CHAPTER TEN

"I regret my decisions up to this point."

"Oh come on, Mama, you sound like Uncle Sev," Harry teased as he was guiding his reluctant mother up the path towards the front of Riddle Manor. The house on the hill, easily the grandest in a mile, was standing over them imperiously as much as it did the rest of Little Hangleton. "You have to admit that spending time with Lord Slytherin and his allies is a whole lot more fun than tedious paper work designed to sing people to sleep."

"You only find this idea fun because of three certain allies who will be in attendance, brat," Lily shot back with a smirk. "Though I suppose I get the pleasure of teasing them to their faces – that is indeed a plus!"

"Oh, please! You will be too occupied with helping Lord Slytherin tease Uncle Sev," Harry rolled his eyes, flushing as he knocked on the grand, dark rowan doors, "or you will join Lady Malfoy in complaining about the stuffy old men in the Wizengamot."

"Well, I have to preserve my sanity somehow and Narcissa is a wonderful sparring partner," Lily huffed.

Harry snorted. "You're also going to try and talk to Evan about the hooded man, aren't you?"

A cunning glint entered the peridot orbs of his mother. "If I get the opportunity, I just might."

Harry grinned. He was only stopped from making a comment because the door opened and they were greeted by Rizzy, the Head Elf of Riddle Manor. "Lord Potter, Lady Potter! Come in, come in. Master Slytherin has been expecting yous."

"It has been a while, Rizzy," Lily greeted kindly as they stepped into the grand, wooden entrance hall of Riddle Manor. "How are you faring?"

Rizzy lit up. "Rizzy is very well, thank yous, Lady Potter! Lots and lots of work to do and mail to send. The new pool kept Rizzy very busy; Master Slytherin let Rizzy to choose the architect."

Harry grinned. "That's awesome, Rizzy. I cannot wait to see it."

"I think I hear the sound of an irritant!" Lord Slytherin's sing-song voice came floating into the room before the man himself came into the entrance hall from the doorways that led towards the grand ballroom, the porch and the grand back garden. He greeted his cousins with a blinding smile, embracing Lily and then ruffling Harry's already messy hair.

"Hello, Marvolo. Still causing trouble?" Lily teased fondly.

"Always!" Lord Slytherin answered brightly. He turned to Harry with a sparkle in his eyes. "Your friends are waiting for you downstairs but would you like to come outside for a bit?"

Harry caught the knowing look in Lord Slytherin's ruby orbs and had to bite his cheek to stop his cheeky grin from getting too big. "Yes, why not? It would be impolite not to greet your other guests."

Lily rolled her eyes, showing once more the family relation between her and her son, and the Potters followed their host through to the ballroom, which had been filled quite well with a splendid buffet table. Harry couldn't resist on taking a good look around at the sophisticated Baroque design of the room and admire the details on the crystal chandeliers and the intricate artwork on the ceiling. It had been years since Harry first saw the ballroom and he was rather pleased to note he could still recognise a lot of the details around the room, such as the people in the portraits.

Considering the evening was still quite warm, it was unsurprising that the party was being mostly held outside, with Harry immediately noticing that Lucius still wore a bit of a salty expression despite talking amicably with Yaxley and Lord Greengrass on the porch. Narcissa Malfoy, Bellatrix Black, Lady Greengrass and Yaxley's wife were all in chairs, fanning themselves and talking about this and that while their husbands all mingled. Harry snorted to himself; some things just never changed with purebloods. Their idea of a party was far different to his own!

Plus, Harry was certain that Lord Slytherin's Muggle family were rolling around in their graves, knowing that their ancestral home was now completely taken over by wizards and witches, which was just a little extra amusing.

The ladies were the first to notice the new additions to their little party. Narcissa lit up in an instant when she saw them. "Ah, Lady Potter, how fortunate you have arrived! We could use a second opinion about something."

Lily raised an elegant eyebrow. "Oh? Pray, on what?"

"Have you been following the Clara Esyllt mystery series?" Narcissa asked. Lily's eyes gained an extra spark in about two seconds.

Harry chuckled. "Oh boy, have we! Mama would not stop complaining about The Ghost Train of Normandy, especially it's ending," he sighed, shaking his head at his mother as steam stated already coming out of her ears at the mere mention of it.

"I still think that it is absolute bull-"

"Mama, language!"

