Disclaimer: I alas do not own Harry Potter I wish I did but I don't all I own is this computer I'm working on and a fell other items in this room of mine.
A/N: DON'T KILL ME! (Hide behind a large rock.) this is the last chapter for this fic people and fair warning I want be posting until February and even then I want be starting part two of this fic but part two of Dark Allies and I hope many of you decide to remain with me for that fic and continue to give your opining of my work.
Until then enjoy this last chapter and do let me know what you think of the whole story as I do enjoy hearing what others think.
Chapter 21: Trains and Boats.
/ Telepathic /
21 June 1997 10:00 AM A.D
Time could do many strange things but one thing it would not do was stop. It marched inexorably onward, indefatigable and with it's measured beat the preparations for the journey to seek the Ice Cliff City progressed. The day finally arrived where Harry and his team would leave England and catch a boat to Norway and to the city of Oslo. Their travel arrangements required that on arrival in Oslo they would arrange transportation to the far north of Norway and from there they would seek the city lost in antiquity.
The first section of their journey called for a train ride and Harry settled into his compartment gently drawing Tonks to sit on his lap and together the watched the countryside rolling past them. Tonks was now starting to show she was with child even with the loose robes but word of her pregnancy had been kept quiet and only those already in the know could see she was pregnant. As a precaution for their trip Harry had worked a few carefully devised runes of concealment and deception to turn the eye away from the gentle swelling of her body. Tonks was quite happy to settle on his lap and spend some time watching the scenery flash past and play with a few stances of his hair.
Seated across from them in the carriage was Ron, Mrs. Weasley and Ginny, all sharing the seat while Silvenestri and Hermione were seated on the same seat as he and Tonks. Mrs. Weasley was concentrating on directing her knitting needles to follow the pattern while Ron stared out of the window and Ginny seemed to be napping. Minerva and Hagrid were elsewhere on the train keeping an attentive eye on all of the other students who were heading home for the summer holidays.
The click clack of the knitting needles blended comfortingly with the swaying of the carriage and the rhythmic rumbling of the wheels over the tracks. It was a quiet and peaceful moment that felt oddly homey to Harry and he nuzzled Tonks' hair thinking of their arrival in London.
Mr. and Mrs. Granger would meet them at Kings Cross Station with the cars to take them to the docks to board the ship. In the morning the ship would sail for Oslo and Harry knew that Hermione's parents were delighted to have the chance to be with their daughter and their friends and take the cruise to Oslo and beyond. Hermione had delighted in their letters exchanged while travel arrangements were finalized.
Tonks was looking down at her belly and sighed at the lingering queasiness of morning sickness. "Harry, I'm glad I'm having a child and all that but I really have to wonder why I have to put up with all the trouble that goes with it?" She sighed looking at Harry while everyone else in the carriage chuckled.
Harry sighed. Tonks had said that rather a lot lately and he almost wished he was some kind of God to make her feel better even for a few minutes. Some of the students might consider him to be some sort of divine being going up against Voldemort as he had for the past few years but he knew how far from being God like he was. Still, it would have been nice to help Tonks feel better at the flick of a wrist. It would at least have given him some peace from listening to the continued complaint about the changes taking place to her body.
"I don't know why but if you like the next time I see Mother Nature I'll take her to task and ask her why the female of the species carries the baby…ouch!" He jumped and rubbed at his head where Tonks had quite neatly backhanded him to the laughter of the other carriage occupants. "What was that for?" He stared wide eyed at Tonks still sitting in his lap.
"That was for being such a smart ass." Tonks sniffed at him, slipped off his knee and went to the carriage door, looking back at Harry and stuck her tongue out at him. "Since you are my smart ass, and a damn sexy one at that I suppose I'll have to forgive you." With a flick of her hair she slipped out of the carriage and made her way to the bathroom.
Harry grinned evilly and blew her back a kiss. Mrs. Weasley shook her head slowly, watching the byplay with obvious enjoyment and knowing Harry would be thinking up ways to even the score for that clip around the ears Tonks had given him.
