A New Path

AN: A big thank you to my many new fav/followers.

And thanks to my reviewers for pointing out a few things. Some were done on purpose, others were forgotten, so thank you.

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CHAPTER 3 - Making Headlines

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"What do you mean Draco knows who you are?"

Harry was standing in front of a very annoyed, but thankfully not yet angry, Dark Lord.

"I guess Harrison was a bit too obvious." Harry said carefully. "And apparently his parents are suspicious too. Apparently I'm a bit too small and not bright enough to be your son."

Voldemort growled and Harry took a step back.

"Elf!" Voldemort called. A small house elf apparated into the room. "Bring the Malfoy family here immediately. No excuses." He snapped at the frightened creature. It disapparated at first chance.

Moments later three blonde figures entered the room.

"My Lord." They each greeted with a bow. Draco was stood slightly behind his father. They all glanced briefly at Harry before facing the now angry wizard in front of them.

"I take it you are all aware of who exactly Harrison is?" Voldemort asked, his voice like ice.

Lucius stepped forward. "I am afraid we are, my Lord." He admitted. "I speak for my family when I say we have not shared the knowledge with anyone else. I believe he has not yet met any person beside ourselves either."

Voldemort nodded.

There was a brief staring contest between Voldemort and each Malfoy.

Suddenly Voldemort's wand was pointed at Draco and then Lucius. Two spells were cast, obliviates.

"Leave." He ordered of the two Malfoy men.

Draco glanced briefly at his mother and then he and his father left.

"My Lord?" Narcissa asked fearfully. "Have I done something to displease you?"

"Your son and husband no longer remember Harrison, Harry. You are not to speak to them, or anyone, of him." Voldemort told her. "I will require an oath at least on the subject." Narcissa nodded. "You will also be required to treat Harry for any conditions he has acquired due to his time with muggles. It is quite obvious he is undernourished."

Harry stood to one side watching keenly. Once Narcissa had made an unbreakable vow to keep Harry secret unless explicitly told otherwise, and left, Harry turned on a now calmer Voldemort, musing on how fluctuating his moods were.

"Ha! Your plan failed." He sung. "Do I get a say now?" He added sweetly.

Voldemort glared.

"Careful. I almost feel killing you would be simpler."

Harry backed down quickly.

"Still. Do I?" He asked as nicely as he could.

Voldemort turned away, flicking his wrist in Harry's direction as if to flick the teen away. He didn't agree, but he didn't say no either.

"Perhaps I should be younger?" Harry suggested.

Voldemort turned back to look at him.

"The Death Eaters probably expect a prodigy and I am small for my age..."

"I did consider it. However, as I'm sure you recall, someone bereft me of a physical body when he was 15 months old. It would not be believable."

Harry glanced at the floor. "I could be fourth year, even third." He looked up. "Third works. That way you wouldn't have known about me until late on."

Voldemort fought down his smile at the idea. It was good. But he wanted to hate Harry right now.

"Alright." He conceded. "You're 13."

"And not called Harrison?"

"No. And you better not mess it up."

Harry smiled. "I won't. What am I called then? What would you actually call your son if you had one?"

"Refuse to be called anything but Prince."

"But-"

"No. You will not be needing it long anyway. It is only a temporary identity. Now go find Narcissa for her to examine you and avoid everyone else. I don't want to see you again until much later."

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Narcissa was very kind to Harry if a little bit nervous after her conversation with Voldemort.

"Sorry." Harry mustered.

She looked up from the potions she was looking through. "Whatever for?"

"Getting you mixed up in the middle of this. It's still a bit muddled right now."

She smiled. "I understand and of course it is." She glanced around and cast multiple spells. The room became quieter and Harry assumed the spells she'd cast were for privacy.

"You don't mind do you? Me being here?" He asked once he was sure she had finished.

"You are welcome here Mister Potter." She said kindly. "What has he said to call yourself now?"

"I'm not to answer to anything but Prince." He told her.

She laughed.

"I imagine had you really been his son that would be the case, so it is quite apt."

She picked up several phials and showed them to Harry. "These are the potions I want you to take each day until I say you are recovered." She said. "I will get Severus to make me a supply so that we don't run out."

A bell went off in Harry's mind and his eyes widened. "Snape!"

Narcissa looked over her shoulder and around the empty room. "Harry? Are you alright?"

Harry looked her in the face. "Snape's a Death Eater?"

