"People should either be caressed or crushed. If you do them minor damage they will get their revenge, but if you cripple them there is nothing they can do. If you need to injure someone, do it in such a way that you do not have to fear their vengeance"-Niccolo Machiavelli-The Prince
"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. A hand for a hand, a foot for a foot"-Exodus, 21:24
When the mirror heated up, waking him, he knew immediately that something was terribly wrong.
He had a chance to glance at his watch, to see that it was three in the morning, before answering his Lord.
" $My-my Lord? Is-$"
" $How has Dumbledore acted toward you, the last several days?$"
He didn't stop to think, didn't stop to wonder about the fury etched into the Dark Lord's appearance.
" $The-the same as-as usual, my lord. Why-$"
" $Are you certain?$"
Fear started filling Harry. The only reason these questions would be asked-
In his mind, he could hear Dumbledore's footsteps, coming up the steps toward his room.
" $I-I-I think so, but-$"
" $There is a possibility that the spy knew of your allegiance. That he told Dumbledore. Be on your guard$"
' No. Fuck, no. Oh, fuck, I-'
"What happened?" He whispered, reverting back to English in his terrified state.
"What happened?" The Dark Lord hissed. "What happened, is that the spy stole from me. He stole that which is mine. The coward turned to muggle means to attack!"
Harry winced, as his Lord's fury uncoiled in His voice, changing it into an inhuman snarl.
"What happened" Voldemort shouted, His voice rising to a crescendo of rage. "Was that the degenerate, despicable abomination that called himself a wizard, turned his clothing into muggle explosives!"
' Holy shit'
"WHAT HAPPENED, IS THAT MANY OF MY FOLLOWERS ARE DEAD, AND MY HOME LIES IN RUINS! WHAT HAPPENED, IS THAT HE TOOK THAT WHICH IS MINE FROM ME! AND I WILL HAVE VENGEANCE!"
Something exploded in the background.
Harry sat, shivering, as Voldemort took a deep breath, eyes closing tight.
"They will know my wrath" He whispered, His voice promising blood and death.
"Be on your guard"
And with that, He vanished from the mirror.
It was only as the light began slowly filtering through the lake, that Harry fell back into a thin and fitful sleep.
"Harry. Wake up"
He pushed out against the hands that were shaking him. Tried to turn over.
"Harry!"
His eyes shot open as his face was slapped.
"Daph, What the fuck!"
"Harry I-I just got an owl from Tori. It's-it's Draco"
He shot bolt upright, the memories from last night flooding back in.
The Dark Lord's words ringing in his head.
A hand squeezed his heart as he stuttered.
"Is-is-is he-is he d-d-"
Daphne shook her head quickly, her hair flying.
"He's alive. Harry, he's alive. Fuck, I shouldn't have scared you like that, but I had to tell you, I thought you'd want to know right away, and-"
"What?" He said, cutting off her babbling as fear gripped him once again.
"He-there was an attack last night, the-"
"The spy. He used muggle explosives, I know. I was told at three this morning, so could you just get to the fucking point about Draco?"
She shook her head again. "He-he's alive. But-but they couldn't save his eyes. And they're-they're not sure if he'll walk again"
It took a few minutes for what she had said to sink in. For it to make sense.
"And-and L-Lucius. He's dead" she said, before sinking onto his bed.
His heart constricted.
Lucius, dead? The man who had taken him into his home, who had been prepared to adopt him? The ' pompous twat' man who had first shown him apparition and floo powder, who had guided him through the philosophy of Wizardry, who had led him to his destiny? Lucius, dead?
It didn't make any sense.
"Wh-what?"
"Narcissa. She-she told Tori"
And Narcissa. The woman who had been more like a mother to him than anyone he had ever known. She was a widow, now. Her son would never see her face again.
It didn't make any sense.
Once he would have cried, as he sat on his bed and hugged Daphne to him.
Now, the only thing that he felt was rage.
At lunchtime, he saw the Prophet and understood the Dark Lord's promise.
Truly, his wrath had been shown.
Around the Great Hall, the few students who had chosen to stay for the break sat in small huddles, holding copies of the paper and talking in hushed voices.
The head table was covered in extremely serious faces and muttered conversations.
And on every table, the Daily Prophet screamed it's dire news.
" DIAGON ALLEY RAZED!"
" You-Know-Who attacked Diagon Alley at approximately 10:30 this morning. The terrorist leader came alone, and personally cast the fiendfyre which would engulf the entire street, destroying every shop, restaurant, and home there.
At the time of this writing, 37 witches and wizards have been confirmed dead, with an additional 41 injuries, and 18 missing. The death toll is expected to rise.
