Disclaimer: Do not own
A/N: Sorry for being gone so long guys. Life happened and I ended up in rather deep depression. I couldn't even LOOK at my computer for awhile let alone write. But I am better and I am back!
Reaching Through Time
Chapter 30: A Birthday and Quidditch
It took most of dinner for Remus to calm down enough for Tom to get more info out of him. During that time Tom was able to ascertain that Lupin would be utterly loyal to Harry and, through him, loyal to Tom.
He was even pretty sure that when they told Lupin the entire story, the werewolf would attempt to go after Dumbledore himself.
The werewolf was definitely a useful pawn that Tom looked forward to using in his plans.
"Where," Remus was still feeling on edge, but he was able to keep his wolf in check by focusing on Harry. "Where have you been Harry? We looked everywhere for you. For years."
"France." Tom said curtly, relying on the story that they and the Goblins had worked out.
Remus frowned and shook his head. "We looked there. All countries with schools were checked-"
"For our safety it would be best if you stop prying into the past." Tom snapped as he dropped the privacy wards so they could pay for the meal once they were all done eating. "Suffice it to say Harry was well cared for and safe until recently. Because of Dumbledore we were forced to return to London."
The older man's mouth snapped shut and he cleared his throat to keep himself from asking for more info. The cold hard stare that Tom was giving him was enough to keep Remus' curiosity in check.
It was obvious to Remus that there were holes in the explanation he was given though. If the boys had been in France for so long, then why did Tom have such an obvious British accent? Remus knew Dumbledore had done a thorough search of France, so how had Harry been kept hidden?
"Now then," With dinner paid for, Tom took Harry's hand and led him out of the restaurant. "Let's go find some ice cream."
"Definitely!"
Tom threw a quick glance at Lupin and found the older man smiling fondly at Harry. "By my calculations, you were out of contact with the Potters for a little over a year before they died." Tom stated as they wandered down the streets. "Why is that?"
For a moment Lupin looked panicked and Tom found it rather amusing. "Is it because of your dark creature status?" He asked when the man hesitated a little too long on answering.
"W-what? I d-don't-"
"Spare me." Tom rolled his eyes at the man's attempt to deny his statements. "Your reaction at dinner, the feeling your magic gives off, and your rather worn attire," Tom glanced at the well worn muggle jacket that the man wore. "Tells me that you are a type of dark creature that is heavily regulated by the ministry. So you are either a half-breed, a vampire," Tom paused for a moment to smirk slowly at Lupin. "Or a werewolf."
"It's fine if you are." Harry piped up and frowned at Tom which only got Harry an eye roll in return. "Honestly. It's just an illness."
"An illness that could get people killed." Even though he had meant his words to sound serious, Tom honestly didn't care. Werewolves were just people that had to be caged up once a month. So long as the werewolf in question took precautions then they weren't terribly dangerous. There were worse creatures and people in the world.
The three wandered around for awhile until they came across a park where an ice cream vendor was selling cones of the frozen treats.
Harry was all smiles as he hurried over to the cart vendor and made an order for two cones, one strawberry and the other vanilla.
"Well? Are you going to order something?" Tom asked Lupin with a bored voice as he fished out muggle money to pay. He highly doubted the street vendor would be able to take the plastic card.
Remus was about to turn down the offer, but a sharp look from the blue eyed teenager stirred something in him. It felt like his wolf was trying to get distance between him and Tom so he could submit to the teen. It knew that Tom was a more powerful predator and it had Remus wondering just who the teen was.
He quickly made an order for a chocolate cone and was about to pull out what little muggle money he had when Tom paid for the three cones.
"Now then," Ice cream in one hand and Harry's hand clasped in the other, Tom led the way down the path to go deeper into the park. "Now that you have found Harry, what do you plan to do about it?"
"Protect him." Was Remus' immediate response.
"That is a given." Tom sighed sharply and glared at the older man. "But how do you plan on doing so? You were Dumbledore's man up until an hour ago so you cannot be fully trusted at this time."
"I will never betray Harry." Remus barely kept himself from yelling. "If that means giving a wizard's oath I will. I'll do everything in my power to protect Harry." But Remus knew he had no idea how to go about doing so. He didn't have a permanent residence, nor did he have a full time job, and his savings were minimal at best. Remus had no idea how he would be able to take care of Harry let alone protect him.
If Remus had to go and get help from his questionable sources...he would. He would do anything to protect his pack's cub.
For a long time Tom was silent as he contemplated the werewolf's resolve. He looked to Harry who was looking at him with a glimmer of trust in his emerald green eyes. Whatever Tom decided, Harry would agree too.
There was more to the situation than just protection and Harry's safety though. Remus Lupin was a connection to Harry's past that Tom could never be able give Harry. The werewolf would be able to tell Harry things about his parents that otherwise he would never know. Tom knew that Harry would do as he said, but he also knew Harry would have liked to get to know Lupin.
"Fine." Tom sighed through his nose and closed his eyes for a moment. "For Harry's sake you can stick around. But," His eyes flashed red and Remus felt his blood go cold. "If I think for one moment you will turn on us, I will not hesitate to remove you from this world."
Remus' inner wolf was baring its neck and Remus himself was nodding quickly. He had always considered himself an alpha werewolf, but something about Tom and his insane power had Remus submitting to him.
"Good." As soon as Remus nodded, Tom relaxed. "Harry and I are staying at the Leaky Cauldron until Gringotts can find a more permanent residence for us. Ask for Thomas Peverell."
Relief flooded Remus. He'd be able to get close to Harry after years of thinking his cub was dead. He'd be able to protect him the way he should have all those years ago.
Seeing Harry alive was more than Remus could have ever hoped for.
By the time they made it back to the Leaky Cauldron, Harry was dead on his feet. He was yawning every few seconds and Tom was partially carrying him.
"Would it be alright if I-"
"Yeah. Ask for me though." Tom cut Remus off before the man could even finish his sentence. "Hopefully the goblins will have a solution for us. If not I'll have to consider buying property."
Buying their own home would probably be the best option honestly. Tom would be able to put up his own protections as well as pay the goblins to take care of any wards that Tom couldn't cast himself.
Then again...It was possible that either he or Harry had inherited properties through their various lordships and inheritances. Tom would need to take a closer look at the lists and files that Gothrack had given them.
"I think we can trust Remus." Harry was mumbling once they were in their room again. He was struggling so much to get undressed and into his sleep clothes that Tom sighed fondly and helped him out.
"Perhaps." Even though Harry was nodding off, Tom himself was wide awake. "We'll discuss this more later. Get some sleep."
Harry nodded and yawned again. He didn't even notice that Tom had tucked him in and had kissed his forehead gently.
For a few minutes Tom sat on the bed next to Harry, running his fingers through the younger boy's hair. Once he was sure Harry was sound asleep, Tom went over to the desk where the paperwork from the bank sat.
Tom rolled his neck and shoulders before taking a seat at the desk. He frowned slightly as he opened the first folder; which happened to be an account history for the Slytherin vault. The vault had strict rules about how the gold within could be spent, but for the most part the majority of the vault was filled with precious artifacts and tomes.
The next vault was the Gaunt family vault which was, not surprisingly, empty. Tom suspected that the only reason it was still open was because it had a loose connection to the Slytherin vault.
The real surprise was the Peverell vault. Because there hadn't been an heir in generations, the vault had been frozen. There was quite a bit of gold, but there were also a few property deeds within the vault that Tom wanted to look at.
Almost all of the reports were similar in nature. He forwent reading about the school vaults that had been set up for him and Harry by their benefactors seeing as how he could remember exactly how much he had spent over the years and what was left.
