Harry Potter: Redemption in Time

Albus was also aware that his unauthorised entry through the wards would have triggered an alarm with whoever had been left in charge of the school, the portraits, ghosts and house elves could already be looking for him. Albus needed to get out of here but, as he passed through the portrait hole, he was reluctant to leave the castle. Fleeing Hogwarts with his tail between his legs undeniably alluded to him being wrong about something, his deteriorating mental condition refused to accept that as a viable outcome.

He began to wander aimlessly around the castle corridors, trying to avoid being detected while attempting to solve the problem of why those trunks weren't in Australia. Noticing the corridor he was currently passing through had no portraits, just a tapestry with some wizard trying to teach tolls to dance, Albus decided to stay around here for now. He wished his problem was as easy to solve as the wizard's in the tapestry. Compared to discovering how people could travel half way around the world and leave their trunks at home, teaching trolls to tours en l'air would be a doddle! Albus walked up and down this somewhat safe corridor as he considered the mess he was in, all his mind could concentrate on though was his need to kill Harry Potter.

Albus must have been really distracted, he'd walked up and down here at least three times and never noticed the large oak door. On opening it, the answer to his problem became glaringly obvious. The trunks weren't in Australia because their owners weren't in Australia. Voldemort had faked his own death to disguise his possession of Harry Potter, a fake holiday would be easy to contrive compared to that. The reason for Dumbledore's absolute certainty for a seemingly unlikely conclusion was right in front of him, namely one Harry James Potter.

The room he now cautiously entered was enormous and appeared to be constructed from great slabs of granite. About twenty meters in front of Albus was a circular raised platform. Sitting exactly in the centre of this platform was a chair that more resembled a throne, it was currently occupied by a frowning Harry Potter.

"Hello old man, I should have known you would be the one to figure this out."

Albus couldn't contain his grin, "Hello Tom."

The boy's eyes flashed red as he growled, "Don't call me by that disgusting name, I am Lord Voldemort."

This confirmed all Dumbledore's suspicions, an admission straight from the boy's mouth. "I know Tom and that is why it must end it here today."

At hearing that hated name again, the boy sprang to his feet. Harry's wand was out and a green beam was heading toward Albus before he had time to blink, far less react. Only Fawkes flashing to his aid and swallowing the killing curse saved the old wizard's life. Albus didn't have time to scoop his brave, now small featherless friend up at the moment, he was too busy trying to stay alive.

Tom was relentless as curse upon curse rained down on Albus, each one darker and more powerful than the last. Albus was calling on all his experience and power yet still barely holding his own against the boy. The room being constructed from granite blocks was probably the only reason it was still standing instead of coming crashing down on them from the amount of magic on display, even the air they breathed appeared magically charged as the two most powerful wizards in the country fought for their lives. The throne that had been present when Albus first entered the room was now reduced to nothing more than kindling and ash. As the battle raged on, it soon became clear that Tom had the upper hand. Albus had a few close brushes with death and began to fear he had bitten off more than he could chew. It appeared Voldemort wasn't going to settle for just killing Albus, he wanted to prove once and for all who the greatest wizard in the world was by slowly taking Dumbledore apart. Tom Riddle though was becoming overconfident.

Albus was currently struggling to defend himself against a large dragon that appeared to be constructed from fiendfyre while Tom's laughter reverberated off the now heavily scorched and scarred walls.

"You've finally met your match old man. Even in this child's body, Lord Voldemort is far too powerful for you."

As Albus dodged the dragon's fiery tail, he was forced to conceded Tom was right about one thing. After draining his power to make that bloody portkey, the boy was indeed more powerful than he was. The now exhausted old wizard noticed something else though, while Tom was taking the time to taunt him, Riddle's guard was down for a moment. Understanding this might be the only chance he would be offered, Albus used his flame whip spell. A coil of brilliant white light shot out the end of his wand and sliced through the dragon's wing before, with a flick of the wrist from Albus, it abruptly changed direction and caught Harry neatly on the shoulder.