Harry finally got away from the order, who had resorted to yelling at each other about next steps, ignoring the teenagers constantly asking questions. Dumbledore had left them to it, being cryptic as always and Harry had gone back to Regulus' room, falling down onto the bed. He sighed and turned, his head buried into the pillow as he tried to swallow down a shout. He was so done with them! He just wanted to go back to Marvolo and forget all about these people. His guilt of betraying them was quickly fading away the more he spent time with them. Merlin! How had he never realised just how insufferable his friends could be sometimes? He felt Kreacher pop in, but ignored the old elf, too tired to listen to his grumpy complaints. It was probably just about Fletcher. Harry was just falling asleep when Cherie finally returned. Immediately he sat up, looking at the walking shadow eagerly. "Is everything okay? They all got out?" Cherié nodded, moving to sit on the bed next to him. "They all are alive. Blonde man is very grateful." Harry smiled slightly, maybe the Malfoys would be a little nicer now. Ever since he'd appeared at Riddle Manor, he'd had to deal with Lucius' icy glares. "Any word from Vol?" Cherié nodded, transforming into a panther shaped silhouette and glided over the walls of the room, as if stalking his prey. This used to alarm Harry, but he was used to it by now. Both he and his shadow couldn't stay still for long. "He worries for you, and wished for you to be careful. Do not get caught." Harry knew Voldemort hadn't said all of that, he'd probably just said 'don't get caught'. He also knew that Cherié did not lie to him. Vol was worried and it warmed Harry's heart. No one had ever truly worried about him like this before. He smiled, laying down again and gesturing for the shadowy panther to come forward. It did, curling up on Harry's lap and purring as the young Shadow Mage stroked his inky head. "I'll be careful. Especially now the order knows that there is a Shadow Mage. There's gonna be a witch-hunt...ironically." He fell silent, thinking. "I can't get it out of my head. They were prepared for it, they were waiting. How could they know?" Cherié moved to look at him, ears flicking in confusion. "I think the order has another spy. It's the only way they could have prepared for it. I'll have to find out who, preferably before I see Vol again." He waited for Cherié's reply, and looked down when he had none. The shadow had faded away, and he was alone in the room. A large yawn took him by surprise, and he finally realised how exhausted he was. Closing his eyes he started to fall asleep, deciding that he'd look into who the traitor was the next day.
Snape walked through the empty, cold halls of Riddle Manor, vials in hand. As much as he hated to admit it, his life had been much simpler and less stressful since His Lord had confined him to 'office work'. He didn't have to deal with bratty children, or the idiotic Order. Nor did he have to deal with Dumbledore's manipulations. Now he spent his days in the lab, making potions, or in his room reading. It was bliss. The only downsides were avoiding a blood-thirsty Bellatrix, and these potion deliveries. His Lord had recently decided to change his snake-like appearance, although why this concerned him now escaped Severus' reasoning. Perhaps it was his little fascination with Potter. Still, he couldn't complain. As long as Harry was alive and working with the Dark Lord, Severus was safe. The process had been slow going, but was certainly taking effect. Every time he'd seen His Lord, he'd appeared slightly more human. His skin was less scaly and translucent, and the man had a nose now. This dose would likely be his last, and he would be human again! Well, as human as a Dark Lord could get. Severus came up to the door of his masters chambers and just as he was about to knock, it opened. Bellatrix stormed out, scowling at Snape, but refraining from cursing him, instead walking down the hall in her incensed demeanor. He turned to see a very annoyed Dark Lord and hesitated to enter the room. "Get in here Snape, I don't have all day!" He rushed in, closing the heavy oak door behind him, with a very final bang.
Voldemort growled as Bellatrix finally left. The woman had been in here for twenty minutes screaming like a harpy about Harry. He hadn't cared to listen to what she was saying, but from the look in her eye and the abhorent disgust he felt, making his skin crawl, he could tell exactly what she'd been suggesting. He sat at the armchair and watched as Severus placed the potion vials on the coffee table before taking his own seat on the opposing sofa. "I do believe this should be the final dose, My Lord." Excited despite himself, Tom leant forward to look at the potions held within the delicate crystal bottles. One was an inky, thick liquid that looked incredibly unnappetising. He had seen this and the light purple liquid before. It restored his human looks and ensured there were no...adverse side effects. The third one, a clear shiny liquid, was new. He looked at the nervous Potions master to explain. "The last vial is to 'set' the potions in a way. Making them permanant. Voldemort nodded and downed each potion, refusing to grimace at the disgusting tastes despite desperately wanting to. When it was done, he waited a minute for the potions to take effect before walking over the floor length mirror. The man who stood before him was practically a stranger to him. He looked as he had in school, though perhaps a little older. The lack of lines or wrinkles made it impossible to tell his age, appearing almost ageless. At a guess, he would appear anywhere between late twenties and early fourties. Which was impressive considering he was 68. His skin was pale, but not inhumanely so, smooth ivory with a healthy glow. His hair had grown back thick and lustrious, in dark black waves. He could blend in with any other wizard, if it weren't for his eyes. Whilst they were no longer snake-like, icy blue had been replaced by a deep wine-red. "My most sincere apologies My Lord. I'm not sure why the eyes were changed, I can look into..." Voldemort silenced him with a raised hand, peering at his reflection. It seemed to better fit that he didn't look a hundred percent normal. He was, afterall, the Dark Lord. He truned to the dour man and nodded his head. "This will do Severus. You may go." The man bowed and exited the room, leaving Vol to look in the mirror. The idea to become more human had been so he could visit Harry in Hogsmeade. Sure, he could have used a glamour, but that ran the risk of being caught and removed. That's what he told himself. A traitorous little voice in his head whispered that he was simply doing this for Harry, but he ignored it. Nowadays his thoughts and actions had been much more emotional, and he still didn't quite understand it. Usually Harry had explained these things, so it was a lot more confusing now he wasn't here. Shaking his head, he walked out of the room. There was one last thing he needed to do before he could see Harry again...
