Dancing With Shadows

Water dripped gently down the cracks in the dungeon wall. It mixed with the moss, causing green rivers to form, flushing out the various dreadful creatures that scuttled around, attempting to stick to the wall with creepy tentacles and suckers; the results of long forgotten experiments. Lucius enjoyed the faint crack of their backs as the oddities fell with a splat onto the floor. Only the faint moaning of pain marked their brief existence. He encouraged them by leaving scraps of potion-laden bread around the dungeon.

A scaled, tentacled, blood eyed rodent crawled sideways across his hand, as he stared at the battered and torn book.

"Show me your secrets Tom," he whispered, as the creature shot off from the table and melted into a little ooze on the floor. He turned and added a tick to a nearby parchment without even lifting his eyes from the encrusted diary. "Anthrax=Explosion+Melting." He smiled; it was good to have hobbies.

He picked up his quill again and prodded the diary, scraping away at the faint gold lettering with the nib until they shone. T.M Riddle, the cause and solution to all of his problems. He stroked the cover so that the grime came away with a streak. Black binding showed beneath the brown and faded red of old blood, Harry Potter's blood. He snarled, useless to use in any spell or potion, still it felt good to breath in the stale scent of him… soon he hoped, he would get a fresh smell. He licked his lips at the thought… Harry Potter struggling with a chest wound helpless and dying, Hopefully in a lot of pain. He looked at the name again.

"You're going to help me aren't you." It wasn't a question, however he received a very unwanted answer.

"He won't you know" it was hoarse, delivered right into his head, ignoring the usefulness of ears. "He is out for himself."

"He can be forced… master" he gulped.

"No, I think I may be the expert here, his will cannot be bent. He'll be an enemy more than a friend." His voice became smoother as the connection became stronger. Lucius visibly cringed,

"An enemy, to my great lord surely he will side with…" He buckled under the surge of magic.

"You stupid fool," it snapped, "Riddle will side with no-one but himself. He has the same ambition as me, to be a great and powerful master. He will be a rival to me, although useful in destroying the none-believers, never the less in my weakened state I will not be able to… stop him taking the rest."

"There must be a way… everyone has a weakness." He gripped the table waiting for the onslaught.

"Are you saying I have a weakness, Malfoy?"

"No, no of course not, it's just…" He licked his lips nervously. Another creature hanging off the ceiling with various arms and small eyestalks fell with a pop onto his desk. "We need him!"

"Yes, I can see your point, our forces are not as… numerous as they once were." Lucius tensed, letting out a small murmur as his head felt it would explode. Even though he couldn't see him, he could feel Voldemort's evil smirk.

"My lord, please… show me the key, we will destroy all these Mudbloods and you can take your rightful place."

Trapped in twilight if you had your way… still, I'll let Tom have his fun.

"Very well… Children, that is the key."

Lucius frowned slightly, "Children?"

"Their power, he feeds off their essence, only a child has that in abundance."

"He kills them?" Lucius could feel shivers coursing up his back; his father had been evil but this…

"No, but they don't survive for long afterwards. Now that you know how to crack it, are you still going to pursue it?"

"I have a son, a keen student of the… noble arts, he'll help."

"You realize that he won't survive?"

"All war must have casualties, I'll give him the book to study." He could almost taste the power that vibrated around the book.

"You will keep me informed." It wasn't a request.

"Of course master." But his head was already removed of the burden. A small ladybird like creature buzzed around his head then disappeared in a burst of ashes which rained down on the floor. Lucius's features twisted into a smile and he walked towards the door.

"Draco," He barked, "Come here at once." A slug like creature bumped into his foot and exploded in a burst of showered stars.