Chapter 8
Dumbledore looked gravely at everyone assembled, all his loyal Order members. "I have some bad news to report. Last night it was discovered that Harry Potter, along with his relatives and possibly Arabella Figg, are missing. Severus and Remus went to check on Harry after I received a concerning letter from Arabella. I'm afraid that the Dark Lord may have taken them."
Sirius was pale and trembling, this was his worst nightmare come true. Harry and Remus were the only people he truly cared about, they were his family. He wanted to storm Voldemort's hideout right now, but he had no idea where the evil bastard was hiding.
Remus lowered his head, his eyes stinging. He had spent five hours at the Dursley house as Dumbledore, Kingsley and Moody cast multiple spells on the house in an attempt to discover what happened, but all their tests came back inconclusive. One test did reveal something shocking, Harry hadn’t stepped foot in his relatives home in over four years. How had they not known that Harry wasn’t living with his aunt and uncle?
Eyes wide, Molly was covering her mouth with her trembling hand. “Oh, Albus, what are we going to do? I just can’t...Poor Harry in the hands of that mad man.”
Dumbledore pursed his lips, his eyes heavy. “We are going to do everything we can to rescue Harry and his family, but I’m afraid that we may already be too late. It has been three days since anyone has seen the Dursleys, I doubt we will find them alive.”
“Or in one piece.” Moody grunted.
“There is a chance that Harry wasn’t taken.” Remus said, his eyes scanning everyone assembled. “During your watch, did anyone actually see Harry?”
Tonk’s shook her head no. “I brought it up a few times that I thought it odd that I never saw Harry outside, but I was always brushed off.”
“Harry hasn’t been to his relatives house in years,” Severus explained. “As for the blood wards protecting Harry and his relatives, they fell when Harry was about five years old. Even before that they were weak and worthless.”
“So we have been wasting our time,” Mundungus grumbled. “guarding a boy that wasn’t even there in the first place.”
“I don’t understand, if Harry hasn’t been living with his aunt and uncle, where has he been living? Why did he leave them?”
“I’m sorry to report that Harry’s home life was less than ideal.” Dumbledore said with a heavy sigh.
“Less than ideal!” Sirius raged. “They beat him!”
Dumbledore held his hand up. “Now, Sirius, we don’t know that for sure. All we know is that...”
“Potter was kept in a small cupboard under the stairs where the wolf was able to sniff out blood and urine.” Severus sneered. “More test will be ran, but it is clear that Potter suffered abuse at his relatives hands.”
The kitchen door blew open with a loud crash against the opposite wall. “You don’t know for sure!” Fred cried, a pair of his extendable ears clutched tightly in his trembling fist. “First year Harry told you that his relatives hurt him. He begged you not to send him back. You knew, but you didn’t care. You sent him back anyway.”
“What?” Sirius hissed in shock.
“Now boys, that’s not entirely true. Harry did come to me before the end of the school year stating that he didn’t wish to return to his relatives because they didn’t get along, but I have learned over my many, many, many years of teaching children, that children tend to exaggerate and be dramatic. Harry had to return home to the safety of the blood wards.”
“There were bars on his windows!” George added not backing down. “He was locked in his room with a cat flap for food and a bucket to piss in.”
“I-I thought you were joking,” Molly whimpered. “I thought you were trying to get out of trouble for stealing the car.”
Remus narrowed his eyes at the enraged twins. “You know something?”
Fred shrugged. “We know a lot of somethings, doesn’t mean we are going to share with the class.”
“Did you know that Harry wasn’t living with his relatives?” Dumbledore questioned.
“Not until recently.” Fred admitted.
“How recently?” Sirius asked.
“Recently, recently,” Fred said sarcastically. “You’re not going to get anything out of us. We don’t snitch on our friends.”
“Brother.” George corrected. “Harry may not be blood, but he’s our brother.”
“Have you seen him recently?” Sirius pleaded. “Please, I just need to know that he’s safe.”
Fred and George looked to each other, silently communicating. “We have seen him,” George said unsurely, not wanting to break Harry’s trust but also feeling guilty at how desperate Sirius looked. “He wouldn’t tell us where he was staying, but he did admit to living on his own the past few years and that he was currently staying with an unknown wizard.”
“Harriekins was pretty tight lipped about where he was staying,” Fred added. “He’s going through some pretty big shit right now though so I doubt we will hear from him anytime soon.”
“What is he going through boys?”
