Hello dear readers, I would like to start by thanking all those who have faved, followed and reviewed, I truly am very grateful.
Brighteyes343: I updated the summary for the story, my past summary was lacking a lot of detail - sorry - and I hope this first chapter answers your question.
Jt, Yume, hiyapapaya, Majesticforce and buzzeffect : Thank you once again.
Warnings: Time skip, mild language and you may get a bit confused, but I've tried my best to explain things as much as I could without giving the entire plot away.
Also, there are OC's and OCC's. Why? Because it helps develop the characters and explain things better.
Happy reading.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything nor do I make any profit from this.
Chapter one:
February 1986
Nurmenguard
Gellert was slumped against the frigid, coarse grey stones of his cell, gazing unseeingly out of the small barred window, lost in thought.
How much time had passed since his defeat? What was the world like now that he was long gone, forgotten, left to rot in his own prison?
Suddenly, a bright light cut across the dull sky creating a belt of vivid red which bled out into gold, pink and ultramarine hues.
The appearance of dawn evoked an image of a long forgotten memory to dance at the forefront of his mind – the summer he had met Albus.
His eyes pricked with tears of despair and anguish, leaving hot trails against his cold, papery skin.
Since their battle, not once did his past lover come to visit him.
If Gellert had to choose, between being given another chance to continue his past ambition or Albus, he would choose Albus without a shadow of doubt.
He had finally realised which one he needed more.
It was his last thought as the gold rays of the sun exploded and washed over everything, and he lost consciousness.
February 1896
Godric's hollow
Abraxas watched the pitiful creature on the floor regain his bearing; it was hard to imagine that the feeble old man at his feet, had once been the greatest dark lord in history.
"Hello Gellert, it's been a while," he addressed the former dark lord and held back his amusement at the shocked look he received. The old fool wasn't aware of who he really was, "Albus?" Grindelwald croaked, "what do you want?"
"The world; and you're going to help me get it," Abraxas said reverting back to his true appearance.
"You! What have you done with Albus?" Grindelwald shakily stood on his brittle bones.
Smirking Abraxas continued, "I'll let you see him, after I'm done with you."
"What do you want from me, Abraxas!?"
"It's rather simple, all you need to do is pursue your past dream, except this time, you'll go by the name of Voldemort," he finished explaining.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but I have no desire to do so anymore, goodbye," Gellert turned to leave, or attempted to, but his body was frozen.
Abraxas' lips curved in malice, "oh, but you see, you don't have a choice...father."
August 1988
Lord Voldemort manor
"My Lord, it is our greatest pleasure to be in your presence," Bellatrix smiled and bowed to the vile man sitting on the throne in front of her. She had to hide her disgust for the sake of her son and nephew, and even the half blood servant, who her son seemed fond of, not that he would ever admit it out loud.
Lord Voldemort had come to power a year ago, and although he had changed the ministry and wizarding society for the better and greater good by practically enslaving and putting restrictions on mud bloods and half bloods, the rest of him was undeniably detestable. He had pale, waxy skin, which stretched across his face like leather, and he had no hair on his face or body to speak of. His facial features were snake like: thin grey lips which were almost translucent with dark green veins showing through, two slits where his nose should have been and the worst and most disturbing aspect of his visage were his eyes; slit pupils and soulless, hellish, scarlet orbs.
"Thank you for coming Bellatrix and...?" His eyes trailed behind her, no doubt pinning his beastly pupils on one of her boys. With great self control, Bella managed not to gouge his eyes from their sockets, instead she laughed over exaggeratedly, "this is my dear son, Marvolo," she introduced, moving closer to her son and wrapping one arm around him protectively and the other around Draco as she introduced him as her nephew.
Voldemort's lips stretched into a revolting smile, "ah, Lord Black and the young Malfoy," his gaze then slid to Marvolo's servant, his smile gaining a sadistic edge, "and who, are you?"
Bella wished she had three arms, so she could also protect or offer some form of comfort to the petite half blood boy who remained stoic in front of the monster towering before him, "I'm Nero, my Lord."
"I see, you're the half blood orphan who was forced upon the Blacks," Voldemort hissed icily, circling the boy.
