from the wizarding society that would see them all 'put down' like beasts or collared until they were nothing in magical society, lower than even goblins. "Potter," he grumbled, giving the wizard a head tilt, surprisingly the boy didn't get on his nerves or make him wish he could kill all wizards.

"I give you a nickname and you stick to my last name? How…disappointing," Harry used his best Severus voice, before grinning wickedly, he wasn't sure why he liked the big guy, but he did. Maybe it was the fact he'd never shown any awe and reverence his way when he noticed his scar. Perhaps it was because he had managed to garner Greyback's respect by just being himself.

Voldemort cleared his throat, impatience somehow coating it, annoyance, possessiveness and jealousy surging within him. Quite frankly it was insulting that Harry first noticed Fenrir. Yes, he was much taller and broader than anyone else on the Dark side, but he was definitely the most powerful. He should be the one Harry noticed at all times, and at his own thoughts his annoyance tripled, he couldn't believe he was getting all possessive over such an insignificant little thing. "Why were you in the dungeons?" he queried sharply.

Fenrir inhaled sharply, before sniffing again, thinking he had it wrong. Nope, he realized quite quickly that he didn't have it wrong at all. Eyeing both of them in equal parts fascination and amusement, the attraction he had scented months ago had grown on both their parts. Wizards were odd creatures, if he saw something he was attracted to he fucked them and got them out of his system. He wasn't looking for a life partner, he'd already lost one and had no desire to suffer through another.

"What worried I'll let her go?" Harry teased him, shrugging his shoulders indifferently, "I was just giving her the newspaper." Eyes gleaming, he wished he could see each of her reactions as she read it. Unfortunately, he'd only gotten to see her reaction to the headline before she refused to read anymore. Oh, he knew she'd read it eventually, she was too curious not to.

"You're up to something," Voldemort narrowed his maroon eyes, the cross between his original colour and the red had bled together, making him all that more attractive and unique.

"Maybe," Harry replied with a smug grin. "Nothing dangerous, I promise,"

Voldemort sighed in exasperation and rolled his eyes, why did he put up with him again?

"So…why am I here?" Harry questioned, as he casually sat down on one of the available seats. He hadn't known the werewolves had also come for the shut in.

"I would like to requisition your map," Voldemort ordered.

"So this is about Dumbledore," Harry deduced, rubbing his forehead, he supposed he should give it up, even though he didn't want to. He would always have the original though, which was better than any other that might come afterwards. "Ugh, fine, I suppose I can make a copy of it."

"Why that particular map?" Fenrir questioned in his usual grumbly voice.

"Accio Marauders map," Harry summoned it, ready to show him instead of revealing it, he wondered if Fenrir would be impressed with its ingenuity even if it was created by wizards. He did seem like someone who could appreciate anything well made, but he didn't know Fenrir all that well, he seemed more of a basic werewolf, one who appreciated what he had and didn't want more…or to better himself.

A few moments later, the map slapped itself into his hand, tapping his wand against it, he murmured the password quietly, aware that both the werewolf and wizard would hear him. once it was activated, Harry spread it out on Voldemort's desk, revealing the map in its entirety, along with every single person on the map. Minerva McGonagall was pacing her office, with a few unknown – to him anyway – wizards inside, Aurors maybe?

"This is the Marauders map, it shows everyone, what they're doing, every minute of every day," Harry explained, and he did wonder what Fred and George had made of the fact there was always someone called 'Peter Pettigrew' following their brother around. Even when they were next to the twins who could only see the golden 'trio' didn't they wonder who was sleeping in their brothers bed every night? It made Harry's skin crawl with revulsion, how different could things have been if Fred and George had reported right away? Before Sirius escaped Azkaban that was, Pettigrew might have ended up in Azkaban with Sirius freed. Given how much Sirius relied on Dumbledore…he didn't believe his life would have been all that different. Sirius was different now though, the knowledge that Dumbledore had known with one hundred percent certainty had ensured that. "It's never wrong,"

Fenrir stared at it impressed, nothing gave that away though, his amber eyes roaming over it, looking for 'Albus Dumbledore' but did not find him. His name was big enough – long enough too – that it shouldn't be too hard to pick out the disgusting old fart. An old scent caught his attention, the impudent cub made this piece of magic. "Remus was involved wasn't he?" a werewolf had aided in this creation, which made him feel a little more smug and superior.

