Hi everyone! You can't imagine how sorry I am that it took so long to get this chapter out to you! I had a little writer's block at first and then I got sick with allergies and a horrible cough. I was finally feeling up to writing when family events took over my schedule. Yikes! I hope nothing else goes wrong so we can finish this story soon! Love you all! Thanks for sticking with me! Two more chapters left!

Lori

********** Chapter 18 **********

With their things already ensconced in one of the rooms above, Harry and Draco waited for their contact to join them. Harry's leggings and tunic were similar to the ones he'd worn the day he'd awakened Draco – deep chocolate brown leather with tan accents. Draco wore black leggings and his tunic had blood red accents. The blond knew the combination would look much more striking if he were wearing his crimson cape but, due to the fact that it was deemed a hazard during battle conditions, that particular garment was currently languishing in their trunk.

They'd dressed for the battle when leaving Malfoy Castle but now they were armed to the teeth. Harry's dagger was on his hip while his sword rested in a scabbard slung across his back. Preferring to hide his dagger in his boot, Draco was able to strap his sword along his hips. Harry had given his shield to Draco and had asked Sirius to transfigure a matching one from the small pile of scrap metal that he'd seen lying behind the inn which he'd insisted on buying from the innkeeper.

Sirius had, of course, done as Harry had asked him before attaching the shield to a wristband and charming it to behave as the original had done – shrink until it was triggered.

The innkeeper had closed his business early for the night so the rather large group stood ready at the back of the room in case of an ambush. Supposedly, most of Riddle's men were going to be scattered over the grounds so there wouldn't likely be a concerted effort against their takeover of the castle but one can never be too sure.

It was just about dusk when the window beside the back door was pushed open to allow a surprising figure to enter the room. A reddish brown fox jumped down from the window sill and made his way into the center of the empty section of the room, promptly changing into a young tawny haired man just a few years older then the princes.

Sirius placed a calming hand on Harry's arm as he became tense. Severus stiffened at the mere sight of the boy but Draco seemed to know him.

"Nott?" Draco stepped forward slightly allowing himself to be seen.

A gasp issued from the slightly older boy and he dropped to one knee. "Your Highness!"

"Draco, you know this person?" Harry was curious.

The animagus glared up at Harry and seemed about to interrupt until Draco silenced him with a look and nodded. "Before my twelfth birthday, Riddle had allowed me limited contact with a couple of his agents' children. This is… Theodore…I believe." He looked at the animagus for confirmation before continuing. "Theodore Nott. I was allowed to socialize with him and his two brothers because their father is radically loyal to Riddle."

"He was, my prince…" Theodore asserted without rising. "Until his death…"

"Oh." Draco frowned at the other man. "I'm sorry. I hadn't heard."

"Yes – well…It was Riddle who killed my father. It happened several weeks before Christmas; there was an incident involving Gringott's bank…" He didn't seem to notice the knowing look Draco shared with Harry. "Father and his small team of men failed to acquire whatever it was he'd wanted there. They'd only been tortured at first but mere days later he came into possession of a few key facts which made him very angry. At that point, he'd ordered their executions. I'm no longer loyal to my father's lord."

"Do your brothers share your current opinion of Riddle?" Draco asked fingering his wand as he stared in the general direction of the older boy.

"My elder brother and I have spoken recently about this very subject, Your Highness." Theodore's head remained bent but he was looking up through his fringe.

"And?" Draco was growing impatient.

"He and his wife have taken my younger brother and sister to our family home in London where they will wait to see the outcome of this battle." He met his prince's glare with a solemn nod. "He will not interfere with the takeover of Hogwarts castle and promises to swear fealty to you at your coronation should we win the day …but if we fail, he and our younger brother will rejoin Riddle's side to assist his retaking of the English throne."

"Then I will see them at our coronation." Draco gave Theodore a formal nod. "Rise and allow me to introduce you to my spouse."

"Spouse?" Theo blinked in confusion.

"Prince Harrington James Potter, heir-apparent to the Scottish Magical throne, I'd like you to meet Theodore Nott." Draco smiled at his spouse and then looked back at the animagus. "I found out rather recently that we've been betrothed since my first birthday."

Looking thoroughly shocked, Theodore looked at the brunette prince. "Your Highness!"

He bowed cautiously but did not kneel, causing Harry's eyebrow to lift slightly. The brunette wasn't normally one to stand on ceremony but most of those he'd met in the magical realms would show their respect by falling to one knee, the way the newcomer had done for Draco…at least that's what happened the first time...and it seemed appropriate.

