Here I am again!

Nothing much to say here, except that this chapter really is the one to thicken the plot and drive the story forward.

On to reading and I hope you like it!


Harry held his breath while waiting for a response from the still silent man in front of him. Voldemort had not said anything after Harry, rather regretting his decision to be so demanding, had declared that the Dark Lord owed him a favour and therefore should allow a muggle born into the house of his right-hand man. Beginning to think that this silence was just the inevitable 'calm before the storm', Harry braced himself for the rather famous wrath of Lord Voldemort. However, to his surprise, no such outburst appeared. Instead, the older man simply watched Harry intently, as if to gage the level of the boy's determination. Apparently reaching a conclusion, Voldemort sighed.

"Very well. I'll allow your friend to visit you, but only for one day. She showed the good sense of judgment to stand by your side and for that, she has earned some level of respect from me. But don't expect me to be overly friendly to her, I do not intend to spend my day arguing with a twelve year-old about the issue of muggles and muggle-born in Wizarding society."

This granting of his request, or demand really, surprised Harry so much that, before he had time to consider his actions and whether they were appropriate or not, his face split in a wide grin and he hugged the man tightly.

"Thank you so much! That really means a lot to me!" realizing that he was currently hugging the feared Dark Lord, Harry quickly let go of him and stammered "I- I mean, I'll make sure not to get in your way. You'll hardly notice her being here at all."

Harry was too busy nervously fiddling with the hem of his shirt to notice that Voldemort had raised his eyebrows in amusement and that a flicker of a smile lingered on his lips. Nevertheless, when the sound a low chuckling reached his ears, Harry looked up with a rather confused look.

"You don't need to fear me, Harry. I have no intention of harming you or anyone you decide to acquaint yourself with. If you say that this girl is a person in whose presence you like being, then I will make sure you enjoy the opportunity to spend time with her." Walking towards the door, Voldemort stopped at the threshold and looked back with amusement still in his eyes. "Also, I think you've been told this before, but whatever Dumbledore might have told you, my objective is not to eradicate all muggles or muggle-born."

With that, he was gone and Harry was left feeling rather speechless, but also elated that not only did Hermione get to visit him, but Voldemort had shown that he could be quite friendly when he wished to. Shaking the surprise at this revelation off, Harry hurriedly grabbed quill and a bit of parchment, and hurriedly scribbled a few lines.

Hermione

You have no idea how happy your letter made me! I had almost given up any hope of having anyone who'd be willing to play pranks on unsuspecting visitors at the Manor (Draco is just way too insistent on following rules to join me). But we'll talk all about that later. Voldemort said that you could come visit! Though he only said for one day, I'm sure you can come more often after he gets used to having you around. Hope you can come as soon as possible! Send me an owl when you know you can come over and I'll make sure to be there to welcome you when you arrive!

Lots of love

Harry

Not having any owl at the ready, Harry left the office to find Draco, who had his own owl in his room.

Walking through the long corridors gave Harry ample time to think about the things that had happened since he was transported to Malfoy Manor. It was only two weeks ago, but it felt like a lifetime to him. Surprisingly, it hadn't taken him long to get used to the house or it's inhabitants. Despite what he had heard from Ron, Lucius and Narcissa were friendly people, though they never showed more than an aloof coldness when in public. Draco had explained that a Malfoy is very protective of his or her family, but they also thought that showing just how much they cared for the ones close to them would put them in an unnecessary risk for having that trait exploited. Politics was a ruthless business and everything could be used against you, even the love of your own family. In the privacy of their own home, however, Lucius and Narcissa were perfectly lovely to each other and Harry thought it rather amusing how much Narcissa doted on Draco. Watching the aristocratic woman play with Draco's hair and call him nicknames, much to the boy's chagrin, just gave them all such a… human feel, which Harry had been unaccustomed to see around him. The fact that Narcissa also saw him as her adoptive son, which also subjected him to rather tedious sessions of her trying to get his unruly hair under control, never ceased to amaze him and he patiently let the woman frustrate herself over the fact that the black tresses never lay still.

