Chapter Eighty-Seven

Elections and Realisations

'Did I ever tell you how we first met?'

Hadrian shook his head, 'no, I know talking about Dad hurts you I didn't want to push.'

'Hadrian, you deserve to know about your Dad,' his father said softly. 'I would never deny you answers.'

'I know,' Hadrian said. 'But I don't want to hurt you, either.'

Tom smiled at his son and his unfailing kindness despite all that he had suffered through. Where in the name of magic had he got that from? Merlin knew that it wasn't him and his Dad had absolutely no tact in well anything. He deserved so much better than what he had been given – Tom should have protected him, should have realised, he was such a fool.

Tom chuckled, 'it's not really a long story. I had called a meeting of my most trusted followers. We were planning to target the Ministry itself. I was just about to start the meeting when your Dad tore off his Invisibility Cloak – he had followed his second cousin to our meeting. Naturally, a lot of my followers were paranoid and furious. Here was the son of Charlus Potter – a known Light wizard and supporter of Dumbledore having snuck in.'

Tom had been furious too thinking that he had been betrayed. That Dumbledore and the Aurors would be hot on their trail. Naturally, he knew he would get out of there but how many of his followers would he lose between that time.

'Yet, your Dad who was only sixteen stood there bold as brass without any fear in his eyes as he looked into my eyes.' Tom snorted. 'Stupid, brave, fool.'

'He was a true Gryffindor, then?' Hadrian asked.

'Merlin, yes,' Tom admitted with a chuckle. 'It drove me insane sometimes. I admired his candour and bravery, but I worried all the time that he was going to do something that would get him killed!'

'And it did,' Hadrian said softly.

'Yes,' Tom said.

He closed his eyes trying not to remember Hadrian's memory of James coming to himself after months of being controlled. James' last moments which were of loyalty and love to him and Hadrian. If only he had looked harder at the situation. He should have saved them! Instead, he had been tricked and left James to be murdered and Hadrian to be hurt!

Hadrian looked very sad, 'so why didn't you kill him?'

'James then proceeded to beg – no demand – me to save his parents' lives who had come down with a rare blood disease that your grandfather must have contracted through contaminated potions ingredients,' Tom explained with a snort. 'The particular disease could only be cured by Dark magic which naturally the Healers at St. Mungo's refused to use. I, of course, decided to help him.'

'Why?' asked Hadrian. 'From what you said Charlus was no friend of yours.'

'No,' agreed Tom. 'But Lord Potter having a life debt to me, especially as his son could be arrested for colluding with me would be useful. And I could sense that James was a Dark wizard whose loyalty would be only a benefit to me. Plus, the young Heir Potter had impressed me with his boldness and loyalty. It takes a certain kind of nerve to stand up to a room of Death Eaters and me and demand them to save their Light father.'

Hadrian snorted, 'Merlin, he was crazy.'

'He was desperate,' Tom said softly. 'Anyway, I sent Healer Whitehead to tend to your grandparents. Unfortunately, your father was only sixteen so had not reached his majority, so St. Mungo's refused to release your grandparents into Healer Whitehead's care at his say so. And by the time that we were able to get to them, it was too late the disease had gone too far.

'James turned up again later that night. His eyes were red, and he had tear tracks dried onto his face. It was obvious that he had been crying for hours – he really loved his parents. More than that he was angry! If Dark magic could have been used, he wouldn't be an orphan. He was furious. At the time I don't think it was a wish to change things so a preventable tragedy can't happen again, but just to get revenge on the Light side whose foolish beliefs had taken his family from him. I Marked him a few days later, shortly after his parents were buried.'

'So, how did you get together?' Hadrian asked.

'Well, a couple of years later when he had graduated Hogwarts,' Tom said.

Because he could bloody well wait until his younger paramour was out of Hogwarts and had reached his majority unlike some blondes he knew.

'He was one of those I worked closely with as he had several seats on the Wizengamot and due to his Light upbringing, him joining the Aurors was not seemed circumspect,' Tom said. 'They never even checked him for the Dark Mark. Fools!

