The Alexander Chronicles Year 4: The Return of Darkness.
Chapter 34: The Choice
…
Alex looked at Voldemort shocked at the offer. Alex knew that he should spit in his face, say no and just welcome death. So why wasn´t he doing just that?
"Don´t do it Alex. You are better than him." Harry shouted making Alex look at him. "You are not like him; you are a good guy, a hero. I mean think of what he would do with muggleborns like Hermione."
Alex nodded, "You are right," he said before looking back at Voldemort. "I rather die than serve you."
"Now Alexander, you should consider your answer. I know that you don´t want to die."
"Alex would rather die than join you, you sick basted." Harry yelled.
"No, he wants to live Harry. As everyone would if they had the choice. Of course the choice is Mr. Black´s." Voldemort smiled, "but before you make your choice you should know that I accept you."
'"What?" Alex asked feeling very confused. What did he mean?
"You know what I mean. I know about you Alexander. I know all about the things that you have done." Voldemort walked closer to Alex. "I know that you attacked your muggle stepfather. I know that you wanted to kill him - make him pay for his crimes against you and your mother. I know that you wanted to help my Death Eaters bully those muggles at the World Cup." Alex glanced at Harry, what he saw came close to breaking him. Harry Potter, his friend looked at him with a glimpse of disgust in his eyes. Voldemort walked even closer to Alex and whispered in Alex´s ear. "I know that you tortured you cousin. I wonder what Harry will say if he knew."
Alex watched Voldemort in horror, and Voldemort stepped back with a triumph smile on his face. "I know about your fears, what your boggart´s shape is, but you shouldn't fear that.
Alex´s eyes shot up to Voldemort's red ones. Voldemort smiled evilly. "You see, young Black," he said, his expression rapt and exultant. "We are the same. Both of us are heirs of Slytherin, both very powerful, Parselmouths, we both feel hatred of muggles. – Come, young Alexander," Voldemort said, smiling and holding out his left skeletal hand once more. "Join my conquest and rule by my side. Join and I will teach you to be more powerful than any another wizard. Teach you magic beyond your wildest dreams."
"Don´t listen to him Alex."
"What do you owe Hogwarts? What do you owe the Ministry? You owe them nothing. Why not treat them like they have treated you."
"There is a lot of students at Hogwarts that care about you. And there is only a few fools in the Ministry. People care."
"Do they now?" Voldemort asked.
"My friends will never betray me." Alex hissed, "People respect me. I am a good person and they know that." However, he was beginning to doubt if what he said was the truth.
"You really think they respect you?" Voldemort asked. "They have always shunned you; they will and had always think the worst of you. And if you return to them, they will hate you, just because of your heritage and abilities."
"Alex that isn´t true, they will understand."
"Will they now Harry Potter? How have their understanding been so far? They blamed you for the attacks on the mudbloods. Didn´t they Alexander, just because you had an ability, they wanted for themselves. They hated you, just because of your mother´s actions. They hated you in this year or was their comments for fun; I think they must have hurt." Voldemort said in a voice that sounded sympatric. "What will make your next school year so special? They will find something to hate you for. They all knows about your relation to me now. That filthy reporter made sure of that, and everyone will hate you -they will make sure that you feel unwanted."
Alex looked away. Voldemort was right, there had people hating almost every year he had been at Hogwarts.
"Alex look, I know that they have their faults, but-"
"They will all hate you Alexander." Voldemort interrupted Harry. "And they hate because they fear you." Alex looked at Voldemort. "Just join me, and give them a reason to fear you. Make them tremble at the sound of your name."
"Get out my heard," Alex sneered
"They fear you, because deep down they know that you are superior to them. That you are meant to rule them. You are better than them in every way."
"And that mean that you are better, that you can forgive." Harry shouted.
"Forgive, why? Other than just put up with more insults. No join me and show just how powerful you are."
"Alex just say no!" Harry shouted, "Just say no."'
