FIC: King of Swords - HP/SS Death Sentence Part 1
Title: Death Sentence
Author: Cyane Snape
Type: Fiction; Drama with tiny moments of humor.
Length: 27,207 words
Main Pairing: Harry Potter/Severus Snape
Card: The King of Swords
Card Interpretation: "He is the power of life and death, by virtue
of his office." [Waite]
Rating: R - for violence and language
Disclaimer: The world of Harry Potter, its characters and settings are the copyrighted works of J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros, and anyone else with legitimate rights. No profit is being made by this site or the authors it houses, nor was any malice intended in any way, shape or form. Due to the nature of this fic, this author will not be held responsible for any underage readers who may come across this. Please observe any warnings, ratings and any legal ages of consent for your part of the world.All fictional characters are fictional adults in the fictional land that they live in and they're not having sex anyway.
Warnings: (DH spoilers, violence, language, sort of pre-slash, no dirty sex this time, characters exploring the dark side, AU - begins near the end of DH; Character death - not Harry or Severus)
Summary: How far would you go to protect everything you believed in? And what if you had been deceived all along?
Author Notes: God bless Gavilan, my beta. She is the greatest sounding board and grammarian not to mention giving clarity to my visions. She has suffered through two vacations and many discussions in restaurants while I tried to make sense of this. Also, one section* at the beginning is based upon a scene in the forest at the end of DH. You’ll recognize it. And I use a line from the movie “Network” [I’m mad as hell…]**
The amazing art related to this fic is by artisticentropy.
King of Swords
Death Sentence
By Cyane Snape
“You, the condemned, by order of the Council of Magic and my rights as the Chosen One, Heir of Magic and Lord of the Fae, I hereby banish you to the everlasting torments of Hades.
“In the name of Helga Hufflepuff, I condemn you to Hell for betraying the loyalty of generations of magical folk.
“In the name of Rowena Ravenclaw, I condemn you to Hell for using the gift of knowledge to further your platitudes of evil.
“In the name of Godric Gryffindor, I condemn you to Hell for sacrificing the brave and courageous in your never-ending desires for total domination of the Wizarding world.
“In the name of Salazar Slytherin, I condemn you to Hell for the lies and propaganda that you have spread about this noble house and the people who refused to follow your warped ideals.
“In the name of Merlin, I hereby strip you of all magical powers and return your stolen powers to those to whom they rightfully belong.
“And in the name of Morgan Le Fay, my ancestress, I condemn you to the eternal fires of Hell for the lies, pain and deceit which you have inflicted upon me and my family for our entire lives.”
“I place my honor as your judge and executioner in the hands of the Fates. I truly and willingly sacrifice your life for the freedom of all magical folk throughout the world.”
The beautiful broadsword of unknown origins was held high above the wizard’s head, its hilt encrusted with rare and ancient gemstones and its blade etched with runes. In later years, it was rumored to have actually been the sword of Arthur Pendragon, Excalibur, but its master laughed and merely hinted that everyone knew that Sir Percival had returned Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake centuries earlier.
One swift downward thrust into the neck of the prisoner severed his spinal cord. Six broad strokes severed the body into six large pieces, each one delivered to members of the Council of Magic to be buried in a secret and distant location. The head remained with the executioner as a grisly souvenir. As the six members who represented the Veela, Vampires, Werewolves, Goblins, Fae and Wizards in the Council of Magic received their bloody gift, each knelt to the ground in obedience with bowed head in homage to their new ruler, the Chosen One.
The new Dark Lord was born.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Earlier in time…
Harry Potter looked out over the devastation of the once-beautiful grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Mammoth black craters scorched the earth as thick black smoke filled the sky, blocking the moonlight. It was nearly midnight and the assembled group of Light warriors had been fighting Voldemort’s Death Eaters for several hours. Lord Voldemort himself had yet to make an appearance at the blood-bath, but somehow Harry knew that the Dark Lord was merely waiting for Harry to come to him.
It really is sad, Harry thought. A bunch of school-aged children and what is left of the faculty and the Order of the Phoenix trying to win a battle that they cannot win.
The Battle of Hogwarts raged on and on without any sign of an end to the fighting. The Light had already lost Fred Weasley inside the castle and Remus Lupin had been injured trying to save Tonks, but the young Auror had fallen under a curse from an unknown Death Eater. The last Harry had seen Remus he was tearing a path through the black-robed enemy, eliminating two and three Death Eaters at a time. Harry knew that Tonks had not been Remus’ true mate, but he had loved her in his own way and they had a new baby that would never see his mother again. Remus’ grief for the mother of his child was a tangible pain totally encompassing the werewolf. Harry quickly vowed that he would help Remus raise Teddy as best he could, that is, if he himself survived the night - which was unlikely.
As he stood at the line of trees on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, Harry lifted the sword of Gryffindor in his left hand and his wand in his right, readying himself to rejoin his comrades. The stress and heartache of the battle was beginning to take its toll on the young wizard.
And here he now stood, a boy of seventeen waiting to walk to his own death. Oh, yes, Harry Potter understood that he was the last Horcrux, that he was the one who had to die in order to kill Voldemort. He was ready to die.
His thoughts returning to the present, Harry turned into the forest, ready to meet his fate. He was tired, cold and trembling and almost didn’t have the strength to lift the heavy sword, much less use it. He pulled the forgotten snitch out of the pouch at his neck and whispered, “I am about to die.” The metal shell broke open and a stream of silvery vapor escaped from the small orb and several nearly-corporeal forms began to surround him - Fred Weasley, Mad-Eye Moody, Tonks, and finally…Dobby, the beloved house-elf that had saved him from death at Malfoy Manor. A flutter on the breeze caught Harry’s attention and he looked over his head to find Hedwig’s spirit soaring in the trees. They were there to lead him to Voldemort and certain death.
“Does it hurt?”
The childish question had fallen from Harry’s lips before he could stop it.
“Dying? Not at all,” said Fred. “Quicker and easier than falling asleep.”…
“You’ll stay with me?” said Harry.
“Until the very end,” said Tonks.*
“Follow me, Harry Potter, sir. I will show you the way.” Dobby reached out trying to grasp his favorite wizard’s hand but failed to do so. The small spirit began to cry into his hands, “I am sorry, Harry Potter, sir. Dobby cannot touch you and help you when you need him the most. I have failed.”
Harry knelt down near the elf and said, “Dobby, you have never failed me, in fact, I owe you a life debt. You saved my life at the Malfoys’ and now I can never repay that debt. Perhaps I can repay you when I join you on the next great adventure, but right now I need to meet with Voldemort. If you lead the way, I will follow you.”
Dobby, the faithful house elf, and Hedwig led Harry deeper into the forest as Moody and Tonks flanked him on either side. Deeper into the dark, chilling woods with every step, Harry had immediately lost the noise of the battle. Edging closer and closer to the spot where Harry believed he would find the Dark Lord, Dobby stopped and perked his ears.
“Master Harry, sir? There is Death Eaters just through that ring of trees, but the Dark Lord is not there.”
Harry looked at the apparitions that had accompanied him and tilted his head, thinking. He knew what he wanted to do but he didn’t know if he could get safely through a large contingency of Death Eaters before reaching Voldemort.
“Dobby, how many Death Eaters are in there?”
Dobby reached out, “There are two, Master Harry: Lord Malfoy and another one.”
“TWO? Why just two? What is Malfoy up to? …Is it a trap? Tonks, Moody? What do you think?”
“Probably,” replied Moody.
Harry knew that Moody had no love for Lucius Malfoy, but his paranoia kept him alive…well, until recently.
Tonks interrupted, “But why would they be there, Harry? Just two Death Eaters… without any sort of protection.”
Harry asked, “What are the two Death Eaters doing, Dobby?”
“They are just waiting, Master Harry.”
“For me?”
“For you, I think.”
~*~*~*~*~
Harry Potter, the Chosen One, walked into the small clearing ready to meet his fate. He knew that Lucius Malfoy would not dare to kill him, but he also knew that the quickest way to Lord Voldemort was arriving unannounced in the clearing.
As he entered the clearing, he saw Lucius Malfoy standing quite casually with his back against a large tree. His wand was pointed down towards the man slumped at his feet. As his captive convulsed under the onslaught of a Cruciatus curse, Lord Malfoy raised his eyes and caught the glare of the Boy Who Lived.
Harry eyed the older man suspiciously. The last two years had not been kind to Lord Malfoy. He had suffered in Azkaban for sure, but the man was not the imposing presence he once was. He was much thinner than the last time Harry had seen him and the hollowness in his cheeks was also reflected in his eyes.
“What happened to you? You look awful.” Harry spit out without thinking.
“Ah, Mr. Potter, so kind of you to join us. Considering how I looked when I left Azkaban, I could pose for Witch Weekly with the way I look now. But enough of my grooming details. The Dark Lord has asked me to deliver a gift to you. This…thing… is a very special gift. In fact, it is such a special gift that I believe that it will completely change your life.”
Harry looked down at the dark robes as Lucius kicked at the twitching body with his designer boots. As the body turned onto its back, long dark hair fell away from an angular sallow face to reveal…”
“Is that SNAPE?”
Instantly Harry’s wand dug deep into the hollow of Lucius Malfoy’s neck, a death curse on the tip of Harry’s tongue. Forgoing the anticipated fear Harry expected to see in his eyes, Lucius merely stood quietly until Harry’s rage calmed to a reasonable level. Getting no reaction from the blond, Harry slowly pulled away, keeping his wand trained on the older wizard.
“Are you quite finished with your posturing, Mr. Potter?” Lucius calmly asked. The blond did not look in the least threatened.
Having no idea what to say to that, Harry mumbled, “Erm…yes.”
“Good, then remain where you are.”
Lucius reached deep into his robes and Harry’s wand went up once more, forgetting that Lucius’ wand was stored in his cane. Ever so slowly, the blond pulled his hand out and showed the young man an antique pocket watch. Lucius opened the watch and checked the time.
“Ah, yes. Here we go. It should happen…just…about… NOW.”
Lucius closed the watch and pointed to Snape’s quivering body. Slowly the body began to twist and turn as it lifted a few inches off the ground. It turned slowly and began a process that was undeniably a body whose Polyjuice potion was finally wearing off. After a few moments it was all over.
Harry looked down. What the fuck?
