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In Servitude of the Dark: The Hand That Guides Me	By : xXxLuckyxXx Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Voldemort Views: 74965 -:- Recommendations : 4 -:- Currently Reading : 6
Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter belong to JK Rowling and her publishers. I just play in her world.

Chapter List
- 17
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- 19
Chapter 18 : Guardianship and a Rat – February 28, 1994

After the Slytherins slaughtered the Ravenclaws, and because of how the points were distributed, Gryffindor still had the chance to win the Quidditch Cup. Since Harry removed himself from the team, he wasn’t so consumed with Quidditch anymore, but he still loved to fly. Snape had told him that he managed to clean a couple harmless prank charms off his Firebolt, so after DADA, Harry could retrieve it. Admittedly, Harry was rather excited about getting his broom back. There was a lot of talk about the Firebolt’s maneuverability, speed, and they say the broom practically reads your mind!

Unfortunately, when class was over, Professor Lupin asked him to stay after class. Harry wasn’t worried about getting in trouble. Hermione and Ron had already told him about how the Professor tried to get them to convince him to accept the Headmaster’s guardianship, so this probably had something to do with that.

“Is there something you needed, Professor?” Harry asked. He knew Lupin wanted him to call him by his first name, but Harry absolutely refused to become so familiar with the man, at least not until his professor showed a change in attitude towards him.

“The Headmaster would like to see you in his office,” Lupin answered as he packed up his things. And then he glanced at Hermione and Ron, who were looking worried and uncomfortable as they waited for their friend. “Don’t worry, Harry’s not in trouble,” he said reassuringly. “Harry will join you when he’s done.”

That was their cue to leave, but they were obviously reluctant to do so. “It’s okay guys,” Harry said. “Go ahead and if this takes too long, get me something from the kitchens.”

His two friends nodded and left the room.

Apparently, Lupin was going to escort Harry to the Headmaster’s office himself. “Is this about my guardianship?” Harry asked as they walked down the hall.

Lupin shrugged. “Most likely, but I wasn’t told exactly what this meeting was going to be about.”

“Doesn’t that annoy you?” Harry asked. “How Dumbledore lets you blunder along until the very last moment when he’ll come in to save you or give you some kind of intel that could have helped you all along? And then he expects you to be appreciative of it?”

“I don’t know where this animosity you have for the Headmaster comes from, Harry,” Remus said, shaking his head in confusion. “He’s done a lot of good for our world. Occasionally he’ll miss a few things here and there, but it’s not like he claims to be Merlin.”

“That’s debatable,” Harry muttered under his breath. “If he’s not Merlin, then he shouldn’t act like it,” he added louder.

Lupin merely sighed before they came upon the little gargoyle. “Sugar Daddies.”

They made it up to the office, where in addition to the Headmaster, Severus and Andromeda also waited for them. Suddenly, Harry’s heart was pounding in his chest. With Severus and Andromeda present, it could only mean some kind of decision had been made.

He turned to Severus, trying to read any clue about the situation. He only got a slight shake of the head that could mean anything. At least he’s not totally pissed off, Harry thought.

“Please come in, Harry,” Dumbledore invited. “And you may stay as well Remus.”

Harry and Remus traded confused looks before taking the two empty chairs that were obviously for them. Severus and Andromeda sat to Harry’s right.

“Before we begin, would you care for any refreshments or anything to eat?” Dumbledore asked.

Harry couldn’t imagine putting anything into his nervous stomach now, but at Severus’ look, Harry submitted to chamomile tea, hoping for its relaxing properties. It also gave him something to hold on to without fidgeting.

Surprisingly, Dumbledore turned the meeting over to Snape.

“A couple days ago, Draco came to me regarding my relationship with Harry,” Snape began. “Apparently he had been in detention with Professor Lupin and was able to eavesdrop on what should be a private conversation between him and Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley.” Here, Severus paused, giving the werewolf a dark look.

Lupin stiffened before wincing. “Yes, I remember that night. It was a couple weeks ago.” Then he gave Harry an apologetic look. “I’m afraid our conversation had been about your guardianship.”

