Harry softly stroked the brush against the canvas as he focused all his attention on his 'prop'. He could faintly hear Hermione laugh and Victor chuckle softly. The two sat on the soft lawn on Hogwarts, feet hanging over the edge of the lake and the sun lighting up both their features.
"I have not seen you out here painting for almost a year now Harry my boy." Dumbledore said, standing behind him.
"I have been busy."
"That you have." Dumbledore said softly, a hint of regret in his voice.
They shared a stretched silence as Harry focused on the eyes of his painting.
"I shall never tire of watching you paint." Dumbledore said quietly. "Not many share your skills anymore. You put everything into your paintings."
Harry gave a bow of his head, accepting the veiled compliments. He dipped the brush in the paint and made a new line.
.--.
"What are you?" The man breathed, shuddering.
Harry caressed his cheek and smirked up at him.
"What do you think I am?"
The man just shuddered again, with pleasure or fear Harry could not tell. Harry hummed under his breath as he slid a hand around the man's neck and pulled him eye level.
"I am the thing that controls the dark but what walks in the light." Harry whispered, a wide grin tugging the edges of his lips.
The man shuddered breathlessly and then leaned over the last few inches and kissed him roughly. Harry allowed himself to be shoved against the wall as the man demandingly, almost desperately kissed him, trying to get some sort of control. Harry let his magic loose as he was hiked up, legs on either side of the man. The man gave a shuddering gasp as he felt Harry's dark magic play along his skin, caressing his own tainted core.
Harry smirked against the rough, desperate lips. As the man pulled away to start at his jaw line Harry wrapped both arms loosely around the man's neck and tilted his head back.
"Be mine." Harry whispered breathlessly, seductively.
"Anything." The man answered frantically. "I'll be your anything."
"I want you to be all mine." Harry cooed, grasping the man's head with both hands.
"All your yours." He replied, his words almost a plea.
Harry felt a smirk tug his lips even as Barty Jr. slammed them together with vicious force, desperate for something, anything.
.--.
Harry hummed idly as he looked over the golden cup. At the center of the maze it stood in all its glory. He knew of its trap though, of the portkey spell woven in to it. Cedric watched him from the opposite side of the clearing, waiting for Harry to do something. Harry walked for the cup, fingers outstretched to grab it. He paused millimetres before it.
"Tell Moody you are on my side." Harry warned Cedric who nodded in a confused manner.
And then he grabbed the cup. In a swirl of lights and colors he was gone.
.--.
Harry relaxed as he calmly observed the scene, not caring that a stone tombstone was holding him in place against his neck. Voldemort sighed in content again as he finished crucio'ing another follower. He seemed finished with reminding his followers who their leader was and turned to Harry. Harry's eyes met his own and they stared at one another. A Legilimency probe poked at him but he batted it away with barely a thought. Slowly a smirk bloomed on Voldemort's face.
He waved his wand and the tombstone dropped Harry to the ground. Harry landed lightly and idly brushed his robes off. He frowned at the cut on his arm but ignored it to snatch his wand from the air as Voldemort tossed it to him. Voldemort glided towards him, towering over him in the silence. The Death Eaters watched with fascination and dread, waiting for something, anything, to happen. Voldemort ran a finger across Harry's neck and up his chin to tilt his head so he was once again looking into red eyes.
"What beautiful eyes you have." Voldemort smirked. "Such a pretty Slytherin green."
"What beautiful eyes you have." Harry mocked. "Such a pretty Gryffindor red."
The Death Eaters flinched at the mocking tone, prepared for their master's anger to lash out. Instead Voldemort laughed.
"How is Marvolo?" He asked in a hissing tone.
Harry raised a brow at him. Voldemort smirked.
"I can feel him, like all my other little…trinkets."
Harry smirked right back.
"He's doing fine. Can you see him?"
"I get snatches of his thoughts and memories." Voldemort shrugged as he released Harry's chin. "He very much lusts after you."
Harry laughed in a tittering manner.
"He truly is my best one to date." Voldemort hummed. "He had all my memories, my personality, my knowledge, and was strong enough to gain sentience. He even gained enough power to become a copy of myself of sorts."
Harry smiled like a lazy cat and gave an idle shrug as he twirled his wand around. Voldemort conjured a chair and sat in it. Harry preferred to stay standing as Voldemort gazed at him thoughtfully. Harry instead gazed at the Death Eaters who watched and waited tensely. He let his magic wash over them and saw more then a few gasp for air and tremble under the pressure.
