White Lilies

by Kuro The Dark Ringmaster

Severus goes every year with white lilies in hand, without fail, to visit the grave of the woman he loved. As Harry's eleventh birthday approaches, he becomes concerned about the world the boy is about to enter and will have to live in. However, he doesn't know of the personal hell Harry is residing in. Adoption, Darry, AU Good TMR Bad Dumblerdore. Chpt. 1-11 edited.

6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Dark Lords, Blondes and Potion's Masters

The office was bustling as Aurors and various workers attempted to locate one Hadrian James Potter. The bright red robes of the Aurors flittered by as they dashed through the office, chasing just about any lead they could find. Lucius was sitting at his desk as he watched them panic and attempt to find the boy savior. He hummed as he lazily swept his long blonde hair back, he didn't think the Ministry would be this bad after misplacing the boy, then again this was Albus Dumbledore's doing. Albus had been attempting to locate the boy and return him to the muggles, which was something he couldn't allow. He was getting tired of dealing with Albus, the man was trying to block him out and has somehow gained a majority of the votes in the Wizengamot. Even at Hogwarts he wasn't allowing the board of Governors to do what they were supposed to.

Lucius looked over the pages before him, they were performance ratings for Hogwarts students since Albus was headmaster. The only departments which seemed to be up to date were potions thanks to Severus and oddly Transfiguration, since Minerva hated to be bested by Severus. Other than those two, Hogwarts was severely behind in every other area, especially Defense against the Dark Arts. For the past decade and a half Albus only allowed for white magic to be taught, which went against a number of principles of Hogwarts. It's goal was to teach black, white and grey magic, not only that of the light. In his opinion Albus had destroyed the fundamental teachings of the founders, not to mention that he had denied the Sorting Hat the ability to select the Headmaster. According to tradition the hat was to cry out the name of the Headmaster upon the death or retirement of the first. It was an old code which had been agreed upon by the founders; naturally the hat was limited to the teaching staff and renowned Hogwarts Alumni, which oddly the hat seemed to know off hand. The thing seemed to exist outside the realm of the ordinary and time, which in retrospect gave Lucius chills, the thought of the ragged looking hat knowing all of his deeds was a little alarming to say the least.

He leaned back and looked at his desk there had to be a loophole he hadn't thought of, something that would give him leverage. His eyes drifted around his office until he noticed something rather startling his portrait of grand father was replaced by a wizard with bright emerald green eyes, long brown hair, royal cheekbones and a smirk on his lips. He was dressed in luxurious black robes with emerald green embroidery on them and a snake around his shoulders. Lucius' mouth popped open as he stared at the man who was wearing a beautiful golden locket with an emerald green snake in the shape of an S on it. "You- you're," he stammered as he stared at the now grinning portrait. "My, my, I have managed to make a Malfoy stammer, that's certainly a first," commented the portrait, "Yes Lucius, I'm Salazar and yes I know who you are. Honestly its difficult to forget with how frequently your name is thrown around."

Lucius' mouth closed with an audible click as he looked at the man before him, "May I help you?" he asked nobly. The portrait chuckled as he pulled out a scroll and held it up, "Assist me? No, however," he paused as he opened the scroll and allowed it to hover before him, "I believe I can help you." Lucius' grey eyes fell on the scroll and he asked, "How?" Salazar chuckled; the sound was velvety and reminded him of a certain Dark Lord. "That damn rag as you called it, the Sorting Hat," he replied as he smirked knowingly, "Don't worry it's Rowena's creations, and she commented you were more likely to listen to me than her." Lucius felt as though someone had shoved cotton balls in his mouth and nodded numbly, he honestly couldn't believe he was even talking to the elusive portrait. "Now then, as you know the Board of Governors is a recreation of a council which in the past was set up by the founders to ensure that a headmaster doesn't abuse his power correct?" asked Salazar as he scratched the serpent that was draped over his shoulders under its chin.

Lucius hummed and looked at the portrait and stared, "I believe so, it was mentioned first year in Hogwarts a History," he said slowly, it took a bit to brush the cobwebs away from the small tidbit that as a student he honestly didn't care about. It was funny how a footnote in a book could change everything, then again a number of things in his life was like that. "What do you know of the Board of Governors Mister Malfoy?" Lucius growled at this and glared at the portrait, "Quite a bit, considering I am on it," he replied. Salazar chucked as he whispered something to his serpent friend. "Then are you aware that the Board is to include one of each of the heirs of the houses, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Magic?" he asked. Lucius froze, his grey eyes widened as he began searching through the documents on his desk, he hadn't heard that clause and from what he knew none of the founder's heirs were on the board. They hadn't been since Headmaster Dippet. "I'll take that as a no, this also includes one more family, the Pravells. Once the three decedents are placed on the board with those of the founders then you have the true board of Governors," Salazar stated as he folded his hands and shifted in his seat, which he had conjured at some point.

