In Nobis

Chapter one

His bones ached, and he felt the rupture in his magical core. Blood trickled from his mouth and down his neck. So this is death. Voldemort thought to himself. Gathering what strength he had left he lifted himself from the ground and then looked at the toddler that stood gazing up at him curiously from her crib. She wasn't crying; she wasn't even fussing. Hara Tanis Potter was staring at him as he was dying. Her little face scrunched in confusion momentarily, and then she reached a hand towards Voldemort.

How could such a small fragile little human have survived the killing curse? Without a scratch or even fatigue? Voldemort thought. Feeling a lancing pain through his side. He knew he didn't have long. That killing curse intended for the child had rebounded and hit him squarely in the chest. Although the curse was weakened, it was still killing him slowly.

Young Hara's hand was still outstretched, reaching for him. Her lip quivered for just a moment. He had know idea what possessed him to indulge the child's wish to touch him, likely just trying to gain some comfortable interaction from the only adult in the room, but he reached out to the child and she grasped one of his fingers tightly. It felt like lightning had hit him. His knees went weak, and his magical core felt as though it was on fire; he felt his magic going haywire, something shattering within him, and a foreign magic latch on. The little girl screamed in pain and fell back down into her crib. Voldemort thought that the final blow was dealt and that he was moments from death before he felt the cracks of his core slowly start to knit back together; the pain in his body subsided and then disappeared altogether. There was one tiny prickle of pain left and a scorch mark on the left side of his chest.

Sniffling and a soft cry were heard from the crib, and he cautiously approached it. Weary from what just occurred, he peered in and saw the little girl crying from what it seemed they both had experienced. A trickle of blood left her forehead and ran down her face. Both her arms came up, her lips quivering and tears filling her emerald, green eyes.

"Dadda, mum...?" She looked at him questioningly.

He shook his head at her, knowing that he could retrieve neither for the girl as they were both dead from his hand. He reached into the crib, tapped her on both of her hands, and waited for just a moment to make sure they wouldn't have such a violent reaction again, then lifted her from the crib.

"What am I to do with you little one?" He asked her, though mostly asking himself. He needed to know what had happened between the two of them. Somehow, he was restored. Not only restored but made better. He felt that his magical core had actually grown. His body which started to feel weak with age and from battles, the dark rituals and spells he had practiced, had felt revitalized. He couldn't just leave her here for Dumbledore to find. What if he could replicate what happened, and Dumbledore would become stronger? No, definitely not. The girl would come with him, and he would deal with the details later.

He looked down at the small child clad in pink pajamas, now sleeping soundly in his arms while clutching his robes. "The girl who lived... Hara Potter, you are a puzzle I am determined to solve..." They vanished with a thunderous pop.

They reappeared in his study at Malfoy Manor. He quickly drew the hood of his cloak over himself, then immediately summoned Lucius and Narcissa. Moments later, they hurried into the room and gave their Dark Lord a respectful bow. Lucius couldn't disguise his shock at seeing his Lord holding a tiny pink bundle in his arms.

"My Lord?" That was all Lucius could manage to say.

"The Potter child Lucius." Voldemort did not lift his head to look toward Lucius. His gaze remained transfixed at the little girl snuggled into him. "The girl will live... for now. Something transpired at the Potter house that I need to research, and she will be required in that endeavor."

"Her parents, my lord? Malfoy senior asked.

"Dead. I need you to care for the child in the interim while I make other arrangements. She is not to be harmed. Treat her as your own. I suspect..." he paused. " She holds something of great value and might be instrumental in this war. Am I understood, Lucius?"

Both Lucius and his wife nodded, though their eyes still swam with questions, but they dare not ask. Something was different in their Lord. His presence felt more powerful and still overwhelmingly dark but less mad and unstable.

"Narcissa, your child, where does he sleep?"

Both Narcissa and Lucius paled. What did he want with their boy? They both worried.

"I believe I asked you a question, Narcissa; where are his chambers?"

"Please, my Lord, do not hurt him. My little Draco... he's just a babe yet! My only child and the Malfoy heir!" Narcissa sobbed in an undignified way, even to be so bold as to take a step toward him. Little Hara stirred in Voldemort's arms and wrinkled her little nose, beginning to wake up from Narcissa's shrieking.

"Enough!" Voldemort's magic flared out in angry jolts. He had his fill of groveling parents begging for their child's life this night. He had the patience for no more. "Unless you want to end up like the late James and Lily Potter, you will show me to your child's quarters so I may rid my arms of this minuscule pink burden!"

Lucius grabbed his wife and pulled her to his side. "Follow me, my Lord..." he said, his voice portraying the anxiety and fear he felt leading the Darkest wizard to ever set foot on this earth to his beloved baby boy's room.

Voldemort followed the couple closely, his steady pace lulling Hara back into a sound slumber. They reached double doors, and Lucius led them in quietly. The Dark Lord walked past the elder Malfoys quickly and to the crib. He pulled his wand from his cloak, and he could feel both Narcissa and Lucius tense and heard the rustle of fabric that was no doubt Lucius holding his wife still, preventing her from making an extremely foolish mistake. With very careful and practiced wand movement, he enlarged the crib slightly. A relieved sigh was heard from behind him. He then levitated the little boy, who was fast asleep in his crib, gently up before moving him to the side. He placed Hara beside him and pulled the wool and silk blanket over both.

"You will watch over her and tend to whatever she needs," Voldemort ordered in a quiet tone before disapparating away, completely silently this time.

Lucius and Narcissa rushed to the crib to check on their little one and felt a little pang in their hearts when they saw the two babes, one blue, the other pink, now cuddled and clinging to each other in what looked like a peaceful and happy sleep.