Tides of Time

By Michael Weyer

Darker Lord

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Harry swallowed, trying to calm his fear as he saw the Valeyard stepping forward. The man tapped that metallic wand in his hand as he smirked at the young wizard. "So, this is the great Harry Potter. You're smaller than I expected, in so many ways."

Harry managed to raise his wand up and aimed it at the man striding forward. With a sweep of his hands, the Valeyard sent it flying away. He grinned at Harry, a dark and twisted smile without true mirth that made the boy's skin crawl. "So….Harry Potter…what shall I be doing with you?"

Harry was about to reply when a searing pain struck his head. He gasped and held a hand to his forehead, his fingers touching the scar. He could feel the heat from it and his heart plunged further as he knew what that meant. It took a moment for him to realize the chill in the room wasn't just from his own feelings but the dark presence that had entered.

"Hello, Potter," Lord Voldemort hissed as he entered. His black cloak flowed behind him as he slithered forward, that twisted mouth pulled back in a triumphant smile. "I believe this will go much differently than our last encounter."

Harry tried to block out the pain of the scar as he backed up against a wall. Voldemort was moving in, his wand held up. He glanced to the Valeyard and smirked. "I do believe you had the right idea with that Doctor fellow, Tarsan. Simply kill the boy with no hesitation, no wasting time boasting or bragging. Finish it and move on."

Harry swallowed and spoke. "Just like that? Right here and now? Not in front of your underlings as an example?"

Voldemort paused to think and Harry felt a flicker of hope. It died as the Dark Lord shook his head. "No. No, I think presenting your dead body to everyone will more than suffice to break the spirits of the Ministry and prove my superiority to everyone."

He raised his hands, his smile growing, obviously taking his time with this. Harry pressed against the wall, his body tense. He knew dodging the bolt would be almost impossible but it was better than nothing. Harry saw Voldemort open his mouth, the wand pointed right at him and tensed up to move…

Without warning, there was a blur as a figure nearby dropped an invisibility cloak and appeared out of thin air. Harry, Voldemort and the Valeyard all stared in surprise at Draco Malfoy standing before them. The man reached forward to grasp Harry and threw Voldemort a quick smile. "Sorry, have to dash." He reached into his pocket and with a flash of light, he and Harry vanished.

The Valeyard winced at the loud scream of outrage Voldemort let out. He rubbed his temples before shrugging. "Oh, well," he muttered to himself. "I suppose we'll just go without him then."

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Harry let out a gasp as he found himself appearing in a darkened room. He looked about, obviously jarred at all that had happened. He saw Malfoy tossing his cloak aside and moving to a nearby table. "Stop gaping, Potter," he snapped. "We need to move quickly."

"Where are we?" Harry asked as he looked around.

"My family estate," Malfoy said as he pulled open drawers to take out several packets. "I needed to pick up a few items, things to get us money and such before we get going."

"We?" Harry asked as he stepped forward. "What do you mean 'we'? Why are you helping me? Why even give a damn about me? Why-----"

Draco whirled and pointed at him. "Let's get this straight right now, Potter. I don't like you. In fact, I bloody well can't stand you. But…." He drew a breath as if pained. "As much as I hate to say it…the fact is that seeing you get killed by….You-Know-Who isn't something I want."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Really? I would have thought otherwise given how you've acted toward me the last four years."

Draco sniffed. "I'm not making apologies for it. But, fact is, finding out your own father supported a Dark Lord and losing a lot of your money has led me to reconsider a few things." He shook his head. "That's an issue for another time. For right now, like it or not, we're all each other have."

"What about Ron or Herimone?" Harry asked.

Draco shook his head. "Hogwarts has been taken. Some…things have managed to roll in and subdue everyone. They're holding them hostage to get the Aurors to back down."

Harry's jaw dropped at that. "Oh, no…We have to go there!"

"And what?" Malfoy barked. "Just the two of us against some force that can withstand magic bolts? We'd be slaughtered."

"We can't just stay here and do nothing!" Harry yelled.

"I know!" Malfoy fired back. He sobered and ran a hand through his hair. "But we have to be careful what we do. Tarsan's in with Voldemort which means we can't trust anyone in the Ministry right now." He sighed. "Assuming there is a Ministry now."

"So what do we bloody do?" Harry snapped.

Malfoy held up his papers. "First, we make a withdrawal. If we're going on the run, we'll need some money to sustain ourselves. After that…Well, we'll figure it out as we go."

Harry stared at him before letting out a short chuckle. "You and me on the lam together."

"I know," Malfoy was forced to admit. "A week ago, I'd have laughed at the idea too. But, much as it makes me ill to be in the same room with you, we're going to have to put aside our own problems for now."

