The Nightmare Man

Chapter Fifteen Part One

Logically, Voldemort had nothing to fear from Harrison. The ancient dark lord wasn't going to hurt him. They were allies.

Yet, he couldn't help but be nervous. Judging by the looks on Lucius' and Rabastan's faces, they weren't any calmer than him.

Harrison was pacing around in the main hall, magic sparking between his fingers. The long hair swayed with his steps, the robes swishing against the floor. Every now and then the lights flickered, disturbed by Harrison's magic.

"Master, could you perhaps… calm the magic a bit?" Severus was hesitant, standing a fair distance away.

"Why?" Harrison asked.

"You're interfering in the process with the twins."

"Twins."

"Yes, the twins."

"Twins," Harrison repeated. "Oh, those twins. Weasleys."

"Yes, those twins," Severus said. "Their bodies and souls have yet to reconnect properly. If you want them back in their bodies by tomorrow, you need to stop interfering with the magic in the dungeons."

Harrison stared at him. For a moment he looked like he was going to rip Severus' head clean off. But then he breathed in, and the magic that had filled the room, radiating out of his body, vanished back into him. He breathed out.

So did Voldemort and the others.

"Thank you, master," Severus said.

"Do you… like those twins?" Harrison asked.

"You must like them too, master. Why else did you make two of your Dementor vomit up their souls again?"

"I like twins," Harrison said. "And it'll be fun having them around."

Did he know about the Weasley twins? Voldemort had the impression that beyond Cornelius Fudge, Albus Dumbledore and perhaps Lily Potter, Harrison knew nothing of people from that side. And even if he did, why focus on two brothers that barely counted as adults?

The doors opened and Elise came through. She looked at Harrison and said:

"Small, serene village, four hundred people. This close to the holidays there aren't many movements, but I put them all to sleep for the moment and warded off the entire place. No Muggles or magical people besides us will feel the need to go there as long as the wards are up. Of course, should they wake up they won't be able to escape."

"Good," Harrison said.

"Exactly what are you going to do?" Voldemort asked.

"I'm going to kill them of course," Harrison replied. "A whole village, been a while since I last did that. One usually gets to live, wonder who I'll pick today…"

He smiled, and a chill ran down Voldemort's spine. His eyes hadn't gone back to its clear green, and there was something awful in those eyes. Something old and cruel.

"Let's call for the Inferi," Harrison continued as he began to walk towards Elise. "Cornelius and his side won't be met by a pretty sight by the time I'm done with that place."

-o-

It was truly the picture of a serene village. A fresh layer of snow covered the houses and streets. Cheery, Muggle Christmas lights lit up almost every home and street, to the point of over-doing it.

Elise and Lucian were with Harrison, straight-backed and quiet. The others had been instructed by Harrison to stay behind and Voldemort had glimpsed someone else. Not the odd, slightly scary Nightmare Lord but someone completely cold to the core. Frightening even Elise and Lucian.