The timeline does not follow canon.
As a crossover fic, I will also bounce around a lot to get to my plot.
Lastly, I love Harry Potter but it's been awhile since I've last read the books so I'll forget a lot of the details. If anything is wrong that really throws you off, feel free to say so in the comments and my crazy mind will find some way to fix it.
You have been warned.
Forbidden Forest
Summer of 1999
The Thestrals weren't eating. Any creature that suddenly starts to refuse sustenance is worrying enough but magical creatures like Thestrals were another matter entirely.
Most people found them creepy, a bad omen, something to stay away from. Their ability to only be seen by those who have seen death was the root cause, of course. A small number of people, those that took care to learn about them would find them to be dull. An even fewer number of people understood; Thestrals are clever, loyal, and connected to the spiritual plane.
Those people also know that the skeletal-horses were governed by a high sense of self-preservation. They are willing to attack as viciously as a dragon when threatened. There are two different leading causes of death among them: old age and out of protection for their owners. Anything else was an extreme rarity.
Fang howled next to him.
"I kno' boy. I kno'."
Again he surveyed the scene with a frown made visible despite his bushy beard. Slabs of meat grew into sloppy piles, their rotten smell permeating the air. The creatures themselves were worse-for-wear but only someone who knew what to look for would be able to spot it. Though they had a skeletal frame their leathery skin wasn't meant to be pulled so taut that it showed the shapes of all of their bones down to the joints. Their eyes weren't meant to appear so glassy and most important of all- the creatures were not supposed to act dull so consistently, no matter what others may believe.
Hagrid shook his head.
It was worrying because only one thing could affect the Thestrals so...
Some disturbance had occurred on the spiritual plane.
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Location Undisclosed
Summer of 1999
He scowled at his reflection as he passed the mirror on his way to the bath. He was grimy and unkempt; something he loathed as it reminded him of jeering faces, stark walls, a biting hunger, and sleepless nights spent shaking from the bitter cold of winter London. His jaw jerked at his memories and he banished such thoughts, compartmentalizing them away to the recesses of his mind. There was a phletora of more important things to think about, like how he came to be and what to do next.
He seethed at the fear he'd felt when he first awoke. In fact, there was much he hated but that was another matter entirely.
Coming to consciousness he felt naught but pain, burning all over to be precise. A fire ravaged his being, consuming his very soul. That was a quandary he's since pondered over often enough since he awoke a month ago. He was very familiar with his own soul. He'd gone to great lengths, more so than any other before him, to reward him such intimacy with his very essence. The leading expert he very well was and yet even he couldn't come up with a theory as to why he had a soul and a body when he was, essentially, no more than a piece of a soul himself. Again, for the sake of precision, he was but a half-soul.
It bared to be repeated: he was LITERALLY A HALF-SOUL!
And a Horcrux, at that.
So, how had he awaken in a flesh-and-blood body with his half-soul once more intact within?
He wasn't complaining. It was good. It was great. But, it didn't make sense and it didn't ascribe to any knowledge he possessed. He absolutely loathed not knowing something.
Not that he'd spent the whole of the month in waste with only pondering.
His mind's been running at top speed the moment he was no longer wrought with ragged breaths.
Like out of some horror film he came to in a hearse. After the burning within him subsided, he was able to scrounge up his magic to blast it open (let it be said that he will never be comfortable with death). It was luck that he was in an empty funeral home and not yet buried six feet under so as not to deal with unnecessary conflict. He was once again struck with a trickle of fear when he found he couldn't apparate away after attempting to do so then.
He no longer focused on that first week, how he'd spent it hiding away among filth as he became accustomed to his new state.
The body he was in wasn't his, but it was a damn close match. Whoever the young person that died was, they bore an incredible likeness to him at the same age. Same lean build and slender fingers, even the same blue of his eyes and curl of his dark hair. It was only that he was in a new state now that he could remark this face was as handsome as the one he'd been born with. A good-looking face served so very well for manipulation.
But again, it didn't make any sense!
How could his half-soul be integrated into another's and still maintain his power? Horcruxes were complex beyond belief but he knew that while possession of a host for as long as the body could last was within its grasp, a full-on integration with a new body was not.
And yet, here he was.
Therein in lie another problem, his power. His magical core was that of which he held at fifteen, far from the whole he's built up over decades. And he knows how much that is as he still retained all of his memories as a Horcrux- down to the point where Harry Potter was to have killed him by stabbing the diary with a Basilisk's Fang.
Harry Potter.
His thoughts almost always came back to Harry Potter.
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Hogwarts Castle
First Semester of Harry's 4th year
Year 1999
"No Quidditch?! Can you believe it? No Quidditch!"
"Honestly Ron," Hermione chastised. "Of all that's happened today, it is only that which you choose to focus on?"
The red-head sighed despondently. "You wouldn't understand Hermione." He turned to their silent third member. "What d'you reckon Harry? Think we should try to enter?"
