WARNING: I go to the other side of the 'M' rating at the end of this chapter, so if you don't want to read about the Addams version of sexy, then don't read. Who am I kidding, half of you have been waiting for this on tenterhooks.
Author's note: I am continuously astounded by how much some of you like this story. You guys are amazing. I love reading your reviews, they really do make me more eager to write, so keep letting me know what you think.
-o-o-
Chapter 5
Friends, Family, and Lovers
-o-o-
Ginny, Hermione, Luna, Neville, and Ron,
Despite what it seems like, I am not under anyone's control. My actions have been my own, and there is nothing affecting my decisions. I know that from your point of view, something bad has happened to me. In truth it's the exact opposite.
I have changed, and it's important that you realize that the Harry Potter that you knew no longer exists. If you want to start a new friendship with me, I'm willing to give you a chance.
You can come to my home at anytime. Ring the doorbell, and I'll let you in.
Harry Black
P.S. It will probably be simpler if all five of you come at once.
-o-o-
Upon receiving their responses from Harry, the five teenagers gathered again. This time, at Neville's insistence, they were at Longbottom Manor. Once everyone arrived, Neville led them inside.
"My Gran wants to meet everyone. Ever since the ministry, she's been going on about how proud she is of me." Neville cautioned his friends as he led them to his grandmother's study. "I've been thinking too, we should let her know what we're doing, in case your parents floo while we're visiting Harry."
"Won't she try to stop us though?" Ron asked, not believing they could really trust any of the adults right now.
"My daddy doesn't mind at all. He just told me to keep an eye out for silver doxies. They're like regular doxies, only they're venom can be used to clear one's mind." Luna smiled serenely. "Of course silver doxies aren't real, but I like to humor daddy."
While everyone tried to process that Luna admitted one of her animals wasn't real, Neville explained his reasons for being honest with his grandmother. "I know your family is big into Headmaster Dumbledore's secret order, but Gran's not a member. She..."
"Believes that every capable witch or wizard should stand up and fight for what is right." Augusta Longbottom interrupted her grandson as she stepped into the hall from her office. "We may not have fared so poorly during the last war, if more people realized their wands could be useful for more than just scratching their backsides."
"Gran!" Nevilled stepped back in surprise.
Madam Longbottom inspected her grandson's friends, and was pleased that none of them shied away from her iron gaze. "All of you stood by Harry Potter's side not long ago?" Seeing them all agree with various nods, she continued. "And now you're off to do something you think your parents won't approve of."
Seeing the confusion and worry in the children's faces, Augusta nearly laughed. "I may be old, but my hearing is just fine. What is it you are trying to get away with?"
Hermione stepped forward. "We think something has happened to Harry. He's acting strange, and has locked himself up in the house he inherited from his godfather. The Order is afraid of doing anything because the wards are so dark, but we know Harry would never hurt us, no matter what."
"They're all worried their parents won't let us go, they think it's too dangerous." Neville added.
With the exception of the blonde girl, the teenagers all had determination set in their features. They didn't know what they would encounter, but they were going anyway because they're friend might be in trouble. Neville had found himself such brave and loyal friends. Proud that her grandson was growing into such a brave young man, just like his father, Madam Longbottom nodded sharply. "Go on then. I'll deal with anyone who comes along wondering where you are."
-o-o-
Voldemort strode into the makeshift infirmary with Bellatrix trailing behind. "Bella tells me that your patient is all but recovered." He said silkily. "How much longer until he can come before me to receive his reward for surviving?"
The mediwizard looked up from where he was taking notes on his scarred patient. "My lord." He said as he bowed deeply. "I wanted to try a few more treatments before I gave up, but I believe I have done all that I can. I am not a fully trained healer, nor do I know how to mend his mind."
"Then kill him, and stop wasting my time." Voldemort said darkly.
Keeping his eyes lowered, the healer begged his case. "He may still be of use to you my lord. Physically he is well, my lack of skill only means that he will forever be scarred."
"His mind then?" The Dark Lord demanded.
"He is mostly sane, mostly. The trauma of being tortured so thoroughly did break something in him, but I don't know if it will affect his ability to serve you." He explained. "He no longer feels pain, or rather, he enjoys it now. He also has a thirst for inflicting it upon others."
The healer held up his arm, showing a large bite mark where a piece of his flesh had literally been torn away. "That is why I had to strap him down, and why I keep him asleep."
Voldemort looked thoughtful, and Bellatrix hovered over the scarred Death Eater with a look of excitement.
She traced the scars across the sleeping man's face. "We could have so much fun together master. None of your other servants have the stomach to help widdle Bella play with the muggles." She glanced up at her lord with a pleading look that would not be out of place on a six year old girl begging for a pony.
