Harry Potter and the Desideratum Crusade [Harmione]

60. Unwanted Visitors

Harry felt a combination of fear and anxiety as he stood, facing his nemesis. The Dementors slowed to a stop, hovering behind Voldemort, as though waiting. Harry watched them warily, expecting them to rush him. He had not known them to be patient in the past. He could feel Amoura's anxiety mixing with his own; obviously she knew of their terrible powers as well. Hermione moved to stand beside Harry, clutching his hand tightly in hers. He could feel her trembling, so he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"You let yourself be pulled down by this...this Mudblood. This is why you will never be successful, Harry. You choose the tainted over the pure."

Harry felt a rage build in him, but before he could react, he felt a squeeze from Hermione's hand, reminding him they were in this together. He took a deep breath, willing himself to not react to Voldemort's comments. That was what the Dark Lord wanted, because that's when mistakes were made.

Harry wasn't willing to give that to him.

He slowly smiled, and relaxed his stance, ready for an attack.

"Is that your hidden desire? To be pure? You can't change where you came from, Tom," Harry taunted.

He was watching out of the corner of his eye as the Dementors continued to arrive. He had never seen so many at one time. It felt like the cold was seeping into his soul, and he could feel Amoura trying to retreat from it. Beside him, Hermione shivered. In front of him, Voldemort's face became one of rage.

"You will not address me by that name ever again! That person no longer exists!" Voldemort hissed.

"Hiding behind a façade will never change who you really are," Hermione said.

Voldemort's face twisted in anger.

"Impedimenta!" he yelled suddenly, pointing his wand at Hermione.

Hermione flew backwards and collapsed on the floor. Harry turned to go to her.

"Stop!" Voldemort called. "Stay where you are, or I will do a lot worse to her."

Harry hesitated; he still wasn't too sure of these powers yet, and he wasn't willing to put Hermione's life in at risk.

"I could have easily killed her," Voldemort said. "But believe it or not, I have learned from past lessons, and I think perhaps I can use her as my next victim in order to create a new Horcrux. Quite fitting, don't you think?"

Harry flexed and clenched his fingers; he could feel the anger building up inside him, but also a slight sense of panic from Amoura to his changing emotions.

"Of course, I will make sure she knows how you died before I kill her," Voldemort taunted.

Harry took a deep breath and slowly pushed the anger down. When he looked up again, he was in control.

"You can't kill me, Harry," Voldemort said. "You don't have it in you. I, on the other hand, will take great pleasure in it. But first, I have unfinished business."

He waved his arms at the Dementors, and several of them detached from the rest and flew down the stairs. Harry's wand was up in an instant.

"Expecto—"

They passed him quickly, and headed into the Great Hall. Harry felt the horror as he heard cries of surprise and spells being cast from inside.

He turned back to see Voldemort smiling at him.

"Distracted, are we?" he laughed. "You six search the castle, and you six may have the grounds," he said to the next group.

The Dementors flew off, and Harry could feel his panic growing. Voldemort could see it in his eyes, and he smiled in satisfaction.