The glassy green-eyes blinked at being addressed. "I- oomph!"
"Oh! Sorry Harry! I should have paid more attention to where I was going," Cedric apologized, blinking down at Harry.
"It's all right."
"Right then. Ron, Hermione," the tall teen managed to greet before he was swept away in the throng of students trying to exit the Great Hall.
Hermione narrowed her eyes in the direction Cedric wandered off to. "Did something seem off about him?"
"He's probably upset there's no Quidditch either," Ron lamented.
The bushy-haired female resisted rolling her eyes. "Harry, do you think Cedric seemed- Harry?"
"What?"
"Harry, are you alright yourself?"
He clenched a fist, resisting to look back at a particular table as they finally left the Great Hall themselves. "I'm fine."
"Oh Harry," she sighed as they began to climb the stairs. "You're not actually thinking about trying to find a way to enter the TriWizard Tournament are you?"
"We should both try to enter," Ron gained a dreamy expression. "Imagine winning the thousand-galleon pot."
"Of course, money is always worth entering a life-threatening tournament we don't have the skill-set or experience for," Hermione admonished.
The look on her face caused the tips of Ron's ears to flush red.
The trio continued chattering all the way up to the Gryffindor Common Room, Harry keeping mostly quiet, until they separated for the night. As Harry listened to the snores echo throughout the room he wished he could sleep already.
The announcement of the TriWizard Tournament had been a shock, Moody's timely arrival as the new DADA professor not withstanding, and he would have been focused on that had it not been for two other main factors: the arrival of a 5th year transfer student and the bizarre phenomena that occurred upon his stepping into Hogwarts Castle.
Harry hadn't been able to look away from him. Not when he swept to the front to be sorted. Not when he smirked as the Sorting Hat immediately yelled "SLYTHERIN!" upon grazing his head. Not when he walked over and sat down at the Slytherin table, charming smile radiating for all to see.
No, Harry had not been able to tear his gaze from the new student, Marvolo Anguis. At least not until those blue orbs jumped up to meet his.
His own green eyes had held it, mouth falling agape but Harry looked away reflexively when he realized what he was doing.
His heart picked up its pace now as he thought back to the older student.
There was something inexplicable about Marvolo Anguis, and he was sure it was tied to what he'd felt upon entering Hogwarts.
It'd been like nothing he'd ever felt before, a surge of magic that rattled his very bones.
And, it had yet to take leave of him. He could feel it now quivering from underneath his skin.
This year would have been different enough with the TriWizard Tournament alone but he felt he had already so much to contend with. It was only the first night back.
Harry hoped he would have no... 'dreams' tonight.
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"Harry!"
He blinked. "Yes?"
"Are you sure you're alright?" Hermione looked at him with concern as she set down the piece of toast she'd been buttering. "You keep acting as you did last night. Is something troubling you?"
Harry reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. "No. I-" He paused at her expression. "Okay, yes, there is something."
"Or somethings," he mumbled to himself.
"Mm-oh!" Ron choked down his mouthful of pancake. "Did you figure out a way to make ourselves seventeen somehow for the tournament?"
"Because if so I want in," the red-head added in relish.
"You hear that George?"
"Just as you did Fred."
"Looks like-"
"The little fourth years-"
"Believe they have a chance-"
"At entering the tournament."
"We don't," Hermione affirmed. "Ron simply likes to jump to conclusions."
"Hey!"
"Oh, don't be mad dear brother," Fred wound an arm around his younger brother's shoulders. "It's no one's fault but your own."
"Get 'roff me!"
"Ronald!" George parodied Mrs. Weasley's voice. "Hold your tongue!"
"Guys?" Ron turned to Harry and Hermione for help.
"We have to go to the library now," Hermione claimed, standing up.
"What?!" Ron exclaimed. "It's the first day of classes! We haven't even had a class yet!"
He clearly missed Hermione's point.
"We have something we have to research," she insisted.
"Go on Ronnie! Go get started on school work early like a good little boy!"
"Make Mama Weasley proud!"
"Gah! Hermione!"
She ignored Ron's plea, taking both he and Harry by their arms and ushering them out of the Great Hall.
Harry snuck in one last peek at Marvolo, inwardly shivering when those intense blue eyes quickly met his, as if the older student knew just when exactly Harry was spying upon him.
"Honestly Ron, could you not see that I was simply trying to- oh. Hello."
Harry swiveled his eyes forward to see what or whom had cut Hermione off. He wasn't expecting it to be a short, blonde girl with bulbous blue eyes. Instantly, he was reminded of Malfoy. The two shared the same pale skin, platinum-gold hair, and pointed nose.
"Hello," the blonde student replied breezily.
"Um," Hermione said a bit awkwardly. When the silence stretched she stuck out her hand. "I'm Hermione Granger."
"Oh yes, the one's whose thinking is rather dull."