Without warning, Nero was thrown onto the hard, black marble floor, letting out blood curdling screams.
Draco clutched onto her robes tightly, and hid his face in them, his whole form trembling.
She looked to her left and saw Marvolo was in a similar state, with his eyes wide with horror and cold sweat formed on his brow.
Bellatrix repeated the same line in her head, 'he's a half blood, he deserves this,' through the duration of the little boy's torture to prevent herself from intervening.
Her resolve broke when she saw the pools of blood underneath her charge, "My Lord!" She raised her voice to be heard above Nero's screams of agony.
The monster whipped his head in her direction, halting his attack on the defenceless eight year old, "p-please my Lord, I- I mean no offence, but I can't l-let the boy die, we made an unbreakable, I am his guardian after all and the boy is my son's s-servant, he's quite useful," she stammered.
Her blood froze and drained from her face when Voldemort erupted into maniacal laughter, "I guess I got a bit carried away, but all I did was make him more appealing, look for yourself," he made a hand movement which urged them to take a step closer to Nero.
Stunned silence encased the grand room.
Carved into the once smooth and spotless porcelain expanse of Nero's back was the Black emblem; a large shield with a black Abraxan in flight in the middle, a metallic green snake coiled around the shields frame and underneath the shield was the Black motto: toujours pur (always pure).
"Now that that's taken care of, let's move to more important matters, such as to why I called you here in the first place," Voldemort stepped over the prone, bloodied form on the floor and led Bella and the two frightened children to a sizable, round, jade marble table with serpentine legs.
Draco refused to sit on his own chair, so Bella let him sit on her lap and allowed him to cling to her, she could feel wetness on her shoulder, poor thing must be traumatised, how will I ever explain this to Cissy, she thought sadly, keeping a strict composure outside. A brief sideward glance told her Marvolo was back to his indifferent, usual self, so he really doesn't care about the half blood as much as I had first thought.
Her attention was pulled back to the fiend when he spoke, "I'll be blunt, as to not waste anymore of your valuable time," he began mockingly, "from what I've seen today, I want Marvolo to be named my successor."
Bellatrix blinked, "my Lord?"
"I want your son Marvolo Black, the Black heir or Lord Black, to succeed me when I'm unable to continue," he repeated, interlocking his fingers.
"B-but, but, you've only recently come to power, why are you thinking of leaving so soon?" She was on her guard, her body tense; ready to defend Marvolo if the need arise.
"Don't bare your claws at me my dear, I will not harm a pure blood, especially one of such an ancient house, I merely want to take Marvolo under my wing when he leaves school, to teach him how to rule wizarding Britain and perhaps more countries, for when I am gone or retire. After all, all great rulers need to have the best successors to continue their legacy, do they not?"
She stared at him with her mouth agape, was he serious? "You want to make Marvolo the next ruler?" She asked to reassure herself that she wasn't hearing things.
"Of course, that is if you and the person in question agree?"
"Mother?" Bella turned her head to her son, "Yes, I accept your proposal," she said and Marvolo smiled and gave his own answer, "as do I, my Lord."
Though, in the back of her mind, a little voice screamed at her, that the situation was too suspicious, too...easy, there must be some hidden motive.
Seeing the pleased look on her son's gorgeous face, she snuffed the traitorous little voice before it made her change her mind.
This was all for the greater good.
Marvolo was safe.
What possible harm could come to him from this?
Nothing, nothing at all...
If Bella and Marvolo had paid a bit more attention to their surroundings, or the man in front of them, they may have noticed the brief flicker of Voldemort's eyes change from red to azure blue or even the man said to have died from dragon pox, pick up the injured boy and leave.
August 1988
Black manor
Marvolo was still smiling from ear to ear when he and his mother flooed back to the manor after sending Draco home.
He was now next in line to rule all of wizarding Britain.
His smile faltered when his mother handed him a piece of parchment, "this is a formal contract, to show anyone who asks that the half blood is your servant, sign it and keep it somewhere secret."
"Thank you, mother," he accepted the contract and made his way to his lavish room.
His smile had disappeared completely when he noted the absence of his servant.
The already large room felt bigger and emptier all of a sudden.
He was alone.
