A/N: First, mea culpa for the too-long delay. Anyone who saw my A/Ns from "Bright New Day", "Food for Thought" or "Schooled" know I've been dealing with drama of the not-fun, fanfic kind. And, guess what? Now that my older son is slowly recovering from pneumonia, my younger son (just 5 years old) is starting to cough heavily, vomit and hold a fever. Mom was right; once you have kids, you never stop worrying. I wouldn't give it up for the world.
So, anyway, yeah, sick kids, many migraines, estranged-family drama & a couple deaths…. Um ….. So, enough about me! Lol!
This chapter is really a snapshot of the hours between midnight and dawn in Potter Manor. It does advance the plot, but we aren't back in the Hall of Government yet. That resumes with the next chapter. I should still be obsessively proofing this, but I can't actually see it anymore, and I think y'all would be pissed if I held it captive while I fixed typos. Yes? No?
Your reviews really, truly, mean the absolute world to me. I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate them. I try to reply, but given my life of late, please believe that if I fail to reply, I have still sent you fervent thanks.
A special shout out to ., slayer of destiny, Pikachumomma, WinterMother and TheDarkLadyVoldemort666. (DLV, your project is next.) I know I owe special mentions to many people, but rather than dig up your full and correct names, I am just going to say you special reviewers and supporters have done more for me these past few days to keep me positive than you will ever know.
Blessed Be!
WyrdSmith
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MORNING: MY VERY OWN VIKING
Harry drew a deep breath, slowly raising his arms and stretching languorously. As he moved, a warm, strong arm wrapped around his waist and pulled him back against the naked, muscled chest of Lucius Malfoy. Sinfully talented lips nuzzled against his neck, easily winning a gentle "hhmmm" from the younger man as he tilted his head to offer more of his neck for his lover's ministrations. Gradually returning to consciousness within the safety of Lucius' arms, Harry had never been more content. Happiness hummed through their new bond, so evenly offered by both men that there was no sense whatsoever of who sent what. It was all just happiness, and it belonged to them.
A gentle hand slid upward from his waist to cup his jaw and turn Harry's face into Lucius' kiss. Harry eagerly responded to the press of lips on his, opening his mouth and welcoming the questing tongue that swept in and engaged his own in loving play. Obeying the pull of his beloved's hands, Harry turned fully onto his back and welcomed the weight and heat of Lucius' large body as it settled atop his own. Long legs trapped his as Harry was tenderly overwhelmed by the early-morning desires of his passionate, silver-eyed lover. Languid kisses became deeper and more intense. Hard hands stroked his skin as if it were silk. In the earliest dawning of morning light, Lucius' powerful body glowed with health and the soft shine of perspiration as he once again moved within his younger lover.
Gazing down on the beautiful, raven-haired wizard in his arms, Lucius lost himself in the all-encompassing pleasure of being with Harry and within Harry. He let their bond and their bodies set the rhythms they shared in this quiet bed. Each time he thrust into the responsive body beneath him, he felt a sense of homecoming. This was where he belonged. Each time he withdrew, Harry's nearly inaudible moan of loss drew him back again. And as he felt Harry's pleasure begin to crest, he withheld his own release long enough to watch this beloved man surrender to ecstasy. The sheer beauty of his lover as Harry pushed his head back into the pillow, exposing the long lines of his throat as he was overtaken by orgasm, left Lucius awed at the love and trust he was given. Though he tried to resist, the spasming of Harry's body around his own pulled him over the edge as well. And Lucius was watched by Harry with the same wonder, the same joy, the same love.
Afterward, they stayed close together in the large bed, Harry held comfortably in Lucius' arms as he rested his head on the broad shoulder of his very own Viking. Gentle caresses and sweet, soft kisses and whispered words meant only for their ears sent them drifting together into a nap until the sun was fully risen and the day begun.
Yet, through the remaining hours of sleep, just as throughout the previous hours, Lucius remained protective of the young man he held. There would be no nightmares to plague the younger wizard, now that Lucius held the young man in his arms, in his bed, in his heart.
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MORNING – THE SIRIUS SIDE
Gabriel awoke first. He had stayed awake long into the night, simply watching his little mate, running gentle fingers over the smooth side, lightly kissing the slim hands and beloved face, watching, memorizing, protecting, vowing.
