Disclaimer:The Harry Potter universe doesn't belong to me and I don't make money with this.
Author's Note: I want to thank all my wonderful reviewers, although for some reason I wasn't able to answer all of them, because I read them and then I decided to answer them later and then there weren't displayed anymore, so I sincerely apologise to those I couldn't answer, though I don't think that my answers are much to look forward to, anyway. Okay, I'm probably annoying you or you already skipped down to the story, so enjoy...
2. NEGOTIATIONS
Sirius watched his godson sleeping on his sofa. He was concerned about him. It was not only the contract and the turn which would be following suite. He had looked pale, when Remus and he had fetched him from his Muggle relatives, who had been acting odd and rude towards them, but that was perhaps because they were Muggles. Then there was the fact that he had flinched violently, when Remus had touched his back for the first time this afternoon and that he was even thinner than before.
"What are you thinking about, Paddy?", asked the quiet voice of his lover and best friend Remus Lupin, who had snaked his arms around his torso from behind, "You looked worried."
Sirius sighed: „That's probably because I am worried. Do you know what this was all about?"
"Minerva told me during your talk with Malfoy and Severus", he looked over to the still form on the sofa, "They truly expect a lot from him and he's barely sixteen."
"I hate it that he has no other choice", Sirius growled, trying to murder the night sky with his eyes.
"He could always refuse", the werewolf interjected softly and kissed Sirius' nose to get his attention back.
Sirius snorted: "You know, he would never let them fight on, if he has a chance to stop them without killing anyone. Sacrifice himself for the greater good! That's it- he has no choice!"
Remus looked thoughtful and guided Sirius to their kitchen so that they wouldn't wake up the topic of their conversation.
"Can we help him?", Sirius asked, sending the werewolf a pleading look, "Can we do something to make it at least easier for him?"
"We can be there for him!", Remus said without hesitation, "We can be there if he needs our help! Except that? I fear there's nothing we can do, Paddy. Let's grab a bit of sleep, okay?"
Sirius nodded, took the last sip of his tea and followed Remus to their bedroom, giving Harry a goodnight kiss on the way.
While Hogwarts and its few occupants surrendered to sleep, Lucius Malfoy and Rudolphus Lestrange were on their way to the Dark Lord, who at the moment waited impatiently for his servants' return.
The room was shadowed as they entered, only illuminated by the dying fire in the hearth and a magical torch near the door. The dark furniture and wall colour didn't help the feeling of darkness. Near the fire laid a snake and in one of the corners stood a house-elf almost unnoticed, patiently waiting for its Master to retire so that it would be able to clean the room.
Lucius Malfoy graciously approached the armchair, in which Lord Voldemort currently resided, and while Lestrange bowed silently, he greeted: "Mylord, we have returned with news from Hogwarts and your soon-to-be-husband."
"So I guess, they accept my offer?", the most powerful Dark wizard inquired in a darkly amused voice.
Malfoy allowed himself a contemptuous little smile, before replying: "Fudge wanted to accept right away, but Potter suggested a few changes."
"Well, how did Potter react?", asked the Dark Lord, hiding the eagerness in his voice.
"First he didn't believe it, then he started screaming and destroying the headmaster's office with accidental magic, then he talked to his godfather and insulted Fudge", Lestrange answered, using a monotone voice.
"He insulted the Minister?" Voldemort interrogated, "Why ever did he do that?"
Lucius started to tell the whole story with occasional help from the other Death Eater and went then over to report about the negotiations handing over the corrected contract.
"Not very modest, now is he?", said Voldemort, after having finished his reading, "I can't see me accept these conditions as they are."
"I think it was mostly Black's doing, he didn't seem to be interested in it too much. He only wanted to have Pettigrew transferred to the Ministry!", Malfoy responded.
"Well, then we should arrange a meeting so that we can negotiate further", Voldemort suggested, though there was no way to refuse and his two servants nodded dutifully, "Where is Severus, by the way, I thought I ordered him to come, too?"
"He asks to be excused, since Dumbledore wanted to talk to him about the Wolfsbane Potion, he is to brew for that werewolf. And with the peace offer he has no excuse to be dismissed earlier, for it won't be necessary to 'spy' on us any longer", solved Lestrange with a little bow just as the man in question made his appearance, bowing as well.
"Do you have something new to report?", questioned the Dark Lord still completely hidden by the darkness.
