To all my amazing reviewers, I apologize for being so late to update by about…a year or so? Because I wanted to get this out quickly, I am not posting responses to reviews this chapter. But next chapter I will respond to all responses posted to this chapter and the next, I swear. So hear it is! Enjoy!

Harry gave a tight smile, distrust and disbelief in his eyes. "I'm still not so sure I believe you, you know."

Voldemort sighed in response.

"Yes, I know." He pulled his wand out and Harry jumped to his feet, INATINCTS expecting a battle. Voldemort blinked for a moment in surprise. "Oh…you think I'd?" His expression turned pained, "Of course you do…" He sighed again and pulled a tiny metal bowl out of the pocket of his robes. He tapped it with his wand, "Finite." The bowl enlarged into a larger silver bowl with runes carved into a thick rim.

"A pensieve." Harry said, a bit confused but clearly curious.

"Correct. This is my private pensive, one of two I own. It took me all night to decide what memories to show you. There were so many to choose from you see." Voldemort smiled slightly, "I thought I'd start with how I met Elizabeth."

Harry leaned down to look into the pensieve as Voldemort reached out his wand and touched the surface of the pensieve. Harry closed his eyes as his face hit the surface and he experienced the strange sensation of falling for a moment before his feet hit solid ground once more.

Memory

Harry opened his eyes and found himself inside a shop. Voldemort stood next to him, a fond smile on his lips.

"Where are we?" Harry questioned.

"Borgin and Burkes." Voldemort explained, "My first real job and the place I first met the love of my life." He pointed to a corner of the room, "Ah, there I am."

The young Tom Riddle was sitting in the corner, a book in one hand a mug of coffee in the other. He looked like he'd just gotten out of Hogwarts at the most. He seemed so engrossed in his book he didn't seem to notice when the door to the shop opened. A woman with long dark brown hair entered the shop, clutching a package to her chest. She looked around nervously before spotting Tom. Harry deduced from the picture and Voldemorts sharp intake of breath that it was Elizabeth. She stood right in front of Tom, who never looked up once.

"Excuse me." Elizabeth finally said.

Tom jumped, his mug crashing to the floor. Elizabeth squeaked. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to startle you!"

Tom brushed imaginary dirt off his robes and regarded her with a calm expression.

"Its fine." It was clear from the tone of his voice that he was barely restraining his anger.

Elizabeth pulled out her wand, not seeming to notice how Tom flinched suspiciously as she did. She flicked her wand at the broken mug.

"Reparo. Evanesco." The coffee mug was instantly repaired and the coffee cleaned from the floor. Elizabeth smiled and handed the mug back to Tom. "Here you go. Good as new. Sorry about your coffee though."

Tom gave a pained smile.

"Its fine. Now, how can I help you today?" He narrowed his eyes as Elizabeth's expression became nervous once more.

"Is Mr. Borgin here?" She clutched the package ever tighter.

Tom shook his head.

"I'm afraid not. He's on a…business trip and won't be back for a few hours." Elizabeth's sigh of relief caused him to raise an eyebrow. "Why, may I ask, are you so clearly afraid of him?"

Elizabeth's cheeks turned pink.

"Well…you see…." She sighed and seemed to be trying to will her blush away, "When I was little, my father took me here and I was so terrified that I broke all the windows and the glass cases with accidental magic." She winced, "He's hated me ever since."

Tom burst into laughter, surprising Harry and causing Elizabeth to turn an even deeper shade of red.

"I think I heard about that!" Tom chuckled, "You're quite infamous here." Elizabeth's blush could have shamed a tomato. "But, like I said, he's not here at the moment. If you have something for him you will have to wait."

Elizabeth nodded and her eyes landed on the book in Toms hand.

"Oh! 'Candrens Theory of Accidental Magic Versus Wandless Magic'! I loved that book." Her eyes seemed to light up. She smiled as her embarrassed blush was replaced with a light enthusiastic flush.

"I'm quite enjoying it myself." Tom admitted. Elizabeth opened her mouth to say something and shut her mouth once again. Tom narrowed his eyes. "What?"

"I…I was just wondering if you'd like to get some coffee with me. We could discuss the book while I wait for Mr. Borgin to get back. Consider it my apology for causing you still spill your coffee earlier if nothing else."

Tom gave her a look of disbelief.

"I didn't believe she meant it." Voldemort commented, "I think I fell in love with her right then, though I didn't know it at the time."

