Did You Know? Chapter 6: The First Night, a harry potter fanfic

A/N: Here it is, folks, the eagerly-awaited (if the PMs I've been getting are accurate) 'First Dinner' and 'First Night' of this story. I'm not going to mark lemons and limes in text; the fact that this is rated "M" should be enough. Many of you have expressed equal parts delight with the Sirius/Gabriel pairing and sorrow at the supposedly missed opportunity of a triad. Well, this fic isn't known for surprises for nothing, you know! I can't help but wonder what ya'll will think by the end of this chapter. Mwaa-haha-hahah-hahaa!

oooooooooooooooooooo

CHAPTER 6

At Session End, Day One

Lord Charles Ogden watched as two of his oldest friends and most profitable business partners, Lords Lucius Malfoy and Gabriel Zabini, guided the men of the hour over to meet him rather than attempt to beat the crowds out of the slowly-emptying Hall of Government. It was a wise move. There was a bottleneck of Lords slowly filing through the Lord's Approach and its visibly shimmering series of wards and scans, activated at Ogden's own suggestion due to the clear evidence that Albus Percy had been playing fast and loose with mind magic. Ogden watched with interest, joined by the four handsome lords, as Augustus Arndstrom was escorted into a side hallway as soon as he passed through the shimmering scans. Catching the eye of the attending Bailiff, he raised his eyebrows in inquiry as he glanced significantly after the distressed Arndstrom. The Bailiff gestured to the roll of parchment and dictaquill that automatically recorded the name of the person leaving through the doorway and listed the results of the scan. So far, several of those departing had been redirected down the side hallway, which lead directly to the small healers' clinic that served the needs of the employees of the Hall of Government. Ogden nodded somewhat impatiently at the Bailiff, as it was already clearly evident that Arndstrom's scan showed tampering. The Bailiff was unaffected, having spent long years in the presence of the powerful men and women who kept their government running. Catching Ogden's attention, the uniformed man then glanced after Arndstrom, looked back to Ogden, glanced at the parchment and held up his hands to show the relative length of the information given on the weak-willed lord. Ogden's bristled eyebrows shot to his hairline in surprise as the Bailiff indicated the printout had been several inches long.

"Well, that certainly explains a lot about how Brigadier General Arndstrom's heir is apparently such a milquetoast failure as a Lord. A printout of that length has to list at least ten, perhaps fifteen separate spells. Even if they are simple obliviations, there is little chance of anyone not being dramatically damaged by such a high number of mental invasions." Ogden turned in surprise at the unfamiliar voice, and realized that the speaker was Lord Sirius Black, who now stood a meter or so away. Meeting the somber gray eyes of the dapper lord, Ogden took a moment to study the man. Apart from the fashionable clothing and lithe build, he took special note of the infamous escapee's clear eyes and skin, lustrous black hair that flowed in soft curls to the small of the man's back, and overall look of good health. Liking how the man met his own eagle's-stare fearlessly, Ogden offered a slow smile and extended his hand in welcome. As the slim, devilishly attractive man accepted his hand and shook it firmly, Ogden said with genuine warmth, "Lord Black, I am honored to meet you, and am genuinely happy to see your apparent good health. If there is anything I can do to assist you, please let me know."

Releasing the older man's strong grip, Sirius nodded and smiled dashingly. "I appreciate that, Ogden, almost as much as I appreciate that you haven't offered any ridiculous apologies." He felt Gabriel's hand, which was placed proprietorially on his lower back, tense in disapproval. Sirius ignored the Zabini lord entirely, refusing to allow anyone to direct his words or behavior ever again. He was done being anyone's bitch, thank you very much, and if Gabriel Zabini felt he had any right to direct or control Sirius, he was going to be very much disillusioned.

Ogden raised his eyebrows as he met the challenge in the gray gaze. "Lord Black, if I felt I was in any way accountable for the crimes against you, I assure you I would do more than simply apologize. I still intend to do everything I possibly can to help rectify this horror that was committed against you, regardless of accountability. As it is, you know very well that the 'Supreme Mugwump'," he spit the title with extreme scorn, "made damn sure that everyone believed that you had openly confessed and waived trial in favor of a quick, direct judgment. Fudge is going to have a conniption! If Bagshot were still alive, I'm sure she would be under investigation right now for authorizing your imprisonment without proof of conviction – I wonder if she was in on it with the old goat, or if he fooled her, too." He looked at the four in confusion at their reaction to his words, considering he wasn't actually talking about anything amusing. Gabriel had visibly shuddered even as a malicious grin crossed his handsome face. Sirius Black offered a barking laugh with sparkling gray eyes turning in amusement to his godson, Harrison Potter. That young man, in turn, was grinning broadly as he turned bright green eyes to look up at Lucius Malfoy, who stood proudly with his distinctive cane in one hand while the other rested on the younger man's broad shoulder. Malfoy snorted softly at the glee on Harrison's face, an amused twinkle in the metallic eye that put Albus Percy's renowned (somewhat psychotic) twinkle to shame, and replied to Ogden's unspoken puzzlement by tapping his cane lightly on Lord Potter's chest, right where most gentlemen kept their billfolds. As Harrison grinned and extracted his billfold and removed what appeared to be a shrunken newspaper, Malfoy raised silver eyes to Ogden and drawled in that distinctive, Malfoy-way, "Tell me, my friend, what is it worth to you to learn why the three of us were laughing so hard earlier, just after we placed our bets on Albus's – 'acquisitions' – hmm?"

