3.

31.12.1986

The night sky was clear and the stars glowed brightly down on the Raven's Castle as Harry stared out of the window on a New Years Eve. On the distance he could see the fireworks in a village some miles away as the muggles celebrated the ending of the old year and the beginning of the new one. The wizards didn't celebrate New Year today, Harry had learned. Their new year was at Samhain, at the end of October. So this was like any other day for them.

He wasn't particularly troubled that he couldn't celebrate Christmas or New Year. He hadn't gotten to do so ever before, the Dursleys had locked him up to the cupboard where he had watched through the keyhole how his "family" had eaten delicious food, opened gifts and watched movies from the TV. He very rarely got anything as a gift for Christmas, he had gotten some old, smelly socks a few times and food was obviously not available for him. He got to eat some bread, luckily with cheese or butter, and water. At New Year he was once again locked in the cupboard as the Dursleys went to watch the fireworks. This was actually the first time he had ever seen them. Harry thought they were beautiful.

His room's window gave into the village and Tom had given him permission to stay awake until midnight when he had found out that Harry had never seen fireworks before. But he had had to promise to go straight to bed after that. The house-elves came by his room every now and then to see if there was anything he would want or need and to see that he would actually go to bed after midnight as Tom was somewhere with Mr. Malfoy. He hadn't said anything about where he was going, just that he had some business to take care of.

Harry knew, though, it was something important. He had heard Tom talking about it with the Potions Master and Mr. Malfoy a couple of days earlier. They had mentioned saving some people from something called Azkaban.

Harry paused in front of the door to Tom's study when he heard voices from the room. He was a little early for his reading classes with Tom, Harry knew, and was just about to back off when he heard them speaking clearly.

"…have been dumped in Azkaban?" Harry heard Tom's voice saying. He didn't sound very happy.

"All three Lestranges, Antonin Dolohov, Augustus Rookwood, Mulciber and half a dozen of our War Wizards", the Potions Master said. "Well, those are the ones who are still alive. Young Mr. Crouch and a dozen War Wizards have died during their stay."

"And how they ended up in there? On what charges", Tom asked. Harry frowned a little. That sounded like they, whoever they were, were in prison.

"The Lestranges were accused of torturing the Longbottoms to insanity, Mr. Dolohov was accused of murdering the Prewett twins, Mr. Rookwood is in Azkaban because Mr. Karkaroff sold him out like he did young Mr. Crouch and Mulciber got caught while trying to flee the country and was accused of using the Imperious Curse on several people", Mr. Malfoy answered this time.

"What!" Tom exclaimed. "Was it Dumbledore's scheming again? As far as I can recall, the Prewett twins were one of ours and the Longbottoms weren't tortured since they were neutral!"

Harry assumed that someone had nodded or shook his head as an answer since Tom continued after a brief pause.

"I thought so", Harry heard Tom mutter before he continued. "Gentlemen, I want them out of there. As fast as possible and as quietly and inconspicuously as possible. Staging their deaths would no doubt work quite well for starters."

"Indeed, milord. But if they all die at the same time, it would be quite suspicious", Mr. Malfoy said.

"Yes, it would."

"Perhaps, if they would acquire some sort of a disease? Something very contagious so no one would wonder why they'd die", Professor Snape suggested.

"Like Dragon Pox?" Mr. Malfoy said. "I recall it being fatal without the proper treatment."

"Something like that, but Dragon Pox, would be too noticeable. The green hue of the skin appears in the early stages and would be most likely treated even in Azkaban with the potion", the Professor answered. "Spattergroit could be more suitable. The purple pustules develop in the later stages, it is more likely to be missed."

"That sounds usable", Tom said. "Severus, look if you can find away to spread the disease. Lucius, try to find us some replacements, dead or dying, and see if you could arrange a visit to Azkaban for yourself. Now, let's finish for the day. I have a student scheduled to be here any moment."

Harry's eyes widened. He really didn't want to get caught eavesdropping. Thinking quickly, he scrambled up from the floor where he had sat down and moved hurried to the study door and knocked sharply three times. As the two men left and Tom began their lesson it seemed that he had managed to stay unnoticed.

