Author's Note: This is a little late but Happy Easter weekend everyone! Next chapter update will be sometime next weekend.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all characters and rights belong strictly to J.K Rowling. I am simply having fun with my imagination. Thanks

...But, even now as he walked along the dark garden with Nagini slithering at his feet, he could not deny that magic was providing him unexpected surprises, yet again...

CHAPTER 36: THE MYSTERIOUS CONNECTION

The next time Tom felt his mind drifting away from his body was at the beginning of October. It usually only really happened at night. He would wake up feeling as though only moments ago he'd been at Hogwarts. He would look around the room in a panic and Nagini would watch him curiously. It was starting to really alarm Tom. He even tried every spell in the book he could think of but nothing worked. These strange incidents were now almost a weekly occurrence.

The Death Eaters were not having any luck with obtaining that prophecy either. They'd tried cursing a couple of Ministry workers but were still unable to get their hands on an Untouchable. Tom gave Malfoy and Avery this special job while the others worked on recruiting more people. While all of this was happening, Tom did his research on possible causes of his mind detachment most nights. However, no matter how many books he prowled through, his gut was telling him that it had something to do with Harry Potter. Perhaps this was some kind of a new plan of Dumbledore's, to make sure Tom went mental?

"Now you're just being ridiculous," hissed Nagini.

"Hush, Nagini, I am trying to think," said Tom in a low voice.

On October 9, Avery provided him with the horrible news that another ministry worker whom he'd tried to force into the Hall of Prophecies managed to escape. Tom was beyond angry and decided to punish Avery again with his foolishness. The man squirmed in pain but Tom relieved him of it after a short while, deciding that he did not yet want him dead. It was the angriest Tom had been in a long time and he retreated to the cliff with Nagini for the rest of the night.

The next few months flew on by with barely any progress. Outside, it was beginning to snow. The weather had become considerably colder and the days longer. The Daily Prophet articles had become nastier regarding Potter and Dumbledore:

THE BOY WHO LIES? FUDGE: "ALL IS WELL"

DUMBLEDORE: DAFT OR DANGEROUS?

POTTER, PLOTTER? LIAR TOO?

EXCLUSIVE: MINISTRY SEEKS EDUCATIONAL REFORM

PARENTS ENDORE MINISTRY MOVE

Tom was pleased to hear that Dumbledore was receiving a lot of hate from the ministry. Though, it was nothing compared to what he would get once Tom took control. But that would not be anytime soon. First, he had to get to that prophecy.

By mid-December, Tom finally figured it out. It was one late evening when he was watching Malfoy and Avery play a game of cards. Tom had his eyes narrowed as the two men tried to outsmart each other. Then, Avery threw down his cards and yelled, "If only I possessed your mind, Malfoy!" That was when it all clicked.

Tom sat up in alarm, his eyes round. How could he have possibly not considered it? He jumped from his seat, frightening both men, and darted up the stairs to where Nagini was hissing around in his room. He knelt down beside her, his heart racing with the information he'd just procured.

"Nagini, I have a job for you tonight," he said, quietly, as he stroked her.

"For you, I will do anything, my lord," she replied.

"You'll like this job," Tom teased, and with that, he pulled out his wand and proceeded to possess the giant snake.

Within seconds, Nagini apparated to the Hall of Prophecies at the Department of Mysteries. Tom could feel her slithering her way about the stone-cold marble floors, looking around and hissing violently for that prophecy. The numbers on the shelves were growing as she slid forward. Just then, a delicious scent caught her off guard. She paused and looked around. There he was. A wizard sitting on the floor by the door. The man jumped to his feet at the sight of her. Nagini could not resist. She sunk her fangs into his flesh and tore at his skin, biting over and over again, tasting the sweet blood with her tongue. The man's wand fell to the ground, as did he. Yells and shrieks of agony ensued. Nagini was enjoying herself. Tom however, was growing impatient. She had not come there to feast. She had come there to work. Angry, Tom forced her back to Nott's mansion, leaving the man alone in the Hall of Prophecies where he would probably bleed to death.

