Students returned to Hogwarts and classes resumed, but worry was brewing on the horizon. Parents wrote daily to their children, sending them news of the world around them. People were beginning to be aware of the return of Voldemort, but many still lacked the conviction that it really had been his forces that nearly destroyed Hogsmeade.
Dumbledore's words convinced a few, but some still doubted him. They were concerned, naturally but liked to deny things until they were blue in the face. He did no such things, and had begun to organise the Order.
However, a letter arriving one morning did surprise him. It was from the Ministry, asking for his attendance along with his Order. At the bottom, he was shocked to see who had signed it.
Cornelius Fudge.
The Minister had been out of commission for a while now, ever since the attack of the Ministry. Dumbledore hadn't thought the man would make such a rapid recovery, but still took a parchment and wrote his reply, accepting the invitation. Then he alerted some Order members of the date and time Fudge had requested their presence.
It would be the first time they would hear directly from a survivor of that day what had happened. So many weren't in direct contact of the perpetrator, that they were now certain had been the Nightmare Lord, but it would still be nice to hear it personally from someone who was there.
-o-
They were all surprised at seeing how little damage remained on Fudge's body. He looked almost like himself if not for that haunted look in his eyes. He gestured them into his office and stood to greet them.
"Minister, how are you doing?" Albus said, shaking his hand. "I thought you would have rested longer..."
"We don't have time for that," Fudge replied. "I've already been away for too long. I assume you figured out who commenced the attack on the Ministry?"
"The Nightmare Lord," James said.
"Absolutely correct," Fudge said. "He used one of the guards from his prison to get out."
"Ah, yes, that man is still missing..." Albus began.
"He's dead," Fudge interrupted. "I saw it with my own eyes. He was controlled by the Nightmare Lord last I saw him. I heard that you've read what you found on the lord."
"Yes, to gain a better understanding of him," James said.
"You need more than a few papers to understand him. I don't understand him, and I've spent years trying to," Fudge said. "But you missed a few papers, one of them being the most important in singling out the lord's servants."
"He has servants?"
"I told you already about the guard," Fudge said to Albus. "He had been made a servant. Not fully, but beginning to become one. This parchment here gives details of his servants."
Fudge tapped his finger against one of the parchments lying on his desk, and then read aloud from it:
"The men and women in the Nightmare Lord's service can seldom be distinguished by clothes or looks. They appear as us, with one single exception, which is the most important sign. Their eyes have changed into that of a silvery light, glittering in the dark. That is the lord's mark upon them, forever branding them his property."
"Silver eyes?" Lily said, speaking for the first time. "Well, that is a rather obvious sign."
"He likes to brag," Fudge told her. "So the statement is not accidental. He wants to show off."
"What happened?" Albus said. "We haven't been able to piece it all together yet, not without your statement, Cornelius."
"What happened you say? He came after me for revenge. We locked him up. He was getting revenge for that. The Aurors... he killed them all as if it was nothing. I thought he was going to kill me too, but apparently not. Maybe he thought that would be boring."
"How did he kill them?" James said. "What kind of magic does he use?"
"I have no idea what spell he used to kill the Aurors, but it was wandless and non-verbal. He doesn't use a wand. What was he said? Aah, yes. He found it restricting."
"He doesn't have a wand?"
"I said he doesn't use a wand, Albus, I never said he didn't have one. What he did to me..." Fudge stopped and looked down at himself, stroke a few scars that remained even now. "He offered a first-hand demonstration on what he could do. Unfortunately I was the only one around alive to demonstrate on."
"He did all that to demonstrate?" James said. "He's more than horrible..."
"And he needs to be captured once more," Fudge said. "We did it once, we can do it again. Now, I know he most likely let himself get captured last time because he was interested in what would happen but we have evolved. He's still in the mindset of the Dark Ages. We can seal him once more."
"Cornelius, what exactly are you suggesting?" Albus said.
"I'm going to capture the Nightmare Lord," Fudge said. "By any means necessary."
-o-
Harrison wasn't sure why he hadn't gotten out of bed yet. It was nearing noon. He had been hungry when he woke up and considered getting up when Elise had shown up with a breakfast tray. He had decided to stay in bed a little longer. A little longer ended up as several hours.
But it wasn't like he had somewhere he had to go. His contact with Voldemort had been established by a two-way mirror he had acquired from Knockturn Alley. Or rather, he had sent Christian to get them. It had been the first trip outside for the former guard, and he had managed just fine. Most of the time he was with Elise and learnt about the household. Harrison was very pleased with his progress, and Christian had provided quite a lot of details about the Ministry, knowledge that Harrison did not have and knowledge the man had been willing to share. Of course, Christian no longer had it in him to actively work against Harrison but like the rest of the Nightmare Lord's servants, he had his own mind.
