Prologue
Part One
For almost a decade now, Narcissa had longed for a child. She didn't even care if it were a girl or a boy. All she wanted was to hold someone in her arms, to shower him or her with love and affection as her mother never did to her or her sisters. The Parkinson's now had a beautiful daughter and they would have another coming soon. The Goyle's had been luckier still with twins and little Gregory. Even Bella had been lucky enough to be pregnant with her first child.
In the moment of sounding like a spoiled brat, it wasn't fair.
Sighing ever so softly, Narcissa looked to her left where her husband sat. There were many pieces of parchments around him and she knew she ought not to disturb him whilst he studied and organized their family businesses but she couldn't quite help herself.
"Lucius."
The Malfoy patriarch, though they still had no son, looked up and was not quite prepared to see the sadness on his wife's face. He let out a deep sigh of his own and put all his papers down and set his quill to start signing by itself. He would deal with the readings later.
"Lucius… I want a child, Lucius." Narcissa's lips trembled as she tried to maintain what little control she had left over her facial expression. "Why can't we have children of our own? Have we done something wrong? I know that we'd be good parents. Merlin knows we'd never hurt a child. We'd do everything to keep it safe, give it everything it could ever want."
"I don't know my dear." Lucius drew his wife into his arms and pressed his face into her hair. He'd like to believe that he could not feel her trembling, could not her hear quiet sobs. But contrary to popular belief, he could feel as well.
It wasn't that they could never conceive a child. It was more of how they could never keep it to take its first breath. Always, always they would be given good news of how they would have children. Of how finally, they would be able to use the nursery that had been ready for nearly a decade with its black cot and its glowing ceiling where hundreds of stars and constellations had been painted on in preparation for the Malfoy heir.
They'd already given such beautiful names to the children they'd lost; Cressida, Aries, Nova, Faye. All four they'd lost. One, Lucius had thought, would finally be the Malfoy heir. But alas, they lost Aries a month before he had been due to be born.
Lucius knew that he had dabbled in the Dark Arts. What pureblooded family didn't? Even the lightest of families would have been required to participate in the greyest of magics. Like the use of blood quills to sign contracts to open vaults in Gringotts. The investment of stores, shops, and trust funds. So much done in the Wizarding World was no longer considered dark for people had come onto them as a force of habit and it was no longer subject to change. But in ways that children would not be able to comprehend, blood magic was dark. Core crafting (used in brooms and wands) was dark. They just didn't think it was.
That's why Lucius wondered why was it that he and his wife suffered so greatly. Why did Crabbe not go through the misery of losing child after child when he and Narcissa had only wanted for even one. The fat man had four already and another great whelp on the way.
"I cannot take this anymore Lucius." Narcissa whispered, her shoulders stiff. "I just want someone to love."
Lucius nodded. He knew the feeling and he felt that he knew what to do.
Tom Riddle watched as his lover nuzzled into his chest as he slept. For some reason, he couldn't believe that what was happening was real. James Potter shouldn't be in his bed, let alone his arms so what was the Gryffindor doing here? Oh right, James loved him.
James loved him enough that they were expecting their heir in approximately six months and eight days. Maybe he was a tad bit excited. The amount of torture going on in the Inner Circle was mere proof of this.
Tom couldn't really believe where he was now. Maybe taking over the Wizarding world wasn't so important anymore. Not when he had something he never wanted to lose. This was what had been missing. He didn't have any one to love and so he'd lost himself. To the madness and practically everything that made him rise to power as Lord Voldemort and helped him lose his mind as Tom Riddle.
But James brought it all screaming back to him, quite literally when he'd met the Gryffindor in a not so desirable situation. Raids in Diagon Alley would never be the same.
The sudden pop had Tom sitting up, eyes adapt to tracking the house elf that had come into his rooms. Of course, a year ago, if that were to happen, the elves would be ready to dodge and duck any curses he might have felt throwing at them for disturbing his sleep. Not anymore. James calmed him and the silly creatures enough. Ever the pureblooded son, James grew up to the sudden appearance and disappearance of house elves and had taught him that he just needed to get used to the pops. He was now.
"Masters Malfoy and Snape's been in the drawing room, Sir." The elf bowed lowly. "Tally be seeing to them till Sir can do so himself."