Voldemort drew his wand, and stepped over to the bound man, reviving him as he leaned to look him in the eyes. "Do you recognize who I am?"
"Yes my lord." He said staring into Voldemort's crimson eyes without flinching.
"What is your name my loyal servant?"
"Asclepius Fawley."
Bellatrix laughed madly at the irony, silencing herself at the prompting of her master.
"I will release you now. If you harm anyone without my permission, including yourself, I will kill you. If you follow my orders, I will give you victims as a reward." Voldemort said as he stepped back.
The man smiled, a horrible rictus formed on his butchered face. "Potter has shown me the way my lord, I will serve you to my last breath with the lessons he has given me."
"Black, the boy calls himself Black now." Voldemort corrected as he vanished the leather straps holding down his newest fanatic. "Bella, you should know that as well. The boy seems to have changed drastically for some reason."
Stopping in the doorway on his way out, he spoke to the room in general. "Bella, Asclepius, that information is not to go beyond the two of you for now. Follow Bella's orders as though they were my own." He smiled darkly. "Enjoy yourselves."
"My lord? What about me?" The healer called out, worry apparent in his voice.
Screams filled the halls as Voldemort walked away.
-o-o-
Harry, Wednesday, and Pugsley watched in amusement as a postman kept trying to deliver a package. He would walk up to the door, and almost manage to ring the bell before the muggle repelling ward kicked in, sending him away in a daze. After regaining his senses, he'd notice the package in his hand, and look around for 12 Grimmauld Place. He would focus on the door, and the cycle would continue.
"Now children, I imagine one of us would like to have whatever it is the poor man is trying to bring us." Morticia chided lightly.
She opened the door, and walked out to meet the postman. She patted the confused man on the cheek as she relieved him of his burden, then returned to the dimly lit house. The package was addressed to 'The Addams Family,' and she smiled as she read the return address.
"It's from cousin Itt and Margaret." She commented as she peeled open the box.
Harry looked on in interest as a letter fell out of the box, along with a severed hand. The hand bounced a few times, came to a rest, then stood up on its fingertips, and stretched its fingers.
"That's new." Harry said, having no frame of reference for the apparently living appendage.
Wednesday walked over, and picked up the hand. "This is Thing. Thing meet Harry, this is his house." She said, introducing the two.
Thing leaped from Wednesday's hand, and gripped Harry's in a surprisingly firm handshake before scrabbling up his arm to sit on his shoulder.
"I see you've met Harry!" Gomez observed as he entered the room. "How did babysitting go old man?"
"Margaret writes that he was such a big help while they searched for Dementia's replacement." Morticia commented as she continued to read the letter. "Little What is growing out of control, and they've found someone to be his new nanny."
Laughing, Morticia handed the letter to her husband. "It looks like they went out of their way to find one that Fester wouldn't charm away from them."
Quickly scanning the letter, Gomez snorted in agreement. "I'll say, she sounds hideous. Bouncy golden curls, rosy cheeks, a sunny disposition. How can they stand to have her around?"
Thing leaped from Harry's shoulder, and scurried into the discarded box, producing another piece of paper that hadn't fallen out.
Wednesday took it, and began to read. "They found her through a prison work release program. She allegedly murdered her boyfriend, but they couldn't prove anything beyond a lesser manslaughter charge."
"Fair enough, what do you think of her Thing?" Gomez asked curiously.
Thing jumped into the air, formed a thumbs up, and landed back on his fingertips.
-o-o-
"What do you five think you're doing here?"
The teenagers froze. They hadn't thought about the possibility of the Order having someone watch Grimmauld Place. Remus Lupin stood there with his arms crossed, waiting for an explanation.
"Hi Professor Lupin. We're going to visit Harry. Do you want to come?" Luna said before anyone could think up a better response.
Remus sighed. "I'm not your professor anymore, and it's too dangerous. We don't have enough information."
Luna smiled brightly. "It's alright, Harry sent us invitations. I'm sure he won't mind if you come along."
"He says to come in already, the werewolf too." A flat voice drew their attention toward the house. "I assume that would be you? I've never seen a real werewolf before, what's it like?"
Wednesday stood in the middle of the road, holding a black parasol to keep the sun at bay. Not bothering to wait for an answer from Remus, she turned to go back inside. "There's a pleasant tingle as you pass the threshold. Unless you mean to harm us, then I understand the results could get messy."
"Pleasant tingle?" Ron asked, wary of the creepy looking girl.
Right before entering, Wednesday turned to face them again, and smiled. "Yes, we had Harry make it so that one still affects us, even though we're recognized by the wards." With that, she crossed the threshold, and disappeared into the gloomy house.