In the end Tom found at least 7 property deeds listed in the files, and those were just the ones linked to his Lordships. Harry had 3 properties, but Tom figured anything linked to Harry would be watched by Dumbledore so they wouldn't be able to use them.
At the bottom of the pile of paperwork Tom found the letter from Orion that Gothrack had given them. He'd completely forgotten about the letter.
The letter was addressed to both Tom and Harry, but he had a feeling that it was really meant for just Harry. Curiosity ate at Tom though and he fingered the wax seal on the envelope that had been stamped with the Black coat of arms.
With a harsh sigh Tom set the letter aside.
Tom leaned back in his seat and carefully organized his thoughts. Now that he was of age he had inherited quite a bit of gold. Now that they were in Harry's true time the teenager would be able to properly inherit his own family vaults.
The amount of money was astounding. It made sense that the Goblins were willing to help them; if not for the 'friendship' between their benefactors and the Goblins, but because of the gold. Goblins were always more than willing to befriend wizards if enough gold was involved.
That knowledge didn't exactly help Tom to figure out what their next steps were.
They needed a permanent home, that was the first thing that needed to be taken care of. A permanent home was the best way to protect Harry.
Harry was still underage as well and that left the question about Harry's schooling. It wasn't like Harry could just waltz up to Hogwarts and resume his classes for his fourth year. Tom figured they could probably get some private tutors if necessary, but he knew Harry would want to return to Hogwarts.
Thinking about Hogwarts brought even more questions to Tom's mind. It was obvious that Harry was still the Heir of Hogwarts; why else had one of the guardians appeared when they'd arrived?
"Shit! Senestra!" Tom hissed quietly and angrily as he suddenly realized that the giant basilisk had been alone for over 50 years. Had she gone to sleep during that time? He knew he didn't technically have to worry about the basilisk, but just as he knew that instinctively he also knew Harry would feel immense guilt for having left all the guardians alone for so long.
Tom huffed and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. There was nothing he could do about it now. It wasn't like he could just march into Hogwarts himself...then again...could he?
He was the Heir of Slytherin and he technically owned a quarter of the school. He'd be able to slip past the wards without anyone noticing.
But that would mean being in the area around Hogwarts first.
A slow smile stretched across Tom's lips as his mind worked out the beginnings of a plan. None of the properties they had inherited were in Hogsmeade, but how hard could it be to purchase a house there?
Being in Hogsmeade would also be risky though. It would not only put them closer to Hogwarts, but also closer to Dumbledore.
What they needed to do was figure out what sorts of trackers and tracers Dumbledore had on Harry and get them removed.
Tom rubbed at his temples and grabbed some paper and a quill to make a list of things that needed to be done. He just hoped the goblins would be able to help them find solutions.
For another few hours Tom tried to come up with several plans. Each one had some sort of problem, but by the time he went to bed he felt like he was a little more in control of everything that was happening. He had a better idea as to how to protect Harry and that was all that mattered to him.
In the morning Tom had Harry open and read the letter from Orion. The letter had been written on Orion's death bed telling the two that he knew about their secret and that he had never given up hope on seeing Harry again. Orion told them in the letter that he'd kept journals over the years and that he'd placed them in the vault Abraxas had set up for the two of them. It had been his hope that he'd see Harry again, but if not he at least wanted his best friend to know about the things he had missed out on.
Harry was left smiling sadly at the letter that contained two pictures. One of Harry, Orion, Rupert, and Eileen at one of their Samhain parties and the other was of an older Orion with his wife and two young sons.
"So what you're telling me," Tom's face was an emotionless mask as he spoke. It'd been a few days since they'd met Lupin and they were back at the bank. "Is that the tracker on Harry was put on him via...a potion?"
"From what we can ascertain, yes." Gothrack told the two teens. They'd just gotten done with a thorough examination on Harry.
Until the tracker was removed from Harry, he couldn't be moved out of London. There was enough latent magic in and around Diagon Alley that it kept the tracker from being strong enough to allow Dumbledore to pinpoint Harry's location. At least that's what the Goblins theorized and they were more than willing to use every tool at their disposal to keep the young teen safe.
If the charm had been placed via a spell or a ritual then the Goblins could have removed it with a cleansing ritual of their own. But the use of a potion meant there could be adverse effects depending on the sort of ingredients that had been used.
"We have a very talented potion master on retainer. With a bit of Harry's blood he should be able to create an antidote that will negate the tracking potion in Harry's system.
"How is it still even in me?" Harry asked with a deep frown. He wasn't a genius at potions, not in the way that Tom was, but he knew that most potions did have a time limit after being used.
Gothrack frowned at Harry and he laced his fingers together against his desk. "We do not know. Thus the reason for calling in the potion master. We will not tell him from whom the blood is from, just that there is a tracker on the person the blood is from and that we need him to analyze the blood to create the antidote."
"We trust you Gothrack." Tom assured the goblin swiftly. "If you believe this is the only way, then we will agree."
"For further precautions," Gothrack relaxed ever so slightly when the teens didn't argue. "The potion master will only be allowed to examine the blood in the potion lab here at Gringotts."
Discussions changed from getting rid of the tracker on Harry to the small manor that was being built for them in Hogsmeade.
As it turned out a couple of the properties that Tom owned were just patches of land were the buildings had been torn down. They'd also found that Orion had left Harry and Tom some property in Hogsmeade that would be perfect for building a new home on.
It seemed that after Orion had learned the truth, he and Abraxas had worked together to come up with as many contingencies as possible to help their lost family.
So Tom had enlisted the goblins in building one manor on a larger piece of land in Ireland and a smaller manor in Hogsmeade. Both homes would cost a great deal, but after going over all his finances Tom was confident that all his plans could be paid for and they would still have plenty left over.
Harry had argued that they didn't need to build a home in Hogsmeade, that since he wouldn't be returning to Hogwarts there wasn't much of a point, but Tom wanted a house there as a backup. If they started building now then a house would be ready by mid august.
The designs for the manor in Ireland were still being worked on and Tom doubted it would even be ready to house them for at least a year.
Until then the goblins had found them a comfortable three bedroom apartment in Horizont Alley.
The goblins refused to explain to either Harry or Tom why the two teens needed three bedrooms when two would have been perfectly fine.
After another couple hours of discussion over the large manor that would be built in Ireland, Tom and Harry left the bank.
"So what should we do today?" Tom asked lightly as he and Harry wandered around the streets of Diagon Alley.
They had fully furnished their new apartment the day before and he and Harry were working their way through a long shopping list.
"I suppose we do need proper robes." Harry said with a sigh as he glanced over at Twilfitt and Tattings. "We'll need to go grocery shopping and stock up on potion supplies as well." Harry winced as he pulled out their long shopping list. "Really though...we need everything."
Harry was right and Tom knew it. Anything they had ever needed or wanted had always been provided by the Malfoy's and now the two teens were finding out just what it meant to be moved out and living on their own.
"We'll start with fittings and go from there." If nothing else he and Harry could get the rest of their shopping done while the clothes were being made.
It didn't take long for the seamster to get their sizes and for Tom to order the wardrobes. To make sure they wouldn't have to return to pick up their order, Tom gave their address so that the clothes could be delivered later. Once that was done he and Harry were out of Twilfitt and Tattings and wandering around the Alley.
It wasn't quite a date, but Harry did take Tom's hand and lace their fingers together at one point.
"Perhaps we should get an owl?" Tom suggested as he glanced over at the Owl Emporium. "Harry?" When no response was given, Tom turned his sights back to the smaller teen.