"They will never care about you, not even the fool to Albus Dumbledore. If he did then he would have found a way of getting you out of the tournament."
"It was a magically binding contract." Harry said. "If Dumbledore could he would have stopped it."¨
"Then why didn´t he help you? Why didn´t he give you any clues. I know the other headmasters helped their students, but because Dumbledore wanted fair play, he refused to help you."
"Alex don´t listen to him."
"Just shut up." Alex roared. "Shut up both of you. Shut up and get out my heard both of you."
"Alex yo-"
"I SAID SHUT UP HARRY!" Alex yelled.
Alex didn´t know what he should do. For the first time ever, Alex thought about joining the Dark Lord. Should he do this? If he did, he could become very powerful, and his confrontations with Daniel and Silan. He had wanted to hurt them - and the muggles did he really hate them. He hadn´t cared about the muggles at the World Cup. But did he hate them? Sometimes it felt like he did. And he had felt so angry since his mother's arrest and lies to becoming the unwanted fourth champion. And what would happen now. Voldemort was properly right if he were to go back, people would shun him. They all know that he is a Black, a relative of a dark family, Heir of Slytherin, and relation to the one and only, Lord Voldemort. They would think he was dark wizard like Voldemort, and they would be afraid of him. And even though it was wrong Alex couldn't help thinking, that he might as well give them something to be afraid of. Beside what did he owe them? Nothing he didn´t owe them anything. Yes if they wanted be fear him, so why shouldn't he give them a reason to fear him. If everyone would see him as a villain, then he might as well be one.
With an evil smile on his face, Alex grabbed Voldemort´s hand and was pulled to his feet.
"You are making the right choice young master Black. The Ministry is dishonest and corrupt."
"Yes they are."
"Noooooo" Harry screamed.
As he followed Voldemort walking away from Harry, Alex couldn't help hearing Harry scream. "Alex what are you doing. You can´t, just stop, just think. Just tell me why. What are you thinking?"
Alex turned as was about to say, that he did what was necessary to survive, but paused. What he were doing. This was wrong, there had been a time where he wanted to be a hero. Beside what would his friends say about Alex´s choice? Harry´s reaction was clear.
What would his mother say? Alex knew that she hated Voldemort´s ideas, and she had thought him not to believe in pureblood propaganda. What would Sirius say? What of Daphne? She hated Voldemort as well. Merlin she would hate him for this, and Alex couldn't blame her. He shouldn't do this, even if it was chance to live. Beside Alex, hated Voldemort´s views too, so why serve him?
"No I never join you!" Alex whispered, and then pointed his wand. "Lingus!" he shouted, and a bright light erupted from Alex´s wand. Voldemort screamed as the light blinded him.
"Master!" Adrian said.
"Stop him Voldemort hissed as he covered his eyes. "But keep him alive."
However this time Alex was ready for his uncle. "Everte Statum" Alex yelled, the spell knocked Adrian of his feet. It was followed by stinging hex and a stunning spell.
Alex heard a hiss and turned to see the snake making his way towards him. It jumped at him, but Alex quickly jumped out of the way towards Harry and pointed his wand. He was about to shout a spell when he suddenly felt a familiar horrible pain. Alex screamed and dropped to the ground as a thousand white hot knives invisibly pierced every inch of his body.
A whole minute later, or what felt like an hour to Alex, the curse was released. Alex slowly opened his eyes and in blurry vision, he saw Voldemort standing near him, sneering evilly at him, with his wand raised. "You dare to refuse my offer. I thought you was an intelligent boy. Adrian bring our guest, and then Mr. Black can see what happens to those who refuse Lord Voldemort."
Alex watched Adrian walk towards a long grave and pulled a heap of something from behind it; Alex noticed that it was a person, a man. "Come on along father." Adrian said in a gleeful voice. Alex eyes whined as he watched his uncle force Fredric Ambrosius over to Voldemort´s feet.
