Chapter 9

"Hercules" Harry turned around from where he sat on the bench in the garden. His noes had been stuck in a book and he had not noticed the approaching footsteps that must have surely echoed from the Dark Lord who was now standing before him. Harry stood; attempting and failing to reach the same level as the man. He was too short by far. In different company he surely would have let out a frustrated sigh.

"Yes My Lord?" he questioned. It was the day after the man had agreed to let Harry attend Hogwarts. Harry didn't want to irritate the man and further risk him barring Harry from Hogwarts again. The Dark Lord raised a brow at the respectful tone of the man before him.

"Hercules" the man paused. "I believe that you are in need of some preparation before your depart to Hogwarts." Hercules gave a small nod. He was not sure what it was that the man was suggesting.

"I believe that the best course of action is for the next two weeks to be dedicated to training." Harry's eyes widened at that.

"M-my Lord?" Harry questioned. This was not what he had been expecting. Harry knew an array of spells and techniques however due to both Hogwarts curriculum and his parents expectations of him, Harry had had little chance to test out the skills that he had read about. His weak body had never lead to people thinking he had the capability to train or fight.

"You will be training in physical combat with Aldric Avery and his wife, Monica. I believe that there will be several others joining you in those sessions. However I have arranged additional fitness sessions for you with Antonin Dolohov. These will be individual." Harry could only blink as the list continued.

"Severus has volunteered to address the identification and creation of some rather unpleasant potions. Additionally Lucius Malfoy is willing to train you in some spells that are equally as unpleasant." Harry gave a small nod. He was going to be exhausted before he even started back at school.

"Finally, I, personally, shall be addressing your duelling education. Which start now."

Harry looked at the man with a confused expression. Had he just said now? Harry was sure that's what he had said. Harry blinked.

"Ummm…"

"Well, what are you waiting for?" The man barked at his husband. "Come along Hercules." Harry gave a baffled nod before following after the man.

The pair were soon located in what was obviously a training room, even if it was not a room that Harry had seen before. In the centre stood a duelling platform. While along the sides of the room were numerous training dummies both enchanted and not.

"Let us begin"

The next hour was spent with Harry being taught basic duelling techniques; dodging, diving and evading most of the attacks that were sent at him. While also being told how to spot the weaknesses in an enemies armour and take advantage of them. Harry could not say that he was good at duelling. He was able to notice the things that the Dark Lord pointed out; seeing the gaps that the man purposefully left for him. He could not, however, act on them.

His aim was often off or his reactions were not quick enough. That had led to several nicks on his arms that had already stopped bleeding. Harry was also sure that there were many bruises to match. That was not to say that the man was not a good teacher. Harry was simply not used to this sort of activity. His instincts did not align with his body.

"Stop there Hercules." Harry was panting and very grateful for the rest. He watched as the husband cum teacher approached him.

"It's all in the stance Hercules." The Dark Lord stepped closer.

"You see" he gently grasped the hand that still held Hercules wand. "your arm" He raised the arm. "needs to be held like this" he slightly adjusted Hercules' wrist before he stepped behind his young husband.

"Your right foot" The Dark Lord set his hand lightly on the back of Harry's knee before giving a light push. "Needs to be in front of your left." Harry could feel the Dark Lord's breath on the back of his neck. He swallowed nervously as the man continued to reposition Harry's body.

"Your left" the Dark Lord now took Harry's hips in his hands. He gently twisted, forcing Harry's left foot to take a step back; his body to the side. His hip now brushed against the Dark Lord's leg and Harry stifled a gasp at the contact. He was just showing him a stance. That's all there was to it. It was just a lesson. That's what Harry told himself.

"Now your left arm" Leaving one hand on Harry's hip, the Dark Lord used the other to grasp Harry's wrist. "You want to hold that out behind you. It's for balance and detection of enemies behind you." The movement of Harry's arms stilled.

"Perfect" the Dark Lord whispered. Harry could feel the breath on his ear and his heart hammering in his chest. His breathing began to speed up. That tone of voice was not one that he had heard before from the man that now stood behind him.

The Dark Lord's hand removed itself from Harry's arm and resumed its previous position on his hip. The man's fingers tightened slightly, but nowhere near the point of pain. The man's breath moved from his ear to where Harry could feel it hot upon his neck. The hands pulled Harry closer to them and Harry's body was soon flush against the man behind him.

