This chapter is one of my favorites. Hopefully you'll all feel the same. :)

Warnings for this chapter: Dumbledore bashing

Bold words: Harry's thoughts

Underlined regular words: Lucius' thoughts

Disclaimer: SEE CHAPTER ONE!

* CHAPTER SEVEN *

A heavy silence filled the room after James' voice faded away. Harry was sitting completely still, waves of pain and disbelief flowing through him and Marvolo didn't know what to do. Marvolo had felt minor irritation at being called snake faced, and his illustrious Death Eaters being called "munchers". But now he was worried about Harry's mind and heart. He could feel the dull pain and sense of loss resonates within his heart and soul and reacted instinctively.

He wrapped Harry's magic and mind in a cocoon of his magic and squeezed. The reaction was immediate. Harry let loose a soft sob and tears flew from his eyes. He turned inward and numbed himself to his feelings by burrowing as deeply into Marvolo's core as he could. The sad emerald eyes bled into remorseful crimson ones and Marvolo asked the goblin softly,

"Please remove the tracking charm from Harry, and send a copy of this will to the Ministry, along with the charges of abuse of power against Albus Dumbledore. Make sure to make it look as if you are doing all this because you found discrepancies due to a random check up on all high priority clients. We want Dumbledore removed from being Harry's magical guardian, and send a request of guardianship to Lucius Malfoy with the words Vindico Tenebrae on there somewhere. Make sure that is done as quietly as possible. Also, stop the transactions unapproved by Harry, dissolve all keys to his vaults, and return all the galleons stolen if you would be so kind."

Thorhorn nodded his head sharply, and with sadness in his eyes, left the room quietly to get someone started on those requests and to give the Dark Lord time to relax his host. Marvolo turned inward and found that Harry had recovered slightly and was currently plotting many interesting, and graphic, ways to murder Dumbledore. He had to chuckle when the one Harry was currently working on involved hot honey, a swarm of bees, and a couple grizzly bears. It was down right bloody and vicious, especially when it turned out that Harry had imagined himself having the animagus form of a grizzly. He surrounded Harry with amusement and satisfaction as the grizzly-Harry ripped the Headmaster's head clean off his shoulders and started devouring it.

"I'm sure that would taste hideous. Down right sour, like those lemon drops he loves so much.."

Harry started at the sound of Marvolo's voice echoing around him. Although he had given Harry a few good ideas for pranks of the not so innocent kind involving Dumbledore and his lemon drops just by mentioning them. Harry ginned viciously as his mind went swirling with the thought of all the different forms of petty revenge he could take upon the Headmaster while he was attending Hogwarts. It would truly be incredible and he couldn't wait to get started. Marvolo laughed softly at the direction Harry's thoughts had taken and was surprised when he noticed Harry shiver.

Marvolo's laughter and hedonic magic filled Harry's mind. It made him shiver and helped him recover fully. Harry blinked and was surprised to see he was alone in their mindscape. Marvolo was floating around his entire body, surrounding him in red sparking darkness. It was softer than the wind through his hair, smoother than silk against his skin, lighter than air in his lungs, and sweeter than sugar on his tongue. It was the darkness that was all Marvolo, the blissful serenity of the darkest night, the calming thrumming of the magic of the darkest kind. And it was exactly what Harry needed to regain his footing.

With Marvolo, he would take revenge on Dumbledore, the real reason his parents were dead, and the reason he was living with those pieces of filth that occupied number 4 Privet Drive. There was no point in becoming a weak, whimpering child, mourning the loss of something that he never knew. He would build something with Marvolo to fill the hole in his chest. The darkness that was his mentor, his Lord, purred in agreement at these thoughts and squeezed Harry tightly.

I guess we won't get to use that beautiful room we created, if I'm going to become a ward of the Malfoy's.

The only answer was a small laugh and a flood of amusement. Harry opened his eyes and looked around the room with new eyes. Everything would fall into place, or he would force it to. Break it down, cut it up, reshape the world until it fit with the picture he and Marvolo saw in their shared mind. Thorhorn was back and smiling grimly at the boy in front of him.

"Everything is in order, Mr. Potter. Lord Malfoy has already responded positively, assuring you and your guest he understands the sensitive nature of your request. He also said he would be here as soon as everything was confirmed, which should be no longer than thirty minutes. Albus has already been removed as your magical guardian, he will know about it as soon as Lord Malfoy is able to acquire guardianship, but he will not know you have instigated this process. By the time he tries anything, there will be nothing he can do. As for the matter of returning your misappropriated money, that has already been done as well."

Harry was shocked at how quickly everything had been done, but Marvolo urged him to look at the timepiece on the desk and was startled to see three hours had gone by since he had withdrawn into himself. He shifted his eyes back to the goblin as he started shuffling papers around on his desk.

"Mr. Potter, I was wondering if you would be interested in a new tool we are implementing here at Gringotts. It is a card, very similar to a muggle debit card, which withdraws money from your account immediately. It works in both worlds, magical and muggle. Many of the wealthier family's are using them now, as they don't have to lug around bags full of heavy galleons and sickles. It comes with theft protection, as only the owner of the vault it is attached to can use it. It taps into your magical signature to guarantee that it is you that is using it."