According to leading experts, this attack may have been provoked by the Ministry's declaration yesterday, that the Goblin Nation has formally allied with the Ministry and have declared war on You-Know-Who and his terrorist band. This is bolstered by the fact that You-Know-Who seems to have focused his attack on Gringotts bank. The Goblin Nation has not confirmed its death toll, but rumors claim that upwards of three hundred Goblins were killed in the attack.
Story continued on page 4"
But even the joy of reading it, even the glee he felt as he watched the photograph, as he watched a sixty-foot flame basilisk attack Gringotts, even the happiness he felt as he saw a Hufflepuff cry.
It wasn't enough to quench the fire building within him.
' I'm going to fucking kill you all. As soon as I can. As soon as I'm free from this fucking act. All of you'
"You should write to Narcissa"
"Huh?"
"You should write to Narcissa" Daphne repeated, looking at him seriously. "Send your condolences. Tell her-"
"What, I should say how sorry I am that her husband died? That her son's lying in ruins?"
Daphne nodded. "Well, don't put it like that, but yeah, basically. Give her a message for Draco if you want. But you should. It's the right thing to do"
He slammed his open palm onto the table, barely managing to keep his voice down.
Heedless of the heads turning around the Hall toward him.
"The right thing to do" he hissed, "would be to kill every fucking one of them. To mutilate their corpses and torture their children before their eyes. To make sure they never dare do something like this again"
She nodded again. "That's also true. But you should still write her a letter in the meantime"
Grumbling, he got up, heading to the owlery.
" Dear Narcissa,
Honestly, I have no idea what I'm meant to say. Whether I'm meant to try to comfort you or to promise you that I will make them pay in blood.
Lucius-Lucius cared about me. He was a powerful man, and he helped me become what I am. He listened when I asked for advice, he offered me help, and he saved me from living in that place. There are few people I owe more to.
He was clever and powerful, and the world is emptier without him in it.
Draco-Draco is my brother, in all the ways that matter. He was the first friend I've ever had, and other than Daphne, I have none closer. Please, let me know how he is doing. Has he woken up yet? Daphne told me about his eyes, but is it possible to get replacements?
As soon as my job here is done, I will be there. I doubt I will be there for the funeral. But I will be there in spirit.
I will make them pay.
I join you in your pain and rage.
Harry Potter"
He read it over a few times, nodding slowly. It wasn't good enough, but he doubted he would ever be able to twist words into shapes that would accurately reflect his feelings. This would have to be enough, for now.
He tied it to the leg of one of the school owls. "Take it to N-Narcissa Malfoy, please"
The owl hooted and took off into the afternoon sun, spreading its wings in the freedom of flight.
Harry watched it until it faded away into a distant speck, his rage turning his stomach into a bitter, writhing mass.
He received a reply that night, Artemis swooping down on the dinner table with a letter tied to her leg.
He knew that this time there would be no discussions about adoption, but his hands still trembled as they had, all those years ago, when he untied the letter.
" Dearest Harry,
Thank you for your kind words. Lucius did not merely leave a hole in the world. He left a hole beside me.
Bereft. It is a most interesting word. So innocuous. It doesn't portray the true horror of looking around oneself for a presence that one knows they shall never sense again.
I hope that neither you nor Daphne ever experience the true meaning of the word.
He died, shielding Draco with his body. It was not enough to prevent all injury, but it surely saved our son's life. The cost may have been great, but it was one that any parent would gladly pay.
Draco is recovering. Today, the Healers claim they will wake him within the week. They claim he will walk within the month.
If their claims prove false, I would appreciate viewing your vengeance.
Vengeance. It is something that is usually left to the purview of youth. The belief pervades that age should bring with it a desire for peace.
Perhaps this belief is true. But I care not. Lucius is gone, Draco sleeps, and my heart thirsts for blood.
His eyes. Replacements are available, and as scion to his lineage, he will have only the finest. But they will not be his eyes. They will never show his feelings. The windows to his soul are irrevocably shattered.
You say you will make them pay. I await it. My heart thirsts. With Lucius gone, my love had been turned to fury. My heart thirsts for blood.
Bring it to me.
Narcissa Malfoy"
The Dark Lord was calmer when He mirror-called Harry that night. His attack on Diagon Alley had mellowed His fury, not removing it, but changing it from a white-hot current to an icy flow.
" $Your Protego Maxima. Is it entirely translucent, or is it still partially visible?$"
" $It-it is still partially visible$"
" $And your Protego?$"
" $Perfectly see-through, my lord$"
"$Work on the Maxima. A useful trick is to always have one surrounding you when you believe you may be in danger. Though it will not protect you from major curses, and indeed, an explosion will break it down, it will grant you time to react. And it is the only reason my own body was not destroyed, as the others' were$"
" $If-if I may ask, my-my lord-$"
"$Never fear to ask me a question, Harry. I have told you before. You are my protege$"
Swallowing, Harry nodded, his rage abating for a moment as joy filled him.