"Why would you take me out for coffee? You don't even know me." Tom was clearly expecting some sort of trick.

Elizabeth smiled.

"So? What does that have to do with coffee?" She giggled, "If anything, I'd like to get to know you better."

Tom shook his head and looked like he was going to refuse. He sighed dramatically.

"Alright. I'll go."

"From that point on she'd come by once a week to go out for coffee." Voldemorts tone was slightly wistful as he recalled those times, "We'd talk about literature and the arts and magic. Then she told me something that I think you'll find amusing."

The scene around the two of them vanished into smoke as they moved onto the next memory. Elizabeth and Tom were seated in the back of a small café Harry didn't recognize.

"I found his theories on space travel to be quite fascinating." Elizabeth was all but gushing over the book in her hand.

Tom shook his head.

"You must have been a Ravenclaw." He teased, "Nobody but a Ravenclaw could love books quite as much as you do."

Elizabeth laughed.

"Nobody but a Slytherin could say such a thing like that." Elizabeth smirked slightly, "But you're wrong. I was in Gryffindor. A year behind you I believe." She laughed again at Tom's look of shock. "You're face!" She gasped through her laughter, "I should have told you sooner!" She wiped tears from her eyes. "I'm going to go home and put this memory in a pensieve."

Tom's face was suddenly a light pink. Harry looked at Voldemort in disbelief.

"You're telling me you fell in love with a Gryffindor?"

Voldemort nodded.

"Indeed. Nobody but a Gryffindor could possibly be brave enough to spend time with the 'Slytherin Prince' as I was seen back in my school days." His expression darkened, "Dumbledore may not have known it, but I ruled Slytherin house in my school days. She also had the bravery to stand up to me when she felt I was doing something wrong. But, no matter what, she never seemed scared of me. Not even when I had begun to delve quite deep into the darkest magics known to man. She was always right there beside me. A light in my own personal darkness." He closed his eyes, "But enough of that."

They memory faded once again as they moved onto the next one. Tom an Elizabeth were sitting at the café but a hooded cloak was covering her face. Tom looked genuinely concerned.

"Elizabeth…why are you hiding your face from me?" Elizabeth sniffled. It was clear she was crying

"I...I never wanted you to have to see me like this." She whispered.

"Like what? Elizabeth…you're beginning to really worry me." He reached a hand up to pull back her hood and Elizabeth flinched back. Tom's eyes darkened. It was clear he thought she didn't like him touching her.

"Oh Tom…" She touched the back of his hand gently. "I…I'll do it myself."

She pulled back to the hood and Tom gasped. Her lip was split and she had two black eyes. A small gash was bleeding just above her left eye. Tom reach a hand up once more and pulled her hair away from her face. Her jaw was swollen. Tom's eyes narrowed and he shook in barely contained rage.

"Who did this to you?" He hissed.

Elizabeth hung her head.

"He…he didn't mean to. He was drunk…he didn't know what he was doing." She protested.

"Who did this?" Tom all but roared.

"My father…" Elizabeth whispered.

Tom paused from only a moment.

"Why?"

"He never liked the fact that I was a half-blood. But I'm his only heir. And I think he blames me because my mother left…" Tears spilled from her eyes. Tom grabbed her hand in his.

"It'll be ok." He pulled out a small silver pocket watch. "We can go back to my place. I have some potions that should heal you." He stood up and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Return." He hissed, activating the portkey as the memory ended.

"Healing her was the only thing that prevented me from hunting that bastard down and killing him." Voldemort growled, "Just…just like I did with my own father."

Harry didn't have a response for that. And suddenly they were standing in a very familiar circular room. The only difference was the walls were painted black. Elizabeth and Tom were seated in the same chairs Harry and Voldemort had been sitting in earlier.

"Tom…I appreciate your concern about this but I don't have much of a choice." Elizabeth was protesting.

Tom scowled back at her.

"Of course you have a choice! You shouldn't have to go back to a man that beats you! I'll go with you to get your stuff but you shouldn't continue to live in that home anymore." Elizabeth sighed tiredly.

"I know I shouldn't have to…but I do. He has control of all the money and I don't have any relatives to live with. I have to go back to him…I don't have anywhere else to go."

"Youcouldcomelivewithme." Tom muttered.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow.

"What did you say?" She questioned.

Tom turned a bright pink, standing out quite well on his pale skin.

"I said…you could come live with me." He repeated.

Elizabeth's eyes widened in shock.

"You…do you really mean that?" Elizabeth whispered.

