Chapter 6: A Rare Bit of Magic

Secrets can make or break a person, the darker the secret the rather they fall from grace and into the darkness where the demons dwell. However, there are some who are so accustomed to living in the dark that somehow they have become part of it themselves, and plunging further into it isn't' an issue. Yet, sometimes there were a few demons who had managed to carve out a small place where the light could shine in the darkness, where they could cultivate just a little hope.

The air was cool in the lab and light was in every nook and cranny, it was actually welcoming and the walls were lined with rose wood cabinets that were lined with clean linens and shelves of potions ingredients. While off to the side bordering a pair of glass French doors were shelves of books which stretched from the floor to the ceiling. The French doors which were surrounded by rose wood opened to the gardens where ingredients were cultivated. There was a small patio just before them as well an outdoor brick set up for crafting potions which required moon light.

The counters of the lab were black garnett, they glistened in the light and were so clean that even the tight spidery scrawl on the labels on the jars of ingredients could be read in their reflections. Barrels off to the far corner were filled with fresh stock of horned slugs, eels and other creatures which were necessary for the ancient art of brewing. Caldrons of every size, shape and material were both hanging and placed on shelves. The fireplace was the most impressive of the entire set up, it was massive, so large in fact that it housed five of the largest caldrons available on the market. Each caldron had a separate fire under it and was temperature controlled thanks to ingenuitive warding on the Potion's master's part.

Glass bottles, vials, flasks, tubes and funnels were cleaned and glistened in the light. Stirring rods were placed in boxes but the ones which the Potion's master frequently used were in a simple crystal vase, resting in the center of the lab on one of two islands, which was covered in burners. The second island had a crystal top and wooden cutting boards resting on top of it, with knives of every shape, and size, from a traditional double edged atheme to the elegant crescent shaped Bowline knife were resting on it.

There was a smaller fire place however, it was significantly smaller, in fact it was just barely large enough for two people to stand inside of it. It was always empty, never a caldron sat in it, and more often than not it was only lit when required, or whenever the room's owner felt he need to converse with another person, which was rare. In fact, it was so rare that the fireplace was literally lit once in a blue moon. It was his way of keeping the pest at bay.

Only the sound of a sharp blade slicing through ginger root could be heard, the snap as the blade hit the wooden block as well as the friction between the blade and the white root were the only two things which could be heard. Long potion stained fingers pinched the blade in place as their master continued to slice through the hard root. Obsidian eyes were glaring at the root with irritation, and a sneer curled the man's lips. Black slightly oily hair was pulled back in a black leather strap. His long black robes were sprawled on the back of a chair and he had rolled up the sleeves of his crisp black shirt, white scars littered his arms from cuts and burns. There was a knock on the lab door which joined the lab to the house and he sighed before picking up a sterile white rag and whipping the blade. His shoulders heaved a sigh before he turned to one of his cabinets and pulled out a glass bottle labeled essence of lilac.

The glass doors which lead to his lab were shoved open rather violently, in fact if he hadn't charmed the glass to be unbreakable, he was certain the glass in the panes would have shattered, or at least cracked. He was about to shoot a snide remarked when he noticed that it wasn't Lucius who had knocked, the man always wore florid cologne, this one smelled of cedar and spices. "Severus, must you be difficult?" he asked as he held up the large sign with the red words sprawled across it boldly, "Enter at your own risk." Severus sighed as he looked at Tom, there was something in the man's red eyes which told him that Tom needed to talk.

The glass bottle of the Essence of Lilac was placed on the table, it made a soft tap as he did so. The brunet strode into the room cautiously, he seemed lost in his own mind, it reminded Severus far too much of the man before he had taken the time to stitch Tom's soul back together. Piece by piece Severus stitched, with a needle of bone and the crimson threads of humanity, which he had wrenched from his own soul. Bright red silk strands dripping in blood were pulled over and over again through the shards of what had once been a soul, tugging, pinching and tightening in an effort to put together something that should have never been broken. Ripping himself apart in an attempt to make the finest silk threads, what little he could produce from his own mangled soul. Hours he spent working to assemble what had once been shattered, to fix what many believed couldn't be. It was painful, so very painful that even the Cruciatus Curse would seem like a blessing compared to this. Somehow through the haze of pain and agony he managed it, to have done the impossible and fix a shattered soul with his own hands. There was a price like everything else, a horrible price, he had to take care of Tom and if the man were to die so was he. The price of saving the man was he had to give up something equaled or greater in return. He just didn't know what it was yet, it seemed as though fate had yet to collect. Severus didn't even know why he had done such a deed, before he believe it was out of obligation but now he wasn't sure himself, it was all like a horrible nightmare.

Yet there was a piece missing, that night when Severus exhausted himself to save what he could of Tom Riddle's soul, he learned that a piece of the man was missing, it was small but enough to affect him. A sliver which had been misplaced amidst the chaos had vanished from view, Severus watched Tom trail his fingers on the cold counters. He never told Tom, how he could tell the man he couldn't find all the shards of the man's shattered soul, when he had taken it upon himself to stitch the man together again.