Remus was about to try and dissuade the teenagers, but almost as one they swiftly made for the open door. "Dammit, Come back!" Remus growled as he ran to catch them.
With Remus right behind them, they fled into the house. Too late to stop them, Remus skidded to a stop right before the oppressive wards that covered the entrance. He wasn't sure he could control his intent to safely pass. The wolf in him wanted to tear apart whomever had caused Harry to change so radically.
The door closed, blocking him from even seeing what was going on. He paced, trying to decide if he should stay and try to do something, or inform Dumbledore right away.
-o-o-
"Bloody hell that hurt!" Ron swore as he came to a stop inside. "What's she playing at, calling that pleasant?"
The others voiced their own discomfort, with Luna's only response being a small frown.
"I don't know Ron, I kind of like how it feels." Harry said with a smirk.
He stood in front of the portrait of Walburga Black. Surprisingly, she was silent. While she had screamed incessantly, various Adamses had carried on pleasant, if one sided, conversations with her. Finally she had given up, and was now sulking quietly, occasionally muttering epithets.
Harry looked normal for the most part. His wore simple black robes, and the only thing that seemed out of place was his expression. He had an air of confidence that he only ever had while on a broom.
"You look well Harry." Hermione said slowly, ignoring his comment about the pain ward, and trying to come to terms with the fact that they had been hurt. She had been so sure that Harry wouldn't allow any harm to come to them.
"And I feel better than I ever have." Harry added seriously, then gestured off to the side. "You've all met my close friend Wednesday."
They all gave a start as Wednesday seemed to coalesce from the shadows. "If we retire to the kitchen, I believe Grandmama made some snacks." She said completely expressionless, then walked past them not bothering to see if they'd follow.
Harry joined her, and the two disappeared down the hallway to the kitchen. Various degrees of confusion and worry played across the faces of the five friends as they processed what they were experiencing.
Steeling himself, Neville moved forward to follow Harry. "We've come this far. I'm not leaving without answers."
Hermione followed. "I'm sure Harry had a good reason for that ward." She said, more to convince herself than anything.
The Weasleys looked at each other, and hurried after.
Luna slowly followed. A small frown still present, she took in everything around her.
-o-o-
"Asclepius, hold out your arm." Voldemort ordered as he drew his wand.
With an insane smile, and a gleam of hope in his eyes, Asclepius knelt before the Dark Lord with his unmarked left arm bared wrist up.
"You have proven your loyalty to me, and shown that you are worthy to wear my mark." He pressed his wand forcefully into the scarred man's flesh, and muttered an incantation.
Starting from where the wand indented his wrist, the image of an angry red snake slithered across his skin. The snake coiled in on itself, and a skull formed around it. Finally the snake slithered its way out of, in, and around the skull, ending in the dark mark for all to see.
During the process, where many of his followers would at least hiss at the pain his mark would cause, Asclepius only smiled wider. Only Bellatrix was present as a witness to the ceremony, but soon everyone would know that Asclepius had joined the inner circle.
"Good, now hold out your other arm, and I shall give you a new hand." Voldemort said, raising his wand high. "You are more useful to me if you are whole."
Asclepius presented his splinched arm, and watched curiously.
In a casually deliberate fashion, Voldemort slashed his wand downward, and a crescent of red light formed. The cutting curse slid through the extended arm as if it wasn't there, and cut a gouge in the stone floor below. The stump of the Death Eater's arm slid off, and fell to the ground with a crimson spray of blood following it.
Asclepius laughed softly with a wide grin, as he kept his arm both extended, and rock steady.
Impressed with his servant's reaction, or lack thereof, Voldemort made several complex wand movements, and a silver mist formed. The mist gathered around the bleeding stump, and covered it with an amorphous liquid silver that soon shaped itself into his new hand.
"Thank you master." The scarred man said as he flexed his new fingers, and ran his other hand over the seam between flesh and silver.
Bellatrix joined Ascelpius, and the two insane Death Eaters kissed the hem of Voldemort's robe. Then they backed up respectfully, and awaited their orders.
"Bella, prepare a team to assault Azkaban. Our friends have suffered long enough." Voldemort ordered as his wand disappeared into the folds of his robes. "Be certain to let Lucius understand how displeased I am with his failure at the ministry. Let him keep his life and his sanity, but beyond that I don't care."
"With pleasure master." She said, eager to put Malfoy in his place. She quickly left to gather a team to liberate her fellow Death Eaters.
