Hajime

"Hadrian."

Harry's eye twitched.

"It's Harry," he mumbled under his breath.

Then he looked up and quirked a brow. Sebastian had a little smirk on his face and the green eyed demon knew it was from annoying him but he couldn't help it. Hearing his full first name always rankled him.

"Harry."

Harry frowned and looked back up from his polishing of the banister, one of the few chores that Agni had not already done.

"That is the first time you've called me that. What's wrong?"

"Lucifer."

Harry sighed, exasperated. "I'm not going to let him catch me-"

"You do not understand. Lucifer was in London not ten days ago. I felt him quite clearly."

"We are mated now-"

"And he would not hesitate to kill me."

"But that would be counterproductive to getting me," he pointed out.

"If he cannot have you, no one can. I am positive that will be his thought process. It was mine after all."

"That's not macabre at all."

Sebastian sighed. "I'd rather not die. We must be prepared. He cannot break the barrier like that easily and that he did now just shows how impatient he is getting."

"And what exactly do you expect me to do? Up and leave? I have too many commitments around here, which is your fault by the way."

"If I did not have a contract it would, perhaps, be easier."

"But you do and you can't exactly leave."

"Exactly. The end terms of agreement could be changed from his soul to his… adoption with both parties agreement but even then the conditions must be fulfilled. I am bound here, you are not."

"I'm not running," Harry snarled.

Sebastian huffed, "You run from everything but this?"

Harry flinched, feeling a knife twist in his heart. "Look I know I'm a coward, okay? That mostly deals with myself. Stuff like this when I have something to protect- I can't run. I won't."

The butler closed his eyes, placing his face in his right hand while the left held his right elbow.

"You are reckless, dearest, but very well. I'm warning you now there will be severe consequences if you stay. Ones not even I can guess."

He lifted his head staring at Harry with grim slitted eyes. Harry gulped but nodded in determination

"As for other topics, Soma-"

"I am not talking about that bratling."

"…Fine. A later date. Hadrian? Did you notice how quiet it is?"

"Yeah. What about it?"

"The imbeciles." It was a simple statement but it made Harry straighten. Sebastian was right; there had been no explosions or loud crashes. He was sure his lecture didn't actually change any of work.

"I will check on them. Please finish the polish."

Harry nodded and Sebastian walked away. He turned back to the rail and started polishing again. He knew he could use a shortcut but Agni had done most of the other chores and he needed something to occupy his time with.

Ciel.

What he had done with Sebastian was slightly -more than actually- unfair, stealing a meal like that and forcing him to accept the kid as his own childe instead. But he'd agreed which showed a lot of what he was willing to sacrifice for Harry. Actions meant more than words after all.

But now it was all up to the child he'd grown much too close too. If Ciel didn't accept the change of terms there was nothing he could do for the boy. And he had screwed Sebastian over since he couldn't exactly eat the little lord's soul anymore.

He rubbed the railing thoughtfully. Ciel would be his child by default because of his mating with Sebastian. Perhaps, he could recommend an early changing using his own blood instead of Sebastian's? And the changing of the mark into a Claim could be the terms instead of the beginning of the change…

Still it all relied on Ciel. He'd be stuck with Harry and Sebastian for the rest of his unnaturally long life. With how the little lord felt about living in general, why would he want to extend his life?

Damn, he might have really misstepped.

"Hadrian."

Harry looked up with a slight frown at the use of his full first name. He'd been hoping to hear his preferred name again. Wishful thinking. Sebastian stood there with an amused smirk. Harry stuck out his tongue briefly.

"It's Harry… And what?"

"Dinner is ready and I do not believe the young master would mind your presence."

It was Sebastian's way of ordering him to serve Ciel's dinner. "Fine."

"Tonight is Mackerel with gooseberry sauce and cottage pie," Harry announced as he placed the plate in front of the little lord. Before he could back up though, Ciel caught his sleeve and Harry turned to him curiously.

"I am glad you're back…" he muttered.

The young demon smirked, "Always, little lord."

He stepped back to his place on the right side of Ciel's chair with Sebastian on the left. Soma was glancing curiously at Harry but the demon ignored him. Instead he turned his curious gaze to Lau for a moment. What in the world was the drug dealer doing here?

"So tell me how you know Soma." Well that was rude bratling…

"Ah… Who is this woman you are searching for?" Ciel asked completely ignoring the former question.

Soma's face turned sad briefly before adopting a more reminiscent look. "She has waited on me since I was born. She's like my nanny. We've been together ever since I can remember. Father has no interest in me… And mother is so desperate for his attention. She has no time for me. I was always alone in the palace… But Meena was always by my side. She was cheerful, beautiful, and taught me many things, just as an older sister might. I was never lonely if Meena was with me. I loved Meena, and Meena loved me."

Well Aadesh certainly cared about his kids but knowing that eventually you were going to have to give one away to a demon of all things probably put a damper on Soma's upbringing.

"But," the prince continued, "he… a British noble came… and took Meena away to Great Britain!"

