Into the Darkness
Disclaimer : I own nothing! The wonderful world of Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling. I have just borrowed her ideas and played around with them.
This may turn into a slash story later on, but is not yet.
Summary : Harry is reintroduced to the Wizarding World at the young age of three, however it is not the light side that help him first.
Hope you like it!
"Get in there boy!" The large man yelled as he pushed the toddler at his feet into the dark space created under the stairs. Once he was in, thrown roughly onto the thin mattress, the door was closed and bolted from the outside.
The dark pressed against him, the light bulb attached to the ceiling had blown months ago, yet no one had replaced it for him. Even at the young age of three he knew that if he made noise, or any sign he was there, while there were guests in the house he would suffer greatly. He listened and could hear voices outside, though they were very muffled. It was a man, he could tell that much.
Harry removed his glasses and put them on a small shelf above his head and curled into a ball, waiting for the time when that door would open and the light he missed would come flying back into his life.
"Why would you want him?"
"Well Mr Dursley, we wouldn't be keeping him. We would take him everyday except Sundays and Wednesdays and you would have him back in the evening." The man replied. He wore a plain black suit, a briefcase clutched in his right hand. He was tall with brown hair that narrowly missed the light fixing on the ceiling. The large man he was addressing hadn't offered him a seat.
"Could you not keep him?" He inquired
"No, we can not keep him. My master has required him to stay here."
That was easy, he thought as he walked briskly out of Privet Drive. They had been watching the muggle family for weeks, months even. They knew exactly how they felt so when he had said, "We will cure his 'abnormal' traits" it was a sure deal that they could have the boy. He couldn't want to remove this awful suit, why muggles wore these was beyond him, they were so uncomfortable. His only request to the family, accept for taking the child off them, was that they tell nobody of this. His master would be pleased with him.
"Up! Now!" followed by several loud thuds on the door woke Harry up on Monday morning. He rose, fumbling to pull the glasses onto his face. With a yawn, he pushed open the door, grabbed some large clothes from under his bed and stumbled upstairs. He knew he didn't have long until his Aunt would push him out of the bathroom so his oversized cousin could use it, so he dressed in there as quick as possible. He pulled on his trousers and looked over himself in the full-length mirror adorning the simple blue walls that made the bathroom. Something was wrong, but he couldn't tell what. He walked out of the bathroom and went downstairs; his uncle would be waiting with a list of chores to do that day.
They couldn't give him much; he was only small and couldn't reach many things, but still they told him to do as much as he possibly could. He worked hard for a boy of only three. The kitchen was pristine, he had only scrubbed the floor yesterday, and the only thing that spoilt it was the sight of his uncles over sized rolls of fat that hung around him. Upon seeing the boy walk into the kitchen. He left what he was doing and walked over to the table. He beckoned for the boy to come over.
Placing a piece of dry bread on the table he mumbled "eat" and walked away, back to the feast he was preparing for himself back in the kitchen.
Harry didn't know what to think. He never had breakfast, or lunch for that matter, so why was he being fed now? Deciding not to argue and take his chance, he grabbed the bread and ate it as quickly as his small mouth could handle. As he finished and was walking into the kitchen to wash the plate, his aunt came down after sorting out her precious Dudley who was currently watching TV in his room.
"What have you done? Can you not even dress yourself properly?" She all but screeched at him. She grabbed him, ripped the plate from his hands and then promptly pulled his trousers down. Unlike with Dudley, she could actually lift Harry easily. She roughly lifted him up, removed the trousers and placed him back on the floor.
"Put them on properly now!" She pushed the trousers into his hands; making sure that this time they were the right way round. She walked off into the kitchen; preparing breakfast Dudley that would of suited a baby hippopotamus. Harry pulled them on, and turned around to go and help where he could with the breakfast.
"Not today boy. Go brush your hair and sit in the lounge, but don't you dare get anything dirty!" Petunia ordered, giving the child a quick glance before carrying on.
Harry was too stunned to reply, so simply obeyed. His aunt had never let him off helping before, let alone go and sit in the lounge unaccompanied. He pulled a brush through his black locks, hardly them down, just making the mess a bit bushier. He toddled down to the lounge and sat on the floor, knowing that he wasn't allowed to sit on the chairs in case he spoilt them.
