A New Path
AN: Wow, the most favs/follows I've had to date. And in only a few days of posting. =D It may be a small number compared to other fics but it makes me smile.
Just for note, this fic was supposed to be a one-shot but when I posted the first (and at the time only) chapter I had a sudden desire to continue it. I'm not overly sure if it was the right call so reviews are very welcome and yes I do respond to them, even if it's only to say thank you.
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CHAPTER 2 - Malfoy Manor
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They arrived in the entrance hall of Malfoy Manor.
"Here?" Harry asked letting go of Voldemort's arm the moment they arrived.
Voldemort turned to him with a smirk. "Of course."
He strode away but in a manner that indicated for Harry to follow. They left the grand foyer for Voldemort's personal rooms passing through many halls but somehow managing to avoid meeting anyone else.
"As I am sure you are aware, I have been somewhat unneeding of the same accommodation as I require now for many years recently." Voldemort began as they walked. "On hearing of my return, Lucius kindly arranged for living quarters to be made for me in his home should I need them. I, of course, did not decline."
"Father's manor not up to scratch?" Harry asked off-handedly, then winced. He glanced at the pale man walking ahead of him. Saw him ever-so-slightly tense.
"Yes. Something like that." Voldemort answered, his voice cold.
"Sorry." Harry muttered. "Habit, sort of."
He heard Voldemort laugh and looked directly at the man.
"If you are to be my heir you will refrain from muttering." Voldemort told the teen.
"Thought I was just an apprentice. Of sorts." Harry prodded carefully.
For the first time in his life, Harry saw Voldemort smile. A genuine, happy, and not in a cruel way, smile. He blinked.
"That is a possibility." Voldemort agreed.
Harry narrowed his eyes and stared at the dark wizard. "I get the impression I'm going to have to really listen to what you say to understand what you mean." He told him.
Voldemort laughed again, opening a door with a wave of his hand and beckoning Harry to enter. "We'll make a Slytherin of you yet." He teased.
Harry couldn't resist. "No need. The sorting hat wanted to put me there anyway."
The look on Voldemort's face was priceless, even if it only lasted a fraction of a second and Harry almost missed it.
"Do explain." The older wizard prompted choosing a seat by the open fire.
"Exactly what I said." Harry answered casually, opting to sit in the chair opposite. "I just," he choose his words carefully, "asked to be put somewhere else." Voldemort gave him a quizzical look. "I may have taken a strong disliking to a certain blond and severely spoilt brat." He finished in the same aloof tone.
"Really?"
Harry was slightly nervous, Voldemort had that expression that said he thought something was interesting. And that normally meant bad things for Harry. He resisted squirming, barely.
"So..." Harry said in an attempt to steer the conversation a different way. "Um..."
Voldemort met Harry's eyes. "What do I have planned for you?"
"Yes."
"You will require a new identity. At least, for the moment." He stated. Before Harry could respond, he added. "There are many Death Eaters, and other supporters, that will take great difficulty in accepting your change in, shall we say, status."
"I.e. no longer enemy number one."
Voldemort laughed. "You rate yourself highly I see." Harry blushed. "But yes, along those lines. There are other reasons also, many of these you do not need to bother yourself with just yet. The other main reason to hide your true self is that I don't want Dumbledore," he spat the name out like it tasted foul in his mouth, "to discover you before I am ready. Before we are ready." He corrected.
Harry nodded. "Makes sense."
At that moment, a house elf appeared, hands wringing nervously behind its back.
Voldemort turned his attention to the small creature. "Yes?"
"Sorrys to bes disturbings you Master Dark Lord, Sir. Master Malfoy wishes to speaks withs Master Dark Lord, sir. Hes bes in the Master Lounge, Master Dark Lord, sir." The elf bowed very low.
As the house elf reached the lowest point of its bow, Voldemort spoke. "Tell Lucius I shall be along he see him shortly." He looked at Harry. "And would you bring Mister Potter, here, some refreshments while he waits."
The house elf bowed again, its nose just shy of touching the floor, and left.
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Didn't know you took orders from your Death Eaters." He said with a cheeky smirk, his confidence steadily returning.
"I don't." Voldemort answered sharply. "However, the elves know they are not to disturb me when I am meeting with various people unless it is absolutely urgent. Therefore, Lucius must have something he considers of great importance and-or short timing to tell me." He stood. "You will have to forgive me while I deal with this."
