Harry and Tom entered the manor a few moments before dinner. Tom threw his head back and laughed loudly making Harry smile brightly. Lucius who was just was little ways down the hallway frowned. Tom had not laughed like that in many years, since they were students. Lucius had missed the sound. Harry was a balm to the man's wounded soul, making him forget the world around him for a moment. The boy was exactly what Tom needed. Lucius was damned.
Once in the dining room, Tom and Harry reluctantly parted ways and took their normal seats. Remus smiled to himself upon seeing the smile gracing both men's faces. He had suggested Tom sit in the gardens and he had set Sirius on Harry and he may have also suggested that Harry seek refuge from the Blacks in the same gardens that Tom was in. And when he saw neither man for the rest of the afternoon Remus knew his plan had worked. Perhaps Tom would be willing to listen to his other idea as well.
After dinner, in which Sirius was suspicious of Harry's lack of flirting towards Draco, they all retired to the study again. Harry claimed the chair from the night before and was please when Tom also claimed the arm of his chair. Draco found himself sandwiched between Sirius and Remus. Lucius rolled his eyes very discreetly at those around him before sitting across from his son. Bellatrix began her insistent twirling and humming.
"Bella if you break anything else I will not hesitate to hex you into next year." Sirius said as he casually threw his arm around Draco, making the boy blush. "Oh you worry too much Siri I would not break such wonderful Potter artifacts." Bella replied making the man snort in disagreement.
Tom leaned down to whisper in Harry's ear, "I give it ten minutes before Sirius is chasing after her." Harry laughed, "I will take this bet. I say 5 minutes. And what does the winner receive from this little wager?" The teen asked.
Tom was silent a moment, "The greatest gift of all Mr. Potter, a kiss." Harry blushed but did not back out of their deal, making Tom smirk in satisfaction.
"And what pray tell are the two of you over their plotting?" Remus asked with a pointed look at Tom.
The crimson eyed man only smiled at his friend, "We are not plotting at all sir, we were simply making a friendly wager." Harry blushed when Tom winked at him. "Oh I am sure it was very friendly." Remus said at the teen's blush.
"Does everyone have their clothes ready for the ball in a few days?" Sirius asked changing the subject. Thinking of his longtime friend Tom having a romantic interest in his Godson was an icky thought. The man shuddered a moment before clearing his head.
"Yes Sirius we are all ready, you have made sure of that." Lucius said with a groan. All conversation stopped when a loud crash was heard from the back of the room.
"Damn you to hell Bellatrix, can't you keep your hands to yourself?" Sirius roared as he stood and stalked off in the direction of the noise. Remus only snorted and pulled Draco to his side. The blonde teen looked up at the man startled before relaxing, making Remus smile.
Tom leaned down to whisper in Harry's ear again, "It seems you were correct Mr. Potter. I assume you will collect your reward at a later time, when we have a bit more privacy?" Harry only nodded, remembering his prize with a blush. Tom smirked at the boy's blush.
They could hear Sirius cursing his cousin somewhere in the back of the study causing Lucius to shake his head again. "This ball is going to kill me. If I have to listen to Sirius go on about the food or guest list one more time, I might kill him." The blonde said rubbing his eyes in exasperation.
"Oh do not be so uptight Lucius. He is excited; we haven't had a reason to celebrate in so long. And how else would be announce Harry to the rest of the world? To just bring him around suddenly and slyly would make people think there is something wrong with him and that we have been hiding him for said reason. One night and he will drop all of the nonsense he keeps blathering on about." Remus said his hand running up and down Draco's back.
The blonde teen had relaxed into the older man's touch. "Really father, it's not that serious. Mother used to throw balls all the time and you always managed to suffer through them." Draco practically purred when Remus began to running his fingers through the boy's hair.
"Is there anyone one the guest list we should be worried about? Anyone we need to keep Harry away from?" Tom asked.
"The influential families have been sent invitations; Bones, Blacks, Gogyles, Lovegoods, Diggorys, Abbotts, Parkinsons, Delacours, and Krums of course. A few from the ministries, and very others as well, we tried to keep it small but make sure those who needed to be here were." Remus said.
"We will have to keep an eye on the Krums and the Parkinsons; they both have always been on the fence as to which side they are on. Keep him from the minister as well he is Dumbledore's man through and through. One of us should be with Harry at all times; it will allow us some control over what is said to him, we don't need a bunch of lies to be told." Tom said with a scowl.
"Why do I need a guard? I can take care of myself. I know what the truth is and what are lies. I'm not stupid you know." Harry said sitting up straighter in his seat and glaring at Tom.