Charles took a moment to analyze the four men, trying to judge just how valuable the information they seemed to have truly was. He had witnessed Zabini, Malfoy and Potter leaning over the opened newspaper earlier and had been exceedingly curious as to the source of the somewhat horrified hilarity that Lucius and Gabriel had displayed – a public display utterly unlike the normally self-controlled Malfoy and well-mannered Zabini. He glanced at Sirius Black and noted that the man seemed to be quite eager to watch Ogden's reaction to whatever they had to reveal. He quirked a grin at the dapper man and asked, "Were you under a silencing spell while hiding next to Potter? I can't imagine you weren't guffawing with the rest of these jokers while they were discussing this – whatever 'this' is - earlier."

Sirius laughed outright, a happy, lighthearted sound that had an attentive Gabriel pressing closer and running his hand approvingly across Sirius' back. "Yes, of course. If not, I'd have been exposed a hundred times over." He swallowed hard when Gabriel leaned down and lowly murmured in his ear, "That would never do, il mi cuore. You will only ever expose yourself to me, capisci?" He returned his smaller mate's indignant glare with an unrepentant, white-toothed smile, and turned to address the amused Charles, who was watching their interaction with an indulgent grin. "Well, Charles? What is it worth to you to have even more ammunition of a most-amusing – and, frankly, revolting – variety against 'the old goat'?" He rewarded Sirius' involuntary snort of laughter with another caressing run of his large hand across the man's toned back, and smugly noted the responsive shiver his delectable little mate could not suppress. Even without their bond, Gabriel would have known simply by the fire in those beautiful gray eyes that his mate was going to test him and push the boundaries of independence, and he could honestly say that he appreciated and enjoyed Sirius' feisty refusal to surrender control. With a surge of lust that he immediately directed down their bond, the Italian lord admitted to himself that the upcoming bedroom battles were going to become treasured memories, but they would not change the inevitable result. His little Sirius already knew that Gabriel was the dominant partner; he just had to be … encouraged… to admit it.

When Sirius felt the lust Gabriel had sent down the bond, he ignored his body's response and instead reacted by trying to shrug off Gabriel's hand as he tried to set up a wall to block off his side of the bond. The gray eyes widened in alarm as he sensed Gabriel's immediate urge to bite a claiming mark on that elegant neck and mount Sirius right then and there in a forceful declaration of domination. Once again controlling his arousal, a feat that became more difficult with every challenge his mate sent his way, Gabriel caught the frightened but defiant gray gaze with his own piercing, midnight glare filled with domination and dark desire, and sent a pulse of pure, Zabini Alpha warning down their new bond. The muscular lord implacably held the smoky gray eyes as they darkened with combined resistance and desire as Sirius felt the warning growl from Gabriel rumble through their bond, and only lightened the intensity of his regard when the smaller male shifted uncomfortably and lowered his gaze in reluctant submission, subconsciously baring his throat briefly to his dominant mate. Hearing the barest whisper of another subvocal whine, Gabriel had sudden insight into one of the younger man's magickal abilities, and barely contained the urge to bare his teeth in an amused snarl. He knew that Sirius probably hoped to use his animagi form of a black wolfhound, what some suspicious wizards might view as a Grim, to avoid Gabriel. He could almost taste his little mate's upcoming shocked arousal when, in future response to Sirius shifting to a wolfhound, Gabriel transformed into his own form of an alpha Dire Wolf. Uttering a dark laugh of wicked anticipation, he bared his strong, white teeth in pure dominance as he felt Sirius' unwilling but intense arousal.

Feeling that he had witnessed something unbearably intimate, Ogden glanced away from the two and turned to look at Potter and Malfoy. He huffed a genuinely amused laugh as the youngest lord wiggled straight, black eyebrows over sparkling green eyes and temptingly waved the paper in his hand. Whatever was going on between Zabini and Black was not distracting young Lord Potter from the topic at hand. Whatever these men knew, it had to be incredibly funny to have generated such open amusement from the normally controlled and reserved Lucius Malfoy. Making up his mind, he cast a strong privacy charm and said decisively, "How about this? Include me on this apparently incendiary information, and keep me apprised of anything political or financial that may affect my holdings or my standing, and I will extend the same courtesy to each of you, as well as offering my official support where appropriate."

Expecting either the politically-experienced Malfoy or Zabini to grasp the significance of his offer first, Ogden was impressed when it was Harrison Potter who narrowed his eyes and swiftly summarized, "So, you are offering an alliance." Nodding in agreement, the three older lords watched fascinated as Sirius and Harrison held a nonverbal discussion, complete with small head shakes and quirked eyebrows, before nodding in unison. Ogden was secretly amused at the slightly-miffed expressions of Gabriel and Lucius, certain that each was annoyed at not being consulted, when Black and Potter turned back to him and said simply, "Agreed." Catching the very slight smile on Sirius Black's face and the knowing glint in the youngest lord's eye, Ogden deduced that these two had intentionally displayed their independence by not even glancing at their more experienced companions, and thought to himself that these relationships would be sources of great entertainment for a long time to come. He was jarred back to the present when Harrison Potter added with a grin, "But that doesn't get you this bit of information about our 'old goat' – that's extra. Now, what's your offer?"

Surrendering to the inevitable, Ogden simply asked, "What do you think is fair?" He knew he was leaving himself open to some rather extreme gouging, but hoped that whatever this secret was, it was worth the cost. He was pleasantly surprised, albeit confused, when Harrison said, "I want you to take care of Minnie for us." At Ogden's blank expression, both Harry and Sirius chuckled. "It was our intention to meet up with Minnie and Tavin after Session, but plans have … changed, apparently," Harry said dryly, with a significant glance upwards at a smirking Lucius. "There aren't many people that Min and Tavin would find convivial, but I'm sure you qualify. So, if you bring her that firewhiskey you promised personally and share a decent dinner and conversation with her and Tavin, I'll hand over the source of our amusement."

