[there is a truly ridiculous line in here, but it makes me laugh so much that I couldn't bear to edit it out.]
Chapter 11
The Doctor sprinted to the front doors, and found that they opened at his touch. That makes sense. You wouldn't want to trap everyone inside, in case of emergency, he thought. An instant later, he realized he hadn't given the Master a way to call for help, locked inside the Zero Room.
In all of his millennia, he had never felt so stupid and irresponsible. He simply hadn't thought, and still didn't know what to think.
He hurried to the Zero Room and saw that the locks had been melted through from the inside. A hasty sonic scan revealed that regeneration energy had been used. The Doctor ran back to the control room and traced the Master's TARDIS, throwing Harry Potter's magical cloak around his shoulders and strapping a Vortex Manipulator onto his left wrist. River had given him the device the last time they'd met. He had been somewhat disapproving at the time, but realized that having a portable teleport on one's arm could prove extremely helpful in certain situations. The thought of her gave him courage.
He landed the TARDIS in a wooded area. He could see the roofline of a looming mansion in the distance. Drawing the cloak around him tightly, he set off as quietly as he could, and soon reached the edge of the forest. Across the lawn, he saw the red phone booth, and the Master lying in the grass a few yards beyond. His eyes were closed. The Doctor couldn't tell if he was breathing or not. He crept forward, conscious of every footfall.
The Doctor was mere feet away when an enormous black snake emerged from the red TARDIS, causing him to freeze in his tracks. Judging from the bulge in its length, the creature had just consumed a large meal. It slid towards the Master, hissing. The man on the ground suddenly laughed and said, "Really, is that true?"
The Master opened his eyes and looked around. "I can smell him…but I can't see him."
"I sense his body heat," said Nagini, raising her head and pointing it towards the Doctor.
The Master peered in his direction. He looked odd, glassy-eyed. The Doctor said, "Come this way, away from the snake."
The Master promptly stood up and hopped backwards, keeping the massive serpent between them. "I can bite him," said Nagini.
"No, don't," said the Master.
"Are you all right?" asked the Doctor.
The Master continued to retreat in short, manic, almost dancing steps. "So extremely all right."
"What happened? Why did you leave?"
"You left."
"I was gone for less than an hour."
The Master ran both hands through his hair and blinked a few times, clearly confused and disoriented. "No, couldn't be. You're lying, just trying to manipulate me."
"I can prove it to you with a video feed of the Zero Room…that I should have been watching. Did it feel like much longer than that?"
The Master didn't reply, but he couldn't hide his blush of embarrassment.
"That must've been terrifying," said the Doctor. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize that your sense of time is still distorted from being in the Time Lock. If you come back with me, I promise I won't-"
"Ha! Ha ha ha ha ha! Promises, from a phantom."
The Master laughed so hard that his eyes filled up with tears. He let them run down his face, not seeming to notice or care. The Doctor edged closer –all he needed to do was grab the Master and push a button on the Vortex Manipulator– but the giant snake moved to block his path.
Inside the red TARDIS, Voldemort was speaking the final incantation that would split what was left of his irreparable soul. Bellatrix Lestrange, Narcissa Malfoy, and Severus Snape looked on, all anxious for different reasons: the first for the safety of her Dark Lord, the second for the fate of her son, and the last for the outcome of a long and bitter war.
Snape could tell this wasn't the first time Voldemort had created a horcux, and now realized that the ring which had cursed Dumbledore so badly must be one. He burned with anger at Albus for not telling him. How can you trust me with your life, but not such information? he thought. There must be a reason.
Blood coating his hands, Voldemort aimed his wand at the core of the TARDIS and completed the spell. The immediate result was somewhat anti-climactic; the green flash of magic merged with the golden radiance of the TARDIS, casting the entire chamber in eerie, chartreuse light. The black-robed wizard sighed quietly. It sounded like a last breath, yet a moment later he rose from his crouched position, drew up to full height, and turned to face the others.
They were confronted with a spectre of death, if not Death itself. Any flesh that had remained on his face was now shriveled tightly to the bone. The skin was taut and nearly transparent, revealing every delineation of the skull beneath. The eye sockets were deeply sunken, the eyes themselves reduced to glowing red orbs with pin dot pupils.
"M-my Lord? How do you feel?" asked Bellatrix, taking a step forward.
Voldemort extended his arms out to his sides, in an all-encompassing gesture. "Better than ever."
The other three shuddered. They couldn't help it. His voice was like a dry leaf scraping across the Devil's porch, borne by the winds of Hell. "Such power, coursing through me, from this…" he pointed at the core of the TARDIS, "…indestructible, immortal being. I will never die."
