Hello my awesome readers! Long time no see (read?). Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised about how many of you gave input on what you wanted from this story as far as the conclusion. Lots of you wanted Harry to go dark (sadistic maniacs! Just kidding) so you can bet Harry will go through a dark time. But a lot of you also wanted a combination. So, Harry will go dark for a short while (it'll take some time to progress to that), but this is Harry we're talking about. He's NOT an evil person at heart, so he won't be staying dark. As a unique twist, Harry won't per say go back to the "light" or Dumbledore, he'll do what's right, but not because the light is pushing him too. Don't worry, Harry won't suddenly become a revenge seeking psycho.
Don't own Harry Potter. Never will own Harry Potter. Is this disclaimer even necessary? No. No it is not.
Am I missing anything? Don't think so . . .
On with the story!
Harry shared his room with Ron that night. Not because there wasn't enough room in 12 Grimmuald place for him to have his own, but because he knew Ron would just end up sneaking in and staying up to talk all night as it was.
Harry wasn't sure what to tell his friends. He didn't want to lie, but he couldn't tell the truth. Not the whole truth anyway. He was on autopilot all through dinner, listening to the buzz of conversation around the table without being a real part of it.
He excused himself to go to the bathroom and when he returned there was only one conversation going on.
"Has he been like this since he got back?" Mrs. Weasley's voice carried from the kitchen. Harry stopped and back up so that he was still able to hear the conversation without being seen. He had no illusions of who they were talking about.
"I honestly dunno, Molly. He spends most of his time locked away in his room and if I try to talk to him, he doesn't answer or looks distracted." He could just imagine Lupin rubbing the bridge of his nose tiredly.
"Has he told you what happened?"
"No. All I know is that he was more than physically hurt by Voldemort. Something happened, I know it did. But he won't tell me." Lupin sighed.
"Have you thought that maybe he just wants to work things out on his own? I know Harry, he doesn't like involving others in personal things. Especially if it has to do with You-Know-Who." This was Ginny. Harry silently thanked her.
"Be that as it may, he shouldn't have to deal with this on his own." Mrs. Weasley said.
"Come on, mum. It's Harry. If he needs help, he can always ask me . . . or Hermione, if he needs a text book reference." Ron said.
"RON!"
Harry grinned to himself and decided this would be a good time to come back to dinner.
"What did Ron do this time, Hermione?" he asked as he pushed the door open.
They all jumped and looked guilty for a second.
"I didn't do anything!" Ron's ears were red.
Ginny snorted. "That's right. Poor, misunderstood Ronald always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It isn't his fault that he has the tendency to blame things on others."
Harry grinned at Ginny, who blushed. Dear God, not that again. I have enough to worry about without Ginny getting all weird on me again. He thought with an internal sigh.
The tension was still there but more subdued. The rest of dinner was quiet, Harry and the other help Mrs. Weasley clear the table after dinner.
Now was the time Harry was both anticipating and dreading.
Hermione, Ron, and Ginny followed him to his room and once the door was locked and they were all seated (Harry on his bed, Ginny leaning against his desk with Hermione on the chair next to her, and Ron was next to Harry on the bed) the questions started.
"So . . . what happened?" Ron asked finally.
"Where do you want me to start?"
"The beginning would be nice." Ginny said. Harry shot her a glare before sighing.
"Fine. Well . . . Voldemort kidnapped me at the Ministry, I dunno why." He knew he couldn't tell them about the horcruxes. "He kept me at Malfoy Manor and tortured me on a daily bases." Hermione had her hand over her mouth. "He wanted me to join him, I refused so he tortured me. After around two weeks I was too weak to resist . . . he put me in some sort of trance and forced me into something like Unbreakable Vow."
"B-but Harry, you can't break an Unbreakable Vow!" Ron was pale as a sheet now.
"Really, Ron? I never could've figured that out on my own." Harry said sarcastically. Ron gave him an odd look. "What did he make you promise?"
"That I'd do what he said . . . and become a Death Eater."
What?" all three of them gasped at the same time. It would've been comical in any other situation.
"I didn't have a choice! He had me under the Imperious Curse or something!" Harry tried to explain.
"Does Dumbledore know?" Hermione asked.
"I imagine he does, Snape was there and—"
"Wait, Snape?" Ron exclaimed.
"Yeah, I think he's under cover for Dumbledore."
"What makes you think that?"
"Because . . . I don't know. When Voldemort tortured me, Snape was the one charged with patching me up. If Voldemort wasn't in the room he would tell me to hold on . . . that Dumbledore was trying hard as he could." Harry wasn't sure what to think about Snape anymore. He'd been a source of comfort while he was being held prisoner, but now Snape seemed to hate him more than ever. Harry was more concerned with the fact that Snape knew he was a Death Eater and would tell Dumbledore. What would Dumbledore do if he found out?
Harry went on to tell them how he was rescued and spent the last month at 12 Grimmuald Place. He told them that he was basically a Death Eater now, he was afraid they'd hate him.
"He made an Unbreakable Vow. He can't hurt any of my loved ones or any muggles. Those were my conditions." Harry was watching his friend's faces, waiting for them to explode.
Hermione surprised him by hugging him. "I'm sorry, Harry."
"Wha—why are you sorry? I'm the one that betrayed everyone." Harry mumbled.
"You didn't betray us, Harry. You were trying to protect us." Ginny had moved to the bed and was hugging him to. This was not what he'd been expecting.