"Grandpa," Alex breathed out. Fredric was covered in cuts and bruises, his clothes torn and he was unconscious. "What have you done to him? Answer me!"
Voldemort then turned back to Alex. "Now, Black, you will join me one way or another," he said. "If you do not join me, I will kill your only grandfather." Alex stared at Voldemort. "He will die right in front of you, because of you."
"Please don´t." Alex sobbed. "I beg you please - Uncle please."
"He will die because of you Alexander."
"Please I beg you." Alex cried as he was on his knees. "I will do anything j-just stop please."
"Join me!"
"Don't," Fredric finally spoke, having woke up. "Don´t you dare join him because of me."
Alex shook his head, tears coming to his eyes. "He kill you, if I doesn´t-"
"Yes, but it will never be your fault.
"Blah blah" Voldemort mocked. "Is this really how you spend the last seconds of your life?"
"I am so proud of you." Fredric said ignoring Voldemort. "You have been so brave and an amazing wizard. I know that you have a great destiny before you. And I know that you will help Harry, and everyone else to defeat him."
"Grandpa, please let-"
"Promise me!" Fredric yelled, as he was forced to his knees. "Promise me that you never will sink as low as the man I once called son."
Alex nodded as tears streamed down his cheeks. "I promise," he said. Voldemort sneered and raised his wand.
"Fine then then you have made your choice."
"Alex I love y-"
"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort shouted; the curse exploded from his wand and soared into Alex´s grandfather's back.
"Noooooooooooooooooo!" Alex cried as his grandfather fell to the ground, motionless and dead. Alex crawled to his body and began to cry. "Grandpa please y-you can´t b-be dead y-you just c-can´t."
"That is enough goodbye." Voldemort sneered as Alex magical was forced away from his grandfather dead body. Voldemort waved his wand and Alex was banished to the stone Harry was tied to. Robes shot out of Voldemort´s wand and tied Alex as well.
Alex watch in hate and tears as Adrian began dragged his grandfather away.
"I am sorry Alex:" he heard Harry whisper. Alex didn´t respond as the tears steamed downs his cheeks.
Voldemort glared at Alex, "you will join him soon enough."
"I I wi-will tear you apart" Alex half growled and half sobbed.
Voldemort ignored him as he looked at Wormtail, who was next to Harry's feet, crumpled up and crying. Voldemort turned his scarlet eyes upon Harry, laughing a high, cold, mirthless laugh. Wormtail's robes were shining with blood now; he had wrapped the stump of his arm in them.
"My Lord…" he choked, "my Lord…you promised…you did promise…"
"Hold out your arm," said Voldemort lazily.
"Oh Master… thank you, Master…"
He extended the bleeding stump, but Voldemort laughed again.
"The other arm, Wormtail."
"Master, please… please…"
Voldemort bent down and pulled out Wormtail's left arm; he forced the sleeve of Wormtail's robes up past his elbow, and Alex saw something upon the skin there, the familiar symbol he had seen on the sky- a skull with a snake protruding from its mouth. Voldemort examined it carefully, ignoring Wormtail's uncontrollable weeping.
"It is back," he said softly, "they will all have noticed it… and now, we shall see… now we shall know…"
He pressed his long white forefinger to the brand on Wormtail's arm.
Alex looked up at Harry, who began groaning in pain, and Wormtail let out a fresh howl; Voldemort removed his fingers from Wormtail's mark, and it had turned jet black.
A look of cruel satisfaction on his face, Voldemort straightened up, threw back his head, and stared around at the dark graveyard. "How many will be brave enough to return when they feel it?" he whispered, his gleaming red eyes fixed upon the stars. "And how many will be foolish enough to stay away?"
He began to pace up and down before Alex, Harry, Adrian, and Wormtail, his eyes sweeping the graveyard all the while. After a minute or so, he looked down at Harry again, a cruel smile twisting his snakelike face.
