Notes: Hello my lovely readers. A number of people expressed concern over how long it took me to get this chapter out in comparison to my others. I will remind you that I was spoiling you earlier, I'm not usually going to update so fast. I'll try, however, never to take more than a couple months to get a chapter out. But hey, it's finally here! Hadrian and Marvolo get to finally meet face-to-face. :D


"So what do you think of this Marvolo fellow?" Sirius asked, pointing to the paper. The first article on Marvolo Riddle had come out a week ago, but there'd been a continuing mini-series about him just as there had been about Hadrian all those months ago when he'd returned to Britain.

Hadrian looked from Sirius to Remus. Harry stared down at his plate. He'd already asked Hadrian if Marvolo was Tom Riddle and Hadrian hadn't lied.

Hadrian considered his options. Sirius and Remus had been living in Naga Manor for a little more than a month and neither of them had said anything about moving out. By now, they were both used to Hadrian and Harry speaking parseltongue and neither of them had made any comments about how Hadrian was obviously teaching Harry to be as grey as he was, policy and magic-wise.

"You're hiding something," Remus said. "Both of you."

Harry looked at Hadrian. ::Don't worry,:: Hadrian told the boy. ::Go start on today's book. We'll join you when this is all settled.::

Harry frowned, but nodded. He jumped down from the table and headed up to the library.

The adults watched him go. When he was out of sight, the two Mauraders turned back to Hadrian. "Should we get out our wands?" Sirius asked.

"Hopefully not," Hadrian murmured. "How much do you two know about Voldemort?"

Both man flinched only a small amount, much better than the normal wizarding public. Hadrian smiled at that. In his old life, he and Dumbledore had basically trained the entire Order to not flinch at all at the mention of the name.

"What do you mean?" Remus asked. "What about him?"

"I mean… do you know who he was before he was Voldemort?" Hadrian asked.

Both men shook their heads.

"He went to Hogwarts in late thirties and early forties. His mother was Merope Gaunt and his father was a muggle named Tom Riddle. He was named the same, Tom Riddle Jr., a halfblood who was sorted into Slytherin."

"The father of this Marvolo bloke," Sirius said. "Wait, you're saying You-Know-Who sired a kid?"

"Tom Riddle Jr. was a charmer and a political genius. He became Head Boy and went on to gain a position at the Ministry. Then, for some reason, he vanished and when he returned he was the Dark Lord Voldemort." Hadrian shrugged. "Who knows what caused him to snap. Anyway, he's dead now because of Lily."

"Because of Lily?" Remus asked. "Not Harry?"

"Harry was a year old," Hadrian stated. "What sort of inherent magic of a one-year-old would be able to kill one of the most powerful dark wizards of the age? No, Harry and I talked about it and we think it must have been someone his mother did. Some light ritual she set up which caused Voldemort's curse to backfire and kill him."

Sirius nodded. "Lily was always very strong. And now we know she has Naga blood… Slytherin blood… I bet she found some way to use You-Know-Who's Slytherin blood against him."

Hadrian blinked. He hadn't thought of that. "You might be right."

"We'll never know for sure. The question is, what about this son of his. You think he might become another dark lord?" Remus asked.

Hadrian shook his head. "Marvolo Riddle is not his father, just as I am not my father and Harry is not his father."

"We know that," Remus said. "Harry's more like you then like James."

"Not that that's a bad thing," Sirius reassured quickly. "You're a good man."

"Thanks," Hadrian murmured. "I have a feeling Marvolo is going to make a lot of changes in the Ministry. His heritage, though it doesn't seem too impressive to those who don't know who his father was, will bring him a lot of influence in the darker pureblood circles. He's also related to me and Harry, albeit distantly, because he's another Slytherin heir."

Sirius rubbed his chin. "It's just so strange. I don't remember him at all, and he was in Cissy's year at Hogwarts."

"Like I said, he's not his father," Hadrian said. "He didn't try to stand out, but I'll bet he made a lot of connections with the kids who would become his father's followers."

"Hell, he probably recruited them for him," Sirius said.

"Except he didn't fight in the war," Remus said. "I don't remember him at all."

"He probably was allowed not to," Hadrian told them. "His father wouldn't have cursed him for leaving the way he probably did for any of his other followers."

"True."