"Yes he is." Narcissa confirmed.

"And he works for Dumbledore." Harry added.

Narcissa understood. "I will refrain from ordering the potions until the matter has been discussed with the Dark Lord. I'm sure he will wish to decide what Severus knows and can tell the Headmaster."

Harry breathed out.

"Now what I wanted to ask, if I am allowed, is how come you are here? I thought the Dark Lord wanted to kill you?"

"Mrs Malfoy, I don't know if I can tell you." Harry answered honestly.

Narcissa nodded. "Call me Cissy, child, and I understand. But I must ask, did you run away like the papers and ministry claim or did he, I don't know, collect you?"

Harry blinked. "The what?"

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"Did you know about these?" Harry asked bursting in on a reading Voldemort who proceeded to glare at the teenaged wizard.

"I thought I told you I didn't want to see you until much later." He answered. "As in, go away."

Harry ignored him, his own anger blinding him to any potential danger, and flung a paper at the Dark Lord.

Voldemort picked it up off his book and looked at the headline. He smirked.

"It's not funny." Harry pouted.

"Don't pout." Voldemort ordered absently. His eyes scanned the article quickly before he lowered the paper and faced the angry teen. "So you're a runaway and murder suspect are you?" He asked innocently.

Harry glared.

"No, I did not know of these but they could easily be predicted." He placed the paper on a low table to one side of his chair and, after marking his place, put his book beside it.

"Who may I ask informed you of them?"

"Cissy." Harry told him. "Oh, and what are you doing about Snape? You know he'll tell Dumbles. It's not something he can risk keeping to himself."

"He will not know."

"But he will. Cissy needs him to make potions for me and as much as I hate to admit it, he's not dumb."

"I did not mean Severus."

Harry blanked. "Huh?"

"The Old Fool will not know. Severus will not tell him."

Harry peered at Voldemort through narrowed eyes.

"Are you sure?"

"Do not question me." He snapped.

"To be fair, your last plan involving me failed so I've a right to ask. In fact most of them seem to."

Voldemort growled but Harry stood his ground.

"He will not tell him because I will make him vow not to."

Harry nodded. "That could work."

Voldemort growled again.

"Go!"

Harry skipped out of the room in a better mood than when he entered.

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After the first one the headlines came thick and fast on almost every publication. "Boy-Who-Lived Flees". "Potter Disappears After Student Death". They wouldn't stop and Harry found himself getting very frustrated as the days wore on.

"This is your fault." He told Voldemort grumpily.

Voldemort merely laughed as a reply.

He was due to see Cissy again and it was the first time he would see Snape since he'd arrived at the manor. To say he was nervous was a little understating it.

"Later today I will teacher you a Hogwarts subject, you may choose which." Voldemort said suddenly.

Harry looked up questioningly.

"You will need to improve your magic. As you said, the Death Eaters will be expecting a prodigy."

Harry sighed. "Will you be teaching me everything?" He asked.

"No. I shall order Rodolphus to teach you most subjects once he is out of Azkaban." Voldemort answered. "His mind willing." He added as an afterthought.

"Who?"

"Bella's husband. He is rather talented at teaching most subjects. Should you wish to learn the dark arts it would be Bella or myself who teaches you."

"And you'll be teaching me until then?"

Voldemort nodded. "Yes. But only if you read the books thoroughly. I will not waste my time teaching you what you couldn't be bothered to learn."

"That's a great motivator." Harry muttered.

"No muttering." Voldemort reminded him. "And if you would prefer I will happily crucio you each time you fail." He added casually without looking up from his paperwork.

Harry bit his tongue and glanced at what the older wizard was doing. "What is that anyway?" He asked.

"Aren't you supposed to be visiting Cissy?"

"Not yet. So?"

"Plans."

"For?"

"Stop asking questions."

"Not gonna tell me?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because you're annoying."

"That's not a reason."

There was a flash of movement.

"Ow. That hurt."

"Next time it will be a crucio."

"Think I'll go find Cissy."

"Good idea."

Harry left the grumpy Dark Lord to his plans for world domination and strolled through their private section of Malfoy Manor until he reached the hall he knew would take him to Narcissa' healing room quickly.

When he arrived Cissy was already there. Unfortunately, so was Snape.

"Cissy." Harry greeted.

"Prince." She bowed.

Snape raised an eyebrow but bowed too. "Prince."

