Chapter IX

Harry awoke to Christmas day with a pile of presents. On top of the small pile of presents was a letter from Sirius.

Harry,

Congratulations on getting past the Horntail. Whoever put your name in that goblet shouldn't be feeling too happy right now! I was going to suggest a Conjunctivitus Curse, as a dragon's eyes are its weakest point but your way was better, I'm impressed.

Don't get complacent, though, Harry. You've only done one task; whoever put you in for the tournament's got plenty more opportunity if they're trying to hurt you. Keep your eyes open—particularly when the person we discussed is around—and concentrate on keeping yourself out of trouble.

Keep in touch, I still want to hear about anything unusual.

Happy Christmas

Sirius

The other boys were all awake and tackling their own pile of presents as Harry grabbed his glasses and read Sirius's letter. Putting it to the side Harry looked at the small packaging that the letter was attached to, which turned out to be a handy penknife with attachments to unlock any lock and undo any knot. There was a single tissue from the Dursleys, an all-time low as Harry supposed they too were remembering the Ton-Tongue Toffee Fred and George gave Dudley during the summer. Hermione had given Harry a book called Quidditch Teams of Britain and Ireland; Ron, a bulging bag of Dungbombs; and Hagrid, a vast box of sweets including all Harry's favorites: Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Chocolate Frogs, also, of course, Mrs. Weasley's usual package, including a new sweater (green, with a picture of a dragon on it—Harry supposed Charlie had told her all about the Horntail) and a large quantity of homemade mince pies. Most surprising, however, was that Harry got a present from Draco, which included a letter.

Harry,

I forgot to give you a present last year so I hope this makes up for it.

Draco.

Harry was confused as he looked at the perfectly wrapped presents. Make up for last year? Harry could barely remember Christmas last year: only the kiss between himself and Tom and the Firebolt Sirius gave him. Curious, Harry opened the present to see two non-descriptive books and a note saying "Read in bed." That only got Harry even more confused but placed the two books on top of his pillow.

Reaching underneath the pillow he felt the heat from Tom's diary. It felt hotter than before; it felt like touching flushed skin and a shiver ran down Harry's spine awakening all of his nerves. Harry had to bit his lip as a moan tried to escape his small mouth. Quickly pocketing it Harry went about his day.

Harry and Ron met up with Hermione in the common room, and they went down to breakfast together. They spent most of the morning in Gryffindor Tower, where everyone was enjoying their presents, then returned to the Great Hall for a magnificent lunch, which included at least a hundred turkeys and Christmas puddings, and large piles of Cribbage's Wizarding Crackers.

At seven o'clock the male Gryffindors trooped back to Gryffindor Tower to get ready for the ball. Harry, Ron, Seamus, Dean, and Neville changed into their dress robes up in their dormitory, all of them looking very self-conscious. Harry looked over at Ron as he changed and noticed something odd. "Where's the one your mum got you?" he asked.

"Ohh uh that," Ron said blushing brightly as he changed into a dark red dress robes. "He saw them a couple of weeks ago, he forced me I swear, and well he laughed."

"He did?" Harry snickered, in his mind an image of Draco doubling over at the antique dress robes Mrs. Weasley gave Ron at the beginning of term.

"Yeah," Ron said, his face as red as the dark velvet of his new robes. "And uhh after he was done laughing… mum's going to kill me," he muttered the last part, "he destroyed them. And told me he would buy new ones and… these are them."

"Huh…" Harry said, looking at Ron. He had to admit that the new dress robes are an infinite improvement over the old robes that used to belong to Mr. Weasley. However, he agreed with Ron in that Mrs. Weasley would probably hurt both Ron and Draco when she finds out. Harry turned to focusing on his own dress robes, a dark green color that matched his eyes (Harry made a note to thank Mrs. Weasley who brought them) with a white button down shirt, no tie.

"You guys still didn't tell us who you're going with," Dean said.

"We didn't?" Harry said.

"Yeah! We thought you would be going with each other cause of that article but you don't act like a couple," Seamus said. "So come on, who are the girls?"

"Girls… Seamus you know that we are gay right?" Harry asked. "And we're bringing boys." Ron nodded in agreement.

Seamus and Dean stared at Ron and Harry for a moment before turning towards each other. Dean mouthed something to Seamus. The short Irish boy nodded and looked back at Harry. "We can do that?" he asked, shocked.

"Uhh… yeah?" Harry said, a bit confused at Dean's and Seamus' reactions. "Anyway… we better go get our boyfriends now. See you guys later."

"Bye!" Neville said as he still struggled with his robes, almost falling onto his bed with a loud "Oomph!"

Walking down the stairs Harry looked over at Ron. "Do you think they're…"

"Nah can't be," Ron said. "Four of us in the same House? In the same room? Nope. Don't think so."

Harry shrugged but left it at that as they entered the common room. It looked strange, full of people wearing different colors instead of the usual mass of black. Harry and Ron squeezed their way through the crowds, passing by a disappointed Lavender Brown who kept staring at Ron and an anxious Ginny who kept staring at the stairs, and walked out of the portrait hole.

"Well," Ron smiled, "at least now I have a chance to meet this Tom figure. Come on Harry, let's go!" And with an unusual excitement Ron lead the way as they walked towards the entrance hall.

.

"I must say, you look rather slender. I remember your grandfather Abraxas having a minimum bulge around his waist. Though he tried to hide it using shirts and trickery," Tom chuckled as he stood in the Slytherin common room, fully formed. Fifty years and not a thing has changed about it, he thought to himself.

Draco Malfoy, whose back was to Tom, jumped in surprise and said, "Who do you think you are? How the bloody hell do you know my grandfather?" He gave a small sneer at Tom. "Never saw you before."

