Chapter 10

Lessons were in full swing. Harry was not being given any chance at free time with the hours that were being put into training him. The Dark Lord had given him a full schedule, the only times being left were for eating and sleeping. Harry was sure that this was some form of punishment. He was stopped from visiting Fenrir or any of his other new friends. It had been three days and it was already getting to him. If not for Severus, Harry thought that he may have already retreated to the woods and abandoned Hogwarts as a lost cause. Harry was thankfully having one of such rest sessions. He stood beside Severus in the potions lab, the young man, for all intents and purposes, teaching him the seventh year curriculum.

Harry was not bad at potions, achieving Os and Es in all of his assessments. Yet compared to Severus he felt like a new born foal; unable to walk without stumbling. The older man seemed to breeze through all the processes without a blink. It was as though it was second nature, as though he was born to make potions. Harry supposed that if one was already on their way to a potions mastery at eighteen then this was the sort of disposition that they would have had to hold.

"Severus slow done, I can't keep up." Harry rubbed the bridge of his nose. He could feel his aggravated pulse beneath his fingers. Even of these lessons were enjoyable due to the company, Severus was a harsh task master. He was not one to take failure and was very demanding of his student. Yet Harry supposed that if he could please Severus then he'd be able to please Slughorn. The man was a less than optimal teacher.

"I clearly stated that you can't add the fairy wings until after you have crushed the nettles with the Castor oil. You then need to enchant the mixture. Only then can you add the fairy wings."

Oh, that had been the problem. Harry gave a nod at the grumpy man that glowered at his mistake.

"Okay, sorry Severus. I see the problem." Harry rubbed a hand across his face before turning his attention back to the potion. Harry followed Severus instructions and soon managed to complete the potion. Of course it was not as good as Severus' own efforts would have been, but it was still passable.

Harry wiped the now greasy hair back from his face as he sat down. A tired sigh escaped his lips. He had finished bottling the potion and the harsh workout that he had done for the past three days, as well as that morning, was catching up with him. HIs muscles ached. In fact everything ached. Harry was sure that even his hair ached. Severus walked over to him and set a hand on the exhausted shoulder.

"He's really putting you through your paces, huh?" Severus smirked as he spoke. Harry gave a huffed laugh.

"Oh yeah. I had to run five kilometres followed by a hundred sit ups and press ups this morning with Antonin. That's not to say I managed it all. I stopped…a lot." Harry rubbed his eyes. Tired at the mere thought of it.

"Monica and Aldric then forced me to do Karate and Kickboxing training with seven other Death Eaters." Harry sighed. "After lunch I have to go and learn the cruciatus curse with Lucius. Then to top it all off I have Duelling practice with the Dark Lord." Harry felt exhausted just speaking about it.

"What could be more fun?" Severus asked sarcastically. He gave Harry a sympathetic look. "We better make our way to lunch. Otherwise the Dark Lord will have my head." Severus smirked. Harry gave a tired nod and the two set off toward the dining hall.

Harry set himself in his designated place next to the Dark Lord. He was too exhausted to fear the man. If this was what he felt like after three and a half days, he couldn't bare to think how it would be after two weeks. All that Harry wanted to do was place his head on the plate before him and sleep. That was why Harry didn't notice until the Dark Lord called his name for the third time.

"Hercules" the frustrated voice finally broke into Harry's thoughts. He looked toward the man that was his husband with hooded eyes.

"Sorry My Lord" Harry blinked sleepily "What were you saying?" Harry felt his eyes close without his consent. He forced them back open.

"I was saying, Hercules, that I believe that we should put a hold on this afternoons lessons." Harry nodded along, not really fully hearing the words. His brain was far too tired to keep facts straight.

"Eat your lunch Hercules, then I believe that you should rest as I wish to take you out for dinner." Harry gave a nod. He found himself eating on autopilot and then he made his way toward his room before collapsing onto the bed, still fully clothed.

Harry was awoken unexpectedly by a gentle shake, his eyes fluttered before they opened to reveal an unwelcome face before his. The Dark Lord. He blinked again before he shuffled back, sitting up in an attempt to avoid the brown eyes that stared at him.

"M-my Lord, what…"

"Dinner Hercules" The Dark Lord waved a hand and the time appeared before them. "It seems you slept longer than expected. We have thirty minutes before the reservation. Come now. Get yourself ready." With that the man turned from his husband's confused form and headed towards the wardrobe, pulling it open.

"Hercules, go and have a shower." Harry gave a quick nod and stumbled to the bathroom. However remembering last time he had entered semi-naked only to face a Dark Lord he thought better of it. He turned to his own wardrobe and grabbed a formal set of robes before heading back to the bathroom. The Dark Lord couldn't hold back the smirk at his young husband's actions. It was a shame he wouldn't get to see his damp, nearly naked form.

Harry took a rather rapid shower. However he was careful to fully wash his hair. He knew from experience that using drying spells on partially wet hair had bad results. Bad and semi-permeant results. He still wanted to cover his face in embarrassment at the memory. Although the incident had been one of Sirius' doing, rather than his own. However the results were not any less humiliating.