"You stand, Harry Potter and Alexander Black, upon the remains of my late father," he hissed softly. "A Muggle and a fool…very like your dear mother Potter. But they both had their uses, did they not? Your mother died to defend you…and I killed my father, and see how useful he has proved himself, in death…"
Voldemort laughed again. Up and down he paced, looking all around him as he walked, and the snake continued to circle in the grass. "You see that house upon the hillside, Potter? My father lived there. My mother, a witch who lived here in this village, fell in love with him. But he abandoned her when she told him what she was…He didn't like magic, my father…"
"He left her and returned to his Muggle parents before I was even born, Potter, and she died giving birth to me, leaving me to be raised in a Muggle orphanage… but I vowed to find him…I revenged myself upon him, that fool who gave me his name…Tom Riddle…"
Still he paced, his red eyes darting from grave to grave. "Listen to me, reliving family history…" he said quietly, "why, I am growing quite sentimental…But look, Harry and look Alexander! My true family returns…"
The air was suddenly full of the swishing of cloaks. Between graves, behind the yew tree, in every shadowy space, wizards were Apparating. All of them were hooded and masked. And one by one they moved forward…slowly, cautiously, as though they could hardly believe their eyes Voldemort stood in silence, waiting for them. Alex still in tears watched as one of the Death Eaters fell to his knees, crawled toward Voldemort and kissed the hem of his black robes.
"Master…Master," he murmured.
The Death Eaters behind him did the same; each of them approaching Voldemort on his knees and kissing his robes, before backing away and standing up, forming a silent circle, which enclosed Tom Riddle's grave, Harry, Alex, Voldemort, and the sobbing and twitching heap that was Wormtail. Yet they left gaps in the circle, as though waiting for more people. Voldemort, however, did not seem to expect more. He looked around at the hooded faces, and though there was no wind, rustling seemed to run around the circle, as though it had shivered.
"Welcome, Death Eaters," said Voldemort quietly. "Thirteen years…thirteen years since last we met. Yet you answer my call as though it were yesterday, we are still united under the Dark Mark, then! Or are we?"
He put back his terrible face and sniffed, his slit-like nostrils widening. "I smell guilt," he said. "There is a stench or guilt upon the air."
A second shiver ran around the circle, as though each member of it longed, but did not dare to step back from him.
"I see you all, whole and healthy, with your powers intact - such prompt appearances! And I ask myself…why did this band of wizards never come to the aid of their master, to whom they swore eternal loyalty?"
No one spoke. No one moved except Wormtail, who was upon the ground, still sobbing over his bleeding arm.
"And I answer myself," whispered Voldemort, "they must have believed me broken, they thought I was gone. They slipped back among my enemies, and they pleaded innocence, and ignorance, and bewitchment…
"And then I ask myself, but how could they have believed I would not rise again? They, who knew the steps I took, long ago, to guard myself against mortal death? They, who had seen proofs of the immensity of my power in the times when I was mightier than any living wizard, and I answer myself, perhaps they believed a still greater power could exist, one that could vanquish even Lord Voldemort…perhaps they now pay allegiance to another…perhaps that champion of commoners, of Mudbloods and Muggles, Albus Dumbledore?"
At the mention of Dumbledore's name, the members of the circle stirred, and some muttered and shook their heads. Voldemort ignored them.
"It is a disappointment to me…I confess myself disappointed…"
One of the men suddenly flung himself forward, breaking the circle. Trembling from head to foot, he collapsed at Voldemort's feet.
"Master!" he shrieked, "Master, forgive me! Forgive us all!"
Voldemort began to laugh. He raised his wand. "Crucio!"
The Death Eater on the ground writhed and shrieked. Voldemort raised his wand. The tortured Death Eater lay flat upon the ground, gasping.
"Get up, Avery," said Voldemort softly. "Stand up. You ask for forgiveness? I do not forgive. I do not forget. Thirteen long years… I want thirteen years' repayment before I forgive you. Adrian Ambrosius has repaid his debt and Wormtail here have begun, have you not, Wormtail?"
