Disclaimer; So not mine.
Harry got up the next morning and grabbed the potions beside his bed. There were three new ones today, but he didn't question. He would ask later. He grimaced at the taste, but smiled when the pain relievers kicked in. He only hoped he wouldn't become dependant on them. As he walked out of the room he flinched when the hallway was much brighter than usual. It was then he realized he hadn't had any lit candles in his room this morning. He gave his eyes a few minutes to adjust. He came into Voldemort's dining room and was alone for the first few minutes before Voldemort joined him.
"So what is the order of my torture sessions today?"
"Even God rests on Sunday. At midnight you will be unlocking your magical maturity but until then you will rest and do whatever it is no good Gryffindors get up to."
"That was unexpected. Say, I wonder why everyone goes to church and prays on Sunday if it is God's day off."
"Don't look at me; I never bought into that stuff. I just use it as an excuse to relax once a week. World Domination is hard work."
"Especially when no good Gryffindors keep getting in the way?" Harry mimicked his tone.
"That was quite good, I assume you are practicing your metamorph skills?"
"I can do voice impressions easily, but I seem to have a block when it comes to physical changes beyond hair length. I just can't feel myself wearing another face or body."
"Maybe that's the key, you need to feel it. Have you ever used polyjuice?"
"In my second year I did some spying in the Slytherin common room." He admitted.
"You are a sneaky little prick. Maybe you should use today to test drive different bodies. Get a supply of polyjuice from Severus. I will be most displeased if he knows you are here."
"Can I assume he will not be leaving the grounds today?"
"No, he won't be going anywhere any time soon. What did you have planned?"
"I'm going to go spread some misinformation. By now there is no doubt that the old man has noticed my disappearance. I will assure him I am not here; I must have run away on my own. It will take some of the pressure off."
"You honestly expect to be able to pull that off?"
"You'll have to curse me a bit first. There's no way a healthy Snape would show up after being revealed as a spy. Perhaps he should be tasked with recovering me to correct his failures. It will explain why he will not be able to return to Dumbledore any time soon."
"Now you're thinking like a spy! I'll have you begging to take my mark any day."
"You still killed my parents and my friend Cedric."
"And I'm going to kill you. That doesn't prevent you from working with me. Do you know how many of my servants I've cursed or killed?"
"You've cursed almost all of them at least once. I won't bet on how many you killed."
"Almost all of them? Did I miss one, a taste of the Crucio is part of their initiation."
"Well Steve Clark said you've never tortured him. He must have slipped through the cracks."
"If he managed to avoid it this long, he must be doing something right. I'll have to promote him beyond mere package boy."
"Perhaps. So tell me about these new potions you left for me. I can only assume they are part of your great plan."
"Severus, I require fifteen doses of polyjuice." Voldemort's cold high voice said.
"Master, I was not informed of a mission, polyjuice takes a full moon cycle to brew as you know."
"You have one hour Severus, do not fail me. I don't care if you have to lick the boots of every black market potion seller in Knockturn Alley. You will have Trippy deliver them to my guest to use before noon or I will be most displeased. In the future you had best keep a store of useful potions. Are you not a potions master?"
"It will be done."
"Give me one of your hairs as well, you are going on a little trip to prevent suspicion from certain parties."
"Yes my Lord."
Harry looked down at the foul potion with no small amount of disgust. Essence of Snape… How desperate was he? Oh well, if it could teach him how to use his gift, why not? He drank the first dose of polyjuice and shivered slightly as his bones lengthened and muscles rearranged. A week ago he would have called it painful, now it was a mild annoyance.
He stood in front of the mirror and looked at his new form. Snape really was an ugly git. Harry concentrated on his magic and the image of what he should look like. He started with his hair and worked his way down. Slowly but surely, his magic forced off the potion and returned him to normal form. He relaxed a bit and the potion renewed its efforts. He let it work and looked at Snape again, concentrating on the feeling as his body changed. He went through this cycle a few times before he took a canceling potion.
He returned to his normal state as the canceling potion did its work. He focused on the mental image and feelings of being Snape and his magic allowed him to change on his own. A perfect doppelganger looked back at him. He idly wondered why polyjuice wasn't used to train metamorphs before realizing the obvious. It was painful, tasted foul, and only gave you knowledge of one form. Not to mention being hard to brew and a controlled substance. There were probably other reasons, but neither Harry nor Voldemort had studied metamorphs or how to train them.
Harry posing as Snape came to Voldemort not long after. "I will be out for a few hours. If you would like me to ferry a bit of misinformation for you, you'll need to curse me a bit."
"You have to be the first person in history to ASK for a cruciartus curse. You do realize you are insane don't you?"
