Keeping The Dark Lord (on his toes)

Chapter - 23 Visiting the clans ( 2 March 1995 )

~Harry (as Dimitri)~

Dimitri watched the interaction between Voldemort and the pack leaders as they spoke about the treaties, but he knew that there was something else going on.

So far they had visited the Goblin tribes, the Vampire clans, the Centaur herds, and they were now visiting the Werewolf packs, with plans to visit the rest of the main clans later, but strangely enough, each clan seemed oddly excited by their arrival and they were often given a tour of the clans’ most sacred places where one of the clan members would gift him with something extremely rare or valuable.

He thought almost nothing of it when it happened the first time when the Goblins showed them the river of gold deep within Gringotts and gave him a pair of daggers, one set in silver with green accents and the other set in gold with red accents, even though he knew that the Goblins only gifted a wizard with a weapon on very rare occasions, but then he noticed that he’d been the only one to receive something each time and that Voldemort seemed to watch his reaction with an intensity that made it seem like he had expected it to happen.

Not that the man was very open with his emotions…quite the opposite actually…but Dimitri quickly learned to read the man’s different micro-expressions over the past few months. The only question now was why.

He knew that Voldemort had started spending quite a bit of time with him (Dimitri) at one point, but he couldn’t remember exactly when the shift happened from Voldemort simply tolerating his presence to the man actually wanting to spend some time with him.

Unfortunately, there could only be one reason for it and something told him that Voldemort had discovered who he was.

He walked a little further away, but still in eyesight of everyone, under the pretense of wanting to take a closer look at the waterfall that hid the entrance of the Werewolf caves. It was truly an amazing sight, but his mind was elsewhere.

“Death…”

He felt the being’s presence enter his mind, but the being’s amusement gave him the answer before he could even ask the question so he lowly growled in frustration, “When were you going to tell me that Voldemort knew who I was?”

The being laughed and Dimitri could feel that Death wasn’t even fazed, “He hasn’t worked it all out yet, don’t worry. However, your bracelet did give away that you are Ghost because he used the same charms as those that are placed on the Heir and Lordship rings…”

Dimitri swore softly to himself, but he allowed himself to relax just a little as he tried to figure out what to do next. He felt a mental shove from Death, “Maybe it's time to stop running around in circles? A lot of people would kill to have a soulmate and here you are trying to find more ways to evade yours. When did you become such a coward?”

Dimitri felt himself bristle at the statement and he was about to vehemently deny it when he froze and his shoulders slumped in defeat. “You know why…”

He could feel the being shake its head, “All I know is that Voldemort took the time to notice that you haven’t really left the castle grounds and he arranged this entire trip because he believed that you deserve better than a simple night out. To him, your happiness comes above all else so why can’t you do the same in return?”

Dimitri was about to argue that he did have Voldemort’s best interests at heart, but he felt Death shake his head once more, “You may be giving him the means to win this war, but you are also denying him that which can make both of you whole.”

Dimitri couldn’t deny the being’s words as he glanced back and saw that Voldemort was closely watching him, “What do I do? I don’t want to reveal that I am Harry until the war is finished and it would also be better to reveal once I come of age in this body.”