He looked down at Wormtail, who continued to sob.
"You returned to me, not out of loyalty, but out of fear of your old friends. You deserve this pain, Wormtail. You know that, don't you?"
"Yes, Master," moaned Wormtail, "please. Master… please…"
"Yet you helped return me to my body," said Voldemort coolly, watching Wormtail sob on the ground. "Worthless and traitorous as you are, you helped me… and Lord Voldemort rewards his helpers…"
Voldemort raised his wand again and whirled it through the air. A streak of what looked like molten silver hung shining in the wand's wake. Momentarily shapeless, it writhed and then formed itself into a gleaming replica of a human hand, bright as moonlight, which soared downward and fixed itself upon Wormtail's bleeding wrist.
Wormtail's sobbing stopped abruptly. His breathing harsh and ragged, he raised his head and stared in disbelief at the silver hand, now attached seamlessly to his arm, as though he were wearing a dazzling glove. He flexed the shining fingers, then, trembling, picked up a small twig on the ground and crushed it into powder.
"My Lord," he whispered. "Master… it is beautiful… thank you… thank you…" He scrambled forward on his knees and kissed the hem of Voldemort's robes.
"May your loyalty never waver again, Wormtail," said Voldemort.
"No, my Lord… never, my Lord…" Wormtail stood up and took his place in the circle, staring at his powerful new hand, his face still shining with tears. Voldemort now approached the man on Wormtail's right.
"Lucius, my slippery friend," he whispered, halting before him. "I am told that you have not renounced the old ways, though to the world you present a respectable face. You are still ready to take the lead in a spot of Muggle-torture, I believe. Yet you never tried to find me, Lucius…Your exploits at the Quidditch World Cup were fun, I daresay…but might not your energies have been better directed toward finding and aiding your master?"
My Lord, I was constantly on the alert," came Lucius Malfoy's voice swiftly from beneath the hood. "Had there been any sign from you, any whisper of your whereabouts, I would have been at your side immediately, nothing could have prevented me -"
"And yet you ran from my Mark, when a faithful Death Eater sent it into the sky last summer?" said Voldemort lazily, and Mr. Malfoy stopped talking abruptly. "Yes, I know all about that, Lucius…You have disappointed me… I expect more faithful service in the future."
"Of course, my Lord, of course…You are merciful, thank you…"
Voldemort moved on, and stopped, staring at the space - large enough for two people - that separated Malfoy and the next man.
"The Lestranges should stand here," said Voldemort quietly. "But they are entombed in Azkaban. They were faithful. They went to Azkaban rather than renounce me…When Azkaban is broken open, the Lestranges will be honoured beyond their dreams. The dementors will join us…they are our natural allies…we will recall the banished giants…I shall have all my devoted servants returned to me, and an army of creatures whom all fear…"
He walked on. Some of the Death Eaters he passed in silence, but he paused before others and spoke to them.
"Macnair…destroying dangerous beasts for the Ministry of Magic now, Wormtail tells me? You shall have better victims than that soon, Macnair. Lord Voldemort will provide…"
"Thank you, Master…thank you," murmured Macnair.
"And here" - Voldemort moved on to the two largest hooded figures - "we have Crabbe… you will do better this time, will you not, Crabbe? And you, Goyle?"
They bowed clumsily, muttering dully.
"Yes, Master…"
"We will, Master…"
"The same goes for you, Nott," said Voldemort quietly as he walked past a stooped figure in Mr. Goyle's shadow.
"My Lord, I prostrate myself before you, I am your most faithful -"
"That will do," said Voldemort.
He had reached the largest gap of all, and he stood surveying it with his blank, red eyes, as though he could see people standing there.
"And here we have six missing Death Eaters…three dead in my service. One, too cowardly to return…he will pay. One, who I believe has left me forever…he will be killed, of course…and one, who remains my most faithful servant, and who has already re-entered my service."