"I am sorry!" Nagini repeated over and over again that night as Tom paced around the darkened bedroom, cursing under his breath.

He had been ever so close to retrieving that damn prophecy. It contained all the secrets he'd sought for so long. He had to get to it. And yet he could not do it. He couldn't just waltz into the ministry right now and retrieve it himself, or his element of surprise would be exposed. With his Death Eaters failing him over and over again, he wasn't sure he'd be able to get to it at all.

Arthur Weasley had not died in Nagini's attack. Somehow, the ministry was alerted minutes after Nagini's departure from the scene, and the man was brought to St. Mungo's where he was now recovering. It was not reported in any of the papers of course. Tom found out about all of this from his nosy Death Eaters who were keeping tabs on things happening on the other side. How the ministry found out about the attack, Tom did not know. But at the moment, it did not really matter for it didn't change the fact that he was still without that prophecy.

Avery and Malfoy were very busy these days with a ministry wizard they'd managed to imperio. According to them, he was an Unspeakable and their best chance of getting into the Department of Mysteries and retrieving that prophecy...a certain Broderick Bode. Tom was not very much interested in the details-all he wanted was for the prophecy to be brought to him at last. He found himself thinking of Severus most days and wondering when he'd finally be able to reunite with him. Dumbledore would of course have to be out of the way for that to happen. While Dumbledore was alive, Severus was not to be in contact with Tom. At least not for now.

By January of 1996, another batch of bad news hit Nott's mansion when Avery and Malfoy arrived, both breathless.

"H-he's not r-reacting to the curse anymore, m-my lord," panted Malfoy. "H-he's becoming immune to it. He might learn to fight it soon enough and could possibly go and tell authorities."

"I advise we get rid of him as soon as possible," said Avery, darkly. "He has to be eliminated. We don't want to risk it."

"Do it," agreed Tom.

Everything was going wrong. Nothing was going his way. He could see Dumbledore now... sitting in his office with his lemon drops, smiling triumphantly at the headline:

THE DARK LORD, EXPOSED ONCE AGAIN—DUMBLEDORE WAS RIGHT

January 13 was the next time that Avery and Malfoy arrived at Nott's mansion breathless, though it was for a very different reason.

"What's happened?" said Tom, sitting up in alarm.

"Broderick Bode," panted Malfoy. "H-he's dead, my lord."

"Are you sure?" said Tom.

"Yes, my lord, died at St. Mungo's," said Avery. "We sent him a pot of Devil's Snare and it strangled him."

Tom stared at him.

"See here," said Malfoy, dropping that day's copy of the Daily Prophet onto the table next to Tom. Tom leaned forward in his chair and eyed the page carefully:

TRAGIC DEMISE OF MINISTRY OF MAGIC WORKER

St. Mungo's Hospital promised a full inquiry last night after Ministry of Magic worker Broderick Bode, 49, was discovered dead in his bed, strangled by a potted-plant. Healers called to the scene were unable to revive Mr. Bode, who had been injured in a workplace accident some weeks prior to his death.

...

St. Mungo's is as yet unable to account for the presence of the plant on the ward and asks any witch or wizard with information to come forward.

"Interesting," said Tom, sitting back in his chair and frowning. "And they haven't any way of tracing it back to you?"

"None, my lord, we were extra careful," said Malfoy.

"Good," breathed Tom, feeling quite a bit of relief and happiness at last. "Finally, one thing seems to be going our way."

"It has been a long time since we've gotten good news," agreed Malfoy.

"Yes," said Tom. "Too long a time. Let us drink to this."

He pulled out his wand and conjured up three glasses full of wine. The men toasted to a new future and drank.

Sometime the following week, Avery and Malfoy made a list of other possible Untouchables they could get a hold of. Tom listened for a long time and then grew bored and began stroking Nagini who was draped at his feet.

