Author's Note:
Oh the constant reviews on Harry/Mandy: Some of you want them to be together forever, some of you have suggested that she die, some of you have suggested she be Harry's first… one extreme to the next. Harry likes her. Be patient, people. I know I tease, but I promise, what you want is coming, soon-ish.
I am glad that everyone liked the wedding, I had fun writing it.
Reviews and Comments: To xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: Thank you! To plussizebarbie: Thanks for liking Mandy, even if you want their relationship to end badly lol. Thank you! To Leaf Ranger: Thanks for loving the wedding! To scrappy8: Thank you! To alucardgal: Thank you! To Wolf's scream: Tonks can adjust her body to be anything she wants, but as I outlined in chapter 161, she doesn't change much about herself. Her hair, hides a few freckles and blemishes, but she is confident with who she is. To repeat from my author's note from that chapter: I hate how people always assume that because Tonks is a Metamorphmagus she looks like some form of a supermodel, she doesn't. In my mind she is about 165cm lean, athletic, small breasts, I kind of picture her body type to be like Keira Knightly, a bit to be honest. I think that one of the best parts of Tonks is that she is a badass Auror who is clumsy as fuck, and the only thing that she consciously changes about herself is her hair colour while she glamours away those few unwanted freckles. She is confident in who she is and I wanted Remus to love that about her, to tell her how much he loved her the way she is, and that if she did decide to change something drastic about herself, that he would still love her. I think that's the most beautiful part of their relationship.
To Moony The Sheep: Thank you for enjoying my Snape prank! I've been wanting to do it forever and have been waiting on the right moment. Ha, yes, poor Harry if he only knew! As to the wedding of Sirius and Zee, well, Sirius would have to propose first so we'll see. Thank you! To nesciamema: Harry is Harry and very stubborn and he will come to his own decisions eventually. Ginny isn't going to call him out on it because right now she herself is feeling confused by him. Thank you! To coloredwords: Thank you! Yes, I did do a similar Snape-like prank in my Beginning series, but this was a slight variation that I have been wanting to do for a while. There was no Ginny behind this one, it wasn't on Sirius this time. Harry definitely has it so bad! Our poor boy is clueless. To Steelcode: Thanks for loving the wedding! I think Tonks definitely looked so beautiful! Harry did need to have that little cry for himself. He holds everything in too tightly! Thank you! To Saz J: You love my Hinny teasing! Thanks for adoring the wedding and my prank on poor Remus! To christyannb94: Thanks for catching up! Hinny is coming soon, but right now it's Mandy. Thank you! To Guest: Thank you for loving the Snape prank and the story! To Blue Luver5000: Thank you! To notthatchhavi: Thank you! I'm glad you found the wedding to be incredible, small and simple just like they wanted! Hinny… oh so close yet so far. Ron is very sweet and caring, but Hermione just lost Viktor and it's too soon. Yes, the prank is similar to the one from my Beginning Series. We will have to see what happens in fifth year. Thank you!
To Matt9917: Thank you! I know, keep waiting patiently lol. To purplevictory: Yes, they are married! Thank you for saying the wedding was both fun and well written! I love that I'm making you want Hinny get together and you're not even a Hinny shipper LOL! High compliments! Thank you! As for Umbitch, I have plans, but they are still working themselves out. As to Teddy, still a bit in the future, but Tonks did promise he would be godfather when he was eleven. You want Theo to settle with Charlie? I do consider Charlie to be bisexual, but no. I have someone(s) in mind for Theo. Thank you! To alix33: No, I don't think that's really Tonks' style so thanks for appreciating my choice. I think she looked amazing! Thank you! To Guest: Thanks for binging this story and thanks for loving it. I appreciate yo saying for me to take all of the time I need to get there. I'm sorry you no longer even care about them, but I'm happy you find my other characters so interesting. Thank you. To supersandman86: Yes, they are finally hitched! Thank you! Harry's magic is still growing a bit. That's a lovely thought for Harry and co to stay with the new werewolf students, but that won't be happening. Thank you! To Guest: Sorry, updating as per usual! Thanks!
To speedsONEandONLY: Don't let Umbitch be the counsellor? We will have to see. As I said, I do have plans for her. Ginny and Harry are both oddly oblivious. Remus is good at Transfiguration. I always have had the headcanon that he was one of the smartest in his year. You guess Hinny will come at chapter 200? We'll see. Thank you! To Rayssa_RDuarte: Not quite a hypocrite, I think he's just still figuring out his feelings. He and Mandy didn't have sex, but they definitely went a bit further than either of them were planning on. Thank you! To Jmcglynn522: Thank you! Yes, no nasty interruptions, just a nice wedding! Didn't really think about Tonks wearing a collar, Jen, but I guess the choker could be thought of as such, I just thought 90s, we all wore chokers LOL. As to an operation to break up Harry and Mandy, fun, but no. Their relationship will come to an end soon. Patience my lovelies. To Matt71478: Thank you! Harry does trust Ginny more than anyone else and he would talk to her about Tom before anyone else. Thank you!
As to your reviews and questions, I love them! Please keep them coming!
"What was the process in your head.
He told their story, what came before he didn't show; we're not supposed to.
Homer's Odyssey was swell.
A bunch of guys that went through hell; he told the tale but didn't tell the audience why.
He didn't say, here's what it means and here's a few deleted scenes, Charybdis tested well with teens; he's not the story.
He's just a door we open if our lives need lifting."
It came on my shuffle on the drive home and I couldn't resist as I felt like it oddly fit. Points to anyone who gets my reference (without Googling it). And yes, I am that much of a nerd that this would come on my shuffle in my car.
Thank you to my Beta — SilverStarwolfe!
My posting schedule: Once a week and sometimes on weekends.
As always, thank you very much for reading and please, please review!
Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you for all of your continued support!
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-SEVEN:
The One Where Theo Meets Voldemort
Harry enjoyed his afternoon with Mandy. She told him all about her brother's wedding and how she and her Mum had both held back their tears until Jack started crying during his vows, then they had both cried in happiness. She said that it had been a great deal of fun. He told her about Remus and Tonks' wedding as well and how it had been small, but really lovely.
He told her all about Ginny's time in Anguilla with Theo and how she had apparently learned how to surf. Harry explained how Ginny had compared it to flying and how he definitely wanted to try it as he thought there was no feeling in the world quite like flying. He explained how Ginny had said it was similar to broom surfing, attempting to keep the balance and ride the wave as opposed to the air, but how you had the added difficulty of fighting the waves.
Mandy only grinned at him.
"What?"
She chuckled. "Nothing. If my eyes start to glaze over just give me a push."
He grinned. "Sorry. Must be the same look I get when you talk about swimming competitions."
Mandy stuck her tongue out at him before she picked up her iced coffee. "It sounds like Ginny had a good holiday anyway."
"Sounds like it," he told her with a smile. "I think Hermione did, too. She's been struggling a bit with Viktor. She had plans to go to Bulgaria for a good part of the summer and her parents took her to Germany instead."
"I feel so awful for her," she admitted. "I couldn't imagine losing someone in that way. They were the cutest couple."
Harry nodded. "She's strong. She'll be all right."
Their conversation moved onto the upcoming school year and the potentially terrifying topic of OWLs. Mandy explained how she had already started to try to allot study time for herself every week to try to get a head start on things and Harry groaned.