Lucius pulled up the pages which he had signed when he had first been inducted as a governor, the clause wasn't there. "It's not here, I need proof Salazar," he stated bluntly as he scowled at the now useless document. "You need to find the charter, the original Charter. Surely you must have it somewhere," Salazar commented, there was a hint of concern in his voice as he spoke and Lucius shook his head. "The original Charter has been lost for decades, this copy was redrafted by Merlin when he first joined the Board. Apparently they searched high and low for the document but couldn't find it," Lucius commented. Salazar sat back and watched the blonde lord pensively. He looked lost in thought, as though it took everything he had to remember. It was then that Lucius reminded himself he was speaking to a portrait, an echo of the great wizard, who honestly had exceeded even his expectations of being useful. "I apologize but I don't remember where it was hidden, it must be in the school. Are you certain the Head Master doesn't have it?" he asked.

Lucius shook his head and looked at Salazar, "Every Headmaster has searched for it, only to return empty handed," he replied. There was silence between the two, as Lucius attempted to figure out just where the Charter would be hidden. Every school regardless of age had a Charter, it was an application for land and the ability to create an establishment from the legislative body at the time. Every Charter was different but usually outlined the basics of School Policy, teaching requirements, ethics and a variety of fail-safes to ensure that students were taught the proper materials. Why he hadn't thought to go searching for the charter before was a mystery to him. Yet, now there was another issue as well, he had to find the heirs to not only the founders but also Pravells. "What if the heirs are all children?" asked Lucius thoughtfully. Salazar hummed and looked at him, "Simple, the Lady of Hogwarts will take control and will act on their behalf. Don't you know who the heirs are?" he asked after a moment. Lucius felt those emerald green eyes gazing through him like daggers. "No, that information was lost as well," he replied slowly. Salazar huffed and looked at Lucius as though he were a fool, "Nothing is ever lost, especially blood. Look at the most powerful wizards of the age, minus the Headmaster and test their blood," he replied.

Lucius paled at the mention of blood magic, the Ministry had banned it long ago since it was used to wreak havoc on the general population. "That's considered illegal now Salazar, the only ones who can do it are the goblins," he replied. There was a pause as the founder sighed in frustration, another block, it seemed the closer they drew to a solution, the further away they actually were from it. "Unless," Salazar said with a grin, "You have a capable Potion's Master correct?" Lucius nodded and scowled, how Severus factored into this confused him. The man was his long time friend and he knew better than anyone that the man was quite literally the best Potion's Master of the Age, and the youngest to receive Mastership. "Good, go down to my study and pick up journal 119, page 365 there should be something there," he stated with an air of triumph. Lucius was about to bound out of his seat until he remembered a certain caveat. "Where is your study?" he asked. Salazar replied simply, "In my chambers of course," he stated.

Lucius looked at the portrait as though it were daft and groaned, "What?" asked Salazar in confusion his brows lifted as he asked. Lucius glared at the portrait, "Simple, you're study is lost, like the rest of your chambers, no one knows where they are!" Salazar simply snorted and began laughing with a grin on his face. Lucius honestly wished that he could jump through the portrait and kill him at that moment. He hated it when people laughed at his misfortune. "The heir does, just ask him," he stated before vanishing. Lucius was about to shout the fact that he didn't know who any of the heirs were when the man vanished. Stepping back into the frame was his ancestor who looked at him and asked bluntly, "So what did I miss?" Lucius pushed himself away from his desk and decided it was now time to torture the interns since he was frustrated.

He walked out of his office and watched as various Ministry employees rushed back and forth. His secretary stood at attention and asked, "What can I get for you Mister Malfoy?" Lucius was about to be sarcastic and say the Hogwarts Charter when he realized all he had to do was head to the Hall of Records, which was essentially a massive library filled with genealogy charts. He had a feeling if he was going to find anything it would be there. He felt as though he were gliding across the floras he walked toward the lift, he smile deviously and watched a number of women trip over themselves as a result. The lift hurled itself backward as he waited for it to zip to his destination. His mind was teaming with plans to slip past the archive keeper. Before he even realized it the contraption stopped at his floor and he slipped out. Getting in was easy, it was slipping past the records keeper, that was the hard part. His black shoes clicked as he walked across the green marble floors to the center of a massive space.

He had been to the archive once before, but the entrance was different. He sighed when he looked up to see the portrait of a different keeper hanging above him. "Brilliant," he mumbled as he looked at the walls, there wasn't a door in sight. His eyes tipped up to the ceiling and he looked at the beautiful stain glass dome over head. Usually he would admire the craftsmanship but he found himself more irritated than impressed. "Mister Malfoy, how nice to see you once again," said a sweet voice. He looked up to see the smiling face of Judge Amelia Bones. Internally he cringed she had been his judge for his trial. Luckily he was saved by the fact that the mark had vanished from his arm until the Dark Lord had returned. "Judge Bones," he greeted with a polite nod. She smiled a little and stepped into the center of a large circular design, "Going to the archive?" she asked simply as she stood in the center of a circle with the Ministry Seal on it.

