div class="userstuff module" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 1088.63px; float: none; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: #2a2a2a;" role="article"
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""What do you have in mind, My Lord?"/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Tom said nothing, but kept grinning, it was scary. Harry wasn't sure whether to reveal himself or not, but Snape's voice cut through his reverie, "...My Lord?"/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Voldemort turned to look at Snape, as if just seeing him for the first time, "Severus… I want you to bring the boy to me… Harry Potter is /spanspan style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"mine. /spanspan style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Dumbledore will regret ever trying to take him away from me. /spanspan style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"The boy will learn the futility of resistance."/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Harry shuddered. He wanted to do something, move, say something, but he couldn't. He was glued to the spot, staring at Tom's perfect, heart-shaped, pink lips. He wanted to kiss him./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Whoa what the hell, Harry? Inappropriate much? He's literally talking about killing you… or was he?/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""My lord, if you don't mind me asking, what are you planning to do with the boy?"/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Voldemort took a while to reply, "Oh nothing bad, I just want to get to know him… perhaps... exchange pleasantries..."/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"It sounded ominous; it was ominous./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"With that, Tom waved a hand, dismissing the Death Eaters. He stood up gracefully and turned, walking down some unknown hallway. Snape made eye contact with his general direction, and Harry was sure he wouldn't have dared to do that if Tom had been in the room with them. Harry ignored him, following where Tom had gone. He didn't know what possessed him- okay fine, it was the Potter insanity, but he was curious; he wanted to talk to Voldemort./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Harry's heart pounded in his chest as he stealthily followed Tom down the unknown hallway, careful not to alert Snape or any remaining Death Eaters to his presence. The stone corridors seemed to echo ominously, the flickering torchlight casting long, dancing shadows on the walls. The farther they walked, the deeper into the labyrinthine castle they seemed to go. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Tom moved with an unnerving grace, his cloak billowing softly behind him. Harry stayed close to the walls, afraid to knock anything over for fear of revealing himself. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"They reached an ancient wooden door, its surface scarred and weathered with time. Tom paused in front of it, glancing around before he whispered a spell Harry didn't catch. The door creaked open to reveal a smaller, dimly lit room, walls lined with old tomes and artifacts. With a deep breath, Harry followed him in, ensuring the door was left ajar enough for a quick escape if needed. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"The click of Tom's boots against the stone floor was the only sound in the room as he crossed to the window, silhouetted against the moonlight. He retrieved a pipe from within the folds of his robes. It was a finely crafted piece, an unexpected touch of elegance that seemed to contrast with the otherwise harsh edges of his persona. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"With a slow, deliberate movement, he filled the bowl with a fine, fragrant tobacco. The musky scent filled the air, weaving with the chill of the night that seeped in through the window. It was a rich aroma, evocative and complex, hinting at an unexpected depth beneath Tom's icy exterior. The flame from his wand lit the end of the pipe, casting a soft, flickering glow that highlighted the angles of his face. There was a moment of stillness as he held the flame, the anticipation seeming to make the silence in the room even more palpable. And then, with the pipe held gently between his thin lips, Tom inhaled. His chest rose with the intake of the smoke, the lines of his body taut and graceful. The glow of the pipe's tip pulsed with his breath, a hypnotic rhythm in the darkness. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"As he exhaled, the smoke cascaded around him. It swirled and danced, catching the moonlight in a myriad of shifting patterns. It curled around his fingers, twined around his wrist, before it rose and disappeared into the gloom. Each puff of smoke was a slow, deliberate seduction, a dance of shadow and light. The sight of Tom smoking was disarmingly sensual. The slow tilt of his head as he drew on the pipe, the thoughtful way his eyes narrowed as he exhaled, the slight tension in his jaw that relaxed with each puff. It was a rare display of vulnerability, and it went straight to Harry's dick./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Voldemort was/span span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"having a smoke./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"The feared, all-knowing, muggle-hating Voldemort, was having a smoke/span span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;". The same /spanspan style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Voldemort, who had claimed to surpass the boundaries of Wizarding prowess, was engaging in an act that was almost mundane, undeniably Muggle in its origin/span span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Fuck it./span/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""Are you… smoking?"