Ok, so for those who don't know, I am an insomniac which means that I usually end up working on this story after around forty-eight hours of no sleep- which means that forgive me but, there will be mistakes. Also I don't have a beta right now so I'm the one doing the checking so please forgive me for the lack of commas and other small mistakes that can easily be looked over if you are determined to. I write this because I've received a few messages where people seem genuinely upset at my lack of commas and I apologize but I write for pleasure. I couldn't very well go back to all the other chapters and check them for comma correctness when I just finished going through all the other chapters for other mistakes. Now, my mini rant is over, I will endeavor to keep an eye out for commas in the chapters that I am writing right now but I make no promises! Tata, I'll be posting on Sunday or Tuesday depending on how much I get done in the next few days.

NOT FOR THE EYES OF CHILDREN

MALE/MALE RELATIONSHIPS

TORTURE

NOT MY CHARACTERS

Mistress Slytherin

-LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!

-9-

Le Strange was waiting for him in the foyer, legs crossed casually, shirt un-tucked and blood spattered. Harry tilted his head cordially upon seeing him having almost missed him as he strode through the floo. "Ares." The man said carefully the title obviously odd on his tongue. Harry smiled thinly.

"Lord Le Strange." He greeted his mind already on his father. Le Strange seemed to notice his hurry and smirked slightly before gesturing at a manila folder and a pile of scrolls that were piled precariously on the coffee table.

"My late wife kept records which I thought you might like- they are unfortunately rather erratic and disorganized but I thought you might like to see them any way." He said his voice slow and deliberate. Harry pegged the man for the kind that tended to think things through to every last detail before acting- the complete opposite of Bella.

"Ah, yes I appreciate that." He said, curious and slightly wary of the man' nonchalance despite his urgency. Le Strange seemed to sense his silent questioning and smiled slightly.

"My late wife and I married for our connections; in truth we couldn't stand the sight of each other, I hold no grudge towards you, in fact I am quite glad for this turn of events." Harry frowned and tilted his head smiling sheepishly.

"Sir?" He questioned delicately.

"I like men." He said bluntly a smirk on his lips. "There was nothing about Bella that I found appealing and so there was no heir, I had worried that the Le Strange line would end with myself, however now that worry is past and I am free at last to pursue my preferences freely. I must admit if I had thought of this sooner I probably would have helped you kill her." He said looking rather amused at the prospect. Harry rose his eyebrows and the man chuckled. "Don't look so stricken Ares; I have faith that you will bring glory back to the name Le Strange. I can at last rest freely with minimal social obligations; I must thank you for this. If ever you have need of something- I would be glad to oblige." He said tilting his head slightly. Harry smiled faintly.

"Thank you sir." He said tilting his own head gratefully. Le Strange smirked and made his way to the floo.

"Attend to your father Ares Malfoy; I will contact you if I find anything that might prove useful." He said before pulling out a pouch and tossing some floo powder into the grate. Harry watched in slight bewilderment as the man spun out of view.

"Ares!" Harry turned in time to see a rather shaken looking Severus striding towards him. Harry's face fell.

"How is he?" He nearly demanded. Severus paused before nodding his eyes showing relief.

"The healer was able to heal what I wasn't, he'll scar but he wasn't infected." Harry let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and Severus watched him with sharp eyes. "And you?" The man demanded. Harry smiled and winced slightly as he sat down.

"Tired but uninjured." He said wearily. Dark eyes narrowed.

"Ares…" He said warningly and Harry only shook his head.

"I'll be fine Severus." He said quietly. Severus huffed and sat down stiffly.

"Then would you care to explain that little display?" He said cruelly. Harry winced visibly and leaned back.

"There were times in my life," He admitted softly. "When I wondered if death wouldn't be the better than the pain- and yet I couldn't bring myself to see these moments any further than they existed. I never truly wanted to die and yet tonight I watched a man who had lost everything give up and beg me to kill him." He laughed bitterly and choked when it came out a sob. He breathed slowly and batted away the stray tear. "There have been many instances where I have willingly put my life on the line for others and it was only tonight fighting beside the dark lord that…I realized that things have changed." He said tiredly. "I swore never to let any one risk their lives for me again and yet- the person I thought least likely to do so…saved my life." He admitted quietly. Severus was frowning when he cracked his eyes open.