Harry reached Draco's room and knocked, entering before waiting for a reply. Looking around, the young Malfoy was nowhere to be seen, so Harry walked over to the perch standing next to the window. Draco's owl happily accepted the bit of bacon Harry had brought with him, and when the boy released it to bring the letter to Hermione, the owl flew with steady and controlled beats of its wings, quickly disappearing out of sight.

Harry stretched and yawned tiredly. It had been a long and taxing day, first with all of the preparations for the ball and then the whole thing with Sirius. Deciding that his bed sounded like a nice place to be right now, Harry turned and headed back to his room. After showering and crawling under the covers, Harry closed his eyes with a contented sigh. Though he was still upset about Sirius leaving him, the fact that Hermione would be coming to visit him and so staunchly supported him, was very comforting and he fell asleep with a small smile on his lips, his last thought wising for the bushy-haired girl to arrive as fast as possible.


However, when Harry awoke the next morning, he was in for a rather unwelcome surprise.

As he stepped into the dining room, where the rest of the Malfoys, as well as Voldemort, were eating breakfast, all eyes turned to him and Lucius rose to meet him. The worried and angry looks were a telltale sign that something had come up that none of the people there were very thrilled about.

"Harry, I'm afraid I have some bad news for you. This letter arrived this morning." Lucius held up a cream-coloured envelope with a rather familiar green ink forming the words 'To Lucius Malfoy, Malfoy Manor. To be read in the company of Harry Potter.'

"I think it is best that you read it yourself, but I doubt you will be very pleased with it's content."

Harry carefully took the letter offered to him and opened the parchment inside. As his eyes scanned the letter, a deep furrow appeared on his brow and he angrily stuffed the parchment back into the envelope, before throwing it on the table.

"Why would Dumbledore want to come here for? To pretend to care about me? Or to try to take me away and put me back with the Dursleys?" Harry impatiently shook his head, as if to clear his thoughts a little.

Voldemort, who had been silently watching Harry's reaction, rose from the table and walked over to the two of them.

"I believe that the old coot wants to ascertain whether or not he still has you in his pocket. The likelihood that Black has already told him of your stance is high and that's why he no longer wishes to waste any time to try to get you back on his chessboard as yet another mindless pawn."

Harry could see how the anger was barely contained behind the red eyes of the Dark Lord and the sight both scared and thrilled him. The way red flashed into brilliant scarlet every time the man was angry, was an intriguing sight. At least as long as that anger was not directed at himself, Harry decided.

Looking down at the paper in front of him once again, Harry carefully skimmed the lines to see whether or not there was a small hint as to what the old headmaster was planning.

Dear Mr Malfoy

I expect that this letter might not be pleasing to read for you, but I wish, as Harry's previous guardian, to ascertain that the boy is being well cared for and treated as well as can be wished for. Spiteful tongues will have it that I have somehow failed in my taking care of Harry and that I have been found guilty in various breaches of trust towards him. Though I don't acknowledge these accusations, I will bow before the decision made by the Wizengamot to make you Harry's new guardian.

However, I still feel a certain protectiveness towards the boy and I would be loath to see him go into a home where he will be ill treated. Though I have the utmost belief in your being able to care for a child, I nevertheless would like to see how Harry is adjusting to his new life, with my own eyes.

If it is not too much trouble, I can be at Malfoy Manor any time the next three days. I will not demand too much of your time, just enough to meet and talk to Harry for a few minutes.

I'll be awaiting your owl.

Sincerely

Albus Dumbledore

Gritting his teeth at the words 'protectiveness' and him being 'well treated', Harry slammed the letter down on the table with a disgusted look on his face, but didn't say anything. Though he no longer trusted the headmaster, he remembered what Hermione had said about her being wary of the old man's plots and plans, and he wanted to make sure of this himself, to meet the man eye to eye now that the blindfold had been taken from his eyes and he could see clearly how Dumbledore had lied to him. More than that, Harry wanted to know the truth from Dumbledore's own lips and not just take Lucius' and Voldemort's word for it. He was hardly the boy-wonder of the Light anymore, but he had yet to join the Dark in any way.

