Not so many reviews for the last chapter hmmm, did I lose some of you with the fate-timetravely-Harry/Tom thing? I know I surprised a few at least, at any rate here I am first thing in the morning putting up a post so give me love for it. It's already miserably hot and its only six thirty am here in California it's going to be one of those stifling hot days... yesterday was like that...at any rate on with the story! I hope you all enjoy, hang in there the romance is heating up!

Allons-y!

Let me know what you think!

Mistress Slytherin

WARNINGS:

VIOLENCE

LANGUAGE

HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIP

QUESTIONABLE MORALS

Let me know if I missed anything.

Chapter 18

Severus' eyes were sharp when Harry returned with the dark lord and Harry smiled slightly at how close the dark haired boy was standing to Lily. Lucius was on the opposite side of Severus eyes trained on Harry like a hawk.

"I hope you'll forgive me for stealing away your guests Severus." Harry said mildly before turning to Madam Prince who was watching him carefully her eyes darting to the dark lord before returning to him.

"It's time for cake and presents I believe." She said her lips twitching upwards as a large chocolate cake appeared with sixteen candles already lit. Severus' cheeks positively burned.

"Oh do go on!" Lily burst giving him a little push. Severus' expression melted a bit and his gaze darted towards Harry a light of hope and true joy in them before he turned to the cake, stared at it thoughtfully for a moment and blew out all sixteen candles. Harry noted the slight blush on Snape's cheeks as polite applause rang through the air and stepped forward as an elf appeared and began cutting the cake.

"Now Severus." Harry said smirking lightly. "I do believe that today should also count as your naming ceremony." He said smirking as the cake was handed out. The dark lord received a piece and his eyes widened darting up to Harry who simply winked. "And what proper naming ceremony would be held on the second floor of a potions shop?" He said handing Severus his slice of cake. Suddenly the world was spinning away from them and they were being tugged in every different direction before landing in an enormous brightly lit room filled to the brim with all of society, all of which who were applauding at their entrance.

"Using cake as a portkey…" the dark lord said in amusement before he and the others were ushered away from the center of the stage. Harry watched as Severus' eyes grew even wider to see the elderly man leaning heavily on his cane as he approached. Harry slipped back and stood with the others.

"Grandfather…?" Severus whispered softly as the man halted before him and smiled faintly before turning to the crowd of people who were listening expectantly.

"Tonight is a night of celebration." The man said his age wearied voice carrying across the room with the aid of spells. "Tonight I welcome my grandson Severus back into the folds of my family and tonight I, Lord of the Royal house of Prince introduce to you and recognize him as heir to the Royal house of Prince! I give to you Severus Tobias Prince!" He said proudly. There was an explosion of applause at this and Harry couldn't help the true smile that spread across his face as the music began and Severus stared around him in shock.

"Lily please save my apprentice, I do think I've broken him." Harry said nudging the girl forward. Severus nearly jumped three feet in the air as the fireworks exploded outside of the large hall and his face turned beet red as Lily suddenly snagged his hand and drew him towards the dance floor laughter and joy in her eyes. Harry watched them happily for several moments before noticing that he was being observed. "You know you really aught to give me a name that I can work with." Harry said idly.

"You're joking." The dark lord said distracted from whatever it was he'd been thinking about. "You know my true name but not the one society uses?" He said incredulously.

"I'm not omniscient you know." Harry said smirking.

"I go by the name Gaunt." He said mildly. Harry snorted.

"Just Gaunt?" he said in amusement.

"Lord Gaunt." He said lifting his chin.

"And no one has thought to ask you what your first name is?" He asked curiously.

"What need would they have for that? Being Lord of the Gaunt family is enough to satisfy the people that matter." The dark lord said with a lift of his chin. Harry hummed slightly.

"Well then I suppose I don't matter then." He said before turning and catching Lucius' arm. "Dance?" He offered before snagging him and pulling him to the dance floor.