'I was, of course, attracted to him and I liked him as a person. He was a genius – becoming an Animagus at fifteen is no mean feat, funny, passionate, always spoke his mind and was drop dead gorgeous. Of course, he flirted with me every second he had a chance to.

'But I didn't even try to think about trying anything. I doubted he would see past my title – nobody ever did. But one day he hung back from one of our meetings. His eyes were bright and passionate and determined. Merlin, I've met few people as stubborn or as open-hearted as your dad!

'He said he knew that I wanted him, and he definitely wanted me. I told him that fucking me would not earn him anything! Naturally, he was horrified I would ever think that he was whoring himself out to climb the ranks, and that nobody needed to know, and he wouldn't expect any favours because of our relationship. That it wasn't my title that he found appealing, it was my drive to make the world a better place. Bloody Gryffindor. Nobody had ever wanted me for my personality – it was either my good looks, whatever mask I was donning, my bloodline, my power or tower. Your father was unique. How could I do anything but agree.'

Hadrian was smiling but his eyes were glittering with tears, 'and you fell in love with him.'

'James Potter was impossible not to love!' Tom declared.

xoxox

The next morning Harry woke up bright and early looking forward for another day on holiday. His first holiday – it had only taken seventeen years Harry thought bitterness at the Dursleys and Dumbledore swirling through his mind. Fuck them, this was a good day he was not going to let those bastards take it from them. They had taken too much from him already.

Harry got dressed and made his way into the shared living area where his father was already up and dressed – he was such a morning person. His father was seated at the small table with a cup of coffee and today's copies of the British Daily Prophet and the French l'orcacle open.

He put it down when he saw Harry enter with a bright smile on his face that still seemed alien on the Dark Lord's face, but he almost always seemed happy when Harry was about. Well, maybe, less so when Lucius was about but he was really trying. He didn't even say anything when it was obvious that Harry had multiple times.

'Anything interesting?' asked Harry.

'Both are just debating the outcome of tomorrows vote,' the Dark Lord said.

'Do you think Minister Zdravkov will be get in?' asked Harry.

'Currently, the polls seem to suggest that he will,' his father replied. 'Minister Zdravkov is about a third ahead of Senator Zeni, but it all depends on the final speeches tomorrow. Now enough about politics this is supposed to be a holiday.'

'Aren't you here for the vote?' asked Harry dryly. 'So, what are we doing today?'

'What would you like to do?' asked his father.

'Can we explore to town?' Harry asked.

…..

After a very posh breakfast Harry and his father made their way out of the hotel and into the small town just outside. Harry noticed, of course, that his father had one hand on Harry's shoulder and the other in his robes clearly gripping his wand. Harry's father was tense, and his eyes were circling obviously waiting for the attack.

'Do you think we'll be attacked?' asked Harry.

'No,' the Dark Lord said. 'But I won't take any risks – not with you.'

Harry nodded and began to inspect the pretty little French town filled with pink and white brick buildings and bright cafes and shop. There were signs of magic everywhere making Harry think this was an all-magic settlement much like Hogsmeade. The pale-yellow clock tower instead of showing the time, showed the moods of the town.

'Is this a magic only town?' asked Harry.

'Yes, it is probably the oldest magic-only town in France,' Tom said. 'It was founded in 1696, a few years after the formation of the ICW, although it probably had a settlement here since the Dark ages. You can see Vraimagie Palais from here.'

Harry's father pointed out a large square palace built from pink sandstone and blue-slates roofs that was glowing slightly even in the summer morning light. There were flags from almost every country (most of which Harry would be unable to guess where they came from) and each flag seemed to randomly do something magical. Like the American flag which turned into a bald eagle every two minutes.

'It is the location of the ICW where the International Statute of Secrecy was agreed upon,' his father said. 'And to this day voting takes place here.'

They wandered through the small shops and cafes. Harry bought trinkets for his friends and a selection of postcards. Harry enjoying a dark red ice cream that His father had ordered for him in perfect French.

'Where did you learn French?' asked Harry.

'I stayed with a colony of Melusine in Poitou about two years after graduating,' Tom said. 'I spent about a decade travelling the world studying magics and histories long since banned Britain.'