Molly looked at Harry with a small smile of sympathy "If it makes you fell any better, dear, I was twice as hard on Arthur while I was pregnant with any of the kids. The one who was really hard on the father though was your mother. She was just impossible to deal with and ran James ragged."
"Mum!" Ron looked shocked and Ginny was staring at her mother with wide eyes. Both looked scandalized.
"Well, you don't think we have to bare the discomfort of hyperactive hormones in silence do you? If we suffer its only fair and just to make the other half cringe a bit." Molly beamed at her children. "You remember that in the future Ginny."
Harry smiled at her. "Well then, let's hope that Tonks and I stop having kids before we reach seven. I'm not sure if I can survive that many." He grinned at the thought of a half dozen little versions of himself and Tonks running around the place. 'Not bad images but if we have boys could I convince Silvenestri to mate with that many lesser dragon?' he thought to himself careful not to allow the thought to leak to Silvenestri.
"I heard that Harry! You are not having any more that three children if I have anything to say about it." Tonks slid the door shut behind her, her hair now a light red in colour and her eyes reflecting her natural grey with flecks of Harry's green.
Harry smiled. "I can live with that but can you?" He looked Tonks up and down appreciating her new look. "Are you trying to find out what she's going to look like before her morphing powers kick in?" He asked with a cautious smile. He was learning to be wary of sudden mood shifts.
"Yes, I am. Just think Harry, if they are all girls they can gang up on their father and make sure he doesn't get their poor mother pregnant again." Tonks smirked then settled back down in Harry's lap her fingers immediately playing with his hair. She hoped that if the baby was a boy he would have his father's hair.
Harry gasped in mock despair. "Well all I can do is hope for a boy. After all I will need someone to scold who can't make with the puppy dog eyes at will."
Ron choked back a chuckle and turned to watch the countryside out of the window, Silvenestri grinned and settled for a nap and Hermione and Ginny watched as Tonks and Harry continued to banter about their future children. With a contented sigh Molly flicked her gaze over her knitting and decided she was ready to shape the knitting for the arms of the baby's singlet.
A few hours later Molly sighed again and proceeded to wake the young people all of whom had fallen asleep. The train was coming into the station after so many long hours that had been taken up with light hearted banter, Hermione reading a book, Ginny had for some time worked at learning to knit, wanting to knit something for the baby and games of chess between Silvenestri and Ron. The dragon child and Ron were surprisingly evenly matched most of the time but Silvenestri somehow managed to win most of the games. There was usually an evil smile on her face when Ron would pull out his so called secret moves and the little Dragon would counter most of them with ease. Molly had enjoyed the trip and by its conclusion when the others had napped she had finished a baby's singlet, two sets of booties and was midway through the jacket of the layette.
With much stretching of cramped limbs and grumbling about the length of the trip they sorted themselves out and made their way off the train to the platform. Fighting their way through the usual crowd of excited students greeting their parents they made their way to where Minerva stood at the magical gateway to London and she explained to them that Hagrid had gone through already to make sure the Grangers were there. She told Harry that Hagrid was also checking to see if his uncle was there as in all the general excitement and preparations they had forgot to write him to say he need not collect Harry.
After locating the luggage from the rear of the train and gathering around the Professor and Molly they excitedly talked about the forthcoming sea voyage until Minerva called them to order, doing a quick headcount.
"Are we all here?" Minerva asked and when satisfied with her headcount and the chorus of 'yes' she led them to the gate. "No more than three in a group and two would be best." She instructed motioning to the gate. "Do try not to attract attention."
Harry and Tonks lingered with Minerva as first Molly and Silvenestri and then Ron, Ginny and Hermione crossed through the gate. Harry had the uncomfortable feeling that his uncle was waiting for him on the other side and that there was going to be a scene made. With a nod from Minerva Tonks squeezed his hand and then they were plunging through the gate. With a sigh and a last glance around the platform Minerva walked through into the world of the Muggles.
King's Cross Station was as busy as ever, Muggles going back and forth ignoring everyone intent on their business and occasionally the odd witch or wizard would be noted only to vanish as they slipped through the magical gate to the hidden platform and train station. For a moment Harry allowed himself to absorb the busy normality of the Muggle world and then Tonks stiffened at his side and he could feel the tension in her.
