AN: Harry tells Pansy about his Gringotts visit, Ron and Draco agree on something and Blaise does something unthinkable.
After processing what Harry said, Pansy looked at him intently.
"Harry Potter, I am going to need more information than that. Much more. What do you mean you are housing part of the Dark Lord's soul? Start from the beginning. Leave nothing out." She demanded as she tried to piece together what was going on.
Harry took a deep breath and began to recant his trip to Gringotts that morning.
FLASHBACK
"Good morning, Lord Potter," came Blunttooth's voice as Harry entered his office.
"Blunttooth, good morning. I came as quickly as I could. You said there was news?"
The goblin nodded as Harry took the open seat in front of the desk, "We have not been able to discover much. So far we have been unable to find any documentation of the transferral of horcruxes from one container to another. And it is not so easy to get a hold of one to experiment with either."
Blunttooth looked quite displeased at that. As if he was personally offended that a witch or wizard would not allow goblins to just experiment on parts of their soul.
Harry was amused by that thought but could not dwell on it as the goblin began speaking again.
"Be that as it may, some of our researchers are of the opinion that killing you, momentarily of course, is the way forward."
Harry blinked in frozen silence at his account manager, "Erm.. Sorry?"
"Some of our research goblins think the best way to be rid of the extra soul piece is to destroy the container. So, in essence, you would need to be dead. They fully intend on bringing you back. You are one of our wealthiest customers after all and if you ceased to exist the Potter accounts, as well as your other accounts would be split amongst lesser relatives." Blunttooth explained.
"Well, that's.. reassuring.." Harry remarked slowly, despite feeling the exact opposite.
Blunttooth nodded in agreement and Harry decided he really needed a little more clarity on the matter.
"Erm, so they are still researching though aren't they?" He asked weakly, "I mean, it's hardly been a week after all."
"They are still looking yes. But time is of the essence. The longer the soul remains a part of you, the greater the chance of possession. I hardly think I need to detail exactly how bad it would be to have two active Dark Lords with the same agenda."
Harry privately thought it would be a bad idea to have two Dark Lords of any stripe running about. Regardless if they were the same man or not. But he could see Blunttooth's point.
"Just so we are clear on this, Blunttooth, I'm not giving my permission for anything to go ahead just yet. There are people I will need to speak about this with first." Harry informed the goblin, though who exactly to turn to with this was currently evading his thoughts.
"Of course, Lord Potter. I am merely keeping you apprised of the events and thought it prudent to discuss them here and not via owl. And if this truly is the only way to go, well then, you will need that time to prepare."
"And how exactly is one supposed to do that?" Harry snapped. His temper finally starting to show.
Blunttooth's response was stopped by the opening of the office door. He and Harry both looked towards it to see another goblin entering.
This goblin was older than the one that sat in front of Harry. The length of grey hair sprouting from his ears was a testament to that fact. The old goblin had a scroll clutched in one hand and was shaking off the assistance of another younger goblin.
"Leave me be! Go and do something useful! Try to act as though you actually bring your clan some profit instead of being the useless lump you are." He snapped.
The young goblin looked as though he was about to burst into tears and he quickly fled the office.
Harry felt the beginnings of a scowl etch onto his brow as he watched the elderly goblin take a seat near him.
"Is this him?" he asked Blunttooth sticking a thumb in Harry's direction.
Blunttooth nodded, "Lord Potter, meet the esteemed Cankersore. Cankersore, Lord Potter."
The goblin harrumphed and banged his cane on the floor as he looked Harry over.
"From the looks of him, he'd barely survive being killed, let alone coming back again."
Harry's temper flamed again, "Isn't that rather the point of dying? To not survive?"
Cankersore sneered at him, "I think I'll be volunteering for the procedure."
Harry's nostrils flared and Blunttooth stepped in before they could escalate things further.
"Healer Dagrowth has Lord Potter on a program to restore his health. In the time that will take to reach an acceptable level, we can refine ideas and continue to research others."
Cankersore grumbled under his breath but let the point alone for now. "We are looking at many options. But so far the most viable seems to be death induced by poison. Once you have achieved that status we will then use our magic to flush the antidote through your system and then restart your body. So long as we achieve this within the given timeframe, there should be no reason for the death to be permanent."