"I do not want to start studying every week! It's going to be way too much! I just want to get Quidditch tryouts off the ground and work with the Defence Club more and maybe spend most of my time snogging my girlfriend."
Mandy blushed as he linked his fingers through hers. "I suppose that I can maybe find time for you as well."
Harry kissed her fingers and she grinned at him. "I got used to seeing you every day and I missed you."
"I missed you, too," she told him, placing her other hand over their joined ones. "Your last letter made me cry. Have you been doing okay?"
He shrugged, smiling when her hand squeezed his. "I'm getting by."
"I know how much you loved Marauder, Harry. He was a beautiful dog and so sweet the way he followed you around and slept in your bed. Getting over the loss of a pet isn't easy. Trust me, I lost my dog Angel when I was ten and I cried for weeks. I still miss her."
He nodded. "It was hard, especially after we had just gotten back from holiday, but I'm glad he went peacefully, you know?"
She smiled. "I know."
They were both quiet for a moment before she cleared her throat.
"So, I think that you should tell me how you conned Sirius into letting you ride the motorbike alone? I thought that you told me that he said you had to wait another year to get your license?"
"He did," Harry said with a grin.
And soon they were lost in conversation once more.
When he dropped her back off at home almost two hours later, he held her close by her front door and kissed her deeply. His hands rested on her waist, one sliding up her back as his tongue met hers. They sighed against each other's mouths and Mandy's lips moved over his neck and his cheeks before she dragged his mouth back to hers. A loud wolf whistle had them both blushing and pulling away.
Harry shot Sirius a look over his shoulder before he bent his head and kissed his girlfriend softly on the lips. "I'll save you a seat on the train?"
She nodded. "Yes. Thanks for a fun afternoon, Harry."
He kissed her once more and said goodbye before he moved back across the lawn and back to the Ducati.
Sirius was parked next to him, his helmet on and he was grinning widely. "Sorry to tear you two lovebirds apart, but we have a long drive back."
Harry put his own helmet back on and started the bike. "The whistle could have been avoided."
The sound of Sirius' laughter echoing in the earpiece of his helmet only made him grin as he turned the bike out onto the street and headed back home with Sirius riding behind him.
It had been a great day and exactly what he needed.
~ ASC ~
Theo was thumbing through his new textbooks as he lounged across the sofa in the living room of Malfoy Manor. He jolted when a hand touched his shoulder.
Narcissa smiled at him. "Sorry, darling, I didn't mean to startle you."
Theo shook his head, his eyes on the regal woman who stood before him. "No, sorry, I was daydreaming. What can I do for you, Auntie Cissa?"
She urged him to scoot over as she sat next to him, taking his hand in hers. "Your father is demanding that you go home for the last three days of the summer holidays. He wants me to send you directly to the Nott Estate in southern France and my father-in-law claims that you will have safe passage upon arrival."
Theo nodded, taking a deep breath before he spoke. "Haven't seen him since he showed up for my birthday last year, I guess I can see why he'd insist on it."
"I won't force you to go, Theodore."
He smiled at her and shrugged. "It's all right. I should go home for a bit."
Narcissa squeezed his hand gently. "I've appreciated having you here with us for most of the summer. You and Draco have both been wonderful to have around. I'm glad that you had a good trip to Anguilla too, even if I was a bit disappointed that you didn't come to Tuscany with us."
Theo smiled. "You needed some time with Draco. Did you like Ophelia?"
Narcissa shrugged. "She's a nice enough girl, I suppose."
"But no one is going to be good enough for your little dragon," Theo said with a smirk.
Narcissa chuckled. "I'm not that bad." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "There's something that I do want to talk to you about before you get ready to head off." At his look, she let out a slow sigh. "Abraxas hinted to me that Goyle mentioned something about his son being uncomfortable sharing a room with a 'flamer.' Thad claimed he's lying and that his son would never even consider being a homosexual."
Theo flushed. He had hoped that the rumours hadn't reached his father, but he should have known better. After that stunt he had pulled on Corner in the middle of the Great Hall, it really had only been a matter of time. "So, he wants to question me; that's why he really wants me home."
"Darling, you don't have to go."
He shook his head. He loved that she gave him the option not to, but he also knew his father, and he couldn't avoid him forever. "No, I do." He stood up, stretching his arms over his head and Narcissa grabbed his hand again.
"You lie to them, Theodore. Don't you admit to anything."
Theo's eyes met her grey-blue ones. "You—you know?"
Narcissa stood up and gently brushed his hair away from his face. "Of course, I know. I know both of my boys like the back of my hand. You are the Nott heir. You will do great things one day as the marquess and you will accomplish those great things with the money and prestige that you will one day inherit from that miserable old bastard. If he finds out that you are gay, he will take that away from you. All of it."
Theo nodded slowly, swallowing. "I know."
"People know at school then?"
"Yes," he admitted. "I haven't exactly kept it a secret."
She nodded and kissed his forehead. "You need to find yourself a girlfriend, a pretend one if necessary, but you need to find one. The day you turn seventeen, Thad loses all control over you, Theo, but until that day comes he can take everything away. Lie to him. Is your Occlumency strong?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Narcissa smiled again and pulled him close for a hug. "You lie and you keep things quiet this year. I hate asking you to do this. I hate asking you to not be who you are, but, darling, it is for your own protection. Do you understand?"
Theo nodded. "I understand."
Narcissa kissed his forehead again. "I don't want you to go, Theo."
He smiled at her. "I'll be fine. I've been avoiding going home for too long now. I have to talk to him. And it's only for three days."
"When you turn sixteen, we're going to discuss getting you away from Thaddeus Nott permanently. We may even be able to convince the Ministry to cede all of the Nott assets to you including Norfolk. Considering your father is on their most wanted list, it may be possible, but in case that isn't an option — you must be seventeen."
"I know."
She sighed and hugged him close again. "You write to me when you get back to school."
"Auntie Cissa?" When her eyes met his, he smiled. "Thanks for the warning."
She nodded. "I'll have Binky send your supplies to Hogwarts for you."
Theo thanked her and headed off to the fireplace to Floo to the Nott Estate in southern France, a ball of dread in the pit of his stomach. He knew that Narcissa was right. He had to not only convincingly lie to his father, but he was going to have to prove it. He was the Nott heir and if he wanted the wealth and prestige that belonged to him, he would have to do whatever it took to make that happen.
Whatever it took.
He stepped out of the Floo and into the large entranceway of the Nott Estate in Cannes. The high marble ceilings and paintings covered every inch of the space and his shoes echoed on the marble floor.
"Hello?"
There was no answer and he snorted. What had he been expecting? A welcome home party? He moved through the entranceway into the hallway of art, through the sculpture room and into the first parlour. He found his father sitting in the third parlour drinking red wine. He made to say something and stopped in his tracks when he saw the long blonde head of hair bobbing up and down over his father's crotch.
Thaddeus spotted him and gestured him forward with his fingers. "Sit, Theo."
Theo did as his father commanded, staring at his hands as the woman finished her task and stood up, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand.
"Acceptable," Thaddeus said with disdain. He tossed a bag of coin at her which she took before hurrying off. He took a long drink of his wine. "Are you done hiding behind Narcissa's skirts?"
