Birth of a Nightmare Man

Chapter Six

Harry Potter walked into the Ministry in late August alone, and was seen by Ron and Hermione. Hermione was pregnant with their second child, their oldest with Bill and Fleur for the moment, and as she gasped Ron thought briefly that her water had broke.

But before he could start panicking, she pointed and hissed:

"It's You-Know-Who!"

He turned around. His best friend's body, occupied by that horrible dark lord, strode past several groups of gawking bystanders, dressed in black and his hair long. Those round glasses were nowhere to be seen but the scar, so hated by Harry, lay exposed for everyone to stare at. He walked relaxed yet regal, probably just like Voldemort did though Ron with a sneer. He knew Harry's real walk was more like hunched over, like he tried to hide, and constantly brushing his hair over the scar, afraid of being recognized, blind without those glasses.

This body looked like his friend Harry, but Ron could see clear as day that it wasn't his friend inside. He knew his friend, knew Harry didn't walk with confidence, unhurried and allowing everyone to stare at him. Those who stared too long received a smile, a smile that was nothing like the smiles Ron and Hermione had seen.

Harry's head turned and they both expected to see Voldemort's red eyes. But no, what met them was the clear green ones of their friend, whose soul no longer resided inside of that body. They saw the dark lord use their friend's face to smile a mocking smile at them before carrying on.

"I'll kill him," Ron growled. "I'll bloody kill that dark lord! Come on, 'Mione, let's go home."

She nodded and took his arm. They marched the other way, heads held high, righteousness firmly in their mind as they began to plan how to kill Voldemort. They wouldn't do anything though until Albus cleared their plans, or came up with his own; he was the one who made all the decisions, and he never made a mistake. Hermione was sure of that, and Ron had not long after that started to believe the same thing. Their leader could never be wrong.

-o-

Harry felt something was wrong as he came back from teatime with the Minister. It was his first trip on his own, and it had been rather stressful.

It wasn't the trip itself that bothered him he realized as he brushed ash from his robes. It was Ron and Hermione. It was the first time he saw them properly since he was locked up. Hermione was knocked up, they don't waste time there, and Ron had glared. But it was something with them…

"Oh Merlin, why haven't I learnt Legilimens yet?" he muttered.

Just to be sure, he'd be extra careful the next time he went outside.

"Harry, you're gonna stay in the living room much longer?"

"Sorry, just thinking."

"Don't overdo it," George called out.

"Very funny!"

"How was tea?"

Harry wandered into the kitchen where George was busy making dinner. Well, he assumed it was dinner. He'd check the dishes before eating it, or he'll be sprouting bunny ears or something.