The headache turns even worse when Snape leaves and Harry ends up getting a pain relief potion from his bedroom. When he comes back Voldemort is on his feet, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. The feeling of unease comes more clearly through the link, or the bond as it might be although his face is as emotionless as usual.

Harry grabs his wine glass, fills it and downs the whole thing in one go. There is a little voice at the back of his head that reminds him that one should not mix potions with alcohol but at this point he doesn't care. He needs something.

"Do you want me to heal your hand?" he asks as he refills his glass because it is the right thing to ask when you have cut someone's hand open against their will.

"It will heal on its own before morning," Voldemort replies.

Harry sits down on the couch and buries his head in his hands. Voldemort has not moved when Harry looks back up. "Is there some way out of this bond that you are aware of, since you chose to literally sell yourself into slavery instead of taking an unbreakable vow? Don't lie to me."

He isn't sure if the order took, because apparently it is not as easy as one should think to order a dark lord to do anything but he hopes it did because a feeling of panic is starting to unravel in the pit of his stomach. Voldemort never does anything that isn't carefully planned and that will gain him the upper hand at some point.

Voldemort looks away and Harry can see a muscle thick in his jaw. A shudder goes through him before he opens his mouth. "If there happens to be one, then Snape made sure to close that loophole when you finished the ritual. I am not aware of any way out of the bond."

For now, Harry thinks.

"Why lie and tell me it was an oath and not a bond?" Why the secrecy?"

Voldemort sighs like he sometimes does when he thinks one of the students is an idiot. "I told you what it was, magical conquest. That you didn't research the matter is not my fault. Your dear Minister was the one who told you it was an oath. I simply did not correct him. Afterwards, when we arrived here, Severus informed me that the Minister had given strict instructions that everyone was to be told I had taken an oath. He even did me the favour of hiding the mark, as it would have been oblivious to at least half the professor and several of the older students here what had happened if not."

Harry stares. He isn't sure who he is most angry at, himself or the Minister.

######

"You lied to me!"

Kingsley sighs. "I might have withheld some information."

"It's a bond. You told me it was an oath."

"Does it really make a difference?" Kingsley sighs. He looks tired.

"Of course it does. There is a difference between an oath and you making me a slave owner without my knowledge!"

Kingsley lifts his hands, palms towards Harry. "He suggested it himself. Why in Merlin's name would I turn him down? Magical conquest is the safest possible solution to this. It is even safer than trying to kill him seeing as he has come back from the dead before. He has signed away his life and magic for good."

"Why didn't you tell me?!" Harry is standing now with both hands on the man's desk.

Kinsley leans back in his chair. "Because you might have refused. I couldn't take that chance. You were never going to be able to kill him and he was never going to take the vow. I am not sure we could have safely kept him in Azkaban. He is extremely powerful and there is no guarantee that the collar would have been able to contain him in the long run."

"And now I am stuck with him for the rest of my life? A slave. A bloody dark lord? He killed my parents, my friends! He is the reason Sirius is dead. Dumbledore!"

A vase of flowers explodes as Harry loses control over his magic. "I trusted you. Therefore I didn't question the deal. I was, am, exhausted from the war. From everything. I hardly have the energy to get up in the mornings anymore and I trusted that you were telling the truth about that oath.

Kingsley only looks mildly sympathetic. "I can apologise if you want, but I am not sorry. We now have the dark lord contained, Hogwarts has a DADA professor who will last longer than a year, you have gotten some meaning into your life by looking after him."

"Meaning into my life," Harry sputters. "It isn't a bloody pet you have given me, Kingsley!"

Kingsley simply shrugs. "Well, slaves have been seen as pets in the past. You have been depressed since the war ended, Harry. It will be good for you to have something to focus on again."

Harry simply stares at him, wondering about the man's sanity.

"And this also solves the problem of the public wanting revenge. No one can say that being turned into a slave is not punishment. A fitting one considering how he tried to enslave the wizarding world."