Ogden got a speculative look that seemed out of place on his normally jovial face, before he asked suspiciously, "Are you trying to set us up?" He wouldn't have been surprised; he had been widowed for nearly twenty years and was often the focus of well-meaning matchmaking efforts from people who wanted to see a loved one in a stable, secure relationship with a wealthy, honorable, relatively not-ugly gentleman. Clearly, this young man was very fond of the Deputy Headmistress and she of him. After all, he had placed the Scotswoman in the finest suite of the finest hotel in the entire city; clearly, he held her in great regard and wanted her to be happy. He wasn't expecting Harrison's appalled expression as he yelped, "Merlin, NO, and don't you ever even THINK of suggesting to her that I did! She'd have my guts for garters!" He looked so terrified that the others broke into hearty laughter. Nodding in agreement as he calmed, Ogden gestured at the cleared Hall of Government and said, "Gentlemen, we are the last to leave. Apparently, we each have dinner engagements to attend. So, I will bring Lady McGonogall the promised barrel of firewhiskey and share dinner and conversation with her and Tavin. I assume you are mostly just concerned that she is alone and possibly worried for you? Shall I fill her and Tavin in on what I know thus far?" At Harrison's nod of confirmation, Ogden continued, "And the big secret of the evening – er, well, I suppose the latest big secret of the evening, rather – is….?" He trailed off leadingly, peering interestedly at the newspaper in Harrison's hand.

Harry turned to Lucius and quirked an eyebrow. "You want to do the honors, 'my lord'?" Unaware of the fact that he had just sent the Malfoy Lord's libido into overdrive with the honorific, he blinked in reaction when Lucius turned that shark's smile down at him and ran the back of his fingers down Harry's cheek, before running his gloved hand down Harry's arm to his hand, from which he plucked the newspaper. Turning silver eyes to Charles, the Malfoy Lord chuckled darkly as he said, "First, Charles, you will agree to copy this newspaper and return the original to Harry in Session tomorrow, yes?" At Ogden's ready agreement, he drawled, "Excellent. We will be taking our leave. Charles, I think your offer of an alliance deserves a little reward, so we will allow you to handle this information and – disseminate it – as you see fit." He handed the enlarged newspaper to Charles and directed, "Inside cover. Enlarge the photo ten times magnification – you will know which photo, trust me. And do remember what Harry said to Gabriel and I earlier – that people look like their animagus forms the more they age." As the four handsome lords moved toward the Lord's Approach, Lucius called back over his shoulder, "Perhaps you should discuss with Minerva and Tavin the best methods of – pardon the visual here, gentlemen – 'sticking it' to the 'old goat', hmm?" He smirked at their pained groans and Gabriel's faint look of nausea.

Leaving Lord Ogden bent over the newspaper, Sirius, Gabriel, Lucius and Harry passed one by one through the Lord's Approach and the various scans curtained across the doorway. None of them showed active mental invasion, although both Harry and Sirius registered strong evidence of past attempts and of broken or removed bindings and blocks. Gabriel and Lucius glared in fury at the parchment, each pulling their younger man closer protectively. Sirius and Harry exchanged bemused looks as Harry said to the two fuming Lords, "Look, this is nothing we didn't already know. It's all documented, and healed, and we'll explain later, all right? Let's just GO; I need to eat, and so does Sirius. We were both a little too stressed earlier to keep much down."

Lucius immediately turned to look closely at Harry, concerned silver eyes carefully scanning his features and softening as he noted the weariness beginning to show on the handsome, younger man's face. Glancing at Gabriel, he saw the Zabini Lord doing much the same with Sirius. Both of the older men realized that the stories of neglect and abuse experienced by both Sirius and Harry during their childhoods, not to mention the extreme damage Sirius had to have sustained during his time at Azkaban, would probably make nutrition an ongoing issue for their partners. Words weren't necessary as the two protective gentlemen ushered their younger companions down the grand hallway, although they shared in deeply amused laughter as they heard Lord Charles Ogden's loud, horrified, "Auggghh! Oh, Morgana, that's DISGUSTING!", followed by the slightly maniacal laughter of a revolted but happily plotting whiskeymaker.

Elsewhere in the building, sitting alone in a barren cell, Albus Percy's attention was pulled from his careful study of the amber cuffs on his wrists by a sudden shudder of dread running down his spine. Sighing in resignation, he wondered with some trepidation what fresh hell had just been unleashed upon him. He really could do with some of Ogden's finest right about now.

oooooooooooooooooooo

Rather than risk the certainty of publicity that would accompany dining out in a public restaurant, even one of the exclusive variety favored by the Malfoys and the Zabinis, Harry offered to have everyone join him for dinner and drinks at his home. Gabriel had been to Harrison's small apartment many times over the past year or so, and acquiesced although he privately questioned whether it might not be a bit crowded with the four of them in the tiny dining nook. Having agreed simply because a private dinner was much more conducive to their respective after-dinner plans, Lucius and Gabriel were both very pleasantly surprised to find themselves standing in what an elegantly-appointed sign on the wall indicated was the "Far-room" of Potter Manor. Before they could even ask, Sirius stepped away from Gabriel and chortled at Harry, "I never get tired of that, kid! For you newbies, Harry named this the 'Far-room' because it takes too long to say 'Floo & Apparation Room'." He chuckled again at the twin looks of amused appreciation on their guests' faces. All four of them removed their formal outer robes and left them in the care of a female house elf who had appeared to greet them. Determinedly ignoring the new, improved view of Gabriel Zabini's powerfully-built body, Sirius nervously stepped back and beckoned to the two older men to follow Harry out into the Main Foyer of Potter Manor.