"I apologize for my hesitation to believe, Your Highness, but…" Theodore said softly to the blond prince. "Are you certain it's truly him?"

Harry and Draco frowned at each other before the blond addressed the animagus' concerns. "There have been several instances of evidence that prove his identity, Theodore, and they have taken place over many weeks."

"Please, my prince, I would be honored for you to use my name as you used to." The turncoat said hopefully, pausing to think about this. He then sighed in frustration. "I just don't know what to believe anymore. For this to be true, Riddle would have to have lied to us many times over! So many lies!" Theo frowned and shook his head slowly. "We were told that the Potter heir was killed during Riddle's takeover of the realms."

"In his dreams." Sirius spoke from his place beside Harry. "I hid Harry away before Riddle ever reached Hogwarts."

"Now, Siri… let's not rehash the whole story – not enough time." Harry smirked at his uncle before turning back toward their new agent. "As you can see, I'm very much alive."

"Perhaps…" Theo considered this suspect and preferred to address Draco. "We were also informed of the cursed sleep you've been under since you were twelve, my prince, but the way he spoke …it was as if he were certain that only he could break the spell. He swore you were betrothed to him and would only wake for him…"

"Yet here I am." Draco interrupted softly. "And by the by, I was confined to my tower since the age of twelve. The continual sleep curse was only in effect for around a month." Seeing the confusion and dismay on his old friend's face, Draco placed a hand on Harry's arm. "May I have a moment to explain things to him, Harry?"

The brunette glanced toward their godfathers and nodded. "But only a moment…it's getting late."

Nodding, Draco motioned for Blaise and Pansy to join him as he drew Theo off to the side. The three of them were able to quickly sum up for Theo the events since Draco had been awakened, gaining his trust as well as an understanding of him.

When the group returned, Theo Nott fell to his knee. "Again I must apologize. The lies we were told – mostly by Riddle and a few by my own father – were so believable when presented without eyewitness accounts. If you weren't really Potter, you wouldn't have been able to access the betrothal chest which would deny you the proper rings to go through a wedding ceremony such as the one my prince describes."

Harry nodded once to accept this. "Shall we continue with the briefing and such?"

Theo nodded back respectfully. "A number of the men are under the weather and Riddle has them confined to quarters to contain what he believes is the beginning of an epidemic. It is under that pretense which my brother took his wife and our siblings away from here – fear for their lives."

There was a mischievous glint in Theo's brown eyes that made Harry wonder. He voiced the question and was given an amusing answer.

"Honestly, it's just a shared allergy to a specific type of mushroom. My family's elves were tasked to do the cooking here at Hogwarts and I had my younger brother ask around to see what the men were allergic to before we arrived. When we were still loyal to Riddle, we made sure not to allow that mushroom into the coffers but now…" Theo's grin showed teeth. "Well, I had one of the elves collect several large specimens and mince them as small and fine as possible. It wouldn't affect the taste if it was mixed into any of the sauces served in the last week."

Harry looked over at his uncle. "Good idea, but…this allergy – it won't kill them…will it?"

Sirius shook his head with a sigh. "You're too good hearted, Harry…to even worry so about your enemies."

"It just makes them horribly sick, Highness." Theo told him with a strange look. "As soon as we stop lacing their food and give them a day or two to cleanse their systems, they'll be right as rain."

Harry waved his hand for Theo to keep going with the briefing.

"A small number of others are searching the grounds for a reddish brown fox that led them on a merry chase the other day after killing a hen or two." This time Theo chuckled. "That was fun."

Sirius heard some of the Weasleys laughing and silenced them with a look.

"The rest are scattered on the battlements keeping watch." Theo confided. "Over the past few weeks, I've instructed Pettigrew to weaken the wards on a few insignificant places. To test the waters, I had him begin with a hidden passage I know of. When it went unnoticed, I had him continue with the more important access points and just last evening I had him alter the wards on the front doors. I can get you and a small contingent in through that passage since it leads through a large chamber. I've only been through it twice but it's got a statue which is quite unforgettable."

"Severus, I suggest that you and I go with Harry and Draco while Blaise, Ron and the elder Weasley brothers take possession of the battlements." Sirius said looking at his lover. "Remus and Hagrid can take the twins into the forest to round up the fox hunters and meet us at the castle proper."

"What about us?" Hermione asked. She was echoed by Pansy who'd put her hands on her hips in outrage at not being included.

"I've got jobs for you ladies as well as Neville." Harry told them quite seriously. "You're joining our party – at least for the entry."

