'An Idle Mind Is The Devil's Playground'
By: Night Flame Miko
Contributed to by: Chocolate coated Blue
An: I am so sorry I took so long! I've had so much to do, and everything kept piling up and up and- ugh.
So yeah. Anyway.
I had two ideas for this chapter. Either go on with plot, or like some have asked for, have one single chapter of solid letters between Malfoy and Harry. I might still do that, if enough people ask. But I will only do it once, and whilst I might mention letters between Draco and Harry I wont actively write them, mostly because this is a fic about letters between Volds and Harry, not anyone else.
Also because I've tried writing a letter from Draco and it's surprisingly hard :P
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Harry slumped tiredly across the desk.
It had only been a week at school and already the work was killing him. And all the stress of his friends, and Malfoy, and the Dark Lord…Letting out a quiet sound of despair, he rubbed the bridge between his eyes, willing the increasing head-ache to disappear.
Of course it didn't work. Glaring at his wand he wondered what was magic here for if not to get rid of little nuisances in life; like headaches, and homework?
Sighing he transferred his gaze to the most recent letter from the Dark Lord. He didn't know what had prompted him to start a debate with Volds, and he had no idea how it went from the easiest ways to spot a werewolf to the most effective forms of torture.
Harry believed in Psychological.
Volds believed in Physical…not that surprising really.
But it was tiring Harry just looking at the letter, and that was without all the weird things that had been happening with the shadows lately.
Just thinking about it had him glance suspiciously around the empty common room.
It had been happening for the past couple of days. Whenever he thought too much about the letters, or even Voldemort he would start seeing movement and something forming out of the corner of his eye. But whenever he turned to look it would be gone.
The weird thing is that it only seemed to happen at certain times during the day. He'd asked Voldemort and he said that similar things had been happening to him, only at night…
To tell the truth it was starting to freak out, and he figured it was just a matter of time before shadow-things started happening to him at night as well.
Giving one last glare round the empty room that was filled with far too many shadows (from the flickering fire, because of course the only source of light would be a frickin' fire), Harry decided that his nerves were far too shot and it was definitely time for bed. Probably past time if he cared to think about it.
Gathering his stuff he trudged upstairs, dumping it before flopping into bed. As soon as his head touched the pillow he felt himself drift off into unconsciosness.
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That was why Harry was pretty sure he should be asleep. In fact, he distinctly remembered hitting the pillow and going out like a light.
So he supposed he should be worried that he was now in what appeared to be a study with his resident Dark Lord working over something in front of him. Deciding that now was not the time to freak out, and that if he thought things through calmly he just might not end up dead…might.
So, considering he didn't remember being kidnapped he looked at himself, just to be sure he wasn't chained to the wall or some such nonsense. That was his first shock.
It appeared that he was still dressed in the clothes he had flumped into bed with last night, thankfully not his PJ's, rather his school clothes, but on his school tie was the stain Hermione had pointed out earlier that he must have forgotten to get rid of before passing out.
Of course the other thing was that he was apparently floating 2 inches above the floor.
Starting to hyperventilate he noticed the last thing that sealed the deal for him. He could see through himself. His breathing increased to the point he knew he would have passed out, if, of course, he wasn't apparently a ghost! He forced his breath to slow, wondering what would happen if Voldy turned around and realised he had a spectre of Harry Potter in his study…right there with him… probably unable to…kill…him…
A grin spread over Harry's face. This was just too good to pass up.
Moving up right behind Voldemort he put his face next to the Dark Lord's ear, absently noticing that Volds was working on some paperwork for something or another. Taking in a breath he let it out whilst speaking the words,
"I am your conscience! Woooo…"
This had an instantaneous reaction.
Voldemort spun round (Harry moved back instinctively at the quick motion) and launched an Avada Kedavra right through Harry. The spell hit something behind Harry which let out a strangled gasp even as it collapsed to the floor, probably having been killed.
Turning, Harry took in the sight of someone in Death Eaters robes, who had apparently been behind him the whole time, standing unobtrusively by the wall. Pointing at the body he faced Voldemort putting on an exasperated voice,
"See! That's what we need to work on!"
Voldemort barely glanced at the body, merely examining his uninvited guest. His eyebrow rose when he realised who exactly it was, standing in the shadows.
"Potter? What are you doing here?"
Harry grinned, his previous anxiousness over now that he knew he couldn't be killed. Of course, he knew he probably should have thought that through before surprising a (jumpy, paranoid) Dark Lord. Shrugging to himself he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, letting out a small laugh.
