Playing the Game
Chapter Three
Author: Evening Ivory
Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter I doubt it would be kid friendly... :P
Rating: T (might go up later)
Summery: Harry Tobias Snape. Lord Syon. A life that was ended was given anew by Death. Now the Dark Lord Harry is the Boy-Who-Lived and he will have his revenge. Eventual HP/LV, Dark!AU!Harry.
Authors Note: Finally on to some new story. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. :)
~LV-HP~
No one knew what to say and so remained silent except for the sobbing in the corner. Dumbledore wearily stood in his office, having just brought everyone back after what had happened.
Harry Potter was dead. And at such a young age...
He looked at the faces standing around him. Trusted faces who had stood with him in the darkest times. Minerva McGonagall, Alastor Moody, Dedalus Diggle, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Remus Lupin, Arthur and Molly Weasely.
And Severus Snape, standing stone faced but paler than usual.
"And they're sure that it was an accident?" Minerva asked, her voice hushed.
"The aurors we placed in the muggle authorities could not find any evidence of foul play," Kingsley said. "They did not find any interference of dark magic, or any magical signatures present except for the boy's."
"And the, uh, muggles? Could they have...?" Remus stopped. The thought was far too sad. Molly's cries in the corner increased though her husband tried to comfort her.
"The muggles believe the source to have come from one of their electric gadgets," Kingsley added.
Moody snorted, "I don't know much about muggles but I know there wasn't enough there to rule out foul play. It could've very well been them. The boy should've been better protected, not just by a squib across the street."
"We—we should have done...something!" Molly sobbed. Arthur hushed her and murmured soothing words.
Dumbledore's shoulders felt the weight of the sadness and he felt far older than his years. "I could not have taken the risk. If any of Voldemort's followers had followed us or obtained his whereabouts, it would have been far worse."
"Would it?" Remus said sadly. "He was somewhere he should have been safe. And he wasn't."
"What do we do now Albus?" Minerva looked to him.
Dumbledore did not know and hesitated to respond. Before he could, Moody jumped in again. "Do? There's nothing we can do about the boy. We all know this war isn't over. It never was. Who here actually believes the scumbag is actually dead? Hm?" The room was silent. "We continue on, we prepare, we fight because whatever happened that night proved one thing. Voldemort can be defeated."
"Alastor is right," Dumbledore said, "For now, the news does not leave this room. We continue on with our lives and should the worst come, we will survive as we always have...that is all."
The group left one by one to be as inconspicuous as possible until finally there were only two. Dumbledore and Snape. Dumbledore waited for him to speak. Severus looked so pale, his dark eyes showing a bit of the emotions he hid.
"Severus-"
"Don't," he said sharply. Dumbledore stopped. "When she died, you told me the boy would be safe. You thought he was safe with muggles? With Petunia? Have you learned nothing?"
"Severus," Dumbledore said more sternly, "You know very well my options were limited."
"But you had options which you did not even consider. And now the boy is dead," he replied flatly.
Dumbledore sighed. "I am sorry Severus."
Snape turned to leave. "I have no reason to remain here. My life debt cannot be repaid and I will not spy for you any longer."
"You are welcome to stay if you wish," the old wizard replied.
"I will remain only for as long as it is necessary. The rest of the year perhaps. Good day Albus," he said bitterly and left the office.
With another sigh, Dumbledore sank into his chair. Would his old mistakes always continue to haunt him until he died? Could he have prevented the young Potter's death? And what of the prophecy? He didn't know. He only knew that the darkness would again come and this time there might not be any stopping Voldemort.
He would not get any rest that night.
~LV-HP~
Lord Caelum Malfoy,
It has come to attention that you happen to be the sole living direct relative of one Harry James Potter. Mr. Potter would like an audience with you to discuss his family and potential rearranging of his living arrangements. However, due to his fame and the potential for attack, Harry Potter requires a few things with you should you agree to meet with him.
The first is a written vow stating you will not harm Mr. Potter nor will you allow him to be harmed while the meeting commences. The second is agreeing to meet him in a safe location where he will be disguised until the location is secure enough. If you agree, please sign your name below.
If you do not, you will be unable to repeat this information to anyone. Try, and you will find your tongue has gone missing.
The man set the letter down to sip his tea. He quietly sat in his study, setting the letter and his tea down while he stared into the fire. The last living relative of Harry Potter... His long fingers ran through his slicked back hair, little white-blond strands falling in his face.
Caelum stood and walked to his desk. He summoned a quill and the letter, penning his reply at the bottom. The owl waited impatiently for his reply. He gave it the letter and a coin. The owl hooted before taking off and flying away.
He watched as it flew until he could no longer see the dot in the sky and returned to his chair.
~LV-HP~
Harry lay on the small bed and stretched. Finally free again. Seven years of hellish boredom and he was finally free. He grinned. Yes, they'd found his "body" by now, he was sure. And since it was all blood magic, the house burning up would hide any and all evidence. He doubled his grin remembering that he'd also pulled another number on Dumbledore, which was preventing him from Harry's vaults.
It had irritated him finding out he'd been seeping money from Harry's accounts for something. The money was his by blood right. An item was missing as well, unfortunately, and having no idea what or where it might be, Harry could do nothing.
Oh well. One item was nothing compared to his revenge.