"Perhaps we could try someone else then?" Malfoy was saying. "Untouchables are exactly that... untouchable! They're very well protected."

"It has to be an Untouchable though," muttered Avery. "Only they will work."

"You do know better than everyone else, don't you, Avery?" Tom spoke up.

The two men froze.

"I believe it was you who said it, wasn't it, Avery?" Tom continued. He then adopted Avery's voice in a tone of mockery. "Surely an Unspeakable will work!"

Avery's colour changed.

"Y-y-yes, m-my—"

"What's that?" said Tom, curiously. "My lord?"

Avery closed his mouth again and turned very pale.

Later that month, Tom decided that it was time to stop fooling around. Right after Avery informed him that another Unspeakable had not worked out, Tom jumped up in fury, hexed him, and then apparated to Azkaban Prison. It was a stormy night—perfect for what Tom had come there to do. With a few simple waves of his wand (and with the channeling of his anger), the prison walls exploded, sending bricks flying into the crashing waves of the surrounding sea. Tom cackled with laughter and then flew away, giving his Death Eaters opportunity to clean themselves up before they reunited with him.

MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN

MINISTRY FEARS BLACK IS "RALLYING POINT" FOR OLD DEATH EATERS

The Ministry of Magic announced late last night that there has been a mass breakout from Azkaban. Speaking to reporters in his private office, Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic, confirmed that ten high-security prisoners escaped in the early hours of yesterday evening, and that he has already informed the Muggle Prime Minister of the dangerous nature of these individuals.

"We find ourselves, most unfortunately, in the same position we were two and a half years ago when murderer Sirius Black escaped," said Fudge last night. "Nor do we think the two breakouts are unrelated. An escape of this magnitude suggests outside help, and we must remember that Black, as the first person ever to break out of Azkaban, would be ideally placed to help others follow in his footsteps. We think it likely that these individuals, who include Black's cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, have rallied around Black as their leader. We are, however, doing all we can to round up the criminals and beg the magical community to remain alert and cautious. On no account should any of these individuals be approached.

"Well at least he's being honoured for something," said Bellatrix Lestrange as she came down the stairs, dressed in stylish black robes that outlined her slender body. She had obviously fixed herself up well after all those dreadful years in Azkaban. "I see my worthless cousin is getting all the credit for your work."

Tom smiled at her as she made her way across the room and took the seat across from him, next to Rodolphus.

"I assume you will see to it that he does not continue to take credit for my work?" he asked her.

"When the time comes, I will not hesitate to attack," confirmed Bella, who was unable to suppress a grin.

Tom smiled at their little joke, and then turned to look at Dolohov.

"Good to have you back, Antonin," he said, coolly.

"My lord," said Dolohov, bowing once.

"And you, Mulciber," said Tom. "Travers, Rabastan."

Each of the men bowed their heads upon their acknowledgement, all of them sitting with their hands on the table. Tom nodded once at Avery who then proceeded to fill them in on what had happened in their time in Azkaban. Once Avery was finished, Tom's eyes landed on Rookwood who was watching him hopefully.

"I do like to keep my promises," said Tom, casually, though he winked at Rookwood, causing him to smile brightly. "Tell me, Rookwood, what's life like on the outside again?"

"Wonderful, my lord," said Rookwood at once. "I could not be more grateful."

"Well, gratefulness is not what I seek," said Tom. "I seek more information from you. You see, it has come to my attention that I had my facts wrong. Avery here, was so brave enough to advise that I seek an Untouchable to do a little job for me. Yes, Rookwood—I have been seeking access to the Hall of Prophecies for months now. There is a prophecy that I need to get my hands on, and we have tried many men but no one seems capable of completing this simple job. You can imagine how much this shocks me...an army full of so-called experienced Death Eaters and not one of them can please me with this tiny little thing. And yet, this tiny little thing is the very secret of how I should move forward. I am—how shall I say it?—stuck in the present, for the time being."