Part of the dower potion master began to wonder if the lost expression on Tom's face was his subconscious screaming at him about missing a piece of himself. Tom conjured a Mahogany stool with a green and silver cushion resting upon its top, he perched on it. The white sign laid forgotten on the opposite counter and Severus watched Tom wring his hands as though he were a school boy who was about to be berated, it was unnerving to see. "Tom?" asked Severus softly as he set the root aside, he was still preparing ingredients, so he had a bit before he began to brew. Blood red eyes snapped up, his attention was on the potion master and he noticed that darkness in his eyes. "Tom, what happened?" Severus asked gently. Somehow he couldn't be angry at this man, he could never be angry with him. He didn't know why, in all honesty he thought it was because he had used the chords of his soul to stitch the other man's.

"Sev, you know how I managed to get that cloak, don't you?" he asked slowly, his voice was filled with uncertainty and nervousness. With the flick of his wrist Severus' familiar ebony wand was in his hand and he conjured himself a stool, he had a feeling this was going to take a bit. He didn't know the details but he had a feeling it had to do something with that night, that horrible night which had taken his Lily from him. "Not entirely," he replied slowly, his voice was measured in an attempt to hide his thoughts from the man across from him.

Tom sighed as he leaned his elbows on the work bench and ran his hand through his wavy chocolate hair, "I did something I shouldn't have. Something I'm not supposed to be able to do," he said softly. For once in Tom's life he sounded uncertain, Severus hummed as he relaxed a little and crossed his arms. He waited patiently for him to continue, what ever this was it was bothering the young Dark Lord enough to seek him out for a chat, which was usual, unless it involved an invasion or potions. "Sev, I got through the wards of Hogwarts, I managed to enter the castle without being detected. The castle even bestowed a glamour upon me," he began. Severus' eyes widened, he was well aware that Dumbledore and Flitwick had erected wards to block Tom from entering the grounds. "Did you break them?" asked Severus, know setting the list of potions which Poppy required off to the side, he would deal with Madame Pomfrey later, this was far more important.

Tom shook his head and replied, "No, the castle let me in, the gates opened on their own and there was even a carriage waiting for me. I thought it was a trap until I reached the doors of the castle, that was when I received the glamour and I felt as though I was being welcomed home." His blood red eyes watched his fingers as he slowly massaged them, it was a nervous tick of Tom's, one which many mistook as the man having sore hands from work. "It was as if all of the terrible things I had done didn't matter. Even the castle doors opened by themselves, I continued to the Headmaster's office expecting to have to guess every sweet under the sun, except," he paused and lifted his eyes from his hands, they met obsidian orbs and he said with all sincerity, "except, the gargoyle bowed, it bowed to me as though I were it's master before allowing me entry."

Severus' eyes widened, never had the gargoyle allowed that, it was created to protect the headmaster and remain absolutely loyal to both the Headmaster and the Founders of Hogwarts. "Tom, you used to believe that you were the heir of Salazar but what if," he began and paused when Tom's eyes locked on his, "What if you really are." There was silence in the room, and the air felt thick, it was as though Severus was crewing a potion and the fumes had filled the air, sucking the oxygen out of their lungs. "If there is a chance that I share Salazar's blood, then what about Hadrian? He can speak to snakes as well, only one of Salazar's heirs can do that," said Tom slowly.

Severus paused and began to wonder the same thing, Harry must have shared some of Salazar's blood, which made no sense, the Potters weren't related to Slytherin, they were Gryffindors both by blood and virtue. James had no secret talents, none of the tell tale signs of the brilliant blood which ran through the veins of the Slytherin house. James' only talent was Defense Against the Dark Arts, he was horrendous at everything else. The one who was talented at Potions, Charms, and Runes was, "Lily," he whispered as his eyes grew as large as saucers. Blood red eyes narrowed in confusion as the young Dark Lord tilted his head, "Lily Potter nee Evans, but she couldn't speak to snakes, at least that I saw," he mused as he looked at Tom.

"I'm an only child and I have no relatives," stated Tom flatly, "If I had I wouldn't have ended up in that god forsaken orphanage." Severus rubbed his temples, this was making his head hurt, there had to be a connection somehow. "Severus, I was able to summon the cloak on a whim. I didn't use a charm or anything, it just came to me," Tom said softly. Severus' brows knit together in confusion, he had heard of the beautiful Potter Cloak, it was an heirloom. "Wait why did Dumbledore have it? I don't understand why the cloak flew to you but the bigger question is what he was doing with it. Now that I think about it, that damn cloak wasn't in the house," Severus said rapidly, his anger began to flare at the Headmaster as his memory was thrown back to that dreadful night.

"I was wondering the same thing," Tom commented as he looked at the black table, he could see flecks of white quartz in it, "that night would have been so different if they had it. I wouldn't have destroyed a boy's chance at happiness." The room went cold and a darkness which had been present made itself known. That was what was ebbing away at Tom, that he was the reason that Harry's life was a living hell, he had condemned the boy to misery before he even had a chance to live. Tom's head was bowed as he looked at his hands which were in his lap, his ring glistened in the light as he traced the band with his fingers.

