Section: Harry Potter
Pairing: Voldemort/ Tom Riddle Jr. X Harry Potter
Genre: Romance/Supernatural
Summary: The summer after his fourth year Harry gets the memories and abilities of two different people who lived in different times. When he makes sense of them, he realizes that his life can never be easy.
Warning: Reincarnation, Slash, Incest, Necromancer! Seer! Harry, Mentions of Mpreg

Chapter Four

As Hericles had thought, the next few weeks were eventful, demanding and exhausting. The Ministry had arranged for a few days for him to get tested on the subjects he had opted for the OWLs. He was given a single week to prepare since time was quite limited. It was no real problem to him, though he made sure to review his understanding of certain subjects. He had already lived two lifetimes with knowledge exceeding greatly simple OWLs level so of course, he did not have much to do; he only had to refresh his mind about the new developments in magic that had happened during the years after each death.

Many spells and types of magic had been forgotten through time since his first life as Hericles Slytherin and what was being taught after were simpler and – if anyone asked him – caused the new generations to falter in their link to magic. He hated to see how so much had been forgotten and how wizards and witches were losing their connection to magic.

Like bearers, what had once been the norm and usual became rare or myths. A perfect example was that everyone relied on their wands for everything. Before, wands were used for the more difficult types of magic and wandless magic was actually much more common. Those who used their wands had been those with little magic. Now, wandless magic was considered a myth, an impossibility. Even Dumbledore, who was considered to be the most powerful wizard of the time, could not do a simple wandless magic. Oh, he could pretend alright by hiding his wand in his sleeves but it still did not count as being wandless.

He knew for a fact though that Voldemort, his beloved, had still retained a little of his knowledge from when he had once been Salazar Slytherin. It was ingrained in his soul, very much like how Hericles' abilities as a Seer and a necromancer were ingrained in his. That was why Tom had been able to use some wandless magic as a child before coming to Hogwarts. Well, Salazar had always been quite powerful after all and Hericles hardly though that just because he had been reborn his power would be any less. He may not have his memories, and thus knowledge, of his time as the Hogwarts Founder, but he was still powerful in his own right, and Hericles knew that when the moment he regained his memories he would immediately renew his power.

Hericles did not particularly want to lead a revolution to the Wizarding World. All he wanted was to have his lover back in his arms and peace; if magic was saved in the process, then it was even better. He had always been particularly connected to magic, especially after first contacting Death. Thus, he knew the effect certain decisions taken from the wizards and witches had had on the existence of magic.

Having ten subjects in total to be tested on, the whole examination took two weeks; five days of the first week was theory and practical for half of them (Charms, Transfiguration, History of Magic – theory only for that one – Astronomy and Care of Magical Creatures) and the second week was for the other half (Potions, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Herbology and Defense Against the Dark Arts).

After he finished with his OWLs, he had to wait for another two weeks before getting the results which would also be forwarded to the Headmaster. They would then arrange to meet to discuss about his classes and the possibility of being accepted to the school.

After two years of never stepping foot to the 'outside world' it was quite refreshing to be among other wizards and witches, even if it was only to take tests. True, he had Xanthus and Empousai, and the inhabitants of the forest to keep him company, but their way of live was so very different.

They all lived on an island, secluded from the world behind heavy wards put there by Death Himself, right in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle. The island was called The Sanctuary for a reason. Centuries before, when Death had made that little haven, he had let all kinds of magical creatures take refuge there, especially during the times they had started being ostracized and hunted down by the wizarding public. There now lived all kinds of creatures; some were even considered extinct by the modern wizards and witches.

At the Sanctuary, Hericles' manor was situated right in the middle of the island, surrounded by a thick dark forest. Beyond were the beach and then the sea. Having lived on the island for so long, with little to no contact to the outside world, the people living there were particularly close to magic and nature as a rule of itself. They were not touched by the modern prejudices and thus, they had remained as close to magic as their kinds had once been. Moreover, they had been able to grow and develop without being affected by the wizarding world.