He turned to his newest lieutenant. "I have a special task for you. Young mister Black wrote in his letter that you made the perfect messenger, and I find myself agreeing with him." He handed his scarred follower a tightly bound scroll and a small pouch. "The bag contains a portkey that will activate when you say 'return.' If the boy chooses, both of you will use it to come before me. If he refuses, use it yourself. Do not harm him, or force him to join you. For now we shall try diplomacy, and see where that leads us."
Eager, Asclepius left to deliver his lord's message. As he walked through the halls. He idly wondered if Pott... Black would carve a return message into his back. The smile that formed on his face caused the Death Eaters he passed to cringe and back away from him.
-o-o-
Luna entered the kitchen to find everyone gathered around the table. A hag-like old witch hobbled over to set down a tray filled with biscuits next to a steaming pitcher.
"Here you go, my own special recipe for bat wing cookies." The crone said proudly. "If you need anything just scream, and Lurch will come by." With that, she left the teenagers alone.
"Harry Potter." Luna stamped her foot for emphasis. "We're your friends. Why would you leave up a pain ward like that?"
Harry took a couple biscuits, and poured himself a cup of whatever was in the pitcher before answering. "Mainly because I can't think of a single reason to take it down." He took a bite out of the biscuit, and looked around at everyone as he chewed. "You all seem to have some misconceptions. I thought I was clear in my letters. My name is not Harry Potter, it is Harry Black, and we are not friends, not yet."
Everyone looked upset at Harry's declaration except Luna, she looked downright hurt.
"So what then? All we've been through, all the adventures, they mean nothing?" Demanded Ron, who was starting to flush red with anger.
"Pretty much." Harry agreed. "I'm angry too Ron. Don't blame me, this is entirely Dumbledore's fault."
"What do you mean Harry?" Hermione asked, shaken. "What does Professor Dumbledore have to do with this?"
Both Harry's and Wednesday's eyes darkened as he answered. "When I was very little, he messed with my mind somehow. He also messed with the Dursleys, or at least my uncle. He pretty much created 'Harry Potter' the golden boy."
"Grandmama gave him a potion that got rid of your headmaster's influence." Wednesday explained after draining her cup. "In case you're wondering, we met when I accidentally stopped him from killing himself. Mother offered him dinner as an apology, and he's been staying with us ever since. I suppose now we're staying with him, seeing as this is his house."
Ginny looked up with unshed tears in her eyes. "You mean Dumbledore is the reason your family was so horrible to you?"
Harry nodded. "I know, it was one of the only nice things he's ever done for me; however, since he screwed with my mind, I couldn't even enjoy it."
"That's it then." Neville said with a frown. "Harry Potter never really existed did he?"
"That's right." Harry agreed again. "Do you understand now Luna? … Where'd she go?"
"I thought you were observant. She left before you even mentioned your headmaster." Wednesday said, disappointed. "She could have just slit your throat, and you'd have never seen her coming."
"Jealous?" Harry said with a smile, then he stood up. "I'll see if I can find her. You guys get to know Wednesday. She's my best friend, so if you can't get along with her, then there's not much hope for us being friends."
-o-o-
Luna wandered aimlessly. She felt crushed, and despite her best efforts, tears lined her face. All she wanted from Harry was his friendship. To hear him say they weren't friends with such conviction shattered her fragile heart. The others were her friends, in a sense, but they more tolerated her than accepted her. Harry Potter had offered her his friendship, accepting her, oddities and all. To hear him talk now, their friendship meant nothing, and it hurt. Fresh tears fell to the floor, and she found a secluded room to hide herself in.
Sobbing quietly to herself, Luna felt a cold hand grip her shoulder reassuringly, as if to say everything will be alright. She twisted around and looked up to see who had found her, but no one was there. The grip on her shoulder remained constant, so she looked down to her shoulder to see a severed hand.
Thing released his grip on the crying girl, and stood on her shoulder. Using his thumb, he gently wiped away her tears. He then sat on his palm, and waited for her to tell him what was wrong.
Smiling at the hand's attempt to calm her, Luna asked, "Do you want to be my friend?"
Thing rocked back, and formed the sign for 'okay.' He was a sucker for a pretty girl, and particularly liked blondes.
She wiped away the rest of her tears with the sleeve of her robes, and sniffed softly. "I've never been friends with a hand before, should I shake all of you, or just a finger?"
Luna laughed as Thing crawled down her arm, and shook her hand. If she wasn't watching she would have believed she was shaking hands with a whole person, and not just a hand.
"Thing has a pretty strong grip doesn't he?" Harry asked as he appeared in the doorway.
Showing no sign that she'd been crying, Luna looked at him in her usual dreamy fashion. "Oh no, he's quite gentle. Is Thing your name?" She asked, looking at the hand in question.
In response, Thing leaped into the air, and formed a thumbs up before he landed on his fingertips on the ground.
