DISCLAIMER – I don't own Harry Potter
When Hunting Monsters
Chapter 9: It's Not Safe to Swim Today
"Knight to E4!" Ronald Weasley shouted in glee. "Check!"
'No, you idiot, not there!" The high pitched voice of the knight protested but his horse moved across the board anyway. Ron never listened to the chess pieces as they were more often wrong then they were right.
"Ah, it seems you have me in quite a pickle." Albus Dumbledore stroked his beard thoughtfully while studying the board. Ronald's knight was in position to take his king.
"Bishop to A3." Dumbledore decided. Ron watched in amazement and disappointment as the white bishop slid across the board and struck down his black king viciously with its staff. It didn't stop until the black king was broken into pieces, and then the bishop turned and grinned up at Dumbledore.
"Alas even the most skilled amongst us must sometimes fall in order to rise up again improved." Dumbledore looked upon Ron with a kindly smile. "You must always be careful when you move to attack an enemy that you're not merely playing into their manipulations. Voldemort himself is quite fond of the maneuver I just used, except he uses it of course, on a much grander scale than a chessboard."
With a wave of old wizard's wand the board and pieces disappeared just as the door opened and Order members began filing in. The meeting was taking place at the Weasley's abode now. The fireplace had no fire burning as it was the middle of summer, and the setting sun shone through the window glistening off the scrubbed wooden table. The great clock on the wall showed that the only Weasleys home were Arthur, Molly, Ron, Bill and Ginny. Percy's hand pointed to Mortal Peril and Molly had been glanced at it and then burst into tears several times throughout the day. Neither of Ron's parents had said anything about it and he found himself quite ill at ease. Something serious had happened that he had no knowledge of.
"Ronald out you get! I need you to de-gnome the garden, they've been eating the potatoes again." Mrs. Weasley came bustling in, wisps of her red hair sticking out of its bun, and her green robes whipping around her as she levitated a large pot of something or other over to the stove. She set it down and flicked her wand making the burner start, and a large wooden spoon floated itself in and started to stir the contents of the pot. Another wave of her wand and a cookbook zoomed from the stack above the mantelpiece of the fireplace and into her grasp.
Ron groaned and made to leave, his chair legs scraping across the wood of the kitchen floor.
"Mayhap Ron can be of some assistance to us. Would you mind terribly Molly, if the de-gnoming were to wait just awhile?"
Mrs. Weasley looked first at Dumdledore with her hands on her hips, and then at Ronald with a strange expression. Her face seemed to twitch for a moment before she gave in and threw her hands in the air.
"Oh, go on then! Heavens forbid anything gets done around here!" With that Molly retreated back to her cooking. The rest of the Order members had come to sit at the table. Not as many of them were present as last time. Only seven of the eight chairs at the table were occupied. Arthur Weasley looked curiously at his youngest son who he was not used to seeing at Order meetings. Ron just shrugged his shoulders in response. Molly waved her wand a few times and seven cups flew out of a cabinet and onto the table, before a jug levitated over and started pouring itself.
"Albus is it true what I've heard?" Remus looked desperately at Dumbledore, seeking for reassurance to the contrary.
"I'm afraid everything you've heard is quite true. Harry indeed killed many of the deatheaters that assailed his apartment, and his cousin and Miss Granger managed to take a few themselves. I dare say they may have been able to escape on their own, but they were lucky indeed the aurors showed up. They deatheaters came in great numbers."
"Ha-harry killed deathetears? And Hermione is staying with Him and Dudley?!" Ron was completely bewildered as he had heard none of this.
"Dumbledore why do you have a child-"
"Kingsley, after viewing Harry and Hermione's actions can you really count them as children?"
Kingsley didn't say anything. He was very cleary troubled at what he had seen.
"Young Harry rescued Mrs. Granger from a pack of werewolves about a week ago and they've apparently were staying with his cousin in a muggle apartment until they were attacked again. As for why you have not received word of this news concerning your friends from your parents' lips, that I am unsure of." Dumbledore glanced sharply at Mr. Weasley who looked abashed.
"Are you certain then, that it was Harry who killed the werewolves and the deatheaters at Privet Drive?" Arthur asked, not really able to comprehend that the boy he knew could do such things.
"I heard from Greyback himself that it was Harry he sent the pack after, and it was definitely Harry who killed them. A few managed to escape and report back to Voldemort, before he killed them himself for their failure. Which means that Harry is an animagus and has to have been studying the Dark Arts to know the curses we've seen used." Remus said. He still didn't want to admit even to himself that It was the trunk he'd given Harry that probably made all this possible.
"With that information and Harry's more recent actions I can come to no other conclusions but that it was Harry in every occasion. He's displayed quite a willingness to so casually end the lives of others, and in a very painful fashion." Albus sounded angry and upset.
