Embracing His True Self
Chapter 112
"What in Merlin's blue balls is happening?" Draco shouted out in fear, diving to the ground as the entire castle shuddered and groaned as if under immense pressure. Eyes alight with terror that followed hearing screaming and panic coming from presumably everyone in the castle. The smashing of the tableware incredibly loud, and Draco felt a piece of fine China nick his ear. The tumbling of more cutlery came after, as the food danced off the benches with the violence of the shaking. The feel of the magic washing over Draco made him petrified. It trickled his mind, Draco unconsciously realized he was familiar with the magic, but was too terrified to do anything.
Pansy and Gregory were down on the floor as well, Gregory half way over Draco's legs, protectively. Other than the incredibly shaking, and the immense magic, there was nothing to denote any type of attack. Pansy was all but clinging to Draco in fear for her life. Keeping her wand in her right hand, everyone else was crouched defensively.
"Wait, isn't that…" Rabastan trailed off before he could finish his speculation.
"Harry's magic, yes," Severus answered, appearing at the doorway, nary a single hair out of place. You wouldn't think that it was currently still ongoing either, with Severus' ability to keep his composure regardless of circumstances. He smirked at the envious glances that came his way, everyone else was crouched against the wall.
"Potter…I should have known…" Draco said hotly before trailing off when his father gave him a look filled with such judgemental disgust. His pale cheeks flushed red in embarrassment, he didn't mean it, it just slipped out. He was doing far better than he used to. What did they expect? He and Potter used to be on the same level, he couldn't change over four years' worth of habits in considerably less time.
"He's getting better," Narcissa told her husband soothingly, but her own disappointment was like being stuck with a dozen knives. She was very grateful that Lord Consort Potter wasn't around to see her son's disgraceful behaviour. It was as if being around Potter caused him to short circuit and become increasingly juvenile.
"Have you ever felt it that way?" Barty asked, in wide eyed wonder, "Hell it wasn't as stifling as this when he took Bellatrix's magic." Staring at Severus before glancing at his food with a moue of disappointment, nothing had survived, not that they were going to be eating any time soon.
A collective round of shudders poured out of everyone as they recalled that scene, which if they were honest, gave them nightmares. It just reinforced their determination that they would not antagonise their Lord's Consort. For the thought of losing their magic? Was beyond terrifying.
"If his magic doesn't stop soon…the bloody castle is going to crumble!" Pansy shrieked, as a little bit of dust landed on her. Squealing in shock when the chair fell over with a resounding bang shuffling increasingly closer to Draco seeking comfort and protection.
"Do calm down Miss Parkinson." Severus said dryly, ignoring the incredulous look he gained from the witch.
"We're under attack!" Pansy screeched, "We need to get out not calm down!"
"Are we?" Draco squeaked out.
Lucius pinched the bridge of his nose, "Thank Merlin it's not my son, it's a generational thing," he said standing, almost falling due to the shaking, but succeeding in keeping himself falling over, gravity couldn't get him to fall down like the Dark Lord's mere presence. He squatted a bit, looking very un-Malfoy-like, but it was better than falling, that he wouldn't live down.
"Father!" Draco uttered mortified by his father's statement, going tomato red. Luckily his friends and classmates knew better than to talk back, so he didn't need to listen to their words.
A pop just after Draco's mortified utterance had everyone's attention, they raised their wand, but luckily, they recognized the sound of the voice. The Dark Lord had appeared before them, the only one capable of getting around his own protections and wards. "Severus…where has he gone?" knowing without a doubt that his bonded was here. He didn't need to the bond to know that, he didn't need the damn wards telling him he was either.
This was Harry's home. He loved it here, the only other place he loved was Hogwarts and that was painfully marred.
"Don't worry he's fine," Luna said as she entered the room, with her husband shadowing her as he so often did. "But there is one last battle to be had."
Naturally Voldemort focused on that, "Do you know when and where?" giving her far more respect than any Death Eater had managed to garner from the Dark Lord. He would be incredibly foolish not to give a seer his full consideration, more so given how much she had helped them in the past. She had saved Harry, stopped him from having to give Harry that potion to bring him back only to lose him. To go through what Harry had with Grindelwald. They were strangers, the two, but used similarly and Harry had felt a kinship with Grindelwald.
He would change the history, make the truth known, and wipe Dumbledore's presence from history with only a footnote. He vowed this would be the case, anything less would not do.
Severus moved silently over, watching Luna as well, concern brewing within him. He glanced to the side to see Lucius had moved beside him. The shaking was no longer so strong, but the floor beneath their feet was still vibrating, as angry clashes of Harry's pure unfiltered magic washed over them. "Who is left?" they'd all but destroyed the Order, a few were still alive, they were all the elder Weasleys who were more inclined to leave war behind and become the family orientated wizards people knew before the wards that killed off their members.
"Good question," Barty muttered, dusting himself off and joining them standing up, barely giving the teenagers a glance.
