7,471Embracing His True Self
Chapter 58
Harry walked into the great hall, noticing that Rodolphus looked like a kicked puppy, while his father and brother attempted to stop themselves showing their amusement. Luna was to Hogwarts, the summer holidays were now officially over, and she was off on the Hogwarts express in three hours. Her father could really just apparate her to the school nearer the time and let her stick with them than be on the train. However, Harry wasn't sure how that would work or if she'd actually have gotten in trouble for that, they must need to take the train otherwise a lot of other parents would be doing it wouldn't they? All the pureblood's dropping their kids off at Hogsmeade? He just didn't want to see her bullied, the very thought of it riled him up something fierce.
"Has any post been delivered yet?" Harry asked, moving to his own seat, rather impatient, he'd waited for answers long enough, and he was leaving tomorrow, so he was hoping that estimate would come sometime today. All and any mail that comes in the evening is received by the House-elves and set aside and given over at breakfast unless it was marked urgent. Which his likely wasn't. Nothing
"Nothing yet," Rabastan told Harry, in his normal features, changing forms was as easy as breathing, and he quite frankly loved it. He could go out and not fear his glamour fading or anything of the sort. He spent a lot of time changing his features just for the hell of it. He often wondered why not everyone had elected to take it, including Severus, but he didn't care about taking the potion, having the ability or even wish to change his features. Which by the way he was secretly pleased about.
"Am I that early?" Harry commented, glancing at his watch frowning, the house-elves were usually early before they were ever late at delivering breakfast. Although, Voldemort was usually here by now, but he was stuck in a meeting, so, maybe they were actually going to have to wait until he was done?
"The meal is only served when the Dark Lord is present, unless he specifically asks otherwise," Rabastan regaled him, "Not like Hogwarts which is a set time." A wistful tone to his voice as he spoke of Hogwarts, but it was the same for most other people, except those who did not like school all that much.
"Are you prepared for tomorrow?" Lord Corvus enquired, staring at the youngster that had Tom wrapped around his finger. He certainly got away with far more than any other had in the past.
"Yeah, I can't wait, seriously, it's going to be so much fun!" almost hopping on the spot rubbing his hands gleefully, making no effort to put a mask upon his face. Older pureblood's would be glaring at him at showcasing such indignities, even the younger ones had been encouraged to wear a 'blank' mask so that nobody could take advantage.
"We can see that," Rodolphus said dryly, his lips twitching for the first time since he dropped Luna off home so she could see her father before she got on the train for Hogwarts. "What are you waiting for anyway?" curiosity getting the better off him, barely twitching when his father smacked him on the head for his words. Harry was higher up the hierarchy, he should not be asking those sorts of questions, not to him.
"Pay his questions no mind," Lord Lestrange commented a tiny bit of desperation in his voice as if Harry had transformed into the Dark Lord overnight.
Harry gave the wizard an unusual look, startling a little at his statement, before shaking it off as just the Lord being weird. Adults often were, especially pureblood's until last year he'd only really known the Weasley's and they were hardly the norm in the magical world. "I paid for real estate appraisals through Gringotts, since I'm going to be all over the place, I was hoping to kick start it before I leave."
None of them seemed to be surprised by his words, purebloods were always looking for investments and building up their portfolios to expand their estate. The Lord's seldom had actual nine to five jobs, but they worked tirelessly to ensure that their families all had a comfortable existence along with those still to come. Even Lord Lestrange, Corvus, spent a lot of his time doing so, despite the fact, before his sons got out of Azkaban, it looked as if he was doing it for naught.
"I'm surprised really, there's not much new to invest in," Rabastan told him, as they waited on breakfast rather impatiently, how long was the meeting going to go on for?
"There are if you take risks," Harry replied, twisting his cutlery about, in boredom. "Ugh, if I'm made to wait any longer, I'm heading to the kitchen." Tapping his fingers on the table.
"Patience, young Lord," Corvus chided him with an amused lilt to his voice, eyes twinkling in amusement.
"Patience has never been one of my virtues," Harry grinned, "It's likely how I passed as a Gryffindor so long."
Everyone laughed, it was something they shouldn't forget, but often do, that Harry was a Gryffindor, or sorted there at any rate.