"Maybe if ye showed the same willingness we wouldn't be in this mess in tha first place!" Moody shouted, thumping his fist on the table. "If Potter had been stunning the fuckers he'd be dead many times over by now! This is a war you old fool, people have to die for one side to win!"
"Alastor you know my feelings on this subject, I will not argue on it." Moody harrumphed and crossed his arms. His magical eye stopped spinning and settled pointing straight at Dumbledore like it was glaring at him, while his normal eye was looking at the flask he brought to his lips. Molly was standing at the stove behind him, and clicked her tongue at the paranoid man's blatant disregard for the butterbeer she had set out for him. Moody ignored her.
"Professor Dumbledore, what happened to Harry and Hermione, where are they now?" Ron asked. He looked like he was about to be in tears.
"When we arrived Potter was on the stairwell fighting deatheaters. He blew one that almost killed Tonks out of the building and then ran past us up to his apartment. By the time we got up there he had slaughtered the deatheaters left fighting the Granger girl, and had pulled out a portkey. Tonks and I had almost reached him but they got away. We don't know where, the location was untraceable." Shacklebolt sounded frustrated.
Ron's mouth was hanging open at this news.
"At least Harry's violence only seems to be directed at deatheaters, and he saved Tonks, isn't that good?" Bill Weasley asked from the other end of the table.
"Yes of course, but I think he acted a little more harshly than necessary. Only one deatheater was left alive, barely. But he did show great skill, several of the deatheaters he killed were ones that have routinely defeated my aurors. And oh yes, Yaxley is now dead." Shacklebolt stated, he sounded kind of happy.
Cries of "Harry killed Yaxley?" and gasps of astonishment were heard across the room.
"No , his death was actually at the hands of Potter's cousin. From what we've gathered it seems he took him by suprise. Fitting I suppose, since Yaxley is the one who imperiused the muggle police officer to kill the Dursleys."
Everyone except the people who already knew all this looked if possible even more astonished.
"Who was the deatheater left alive?" Bill asked curiously.
Shacklebolt stared at Bill confused, not sure what to say.
"Your brother Percy." He decided on. He looked at Mr. Weasley as if asking him why on earth Bill didn't know this already. Arthur just looked down at the table, ashamed for a second time. Molly started to sob loudly and ran up the stairs.
"You lie!" Bill stood up, knocking his chair over. It crashed onto the floor. His face was white with rage and he pointed his wand at Shacklebolt. Everyone sitting at the table became deathly silent, and not even Molly made a sound.
"I assure you William, that Kingsley is indeed telling the truth. Your brother Percival was found badly injured with the Dark Mark on his left forearm. It was he who passed Harry's location onto Voldemort. He is currently awaiting trial while he is being treated at Saint Mungos." Dumbledore used his best gentle and placating voice while motioning for Bill to sit back down.
"It is not wise Bill, to point your wand at an auror. Especially while at the same time questioning his integrity." Kingsley's voice was quiet but threatening. He was confident Bill wouldn't curse him but he withdrew his wand and held it in his lap under the table just in case.
Bill stared at his father for a moment before turning quickly and throwing the door to the backyard open before exiting and slamming it closed behind him. They could hear the shouts of angry curses and the explosions upon their impact on whatever trees or ground Bill was victimizing.
Ron looked sick and like he wanted to follow Bill but remained in his seat.
"How do you know it was Percy who gave the information to Voldemort?" Remus asked.
"He confessed it when he was healed enough to speak. Potter looked inside his mind and found it out for himself according to Percy. That's why he was beaten so badly. You're lucky Potter showed some restraint and your son isn't dead Arthur."
"I admit I'm grateful, and I know Harry only held back to spare us the grief, but I'm not sure right now whether I'd rather he killed him or not. I've never been so disappointed in my life." Mr. Weasley was still looking down at the table, and his fists were clenched in his lap.
"If you had been there, you'd be more careful with your words Arthur. You wouldn't wish what Harry wreaked upon the other deatheaters on your son. Such savagery and carnage I've not seen often, even during the First War. I can only guess at what evil has taken grip upon Harry's soul that he's able to commit such foul deeds. No man with a heart could so callously perform the atrocities I witnessed. " Shackelebolt spoke vehemently.
"You've been an auror for a long time, I'll give you that much Shacklebolt. But never have you been in the oh so loving hands of the deatheaters. A week or two with that scum will turn a man's heart to stone it will! I know that much too well. They don't deserve your pity, and Potter is justified in everything he's done. An attitude to the contrary will be why we lose this war, you mark my words." Moody rubbed his shoulder at some phantom pain, both eyes looking upon times far off in the past, times he wished he didn't remember.
Shacklebolt looked irritated at the lecture but seemed to take Moody's words into thought.