"And what would be the timeframe?" Harry managed to ask, his vexation at the new goblin growing further with his indifference to killing Harry.
Cankersore shrugged, "It would depend on the poison, seconds, perhaps minutes."
Harry was really liking this goblin and the poison option less and less. He looked back to Blunttooth.
"Thank you for informing me, but I think I'll be taking my leave for now."
Blunttooth nodded and Harry quickly left, his ire building the more he dwelled on the cantankerous old goblin.
END FLASHBACK
Harry finished his retelling of the events of that morning and Pansy sat there, still as a statue. Harry peered at her, she wasn't even blinking.
"Uh, Pansy?"
She snarled silently in response, her upper lip curling to expose her teeth. Harry had hardly blinked before she was suddenly pacing in front of him.
"I can't believe that Cankersore! Cankershite more like it! How dare he say something like that! Volunteer indeed! I'll volunteer him! On the end of my wand!"
Harry watched as her pacing reached one end of the room, only for her to spin and begin striding back down the length of it again. It was something else to see someone so upset on your behalf; and Harry thought it strange that as her ire - and her ranting - increased, his own seeped away, like water evaporating from a stone.
"No reason for permanent death? There's no way you can go through a procedure like this with so little guarantee! We'll find another way. Isolate it, lock it up so that there's no chance of possession while we look. You said they haven't been searching for long, and we'll look ourselves. Surely there's something in your vaults. Or Slytherin's library, or the Black's. I bet Granger will leap at the chance to help if it means trawling through ol-."
"NO!" Harry interrupted abruptly getting to his own feet, effectively halting her in her tracks.
"No, I don't want them to know, I- Pansy, I have a piece of V-Voldemort in me." Harry stuttered, the only time he had ever stumbled on the name. "Ron, Hermione, I- it'll destroy them to know that." He looked down then, saying it all aloud a relief and a burden all at once.
Pansy's face softened and she stepped in front of him. She placed a hand on his cheek and tilted her face up to better look him in the eye.
"Harry, they aren't going to leave you over this. A fool can see how close you three are. They are more a part of you than any scrap of him."
Before Harry could say anything, Dobby appeared before them.
"Lunch waiting for serving, if Master Harry and Missy Pansy be coming?"
Pansy let her hand drop to slide into Harry's. Squeezing it tightly and waiting for his decision.
Harry sighed, "Come on then, let's get lunch over with."
He led them from the room.
~*~*~*~*~ Harry&Pansy ~*~*~*~*~
As they approached the dining room, Harry saw Blaise and Draco both loitering by the door.
Draco immediately straightened up when he saw them, "Would you mind if I borrowed Pansy for a moment, My Lord? We just want a quick word."
Harry arched an eyebrow at him, "Promise never to call me that again and sure."
"Remember what we talked about," Pansy whispered to Harry obstinately.
Harry scowled, not at her, but it was a scowl nonetheless, "Not now, Pansy." He hissed softly.
Her eyes narrowed and he sighed softly, "I'll think about it."
"Good," she squeezed his hand again before letting him go and remaining behind with Draco and Blaise. She folded her arms across her chest and raised her eyebrow at the two of them.
Draco was the first to crack, he always was.
"We heard you yelling before, everything all right?" He asked as he stepped forward, worry evident in his eyes.
She winced, "What did you hear? Who else heard?"
"Just us, we think," came Blaise's low voice and she looked at him directly, "We were coming down the stairs, passing by."
"It's fine, really." She said, trying to placate them, "I received some shocking news and I didn't handle it with the most decorum. We should go in." She said with a little nod to the door.
"Pansy," Draco said, "If Potter-,"
"I'll thank you not to finish that sentence, Draco," Pansy said warningly, "It really is none of your business."
Draco and Blaise both scowled at that statement and Pansy sighed exasperated with the two of them. She loved them, she really did, but they could be so Gryffindor in their protectiveness sometimes.