"Dumbledore is as mad as a hatter, Grindewald was clearly unhinged, and I'm not too sure about you either. It appears sanity is the price of greatness. If it will help me get some back on the old man, I can handle a bit of pain. Besides, you were looking bored."
"Crucio! No one calls me insane!"
Harry grunted as the curse hit him. If it were anyone else, he might have been able to fight through it, but Voldemort still had an advantage over him in raw power. When the curse lifted he looked at his nemesis.
"You are right, my concept of pain is changing. That only hurt, I never decided death was preferable like I used to."
"I must be losing my touch. You will need to return in time for the ritual at midnight."
"I'll be there." Harry said as he apperated away.
He appeared outside the gates to Hogwarts and faked a stumble as he ascended the steps towards the Hospital Wing. The paintings ran ahead to fetch the Headmaster and let Madam Pomphrey know to expect a patient.
"Severus, I see you managed to escape?"
"Yes Headmaster, the Dark Lord was most displeased that I let Potter escape. Where is he? I am going to skin him alive."
"What do you mean where is he? Surely you would know better than I."
"That little bastard revealed me as the spy. It's his fault I've been the Dark Lord's new torture toy for the last few days. I used your damn portkey and it cost me more."
"You mean he wasn't recaptured? He has been missing for three days."
"No, the Dark Lord doesn't have him. I've been sent to recapture him. The Dark Lord thinks that since I am your spy he will be trusting enough to let me get close."
"That's not good news, but it's better than what we had assumed. What other news do you have for me?"
"The Dark Lord has been on a rampage since he found out the prophecy. He ranted and raved about the part that called Potter his equal and he has been requesting all sorts of unusual potions. Some I know are for power boosting rituals. He has asked me to produce a series of potions like those Grindewald used in his Ubermensch project. Potions to enhance a person's muscles and physical prowess. Given that he has only requested one dose, I believe the recipient is obvious."
"Very good, I'll leave you to Poppy's care now. Come to my office and make a full report as soon as you can."
The bustling hospital matron gave Harry a steaming goblet of potion and pushed Dumbledore out of her wing. Harry drank the post cruciartus potion eagerly, noting that it didn't taste nearly as bad as most of the potions he had had lately. Snape must make his with extra care because he would have to take them. Bastard.
Madam Pomphrey gave him an odd look as she came back over. She cast a few diagnostic spells and lowered her wand.
"Well that confirms it. Tell me Mr. Potter what you are doing back here so soon? And how are you masquerading as Professor Snape?"
"I guess now that we've got the cruciartus taken care of, we can have that tea. You do still follow healer patient confidentiality correct? What gave me away by the by?"
"Of course!" She sounded offended that he had to ask. She assembled a tea tray for them. "Your speech patterns for one. I've never heard Severus use the phrase torture toy, nor threaten to skin someone alive. He is usually more creative. Additionally, his manner in the hospital is far different from yours. You were too accepting and relaxed. All that made me suspicious; the medical scans proved it."
"Ah, I'll have to remember that. I borrowed his form to escape the dark lord again. As to how I did it, I've discovered I am a metamorph."
"I've never heard of a metamorph changing their bone structure before. Conventional healer knowledge of that skill indicates that they are limited to soft tissue changes like muscle and fat in addition to hair and pigmentation changes."
"It's possible for me to change my bones around, but it is rather uncomfortable to do. I imagine most would call it incredibly painful. Sort of like how polyjuice rearranges a person."
"Interesting, I would never have known. I'll have to write it up for the healers at St. Mungo's. Metamorphs are extremely rare, but one never knows when it will be useful. How did you discover that?"
"Not long after you released me a few days ago, I was in a fight against death eaters. One of them cast a bone breaking curse that hit my leg. After the battle I managed to heal it myself and began developing my skill."
"And it allowed you to escape. Do you plan on returning to normal anytime soon?"
"I'd really rather not. As I said, shifting bones is rather annoying, and this is the only other look I've succeeded in acquiring. I'll change after I am far away from the castle, I don't want to be recaptured by the headmaster either." He used his normal voice.
"Ok, now that is just odd, to hear your voice in his body. Surely it wouldn't be a bad idea to let the Headmaster know."
"You were here when he questioned me after my last escape. I told him I was kidnapped with a portkey from my relatives' home. He immediately sent me back to that same home. He insisted it was safe. Less than an hour later another port key whisked me away to Voldemort's base. You've never mentioned it, but I know you must have noticed my physical state when I return to Hogwarts. The scars tell an interesting story of my home life on their own. What does that tell you of how the Headmaster treats me?"
"That is a rather convincing argument. For the port keys alone I can see why you'd rather risk it on your own."