Looking around he watched as his Uncle scowled at the people around them, no doubt afraid that someone might have noticed the insane and weird wizards and witches moving through them. Near Uncle Vernon stood Hagrid, towering over Mr. and Mrs. Granger who waved excitedly at Hermione who was hurrying toward them.
"Great." Harry muttered and led the way to his uncle and the Grangers and Tonks squeezed his hand and kept by his side.
"Hello Uncle Vernon." Harry greeted, trying to keep his dislike for the man out of his voice. He very gently moved Tonks to stand just behind him and Silvenestri moved to stand beside him and both Tonks and the dragon child glared venomous dislike at the pudgy man.
"Come on boy. I have no time for this. I have work for you to do at home." Vernon said and made a grab for Harry but Silvenestri stepped between the two and everyone heard her teeth snap together as she restrained herself at the last moment from biting his hand.
"What…!" Vernon glared at the child and look at Harry. "Come on boy. I don't have all day."
/ Silvenestri, My Dear, don't bite that. You don't have any idea were it's been. / Harry glanced at Silvenestri and received a quick mental image of his Uncle hanging from a very draconic jaw. / You will get indigestion so don't even think it. /
The dragon child glared at him intently for a moment and everyone close to them clearly heard a very deep rumbling growl. Unaware what was going on Vernon looked around the platform trying to determine what that sound was and where it was coming from.
Harry rested a hand on her silver head for a moment, stroking lightly to sooth her and then forced a smile as he looked at this uncle. "Sorry Uncle Vernon, but I'm not going with you to Number 4. I'm going away this summer."
Vernon's eyes widened. Harry wondered briefly if it was in glee or sudden fear that he was going to be asked to pay for the trip.
"A trip? A school trip? Where are you going? How long will you be away? When are you leaving and where are you leaving from?"
"I'm going overseas, to Oslo." Harry kept his voice low mindful of so many people moving around near them and not wanting his travel plans bandied about London. Voldemort had spies everywhere and you never knew whose ears were listening.
"WHAT! Oslo, Norway?" the name and country came out as a shocked hiss that thankfully did not carry far. "You are not. I'm not paying for you to go anywhere! You get your backside out to the car and hurry up. I have more to do than stand here arguing with you about foolishness."
"I am going on the trip Uncle, its all arranged. You don't have to worry about paying for anything as it's already paid for. My headmaster arranged everything. You have met Professor Dumbledore, I believe?" Not waiting for Vernon to say anything Harry grasped Silvenestri's hand and Tonks' and started to walk toward the group gathered about the Grangers.
Vernon made another swipe at Harry and grasped his left arm and found him self to be the target of every eye there. Harry snarled softly, forced himself to be calm and turned back to his uncle.
"Go back to your nice normal Muggle life and forget you ever heard the name Harry Potter, Uncle. You don't need to be involved in this anymore. Forget all about me and let us all get on with our lives."
Harry led Tonks and Silvenestri away from his Uncle and tried not to see the moment of satisfaction that appeared on Vernon's face. No doubt he was only too happy to be told he could forget about Harry Potter and all of the weirdness that came with knowing him. It still hurt though, Harry thought. His aunt was the only living relative he had because of that he was bound and determined not to tell his uncle what he really thought of him. Maybe someday they would meet again with less antagonism but not now. Now he wanted only to be with his new family, Tonks and Silvenestri and his friends who were waiting for them.
Minerva glided between Harry and Vernon and Hagrid imposed his bulk between the Professor and Harry's group and some part of Harry registered the sound of Minerva's voice but not the words. Vernon did not again try to force Harry to the car and when he looked the man had gone. With a relieved sigh Harry walked up to Mrs. Granger and smiled.
"It's nice to see you again, Mrs. Granger." He offered a hand to her.
Holly Granger smiled at Harry and bypassing the offered hand shake she enfolded him in a quick hug. "Call me Holly, Harry. You remember Arutha?" Mr. Granger nodded and shook Harry's hand. Holly beamed at him. "I would like to thank you for looking after our daughter so well over the years and for being one her first real friends." She let Harry go and turned to Tonks and looked her up and down tilting her head to one side. "We've not met, I think."