There was a loud knock at the door. Harry jumped up; he had to get to his cupboard quickly. He was not allowed to be seen by people. He walked quickly, as there was no running in the house, and was walking to his cupboard when a pair of large hands grabbed his shoulders making him unable to move.
Petunia opened the door, with a smile plastered on her face. "Good morning sir." She said politely, "Would you like to come in for some coffee? We were just – "
"No thank you." He cut across, "I'll just take the boy and go." He stated, looking towards the boy with the messy black hair who was currently stepping away from the door pushing himself into his uncle.
"Go boy, you're coming back tonight." He said gruffly, pushing the small boy towards the door. Harry, who wasn't completely balanced, fell promptly onto the floor, his head smacking against the hard wooden floor of the hallway.
The man looked on, waiting for the scream that he knew was going to come. But he heard nothing. He boy simply pushed himself back up, not even reaching up to rub his head where it had banged the floor. The man looked the boy over quickly as he was walking up the hallway towards him. The clothes that he wore didn't fit him; they hung loosely over his small body, crunched up on the arms just so he could actually use his hands. His hair stood messily upon his head and upon his forehead was the scar. It stood out against his pale forehead.
"Behave yourself boy, use the manners we have taught you. What time are you bringing him home?"
"I have not been given a specific time, just that he will be eating with us." The young man replied, "Come now young man, we must be off. Good day to you both." He turned around and walked down the drive. Harry cautious followed him; he heard the door slam behind him but carried on staring at the man in front.
The man stopped and turned around, looking at the boy who was about 10 feet behind him. "Come on, I won't bite." He said with a smile. He had to treat this boy well; his master had made sure he knew that. Harry caught up quickly, and once he was level the man carried on walking at a pace that Harry could keep up with.
"Right in here then." He said, directing the small child into a dark alley. Once in the safety of the shadows, he bent down and reached out for the boy. "Take my hand Harry. I'm going to get us out of here but I need contact with you to be able to do that." He added noticing the hesitation of the small child in front of him.
Harry looked up into the man's dark eyes. He was scared; he didn't know what this man was going to do. He cautiously reached out to the man's open palm and wrapped his hand around two of the man digits. In return he got a big smile as the man stood up.
The next thing Harry knew he was rushing through the air, landing in a small room. The experience was too much for Harry's small body and he collapsed to the floor. As he fell his head came into contact with a hard surface.
"Marcello, get Rhian. Tell her to bring some healing potions with her." The man ordered bending down the little boy on the floor.
Just as before, Harry pushed himself up, pulling himself into a standing position. He had obviously hit his head harder this time, as Harry swayed, the room spinning before his bright green eyes.
"I got you." The man said softly, wrapping his arms around the boy and pulling him onto his lap before he could fall again.
At that moment, a lady wearing a long green robe strode into the room. She had long blonde hair that fell to her waist.
"Ajax, what did you do to him?" She said, staring at Harry forehead, which was swelling up and had a faint blue tint to it.
"It wasn't me woman. He fell while at the house, when his guardian pushed him towards me and after we portkeyed here he fell down and hit himself on the table. You know, I really don't like his guardians. They are harsh towards him. Maybe I can convince the Dark Lord to – "
"Oh I wouldn't. At least not now. He's in a terrible mood. There have been screams coming from his room all day, from people who have just – " She stopped abruptly upon seeing the scared look across the small boys face. "Oh I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. Don't you worry, nothing will happen to you. I can guarantee that. Now open your mouth and drink this down and it will make you fell all better," she said softly to the boy.
"What…what is that?" he asked, eying the flask suspiciously
"It's a potion dear. It will make you feel much better." She smiled. Harry complied and opened his mouth, albeit still warily. He felt warmth run through his body, and immediately his throbbing head felt fine once again.