Narcissa chuckled, as did Lady Greengrass and Madam Yaxley. Bellatrix point blank refused to look at them. "Then my next question is: do you think the rumours about the next book being co-written are true?"

Lily pulled up a chair at their table. "Well, I think there is a high likelihood consider the fact that Clara is facing a more archaeological mystery and we all know that Laurie Highgrove's The Cursebreaker Adventures is doing quite well at present-"

Harry started to tune his mother's enthusiastic babbling out, sighing in exhaustion. Fortunately he was soon distracted by Rodolphus, Evan and Barty hurrying over, with Rodolphus dragging someone with him who looked like a younger version of himself only with honey coloured hair and bright blue eyes.

"Harry! Rodolphus has someone to introduce you to," Barty informed with a wide grin.

"Yes – against my will," the stranger grumbled. "I might just press kidnapping charges."

Harry snorted with laughter. "I like this one already!"

The stranger smirked at him, almost in the exact same way as Rodolphus did on the rare occasions the Lestrange Heir would allow his emotions to show.

Rodolphus' usually dower, intimidating eyes were dancing with something Lord Slytherin had not seen in years. "This is my younger brother Rabastan. Grandfather insisted he come along to the party in the event of your attendance so you may be introduced."

"I still have two thousand words to write for my new article!" Rabastan wailed.

"You need to get your head out of the books more often," Evan commented, shaking his head. "Have you even gone to that little restaurant your family likes to go to lately, or have you completely shunned human company now?"

"I have been busy!" Rabastan protested. "I have patrons and backers who have given me grant money and they want to see results – sooner rather than later."

"There is no hope for you," Barty pinched the bridge of his nose.

Harry stifled his laughter this time. He bowed his head to Rodolphus' younger brother. "Well, I am honoured to formally meet you, Rabastan. Rodolphus has told me a bit about you."

"Yeah, I bet he has," Rabastan grumbled, scowling at his older brother who had a look of faux-innocence on his face. "I swear if you have been telling Lord Potter about that time I accidentally turned my bath water green I will tell him about the time you-"

"Upepepepepep!" Rodolphus exclaimed, clamping his hand over his brother's mouth, causing Rabastan's scowl to deepen. "I haven't – yet. So shut up before I change my mind."

Evan, Barty and Harry laughed at the two brothers, as did Lord Slytherin, albeit more quietly. It was at this point two pairs of feet were heard crossing the polished floor of the bathroom and skidded to a halt when they reached the porch. Harry and Lord Slytherin turned around to see Draco and Blaise, both already looking quite soaked, grin.

"Finally! Potter's here – now the party can start," Blaise stated, and then rubbed his hands with glee. "But first: DUNK TIME!"

Harry dodged Blaise's attempt to grab him nimbly. "Hey, hey, no, no, no, no! you will not dunk me into the pool like you did with Flint's and Draco's! Absolutely not!"

"Oh come on, don't be a spoil sport, it's tradition by now!" Blaise protested as he continued to chase Harry around the ballroom.

"Sod your tradition! I do not consent!"

The adults who watched were either nonplussed, splitting their sides laughing or had no idea how to react to seeing Lord Potter running away from the Zabini Heir like he was afraid to catch the Plague from the half-Italian. Lily was watching Blaise's efforts, shaking her head at him. Draco was pinching the bridge of his nose in mock irritation.

"Blaise?"

"Not now, Dray! I am trying to catch Harry."

Draco started mock crying for a bit before answering, "yes and may I point something out? You're a wizard! Use your damn wand."

"Oh yeah! Good point. Thanks, Dray!"

"Draco Malfoy, you bleached ferret!" Harry shouted just as a Leglocker hit him straight on and sent him sprawling onto the ballroom floor with Blaise doing a small victory dance. "I HATE YOU BOTH!"

"Sure you do, my friend," Draco sighed as he Levitated Harry into the air and started down towards the corridor with a very vexed, immobilised Potter Lord after him. Blaise was still too pleased with himself.

"I will get you both back for this!" was the last thing the adults heard before the children were out of sight.

"Eeeeerrrm …" MacNair was actually the first to dare to say something. "Should one of us go and check on him?" he asked awkwardly, looking more towards the Lady Regent of House Potter as he spoke.