"I wasn't hiding," Theo said darkly.
Thaddeus glared at him. His dark brows flecked in silver looked menacing as he stared him down. "Not hiding? What do you call refusing to come with your own father when he wanted to take his son out for his birthday? What do you call gallivanting off to the British West Indies?"
"Enjoying myself," Theo said. "Your name was released to the Wizengamot as a known Death Eater. The entire British Ministry of Magic and a French Auror Squad is looking for you. Did you think that I wanted to associate myself with you and risk being arrested?"
"Well, I'm glad to see that I didn't raise a complete imbecile."
Theo bit his tongue, his eyes on his father. Like the man before him had any say in how he had been raised, he thought. "Why did you want me to come here? I'm going back to Hogwarts in three days. It seems like a waste of time for both of us."
"I thought that maybe you'd want to check on your father, see how he's fairing since as you said: I am being hunted."
Theo snorted. "You're still paying whores so, you must be doing just fine."
"Confined to this manor! I have to do what I can to keep myself occupied," he said darkly. "The Dark Lord has been generous enough to ensure our homes and properties are sealed away and protected from the Ministries. As long as I stay here, I am safe."
"Why did you want me here?" Theo demanded.
Thaddeus drank his wine again. "I've been hearing rumours about you."
Theo shrugged indifferently, closing his mind. He knew that his father couldn't read minds, but it helped him get into character. "That I'm gay? Yeah, I've heard them myself. You know how rumours spread."
Thaddeus stared at him for a long moment. "So, you didn't kiss a boy named Corner in the middle of the Great Hall the day before the Third Task? You're denying it?"
Theo shrugged as if it was of no concern to him. Lucius had always told him that the best way to tell a convincing lie was to give part of the truth.
"I did kiss him. It was a dare; a way to teach that dickwad a lesson. He hurt one of my friends so, I figured I'd hurt his reputation a bit. It was only a kiss, Father. One kiss hardly makes me gay."
"So, you didn't enjoy it?"
"Not at all," he said in disgust. "Why the bloody hell would I want to kiss a bloke? Did I pretend to enjoy it? Absolutely! I was making a bloody point!"
Thaddeus stared at him. "I respect you not willing to back down from a dare, but I won't have you bring shame upon this family either."
"I figured backing down from the dare was more shameful," Theo told him defiantly. "Notts don't back down; Notts take what they want."
Thaddeus smiled at that. "That's my motto." He stood up, zipping up his trousers properly. "There's a lovely brunette waiting for you in your bed upstairs. I expect to hear her moaning within the next ten minutes. Don't say that I don't give you anything, Theo. Now, what do you say?"
Theo blanched as his father pat him on the head like he was a dog. "Thank you, Father."
Thaddeus gestured for him to move so he stood up and headed up the stairs to his room. The brunette in question was lean and willowy. She was lying naked on his bed, small, high breasts, brown hair tumbling over her shoulders and the sight of her there did nothing for him. He glanced back at his father who was standing in the hallway and he nodded. He made to close his bedroom door, but Thaddeus grabbed it.
"Leave it open."
Theo's hand shook slightly, but he did as his father demanded and moved to the bed. The young woman was smiling at him, he guessed that she was about sixteen or seventeen and he kissed her softly as she helped him out of his clothes. Her hand closed around him and he closed his eyes, imagining that it was Connor's hands. He remembered how sweet Connor had been, how curious as he stroked him, and soon he could feel himself hardening under her ministrations. When her mouth wrapped around him, he imagined that it was Connor's mouth.
When he finally opened his eyes, his bedroom door was still wide open, but his father was nowhere to be seen and he let out a breath of relief. The thought of trying to perform with his father standing there was the last thing that he wanted, but he also knew that his father could and most likely would return very shortly to make sure that he was enjoying his gift. He flipped her over onto her stomach, trying to imagine that she was still Connor and he did what needed to be done, keeping his eyes closed almost the whole time and hating himself.
When she left, he stayed in his bed, tears in his eyes as he turned to hug his pillow. If Narcissa found out what he had come home to, she would be furious. But he knew that he had to come home. He had to show his father that he was a Nott, the future of Norfolk, and his one true heir. He had to do this the right way if he was going to get what he wanted.
The sound of footsteps outside of his door had him wiping the tears away before he turned and stared at his father.
"Was she good?"
"Excellent," Theo told him. "Thank you for the gift, Father."
Thaddeus sneered at him. "Theo, Notts don't cry. Wipe those tears from your eyes and if I see you crying again I will give you something to cry about."
Theo nodded, annoyed that he had let his father see his emotions in the first place.
"Get dressed and come downstairs. The Dark Lord is coming over for dinner."
The door slammed shut behind him and Theo swallowed nervously. He carefully put his mind at ease, locking things in his mind as quickly as he could and moving decoys to the front.
This was a dinner that he had never dreaded more in his entire life.
~ ASC ~
Ginny was lying on her stomach in the grass out in the orchard next to Colin, thumbing through the hundreds of photos that she had taken on her trip. Her brothers were flying above her playing Quidditch, and as usual, had deemed her not allowed to play. She chose to ignore them and instead focused on the photos that her friend helped her develop. She tapped her finger on the one of her and Ryan holding surfboards.
"That's Ryan!"
Colin glanced up from his own stack of photos to look down at the boy there and grinned. "Of course it is. He looks like your type."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ginny asked, organizing her photos around her chronologically.
"He's kind of a mix between Corner and Harry. See, he's athletic like Harry; star of the football team, likes to surf, kind of a jock. But, he has the charm like Corner did which makes me think that if you had done more than have a little summer fling with him, he would have turned out to be a douche and also might have been hit with the Bat-Bogey hex."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "You know nothing."
Colin grinned at her as he continued to sort through the photos. "I see what I see. He was a nice bloke, though?"
"He was the sweetest," she admitted. "He was very patient when he taught me to surf and snogging him was a lot of fun."
Colin nodded, helping her sort through the photos. "I'm glad."
"Oooh, this was the underwater cave we explored. Look how beautiful it is and see how the Muggles use these contraptions to explore it. Genius, isn't it?"
"Very," he said in amusement. "That's scuba gear and that is a device that records what is happening under the water so that Muggles can explore better." He explained, pointing things out in her photos as he smiled. "These are really good, Ginny. You have a knack for it."
She shook her head. "Not really, I was just trying to use some of your techniques."
"Well, obviously learning from the best is the first priority." When she laughed, he grinned. "I have the photos developed from Professor Lupin's wedding as well. I think they turned out wonderfully. There's a really nice one of you and Harry dancing here, let me find it."
"He's with Mandy, Colin, who is quite possibly the nicest human being in the world."
Colin shrugged as he sorted through the wedding photos in the envelope he had brought over. "I still think that something changed between the two of you. I know that you keep denying it, but honestly, tell me I'm wrong. I think that he's starting to realize how beautiful you are and how much he would like for you to be more than just his friend. Look," he said, pulling out the photo he had been looking for. "Look at how his eyes follow you and when he catches you looking, he flushes and pointedly looks away."
Ginny watched the photo in fascination for a moment before she shook her head. "You're wrong. We're friends. I won't get my hopes up that he's going to see me as something more. If I do that, I'll never really get over him and I am, over him… mostly, that is. I'm not his type and… I won't pine after him."