A small frown formed on Harry's face when he heard the disgust in Soma's voice as he said Great Britain. He loved his birth country very much, even if it rained a lot and the people in it were worth less than dirt, and that was slightly insulting to him.

"What do you mean?" Lau asked while playing with his food breaking Harry from his thoughts.

"Queen Victoria, Empress of India, recognizes the domestic administrative rights of Bengal, but in truth, the political advisors sent from Great Britain control most of the politics. So the reality is we're not much different from a colony."

Not surprising. Britain was a greater power for a long time in his dimension, which was still occupying India if he remembered correctly. This dimension's history was running pretty parallel for big world events so far.

"And three months ago, He came as a guest of that political advisor! That fellow set his eyes on Meena at my palace… and took Meena away to Great Britain by force while I was out inspecting the town!"

Don't be too sure about that…

"So you came to Great Britain to retrieve your woman?" Ciel asked lowly.

That didn't sound sexist at all. Oh right. No women's rights movements just yet.

"Yes. I'll get her back and we'll all go home together."

Ciel sighed lightly, "Still you are going a bit overboard for one servant girl-"

"THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS 'OVERBOARD' IN THIS CASE!"

Harry blinked and wished the ringing in his ears would go away. By this time the bratling had crossed the room to Ciel and had taken his shoulder hostage. The wizard gleefully watched, waiting for Ciel to tear the brat prince a new one.

"The palace without Meena is like an empty box!" Soma yelled into Ciel's face. "Can you understand the despair I felt when I was forcibly separated from Meena!?"

Yes.

Ciel wanted so badly to say yes. He knew what it felt like. His family had been cruelly ripped from him, shattering his heart. And when he finally thought he had recovered and built a protective barrier around himself, an uncollared demon had drilled his way past the hard stone to find the small spark of warmth that he had still harboured inside. Harry may not have been family but he was as close as anyone was going to get to his heart after the terrible incident. Then he left and, though Ciel put up a tough exterior, he was falling to pieces on the inside. Harry had come to be his stability. The one thing that was always there, would always be there for him to lean on. So, yes, he knew how it felt, but he wasn't going to admit that to the spoiled prince in front of him.

While he knew how Soma felt on that one account, he also knew the Indian hadn't felt true despair. The despair of seeing his dead loved ones and knowing that he would never be able to get them back.

Ciel turned his attention back to Soma in time to catch, "-how sad I-!"

"Can't say I do."

Harry startled when he noticed the slitted pupils of a demon in Ciel's eye. Sebastian seemed to catch the same thing as he blinked in surprise, but Soma only felt an intimidating aura as Ciel continued.

"The despair caused by such a trivial occurrence doesn't amount to much. I don't understand, nor do I want to."

Lie. Harry didn't know what Ciel was lying about specifically but he had been around him long enough to know the boy was lying… Could it be when he left? Well it definitely would have left Ciel reeling. Ugh. As if he didn't already felt guilty enough right now.

"There are things that cannot be recovered no matter how one may struggle. There is also despair from which one cannot escape. You might not be able to grasp that, though." Ciel turned to leave with a wave.

"But…" Soma's hand clenched by his side, "But still, I… don't want to be alone in that palace anymore…"

Well, Harry certainly sympathized with not wanting to feel alone. So the demon took one second to let the emotion wash through him before he squashed it. Soma was still an immature, spoiled prince and didn't know the true meaning of loneliness, especially not with his butler always around.

"My Lord. You summoned me?"

"Ah, yes." Lucifer looked down on the chimera demon that was currently on one knee with her head down before his throne. She looked remarkably similar to his gem with different coloring. What an annoyingly bright color. "Acirema, is it?"

"Yes, my Lord."

"Hm. And female at that. Interesting. It is not often female demons become high in the rankings of my court but you are the best at information gathering, I hear."

"Yes, my lord."

"Good. As I'm sure you know I am looking for a little gem of mine, the demon that left me this scar," he said tracing his jaw.

"Yes, my lord."

"I want you to find his location. Start in England."

"If I may ask a question my lord?"

"Ah, so she can say something else! Ask."

"You have already scoured England my lord."

There was a pause. "I heard no question," Lucifer said impatiently.

Quickly, before her king decided she wasn't worth the effort and ate her, she continued, "Why have me search there first, my lord?"

"Ah. You see, the last time I was there I came across a raven with a contract. My gem's energy was around that area but he himself was not. So, I have a feeling that raven has something to do with my gem and I had no time to ascertain anything for myself. You will start with the Phantomhive family. You leave tomorrow. Understood?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Good girl. You may leave."

The woman stood from her kneeling position but kept her head down as she backed out from the room.

"Hadrian?"

"It's Harry!"

"Have you met any of the gods in India?"

Harry blinked and looked up at Sebastian from his lounging spot on his bed. What a strange question…

"Hmm… Yes. I've met Kurishna, Ganesh, and Kali. Why?"