Quickly dismissing such pointless thoughts and feelings, Marvolo got ready for bed, "Nero, prepare my b-" He swallowed the rest of his command when he remembered the other boy wasn't present.
He shrugged; he didn't need a bath today anyway.
Sliding into the silk covers of his king sized four-poster bed; Marvolo closed his eyes and attempted to sleep.
Marvolo was standing in a dimly lit, cool room. Everything from the smooth, wet floor tiles, to the rows of snake statues, were bathed in an eerie green tinged light that seemed to radiate from an oppressive looking statue of an aged man and the dark pool of water beneath him.
He couldn't understand why he didn't feel fear and his self preservation instincts quick in, instead he felt oddly... nostalgic.
"Tom!" Marvolo turned his head in the direction of the voice.
Running towards him was a young man or older teen; he looked like an older version of Draco, except the stranger wore his hair in a longer fashion.
"Tom! What have you done!?" The stranger shouted and reached out a hand towards him.
Before Marvolo could correct the stranger, that his name wasn't Tom, a blinding white light encompassed his vision.
His heavy lids fluttered open, only to snap shut again at the piercing brightness.
There was an annoying white noise ringing in his ears.
Marvolo sat up and blinked several times to get rid of the haziness, when his vision became clear he noticed the still empty divan at the foot of his bed.
"Nero?" He called out.
When no one answered, the same annoying ache from last night erupted in his chest.
"Hugo!" He called one of his many house elves, in a long time...
There was a loud pop followed by the annoying, squeaky, poorly spoken, "Master Black, how can Hugo helps you," speech of the house elf.
"Where is my servant, Nero?" He asked changing into his regal robes and freshening up.
"Nero is not being in Black manor, Master Black."
"What do you mean, he is not here?! I was told one of the house elves bought him back to the manor and was attending to his wounds," his voice raised a few octaves, causing Hugo to flop his enormous bat like ears downwards, "Hugo does not know. Hugo will punish himself."
Ignoring the elf, Marvolo went to seek out his mother.
August 1988
Godric's hollow
Abraxas bit his lower lip in frustration, the imperius he had cast on his father needed improvement, the fool had nearly cost him Tom's life insurance.
Thankfully, he had managed to whisk away the Potter boy in time, and heal his wounds before they left any scarring or permanent damage, Tom would not forgive him, if he found out that his horcrux was marred due to his failure.
His thoughts moved to his grandson – Draco – it seemed the young boy had come to care for his rival, just as he did in his own timeline.
"You should return him to his owner, before said owner grows worried," an all too familiar and unwelcome voice interrupted his thoughts.
Letting out a deep sigh of annoyance, he faced the irresistibly handsome fallen angel, "what do you want, Elliot?"
Elliot had the audacity to smile innocently while saying, "I came for our monthly make out fest, as part of our deal, or have you forgotten now that you're slightly ahead in our little game?" His amber eyes were filled with lust as he gazed upon Abraxas.
Abraxas sneered at him, "I am very far ahead, seeing as I've already found four of the future horcruxes, what have you found? Nothing."
Elliot ran a pale hand through his waist length, layered, choppy midnight hair, tousling them further, "actually, I've found one and I'm aware of the location of the remaining two.
However, I don't plan to use them as quickly as you seem to be doing.
Do you really plan to ruin everything you've sacrificed, by telling your ex lover who he really is?
I wonder how he will react when he finds out that you've sold your soul to me in order to save his.
If he still cares by then, you know, now that you've handed him his soul mate on a silver platter."
One of Elliot's dark wings stretched out and hovered over the boy-who-lived, effectively getting rid of the glamour Abraxas had placed on the boy's forehead to reveal the lightning bolt scar, "out of all the marks, why a lightning bolt?" Elliot asked more himself than Abraxas.
"I'll return shortly after sending the boy home," Abraxas uttered curtly before departing.
August 1988
Malfoy mansion
Narcissa had just returned from a social event at the Parkinsons, to discover her only child, Draco being shushed and comforted by Lucius, "Draco, my dear angel, what happened?"
She took over Lucius' position and petted her son's soft hair, "was aunt Bella mean to you? Or was it Marvolo?"
Through broken sobs, Draco heaved, "H-Har...Harry," he managed to say before erupting into more sobs and wails.
