Hello Lord

A visit to Riddle Manor

He woke on Sunday refreshed, and ready to seize the day. He laughed at that as he stumbled out of bed, desperately trying to comb his hair. Of course he wasn't doing well. He was going to Riddle Manor, which was swarming with Death Eaters, to meet Voldemort and discuss the details of an alliance. What the hell!? Hermione still demanded to know where he was going, as he exited the common room. "I'm going to find a cupboard to snog Snape in." Everyone laughed, also looking rather disgusted at the thought of anyone kissing the dour Potions master, and Hermione frowned. Luckily for him, Ron grabbed her shoulder, giving Harry a subtle nod as if in on the secret. He chuckled as he left the castle. If only the ginger really knew.

Swiftly he arrived at Riddle Manor, and stopped as an issue occured to him. He only knew one way in, the front door. Did Voldemort really expect him to walk through a house of Death Eaters without getting into a fight? Perhaps he could sneak in somehow. He saw a death eater striding down the long gravelled path, and quickly dived to the side, hidden by the bushes. The large metal gates swung open, with an ominous creak. Slinging the invisibility cloak over his head, he began to sneak past the death eater and into the manor.

Tom sat at the head of the meeting table, waiting for Potter to arrive. He refused to show it on his face, but he was thrumming with anticipation. If this worked out right, he'd practically guarantee the war. He was drawn from his thoughts by a loud commotion echoing in from the hall. Lucius followed as he stood from his chair and ran to the door. It opened to reveal a scene of utter chaos, spells flying in every direction. A ring of Death Eaters were circled around two figures, flinging spells and insults in the direction of the young man fighting at the centre. "Enough!" Everyone froze at the shout, turning to look at him in fear, and he finally caught sight of the people in the centre.

Harry turned to grin at the man, shooting petrificus totalus at Bellatrix once her back was turned. Voldemort rolled his eyes at him, and adrenaline rushed through him as the Dark Lord let him get away with it. That rush of power, the fix he needed, was what brought him to the darkness in the first place and now it kept him there. "Sorry if I'm late. I got a bit distracted." Lucius glared at him, and he gave a wide grin in returning, eyes alight with anarchy. He walked over to Voldemort, sighing as Bellatrix was released from the spell. "You couldn't have left it a bit longer? She's been screaming like a harpy since I got here." The Dark Lord simply looked at him before returning to the large room he'd come from. They took their seats at the table. "Are you really surprised?" Harry simply shrugged, leaning back in his seat and taking in the room. It had gloomy grey stone walls that reached high up to a darkened ceiling, unlit by the dust chandelier it held. "I was hoping for a warmer welcome honestly."

Voldemort sent off a patronus, summoning Severus back to him. "I did send Severus to bring you, but apparantly you found other ways." Exasperation filled him as the young wizard just smirked, completely unfazed by his presence or their environment. Even surrounded by Death Eaters, the boy exuded confidence and power. "Ah, so that's who I passed. I was wondering how you intended for me to get in. I suppose that would have been easier than playing with Lestrange." Severus entered the room before Tom could reply, and glared at Potter as he took his seat. "Professor! How wonderful of you to join us!" Severus' scowl deepened, and he decided to intervene before his Potion Master murdered his potential ally. "So, Harry Potter.  What is it that you want?"

What did he want? Honestly this entire deal was out of convenience more than anything. The light had controlled him for long enough. "I want freedom. I don't want to have to pretend to be some perfect Golden Boy and have to hide my business and interests. So I want a say in your new world." Voldemort didn't seem completely opposed to the idea, but then again, he had no idea what Harry was asking for. "And what exactly would that entail?" Harry paused, these could possibly be his last words. "I want to be Chair of the Wizengamot. I have final say on all laws passed, and can put forward new ones." Immediately he saw outrage light up in Lucius' eyes, and even Snape looked appalled. Voldemort however, was worryingly unreadable.

Tom didn't say anything. It didn't look like a perfect deal by far, but perhaps they could work with it. "What exactly would you wish to change?" From the corner of his eye, he saw his second and third look at him horrified, but he focused on Harry, who looked rather relieved. "Well most of it I'm sure you'd be changing anyway. For example the use of dark magic and artifacts." He nodded, that was what it was all for. He'd come to the realisation that there would need to be restrictions to avoid incidents, but magic itself would be free. "I also want creature rights to be properly established. The ministry has torn it down in the last century, and it needs to change." That one surprised him, although that was also one of his policies. "Why are you so interested in creature rights suddenly?"

He sat up, Voldemort genuinely seemed to be considering this. "Considering they're the vast majority of my clientele." He waited for the man's response, ignoring the other wizards that looked as shocked as he felt. "It's certainly a lot to ask." He nodded, he knew that, but it was the only thing that could guarantee his new position was safe. Besides, he was a businessman. At the end of the day, he went for profit. "Perhaps you could offer me something in exchange, to even the deal." Goddamn Slytherins.

"What do you want?" Voldemort grinned, feeling as though they were finally reaching a conclusion. "I want Dumbledore." Harry didn't say anything, just looking at him. When he didn't respond, the boy narrowed his eyes. "Okaaaaay. So, go kill him then." Voldemort frowned, if only it was that simple. "To take over, we need to take the ministry and Hogwarts. The ministry will be easy, it's already infiltrated, but the Headmaster has proven to be as impossible to kill as you."

He probably shouldn't have felt proud, hearing Voldemort say that, but he did. "So what, you want me to kill him?" The man nodded almost reluctantly, sitting back in his throne like chair. "He trusts you, believes you are on his side. Of all people, you could get close to him, and do so." They spoke a while longer, and finally everyone agreed the plan set. Harry returned to Hogwarts that night in a stupor. He had not only joined the dark, he had helped them create a plan to take over Hogwarts. He entered the Great hall for dinner, taking a seat next to Ron, who winked at him. He looked pointedly at the bruise on the ginger's neck, clearly Ron had done a good job of distracting Hermione. He flushed red, tugging up his collar, and Harry's eyes wondered around the hall. These were his classmates, people he'd gone to school with for six years. His teachers, mentors. And very soon he was going to kill them. An owl flew overhead, landing at the Slytherin table in front of Draco, who turned pale upon reading the contents of the letter. Clearly Lucius had wasted no time passing over the Dark Lord's instructions. Sighing, he tucked into his dinner, dreading the week ahead. He was so screwed.