A Young Wizard's Journey - The Lost Tomb

Resentment

Then, from the distant shoreline, a red spark like a flare, shot upwards.

Y/N froze.

He couldn't have been here for longer than twenty minutes. Either he got lucky, or they were waiting...

Another round of sparks, from the same place.

Were they signalling someone...? Or trying to get HIS attention?

Deciding on the spot that if he was here for a reason, this was it, Y/N pushed his broom forward, soaring towards the location. He landed a decent distance away from the area, where he could see a solitary figure standing. He dropped his broom on the floor before straightening up and advancing up the hill towards this person.

The wind was subdued here. Whilst still mostly unblocked, there were some trees and shrubbery to protect from the full onslaught. But that made little difference as the waves crashed against the cliff and the Dementors soared menacingly in the distance.

As Y/N stepped through into the clearing, the figure within it turned to him.

A shortish man, bald and seemingly missing a few teeth.

'Potley,' said Y/N dryly.

'In the flesh,' wheezed Dracius, bowing low. 'You've been busy since last we spoke L/N. Daughtery disgraced and Snow dead. One would almost think you had a vendetta against us.'

'I think you started it when you went looking for my mother,' said Y/N. 'Why are you here?'

'Because you are,' said Potley. 'Severus promised he could deliver you to me, and Severus made good on his word. Now is my chance to get my revenge.'

Snape!? This was Snape's idea? But then that would mean...

Dumbledore had sent Y/N into a trap.

No... it could be Snape had fooled Dumbledore as well.

'Dumbledore sent me here, not Snape,' said Y/N. 'What makes you think he did this?'

Potley laughed, a wheezing dry laugh, with nowhere near the same energy it had born a few years prior. Azkaban had evidently done a number on him.

'Dumbledore TRUSTS Severus,' he wheezed. 'Severus says that you're the one who is needed, and Dumbledore does not question it. Nor did he the last time. Unfortunately, they caught Vance instead of you.'

'That was a trap as well?' snapped Y/N. 'You lot killed Emmeline trying to get to me?'

'A necessary sacrifice, or so Dumbledore was told,' wheezed Potley. 'But from what we know, he didn't argue all that much, and seemed quite keen to play along.'

Potley's words were only half of a story, Y/N knew that. But the half that he was painting was not a pretty picture, and if it was to be believed. It meant, on purpose or not, Dumbledore was sending Y/N into trap after trap, much as Kingsley and Hestia had believed.

'Enough of this,' said Y/N, raising his hands, but even as he did so, he heard movement behind him.

Ten figures, clad in masks stepped out from the tree line, and then, on the cliff face behind Potley, he appeared. Snake-like, with cat-like slits for pupils. Lord Voldemort sneered down at Y/N, and he suddenly realised how bad of a trap he'd sprung.

With a quiet woosh, Eternus vanished.

'Y/N L/N. I am impressed. After your escape and the death of the foolish Vance, I did not believe Severus would get another chance to deliver you to me. Now, however, we shall not make the same mistake. We have been learning Y/N L/N,' said the high, cold voice.