Smirking, Fred mimed zipping his lips then throwing away the key.
Dumbledore pursed his lips angrily together. “This is not a game boys, this is Harry’s life. You’re smart enough to understand the kind of danger he is in. If you know where he’s at...”
“We don’t,” Fred and George said at the same time.
“Does this mean he hasn’t been taken by You-Know-Who?” Molly asked hopefully.
Dumbledore looked to his spy. “Severus, are you sure you haven’t heard anything about our young Mr. Potter or his family?”
“I have already told you that I haven’t heard anything. If the Dark Lord had the brat, he would have bragged to everyone and made it an epic celebration. Other than requesting potions, the Dark Lord has been quiet.”
“I’m afraid that’s even more concerning,” Dumbledore said, knowing how Tom Riddle worked. A quiet Tom Riddle meant that he was plotting something terrifying.
Severus had to agree with the Headmaster. Something was either occupying all the Dark Lord’s time, or he was plotting. Either way, no good was going to come from it. “I have to deliver some potions to him this evening, I’ll see what I can find out.”
Fred looked to George before clearing his throat. “Harry said he’d write to us. He’s staying with someone magical so he said he’d have access to an owl.”
Dumbledore’s eyes lit up. “Did he say when he’d be paying you a visit again?”
George’s eyes narrowed on the older wizard. “He won’t be, but even if he was we wouldn’t tell you. Harry said he wouldn’t come back, he doesn’t want to risk you finding him and dragging him back to his aunts.”
Dumbledore chuckled. “I think you’re mistaken, Harry would never hide from me. Harry sees me as a grandfather.”
Fred and George started laughing. “Harry doesn’t trust you as far as he can throw you. He confided in you that his relatives hurt him and you threw that trust away and sent him back. When you did that, you destroyed whatever trust he had in you.”
“Harry belongs with his family,” Dumbledore bit out angrily.
“Family!” Fred roared. “Harry chose living on the streets these past few summers over his loving family. You can keep lying to yourself if it makes you feel better for being a horrible headmaster, but we know the truth.”
“Fred!” Molly gasped in shock, not believing that her son was talking to Albus Dumbledore that way.
Arthur placed his hand over his wife’s. “Molly, Fred and George are adults, they’re allowed to speak their minds. It seems they know a lot more than us about Harry, his home life, and his relationship with Headmaster Dumbledore. Our boys may be mischief makers, but they have never been liars.”
“Has Harry really been living on the streets?” Remus asked brokenly.
“Ever since he was twelve.” George admitted.
“Merlin!” Sirius cried, burying his head in his hands. “My poor pup.”
“I think,” Dumbledore said, getting to his feet, “that we need to end this meeting until tempers cool. I beg of you boys to please alert me if you hear from Harry, this is a matter of life and death. I promise that I won’t send him back to his relatives, he can remain here until school starts.”
Fred snorted. “Seeing at it sounds like old Voldeshorts has his family, he can’t return anyway. I’m sure Harry would have appreciated your kindness years ago when he first came to you.”
“Good day, Headmaster,” Fred sniffed, grabbing his twin’s arm and then storming out the door.
“Teens,” Dumbledore said with exasperation, “always so dramatic. I’m sure that Harry hasn’t been living on the streets. Who here has seen him while on watch.”
“Albus, we have already established that Potter has not lived with his aunt for years,” Severus sneered. “All we are doing now is wasting time when we could be looking for the brat.”
“You are right, my dear fried. Forgive me. We will meet back here same time tomorrow. I beg of everyone to look for Harry, I’m afraid that the boy is in grave danger.”
***HP
Severus was getting ready to step into the floo when he was shoved harshly from behind. Just barely catching himself before going headfirst into the stone, he spun on his attacker, a curse on the tip of his tongue.
“Take me to my godson, you death eating piece of shit!” Sirius growled, his face red with anger.
“What the hell, Black, you rabid mutt! I don’t know where Potter is.”
“Don’t lie to me! Your master has my son and you’re going to take me to him.”
“Godson,” Severus corrected, “He’s your godson. And I don’t know where he is. If the Dark Lord has Potter, he hasn’t told anyone yet.”
“He has him, I know he does,” Sirius pointed his wand between Severus’ eyes. “You’re going to take me to him. Now!”
“Are you suicidal? The Dark Lord with kill you…and not quickly. He will torture you for days before killing you. How is that going to help your precious godson?”