Voldemort stopped at the door and turned back to the still seated teen. "Do Not leave this room." He ordered.
And then he was gone.
The house elf returned moments later with a tray of snacks and a drink. Harry thanked her, possibly a he but probably not, before she left. He then sat back and waited, thinking about what he'd got himself into this time.
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Voldemort strode through the halls of Malfoy Manor to the Master Lounge. Lucius was stood by the magicked window, staring at the artificial flowers in the illusionary garden. The lounge, being in the centre of the manor, didn't have any outer walls so, like many of the inner rooms, had magically created windows to the outside world, real or false.
Voldemort cleared his throat and Lucius spun around.
"My Lord." Lucius fell to his knees. "I beg your forgiveness but I believed you would want to hear my news as soon as possible." He waited, head bowed.
"Stand." Voldemort ordered.
Lucius stood. He waited only a moment before he spoke. "There is news among the upper ranks in the Ministry that the Potter boy has disappeared." Lucius stopped speaking, Voldemort seemed to be laughing at him. "My Lord?" He asked carefully.
"It seems your urgent news is belated. I already know of the boy's leaving." Voldemort said. Lucius was suddenly rather nervous. "Tell me Lucius, do you know anything of the dementors roaming Surrey?"
Lucius frowned. "Dementors?" He confirmed. "I have heard nothing to suggest-"
"They were there before he left, Lucius, they came for him. What I wish to know is whether it was the Ministry's doing or someone else's."
"All I can say is there have been complaints from some of the guards at Azkaban about the dementors complaining about the boy, but, other than that, there is nothing to suggest any Ministry involvement."
Voldemort stared regally at the senior Malfoy. "Was there anything else to report?"
"No, my Lord. I believed the Potter boy's disappearance important enough alone. Please forgive my error."
"Leave." Voldemort ordered with a flick of his wrist towards the door.
"Thank you my Lord." Lucius bowed gratefully before hastily retreating.
Voldemort stood alone in the Master Lounge. He sighed internally - appearances are everything, can't risk people seeing improper things - and glanced at the window's magical display, thinking about what he'd just done.
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Harry stared at the fire crackling in the fireplace.
The room wasn't how he'd imagined it would be. No skulls or gory decorations, no black - well a bit of black but a lot less than he'd expected - and a lot more light than the title Dark Lord suggested. The books on the ceiling high bookcases were about right though. Books covering every topic imaginable, especially within the dark arts, is what Harry expected and while this particular room only had enough room for at most two thousand books - a large part of one wall and some of another, that seemed to be enough. That said, Harry didn't doubt that somewhere, and probably nearby, there was an absolutely massive library.
Out of boredom and curiosity, Harry walked up to the nearest case and studied a few titles.
Suddenly the doors opened and Harry turned as Voldemort re-entered the room.
"My apologies."
"You know, it's getting strange, this, and you apologies to me just adds to the weirdness. It's making my head spin." Harry told him, returning to his seat by the fire.
Voldemort laughed, "You will recover." He said, sitting down. "But I won't be making a habit of it, don't fear." He added with a smirk.
Harry, now as fully relaxed as anyone can be around Voldemort, smiled back. "Shame. I won't let it go to my head then."
Voldemort leant back into his chair. "Shall we return to our conversation. As I said, the first task we have is to create your temporary new identity that we will use to introduce you to the Death Eaters and other associates."
"Will I need a glamour too?" Harry asked. "I'm kind of recognisable after all."
"Of course." Voldemort nodded. "You will need to wear it at all times. I shall create a charm for you to wear on a chain so that you can remove it when required without needing to recast the glamour yourself. On that note, please refrain from using magic for the time being, it can be traced. I will be removing the traces on both you and your wand in due time however knowing, Dumbledore, there will be more than just the normal spells to counter." He took a breath. "Whilst the wards can handle most of what that old fool may have done, I have taken the precaution of strengthening the wards surrounding my, our, living quarters in particular."
Harry nodded. "Okay. Simple. Sort of."
"I see you were interested in my books." Voldemort said, changing the subject. "Anything in particular?"
Harry blushed slightly. "I was just looking." He said. "This place isn't exactly what I expected it to look like."
Voldemort chuckled. "I imagine. Remember propaganda can do that. Much of what you think you know about my side in this war is most likely incorrect, or at least exaggerated."
"Okay."