There was something special about the ring, it wasn't just because it had belonged to the Gaunt family, but there had to be something else important about it. The issue was that Tom just couldn't seem to remember, "Tom, Thomas," called Severus as he placed a hand on the man's shoulder. The young Lord made no reply which worried Severus, he felt panic ensue as he jumped from the stool making it clatter to the floor as he did so. He grabbed the young brown haired man and squeezed his shoulders before calling, "Marvolo!" Tom twitched as Severus shook him and looked at the Potion Master in confusion. He scowled at him for a moment before shaking his head and rubbing his temples, "My head's splitting Sev, I need to lay down," he mumbled, his words began to slur together.

Severus loosened his grip on the man, only now did he realize how slender Tom was, his hands felt as though they had squeezed the shoulders of a skeleton. "Tom have you been eating?" asked Severus softly, now his concern was becoming very real. The young Lord wasn't acting right, his usual vitality was slipping, "I have, I just can't eat much, my stomach's been bothering me," he replied hesitantly. Severus sighed before standing before the wizard and looking down his hooked nose at him, as though Tom was a mere student in one of his glasses. He leaned against the lab table and crossed his arms, "The headaches? How long have those been going on?" he asked coolly.

"A while, you've been busy and with Hadrian here I didn't want the boy to suffer, you also need rest," he reasoned as he looked at the hem of his robe with extreme interest. Severus sighed, he really did feel as though he were dealing with a student, "What were you going to accomplish by starting yourself and living in agony?" he asked. What happened next was the most unusual thing, Tom's shoulders lift and fell, he actually shrugged. Tom Marvolo Riddle, Dark Lord and supposed heir of Slytherin never shrugged, it was unbecoming of him. "You have helped me a great deal Sev, I don't want to take more advantage of you than I already have, I know you sacrificed a piece of your soul for mine," he replied.

Severus smiled bitterly at the memory, the only reason he had done that was to repay a debt and he believed that Harry was safe and sound. He didn't have a reason to live anymore, at least then he didn't. "Tom, with everything going on, you're near the top of the list," he stated before turning on his heel and walking over to one of his storage cupboards and pulling two phials, "Take these two and call me in the morning," he instructed before pressing both phials into the young man's hand. It was odd to see Tom as a person who was younger than himself, especially since he was technically older, far older in fact. A chuckle came from Tom as he shook his head and smiled a little, "You quoting a muggle movie? Sev I think the world will surely end," he commented before uncorking the two phials and knocking them back as though they were shots of fire whiskey. He didn't even groan about the taste. There was silence again between them as Severus began to process everything he had heard, "Severus, there is one more thing, well two more. The first is that the Sorting Hat knew my name, I didn't even have to put it on my head it was as if it knew what I was looking for. Second, I was able to Apparate out of the castle," he said slowly, as though the words and concepts were forging to him as well.

Severus slowly reached down and righted the stool before replying, "I don't know much about that hat, honestly the thing has always crept me out, I would have to look into it for more information. As for the ability to Apparate, I don't know either, only the Headmaster is able to do so." He was about to continue when the fireplace in the corner flashed violently. Severus growled before looking at Tom pleadingly, "I have to answer, it's Albus, you can stay here."

Tom nodded slowly and Severus quickly spun around and knelt on the floor. He stuck his head in the green flames and said snidely, "Yes Albus?" He stared at the elderly wizard who was before him, the man's infernal twinkle was showing in his eyes, "Severus, my boy, I was wondering if you knew where Harry was, he's been missing for a while and I sent you to check on him," Albus began. Severus internally growled, the man spoke of it so lightly of the hell Harry had to endure. "I did, he seemed fine, that was days ago Albus, I already reported to you about the boy," he stated.

The half rimmed glasses were glistening in the light as the elder wizard tucked a strand of hair behind his ear, "I'm aware, but did you see anything? The Ministry states that the wards fell after you left, perhaps the person who took Harry was hanging around anyone," Albus paused and looked over his glasses at Severus, "Suspicious?" he asked simply. There was a smile on his lips but it didn't reach his eyes, Severus hummed and replied curtly, "No." He was about to get up, he hated floo calls, they always hurt his knees and back, "Severus, you would tell me if you saw something wouldn't you?" Albus asked. Severus paused and stared at him, his occlumency walls were erected and he strengthened them. "Of course Headmaster, now if you'll excuse me, I have to finish some Fever Reducer for Poppy," he said quickly.

"Severus, I was wondering if you were in my office lately, there was some chatter among the portraits about an unannounced guest, something about the return of an heir," he said slowly, Severus could feel Tom's eyes boring into his back. The portraits knew something he didn't, something very powerful and he made note to speak to them as soon as he turned to Hogwarts. "I see, I haven't been Headmaster, perhaps it was one of those hooligans you call students," he stated before stepping away.