Tom chuckled and looked around at the Slytherins in dress robes. "If I should gauge on power," he mused, "Then I would have to say that right now none of you are even close to properly representing their family name. You Malfoy, are very lacking. And you. You look like a Crabbe to me, so you must be Goyle… squibs both of you compared to your fathers, and even then they are weak. Zabini. I can sense your mother's power in you so raw and carnal. It is a shame that she did not join my side, but hopefully you would not make that mistake." Tom smirked as he walked around in a slow circle, the Slytherins gathering around him confused and slightly scared at the icy, evil, powerful feeling that oozed from Tom.

Draco was the first to recognize him and breathed, "My Lord?" Only Tom heard but he nodded and smirked. "Yes Draco, and I must say that you have done a very good job taking care of my sweet prince, I must thank you for that. But for now, let us see who else is here… Ahh is that a Parkinson and Flint I see?"

Tom's head turned towards Pansy Parkinson, who was wearing a gaudy pink dress robe, and Marcus Flint. "If I can recall correctly, Flint, your father was a horrid supporter. He could barely cause a proper curse. And you, Parkinson… well your father was just plain horrid." Tom chuckled at his own joke. His deep laugh sent a fearful chill down everyone's spine. Theodore Nott, however, seemed brave enough to take a step forward and asked in a shaking voice, "Who—who are you? What are you doing here?"

Tom looked at him, his dark brown eyes turning cold, hints of red appearing at the iris. "Draco Malfoy," Tom instructed. "I believe it would be beneficial for you to inform your fellow students whom I am."

"Yes My Lord," Draco said. Standing tall and swelling with pride that his Dark Lord knows his name, Draco said, "He is our Lord! The Dark Lord is back and he stands with us."

The Slytherins looked to be in a state of shock. Silence fell over the common room, dozens of eyes falling on Tom. Tom could see that behind each of pair their brains were whirling, trying to comprehend that he was back from the dead. At least, I will be once I destroy the husk, Tom thought to himself, a sly smirk gracing his handsome face. "I assure you that I am the genuine article," Tom said as he looked around. "I can see all of your minds trying to comprehend how I, Lord Voldemort, can look so young so… human." His eyes fell on Parkinson, who moved closer to Greengrass. A lewd expression graced their face as well as most of the female population and Tom chuckled to himself. How I missed this power, he thought. Power over the opposite sex's desires just through a few honeyed words and well placed looks. Harry, my sweet prince, I know together we can cultivate this special persuasive power.

"The answer is simple: I have power that you all know not. But some will learn… if you gain my favor," Tom continued, his eyes moving away from the two Slytherins to Draco. "Only a chosen few picked by myself and my heir will learn the truth. The rest of you will be left wondering… longing… aching for my truth to slip from my lips."

"M-My Lord," Parkinson blushed. Tom chuckled, which only deepened Parkinson's blush as well as cause a couple of other female Slytherins to blush as well.

Tom ignored them all and turned to Draco. "Draco, I would like to thank you. I've received your gift and it is much appreciated." Draco looked on the floor to notice the clothes box that he gave Ron to give to Harry.

"You're welcome, my Lord," Draco said. Tom nodded and said, "Lead me to your dormitory Draco, I wish to speak with you privately. Goyle. Carry my box." Tom commanded as he began to walk towards a set of stairs. The students jumped out of the way, all still in awed silence. Draco followed Tom, a look of superiority on his face as he walked with a certain swagger. Nobody moved after them.

"Goyle. Move," Tom commanded again, his voice filling the common room and penetrating their very bodies. The Slytherins all froze in fear as Goyle jumped into action. The overweighed Slytherin picked the box up and ran after Tom and Draco. Draco was always a step behind Tom as the Dark Lord led the way towards the Fourth year boy's dormitory. Draco opened the door for Tom and the two walked in.

Goyle came in ten seconds later, placing the box rather sloppily on the first bed closest to the door. Tom leered at the boy before sneering. "Disgusting," he said waving his hand. Goyle's body was flung into the air and out of the dormitory, slamming into the stone wall opposite the dormitory door as it closed and locked.

"My Lord, if I can—"

"Tom," Tom said. Draco looked confused so Tom said, "My name. In privacy you may call me Tom. Tom Riddle."

"My Lord… I mean Tom… thank you," Draco stuttered, his face flushed at the enjoyment he felt from this huge achievement.

Tom nodded and said, "Continue your thought Draco."

"Tom. … Can I ask how exactly you are here? Instead of in the diary?" Draco asked.

"Harry never told you?" Tom smiled as he opened the box. "Well that is alright. If I can make a long story short for time's sake, you must know that my diary holds a piece of my soul. There are other objects that held pieces of my soul, the ring that Harry now wears being one of them. In the last two months I have traveled from my diary and absorbed two pieces of my soul from two objects that held them. These pieces, along with the parts of Harry's soul that he so lovingly gave me completed each other, if only temporarily, and so here I am: fulfilling my beloved's wish."

"Harry's wish?" Draco asked.

"Yes," Tom nodded. "We love each other Draco, and as lovers we miss each other's touch. Tonight is not for I showing my power to that rabble downstairs you call Housemates, nor is it to show Dumbledore that I am alive. No tonight is for my love, for Harry, and fulfilling every wish and want he has. I am still weak Draco, I am not at my full strength. I need Harry's help for that… as well as your help."

"My help? But what can I do?" Draco asked. Tom looked at Draco and said, "Look after my prince. Our prince. Look after him while I am resting in the diary. Make sure that no harm comes to him… make sure that he survives the Triwizard Tournament. I fear one of my followers is trying to kill Harry. I do not know who and that is torturing me. After tonight I will no longer be here, I will trapped in my diary as I have been for fifty years. I need you, Draco, and anyone else you trust to be Harry's protectors. Can you do that Draco?"

"Of course my Lord! And I know who also can help," Draco said. "My boyfriend, Ron. He is a Weasley but—"

"Yes Ronald," Tom chuckled. "I know everything about him. Harry and Ronald trusts each other with their own lives. Yes, he is already a fine protector of my prince, and a finer friend. Who else do you have in mind?"

"Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott… as well as Marcus Flint," Draco said.

"Flint? Why him?" Tom asked.