Tom nodded.

"Yes…I really do."

"Why would you do that for me?"

"Because…" Tom grasped her hands between his own. "Because, I love you Elizabeth."

Elizabeth gasped in response, tears growing in her eyes.

"Really?"

"Really. I love you Elizabeth." He smiled, "I'm sorry its taken me so long to say that."

Elizabeth laughed.

"Its ok. I forgive you." She paused and smiled widely, "I love you too."

Tom released her hands to cup her face, smiling back at her. They leaned in close but they memory began to fade before their lips ever connected. Harry glanced at Voldemort and raised an eyebrow. The feared dark lord was bright pink. Harry gave an amused smirk. Voldemort scowled slightly.

"I'm afraid the rest of that memory is not for virgin eyes." He smirked as Harry became the one who was blushing. "This next memory is actually one of Elizabeth's."

Elizabeth had a paintbrush clutched in her hand as two other paintbrushes floated on either side of her. She grinned and patted her very pregnant belly as she painted the black walls of the round room red.

"You're going to love this room. I'm going to have Tom install a fire place. And we've already got pictures up on the wall." She said, looking down at her stomach. "My little Gryffindor." She cooed. Tom entered the room and gasped in horror. Harry noticed his once near black eyes were now a fiery red.

"What…what did you do to the room?"

"What?" Elizabeth turned to look at him, blinking innocently, "Black is so boring. I had to much paint left over when I painted the nursery." She smiled, "Besides. I like it. It reminds me of your eyes. I'm thinking of doing your throne room in the same color." Tom's eyes grew wide.

"You wouldn't!" Elizabeth laughed loudly. She set down her paintbrushes and waddled over to him. She placed a chaste kiss on his lips.

"You, my Lord Voldemort, take your Slytherin heritage far too seriously." She teased. Tom pouted.

"So you're not going to paint the throne room red?" He needed the reassurance apparently.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

"No, I'm not going to paint the throne room this lovely shade of Gryffindor red." Tom sighed in relief. "But I did paint your private meeting room red."

Tom looked like a fish for a moment.

"Elizabeth!"

"What? It matches your eyes now." She smiled and Tom hung his head.

"Fine…you win I guess. But you're not painting the bedroom red."

Elizabeth pouted but he refused to relent.

"Fine." Elizabeth conceded before they both started laughing.

Their laughter was interrupted at Severus Snape entered the room.

"You summoned me my lord?"

Tom smiled faintly at him.

"Yes. I did. Where is Narcissa?"

The blonde female in question entered the room behind Severus. Her husband Lucius was at her side. Lucius bowed in greeting and Nacissa a respectful nod. She looked like if she'd bowed she would have fallen over. She was slightly less pregnant then Elizabeth.

"I'm here my lord."

"I merely wanted you two to run another check up on Elizabeth." Tom explained.

"Gladly my lord." Snape said, giving a belated bow of respect.

"So, my lady, do you know what sex the child is yet?" Narcissa asked.

Elizabeth frowned.

"Narcissa, please don't act so formal. In private you know you can use my name." She sighed, "And no. Tom wouldn't let me cast the spell to find out. I don't think he wants to know." Both women turned to give the wizard an accusing glare.

"Fine! I give up!" Tom gave an exasperated sigh.

Elizabeth grinned.

"Narcissa, do you know the spell?" Narcissa nodded.

"Of course. Edisserto Sexus." A faint blue glow encased Elizabeth who looked at Narcissa questioningly. "It's a boy!"

Elizabeth smiled and wrapped both arms around her stomach.

"A boy. My little Gryffindor's a boy." She didn't seem to notice Tom's scowl.

Snape patted his shoulder consolingly while Lucius gave him a sympathetic look.

"It seems your wife has plans to turn Slytherins next heir into a Gryffindor." Snape teased.

Very few could have teased one of the darkest wizards in history and live to tell the tale. He seemed unaffected when Tom glared at him. But then the full severity of the situation seemed to hit him and Tom swayed on his feet as if he might collapse at any time.

"A boy…" He mumbled, dazed. "I'm going to have a son…" He barely noticed as Snape left.

"I'm having a little boy as well." Narcissa commented as Lucius smiled and gave her hand an affectionate squeeze.

"That's wonderful! Congratulations!" Elizabeth exclaimed, "I'm sure our sons will be great friends."

Snape reentered the room carrying a small vial.

"Here my lord. This should help calm you. This particular calming draught is quite strong so perhaps it would be best if you lie down before you take it."

