Lord of the Darkness

Sentencing

The courtroom hadn't changed since he had last seen it in the Pensive. And yet this time he was the one being dragged in by two Dementors, he had spent two weeks in a cell forced to endure his mother's screams and the high cold laugh that accompanied them. He knew why he was here, the moment he arrived at number four Privet Drive he knew something was wrong, and he was right. It seems in revenge for escaping him, Voldemort killed his aunt and uncle while manipulating Dudley's memories to make out he did it. He saw the chubby child point at him in fear and the police forcing him into the car before two aurrors arrested him and took him to the cell. The Dementors chill never left him during those days in fact they seemed to be enjoying the time he was spending with them, every day another would arrive to take a look at its victim. The Ministry allowed this for some reason but that was not the disturbing thing; no what was worse was the paper a sadistic aurror on duty slid under his cell day after day so he could see what was being said about him. They saw him as the next dark lord and it seemed Dumbledore had gone back on everything he said about the return of Voldemort and instead said Harry had made it up to cover up his crimes, the Ministry had eaten it up and now everyone had turned against him. The headlines that he had been forced to see time and time again were

Harry Potter: The Next Dark Lord

"He was always evil": Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger speak out about the Boy Who Lived

Dumbledore says: I knew it was him but I had to pretend to believe his lies until I could stop him

Dark Magic, Parslemouth, Evil: How the wizarding world had been taken in by a celebrity

He thought it was a trick, a journalist being creative but his so called friends it turned out had been paid a lot of money for the interview and they enjoyed every moment of it, Dumbledore seeing as no one would believe his Voldemort claims was at the height of his popularity by claiming he was lying until he could bring Harry to justice. And now Harry was being dragged towards a chair in the centre of the room while the witches and wizards who made up his jury looked at him disapprovingly. His criminal friends were on one side of the room each looking at him with pity and hurt, though Harry knew they felt nothing of the sort

"We are here today to determine the fate of Harry James Potter for his murder of Vernon and Petunia Dursley and his attempt to cause mass panic among the wizarding community" Fudge boomed excitedly

"How to you plead?" was the question the woman: Amelia Bones asked

"Not Guilty" Harry responded, Fudge smiled evilly

"Well then we shall present the evidence call the first witness" Fudge announced,

"Hermione Granger" Madam Bones boomed, the door opened and the bushy haired girl walked in, she gave Harry a cold glare which he returned with much more enthusiasm

"Please recite your statement" Fudge requested,

"I knew Harry since he saved me from a troll in my first year, while I was gratefully I suspected he used some kind of dark magic and I befriended him to try and learn more about what he did, in my second year I suspected he was the heir of Slytherin and I was right. He can talk to snakes and was controlling the Basilisk but before I could expose him he had me petrified, killed his pet and framed a dark wizard we all know to be dead" Hermione announced loudly and Harry knew she was enjoying every minute of this

"And in your fourth year?" Fudge inquired in a way which was obviously rehearsed

"He was very jealous of Cedric Diggory because he was the more popular champion and kept saying he wanted to deal with him… then after the third task he told me and Ronald Weasley that Voldemort had returned but we know that no magic can raise the dead and we think he lured Cedric Diggory close to the cup and killed him" Hermione explained glaring at Harry. He wanted to shout and scream at her; how dare she twist his entire life around to fit her liking, how dare she make out him to be the monster while she stands here lying about someone she compared to a brother once.

"How would you describe his relationship with his family?" Fudge asked with a sneer

"They were kind to him but he hated them because they were not magical. I think he killed them" Hermione admitted with a gleam of excitement in her eyes. The trial was obviously well rehearsed, Fudge seemed only to ask questions that would incriminate Harry and ensured he could not defend himself by bombarding him with a dozen questions every time he opened his mouth, the other witnesses included Ron, Dumbledore and even Molly. All of them echoed what Hermione said in one way or another by telling the court he was a dark twisted person who if allowed to go free would become the next dark lord. Fudge was enjoying himself immensely and was practically beaming in delight as Harry was subjected to glares of hate from all those around him. Harry thought he would have a chance to speak, Harry thought he would be forced to consume truth potion, no. Instead he was allowed to defend himself against what a witness said before being attacked with another round of brutal questions that make him look worse and worse. He gave his so called friends a look of hate and saw even Remus looking at him in disgust from the background, and so he allowed himself to be painted as a monster by those who claimed it knowing there was no point in trying to defend himself. And so it seemed before the trial even began it was over and Fudge smiled in pure delight as the court voted almost unanimously (except one) of his guilt.

