The deeply cloaked figure walked around the empty chamber, slowly examining the area. There were several scorched and cracked regions all around, signifying that there had been a battle since he had last visited this den. His right fist cracked with energy as he realized who it was. That damn kid was always in his way.

As he was about to leave, the dark lord heard talking outside the den. It was quite a distance away, but Mr. Riddle would recognize that magical signature if it were all the way across the city. That's how he had known Harry was in town days ago. Ever since then he didn't know whether he should go through with his plan or not. Being the feared Voldemort however, he would never allow that runt to spoil his fun.

When the two figures came into sight, Riddle stopped and listened. He could tell from their emotional auras that this was an interrogation. Harry was calm and stern in demeanor, but inside he was getting quite agitated. Tom laughed as he saw who Harry was probing for information. It was one of the werewolves he had trained himself. Apparently they had failed their mission; it was to be expected. When it came to Harry the dark lord had taken up a "if you want something done, do it yourself" outlook. He was more cautious now, however, since all but one of his Horcruxes was destroyed. Nagini never saw much action anymore, but that was the price to be paid for immortality.

Not caring to let Harry break the wolf's mind, Tom sent the death curse upon it. Harry teleported a few meters away as soon as he heard the words, like the good dueler he was. Harry didn't hesitate to throw a curse toward Tom before even looking up. Riddle was amused that Harry was so focused on the wolf that he failed to recognize the presence of his number one adversary. Harmlessly deflecting the minor magic, the dark lord took a couple gliding steps forward. The curse burned some of the flora growing around the area.

Now facing the most wanted criminal in the world, Harry seemed to hesitate a little. Tom laughed at this and they began circling each other. How would he put an end to this runt; that was the question running through Riddle's mind as Harry threw yet more of his useless curses. They circled each other for a while, casting minor magic and trying to find a weak spot in each other. Tom did notice that Harry was injured, but the boy was doing a damn good job of ignoring it.

Harry finally got sick of this and cast a charm that brought the forest to his aid. Tom faltered a second as tree roots and vines grabbed at him. Anger radiated form the dark wizard and a wave of death magic pored forth killing and withering all life around him. He was surprised to see that Harry had cared to look into nature spells since their last duel; he had used mainly fire and light magic then.

Of course, the last time they truly dueled was a few years ago, when Harry was eighteen or so. Tom remembered him barley escaping that duel with his life. Of course the red head and the mudblood had helped him. Now, however, to Riddle's great displeasure, Harry seemed to be much more able. Anger ceased him for a moment and Tom through several deadly curses at Harry that seemed to kill everything around the runt but him. The young sorcerer had placed an agility improving enchantment on himself. 'Damn' thought Tom 'He has gotten to be in pain. Though, it's only a matter of time.'

"Well Harry," Riddle said with his snake-like voice, "I'm glad to sssee that I'm ssstill going to be the perssson to kill you."

"If you're a person," Harry retorted, "Then I'm a chimpanzee."

"That'sss exactly what you are," shouted Tom, "along with the ressst of thessse worthlesssss humansss. You're all just a bunch of apesss with more brainsss than you know what to do with. Tell you what, join me and I'll make you more powerful than you'll ever be with them."

"How will you do that, I'm already stronger than you!" Harry yelled. Tom felt the magic from that yell. Like himself, Harry had used this break to cast a more complex spell. However, the runt had finished first. The ground beneath Voldemort's feet began to spit, and the whole area was quaking and ripping itself apart.

It was at this time that Tom had finished his own spell. Beams of dark energy shot throughout the forest, mutating trees and some animals that had hid in the nearby area. Even as the ground around their root broke up, the trees came alive as servants to a dark will. Their bark blackened, malevolent red eyes opened in their trunks, and the end of their branches sharpened. Voldemort was laughing as he levitated his body into the air; the ministry was going to have one hell of a time cleaning this up.

Harry levitated up into the air as well, burning any branched that got too close. He watched as the ground swallowed the trees and animals twisted by Voldemort's dark magic. A whole five acres now looked as if it had been struck by a meteor; the ministry was going to be all over this in no time flat. He glared at Tom, then followed Riddle's line of sight to where it met the earth. A few dozen aurors were surreptitiously heading in their direction.

