Harry Potter and His Shadows (ADOPTED STORY ON HIATUS)

chapter 8

Harry felt a million eyes watching him, or more specifically watching the hand at the small if his back. He was suddenly quite keenly aware of the Dark Lord's closeness, feeling very seen and judged. Instead of hiding his face behind his hair as he usually would, he pulled all the nearest shadows close to him, his eyes turning black and the room growing darker. The impressive aura of Shadow Magic sent shivers down the Death Eaters spines, and he smirked as they were now the ones uncomfortable. Voldemort sat at the head of his table, in a throne like chair, snaking his arm around Harry's waist and pulling him to sit on the chairs arm. Harry didn't understand why Voldemort suddenly wanted him so close, but with so many people that wanted him dead surrounding them, he didn't argue. Nagini slithered over the table, curling up on Voldemorts lap, staring up at Harry. If anything the snakes strangely intelligent eyes scared him more that the death eaters. He looked over, and was shocked at who he saw, levitated over the table.

Voldemort, quite honestly didn't know why he suddenly wanted Harry so close. Perhaps now he was spending so much time with the boy, the Horcrux bond had strengthened. Or perhaps he simply didn't like the glint his death eaters had in their eyes when looking at the boy. All these emotions confused him, and he turned them away, instead focusing on their captive. Of course, his thoughts were again instantly consumed by Harry, worried about how the boy would react to his precious godfather being in the midst of the dark.

Harry didn't know how to react. This was the one person in the world that cared about him, Harry, not Harry Potter the Chosen One. On the other hand, he'd lost count of the times Sirius had called him James. The man had truly lost any sense he'd had in Azkaban, and the man was unconditionally loyal to Dumbledore. A part of Harry was trying to convince himself that it didnt matter, that Voldemort would only kill him anyway. Then of course Cherié had to add their two cents. Tom would let him live for you master. Harry frowned. Maybe Tom would, but surely they couldn't let the man leave, what if he told the others what he'd seen. Even an obliviate was too risky, they didn't always hold. And he didn't want Sirius locked up for the rest of his life. He'd already spent twelve years in a cage, and Harry knew how that felt. He looked into Sirius' eyes, and read the shock and worry and fear in his head. Not for himself, but for Harry. Guilt overwhelmed him, and he was only drawn from his darkening thoughts, by a touch at the crook of his elbow

Quite often I've been wondering why you hear my thoughts but I can no longer read yours.It would help to know what was going on inside that head of yours little one..." He saw Harry smile slightly, and sat back, pleased that the boy wasn't mad at him at least. "It's Cherié I think. He protects me, I wouldn't be surprised if that included my mind too." Voldemort nodded, it made sense. Even now, the limits to what shadow magic was capable of had yet to be found. He stood, addressing his followers as they shifted impatiently. "My loyal followers. It would seem you have brought me a gift." Several of them bowed their heads, their thoughts worried and nervous. Others his more deranged and devoted nodded and grinned, leaning forward, eager for blood. "Sirius Black, traitor to your blood, your name, and your family. Letting down even your dear James and Lily. I wonder...will anyone even miss you?"

A solitary tear dropped out of Sirius' eye, and Harry had to conceal his frown behind a blank mask, siphoning his hurt off to Cherié to hold. Sirius already blamed himself enough. Voldemort continued on, clearly oblivious to Harry's turmoil. "Well traitor, I wonder how you will react to your godson's treachery." As he said this, the silencing charm on Sirius was removed, and Harry felt feelings of regret pushed down the link, and a whispered apology in the back of his mind. "Harry! Get out of here run! I'll hold them off!" The Death Eaters cackled, jeering and throwing insults at his godfather, who still hadn't realised that Harry was free from any spells or chains. Ignoring the Dark Lord's words. Bellatrix stood laughing louder than the others. "Yes, Golden Boy, run to your little mudbloods and blood traitors, see how far you get!" Immediately she fell to the ground, writhing in pain and screeching.

Voldemort walked forwards, hissing in anger. "What have I said Bellatrix? Offend Harry and you offend me." He held the spell for a moment before releasing it and walking over the Harry, who refused to look up. Sirius' face had twisted into an expression of tortured confusion. "Harry. I don't understand?" He frowned, looking up again. "That's the problem Sirius. You never did. It was always just James to you... but I'm not James." Voldemort walked over, his hand smoothing down Harry's mess of hair, before wrapping around Harry's shoulders holding him close. He took strength from the comfort, at least until Sirius' face contorted in disgust. "Harry, how could you! It's Voldemort, he killed your parents! How could you choose him over your family!" Instantly Harry scowled, angry that yet again he was being judged on people's false perceptions of him, and what his parents would want. In the corner of his eye he watched Cherié fade away, all the shadows in the room growing and forming dark silhouettes of people, animals and monsters. "How dare you! What gives you the right to judge me? My power came from my mother, my shadows have been here for me more you ever were! You, so blinded by your sycophantic adoration of Dumbledore, so desperate to rebel, that you never even saw how manipulative and wrong the man is. You're a child! I've done more for you, for nothing, than you've ever done for me! My parents would be ashamed that this is what you've become. I felt bad for you Sirius. That you'd been caught by the dark, that you'd spend eternity locked up if I begged for your life, or that you'd die. But you would never support me, would you. If we let you leave you'd only tell Dumbledore." Sirius, who'd frozen in terror at the capability of Harry's power, turned towards his godson, terrified and confused. "Harry, what are you saying?"

Voldemort struggled not to stagger and lash out under the weight of the anger he felt flowing through the link from Harry. Cherié had clearly listened and decided to stop blocking the link. "Harry! What is it you want?" He hissed, unsure of how to proceed in the strange turn of events. Harry didn't reply, simply storming out of the hall. A slight whisper in the back of his head caught his attention, and concentrating, he found a thought in Harry's voice. All we can do is kill him. He smirked, a wicked smile that had the nearest death eaters trembling. "Avada Kedavra!" A sudden shout and a dull thud followed, before two grey eyes stared up at him, hollow. "Nagini. Dinner."