"Yeah, mate. It's like you told Vo-Voldemort, you may be sworn to him, but that doesn't mean you're his puppet." Ron said.
Harry gapped at him. "You said Voldemort."
"Yeah, well. Fear of the name only makes you more scared of the thing itself or whatever it is Hermione always says." Ron shrugged.
Hermione smiled at him.
"So . . . you guys aren't mad at me?"
"How could we be mad at you? You were protecting us."
Harry gave them a sad smile.
"Malfoy's a Death Eater too." Harry suddenly remembered.
"Draco Malfoy? What would Voldemort want with him?" Hermione asked, stumbling over Voldemort slightly.
"I dunno. But I plan on finding out." Harry said.
"So you plan on just letting him run round the Castle and report to the Dark Lord? It was bad enough when he was still your Golden Boy, Dumbledore! He isn't anymore." Snape growled.
"I trust that Harry will not turn on me fully, Severus. He knows Voldemort is using him, and eventually he will come back. Harry is a good person at heart; we must trust that his instincts will not lead him astray." Dumbledore stated calmly.
"Your trust in him astounds me." Snape grumbled.
"He did not tell Voldemort that I was seeking out his horcruxes."
"That reminds me, how is your arm?" Snape asked.
"The poison is still contained, but I feel weaker every day, unfortunately. I fear you were correct to say I won't last the year. I am indeed dying, Severus."
Snape stayed quiet.
"Watch Harry, Severus. Make sure he keeps out of trouble."
"I am not a babysitter, Dumbledore." Snape glared coldly at the old man.
"Just look after him, Severus."
"Alright, so we need to go to Flourish and Blotts next." Hermione said. They'd just walked out of Gringott's.
"I want to visit Fred and George's shop first," Ron said. "Harry?"
"Huh?"
"Do you want to go to Flourish and Blotts or the joke shop first?" Ginny asked.
"Quality Quidditch Supplies, I need more polish for my broom." Harry grinned.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "That wasn't a choice, Harry."
"Well how about this. You can to Flourish and Blotts, Ron can go to Fred and George's, and Harry and I will go to Quality Quidditch Supplies. I need new clippers anyway." Ginny suggested.
"I don't know, I don't think we should split up." Hermione said.
"Oh come on, Hermione. You-Know-Who isn't going to hide behind the bookshelves at Flourish and Blotts!" Ron droned.
"Oh, fine!" Hermione stormed off in the direction of Flourish and Blotts. Ron went in the way of the joke shop.
Harry turned and grinned at Ginny. "Quality Quidditch Supplies it is."
Harry didn't notice that the usually busy streets of Diagon Alley were almost deserted. If he had, he might have realized something was off.
Ginny and Harry proceeded to Quality Quidditch Supplies, bought their things and were walking to Fred and George's joke shop when they heard the screaming. It was coming from behind them. They shared a look before turning and sprinting in the direction of the screaming.
Ron and Hermione stood in the middle of a circle of Death Eaters, pale but unharmed. They looked at Harry with panicked eyes. Harry felt rage burn through him.
He stepped straight up to Bellatrix, who was smiling, and pulled his wand on her.
"What the hell are you doing?" Harry growled.
Bellatrix's smile widened. "Making a point."
She turned to Hermione. "Imperio!" Hermione's eyes glazed over and she took out her wand and pointed it at Ron.
"You can't do that! Voldemort made a Vow!" Harry glared at Bellatrix.
"He vowed they wouldn't be harmed. They are unharmed, are they not?" Bellatrix cackled.
"The Dark Lord wishes you to know that he does not appreciate your telling your secret. He wants you to Obliviate them. Personally."
"I'm not going to Obliviate my friends." Harry said firmly.
"Granger, curse me." Hermione turned and sent a stunning spell at Bellatrix, which she easily sidestepped. She sent the Cruciatus Curse at Hermione. She crumpled to the ground screaming.
"Hey!"
"We can defend ourselves if they make the first move, Potter!" Bellatrix cackled.
"Bombarda!" Harry yelled. The stones at Bellatrix's feet exploded, the chips flying up and scratching her in several places. "If you hurt her again I swear I won't miss next time." Harry snarled.
The curse stopped and Ron ran to crouch next to Hermione.
"There are always loopholes, Potter. Remember that. Now Obliviate them before I'm forced to. If I have to, I'll be very angry." Bellatrix smirked.
Harry told her to go do something to herself that was humanly impossible.
Bellatrix scowled before turning to Ginny and screaming "Obliviate!"
She repeated it with Ron and Hermione before turning back to Harry. She smirked again. "Loopholes Potter. Remember. And don't tell your little friends about personal matters again. Master would like you to know that he will be seeing you tonight." And with that the Death Eaters were gone.
Harry was left with three confused friends, and one thought in his mind.
Why me?
So nice long chapter. My longest, actually. Anyway thanks again for all of the input on the conclusion. Harry's not dark yet, but he'll start taking steps in that direction after next chapter, so something traumatic is going to happen.
Here's where I need your help! What should this traumatic event that pushes Harry toward the Dark side be? I would really like some help! I'll give credit where it is do, so you'll get a shout-out and thanks if I really like your idea and use it :)
Anyway review and I won't take as long to update as I did this time, promise! Don't forget to submit an idea if you want it in the story! PMing or sending it through a review is fine :)