Lucius nodded and she chuckled, "Then I suggest you stand beside me," she stated. The blonde noble looked at the brunet who was still dressed in court robes. Her ocean blue eyes looked at him with a hint of satisfaction that the clever Lucius Malfoy was no match for a Ravenclaw. He huffed before standing beside her and crossed his arms. She knelt on the floor and place her hand on the tile, Lucius was about to shoot a nasty remark when the floor shifted and he watched before his eyes as the delicate pattern in the floor moved like the tumblers of a lock. "What?" he asked in confusion. Bones snickered as the man's jaw hit the floor and slowly the circle which they had been standing on began to lower itself through the floor. "Impressed? The Archive's Keeper deemed the doors unsafe, now just don't piss him off. Keep that Malfoy pride to yourself, you'll find that he isn't keen on it," she stated as the marble slab hovered just a step above the floor. He watched as Amelia stepped off and asked, "Why are you helping me?" She shrugged and smiled a little, "You wouldn't come here if you weren't looking for something important. Besides who's to say you can even find it," she stated. Lucius was about to say something when he suddenly realized what she was saying. Books were flying through the air, landing on various shelves and pages seemed to flutter like birds. The stacks themselves were so tall that he couldn't even see the tops of them. Scrolls, books, journals, sheets and even stamps were thrown about in no true order. "Happy Hunting!" called Bones over her shoulder as she disappeared down a row.

"What the hell have I gotten myself into?"

~~WL~~

Harry opened his eyes and slowly slipped into the new clothing which had been given to him by the Malfoys, he loved the feeling of the soft fabrics against his skin and hummed as he stretched. There was a knock on the door and Harry called, "Come in," as he finished slipping into the sweater, the house was oddly cold in the winter. He turned around to see Draco standing in the doorway. "Draco?" asked Harry as the blonde smiled and sauntered in, clearly he had learned this habit from his father. Harry had been with them for the past few days and began to pick up on the Malfoy ways, one of them was the way they walked. Regardless of where they were they quite frankly walked in as though they owned the place, which honestly amused Harry. "Good morning, Dad's at work, Mom's helping at St Mungos, Uncle Sev is brewing and Tom had to go out," Draco explained before plopping on the bed and rolled over so he was looking up at the ceiling. Harry chuckled as he watched the Malfoy heir act in an undignified manner, it was usual of the boy but still rather fun. "So you get to choose where we have breakfast, the solarium is heated and it has a pretty cool view of the grounds, which are currently covered in snow. We could go to the dining room or even eat here. You choose," Draco said simply as he rolled over and watched as Harry attempted to tame his hair.

"The Solarium sounds cool," Harry replied with a smile as he placed the comb down, and deemed it pointless. Narcissa had called it the Potter Curse, apparently every Potter had untidy hair, and even long it was unruly. Draco grinned and slipped off of Harry's bed, it had been two days since Harry had first woken and he was still learning the layout of the massive house. Harry followed Draco out of his room and looked around eagerly, the walls were lined with portraits and artifacts were placed on tables throughout the hallway. "Wow, Drake how big is this place?" he asked curiously as he looked at the portraits each of them were smiling and looking at them as they seemed to walk by. Draco hummed thoughtfully as he attempted to remember the approximate cubic meters of floor plan of the house. "Well there's about 67 rooms that I know of, plus the attic, the cellar, the dungeon, the potion's lab where uncle Sev is and a separate wing which houses the practicing rooms. Not to mention the boat house and guest house," he explained. Harry's mouth popped open as he openly gaped at the blonde. Draco simply continued walking and then commented, "This is considered the smaller house, you should see the other one in France, much bigger and warmer too. I thought the Potters had a ton of properties. Come to think of it you guys have even more than we do."

Harry stared at Draco, he had always been told he was worthless and a burden, only to learn that he wasn't. That he was in fact as wealthy as the Malfoys, who were considered rich by any standard. "Really?" asked Harry as he ran his hand through his hair. Draco stopped abruptly and looked at the raven haired boy, "No way, surely you knew. I mean come on you guys even have a pent house in Japan, not even we have that," commented Draco. Harry shook his head and looked thoughtfully out the window. "The only place that was ever considered mine was my cupboard," he commented, he was having a difficult time wrapping his head around Draco's words. All his life he had been told he was worthless and that his parents were paupers, only to find out that they weren't. That he was part of the highest levels of society. "Harry?" asked Draco after a moment and the young boy snapped back to reality. "What's wrong?" he asked slowly. Harry smiled as he looked at the blonde boy, his grey eyes were sparkling with concern and now Harry could see the features which Narcissa had bestowed upon the Malfoy scion. At a glance Draco was a carbon copy of Lucius, however, now he realized that the boy had his mother's kindness and compassion as well. "I, I've always been told that I was good for nothing and that I wasn't wanted," he began and looked out the window sadly, "Then I wake up and I learn that there's a hold society of people who care about me, and that I'm worth more than I could ever dream." Harry paused as he slowly walked over to the window and leaned on the frame, "It's so surreal, I'm worried if I become too happy I might just wake up in my cupboard," he stated as he gazed out the window, "that you, you're family, Tom and Sev; that all of this would be nothing but a dream."