"He was the smartest of the four, so I'd say he was the primary creator with my dad," Harry explained, "They all became Animagi to help him through the full moon."

"They became his pack," Fenrir grumbled, he supposed he should be grateful the cub hadn't been alone, although if he had, there would have been a chance of him swaying the boy into his pack.

"Yes, Prongs was my dad, a stag, Padfoot is my godfather, Sirius Black, you know Wormtail, and of course, Moony was Remus," Harry explained, showing the front of the map where their names were. "The second Dumbledore steps foot in Hogwarts we will know,"

"And we will act," Voldemort stated firmly.

"We? You're not leaving him to the Aurors?" Harry asked slightly surprised.

"He is too canny to be allowed to live," Voldemort declared. He wanted the old fool dead so he couldn't mess up any other plans.

"Yes, that's true, but if he dies before the world finds out…you'll have people joining the Order in his name…make him more of a bloody martyr than ever." Harry pointed out, brow furrowed. "Don't do it, once you take over kill him in Azkaban for all I care…the only problem is Fawkes, is there any spells you know of to contain a phoenix?" although the thought of doing such a thing was abhorrent really. It would just be until Dumbledore was dead, then they could get it go.

Fenrir's eyes widened when he saw that Voldemort was actually contemplating everything the teenager was saying. It was damn near impossible to get Voldemort to change his mind after it was made up. He had to work extremely hard to get through to him, since nobody else would, too afraid of angering their 'Lord' to dare go against him. Yet, here he was, standing before a sight he'd never imagined, Voldemort actually listened to Harry Potter. The logic was sound, so perhaps that's why, either way, even towards the end of the last war, Voldemort had refused to listen to reason, even from him.

"That is a reasonable conclusion," Voldemort conceded, but the thought of leaving Dumbledore alive turned his stomach, even if it was only until he took over. "There are a few spells that can force a bond on a Phoenix but I have not read one where it can be contained. Out of all books, I do believe the Black library might hold the answer to the question you seek."

"Force a bond?" Harry repeated, his lips twitching, "Hmm, I wonder if he has…there's no way a light creature could possibly be fooled like wizards when it comes to instinct."

"You wish to imply that he has forced a bond on Fawkes," Voldemort said dryly, honestly, he was beginning to think the boy was more vindictive than him. It appeared he wasn't going to be content until he had completely ruined the old man, and left him with nothing to his name except his name. He did have a point, if Dumbledore died now then perhaps it would cause more rebellions and that was something he wanted to avoid if possible.

"For all we know it might not be 'Implied'," Harry said gleefully, "If we want to do this I need to leave," already dying to get over to Grimmauld Place to get the books that he'd need to find out. Either way, Fawkes wouldn't be coming to his aid again, Dumbledore wasn't just a danger to Voldemort but him too, especially since he had found out about his allegiance, if he had of course, he had no proof that Dumbledore knew.

"The shut down has effectively been lifted," Voldemort stated, somewhat grudgingly, he wanted to see if Harry would continue wearing wizard attires. Or if it had just been a coincidence, he could keep everyone here a day or so longer to see what would occur. Idle curiosity, it didn't effect what he knew must occur, if Dumbledore was to live, then the bird must be contained as Harry said. "You, however, must return immediately upon retrieving the books," he demanded of Harry.

"I'll take Barty with me," Harry replied immediately.

Fenrir choked almost silently, at the scent of jealousy and anger that wafted from Voldemort at that pronouncement. Damn, the boy had better watch otherwise he'd be the death of Barty without even realizing it. He'd experienced more possessiveness and jealousy from Voldemort today than he ever had before. The anger wasn't new though, he was almost always angry for one reason or another, well except of late, but all his plans were going smoothly so he had no reason to get angry.

"Very well," Voldemort stated crossly, it seemed he might have to keep an eye on both of them, they were getting much too close for his liking.

"I am to assume I am no longer needed?" Fenrir questioned, his arms crossed, revealing none of his amusement. He had been originally called here to deal with Dumbledore should he get out of Hogwarts. Hunt him down, bring him to Voldemort so that he could deal with him. Something he could do when no other Death Eater could, locations could be hidden with spells, but the scent always remained. What he'd intended to do if the Aurors got him he didn't know, nor did he know what he would have done if he'd escaped completely using Fawkes once more. You could tell how new the plan had been, Voldemort usually had more than just one backup in play.