Harry frowned. “So Draco overheard this?” he asked, not liking the fact that his rival new about his fragile situation.

“I should have put up privacy wards or …”

“Not speak of it at all,” Severus interrupted harshly. “You have been consistently careless with Harry’s welfare. The consequences of leaking this sensitive information….”

“What’s done is done, Severus,” Dumbledore spoke up. “Will you please elaborate on this meeting between yourself and Mr. Malfoy?”

Severus took a moment to calm down before answering. “In the course of Mr. Malfoy’s discussion, he had inadvertently revealed to me that he reported Lupin’s carelessness to his father. It took considerable convincing, but Mr. Malfoy supplied to me a copy of the missive his father owled to him.” Severus removed a small parchment from his robes and spread it out so Harry and Lupin could read it.

Harry’s frown deepened. “What does ‘take the appropriate steps,’ mean?”

Andromeda was the one who answered. “When Severus first presented this missive to me, I did some digging around of my own,” she said. “Lucius Malfoy has been discrete, but he’s been snooping around your files in the ministry. Unfortunately, yesterday, he found Albus’ and Severus’ petition for your guardianship, and has filed one of his own.”

Harry’s eyes bugged out. “He filed for guardianship for me?” he practically squawked.

“Sit down, Potter,” Severus scolded. “Do try not to act like an overemotional Gryffindor.”

Harry scowled, but did return to his seat. “But why would he want to be my guardian?”

At this, Severus rolled his eyes. “Does the term national hero and international celebrity not mean anything to you?”

Harry shook his head. “But what good will that do, if I don’t cooperate?”

“Harry, you don’t have to do anything,” Andromeda said. “He can keep you locked up in that mansion of his while he uses your name to endorse whatever he wants, whether it be business or political.”

Privately, Harry felt that was Dumbledore’s plan for him as well, but of course he didn’t say it out loud. But he did have a few other things to say to his Headmaster. “Why couldn’t you just let Snape have me?” he said bitterly. “This whole guardianship thing would have been done and over with two months ago.”

Dumbledore looked a little surprised being blamed for this. If anything, it was Lupin’s fault for leaking the news and Draco’s fault for telling his father, and Lucius’ fault for filing the guardianship. “I am not sure, my boy, why you are so upset with me. I truly do feel that you need the guidance that only I can provide for you, especially as Voldemort grows in power.”

Harry shook his head in frustration. “I could do without your kind of ‘guidance’,” he returned. It was no use talking to the self-delusional man, so he turned back to Andromeda. “How serious is this?” he wondered. “He’s not even mentioned in my parent’s will. Can he actually be a potential candidate?”

Carefully, Andromeda nodded. “Since the reading of the will, it is now public knowledge that Albus had unreasonable influence over the Potter accounts and had abused or neglected his position as your Keeper. That doesn’t sit well with the more influential people in our government. After all, if it could happen to you, a national hero, it could happen to any of the others.”

Harry tired not to look so satisfied, but inside he was doing a victory dance. From what Andromeda said, it was not a foregone conclusion that Dumbledore would win. Between Dumbledore and Lucius, he wasn’t sure who he’d preferred more. Dumbledore was the devil he knew, but Lucius was Voldemort’s right hand man… “What about Professor Snape?” Harry asked.

Severus gave the confused boy a serious look. “No doubt you know of my rather…controversial past.”

Harry nodded. “You were an Inner Circle Death Eater.” Harry’s careless mention of Death Eaters momentarily shocked the room, all except for Snape. “But you obviously got out of it. I guess you were a spy for the Light, so it shouldn’t be a problem,” Harry continued to speculate.

Severus shook his head. “Unfortunately, there are some of those in the ministry who believe that once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater. To them, it is of no consequence that I had brought valuable information that prevented hundreds of deaths.”

Hearing this, Harry slumped in his seat. “And of course, Mr. Malfoy has such a sterling record in the ministry,” he said sarcastically.