/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Tom's head whipped around at the sound of the voice behind him, his red eyes flashing dangerously in the dim light. The pipe was still held loosely in his hand, a thin trail of smoke curling up from it. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""Potter," he hissed, the name escaping his lips like a curse. His fingers tightened around the pipe, the comforting warmth suddenly feeling like a betrayal. His eyes glanced around the room, trying to locate him. "Where are you? Reveal yourself."/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Harry couldn't exactly explain why, but something about Tom's voice seemed to weave an irresistible spell over him. In a swift motion, Harry pulled off the cloak that concealed him, letting it pool around his feet on the ground. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""Are you smoking, Tom?" His voice was filled with a mix of surprise and a hint of mockery. There was a moment of silence, the question hanging in the air between them like an absurd joke. Voldemort, the most feared wizard in all of Britain, caught in an act as mundane and human as smoking. Tom looked at the pipe in his hand, the smoke now dissipated into the chilly air. For a moment, his guard seemed to falter, the surprise attack catching him off balance. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"The weight of his decision sank in; he was in the presence of the man who had tried to kill him numerous times. But for once, they were standing on equal ground. There were no Death Eaters, no other wizards - just the two of them in this dimly lit room./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""Quite perceptive, aren't you, Potter?" Tom sneered, regaining his composure. He dropped the pipe onto a nearby table, the clattering sound echoing throughout the room. The smell of smoke lingered, a stark reminder of the unexpected intrusion./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""But then again," he continued, a cold smile playing on his thin lips, "one must find ways to enjoy...even in the midst of war." His voice dropped dangerously low, his eyes narrowed. The moment of vulnerability had passed, replaced by the cold, calculating demeanor that was the hallmark of the Dark Lord./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""Tell Severus that his efficiency will be rewarded, I knew he was fast, but this is…" He picked up the smoke again, taking another puff./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""Snape didn't bring me here," Voldemort's eyebrows shot up at that. "Well, he did… but I asked him to."/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"His gaze scrutinized Harry, trying to decipher the truth behind his words. His grip around the pipe tightened briefly, the embers at its tip glowing brightly for a moment before subsiding. Slowly, almost as if he was contemplating his next move, Voldemort brought the pipe back up to his lips. He took another puff, the smoke spiraling around his figure before slowly dissipating into the air, adding to the heavy atmosphere of the room. He held Harry's gaze, those penetrating red eyes never leaving him. For a few heartbeats, the room was filled with nothing but the crackle of the burning tobacco and their synchronized breathing. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Then, without breaking eye contact, Voldemort extended the pipe towards Harry. His gesture was slow, deliberate, as if challenging him to accept the offer. The pipe hovered in the air between them, the small trail of smoke the only indication of the passing time. Harry took a deep breath, his hand slowly moving to grasp the pipe. His fingers brushed against Tom's briefly, a spark of electricity passing between them at the contact. The room seemed to hold its breath as Harry brought the pipe to his lips, tasting the smoke that Tom had just inhaled. He pulled in a breath, the rich, musky flavor of the tobacco filling his lungs./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""The boy who lived," he drawled, the cruel smile never leaving his handsome face, "has a death wish." /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Harry didn't know what to say to that. It was true, but he wasn't about to admit it./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"The room grew silent again as Harry brought the pipe back to his lips, taking a second, deeper puff. He hadn't anticipated the harsh scratchiness that filled his lungs, and an uncontrolled cough erupted from his chest. His hand flew up to cover his mouth as he doubled over, the pipe nearly falling from his fingers. His eyes watered as the smoke irritated his throat, the sensation foreign and uncomfortable. He took gasping breaths of the clean air, trying to soothe the stinging sensation in his lungs. For a moment, Voldemort watched in surprise, his red eyes wide. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Then, a rare thing happened. A deep chuckle echoed through the room, bouncing off the stone walls and filling the silence. It was rich and full, a sound that seemed incredibly out of place coming from Voldemort. So full of mirth and different from the cold laugh that he had let out not too long ago. Harry wanted to hear it again./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Ignoring the jab, Harry pressed on. "I want to talk, Tom." The use of his mortal name seemed to sober him. He regarded Harry for a long moment, before he let out a slow breath of smoke. "Interesting," he murmured, his voice carrying a dangerous edge. "And what could we possibly have to talk about, Potter?" Harry held his gaze, trying to keep his voice steady. "I want to understand. I want to understand you, Tom." He passed the pipe back to Tom, ignoring the fact that they had just /spanspan style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"shared a smoke./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""Many have tried-" another puff, "-they all wound up dead."