"How is your school work? From what Barty told me last year you are quite talented but put little work in."
"Get distracted is probably truer." Harry said, his cheeks reddening further.
Voldemort laughed. "I don't ask to cause you embarrassment, I merely wish to know what subjects you require additional teaching in."
Harry thought for a moment and then answered. "Well, I could probably catch up with most subjects easily by just going over my old textbooks, but maybe potions? I don't really get on with Snape and after my first class I haven't really tried too hard outside of lessons."
Voldemort nodded. A smirk appeared on his face and Harry automatically went on defence.
"I am surprised." Voldemort told him casually. "I thought Severus would have wanted to gain your confidence, much like he did with your mother. Perhaps it is because you remind him of your father." The smirk was still there.
Harry tried to hold back his curiosity but failed. "What do you mean? He knew my parents? No, I know he knew my parents, I mean, he was friends with my mother?"
"Perhaps you should try asking Severus?" Voldemort suggested, still casually, enjoying playing with Harry's mind. "Consider it Slytherin practice." He added.
It was Harry's turn to smirk now. "Talking of Slytherin, it's bugged me for a while. What's with your tactics? They're not exactly Slytherin, are they, much more Gryffindory."
Voldemort smiled and laughed. "Very true. Somewhat of recent." He said when the majority of his laughter had passed. "And perhaps towards the end of the last war too." He sobered. "I am ashamed to say I was, perhaps, a little, not of my right mind for some time. You see there are some dark arts that bring with them effects on the caster's mind when used."
Harry leaned forward in his seat.
"I will not discuss the details with you just yet, not until you have proved yourself, but I will say that I have done many things I would not have otherwise done and it has been due to under-researched and premature actions on my part."
Harry waited but no more came. "So, you're, um, okay now?" He asked, unsure how to phrase such a question, especially to a wizard as dangerous and easily angered as the one sat across from him.
"I am much more stable, yes. Although some things are irreversible, I am myself again." Voldemort paused in thought for a second. "I ask you to be yourself in not being afraid to tell me if I seem, shall we say, illogical. My Death Eaters are, it seems, too afraid to tell me whereas I am sure you would be more than happy with the task."
"Right, got it, tell you if I think you're being insane. Think I can manage that. Probably'd do it anyway." Harry said with a smile.
Voldemort smiled back. "Come. We should find you a room. Defending against dementors can be quite wearying for someone of your age."
Harry gasped. "You know about that?" He asked, trying to keep the accusing tone out of his voice.
"It was not me, if that's what you are wondering." Voldemort told him, face to face. "I followed you from the park and witnessed the attack from a distance." He confessed. "And may I say, that cousin of your is quite the fool and I doubt his parents are much different. You impress me by being able to ignore their bigotry and ignorance without turning on them."
Harry smiled a sweet but evil-tainted smile. "Slytherin tactics work on Muggles too." He told the older wizard. "Especially ones who are scared of magic while at the same time hate anyone with it."
They both laughed.
"Come."
Voldemort led them down the halls, still devoid of other life. After a short walk they reached a set of doors.
"You will sleep here." Voldemort told him. "I will arrange for a house elf to be appointed to you and, after we have confirmed your new name tomorrow morning, you will be free to roam but for now remain in this room."
Harry nodded.
"I will have sent your elf over with your glamour by the time you wake." Voldemort told the teen.
"Don't I get a say in what I look like?" Harry asked.
"No."
"Oh." Hary didn't push. "Um, goodnight then." He said uncertainly.
Voldemort paused for a moment before he left. "Goodnight." He said, shifting as if he wasn't used to using the nicety.
Harry watched Voldemort leave before he entered his new room. The second he was inside his mouth dropped and a "wow" escaped his lips.
It was big. Much bigger than anything he'd known before, you could fit all of the upper floor of the Dursley's house comfortably in with room to spare.
A large bed occupied one wall, staring welcomingly at Harry. A set of pyjamas were waiting on the bed and, after a moment's hesitation, he changed into them.
Tentatively, Harry climbed into the huge bed. The moment his head touched the pillow he was asleep.
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Harry woke up to a pair of large, glassy eyes watching him. His natural and honed reflexes kicked in and he found himself on the opposite side of the bed, on the floor, rubbing his backside where he'd landed with quite a thump.
