Harry Potter and His Shadows

Chapter 14: Death demands

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...