The Son of Lord Voldemort

Chapter 144

13 February 9:45pm

Red and orange flames twisted together to form a snake that slithered in the air. More flames twisted in the air, and joined together to make a phoenix that flew around the snake while it writhed and hissed. The crackling flames were quiet, but to Harrison sounded like bomb blasts. He flicked his wrist and both the snake and phoenix exploded into dozens of tiny wisps that sizzled out with a light hiss.

"After all these years," a low voice said, "the control you possess over your magic still amazes me."

Harrison glanced at Barty Crouch Jr, as the man sat down in the plush leather chair to his right. Harrison leaned back, allowing his body to relax into the sofa and stared up at the ceiling.

"You aren't going to ask why I've come to your house in the middle of the night without an invitation?" Harrison asked. He counted the diamonds on the chandelier — thirteen. "Why I'm not at Hogwarts tucked safely away in my bed?" Harrison didn't bother trying to hide the agitation in his voice.

"You wouldn't have come if you didn't need to," Barty said, his tone inquisitive.

"I was never this person," Harrison began, "the kind of person who allowed themselves to be controlled by their emotions." He sat up and looked at Barty who watched him with shrewd concern.

"Fleur," Barty guessed correctly. Harrison had told him what had transpired shortly after the New Year. Barty had been furious at Viktor, and concerned that Fleur could no longer be trusted. "She still isn't speaking to you?" His voice was tight.

"She's speaking to me," Harrison's lips fell into a hard line, "but she won't say more than a sentence at a time." His eyes once again fell on the fire place. "It's been nearly a month, and she still hasn't moved on." His right hand balled into a fist. "I have too many things to worry about. Theo's death is still…" Harrison trailed off and shook his head. "I've been having to keep a close eye on Viktor. The aurors at school are watching everyone, especially us Slytherins, through a microscope. Father has been sending me twice the amount of study materials as usual."

Harrison stopped talking and stood up. He walked over to the mantle and looked at the painting that hung above it. A dark forest, trees that reached up and out of reach of the frame stood out in stark contrast against the gilded frame. The trees rustled from within the portrait and every so often something would dart across the bottom, ruffling the leaves on the ground.

"I don't have the time to deal with Fleur's mood swings," Harrison continued. "I care for her, Barty. I've never felt this way before, but I've realized that she'll never be ok with the things that come along with dating the son of the Dark Lord." He shoved his hands into the pockets of his robe. "But I can't change how I feel."

Harrison fell silent and neither of them spoke for ten minutes.

"Why did you come here, Harrison?" Barty asked. "Why did you come to me and not Lucius or Rodolphus?"

Harrison knew what Barty was really asking. Why did he come to a single man, a man who unlike Severus, who was also single, had never been in love.

"Is it possible, Barty?" Harrison asked.

Harrison could see it in Barty's eyes, the understanding and pity. Harrison hated pity more than almost anything else in the world. He spun around and walked towards a small table that was covered in random objects. He picked up a silver hourglass, florescent green sand slowly fell to the bottom, glinting like stars all the while.

"You're the son of the Dark Lord," Barty said with emphatic respect. "From the moment you became Harrison Riddle your life became Lord Voldemort's. One day, sooner than you can imagine, you will stand by his side, as the world falls to their knees before him." Harrison could hear the unadulterated joy in his voice. "You will be more than just a powerful wizard. You will be a king — a God."

Harrison set the hourglass down and slowly turned towards Barty.

"You will have more responsibility than should be expected of a dozen wizards," Barty continued, "let alone one. That power, mixed with your wealth and looks, will make girls willing to curse off their right arm to be with you."

The joy in Barty's eyes dimmed as he continued. "But you will never be able to give yourself over to anyone completely. You can't afford to. Love Harrison, makes people weak. You know that's why your father never married. You know that's why the inner circle, myself included, were in shock when we were introduced to you. We never thought the Dark Lord would voluntarily inflict himself with a weakness. For love was the biggest weakness in the Dark Lord's eyes." Barty smiled. "But he does love you, Harrison, and that is something I never thought was possible."

"Then why can't I have a weakness?" Harrison asked. His words sounded childish to his own ears.

"Fleur's reaction when she found out what you had done was disgust," Barty reminded him. "Do you not think that's how most girls would react?"

"Daphne and Cass didn't," Harrison said. "Jenna, Pansy, and Tracey, they got a good laugh."

Barty looked at him sharply. "They were raised like you," Barty pointed out. "Most children, even the children of Death Eaters aren't raised that way. They're sheltered from the pain and horrors, from the truth, until they're older. And when they do learn the truth…it's different from having learned it as a child, not quite so jarring."

Harrison bit his tongue, and the taste of copper filled his mouth.

"They'll want you to change," Barty said. "Fleur, and every girl that comes after her. They'll want to be the one to change you. To make you into something you aren't. To make you their happily ever after." Barty's eyes darkened. "You're no one's happily ever after, Harrison. You can't be."

"So I'm just supposed to be alone forever?" Harrison asked. "A celibate wizard until the day I die?"

"Love and pleasure are two different things," Barty said. "You're the son of Lord Voldemort. You can take what it is you desire."

Harrison sighed. "I thought that Fleur understood."

"She can't possibly," Barty said. "No one can."

Barty walked towards Harrison, and stopped in front of him. "Your feelings for Fleur, they feel real now, but that supposed love you feel is merely attraction. One day, that attraction will fade, and you'll be left with nothing but power. That power is what's real."

Harrison locked eyes with Barty and in that moment he felt his heart constrict, like Nagini had wrapped herself around it.