Author Note: This will probably be the last update for today. So any questions asked will be answered in the next chapter posted.
Warnings for this chapter: Slight violence, nothing much really.
I felt my feet connect with soft carpet and the arm that was around my waist disappear. I felt slightly disappointed in the loss of contact but I threw that thought right away as soon as it was there. I took the opportunity to take in the room I was in. It was obviously Voldemort's study, if the desk and all the papers lying about were anything to go by.
Voldemort took a seat behind the large paper covered desk and motioned for me to sit it the chair on the other side. I slouched myself down in the chair and immediately relaxed into its warmth. I looked up to see the Dark Lord staring at me.
"You know Tom, that's quite rude." I jumped out of the chair with a grace I never thought I had and dodged the spell that was sent my way.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just kill you right now and fulfil the prophecy!" His crimson eyes were glowing slightly with rage. I chuckled slightly before another spell was sent my way forcing me to dodge yet again.
"Well, firstly you should know that the prophecy has already been fulfilled, nearly fifteen years ago actually." The fiery glow of anger dissolved from Voldemort's eyes and was replaced with slight confusion. "Secondly, it would be very stupid of you to try and kill me since it would be like killing yourself." The confusion seemed to grow and now the Dark Lord seated himself back into his chair seemingly contemplating the new information he had been given. "Oh and finally, it would just be plain stupid." I smirked at him as irritation flickered across his face.
"Explain yourself. Nothing you said made any sense what so ever." His eyes bore into mine showing his curiosity in my claims. I sighed as I dumped myself back into the chair.
"Honestly if I managed to figure these things out surely you must of." Voldemort stood from his chair raising his wand preparing to cast another spell so I put my hands up before saying. "Okay, Okay! So first of all the prophecy has been fulfilled because I have already 'killed' you with a power you didn't know. Hang on… Do you even know the full prophesy?"
He sat back down with a scoff and rested his head on his hand. A very human gesture for the dark lord. "Potter, if I knew the full prophesy like you said I would have figured it out for myself. From what information I have been given only you and Dumbledore are the ones who know of the prophecy's full content." I lent further into the chair while smirking slightly.
"Well why not add another person to the mix? 'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies...'
"Now if we think about this I already vanquished you with a power you didn't know. That power was my mother's protection of self sacrifice. Also when someone dies, or in this case is vanquished, it is believed that their spirit leaves their body rendering the body 'dead' but the spirit lives on. This is exactly what happened to you, your body was destroyed but your spirit…"
Everything seemed to click in the Dark Lord's head as he interrupted me. "…Lived on. This means the prophecy was never meant to be read in the order it was given... And then considering who made it I'm not entirely surprised. However it also means that I marked you as my equal and you still have the power to vanquish me even now. So do explain Potter how it is still not in effect?"
I stood up, placing my hands on the edge of the large desk and leaned over bringing my face closer to Voldemort's. "That all depends on whether we want to believe it and act on it. I can tell you now that I do not want to act on it so this all depends on you." My face was mere inches away from his and as our eyes were interlocked I whispered. "You may enter my mind if you do not believe…"
I couldn't even finish my sentence before I felt my head splitting, even lowering my shields did nothing to ease the pain. I collapsed on the desk fighting back the scream that threatened to tear out of my throat, but I wouldn't show him a weakness, I was way stronger than that.
I saw images flickering past my eyes. The Dark Lord was going through my memories from the very start. I saw small glimpses of the years before I knew of the wizarding world. I saw myself being treated as what could be called nothing but a house elf and the beatings I got for making small mistakes.
Next were my years at Hogwarts, the doubts I felt towards Dumbledore in my first year, my true thoughts about events that followed in the years afterwards, training in the Chamber, teaching myself everything I could get my hands on, the summer holidays in between each year and then finally the past few weeks starting with the beating I received when I returned to the Dursley's to when I killed them.
Suddenly the pain stopped and the presence I could feel in my mind had vanished. I pushed myself back up so I was once again level with Voldemort's eyes. I gasped for breath while he seemed to be ready to hex the next thing that moved.
"What you did was too good of a death for them." My eyes widened at the statement. I was expecting to be ridiculed for the way I had put up with the abuse for so long but this was something I really didn't expect.
"You will join me and you will have what you requested. You will not take the mark and you will be somewhat my equal and of course as such you will only answer to me. All we need is a name for you…
"I am a Lord so how about you being my Prince?"
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I sat back in my chair releasing a breath I didn't even know I was holding in. "Seriously? Prince...? But, what about an actual name?"
"You may come up with something if someone asks but I would like to think that they wouldn't ask out of respect, but alas I know that some of my inner circle can be quite… brave." I chuckled at his choice of words.
