Title: A Little Bit of Love

Rating: R

Pairing(s): HP/DM, LV/SS

Warning(s): slash, violence, language, angst

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine. I own nothing here except for the plot.

Summary: The summer after fifth year finds Harry depressed. His godfather is dead, his relatives are being worse than usual, and the prophecy is weighing heavily on his mind. So when a shocking letter arrives at Privet Drive how does Harry cope?

Note: The frivolities are now over, for the most part. On to the important stuff. IF you see something that looks off in the text then let me know so I can fix it.

Chapter Five

"And you're sure he wants to change?" Ryu looked up from his spot on the chair in a corner as Draco and his father brushed the soot from their robes after their tumble out of the fireplace. Both were much more graceful that he had ever been.

"Yes I'm sure." Lucius growled. "Now fix your hair so you're presentable." Ryu snorted softly in laughter, surprising the two standing in front of the fireplace. Lucius's eyes widened as he recognized Ryu, probably from the description Tom gave him. "Young Lord." He moved to bow but Ryu held up a hand to stop him.

"Unlike my father, I do not require you to bow like that. A simple hello and a nod will do."

"Of course Sir." Lucius nodded. Ryu stood up and stretched.

"Call me Ryu. My father is on his way. Have a seat!" Draco and Lucius took a spot on the couch while Ryu replaced a book onto one of the shelves. The pair on the couch sat in tense silence until Tom burst in, a grin on his face. Severus was not far behind.

"I think Dumbledore just realized that you're missing!" Tom nearly sang. Lucius and Draco lurched to their feet and made to bow, but Tom waved them off. "And he is NOT a happy old goat. No need to bow."

"Seriously?" Ryu asked in disbelief. "That old man..."

"Ah! Good, we're all here." Tom finally exclaimed, cutting off Ryu before he could begin a diatribe against the elderly headmaster. "Now, I plan on introducing Ryu here to the others. As soon as I have I will hand myself in under the guise that I have a split personality." Lucius nearly spat out his tea in shock.

"But sir! If you do that they..."

"Will give a sick old man a fair trial. I have a team of mediwizards, qualified of course, to testify on my behalf." Draco, who had been sitting quietly the whole time, suddenly burst into laughter.

"Draco!" Lucius hissed. Tom smiled at the teen. "Be polite."

"It's quite all right, I can see why one would think it was funny." Ryu nodded from his perch on the arm of the armchair his father was sitting on.

"I thought he was crazy when he first mentioned it. But he can't be put in Azkaban with me in his corner."

"Nobody's going to believe it." Lucius mumbled. " A muggle disease…"

"Yes they will!" Ryu claimed. "From what I've been able to gather, the MPD causes two or more dominant personalities in a person. The personalities are able to switch at any moment, and most of the time are not aware of the other. Now Sev and I looked up a potion before you got here. There is one that was made a while ago by a Potions Master that separates and virtually kills one or more of the personalities."

"Lord Voldemort would never sit still to let that kind of potion be administered." Lucius scoffed.

"But Tom Riddle would." Ryu shot back with a grin. "And since Tom Riddle is in control the potion would kill the other personalities. We can all fight Veritaserum, so it'll be easy to lie about what needs to be lied about. All we gotta do.." Tom coughed. "Err..sorry. All we have to do is say that Tom and Voldie switched! Tom came to Severus for help, and he needed my assistance in brewing the potion. We administered it and voila!"

"Why would he need your assistance?"

"Because Voldemort was kept here, in control of Tom, because he used my blood in a potion to give him back his body. What he didn't know is that he needed the potion every two years to be able to keep in control." Lucius nodded his head approvingly.

"Good idea. Who came up with that?" He asked, looking at Severus.

"He did." Severus admitted, nodding at Ryu.

"But I had help!" Ryu said.

"So when do you plan on going through with this?"

"Ryu leaves for Hogwarts tomorrow, so I'm hoping he'll make it to the village on the first Hogsmeade trip."

"And the introduction to the others?"

"Later this evening." Ryu glanced at his father, scowling.

"You didn't tell me that!" Tom smirked.

(Hours Later…)

"My loyal Deatheaters!" Tom rose as his crowd bent to one knee in respect. "I have called you all here tonight to not only introduce you to someone important to me, but to reveal the changes that will be made to our operations." Several surprised murmurs broke out in the group and Tom waited patiently for them to quiet down.

"A few months ago I found out that I had a son. He had been taken away from me, along with his mother, and hidden. Sad to say that I had killed the woman I loved because she was put under a charm.." Ryu watched as recognition dawned on the faces of the assembled Deatheaters as Tom continued with his story.

"That boy, my son, is indeed Harry Potter." As their thoughts were confirmed the Deatheaters broke into hushed whispering. Ryu stepped up and pulled his hood down, causing more Deatheaters to gasp.

"I have accepted my fathers offer to join this little group." Many scowled at the 'little group' statement. "But only if there are changes."

"What if we don't want to change?" One Deatheater asked. Tom started to pull out his wand to rebuke the offending Deatheater but Ryu stopped him. Old habits were hard to break, MPD or not.

"Before making any decisions, listen to the changes I propose. Many of them can be negotiated but some cannot. If you don't like them then you will be removed of your mark and you may leave." Excited whispers rang throughout the hall.

"One of these changes is the attire of the Deatheaters."

"What kind of changes?" The man who spoke out winced, expecting to be punished. Ryu smiled.

"Speak your mind." Was all he said to make the Deatheaters more comfortable. "As you can see, my father is relaxing and letting me deal with it all. He will only step in if I ask him to."

"Yes sir...uhm."

"It's Ryu." Ryu smiled. The man nodded and the corners of his lips lifted. "I would like to propose something a little different. If you wish to keep the robes and masks as our uniforms, then you may. But you may also choose something more comfortable."

"Like what?" Another brave soul asked.

"Pants, regular shirts, nicer robes. No masks if you wish." Many people smiled. "Another thing, no one will be punished for speaking their minds. If you think something is off, then tell my father or me. If you screw up royally, then we will deal with it accordingly."

"I still think we should be able to curse others..." Lucius grumbled. Ryu shot him a look.

"On another topic...there will be no more useless raids."

"WHAT?" Many people shouted. Several looked relieved.

"We are not getting anywhere by killing helpless people. We only make others fear us and the changes we will bring." People mumbled. "Starting now, we will only go after feared criminals. Ones that were convicted and tried, proven guilty. We will help our ministry and the muggle government."

"But.."

"We will work from the inside. Changes things in the office and hope someone with our views will be re-elected for Minister." Many people nodded. "Now, who is still with us? Those of you who wish to leave may do so now." A handful of people headed towards the door, but the rest stayed. "Good..i will hand the mic...sorry, muggle expression...over to my father."

And so Tom began telling them all of their plot to free him of all charges...

TBC

Lady of Serpents- I got the name Ryu (Ryuichi) from the anime show Gravitation. It's pronounced like Rio, but with a u instead of an o.