Author: HatefulRodeo

Story: Harbinger

Notes: Back to Voldemort's POV for this chapter. I am undecided if a pairing of a romantic nature will take place in this story. Hmmmm guess we all just have to see where this story takes us. Thanks to all that that reviewed, fav'd & followed!

Disclaimer: I own nothing and I make absolutely no money from this fic. J.K.R. owns all rights to Harry Potter. *Sniffles*

Previously:

He knew he didn't have much time left to him; his magic could barely heal him anymore due to his lack of rest, food and constant abuse. He made his decision to leave that night in a haze of insanity, and made his way out of the house as if someone else was controlling his body; somehow he had made it straight into Malfoy Manor.

The rest as they say is history, but he didn't feel any regret for the choice he made not when for the first time during a summer, excluding his time spent with the traitorous Weaselys', he felt safe, full and cared for.

Hearing a firm knock he shifted in his comfy chair and called for the person to come in. He was not surprised to see the Dark Lord; who else could it be? Glancing over he noticed three books on the side table next to him. He really must have been deep in thought not to notice Temby dropping off his requested books.

Turning to the now seated Dark Lord, he waited for the man to speak...

~~~~~~~*********Chapter 6********~~~~~~~~

The Dark Lord sat down in the other chair by the fireside across from Harry, and fixed the young man with a pointed stare before he spoke. "Have you made your decision on if you have what it takes to join my Death Eaters?"

Red eyes watched as the young man's eye took on a slight shine of disappointment before they hardened in resolve and Harry spoke; "I have. I thought a lot about what you said, you know if I could kill someone on your orders.

I am almost certain I could kill or torture someone who has done something to wrong me or the Dark, but I could never hurt an innocent. I'm sorry but that is the way I feel and I hope you can accept that."

The Dark Lord thought Harry's words over, but he wasn't surprised in the least this is what he thought the outcome would be. Harry may have become vengeful, and acquired a somewhat ruthless outlook after all he had endured, but his heart and soul were not dark enough to commit coldblooded murder.

"I understand and respect your choice Harry. For right now you will be counted as one of my allies, you will remain unmarked though seeing as you will not be a Death Eater. I have a proposal for you, Harry Potter, and I want you to listen carefully."

Voldemort watched the Lion's eyes light up in curiosity and anticipation; the Dark Lord really had to stop himself from chuckling at the child like display of emotions. "Of course, hrm, what do I call you? The Dark Lord, My Lord?" Voldemort really did chuckle now.

"You may call me My Lord. Now for the proposal; I remember you saying no one has trained you or taught you anything." Harry nodded and he continued with his offer. "I would like to take you as an apprentice. I will train you in all facets of magic and not just the Light approved ones.

But before you agree you must know it will not be easy and I will not go easy on you. Potential and magical strength like yours needs to be trained, and harnessed so you can use it to the best of your abilities. The fact that no one has tried to assist you is deplorable and borderline unsafe.

Your magic is strong nearly rivaling mine in raw power, but without precise control it will remain reactive to your emotions, and could end up lashing out; destroying items or hurting someone without you meaning to. Do you understand Harry?"

Another nod from the emerald eyed teen was Voldemort's cue to go forward. "I will admit I look forward to training you as well, as I said you have so much raw talent and are not unintelligent; you wouldn't have survived for as long as you had if you were stupid.

In all me years I have not come across another that shows as much promise, maybe Bella but she succumbed to madness long before Azkaban, I look forward to teaching you, pushing you to see how far you can go. What say you Harry?"

Voldemort watched as Harry went through the proposal in his mind, emotions running across his eyes and face. He would have to work on that with the Gryffindor, for him to survive in the Dark he needed to become less obvious emotionally, but that was for another time.

Harry's voice brought him out of thoughts; "I would like very much to be your apprentice and learn from you. I mean you know so much about magic, and I look forward to finally having someone who wants to teach me to my full potential, not just what I need to know to survive."

"Very well, we shall start in a month with the practical. For now you will read the theory on the branches of magic. I am unsure on the quality of your education, so we will start from the beginning. You will learn about magic; light, neutral and dark, also relearn the basics of Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, and Herbology.

The reason I want you to relearn these four subjects is they are incredibly useful to a wizard especially potions. But subjects like Charms and Transfiguration will also teach you to have finer control over your magic. That control will help when we get into offensive and defensive spells such as stunning spells and cutting hexes.

For example; you cast a stunning spell with too much power, instead of knocking the person out for a short time, you may cause them to go into a coma until the spell weakens enough to bring them out of it. Don't look so surprised Harry. You are incredibly powerful and by extension your spells will be too.

Now I know the way I am going to teach you in the beginning will be boring for you, as you have been through it already but tell me this; did you do your very best at Hogwarts? Study and research like you should have? Have competent teachers every year? The answer is no, so I will be starting from the beginning with you.

However, I will not go over the Defense Against The Dark Arts or DADA with you. Since you will be learning about Light, Neutral and Dark magic, the differences between them, the offensive and defensive spells specific to that particular branch and learning how to cast them; the DADA work will be obsolete and redundant.

