Harry Potter and Salazar's Talisman

Chapter 20

The Dark Lord Returns

Lord Voldemort slowly began to move. He flexed his hands, moving them to touch his chest, his face his hair. With a deep breath, he filled his lungs and exhaled with a laugh of delight.

A glance around showed him alone in the DADA classroom. He stooped and picked up his wand, caressing it with a tender touch. He also retrieved the medallion, which also lay at his feet. His hand passed through a cold spot as he did. A chuckle escaped him.

"My poor Harry," murmured Voldemort. "This is sure to set off that temper of yours." He stared at the empty spot on the floor as he laid the chain around his neck.

"Profess-"

"Crucio."

Lord Voldemort's reflexes were slow yet but his aim was true.

"Oh dear," said Voldemort as he lifted the curse. Laughing quietly, he moved to stand over the 3 young Gryffindors lying on the floor just inside the door.

Cindy Larsen was curled in a fetal position whimpering. Sean McIves was breathing deeply, tears trailing down his cheeks. Miss Cooper was unconscious. Voldemort waited patiently as the three recovered.

"Where's Professor Potter?" Sean managed as he pushed himself to a seat on the floor.

"Oh, he's here," said Voldemort, gesturing flippantly as he paced away. "Don't you feel his presence?" Voldemort had to admire the look of terror on Miss Larsen's expression as Sean helped her sit up.

"You did it?" said Cindy breathlessly. "Didn't you?"

"Indeed," said Voldemort. "How could I not?"

Sean and Cindy helped Missy as she returned to consciousness and the three of them stood up. Voldemort waved them into the room.

"My brilliant but oh so naive son has finally given me all I desire," said Voldemort as the three cautiously entered the classroom. "Not only am I restored with all my powers and his, but he is completely under my control."

"Where is he?" said Sean although it came out more like a croak.

"I dare say, his mind has not regained consciousness."

"The amulet," Cindy gasped, staring at Voldemort's chest where the medallion sat.

"Indeed," said Voldemort. "Thanks to you, Miss Larsen, I began to speculate several of it's properties. The most important being our connection, which began when Harry was but a year old."

"The curse that failed."

"Yes, Miss Cooper."

"Put Professor Potter's mother-"

Voldemort cut Sean off. "Yes, Lily Potter's love did save Harry and rebound the curse onto myself. But what saved me?" quizzed Voldemort.

Cindy gasped. "The Amulet," she said. "You were wearing it that day."

"I was," said Voldemort. "It additionally helped keep my spirit alive, even in the realm in which I dwelt. While both of these facts have pertinence in the life and death connection between Harry and I, only combined with other factors could I actually make use of the Amulet's more," he paused to grin, "unearthly facets."

"As Miss Larsen reported, the Amulet responds to intent. It feeds off strong emotion, transforming it into ancient powerful magic."

Cindy gasped again. "My God, Professor Potter was wearing it the day he killed you in the Chamber of Secrets."

Voldemort chuckled. "Miss Larsen, you are indeed astute. Yes, he was," said Voldemort.

"But wouldn't that mean that there was love-"

Voldemort chuckled again. "My dear Miss Cooper," said Voldemort. "Does that surprise you? He was - is - my son. Given the choice, I chose to die for him. I wanted him to live. While I didn't know at the time, it actually re-forged the connection between us with the Amulet."

"And all this term, all the re-hashing of the events in your past, just made Professor remember all the old feelings," said Cindy sadly.

"You made him care again," said Missy.

"Indeed."

"And you convinced him into giving you the power again," said Sean.

"Yes, Harry's never been able to handle guilt," said Voldemort fondly. "Harry's been manipulated for the last time."

"But why would you do that?" sniffed Missy. "If you care."

"It's more than a matter of caring, Miss Cooper," said Voldemort. "Harry has always been too noble, too self-sacrificing. Now having total control over him, I can truly protect him. Even from himself."

"Sounds more like obsession," muttered Sean.

Voldemort let out an actual laugh. "There is that," said Voldemort. "But what you have to understand, Mr. McIves, is that Harry became mine at a year old even if it wasn't by choice. At 17, he chose to join me. Now, I have made the choice. He has made his last sacrifice."

"To you," said Cindy.

"Precisely," said Voldemort. "I believe he owes me. He will deal with it," he added simply.

"I think it's just going to royally piss him off," said Sean.

"Very likely," said Voldemort with a chuckle. "Very likely."

"We were too late," moaned Missy.

Reminded, Sean's head snapped up. "You knew," Sean accused. "You knew we were going to warn him."

"Of course," said Voldemort. "I suspected Mr. Malfoy had finally figured it out. Had he been closer to Miss Granger, I'm sure they would have taken the medallion off of him weeks ago, but they are unused to conferring together."