Suddenly a pair of slender arms was wrapped around the boy, and he felt warmth wrap around him like a blanket. Harry glanced over to see a head of blonde hair resting on his shoulder. "You're not dreaming, Harry. You're never going back there," Draco stated firmly as he lifted his head, "I won't let them take you." The blonde was determined to never released his friend, no matter what the consequence. Harry's eyes widened, before he smiled brightly, he belonged somewhere and that was what mattered.

"Come on then, I'm starving," Draco commanded as he slipped away from Harry and continued down the hallway, a few turns later and a staircase and the young lord had found the Solarium. Emerald eyes widened as they took in the sight before them, the room was filled with orchids. Sitting in the middle of the room was a white iron table with two chairs and a full spread, compliments of the house elves. "My mother loves Orchids, she has quite the collection doesn't she? She likes roses too," Draco commented as he took a seat in one of the chairs. Harry was still as he looked at the blonde boy among the flowers, he looked like an angel resting in the garden of Eden. Light was pouring in from every direction making the blonde's platinum hair glisten in the light and his grey eyes seem even more dramatic against his porcelain face. At that moment, Draco looked different, fragile and yet strong, thanks to Lucius' powerful jaw and nose which had been bestowed upon the boy. "They're beautiful," Harry commented as he slowly walked over to one of the man pots.

His eyes fell on a beautiful white flower with graceful petals and purple fringe. The petals looked supple and so delicate that by simply touching them he would cause the flower to wither and die. They seemed to float before him, he loved the scent and hummed, it was stronger than a rose's and seemed far more mysterious to him. "That's mother's favorite. It's from Colombia, it's called a Cattleya. It also happens to be their national flower," Draco explained. Harry slowly stepped away from the breathtaking flower and took a seat before the young blonde lord. "What about Severus?" asked Harry slowly, somehow while gazing at the orchid he was reminded of the dower potion master who was currently hiding in the lab. There was a pause as Draco gave the question some thought, "I don't know really, but when ever he is in the gardens he spends a significant amount of time with the lilies we have. He stares at the white ones the longest," Draco commented. Harry nodded, he could remember the glass like Lily the man had given him before, it was still sitting in his room in a place of honor on his night table.

The boys fell into silence as they began eating, Harry was about to dig in when Draco hummed and whipped his mouth on a napkin. "Hang on, I almost forgot," he said as he began digging in his pocket for something. After a moment, he pulled a vial which contained a brown liquid in it. "Uncle Sev wants you to take that. It's a Nutrient Potion, it's supposed to help you gain weight," Draco explained. Harry sighed as he collected the glass bottle from the blonde's hand. He had a feeling that this was going to taste like soiled gym socks, but knew it was far easier to drink the potion and satisfy the man than it was to refuse and have it forced down his throat anyway. Harry popped the cork and wrinkled his nose before saying, "Cheers." Draco chuckled as Harry knocked the bottle back and wrinkled his nose in disgust. "I'm beginning to think he makes those things taste horrible on purpose," commented Harry. Draco smiled broadly and shook his head. Clearly his complaint was one of a long list of them about Severus' potions.

"So what are we going to do?" asked Harry. The blonde looked up in confusion, a silver knife glinted in his hand and Harry noted the blackberry jam which was on the end from spreading it on a piece of rye toast. "What on earth do you mean?" asked Draco with a hint of irritation. Harry paused and then remembered that Draco was raised to speak properly and wanted Harry to do so as well. "What are we going to do today since the adults are away?" asked Harry, his voice was smoother and he sounded a little more confident. A smile broke across Draco's face as a resulted he folded his toast in half so it made a loud crunching sound. "What any pair of nine year olds would do," he replied simply. Harry tilted his head and looked at Draco, somehow he couldn't understand quite what the blonde was getting at. "Read?" asked Harry after a moment. Tom had taken him to the library where he fell in love with all of the books in it. Draco chuckled and shook his head before placing his toast back on his place and rubbing his fingers together to get the crumbs off of them. His grey eyes fell on his tea before the boy decided to warm his cup with a touch more from the pot. "No, the one thing that we are expected to do at our age, get in trouble," he said simply as he lifted the cup to his lips. A smirk was playing on his lips as he did so.

