Harry looked down at the mask in his hands. It covered his face entirely when he wore it, moulding to his face perfectly. He'd had it since his first mission. He ran his hands over it softly before putting it on and striding out of his room.
Riddle manor was large and expansive, but Harry had found a way to map out the place, find every nook and cranny. He turned into a long hallway, doors lined either side of the walls and Harry could hear faint voices coming from the end. The sound of footsteps behind him made Harry turn around, wand in his hand.
Peter Pettigrew stared back at him, his eyes wide .
"W-who are you?" he stuttered pathetically, "what are you doing here?"
"Crucio," Harry said flatly.
Wormtail's screams filled the corridor, and Harry smirked as he held the curse.
Eventually the screams turned to hoarse wails and Harry released the man. He glared at him, emerald eyes glinting through his mask. "Go on then," he hissed, "I'm sure the Dark Lord will be very glad to see you."
Wormtail jumped up and scampered towards the door at the end of the hallway in fear. Harry walked leisurely behind him, his boots clacking on the hardwood floors.
Harry opened the door before Wormtail got to it with a flick of his hand and followed the man inside, laughing silently as he fell into a chair, panting loudly. A long table filled most of the room, almost all of the chairs were occupied.
As soon as Harry entered, murmurs started echoing around the room. In fifteen years, Harry had never stepped foot in a Death Eater meeting, his father had insisted that his existence be kept a secret from all but a select few until his sixteenth birthday. That day was today.
"My son," Voldemort said, gesturing to the seat on his right.
The murmurs transformed into exclamations of shock. The death eaters looked at Harry in a new light, picking out resemblances between him and the Dark Lord.
Harry nodded towards Voldemort and sat down, making Yaxley, who sat beside him, cringe away. "Hello father," Harry said.
Yaxley bristled beside him and Harry slowly turned to face the man, "Is there a problem?" he asked.
Yaxley went pale, "No of course not my Prince."
Harry smirked, "Good."
"I present to you my son," Voldemort said, "You will treat him with the respect that you show me. Otherwise there will be dire consequences."
A collective shudder went around the room, and Voldemort put a hand up, "Let us commence," he said, and the room's attention was his. "The last time we met together I told you of a traitor in our ranks. Lincoln Allen."
At the word traitor, Harry watched as Severus Snape winced. Curious.
"I instructed you all to find where he is hiding. I trust you have not failed me," Voldemort continued.
"I have not failed my Lord," Bellatrix said eagerly, leaning over the table, "I found him in knockturn alley and followed him to muggle London. He's hiding in an old abandoned factory. Pathetic." she spat.
"You continue to impress me Bellatrix," Voldemort said.
Harry rolled his eyes as Bella practically glowed with pride. She was one of the few that had seen Harry without his mask. She had practically raised him. Along with Lucius Malfoy.
"My son will dispose of him tomorrow night," Voldemort said.
Harry smiled at this. He had been given missions before. Just small things such as killing an informant in the dead of night, or seeking out mudbloods. A traitor was new, different. He couldn't wait to kill the man.
"But for now, let us discuss the Order of the Phoenix." Voldemort continued.
A collective grumble went around the room. Harry sneered at the name. The Order of the Phoenix. Dumbledore's last attempt at winning the war. Harry laughed silently as he thought about the stupid delusion. From what his father had told him of the Order, as well as his birth parents, he was certain that he never wanted to see them. Unless his wand was pressed to their forehead.
"Severus," Voldemort said, "what news of Dumbledore?"
Snape shifted slightly in his seat, "The Order is planning to use Lincoln Allen to lure us out. They have prepared Order members to capture any death eaters that come to kill Allen."
Voldemort frowned and turned to Harry, "You must be cautious of this," he hissed, effortlessly transitioning into parseltongue.
Harry rolled his eyes, "I am more than capable of handling a few order members."
A few death eaters gasped at this. No one had ever heard anyone speak parseltongue other than the Dark Lord. To hear a conversation in the strange, dark language felt wrong and unsettling.
"I am not doubting your capabilities." Voldemort said, "I am concerned about-"
"James Potter?" Harry cut in.
Voldemort pursed his lips.
"You are my father. Not him."
"We will discuss this after the meeting." Voldemort said in a tone that clearly showed that the conversation was over.
Harry crossed his arms and sighed.
"Thank you Serverus for this information. I will contact all of you of any... change of plans," Voldemort said in english. "Until next time, my friends."
The room was silent for a moment, before Lucius and Draco stood, both murmuring, "My lord." Before disapperating.
One by one each of the death eaters disappeared until only Harry and Voldemort remained.
Harry sighed and kicked his feet up onto the table, his cloak falling away to reveal a crisp black button up shirt and tailored black pants.