Harry thought that sounded like a perfect solution to the problem he had just thought of. I mean really. Who expected wealthier wizards and witches to go around lugging huge bags of money with them everywhere? What if he had to buy something expensive and didn't have to amount? So he signed the required paper work and dropped a single drop of blood on the card, which went from Gringotts gold, to Avada Kedavra green. Harry and Marvolo admired the card while the goblin explained why it changed color.

"The card changes to the color of its owner's magic. Depending on the color, most of us here at Gringotts can recognize a wizard. For example, you are the only wizard with that shade of green."

Just then, they both heard a knock on the door. With an order of 'open' from Thorhorn, a smaller goblin entered, followed by a man Harry remember seeing from memories as Lucius Malfoy. The smaller goblin left with a bow, and silence descended on the room again, until Harry made eye contact with Lucius. There was a strangled gasp from the pureblood as he looked into the eyes of the Light's savior; eyes that were acid green, but with spots of the brightest crimson dispersed within them. Marvolo was cackling in his mind, because the shock of seeing Harry's eyes had made Lucius drop his Occlumency shields and they could see how Harry looked to the Malfoy Lord.

This cannot be Harry Potter. He is the Savior of the Light, the reason for the disappearance of my Lord. But there he is, looking like a miniature Dark Lord, sitting there, imperiously, wearing one of the very robes I have seen my Lord wear many times. Not to mention the words my Lord told me so very long ago that he would use to let me know he was behind something, a seemingly random request or order coming to me. Vindico Tenebrae, the words I had hoped to hear some day, but never thought I would.

Harry shook his head softly as the Malfoy Lord walked right up to Harry and fell to his knees, with one hand fisted over his heart and his head bowed. He was trembling, from joy, Harry realized, as Lucius Malfoy looked up with slightly misty eyes and gasped out a disbelieving,

"My Lord, you have returned. This is a great day, a great day indeed. How may I be of service?"

Marvolo shuddered in anticipation and came to the forefront of Harry's mind, which made the green and red eyes bleed to solid red. Lucius' eyes widened in disbelief and happiness, and he bowed his head again.

"Lucius, my slippery friend. As displeased as I am that all of my loyal followers and old friends failed to find me and return me to the world of the material, your position in the ministry will aide me greatly. This partially makes up for your lack of faithfulness."

Marvolo's voice had gone deeper, and there was a hissing quality to it that made all listening in the room shiver, one in excitement, one with slight fear, and the other with intrigue. Lucius' head snapped up and he looked into the eyes of the lord he thought gone, but prayed it wasn't so.

"My Lord, what can I do to make up for my solitary lapse in fealty?"

"Your task is to house my host, and our newest ally, my apprentice Harry Potter. Be the cover he and I need to accomplish our tasks in the next few years. And you will be back in my good graces, my old friend. You may rise."

Lucius nodded and elegantly rose to his feet, smiling softly down at the child he knew housed his master. He then turned to the goblin and signed the last paper declaring himself guardian of Harry Potter. Marvolo was smug when he retreated to the back of Harry's mind, and Harry was pleased he was happy. Hell, he was ecstatic that him and Marvolo wouldn't have to go back to the muggle's house ever again. Which was honestly a very bizarre thought. It had only been five years since Harry started living there, and he might only be six, but he had suffered there in ways no child should ever have to go through. He was in slight shock over the thought of never returning to that accursed place. Too bad though, he really was looking forward to torturing his 'family' again.

Although Harry was happy about all that, his eyes caused concern to flare up in his stomach. He didn't know what they would do when they got to Hogwarts. Granted, it was nearly five years away and hopefully by then Marvolo would have his own body back. But that didn't mean Harry wasn't tenuously worried about the red and green eyes he now sported. Shaking off these thoughts, Harry focused on the goblin and Lucius, and stood with a small stretch. Smirking, Harry said his farewell to Thorhorn.

"It's been a pleasure doing business with you, Thorhorn. May your gold always flow, and your dealings be profitable."

Thorhorn bowed and repeated this statement, and showed them out. Harry and Marvolo activated part of the glamour once again; he couldn't buy clothes to fit his smaller frame if he was in a larger body after all. With only a small start from Lucius, the three of them were headed out the door of the bank and onto the wizarding Alley. Harry was excited, he was going to be able to purchase a fitting wardrobe for the first time in his life, and no one was there to stop him from getting anything else that caught his fancy.

Smirking lightly, Harry led Lucius in the direction of the first shop on the left, at the mouth of Knockturn Alley: Twilfit and Tattings. The robe shop. When Harry heard a dignified groan come from the Malfoy Lord, he couldn't help but let out a soft, yet cruel, laugh. Torture of all kinds absolutely enthralled him, and mental torture was just as fun. Dragging an Inner Circle Death Eater into a robe shop, and various other shops throughout the day, was going to be glorious.


A/N: Began with sadness, ended with happiness. Chapter eight will hopefully be up in a few days. I already have it written, I just need to type it out. Oh, and the Lucius P.O.V isn't going to crop up anymore. It was just a one time thing. Although, throughout the story I will be showing other people's points of view's, or thoughts on important things. But I will always make it obvious so no one is confused. This is where things diverged the most from my original plot line, but getting out from Dumbledore's influence and away from the Dursley's was extremely important for Harry's development. Please review and tell me if I completely ruined the plot to you guys!

S.I.N.