"So wait," Remus said. "Does Harry not know? Is that why you made him leave?"

"No, he knows," Hadrian said. More than you two, he thought silently. "I just didn't want to risk him listening to you two spouting prejudice about Marvolo because of his heritage."

"I think we've both learned not to do that," Sirius said. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you imperiused me."

"I haven't," Hadrian said. "I don't use the unforgivables."

"At all?" Remus questioned.

"Even the aurors were using the killing curse during the last war," Sirius added.

"If I want to kill someone, I'll do it a different way. The killing curse makes me feel dirty." Hadrian frowned. "And I'm not a fan of torture."

"That's good to hear," Remus said.

"That being said," Hadrian continued. "You know I'm not a light wizard. There are a lot of changes I want to see made to this country. I think Marvolo might be able to help them along. If I become friends with him, I don't want to lose your friendships either, if only for Harry's sake."

"And is Harry okay with you becoming friends with the son of the man who killed his parents?" Remus asked.

Harry was actually okay with Hadrian becoming friends with the man who killed his parents period. Well, only because he was sane now. Hadrian was so happy with how understanding the boy was about it all, because he did want to give Marvolo a chance.

"He is," Hadrian said evenly.

"Then we'll find a way to be okay with it too," Sirius said.

.o.o.o.

Albus popped a lemon drop in his mouth. The second trimester of Hogwarts had just started. In a few months, the students would have tests and then they'd be off to Easter hols and the castle would most empty until the students came back for the final trimester of the year. It was a continuous cycle of coming and going, ebbing like the tide through Hogwarts.

"What to do, Fawkes," Albus murmured. He'd gone to the Dursleys residence almost immediately after Sirius Black's trial and the discovery of who'd taken Harry, only to find that there were new wards around 4 Privet Drive preventing anyone magical from stepping foot anywhere near the house.

They were strong wards. Albus was impressed despite himself. There was no doubt this enigma, Hadrian Naga, had created them.

Young Harry had lived with the Dursleys for eight years. Albus knew Petunia had never been happy raising the boy, but he was shocked that she would sign away her own family to a stranger. Harry was meant to grow up ignorant of his status in the wizarding world, so that he wouldn't become arrogant—so that he could be trained to be a proper wizard for the light to fight Voldemort when he returned.

But now he was being raised by a pureblood wizard who seemed, by all account, grey if not dark. One who was teaching the boy about proper wizarding etiquette. Naga had probably already poisoned his mind against muggles and muggleborns.

Albus frowned. Nothing was going according to plan. He hated when his carefully laid plans failed.

The problem was, even if he did manage to convince the public that Naga wasn't a good guardian for Harry, then Harry's guardianship would go to Sirius, not back to the Dursleys. Beside, it was a little too late to send him back. Albus would have erase his memory of the wizarding world and to use a memory charm on a young child could damage Harry's brain permanently. Harry need to be strong, powerful enough to fight Voldemort.

And he was already back. Albus glanced at The Daily Prophet. Tom had returned. Albus knew he'd never had a student named Marvolo Riddle at Hogwarts, but when he'd checked the records they'd already been changed to indicate another Slytherin student, one who'd never gotten detention or lost or gained many house points.

The only people who had access to that record were Albus, Minerva, and the Board of Governors. Lucius Malfoy must have changed it, but there was no way Albus could prove that. Not without looking foolish. So many had already claimed they remembered Marvolo—some, Albus knew, just did so to put their names in the papers.

Was it possible that Naga and Voldemort were in league with one another? Albus certainly hoped not. Already he'd brought up with Minerva about reinstating the Order, but she'd been insistent that it wasn't needed. She remembered Tom Riddle fondly from her school days and Albus had never had the heart to tell her that Tom had become Voldemort. Now, she was excited to know that Tom had produced a child and lamented not paying attention to the Slytherins enough to remember the boy when he was at school.

It was infuriating. Albus sucked his lemon drop harder. He needed a plan. He needed to know more.

"I have to meet him, Fawkes," Albus said. The phoenix chirped at him. Albus nodded.

All the plans he'd created and discarded over the last months faded away in his mind. They weren't viable. Sirius was living in Naga Manor, reportedly, so he wouldn't easily be convinced to fight for custody of Harry. And even if he did get it, he had ignored all of Albus' letters. Albus feared Sirius blamed him for his lack of trial.