"That went well don't you think?" he asked, closing his eyes. "They all seemed very surprised."
Voldemort hummed in agreement, "Wormtail... what did you do to him?"
Harry laughed, "Just a crucio father, he was in my way."
Voldemort sighed, "Juts so long as you don't kill him."
"I'll try my best I suppose," Harry said.
A box appeared in front of Harry.
"Happy birthday son," Voldemort said.
Harry grinned, "I thought you'd forgotten."
"I haven't forgotten your birthday is fifteen years."
Harry lifted his feet if the table and pulled the lid of the box and gasped when he saw what lay inside. A delicate knife sat nestled in black silk. Harry pulled the knife out and admired it's engraved hilt in awe. The dark mark curled around the hilt, the snake opening its mouth at the base of the knife.
"It's perfect, thank you father."
Voldemort was quiet for a moment before talking, "You must promise me not to get caught tomorrow night. I can't have you taken from me."
Harry looked his father straight in the eyes. "I swear it. I won't let them take me."
"Kill Allen and come straight back do you hear me?" Voldemort said, uncharacteristic worry seeing into his voice.
Harry nodded, "Yes father."
~~~~~~~~~~
A loop of James throwing Harry into the air played over and over again in the small photo frame. Lily wiped a tear away as she watched the brilliant smile on her son's face again.
He would've been sixteen today.
He would've been in his sixth year of Hogwarts.
The last fifteen years had been brutal for the Potters. After Harry was taken, James fell into a depression that only lifted when their second son, Theo, was born. Theo had his father's eyes but his mother's looks. He had given James new life and he guarded his only remaining son with a fierce passion.
Lily placed the photo down and walked downstairs to the kitchen, jumping in fright as she saw Sirius sitting on a stool, a drink in his hand and a far away look on his face.
"Sirius," Lily said, "You're early."
Sirius downed the rest of his drink, "Just wanted to see how you were doing. It's his birthday isn't it."
Lily nodded, not trusting her voice.
"Fifteen years Lils," Sirius sighed, "Fifteen fucking years."
'Pop'
The sound of apparition came from the dining room.
"They're starting to come, the meeting's going to start soon," Lily said, leaving Sirius alone in the kitchen.
Dumbledore stood in the dining room, staring at Lily when she entered with a serene smile on his face.
"Hello Albus," she said, just as the Weasley family apparated in.
"Theo!" Lily called, "The Weasleys are here!"
Thundering footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs, and soon Theo Potter ran into the room, grinning at the two youngest Weasleys. Although Theo was a year below Ginny, and two years below Ron, they were still good friends.
"Hey guys!" Theo exclaimed, "Thank Merlin you're here, it's been so boring."
He led Ron and Ginny upstairs, leaving the dining room feeling a little less crowded.
Molly Weasley enveloped Lily into a hug before sitting down.
"How are you dear?" Molly asked.
Lily smiled, "I'm fine."
'Pop'
Tonks came next, with Remus not far behind her. Sirius loped in just as Remus arrived. They smiled at each other for a second, before kissing softly and sitting next to each other.
Alastor Moody and James came together, both sitting down. James have Lily's hand a squeeze as Dumbledore cleared his throat to begin.
"As you all know, tomorrow night we have planned to capture as many death eaters as we can using Mr Allen who is currently locked in Mr Moody's trunk."
A collective nod went around the room.
"James, Sirius and Alastor will be waiting in the muggle factory where Mr Allen was last seen by Bellatrix Lestrange-"
'Pop'
Dumbledore was cut off by Snape apparating in, his face pale and his hair limp.
"Ahh Snivellus," Sirius taunted, "Back from a nice little Dearh Eater meeting are we?"
"He has a son," Snape said, cutting Sirius off. "The Dark Lord. He has a son."
"What!?" Sirius exclaimed.
"Why is it that we're only hearing of this now?" Remus asked quietly.
"His existence was kept a secret, no one knew. Not even the death eaters," Snape said.
"Is the boy truly of Voldemort's blood?" Dumbledore enquired.
Snape paled even further, "He spoke parseltongue. And they looked the same, if it wasn't for the mask he wore I would've been able to tell you more."
"What's so important about this kid?" Moody growled.
"Only he is being sent to kill Allen tomorrow night."
Molly gasped, "That poor child! Made to kill a man..."
"That poor child is the son of a murderer. For all we know, he could be one too!" Moody exclaimed angrily. "I say it's a good thing that the boy is being sent. We can hit You Know Who where it hurts."
Dumbledore sighed, "Voldemort is incapable of love. The boy is just a weapon... a means to an end."
James scowled, "You Know Who has the nerve to have a son after he took mine away from me."
He glanced at Lily, to see her eyes shining with tears.
"We're going to kill his weapon," James said slowly, "We're going to kill his means to an end."