"What do we do from here Albus?" Remus asked, there didn't seem to be any hope in his eyes. Maybe the deatheaters deserved what they got but Remus wished desperately that Harry hadn't been so broken that he felt such a need and drive to give it to them. If what Shacklebolt said was true then Harry's life was already destroyed, and all that was left was a shell filled with hate and revenge.
"What say you, young master Weasley?" Everyone at the table turned and looked at Ron who'd been silent in surprise. He looked up equally surprised but spoke after a few moments of thought.
"Well you're never gonna reach Harry. If he's determined to be hid, and if he's got Hermione with him then you'll never find them. She's probably looked up the Fidelius spell and I don't doubt she could pull it off. "
"I don't doubt it either my boy. What then do you suggest we do?" Dumbeldore pressed on.
"Well I guess all that's left is to turn your attention to You-Know-Who. Maybe get rid of the spies like Percy in the ministry."
"Oh, and how are we do to that? If such a thing were so easy as you imply it'd be done already." Shacklebolt said scornfully. Ron's face turned red.
"Well maybe you're just not going about it right. If you set up a trap to lure the spies out, maybe have certain people who'd have access to things like whatever monitors the Ministry used to find Harry fed false information, and see if the deatheaters act on it. I don't know maybe you could even rig the bloody monitors to say Harry was somewhere and make sure the people you suspect saw it, and then have aurors waiting at the location to see if anyone shows up. Then you'd know for sure who the spies are."
Arthur looked at his son astonished, as if seeing him for the first time. Dumbledore and Remus smiled at Ron and Shacklebolt looked impressed.
"Tha boy's got a point." Moody said gruffly. He was leaning back in his chair now and smoking his pipe. Rings drifted into the air from it as he puffed.
"I concede defeat. I have to admit I never would have thought of such a ploy." Shacklebolt said humbly. The glint in his eyes was almost as bright as the golden hoop in his ear reflecting the light of the setting sun. He'd soon have the rats in the Ministry at his feet.
Ron looked down blushing, embarrassed but happy. Maybe now they'd use his idea and it would help Harry.
A day earlier
The three teens looked around in amazement as the whirling stopped. They seemed to be in a cave, but the entrance was sealed, there was no way out. The only light was Hermione's "lumos" and Harry looked at her sharply as she cast it.
"I don't think we have to worry about the Trace now, Harry."
He didn't say anything but kept looking around. Giant stalagmites rose from the floor and equally monstrous stalactites hung from the ceiling so that Harry felt as if he were in the maw of some great beast. The only noises were their quiet breaths which seemed to echo and reverberate in the silent cave.
"It's a maze." Harry stated.
"What?" Dudley asked confused.
"The paths through the stalagmites and stalactites that join into columns are arranged in a maze, I can already guess that from here, and if you walk up to where I'm standing you can see that here you can go right or left."
Hermione and Dudley walked closer and noticed his observation. I'll go left , you two go right. Make a lot of noise with your wand Hermione, if you two find the way to the center before me."
Harry lit his wand and walked left before Hermione or Dudley could say anything. He was still quite angry at both of them.
'Just like my luck for everything to go this fucking wrong' he thought. 'Hopefully I get stuck somewhere lost, so there's no chance of me eating Dudley and Hermione. If only Hermione wouldn'tve cast that spell. We could have gone our separate ways, and I could have found Voldemort so I could have taken the role I obviously belong to. A fucking monster. '
But Harry had begun to already doubt the influence that had crept into his mind from the convincing dream. Maybe Voldemort was wrong. Maybe he could learn how to control the animal inside him. It's our choices who make us who we are. Dumbledore's words echoed around his skull and he felt ashamed of himself.
'Am I so weak that I can't make the choice to control myself? So weak that I give in to Voldemort's lies that easily?" Harry punched a stagalmite in frustration and the ancient stone cracked beneath his fist, his magic seeking an outlet in his anger.
Harry opened his fist and realized he was still holding the pendant and the letter which was now crumpled. He put the pendant in his robes, smoothed the note against the stagalmite and shone the light of his wand on it, beginning to read.
You know how compromised the Order has become. Harry Potter cannot be kept in any of our hideouts, I don't care what Dumbledore thinks. His foolish optimism blinds him to what's right in front of his crooked nose. I have my own place, deep underground that I won't be using as I'll be gone for the next month or so probably, and after that I'll only be in and out. My lair is protected from any kind of detection whether physical or magical, and has every ward or enchantment anyone could possibly think of. I think it's better he go there, then be put into a place where traitors can reach him. Also you know Voldemort has his hands in the ministry. If he's killed one of his followers who happens to be an official then they will use that against him, and Scrimgeor and Dumbledore won't be able to do much about it. The pendant your holding is a portkey, set a password and give it to Harry then speak it, he'll be transported to the entrance, and he'll have to find his way through a maze, but it's not too hard.