Emerald green eyes widened as he looked at the boy, he was still worried about getting thrown out, especially since he was there on their good graces. "Dray, that sounds like a really bad idea," he commented. Draco took a sip of tea and then placed the cup back on its saucer. He didn't seem too thrilled with Harry's answer as he crossed his legs and then his arms. Harry stared as he watched Draco do this, he looked so much like his father it was a little frightening, one of his eyebrows lifted as he did this. "Oh?" he asked simply, "Fine, I'll just find a way to amuse myself, I was going to include you in my plan but now I won't," Draco commented. Harry groaned, Malfoy honestly was far more troublesome than he was. "What about?" asked Harry as he eyed the door nervously. Draco waved his hand in front of his face and commented, "Dad and Tom? They won't care, besides they prank one another all the time. The most that will happen is that we have to clean caldrons for Uncle Sev."

Draco grinned mischievously, his once slicked back blonde hair fell out of place and his stormy grey eyes were twinkling with mischief as he swept a hand through his hair. Part of Harry ached to see just how clever the boy was, while the other part preferred not to. He sighed, there was only one way to find out. "Okay, you have my interest, what's the plan?" Draco grinned broadly as he slid his saucer out of the way and leaned on the table with his elbows. His fingers were steeped before his lips. "What color are bats?" he asked with a smirk.

~~WL~~

Blank, that's all that was there when ever Tom attempted to remember that dreadful night. It felt as though he were missing something important, something essential and yet he couldn't figure it out. His chest ached when ever he looked at Harry, but he wasn't sure if that was from the knowledge that he had killed the boy's parents or something deeper. He didn't understand it, and honestly it got on his nerves. He sighed as he placed his quill on his desk and looked at the letter which had been tucked in one of the Cloak's inner pockets. He didn't even realize the cloak had such a pocket, he looked at the ring around his finger and hummed, there was something important about it, now if only he could remember. Tom leaned back in his chair and raked his fingers through his black hair lazily. He could remember the day he had gotten into the castle, in all honestly he had been expecting to battle with the wards and the massive doors only for the iron gates to open on their own. He closed his eyes as he remembered the massive gates opening.

The Scottish air had been nippy and his cheeks were red from the frightful cold, he stood before the massive gates and only now did he realize how much of an obstacle they were. He could feel the freshly applied wards around them, Flitwick must have reapplied them while the students were away, there were two days left to the start of the Spring Semester, and from what he could tell only a select few had decided to stay. Yet something told him to touch the gate, as foolish as it sounded since a majority of the wards would sear ones hand off if they attempted, something in the back of his mind told him to touch it. Tom's hand shook a little as he reached out to touch the cold gates only for the wards to hum. Red eyes closed in anticipation as he expected for them to go off and for him to slam into a wall, and yet they didn't. He slowly opened his eyes and stared in awe as he felt the wards send a comforting warmth through him, as though he belonged there, that it was the castle's way of saying it was his home. Tom drew a deep breath before slowly stepping through the gates, he held his yew and phoenix feather wand in hand and stared as a golden orb raced down the path to greet him.

Instantly Tom had taken a defensive position, prepared to blast what ever the object was to oblivion, only to watch it shift into a sleigh. He stared as the light moved, drawing out the chassis, the harnesses, the doors, and even the cab. The blades of the rudders on the sleigh glistened in the light and he stared at the Hogwarts Crest on the door. Tom's eyes narrowed as the small black door swung open on it's own, to show a plush interior made of golds, silvers, rubies, sapphires, emerald and plums. He slowly slipped into the sleigh which was covered and took a seat, it was warm and he felt the familiar and gentle caress of magic against his skin. He couldn't explain it, and in all honesty he didn't want to. The sleigh moved on its own up the hill and he stared at the white world which seemed to slide by, not once did he see an Auror or a professor making their way to him. It was odd and yet soothing as the sleight slowed its pace and stopped before a familiar courtyard. Tom slowly stepped out and felt the kiss of magic against his skin, only this time it was accompanied by a slight tingle. He hummed in confusion as he went to sweep his hair out of his face when he noticed it was a light coffee color. He paused and summoned a mirror, it hovered before him and his eyes widened, they were blue. His breath fogged the slick glass as he looked at them, they hadn't been blue in years, his hair was several shades lighter but he still had alabaster skin. His features were a little softer and only now did he realize that Hogwarts had given him the gift of a glamour. It was as though she knew he was coming to retrieve something that didn't belong to the Headmaster. He swept across the snow covered Court Yard, memories flowed back to him one by one of his true home.