Lucius immediately followed after the young Lord of the Manor, but Gabriel earned an irritable huff from his smoky-eyed mate when he insisted that Sirius precede him from the room. Stalking ahead of the much-larger man, Sirius did his best to get distance between them without actually looking like he was running away. Gabriel, with his longer legs and powerful stride, kept up with the younger man easily, maintaining just enough space that he could keep an appreciative eye on the tempting form. He smirked as he eyed Sirius' firm, toned ass, nicely displayed in the tight leather trousers that he could appreciate now that the fashionable overrobe was removed. Based on Sirius' tense shoulders and slight glare, the Black Lord was fully cognizant of Gabriel's heated stare. Gabriel was fairly sure that Sirius did not realize that the graceful to-and-fro of his beautifully-formed behind swayed even more temptingly when he tried to walk quickly. Of course, awareness was ensured by the images and feelings Gabriel sent unrelentingly down the bond to his blushing mate.

Lucius followed Harry into a beautifully-appointed study decorated in the deep blue of a brilliant, summer sky and rich mahogany. They were closely followed by a flushed, fuming Sirius and suavely-amused Gabriel. As Harry summoned a house elf, who Gabriel and Lucius were surprised to note was wearing a neat uniform with the Potter crest on the lapel, Lucius headed directly to the well-stocked bar in the corner and reached immediately for the chilling bottle of 1852 Chaparral Royale, which was a very rare wine known for its deep purple hue and refreshing flavor.

Harry spoke briefly with the servant, ordering dinner and briefly discussing the requirements for the next day's Session, before dismissing the elf and turning with a sigh to join Lucius. He hesitated only slightly when the older man held a welcoming arm out for him, then slipped under the arm and leaned gratefully on the hard chest as Lucius wrapped his arm around Harry's shoulders and pulled him closer. Once again treated to that distinctive, masculine aftershave that Harry would forevermore associate with the silver-eyed Lord, he closed his eyes with a long, tired sigh and let himself drift. When Lucius wrapped his other arm around him and dropped his cheek to rest on Harry's raven hair, they were both, finally, content.

On the other side of the room, Sirius had made a beeline for his favorite chair. Attempting to fling himself into its familiar comfort, he found himself blinking in surprise as he was suddenly lifted from his feet, turned and then settled firmly upon the rock-hard but oddly comfortable lap of one Lord Gabriel Zabini. Gasping in surprised indignation, Sirius ignored how perfectly he fit on Gabriel's lap and immediately began to struggle to his feet, only to find that Gabriel was not cooperating. Refusing to relax into the larger man's grip, Sirius went from astonished affront at the high-handed circumvention of his favorite chair to increasing anger at the fact that – no matter how hard he struggled and twisted – his efforts had absolutely no effect on the Zabini lord.

Gabriel had seen his independent new mate heading for the large chair near the fireplace, and had immediately discerned his intentions. Sirius thought that he could maintain distance from Gabriel by sitting by himself, rather than on one of the comfortable couches where Gabriel would certainly have sat next to him. Rather than force his rebellious mate to join him on a couch, Gabriel decided to make the point that he would be with Sirius no matter where the younger man chose to sit. As Sirius launched himself into the chair, Gabriel caught the dark-haired man's waist and simply turned them both as he lowered himself into the wonderful chair that carried his mate's scent and settled the smaller man on his lap.

He was fairly certain Sirius was not paying much attention to their bond, as Gabriel made no effort at all to conceal the effect the younger man's struggling and wriggling had on the lap he was trying so hard to leave. Wrapping strong arms around that slim waist, Gabriel linked his hands and allowed the arm in front to rest on his mate's thighs and the arm in back to brush and rub against the firm ass. Tightening his arms in delight, he relaxed in the comfortable chair and allowed Sirius to struggle all he wanted.

Gabriel knew that his mate had suddenly awakened to the sensitivity of his situation when an emphatic wiggle brought Gabriel's hard, unmistakably aroused length snugly up against that teasing, wiggling, perfect rear. Gabriel moaned lowly when Sirius abruptly stilled, allowing Gabriel's painfully-hard erection to settle in the slight valley of his mate's leather-clad cheeks. As Sirius froze in conflicted panic, Gabriel dropped his head onto the silk-clad shoulder and took deep, careful breaths, trying to control the overwhelming urge to thrust against the absolutely PERFECT ass that cradled his rigid arousal.

He lost the battle when the arm he had wrapped around Sirius and resting on the flexing thighs felt the unmistakable impression of his mate's own hardness. Hearing the smaller man's uneven breaths and seeing the flushed face and darkening gaze as Sirius' erection pressed against his arm, Gabe surrendered to the need that was consuming him. Moving his arm so that it rubbed against the dark-haired man's hard manhood in the tight leather pants, Gabriel allowed his hips to thrust slightly upward into the oh-so-tempting arse snugged against him, causing both of them to gasp slightly.

Gabriel was vaguely aware that Lucius and Harry were still in the room, but he didn't care. He was fairly certain that they were in a similar predicament, though admittedly without the strength of the Zabini mate bond driving them. No, he wasn't worried about his friends, but there was something else niggling at him … something he should remember … something ….

A deep, warm baritone suddenly broke into his aroused fog. "Gabriel, my friend, I see you've met Sirius. And Harry, you have a guest as well, with whom you seem – comfortable. Anything you all would like to tell me?"