Hermione's reaction might have been funny if she wasn't so scary. They sometimes forgot she was the 11 year old who set a teacher on fire, but moments like these certainly brought that realization barreling back. Her eyes flashed open as she screeched, "What?!" By the time her lips fell back closed, there was a growing fire that replaced the shock in her eyes. "Who are you?"
The blonde blinked at Hermione and looked away dismissively as though finding her utterly uninteresting. Hermione clearly flared up again but the smaller girl spoke before she had the chance to pose another question out of anger.
"Harry Potter, I'm Luna Lovegood. I'm glad to meet my fellow Heir."
"Heir?" Harry asked.
"Here," Luna opened up her book bag and took out an object. She held out her palm to him. "This is for you."
Harry's eyes grew even wider at the necklace that Luna held out for him, blood-red stone tipped over the edge of her palm.
"A necklace? Why are you giving Harry a necklace for?" Ron questioned. "Harry doesn't wear jewelry."
"Take it Harry," Luna didn't wait another moment. She took his hand, prompting a surprised blush as she slipped the necklace into it. "It's meant to be yours. I can smell the danger Harry. You'll need it."
"Meant to be mine? Danger? What?" Harry stared down at the stone in wonder. It was warm in his hand. "Why is-"
Luna was already walking away.
"Blimey Harry, reckon' she likes you?"
"I don't- I don't-"
He lifted the necklace up to eye-level. "What is this?"
"It's a necklace Harry," Ron pointed out.
He rolled his eyes. "I know that Ron."
"It's just a silly trinket," Hermione sniffed. "From a silly girl."
Harry shrugged and slipped it into his pocket. 'But it's warm.'
"Harry," Hermione addressed. "Earlier you said there was something you needed to tell us."
"Oh yeah!" Ron burst out, head bobbing up and down fluidly. "About the gobl-"
"It's about the Castle, and my magic," Harry shook his head. "Or both, I think."
"That's- that's," Ron scratched his head. "Mind giving us some more details mate?"
"It began yesterday, when we entered the Castle," Harry said in a hushed tone. "It was like-" He paused and wove a hand through his locks. "The moment I stepped into the Castle I felt my magic react to it, or the Castle reacted to my magic. I'm not sure which."
"Your magic?" Hermione looked at him with alarmed interest. "How was it affected?"
Harry looked away from her steady gaze. "It's like stepping into the Castle gave me a magical surge of power and... I can still feel it inside of me."
"Harry!" Hermione gasped. "What if it's something else? What if it's something that's not meant to happen?" She placed her hand upon his upper arm. "We should tell a teacher. Or Ms. Pomfrey. Or Professor Dumbledore!"
"Hermione! We don't know what it is yet. We can't just run and tell a teacher," Ron disagreed. "What if Harry gets in trouble?"
"Harry, how are you feeling now?" she squeezed his arm.
He looked down at his hands. "It's still there." He raised his free hand. "It's like it's right beneath my skin."
Hermione's brows knit together. "Harry-"
"That's not everything," he interrupted, shaking off her hold.
"What else is there?" Ron posed.
"I think it may be connected to the new student as well," Harry admitted carefully.
"Marvolo Anguis?"
Ron and Harry blinked at Hermione.
She reddened. "What?"
"You certainly remembered him quickly enough," Ron commented, voice tense.
Hermione placed her hands on her hips. "It was only yesterday he was introduced. Hogwarts very rarely receives a transfer student. In fact, it's been over twenty years since the last."
"Yeah, yeah," Ron pouted. "And I'm sure his good-looks had nothing to do with it."
"I don't like people just because of their looks!"
"So what was Lockhart then?"
The red on Hermione's cheeks deepened. "He was a professor and very accomplished."
"He was a fraud!" Ron spluttered.
"Well, he was still a professor."
"He tried to obliviate me and Harry and wanted to leave Ginny for dead."
"We're getting off topic," Hermione insisted, crossing her arms. "What did you want to tell us about the new student Harry?"
"Yes," Ron simpered. "Tell us of dear old Marvolo."
Harry held back a grin less he incur Hermione's ire. "It's like I said, I think he's somehow connected to what happened to my magic."
"How so?" Hermione inquired.
"I'm not so sure. I just know he's connected somehow, I can feel it," Harry bit his lips. "It's almost like my magic is also reacting to him. Like I'm drawn to him..."
"Harry?" Hermione's gaze was assessing. "Are you sure that's why you're, um, drawn to him?"
He raised a brow. "What else could it be?"
Hermione fidgeted. "Well, have you- I mean do you- do you still think of Cho Chang?"
"What's Chang got to do with this?" Ron asked.
"Just answer the question Harry," Hermione continued, tucking a sweep on her hair behind her ear. "What do you think of Cho Chang?"
It was Harry's turn to blush. "Well, she's still very pretty."
"And Marvolo? Do you think him handsome?"
"Wh-why are you asking me that?" Harry just about shouted.
"What do you think of Marvolo?" Hermione pushed.