Albus vanished without a trace and Severus turned to Tom. "I see Albus knows of my visit," he said sheepishly. Severus walked over to Tom and slowly lifted the wizard's chin and looked into his blood red eyes, they lacked their usual luster. He slowly placed his hand on Tom's brow, there was a thin layer of sweat and Severus hissed with disapproval, "You're burning up," he stated as he held his hand out and a fever reducer zipped through the air to his waiting hand. "Have you been sleeping at all?" he asked curiously. Tom blinked as he leaned into Severus' touch, "No, I can't seem to, the demons, they keep coming back," he said slowly. The Potion Master looked at him critically, "That an you've been exhausting your core, you need to take it easy," Severus stated. Tom sighed and looked at him he sighed, "I haven't been doing that much, I don't even know why I'm so drained," he commented.

Severus lowered his hands and shook his head, "Still, you should get some rest, I am going to start brewing two heritage potions, one for you and another for Harry, perhaps that will clear some of this up," he stated briskly. He knew he had left no room for Tom to argue he had done so intentionally, he needed the Dark Lord to rest, and not be up and about until he could figure out what was going on. Tom nodded and slipped off the stool, "I'll see you at dinner," he said softly before leaving the lab, the glass doors clicked closed on his way out. Severus sighed and tucked a loose bang behind his ear before leaning against his work table and crossing his arms. A lineage potion was a lot of work, but so many things just weren't adding up. He had to make sense of them somehow.

~~WL ~~

Draco was sauntering down the hallway, he was all too happy that Harry was finally up and about. He didn't like seeing anyone look that deathly pale, or tired. Today was filled with lessons and oddly his teachers, mainly his mother, Tom and Severus didn't mind allowing Harry to join in classes as well. Draco turned the corner on the ball of his foot and began to head back to the study, he had left to go to the bathroom and need a break from his mother. She was teaching both of them how to act, Harry was actually more civilized than she thought previously, which was also a shock for Draco. He could remember his mother chatting with him about setting up a program for Harry, to make him into a strong and powerful Potter Scion. Draco naturally didn't protest, he couldn't wait to show everyone just who his friend was and the power they could wield together.

Power, it was a driving factor for the Malfoy heir, his family had taught him a number of things. Tom often told Draco that life was tough and in order to succeed that the traditional views of black and white had to be put aside, that in reality there were two kinds of people in the world, those who seek power and those too afraid to. What was startling was the fact that the man was honestly the most powerful wizard in the world and could do more damage with a simple stinging hex than an adult's cruciatus. It was amazing how silently and with the mere flick of his wand, Tom could command the world. He was a professional with mind magics and often gave Severus a run for his money. Tom had always been Draco's role model for that, he was creative and clever, there was little the man couldn't figure out. Tom was so good at manipulation that even his father fell to the man's charms.

Severus on the other hand believed in a different kind of power, knowledge. The more a person knew and was able to execute the more powerful he became, everything else would fall into place. Severus wasn't in Draco's mind as reckless as Tom who wanted raw power, Severus was specific and often was more curious about refining such a raw thing than simply compiling it. Books were always in Severus' hands which was what made the man dangerous, that and the fact that he could invent hexes and spells on a whim, that you never wanted to be on the receiving end of.

Lucius, his father was driving by one muggle expression, 'Money makes the world go round.' Well in the hands of Lucius Malfoy it certainly did, there was little Lucius couldn't do with it. There were two sides of the Malfoy patriarch, there was the side where he would pull his wand and hex an offender to the next millennium and then there was the financial man. With the flick of his pen he could make things vanish, he could make or break a person by simply writing a check or walking into a branch of Gringotts. In both the muggle and magical realms he was a god, Draco was one of the few children who could brag that his father had a beautiful hand assembled Maserati Granturismo MC Stradale that was both wicked on the road and in the air. It was ridiculous the amount of power his father had, the only two people with more funds than his father were Tom Riddle and believe it or not the raven haired little boy in the library.

There was one more person who made a major impact on his life and that was Narcissa, his mother. Unlike the three boys who were into physically expressing it, she was into strategy. It was rare when Draco's mother didn't know whose hand to shake and who to dance with to get a law passed. For years he had watched his mother at Galas, every movement was calculated and she handed people as though they were assets, she didn't care as long as she achieved her goal. He could remember watching her drape herself in beautiful silks, gems and those bare backed dresses which were the undoing of his father. She was a force to be reckoned with and believed that power wasn't simply measured by money, knowledge or amount, but rather aptitude. How the way a man entered the room, spoke, dressed, and even moved was what determined his place.

Draco pushed open the doors of the library to see his mother standing before Harry, "Draco! Just who I needed, please explain to Hadrian the importance of a Wizard's carriage," she stated. Draco noticed a pleading expression on his friend's face and chuckled internally, he remembered this lecture. He walked over to Harry and stood before him, "Have you ever watched the way my father walks? Or even Tom and Severus?" he asked. The three men had very different styles and mannerisms to their movements but they were prime examples of how one of high standing conducts himself. "My father tends to stride with purpose, yet has a hint of grace, his firm and stands tall at all times," explained Draco as he squared his shoulders and strode with a little purpose towards the fireplace. He earned a chuckle from his mother for his act as he put on his mock Lucius snarl. Narcissa's hand flew up to cover her mouth as her lips quirked into a smile. He loved making her smile, in Draco's opinion his mother needed to do it more. He turned on his heel and looked at Harry.