"Merlin, my parents were often of the same mind regarding me," Corvus said fondly, "I was rather hot tempered despite my father's teachings. It helped stop the anger at the small things, but the big ones rendered me mute with rage that just couldn't be contained."
Harry nodded, completely understanding, "Did it cause you any bouts of accidental magic, though?" giving him a pointed look.
"Once, but you see, when you begin Hogwarts, you're not supposed to have bouts of accidental magic. It's seem as something…shameful back then." Corvus revealed, "I was fortunate that it happened amongst mostly only family."
Harry straightened, a 'what the fuck are you talking about that's bullshit' look upon his face, as he stared his upper lip raised along with his eyebrow. "That's bullshit." Not believing it for a second.
"I agree, wholeheartedly," Corvus nodded, "There was even talk about giving the heirship to my younger brother, such was the perceived shame of it."
"People are bloody stupid," Harry said shaking his head utterly befuddled, "Foolish beliefs."
"Even if they wanted to, our uncle didn't live through infancy." Rodolphus told him, perhaps it was the will of the gods for their slander, at the belief that his father was lesser for a bout of accidental magic.
"They wouldn't have much liked me then," Harry scoffed ruefully, "The amount of accidental magic I did…I'm surprised the Ministry didn't actually come and visit." It was a long list of accidental magic; he'd been foolish not to realize what he was doing long before he did.
"I'm not sure my parents loved or even liked any of the children they had." Corvus said in bitter amusement, "They saw it as a mere duty, we were raised by nannies practically our entire childhood. I cannot say I remember a single happy memory of them, they were pretty miserable people." He hadn't wanted to have children and be like that with them, it was a fear that his wife had to rid him off.
"Likely happened more than we can fathom, should be grateful for that I suppose otherwise we, each of us, wouldn't be here." Harry said wryly, how could anyone have come to love someone, when it was a damn contract? A marriage contract telling you how many children you must have? Few were lucky, some likely became friends and fond of each other, but for the majority they just went through the motions, it was a sad existence really.
Things have changed through, even amongst the pureblood society, how many contracts were made these days?
Corvus gave him a crooked smirk, the Dark Lord had once said something similar back in the day, when he told this very tale himself. It was naturally known now that anyone that still had explosive magical incidents after they joined Hogwarts…were libel to be extremely powerful, and it was no longer seen as shameful but something to be admired. Parents strutted around when it happened, power meant more than anything in families.
"Are they still alive?" Harry asked, it sounded like they were dead, but it might just be the wording due to the fact the wizard cut off all contact? It truly could be anything.
"Oh, no, they died of Dragon Pox during the pandemic," Corvus revealed, rather quite young especially for wizards, but he'd felt nothing but relief at their deaths. His siblings that had passed away, he grieved for though. His fathers fault, he'd gone to Paris after being told not to travel due to the restrictions, foolish man had created an illegal portkey there and back. Not even three days later he begun to get sick, and by then he'd passed it on to everyone else. He'd survived by the skin of his teeth.
"Dragon Pox pandemic? Was that the sixties?" Harry asked, his brow furrowing as he fought to recall everything, he'd heard about it but there was glaringly little.
"1892," Corvus corrected, "But there have been outbreaks but none quite so bad, the inoculations to prevent Dragon Pox work to an extent, thus there's less deaths, although a lot did not give their children the potion, finding it unnecessary which explained the increased death statistics during the third outbreak."
"There was one in the sixties though," Rabastan let him know he was quite correct on that front.
"Thought so," Harry replied grinning, "Not sure where I've read it about admittedly." Scratching his chin as he thought some more but ultimately shrugged and gave up, nope, nothing was coming to him.
"Are you going to do some training today?" Rodolphus questioned him, "In preparation for the tournament?"
"Why? Do you want to duel?" Harry asked sounding far too eager for Corvus' peace of mind.
"A friendly one," Rodolphus was quick to state, grimacing at the memory of Bellatrix losing her magic, nobody had gone near Harry since, not wishing to be given the same treatment.