Harry's heart was hammering yet he didn't feel scared. He could easily step from the grasp that the Dark Lord had him in. Yet it seemed that his body was frozen in place. He did not know what it was that he was feeling as a hand slowly pushed its way inside his robes. Each action that the man made seemed slow and calculated. It was though he was giving Harry a chance to protest. But the young man could do nothing. His mind was too confused as he felt the fingers find their way under his shirt and run gently along the skin of his stomach.

With no protest from the body before him Voldemort ran his hand further up his husband's chest. His lips edged closer to the young man's neck. His lips connected with the pale column of his skin. The Dark Lord could feel the heat radiating from the delicate skin. He ran his tongue along it as his hands pulled Hercules closer to him. His grip, however, was not tight. It was only firm.

If he was to seduce the young man he needed to be gentle. He needed his husband to know that if he wanted to reject his advances than the Dark Lord would not stop him. However causing pleasure for the young man would make him less likely to retreat. Yet at the current moment Voldemort was sure that Hercules was simply too shocked at that very moment to do anything other than stand there.

Harry felt the tongue on his neck. It was soon followed by a light suction on his pulse point. The motion was repeated slightly further down. Harry let out a small gasp at the feeling of the hot mouth on his neck. The feeling was not a bad one. In fact Harry found his head tilting to the side to further accommodate the Dark Lord's attention on his neck. The hand under his shirt reached his nipple and the fingers danced across it as the mouth sucked another bruise onto his neck. Harry felt overloaded by the feelings. Harry was not sure why but there was pleasure in the hands upon his body. His breath was coming fast and as the tongue licked across the now bruised skin of his neck he felt his eyes flutter shut.

However they were soon snapped back open as the door to the training rooms opened with a bang. The door was behind Harry; to his back and that of the Dark Lord's. Harry's body spun round to look towards the now opened door. But it seemed that the Dark Lord was, as ever, ready far more quickly. The man Gripped his wand firmly, his other held back, indicating for Harry to stay where he was.

Before the pair who stood on the duelling platform there were a group of five wide eyed Death Eaters that were seemingly intent on using the duelling room. If their apparel was anything to go by. Harry recognised several of the group.

Standing at the from t of the group was one Dorian Nott. The twenty-two year old had been a Ravenclaw at the same time as Hercules had. Harry also recognised the man's older brother, Jeremy. Although Harry had never met the man in person he had seen him at parties and as heir to the Nott title he had been someone talked about amongst many social circles. Harry thought that he had heard somewhere that the young man had been a Slytherin but he could not be sure. The other member of the group that Harry recognised was Lillian Rosier. She was closer in age to Harry at nineteen. Harry thought that she was engaged to the younger Nott. The remaining two in the group, however, Harry did not recognise.

Yet it seemed that the Dark Lord had no concern for who they were if the anger on his face was anything to go by. Leaving Harry on the platform with rather visible love bites on his neck the man made his way toward the five unwelcome visitors.

"What exactly are you doing here?" The Dark Lord barked out as he approached the group. His eyes were hard and his voice sounded vicious. Harry was once again reminded why it was that people were afraid of this man. Why he was afraid of this man. A small shiver ran its way down his spine.

But what was it that he had been feeling only minutes ago? That tingle. The thrumming of his heart had not been fear. Well, not only fear. There had been something else. Harry was not sure what that feeling had been. However he could no longer dwell on it, as the response to his husband's command soon came.

"My Lord" the older Nott, Jeremy, bowed. "I apologise for the intrusion, we-"

"I did not ask you for excuses Jeremy, I asked for an explanation." The Dark Lord spat out. Voldemort felt inexplicably angry at the group before him. Of course it was never acceptable to interrupt the Dark Lord, however at this moment the Dark Lord wanted to slit all of their throats and then pull their tongues out through the holes. He did not normally feel this angry at such a small infraction, even if his followers were infuriating.

"Ah, well My Lord. We usually use the training rooms at this time. But…" Jeremy looked between the Dark Lord and Harry with anxious eyes. "as you and Lord Hercules seem to be" he paused "training, we shall come back another time."

The Dark Lord took a breath as the older Nott boy looked between him and his husband. He wished to smash his face into the stone floor and watch as his teeth fell out. However he took a breath; attempting to calm the magic that sparked under his skin. It would not do to loose his temper in front of Hercules.

"Now now Jeremy" his voice was much more gentle now. The sweet honey that lured the fly into the trap. "There is no need for that." A thought flickered into his head. A suitable punishment for such an infraction, a chance for Hercules learn and an opportunity to make all five that had interrupted him suitably uncomfortable.