Even as he slept, he kept Sirius close. When his little mate turned, Gabriel turned with him. If Sirius made a sound, Gabriel surfaced from sleep long enough to assess the reason and ensure his mate was safe and well before allowing himself to slumber again. And when Sirius moaned in his sleep around 3 a.m., shocked into confused half-consciousness by the pain in his spine, Gabriel had immediately fully awoken as well.
It was fortunate that their bond was not a simple spousal-joining. Such an inadequate bond would never have allowed Gabriel to know the details that his embarrassed little mate tried to conceal. Within moments, Gabriel had risen and carried his naked, protesting beloved into the bathroom, placing the mortified wizard on the toilet to relieve himself while Gabriel filled the huge tub and had a house elf bring scented, healing oils from the potions storeroom. Sirius had been deeply embarrassed by the fact that his mate saw and personally took care of the simple functions of his body, and Gabriel gained further insight into yet another aspect of the torment his little mate had endured in Azkaban. Modesty and imprisonment were not comfortable companions.
Gabriel's matter-of-fact handling of Sirius' needs made the younger man more able to endure the intensely personal care he was given. And when Sirius was lifted from the toilet into impossibly strong arms of his mate, his ability to bury his flushed face into Gabriel's chest helped matters further. From there, Gabriel had simply stepped down into the deep, sunken bathtub with Sirius in his arms, showing his incredible strength by sinking easily into a reclining position without ever using his arms or setting Sirius down. He settled the slim, toned back against his chest, tucked the dark head under his chin, and allowed the heat of the water and the properties of the oils to sooth his mate's pain. He explained quietly to Sirius that healing potions would not aid the younger man until the next moon dark. It was just another aspect of the mysterious, forgotten magical creature in the Zabini line. Until moon dark, Sirius' magic would need to be sheltered, protected from any outside magical interference such as potions as his mate settled into the bond with his alpha.
Amused as the endless feistiness that personified Sirius surfaced again, Gabriel quelled the rising indignation with a swift, powerful, toe-curling kiss that left Sirius with swollen lips and scattered thoughts. Taking advantage of his little mate's distraction, Gabriel carefully turned him so that they rested chest to chest and sent his hands in long, soothing strokes down the tense muscles of the toned back. Settling a strong hand over Sirius' lower back and tailbone, Gabriel began to gently massage the skin and manipulate the muscles to ease the pain caused by the fierce manner in which he had taken his mate just hours before. Even as Sirius flinched and stifled a whimper, Gabriel did not regret it. The beast within him purred with contentment, and the dark, claiming bite on the slim shoulder filled Gabriel with possessive pride. By moon dark, the bite would be a tattoo in the color of their aura. Zabini truemates shared one color, and he had never known what his color was. Wulfric had not told him, and Gabriel suspected that something had happened to either his or Sirius' aura recently to cause them to match; otherwise, Wulfric would have identified Sirius as Gabriel's mate long ago. He wondered what color the mark would be, and made a mental note to ask Wulfric about it when next they met. Sirius' bonding cuff would need to reflect their aura, as would Gabriel's ring.
Considering Sirius' pain, Gabriel was unsurprised. Their mating had been fierce, Gabriel was much larger than Sirius, and it had clearly been a while since Sirius' last lover. It was even possible that his little mate had never bottomed before, considering the younger man's feisty attitude and strong desire to control his own life. Gabriel certainly couldn't blame him for that wish, particularly in light of the horrors Sirius had endured under the control of others. Thinking of Albus Percy's culpability for the decade plus of Azkaban served by Sirius, he felt his rage rise. He knew that Harrison would obtain punishment of Percy on behalf of his godfather, but Gabriel wanted some of the man's blood, as well. He resolved to talk to Harry in the morning, before Session, and see if Lord Potter would concede some of his Judgment of Percy over to Gabriel. Knowing the young man as he did, he felt Harry would agree.