Tom nodded and watched as the elf popped away. He carefully moved away from James, taking a moment to take in the peaceful look on his lover's face before hauling himself out of bed. It was a little after noon, but the heavy curtains in his rooms had proven to be quite adapt at blocking away the sun.
The darkness reminded him of the Slytherin common room and dorms. He loved it. A little bit of Hogwarts in his very own home. It goes to show that James had a Gryffindor room in the house somewhere. He had yet to see it because he feared he'd hex all that red and gold. He still couldn't stand the color. Not after all those years in the orphanage when all the girls would pelt him with red cards on St. Valentines' day.
Tom's interest changed as he walked down the stairs and into the drawing room. Whatever it was that lead his Lieutenants to visit him when they had not been called was anyone's guess. Of course, he knew that Severus had better things to do than drop by and visit and so the matter would have to be concerning Lucius.
Both men were standing, heads bowed rather automatically once he entered. He liked that he could still command such a presence that he neither had to speak nor curse the person in the room for them to show subservience.
"Rise." He waved a hand and a bit of wandless magic pushed the curtains further open, letting the afternoon sun trickle in. Tom sat in his favorite chair, with its straight back and its soft cushions. He watched as Lucius and Severus did the same before regarding them with a face that only meant business. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"
And he meant that. Lucius and Severus may have to follow his orders, and he might have used them as targets back in the day he'd been all crazy but they were still some of his closest friends. Two who never left him though he had had that moment of madness.
Lucius had a rather pained look on his face, his blonde hair tied rather loosely for Tom's taste. Never before had he seen the man so unkempt, not even on his own wedding day where the blonde nearly hexed every person to inquire his standing.
"I fear that I must leave you, my Lord."Lucius spoke slowly.
Tom's eyebrows raised a fraction, enough that his Lieutenants saw his surprise. He frowned and thought of everything that he could have ever done and said to the Malfoy patriarch. Why would he want to leave him? And why would he have such gall and boldness to say it up front?
"Explain." Tom said.
Lucius' shoulders liquefied and for the Slytherin it was very similar to sagging against the back of his chair. "It is not that I want to do so, my Lord. Believe me, if there were any other ways I would never even consider leaving your service."
"Then why?"
"It's my wife, my Lord." Lucius' eyes said everything that needed to be heard. They were molten mercury expressing grief and pain. He was a Malfoy, and it was genetically engrained in him to not push himself and not push his feelings but this was a topic that even he could not hide what he was truly feeling.
Tom, on the other hand, was a little more than confused. Narcissa was, as far as he could tell, never bothered that Lucius was practically the right hand man of the rising Dark Lord. She'd hosted quite a few balls and parties in his honor and had even sent them her personal congratulations when James announced he was with child.
Nothing was making sense.
"Is she unhappy?" Tom asked, shifting slightly in his chair. "Has something happened that concerns us enough that you must leave? And here I thought she would be pleased to be Hadrian's godmother."
Lucius' eyes widened. "My lord… that is a great honor."
"Yes." Tom nodded. "James and I… we only want the best for our son. And your wife has been a dedicated friend and supporter through all these years. I know that she would take care of Hadrian if something ever happened to James or myself."
"That is the thing, my Lord." Lucius said. "Narcissa wants a child of her own. We have been trying for so long and we've lost too many already."
Understanding dawned in Tom as he realized that Narcissa had had enough. Of course, Tom knew all about the miscarriages. A little guilt on his part, but he knew why Narcissa had never carried a child to its full term. It had something to do with a little spell he had placed on the Malfoy family when he had been out of his mind. He did not want his followers moving on without him, and so he had placed a mild curse on Narcissa and told no one. In all honesty, he had forgotten about that little curse.
"How many?" Tom asked.
Lucius paused and his eyebrows drew together. "Four, my Lord. Cressida would have been starting Hogwarts this year and Aries would have been the Malfoy heir and would have been my successor."
Tom nodded. Guilty was not something he would ever think of feeling, but right now that was probably what churned his stomach and made his heart beat fast. "I see."
"I have asked Severus for his help time and time again." Lucius continued, looking at the Potions Master who didn't look too happy to be there.
