Thunder rumbled across the sky. A flock of birds flew out of the nearest tree, calling as they disappeared into the distance.
Harry ran his hand along the marble again, his fingers sinking into to the indentations.
THEODORE NOTT. BELOVED SON. TRUSTED FRIEND. LOYAL WARRIOR.
"It's my fault" he whispered. "My fault you're dead. I convinced you to join. I pushed you to fight. And I-I-when they came, I should have called for a retreat. It's my fault"
His eyes flickered to the side, to the freshly dug grave next to Theo's.
"Is it better? Is-is your mother there?"
The wind rustled through the trees, the clouds overhead looming ominously.
"I-Daphne hasn't woken up yet. I think-I think she would have died. If she hadn't made-if she hadn't made one. But she's alive. They say they're gonna wake her up. Tomorrow. They've-they've figured out what Runes were used. So they can wake her"
It began to drizzle, droplets slowly falling around him.
"You were-I never had-never had friends, before Hogwarts. And you were one of the first friends I ever had. And I-I miss you, mate. And Blaise-Blaise is broken. He's broken without you. And I don't know what to do, what to say to him to make him-to make him feel better."
The rain grew stronger, huge drops throwing up clouds of dust as they landed.
He stood there for a few more seconds, rubbing the tombstone.
Then he spun on the spot and disappeared.
"You were planning on speaking with Horatio today, correct?"
"Yes, my lord"
Voldemort looked up from the book He had been staring into. He focused on Harry, looking thoughtful, and said: "Find out as much as you can about the Weasley Twins and the Patil girl. I have a suspicion. But I require more evidence"
"I will, my lord. What do you suspect?"
"I will tell you once you have returned with Horatio's input"
Voldemort raised a hand as he spoke, cutting off any possibility of a protest at this.
"I do not wish to bias you. I want to hear what Horatio has to say, unfettered by my beliefs"
Harry nodded.
"We have much to discuss, Harry. We are entering the endgame now. Soon, the world will be ours. Come back to me when you have spoken to Horatio"
Horatio appeared on the other side of the mirror almost immediately. He looked terrible, his right eye twitching nonstop and his hair sticking out in all directions.
He rubbed his hand through his hair, making it lie flat, and took a deep breath.
"Horatio?" Harry asked cautiously, "are you-are you alright?"
"Merlin, Harry. Yeah, I'm alright. But things-things are terrible here"
Horatio's head snapped around, and he stared in the opposite direction for a minute.
Around him, the debris of the Room of Hidden Things was clearly visible, the large piles casting strange shadows.
Horatio turned back, and he exhaled slowly.
"Harry. There's-there's Inferi here. Thousands of them. More keep coming. They're all over the grounds. They're-they're part of his defenses"
"He's got Inferi around a fucking school?"
Horatio nodded, his face pale. "And it's-it's crazy. McGonagall, she's arguing with him every single day. I don't know how much longer she'll last. She-he didn't want to let anyone leave for break, but she convinced him to. But-but she's mostly powerless"
Horatio swallowed thickly.
"He-do you know Virgil Colter? Ravenclaw, fifth year?"
"Blonde kid? Chubby?"
"Yeah. He-he-Grindelwald had him whipped. In the Great Hall. And the teachers, they hated it. They were all crying and stuff, and Pomfrey looked like she was gonna pass out. And Grindelwald just-just stood there, with the Weasleys and Patil, and nobody said anything. They-they can't stand up to him. They can't"
"What did he do?" Harry whispered, "Colter? What did he do?"
Horatio shook his head, trembling slightly. "Nothing. He just-he said to someone, that he doesn't know how long Hogwarts can hold out. And-and Grindelwald said he was spreading despondency, and he had to be dealt with. And-and afterward, Grindelwald and his followers took him. And we haven't seen him since"
Harry was about to say something, to ask how the fuck things like that were just going on, when Horatio went on, his voice rising to a higher pitch, his speech growing hysterical.
"There's always someone watching! Always listening! And it's-it's fucking hell! Please! Ask Him if I can leave! If they find me out-if they find me out-they'll-they'll-I don't know what the fuck they'll do! It doesn't feel like Hogwarts! It feels like a prison! Like fucking Azkaban! Please, please Harry, pl-"
"Horatio. Calm down. Breathe. Breathe"
Horatio looked at the floor and drew in jagged breath after jagged breath.
