(A/N: Ok, no doubt this chapter will leave you with questions, and I'll tell you now that they will all be answered in time.)

Disclaimer: What a surprise, I still don't own Harry Potter.

Chapter 17: The Truth

Harry came out of the fireplace. No one was around, but he heard commotion from some place in the castle. Harry couldn't believe it. This was the third time Death Eaters successfully broke into Hogwarts. He wondered how they managed to do it this time.

Suddenly, he realized the reason the Death Eaters were here. For the same reason they went to the Dursleys. To get to Harry through his family and friends. That could only mean one thing.

"Danny!" said Harry.

He headed straight for the Gryffindor common room. On the way, he ran into a Death Eater.

"Stupefy!" he cried.

The Death Eater was stunned before he even knew Harry was there. Harry didn't wait around. He cast a quick spell, binding the Death Eater and continued toward the Gryffindor common room.

"Snake fang." he gasped to the Fat Lady.

"Thank Merlin you're here." said the Fat Lady, opening up to grant him entrance.

"Danny!" he cried, as soon as he entered the room.

"Dad?" said Danny. "Dad! What's going on?"

All the other students entered the common room. Each one of them was wondering the same thing.

"Ok, no one panic." said Harry, trying to sound calm. "But there are Death Eaters in the school."

Several students gasped. Harry held up his hand to silence them.

"Don't worry. We're handling it. But in the meantime, no one is to leave this dormitory. And if you find yourself in any danger, you have permission to use any spell you feel is necessary."

The students nodded in understanding.

"Good. I need to go, so stay here."

He exited the room. "Don't let anyone in." he told the Fat Lady. "In fact, go to a different portrait until it's safe."

"Yes sir." the Fat Lady replied, and she took off.

Harry left to. He saw some movement, and followed. Whoever it was, was fast. The next thing Harry knew, he was in the Astronomy Tower. Whoever he had been chasing was gone.

Looking out the window, he saw the Dark Mark hovering in the sky. He hadn't seen that hated symbol in 18 years, and the very sight of it filled him with anger.

"Finite Incantatem!" he cried, pointing his wand at the Dark Mark. It vanished in a wisp of smoke.

"Expelliarmus!" cried a voice.

Harry's wand flew out of his hand. He looked at who had cast the spell. A cloaked figure was pointing his wand ay Harry. But he wasn't alone. Standing behind him was…

"Malfoy?" gasped Harry.

Draco Malfoy was indeed here. And he looked to be in league with whoever the cloaked figure was.

"Draco, guard the door." ordered the New Dark Lord. "Make sure were not interrupted."

Malfoy nodded in understanding. Harry was stilled shocked that he was helping the Death Eaters.

"Draco Malfoy, what the bloody hell are you doing?!" shouted Harry. "How can you be working with them?"

"Oh, he didn't want to." sneered the New Dark Lord. "But I have my ways of getting people to do what I want."

Harry looked at Malfoy. He saw a blank look in his eyes. Harry suddenly understood.

"He's Imperiused, isn't he?"

The New Dark Lord laughed. "Nothing gets past you, eh Potter. But enough about him. You seem to have a bit of a situation in your hands. And doesn't this situation seem a little familiar to you? I believe this is the same place and way Albus Dumbledore died."

Harry winced at his words. But he also realized that he was right. This was the exact same place Dumbledore was killed, and now Harry seemed to be in a very similar position.

He looked at his wand, which was several feet away. He could silently summon it. The New Dark Lord seemed to know what he was thinking.

"Don't bother, Potter." sneered the New Dark Lord. "You'll be dead before your wand is even in your hands."

Harry knew that he was right, and thought best not to try it… yet. Instead he decided to see if he could find out who this New Dark Lord was.

"So, you must be the New Dark Lord?"

"Wow, nothing dies get by you." said the New Dark Lord sarcastically. "I can see how you became a professor."

"Not everything." said Harry, figuring it was best to keep him talking, until he figured out what to do. "I still don't know who you are."

"I'm aware of that." said the New Dark Lord proudly. "I've been very careful not to reveal myself. But I want you to look in my eyes as I kill you, Potter. I want you look into my eyes and see the dark future I have for this world. And I want you to be the first to see my face."

He reached up and pulled off his hood. Harry gasped as he recognized the person standing before him.

"Drake!?" he exclaimed.

Drake Dursley smiled evilly at his uncle. "Hello, Uncle Harry. How are you tonight?"

Harry couldn't believe it. This just didn't make sense. "How?"

"You can't figure anything out unless it's staring at you in the face." said Drake.

"But… I… you… you killed your parents!" Harry cried.

Drake snorted with laughter. "Oh please Harry, do you think that bothers me. I've wanted my father dead for years. And my mother, she was already dead. I merely ended her life. I didn't care about them. You were my target. And do you think that just because they were my parents I was going to let that stop me?"