"I am not a Healer, my Lord. But I can assure you that I am quite adept with potion making." Severus said. "I have made Narcissa many tonics to ensure that her body would help in keeping the child in her womb safe but so far she seems resistant to not only my own potions but from anyone else's concoctions."
"Money is not a problem." Lucius added. "We would gladly pay anyone any price if it meant having a child of our own. Which is why I must ask to leave your service."
Tom frowned. "That would not be necessary."
"My lord?" Lucius cast a look at his feared leader. He wasn't sure how he wanted this conversation to end but he did not envision it leading to his death. "I know you do no appreciate my request to leave but I must think of my wife. If we are to have a family then I must do what I think is best."
"Hush Lucius, I am thinking." Tom snapped. Indeed he was thinking. Removing that curse from Narcissa and Lucius would be easy. Come to think of it, he had removed the curse on Bellatrix when he realized what he could possibly have with James. How had he forgotten that he had cursed both sisters? Maybe possibly even the third. Standing up, Tom summoned a house elf and asked it to escort his Lieutenants outside.
"I shall discuss your request with James." Tom said as they prepared for their obvious dismissal. "In the meantime, Severus, I want you to brew a potion for me and Lucius, I want you and your wife to have a nursery ready."
Lucius, who could not even begin to think of what the nursery would be for, merely nodded and offered one more bow. If it meant being able to start a family, he didn't care what it would be.
James had been in a right fit and he was a little more than in the mood to start throwing hexes around the room. Of course he wasn't allowed to do that cause it would upset the bloody baby. Well guess what? He was upset and he had no way of relieving the stress! Sirius wasn't here and neither was Moony and his god awful husband was being whisked away from meeting to meeting and probably had no clue that he was about ready to pop open.
Narcissa was here though and she was doing her very best trying to calm him down. He appreciated the soft looks she sent him and he was actually trying to tone down his pained cries. After all, it wouldn't do to terrify the woman seeing as she would have to go through this herself in no less than six months.
"The Dark Lord will be here in a few minutes time, James." She said, placing a wet flannel on his forehead to cool him down.
James nodded and took in deep breaths as another contraction pulsed through him. He groaned before sagging completely against the bed. "Thank you so much for being here Cissa. I think I'd die if I were doing this alone."
"You exaggerate too much James." In response to that, James raised his head and glared at his long time friend.
"Alexander was nowhere this big! I don't see you lying on your back with a baby the size of an elephant trying to climb his way out." He snapped. "Until then Lily, leave me to my dramatics."
Lily grinned at that but lovingly rolled her eyes all the same. She sat down her fellow Gryffindor and fluffed up his pillow. "He was like this before Quidditch games you see, so we're quite used to it."
Narcissa smiled back. It was still a bit odd to be cavorting with Gryffindor's, but if their Lord could do it then she would just have to stomach it and do the same. For some reason, ever since she found out that she was once again pregnant, Narcissa could never find it in herself to be angry. Not after she was given another chance for a baby.
James had seen the change in the ex-Slytherin and he couldn't help but smile through the pain of another contraction at seeing the two women talking. Of course, he needed their attention as much as he needed his baby to get out of him already. "When is the Healer getting here?"
"Soon." Narcissa promised.
"How soon is soon?" James cried, sweat sliding down the side of his head and down his neck.
"Soon." Lily answered. She stood up and looked out the windows. Riddle Manor was unplottable but no one could Apparate in our out unless they were keyed into the wards. Which Sirius and Moony were not so she was looking out just in case they'd come and needed to be let in.
"I don't know who I want to see more," James huffed in conversationally. "The Healer or Tom."
"Must you choose?" Narcissa asked taking the flannel from his forehead and wiping his face.
"I think I'd hexed the first one I'd see." James huffed and nearly doubled over as pain bloomed over his stomach. "Oh Merlin, Hadrian! I know that you wanna be born but neither your Father nor your Healer is here so you'll have to work with me and just stay still for a few bloody seconds!"
Lily chuckled and cooed towards James' stomach. "Not even born yet and already you're pissing James off. I like you kid."
James sighed. "I'm glad you and Narcissa are both godmothers. He'll need a sensible figure aside from Tom, and Lily you may be book-smart but you were friends with the Marauders for a reason."