Sirius answered with a fist to Severus’ face, breaking the man’s nose. Blooding pouring down his lips Severus roared. “Have it your way, Black!” Grabbing Sirius, he pulled him into the floo with him, the pair disappearing from Grimmauld Place.
***HP
Fingers coated in blood, Fenrir pressed down on the man’s mangled neck checking for a pulse. “I don’t think I’ll be able to bring him back this time. Sorry, old friend.” Standing up, he kicked the dead Muggle in the face.”
Voldemort frowned at the werewolf. “Muggles, they’re so damn weak. I had planned on torturing him for a few more weeks.”
“Should have thought of that before ripping his dick and balls off then pulling part of his intestines out his ass.”
Voldemort inclined his head. “I guess you’re right. Good thing we have three more muggles and an old squib.”
“Will Nagini eat him?” Fenrir asked, wiping the muggles blood off on the wall. They had really made a mess of the man. He may be a healer, but he had no problems torturing and killing a child rapist.
“According to her, muggles upset her stomach. I’ll have Wormtail take care of him.”
“So,” Fenrir started cautiously, following his lord out of the cell, “now that you have burnt off some energy and anger, what are your plans for your little Neko horcrux?”
“Strangle him with my bare hands,” Voldemort answered flatly. “The boy is a menace.”
“He’s also your horcrux and mate,” Fenrir pointed out with a shit eating grin.
“He’s not my mate!” Voldemort hissed, though in the back of his mind he knew that Fenrir’s words were true. He could feel it in his magic, Harry was his.
Fenrir chuckled. “The boy is your equal and the light to your darkness. Potter is your mate and your magic knows it as well as you do. You need to figure out how you’re going to handle him, your followers, as well as Dumbledore and his sheep. I don’t need to tell you how dangerous that man is and what evils he is capable of in the name of his greater good. Loath as I am to admit this, but I have come to like and care for the brat.”
“I admit,” Voldemort said grudgingly, “the boy is not what I expected. He may be light, but he wants nothing to do with this war or fighting.”
“Which is good seeing as he is your mate and horcrux.”
“Would you like to be cursed?” Voldemort bit out between clenched teeth. “You have already reminded me of that multiple times now. As for my answer, I don’t know yet. What I do know is Potter is too young and too traumatized for me to enter into a relationship with, but I will protect him and train him. He is too powerful to go untrained, he’s going to end up hurting himself.”
“And will you continue to help him with his little itch problem or will you let him seek out others. It doesn’t have to be sexual.”
The glamours fell on Voldemort’s eyes, the red of them flaring with the promise of pain. “If anyone touches what is mine, I will do to them what I did to the muggle trash who stole Harry’s innocence from him.”
Fenrir grinned. “And I will stand at your side waiting to take my pound of flesh. Potter is now my little lord too.”
Voldemort stiffened when he felt his wards. “Severus is here and he’s not alone. He has brought someone not tied to my wards with him.”
Fenrir’s eyes lit up. “Hopefully it’s someone to play with. You weren’t very good at sharing the last toy.”
“I’m not good at sharing at all,” Voldemort said darkly, his mind briefly going to the young Neko currently sleeping upstairs. He found himself hoping that Harry would need some help with his itch later.
***HP
Voldemort, in his full terrifying snake man form, glared down at the man he had silenced. Even after a couple rounds of crucios, Black was still ranting and raving at him and demanding that he free his godson.
Hearing chuckling, he looking to his old friend, who was leaning against the wall casually sipping on a fire whisky. “Can’t kill him, can you?”
“I can,” Voldemort growled.
“Not without upsetting your mate. You know the boy adores his godfather.”
“I should have strangled the brat the second he entered the muggle bar.”
Fenrir threw his head back howling with laughter. “Potter is going to be keeping you on your toes.”
Voldemort groaned. “If only I had succeeded years ago of ridding myself of the pesky brat. Now look where I am, unable to kill the one Black who has been a massive thorn in my side. Him and Potter senior are responsible for putting a lot of my followers into Azkaban.”
“And you killed Potter’s parents and have on more than one occasion attempted to kill him, yet he’s living here with you as happy as a kitten with a ball of yarn.”
“He’s a Gryffindor, I am not!”
Fenrir shrugged his shoulder. “You still can’t kill him. Lock him away in one of your spare rooms far away from Potter until you decide what to do with him.”
“He can reside in my dungeon with the muggles and squib.”