"Very friendly," Corvus added, before perking up as the food and drink appeared on the table, he was very pleased, and was quick to pour himself a cup of coffee. The divine smells of breakfast and coffee and fresh squeezed oranges permeating the air, hmm, bacon, yes, he'd have some bacon and sausage today.
"Huh, does that mean he's not having breakfast?" Harry wondered, as he begun to pile a load of food onto his plate, his appetite was triple what it used to be. He was more than making up for lost time. "Oh, by the way, have any of you seen my snake?" he called him his snake but really, Aadarsh spent nearly all his time with Nagini out in the wild, only occasionally coming in, particularly when it was cold, preferring to heat up in the enclosure he had set up for him.
"Is he lost?" Rabastan squeaked, so sue him, he was terrified of the two snakes, he was pretty sure they liked to toy with him too.
"No, but I did see Nagini and he wasn't with her, it's just unusual considering he wasn't in his enclosure." Harry told him.
"Are you taking him with you?" Rabastan asked in surprise, his gaze wandering as if he could spot the black snake.
"I haven't decided," Harry confessed, "I'm just going to ask Aadarsh see what he wants to do, he likely will want to stay." He wasn't anything like Nagini or Hedwig. Too independent, even Voldemort was surprised by how independent he was. He'd expected the snake to be a little like Nagini, but their bond was clearly more special, and it wasn't because of the Horcrux since she'd been that way before he turned her into one.
"I honestly forget you have him," Corvus asserted, "He certainly doesn't make his presence known," unlike Nagini.
"Doesn't help that he's tiny compared to Nagini," Harry laughed softly, eating breakfast, pleased to see that the mail pop in on a silver platter. It had a Gringotts stamp, it was the information he'd been after. Hopefully it would be a good investment, bring in money and actually help people, it was a good project idea.
"Isn't every snake?" recalling her devouring a human being as easily as breathing, there was truly no other familiar suitable for the Dark Lord and just as intimidating as him.
Harry painfully swallowed the mouthful of bacon and scrambled egg before laughing, "True that," he pointed out, claiming the mail, he flipped through it all, most of it was, unsurprisingly, for Voldemort but there were two pieces for him, one for Lord Lestrange and one for Rodolphus. He handed them over, and set his aside, making a mental note to ask Voldemort where the heck his snake was, surely, he should know where he was especially if he was within the wards – which he would be – the estate was teaming with an abundance of wildlife, even with the werewolves having claimed their spot at the very edge of the woods at the bottom of the estate.
"Hmm, this is something I must deal with immediately, please excuse me," Corvus said, wiping his mouth and setting his remainder of his breakfast aside. His gaze upon Harry, proper as is always, he might be a Lord in his own right, but Harry was also a Lord and a consort and highest up the hierarchy at the moment.
Harry seemed bewildered for half a second, before he inclined his head, smart lad that he was. "Of course, I hope it's nothing bad,"
Corvus inclined his head, electing not to reply, before he took off out the great hall.
The brothers watched their father leave, slightly worried, but not overly so, it wouldn't be the first time he'd received missives and had to go deal with whatever it was. Such as it was being the Lord of an estate as old and big as the Lestrange estate. He'd tell them eventually should he so desire.
"So, a duel?" Rodolphus questioned, after they'd finished their breakfast.
"Sure, give me two hours, meet up in the training room?" Harry suggested, standing up.
"I'll be there in the training room," Rodolphus agreed, and with that confirmation, Harry was gone with a quick goodbye. He was rather looking forward to it, Harry had been taught by Severus, the Dark Lord, he'd even seen the Flint's and Dolohov giving him pointers. Truly, he was going to be a challenge, and he hadn't had one in a long time.
"You might want to get some exercising done before then," Rabastan laughed, smacking his brother on the shoulder.
It was an enormous relief not to have Bellatrix anywhere near them, and knowing that she was secure meant he could relax a bit. He'd spent so long tense and alert just in case she came along without them knowing. They'd been doing it before Azkaban and they'd took it right back up again after they got free without a second thought. He'd resigned himself to helping his father and brother for the rest of their miserable lives or when Bellatrix finally got them killed. He hadn't honestly seen any other outcome; it was just something they were used to. Then Harry started getting his own back, disowning her, leaving her literally nameless and his brother suddenly free. Going so far to argue and defend them against Bellatrix.