"He chose this! There has to be some hiding agenda in all of this. Are you not afraid he will manipulate me into giving him everything he wants? That he will find a way to escape."

Kingsley sighs. "No. We put that in as one of the orders when you performed the ceremony. For him to be able to manipulate you then you first have to cancel the order, and even then it doesn't matter because you can simply give him new orders."

"He is being nice and charming."

That makes Kingsley laugh. "Of course he is, he knows that if you figured out the truth then you could make his life a lot more difficult. He isn't regarded as a wizard anymore, but as a possession. There are no rights or laws that protect him. You can drag him into the middle of Diagon Alley and use whatever illegal curses you want on him without fear of prosecution. He is dependent on you for everything he needs or wants. For protection, for food and clothes. He has no money. His vaults are still in his name, but I will instruct the goblins to transfer them to you as they are now rightfully yours."

Harry sits. He is feeling dizzy. Dizzy and angry.

"Why didn't you just explain the matter to me. I might have agreed," he says but he can hear how unlikely that would have been.

"I couldn't take that chance."

"I hate you. I am sick of you using me for your own agenda. You, Dumbledore. Why does it have to be me? Why not you?"

A glass of water is put down on the desk in front of him. "I can live with you hating me, Harry, as long as our world is safe. As for your second question, magical conquest can only be interacted between two nemesis. It has always been you and him."

######

Voldemort is on the couch with a book when Harry returns after having yelled at Kingsley and having been yelled at by Hermione. Ron seemed to find some irony in the whole situation. Harry had tried to calm Hermione down by pointing out that the bond was even more safe than an oath and that the outcome was more or less the same. Then Hermione had launched into a 30 min speech about human rights, especially the rights of prisoners of war and how no one should have such power over another human being and how power corrupts and Harry had simply nodded and tried to find a way to stop her.

In the end though Hermione had to concede that it was done and that there was nothing they could do to undo the whole thing. Then she scolded Harry for not researching such important matters.

The headache from earlier that morning is now even worse and as he enters the apartment and sees Voldemort he is reminded that this was his fault, all of it.

"Nice evening? You have been gone for quite some time."

"No." Harry mutters and hangs up his cloak. Then he goes straight for his bedroom and closes the door behind him. He needs a shower and some sleep and Voldemort can't leave the apartment so it should be fine.

He forgoes the shower and collapses on the bed. Perhaps things will look better in the morning after a good night's sleep.

######

There is breakfast on the table as usual when he wakes the next morning along with tea. Luckily it's Saturday so he doesn't have to deal with facing the students yet. He sits and pulls the tea cup towards him. The food looks good as usual. This time it is pancakes but Harry doesn't have an appetite. He eats the food though. He hates vaste and he needs his strength. Voldemort is strangely nowhere to be found.

Unsure Harry casts a human revelio and the spell confirms that Voldemort is in his room. Odd. The man is normally waiting for Harry at the table, eager for him to finish so they can get out.

A stroke of concern passes Harry's mind but he pushes it away. Voldemort has not shown any lasting damage from the attack. There should be no reason to worry. The man had been completely fine the night before.

The worry is back when evening arrives and Harry still hasn't seen Voldemort. He considers knocking on his door but doesn't. He is still somewhat angry with the man for misleading him although he can't ignore the fact that it was his own blind trust in Kingsley that had led him into this mess.

Why hadn't he researched the matter himself? He knows the answer, it is just something he doesn't want to admit.

He had been so relieved when Voldemort had come up with a solution that didn't involve Harry killing him that he had grabbed it with both hands without looking closer. He had been so exhausted and stressed around New Year's Eve that he hadn't cared as long as it was a solution that would get the impending murder off his back.

If there is one thing he does not want to do then it is spilling more magical blood. If Voldemort's vast knowledge on magic can be put to good use then why throw the chance away.