“And the fact that he’s raising one son who obviously adores his father, will go a long way,” Andromeda added. Unlike Dumbledore or Snape, Lucius was actually a family man, and in a society who’s population was dwindling every generation, that was an influential factor.

“So what can I do?” Harry asked.

“Hope someone more qualified enters another petition on top of Lucius’,” Severus answered a bit cynically.

"At this point, the only one who has uncontested rights to Harry’s guardianship is my cousin, Sirius Black,” Andromeda said, a little hopelessly. “But of course, that’s impossible, obviously.”

Everyone had varying reactions. Remus slumped at the mention of his former friend. Severus scowled. Dumbledore looked worried. And Harry chewed on his bottom lip thoughtfully. “So there’s really nothing we can do, but wait.”

“I will do my best to push Severus’ name forward,” Andromeda promised. “But you’re right, we can only wait for Child Welfare Services to make their decision.”

“In the future, I suggest we all get into the practice of using privacy charms,” Severus added, looking pointedly at Lupin. “Now, if that is all?”

As he left the room, Harry quickly put down his tea and followed after, only sparing a thankful nod to Andromeda. Luckily Snape’s strides were so long and quick, Dumbledore didn’t have time to hold him back for one of his annoying private chats.

Silently, the two made their way back through the dungeons and into Snape’s office, knowing the portraits and various sentient forms of life in the castle would report their conversation to Dumbledore. Surprisingly the first thing out of Snape’s mouth was reassurance.

“I will still fight for you,” he said, seeing the glum look on Harry’s face. “But the reality is that it is unlikely that I’ll win, even if I use my mother’s family influences.”

Harry knew Snape was referring to the Princes, but he didn’t say anything because then he’d have to explain why he hadn’t immediately turned over the Prince Grimoire. And then he brought up the idea that was slowly taking form in his mind. “What about Sirius Black?” Harry asked.

“What about Black?” Snape hissed.

The violent reaction from Snape made Harry defensive. “Just hear me out, okay?” Harry pleaded and was pleased to get a reluctant nod from his teacher. “Professor Tonk’s right. He was named my godfather, which gives him official priority over you and Dumbledore. He’s also the Black Lord, which seems to carry a lot of weight in the wizarding world, according to her. Plus, he was once one of Dumbledore’s man too, so Dumbledore will be okay with that.”

“Yes, and did you forget the fact that he’s a homicidal murderer?”

Harry shook his head. “I told you, he’s not. It was Pettigrew who betrayed my parents.”

Severus would argue that, except he knew this information came from Harry’s mysterious source, who knew things that even the Headmaster didn’t. “And how will you prove this little fact? For that matter, if Black is really on the Headmaster’s side, it will only be another obstacle for you to deal with later on.”

“Not if I make a deal with him,” Harry said daringly as the plan continued to be formed. “He will serve as a buffer between the Headmaster and I, and he will have minimal influence over me. And in return, I will clear his name.”

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose and gave Harry a pained look. The plan was simple on the surface, but it was a massive undertaking, with a hundred things that could go wrong. But he knew if he told the boy to leave it alone, it would only encourage him. So, instead Snape said, “When you meet with Black, I insist on being present.”

Harry nodded agreeably, not wanting to face the man alone either. Now to see what Marvolo thought about all this.

_O o 0 ^O0 o _Oo 0 ^O0 o _O o 0 ^O0 o _O

April 8, 1994

Thanks to Andromeda, they got a timeline on when the decision was to be made. Since Harry would remain in Hogwarts until his third year ended, a decision didn’t have to be final until the beginning of June. That gave Harry and Marvolo some time to come up with a plan. They knew, right away, they couldn’t just turn Sirius Black in. The ministry was so blood thirsty and wanting to be seen as protecting the boy-who-lived that Sirius would be executed before they could even demand a trial. In fact, there was a standing order for Sirius to be Kissed the moment he showed himself.

Which meant they had to produce Pettigrew before the Wizengamut. That alone wasn’t enough to automatically free Black, but at least with Pettigrew’s survival they could inspire enough doubt and questions to demand the trial that Black should have gotten in the first place. Of course, first, they had to find the elusive rat.

