you make your own destiny

chapter 5

Harry was sitting in his four poster bed, staring out

into space. He couldn't stop thinking about what

Voldemort had said to him.

He had trouble believing him, but on the other hand

Dumbledore had been trying to use him and Hermione as

puppets in the war against Voldemort. Even if they

had won the war, Harry wasn't sure he wanted to know

what Dumbledore's plans for him were. Would he really

stop with defeating Voldemort or did he want something

more, some greater dark power?

The knowledge of his betrayal was nearly enough to

make Harry side with Voldemort. Hermione was his best

friend and Ron...Harry wondered why Ron hadn't tried

to find them. Was he another pawn in Dumbledore's

game?

"You thinking too hard," a voice said. "You're going

to give me a headache."

Harry jumped up and looked suspiciously at Voldemort.

"Harry, we still have a lot to talk about," he said

and showed him to the fireplace. Harry walked over and

paused before an overstuffed chair. Voldemort sat,

crossing his feet at the ankles.

"What kinde of proof do you have that my parents would

side with you?" Harry asked. He was no longer blinded

by anger, but rather curious.

"None whatsoever at the moment" Voldemort replied "but

I have someone working on that as we speak."

"You sent Lucius, didn't you?" Harry said.

Voldemort seemed surprised. "How did you guess?"

"Lucius seems like the best person to look into

anything related to the purity of bloodlines," Harry

said bitterly.

"Lucius is not so superficial. He plays Dumbledore's

game to ensure his son's education," Voldemort

snapped.

"Sorry," Harry muttered.

"Don`t apologize. Your anger is understandable.

Dumbledore has undoubtedly clouded your mind with

nonsense," Voldemort said softly.

"I felt the same way about it, at first. But now I

believe that everyone, muggleborns included, deserves

an education and a job. Don't believe every twisted

tale Dumbledore has fed the the wizarding world."

Harry wavered, but only a bit. He still couldn't

throw away years of prejudice based on a few inventive

stories.

"Perhaps," Voldemort said softly, "we are not so

different. Both of us grew up around muggleborns, so

surely you can understand my sympathy for them?"

Harry didn't reply, lost in thought. After a few

minutes, Voldemort left.

Later that day, Voldemort sat in his own room,

replaying his conversation with Harry in his mind.

His thoughts was interrupted by Crabbe Senior bursting

into his room.

"What was so important that you couldn't deign to

knock first?" Voldemort said, his voice thin with

annoyance.

"The Order of Phoenix and the Ministry of Magic is

raiding the homes of suspected Death Eaters. They are

looking for the prisoners."

"Do they think I would hide them where they could so

easily be found?" Voldemort said, standing and walking

quickly to the dining room. As he entered, he caught

sight of the fireplace blazing green. A moment passed

and Lucius and Draco stumbled out, bleeding heavily.

Crabbe lifted both men onto the couch and began trying

to stop their bleeding.

"What happened?" Voldemort asked.

"The Order is out checking for the two kids. We lost

the Parkinsons and...Narcissa," he said, his voice

choked with emotion.

Voldemort heard two gasps by the door and turned

quickly, wand in his hand.

Both Harry and Hermione stood, framed in shadow, their

eyes wide. They had heard everything.