A/N – Hello lovelies, did you miss me? Anyway, I'm not exactly happy with this chapter, specially because I have a bit of trouble with the brief talk between Harry and Hermione. Next chapter I promise it will be on Tom's point of view (which will be oh so much easier than Harry's) I also promise Tom getting howlers, and a nice quiet talk between Death Eaters and a new organization controlled by Voldemort. BTW, if I got any names wrong, please point me so I can fix it!
Note: Still in need of a beta!
Title: The Sons of the Gods
Chapter: 02 - Masks
Word Count: 2791
Warnings for this chapter: AU, a bit of OOC Voldemort and... Pansy acting nice?!

Masks

Harry stared at the Quidditch Stadium below him and the Weasleys. Why in Gods name was his life so complicated?

First there was a madman trying to conquer the world. Then the same madman killed his parents because of him. Then he had to spend ten long years in Hell Hole and on his first year as a wizard the same fucking madman tried to kill him YET AGAIN. And to top it all. Now, he was corresponding with said madman, who ended up not being as mad as Harry – and probably the rest of the wizard world – originally thought.

He groaned, drawing Hermione's attention, and buried his face on his hands. Why did he had to start that damn letter anyway?! If there was one thing he would agree with Snape (not that he would ever tell him that of course) was that his curiosity often got the better out of him, getting him into trouble. 'And some trouble that is. Trading letters with a Dark Lord and associating with Dark Witches.' And one of those witches just happened to be Pansy Parkinson, and the other her mother! Not that he hated Ruhi, quite the opposite. And after the first week even Pansy's presence was tolerable...

By the time Hermione shock him he was starting to wonder if maybe he was associating with too many Slytherins...

- Harry? Harry! Are you alright? - the girl asked, looking a bit worried at her friend. It was unusual for Harry to just space out like that. At least when she and Ron were near him.

- I... I'm fine Hermione, just thinking. - He glanced at her in annoyance over the disbelieving look he was receiving – Look, you're not the only one who gets lost in dreamland every other day okay? Merlin, the way you're staring makes it seem like I do things without thinking! (here he chose to ignore the pointed look Hermione was throwing at him)

- Fine, so what were you thinking about that made you miss the Malfoys? I know the both of you like to glare and taunt each other every chance you get.

- Just thinking about V... Voldemort – He whispered so no one would glance at him worried because he said the name, or scream or have another equally ridiculous reaction – It's been too quiet lately, there was no sign of... HIM... around, not even a glance. I can't help but feel that something is about to happen. - He sighed, he just knew something was about to happen. His instincts were screaming at him that something huge was about to happen this year.

- You worry too much Harry. Nothing will happen, relax! - the girl smiled, turning her attention to the Quidditch game. Sometimes... she sighed, sometimes Harry was the one to think too much.

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Harry glared at Hermione as they entered the burrow, so much for nothing happening!!

- I told you something would happen!

He whispered, turning his back to his friends and going to the room he was sharing with Ron, laying in bed and staring at the ceiling, until sleep claimed him. His instincts still telling him that something else was about to happen, and the confusion during the World Cup was not that!

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-(Dream)-

Harry was back in Ruhi's living room, though it was bare this time, only the fireplace and two love seats. The bare brick walls were oddly comforting, with the almost faded red bringing a bit of life to the empty room (even if they did clashed horribly with the love seats and the carpet under his feet). Harry felt compelled to sit on the dark green seat, waiting for something to happen, anything. While he remembered the last bit of conversation with Dewin and Pansy.

-Flashback-

- Somehow, I really doubt Voldemort has in mind the happiness of magical creatures and the Wizard World in general. Voldemort doesn't exactly go after the perfect Utopia and all does he?

Ruhi laughed, clearly amused by the train of thought Harry suddenly took, one minute they were all in the kitchen preparing lunch (much to the despair of the house elf) and the next Harry let out something like that!

- I mean, he doesn't get anything out of it does it? It's not like he's a vampire or veela or something, And he has the Slytherin Fortune from what I heard, so he's a rich dark wizard, why would he want equal right for everyone? Why would he want an Utopia?

- Well, he's not exactly interested in their happiness and utopia as you put it Harry, but it's good for business to have magical creatures and such on your good side, don't you agree?

- Well... yeah! But then, what is Tom's real purpose for this war? I believe in the organization, I did see some of the members and all, even owled them... but... if that's not his goal, then what is?