Harry glanced at the clock over the fireplace. Quarter past ten p.m. Since he was technically alone, maybe he could go and see if he could get into the western wing. Tom didn't seem to like the place and Harry didn't understand why. He understood the reason Tom had given him, that the wing was too dangerous since it had been abandoned over a half a decade and no repairs had been made there after it had been collapsed. But something told him that there was something else to the place. Harry didn't know what, or why he thought that but even though nothing in Tom showed anything outside, he had this feeling in his gut. And like a normal child, after he had been told he couldn't do something, he really wanted to do it.

Harry slid down from the wide windowsill he had been sitting on and reached for the oil lamp on his nightstand. If he was quick, he could take a peek at the western wing before Tom was back. Harry slipped quietly into the corridor and headed towards the west part of the castle.

The castle at night was different than it was during the day even though there wasn't much happening in the daylight either. During the day, the castle was warm and friendly and somehow one could sense that there was over a dozen house-elves bustling about their duties plus of course the few wizards who either lived here or visited here.

But now, in the quiet of the night, the castle had changed. It was filled with shadows that seemed to draw all sounds into them so that even the slightest noise Harry made sounded like thunder in his ears. The castle was asleep, but at the same time Harry felt like someone was watching him. Since he knew perfectly well that apart from the house-elves, he was currently the only one in the castle, he tried to ignore the feeling. He really hoped Tom's hellhounds weren't slipped into the castle as they sometimes did. They wouldn't do anything to him, but they were bloody scary.

The paintings were mostly asleep, only a few of them wandered around from frame to frame (Harry was still baffled at the sight of moving pictures and paintings). Those who were awake greeted the young boy as he passed, having gotten to know the child during his explorations.

As he arrived to the corridor that led to the door of the western wing, Harry adjusted the blanket on his shoulders and added some light from the oil lamp. He walked in front of the large double doors that seemed to indicate the entrance to the wings of the castle. The eastern and northern wings had them too. They were usually always open, but of course these ones weren't. Harry stepped forward and reached for the handle of other one of the doors. They proved to be locked.

Not very surprising considering Tom had told him the wing was forbidden.

Harry sighed a little disappointed. It really would have been too easy. Harry decided to look for hidden passages before he'd have to give up for tonight. He had found one yesterday, it started from the ballroom and ended in the kitchens. Perhaps there was one to the western wing too. But, as carefully as he looked, he didn't find a hidden passage. Either there wasn't one or it was hidden much better than the one he had found in the ballroom. He figured the latter was more likely since the house-elves had told him once he had stumbled into the kitchen, that the castle was full of secret passages and rooms, as were most of the Wizarding World's old castles and manors.

Harry stared at the doors determinedly. He was going to get in there someday, he decided. He wanted to know why Tom didn't like the place, why he seemed almost sad when the wing was mentioned, though it was hard to see. He wasn't brave enough yet (maybe never) to ask Tom directly so he had to snoop around if he wanted to find out anything.

Harry took a last look on the door before turning to return to his rooms when he came face to face with a tall woman staring furiously down at him scaring Harry nearly out of his mind. He let out an undignified squeak and took a step back.

"What are you doing out of bed at this hour, young man!?" the woman asked in a very strict voice that broke no argument and demanded answers yesterday.

"Oh…Um- just taking a walk, ma'am", Harry stuttered and while he was struggling to speak, he noticed how transparent the woman was. Harry gulped. He had just stumbled into a ghost, it seemed. He shouldn't be surprised. He felt shivers running down on his body.

"Just walking, hmm?" the ghost raised her eyebrow in a sharp manner. "And why would you do that?"

"Be- because I felt like it?" Harry tried looking innocent.

The ghost narrowed her eyes and Harry winced. She didn't buy it apparently. The ghost raised her hand and pointed to the general direction of his room.

"Let's move, young man", she commanded.

Harry nodded and started walking in a quick pace towards his rooms. "Ma'am? I hope you don't mind my asking, but who are you", Harry said in a very polite manner. He was being a bit overly polite, he knew, but he didn't want to take any chances with this woman.