The best thing to do, Albus figured, the only thing he could think to do would be to find a way to get Naga under his influence and away from Voldemort's clutches.

.o.o.o.

Hadrian contemplated the letter he'd received from Dumbledore as he waited on his lunch partner. The invitation for a meal from Marvolo hadn't been a surprise, but Dumbledore's had been. He'd replied to Marvolo, thus the waiting, but had yet to answer Dumbledore.

Frankly, he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to see the old man yet. Dumbledore had been dead for so many years to old him and his new self had never known the man. For all he had let this bitterness well up in him, he still remembered how he'd looked up to Dumbledore as a sort of grandfather-figure.

Hadrian looked up as a distinctive—and dare he think intoxicating—aura appeared at the edge of his conscious. Marvolo Riddle stepped up to the maître d'. Hadrian was too far away to hear what was being said, but it seemed Marvolo was effortlessly charming the hardened woman who ran Bells—one of the finer eating establishments in Diagon Alley.

Marvolo was as handsome physically as the pictures of him in the Daily Prophet had shown, but with the added affect of his magical aura, Hadrian could see several of the elite currently eating their own lunches turn away from their conversations to catch a glimpse of the man. Hadrian had no trouble imagining how Marvolo had wooed so many to his side back when he was at Hogwarts. He'd lost so much of this allure when he'd become Voldemort.

It was dangerous, actually, how attracted Hadrian was to the man at that moment. Magic of that power was always attractive, but while even powerful witches and wizards only exuded a bit of their power across the room, Marvolo seemed to radiate a tantalizing amount of swirling darkness like a delicious poison begging to be tasted.

Hadrian quickly cleared all thoughts of that from his mind as the maître d' approached his table with Marvolo as her side. Hadrian stood, smiling politely at both of them. The maître d' left them with words that their server would be with them shortly.

"Lord Naga," Marvolo greeted easily.

"Lord Riddle," Hadrian returned. "If you please." He gestured for Marvolo to sit first. It wasn't just a statement of respect, but also of acknowledgement that, in terms of pure magical power, Marvolo was stronger than him.

It was troublesome. He'd banked on the idea that he could defeat the man if he decided to become Voldemort again, but Voldemort had been so magically weakened by his horcruxes… Hadrian knew he was very strong indeed but in a straight duel he would struggle against Marvolo.

Marvolo's eyes were a red-brown, not quite the bloody color he'd been as a snake creature but not the same brown he'd had as a school child. Hadrian met them easily, not at all worried about his occulumency shields—even if Marvolo would have been able to breach the ones he'd built up before becoming Hadrian, magic itself prevented anyone from reading Hadrian's mind now.

Speaking of occulumency, he'd really need to get Harry started on at least the basics before Hogwarts. He didn't trust Dumbledore not to take a dip in his ward's mind.

"I do not believe you are as surprised by my existence as I was by yours," Marvolo murmured.

Hadrian nodded slowly. "Indeed, I don't think I was very surprised at all."

Their server came. Marvolo ordered first without having even looked at the menu. He had been here before, then. Well, so had Hadrian. He ordered the lamb as the server turned then to him, "And a butterbeer, if you would be so kind."

Marvolo raised an eyebrow at his choice. Hadrian was momentarily distracted by the realization that the man had eyebrows now.

"I'm quite fond of butterbeer," Hadrian said simply. He knew that, by reputation, butterbeer was more of a childish drink or a statement of an unwillingness to actually consume alcohol. Hadrian enjoyed firewhiskey like the best of them, but he doubted he'd ever loose his taste for butterbeer.

Marvolo studied him hard for a moment. Hadrian knew the man was making a decision on how to approach the coming conversation. He wondered if the dark lord would attempt a subtle manipulation and dancing around the knowledge they both possessed… or something a bit more blunt.

Marvolo's lips quirked briefly. ::I had heard that you were something of an enigma, Lord Naga.::

Oh, parseltongue. Well, two could play at that game. ::I am not the only enigma at this table,:: Hadrian hissed. ::Though I don't suppose many have realized that yet.::

::And when did you realize it?::

Hadrian smiled. ::So blunt, Tom.::

Marvolo's eyes flashed. Hadrian reacted before he could think about it. He had his fingers on his wand in an instant, casting a nonverbal shield charm around himself.

