The Power Within

"I know, but soon it will be over and we will get everything Dumbledore promised us," Hermione said in a sickly voice as she moved closer to Ron.

"Just think! We'll be so rich," Ron said, the glee evident in his voice.

"And access to all of those books," Hermione added.

After that they remained silent and made their way into the Leaky Cauldron, Harry leaving them as they reached the floo.

Turning, Harry quickly strode to the apparition point and made his way back to Grimmauld Place, his plans for an owl forgotten in his rage. They wanted to kill him. After everything he had done for them, those traitorous bastards!

Not realising that his magic was growing and lashing out, Harry let out a scream of rage as he fought to gain control of himself. At this point, his eyes were glowing and his hair seemed to float around his face because of unseen power.

Kreacher, feeling the disturbance in the magic levels, popped into the drawing room just in time to see his master collapse, the resulting explosion of power only sparing him harm as it recognised his intentions to help his master.

"I'll kill them," Harry said darkly, his soft vow barely audible.

Kreacher stood for a moment, shocked to see his great master in such a state before he jumped into action. With a click he restored the room, removing all traces of damage before he approached Harry. He looked different, but Kreacher knew that this was his master - but that wasn't the only thing different: his master had changed. He had been powerful before, but now Kreacher could feel the power coming off him in waves. It made Kreacher want to weep and celebrate; he was so powerful and he was all Kreacher's to look after.

"Great master mustn't sit on the floor, no, if great master be needing to rest Kreacher will help him to bed, yes he will," Kreacher muttered, staring in awe at his master.

Harry, drawn out of his dark thoughts of revenge by the muttered words, looked up to see Kreacher standing next to him with a look of worship on his face. The old house elf was practically vibrating in his excitement. Startled by the behaviour of his elf, it took Harry a moment to realise what had been said and that he had collapsed on the floor.

"Thank you Kreacher, but that will not be necessary," Harry said, standing gracefully.

Kreacher nodded, still awed by the changes in his master.

Harry took a moment to breathe deeply before slowly releasing the breath. He had a lot to think about and decide. Moving from the drawing room, he made his way up to the library, preferring to use the desk in there over the one in the formal office. Entering the library, Harry saw the book he had previously been reading laid down next to his favourite chair. Soul Magics and Bonds: The Lost Rituals had not held the answers he had previously been looking for, but now the book had potential. Thinking about the bond he shared with Tom, he was unwilling to think about sharing such a bond with Voldemort, made Harry almost weak-kneed. The longing in his soul grew the dangerously the more he thought about the bond; it was nearly unbearable the longer he stood there.

Shaking off the longing with renewed vigour, Harry picked up the book and began to read. Hours later, he almost threw the book into the fire. He had been correct - it did hold answers, none of which filled Harry with any hope. Soul bonds were rare and those who have them are considered to be the luckiest people alive for they truly had a perfect mate out there. Interfering with a soul bond was inconceivable to most as they were considered sacrosanct; to interfere with one deliberately was to challenge magic herself.

It was only with their bonded that could somebody with a soul bond ever have real happiness, and nine times out of ten, if one of the bonded pair dies the other immediately follows. In the rare cases, like Harry's, that one of the bonded dies before the bond is fulfilled and the person lives, they usually die after a few years. Without their bonded they lose the will to live, their very magic is torn in half and the loneliness and ache they feel from the broken bond will drive them to an early death. The longest recorded life after a broken soul bond, according to the book, was 12 years, and that was in the 1600's when a four year old boy died in an accident and his soul bonded committed suicide at the age of sixteen.

With this information, Harry tried to calm himself. Dumbledore would have known this, he had wanted Harry to kill his soul mate. With that in mind he wanted to raise Dumbledore from the dead to kill him, repeatedly. And the Weasleys, he wanted to destroy them. He just wasn't sure how yet.

He wasn't happy to think of Tom Riddle as his soul mate, in fact the more he thought about it the more he tried to hate it, but there was something stopping him from achieving his anger. He remembered meeting Riddle when he was twelve in the chamber of secrets; that boy had so much potential. Such potential that gradually became warped and twisted by Dumbledore and the insanity caused by the horcruxes no doubt.

Standing, Harry decided to rest and think more on the situation the next day. He would no doubt be better equipped to deal with his thoughts after a few hours of sleep.