"Thank you, ma'am"
"No problem dear. Now if you come here," She said lifting him easily out of Ajax's arms and into her own " I'll take you to meet Louanna and we will make sure that you all healthy." She smiled, walking towards the doorway at the other side of the room. She turned around before saying, "Make sure there's lots of food tonight, he's rather light for his age. Also, if you see master, don't mention him until you know he is alone. He doesn't want people to know." She looked concerned towards the boy before turning round again and walking out the door.
Ajax pulled the mask over his face. He had to tell the Dark Lord that they had the child; he would surely want to meet the child. He walked towards the chamber. He wasn't alone. There were voices coming from the room where he knew he would find the dark lord. Maybe he should come back later.
No. He would go now, if he didn't he knew he would get punished for not telling him straight away. He gripped the serpent knocker that dangled on the door and rapped it against the hard wood.
Silence. "Enter"
He pushed the door open and walked through, closing it swiftly yet quietly behind him. He looked around the room, noticing who was in there. There were four couples standing around, each one accompanied by a small child. He noted that the adults were all death eaters, wearing their correct robes, jet-black with a pure white mask. The only difference between him and the others in the room was the initials on his robes and mask, MW, written in blood red.
"Ajax, I suppose you got my item I requested?"
"Yes my Lord."
"Very well. I would like you to meet my future followers." He hissed, indicating to the children in the room. You will be teaching them the basics they need to know in a couple of years." He released his crimson stare from Ajax and looked around at the other death eaters.
"Your purpose is over. Go" He ordered.
Each couple moved quickly to the door, collected their child in their arms as they went. Ajax observed the children as they passed. A small blonde boy decked out in black robes with the Malfoy crest on. The next was a blonde girl, and judging by the shape of her turned up nose it was a Parkinson child. The olive skinned child that came next could only be a Zabini. There were no other Italian families working for the Dark Lord. The girl held by her parents he couldn't recognise. She had black hair sculpted into perfect curls. She had dark brown eyes that had a red tint to them. He looked to woman carrying her, instantaneously realising what family this child belonged to. Her mother's heavy lidded dark brown and red eyes, covered in make up gave him a seductive wink passing. Wow, he thought, I never thought I would see the day Bella had a child.
"Ajax, come further into the room." The voice hissed across the room.
Ajax walked forward and quickly bowed down to his master.
"How is the young one?" He asked, as Ajax rose.
"I am unsure my Lord. Rhian has taken him off to be looked after. He had a nasty fall after we portkeyed here. Also, his guardians seem less than pleasant to him. My Lord, maybe we should let him stay here with – "
"Do not question my judgment!" He hissed angrily. "I cannot keep him here. The meddling old fool has people looking out for him. Do you really think he would leave their Savoir alone, and not check on him to make sure he hadn't been taken?"
"No, of course not my Lord. I am sorry, I wasn't thinking."
"You shall be. Crucio."
Ajax stumbled into the training wing of the fortress. His body was weak from dealing with the Dark Lord.
"Ajax, you look –"
"I know Louanna. The Dark Lord was not pleased with my wording earlier." He grimaced, as a bought of pain ran through his body. He hated the after affects of the Cruciatus curse. "He wishes for us to take the boy to dinner with us tonight, so he can explain everything he needs to."
Ajax looked towards the small boy; he was sitting on the floor, near to Louanna's legs as she sat on the sofa above. The door swung open as Rhian strode in, carrying a large box in front of her.
She walked towards the table, situated behind the sofa near the fire. With the box in front her; she failed to notice the small child on the floor until it was too late.
She tripped on his leg and only just managed to catch herself before she fell. Steadying herself, she placed the box on the table.
"You silly child. Why are you sitting on the floor? You are in the way!" She said sternly, looking down at him. The boy, instinctively started to curl up into a protective ball, moving back further into the bottom of the sofa; a small whimper released from the small bundle beneath her.
Instantly, Rhian dropped to floor, reaching out to him, "It's alright. I didn't mean it to scare you. I'm not really mad at you, just quite shocked from nearly falling. It's my fault, I wasn't looking where I was going." She clasped his shoulder in a reassuring way only to have him flinch from the touch. She looked alarmed; the boy feared her. She looked closely, noticing his quick breathing his small frame shaking from the fear.
