Our Corrupted Souls

Part XXV: A Slight Agreement.

"The greatest enemy will hide in the last place you would ever look."

~ Julius Caesar

Since 1986, Sirius and Remus had begun searching for James and Lily. It seemed that when Dumbledore had told them to leave, they had taken the words to heart. By 1988, they had focused all their resources on finding Harry Potter. However, it was safe to say that in the same way the Potters had disappeared, so had Harry.

In 1990, Remus and Sirius returned to working in the Ministry. Remus joined the Department of Magical creatures as a tracker to become part of the force in the Beast Division. However, for this, he would have to travel to one of Brittain's islands inhabited by creatures darker than magic itself for a month. Sirius went back to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement as an Auror, but he was not trusted enough to work like one. Although the field was his strongest suit, he was placed on a desk and made part of the Magical Law Enforcement Patrol-under prohibition. With Bellatrix as head Auror (the youngest one in history), he was placed at the lowest of the barrel. As time progressed, however, their situations did become better. Harry was aware of their lives. Bellatrix was not allowed to intervene in their lives. She could not keep Sirius from the field for long. She had to recognize when he was needed, and against her want to watch him self-destruct, whatever Harry said had to be done.

The tedious Potter-Riddle alliance was beginning to drive her further off the edge. She heard more orders from Riddle's new puppet than the Dark Lord himself. Her Lord was virtually non-existent now. He only interacted with the boy, no one else. Not even his most trustful servants.

Having been condemned to reside in the Riddle Manor caused Harry to sever ties with Death. At times, he would attempt to call for the entity, but it didn't show. He would try to practice soulless magic, but it was almost like he was denied the right. But this didn't affect him as much as he believed at first, because Riddle had taught him more than just magic. As his eleventh birthday approached, Harry had been taught discipline. Riddle trained him in every possible aspect. He'd learned to use muggle weapons, swords, and bows, to fight without magic, and to make his tongue sharper than any knife. Harry had been isolated from the magical and muggle worlds as Riddle had wanted. All he needed to do was maintain the boy happy by keeping his family safe.

Today, Riddle had called for Harry at an unusual time. Right after dinner, Quinnie (he had gone out of his way to know her name despite Riddle's orders to not 'bother') asked him to meet Riddle near the edge of the barrier. And he did.

Although Harry had aged, Riddle barely had. The man had perhaps grown in height, his voice changed slightly, his hair became fuller, and his face darkened with facial hair. Riddle rarely allowed himself to have facial hair, but with the passing years, his face was forgotten. Rumors spread about his appearance, more beneficial to him. He didn't need to put on any charms or drink any potion. The face of the most infamous wizard in the making was forgotten.

"Do you know what day today is, Potter?" Riddle asked. His eyes shifted from the beautiful changing landscape of golden leaves to the boy standing beside him, imitating his stance.

Unlike in his past life, Harry had grown to be unusually tall for his young age. He had the toned body of a child athlete, having eaten the right things and not been forced to eat scraps like a dog. However, he had been starved by Voldemort; it was an exercise. Harry had to be familiar with being tortured to understand the method of torturing. But this did not stop his body from maturing like it was meant to. His skin wasn't attached to his bones anymore but rather filled with a thin layer of muscle.

"It's July if I'm right," he replied. "Although a calendar is hard to get a hold of here... I think my Birthday's near."

"It's tomorrow."