"He risked himself for you?" he said in disbelief. Harry frowned thinking back to their battle. His eyes widened.

"Yes." He breathed. "He left himself open to attack in order to get the wolf attacking my blind spot." He said stricken. Severus nodded slowly looking pale. Harry snorted slightly at the improbability of it. "He probably had a plan or at least knew that I would be able to pull us back up in time to block the next attack." He said tracing his lower lip absently. Severus furrowed his brows.

"But then, Ares- that would mean that he trusted you enough to pull him out of such a situation." He said contemplatively. Harry's breath caught in his throat as he looked away.

"What the devil is he planning?" he asked quietly. "His motives are hidden and his movements erratic, there must be some pattern to them, some reason to it all." Severus nodded.

"He probably knew something like tonight was bound to happen. He said quietly Harry's eyes were sharp.

"The new law." He said causing Severus to smirk.

"Some day I will learn where it is that you get your information." He said softly. Harry smirked.

"According to the werewolf act only those under Fenrir's rule are safe, any unregistered as being in his pack or the sub packs under his rule are subject to immediate termination and are herby labeled as 'Rogue.' I suspect that if that hadn't pissed them off then the bounty placed on werewolf rogues would have." Severus' eyes glinted slightly in pride.

"The war has made it hard on the economy, the ministry wants to circulate money once more, most pure blooded families are willing to hire bounty hunters who then will circulate the money elsewhere." Harry shook his head.

"The money should have been spent elsewhere, its' blood money- as if the werewolf community doesn't have enough trouble as it is." He said shaking his head. Severus rose his eyebrow.

"I never took you to be a sympathizer." He said pointing out the irony. Harry snorted.

"It would be better to keep them alive and dependant on us rather than destroying them so wastefully." He said with a sigh. Severus narrowed his eyes.

"What would you suggest then?" he said curiously. Harry frowned. The situation was bad no matter what, Voldemort saw the werewolves as both a threat and an asset. An asset to the war, an asset because he could bribe them with muggles to hunt. However it was a powerful asset.

"Colonize them." He said at last. "Have several prominent wizarding families look good by raising money to build a reservation for the werewolves. Give the werewolves shelter, food, and work- harmless desk jobs that no one else wants to do since the ministry is such a mess right now. I know first hand how grateful one can be when provided the barest essentials, the Dark Lord will undoubtedly have another war and the wolves could be an asset. Make them want to fight for the Dark Lord, for what he has provided that no one else has offered." Severus was watching him carefully once he'd finished and he couldn't help but wondered if he had done something odd. Or perhaps the man had seen the similarities between his idea and Dumbledore's tactics? Harry hated to think like the man but in a way it was with vindictive glee that he brought the idea to this side of the war; where it belonged.

"Brilliant." The man said quietly. "None of the others would have thought of it because of their distain towards lesser blood but you." Severus shook his head. "You can think objectively, it will set out apart from the rest Ares." Harry frowned.

"Er…thank you?" He said tilting his head to the side. Severus snorted.

"You're still impossible, impertinent and you have a death wish." He said crisply causing Harry to relax.

"Whew! I thought I was going to have to check for poly juice!" he said smirking. Severus huffed and stood.

"Get some sleep brat, and refrain from creating chaos for a few days hmmm?" Harry grinned.

"Awe but Seeeevrus!" He teased causing the man to roll his eyes.

"I mean it, in fact, why don't you write down your little idea for the mutts to occupy yourself." He said briskly. Harry frowned and tilted his head to the side.

"Really?" He said curiously. Severus snorted.

"If anyone could convince the dark lord it's you." He said pointedly. Harry rose an eyebrow.

"Severus are you drunk? You're complimenting me rather than insulting me." He said warily. Severus sighed.

"Not drunk, just tired, and rather desperate to keep you out of my hair for a few days. You can turn in your ideas during the meeting which the Dark Lord is likely to demand at some ungodly hour at some point this week." Harry sniggered and shook his head.

"If only he knew how you truly felt…" He said dreamily. Severus snorted.

"I'd probably be dead." He said easily. Harry grinned.