The Death Eaters stirred, and Alex saw their eyes dart sideways at one another through their masks.
"He is at Hogwarts, that faithful servant, and it was through his efforts that our young friends arrived here tonight…"
A Death Eater at Hogwarts - was it Silan? No, it couldn't be.
"However before we get to that. We have a new follower here," Voldemort said looking at a death eater that looked younger than the rest. "Welcome Michael Cooper."
Alex watched in shock as his former tormentor bowed. "Thank you my lord."
"Yes Adrian have brought Cooper in our ranks. Adrian have used the time finding new followers to me, like his son. Who have helped my servant in Hogwarts. Yes Adrian have remained loyal." Voldemort said stopping in front of Adrian. Voldemort then looked at Alex and Harry.
"And yes he too helped getting our guests here," he said, a grin curling his lipless mouth. "Not only has Harry Potter kindly joined us for my rebirthing party, but young Alexander Black as well. One might go so far as to call them my guests of honour."
There was a silence. Then the Death Eater to the right of Wormtail stepped forward, and Lucius Malfoy's voice spoke from under the mask.
"Master, we crave to know…we beg you to tell us…how you have achieved this…this miracle… how you managed to return to us…"
"Ah, what a story it is, Lucius," said Voldemort. "And it begins - and ends – with my young friends here."
He walked lazily over to stand next to Harry, so that the eyes of the whole circle were upon the two of them. The snake continued to circle.
"You know, of course, that they have called this boy my downfall?" Voldemort said softly, his red eyes upon Harry, who looked he would scream in agony. "You all know that on the night I lost my powers and my body, I tried to kill him. Potter´s mother died in the attempt to save him – and unwittingly provided him with a protection I admit I had not foreseen…I could not touch the boy."
Voldemort raised one of his long white fingers and put it very close to Harry's cheek.
"His mother left upon him the traces other sacrifice…This is old magic, I should have remembered it, I was foolish to overlook it…but no matter. I can touch him now."
Alex watched as Voldemort touched Harry who began to scream out in pain.
Voldemort took the finger away and continued addressing the Death Eaters.
"I miscalculated, my friends, I admit it. My curse was deflected by the woman's foolish sacrifice, and it rebounded upon myself. Aaah…pain beyond pain, my friends; nothing could have prepared me for it. I was ripped from my body, I was less than spirit, less than the meanest ghost, but still I was alive. What I was, even I do not know…I, who have gone further than anybody along the path that leads to immortality. You know my goal - to conquer death. And now, I was tested, and it appeared that one or more of my experiments had worked… for I had not been killed, though the curse should have done it. Nevertheless, I was as powerless as the weakest creature alive, and without the means to help myself… for I had no body, and every spell that might have helped me required the use of a wand… I remember only forcing myself, sleeplessly, endlessly, second by second, to exist… I settled in a faraway place, in a forest, and I waited…Surely, one of my faithful Death Eaters would try and find me…one of them would come and perform the magic I could not, to restore me to a body…but I waited in vain…"
The shiver ran once more around the circle of listening Death Eaters. Voldemort let the silence spiral horribly before continuing.
"Only one power remained to me. I could possess the bodies of others. But I dared not go where other humans were plentiful, for I knew that the Aurors were still abroad and searching for me. I sometimes inhabited animals - snakes, of course, being my preference - but I was little better off inside them than as pure spirit, for their bodies were ill adapted to perform magic…and my possession of them shortened their lives; none of them lasted long… Then…four years ago…the means for my return seemed assured. A wizard - young, foolish, and gullible - wandered across my path in the forest I had made my home. Oh, he seemed the very chance I had been dreaming of…for he was a teacher at Dumbledore's school…he was easy to bend to my will…he brought me back to this country, and after a while, I took possession of his body, to supervise him closely as he carried out my orders. But my plan failed. I did not manage to steal the Philosopher's Stone. I was not to be assured immortal life. I was thwarted…thwarted, once again, by Harry Potter and his friends…"
Silence once more; nothing was stirring, not even the leaves on the yew tree. The Death Eaters were quite motionless, the glittering eyes in their masks fixed upon Voldemort, and upon Harry and Alex. Alex held their gaze giving them a hateful look.