Lily started chuckling. "I assure you, Mr. MacNair, my son is a drama queen now and again. He will be fine, though I do know Draco and Blaise will face some very stiff and swift retribution for this."

"So, the two of them weren't kidding?" Barty's eyes widened. "They're going to dunk Harry into the pool?"

"Yep!" Lily confirmed happily. "And Harry will torture them for a week afterwards as he normally does. It's just their little routine."

"Sounds familiar," Severus commented, shaking his head at his childhood friend. Lily preened.

"We will go and check if the children have not murdered each other in half an hour or so," Lord Slytherin decided, looking very amused. He almost didn't hate the brats quite as much when they were this entertaining!

Down in the underbelly of Riddle Manor, Harry's friends were swimming laps and chatting in the pool. The room was Roman in style with some Gothic elements thrown in. There were mosaics on the walls, depicting the founding of Hogwarts, Salazar Slytherin and his Basilisk. There were also a couple of Arthurian ones. The room was lit by braziers around the room, glowing with orange fire. All heads turned around and the swimmers stopped when the door opened and in came a triumphant Blaise, a pleased Draco and an immobilised apoplectic Harry being levitated in.

Daphne's eyes went wide. "Draco, Blaise – no!"

"Oh yes!" Blaise cackled. "Dunk time!"

"Merlin's beard, Zabini, at least allow him to get changed," Adrian Pucey commented, shaking his head. Harry folded his arms and shot Zabini a very sassy glare.

"But clothes and all is much more fun," Blaise pouted.

"Zabini," Marcus Flint spoke up in warning tone. "You're already on thin ice with Harry since the last time you did this. Let's not make it worse."

"He's going to be lucky if he gets away with a cursed hairstyle," Astoria commented to her sister. Daphne nodded in agreement, especially seeing the plotting look in the verdant eyes of Lord Potter.

Blaise sighed like a petulant five-year-old. "Fine! Potter, get changed."

Harry, as soon as he was on the ground and allowed to move again, stuck his tongue out at Blaise but went to the changing rooms that Draco pointed to in order to get changed and the dunking over with. He would get Blaise for this later, and Draco. Stupid Malfoy heir making him look a fool in front of his suitors …

Harry shook his head to try and halt that thought in its tracks. But it was true to some extent; Draco and Blaise had made him appear like such a damn child in front of Rodolphus, Evan and Barty – sod the rest of the Dark aligned. Harry could not care less what any of them thought but those three … how much more like a child did he need to appear to them?

Oh yes, Harry would enjoy getting his own back!

But like any good Slytherin, Harry chose to cool his temper, bide his time and allowed Blaise to have his fun. Once Harry resurfaced, he swam over to the Greengrass sisters, both of whom were trying not to laugh. "I really hate them sometimes," he commented, shaking some water droplets out of his hair.

"Understandable," Daphne reassured.

"You tried to escape them, didn't you?" Astoria guessed.

"Yep – and failed. Bloody Draco giving Blaise ideas," Harry grumbled lightly. "Right in front of Rodolphus, Evan and Barty too."

The girls giggled. "Awww, you're embarrassed!" Daphne cooed.

"You would be too if it was in front of … your suitors," Harry finished quickly, flushing red. "As if they need more proof that I am a … stupid kid."

"Oh come on! They're not going to think less of you because of the idiocy of Draco and Blaise," Astoria reassured.

"Perhaps," Harry sighed. "I am thinking about feeding Blaise to Rocla."

Daphne snorted. "Oh, please. Your dragon daughter has more taste than that!"

Harry barked with laughter. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Of course I am," Daphne responded slightly haughtily, causing Astoria to roll her eyes. Daphne lifted herself out of the pool and walked towards the music player in the corner, drying her hands as she went with her towel. "This is supposed to be a party, I thought," she commented as she waved her wand at it. Harry did quietly cringe when the first number was an ABBA number.

"I vote we play a game of water ball," Adrian Pucey stated, conjuring a big red ball.

"Oh you're on! I want revenge," Draco agreed.

"I'll be on Dray's team," Blaise immediately volunteered.

"Adrian, I'll help you whoop their butts," Marcus added, swimming over to his best friend.

Vincent swam to Draco's side of the pool but Gregory took Adrian's side, much to Draco's dismay. Theo had taken Draco's side and Lawrence joined Adrian's side. The only ones not taking a side, were Harry, Daphne and Astoria.