She stood quickly, running back to the box and pulling out a vial filled with a baby yellow liquid. She rushed back to the boy, looking as both Ajax and Louanna tried to reassure him with soft words. "Mind out" She said, making Ajax step back so she could reach the dark haired child. "Harry. Harry, please look at me." She came close. "Harry, please I need to give you a calming draught before you have a full blown panic attack." Well, it's a bit late for that. "Harry" she added gently yet forcefully, she didn't want to scare the boy any further yet, she needed him to have this if he was to be in any state worth seeing the Dark Lord in.
Slowly the boy lifted his head, unfurling himself in front of her. She pushed the vial to his lips, letting the liquid flow into his mouth. The shaking stopped immediately and the breathing evened out. She let out a small breath of relief and scooped the boy in her arms. She felt him tense slightly, but they relaxed in her arms realising she wasn't a threat.
Sitting down gently, she rearranged Harry so he would be comfortable. "What's wrong Harry? Why did you panic, I'm not going to hurt you?"
"Sorry" he mumbled softly.
"No Harry, it's not your fault. As I said I should have been looking where I was going." She said looking into his green eyes. "Why weren't you sitting on the sofa?"
"He didn't want to, then mumbled something I didn't understand. He's still young and his words aren't quite clear." Louanna said gently. She gave a reassuring smile to the child, just to make sure he knew they weren't angry with him.
"Didn't wanna make sofa durty." He said softly
"I don't understand. What do you mean?"
"Aunt Petunia said I not allowed on sofa, cos I'll make it durty. It's only for good boys, and I not good. I durty bad boy."
"They said what!" Ajax yelled, suddenly entering the conversation.
The boy instantly tensed in Rhian's arms at the sound of the yelling. "Ajax, don't. You're scaring him."
"But – "
"I know. Where did you sit then Harry?" She said softly again back to the child.
"In my cupboard."
"In your – "
"Ajax, I said don't yell!"
"Sorry." He took a deep breath, "They kept a child in a cupboard?" He asked softly to Rhian, who was gently rocking the boy in her arms.
"It seems so."
There was a 'pop' and a small house elf appeared in the middle of the room.
"Master requires you in the dining room."
"Thank you Liddy." And the house elf was gone. "Come then, time for you to meet the Dark Lord." Rhian said, standing up. She positioned him on her hip, walked towards the door before saying "Do you need our masks?"
"No, he said not. Harry needs to know us, we won't wear them around him."
He carried on walking, and she followed Ajax to the dining area of the fortress. They arrived at the door and opened it when a snake like voice said, "enter".
Upon walking into the room, Harry grabbed his forehead, whimpering in pain. "Hey, what's wrong Harry?" Rhian asked as the boy began crying.
"My head hurts!" He said between sobs.
"It's the scar. Rhian, get the strongest pain relief potions you have."
"Yes my Lord." She said, passing the sobbing child into Ajax's arms. Ajax gently rubbed his back, attempting to sooth him.
Within a minute, Rhian was back and pouring the potion into the child's mouth. Immediately the sobs resided into whimpers and then finally fully calming down.
"Sit him down." Voldemort hissed, indicating to the seat nearest him. Ajax walked over and placed the child on the chair and then went and sat in his place, next to Marcello and a man Harry didn't know.
"You will need to find a potion that will stop that happening in my presences Rhian. I believe it still hurts slightly." Harry nodded his head. "As I thought. Do you know why you are here?"
"No, sir."
"You, Harry Potter, are a wizard. And you have the power to rule when you are older. I have brought you here to help you discover your power. You are too young at the moment to learn what I have planned for you. For the first few years, your mentors will just be looking for your strengths, and any weaknesses that we can remove. Do you understand?" He asked as gently as possible. He had to get the boy to trust him if he would get him on his side in the future.
"Yes, sir."
"Introduce yourselves to him, and what you will eventually be teaching him." He hissed, looking round the table.
The man Harry had first met rose to his feet. He had chocolate brown hair and bright blue eyes. "I am Ajax. I will be teaching you physical combat. This skill will come in handy for problems that you will have to face in the future." He sat back down and the man next to him rose up.