"Nah, he likes your snark too much." He quipped before turning down the hall towards his own room. "See you later." Harry said with a yawn. Severus sighed.

"Much later I hope." The voice said floating after him. Harry smiled thinly before heading to his rooms. He had work to do.

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Harry groaned tiredly as his head hit the pillow hair still damp from his shower, sooooo tired…so abso-bloody-fucking-lutely tired. He sighed slightly in contentment though as he felt exhaustion drift over him taking him to the edge of oblivion- The lights flickered on and his wrist jerked in half-asleep fury. There was a sharp pink as metal- his dagger hit metal- probably Severus' blade. He cracked one eye open and glared at the smirking man who was twirling his dagger in his hand absently.

"Is there a particular reason you're here tormenting me?" Harry slurred glancing at his alarm clock. "At three-thirty in the morning never the less?" He added his eyebrow twitching. Snape smirked lazily.

"The dark lord is calling." Harry groaned loudly and buried his face into his pillow.

"Damn that man." He hissed into his pillow before slowly dragging his weary body out of bed ignorant of his nudity in the man's presence. He felt dark eyes watching him critically for a moment.

"Have you not been eating?" He demanded. Harry yawned widely. "Or sleeping for that matter?" Harry glared balefully before pulling a set of casual yet elegant robes out.

"I've been working." He said rubbing his eye absently. Severus snorted and reached into his own robes pulling out a vial of pepper-up potion.

"Here." He said amused. "You'd better be alert if you expect to address the inner circle tonight- or rather this morning." He corrected, Harry glared and swallowed the potion making a face as it rushed through his system making him feel slightly light headed for a moment.

"Thank you." He said shortly before slipping his cloths on buttoning the shirt and hooking the clasps with ease.

"I'm afraid there isn't a potion in the world that can hide those circles however." Severus said making his way to Harry's desk where the finished project- a rather large stack of parchment beside another rather large stack of scrolls bound neatly. Harry glanced at the mirror and frowned.

"Ew." He said with a sneer before casting several glamour charms.

"He'll know that you've cast those." Severus said absently as he glanced at one of the parchments. Harry snorted.

"I don't care if he knows; it's the others who would jump at any perceived weakness." He said smiling at the now refreshed looking him in the mirror. "Especially if this goes through, they'll be looking for any chance to attack." Severus let out a small noise of agreement as Harry snatched the parchment from his hand and shrank the pile placing it carefully into a small leather pouch.

"You've thought it through then?" The man said with a raised eyebrow. Harry snorted.

"I haven't slept for a week Snape." He said with a sneer. "Of course I've bloody well thought of everything." He said slipping the pouch into his pocket. Severus glared mildly.

"You'd better hope your father doesn't catch wind of those glamours." He said sharply. "Now grasp my arm, we've dallied enough with your primping." Harry sneered and grabbed the man's arm as he pressed his wand to his dark mark. Harry clenched his jaw against the unsettling feeling of sidelong-apperation and forced his face into a neutral expression as they landed in a tastefully decorated foyer. Lucius, smiled thinly at them from where he'd been waiting.

"Took long enough, every one is about here." He scolded quietly. Severus snorted.

"Tell that to your beauty queen of a son." Harry snorted.

"Its three thirty in the bloody morning Snape I wasn't exactly dressed for the occasion." He said as they made their way to the large double doors and entered into the room.

"Yes well, nude isn't really the recommended fashion statement." Severus relented causing several to glance at them with raised brows. Harry for his part refused to blush as the dark lord narrowed his gaze from where he was seated.

"Head out of the clouds Severus, not all of us are exhibitionists." Harry said absently skillfully turning the conversation around against the man. Severus rose an eyebrow his lips twitching. Harry huffed and rolled his eyes. Voldemort stood from his spot ending the conversation.

"Now that we are all assembled." He began glancing at Ares. "I thought it prudent that we discuss the rogues." He said his voice expectant. Harry leaned lazily against the wall as red eyes surveyed the room slowly. Silence rang in the air. "Come now, surely someone must have an idea." He said with a raised eyebrow.

"Kill them." Rebastian said leaning back in his chair. There were a few mutters of agreement and Severus cleared his throat causing Ares to glare at the man who turned his gaze on to Ares causing the others to glance in his direction. Harry huffed.