"I am… was", the woman amended, "the charlady of this castle in 1889-1954. I am called Miss Cerridwen."

Harry nodded. That explained why she seemed so strict. Then he frowned. "But, ma'am, what did you do here? There is awfully lot of house-elves here, even now when there isn't no-one here except me and Tom?"

"I coordinated everything", she answered and stopped. Harry looked around and noticed they had arrived in front of his rooms. Miss Cerridwen looked at him firmly. "Now, back to bed, young man! And I do not want to see you wandering around when you should be sleeping anymore. Am I understood?"

Harry sighed. "Yes, ma'am."

The ghost watched him enter his room and climbing into his bed before leaving. "Good night."

"Good night", Harry said and watched the ghost glide through the door. He waited a little bit before climbing back up to the windowsill. There was still time to look at the fireworks.

xXx

The doors of the west wing came to be his secret project after that night and he was always listening and watching incase anything related to the wing was happening. He knew he most likely shouldn't try to get into the wing as Tom seemed to be very sensitive about it, but he really couldn't help his curiosity. And besides, if he was going to live here, there really wasn't any rush and it was possible that Tom might someday tell him about it. Might.

His reading lessons continued at same time and same place every day, not counting the weekends. As Tom had predicted, he learned to read very quickly. Writing was a little more difficult to master. A fact what bothered Tom since he couldn't understand how it was that much more complicated than reading. But they got through it bit by bit and Harry was improving daily.

As Harry progressed with his writing, they included a new subject for Harry to learn, mathematics. It was a slightly confusing subject for Harry, since even though he had been making food and baking at the Dursleys, he had never actually counted anything. So while he understood the numbers and a little bit of adding numbers together, he found mathematics being very difficult to understand. Luckily Tom actually liked teaching. He had mentioned Harry that he had once, when he had been younger, tried to apply for a teaching position at Hogwarts, the wizarding school in Britain, but that he had been stumped by the Headmaster, who had never liked or trusted Tom. Harry thought it had been very stupid of the Headmaster and he had also said so to Tom, who had smiled amusedly.

During the few weeks after the New Year, they slipped into a routine that fell into place around the classes. They were both early risers, so they usually had breakfast together after which Tom disappeared to do whatever it was that he did and Harry amused himself by wandering around the castle and playing games with toys he had gotten from the house-elves and, surprisingly, Tom and sometimes he played with the house-elves when they weren't too busy. Around midday they would have lunch, after which they retreated to Tom's study for Harry's lessons. They would work until dinner, usually first mathematics and then his writing. The evenings they'd usually spend in some of the sitting rooms doing something silent, sometimes just talking since Harry had very much questions and getting to know each other.

Mr. Malfoy and Professor Snape visited very often in the castle and most of the time they would disappear into Tom's study to talk. Harry suspected that one of their subjects was the people in that Azkaban place he had managed to hear about when he had been eavesdropping. Professor Snape also brought once a week a package of potions for Harry to consume. Harry wasn't very appreciative about them since most of them tasted horrible, but Tom had assured him that he didn't need to drink them forever, just a couple of months. Which sounded like an eternity to Harry.

However the time passed by quicker than Harry thought possible and in no time, it seemed, Harry no longer needed to consume the potions. It was amazing what the potions were able to do. Master Snape had once explained to him what exactly did they fix in him since just the word malnutrition didn't exactly tell him anything. The Potions Master had explained to him all the various problems that malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies caused and he had to admit that during the months he took the potions, he had noticed how every day he felt less tired and out of breath, his hands that had sometimes shook slightly; stopped doing it and he even seemed to see better and better in the dark, he had noticed during his occasional nightly wanderings.

When the potions had done their job, Master Snape had told him he was lucky that the potions took care of almost everything, but unfortunately after five years of mistreatment, even in spite of all the potions, he would have to have a proper diet. He would still be a bit small for his age even though the potions had helped slightly and he would be more prone to attract illness than a person who had not been deprived of food for five years.