"If you are curious about me, all you have to do is ask."
The three stiffened and turned around. Marvolo Anguis stood before them, a hand resting on his book bag. Though he was only a mere year older than themselves he already held a towering height.
Harry swallowed and cursed his small frame, he was always his thinnest upon his return to Hogwarts and leave of the Dursley's home.
Marvolo took their surprise in stride, his eyes flashing amusement as he aimed a perfectly disarming smile their way. "There really is no harm done, no need to be so alarmed. It seems a transfer student is a bit of a rarity in these parts."
He stepped forward and took Hermione's hand, turning it over so that it could become a handshake. "Marvolo Anguis, as you seem to know, and you are?"
Hermione flushed and mumbled and introduction.
"And?"
"Ron Weasley," the red-head ground out when addressed.
The dark blue eyes flashed to him. "And lastly we have Harry Potter."
"You know who I am?" Harry blinked.
"There's always talk of you Harry Potter."
He fidgeted under the stare but held it squarely. "It's just Harry."
"Marvolo then," the older teen's hand came down upon his shoulder. "And if there's anything you wish to know, all you have to do is ask." Squeeze. "It'd hate for you to have the wrong impression of me."
Harry nodded, brushing off the shiver that threatened to crawl up his spine. "Alright."
Marvolo let him go but kept looking right at him. "In all honesty, I would like to get to know you better. You certainly seem... interesting."
Harry's brows rose.
Marvolo cocked his head and smirked. "Anyone ever tell you, you have the most arresting green eyes? Such a lovely shade."
Harry's eyes looked almost bulbous then giving the older student a clearer view of the shade of green akin to that of the killing curse. All poor Harry could think to utter was, "They're my mother's eyes."
"Yes," Marvolo's tone was smooth velvet. "I can see how she may have ensnared your father with them."
It was instantaneous, the way Harry's nervousness washed away. He clamped his teeth down causing his lower jaw to tick. "I wouldn't know."
He could have sworn Marvolo's eyes roamed over every inch of his eyes, finally resting on the defiant look in his eyes and the corner of the older teen's lips turned up momentarily at what he found before he adopted a solemn face. "I apologize. I got carried away but meant no ill will."
Those blue eyes bore into his.
Harry didn't dare look away.
"Classes will begin soon," Marvolo intoned, bringing attention to the few students that were beginning to leave the Great Hall.
"I'll see you Harry," the elder student all but promised.
"Harry," Hermione turned to look at him once Marvolo disappeared into the quickly growing crowd. "Did you feel anything then?"
"Feel?" Ron made a face.
"His magic Ron!" she hissed, smacking the red-head on the arm. "Harry said earlier that his magic reacted to Marvolo. So," she flipped her gaze to him. "Did you 'react' just then?"
Hermione's words flicked a switch and Harry could feel it, his magic thrumming with life within him, as it had been since Marvolo showed himself.
"Yeah," he answered in a whisper, confused.
She nodded, bushy hair swaying with the motion. "Well, it seems this may have more to do with Marvolo than with the Castle. I've never read anything about the Castle affecting student's magic but there have been incidents of Wizard's affecting each other." She tapped a finger to her lips as they headed up a staircase. "We'll have to make time for the library today-" Ron audibly groaned. "-I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of this."
"It's the first day of classes Hermione," Ron whined.
She only gave him a look.
Ron sighed and turned to his best mate. "Well, at least we don't get to experience Mad-Eye Moody today."
"Although, we do still get Double Potions with the Slytherins this year,", the red-head added forlornly.
Hermione looked back at him. "Ron, this could be serious."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, not liking the way Hermione clearly hesitated before answering him.
"His name."
Harry got it then, cold stone dropping into this stomach.
"What about his name?" Ron questioned.
"Marvolo also happens to be You-Know-Who's."
"Tom Marvolo Riddle," Harry said, face paling.
"Well, he is a Slytherin," Ron said. "His family is probably one of those really old, Dark wizarding families who tend to have odd names. I mean, no one really knows You-Know-Who's real name, right?"
That earned Ron a double-take form their lone female, who smiled. "That is likely."
The tips of Ron's ears tinged pink. "Yeah, um, you shouldn't be around him Harry." He gained a bit more confidence and stated, "I didn't like him, not from the start."
"He did seem rather... fixed on you," Hermione agreed.
"It's not like I was planning to seek him out."
At Ron and Hermione's shared glance Harry burst out, "I wasn't!"
"Well, you do tend to look for trouble."
At his dumbfounded expression she turned back forward, leading the way down the hall. "It's true Harry."
"I do not!"
"There was Sirius," Ron whispered, earning himself another shy glance from Hermione.
"I thought he betrayed my parents and wanted to kill me! Or did you forget that part?" Harry spat.
"How is he?" Hermione interrupted, hoping to derail the coming argument.