"Tom? Are you ok?" Elizabeth placed a hand on her husbands shoulder, "Aren't you happy?"

Tom smiled weakly back.

"Yes. Of course I am. I'm just still trying to…process what this all means." He took the vial from Snape. "Thank you Severus. You're all free to go."

"You are most welcome my lord." Snape replied.

He bowed low and walked out the door. Lucius and Narcissa followed quickly after him. Elizabeth guided him to a chair as he downed the potion. He seemed instantly more relaxed.

"Are you happy Tom?" Elizabeth questioned, sitting down in the chair with him and snuggling into his side.

Tom chuckled.

"I'm very happy, if a little nervous." He replied, stroking her hair gently. Elizabeth frowned.

"You love our son…even if he's a Gryffindor?" Her husband sighed.

"Yes, even if he turns out to be a Gryffindor." He kissed the top of her head, "How could I not love my own son?" Elizabeth relaxed again.

"I don't know. I just…worry. I feel like something terrible is going to happen…" Tom wrapped an arm around her, pulling her tightly against him.

"Nothing bad is going to happen. I promise." Once again, the memory faded.

Voldemort took a deep breath, trying to restrain the feelings that particular memory managed to stir in him.

"But I couldn't keep that promise." He whispered, "Even though I tried so hard to keep her safe, in the end…it just wasn't enough."

The next memory sharpened into focus. People were rushing around and shouting. Elizabeth and Tom were standing in the round room as Elizabeth looked at Tom with eyes full of fear and concern.

"It will be fine Elizabeth. The Order of the Phoenix are fools to try and come fight me here, in the home of my ancestors. They will be gone soon, I promise. Stay here until I come for you. The wards will keep you safe and alert me if anything happens." Tom stroked her hair.

Elizabeth sniffled and nodded and Tom charged out the door, wand drawn and red eyes full of rage. Harry and Voldemort followed after him quickly, careful to keep up. Tom made his way to some sort of entrance hall and located Lucius among the mass of Death Eaters swarming about. Beside him was a feral looking man with yellow eyes and sharp teeth.

"Lucius, Fenrir, report." Tom snapped.

Both men bowed low before Lucius straightened to speak.

"Dumbledore himself was fighting at the front for some time but he fell back and we've lost sight of him now."

Fenrir straightened from his bow as well.

"I have my pack engaging the Order and the vampires are fighting the few aurors they brought with them. The battle is going in our favor. We haven't had any fatale casualties yet."

"Good." Tom purred, "Then I think its time I went to join the battle."

He waved his wand and a massive set of wood door appeared on the previously blank wall before him. He smirked as the doors swung open and he and the rest of the Death Eaters poured out of there and into the battle. Harry had to watch in silent horror as he watched the Order members being beaten back by the Death Eaters. His heart clenched slightly as he noticed James and Sirius fighting beside each other. Suddenly, a wailing scream rang out, hearable even above the battle louder then the battle.

"The wards…" Tom gasped."

"Elizabeth." Both Voldemort and his past self whispered.

"LUCIUS! SEVERUS! FENRIR! With me!" Tom shouted as he rushed back into the castle.

The three followed immediately afterwards. They rushed through so many doors and corridors that Harry was to busy running to keep up with the memory to try and figure out where he was in the castle. Finally they came to a screeching halt before a dark wood door inlaid with the gold with was shaped to form a snarling lion in mid-leap. Tom waved his wand and, like the snake, the lions head moved as it examined Tom before roaring loudly and the door swung open. All four of them had their wands at the ready as Tom entered first. Harry passed through the door to examine the room. The walls were painted red, with silver paint for the trim. There was couch in one corner, also in red. There were large holes burnt into the couch and the walls, scattered remains of what looked like pillows lay on the floor. There was also a shatter dresser and some shelves that were half on the floor and half still on the wall. Most notable, however, was the broken crib lying opposite the couch. A green blanket with golden colored lining was tangled inside of it, a small lump hidden beneath it. Tom knelt down next to the crib and reached out a shaky hand to pull off the blanket to reveal…a teddy bear.

"Luther…" He only hesitated a moment before holding his wand flatly in his palm. "Point me Elizabeth." His wand spun and spun and spun. It only stopped spinning when he canceled the spell. "Point me Luther." This only received the same result. He stood up sharply."Severus…what does this mean?" There was genuine fear in his voice.

