And things start to heat up, emotions are stirring and...is fate changing?
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Mistress Slytherin
WARNINGS:
VIOLENCE
LANGUAGE
HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIP
QUESTIONABLE MORALS
Let me know if I missed anything.
Chapter 17
Harry felt at ease as he watched Severus and his mother conversing happily. In a few moments the portkeys attached to the invitations would activate and Lily and Lucius would arrive. Harry knew already that he would have his hands full distracting Lucius enough so that Severus and Lily could spend some time together and in a way he was almost looking forward to it. Malfoy had proved to be every bit as intriguing as he'd found the man in his own time only, this time Harry wasn't ashamed to recognize that the man was dead sexy or at least he would be when he grew into his body a bit more. His was handsome now, but in a beautiful way rather than a masculine way, he still had a few years before Harry knew he would find the man hard to ignore. Harry frowned when the alarms went off inside his head. His smile fell and his expression turned grim. He had been anticipating this. He turned and slipped down stairs to the shop and stood in the doorway for a moment before opening it.
"Your wards still won't let me in." The man noted mildly. Harry quirked an eyebrow.
"I'd say go away I don't like you- but that probably wouldn't work would it?" Harry said to the dark lord. Red eyes turned to him and thin lips turned downwards.
"I came to apologize." The man said with a lift of his chin. Harry narrowed his eyes, Voldemort didn't apologize- at least not the Voldemort he knew. But then again- this man was far younger than the monster he'd fought before, and very different as well.
"Oh?" He said carefully. The dark lord visibly grit his teeth and looked away.
"Can I come in?" He asked seemingly annoyed. Harry nodded slowly. Harry had all but attacked the man's pride on several occasions and the frustrating thing was that the man was...enjoying the challenge.
"I suppose." He said stepping inside. The dark lord stepped past the threshold and closed the door behind him before turning to Harry and frowning.
"I don't find myself in this position very often." He said mildly.
"Of course, your pride wouldn't allow for it." Harry said crossing his arms.
"I'm not used to being denied." The man amended. Harry snorted.
"Just what do you want from me mister Riddle?" He asked curiously. The man watched him for a long moment.
"I could make you great; I could help you see your full potential. I felt your power, it's as dark as mine and enormous too, side by side we could do so much, change so much." He said silkily. Harry had to admit, the man could talk, but Harry knew better, he'd always known better.
"And when you say side by side I'm certain that you mean kneeling on the ground." He said dryly. "Unfortunately for you it takes much more than pretty words and promises to convince me to bow to anyone." He said softly.
"And what would it take?" The man said sounding slightly frustrated.
"Proof." Harry said softly after a moment. "Proof that you won't become a mad man, proof that you will come to understand where your limits lie and come to honor those limits. I have seen war mister Riddle, I have seen what it can do to great men, you may think that you can withstand it but are you entirely certain or is it simply your pride that makes you so sure that you won't come to destroy the very things you advocate?" He said solidly. In truth he knew he would already be lost to this war, he'd grown up in war, it was a part of him and his gun itched at his side more and more every day. "I could fight." Harry said softly. "I could kill." He said smirking. "Hundreds, thousands if I have to, but I won't, I wouldn't so much as touch my gun if I wasn't sure of the person I was killing for." He said darkly.
"And Dumbledore? Surely it isn't he that you are willing to fight for?" The dark lord said softly. Harry snorted. Was Riddle...jealous?
"You act like a jealous lover." He teased wearily. "Dumbledore is everything light and good however he's forgotten what it means to be human, he's forgotten that the people who fight for him are willing to die for him, he does not honor their sacrifice he lessens them with false designs of love and courage. Of course I can admit to being in that place, standing over the grave of someone who fought by my side, wondering why on earth they died, why on earth they fought- if I choose to go to war it would not be for Dumbledore and his honorable reasons." He said shaking his head.
"Why then? What reason would you have?" The man said crossing his arms and listening intently. Harry turned his gaze away, stared out the window of his peaceful little shop and watched the people bustle by.
"There is no real reason for war not that I can see, there is just death. Those that sit atop of the dead know this, they wear their blood soaked crown and stare at each other from across the battlefield but in the wake of the war there are only a few who stand. Those few must look to see where the victory will lead them. I don't need glory or courage or fame, I don't need love or honor, such things would be wasted on the likes of me. I need proof that my joining you won't cause the extinction of the wizarding population, I need proof that by the end of it I won't have a madman sitting on a throne." He said turning his gaze back to the dark lord. "If you can give me that proof I may be willing to kneel beside you." He said with a slow nod. "Until then I'm afraid you'll have to stick to inviting me for coffee." He said smirking slightly. The dark lord's lips twitched despite himself and Harry inwardly cheered.