Harry glanced at Cissy as if to ask 'he doesn't know yet?' She shook her head to say she didn't know for sure.

"Severus." Harry greeted to play it safe.

"I think you mean Professor." Snape replied.

Harry mentally cursed and got a mental nudge from Voldemort in return, reminding him he still hadn't asked about their link.

"What do you mean Severus?" Cissy asked the potions professor.

Snape looked from Harry to her, casting a privacy charm before he spoke. "The Dark Lord has informed me of the situation." He said. "I was told you knew also."

"I forgot about that." Harry said quietly.

"What is that H-Prince?"

"Voldie said he'd get him to make a vow too. I forgot."

"I think you mean the Dark Lord." Snape corrected. "It seems you are having trouble with titles today Po-Prince."

"You too by the sounds of it."

"Enough." Cissy said taking a step between them. "We all know and it's a big change that will take time to adjust to. Shall we get on with what we came to do?"

Snape turned from Harry and walked to the potion shelves. He turned back to Cissy. "What will you need?"

"Allow me to examine the Prince, here, first and I shall tell you." She answered, tapping a bed for Harry to hop on to. She began the same way she had before, with testing spells and measurements, comparing them to her previous notes.

Snape stood in the corner and waited.

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Dumbledore sat at the head of the long table staring grimly at the faces surrounding him.

"As I am sure you all know, Harry Potter has not been seen for several days." He began. There was a sob from the direction of the Weasley matriarch. "What hasn't been reported in the papers is that hours before he left two dementors attacked him and his cousin not far from their house."

There were a collection of gasps from the non-ministry Order members.

Albus looked quietly at his hands while the accompanying murmurs subsided.

"We know he arrived home safely and we know he was last seen going to his room at around 9:45pm but after that becomes more complicated." Dumbledore glanced at the auror Shacklebolt.

"It is common knowledge among the aurors who were sent to investigate that at ten-oh-three pm a wizard, or witch, disapparated from the Dursley residence." The auror picked up. "Whilst my colleagues are following the belief that it was Harry, I do not believe it to be so. He is too young, he has not been taught how."

The people around the table agreed.

"Oh, Dumbledore, what can we do?" Molly Weasley wailed.

"Voldemort hasn't taken him has he?" Remus Lupin asked.

Dumbledore looked down at his hands again. "I'm afraid I believe that may be the case." He said. "I can confirm that the magic that transported Harry was not his own, however I cannot say whose it was or to where they went."

The door to the Grimmauld Place kitchen opened suddenly and a dark figure entered.

"Good of you to join us Severus." Moody barked.

Snape spared him a sneer before addressing the headmaster. "Apologies, I hope I'm not too late."

Albus smiled at him. "Not at all, just in time in fact."

Severus glanced around the room at the faces present.

"What does You-Know-Who know?"

"Have you seen Harry?"

"Does He have him?"

Snape waited for the questions to tail off. "I have not seen the boy." He stated to sounds of disapproval. "But I do believe the Dark Lord was responsible for his disappearance. I will continue to keep my eyes and ears peeled."

Dumbledore dipped his head in thanks.

"Come on Snape. You can't expect us to believe you don't know. What good are you as a spy if you can't find out something like that?"

"Would you prefer to do my job Jones?" Snape asked the black-haired witch.

"I was merely saying, surely you could help more? I mean, this is Harry. He could be in a dungeon somewhere, trapped and in pain."

Molly was crying steadily now, her husband cradling her shaking form.

"We will find him." Dumbledore told the table firmly and without room for doubt.

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The evening found Harry and Voldemort alone again in Voldemort's private lounge. After the incident with the Malfoys, Harry had been avoiding leaving their quarters wherever possible. Voldemort was away often and there was only so long Dinky could keep Harry occupied, so Harry found himself actually re-reading his, or more precisely Draco's, first and second year books.

"What subject have you chosen then?" Voldemort asked the young wizard.

Harry looked at the books he'd brought with him. "I was thinking something like Transfiguration because it's complicated? Or maybe charms because they cover the basics?" He looked up at Voldemort.

Voldemort glanced at Harry's books. And then at the teen. And then at the books again, there were more than just the two subjects piled there. "Clearly you plan to take advantage of my offer." He said staring Harry directly in the eye, Harry nibbled his lip and smirked. Voldemort smiled and laughed. "Secret Slytherin indeed. What are you stuck on? What do you actually require explained?"