"He is strong both physically and magically," Draco said. "Strong, loyal to your cause, and far better than his cowardly father."

Tom thought for a moment, silently staring at Draco for a long while. "We will see," he finally said. "Now, tell me about this dress robe that you have brought for me." Tom lifted the dress robe and held it in front of him. The dress robes were black with dark-silver embroidery of an elaborate design. It was form-fitting and slightly heavy to hold. The color was outlined with dark green that blended with the black.

"It's the most expensive male dress robes that I could find," Draco said. "Do not worry about it fitting you, it will contort to your body perfectly, my Lord."

Tom just looked at Draco for a moment before placing the dress robes on the bed again. He reached deeper into the box and pulled out a pair of black shoes. Placing it on the floor Tom started to undress in front of Draco. "Malfoy, there is one more thing I wish to discuss," Tom said as he started to unbutton his shirt, revealing a well-built body.

"Y-Yes My Lord?" Draco stuttered, his cheeks reddening at the sight of Tom's body.

Either oblivious or ignoring Draco's staring Tom said, "I would like to borrow your wand Draco, if only for a second. You see, I am currently not in possession of my own wand as a husk holds it."

"A husk?"

"Yes, a husk," Tom nodded, shedding his pants and standing only in boxers. "The sliver of Lord Voldemort's soul that survived all this time. The one who attacked my prince and tried to steal the Philosopher Stone. The pathetic waste that dares call itself Lord Voldemort that only the weak snivel towards. That husk."

"I uhh… I don't think I understand Tom… my Lord," Draco said, doing his best to advert his eyes. Tom chuckled at that and turned to face Draco. "Physical beauty is nothing to look away from Draco, especially when it has a dominating presence."

"My Lord…"

"Look at my body, Malfoy," Tom commanded. Draco's face burned crimson as he hesitated then looked up at Tom. The older teen smirked and crossed his arms across his defined chest. "Nothing to be ashamed of Malfoy," he said. "Just don't allow yourself to fall into depravity like the people we use… do not even allow the thought of touching enter that pretty mind of yours."

Draco just nodded, his face still red. "Tell me Draco, do they know?"

"Excuse me?"

"Does the rabble downstairs know that you prefer boys over girls?" Tom asked as he began to dress. Draco was silence so Tom continued, "I will take your silence as a no. In which case I must tell you that I have noticed a few things: First was that both Greengrass and Parkinson were dressed and, when they were not petrified from my person, they were both giving obvious looks your way. The second is that the longer you put off telling people, the worst the results are."

"I didn't tell people… because of my father," Draco said. "He doesn't like people like us… and he always have a plan of how I should grow up down to each small detail. Parkinson and Greengrass… father told me that I am to marry one of them. Both girls know that I am supposed to marry one of their families so they both are trying to compete to become my wife."

"Interesting…" Tom muttered. "So that is the kind of man your father is… different from Abraxas. That much is certain." He was fully dressed at this point and looked at Draco. "Your wand, Draco."

"Here, my Lord," Draco said giving Tom his wand. Tom took Draco's wand in his hand and couldn't help as he gave a soft chuckle. "How quickly your wand submit to my magic," he mused. "A show of loyalty, Draco?"

"Of course my Lord," Draco said. "I am entirely loyal to you. After all, you are the catalyst that started my friendship with Harry; a friendship that ultimately brought me to Ron." Draco had a smile as he his thoughts turned to his boyfriend.

Tom just nodded and asked, "What is my Aura, Malfoy?"

"Tom… I didn't want to mention this. I've never saw anything like this before," Draco said. "Your aura… it's black!"

"As I thought," Tom mused. "Auras, as you might have known, are a reflection of a wizard's soul; their leaning towards the Dark Arts or Light Magic. Most wizards are Light-inclined so their Auras are golden. Dark Wizards, however, have an emerald aura. Naturally only Aura-Readers, a rare and small population, can see these. My aura, however, is Black. This is the end result of not only a lifetime of studying the Dark Arts, but of splitting your soul. It is now in complete, so an Aura-Reader cannot fully read the soul. So instead of patchy emerald, it is simply black. What I will do now is change my aura for the night. A necessary precaution for we both don't want Dumbledore to notice anything strange."

"But my Lord… Tom… won't he recognize you instantly?" Draco asked.

Tom chuckled and shook his head. "The last time he had seen this face was fifty years ago Draco. And during that time I was just a face in a crowd, with my achievements of course. The old man will not recognize me, that I am certain of. Do not worry Draco, tonight is for our boys: Harry and Ron. Do not let Dumbledore or anyone else ruin it."

"Of course Tom," Draco nodded. Tom started to move Draco's wand in a complex sequence that Draco couldn't keep up with. The younger Slytherin was amazed, however, as before his eyes the black aura that surrounded Tom started to change, pockets of gold breaking through the blackness until it surrounded Tom completely. Then, with a final slash, emerald started to appear faintly just on the outskirts. Tom silently gave Draco his wand back, turned, then left the dormitory.

The Slytherins were still in their places as Tom entered the common room, Draco following afterwards. "Why are you all still here?" Tom asked, his icy, hard persona slipping easily on his face.

Most of the Slytherins left immediately. Only the fourth year girls remained. "Girls… out."

"We, we need to see who Draco is taking," Parkinson said.

"She's right," Greengrass nodded. "Draco. Who are you taking? Pansy or me?"

Draco looked at both of them and shrugged. "None of you. I'm taking my boyfriend," he said. Tom and Draco ignored the girls' tantrums as they left the Slytherin common room and made their way to the entrance hall.

.

The entrance hall was packed with students too, all milling around waiting for eight o'clock, when the doors to the Great Hall would be thrown open. Those people who were meeting partners from different Houses were edging through the crowd trying to find one another. Ron and Harry decided to stay at the edge, both on their tip-toes looking for their dates. Fleur Delacour passed by, looking stunning in robes of silver-gray satin, and accompanied by the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain, Roger Davies. The oak front doors opened, and everyone turned to look as the Durmstrang students entered with Professor Karkaroff. Krum was at the front of the party, accompanied by his boyfriend. Over their heads he saw that an area of lawn right in front of the castle had been transformed into a sort of grotto full of fairy lights—meaning hundreds of actual living fairies were sitting in the rosebushes that had been conjured there, and fluttering over the statues of what seemed to be Father Christmas and his reindeer.