And just like that, Gabriel remembered. 'Oh, yes,' he thought vaguely. 'Wulfric!'

oooooooooooooooooooo

Lucius had been lost in his own erotic haze, utterly oblivious to the activities of his best friend and Sirius Black. From the instant he saw the darkly-handsome young lord enter the Hall of Government with Zabini, Lucius had been intensely aware of Harrison Potter. Everything about the young man drew Lucius like a unicorn to a virgin: Harry's smile, his brilliant eyes, his intelligence, his honor, his humor, his features, his form, his scent – it seemed to Lucius that all of it was crafted specifically to entice and capture one High Lord Lucius Malfoy. He had been interested at first glance, and aroused at first touch. In later years, he would shake his head in bemused remembrance at the fact that he had needed to force himself to release Harry's hand when they exchanged their first handshake, and he would laugh at the fact that he had participated in what was widely known as the most-memorable Hall of Government Session in nine centuries with a constant, increasingly painful erection. Thank Merlin for the longer-cut of formal wizarding robes!

Tonight, when Harrison joined him by the bar in his manor, all Lucius could think about was drawing the young man into his arms and holding on. When Harry willingly went to him and welcomed his embrace, Lucius realized that single action by Harry had settled many decisions for the older man. He did not worry over his choices, and did not fret over the reactions he knew would be forthcoming. Narcissa was of no concern, considering how happy she was with Severus these days. Draco – well, his son was due a bit of a wake-up call, particularly in light of the new light Severus had shed on several of Draco's explanations about his years at Hogwarts. In fact, Lucius felt that it would be interesting to get Minerva's take on some of those events, as well.

He did not even let himself consider the possibility that Harry would not be his; Lucius knew that he and Harry would be together. They belonged in each other's arms; it was just that simple. Lucius was a Malfoy, and could easily have fallen back on the fact that, while the family motto was 'Family First', the Malfoy slogan was 'What a Malfoy wants, a Malfoy gets.' He could have, but he didn't, because it didn't matter. He didn't need a reason, or an excuse. He just needed Harry. And he knew, with a certainty in the soul that only comes once in a person's life if they are very, very blessed, that Harry needed Lucius just as much.

They would always remember this embrace in Harry's study; it was earthshattering for them both. It lasted just a few minutes, but it lasted forever. They rested together in a moment of perfection: their souls and bodies were equally content, equally aroused, equally needy, equally needed. Words didn't matter. It was perhaps fortunate that magick requires a great deal of faith, because neither of them needed to be reassured, or to talk the situation to death. They could have done so, and it would have ended the same. But they didn't have to, so instead they simply held to each other, lost in a moment of deep contentment and light arousal. They knew Sirius and Gabriel were in the room with them, somewhere, but neither Harry nor Lucius particularly cared. Odds were better than good that their two companions were even farther gone than they were.

As for Harry, he was as lost to the moment as Lucius. Securely wrapped in powerful, impossibly strong arms, resting against a silk-clad vest that covered a masculine chest that was so firm Harry suspected he would be lost in aroused admiration when he finally saw it uncovered, he held Lucius and let Lucius hold him and he simply – was. Breathing in the distinctive scent of the Malfoy Lord, Harry was aware of the fact that his thought processes had changed, and that everything that he would ever do now took the man holding him into account. It was a perfect, priceless moment. But something was niggling at him… something he had forgotten…something…

And just like that, Harry remembered. 'Oh, yes,' he thought vaguely. 'Wulfric!'

Although he would never, ever admit it, when the portrait of Wulfric Dumbledore entered the room and interrupted them to bring him out of his aroused fugue, Sirius uttered a distinctly pathetic whimper. He was mortified at the sound, and promptly turned and buried his face in the handy chest and protective arms of his mate. And even though he shook his head in reflexive denial every time he thought of the large, powerful Zabini as 'his mate', he continued to think of the man as his.

He heard Harry clear his throat, and was surprised that his godson did not sound either embarrassed or apologetic when he spoke up. He did, however, laugh somewhat ruefully before he said in a slightly huskier tone than normal, "Grandfather! Yes, you're right, of course. I should explain." The younger man tilted his head up to look into startled silver eyes, eyes that warmed and shone with a bit of mirth when Harry said with no lack of irony, "Lucius, ready for a surprise?"

Lucius stared into the sparkling green eyes that were mere inches from his own, and sighed dramatically. "A surprise? Oh, good! Life around you is usually so dull."

They turned and moved together further into the room, smiling in amused sympathy at the two seated in Sirius' favorite chair. It looked like neither of them were particularly happy about the interruption, either. Harry raised fond eyes to the ensouled portrait of his several-times great grandfather, and said, "Lord Lucius Malfoy, I'd like to introduce you to Lord Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, my great-great-great grandfather. Grandfather, this is Lord Lucius Malfoy, the friend Gabriel spoke of."

Both Lucius and Sirius turned sharply to glare at Gabriel Zabini, who grinned unrepentantly at Lucius as he ran a caressing hand beneath Sirius' untucked shirt. "Lucius, I told you we had much to discuss! And Sirius, you need not look at me like that; do remember that I have been working with Harry and Wulfric for over two years now and never heard even a whisper about you!"

Sirius took a moment to consider Gabriel's words, stretching it out as long as he could to enjoy that warm hand on the naked skin of his back, before he turned to glare instead at his godson. Harry instantly put up his hands and said defensively, "What are you glaring at me for? I didn't keep any secrets from you! Hell, I would have introduced you to Gabriel months ago if you hadn't forbidden me from telling anyone but Wulfric, Minnie and Tavin!"

Sirius huffed angrily and turned his glare on Lucius, who said warningly, "Don't even think it. I am the only person in this room who has any right to resent being kept in the dark, and I have decided to simply enjoy things as they are revealed." As Sirius continued to pout, Lucius added slyly, "Perhaps you should concentrate on enjoying yourself as you reveal 'things' to Gabriel, rather than looking for someone to be angry with, hmm?"

