No Beta
Ner words in this chapter: 3,051
"Talking"
'Thinking'
{Talking on the fireplace/Two-way mirror}
–Parseltongue–
Thinking in 3rd person POV/Dream/Memory/Flashback/Others
Letter/Journal/Book/Newspaper
Time change/Date of time
Change of POV
Chapter XXXI
–Ministry of Magic & Minister of Magic–
Wednesday, August 30 1995
HJP's POV
Harry woke up in Albania's hotel room and put on his glasses to find Tom in his humanoid wrinkless-look that he had used last couple of times and that this time he had de-aged even more than he had before to look like a late teens instead.
"What is your official name as that? Parentage?"
Voldemort looked up from the bags he was packing.
"Welcome back." He agreed, making Harry scoff. "Tom Riddle and Serpens Black's son." Tom offered. "No one in the Order has ever met Serpens nor do they know how he looks like and if I lived with my father Serpens would explain why I didn't live in England."
"We told Madam Bones that you were in Durmstrang because of Dumbledore's persecution of your father."
Tommy nodded.
"And there's no lie there." He agreed. "Tom Riddle was persecuted by the old fool. Actually, I'd love to see him trying to use my teenage-self against my Voldemort-self."
Harry scoffed.
"What about name?" He argued.
"Whatever I name myself you will call me Tommy, won't you?" Tom wondered and Harry nodded amused.
"You know I will."
Tommy rolled his eyes.
"Since I'll be a Black, which will be the reason we'd make contact in the past school year, makes sense that I'd have an olde-style name: Thanatos."
Harry tried the name several times mentally before he nodded.
"What does it mean?"
Tom's lips thinned.
"It's not a constellation. It's a Greek God." The older offered and Harry narrowed his eyes at the avoidance. "It was the God of nonviolent deaths, supposedly his touch was gentle and often compared to God Hypnos the god of sleep. Literally means Death in Greek."
Harry face-slapped himself.
"You would so persuade me to call a son that in a way for me to accept and only tell me the meaning after I'd agree." He grumbled and Voldemort laughed. "Just so you know: I'm the one naming our child."
"Anything but Regulus and Tom." Tom argued.
Harry smirked and nodded. He stood, changed clothes and then helped Tom at packing up the bags.
"Is this the last time?" He wondered and Tom looked back from Harry's new set of satchel and duffel bag and then back to them.
"Next night you will be in Riddle Manor and then will be my night." Tommy agreed.
Finally they left, while Tom pulled the backpack with the inscription SB over his shoulder. The backpack that he'd bought for Serpens' belongings that would stay in the past. It made sense that a supposed child would keep it. Tom dealt with the paperwork at the entrance and then the two took the floo back to England. They didn't go directly to Lestrange Manor nor Malfoy Manor. They went directly to Gringotts bank and left on a private office. As Harry struggled to stay on his feet, he found Griphook looking back from behind one desk.
"Harry Potter." He agreed.
Harry nodded back and Tom took out a scroll from his own backpack and approached the Goblin, delivering it. Griphook accepted it and two chairs showed before his desk, that the two sat on.
"The supposed classmates and professors have already been dealt with. I just need to officially exist as Serpens' supposed child."
Griphook nodded and started to work.
"Anything else?"
"I want mine and Tom's… Tham's engagement to be official. So Professor Dumbledore can't try to keep us apart." Harry agreed. "Considering Tom is Lord Black… what does that mean to me and Tham?"
Griphook looked up from the massive amount of paperwork he was setting up between Tom's new name and new OWLs and NEWTs that he supposedly taken in Durmstrang School.
"Lord Blacks are both Lord Tom and Lord Serpens, what ironically makes Thanatos the legal Heir Black." Griphook explained and Harry hummed.
"Me and my new mother showed Madam Bones Tham's Family Ring and they said that Professor Dumbledore is illegally in possession of one of Tham's family inheritance. Madam Bones even called Tham by Lord Peverell."
"I'll fill the paperwork to make Lord Tom as Lord Peverell and Lord Serpens as Lord Black to explain this discrepancy. You cannot claim the Slytherin inheritance as the Dark Lord is known for being one." The last part was added towards Tom, who nodded.
"Don't forget Harry's two familiars on his paperwork so we bring it alongside the pregnancy scroll when we'll go to the School Board."
Griphook nodded and hurried to add it on a side parchment so he wouldn't forget it.
"Do I keep the sponsoring of the Weasleys' Joke shop in Lord Serpens Black's name?" He asked, looking up from a side-parchment on a corner of his desk.
"Yes." Tom agreed. "And I want to know everything about the Potter's Potion Company."
"Sir." Griphook agreed as he kept working.
"Doesn't need to be right now. I left Serpens money and so did all of his inheritances. Still I will be at school doing nothing most time of the day. I'll need to keep busy in some way. Not to mention that Regulus Black I's Company that he left in Serpens' name. As his supposed son I suppose that I'd be the direct Heir of it. Which would explain how my supposed father would have money to invest wherever he wanted."
"I do not know of the Company but I will contact the Goblin who does and enter in contact with you at Hogwarts in your quarters for us to deal with it to make it believable that it has been going strong over the decades." The Goblin agreed.