But, still. Slavery. That does not sit well with him. He can feel his stomach turn at the thought that Voldemort is completely dependent on him. For everything. He can't own anything, can't make his own decisions og go wherever he wants. Not without Harry's permission. In that regard Harry can understand why he was fine with Harry not knowing about the bond and believing it to be an oath.

It also explains why Voldemort can't call the house elves and why Harry's wards didn't do much good. The wards would have recognized Voldemort as not only being not human, but also belonging to Harry.

The professors must know he realises. At least some of them. Slughorn had misspoken and called it a bond not an oath.

And they all agreed to keep the truth from him. He really should be angry but it will not change anything.

Tinsy brings him supper after Harry gives up waiting for Voldemort to come out of his room.

As he eats he wonders what had been going through Voldemort's head when he had decided to suggest magical conquest as a solution.

He knows the man is afraid of death but even for him this seems to be kind of a desperate plan. Then again, this is the man who split his soul six times so perhaps he shouldn't put it past him. He could, of course, have gambled on the Ministry simply keeping him in Azkaban but from bruises Harry assumes that is not a pain free option.

Voldemort must have a lot of faith in Harry not abusing his power over him for him to choose to enslave himself. Or he assumes Harry will be the usual bleeding heart Gryffindor that will simply let him roam about as if nothing has happened.

######

"I haven't seen him since Friday evening," Harry says when Snape inquires into how things are going between him and Voldemort.

This time it is Harry who stands and grabs the fire whiskey from the table.

"He has been cooped up in his room. I assume he eats something when I am not there. Why didn't you tell me?" He tries to sound like he isn't too hurt about it but he doesn't think he manages.

Snape sighs. "The Minister ordered us not to."

"You hid the mark."

"Yes."

"Why would he agree to this?"

"Desperation I assume. This vs dying. For him I assume it was an easy choice," Snape replies after a couple of seconds of silence. "Po-Harry, this is not a bad solution. He gets to stay alive and he isn't locked up. I get a DADA professor who can actually teach and you get something meaningful to do with your life again."

Harry thinks it's the first time Snape has ever used his first name. "Kingsley said the same thing." He is a bit insulted that everyone seems to think he has been depressed or something. Perhaps he has been. A bit. A little bit. Not much.

"Good."

"The last part of the ritual, what did that do?"

"Consolidated the bond. The initial ritual binds his mind and body to you. The exchange of blood connects your feelings and makes it easier for the bond to judge your wishes. It should also make it easier for you to keep an eye on his emotions and mental state."

"What?" That first part doesn't sound good. The last part. Well, being able to sense what Voldemort is feeling will be kind of useful. Has been useful.

Then a thought hits him and panic unfurls. "Can he feel my feelings?" That wouldn't be a good thing.

Snape waves a hand. "No. The bond will only let him notice feelings that are relative to his position like if you are angry or pleased with him, but even those will only be a bare echo of your real feelings. It can't force him to do anything without a direct order. Is more like a subtle hint that he can choose to ignore, or so I assume."

"You assume?"

"Well, there aren't actually very many of these kinds of bonds currently active." The sarcasm makes it clear Snape once more thinks Harry is an idiot. "The only information I have is from this book that the Minister managed to find."

A book floats towards Harry. It is big and heavy. "Here. It might be useful."

Harry sighs. "What am I supposed to do with him?"

"Nothing. You don't have to do anything. There is a set of rules for how a slave is supposed to act in public but the Legal department has already issued a dispensation for Riddle whilst he is on Hogwarts' grounds."

"Right." His slave. "What kind of rules?"

Snape nods towards the book. "It is all in there. Riddle knows what he has gotten himself into. You don't have to do anything. Think of the bond as a failsafe in case he does something that is unacceptable in your book. If he does then you can use the bond to stop him or make him do what you want. Other than that you don't have to do much. Just keep doing what you have been doing."

Okay, that doesn't sound too bad. He can do that.