Gabriel cast a glare of his own at Lucius for daring to chide his mate, although he admitted to himself that the man was entirely right. Sirius had no room to be irritated with anyone, and Gabriel suspected that both Harry and Lucius were actually fairly close to the truth – that Sirius was probably regretting the decisions he had made that kept him from meeting Gabriel sooner. Gabriel didn't particularly mind his mate's unreasonableness about this, however, as he found the resulting pout to be utterly delicious. He stared at those pouty, tempting lips, lightly petting the dark goatee of his mate consideringly, and decided that he would not allow much more time to pass before he introduced Sirius to the first of many, many kisses to come and gave him a whole new definition of sensation through creative use of their mating bond. Feeling his mate begin to tremble as deep sensuality flooded the bond between them, Gabriel's throaty chuckle held both promise and threat.

"Master? Dinner be ready. In which dining room does you want it served?" Lucius looked in renewed surprise at Harry's house elf, who seemed to be considerably better-spoken and more intelligent than the average house elf. He made a note to ask Harry about it sometime.

Harry hesitated a moment, before turning to the others and saying tentatively, "We have a few places to dine in the manor, but if we just settle in right here, Wulfric can explain a few things while we eat. I know that's not necessarily proper, but…." Lucius interrupted him with a firm, "That is an excellent idea. Besides, I do believe that we are all probably fairly weary and rather tired of formality. For myself, I would not mind a more relaxed environment in the least." He realized that both Harry and Sirius were looking at him in surprise and added with some humor, "Really, gentlemen, is it so hard to believe that I could prefer to sit back in comfort and enjoy an informal meal in good company – particularly in this company?"

He narrowed his eyes in mock affront at Harry's emphatic nod and reached to tap the younger man on the head, only to have Harry rapidly duck and grin tauntingly. "Lucius, my … friend…, you can't possibly expect me to spend several hours with you and not pick up on the fact that you like to smack me in the head, can you? What is that, anyway? Is it a Lord thing?" Emerald eyes glittered at him mockingly. Lucius watched as Harry turned his head to grin at Sirius, who had finally managed to get himself off of Gabriel's lap and onto his own two feet, only to turn in pretend shock as Lucius promptly smacked him in the back of the head. Grinning at each other, it took a while before everyone settled down on the couches and comfortable chairs for dinner and conversation. Lucius could not remember ever having a more enjoyable meal, with his best friend hand-feeding the man who had literally appeared from nowhere and settled Gabriel's soul, the large selection of delicious foods spread across the wide coffee table, the best wine Lucius had ever tasted filling their glasses, the ensouled portrait of a fascinating elder happily chattering away, and the surprising, delightful man he had fallen in love with tucked warmly against his side.

Hard to believe that the night would only get better.

oooooooooooooooooooo

Later that night, after enjoying a wonderful dinner in the best company Lucius had enjoyed in several years, the Malfoy Lord returned from a visit to the guest bathroom and joined Harry out on the balcony. The handsome young lord of the manor was alone as he waited for Lucius, as the dinner had concluded with a wide-eyed Sirius gasping in reaction to the image Gabriel had sent down their bond, featuring Sirius' long, black hair grasped tightly in the grip of a fiercely aroused Zabini Alpha as he bent a naked Sirius over the side of his favorite chair. The message was shockingly clear: play time was over, Gabriel was done waiting. Sirius backed away from the dark, intensely focused gaze of the man who was undeniably his mate, and then, surrendering to the instincts of predator and prey, turned and fled from the room, followed without a backward glance by the passionate, prowling Gabriel Zabini.

Taking a moment to wish his longtime friend well with his new mate, Lucius turned to focus all of his attention on the young man who had inexplicably captured his well-guarded heart and his complete devotion in the matter of just a few hours. Harry seemed almost ethereal in the deep shadows and moonlight. The stars were out and there was a nip in the air that sneaked past the warming charms cast around the comfortable outdoor seating, a chill which was incentive enough for Lucius to pull Harry into his arms. They stood together comfortably for several moments, Harry's back to Luciu's chest, simply enjoying each other's warmth and looking upward at the plethora of stars glittering on a black velvet canopy.

The deep, comfortable silence and the late hour surrounded them like a cloak. Soaking up the quiet of the night, Lucius reflected on what he had learned earlier this evening from and about Wulfric Dumbledore and Harry Potter. There was so much to be revealed during Session in the coming days, and Lucius was going to enjoy watching the reactions of his peers as truth after surprising truth was revealed. The one truth that Lucius found most interesting at present was the fact that Harry Potter was not, in fact, eighteen years old. Through imaginative use of portrait magic and time-turners, the young Lord Potter was, in fact, a twenty-five year old man. Sirius had also taken advantage of the added years to recuperate and regain his vitality, so both he and Harry were both older and healthier than they would have been otherwise. Although he had refused to allow it to concern him unduly, Lucius found that he was greatly comforted by the fact that his paramour was seven years closer to his own age than he had previously believed. At forty-two years old, Lucius was a wizard in the prime of life and in excellent health and condition. Considering the double-century lifespans of most healthy wizards, he and Harry could conceivably share the next 180 years or so together. He smiled again in reflection, grateful to Wulfric for interrupting Lucius as he crossed the study to join Harry on the balcony, insisting that he wait long enough to hear the true Dumbledore Lord confirm that what had formed so suddenly between Harry and Lucius was as pure and powerful as Sirius and Gabriel's mate-bond.

He couldn't wait for Albus Percy to find out! It would be especially enjoyable to watch the old bastard when it was revealed that Harrison Potter had spent the better part of his last ten years living with, learning from and being trained by the very man whose life and line he had stolen a century and a half ago.