There was such a sad and melancholy look in Harry's eyes, and the teen wasn't even looking at Tom. With a frown Tom looked in the direction that Harry was staring in. His frown deepened as he spotted Quality Quidditch Supplies.
At first Tom couldn't see what it was that was making Harry sad. Was he thinking about Orion and Rupert? About all the quidditch games that he and his friends used to play during the holidays? But then Tom saw it.
In the window of the shop was a brightly colored poster that practically screamed information about the upcoming Quidditch World Cup.
"Oh…" The one world left Tom in a woosh. Of course that was why Harry was upset; the Malfoy's had always made it a point to take their family to the World Cup every 4 years. They hadn't missed a single game since the Malfoy's had adopted both Tom and Harry.
"Do you think I could get a few Quidditch books?" Harry asked softly. "Just to...you know...find out about all the games we missed?"
Tom wasn't nearly as enthralled with the ridiculously dangerous game as Harry was, but it made Harry happy and that was enough for Tom.
"Of course."
A few books wouldn't be enough for Harry though and Tom knew that. A book couldn't give Harry the memories of sitting in the stands along with their family and cheering on their favored team. A few books couldn't give Harry the thrill of flight during a game with his friends.
"We'll go by Flourish and Blotts last, alright?"
"Ok."
Despite the fact that Harry was smiling up at Tom, and blocking as much sadness from their bond as he could, Tom knew his young companion was still aching.
Losing their family had hit Harry a lot harder than it had Tom. For the last few days though Harry had been more in shock than anything. Now though, Tom could tell Harry was coming out of his emotional shock. It wouldn't be long before Harry had that melt down that Tom had expected days ago.
"Do you-" Tom cleared his throat and braced himself for the suggestion he was about to make. "Do you maybe want Lupin to come by for a visit?"
They'd seen the werewolf only once more since having met him in muggle London. He'd left notes at the Leaky Cauldron for them afterwards, but Tom knew the man was trying to give them space even though Tom knew the man wanted to desperately get closer to Harry.
"Can he?" Harry asked with wide green eyes. He could feel through their bond that Tom still didn't trust Remus, but...but there was just something about the man that Harry found comforting. The man kind of reminded him of Sir Leighleas.
Tom sighed through his nose and nodded. "We'll go get an owl and then send him a note. Sound like a plan?"
Harry nodded quickly and smiled brightly.
Unlike Tom, Harry was a social person. The younger teen may hate being the center of attention, but he always thrived when he was around people. Tom knew if he asked, Harry would avoid social situations, but that sort of control wasn't healthy for a relationship. So Tom put up with the fact that Harry needed more companions than just himself.
It took some time, but after a heated debate on which own to get once they were at the Owl emporium, Tom and Harry settled on a grey Eagle owl that watched them with an eerily intelligent gaze.
Harry had been drawn to a lovely snowy owl, but Tom had pointed out that the owl was older than would have been good for a post owl. Owls that were older when first bought for post tended to be more wild and less likely to listen.
So they had settled on a young eagle owl that seemed to listen to both Tom and Harry.
Even though they still errands to run, Harry and Tom returned to their flat to pen a quick note to Lupin with their address. The young eagle owl, which Harry insisted on calling Nostradamus for some unknown reason to Tom, took the short letter and flew off.
With that done Harry and Tom returned to Diagon Alley to continue their shopping.
Harry had been right about them needing practically everything. Their flat was furnished, but the cupboards were bare and they didn't even have the most basic equipment to make potions.
The two went from one shop to another, buying what they needed from each shop. Whatever they couldn't easily carry themselves, they had delivered to their flat.
The two of them were so busy with replacing everything they had lost to the past that they completely missed lunch. It wasn't until Harry's stomach started protesting for food while they were looking at books that Tom realized the time.
"Let's get some groceries and then head back to the flat. Lupin will arrive shortly before dinner." At least that's the time Tom had told him to arrive.
He wanted to be able to trust the werewolf, really Tom did, but his Slytherin nature kept him wary. So he wanted to be home well before Lupin arrived so that he could make sure the precautionary wards were at full strength. Just incase Lupin really couldn't be trusted.
Harry was a little sad to be leaving Obscurus Books, but he knew Tom was right. Dinner needed to be made after all!
After a quick trip down to Carkitt Market to get the necessary food stuffs, the two teens were back in their flat. Tom busied himself with pulling out their shrunken purchases while Harry took the groceries over to the kitchen to put.
"Do you think Remus likes stew?" Harry asked as he grabbed the one pot that had come with the flat.
"I'm sure he'll enjoy just about anything." Honestly Tom was pretty sure the werewolf wouldn't complain even if they gave him simple sandwiches. He sneered a little at his own memories of going hungry just because he was different. If it weren't for Harry and the two of them testing the limits of their magic early on...Tom was sure that hunger and pain he had felt would have been immensely worse.
Tom was so lost in his dark thoughts that he didn't even hear when Harry stopped moving around in the kitchen. He was only freed from his thoughts when delicate arms wrapped around his waist and a cheek was pressed against his shoulder blades.
"What has you so upset?" Harry whispered gently.
Of course Harry had felt the turn in Tom's emotions. Their bond was so strong that Tom had to actively block his emotions from the bond to protect Harry. He couldn't believe he'd allowed himself to slip and allow his emotions through to his precious Harry.
"Just...old memories." Tom sighed deeply and calmed himself down enough to pull his emotions back.
With a sigh of his own, Harry let go of Tom. "I wish you wouldn't do that." He mumbled as he returned to the kitchen to get to chopping the vegetables.
Tom frowned and followed Harry. "Do what?"
The younger teen didn't even bother to look at Tom as he slowly and methodically chopped first the carrots and then the potatoes. "Block me out like that. It worries me when I can't feel all of you." Harry frowned as he scooped up the carrots and potatoes and dropped them into the heating pot of water. "I know why you do it, you don't want to worry me, but how can I help you if I don't know what's going on?"
Tom watched as Harry put his hands on his hips, the knife in his right hand standing out at an angle. The frown on Harry's lips was adorable and Tom could feel his own lips twitching into a small smile.
"I'm fine Harry. As long as you're with me I will always be just fine."
The assurance that Tom was alright only made Harry huff in annoyance. He hated how Tom always took on all the burdens, always thinking that he had to take care of things alone. At least back in their own time Tom had had his followers to help so Harry hadn't been as worried then. But things were different now; Tom only had Harry to rely on.
"Just...just promise me you'll talk to me if you need help." Harry whispered as he turned away from Tom with a jerk of his shoulders. He grabbed the onions and peeled the outer skin off of them slowly. "You're not alone here." His last words were even softer and his head was downcast making his wild bangs fall to cover his eyes.
Tom sucked in a breath and he winced as he realized the mistake he had made. "Harry…" He reached out and took the onion out of the younger teens hands and then took his shoulders to turn him around to face him. "I know I have you. I swear I will talk to you and...and go to you for help if I need it."
As loathe as he was to ever ask for help, Tom knew if he ever did need it then he would have Harry there. He trusted Harry with his heart and life and knew the younger teen would always be there to watch his back.
A bright smile lit up Harry's face and Tom was suddenly lost in those emerald green eyes. "Thank you Tom." The tension that Tom had felt in Harry's shoulders disappeared and suddenly Tom found himself engulfed in a tight hug.
The hug ended quickly and Harry returned to preparing their dinner. He looked happier though which made Tom feel lighter and more relaxed.