"Well then mister Black would you allow me to invite you to coffee?" He said inclining his head eyes slightly heated.
"Of course not, it's Severus' birthday today you know." He said smirking widely.
"I didn't quite mean today." The man said amused. Harry relaxed. He'd given the man much to think about he knew, but for now- well the man was gorgeous.
"Well then, it might be a bit forward of me but would you like to come up to my apartments?" He said with a wink. "There's cake." He offered. The man snorted and followed after him. Harry felt the back of his neck prickle at having the man behind him but ignored the feeling.
"Hadrian Black you utter-!" Severus' furious voice said as he stepped into the room only to crack and die when the dark lord stepped through after him.
"Be careful Snape or I'll have you learning the different varieties of feces that can be used in potions for the next three weeks." Harry said snatching up a glass of wine. Snape was pale though all previous words forgotten as he bowed at the waist to the dark lord. "Here now none of that this is your party Severus and in this room all of us are to be treated as equals." He said sending a warning glare at the dark lord who sneered at him in return.
"He makes me regret placing you in his care Severus." The man said darkly. Harry snorted and handed the man a glass of wine.
"My revenge for what you did at the party, play nice with the muggle born and refrain from threatening and or maiming my guests and I might forgive you." Harry said lightly. "Might being the key word here." He said pointedly.
"Muggle?" The man said in immediate disgust.
"Half blood?" Harry countered pointedly. Red eyes narrowed into slits and Harry wondered for a moment if he'd pushed to hard. "Just be nice, she's perhaps one of the most clever witches of her generation." He said smiling. "Or at least that's what Severus tells me." He said causing the boy to flush his eyes wide.
"Hadrian…" He said in warning.
"Apprentice…" Harry returned in the same tone. Snape dropped his gaze though his teeth were grit. "Let me teach you something Severus, a compliment only fails to impress if it is insincere."
"Wise man." Madam Prince said pointedly.
"Try it Severus, tell Lily that she looks positively radiant in that dress she's wearing- go on I know that's what you're thinking." He said directing him.
"I can not believe I'm watching this." The dark lord said dryly. Harry sneered at him.
"You're one to talk; this is one of your favorite tricks." He said lightly. "Severus." He directed again. Severus was bright red as he stood beside Lily and Harry smirked when he closed his eyes in a try for patience before turning to Lily who was pink cheeked and wide eyed.
"You look…lovely in that dress." Snape said wincing back when he finished as though waiting to be hit. Lily's cheeks grew pinker in color and she couldn't help the smile that grew on her lips.
"Just lovely?" She said quirking her eyebrow at him.
"Told you she was clever." Harry said to the dark lord.
"Beautiful." Severus said before he could help it. Harry snorted when he immediately covered his face in embarrassment.
"Alright mister Black that's quite enough." Madam Prince chided lightly. Harry snorted.
"Fine, fine, Severus you chat with Lily for a while, keep the compliments flowing. Lucius, Riddle a word?" He said setting his glass down as he crooked his finger at the two men in question. Both man twitched slightly before following him down the hall and to his private room. Magic, being the wonder that it was allowed him to have a rather large suit one of the things that Lord Black had installed without Harry's realizing it until it was too late.
"Black you are trying my patience." The dark lord said as he was invited to sit at the small round table. A tea set arrived and Harry smirked.
"Saw through that did you?" He said handing a cup to Lucius who was oddly quiet and observant.
"You weren't exactly subtle." He said with a sniff. Harry handed him his cup of tea and the larger hand captured his hand staring at the scar that lingered on the back.
"I must not tell lies." Harry offered.
"A blood quill did this." The dark lord said with a bit of morbid curiosity.
"Don't worry; the bitch who did it is dead." Harry said calmly before extracting his hand.
"You are an enigma mister Black." The dark lord said in silent annoyance. "You kill and talk of war but in the same breath you play matchmaker to my potential potions master and a mudblood." He said with a sneer.
"Oh do get over it." Harry said taking a sip of his tea.
"I could ignore it I suppose. For a price." The dark lord said smirking. Harry felt the gears in his mind grind to a startling halt. He wasn't supposed to change the future; he wasn't supposed to change the future…shite.
"And what would you have of me for the insurance of the mudblood's life?" Harry said casually.