Tonks smiled at Holly and blushed. "Hello. I'm Nymphadora Tonks but please call me Tonks. It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Granger." She said offering a hand to her.
Holly positively beamed at Tonks. "Nymphadora? What a lovely name." At the shocked look on Tonks' face Holly laughed softly. "Very well, Tonks it is."
Hermione's mother impulsively hugged Tonks and her eyes widened at the feel of what her eyes had not seen. Stepping back she looked long and hard at Tonks and seeing just an ordinary young woman, slender and rather pretty she stepped closer and lightly placed a hand on her middle, feeling the gentle swell of the baby.
"Oh my. Please call me Holly, dear. Who is the father? Should you be traveling? It's a long way to travel for a woman in your condition."
Mr. Granger hustled everyone out of the station, ignoring the look his wife directed at him. He smiled at Tonks and brought them to the cars where the Weasley's were packing their trunks into one magically enhanced boot. To Harry's surprise Minerva slipped behind the wheel of one car, imperiously motioned Molly, Ginny and Ron to climb in and started up the vehicle. At Harry's look Minerva smirked and promptly drove out of the parking lot.
Hagrid chuckled at Harry's look and somehow squeezed his bulk through the door of a second car which somehow seemed to reduce his bulk enough for him to fit in and though the car did lower from his weight it never actually quite broke the suspension. Harry decided there was some pretty powerful magic strengthening that car. Mr. Granger arched an eyebrow, winked at his wife and climbed into the driver's seat, driving away after a moment.
Holly motioned to Tonks to take the front seat and for Harry, Hermione and Silvenestri to climb in the back. In a few seconds they were off into the heavy London traffic and bound for the port district.
"My dear, should you be considering a lengthy journey in your condition and shouldn't the baby's father be here to support you?"
"I can still travel for a few months Holly and the baby's father is in the back seat now." Tonks looked over her shoulder at Harry who was seated in the middle with Silvenestri on his left and Hermione on the right.
Holly glanced over her shoulder and looked right at Harry who blushed and looked down at his feet. Holly arched and eyebrow and glanced quickly at the road. "Harry, aren't you a little young to be a father?" Holly tried not to sound angry as it was obvious Harry knew what he had done. Holly only hoped that Harry intended to stay with Tonks and make sure she and the baby would be well looked after.
"Well it's really a long story and in this time frame, yes, I am a little young to be a father but in the time where I received my training, no, I'm not." Harry met Holly's gaze as she looked back at him again, hoping that she would be happy with that answer.
Holly looked back to the road trying to puzzle out his reply. 'In this time?' What was that supposed to mean?
Tonks spoke in Harry defensive. "I was also involved in this, Holly. When I found out I was pregnant I tried to kill Harry… well at least severely injure him. Just ask Hermione, she was there. Now that I've passed the shock I love the though of having a child before Vold… Before you-know-who attacks the Wizarding world."
In the back seat and unseen by Tonks or Holly Harry frowned at that reference to Voldemort. He had hoped to have his core group unafraid to speak that hated and feared name but he still had not succeeded. Determined to eventually succeed he sighed softly. There was still time and it was a long way to Ice Cliff.
Holly nodded accepting Tonks' assurance and after negotiating a corner, avoiding two cars whose drivers seemed to be involved in an argument on the wrong side of the road she asked Hermione to tell her about this attack on Harry. Hermione and Silvenestri, to both Harry and Tonks' embarrassment took great delight in embellishing the story for Holly's amusement and it lasted the length of the drive to the docks. By the time they parked the car everyone in the vehicle was laughing merrily.
The dock area was surprisingly quiet and mist free when they arrived and they found Hagrid waiting for them and he escorted them to the small hotel carrying most of the bags from the back of their car. Harry carried the rest and they quickly made their way into the hotel, Harry eager to get himself out of the public eye on the off chance that Voldemort had eyes in the vicinity who would report his presence to the Dark Lord.