Harry looked back to see Riddle glaring at him. "Well Harry, it looksss assss though we will have to delay your defeat until later. You look damaged enough assss it isss," Tom said noticing the bled through bandages Harry sported. Harry flew towards him, but Tom vanished before the young man could reach him.

Harry cursed his luck as he teleported back to the hallway in Hermione's apartment. However, he forgot all about his disappointment when he opened the door to find a very displeased witch on the other side. A finger immediately found its place on Harry's ear and dragged him in.

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The minister of magic watched as the aurors examined the area. Apparently a duel between two powerful wizards had occurred here causing the very earth to become unstable. David feared that if those two kept up this battle that they would eventually destroy the world. One way or another he had to stop them. He gazed around, feeling the magic now imbued into the area. They would have to disenchant this whole place; this was becoming too expensive of late.

After ministers Fudge and Scrimgeour had been killed a couple years back David was given the privilege of leading the ministry. He had a lot of support back then, but that was another time. Ever since he declared Harry an enemy of the ministry, some of the loyal wizard families had turned their back on him, the red headed Weasleys among others. It was sad that they failed to see what David saw; even if Harry was a 'good guy' his immense power would eventually corrupt him. On top of that the boy had committed crimes against the ministry. Little did David know, however, someone in their own ranks was framing the poor boy. David had lead an extensive operation after the 'Potter Interference Incident" years ago that freed the ministry of Voldemort's control. Many of Mr. Potter's loyal fans liked to put it in David's face that Harry was the reason the ministry was free. Even if it was true, it was mostly likely an accident; Potter was only ever after one thing.

David watched as the aurors went about cleaning up the area. They didn't have that big of a job; they could leave most of the damage as it was and just claim a meteor fell. The hardest part was getting the strong residue magic off of the area. They neglected to do that once before, and David promised he would never do so again. The results of that failure still haunted him. Sometimes he wondered if either of those he pursued had nightmares about the terrors they caused. David shook his head; why would they care about the life of average people; they were trying to kill each other. His eyes narrowed a bit, 'they probably treat this whole thing as one big, damn game. To the hells with them.'

He had to admit though, when he first met Harry he thought the kid was alright. Never did he seem to show any inclination toward the crimes he was now accused of. First it was destruction of property, which the ministry easily overlooked, but soon Harry was causing inadvertent harm to people and wizards with his duels. The moment Harry had been found to have murdered a man; the whole of the ministry went to find him. Harry, however, had taken it the wrong way, especially when an overzealous official mentioned "The Kiss". He vanished and his battles with Voldemort trickled to a slow stop. Of course, until tonight; now the ministry had a real problem. David shook his head; those two no longer feared the ministry's power, it seems they both reached their zenith and were ready to kill one another whatever the cost.

David slowly took one last look around before turning back to the city. He quietly hoped that the people here would be spared in the battles to come. Clenching his fists the minister vowed to protect the city once more; this was starting to become a habit.

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Tom paced across the great chamber in silence. The only sounds were of his breathing servants, nervously standing near the doors to the hall. Off in the distance there would arise a scream of pain or horror ever so often, making one of the newer deatheaters fidget.

Tom thought hard about what was happening. The kid wasn't your average wizard, that's for sure. However, he wasn't even close to having the experience Voldemort had in battle. Tom pushed the thoughts of the boy aside and focused on something else. His plan would have to be pushed back a couple days. A sharp pain flowed into those servants who were present as Tom thought about the incompetence of those deatheaters who had been looking into the muggle's science. Their only task was to create that damn potion and they had been severely distracted. It would take a good week to get back on track. By then Riddle planned to have Harry out of the way.

A grin erupted from his face as Tom remembered that Harry's female friend was in town. Maybe the dark lord would pay her a visit and see if a little bait could bring that worm out of his hole. Voldemort's eyes flashed red as a magic light began to envelope him. When the deatheaters could see again their master was gone.

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For those of you that care, I own nothing whatsoever to do with Harry Potter except the plot of this story.

Thanks to Hakkai-Gojyo-Goku-Sanzo, my only reviewer last chapter. I Hope you enjoy this chapter as well.