"Now, how are the classes going? I actually received a letter from the mother of one of the first years. Her daughter is in Hufflepuff. From what I can gather she is muggleborn and rather inexperienced. She was really struggling last semester but apparently, according to her mother, her new Professor in DADA has been showing her incredible patience and the girl is now thriving at school and has caught up with the rest of her school mates. Even the other Professors are impressed at how well the girl is coming alone after only four weeks."

Harry makes a grimace. He remembers the girl. "She almost took Vol-Tom's eye out a couple of times. The first time I thought he was going to strangle her on the spot, or break her wand."

Snape almost smiles.

"You don't pay him do you?"

"No. We do however pay you for his time."

Of course. "That is why you haven't sent over the contract yet?"

"Yes."

"And he isn't really employed?"

"No. The formal DADA Professor at Hogwarts is you. The board has however approved your request for your charge to help and lead the classes. With his impressive resume the board had no problem approving."

"I never made such a request."

"I did. In your name."

Great.

######

Harry wakes on Monday morning and realises he has not seen Voldemort since Friday evening. He gets out of bed with a sigh. Hopefully the man is planning to attend his job or else Harry is stuck teaching the children.

He showers and gets dressed.

There is breakfast on the table. The usual Monday breakfast - scrambled eggs, bacon and toast along with coffee. Voldemort always makes coffee on Mondays. There is a plate and a tea cup in the sink he notices but strangely no Voldemort.

He eats and waves his wand to clean and put the plates and cups away. Then he turns and looks at the door to Voldemort's room. Just as he decides to knock, the door opens and Voldemort exits. He is dressed in one of the high collared robes with silver trimming. The high collar hides the mark Harry notices.

The brown eyes glances over the table before Voldemort walks to the door and takes down Harry's cloak after putting on his own. "Shall we?" he asks as if it is just another day.

Harry opens his mouth to ask what Voldemort has been doing for the last two days but he doesn't. It's too bloody early in the morning. He simply nods and allows Voldemort to drape the cloak around his shoulders.

Voldemort opens the door and gestures for Harry to exit. As they walk towards the classroom Harry notices that Voldemort is half a step behind him, which is unusual because normally Voldemort simply strides ahead and Harry has to jog to keep up with him. It only lasts for about a minute before Voldemort once more is in front and Harry has to lengthen his steps to keep up.

######

Harry keeps glancing up from the papers he is grading to watch Voldemort. The man is currently teaching the students the theory behind the Verdimillious Charm and the students are writing down fast as he speaks. Mostly because Voldemort has told them there will be a test every two months to check that they do understand what he is teaching them and that they are paying attention.

So young and impressionable. Harry almost feels happy for them. They will not grow up in a time of war and fear. They will learn at some point who Voldemort is. There is no way around it as it is on the curriculum for the History class.

They will grow up safe and competent because Harry agreed to take responsibility for Voldemort and give Hogwarts students the opportunity to learn from the best.

He turns back to the papers. Voldemort is behaving as his usual self as he teaches. Calm and collected.

As he grades the last one he looks up as the students stand.

"Mr. Potter, if you would take half the class as we proceed," Voldemort says without looking at him. Then to the class. "Mr. Potter will show you how to perform the wand movements for the Verdimillious Charm in both versions and then we will practise the wand movements. I have hidden a couple of artefacts that are cloaked by dark arts in the room and in the end we will see if you are capable of performing the spell well enough to reveal them."

Harry shows them how both versions of the spell works and then lets himself fall into the pattern of teaching eager children how to do it.

He likes it. Teaching that is. There is something rewarding about it. How the children flock to him. How they eagerly try to copy him. How they do their best to get it right. The focus and determination not to disappoint Voldemort.

Almost all of them get it right by the time the bell sounds. The few who don't gather around Voldemort who patiently explains what they have to work on before the next class. He corrects wand movements and stands. No one leaves the class room however until Voldemort dismisses them.