J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 2 – Where Oh Where Can Voldie Be?

Much to Barty and Harry's relief, for some reason Voldie had not summoned Barty. It had been six days and although they were grateful, they were also worried. Why? Why had Voldie not called Barty? Harry feared that he had, again, killed Voldie and although Voldie being dead would be a good thing, Harry felt guilty.

He had been devastated when Quirrell had turned to ash after touching the scared boy, but Dumbles had been rather…what's the word? Ah yes, blasé about Harry offing one of his teachers. He was given platitudes but no real comfort, let alone any type of counseling. Instead he was sent back to the Dursleys for a summer "holiday" of chores, verbal, physical and psychological abuse and short rations once again.

Harry had gotten used to eating regularly, especially of fresh food very well prepared and editable. There was plenty of food to be had at Hogwarts and he could have his fill unless, of course, Ron used his boardinghouse reach to grab something Harry wanted. Ron did not share food unless he had to. If he liked something…well look out and watch your fingers if you tried to get to it before him.

During the past summer when Harry had been cooking his late uncle's "special American footballer diet" he got to eat better than he usually did at the Dursleys and Petunia had bought (for her and thus him) fresh fruits and veggies which he noshed on along with the few leftovers. Also, he had to taste the food to see how it was turning out, so he did very well. Until Winky came to them full-time, Harry had been doing the cooking and Barty had been pleasantly surprised that the Boy-Who-Lived cooked and baked so well. But now Winky was here to care for her wizards (and an aunt) and Harry knew better than to enter a house elf's kitchen except to eat.

So waiting for the expected summons, Harry and Barty ate well, brewed the necessary potions, continued Harry's lessons and on occasion watched the telly with Petunia. All things considered, she was now quite happy – except for the absence of Dudley. She knew that if Barty and Harry "rescued him" from his jailers, that with her love and motherly care, she could reform him and make him into a decent man. Of course, she fully expected to be "helped" by the two wizards using their magic and potions to accomplish her baby's metamorphosis, but at the moment they were concerned with their own problems. She hadn't bothered asking what was wrong as she didn't particularly care and no doubt would really want to know.

Barty and Harry were not the only ones worried about Voldie's absence. His faithful wondered where he was and had been waiting for orders. He had been very…what's the right word? Ah yes, secretive and much more than he had been before 31st of October 1981. He had been going off on his own and not telling anyone where or for how long he would be gone. The orders he had given had been followed and the Death Eaters were waiting for a summons so that they could give their reports and start doing the "mischief" that they wanted to.

Nothing had been heard from the Dark Lord for nearly a month and his truly faithful were beginning to worry. Several demanded an emergency meeting to be at Malfoy Manor and although he believed that no news was good news concerning the Dark Lord, Lucius fought the motion. In fact, he actually forbade any meeting until the Dark Lord returned. Since he considered himself in charge of all things during any absence of the Dark Lord, he considered the matter was closed and expected all to obey him.

He would be quite surprised that a meeting was held and not at Malfoy Manor. Lucius, Crabbe, Sr., Goyle, Sr., Pettigrew and Severus Snape were not invited because many distrusted Snape and Pettigrew and Crabbe and Goyle would tell Lucius. A very democratic vote was taken and Avery was named leader until Voldie returned. Then they got down to the serious business of planning.

It was decided that the faithful would look for their Lord because many feared he had been captured or killed again and considering his fury for not being looked for all of those years, no one wanted to risk further punishment. If he came back once, he could do it again and those who found him would be well-rewarded. Opinions were asked and discussed and decisions were made.

Assignments were given and another meeting was arranged to occur in three days whether or not their Lord was found or any word heard. Although no one would admit it, except to their own self, it had been the most productive meeting the Death Eaters had held, at least since the Dark Lord started going insane.

Thus, at the next meeting when all assignments had brought no news or any clues as to what had happened to their Lord, other ideas were brought up. Although it had just squeaked by with two votes, it was decided to free the faithful from Azkaban.

The rationale was that despite Voldie's direct order that his resurrection was to be kept top secret, since Potter's death Dumbledore had used his influence and power to bring the "truth" out in the open and the sheepeoples were starting to believe. It was opined that if the faithful were freed it would probably shock Dumbles, as no doubt Snape told him of Voldie's disappearance. Then, hopefully, the Dark Lord would hear of it and come racing back to see what the hell was going on.