"Fuck!" Harry cursed and punched the stagalmite again. The note didn't even have a signature. 'At least whoever it was seems to be in the Order.' Harry thought. He used the point me spell to make sure North was in the same spot, and set off.
Harry had had to double back several times but finally felt like he was approaching the center. He had noises and seen glimpses of creatures with pincers, or shining teeth but they had all scuttled or ran away from. Harry was feeling every single one of his wounds, new and old, and blood dripped from various places onto the ground. He could feel that his black robes were drenched with it around his chest. Harry turned a corner and stood still in amazement.
He was looking upon what seemed to be a lake, but not like any he had ever seen. There were strange silver orbs of lights that floated just underneath the high cavern roof of the area that stalagmites hung from, and there were more floating closer to his level, brushing up against his robes but not burning them. He put out the light of his wand in deference. The water sparkled and shimmered and Harry wondered if it was from the light of the orbs or its own innate brightness. In the middle of the lake was a small island, and the perfectly circular lake was enclosed with the caverns walls. The only way out was the way he had come.
"Come to me Harry." A melodious voice called to him and he looked towards its source entranced. There upon the rock of the island stood a strange but beautiful woman. She had pale white skin and shining red hair that hung down her back and was wearing a white dress that covered her feet. Her hair seemed to glow like a soft fire, and the shade of red deepened and lightened with every flickering orb of light that passed her. The woman's eyes were a vivid emerald and Harry realized he knew her. It was his mother.
"Come to me," She sang again and he seemed to hear it in his mind as well as echoing all around him.
"Let go of all your troubles, your weariness. Come rest forever in peace."
Harry stepped forward into the water, and waded towards her. The robes up to his knees were becoming soaked, and he found it hard to push through the liquid but he desperately struggled forward. Despite its crystal appearance it felt like it had the consistency of mud. With every step he took, the lake got deeper, and the more lightheaded he felt. It was almost up to his chest now. He was almost there, was reaching for her outstretched hand.
"Harry! No don't!" A feminine voice screamed and hands grabbed his arms pulling him backwards and he struggled against them. He was dragged back through the water until it was knee length, and Harry pushed with his feet against rock floor of the lake, trying to dive back in, but arms circled beneath his armpits and hands locked behind his head, keeping him unable to move except to kick his legs slowly in the thick water.
The woman's face twisted in anger and her eyes changed from emerald to flame. To Harry they seemed to burn with the fires of hell.
Her face morphed into that of a vicious snarling bear's before again morphing into the snakelike face of Lord Voldemort.
"I've seen what's in your heart, I know what you'll become." It sang but it's song was terrible now, all encompassing, deep and terrifying as it reverberated off the stone walls and through Harry, Dudley, and Hermione's minds, their very souls. It was joined by hundreds of little voices, like the buzzing of many wasps, and the orbs of light began to burn angry dark shades of red and orange and swirled around the teens so they felt as if they were in an inferno, receiving the judgment of a furious Goddess.
"Your evil should not be allowed here!" The inferno spun faster and faster and the Voldemort look alike was in the air before them. The face morphed back into the woman's but Harry wished it hadn't. Her beauty was now even more terrible to behold, as her eyes glowed, and her hair whipped around her. Her whole body seemed to be wreathed in dark flames. The water Harry was soaked in began to boil wherever he was injured, and the wounds seared, acrid smelling smoke rising from his body. He fell slack in Dudley's grip screaming in pain, but his voice went unheard amidst the demonic orchestra.
"I only grant you safe entrance because you bear the pendant of my master, which he could part with willingly. But know this mortal. Should your control lapse while in my dominion my wrath will be terrible and swift, and not even my master will be able to protect you from my power!"
The terrible song seemed to reach a crashing climax in their ears and hearts and the strange creature along with the orbs of hellish light vanished, leaving them in absolute darkness.
All three of them of them stood there silent, Harry and Hermione not even lighting their wands until they heard the rumbling of stone, and a light seem to shine up into the room from the center of the cavern where the island stood. The whole area was illuminated again, and Harry got to his feet, panting. They made their way towards the source to find a stone stairway, spiraling downwards. They glanced at each other before Harry started his way down, and the other two followed.
Back to present time
"So they got the portkey?" Charlus Mckennon asked from his chair.
"Yes, yes. Geez I'm not that incompetent." Tonks was laying on her bed in St. Mungos. She had gotten hit by a few nasty curses that needed treatment. The white walls and tiles of the hospital room were boring the hell out of her and her hair was cycling rapidly through different colors. She was sitting crosslegged on top of the green sheets, and was leaning back on the pillow against the iron headboard. Her wand was in her hand and she wave it around, drawing amusing pictures in the air to entertain herself. She was no artist but her stick figures were highly detailed.
Charlus grinned. "I never said you were, I just desired confirmation."
"I don't think I'll ever get used to your accent, it's pretty much the only American one I've heard."