"My…my lord I…" Snape faltered and then looked away, "I am sorry but-"

"NO!" Tom shrieked, "IMPOSSIBLE! NO NO NO!"

"My lord…" Snape continued calmly, "The results would suggest that they are both…gone from this world."

"ITS IMPOSSIBLE! I SET THE WARDS MYSELF! NO! CRUCIO!" Snape's screams seemed to snap him back to reality and he released the spell as he collapsed to his knees, "THEY AREN'T….THEY CAN'T….they can't be…no…please no…" He began sobbing and Harry felt his heart twinge ever so slightly at the sight. "How could this have happened? I set the wards myself…" Suddenly, all signs of sorrow were replaced with pure rage, "Dumbledore…" He hissed, "This was HIS doing. I'll make him pay for this!" He stood up and swept from the room, his Death Eaters close behind him.

Harry realized that the look in his eyes was the one he had almost grown used to when facing Voldemort. What followed were just snippets of memory. Voldemort sat at a desk, listening to reports.

"I am sorry my lord, but we have found no trace of her or your son." Fenrir was saying.

In another memory he was sitting in the round room, holding a picture of Elizabeth who was cradling a newborn baby in her arms and smiling widely. Tears dripped freely from his eyes. And then he was in another red room, obviously the meeting room Elizabeth had painted. A wave of his wand and the walls turned from red to green. In yet another memory, Voldemort was walking quickly through a dark wooded area. Transformed werewolves ran around him, sniffing and yipping while Death Eaters mounted on brooms flew across the sky. Harry could see barely restrained tears in his eyes. This was apparently the last of the memories because Harry finally found himself back in the room with Voldemort sitting across from him.

"After I found out you were still alive…you have no idea how happy it made me." Voldemort whispered, a weak smile on his face, "It gives me hope that…maybe she is still out there somewhere." Harry just stared at him. There weren't words for how…confused and conflicted he felt. Voldemort had feelings? The very idea seemed impossible.

"I need some time to think."

"Of course you do. Think all you want. But…do you even believe me?" There was such undeniable hope in his voice that Harry felt almost guilty.

"I…yeah I think I do." Harry put his head in hands. "How did this happen to us? I mean, we hate each other. Maybe its easier for you to forget it all simply because I look different but its not so easy for me to forget all the pain and suffering you put me through." He looked up, "Just because I believe doesn't me I trust you…or even like you. I just…don't want to kill you as badly as I did. Not until I figure this all out at least" Voldemort smiled in response.

"See? That's progress." His smile faded, "I don't expect you to trust me yet, but I swear I will do anything in my power to gain that trust."

"Anything?" Harry parroted in blunt disbelief.

"Anything within my power."

"What about stopping this bloody war?" Harry growled.

Voldemort sighed.

"That is not within my power. This war would go on with or without me now. But at least with me in command of it the bloodshed is reduced to a minimum. I never wanted all this killing. After I thought you and your mother were….well the war hasn't been as organized as it was before. But since I found out you were still alive, its given me a renewed focus. Its practically thanks to you that I will soon have control of France." Obviously Harry's apprehension showed on his face because Voldemort quickly changed the topic. "Anything else you would like for me to do instead?"

"How about letting me go?" Harry asked, scowling.

"Ah, I am afraid you have found the one thing I could do but am not willing to do."

"Of course." Harry grumbled.

"Goodness, well I've taken up enough time talking. I am sure you are starving and there are people who can't wait to see you and wish you happy birthday."

Harry cringed and looked like he was about to protest when his stomach rumbled.

"Well…I am hungry."

"Excellent! My house elves are the most wonderful cooks. I got a few of them from a French pureblood. They spend years studying about cooking before they can actually fulfill their duties as a house elf."

Harry nodded, only half interested as they both walked out into the marble room with the doors and Harry noticed with no small amount of surprise that the door was already open. From the shadows, a long dark shape flung itself at him. It was Thanados. The serpent wrapped itself around his neck.

"You left me! I didn't know how to get to you!" If a snake could glare, that would be exactly what he was doing. He grumbled, loosening himself enough to hang around Harry shoulders.

"I am sorry Thanados." Harry made sure to sound very contrite. "I didn't know the door would close like it did. Apparently we were going to go eat. I'll get you a nice mouse. Would that make it better?"

"Perhaps maybe a little bit . . ."

Harry laughed.

"Good. Let's go then."

OK! Done! Did you like it? Then review! This time, I am getting greedy. Eight reviews or Elizabeth dies!