"No one is saying you are stupid Harry, we are just concerned with people getting into your head. Some of those attending the party are in Dumbledore's pocket and will do and say anything to discredit us. We are only looking out for your well-being." Tom answered him with a look that Harry could only describe as patronizing.
"I am not a child who is easy to manipulate. I am fully capable of knowing when someone is trying to mislead me. I don't need someone there to coddle me. Is that what you think of me? That I am some little boy who doesn't know anything about the real world? A kid who needs someone to hold his hand and guide him along the right path? You are wrong, I know more about the real world than you probably know." By the end of his rant, Harry was standing up, as was Tom, and practically yelling at the man.
"You will have one of us with you at all times. It is not up for debate and you will do as you have been told. There will be no more discussion on this Harry, it has been decided."
"I'm not some servant who will bend to your will. You cannot order me around and expect me to jump at your every command. I am not some toy for you to play with and I won't allow you to treat me as such. I don't give a damn what you think is going to happen or who you think you are. I can make my own decisions." Harry yelled at him.
"You will do what you are told to do Mr. Potter." Tom hissed at the boy with a glare.
"You have no right to tell me what to do. I will do as I damn well please. And if you don't like it then you can leave this house once this ball is over. As long as you wish to order me about then you are not welcome in my home or my life. Do I make myself clear Mr. Riddle?" Harry spat at the man.
Tom grabbed Harry's arm roughly and squeezed hard, making the boy wince in pain. "I am in charge here Mr. Potter. You will do as I say and that is final." Tom said with finality in his voice.
Harry yanked his arm out of the man's grasp. "Then you are no different than Dumbledore." With that Harry stormed out of the study.
Tom's hands balled into fists as he tried to keep himself from going after the boy. How dare that brat speak to him in that manner? When a hand landed on his shoulder Tom growled.
"It's okay Tom, please calm down before you do or say something you are going to regret." Sirius said softly to the man in front of him.
After a few deep breaths Tom was clam enough to unclench his fists. With an agitated sigh, Tom sat down in Harry's now vacated seat. Sirius sat next to Draco again and Bella even sat down herself. And no one spoke for the rest of the evening, each lost in their own thoughts.
Harry made his way outside, and in an unexpected fit of rage he drew his fist back before slamming into the nearest tree trunk. The pain jarred Harry out of his angry stupor and he collapsed onto the ground willing himself not to cry.
Harry was done being ordered around. He was no longer an innocent naïve child; he was able to make his own decisions. No matter what he wished his relationship with Tom might become he was not going to bow down to anyone any longer.
The next morning Harry groaned when the sunlight from the window hit his face. He really did not want to face the others, nor did he want to run and hide. With a deep sigh the teen got up and began to prepare himself for his day.
The other residents of the house entered the dining room with someone apprehension. No one was ready for another blow up like there had been last night. The room was silent when Harry walked in. The teen took his normal seat, not looking Tom's way at all.
"Harry what happened to your hand?" Remus asked grabbing his hand to look at the knuckles.
"It's nothing Remus, barely even hurts anymore. I'm fine." Harry said pulling his hand back and loading food onto his plate.
"Harry take that jacket off, it's much too hot for something that heavy. You will sweat to death and I don't fancy having to get another one made for you." Sirius said sipping his tea.
Knowing there was no use in arguing with Sirius over the jacket Harry slipped it off. On his arm was a bruise that wrapped all the way around and was in the shape of a hand print. When Tom looked up and saw the bruise he gasped.
He knew he had grabbed the boy hard but had not realized how hard. Tom frowned and excused himself from the table without a word.
"Harry?" Sirius asked softly.
"It looks worse than it is. It's fine." Harry went back to his meal.
After breakfast Remus went in search of Tom. He found him sitting outside in the gardens with a pensive look on his handsome face. Remus sat down next to him.
"I didn't intend to hurt him Remmy; I didn't want to hurt him."
"I know Tom, believe me I know. There are some things that you seemed to have forgotten about Harry. His relatives were very abusive. He was ordered around for as long as he can remember. And then Sirius and I come and he no longer has to take orders. He finally finds freedom. He gets to make his own decisions. And then you come along and threaten to take that all away from him. He isn't going to blindly follow you and your orders. He is going to fight for the freedom he has craved for so long. You have to admire the fight in the boy."
Tom laughed, "Yes he is very strong willed. It will only benefit him in the end. I know of his past Remmy, it is not so different from my own. I can't lose him Remmy. If I do, I don't know what I will do. I care for him greatly, more than I thought I could care for anyone."
"Then tell him Tom, and stop trying to order him about. If you care for him you need to treat him like the equal he is." Remus said with a smile.
"I will make this right, no matter what it takes. I will make it up to him." Tom declared.