Harry nodded. "Right….But hang a mo. I thought your family accounts were closed by the Ministry."

Draco smiled. "Potter, you still have a lot to learn about how true wizard families work. One of the top rules we have is simple: never have all your resources in plain sight."

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Voldemort took in a massive breath, a strange sight considering he had no nose. "Victory," he hissed. "It has been far too long since I inhaled its sweet, sweet scent."

"You wrote excruciatingly bad poetry in your youth, I can tell," the Valeyard dryly stated. "Published by the school magazine, no doubt."

The two men stood in one of the main central areas of the Ministry gazing down at the assembled groups underneath the balcony. Death Eaters surrounded the area, all with smiles of triumph, wands pointed at the Aurors and the civilians and workers unlucky enough to be on duty this day. Most were trying to appear calm but several were clearly terrified. It wasn't just the threat of death from the forces but the very sight of the Dark Lord in the Ministry with his assembled hordes. It was their worst nightmare come to life while it was Voldemort's dream come true.

He stepped forward to gaze down upon them all, a wicked smile on his face. "Gentlemen, ladies and mudblood lovers!" he called out. "I have dreamed of this moment for more years than I care to remember. And the reality is even better than I hoped." He smiled at his minions. "My loyal Death-Eaters…for too long, we have been forced to hide in the shadows and strike from the darkness. But today…today, we have taken that which always should have been ours! Today, we are no longer the dirt the Ministry wipes its boots upon. Today, we are the Ministry!"

Loud cheers went up as the Valeyard just rolled his eyes. "Rassilon, and I thought the Rani went on and on," he muttered under his breath. He checked his watch and nodded slowly. Before him, Voldemort was still going on his rant, leaning down to leer at the captives. "Sadly, that Potter brat elected to flee rather than face me so I am unable to present his mangled corpse as I had planned. But rest assured, I will have that boy's corpse to show and prove your precious savior cannot help you now."

"You don't know Harry," Sirius called out from the crowd. "He'll come for you, Voldemort. He'll come and show you as the arrogant prat you are."

Voldemort peered down. "Ah, the famed Sirius Black. So nice to finally make your acquaintance at last." He grinned as he fired a curse that sent Sirius down with a yell of pain. "Remind me to have Wormtail meet you and renew your old friendship later."

Nearby, Snape was glancing about, seemingly glaring at the captives but if one looked closely, they might see the slight nervousness deep in his eyes. "My Lord, should we not depart? There may be reinforcements coming and…"

"Oh, I doubt that, Servus," Voldemort said as he turned to him, his smile vanishing. "That signal you tried to get out never made it to the contact point. Even if it had, well, with Hogwarts under my control, I don't see word getting out soon."

Servus started. "Wh…what do you mean, my Lord?"

Voldemort sighed dramatically. "Oh, Servus, please. I've had Tarsan working with me for months, you honestly thought I never knew you were spying on me for Dumbledore?"

Snape swallowed just as the two nearest Death Eaters took hold of his arms, knocking his wand aside. Voldemort sneered as Snape was pushed into the center of the room with the rest of the captives. "Ah, Servus. I am disappointed. Such a fine Slytherian and now you end up with your old Gryffindor tormentors. It is such a tragedy."

The Valeyard was checking his watch again as he moved forward. Voldemort smiled to his supporters. "Now that we've dealt with that, it's time to move onto our next conquest." He tapped his wand in his hands as he gazed at the captives. "I believe a liberal dispersing of bodies thought Diagon Alley will show the new power we possess. From there, we shall give those left a chance to surrender before…"

"All right, I've had enough of this."

It was hard to tell who was more surprised at Tarsan's interruption, the captives or Voldemort. The man stepped forward with a tired expression as if he was answering a cue he was overdue for. To the amazement of everyone, he actually reached out and pushed Voldemort aside as he moved to the balcony. "Ladies and gentlemen, I offer my sincere apologies you had to listen to all that rot. Believe me, I suffered with you all equally."

"Fine thing to say when you're up there with them, Tarsan!" Tonks snapped.

"Don't call me Tarsan, shifter. Call me by my true name. I am the Valeyard. I think it's important you all remember that."

Voldemort had recovered from being shoved aside to move toward the alien with a dark expression. "You dare…"

"Yes, I do," the Valeyard fired back with a calm expression. "I have put up with your ranting and your raving and your arrogant claims of superiority for long enough, Riddle."

Voldemort's eyes widened at the sound of his real name. "Do not call me that!"

"Why not?" the Valeyard smiled. "Why not let everyone know you came from mudblood parents yourself?" He shook his head. "Honestly, all that boasting about the superiority of wizards and you are such a hypocrite. Really, I'm doing everyone a favor with this."