His hand ran through his hair and then stopped on his forehead. He traced the lightning bolt scar with his finger. This. In seven years, he still hadn't figured out what it might be. All he knew was it shouldn't exist. It was a curse scar, from the Killing Curse. And it was from Lord Voldemort. He also recalled the feeling of it, the burning, ripping sensation as something was shoved inside...
Perhaps he could research it, if his plans worked. Harry jumped out of bed, fidgeting from impatience. He wanted to know if Caelum would meet with him or not. Waiting here for a reply that might not even come was just a waste of time. He had some things he needed to buy anyways. A moment after adjusting his disguise to look slightly older, Harry left.
His first stop was to pick up a quality trunk. Perfect, he thought as he saw a sturdy but plain one`. It wouldn't draw too much attention. The shopkeeper did gape a bit at the amount of money Harry dropped on it to ensure it remained secure and had enough compartments and expansion charms to hold everything. As an afterthought he added a Feather-light charm.
Harry continued on to the bookshop. Ugh. Reading. He withheld a grimace as he spent a small fortune on all the books. It wasn't like he hated reading, he just hated the theory and wanted to skip straight to the practice. Who cared why it worked if it worked?
His mother always did say he was too impatient. The thought made him smile slightly.
Two stops left. He entered the shop, his nose being assaulted the smell of animals. Owls chirped and he passed by, looking at them. He decided on a pretty snowy owl and named her Hedwig.
Harry considered buying a familiar as well, passing around the store aimlessly. He paused upon hearing a voice.
"Stupid humans. Never see beauty when it's right before them..."
What was that? Curiously he stepped closer, coming to the reptile section. No one was there. He looked around.
"Another stupid human! Do wonders never cease! I bet this one ignores my beauty as well."
The sound was coming from...a snake? His eyes widened.
"Watch human!"The snake appeared to hiss and raised part of it's body off the ground. Black scales shone in the light as the snake swerved side to side.
Harry was transfixed. Somehow, he was a parslemouth. That made no sense, since looking at his family tree he had no relation whatsoever to Slytherin. And in his timeline, Slytherin's gift had died out. Confused, he looked at the snake and focused on what he was saying.
"Can you understand me?"
The snake stopped. "This human Speaks?"
"...Yes I suppose I do."
"Good. Look upon me and gaze at my beauty!" The snake made its scales shine again.
Harry smirked a little at it's vanity. "Oh yes, you are a very beautiful snake." He looked at the sign on the glass and raised a brow. "And very deadly."
The snake, according to the sign, was a magical variant of the Black Mamba. And female. She hissed in pleasure at his complements.
"I like you, human. Purchase me so you can tell me how beautiful I am every day."
Harry looked at the snake. "How do I know you won't just bite me and escape?"
She stared at him. Harry for some reason felt like the question must have been stupid.
"Because, stupid human, I do not bite my master. If I am your familiar all the other snakes will be jealous of my shining scales and having a master who can Speak."
"My name is not 'stupid human'. It's Harry."
"And I am Tiamat."
He looked at the price. Not bad. Was it worth it? He'd never had this opportunity in his last life. Harry shrugged and purchased the snake. The shopkeeper paled as the snake slithered up Harry's arm to settle around his neck instead of in the holder. He smirked.
"Stupid human shopkeeper was too afraid to pet me. Good because I would've bit him. Very rude human." Tiamat hissed as she curled around Harry. "I am going to nap. Wake me when we are safe."
Harry paid and continued to his last stop. He paused outside the doorway, unable to see inside the dusty windows. His heart did speed up a bit in excitement. Finally a wand again. No, he didn't need one per say, but he missed his old one. He walked in, looking around for Ollivander. Had it not been for Harry's trained senses, he wouldn't have noticed the man sliding out of the shadows.
"Mr. Potter. I've been expecting you."
He raised a brow. "Have you?"
The old man smiled, his eyes shining strangely. "Oh yes. And I know the storm you are about to bring to the world."
Harry tensed slightly but Ollivander raised a hand. "I am not your enemy, Lord. I am...a curious bystander. Who would very much like to keep doing as he is doing."
"I see...then you'll know I've come here for a wand."
"Of course. Let's try something...ah." He pulled a box from a shelf, handing it to Harry. Harry removed the wand and put it back immediately when it bit him. "No then. Here."
Ollivander handed him another. Harry waved it, causing a vase in the corner to explode. He put it back and Ollivander grabbed him another. And another. And another, undil there was a huge pile of wands set to the side. Finally, he brought him two boxes.
"Now, I am almost positive the one will work...however...if you would satisfy my curiosity..."
Harry removed the one and sighed in relief. It was just as his old one was. Dragon Heartstring and Hawthorn wood. Chaotic. Uncontrollable. Perfect. Ollivander nudged the other box to him and Harry took it curiously.
He picked it up and had a sudden sense of rightness. Something about the wand completed him.
"Curious, Mr. Potter. Very curious. I suspected it would work for you."
"Why?"
"That wand's core is Pheonix Feather. The Pheonix it came from only gave me two feathers. That one...and it's brother. It's curious, because its brother gave you that scar."
Harry looked at the wand. It was a twin to Voldemort's. Why was it that everything seemed to be connecting the two wizards? Harry found himself mildly disturbed at the events of the day and quickly paid for both the wands.
He preferred two anyway, as he was skilled at using both at once when dueling. Something his father had taught him...
~LV-HP~
Alright, there's the end of the chapter. I hope you enjoyed it! :D Next chapter is going to have some inserts from Harry's past life and also Caelum's response. Please rate and review!