The girls looked at each other as if deciding whether to believe the green-eyed boy but Neville only seemed eager to help.

"Trust me." Harry assured his three friends. "Let's split up into teams and I'll explain. Kingsley, you and your people can join where you see fit." Harry told his godfather's friend. "But not the royal party. Draco and I must be the main players or the realm's magic may not accept us as rulers."

"Alright." The older man agreed. "Let's do this! Tonks, you're with me and we're going to hunt the hunters. Moody, you and Podmore take the others and go with the battlements team. Be careful out there."

Standing between Severus and Harry, Draco looked around feeling the tension in the air as everyone separated into their smaller groups. The blond thanked Merlin – and all the gods he could think of – that he and Harry wouldn't have to split up for this venture because, although there was only a brief flurry of handshakes between Kingsley Shacklebolt and his Aurors, Draco could see Blaise saying a soft but affectionate goodbye to his betrothed before walking over toward Ron's older brothers. The twins bid their siblings farewell and moved off to speak with Remus and Hagrid while Ron was hugging Hermione tightly, trying to calm her fears, while glancing across the room at his group-mates. Pansy took pity on him and came to Hermione's side, helping to ease the temporary parting before leading her friend to Harry's corner of the room.

"Now then, the teams will be leaving at differing times and heading for different targets." Harry looked at Theo. "A small and fast animagus form will be helpful for signaling each other. Won't it?"

Theo nodded excitedly. "The team heading for the battlements should wait until after the team following the hunters. Before anyone else begins their missions, I need take our group into the first of several passages. The problem is how to let them know it's time. An animagus is the ideal way to do that without drawing suspicion."

"Pansy is one of several animagi this gathering can boast." Harry grinned widely. "She's a falcon while Neville and my godfather are dogs."

"A young falcon, Harry! And Lord Black is more experienced than both me and Neville combined." Pansy protested blushing slightly at seeing how important her job was going to be.

"As long as you can fly, that's perfect!" Theo just about crowed. "You'll go ahead of us and wait in a particular spot until I give the signal. At that point, the other team can get moving so you will fly back to the others. Once the hunting team is under way, you can go with the battlement attack force. Look at it as getting some practice using your form!"

Pansy nodded thoughtfully. "Alright, I'm in."

"Good, but what's the next step?" Sirius asked.

"Well, Siri, that's where Hermione and Neville come in. I want this over as soon as possible, so to that end, I want the two of you to visit the sick-room. One of you should cast a locking charm that'll keep those men out of the fight. The other can pretend to be a healer with the cure to their disease. The potion you're really going to give them is just to make them sleep." Harry explained noticing that his husband seemed to be daydreaming. "Draco?" Harry called his attention softly so the younger man turned to join the discussion.

"I'm following." Draco glanced at each of his party members before focusing on the green eyes of his beloved.

"Good." Harry smiled and squeezed his husband's hand while turning back to Hermione and his god-brother. "After that, I want you to search for the portrait room. Siri thinks they might've moved the paintings and we promised to seek out my ancestor's as soon as Hogwarts was retaken."

Neville was nodding as Harry spoke so the young prince knew he understood.

"Theo, one more time please." Harry pointed at the map. "You said the passage into the chamber is on the west side of the castle?"

"Yes, Highness." Theo nodded and pointed to a section of wall on the north-west corner. "But, we'll be going through another passage first since we have to get onto the grounds before we can get to the castle. Pansy, there will be a small group of trees over here." He pointed to a spot on the map where nothing was shown. "It's near a shack that covers the first passage our group will be using."

Sirius, ever helpful, pointed his wand at the map and a group of trees appeared with a small sketch of a shack. "James and I used to hang out there."

"Thanks." Theo said, looking up quickly. "That's where you'll wait for the signal, Pansy. Once you see that, you alert the next group to begin their mission."

"And what's the signal?" She asked.

"Green sparks." Theo grinned at her. "It's Riddle's signal for 'all is well' so it's perfect to use in case it's seen by accident."

Harry sighed with satisfaction as he watched Sirius have a quick conference with the other group leaders. "Now, let's go take my home back."

********** LTF **********

Midnight was suddenly upon them and Harry's group could see lights shining through several windows of the castle.

Neville was in his animal form, as were Sirius and Pansy but Harry, Draco and Hermione had yet to begin any training in that complex art so they and Severus used other means of sneaking. Harry had insisted that Hermione borrow his invisibility cloak while he and Draco would be utilizing a disillusionment charm and Severus had prepared some polyjuice potion and mixed it with Theo's hair while Theo returned to his animagus form.