"That's not what I meant and you two ought to know that. What I meant was, the reason I was yelling is not something I can tell you about, it's not for me to say. Of course, if anything even remotely close to what you two have so hastily assumed, that would most certainly be your concern. Though, there certainly wouldn't be anything left for you to do. Now, can we please go have lunch? There are things I need to do this afternoon."
Blaise stepped out of her way and Draco muttered to her as she passed him, "When you can tell us, I want to know everything."
She nodded and they filed into the dining room, Harry looked at her quizzically from where he stood by his seat, talking awkwardly to Ron, but she just shook her head and sat down in her chair next to him. Spreading her napkin across her lap as lunch appeared on the table and Missy popped up beside Harry's elbow.
The small elf glared at Harry and handed him his potion forcefully.
Harry sighed and threw it all back before handing it back to her. She left with a huff and a snap of her fingers, the table filling with food automatically. The conversation over lunch was strained and tight. Everybody could sense the tension in Harry and they shot him surreptitious glances throughout the meal, even as they chatted quietly amongst themselves.
"Where's Remus?" Harry asked abruptly, having just noticed the werewolf was not seated with them.
Ron cleared his throat and answered, "Said he was gonna take lunch in the office, mate. Said he was caught in a spot of reading."
Harry nodded curtly and finished his lunch. Sighing as Missy collected his plate and did not return with anything sweet.
"Is everything all right, Harry?" Hermione asked gently after a moment.
"Everything's fine, Hermione."
"Are you sure? You're very-"
"I said, it's fine, Hermione." Harry snapped, he pushed his chair back from the table roughly and strode out of the room.
They all watched Harry leave and Hermione spun to glare at Pansy.
"What's wrong with Harry?" she demanded.
Pansy huffed snootily, "It's not my place to tell you what's wrong with Harry. Perhaps you should try talking to him?"
Hermione opened her mouth, probably to exclaim that she had, when Pansy interrupted her.
"Privately."
Hermione's eyes quickly darted around the table and her mouth gaped in realisation. She stood suddenly and grabbed Ron by the sleeve. Dragging him out of the room behind her, only barely managing to not bowl over Heathcliff as he entered the room.
Pansy's father raised an eyebrow as he stepped into the room and both Pansy and Blaise rose from their seats to greet him.
"Uncle Heath!" exclaimed Blaise.
"Papa," greeted Pansy, in a much more sedate manner.
They pulled back from their embrace when they heard the scraping of a chair against the floor.
"Sorry," Ginny said, when they all looked to her, "I'm just gonna, go… Seeya!"
And with a quick wave, she bolted out the door, red hair like a waterfall behind her.
"Gryffindors," Draco snarked.
Pansy cut in before the conversation could dissolve into a comparison of house traits.
"Papa, something has come up, there are some things I need to do, research mainly. Harry has the books and such here that I will need. I was wondering if I could have your permission to stay the night?"
Heathcliff's gaze narrowed on his daughter.
"There won't be anything inappropriate, Narcissa could act as chaperone." Pansy added.
Pansy watched as her father's eyebrow raised.
"Narcissa cannot act as your chaperone against her own Head of House." Heathcliff replied.
"Blaise, then," Pansy countered quickly, "It is not uncommon for god siblings to act as chaperone, neither is it uncommon for a chaperone to be over sixteen and not yet of age."
Heathcliff looked at Blaise assessingly. Blaise straightened under his eye and nodded seriously.
"Very well, I'll allow it. But you'll not spend every waking minute here. I still want to spend time with you myself these holidays."
Pansy nodded, "Of course, Father, thank you."
She pressed a kiss to his cheek and went in search of the Golden Trio.
~*~*~*~*~ Harry&Pansy ~*~*~*~*~
Harry stared broodily out of the window on the second floor of the library. There was no reason to tell Ron and Hermione, they didn't have to know. He didn't want them to worry about him. They were always worried about him and maybe this time he could spare them that.
He turned away from the window when he heard footsteps and Ron's voice.
"Take it easy, 'Mione, you're going to put a hole in my jumper."
Harry snorted and watched as his two best friends came into sight.
"Harry! There you are!" Hermione exclaimed. "I'm sorry, I should have waited to talk to you. I'm just worried about you!"