"Black as amusing as this is I'd rather not be made a laughingstock." Malfoy said trying to tug away. Harry snorted and pushed Lucius gently causing him to cut directly into the path of one Narcissa Black. Harry chuckled at his shocked expression and then smirked to see who he'd cut the dance from.

"That was quite rude Mister Black." Dumbledore said as flamboyantly dressed as ever.

"Headmaster Dumbledore I simply had to save Lady Black's reputation, I don't know how you managed to end up dancing with her but she is family, you can't possibly expect me to allow such an atrocity." He said in mild amusement.

"Atrocity, I think I was dancing rather well." The headmaster said unaffected.

"I was talking about your robes." Harry said with a snort before handing the man a drink and guiding him off the dance floor.

"Fuchsia is a lovely color." The man said with a sniff. Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"I have nothing against your robes or you really for that matter." He said idly.

"Ah I'm sensing something deeper than the color of my robes." The wizard said softly. Harry nodded.

"I know what happened with James Potter, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin." Harry said simply as they moved towards the wall and out of the way of dancers.

"You seem to have become rather close with Severus; this party was your doing I'm sure." The headmaster said mildly.

"You will warn those three away from Severus headmaster." Harry said seriously.

"I will?" The man said his voice chiding.

"He asked you if he could stay in Hogwarts over the summer, you knew what was going on and you did nothing, tell me headmaster how many children have similar stories?" Harry asked curiously.

"I am his headmaster, it isn't my responsibility to involve myself in family conflicts" The man said mildly contrite but not truly.

"Keep those boys away from Severus or I will keep them away using my own methods." Harry said softly.

"You would hurt children?" The headmaster said raising his eyebrows. Harry snorted.

"Never, I have other ways." He said softly. The headmaster nodded.

"You know, I was wary about allowing you to join our staff, in fact if it weren't for the obvious attention you pay to a boy like Severus I wouldn't have allowed it at all. But you treat Severus as though he was your son and that tells me a great deal about you." Harry snorted.

"If you had any sense at all you wouldn't hire me, but you want to keep me in Hogwarts where you can watch me and I want to be in Hogwarts where I can watch over Severus. We have for now a peaceful accord." He said before grasping a glass of wine and sipping on it.

"This is Severus' last year however, does this mean that you plan to leave Hogwarts after he graduates?" The headmaster asked raising his eyebrows. Harry shrugged.

"I never intended to stay away from my shop permanently though if I find that I like teaching better then I might stay on for a while longer, I'll let you know with plenty of time to find a replacement if I do decide to-." His words cut off as the crowd parted suddenly and a familiar figure moved towards him. "Elizabeth." He said softly. She was older now, age had affected her greatly and obvious but she was still beautiful to Harry even strapped into the wheelchair as she was.

"Hadrian." She said her eyes so full of turmoil that Harry couldn't tell what she was feeling.

"You weren't invited." Harry said coldly. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"I'm the headmaster's plus one." She said smugly. Harry felt himself go cold.

"Oh dear, I think I should excuse myself." Dumbledore said lightly before turning and striding away. Harry's lips turned down into a frown and he took a deep breath.

"What the devil do you want?" He demanded.

"Hadrian you must understand-"

"Oh I understand." Harry said his magic beginning to cool the air around him. It wasn't long before those dancing nearby began to feel it and halted to watch though he was unaware of it. "I understand perfectly well." He all but seethed. "Your pathetic husband dragged the Crouch family into debt with his gambling."

"Hadrian please listen to me-I-"

"Listen to what exactly?" He said silkily. His magic was pouring from him now and he couldn't find it in himself to give a damn that the whole hall was now privy to it. "You sold my heart to pay off your husband's debts and what did he do with the left over money that Arcturus gave you? He wasted it on whores." He said a dead chill in his voice. "I would have given you the world, you think that losing your legs was bad I could have made you fly, anything in the world that you could have possibly desired, it would have been yours. But you betrayed me for petty spending money." He said disgustedly.