Lucius picked up the Death Eater and shoved him into Harry’s arms. As the young man struggled with the heavy weight, Lucius forced a small coin into Harry’s back pocket. The blond slapped Harry on the arse and shouted the activation word, “Vindicare!” The young Chosen One disappeared by Portkey, never to return to the Wizarding world as the same man it had once known.
Lucius allowed himself a small smile of pleasure before removing any and all traces of evidence that might reveal what had happened in that clearing. After brushing the imaginary dirt from his robes, he apparated home to his bedroom suite for what he hoped was the first peaceful, uninterrupted night’s sleep that he had had in many years. For once, everything was right with the world.
&&&&&&&&&
By all that is magic, I hate this fucking job! If it isn’t one thing, it’s another. I didn’t sign up for this and I certainly didn’t volunteer. All my life I have been trained for one thing and one thing only, to rid the world of Voldemort, and now, just as I am ready to sacrifice myself so that the world will be free of his evil, I get one more swift kick in the balls. Well, I quit. I’m not doing this anymore. I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.** I am so bloody sick and tired of fighting and lies and deception and people trying to run my life! From now on the only person I’m going to trust is…ME!
Harry Potter was not happy. Not in the least. It was four in the morning and he was tired. He was hungry and tired and wanted to shower and sleep more than anything. He just didn’t care anymore. He stormed through the long corridor in search of the one person in the world that would tell him the truth. He didn’t understand how he knew this to be a fact, but he did. The man had never lied to him. He might have tried to kill him on occasion, he might have purposely withheld information when necessary…but he had never lied.
What bothered Harry the most was the lump of human flesh that he was dragging down the hallway. The lump of flesh was a body. A human body. A body that had been stunned and dragged mercilessly without thought of comfort across the rough terrain surrounding Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry until he had become Harry’s prisoner in that clearing. A body that he hated more than anything else in his fucked up life. The long black robes ripped and tore as the body knocked into statuary and relics along the walls, and none too gently.
Just what the bloody hell was going on?
~*~*~*~*~
Harry dragged the body into the dismal room at the end of the hall. At the far side of the room sat Lord Voldemort, the Dark Lord. He was quietly drinking a cup of tea as well as nibbling an almond biscotti and didn’t seem at all surprised that Harry Potter had just arrived with a stunned body in tow.
“Dear Harry, it’s so good of you to join me this evening. Why don’t you sit down and make yourself comfortable? Feel free to drop your baggage anywhere.” The Dark Lord indicated a matching chair to the side of him next to the fireplace.
“I’ll stand for now. I got your ‘present’ - now would you mind telling me what the fuck is going on? WHY was Lucius Malfoy torturing what looked to be Severus Snape? Well it WAS Snape until he turned into Cornelius Fucking Fudge? And why would Fudge polyjuice himself into Snape in the first place?”
“Sit down, Harry. This will take a while to explain.”
“You had better make this good, Snake Man, because I just learned that the object of all my wet dreams was really Cornelius Fudge and NOT Severus Snape!! The mere thought of it makes me want to cut off my dick!”
Harry sat after throwing Fudge, still stunned, in a corner near Nagini. The snake rubbed against the former Minister and licked his face.
“Nagini, get down! You may eat Fudge later.” Voldemort ordered.
“Why was Fudge pretending to be Snape? And where the bloody FUCK is Severus Snape?”
Voldemort looked at Harry and chuckled, “Relax, Harry, Fudge didn’t begin impersonating Snape until after the Ministry of Magic fiasco at the end of your fifth year.”
Harry gave Voldemort a look and a finger salute that let the Dark Lord know that his attempt at humor was not appreciated.
“Where’s Snape?” asked Harry. Harry had been trying to cultivate a relationship with Snape in spite of Snape’s, well Fudge’s, continued resistance. Harry felt a connection to the older man that could not be ignored, but he didn’t know why and he knew that there was something there, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Granted the budding relationship had suffered in the last year after the Potion Master’s disappearance at the end of his sixth year. Harry had tried to prove Snape’s involvement with Dumbledore’s death had been at the Headmaster’s insistence. But now, that wasn’t even Snape who killed Dumbledore? If Voldemort was telling the truth, Fudge had actually killed the Headmaster.
Voldemort explained, “Fudge has been polyjuicing himself as a favor to Albus Dumbledore these last two years. That’s why he taught Defense instead of Potions during your sixth year. Fudge would never have been able to pass himself off as a Potions Master. After the Department of Mysteries disaster, Fudge had no career left, no money and nowhere to go. Dumbledore put him on his payroll and he’s been spying for him as a Death Eater ever since.”
“But Dumbledore’s been dead for over a year.”
“What if I told you that you that Dumbledore is still alive?”
Harry looked at the dark wizard as if he were totally insane, which at this point Harry totally believed.
“What if I told you that I have never wanted to kill you? What if I told you that everything you’ve ever believed to be true was only the manipulation of an evil mind, the mind of Albus Dumbledore? Better than that, what if I told you that Dumbledore faked his own death?”
Needless to say, Harry was shocked. “Well, I would say that I’m going to need some proof. Forgive me, but I’m having a bit of a problem with trust issues today. And besides, what’s in it for you, Mr. Big Dark Lord? Why are you doing this and why haven’t you killed me?”
“I understand your confusion, Harry, and I will answer those questions. But first of all, what if I told you that I could give you back the most important person in your life?”
“Sirius?” Harry was looking hopeful.
“No. Severus Snape. I saw Albus Dumbledore capture Severus at the Ministry that same night Black fell into the veil.”
Harry couldn’t believe his ears. “Snape? Important to me? Right. I was there that night at the Department of Mysteries. Snape and Dumbledore weren’t even a part of that battle. Dumbledore wasn’t there until that battle with you in the Atrium.”
Lord Voldemort stood and crossed to the side of the room, opening a small cupboard and removing something. He slowly walked across the room and came to kneel at Harry Potter’s feet. Harry could see that he carried a shallow container in his hands and he recognized it as a Pensieve.
“Harry, while I know that Legilimency has never been easy for you, I know that you are familiar with a Pensieve and I have a memory that I want you to see.”
The Dark Lord placed his wand against his forehead and removed a long silvery strand of smoke that Harry recognized as a memory. He would never understand why he trusted Voldemort at that moment, but Harry took the Dark Lord’s hand and leaned into the Pensieve. Suddenly everything was just as it had been that night so long ago. It began just as Harry remembered with Lucius and the Death Eaters capturing Harry and his friends. Harry was surprised to find that the Dark Lord had been standing away from the veil, hidden in the shadows. Suddenly, as Harry remembered, the Order began to arrive and the spells began flying.
Harry saw Lucius drop the prophecy and felt the Dark Lord’s irritation at Lucius’ ineptitude. All at once, Sirius was fighting with Bellatrix and a red curse hit his godfather in the chest, pushing him back into the veil. Harry watched as the witch taunted his younger self and led him on a chase out of the room. Voldemort touched older-Harry to prevent him from following the two out of the room. Harry watched as the Death Eaters were captured by the Order members and Dumbledore gave orders as to where they should be taken. Snape had appeared next to Voldemort’s side at some time during the battle and looked around at the destruction.
“Where’s Potter?” Snape asked.
“He’s off chasing Bella. She has completely destroyed everything we had hoped to accomplish with young Potter. Lucius has inadvertently destroyed the only proof that we had about the prophecy’s true wording and the other source is irretrievable at this point. Tonight was to be our night to show him the truth, Severus, and Bella couldn’t control her irrational hatred. She did something incredibly stupid,” Voldemort volunteered.
“Not that I’m surprised, but what?” Snape asked.
“She sent Sirius Black through the veil.”
“Harry’s god-mutt? He adores that mongrel. Where is Harry now?”
Voldemort pointed to the doorway on the side of the room. “He chased her through there and that corridor leads to the Atrium. I will follow young Potter and try to clean up this mess. You see if you can retrieve Black from the veil.”
Harry watched as Voldemort cast a Disillusionment spell upon himself and moved toward the door in order to follow younger Harry into the Atrium. The Dark Lord turned around to check on Severus. The Potions Master was whispering a complex incantation and Sirius Black began to reappear in the portal of the veil. From behind, Dumbledore quietly stood behind Severus.
“Incarcerus!” shouted the Headmaster. Dumbledore used his wand to push Severus forward into Sirius, who fell back into the horrible dark veil.
“I’m sorry, Severus, but you know my darkest secrets and I cannot let you share that information with young Harry nor can I allow Black to come back through the veil to aid his godson.”
Severus was magically bound and, with a flourish, he disappeared into the veil, a fact that would be known only to the Headmaster. Dumbledore then obliviated all the remaining Order members who had witnessed, but not overheard, his treachery. He erased the memory of his confrontation with Severus from their minds completely. Only Voldemort remained unscathed, hiding in the shadow of the doorway and watching as the Headmaster covered up his nefarious deeds in the Department of Mysteries.
Harry felt the pull and once again found himself sitting next to Lord Voldemort, the Pensieve resting on his lap.
“Why would Dumbledore do that? Why Sirius? And where is Severus, uh, Snape?” Harry cried.
Voldemort stood and put the Pensieve away. He knew it was difficult for the young man to accept everything the Dark Lord had told him. Harry had been taught that Voldemort was the enemy, the one that the world feared. They didn’t know that the monster he was today was the product of abuse and neglect, just like Harry. Young Tom Riddle had also trusted Albus Dumbledore, but had eventually seen through his lies. He couldn’t let that happen to Harry, not when there was the possibility that he could get the young wizard to join forces with him. Voldemort was not a nice man. He had killed and tortured people for many years, but he really had no hard feelings for the young man sitting quietly by the fire. He turned to face the young wizard who was now deeply troubled.
“I’m not sure, Harry, but I have a theory, one that I cannot prove here and now but that you possibly could later, but first we should question Cornelius.”
The Dark Lord pointed his wand at the fake-Snape, “Enervate!” Cornelius Fudge opened his eyes and searched nervously around the room.
“Where…where am I? Where is Albus?” the cornered man asked.
Voldemort looked at Harry. “I told you he was still alive.”
In that moment, all of Harry’s frustrations from the past years boiled over and exploded. Harry pulled back his left arm and punched the former Minister of Magic squarely on the jaw. The sound of breaking bones under his fist acted as a healing balm to Harry’s soul. The younger wizard then squatted down in front of the former Minister and placed the point of his wand in the center of Fudge’s forehead. “Shut up, Fudge. I would like nothing more than to kill you where you are, but the Dark Lord and I have some questions for you and for once in your life, tell the truth.”