Marvolo deliberately relaxed back against his seat. Hadrian stared at him and then lowered the shield as their server came back with their drinks and plates floating in the air beside him. He placed them down with professional cheer, seemingly unbothered when they dismissed him a moment later.

One of the good things about being two of three people in the world who knew a language was that one didn't have to be worried about being overheard even by the people struggling to listen in at the booth behind Marvolo.

::Do you know how much I hate that name, or was that simply a mistake?:: Marvolo asked after too long a pause.

::Perhaps both,:: Hadrian admitted. ::It is not my wish to antagonize you. Not if I have any other choice.::

Marvolo tilted his head just slightly. ::At what point would you not have any other choice? If I attacked young Mr. Potter?::

Hadrian let his own eyes flash in much the same way Marvolo's had done. ::That would the easiest manner of becoming my enemy, yes.::

::That would be uncouth,:: Marvolo murmured. ::Especially as you are the one who facilitated my taking on this identity.::

::I facilitated only a second chance at sanity. It was your choice to do away with your previous names, both the one you loath and the one I do.::

Marvolo laughed. It was a startling sound and it did the trick of catching Hadrian off guard. He stared for a moment. Marvolo's eyes caught his and held them for an electrifying second and he could do nothing about it.

::I will not seek to harm your ward, Lord Naga,:: Marvolo said, amusement still clear in his hissing.

Hadrian looked away, struggling to control the sudden flush in his cheeks. He grabbed his butterbeer and let the warmth of it sooth away his lose of control. He hadn't expected to be attracted to the man who'd killed his parents in his old life. And even if he'd thought that the man's magic aura would be tantalizing, he hadn't thought to consider that being in Marvolo's company would have him blushing like a teenager.

::Good,:: Hadrian said, bringing himself together. ::I believe you have questions, but you do not wish to be in my debt anymore by asking them.::

::I am in your debt,:: Marvolo admitted. ::I do not like owing people.::

::By leaving Harry alone, I consider ourselves even,:: Hadrian said, though he knew he could have asked much more.

Marvolo knew it too. He also seemed to realize that Hadrian had laid that out as a lead up to something else. There was some pause as they both began eating their food.

Halfway done with his lamb, which was as delicious as expected of Bells, Hadrian set his fork down. Marvolo reacted to the movement by setting aside his own utensils.

Hadrian took notice of the man's long, pale fingers. In some ways, they looked very similar. Both with dark hair, both with pale skin, both with tall and lean figures. And yet… Marvolo's face was a harder sort of refined and Hadrian's a more exotic look. He knew as much, knew how attractive this body was—though he'd been quite comfortable in his last one.

::I do not imagine it will take you long to work your way up through the Ministry,:: Hadrian began.

Marvolo just watched him with those red-hued eyes. Hadrian let out a slow breath through his nose.

::You must have heard of my opinions on muggleborns by now.::

::Yes,:: Marvolo acknowledged. ::It surprised me, I must admit. You so quickly changed opinions deeply rooted into the minds of the heads of some of the oldest pureblood houses in Britain.::

::Sometimes all it takes is a logical explanation from someone one has a reason to respect, or at least listen to,:: Hadrian murmured. ::It is not as though I expect the Malfoys or the Notts or the Greengrasses to suddenly start consorting with muggles. It is simply a waste to ignore the source of clean magic in our society.::

Marvolo sipped his wine for a moment. ::I despise muggles. This is not something you, or anyone, can change.::

Hadrian met Marvolo's suddenly more-red gaze. Neither backed down for a long moment. And then Marvolo looked away.

::Muggles and muggleborns are two separate things,:: Hadrian said evenly. ::Have you ever given any thought to why you are so powerful, despite having a muggle father?::

Marvolo let out a controlled breath. ::I know very well.::

Hadrian nodded. Marvolo had likely thought over Hadrian's explanations on clean magic and how it strengthened family magic. Marvolo showed his Slytherin ancestry so much because Hadrian's was bogged down in a range of other family magic, while Marvolo's had strengthened because of the lack of magic, or if there was any then clean magic, from his father's side.