"Uncle Sev, is different, he's smooth, soundless and seems to float, especially in his school robes. He's got a powerful stride but it's a little smoother than my fathers," Draco explained as he imitated Severus, his arms were crossed purposefully, his chin was parallel to the floor and his shoes didn't make a sound against the polished hardwood floor. Draco had seen Severus in his robes a handful of times, but could remember how they seemed to billow as he moved. He stopped before Harry and smiled, he was a breath away from the raven haired boy, now he could see his emerald green eyes, they were breath taking. Ocean blues met emeralds and the boys stared at one another for a moment before Draco cleared his throat and took a step back.

He looked at Harry and smiled, "Uncle Tom," he paused and thought for a moment, he had see the man move and honestly he didn't move like a normal man, he moved with the ease of a dancer, not a ballet one but Jazz or Latin. There was something elegant with his movements, he was like a panther, elegant, smooth and powerful. His gaze was always intense, it could bore a hole through a person and see into their soul. He seemed to own the room, even when Lucius was in it. He paused as he attempted to figure out how to explain it, the way the man swung his hips slightly and that infernal smirk on his lips when he was up to no good. Draco smiled and stated, "Uncle Tom is smooth as silk, and honestly the man makes my father's charms seem basic." Harry looked confused and he could tell the boy had never watched how the three men entered the room. He sighed and rubbed his temples, "It's as if he's dancing even when he isn't, and when he dances well let's just say he's got serious skill," Draco said simply. He was beginning to have a difficult time explaining how Tom was the more fluid of the three.

Narcissa grinned and clapped her hands together before calling, "Tom!" Draco and Harry's eyes widened as the man poked his head through the door, "Yes?" he asked curiously as he looked at the boys and then back to her, "What did they do?" Draco and Harry looked at one another and then to Tom, they weren't that troublesome. The Malfoy scion crossed his arms and glared, "We haven't done anything," he stated.

Tom chuckled as he slowly walked into the room, yet something was off. His strides lacked his usual strength and his eyes looked glassy. "Tom?" Draco's mother asked, he could tell that his mother was worried. Oddly the man looked worse for wear, it was as though he had spent several hours dueling Severus, which would reduce anyone to exhaustion. He paused and clutched his chest, his knees went weak and Draco watched the man begin to crumble.

In a flash Harry was at his side, holding him up, it amazed Draco at both how strong and fast the boy really was. "Uncle?" he asked with shining eyes as he looked up at Tom, Draco stared in shock, he had just freely called Tom his uncle. He paused and looked at Tom who seemed slightly stunned but his body seemed to sag, causing Harry to stumble. Narcissa was at his side and wrapped her arm around Tom's waist and looked at Harry, "Let's take him to the chaise Lounge," she directed before she began to guide him to the plush green lounge. In moments Harry and Narcissa had placed the man on the plush furniture, Draco picked up one of the blankets and draped it over the man. He couldn't help but become a little concerned, Tom never looked this tired. He may looked sleepless but never weak. Harry was standing before the man, unsure of what to do and looked honestly nervous, his hands were wringing and his green eyes were locked on Tom.

"I think that's enough for today," said Narcissa softly before calling a house elf and asking for Severus to be brought to her as well as Lucius. "Master Lucius is unavailable," the elf replied quickly. Narcissa looked at him puzzled for a moment, "Where is he?" she asked and noticed Tom looked just as confused as he did. The elf looked Narcissa in the eye and replied, "He is currently at the Ministry in the Hall of Records, none of us can reach him." She sighed and rubbed her temples, now that she thought back on it she could remember him mentioning something to that effect. "Alright just have Severus come, tell him Tom isn't doing well," she commented. The elf nodded and vanished with a pop, Harry ignored the creature and had become rigid. His slender frame seemed to lock up, his emerald green eyes were locked on the man laying before him and his black hair seemed a tad messier than before.

"Hadrian?" asked Draco slowly, his voice was soft as he placed a hand on the boy's shoulders. He felt the other boy stiffen and jerk back quickly, his eyes were wide and he looked as though Draco were about to hurt him. Green eyes were wide with terror as he began to back away from the group. "Harry?" asked Draco softly as he lifted a hand only for Harry to flinch once more and take another step back. He felt a pain shoot through his chest and looked at the now terrified boy, he hadn't seen Harry look this scare of him since he had arrived that Christmas Eve. His chest was heaving and he looked ready to bolt from the room. "Draco, give him space," instructed the tired voice of the Dark Lord.

Silver eyes drifted to the figure who was slowly sitting up, despite Narcissa's protests. "Harry, breathe, it's alright," he instructed softly, his voice was light and airy. Draco's eyes widened a fraction, he had never heard the man speak this way before, he didn't usually raise his voice but he was never this gentle, except around Harry. Harry shook his head and a hand shot to his chest, "What's going on?" asked Narcissa in confusion. Tom held up an elegant hand and called once again, "Harry, no one will hurt you, it's alright, you did nothing wrong."