Seeing that Harry was in a better mood, Tom returned to their purchases. He was determined to put everything away well before the time Lupin was supposed to arrive.
With the use of magic it didn't take long for Tom to put everything away. He was able to finish early enough that by the time Lupin arrived Tom had been able to finish several chapters of the history book he'd purchased in order to catch up with the events that had passed since they had been thrust into the future.
"Hi Remus!" Harry was the first to the door when the knock sounded. Tom wasn't too worried, after all the wards were goblin made so even if the werewolf did try to do something he wouldn't succeed.
"Hello Harry." Lupin looked exhausted, but he was smiling warmly at the young teen as Harry shepherded him into the living room of the flat. "Something smells good." His amber eyes glanced towards the kitchen as he sniffed the air appreciatively.
Harry flushed a little. "I'm making stew, I hope that's alright." He shyly thrust his hands behind his back to keep from fidgeting with his shirt.
Tom couldn't help but chuckle at the shy display. Even after years of living with the Malfoy's, they hadn't quite been able to get Harry to grow out of his occasional shyness.
"More than alright."
"Why don't you sit down Mr. Lupin, while Harry finishes with dinner preparations." Tom said smoothly as he placed a simple slip of parchment into the book he was reading to mark his place.
Remus eyed Tom a tentatively before nodding and taking the seat across from Tom. The two were silent for some time, only the sounds from the kitchen breaking the silence in the living room.
"I'll be blunt, Mr. Lupin," Tom started to say after observing the tired man across from him. "I do not trust you. You are a stranger in a strange place that has claims to the one person I care about most. If it weren't for the fact that you can give Harry things that I cannot, I would never allow you to be as close to us as you are."
The teen was definitely blunt, but at least he was being polite and Remus really appreciated that fact. Most people would treat him like garbage the moment they realized what he was.
"I understand your caution." Really, Remus could. Here he was trying to stake a claim in Harry's life when the two teens had only just arrived in London. Add to the fact that he was a dark creature, and...well trust was not something Remus was expecting. "Trusting a werewolf-"
"It has nothing to do with your creature status." Tom waved a hand sharply to stop the man from talking. "I do not trust you simply because I do not know you. I barely trusted my...friends...in school. Only Harry and my family have my full trust." And the Malfoy's hadn't been able to earn his trust for some time after they'd adopted him. He'd been wary of them for years and had only broken down because they had cared deeply for Harry.
Tom leaned forward in his seat and cupped his hands under his chin, his elbows resting on his knees. "I need to know that you will never betray Harry's trust. He has a soft heart and forgiving nature. He has been hurt too many times in his life and I will do everything in my power to keep him from feeling the pain of betrayal."
Remus was nodding even before Tom had finished speaking. "I swear, on my magic, that Harry has my complete loyalty. I would never, never, do anything to harm him and that I will do everything in my power to protect him!" There was a slight flash of light near Remus' heart making his words into an official magical vow.
Blinking in surprise, Tom leaned back and away from the older man. He had definitely not expected Lupin to swear on his magic.
"With that said, there are a few things about Dumbledore that you need to know." Remus took a deep breath. "I won't be able to tell you some things, a magical oath keeps me from revealing secrets." Still, if Remus worded what he told Tom correctly, then there were quite a few things that he could pass along.
"Dumbledore is the leader of the Order of the Phoenix, which is a Light organization dedicated to the defeat of the Dark Lord and the protection of those he targets." That was common knowledge that Tom and Harry could find anywhere, but it was smart to start off with the basic information. "He has access to certain tools and artifacts, not completely his own, that track the use of certain types of magic."
Tom was smart enough to read between the lines. "Dark Magic." He got a nod in confirmation.
"He also has artifacts that were...loaned to him for study." Remus said slowly. His eyes darted to the kitchen were they could hear Harry working.
With a growl Tom turned his head completely in the direction Lupin was looking. He had to take a deep breath through his nose to keep from letting his stronger emotions into the bond. "I'm guessing he took more than just artifacts that belong to Harry."
"I wouldn't know about that, but you could ask whoever manages Harry's vaults. But I wouldn't be surprised after everything you've already told me about Dumbledore."
Tom knew Dumbledore very well, and he knew if the man could get his fingers into Harry's money then he probably had. That line of thinking was why Tom had decided not to use any of Harry's properties when searching for a suitable home for them.
"This organization. What else can you tell me about it?"
Remus cleared his throat and frowned. "Harry's parents were members during the first war as well as myself and a few of our friends." Again the information was pretty common knowledge so Remus didn't have to skirt around the details. "I can't reveal current members, other than myself, but seeing as how it's a very Light based organization there are quite a few Light oriented families involved."
Tom nodded thoughtfully. It wouldn't be too hard for him to figure out who were members if he were able to met them. Vigilante groups, like this Order probably was, tended to attract a very particular type of personality.
Gryffindors mostly.
"Like most organizations though, I suspect there is at least one person that would be the opposite of the typical member." Tom mused out loud. "Probably someone that acts as a spy for this order."
"Spies are typical for wars."
Tom smirked at Lupin's very careful wording. Yes, the Order had a spy and if Tom could get to this spy he might be able to talk him into spying for himself. After all, 'Voldemort' was nothing but a fake masquerading around as Tom. The Spy's job was literally pointless.
"Dumbledore is obsessed with finding Harry. He believes the Dark Lord will return and that there is evidence that Harry will play an important role in the next war." Remus was gritting his teeth as he spoke. He was getting a little too close to the truth that was protected by the oath.
"Evidence…" Tom leaned back in his seat and rubbed at his chin in thought, crossing one leg over his other knee to get comfortable.
There were only so many types of 'evidence' that could point to Harry being important. His part in the 'defeat' of Voldemort as a baby could be evidence, but then again Voldemort wasn't real. They had no idea what really happened that night to Harry and his parents.
What would push Dumbledore into making his puppet Dark Lord attack an innocent baby with the intent to kill? Was it possible he knew then who Harry really was? But if that were true then he would have found a way to kill Harry instead of leaving him with Harry's muggle relatives.
The man was obsessed with power. Perhaps Harry had had an enormous amount of power even as a baby and that was why Dumbledore had orchestrated the attack. It was possible and it would explain why Dumbledore was so desperate to find Harry now.
Perhaps...a prophecy?
Tom scoffed, but it was something to consider. Harry himself had spoken a prophecy caused by intense magic. Sir Leighleas was a seer and could see snippets of the future. There were always those that put way too much stock into prophecies.
If all of this chaos was because of a prophecy then that meant he and Harry would need to go the ministry and the hall of prophecies to find out.
"What about-"
"Dinner's ready!" Harry's happy voice rang out as he carried the pot of stew to the dining table. He turned around and hurried back into the kitchen to grab the salad and the rolls they had bought earlier. "I hope you two are hungry."
"We'll finish this conversation later." Tom mumbled before smiling and standing up. "It smells amazing Harry. You haven't lost your touch."
Harry flushed and rubbed at the back of his head sheepishly. He hadn't actually cooked a full meal since last summer. Mrs. Malfoy only ever let him cook when he insisted strongly, otherwise the elves took care of meals. She was more willing to let him bake treats then to cook full meals.
Dinner was filled with Remus telling stories of Harry's parents and their time at Hogwarts. He told them about how their group, specifically Harry's father and one of their friends, would cause mischief and play pranks regularly.
Tom noticed quickly that Remus left the name of one of his friends out, even though he had to mention the friend a few times during his stories.
The mood was considerably light by dessert time and Remus was rather pleased and surprised to find that Harry and Tom had purchased a chocolate cake for the meal.
