Growing up Pureblooded

NOT HARRY

In their tunnel beneath Riddle Manor, Sirius, Abraxas and Remus felt the wards drop immediately. "The ladies must have done it," Abraxas observed proudly. Remus nodded. "Best move quick before Voldemort brings them back up." The three wizards turned on their heels and Apparated up into Riddle Manor. Sirius immediately set off running through the halls and looking for Narcissa. Abraxas and Remus followed close behind, their wands at the ready.

There were no Death Eaters left in the building, all of them having gone outside to hold off the onslaught of witches, and the rooms were all quite barren. The three wizards searched empty floor after empty floor until finally they heard voices at the end of the corridor. They crept closer under a Disillusionment Charm and saw Lucius pointing his wand at Narcissa, who was kneeling on the floor. Behind them, Quirrell seemed to be in some kind of trance.

"Remain perfectly still, Narcissa," Lucius said coldly. "The Dark Lord will no doubt wish to resume his interrogation presently." "What happened?" the blonde witch asked. "He was talking normally until just a moment ago." "I do not know," Lucius responded. "He is likely reinforcing the wards. Perhaps the attackers have weakened them."

Sirius lifted his Disillusionment Charm and came into view. Abraxas and Remus followed suit. "You don't know how right you are, Lucius," Sirius growled. "Sirius!" Narcissa cried out with relief, but Lucius hit her with the Cruciatus Curse. As she screamed in pain, Sirius raised his own wand. "Stupefy!" he shouted, sending a burst of red light at the Death Eater, who barely managed to leap out of the way before it could hit him. Sirius followed it up with an attempt to curse the entranced Dark Lord, but his spell only bounced off onto the walls. Voldemort, it seemed, was invulnerable.

Lucius fired off a Bone-Breaking Curse at his attacker. Sirius dodged it, but Abraxas was right behind him, and the old wizard was not so agile. He fell to the ground, his proud features contorted in pain. Lucius smirked. "You have no idea how much satisfaction that gives me, Father," he spat. Abraxas was in too much pain to give any more response than an angry glare. "Get out of here, Dad," Sirius told him sternly. The old wizard activated his emergency Portkey and vanished. A moment later, Lucius hit Sirius's upper arm with a Cutting Curse. "It looks like I've drawn first blood, Black," he taunted, and Sirius fired off a Blasting Curse in return. Whilst the two wizards were locked in combat, trading curses back and forth, Remus managed to slip over to Narcissa and hand her an emergency Portkey. She had just enough time before she vanished to hear Lucius roar ferociously as he aimed his wand at Remus: "Crucio!"

In their own mental world, far away from the battle that raged outside, Aries and Voldemort stood facing each other on the edge of the cliff. "It was very impressive of you to be able sneak through my defenses, Mr Black," Voldemort said with a sneer. "Very Slytherin of you." Aries shrugged nonchalantly. "What can I say, Tom? I am the Heir of Slytherin." "So you keep claiming, Mr Black," the Dark wizard replied. "Or should I say, 'Mr Potter'?" "I suppose we have no more secrets from each other now, Tom."

Voldemort's snake-like features contorted in fury. "Stop calling me that, you insolent whelp!" "It's your name, isn't it? Let's be honest with each other. You're Tom Riddle, and I'm Harry Potter." "Be silent," Voldemort snapped. "Now that I've found you, there is nothing you can do to keep me from destroying you." He stepped forward and grabbed Aries's arm, only to leap back as both of them yelped in pain. "What was that?" the Dark wizard demanded. "How the hell should I know?" Aries retorted hotly.

Voldemort stared at the boy through narrow eyes, then raised his right hand. "I may not know what magic you're using against me, Potter," he said in a high voice, "but I do know that we're in my mind. I have the advantage here." He dropped his hand, and their surroundings changed. Suddenly they were moving through the streets of a quaint English village that felt vaguely familiar to Aries. They passed a church, and a graveyard.

"No," Aries whispered as he realized where they were. "Welcome home, Harry Potter," Voldemort said cruelly. "Enjoy the show. I, alas, have other things to do – beginning with killing off your pest of a godfather." "No, please," Aries repeated, his voice broken. "Things could have gone so well for you, had you only left well enough alone," his enemy taunted. "Foolish boy. You should have known better than to try to attack the mind of Lord Voldemort."

Voldemort vanished, but Aries continued to be dragged irresistibly towards his family's house. There was Uncle James – his real father, bravely and foolishly challenging Riddle without even a wand. It's him! Lily, take Harry and go! There was his mum, his real mum, standing in the way between him and death. "Not Harry!" She screamed! Then came the blinding green light, and a horrible pain, and Harry found himself once more passing the church, once more being drawn inexorably into his worst nightmare.