"Funny," Rodolphus huffed in annoyance, "I've been training every day!"
"Ha! Lies!" Rabastan laughed, smacking his brothers head, "You were taught to lie better than that!"
Corvus hid a smile behind his coffee, sighing softly, pleased with how life was going for once. Yes, he owed Harry a great deal more than he could express. Hmm, giving him the book that had been returned to his family from Borgin and Burkes would be redundant since it had been copied – with pages missing out of it which hadn't happened in his home! – so, that was out. He wasn't sure if any of the books in the Lestrange library would be useful to him, especially seen as the Potter and Black estate likely had everything between them.
He would think of something.
"Gerroff!" Rodolphus said through an aborted laugh, shaking his head at his brothers silly antics.
"Do you know what the meeting is about, Father?" Rabastan asked, changing the subject, staring at his father curiously.
"I can't say I do." Corvus confessed, his brow furrowing a little, trying to recall if Tom had said anything, but he honestly couldn't recall any mention of it.
"I wonder if Harry knows," Rabastan pondered, it wasn't often that breakfast was served due to a meeting overrunning.
"Do not harass him for answers," Corvus stated firmly, giving his youngest a pointed look.
"Master wants Heir Rodolphus and Master Rabastan in his office right away," the house elf informed the two wizards, before popping away before they could get out affirmations of hearing the orders. The brothers glanced at one another, before looking at their father in befuddlement.
"Go on, don't keep him waiting," Corvus prompted them, as he sat back, continuing to drink his coffee, having every intention of having a second and finishing off his book next to a fireplace, soaking in the warmth. Warming charms just weren't the same as the sound of a crackling fire or the warmth – to almost too warm – that comes with sitting by the fire.
The brothers agreed, bidding their father goodbye before they made their way towards the Dark Lord's office. They weren't the only ones there; Barty and Severus were just ducking into the office as they made around the corridor. It was the Dark Lord's public – lower level – office and not his private one he had on the upper level next to his bedchambers.
"Hmm, I do wonder what's happening," Rodolphus murmured quietly as they made a quick work of the hallway, reaching the Dark Lord's office in record time.
"Only one way to find out." Rabastan quipped, before they both took their seats. "Do you know why we've been called?" only asking due to the fact the Dark Lord wasn't in his office at the moment.
"I have an inkling," Severus spoke, despite Rabastan looking at Barty when he asked that question.
"Doubtful," Rodolphus said dismissively, playing his usual games to get answers without asking.
Severus just smirked at him; he very rarely played the games the others liked to play so much. If they thought for a second, they would know why themselves, it was common sense. However, he had come to learn that logic didn't go hand in hand when it came to wizards, especially magically raised children.
Barty just rolled his eyes, honestly, sighing dramatically, his gaze focused on the door, knowing the Dark Lord would be there momentarily. He was never late, although, to be fair, the house elf had not given a time or date, just to make their way to the office immediately. They two were definitely impatient, different from how they used to be for certain, but still a hint of impatience in their personality.
"Good you're here," Voldemort stated as he stepped into the office and immediately shut the door, wards flaring up ensuring secrecy for the meeting, as he always did when it came to meeting anyone.
A rueful look appeared on all their faces, as if they had the guts to actually outright avoid the meeting.
They valued their lives thank you very much.
"I want four of my inner circles to become Harry's bodyguards for the duration of his participation in the duelling championship tournament." Voldemort stated seriously, he didn't need to explain why he wanted to use his inner circle, after all Harry was worth it.
Barty sniggered, "How did you manage to get him to agree?" presuming his Lord had asked him, but he reckoned his Lord had indeed asked. Their relationship seemed more of a partnership, both compromised to the best of their abilities, and he was rather envious of their relationship.
Severus' lips twitched in amusement at Barty's words as he watched the Dark Lord himself wondering if they'd get an answer.
"I started off suggesting twelve guards," Voldemort told them, his eyes gleaming with smug satisfaction. He'd known Harry would protest vehemently against them, only agreeing with a significant reduced number. "He's agreed to four, do you want to go? I'll have two backups to replace two of you at least once a month so you may alternate. And this an assignment that you can choose." Making it clear they didn't have to go, but he was asking them first because they were the best and Severus had sworn a vow to look out for him making him the number one suggestion that had immediately been on his mind.