In the lobby they found Mr. Granger talking to the man behind the check-in deck and making arrangements for a five o'clock wake up call the next morning. Minerva was checking a list and handing out room keys.
"Hi, Honey. Everything is all ready. The boys will be staying in one room with Hagrid next door. Molly and Minerva will be sharing a room with Silvenestri and Ginny and that leaves you and I to share a room with Tonks, if that is okay." He looked to Tonks for her approval.
Tonks nodded and smiled at Harry then looked to Holly and her husband. "It's okay with me if you can put up with me being up through the night to raid the service fridge." She agreed and then flinched, pressing a hand lightly to her belly as the baby moved. "Damn Harry, this has got to be a girl. A boy would listen to his mother when she asks him to settle down." She said to Harry.
Arutha Granger looked at her apparently flat middle, his wife whispered "Magical concealment, dear" and then turned around looking for Harry, who stepped out from behind Hagrid's bulk and lightly stroked Tonks' hand.
"Not true Tonks." Harry stepped away from Hagrid and placed his arm around her waist. "Professor Lupin told me I was a nightmare to my mother and that dad had to sleep on the couch downstairs most of the time when I decided it was play time. Between her mood swings and having her insides used as a punching bag she made pretty sure he never would get a good nights sleep if she couldn't. Mum confirmed it just the other day."
He caught the look in Mr. Granger's eye and knew there was a talk about getting your girlfriend pregnant on the way and ducked around behind Hagrid again only to have Mr. Granger follow. "Oh geese, could some one tell him I am giving all my money to raising the child please." He fled from behind Hagrid to take shelter behind Holly who took pity on him and walked her husband to the elevators and talked to him quietly as they rode the lift up.
Tonks walked with Harry as they left the elevator and as a group, Holly and Arutha bringing up the rear they headed for their rooms. They had an early morning to catch the ship and no one wanted to be late. Tonks and Harry said their goodnights and entered their respective rooms thankful that the others in their group had given them a bit of privacy.
Nearly two hours later Harry was still awake though Ron and Hagrid were sound asleep and competing for who could snore the loudest. He thought it might be interesting to see if anyone on the floor with them was going to be able to sleep this night. With a sigh he settled near the window and pulled out Lily's diary and started to write.
'Hi Mum. We start out tomorrow morning to search for Ice Cliff.' He thought for a moment and smiled. 'I thought you would like to know that Tonks is planning on killing me after we have our third child just to make sure she doesn't have any more.' He sat back from the diary and watched the ink vanish into the pace.
Words began to flow across the page and he sensed a good degree of humor. 'It's nice to hear that she has reached that stage. Don't worry to much, Honey. I'm quite sure she will want you to help in making as many babies as she wants and then she will teach you the meaning of the words 'Not tonight dear'. I know I did with your father. It generally takes only a few blows with the rolling pin before the message gets across.'
Harry sniggered quietly though with all the snoring going on he was doubtful anyone could hear him. 'Well I wouldn't mind a few kids, mum, just not a lot. I don't think I could keep up with more than three.'
The ink absorbed into the page and after a moment more words flowed into existence.
'You never know, dear. You generally find that you have the energy to cope when you need to and you don't notice how much energy it takes to love your babies and keep them safe. If you have an early start in the morning you should get some sleep. I'll talk to you when you wake up or when you are settled on the boat.'
Harry snorted and bent over the diary. 'I don't know if I'm going to get any sleep at all. You should hear Hagrid and Ron snoring. I've never heard anything like it before.'
'Ah, you never heard your father either. Stuff your ears honey or cast a deafness spell on yourself or better yet a mute spell on your friends so that everyone around you can enjoy a peaceful nights sleep. Good night, Harry.'
Harry had the distinct feeling that he had just been hugged, as though her warm arms had enfolded him for a timeless moment and he sighed, setting pen to paper again.
'Thanks for the suggestion. I think I'll do just that. Good night mum and thank you.'
Gently he closed the diary and slipped it safely away, looking at his sleeping friends he sighed. How was anyone supposed to sleep with that going on? Before he could take action there was a tap on the door and curious he moved to open the door and found Professor McGonagall standing there, frowning.