At the end of January the Castle received more people to reside within her walls. When Harry asked about them he was told that they were Tom's people from before he was defeated that had been in a bad place. Harry figured it meant that these were the people that were saved from that Azkaban place, which he had found out to be a wizarding prison. Harry wasn't sure what to think about getting people out of prison because weren't people usually there because they had done something wrong. And if these people had been in prison, didn't it mean that they had done something bad then?

Harry had asked about it from Tom and Tom had sat him down before explaining to him that these people had done something bad, yes, because of the war there had been in the Wizarding World. In war people sometimes had to do bad things. But so had done the people on the other side and they had not been put to prison. These people had been put to prison merely because they had followed Tom, because they agreed with his views. Harry thought he understood, but he wasn't quite sure. But if Tom said the people who had put Tom's friends to prison were wrong, then Harry would trust Tom. Tom was a good person.

Harry wasn't allowed to see much of the new residents of the Castle, because they were sick with some contagious disease and even after that danger was over he was asked not to go to the infirmary. The people needed rest and quietness and a Mind Healer. Some of them got out faster than others and Harry got to meet few new people of whom a few would play close parts in his life in the future. One of the first to get clean papers from Master Snape and the Mind Healer was a brown haired woman called Lizbeth Yaxley. Harry took a shine to her almost instantly. She was a complete opposite of Aunt Petunia, which was probably what endeared her to Harry so strongly.

Where his aunt was always dressed and made-up extremely neatly, not a hair out of place and her clothes as mundane and lady-like as possible with soft calm colors, usually pastel, Lizbeth Yaxley (even though she wasn't at her best at the moment) had a hair that wouldn't stay in place with strands of hair always escaping her tight braid, she wore the most interesting clothes Harry had seen a woman ever wear with strong colors depending on her moods and she didn't use make-up. This had confused him somewhat at the beginning, since Aunt Petunia spent every morning at least half an hour in front of the mirror (not that it helped much, Harry thought) and all of her lady friends seemed to do that too, so Harry had thought that all women always wore make-up.

Harry quickly learned that Lizbeth wasn't very lady-like woman. She spoke and carried herself with confidence, she rarely wore anything but her battle robes or something similar and she most definitely wasn't one of those women who tiptoed around waiting for a strong man to take care of everything like Aunt Petunia liked to do. Lizbeth was a War Witch which she explained to Harry was the same as soldiers in the Muggle World. And she was damn good one too if the way everyone treaded her was any indication.

Harry also took a liking to Rabastan Lestrange once he got to meet him. The man was funny and always managed to find something interesting for him to do when he was bored, or make even the most boring things seem like a fun game. Rabastan's brother Rodolphus was much more serious man, though Harry supposed he must not have felt very happy, since his wife was really badly ill. She scared him a lot, Rodolphus' wife did. That one time he had seen her, raving and trashing in her bed, had convinced him never to go near the woman again.

Around the time he finished his nutrient potions, he also got to see his first wizarding celebration, Imbolc. As had been explained to him, Imbolc was the celebration of the beginning of the spring and the return of the Sun. It often grew into a great festival in areas more populated by wizarding kind and according to the house-elves, in the golden days of Raven's Castle, there used to be a huge celebration on Imbolc. Now though, even if they celebrated it much more calmly, it still was quite big event for Harry who had never been allowed to participate in celebrations of any kind. Especially since they didn't celebrate it on their own, Master Snape was invited to the Castle for the occasion as well as Lucius Malfoy with his family.

Harry was a bit nervous about it, according to Tom Mr. Malfoy had a son about his age, Draco. He had never been around other children much, only those two or three times when Dudley and his friends had bullied him. He wasn't sure how to act properly and he didn't want to appear rude or stupid because of it. However, things went surprisingly smoothly when he met Draco. He seemed nice enough, if a little snobbish and spoiled and he looked almost like a copy of his father with his hair and facial features. They were a little softer though, probably from his mother's side.