Harry looked at her and deflated. "Well-"
They continued talking amongst each other until they reached the classroom. Yet to begin the first class of his fourth year and already Harry felt disoriented.
If only he'd have had the mind to slip his hand into his pocket. The bright-eyed teen would have realized the stone hanging off of the necklace Luna had given to him was pulsing.
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"You've seen better days Harry."
"Gee, thanks Ron," he replied dryly.
"Hey, I'm just saying you look like you haven't gotten much sleep."
Harry shrugged. "I didn't."
"Oh, well, al least we got food," Ron proposed, taking another sandwich the house-elves were eagerly offering. "It's like they can't wait to get rid of it can they?"
"Hermione won't like knowing we've been down here again."
Ron blinked. "Well, we're not telling her right? Or we could just be visiting Dobby."
"Dobby likes seeing Harry Potter and Harry Potter's friend Weezy!" Dobby quickly agreed as he tried to push more food onto Harry.
The raven-haired teen sighed and took the pasty, giving it a nibble to Dobby's great delight. He'd thought it was great when Fred and George decided to show them the secret entrance to the kitchens (after exclaiming that he looked like he could use it). He also thought it was great to see Dobby again, who looked to be doing immensely well for himself, being a house-elf and all. Although, he could have done without the incoherent Winky, the furious Hermione at the 'slave labor' or the gluttonous Ron who insisted upon coming down here all too often.
They left the kitchens with a box of food each to go, Harry silently cursing when they ran into Hermione glaring at them on the other end of the Portrait Hole.
"Geez Hermione," Ron simpered. "How did you even know it was us coming through?"
She shook her head at them and turned away prompting them to follow her to the corner of the Common Room she'd set up for studying.
"Instead of eating more you should be studying more," she chastised. "We've got our O.W.L.S. next year you know."
"Next year Hermione! Next year!" Ron reiterated.
"I read through the book," Harry interrupted, hoping to tide off another of their arguments. Have they always been like this?
"Unusual Magic Connections," Hermione looked to him expectantly.
He shook his head. "Nothing useful."
She almost pouted. "Oh."
He nodded. "Yeah."
"And," she paused to glance at him. "What about your, um, 'dreams'?"
"Again, last night," Harry admitted.
"Oh!" Ron burst out. "That's why you hardly slept."
Harry smiled.
"What was it about this time?" Hermione asked.
"Just the chair again," Harry said, restraining the urge to shiver at the memory of it. He was glad he hasn't had another dream like the first, the one he'd had since back before he attended the Quidditch World Cup that ended in disaster. He could still remember the killing curse, spoken by the dark raspy voice, striking the elderly muggle. There was no doubt in his mind the caster was none other than Voldemort himself although he had no clear view of whatever it was that sat in the chair. The rest of the details were too fuzzy to make out. Though now, he was beginning to grow more irritated than wary of the dreams about that damn chair.
Hermione and Ron had both insisted it might not be You-Know-Who although they gave in and agreed it was likely that it was. Harry couldn't understand their reluctance to what he knew to be true. He'd felt Lord Voldemort's power when he uttered the killing curse. The muggle dropped instantly the way the spider had in Professor Moody's class. The magical presence behind it was not one he'd forget- the way he could not forget Marvolo's or Luna's or surprisingly-
"Harry!"
He blinked and cursed inwardly.
Ron shook his head. "You're doing that more often now."
"I was just thinking."
Hermione looked at him with worry. "Maybe it's time we go to Professor Dumbledore."
" 'Mione," Harry stressed. "I don't want to bother him. He's got enough going on with the TriWizard Tournament."
"Yeah Hermione," Ron agreed. "We said we'd figure this out on our own didn't we?"
"I suppose we can leave it, for now. We do still have more books to get through."
The two males grimaced at that reminder.
"What about Snuffles?" Hermione crossed her arms. "Have you heard back from him?"
Harry's grimace deepened. "Yes. He said he'd owl me once he found a way we could talk face-to-face."
"He's not-" Hermione shook her head, eyes wide.
"I thought he was down in what's it, South America?" Ron frowned.
Harry looked over his shoulder and the three inched closer together despite no one else in the room paying them any particular attention. "I know. I shouldn't have said anything to him."
"Oh Harry," Hermione sympathized. "You couldn't have guessed he'd try this."
The green-eyed teen wondered if he should mention that he also wished he hadn't told them about it. Wasn't it normal for him to be having nightmares about Voldemort anyways?
This year was already off to a bad start. Snape was still a bully, Draco still intolerable, and McGonagall still a tough teacher who expected a lot out of her Gryffindor's. Snuffles' journey back to the UK was reckless (even if Harry knew he would love seeing and talking to him). Harry's dreams were a bother and worrisome. Professor Moody's appointment was losing its shock value so the rumor mill once again dug up the Death Eater's attack at the Quidditch World Cup. He could only hope the TriWizard would hurry up and arrive so the masses had something else to talk about.
