The Hidden Hero

Chapter-23 The Duel

In the weeks following Harry's release from Azkaban, he pretended to be catatonic even when he was not living in Voldemort's mind. He was usually left alone but, a few times a day, different nurses would check on him, calling his name but not expecting him to respond. Harry memorized the times of their rounds, and was careful to be quietly resting when they came by. Healer visits were rare, and Harry was easily able to avoid attracting their notice when they did take a quick look at him.

Whenever he was left alone, Harry exercised his body, pushing himself as hard as he could to recover his strength. More importantly than his physical exercises, Harry exercised his mental defenses. He had been worried that, whenever Voldemort was feeling an intense emotion, particularly anger, he was sucked through the tunnel into Voldemort's thoughts whether he wanted to be there or not. Eventually, Harry thought, he and Voldemort would have a showdown and, unless he could kill Voldemort while the Dark Lord was sleeping (and how likely was that?!), Harry would be sucked into Voldemort's mind, leaving his own body defenseless. If Harry couldn't control whether or not he entered that tunnel in his mind, how could he hope to defeat Voldemort?

Each day, Harry practiced trying to control whether or not he entered the tunnel linking him to Voldemort and the length of time he stayed in Voldemort's thoughts. The more intense Voldemort's emotions, the harder it was for Harry to shut off the link between the Dark Lord and himself and stay in his own present. With Crouch captured by the Ministry, Harry had no lack of opportunity to practice. Voldemort was angry for days on end and his fury acted as a vacuum, trying to suction Harry into the Dark Lord's mind.

Voldemort's temper was razor thin and the Death Eaters lived in terror of displeasing their master. Harry thought that, ironically, when he killed Voldemort (which of course, he would do), it wouldn't surprise him if some of the Death Eaters cheered loudest of all. They may have wanted a world without muggleborns, but Voldemort was as likely to kill a Death Eater as any muggleborn. "Serves them right," Harry thought to himself. It was a twisted sort of justice.

About a month after Harry had arrived at St. Mungo's, Voldemort attacked the Ministry. Harry had had no notice. He was visiting Voldemort's mind when Nott told the Dark Lord that he had just learned that Crouch was being secured at the Ministry but that the Ministry was planning to transport Crouch to a different location that night. Without further notice, Voldemort rounded up his Death Eaters and attacked the Ministry.

Harry left Voldemort's thoughts and jumped out of bed. He stood next to his hospital bed, leaning against it, and gathered his thoughts. His heart pounded and his mouth was dry. Was this it? The battle he was destined to have with Voldemort? Harry looked down at his empty hand. He had no wand. Without a wand, what could he do? The Ministry was already under attack. There was no one to warn. It had happened so quickly.

In frustration, he re-entered Voldemort's mind to see what was happening. Nott and his Death Eater colleagues had done their job well. Voldemort and his followers were able to infiltrate the Ministry easily. Within just a few hours, the Ministry had fallen, Fudge was killed, and Ministry officials by the score lay dead. The survivors were captured or fled the building, leaving Voldemort in possession.

In victory, an ecstatic Voldemort released Crouch from the cell where he had been held for the past month. The Death Eater fell at his Master's feet, kissing the hem of his robe. "I knew you would come, My Lord," he breathed in worship.

Harry pulled back from Voldemort's thoughts. He couldn't believe what he had just witnessed. A coup! Voldemort had taken over the Ministry!