Once again, Sirius stifled a moan when Gabriel's steady massaging brought his hands over the slim buttocks. Had Gabriel been another man, he would have thought Sirius was moaning in desire, but Gabriel was Sirius' alpha. He would always know how his mate felt. Focusing closely, he realized with a pang that their mating had bruised his smaller mate's rectum and possibly even caused a small tear in his anus. Sirius was very slim, and Gabriel was a very large man in more aspects than simply height and muscle mass. He frowned briefly as he ran soothing hands over Sirius' body and considered the reasons beyond size for the slight damage he had caused his mate. At his inevitable conclusion, his arms tightened around the smaller man and he dropped dozens of kisses, gentle and strong, onto the dark head resting on his chest. Quieting a little, he felt Sirius look up at him in puzzlement and smiled in delight at the flavor of curiosity questing up the bond. Dropping a tender kiss on the upraised lips and one on his nose just for fun, Gabriel rumbled in contentment deep within his chest and said quietly, "I am simply happy to know that you were willing to share your body with me and that I gave you pleasure, as you went far too long without lovers." Sirius froze and the emotions Gabriel had expected – and several he did not - began to pulse through the bond. Surprise. Embarrassment. Shock. Shame. The urge to flee.
None of those feelings were acceptable to the alpha, but the last caused his arms to tighten firmly as he growled warningly into his mate's ear. Never would he allow Sirius to flee from him except in play, and definitely not from shock or shame or any other of the dark, damaging emotions that currently swirled within the younger man. Gabriel's response to the emotional pain and confusion of his mate was swift and certain, as he bent down and sank his teeth lightly into the claiming mark. Like a wolf pup picked up by the scruff of his neck, Sirius instantly went limp and relaxed. Gabriel almost laughed at the indignation his mate sent raging through their bond, but he held his bite until even his little mate's emotions succumbed to the enforced calming. Only when he sensed nothing more damaging than confusion did the alpha release his teeth and lick soothingly over the tender mark. Sirius could not help but shudder in response; that mark would forever be sensitive to the touch of his huge mate.
Resuming the careful massage of the long, graceful back and tempting buttocks that lay naked and silken beneath his hands, Gabriel strengthen the calm he had forced on his mate and then said gently, "I want you to tell me about your past lovers. Tell me of your sexual experiences, large and small." He sensed Sirius trying to tense up again, and reinforced his control. Once again, Sirius settled, but Gabriel could tell that panic was roiling just beneath the surface of his touch. He frowned in concern and said again, "Tell me." Sirius' breathing sped up. His mate's mind and body wanted to panic, but Gabriel would not let them. This was important. This was necessary. Something was very wrong with his mate's past, beyond the horrors that he already knew about. He gripped the long, black hair in a firm but gentle hold and employed a power he knew Zabini Alphas had with their mates. It would be the first time he had ever used it, or even had access to it. He twisted the hair very lightly, just enough to cause a pull but not enough for pain, and infused his voice and the bond with Command. "Tell me, mia anima gemella. Talk to me." And, surrendering, Sirius talked.
"I … well, in school everyone thought I was a player. I was supposed to be, you know? And so I let them think that. And I bragged and …. And, after a while, even if I'd wanted to … be with someone … who could I pick? Everyone thought I was experienced and … well, I wouldn't have wanted a stranger …. and ….well, I didn't want to … I ….!" He trailed off miserably, utterly humiliated. Gabriel listened closely, and after a moment of thought in which he continued to caress and comfort Sirius, he quietly asked, "Have you ever had a lover at all, my heart?" His breath caught and his heart stopped beating for a moment at the barely visible, negative shake of his beloved's head. Once again, his arms tightened around the slim body lying so trustingly in his arms, and he lowered his head to rest his chin atop the dark silk of Sirius' hair. A few moments later, he gently prompted, "Who has touched you with love, caro? Besides Harry." In Sirius' lack of response, Gabriel got his answer. He closed his eyes in pain, feeling his heart twist and ache for the loneliness that his mate had endured. Sending love and reassurance and acceptance through their bond in long, comforting waves, he again carefully considered before asking, "And has anyone touched you without love, my heart? Has anyone ever forced their touch upon you?"
And this time, the silence was deafening.