"I will help in any way I can, my lord," said Rookwood quickly.

"I knew you would," smiled Tom. "Tell me about the Hall of Prophecies again. Why can't I get my hands on that prophecy? I've sent numerous people—Death Eaters and Untouchables alike."

"You want to steal a prophecy?" said Rookwood, puzzled. "About you?"

"Yes," said Tom.

"My lord, I...I must have mentioned it before...prophecies in the Department of Mysteries can only be retrieved by those about whom they are made. So if this prophecy that you speak of is indeed that same prophecy from...from before...then that means that..."

He paused at the look that had sunken on Tom's face. The other Death Eaters at the table looked eagerly from Rookwood to Tom.

"...it means that either I or the boy must retrieve the prophecy," Tom finished.

"Yes, sir," said Rookwood, quietly.

At that moment, there was a squeal from the doorway as a tall woman with long blonde hair hurried inside. Bellatrix jumped to her feet and embraced her at once. The other Death Eaters slowly rose from their seats to bow at the new guest and then sat back down. The woman took the empty seat between her sister and her husband and then glanced up at Tom.

"My lord," she said, bowing her head once.

"Lovely Narcissa," said Tom, kindly. "How are things over at Malfoy Manor? How is young Draco doing?"

"Very well, my lord," she replied. "He has made Slytherin Prefect this year."

"Did he now?" said Tom. "Very good, I knew he would. And what about that cousin of yours...have you any idea where he is?"

"None, my lord," said Narcissa. "He would never return to the old Black house because he hated everyone in the family, so I suppose he is somewhere in hiding."

"Coward," muttered Tom, bitterly. "Like father like son...I never liked Orion. And Walburga was a bitch."

Narcissa gave a small smile but remained quiet.

"I reckon you're happy to have me back, then?" continued Tom after a moment's silence.

"Very much, my lord," said Narcissa.

Tom frowned.

"I admit, I was confused as to why you have only just now come to see me. I have, after all, been back for several months now."

"I've been ill, my lord," Narcissa explained. "But the news of my sister's escape seems to have pulled me out of my trance."

"Yes," said Tom, glancing once at Bellatrix. "Indeed it has. Well, I am a merciful lord after all and I do reward my faithful followers. Lestranges, I hereby declare you my most trusted servants. You have been with me every step of the way and have never renounced me—unlike certain individuals I know," he cast a glaring eye at Lucius who kept his own eyes firmly on his lap, "You, Lestranges, will now be my best advisors. I shall keep you extremely well protected, and should you be returned to Azkaban, I will free you again."

"Thank you, my lord," they said in unison.

The next month and a half dragged on by as not much happened. While Tom's Death Eaters worked tirelessly at recruiting more and more followers and trying to track down various Order members, Tom endlessly pried the back of his mind for a way to get to the Potter boy without Dumbledore's knowledge, trick him into retrieving that prophecy, and then delivering it to Tom without the Wizarding World finding out about Tom's return. It seemed, for the moment, to be a complete suicide mission. Even Nagini seemed to agree that there just wasn't a way to make this possible. Harry Potter was almost as well protected these days as the Minister of Magic himself, if not more.

Yet, by early April, Narcissa arrived at Nott's mansion with the happy news that Albus Dumbledore had been replaced as Hogwarts Headmaster by that Umbridge woman who was teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"I never thought this day would come so soon," said Tom upon hearing the news. "Dumbledore gone? Whatever will they do?"

"They haven't a chance now!" laughed Bellatrix.

Tom smiled vaguely and then screwed up his face into a frown again.

"W-what is it, m-my lord?" said Malfoy, nervously.

"The Defense Against the Dark Arts job is cursed," said Tom, quietly.

"W-well, that is what people generally think, but it is only just a myth," said Avery.

"No," said Tom, thoughtfully. "It is not a myth."

"H-how do you know, my lord?"

"Because I was the one who cursed it, Avery," said Tom. "And, if my calculations are correct, the school year is drawing to an end two months from now..."