"Will you be alright tomorrow?" Harry asked once everyone had finished with the cake. His eyes were fixed on Remus with worry.
Tom knew exactly why Harry was asking. The full moon would be tomorrow and Harry being Harry, he was concerned for his new friend.
The younger teens concern had Remus smiling gently and sadly. "I'll be fine. I have a place I go to that I am able to lock myself in."
Harry frowned at Remus' reply, but he nodded slowly. "I wish there was something that could be done to help werewolves!" He said with a huff as he stood up to clear the table. "Lycanthropy is an illness people contract. There's a cure for dragon pox so why not lycanthropy?" He ranted as he started dishing the leftover stew into a glass container for Remus to take home to eat tomorrow.
"Well, there is the wolfsbane potion, but it's not really a cure." Remus blinked in surprise when he was handed a container of enough stew for several meals. "It allows werewolves to keep their human mind during the full moon, but it's extremely expensive and difficult to make."
The fact that there was such a potion though had Tom's interest. "Has no one been working on a better version?"
Remus shook his head sadly. "At least no one that admits to working on it. Damocles, the man that invented the potion, took decades to get the potion to even do anything useful." He put an unbreakable spell on the stew and then shrunk it down to slip the food into his pocket. "If the potion is brewed even a tiny bit incorrectly, it turns into a poison."
"Poison?!" Harry paled and sucked in a quick breath of surprise.
"Well it does utilize aconite...but the benefits greatly outweigh the risks in my opinion." He had never been able to try the potion, very few werewolves were able to afford it, but he'd heard nothing but good things from the testers at St. Mungos.
"Isn't there anything else that can be done?" Harry hated the idea of someone as nice as Remus risking his life by drinking poison in the attempt to control something that was only dangerous one night out of a month.
Remus paused and licked his lips before nodding slowly. "Your father and our friends learned how to become animagi...Werewolves aren't really concerned with other animals unless the werewolf is starving. By the time they learned how to be animagi my wolf had claimed them as pack so it never felt the urge to hunt them."
"Interesting." Tom smirked ever so slightly as he considered what Remus had told them. "Did they ever approach you during the full moon as humans instead of animagi?"
Blood drained from Remus' face and he shook his head hard. "Never! They wanted to try, but I refused to let them risk it."
"Hmph." Tom shook his head and tapped the table in irritation. There wasn't enough known about werewolves and if there was one thing he hated it was not being able to know all the facts. Now that Lupin was in Harry's life he wanted to learn everything there was about werewolves in order to protect all of them.
"Well at least it's something." Harry smiled warmly. "Here's the rest of the cake." He handed another container to Remus with at least half of the cake. "When can you come for dinner again?"
Just the fact that Harry wanted Remus to return had his heart warming in his chest. The young teen was so much like his mother. "In a few days. I'll need all of the day after tomorrow to recover."
With a sigh Remus stood up and pocketed the chocolate cake once he was done shrinking it down. "Thank you for having me for dinner. It was very delicious Harry." He smiled when Harry just beamed happy at him. "I better head home for the night.."
Harry escorted Remus to the door only for the man to freeze as he suddenly remembered something.
"Harry…"
The hesitant tone of Lupin's voice had Tom on alert and he stood up.
"What's wrong Remus?" Harry asked with a tilt of his head.
"I don't exactly know how Dumbledore found out that you're in the UK again, but he's going to send you a letter of admittance to Hogwarts." Remus cleared his throat and looked over at Tom seriously. "He doesn't know where you are and I know enough about wards to know you have strong goblin ones up. Your address is protected, but you might want to talk to the goblins about diverting your mail."
Tom nodded in thanks. Other than Lupin they didn't really have anyone to send or receive letters from so they hadn't taken that into consideration.
"Wait...so I can go to Hogwarts?" Harry felt conflicted. On one hand he was the Heir of Hogwarts, chosen by the magic of the school, and he could feel that connection even as far away as he was from the school. He wanted to return because that was where he belonged. On the other hand Dumbledore would be there…
"It's something to take into consideration." Tom by that point had gotten up from the table and had moved to stand next to Harry. "Thank you for telling us Mr. Lupin." Tom would go to Gringotts in the morning to take care of the mail situation.
"See you in a few days Remus."
Before either Tom or Remus could say or do anything else, Harry moved forward to give Remus a quick hug. The comforting embrace was over almost as quick as it happened and Remus was left feeling a little out of it.
"See you." In an almost daze, Remus turned and left the flat, heading out to the alley where he could go to the closest apparition point.
Tom actually chuckled softly once the door was closed and the locking wards were back in place. "You really like him, don't you?" He smiled fondly as Harry nodded quickly.
Now that he had a magical vow from the werewolf that he would protect Harry, Tom wasn't as concerned about letting the man near his Harry. He would still keep an eye on Lupin, but at least he wouldn't have to worry about the man attacking Harry suddenly.
And now that Lupin knew about Dumbledore, even if Lupin was spelled to capture Harry the magical vow wouldn't let him.
"Do you think he would like to go to the World cup with us?" Tom asked slowly. He hated the idea of sharing Harry, especially when going to something that would, in a way, be personal to them, but if Harry wanted the older man there then Tom would make it happen.
Harry had to think about the offer for a few minutes. "I would be nice, but…" he smiled warmly at Tom and took his hand all the while blushing. "I was hoping it would be just you and me."
Tom's heart rate picked up and he felt himself nodding. "I'm sure you could think of something else you could invite Mr. Lupin to."
"Thank you Tom!" Harry launched himself at the older teen and wrapped his arms around him. He leaned up on his toes and pressed his lips against his boyfriend's. The kiss lasted only a few moments before Harry was pulling back and practically skipping to his room. "I'll shower first ok?"
"Right." Tom was having a hard time keeping his cheeks from flushing and his feet from following after the little minx that had captured his heart so thoroughly.
Never was Tom so grateful for how right Abraxas had been.
In the time after that dinner with Remus and the Quidditch World Cup, Tom returned to Gringotts and set up a mail diverting spell. Anything address to himself or Harry would be diverted to a private box in the bank where it would be checked for spells of all sorts. Once the mail was checked, Gringotts would forwarded it to their flat. The only person exempt from the diverting spell was Remus.
Tom was also able to purchase the Quidditch tickets through Gringotts. He had the whole event planned out and wanted to make sure Harry had the best time ever. If only so he wouldn't be depressed or distracted by thoughts of missing the Malfoy's.
Thanks to a not so little amount of money, Tom was also able to purchase a multi use portkey through the bank that would allow them to return to their flat whenever the game was put on hold. Just incase the game ran longer than a day. They'd be able to pick up the portkey at the bank the morning of the game.
Tom was not one to camp out in a filthy field all for the sake of a sports event. They'd done the whole camping out thing once with the Malfoy's, at the insistence of Harry, but after that their adoptive parents had adamantly put their feet down.
Just as Remus had warned them, on Harry's 14th birthday he received a letter of admittance to Hogwarts. It'd been diverted to the goblins, who had discovered several tracking spells, compulsion spells, and other darker spells meant to attach to Harry and his magic.
The goblins removed all the magic attached to the letter as per the service that Tom and Harry were paying for.
Even though Harry wanted to discuss his education, both Tom and Remus insisted on putting off the talk until the next day so Harry could enjoy his birthday.
Tom had gone through the vaults left to the two of them and had found a few things that had belonged to their adoptive family, as well as several presents that their family had left for Harry and Tom.
