On the Other Side

~II~

"I don't know a thing about realms and Death, but I want to go there. Usually my intuition works well. Come," Harry urged, still not minding angry hisses and insults in low undertone coming from the Dark Lord. "You said we don't know the rules. Well, the king of this realm doesn't know me! I survived for five years with you out for my blood, I might as well try surviving here," muttering under his breath Harry continued walking and dragging Voldemort by the hand with him. "And don't you start again about touches. It is like shield – necessary evil. So deal with it!" Harry raised his voice a bit, when felt Voldemort's wand poking his ribs from behind. "Do you want your curse to backfire again?" Harry reminded, when the wand still wasn't removed.

"Potter, stop!" Voldemort barked in response, roughly yanking Harry's hand with enough force to actually hold him in place for several seconds.

Harry turned to him with a question on his lips, but froze with no sound escaping him.

Right behind the Dark Lord, about a foot from them a black cloud gathered at the approximate level of their knees.

"What is that?" Harry finally managed to find his voice, though it was trembling a bit.

Strangely he hasn't sensed that same terrorizing presence of Death, as he'd sensed it earlier, but that didn't mean anything: Harry hadn't sensed it that first time, when they just landed, maybe this time it was similar, the Death simply hiding better from them.

"That's my means of transportation," Voldemort snorted seeing Harry's horror-stricken face. "Much faster then yours, I suppose. And less tiresome," his smile became more crooked. "You are welcome to share it with me," with a flourish gestured Voldemort in invitation.

"Tra-transportation?" Harry still was in shock.

"I invented it myself. It is much more reliable and faster then brooms," the Dark Lord proudly explained, then with a sigh stepped up onto the cloud and dragged Harry by the hand to him. "It may look like a cloud, but is rather solid to the touch, believe me," Harry was brashly yanked by his hand upwards onto the so-called cloud.

Stumbling Harry tried the substance under his feet: it really did felt solid, like a patch of ground, though the absence of any sort of borders and half-transparent view made him feel a bit sick, when thinking of flying higher up on this 'vehicle'.

"Are you afraid?" mocked Voldemort. "It is perfectly safe, or, well, as safe as it could be with me beside you on this cloud and high up in the air," his eyes glinted with malice and mirth, evil smile never leaving his lips.

"I am not scared!" Harry proclaimed, nose high in the air. "Can you, erm, maybe add rails or something?" he pleaded in next instant. "With your obsession with immortality it's looks rather risky to use it as vehicle like this."

"I like it," Riddle shrugged. "You can go by foot underneath me, of course, but it would be counterproductive, I recon," he offered.

"You need me more than I – you," Harry noted. "I am going with you on this cloud, and that's not up to debate. Move it, will you!"

Riddle snickered quietly but obliged.

The cloud started ascending and gaining speed abruptly, making Harry yelp in badly concealed fright. Then their vehicle continued moving steadily high above the ground roughly in the same direction Harry had pointed earlier.

They flew for some time in silence, Harry trying not to cringe and wince too openly when the cloud dived or gained more altitude. Although now and then he wished it was Ron or Hermione beside him, so it would not be so uncomfortable and humiliating for him to cling to the man's hand, which, surprisingly was met calmly and without the usual hissed insults and demands not to touch him from Voldemort.