On top of all that, was the odd reaction he had to Marvolo, which he could dimly attribute to Luna as well who'd taken to wearing a replica of the necklace she gave to him although her stone was the same shade of dark blue as the evening sky. His own magic thrummed and connected to theirs.
Harry didn't know what to make of it, and Hermione had not been able to convince him that it wasn't all connected to Hogwarts Castle itself, somehow it was.
Lastly, it was only just the day before he realized there was another faint reaction to one other student.
"Harry! Harry!"
Ah, yes.
Among everything else, he also now had two Creevey's to contend with as the two often tried to take his picture.
"Hello Colin. Hello Dennis," he greeted warily. The brothers looked a tad more excited than usual.
"They're arriving!"
"Who is?" Ron asked.
"The other schools!" Colin revealed.
The trio hardly shared a glance before they followed the brothers all the way outside where it seemed all of Hogwarts was amassing.
Harry could feel his magic thrumming as it became attune with the presence of three others. But, he did not focus on it further as all too soon it seemed the massive ship had popped up out of the Great Lake and the equally massive carriage had dropped in from the sky. Dumbledore made a great show of welcoming the other Headmasters and their students. Ron was shouting in his ear, "It's Krum! Viktor Krum!" as everyone moved indoors into the Great Hall for the Welcome Feast.
Ron deflated once when the Durmstrang students sat at the Slytherin table, and again when the lovely ladies of Beauxbatons Academy sat with the Hufflepuffs.
Harry turned away from the Slytherin table, where he'd been watching Marvolo chat with some of the Durmstrang students that had sat around him. Even Viktor Krum, whom looked naturally sullen and uninterested in anything, appeared to exchange some words with the enigmatic 5th year.
Against his own growing interest, Harry had not sought Marvolo and Marvolo had not come to him since that first time they'd been properly introduced. Yet, all too often they would lock eyes and Marvolo would smirk at him in a way that contradicted with the charming persona he held with everyone else. His interest only grew as people often spoke of Marvolo's great aptitude in all of his subjects and through the constant giggles of females all ages as they gossiped about the "most handsome guy at Hogwarts." Though that last part only brought more awareness of the older teen. He didn't actually care about how "handsome" the transfer student was.
He didn't!
And he didn't understand why Hermione shook her head in exasperation when she asked him why he stared after Marvolo so much and Harry responded that if he could turn off his magic's reaction to the other he would.
Dumbledore spoke again of the TriWizard Tournament, reminding Hogwarts students again that only 17 years old and above may enter. Everyone clapped as all of the Durmstrang students and the Beauxbatons students added their names to the Goblet of Fire. In three weeks time, during the Halloween Feast, the Goblet would announce those chosen to represent their school.
Dinner that night was spent trying the new additions of food to their menu, Harry studiously avoiding catching Marvolo's gaze, Ron rhapsodizing over Krum and that part-Veela girl alike, and Hermione growing irritated with Ron so focusing instead on trying to convince poor Neville that something must be done to help bring attention to House-elf rights.
It was chance, or so Harry reluctantly believed that he forgot his book bag and it lay untouched where he'd sat at the Gryffindor table. Marvolo's voice reached his ears upon his stepping out of the Great Hall.
"You give this to me but won't explain why or what it's for."
"It's no real secret," Luna's mellow tone sounded in response. "It's merely been forgotten, but everyone will know soon enough."
Harry froze, realizing he could hear the two from around the corner of the hallway he was in.
"Oh?"
"I don't know when that will be," Luna admitted. "The Castle will decide."
"The Castle?" Marvolo's tone was clearly sarcastic.
"Yes, we are rather dependent upon it for all of this," Luna appeared to cut herself off and Harry sucked in a breath when she stepped out into his direct view. "Hello there Harry. Are there any wrackspurts around? You do look so horribly confused."
"Or shocked from getting caught," Marvolo added as he too came around the corner. His eyes flashed at the sight of Harry. "What a pleasant surprise Harry." He lifted an elegant brow. "Or at least, I would be saying as such had you not been eavesdropping."
Harry may have felt bad at getting caught so blatantly had his eyes not zeroed in onto the object that Marvolo currently held in his grasp.
"Another necklace?!"
Marvolo's grip tightened on the luminous green stone that hung off of his chain. "Another?"
Wordlessly Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out the one he'd been given. The blood-red stone was warm in his hand as it had always been but this time he realized he could feel it pulsing rapidly as well. By the way the other teen's eyes immediately cut to his own Harry could guess Marvolo's was doing the same in his own hand.
It was then Harry first saw a sliver of malevolence spear through Marvolo's expression as he turned cold blue eyes onto Luna.
"Explain yourself," Marvolo demanded.
Luna didn't hesitate. "What belongs to each must be returned upon them reuniting. All four Heirs are to receive one."
Harry looked to Marvolo to see what he made of that but for once the elder student did not look back at him. The hard blue gaze remained fixed upon Luna.
