Chapter 13. Dread part II

Albus Dumbledore was in his office, filling in various forms. Sudenly he felt a presence appear before him. He looked up to see a young man in light armor and cloak over it.

"Who are you?" Albus asked.

"My name is irrelevant." the figure replied. "But you should know that I am like Darth Marr and Satele Shan, a force ghost. We don't have much time, even as we speak I can feel the shroud of the dark side tighten around this planet."

"Very well, I am listening." Albus replied, putting away his quill and sitting back in his chair.

"I was known as the Hero of Tython and more importantly the slayer of the Sith Emperor Vitiate." the figure said. "I came to warn you. I will tell you of his power. It is undeniable; he overwhelmed a strike team of experienced and powerful Jedi masters like we were bugs… Perhaps we were. He broke our minds like children break straw. Don't trust him, never trust him. People are less than tools to him. He was going to consume this entire Galaxy, billions upon billions of lives to further cement his immortality. Stop him, or he will annihilate everything you hold dear. Do not-" the image began to flicker. "His… immor… trans…er ess-" the Jedi did not manage to finish as he disappeared, leaving only tense, deafening silence in his wake.

In the Chamber of Secrets Harry opened his glowing magenta eyes. These fools will not interfere again, now that he enveloped this planet in a shroud thicker than the one around Dromund Kaas and Korriban combined.

xxx

As Harry walked to the Ancient Runes lesson, he could not ignore how disturbingly easy the opinion of wizards was swayed. Only two days ago they were ready to crucify him for "entering" himself into the Tournament and gleefully informed him of their low expectations of him. Now he was recieving looks of awe and sometimes even adoration. However, there was an amusing thing in this madness, no one ever bothered to appologize for their more than unfair treatment.

Old Harry would be bothered, maybe even wounded. Valkorion though couldn't care less what the fools thought of him. But here came another disturbing thing, concerning Ron and Hermione. He felt... glad they did not betray him after his name came from the Goblet. He felt thankful that they have stood by him all this time. It was unnatural. The closest thing he felt to this was when he briefly fell in love with Senya on Zakuul. But then it was nothing but momentary infatuation, now feelings were more pronounced. What was happening? Was this the influence of the mask... Come to think of it, the ritual, he underwent on Nathema this summer did not remove the mask of Harry Potter, no... something far more complex happened, something Valkorion could not fully comprehend... yet.

xxx

"Can you describe what you saw, doctor?" Mace Windu asked.

The council was in session, in the middle of the chamber stood a woman. Dr. Numiru was a moderately high woman, who usually worked with the Exploration Corps, approached the Jedi, claiming she had news about Sith on Coruscant.

"I was returning home." she said weakly. Dr. Numiru was intimidated by the most powerful Jedi masters around her. "It was late, the thugs cornered me. I was preparing for the worst, when..." she sighed. "When he appeared."

Many council members shifted in their seats, Windu leaned forward, while Yoda's eyes narrowed. No one made a move to do anything though, allowing the woman before them move through the tale at her own pace.

"It was definitely a human, I would say it was a teenage boy, not very tall, with messy black hair." Dr. Numiru continued. "He tried to talk to the thugs, as if warning them. I was really surprised... The thugs were rather big. They laughed at the boy and wanted to beat him, but he threw them away with such power... without even lifting a finger."

"It doesn't look very Sith to me." said Master Plo-Koon. "Any Jedi can do that."

"Yes, master Jedi." the doctor nodded. "But when he looked at me... his eyes were shining orange, almost red. I studied wars with the Sith of old extensively in university. Only Sith have these eyes."

"What happened next?" Master Windu inquired.

"I- I was terrified," Dr. Numiru replied, looking down, "I called him Sith, told him to stay away, hoping he would rebuke my claim... I couldn't believe the Sith still existed, I still can't. To my surprise, he simply walked away."

"Thank you we do, Dr. Numiru." Master Yoda said. "Free to go you are."