Tom paused before a familiar pair of massive, weathered oak doors. He reached out to touch them only for them to swing open as well. "Strange," he breathed as he entered the warm atmosphere of the castle. Hogwarts has some of the strongest wards in the world, he knew that for certain and yet he had managed to enter the castle without an issue. It was as though the castle somehow wanted him there. He wasted no time rushing through the familiar corridors to his destination, he had a limited period of time to reach his destination before someone would realize that there was someone in the castle who didn't belong. He glided across the stone floors toward the familiar guardian of the Headmaster's office. The same Gargoyle which hadn't changed since Dippet, he didn't know the password and was about to give up when the Gargoyle did the strangest thing, it bowed to him. After bowing it began to rise and Tom jumped on the second step from the top. As he ascended he could hear the whispers of the portraits and somehow the castle, it was the strangest feeling, it didn't frighten him, it just made him feel as though he belonged. The gargoyle stopped and Tom stepped into the hallway just before the headmaster's door. He didn't even have to knock, he had heard rumor that Albus was away for the holidays.

He slowly slipped into the office and looked around at it, Albus had clearly made changes to it. The portraits lined the walls looked at him, books on the shelves whispered amongst themselves, and he noticed all of the silver contraptions spread through the room. His eyes widened as he noticed the bright red phoenix on the perch, he had heard of the bird but didn't know the Headmaster actually owned him. It took everything he had to not reach out and pet it. "It's nice to see you're back," said a soft voice which was accompanied by a warm smile. Tom turned around quickly looking for the voice until one of the former headmasters pointed to the self where the Sorting Hat sat. "You?" he asked incredulously. The hat chuckled and hummed to itself, "Tom Marvolo Riddle, it's been a long time hasn't it? What you seek will only show itself when you command it to," the hat stated. Tom's eyes narrowed as he fiddled with his ring, twisting it three times clockwise and another two counter clockwise. "How do you know what I'm looking for?" he asked the hat skeptically, the hat grinned.

"I don't, but I'm sure she does," it replied, Tom was getting more and more irritated and without thinking held his hand out palm up and shouted, "I'm looking for an invisibility cloak, how the fuck do you think I'm going to simply-" there was silence as he felt something fall into his open palm. Blue eyes widened as the silky fabric ran across his skin and he turned his head, draped over his free hand was the cloak. His lips parted as he attempted to understand what had just happened. "How?" he asked curiously as he slowly examined it. "Magic, now I suggest you get going a certain old man will be returning and I highly doubt that he would want to run into Lord Voldemort in his office," the Sorting Hat cautioned. Tom was about to ask how the thing even knew who he was until he heard the words themselves.

In moments he was about to rush from the room when the Hat shouted, "WAIT! Just Apparate!" Tom stared at the hat as though it were insane, he knew he would get splinched by the wards if he even attempted it. "Trust me Mister Riddle! Just do it!" shouted the hat again. Tom turned when he heard a familiar crack and he growled before attempting to appreciate himself. Worse case scenario he would get splinched. There was a familiar tug at his navel and when he expected to find pain he was simply greeted by a warm fire and a familiar hiss, 'Where the hell have you been?'

Tom was snapped out of his daydream by a loud shout, "POTTER!" which was followed a few seconds later by, "MALFOY!" it rang through the halls, causing them to shake violently, and for a moment he thought the roof of the mansion lifted off the structure. Red eyes widened as he jumped to attention with his wand out. There was a thunder of footsteps, only to be followed by a yelp from both boys. Then silence followed which caused the Dark Lord to stare at the door, he honestly wasn't sure if he should open it and check on the boys to see if Severus had murdered them, or stay in the sanctuary of his office. Then again what ever happened would surely end up storming into his office, he sighed and looked at the hour glass on his desk before he began to count, "3," the silence stretched on. "2," he heard footsteps approaching his office. They grew louder as did the ranting of the Potion's Master, "1," he said simply. There was a pause before a rather gentle rapping on his office doors. Tom sighed as he walked around the front of his desk, "Better get this over with," he mumbled.

He rubbed his head and called, "Enter." The door swung open to show the most comical thing Tom Marvolo Riddle had seen since his Hogwarts days. Standing in the threshold was a very stressed and angry looking Severus Snape. He had traffic cone orange hair, bright blue skin, neon robes, and a very familiar pair of boys. His black eyes looked lethal and he had a feeling he knew just what happened. Harry and Draco looked around the office innocently as Harry hid the Invisibility cloak behind his back. Everything in the office seemed immensely interesting compared to Tom and Severus. He should have known that the boy had a troublesome streak like James Potter. A chuckle fell from his lips as he looked at the man, his black robes had been transformed into neon colored ones, which he was certain a very familiar Headmaster would love. "My Lord," Severus said with a hint of anger and at that point Tom was on the floor holding his sides laughing hysterically. Of all the people to prank they had chosen Severus, the most serious and perhaps terrifying of the group, second to Greyback of course but still terrifying to most of the student population of Hogwarts. His laughter filled the room and tears of joy leaked from his eyes as he clutched his sides, the boys had put him in stitches. "Well done, well done," he stated as he attempted to pull himself back together, which was pretty much useless considering he would have to lift the spells.