Voldemort knelt next to Harry and handed him a small bottle, which the young man instantly recognized. Green eyes danced with excitement. The Dark Lord forced Fudge’s jaw open and Harry poured most of the contents of the Veritaserum onto Fudge’s tongue. Harry really didn’t care if Fudge died from an overdose. Now he could do nothing but tell the truth. Within seconds, his eyes were glassy and calm.
Voldemort began to ask his questions. He already knew the answers, but the Dark Lord realized that it was imperative for Harry to hear the answers from Fudge’s own mouth. “Why did Dumbledore fake his death?”
Fudge stared at Harry. “He wanted to keep Harry from developing a relationship with Snape. Dumbledore was afraid of the power at their disposal.”
Voldemort continued, “Why was he afraid of Harry and Severus?”
Fudge tried to fight the serum, but failed. “He wanted to keep Harry in the dark about his true heritage as the Chosen One. He needed to hide Harry’s connection to Severus Snape.”
“Why did he want to keep Snape away from me?” Harry asked.
The words fell freely from Fudge’s mouth now. “Dumbledore knew that the true prophecy was coming to fruition soon and he had to eliminate Snape from the plan. Dumbledore wanted to win the war at any cost before Harry’s seventeenth birthday. He could not let Harry reached his magical maturity and Severus was a big part of that. At age seventeen, all the magical blocks and control spells that Albus had placed on Harry would be cancelled. Harry would then realize his true magical power and potential. Albus couldn’t bear to lose that much control. Dumbledore planned to have Harry die in battle before that happened.”
Harry pressed his wand deeper into Fudge’s forehead, “And just WHY did Dumbledore plan for me to die?”
Cornelius knew that he shouldn’t answer that question, but he couldn’t prevent it. “He knew that you would fulfill the real prophecy if you weren’t stopped.”
“But what about Snape? Why was he important in all this?”
Fudge knew that he was a dead man. “Snape had to die because he was betrothed to you shortly after your birth. In Dumbledore’s eyes, Lily and James betrayed the Light by promising you to Snape.”
Harry turned to Voldemort. “Did you know about all this?”
“Yes. Lily and James discovered the old man’s crimes against their families and were working as spies for me,” he replied.
“My parents worked for you?”
“They had worked for me since finishing at Hogwarts. They were my greatest source of information on the so-called Light.”
Harry was more confused than ever. “Why did you keep this idiot around with the Death Eaters if you knew he wasn’t really Snape?”
Voldemort shrugged, “He was very useful at transmitting false information. I couldn’t act upon everything I knew until I could talk to you and convince you that you had been deceived. Are you beginning to question everything you’ve been taught, Harry? Can you see that Albus Dumbledore has fed you false information since your first day at Hogwarts?”
“I’m almost convinced, but first I need for you to prove that Albus Dumbledore is still alive. I still don’t see what’s in it for you.”
The Dark Lord smiled, “I’ll give you Black and Snape if you give me Dumbledore. We can remake this into a better world together. I’ll even make sure that werewolf of yours is named a hero to the world with full rights as a wizard.” He offered his long bony hand to the younger wizard. “Is that a deal, Mr. Potter?”
Harry looked at Voldemort and knew inside that he had been convinced of Dumbledore’s treachery. It was only a matter of time until he openly declared his allegiance to the Dark Lord. “It’s a deal, only all magical creatures get the same rights not just one werewolf. I want vampires and goblins and every other creature included. Oh, and no more crap about Muggles and Half-Bloods either.”
“Harry, Harry, Harry. Who told you all that propaganda about Muggles and Half-Bloods? Albus?”
“Well, yes.”
“Harry, I’m a Half-Blood myself. WHY would I preach about blood purity? That’s Dumbledore’s story. He’s the one controlling the press and the Ministry, not me. My only plans are to become a benevolent dictator.”
“What about the raids and the Muggle murders?”
“That wasn’t my Death Eaters. Can you imagine someone like Lucius Malfoy willingly in the company of Muggles, even if just to kill them? I think not. All I want to do, with the support of my followers, is protect the magical world from the prying eyes of Muggles. You just need to look at past history of burnings and witch trials to see what would happen to our world if Muggles were to gain that kind of knowledge.”
Harry thought those words over very carefully. “Okay, so for the sake of argument, let’s say that all this is true. How are you going to prove it?”
The Dark Lord pulled a bell cord, calling for one of his minions. “I can’t prove it here, Harry, but I will take you somewhere that I think will prove it to you.”
Bellatrix Lestrange strutted in swaying her hips in a distorted attempt at seduction. Voldemort rolled his eyes.
“Bella, take our friend here to the dungeons. Tell the boys that they may play with him as they wish and afterwards give him to Nagini.”
The witch smiled an evil smile at Harry and grabbed him by the arm, trying to drag him away. The Dark Lord slapped her hand away, “Not him, you insufferable twit, Fudge - take him down to the dungeons.”
The witch snarled at Harry as she dragged Cornelius Fudge out of the room. The Dark Lord grabbed his outer robes and handed a clean set of robes to Harry. As they dressed for the cool night air, Harry had another question.
“Tom? May I call you Tom?”
“Of course, Harry.”
“Tom, when all this is settled, can I have Bellatrix?”
“Absolutely, Harry.”
Harry couldn’t prevent the evil smirk of revenge that appeared on his face. As the Dark Lord led Harry out of the room, he shouted back to the large snake, “Nagini, dinner!”
~*~*~*~*~
… Somewhere on the southwestern coastline.
Harry and the Dark Lord had apparated to a small fishing village on the southwestern coast. After transfiguring their attire into Muggle clothing, they stopped for breakfast at a local eatery. Harry dug into the fluffy eggs and crisp sausages and thought about the last few hours and how his life had changed.
“They’re probably looking for me.”
Tom set down his tea, “Who?”
“Everybody at Hogwarts. We were in the middle of a battle, you know. People died.”
“In war, people always die. It’s unfortunate that you lost friends, Harry, but I really am trying to make this a better world- a world without the influence of Albus Dumbledore. The Ministry is totally corrupt. Look at Fudge… and Scrimgeour isn’t much better. That Weasley fellow and Shacklebolt are probably the only honest men there.”
Harry swallowed and thought for a moment. “Why would you care about honest men?”
Tom sighed. “Have I ever lied to you, Harry? I admit that I have tried to kill you, but I have never lied to you.”
Harry dropped his eyes to stare at his hands. “Why did you try to kill me, Tom? If my mum and dad worked for you, why kill me?”
“You were under Dumbledore’s control and a dangerous threat to my welfare. It wasn’t until after I regained my body that I learned how similar we truly are- years of neglect and abuse, lies from Dumbledore. Before that I truly believed you to be my enemy.”
Harry pushed his plate away from him. “What about my friends? Has that all been a lie too? Were they working for Dumbledore?”
“No, Harry, Dumbledore lied to everyone, including your friends. I believe that your friends are as true to you as friends can be, the Order of the Phoenix also. They are all merely pawns in Dumbledore’s plan to control everything.”
Tom paid the server for their meal and indicated to Harry that they should leave.
“One more question?” Harry asked.
The Dark Lord smirked, “Yes?”
“What about all that information Dumbledore gave me about the Horcruxes? How does that fit into all this?”
Tom led Harry out onto the street and they began walking up the hill toward a castle ruin. “What did he tell you about them?”
Harry wasn’t sure that he should be telling the Dark Lord about the Horcruxes, but … since he made them in the first place Harry guessed that Tom should already know everything about them.
“He told me that you had split your soul to try to gain immortality. He said that you had chosen relics from the founders and your past and implanted a piece of your soul in each of them. He even hinted that I might be one because of my scar.”
“First, I didn’t give you that scar, you were born with it. It’s more of a birthmark than anything. And second, I didn’t make any Horcruxes, Harry. Have you ever found anything about Horcruxes in your research at Hogwarts? I know that Muggle-born friend of yours is a brilliant witch and lives in the library. Did she ever find anything?”
“Uh, no.”
“You see, yet again Dumbledore has filled your head with false information. What exactly did he tell you these Horcruxes were?”
“Well, there was your diary in my second year.”
Tom sneered, “A residue of magic found remaining in my old diary, nothing more.”
Harry thought some more. “What about Nagini?”
“She’s my familiar, that is all. A wizard’s familiar has a unique bond with its master, to the point of telepathic communication.”
“Okay, those can be explained, but what about Slytherin’s locket and ring, Ravenclaw’s diadem, and Hufflepuff’s cup?”
The Dark Lord turned and faced the young wizard. “Can’t you see, Harry? Even after his supposed death, in his need for power Dumbledore had you systematically destroying the last relics containing the remnants of magic from the four founders.”
Harry couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “But if he has me destroying the legacy of the founders, there’s nothing to represent Gryffindor.”
Tom looked directly into the green eyes of the young man before him, “But don’t you see, Harry? There is a Gryffindor relic.”
Harry continued to stare at the older wizard just hoping to understand what he was trying to say. Suddenly he understood.
“It’s me, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Harry.”
“And that’s why he wants me dead, isn’t it?”
“Among other things.”
“What other things?”
“Follow me and I’ll show you.”
~*~*~*~*~
Harry and Voldemort approached the castle ruins that stood on top of a large outcropping of rock. Directly in front of the ruins stood an ancient oak tree. Harry supposed that ten or twelve people would be needed to be able to link arms around the old tree. The thick branches were gnarled and bare, not a leaf to be seen. In fact, it didn’t look as if it had had leaves in many long years. At the center of the trunk was a knot.
Voldemort brushed away what could have possibly been years of debris and stepped closer to the knot. When Harry stepped closer, he could see that it wasn’t only a knot, but in the center of the knot was a clear white stone nearly the size of his fist. Tom removed his wand from his trousers and touched the stone. Nothing happened.
“Harry, did you see that? Nothing happened when I touched the stone.”
Harry thought that this whole experience was a little underwhelming. “Yeah, so?”
The Dark Lord stood back from the tree. “Harry, have you ever heard the legend of the Sword in the Stone?”
“Isn’t that the legend about King Arthur and Excalibur?”
“Right you are, Harry, but that’s not the only legend from Merlin’s time. There is another, even older legend - or shall we say prophecy- that comes from Merlin’s youth. It is a prophecy about one who will come to save the world.”
“Erm, okay, but what does that have to do with me?”
“Touch your wand to the stone, Harry.”