I believe a month will be sufficient to review all the things you should have learned in the last five years at Hogwarts. After I am confident you have a good foundation we can continue on with my teaching you more advanced spells, charms, hexes and curses. Runes, Arithmancy and improving your Occlumency are a few of the other subjects we will be learning about as well. Do you still accept?"

The Dark Lord watched as a bright smile spread over his ward's face, a smile that erased the sadness in his eyes and made him look like the sixteen year old boy he was. "Of course I still accept! This is wonderful; no one has even really taken the effort to train me for my future. Thank you!" The Dark Lord brought up a hand to halt Harry's babbling of thanks before it really got underway.

"Don't thank me yet, you will probably be cursing me for being to strict in a few weeks' time but I am pleased you are committed to learning what I have to teach you. Now is there anything I need to know about or any business you wish to do while you are here?"

Harry's eye lit up; "I need to go to Gringotts and speak to Griphook about my vaults. Dumbledore is trying to make a marriage contract for me and force that traitorous whore Ginevra Weasely on me. I cannot allow that to happen! Is there any way I can go to Diagon Alley?" The Dark Lord had seen something of this in Harry's mind when he had apparated in that first night and agreed the boy needed to go to Gringotts as soon as possible.

"It can be arranged I will send you with Lucius Malfoy and before you object to his presence you should know that Lucius knows our laws like the back of his hand. He will be invaluable to you if Dumbledore has been taking liberties with your money or arranging contracts on your behalf." Harry nodded looking a bit sheepish and he felt the need to straighten a few things out to the young Lion.

"Harry you need to remember that you joined this side willingly. Lucius and the rest of the Inner Circle know this and are now your allies. Lucius will help you if only because it is in his best interest to do so. You do not have to trust them but you will have to learn how to interact civilly with them if you want this alliance to work. Is that understood?"

Another sheepish nod was given from a properly chastised Harry. "I'm sorry My Lord. Old habits die hard. But I will try to be civil towards your Inner Circle members." Pleased with Harry's sincerity the Dark Lord moved forward. "I will arrange for Lucius to take you tomorrow. We will have you apparate and then proceed under your cloak. You will only take it off once you are in an office or conference room in Gringotts.

It will not do for someone to see you with a Malfoy before we are ready to make it known you have switched sides. For right now the fools on the Light side can remain ignorant of your location and loyalties. These revelations will come to the fore when the time is right.

Now I wanted to explain my goals to you; I have no doubt that Dumbledore has twisted them and me into something murderous and insane. While I am murderous, I am not insane. When you saw me the night of my rebirth I was half out of my mind with pain and confusion. I had just lived my life for the past thirteen years as a wraith, to have a real body, and whole mind again was a sort of sensory overload to me.

Needless to say I didn't handle it well and acted in a way that was quite unusual. As you can see I am not unreasonable, seeing as if I was you would have been slaughtered where you stood when you appeared in front of me the other night."

Harry raised his hand almost like a child in class; the Dark Lord stifled his smile but nodded for Harry to ask his question. "How exactly did I get into Malfoy Manor? I mean there must be wards to stop people from randomly apparating in. How did I do it?"

Voldemort admitted that the boy's question was a good one and one he had sought the Malfoy Lord out to have answered. If Harry could get through the wards that meant others could too and they were not safe at Malfoy Manor. The fear had been in vain once he heard the Malfoy Lord's explanation, which he would relay to Harry.

"It seems that you possess enough raw power and a strong enough will to force yourself through the blood wards and protections. Also, wards are sentient, it stands to reason they understood in an abstract way that you meant no harm to the occupants in the Manor, couple that with your strong magic and stubborn will to force your way in and there you appeared.

I must tell you it surprised me when you appeared like you did. Lucius had told me it was impossible to do so but then again when it comes to you Harry nothing seems to be impossible.

You have the uncanny ability to do things no one else can, most of the time without even realizing how exceptional you are." Harry blushed at the compliment to him and it made the Dark Lord wonder had the boy ever been praised for his accomplishments or rewarded for them?

Merlin, Dumbledore really was a fool to have forsaken this boy. To have looked at him only as a pawn to fight for the Light and then throw him away when he had completed his use. The old fool should have known that Harry would have fought for the Light if they asked him to without any thought to his own wellbeing.

Harry had a good heart, filled with love and kindness. Didn't they know the lies, and manipulations were not needed? But the Light's mistakes were the Dark's gain it seemed. At the Dark Lord's side Harry would be allowed to live for himself, shine for his accomplishments, be scolded for his failures but nothing extreme, and allowed to be free and happy for the first time in his young life.

Harry was watching him with a look of expectation and Voldemort realized he had gotten caught in his thoughts. Clearing his throat the snakelike man continued speaking; " As I said I am not unreasonable but I have no issue committing murder if it will further my cause. Now I will detail my goals for you so you have the right information going forward.

I want the magic and muggle worlds kept separate at all costs. Parents of muggleborns will sign a secrecy contract, if the parent violates the contract they will be thrown into Azkaban and if the breach is serious enough kissed. We both know how muggles will react to the knowledge that there is magic in the world.