It would be even better when Wulfric appeared personally in Session to testify.

Lucius grinned savagely for a moment, but his thoughts did not linger long on the coming Session. They returned, instead, to the wonderfully desirable young man in his arms.

Lowering his face to rub his cheek against the silken, raven hair, Lucius felt Harry shiver. Lucius tightened his arms, and leaned down to run his lips in delicate, nipping kisses along the tender skin below Harry's ear. He felt Harry's breathing speed slightly, and knew the young man's heart would now be thudding faster in the toned chest.

Just thinking about it made Lucius tighten in pure want of the young man who was turning in his arms to look up into his face. Lucius could see Harry's inexperience shining from the uncertain, emerald eyes, and it only made the young man he held that much more desirable in Lucius' eyes. He raised his hands to rest on Harry's face, framing the ivory skin against the darker tone. He gazed in a moment of sheer appreciation, because this young man was simply beautiful. He was unquestionably masculine, but not overwhelmingly so. Straight, black eyebrows and thick, black lashes caused his gemlike green eyes to stand out in startling contrast. Creamy skin was flawless and silken, interrupted only by the delicately-outlined, faintly-silver lightning-bolt scar on the proud forehead. A straight, strong nose led to a perfect, red mouth, with a full lower lip and an adorable, sideways grin that made the viridian eyes sparkle with delight. Perfect bone structure from Lilly Potter gave his younger love a strong jawline and cheekbones many would pay good galleons for. Reaching around, Lucius removed the silver hair band, and let long, silken hair that was so black it was almost blue flow in haphazard disorder over his crown and fall in refined waves to Harry's shoulder blades.

He was right. Harrison was simply beautiful.

Bending down slightly, Lucius placed tiny, delicate kisses atop each eye, delighting in the delicate whisper of the dark lashes as they fluttered closed. He ran a tender line of the lightest touches of his lips along the silken cheek, down the strong jaw, and up the delicately-shaped chin. Smiling gently, Lucius pressed tender kisses onto each corner of the tempting mouth, and watched the plump, red lips part slightly as the tiny tip of a pink tongue emerged to moisten that bottom lip that was rapidly driving Lucius mad. Darting forward, Lucius pressed his mouth to Harry's, softly testing those impossible lips, breathing with him, before he could not wait any longer and he deepened the kiss with controlled, ferocious desire. Sliding his hands through that indescribable, sensual hair, Lucius tightened his grip on Harry's head and allowed himself to release his formidable self-control a little more. With a deep, aching moan, Lucius pushed his tongue past the parted lips, slipping past the teeth and into the tempting, delicious space that was Lucius' new definition of nirvana.

Harry felt himself being consumed, feeling much like a phoenix that burned and was renewed from the combustion. Lucius was everywhere, his hands gripping Harry's head and guiding it where he wanted it, tilting this way and tightening in his hair, and his tongue was in his mouth, demanding Harry's response, slicking against his own and sliding over his teeth and his gums, and goddess! he was so strong, and so warm, and so demanding, and Harry was lost to it all, lost in Lucius, lost in desire, lost in lust, lost…

Forced to part, gasping for breath, hearts thudding and bodies thrumming, they clung together, exchanging quick, nipping kisses, and long, drugging kisses, and pressed as tightly together as they could get and still be clothed. Lucius pressed another hard, needy kiss onto Harry's swollen lips and held the younger man close, wrapping strong arms around the trembling beauty. Pressing his forehead onto Harry's, once again molten silver eyes gazed into emerald flames. Lucius' voice was deep and husky as he ran desperate hands over Harry's back and hips. "You realize that I cannot walk away, don't you, love? I simply cannot. The very best I can do if you say 'no' is stay right where we are, all night. Harry, I…. please, love…. "

Unable to stop and unwilling to coerce the young man who was suddenly, inescapably in his heart, Lucius faltered to a halt and closed his eyes, holding Harry tightly and hoping the young man in his arms understood what Lucius was trying to say. Feeling calloused, tender hands cupping his face, Lucius found the courage to open his eyes and see whether he was to be condemned to hell or invited into heaven. He watched as Harry reached up and pressed his reddened lips to Lucius' own, copying their first kiss and running his tongue in a slick line of fiery moisture along the tender skin inside Lucius' lip. Lucius body was clenched tight with arousal, and he was so focused on his sheer want that he almost missed Harry's softly whispered, "Stay, Lucius. I want you. Please…stay."

He would have sworn his heart actually skipped a few beats, before the meaning of the shyly whispered words registered in his mind. Lucius reached for his crumbling control with both metaphorical hands and held tight as he pressed a desperate, passionate kiss to Harry's passion-swollen lips and roughly whispered, "Where? Now, Harrison! Where?" He barely registered the fact that the young man he held crushed tightly to his chest had wrapped his strong arms around Lucius' waist and apparated them both directly into the candlelit, luxurious master suite of Potter Manor.

He did register the fact that there was a bed. And that was all the Malfoy Lord needed to lose control.

Swooping down on the willing young man in his arms, Lucius lost himself in the sheer lust of open-mouthed kisses and needy moans and breathy gasps that pulled air into starved lungs. Unable to even consider separating long enough to remove clothing, Lucius wordlessly and wandlessly stripped them both. The sudden, unbearably wonderful contact of bare skin to bare skin caused them both to gasp and shudder violently, before Lucius lifted the young man in his muscular arms and brought them both crashing down in a sweaty tangle of naked limbs and pure need upon the velvet-covered bed.