As in most things, Marvolo turned this mission into another lesson in Dark Magic. Practicing Dark Magic with Dumbledore inside the wards of the school was always a risky endeavor. Which was why they decided to wait until Spring Break to attempt the scrying ritual. In the meantime, Marvolo had Harry learn the theories behind scrying and to prepare the materials they would need.

Their opportunity came, in mid Spring Break, when Dumbledore had to leave to attend to his Wizengamut duties. Sometimes, it was good to have a headmaster who was so negligent in his duties to Hogwarts.

“I know, Hedwig, I don’t like it here either,” Harry cooed to his owl to calm her agitation as they got deeper and deeper into the Chamber of Secrets. Although Harry had been here several times, talking to the basilisk, the place never lost its creepiness to him.

“Are you certain she is up for the task?” Marvolo asked for the third time. “We could use a snake instead. They are also natural enemies of rats.”

This earned him offended looks from both bird and boy. “Of course she is,” Harry defended. “A snake would take months to slither to wherever Pettigrew is. Besides, Hedwig is a smart girl, and she can fly. It’ll only take her a couple weeks to find Pettigrew.”

It seemed like an extra risk they didn’t need, but Marvolo had to admit the snowy owl was unusually smart for her kind. He stopped in the center of the main chamber. “Set up here, little one.”

Harry did, quickly conjuring up a stand for Hedwig before unloading his backpack. The first to come out was a special brew of the Draught of Living death. Marvolo had remembered one of Severus’ inventions during the war. Inside the vial, it was liquid but when it was broken at the feet of an enemy, the liquid automatically turned into a gaseous form of the Draught of Living Death. A single whiff was all that was needed to bring and average sized man down. Harry earned another suspicious look from the Potions Master when he asked for this vial, in addition to a week of free labor in preparing ingredients.

Harry thought it was worth it.

The second item was a large, black bottomed bowl that he filled with water. Marvolo was going to use this to help Harry scry for Pettigrew, using the Dark Mark. The Dark Mark was something that Harry hadn’t given much thought to even though he knew every Death Eater was painfully branded with the infamous skull and snake.

As Marvolo explained it, the Dark Mark was his second greatest experiments in soul magic. It tied the branded person’s soul to his own, so even as a mere horcrux, he had a link to every Death Eater out there. Marvolo would use this link to find Pettigrew, and Hedwig would go and physically retrieve the rat. And if Pettigrew wasn’t in his rat form, then they’d send in Sekmeth, Salazar’s basilisk.

“It’s time to call your sprites.”

Harry went back into his backpack and pulled out a 13 inch violin. Then, he drew his black and white unicorn horn wand, flicking it a couple times in the air. With each flick, it changed into a black and white violin bow. Wand manipulation was the newest little trick that Marvolo taught him. It allowed him to change the wand into any object with a longish shape, while still serving as a magical focus.

This polished violin, he propped under his chin, preferring it much more than using his own voice to summon his sprites, which tended to crack in the high notes as puberty loomed ever closer. Playing the violin was something he always wanted to try before getting his Hogwarts letter, and now he was happy to have an excuse. With a steadying deep breath, Harry poised the bow over the violin and let it dance over the strings as it may. He only read an introductory instructions book, so he relied more on his ears and heart, pushing his magic through the music as his own body swayed and flexed to his imaginary tune.

The first to come was Aria, who instantly started dancing around him with her quick footed steps. As she passed, she took a couple drops of blood. Giving her a playful wink, Harry added low sweeping draws of the bow into the upbeat tune and soon the water in the bowl began bubbling. Triton flowed out of the bowl, taking a good amount of water with him. After they both fed from him, Harry stowed away his instrument and changed the bow back into his wand with another few quick flicks.

“What do you think, Marvolo?” Harry asked.

“You have a natural gift for music, but there is still room for improvement,” he answered dryly and chuckled at the scowl in return. “Now, quit stalling. It’s time to begin.”

This was part that made Harry nervous. In order to use the Dark Mark to scry for Pettigrew, Marvolo needed access to a body and to magic, which meant letting Marvolo into his head again, like on the train.