"But we-"

"Yes. Once you three figured out that the Talisman was the Amulet, I had to move quickly," said Voldemort. "I deliberately kept Harry from private conversation with anyone until I could get him alone."

"But Professor Potter and Mr. Malfoy are telepathically connected," said Cindy.

"Yes that was more difficult," said Voldemort. "Keeping their conversation aloud. Fortunately, Harry was distracted with the birth of his children and Mr. Malfoy was concerned that I might punish Harry to keep them from speaking."

"Would you have?" asked Sean.

"Maybe," said Voldemort then he waved his hand. "It is a moot point now anyway." He chuckled. "Don't you agree?"

"What exactly did you do?" said Missy. "I mean how did you make it work?"

"The spell I used is a very old sharing spell that, quite simply, merged our magic," Voldemort told them.

"Aporton," said Cindy. "The one the Professor uses to give you his magic."

"Yes."

"But that alone couldn't have activated the Amulet," said Sean.

"Oh no," said Voldemort. "That was everything combined. Once all the requirements were met, I simply asked the amulet for life." Voldemort chuckled. "So to speak."

"Asked it?" said Sean bewildered. "How?"

"How indeed," said Voldemort. Did they think he was going to tell them everything. They would learn. Yes, they would suit his needs very well now that he was back. And of course he would need to call those Death Eaters that remained true to him.

"So what will you do now?" said Cindy.

"Now?" said Voldemort, returning his attention to the three Gryffindors. "Now, I will fulfill my destiny." He moved toward the door. "With my son at my side. You will see. Come," he bade them.

The three stood hesitantly.

"Oh do try me, Mr. McIves," said Voldemort with a glance at them, his gaze on Sean's wand, which the boy had drawn. A true noble Gryffindor action, one that any Slytherin would have known was coming. "Do you presume you could take me on? You have only felt a fraction of Cruciatus. You may have courage and talent, but Harry Potter you are not."

He turned back to the door. "Come. All of you. You will have a place in the new order. My order."

***********

Harry woke up and took a deep breath. No pain. He touched his chest, his arms, his face. Everything seemed all right. No weirdo memories like when he was 17 and Voldemort tried his other options. He still felt a bit strange though.

He pushed himself up off the floor of his classroom and was surprised when it didn't spin. But when he went to take a step, he found that his feet seemed rooted to the floor.

"What the-"

The door burst open, Draco, looking angry, stalked in with Hermione, looking confused, in tow. Draco looked around the room.

"Harry!" he shouted, unnecessarily as Harry was standing not ten feet away.

"I don't understand, Draco," Hermione was saying.

Draco looked around the room again. "Blast," he muttered and turned back to Hermione. "Look, we've got to find Harry first," said Draco. "Then I'll explain it again."

"What's going on?" said Harry.

"But-"

"Granger," snapped Draco. "Let's just get the damn thing off Harry, before Voldemort figures out what it is."

"Draco, what are you talking about?" said Harry again, instinctively putting his hand to the medallion. Only then did he notice it was gone.

Draco and Hermione turned to leave.

"DRACO!" Harry shouted. They didn't stop. Why couldn't they hear him?

"But it can't be," insisted Hermione.

"Weren't you paying attention," raged Draco. "The Talisman is the Amulet of Quentzecoatl. If we don't get it off Harry before Voldemort figures out how to use it, then he can possess Harry or merge with him or-"

"Switch places with him," finished Hermione with sudden dawning.

That ever-present trapdoor seemed to open under Harry again as he realized what Voldemort had done.

"My life is a nightmare," murmured Harry. DRACO!

"What?" Draco stopped and looked around.

"Draco?"

Draco moved back into the room and raised his hand to quiet Hermione.

Harry?

Yes, damn it. What's going on?

"I hear him," Draco told Hermione. Where are you?

I'm standing ten feet away from you.

What?

You're too late.

"What?" said Hermione impatiently. "What is it?"

"Shh," said Draco. What do you mean?

It means, I'm standing ten feet away from you and I think - I think, I'm a ghost.

Draco stepped further into the room, looking around. He was almost right beside Harry now.

You're here?

Yes.

"Harry says he's here," said Draco. "Can you hear us?"

Yes, but you can't hear me when I speak.

"Well just pop in or materialize or whatever ghosts do," said Draco.

I can't.

"What do you mean, you can't," said Draco frustrated now.

I can't even move.

"What?" Draco stretched out his hand. It touched Harry's arm and Draco jerked it back. "Is that you?"

Yes.

"Hermione, stop sniffling and help, damn it," said Draco with a glance at her. "Why can't you move?"

I don't know how.

"You don't know how?" said Draco. His fist clenched tightly around his wand now. "What the hell does that mean?"

"Draco," Hermione cut him off, speaking finally. She reached out towards where Harry stood and she also pulled her hand back.