Raising his eyes to meet Voldemort's red ones, Harry made his decision.

"I want to speak to Dumbledore, let him come so that I can see for myself whether he is the lying bastard you all believe him to be."

Voldemort's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Harry, the man is dangerous. There's no way I'm letting him anywhere near you without protection."

Sighing impatiently, Harry sat down and grabbed a piece of toast which he proceeded to butter with hurried annoyance. "Then stay with me. Dumbledore didn't say anything about being alone with me. Tell him that if he wants to speak to me, he will have to speak to me in your presence."

The Dark Lord seemed taken by surprise at Harry's willingness to talk to the headmaster in his presence, but it was quickly hidden by once more donning a face that was the usual stoic expressionless mask he usually wore.

"I guess that changes matters slightly, yes. Very well then, Harry. I will write to Dumbledore and tell him of your decision, but that he will have no opportunity of talking to you under four eyes. Everything he says will have to be said with me present."

Harry only nodded. He was doing his best to mask any sign of uneasiness, but his stomach was fluttering like a swarm of highly energetic butterflies. Voldemort took his silence as a good sign and quickly cast an accio to summon a piece of parchment and a quill.

Two hours later, Harry was sitting in the library together with Draco, both of them pouring over some large books on Transfiguration that Lucius had made them read through. Though nothing had been said on the matter, Harry had guessed that Voldemort wouldn't be too pleased with the idea of him going back to continue his schooling at Hogwarts. Though Harry loved the old castle like almost nothing else, he also knew that as long as Dumbledore was the one controlling everything that went on there, he would not be safe. That's why he had begrudgingly decided that if Voldemort or Lucius confronted him with the fact that he would either be transferred to another or school or be privately tutored, Harry would not make too much of a fuss about it. At least as long as Dumbledore was headmaster of Hogwarts.

Draco had been sending him worried looks whenever he thought Harry wasn't watching and the raven-haired boy decided that he had had enough of that.

"Draco, what's the matter? Why do you keep staring at me?" he said and added with a mock seductive smile "I know I'm so handsome you can hardly keep your eyes off me, but honestly!"

"No, you conceited twat." The blond said, although with a small blush, but his face soon became serious and contemplative again. Biting his lower lip slightly, a habit Harry had come to know meant that the young Malfoy was worried about something, Draco looked out through the window. "I'm just not sure that you talking with Dumbledore is the best idea."

Harry's eyes softened and he leant forward to place a hand on one of Draco's. "Listen, I'll be fine. Voldemort will be there at all times, there's no need to worry about Dumbledore trying anything with him there."

This seemed to comfort Draco a little, as he looked at Harry with a small smile and sighed. "I know. Geez, I'm sorry. Look at me, being all mother-hen-like."

Harry laughed and was about to comment on what a fine wife Draco would make someone, when the door to the library was opened and Voldemort stepped in. His facial expression was enough for both of them to understand what had happened.

"Dumbledore's here, isn't he?" Harry asked, though there wasn't much of a questioning tone in his voice. Voldemort only nodded and moved a bit so as to make room for Harry to pass by him into the corridor.

"Good luck, Harry!" Draco called out and Harry sent him a thankful smile, before looking up into Voldemort's red eyes.

"Okay, I'm ready. Where is he?"

Voldemort motioned for him to start walking and answered him as they headed in the direction of the less used South Wing of Malfoy Manor. "Lucius has accommodated him in one of the more heavily warded rooms in the house. The South Wing is only used for serious meetings or when doing magic that demands more than just a simple shield charm." Voldemort sneered at the word 'accommodated' and Harry noticed how the man was obviously working hard to suppress his anger. His red eyes were flashing dangerously, but the hand resting on Harry's shoulder was steady and light.

Finally they stopped outside a large oaken door. The handle was not the kind you usually find on doors, but rather a large, round orb placed at the centre of it. Voldemort shot one last questioning look at Harry, but the boy only nodded stiffly. At the moment, he didn't entirely trust his voice not to give away how nervous he actually was.