" $Who-who was killed in the attack, my lord?$"
" $Many. Everyone present in the room, save myself and Draco. Lucius, Rabastan, the Carrows, Deschain, the Parkinsons, Yaxley, Avery the senior, Redtooth, Poliakoff, Olga, Carolus, and a few other new recruits. A few more were injured, those who were in other parts of the manor when the explosion occurred. I have temporarily relocated to Malfoy Manor, given the destruction at our old base$"
Harry reeled, as the list of the dead went on.
" $But this was not as grave a strike as it could have been. Great though our losses were, many of my main followers, those who are leaders to the newer recruits, survived. And our position as a whole was not truly damaged. But the loss was great, indeed. And my vengeance will be complete, only when the world is in our hands$"
Voldemort paused for a moment, looking into Harry.
" $The rest of the students return tomorrow, correct? And classes begin the next day?$"
" $Yes$"
" $Good. Hopefully, Dumbledore will take the bait this week. I have laid the trap well, and it will be simply too enticing for him to pass on. Remember, my other followers in Slytherin will depart the school with you$"
" $Yes, my lord. I have told them, and they are prepared-$"
" $Good. I want you to take witnesses with you. Students, innocents. You will leave them alive afterward to carry the word$"
Harry nodded, smiling.
" $Once Dumbledore is dead. Do not hesitate to leave the school. But on your way out. I want wanton destruction. I want the grounds of Hogwarts hallowed in the blood of our enemies' children. I want them to tremble at the thought of standing against us. Leave as many corpses as you can$"
" $I can't wait, my lord$"
It was weird when the Hogwarts Express returned and Draco wasn't on it.
Strange, to see the students piling in without those familiar threads of blonde hair being among them.
And Draco wasn't the only one not to return.
Pansy didn't come back, not that it was very surprising. With both her parents suddenly killed, it was anybody's guess what she would choose to do, moving forward.
' I doubt she'll join. So what'll she do? Hide out in her manor?'
Astoria didn't come back either, although Daphne had told Harry the day before that she wouldn't be returning.
Apparently, she had thrown a hissy fit when her parents had suggested it, refusing to leave Draco's side to go back to a school she would just be escaping from soon.
Crabbe, as well, hadn't come back. Goyle explained, that Crabbe's father had been seriously injured, and they were waiting to see if he would pull through or not.
Everyone else, though, came back. Blaise was made prefect in Draco's absence.
Not that he'll need to do the job for that long'
And everyone seemed to be trying to pretend like everything was normal. Like there wasn't an empty bed in their bedroom. Like Draco's soft snoring still filled the room at night.
Like Harry's best friend wasn't away.
It was only when Draco wasn't there, that Harry realized how much his friendship meant to him. How much it meant to him to have his first and closest friend around.
Daphne didn't count. She was simply in a different league, as far as Harry was concerned. But Draco.
Not having him there was starting to really piss Harry off.
It was Friday of the first week after Easter break, when Blaise walked up to Harry after breakfast, a tense expression threatening to break through his unaffected mask.
"Snape wants to meet you after breakfast," he said, and Harry caught a hint of a tremble in his words.
' Holy shit. Holy shit. It's today'
Blaise dropped his voice. "And-and he said that I should tell-I should tell the rest of us to be prepared to leave. Tonight, he-he said"
Harry smiled.
"Dumbledore informed all the teachers. There is going to be a contingent of Aurors stationed here tonight, as well as a number of members of the Order of the Phoenix. He and Shriner are planning on leaving at around six. Our companions should start coming in by seven. Dumbledore claims he will surely be back by nine. We must be ready"
Harry nodded, anticipation filling him, taking the place of the rage that had been so omnipresent, the last few days.
"I believe" Snape continued, "that we should lure him to the Astronomy Tower"
"Why?"
"It's easily defendable against the lower floors, it is close to the Room, and within it, there are many places for our people to hide"
Harry nodded slowly, thinking it through. "But then we'll be boxed into that corridor"
Snape shook his head, greasy hair flying everywhere. "Not if we split into two teams. Of course, it depends on our numbers, but if we have enough men-"
"We will"
"Then we can leave a group blocking off the corridor below, and when we are done, give them aid"
Harry breathed in deeply.
' Finally. It's finally happening. I'll be free'
"Make sure they are all aware" Snape cautioned. "If we cannot gain access to the Room, we will head for the wards' boundaries and Apparate out. If we get bogged down in a prolonged battle, they will bring in reinforcements"
"I'll make sure of it. The Astronomy Tower's a good idea"
Snape sneered. "I know. Hence I said it"
"No. For another reason also"
A single eyebrow was raised.
"When he's dead. I wanna throw the fucker's body out the window. Let them find his mangled corpse on the ground"