Dewin sighed, looking at the green eyed teen wondering if she should go with the truth or not, she had become rather fond of him and was often amazed by this way of thinking and she did not want to lie to Harry like that. Somewhere along the weeks they've been together Ruhi's motherly instinct came into the scene and she now considered Harry as one of her children. (And she would be dammed if she allowed the Dursleys to hurt her new child like that!)

- To tell you the truth, no one is really sure what the Dark Lord is after, he has so many organizations and business, ranging from harmless creature rights till the Death Eaters and Mercenaries and professional killers that, no one who knows what is going on is really sure what he wants, and mind you, very few even know that the Dark Lord has that much control over the wizard world, even the people that keep in contact with him. - She sighed, this was not looking well for her Lord. - Harry, I came here so you could see what we're after, somewhat that is. But if you really want to know the Dark Lord's personal quest, I'm afraid that he's the only one able to answer that. We didn't exactly foresee your questions you know.

- So in other words you thought I would just accept whatever you told me as the truth and just let it be?

- Yes, that was the basic idea... We were surprised to see you're not as brainless as the slytherins thought you would be! - Pansy smirked, internally laughing as Harry's face of outrage.

- Pansy!

- What? It's true... we never knew he had brains!

- For what it's worth, no one in the school knew any of the Slytherin's royal family had brains. - Harry mumbled, looking at his salad.

- Well... if you're referring to Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, me, Bulstrode and Nott I can guarantee that from our lot only, me, Nott and... are you ready for a shock? - Harry just shrugged – well, me, Nott and Crabbe have any brains to successfully fool the school into thinking that we're pureblood idiots. - She smirked, completely delighted at the look of disbelief on her... friend?

- You're kidding... Vincent Crabbe?! - He stared at her in horror, to think someone like THAT managed to fool the school! - I want proof then!

- Oh don't worry, you'll have all the proof you'll need by the end of the year! Just remember Harry, Plots within Plots and Masks within Masks!

-Flashback-

Harry stared at the wall, thinking about everything he learned the past few weeks, while he continued to wait (for what, he really didn't know). It went from Slytherins' double (sometimes triple) facade, to realising that nothing was like it seemed in this world and that words have a lot of meanings (Pansy teased him to no end saying things and meaning others, until he learned to read the blasted girl), it went from the simple pleasure of having knowledge very few had to Harry himself creating a facade when he learned what the wizard world wanted, he was devastated when he learned everyone saw just a saviour, a tool... Maybe even his friends only saw that. They wanted a saviour, the kind of saviour he wasn't.

So he created the mask, the perfect reckless suicidally brave Gryffindor, who would run to his friends aid without thinking about the consequences, who would follow the beacon of light that was Dumbledore without a second thought! He hoped his friend would see beyond the mask.

He snorted, thinking about the Gryffindor mask, he had a feeling he would need it if he planned to follow the path he was in now...

- They want a hero and a villain Harry, they want someone who would sacrifice everything for them, while they wait inside their houses for freedom they don't deserve. - A voice behind him whispered on his ear, sending shivers down Harry's spine. He knew that voice.

- They want someone who can be thrown away once the war is over, and that will reappear once a new Dark Lord comes. - The teen replied, watching the shadow move and sit on the other love seat, resting against the soft material.

Harry thought it was somehow weird and funny that the most frightening wizard of this century, dressed in all black with the hood covering his face, had a leg swinging from side to side like a child.

- What?! - The Dark Lord asked, reading the weird look on Harry's eyes.

- Nothing...

Harry sighed, so Voldemort had come to see him. He groaned, looking away, if Dumbledore found out about all this he was so dead! Nevermind he was supposed to be a hero or something, he was sure Dumbledore would accuse him of betrayal and of being dark and so on... and really, he didn't fancy a stay on Azkaban, the Dementors would drive him insane in less than three days.

- I shouldn't have sent you that letter you know.

- And so you keep complaining Harry. - The Dark Lord smiled, a hint of laughter on his voice.

- And you! - he pointed an accusing finger at the older man, torn between frustration and relief at the light tone of voice – You, shouldn't be contacting your enemy and... and talking to me like that! For all I know you should have been trying to kill me and whatnot. - The teen added with a pout, he was sure it was a childish act, but he couldn't bring himself to care right now.

The Dark Lord laughed, throwing his head back (but being careful to have his face covered) and shaking with heartily mirth. The boy was so amusing and – dare he say it? - adorable sometimes. It made him laugh and sometimes regret he hadn't raised him as his own. Oh well, nothing could be done now!