"OK, Daph, Harry and I will be the distraction!" Astoria sang. "We will try to throw you off your game. To keep things fun and interesting."

"Morgana save us," Lawrence muttered. "Like what?"

"Now that would spoil the surprise," Daphne laughed as Astoria and Harry got out of the pool, momentarily shivering, wrapping themselves in their towels, picking up their wands and joining Daphne at the head of the pool.

Marcus conjured a good size net in the middle of the pool, splitting the two teams. Adrian twirled the ball in the air with a grin. "Everyone remember the rules?"

"YES!"

"OK! Let's play!"

Meanwhile, Lily had been using her wits and wiles quite wisely. She had continued her discussion with Narcissa, Madam Yaxley, Lady Greengrass and the reluctant Bellatrix Black until she noticed Evan going inside to the buffet table unaccompanied and decided to make an excuse to the ladies about getting something to drink and to eat. It was also partially because Lily had not eaten dinner and was rather hungry.

When Evan saw her approach, he bowed to her and smiled warmly, which Lily returned as she began piling her plate quite high with little canapes and finger food. "Lady Potter," he greeted her cordially.

"Mr. Rosier," Lily replied just as formally. "Enjoying yourself?"

"Very much," Evan answered easily, "although I do not deny I thought your son would not disappear so soon, albeit against his will."

"Indeed," Lily chuckled. "Draco and Blaise are exuberant, I'm afraid."

"So I have noticed, many times," Evan grinned. "Are you enjoying yourself? Lady Malfoy and Lady Greengrass have the ability to natter on rather."

"I am quite used to it and rather enjoy it now and again," Lily reassured with a grin. "It makes for a good change. I do not have many female friends left and the company I do get prefer to talk politics, potions, dragons and about the location of Sirius and Remus."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Evan commented.

Lily shrugged. "The solitude is not awful but it does get tedious now and again," she said, popping a canape into her mouth. She finished it before continuing. "I mean, I have enough worries and distractions to keep me occupied during the day so I barely notice most of the time."

Evan nodded in agreement. "Wizengamot business, paper work, accounts, trying to avenge your husband."

Lily stopped chewing her canape. She blinked with faux-innocence. "What?"

Evan chuckled. "Harry interrogated me on our date. No doubt he has gotten the zeal to find his father's killer from his mother. It's only logical."

Lily swallowed. "Indeed," she agreed sheepishly.

Evan put down his butterbeer. "I have information you no doubt want to know, and you have information that I want. How about a trade?" he negotiated. "I tell you what I know about your husband and that hooded stranger, and you tell me something about Harry no one else knows."

Lily blinked at him twice before a grin spread on her countenance. "You have yourself a deal."

Evan smirked but it quickly vanished as a serious expression took hold. "I was there purely by accident. I had not had a very good day at work and one of my … liaisons ended badly so I went to the duelling club to blow off some steam." Evan sighed. "I saw Lord Potter coming out of this side alley, shouting at a hooded figure to go crawling back to their master. I didn't stay outside long enough to know what happened next because I went inside to deal with my own problems. Like I said to Harry, I never thought anything of it, not even after the late Lord Potter's … passing."

Lily listened in stone cold silence, her hand clutching the plate she was holding to the point her knuckles were almost turning white. "My husband fought with someone before he died. Whether or not it had anything to do with his death; it should have been investigated. You should have written an anonymous letter, at least."

"In hindsight, definitely," Evan agreed. "Forgive me, Lady Potter, but was His Lordship working on a sensitive case before he died?"

"James always worked sensitive cases; those were his favourites," Lily chuckled. "Before he died he was working on the case of the attempted assassination of the Minister."

"He was on the Team?" Evan's eyes widened. "What about his colleagues? I don't remember ever reading that any of them suffered untimely ends or accidents of a suspicious nature."

"Me neither," Lily agreed. "Not even James' notes make any sense. I have gone through them time and time again but … my husband had the habit of writing all of his most sensitive notes and thoughts in codes. I have been trying to crack them for years but … I have never been really good at Ancient Runes, let alone coding."

Evan frowned, a look of deep pondering in his eyes. "Would you like me to ask Barty to take a look at those notes?" he finally dared to ask the Lady Regent.