"I can try to make it more British if you want." Charlus smirked.
"Nah, don't bother, it's nice hearing something different." She chucled to herself and Charlus let out a snort as the picture turned into fat stick figure with a bowler's hat bending over a desk, with another stick figure with long yellow hair standing behind him grabbing his hips. She waved her wand and the image began to erase. Tonks reached over to the nightstand and grabbed a glass of water, taking a sip. The water spilled on her green hospital robes, and Tonks waved her wand quickly drying them, her cheeks and hair blushing in embarrassment. Charlus pretended to not notice her clumsiness.
He fed an owl treat to Hedwig who was sitting on a perch next to his chair.
"You know I completely forgot about his owl when I cam up with this plan last minute." Charlus stroked Hedwig behind the ears and she hooted in happiness. Tonk's hair faded to pink before sharply contrasting to dark green, and growing down to her shoulders.
"You knew Harry had an owl?"
"Dumbledore's mentioned it. He's talked about the boy a lot."
"That's not suprising, Harry's really important to him, like a grandson or something. And Dumbledore seems to think that whatever was in that prophecy orb makes him important to this war too. He's the only who's heard it though."
"Do you think he told Harry?"
Tonks snorted, "I doubt it. Harry didn't even know there was a prophecy until going to the Ministry."
"Ah true, I bet that whole thing could have been avoided if Harry had known."
"Probably but it's too late to change things now. Hindsights fifty-fifty like the muggles say."
Charlus laughed, "It's twenty-twenty Tonks."
"Oh." She said her hair again turning red. They both stared in silence at Hedwig who was munching on her owl treat.
"So How did Harry duel yesterday, did you see him?" Charlus asked, his voice heavy with interest.
"Ya, he was amazing, saved my life even. I got sloppy and a deatheater snuck up behind me."
"The others aren't so at ease with his brutality, I talked with Shacklebolt. He wouldn't say much but seemed very disturbed."
Anger flashed in Tonks' eyes. "Well that's why Sirius is dead. No one really wants to fight the deatheaters on their own terms so we suffer all these losses and they just get enneverated or when they do get captured the bloody snake faced bastard breaks them out! But it's ok cus Dumbledore says we can't let ourselves become like them because then there's no point in fighting. That's the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard! We're not the citizens, we're the soldiers, our job is to sacrifice our humanity so other people can have theirs and their freedom. If we don't kill the deatheaters they'll just keep killing us and then they'll be no soldiers left to fight for these idiots."
"I agree with you Tonks. These deatheaters gave up their humanity when they took the mark. What their master seeks is to rid himself of his human nature, which he sees as a weakness and his followers think he's going to share that with him. Lord Voldemort doesn't share power, and they'll find that out soon enough, but in the mean time they don't deserve our pity. The only thing they deserve is the swift hand of justice." Tonks stared at him, impressed with his words.
"Wow, you're pretty deep."
"Haha, sorry, I got carried away." He ran a hand through his brown hair embarrassed.
"No it's alright. Hey so where exactly did Harry, Hermione and Dudley get sent?"
"Deep under the earth. Technically the caverns are directly underneath Scotland, but miles and miles down, and the area is sealed all around. There's no way in and out of them except through apparation or portkey, and you have to be keyed into the wards. If they touched the pendant then they are, and the creatures protecting the entrance will leave them alone."
"What about the maze? You said something about that in the note right?"
"Ya, the maze is actually pretty easy, it's the things that lurk within, especially within the center that are dangerous. I don't think Voldemort could even make it through alive."
"Woah that's pretty intense! Are you sure whatever is in there will leave them alone?" Tonks looked at him with concern.
"Absoutely, everything down there takes orders from me. It's pretty cool."
"How in the hell do you get into situations like this?"
"I guess it's become a bad habit of mine over the years." He flashed her a roguish grin and patted her shoulder before getting up out of his chair. "Tell Remus I said Hi."
Tonks stared at Mckennon bewildered as he disapparated with a crack. Two seconds later the door opened and Remus Lupin stepped in.
Past
"lumos" Harry's wand lit up, and Hermione's followed suit.
"What the hell is this place?" Dudley's voice echoed off the stone walls of the vast hallway. Columns lined the way either side of them, and led to a roof far above their heads that they couldn't even see, only darkness. They had climbed a long way down the stairs, and the journey felt like it had taken days. Harry had tripped and stumbled many times in his weariness and the other two had to catch him so he wouldn't make the trip much quicker than he intended.
"I'm not sure, but whatever it is, it's very old." Hermione was studying the intricate carving on one of the columns. The first two columns depicted scenes of little bearded men hunting with bows and axes, and then on the next being greeted by very tall men bearing gifts. High above Hermione's head on the last two columns were carved two thrones. A little man sat in one, while a tall man sat in the other. They both bore crowns and scepters.