"Yes, you will still keep an eye on the area, ensure that he gets captured, by any means necessary except killing the old fool," Voldemort stated, already coming up with alternative plans, although truthfully they weren't all that alternative really. His assassin would not be needed, since Dumbledore wouldn't be killed, he had no need for him to enter the Ministry undetected to get the fool and bring him here. "Do not allow yourself to be seen or captured," he ordered, he would be very displeased if he had to get Fenrir out of the Ministry – and he would do it too – which would cause questions he didn't want raised. Fenrir was much like Rabastian, a good friend, although Fenrir unlike Rabastian wouldn't disagree with him.

"I won't," Fenrir said in agreement a feral smirk on his face. He'd kill any wizard or witch who got in his way, he refused to give up his freedom not without a fight. It would be a fight he would win, wizards rely too heavily upon their magic, and wands to dare to dream they could fight him and win. "I'll take Kas and Steven with me," two of his most loyal and big brutes like him too, never once lost a fight. It would ensure that they could keep Dumbledore on his toes without killing him. the last thing he needed was Dumbledore's dead body being found with obvious werewolf wounds, it would ensure they'd be hunted to extinction.

Not what he wanted at all.

"Good, Lucius is already aware, and will be ready," Voldemort stated, he was already at the Ministry in position to whisper more into Fudge's ear.

"Is that why there are Aurors at Hogwarts?" Harry asked in idle curiosity.

Fenrir did a double take when he saw Harry's snake peek out to look at the map as well as if the thing could understand. Hissing something at the boy, he expected Voldemort to reply, not the boy. Then of course, he remembered the fact the boy was a Parselmouth. It was little wonder he was gifted with a snake, Voldemort would see it as a right of passage of sorts, for a Parselmouth to have a snake.

"Where?" Voldemort asked, glancing at the map intently.

"McGonagall's office," Harry swiftly pointed it out.

"They…are not Aurors," Voldemort stated astutely, "Nor Order members unless they've very new," which regretfully, he had nobody to confirm that suspicion or deny due to the fact he no longer had a spy in Dumbledore's ranks.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Dumbledore managed to get a few people onside," Harry said thoughtfully, "I can't see McGonagall going along with though." Unless, she was buying the lies, after blatantly seeing the truth in Dumbledore's reaction. It was possible she could be sticking her head in the sand, not wishing to acknowledge Dumbledore was bad. He wasn't evil, and probably didn't consider himself bad, he just let others dirty their hands so he could keep his clean. Its always been the way Dumbledore seemingly operated.

"Their names aren't known to me," Voldemort admitted, staring at the names written on the map with aggravation. "Mudbloods," he muttered mostly to himself.

Harry rolled his eyes, at least he wasn't saying it with repugnance, merely stating it as fact. "Might I remind you that a so called 'Mudblood' got the better of the big bad Voldemort," Harry said, it was more of a light teasing with a small reprimand to remind Voldemort that his prejudice was stupid.

Fenrir stiffened completely at the utterance of those words, damn the boy truly had no fear of speaking his mind. Even he would never have spoken those words out loud. Then again, he was from a pureblood family, the last of that family in fact. His 'parents' had abandoned him when he was bitten, and they had conveniently 'died' young, he had made sure of that. He'd done nothing to his sister though, but regretfully – and he was sincere when he said those thoughts – she had died during childbirth, along with her young son, who he later learned to name the child after him. Now that had been a kick in the gut and another regret to live with.

"Pure luck," Voldemort sniffed in disgust.

"You need to stop underestimating them," Harry said still grinning, shaking his head in amusement. "Us," he added as an afterthought, he might not be a 'Mudblood' but he certainly didn't consider himself a pureblood and to any pureblood someone lesser was less important.

"You aren't a Mudblood, in fact you're actually considered a Pureblood," Voldemort informed him imperiously, "Especially now you have two pureblood names attached to your person."

"Meh," Harry waved off the comment, he didn't care about blood status, he never had.