"Heirs?" Marvolo questioned evenly, but Harry could see his eyes glittering.
Luna smiled at them both. "The Founder's Heirs, of course."
Silence met her astounding pronouncement.
Marvolo was the first to react. "Let's take a stroll."
The elder student's tone brokered no disagreement.
Harry fell into step with him, Luna trailing only a step behind the two. They passed by a pair of Slytherin Prefects and Harry was surprised at the way they greeted Marvolo with a bit of... admiration? Marvolo spoke to them in whispers and they were left alone to go on. Harry kept a watch on their expressions and the Prefects clearly deferred to Marvolo. Why? He wasn't too sure, and they were outside before he could figure out any type of reasonable explanation. Marvolo led them towards the Great Lake, the sun a slipping egg-yolk in the background.
"This will have to be sufficient."
Without warning, Marvolo's wand was in his hand. Harry's hand flew to his pocket but he stopped as the elder student only performed a Muffliato spell to make sure they would not be overheard. Harry felt himself flush at the knowing smile Marvolo sent him and then stiffened when the elder student brought up his hard gaze for Luna. "Now, how about you explain yourself properly. There is much I need to know."
Luna met his gaze, the blue of her eyes and the expression on her face shades upon shades softer than Marvolo's. The serene lines of her face clashed greatly with the radish earrings hanging from her ears.
"These necklaces," she reached up to cradle the one she wore. "Were made by the Founder's themselves and infused with their magic. Blue for Ravenclaw," She drummed her fingers on her stone. "Red for Gryffindor." She looked directly at Harry's. "Yellow for Hufflepuff, and Green for Slytherin." She gestured to Marvolo's.
"These were made by the Founder's?" Marvolo's eyes positively glistened and Harry's grip tightened around the stone he held when those sharp blue eyes fell upon it. "One from each."
"Yes, but each necklace only responds to its proper Heir."
"Luna," Harry's spoke up, brows furrowed. "What exactly do you mean by Heir?"
She cocked her head at him. "We are all an Heir to a Founder. These necklaces have been passed down in my family for a long time. They were only to be distributed when all four Heir's arrived at Hogwarts together."
"Are you saying that I'm Gryffindor's Heir?" Harry exclaimed.
Luna's answer was simple. "I am."
"That's impossible," he shook his head in disbelief. "I can't be. That's wrong."
"The necklace was drawn to you Harry," Luna told him calmly. "It wouldn't have been had you not been Gryffindor's Heir."
"I can't."
Luna's gaze remained soft. "You are a Potter and the Potter's are an old Wizarding family borne from other, much older Wizarding families. If your line was traced back you would find that you are indeed a descendent of Gryffindor's, and his chosen Heir."
"How is it possible," Marvolo spoke. "That in the past hundreds of years, it wasn't until now that four Heirs attended Hogwarts together?"
"It has never happened before," Luna explained. "Because it wasn't meant to happen until we came along."
"Marvolo can't be Slytherin's Heir," Harry whispered, eyes widening in realization, tone grave. He didn't need to look up to know Marvolo's gaze had fell on him.
"Marvolo can't be Slytherin's Heir," Harry repeated with confidence. His eyes looked up into Marvolo's, assessing and searching. His body betrayed his thoughts as he took a step in front of Luna, effectively blocking her, and took another step back away from Marvolo to fall into a rigid stance. "He can't be, because Voldemort is Slytherin's Heir."
"You say his name so easily," Marvolo remarked, eyes narrowing.
Harry felt his magic rise, as though ready to strike. It was odd. Usually magic was only drawn out when one needed to perform a spell, the magic flowing out almost instantaneously. Yet, he didn't focus on the oddity then. His mouth had run dry. Marvolo's expression was remarkably cool but Harry could feel the elder student's magic rising as well. It was burning just beneath the surface.
"I'm not afraid of a name," Harry said, more out of stubbornness than with confidence.
Marvolo took a step towards him causing Harry's chin to rise up.
"What do you care if I say his name. You're not afraid of it either, I can tell. Are you mad then?" Harry's own fire from within lit up his eyes. "Only his followers were ever got mad about my saying his name."
"Are you accusing me," Marvolo's voice came out smooth and low. "Of following?"
"Voldemort is Slytherin's Heir," Harry repeated. He licked his lips and followed as Marvolo's gaze momentarily fell to his lips. "It's not much of a leap to say that as a Slytherin you would follow him."
"My, my," Marvolo's tone was both delightful and cold. "How very judging of you."
Harry felt his cheeks redden. "You share his name too."
"Yes," the blue eyes shone in the fading sunlight. "You would be able to make that connection wouldn't you?" Marvolo took another step forward, putting the two males faces inches from the other's. "It's a wonder you don't accuse me of being the Dark Lord. After all, if he's the Heir and I'm the Heir, we must be the same person, no?"