Gabriel seized control of his rage and his pain before it could touch his vulnerable mate. Forcing it down and controlling his breathing, he never ceased the gentle caresses and loving kisses he pressed upon Sirius. After a moment, the roar of blood in his ears slowed enough that he could heart his mate's nervous breaths and felt the twitching of his hands and legs, as if Sirius wanted desperately to run but was fighting the urge. Gabriel drew a deep, careful breath and nudged the temperature of the bathwater up a few degrees, hoping to further relax both his and Sirius' tensing muscles. A few moments later, and Sirius haltingly offered, "I wasn't raped, Gabriel. Nothing like that. Honestly. I just …. had to deal with some unwelcome interest when I was younger, that's all." And then, feeling Gabriel's rage rise, Sirius' need to reassure his mate worked faster than his resolve to never speak of this topic, and he blurted out, "But it was okay! I ran away when I was fifteen to the Potter's and it was done and over with!"
Gabriel's hands abruptly stilled upon his back, and then Sirius, in sheer horror, replayed what he had just said. He was struggling to get out of the bath and out of the room and just … away… before he even really processed the fact that he had just revealed a secret he had kept locked tightly in the darkest corner of his mind. His body reacted in purest panic, sending enough adrenaline to leap away and flee.
He got about thirteen inches before he was yanked firmly back against the powerful chest and wrapped tightly in the strong arms and powerful love of his very own Zabini Alpha. The shame, the secrecy, the panic – it was all swept away beneath the overwhelming force that was Gabriel Zabini's love for Sirius Black. And, this time, it was Sirius himself who tucked his head beneath Gabriel's chin and purred. They reclined together in the steamy bath for several more, long minutes of comforting each other before Sirius hesitantly began to talk. He explained in hushed tones how he had first sensed something odd in his mother's touch when he was eight years old. How her touch lingered uncomfortably and her slightly crazed stare would darken. Those moments were always followed by her anger, an unstable outpouring of self-hate that resulted in her oldest son's bruises, cuts and occasional broken bones. Fearing that his mother's dark attention would turn to his little brother if he took steps to stop her, Sirius endured. When he went off to Hogwart's at age eleven, he took Regulus aside and told him what to expect and where to hide. He enlisted Kreacher's aid in protecting his little brother, forcing the house elf to take a vow that he would betray his mistress to protect the little master. He did not realize he was causing the elf's eventual insanity, and he would not have changed his actions even if he had known. Reggie was all that mattered. When Sirius was thirteen, Reggie joined him at Hogwart's and for the first time Sirius felt safe enough to ask someone for help.
Unfortunately, that someone had been Albus Percy.
The Headmaster's dismissive attitude and chastisement of Sirius for making such false claims against his 'lovely mother' drove Sirius back into hiding, and it was another two years before he found the courage to seek help again. This time, it was freely given, by James Potter and his parents. Asylum was offered to Regulus as well, but by then the younger brother had already been poisoned against Sirius by their mother's vitriol and was convinced that Sirius had made the whole thing up to lure Reggie away from the traditions and culture that made up the House of Black. Their father, Orion, remained uninvolved, preferring long business trips and a string of mistresses to the needs of his family. Sirius doubted the man ever knew the extent of Walburga's depravity, because even now, after all Sirius had endured, he maintained that his father had been a good man, even if he was a terrible family man. Listening to his little mate discuss his father, Gabriel was amazed at the man's ability to forgive his father, and knew that he would never feel the same generosity of spirit toward the elder Black. It did not matter that the man had been forced into marriage with a woman he detested. That union had still produced two children who had needed him. To abandon them, especially to the care and attention of a woman he despised, was unforgivable.
When Sirius had said all he needed to, they again sank into a comfortable quiet, simply enjoying the heat of the bath and the press of skin to skin. Sirius dozed lightly, neither asleep nor truly awake, and it was then that Gabriel asked gently, "Was there ever anyone you particularly wanted to love, my heart? Was there anyone who stirred your passions?" And Sirius, with no defenses left at all, sleepily murmured against Gabriel's chest, "Yes, but you were always only a dream. I looked for you everywhere, but you were just a dream."