"And here I was beginning to the think you were more of Dumbledore's man than I had initially believed." The man said with a glint in his eye. Harry snorted.
"She makes Severus happy, part of my duty as his master is to ensure his contentment; besides the happier he is the better the quality of his work, I honestly could care less about the quality of her blood as long as he works hard. And if it doesn't work out between them I will be able to use this as a learning experience for him, to teach him that he cannot allow his emotions to affect the quality of his work if he expects to be successful." Harry said idly. Bullshit all of it, he just wanted Lily Evans safe but the dark lord didn't need to know that. The man nodded accepting his reasoning as fact.
"Very well, I see your logic, let's negotiate." The dark lord said idly before setting down his cup and leaning back in his seat. "I will ignore Severus' mudblood and refrain from killing her, but in return you will give me access to your friends and family list." He said leaning back. Harry let out a low whistle.
"That's pretty steep for the safety of a single mudblood." He said wrinkling his nose for effect. "I was expecting you to demand that I accept your next offer for a date." He said winking.
"I'll earn that by my own merits thank you." The man said smirking slightly in amusement. Harry snorted.
"You would, unfortunately for you I was planning on keeping Lucius here tonight." He said purring. The dark lord's smirk fell away.
"What has he done to earn that?" The man said turning his glare on Lucius who was both intrigued and slightly tense.
"Nothing really, but he's absolutely sexy, or at least he will be in a few years I hope. But you see Lucius here, as charming and gorgeous as he is wouldn't be able to keep my interest, not the way you have." He said silkily. "For one thing he will be married soon so anything we do will be with the understanding that at any time the relations could be cut off. Besides I doubt he'd go up against you if he knew you were against it- please don't do that by the way I can't have you threatening every pretty thing that comes my way." He said with a sneer. The dark lord stared at him for a long moment before a slow smile curled across his lips and his eyelids drooped showing burning crimson.
"You make me work harder because you know that if you and I were together sexually I would keep you close and demand fidelity." He said silkily. Harry frowned weighing the pros and cons of saying what it really was but he figured that if anything he couldn't hurt.
"If you ever managed to convince me to be with you I would willingly give up sleeping with anyone else out of respect for you, it would have nothing to do with you asking it of me." He said calmly. "I don't choose lovers like you lightly Riddle, if you convince me, when you convince me, I will be loyal not to some dark lord, but to the man behind the dark lord. Surely by now you have noticed that I could give a damn about your little vendetta against the muggles?" He said silkily. The dark lord stared at him silently his eyes burning though with what Harry couldn't tell.
"I don't understand you mister Black, blast it all but I don't think that I will ever fully understand you." He said after some time. Harry inclined his head.
"I'm willing to wait." He said with a shrug. "Besides we were discussing Severus' muggle." He said refilling his tea cup. "I've thought of your request, I think it too steep for a simple girl, so, if you would allow I will modify it." He said inclining his head.
"Go on." The man said rubbing his ring idly as though by habit.
"I have some information that you might like; information about the headmaster and a certain project he is working on. Or I will tell you of three of the potions available on the friends and family only list and you may make a request of one of them." He said tempting the man as he stood and moved to his writing desk pulling out a quill some ink and legally binding parchment.
"The old man has been working on various uses for dragons blood everyone knows that." The dark lord said lightly. Harry smirked.
"Is he now?" He said leaning back in his seat. Crimson eyes narrowed.
"I thought you weren't close to the old man." He said softly. Harry snorted.
"I'm not I happened by this bit of information entirely by chance." He said with a shrug. In truth Harry was tempting fate, if Voldemort decided to ask about Dumbledore than Harry's first year would not be nearly as stress filled. If the dark lord chose knowledge and access to three of his potions than Harry could choose three that he was confident would satisfy the dark lord without ever knowing that they were in fact the lesser bargain.
"I'll take the information on Dumbledore." The dark lord said. Harry felt a slight shift like a cool breeze and nodded grimly as he leaned forward and began to write on the parchment in neat flawlessly binding words.
"Lucius I hope you don't mind standing in as a witness?" Harry said pulling his signet ring out and cutting his thumb dabbing a bit of his blood onto the ring before pressing it into the parchment.
"Of course not." The boy said straightening. Harry just knew that it made Malfoy feel important to be involved in this discussion; he was counting on it in fact. Malfoy's were always prone to preening their feathers and the better Lucius liked him the more he was likely to get from the man later if he needed something. He handed the parchment to the dark lord who read it over his lips quirking slightly.