"You're being lazy, master."
"Since when do you enter my rooms without knocking, Lucian?"
"I did knock. You didn't answer."
"So of course you went inside as you feared for my well-being."
"Yes. Your ego can be quite damaging at times."
Harrison rolled his eyes and sat up. Lucian crossed over to the bed and sat down. The dark tattoos stood out against his skin, whirling around, a few of them winding around his throat like a collar. Harrison settled against the headboard and beckoned him closer.
"Why?" Lucian asked.
"Because I want you to."
Lucian crept closer.
"You haven't done much these last few days, master."
"I'm relaxing."
"You haven't even caused any mayhem."
"It's because I need to change my ways," Harrison said and grabbed Lucian's face. "I am no longer free to terrorize Muggles. If I truly want to separate our world from theirs, I can't go around destroying their towns."
"You can blame it on something else," Lucian said. "Accidents happen. Like when you made that church collapse to cover up the fact you had tortured them to death before that."
"Yes, that's true. But that needs planning, and as I said, I'm relaxing. Perhaps I will consult with Voldemort. After all, I'm no longer alone in the game."
"Does that make it boring?"
"Oh no," Harrison said. "It makes it all the more fun."
"You do look content," Lucian commented. "More than ever. Before you were captured, you frightened me sometimes, master. What changed?"
What indeed? Time perhaps? He had had lots of it in his prison. But he hadn't gone soft. Perhaps mellowed out a bit. Not as rash, not as hateful. Harrison let go of Lucian's face and leaned back.
"Maybe I'm turning into a slightly less horrible person," he said. "Just slightly though. I still like installing fear into the hearts of wizards and witches. They have not seen anything I can do yet."
"Master, you're bragging."
"Oh... it appears I am. I do think have a right to do it for a wee bit, don't you think?"
"Maybe..."
Harrison let it go. He got up from the bed and stretched.
"Is it time for lunch yet?"
"We can eat lunch whenever we want to," Lucian spoke. "What will you do today?"
"Ah, this and that. I would need to plan if I'm going to get to kill someone, won't I? Would you care to help me? After all, Christian needs to learn a bit more what it's like to be one of my servants..."
"You're not going to torture him by giving him a lecture, will you master?"
"Let's not remind me of the mistakes I did back then. I do not give lectures. I don't have the affinity for it, and will bore even myself to tears."
-o-
There was no telling what Fudge would do to ensure the Nightmare Lord's capture. At first Albus worried little about it, Voldemort was still out there after all, but his concern increased when worrying news began streaming to his office from the Ministry.
A hunt. Fudge was starting a manhunt for the lord, and no one was to be spared. This would of course help in the Order's cause of destroying Voldemort, but the Minister was acting far too reckless! Perhaps it stemmed from what he suffered at the hands of the Nightmare Lord. Albus had been with the healers when they began to throw diagnostic spells over the Minister's prone body, and he barely recognized any of the spells and curses that Cornelius had been put under. The Nightmare Lord had a lot of unknown techniques in his arsenal, and each one of them was powerful. It showed further what kind of strength the man possessed, and Albus wondered briefly if that had something to do with his long life-span.
Whatever the cause, Cornelius had the right to revenge. But he wasn't subtle about it. Already now troops of Aurors were beginning to comb through Great Britain, searching for the old lord. Even a fool would know to hide. Voldemort would surely grow more cautious now as well.
Sighing at the prospect of the war raging on even further than necessary due to Fudge's actions, Dumbledore walked to his office from the Great Hall. In there he was greeted by some Order members, the Potter pair included along with Sirius and Remus.
"Have you visited Harry?" Albus asked James and Lily.
"Yes, for a short bit," Lily said. "I think he's a little scared."
"He is prophesied to be the only one to defeat Voldemort," Albus said. "I understand his worries. We will stand by his side and support him all the way."
"Fudge is obsessed with finding the Nightmare Lord," James said, "to the brink he doesn't care about Voldemort at all."
"Perhaps he sees this lord as the greater enemy."
"Alright," Sirius said, "he did some heavy damage on the Ministry but come on. He's over a thousand years old; he must be feeling those years! He can't be as strong as in his youth!"
"Who knows what he has done to stay alive over the years," Dumbledore said. "We cannot, and should not, underestimate him. However, we will focus on Voldemort. He needs to be taken out of the picture. The time has come, James, Lily. Harry is an exceptional and strong wizard, but he will need more help."
"The Aurors in the Order are more than willing to personally train him," James said. "They can start anytime, but I'm not sure we should do it here at school."
"No... he would need more space," Dumbledore mused. "I'll find a safe location for him."
"Thank you," Lily said gratefully. "Any news on Voldemort?"