"Harry my love, there you are," Tom's voice said from behind Harry and Ron. They both turned to see both Tom and Draco standing behind them.

"Tom!" Harry smiled, immediately putting himself in Tom's arms as he hugged his boyfriend tightly. From the corner of his eye he could see Draco giving Ron a welcoming snog. "Thank you," he whispered.

"Of course my prince," Tom smiled in Harry's ear.

Professor McGonagall's voice called out over the crowd, "Champions over here, please!"

"Come on Tom," Harry smiled as he slipped his hand in Tom's. The couple walked forward, the chatting crowd parting to let them through. Professor McGonagall, who was wearing dress robes of red tartan and had arranged a rather ugly wreath of thistles around the brim of her hat, told them to wait on one side of the doors while everyone else went inside; they were to enter the Great Hall in procession when the rest of the students had sat down. Harry and Tom kept to themselves; Harry resting on Tom's chest as they whispered to each other.

Harry and Tom got strange looks as the doors to the Great Hall opened and the couples walked in. Once everyone else was settled in the Hall, Professor McGonagall told the champions and their partners to get in line in pairs and to follow her. They did so, and everyone in the Great Hall applauded as they entered and started walking up toward a large round table at the top of the Hall, where the judges were sitting.

The walls of the Hall had all been covered in sparkling silver frost, with hundreds of garlands of mistletoe and ivy crossing the starry black ceiling. The House tables had vanished; instead, there were about a hundred smaller, lantern-lit ones, each seating about a dozen people.

"They're all staring at you," Harry whispered at Tom.

"Of course they are, I have the most beautiful boy on my arm," Tom smirked as he glanced at the gawking couples. Hogwarts students turned towards each other, a hushed whispering filled the silence between applauses as they asked each other who exactly Tom is. Tom couldn't help but chuckle. "Hogwarts is truly the hardest place to keep secrets. Which naturally is why I've gotten so good at it," he said to Harry, who giggled.

Dumbledore smiled happily as the champions approached the top table, but Karkaroff wore an awful expression. Ludo Bagman, tonight in robes of bright purple with large yellow stars, was clapping as enthusiastically as any of the students; and Madame Maxime, who had changed her usual uniform of black satin for a flowing gown of lavender silk, was applauding them politely. But Mr. Crouch, Harry suddenly realized, was not there. The fifth seat at the table was occupied by Percy Weasley. "Is that another Weasley?" Tom whispered to Harry. "I've counted four of them walking in."

"Percy Weasley," Harry whispered. "He's not supposed to be here though, Mr. Crouch is!"

"Crouch? Hmm…" Tom said.

"What's the matter?"

"For some reason that name seems familiar to me," Tom said. "Though I do not know why…"

"Odd," Harry said.

When the champions and their partners reached the table, Percy drew out the empty chair beside him, staring pointedly at Harry. Harry took the hint and sat down next to Percy, who was wearing brand-new, navy-blue dress robes and an expression of such smugness that Harry thought it ought to be fined.

"I've been promoted," Percy said before Harry could even ask, and from his tone, he might have been announcing his election as supreme ruler of the universe. "I'm not Mr. Crouch's personal assistant, and I'm here representing him."

Tom was not paying attention to Percy and Harry at all as Percy went into a small speech on why Mr. Crouch wasn't there. Instead he looked out at the students sitting at the smaller tables and couldn't help but smile, an old memory and want reviving to him. "Harry," he interrupted, "Harry love, have I ever told you? I once wanted to become a Hogwarts professor here."

"You have?" Harry asked, turning his attention from Percy to Tom.

Tom nodded and looked down the table. "I have. I wanted to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts," Tom said.

"I'm sorry, I don't think we've met," Percy interjected. "Who might you be?"

"Oh I'm sorry," Tom smiled politely. He extended his hand for Percy to shake. "My name is Thomas. I'm Harry's boyfriend and date tonight."

Percy took Tom's hand cautiously and looked down at Harry. "Boyfriend… but didn't Mum tell us—"

"No we're not," Harry said. "That was just an article Skeeter wrote."

"Okay… well… nice to meet you… Thomas. …What year did you say you were in again?" Percy said awkwardly as he shook Tom's hand.

"I didn't but I am in my sixth year," Tom smiled. "I'm in Ravenclaw."

"Ah okay," Percy said, a little less awkwardly. He turned away from the couple and looked down at the golden plates in front of them.

There was no food yet on the glittering golden plates, but small menus were lying in front of each of them. Harry picked his up uncertainly and looked around—there were no waiters. Dumbledore, however, looked carefully down at his own menus, then said very clearly to his plate, "Pork chops!"

And pork chops appeared. Getting the idea, the rest of the table placed their orders with their plates too. Harry glanced down the table. Krum and his boyfriend were sitting close together, the small boy practically resting on the bigger boy as they whispered to each other. Harry blushed and looked at Tom. Is that how they look now?

"Something bothering you Harry?" Tom asked.

"No uhh… it's nothing," Harry said, blushing, his hand brushing in the air. His ring shone in the light and Percy noticed it. "Harry, when did you get that ring?" he asked.

Percy's question got some of the table's attention. Dumbledore and Karkaroff looked their way, both of them looking at Tom for the first time. Both men looked confused, Dumbledore's eyes narrowing slightly as he tried to focus on the ring. Harry's hand rested on the table. "Tom got it for me," he said. "For our two year anniversary."

"Two years!?"

"Yes," Harry nodded. "We met in my second year."

"Indeed," Tom smiled, his hand going on Harry's. "He was such a sweet boy… of course we didn't start dating till the end of his third year," Tom chuckled. "The ring is actually my grandfather's."