"But, I don't understand." said Harry, trying to figure this out. "When I was talking to you about your parents deaths-"

"I believe you were under the impression I was upset." said Drake. "No. I didn't care about them. I personally killed them. I've hated them for years. My father for abandoning me, and my mother for being a whiny little bitch."

"I thought you said you didn't understand all this fighting and pain." said Harry. "I thought all you wanted was peace."

"I do, Harry." replied Drake. "I want this war to end so I can rule this world the way I see fit. Then we can finally have peace. And I don't understand the point of all this fighting. It's so pointless. Why can't you people see that I'm doing this world a favor by ridding it of mudbloods and muggles."

Suddenly the sound of footsteps were heard. Drake shot Harry a warning look. After a few seconds the sound stopped.

"I thought our time had been cut short." said Drake, after he felt like it was safe to talk again.

"I still don't understand." said Harry.

"Well let me make it simple for you." said Drake. "A few months after Dad left, I began my trips to Diagon Alley. One day I wandered down Knockturn Alley. I overheard a few Death Eaters talking. I became curious enough to listen in on their conversation. I learned much, and soon, I became involved. I found out who you were, I found out I was related to you, and I found out you killed Lord Voldemort, and I hated you for it. I could have been born into a much better world. One free of mudbloods and muggles, but you ruined that. I wanted revenge. Against you, against all of you.

"They helped me. Trained me over the years. Did you really think I gained all this power on my own. No. I had six years of training. It wasn't hard to keep this hidden from Mum. After she fell into depression, she didn't care about anything. I was able to leave everyday. Sometimes I would be gone for days at a time. I merely told her I was staying over a friend's house.

"I became powerful. Right now I'm more powerful than even Lord Voldemort was at my age. And I shall finish his noble work."

"You think you have power?" said Harry. "Don't you remember what I told you earlier?"

"Love is the most powerful voice in the universe." said Drake, mocking Harry's voice. "That's such nonsense. All you managed to do with love was shield the Avada Kedavra."

"Yeah, which is the strongest power that hate can create." snapped Harry.

"Love is nothing!" said Drake. "Love holds you back. It stops you from doing what must be done. If I had let myself be held back by love, I wouldn't have been able to kill my parents. You aren't willing to do what is necessary to gain power."

"Without love you end up completely alone!" said Harry. "Love doesn't hold me back. It gives me the strength to do what needs to be done."

Drake shook his head. "You are such a fool. You just don't understand. The truth is right in front of you, and you don't see it. Lord Voldemort did. And that's how he became so powerful."

Rage suddenly filled Harry. "Why are you doing this for him anyway? Voldemort was dead before you were even born. Why are you throwing your life away for a dead psychotic murderer? Voldemort is gone! Dead and gone!"

"NO, Harry! He is not."

Harry felt his insides go numb. He couldn't have heard right.

"What are you talking about. Yes, he is. I killed him myself, 18 years ago."

Drake shook his head. "You're wrong. He's still among us. He chose me to be his apprentice. He saw himself in me. He sensed my power, he knew we thought alike. I was the perfect candidate. Even though I was unfortunate to be a halfblood, he still saw we worthy enough to take his place."

There was an explosion that didn't sound too far off. Drake seemed to decide that he couldn't wait any longer.

"It seems that our time as run out, but no matter. You know the truth, and I've said all I need to. So goodbye! Avada Kedavra!"

The green light came for Harry, and he was unable to stop it. This was the end. He had failed. The New Dark Lord had beaten him.

Suddenly, something appeared in front of him. Harry was shocked to see Ginny standing in front of him, throwing off his Invisible Cloak. He suddenly remembered the footsteps that he and Drake had heard earlier. But Harry suddenly felt his heart stop, as he realized that Ginny was standing between him and the Killing Curse. She was going to be hit!

Ginny, however, had other ideas. Her wand raised she cried "Protego!"

Harry only had time to realize that he was the only person in history to successfully block the Killing Curse before it made contact with Ginny's shield.

To Harry's relief, and amazement, the shield held, and the curse did not penetrate. Drake raised his wand to fire another spell when someone cried "Stupefy!"

Drake barely managed to cast his own Protego before the stunning was delivered to him by none other than Malfoy. He looked dazed and confused, clearly having to have just broken free from the Imperius Curse, but he seemed to understand the situation enough to know what was going on. Harry took the opportunity to summon his wand.

As powerful as Drake was, he knew he was no match for a full grown wizard, let alone three. He took off, heading straight for the window. Harry fired a spell, but missed. Then to his, Ginny's, and Malfoy's shock, Drake jumped out the window. A second later he turned into a large black crow, and flew off. The three of them fired off more spells at the bird, but missed, and Drake soon disappeared into the night.

"He's an Animagus!" exclaimed Ginny.

"Why did he have to be something with wings?" said Malfoy angrily.

Harry barely heard them. He was still taking in everything that just happened. Out of all the things that just occurred, one thing filled him with dread.

Voldemort was alive.

(A/N: Ha, ha, bet you didn't see either of those coming. Voldemort is back and Drake is his apprentice.)