Hey, guys! Got a new chapter for you this Holiday Season!
Getting stuck in quarantine has at least given me time to think about my fics.
Hope you all enjoy!

Sheets tangled in his legs as he rolled over in bed. It was getting close to noon, yet Harry refused to get out of bed for as long as possible. He knew today was going to be a bad day, and with the events of the previous night playing in his head, he wanted to delay the inevitable as much as possible.

Marvolo's unpredictable bout of anger had surprised and terrified him. He didn't think he'd ever seen him that angry. Even when he was considered an enemy, Marvolo had never sounded like that nor had he ever resort to physical attacks.

Harry gently rubbed where Marvolo's hand had gripped his jaw. It had clearly bruised, evidence of the bruising appearing late last night before he went to bed. The bruise cream in the bathroom medical cabinet had cleared up most of it, but there was still some faint discoloration and tenderness left. Hopefully, it would fade by this afternoon.

With a groan, Harry rolled out of bed, allowing his knees to gently hit the floor even as his head still rested on the mattress. Waiting wasn't going to help matters any. Lucius said he'd be by at "precisely 2:48", and that Harry had better be "properly presentable for company". Throwing all thoughts of Marvolo out of his head (or at least trying to throw them out), Harry headed for the bathroom for a long, boil your skin off hot shower. The dreaded day of afternoon tea with baby death eaters had arrived.

HPXV

True to his word, Lucius arrived at exactly 2:48. Harry would have to get the man to teach him how to predict time like that, it could come in real handy when managing his classes for his OWLs and quidditch practices. Lucius looked him up and down before nodding his assent at what Harry was wearing. Harry was nervous about choosing to wear the black robes with red accents, since he was to be meeting a bunch of Slytherins, but it appears he made a good choice, otherwise Lucius would have started stripping him while bemoaning his lack of fashion. Something learned from experience. Lucius did not play around when it came to dressing properly.

"The guests are seated in the eastern solarium," Lucius said, turning on his heal, expecting Harry to follow after him.

"I've brought four of the young death eaters (including Draco) for you to meet," he continued as they entered the hallway, a slight twitch of his eyebrow being the only sign that he heard Harry's mutter of 'Baby death eaters' when he said 'young'. "I expect you to put to practice all the etiquette training the Lestrange's have taught you. Seeing as they deemed you ready for this gathering, I expect you to at least have a modicum of understand for proper customs done at parties such as this one."

Harry desperately wanted to roll his eyes, but knew he'd get a stinging hex for it. Lucius had sat in on enough of those lessons for him to be convinced the man had eyes in the back of his head. He knew as much as Harry did on his preparedness for this party. Though he was convinced he would do something wrong anyway.

"Before we arrive," Lucius said, slowing his pace a little, and turning to look at the boy next to him, "I must tell you that all any of them know is that they are to meet with a young man around their age who is new to our cause. None of them know they are meeting Harry Potter this afternoon."

Harry stared at the man in bewilderment. "Why didn't you tell them?"

"Our Lord does not trust easily, especially where it concerns your defection. He thought it wise that none of them know, in case of one of them accidentally letting it slip where others could hear," Lucius said, coming to a halt before the door to the solarium. "Are you ready?"

Harry gulped audibly. It was now or never. He was certain he couldn't turn away from the door, tell Lucius to schedule it for another day, and go back to bed. Not without getting crucio-ed by Marvolo. Particularly, since he'd been in such a horrible mood the night before. Harry didn't think his heart could take the man hurting him two nights in a row.

"I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be," he said, to the blond. With that, he pushed open the dreaded door.

All eyes turned towards him, as he stepped through the door. Various stages of shock flitted across everyone's faces before quickly being hidden behind "Pure-Blood" (or as Bella called it "High Society") masks. Only the sight of Lucius behind him stopped the group from drawing wands upon seeing him.

Taking a breath to steady his nerves, Harry managed to announce, "Thank you, for coming today. I apologize for not arriving sooner. I hope you were not kept waiting long?"

Someone Harry recognized as being Daphne Greengrass was the first to break the silence that followed his question. "Of course not, Lord Potter. We were all just getting settled in when you arrived."

Harry started a bit at the address before remembering Bella telling him that there used to be a hierarchy system that was used to address people of higher ranking than yourself, but had been dropped not long before she'd been born. A few customs remained. Like how it was still seen as polite to address a lord of the house with proper title. And wasn't that a shock to Harry to find out that, amongst those with wizarding etiquette training, he was known as Lord Potter since his father had passed.

Harry nodded politely at her, and moved to take a seat in the last remaining chair, which was located between Terry Boot (he was the only one who's presence surprised him), and Daphne. "Pease, sit. Refreshments shall be here shortly," he said, silently freaking out at their obvious staring.

As he sat, small tea cakes, sandwiches, and a tea tray appeared on the round, glass top table in front of him. Daphne was the first to follow suit, the rest slowly falling back into their chairs as well, from when they had stood up at his entrance.

"Are you enjoying your stay here, Lord Potter?" Daphne asked, after Harry had poured everyone a cup of the finely brewed jasmine tea.