Harry stepped from the shower. He picked his wand from the pile of discarded clothing and cast the drying charm over himself. He let out a breath as his hair fell around his face. It was messy, but it was not the hideous mess that had, on a previous occasion, adorned his head. Harry ran his fingers through it in an attempt to tame the mess. Looking in the mirror he shrugged. It was as good as it would get without a lot more work, in time that he didn't have.

Harry quickly stepped into his robes and scrubbed his teeth. He ran a hand through his hair once more. He was dressed and ready to depart in under fifteen minutes. He supposed that he better vacate the bathroom. The Dark Lord may wish to use it. Harry opened the door to the bathroom and stepped out.

However as his second step fell, he faltered. Standing with his back to the door was a partially dressed Dark Lord. However, it was not the naked skin that stopped him, but rather what was on it. On the man's back were crisscrossed scars that numbered around a dozen. They were thin white lines, one of which ran from shoulder blade to small of back.

Harry's view of the scars was soon blocked, however, as the man turned around. The Dark Lord raised a brow at his husband as he saw the figure still standing in the bathroom doorway. The young man felt slightly shell shocked at what he had just seen. It was evident from the scars, that the Dark Lord had, at some point, been whipped, and whipped hard at that. The sort of scars that remained told of a back that had been beaten bloody.

The scars had also looked old if the bumped white raised skin was anything to go by. So they had been given to the Dark Lord when he was young. Harry thought that his own childhood had been an unpleasant one. He had been ignored by his parents and bullied by his brothers. Yet that had never extended to physical abuse, other than the occasionally overzealous prank from Sirius. He wondered what it would have been like to have a childhood where one was physically beaten.

He found himself wondering how it was that the man before him had become who he was. Harry had spent much of his life being stepped on and overlooked. He had let people see him as less than themselves. He had let himself believe he was less than them. Yet here was a man before him that was respected and feared by the entire wizarding world. Yet Harry had just seen the physical proof that the man had been abused. That his life had not been an easy one. As anyone willing to inflict such wounds must have had real hatred for the one that they were hurting.

Voldemort pulled on his shirt, quickly buttoning the crisp white material before pulling his robes on quickly afterwards. Harry still stood frozen. It was as though his outlook on the world had just been altered. He had never thought that he could be strong before. Ever since birth he had been weak. He had always thought of himself as weaker than those around him. But here was the most powerful man in the wizarding world and it was evident that he had not always been so. It was clear that he had been weak at some point and that his life had been harder than many thought. It had never clicked with Harry before.

Harry had never thought of the man as anything other than powerful. He had assumed his pureblood upbringing had bred an air of power. The young Dark Lord, for him, had always been the picture of power and sophistication. He'd been the head boy, the prefect. Even as a first year he had been a powerhouse, or so he had been told. The Death Eaters, his own family included, told stories of the Dark Lord's glorious days in Hogwarts. Yet here was the proof that the man had not always been the one of the stories.

"Come Hercules. We best be off" the Dark Lord said nonchalantly. Harry gave a wide eyed nod before following after the Dark Lord.

His head was still a mess of thoughts. He had always assumed that power was something that only the powerful could wield. It was a privilege of those that had been born into it. That was what he had always been taught. That was how his family had always viewed the way of the world. Yet, maybe that was wrong. Could it be that anyone could have power? Could a person make their own power?

Harry sighed, still mulling over these thoughts as he stepped through the floo. He supposed it was better to think over these notions than dread the meal at a restaurant that was sure to be as uncomfortable as the last one.

However as Harry stepped from the fireplace at their location it was not as he had expected. There was not a person in sight. Replacing the individuals that Harry had expected were flowers. There were thousands of flowers that littered every surface. A small fountain housed a variety of white and pink pond lilies. A few feet away from the fountain was a small table with two seats. As Harry looked up he noticed in awe that the Roof was covered in vines that caused a shower of light to filter through. It was beautiful.

"Sit down Hercules." Harry gave a small nod and took a seat at the small table.

"I have arranged for a private meal tonight. The food and drinks will appear with no need for any service. It shall be just us."

Harry gave a small nod to the man as he sat down. It was…dare Harry call it, thoughtful, of the man. It was as though he had noticed how uncomfortable Harry was with all the eyes on him at the restaurant last time. Additionally the room, or greenhouse, was beautiful. The light that filtered through the leaves made it seem as though it was the height of summer at midday in the south of France and the flowers were all in bloom. The scent was not overwhelming, but soothing and pleasant.

As the Dark Lord seated himself in place, a bottle of wine appeared beside him. He poured both Harry and himself a glass before taking a small sip. Harry looked to his own glass and took a gulp from the glass.

"You may want to slow down Hercules. The wine is rather strong, after all." The Dark Lord had a small quirk of his lips and Harry gave a small smile in return.

"So, you are looking forward to your return to Hogwarts?" The question caught Harry off guard slightly. He blinked ad gave a small nod.