“Will this hurt like last time?” Harry asked, resisting the urge to rub his scar in memory.

“It will hurt a little,” Marvolo admitted. “But there was no time for finesse last time, with the dementors closing in on you. This time, I assure you I will take much more care in entering your mind. But you must remember to let all your occlumancy defenses down, otherwise I will have to fight them. It will hurt you and drain me.”

Harry nodded in understanding. He took a deep breath and locked eyes with the pair of pale red ones before him. Immediately, he could feel Marvolo’s familiar presence slithering into his scar, creating an irritating burn, but nothing as bad as before. A dull throbbing pain reverberated through his head when Marvolo came in contact with his shields. Instantly, he dropped them until Marvolo finally reached the center of Harry’s core. Here, Marvolo settled in as if he was home, and in a way he was with Harry being the horcrux that housed him for so many years before.

Relax your body and give me control… came a whisper into Harry’s thoughts.

Harry employed his meditation technique to relax his tense muscles, and little by little, Harry felt his consciousness drifting off in a trance-like state. Marvolo took up the mental space that Harry left and slowly exerted his control. When Harry’s finger twitched for the first time under Marvolo’s command, Harry would have panicked if not for the comforting stream of reassurance and love coming from Marvolo.

As Marvolo learned to take control of Harry’s body, Harry became merely an observer.

Harry watched, fascinated, as his own finger dipped into the bowl of water, slowly swirling in a clockwise circle. Gradually, a dim light began to glow from where the finger touched the water, and when it was bright enough to satisfy Marvolo, words began flowing from Harry’s lips in parseltongue.

§Morsmordre, Peter Pettigrew…§

As Marvolo chanted, Harry felt Marvolo drawing on his magic to activate the Dark Mark. If he had control of his body, he would have squirmed uncomfortably. Finally, an image of the rat began to take shape in the water, becoming clearer and clearer on the dark rippling surface. Harry’s finger left the bowl of water, as Marvolo’s presence trickled out of his scar.

Gritting his teeth from the very unusual sensation, Harry noticed Marvolo’s form was once again transparent. “Are you okay?” Harry asked, rubbing away the last of the tingles from his scar.

Marvolo nodded, though he was obviously tired. All four of them, including the 2 sprites, peered into the bowl, where they could see the yellow-ish brown rat. Pettigrew obviously felt safer in his rat form, and wherever he was, it was night time.

“At least he didn’t flee to the other side of the world,” Marvolo murmured. At least it looked like he was in the same time zone.

And then the rat turned his head, and gave them an image of tombstone.

"Is he in some kind of graveyard?” Harry asked, squinting hard to try to make out the faded name on the grave. He couldn’t make anything out, but apparently this was enough to let Marvolo know exactly where Pettigrew was.

“Clever little rat,” Marvolo said in amusement. “That graveyard is the one in Little Hangleton, just outside Riddle Manor.”

Harry blinked. “Did you just say Riddle Manor?” He hadn’t known his friend had a manor.

“It belonged to my father’s family,” Marvolo explained, in an uninterested manner.

Harry nodded in understanding. His friend had a deep seated hatred towards his father’s muggle heritage. “So what is Pettigrew doing there then?”

“No doubt he is looking for Voldemort, the main soul piece,” Marvolo answered, now looking slightly troubled. “If he helps my main soul piece regain his body, then he will earn protection and maybe even favor among the Death Eaters.”

Harry looked at Marvolo in confusion. “Isn’t that a good thing?” he asked. “I thought our ultimate goal was to reunite you with your main piece?”

“Yes, of course,” Marvolo responded, and then looked at Harry with troubled eyes. “But you are not ready yet. The stronger my main piece is becoming, the more I question the wisdom of bringing you two together.”

Harry frowned. “But I’m on your side,” he said. “You don’t think he will forgive me for what happened when I was a baby? Even with your help?”

“It is not a question of forgiveness,” Marvolo said, frustrated that he couldn’t make this still very innocent little boy understand. “When the Old Man said I was unable to love, he was incorrect.”