"We can study the artwork later, I want to find a bed." Harry's voice rebounded back to them. He had stumbled his way to the end of the hallway. They hurried up to catch up with them, the echoes making their steps sound like those of giants while the gargantuan space made them feel like dwarves. They reached Harry to find him staring at a huge wall. It towered up into the darkness above their heads and filled the width of the vast hallway. Upon its surface were swirls and interlocking circles of some strange language. Most circles had their own circles within them and they all connected to a circle directly in the middle of the hallway, at about the height of Harry's waist. The small circle had an empty space cut into it in the shape of a bird.
"Well it's obvious what we do here." Dudley said.
Harry nodded, pulling the pendant out of his robes and placing it into the cavity. Light shone from it and sped upwards and downwards in a line, hitting the floor and just touching and illuminating the ceiling high above them. The line divided the wall into two halves, and the circles of strange script began spinning and then stopping one by one at an extremely fast pace. There were hundreds of successive gongs and chimes at different pitches and volumes, forming a strange tune as each circle spun to its appropriate position and then finally the light disappeared, leaving only the lights of Harry and Hermione's wand which showed where the line had been the wall did not exist anymore, and what remained were two giant stone doors that began to slowly grind open.
Present-after events at St. Mungos.
"My Lord, the Old Fool knows nothing of the boy's whereabouts. It seems Potter's proved more cunning then he's been in the past, and had a portkey prepared. Shacklebolt and his aurors couldn't trace it."
Snape was kneeling before Voldemort, his head bowed in deference. They were in the Malfoy's study and the Dark Lord was reclining in the luxurius armchair, his bare feet in the thick plush. Nagini lay on top of them, her length circled around his chair. She stared up at Snape's bowed head, her tail flickering, and Snape averted his eyes. There was something about how the serpent felt eerily similar to the Dark Lord that greatly disturbed him.
"You're quite fortunate Severus in that you had nothing to do with this matter." Voldemort raised his silver steaming goblet to his lips and drank deeply from it. Snape wasn't sure he wanted to know its contents.
"I'd like to think myself capable of capturing a sixteen year old schoolboy without much trouble."
Voldemort laughed, a high cruel sound. "Perhaps you would be. You have after all often proven more capable than many of my servants. But you should also take into account that Potter is no longer a mere schoolboy, no more than I was at his age. " The Dark Lord waved his wand, conjuring another chair opposite from his, and Snape took the cue, getting up from his knees and sitting in it.
"You think the boy that much changed then?" Snape made his voice sound disbelieving and surprised.
"Think?" Voldemort scoffed. " No, I know. It'd be impossible not to see it. But you have not seen the boy, so you'd have no way of knowing."
"Has he gone dark?"
"Oh yes. Dark as the night that currently surrounds the world outside these walls. A beautiful thing it is to behold. My only regret is that he's proven quite obstinate to persuade to my side. I thought I had him, saw in his eyes he was convinced, but recent events display a different reality."
"What would you have me do my Lord?"
Voldemort stared at Snape thoughtfully over his goblet, and Snape could see the calculating glint in his red eyes. The steam rose up from the goblet, diluting and somewhat obscuring the crimson gaze, but the malevolent will of the mind behind it shone sharply through to Severus whose own mind was always reaching out around him and discerning the truth in false expressions and smiles of cunning.
"As perceptive as always my dear Severus. A trait you know well I value highly. And as sharp as the blade of your mind is, the shield also, is always ready to be raised high in defense, and the cloak of obscurity draped constantly about its shoulders. That you are talented is unquestionable, but what remains doubtful in my heart is whether such talent can be trusted."
Severus's hair hung about his face like curtains, but he brushed it aside and met the red slits with tunnels of black, feeling the demonic awareness slide greedily into his own. Reality and perception bended and twisted but for a moment before realigning themselves. The presence hungrily invading his mind and drawing out his secrets stayed. Even after it left a residual horrific taint would long remain.
"Have I not always served you faithfully? Divulged to you everything in my knowledge? It is you I serve my Lord. It is you whose will and purpose I am but a tool of, eager to be wielded by your hand." Truth rung in the words, and Severus kept his gaze steady though he longed to tear his eyes away from the twin pools of flaming evil boring deep into his soul.
Satisfied, the terrible awareness drew itself out of Severus slowly like a great serpent slithering backwards on its belly full of prey.
Severus's long fingers released their vice like grip on the arms of his chair, his body sagging forward and his head dropping, sweat dripping down his chin and the black curtains of his hair.
"It is true you've long been my faithful servant, a fact which will not be forgotten, and will not go unrewarded." Snape looked back up at Voldemort, his eyes showing a hint of curiosity.
"I had planned to send you to parlay with the vampires, as I will be too busy to see to it in the coming weeks." Snapes eyes widened in horror. "But I've reconsidered, and I believe I have a more..lucrative task for you my snake."