“And how do you think your mate will take that once he learns that Black is here?”
Voldemort grit his teeth with so much force that pain shot to his temples. “Fine! Mintzy!” He bellowed.
“Master Voldy,” Mintzy greeted in a small voice.
Voldemort pointed to Black who was still magically bound and muted. “Take Lord Black here and see him settled in a room as far away from Potter as you can get. He is to be treated as a guest, but he is still a prisoner. Mr. Potter is also not to know that is godfather is a guest of mine.”
Eagerly nodding her head, she grabbed Sirius’ arm then disappeared with him.
“I should AK Severus for bringing Black here.”
“Seeing how Severus’ nose was even more crooked than normal, I’m surprised that he hadn’t AK’d Black himself. Everyone knows how much Severus despises Black.”
Mintzy popped back into the room. “Lunch is ready, Master Voldy, and Harry boy is awake and whining about his eyes. He is a kitty again.”
Fenrir kicked off from the wall. “I’ll see to the pup. I need to check on his arm anyway. We will meet you for lunch.”
Voldemort was going to protest, that he could see to his boy himself, but when he looked down he saw that his robes were covered in the child molester’s blood. He could magically clean them, but magic never got them truly clean. He didn’t want to see the brat knowing that he was covered in the blood of the man that raped him when he was only eleven years old.
Fenrir silently shook his head as he watched his lord storm away. Just a few days ago he would have been cursed to hell and back for talking to him that way. He had always had more free reign with his actions around Voldemort seeing as they go back to when Voldemort had been Tom Riddle, but there had always been a line. The little Potter lord had his friend all out of sorts. He couldn’t wait to see what the next few months brought.
***HP
“Stop pouting all over your chicken,” Voldemort scolded, glaring at Potter.
“I’m not pouting,” Harry said, picking at his chicken while glaring at it. He was totally pouting, but like hell was he going to admit it.
Fenrir sighed. “We really need to work on your eating habits. We have a short window to get you healthy before your birthday, so stop skipping meals and picking at your food. Eat your chicken before I shove down your throat.”
Harry looked up to Voldemort, his cat eyes damn near glowing in the room. “I see now why the two of you get along so well. You’re both blood thirsty assholes.”
A slow grin spread across Voldemort’s face. “You have no idea, Potter. Fenrir and I have a long history together. The stories I could tell you. If only you weren’t such a little light lord.”
Fenrir held his drink up in a toast. “The dark have more fun, Potter, you should give it a try. I think we have a spare muggle or two laying around if you’d like to have a little fun.”
Harry’s mouth dropped open in shock. “No you don’t!” He said weakly. “You do?” He croaked out when both men just started at him.
Voldemort shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not, but your eyes are normal again. It seems you need a good shock to shock them back.”
Harry rapidly blinked his eyes, his shoulders slumping. “Oh thank, Merlin. I can’t go back to school with my eyes doing the freaky cat thing. I don’t want Dumbledore to know that I’m a Neko, I don’t trust him.”
Voldemort inclined his head in agreement. “You’re not as stupid as I thought.”
Harry rolled his eyes. “I’m having lunch with the man who killed my parents and who has been trying to kill me ever since I was a baby. Obviously there’s something wrong with my brain.”
“The kid has got you there,” Fenrir snickered.
“Let’s not forget that I’m also having lunch with the most feared werewolf in the world, who also just happens to be a pretty badass healer. Obviously years of being hit in the head with a frying pan damaged something important.”
Fenrir sat back in his chair, his eyes flicking to Voldemort’s, “I’m not sure if I should be offended, or if the boy just complemented me.”
Smirking Harry took a big bite out of his chicken. He really was starving, but so much was going on and he had so much on his mind that his stomach was in constant knots making it hard for him to eat. He still felt like this was all just a dream or some alternate reality. How could he be sitting at the same table with the dark lord and his most loyal death Eater more at ease than he had ever been with Dumbledore? How was this even real?
“After lunch I would like to start you on wandless magic seeing as you like to leave your wand with just anyone,” Voldemort announced.
“It wasn’t just anyone,” Harry sighed in exasperation, “and it’s not like I had a choice.”
“A wizard is to never be separated from his wand, Potter,” Voldemort hissed. “A wand is not just a tool. Once a wizard bonds to their wand, the wand absorbs traces of the wizard’s magic, tying itself to the wizard’s core. Your wand is a piece of you, a piece of your body, your magic, and your soul. Not only is your wand now in the old fool’s hands, but so too is your magic. He can now use that magic against you.”
