Sorry for any and all mistakes and errors, including spelling and grammar.
Also sorry this was so late. Took an impromptu trip without my computer.
.-.
"Where are you going Harry?" Hermione blinked as Harry stood, wide eyes glancing at him from over the thick tome in her hand.
"I have someone I need to see." Harry said tucking the note Hedwig had delivered in his pocket. Hedwig cooed and kissed his cheek until he opened the window to let her out.
"Don't be out long." She said mildly, turning back to her book. "Curfew is soon and the other prefects may catch you."
"Hermione dear, could anyone catch our lovely Harry here if he didn't wish it?" Blaise drawled while kissing Cedric's arm, slowly making his way up.
Hermione snorted but delved back into her book. Cedric shuddered under Blaise's kisses, the Italian whispering things into his skin. Harry paused at the door and looked back at the scene.
"You shall be on my side." He said aloud.
"You are stating the obvious." Hermione quipped, eyes glue to her book.
"Run along Harry lovely," Blaise said, "We will be waiting for your return as always."
Harry stepped out of his dorm and into the silent dark hall.
"A door milady." He said aloud.
Hogwart's magic thrummed through him in a greeting before a large double oak door appeared across from him. He opened it and stepped through, not asking how he had stepped from the seventh floor, the east-north corner, into the south-west dungeons with a single step. Harry strode into the girl's bathroom with out even a breath of hesitation. The sink came apart at a single word and he was soon walking down the underground stone hall that led into the large stone Chamber of Secrets. In the center near Slytherin's statue was a coffee table and a set of comfy chairs and couches. The soft sound of the now working fountains filled the room. The magical torches lit the room nicely and glanced off polished stone.
Harry headed for the chairs and he found himself facing a group of people. As he swept into the chamber everyone dropped from the seats and pressed into a bow except the tall youth that looked remarkably like Harry, whom stayed seated. Harry tilted his lips in a half smile as he stepped around a chair and looked at all their bowed heads. He gazed at the bowed figures for a long moment then looked up at the only person not bowing.
"Marvolo." He acknowledged.
The rest stayed bowed. Marvolo stared at him wide eyed, as if seeing something only he could see. Harry couldn't tell if the youth wasn't bowing because he still refused to submit or because he was far to shocked to do anything.
"You may stand." Harry said aloud stopping at the beginning of the carpet on the floor.
The men kneeling did so in a few fluid movements. Harry gazed at them all. He noted Lucius looked a bit irritated, gripping his cane harder. That Snape was as calm as ever, hands clasped behind his back. That Crouch Jr. looked like an eager puppy, unsure of whether or not to grovel or hug him. That Rabastan and Rodolphus Lestrange were nervous, the anxiousness hidden deep in their eyes. That Remus was fidgeting next to Maen, unsure. That Noir was gazing at him lustfully, trembling slightly. That Maen was hunched slightly, a sign of submission.
"Sit." Harry ordered clearly, voice ringing in the empty chamber.
They sat just as an elf popped in levitating a tray of beverages and snacks. It set them on the table and popped away. No one moved. Harry took his seat on a leather arm chair, crossing his legs as he leaned into the seat. For a long moment silence reigned.
"What did you do?" Marvolo finally asked, voice breathless, breaking the silence between them.
Harry smirked at the man as he felt Marvolo's magic release sporadically, in short bursts that prodded Harry warily. The twins glanced at Harry as if to see what he would do to Marvolo for speaking out of line, looking to be waiting for something painful. They were to used to Voldemort for anything g but pain. Remus just kept his eyes steadfast on Harry and the rest did as they usually did, watching warily or relaxing. Harry did notice that Barty Jr. was gazing at him adoringly, Snape with mild awe, and Lucius with expectancy.
"I have just partially awoken." Harry tittered, eyes flashing as he gazed half lidded at the half a soul.
"Partially?" Marvolo breathed, with wonderment at the thought of what that meant for now and for later.
"Yes. Partially." Harry drawled. "I've not fully awakened yet."
Marvolo just gazed at him with half glazed eyes, tuning into his magic to drink in the feeling of Harry's power spread about the area.
"Why are we here?" Snape finally snapped, breaking the silence again.
"Because I called all my faithful." Harry said drawing the word out mockingly. "And because I am hoping to make this chamber a meeting hall from now on. Keep the portkeys I gave you. They are reusable."
"Them?" Lucius asked bluntly, prodding his cane at the two twins, as if he could not contain the question any longer.
Said twins stiffened, the anxiety they felt rising. They glanced at one another as if for reassurance and then back at him, their eyes downcast so as not to meet his.