"Recruited some Gryffindor's have you?" I chuckled more at the exasperated sigh that I was answered with. "I will think of something if I am asked then. Erm… what will I be doing while I'm here then? Also where will I be staying as you already know I have no home now."
The Dark Lord smirked as he sat back crossing his legs in an elegant manner. "While you are here you will be trained by some of my death eaters. Yes, your knowledge of the dark arts is quite expansive, surprisingly so, but there are things you still don't know about it. I shall teach you what you don't know about the dark arts and then about Parselmagic which I will not explain until we have our first lesson on it."
"When I introduce you to my followers you can pick amongst some of my inner circle of who you want to teach you. Then if there's a subject you are missing I will choose who else will teach you."
"Well… can I know what I will need lessons on? Then I can make a more educated guess on who to choose." He got up out of his chair and paced around the desk.
"From I could see from your mind, you will need to learn more about potions, ancient runes, pureblood etiquette, hand to hand combat and weapon combat. Although for weapon combat you will have to leave it to me to choose and you will end up having a couple teachers for that. Now if you will follow me we shall go to the throne room and I shall summon my inner circle and the second tier."
He stopped pacing and headed towards the door. I stood up to follow him and he stopped as he placed a hand on the handle. "Oh and as for where you will be staying, you will have the room across from mine." He then continued out of the door.
"Wait!" I called out and hurried to the door. Voldemort turned round with one eyebrow raised. "Can I mess with the death eaters?" He sighed before nodding his head and then continued walking. I smirked and waved my hand over my body as I continued walking and looked down at myself as my body started morphing smaller and the hair which was swaying with me started shrinking and turning blond.
When the transformation was complete I looked like a seven year old blond boy with large blue eyes dressed in a robe which seemed to large for my slight form. I ran after the Dark Lord as my small legs couldn't keep up with his long strides. He glanced down at me before shaking his head and I swore I could see a slight smile on his face.
-x-
We walked into the room and as Voldemort sat in his throne I ran behind it hiding myself from the view of everyone once they were summoned.
"You really are for the dramatics aren't you Potter?" I laughed quietly in response and soon I heard two cracks of apparation and I felt the familiar auras of Snape and Malfoy. "Lucius, Severus I am sure you are both already aware of this but Harry's true identity is to be a secret and should you tell a soul without my permission I shall hand you over to the boy and he is as capable of doing as much torture as me, from what I've seen he quite a sadistic streak if you will."
Suddenly there was a chorus of cracks signalling the arrival of the second tier and the inner circle. To say that there were only two tiers of Voldemort's followers here there were a lot of them. I felt the individual aura of everyone in the room.
Their auras gave away a lot about their person, from an aura I could read their magical affinity, any special magical or even non magical traits they might possess, feelings, sometimes I could see the surface of their thoughts and usually I can see their intentions towards myself and on occasion even see their name and small bits of information like it.
Before long Voldemort was finished with his usual reports and casting powerful crucio's for long periods of times on those who failed and for a shorter time on those who he didn't think preformed to the highest quality they could.
"Now before you leave today I have some special news. There will be a new member added to the ranks. Come out child, I think you have been hiding for too long now." I smirked before peaking around the chair with an innocent look on my face. I stepped out and walked to the left hand side of the throne. Murmurs erupted throughout the room.
"Silence! Now, I would like to introduce you to your Prince. He is above all of you and has power over all of you, disobey any of his orders and you answer to not only his wraith but mine as well." A scoff came from a death eater towards the back of the room.
'May I teach the idiots not to mess with me?' I looked up at Voldemort and smirked as he nodded his head slightly in my direction. I raised my hand in front of me my fingers spread out, I closed my hands into a fist and pulled it towards my chest. The death eater flew across the air towards the raised platform where the throne was situated.
I walked forward so I was standing in front of the kneeling death eater. "I am not someone to mess with, Euan Furmage." I gave him a feral smirk before raising my hand again and his body followed my hand movements. I swiped my arm to the right and watched with glee as Euan's body smashed against the far right hand side wall with a resounding crack. His body crumpled down to the floor in a heap, unmoving.
I walked back to Voldemort's side and smiled back at the shocked faces of his followers. "Don't worry he's not dead." I giggled lightly and Voldemort placed his hand on my shoulder. I turned my head in his direction.
"Why don't you go choose them now?" I bowed my head and walked out into the mass of death eaters. I found Snape and grabbed his hand pulling him, to his reluctance, to the space between the platform and the crowd. I then went back and forth until I also had Malfoy and Greyback.
Walking back to Voldemort's side I turned and grinned at my new teachers. I looked at each one as I spoke their name. "I would like Snape for Potions, Malfoy for Ancient Runes and pureblood etiquette and Greyback for hand to hand combat." The mentioned death eaters looked at their Lord questionably but didn't voice their thoughts.