"Ah, yes My Lord" Harry looked away as Voldemort's brow furrowed. He seemed displeased with the response.

The Dark Lord brought a hand to his temple, his hand running through his perfectly groomed hair. He frowned slightly in concentration. It was not socially acceptable for a husband to address his husband in such a manner. It was not as though any of his former conquests had called his 'my Lord' or 'Riddle' in bed. He had always been Tom.

"Hercules, I believe that it is inappropriate to address one's spouse as Lord." The Dark Lord hummed. "Don't you agree."

"I suppose My L-…" Harry trailed off.

"I believe that you should call me Tom, Hercules."

"Ah, okay m-Tom." Harry managed a small smile as he glanced at the man in question. The words felt awkward on his tongue. Harry took a breath as he prepared himself for his next words.

"Umm, T-Tom, I think that you should call me Harry, then. Most of my friends do and well I thought…" Harry was rambling.

"Right then, Harry." The Dark Lord, no Tom, gave a small smile.

Harry scowled as he looked at the group of people that sat down at the table, readying themselves for lunch. Next to her new husband sat the formerly disgraced and formerly named Bellatrix Black. After the woman's marriage to Rodolphus Lestrange the newly named Bellatrix Lestrange had been regarded as stable enough to return to her position within the Death Eaters. That was not to say that the woman was not being watched. The Dark Lord had a close eye on her and the woman knew that. She would, of course, be on her best behaviour.

Harry had been doing his exercise routine for around a week and a half, which meant that he only had a few days left before he went to Hogwarts. The Dark Lord, Tom, Harry corrected himself, had arranged for Harry to be taken shopping earlier in the week, along with several Death Eaters. Thankfully Severus had been invited and so the trip had not been too disastrous. Surprisingly one Lucius Malfoy had attended also and the man's company had not been unpleasant. He and Severus seemed to know each other rather well and so the three of them had had a rather pleasant time.

Harry's relationship with the Dark Lord, Tom, Harry screamed in his mind, had been less volatile. The man had seemed far less aggressive and demanding toward Harry. Harry was rather shocked by the man's new attitude. However that was not to say that it was negative. It was just different. Harry was being respected; he was new to the situation.

Harry walked through the dining hall, toward The-Tom, who sat at the head of the table. He looked around at the numerous Death Eaters that inhabited the manor with nervousness. He still disliked all the eyes on him. They made him feel accused of a crime he had no part in. Severus and Lucius were seated side by side, Narcissa to Lucius' left. Both men gave Harry a respectful nod, while Severus gave a small smile as Harry stepped toward the Dark Lord. Bellatrix's return was a struggle for everyone.

"Harry" the Dark Lord stood as he addressed his husband. He pulled the chair out for the much younger man.

"My-Tom" Harry nodded as he took the seat.

Harry heard a strangled screech; a mix between a gasp and a scream. There was only one culprit that the noise could have come from. Harry chanced a glance up at the new Lestrange. The woman's face was red with anger and her teeth were clenched tightly. Her hair seemed to defy gravity and she looked as though she were about to explode.

Harry couldn't help the small smirk on his face. This could be fun. The woman, his cousin, had been torturing him since he had been born; what could be better than a little payback. It wouldn't harm anyone. It would, however, increase the redness of the woman's face. Maybe she would burst a blood vessel. Harry turned to his husband.

"How has your day been Tom?" Harry asked, his head down. However it was loud enough that everyone in the silent room could hear the echoes of it.

The Dark Lord blinked as he looked toward his shy little question was a rather unexpected one. However as he looked up to see the traffic light red colour of Bellatrix's face. Oh, he thought, as he looked back to his young husband's face. So that was the boy's game. It seemed that there was more than just a Ravenclaw sitting there. Scratch under the surface and there was a little bit of green and silver beneath the blue.

"It has been acceptable, Harry. Although I have had rather a lot of paperwork to get through." Tom gave a small smirk as he glanced up to see that Bellatrix's face had got impossible redder.

"and you Harry?" Tom asked.

The rest of the meal was spent attempting to see who could wind up the new Lestrange the most, as well as assessing how red her face could go. Harry forgot himself. He forgot who it was that he was sitting next to. Who it was that he was joking with.

So as Harry stood up to leave the meal he also forgot that the man was the most powerful Dark Lord in the world. All he could think about was that he wanted to watch Bellatrix pass out, so he did the most outrageous thing that he could think.

"I will see you tonight Tom," Harry smiled and before he could stop himself his body had moved on its own. He leant down to the still seated man. Suddenly his lips were on the others and he realised what it was that he had done.

Shit, shit, shit, ran through Harry's head as he pulled back and straightened up. His eyes were wide as he looked to the Dark Lord. Harry didn't bother correcting himself, this man was the Dark Lord. In those few seconds he had forgotten who the man was. That was what had got him into this situation in the first place.

The Dark Lord simply raised a brow followed by a small smirk.

"Indeed Harry," he purred."Tonight."

Tom watched the boy go as he hurried from the room as though the hounds of hell were at his heels. Tonight indeed.