"My Lord?" Snape was much relieved, but still left curious to his task, though he was now beginning to guess at it.
"I wish for you to remain at Hogwarts. It's my belief that Potter will return there, despite the turns this Summer has taken. And when he arrives I want you to keep careful watch of him. When the opportunity arrives you shall strive your utmost to draw his mind ever towards the dark, towards me. For now that is all, but I will have more for you when my plans develop more fully."
The task sat well with Snape. His vow to Narcissa kept him glued to Hogwarts and he wasn't sure what would have happened had Voldemort assigned him elsewhere.
"I will see it done." Snape kneeled forward out of his chair before the Dark Lord, taking Voldemort's hand in his own and kissing it before standing up and exiting the study, his black robes swirling around him.
Past
The room was huge, the ceiling invisible, shrouded in darkness like the one in the hallway had been. Chandeliers were attached to chains that hung from the darkness above, and the bulbs on them flickered on as the doors shut behind them. They seemed to be electric. The walls bore similar carvings that the ones in the hallway did, depicting more of the history of the people that had lived here.
The left side of the room appeared to be some type of huge living room. On this side there was a large ornate fireplace, and above it a giant flatscreen telly was mounted on the stone wall. Stylish furniture adorned the carpeted area before it, creating a comfortable and luxurious atmosphere. A grand piano sat in the upper left corner, its black finish glistening under the chandelier light. The whole place seemed a strange blend of archaic and modern.
The rest of the area reminded Harry of the great hall in Hogwarts. There were long wooden tables with benches. Some tables were set much higher and others much lower. At the end of the room opposite the way they had come there was a great table with two thrones behind it, and a few more chairs to the left and right. The right wall bore many iron doors. A few of them were open and led down lark dark halls.
A loud barking, and the clacking of claws on stone suddenly began to echo down one of the open hallways to them as a large dog rushed out of it, spittle flying off its jaws. It was a Rottweiler from the looks of it. A snarl rose up in Harry's throat and he fought the urge to lash out at the dog. It stopped and cocked its brown and black head staring at him warily, its hackles raised, before it turned to Hermione and began sniffing her outstretched hand.
"Oh, its name is Crixus!" Hermione said, bending down and reading the shining silver tag on its spiked collar. "What are you doing here all by yourself boy?" Crixus just thumped his tail as Hermione scratched behind his ears.
"It probably belongs to whoever this place does. Man I wish I was him." Dudley stared in awe around him. Such grandness and opulence he could have never imagined.
"I wish I knew who he was. Not knowing whose house I'm a guest in doesn't sit right with me." Harry ran his hand over the smooth surface of the piano, staring at it darkly.
"Oh lighten up, you're just mad cus that fairy scared you." Dudley joked, looking around for a remote to the telly. Hermione paled at the mention of the demonic thing they had run into.
"It looked like my mother." Harry said softly still looking down at the piano. Dudley stared at him dumbly, his mouth forming an O shape.
"Oh, Harry, I'm sorry I didn-"
''It's fine, but I'm about to fall over. You think we could find wherever the rooms are now?"
"Er alright, but how are we supposed to do that?" Dudley stood up from the recliner he had sat down in, and was scratching his head.
"Crixus can you show us where the rooms are?" Hermione asked sweetly, baby talking the huge dog. She was still standing by the tables where they had first come in, the dog in front of her. Crixus stared up at her vapidly and barked. A string of drool fell from its jowls and plopped onto the stone floor.
"Hermione the bloody dog isn't going to show us where to go." Harry said annoyed, running a hand through his hair, and walking over to her. He really did look like he was about to fall over any second.
"Oh alright! I just thought he might be a magical dog or something." Hermione said, staring disappointed at Crixus who just wagged his tail.
"No that'd be too fucking easy."
It was Dudley who first found the bedrooms. They had spent more then an hour searching through the long seemingly unending hallways and had found many things first. A forgery they had stumbled upon, and an indoor training grounds and armory. Dudley had been ecstatic to find it had been modernized with a boxing ring and exercise equipment. They had almost lost Hermione in the library, which made the one in Hogwarts look puny indeed. Eventually they decided to split up and Dudley had come upon the bedrooms down the third hallway. He had claimed the first one and had immediately shut himself inside.
Harry stood leaning against the doorway to his room, and Hermione stared at him in concern.
"Are you alright?"
"Just so tired 'Mione." His voice was quiet and sounded broken, defeated.
"Here." Hermione pulled Harry's arm over and opened his door, helping Harry over to his bed which he promptly collapsed on. The black sheets matched his robes. Like in the living room, lights had flickered on when they walked in but this time came from lamps standing by the door, and one on the bedside table. The stone floor had the fur of a bear thrown at the foot of the bed which Hermione thought highly amusing. On the wall to the right of the bed was a fireplace, which Hermione lit with a flick of her wand, and on the other side of the room was an open door that led to a grand bathroom. The bed was firmly in the middle.