::You are likely a descendant of Salazar's eldest son,:: Hadrian said. ::I can't be certain, though I know you aren't a descendant of his daughter.::

::Because you are.::

::She married the last Naga. We have had Slytherin blood ever since. I believe I already explained that.::

Marvolo inclined his head.

Hadrian finished his lamb, savoring the last bite. He wondered if he could convince Peachy to try a similar lamb roast recipe.

::Will you tell me?:: Marvolo asked suddenly.

Hadrian glanced at him. ::I'm sure you've already guessed.:: He was curious to see what theory Marvolo had cooked up as to how Hadrian knew what he did.

Judging by Marvolo's small smile, he knew Hadrian was going to go with whatever the man said. ::It is impressive you recognized the dark magic that made up your ward's scar.::

::Impressive, perhaps. Or perhaps I spent a while researching why Harry was getting so many nightmares.:: Nothing untrue. In his past life, Hadrian had researched, sort of, his vision-nightmares.

Their server came the instant they both finished their food and banished the dishes away. Once they'd both declined dessert, he bowed and left. They'd be expected to put the correct number of galleons on the table before they departed.

"Let me pay," Marvolo said, speaking in English for the first time since they'd met. And then in parseltongue, ::It is the least I can do.::

How interesting. Hadrian agreed easily, if only because it wasn't worth arguing about. And because paying for a meal was something rarely done in the wizarding world unless it was to state intentions. Courting intentions.

Marvolo's gaze continued to burn into him as Hadrian stood. He didn't leave though, not quite yet.

::How were you able to get your OWLS and NEWTS?:: Hadrian asked curiously. He'd need to get them through the British Ministry.

Marvolo didn't show surprise at the question, though Hadrian knew it was a bit out of nowhere. ::The Department of Education at the Ministry should be able to help you… if you wished to take the British OWLS and NEWTS legally.:: The unspoken knowledge that Marvolo had it done illegally, or just had his results forged, was there between them.

Hadrian nodded. "Thank you."

"My pleasure, Lord Naga." Marvolo stood as well, offering his hand.

"Hadrian." It seemed like something to get out of the way. There was no way Marvolo was going to forget about him. Hadrian knew they'd be interacting more in the future. He put his hand in Marvolo's.

Marvolo flipped his palm and kissed the air over it. "Hadrian," he murmured. "It would please me if you called me Marvolo." He stared into Hadrian's eyes, making it clear that more than one thing was being stated, and asked.

Marvolo was asking if Hadrian could accept Marvolo as a new man… not as Riddle, as Tom, as Voldemort. He was asking if the intentions he'd just clearly stated would be turned down outright, or if they'd be allowed to continue.

Hadrian's heartbeat was audible in his ears. In times where he was stunned, he tended to work first with his instincts and then with his brain. "Marvolo," he accepted.

Marvolo let his hand go with just the hint of a caress and Hadrian left before the real implications of his acceptance fully hit him.

When they did, later at home secure in his bedroom, he wasn't sure whether to cry, curse someone… or laugh.

He settled with laughing, because if he couldn't find humor in the once Lord Voldemort asking the court the once Harry Potter… then what could he find humor from in this strange world?

.o.o.o.

"You never said how it went."

Hadrian looked up to see Harry watching him with intent green eyes. Sirius and Remus were both out for the day—Sirius to have lunch with his cousins and Remus with him because Sirius had begged him not to leave him alone with their evil matchmaking ways. If Remus had agreed a bit too easily, well Hadrian had told himself he'd keep out of it.

"My meeting with Marvolo, you mean."

Harry nodded.

Hadrian stood from his armchair and walked over to Harry. He easily knelt in front of the boy. "You will tell me if this upsets you," he ordered softly.

"I will."

Hadrian gently grabbed the boy's hands in his. "I imagine I'll be seeing Marvolo more often. He… I don't know what the nature of our relationship will be." He wasn't sure what he wanted it to be. "But I think we might be able to work toward similar goals."

"So he's definitely not Voldemort anymore?"

"I can't say there isn't a bit of Voldemort inside him," Hadrian said truthfully. "But he's mostly Marovlo Riddle, a very smart halfblood with political leanings."

Harry pulled his hands from Hadrian's and brought them up to wrap Hadrian in a tight hug. Hadrian hugged back, a little surprised. "What's wrong?"

