Gathering

Warnings ... this story has some...

A/N: Ok so maybe it's just 'Once Again' that has hit a brick wall... Well that and a 2000 word physiology assignment...

Disappointment washed through Harry at Voldemort's words. For all that he was ready to die he had always imagined (at least since he was 11) that he would go in a particular way… Really it wasn't even that particular, he'd just rather be standing up tall, as opposed to crying at Voldemort's feet. Beggars can't be choosers he supposed as he brought his eyes up to meet his killer's… or was it his releasor's?

A minute flick of Voldemort's wrist knocked his hands out behind him and he landed with an 'oomph' on his back. Voldemort was quick to get a foot on his chest to keep him in his place as he pointed his wand point blank at Harry's nose. Harry sighed in defeat and frustration; it was so like Voldemort to make sure he couldn't die with any dignity, he had to be lying in the dirt of a dusty muggle park under the foot of the 'great' Dark Lord. He wouldn't let him have the last laugh though Harry thought wryly and smiled at Voldemort as if he was relaxed. He should have been more worried when Voldemort returned his smile with vindictive pleasure, but it was a look Harry had come to know on that face and he just watched as Voldemort's lips started to form a spell – too late he realised it was the wrong spell.

"Legilimens" Voldemort whispered, a chuckle escaping his lips as the horrible shock of realisation passed over Harry's face. He entered the boy's mind and straight away discovered exactly what he most wanted to hide. Though he had a very thorough look to make sure, if it was anyone but Potter he would have assumed he was receiving a target memory through occulmency… but Harry had managed to grow up with such naïve views on what 'love' pertained and so readily accepted any fault piled on him that it made sense, in a ridiculous way, that sullying his view of love could drive him to suicide. Also, the fact that Potter was screaming blue murder on the ground and remained obviously hopeless at defending his mind was a bit of a give away too.

Smiling haughtily, Voldemort removed the spell from Harry but was soon shocked to find himself stumbling to the ground as Harry the human cannon ball collided strongly with his waist.

"IT WAS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS" Harry screamed hoarsely, his voice breaking as he pounded his fists against Voldemort's chest. It was Snape who came to his master's rescue and delivered a swift kick to the side of Harry's head, effectively rolling him back over on to his back where he stayed. Whatever had happened to Harry was obviously bad the boy was in such a sad, pathetic state the dour potions master actually felt ill.

"You didn't need to know!" Harry cried furiously as Voldemort rose quickly back to his feet, brushing off attempts of assistance from his death eaters. His face a mask of fury as he pointed his wand once again at Harry and said malevolently,

"Crucio" Harry didn't even really scream as Voldemort held the curse for over a minute, he just made a funny keening noise somewhere between a wail and a cry… it seemed as if he was too upset to feel pain, but Voldemort never was one to put much stock in emotions.

He lifted the spell and left Harry panting on the ground with his hands covering his face, just sobbing quietly to himself now.

"Get him on his feet" Voldemort spat the command and two of his more Neanderthal-like death eaters moved to follow his demand and bodily lifted Harry to his feet, keeping him up with a firm grip under each armpit, Harry focused determinedly on the ground as tears continued to well in his eyes and fall into the drought-ridden brown dust.

Even when Voldemort reached under his chin and pulled his face up, Harry refused to meet his eyes. Voldemort let out a short, mirthless chuckle.

"Tell me Harry" he began pleasantly, "for I have not often had to deal with stubborn children other then yourself. When I have taken over Hogwarts and this government, your friends, who have always remained as foolishly stubborn as yourself, do you think I can use this same method to teach them subservience? It is quite a pleasurable method is it not?" he finished, smiling in a mock-friendly manor.

Harry didn't answer him, he didn't want to let Voldemort bait him, and more then that as he found himself held nose to chin with Lord Voldemort, he knew he couldn't have gotten the words past his attempts to stop sobbing anyway.

"Never mind Harry" said Voldemort kindly. "I can answer that for you. Seeing as you seem to be so unusually quiet" the death eaters around them chuckled. "There is no one quite like you Harry, even I would never have thought of such a simple thing to break you. I admit myself surprised that you would expect your great and gracious headmaster to discard you for-"

"SHUT UP" screamed Harry over the top of him, causing an amused glint in Voldemort's eye. It only grew as several pops of apparition announced the arrival of Dumbledore and his order. Harry's shoulders slumped, he looked absolutely defeated and he stared focusing his entire being at the ground, but in his head he knew it was too late, that Dumbledore had seen him and that everyone he had ever cared about would know that he was an abomination. He still didn't want Voldemort to say it out loud though.

"Ah Dumbledore how good of you to join us" Voldemort said with mock joy. "I think Harry has some issues he'd like to sort out with you before he goes, wouldn't you Harry?" he asked conversationally. "You wouldn't have any information to add about why I need to kill him would you? A certain prophecy perhaps?" He added addressing Dumbledore cheerfully.

"Release him Tom. It is me you seek to prove yourself against." Dumbledore commanded, power radiating from him. Order members and death eaters alike stood nervously behind their calm leaders like a pack of wild dogs awaiting the fall.

"Oh no Dumbledore, I have nothing at all that requires further proof. The evidence that your purist teachings of 'love' are wrong stand shaking before me" Voldemort replied, grabbing Harry's head and stroking his cheek as he fought to bring him to look at Dumbledore, shushing the boy as he struggled against the unspoken command. Harry stilled however, as his eyes eventually caught Dumbledore's now also tear filled orbs. Once more he misinterpreted the situation and assumed that Dumbledore was 'that' upset with him, so he turned his head away again, this time Voldemort allowing him to, Harry's sobbing face somehow ending up hidden in his chest.

Voldemort only let it rest there for a second, long enough to horrify Dumbledore and completely baffle the order members. Then he stepped smoothly away, leaving Harry's tear tracked face to hang pathetically. Not one death eater had released even an ounce of a chuckle at their enemies down fall, they had passed beyond confused the moment Potter appeared more scared of Dumbledore then he did of Voldemort.

"One day Tom, you will be held accountable for your crimes." Said Dumbledore in the coldest, angriest voice anyone had ever heard from him as he drew his wand.

"As will you Dumbledore, but graciously I admit, that this one" he gestured at the broken Harry, smiling dangerously "is all yours" he finished coldly, laughing as Dumbledore threw the first curse.

It was a brilliant light show, vastly different from the jousting competition of over a month ago. There was no words shared between the two, one was driven by pure rage the other by pure hate. It took a minute or so before their watching followers realised that the fight had begun. It was a minute or so more before Harry realised no one was holding him anymore. He ran far, far away when he did.

The fight itself did not last very long, it ended in a tense stalemate when both parties realised that the object of their efforts was quite gone. There were injuries on both sides, but no real damage had been done this time, they all lived to fight another day. Voldemort, surprisingly never told anyone what he had seen in Harry's mind and although Severus had his suspicions, there was not enough to lead the order towards any evidence. No one but Voldemort and Harry Potter knew why he had disappeared. This was exactly what he had managed to do – disappear.

A/N: The end... nah, this story will perhaps take an unexpected direction, certainly not unheard of but probably unexpected... can anbody guess who/where he's going to end up?

Thanks to my reviewers last chapter: Blackmusasabi and parseltonge girl

Katty xx