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Everything was hurting. Absolutely everything. From his head to toes. His head had a bursting headache. His chest was burning in pain. His joints ached. His teeth ached. His nose felt like it was punched. He felt like he was pushing down at least thirteen flights of stairs, then ran over by a car a couple times, and finally had a glass bottle smashed over his head.
Tom Marvolo Riddle winced as he opened his eyes to find himself in bright light. Dear Merlin, what happened for him to feel this? His eyes slowly adjusted to the light. He found himself in a hospital?
What the fuck happened? Tom clearly remembered doing a ritual for power. Was it the horcrux ritual? Bella…Bellatrix Lestrange helped or something like that.
Did she purposely fail the ritual? Did a follower of his really betray him like this? Because there was no way Tom would fail a ritual himself. Tom hissed in pain.
“My lord, you're awake!” exclaimed an extraordinarily loud woman. Tom faced toward the direction of the voice to find the follower, Bellatrix, looking relieved. At least, Tom knew the failure wasn't on purpose.
“Bella,” called out Tom. “What happened during the ritual?”
“You were knocked unconscious, my lord, after the ritual was performed,” replied Bellatrix.
“What was the ritual?” asked Tom.
Bellatrix widened her eyes, looking stressed. “To piece your soul back together, my lord.” What? Why would Tom ever want his soul pieces back together? That would mean Lord Voldemort was no longer immortal. “You realized-” What did Tom realize?
“BELLA, IS HE AWAKE?” yelled a man, Fenrir Greyback, another follower.
“Yeah, our Lord is,” replied Bellatrix, looking at the werewolf who was standing by the door.
“Did the ritual work? Is he saner now? Is his condition stable? Does he know his name?” rapidly asked Greyback.
“He seems stable, Fenrir,” replied Bellatrix with a strange smile. Bellatrix then turned back to Tom, finally answering why Tom did the ritual. “You realized that splitting your soul made your magic lash out more and harder to control, increased your temper, increased your insanity, and impaired your decision making skills, my lord.” Bellatrix kneeled on one leg, eyes on the floor, as she spoke.
Therefore, Tom couldn't use Legilimency on her. “Look at me, Bellatrix.”
And she obediently did. Tom immediately went through her memories. The most forefront memory was her telling Tom about a ritual to strengthen him. Was Tom that insane that she believed having his soul recombined would be beneficial? The other memories in her mind were all instances of Tom crucioing his followers for their mistakes, and even aiming the killing curse at some of them.
Why the fuck did he do this? Why would he torture his followers, much less kill them? Killing his followers only meant less followers. Some of the killed were traitors, yes, but they deserved to be tortured and not to die peacefully. Tom scowled at his own actions.
Crucioing his followers would only cause an increase of possible traitors and his actual followers having aftereffects of crucio when under too long and not being able to do missions properly. The punishments should have been just letting them on less missions, and less, and if they really have no use, and no missions left, then they die.
Okay. Tom sighed, exiting Bellatrix's mind. So yes, this ritual was beneficial, and had to be done. “Thank you, Bellatrix, for doing this for me.”
Bellatrix smiled at him. “Of course my lord!”
“Err…what about Harry Potter? Are we still killing him?” asked Fenrir, who Tom forgot was there.
Tom narrowed his eyes. To be honest, Tom wasn't sure. He was the one who went after the boy after hearing a prophecy that might have nothing to do with him, and then died while trying to kill the boy because his parents put a ritual to save the boy. Tom also remembers about Potter currently being 'captured' by him, or rather staying with a few of his followers. “I'm not certain,” replied Tom, truthfully.
“Mhm,” hummed Fenrir. “What would you do if the boy was here right now?” He asked.
“Is Itty Bitty Harry here already?” asked Bellatrix, head snapping toward Fenrir's direction, before Tom could respond. “I thought he was talking to that auror.”
Fenrir nodded. “Yeah, he was.” He continued, “He finished, and is coming with the said auror and Severus Snape.”
Ah, Severus Snape, another one of Tom's followers. A useful one at that. Not only is the man a potions master, but also a spy. Information was always nice, but truthfully, Tom did not like the fact Severus was a spy. A potions master is useful, too useful to die if he were to be found out.
“Who's the auror?” asked Tom.
“Mad-Eye,” replied Fenrir, awkwardly laughing.
“The auror that's firmly on Dumbledore's side and got many of my Deatheater arrested?” Why the fuck was he coming here? And why were his followers so calm about it?
“Because Itty Bitty Harry said he's trustworthy,” said Bellatrix. Oh no, does Potter have his followers wrapped about his finger? Shit.
“Plus, if Mad-Eye comes here to kill us, we'll know if Severus is trustworthy or not, considering they're all coming together,” added Fenrir, shrugging slightly. “And maybe Harry, as well.”
“I trust my little Harry, either way,” proudly declared Bellatrix with a grin.
“I’m glad you do, mom!” exclaimed Harry fucking Potter walking in with Severus Snape and Alastor ‘Mad-Eye’ Moody following close behind. Between the three of them, Snape looked the most nervous. Potter practically rushed to Bellatrix and hugged her.
Mad-Eye cleared his throat to gain everyone's attention, which succeeded. “Am I to assume you are no longer a horcrux, Potter?” He asked as he faced Potter.
“Yeah, my body only has one full soul and is wholly my own!” giggled Potter, still hugging Bellatrix.
“And I helped remove it,” added Bellatrix with a grin, not letting go of the hug either.
“That's good,” dumbly spoke Severus, staring at Bellatrix.
“Hey Snape,” called Fenrir. “How's The Order currently?”
“In utter chaos,” answered Potter.
“You burned down The Order's headquarters with Fiendfyre,” sighed Severus staring at Potter, very uncomfortably. Fiendfyre? Not bad for Potter, being the supposedly golden light child.