"Harry Potter I sentence you to life in Azkaban Prison" Fudge boomed literally shaking in delight as the two Dementors moved to grab him. Harry raised his arms and allowed two skeletal hands to grip him roughly by the arm and slowly he was forced from the courtroom. All the witnesses were outside and he saw Ron grinning at him, Hermione looking down at him and Dumbledore looking disappointed. His anger was unmatched, a pit of fury bubbling inside him and as Molly decided to make a show by slapping him his anger came out, he had no idea what he had done but by the time he blinked the woman who he once thought of as a mother was on the floor covered in blood, her eyes were blank and all but Dumbledore took a step back. Dumbledore unlike the others was looking at Harry with nothing but terror and recognition as more Dementors swarmed to overpower him. Just as he was forced to leave he heard a voice, it was soft and confronting and seemed to emit from inside his head

"It is time"

Later

It was night when they came, sixteen men and women simultaneously appeared in a single location; Stonehenge. All wore plain grey hooded robes and stood in a circle in accordance with the stones, a moment of silence fell upon them as one person slowly walked forward, removing her hood Minerva McGonagall addressed the crowd

"Good evening, this place is the foundation of this order. Ten thousand years ago our ancestors stood on this spot at the beginning and end of a war that would destroy almost all of civilization, the Ancients. The first and most powerful race known to this world stood here when their enemies, the Knights of the Phoenix and their army stood here to end the war, it was here they unveiled their trick. It was here they unhinged the fabric of space itself and trapped the ancients in Oblivion; A dimension that defies all logic and reasoning that we could never understand and that is where Ancients were forever to be imprisoned. It was here when the Occultus order was formed to protect the Ancient king and his family and then vowed to free them from Oblivion and ensure they returned to repair the world they spent so long building. Stonehenge was the place we executed the four leaders of the Phoenix Knights who opened the gate that imprisoned our leaders, each stone a monument to the grandmasters of our order who died to fulfil this duty and our members who were killed knowing that one day the Ancients would raise again. This is heart of the Oblivion gate and where the Knights of the Phoenix damaged the world itself they should of known unhinging the universe left weak spots in this fabric that makes up this world and they became known as gates. Unfortunately the fifth man responsible for imprisoning the Ancients locked them tight using a complex number of enchantments and protections, we know of three but there may be more but have no way to open them, however the weak spots only have the potential to allow a small number of the Ancients through before they overlord with energy and are torn apart but just one Ancient could open the Oblivion gate and free the rest". Her voice echoed in night air and a few of the others bowed their heads as a sign of respect

"Oblivion is where we stand" she finished softly, the moment the words left her lips the others looked up

"And is where we fall". McGonagall nodded in approval as someone stepped forward

"The order recognises Severus Snape" she greeted impassively as the man pulled back his hood

"I have news regarding the Dark Lord, it seems he has decided to remain hidden for a while longer than he anticipated though I suspect it has something to do with the wand connection he initiated with Potter" Snape announced to the crowd who began to murmur amongst themselves until Minerva put up a hand

"Two wands of the same Phoenix, Two of the five wands that were connected to imprison the Ancients, Am I right in assuming he knows nothing of the true potential of the connection" McGonagall interrupted concerned,

"He knows nothing of the Ancient's or that his wand was used to imprison our masters ten thousand years ago, he is too arrogant to see they is anything more powerful than he could ever be" Snape replied, his voice full of contempt at the mere thought of Voldemort

"Good, anything more?" McGonagall inquired as Snape shook his head and retreated to his position by the stones, another woman stepped ward

"The order recognises Amelia Bones" McGonagall stated as the woman in question unveiled herself "I am unfortunate to tell you that Harry Potter was sentenced to life today, he was betrayed by those he considered his friends and I there was nothing I could do, though something else did happen" the woman began solemnly looking towards the ground

"What happened?" McGonagall asked

"His eyes went red and Molly Weasley was hit by some kind of spell, she was covered in blood and spent seven hours recovering with the healers but there was no question what type of magic it was" Amelia Bones explained

"Ancient" Snape stated amazed,

"Yes, he has the power" Amelia responded gravely "We know him innocent of these crimes but there is nothing we can do ,I suggest we just hope he remains sane long enough for us to find a way to help him".