Thus, it was understandable that Hericles felt a little strange going back to the Wizarding World. Oh, it was refreshing in a way to be among other magical humans but it also emphasized just how much the magical world had fallen since his life as Hericles Slytherin. Prejudices ran deep in the people and it was not as if a werewolf or vampire could stroll down the street without being attacked or looked down upon. Heck, even dragons, which had once lived among the population like it was nothing, were considered monstrous beasts. Hericles knew for a fact that they were actually quite cuddly if one knew how to act with them.

As Hericles made his way through Diagon Alley, he could not help but reflect upon it. Even Xanthus, who had accompanied him, felt strange being among them though he did not show it, but Hericles knew him enough to see his discomfort. As they entered the Leaky Cauldron to meet the Hogwarts Headmaster for their meeting, having received the results to his OWLs not a couple of days before, Hericles could not help the small smile filtering across his face. The old man was accompanied by a certain big dog with an uncanny resemblance to a grim.

On that certain morning, Grimmauld Place was particularly high-strung. A certain grim animagus was nervously running around the town house, trying to make sure he was well-dressed and presentable, while at the same time worrying about the meeting he was about to 'attend'. It seemed like the knowledge that he was a father was finally coming crashing down on him after the excitement had worn off.

All types of questions kept running through his mind; would the kid accept him? Could he be a good father? Could the kid accept him as his father? Would he believe that Sirius was innocent of all the crimes he was accused of? How was the kid? Was he as mystifying as Maricela or was he like Sirius had been when he had been his age?

"Sirius? What are you doing?" a voice startled him from his anxious thoughts. He stopped rocking back and forth where he was crouching, facing the wall in a corner in the drawing room and turned to find his last remaining friend staring at him bemusedly.

"Moony!" cried he as he jumped to his feet and practically tackled the werewolf. "How do I look? Should I change something? You think he's going to like me?"

Remus raised an eyebrow at him. "It's not like he'll see you like this, Padfoot," said he slowly. "You'll be going in your animagus form, remember?"

"Oh. Yeah, but still…?"

Remus sighed in fond exasperation but before he could say anything they were interrupted by the Headmaster who had appeared behind them. Albus cleared his throat and said, "I apologize for interrupting you, gentlemen, but we should leave before we are late. Are you ready, Sirius?"

"Already?" said man squeaked, his eyes going wide. Remus stifled a snicker.

"Come on, Padfoot," he soothed, pushing his friend towards the equally amused Headmaster. "Everything will be fine."

"But – But… What if he does not believe Albus? What if he hates me?!" As he continued with his anxious mutterings, Albus and Remus shared a look full of amusements and exasperation before the werewolf bopped him on the head. "Ow! What was that for?" He whined.

"You are going to make the Headmaster late, Padfoot," Remus scolded lightly.

"Oh…" Sirius blinked before smiling sheepishly. "Woops!" With that he promptly transformed in his animagus form and trotted after the Headmaster who quickly made his way out of the wards to apparate.

When they appeared at the Leaky Cauldron, Albus had a quick word with Tom, the bartender, as Snuffles looked around at the current crowd, trying to see of his son was already there. He was so excited and nervous that he was practically bouncing as he followed Albus to a lone secluded table. It would seem like he was not there yet, but they did not have to wait long.

Sirius had been keeping his eyes on both the door leading to the muggle side of London and the one that lead to the barrier to Diagon Alley. When he first caught sight of the boy he just knew it was him – his son. There was no questioning the Black heritage in him. At first glance, the child – or not so much a child anymore – could be confused for a girl, but he was unmistakably a boy; a very pretty one at that. He had the Black aristocratic cheekbones, and the nose. His face as a whole though was more on the soft side than the sharp contours of the Blacks.

Sirius' breathe caught in his throat and his eyes widened when he saw luminescent green eyes – eyes that had a certain otherworldly look to them – framed by dark, thick and long eyelashes scanning the crowd. Long black hair that was pulled into a braid fluttered behind the boy as he gracefully glided through the crowd. He was dressed in a very sophisticated looking dark blue and silver robe that flared at his hip, accentuating his slim and petit figure.

When those ethereal eyes turned to them and he saw that sweet smile graze that beautiful face, Sirius was mesmerized and he could not help but think that his son – his son – could put veelas to shame.