"My lord." They both said in union dropping to their knees again. "We have come to join you."
"Voldemort will not be happy that I have once again stolen two of his inner circle." Harry smirked widely, remembering Voldemort's face as Harry announced Snape, Lucius, and Barty were his.
"He does not know." Rabastan said hesitantly. "We thought we could be of use unknown to him."
Harry smirked at him and the man ducked his head lower, feeling the gaze on him. Harry wondered what was going through their minds, how they had worked up the …courage to become spies
"And why have you come?" Harry asked. "Why join me?"
Why him? Why not stay with Voldemort? They knew nothing of him yet they chose him over Voldemort.
"You…" Rodolphus started before breaking off.
"Yes?" Harry prompted.
"You are far stronger." Rabastan finished for his brother. "You will win this war."
"You are dark." Rodolphus added. "Pure darkness."
Harry let a slip of magic wrap around them. Ahhh. Rodolphus was highly magically sensitive. It would not surprise Harry if the man could see the waves of dark magic rolling off of him. In fact Harry was surprised the man could stand to be so close when he knew he was practically flooding the area with his own magic. All of the man's senses must have been overwhelmed and he was on a high of sorts now, so numb he couldn't feel anymore. Wrapping a strand of magic around the man Harry cut him off from the overwhelming feel of his magic. Rodolphus practically collapsed with a soft exhale of air, his whole body trembling as if he had run a marathon.
"T-Thank you milord." He stuttered, voice shaking.
"Sit." Harry said. "You are mine."
The word was a soft purr. The two bowed again, even lower. Harry's magic reached out and twisted their Dark Marks to his own design, adding an illusion if Voldemort ever looked. When the two were once again seated he glanced to Lucius.
"You said you had something for me?" He said, referring to the letter he had received after calling the meeting.
Lucius withdrew a rolled up piece parchment that was sealed with a snake designed wax seal.
"Voldemort's pact of neutrality." Lucius drawled. "It lasts until Summer Solstice and is magically binding."
"Obviously he does not to wish to fight me for now. But if he had any thoughts of leaving me be he would have made it a permanent treaty." Harry said, catching the scroll from the air and tucking it away to look over later. "Severus?"
"I have no news," Snape said, "Other then order news which you most likely already know."
Harry nodded and looked to Noir and Maen. Noir still looked drunk on his magic, looking at him with glazed eyes, and Maen averting his eyes respectfully.
"And you two?"
"Just came to see you poppet." Noir slurred, as if drunk, his words containing a wistful sigh.
Harry rolled his eyes as Maen helped Noir sit straighter.
"You smell of blood Flame." Maen snorted. "You are doing this to him on purpose."
Harry just smirking thinking of the blood ritual he had used a night before to key the Chamber of Secret's wards to him. Then he turned to the second werewolf.
"Remus?"
"I…" Remus started, pausing as if unsure. "We are on your side Harry."
It was said hesitantly but strongly, truthfully. Harry gave the werewolf a softened expression that made the man relax slightly.
"I know Remus. When is the child due?"
"Six and a half months." Remus answered more easily.
"Good." Harry hummed. "And finally, Marvolo, do you have what I wanted?"
Marvolo gave a distracted nod, still focused more on his own magic which was prodding Harry's as if trying to learn it's secrets, and tossed a bag onto the coffee table between them.
"What is that?" Rodolphus breathed in disbelief and horror.
Harry knew the man could see the repulsive magiks used to make the items in the bag. The bag just radiated it and Harry could see the man draw back, cringing the longer he looked at it and the longer it stayed so close to him.
"Just a little advantage." Harry hummed grabbing the velvet bag. "All of them?"
"Yes." Marvolo nodded. "Barty was a great help."
The mentally unstable man beamed at the compliment.
"Did you have any trouble?" Harry quirked a brow.
"No. Since we are technically the same, I bypassed every defence." Marvolo shrugged idly. "What do you plan to do with them?"
"You shall see." Harry smirked, examining the bag idly. "You have all done well."
"Thank you milord." They all muttered.
"When shall we meet next?" Noir asked breathlessly.
"Two weeks's time." Harry said grabbing a cup of cooling tea. "Let us make these bimonthly meetings. Now Marvolo, tell me of China."
.-.
:Hello Ne.: Harry hissed softly, stroking the head of his familiar.
"Harry." The snake spoke, his voice more hissed then not, but the word said completely in English even in his snake form.
"You are learning human tongue?" Harry raised a brow.