/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Harry swallowed hard, but held Voldemort's gaze. He wasn't naïve enough to think that this wouldn't be dangerous, but he couldn't stand by and watch as the world crumbled around them. He had to do something. "Maybe they didn't ask the right questions," he replied, striving to keep his voice steady. Voldemort regarded him for a long moment, his gaze contemplative. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""And what makes you think you have the right ones, Potter?" His tone was mocking, yet beneath it there was a hint of genuine curiosity. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""Guess we'll find out," Without another word, in a bold move that defied every sense of reason and caution, Harry reached up and grasped the front of Voldemort's robes, pulling him down. There was too much, too much sexual tension. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Their lips met in a clash of stark opposites – heat against ice, life against death, bravery against fear. Harry could taste the smoke from the pipe on Voldemort's lips, a bitter and yet strangely intoxicating taste. His lips were warmer than Harry had expected, and it felt so /spanspan style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"right./span /spanspan style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Voldemort froze, shock rippling through him, but he didn't pull away. After a moment that stretched into infinity, he responded, his lips moving against Harry's with a sloppy, almost careless precision. It was so unlike everything he stood for. It was so unlike span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"him. /span/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"When Harry pulled back, his heart pounded in his chest, every fiber of his being screaming that he had just crossed a line that could not be uncrossed. He looked up into Voldemort's eyes, seeing his own shock and confusion mirrored in the crimson depths. For a long moment, neither of them moved or said a word. He'd just kissed a Dark Lord./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Feeling the weight of the moment starting to bear down on him, Voldemort reacted in a way that was rare for him - he chose to flee. In a swift movement, he pocketed his pipe, its smoke extinguishing in the process, and swept towards the door. The echo of his footsteps rang through the empty corridor as he walked, his cloak billowing behind him. The stone walls seemed colder than usual, the torches casting long, eerie shadows on his path. He could feel a strange tightness in his chest, an unfamiliar sensation that gnawed at him./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"For better or worse, Harry had just changed the rules of the game./span/p
/div
div class="chapter preface group" style="border-width: 1px 0px 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.5em 3em; padding: 0.643em 0.643em 0px; float: none; color: #2a2a2a; border-style: solid initial initial initial;"
div id="chapter_8_endnotes" class="end notes module" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.643em; position: relative; width: auto; float: none; clear: right; min-height: 5em;" /div
/div
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""What do you have in mind, My Lord?"/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Tom said nothing, but kept grinning, it was scary. Harry wasn't sure whether to reveal himself or not, but Snape's voice cut through his reverie, "...My Lord?"/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Voldemort turned to look at Snape, as if just seeing him for the first time, "Severus… I want you to bring the boy to me… Harry Potter is /spanspan style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"mine. /spanspan style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Dumbledore will regret ever trying to take him away from me. /spanspan style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"The boy will learn the futility of resistance."/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Harry shuddered. He wanted to do something, move, say something, but he couldn't. He was glued to the spot, staring at Tom's perfect, heart-shaped, pink lips. He wanted to kiss him./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Whoa what the hell, Harry? Inappropriate much? He's literally talking about killing you… or was he?/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""My lord, if you don't mind me asking, what are you planning to do with the boy?"/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Voldemort took a while to reply, "Oh nothing bad, I just want to get to know him… perhaps... exchange pleasantries..."/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"It sounded ominous; it was ominous./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"With that, Tom waved a hand, dismissing the Death Eaters. He stood up gracefully and turned, walking down some unknown hallway. Snape made eye contact with his general direction, and Harry was sure he wouldn't have dared to do that if Tom had been in the room with them. Harry ignored him, following where Tom had gone. He didn't know what possessed him- okay fine, it was the Potter insanity, but he was curious; he wanted to talk to Voldemort./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Harry's heart pounded in his chest as he stealthily followed Tom down the unknown hallway, careful not to alert Snape or any remaining Death Eaters to his presence. The stone corridors seemed to echo ominously, the flickering torchlight casting long, dancing shadows on the walls. The farther they walked, the deeper into the labyrinthine castle they seemed to go. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Tom moved with an unnerving grace, his cloak billowing softly behind him. Harry stayed close to the walls, afraid to knock anything over for fear of revealing himself. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"They reached an ancient wooden door, its surface scarred and weathered with time. Tom paused in front of it, glancing around before he whispered a spell Harry didn't catch. The door creaked open to reveal a smaller, dimly lit room, walls lined with old tomes and artifacts. With a deep breath, Harry followed him in, ensuring the door was left ajar enough for a quick escape if needed. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"The click of Tom's boots against the stone floor was the only sound in the room as he crossed to the window, silhouetted against the moonlight. He retrieved a pipe from within the folds of his robes. It was a finely crafted piece, an unexpected touch of elegance that seemed to contrast with the otherwise harsh edges of his persona. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"With a slow, deliberate movement, he filled the bowl with a fine, fragrant tobacco. The musky scent filled the air, weaving with the chill of the night that seeped in through the window. It was a rich aroma, evocative and complex, hinting at an unexpected depth beneath Tom's icy exterior. The flame from his wand lit the end of the pipe, casting a soft, flickering glow that highlighted the angles of his face. There was a moment of stillness as he held the flame, the anticipation seeming to make the silence in the room even more palpable. And then, with the pipe held gently between his thin lips, Tom inhaled. His chest rose with the intake of the smoke, the lines of his body taut and graceful. The glow of the pipe's tip pulsed with his breath, a hypnotic rhythm in the darkness. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"As he exhaled, the smoke cascaded around him. It swirled and danced, catching the moonlight in a myriad of shifting patterns. It curled around his fingers, twined around his wrist, before it rose and disappeared into the gloom. Each puff of smoke was a slow, deliberate seduction, a dance of shadow and light. The sight of Tom smoking was disarmingly sensual. The slow tilt of his head as he drew on the pipe, the thoughtful way his eyes narrowed as he exhaled, the slight tension in his jaw that relaxed with each puff. It was a rare display of vulnerability, and it went straight to Harry's dick./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Voldemort was/span span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"having a smoke./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"The feared, all-knowing, muggle-hating Voldemort, was having a smoke/span span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;". The same /spanspan style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Voldemort, who had claimed to surpass the boundaries of Wizarding prowess, was engaging in an act that was almost mundane, undeniably Muggle in its origin/span span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Fuck it./span/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""Are you… smoking?"/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Tom's head whipped around at the sound of the voice behind him, his red eyes flashing dangerously in the dim light. The pipe was still held loosely in his hand, a thin trail of smoke curling up from it. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""Potter," he hissed, the name escaping his lips like a curse. His fingers tightened around the pipe, the comforting warmth suddenly feeling like a betrayal. His eyes glanced around the room, trying to locate him. "Where are you? Reveal yourself."/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Harry couldn't exactly explain why, but something about Tom's voice seemed to weave an irresistible spell over him. In a swift motion, Harry pulled off the cloak that concealed him, letting it pool around his feet on the ground. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""Are you smoking, Tom?" His voice was filled with a mix of surprise and a hint of mockery. There was a moment of silence, the question hanging in the air between them like an absurd joke. Voldemort, the most feared wizard in all of Britain, caught in an act as mundane and human as smoking. Tom looked at the pipe in his hand, the smoke now dissipated into the chilly air. For a moment, his guard seemed to falter, the surprise attack catching him off balance. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"The weight of his decision sank in; he was in the presence of the man who had tried to kill him numerous times. But for once, they were standing on equal ground. There were no Death Eaters, no other wizards - just the two of them in this dimly lit room./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""Quite perceptive, aren't you, Potter?" Tom sneered, regaining his composure. He dropped the pipe onto a nearby table, the clattering sound echoing throughout the room. The smell of smoke lingered, a stark reminder of the unexpected intrusion./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""But then again," he continued, a cold smile playing on his thin lips, "one must find ways to enjoy...even in the midst of war." His voice dropped dangerously low, his eyes narrowed. The moment of vulnerability had passed, replaced by the cold, calculating demeanor that was the hallmark of the Dark Lord./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""Tell Severus that his efficiency will be rewarded, I knew he was fast, but this is…" He picked up the smoke again, taking another puff./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""Snape didn't bring me here," Voldemort's eyebrows shot up at that. "Well, he did… but I asked him to."/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"His gaze scrutinized Harry, trying to decipher the truth behind his words. His grip around the pipe tightened briefly, the embers at its tip glowing brightly for a moment before subsiding. Slowly, almost as if he was contemplating his next move, Voldemort brought the pipe back up to his lips. He took another puff, the smoke spiraling around his figure before slowly dissipating into the air, adding to the heavy atmosphere of the room. He held Harry's gaze, those penetrating red eyes never leaving him. For a few heartbeats, the room was filled with nothing but the crackle of the burning tobacco and their synchronized breathing. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Then, without breaking eye contact, Voldemort extended the pipe towards Harry. His gesture was slow, deliberate, as if challenging him to accept the offer. The pipe hovered in the air between them, the small trail of smoke the only indication of the passing time. Harry took a deep breath, his hand slowly moving to grasp the pipe. His fingers brushed against Tom's briefly, a spark of electricity passing between them at the contact. The room seemed to hold its breath as Harry brought the pipe to his lips, tasting the smoke that Tom had just inhaled. He pulled in a breath, the rich, musky flavor of the tobacco filling his lungs./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""The boy who lived," he drawled, the cruel smile never leaving his handsome face, "has a death wish." /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Harry didn't know what to say to that. It was true, but he wasn't about to admit it./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"The room grew silent again as Harry brought the pipe back to his lips, taking a second, deeper puff. He hadn't anticipated the harsh scratchiness that filled his lungs, and an uncontrolled cough erupted from his chest. His hand flew up to cover his mouth as he doubled over, the pipe nearly falling from his fingers. His eyes watered as the smoke irritated his throat, the sensation foreign and uncomfortable. He took gasping breaths of the clean air, trying to soothe the stinging sensation in his lungs. For a moment, Voldemort watched in surprise, his red eyes wide. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Then, a rare thing happened. A deep chuckle echoed through the room, bouncing off the stone walls and filling the silence. It was rich and full, a sound that seemed incredibly out of place coming from Voldemort. So full of mirth and different from the cold laugh that he had let out not too long ago. Harry wanted to hear it again./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Ignoring the jab, Harry pressed on. "I want to talk, Tom." The use of his mortal name seemed to sober him. He regarded Harry for a long moment, before he let out a slow breath of smoke. "Interesting," he murmured, his voice carrying a dangerous edge. "And what could we possibly have to talk about, Potter?" Harry held his gaze, trying to keep his voice steady. "I want to understand. I want to understand you, Tom." He passed the pipe back to Tom, ignoring the fact that they had just /spanspan style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"shared a smoke./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""Many have tried-" another puff, "-they all wound up dead."/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Harry swallowed hard, but held Voldemort's gaze. He wasn't naïve enough to think that this wouldn't be dangerous, but he couldn't stand by and watch as the world crumbled around them. He had to do something. "Maybe they didn't ask the right questions," he replied, striving to keep his voice steady. Voldemort regarded him for a long moment, his gaze contemplative. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""And what makes you think you have the right ones, Potter?" His tone was mocking, yet beneath it there was a hint of genuine curiosity. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;""Guess we'll find out," Without another word, in a bold move that defied every sense of reason and caution, Harry reached up and grasped the front of Voldemort's robes, pulling him down. There was too much, too much sexual tension. /span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Their lips met in a clash of stark opposites – heat against ice, life against death, bravery against fear. Harry could taste the smoke from the pipe on Voldemort's lips, a bitter and yet strangely intoxicating taste. His lips were warmer than Harry had expected, and it felt so /spanspan style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"right./span /spanspan style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Voldemort froze, shock rippling through him, but he didn't pull away. After a moment that stretched into infinity, he responded, his lips moving against Harry's with a sloppy, almost careless precision. It was so unlike everything he stood for. It was so unlike span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"him. /span/span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"When Harry pulled back, his heart pounded in his chest, every fiber of his being screaming that he had just crossed a line that could not be uncrossed. He looked up into Voldemort's eyes, seeing his own shock and confusion mirrored in the crimson depths. For a long moment, neither of them moved or said a word. He'd just kissed a Dark Lord./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Feeling the weight of the moment starting to bear down on him, Voldemort reacted in a way that was rare for him - he chose to flee. In a swift movement, he pocketed his pipe, its smoke extinguishing in the process, and swept towards the door. The echo of his footsteps rang through the empty corridor as he walked, his cloak billowing behind him. The stone walls seemed colder than usual, the torches casting long, eerie shadows on his path. He could feel a strange tightness in his chest, an unfamiliar sensation that gnawed at him./span/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;" /p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"For better or worse, Harry had just changed the rules of the game./span/p
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div id="chapter_8_endnotes" class="end notes module" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.643em; position: relative; width: auto; float: none; clear: right; min-height: 5em;" /div
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