Immediately, Narcissa's caring expression and soft voice turned dark, "what has that half blood scum done?" She was already thinking up ways to brutally punish the filth; no one harmed her family and got away without being thoroughly burned.
Draco shook his head rapidly, and rubbed his red, puffy eyes, "n-no, h-he, he w-was h-hurt," he sniffed and wiped away fresh tears, "I-I w-w-was s-so scared."
Narcissa looked at Lucius in confusion; he looked just as baffled as she was.
Narcissa soothed Draco by placing kisses atop his head and cheeks and whispering soft reassurances, "it's ok darling, no one is going to hurt you, you're safe, mommy and daddy will protect you."
Draco pushed away from her embrace, "n-no! I-it's not o-okay! I c-couldn't s-save H-Harry. I-I just s-stood there crying! I-I wanna s-see Harry!"
"Draco, son, there's no need to get upset for a half blood," Lucius began, moving closer to the distraught child, "n-no you don't understand, H-Harry i-is my r-rival, I need t-to look after him."
"Not this nonsense again, grow up Draco! You are not to speak his name in this house and you will certainly not call him anything other than garbage that doesn't even deserve to lick your shoes, and lastly..."
Lucius loved his son dearly, but he would not allow Draco to be shamed in society all due to his weird obsession with the half blood.
Lucius would make Draco into the perfect pure blood, worthy of the Malfoy name, even if it meant he had to start adopting a stern attitude towards him, "your mother and I have decided to send you to France so that when the time comes, you'll properly present yourself at Beauxbatons academy of magic."
December 1993
Beauxbatons
"Draco."
"Yes, dearest?"
His parents had engaged him to Astoria Greengrass a little over a year ago, she was the perfect spouse candidate; only second to her sister Daphne, although she was a year older than Draco and had already been promised to Marvolo.
He looked into her violet doe eyes and pictured his equally perfect future children that they would probably have a little after they got married, at eighteen.
Draco was content, he had everything: pure blood status, stunning good looks, a good name, a large inheritance, and now a perfect future bride; what more could he ask for or want?
"Are you ready to go?" Astoria asked, batting her long lashes and flipping long curls of strawberry blond hair from on shoulder to the other.
"Of course," he held out his arm to her in his usual gentlemanly way, "let us depart for Britain."
December 1993
Durmstrang
"Harry! There you are!" His first and best friend – Maximillan – sauntered over to where Harry sat, "aren't you going back to that Lord of yours, Marvolo?"
"Yeah, I have no choice, I have to go, and it's the egotistical prick's fourteenth birthday, he's going to work me until I collapse." Harry spoke in his now perfect German.
When he was younger and naive, he had thought he would attend Hogwarts like Marvolo and end up sorted into the same house as his father – Gryffindor. Sadly, Voldemorts rise to power, meant that anyone who wasn't pureblood had to go somewhere else to be educated.
On the bright side, he was grateful for being able to live in another country, learn knew languages, make friends and best of all; he was free from his tormentors; Marvolo, his mother and Draco.
He had total freedom in Durmstrang.
"Are you going to be gone for the whole duration of the Christmas break?" Maximillan asked with a mock pout. Harry chuckled at his friend's antics, "no, I'm leaving next week, just before the 25th, why?"
"Good, we're going to Albania," He added casually, like they were going to take a stroll around the park.
"What, why and how? If you've forgotten, we're only thirteen; we don't have our apparation licenses yet."
"We're going to Albania, to my summer villa via my family's boat, capuiche?"
Sometimes Harry forgot that Maximillan was from the wealthiest German pureblood family, it was quite easy to overlook his blood status, as his golden haired friend behaved like a total rebel, with his dishevelled, yet attractive looks and devil may care attitude.
Harry was extremely envious of Max's fang earrings, his friend had offered to pay for him, so that Harry may also have his ears pierced, but Harry knew that Bellatrix would most likely rip his ears off if she saw them.
Max's powder blue eyes twinkled with mischief, "if you keep staring at me like that, people will get the wrong idea and I might not hold back from ravishing you, my cute, little bunny."