"As our training session has been interrupted I feel that it would be appropriate if you were all to train Hercules in my stead." All five of them looked rather uncomfortable with the idea. Everyone other than Jeremy had been at Hogwarts with Hercules, not that the other boy knew it. They had heard talk of the last Black, the unwanted and weak runt of a strong family. They had a feeling that his duelling would reflect this weakness.

"Oh of course my Lord" Jeremy forced a smile onto his face. "Just leave him with us."

The Dark Lord blinked in faux confusion as the young man spoke.

"Oh, I shall of course be staying to oversee the training. It would not do for my husband to be hurt now would it." Voldemort smirked at the five before him.

"That sounds logical My Lord" Jeremy bowed.

"Well go on then. I'll find myself a seat."

Harry blinked as the five Death Eaters approached him. Some with sour looks on their faces that were now hidden from the Dark Lord.

"A pleasure, Lord Hercules" Jeremy said with smallest bow that he could give. He did not deem the boy before him to have earned his respect. "My name is Jeremy Nott, you may call me Jeremy." He then pointed to his brother. "This is my brother Dorian" he pointed to the only girl of the group "and his fiancé Lillian Rosier." Harry gave a small nod to each of them as he was introduced.

"Finally, these here are Perseus and Thomas Parkinson" Harry gave a nod and received one in return. The thought crossed his mind that Perseus, who looked around twenty-one was quite attractive. Yet he shook the thought from his head. He had, minutes before had the Dark Lord sucking bruises into his skin, that he was a hundred percent sure were still visible. This was no time to be thinking about how attractive other men were.

"Well then" Thomas, the younger Parkinson, said with a small smile. "Our plan today was to work on defensive spells. We've been looking at shield charms as well as looking at the Patronus charm. You know what that is right?"

Harry gave a nod

"You ever given it a go?" Thomas tilted his head.

"Ah…" Harry felt a tad embarrassed at the question. He looked away from the questioning eyes. "I…didn't-have-a-happy-enough-memory" he mumbled quickly. The words were inaudible.

"Sorry, can you say that again?" This time it was Perseus that asked. Harry's cheeks flushed as the people all stared at him quizzically.

"I didn't have a happy enough memory." he said slightly more coherently this time. Perseus gave a nod.

"Well, why don't you try it again? I'm sure you have some happier memories now, huh?"

Harry gave a shy shrug. Five sets of eyes were on him, pressuring him into being happier than his life had been.

"Well I can try." Harry said nervously.

"Jeremy, why don't you and Thomas show Lord Hercules how it's done. You two are the best at the charm. The rest of us will keep practicing on our own." Perseus smirked at the other two boys.

The next half hour was awkwardly spent with the two young men attempting to teach Harry the patronus charm. Harry was unconvinced that he would have any memory that remotely resembled one that would produce the burst of white light from his wand.

Jeremy sighed in a small display of frustration as Harry once again failed to produce anything from the end of his wand. There was not even a spark.

"Lord Hercules, you need to think of something that made you so happy that you couldn't think straight. That made your heart beat a little faster and you felt like you were going to float away. Please try Lord Hercules." the young man begged.

Hercules' face turned sour and anger filled his eyes as he looked to the older man before him. He sneered at the comment.

"Do you think I've not tried" he scoffed, looking at the older man with distaste. When no response was forthcoming Harry looked up to the other Death Eater that stood close by. His scowl deepened.

"Do you think that I have no tried." He growled out, far more aggravated. "You think that my life has been easy." He began to shout at the two young men before him. The three other Death Eater had now turned around to see what was happening.

"You think I've ever had that sort of feeling?!" Harry was now yelling at the top of his lungs. "You think I haven't thought about having those type of memories!"

Harry's arms came up and gave a harsh push against Jeremy's chest; venting his anger and frustration. The man stumbled back several steps.

"What would know about my fucking life." Harry raised a fist, intent on knocking several of the man's teeth from his stupid mouth.

However before the fist could connect a strong hand gripped around his wrist. Harry froze.

"Hercules" The Dark Lord's voice was gentle as he forced Harry to lower his arm. "I think that's enough. I think you should take a minute."

Harry could still feel the anger in his chest that wished to explode out. However he was not willing to risk his Hogwarts education for a simple outburst of anger.

"I'm going to go and rest." Harry deflated. He walked from the room feeling angry and upset.

The Dark Lord watched him go with a feeling that couldn't place. It was longing mixed with something close to sadness. He couldn't shake the feeling that he wanted to give Hercules enough happy memories to be able to cast a patronus.