"The servant died when I left his body, and I was left as weak as ever I had been," Voldemort continued. "I returned to my hiding place far away, and I will not pretend to you that I didn't fear that I might never regain my powers. Yes, that was perhaps my darkest hour…I could not hope that I would be sent another wizard to possess… and I had given up hope, now, that any of my Death Eaters cared what had become of me…"
One or two of the masked wizards in the circle moved uncomfortably, but Voldemort took no notice.
"And then, not even a year ago, when I had almost abandoned hope, it happened at last…a servant returned to me. Wormtail here, who had faked his own death to escape justice. He was driven out of hiding by those he had once counted friends, and decided to return to his master. He sought me in the country where it had long been rumoured I was hiding…helped, of course, by the rats he met along the way. Wormtail has a curious affinity with rats. Do you not, Wormtail? His filthy little friends told him there was a place, deep in an Albanian forest, that they avoided, where small animals like themselves had met their deaths by a dark shadow that possessed them… But his journey back to me was not smooth, was it, Wormtail? For, hungry one night, on the edge of the very forest where he had hoped to find me, he foolishly stopped at an inn for some food… and who should he meet there, but one Bertha Jorkins, a witch from the Ministry of Magic. Now see the way that fate favours Lord Voldemort. This might have been the end of Wormtail, and of my last hope for regeneration. But Wormtail - displaying a presence of mind I would never have expected from him – convinced Bertha Jorkins to accompany him on a night-time stroll. He overpowered her… he brought her to me. And Bertha Jorkins, who might have ruined all, proved instead to be a gift beyond my wildest dreams… for - with a little persuasion - she became a veritable mine of information."
Voldemort paused.
"She told me that the Triwizard Tournament would be played at Hogwarts this year. She told me that she knew of a faithful Death Eater who would be only to willing to help me, if I could only contact him. She told me many things… but the means I used to break the Memory Charm upon her were powerful, and when I had extracted all useful information from her, her mind and body were both damaged beyond repair. She had now served her purpose. I could not possess her. I disposed of her."
Voldemort smiled his terrible smile, his red eyes blank and pitiless.
"Wormtail's body, of course, was ill adapted for possession, as all assumed him dead, and would attract far too much attention if noticed. However, he was the able-bodied servant I needed, and, poor wizard though he is, Wormtail was able to follow the instructions I gave him, which would return me to a rudimentary, weak body of my own. A body I would be able to inhabit while awaiting the essential ingredients for true rebirth. A spell or two of my own invention…a little help from my dear Nagini," Voldemort's red eyes fell upon the continually circling snake, "a potion concocted from unicorn blood, and the snake venom Nagini provided…I was soon returned to an almost human form, and strong enough to travel.
"There was no hope of stealing the Philosopher's Stone anymore, for I knew that Dumbledore would have seen to it that it was destroyed. But I was willing to embrace mortal life again, before chasing immortality. I set my sights lower…I would settle for my old body back again, and my old strength" he said.
"I knew that to achieve this - it is an old piece of Dark Magic, the potion that revived me tonight - I would need three powerful ingredients. Well, one of them was already at hand, was it not, Wormtail? Flesh given by a servant… My father's bone, naturally, meant that we would have to come here, where he was buried. But the blood of a foe…Wormtail would have had me use any wizard, would you not, Wormtail? Any wizard who had hated me…as so many of them still do. But I knew the one I must use, if I was to rise again, more powerful than I had been when I had fallen. I wanted Harry Potter's blood. I wanted the blood of the one who had stripped me of power thirteen years ago…for the lingering protection his mother once gave them would then reside in my veins too."