Harry slipped his wand out of his jeans and pressed the stone in the tree. The young man was immediately engulfed by a light so white that he was temporarily blinded. Voldemort was also trapped within the circle of light. A cyclonic wind blew up and twisted and turned the young Gryffindor off the ground. His body convulsed as his bones stretched and muscles thickened. Harry’s only thought was that if this was anything like Remus went through every month, he didn’t think he could handle it. As suddenly as it started, it stopped and Harry was gently settled on the ground.
He hadn’t changed much actually. His body was several inches taller and a bit more muscular, but nothing drastic had changed except that magic seemed to radiate from his body. He tried to look at his bodily changes but his vision was blurred. Removing his now-useless glasses, Harry looked at the changes with literally new eyes. He now appeared as a healthy young man, not the scrawny teen he had always been. Now at six feet tall, he ran his hands up and down, trying out the new feel of his body.
Damn, I could have at least grown wings or fangs or something cool. I just look like a taller me.
Harry James Potter always was one for understatement. The amount of raw magic circling the young wizard would have been enough to scare away the bravest of souls, but Harry was neither amused nor scared.
He looked up at Tom Riddle from his place on the ground. The Dark Lord no longer looked like Voldemort from his resurrection. He now resembled the young Tom Riddle from his diary. Harry glared at Tom with a grimace on his face and said, “All right, what the bloody hell was that?”
Tom avoided the question by helping Harry to his feet. “Take the stone from the tree, Harry, if you can.”
Harry reached in and easily took the stone from its resting place then looked at Tom with a “what next?” expression.
Tom continued his instructions. “Now place the stone against your wand and quickly crush them together as hard as you can.”
Harry did as he was told and gold light surrounded both him and Tom. In his hand, Harry no longer held his wand. Harry now held a long staff with the clear stone set into the top. The staff was carved with runes that Harry couldn’t hope to read or understand. They twisted around the staff along a delicately curved vine pattern. The power levels of magic thrumming through the staff rippled up and down the arm of the startled wizard. The young man looked up to ask Tom another question but was shocked to see that instead of the castle ruins, there now stood a massive stone castle in its place.
It took a lot to amaze Tom Riddle. He had seen and done so much in his life, but now he had witnessed something that he had only hoped was true. The Dark Lord gazed in wonder from the castle to the young wizard standing before him.
“You are the Chosen One.”
Harry turned to Tom, “Uh, right. Chosen by whom?”
“The Fae. You are the chosen Lord of the Fae.”
Harry looked at the Dark Lord like he’d lost his mind. Harry then did the one thing that Voldemort had never expected the young man to do. He turned on his heel and stalked off down the dirt road, alternately screaming and muttering to himself all the way.
“Oh, FUCK NO! I’m not doing it. All my life, somebody has wanted something from me and I’m not doing it. Who do they think they are? I am not a fairy or an elf or whatever you said. My mum was a Muggle and my dad was just a wizard. I am not some kind of special magical creature freak to add onto being a regular magical freak. The fucking Fae can fight their own damn war. I’m going home.”
“This is your home, Harry.”
THAT stopped the young wizard in his tracks. Harry groaned to himself. He knew that if he turned around, Tom was going to say something really important to change his mind. Home - Harry had never had a home until he went to Hogwarts and here was Tom telling him that this beautiful castle was Harry’s home. All he had ever wanted was a home and a family. The teen turned around with a snarl of contempt on his face and faced the Dark Lord, ready for what ever it was he was going to say that would blow his whole world out of the water.
“All right. Explain.”
“The Fae are from a place called Old Land or Aldland and they are the Guardians of Magic. All magic originates from the Fae, including elemental magic. The stone you pulled from the tree is called the Stone of the Heir. There is an ancient prophecy about an Heir of Magic who will unite the world. That symbol on your forehead - the lightning bolt - is the sign of Fae royalty, a birthmark if you will. You are the one heir, the Chosen One. You are the only one who could remove the stone. This does prove one of my theories. You are Merlin’s true heir and this is your castle.”
Harry looked at Tom and the old castle and promptly sat down on the ground, “Well, shit.”
Harry looked at the castle and looked at Tom. He was still confused.
“How do you fit into the big picture here, Tom? What’s in it for you?”
The older man snorted, he had been waiting for that question.
“My father was a Muggle who had descended from a line of squibs, but my mother’s line was pureblood. The magic died out in my father’s family hundreds of years ago, but when I began to research the ancestry lines I found that his family had married into the vampire clans. Thus, I am connected to this world by wizard and vampire magic. My purpose has yet to be determined, but you are the one to set my fate in motion.”
“I believe, as the oldest prophecy states, that you are destined to unite all the magical races to defeat Dumbledore. By infusing the magic of magical creatures, the Wizarding world will be truly reborn and we won’t need Muggles to increase the birth rate. Magic will eventually purify itself through the magical creatures and no more squibs will be born and then abandoned in the muggle world. We both know what it’s like to be abandoned, don’t we?”
Harry ignored that last question. “Why don’t you look like a vampire then?”
“Harry, that vampire blood is a recessive trait in my father’s family now. It has not been activated in years. I always dreamed that when I reached my inheritance that somehow it would manifest, but I’m sorry to say that it didn’t. I’m merely a wizard.”
Harry snorted, “Right. Merely a wizard. Merely a wizard who’s the most powerful wizard on the planet and trying to take over the world.”
Voldemort helped Harry up off the ground and began to lead him up the bricked road to the castle.
“I’m not the most powerful any more, Harry. You are. And don’t forget that Dumbledore is still out there.”
“That is yet to be proven, Tom.”
“It will be, Harry.”
~*~*~*~*~*~
The two wizards approached a pair of large wooden doors. There was nothing on the door except some carved runes. No handles or grip of any kind could be seen, no way to open at all. Harry raised his wand hand up in front of the door, holding his staff in that hand. He felt a benevolent magic reach out to the tips of his fingers. The magic coursed through his body as if it were a naturally flowing element in his blood. A sudden burst of magic filled his body and lifted him off his feet, suspending him above the ground. As he floated in place, a soft female voice spoke to him.
“Welcome, Young Savior. I have waited many long years for you to arrive. Finally the lines of Arthur, Morgan Le Fay and Merlin have joined. You and your betrothed will bring peace and rule all those in the magical world.”
“Um, thank you. Erm…Who are you?” Harry asked. This was turning out to be a most unusual day.
A gentle laugh soothed his soul. “My name is too long and difficult to pronounce in a language long forgotten. I was created by he who created all things. But you may call me “Hope”, for that is what you bring.”
“Are you a ghost or spirit?”
“I am all that you see, all that you feel - all that is magic.”
“Oh.” Harry wasn’t sure that he was comforted by this information.
A delicate breeze caressed Harry’s face as he was set gently back on the ground.
“I understand that you are confused, Chosen One. Now that you have been purified by the Light, you may enter the castle and all will be explained.”
“Purified?”
“Yes, all old magics that have been forced upon you have been removed. There were power blockers and tracking charms as well as spells to stunt your growth. You have been returned to your naturally inherited power levels and physical appearance.”
“How long have those spells been there?”
“Since you were an infant.”
“Did my parents place them on me?”
“No.”
“Who then?”
“I think you already know the answer to that question, young prince. You may now enter.”
“What about Tom? May he enter?”
“Of course, Chosen One. The Firestarter may enter with you.”
Harry turned to Tom, “Firestarter?”
Tom was quick to clarify the statement. “Do you remember the battle at the Ministry, Harry?”
Harry nodded.
“As I said before, you are now the most powerful wizard alive, but I am not totally without skills. I am an elemental wizard. There are four elementals, each of whom controls one element. When an elemental dies, another is born as replacement. A new elemental has not been born since 1960, which was a spectacular year. In that year, three new elementals were born. I however only control one element, fire, therefore I am not a powerful elemental. Hope called me Firestarter because of this power. I am but one of the four who wait to serve the master. The master of the elementals can control all four elements and you are that master, Harry.”
Harry sighed wearily to himself. Shit. Was there anything in his life experiences that was true? Had everything been a lie or manipulation by Dumbledore? Harry turned back to the castle and asked, “All right, then, Hope, the Firestarter is ready and so am I. So how do I open the door?”
“You have but to press your right hand to the door, Chosen One, and the door will open for you.”
Harry held up his hand and touched the door. At his touch, an intricate carving of runes and charms radiated out from the tip of his finger and spread across the massive doors. With a slow creak and the displacement of hundreds of years of dust and cobwebs, the ancient castle groaned and welcomed its new inhabitants.
Surprisingly, the interior of the main hall was spotless and warmed by several lit torches. A beautiful carpet in deep reds and earth tones adorned the floor. Two large tapestries covered blank expanses of wall.
Standing in the center of the main hall was the oldest house elf that Harry had ever seen. He had not a hair on his head, and made Kreacher look like a child. His tunic and trousers were made from fine black wool with delicate silver vine embroidery around the cuffs and hem, not at all the typical wardrobe of a house elf. The ancient elf slowly and reverently bowed low to the ground and spoke elegantly to the two wizards.
“Welcome, my Lords, we have waited many lifetimes for the coming of the Chosen One. I am Bundy and I am head of the family of elves that have been bound in service to this castle since the time of Merlin. We are free elves and serve through choice. My great-granddaughter Bindy will see to your immediate needs while I inform the others of your arrival. We shall have a meal ready as soon as you require it and accommodations for sleep will be prepared in the residence chambers. You have but to call for me and I will answer.”
Harry peered around the old elf to see a smaller elf looking up at him with wonderment in her eyes.
“Hello, Bindy,” Harry said and waved at the little elf.
Bundy disappeared with a ‘pop’ and with a squeak the little female elf bowed low and began to cry. “Oh, my Lord, we are so glad to see you. If there is anything Bindy can do to make you happy, you only have to ask. Is there anything that Bindy can do?”
Large tear-filled eyes gazed at Harry full of love and devotion. Harry sighed. It seemed that Bindy’s enthusiasm could rival Dobby’s. His smile faltered for a moment as he remembered his fallen friend.
“Bindy, I believe my companion and I would like some tea and to look around a bit. Where shall we meet you?”
The little elf bowed and pointed to her right, “That door leads into the Great Hall, my Lord, Bindy will have tea set up very quickly. I will keep it warm until you arrive.”
“Please call me Harry, Bindy.”
The small elf bowed low, “Yes, my Lord Harry,” and vanished.