Colin only stared at her. The flush in her cheeks told him she wasn't as over him as she liked to believe she was. "Yeah, all right. Either way, you should definitely find someone worthy of you this year. If you date another douche like Corner, I'll help Theo do more than embarrass him."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "What Theo did was ridiculous! I mean, Michael is clearly not gay!"
"Yeah and the mere thought of it sent him into a panic! He's a total douche and a homophobe and deserves that little dent in his reputation. Not to mention it made Su Li break up with him, which the cheating bastard deserved."
Ginny smiled from under her lashes. "Well, that's true."
He nudged her lightly. "And this year I want to see you try out for the Quidditch team. Promise me? You're so good, Gin. You deserve to be on the team."
She blushed and shrugged, looking up wistfully as Fred and George scored on Ron. "I want to, but Harry said that they need a Keeper this year. I know Ron is looking to maybe fill that role. Keeping isn't for me. I want to be a Chaser and they don't need any of those. Not to mention that my stupid brothers won't even let me play."
"Convince Harry to have players on reserve. You deserve to be on that team, Ginny and we both know it. And we both know that when you get that on team, your brothers are going to be blown away."
She shrugged again. "We'll see. When Harry calls for the tryouts we'll see how it goes." She turned back to the photos with a smile. "Oooh, look here, this is when Theo and I spent an afternoon at a Muggle spa. It was rather wonderful. We took a bath in the mud!"
Colin's eyebrow rose. "Ew, why?"
Ginny grinned. "It helps with sore muscles and helps keep skin smooth or so the Muggle told us."
Colin only shook his head. "No, thank you! I'll stick to good old fashioned water baths, maybe with some bubbles."
She laughed and pointed at another photo. "Did I tell you that I played this game called Spin the Bottle?"
"No, and yes, I know what it is!"
She grinned and bit her lip. "I kissed almost everyone in the game, even one girl. It was kind of nice to just kiss people without any expectations behind it."
"Yeah, I bet it would be," he told her. "And Ryan?"
She blushed. "An amazing kisser! Way better than Michael and I thought that he was the greatest."
Colin made retching noises and she smacked him.
"Which I learned was wrong so, forgive me!"
He grinned and stood up as they saw the figure moving in the distance. "I think that's Luna finally coming by."
Ginny jumped to her feet and called her friend's name before she hurried across the lawn to hug Luna. Luna laughed and hugged the two of them in turn and then, ignoring the Quidditch game that she wasn't invited to, pulled her friends over to the pond to relax. She wanted nothing more than to enjoy the last few days of her summer with her friends before she headed back to school.
~ ASC ~
Theo had changed into his formal wizarding robes, the same ones that he had worn from the Yule Ball last year, before he slowly made his way downstairs and into the drawing room. His father was well dressed himself and sipping a glass of red wine. He poured one for Theo and urged him to have a seat.
They only waited ten minutes before the fireplace lit up and Abraxas Malfoy came out followed by Bellatrix Lestrange and a tall, skeletal, bald man with eyes so dark they glowed red. Theo swallowed as he got to his feet.
Thaddeus stood up and fell to his knees before the bald man. "My Lord, you honour me with your presence!"
Theo immediately knelt next to his father, keeping his eyes on the floor. He shifted his walls, keeping them tightly in place and allowing random thoughts, fears, and scenes to flow across his mind. Narcissa had taught him well and now it was time to prove that he could keep secrets.
A hand touched his chin and urged him to stand and he found himself staring into those dark red eyes.
"My son, Theodore," Thaddeus said proudly. "He's fifteen and a Slytherin; very intelligent."
The Dark Lord merely stared at him. "Hello, Theodore, I am Lord Voldemort."
"It's an honour to meet you, my Lord," Theo said, bowing his head slightly.
Voldemort smirked. "Is it? Well, I will take the flattery. You are friends with Brax's grandson, Draco, are you not?"
Theo nodded. "Yes, my Lord, and Blaise Zabini."
"Ah, Bellarosa's boy. Yes, yes, very good. Fifteen, you say?"
"Sixteen in October," Thaddeus added.
Voldemort sneered. "And he's a man?"
"Had him broken in at thirteen, my Lord."
"Good. Virgins are frowned upon around my Death Eaters, you see, Theo, some of them rather like breaking them in personally. Your father was wise to get that innocence out of you as quickly as possible," Voldemort said smoothly and making Theo's stomach plummet in a bout of raw fear that surprised him.
He stared at Theo for a moment and Theo stared back. He felt a small push on his walls and he let him break through, making him think that he had no wards. It was enough because the intrusion disappeared moments later and Voldemort smiled.
"Well, is Theo going to be joining us for our war council, Thaddeus?"
"If you wish him to be, my Lord, then of course."
Theo swallowed nervously and Voldemort twisted his lips into what looked like an attempt at a smile. "Would you like to see how we plan to take back the world, Theo? To bring the magical world to its knees and at our feet where they belong?"
Theo nodded. "Yes, my Lord, if you would grant me that honour."
Voldemort stared at him for a moment. "Then come along. The others should be arriving shortly."
Theo took a seat at the long dining room table as his Kiki served wine and dessert, letting out a slow breath of relief. The Dark Lord had barely made an effort to look into his mind and he was grateful as he had known from the first wave of intrusion that his walls weren't strong enough for the powerful man before him and the thought terrified him. What would he do if the Dark Lord decided to really look into his mind? How would he stop him? He frantically tried to make his walls stronger, focusing on his mind and keeping what he wanted hidden, hidden away behind tight walls. He only hoped that the wizard couldn't be bothered to look into his mind a second time.
Within ten minutes, the room was full of over twenty people, all of them Death Eaters and Theo slowly sipped his wine in silence. He had been shocked to find that one of them was Snape and tried not to look at his professor. Snape had helped him with Thaddeus and now… he was a follower of the Dark Lord? Disappointment shot through him and he sipped his wine again.
"My Death Eaters, this summer has not gone as we had originally planned. With the unfortunate escape of that wretched Potter boy, we lost the element of surprise. The Ministry of Magic has taken a stand against us. They are prepared to wage war against me, against you, and against what we stand for. But I don't plan on giving up."
The Death Eaters were nodding and grunting in agreement.
"I want what I have always wanted. A world led by those who deserve to lead. A world ruled by those pure of blood, pure of intent, and who deserve to practice magic. I won't stand by and watch this country fall to the Muggle-loving fools like Albus Dumbledore. But we can't take our stand without all of our army."
Murmurings and mutterings erupted around the table now and Voldemort nodded.
"Yes, yes. The giants are already back on my side. The promise of destruction was all they needed and Greyback has convinced the wolves. The ones who have made a pact with the Ministry will be slaughtered like the deceitful pets they are, for they are not wolves, but pups playing at being wolves," he declared viciously. "The VCE may have refused us for now, but like last time, they will see how much better their lives can be to have blood at their disposal whenever they want; to feast on the Mudbloods and Muggles. Brax, have the Dementors come over?"
"They are only waiting for a word from you, my Lord. They are your most loyal servants." Abraxas declared, his eyes gleaming in delight.
Voldemort nodded. "Good, good. The Ministry thinks that removing their control from Azkaban was a smart decision, but I think that they've made the job easier for us."