“Powerful tracking spells can be used with a wizard’s wand, brat,” Fenrir added.
Harry paled and his hand started trembling. “He…he can use my wand to find me? Anywhere?” Harry swallowed nervously. “It’s a good thing that he doesn’t know that I’m missing. He thinks I’m being a good little Gryffindor at my aunt’s house.”
Leaning back in his chair, Voldemort steepled his fingers as he looked to the little Neko. “Severus was by earlier, he had a little surprise for me. Along with the surprise, he informed me that Dumbledore and his order are aware that you no longer reside with your family. There is a massive search underway for their lost little light prince.”
Harry violently shook his head no, bile burning his throat. “How? How does he know? I know for a fact Fred and George wouldn’t tell him, not even under pain of torture.”
Voldemort tilted his head. “I find myself wanting to meet these loyal twins of yours. No, they did not rat you out. It seems a little squib alerted him that she hadn’t seen you in a while. Severus and Mr. Lupin were dispatched to your aunt’s house to check on your welfare. Mr. Lupin being a werewolf was able to scent that you had not been in residence in years.” He left out the part where his family were also missing. He didn’t want Potter to know that they were rotting in his dungeon and that his child molesting neighbor was currently in multiple pieces awaiting Wormtail’s return for disposal.
Harry chest started heaving. “What am I going to do? Where am I going to go? I-I can’t go back on the streets. I can’t go back to that life doing…that!”
Fenrir got to his feet, pulling out a calming draught and handing it to Potter. “Drink up and calm yourself before your magic brings this manor down.”
Voldemort licked his lips, tasting Potter’s magic that was saturating the room. He had never felt or tasted such raw and powerful magic. Except for his own that was. “You’re not going anywhere, Harry,” he said, using Potter’s first name hoping that it would calm him. Fenrir was right to be concerned. Had it not been for his own magic helping contain Potter’s, they’d be standing in a pile of rubble right now. It was incredible that the boy didn’t know how insanely powerful he was.
Harry grimaced as the potion went down his throat, but he was grateful when he felt himself relaxing. “So what am I going to do? I can’t stay here, I’ll bring Dumbledore and his order to your front steps.”
Voldemort’s grin was absolutely feral. “I am more than ready, Potter, to go to war with Dumbledore and his Order of the Phoenix, but even with your wand and the most powerful tracking spells in the world, he won’t be able to find you here. Not only is this place warded to hell and back, but I have also warded it with parstlemagic. You are probably the only person in the world who could find this place seeing as you yourself are a speaker. You are safe here.”
Harry started laughing hysterically. “How is it that I’m safer with the man that has been trying to kill me than the supposed good side? This is so fucked up!”
“Language,” Voldemort scolded lightly.
“I mean, he does have a point,” Fenrir chuckled.
“If it had been Dumbledore that found me trying to hook up with a muggle in the club, he would have expressed how disappointed he was in me while dragging me back to my aunt’s house where he knew I’d get my ass beat. You saved me, brought me back here, not only listened to my pathetic story but believed me, forced me to see a healer, and you are now helping me, training me, and protecting me. How is this real?”
“Dark doesn’t equal evil, Potter,” Fenrir huffed. “We have goals, goals that we will kill to achieve, but we don’t go around torturing and murdering just for the fun of it.”
“Unless your name is Bellatrix,” Voldemort smirked. “That’s an evil witch. The Black madness isn’t pretty.”
“Too much inbreeding will do that,” Fenrir said seriously.
Harry grimaced. “Yeah, Sirius explained to me about the Black madness. I love my godfather, but I know that he isn’t all there upstairs.”
“Understatement,” Voldemort grumbled to himself, barely above a whisper.
Harry tilted his head back and forth looking curiously at Voldemort. “I heard that. Wow, that’s crazy. My hearing has always been a little wonky thanks to too many hits to the head, but I just heard you even though I’m pretty sure you I wasn’t supposed to.”
Voldemort raised an eyebrow. “At the rate you are going, your creature will be fully awakened before your birthday. Curious.”
“Not sure how I feel about that,” Harry sighed. “It’s a little terrifying to be honest. Am I still going to be me after it’s over?”
“It will be a bit overwhelming at first and it will take some time getting use to having a creature with its own desires and opinions whispering in your ear, but you will still be you.” Fenrir said knowingly. He was a born werewolf, which was rare, but he has helped hundreds of newly bitten wolves adjust over the years.