"With what?" Voldemort asked, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

The Valeyard looked at his watch and held up a hand with all five fingers spread. As everyone watched in confusion, he began to pull one finger in after another in a countdown. When his fist clenched, there was an eruption of sound from high above followed by the sounds of loud screaming mixed with blasts of energy.

"What the hell is that?" Malfoy cried out.

"That," the Valeyard said with a light smile. "Would be the selection of Death Eaters you left upstairs along with the members of the Wizgnmont they were guarding. By now, of course, they're all dead."

Voldemort started. "They…what?"

The Valeyard nodded as he reached under his coat. "Now…if I'm right and I always am…" He pulled a large orb out and held it before him. Those around him started, wondering how he got something so big into his coat without them noticing. With a whisper, the Valeyard sent the orb floating above the chamber. His other hand aimed his "wand" at the orb and pressed two buttons.

A blinding flash of blue light poured from above. It resembled the flowing shape of a Dementor but somehow different. The streams of blue energy flowed about the room, each pausing for a moment to scream out.

Scream out and for the briefest of seconds, those below could see the faces of people in the clouds, in agony and mouths open with loud howls. Then, one by one, each blue form flew right into the orb, which glowed brighter and seemed to increase in size before the shocked eyes of all.

The blue glow illuminated the features of the Valeyard, which were pulled into a smile of pure triumph. "At last…" he whispered. "At long, long last…I have it."

"Have what?" Voldemort demanded. "What is going on? This was not the plan!"

"Actually," the Valeyard said, turning to him. "It was always the plan. My plan. The plan I enacted to gain the power I've always desired and needed. The magical power of a wizard, enhanced upon death and brought into a single energy source…" He held the orb up and his smile deepened. "Just the power I need."

Voldemort snarled. "You…dare…betray me?!"

The Valeyard looked off as if thoughtful. "Technically, I'd have been actually working with you in order to betray you. But seeing as how I was playing you for a fool ever since the day we met, I think treason is the wrong term here."

Voldemort snarled and reached for his wand. Before he could raise it up, there was a crash and a dozen Daleks floated in from above, their weapons primed and aimed down at the wizards. Several screams went out as the Daleks herded them closer together. One Death Eater moved to raise his wand but a Dalek blasted him. The man howled in agony, his skeleton briefly illuminated at the green glow as he collapsed. The Valeyard whispered and once again, there was the sight of the blue energy pouring out of the man and into the globe.

He glanced down at them all and smiled. "Don't worry. I'm not killing any of you. At least not yet. And your children will be safe as well. The older the wizard, the more power they give off so I'll be waiting a few years to sacrifice them."

"Leave them alone!" Arthur Wealsey called out from the crowd with an angry expression. "So help me, you harm any of my children…"

A blaster bolt erupted inches from his spot, cutting off his words. The Valeyard's eyes were narrowed as he gazed down. "Watch you words, wizard before they end my patience with you."

He turned around. "As for you, Mr. Riddle…" He stopped as he saw the end of a shadow escaping into a cloud before him. He frowned as he realized the dark wizard had teleported away. "Damn…well, I suppose that spares me hours of ranting and raving and thus eases my peace of mind." He glanced back down to the captives and motioned to the Daleks. "Begin the transfer to Azkaban. I'll be seeing to Hogwarts myself."

"As you command, Lea-der," the head Dalek intoned as the murderous robots moved toward the captives. The Valeyard gazed at the orb as it floated into his open hand, his eyes gleaming with malice and madness. "All those centuries of protecting this miserable little rock, Doctor," he whispered. "And it'll be the stupid apes that aid in its own destruction and my plans."

His cold, mocking and triumphant laughter echoed through the halls of the Ministry and was more chilling to all who heard it than anything Voldemort could come up with.

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Harry glanced about nervously as he pulled the wool cap lower over his ears. "You could have picked a better place to hide galleons, Malfoy."

"Shut it, Potter," Draco snapped as he pulled his hood closer over his head. Harry had insisted that Malfoy cover his blonde locks, going so far as to threaten to hex him if he didn't. Draco had gone along with it and thus the two were as well-disguised as they could be as they walked down the streets of London.

The two were in dark jeans, dark shirts and jackets, just two teenagers amid the crowds walking down the streets. Draco had led Harry to a small lockbox at a bank where he had managed to get a few hundred galleons out. "Your father actually keeps stuff at a muggle bank?" Harry had asked in surprise.

"My idea, actually," Draco said. "I know, I know, it's slumming but, face it, the last place anyone would look for assets." He reached into the box and produced a long wand, handing it to Harry. "Here. Not as good as yours, of course, but at least you're not defenseless."