"Hadrian I love you!" Elizabeth cried out shocking him to his very core. For a moment he was completely numb. "None of that was fake! I loved you!" She pleaded. Harry had to look away and when he did he caught red eyes. "My father forced me to marry that man, I didn't want to I never wanted to!" But Harry's mind had restarted already and his heart was cold as he turned back to her. He reached up to his neck and yanked the chain off holding it up so that she could see their rings twinkle in the light.

"You want something from me, I don't know what it is but I've had it with your games. It's time for you to live with the consequences of your actions." He said before dropping the chain where their engagement rings hung. It fell into her lap with a metallic sound. "You can sell them if its money your after, they're worthless to me now." He said softly before turning away. "Just a memory I wish I could forget." He said before walking away. The music started up again as he made his way to the side doors and stepped into the garden outside. His hands shook as he reached for his cigarettes and pulled one out lighting it before inhaling deeply.

She…loved him…

Suddenly that struck him as funny.

"Loved me…pft me…what a joke…" He chuckled quietly.

"Drink?" Lucius' soft offer brought him out of his musing and he stared at the young man silently for a long moment before reaching out and accepting the glass. He reached into his coat and pulled out the small vial dripping a drop into the drink before knocking the drink back in one long draw.

"What brings you out here Lucius?" He said leaning against the banister and taking another long drag of his cigarette.

"Lord Gaunt sent me." Lucius said mildly as though not surprised that he was being used. Harry frowned but nodded wondering what the man's game was this time.

"Did you join him by your own will Malfoy?" He asked feeling the unsettled emotions fall back into a numb lulling state.

"Yes." The boy said leaning against the wall. "I wanted to be able to protect Severus." He said unabashedly. Harry remembered the first time he'd seen the two together in his shop and wondered if there was more to them than he'd first assumed. He nodded slowly and smiled slightly.

"I had a friend once, my first and best friend in the world, we were dirt poor back then but we had each other's backs- for the most part anyway." He said tossing the butt of his cigarette over the banister and summoning another glass of liquor.

"What happened?" Malfoy said mildly. He would listen even if there was no point to it.

"I lost it." Harry said softly. "There were people attacking from all sides, kids, children just like me dying because there was no one to protect us- I just kept shooting…by the end of it there were only a few of us left and he wasn't one of us. His gun malfunctioned." He said reaching to his side and pulling out the gun Lord Black had bought him all those years ago.

"I've never seen a gun before." Malfoy mused. Harry smiled faintly.

"Come here." He said gesturing him closer. He cast a silencing charm on the gun and pulled Lucius in front of him setting his glass on the banister before reaching around and guiding Malfoy's hands around the hilt of the gun. "Loosen your elbows a bit." He said softly his hands curling around smaller more delicate fingers. "That's it; do you see that thing over there? Scurrying across the lawn?" He asked softly. Lucius nodded his heart pounding so hard that Harry could feel it. He guided the hands down aiming at the target and held it steady before pressing Malfoy's finger and feeling the shock of the bullet leaving rush through Malfoy's arms making him gasp in shock. Harry chuckled as he carefully pried the man's fingers away from the handle and slipped his gun away.

"Merlin…" Malfoy said softly. "Do you think we hit it?" He asked slowly. Harry snorted and shivered as a cool breeze brushed past him.

"Grazed it more likely, it was too small and too far away to hit with a gun like this." He said lifting his glass and drinking deeply. When Malfoy said nothing he glanced up and found the young man staring at him with that look on his face. Harry stepped closer and brushed a strand away from Lucius' face. "We won't be missed for a while yet." He whispered making the boy shudder. "I could take you right here, cast a few charms…" he muttered his lips grazing the smooth cheek.

"You'd better take me to bed Black I'm not some paid whore." Malfoy hissed his hands gripping the front of Harry's robes. Harry smirked faintly at that.

"Indeed you aren't I simply didn't know if you could hold out until the party is over." He whispered before pulling away slightly. Malfoy gripped the front of his robes and glared up at him.