"Sorry" he muttered, looking up again. "It's just really intense here. And it's-I'm scared I'm gonna crack"
"I'll speak to Him," Harry said slowly, "but we don't have anyone else there"
"I know. And I-I don't want to be a coward. But it's-you can't understand what it's like here. Everyone's afraid of Grindelwald and his crowd. All the teachers too. They don't dare say anything. McGonagall convinced him to let people leave for the break, but he's gonna be testing everyone with Veritaserum when they come back. And those Weasleys and Patil-"
Horatio shivered.
"Tell me about them. What do they do? Why do they scare you so much?"
"They-there's something really creepy about them. They don't do classes anymore. Fuck, the Weasleys shouldn't even be here! They had NEWTS last year! All they do is hang around Grindelwald. And-and you see them, always together, the three of them, walking around. And when Grindelwald is around, they're with him. And when he goes, when he does whatever the fuck it is that he does, they go with him. They-they don't talk to anyone else, except to that little Weasley girl. Not even Patil's friends. And-they don't sleep in their dormitories anymore. But they-they seem to be everywhere"
"What do you mean?"
Horatio swallowed, the twitch in his eye becoming more noticeable.
"The other day, I left a book in my room. So I headed back between classes. And-and they were waiting for me, around the one corner. Wanted to know where I was going, what I was doing. They started interrogating me. And they-they're fucking creepy, Harry. They all finish each other's sentences. The way they talk, the three of them, it's like they're one person in three bodies. And their eyes-"
He shivered again.
"Their eyes-no emotion. But you see them practicing dueling and stuff outside, and the way they move-they move perfectly in tune with each other. And they practically worship Grindelwald"
"I see" Harry murmured, feeling troubled.
"You don't! You're not here! The Weasleys, they used to be-they were funny, and pranksters, and troublemakers! They're not! They give off this feeling of-of menace! And Patil, she was always talkative and joking a lot, and now, she's the same as them! And they're-they feel-they feel more dangerous than most of us!"
"I'll tell Him. Horatio, relax. I'll found out if we can get you out of there"
"Please! I really-I'm losing it, here. Please, Harry"
"I'll try. Tell me, are most people leaving for the break?"
Horatio nodded. "Practically everyone"
"Luna?"
"Yeah. I asked her as you said. She's going home"
"Excellent. Do you know about the Weasley girl? If she's leaving or not?"
"She-she is. Her brothers were arguing with her about it the other day. They said-they said she's being dumb, that she should stay, but she wouldn't hear it."
"Good. Listen. I'll speak to Him. Just try to stay calm in the meantime, ok?"
Horatio ran his hand through his hair again.
"I'll try. I'll try"
"Tell Horatio that If he is truly worried about his position there, he may leave his post. Make it clear that I am pleased with his service. And inform him, that if he chooses to stay on as my spy within Hogwarts, his reward will be incredible"
"I will, my lord. But I doubt he will. He-he is very close to cracking"
"Nevertheless," Voldemort said, "you will tell him"
"I will"
"Good. He has served well. And confirmed my suspicions"
Before Harry could even ask, Voldemort went on.
"I believe Grindelwald used the twins and the girl in a ritual. An ancient rite, one that allows him to… draw power through them, if you will. The way Horatio has described them, their closeness. It is due to a bond created by the ritual. It makes all of them more powerful than they would be alone, merging their magical ability into a… pool, so to speak. One that they each draw from. And Grindelwald gains that as well. It is how he has been able to raise so many Inferi in so short a time. Doubtless, he has far less of a need for sleep or food than he would, without it"
Voldemort smiled suddenly, his serpentine face lighting up with glee.
"And therein lies our solution," he whispered, "it is not merely their magical power which is melding together. It is their emotions and thoughts. And if we make one of them feel fear, and pain, and hopelessness…"
Harry grinned.