“It was the Black family ancestral home. Sirius hated that place and stayed there only because he had to. He reluctantly allowed The Order to use it as a headquarters,” explained Harry. “I inherited it after he died. Not to mention the fact that he would've wanted it burned down anyway.”
“Ah, cousin Siri would've loved for it to be burned down,” confirmed Bellatrix looking a bit dazed. “Did you burn the library as well?” She then asked, very seriously.
Harry blinked, before shaking his head. “No, I avoided the library entirely. I don't think the books deserve to be burned down. Why?”
Bellatrix's expression returned to a smile. “The library has been warded to curse whoever destroys it.”
“Is that why Black decided to throw away a few books at a time?” asked Severus, suddenly.
Bellatrix blinked. “Cousin Siri dared to throw away Black library books, while having the chance to be cursed every time?”
“Black also threw away a bunch of the heirlooms,” hummed Mad-Eye.
“Gah, I knew Cousin Siri always had a nick for danger,” tutted Bellatrix, shaking her head. “All heirlooms and books have spells on them to, first, strike the thief or destroyer, and then return it where and what it was. Yes, it is less for a Black blood, but not by much. Poor Reggie suffered much by it, forgetting to give some of the books back,” she explained.
Fenrir chuckled. “Ah, the classic Black Madness.”
“Do I also have it?” asked Harry.
“Likely,” answered Bellatrix. “Not only is Cousin Siri your godfather, but dearest Dorea is also in your bloodline, Itty Bitty Harry!” Tom forgot how literally everyone was related to everyone else in the wizarding world.
And then everything fell into silence, where everyone was staring at each other, mostly comfortably. Although, was there really a time where Mad-Eye ever looked comfortable, especially with his magical eye whirling around?
“Anyways, what are we doing now?” Tom broke the silence.
“Ah, dealing with the remaining Order members should be priority,” said Mad-Eye as if he wasn't known for being on Dumbledore's side.
“Aren’t you on Dumbledore's side?” Tom asked.
“Nay,” shook Mad-Eye’s head. “If you think I would be on Albus' side after he made a horcrux, all the while knowing the aftereffects.”
Tom blinked. “That old senile man fucking made a horcrux?”
“Don't worry it's gone,” swayed Harry's hand, looking almost carelessly.
“And how do you know if he didn't create more?” asked Tom.
Harry blinked a few times at Tom, as if the answer was obvious. “Because he only had time to make one?”
“What was that one horcrux then?”
Harry replied rapidly. “Me.”
Tom blinked back. “What?”
“Another reason why I left Albus to his own doom,” commented Mad-Eye.
“I was also your horcrux,” added Harry with a grin.
What a bloody fucking damn moment. “You were horcruxes of two people?”
“It's nothing out of the ordinary for Potter,” replied Severus.
Harry shrugged. “Eh, I meant it's true. But half of the things I went through were caused and planned by Dumbles.”
“And when has the wizarding world ever not been under the control of Albus?” Mad-Eye chuckled, as if telling a bloody joke. Harry laughed along, before Fenrir and Bellatrix joined in.
“Back when Grindelwald was still around I suppose,” answered Fenrir, to the most definitely rhetorical question.
“Did you know Gellert and Dumbles used to date?” asked Harry, suddenly with an excited smile.
“That's quite old news, silly.” Bellatrix patted Harry's back playfully.
Harry giggled, as he tilted his head sideways to the right. “Oooo, what about the fact Dumbles wanted to have control over the muggles?”
Tom blinked. “Isn't he just a hypocrite then?”
“Did you just realize that, my lord?” asked Fenrir, teasingly.
Tom rolled his eyes at the werewolf. “Of course not.” Tom paused, averting his eyes. “I realized that a long time ago.”
“Hm, I suppose so,” hummed Fenrir. “Or else you wouldn't be against Dumbles now, wouldn't you?”
“Now shall we discuss the plans to deal with Albus and his Order?” asked Mad-Eye.
“Of course!” grinned Harry. “First of all, I believe we shall tell everyone about how Dumbles made a horcrux. That'll knock disbelief and distrust towards the old man for the people that are there just for the Order to win.”
“Yes, great idea, Harry,” agreed Fenrir. And it was.
“However, it would also allow his firm believers to stick to his side more,” argued Severus. “Some would believe an immortal Dumbledore to be a good thing.”
“We're going to tell what he made as the horcrux and its destruction too,” added Harry. “Most people who believe in his power would believe otherwise, considering a portion of his soul gone decreases his sanity. And others with children would feel, if Dumbles put a horcrux in Harry Potter, would my child also be forced a soul into them as well.”
“Some would believe it to be a blessing,” countered Severus, frowning. “Plus, what's stopping him from creating another one?”
Mad-Eye snorted. “Well, Albus putting a horcrux into another child is going to cut his soul to a quarter. Meaning more chances for him to start doing not too rational things, Severus.”
Bellatrix nodded in agreement to bloody Mad-Eye. “Not that he would start crucioing his followers, but countering our lord's movements would be much harder for them. Plus, we could always find out his new horcrux, remove and destroy them, until his soul is not remotely stable anymore, or his followers aren't willing to sacrifice their children and themselves anymore.”
Severus sighed. “I suppose so.”
“And I have a feeling Cornelius would be easily persuaded to go against Dumbles a bit more,” giggled Harry.
And they aren't wrong. This, defeating Dumbledore, would be a lot easier than before, before the whole horcrux thing.
Tom genuinely smiles. He should really reward Bellatrix. This was really a good ritual to do. Having Harry Potter around is a plus, it seems. Fenrir being more present, too. And Severus is Severus, potion master and the sense of reason it seems, if not anything else. Everything seemed better from out here.