"I think you left before I finished explaining everything." Harry said calmly. "The Harry Potter you knew never really existed, but if you can accept me as Harry Black, then we can become friends. Considering you've made friends with Thing, I don't see why we can't be friends."
"Really? You do want to be friends?" Luna said, hope filling her eyes.
"Sure, as long as you don't try to get Harry Potter back." He said, motioning for her to follow him back to the others. "Thing, you should come along too. If Wednesday hasn't scared them off yet, you can meet everyone else."
Thing crouched in preparation to leap up onto Luna's shoulder, when she surprised him by picking him up, and setting him on top of her head. Luna followed Harry, while Thing laid flat to avoid falling off.
-o-o-
Asclepius approached the door to Grimmauld Place, and raised his fist to knock. Before he could touch the door it opened, revealing a tall, bored looking man dressed as a muggle.
Lurch moaned, "Yeeeeeeeeees?"
Deciding that Black must have made himself some kind of inferius-like servant, the Death Eater requested an audience. "I have a message for Harry Black from Lord Voldemort."
Lurch moaned as he turned to lead the man into the house. "Faaaalow meeeee."
Shuddering with enjoyment as he passed through the pain ward, Asclepius followed Lurch through the house.
The Addams butler led him to the parlor, where he moaned, "Waaaaaaaait heeeeere." A couple minutes later, Lurch returned with a silver tea service for the waiting Death Eater.
-o-o-
Remus finally made it to the main doors of the Hogwarts Castle. All but running, he hurried to Dumbledore's office. Hoping that the Headmaster was actually in, he made his way past the stone gargoyle, and barged into the office.
"Thank merlin! We need a new headquarters, or at least a better way to contact you." Remus gasped for air even as he talked. "You weren't at the Burrow, and They're out of floo powder."
Dumbledore moved quickly to the werewolf's side. "Calm yourself Remus. Now what is it? Has something happened to Harry?"
Remus shook his head. "No, not Harry, it's the kids. The two youngest Weasleys, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood said that Harry had invited them in. Before I could stop them, they ran into the house. I tried to follow, but Merlin, those wards are frightening. I knew if I tried to follow, I'd be killed."
Thinking that this could cause all manner of problems, Dumbledore hurried to his floo. "How did they all manage to get by you?" He asked as he grabbed some powder, and then threw it into his fire. "The Three Broomsticks" He said clearly, and the flames turned green.
"A young girl distracted me, I believe she is one of the ones living in Grimmauld Place with Harry." Remus explained, both embarrassed for his failure, and worried for the children. He followed Dumbledore as the older wizard disappeared into the flames.
-o-o-
Harry and Luna walked into the kitchen to find Ginny, Hermione, Neville, and Ron practically huddling on the opposite end of the table from Wednesday who was sitting calmly staring at the four friends.
Before Harry could ask what happened, Thing jumped down from Luna's head, and landed in the middle of the table. Ginny, Hermione, and Ron screamed.
Hermione stumbled backward out of her chair, and nearly yelled. "That's it, I can't handle this." She tore out of the kitchen, with the two redheads closely following.
Neville was visibly shaking, but he calmly stood and faced Harry. "I don't know what happened to you, or which Harry is the real one, but this is all too much." Despite his shaking, he held out a steady hand for Harry to shake. "For the friendship we once had, if you ever need my wand, I'll be there. I, I just don't think I can handle all of this right now."
Shaking Neville's hand, Harry smiled. "You're welcome to come back any time if you change your mind. Thank you for understanding that this is who I am now." Harry vaguely gestured around. "These people are my family."
Neville finally managed to stop his shakes, and nodded. Turning to Luna he asked, "Are you coming?"
Luna smiled serenely. "I think I'll stay a while, this place is interesting."
Neville nodded once more, then turned to walk away.
Harry called out before Neville left the room. "I'd be careful of Dumbledore. I wouldn't put it past him to try and memory charm you now that you know the truth about me."
Pausing, Neville replied. "Thanks Harry, take care of yourself okay?" He resumed his exit, and disappeared into the hallway.
"What did you do anyway?" Harry asked Wednesday as he and Luna sat down to enjoy the nearly untouched snacks.
"I just was being friendly." Wednesday said in her usual emotionless way. "At least the one boy had a backbone."
Harry just shrugged, and took a biscuit. "Well I gave them a chance. I'm glad that... Don't tell me, Dumbledore again?" Harry asked as Lurch entered the kitchen and walked up to Harry.
Shaking his head no, the butler moaned unintelligibly.
"The one I cut up? Really?" Harry stood up. "Will you three be alright, I have to go see what he wants."