Harry couldn't hide the fear that struck through him. He reacted, reaching for his wand only to realize Marvolo was ahead of him. His wand flew out of his hand with a simple "Expelliarmus," and was caught by the elder student before Harry had been able to get his wand fully out of his pocket. It was still within his arm's length but he didn't dare make a grab for it. Defense was supposed to be his best subject. He'd never felt so thoroughly trounced. It wasn't the nightmare scenario of having dozens or more Dementors swooping down upon an unconscious Sirius and himself, but he knew without a doubt that Marvolo was not someone to go up against wandless.
"Tell me Harry," Marvolo would have sounded mocking if not for his tone. "Tell me what you really think."
Harry's eyes narrowed, even as he felt a trembling through his fingers.
They stared each other down, neither moving nor backing off. They were completely attuned to one another, magic building around them in a cocoon.
"Are you going to kiss?"
Just like that, their intense focus was broken. Harry faced Luna with an open-mouthed expression.
"It's okay if you are," Luna reassured them. "But, I should leave if you do so."
"We-we're not-"
"What do you think precious?" Marvolo's voice dropped to a velvet tone he'd yet to hear from him. Harry stiffened and then blushed furiously as the elder teen draped an arm around him and brought him close enough for their chests to bump. "Shall we send her away?"
"No!" Harry quickly voiced. "We're not- no."
Marvolo laughed richly. "So quickly he dismisses our burning desire," he told Luna with a charming smile.
"He is a Gryffindor," Luna observed. "He's supposed to be difficult to win over, but once you do you'll have his loyalty forever."
"What?!" Harry bellowed, horrified.
"Win over?" Marvolo's blue orbs glittered in thought. "That would be quite the approach." He smirked at the way Harry desperately broke free from him. "I hadn't even considered... it may hold merit."
"Are you two done? You're having a laugh at my expense, great," Harry crossed his arms and looked to the elder student. "I'm not-"
"Interested?" Marvolo held his wand out to him.
Harry showed another surprised look but reached out, slow due to suspicion. He almost breathed a sigh of relief when his wand was in his hand and his alone.
The elder student chuckled. "But you will be Harry," Marvolo promised. He chuckled again at the bewilderment that filled the green orbs.
"This is very interesting," Luna commented.
"No," Harry growled. "It's really not."
"Well, you can relax my precious," Marvolo smirked at Harry's grimace. "I am not the Dark Lord, Heir of Slytherin notwithstanding."
Harry was sure his eye twitched. "Please, don't refer to me like that."
"No," Marvolo's grin shone. "I don't believe I shall stop."
"It's dark out," Luna pointed out, looking up at the sky. "We should go inside. We don't want to be outside at night. The Thestrals are already agitated during the day. At night they'll be angry, and scared."
"A what?" Harry asked.
"A Thestral. They're a winged-type of horse," Marvolo pursed his lips. "You should know about them my dear. They pull the carriages at the beginning of the year."
"Harry can't see them, so that's alright," Luna explained. She turned to him. "They can only be seen by those whom have seen death and accepted it."
Harry decided then, he really just didn't want to know.
"We're not done with this conversation," Marvolo coldly told Luna. "We'll continue it tomorrow at a more suitable location." His lips turned up into a smile. "Who is the Hufflepuff Heir?"
"Cedric Diggory," she answered with ease, as though she could not sense that something was off with Marvolo and they way he kept addressing her. "But he has yet to receive his necklace. It calls to him but his magic has not called back to it."
"Fascinating," Marvolo said. He caught Harry's eyes and flipped his smile to him. "Isn't it precious?"
Harry scowled, regretting having shown Marvolo his displeasure at the terms of endearment (now he'd never stop) but said nothing. There's been enough said between them for one night.
He really shouldn't have been surprised when they met the Slytherin Prefects waiting for them upon entering the Castle once more. He supposed he could deal with being escorted to his dorm given that it was after-hours and he didn't have his invisibility cloak on him, but he wished Marvolo had been dropped off first given that the Slytherin dorm was closest (not that he said anything outloud, he wasn't supposed to know where the Slytherin entrance was).
However, Marvolo tagged along on the premise of making sure the younger students got to their dorms safe. Luna was the first to part and Marvolo kept close to Harry- all the way up to Gryffindor Tower. The older student spoke to him in hushed tones not to be over heard by the Slytherin Prefects, asking him about such basic things that Harry couldn't help but to answer; such as his favorite things about Hogwarts Castle or what creatures he liked.
He was beyond relieved to say good-bye to that too-handsome face, especially when Marvolo called him another term of endearment on their departing, much to the amusement of the Slytherin Prefects.
"Harry!"
The green-eyed teen winced as he turned around. Ron and Hermione did not look pleased at his prolonged absence. Their expressions turned to worry when Harry's orbs suddenly widened.
How had he missed it?
Marvolo.
Almost no one knew Voldemort's real name anymore, but Marvolo had revealed that he knew they shared a name.
How could Marvolo know Voldemort's real name?