'How many countries did you go to?' asked Harry.

'I don't know,' Tom admitted.

'How many languages do know?' asked Harry.

'Nineteen – twenty if you count Parseltongue,' Tom replied.

'Where was your favourite place?' asked Harry.

'That's difficult,' Tom admitted frowning. 'Hogwarts was my first home, and I will always hold it with great affection.'

Harry understood because despite all that had happened later Hogwarts had been the first place that he had felt freedom from pain and hate. Except he hadn't really been free, his abusers just pretended to be friends whilst hurting him.

His father was watching him sadly, 'its different for me – Dumbledore didn't become Headmaster until after I graduated – so was unable to control me in the manner he did you.'

'I don't want to go back,' Harry admitted. 'Maybe after Dumbledore is dealt with and I give birth, but not now … and I don't want to let go of you, not when I've just found you.'

The Dark Lord's eyes looked very bright, 'you never will – no matter what you'll always have me.'

'I just wish there was a way I could see others my age,' Harry admitted.

'I'll ask Marcus' opinion – you are not his only student so I am sure there will be others in your position,' Tom said. 'And I'm very happy you want to stay with me.'

Harry smiled.

'Whilst I am away stay in the hotel,' Harry's father said.

'I'll be fine,' Harry said with a sigh.

'You know you can contact me if anything happens,' Tom said.

'I'll be fine,' Harry said.

But he was smiling. His father's worry could be infuriating at times but after a lifetime of being considered a waste of space it was nice. Harry just wished that he had this when he was a child. All those years of wishing some distant relative would come and save him from the Dursleys and all that time he had a father who loved him.

'Don't you have to meet Minister Zdravkov before the vote?' asked Harry.

Tom nodded and left shortly afterwards. Harry grabbed his towel and trunks and made his way down to the swimming pool. There were about another dozen bathers – two of whom were around his age. One a young man who was a couple years older than him with bright blonde curly hair and warm brown eyes, and the other a girl probably about Harry's age with golden-brown skin, chocolate-coloured eyes and curly honey coloured hair. Harry began swimming a few laps when the girl swam up to him with a bright smile.

'Hello, are your parents here to vote too?' asked the girl.

Harry nodded, 'yes, you?'

The boy nodded, 'I'm Bryce Meyrick – my stepfather is running for Supreme Mugwump.'

'I am Aroa Malino. My mother is the representative of Venezuela, the girl said.

'Hadrian Slytherin,' Harry replied. 'My father is running for the position of Chief Warlock in Britain and if he gets in, he will become the British Representative so wants to see who will be in charge.'

'What is proactive,' replied Malino.

Harry frowned at the words which did not make sense.

Meyrick snorted, 'bloody translation wards – I think she said that is proactive.'

Harry could see that the two people were looking at him curiously. They had obviously recognised his name, but they were intelligent enough not to ask questions that could be negatively construed. There was an awkward silent.

'So, what were you up to?'

'We were about to play some water quodpot,' Meyrick said.

Harry noticed a bright red ball in Meyrick's hands. It looked quite similar to the Quaffle but was probably a bit smaller and a lot more circular. Harry didn't know much about Quodpot aside from it being popular in the Americas and its ball exploded.

'Do you want to play?' asked Meyrick.

'Okay,' Harry said. 'Does it really explode?'

Malino laughed, 'it's just a training ball.'

'We only really use an exploding Quod in games,' Meyrick said smiling gently. 'Otherwise, we would always be replacing them. It just turns gold and turns the hands of whoever is holding it yellow.'

Harry nodded, 'okay, how do we play?'

'Europeans,' Meyrick said sniffing slightly. 'How can you not play the greatest game in the world?'

'Quidditch is the greatest game in the world!' Harry argued back. 'Quodpot is just a rip off.'

'An improvement,' Meyrick said.

'Quidditch does not need any improving,' Harry said finally.

Malino rolled her eyes, 'are we going to play or are we going to argue. I thought it was your stepfather who was supposed to be making his arguments.'