They had a huge meal together, Harry had never seen this much food in the table before, where Harry and Draco tentatively got to know each other a bit. After the meal they went outside and walked to a large stone circle. Harry was quite surprised, since he hadn't seen it before even though he had been exploring the grounds for awhile now. The circle felt ancient and the air around it felt heavier than elsewhere. Nature seemed to be quieter around it as well. When the adults pulled out the food and drink they had taken with them before leaving the Castle, Tom explained to him that it was a custom to bring food and drink to the gods in Imbolc, and leave it as an offering at the stone circle while praying for good blessings. Tom had even brought enough food and drink for Harry to leave his own offering as well.

Afterwards they stayed outside, on a meadow near the stone circle. The weather wasn't too cold and the sun was bright even if it was starting to set behind the Castle. Draco's mother watched over them and showed them how to make small crosses from rushes. She had travelled in Ireland when she was younger and told them it was a custom in there to weave these crosses and the hang them to a door or a window to protect the house from fire and lightning and welcome the gods' blessings.

By the time the sun was almost down, they started their way back to the Castle in the twilight. As they rounded behind a small group of trees, brining the Castle into view, Harry drew a quick breath. The Castle was looking amazing. The house-elves had lit up every light in every room and even all the lights outside were lit. The Castle was looking absolutely breathtaking in the dim light of the sun while lit up like that. Harry thought it was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.

At that moment Harry knew for sure that he wanted to stay here with Tom and the house-elves and ghosts and everyone else. He didn't want Tom and the others to find him a "suitable" family to live with. He felt at home here. Harry hurried his steps slightly coming next to Tom, who was walking few steps apart from the others, and slipped his small hand into Tom's larger one. He managed to quite startle Tom, even if it didn't show.

"Can I stay here?" Harry asked in a small voice, a bit unsure still to ask questions. Tom paused in his steps and looked at Harry's face for long moment until he nodded. The smile that spread to the boy's face clearly stated that this was his happiest moment ever. And even though he really, really tried, Tom couldn't not answer that smile with a small one (almost unnoticeable, mind you) of his own.

The Malfoys left a short time after that and as they went, Harry could not help but feel hopeful that he might make a friend out of Draco even though the boy seemed slightly spoiled. It could be possible, he thought, since Tom had thought that Mr. Malfoy might teach him sword fighting once he had gotten a some kind of grip on his new world. They might meet more often with Draco if that happened.

He was still thinking about the sword fighting lessons and Draco when he went to bed later in the evening. He so wanted to have a friend. He knew that he didn't actually have a reason to complain with everyone taking care of him here, but adults were… well, adults, and the house-elves were nice and friendly and did play with him when they had time, but it still wasn't quite the same. Harry sighed as he found a comfortable position in his bed and drew his covers over his head.

The movement of the covers caused something slip from the bed and thump softly on the carpet besides his bed. Harry sat up and put his glasses on before lighting up the candle again. He reached down and grabbed the item pulling it up. It was the small cross he had made from rushes on Mrs. Malfoy's directions. Harry climbed out of the bed and went to his window. He hung it from a small hook above the window and stared at it for a moment, lost in thought. Then he glanced around him as if worried someone might catch him before whispering a small request to the gods. Even though the cross was meant to protect from fire and such, maybe it would help whispering his hopes in front of it. Just a little.

xXx

Severus Snape watched the boy as he scurried off to his room (though he was fairly sure that he would be taking several questionable shortcuts on the way there) and leaned back to settle a bit more comfortably in his armchair. Though if one was to look at him, they wouldn't notice it. He turned his gaze towards Tom Riddle, who was sitting on the other armchair staring at the fire that was merrily crackling in the hearth. He was finally starting to look like his old self. And by that Severus meant his original old self, not that atrocious monster he had been prior to the "incident".

Severus had come to refer the events five years ago as incident, since His Lordship immensely despised thinking about himself in that state. Of course he had never implied anything like that, but Severus was more observant than most and he could see from the small signs that His Lordship was greatly bothered by his decline to madness after that other incident which was even more forbidden subject, so much so that he barely even dared to think about it. Severus suppressed a shudder and locked even the smallest thoughts about the matter deep into his mind.