"Sorrys young master Potter." The house elf said. Harry was pretty sure it was the same one from before. "Master Dark Lord has ordered Dinky to bes Master Potter's personal elf, sir. Dinky is bringings Master Potter his breakfast, sir, if Master Potter woulds like, sir." She said, a delicate hand reaching up to twist an ear for startling her new master.
"No, Dinky, don't punish yourself." He ordered. "Um, yes, breakfast would be nice." Dinky's eyes locked onto Harry's. "Um, Toast?"
Dinky smiled happily and disapparated away.
Harry stood and looked around his room. His room, he still couldn't get the idea to stay.
Glancing at his dresser, Harry saw a simple necklace waiting for him. He walked over and picked it up. It was a simple silver colour, shaped like a snake but not in a very complicated way. The snake was held by a thick, black string with no discernible end, just one continuous loop.
Walking to his full-length mirror, Harry slipped the necklace over his head and around his neck.
In the mirror, his appearance flickered and changed. His black hair was still black but was now tamed and shorter. His eyes were a shade of blue that resembled a Mediterranean sea and his scar had completely disappeared. He noticed that other than that he seemed to be almost the same. Slight changes to his chin and nose were so slight that at first he'd missed them and he seemed to have filled out a bit so that he looked a lot healthier.
Harry took the charm off and stared at himself in the mirror. Then he put it back on again. Then off. Then on. He did it a few times watching himself change before his eyes before he finally settled with it on.
The elf had appeared while Harry had been playing with his glamour and was watching with a plate of toast beside the doorway.
"Oh! Sorry Dinky, thank you." Harry said as he noticed her.
She placed the plate on a table Harry hadn't notice the night before and bowed. "Would Master Potter likes Dinky to tells Master Dark Lord that Master Potter bes awakes, sir?" She asked.
Harry blinked away sleep and translated her words in his head before he answered. "Yes please Dinky. I'll just, um, change first before you tell him though." He said looking down at him pyjamas. "Don't really want to be talking to him dressed like this do I." He smiled playfully at the elf and she smiled back.
"Dinky will brings Master Potter fresh clotheses." She said disappearing.
Harry sat down at the table and began eating his toast. He'd only taken two bites when Dinky returned.
"Dinky has new robeses for Master Potter." She announced, the clothes appearing on his bed.
"Please Dinky, call me Harry." Harry asked.
Dinky rung her hands. "Master should be called Master." She told him. "Dinky doesn't wants tos disobey Master Potter but Dinky's following orders from House-Master."
Harry nodded. "Okay. That's fine. Just don't feel you have to around me, alright?"
Dinky smiled weakly.
Harry finished his toast and cleaned himself up, showered and dressed, getting Dinky to use her magic to dry his hair quickly. Only then did Dinky go to Voldemort to tell him Harry was up.
Harry was sat by the table drawing circles with his finger when Voldemort appeared.
Harry, pretending to be too engrossed in his invisible circles to notice, waited for him to speak since he hadn't knocked before entering.
"Playing rude this morning?" Voldemort asked after half a minute's silence.
Harry looked up and said with a shrug. "Well you didn't knock so I assumed you didn't want to announce yourself."
Voldemort, apparently, didn't find it amusing.
Harry cleared his throat. "Um, the glamour works. Thanks." He said.
"Of course it does."
Voldemort pulled out a chair from the table and sat down.
"Do you have any items you wish returned to you from the muggles' house?" He asked. "I must admit it didn't occur to me yesterday."
"Um, there are one or two things." Harry admitted. "Should I send Dinky to get them or, um..."
"Yes, that should be ok. As long as it is discreet she will not be noticed."
"No. They're hidden under the floorboard so no one should notice if they go."
"Good." Voldemort nodded. "Now, your new identity. As I'm sure you can tell from your glamour, you don't need to change a great deal, just enough to make you different. I am thinking we can fill in the details wherever needed when they are needed but for the time being a name, appearance, and simple backstory should be sufficient."
Voldemort looked directly at the glamoured Harry. "You will answer to Harrison and only Harrison for the time being."
Harry frowned. "Isn't that a little obvious?" He asked.
"It is different enough for its purpose and allows a cover should you fail and answer to Harry." Voldemort told him.
"Okay. So what's my backstory?"
"You are not to outright tell people but should anyone ask you are to tell them you are my son."
Harry choked.
Voldemort chuckled. "It also has the advantage of explaining your sudden appearance. It will easily be assumed I would have hidden you from outsiders until you were older enough to defend yourself. To belay suspicion, you are to claim to be six months older than you are."