- Oh do stop pouting Harry, you're not a five year old anymore. As cute as you look like that it does nothing for our conversation. - The hooded figure seemed to smile, leaning against the comfort of the dark fabric.

The teen glared at the hooded man, turning away. He couldn't deal with Voldemort when he was that happy! It was annoying. And make the purpose of pouting completely useless and even more childish.

- What do you want Voldemort?

A simple question, and oh so many answers, but the Dark Lord knew what answers the boy wanted, he would humour him for now. To see the child's face when he told him the truth, his reactions made the truth even more interesting than it originally was.

- I want many things Mr. Potter. I want world domination, I want absolute power, I want eternity and beyond, I want to crush your esteemed Dumbledore, I want chaos, I want people turning willingly to my side, I want a new functional body... I want many many things Mr. Potter. - he smirked at the boy's expression, such innocence, in some abstract level it made him want to corrupt him with his own Dark nature. He doubted the headmaster truly talked to the boy, more like leading him like a puppy, well that was just too bad! If albus was not interested on the boy's mind, to hell with it all! He was, and he would do whatever it took to keep that mind from fighting him. - But above all Mr. Potter, I want revenge against the so called Light Side.

- Revenge?

- Revenge... you see Harry – His voice acquired the usual chill, the cold fury he usually reserved for a few – the light side took something precious from me. Took something that I, even as a Dark Lord, would give my life for. I want revenge against them, I want to tear them apart from limb to limb and give back what they did at least ten thousand times worse. I want to annihilate them and make history remind the corpses as pure filth not worth a bug's weight in copper. - The temperature of the room dropped, frost starting to accumulate on the carpet, and the light of the fire almost vanishing from the sudden temperature drop. The darkness and its creatures almost engulfing the room and its occupants. For the first time, Harry felt true fear in the presence of the other.

Harry swallowed hard. Whatever it was that the Light did, it was enough to make the Dark Lord angry, and the rest of the world would have to excuse him but if Voldemort had this kind of mood during battle he did not want to be on the end of his wand. He wasn't suicidal! Harry took a deep breath, trying to look beyond the shadows concealing the Dark Lord's face.

- Wha... what did they take? - he whispered. Now he knew why so many people were afraid of Voldemort, cold fury was not something one messed up with. Specially if one had the power Voldemort was radiating right now.

- That Mr. Potter, is for me to know and for you to find out. - The man sighed, looking at the boy in front of him. For now it would do no good to be this mad at the world in general, it would scare him and drive him away. - If you're trully interested, search for these dates. - And with a flick of his wrist a piece of parchment appeared on Harry's lap. - You might find your answers during your search.

Harry frowned, looking at the parchment, than at the Dark Lord in front of him. He was such a weird man!

- Were you the one that ordered the attack today?

- Does it matter? - that damned smiled was back on the Dark Lord's voice, all darkness and fear forgotten. It was frustrating how Voldemort manipulated his own humour like that, when Harry couldn't do it!

- Yes it does! I was having a good time damn it! - Voldemort chuckled, getting up and moving to a wall, where a dark wooden door appeared. Clearly his side of the conversation was over.

- It was all Lucius doing, I'm much more organized during my attacks. - There was a hint of disappointment on his voice. One that made Harry wonder why it was there.

He walked to one of the shadows in the left corner, giving Harry a nod.

- Until we meet again Harry.

And with that the Dark Lord walked away, leaving Harry to his own thoughts.

-(Dream)-

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Harry woke up the next day with a piece of parchment next to his head, in it was a few dates written in bright green ink, making it all that much more harder to read due to the black parchment, where did one get black parchment anyway?! He put on his glasses, tracing the neat handwriting on the paper...

May 09, 1969

March 28, 1978

April 10, 1978

Good luck during your search Mr. Potter.

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A week later Hedwig was seen caring a letter to the National Wizard Library that Hermione often bragged about.

To whom it may concern,

Hello, my name is Harry James Potter.

As a student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizarding I'd like to request access to your library (and maybe get a library card or something similar?) for extra work on History of Magic.

Since, at the moment, I'm unable to go over there personally, I'd like to ask if you could forward information on Wizard history since the end of the 1960's until 1981. I know you have rare tomes around and, if possible, I'd like to have those too. I'm prepare to swear a Wizard's Oath to keep them safe and out of curious eyes.

I also ask of you to please shrink or maybe put notice-me-not charms on the tomes, it would make it all that much easier.

With all due respect,

Harry James Potter.