"Mylord, it seems as if Harry Potter doesn't trust the headmaster as he did before. He mouthed the concern that he may lose him", replied the Potions Master.
"Lose him? Indeed he will!", Voldemort declared, dismissing his servants with the order to arrange the meeting and look for further information about the Potter boy.
It had been over one year ago, when he had started to want that boy. That night he had seen his power and the great resource it would give him, among other things... The way he had looked up at him knowing that he would die, but unwilling to give up yet, had fascinated him to no end and he had promised himself that he would have him. It didn't bother him too much that he had to cease the war, for it hadn't been very successful anyway, save of course that the whole Wizarding World was frightened that he might appear on their doorstep, which filled him with a sardonic glee. This was one reason why he wanted him, the other was that he would have Dumbledore's prize, his treasure, his weapon, his fate, that one factor which was the Light side's advantage and soon would be his. It was not that he had an optimistic attitude- it was realistic, for he always got what he wanted: He wanted to be in Slytherin- he was sorted into Slytherin; he wanted to be the best student- he was the best student; he wanted to discover the Chamber of Secrets- he discovered and opened the Chamber of Secrets; he wanted to be Head Boy- he was made Head Boy; he wanted to have a new body to intimidate- he got a new body, which he now had come to regret and had remedied with one of Severus' potions; he wanted to kill the Potters- he... okay scratch that, but he almost always got what he wanted. And this would be no exception to the rule. With such joyful thoughts he stood up, hissed good night to Nagini and made his way to his chambers.
As soon as Sirius and Remus had closed the door to their room, Harry opened his eyes again and went to one of the large windows which faced the lake. He hated to put on the act, it felt like lying to his godfather, but he couldn't bring himself to burden him with his problems, because he seemed to be happy, which hadn't been the case in a long time. The stars shone brightly and reflected on the undisturbed surface of the lake so that it looked like a second sky. The Forbidden Forest seemed also quiet and peaceful, not dangerous and wild, although Harry knew that it was exactly that, and Hagrid's hut (at the moment not inhabited, for he was on a visit in Beauxbatons) appeared to come directly from an Muggle fairytale. Why? This was the question that repeated in his head again and again and again and he couldn't find the answer. Even if he had wanted to, he wouldn't have been able to sleep with all these thoughts on his mind. But he didn't like sleeping anyway, so that was no problem at all. The problem was the reason why he didn't like sleeping: nightmares. Harry could hardly remember a night, when he hadn't woke up screaming and tossing in his bed. So now he preferred to skip the sleeping and dreaming part of the day and go on, also because this meant that he was never unguarded or totally defenceless. Here, in Hogwarts you didn't have to worry about safety, not really with Dumbledore and his super wards. It was kind of frightening that even his inner voice sounded ironical and bitter. Dumbledore's super ward hadn't helped him this summer nor the last... Best don't think about it, he ordered himself and decided to go for a little walk, since sleeping was out of question. Silently he left the room, using one of his secret passageways to the front doors and further in the direction of the Forbidden Forest, which yes was dangerous and wild, but not to Harry Potter, for he had most of the animals, creatures and spirits on his side. And at the moment he wanted to meet with one of the unicorns or centaurs and they would protect him with all their might so that he would be more than safe.
"Hey there, Niveus", Harry greeted, smiling slightly as the unicorn's nose pushed gently against his belly, "It has been a rough day!", he announced as he swung himself on the silvery white back.
"Where have you been?", asked the sharp voice of the Minister, who had obviously recovered from yesterday's shock and had decided to make up for his rude attitude with an even ruder attitude.
Harry closed the door to Dumbledore's office after Sirius and himself, raising an eyebrow in true Snape-fashion: "I've gone for a ride and Snuffles, as far as I know, slept in."
"I don't care what your dog did", Fudge spluttered and his fist connected with Dumbledore's desk.
"Then why did you ask?", he replied innocently, faking a puzzled look and made his way to the chair next to Lupin, who had taken McGonagall's place.
The Minister decided to change the topic: "And what have you been riding? It's not like Hogwarts has stables..."
"Actually it has. You know, the Thestrals? And to your question: One of the unicorns. Shall I describe him? He is white, a little silver near the eyes, with a spiralled horn on his forehead, golden hooves, his eyes are... ", Harry said in a mocking voice.