Lily blinked twice at him. "Do you think he can crack my husband's code?"

Evan grinned. "My Lady, he fixed your wards. People always underestimate Barty because they see how his damn father dominates him, but he is and always will be a Ravenclaw."

Lily nodded. "That is true," she agreed with a slightly nervous sigh.

"So," Evan's grin widened, "what can you tell me about your son that no one else knows."

Lily thought for a moment, trying to choose between some very funny and embarrassing memories before settling for one that was not really embarrassing, quite funny but still adorable. "Harry always wanted to travel. When he was quite young, he would sit hours and hours on end with our atlases in the library, looking at the maps of all the places he wanted to go and make a list of things he wanted to do there," Lily laughed. "Because he was around six or so, he especially wanted to go to Italy to see Colosseum battles so I had to break it to him gently that Roman practices were no longer in fashion. He was very disappointed!"

Evan chuckled. "Did he take it well?"

"Nope – he was pouting for the rest of the day," Lily giggled. "He did eventually cheer up when Severus started planning a small holiday trip to Ireland for the three of us. It was during this trip that he … said he missed his Papa for the first time."

Evan's eyes became soggy with sympathy in an instant. "I … am sorry," he apologised meekly.

"It's OK. It is … good to talk about it now and again," Lily reassured with a small smile. The smile quickly widened into a grin. "Do you think we should check if the children are causing mischief?"

"My Lady, he is James' scion who is friends with Slytherins; he will always be up to mischief!" Evan laughed. "But I agree for the sake of my Lord's new pool."

Lily laughed heartily and, abandoning her food, went to collect Barty and Rodolphus. "Boys! Let's go check on the children before they cause a massive flood in some kind of water fight."

"Good idea!" Lord Slytherin agreed. "Let us all go."

Lucius actually gulped at this. He silently prayed to Mordred and Morgana that Draco was behaving himself or they would all be in a world of trouble! The other adults either looked just as nervous or irritated that their conversations were interrupted but followed anyway. It was fair to say that all the adults were soon very irritated at being hit with water from a giant splash from Draco and his entire team trying to catch the ball and bat into the air before it could touch the water on their side.

Harry, Daphne and Astoria were splitting their sides laughing at the reactions of the adults, especially since several of the more intimidating amongst them were hit quite badly, including Severus, Lucius, Lord Slytherin and Rodolphus. The children of Lord Slytherin's allies froze in fear.

Draco chuckled awkwardly. "Ooops," he stated. "Sorry, Father!"

"DRACO ABRAXAS MALFOY!" Lucius seethed.

"To be fair, it wasn't just me," Draco answered back easily.

"CANNON BALL!"

Draco and his team were soon hit with a decent amount of water foam from the giant splashes Harry, Daphne and Astoria created with their synchronised cannon ball jumps into the pool. Adrian and his team had gotten out of the way of both their friends and the trajectory of the giant splashes they created, so they were safe. The adults started laughing at the shocked and annoyed looks of Draco and his team.

The laughter only continued as Draco, Theo, Vincent and Blaise began trying to chase Harry, Daphne and Astoria around the pool, only to be out-swam by the three offending wizards.

"Oh dear," Lord Slytherin commented with a grin.

"My Lord, I deeply apologise-" Lucius began, only to be cut of by a dismissive wave from Lord Slytherin.

"It is perfectly fine. I expected this kind of exuberance," Lord Slytherin stated, grinning even more when Draco missed a launched attack at Harry again. He lit up further. "In fact, why do we not join them?"

Lucius paled. "Whaaaat?!"

"Lucius, do not be a spoil sport. My house, my rules."

"But-"

"Spoil sport."

It was safe to say that none of the witnesses could decide what was more shocking: Lucius' expression or the fact Lord Slytherin was shooting petulant insults at one of his closest allies with a grin on his face. Indeed, no one could have foreseen any of the adults joining the children that evening, or witnessing Lily Potter taking over Draco's job of chasing her son after he pulled her into the pool dress and all.

Lily hadn't really minded all too much; the evening had been fruitful, after all.

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So Lord Slytherin does have a bit of a playful side! XD Hopefully Barty will not look a gift horse in the mouth and agree to help Lady Potter with her little code problem. Wonder what Barty will find. You will have to stay tuned!

Thank you for reading and see you in the next chapter!

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