"It's not that amusing my lord," commented Severus with irritation. Tom shook his head and grinned broadly, "Severus I didn't know you wanted to be a Smurf, you should have said something sooner." Severus glared at him darkly; he had a feeling if he were a student still that the Potion's Master would have him scrubbing caldrons well into his seventh year. Severus grit his teeth and glared at the boys. "It isn't that amusing," he hissed again. Tom shook his head and whipped his eyes lazily with the side of his index finger, "I beg to differ," he commented as he attempted to recompose himself. Tom could tell that the man was itching to get the boys to scrub caldrons all day.

Tom slipped his yew and phoenix wand from his sleeve and with the flick of his wrist the accidental magic was reversed, leaving the dower man in all his irritable glory. The things he could teach these boys, "Sadly Harry and Draco, you will have to make it up to Severus, which will be as follows, assisting him in the lab prepping ingredients," he stated. Harry and Draco nodded in unison and suddenly found the floor to be immensely interesting. Without a second thought Severus was escorting the pair to the lab.

A smile curved Tom's lips as he leaned back in his chair and put his arms behind his head. Nagini slithered in and asked, 'What's made you so happy?'

'What's dower, black and was attempting to join the Blue Men?' he hissed with a grin and the snake blinked in confusion, 'One Severus Snape. Oh the things I can teach these boys.'

~~ WL ~~

Day shifted to night, and just as everyone was returning to bed, there was only one person up and about. Sitting in the Living room with her legs crossed reading a book of Charms was a beautiful woman dressed in a black silk night dress. The dress was long and when she was standing stopped just above her ankles, with a long slit that stopped mid thigh and a plunging neckline. It hugged her curves, accenting the swell of her breast, trim waist, flat stomach and elegant hips, outlining each and every one of them, showcasing her hourglass figure. Even after having Draco she still looked as attractive as any of the younger witches often seen strutting through Diagon Alley. Lucius had picked up the dress on one of his trips to China. Her long blonde and black hair was down and fell like a curtain down her back, and her fingers tugged the green dressing gown tighter. A dark emerald green robe swallowed her as she sat before the fire, her wand beside her and the book between her fingers. Grey eyes scanned the pages slowly, as an irritated huff filled the room. In seconds the book snapped shut and the heavy tome was dropped on the side table. She shifted once again and pulled her legs up so she could curl up in the large black leather chair which her husband loved. She crossed her arms and leaned her head against the side of it as she listened for him to return. To say that Narcissa Malfoy was nervous was an understatement; Lucius was late, very late.

Usually he was home every evening at five, however he wasn't home yet and he hadn't sent word that he would be late. Her teeth were on edge as she began to think about what could possibly make the man late. Lucius was always on time, and if he were late, he would have sent word. She crossed her arms and watched the fire anxiously for any sign that it would turn green and her husband would step out of it like he always did. It was never Lucius leaving or returning from a long day that worried her, but when he was late. Tom had been irritable for the past few days, he knew far more about Harry than he was saying, but she wasn't one to pry into the Dark Lord's life. There were far too many dark secrets in it.

Minutes passed like hours and slowly the Lady of the House's eyes grew heavy. She didn't want to sleep, she couldn't and yet her body was screaming at her to do so. Between the worry over Harry and what would happen to the dear boy, Tom's behavior and the general return of Severus' source of distress, she felt as though she were in over her head. For years all three men had been her rocks, her anchors and yet they were now all unable to stay grounded and suddenly she was not only grounding Lucius but the others as well. She couldn't take it, her fingers itched to touch wood and feel the hum of strings beneath them. Narcissa sighed she couldn't take it, she needed her companion and vice which over the years she had found almost as much comfort in as Lucius. Instantly Narcissa was on her feet and crafted a simple wooden chair with a soft plum colored cushion. She held her hand out and watched as her faithful companion floated into the room.

Her fingers wrapped around her familiar and slender bow, she loved the feeling of the delicate wood between her fingers, but no where near as much as the instrument itself. Standing before, waiting at attention was Narcissa's own vice, her eyes traveled from the beautiful curled red wood of it's head, down a slender dark wooden neck and to the elegant curves of the instrument's body, her black F holes stood out in the light and she smiled as each of the strings glistened in the light of the fire. She slowly touched the instrument's long neck and caressed it with the tips of her fingers with affection, she could feel it's smooth finish and admired the glossy sheen it had acquired after she had polished it not too long ago. She slowly touched it's neck to her head and closed her eyes. This instrument was her first friend, her first love, her first addiction, and her undoing, her cello.