"I believe Ares had an idea." Severus drawled smirking. Harry had wanted to present his idea at a later point- preferably when he had a moment alone with the dark lord. His gaze was drawn to the man whose lips were twisting slowly into a hungry smile. The man's magic may have less of an effect across the room and with the ring on, but the man himself had enough charisma not to really need it.

"Oh?" He inquired lightly. Harry forced his gaze to remain impassive as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the pouch.

"I believe that it would be a waste simply to kill them all." He said frankly as he loosened the draw strings and reached into the bag moving over to the oval table to set down the scrolls and parchments enlarging them to their regular size with a flick of his wrist. Voldemort's smile grew into a satisfied grin as he eyed the plans.

"And what is it that you suggest Ares?" Voldemort said silkily as he lifted the first paper his eyebrows lifting in surprise.

"Colonize them." Harry said bluntly. Voldemort tilted his head to the side in consideration.

"Explain." He said crisply his eyes flickering over the page as Harry began to speak.

"We set aside a place for them, perhaps some of the muggle cities that are now empty and under warding." He said briskly. Of course what they didn't know was that he had already taken anything of value from these places and hidden it away in his vaults just like he had in Muggle London. "We can tear these cities down and grow forests warded for the full moon to allow for their freedom and our safety." Voldemort smirked.

"Department of Wizard and Werewolf relations?" He said glancing up from the paper he was skimming. Harry nodded.

"To boost economy and improve relations through trade, this will also allow Fenrir Grayback the ability to rule without human interference. We will have very little say in how he runs his pack and sub packs which will suit him I believe, and on the other hand we will provide them with work should they want it." Lucius tilted his head to the side.

"Work?" He asked curiously. Harry nodded.

"Organizational stuff mainly, the ministry, if you haven't noticed appears to be drowning in paperwork. If we rope off particular areas and have the werewolves work in that area we can focus on pressing forward with our goals rather than trying to sort through the past." Lucius nodded in understanding and Voldemort hummed lightly.

"You were thorough Ares, I will of course need time to look through this, but already I find myself interested in this alternative. We did after all make several promises with Fenrir that I believe would be best if kept." He leaned back contentedly and tilted his head to the side in consideration. Harry knew that he wasn't going to like whatever the man said next, he could tell by the faint glimmer of humor that could be seen in the man's eyes. "You will be in charge of the project I think." He said smirking when Harry twitched. "I will allow you to choose whom ever you like from the tiers as long as the request is reasonable to help you in this endeavor, though I must warn you now, any negotiations made with Fenrir will be made in my presence." Harry sighed inwardly and nodded reluctantly. Voldemort turned to the others. "Now, about the centaurs…"

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Voldemort smirked at him as the others left the meeting. "You can drop the glamours Ares." Harry frowned and let them fall before letting himself fall into a chair, tiered beyond all reason.

"Why did you have to call a meeting at three in the bloody morning?" He groaned rubbing his sore eyes. Voldemort snorted.

"To piss you off of course, now, give me one reason I shouldn't begin to see you as some sort of werewolf fanatic." He said leaning back. Harry cracked one eye open and sighed.

"I assumed that there would be more wars, werewolves are better fighters alive then dead, and you have to admit they would probably work harder at their given tasks than wizards. It seemed a waste to kill them all." He knew he sounded cold, but he knew that it was the only way to get Voldemort to understand and accept his ideas. "In the end the wizards will benefit more than the werewolves, but the werewolves won't see it. We're giving them a chance at a somewhat normal life, for those who spend most of their lives struggling to survive being offered even something as small as physical comforts- they will start to respect those who make the offer. Respect will turn to loyalty once they realize that it won't be snatched back and that the strings that are attached are ones they can bear and come to live with. In time they will come to see you as a sort of second alpha- after all you provide shelter and protect them from the harsh lives they have lived by offering them a sanctuary." Voldemort nodded thoughtfully.

"Intriguing." The man said simply his lips twisting. "So tell me, did you do this for yourself? For me? Why Ares? I want to know your motive." He demanded. Harry tilted his head to the side.