"Now that I know I am a metamorph, I wonder how many of my other injuries should have scarred over the years. Only the very worst ones did, but I think that's a mark of my subconscious recognizing a life changing event."
"Just how many scars should you have then?" She sounded concerned she hadn't noticed before.
"Too many. Please don't dig in that plot of dirt. I won't be returning to that house, and I've survived."
"Just like you've survived the Dark Lord twice in the past week?"
"That's not open for discussion. So my medical history is a bit incomplete, a few more broken bones, cuts, and bruises won't affect me now. I'm more concerned about the unforgivable curses and my nervous system."
"Hmm yes, you are remarkably resilient in that area too. If you can manage to avoid being cursed, tortured, or experimented on for another week you should be back to normal."
"How long if I am taking nerve restoratives?"
"Those are technically dark arts, though they aren't actually evil. Why would you come in contact with them?"
"Why would I be in contact with the cruciartus curse? That's what the other potion in me was when you looked me over previously. Voldemort dosed me with one."
"That would explain why you recovered so fast. Not that I am recommending them mind, but if you were taking such a potion you'd be fine in a day or two. Don't go looking for them though, if made wrong they are deadly poison. You'd need a truly gifted potion maker you could absolutely trust."
"Hmm, not something in great abundance. Thank you for telling me though. Well, thank you Madam Pomphrey for your excellent care, but I think it's time I made my escape."
"Do try to stay out of trouble. And you must stop by for tea another time, I'd like to hear the stories behind some of the injuries you've come in here with over the years."
He stood and gave the older woman an awkward hug before leaving. As soon as he had left the grounds he pulled out two more vials of polyjuice. He had procured one of Dumbledore's hairs off the chintz armchair he had conjured, and stolen one of Madam Pomphrey's when he hugged her.
He spent the next half hour in a room above the three broomsticks acquiring two more forms. Transgender changes were tricky. The plumbing and nerve arrangement was very different. He would have more fun later he promised himself, after acquiring a younger host body to explore those changes. The Hospital Matron was not the body to use for that.
"Dumbledore" walked out of the Three Broomsticks, dressed in a three piece orange suit. It was time to spin a web of lies and deceit that would confuse anyone who actually did try to track him down. Harry wondered where Hermione was when the answer suddenly popped into his head. He remembered her mentioning going to France with her parents for the Holidays, but how did he know exactly where she was? He tabled that line of thought for another time.
He apperated to Hermione's location and found himself literally right next to her in an antique store near Calais. He looked around but it didn't seem that anyone had noticed his sudden appearance.
"Professor! What are you doing here?" She whispered
"I find Ms. Granger that I quite like antique stores. They remind me of my childhood." Harry struggled to hold back a smirk.
"Oh, that's an interesting suit Professor. Is there any other reason you suddenly appeared in this antique store?"
"Yes, I think orange really is my color. As it happens, I need to ask a favor of you."
"What can I do for you sir?"
"Your friend Harry has gone missing. Now we know that certain people don't have him but we must find him before they do. I would like a bit of your hair. There is a spell we can use to track him. Normally a family member is required, but I am collecting them from all his close friends and we will hope it is enough."
"Harry is missing? Whatever you need professor, find him please!"
"Don't worry, we're sure to find him soon. There are only so many places he would hide, and we are fortunate enough to know him better than other people who are searching. Can you think of any places he might run to?"
She named a few places, all of which he added to his list of places to be avoided. After thanking her for her help and assuring her that he would find her wayward friend, he left the shop and ducked into an alley to leave. He stopped to consider who he should visit next and how to best approach them on his body snatching campaign.
As he thought of people, he noticed that he instinctively knew where to find them. Some of it was to be expected, he did know his friends rather well, but it was a little fishy. As a test, he thought about where to find Madam Bones, the head of the Aurors. Instantly the location of a home in Leeds popped into his mind. He seemed to have inherited an owl's ability to find people from Hedwig. Now that was a useful skill!
Harry spent the rest of the day as Dumbledore popping around the British Isles and talking people out of hair samples to help "track Harry through his surrogate family". In addition to the three he already had, he was able to get hairs from all the Weasleys except Percy, Remus Lupin, Hermione Granger, Professor McGonagall, and Luna Lovegood. The last was actually the easiest to get. He showed up at the Lovegood home as himself, and simply asked Luna for a hair to use in polyjuice. She made him promise not to use it to sleep with anybody but was otherwise happy to help. He didn't trust his metamorph skills to fool her and just decided to be honest about it. She didn't even flinch, just plucked the hair and gave him a hug before he left. What an odd girl.
By the time Harry returned to the Riddle house that night, he was able to masquerade as fifteen different people at least by appearance and voice. They'd never find him now, unless he let them.