"Sit back up." Hermione ordered tugging on his arm. Harry groaned but complied. "You can't sleep in these, they're soaked with blood and water, you'll get sick. And I need to change your bandages." She bit her lip in thought. "I guess I can conjure some."
She pulled the robe over his head and gasped.
"Looks like there won't be any need." Harry said. Where the wounds had been there were only ghastly scars trailing over his muscles of his stomach, arms, shoulders, back and neck. Looking at his face she noticed the few cuts she had stitched up there the same thing had happened. What Hermione found strange though was that the ritual tattoos seemed to run over the scars when it should have been the other way around.
"How did this happen?" Hermione asked, completely befuddled. She took the wands, note, and the bottmomless bag which he had put his trunks in at some point out of his robes and put them on the bedside table.
"The lake. The water cauterized all the wounds when she got angry."
Hermione stared at Harry in horror, "Oh God, that must have hur-"
"Not anymore than what I've put myself through." Harry laid back and closed his eyes.
"Harry you need to get rid of those trousers as well, they're completely soaked too. And your socks and shoes."
"Jesus what are you my mother?!" He bit out in frustration.
"Well I don't want you to get sick, I think I've had to take care of you quite enough already."
"Finnneee," Harry pulled his trousers socks and shoes off and laid back again, determined to go to sleep. The wounds on his lower half seemed to be cauterized as well.
"Harry your boxers."
"Holy fucking Christ! Hermione I'm going to strip in front of you, just get out of my fucking room already!" Harry kept his eyes stubbornly closed.
"It's not like I haven't seen it before." She flicked her wand and vanished his unergarments, before conjuring a new pair and throwing them at his face. He sputtered and glared at her before pulling them quickly on. She just smirked at him.
"Can I go to sleep now?"
"Well you should probably bathe first…" she struggled not to laugh.
The glare turned to a look of complete disbelief and Hermione dissolved into giggles, falling onto the bed.
"You're not funny at all."
"And you're just a grouchy old bear." She poked him in the side.
Harry didn't say anything and Hermione propped herself up on an elbow to look at him. His face was troubled.
"Am I evil Hermione?"
"No of course not." She said automatically.
"But all these people I've killed. I've lost count of how many now."
"Harry, you did what you had to." She placed a comforting hand on his arm.
"But I enjoyed it."
Hermione was quiet for a moment as she thought of what to say. "I killed yesterday too Harry, maybe not as many as you, but I did. And some small part of me enjoyed it. I think it's normal, and that there's always going to be that part to our nature. No matter how much we evolve as a race, that animal part of ourselves, passed down through our ancestors will stay with us. That's just how it is. And it's just amplified in you because of the ritual. And you haven't killed any innocents have you? They've all been deatheaters: murderers and rapists and much more that I don't want to even think about. So no Harry I don't think you're evil, I think you're just unlucky, and maybe unwise in experimenting with magic you shouldn't have."
"What about what that..thing in the lake said? That I have evil in my heart and she's seen what I'll become."
"There's evil in everyone's hearts. And there's potential for everyone to become evil, but that doesn't make you evil. Sure you're probably more likely to become evil than the next person but that's always been true."
"What do you mean?"
"Well with how you grew up and all that. Unloved and treated horribly. Voldemort's diary said he grew up in an orphanage right? That's probably why he turned evil. And you've always had all this pressure on you, being looked up to as the savior of the wizarding world and having a Dark Lord after you. Anyone else would have snapped a long time ago, but you never did, because you're stronger than that, even after everything you've gone through this summer."
"What if I've snapped now?"
"I don't think you have or else you'd be strangling me instead of talking to me." Hermione joked.
Harry smiled, and finally drifted off to sleep before he could tell Hermione the things weighing so heavily on his mind; the prophecy, his dreams of Voldemort, and the choice he had almost made to join the Dark Lord. After a few minutes, the only sound in the room was the rising falling of chests as breath left them and the crackling of the burning fire. The lamps in the room dimmed before shutting off, sensing their occupants desire for darkness.
********
An:
Not as much action in this chapter, but more character development I hope. I was going to write a longer chapter so I could include some action but I'm not sure if you guys want a chapter longer than eight thousand words. If you do I can start making them ten thousand or a little longer. Let me know in the reviews. Thank you everyone who has reviewed so far, it means a lot that you're following the story and like it enough to keep reading it. You guys are my inspiration when I get stuck in the middle of a chapter or when it's 4 in the morning and I should be studying for an exam but I'm writing instead :P. I'm definitely going to keep updating frequently, even if it's not every day. I'm thinking it was probably a bad idea to be doing that anyway, because the chapters are probably of a better quality when I spend at least two or three days on it.