Thing gave a thumbs up after setting a biscuit in front of Luna.
Luna thanked Thing, then answered Harry. "I'm sure we'll all be friends."
"If you're going to write another message, use my new razor. I still haven't had a chance to see how sharp it is." Wednesday said as he followed Lurch out of the room.
-o-o-
Mister Black,
I would prefer that you not address me by my hated muggle name, but it is an insult I can overlook so long as you do not do so in public. You may call me Voldemort, an honor that few share; I demand that most call me lord, or master.
As you can see, I appreciate your gift. Asclepius has become a better servant thanks to your tender care. He is rather thankful for what you have shown him as well. If I were certain that his results could be replicated, I would ask you to improve more of my men. Alas, I fear his is a special case, though a most welcome one.
Thank you for delivering the prophecy to me. For now I will believe you are being truthful, and as such, I agree to a cease of hostilities.
I once offered you a chance to join me, and I renew that offer now. If the prophecy is as I understand it, then together we would be unstoppable. I could show you power the likes of which most cannot even imagine.
Asclepius has been instructed to bring you to me should you desire, and to leave you unmolested should you decline. I eagerly await our next meeting, as we have much to discuss. I have a particular interest in your scar and similar topics.
So as not to upset the newly acquired peace between us, are there any whom you desire unharmed? Much as I would consider an attack upon my Death Eaters an attack upon myself, whom shall I consider off limits?
Lord Voldemort
-o-o-
Harry looked up from Voldemort's response. The Death Eater Asclepius that he'd nearly tortured to death was patiently waiting with a cup of tea in his hands. Even more out of place than the tea was the look of near adoration on the man's face.
Harry sighed as he rolled the letter back up, and slid it into his robes next to Wednesday's razor. Wednesday would just have to wait a bit longer to find out how sharp it was. It just wouldn't be fun at all if the man enjoyed it... Well, it wouldn't seem right at any rate. His thoughts wandered to running the razor across Wednesday's bare flesh...
Shaking himself out of his daydream, Harry turned to Lurch who was standing attentively against the wall. "What do you think, would anyone want me to put them on a list of people Voldemort promises not to try and kill?"
Lurch gave a short moan as an answer, and followed up with a longer one.
"I didn't think so, but you're right. Until Pubert is a little older, I should at least offer him a bit of protection." Harry agreed, then turned back to the Death Eater. "I'm kind of in the middle of something right now, so I'll have to decline your master's invitation. Give me a second, and I'll write a note for you to bring back to him."
Asclepius looked up, and a small smile started to form until he realized Harry was searching for parchment and a quill in an old desk next to the butler.
After a minute or two, Harry started to hand the note to Asclepius when he frowned. Noticing the Death Eater's silver hand, he took the note back, and added a few more lines.
-o-o-
Dumbledore, Mad-Eye, and Remus apparated in front of Grimmauld place with their wands drawn, just in time to see a Death Eater exit from the house. The Death Eater noticed them, and smiled before portkeying away. Horrified, the three looked to the open door to see Harry standing there with his own grin before he slammed the door shut.
"Bloody buggering hell!" Mad-eye swore. "Albus this is what I was worried about. No more pussyfooting around, we need to get in that damn house."
Remus couldn't help but feel both out of his depth, and even a bit scared as he noticed Dumbledore looked defeated.
Closing his eyes, and adopting a pained expression, Dumbledore agreed with his old friend. "You are right Alastor. We obviously cannot reason with him now. We do not have what we need to force our way in right now, but we must at the very least learn if the children are safe."
"While I was at the Burrow, the twins were the only ones there at the time." Remus said looking around searchingly. "I gave them the invisibility cloak I was using, and told them to come here and just watch. I made sure they understood not to do anything, so they should be around here somewhere."
"You're half right." One of the twins said as he seemed to appear out of thin air. "Fred's gone to follow the three that ran out of there earlier."
"Three?" Remus asked, worried. "There were five that went in!"
George counted off on his fingers. "Ron and Ginny came running out, along with Hermione. Fred chased after them to see if they were okay. Neville Longbottom came out after they'd all left, he just summoned the Knight Bus and left calm as can be. Although he did look like he had a lot to think about."
"What about the fifth?" Demanded Remus. "Luna Lovegood. Did she come out?"
George shook his head. "Sorry, she's still in there."
With a loud -crack- Fred apparated in several yards away. Looking around, he noticed them and jogged over. "Those three are alright, they just got majorly creeped out by some girl in there. At least that's what I think they were going on about."
"I think for the moment, we can assume that Miss Lovegood is well." Dumbledore said, relief apparent in his voice. "Given her unique way of viewing the world, she may not even realize there's something wrong."