Besides, it was much more interesting to ponder why on earth had His Lordship taken a child under his care. And not just any child, one of those blasted Potters. Nothing, but bullies and ruffians the whole bloody family. Though, Severus had to grudgingly admit, if the child had been living the last five years with those despicable muggles, sent to them by those same Potters, perhaps he wasn't much of a Potter. At least the child hadn't managed to vex him like the rest of the lot and he had been in regular contact with the boy for over two months now (and that was in no way saying that the boy wasn't as annoying dunderhead as the rest of the small creatures!).

You would think there was at least a little bit of unwillingness to take in one of the children that practically destroyed your body to shambles. Had he been thinking about the prophecy when he decided to take the boy in, Severus wondered. He himself didn't put much weight in those ludicrous things, but perhaps His Lordship did. He had believed wholeheartedly in it when he had been nuts, though Severus didn't think he would have done that if he'd been sane. Like he was now, supposedly… Or was he more his previous self that Severus had thought? None of the few who about them, knew how many more Horcruxes he had created during his madness. Before that he had only had one, Severus thought. Perhaps they had overestimated the amount and there were less of those things to influence him, returning him to more and more like his old self that was capable of taking a child in just because. After all, children were the first reason Tom Riddle had ever wanted to change the Wizarding World.

Almost unbidden and with slight wariness, Severus' thoughts turned to the past and to the older forbidden subject. Severus had met Tom Riddle first time when he had been a young child, he hadn't even received his Hogwarts letter yet. His mother had known Tom Riddle through one person who was the other thing no one dared to talk about anymore.

His wife.

It had been the only time Severus had ever seen His Lordship's beloved, when he had been at Diagon Alley with his mother and they had come across them by chance at Gringotts Bank . She had probably been the most beautiful woman Severus ever had laid his eyes upon. Or at least that's what he had thought until he had fallen for Lily Evans… Her name had been Nefret, and His Lordship had met her in Egypt. She had been courteous and kind when he had been in her presence but there had also been an underlying tone of a fiery temperament in her. Something Severus now thought was probably a good thing. His Lordship was known for his temperament also.

Tom Riddle himself had then been charming, highly intelligent and seemed impossibly powerful for a young boy, who was a loner and bit picked on at the playground by the kids and at home by his father. To say that young Severus had been strongly affected by the future Lord was slightly underestimated. He had given Severus inspiration to strive for things and actions he had not even thought before. Severus supposed one could say that meeting Tom Riddle when he was young, gave him the nudge he needed to eventually become the greatest Potions Master of his generation, maybe even since the times of the Lords of the Isles.

When Severus had joined Lord Voldemort's cause not long after his graduation, it had been because of that meeting as well. However, Lord Voldemort had been quite changed from the Tom Riddle he had remembered. Severus had quickly deducted from the actions of his Lord and from the information from Lucius that something must have snapped in him, when Nefret had died, causing him to create more Horcruxes than was healthy considering that even one Horcrux was often pushing it. Though Severus could understand why he might have created one when he had been the target of Dumbledore's machinations. The old Headmaster really didn't like the way his Lord had tried to change things into.

He had been quite confused at the time, and that confusion had led him to Dumbledore's pocket. A place where he really hadn't (and still didn't) wanted to be. But with his admired Tom Riddle nutty as a fruitcake and the venerable Dumbledore more manipulative than was healthy even for a Slytherin, Severus had ended up playing in both sides, trying desperately to see where he should place his loyalties.

Now though, now that His Lordship had his wits back with himself and he was starting to seem more and more like the Tom Riddle Severus had met at Diagon Alley all those years ago, Severus had felt that he had finally found his place in this huge mess that would hopefully someday be resolved. And hopefully for the good of the side Severus had chosen.

His Lordship was still staring at the fire when Severus surfaced from his thoughts. Nagini had come out from wherever she had been hiding and was currently resting her head on top of His Lordship's lap enjoying the quiet petting her master was doing while he thought.

"My Lord? If I may ask", Severus said softly as was his manner when not talking to a class full of idiots. "What are you going to do with the boy?"