First they will be interested but then it will turn to fear and then fear to hate. We will go to war with the muggles and I do not think we can win. The complete separation is just one of the main goals. The next is integrating muggleborns and muggle raised half-bloods into wizarding society earlier to lessen the culture shock an information overload.

I would like to identify muggleborns when they experience their first bout of accidental magic and visit their homes to check on the environment and conditions. If the parents are fearful or abusive toward the magical child, the child will be removed and either charges filed against the parents or a secrecy contract will be signed along with the parents giving up their rights to the surrendered child.

This leads to a side project I want to begin; a magical orphanage for children. I would have benefitted greatly from such a thing and so would you. To be raised amongst our own kind and supported for the magic we possess instead of being shunned, feared and abused for it at the hands of ignorant muggles.

But I am getting off track from the main; I want to reintroduce the Old Ways into our society. We are losing them more and more every year as the Ministry and fools like Dumbledore try and change things to accommodate and make the muggleborns feel welcome. Why should we change for them?

Our ways have been around for centuries and because a few muggleborns enter our would we should change and in some cases forsake our beliefs? I refuse to lose our culture and traditions because the Ministry does not want to take steps to welcome and educate the muggleborns properly. There are other smaller goals but these are the most important. Any questions?"

Harry looked a bit overwhelmed and Voldemort gave him his time to assimilate everything he had said. After 10 minutes Harry was ready to speak his answer; "I agree with everything you have said. I have no idea about many wizarding traditions but I want to.

But I always thought you hated muggleborns? You say you want to help them but your people look down on them and call them mudblood. How can I believe that you have truly honorable goals in regards to them when you have shown such hatred of them?" Voldemort nodded it was true that he did carry disdain for muggleborns but not all of them.

"Harry, I have no problem with muggleborns as long as they take it upon themselves to assimilate to our world, our way of life. My dislike is for the mudbloods, like your old friend Ms. Granger, who come into our world and try to change it because they see our ways as wrong.

Now I am not saying all of our laws are right or just, but they should be changed for the betterment of wizarding society, not to appease some clueless uppity mudblood and her misguided sensibilities. DO you understand the distinction between a muggleborn and a mudblood?"

Harry nodded his understanding, a look of happiness on his face. The Dark Lord enjoyed his time with the Gryffindor; the young man was a sponge that soaked up any information given to him. The Dark Lord had no doubt that the boy was far more intelligent than he appeared to be.

Harry just needed someone to push him to reach his full magical, physical and intellectual potential. Well Voldemort had no issues with that someone being him. Harry spoke and his voice was filled with worry and a bit of fear. "I wanted to tell you the whole contents of the Prophecy. Dumbledore told me right before school ended."

The Dark Lord froze and studied Harry, making the smaller male squirm a bit in his chair. "Did the old man really tell you? Well then by all means tell me, Harry." The Dark Lord sat back and waited Harry to collect himself before he began to speak; "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies ..."

The Dark Lord found himself immersed in his thoughts when Harry was finished with his retelling of the prophecy; the prophecy that had been his downfall all those years ago. But the prophecy was null and void now. Harry was his, had sworn his allegiance to the Dark Lord.

Dumbledore had tried so hard, by any means necessary, to keep Harry unaware and ignorant of the prophecy, his destiny. The Dark Lord chuckled at the irony of it all; by Dumbledore acting like he had he had unknowingly brought about the Light side's demise instead of their salvation.

The old fool had pushed his only hope right into Voldemort's caring hands. The Dark Lord would not be so foolish. No, he would keep Harry informed when the issues pertained to him. Treat him with respect, and not underestimate the boy's intelligence.

The old fool probably had no clue of Harry's wavering loyalty or that Harry knew of his manipulations. Dumbledore probably though Harry was still being abused and beaten in Surrey at the hands of his family. The look on Dumbledore's face when he realized his prized chess piece was now firmly on the Dark's side would be priceless.

Sighing and bringing himself back to the conversation Voldemort spoke to reassure the nervous teen in front of him. "Thank you for telling me this Harry. But rest easy that I have no intention to harm you. You after all have sworn your loyalty to me. By doing so you and I have effective rendered the prophecy void."

Harry smiled in relief and yawned sleepily; the Dark Lord glanced at the bedside clock and noticed it was 2:30 already. No wonder the still recovering boy was tired, probably hungry too. Standing the Dark Lord spoke his final words.

"Harry, I'll send Tempy with a light lunch and then I want you to rest. Be ready tomorrow at 8am. Lucius will be coming to take you to Gringotts. Listen to what he says in regards to your vaults and any other banking or legal matter. Lucius is a true politician, business man and above all else a Slytherin.

Rest well and I will see you in the next few days. Also, read the books you requested for Tempy to bring you and I will have more sent to you. Unfortunately you are still confined to this room but hopefully in the next few days we can remedy that. Good day Harry."

The Dark Lord waited long enough to hear Harry's goodbyes and swept out of the room; stopping to reward the doors before returning to his office to call Lucius and inform him of his task.

So we are rolling along. I hope you enjoyed chapter 6!

All Mistakes Are My Own!