Chapter Text
"Let's go kill Voldemort."
Harry could not believe the magic that Tom knew. He never could have imagined that there was a way, magical or not, to create a double of yourself. An actual flesh and bone copy. But of course, Toms genius knew no bounds, and Harry shouldn't have been surprised at all by what he was capable of. After the golem had been created there was only minor details to be fleshed out such as where the fight took place and why the only witnesses seemed to be Voldemort's inner circle only. But the Ministry wasn't asking very many questions, they were too busy gloating on the fact that the Dark Lord had finally been defeated even though they had no hand in it. Explaining Lord Gaunts rather abrupt arrival to the Wizengamot was another story. Everyone wanted to know where he came from and how he was able to claim the dead family line. But since the heir ring accepted him at Gringotts there wasn't much anyone could say on the matter. But that didn't stop the rumor mill from coming up with their own narrative. And then there was the matter of the Boy Who Lived. There wasn't anywhere Harry could go without being recognized and accosted by other witches and wizards with gifts or thank Yous. He could never find a moments peace in public and since Tom was with him pretty much anytime he went out in public Harry had a hard time not laughing at the fact that the man everyone thought he had killed now shared his bed and his home. And it was even harder to keep the former Dark Lord from lashing out at the adoring citizens whenever they got a little too handsy with the Chosen One. Toms' possessiveness knew no bounds when it came to Harry.
***3 moths earlier***
Voldemort, Harry and Nagini left Hogwarts as soon as possible, but not before Voldemort called his troops off and declared there would be a meeting the next day. Voldemort took him to Riddle Mannor and to say Harry was surprised would be an understatement. The manor looked the same on the outside as it had in his visions, run down and abandoned. But once inside there was no denying the beauty and finery that was the Dark Lords home. Harry had told no one he was leaving or what his original plan was of talking to Voldemort face to face. Ron and Hermione were probably worried sick, but he knew they would be busy and distracted for a few hours until he could send a letter. He had no idea what he was going to say or how he could explain this in any way that would make sense to them. They would never understand his choice or his connection with Voldemort and he knew that unless he could come up with something they would believe, Hermione especially, he knew this whole plan would go south very quickly.
"I can hear you thinking, what's on your mind Harry?" Voldemort spoke from behind him. Harry hadn't even realized they had walked into what must be Voldemort's study so lost as he was in his own head.
"Trying to figure out exactly what I am going to tell my friends. They will be frantic that I am missing and of course I cannot tell them the truth. They would never understand, and I am not sure what they would do if they knew the real truth. They still believe that we destroyed the soul pieces in your horcruxes, and they have no idea that I am one as well. So, I'm trying to think of a story that I can give them that will keep them at the school until we can get a plan together for how to explain all of this." Harry was almost out of breath by the time he was finished but it felt so good to have all of that off of his chest. He took in his surroundings while Voldemort moved through the room. Nagini had made herself comfortable in front of a large fireplace on a dark sage rug. There were two ridiculously comfortable looking chairs in front of the fire that were calling his name. And to the right of the fireplace was the largest desk Harry had ever seen, which is currently where Voldemort was perched waiting to see what Harry would do. Harry moved quickly to one of the comfortable armchairs and could not quite believe that it was even better than he had imagined and waited to see what Voldemort had to say.
"Yes, that is something that we must consider. Only a select few can know that I am not really gone, if too many people are aware this will never work. I have absolutely no problem making my followers make an Unbreakable Vow, but I have a feeling you won't be so inclined to ask the same of your friends. You could let them know that you saw me leave the battle with Nagini and you, being the Gryffindor that you are, decided to follow me. Let them know that you are safe but there is no way for you to let them know where you are. That you are close to ending everything and that this is something you have to do on your own. Tell them to stay close with their loved ones and you will see them soon." Voldemort said it so smoothly and confidently that even Harry believed it. Voldemort summoned a piece of parchment and a quill with a wave of his hand and Harry quickly wrote what they had discussed. An owl appeared soon after and Harry sent the letter off and turned back to his host.
"Feeling better now? Voldemort asked with a smirk, which looked ridiculously gorgeous on him. Harry could only stare for a moment before he got his bearings back about him. Harry could feel the smugness through the horcrux bond and knew that Voldemort must have been able to feel what his distraction was doing to him. Harry blushed but refused to meet his counterpart's eye.
"Yes, loads, actually." He said with a slightly sarcastic tone.
"What is our next move now that my friends are placated, and your followers are waiting for you to call a meeting?" Harry asked cautiously. He still wasn't sure where they stood even after the mind-blowing kiss they shared or how being the Dark Lords horcrux was going to effect their partnership going forward. It made him strangely nervous about continuing this conversation.
"First we must figure out a way to kill me", Voldemort said, with such distain in his voice that it almost hurt to hear.
"The wizarding world will never settle if they think I could make a return at any moment sop it must be convincing and done with enough proof that there will be no way to deny it." Voldemort had started pacing at this point and Harry could tell that he was deep in thought trying to work this problem out and Harry knew that it wouldn't take his brilliant mind long at all to come up with a solution that would work for everyone.
"Of course, you're right about our world, they are terrified to speak your name as it is now, let alone if they thought you were hiding out somewhere laying in wait to slaughter the masses. But how will we keep your followers that aren't in on the secret from revolting and doing as they please in the name of their former Master?" Harry said quickly. There was a flash of something in Voldemort's eyes when Harry had said Master but he chose to avoid thinking about that for the moment lest he become too distracted by his hormones. Really Tom Riddle should not be allowed to look the way he does, Harry thought with an internal eye roll.