It was a nice day too. Both Tom and Remus went out of their ways to make Harry happy. Remus had scoured his own collection of photos and had contacted a few friends in order to get as many pictures of Harry's parents as he could. He was able to fill a single photo album with the photos and when Harry unwrapped it he'd started crying.
It'd been emotional day, but one that Harry knew he would never forget.
A few days later the three of them sat down to discuss Harry's education. By then the Hogsmeade house was almost done; the goblins just had to put up the excess amount of wards Tom had paid for and it'd take at least a week to finish.
It was a long argument, both for and against, but in the end they decided that it would be best for Harry to attend Hogwarts. With Tom so close they were sure they'd be able to get in in and out of Hogwarts if Harry needed him. And since Harry was still the Heir of Hogwarts, the magic of the castle would be able to protect him; even with Dumbledore there.
They would move in after the World Cup.
"Are we going to need to bring anything besides our robes and money pouches?" Harry asked the morning of the World Cup. He had suggested they pack a lunch, but Tom had assured him that there would be food available there.
"Everything that we would could possibly need we can get there." Tom was chuckling softly at Harry's antics. The younger boy was rushing around their flat grabbing things that he thought that they might need only to have Tom tell him to put it back.
Harry huffed and planted his fists against his hips. "We can't just spend our money willy nilly like that Tom! What would mother and father say?"
Tom rolled his eyes and shook his head. "We have enough money to live on until the end of time. Considering how much we could spend, I'd say we've been pretty sparse in our spending."
The older teen was right and Harry knew it. They could be living in a large mansion or in a more expensive flat. They could have bought only top quality equipment, furniture, ingredients, and food. Although their clothes were of good quality, they weren't excessively overpriced.
Compared to their lives with the Malfoy's, Tom and Harry were living rather simply.
"Fine. You win." Harry's arms flopped against his sides and his shoulders sagged in defeat. "If we need anything, we'll buy it there."
Tom smiled victoriously and then held out a hand for Harry to take. "Our portkey is at Gringotts. I told them we'd be there in the morning to pick it up."
Their hands joined together and Harry entwined their fingers together without even thinking about it.
"When will it activate? Do we have time for breakfast at the cafe?" Harry had grown rather fond of their cherry tarts and honey tea.
"We can grab our breakfast and eat it at the World Cup." Tom assured his companion as they left their flat. The wards locking the apartment so that no one else could get in until they were back flared back up locking the place down. "You know how you get if you eat before portkeying."
"I know…" Harry groaned. He always got so nauseous if he ate before flooing, using a portkey, or apparating. It was ridiculous how sensitive his stomach was to magical travel!
All the way to the cafe, Tom teased Harry relentlessly. He kept on poking at his shorter companion until they made it to Gringotts.
Gothrack was the one to meet them in the foyer of the bank. "The portkey is multi use, as requested, and you can activate it whenever you wish." He explained as he handed over the acorn that was attached to a necklace chain. "Tap three times and say 'lucas'. It will take you to a designated portkey arrival spot." Tom took the acorn and slipped the chain over his head. "The portkey will bring you back here on the return. Do not worry about arriving after hours; we have guards who will escort you out if you arrive late."
"Thank you Gothrack!" Harry was almost buzzing with how excited he was. If not for Tom holding his hand Harry might have actually been bouncing.
"Hopefully this will not be a drawn out match." Tom let out a long suffering sigh and groaned a little when Harry glared at him.
"Long matches are the best! The teams really start getting into more and more difficult maneuvers the longer a match is drawn out."
Again Tom groaned, but there was a twitch to his lips as he tried to fight downa smirk as Harry continued to babble about what the best length of time for a match would be.
"Enjoy the games young Lords." Gothrack snickered before turning on his heel to march back to his office.
"Harry-"
"-three month long match! I can't believe we missed it, but the book said-"
"Harry…"
"And they just kept on bringing alternates out! I mean seriously. At that point the snitch is probably busted or something. They should have switched it out."
It was obvious the younger teen was not going to stop talking about...whatever he was talking about, so Tom just wrapped an arm tightly around Harry's shoulders before tapping the acorn around his neck three times and whispering the keyword.
The pull of the portkey caused Harry to gasp in shock and his words cut off mid sentence. Tom smirked then as he tightened his hold on Harry to make sure he wouldn't lose him in transit.
His grip slackened though when the portkey finally dropped them off at their destination point, making Harry fall to the ground with a loud 'oof'. Tom, being the graceful bastard that he was, lightly touched down next to Harry with a smug smile.
"You did that on purpose!" Harry cried out as he sat up gingerly.
"Did what Harry?" Tom asked innocently as he held out a hand to help Harry up."
"Dropped me." Even though Harry tried to sound sour about it, he couldn't quite get the right tone of voice nor could he keep himself from pouting.
Tom chuckled and his eyes glimmered a little as he pulled Harry to his feet. "I apologize. I did try to warn you, but you were not listening."
Despite Tom's words, Harry still grumbled about the indignity of being dropped on one's behind. He refused to even look at Tom once he was on his feet once again, instead focusing his pout on the ground.
"I am sorry for dropping you Harry." Tom said a bit softer. "Forgive me?" Harry had let go of his hand once he was standing, so Tom held it out as a peace offering.
It was obvious that Harry was struggling. He wanted to forgive Tom, but then again Harry wanted to be mad at his boyfriend for dropping him! In the end Harry huffed and took the offered hand. "Don't drop me next time." He warned Tom with a stern glare.
"I swear I will never drop you ever again." Tom assured Harry with a soft chuckle. "Now come. I thought you would want to explore a little before the match begins."
They had several hours before the opening ceremony for the match, which meant Tom being dragged around by Harry as the younger teen excitedly looked at anything and everything.
"We should probably get a couple pairs of omnioculars so-" Harry looked over his shoulder to look at Tom, who was following him at a more docile pace. With his focus not in front of him, Harry suddenly collided with the back of someone taller.
"I am so sorry!" Harry blurted out when he realized his blunder. Luckily Tom had been there to catch him so Harry didn't end up on the ground.
"Watch where you're going kid."
The person he'd run into was a gangly looking redhead with rather unimpressive blue eyes. He had a sandwich in one hand and an Irish flag flat in the other. There was a smear of mustard across his upper lip as well that had Tom wrinkling his nose over.
"I'm sorry." Harry repeated once he was upright again. He could feel Tom's hands still on his shoulders.
"If you didn't want to be bumped into," Tom purred coldly "You shouldn't be standing in the middle of the walkway. But then again, you probably assumed people would be able to see you what with your red hair." He smiled charmingly as he spoke, as if he wasn't trying to insult the younger teen.
"Why you-" The red haired teen tried to sneer, but really the mustard smear on his lip just ruined any sort of intimidation he might have had.
"What do we have here Gred?"
"Looks like Ickle Ronnikins is getting too big for his britches again, Forge."
Suddenly two more redheads popped up out of nowhere and on either side of the angry teen. Each of the taller boys dropped an arm across the slightly shorter teens shoulders heavily. 'Ronnikins', as he was dubbed by the twins, grunted at the impact and tried to shrug free.
"Shove off Fred, George, this pipsqueak was the one to slam into me!" The angry teen pointed an accusing finger at Harry which had Tom frowning and his eyes narrowing dangerously.
Harry was about to apologize, again, but Tom very carefully moved him to the side so that Tom could address the situation.
"Harry apologized twice for his momentary lack of courtesy. You are being immensely rude making this situation out to be worse than it is seeing as how the area is crowded and people are bound to occasionally bump into each other. Although my boyfriend would rather apologize once more, I feel it is who should be apologizing for causing a scene." Tom poured every ounce of his pure blood mannerisms into his speech. His eyebrow arched and his lips thinned as he spoke, clearly showing just how disgusted he was with the younger teen.