"Why not? I don't have anything better to do," Rodolphus declared, his letters to and from Hogwarts would take longer, but that was it. Keeping himself busy would have the year going much faster so that he would feel like he'd be seeing Luna sooner. Plus, this would get them out the castle and actually do something. Sure, they had the ability to morph into whoever they wish, and could maintain their anonymity they hadn't had many missions from the Dark Lord since they escaped Azkaban.
"How long will the tournament last?" Severus asked, a frown on his face, the idea of leaving behind all his projects wasn't exactly appealing, however, when it came to protecting Harry, he'd do it, even if somewhat grudgingly.
"Four months," Voldemort answered almost immediately, it gives the contestants a chance to recuperate and heal without overwhelming them with duels. "Then there is the tour they do for another month. Five if you include that." He had no doubt Harry would at the very least be one of the finalists.
Severus arched a brow, "That long?" it was a significant amount of time, nearly half a year, just for a tournament? Shouldn't it be a mere month or two?
"It's a world duelling championship contest, wizards and witches from all over are participating, naturally that takes time if you're only having one or two duels per day." Voldemort explained dryly, there were one hundred and ninety-five countries in the world, there were at least three or four from each country. If it was just a month, Flitwick would be able to do his job and participate in the tournaments but he could not.
"I presume he won't be using a Portkey there and back and remaining there the entire time?" Barty asked, almost jumping in glee, the idea of visiting all these countries and all the magical communities and markets it was…simply amazing. He had to go, there was no way he'd turn this assignment down, and to see Harry in all his glory fighting someone that wasn't his Lord or the few Death Eaters that weren't afraid to hurt him? Count him in! He was so there for this.
"That would be a costly endeavour, so yes, he will be remaining there for the entire duration that he's in." Voldemort explained, it wouldn't be costly for them, but the more he used them, the greater the chance of being detected by Dumbledore and his ilk. They would know which country he was in, and which area when they got the tickets – and they would in a bid to snatch Harry – but the circuit ensured their contestants safety. Their measures impressed even him, so they'd find it difficult to get to him, but adding in four guards? It would be nigh on impossible. He'd also have an emergency portkey wrapped around his neck at all times. He couldn't deny Harry his desire to spread his wings and see the world, he'd done exactly that himself after he left Hogwarts. The selfish part of him wanted to keep Harry in the castle, where he knew where he was and safe at all times.
He also knew it was the quickest way to want Harry to run, for Harry to lose that spark of his.
The only real option was the duelling tournament.
"Do you think father will be alright with us both away?" Rabastan pondered, he wasn't getting any younger after all.
Voldemort narrowed his eyes, was there something wrong with Corvus? Perhaps it was time to have a talk with him just to be sure. He'd already lost the rest of his original knights of the Walpurgis; he didn't want to lose Corvus quite so soon. He should have at least another fifty years if he was careful and more.
"He's fine, you worry too much," Rodolphus waved off Rabastan's concern, despite the fact, he often found himself worrying about his father too. They'd been in Azkaban nearing fifteen years, so it had been very jarring to see their father so much older than before.
"Alright, I'm in," Rabastan agreed, but he'd make sure his father was alright with it before he left, luckily, they had loyal house elves who would ensure he was safe. He truly wasn't on his own ever. "I assume we're leaving tomorrow? or is it late tonight?"
"Very early tomorrow," Voldemort told them, "Six o'clock is when the Portkey activates, and it will take you to Ireland so the first stop isn't quite so difficult."
"Please tell us it's Cork! They have the most divine magical market, father took us when I was fourteen, the food's delicious, and the area is just seeped in magic, I loved every second of it." Rodolphus said, it was one of his favourite holidays he must confess.
"Considering you won't be home for potentially months, pack appropriately, both warm and cooler clothes since ultimately, if Harry advances the countries will get hotter or colder depending on location. Take enough money with you, not all countries have access to your own account at the main branch of Gringotts." Voldemort continued, ignoring Rodolphus' comment for now, "And take enough potions with you, a lot of the champions take their own healers so it won't be odd. I'd rather someone of our choosing would ensure Harry's safety and not someone bought who would then compromise Harry's chances of winning." And yes, these things happened, try as they might, something always slipped through the net. Human error, the ability to bribe and accept them.