The boy squeezed his eyes shut as he began to visibly tremble, "Harry, come here," Tom commanded gently as he lifted his hand, palm up as a sign of surrender. The raven haired boy looked nervous and stared at the hand, "I won't hit you, come here please," Tom reiterated. The boy wrung his hands and took several steps forward so that he was standing before the man. He closed his eyes and braced himself, it was only now that Draco understood what was happening, Harry was having a panic attack, as to why he didn't know. Tom slowly leaned forward and wrapped a hand around Harry's and gently pulled the boy onto the chaise lounge. Before the boy could blink his arms were around the young boy and he was being pressed to the Dark Lord's chest. "It's alright Harry, you did nothing wrong, I'm just tired," he whispered reassuringly and kissed the top of the boy's head. His red eyes fell on Draco as he waved the silver haired boy over. Draco complied and nodded as he slowly sat near them on the lounge and ran his fingers through Harry's hair.

Now he understood why Tom was always carding his fingers through the boy's hair, it was soft, very soft and seemed to sooth the young man. He watched Harry's body slowly relax in Tom's embrace and he sighed, "No one will ever hurt you again Harry," whispered Tom reassuringly with a small smile on his face. There was a rustle of fabric and Draco looked up to see Severus standing there with a potion's bag and a smile on his face. "I see we are getting along, now then, Tom if you planned on sleeping on the floor you could have just stayed in my lab," commented Severus.

Harry lifted his head and stared at the man who was grinning and had his arms crossed, "I don't want to use that mat you call a futon Severus, not all of us are so in love with potions that we will sleep in your lab," commented Tom as he scowled. Severus rolled his eyes and hummed, before popping the cork of a potions bottle and passing it to Tom. Without being asked Harry sat up and looked at the pair. Tom arched a dark brow and looked at Severus, "How do I know you're not trying to poison me?" he asked.

Severus' eyes narrowed, "If I wanted you dead I would have done it already," he stated. Red eyes fell on the bottle and he hummed, "Alright," he stated as he lifted the bottle and gestured to Severus before knocking the bottle back and grimacing at the taste, "Honestly can't you make those things taste better?" he asked. The potions master shook his head and chuckled, Draco remembered having that discussion with Severus. In reality he couldn't change how the potion's tasted because it would mess with the structure of the potion and change what they did. He had managed to make things like painkiller and fever reducer taste better but if someone was naughty he usually brought out the horrible tasting ones, well naughty students and Tom. "No," Severus replied curtly before collecting the bottle and looking at the boys. "I think that should be the end of your lessons for now," he commented.

Draco nodded in accord and nudged Harry, "Want to play a game of wizard chess?" he asked. Harry smiled brightly before looking at Tom and then to Severus, "Okay," he replied before bounding across the room, trailing Draco. As they left the room Tom's eyes slowly closed and Draco noticed how the man seemed to fall into a place of peace.

~~WL~~

Papers fluttered every where, books were flying across the room and it took Lucius everything he had to keep up with the pace of the archive. Prior to this keeper he had been working at a slower pace and didn't have to worry about getting hit with anything. Madame Bones clearly knew something he didn't, the place was impossible to navigate and he had gotten lost several times over just looking for the material. It wasn't until later that he realized the stacks moved, it was irritating to watch the archive change shape and books shuffle themselves on the shelves. It was this constant shuffle which clearly protected the archive even from itself. He slowly looked up at the ceiling and stared at the intricate locking mechanism made entirely of stone over his head, he could see the teeth and grooves of the gears and the tumbler, they glistened in gold and silver, he had seen the inside of a muggle lock before but this was beautiful in a new sense of the word. The curvature of the gears, the elegant carvings on them and the attention to detail in the wards and enhancements made Hogwarts gates look simple. The tables even floated and he felt as though he had fallen down the blasted rabbit hole and entered Underland.

Lucius groaned as he swept his hand through his hair, he honestly couldn't find the Charter or even a hint of it, which made him wonder if the school even had one. The Ministry kept copies of everything, from birth certificates to drafts of speeches it was all there it was just a matter of finding it. "Where on earth is the Head Archivist?" he asked in frustration. The last time he had been in it he was constantly under the scrutinizing eyes of the Archivist himself. Yet this one was no where to be seen. He looked around curiously, there was no way the archivist wouldn't be around, and he practically oversaw everything in the building.

He was walking down the aisles and took several turns only to see the hem of a beautiful emerald green robe flutter around the corner. He paused and quickly turned to see a graceful figure in a pair of towering black stilettos and a short skirt black skirt. His jaw hit the floor as he watched the robe sway and the figure dance with a pair of massive head phones resting on her head. His eyes traveled up her legs, which looked as though they went on for miles, and stared at her slender hips as they swung. Her hands were in the air as she stepped gingerly, her feet seemed to move on their own as he body bent and flex, he felt his body heat up as he watched her spin, her robe billowing as she did so, her fingers traveled in the air, summoning tomes and pages, she looked them over and with the flick of her wrist they were zipping across the place.