:Have I not sssaid our bond isss not to tie us together.: Ne hissed, a mused. :I bonded with you not to sssstay with you forever, but to benefit your magic. The longer we are bonded the sssstronger I become. Ssssomeday I hope to be able to sssshift into my human form before the eyessss of all humanssss, and not just you Godssss.:
Harry gave a soft laugh and stroked the dark maroon and black scales.
"When that happens." Harry said, "Shall you stay with me anyways?"
:Yessss.: Ne said more softly, nudging him gently almost lovingly. :But I ssshall walk by your sssside, not be wrapped around your sssshouldersss like a pet. I sssshall walk along ssside you and your human petssss asss an equal.:
Harry gave a soft trill of laughter and kissed his familiar's head.
"Then I hope you drink up my magic quickly, and learn to shift." Harry smirked. "For now, stay with Tom. He can teach you far more for when you do then I."
:Why do you think I ssstay with him?: Ne hissed a laugh. :You were not human even when mortal, and to sssshift into a human form I need to learn from a human. He is the closssessst to that that I can tolerate.:
Harry laughed softly and kissed his familiar again.
.-.
"I do not remember how it changed." Maen spoke gruffly, softly in the silence.
"How what changed?" Harry asked sipping at his tea.
"When we first found you we were the teachers, the ones in the most control." Maen said. "You listened to our commands and Noir didn't fear striking you. We were in the frame of mind that we could kill you if you showed anything we thought useless or disliked. And now, now we bow before you, kneel willingly and bow our heads in submission. We don't dare touch you unless you initiate the contact. With a bare look you can send Noir intro a drunken state, drowning us in your power. We could never even think of killing you, disobeying you. I remember grabbing you by the throat when you said you were not on our side but your own, how you agreed you were ours. But now, we are on your side and you are not ours, we are yours. I do not remember when it all changed."
Harry turned poisonous green eyes to the werewolf who met them with amber eyes, posture submissive and non-threatening. Harry's lips quirked into a smirk.
"Does it matter?" He purred.
"…No." Maen said softly, still meeting his gaze, the look turning more soft, almost adoring. "No, because we are yours and always shall be to our last ragged breathe."
Harry leaned over and stroked the man's cheek.
"You are poison." Maen whispered, leaning into the touch like a pet seeking comfort. "You slipped in slowly, unnoticed and poisoned our minds. All dark beauty and soft words and shadowed power."
"Would you truly have it any other way?" Harry asked.
"...No." Maen whispered, closing his eyes.
Harry smirked and leaned over to kiss him, enjoying the taste of the dark magic on the werewolf's skin and in his aura.
"Then I must be a delicious poison, that one would drink in willingly just for the taste."
.-.
"Expecto Patronus." Harry spoke softly.
The silvery wolf leapt out of his wand, all fluid magic and lean furred body. It's paws hit the ground softly and it looked around, ears perked up as it scouted for danger. It turned back to him finding nothing to attack or defend against and tilted it's head as if in question. Harry could feel his own magic radiating from the creature that was almost a solid silver being that resembled his animagus form.
Harry reached out and softly ran his fingers over the silver semi-solid mane and gazed at silver glinting eyes.
"How are you made?" Harry asked feeling the soft happiness radiating from the creature. "Pure magic could create you easily, but I feel the happiness I feel in all other patroni inside of you. What happy memories do I have for you to be made?"
It nuzzled against his hand and green eyes and red hair flashed in his mind, dying screams ringing through his mind.
"My mother?" He questioned. "Happiness from her?"
It nuzzled him again and he saw the flash of hazel eyes and black hair, brave words echoing.
"My father?" he said looking at the silver being. "Not my own happiness but theirs? What they showered me with when they were alive and even when they died for me?"
It tilted its muzzle back and gave a silent howl of excitement and acceptance and love. Harry gazed at the creature and tried to feel anything at the realization that his parents love still clung to his soul, his magic.
He still felt hollow.
.-.
Harry read over the treaty with a careful eye, reading between the lines and the magic woven into the piece of parchment. It was very smartly written and worded and when bound would be unforgivable to those who broke it. It was cruel and vicious and almost perfect.
"Voldemort is very smart." Harry said aloud. "I wonder what people think when they compare us."
"Voldemort seduces his followers with fear and empty promise, while you seduce your followers with your body and soft whispered truths."
Harry tilted his head back to gaze at Blaise who stared at him with an unreadable expression.
"Oh, and how would you know that?" Harry asked.
"I am not blind." Blaise whispered. "While you show Hermione and I a side no one else ever sees, you are deadly and vicious and powerful."
"And yet I allow you two to do as you please." Harry said simply, pointing out a fact.
"Yes, and I have never truly understood why." Blaise said. "It is almost as if we are your beloved children, and yet I know you can't feel enough to call us that yourself. You do it on a whim perhaps or because you don't care not to, but you could one day, decide we are not worth the trouble."