She threw her arms around Harry's shoulders in a tight hug and Harry could just make out a disgruntled Ron straightening his clothes through her bushy hair.
"Everything's fine, Hermione. Really." Harry replied setting her back on her feet.
"Mate," said Ron, "You don't really expect us to believe that do you?"
He fell down into a chair and hooked one leg over the side as he gave a meaningful look at Harry.
"Harry, talk to us, please. We're your best friends and we're worried about you." Hermione pleaded.
"It's nothing-"
"Don't even try it! Whatever it is, it's not nothing!" Hermione insisted.
Harry was about to continue arguing when Pansy walked in the door. Knowing she was about to take Hermione and Ron's side, Harry scowled at her.
She simply lifted an unimpressed eyebrow back at him.
"All I'm going to say," she said impassively as she took a seat on the loveseat across from Ron, "Is what if the cauldron was on the other fire?"
Harry bit back his retort as he thought it over, if it were Ron or Hermione that had a piece of someone's soul in them. Wouldn't he want to know? Wouldn't he want to help them? Would it make him think any less of them?
Even as he asked himself the questions, he knew the answers. Sighing heavily, he sank into the seat next to Pansy and ran his hands through his hair. Gathering his thoughts as he tried to figure out how to tell them.
He noticed Hermione quietly take a seat in the armchair next to Pansy and he started to tell them about his first trip to Gringotts, the letter, and his meeting that morning.
When he was done, he didn't need to look up to see that Hermione's hands would be covering her mouth and Ron would look as though he was going to be sick. But when he did, he noticed the things he hadn't thought would be there.
Ron, while decidedly green around the gills, looked resolved and Harry could already see Hermione's thoughts whirling behind her eyes.
"So, yeah, that's erm-"
"Mate."
Was Ron's only contribution for the moment and Hermione had risen to fling herself into another hug.
"I think this calls for some research of our own. Clearly, the goblins can't be trusted to handle it at all if their only solution is death." Pansy said derisively.
Harry felt Hermione nod against his shoulder before she pulled herself back into her seat. Nodding as she reaffirmed herself, wiping a few stray tears from her eyes, as she squared her shoulders and got back to the matter at hand.
"I agree, the library is quite large, surely there is something here that can help us. We should search the Black library as well. Surely they have books Dark enough to help us."
"I know of a few specific bookshops that may be worth checking into," Pansy added as she nodded at Hermione, "And we have a copy of 'Rodergarm's Soul Theories' at home."
"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed, "I've always wanted to read that, but it's incredibly hard to find!"
And just like that, the two girls were discussing various theories and books they should start with.
"Well, they got that bit covered," Ron said with a shake of his head. Turning to Harry, he asked, "What say you and I look into ways of 'permanent and immeasurable destruction'?"
Harry snorted, "What are we starting with? Fiendfyre?"
"Starting with Fiendfyre? What the bloody hell are you finishing off with, if you're starting with FIENDFYRE?" came Blaise's deep voice.
Harry jolted in his seat, "Shit."
Pansy's hand on his arm steadied him as Blaise and Draco walked around the corner, both wearing incredulous looks.
"What exactly did you two overhear? You know that eavesdropping isn't polite."
"How else are you supposed to learn anything?" said Draco and Ron in unison.
They stared wide-eyed at each other for a moment. Each as surprised as the other that they had vocalised the same thought.
"All we heard was the names of a few dark, very dark," Blaise shot an impressed glance towards Hermione, "books. And then Harry here, you know, your paramour, your affianced, your old man, talking about Fiendfyre."
Pansy gave Blaise a withering look but then turned to Harry, lifting her shoulder with an elegant shrug.
Harry scowled, he did not want to bring more people into this if he could help it.
"They would be useful."
Harry turned to Ron, the look on his face clearly saying he thought Ron was high on something.
"You don't have to tell them all of it, but it will be useful having another set of hands. Besides that, they're both sworn to your secrecy."
"Well, I'm not yet," Blaise reminded them cheerfully, he swallowed hard under Pansy's glare, "but of course, Salvia darling, I'm not going anywhere before I actually take any oaths."
"Tibsy," Pansy called lightly, waiting for the elf to appear before continuing, "Can you please fetch 'Oaths and Fealty: Volume Three'."