"I know what a unicorn looks like and you can't ride them!", Fudge interrupted and crumpled his bowler in rage.
"Maybe, Minister, you should consider that you can't normally survive the killing curse as well", replied a dark voice, coming from a black-haired man with blood-red eyes in his mid-twenties.
This shut the Minister up and allowed Dumbledore to introduce Harry to the new visitor who had just spoken, but he already knew who he was, because of his scar that had started hurting, when he had entered: "Harry, I'm sure you recognise Tom even though he has changed quite a lot since your last meeting!"
The Dark Lord extended his hand for Harry to shake, but he refused with the words: "I appreciate the act that you're putting on, but my scar hurts enough as it is and I'm not eager to worsen it, thank you very much", before he asked why they were here.
"Oh yes, about that. I have asked Severus to work on a potion to take away the pain", Dumbledore intervened cheerfully, disregarding Snape's deepening scowl.
"Fine, and why are we here?", Harry asked again, absently petting Snuffles, and tried to ignore his growing headache and the pain that seemed to radiate from his stomach so that soon after he couldn't have named, where it hurt the most- damned Dursleys!
"To negotiate further, of course", answered Tom Riddle, "Or did you think I would accept your conditions just like that?"
"No, what are your objections?", Harry replied evenly, but Voldemort's reply was cut short by the Minister: "First of all, I want to see the contract. You can't decide over our heads. I have tolerated this once, and only once."
All around the room objects started to shake and break or explode and one heavy-looking book dropped itself on Fudge's head, who collapsed with a muffled cry. Sirius began to bark, before hiding under Harry's chair, Dumbledore started to hum something that sounded suspiciously like 'Jingle Bells', the Dark Lord seemed to suppress laughing, Snape looked as if he was asking why he had to be alive at all, Lupin had cast a protective charm and was now waiting patiently for Harry to calm down and Malfoy and Lestrange stood there, ignoring the turmoil.
"Sorry", came after a while Harry's voice, his face covered in dust.
"Not a problem at all, though I guess Cornelius would think otherwise", Dumbledore offered and twinkled.
Harry sent him an odd look, but withhold to tell him that he didn't apologise to him but to Sirius, who was now licking his hand in affirmation.
"What I wanted to say, before we were so rudely interrupted, Harry, is that I object your suggestion to continue your lessons in Hogwarts", Tom Riddle proceeded still with an amused smirk, "For then I would be separated from you most of the time and as we'll be married this is highly inappropriate."
"Then you'll have to stay at Hogwarts, too", Harry explained firmly, "Hogwarts is my home."
"Your home is where I live", Tom said matter-of-factly.
"That is an excellent idea. What do you think, Tom, would you be able to teach Defence Against The Dark Arts the coming year? This way Harry can stay in Hogwarts and you can be in his company", the Headmaster exclaimed happily, rubbing his hands in glee.
Tom on the other hand looked more than doubtful, but nodded in agreement: "That could be possible. But then I insist on the visiting times, for you will see your friends in school."
"But I won't be able to see Sirius or Professor Lupin", Harry protested with a wary look to the still unconscious Minister.
"It looked to me that they are staying here as well", Voldemort answered and raised one eyebrow.
"Only until the beginning of the term. We plan to buy a house somewhere near the Scottish border, if you don't mind", Remus replied politely, but Sirius growled and showed some of his teeth.
"Half of the vacation and every first weekend a month", suggested the Dark Lord evenly, but the red eyes betrayed his anger.
"Half of the vacation, every second weekend and they may visit me whenever they like", the frail boy replied with a matching fire in his emerald eyes.
"Half of the vacation, every second weekend and they may visit you in case of an emergency", Tom bargained, twirling his wand between his long and slender fingers.
"And what", asked Lupin, "Would you consider an emergency?"
Tom thought about it for a while: "When one of you is near death."
Harry clenched his fists, both to distract himself from the pain that had intensified in his back and belly as well as in his head and in a vain attempt to control his anger: "That won't happen! When they really need me, that's an emergency. I will tell them not to come unless this is the case."
"You will come if I ask for your presence! And I will bear your expenses, since you fail to do that yourself! And you will not use magic on the Death Eaters or me with the intention to harm or humiliate", hissed Voldemort.
"You will send Wormtail to the Ministry?", Harry asked in a faint voice.
"Yes!"
"Agreed!", Harry accepted, before he doubled over and blacked out.
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