Harry allowed his head to drop back against his chair. “What am I going to do? I’m scared to go back to school because I don’t want Dumbledore to find out about me being a Neko and now that he knows I’m not living with my aunt and uncle, he’s going to force back there next summer and magically imprison me there.”
Harry lifted his head and looked directly into Voldemort’s eyes. “I will die if locked away and denied touch. Even now I can barely go a full day without craving your touch.”
Voldemort’s eyes widened slightly when Potter admitted that it was his touch that he craved and not just anyone’s touch. “Then don’t return to Hogwarts,” he said simply, getting to his feet. “I can train you myself.”
“What?” Harry cried, also getting to his feet, ignoring Fenrir’s snickering. “Stay here? I can’t stay here. My friends would kill me if they knew that I was living with you. For crying out loud, you killed Fred and George’s uncles.”
Voldemort drew his eyebrows together in thought. “Yes, the Prewett twins. They were exceptionally gifted wizards. I did not order their deaths, Antonin Dolohov took that upon himself to see to and I severely punished him and his four accomplices for their foolishness. We may have been at war, but I was trying to preserve those with pure blood…especially those magically gifted like the Prewitt twins. They may have been thorns in my side and part of Dumbledore’s Order, but I did not kill them nor order their deaths.”
“I actually found them amusing,” Fenrir added. “They weren’t trigger happy like other Order members. Your godfather for example.” He said with a scowl. “I even recall one occasion where Moody hit one of my young wolves, one that I had ordered to remain home since he was only fifteen, with a curse that would have painfully killed him had Fabian not quickly performed the counter curse. Those boys were good wizards.”
Putting a hand over his heart, Harry collapsed back in his chair looking defeated. “When did this become so backwards? Light is supposed to be good and dark is supposed to be evil, yet the two of you have treated me better that anyone from the light side. Now, after hearing about Moody and Fred and George’s uncles, I just don’t know what to think anymore.”
“It’s not all black and white, good and evil, Potter,” Voldemort said patiently. “My goal has never been to kill witches and wizards in my quest to rule the wizarding world. I don’t even really want to rule or be minister. I just want total separation from the muggle world and for us to bring back the old ways. Magic is dying, and it’s all because of Dumbledore and those who believe like him that we need to live in harmony with muggles and ban certain magic and magical traditions. If the only way to achieve those goals is by killing those that oppose me, then so be it. Like I said before, I am not a good or nice man and I lose no sleep over killing, but I am determined to save magic and I won’t even let death stop me.”
“I need to think,” Harry said tiredly. “And I need to learn more about magic dying and how Dumbledore is causing it.”
Voldemort motioned with his head for Fenrir to follow him. “We will leave you to your thoughts. When you are ready I will be in the library.”
***HP
Nagini hoisted her massive body onto the table then slithered to Harry. “Hatchling, why are you sitting here alone? Was your meal too big? Are you digesting?”
Harry should have known that if he sat too long in one place that Nagini would find him. “I’m just thinking, Nagini.”
Flicking her tongue out, she allowed it to tickle across Harry’s face. “You are smelling more like one of the furry creatures with sharp fangs on their feet. Do you have feet fangs? Will you be able to scratch my scales?”
Harry held his hands out in front of him. “Sorry, no feet fangs yet, but when I do get them I will take care of your itch for you.”
Nagini bobbed her head excitedly. “Like master takes care of your itch? Why have you not mated with him. Master finds you very appealing, I have scented his arousal when around you. He is too stubborn to admit it, but he very much wants to show you his…”
Harry quickly slapped his hands over his ears and started humming loudly. Merlin Nagini was one crazy, perverted snake.
Nagini started hissing laughing. “Such a silly hatchling. Master will make a great mate. He is big and strong and everyone is scared of him. Rat man always releases his foul smelling water whenever master looks at him.”
Harry reluctantly lowered his hands. “Nagini, what do you know about magic dying?”
“Hmmm,” Nagini said, swaying back and forth. “I am just a snake so I don’t know much about magic, but I don’t taste magic as much as before. Magic use to be in everything, the trees, the air, even the dirt, but after master was destroyed, the magic started to become weaker and weaker. Maybe after you become one of the furry creatures you will be able to taste magic too.”