"I don't want him to take you from me," Harry whispered.

"Harry." Hadrian pushed the boy back just slightly so they could see each other's faces. "I will always choose you. If I have to choose, it will always be you." He was repeating himself, but it was important Harry understood that.

Harry nodded, his eyes suspiciously moist. "I believe you."

"Good," Hadrian said. He kissed Harry's forehead. "You don't have to meet him if you don't want to."

"I do one day, I think. Just… not now."

"You'll tell me when you're ready."

"Yeah."

Hadrian pulled the boy in closer. Harry hugged him like Hadrian never remembered being hugged before—like he was the center of the boy's world and Harry didn't appreciate his center being rocked out from under him.

He couldn't forget this, Hadrian promised himself. He was about to start playing a very dangerous game with Marvolo and he couldn't forget this boy who was his ward. He couldn't forget who Harry could have become… who Hadrian used to be. He couldn't forget the way this hug felt, like he was Harry's most important person. He vowed to live up to that in every way he could and if that meant rejecting Marvolo's more intimate gestures, he would.

Of course, he wasn't sure he wouldn't be doing that anyway. He wasn't sure exactly Marvolo's angle yet, but Harry would have to always come first. Hadrian would make sure of it.

.o.o.o.

Hadrian opened the Ministry letter. He'd been expecting it for the past week. With only his set of exams to grade, the Ministry tester had said he'd have his results by the end of the week.

Hadrian let his eyes skim past the drivel at the beginning and focused on his scores.

OWLS

History of Magic - E

Astronomy - E

Herbology - O

Arithmacy - E

Muggle Studies - O

Divination - E

NEWTS

Potions - O

Transfigurations - O

Defense Against the Dark Arts - OO*

Charms - E

Care of Magical Creatures - O

Ancient Runes - E

Alchemy - E

* A double OO indicates the test taker has earned the highest score possible on the exam as is automatically qualified for a Mastery in that subject.

It wasn't surprising how well he'd done. Hadrian had only taken exams he'd known he'd do well in. He was surprised that he'd done so well in Defense, though. He was quite good, but he knew many others he'd be wary to face in a duel, Marvolo highest on the list.

He was glad he'd elected to take Ancient Runes and Alchemy at NEWTS level instead of OWLS. He'd been a little cautious about both of them, since he'd only brushed over them as Harry Potter and truly only had his memories of Hadrian Naga learning them to go on, but apparently those memories were good.

Hadrian set the record down. He knew the results would be all over the Prophet soon. Such was the downside of doing it the public way… and not making his examiner enter into a secrecy contract. Oh well. Hopefully the hype about him wouldn't be too bad since the public had Marvolo to still titter over.

Though, if he was being honest, he knew the curiosity about both of them was only feeding the other. They were both heirs of Slytherin after all. And hadn't that been an interesting Prophet article. He had a feeling Marvolo had a direct hand in writing it. It was as if he wanted the world to know their connection.

And how good they, theoretically, would be together.

Hadrian sighed. It had only been a fortnight since the meal he and Marvolo had shared and as of yet he hadn't got an initial courtship gift, but he knew Marvolo too well to expect the man to forget about the whole thing. Marvolo wanted something out of him—whether his knowledge, money, connections, or some combination. And he'd obviously decided marriage to be the best way to obtain it.

Hadrian just wasn't sure yet what to do about that.

At the moment, though, there were other things on him mind.

Hadrian picked up a quill and dipped it in his inkwell. He placed a fresh piece of parchment in front of him.

Dear Albus Dumbledore, he began.

I apologize for the late reply. I was busy receiving my British OWLS and NEWTS. I would be delighted to meet with you. As the future headmaster of my ward, it seems prudent to get to know the man who influences so many of our magical youth.

Perhaps you wouldn't mind giving me a tour of Hogwarts? I would understand if you are too busy, but as I have never been in the castle I would love to explore it.

I do apologize for how I brushed you off the last time we met. I was stressed, I am sure you understand. Harry is my priority right now and I will stop at nothing to ensure his safety. The ordeal with Pettigrew had me at a hair's end. That is, of course, over and done with now and I hope for a chance to talk with you on more friendly terms.

Looking forward to a reply,

Hadrian Naga

Lord of the House of Naga