"It is such a peculiar ring," Dumbledore spoke up looking at both Harry and Tom. Harry couldn't read the expression in Dumbledore's eyes behind his half-moon spectacles. "I have never seen such a design personally. If you can, tell me where your grandfather obtained such a ring?"

Tom didn't miss a beat as he said, "He brought it from a jeweler in America. He and my grandmother was there for their anniversary and they found this ring in a small shop in a city called Chicago. They brought the ring there, and when my grandfather died the ring went to my father, who gave it to me when I've gotten my Hogwarts letter. I'm muggleborn you see, my mother, father, and myself were very surprised to see that I was actually a wizard. It actually explained a lot of weird stuff that happened when I was young," Tom finished chuckling.

Dumbledore chuckled and said, "Yes. Underage magic when children are very young usually result from an abundance of emotion. Do you remember what exactly you've done?"

"Mainly torture the house cat," Tom said laughing politely. "I remember one time I've somehow got a chair to chase the cat around our entire living room. I almost broke the television! Mother wouldn't believe me when I told her the chair chased our cat."

Dumbledore chuckled and smiled. "Yes, highly amusing. It is always such an amusement to hear what witches and wizards did before they've turned eleven. Now, Karkaroff where was I? Oh yes, why only this morning, for instance, I took a wrong turning on the way to the bathroom and found myself in a beautifully proportioned room I have never seen before, containing a really rather magnificent collection of chamber pots. When I went back to investigate more closely, I discovered that the room had vanished. But I must keep an eye out for it. Possibly it is only accessible at five-thirty in the morning. Or it may only appear at the quarter moon—or when the seeker has an exceptionally full bladder."

Harry snorted into his plate of goulash. Percy and Tom frowned, but Harry could have sworn Dumbledore had given him a very small wink.

"Look at the glares both Parkinson and Greengrass are giving Draco and Ron," Tom whispered in Harry's ear. Harry's eyes followed where Tom was pointing subtly towards. Parkinson and Greengrass were sitting with Crabbe and Goyle and a few other Slytherins at one of the smaller tables on the other side of the Hall. Both girls looked every now and then at a table near the Gryffindor side where Ron and Draco sat. It looked weird, Harry noticed, to see Draco not only on the Gryffindor side of the Great Hall but being surrounded by Gryffindors… and laughing? Harry just stared at Ron and Draco as they conversed with the twins and their dates. Harry's mind couldn't comprehend such a concept!

"What is going on?" Harry whispered. "This feels so surreal…"

Tom chuckled and said, "Everyone must have caught the gaiety of this celebration. I must admit that even I feel more… ecstatic than usual."

Harry chuckled and smiled at Tom. "I like that to be honest. You should smile more," he said.

"I smile the perfect amount Harry," Tom said as he returned to his dinner.

When all the food had been consumed, Dumbledore stood up and asked the students to do the same. Then, with a wave of his wand, all the tables zoomed back along the walls leaving the floor clear, and then he conjured a raised platform into existence along the right wall. A set of drums, several guitars, a lute, a cello, and some bagpipes were set upon it.

The Weird Sisters now trooped up onto the stage to wildly enthusiastic applause; they were all extremely hairy and dressed in black robes that had been artfully ripped and torn. They picked up their instruments, and Harry, who had been so interested in watching them that he had almost forgotten what was coming, suddenly realized that the lanterns on all the other tables had gone out, and that the other champions and their partners were standing up.

"Come on Harry," Tom said. "I'm not a fan of music but we can bear one song."

Harry almost tripped over his dress robes as he stood up. The Weird Sisters struck up a slow, mournful tune; Harry walked onto the brightly lit dance floor, carefully avoiding catching anyone's eye (he could see Seamus and Dean waving at him and snickering) and the next moment, Tom had seized his hands, place one on his waist and was holding the other in his. "Follow my steps," Tom was whispering.

Tom guided Harry expertly and Harry saw and smiled as Tom's normal demeanor slipped on his face. "Dancing is a lot like strategy Harry," Tom instructed. "Both require you to think ahead, to predict what the other's next move will be and to take control of it instantly. Here I am taking the lead, I step and you follow, I move and you react. This is the principle of dancing as well as strategy. Do you follow Harry?"

"Uhhh…" Harry said, too focused on not trying to step on Tom's feet. He kept his eyes fixed over the heads of the watching people, and very soon many of them too had come onto the dance floor, so that the champions were no longer the center of attention. Neville and Ginny were dancing nearby—he could see Ginny wincing frequently as Neville trod on her feet—and Dumbledore was waltzing with Madame Maxime. He was so dwarfed by her that the top of his pointed hat barely tickled her chin; however, she moved very gracefully for a woman so large. Dean and Seamus were dancing together, and Ron was tripping himself as Draco tried to lead with increasing frustration.

"Pay attention Harry. Look at my face," Tom said. His voice snapped Harry back towards him. "Good. You must always looked at your partner's face when dancing just as you should always stare at your enemy when dueling. Now, let us first think of the waltz—that is the dance we are doing right now, at least trying to perform—it goes at a ¾ time signature and so we must move precisely to those measures. It is rather simple. One, two, three, one two three, one two three. Your foot should move on each beat, either following or leading. Don't look down Harry, it will only show your incompetence. Though, if it does help you are not the worst I have danced with."

"Where did you learn all of this?" Harry demanded.

"The first person whom I loved," Tom said. "He was a rather enthusiastic ballroom dancer with a foppish personality. He was a Hufflepuff naturally, and he only taught me how exactly to dance. It was I who incorporated the strategy simile. Turn back to our lessons Harry, and you should be fine."

The song ended only for a faster tune to start. Harry thought that Tom would stop, but he didn't. Without missing a beat or even stopping to applause like the rest of the crowd, Tom continued to lead Harry in the dance, quickening his step and introducing a twirl here and there. "Do not allow yourself to fall to using the same tactics, my prince," Tom said. "You must always either add changes to your strategies or be doomed to fail."