Bellatrix grinned in delight. "Are we finally breaking them free, my Lord?"
"Yes, Bella. It is time."
Theo's head lifted up sharply as his father spoke up.
"What do you need us to do, my Lord? How can we serve you?"
"Wait for my instructions, Thaddeus. If all goes to plan, by midnight on Friday, Azkaban will have a breakout like we've never seen before. And then, the Ministry will start to listen."
Theo drank his wine slowly, his heart pounding in his chest. Lucius would be free, he thought, happy to realize that and terrified at the same time. He knew that not everyone in the prison was like Lucius Malfoy and he knew that most of them were dangerous, deranged criminals and murderers who worshipped the mad man before him. The thought of them all being free was more than just a terrifying thought.
He drank more wine, the slight buzz urging him to stop. He needed to stay sharp; to not lose focus, he thought as the war council discussed who was imprisoned. He kept his eyes downcast at the table, switching to water. The fact that he would be going back to school had never made him feel more safe, nor more guilty for his thoughts.
Going back to school might keep him safe, but with a potential breakout happening, not everyone else would be.
~ ASC ~
Remus and Tonks returned from their honeymoon on the last Thursday afternoon in August. After dropping off their luggage at him, they headed to Black Cottage. Harry grinned when they came inside.
"Hello, Mr and Mrs Lupin, how was Positano?"
"Amazing!" Tonks exclaimed, plopping down on the sofa. "I've never been to Italy before and it was brilliant! We did some tours, spent some time on the beach, and ate at romantic restaurants. It was wonderful."
"Anything exciting happen here?" Remus asked.
Harry shook his head. "Nah, same old. Sirius is in the workshop out back and Zee is at work."
Remus nodded and moved to head outside. "I'll go tell him that we're here."
The moment that he was out of earshot, Tonks grabbed Harry's hand in hers. "I finally did the prank on him!"
"The one where you make yourself look like Snape?"
She nodded, snorting in laughter. "He jumped out of the bed so fast, it was hilarious! I'm still laughing about it and it's been over a week."
Harry grinned widely. "I wish I could've seen it!"
"Oh, Harry, he was so traumatized! It was brilliant! Worth every second!"
Harry grinned and couldn't help but laugh as Tonks doubled over in laughter herself. The two of them were still laughing when Sirius and Remus came in almost five minutes later.
"What did we miss?" Sirius asked, wiping his greasy hands on the grease rag he had hanging from his back jean pocket. He was shirtless and glistening from the heat outside, his hair pulled back in a short stubby tail at his neck, the front pieces still dangling in his face. He drank cold water from a tall glass before looking at Harry and Tonks again.
Harry grinned. "Tonks was just telling me how she woke Uncle Moony up one morning looking like Snape and how he fell right out of bed!"
Sirius busted into laughter. "Like how much like Snape?"
"Just her face," Remus said in annoyance. "But it sure as hell wasn't the wakeup call I wanted from my new wife."
Harry busted into laughter again as Tonks and Sirius joined in and Remus glared at them.
"It wasn't funny!"
Tonks stood up, clutching her side as she moved to kiss her husband. "It was hysterical, but I love you."
Remus flicked her in the forehead. "Minx."
She grinned and sat back down next to Harry. "Harry said nothing much has happened since we left?"
Sirius shook his head and took a seat in the chair. "No, nothing new anyway. Harry and I went on a bike ride to Bath so that he could see Mandy, but other than that we've just been hanging around the house. Back to Hogwarts tomorrow."
"We're still going to have Defence Club this year, right Uncle Rem?"
Remus nodded. "Definitely. Though it may start later depending on how these new educational reforms come into play."
"Zee is attending the final discussion on them today. There's going to be some new students this year and the few of them who are actually willing to send their kids to Hogwarts are very iffy on it. They are determined to have all of their i's dotted and t's crossed before they allow their children over the threshold."
Remus nodded. "That seems more than fair. They are distrustful of witches and wizards and after our shared history together, I can't blame them. Adrian asked me to be the coordinator for the three wolf children who will be attending. Two are best friends and just turned eleven in May and June so we'll see how they do; one is a little girl from Daimon's pack. Did they work out what they want O'Ryan to do during the moon yet?"
Sirius shook his head. "That was supposed to be finalized today. I'm assuming that Dumbledore will fill you in at the staff meeting in the morning."
Remus nodded. "I imagine so. Zee will probably have some more news on that front when she gets home tonight as well."
"True," Sirius said.
Harry stretched his arms out over his head. "Now that you're back, Uncle Rem, do you think maybe we could watch a memory in the Pensieve?"
Remus smiled. "I'd love that, Harry."
He grinned. "I haven't watched any more in ages."
"I wondered when you'd decide to watch another one," Sirius admitted.
"I want to save them," Harry said, blushing. "I like the idea of watching them slowly so that I will always have them."
Remus smiled. "Saving them is nice too. Go on and pick one out. Nymphadora, would you like to watch with us?"
"If Harry doesn't mind," she said with a smile. "I think that I'd like that very much."
Five minutes later, Harry had chosen a random memory from the chest and poured it into the basin. He used his new wand to stir it and then projected it onto the ceiling.
Sirius grinned. "I remember this. Harry, you were about eight months old here."
Harry watched the memory unfold in curiosity.
"I'm not sure that this is a good idea," Lily said hesitantly, snuggling Harry in her arms. "We really shouldn't go out."
"Lily, you're not even going out," Sirius said in annoyance. "James charmed the living room to look like a restaurant and the two of you are sharing a romantic date downstairs. Rem and I can handle Harry."
She bit her lip nervously. "It's just that the last time you two babysat him, the nursery looked like a war zone."
"Little mistake, won't happen again," Sirius assured her.
Remus lifted Harry from her arms. "We got this. Now, go downstairs and enjoy your date night with your husband. You won't even know that we're here and we'll get Harry to bed."
Lily blew her hair out of her eyes and then leaned in and kissed Harry's forehead, both of his cheeks and then the top of his head. "You be good for your uncles, Harry. Mummy and Daddy will be right downstairs."
Harry cooed at her and she waved goodbye before disappearing down the stairs, sneaking one more look back at her son.
Remus grinned at Harry. "Let's go play, little Prongs."
Sirius followed as Remus sat Harry on the nursery floor and began to play with his toys. Harry cooed and giggled, laughing in delight as Sirius and Remus made his toys fly around him. They played with him in contentment before Sirius scooped him up into his arms.
"I think it's bath time."
Remus nodded and led the way down the hall into the bathroom. He filled the tub up, adding the baby soap and the bubbles. Sirius handed Harry over to Remus and hurried out to change, coming back two minutes later dressed in bathing trunks and carefully lowered himself into the bath.
Harry giggled in delight as Sirius lifted him down into the water, plopping his butt down into the tub. With Remus' help they washed his hair and his little body as he cooed and giggled in the water, splashing everywhere. Sirius lifted him under his arms and he stood there, holding onto Sirius as he kicked and splashed and giggled, occasionally losing his balance and plopping down in the low water.
"See, all clean," Remus said, leaning over the tub to kiss Harry's chubby baby cheek.
Harry grinned as Sirius stood him up again and then he peed on Sirius' leg.
"Ugh, fuck!" Sirius exclaimed as Remus roared in laughter.