"Of course, the other two will not die when one of them does. But they will become… unstable. And it will affect Grindelwald as well. He will not be able to concentrate, not truly. And he will make mistakes"
"So we-we get hold of the three? But how, my lord? Horatio says they're always together, and they're usually with Grindelwald"
Voldemort laughed, the high pitched noise raising the hairs on Harry's arms.
"The Weasley girl is returning home for the break. She will bring them out of Hogwarts"
He held up a long-fingered hand, forestalling any questions.
"Longbottom," He spat, "is no longer a primary concern. I believe he will shortly find himself trapped in Azkaban. Grindelwald, however, is. Grindelwald must be stopped"
"I think," Harry said slowly, "I-we'll be able to do that. To use her for that"
Voldemort smiled at him warmly, full of trust.
"I know. Now, they will wake Daphne tomorrow?"
"Yes. They say that once they wake her, she'll have to spend a day in bed, under observation. Then she'll be fine"
"Good. Good"
"My-my lord?"
Voldemort nodded.
"Horcruxes. How do they work? I mean, do they just-just keep you alive? What if the body's destroyed?"
Voldemort sighed and held His hands up before His face, staring at them for a moment before talking.
"If the body is not too badly damaged, the soul will simply not leave. This is what happened with Daphne. The healers said, did they not, that they do not understand how she survived?"
"They did" he muttered.
"If not for the Horcrux, her soul would have departed. You ask, what if the body is destroyed? If one of the main organs is ruined beyond repair? That happened to me"
"And-and how-"
"How did I restore myself" Voldemort mused, speaking as if to himself. "It took me near eleven years to do so. And it was only with the aid of another that I managed, I, Lord Voldemort. As a spirit, one is barely capable of interacting with the physical. I possessed Quirrell, and had him perform the ritual I required"
His gleaming eyes sharpened, focusing on Harry.
"Even so, I do not know for a certainty what would have been had the situation been different. My original body was entirely destroyed. It was nothing more than dust. Had it remained, even slightly, I would have used it in the ritual, saving myself ten years. But it did not. And I was forced to create an entirely new body"
His hands finally dropped, coming to rest on the sides of his throne.
"Even then, Dumbledore was trying to trap me. He never believed I had died. Did you know what was kept at Hogwarts during your first year?"
Harry shook his head, mutely. This was a rare mood for the Dark Lord, this reminiscing over the past.
"The Philosopher's Stone. Oh, how it would have made my return easier. But Dumbledore was clever. It was hidden behind a series of rooms, each meant to prevent passage. None of them would have proven difficult for me to bypass, of course. But Dumbledore had it warded to the nth degree. I could have passed through each room easily. But not without warning him. So I was forced to make alternative plans"
He sighed again, sounding more human than Harry had ever heard him before.
"If ever you are in that situation, come to me. You are a most puissant wizard, Harry, but the rituals required to recreate a body are far beyond even your capabilities. They need to be fine-tuned, personalized to your own specific needs. Was I anything less than what I am, I would not have been able to create the ritual I needed"
"I will" Harry promised, throat dry, "but I hope I never have to"
Voldemort laughed again.
"When Daphne is awakened, and given the all-clear by the healers," He said, His voice still carrying traces of mirth, "you and she will accompany me to America. It will not be an arduous mission, dealing with the rebellion there. But I want our forces to see you. To see that I treat you as my second-in-command"
"I-we will, my lord. Gladly"
"I have been thinking of what your position will be, once the war is over," He said, ignoring Harry's agreement, "once Grindelwald is dead and Hogwarts is ours. I will require a police force. But one that will not be focused on the humdrum of daily life. One that will root out betrayal and the scent of rebellion, no matter where it lies. One that will strike fear into the hearts of the commoners. And you, Harry, you shall head this force"
Harry leaned forward, face going slack with shock.
' He wants-He wants me to head His KGB, His secret police. Me!'
"I told you, Harry" Voldemort went on, "you will be my second-in-command. The others, the regular soldiers and police, they will be bound by laws. Society must have laws to function. Even the police must obey the courts. But you would not. You and your servants would obey only me, directly. You would be the one to strike fear into the hearts of all those who think to fight against our rule, who think themselves above our laws. I believe this will be a position you are most suited for"
"I-I-thank you, my lord. Thank you"
Harry was shocked to find tears welling up in his eyes. He was shocked to realize, that even though he'd been promised, over and over again, that he would hold a position of great honor; he'd never, in his heart of hearts believed it. Not truly. Not deep down.