After a while eventually scrolls were given to Tom.
"May we use the floopowder to go to the Ministry of Magic?" Tom asked and the Goblin nodded as he worked.
The two stood and approached the fireplace, Tom quickly shrank Harry's hair before another floo ride took them this time to the Ministry of Magic. They walked to the security counter and with Tom as his bodyguard they weighted their wands and accepted the badges. Last time he had been in the Ministry of Magic he hadn't gotten any good memories. Eventually they entered the lift and descended, leaving on the first floor that showed. They walked hand in hand until they stopped before a door that said Social Services. Tom knocked with his free hand and the door opened by itself. It was a simple office where only Madam Bones was sitting behind a desk. The woman looked up and she immediately knew what it meant. She smiled and offered the chairs before the desk.
"Lord Peverell, I believe."
"Heir Peverell-Black." Tom agreed, shaking the offered hand. "My bearing father, Lord Serpens Black, has persuaded me to follow Harry to Hogwarts School so Harry does his OWLs – or at the least tries to before the baby comes."
The woman nodded and accepted the scroll, opened it and read the parchment.
"Who is following the pregnancy?" Madam Bones wondered.
"My other father, Lord Tom Peverell,'s old schoolmate: Healer Antonin Dolohov."
"Healer Dolohov will be contacted so he can be on call in case he is needed at Hogwarts School." The woman agreed. "Shall we go deal with the school paperwork? We only have two days after all."
Tom's lips thinned.
"Like I said, my bearing father gave me and my other father quite the scolding." He agreed and Harry snorted at what Tom actually meant, what provoked in Tommy tightening his hold on his hand.
Madam Bones nodded and stood, following the two down the corridor and knocked on one of the doors. It opened and a group of old people looked back.
"My apologies, I know that it's just two days but Lord Black finally persuaded his son and heir to come with his fiancé to Hogwarts School for Heir Lestrange's fifth-year."
The group of old men looked at Harry and Tom and then nodded.
"My father's Goblin Accountant has already set up the paperwork." Tom offered and signalled the scroll in Madam Bones' hand.
The old men nodded and accepted it, looking through it. When they finished, each of them signed it.
"Anything you need in special for your classes?" They asked Tom, who raised an eyebrow. "According to Lord Black's Accountant you will be Heir Lestrange's Inheritance tutor."
"It has been my new mother who has been tutoring me." Harry argued.
Tom shared a look with Harry and then looked at the School Board members.
"I'll speak with my future mother-in-law over it. My bearing father was not the best tutor."
The group frowned and then looked at the parchment again.
"Was it meant to be that you two would be tutored on your inheritances?" They asked and Tom limited to raise an eyebrow.
Quickly the paperwork was set up. Before Harry even realized his belly growled… loud. He turned deep red and avoided everyone's looks.
"My apologies, me and Harry left one of Black's estates on the other side of Europe early morning and I forgot to stop for breakfast because of the hurry of getting everything ready." Tom explained as Dobby popped in with two sandwiches and two bottles of water. "And my Harry never remembers unless we remind him."
Madam Bones nodded and guided Harry to a chair inside the School Board's office as the members worked. Harry ate his sandwich shyly, as Tom ate his by Harry's side while on his feet. Eventually, the paperwork was finished and the two were allowed to leave.
"Master shouldn't avoid meals." Winky popped in to argue as they entered the lift.
Harry groaned and avoided his lover's knowing look. They didn't climb to the atrium but descended instead and left in the law department. They bypassed the Aurors department and entered another corridor full of offices, Tom opened one door for Harry and they entered to find Mr Yaxley. The elder looked back and stood at once, obviously realizing who they were. Tom approached him and gave him the scrolls.
"We just need your floopowder, Corban." Tom argued.
Mr Yaxley looked at the scrolls and then nodded.
"Want me to deal with this, Sire?"
"My 'father' Serpens' Goblin Accountant is already dealing with it." Tom argued. "Cassandra Zabini is dealing with my 'classmates' and 'professors' in Durmstrang." He added. "But my fiancé will need a leather holster and I want a legal scroll to be passed where Hogwarts Headmaster can't stay alone with and less than 7 feet from my fiancé."
"I'll start with it." Mr Yaxley agreed, before bowing his head at Harry as the two approached the Wizard's fireplace. "I'll also see about you being legally allowed to follow him into classes so long as you don't do the job for him, or about the not being allowed to be grounded without you following him."
Tom nodded as Harry blushed. He allowed Tom to pull him into his arms, before Tom pulled Harry close and threw the floo powder into the fire.
{Heir Lestrange and Heir Black-Peverell coming through into Lestrange Manor.} Tom stated in one go and without coughing. They left in Lord Jeremy's office, who nodded back. "Everything is being taken care of for Harry's new school year." Tom added and, when Harry looked at him, he was back to his snake-face. The older looked back and sent him an apologetic look. –My apologies, my Serpens. I need to save magic to when I really need it. Stay in full Magical Core to be able to lend you and wait until we are in Hogwarts for me to keep the other face.–
Harry sighed and nodded, Sirius came running in dog-form and shifted. He passed by Voldemort in a hurry and then pulled Harry up into a bone-breaking bone.