"I, I think I understand," Harry said, starting to get into the comfortable sensation of letting Tom guide him through the dance. Tom smiled as they spun, their robes billowing in sync and almost making a complete circle. Tom continued to lead the dance, both of them moving away from their original spot towards the doors of the Hall. When the second song ended Tom stopped and looked around. "Let's go for a walk, Harry," he said.

Harry nodded and allowed Tom to take his hand as they slipped out into the entrance hall. The front doors stood open, and the fluttering fairy lights in the rose garden winked and twinkled as they went down the front steps, where they found themselves surrounded by bushes; winding, ornamental paths; and large stone statues. Harry could hear splashing water, which sounded like a fountain. Here and there, people were sitting on carved benches. He and Tom set off along one of the winding paths through the rosebushes, but they had gone only a short way when they heard an unpleasantly familiar voice.

"…don't see what there is to fuss about, Igor."

"Severus, you cannot pretend this isn't happening!" Karkaroff's voice sounded anxious and hushed, as though keen not to be overheard. "It's been getting clearer and clearer for months. I am becoming seriously concerned, I can't deny it—"

"Then flee," Snape's voice said curtly. "Flee—I will make your excuses. I, however, am remaining at Hogwarts."

Snape and Karkaroff came around the corner. Snape had his wand out and was blasting rose bushes apart, his expressions most ill-natured. Squeals issued from many of the bushes, and dark shapes emerged from them.

"Ten points from Ravenclaw, Fawcett!" Snape snarled as a girl ran past him. "And ten points from Hufflepuff too, Stebbins!" as a boy went rushing after her. "And what are you two doing?" he added, catching sight of Harry and Rom on the path ahead.

Karkaroff, Harry saw, looked slightly discomposed to see them standing there. His hand went nervously to his goatee, and he began winding it around his finger.

"We're walking," Harry said shortly. "Nothing against the law with that."

"Keep walking then!" Snape snarled, and he brushed past them, his long black cloak billowing out behind him. Karkaroff hurried away after Snape. Harry and Tom continued down the path.

"Interesting… I wonder could it be," Tom muttered to himself before shaking his head. "No, the husk is too weak."

"What is it?"

"Nothing we should worry about tonight my love," Tom said. "Come, let's find a more secluded place." They moved off the path and away from the rose garden. With each step something grew in Harry as he kept close to Tom, a heat rising inside him that soon took over his body.

"Tom," he moaned.

They moved through a circle of bushes, fairy lights twinkling in them, and into a small area hidden by the tall bushes. "Perfect," Tom smirked. He took off his robe and laid it on the untouched snow. He turned to Harry and pulled the smaller boy towards him, conquering his lips as his tongue slipped into the younger's mouth. Harry moaned at Tom's touch and wrapped his arms around the older boy, needing to feel him, the overwhelming heat spreading to every ion of his body and controlling his actions.

Their lips plump, Tom pulled back biting Harry's bottom lip between his teeth. "What do you need Harry?" Tom smirked. "Say it, my little prince, and I will give you the world."

"You," Harry panted. "I need you Tom! I need to make me completely yours! Own everything of me!" Harry's cheeks flushed as he stared up at Tom, his body over sensitive as his cock pressed against his dress robes, leaking.

Tom gave Harry a lewd look of satisfaction as he drew a single finger down his cheek. "Do you understand what you're asking for, Harry? You will be mine completely… mind, body, and soul. Do you want that?"

"Yes Tom," Harry moaned as his skin shivered. Tom's finger traced his jaw line and moved slowly down his neck, resting just above the collar of his dress robes. "I love you Tom, please—please do this!"

Tom smirked and took a step from Harry. He reached towards one of the bushes and picked a rose off of it. "Give me your wand, Harry," Tom commanded.

Harry nodded and freely gave Tom his wand. Tom tapped the tip of Harry's wand to the rose and it started to transfigure. The petals first turned black, then they expanded slowly changing texture as the petals melded together until Harry couldn't tell where the petals began or ended. Two eyeholes appeared and the outline of the top of a nose. Harry realized that it was a masquerade mask, or at least it looked like a more regal masquerade mask.

It was black and looked to be made of an expensive texture that Harry couldn't guess; it looked like onyx. The mask was outlined with a few snakes in menacing positions, their eyes made of real emeralds staring at Harry as they seemed to hiss at him. Harry thought he saw something shimmering in the two eyeholes of the half-mask. He wanted to reach for it, to touch and feel the mask under his fingers, but knew that he couldn't. He could only move when Tom told him. "Take off your glasses my prince," Tom breathed.

Harry's hand moved towards his glasses and pulled them off, the world around him becoming cloudy and unfocused. Using both hands, Tom gently placed the mask on Harry, it slipping perfectly on the top half of Harry's face. Harry gasped as he realized that he could see perfectly! Tom smiled victoriously and said, "I've got the lens right it seems."

Harry reached for the mask and lightly pushed his finger against the eyehole, the finger pressing against the lens. Tom still had his smile as Harry looked at him, a huge grin on his face. "Tom!" he said.

Tom gently took Harry's glasses and placed them on his robe on the ground. "I want you to strip, but keep the mask on," he commanded.

Harry was happy to shed his clothing; his limbs moving quickly as he practically tore his dress robes apart for Tom. The older boy just watched amused as Harry stood in front of him naked. Tom took the moment to fully observe Harry's body. "Puberty is treating you well Harry," he said as he took a step towards Harry. Using one finger he dragged his hand down Harry's chest and through the beginnings of chest hair that started to grow. "I think you'll look wonderful once this all grows out," Tom muttered. "Of course we'll be trimming it to make sure it looks perfect for my little prince."