The three redheads were silent for a moment before the twins broke out into fierce grins. One started to rub the younger teens hair roughly while the other wrapped his arm more tightly around the boy's shoulders.
"You heard the man Ronnikins! Better apologize!"
"We wouldn't want mother finding out about how rude you've been."
"And I'm sure-"
"-she would be most upset-"
"-should a little birdy-"
"-or two-"
"-whisper in her ear."
Ron struggled and was finally able to push the two older redheads off of his shoulders. "Fine! Just bloody stop it!" He tried to smooth down his now rumpled shirt and pat down his messed up hair before turning to Harry and Tom. A rather unfavorable purple color was spreading across his cheeks as he looked at Harry. "I'm sorry for being rude."
He didn't mean it and everyone knew it, but Tom wasn't about to press the issue when Harry was becoming more and more uncomfortable with the growing amount of people that were watching them.
"It's alright. I'm sorry for running into you, really I am." Harry insisted with a small smile.
Tom huffed through his nose and rolled his eyes over Harry's third apology. "Come, Harry. You wanted to get Omnioculars."
The younger of the redheads stormed away while the twins watched Tom and Harry with interest as the two wandered away.
"Did he say-"
"-Harry?"
Tom and Harry had to go to several vendors in order to find a pair of omnioculars, most vendors having sold out fairly quickly.
"Do you know which team you want to cheer for?" Tom asked as Harry looked over the merchandise for both teams.
Harry hummed softly in reply before shaking his head. "I don't know enough about either team." He spoke quietly so that only Tom would hear. "I mean, I guess I could cheer for Ireland, since it's a home team and all, but what if Bulgaria has the better team? I would rather cheer for a team that works well together and has decent strategy over a home team that just flails about."
It was an old argument that Tom had heard many times between Harry and his friends. Tom wasn't really into sports, but he knew there were two types of sports fans; those that cheered fanatically for their chosen team no matter what, and those that chose their teams based on what they thought made a team good.
Harry fell into the second category. The younger teen used his Slytherin cunning to accurately predict which teams would do well during a season based on his observations of how the teams performed.
"Perhaps you should get something for each team then." Tom suggested lightly. "That way you'll have something to keep no matter who wins."
"I suppose so."
Two scarves were picked out then, one for Ireland and one for Bulgaria. Harry even grabbed a couple stiff flags that he hoped to perhaps get signed later.
"I think it's about time to head to the stadium." Harry was grinning widely as he noticed the large crowds that were heading into the forest not far from the campsite that was brimming with witches and wizards from around the world.
Fearing that they would get separated in the crowd, Tom grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him close. Harry was practically bouncing as they joined the flow of the crowd.
When the trees finally cleared Harry could on gasp at the large stadium that had been built and magically concealed. Even Tom was a little impressed with the display; obviously the magical world had advanced in some areas since they'd travelled to the future. None of the stadiums they'd gone to in the past had ever been as impressive as the one they were currently staring at.
"Any idea where our seats are?" Harry asked as they continued to walk with the flow of the crowd. He only got a nod and a sly grin from Tom which left Harry frowning and huffing in annoyance. "I swear if you are being sneaky about something-"
"Just enjoy the surprise Harry." Tom cooed pleasantly. He let go of Harry's hand just long enough to slip his arm around Harry's shoulders. "This is our last date before school starts and I wanted to make this as special as possible."
Tom's soothing words had Harry sighing in exasperation, but he at least relented and nodded with a grin.
"Come on then. We're going to be up rather high." Tom pulled the tickets from his pocket and had to show it to a few people stationed here and there the farther up they went.
Harry was grinning like an idiot as they climbed higher and higher. The higher seats always had the best view of the quidditch matches in Harry's opinion. Even though he knew Tom couldn't care less, it was nice to know he had paid enough attention to Harry's preferences to get seats that Harry would enjoy.
"Tom…" Harry had to hesitate though and bite his lip when they arrived at a guarded door to the very obvious VIP box. "What did you do?" He reached up to poke at Tom's shoulder.
"I told you Harry," Tom smirked as he handed over the tickets and the door was opened for them. "I wanted to make this special."
Even when they'd gone to matches with the Malfoy's, they'd never gotten seats in the VIP box. Instead they'd gotten one of the smaller family friendly boxes that were below the VIP box. Harry was too impressed and exhilarated to admonish Tom for not telling him sooner about the very special, and probably very expensive, seats.
Much to Tom's dismay he spotted a large group of redheads that had taken the front row of the box, one of which was the young teen that had been so rude to his Harry.
"Your seats are the center two." The usher told them, leading them to the center row that was still fairly empty. The redheaded family was several rows in front of them so Tom wouldn't have to worry about the idiot one being an irritant.
"Thank you sir." Harry smiled at the man before taking his seat.
Tom only nodded in thanks before settling down next to Harry. He was mentally preparing himself for a long and boring afternoon and possibly evening when the seats next to him were filled. He didn't really pay any attention to the newcomers, instead crossing one leg over his other knee so he could get comfortable.
Harry was babbling next to him, reading from some sort of booklet he must have bought from one of the vendors while Tom wasn't paying attention.
"Pardon me,"
At one point Tom had closed his eyes to relax. The voice next to him had him opening his eyes to look at the speaker.
Tom froze instantly. Sitting next to him was the spitting image of Abraxas, but older! He had to remind himself that his adopted brother had passed away, along with his adopted parents. But there was no denying that that platinum blonde hair and striking silver blue eyes were those of a Malfoy.
"Have we met?" The man asked with a slight frown and crinkle of his brows.
The more Tom looked at the man the easier it was for him to find differences between the man and Abraxas.
"I'm afraid not sir." Tom used one of his more charming and innocent smiles on the man. "My boyfriend and I were living in France until very recently and we do not know many people as of yet."
Tom was able to look past the older gentleman for a moment. There was a teen there, probably around Harry's age, that looked just as Abraxas had when they'd all been in their mid teens.
It was a good thing Harry was too involved with his informational booklet to notice their seat neighbors.
"Lucius Malfoy." The man turned just enough to hold his hand out to Tom.
Harry snapped out of his reading and his green eyes were focused on the older Malfoy the moment he heard the name used.
Tom caught the subtle intake of breath from Harry and for a moment he worried that his young love would say or do something that would reveal just who they were.
"Thomas Peverell." It wasn't like Tom could just turn down the polite introduction. So he took the offered hand and gave it a single firm shake, just as Drake Malfoy had taught him all those years ago.
"This is my son Draco." Lucius gestured to his side once he and Tom had let go of each other's hands.
"It's a pleasure to meet you both, Lord and Heir Malfoy."
Lucius looked past Tom expectantly, eyeing Harry who was staring right back with his wide green eyes that were almost glistening.
"Ah...yes…" Tom lowered his voice and leaned a little closer to Lucius. "This is my boyfriend, Harry Potter." The last thing either of them needed was for all the witches and wizards in the box to throw a fit.
"Harry Po-"
"It's a pleasure to meet you sir." Harry piped up quickly. "I would prefer if you just call me Harry." His smile was as sweet and warm as he could make it. "I'm unused to attention and the goblins at Gringotts suggested I avoid giving out my surname for the time being." He glared playfully at Tom. "If Tom told you, then he must think you are trustworthy; not something he feels about most people."
Harry's pure blood and Slytherin training were in full effect as he laced his words with compliments meant to feed egos.