Her blue eyes were locked on the pages and her lips were curved in a grin as she gripped the large black cans on her head with one hand, a strand of her brown hair had fallen from their hair sticks and Lucius was about to criticize her before he noticed the official crest of the Head Archivist on her robes. "No way," he breathed as he watched the young woman roll her hips, it was as though he was watching a wave run through the young woman, it started from her hips, rolled through her abdomen, up her chest and then through her hands. He watched as she turned swiftly and stopped, her toes kept time as he fingers danced in the air commanding books wordlessly. She stopped when she noticed him and smiled before slipping the massive head phones off her head and letting them rest around her neck and stopped her CD player.

"Muggle invention, it wasn't too loud, was it?" she asked innocently, her teeth caught her lower lip and now Lucius could see the similarities between her and Narcissa, "No, I was looking for the Head Archivist," he stated. The young woman grinned, she couldn't possibly be over 25, she had a killer figure and not a wrinkle visible. "Well you've found her. You must be the man Madame Bones was laughing about. Like my new entrance?" she asked with a grin before allowing the materials to swarm her again. With the snap of her fingers the music began to play, it was loud and echoed through the archive, it was upbeat and sounded like a bulk of the underground punk music Lucius had caught Severus listening to. It was loud, electrifying and made even him want to move. "I will admit it was a shock," he replied as he watched her smile, he hadn't noticed them before but she was wearing a pair of blue tinted readers with silver frames. "I see. What can I do for you?" she asked as she scowled at a document, whipped out a self inking quill, corrected it and sent it on its way. The motion was so effortless Lucius was about to trip over her cloak, he didn't have that kind of elegance at his desk.

"A Charter for a school," he replied slowly and he watched as she looked out of the corner of her eye, there was a grin on her lips as she commented, "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, many have looked for the Charter but few have come here," she said simply. Her voice was airy and filled with mystery as she looked down another aisle, a black tome flew off the shelf and Lucius had to duck to avoid getting hit in the head with it. "Careful, I've been told I have a magnetic personality," she commented. Lucius swept a lock of his hair out of his face and straightened his robes. He could tell she was enjoying this as she opened the book, it seemed to hover before her as she tapped her fingers on her hip, "Nope, not what I'm looking for," she commented and waved the book away. He watched it zip through the air and fall in the proper place.

"You are correct in assuming that the school has a Charter, the thing is, Hogwarts is so old I have to really look," she commented, ignoring to bewilder look on Lucius' face, his lips were parted and he was about to ask her how she knew and she touched the side of her nose with her pointer finger and winked, "I always know." He scoffed at this, no one was all knowing, it was impossible there was simply too much to know. He turned the corner and was about to say something when she looked at him, "You think it's impossible, I understand your reasoning but there are many things you could never understand," she commented as she snapped her fingers and a series of letters in green envelopes with black ribbons and silver seals flew into view. Lucius gaped at the handwriting of Salazar as she examined the letters, "I'm connected to this archive, everything it knows I do, it's strange really, it s a link I can tap in times of need or when I have to find something," she explained.

Lucius nodded, now it didn't seem as odd to watch her work, "So you call these things to you?" he asked curiously as he watched her fold the letters again with the snap of her fingers and have them fly in another direction. "In a way," she replied cryptically, "I don't have to really do anything this place just knows, I can't explain it any other way." She paused and waited for the isles to finish shifting and he noticed that the title on the end of the stacks was Hogwarts Black Years, "How?" he asked. She chuckled as she stroked the shelf affectionately, "I told you we're connected," she commented. Lucius looked at the shelves and was about to pull a time when he remembered what she said and looked at her wearily. Now it seemed far more personal, if he had known such sensitive information before he wouldn't have been rough on the materials or complained about the previous Archivist.

"You can touch them," she said gently as she conjured a chair and took a seat, the music seemed to fade as she crossed her ankles and took a moment of rest. Lucius looked at her curiously as he watched her lean back in the seat and close her eyes, "Are you alright?" he asked cautiously, he was honestly hoping that he hadn't hurt her some how. "I'm fine, I can tell the previous archivist wasn't as open as I am, sometimes when things are lost I have to summon them, which requires a little more concentration," she stated as she slipped her feet out of the heels and curled them under herself. She slowly began to relax and Lucius slowly pulled the tome out, he figured his silence would be appreciated and then it occurred to him, he never asked a question out loud.

"I can hear you, funny thing about this place its how we ensure that no one is breaking the rules," she stated simply and smiled at him, "Don't worry, you'll get used to it." Lucius nodded and opened the book, he watched as she entered a state in which nothing could ever affect her. He turned a few pages only for her brow to furrow and her eyes to snap open, "Odd, I can't reach it," she mused as she rose from the chair and slipped back into her heels. Lucius snapped the book closed and placed it on the shelf, "What does that mean?" he asked sternly, he was under the impression that she would always be able to find the documents and now to see her unable to find something made him understand just how bad it was.