The Lord of Raven's Castle appeared to wake from his thoughts as well, though only to contemplate Severus' question it seemed. He was quiet so long, that Severus began to think he had not heard his question and prepared to repeat himself.

"Do with him?" Tom said just as Severus was about to ask his question again. "Nothing. Well, raise him."

Severus blinked.

After a few moments Tom spoke again. "He has the same kind of eyes as she had… How peculiar."

Sometimes Severus thought His Lordship's thought patterns hard to follow Severus thought slightly frustrated.

"Perhaps that is why I wish to raise him myself", Tom continued. Then he smirked slightly evilly, allowing Severus a glimpse of his vindictive side. "Besides, whatever would be the best way to vex the hell out of Dumbledore than the knowledge of losing the 'one who stands in the path of the Dark'." – This was said in a very sardonic way – "And imagine if he were to find out someday that his dreaded Dark Child was living happily, wanting nothing, loved by his family. How do you think he would react to that?"

"Ah", Severus said. "I suppose that would be quite infuriating to him if he were to ever find out."

His Lordship smiled. "I know."

Then his features settled into more severe face and Severus straightened out in his seat. "I think I am well enough to start again. We shall try another way this time. Or rather an old way, but with slightly different tactics, since I'm no longer that… thing."

Severus nodded.

"We'll start slow, with something simple and easily accepted by the Wizarding community. Perhaps children."

"Children, My Lord?" Severus asked.

"Yes, Severus, children. At the moment there's not much needed for you to do, other than keep an eye on Dumbledore, but if you could go by Lucius and tell him to start laying out the ground work for Lord Ravensleigh to step on stage, so to speak", Tom said and held an envelope for him to take. "And if you could give that to him as well."

"Of course, My Lord", Severus said. "But are you sure about using your other heritage? You've kept it strictly hidden so far?"

Tom smiled faintly. "I'm sure, Severus. I do need to perform the ritual, though. After everything that I… did, I should renew the connection to see if the Magic of the Land still accepts me."

Severus looked at Tom, who gazed at the fire with a pained and sad look upon his face. Severus couldn't say that he knew much about Tom's Ravensleigh heritage, or rather the heritage of the Lord of Wales. The Lords of the Isles were such old families that their lines reached generations further than the first records. As such, their traditions and, more importantly, the Magic that laid down the rules the Lord had to follow were so old that Severus had very little knowledge of what Tom's ritual would mean. Lucius would know more since he had always been fascinated by history, but not much.

Severus frowned slightly, the ritual sounded somewhat precarious. "My Lord? When will you be performing this ritual?"

Tom glanced at Severus, clearly knowing the Potions Master's intentions. "On the Spring Equinox."

Severus nodded and rose from the chair. "Then I shall go and inform Lucius of your instructions."

Tom nodded and after exchanging their goodbyes, the Potions Master left leaving a contemplative Tom sitting in front of the fire for many hours more before the man could get any sleep.

A/N: So, we finally catch a glimpse of the old Tom (well my version of him) and the other incident. Nefret was actually one of the first thought I ever had about this fic. I don't know where it came from, but one day I just wondered what might have happened if Tom Riddle had fallen in love :P I figure it would have changed things quite a bit, this is just one idea plus I kept getting other ideas as I thought about this so this is quite AU by now. I mean seriously AU. Heh.

About Lizbeth Yaxley. I actually did some digging about Voldemort's Death Eaters and when I stumbled upon Yaxley, I found that Yaxley's sex had never been specified. So I decided that Yaxley would be a woman. Named Lizbeth :D

This is going to be a slow going fic, I believe. I have no intention of rushing things, as I don't like it and it doesn't feel right. Also, though I might have mentioned this earlier, the actual updates will probably be slow as well. I write mainly Disney fics at the moment and this one is kind of a… when I want to write but not Disney kind of fic. Plus I really have always wanted to try a fic like this out, so I want to get it right and really put some thought into it.

So, thank you for all of the reviews. It's great to have received so many and that people seem to like this plot bunny. And I hope I manage to keep your interest even though I'm slow :)