"Thank you, my lord" he whispered, the words rasping through his throat.
"Not at all," Voldemort said, waving a hand lazily. "You and Daphne have served me greater than any others. And I have promised rewards to all those who serve me loyally. You have proven yourself worthy, as has Daphne. And that is why, when we are in America, I will grant another of your requests. I will show the two of you how to create a Mark, bonding yourselves to one another. And that is something that I have never taught anyone. If I did not believe you worthy of my affections, I would not be showing you that. Never mind the education on Horcruxes"
Harry shook his head slowly.
"Go. Be with your friends while you wait for Daphne to be awakened. Relax"
"Thank you, my lord" he whispered again, as he left the room.
Lord Voldemort watched him go, his mouth twisting into a mockery of a smile.
It had never hurt, to emphasize a point, and to do whatever was necessary to ensure continued loyalties.
"Harry. Mate, you should get some sleep"
He didn't look up from her face. His fingers continued their gentle stroking, running their way down the scars marring her perfect face.
"I'll be fine," he said, still staring. Waiting for the moment that her eyes would open, that she would come back to him.
He heard Draco conjuring a chair and pulling it up next to him.
"Harry. She'll be awake and fine tomorrow. You're gonna want to be awake yourself, not to be exhausted"
"Leave it. I can't sleep"
"She was the same, you know. When you were in Saint Mungo's. Talking about running away from school to sit by your side"
His hands tangled themselves in her hair.
"Yeah" he whispered, "I know"
"I never thought it would be like this" Draco admitted, "all this sitting around hospital beds and stuff"
Harry turned to face him, eyes narrowing.
"You regret it?"
Draco shook his head, one eye spinning to focus on something behind them. "Merlin, no. I just-I guess I was very childish when we started. Didn't imagine anything bad would happen to anyone on our side. But it's-"
"It's war"
Draco nodded. "It's war. I never-I never really knew what that would mean, you know? I thought we would just march in and take control, not really have to worry about the opposition. I was an idiot. A spoiled, naive idiot"
"You were a child. We all were"
"Yeah," Draco said with a shrug. "I was. And now-now I realize. War is Hell. I haven't even-haven't even had time to mourn father properly. To-to process the emotions. Just been too much going on. And Theo-I can't even think about him, cause I'm too worried about Blaise"
"You seen him today?"
"Yeah. We spoke a little. I think he'll be ok if he gets through the next few weeks. But he needs to get through them"
"He will. He's strong, Draco. Stronger than we give him credit for"
"I hope so. And it's-it's practically over. That's the craziest thing. How quickly it's all happened. Three years ago, no-one even knew He was back. Now we've practically won"
"Yeah. Just Hogwarts, that group in America, Africa, and Australia"
"And even that. They're not gonna be able to stand. You guys are going with to America, right?"
Harry nodded.
"There you go. A week, till America is completely ours. And Hogwarts will be tough, but another few months, and we'll have it. And another year or so, and Africa and Australia will fall. And then the world is ours"
"Amazing. Who'd have thought it? That we'd be ruling the world at the age when we would be finishing Hogwarts?"
Draco chuckled softly. "I think father did. He always had big dreams for me"
"Yeah. He did. He was a good man. I miss him"
"Me too. Me too. Try to get some sleep, ok? Next thing you know, she'll wake up, then you'll be going to America. Relax while you can, right?"
"Right," Harry said, turning back to look at her sleeping features.
Draco squeezed his shoulder as he stood and limped his way out of the room, leaving Harry to his vigil.
She opened her eyes slowly, blinking at the sudden light. Blurry shapes slowly became clearer, taking form.
Taking Harry's form.
"Hey," he said, looking at her with naked love and hunger. "Welcome back"
"Hi" she whispered, voice weak and soft from disuse.
"You've been out for a while," he told her gently, "since the fight in the cemetery. They used some rune-based explosive. But you're ok now. You're better than ok. You're back"
He leaned in, his lips drawing nearer to hers as his hands ran through her hair.
"You're back"