A/n: Shopping trip is undecided but many of you seem to want me to write it or at least something that is a part of it so I will seriously sit down and think about it. For those few who hate the idea of a shopping scene I will try to make it at least somewhat entertaining should I go that route.

*+ovo+*

"You've pushed too hard," were the first words that Severus spoke to the Dark Lord once they were free of the hall and headed out of the area.

"Are you saying I should have left them ignorant when I finally have them listening?" Voldemort asked in a softly dangerous tone.

"I am saying that, medically, this event was too much for both of you. Anything you planned for the rest of the day will have to wait," Severus corrected. "Both of you need rest, Harry more than he is willing to admit and you more than anyone aside from Nagini can force you to admit. Both of you are flagging after today's events. I'll take whatever punishment you want for the back talk as long as both of you are in bed for the night within the hour. None of us have been following the Healer's orders today and it is showing."

Voldemort growled under his breath but a closer look at Harry proved Severus' point. Not bothering to give the various assembled Aurors and Ministry personnel they passed the time of day he swept his two family members, still officially his captives, through the floo and back to Malfoy Manor. Nagini and her assigned house elf Misty took one look at the trio before bundling them into bed. Grumpily Voldemort allowed it as he settled in with both of his fellow wizards in his arms. Harry mumbled a bit but didn't fight and even Severus' own grumbling didn't deter the Dark Lord.

All in all, Voldemort was glad that he had not only left the glamours off once they failed due to his temper when facing the pink bitch but also that he had allowed them to be sent to bed early. It had been a very long time since he had actually cared for another human being and he would have to be careful not to mess up with his two panthers. Failure was not an option.

"~Stop brooding! Sleep!~" Nagini scolded as she settled protectively at the foot of their bed.

Tomorrow would come as it would.

The next morning they were faced with a Daily Prophet special edition that made Harry immediately cringe.

Headlines included but were not limited to:

BOY-WHO-LIVED, DARK LORD, & EVIL POTIONS MASTER ABUSED?!
DUMBLEDORE ADMITS TO ENDANGERING OUR CHILDREN!
DUMBLEDORE ARRESTED FOR CREATING THE DARK LORD!
MUGGLES NOW ABLE TO DESTROY LONDON WITH ONE STRIKE!
MUGGLES OUT NUMBER US 10,000 TO 1!
DARK LORD WORKING WITH BOY-WHO-LIVED TO SAVE US ALL?!

Most of which were authored or co-authored by Rita Skeeter.

"I am going to kill her," Severus announced with a sort of forced calm that made Harry actually believe they would be finding her dead body as soon as his father got the chance to produce it.

"She's a water beetle animagus," Harry offered after a minute or two of consideration.

"That," Voldemort said very deliberately as he overly calmly sliced into his sunny side up eggs, making them bleed yoke. "Explains much."

"How exactly did you discover her form?" Severus inquired while slicing into his morning ham.

"Hermione," was Harry's only answer as if that were enough and indeed for the potions master it was. Grumbling about bushy haired know-it-alls as Harry snickered the former spy returned to his breakfast.

Voldemort made a mental note to have some of his follower's children actually look into the girl. Maybe set some of the Ravenclaws on it? It was something to think about later. Today they had to sort out wardrobes for both his panthers and possibly retrieve some of their personal things from Hogwarts. Hopefully Minerva would be reasonable about fetching or allowing them to fetch those things... hopefully.

"~You do not object to my Tom calling you panthers... why?~" Nagini asked unexpectedly. The three parselmouths hadn't even noticed her entering the room, as a result her question startled both Harry and Severus but only caused Voldemort to sigh.

"~Because I am one,~" Severus said simply before returning to his part of the daily paper which Voldemort had silently split with him when they first both opted for coffee. Harry was given a choice of tea or various juices when he had arrived at the table and barely spared a glace at the coffee the older two were drinking.

"~Animagus?~" Voldemort hissed, intrigued and somewhat smug. His choice to claim them as his was proving even better than he had first thought. Severus inclined his head in acknowledgement before returning to his second cup of coffee.

Harry opted not to answer. He really didn't think they would be happy to hear that even with everything between them he was taking the claim to family seriously. Legal and magical bond or not he really wasn't sure, despite the various ways they told him, that he was really wanted for himself. Although the news that Severus was a panther animagus quickly chased away those more depressing thoughts in favor of curiosity and mischief.

"So not a bat then?" Harry grinned in quiet mirth. The brief shadows of his self doubt fleeing but still noticed by his breakfast companions.

"Brat, finish your food and drink your potions," Severus fake scowled at his son. He took his own potions very pointedly and Harry sighed but followed suit with a grimace.

The rest of breakfast was fairly peaceful and soothing. Upon reflection Voldemort had to reluctantly agree that Severus had been right the day before, pushing to get the basics purchased would have just hurt all three of them. Percolating in the back of the Dark Lord's mind was the fact that he had never been so content in his life. Subconsciously he wondered if this was a mix of platonic love and the instant recognition normally given to the term "Love at first sight". After all not all love was romantic love now was it? It could be slow or fast, burn brightly or slowly sneak up on those involved, but it was still love. Love doesn't stop you from arguing or fighting with someone, it doesn't stop you from hurting or getting hurt, it doesn't stop you from living.

The soul piece from Harry finished the thought across the bond, "Love enhances life and is only devastating when snatched away because of how much strength it provides in the first place. Without some form of love all true strength is lost and all the person is doing is surviving instead of living."

Voldemort, unaware as yet of the revelation he had just learned, only felt a weight lifting off of his shoulders. Far away, buried under the brick and mortar and ancient enchantments in the Department of Mysteries a white orb on a shelf went dark before shattering into dust. There was no longer a need for the pair listed to fight for the elder of the two had learned what was needed to live. Forever would they be bound together until God re-ordered the universe yet the actions called for in the prophecy had been completed and the understanding of the ultimate power in all time passed to one thought incapable. Love, terrifying and beautiful, the essence of God Almighty had settled into the battered soul of one born Tom Marvolo Riddle.

*+ovo+*

A/n: I am incredibly tempted to end it here but for the moment I'll work on more for this story.