Fenrir himself rolled his eyes along with Voldemort at the indifference Harry displayed about his blood status. He didn't consider himself a 'pureblood wizard' but rather a 'pureblood Alpha werewolf' he hated most wizards. He had a few exceptions and they were sitting in this very room. He couldn't even stand the majority of the Death Eaters, they were terrified of him, it was pathetic, they were pathetic.

Sure there was one of two exceptions in the ranks but even they got on his nerves. Thinking they were better than him just because they weren't werewolves.

"I'll go and get the information we need," Harry stated, in other words he was going to Grimmauld place with Barty to find out if there was a way to contain a Phoenix so Dumbledore couldn't use the damn bird to get away. "I'll be back within half an hour,"

"I'll be keeping that," Voldemort stated before Harry could reclaim the Marauders map.

"If anything happens to that I'll shove my wand so far up your backside I'll see a Lumos every single time you speak!" Harry warned Voldemort seriously. It was the original Voldemort had in his hands there after all, not a copy.

Voldemort just stared at Harry with an odd look on his face. Wrong orifice, wrong body, wrong wand so to speak, right idea the depraved part of Voldemort thought, too stunned to feel appropriately vexed by Harry's remarks.

"Let me know when I have to leave," Fenrir commented, sounding slightly strangled, as he lumbered from the room, his shoulders shaking.

Harry embarrassingly enough jumped when he heard Fenrir Greyback roar with laughter suddenly as he wandered down the hallway. Harry could practically see Fenrir's entire body shaking with the merriment in his mind's eye. His jaw hanging open he stared at Voldemort in confusion. What the hell had tickled Fenrir to make him laugh like that?

The Death Eaters in the vicinity parted like the red sea.

Never in all their time in the Dark Lord's service had they seen Greyback amused let alone full out belly laughing. So, damn right they were parting ways to avoid the werewolf.

Inevitably Harry shrugged his shoulders before he wandered out of the office, with a parting, "Keep it safe," the map and cloak were the only things he had in this world that belonged to his parents. He would be beyond pissed if anything happened to either, sure he didn't have any feelings other than an abstract sort of love for them, but it didn't mean he was cold and unfeeling towards them.

If Harry was being honest, this place also needed a similar map, he was tempted to test his skills to see if he could recreate it. Unfortunately, he wasn't going to be able to, he had too much going as it was, added with the constant interruptions…he felt as though he wouldn't get anything done. That and his recent project just seems to keep failing no matter what he did, it seemed impossible. Fortunately this time, Harry knew where Barty planned on being, whether he was their or not remained to be seen.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake," Harry grumbled in exasperation when he glimpsed familiar blonde hair from the corner of his eye as he ran towards the library. He was tempted to tell Voldemort and let him deal with it, see how Draco coped with Voldemort's attention on him, bad attention. He'd tell Severus first, he kind of owed him that, since he knew Severus was Draco's godfather, and he respected Severus a lot. A lot more now than he ever had when the wizard was his Professor.

Skidding to a halt outside the library, he peeked inside to see Barty sitting with Rabastian, Rabastan and Rodolphus Lestrange. Those two boys were weird, Harry knew it all came down to the damage caused by Azkaban. One day they look at him with respect the next there's caution and worry, and the next time there's suspicion and mild dislike. It's like get your thoughts straight already, regretfully he suspected they'd continue to be that way for a while longer. Either that or they'd always been that way, Bellatrix certainly was unstable, she could have turned the boys that way.

"Hey, Barty, I'm heading to the Black library, you coming?" Harry called from the doorway, staring inquisitively at the wizard, waiting expectantly for an answer.

"We're on lockdown," Rabastan pointed out, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Is something going on?"

"Yeah," Harry nodded seriously, "Lockdown will probably be announced as over soon enough, you coming?"

"May I accompany you both?" Rabastan asked, eager to get out, even if it was only for a trip to the Black library.

"Sure," Harry said with a shrug, he didn't mind them coming.

"You sure Dumbledore doesn't have the place watched?" Rodolphus asked suspiciously, not wishing for his brother to go if that was the case.

"Fidelius charm, can't remember it, and I've been there dozens of times and been fine…now you've probably gone and cursed me," Harry said wryly, with a smirk, that was what usually happened.