"Let me worry about my followers, they will be handled by those in my inner circle that understand how they think. Because I refuse anything to happen to you and there will be those of mine that will wish you harm for your supposed defeat of me." Harry hadn't even gotten that far into thinking about how the more radical of his followers might feel about him after all of this was over.
While Harry had been pondering over this new worry that Voldemort had brought to his attention, and definitely NOT gushing over his obvious protectiveness of him that he had let slip, Voldemort had obviously come to some sort of conclusion without any of Harry's help. He was pulling multiple books off the study walls and was stacking them on his desk, flipping through the pages with a wave of his hand. Harry had never realized that he was so adept at wandless magic and it was a sight to behold at all of the power this man possessed. How did anyone ever expect a 17 year old boy to defeat someone like this? A flash of white hot anger shot through him at that thought and Voldemort whipped his head up as he felt the emotion too.
"What has you so upset, my soul?" Tom said in a low voice. Harry barely had the time to process exactly what other meaning that pet name could have before he let loose with all of the angry and hateful thoughts that he had about the injustice of the wizarding world placing Voldemort's defeat solely on his shoulders. It seemed that Voldemort had not been expecting such an outburst, but he set his books aside and listened to Harry rant until it seemed like he had gotten all of it off of his chest.
"Dumbledore has had his share of dealings with dark wizards and defeating Dark Lords. He couldn't handle removing his own Dark Lord and knew that he was no match for me, which is why when that prophecy was delivered to me half completed, he knew that there was someone else who could take on the burden of dealing with me, so he didn't have to. Ever since I found out I was a wizard Dumbledore was no mentor for me, in fact he watched me with nothing but suspicion the entire time I was at school. He never gave me the chance to be anything other than what he expected a Slytherin to be. He sent me back to a war riddled orphanage year after year no matter how much I begged to stay. He has hated me since I was a child and knew that the power, I held would be no match for him if it ever came down to a fight. Everyone always says that Dumbledore was the only man I ever feared and that is complete bullshit. I just never had any patience for the old coot. And as far as the rest of our world is concerned are you really surprised? Dumbledore has been around so long he has convinced the community that his idea of magic is the only one that is acceptable and anything else is Dark and to be feared. And I have discovered and practiced magic that would make the twinkle in that old mans eyes vanish. In short, everyone is absolutely terrified of me and wants nothing more than someone else to handle all their problems for them. The Ministry is so corrupt, which has been a good thing for me thus far, but it should not have been as easy as it was for someone to take control of our worlds government the way it was for me to do so." But fear not my soul, this is something you no longer have to concern yourself with. We are on the same side now, you are my equal and you shall be treated as such. Which brings us to how Voldemort will meet his demise and Marvolo Gaunt will come to be Head Warlock." Voldemort finished his speech with a flair that Harry was positive only he could accomplish. His head was still reeling at the mention of being Toms soul and his equal but he was relieved that he understood how Harry felt and didn't tell him to deal with it just because that was his lot in life.
"What solution have you found already?" Harry could hardly believe he had discovered this so quickly.
"Doppelgänger Myriad corpus, it is a spell that will create an exact replica of my body no whatever form I am in when the spell is cast. All we will have to do is duel in front of reliable witnesses that will be able to provide pensive memories of this final battle that will see you soundly defeat me and witness my body fall." Harry was amazed. He never would have believed such a spell was possible, but when has impossible ever stopped Voldemort?
"That is absolutely brilliant!", Voldemort had a look of smugness on his face that just screamed of his self-awareness of his own brilliance. "When will we have this duel and where?" Harry asked, excited to see where the rest of Voldemort's plan would take them.
"After I have my meeting with my inner circle tomorrow night, we will get a plan in place for our final confrontation and get some insight from the political standpoint on integrating myself into the Wizengamot to begin passing bills that will further our plans for better protection from the muggle world and more magical communities throughout Britain, so we have more living options than living among Muggles. Speaking of which Harry, what are your opinions on muggleborn children staying with intolerant muggle families?" Voldemort caught Harry off guard with his question, knowing that he had strong opinions on this matter but not knowing if Voldemort knew why he did.
"Is there any way we can continue this conversation tomorrow before your meeting? Harry said while yawning, I am exhausted, and this is going to be a long conversation?" Voldemort looked at him with a curious look on his face but did not object.
"Let me show you to your rooms and you can shower and get some sleep. There are still some things that I have to look over and get a better grasp on before I'll be turning in." Voldemort said this as he led Harry from the study. As they ascended the stairs harry realized how tired he really was and swayed on his feet, grabbing the banister for support. Voldemort was quick to catch harry before he could stumble and their close proximity seemed to do something to both men. Suddenly Harry was pressed against the wall clutching at the front of Voldemort's robes somehow trying to pull him closer as their lips slammed together. That feeling of coming home sang through both of them and made Harry weak in the knees. Feeling all of the powerful wizard pressed against him Harry made a loan moaning noise that he didn't even know he could make. The answering growl from the Dark Lord was almost too much to handle and Harry arched himself against the other man, whose hands had moved to his hips to pull him closer. When they broke apart to catch a breath Voldemort pressed his forehead to Harrys and said something that made gooseflesh break out all over Harrys body.
"If we don't stop this here, you will not be getting any rest tonight, my soul. Now come, let me get you to your own bed for the night."