"Severus and I were talking and I told him I thought it was a waste to simply kill them all- he asked me what I thought should be done and the ideas began to spin in my head, I did it because I felt like it really, and it seemed like a challenge." Voldemort snorted.

"So you didn't do it because you couldn't get the mercy killing out of your head?" He said knowingly. Harry frowned and looked away.

"No, though that wolf was part of it. I started to think about how they suffered and then about what might happen to them and about your hesitant agreement with Fenrir. Then it became a puzzle to me, I wanted to figure out a way that would seem appealing to both you and the werewolves. Then I began to think about the wizarding world and the need for an economic boost, after that the plans just started forming." He said shrugging his shoulders leisurely.

"And Severus' making you promise to keep from creating havoc had nothing to do with it?" Voldemort drawled, Harry frowned.

"You try keeping away from trouble when it keeps coming to you." He said petulantly. "How did you know about that anyway?" He asked cracking an eye open. Voldemort smirked.

"Severus was rather worried about your well being, he wanted to know what was said the night of the ball." Harry scowled.

"Nosey, so very unbecoming of him. So what did you tell him?" He asked curiously. Voldemort smirked.

"That is for me to know." He said cryptically. Harry clenched his jaw. He didn't like that the man was keeping secrets from him, it was reminiscent of Dumbledore. He had thought that things between himself and Voldemort would be different, but of course, he must have been wrong.

"I see." He said his tone clipped his body tense. "Well if that is all Lord Voldemort." He said standing and spinning towards the door in one fluid motion.

"I have not dismissed you." The man said his voice sharp with warning. Harry felt a sneer creep across his lips.

"There is nothing else for us to discuss and you despite what you may think are not my master." He bit out glancing over his shoulder his gaze cold and hard. Red eyes glinted as the elegant features grew icy. The man was suddenly inches away from him though even his superior sight hadn't caught the man's movement and a hand was wrapped around his neck not quite choking but not quite comfortable either.

"You are mine." The man seethed before slowly a cold smile twisted across his lips. "You will never find a master like me and you know it, no one will match me, you may resist all you want but soon you will fold and you will be mine." Harry felt the low hiss before it left his lips. His hand shot out and with inhumane force he knocked the man's hand away from him.

"I am not yours!" He cried out yanking away from him. "Do you think that I would allow you to knock me to my knees? That I won't fight back! That I wouldn't rather die than become your fucking footstool!" He panted his magic reacting around him. "I'll not let that happen! I won't! I won't!" He shouted a vase beside him shattering. "You can talk to them over my head go on! Manipulate them to do your bidding but I will never trust it, never trust you if that's what you are going to do!" He seethed before turning and striding towards the door only to have it slam shut in his face with a sudden burst of magic. He let out a strangled shout and spun to face the man. Red eyes were glittering but the man's stance was relaxed his hands behind his back as he watched, waiting. Harry felt his fingers twitch.

"Pull your wand on me Ares and it will be the last thing you do." Voldemort seethed. Harry narrowed his own gaze.

"I don't need my wand to cause damage." He said coolly. "Let me out. We are through here." He said finality ringing in his voice. Voldemort remained passive.

"No." He said simply. "I am going to wait until you have calmed yourself and then we are going to address the matter calmly." Harry snarled.

"What matter! There is no bloody matter! There is only you, lording over every one- bullying them like some school yard miscreant!" Red eyes narrowed and the stance stiffened causing Harry to smirk. "Going to hit me now? Curse me? The cruciatus worked so well the last time you used it didn't it!" He said eyes wide and accusing. Voldemort's entire being seemed to relax.

"No." He said softly. "Because that is just what you want me to do isn't it?" Harry flinched startled at the abrupt change in demeanor and felt himself deflate.

"What?" He asked before he could help himself. Voldemort took a step back before turning and pouring himself a drink.

"You want me to prove you right. To prove that I will be just like every other person in your life who has betrayed you and hurt you." The man said his gaze softening. Harry felt himself take a step back as his mind flitted wildly around the idea. What? Why would the man think that he would- "You refuse to fear me, and yet you are absolutely terrified that I might end up just like every one else." Voldemort said before taking a seat seemingly content to sit and watch as Harry's mind twisted about trying to understand what was going on. He shook his head roughly confusion swirling in his eyes.