"Right then!" Mad-Eye barked. "We can't do anything to help her right now, so the best thing we can do is make a plan to break through those damnable wards. One of you should see how Longbottom is doing, I'll keep an eye on things here." He snatched the invisibility cloak from George. "Give me that. It's mine anyway."
-o-o-
Luna decided to stay the night. After asking Hedwig nicely to take a note to her father so that he wouldn't worry, she joined the family for dinner.
"Thing seems quite taken with you dear." Morticia commented.
Luna smiled brightly. "He's so sweet. He's trying to make sure that I feel comfortable meeting all of you." The hand in question was perched on her shoulder, tapping out messages. "I'm not sure how he knew that I would understand Peruvian Rumplefeather tap language, but he's really quite good at it."
Nobody at the table batted an eye at her odd statement, but Morticia did offer the explanation. "He's tapping out Morse code dear, it's a way to communicate an American figured out over a century ago. A muggle I believe you'd call him."
"How clever of him, that does explain the accent." Luna said between bites. "I wonder if he was a squib instead of a muggle, I don't think muggles can see Rumplefeathers."
Morticia continued her conversation with Luna, with Pugsley joining in on occasion, showing interest in whatever unknown creature Luna mentioned. Meanwhile, Harry was holding his own conversation with Gomez.
"It looks like I've almost made friends with Voldemort now. I hope you don't mind, but I asked him not to try and kill Pubert. I said torture was okay, but he's a little young to be fending off outright murder attempts." Harry explained as he watched the toddler fending off Dementia and Fester's attempts to get him to eat.
Uncle Fester was trying to distract Pubert by putting a light bulb in his mouth, and making it light up by pressing his tongue to the contact. Dementia was trying to put food right in Pubert's mouth, but the three-year-old was fending her off with her own steak knife.
"You'd be surprised. Wednesday and Pugsley have been trying to kill him since we brought him home. The little monster is resourceful, and a lot more dangerous than he looks." Gomez fondly remembered the events of only a few years ago.
"That's right, Fester mentioned that Pubert killed his ex-wife." Harry said with a chuckle. 'Trust Lurch to be overprotective of his family with his suggestions.' He thought with amusement.
After dinner, Lurch showed Luna to one of the guest bedrooms, and moaned, "Goooood niiiiiight" as he shuffled off to his own four foot long bed.
"What nice people, they're so friendly." Luna said to the empty room as she drifted off to sleep.
-o-o-
Harry and Wednesday wandered off after dinner, and made their way to the armory. This time they brought a pair of candelabras with them, so they closed the door after entering.
"I didn't really expect any of them to accept the real me. Luna taking everything in stride is a pleasant surprise." Harry said, as he set his candle holder down by the door. "What did you do anyway, to scare them so much?"
Wednesday set her own candelabra down on a high shelf before sitting on a bench against the wall. "I told you, I was just being friendly." She smiled a wide toothy grin that by itself probably would have sent Harry's old friends running. "I also told them the story you told me about your first murder. They didn't seem to believe you were capable."
Harry thought back to one of the memories that Grandmama's potion has unlocked. Quirrell writhing as he burned where Harry's hands dug into his flesh. His laughter drowned out by the the screams of both his professor, and the shade of Voldemort. He hadn't blacked out from the pain like he originally thought, instead he'd been stunned by Dumbledore, and subjected to yet another memory charm. In hindsight, the false memory was probably why killing Quirrell hadn't allowed him to see the thestrals until after Cedric's death.
"They knew about that, well at least Ron and Hermione did. I guess you went into detail, and mentioned how much I enjoyed feeling his life slip through my fingers?" Harry surmised as he sat next to her.
Wednesday casually reached up, and ran a finger across the edge of an axe, disappointed at how dull it was. "Of course. The Brunette was particularly insistent that I was making it up. I think by the time you came back, she was nearly hysterical." She looked at him blankly. "You did say you wanted them to know the real you. If they can't handle a little thing like homicide, what hope is there?"
Laughing, Harry picked up a poniard, and played with how it felt in his hand. "I was planning on easing them into it, but I guess your way works just fine."
"What did it feel like?" She asked with interest showing on her normally passive face. "Killing him with your own two hands I mean."
Harry looked at her in shock, nearly dropping the poniard. "You mean you haven't killed anyone? I figured, well... you know."
"Oh I've taken life, just not so directly." She explained. "My first boyfriend was also my first murder."
She leaned back as she remembered a few years ago. "I started planning his death almost as soon as he took an interest in me. He was such a fragile boy, allergic to everything. He told me that if his mother ever used fabric softener, then he would die."