"I hear you." Lily nodded before an air warbling outside caught her attention. She shot up to her feet and made for the door. "Sirius and Remus!"
James nodded and let out a relieved sigh. Now all he needed was Tom and that stupid Healer! Merciful Merlin, Lily came back not with Sirius or Remus but with the Healer who had a rather dreamy look on her face. She came in with her Healer's bag floating on after her.
"I see we're about ready." She hummed before extending a hand to Narcissa, who was on alert after seeing an unfamiliar face. "My name is Healer Althea and I'll be covering for Healer Thompskins as he is otherwise occupied."
"Tom will have his head." James grumbled but was just so bloody happy that the pain was about to stop. "Or when he gets here at least."
"Have whose head?" Tom asked as he walked into the room, still dressed in his black robes. He approached James immediately and pressed a soft lingering kiss to his lips. "I'm so sorry it took so long."
"Doesn't matter. You're here now." James said, his eyes prickling with tears. Awful hormones. Not to mention the potions Severus had made him drink earlier to begin the creation of his birth canal. Male pregnancies were messy things.
"I am." Tom nodded before looking around. "Where's your Healer?"
"That would be me." Healer Althea moved away from where she had been preparing her materials and offered her hand. Tom stared at it for a second then at the woman's dreamy looking face before taking it warily. Never before had he been unnerved to shake a person's hand.
"Name?" He asked before letting go. Her eyes were a cloudy blue and it was easy to push into her mind to see if she was any danger to his family.
"Althea Lovegood." The Healer said. She obviously knew that Tom was using Legillemency on her and didn't seem to mind at all.
Tom pulled away from her and gave another nod, approving her before moving back to his lover. He noticed that Evans was in the room, along with Narcissa. He gave them all short glances to acknowledge their presence but otherwise gave James his undivided attention.
It was only a short while before Althea ushered Narcissa and Lily to head on and meet up with Sirius, Remus, Lucius, and Severus because Hadrian was now ready to be born and she could not work with so many people in the room.
The two women left them easily enough and were in charge of calming the soon to be godfathers. It wasn't an easy task.
"He's so beautiful." James cried as Althea placed his son into his arms. The thing weighed so little and he was so wrinkly and pink and small and pink! Ten fingers and ten tiny toes attached to small hands and small feet that were connected to strong legs that kicked out as he squirmed all over the place.
Nine months and three days of pregnancy and twelve hours of labor and James could hardly feel it. All he knew was that his son was here, finally he was here. He looked up at Tom who was laid down on his side on the bed with him, his green eyes molted with love and affection and James couldn't believe that he now had his family.
"I am going to raise you right." James whispered, pulling his son close to him but not far from Tom. He looked up at his husband and corrected himself. "We're going to raise you right. You won't be spoiled but you'll have everything you'll ever need. You're going to be a brilliant wizard and you're never going to be alone."
"In short," Tom chuckled pressing his lips to James' hair. "He will be loved."
"Yes." James chuckled as tears came to his eyes. Damn hormones and potions. "You will be loved Hadrian Thames Riddle-Potter."
"Thames?" Tom pulled back and watched as James' cheeks flushed.
"I like it." He murmured. "I know you wanted to name him James, but it's not fair. I mean, he has both our last names so I thought why not give him both our first names."
"Hence Thames?" Tom asked chuckling lightly. "I see, it's a combination of Tom and James."
"Well, yes." James looked at Tom. "Why, what did you think it meant?"
"Nothing." Tom settled into the bed furthermore and stared at his son and lover. He knew that James' Gryffindor mind couldn't have been thinking of the River in England when he'd named their son. It just wasn't James. He smiled even more at the thought and couldn't help but say, "I love you. Thank you for giving me Harry."
James' eyes watered even more and he scowled. "Damn it Tom, you're not supposed to say stuff like this and make me cry!"
Tom laughed and he pressed in closer, mindful of the baby in between him and his lover. "Marry me."
James gaped at him, brown eyes wide and a shit eating grin made its way to his face. "Yes."
Harry was six months old and in his walker when Sirius came out of the Floo, spluttering and choking on left over ashes. James looked up from where had had been trying to coax Harry into eating mashed carrots to no avail and stared at his best friend.
