The Necromancer

Chapter 26

Harry gave Voldemort an indulgent smile. "Dementors are filled with souls, and guess what... I can move souls where I want them. Outside of their bodies even. Turns out their bodies aren't built for that. Hence the explosion." Harry made a gesture with his hand, opening his fingers rapidly, to illustrate the point.

"Soul boom, soul boom," V cackled in agreement, bobbing up and down in amusement on his perch.

Voldemort slowly nodded his head and sipped his wine. "At this point I believe it is just better to accept that you'll always find new ways to turn my worldview upside down."

Chuckling, Harry leaned back in his chair and finished his own glass of wine. "That's perhaps for the best. Though, to be fair, I'm frequently amazed at things you all take for granted in this world as well."

"I suppose we're both in for a few more surprises then in the future," Voldemort agreed quietly.

Harry could hardly believe the day he'd had. Such a pleasant, enjoyable day, and he'd spent it all with his once enemy, the man who murdered his parents and who had even tried to murder him. They'd raised house-elves from the dead, they'd started the first stage of negotiations with the goblins, they'd planted matching orchards and now they were enjoying a wonderful dinner together.

What was the last time that Harry had felt this comfortable around someone else? Or when had Harry allowed himself to enjoy a few of life's pleasantries like this?

Not since the first of his children had died, Harry was sure of that. For the last few decades or more, since Harry's immortality had caught up with him by way of the deaths of his loved ones, Harry had, perhaps subconsciously, started withdrawing from certain aspects of life.

But now he felt that spark again, that burst of enthusiasm and passion that had started when he decided to first build a magical island and which now led to spending pleasant time with new friends.

Yeah, Harry realized, he had somewhat socially neglected himself for a while there, but thankfully that was changing now and Harry genuinely looked forward to many more days spent with Voldemort.

"I will summon my followers tomorrow," Voldemort said after he emptied his glass as well and placed it on the table. "Get them all sorted first. After that's done we can break into Azkaban."

Harry frowned when a thought occurred to him. "Could there be more wizards and witches in Azkaban who were treated unfairly or never got a trial, like Sirius?"

"There will be quite a few prisoners on the minimum security levels who are there for practicing forbidden magic," Voldemort said while he gave Harry an understanding nod. "These are potentially good people to add to Magica."

"I think we should take our time in Azkaban then," Harry said, filled with the determination not to let anyone rot in that prison who didn't absolutely deserve it. "Go through every prisoner and take most of the non-violent offenders with us."

"We can leave the rapists and murderers behind," Voldemort agreed easily. "But the poor sods who are in there for performing a forbidden ritual or a little blood magic certainly deserve a second chance."

"Good." Harry sighed and stretched his arms over his head. "I still have to pop by Sirius and Regulus and give them their gold."