Severus inclined his head wholeheartedly agreeing to that service. As if he would allow an inferior healer to tend to Harry. Sure, he wasn't officially a healer, but he was good enough, if he'd tried to pass the medical exams he would do so with flying colours, Grant had often suggested he do just that, but he'd never been interested in taking them and putting another Mastery under his belt. Why do that when he had no interest in being a healer? His desire had always been to be a potions master and that is what he'd done.
"Two of you will be on duty at all times, you may decide which and when," Voldemort stated, "If anything happens to him…do not return here or I will kill you." His eyes flashed angrily at the mere suggestion of such a thing happening. It made him…want to rage against everything. He had Harry, and he would not lose him. Not for anything. Not by trying to cage him, not by losing him to Dumbledore's Order.
Barty and Rabastan blanched, paling drastically before vehemently nodding their understanding. Severus and Rabastan weren't remotely surprised by his declaration and grimly nodded their awareness of his orders.
"You may leave to gather everything you'll need, be here for at least five forty-five." Voldemort told them, effortlessly dismissing them. Barty lived here, so he likely only needed to go to his own room to pack, but Severus, Rodolphus and Rabastan had rooms here but lived half their time in their own homes.
The four of them paid their respects before leaving the Dark Lord in his office.
Sighing dramatically, the things he did for Harry, standing up, he left his office and made for Harry's bedroom/office. It was more of an office nowadays with Harry spending his nights with him. Something else he would need to get used to in Harry's absence. Sleeping on his own again. He had only just gotten used to a body sleeping next to his own without the urge to curse first ask never.
The door was open, a sign that Harry welcomed company – usually Luna's – but it had become an area where everyone converged recently. He pushed open the door further, finding it odd to see it so quiet again.
"Hey," Harry said, smiling in welcome before he turned back to whatever he was doing at his desk.
"What has you busy now?" Voldemort asked, approaching Harry, standing behind him.
"Remember me asking you about Knockturn Alley and who owed the properties down there?" Harry asked, leaning against Voldemort. He would definitely need to get some sleep tonight, and a lot of it, with a duel and some flying, he reckoned he could get to sleep early.
"I do," Voldemort agreed, peering down at the estimate from Gringotts, "Ah, so is there a profit to be had?"
"Yes, but it will take a while to see any profit, everything is condemned, it should have been torn down decades ago. Babbling should be killed for allowing anyone let alone children reside in those buildings." Harry said derisively.
"Just say the word and he'll be no more." Voldemort replied, a sadistic gleam in his gaze, "Nagini hasn't eaten in a while."
"You really should, he's a disgusting piece of work, I mean look at it," Harry said showing him one of the many pages that had come with Gringotts' investigation.
Voldemort had to concede it truly was abhorrent living conditions he had allowed people to live in.
"I want to help them, but I'm not sure whether to buy the tents for them, so they can use them while they wait…or if I should put them up somewhere, in one of my properties maybe?" Harry's brow furrowed as he tried to think of what would be best.
"That's actually a perfectly acceptable idea, I will ask the others if they would be obliging to donating a tent to aid in your endeavours." Voldemort stated.
Harry laughed, "Like anyone would deny you?" amusement almost causing him to bust a lung. However, it would help them, and they would all be able to afford a new one push comes to shove, so he didn't nix the idea. "I'd like it if you did."
"Then consider it done," Voldemort replied, and he considered that conversation done with too. "You have four guards, Barty, Rodolphus, Rabastan and Severus have all agreed to accompany you."
Harry was pleased that those that were coming he actually got along with, other than say Crabbe or Goyle or Nott or Avery for Merlin's sake. They didn't trust him, he knew, they might never trust him but he wasn't going to lose sleep over some of them not liking him. He was just grateful he wouldn't need to endure them while they kept him safe. Although, it was a shame he was dragging Sev from his bat cave, but he didn't even attempt to ask for someone else, he trusted Severus more than anyone else, so of course, he'd want him there.