Harry giggled and clapped his hands together as Remus lifted him from the tub. They drained the water and refilled the tub back up to wash Harry off again. Sirius continued to swear as Remus dried him off and held him in place on the bathroom counter. They rubbed him in lotion and baby powder which Sirius knocked off of the counter sending puffs of powder everywhere as Remus choked on it.
"Sirius! It's supposed to go on Harry, not all over the bathroom!"
By the time Remus clasped the nappy onto Harry, the entire bathroom looked like a war zone. Water and bubbles were all over the floor; powder all over the counter and floating in the air and wet towels dropped everywhere.
"Er, Rem, I think it's on backwards," Sirius added, drying himself off.
Remus tilted his head to examine his nephew. "How can you tell?"
Sirius shrugged. "I don't know, but I thought that Lily always clipped these the other way."
Remus titled his head and squinted at the clips on the side of the nappy . "Looks all right to me; he's covered, isn't he?"
Harry yawned and waved his little arms around. Sirius took him from Remus and carefully moved him onto his shoulder.
"Hi, there, Prongslet, it's okay," he crooned to him as they moved back down to the nursery. They carefully put him down in his crib and he was soon sound asleep.
"See? I don't know what Jamie and Lily are always ranting about, taking care of a baby is easy!" Sirius exclaimed.
"Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, have you seen what this bathroom looks like?" Lily exclaimed shrilly from down the hall.
Sirius paled. "Er, on second thought, maybe I'll just stay here with Harry in case he wakes up."
"Coward," Remus hissed at him as Lily came into the nursery.
She hurried over to the cot and peeked down at her son, stroking a finger down his back. "How come he's not in his pjs?"
Remus smiled. "He was falling asleep so we just put him down."
Lily smiled. "And who was the genius who put his nappy on backwards?"
Remus and Sirius each pointed at each other and Lily laughed.
"I'll fix my son. You two clean that bathroom. I want to see it spotless."
"Actually, Lil, I have a date," Sirius began.
Lily merely lifted an eyebrow. "Bathroom. Spotless. Now."
Sirius blanched and hurried off as Lily lifted her son from the cot and kissed his cheek.
Remus grinned at her. "Lily, can you show me how you put his nappy on again?"
Lily smiled. "Of course. Watch and learn, Moony."
The memory faded away and Sirius grinned.
"I can't believe that you put his nappy on backwards and then tried to blame it on me!"
Remus shrugged. "You're the one who destroyed the bathroom!"
"Me?" Sirius exclaimed in astonishment.
Harry laughed. "It was fifteen years ago, I don't think it still matters."
Tonks grinned. "You two were adorable! Didn't even know how to put his nappy on!"
Harry blushed. "Er, well, that was a long time ago, obviously."
Tonks chuckled. "You were the cutest little chubby faced baby, Harry!"
He groaned when she leaned in and kissed his cheeks as he attempted to shove her away, only succeeding by tickling her.
"Fine, fine, I give!" she shrieked, clutching her sides as Sirius and Remus merely shook their heads at them.
"Now, now, children," Sirius said sternly. "It's time to act like grown ups."
Harry and Tonks grinned at each other and then they each ran forward and tackled Sirius and Remus, tickling them mercilessly as they cried out in laughter.
The front door opened a moment later and Zee stood over them, her eyebrows up in annoyance. "This is what you lot have been doing with your time?"
Sirius grinned, shoving Harry away by putting his hand over his face and tugged her down into his arms. "Save me, Zahira; these maniacs have attacked!"
Zee shrieked when Sirius' fingers began to knead her stomach. "Snuffles!"
Harry grinned. "Aw man, she knows the codeword and everything!"
Remus laughed, attempting to catch his breath as he wrapped an arm around his wife. "Tickle war is over, I'm afraid."
Zee smiled at them, eyes moving around the room. "How did this war start exactly?"
"We were watching a memory in the Pensieve about them babysitting me and failing at it," Harry supplied with a grin as Remus and Sirius each leaned in and flicked him in the head. "Ow! They were failing at it. Anyway, we were going to watch another memory."
Harry climbed to his feet away from the prying hands of his family and moved to the chest. He scooped up the old memory, adding his x to the bottle and putting it back before he browsed through the phials. He picked another at random and poured it into the basin and projected it upwards. He moved to sit on the sofa and grinned when Sirius and Zee each came to sit on either side of him.
Harry noticed immediately how much younger Sirius looked. His hair was still the same carefree style with his tattoos peeking out from underneath his Queen tee shirt. Remus looked even younger, no slivers of grey in his hair and he had a rather boyish grin on his face as he sat comfortably in the armchair in the hall of the hospital.
Sirius was pacing within the halls of St Mungo's with Remus and Peter.
"Sit down, Padfoot!" Peter insisted, leaning back in his chair. "Pacing back and forth like a mad man isn't going to make it go any faster."
"Pete's right, Sirius; come sit down." Remus told him, patting the bench next to him.
Sirius only looked up at his friends, eyes wide. "I can't. I'm too… edgy. James is in there having a fucking baby!"
"Well, technically Lily's having the fucking baby, but I know what you mean," Peter said, grinning widely. "Never would have believed that tosser would have got the chance to date Evans let alone convince the poor girl to marry him and breed."
Remus laughed, dragging his fists over his tired eyes. "That tosser wore her down and she had the hots for him for years; we all knew it. She was just smart enough not to show it."
Sirius grinned. "Remember that time that she told him that she'd rather kiss every Death Eater on the arse than spend another moment talking in his presence?"
Remus laughed, smirking at his friends. "Merlin, I thought Prongs was going to die. He stuttered and stared at her like she had suddenly grown three heads. Now they are having a baby together. It seems like the world is really changing."
"Just because they're having a baby doesn't mean our world is changing," Sirius insisted, his eyes on his friends.
"Babies change things, Padfoot," Peter told him, crossing his feet at the ankles. "Babies change everything."
The door at the end of the hall opened and James rushed out, black hair sticking up worse than ever, crooked glasses and a face splitting grin plastered across his mouth.
"It's a boy! Quick, come see!" he exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of his feet as he waved them forward.
Peter and Remus stood up, following Sirius who was in the lead, as they made their way into the room where Lily was sitting. She was propped up in the bed, her dark red hair damp and plaited at her neck as she held a tiny bundle in a green and blue blanket knitted by Euphemia Potter.
"Marauders, I'd like for you to meet the first Marauder of the new generation, Prongs II," James announced proudly, beaming so brightly that he was practically glowing.
"James, for the last time, we're not naming him Prongs II!" Lily exclaimed, rolling her eyes at her husband. She smiled warmly at the three of them. "Come closer and meet your nephew, gentlemen."
"Nephew?" Remus asked, smiling brightly.
James grinned widely. "Obviously, Uncle Moony. Say hello to Prongs II."
"Harry," Lily said, chuckling. "His name is Harry James Potter."
"After my grandpa," James said with a smile. "He was an Auror and the coolest bloke around. And James for the coolest bloke in this little man's life — moi."
"Um, excuse me, godfather claims that status," Sirius said, raising his hand in acknowledgement and taking a seat on the edge of the bed, looking in at Harry. "Hi there, Prongslet, I'm your godfather."
"That's Uncle Padfoot, Harry, otherwise known as Uncle Sirius or Uncle Moron," James said, smiling down at his son.