"We would be missed, or at least you would, Severus could care less about this party, the only thing he wants is to make you proud. He needs you here and as far as you and I are concerned I have a great deal of trust in you that you'll keep your word and make this night well worth it." He said before leaning forward and crushing their lips together in a deep tempting kiss. Harry was nearly ready to sink into that kiss when Lucius pulled away. "Come find me when this party is over." Lucius said silkily before stepping away and slipping back into the ball room. Harry snorted and took a deep breath. Bloody Malfoys! He shook his head and knocked back the rest of his liquor before heading back inside; he supposed he had a Snape to follow.

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"James- James I really don't think this is a good idea." Remus whispered quietly but urgently.

"Awe quite your whining Moony we just wanna take a peek." Sirius said sharply as they crouched behind the small shrubbery.

"There's no way Sniv got a party." James said wrinkling his nose. "He's dirt poor, have you seen his robes? Oi Wormtail you sure your dad's invitation said it was for him?" James said looking back at the pudgy nervous looking boy.

"P-Posative!" The boy said nodding sharply. "I didn't get to see it very well though, you know how dad is, but it said Severus Snape on it, and dad muttered something about the Prince family throwing a party for him." He said fidgeting slightly in his crouched down position. James scowled and the four friends traded looks before shrugging.

"It couldn't hurt to take a look." Sirius said shrugging. "I've heard all sorts of rumors about him this summer, something about an apprenticeship, one of my long lost relatives apparently took him in. Mum was in a snit about it." He said nodding.

"Right then that settles it, we're going in." James said pulling his invisibility cloak over his and Sirius' shoulders.

"Pft, count me out." Remus said shaking his head determinedly before pulling out a book. "I'll wait here for you, besides we won't all fit under the cloak. As it is one of you is going to have to transform." He pointed out. The boys looked at each other before looking at Peter who shook slightly.

"Me?" He squeaked.

"Well wormy the thing is I'm a big black dog and James here is an even bigger and more obvious stag whereas you are a rat. Do you see where I'm going with this?" Sirius said scratching the back of his head. Peter shifted nervously.

"Or you can do the sensible thing and stay here with me." Remus pointed out.

"Yeah, if you're a coward." James snorted pulling the cloak around himself and Sirius. Peter looked at the two and then at Remus who had already gone back to reading his book before making his decision and shifting into his small pudgy rat form.

"Good on you Pete." Sirius said before disappearing under the cloak. The three slipped out from behind the bushes and quickly made their way across the lawn.

PFTWING!

James and Sirius jumped when worm tail started squeaking loudly behind them.

"Blimy Peter let the whole world know we're here why don't you!" Sirius hissed turning back to their squirming friend. The sounds of foot falls reached their ears and James cursed before scooping the rat up and running as fast as he could back to the bushes.

"Quick Moony the portkey!" James hissed as shouts sounded behind them. Remus scrambled to his feet and pulled out the portkey holding it out for them.

"Mischief managed!" They hissed together before spinning away.

"Blimy!" Sirius said as they crashed to the ground on the lawn to the Potter home.

"What happened?" Remus snapped. "What did you idiots do?" He growled quietly.

"We didn't do anything honest!" James said wide eyed. "Wormtail just started going mad all of the sudden; no doubt the whole party could hear him squeaking!" He said shaking his head as he pulled the rat from his pocket.

"Could he have gotten injured?" Remus said frantically. "You know we can't transform back properly if we're in pain." He said as they all leaned forward squinting in the dark.

"I dunno, think we should force the change?" James said shrugging as he pulled out his wand.

"Probably!" Remus hissed pulling out his own wand. They pointed their wands at the small form and cast the spell forcing the transformation.

"JAMES HARALD POTTER!" Lady Potter hollered furiously her night gown wrapped around her as she strode down the lawn her husband following behind at a steady pace. James didn't see her though, none of them did. All they saw was Peter laying out on the grass gasping for air with a hole the size of a bowling ball in his chest. Lady Potter let out a scream that could be heard for miles around as Peter's eyes rolled into the back of his scull and his body gave one last wrenching twist before falling still.

Peter Pettigrew was dead.

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