Harry thought for a long moment. "Well, I think I've got most of it down from simply reading the books rather than skimming through them but there are a few things in each I wanted to ask about." He admitted. "But what I want to ask about more is this." He touched his scar.

Voldemort cocked his head, interested. "What exactly did you want to ask?"

"We've got some kind of link though it, haven't we? I mean, it reacts to you when you're near and last year I saw a few things when I was asleep. I think they came from you. Now I think about it, maybe before then too..." Harry trailed off.

Voldemort watched harry for several long, quiet seconds.

"Yes." He said at last. "I believe we do."

Harry waited.

"And?" He prompted.

Voldemort looked away and Harry sensed something akin to shame in his voice when he spoke. "That is all I know. I, I have yet to discover much about it. Believe me when I say I intend to research the topic thoroughly now that I have my own body again."

Harry nodded. "But can, I don't know,-"

"Can I - to use words you would be familiar with - read your mind? Yes. I believe the things you saw were in fact the opposite, you using, no doubt unintentional, Legilimency on me while I was unaware it possible and less able to prevent such intrusions."

"Sorry."

Voldemort chuckled. "It is done, nothing can change that. Given what you could have seen it may be me who should apologise. Not that I will. I would however be most appreciative if you would desist." The last sentence was accompanied by a fierce stare.

"Um, yes, of course." Harry stared at his suddenly very interesting fingernails.

"Perhaps we should return to the original topic, what were you confused about in," he picked up the top book, "History of Magic?" Voldemort glanced at the title. "That can wait. Let's start with," he picked up another book, "Herbology? Fine, what do you need there?"

Harry pushed down his childish giggle at the Dark Lord and moved closer to flick through the book.

Voldemort, for once, didn't complain about his proximity.

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The letter arrived with a severe looking owl.

Albus retrieved the note sadly. It was the letter with the new time of Harry's hearing, there was no doubting, not with the ministry seal.

He opened it.

Nine o'clock on the twelfth of August.

Same as before.

It had taken a lot to wrangle the new meeting to prove the boy's innocence in regard to his use of underage magic. Especially with the supposed illegal apparation thrown in. Many at the Ministry still wanted the boy's wand destroyed.

Albus let out a heavy hearted sigh and stroked Fawkes, watching the severe owl's shrinking form fly back to its master.

Now all he had to do was find the poor child.

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Two weeks to the day after he'd arrived at the manor, Harry woke to screams and shouts.

He jumped out of bed, put on a cloak to hide his pyjamas and rushed out to find the commotion.

When he neared the area of the noise he slowed down and peeked from some early morning shadows into Malfoy Manor's entrance hall. Two groups of wizards were there.

"This is preposterous." Lucius was saying. "You cannot just burst into a wizard's home demanding for someone who isn't here to be returned to you. And claiming I am a Death Eater, I was cleared you know."

Harry took a closer look at the people forming the other group and shrunk back putting a wall between him and them.

Remus Lupin, Arthur Weasley, two men and a woman Harry didn't recognise and another he knew to be Moody, his magical eye swinging wildly, stood opposite Lucius and his wife. Severus was there also, avoiding the gaze of the Order members standing in front of him.

Suddenly an arm pulled Harry backwards. There was a small pop and they were in his room again. Voldemort was standing there cross-armed and menacing.

Harry looked down at his assailant and saw Dinky. She curled into herself guiltily, an apologetic expression on her face.

"I would have thought it would have been obvious that you should avoid Alastor Moody on the odd occasion he is here." Voldemort said sternly.

"I didn't know until just now." Harry offered weakly.

Voldemort frowned.

"Stay Here." He ordered, sweeping from the room.

Harry obeyed without argument.

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Harry and Voldemort were in their private lounge while the Malfoys dealt with the fallout from the Order's unofficial visit. The order members had soon left but Voldemort wasn't letting Harry out of his sight. The Dark Lord had a small pile of papers and books around him and Harry was supposedly re-reading his, Draco's, second-year transfiguration textbook in preparation for a lesson. But he wasn't. Instead he was seeing how much he could get Voldemort to tell him about his plans by continually asking questions.

"There has been a change of plan." Voldemort said after much one-sided discussion. Harry looked directly at him, surprised the older wizard was finally answering. "You will not be staying here."

"What?! Why?"