“Maybe,” Harry sighed thoughtfully. If Voldemort and Nagini were right, then magic was in danger and it was Dumbledore’s fault. Why would Dumbledore want to destroy magic? It was confusing and it didn’t make any sense to him. Dumbledore was the good guy.
But was he? Was Dumbledore truly the good guy? Hadn’t he been hiding from the man the past few summers? Wasn’t he terrified that Dumbledore would find him and drag him back to aunt’s?When he thought about it, over the past few years he had been more afraid of Dumbledore finding him than Voldemort. That was crazy!
Could he remain here with Voldemort? He didn’t want to be a Death Eater, he had no desire to fight or kill and there was no way in hell he could sit back and allow Voldemort to boss him around. It would also be a cold day in hell before he’d allow the man to mark him with something as hideous as the Dark Mark.
Though, he could think of a few marks he wouldn’t mind receiving from the man. Blushing, he buried his face in his hands. “What is wrong with me? Am I actually thinking about Voldemort marking me like that?”
“Hatchling is smelling aroused,” Nagini hissed excitedly. “You must go find master now while your body is ready to mate. Nagini wants more hatchlings to take care of. I will go now and hunt for food for them. Nagini can’t wait!”
Lifting his head, Harry stared dumbfounded as Nagini streaked out of the room. “How is this even my life?” He asked the empty room.
***HP
Voldemort felt the boy’s magic before he heard him. Closing his book, he looked up and waited. “I thought you retired for the night?” He asked as the boy stopped in front of him.
“I couldn’t sleep,” Harry said tiredly, as he fidgeted with the sleeves of his night shirt. It was new thanks to Voldemort. The man, the evil dark lord, had personally delivered a mound of brand new clothes to him earlier that evening. He had never had clothes this nice before. His nicest clothes were actually his school uniforms, everything else were Dudley’s old castoffs or clothes he picked up from the free bin at shelters or churches. Voldemort had gifted him a fortune in clothes nice enough to rival Draco’s.
“Is there something on your mind?” Voldemort asked patiently.
Harry sighed. “I can’t remember if I said it, but, uhm, thank you.”
Voldemort smirked. “As delightful as you looked in my clothes, I figured that you’d want your own.”
Harry blushed a bright red. Was Voldemort flirting with him again? “It’s not just the clothes, it’s everything. When I stepped off the Hogwart’s express I was terrified having to return to the streets. I didn’t like doing what I had to do, but it was better than returning to my aunt’s. I’m…im grateful that you were in the bar that night. That man just didn’t want sex, he wanted to hurt me.”
“Have you been hurt before by any of the other men?”
“Not like that. There were a few that got carried away, but they never struck me nor forced me. There was pain every time, but it wasn’t because they beat me.”
“I want to hunt every single last one of them down and slowly kill them.”
“They weren’t bad men,” Harry defended.
Voldemort had to clench his fists to keep from cursing the idiot boy. “Good men don’t have sex with children. And don’t even try to say that they didn’t know. You can barely pass as a fifteen now year old let alone a legal, consenting adult. They should pay for taking advantage of a child.”
Harry bit his bottom lip. “I needed them,” he said in a small voice.
“You did,” Voldemort agreed, “but I still want to kill them for touching you.”
Rolling up his sleeves, Harry started lightly scratching at his arms. “I don’t want to do it again, not like that and not with random men. I never really thought about how many men I have been with, not until you brought it up, but it makes me hate myself knowing that I have slept with that many. I’m not…I’m not…”
Getting to his feet, Voldemort pulled the distressed boy into his arms. He wasn’t a hugger, he didn’t know what he was doing, but for some stupid reason he had a desire to comfort Potter. Technically he knew the reason, but he was still struggling with admitting it, even to himself, that Potter was his mate.
“Do you need hep with your itch?,” Voldemort asked having noticed that the Neko had been scratching at his arms.
Nodding his head, Harry could feel himself melting into Voldemort’s arms. He wanted to hate it, to hate the man, desperately so, but he just couldn’t do it. Voldemort was a bully and an asshole, but he has also treated him better than anyone else in his life. “This is so wrong! I know this is wrong, but if it’s wrong, why does it feel so right?”
Clearing his throat, Voldemort led the boy back to the sofa then sat down with him. “It doesn’t feel wrong, Potter, because both your Neko and your magic have accepted me as a potential mate for you.” He used the word potential because he didn’t want to freak the boy out, but there was nothing potential about it, Harry was his.