"You should have been a lawyer." He said before signing his name and pulling his ring off to seal it. "This is air tight, the girl better never get any strange ideas in her head or I might be in trouble." He said doubting it completely.
"A muggle girl? She's clever I'll give you that but she doesn't strike me as the type to cause problems, more of the housewife type, perhaps a bit passive aggressive towards you in the future, but I assume that you can handle that." Harry said smirking slightly as the parchment was handed to Lucius. The dark lord snorted.
"House wife? Is that what you're hoping for? Merlin I hope Severus is prepared for your meddling." The man said rolling his eyes. Harry watched Lucius press his signet to the document and watched the paper flare as it was recognized as a legally binding agreement.
"Very good, now Lucius I've left the happy couple alone for long enough that things should have smoothed over by now." He said pointedly. Lucius inclined his head a small smirk on his lips as he stood. "Oh and Lucius?" Harry said as the boy began to walk away. "Play nice with the muggle and I will make it well worth your efforts later." Harry said heatedly. Grey eyes darkened and Harry could swear that Malfoy's breath hitched.
"I look forward to it." He said his voice dropping an octave.
"Leave Malfoy." The dark lord said having had quite enough. Harry smirked as Lucius moved swiftly out of his rooms. "You make me want to hurt my own men." Voldemort said with a sneer. Harry snorted.
"What's a little flirting with Malfoy when you know you could have me completely some day?" He said idly.
"You are serious about that?" The dark lord said silkily. Harry hummed and waved the tea set away.
"I don't do love, you know that, not after Elizabeth." He said his hand absently reaching to the chain around his neck. "But knowing what you undoubtedly know about my short relationship with Elizabeth you should know that I would be loyal to you so long as you don't break my trust. You see, you are quite the conundrum to me, you do things that utterly piss me off and yet I find myself wanting to see what you could become, what we could become. I see potential in you I won't lie, I see quite possibly a closer friendship than anything I've had in over twenty four years, but I also see a man that is quite capable of hurting me so deeply that the damage could never be repaired. Quite frankly because I refuse to lie to you I see that I could give you everything you could possibly want or if my trust in you is betrayed I see that I would use every ounce of my untapped potential to utterly and completely destroy you." He said tapping his fingers idly along the arm of the chair. "This thing we have mister Riddle, it tempts and pulls and burns the both of us you can't lie and say that it doesn't."
"And if I deny that it does?" The man said quite suddenly and much to his own surprise judging by the look on his face. Harry felt his breath catch in his throat as he stood and crossed the distance between them.
"You can't ignore this." He said before leaning forward suddenly and meeting the man's lips. Passion sparked and burned as their magic crackled along their skin. The ache he felt in the pit of his stomach was more exhilarating than anything he'd ever shared with another person. Their lips weren't even moving yet when Harry pulled away they were both panting, both burning. They were a link that was never supposed to happen and yet they were and it was exhilarating, darker than the darkest of magic and more potent than anything he'd felt before. Harry was shocked by it, hadn't been expecting the intensity of it and was very nearly terrified by it. He stepped back and lifted his fingers to his lips unconsciously as he stumbled into his seat. The dark lord too seemed too stunned to move or even speak his red eyes wide and dark with want and need and passion. Harry knew that this could either hook the man or terrify him to the point of retreating, but then in their relationship be it hate or lust, when had the man ever been able to resist Harry?
"You haven't given me the information on Dumbledore." The man said choosing instead to retreat for the moment most certainly to analyze and plan later when he could think straight again. Harry had the same feeling, he was almost certain that his legs had turned to jelly at least and his head was slightly dizzy.
"He's creating something, with Nicholas Flamel, it's supposed to be a secret but I found out by accident." He said trying to keep both his voice and his breathing steady.
"What is it?" The dark lord said relaxing slightly. Slowly Harry felt himself return to a more normal state though his lips tingled pleasantly with every word he spoke and it was quite hard to ignore their proximity.
"The philosopher's stone." Harry said flickering his gaze up to meet red eyes. Red eyes widened and for a moment the dark lord simply stared before him in complete shock.
"This for the life of a mudblood?" He breathed. Harry snorted.
"A gamble actually, I wanted to see which way the wind was blowing." He said his lips quirking slightly. "You're a very lucky man Riddle, fate favors you." He said before standing and rolling the document up before sending it to his writing desk where it would be safe. "Now, I do believe I promised you cake." He said as though he hadn't just changed the fate of the world.
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