In silence, Gabriel lifted his little mate from the bath, once again showing his incredible strength by simply gathering Sirius to his chest and standing up. He placed Sirius on the fainting couch and gently dried him with the soft, fresh towels that awaited them. Quickly doing the same for himself, careful to keep his magic to a minimum around his newly-bonded, he smiled into the sleepy gray eyes and again picked Sirius up, ignoring the slurred protests, and carried him into their bedroom. Placing Sirius back into the freshly-made bed, he slid in beside him and pulled the smaller male back into his arms. He had awoken with little inclination for any distance between them at all. After the revelations in the bath, even that small chance had dwindled to nothing.
They slipped back into sleep, Gabriel remaining watchful and protective, even as he dreamed.
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MORNING – PICTURE PERFECT
Gabriel and Sirius were not entirely alone. As they slept, they were guarded by Thomas Riddle, who had been joined in the portrait near the fainting couch by Wulfric as soon as he detected the waves of pain and fury that rippled through the portraits in Potter Manor. He had entered the painting swiftly, to find his crimson-eyed friend standing unnaturally still as his unique magic boiled around them. Wulfric had immediately pulled Thomas into a tight embrace, using his own unique magic to calm the turbulence in the magic of his longtime companion.
Finally, as dawn began to creep into the room, Thomas was controlled enough to leave the room of his grandson and his new mate and follow Wulfric into their private sanctuary, which was a floor to ceiling mural that wrapped around all four walls of a private room Harrison had set aside for their use. The mural included everything that two Lords would need to live in comfort and luxury, from a lovely garden to an comfortable study, a comprehensive library, and an opulent bedroom.
It was to the last room that Wulfric escorted Thomas, efficiently stripping the man of his formal attire and then shedding his own clothes as well. Pushing and pulling, he managed to get the tense and silent man into the luxurious bed, falling in beside him and pulling him close. It was then, as Thomas allowed Wulfric to comfort him, that he told Wulfric what he had overheard about Sirius and his childhood. Thomas raged, and Thomas wept, and finally, Thomas slept, secure in the strong embrace of Wulfric Dumbledore.
And now, it was Wulfric's turn to guard the sleep of a loved one. Quietly stroking the salt and pepper hair of his dearest companion, Wulfric reflected on the vagaries of fate and the machinations of Albus Percy. The bastard had hurt so many people, including Wulfric and his entire family. Fortunately, his daughter Ariana had all of the family magics in abundance as well, and was able to pass between the spirit realm and here with some impunity. Wulfric may well have surrendered to despair if his beloved daughter had not helped him slowly but surely regain control of their Line and its children over the past century. Once all of this was resolved, he was going to find a way to repay Tavin McGonogall; without that old man … hat … whatever!... the Dumbledore line would have been lost to the progeny of that detestable little rat Pettigrew. Repugnant thought.
Soothing another nightmare away from Thomas with the gentle carding of his hand through the crisp hair, Wulfric considered his companion. His was another remarkable story. And, once again, Percy's busy fingers had twisted the truth. Documents had already been sent to Council Leader Bones, asking that she read through everything provided and then ensure that complete copies were given to every attending member of the Hall of Government Session, Day Two. The Session started at eleven a.m., but Bones had agreed to allow Harrison and Sirius, and now Gabriel and Lucius as well, to join them at 3 p.m. The hours between would be spent by the Lords and the Council Leader reading, and absorbing, the shocking information contained in the documents. Among those papers was the true explanation of just who Lord Thomas Marvolo Riddle really was. The truth was nothing like what Dumbledore had publicized.
Lord Thomas Angus Riddle Sr. was, in fact, a wizard. Like Wulfric himself, he chose to live in relative obscurity, keeping his family and himself well away from the majority of the Wizarding World, although his manor was, in fact, located in Little Hangleton. The Riddles and the Gaunts were the only magical families in the area, both living under strong wards and privacy screens. The Gaunts, while not as well off as the Riddles, were nothing like the disgusting creatures Albus Percy pretended them to be. They were just people, the last heirs to Salazar Slytherin's Line. Although not in love, Thomas Riddle Senior and Merope Gaunt had married with the express purpose of joining the families and producing an heir to both. They had achieved that purpose. And then Percy and his lover Gellert found out their secret. Furious to have discovered that the powerful Line of one of the Founders had been rejuvenated, Albus and Gellert killed the Gaunts and obliviated young Thomas's family. They could not kill the Riddles at that time, having been seen frequently visiting them at their Manor and having already made it known to too many people that he was the only wizard they trusted in their home. In this, at least, the old bastard had outwitted himself.