Narcissa drew a deep breath as she closed her eyes and positioned herself. She sighed with content as she straightened her back, and spread her knees so she could cradle the cello properly. She hummed as she leaned it against her body and supported it as though it were her lover. She felt it's familiar wood against the inside of her thigh as she lifted her bow and positioned her fingers over the fingerboard of the instrument. She drew a deep breath and drew the bow across the strings, the deep voice of the cello hummed, the vibrations rang through her frame like the thoughts of her life. She closed her eyes as she slowly felt herself slip into the familiar motion of drawing the bow across the strings, her fingers gently caressing the strings as they danced delicately down the neck of the instrument. A melancholy piece filled the room, as the familiar tones of Elgar's Cello Concerto Opus 85 broke through the silence. Every thought of the men in her life slipped into the background as she drew the bow, with each note a piece of her seemed to drift away as the rich voice of the cello attempted to soothe her worries. Her head dipped forward as she begged for the cello to sing louder and broader, with each draw her mask fell further off until it shattered on the floor. Her face twisted with sadness and concern as she began to sway as the bow seemed to move on it's own.

The strings hummed beneath her fingers as he thoughts were finally free from their worrisome confines. Her blonde hair fell over her shoulders and into her eyes as she held the cello closer, and closer, savoring the feeling of her second love between her legs. Yet, she remained her tender touches, caressing the cello and worshiping it with each and every note. She was so close, so close to letting go entirely, to finally feel it. She felt the familiar fire fill her veins, it spread rapidly and made her heart pound, the tension of the strings beneath her fingers, the taught bow in her hand and the lush voice which sang. The tempo, the pain, the sorrow, that lamenting sound of a lonesome cello without it's orchestra and the hope, the hope that not all was lost, that her world would come together once more and she would be free. Free from everything, every worry, every fear, and looming threat. The cello soared as she smiled softly, yes it was in her grasp, her fingers danced up and down the neck of the cello with accuracy and fluidity, as though she and the cello were made for one another. Suddenly there was light in the darkness, every emotion collided as she felt her soul sing, her bow moved rapidly as she dipped and arched her back, her fingers pressing dangerously close to the end of the fingerboard as she listened to the high notes of the cello fill her soul. Those cries of desire from such a dismal place, her heart was pounding and for a moment she saw white. She was free.

She paused, her chest was heaving, and her heart was thundering in her chest. She drew a deep breath and relaxed slightly before continuing to the end, a numbness had set in, one which seemed to go to her core. The final notes of the concerto hung in the air solemnly, she felt so alone, even though there were others in the house. She tipped her head back, gasping for air, the large green dress robe was slipping off her shoulder and now rested as the crook of her elbow, with the other side on her shoulder. "Narcissa? Love?" called a familiar voice. She slowly opened her eyes to see the concerned steel grey eyes of her husband. He looked exhausted but far more concerned for her. He slowly knelt on the floor beside her and placed a hand on her cheek. "Why are you crying?" he asked gently as his fingers swept away the incriminating droplets which had fallen at some point.

"You're late, I thought that you," she whispered before placing her bow on the floor and leaning the cello against the plush leather chair. In seconds her arms were wrapped around Lucius' shoulders and she nuzzled his neck, breathing in his scent and cologne. He wrapped his arms around her and began to rub soothing circled into her back, she could feel his warm hands through the dress robe and whispered, "Hush, it's alright, I'm home," he paused and continued, "I'm sorry I was late. I couldn't get a hold of my secretary or a house elf, not even an owl would come to me while I was in that god forsaken hall of records." She clutched him as though he were her lifeline and she whispered, "I don't know what I would do if I lost you."

Lucius pulled back and lifted her chin with his fingers, "Look at me, you won't, it would take more than a few misguided Wizards to rip me from you. What's brought this on?" he asked gently. His voice was soft and his grey eyes seemed to soften as he looked at her. She sighed in frustration and looked at him, "I, I keep thinking about Lily and James and Harry, I can't help but wonder what would have happened if it were us and Draco was the child of prophecy," she replied hesitantly. Lucius gave her a knowing smile, Narcissa was a strong woman, but she too had her fears. "Love, I'm never going to let that happen. He is safe, I am safe and here in your arms," he replied as he gently took one of her hands and placed it on his chest, "See, I'm here." She could feel his heartbeat beneath her palm and she nodded. Lucius reached up and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear and kissed her head affectionately. "You're cold," he whispered as he wrapped one of his hands around hers. He gently rubbed his palms over it, hoping the friction would warm them.

"Take me to bed," she said softly to him. Lucius smiled as he slowly slipped his arms under her and picked her up. "As you wish," he replied and with the nod of his head her cello returned to the Music Room. He continued to walk with her in his arms and whispered, "I noticed you borrowed my robe, miss me that much?" She smiled and kissed his neck, "No matter how long you are gone, or how far you go, I always miss you," he replied simply. She watched a smile curve her husband's lips and she hummed. They stopped before the doors of their bedroom and they swung open on their own. "I love you," she whispered softly as he continued toward the bed. "I love you too," he whispered softly as he placed her on the bed and crawled onto it. His hands slid over her sides, she could feel their warmth through the thin silk and moaned. "I also love this dress on you, I wonder how it looks on the floor," he commented.

Narcissa chuckled as her pearl white teeth sank into her plump lower lip, "Why don't we find out?" she asked as she tugged on his neck tie.