Barty laughed quietly as he shook his head, especially at the perplexed looks on the Lestranges' faces, they just didn't know Harry's character like he did.

"Then I'm coming as well," Rodolphus stated, refusing to let his brother go alone.

"Wow, you really don't trust me do you?" Harry said surprise flashing through his green eyes, he'd thought they were at least beginning to believe he was not here spying. "Do you think so little of Voldemort that you think he'd be duped by an idiot who by the way didn't have a single mind shield available when I first got here?" ignoring the flinches of the three Lestranges, at least Barty no longer flinched when he used Voldemort's name.

"Do you honestly think I would have helped you if I didn't trust you?" Rodolphus retorted, annoyed that Harry was assuming he thought so little of the Dark Lord and insulting him by using his name.

"When it comes to you…I honestly have no idea, you're night and day, I can't figure you out at all," Harry replied blandly.

"The world doesn't revolve around you," Rodolphus sneered, uncomfortable by the fact Harry was able to read him so well.

Harry sighed, "I'm leaving, you can come or not, it's entirely up to you," not in the mood to get into a debate, plus he had only a while before he had to get the hell back as per Voldemort's orders.

"You know…if you want anything to do with Luna you're going to have to stop that," Rabastan explained to his brother, "From all reports they're good friends, she won't stand for you insulting one of the few she has."

"She would make a good match," Rabastian explained, at least she seemed to be, and if his son wanted her…he'd agree even if only because he had screwed up so badly in the past with Bellatrix. "You must have care however, because Bellatrix will not be happy." And that was putting it lightly.

"True that, and if anything happens to Luna…" Barty paused, whistling lowly, "I wouldn't want to be you," Harry was downright vicious, he had seen him duelling the Dark Lord, the Lestrange's had seen one of their milder duels, so they hadn't seen how bloody they could get. Standing up he shrunk the book into his pocket, to read later, he wanted to help, and if it helped them all out he was all for it.

Sauntering away from the table, he threw back, "You coming? He will leave without us," and with that he smirked as he heard the twin scrapes of the chairs as Rabastan and Rodolphus vacated their seats, with murmured goodbye's to their father. The potions they'd taken earlier will probably wear off pretty quickly.

Rodolphus and Rabastan accepted the pieces of paper they were handed, and as soon as they read the last word the paper went up in flames. The fire didn't so much as singe or burn their hands as it did so, but the paper was reduced to ash before being scattered into the wind. Harry didn't wait around and say another word, instead he apparated away, Barty quickly followed so the brothers were quick to join.

The brother also noticed Draco watching them from afar, and made a mental note to speak to Lucius about his fool of a son.

The four of them found themselves on the street of Grimmauld Place, number twelve slowly materialised in front of Rabastan and Rodolphus.

"It's been…decades since I was here last," Rodolphus admitted a little wistfulness entering his tone.

"Regulus?" Harry queried, smirking a little at the surprise on his face, Rodolphus glanced at Barty quickly, presumably suspecting he had said something. He didn't need to look to know Barty was shaking his head with his own amusement displayed. They wouldn't miss him if they knew what he had done, or grieve for him. He had betrayed the dark side after all, but all that's well ends well.

"Yes," Rodolphus admitted, finding no shame in that. They were like brothers, branding together for a common cause. He'd save Rabastan's life before any of the others of course, but that was a given.

A sudden pop of someone Apparating had everyone drawing their wands, only for all of them to be stupefied by the fact it was Luna Lovegood.

"Luna…what…" Harry said bewildered, why the hell was she here? Had something happened to the Longbottoms?

"Dumbledore is coming with Order members, get out of here, now!" Luna demanded, running towards them, a concerned look on her face, evidently the outcome was not a good one for them. "Move!" she added with a yell of frustration as she reached them, glancing over Harry's shoulder with a knowing look in her eye.

Yep that's how I decided to have Luna come into it...so much for the year later thing :P Will Dumbledore finally glimpse Harry and the side he's on? Or will the first time he truly realize be when Harry and Voldemort 'visit' Dumbledore in Azkaban? Will it be Tonks or Luna that Bellatrix unleashes hell upon and gets her ass handed to her by Harry? Will this be the event that leads to the Death Eaters respecting AND fearing him? Read and Review please!