His cheeks burned, "you're despicable, how can you say such embarrassing and lewd things in public? And I wasn't staring at you, just your earrings."
Max laughed and pulled Harry to their shared room, "you know you love me, you're just too much of a blushing virgin to admit it out loud."
"Fuck you," Harry elbowed the shameless blonde and began to pack.
Said friend had the nerve to continue, "as soon as we get to Albania, I will, don't worry."
"Merlin, I hate you."
"Love you too, Nero."
Harry threw a pillow that landed square in the middle of the annoying boy's face, "I hate that name, don't call me that."
"Fine, mon couer."
Harry chortled, "your French is atrocious."
Maximillan blew a few wavy strands away from his face, "better than your Russian, my ears weep at the memory of your screeching."
"Like you're any better, your English sounds like a dying siren, chocking on hippogriff dung," Harry retorted.
They joked and lazed around for a few more hours before departing for Albania, unaware of the owl at the window.
December 1993
Black manor
Cedric clutched at the shrunken cup of Helga Hufflepuff that dangled around his neck on a golden chain under his formal, silk robes.
Taking one last deep breath, he entered the house of former death eater Bellatrix Lestrange.
Although, in this 'altered timeline' she was just another pureblood, a widowed woman with a handsome son who everyone wanted to marry their daughters to, it was either him or Draco, Harry's former rival.
It was with these stuck up people, that Harry had to live; however, Cedric had not caught even the barest glimpse of the boy-who-lived at Hogwarts.
He had high hopes of befriending the younger boy who entered the tri wizard tournament with him in the 'real timeline.'
For some reason, Elliot had given Cedric his real memories; he claimed it was to win some sort of 'game' against a handsome man who's soul Elliot wanted.
As much as Cedric wanted to find some sort of good in others, he just couldn't see any in the selfish fallen angel who constantly toyed with human lives. Cedric would protect Harry from such a creature, it was the most he could do for the saviour of the wizarding world, not that Harry remembered his 'real' memories, Elliot probably obliviated them. At least, Harry was safe from Voldemort, well mostly, seeing as the lunatic was the current equivalent of minister of magic in this dimension.
His eyes quickly found an all too familiar face, Draco Malfoy. He still looked the same, and behaved in the same stuck up, arrogant way, it was comforting to know that some things never changed, no matter how much fallen angels and unknown men had altered with real time.
"Hello, you must be Draco, Draco Malfoy?" Cedric extended his arm to the former Slytherin prince who sized him up – discreetly - but Cedric had always been able to read people like an open book, that and he was an accomplished legillimens. Draco smiled pleasantly and shook his hand, "yes, and you are?"
"Cedric Diggory."
"Pleased to meet you," Draco said.
However Cedric could read his thoughts which were along the lines of, 'I'm better than him.' Typical.
Well, at least now Cedric knew that Draco didn't remember his 'real' memories, "I was wondering if you'd possibly seen my close friend around, he lives here?"
"Marvolo, he's my cousin as I'm sure you're already aware, and no, the host hasn't made an appearance yet, sorry," Draco sent him an apologetic look; too bad Cedric could hear his thoughts, 'I hope Marvolo embarrasses himself.'
"It's a shame, but I was asking about my childhood friend, Harry Potter?"
Cedric was overwhelmed by the plethora of thoughts and questions that circulated in Draco's mind at the mention of Harry. 'Potter, does he remember me? It's his fault I had to leave my home. Is he alright? I wonder if he's grown. I hate him. Did he miss me? Will he get jealous over Astoria? Why is this Cedric asking about him?
"I don't know where he is, I've been in France for the past five years you see. Though I am slightly curious how you know my cousins servant," Draco asked.
Cedric tried to display shock on his features, he would have pulled it off perfectly, had he not been told before hand what had become of Harry in this new reality.
"Servant?" Cedric diverted Draco's question with one of his own.
The Malfoy heir smirked, "yes, I was there when they made the unbreakable vow, we were six at the time.
Harry's really an ungrateful piece of dirt, if he was forced into my house, I would have died from shame, can you imagine housing a half blood? Revolting." If Cedric wasn't a legillimens, he would have believed Malfoy's words, he was a great actor when he wanted to be.
