Well, this didn't turn out quite as long a chapter as I had hoped, but I didn't want to start the PJ Party in this chapter or who knows when you'd get an update.

ShadeDancer

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, Severus currently has the highest bid in that auction.

Wednesday

Harry paused outside of the potions classroom and took an irritable breath, resisting the urge to once again turn and snap at his 'watchers'. Ever since he had arrived back at the Burrow a few weeks ago after Lucius had absconded with him Hermione and Ron had been constantly watching him on Dumbledore's orders, any conversation between them had been strained, and now Tonks was escorting him everywhere between classes. He couldn't even go to the loo by himself without at least one other person standing next to him. They were afraid of him defecting to the other side. Wouldn't it just kill them to know that their behaving like this around him was making him seriously contemplate doing just that? Of course things would have been a lot different if Tom himself hadn't escorted him back to the Burrow the morning after the ball.

Flashback

Harry had found himself awake early the next morning after the ball, the house still silent as everyone else slept off last night's fun. There was no way he would have been able to sleep longer and he was curious about where he was, no one had said he was confined to the room after all, and upon checking the door Harry found it to be unlocked. His wanderings had eventually taken him to the first floor, he hadn't stayed upstairs long for fear of waking any of the sleepers, and not far past the ballroom he found a comfortable study. He had also found Voldemort—Tom.

"Good morning Harry," Tom motioned him into the chair next to his own and poured him a cup of tea, "I trust you slept well? I'm a bit surprised to find someone your age willingly up so early after such a late night."

Carefully Harry took the tea, "I've always been an early riser. And you—uh, did you sleep well?"

"Very well." Tom gave him a small smile, "I'm glad you were able to join us yesterday, it made the evening so much more enjoyable."

"Yeah, about that—" Harry was a little nervous, "Lucius sort of snatched me away without anyone knowing and I really should get back. And Professor Snape saw me here last night, so I don't know what they might be thinking—"

"It's alright, Harry," there was sympathy in Tom's eyes, "I understand if you need to leave. I'm not going to hold you here against your will. I would hope that you would considering coming back some other time to visit though."

"I—"

Tom held up a hand, "don't answer now. Just think on it. If you don't need anything I can send you back now. Since there's no getting Lucius up this early to take you back to the Burrow I'll take you, but we're going to have to travel by portkey so I won't offer you breakfast first. I'd prefer to apparate you back so you wouldn't get ill, but I'm afraid the wards around that whole area are just too well done and extend for a good distance."

"Then how come the portkeys work on the property?"

Tom smiled, "it was clever on their part, they twisted the wards so that any portkey with your magical signature attached will be able to come and go freely, but it also has its drawbacks as well since at that point anyone can grab you and portkey out. Lucius grumbled about the long walk after his original portkey to the Burrow dropped him off a few miles away and so he took a moment to study the wards to find out why."

Harry studied Tom, "how are you planning on leaving then? I highly doubt they'll let you drop in with me and then just walk out as if nothing was wrong."

"You think things through and want information, unlike other Gryffindors I've known," Tom was pleased, "and I thank you for worrying about me. I'll be able to use the portkey we take to leave again; your magical signature will still linger on it for about an hour after our trip, it's what enables the ministry to track portkey travel. I'll set the second trip to take me to London where I'll destroy the portkey and then apparate back here. I find myself looking forward to seeing their faces as we pop in, I'm only sorry that the trip will make you sick."

"Alright," Harry wasn't sure why he found himself agreeing to the insane plan, but he found himself trusting Tom despite the complications this would most likely end up causing him.

"Let's go then," Tom had pulled him smoothly up out of the chair, moving around him so that Tom's arms were supporting him, "I'll try and shield you as much as possible. Remember, Harry, you're welcome in my home anytime. No one here will ever judge you."

Tom activated the portkey before Harry could answer.

End Flashback

Tom's timing couldn't have been better if he had planned it; the two of them had landed in the Weasley's living room while a meeting was going on. For a split second no one did anything but stare and then all hell had broken loose, spells flying everywhere, but Tom was already gone and Harry had found himself falling to the floor without Tom's arms to support him. He had heaved over and over again, everyone pelting him with questions, until finally someone remembered to force a potion down his throat. He hadn't told them much, hadn't had a moment to himself since then, but every time he remembered how Tom had shielded him when they took the portkey he considered it worth it.

Glancing irritably back at the whispering trio of Hermione, Ron, and Tonks, Harry decided that he'd rather enter the potions classroom and deal with Professor Snape instead of staying in the hall with only his watchers. Pushing open the door, Harry only had a second to take in the situation—Tom holding professor Snape at wandpoint—before Tom whirled so that Harry was in the older man's arms, and then that familiar sickening jerk of a portkey had them leaving Hogwarts behind.

… … … … …

Harry landed from the portkey heaving, Tom's arms still wrapped around him to support him.

"Here," Tom held a potion to his lips in between heaves, "this will help. I am sorry it had to be a portkey once again, but until you learn to use your inheritance to pass through Hogwart's wards they are our only option."

Even though Harry still felt like he was going to heave, he managed to send Tom an incredulous look.

"Yes," Tom looked amused, "I did not have a chance to tell you last time, and in truth was not sure you would listen until you had a chance to think over what has happened. I have made you my heir, passing on to you the noble gifts of Slytherin to accent the Ravenclaw blood you inherited from your mother. I shall have plenty of time today to begin teaching you, but the rest you shall have to read up on by yourself back at Hogwarts."

Harry blinked and then blinked again just to make sure the aftereffects of the portkey weren't making him hallucinate, "you're serious?"

"No." Tom's face remained neutral as he made the joke. "That would be your godfather. I am telling you the truth though."

Harry stared in disbelief, though he wasn't sure why he found it so hard to accept that Tom had a sense of humor after his other visit. "I think this requires tea and a complete explanation."

Tom nodded, still supporting Harry. "We have plenty of time before tonight's affair for explanations and lessons. There's already a pot of tea and some biscuits waiting for us in my study. Lucius is very conscientious about things like that, wouldn't let the house-elves prepare the tea when he knew it was to be for you. He was disappointed when I told him he would not be able to greet you until tonight."

Harry wrapped his arm around Tom to make it easier for the other man to help him along, not to mention he actually felt safe like this. "And just what is tonight's affair? Since you didn't give me any warning I highly doubt I have anything I should need."

Tom waved the concerns off as he saw Harry seated comfortable in a chair with a cup of tea to help settle the rest of the after-effects of his portkey induced illness. "Don't worry about tonight's sleepover. Lucius has nice selection of pajamas for you to choose from, they are required. Right now I owe you an explanation and we need to start your lesson."

Bemused, Harry settled back in the chair and decided not to question why the Death Eaters were having a slumber party. At least Tom had specified that pajamas were required—most of the Death Eaters he would really rather not see in their birthday suits. It was disturbing enough just to think about it. Quickly Harry took a sip of his tea, feeling the warm liquid spread through his body and help settle the last of his shakiness.

"Alright." He finally said, knowing that his agreement to learn was an acceptance of what Tom was offering and would be considered a betrayal by the Light side. "Tell me about this inheritance and then let's start the lesson. The sooner I can apparate from Hogwarts, the better. It'll be much simpler if you don't have to kidnap me every time we visit and it'll give me an easy way to escape my watchdogs."


Posted On: May 11, 2008