Sirius was one for noisy entrances, but he was currently disheveled, panicked, and obviously spooked.
"What's going on?" James frowned, picking Harry up from his walker. It had been a gift from Lily and James had never thought he'd love a Muggle device so much in his life.
Sirius looked at his godson for a moment before he took control of himself. "I now know why you never piss a Black off."
"Oh?" James grinned, his eyebrow raising. "Why?"
"Because they're vicious!" Sirius snapped. "I mean, we're vicious! Or maybe not me cause I don't think I've ever exploded like that! Cissa was all ready to take my balls!"
"Language." James frowned as he casually bounced Harry his arms. The little boy cried in delight, waving his little arms. At six months he was now big and rather heavy. His eyes were a startling shade of Avada Green. He loved his and Tom's genetics. They made a beautiful child. James grinned at that before he returned to Sirius. "And why is Cissa up at arms to castrate you?"
"She's not exactly up, per say." Sirius grumbled as he watched Harry do some kind of dance in James arms. "More like she's strapped to the bed cause her kids are ready to come into the world."
James' hold on Harry tightened and he was glad because he would never forgive himself if he dropped his son. "Now? Why didn't you say so!"
"I just did!" Sirius whined as James hurried on the grab a cloak, first one of Harry's before his own and he rushed to the Floo.
James hurriedly, but carefully, climbed in the fireplace and tucked Harry's face into his neck to avoid any mishaps with the powder and Flooed to Malfoy Manor. He stumbled a bit but thanked Merlin that people were expecting him since Severus caught him by the arm and helped him out of the fireplace just in time for Sirius to tumble through.
"No one ever catches me." The Animagus huffed and stayed on his back, staring straight at the ceiling. He was either very drunk or very overwhelmed. James hoped it was the first.
Harry let out a very happy squeal to see not only Severus but Lily as well. This surprised James because he knew that Lily should not be out of bed, or carrying Alexander anywhere. He asked her that and the redheaded witch calmly replied that she was not going to miss the grand birth of the Malfoy babies.
"Cissa would never forgive me." Lily added, handing Alexander to Severus.
James knew the feeling and he couldn't help but smile as Tom walked up to him and took Harry from his arms before giving him a long kiss.
"How's Lucius?" James asked as they separated.
Tom let out a soft growl. "He was worse than you were during the wedding."
James chuckled but did not rise to the bait. He knew that Tom was bored, but that's only because his husband, husband, was used to so much excitement. Harry proved to be enough of a distraction as Tom took him to the adjoining room where Lucius was worrying the carpet. That wasn't good. That particular carpet was an expensive original design from Italy. Lucius would never forgive himself for ruining it.
Tom, who was thinking along the same line, effectively halted Lucius' pacing when he passed the blonde his godson and he immediately took to calming down. Holding a baby whilst not giving it your undivided attention was never a good thing to even try.
James on the other hand passed by the trio and into the bedroom where Narcissa was with Althea. She had become the Riddle-Malfoy-Snape's personal healer supervising not only Narcissa but Lily's pregnancy as well. She was well on her fifth month. James would sometimes think how odd it was that they were all having babies at the same time, but seeing as this was Lily's second child he didn't dwell too much on it.
The Malfoy matriarch was settled comfortably on the bed, her stomach round and full of life. It made sense that she was so big since she was carrying not only one but two Malfoy babies. One of which would be his godchild.
"Are you feeling dramatic?" He asked as he sat down on Narcissa's bed.
The blonde smiled despite her heavy breathing and the pink tint to her cheeks. "I've been threatening everyone who enters my room."
"You didn't threaten me." James noted.
Narcissa chuckled. "You are special. Now where's my godson?"
"With his godfather." James said. "He all but ruined the carpet outside."
"He'll hate himself tomorrow." Narcissa muttered before her hands flew to cup her stomach. "Oh! Althea are we nowhere ready yet?"
The Healer, who smiled at them warmly shook her head. "I'm sorry Cissa, but neither Draco nor Phoenix feel like coming out yet."
Narcissa huffed but it was beyond her to do more than that. James admired her control, when it had been him there he had been huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf and he had vaguely recalled groaning and moaning like a ghoul.
