Beautifully Broken

IX

It was almost sickeningly easy to get in to the supposedly safest place in the wizarding world. With the marauders map, which Harry had managed to keep with him along with his cloak and album, they even had view of where everyone was. The Dark Lord's timing, as usual, was impeccable, and Dumbledore seemed to be in the middle of an order meeting if the names in the great hall were anything to go by. It was also past curfew so all students were in their house common rooms except the patrolling prefects and the few that were sneaking around. They came through the chamber and the Dark Lord blinked at the preserved basilisk carcass,

"You killed that when you were twelve?" He asked Harry incredulously, Harry shrugged.

"I did not have much of an option, master. It was him or me, it was an unfortunate occurrence." Harry replied,

"I was under the impression that it was a lot smaller, cub." Remus said weakly, he was looking at the snake with wide eyes along with the other death eaters.

"I may have drifted from the truth slightly." Harry told him wryly.

"No shit." The twins muttered, "Do you have a handbook or something; 101 Ways to Accomplish the Impossible."

"No, but I may look in to that." Harry quipped as he strode away from the beast. It was not something that interested him any more, he opened the exit and cast his magic about to repair the cave in.

"You always seem to have something to impress me with," The Dark Lord said to him quietly, Harry smiled slightly.

"It is a talent, Master." The Dark Lord bit back a snort and called for the stairs.

"Why a girls bathroom?" Fred asked before he could stop himself, "Sorry, moving on."

"Twins, neutralise the corridors." They nodded and disappeared from view. The Elite and the Dark Lord only had to wait five minutes for the twins to return and they nodded,

"All clear," They swiftly made their way to the great hall and Voldemort couldn't help but smirk as he stopped in front of the doors,

"I am going to enjoy this." He stated and the elite shared grins. Drawling him himself up, the Dark Lord flared his magic and slammed the massive doors open with an echoing bang. There were already 4 shields up in front of them which held of the multiple curses that came sailing towards them and the Dark Lord walked in gracefully. All of their cloak hoods were drew up so only their chrome masks could be seen, Harry and Bella marked their Lord's right and left respectively, then they were followed by Lucius, Severus, Rodolphus and Rabastan, then Mulciber, Rowle, Jugson, Nott, Avery, Dolohov, Remus and the twins.

"Ah Albus, your hospitality skills are severely lacking." Voldemort chided amused. That seemed to shock the Order in to motion because they were up with their wands pointed at the Dark in the next instant, Dumbledore was at the head and Voldemort's smirk stretched. The Elite was outnumbered, but they held more skill, unfortunately for the Order, they seemed to have forgotten that and they were looking too confident and smug about the impending battle already.

"How did you get in here?" Dumbledore demanded, his usual grandfatherly display was completely gone.

"I have my ways," Voldemort answered, being deliberately evasive to annoy the headmaster.

"Surely you have not come to fight, Tom. You are greatly outnumbered," Dumbledore said and Harry was the only noticed the Dark Lord's irritation at his muggle name.