When Albus saw the young boy approach their table, he was struck dumb by a sense of familiarity. At first he was confused as he observed the young man walking towards them and then he remembered another very similar young man who had once had the same unearthly feel to him. He too had been a Black. Albus could remember that young man clearly. Heri Black, his name had been; a very different name from the typical ones the Blacks were known for taken from constellations and stars. Then again, he had not exactly been a typical Black. He had not been like Sirius; a Gryffindor in a Slytherin family. No. while Sirius had been the 'white sheep' in the Black family, Hericles Black had been the rare precious gem of the family.

Like the others of his family, he had been sorted into Slytherin but he had acted far from the typical snake. Albus remembered how the child had been dubbed 'the nice Slytherin' or secretly the 'Slythepuff'.

That was not what had made the young man stand out though; it was the relationship with another boy in his House who had later become the most feared Dark Lord in centuries. Albus remembered how he had once thought that Heri Black would be the one to save young Tom Riddle from falling into the dark, but then the young man had died and it had drove Tom unstable and further in the Dark Arts. Grief could do many things to a man. He would know; the death of his sister had made him realize how wrong he had once lived and thought.

Albus had been sad when he had learned of the young Black's death. He had been quite fond of the boy and his gentle nature. But then such a tragedy had to happen; the Wizarding World was ripped of such a talented boy and another boy with so much potential ended up destroying himself.

The young man making his way towards him reminded him so much of the other Black. There were many similarities in the way they both held themselves, with a certain unconscious grace, elegance and confidence; they were both naturally noble and well-bred young men.

As he approached the table where he could see the Hogwarts Headmaster, said man stood up from his seat and greeted him with a smile.

"Professor Dumbledore, I presume?" asked he lightly.

"You presumed correctly," the Headmaster chuckled. An excited bark sounded at his feet and Hericles looked down, finding a certain big dog staring up at him with anxiety, excitement and… was that adoration? "Oh, and this is Snuffles. He insisted on coming, I am afraid."

"Oh, it is alright," Hericles smiled as he crouched down in front of the big dog and rubbed him behind an ear. "Well, hello there." The animagus growled in pleasure, his eyes closing halfway and his hind leg twitching. Hericles laughed.

"Should we begin?" the Headmaster finally asked after watching the young man practically cuddle with Sirius in dog form.

Hericles looked up, slightly startled and blushed. He had been so happy to see Sirius that he had forgotten why he was even there. How mortifying! "Oh! Of course!"

Albus chuckled at his sheepish expression and the two sat down, Snuffles settling down at Hericles' feet. Xanthus, who had been silent the whole time, asked, "Does the young master require anything?" Sirius jumped to his feet and growled at the unknown presence.

"No, thank you, Xanthus." He leaned down and gently ruffled the animagus' fur to calm him down. Turning to the curious old man who was surprised to not having noticed the other man, he added, "This is Xanthus, my…" He trailed off.

"I am the young master's most faithful servant," Xanthus helpfully spoke up.

Hericles wrinkled his nose slightly. "More like protector and caretaker. Servant seems so degrading."

"As the young master wishes," he bowed slightly before placing himself behind Hericles' seat. Albus looked between them with slight curiosity before turning back to his youngest companion who had gotten a piece of parchment from his pocket.

"These are my OWLs results," he explained as he handed the parchment to the old man.

As blue eyes scanned the letters written, Albus could not help the slow rising of his eyebrows. "This is quite impressive," said he. "I have not seen anyone with such perfect marks in years. Outstanding in everything; impressive indeed." Hericles blushed demurely but still accepted the praise for what it was. Well, it was impressive. He had near perfect marks in mostly all his subjects after all though it had most to do with the knowledge he had retained from his two other lifetimes and all the reading he had done during those two last years. "Well, I see no reason why you cannot join our school. In your last letter you mentioned that you wish to join the seventh years…?"

"Yes, I wish to join in with people around my own age. Shall it be possible?"

"I have already talked with my colleagues and they have agreed to prepare a small test for each subject you wish to take. Have you already made a choice? Usually Heads of Houses are the ones to discuss this with the students. You have to keep in mind what career you wish to pursue and choose subjects that shall help you in your endeavour."

"I do not know about career," Hericles said. "There is nothing that really interests me, though I would like to travel the world," he mused. "I was thinking about taking Potions, Arithmancy, Runes, Charms, Transfiguration and Herbology."