""Are you suggesting we initiate him into the order?" a man wondered "it would damage Dumbledore a lot to lose his prophecy child". Before Amelia could respond McGonagall spoke

"We shall consider it but I will not allow this order to be blinded by revenge once more, to those of you who do not know Albus Dumbledore was the fifth member of the Knights Phoenix responsible. All of those who opened and closed the gate gained the power of immortality, well from age. The other four were killed by the Grandmasters of this order by the blade I carry" McGonagall interjected quickly revealing a gem encrusted curved dagger under her robe

"This order had a chance to attack and stop him three hundred years ago but we did not think it through, instead it ended up with a war between the man who was seen as the saviour of wizards and us, it ended with the order being reduced from two hundred thousand to the mere sixteen we are today" she continued bitterly. Amelia Bones nodded to her and stood back

"Now I summoned you all here tonight for a purpose, as you know we rarely meet in fear of being uncovered but last night one of members saw something, Sybill. Step forward" McGonagall proclaimed pointing to the woman nearest to her.

"A gifted seer as you all know, she predicted the so called prophecy we have used to lure Albus Dumbledore out into the open giving him the hopes of grandeur and the fame has spent years acquiring under many different identities, Sybill please go ahead" McGonagall began introducing her college to the newer members. She stood tall and set aside the persona she used as a teacher, instead she was the strong confident seer that had proved so useful to the order

"I saw Death's gate" she whispered as if in some kind of trance " I see the circle of eight surrounding it and the blood of an Ancient falling to the floor, I see the energy forced towards the gate cracking the very realm of the dead and breaking open the door to Oblivion. While the smallest gate it will prove essential in the coming days and I can see it opening and the first of the Ancients swarming out to finally set foot on the land they had lost". Her words were whispered and hoarse but it had an effect on each and every one of the people present

"Impossible" was the first response "Death's gate requires the blood of an Ancient and we have none, they were all exiled to Oblivion there can be no way Death's gate can open now".

"I assure you it is very real but there is something we are missing, something we do not understand and yet it will reveal itself soon and then when it does the Death's gate will open" Sybill Trelawney answered.

"And here is the reason, we have a chance. A chance in a thousand to finally fulfil this order's purpose, to end the reign of a man who has carved himself as a hero while being nothing more than the tyrant he always will be. A here it is, we have a prophecy, a true one. Death's gate requires a circle of eight who will sacrifice their magic to open the gate, the blood of an Ancient to propel the power through the archway and the willing sacrifice of one to rip open the jaws of death, I say it is a chance and we must take it" McGonagall boomed before anyone could interrupt

"We have all but one ingredient, how will we find the blood of an Ancient?" Snape asked her

"I don't know but if Sybill is right then it will present itself to us soon" was her response "Now you heard what was said here, those who can watch the gate, others wait for the call. This is the new dawn we have been waiting for and this may be the only chance we get in a thousand years".

Fourteen Years Earlier

Lily Potter was ready to die; she was a person who had no fear of death. No she welcomed it knowing she did everything she could to fulfil her duty; she was the Grandmaster of the Occultus order. A title she had gained after saving the life of the previous Grandmaster, she was recruited in her fifth year by Professor McGonagall and had served as Grandmaster for three years now, she was the youngest and yet the wisest. She always thought McGonagall would take over the position but she was chosen as the voice of innocence and wisdom, and she had come so far. She excelled in potions because she had found something out, something that could finally unleash the Ancients, a potion that she had spent five years working on but it seemed it would be for nothing. Lord Voldemort had just killed her husband and now he was moving towards the room she hid in with no idea of the magnitude of what he was interrupting but she had no power to stop him. She had already drunk the potion to ensure it could never fall into Voldemort's hands and was awaiting the snakelike face to enter the room and kill her with a word

"I can help you" came a voice that sounded in her mind, she looked around for a source but she already knew what it was

"It worked" Lily muttered in awe of the voice,

"You know who I am" the voice came again as it pushed the answer into her mind.

"I do" Lily responded knowing she was speaking to none other than the king of the Ancients

"You can save your son" the voice tempted "If you die you are working an old magic that was created by the first Grandmaster of the order and it will allow us a small crack to enter, not a full Ancient form but instead we can work our magic on your son, he will have our blood" . Lily's eyes widened knowing what she chose could change the face of the earth and then she saw the snakelike face. The gleaming red eyes bore into her emerald green ones and she made her decision, she refused his pitiful attempts as he asked her to get out of the war and she saw his wand swivel around to her. She saw the curse leave his lips and felt the soft bump as her body hit the floor but then she saw a tiny black thing. It was a creature of some form with a thin insect body and beating wings, it was part of the Ancient king, he had given his power so Harry could live. She saw it flutter towards her son as her eyes shut and her mind went blank.