Lucius clamped his mouth shut instantly and nodded. "Of course." The Malfoy Lord was quick to recover from his shock. "We wouldn't want a riot."
"Tom, Lord Malfoy? Would it be possible to switch our seats around so that I may get to know Draco?" Harry looked at his boyfriend and the elder Malfoy with his biggest eyes. "I don't have any friends my age yet and it would be nice to have a friend before the school term starts."
Tom bristled at the idea of Harry being separated from him. He didn't want anyone, even a Malfoy, to sit between himself and his Harry.
"I suppose it wouldn't be a problem if the two of us switch seats." Lucius was smirking ever so slightly, his mind whirling with ideas over the potential making friends with the Potter boy would bring.
Lucius and Harry stood up and switched seats, leaving Tom between them and Draco on the other side of Harry.
As soon as they were all comfortable again, Harry was showing Draco the booklet he'd gotten and was asking the Malfoy teen for his opinions on the two teams.
"So, Peverell was it? That is not a name that I have heard in some time." Lucius watched Tom with keen interest. "Such an old name, I thought the family had died out."
"It had sir." Tom resumed his relaxed posture, leaning back in his seat as he did so. "In Britain at least. I'm the last of the branch that moved to France several generations back." It was the story that the goblins had helped to concoct during the many hours they had spent together. "I returned because the goblins insisted that the Lordship be claimed. Apparently the Peverell vaults had been frozen for too long due to not being claimed."
His words were said as casually as possible, but what he said had Lucius' eyes widening minutely and his nose flaring a bit as he breathed in quickly. Tom smirked pleasantly in the knowledge that he had surprised the man.
"So the goblins tracked down all the possible branches. I was found to be the closest to the direct line and..well here we are."
"Indeed." Lucius was eyeing Tom as if the teenager was some rare prize. "Will you be taking the wizengamot seats as well?"
Tom had been planning on doing as such, but he made himself look as if he were contemplating it. "Perhaps after I learn more about the Laws here. From what I have seen the laws here are rather…" Tom made a face of disgust "ridiculous really as compared to France. Although France prides itself on its change and growth, they at least work to keep the statute of secrecy protected."
The elder Malfoy was nodding along with what Tom was saying. If Tom had not been raised by Malfoys and had grown up in the Slytherin house, he would have had trouble reading the man. It was easy though for him to see that Malfoy was interested; to what extent Tom still had to learn.
There was a cheer from the crowd around them and Tom took notice of Harry and Draco leaning forward as the opening ceremony started.
"I do hope the veela's are here willingly." Tom mused as he watched the Bulgarian's mascots move out onto the field. It was a calculated comment, spoken quietly so that only Lucius would hear.
It was a secret that the Malfoy family kept close to their hearts that Tom only knew because of his and Harry's adoptions. The secret being that the Malfoy's had married now and then to veelas through the generations. It was where the Malfoy's got their ethereal grace, silky smooth hair, and delicate noble features.
Tom showing favor to a race of beings that were considered 'dark' by most the ignorant side of the magical world would go a long way to gaining Lucius' trust.
Sure enough Lucius was looking at Tom in surprise before schooling his features. "You are pro-creature then?"
"Yes and no." Tom leaned his elbow against the armrest of his seat so he could rest his chin against his raised hand. "Some creatures have just as much magic and intelligence as most wizards, but they are classified as creatures because they cannot control certain aspects of their natures that make them dangerous. Such creatures should be given certain restrictions in order to protect themselves and ourselves. Veela," He waved his freehand towards the pitch where the veela were dancing progressively faster "are beings, not creatures. They should have the same rights as any other being."
His reply to Lucius' question was both an answer and not. He wasn't saying whether or not he was pro-creature, but at the same time he wasn't saying he was against rights of creatures either.
"Unfortunately many ignorant wizards and witches do not see the subtle difference between intelligent creatures and beings. So they classify anything not human as creatures." Tom sighed softly and shook his head. "Shame really. There are some races of beings and creatures that have such unique magic."
Tom was momentarily distracted by Harry's laughter over the younger redhead trying to jump past the railing barrier of the VIP box only to be grabbed by a girl next to him who had frizzy brown hair.
"I see you and your companion were not affected by the Veela allure."
"Of course not. Harry and I both have impeccable control." In actuality Tom was affected because of how he was not attracted to anyone but Harry. He wasn't quite sure why Harry was unaffected, but it was nice to see that his boyfriend had no interest in such beautiful female beings.
After the leprechauns were done, which led to more hilarity as the young redhead boy started jumping around to pick up the gold that would vanish within a few hours, Lucius and Tom continued their discussion.
Lucius was definitely the son of Abraxas Malfoy, much to Tom's delight. He hadn't been as close to Abraxas as Harry had been, but he had always enjoyed talking to his adopted brother. The two of them could talk for hours over just about any topic.
"Are you sure we have not met before?" Lucius asked suddenly sometime during the game. "There is just something about you…"
Tom sucked in his breath and his gaze turned wary. He glanced over at Harry and Draco, glad to see that the two of them were to immersed in the game to take notice of the conversation going on next to them.
Abraxas must have told his son stories about Tom and Harry at some point. Tom was wearing his glamour ring which masked his features just enough so that no one from the past would recognize him. But even with stories there was no way for Lucius to recognize him...unless...
"I don't think so." Tom said slowly. According to the goblins, Lucius Malfoy and his son might be trustworthy, but they weren't sure since the man had been an accused follower of the fake Voldemort. "Though I suppose an answer could be found in time. But that is the past and we can only look towards the future now."
Blue eyes met silver and Tom could see confusion barely concealed in Lucius' gaze. His words had been cryptic for a reason. If Lucius did find the answer then he would also learn just who Tom and Harry really were. If Abraxas had told his son something, then it wouldn't take long for Lucius to figure things out.
The game was several hours in when something finally clicked in Lucius' mind. "According to my father, I had two uncles once." He whispered brokenly. "He told me many things about them, things that are considered a family secret."
Tom watched Lucius and listened closely as he spoke.
"If you are who I think you are...and Harry is who I think he is…" Lucius swallowed hard when Tom nodded very slightly. "I had thought his stories were just that, stories, but he always insisted that his brothers would return."
"There is danger in this world, Lord Malfoy." Tom kept his voice low as well. "One danger in particular that we have been facing since we were boys. We will need to speak later. Now is not the time nor place." Tom turned away from Lucius then, to appear as if his focus was on the match.
Lucius hissed ever so softly and grabbed Tom's shoulder. "Are you staying close by after the match?" He asked rather quickly.
"Of course not. I went camping only once with my family and refuse to ever do so ever again." Tom wrinkled his nose at the mere idea of staying in a tent even if it was magical.
The older Malfoy nodded and he seemed to relax a little. "Best not to dwell then. I imagine there will be quite the revelry once night falls."
There was something about the way Lucius spoke that had Tom on edge. He kept his body relaxed as possible as he nodded. "Harry and I will be returning home for the night. We have both had a long day and we will both be quite tired come nightfall."
The loudest cheer Tom had ever heard filled his ears and people were suddenly on their feet. Harry was practically jumping and his eyes were sparkling as he watched what was happening in the air. Draco was right next to him watching just as intensely.
"In the most shocking win in the history of the World Cup, Krum has caught the snitch giving Ireland the WIN!"
Special thanks to: Louise to
A/N: I was really debating whether or not Tom would drop hints to Lucius so early in their introduction to each other. But I decided to do it. The glamour that Tom thinks the ring has on him doesn't work on Lucius or Draco, something I will address in the next chapter.