He delicately caressed the control panel, and continued, "All of space and time is at our fingertips….but first, we will take the Wizarding World, and finally destroy Harry Potter."
Bellatrix shrieked with joy. Narcissa swallowed hard. Severus looked away.
"We can use magic to stop the drumming."
The Master's expression grew serious for a moment, before erupting in laughter again. "I mean it," insisted the Doctor.
The Master frowned. "I'm already getting hungry again."
"What have they done to you? Did they torture you?"
"Torture? Oh, no, no, no…dear Doctor."
He glanced at the red phone booth and licked his lips, then said, "How about you show yourself, and then we can have a real conversation, hmmm?"
The Doctor slid the Vortex Manipulator further up his arm, so it would be hidden by his jacket sleeve, then removed the Cloak of Invisibility and looped it around his neck like a scarf. No sooner had he revealed himself than the Master leapt towards him over the snake, wrestled him easily to the ground, and pinned him down. An instant later he found himself hauled back to his feet, arms pulled just far enough behind his back to immobilize but not hurt him. The Doctor was caught off-guard by this sudden maneuver. The man who had seemed so eager to keep his distance a moment earlier was now simply, for lack of a better word, holding him. He tried to twist out of the Master's grip, but his hands were as strong as those of a Weeping Angel. "I want you to feel this, too. Nice hat, by the way."
"Feel what?" asked the Doctor, becoming more frightened by the second.
A figure in a hooded, black, draggled cloak stepped out of the red phone booth, followed by three others. The Doctor immediately recognized Severus Snape, but when their eyes met, neither gave even a flicker of recognition. Then the hooded figure turned towards the Time Lords, and the Doctor did his best not to react. "Is this the Doctor?" asked Voldemort.
"Yes. Please let him feel your power, too," answered the Master.
"Bellatrix, give them all they desire. It is fitting payment for such a precious gift," the Dark Lord replied, then turned and began to walk towards the house.
The witch with wild eyes didn't hesitate to launch Cruciatus at the Doctor's chest. He braced himself for what he expected would be horrible pain. Instead, an exquisite sensation radiated outward from the spot where the curse had landed. A feeling of comfort and joy rushed through his veins. His knees grew weak, and he couldn't help smiling as his eyes drifted half-closed. "Not bad, is it?" whispered the Master.
The Doctor could only lean on the shorter man for support. He felt himself being gently lowered to the ground, and distantly heard the Master say, "Me, too, please."
The Doctor had been inebriated before, but nothing had ever felt anywhere near as good as this. It was absolute, pure, all-encompassing bliss. As the moments slipped by, he gradually realized that the Master was lying next to him, close enough to touch. He was facing the Doctor, but his eyes were closed. Despite his stupor, the Doctor recognized his opportunity. He grabbed hold of the other's wrist and activated the Vortex Manipulator.
"What did you do that for?" asked the Master groggily, looking around the Doctor's TARDIS with heavy-lidded eyes.
He saw the Doctor at the controls, shaking his head as if to clear it. He felt for his laser screwdriver and found it missing. "What did you do that for?" he repeated, stumbling to his feet.
"We couldn't stay there. Those people are evil."
"Evil? Aren't you feeling this? You can't tell me it isn't the most amazing-"
"It is. Without a doubt. But we have to leave. Don't you want to be free of the drums?"
"I won't be kept prisoner."
"I'm well aware. You need to trust me-"
"You think I don't know that?!" shouted the Master.
The Doctor took in his pained expression, which managed to be simultaneously suspicious and desperately hopeful, and understood what a large leap of faith he was requesting from such a disturbed individual. He sighed and calmly said, "I know it isn't easy…especially considering I didn't believe you about the drums for such a long time. But now I know they're real, and I can't say I blame you for what you did to Rassilon. Thank you for saving me from him, by the way."
The Master continued to regard him warily. The Doctor tried to park the TARDIS where he had before, but the new wards Dumbledore had installed on the gates meant he had to materialize just outside Hogwarts grounds, instead. He opened the door, gesturing for the other to follow. The Master could smell grass and fresh air outside, so he felt it was safe to leave the Police Box. He was immediately confronted by the sight of the castle on the hill, and couldn't help but stare in awe.
With a crack, Severus Snape appeared in front of the Entrance Gates. A silent stand-off commenced. Snape's eyes flitted back and forth between the two aliens, trying to make sense of the situation. "Wait here", he finally said, slipping through the gates and quickly sealing them behind him.