He paused and met Bellatrix' eyes. She seemed to be the only one who understood for she now looked serious as well.

"Umbridge won't last much longer," she finally said, in a constricted voice.

"And this gives me reason to believe that Dumbledore will find a way to return," Tom added.

"Well, we must find a way to kill him before he can return!" said Narcissa, simply.

"Why don't you go ahead and try to do that while I sit here and think about how to obtain that prophecy?" said Tom, dully, before sitting back in his chair and closing his eyes.

It happened again in mid-June.

Tom had been enjoying a dreamless nap in the sitting room of Nott's mansion when a momentary flash occurred, during which he quite literally felt his mind leaving his body, stretching out in that disturbingly familiar way from that night at Godric's Hollow all those years ago, and then snapping right back. And in that instant moment, he felt the rapid heartbeat of a 15-year-old boy.

Tom's eyes flew open and he jumped from his chair. The Death Eaters who had remained in the sitting room stared at him, all of them alarmed. He looked around frantically, his own heartbeat working quite fast. Bellatrix jumped to her feet and approached him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"What is it, my lord?" she said, softly.

"N-nothing," said Tom, uncertainly, though it was a lie of course.

He had just figured it out.

Moving away from Bellatrix, he approached Nagini and together, they apparated to that cliff. It was still dark out in the early hours of the morning, though quite warm. Tom paced up and down the cliff and then sat down next to Nagini and frowned down at the grass.

So this was why he had had those dreams all year long. This was why Arthur Weasley had not been killed in Nagini's attack. The connection. Tom and the boy had a connection. And this connection allowed them to glimpse each other's minds, much like legilimency. Though, was the boy aware of this? Of course he was, for it was he who had warned Dumbledore about Weasley's attack and it was because of him that the man was able to be nursed back to health, even with Nagini's venomous bites. The connection was the key to everything.

Tom stood up abruptly, frightening Nagini for a second.

So this was the way to get the boy into that hall, he thought. This was what he was going to have to do. But how to do it? How to make it convincing? Now that he'd established that he didn't need to be near the boy to perform Legilimency on him, the greater concern was what images to place into the boy's mind that would convince him of his need to travel to the Ministry?

The answer came to him at around early evening that day when he had been watching Bellatrix playing cards with Narcissa. She really did resemble him a lot. Tom jumped to his feet and stared around at the Death Eaters who looked alarmed once again.

"I have a job for you tonight," he announced, "You are to go to the Department of Mysteries. Harry Potter will be arriving there shortly, I expect. Tonight, we are going to trick him to get that prophecy. He will so kindly and voluntarily hand it over and then I shall deal with him."

"H-how are you going to get him to c-come there, my lord?" said Malfoy, curiously.

"Legiliments," said Tom, simply, before turning round and walking out of the room.

Out in the garden, he closed his eyes and pictured himself standing right in the middle of the Hall of Prophecies. It took several minutes of deep concentration but soon enough, he felt the naïve, innocent mind of a 15-year-old intervening. Not allowing himself to be pleased about his progress, Tom focused on the task at hand. He placed Sirius right in front of him and tied him up in ropes. He added a few cuts and bruises here and there, getting a bit creative with his finishing touches. Once he was satisfied, Tom fed himself the words, "I need that prophecy."

"You'll have to kill me," the voice of Sirius Black murmured back, at Tom's discretion.

"Oh, I will," Tom replied, enthusiastically. "But first, you will fetch it for me."

He then pointed his fictitious wand at the man and yelled "Crucio!"

The man squirmed and screeched in pain that was so fabricated Tom had to tone it down a notch, feeling as though he was getting too carried away. Soon, he felt the young presence disappear and knew that he had done his job right. He opened his eyes to reveal the lonesome garden again, and finally allowed himself to smile. Harry Potter was now well on his way to the Ministry of Magic.

Oh dear... poor Harry...

What do you guys think; who is Tom's most loyal follower?