"I missed you too." Harry agreed with a laugh.
Sirius rolled his eyes.
"Healer Dolohov and Snivellus are downstairs arguing over you and how to keep you from losing too much magic and about lending your body to his past-self's bodiless soul and…"
"Sirius III, Serpens will arrive last summer tonight. Tomorrow he won't even move from here. This year my past-self already has a body of its own."
Sirius stopped in his tirade and looked at Voldemort confused and then realization hit.
"Oh… Harry should still go do a check-up."
Harry rolled his eyes and released himself from his godfather. He sneaked out of the middle of the two arguing over what was best for him and approached his new father, the two leaving the office in silence.
"How long do you believe it will take Tom to just order Sirius into silence?"
"The same amount that will take them to realize that you disappeared." Lord Jeremy agreed. "Any reason for the haircut again?"
"We went to the Ministry. Tom is going to follow me to Hogwarts as Tom and Serpens' son and as my fiancé and father of my unborn child."
Lord Jeremy looked back and then nodded.
"I'm glad to know that you managed to persuade him." He agreed and the two entered the drawing room. "Alexa, dear." Harry's new mother stood from the couch and approached with a smile. "Harry will need school robes."
The woman's eyes grew and then she smiled widely at Harry.
"I'll go take care of it right away." She agreed and walked out as Harry and Lord Jeremy approached the Healer and Potions Master.
–SYiaS–
Tuesday, August 30, 1994
HJP's POV
Harry arrived the past and looked around, feeling a shiver run down his back at realizing that he wasn't in Riddle Manor but in the graveyard. Nagini showed up and climbed Harry's back and around his torso until her head was on his shoulder.
–Master is in the big Manor up ahead.– Nagini offered. –He has lost control of the days though. I just asked Master to ask Silly Master's hated Rat Man to tell me date and then I come looking for Silly Master.–
–You can't tell Tom that it's just one more year. When you see my younger-self in this exact location while Tom regains his body you can't tell him that it's me. Even if he tries to kill me.–
Nagini looked back from Harry's shoulder as he walked towards the Manor.
–Nagini will.–
Harry nodded thankfully.
–And if I ever start crying and tell you that I'm not Serpens? Don't take it personally.–
Nagini let her tongue out and licked a lonely tear at the corner of Harry's eye.
–Nagini will take care of Silly Master even if Silly Master won't remember past yet.– She agreed and Harry smiled thankfully.
Harry opened the front doors wider and entered with the massive snake hugging his body with her head on his shoulder. He walked towards the office up the stairs where he'd seen Voldemort's baby-self in his dream-vision and saw the armchair and Peter Pettigrew. His lips thinned and approached the armchair as the Wizard shivered away from the two thanks to the massive snake pretending to bite him when he dared to look at Harry.
"Serpens, you're here." Tom agreed. "Where're your manners, Wormtail? Call Winky to set-up the room to my lover's tastes."
Wormtail shrieked and left the office.
–Nagini, close the door and keep an ear out for him.– Harry warned and Nagini nodded, left his body and walked towards the door as Harry approached the armchair and looked at his Tom's baby body. –Not exactly a body, but - hey - it counts.–
Nagini actually laughed as Voldemort grumbled at Harry's taunt.
"Serpens…"
"Relax… it's okay." Voldemort looked up at Harry and then nodded. "Although… you didn't need to actually kill Madam Bertha Jorkins, did you?"
Even as a disfigured body his Tom-tom shivered at Harry's reprimanding tone of voice. To think that this body once had given him nightmares…
"How do you always know?"
Harry didn't reply and Winky popped in, a second armchair was popped in and Harry sat down.
"Master Serpens Sir wants anything out of Winky?" She asked eagerly.
Harry looked at Tom-tom and then at Winky.
"This school year there will be one death (one Kiss) that will happen after Tom regains his body." He agreed.
Winky tilted her head confused.
"Serpens is giving you the permission to interfere, so long as you make it so that no one realizes it." Voldemort explained.
Winky frowned and then she realized which death Harry was talking about and her eyes watered, she bowed until her nose hit the floor.
"Winky will start preparations right away." She agreed and popped out.
"Do I want to know who she is rescuing?"
"Barty Crouch Jr." Harry offered truthfully.
Voldemort turned towards Harry at once and then he nodded.
"She was his Nanny House-elf before you sent her, wasn't she? The reason for her drinking…?"
"She was fired because Crouch Jr started to be able to fight his father's Imperius Curse." Harry agreed, looking back at Nagini still by the office's door. "I was there when it happened. And I will be there when Jr will be interrogated by the Minister of Magic, who (being the idiot that he is) will bring a Dementor inside Hogwarts who kisses your man on the spot."
Voldemort's eyes turned black in anger, before he restrained himself.
"I'll take care of preparations so Winky can properly save him without what you know as past changing." He agreed. "I take it that by doing this means that it's close?"
Harry limited to smile in silence and Tom rolled his eyes at Harry's avoidance.
(TBC)