"Doge family?" Marcus Flint pondered.
"Possibly quite a few of the Diggle's," Graham suggested, "Dumbledore's hardcore followers who will see this through to the bitter end."
"Or just people that Weasley convinced over the radio," Severus sneered in disgust, the wizarding world wasn't known for its logic sometimes, and he honestly wondered at their intelligence too. Believing in one person despite evidence to the contrary and willing to die for belief's spoon-fed to them all their lives.
"Trash seeing itself out," quipped another of the younger generation, Higgs.
"Do not underestimate the enemy." Severus retorted, glaring in warning at his former student. He knew Terrance was rather intelligent, but being a pureblood, they very frequently underestimated the threat Muggles could pose to them, or Muggle-loving wizards and witches. "People fighting for a cause are the most zealous and dangerous."
Another shudder shook the entire manor and Lucius grunted, as he was propelled into the wall, grimacing at the pain it caused his shoulder. He did not otherwise, react in any other manner. Instead, he turned to the Dark Lord, seeking answers, "My Lord…who is attacking?" Lucius asked, aware that the Dark Lord had full control over the wards, he didn't seem to be worried. Unobtrusively trying to move the ache from his shoulder by rolling it in a circular motion.
"Nobody," Voldemort informed Lucius coolly, turning back to Luna, "Do you have a proximation of when?" that was the most urgent thing right at this moment.
Luna's eyes glazed a little, giving her that permanently surprised look she was so mocked and derided for. Draco watched her in envy, another person with far more respect than himself. She wasn't even a Death Eater, hadn't sworn herself to the Dark Lord. Yet the Dark Lord was actually asking, not demanding, there was no doubt she'd be sat further up than him in the hierarchy. It wasn't fair.
"Two days, they're going to invade the Ministry," Luna said, the surprised look was because she was genuinely surprised.
"Is it night or day?" Voldemort asked speculatively, unmoved by another shudder which had most of his followers momentarily disorientated. Inwardly wondering if his estate would be in one piece once Harry was through. He honestly hadn't heard, felt or seen Harry this angry before. It was arousing to say the least, the feelings rushing through the bond.
"Day," she informed him.
Voldemort startled in surprise, for some reason he'd expected her to tell him in the evening. Nobody attacked the Ministry in broad daylight. Even he didn't have the audacity, he would have waited until night-time. Where the guards were lowered and lesser numbers in the Ministry before attacking. He pursed his lips, the urge to rip into the leader of this last rebellion was strong. His lip curled nonetheless, thinking on the foolishness, they wouldn't get away with the attack, let alone actually succeed getting near him.
Especially not now.
Forewarned if forearmed.
He had a tactical advantage that nobody could see coming, especially considering only a few people (more now) knew of Luna Lovegood's status as a seer. "Barty, Rodolphus, Rabastan, Severus plan out a meticulous counter attack, neither Harry or I are to be disturbed for the rest of the day. Is that understood?"
Draco felt extremely offended on his father's behalf, and glanced at him to see his reaction. Nothing, there wasn't a single sign of displeasure or unhappiness at the Dark Lord's decision. Further crying out left the lips of the battle-hardened Death Eaters, as another wave of magic shot through the air.
Draco bit his tongue savagely enough to taste copper, the urge to tell someone to 'get control of that idiot, Potter' was so strong. He had some self-preservation and knew better than to utter such words, especially in the Dark Lord's company. He would not tolerate anything negative being said about his Lord Consort. Which also made his stomach churn knowing he was having to answer to Potter. It wasn't fair, Potter always got everything. He didn't care what his parents said, or did, he was entitled to his thoughts, and it wasn't about to say anything either.
"My Lord," the murmured in sync and inclined their heads, agreeing to the orders without bowing and scraping noted a few of the younger recruits (who had yet to be marked) who were cowering in the corner of the room terrified. They weren't making a very good impression on the Dark Lord, and judging by the malevolent glare they received from the red eyed wizard they knew it.
They cringed and glanced away; their gulps so noticeable to be pathetic.
Voldemort felt smug, though, grateful he still had the ability to scare the hell out of his followers when needed.
"Shall we go to the library? Or upper study?" Rodolphus asked, staring at the group he would be sharing this mission with. Rubbing his hands gleefully, before loping Luna's hand in his. He hadn't had a chance to really fight, this was definitely going to prove to be fun.
Luna glanced at her husband, "No need so sound too excited," blue eyes gleaming in amusement, showcasing that she didn't mean it in a bad way. "Honestly, I think you'd love taking to the duelling circuit." It would most definitely give Rodolphus the high he was looking for without it being destructive. She grinned at Rabastan and winked; he just shook his head in amusement. He wasn't quite able to do the 'Luna speak' the way Harry and Rodolphus could…but if he didn't know any better he'd say she knew what was going to come of her words.