Harry woke up with a start, looking around confused. He turned to see an annoyed Hermione glaring down at him. "Harry, how many times, you need to get changed!" He grunted, rubbing his ribs where it would seem the girl had elbowed him. "I was asleep, Merlin!" He stood and pulled his robes from the overhead storage quickly getting changed whilst Hermione and Ginny left to do the same. Looking out the window, he began to recognise the quickly passing scenery and could see the faint outline of the Black Lake up ahead. He sat back down watching the trees whizz by and Hogsmeade station drawing closer. The train finally pulled up to the station and Harry stepped off with Ron and Ginny flagging either side. "Oh Harry, did we mention, Ron and I are prefects!" He raised an eyebrow but didn't reply. Evidently Dumbledore was playing favourites. Hermione tutted and Harry rolled his eyes before walking over to a long line of horse-drawn carriages. "You'd know this if you hadn't fallen asleep the second you got on the train mate!" Ron laughed, nudging him but Harry ignored them, brows furrowed as he passed a coach. "Woah, what the hell is that?" Ginny stood next to him, attempting to loop her arm through his. "What are you talking about?" He shook her off and slowly lifted his hand up to the strange looking creature before him. They were completely fleshless, their black coats clinging to their skeletons, of which every bone was visible. Their heads were dragonish and their pupil-less eyes white and staring. Wings sprouted from each whither- vast balck leathery wings that looked as though they ought to belong to giant bats. What were they? Master, they are thestrals. Those that have seen death can see them. They have always been there. Confused Harry walked away, shaking his head when the group asked him what he'd seen. "It's nothing." He ignored their stubborn questioning, walking down to the last few empty carriages. Suddenly, Ginny ran forward, waving at a blonde pale girl who sat in the last carriage on her own. She was rather peculiar looking, with horseradish earrings and a butterbeer cork necklace. She also appeared to be reading a magazine upside down. He went to follow the rest of the group to sit in the carriage with the strange girl, when anxiety overcame him, shadows writhing around him, and harsh screams filled his head. Panicked, Harry didn't understand what was wrong, but knew his shadows were warning him to get away fast. He muttered a quick excuse to Ron about forgetting something at the platform and ran back to the station as the carriages began to pull away. He ran and ran until the screams stopped and his worry abated. "What the hell was that?" Cherié stepped out from his shadow, grabbing his arm and pulling him into the trees. Stay away from that girl. Harry frowned, looking around before whispering back. "Why?" The shadow wrapped around him slightly, as if trying to protect him. She is a seer. If you get too close, she'll know what you are!" His eyes widened in shock, and he held the silhouette closer. "I think you're being paranoid my dear, she's only in the year below me, if she was going to do anything by now, she would have." The creature shook it's head, adamant. She is dangerous, you cannot allow this. You must kill her. Harry glared at him, pushing Cherié's arms off and backing away. "This is crazy, why would I do that?" Harry walked over to the shadow of the train, preparing to shadow away to the castle. As he did, he heard a whispering voice in the back of his mind. Kill her before she kills you.
Delores gazed around the great hall, watching as the students filed in. Merlin, she hated children. She supressed the grimace she wanted to show, replacing with a kind and friendly smile. Cornelius had sent her here to make sure the students were taught properly, so they could defend themselves from the dark. Ever since the attack on Diagon Alley, the ministry had had to admit that You-Know-Who was returning. Well, she would teach them properly alright. It was time these little brats learnt some manners. "Try outs for the house quidditch teams will take place on the-" She stood, clearing her throat and waiting for him to introduce her. She would have no more of Dumbledore's nonsense. She smiled when he sat down, and stepped forwards to the dias. "Thank you Headmaster, for those kind words of welcome." She frowned as the students ignored her, whispering. She cleared her throat again, and continued. "Well it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts again, I must say, and to see such happy little faces looking up at me." She looked around at all the vapid, balnk expressions watching her, and ignored the urge to simply curse one of them. She gave the speech about the ministry and education that she had revised earlier. She was barely paying attention to the words, as she didn't believe a single word of it. She was here to bring these runts into line, making sure they were dedicated to the ministry, as they should be. As she finished her little speech, she nodded at Dumbledore and sat down, annoyed at the paused and unenthusiastic clapping. She sighed and looked around he hall, wondering where exactly to start. She watched the Gryffindow table, seeing a young girl shispering to a Weasley, who clearly had not been paying attention the entire time. Yes, perhaps it would be best to make an example of those trouble makers. As she moved her eyes over to the other tables, she whipped her head back at sudden rapid movement next to the Weasleys. Haunting green eyes watched her intently from behind round glasses and underneath a mop of black hair. She didn't need to see the scar to know who he was. Harry Potter. She'd considered making him her example, but knew going after the Chosen One directly would get some unwelcome attention. Besides... Something about those eyes just unsettled her. A kind of darkness lay behind them. A shiver ran down her spine, and she turned away looking over at the Death Eater spawn. She was being silly. Just imagine; Harry Potter, being evil. The idea was laughable.