"No, he's keeping a very low profile after the attack on Hogsmeade," Dumbledore said. "Severus has yet to go back there."
"Well, he clearly has to," James said. "He's the only one who can get the information we need!"
"I've talked with Severus about this, and he will try to go as soon as he can," the headmaster replied. "We must understand though, that his position with Voldemort may be in danger. We cannot expect him to be invited back after having been kept ignorant of the attack on Hogsmeade."
"Do we really have to send him there?" Lily asked.
"Severus did say he would do it," Albus said. "He knows the importance of us receiving information of what Voldemort is up to, Lily. Don't you worry; he has played this game for a long time. He can handle himself."
James still looked uncomfortable but for reasons Albus could not possible understand. There had always been this slight tension whenever the Marauders and Severus was in the same room but never this much. Ever since the attack on Hogsmeade James had been on edge, glancing at Severus. He had been watching the potions master more closely every time they happened to be in the same room, or even in the same corridor of the school. Albus saw no reason to this. He had Severus tightly bound to his side and not even Severus could suspect what would happen once Voldemort was dead and the Light triumphed.
It knocked on the door. Everyone jumped with the exception of Albus. He merrily called out:
"Enter!"
Severus came inside and his dark eyes swept over the people. Once more, they seemed to flash, just for an instant, but Albus didn't catch what colour. Must be the light. Severus' eyes had always felt like staring into a very deep well with no end in sight, and it was slightly terrifying when the potions master seemed to try bore holes into you.
But now, and ever since Hogsmeade, his gaze seemed almost dismissive, and Albus wasn't sure he liked it. James had tensed up by now, staring at Severus.
"Severus my dear boy, what can I do for you?"
The potions master touched his left arm slightly, and Albus spotted the extra robes the man was carrying.
"You have been called to Voldemort, haven't you?"
"I only came to warn you of my absence," Severus said. "And to alert you of whatever abysmal condition I may return in."
He barely waited for Albus' "Good luck" before disappearing swiftly.
-o-
Voldemort contacted Harrison through the mirror and started their conversation by saying:
"You are aware the Minister started a manhunt, searching for you?"
"Oh, has he?" Harrison said. Lucian was holding the mirror for him as his hands were otherwise occupied. He wasn't about to tell just how occupied to the Dark Lord. "So he's up and running?"
"Running madly."
"Well, I wouldn't expect any less of Cornelius. Cowardly as he seemed, there was always that spark of defiance in his eyes. He won't give up without a fight."
"You aren't in the least bit concerned that he's hunting for you?"
"Voldemort dear, I have been hunted for centuries," Harrison said. "I really ought to tell you in detail what usually happened when people did that."
Lucian turned the mirror to himself and said:
"Although master was kind enough to remove my memories, he did tell me I was tortured for two months when I tried to capture him."
"Yes, yes, Lucian, I was very bad to you. Now let me see him again."
"Why is Lucian holding your mirror?" Voldemort asked.
"Because master is busy digging through... well, someone's gut."
"That's disgusting, Lucian," Harrison said.
"I'm not the one with my hands in someone's stomach," Lucian pointed out and turned the mirror back.
"Is he serious?" the Dark Lord asked, peering closer, perhaps in hope to see if Lucian spoke the truth.
Harrison pulled his hands free. The amount of blood was enough to convince the man.
"I'm not doing this for fun," he stated. "I'm experimenting."
"I won't ask further than that," Voldemort replied. "So you are aware of Fudge's movements?"
"Yes."
"Do you have any followers that may be in harm's way?"
"Any followers I might have had outside of my servants have died with time," Harrison said. "I think you should worry about your own followers. When a manhunt occurs, sacrifices are made."
"I've already taken precautions and warned many of the families supporting me."
"Then that's good enough. If I'm feeling generous, I might let Cornelius catch a glimpse of me later."
"I have no doubt that this is a rather silly question considering your age, but is there anything at all that can be used to actually kill you?"
"Oh, I wonder... maybe there is. Maybe there isn't. I ought to get back to work; I'd hate for this corpse to go to waste."
"I don't want to know what you plan to do with it."
Harrison chuckled and went back to work.
-o-
When Severus returned, some of the Order members were still in Dumbledore's office. They all turned to look at him. He came inside, slowly and pulled off his Death Eaters robes.
"What if anyone in the school saw you wandering around with that on?!" Sirius said.
"Hardly, Black. It's after curfew," Severus said and glanced over at him.
"Are you hurt anywhere?" Lily said. "Oh no, you're shaking! Did he throw the Cruciatus spell on you?"
"I wasn't the only victim," he said. "And it was brief. He wasn't that angry, for once. I will be fine after some rest."
"Severus, my boy, what did Voldemort want?"