He wasn't unaware of the danger he was placing himself in, but he refused to live in a gilded cage. He was genuinely excited to be competing, he'd found something he wanted to do, something he was good at and he'd be damned if he didn't try and reach his potential.
The only other thing he really enjoyed was teaching Luna along with the others. It had been a lot of fun, and according to Luna he was really good at it. Maybe one day he'd become a DADA tutor. Like Professor Flitwick, he used to be a duelling champion, now he was teaching at Hogwarts.
The Order wasn't going to be trouble forever after all.
"Do you have any more meetings today?" Harry asked.
"I do not," Voldemort replied, "Why?"
"I'm going to duel Rodolphus, after maybe we can go get some lunch, you didn't have any breakfast." He admonished Voldemort, having no fear or qualms about doing so. It truly helped having a good relationship with the house elves, so he knew he hadn't eaten this morning.
"I do not need a mother-hen, Grant when he's here, is bad enough," Voldemort hissed, his chest rattling under Harry's head, almost like a rattlesnake, the idea amused him to no end.
Harry laughed, "It's what people do when they care," he told him, "Something I've only recently learned myself." True enough, who knew he'd get the care he needed on the so called 'dark side' that only wanted him dead years before?
Voldemort said nothing, just stared down at Harry with a thoughtful look on his face.
Harry summoned a house elf to bring Voldemort some food he could eat, while he finished off his letter to Babbling. Threatening to expose everything he had done to the poor residents of Knockturn Alley if he didn't sign over the land – and properties – to him immediately. He wasn't giving him any options to manoeuvre around him. He would sign it or Harry would expose him, and the best thing about it, he had the ability to do so. Anything and everything attached to his name would have everyone's attention. The fool would be stupid to ignore his word. He even added a few threatening words that were quite innocuous on their own, at Voldemort's behest.
"That will do." Voldemort agreed handing it back over, while finishing off his cheese sandwich.
Harry snorted, "I don't know…some people are just that stupid they couldn't tell they were being threatened even if there was a wand pointed at their face." Which was strange since Ron was intelligent enough to win at chess even against six- or seventh-year students while at Hogwarts. He could recount the amount of times Ron had been insulted and didn't respond the slightest. Or when Hermione insulted Ron or Draco to their face while neither reacted.
"That certainly cannot be denied," Voldemort agreed, pinching the bridge of his nose, he'd had his share of those incidents when he was at Hogwarts and yes, even after he'd left. Although, he had far better ways of showing his displeasure than empty insults. The Cruciatus curse for one. The only one in fact. He did need his followers alive after all.
Harry set everything back into place, including the ink pots, he would be bringing everything with him. He would still be writing letters and keeping up with everything despite his moving locations. "Do you know where the mail boxes are?" which were as described, mail boxes, his mail would be forwarded from the estate to his location – or rather the boxes location – so he'd have answers to Babbling's doings soon enough. He'd send it back through, and his mail would be posted presumably by the house elves.
"They're in my private study, in the cupboard." Voldemort told him, standing up from the bed, having eaten his fill and feeling better for it. "I'll retrieve it for you." One would naturally be remaining in his office while the other went with Harry.
"Drop it off here, I'll meet you in the training room," Harry said, pressing the ring into the melted wax sealing it properly. He'd altered the design, creating his own unique signet ring, a lightning bolt, something that was uniquely him, he didn't care that everyone else saw it as a sign of hope.
A/N – yep, this is entirely new! I did say there would be new unread chapters for you to enjoy! I do still have a lot of stuff (chapters that aren't posted and likely won't be in their entirety) I will be adding here and there. Boy it's weird trying to remember what you've not written into this version of the story yet lol and my gosh the urge to write my HOD/HP story is so strong but I persevered lol forced myself to get writing this and I'm pleased with the outcome! So, will Harry win his first tournament or will it be a few years before he gets into the finals and become a finalist? And just what will the Order do to get Harry to retaliate with extreme prejudice this time around? Definitely something I have time to think on since it won't be happening so soon this time around ;) I also need someone for Barty unless I just leave him without a significant other...I mean some people are like that...hmm now that I'm thinking it perhaps I should R&R please