The elf popped away and when she returned, Pansy thanked her before giving the tome to Harry.
"I'm assuming you and father talked about Praesidie for Blaise, there should be a chapter on that particular oath in here."
Harry took the book with a sigh, "Right, well, Ron. In the meantime, you want to take Draco and start looking through the books he stole from Malfoy Manor? Should be something in there that can help. Dobby will show you were to go."
Ron stood and clapped Draco on the shoulder, "Come on, Blondie, I'll fill you in," he said as he steered a sputtering Draco out of the library.
Pansy stood and smoothed her skirt, "Granger and I will make a start downstairs, once you've filled Blaise in, you boys can start up here."
"Yes, ma'am!" Blaise saluted lazily as they passed him.
Harry watched them walk away, heads together and gesticulating wildly as they talked, and if his eyes happened to rest on one pert behind in particular, well, only Blaise saw him.
Especially if the lascivious eyebrow waggle was anything to go by.
Harry quickly opened the book he was holding to the index page and started to scan for the chapter he needed.
"So," Blaise said, flopping into the seat next to him.
Harry's eyes darted to him briefly.
"You and Anemone seem to be getting along."
Harry ignored him and flicked to chapter seven.
"You certainly seem to enjoy her assets."
Harry's cheeks began to flame and he buried his nose deeper into the book. Silence reigned between them for a few moments and Harry was able to ascertain that the act of Praesidie was to make someone a ward of one's house. An unofficial son. Harry grinned, he knew this.
Thank you, muggle primary schooling.
Blaise leaned closer and his voice dropped from the teasing tone to a whispered hiss and it was then Harry realised that Blaise had misinterpreted his grin.
"You won't get much enjoyment of them if you hurt her."
Harry dropped the book into his lap and met the serious stare head on, an eyebrow arching.
"Yes, because threatening your new Liege Lord is such a smart plan. You know that if you accept this, you'll still be considered mine, even when you come of age."
"Regicide was coined for a reason."
Harry grinned back and leant forward, eyes sparking with mischief.
"Haven't you heard? Even the Dark Lord himself couldn't kill me."
Blaise stared at him impassively for a moment and Harry wondered briefly if he'd cocked it up.
But then, dark lips twitched and Blaise fell back onto the couch laughing.
"I like you, Potter," he said after he gathered himself, "You're not as bad as I thought you were."
Harry snorted and went back to his book, skimming for the words that would cement Blaise's status as an honorary Peverell. He soon found them and quickly had them memorised, though he left the book open when he set it down on the small table by his side.
He turned smoothly to Blaise and drew his wand.
"Are you sure you want this? Can't exactly back out if you change your mind."
Blaise seemed to put aside his normally cheerful demeanor and he straightened his shoulders.
"I do. I've been thinking about this ever since you sent me Uncle Heath's ring. I didn't know who he had gotten to take me in, and I admit, I was worried. The options I could think of, while preferable, were still unpleasant. Especially as you said, for a lifetime association."
Blaise wrapped his hand around his chin as he looked Harry over once more. Clearly debating with himself about what he was about to say.
"My family, the Zabini family, we have a- knack -for reading people. I know that it won't be a mistake to hitch my cart to you. Even if I still wonder why you would do this for me. It wasn't just because Uncle Heath asked, was it?"
Harry shook his head.
"He told me a bit about your mum. That he suspected she wouldn't care very much if Voldemort took you for leverage against her."
Blaise snorted, "Try at all."
Harry bobbed his head.
"Well, I know what it's like. The family I grew up with, my Aunt and Uncle, they didn't want me around, would prefer it if they never saw me again. Voldemort killed Cedric, simply because he showed up where he wasn't wanted. He would do worse things to you if you were the reason his plan failed."
"There's nothing worse than death, Harry." Blaise said with a little smirk.
Harry met his gaze with heavy eyes.
"There are plenty of things worse than death."
Blaise looked at him in confusion, but he didn't press the matter further.
Harry held his hand out to him, Blaise took hold of it slowly and Harry spoke the words that would bring Blaise into familial custody of the Peverell line.