"Ah. Earlier the prince and his butler told us of Kali the Destroyer. As I have never been to India I was wondering if she is as powerful as she is made out to be?"

Harry snorted. It was a valid question considering most gods and goddesses were arrogant weaklings with over exaggerated powers.

"Yea. Kali is really powerful. She would probably give a middle class demon a run for their money. We sparred once. Caused a lot of destruction…"

"I would have thought she would kill any demon," Sebastian said musingly.

"Well she doesn't hate demons or anything. She was just so insulted that one had dared to challenge her and she-"

Harry shot up from his bed like a spring and took a deep whiff. Sebastian frowned and scented the air as well, not catching anything. Harry most certainly smelt a higher class demon prowling around the mansion. The energy was completely cloaked but he knew the scent of Hell anywhere. This was not good.

"Smells like a scout. I'll draw them away. I know I haven't been back long but I won't allow any demons to put us into danger. Especially Ciel because he can't protect himself," Harry said quietly.

The elder demon jerked his head in irritation but agreed nonetheless.

"Could you…" Sebastian sent him a curious glance on the way out of the room. "Well I have an idea especially after seeing his eye yesterday, which we still need to talk about! Ask him being turned early instead of at the end of his contract."

Sebastian let out an amused huff which turned to a sigh as his mate shot through the window.

Acirema blinked as a blurry black figure jumped away from the property she was gathering information on. It took off at full speed and she growled in excitement when she noticed it was definitely not the raven with the contract. It must be the one that had injured her King!

The female demon gave chase, thanking her lucky stars for her speed because that boy was fast!

By now they were in a forest and she was only several feet away from him. So it came as a surprise when he stopped abruptly almost sending her careening into a tree trying to dodge around him. Acirema growled under her breath and spun around.

She sucked in a surprised breath. This demon was a type of chimera as well. The rarest kind of underworlder. No wonder Lucifer wanted him. There hadn't been a male chimera since the Wars!

"What do you want," he barked sharply.

"Lucifer is waiting for you little boy. It is useless to hide from him!"

His eyes flashed an eerie green, swirling around his iris like smoke. It really reminded her of Lilith…

"Acirema!"

"Lilith… you're all dirty again. What have I told you about leaving the city walls?"

Lilith's eyes flashed a venomous green in anger. "Just because you are ten years older than me does not mean you can boss me around still. I am over two thousand years old!"

"Lilith you know I didn't mean-"

"Yes, you did," she growled. But then she sighed. "I understand you don't want to lose me or have me raped but I'm an adult and I can take care of myself."

Acirema's lips turned up slightly and she nodded in agreement.

"Oh! So I have finally found a way to leave~! I won't have to eat souls anymore!"

Acirema frowned. Why was her sister still so reluctant to eat souls even after all these years? It was their nourishment and humans weren't even worth compassion (not that she had a lot to give… and all that she had went towards her sister…).

"Lilith," she sighed.

But the girl only shook her head stubbornly, mussing up her beautiful red locks. "Can you keep a secret?"

The elder sister looked offended. "Of course I can. Who do you think I am? A tattle telling rat?"

Lilith giggled but her expression immediately became serious again. "Lucifer is still looking for a mate… He… he saw me yesterday and expressed an interest. But I don't want to mate with him! He's nasty and slaughters thousands without remorse!"

"Lilith… that's in our nature," she sighed. Then her eyes crinkled a determined light entering them. "Lucifer would be a wonderful mate. He would provide and protect you from all the other demons! This is wonderful news."

But her little sister did not share in her excitement. She only shook her head and trudged upstairs to her nesting room. Acirema pressed her lips into a fine line. This was the best thing to happen to them since their parents had died (at least they were left the nest inside the city even if they had to defend it). Her sister would put up with it whether she liked it or not. So during her sister's rest she snuck over to the palace and offered her sister's hand to the King. He accepted and the next day they came and took Lilith from the house.

That day was the last day she had ever seen her sister. And her eyes would forever haunt the elder demon. The betrayal and anguish in those green green eyes…

The ceremony for the mating (only because he was King) never happened. One night Lucifer had come to their nest seeking her sister but Acirema didn't know where she had gone. In fact she was disheartened to know Lilith had disappeared the night before. In a fit of rage, Lucifer had destroyed their nest. The only thing she had left of the past.

Acirema had needed to find out what happened to her sister so she became a spy, one of the best. Now… now she was looking into those eyes again. Except it couldn't be her because this demon was male. This demon… why couldn't she attack this demon? Lilith's eyes should not hold her back.

The boy just looked confused but battle ready as she continued her internal struggle. Finally she snarled and he backed away in surprise, his human features sliding in to cover his chimera form.

"Why do you look like Lilith," she finally gasped.

"My mum?"

AN: Well, would you look at that! I kept Acirema. I do actually have an affection for her even though I'm not too fond of OC's. ANYWAY I am rewriting my Half Prince/Harry Potter crossover on A03, would you guys like to see it on here as well?

Read and review! I love hearing what you all have to say! And I love making people's days *winkwink* or ruining them!