"For me to stay low and not attract any unnecessary attention," Severus said. "He has already warned people who support him to keep under the Ministry's radar. It's doubtful the Minister will get what he's looking for, much less what we are looking for."
"We have to tell the Minister about Lucius Malfoy!" James argued.
"He trusts Lucius far too much," Albus said. "Lucius has been working his way into Cornelius' office for a long time now and is one of the reasons why he's still Minister. You don't give up friends like that. Did Voldemort tell you anything else?"
"No."
"Nothing?" Sirius said. "What good are you then, if you can't even snoop up a few details?"
"The Dark Lord doesn't write reports, much less his own plans on paper," Severus replied, looking at Sirius until the man glanced away. "He considers that too risky. Sometimes we don't get to know about his plans until we arrive the same day it's executed."
"He's paranoid," Albus said sadly and shook his head. "You've done well nonetheless, Severus. Let's hope he soon will be taken down and that our freedom is not far away."
Severus merely nodded and was dismissed. Walking outside he looked at his slightly trembling hands. He then continued his walk down the hall, hunched over and slow. Portraits called out to him, but he knew who they would report to. Dumbledore truly had his control over them all. Well, most of them.
But once he got to his rooms and shut the door, Severus once more looked at his hands and this time he smirked. They stopped shaking. He stretched his back, working out a few kinks and then stepped over to his desk with no signs he had even been tortured at all. He threw his Death Eaters robes and mask on the desk and took a long drink of his Firewhiskey, drinking straight from the bottle.
"You have no idea," he murmured, staring up at the ceiling. "You Light have no idea just how screwed you are..."
-o-
Voldemort visited a few days later, just as Harrison sat down in the living room for some tea. It wasn't that hard to track him, Harrison realized as he looked down at his feet. You only had to follow the bloodied footprints.
"Oh, damn it," he muttered.
"Having fun? Or have you had your fun?"
He looked up to see Voldemort glide into the room.
"I wasn't thinking there was blood on the floor earlier," he said. "Anything special you wanted?"
"Do I have to have a reason to come here?"
Harrison saw the slight eye-shift, and grinned. Voldemort was acting like a child, truly, and no one could convince him of anything else. But he would indulge the man.
"Of course not," he said. "Would you like some tea?"
Voldemort sat down and nodded. He looked about as uncomfortable as he could be, and Harrison just grinned at the sight.
"You're really enjoying yourself aren't you?" he said.
"Of course I am. I can see the starry lights in your eyes when you look at me. I'm touched, really."
The Dark Lord gaped. The Nightmare Lord merely grinned wider.
"You're unbelievable. I always imagined you as... more stiffly," Voldemort confessed.
"I don't like stiff people," Harrison said with a grimace. "It takes so long to make their limbs loose enough to work with."
"I didn't mean it that way..."
Harrison laughed and replied:
"Of course I know that! People usually look horrified when I say something like that. But I really don't like stiff people. They are so boring and... well, stiff. Would it hurt them to get the stick out of their arses?"
"Probably."
"So I'm not stiff... but do I meet up with your expectations otherwise?"
"You're strong. I never imagined you to be anything else than that, so at least that didn't change. But I thought you dead, and old."
"I am old," Harrison reminded. "I just look good for my age."
Voldemort snorted. "You are abnormal. Have you always been like this?"
"... More or less."
They chatted for a long time, switching subjects and comparing methods they had both tried from Harrison's book. Harrison had never realized how nice it was to talk with someone who hadn't been "rescued" by him. His servants, dear to him as they were, had mostly been against him at first. While they might not remember anymore, Harrison always would remember how they tried to kill him, or screamed at him. He never blamed them for any of it, it was just strangely nice to sit next to a person he hadn't done anything to.
Well, Voldemort had been influenced by his book but that was just words. Harrison hadn't dug through the man's head, torn emotions or memories out, or replaced them... he hadn't broken Voldemort's limbs, or healed them. He hadn't made the man bleed, and he never would.
With his recent servants, he hadn't done that either but with Christian he was sort of responsible for the damages done.
"Don't you have your Dark Lord-duties to attend to?" Harrison asked when the sun was beginning to set.
"There's not much to do at this moment. We're keeping a low profile due to the Minister's inept manhunt."
"Why are you keeping a low profile if it's inept?"
"Because he has also spread it out, and some of my Death Eaters lack the intelligence I so desire in them," Voldemort sighed. "It's easier to make them sit still for the meantime. Don't you worry he'll find this place?"
"My wards are quite good," Harrison replied. "I've made it my little project to strengthen them as well, so it's alright. In addition to that, I have plans to start growing a garden."
"... How will that in any way help?"
Harrison grinned.
"You haven't seen my type of garden, child."
He thoroughly enjoyed Voldemort's grimace at the title.
Tbc...