Dr. Numiru recognized dismissal, when she heard one. Besides, she has never wanted to interfere in the Jedi matters. She nodded respectfuly and left.

"Do you believe her claims?" Windu asked, when the doors closed.

"Dr. Numiru isn't known for speculations." Master Shaak Ti said. "I read a number of her works." she added after questioning glances from some members of the council.

"On the other hand, doctor herself confessed to have been in shock." Master Plo-Koon argued. "It may have clouded her judgement."

"I agree." nodded Master Ki Adi Mundi. "A boy with red eyes and some force powers, while definitely enough to warrant an investigation, is not enough to support doctor's claims... at least not yet."

"What is your opinion, Master Yoda?" Mace asked, looking at the frowning grandmaster. Yoda hummed.

"Unusual for a Sith this behavior is." he replied. "Investigate this matter personally I will."

"Pesonally?" Ki Adi Mundi asked, bemused. "This is-"

"Final my decision is." Yoda said, raising his hand. "The will of the Force this is. Feel the shroud around us I do."

xxx

"Let us start thus staff meeting." Dumbledore said.

"Yes, let us get on with it already." Vowrawn drawled. "Some of us actually have something to do besides wasting time on pointless chatter."

Dumbledore sighed. Severus has always been like this. So imlatient when it comes to school matters. He decided not to reply, just to spare himself the drama.

"Very well, first, we will discuss general performance of the students. Minerva, if you will begin..."

Vowrawn sat and listened to people rambling on about meaningless things. They occasionaly praised his emperor. That was when the old Sith thanked his emperor for giving him this body. Snape was a snarky bitter man, who had no patience for his job and was known to have rotten character. Therefore, no one paid any mind to him when he sulked in his chair and just watched everyone with disinterest.

When the nuicanse was finally over, Vowrawn stood up with everyone and was almost out of the classrom, when Dumbledore called him. "Severus, if you will stay for a bit."

"Of course, headmaster." Vowrawn replied, taking his seat at the table again and levelling an intense look at Dumbledore. When the door closed, the headmaster waved his wand and the Sith felt wards rising around the room. "What would you like to discuss, headmaster?"

"Severus, I have some rather disconcerting information." Dumbledore said, staring at his hands. Vowrawn kept his face blank. "It's about Harry."

"What has this arrogant show-off done this time?" Vowrawn sneered.

"I worry for Harry, Severus." Albus sighed. "His aptitude for mind arts is frightening." Vowrawn wanted to snort, as if his emperor had shown any of his real power to those wizards, but he wisely kept his mouth shut. "And his friends stopped giving me reliable information early in the year."

"You're worried about the lack of intelligence on the boy." the Sith drawled.

"Among other things." Dumbledore nodded, looking at his potions master. "Ghosts have been coming to me throughout the year." Vowrawn raised a skeptical eyebrow at this. "I know, Severus, it sounds outlandish, but it is the truth. They accused Harry of being the root of evil in the Universe. I refused to believe them, but after Harry's performance, I can no longer be a spectator."

"What do you want of me, headmaster?" Vowrawn asked, eyebrow still raised.

"I want you to keep tabs on the boy. Make him angry, let him slip." Dumbledore said.

"Potter stopped reacting to my jabs months ago." Vowrawn replied. "I don't know how to press his buttons anymore."

"Then just keep an eye on him, Severus." Albus rested his chin on his hands. "We can't allow Harry fall to darkness."

"As you wish." Vowrawn stood up. "If there is nothing else?"

"You may go, Severus." Dumbledore nodded.

"Headmaster." the Sith inclined his head slightly, and left the old man to his thoughts.

xxx

It was refreshing, Vowrawn decided, to serve directly the emperor. He had been a membef of the Dark Council for decades and was used to intrigues, deception and underhanded means. He used them regularly in fact.