Harry nodded. “I know. I know you love me. I felt it on the train and again just now. I can feel it whenever you hold me or kiss me. When you’re with me, I feel like nothing bad can ever touch me.”

At this, Marvolo frowned. “This innocent little love isn’t the kind that Voldemort…That I will be feeling once we merge,” he said, willing the boy to understand.

Harry still looked blank. Sure, they hadn’t gone very far, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. After all, Marvolo didn’t have a body, so they couldn’t go far anyway. The farthest they went was cuddling naked in each other’s arms with liberal use of warming charms, and that was only once, because Harry couldn’t even fall asleep when he had to keep reapplying the charms.

“Oh, my sweet little serpent,” Marvolo said fondly as he moved to cup the warm face in his hands. Though the words were soft and nice, the look in Marvolo’s eyes were sad. “If it were only that. Voldemort’s love is a dark one,” he said in warning. “It is a hungry, possessive, and all consuming one that burns brightly, but also destroys. When I am back with my main piece, my affections for you will combine with his obsessive nature. I worry that as you are right now, he will completely own you.”

Harry closed his eyes, unable to see such sadness coming from his friend. It didn’t really surprise him that his friend was a control freak. The man even branded his own followers as a mark of ownership and servitude. Not even other Dark Lords did that. He could only imagine just what Marvolo, er Voldemort, would do to his lover. Just thinking about it sent his mind down a path that scared him.

But still, he couldn’t imagine a life without Marvolo. “As long as some part of you is still there,” Harry said loyally. “I won’t leave you.”

“I know, but I do worry for you, my Precious One.”

Their moment of silence was interrupted when Hedwig flew from her perch to land on Harry’s shoulder, sensing his distress. “This isn’t something we have to worry about right now,” Harry said before turning to Hedwig. “Do you see this, girl?” he asked, pointing down to the watery image of Wormtail.

Hedwig gave an affirmative hoot.

“This is Peter Pettigrew. He’s at the graveyard in Little Hangleton,” Harry continued to explain. And then he picked up the little vial of sleeping potion. “When you find him, I want you to drop this right at his feet. Do you understand?”

In answer, Hedwig lifted a clawed foot and grasp the vial securely.

“That’s a good, girl,” Harry cooed.

“Triton,” Marvolo said, gaining both sprite’s attention. Sprites, being a manifestation of pure magic were able to see and interact with him. “You were summoned to ensure that Hedwig finds her target.”

Triton bubbled a little before diving into the bowl of water and coming back out, taking the scrying image of Pettigrew away with him. If for some reason Pettigrew apparated or left the graveyard, Triton could still track the rat down.

Feeling ignored, Aria zipped forward, waiting for her instructions. “You will ensure fair flying conditions and a speedy journey for Hedwig,” Harry answered. Even though warmer weather was upon them, the less Hedwig had to deal with the better.

“And when the vial breaks open,” Marvolo added. “You will make sure Pettigrew is the only target of the noxious gas.” The last thing they needed was for Hedwig to be knocked out by the modified Draught too.

Aria twittered in understanding, and then both sprites leapt onto Hedwig’s back. The owl gave her new passengers an irritated look, but did not pick them out of her feathers. After Harry cleaned up, he released Hedwig out of the owlery. If Pettigrew remained in the graveyard, Marvolo estimated it would take her about two weeks to find him, administer the potion, and come back with their prisoner.

A/N: I am very sorry to the delayed update. As I said, the holidays are a busy time for me. There won’t be too much editing for the next chapter so it will come relatively quickly, but not promises. On another note, I can already see all the reviews saying that Marvolo was just way too mushy, talking about love and admitting he’s worried. But I’d like to remind you that Voldemort cut out all his ‘weaker feelings’ like love and compassion and stored them in his horcrux. So Marvolo is made of those ‘weak feelings’, without any of Voldemort’s crueler persona to balance it out.

Next up: Severus finally gets some answers and his Grimoire back! Yay!!!
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In Servitude of the Dark: The Hand That Guides Me