The Dark Lord grabbed the orb and twisted it, and the door opened without a sound. Entering, Harry immediately spotted Dumbledore, as usual dressed highly unusual, in some rather ghastly yellow robes with red birds sown into the fabric and who moved magically across his clothes. The old man had been humouring himself with watching these birds, but when the door opened, his blue eyes for a minute lost their playfulness and a more cunning look flitted across his face, before he once again looked the image of an innocent old man.

"Harry, my dear boy. I hope you haven't been too confused by the events happening lately?" The headmaster had risen when Voldemort and Harry had come closer to him and Harry noticed how those blue eyes seemed to bore into his own.

Suddenly, the air became thick and Harry could feel something coursing through him, similar to how it felt when he was performing magic, only that this was a hundred times more powerful. It was as if the very centre of his being had started moving, directing itself to protect him from something. Dumbledore looked alarmed for a moment and, with the power of a freight train, images hit Harry like a tidal wave. There was no other way of explaining it. It was as if the images, or memories rather, invaded his mind and insisted on staying until he had looked through them. With a shock, Harry realized that he was looking at what were undoubtedly Dumbledore's own thoughts and recollections.

Dumbledore had staggered a little and pressed one hand to his forehead, with a painful grimace on his face. However, he seemed unable to do anything to stop the flood of memories from entering Harry's mind and he watched in increasing frustration as the boy's eyes were filled with an understanding that could only come from having seen everything.

Voldemort had stepped back a little and watched the whole scene with something akin to amusement in his eyes. Though he wasn't absolutely certain what had caused Dumbledore's Legilimency to backfire like that, because that's what had undoubtedly happened, there was no way he was going to interrupt Harry seeing the truth.

The flood of memories stopped as soon as they had begun and Harry looked at the headmaster with new eyes. Hurt, betrayal, but most of all anger were causing his green eyes to flash dangerously and Voldemort looked with increasing satisfaction how the one he would one day marry closed in on the aged man, who had now sunk down into a nearby couch.

"You lied to me, stole from me, and paid my relatives to make sure I didn't grow up safe and satisfied. All that just to make sure that you would have a willing pawn to fight your battles for you. A perfect little hero who would do your bidding without questioning it." Harry was furious. What he had seen in Dumbledore's mind had convinced him. Lucius and Voldemort had told the truth, but it was even worse than what they had said or even known about. In the memories, Harry had seen how Dumbledore had perverted the minds of other students as well, particularly those of the Weasley family. It pained Harry to see, through Dumbledore's eyes, the look of utter disgust on Ron's face when the headmaster had discussed Harry with him. All of this hurt and anger was now directed at the man in front of him, the one responsible for everything that had been responsible for just about everything in his life.

However, Dumbledore was not known as one of the most powerful wizards for nothing. Though the magic, which had caused his Legilimency to backfire and project his own memories to Harry rather than him reading the boy's mind, had temporarily taken him by surprise and weakened him, he quickly regained his senses. Making a quick calculation as to his chances, the headmaster decided that his best option was, for now, retreat.

Voldemort saw what the old man had planned, and he lurched forward, but it was too late. With one last stare at Harry, Dumbledore turned on the spot and disappeared, leaving Harry with still more frustrated anger and hurt to vent. Voldemort cursed.

"Dammit. I should've known the slimy old goat would have a trick up his sleeve. You can't apparate or disapparate in this room, but of course Dumbledore would know other ways of escaping…" Harry, who had placed a hand on his arm, cut him off. His green eyes were now somewhat calmer, but there was a new look in them that should not belong to a twelve year-old boy, a look of grim determination mixed with pained recollection.

"You were right. I'm sorry for not trusting you on this before, but I think you can understand my reluctance to believe in anything you told me." Without waiting for a reply, Harry walked over to the door.

"I need you to take me to Diagon Alley. I need to pay a visit to a certain bank to find out just how much that bastard stole from me."


*dum dum dum duuuuum*

Harry finally finds out the truth for himself! Also, I hate Dumbles with a passion, so it's fun to write him as the shitty old man that he is...

Reviews make me a really happy author! Constructive criticism always welcome and if you have any ideas for what you want to see in the story, feel free to shoot them at me!