"Because I cannot keep you here without great difficulty. You will return to Hogwarts with your friends and, before that, to wherever Dumbledore wishes you to remain."

Harry was near speechless, his anger rising quickly.

"No!"

Voldemort glared half-heartedly at the angry teen.

"I will not have you jeopardising my plans which do not involve you because the Old Fool and his Band of Turkeys feel they cannot give up looking for you." He argued. "The decision is final."

"So you're fed up with me and chucking me back?" Harry asked, the hurt in his voice blatant.

"No."

Harry frowned through his anguish. "What?"

"I did not say that. You will return to stay where he wishes but you will remain with me and be protected by the followers I order to watch over you."

Harry blinked a few times to make sure he didn't cry in front of Voldemort.

"Really?"

Voldemort narrowed his eyes at Harry. "What do you take me for? The kind of person to raise hope only to take it away?" He paused. "Don't answer that." He added quickly. "I know how it feels to think you are wanted only to find out the opposite. I would not do that to you."

Harry smiled weakly. "Thanks."

"Today was too close." Voldemort added for Harry's benefit. "The glamour would not have hidden you should a Weasley have seen you, Dumbledore would soon see through it, and Moody would have instantly been suspicious. It is the best way."

Harry repeated Voldemort's words in his head and then frowned. "What do you mean? Dumbles wasn't even here."

Voldemort laughed. "Surely you are aware that the Old Fool is an accomplished Legilimens? No?" He shook his head at Harry's ignorance of the headmaster. "You would do best to avoid all, and I mean all, eye contact with the old goat."

"He wouldn't?"

"He would, and does. Often." Voldemort informed the teen. "Enough of this. Come. I will teach you enough Occulmency to be shielded from most quick glances and Severus will continue your lessons at a later time. I will arrange that he persuade Dumbledore into thinking it was his own idea so that it does not arouse suspicion."

He stood, and after selecting a book from a shelf near the door, settled on the floor in front of the fire.

Voldemort gave Harry a look and the teen settled opposite.

"You will read through the entirety of this book by tomorrow." He ordered touching the cover. Harry nodded, taking it from the floor and flicking through the first few pages. "You cannot take it with you when you go so be sure you do."

Harry put the book down.

"First, I want you to relax." Harry raised an eyebrow. "Shush. Focus on breathing. In. Out."

Harry did as he was told, automatically closing his eyes.

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The Occulmency lesson came to a close when Harry found himself switching between falling asleep, much to Voldemort's amusement, and occasional fits of laughter, much to his ire.

"We are done here for today." Voldemort said, rising.

He had just reached the door when Harry spoke.

"Could you tell Nagini to stop trying to eat me." He asked suddenly. "She doesn't seem to listen to me."

Voldemort smirked.

"It's not funny! I woke up the other morning with a giant snake watching me with her mouth wide open."

"I will remind her." Voldemort said with barely hidden amusement.

"Thank you."

"Come. Lunch awaits."

Harry followed Voldemort out to what had, over the days, become their joint dining room.

He sat down and a plate appeared in front of him. Voldemort took a seat to his left, leaving a space.

They began their meal in silence, non-topical conversation still not easy between them.

"There are some rules for when you leave." Voldemort said as he watched Harry pick at his food.

Harry looked up.

"I will require you to keep in contact with me as much as you can."

Harry opened his mouth to speak.

"Not by owl. It is too easily intercepted. I will come up with something."

Harry nodded and took another bite.

There was more silence while they both ate.

"You will also put more effort into you studies." Voldemort added after a while.

Harry gave him a look.

"Easier said than done. I don't get the chance, things happen."

"That is no excuse. You have plenty of time you just choose to do other things."

Harry scowled. "I'll try."

Voldemort shook his head. "You will do more than try. You will also look for potential allies."

For this, Harry looked directly at the older wizard.

"I thought I wasn't going to be involved until after I became of age, and then, only if I wanted?"

"These are not allies for me." Voldemort told the teen. "You will need your own. The Bearded Fool will, I'm sure, not hesitate in using you in His plans. Well placed allies will also help you with your studies without making your new intelligence widely known."

Harry bit his tongue.

"Just do it." Voldemort asked. "Trust me?"

"Fine. Somethings might be helpful."

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AN: This took a while because I got stuck at 3000 words. I tried for some time but in the end I had to shove a short version of what I planned for the next chapter on the end.

Further updates may be slow, sorry. I'll try my best.