Harry sighed. Oh, well, I tried.
Part 2
Author: Cyane Snape
Type: Fiction; Drama with tiny moments of humor.
Length: 27,207 words
Main Pairing: Harry Potter/Severus Snape
Card: The King of Swords
Card Interpretation: "He is the power of life and death, by virtue
of his office." [Waite]
Rating: R - for violence and language
Disclaimer: The world of Harry Potter, its characters and settings are the copyrighted works of J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros, and anyone else with legitimate rights. No profit is being made by this site or the authors it houses, nor was any malice intended in any way, shape or form. Due to the nature of this fic, this author will not be held responsible for any underage readers who may come across this. Please observe any warnings, ratings and any legal ages of consent for your part of the world.All fictional characters are fictional adults in the fictional land that they live in and they're not having sex anyway.
Warnings: (DH spoilers, violence, language, sort of pre-slash, no dirty sex this time, characters exploring the dark side, AU - begins near the end of DH; Character death - not Harry or Severus)
Summary: How far would you go to protect everything you believed in? And what if you had been deceived all along?
Author Notes: God bless Gavilan, my beta. She is the greatest sounding board and grammarian not to mention giving clarity to my visions. She has suffered through two vacations and many discussions in restaurants while I tried to make sense of this. Also, one section* at the beginning is based upon a scene in the forest at the end of DH. You’ll recognize it. And I use a line from the movie “Network” [I’m mad as hell…]**
The amazing art related to this fic is by artisticentropy.
King of Swords
Death Sentence
By Cyane Snape
“You, the condemned, by order of the Council of Magic and my rights as the Chosen One, Heir of Magic and Lord of the Fae, I hereby banish you to the everlasting torments of Hades.
“In the name of Helga Hufflepuff, I condemn you to Hell for betraying the loyalty of generations of magical folk.
“In the name of Rowena Ravenclaw, I condemn you to Hell for using the gift of knowledge to further your platitudes of evil.
“In the name of Godric Gryffindor, I condemn you to Hell for sacrificing the brave and courageous in your never-ending desires for total domination of the Wizarding world.
“In the name of Salazar Slytherin, I condemn you to Hell for the lies and propaganda that you have spread about this noble house and the people who refused to follow your warped ideals.
“In the name of Merlin, I hereby strip you of all magical powers and return your stolen powers to those to whom they rightfully belong.
“And in the name of Morgan Le Fay, my ancestress, I condemn you to the eternal fires of Hell for the lies, pain and deceit which you have inflicted upon me and my family for our entire lives.”
“I place my honor as your judge and executioner in the hands of the Fates. I truly and willingly sacrifice your life for the freedom of all magical folk throughout the world.”
The beautiful broadsword of unknown origins was held high above the wizard’s head, its hilt encrusted with rare and ancient gemstones and its blade etched with runes. In later years, it was rumored to have actually been the sword of Arthur Pendragon, Excalibur, but its master laughed and merely hinted that everyone knew that Sir Percival had returned Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake centuries earlier.
One swift downward thrust into the neck of the prisoner severed his spinal cord. Six broad strokes severed the body into six large pieces, each one delivered to members of the Council of Magic to be buried in a secret and distant location. The head remained with the executioner as a grisly souvenir. As the six members who represented the Veela, Vampires, Werewolves, Goblins, Fae and Wizards in the Council of Magic received their bloody gift, each knelt to the ground in obedience with bowed head in homage to their new ruler, the Chosen One.
The new Dark Lord was born.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Earlier in time…
Harry Potter looked out over the devastation of the once-beautiful grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Mammoth black craters scorched the earth as thick black smoke filled the sky, blocking the moonlight. It was nearly midnight and the assembled group of Light warriors had been fighting Voldemort’s Death Eaters for several hours. Lord Voldemort himself had yet to make an appearance at the blood-bath, but somehow Harry knew that the Dark Lord was merely waiting for Harry to come to him.
It really is sad, Harry thought. A bunch of school-aged children and what is left of the faculty and the Order of the Phoenix trying to win a battle that they cannot win.
The Battle of Hogwarts raged on and on without any sign of an end to the fighting. The Light had already lost Fred Weasley inside the castle and Remus Lupin had been injured trying to save Tonks, but the young Auror had fallen under a curse from an unknown Death Eater. The last Harry had seen Remus he was tearing a path through the black-robed enemy, eliminating two and three Death Eaters at a time. Harry knew that Tonks had not been Remus’ true mate, but he had loved her in his own way and they had a new baby that would never see his mother again. Remus’ grief for the mother of his child was a tangible pain totally encompassing the werewolf. Harry quickly vowed that he would help Remus raise Teddy as best he could, that is, if he himself survived the night - which was unlikely.
As he stood at the line of trees on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, Harry lifted the sword of Gryffindor in his left hand and his wand in his right, readying himself to rejoin his comrades. The stress and heartache of the battle was beginning to take its toll on the young wizard.
And here he now stood, a boy of seventeen waiting to walk to his own death. Oh, yes, Harry Potter understood that he was the last Horcrux, that he was the one who had to die in order to kill Voldemort. He was ready to die.
His thoughts returning to the present, Harry turned into the forest, ready to meet his fate. He was tired, cold and trembling and almost didn’t have the strength to lift the heavy sword, much less use it. He pulled the forgotten snitch out of the pouch at his neck and whispered, “I am about to die.” The metal shell broke open and a stream of silvery vapor escaped from the small orb and several nearly-corporeal forms began to surround him - Fred Weasley, Mad-Eye Moody, Tonks, and finally…Dobby, the beloved house-elf that had saved him from death at Malfoy Manor. A flutter on the breeze caught Harry’s attention and he looked over his head to find Hedwig’s spirit soaring in the trees. They were there to lead him to Voldemort and certain death.
“Does it hurt?”
The childish question had fallen from Harry’s lips before he could stop it.
“Dying? Not at all,” said Fred. “Quicker and easier than falling asleep.”…
“You’ll stay with me?” said Harry.
“Until the very end,” said Tonks.*
“Follow me, Harry Potter, sir. I will show you the way.” Dobby reached out trying to grasp his favorite wizard’s hand but failed to do so. The small spirit began to cry into his hands, “I am sorry, Harry Potter, sir. Dobby cannot touch you and help you when you need him the most. I have failed.”
Harry knelt down near the elf and said, “Dobby, you have never failed me, in fact, I owe you a life debt. You saved my life at the Malfoys’ and now I can never repay that debt. Perhaps I can repay you when I join you on the next great adventure, but right now I need to meet with Voldemort. If you lead the way, I will follow you.”
Dobby, the faithful house elf, and Hedwig led Harry deeper into the forest as Moody and Tonks flanked him on either side. Deeper into the dark, chilling woods with every step, Harry had immediately lost the noise of the battle. Edging closer and closer to the spot where Harry believed he would find the Dark Lord, Dobby stopped and perked his ears.
“Master Harry, sir? There is Death Eaters just through that ring of trees, but the Dark Lord is not there.”
Harry looked at the apparitions that had accompanied him and tilted his head, thinking. He knew what he wanted to do but he didn’t know if he could get safely through a large contingency of Death Eaters before reaching Voldemort.
“Dobby, how many Death Eaters are in there?”
Dobby reached out, “There are two, Master Harry: Lord Malfoy and another one.”
“TWO? Why just two? What is Malfoy up to? …Is it a trap? Tonks, Moody? What do you think?”
“Probably,” replied Moody.
Harry knew that Moody had no love for Lucius Malfoy, but his paranoia kept him alive…well, until recently.
Tonks interrupted, “But why would they be there, Harry? Just two Death Eaters… without any sort of protection.”
Harry asked, “What are the two Death Eaters doing, Dobby?”
“They are just waiting, Master Harry.”
“For me?”
“For you, I think.”
~*~*~*~*~
Harry Potter, the Chosen One, walked into the small clearing ready to meet his fate. He knew that Lucius Malfoy would not dare to kill him, but he also knew that the quickest way to Lord Voldemort was arriving unannounced in the clearing.
As he entered the clearing, he saw Lucius Malfoy standing quite casually with his back against a large tree. His wand was pointed down towards the man slumped at his feet. As his captive convulsed under the onslaught of a Cruciatus curse, Lord Malfoy raised his eyes and caught the glare of the Boy Who Lived.
Harry eyed the older man suspiciously. The last two years had not been kind to Lord Malfoy. He had suffered in Azkaban for sure, but the man was not the imposing presence he once was. He was much thinner than the last time Harry had seen him and the hollowness in his cheeks was also reflected in his eyes.
“What happened to you? You look awful.” Harry spit out without thinking.
“Ah, Mr. Potter, so kind of you to join us. Considering how I looked when I left Azkaban, I could pose for Witch Weekly with the way I look now. But enough of my grooming details. The Dark Lord has asked me to deliver a gift to you. This…thing… is a very special gift. In fact, it is such a special gift that I believe that it will completely change your life.”
Harry looked down at the dark robes as Lucius kicked at the twitching body with his designer boots. As the body turned onto its back, long dark hair fell away from an angular sallow face to reveal…”
“Is that SNAPE?”
Instantly Harry’s wand dug deep into the hollow of Lucius Malfoy’s neck, a death curse on the tip of Harry’s tongue. Forgoing the anticipated fear Harry expected to see in his eyes, Lucius merely stood quietly until Harry’s rage calmed to a reasonable level. Getting no reaction from the blond, Harry slowly pulled away, keeping his wand trained on the older wizard.
“Are you quite finished with your posturing, Mr. Potter?” Lucius calmly asked. The blond did not look in the least threatened.
Having no idea what to say to that, Harry mumbled, “Erm…yes.”
“Good, then remain where you are.”
Lucius reached deep into his robes and Harry’s wand went up once more, forgetting that Lucius’ wand was stored in his cane. Ever so slowly, the blond pulled his hand out and showed the young man an antique pocket watch. Lucius opened the watch and checked the time.
“Ah, yes. Here we go. It should happen…just…about… NOW.”
Lucius closed the watch and pointed to Snape’s quivering body. Slowly the body began to twist and turn as it lifted a few inches off the ground. It turned slowly and began a process that was undeniably a body whose Polyjuice potion was finally wearing off. After a few moments it was all over.
Harry looked down. What the fuck?
Lucius picked up the Death Eater and shoved him into Harry’s arms. As the young man struggled with the heavy weight, Lucius forced a small coin into Harry’s back pocket. The blond slapped Harry on the arse and shouted the activation word, “Vindicare!” The young Chosen One disappeared by Portkey, never to return to the Wizarding world as the same man it had once known.