Minerva nodded briskly at him. "Good evening, Mr. Potter. Excuse me, please." The professor strode past him, pointed her wand at the two engaged in their snoring contest and with a flick of the wand commanded them to be silent. A brief flash of light lit the room and the Professor nodded, satisfied at the instant silence that followed in its wake.
Returning to the door she nodded to Harry and swept past him. "Good evening, Mr. Potter."
Grinning like an idiot Harry looked from his blissfully unaware friends to the professor striding back to her room and found Tonks, Holly, Arutha, Hermione, Ginny and Molly clustered in the hallway with looks of utter relief and admiration focused on the Professor.
"Thank you, Minerva." Molly sighed. "I thought Arthur was bad but Hagrid… Off to bed, people. There's an early start in the morning."
With a smile Harry closed and locked the door and crawled into bed. Settling himself he composed his thoughts as he had been taught in days long gone and fell asleep, thankful of his mercenary days. He quickly slipped into a dream that for once did not include Tonks and himself and a nice little cottage in the middle of nowhere that lately had included the laughter of children.
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Harry stood enveloped within a silver mist. The mist swirled and eddied around him and in each eddy of swirling vapor he caught a glimpse of a memory. He found himself watching himself as a child hide from Dudley and the day he had first met Hagrid. He watched himself make friends with Ron and Hermione and in quick succession in swirl after swirl he watched the past. Pictures he recognized thought here was no sound and he glimpsed the time, not so long ago when he found out he was to be a father. Pictures with no sound, dream and yet not a dream.
He was aware that this was not a dream and he had felt something similar to this before but before he had not possessed the training of a Dragon Lord and he had been helpless against the flow,
"Why don't you come out Voldemort? You're not going to find what you are looking for without my cooperation." He sent the thought out into the silver mist and pulled his shields around him tightening and strengthening them and feeling Voldemort pulling back, retreating from the contact.
Around him the mist swirled, changed and solidified into a vast gorge and wild landscape. Harry stood on the eastern edge of the gorge, a rich forest growing behind him and lush grass growing around his feet. He stood clad in his armour and cloak but his sword was absent and he knew he would not be needing it here.
On the far side of the gorge was a waste land, dead and filled with a terrible miasma. The once vibrant forest now stood lifeless, skeletal trees reaching dead branches into the clouded air. The poison in the air was difficult to see but he knew it was there and that it would kill any living thing that chanced to find its way into the once healthy forest. The source of the miasma stood on the bank of the gorge, opposite Harry, his evil radiating from him, his black and red robes blowing in the wing he created around him.
Harry sensed the wind sent to surround him and encircle him in the deadly vapor and created his own wind, swirling it around him, whipping his cloak around him and directed the deadly gas back to the Dark Lord.
"It's been a while Tom. What have you been doing lately?" Harry looked Voldemort in the eyes a small smile curving his lips and defiance lighting his eyes, daring Voldemort to stop him from using his real name.
"For someone who is as an ant to me, you are calm Potter. I grew bored and seek entertainment. The nights I have found to be a disappointment to me and have decided making your nights a living hell. Suitable payback for the trouble you have caused me, Potter and I find it amusing to bother you. Does it not amuse you too?" His voice was a sibilant hiss, the signature snake like voice Harry knew all too well.
"I find it amusing that you believe you can enter my mind and read my memories and perhaps my plans. Go ahead. Try to force your way in."
Harry stood a little straighter and looked calmly at the Dark Lord, feeling the Dragon Lord within him rising up to the challenge, eager for the contest but the side that was Harry urged caution and restraint. He was almost surprised that the Dragon Lord within listened.
Voldemort hissed a sound that Harry assumed was meant to be a laugh and closed his eyes reaching out his mind toward Harry. In this mental world a bridge representing the Dark Lords thoughts began to form before him and grow swiftly across the breadth of the gorge. The snake like Lord stretched his thin lips into a smirk that turned quickly into a scowl as the bridge stopped mid way across the gap. A moment or two of struggling and the bridge began to fall apart.