The sound of happy gurgling gained everyone's attention as Lucius came into the room with Harry in his arms. James grinned as his son waved his arms in delight, seeing Narcissa and Althea. It was as if they hadn't all met up for dinner the night before.
"Hello sweetheart." Narcissa cooed as Lucius took the seat next to her bed and sat Harry on his lap so that they could talk to one another. A small little first grabbed onto one of Narcissa's fingers and squeezed. "You're getting quite strong."
Harry gurgled happily and leaned back against Lucius' chest, content with waving Narcissa's finger every now and then. James watched the Malfoy family and couldn't help but think that in a couple of hours, Narcissa and Lucius would have children of their own. He couldn't believe how long it had been since they started trying. They deserved children, all of them but Narcissa and Lucius even more.
James didn't want to jinx anything because of how many times this had gone wrong for the Malfoy's and so he kept his mouth shut and hoped to Merlin that this time it would work.
Harry was just about to fall asleep sitting against Lucius when Severus strode into the room, black cape fluttering as he handed his son to Lily who watched alarmed. Severus never hurried or moved quite the quickly if not with a good reason.
"What's wrong?" She asked as she took Alexander into her arms.
"Dumbledore is summoning me, for what reason I do not know." Severus said. He leaned over and kissed his wife and child before turning to James. "Tom feels as if this has something to do with why the old man has been so quiet. He has gone as well."
Panic pulled at James' heart. "What? Where too?"
"I do not know." Severus shook his head but made for the door. "Lucius, you are to stay here and keep them company. If anyone gets through the wards, you are to use the Portkey. None of the Death Eater's have been given orders to come to the Manor and so if anyone, even Bella, comes knocking down the door you are to attack."
"I understand." Lucius said, standing and moving to give Harry back to James. His earlier nervousness had melted away and all they could see was the Malfoy stoicness.
On the bed, Narcissa watched the proceedings and couldn't quite help herself as her breathing grew faster. "What do you mean even if it were Bella? Severus! Is there an attack coming to us?"
Severus turned to look at the blonde and frowned deeply. "I hope not Narcissa. But it might just happen."
Narcissa's face turned pale and she let out a small groan of pain to which Althea responded to immediately.
"It's time." She said in that dreamy tone of hers and James who was now cradling Harry, couldn't help but wish that the Malfoy children hurried. Now was not the time to be vulnerable and strapped to the bed.
Albus stared at the fire blazing in his office. He couldn't believe how he had missed this. Neither James nor Sirius came back to answer his missive. Remus, after a while, had refused to show up as well. Lily had gone undercover, promising to figure out what Severus was up to but she too had not answered any of his calls. He had thought that not meddling with Lily's plans would do some good and would forge a deeper bond of trust between Severus and Lily but it seems that it went a little too far.
Names upon names had been appearing in the Department of Mysteries and a prophecy or two had been spoken.
Albus had at least the Longbottom family under his watch. He knew that little Neville was a very happy baby and that Alice and Frank were ever loyal to him. He had been hoping the same would be said for Lily and James but it seems that two had never been interested that way.
This wasn't how it was supposed to go. The hero always went after his high school sweetheart not for the bloody villain! And now James and Tom had a son. Oh no, this would not do at all. If Tom had his sights set on taking over the Wizarding World, the prospect of an heir would urge him to do so with much vigor. There would be no stopping the boy now.
And Severus leaving his service to fully run under Tom's was very vexing. The Slytherin had managed to acquire Lily's trust as well. He had expected a denial from Sirius and Remus but now neither were coming back too.
James… Albus didn't know how he could have lost James. But it had happened and there was nothing to be done about that.
Alexander Evan Snape
Hadrian Thames Riddle-Potter
Phoenix Orion Malfoy
Draco Abraxas Malfoy
Now them. Albus leaned back as the flames in his Floo turned green and Severus stepped out. He smiled though it was not because the Potions master had answered his call, but because he knew that those people, he could do something about.
AN: So this is the first part of "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us". This was inspired by a fic that I read where James and Tom were together. I found them so adorable I just had to write them together as well. There will be Dumbledore!bashing but only because he's against things that he has no control over.
If you have any question, you can ask. I'll answer them if I can.