Lucius allowed himself a small smile of pleasure before removing any and all traces of evidence that might reveal what had happened in that clearing. After brushing the imaginary dirt from his robes, he apparated home to his bedroom suite for what he hoped was the first peaceful, uninterrupted night’s sleep that he had had in many years. For once, everything was right with the world.
&&&&&&&&&
By all that is magic, I hate this fucking job! If it isn’t one thing, it’s another. I didn’t sign up for this and I certainly didn’t volunteer. All my life I have been trained for one thing and one thing only, to rid the world of Voldemort, and now, just as I am ready to sacrifice myself so that the world will be free of his evil, I get one more swift kick in the balls. Well, I quit. I’m not doing this anymore. I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.** I am so bloody sick and tired of fighting and lies and deception and people trying to run my life! From now on the only person I’m going to trust is…ME!
Harry Potter was not happy. Not in the least. It was four in the morning and he was tired. He was hungry and tired and wanted to shower and sleep more than anything. He just didn’t care anymore. He stormed through the long corridor in search of the one person in the world that would tell him the truth. He didn’t understand how he knew this to be a fact, but he did. The man had never lied to him. He might have tried to kill him on occasion, he might have purposely withheld information when necessary…but he had never lied.
What bothered Harry the most was the lump of human flesh that he was dragging down the hallway. The lump of flesh was a body. A human body. A body that had been stunned and dragged mercilessly without thought of comfort across the rough terrain surrounding Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry until he had become Harry’s prisoner in that clearing. A body that he hated more than anything else in his fucked up life. The long black robes ripped and tore as the body knocked into statuary and relics along the walls, and none too gently.
Just what the bloody hell was going on?
~*~*~*~*~
Harry dragged the body into the dismal room at the end of the hall. At the far side of the room sat Lord Voldemort, the Dark Lord. He was quietly drinking a cup of tea as well as nibbling an almond biscotti and didn’t seem at all surprised that Harry Potter had just arrived with a stunned body in tow.
“Dear Harry, it’s so good of you to join me this evening. Why don’t you sit down and make yourself comfortable? Feel free to drop your baggage anywhere.” The Dark Lord indicated a matching chair to the side of him next to the fireplace.
“I’ll stand for now. I got your ‘present’ - now would you mind telling me what the fuck is going on? WHY was Lucius Malfoy torturing what looked to be Severus Snape? Well it WAS Snape until he turned into Cornelius Fucking Fudge? And why would Fudge polyjuice himself into Snape in the first place?”
“Sit down, Harry. This will take a while to explain.”
“You had better make this good, Snake Man, because I just learned that the object of all my wet dreams was really Cornelius Fudge and NOT Severus Snape!! The mere thought of it makes me want to cut off my dick!”
Harry sat after throwing Fudge, still stunned, in a corner near Nagini. The snake rubbed against the former Minister and licked his face.
“Nagini, get down! You may eat Fudge later.” Voldemort ordered.
“Why was Fudge pretending to be Snape? And where the bloody FUCK is Severus Snape?”
Voldemort looked at Harry and chuckled, “Relax, Harry, Fudge didn’t begin impersonating Snape until after the Ministry of Magic fiasco at the end of your fifth year.”
Harry gave Voldemort a look and a finger salute that let the Dark Lord know that his attempt at humor was not appreciated.
“Where’s Snape?” asked Harry. Harry had been trying to cultivate a relationship with Snape in spite of Snape’s, well Fudge’s, continued resistance. Harry felt a connection to the older man that could not be ignored, but he didn’t know why and he knew that there was something there, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Granted the budding relationship had suffered in the last year after the Potion Master’s disappearance at the end of his sixth year. Harry had tried to prove Snape’s involvement with Dumbledore’s death had been at the Headmaster’s insistence. But now, that wasn’t even Snape who killed Dumbledore? If Voldemort was telling the truth, Fudge had actually killed the Headmaster.
Voldemort explained, “Fudge has been polyjuicing himself as a favor to Albus Dumbledore these last two years. That’s why he taught Defense instead of Potions during your sixth year. Fudge would never have been able to pass himself off as a Potions Master. After the Department of Mysteries disaster, Fudge had no career left, no money and nowhere to go. Dumbledore put him on his payroll and he’s been spying for him as a Death Eater ever since.”
“But Dumbledore’s been dead for over a year.”
“What if I told you that you that Dumbledore is still alive?”
Harry looked at the dark wizard as if he were totally insane, which at this point Harry totally believed.
“What if I told you that I have never wanted to kill you? What if I told you that everything you’ve ever believed to be true was only the manipulation of an evil mind, the mind of Albus Dumbledore? Better than that, what if I told you that Dumbledore faked his own death?”
Needless to say, Harry was shocked. “Well, I would say that I’m going to need some proof. Forgive me, but I’m having a bit of a problem with trust issues today. And besides, what’s in it for you, Mr. Big Dark Lord? Why are you doing this and why haven’t you killed me?”
“I understand your confusion, Harry, and I will answer those questions. But first of all, what if I told you that I could give you back the most important person in your life?”
“Sirius?” Harry was looking hopeful.
“No. Severus Snape. I saw Albus Dumbledore capture Severus at the Ministry that same night Black fell into the veil.”
Harry couldn’t believe his ears. “Snape? Important to me? Right. I was there that night at the Department of Mysteries. Snape and Dumbledore weren’t even a part of that battle. Dumbledore wasn’t there until that battle with you in the Atrium.”
Lord Voldemort stood and crossed to the side of the room, opening a small cupboard and removing something. He slowly walked across the room and came to kneel at Harry Potter’s feet. Harry could see that he carried a shallow container in his hands and he recognized it as a Pensieve.
“Harry, while I know that Legilimency has never been easy for you, I know that you are familiar with a Pensieve and I have a memory that I want you to see.”
The Dark Lord placed his wand against his forehead and removed a long silvery strand of smoke that Harry recognized as a memory. He would never understand why he trusted Voldemort at that moment, but Harry took the Dark Lord’s hand and leaned into the Pensieve. Suddenly everything was just as it had been that night so long ago. It began just as Harry remembered with Lucius and the Death Eaters capturing Harry and his friends. Harry was surprised to find that the Dark Lord had been standing away from the veil, hidden in the shadows. Suddenly, as Harry remembered, the Order began to arrive and the spells began flying.
Harry saw Lucius drop the prophecy and felt the Dark Lord’s irritation at Lucius’ ineptitude. All at once, Sirius was fighting with Bellatrix and a red curse hit his godfather in the chest, pushing him back into the veil. Harry watched as the witch taunted his younger self and led him on a chase out of the room. Voldemort touched older-Harry to prevent him from following the two out of the room. Harry watched as the Death Eaters were captured by the Order members and Dumbledore gave orders as to where they should be taken. Snape had appeared next to Voldemort’s side at some time during the battle and looked around at the destruction.
“Where’s Potter?” Snape asked.
“He’s off chasing Bella. She has completely destroyed everything we had hoped to accomplish with young Potter. Lucius has inadvertently destroyed the only proof that we had about the prophecy’s true wording and the other source is irretrievable at this point. Tonight was to be our night to show him the truth, Severus, and Bella couldn’t control her irrational hatred. She did something incredibly stupid,” Voldemort volunteered.
“Not that I’m surprised, but what?” Snape asked.
“She sent Sirius Black through the veil.”
“Harry’s god-mutt? He adores that mongrel. Where is Harry now?”
Voldemort pointed to the doorway on the side of the room. “He chased her through there and that corridor leads to the Atrium. I will follow young Potter and try to clean up this mess. You see if you can retrieve Black from the veil.”
Harry watched as Voldemort cast a Disillusionment spell upon himself and moved toward the door in order to follow younger Harry into the Atrium. The Dark Lord turned around to check on Severus. The Potions Master was whispering a complex incantation and Sirius Black began to reappear in the portal of the veil. From behind, Dumbledore quietly stood behind Severus.
“Incarcerus!” shouted the Headmaster. Dumbledore used his wand to push Severus forward into Sirius, who fell back into the horrible dark veil.
“I’m sorry, Severus, but you know my darkest secrets and I cannot let you share that information with young Harry nor can I allow Black to come back through the veil to aid his godson.”
Severus was magically bound and, with a flourish, he disappeared into the veil, a fact that would be known only to the Headmaster. Dumbledore then obliviated all the remaining Order members who had witnessed, but not overheard, his treachery. He erased the memory of his confrontation with Severus from their minds completely. Only Voldemort remained unscathed, hiding in the shadow of the doorway and watching as the Headmaster covered up his nefarious deeds in the Department of Mysteries.
Harry felt the pull and once again found himself sitting next to Lord Voldemort, the Pensieve resting on his lap.
“Why would Dumbledore do that? Why Sirius? And where is Severus, uh, Snape?” Harry cried.
Voldemort stood and put the Pensieve away. He knew it was difficult for the young man to accept everything the Dark Lord had told him. Harry had been taught that Voldemort was the enemy, the one that the world feared. They didn’t know that the monster he was today was the product of abuse and neglect, just like Harry. Young Tom Riddle had also trusted Albus Dumbledore, but had eventually seen through his lies. He couldn’t let that happen to Harry, not when there was the possibility that he could get the young wizard to join forces with him. Voldemort was not a nice man. He had killed and tortured people for many years, but he really had no hard feelings for the young man sitting quietly by the fire. He turned to face the young wizard who was now deeply troubled.
“I’m not sure, Harry, but I have a theory, one that I cannot prove here and now but that you possibly could later, but first we should question Cornelius.”
The Dark Lord pointed his wand at the fake-Snape, “Enervate!” Cornelius Fudge opened his eyes and searched nervously around the room.
“Where…where am I? Where is Albus?” the cornered man asked.
Voldemort looked at Harry. “I told you he was still alive.”
In that moment, all of Harry’s frustrations from the past years boiled over and exploded. Harry pulled back his left arm and punched the former Minister of Magic squarely on the jaw. The sound of breaking bones under his fist acted as a healing balm to Harry’s soul. The younger wizard then squatted down in front of the former Minister and placed the point of his wand in the center of Fudge’s forehead. “Shut up, Fudge. I would like nothing more than to kill you where you are, but the Dark Lord and I have some questions for you and for once in your life, tell the truth.”