"Who are yours?" Voldemort asked finally.
Harry smirked lazily.
"Technically, you will all be mine."
The Dark Lord's eyes narrowed and Harry felt his magic brush over him. Voldemort gave a pleasured shudder and quickly pulled his magic back.
"Such an intoxicating feel." He murmured, eyeing Harry differently. "So dark and powerful."
For a moment he was silent.
"What are you?"
"What am I?" Harry asked mockingly, tucking a lock of hair behind his ear and sliding his wand beside it. "What do you think I am?"
Voldemort didn't answer, only gazed at Harry with an unreadable look.
"Lucius, Severus, and Bartholomew Jr." Harry finally remarked in the silence. "They are mine."
More then a few people made strangled and shocked exclamations. Voldemort pursed his lips. Lucius was soon by Harry's side, still bowing. Harry tugged his mask off and looked down into silver blue eyes as he rested his hands on either side of his face. He let his magic flow into the blonde and watched he shivered pleasurably. Voldemort watched in both curiosity and fascination. Harry whispered sweet nothings in the blonde's air as he stroked his magical core, until the blonde was trembling and ready to do anything for him.
"They just couldn't resist." Harry smirked lazily at the Dark Lord.
Voldemort eyes Lucius who was now panting on all fours, trembling slightly and ready to grovel at Harry's feet.
"What will you give me in return?" he asked. "My most influential, my best spy, and my most loyal. They are worth quite a bit."
Harry smirked.
"Go home Lucius. We do not want others becoming suspicious of you."
Lucius nodded and didn't even glance at his former lord as he vanished. Voldemort scowled.
"Even with me he was never so obedient." He remarked.
"I have always been good with tools and instruments." Harry responded as he walked up to the dark lord in his chair.
Voldemort allowed it. Harry rested his hands on either side of his snake like face and closed his eyes. His magic seeped in and slowly Voldemort's visage changed. His skin gained a slightly healthier hue and his nose returned to normal. Lips filled out and black hair started to grow. Eyes reshaped and change to a rich wine red instead of a bright poppy red. When Harry pulled his hands back. More then a few Death Eaters were staring in awe. Harry smirked again as Voldemort conjured a mirror and stared. The man stood and opened his robes to look at his lean form and his newly gained muscles.
"For your three followers, I give you back your youth. Is it acceptable?" Harry asked absently as he waved his hand in a fluttery motion.
Voldemort started to laugh, his voice deep and rich. The Death Eaters stared at their rejuvenated master, most too young to have ever seen his younger appearance.
"It is acceptable. But avoid stealing my followers in the future."
"I shall try Tom."
Voldemort chuckled again and sat back in his hair, eyes glowing.
"I've been looking for immortality all these years, and you, my 'downfall', are the key."
Harry chuckled with him but it was empty and hollow. He looked to the portkey cup and sighed idly.
"I must return."
Voldemort frowned but shrugged.
"We shall see one another again." He remarked. "Until then we are neutral. Do not harm Marvolo."
"I will not. It would be like harming myself." Voldemort said. "Begone."
Harry grabbed the portkey and he was gone.
.--.
Harry shoved all his things in a pouch and tossed the bag to him. Barty caught it, the polyjuice already wearing off as his Moody figure vanished.
"Now fly." Harry smiled. "Fly fast little bird."
Barty nodded quickly and rubbed against him like a pet. Harry stroked his hair and set the portkey in his hand.
"It shall take you to Marvolo. Give him the vial of memories I gave you. And then serve him until I call.
"Of course master." Barty nodded quickly and enthusiastically.
"Now go. They're coming."
Barty leapt out the window, broom in hand and took off. Seconds later the door was blown open. Dumbledore and the aurors filed in. Harry and the unconscious Cedric were whisked away to the hospital wing and Moody was retrieved from the trunk. Harry just smirked.
.--.
Harry gazed down at the dark covered ground and sighed. He looked back up at the clear night sky and his hands tightened on the railing. And then he laughed. He laughed long and hard. It sounded hollow in his ears but it was laughter.
"What did I once say?" he mused with and almost bitter smirk. "I would never accept being immortal?"
He laughed again as his hands tightened over the railing as his gaze fell once more to the drop.
"I would never accept it? It appears I already have."
He laughed again and gripped the railing even tighter, flames dancing up at the flurry of unknown emotions.
"I haven't even thought of falling since…second year?"
He chuckled to himself and soothed the flames away.
"It seems this world is changing me. The question is; do I want to be changed?"
.--.
End of Chapter 39.