Harry felt like he should rage at that, this was his parents murderer, but he could feel it, the pull towards Voldemort. When he was here like this, wrapped in Voldemort’s arms, everything felt right. Like a piece of him had been missing all this time and now everything was how it should be.
“I don’t do soft or gentle, Potter. If I see something I want I take it and make it mine. I own it! I am possessive and controlling and prone to violence if I don’t get my way. I am prone to violence even if I do get my way. I don’t like to be questioned or defied and I curse first, ask questions later. I demand obedience!”
“I don’t share. If it’s mine, it’s mine only and if anyone looks at or touches what is mine, I will kill them. I also protect what is mine and I will destroy the earth for something that is mine.”
Harry swallowed the lump in his throat. “I don’t know if I’m terrified or turned on.”
“You’re not the only one being affected by the pull between us. I am sensitive to magic, especially my own, and my magic is telling me that you are mine. You may be my opposite, but you are also my equal. Magic is about balance. You are the light to my darkness and I am the dark to your light. You are the Light Lord, Potter, not Dumbledore.”
“And you are the dark,” Harry said softly, his mind whirling.
“I am the Dark Lord,” Voldemort confirmed. “And magic wants her two lords together.”
“I feel it, but I’m not exactly someone who will allow their mate to take full control and I’m not very good at obedience. I am stubborn, impulsive, sensitive, and stupidly loyal to those I consider friends or family. I mean, you’ll probably want to strangle me on a daily basis.”
“More like a couple times a day,” Voldemort said flatly.
Lifting his head, Harry grinned cheekily up at Voldemort. “You can keep Wormtail around to curse in my place. I’d rather him take my punishments over Fenrir.”
“Cursing Fen is very unsatisfying. Not only is he the only person I consider a friend, but his ability to endure my curses with barely a twitch makes cursing him anticlimactic.”
Harry grinned. “Yeah, I like him too. He’s bloody terrifying, but he seems to care.”
“Outside of his pack there are only a couple people he cares about, and it seems that you made that list.”
Harry sighed. “So what are we going to do about this?” He said, pointing between the two of them. “I’m not going to become one of your minions and no way in hell will I allow you to brand me like one of your sheep. I’m also not going to give up my friends.”
“Do you think your friends will remain at your side after finding out that you chose the dark lord as your mate?”
Harry winced. “I’m sure I’ll lose some, but not Fred and George.”
“And what about your beloved godfather? Lord Black is unstable on a good day, how do you think he will take learning that his godson is mated to the monster that killed his best friend? Rumor has it that Sirius had been in love with your father.”
Harry inhaled sharply, paling. “I had my suspicions. Sirius talks about my dad a lot. Like, a lot, a lot. He’s told me a story or two about my mom, but it’s always James this and James that and then he tells me how much I look like my dad. I do think I’m a bit of a disappointment to him, though. On more than a couple occasions he has gotten frustrated with me for not wanting to do something or pull some stupid prank. If I have to hear one more time, your father would have done it, I’ll scream. I’m not my dad.”
Clenching his teeth, Voldemort thought about the man that was currently locked away in one of his guest rooms. He was going to have to pay the Black Lord a little visit after this. “Your father was a powerful wizard who grew into a good man, but as a teenager he was a horrible bully. Him and his group of delinquents put more than one student in the hospital wing. Unfortunately Severus was always their favorite target.”
Harry sighed. “I know, it’s why Snape despises me so much. He thinks I’m like my dad, but I’m nothing like him. Pranks are all well and fun, but there is a line. And I’m not a bully. I know what it’s like being bullied, I was bullied daily by my cousin and his friends. I would never do that to someone else.”
“That’s why you’re the Light Lord, Potter.”
Getting to his feet, Harry ran a trembling hand through his hair. “Merlin, this is so confusing. I feel like I’m being pulled in a million different directions. I don’t know what’s right or wrong anymore. There’s what I know I should want and feel, and then that what I do know and feel.”
Voldemort folded his hands in his lap, a smug look on his face. “You are only just turning sixteen, you have time to decide what you want, but we both know how this is going to end, Potter. You are mine, mind, body, and soul. I won’t claim you yet, you are too young, but the second you turn seventeen…I will have you!”
Harry shivered, but it wasn’t from fear or disgust. Not only could he hear the truth in Voldemort’s words, but he could also feel it in the man’s magic that was thick and saturating the room. He may be having doubts and fears, but Voldemort was right, he did know how this was going to end.