Voldemort knelt next to Harry and handed him a small bottle, which the young man instantly recognized. Green eyes danced with excitement. The Dark Lord forced Fudge’s jaw open and Harry poured most of the contents of the Veritaserum onto Fudge’s tongue. Harry really didn’t care if Fudge died from an overdose. Now he could do nothing but tell the truth. Within seconds, his eyes were glassy and calm.
Voldemort began to ask his questions. He already knew the answers, but the Dark Lord realized that it was imperative for Harry to hear the answers from Fudge’s own mouth. “Why did Dumbledore fake his death?”
Fudge stared at Harry. “He wanted to keep Harry from developing a relationship with Snape. Dumbledore was afraid of the power at their disposal.”
Voldemort continued, “Why was he afraid of Harry and Severus?”
Fudge tried to fight the serum, but failed. “He wanted to keep Harry in the dark about his true heritage as the Chosen One. He needed to hide Harry’s connection to Severus Snape.”
“Why did he want to keep Snape away from me?” Harry asked.
The words fell freely from Fudge’s mouth now. “Dumbledore knew that the true prophecy was coming to fruition soon and he had to eliminate Snape from the plan. Dumbledore wanted to win the war at any cost before Harry’s seventeenth birthday. He could not let Harry reached his magical maturity and Severus was a big part of that. At age seventeen, all the magical blocks and control spells that Albus had placed on Harry would be cancelled. Harry would then realize his true magical power and potential. Albus couldn’t bear to lose that much control. Dumbledore planned to have Harry die in battle before that happened.”
Harry pressed his wand deeper into Fudge’s forehead, “And just WHY did Dumbledore plan for me to die?”
Cornelius knew that he shouldn’t answer that question, but he couldn’t prevent it. “He knew that you would fulfill the real prophecy if you weren’t stopped.”
“But what about Snape? Why was he important in all this?”
Fudge knew that he was a dead man. “Snape had to die because he was betrothed to you shortly after your birth. In Dumbledore’s eyes, Lily and James betrayed the Light by promising you to Snape.”
Harry turned to Voldemort. “Did you know about all this?”
“Yes. Lily and James discovered the old man’s crimes against their families and were working as spies for me,” he replied.
“My parents worked for you?”
“They had worked for me since finishing at Hogwarts. They were my greatest source of information on the so-called Light.”
Harry was more confused than ever. “Why did you keep this idiot around with the Death Eaters if you knew he wasn’t really Snape?”
Voldemort shrugged, “He was very useful at transmitting false information. I couldn’t act upon everything I knew until I could talk to you and convince you that you had been deceived. Are you beginning to question everything you’ve been taught, Harry? Can you see that Albus Dumbledore has fed you false information since your first day at Hogwarts?”
“I’m almost convinced, but first I need for you to prove that Albus Dumbledore is still alive. I still don’t see what’s in it for you.”
The Dark Lord smiled, “I’ll give you Black and Snape if you give me Dumbledore. We can remake this into a better world together. I’ll even make sure that werewolf of yours is named a hero to the world with full rights as a wizard.” He offered his long bony hand to the younger wizard. “Is that a deal, Mr. Potter?”
Harry looked at Voldemort and knew inside that he had been convinced of Dumbledore’s treachery. It was only a matter of time until he openly declared his allegiance to the Dark Lord. “It’s a deal, only all magical creatures get the same rights not just one werewolf. I want vampires and goblins and every other creature included. Oh, and no more crap about Muggles and Half-Bloods either.”
“Harry, Harry, Harry. Who told you all that propaganda about Muggles and Half-Bloods? Albus?”
“Well, yes.”
“Harry, I’m a Half-Blood myself. WHY would I preach about blood purity? That’s Dumbledore’s story. He’s the one controlling the press and the Ministry, not me. My only plans are to become a benevolent dictator.”
“What about the raids and the Muggle murders?”
“That wasn’t my Death Eaters. Can you imagine someone like Lucius Malfoy willingly in the company of Muggles, even if just to kill them? I think not. All I want to do, with the support of my followers, is protect the magical world from the prying eyes of Muggles. You just need to look at past history of burnings and witch trials to see what would happen to our world if Muggles were to gain that kind of knowledge.”
Harry thought those words over very carefully. “Okay, so for the sake of argument, let’s say that all this is true. How are you going to prove it?”
The Dark Lord pulled a bell cord, calling for one of his minions. “I can’t prove it here, Harry, but I will take you somewhere that I think will prove it to you.”
Bellatrix Lestrange strutted in swaying her hips in a distorted attempt at seduction. Voldemort rolled his eyes.
“Bella, take our friend here to the dungeons. Tell the boys that they may play with him as they wish and afterwards give him to Nagini.”
The witch smiled an evil smile at Harry and grabbed him by the arm, trying to drag him away. The Dark Lord slapped her hand away, “Not him, you insufferable twit, Fudge - take him down to the dungeons.”
The witch snarled at Harry as she dragged Cornelius Fudge out of the room. The Dark Lord grabbed his outer robes and handed a clean set of robes to Harry. As they dressed for the cool night air, Harry had another question.
“Tom? May I call you Tom?”
“Of course, Harry.”
“Tom, when all this is settled, can I have Bellatrix?”
“Absolutely, Harry.”
Harry couldn’t prevent the evil smirk of revenge that appeared on his face. As the Dark Lord led Harry out of the room, he shouted back to the large snake, “Nagini, dinner!”
~*~*~*~*~
… Somewhere on the southwestern coastline.
Harry and the Dark Lord had apparated to a small fishing village on the southwestern coast. After transfiguring their attire into Muggle clothing, they stopped for breakfast at a local eatery. Harry dug into the fluffy eggs and crisp sausages and thought about the last few hours and how his life had changed.
“They’re probably looking for me.”
Tom set down his tea, “Who?”
“Everybody at Hogwarts. We were in the middle of a battle, you know. People died.”
“In war, people always die. It’s unfortunate that you lost friends, Harry, but I really am trying to make this a better world- a world without the influence of Albus Dumbledore. The Ministry is totally corrupt. Look at Fudge… and Scrimgeour isn’t much better. That Weasley fellow and Shacklebolt are probably the only honest men there.”
Harry swallowed and thought for a moment. “Why would you care about honest men?”
Tom sighed. “Have I ever lied to you, Harry? I admit that I have tried to kill you, but I have never lied to you.”
Harry dropped his eyes to stare at his hands. “Why did you try to kill me, Tom? If my mum and dad worked for you, why kill me?”
“You were under Dumbledore’s control and a dangerous threat to my welfare. It wasn’t until after I regained my body that I learned how similar we truly are- years of neglect and abuse, lies from Dumbledore. Before that I truly believed you to be my enemy.”
Harry pushed his plate away from him. “What about my friends? Has that all been a lie too? Were they working for Dumbledore?”
“No, Harry, Dumbledore lied to everyone, including your friends. I believe that your friends are as true to you as friends can be, the Order of the Phoenix also. They are all merely pawns in Dumbledore’s plan to control everything.”
Tom paid the server for their meal and indicated to Harry that they should leave.
“One more question?” Harry asked.
The Dark Lord smirked, “Yes?”
“What about all that information Dumbledore gave me about the Horcruxes? How does that fit into all this?”
Tom led Harry out onto the street and they began walking up the hill toward a castle ruin. “What did he tell you about them?”
Harry wasn’t sure that he should be telling the Dark Lord about the Horcruxes, but … since he made them in the first place Harry guessed that Tom should already know everything about them.
“He told me that you had split your soul to try to gain immortality. He said that you had chosen relics from the founders and your past and implanted a piece of your soul in each of them. He even hinted that I might be one because of my scar.”
“First, I didn’t give you that scar, you were born with it. It’s more of a birthmark than anything. And second, I didn’t make any Horcruxes, Harry. Have you ever found anything about Horcruxes in your research at Hogwarts? I know that Muggle-born friend of yours is a brilliant witch and lives in the library. Did she ever find anything?”
“Uh, no.”
“You see, yet again Dumbledore has filled your head with false information. What exactly did he tell you these Horcruxes were?”
“Well, there was your diary in my second year.”
Tom sneered, “A residue of magic found remaining in my old diary, nothing more.”
Harry thought some more. “What about Nagini?”
“She’s my familiar, that is all. A wizard’s familiar has a unique bond with its master, to the point of telepathic communication.”
“Okay, those can be explained, but what about Slytherin’s locket and ring, Ravenclaw’s diadem, and Hufflepuff’s cup?”
The Dark Lord turned and faced the young wizard. “Can’t you see, Harry? Even after his supposed death, in his need for power Dumbledore had you systematically destroying the last relics containing the remnants of magic from the four founders.”
Harry couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “But if he has me destroying the legacy of the founders, there’s nothing to represent Gryffindor.”
Tom looked directly into the green eyes of the young man before him, “But don’t you see, Harry? There is a Gryffindor relic.”
Harry continued to stare at the older wizard just hoping to understand what he was trying to say. Suddenly he understood.
“It’s me, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Harry.”
“And that’s why he wants me dead, isn’t it?”
“Among other things.”
“What other things?”
“Follow me and I’ll show you.”
~*~*~*~*~
Harry and Voldemort approached the castle ruins that stood on top of a large outcropping of rock. Directly in front of the ruins stood an ancient oak tree. Harry supposed that ten or twelve people would be needed to be able to link arms around the old tree. The thick branches were gnarled and bare, not a leaf to be seen. In fact, it didn’t look as if it had had leaves in many long years. At the center of the trunk was a knot.
Voldemort brushed away what could have possibly been years of debris and stepped closer to the knot. When Harry stepped closer, he could see that it wasn’t only a knot, but in the center of the knot was a clear white stone nearly the size of his fist. Tom removed his wand from his trousers and touched the stone. Nothing happened.
“Harry, did you see that? Nothing happened when I touched the stone.”
Harry thought that this whole experience was a little underwhelming. “Yeah, so?”
The Dark Lord stood back from the tree. “Harry, have you ever heard the legend of the Sword in the Stone?”
“Isn’t that the legend about King Arthur and Excalibur?”
“Right you are, Harry, but that’s not the only legend from Merlin’s time. There is another, even older legend - or shall we say prophecy- that comes from Merlin’s youth. It is a prophecy about one who will come to save the world.”
“Erm, okay, but what does that have to do with me?”
“Touch your wand to the stone, Harry.”