Harry started laughing at the ridiculousness of the whole situation. It was something that had never changed even after everything else had – he was still Quidditch mad. At some point Meyrick joined the laughter.

'Sorry,' Harry laughed. 'Quidditch, you know.'

'I get it,' Meyrick nodded wiping tears from his eyes. 'Quodpot.'

'So, how do you play?' Harry asked.

'Okay, we're just playing with simple rules. We're all trying to get the Quod in the basket,' Meyrick said gesturing at a floating basket behind him. 'Whoever scores the most baskets when we're finished wins. If the Quod goes off you can't participate for five minutes.'

'I'm the youngest so I'm starting,' Malino said brightly.

'But I'm more beautiful,' laughed Meyrick flicking his hair whilst looking at Harry.

Malino rolled her eyes, 'age before beauty.'

Malino half swam, and half jumped towards the Meyrick. Meyrick grabbed the ball off of her in a way that made Harry cringe – that would have been a foul in Quidditch and was hard to watch. There was a bit of a tussle and Meyrick got the Quod. Harry swam almost under him and caught the ball just as Meyrick was about to score. Harry was just about to score when the ball suddenly glowed bright gold and his hands were a lurid colour of yellow – Merlin Fred and George would love this!

'You are outside,' Malino said grinning.

'You can join in when your hands are no longer yellow,' Meyrick said. 'And I start this time.'

Meyrick tried Harry's trick of diving under the water with the Quod safely in his hands. Malino naturally followed him into the water. There was a lot of thrashing under the water which had the lifeguard coming to see if everything was alright, just as Meyrick emerged victorious with the Quod in hand. The lifeguard looked disapproving but probably due to the high price of the hotel didn't actually tell them off in case they told their ultra-rich parents and he got fired for upsetting their little darlings.

'Sorry,' Harry said. 'They're just … enthusiastic.'

Meyrick was just about to shoot when he was once again tackled by the surprising tenacious younger witch. Meyrick emerged victorious with the Quod and he aimed for the basked and the ball went yellow.

Malino laughed and scored three shots before Harry was able to get back into the game. Harry now had the Quod which he scored his first basket with a whoop. This was fun – Quidditch was still better – but as a swimming game Quodpot was fun.

A couple of hours later and they were sitting in the sauna. In the end Meyrick had two baskets, Malino had scored six and Harry had won with nine baskets. Malino and Meyrick were regaling them with stories of their time at Castelbruxo and Ilvermorny respectively.

'So, Marcos, Isabel, Rosalina and I want to explore, so we escape into the forest,' Malino said.

'Wait isn't Castelbruxo located in the Amazon Rainforest?' Meyrick gaped.

Malino grinned, 'yes, it was a little reckless. We were fortunate that the Caipora caught us before we could leave the security of the wards. Director Rosario was furious they were held for two months.'

'At least you were stopped,' Harry said. 'There is a colony of Acromantula in our forest. Me and … well they tried to eat me – if we hadn't been saved by an enchanted car.'

'An enchanted car?' Meyrick grinned. 'I think there's a story.'

'Well, me and … and a classmate missed the train, so we flew it to school,' Harry said.

'Did you fly an enchanted car to school?' asked Malino laughing.

'It seemed a good idea at the time – I was fourteen,' Harry replied.

'You were fourteen years old?' Malino said laughing. 'I should introduce my director to you. Then you might realize that I'm not that bad.'

Harry felt like he should be insulted then he thought of the craziness he had been involved in and couldn't fault them for that.

Meyrick shook his head, 'well I think you are both crazy. The worst I've done is sneak out of the dorms with boys. But I like it.'

A man probably about Lucius' age peaked through the sauna, 'Aroa, we're going to dinner now.'

'It's good father,' Malino said. 'See you later. How long will it be?'

'For what?' asked Harry frowning.

'Fucking translation wards,' cursed Malino.

'Aroa Malino – language,' Mr Malino said sharply.

Malino rolled her eyes at her father, 'when are you leaving?'

'I'll be here until Friday,' Meyrick said.

'Father and I will be leaving in the morning,' Harry said sadly.