Voldemort nodded and called forth the Lestrange brothers. "You will both wait behind with the others. The rest of you are dismissed." The death eaters bowed low before most apparated out and some leaving through the same door I entered through.
Voldemort explained the Lestrange's position as my weapon combat trainers and with my nod of understanding he turned to the remaining death eaters and gave them their new task of training and teaching me. It seemed I had chosen his most loyal followers, apart from Greyback it seemed, but I believed that was just because he was an Alpha and didn't like taking orders from someone else. They all nodded in acceptance of their task with a small bow.
"Now Prince, I think you should take that glamour off and show your teachers who they are dealing with." I smirked up at him before waving my hand removing the glamour of the small boy but keeping the glamour over all my scars, that was a surprise to reveal to them later. As I felt my body grow and change I shifted until I was partially sitting and leaning on the arm of the throne grinning back at the blank faces of Snape and Malfoy who were aware of the situation and the inquiring glances of Greyback and the Lestrange's. "So how did you know who to pick for each subject? Apart from Potions as I already know your reasoning for that." I glanced at the Dark Lord, his eyes flickering with amusement.
"I just read their auras. It's a talent of mine. For example, Malfoy is very good at Ancient runes, Dark arts, Charms and Transfiguration. He is also an animagus and his form is a lynx. There is also something else but I am sure he wants that kept a secret." Smirking at the look of shock on his usual expressionless face I carried on.
"Greyback is a werewolf but I didn't choose him on that principle. Many think that as a werewolf they have increased speed, strength, senses, ect, which means that they are automatically good fighters. However, that truth of the matter is that usually they don't know what to do with their abilities and are clumsy in combat, but Greyback is very talented in this area as he has obviously trained with it and it also helps that he is very in touch with his inner wolf. Somehow he has the ability to transform outside the full moons and is very skilled in the dark arts." The man in question looked up at me with a dark feral smirk and a look of amusement in his amber eyes. I returned the smirk feeling, rather than hearing, his thoughts flowing through his aura. So the werewolf likes what he sees huh? Well this will surely be fun.
I heard a deep chuckle from my side. "You certainly are more interesting then I have ever given you credit for and it seems you are even more valuable to the dark with your 'unusual talent'." A small laugh escaped my throat.
"Oh dear Voldemort, you have no idea how valuable I am, to not only the dark side but to you yourself." I grinned childishly at the Dark Lord before hopping off the arm of the throne. "I suppose I could tell you just how valuable I am... I was going to tell you earlier but it seems talking about the prophecy distracted you Tom." My grin widened at the warning hiss that escaped Voldemort's thin reptilian lips at the mention of his muggle like name. "You better get used to me calling you Tom, because I won't stop just because you hate the name. You won't have to worry though I'm not stupid-"
I glared at him when I heard his scoff. "Oh, fuck off Tom we both know I much more intelligent than I let on. Anyway, I will only ever use the name in private or while talking like this as I know how much you value your... standing and all that shit."
"Potter, can you just tell me why you are so 'valuable' before I am too tempted to cast a rather nasty hex at your face." I placed my pale hands on the arm of the throne and leaned in close, trying to make Voldemort feel a little bit uncomfortable, a dark smirk spreading across my face.
"The reason why I am 'oh so valuable' to you Tom is because I am one of your Horcruxes." I snickered at the look of shock that was clearly plastered on the usual glaring face of the Dark Lord. I pushed myself of the armrest and smiling sweetly I swayed on the spot my hair swaying graciously with me, purposely putting on a look of pure innocence. "Can I see my room now, Voldey?"
The use of his new nickname seemed to throw him out of his daze and he quickly snapped at the dumbfounded death eaters. "You are all dismissed." With quick bows they disappeared through the door, as they were now required to remain at the manor while they were my tutors.
Voldemort sighed, rubbing his eyes with his hand. "How could I not see it? It seems so obvious now. I suppose I can see why you were inclined to see me as a fool earlier." I was quite shocked at Voldemort's words as I was sure it wasn't everyday he admitted being wrong or being an idiot, even if those weren't the exact words he used.
I remained still as he got up out of his throne and made his way over to me. He clutched my chin in a firm grip, tilting my head up as he smirked down at me. "Looks like you are now going to be under my strict protection from now on. I hope you can cope with my presence as I will not be leaving you alone very often because, as you said, you are much too valuable to lose."
"Are you sure it's not you who will not be able to cope with me? I'm warning you now that as I don't have to act like the perfect little Gryffindor anymore I will have quite a… different personality." A small chuckle escaped the Dark Lord as he released my chin.
"With the way you have been acting in the past few hours I wouldn't expect anything less from you Potter… Or should I say Prince? Come, I shall show you to your room." I smiled slightly before following Voldemort out of the room.