Poor Draco, he was still bitter and jealous that Harry hadn't ended up as his servant and poor Harry for ending up in such an unfitting circumstance.
Cedric opened his mouth to thank Draco for being no help what so ever, until a pretty, doll like girl attached herself to Draco's arm, "' ello, are you a friend of Draco's? I'm ' is' fiancé Astoria Greengrass," she spoke in a thick French accent.
"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mrs Greengrass, I'm Cedric Diggory," he spoke in French and placed a light kiss atop of her hand, a lovely pink dusted her cheeks at the courteous gesture.
"Draco, you look well, how is France?" A velvety voice saved Cedric from making further small talk with Draco and his cute fiancé.
"Marvolo, you haven't changed at all, how are you? Where's that servant of yours? What was his name?"
"Well, I find that people with lack of redeeming qualities change so much in their lives, so it's only natural that I'm still pretty much the same since I have everything and soon I will also own the country.
You've changed a lot though dear cousin, and you must be Astoria, my fiancé - Daphne's little sister, are you not?" Marvolo dipped his head slightly, in a bow to Daphne's little sister.
"Yes, she is. So, where is he? Harry? Did he run away from you?" Draco shot back, attempting to heal his wounded ego after the ill concealed remark.
"Are you possibly referring to Nero? He's currently studying at Durmstrang; he will be arriving in a few days. Why? Is there anything you need from my servant?"
The tension between the two boys was so thick, it was almost tangible.
"I merely inquired on the behalf of Cedric Diggory." Draco bought the other boys attention to him and Cedric had to refrain from gulping, there was something unnerving about his mysterious school mate Marvolo Black/ Lestrange, whatever he was, he was not around in Cedric's past timeline.
"I've seen you at Hogwarts, you're in Hufflepuff, am I correct?"
"Yes, I am," Cedric kept his reply short and simple, hoping that Marvolo would continue about Harry.
He did, "Nero has never mentioned you, are you close?"
"Very, my actual purpose in coming here was to meet him, I wanted to tell him that he could live with me and my family now that we're back."
The dark haired boy appeared agitated by his offer, "I'm afraid, that won't be possible, Nero is bound to me and my mother due to an unbreakable, Sorry." He did not in the least look one bit apologetic, but Cedric was determined, "there may be ways to get around the vow, I'll take the matter up with Harry, when he returns, did he give you a specific date?"
"He didn't, again I apologise for the inconvenience," with one last sickly sweet and fake smile, Marvolo left. The fact that he was an occlumens also set alarm bells off in Cedric's mind.
Cedric gathered what little he had learned about Harry: he was now called Nero, he was attending Durmstrang, and he had made an unbreakable vow with Cedric's manipulative schoolmate.
Great, Cedric had a lot of work to do indeed.
December 1993
Malfoy manor
Draco was still seething with pure unadulterated anger when he returned to his manor.
Marvolo and Potter were already getting under his skin and it was only his first day back, not to mention that the bane of his existence – Potter – wasn't even present.
Why hadn't anyone bothered to keep him updated about Potter?
Because he's not worth your time, Draco, he could hear his father whisper in the logical part of his mind.
Then there was that suspicious Cedric Diggory character, not once had Potter mentioned him nor had Draco seen him when he visited the gloomy, dusty grim-old-place where Potter used to live.
Cedric, Cedric Diggory, Draco racked his brain trying to remember any other time he'd seen or heard of the brunette.
In his mind's eye, there was a fleeting scene, one that shook his core.
A teenager, much resembling his rival, was crying over a boy that had great likeness to Cedric. He seemed...dead.
Draco didn't catch any more details as the image vanished just as soon as it came and no matter how hard Draco tried to grasp onto it, it slipped from his mind, trying to hold water in his hands would have been easier.
Shrugging, Draco went to bed.
December 1993
Albania
"The game has finally begun," he thought aloud giddily.
"What game Max?" Harry asked looking at him so trustingly.
"You'll find out soon enough, my dear lamb," my important sacrificial lamb, soon, Elliot promised silently.
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, let me know what you thought.
Sorry for any mistakes made.
Regarding the Abraxan, I'm aware that they aren't black or dark or whatever, but as you have read, I've changed a lot of things to suit my purpose.