"You have always been smart and observant Blaise." Harry smirked.
"Anyone who looks would see it." Blaise said. "Hermione and I certainly have."
"And yet you are not afraid of me." Harry said.
"As I said, you treat us as your beloved children. For now we have nothing to fear. And the chances you will suddenly decide to get rid of us are as large as you suddenly deciding you don't care for magic anymore. We are apart of your lives now."
"….You always were smart Blaise." Harry repeated. "Now, be my witness as I sign the treaty.
"Yes Harry." Blaise smiled, saying his name with all sorts of emotion that Harry didn't read into.
.-.
"Harry."
Harry turned to look at Luna. The blonde girl gave him a dreamy smile as she walked over to him, her steps silent as if she floated not walked.
"Yes Luna?" He asked.
"You have not yet invited me to your meetings of nargles, and snoracks, and whizzles, and chippers." She said softly, almost scoldingly. "Have you forgotten me?"
Harry stared at her for a long moment before he smirked.
"How could I have forgotten you Luna?" He asked. "I had just not known you would like to attend such parties."
"All you must do is ask then, if you are unsure. And I would quite like to meet all your Quizles."
"Then, my dear, would you like to attend my parties?"
"Yes I would."
He gave a tittering laugh and pulled a silver bracelet from the air, decorated in moons and blue stones. He snapped it around her wrist and ran a finger over it, attaching the proper magic's needed. Then he kissed each of her eyelids and allowed her to do the same.
"Do not forget me again Harry." She warned as she skipped off. "Or I will have my Slorg pinch you."
"Of course not Luna." He called after her.
.-.
"Why do you like blood so much?" Severus asked one evening when they lay in his bed made of black sheets and green covers.
"Why?" Harry asked braiding a strand of hair absently. "Why not? Blood is life, power. It is everything. And the color is pleasing, as is the taste and the feel. And blood is a property of the Dark in magic aspect. To use life to fuel you magic was forbidden by many ministries and it takes a certain talent."
"And yet you wield it effortlessly." Severus said softly reaching out to hesitantly touch his pale skin.
Harry leaned into the touch, fluttering his lashes.
"Yes, yes I do. Was there something you wished of me?"
"Can you take blood away from a person? Could you take my father's blood out of me?"
Harry gazed at Severus for a long moment seeing the self hate, the bitter anger, welling in the man at the thought of who his father was. Harry knew he did not hate his father for his heritage, but rather for how he had treated Severus and his mother.
"No." Harry answered, lied.
He could. It would be a simple matter of a ritual but Severus would never be the same and Harry did not want that.
.-.
"News for me Nott?" Harry asked turning.
The dark haired boy flinched at his gaze and quickly bowed. "Yes milord. I have a list of students who wish to take your mark."
"And who said I was handing it out freely?" Harry smirked.
Nott winced and swallowed thickly.
"We had been hoping…." Nott said softly, "…The Da- Voldemort wishes most of us to take his at the beginning of summer."
"So you need a way to say you are loyal to me? Or are you looking for a way out?"
Nott winced again.
"Many of use wish to take your mark to prove our loyalty, to prove our hope in you milord, but there are others who …well I believe Voldemort has asked them to spy."
"Who?"
"Draco Malfoy. Crabbe and Goyle."
Harry gave a chuckle.
"Lucius shall deal with them for me."
Nott's eyes flashed wide for a brief instant and Harry knew the boy was surprised at Malfoy Senior's loyalties. Harry held out a hand and Nott quickly placed a piece of parchment in it.
"Is Blaise on this list?" Harry asked not bothering to look at it.
Nott stared at him wide eyed.
"No." He finally answered. "We had believed he already carried your mark. He said nothing about wishing to be placed on the list when he saw it."
"Hmm." Harry hummed. "Who is his mother again?"
It was a rhetorical question. Harry knew everything about one of his Beloved.
"Mistress Zabini. The Black Widow. She is on husband ten, a Death Eater higher in the ranks." Nott said. "It is rumoured she took the mark after being neutral for years."
"And of course, her darling son is expected to follow in her footsteps." Harry finished for the boy. "You're dismissed Nott. I shall consider the list. Do not worry on it, even if you should be forced to take Voldemort's mark, it is such an easy thing to manipulate."
Nott bowed himself out of Harry's common room. Harry pulled loose the parchment when the boy had left and threw it at the wall, a knife leaving his fingers seconds later and pinning it.
"Blaise, dearest," Harry purred to himself. "Whatever are you planning?"
.-.
End of Chapter 48.