"Your dad's the moron, Prongslet. I'm the cool one. Stick with me, little man, and we got this."
Lily smiled up at the four men around her. "Sirius, would you like to hold your Prongslet first?"
Sirius beamed as Lily carefully placed Harry into his arms. "He's so small, Lil; barely weighs a thing!"
Peter leaned in, smiling. "He's got James' black hair disaster."
"You don't know that it's going to be a disaster, Pete," James said defensively, looking at his son's mop of black unruly hair.
Peter only smirked. "I think we do, Prongs."
Sirius gently ran his finger down Harry's cheek, grinning when Harry's tiny hand gripped his finger hard. "Hi there, Prongslet, strong grip you've got there." He passed the baby to Remus who looked panicked.
"Um, Peter can — oh boy," he exclaimed in panic as Sirius left the baby in his arms. "Hi, little Prongs."
Lily smiled at him. "Relax, Rem, he's fine."
"He's so precious," Remus told her, a soft smile on his face. "Right, Harry? Are you precious?"
Harry only stared up at him, fingers twitching until he grabbed a hold of Remus' finger. Remus smiled and carefully passed the baby over to Peter who held him with expert ease.
"Hi, Harry," Peter said, cradling him against him. "You are going to be a great little Marauder, aren't you, Prongs II?"
James grinned widely. "See, darling, even the boys agree that the Prongs nickname must live on!"
Sirius smiled. "He is Prongslet, little Prongs, Prongs II."
Lily smiled at them. "His name is Harry, but whatever endearing nicknames you three give him is for you blokes alone."
James took his son from Peter, holding him closely in his arms. "He's our Harry," he said, taking Lily's hand in his own and leaning down to kiss her softly. "Thank you for giving me my son. I love you."
Lily held his cheek in her hand, her green eyes on his as she kissed him. "I love you, James."
His lips met hers again for a longer kiss and Peter cleared his throat.
"Well, we'll leave the new family alone to get acquainted. But we'll see you when you head home."
Remus and Sirius nodded, saying goodbye before the three of them left the room.
"James and Lily have a fucking son!" Sirius exclaimed, his eyes wide. "I have a godson! We have a fucking nephew!"
Remus grinned widely. "It's rather marvellous, isn't it?"
Peter nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets. "It really is. When my cousin had her first, it's the greatest thing. But now we're like uncles and that's just… the ultimate, you know?"
Sirius grinned widely. "I have to go tell Andy!"
"But Sirius, it's three in the —" Remus began as Sirius Disapparated on the spot, leaving his friends staring after him in amusement, and arrived in Shoreditch. He practically ran to the front door to ring the bell.
Andromeda answered, her eyes half closed, but they widened when she saw her cousin there. "Sirius, what's wrong? Are you all right? What happened?"
Sirius grinned like a fool, picking her up and swinging her around in his arms. "I'm an uncle, Andy! I have a godson! A fucking godson!"
Andromeda stared at him, her mouth open in shock for a full thirty seconds before she comprehended what he had just said. "Sirius Black! Did you just wake me up at three forty-five in the morning to announce that your godson was born?"
He grinned sheepishly. "I don't even care, Andy! I'm godfather to the cutest bloody fucking kid in the universe named Harry James Potter and I'm proud as hell."
Andromeda finally smiled. "I can't even be cross with you, you git. Congratulations, Sirius."
Sirius hugged her again. "I'm going to be the best godfather ever to this kid. My little Prongslet."
"Prongslet?"
Sirius grinned. "Nickname; long story." He leaned in and kissed her cheek. "And a new tattoo idea. See you Andy!"
He Disapparated and the memory faded away.
Zee chuckled and grinned at Sirius. "You two were adorable. Had either of you ever held a baby before Harry?"
Remus shook his head. "No, and we were both terrified."
Harry looked sad for a moment. "They look like kids there, I mean, I know that they were grown up and everything, but they looked so young, my mum and Dad."
Remus smiled. "We were young, Harry. Your parents were only four years older than you are now when they got married and it was barely a year after that when you were born."
"That's a scary thought," Harry admitted, rubbing a hand over his heart.
Remus grinned at him. "Different times and they were madly in love and ready to get married. Having you was a surprise and one that they were more than happy to take on. They loved you so much."
He nodded. "I can't imagine being married in four years!"
Sirius chuckled. "Hell, I can't imagine being married now!"
Zee snorted. "Trouble, the lot of you."
Harry grinned at her before he turned to Sirius. "Did you get that tattoo right after?"
Sirius smiled, circling the name 'Prongslet' over his heart. "Four days after you were born. Your mum cried when she saw it. Claimed that I was such a good dogfather. Running joke that I rather disapproved of."
"But it fit," Remus said with a smile. "We were all incredibly happy to have you in our lives, Harry. You have always been so loved."
Harry smiled at them, feeling ridiculously warm inside. "It was a good memory."
Zee kissed his cheek. "Thank you for sharing it with me."
Remus stood up, stretching his arms over his head. "Well, Nymphadora and I need to get going. I need to organize what I need for school tomorrow and she has to work early. I'll see you at the feast tomorrow night, Harry."
They said goodbye and when the front door closed behind them, Zee grinned at them.
"Now, did you boys eat yet?"
Harry grinned at her. "No. Are you going to cook something?"
Zee smiled and stood up. "No. I believe tonight is your turn, Mr Potter."
Harry grinned and stretched his arms up. "Okay, okay, I'm going."
He moved into the kitchen to get dinner started and couldn't help but smile to himself. His parents had loved and welcomed him. His fathers had loved and welcomed him, and even though they had been young, it was nice to see them together as a family.
The warm feeling stayed with him for the rest of the night.
~ ASC ~
Draco stepped onto the Hogwarts Express the next morning and his foot tapped impatiently until he saw Theo step into the compartment.
"Hey!" he said, jumping to his feet.
Theo simply shook his head and sat down.
Draco frowned at him and quickly closed the compartment door and put a privacy charm around them. "Mother said that you had to go home and then we didn't hear from you… what happened?"
"Father's confined to the estate in France. Apparently the Dark Lord did something to all of the Death Eater properties keeping them unfindable by the ministries. He's safe there as long as he doesn't leave the estate."
Draco nodded, his eyes on his friend. "And? What did he want?"
Theo's eyes met his. "Greg let it slip that I'm gay."
Draco swore in response.
"I lied. I claimed that I kissed Corner on a dare and that Notts don't back away from a dare. He agreed with that sentiment and had a girl in my room waiting for me."
"Did you… ?"
"Like I had a choice," Theo scoffed. "I tried to imagine she was Connor, you know that American bloke that I was telling you about?"
"Did it work?"
Theo shrugged. "I don't know, I got off so, it must have. I hated it. It was forced and uncomfortable and… I hated not being able to say no." He rubbed his hands over his face. "Draco… I met the Dark Lord."
Draco paled and stood up again, pacing back and forth in the compartment. "In person?"
Theo nodded. "Something is going down tonight, Draco. They are planning to attack Azkaban and release all of the prisoners. He said that by midnight tonight, the Ministry would see what he wanted."
Draco's hands clenched at his sides. On one hand, he was glad that the prisoners were being released because having his father home again would do a world of good for his mother, but on the other hand, he knew what the real criminals inside the prison were capable of.