Rodolphus did gain a thoughtful look following Luna's gentle teasing.
"Does anyone know what happened during the trial?" Severus asked the room in general soon after the Dark Lord disappeared. "I've never seen Harry lose control like that." He added, he knew each instance of accidental magic that Harry had gone through, although calling it accidental magic was debatable. Really, it was more along the lines of losing control of his emotions, not magic. For Harry both were closely intertwined, having suppressed his emotions during his childhood, it was natural for it to be inclined more forcefully.
This long though? It was worrisome.
Then suddenly the immense magical display doubled, and this time even the strongest of Death Eaters were petrified that they'd be buried in Slytherin castle. To be found amongst the ruins, the breathtakingly mesmerising feeling of an obscene amount of magic, the Dark Lord and his consorts, combining, powerful, connected, arousing.
Then it ceased.
"Thank Merlin for that!" Pansy proclaimed.
"Do you think it's over?" Theodore said, slowly rising to his feet, the entire ground was covered in dust and broken plates, cutlery, and gross looking food now. "This is so gross!" grimacing the entire way to the door was covered in it.
"Thank Merlin we won't need to clean it," Marcus replied, shifting slightly to conceal the problem that the combining magic had caused. Merlin, not even that day – which was clearly burned into his mind – he could see that the others were just as affected.
Nobody would confess to it.
Why should it surprise anyone? They were Slytherin's their desire for power was their primary desire.
Voldemort knew how powerful Harry was, he hid it well, a little too well in fact. It had taken a magnificent feat to truly make his followers consider Harry their superior. Removing Bellatrix's magic, it's got a cruelty that even he wasn't capable of. The person you're removing the magic from surely would have preferred death, but no. He liked to think nobody would have dared attack him, but it didn't mean they respected him. He supposed it was bound to happen with him being so young.
"Harry?" he asked his bonded cautiously, as he approached carefully. The magic lashing off of him was quite immense, in fact, he hadn't seen such power before, not even when he was using it against Bellatrix.
"Stay back!" Harry demanded; hand raised up fingers spread out as if he could physically keep his bonded back.
"Calm your magic down, before our wards are broken and the castle destroyed," Voldemort demanded right back, stepping towards him. He wasn't just very powerful, but he was also extremely intelligent, he had replayed what had happened in that courtroom numerous times. He knew what had happened and why Harry had chosen to leave. He was cautious but ready should any of those impulses bear danger to him or anyone. He wouldn't hurt Harry; he could no more hurt his bonded than he could hurt himself.
"I've said stay back!" Harry hissed, speaking in furious parseltongue, sounding more like the Dark Lord usually did while speaking the language.
"Do you believe you can hurt me?" Voldemort hissed back, knowing that yes, he likely could, if they fought for real, but he rather hoped they weren't about to.
Harry glared at him, his own impetuous and stubbornness showing through. The one that refused to bow to him, the one so unafraid of death that his indifference was called 'bravery'. "Don't. Come. Any. Closer." He said through gritted teeth at his stubborn partner.
Voldemort smirked, and stepped closer, coaxing his own magic around Harry's, showing the world the powerhouse, they were. He saw rather than felt Harry whimper the arousal exploding in Harry's veins, since he wasn't really attracted to power it was a low-grade arousal, primarily felt through his side of the bond. "Do you think you're so weak as to cave to a pathetic compulsion charm put on you when you were eleven or twelve?" he sneered at the prospect, he hadn't bonded to someone so feeble and weak.
"No, no you're not that pathetic little boy knew to magic anymore," Voldemort continued as he advanced on the wizard. "You have grown into one of the most powerful wizards the magical world has ever seen." Only confirming what Harry already knew…but rarely thought about, Harry was humble in a way that he was not.
Harry stood there staring impassively at Tom, not quite easily reassured but nonetheless feeling much better at Tom's confidence.
"The boy who at fourteen, could fight off me, the most powerful wizard in the world?" Voldemort's smugness oozed out of him. "Give me a break, don't let old doubts ingrain itself into your mind." standing toe to toe with Harry now, and it was as if the distance being closed and the urge not being present allowed Harry to calm down.
For the first time since the storm of magic raged, a calm peacefulness began to descend upon them. Luckily for them, the wards were still fully intact.
A/n – There we go, now I'll give you more Tom/Harry before the battle then the time jump, what would you like to see them do for the last piece of togetherness you'll see for this story, in the manor? Go to the seaside after all Harry's never been…Dinner with everyone at the manor with them acting more tactical? I don't want to write Voldemort out of character…so no outrageous requests for their outings lol 😉 Hmm or will we have Voldemort taking him abroad? To eat atop of the tower in Paris? 😉 or colosseum? Or perhaps somewhere made up and entirely magic? R&R please and thank you all for sticking with me even when the muses were at a loss of where to go, I do hope you've enjoyed the journey even if there is no massive battle at the end (with one triumphing) over the other.