Harry blushed but smiled as pleasurable shivers traveled through his body, the cold air around them hardening his nipples. Tom chuckled and flicked one of them. "They are just waiting for attention, aren't they?" Tom smirked. Harry just moaned and nodded. Tom knelt and before Harry could respond, Tom's mouth was on Harry's nipple his tongue flicking Harry's nipple as his teeth scrapped against Harry's chest. Harry moaned and his cock bobbed in the air, fully hard and leaking. With one free hand Tom grabbed the cock fully in his hand and squeezed. With one last lick Tom looked up at Harry and said, "No cumming now Harry, you told me that your body is mine. You can only cum when I deem it. Understand?" Tom asked with another squeeze of Harry's cock.

The small boy moaned and nodded, his emerald eyes shimmering through the onyx mask. Tom smirked and continued his assault on Harry's breast. His hand still holding Harry's cock, Tom used his other to play with Harry's other nipple, squeezing and rolling it between his thumb and pointer. High whimpers left Harry's lips as his breath continued to hitch. "T-T-Tom!"

"What is it my prince?" Tom asked. "Don't you like it when I play with your breasts?"

"I do…" Harry said, biting his lip as he did his best to keep himself from cumming.

"I can feel your pre-cum slicking your cock and my hand Harry, are you trying your best to be a good prince?" Tom asked.

Harry nodded vigorously and Tom smiled. "Good boy. Here, lick my hand clean." Tom brought his cum-slicked hand towards Harry's hand. His pink tongue darted out and Harry licked enthusiastically, familiar to the taste of his own cum.

With his hand clean, Tom resumed his journey down Harry's body, his tongue licked and dragged across Harry's skin. He left bite marks everywhere he went, each one making Harry flinch, until he got to Harry's cock. Harry's cock was cut, five inches erect and some pubic hair was starting to grow at the base of his cock. Tom just gave Harry a look before swallowing Harry's cock in his mouth. Harry gave a stifled gasp as he felt Tom's hot mouth around his cock, his tongue dragging on the underside of Harry's cock. Harry was turning to goo under Tom's fingers. One large hand pressed against Harry's flat stomach, the other holding one cheek of Harry's ass, keeping him in place as Tom hollowed his lips and started bobbing. Harry's cock was as hard as it ever was and his body trembled as his cock tremor with the need to cum.

"T-Tom!" Harry stuttered.

Tom looked up , his lips still stretched around Harry's cock, and smirked. Harry's cock slide out of Tom's mouth covered with pre-cum and saliva. Tom swallowed before saying, "Remember Harry, don't cum yet."

"I—I can't hold it in," Harry panted. His entire face was flushed, his body sweaty despite the cold wind.

"Then we will simply ignore your needs for a while," Tom said as he stood up fully. "On your knees, my love," he commanded gently. Harry moved, his skin resting on his dress robes, the snow frosting his legs through the fabric. Tom saw Harry shiver for a moment before taking Harry's wand out of his pocket and pointed his wand at the clothing, warming them up. Harry smiled in appreciation and stared up at Tom.

Tom was still fully clothed, a dominating aura surrounding him as the Dark Lord looked down at his prince. Harry's smile softened but stayed as he stared at Tom, naked body, hard cock and mask. "Such a pretty boy," Tom sighed. "You were made to be here my prince, the perfect size," Tom smiled. "Do you know what you're going to do now?"

"I'm… I'm going to suck your dick?" Harry asked.

"Yes you are," Tom smiled. "Now say it Harry, with confidence."

"I'm going to suck your cock," Harry said with more confidence. His reward was Tom un-zippering his pants and pulling out his thick cock. "Big…" Harry gasped. Tom's cock was nine inches long and three inches thick.

"Just for you, my prince," Tom smirked. "Take as much as you can handle."

Harry nodded and held Tom's cock in his hand. Opening his mouth as wide as he could Harry swallowed and choked as he lowered his head on the fat, pink mushroom-head of the most perfect cock he had ever seen. Tears slip from the bottom of Harry's mask as it became hard for him to breathe.

"Breathe through your nose Harry. Focus on only breathing through your nose," Tom instructed. Harry nodded and opened his nostrils as wide as he could as he practiced breathing. When he felt he had the hang of breathing, Harry's head moved on Tom's cock slowly taking inch by inch until it felt like he couldn't take enough! "Good try Harry, that's half of my cock in your pretty head. Get used to it… breathe… then start moving."

Harry's jaw ached and more tears fell from his mask as he breathed slowly, getting used to having the heavy hot cock in his small mouth. Soon he started to move, his lips dragging on Tom's cock and his tongue licking a large vein on Tom's cock. "Good…" Tom moaned, "that's a good prince, Harry."

Harry's mouth curled upwards in a smile at Tom's praise. He lowered his head again until the back of Tom's cock pressed against his throat. It was messy but Harry eventually gotten into a flow of sucking Tom's cock. Tom murmured praise and encouragement between his low moans; his hands were in Harry's hair. "Such a natural Harry," Tom said. Now stay still."

Harry stopped and felt Tom's grip tighten on his hair. Tom started to move on his own, his cock sliding in and out of Harry's mouth as the younger boy gagged. "Breathe… breathe…" Tom said. Tom started slowly, using long, strong strokes as he moved in and out of Harry's mouth. But soon his pace increased, becoming more animalistic as Harry's gags and the slick sound of his cock moving in Harry's small mouth turned him on.

"Fuck Harry," Tom cursed as he continued to face-fuck his love. Harry gagged, tears falling from his tears but Harry couldn't be happier! He was breathing easily through his nose and relaxed as the aching in his jaws dulled. Tom was now moving at a rough pace, sometimes his entire cock was in Harry only for a second before coming out then in again. Tom continued the pace relentlessly the pressure in his cock slowly growing. "I'm going to cum in you Harry," Tom panted. "When I do—swallow every drop!"

Harry moaned in response and opened his throat as with a final thrust Tom's entire cock was in Harry's mouth and throat and he came. Harry felt the hot sticky cum in his throat and kept swallowing, the cum travelling down his throat until he couldn't feel it anymore. Ropes and ropes of cum filled Harry's mouth and throat, and the fourteen year old did his best to swallow each and every drop.