Harry arched up in sudden, shocked sensation when Lucius ran a trail of blazing kisses and bites down his chest and swirled his tongue around an erect nipple before pulling it into his mouth and hotly suckling the sensitive bud. Strong fingers rolled his other nipple between them, sending bursts of sensation arcing through his body and straight into his straining, turgid cock. He could not have stopped his hips from rolling against Lucius if the room had been suddenly moved to the Session floor. The only sounds in the room were panting gasps, breathy moans and whispered, urgent words of love and need.

Lucius wanted to worship this young man, wanted to stretch him out on the bed and taste every centimeter, but that slow, careful journey would have to wait. Right now, their desire was urgent, their bodies following the press of fingers and lips in compulsive stretches and urgent shudders of need. They could not pause, could not wait, everything was more, and now, and faster, and harder.

"Lucius, please!" What did he want? Harry didn't even know, he just knew he had to ask and beg and somehow Lucius would figure it out. His faith in the man with blazing silver eyes was perfectly placed, as hard hands pushed his hips into the bed and a skilled, hot mouth descended on his tortured erection and forced a scream of ecstasy from Harry's throat. Harry fought those hands, desperate to move his hips, to thrust against the moist heat and the wonderful suction. He moaned a bitter denial when the talented mouth left him and the hands briefly released him before they returned to grip his straining thighs and push them upthis way and apart that way…. "Good, baby. Very good. Trust me, love," Lucius' deep voice purred, and suddenly there was a whisper of spellwork, and an odd, empty feeling, and then the impossible swipe of a warm, wet, talented tongue there and oh, merlin, how had he ever thought this was not going to be wonderful?

Thinking carefully, Harry finally remembered how to turn his head and slowly, his gaze fell and his breath caught at the painfully erotic sight of moonlight hair between his open thighs, silver eyes blazing heat up at him as an agile, talented tongue swiped and teased and tortured his twitching hole. He could not possibly have been harder, and yet when a long, slick finger circled the quivering rosebud and joined with the wet, absolutely fucking wonderful tongue in stretching and teasing him, Harry actually began to feel dizzy as the last of his blood seemed to flee from his brain and head directly south. He barely registered the second finger or the third, as the first finger had found the bundle of nerves Harry had only heard about and began to send repeated shocks of violent pleasure through his overloaded system. He heard a voice pleading, moaning, gasping, and was vaguely aware of the possibility that the voice belonged to him, but he simply couldn't care. His world had narrowed to naked skin and hard muscle and Lucius… Lucius… Lucius.

He moaned in deep distress when the fingers and tongue stopped their beautiful torture, but obediently raised his eyes at the gentle command and locked gazes with his lover when Lucius draped his silk over steel body on top of him, murmuring, "Look at me, Love. Trust me," before frantically capturing his succulent mouth in a passionate duel of teeth and tongues as a hot, rigid length of silk and steel probed at his center and slowly, inexorably pushed past the ring of twitching muscle and slid a little further with each rigidly-controlled thrust, retreat, thrust of agile hips and phenomenal muscle control.

Finally, the powerful body on top of him rested, lungs heaving, allowing Harry time he did not want to adjust to the beloved invasion. Harry rolled his hips impatiently, wrapping long legs around his lover and digging his heels into the muscled buttocks of his own personal Viking. Clenching his muscles tightly around Lucius' turgid erection, he watched in heavy-lidded satisfaction as the controlled Lord Malfoy flung his head back in sharp reaction, long, flaxen hair whipping through the air. He celebrated his triumph with guttural gasps and moans as Lucius surrendered all control and thrust into Harry as his body willed it, ruthlessly pounding against Harry's prostate with his engorged cock and reveling in the burn of muscles as the mounting pleasure seized control of their bodies and their wills and sent them into a timeless, pagan dance of passion and pleasure.

When the sharpening thrill of desire and pleasure and pain swelled and rose and eventually peaked in an indescribable crescendo of pure sensation, they clung together, momentarily frozen in a rictus of ecstasy, before Lucius arms gave way and he collapsed atop his exhausted lover. They continued to shudder together, hips stuttering in erratic pulses of leftover pleasure, as their heartbeats slowed and they regained their breath. As he slowly regained awareness, Harry realized that he was running caressing fingers through Lucius long, moonlit hair and that Lucius had continued to support much of his own weight on his bent arms rather than collapse entirely on his younger lover. With a groan of mutual regret, Lucius slowly pulled himself from Harry's welcoming body and dropped to the side of the softly smiling young man, pulling Harry into his arms and guiding the raven head to rest upon his sweat-slick, broad shoulder as Lucius ran a soothing hand up and down Harry's toned, trembling arms.

Exhausted, Lucius fought off sleep for a few more moments as he dropped a loving kiss on the damp forehead of his new, yet somehow forever, love, and felt his heart warm as an answering kiss was pressed against his chest by a very sleepy young man. As the two drifted off into a deep, restful sleep, they were each aware of a new, bright rope of magic that seemed to be wrapped around them both, tying them together in a way that deeply comforted them.

And as their breathing slowed and deepened, dimly, they were aware of dropping into the aethyr and the spirit realm, and looking across a small distance at two other beings who had their own, bright rope of magic binding them to each other.

Deep in his subconscious, Lucius wondered if he was imagining the long, delicate rope of magic that seemed to extend across the distance between the two pairs of lovers, lightly but inexorably connecting them to each other. As he settled into dreams, his subconscious mind decided that it didn't really matter at the moment.

Downstairs, in the study, the ensouled image of Wulfric Dumbledore raised a goblet of wine in toast to the handsome, dignified figure who joined him in his painting. Raising his glass in response, Wulfric's guest smiled slightly as his blood-red eyes examined the new magical bonds stretching between the occupants of the manor.

Tomorrow ought to be an interesting day, indeed.