"I, Lord Harry James Potter-Black-Peverell-Gryffindor-Slytherin, accept into the Peverell family Blaise-"
"Osiris"
"-Osiris Zabini, to be family in all but blood. May the strength of the Peverell line support you as you in turn hold up the prestige of this family. Do you hereby swear your allegiance, your loyalty, your fidelity to the House of Peverell?"
"I, Blaise Osiris Zabini, Heir to the Zabini family, do hereby accept entrance into the Peverell line. I pledge my allegiance, my loyalty, and my fidelity to the prestige of the Peverell family. I renounce any ties to the woman, Calliandra Lorelai Zabini, and I accept Harry James Potter-Black-Peverell-Gryffindor-Slytherin, in her stead. Ego meum iurare in magica."
Harry's eyes widened as a soft white glow emanated from their joined hands, growing until it reached their chests, where it sank beneath their skin with a warmth Harry hadn't expected.
"Erm… Did you just… Did you just make me your mum?"
~*~*~*~*~ Harry&Pansy ~*~*~*~*~
"What the BLOODY HELL, ZABINI!"
Hermione looked up from the book she was bent over, eyes fixing on the upper floor of the library where they had left Harry and Zabini. Hearing the scrape of furniture, hurried footsteps and rich, velvet laughter, she turned to exchange a baffled look with Pansy.
The Slytherin girl, Harry's fiance she reminded herself, seemed to give an exasperated sigh.
"What's Blaise done now?" she asked loud enough for Hermione to hear.
Harry came down the stairs in a hurry, looking thoroughly rattled. A smirking Zabini trailed behind him, hands in his pockets.
"What's wrong, Harry?" Hermione asked as he got closer.
Harry opened his mouth. Closed it again. Gesticulated uselessly, before levelling a glare at Zabini.
"Blaise?" Pansy asked, warning lacing her tones.
Blaise just shrugged and looked at Harry, "Can I tell them, mother?"
Harry jerked and shot back. "I am not your mother."
"Whatever you say, mummy dearest," Blaise said jovially, a twinkle sparkling in his eye.
"Harry?" Hermione prompted again.
"He- We-" Harry gestured helplessly again, "He bloody well made me his mum!"
"Don't be silly, Harry," Hermione said, "Magic can't do that." She paused for a moment, recent events replaying in her mind and she glanced at Pansy again, "Can it?"
"Well, it's not unheard of, there's a lineage spell we could use. They came up with it to test rightful parentage in cases of abuse, disownment and such. What happened?"
"We did the praesidie oath thing, and then he," Harry glared at Blaise again, "renounced his mum and accepted me 'in her stead'."
Hermione watched as Pansy's lips rolled together and she pulled her wand out to point at Blaise. She muttered a few words and a light surrounded Blaise before a scroll of parchment shot out of her wand. She caught it before it fluttered to the ground and Hermione scooted closer to read it over her shoulder.
Blaise Osiris Zabini, son of Marculus Khnum Zabini, and magical son of Harry James Potter-Black-Peverell-Gryffindor-Slytherin
Hermione gasped as she read the words and looked up in shock. Harry's eyes went wide as they met hers.
"BLOODY FUCK!"
Hermione looked over at Zabini, he had noticed their reactions too and had lost that amused and cocky demeanour that he normally wore.
"Harry- I truly didn't-" he started to say.
Harry's head whipped around and he narrowed his eyes at him.
"Not another word."
Zabini mimed zipping his lips shut.
Harry looked back and forth between the three of them for a moment, face almost comical in its disbelief. He turned pleading eyes on Hermione, but before she could even attempt to form a sentence, resignation settled over his features and he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I'm going to go see Ron,"
Hermione watched as he spun on his heel and started to walk out, muttering about how Ron and Draco better not be snogging otherwise he was finding a way out of whatever weird alternate reality he had stumbled into. He reached the door, and took one last look at them all. Still as statues as they themselves came to terms with what had just happened.
He opened his mouth as if to say something. Shut it again before looking at Blaise directly, imparting one last comment before he left to find Ron.
"You're grounded."
AN: The muses visited me! Hope you all enjoyed the update! :D