Harry took it, nodding. "Thanks." He paused as he realized he had actually thanked Draco Malfoy for something. "Don't look at me like that, Potter," the other man snapped as he shut the lockbox and put it back in its slot. "Doesn't make us friends in the least. I just don't want to have to face any of those things alone."

"Caring as ever, Malfoy," Harry noted as they had left the bank.

Now they were heading down the streets, Draco cursing as he looked at the map in his hands. "Don't these muggles care about proper directions?" he complained. "Or at least laying out a city in a way that makes sense?"

Harry smirked. "From what I've heard, it's even worse in America." He sobered as he glanced around. "Where are we headed?"

"One of our other homes was also held by the Ministry," Draco told him. "It's a downtown place and I'm betting the guard there will be light. It should be enough to just give us shelter and make our plans for the next thing to do." He cursed as he turned the map sideways. "That is, if I can figure out how to get there…"

"Never been in the city?"

"Not without a guide," Draco said. "And at least then, I could use magic to pinpoint our destination or even floo there."

"We can't," Harry quickly pointed out. "Ten to one, the Valeyard is keeping an eye on all magics and waiting for something like this. We use our magic, it's a homing beacon to him."

"Yes, thank you, Potter, I would have never figured that out," Draco sarcastically said.

Harry glared. "Honestly, Malfoy, if we're going to be working together, you could at least be civil and curb your 'I'm better than you attitude.'"

Draco glared at him. "The reason why I have an attitude of 'I'm better than you' is because I am better, Potter. I'm a pureblood from a rich family…"

"Your father was imprisoned and most of your fortune's gone," Harry interrupted. "And I don't seem to recall your old toadies hanging around with you when you came back. Looks like with the money gone, so's your popularity. Meanwhile, I have actual friends, actual family and you're the one helping me out. So drop the bloody high and mighty act already."

Draco whirled, his mouth open to deliver a retort when something caught his eye. He glanced over and his frown deepened. "Damn."

Harry's gaze followed him and saw a pair of men in familiar robes on the opposite side of the street. He didn't need the masks to know who they were. "Move," he hissed as he grabbed Draco's arm and started to pull him away. Draco didn't need much encouraging to start running off. Harry glanced behind to see the two Death Eaters pushing aside people to chase them.

"Move, Potter!" Draco hissed as he increased his pace. Harry was glancing behind again to see the Death Eaters also moving faster. "Somehow, I doubt they'll care who my father is!"

"Normally, I'd be gratified that you realize his name doesn't solve everything," Harry said. "But right now, we need somewhere to hide." He and Draco raced around a corner just as a large truck moved across the street, slowing their pursuers down.

Harry paused to catch his breath and look around, his eyes raking over the street before them, seeing no alleys or safe havens. He stopped suddenly as he saw…something nearby. "Malfoy," he grabbed the other boy's arm and pointed across the street. "You see that?"

Malfoy frowned as he narrowed his eyes. "It's…a blur," he murmured. "I can't quite make it out…"

"It looks like an opening," Harry quickly said. "Maybe it's a shielding spell, somewhere that can give us refuge."

Draco looked behind to see the truck starting to move again and took a deep breath. "Let's go." He and Harry raced across the street, ignoring the traffic to get to that strange shimmering point. As they did, they could see a street platform before a large glass structure with a waterfall around it. He and Draco stepped up onto the platform and whirled around, hands on their wands.

The two Death Eaters stopped and glanced about, seemingly confused. They looked straight ahead, right at the two boys but there was no reaction to them. They kept looking around, circling each other before, with a nod, moving to race in other directions.

Harry and Draco stared at one another in confusion. "They didn't see us," Harry said. "They were looking right at us…and they didn't see us."

Draco looked around them. "It's not just them," he said. "All these other people, not even giving us a glance…"

"It's a perception filter," a voice behind them said. "It's supposed to make you pretty much invisible as you stand on this spot."

The two boys whirled, wands up as they stared at the figure before them. He was a handsome man in his thirties dressed in dark slacks, black boots and a long coat. His face seemed to carry a permanent smirk as his dark hair was cut short. "So I'm pretty surprised to see you two here," he said, his voice carrying an American accent. He glanced to Harry. "Then again, if you are who I think you are, maybe it's not that surprising."

"Who the hell are you?" Harry demanded.

The man smiled and held out a hand. "Captain Jack Harkness, Mr. Harry Potter. Welcome to Torchwood."

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Sorry about the delay, work has piled on me the last few weeks. The ending just hit me as fitting somehow, hope to have more soon.