"Well that's cheating isn't it? It sounds like it was only a matter of time before he killed himself accidentally anyway." Harry pointed out.
"You're one to talk, mister my-touch-burned-him-to-death." She rebuked "Anyway, yes it did seem like cheating, which is why I didn't use one of his allergies. Instead I scared him to death."
She smirked as she remembered that night. "I set up a series of events, one right after the other. I made him scream so much that his weak little heart gave out, and he literally died of fright, just like a rabbit."
Harry thought about that as he tested the point of the weapon in his hand with his fingertip. He was rewarded with a bead of crimson welling up. "So, are you planning my death then?" He asked idly, as he held up his bleeding finger to the light, and remembered the last time the two of them were in this room. With a slight blush he added, "When am I going to see what you taste like anyway?" His eyes widened and his blush deepened as he realized what he just said.
"Is that your way of asking to be my boyfriend?" She asked, amused at the look on his face. Thinking back on the other day, she wondered just how far they would have gone if Lurch hadn't interrupted them.
She leaned forward as he blushed furiously, inwardly she smiled as she heard the poniard drop to the bench. "As for what I taste like, you aren't near good enough to cut me and find out." Inches away from him, she took his finger with her hand, and licked it clean.
He acted on instincts he didn't know he had, and also managed to not lose himself in embarrassment. Feeling the pounding of his own heart, he brought his mouth next to her ear, and whispered softly. "I disagree, but at least you know just how sharp your razor is now."
Feeling his hand brush across her side, she drew back. Her eyes widened in understanding and surprise as he held up his other hand. Her razor was held loosely with his thumb and forefinger, while his ring finger and pinkie were coated with blood. Her hand shot down to feel the now painful cut along her ribs. She opened her mouth to say something, but was completely speechless.
Despite his clear dominance in the situation, he was extremely nervous, and wasn't sure it was actually possible to blush as hotly as he felt he was. Gathering his courage, he flipped the razor closed, and set it down. "I think that is how I'm asking you to be my girlfriend." He said with a smile as he licked her blood off of his fingers.
Feeling her pulse in the shallow wound he'd given her, she felt so vulnerable. For the first time in her life, she felt scared. It excited her, and she wondered if this was what mother was talking about when she described how she felt about father.
"Yes." She breathed as she moistened her lips in anticipation.
Her blood tasted like pure magic. He felt a rush of energy shoot through him, and almost missed her agreeing to be his girlfriend. Emboldened, he felt the nervousness melt away, only to be replaced by a mad desire.
He grasped each of her wrists, and pinned her to the wall roughly. Forcefully kissing her lips, he pressed himself against her. He trailed kisses down her exposed neck, which caused her to gasp. He could feel her heart racing, and it drove him onward.
Wednesday felt helpless, even though in the back of her mind she knew she was stronger than him. The feeling of helplessness in the presence of his wild passion made her shiver in anticipation. Suddenly, the pressure forcing her into the wall lessened, and she was swung around. The two of them collapsed to the floor in a half-controlled descent. She looked into his eyes which were glazed over, and felt her arousal deepen.
Harry's mind was half in a fog. At this moment, there was only Wednesday and himself. Nothing else existed, nothing else mattered. There was something between them though, so he tore at it to remove it. He realized something was covering him, so he removed that as well. Nothing to stop him, he focused his attention wholly on her beautiful form splayed out beneath him.
Wednesday gasped as his hands tore open her dress, exposing her skin to the air. Her nipples hardened, and her breasts heaved with each breath. She ached with need as she watched him tear his own robes off. Within moments, he returned to her, and she felt his hot lips trail across her body. She all but screamed with pleasure when he reached her wound, and she felt his tongue run along it forcefully.
The way she writhed and moaned spurred him onward, and soon the final barrier was broken. Her screams and the intoxicating taste of her blood, drove him further.
Pain and pleasure intertwined, and she lost herself completely as he forced himself upon her. Too soon, he collapsed in exhaustion, and she quickly joined him in unconsciousness.
-o-o-
Morticia rolled over to look at Gomez in their bed as faint screams could be heard echoing through the house. "I wonder how long it will take him to realize she's not going to let him get away."
"If he's anything like an Addams, then he knew the moment he met her." Gomez said with a smile. "Of course, considering his whole memory thing, who can say?"
"It sounds like he's killing her." Morticia said with a smile of her own. "I'm so glad my baby girl has found such a nice young man."
-o-o-
Author's note: Things are heating up, and I'm not referring to Harry and Wednesday. There will soon be a clash between Addams, and Order.
To Lego Land reviewing chapter 4: You make a good point; however, he can't kill everyone, and Voldemort would be more trouble than most. He'll still do it, but only if he feels he has to.