Voldemort hissed his eyes opening and he glared at Harry with hate a flame burning in their dark depts. "How do you resist me, Potter? I am the most powerful wizard to ever live and you somehow manage to resist me. How is this possible?"
Harry smiled. "You have never been the most powerful, merely the Darkest. Were you the most powerful you would fear no one and I know you fear Dumbledore. He's not the only one you need to fear, Tom. I think perhaps you might be the third most powerful wizard in the Wizarding world."
Voldemort hissed like a boiling kettle. "I am Voldemort, the Dark Lord and your superior in every way. I am Voldemort, the most powerful wizard to ever walk the earth."
Harry watched as the last traces of the bridge dissolved into thin air. "Some all powerful dark wizard you are. You can't even get into a sixteen year olds mind." Harry baiting Voldemort hoping to make him lose his temper that he might learn how much stronger he needed to be assured of victory when they met face to face.
"I AM THE MOST POWERFUL WIZARD IN THE WORLD!" Voldemort's hissed scream was laced with power that knocked Harry back more than a foot from the blast.
"Now that's the power of a true wizard." Harry commented, returning to his former place. "It's too bad you have to loss your temper to show some true power." Harry considered the Dark Lord for a moment. 'He is not all that far from the power I sense in Albus but I believe I will wait for a time before I go head to head with him. He is cunning enough to have many tricks up his sleeve and there are his followers to be considered. No, I believe it is not the right time to finish off the Dark Lord. I have to be one hundred percent certain of victory. After all the hunt is so much more fun then the kill.'
Voldemort glared at the gorge and a new bridge began to form and Harry watched it, sending out his shield and seeking to dismantle it. Voldemort succeeded this time in making it three quarters of the way across the gap before Harry's defenses ripped the bridge apart.
"Damn you, Potter, I'll find a way into your mind and when I do I will rip you apart and find the knowledge that has enabled you to become so strong. I will find that secret and I will add it to my skills and I will learn how you commanded a dragon without being in its presence all the time."
Harry smiled and looked at Voldemort with as much interest as he would were he studying an ant. "Some day you might but not tonight. Until that day, know that I am your better."
Harry straightened to his full height and pulled his power to him gathering it ready for release and held up his hand. He felt the Dragon Lord within him surge with reckless disregard for how much information he would reveal to the Dark Lord and desperately tried to contain the blast as the Dragon Lord within snarled and released the surge.
"With my regards, Dark Lord, get out of my mind. You offend me."
He grasped at the power flow, bleeding off some of the charge desperately trying to hide his full strength from the Dark Lord. The huge blast of raw magic surged across the gulf of the gorge at Voldemort and knocked him out of Harry's mind.
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In a dark and cold cottage hidden in a desolate landscape the Dark Lord was hurled across the room of his hide out. Snarling, the man who had once been known as Tom Riddle pulled himself to his feet and considered this unexpected turn of events.
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In a small hotel in London Harry opened his eyes. He could not help the small smile that crossed his face as he slipped out of bed and walked to the window to look out over the fog-chocked harbour. He had succeeded in pulling the power of the Dragon Lord and subjugating him once again but it had not been easier, in truth it was more difficult. He had learned so much of why the legends said the Dragon Lords were to be feared and he did not intend to become like those long dead men who had in so many cases had forgotten their own humanity.
"I will remain me but mark me well, Tom Riddle. That was just a taste of what I can do and by the time I get back with my friends I well be the most powerful being to walk this planet in over two thousand years."
Harry sighed and quieted the Dragon Lords pride. He would need to be careful or fall into the same trap as Tom Riddle before him. He did not wish to replace the cruelty and power of Voldemort with one just as bad in the shape of an out of control Dragon Lord.
Hagrid and Ron slept on in the night, oblivious to the slender young man standing by the window desperately trying to think of how to hold on to his humanity and waiting for the 5 o'clock wake up call. He was waiting for the next step that would take him into gaining a safe world for the future of his children and the children of the Wizarding world.
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The end for now.
Stand on a stage main light centered on Damon Blade dressed in a suit, "Until next time people, enjoy this first part in Dragon Lords." Walk off stage before rocks can be thrown at me, "Now play nice until I can post the next part."
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