He did not want Salazar's line reborn, though. In the Charter of the Founders, it was clearly noted that if the lines died out, then the Headmaster could claim the vaults on behalf of Hogwarts itself. Percy and Grindelwald wanted those vaults. They knew that Slytherin had within his family possessions the renowned Resurrection Stone, among other valuable pieces. It was crucial to their plans that they obtain that stone. Cassandra Trelawney, a talented seer had made a prophecy that Gellert would die before his dreams could see reality. Immediately, the two lovers – Gellert and Albus – had begun to plan his resurrection. Fortunately for Wulfric's companion Thomas, the two madmen had discovered through their research that they would need Thomas's assistance to resurrect Gellert when the time came. Thus, they hid the baby, sending him to the muggle orphanage that to this day provided his cherished friend and lover with far too many nightmares.
Wulfric continued to pet Thomas's hair, smiling slightly at the younger wizard's contented sigh. It annoyed Thomas immensely when Wulfric thought of him as a younger man, but compared to Wulfric's age from birth past death to the present time, Thomas was still and would always be 'the younger man.' As if hearing Wulfric's thoughts, Thomas hissed in his sleep, causing Wulfric to chuckle silently and tug lightly on the hair beneath his fingers before he resumed his gentle caresses. Thomas settled back into a deeper sleep. As his breathing evened out once more, Wulfric considered the revelations that had distressed his Thomas so badly this night.
Poor Sirius. That young man had gone through hell as much as, if not more than, Harrison and Thomas. His spirit was strong; that much was certain. Of course, how could it be anything less? He was Thomas's grandson. Wulfric smirked, thinking of how that particular bit of information would be received at the Hall of Government tomorrow. Thomas had followed in the footsteps of his own parents, having a brief marriage when he was just sixteen years old with a young woman of a powerful family with the purpose of producing an heir. Having ensured that his heir was born legitimately, the marriage contract was fulfilled and the couple divorced. Around that time, Thomas realized that he was the target of Percy and Grindelwald, and that his daughter would never survive if the two learned of her. He had then sent her off with her mother and erased all traces of his ties to them.
Even now, his Thomas could not talk about that time. It had wounded his companion terribly, to finally have a family and be forced to send them away.
Wulfric wondered, in light of recent information, how Sirius would respond in learning that Walburga was not his natural mother. Orion had married – and been widowed – before his marriage to Walburga. He had loved his first wife passionately, which was understandable. Charlemagne Riddle was a beautiful woman, talented, powerful, and vastly intelligent.
'And she was my Thomas's daughter,' Wulfric thought sadly. Her death had come during an attack on Diagon Alley by Grindelwald and his forces. As far as they could determine, she had purely been collateral damage, simply another victim of the war. Grindelwald never knew that he had killed one of the heirs of Slytherin. In fact, had he known she existed, he would certainly have kidnapped her and held her in custody somewhere to ensure that the blood of Slytherin was available for his own Resurrection.
The man was insane, but he could certainly plan.
Wulfric issued a tired sigh, and settled more comfortably into the bed. He drew Thomas close to him, knowing that they would keep each other safe and hold the vast supply of nightmares at bay. That was the original reason they had begun to share a bed, after all. For the true Dumbledores and for true Slytherins, death was less of an adjustment than for most. Both families had certain magics that allowed them to live more fully as spirits, to enjoy life beyond death much more richly than the average ghost. They could eat, they touch and feel, they have sex, and they could directly effect the natural world. While a normal ghost could not even touch objects in the living world, any member of the Dumbledores or the Slytherins had those abilities and more.
Running a loving hand through the familiar hair of his dear one, Wulfric began to wonder if the action was more comforting to Thomas or to himself. Joining his lover in sleep, his last coherent thought was to decide that it didn't matter, so long as comfort was given.
And for a few hours, all of the wizards of Potter Manor slept safely in the arms of the one they loved the most.
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A/N There it is. My deepest apologies for the delay. If I told you about my life right now, you'd roll your eyes and call it crap-fic! Anyway, please do let me know what you think. The next chapter will be back in Session. Happy Reading!
WyrdSmith