Harry slipped his wand out of his jeans and pressed the stone in the tree. The young man was immediately engulfed by a light so white that he was temporarily blinded. Voldemort was also trapped within the circle of light. A cyclonic wind blew up and twisted and turned the young Gryffindor off the ground. His body convulsed as his bones stretched and muscles thickened. Harry’s only thought was that if this was anything like Remus went through every month, he didn’t think he could handle it. As suddenly as it started, it stopped and Harry was gently settled on the ground.
He hadn’t changed much actually. His body was several inches taller and a bit more muscular, but nothing drastic had changed except that magic seemed to radiate from his body. He tried to look at his bodily changes but his vision was blurred. Removing his now-useless glasses, Harry looked at the changes with literally new eyes. He now appeared as a healthy young man, not the scrawny teen he had always been. Now at six feet tall, he ran his hands up and down, trying out the new feel of his body.
Damn, I could have at least grown wings or fangs or something cool. I just look like a taller me.
Harry James Potter always was one for understatement. The amount of raw magic circling the young wizard would have been enough to scare away the bravest of souls, but Harry was neither amused nor scared.
He looked up at Tom Riddle from his place on the ground. The Dark Lord no longer looked like Voldemort from his resurrection. He now resembled the young Tom Riddle from his diary. Harry glared at Tom with a grimace on his face and said, “All right, what the bloody hell was that?”
Tom avoided the question by helping Harry to his feet. “Take the stone from the tree, Harry, if you can.”
Harry reached in and easily took the stone from its resting place then looked at Tom with a “what next?” expression.
Tom continued his instructions. “Now place the stone against your wand and quickly crush them together as hard as you can.”
Harry did as he was told and gold light surrounded both him and Tom. In his hand, Harry no longer held his wand. Harry now held a long staff with the clear stone set into the top. The staff was carved with runes that Harry couldn’t hope to read or understand. They twisted around the staff along a delicately curved vine pattern. The power levels of magic thrumming through the staff rippled up and down the arm of the startled wizard. The young man looked up to ask Tom another question but was shocked to see that instead of the castle ruins, there now stood a massive stone castle in its place.
It took a lot to amaze Tom Riddle. He had seen and done so much in his life, but now he had witnessed something that he had only hoped was true. The Dark Lord gazed in wonder from the castle to the young wizard standing before him.
“You are the Chosen One.”
Harry turned to Tom, “Uh, right. Chosen by whom?”
“The Fae. You are the chosen Lord of the Fae.”
Harry looked at the Dark Lord like he’d lost his mind. Harry then did the one thing that Voldemort had never expected the young man to do. He turned on his heel and stalked off down the dirt road, alternately screaming and muttering to himself all the way.
“Oh, FUCK NO! I’m not doing it. All my life, somebody has wanted something from me and I’m not doing it. Who do they think they are? I am not a fairy or an elf or whatever you said. My mum was a Muggle and my dad was just a wizard. I am not some kind of special magical creature freak to add onto being a regular magical freak. The fucking Fae can fight their own damn war. I’m going home.”
“This is your home, Harry.”
THAT stopped the young wizard in his tracks. Harry groaned to himself. He knew that if he turned around, Tom was going to say something really important to change his mind. Home - Harry had never had a home until he went to Hogwarts and here was Tom telling him that this beautiful castle was Harry’s home. All he had ever wanted was a home and a family. The teen turned around with a snarl of contempt on his face and faced the Dark Lord, ready for what ever it was he was going to say that would blow his whole world out of the water.
“All right. Explain.”
“The Fae are from a place called Old Land or Aldland and they are the Guardians of Magic. All magic originates from the Fae, including elemental magic. The stone you pulled from the tree is called the Stone of the Heir. There is an ancient prophecy about an Heir of Magic who will unite the world. That symbol on your forehead - the lightning bolt - is the sign of Fae royalty, a birthmark if you will. You are the one heir, the Chosen One. You are the only one who could remove the stone. This does prove one of my theories. You are Merlin’s true heir and this is your castle.”
Harry looked at Tom and the old castle and promptly sat down on the ground, “Well, shit.”
Harry looked at the castle and looked at Tom. He was still confused.
“How do you fit into the big picture here, Tom? What’s in it for you?”
The older man snorted, he had been waiting for that question.
“My father was a Muggle who had descended from a line of squibs, but my mother’s line was pureblood. The magic died out in my father’s family hundreds of years ago, but when I began to research the ancestry lines I found that his family had married into the vampire clans. Thus, I am connected to this world by wizard and vampire magic. My purpose has yet to be determined, but you are the one to set my fate in motion.”
“I believe, as the oldest prophecy states, that you are destined to unite all the magical races to defeat Dumbledore. By infusing the magic of magical creatures, the Wizarding world will be truly reborn and we won’t need Muggles to increase the birth rate. Magic will eventually purify itself through the magical creatures and no more squibs will be born and then abandoned in the muggle world. We both know what it’s like to be abandoned, don’t we?”
Harry ignored that last question. “Why don’t you look like a vampire then?”
“Harry, that vampire blood is a recessive trait in my father’s family now. It has not been activated in years. I always dreamed that when I reached my inheritance that somehow it would manifest, but I’m sorry to say that it didn’t. I’m merely a wizard.”
Harry snorted, “Right. Merely a wizard. Merely a wizard who’s the most powerful wizard on the planet and trying to take over the world.”
Voldemort helped Harry up off the ground and began to lead him up the bricked road to the castle.
“I’m not the most powerful any more, Harry. You are. And don’t forget that Dumbledore is still out there.”
“That is yet to be proven, Tom.”
“It will be, Harry.”
~*~*~*~*~*~
The two wizards approached a pair of large wooden doors. There was nothing on the door except some carved runes. No handles or grip of any kind could be seen, no way to open at all. Harry raised his wand hand up in front of the door, holding his staff in that hand. He felt a benevolent magic reach out to the tips of his fingers. The magic coursed through his body as if it were a naturally flowing element in his blood. A sudden burst of magic filled his body and lifted him off his feet, suspending him above the ground. As he floated in place, a soft female voice spoke to him.
“Welcome, Young Savior. I have waited many long years for you to arrive. Finally the lines of Arthur, Morgan Le Fay and Merlin have joined. You and your betrothed will bring peace and rule all those in the magical world.”
“Um, thank you. Erm…Who are you?” Harry asked. This was turning out to be a most unusual day.
A gentle laugh soothed his soul. “My name is too long and difficult to pronounce in a language long forgotten. I was created by he who created all things. But you may call me “Hope”, for that is what you bring.”
“Are you a ghost or spirit?”
“I am all that you see, all that you feel - all that is magic.”
“Oh.” Harry wasn’t sure that he was comforted by this information.
A delicate breeze caressed Harry’s face as he was set gently back on the ground.
“I understand that you are confused, Chosen One. Now that you have been purified by the Light, you may enter the castle and all will be explained.”
“Purified?”
“Yes, all old magics that have been forced upon you have been removed. There were power blockers and tracking charms as well as spells to stunt your growth. You have been returned to your naturally inherited power levels and physical appearance.”
“How long have those spells been there?”
“Since you were an infant.”
“Did my parents place them on me?”
“No.”
“Who then?”
“I think you already know the answer to that question, young prince. You may now enter.”
“What about Tom? May he enter?”
“Of course, Chosen One. The Firestarter may enter with you.”
Harry turned to Tom, “Firestarter?”
Tom was quick to clarify the statement. “Do you remember the battle at the Ministry, Harry?”
Harry nodded.
“As I said before, you are now the most powerful wizard alive, but I am not totally without skills. I am an elemental wizard. There are four elementals, each of whom controls one element. When an elemental dies, another is born as replacement. A new elemental has not been born since 1960, which was a spectacular year. In that year, three new elementals were born. I however only control one element, fire, therefore I am not a powerful elemental. Hope called me Firestarter because of this power. I am but one of the four who wait to serve the master. The master of the elementals can control all four elements and you are that master, Harry.”
Harry sighed wearily to himself. Shit. Was there anything in his life experiences that was true? Had everything been a lie or manipulation by Dumbledore? Harry turned back to the castle and asked, “All right, then, Hope, the Firestarter is ready and so am I. So how do I open the door?”
“You have but to press your right hand to the door, Chosen One, and the door will open for you.”
Harry held up his hand and touched the door. At his touch, an intricate carving of runes and charms radiated out from the tip of his finger and spread across the massive doors. With a slow creak and the displacement of hundreds of years of dust and cobwebs, the ancient castle groaned and welcomed its new inhabitants.
Surprisingly, the interior of the main hall was spotless and warmed by several lit torches. A beautiful carpet in deep reds and earth tones adorned the floor. Two large tapestries covered blank expanses of wall.
Standing in the center of the main hall was the oldest house elf that Harry had ever seen. He had not a hair on his head, and made Kreacher look like a child. His tunic and trousers were made from fine black wool with delicate silver vine embroidery around the cuffs and hem, not at all the typical wardrobe of a house elf. The ancient elf slowly and reverently bowed low to the ground and spoke elegantly to the two wizards.
“Welcome, my Lords, we have waited many lifetimes for the coming of the Chosen One. I am Bundy and I am head of the family of elves that have been bound in service to this castle since the time of Merlin. We are free elves and serve through choice. My great-granddaughter Bindy will see to your immediate needs while I inform the others of your arrival. We shall have a meal ready as soon as you require it and accommodations for sleep will be prepared in the residence chambers. You have but to call for me and I will answer.”
Harry peered around the old elf to see a smaller elf looking up at him with wonderment in her eyes.
“Hello, Bindy,” Harry said and waved at the little elf.
Bundy disappeared with a ‘pop’ and with a squeak the little female elf bowed low and began to cry. “Oh, my Lord, we are so glad to see you. If there is anything Bindy can do to make you happy, you only have to ask. Is there anything that Bindy can do?”
Large tear-filled eyes gazed at Harry full of love and devotion. Harry sighed. It seemed that Bindy’s enthusiasm could rival Dobby’s. His smile faltered for a moment as he remembered his fallen friend.
“Bindy, I believe my companion and I would like some tea and to look around a bit. Where shall we meet you?”
The little elf bowed and pointed to her right, “That door leads into the Great Hall, my Lord, Bindy will have tea set up very quickly. I will keep it warm until you arrive.”
“Please call me Harry, Bindy.”
The small elf bowed low, “Yes, my Lord Harry,” and vanished.
Harry sighed. Oh, well, I tried.
Part 2