"Please, call me Harry," Harry said, gesturing to all of them. He hated the formal title. "It's been nice, recently, the beginning of my stay here was a bit unpleasant. Have you visited the manor before, Miss Greengrass?"

Harry was positively hating this, as he listened to "Call me Daphne, I insist" talk about her previous visit to the manor. This had to be the most boring conversation on the planet. Why couldn't they just talk about normal teenager stuff, and drop the formalities so that he didn't have to worry about fumbling his words or about someone's tea cup getting too low. Like Malfoy's was at the moment.

He refilled Malfoy's cup, all while listening to Daphne talk about the Yule party that had been thrown at the manor last year.

Apparently, Harry wasn't the only one getting impatient. Malfoy appeared to have had enough of it as well, speak boldly once Daphne finished talking. "I think we'd all like to know how you came to switch sides, Potter."

"Draco!" Daphne said, in shock. "Harry doesn't have to explain anything!"

"I'd like to know that as well," Baise Zabini said, from his seat next to Draco. "It's strange that Harry would have gone dark. Especially, after the end of the tournament last semester. Lord Voldemort was a villain in your eyes then. He killed Cedric or at least that's what we had heard you'd said. I can't see you being loyal to the dark. Unless you were loyal then, and only playing the part of Savior of the Wizarding World, but I find that hard to believe."

Daphne was getting ready to verbally lay into the two boys when Harry spoke up. "He did kill Cedric, right in front of my eyes. It's something I have yet to forgive him for," Harry said, a touch of heat in his voice. The thought of Cedric's death made his stomach churn, the feeling worse than before now that he knows he has a crush on the man that did it. "Not too long ago, Mar- The Dark Lord kidnapped me. I'm sure it was in the papers. While I was in captivity, he spoke to me, and managed to convince me to join his side of the war. Does that answer satisfy your curiosity?"

"So, you didn't join willingly!" Draco sneered, "Why are you allowed to wander about if you were forced into joining. What's stopping you from running back to Dumbledore the moment someone takes their eyes off you?"

Harry was getting fed up with Draco's attitude. "Why should I tell you? Your father is the one that brought you here in order for me to get acquainted with more future Death Eaters around my age. Do you honestly think he would bring you here, and possibly jeopardize your safety, if he wasn't sure that I was on his side of the war?"

"Harry's right," Terry spoke for the first time, "Lord Malfoy would not have brought us here if he wasn't a hundred percent sure about our safety. How Harry came to be on our side doesn't matter, all that matters is that he is, and that it is a great boon for us. We shouldn't pry into the particulars, as I don't think the Dark Lord would appreciate us prying into matters that personally involve him. We should find a different subject so that we may actually get to know Harry, which is the purpose for this party."

The rest of the group looked at Terry, and then back to Harry. Each giving a nod of acceptance.

"Harry," Terry began after a few moments of silence, "do you know if you've been made Quidditch Captain yet?"

Harry immediately latched onto the subject change, happy to get rid of the awkward silence. "The badge came in with my Hogwarts letter! I honestly don't know what Professor McGonagall is thinking. Katie or even Fred or George would be much better at captaining the team than me. They've got years more experience than I have."

Blaise snorted. "As much as I hate to say this, Harry, you are one of the best players at Hogwarts. It makes sense that she would pick you. You've been influence by Wood's crazy training since day one."

"Hey, waking up at five in the morning for a three-hour training session in the rain makes perfect sense!" Harry mock defended, a joking smile on his face.

"Not even Flint was that strict with us," Malfoy said, joining in the easy conversation topic.

"Davies isn't either," Said Terry, happy everyone took the subject change easily, "though, I think that's because it was his first year captaining the team."

"He seemed to do a pretty good job, I thought," Daphne said, joining in.

"He needed to book the pitch more, I think I only saw you guys training a few times," Harry said, happy the tense atmosphere was gone. Maybe this tea party wouldn't be so bad after all.

HPXV

Marvolo watched from the shadows as Harry slowly seemed to get more comfortable with the group of teenagers that surrounded him. Overall, he felt content seeing his love laugh and banter with his new friends, yet there was still a part of him that wanted Harry to only laugh like that when he was in his presence. He quickly stomped down that thought. His jealousy may have gotten the best of him last night, but he would get it under control, if only for Harry's sake. The faint marks of his fingers could still be seen on Harry's jaw, but only if one knew to look for them. The bruise cream he had Severus make up for the boy having done wonders to make it fade in such a short amount of time. It was just a shame he had bruised his Harry in a fit of jealous rage rather than one of passion. He would have to think of way of making it up to him. No doubt Harry would be wary in his presence the next time they saw each other, which should be at dinner tonight, providing Harry shows up. He would have to instruct the house elves to make some of Harry's favorite recipes tonight as a start for his apology.

Turning away from the sight of the five teens, Marvolo headed back towards his office. Now that he no longer had to fear of a fight breaking out between Harry and Draco, he could finally get some of his paperwork done.

As always, comments and constructive criticism welcome!