Fragmented fate

Chapter 6

"Ahhh... It's so boring!"

Ron yawned and looked at the pile with sleepy eyes.

"Honestly Ronald! This is the fifth time in last ten minutes you said that." Hermione glared at him. "Stop disturbing us. You are wasting our time! "

" Hey! I'm helping too. Just because you..."

"Keep your voice down. We are in the library."

Hermione halted his indignant rant and sent him another fierce glare.

They were looking for information regarding his parents and war in old newspapers. Harry had decided to look into them after his futile meeting with Professor McGonagall but didn't get time between classes and homework. Finally on weekend he started his archival research and his friends volunteered to help him.

Madam Pince was very suspicious of three first years who spent their first weekend in the library. Harry hoped that she would not meddle in his work. He didn't have time for distractions.

Harry had done tedious research work many times before as part of his profession but practice didn't make research any more interesting. It's boring but so far it was proving to be useful. Harry got to know many things about this war... many shocking facts.

Like, Bellatrix was the only known supporter of The dark lord which was arrested and given Dementor's kiss. It looked like the ministry didn't get any correct information from her... else Tom wouldn't be teaching here.

During his initial research Harry had never came across words 'Dark mark or Death eaters' and after seeing these newspapers, He confirmed his initial theory that Voldemort had been very discreet in this world. Tom Riddle must have planned double identity to work behind scenes safely.

'Clever... very clever! But who would have acted as fake dark lord? One of his follower?'

It didn't seem possible. Voldemort couldn't trust anyone but himself. Harry felt like he was very close to answer but unable grasp it.

'I need more information' he thought... feeling frustrated again.

But overall, their today's session was pretty useful. New information filled many gaps and gave him much to think about.

All activities in the war had been done anonymously... Only thing linked crimes of this so called Dark lord was skull and serpent mark found on crime scenes. His followers didn't carry any distinguishing mark.

' It means Voldemort had not marked his lackeys or devised new method for communication.'

When he read news about Bellatrix, Harry was really disturbed. Only one Death eater captured means others were still roaming freely. He wondered why there was a peace after last war... what was Riddle planning?

The another unexpected and unbelievable news was about his parents. Harry was really surprised. His father was killed on field nearly two months before his mother's death. Although he found this news... details were too vague. It was just another casualty in various confrontations which was being day to day affair in that dangerous time.

His mother's death had gathered lots of attention and sympathy. 'Recently widowed mother was murdered, leaving her child orphaned' was overall theme...more dramatic representation... utterly lacking useful details.

'Still something is better than nothing.'

Lily Potter was killed in preplanned attack on their home. She was alone at home that time. If it was not for that mark looming in sky, it could have been regular robbery and murder case as Aurors had reported magic residues various summoning and revealing charms everywhere in the house. Their home was totally wrecked. Article speculated about motives of this attack... but they obviously didn't know she was the order member.

'What had he really wanted if he was not there to kill Harry?' For now Harry was assuming that Voldemort or The Dark lord had killed her... not his followers. It was very irritating and frustrating that he didn't know who had actually killed his parents.

But he was certain that directly or indirectly, Voldemort was behind this.

Harry supposed that he could have killed her when she had refused to give him Harry's whereabouts... But it didn't explain those charms. Did he think that she had magically hid him?...or was there some another motive?

'But you are not the Boy who lived here... Why Voldemort attacked then... and most important question... Where he was when his mother was murdered? '

Harry was mentally exhausted by thinking about all this variations... What a mess!

His other plan still hadn't produced any satisfactory results... His plan where he supposed to befriend BWL. To be frank, Harry really did not know how you go about befriending someone for your benefit...he never tried that. He tried many times to speak with him but Neville always acted aloof and Malfoy had self appointed himself as Neville's bodyguard who would get rid of his student fans... especially from the Gryffindors... hence no progress at all.

Monday they had their first Defence Against Dark Arts class. Harry was anxious about attending the class where Voldemort had been teaching. He seriously could not imagine Tom as a teacher.

'Well, he would see that tomorrow. Just sleep Harry... tomorrow is going to be taxing day.'

Nearly ten years ago...

She lifted the bowl filled with blood and began chanting. Her voice eerily echoing in that chamber. Runes drawn by blood began glowing ominously... illuminating a baby laid in middle. He was sleeping calmly because of enchantment...unaware of his surroundings where magic was working its way towards its target. She kept waving the wand in complicated patterns... nearing the end of that ritual.

Everyone would be scandalised if they saw her now but what was necessary must be done. Alice Longbottom was a practical woman.

When Dumbledore informed them about the prophecy she was absolutely terrified. Though she was strong and had faith in the order's abilities, it's not enough... not when it was concerning with life of her precious baby.

She always had considered Deviation as silly subject so she didn't truly believed in that so called prophecy... but she could not take risk... absolutely not!

Major factor in this whole thing was that they didn't know anything about the Dark lord... Who he was or maybe what it was?

What if it was not human... it could be vampire, werewolf or something more dangerous... insidious. She refused to believe that they were fully prepared against the danger when they even didn't know what they fighting against.

All they had was speculation and guesses... hence here she was...doing this dark ritual. It had taken painstaking, discreet research and visits to some very shady places but finally she found it... solution to save her baby.

She would be never able to justify her actions to anyone but as they say end justifies the means.

On that fateful night, when that monster uttered the killing curse... she was died knowing her baby would be safe. She had done right thing. He would never able to harm her baby boy.

Alice Longbottom would never know how horribly wrong she was... Not in her wildest dream she could have guessed identify of that cruel being... who was not human... not quite inhuman. The line was blurred.

R & R