"Did he say how?"
Theo shook his head. "Talked around it mostly. I don't think that he wanted me to hear the exact details. He insisted that I sit through the war council preliminaries and then ordered Father to send me up to my room. I was only too happy to go."
They both looked up when the compartment door opened and Blaise stood there with Ophelia. Draco grinned at his girlfriend, tugging her inside and kissing her.
"Hey," he said.
She smiled. "Hi! The girls want me to sit with them, but I wanted to say hello first."
He kissed her. "Thanks for that." He ignored Blaise who was making a gagging sound in the background. Once Ophelia left, he turned and held up two fingers to his friend who snorted.
"What? I didn't want to watch you suck her face off. You have to work on your technique, mate."
"Piss off, Zabini," Draco said in annoyance, closing the compartment door. "I didn't hear her complaining about my technique." He placed another quick privacy charm once the door was closed and then turned back to his friends. "Theo met the Dark Lord."
Blaise paled. "What? When?"
Theo quickly repeated what he had told Draco as Draco stared out the window of the moving train. If Theo had been introduced to the Dark Lord, he knew that meant that it was only a matter of time before his grandfather forced him to meet him. If he was honest, he had been surprised that he hadn't already, but with his father going to prison, maybe Abraxas wanted to wait. Not to mention that he knew they were all sticking underground and in hiding. He was okay with that, but also morbidly curious — which worried him slightly.
"What was he like?" Blaise asked in reverent awe, bringing Draco's attention back to the forefront.
"Creepy looking," Theo admitted. "He's all skin and bones and his eyes… they seem to be almost red… its eerie. When he looks at you, you can feel him pushing in on your mind, trying to read into your thoughts. Not all of the time, but it's inconsistent, and I could tell that he was trying to catch me off guard."
"Did he?" Blaise asked.
Theo shook his head. "No, my walls held and I pushed all sorts of random thoughts and memories to the front so that it looked disorganized. I think he bought it, but this was no more than simple prodding. The way he pushed forward… if he ever decides to really look into my mind, I don't think my walls will actually hold up. I could feel them shaking and he barely looked. He's powerful and, I mean, really powerful."
Draco let out a slow sigh. "Guess that means we need to work harder on our Occlumency just in case."
Theo nodded. "Yeah, we do. There's something else too, the way the Dark Lord appeared and the way my father just fell to his knees to worship him… why? My father is a marquess, the Marquess of Norfolk in fact, yet he would lower himself to bow before the Dark Lord? Why? What does the Dark Lord possess about him that makes him worthy of it? Your father is the Earl of Wiltshire, and your mother, Blaise, is the Baroness of Sardinia. All of them outrank him in aristocratic titles."
"Not entirely true," Draco said quietly. "He is the direct heir of Salazar Slytherin. Slytherin was the first cousin of the King of Wessex, which as you know, was the first official royal house to rule England. Edward the Elder's mother was Sabia Slytherin, Salazar's younger sister, so if you technically take that into consideration, he could claim status to rule."
Blaise scoffed. "Please, the House of Wessex lost claim to the English throne soon after Hogwarts was established."
Draco shrugged. "I'm just saying, technically he does come from original royal blood."
"Well, so do most of us, Draco," Blaise said in annoyance. "My great-aunt married into the Romanov family of Russia and was part of the royal court of Catherine the Great and Isla Malfoy's ancestors were part of the Hanovers. If you start doing that, it's going to lead to even more problems. The way that Mamma talks about him… she speaks in reverent tones like he's some form of Messiah. She says that Signore Oscuro is above all titles of nobility, that lord is the kindest word to call him for now. He is our sovereign and our saving grace."
"He wants to be a king then? Is that it?"
Blaise shrugged, his eyes on Draco. "In some ways I think so. A king or the Minister of Magic, but he wants to hold the power over everyone, Magical and Muggle alike."
"We don't have a king in the magical world. I respect Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. The Queen is a very kind and strong woman who does justice to England, the magical world doesn't need her equivalent, we have the Ministry for that," Theo said in annoyance. "Even Father admires her and he abhors Muggles."
Draco sighed. "So, does anyone know what the Dark Lord really wants, then?"
Theo bit his bottom lip. "He likes control. He likes to be in charge and he likes power, of any kind. I think that he wants to rule over everyone and to dictate the lives of those he believes to be beneath him. He spouts blood purity and the importance of keeping our magic within our blood history, but what does he ultimately want? I don't know."
Draco, Blaise, and Theo all looked at each other, not quite sure how to answer that.
"There's one more thing," Theo said quietly. At his friend's expressions, he sighed. "Snape was there. He's a Death Eater."
"Bloody hell," Draco said, his eyes wide. "I thought that he was all right."
Blaise shook his head. "I guess that means him helping you with your father last year was a fluke?"
Draco shook his head. "Not necessarily. Just because he's a follower of the Dark Lord doesn't mean that he likes Thad. I definitely got the fact that he does not."
"But how can we trust him now?" Theo asked. "Should we tell someone?"
Blaise let out a slow breath. "Should we tell Potter, you mean?"
"What's he going to do?" Draco demanded. "Theo doesn't know the plan! He doesn't know what's going to happen or how it's going to happen!"
"But maybe they can be more prepared if the Aurors know the prison is going to be attacked?" Theo suggested, his eyes wide. "Unless of course it's a test… see how much he let me listen to and see what happens."
Draco paled. "That seems much more likely. Why else would he let you sit in on the preliminaries of his war council? That's suspicious on its own."
Theo nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I agree."
Blaise swallowed. "My mother definitely left the impression that she was waiting for news. She's planning on staying in Italy, but she supports the Dark Lord and I saw her tattoo. She's not even hiding it anymore; at least not from me."
Draco sighed as he stared at his friends. "The three of us trust each other and my mother is right about one thing, determining who we can and cannot trust is going to be one of the hardest parts about this upcoming year. We can trust Potter, but we have to be careful with what we trust him with. If anyone finds out that we're passing on information, we're worse than dead."
Blaise nodded. "Agreed."
Theo's eyes met Draco's and he nodded. "Agreed. But Draco? It's going to be one hell of a long year."
End Author's Notes:
As mentioned in the Author's Note of chapter 47: I have this head canon that the so-called Sacred Twenty-Eight is basically equal to aristocracy in the wizarding world in terms of wealth and official titles and they kind of lord it over everyone — an impression I got mostly from the grace and poise that is Jason Isaacs in his role as Lucius Malfoy, but also from the books in the way that Draco talks about his father and his home life. So, I have thrown this idea into the ring and made up some titles to use (the Malfoy title based on the fact that their mansion is supposed to be Wiltshire) and I just kinda picked a random other name. Nott is the heir of Norfolk, with the title of Marquess, higher up than an Earl. Blaise is the Baron of Sardinia, though his mother holds the title from her marriage to his father. More of this will be explained in the upcoming chapters.
I though it would be fun to connect the old wizarding families to important people in English history, hence the mentioning of Wessex and Hanover and then everyone loves Catherine the Great so, why not make Zabini be loosely connected to the Romanovs. As mentioned above, more of this will be explained in the upcoming chapters.
(Italian) Signore Oscuro = Dark Lord though directly translated as Lord Dark
Thanks as always and please review :D