Albus again felt his eyebrows shot up at that. Usually students took only the maximum of five subjects for their NEWTs but he had a feeling this young man in front of him would be able to complete his NEWTs easily enough, even with another added subject. "I shall inform my colleagues and send you a letter when it has all been planned. With those subjects many doors would be open to you. You can become a Healer, an Auror, a curse breaker and so much more. Excellent choice."

Hericles smiled. "Thank you. And I apologize for causing you so much trouble."

"Nonsense, my boy!" exclaimed Albus jovially. "This is my job after all, though we have not had an exchange student in a long while." He paused before carefully addressing the matter for which Sirius had been most anxious for. "On an unrelated note," he started, "I have been wondering; are you young Maricela Feim's son?"

Hericles did not seem too surprise by the sudden change of subject and merely replied, "yes, I am."

"Ah. Would you mind telling me about how she has been? She has been one of my dear students, you see, and I have not seen her in years."

"Unfortunately," the younger of the two said in a sad tone, "She has not been with us for more than a decade now. Mother died in a potions accident when I was five."

"I am sad to hear this. All my condolences." Hericles tilted his head in gratitude. "And what about your father? I am afraid that I am unsure about his identity; if you would not mind filling an old man's curiosity, of course."

Hericles chuckled and shook his head. "I know not about my father. I do not believe he even knows about my existence. When mother found out that she was pregnant, she went into hiding. She did not want to put the two of us in danger."

"I see. Do you know your father's identity?"

"Why the sudden interest in my parentage?" asked Hericles lightly. "Not to be rude sir, but I do not see how it may concern you."

"Ah! I apologize for seeming so nosy. You see, I may have an idea as to who your father is and the man is a good friend of mine."

"Then you must know that my father is considered a criminal by the Ministry."

Albus waved his wand and a privacy ward fell over them. "Yes, I am afraid, but you have to know, child, that the poor man has not done any of the crimes he has been accused of." As Hericles remained silent, the old man continued, "Poor Sirius was not the Potters' Secret Keeper like everyone had thought. It was Peter Pettigrew. Sirius did not kill Pettigrew and the muggles either, and again it was Pettigrew. As questionable as it seems, it is the truth. You see, Sirius never even had a trial and he was sent to Azkaban innocent of all those crimes. I know it seems so unlikely but you have to believe me."

There was a tense moment of silence during which Sirius, in his animagus form, was mentally bracing himself for the likely rejection, and Albus was staring at the young man in front of him. Then, Hericles suddenly tilted his head and smiled.

"I believe you." Sirius let out a breath he had not known he had been holding and deflated in relief. Hericles absently leaned down and ran his finger in his fur. "Mother had been slightly sceptical about his incarceration. She knew that my father and the Potters were particularly close and she made sure to tell me how doubtful she was of the accusations made towards him." Then, he shrugged. "It is not as if I can meet him though. From what I heard he is on the run and I doubt that Azkaban has left him particularly sane."

The Headmaster was surprised at how well the young man in front of him had taken the news. He had not even asked for details about how it was possible. He had simply accepted what Albus had said as it was. "Well, you see, my boy," said the old man as he rubbed his beard, his blue eyes twinkling happily. "If I tell you that I know where he is, would you like to meet him?"

Hericles stared at him thoughtfully for a moment before replying simply, "I would."

"Excellent!" the old man clapped his hands once and leaned forward. "Then it is my pleasure to invite you to stay over with a few other teenagers your age at the Black Town House for the last few weeks before the term starts. If you would so wish, of course!"

"Yes, I would love to," the younger of the two laughed. "If it is not a problem, that is. I wish not to be a bother."

"Of course not! Of course not!" exclaimed the Headmaster jovially. "I shall send you a missive to tell you when you can come. After you have taken your tests of course."

Hericles smiled. "Thank you, sir."

A thousand words longer than the other chapters. It was either that or make it shorter by a couple of hundreds.

It is slightly awkward for me to write the dialogues as I am unsure of how not to make it seem fake. And I am not exactly a people person either so it is a little more difficult for me than anything else. I hope it is fine though as I have worked as best as I could for this.

Anyway, leave behind a review and tell me your thoughts.