Prologue

When Harry was little he had an imaginary friend called Marvolo. Only Harry couldn't quite say that so he just called him Volo. Marvolo didn't much like that but that wasn't Harry's biggest problem. Harry's biggest problem was the Dursley's. The Dursley's didn't like it when Marvolo came to play because unbeknownst to Harry, any time he was talking to Marvolo his eyes turned red. Things got much worse for Harry whenever the Dursleys caught him talking to Marvolo. Eventually Marvolo told Harry it was safer if he went away.

Marvolo wrapped himself up tight, restraining both his magic and the child's. As a fragment Marvolo only had small bits of memory from before but he knew how dangerous muggles could be. Marvolo buried himself so deeply Harry forgot all about him but Marvolo didn't forget about Harry. Marvolo stayed awake, Marvolo watched and felt and lived as Harry lived. For him Harry was more real than what came before, those strange fragmented memories mattered less. Instead Marvolo clung to those emotions he understood best, and he bathed himself in Harry's hate, his anger.

As time past things happened, things that reminded Marvolo of what had come before. Marvolo remembered how he had come to be tied to Harry but he understood the boy could not be killed now. He had tried to contact his living counterpart but Voldemort had overpowered him, ignored what Marvolo felt were obvious signs of their true connection. After Marvolo heard the prophecy he understood they had been tricked but he refused to risk opening up the link again. Harry was too fragile after the loss of his godfather and Marvolo didn't want Harry to do anything rash.

Not yet anyway.

Marvolo has been whispering to Harry. They'd been separated so long Marvolo couldn't force himself out, he had to convince Harry to let him out. Unfortunately Harry was dismissive, pretending not to hear Marvolo's words. It was making him impatient, one benefit of being closer to his creator was that it had allowed Marvolo access to knowledge he had long forgotten. A horcrux had only been placed into a human being once before as part of a wedding ceremony between a Dark Wizard and a princess he had kidnapped. He'd believed he could combine their souls thus forcing her to love him as a piece of herself.

It had worked-to an extent. Their souls had blended and the girl was devoted to the dark wizard but her mind was shattered. She had been unable to reconcile the differences in his soul with her own, eventually she used the power he had gifted her to kill them both. Marvolo didn't anticipate he and Harry having the same problems. They had lived together as one being for over a decade, Marvolo had melded and become part of Harry. Marvolo knew that if he could force Harry to let him out he could complete the ritual to bind them completely. It was vital he do this before Harry returned to school. If Voldemort realized Harry was a horcrux he could move Marvolo by killing Harry but once the ritual was complete nothing could separate them.

So Marvolo waited and he whispered. He whispered when Harry was on his knees scrubbing the kitchen floor. He whispered late at night as Harry lay in his bed, his stomach cramping with hunger while inside he still howled with grief. But during the beatings Marvolo didn't whisper.

Filthy Muggle! With every blow.

Every strike. I'll tear his lungs out! Marvolo screamed and shouted his rage. In these moments Harry didn't ignore him, no Harry welcomed him then. The heat of their combined anger carried Harry through the worst of the violence and the pain. When it was over Harry would fall limp and listless once more even as Marvolo continued raging. In a way Marvolo treasured the beatings, it showed Marvolo how he and Harry could be, should be. One mind, rather than two disapparate consciousnesses working against each other.

When the opportunity to take control finally presented itself Marvolo was so excited about it he got a little carried away.