What is the matter?

Sorry, Harry. It's just that, well, you're a cold spot of air right now.

Great.

"It makes sense," said Hermione. "Harry didn't actually die. How should he know how to do things as a ghost? Maybe there's some sort of mental process or something."

"Well haven't you read anything on the subject?" said Draco impatiently. "I thought you knew all about ghosts now since Voldemort got here."

Draco was pacing now too. Lay off, Draco.

"I'm sorry," Draco snapped. He was clearly frantic and angry. "It's just that we, I mean, when did it happen?"

Harry glanced at his watch. It was flashing at 12:00. He looked at Draco.

What time is it now?

"It's 7 a.m.," said Draco.

I think it must have happened at midnight. My watch is stopped there.

Harry lifted a hand automatically. "Commentary."

Nothing.

"What should I be doing?"

Nothing.

His brain locked in comprehension.

Oh, God.

"What is it?"

Harry felt his knees go weak and he slowly sank to the spot on the floor.

It's gone.

"Harry, what's wrong?" said Draco concerned.

Harry?

My magic. It's gone. Th-there's nothing left.

"Oh this is bad." Draco turned to Hermione. "Harry says his magic is gone too. We've got to do something."

Hermione looked like her brain was finally moving again. "I'll go get one of the ghosts. They'll know something."

Hermione rushed out of the room.

"Harry?"

He's finally destroyed me, Draco.

Harry, don't talk like that. We'll figure something out. What happened anyway?

When I got back from the hospital, he was all depressed, Harry told him. He said he wanted to teach me a spell to make the Talisman work for the babies. I gave him the use of his wand and-

Harry, you gave him your powers?

Why did Draco always make him feel like an idiot. Well, yeah. He sort of laid on the guilt and-

Harry, after all this time, haven't you learned-

I'm sorry, Harry practically yelled. I forgot.

Forgot? You FORGOT! Draco did yell. Harry, if you were corporeal I'd hex you for such idiocy - or deck you again.

Well I'm not corporeal, am I, Harry shot back, his ire clear. I'm a bloody ghost. Once again, I'm the one who has to deal-

Pain exploded in Harry's scar and his hand hit his head. A familiar tug behind his navel pulled Harry into a vortex and he hit the floor solidly. A glance around showed him in the Great Hall, in front of the staff table, on his knees, at Voldemort's feet.

Harry looked up. Voldemort was there, in the flesh, just as he looked when Harry had plunged Godric's sword through his heart. His tall form still thin, his long black hair streaked with gray, his face pale and moderately lined with age. And the red eyes glowed with pleasure.

"What have you done?" whispered Harry.

Voldemort looked down at him and smiled. Harry had only seen that particular smile once. When Harry had accepted him, joined him. He had smiled like that and laughed as if all his dreams had finally come true.

"Hello, Harry," said Voldemort.

Apparently, Voldemort could see and hear him.

"You have truly pleased me, my son," said Voldemort. "You have given me everything I wanted and more."

"Voldemort."

They both turned to the staff table. All the teachers and Dumbledore, who had spoken, were standing behind it, wands raised.

"Think carefully before you strike Albus," said Voldemort. "If you kill me, Harry goes with me."

"Harry, are you all right?" said Dumbledore kindly.

Harry blinked at him. Apparently they could see him. He wondered if it was because Voldemort had called him. This ghost thing was totally beyond him.

"Am I all right?" said Harry, his temper building in a way it hadn't in a long time. He pushed himself to his feet again. "I'm a bloody ghost and I didn't even die. I have no magic and-"

Voldemort's hand gripped his face, silencing him.

"Harry, now is not the time," said Voldemort. He let go and Harry dropped back to the floor.

"As you can see," Voldemort told the staff. "The connection is still fully in effect."

Draco and Hermione came skidding to a halt just inside the hall.

"Ah, very good," said Voldemort. "Come here, Draco, my boy."

Draco slowly moved towards Harry and Voldemort.

Voldemort took hold of Draco's arm and looked back at Dumbledore.

"This time I will do things my way. The prophesy is fulfilled. The heirs are united and the treasure is sacrificed, but I win, Albus," said Voldemort with relish. "I have all the power and I get to keep Harry." He glanced along the table and his eyes stopped at Snape. "Oh, and since I can control him now, I don't need you anymore. I'm sorry, Severus. Avada Kedavra!"

A flash of green light split the room. Severus Snape fell to the floor. Voldemort and Draco were gone.

Harry stared in horror at the scene.

All the teachers converged on Snape's body as Hermione screamed and ran towards Harry, who was still on his knees.

This is all my fault.

"Harry, are you all-"

Pain exploded in his head again as Voldemort signaled. The tug behind his navel pulled and he was ripped out of the Great Hall.