"It means that its not here, which also means we've been breached, the only way to pull a document from the archive is to fill out a request. The request is processed and then placed in a log, unless… unless it was the archivist who pulled it," she mused before rubbing her temples, he could tell this was giving her a headache. Lucius looked at her, "How old are you?" he asked curiously. Her eyes snapped open, he figured if he could distract her that maybe she would be able to distract herself from the pain. "Now or when I was made Archivist?" she asked slowly as she looked him in the eye. Lucius froze and couldn't seem to understand just what she was saying. She looked young but that question confused him, "I was 23 when they made me Archivist, but now I don't know, I haven't kept track," she replied simply before slipping her hands into the pockets of her robe.

Her blue eyes looked around the room and she sighed, "I've been here so long that days don't seem to matter anymore, I know the date and yet I don't care, because as long as I'm in here I'm safe," she explained as she looked at the lock above her head, "As long as I'm in here I'm immortal."

Lucius felt his head spin she wasn't making sense, "But you're real, this doesn't make sense, how can you live forever?" he asked. She chuckled as she slipped off a black silk glove and held her hand out to him, "Go on," she invited as the nobleman slowly reached out and went to touch her fingers only to discover that they were ice cold. He blanched and looked at her with wide eyes as he grabbed her hand with both of his and went to check her pulse. Only to find it was nonexistent, her skin was as cold as ice and he slowly released her hand.

"I'm dead, like all the others I had to die before I became one with the archive. The archivist isn't made by choice, we were placed here to save us. From the moment we are born we are destined to die young," she explained as she slipped her hand back into her glove. Lucius shivered, he couldn't understand how a person like her had lived that life knowing she would die young, "What was your name?" he asked slowly. The Archivist paused and looked at him nervously, clearly it had been a while since anyone asked, "Selene, Selene Roxanne Flamel," she replied.

The blonde's jaw hit the floor, "Flamel as in the son of Nicholas and Perry Flamel the famous Alchemists?" he asked nervously. That explained a great deal, she was powerful even as a child but it didn't explain why her parents allowed her to die, "I was weak at birth, they didn't know what to do and I was dead before they could finish the stone," she explained. Lucius looked at the young woman before him, she had grown up loved but died young. "My parents visit me, and I can visit them as well, I just can't be gone long," she explained with a smile.

"What are you?" he asked, she didn't look like a corpse she wasn't rotting. She smiled and replied softly, "A piece of very rare magic, now then," she said and clapped her hands together, "Someone must have removed the Ministry Copy, I'll have to check the logs," she commented before spinning on the spot and vanishing.

Lucius sighed, he had just lost the woman who was leading him through the stacks, he had a hard enough time getting to where he was before he saw her, now he was really lost. He groaned and was about to shout when he heard a voice behind him, "It seems it was taken out by the previous archivist and given to the current Headmaster, how odd, the previous Keeper allowed it to leave," she commented. Lucius jumped out of his skin and stared at the witch perched on the book case behind him, her legs were crossed and she seemed very comfortable on her new found perch. He shook his head and glared at her in confusion, she slipped off her glasses and hummed, "The Keeper is the portrait upstairs, the Archivist is me, I work as overseer, caretaker and master of this place. The Keeper ensures that nothing leaves," she explained.

He nodded and looked at her, "So Albus has the Charter, this only makes things more difficult," he stated as he crossed his arms. Now he had to figure out how to get out of the archive and to the Headmaster to demand viewing of the charter, which would entail him being able to get to the school. He nearly smacked himself in the head and looked at her, of course she would know how to get out. Sometimes he wondered what inclined him to think like a Hufflepuff.

"Thank you, how do I-" before he could finish he felt himself spinning and then falling. "FUCK!" he shouted as he felt himself fall.

He blacked out before hitting the floor harshly and landing on a hard and cold stone floor. His body was numb and ached all over, he should have known she would just throw him out. Something nudged his side calling him to consciousness once more, it was harsh and anything but gentle, his aching body didn't appreciate it. Lucius could faintly hear a child asking, "Is it dead?" He wrinkled his nose with irritation, he had been reduced from the Honorable Lord of the House of Malfoy to an "it" in seconds flat. "Someone get a teacher!" called a young girl, well he must have been in a school and it was clearly co-ed since they were looking for a teacher.

A black leather oxford nudged the wizard once more, a little harder, and Lucius growled, "Kick me again, and I'll hex you into next Tuesday," he hissed. There was a gasp as students moved back, he could hear the soles of their shoes against the floor. There was a hum, "Nope, he's alive and from that statement alright," commented the familiar voice. Lucius sat up and looked into a pair of familiar onyx eyes. Severus growled and shot a cold look at all of the students "Why are all of you still here, a majority of you are already failing my class, I suggest you spend as much time regarding your books as you did suffocating this man," no one moved and Lucius watched Severus smirk before shouting, "10 points from each house for every student here still gawking!" he commanded.

Lucius watched with amusement as they all dashed off to their proper houses. Severus spun around, his black robe billowed as he did so and he offered a hand to the blonde noble.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, now what the hell are you doing here, Lucius?"