In any event, the faithful would be freed – which their Lord was planning on doing anyway – and hopefully some would not be too insane or weakened to be of use and other non-faithful could be recruited to the Dark Side for obtaining their freedom. Any who wouldn't join or were too far gone would be put down. If nothing else, Dumbledore would be led to believe that Voldie wasn't missing and was still active and a definite threat. Also, it would give the Death Eaters something positive to do and drive Lucius Malfoy crazy when he found out!

All that Snape had been able to report to Dumbledore was the Dark Lord's increased secretiveness, his anger at Potter's death and that he had been missing for too long that the Death Eaters were worried.

It had been enough for Dumbledore to form several hypotheses, all strangely of benefit to him. He didn't think that Tom was dead because Snape's dark mark was still strong. However, after hearing that he had "fined" Lucius a very large sum for causing the destruction of his journal (which Voldie claimed was the Slytherin Grimoire) he could be touring the world looking for new magic and rituals to perform, which could take years, but that would give Dumbles time to make new plans.

Also, his wanderings could also see him getting into trouble which his hubris wouldn't expect and he could be captured and held for ransom or captured and used for his captor(s)' own nefarious purposes.

Lastly, he just might have decided (Dumbles hoped) to "take the money and run" and leave his followers and Britain in chaos. Granted, he could gain more power and eventually return after Dumbles died because EVERYONE KNEW that Dumbles was the more powerful wizard and could crush him if he so desired.

Okay, anyone with an ounce of common sense (so very rare in Magical Britain) might point out that if it hadn't been for Baby Harry defeating him in 1981, Voldie would have won. But as usual, Dumbles had turned his publicity machine up to full blast and despite Harry being the Boy-Who-Lived, Dumbles was still considered to be the leader of the Light and if Harry had ever (publically) defeated Tom, old Albadass would still be given most of the glory. If it was done in secret…well no one would know exactly what happened just like the first time.

However, Potter's death changed everything. That brat was so inconsiderate as to mess up Dumble's long and carefully made plans. There was still the Longbottom brat if he wanted to use him as the "Real Boy-Who-Lived" but for the moment, he wouldn't do anything unless things changed drastically.

He was still recruiting but since Tom wasn't cooperating and was hiding and not allowing his followers to do anything that the public would hear about, things were slow going. He debated about having some of HIS faithful dress as Death Eaters and create some mayhem, but those who had done such things for him in the last war were mostly dead.

Ergo, for the moment he would wait for Tom to return and if he didn't, then on Halloween "something" dreadful would occur and when Dumbles announced that "Voldemort has returned" people would listen and the war could officially begin.

He smiled at this plan, popped a lemon drop in his mouth and headed down to dinner.

So where was the wizard of the hour? He who was affecting so many lives at the moment by his absence?

He was finally being allowed to regain consciousness. He had a horrible headache and although he was lying down, he was dizzy. He was dressed in hospital attire and was hooked up to various machines with flashing lights and making strange sounds. He didn't have a clue to where he was or, much more disturbing, who he was. He was also very thirsty and hungry.

A door opened and three people in lab coats walked in. They hovered around him and two of them were checking the machines and making notes. The third person asked him in German "Who are you" but the person in the bed replied in the same language "Who are you?" and "Where am I and why am I hooked up to those machines and WHY IS MY BODY BOUND WITH STRAPS AND OTHER THINGS?"

"You are in a very secret research laboratory, where you have resided since you were brought in by the local police in a state of…shall we say...confusion. You were going in and out of consciousness and your vital signs were…fascinating. To better treat you, will you tell us your name and country of origin as you were muttering in English and also…hissing?"

The man thought and then responded "I…I…don't really remember. I can't remember my name or what I was doing, where I was or…anything."

The third man gave a loud humpruff and the other two came to him showing their written reports on the patient's current state. They didn't exchange any words, just the knowing looks of people who have worked together for a long time.

Then the third man asked "You seem to have amnesia probably due to a severe head injury, but even though you don't remember your name, can you at least tell us WHAT YOU ARE?"

"What do you mean? I am a man, what else could I be?"

A small mirror was thrust in front of him showing his image. He promptly screamed and then fainted, leaving the questions asked unanswered and new ones to ask.

NOTE: Sorry for the delay but I have experienced a family death, various destructions, a friend's emergency rush to the hospital and who is still in critical care, the loss of a friendship, said person not being a real friend of long standing (who is a real #*$#&#&*) and poor Peeves is being hacked and the Internet keeps crashing. I hope to update my other stories soon.