"I actually have no idea. I just went to sleep, and 'poof' here I was." Sending a smirk at Voldy he crossed his arms and finished with, "Just like magic."
Voldemort sneered at him before his eyes rose to the scar on Harry's forehead and he frowned in thought. Harry noticed the look and realised what the Dark Lord was probably thinking, he cursed himself for not thinking of it sooner.
They caught each others eye and Harry sighed, rubbing his forehead, glad that at least the head-ache was gone, now that he was some sort of apparition-thingy.
"Yeah, it's probably the bond evolving."
Voldemort stood up, and Harry felt something new coming from the Dark Lord.
Fascination.
Stepping up to Harry he ignored the slight flinch as he reached out to touch the boys shoulder. It was with little surprise he felt a slight resistance, like thin ice over a puddle, before his hand pushed through.
Harry shuddered and stepped back rubbing his shoulder and glaring reproachfully at Voldemort.
"Merlin, that was weird." Grimacing he rubbed his shoulder a bit harder even as footsteps approached the door hurriedly.
Voldemort glanced at it before looking at Harry,
"I assume others cannot see you."
Harry looked at the body before glancing at Voldemort and shrugging,
"Looks like we're going to find out."
Just as he finished the sentence the door burst open and a Death Eater (obviously Lucius Malfoy judging from the blonde hair) rushed in, wand drawn and a curse on his lips. At seeing Voldemort, apparently alone except for a very dead Death Eater's body at the Dark Lords feet (not that unusual), he stopped abruptly and bowed.
"My apologies, My Lord. I thought I heard a commotion and thought there might be an intruder…" Glancing at the body Lucius obviously drew up some courage before asking hesitantly, "What happened My Lord?..."
The Death Eaters had noticed that the Dark Lord was being more lenient lately, he no longer cursed his followers for asking questions, as long as he deemed them reasonable and not a waste of his time. So Lucius wasn't feeling as if he was treading on too dangerous a ground…yet.
But Voldemort appeared almost distracted, pulling his attention away from something that caught his attention by the wall. Looking at Lucius a smirk pulled at his lips as he said something that caught the Malfoy Lord by complete surprise.
"It seems I have developed an alternate personality that looks like Harry Potter and is calling itself my conscience."
Lucius blinked, thought that sentence through a few more times before deciding he really heard what he thought he heard and answered even more hesitantly then he asked.
"That…strangely makes sense…My Lord."
Voldemort's lips quirked slightly once more as he stared at the space again,
"I thought so too."
At Lucius' obviously worried look the Dark Lord's expression returned to its familiar sneer. "Do not worry yourself over it, Lucius. I am no less sane than I already was." Voldemorts eyes glinted humourlessly at Lucius' subsequent blanch, almost hidden behind the silver mask.
Turning from his servant he waved Lucius away.
"Leave me now; I have work to be done. As do you."
As they listened to the door quietly close and the footsteps retreat, Voldemort turned his attention to Harry who was still slumped against the wall and wiping away the tears of laughter. Harry had pretty much collapsed when he heard the explanation Voldemort had given.
Voldemort was just about to give a sneering comment on Harry's state when the Boy-Who-Lived abruptly stood up, cocking his head to one side, his expression distant.
"I think…someone's calling me…" Tipping his head to the other side, he blinked before looking down at himself. "Whoa. That's weird."
And it was. It was like Harry was disappearing from the feet up. His lower body slowly disappearing.
Voldemort made 'Hmm-ing' sound, tapping a slender figure against thin lips. Coming to a decision just as Harry's shoulders disappeared.
"If this is the bond at work, we shall see if it works both ways."
Harry gave a grin and a nod, before his face finally disappeared next.
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Across the country Harry woke up, Ron leaning over him.
"C'mon mate! Get up already, its almost time for breakfast!"
Harry stretched, feeling surprisingly rested for the few hours rest he could have had. At Ron's shout he groaned before standing up, wondering what on earth could happen next in his life.
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An:
I am so sorry! I know this was late, but I hope it was worth the wait. I've been hoping to get to this point for a little while; it should be fun to see what I can do next. Though suggestions are always appreciated.
Review please, we almost made 100 reviews last chapter! Off by 6! That is now officially a goal of mine, reach a solid one hundred for a chapter. Though I will try not to make you wait so long for an update again. :P
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