Tom's cock did not soften but his cum did pitter to a stop. Tom pulled his cock out of Harry's mouth and stared down at his boy. Cheeks red-flushed and tear-stained, lips puffy and bruised and the onyx mask contrasting everything, Harry looked at this moment the perfection of submission. A drop of cum leaked from Harry's lips but his tongue darted out to lick it. "So pretty," Tom whispered. "How did it taste, Harry?"

"Delicious Tom," Harry replied.

Tom smirked and casually began to take his clothes off. Harry moved to help but Tom stopped him by lightly smacking his shoulder with Harry's wand. "Stay kneeling Harry," Tom said. "You'll do no work tonight."

Harry nodded and watched as Tom undressed himself. His chest was formed, arms toned, and stomach shown abs. Tom looked to be the peak of physical fitness and Harry loved every moment of staring at his lover. There was a treasure trail from Tom's abs to his cock and Harry could feel his mouth salivate staring at it. Once Tom was fully naked he looked down at Harry and said, "On all fours now."

Harry obeyed and got on his hands and knees, his ass in the air and cheeks spread. Tom got to his knees and placed each hand on Harry's ass, moving them apart even further. "Such a pretty hole, my prince," Tom said. "Hairless… pink… just inviting me to take it. Would you like that Harry? Do you want my cock in your pretty hole?"

"Yes Tom," Harry moaned.

"Say it," Tom commanded.

"I want your cock in my pretty hole!" Harry moaned.

"Good prince," Tom said. He picked up Harry's wand and aimed it at Harry's ass. "We have time to play later, love, but for now we both need my cock inside you." Tom pressed the wand against Harry's hole and Harry's spine stiffened at the cold feeling. His ass pucker tightened but Tom pushed through and soon a hot wetness filled Harry's ass as the hole started to expand!

Fully lubed and stretched Tom pulled out the wand, but before Harry could protest against the empty feeling Tom's cock plunged fully into the tight, hot hole. Harry screamed in pain and pleasure. Both boys were consumed by lust at that point and didn't wait for Harry to adjust. Tom started at a ferocious pace, his muscles flexing with each thrust into his small prince. Harry's screams continued and turned into low throaty moans that only stimulated Tom even more. "Take my cock Harry! Your ass feels so perfect my prince! Your body is mine Harry, everything is mine!" Tom snarled.

"Yours!" Harry's voice hitched. "I'm your prince! T-Tom I love you so much!" Harry continued to scream and moan as Tom's body pressed against him, the Dark Lord rutting him. Tom started an assault on Harry's neck, biting and licking at one spot as he continued to fuck the boy senselessly. Harry felt all control of his body leave him; he was under Tom's influence completely as the teen made him feel like moldable clay. Harry could feel Tom breaking him down with each thrust, destroying the old Harry Potter who everybody knew and instead made a completely new person, a new identity for the boy that was entirely Tom's. Tom's name was the only word that escaped Harry's lips as he started to chant, his ass moving in sync with Tom's thrusts. He was a new person, a new identity as the life of Harry Potter, golden Gryffindor shattered away. Harry felt he was no longer Harry Potter. He was Tom's lover, fully and completely his as Tom fully and completely is Harry's as well; he was Tom's prince, Tom's heir, the only person who knew of Tom's secrets and emotions.

"Cum in me! Cum in me!" Harry begged. "Please Tom! Change me!"

"Harry, you're already changed," Tom grunted as with a final thrust he came for a second time in Harry's destroyed ass. Harry came as well as he felt Tom filling him, his seed being absorbed by Harry's body. Cum dripped by the sides of Tom's cock and Harry's hole, leaking down his lean legs. Tom pulled his cock out and pressed it against Harry's leg, dragging it across where the cum leaked and pushed it back into Harry's hole. Harry moaned and smiled fully satisfied as he collapsed on the snow and robes. He felt his hole open and empty, Tom's cum a source of heat inside it.

"Look at me Harry," Tom said. Harry felt himself being flipped; his back now on the robes and snow as he looked up at his lover. Tom smiled and bent down; gently kissing Harry's puffed and abused lips. "That was perfect Harry… are you hurt?"

"No, it's a happy ache," Harry smiled as he felt his ass starting to sting. Tom chuckled and kissed Harry again. "Good, I'm glad."

He took Harry's wand and tapped it against Harry's mask. They transfigured themselves into an exact match of Harry's glasses. "I want you to wear this pair now," Tom breathed. "This is my mark for you, my gift to show that you are my lover. Whenever I want, the glasses will turn into your mask again and your identity as Harry Potter will be hidden. Obviously, my love, you will need a new name with the mask."

Harry smiled and kissed Tom this time. "I think I know what I want to be called, Tom."

"What is it?"

Harry's smile grew into a sinister leer. He stood with the help of Tom and looked directly into Tom's brown satisfied eyes. "The Dark Prince."

Tom chuckled and pulled Harry to him. "Harry Potter: The Dark Prince," He whispered. "Good… however I like this better. Harry Potter: My Dark Prince." They kissed again in their secluded circle. On the other side of the garden, Ron and Draco were consummating their love: the Slytherin swearing as Ron filled him with his seed.

A/N: Twice in a row? Yeah why not?

Barbara Vitoria: I'm starting to love this relationship as well.

SalazarsDemonLover: Well sex happened and a light-hearted chapter.

Anon: Thanks

Lyra A. Black: I love Ron! He's my favorite Redhead lol. So of course I'm always going to try and include him in a positive way.

I.C.2014: Really? Huh

Littlesprout: thanks

MirrorFlower and DarkWind: well here it is

Marsetta: Well from the sound of it the first time Draco bottomed. But hey, they're Verse! So everyone wins! And well… Ron didn't exactly have a chance to talk with Tom.

CloudZzFluffyBedsOfWhite: … no, no hunt. It was just a strange thing Tom noticed.

Sarahamanda Klaine: Here it is

Guest: Glad you liked it!

Kigen Dawn: The best disguise is a no guise! That's a saying right?