"That's not-"

"Then why did you bait me Ares?" Voldemort said cutting him off. "Think about it." Harry bit his lip. Why…Why had he done that? There had been nothing to gain from it, he wasn't fool enough to be blind to just what could have happened. Slowly he began to replay the entire evening over in his mind only to rub his sore eyes in exhaustion when he realized that he didn't know why, he didn't know at all. He leaned his head back and jumped when something cold and damp pressed against his neck. He blinked confusedly at Voldemort who seemed to have moved suddenly again and stood directly in front of him pulling the source of the shocking cold- which appeared to be a glass of some liquor away from his neck.

"Drink, fall asleep, trust me enough to return you to your home and we will talk about this later." The man said his voice uncharacteristically soft. Harry wasn't really aware of the sound that came out of his mouth only of the finger that placed its self at his lips. "Shush Ares, allow your self to trust me in this." Voldemort said his voice quietly rolling through him in a calming sound. Harry held the man's gaze as he took the glass in his own hand surprised when Voldemort's hand didn't move away but helped guide his shaky hand and the glass cradled within it. The liquid burned as it went down and Harry smiled at the smoky flavor.

"The good stuff." He slurred pushing the glass away. Voldemort chuckled a low soothing sound and led him by the hand to the small couch. Harry sighed as the sleeping potion the man had slipped into the drink began to take effect on his already weary body. He blinked lazily up at the man for a moment his focus slipping.

"Thank you Ares, for trusting me." The man said though Harry was already tipping off to sleep. Trust? Did he trust the man? He wondered distantly, but the answer was swallowed up in darkness as he fell into a deep sleep.

Voldemort watched his chest rise and fall for a moment a contemplative frown on his face. "You can come in now." He said loud enough to be heard on the other side of the doors. He was unsurprised to see Severus stride through jaw tense expression guarded. Voldemort gave in to the urge to smirk at the man before returning his gaze to Ares' peacefully sleeping face. It was the first time he'd seen such an expression on the boy's face. Free of worry and fear, unguarded by the many walls he'd built up to protect himself. Voldemort had to admit- it was beautiful. Absently he brushed away a dark silken curl before turning to Severus who was watching him tensely. "You want to know what I have planned for him." He said with a small smirk. Severus' jaw tensed before his head jerked in an abrupt nod.

"Yes." He croaked. To see Severus Snape- impenetrable Severus Snape this worried was indeed a treat. Voldemort's smirk grew as he returned his gaze to the sleeping form.

"Greatness." He said simply as he watched the boy sigh in his sleep. Fascination crept through him, how long had it been since someone had risked sleeping in front of him? Since he'd simply sat by and watched someone vulnerable without thinking of several thousand plots against them.

"Greatness my lord?" Severus prodded when he didn't elaborate. Voldemort smirked.

"Yes Severus, greatness." He said before leaning down and scooping up the surprisingly light body cradling it against his chest. He frowned. "Does the brat ever eat?" He said slightly annoyed to think that Ares wouldn't take care of himself- though from what he'd gleaned of the boy's past, a lack of a normal dietary schedule shouldn't surprise him. Severus blinked momentarily thrown off by the question- but then, when had he, Lord Voldemort bothered to ask after some ones health? Severus shook his head.

"His father and I try to keep his eating schedule regular, but with Lucius wounded and on bed rest for the better part of this week we were unable to keep an eye on him." Voldemort clicked his tongue.

"He hasn't been sleeping either." He said tucking the boy closer as he made his way to the main hall. Severus glanced at him.

"Indeed." Voldemort sighed and shook his head.

"Severus you and Lucius are paramount if he is to recover from his childhood, without you he will begin to doubt everything and every one around him." Severus was blatantly staring at him in shock now which made him turn and lift an eyebrow. Severus quickly averted his eyes.

"Understood my lord." He said shortly his eyes flickering wildly as he thought. Voldemort snorted.

"How about this Severus, if you do not find it in yourself to worry after the boy like the family you claim to be, I will take him out of your hands." It was a warning and a vow, but they both knew that Voldemort would do so without a second thought, and that sent a shiver down Severus' spine.