Patience

chapter eight: in which the dark lord is ressurected

Steam rolled off the top of the cauldron.

It reminded Harry of a school play Dudley had been in. He played a squirrel and Petunia cried the whole way through.

The circle of death eaters seemed to be holding their breaths. Then. The caulron began to shudder, the steam billowed out of it at an alarming rate, fogging the room up.
"Lumos" Harry heard Barty say.

The pale light of the charm bled through the steam. A shape began to rise out of the cauldron. Harry could see the dark lord's shoulders, and the crisp outline of his hair.
"My robe Pettigrew"

"Ofcourse Master"

The Dark Lord waved a single hand and the steam cleared from the room. Everyone else knelt so Harry joined them. The almost lifelessly pale skin of the reborn man was stark against the dark room, he seemed to glow.
"Lucius. I can feel the loyalty in your magic. I have missed you"

"M-y Lord" the blonde whispered, he souned choked up.

The Dark Lord's magic caressed the blonde and he broke down into a sobbing mess. Gently Voldemort pulled his friend into a hug and the man pulled off his mask and hugged him back.
Gently Tom released Lucius and the Malfoy tried to place his emotionless facade back.

"Thedeous"

"My Lord"

The Dark Lord wrapped his arms again around his follower. The man hesitated and returned the guesture. It occured to Harry that Tom meant as much to the Death Eaters as Albus did to the light.

The man moved to Barty and gave the man a warm hug.
"Thankyou for your help"

"It was an honour My Lord... and just remember who was spoon feeding you apple sauce next time I screw up yeah?"

The dark lord shook his head with a smirk. He turned to Wormtail.
"Your arm Peter"

The man whimpered and held out the bleeding stump where he had sacrificed his flesh for the dark lord. Tom waved his hand over the wound slowly and a gleaming silver arm grew from the wounded flesh.
The rat man made some pathetic sound and Harry barely contained the burning rage that swept through his blood.

"And you. As I said... you really are a delightful surprise"

Harry felt his lungs seize up. There it was again. Delightful.

"I do try"

Voldemort gave a small smirk. He ran elegant fingers through his lightly wavy hair.

"I have a gift for you"

Harry wouldn't have noticed the switch to parceltounge if the death eaters hadn't all tensed up as they did.
The dark lord clicked his fingers and a black chain pooled in his palm.

"It's a reusable portkey, so you can come here without Barty escorting you"

Tom stepped close to Harry, wrapping the black chain around his neck. Harry felt almost proud that he didn't shudder when the dark lord's right wrist brushed against his skin.

"How does it work?"

"Hold it with both hands and say mosordemore"

"In parceltounge?"

"In parceltounge."

"What now?"

"Pettigrew. Your mark"

The traitor filth stumbled forward and Tom pressed his wand into the ink marred flesh.
"Now we see how many people come"

Excitement buzzed through Harry's bones. He felt a hand wrap around his arm, Tom guided him away from where the death eaters were beginning to apperate in. Lucius and Barty cleared the ritual items away, Thedeous greeted old friends, Peter quicered in the corner. Harry was pleased that filth wasn't having any fun.
He stood by Voldemort, watching the glorious sight of death eaters gathering.
"Barty tells me you don't even understand our ideals and motives"

"Dumbledore likes keeping important information to himself"

"Well. If he told you we might sound almost reasonable"

"Are you going to tell me?"

"Yes. Though I don't think now is a great time, come back tomorrow night?"

Harry beamed. Thomas cleared his throat.

"Fifteen years ago, I lost my body in an unfortunate mishap, I am sure you are all familiar with the event.

Tonight, my most trusted few, have ressurecred me to my prime form. I am a little dissapointed in the lack of faith you held in me. Only Barty after escaping Azkaban thought to come find me..."

There was a lul in the room, Harry amost giggled at the sight of fifty odd masked people looking at their shoes in shame.

"But you are here now, as am I. Let us forget the past mistakes we have all made, myself included, and let us celebrate instead. Dumbledore and his Order won't see us coming!"

A round of cheers exploded from the crowd and Voldemort waved his hands, revealing drinks and food and music began to play.

"It's late, I have school... I should really go back"

"One drink Harry, come on now, it's my rebirth day"

Harry chuckled, hoping he hadnt blushed when the dark lord called him by his name. The pair joined the crowd of death eaters, who were shedding their masks and eagerly socialising with eachother.
Tom handed Harry a glass of champegne and smiled.

"We did it"

Harry collapsed into his bed. The taste of the evening lingered on his tounge. He drew his curtains and checked his privacy wards were still intact. The sitting up made him dizzy and he giggled as he tumbled backwards into his pillow, the world around him rotating in an entertaining way. Perhaps he had had more than one glass in the end. It was funny how addictive the company of murdering phsycopaths was.

His eyes slid shut, only to be met with the smile of one Thomas Marvolo Riddle. His red eyes, as a result of his broken soul, sparkling with the energy that only comes with a genuine smile. His deathly pale skin, cheeks just beginning to gain a healthy pink. His rich brown hair with its tidy waves. And the hand that had brushed against his neck. Harry ran his thumb over the necklace portkey. He could feel the delicate links in the chain as they slid against eachother with his touch.