When he died about 3500 years ago, his spirit did not become one with the force. Like so many Sith before him, Vowrawn was confined to this tomb. Boredom was his only companion. That is, until the emperor came.

Vowran could not believe his senses. The emperor's presence was unmistakable, but the old Sith still could not believe his eyes, when he saw a young teenager strall casually in his tomb. The emperor gave him a choice: serve or be left in the tomb for eternity. It was one of the easiest choices in Vowrawn's (after)life.

Now here he was. Serving the emperor, without any deception, any power plays. And if Vowrawn serves well, perhaps his emperor will reward him.

Most recently his master asked Vowrawn for assistance in grooming his pet project aka Draco Malfoy. Severus Snape was the boy's godfather and the closest thing to family he had in the castle. Vowrawn was supposed to take the phrase "cold shoulder" to new heights.

xxx

In the Chamber of Secrets Harry sat mulling over his past actions, since he regained control over his body.

First were Ron and Hermione. It was logical that he converted them, otherwise the pair would have remained spies for Dumbledore. Now they are his supporters and tools. The disconcerting fact was that he actually cared for them. Valkorion would not pay them any more attention than he paid to that CEO of Czerka. But he actually cared for Ron and Hermione.

Second, Severus Snape. The glaring "Harry Potter" mark on his actions. Valkorion would have never acted so recklessly. He would not have destroyed Snape... He would have waited and done something like this only when there was no risk for himself. What was he thinking in that antechamber. Dumbledore could have easily noticed something amiss during Harry's and Snape's conversation in Harry's mindscape. This wasn't an action of the Sith Emperor who has lived for five millenia; this was an action of an angry teenager.

What was this?! He was fairly certain that the ritual he underwent on Nathema this summer released him from the Harry Potter mask. It seems that things were more complicated. He would have to investigate this further. But he would do this later, right now there were pesky wizards to handle.

It was quite amusing to watch the students of Hogwarts shift their opinions on Harry Potter. The start of the year was normal, nobody paid him more attention than to any other student. Then came the Goblet incident. All of the school turned against him, calling him a cheater or a liar. But Harry did not even notice, at least until Hermione mentioned it. That wasn't a big loss, Harry had no interest in schoolyard politics. The first task and the way Harry completed it, made him a hero again. The students of Hogwarts sang him praises, some even apologized... Not that Harry cared. Everything that happened in Hogwarts, everything that was going to happen - was a means to an end.

"How was this, master?" Draco asked Harry, turning off his lightsaber. Harry glanced at the boy with disinterest etched on his face. He was glad to see supressed disappointment and fury on the blonde's face. Really, Draco is just like Arcann, though weaker, both in mind, the force and body.

"Again." was all the emperor said, picking up a datapad and ignoring his student. Draco gritted his teeth and activated his lightsaber once more.

An hour later, after a seething Draco Malfoy left the Chamber, Harry closed his eyes and called Hrmione and Ron from the inner sanctum of the Chamber of Secrets, where the pair now practiced.

"Show me what you have learned." Harry ordered. A wave of his hand and a dozen dummies appeared around the teens.

Ron ignited his lightsaber and started volently cut down every dummy he could see. Harry was pleased that the redhead not only utilized his weapon, but also the force. He would lift his "opponents" into the air and throw them at his saber.

Hermione's approach was fundamentally different. She called upon tne force, not even bothering to use her lightsaber. Golden lightning, lightning blasts and force blasts reduced the dummies to rubble in seconds.

Harry fel pride for the pair rising in his chest, and frowned. He had never experienced pride for another's accomplishments. This was weird, strange and unnatural. He had to investigate what his latest ritual on Nathema did... and fast.

"Well done." he said, after snapping from depressing thoughts. "Now that you understand more about the Force and the Galaxy, I can explain some things to you..."

It was almost time to tell the pair exactly who they were dealing with, but Harry had to find that out first. And find out he will...

AN: Once again, many thanks to Thundramon for proofreading this chapter.