"Right. So. 16 next January. Harrison. And your son."
"Correct."
Harry breathed in deeply. "This will be interesting." He breathed out. "What do I say when people ask about me about school? Cos that's a pretty popular topic."
Voldemort didn't even stop to think about it. "You will not answer. They will assume what they want and your education cannot be proved false."
Harry nodded.
"Now. We should introduce you to a few Death Eaters so that you are not attacked by one of the idiots." Voldemort stood. "Come. You will meet with Lucius and Narcissa. And a certain blond, spoilt brat." He finished with a grin.
Harry chuckled at the echo of his description of Draco. "He's not as bad now as he was when he was eleven." Harry told Voldemort, standing.
"I do recall. If you remember I was at Hogwarts for your first year." Harry laughed. "Quite. It was not my favourite year at the school by far. For many reasons."
They walked to one of the public lounges bordering the edge of Voldemort's personal living quarters. A family of blondes
were waiting for them.
"My Lord." Three voices said, bowing in unison.
Voldemort greeted the three Malfoys before turning to Harry. "Allow me to introduce Harrison. You are not to speak of him to those outside of this manor, do I make myself clear?"
The three blondes gave their agreement.
Harry stepped forward at Voldemort's instruction and greeted the Malfoys.
"Hello." He said as Malfoy senior held a hand for him to shake.
"Greetings," he said and then looked at Voldemort, "may I ask, my Lord, who this young man is?"
After shaking Lucius's hand, Harry turned back to Voldemort questioningly.
Voldemort looked Harry in the eye before looking at the three Malfoys. "Harrison is my son." He stated as if it were nothing important.
The three blondes froze in surprise.
Narcissa was the first to recover. "It is a pleasure to meet you my prince." She said with a bow.
It was Harry's turn to freeze now. "Um, the pleasure is mine." He managed to get out while mentally cursing Voldemort for not warning him about the 'prince' reaction.
From the slight frown on Voldemort's face, Harry suspected he'd heard the thought and made a mental note to ask him about their link later.
Draco and Lucius had also recovered by now and also bowed their heads to Harry.
"I would like your son to entertain Harrison from time to time." Voldemort told Draco's parents. He turned to Draco. "You will keep him out of mischief when I, or he, asks."
Harry turned around and glared at Voldemort. "Out of mischief?" He asked in an offended tone. Behind him Narcissa and Draco were smothering a slight amused smile, Lucius's face was oddly blank.
Voldemort turned Harry back around with a little push of magic. "You cannot deny it." He stated, closing the subject. "I'm sure I don't need to tell you that this, Harrison, is to remain a secret, even among my followers." He said to the still waiting family.
"Understood." "Yes, sir." "Of course, my Lord." Were the answers.
"Good." He said, leaving Harry alone with the Malfoys.
There was silence.
Harry fidgeted with his fingers.
After a few seconds more Draco stepped forward. "Hi." He said with a hand out. "I'm Draco."
Harry eyed the hand for a moment before shaking it. "Harrison." He said. "Although you probably got that."
They laughed.
Behind the two teens, Narcissa gripped her husband's arm. "Shall we leave the two boys to become acquainted." She told him with a tug towards the door.
"Lets." He agreed. And they left.
"Um, how old are you?" Draco asked nervously now they were alone. "I haven't seen you at school."
"Fifteen." Harry lied as instructed, even though it wouldn't be long until he really was fifteen. He didn't answer the second not-question. Draco didn't push the topic and Harry relaxed a little.
"I'm on the Quidditch team in school. You ever played?"
Harry baulked. "Yeah." He answered carefully. "Pretty good at it too."
"Cool. Maybe we could have a game sometime?" Draco asked earnestly.
Harry smiled. "That'd be nice." He looked around the room. "So what d'you do around here for fun then?" He asked, getting into his role.
"Come on, I'll show you." Draco said walking to the door.
Harry made to follow and then thought. "I have to warn you I'm on a magic ban." He said. "And I'm not allowed to leave the manor."
Draco nodded understanding. "Still things we can do though." He said, and Harry followed him out.
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AN: Don't know how often the updates will be yet but hopefully the chapter sizes will make up for that. In theory they'll only get bigger.
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edit 9/11/13: name/spelling corrections. For those who are wondering, I'm almost done with the next chapter. It will be up soon.