Voldemort paused and looked at Adrian. "It was then I was reunited with my other faithful servant Adrian Ambrosius, he searched for me though his contacts, when I leaned of this I ordered Wormtail contact him. Ambrosius had new followers for me, but he had so much more. He told me something that made me alter my plans slightly. You see my friends the potion that revived me could do one other thing if I added one more ingredient. The flesh and blood of another heir of Slytherin. Now I thought that I was the only one left from that line, but Adrian told me of his nephew who could speak to snakes. As Adrian had heard that rumour, he decided to do a little research and I was happy to hear about. There was another line down from Slytherin. Now Adrian and his son could not be used, as the ingredient had to be given unwillingly. He offered his daughter, as loyal as he was. However, with Alexander Black being a Parselmouth and a wizard with a strong magical core, I knew that he was the perfect candidate to make me stronger."
Alex hated hearing that, his life; his existence had made Voldemort stronger.
"But how to get at Harry Potter and Alexander Black? Alexander Black might have been easy enough to get, but Harry Potter was another thing. He have been better protected than I think even he knows, protected in ways devised by Dumbledore long ago, when it fell to him to arrange the boy's future. Dumbledore invoked an ancient magic, to ensure the Potter's protection as long as he was in his relatives care. Not even I can touch them there. And as I needed both boys I had to wait. Then of course, there was the Quidditch World Cup. I thought Potter protection might be weaker there, away from his relations and Dumbledore, but I was not yet strong enough to attempt kidnap them in the midst of a horde of Ministry wizards. And then, the boys would return to Hogwarts, where they are under the crooked nose of that Muggle-loving fool from morning until night. So how could I take them?"
Voldemort smiled, enjoying bagging about his brilliance.
"Why…by using Bertha Jorkins's information, of course. Use of my one faithful Death Eater, stationed at Hogwarts, to ensure that the one of the boy's name was came out the Goblet of Fire, not only to get one of them here, but to test their powers. Now we entered both boys' name´s, and as I hoped, Black was chosen. I wanted to see Black´s powers and he is of course smarter Potter and more likely to succeed. The plan was that he won the tournament - that he touched the Triwizard Cup first - the cup which my Death Eater had turned into a Portkey, which would bring him here, beyond the reach of Dumbledore's help and protection, and into my waiting arms."
Voldemort paused and looked at Harry. "As for Harry Potter, my second faithful Death Eater was of great use." Adrian smiled. "Since he was Black´s uncle Dumbledore invited him to the school. He and Adrian´s son would overpower Potter and bring him here by portkey. Since everyone had focused on protecting Black, Potter was easy to get here. And here he are the boy you all believed had been my downfall.
Voldemort moved slowly forward and turned to face Harry. He raised his wand.
"Crucio"
Alex winced as Harry screamed out in pain, and then he stopped as the curse was lifted. He watched as Harry hung limply, as the night rang with the sound of the Death Eaters' laughter.
"You are a bloody coward." Alex screamed. "You have us bound instead of fighting us. You are nothing bu." Alex screamed as the torture curse was cast on him.
"Oh I will fight you, or at least I will fight Harry Potter. I have promised you to another, if you made the wrong choice. I want there to be no mistake in anybody's mind. Harry Potter escaped me by a lucky chance. And I am now going to prove my power by killing them, here and now, in front of you all, when there is no Dumbledore to help him, and no mother to die for him. I will give him his chance. He will be allowed to fight, and then there will be no doubt of who is the stronger. Just a little longer, Nagini," he whispered, and the snake glided away through the grass to where the Death Eaters stood watching. "As for you Alexander Black since you won't join me- then Adrian you may kill him."
"Thanks you my master. It will be my pleasure."
Alex growled and starred at his uncle, he may not have said the curse, but he had killed his grandfather.
"Now untie them both, Wormtail, and give them back their wands."
…
Chapter end