'It's sad - you sound like a lot of fun,' Malino said.

'Umm thanks,' Harry said.

Malino left the two boys and without her effervescence the conversation dwindled to a stop. Harry had always been bad with small talk. He had been raised not being allowed to speak and having no friends so sparking a conversation he found difficult. He was fine when the conversation started.

'So, do you have a marriage contract?' asked Meyrick.

'Father doesn't believe in them,' Harry replied. 'You?'

'No, no,' Meyrick said. 'You are very pretty.'

And then he kissed him. It wasn't an unpleasant kiss but … but it wasn't Lucius Malfoy! He didn't have Lucius' charm, care, compassion, humour, Lucius' everything. Suddenly, Harry realised something that he should have realised a long time ago – he didn't just like Lucius, he loved him.

Harry pushed Meyrick off of him angrily, 'HEY!'

Meyrick looked stricken, 'I'm sorry … I misread things … I'll just go …'

Tom arrived back at the hotel at just after half three. Stoyan Zdravkov had been elected with fifty-three votes out of a hundred-and-ninety-two available votes. It was a good result and a Dark traditional had become the Supreme Mugwump – the first time that had happened in over a hundred-and-fifty years. Tom had remained behind to have tea with Zdravkov in a very public location.

But he had spent most of that time worrying about Hadrian. He hated leaving his son alone even if he was behind very strong wards – they weren't his wards, and it wasn't impossible that someone could target him. Thus, soon as possible he flooed back to the hotel and back to Hadrian.

Tom was relieved when he spotted Hadrian immediately stretched out in the longer with the wireless turned up to its full volume and listening to some ghastly modern rock music that was all shouting. He had a plate of pumpkin pasties which he was routinely dipping into a bowl of hot fudge sauce.

'Wireless off,' Hadrian said, and the music died away. 'Hello, father, did Minister Zdravkov win?'

'He did,' agreed Tom smirking slightly.

Not that he had done much – Zdravkov was popular on his own. But it was still a great boon to the Dark side and would allow them to bring the International Statute of Secrecy up to date for the twentieth century. After all, it had not been changed since its induction and the Muggle world had changed exponentially from then. It just said that they were not allowed to use magic in front of Muggles but now that Muggles had CCTV that was not enough; they shouldn't be using magic in the Muggle world at all.

'Good,' Hadrian said.

'And what about you?' asked Tom.

'Yes, good,' Hadrian said but he seemed distracted.

Tom sighed, 'what happened?'

'Nothing,' Hadrian said.

Tom gave his son a look.

'Really, nothing,' Hadrian said. 'I … I think I love Lucius.'

'Ah,' Tom said not wanting to have this conversation. 'I know.'

'You knew?' Hadrian asked shocked.

'Yes, I knew, it was obvious,' Tom said. 'But it was something you would have to discover for yourself.'

Plus, he had hoped that their relationship would run its course before Hadrian realised what was going on. But he knew that Hadrian loved too deeply for that to happen. Lucius would have to do something incredibly stupid for that to happen and it was clear to Tom that Lucius loved Hadrian more completely than Tom had ever seen him love anything.

'Oh,' Hadrian said weakly. 'He told me he loved me.'

'I know,' Tom said.

Tom had been on his way to speak to Hadrian when he had overheard that conversation. It was far from the worst thing that Tom had heard happening between the two. And he knew that Hadrian hadn't been ready to confront his own feelings … maybe he still wasn't.

'He won't abuse that love, Hadrian,' Tom said quietly. 'I have known Lucius since he was a newborn – his father was in my year at school – and I have never seen him love anyone as completely as he does you. He won't do anything that would see you hurt.'

'And … are you okay with that?' asked Hadrian.

Tom hesitated, 'honestly no … but it's not up to me so I will just have to accept it.'

AN: To the non-sign-in on who has claimed that I have copied some of my text from other works on AO3 and . I can assure you that I have not copied from anyone. The fact that you did not even bother to name any fics that I supposedly "copied" from makes it impossible for me to defend myself or to check out to see what you are even talking about. If you are going to accuse somebody at least have facts!