He had blonde hair that was pulled into a small ponytail at the base of his head. His brown eyes were filled with warmth as he looked down at Harry. "I am Marcello. I will be teaching you meditation and its uses and control. This will basically be using your powers and having a strong control and force behind them." He sat back down, indicating to the man on the other-side of Ajax to stand.
He had hair as dark as Harry's and was short and spiky. His brown eyes looked over the small child with disgust. "I am Waite. I will be teaching you Defence." He said gruffly before sitting down again. The woman sitting on the other side gave him a stern look before standing herself. She had dark brown hair that fell in ringlets to her shoulders. Her blue eyes sparkled with life and beauty.
"I am Louanna. I will be teaching you logic and occlumency. We don't want anybody being able to see in to you head, do we?" She said with a small wink and sat down again.
The last woman rose to her feet. "I know you already met Louanna and I before but I must introduce myself again. I am Rhian. I will teach you potions. The ones I will teach will help you in battle, to cause the damage you need and to heal when you are hurt." Rhian flicked her long blonde hair over her shoulder before sitting back down.
"You must never tell anyone of this, do you understand?" Voldemort hissed as soon as the introductions were over. Harry nodded his head. "While you are here, you will not be called Harry. It is too common for the Dark Lord's prince. You will be called Manelin." He said. He looked down to the plate of food in front of the child. "What is wrong with the food?"
"Nothing, sir. I am full." The plate was barely touched, just a bit nibbled from the edges. He must not eat often, Voldemort concluded. Those muggles will pay for the damage they cause.
"You shall not call me sir, or master like your mentors Manelin. You are my equal and therefore shall be treated with respect. What would you like to call me?"
Harry thought carefully. Voldamoeret. No that wasn't right. Vodlemoe. No still not right. It was too hard for his three-year-old mind to work out. But there was one name he knew he could just pronounce.
"Well I never – "
"Louder." He ordered.
"I…um…ne'er had a ...well…farder." He whispered finally, but Voldemort heard every word.
"Well that settles it then. You may call me that if you wish to, Manelin. You have to go, before someone alerts that old fool that you aren't at the muggles house. Ajax, go."
"Yes my lord. Come Manelin." He said, aiding the boy to his feet. He escorted him back to the room Harry had first come into. He held the tiny hand and portkeyed out to the alleyway near the end of Privet Drive.
Harry stumbled slightly, but Ajax steadied him before leading him out and to number 4.
The door closed, and the smile that was plastered on Petunia's face quickly fell off and she scowled towards the boy.
"Go to the kitchen. I have just finished the washing up and you are to put it away."
"Yes Ma'am"
He stumbled into the kitchen and walked over to the small table piled with just dry plates. He wasn't tall enough to reach the counter top yet, so Aunt Petunia had always put the plates on a small table in the kitchen once they were dry, so Harry could put them away. He reached over and carefully lifted and plate and walked over and put it away.
About five minutes later, Harry lifted a particularly large and heavy plate, probably Uncle Vernon's, and was carrying it over to the cupboard when he tripped. He fell flat onto his face, the plate that was stretched out in front of him smashed as it made contact with the hard wood of the cupboard door.
"Boy! What have you done?" His uncle roared as he entered the kitchen, coming to investigate the source of the loud noise. His aunt came in behind him and promptly screeched as she saw the shattered plate. She rushed forward, not to help Harry whose cheek was bleeding heavily from where a piece of bone china had sliced it, but to pick up her precious plate.
Vernon grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up, taking him out of the kitchen. He hauled the small boy upstairs and threw him onto the floor in the bathroom. "You're going to pay for that boy." He snarled, as he undid his belt.
First Chapter done! Yay!This was a bit slow moving, but i had to make sure i got all the necessary info in there. Im not going to write all about Harry's training but you will learn about all the things he learns in later chapters. Im also not going to write all the years at Hogwarts out fully, as i want to focus on his later years there when he is older and i can have fun with the characters! I'm going to follow the events writing by J.K. Rowling however i am going to change them to suit the new situation. Please let me know what you think.
Lauren