The young fox led the royal group to an old shack and stopped. Suddenly, it looked up at the falcon on the disguised Severus' shoulder and made a motion with its tail.

Seeing this, she met their guide's eyes and took flight in the direction the fox had pointed with his tail, landing lightly on a branch high up on one of the trees she found there. Resting for a moment, Pansy watched the rest of the group enter the shack one by one until Severus was the only one left outside. Pansy could see everything there was to see from this vantage point and she could certainly see Severus as he stepped backward into the shack and pointed his wand out toward her from just inside the door. The green sparks came shooting up into the air inspiring her to do the same. She flew once around the tree she'd been perching on and then hurried back to the town where the next group waited for her signal.

Harry and Draco had mixed emotions as they watched her go. Draco was nervous for her not only because she was his friend but also because she could be seen and if anyone found out she wasn't a true bird they'd kill her. Harry's main worry was her importance to Draco, but beyond that, he thought of Pansy as a good friend and would be upset if she were hurt or killed. They both knew she was important to the completion of their mission but that was the last thought on either of their minds as they turned to follow the young fox who was about to lead them through a tunnel under the shack and onto Hogwarts grounds.

Before entering the tunnel, Theo transformed into himself again. "Ok, as I said before, the tunnel exit is under a tree but it's not an ordinary tree. It's a Whomping Willow. Pressing a trick knot on the trunk will disable it for a short time – and that's what I intend to do – but it's still dangerous so get as far away from it as you can as quickly as possible." At everyone's acceptance he moved on. "From there to the outer wall of the castle there's little to no cover, so watch the path I run, Lord Black, because you and Longbottom need to run it after me. The others are invisible so we need to be as fast but inconspicuous as possible. Mr. Snape, you could simply stroll right in the front door as me but it's wiser not to so I hope you'll take that into account and follow as closely as you can." With that, he led the way into the tunnel and most of the way there before he changed back.

Theo was a blur as he streaked across the grounds in the direction he'd specified earlier. Since Hermione, Harry and Draco would all be invisible, every step had been spelled out before they left The Three Broomsticks.

Neville and Sirius counted aloud to ten and loped out of the tunnel at a slightly different angle than the fox had taken but still toward the west side of the castle. Since Neville's form was just a bit bigger than Siri's, they ran in such a way as a bystander might think they were two dogs playing at chasing each other.

As soon as they were out of sight, Hermione covered herself with the cloak and counted to five before leaving the tunnel. Harry and Draco repeated her count and then followed her in a direct line toward the target wall.

Severus stepped out soon after they'd gone and walked briskly to the edge of the small wooded area which this Whomping Willow was part of. He looked over as the tree shook itself, having sensed the interlopers but not been allowed to react due to Theo's lucky knowledge of the trick in controlling it.

The fox was waiting in a bush near the tangled vines he'd told the royals about – waiting for his copy to approach – at which point the invisible three would each make the sound of an owl to notify the rest that they'd made it. The dogs appeared to be napping in a pool of moonlight when it happened.

An owl hooted…three separate times.

The entire group had arrived so Theo moved quickly to poke his nose into the tangled vines. Severus used his hands to assist the fox and allowed the rest to see the small hidden door. Theo transformed, touched a latch to trigger the door and then led the way in.

Once inside, Theo showed Hermione and Neville the way into the main castle. "We're one level under the main floor. There's a storage closet up there with a hidden hatch. One of my elves found it when we first arrived in October. I kept it secret in case my family needed a quick escape. Luckily it can be triggered from both sides. Remember to stay hidden as much as possible. They're not expecting anyone other than elves and Riddle's men so they shouldn't sense you but staying under the cloak will give you an edge if you need it."

Neville shook hands with everyone and then waited as Hermione gave Harry and Draco quick hugs and ducked into the small alcove which had a small statue. Theo moved the statue and the wall in front of them tilted to form an inclined walkway.

The rest of the group watched to be sure the pair made it to the other side. Then the royals looked at Theo who was waiting for his cue.

"The next step is going through the large chamber I told you about." Theo moved through the group and touched a stone in the wall behind them. The bricks melted away to reveal an opening. "This way." He ducked through and led the way.

********** LTF **********

Hermione and Neville walked slowly and quietly down the hallway.

They easily found the sickroom and opened the door to see seven people lying in beds moaning pathetically. They all looked too weak to move so she quickly pointed her wand at the windows and muttered a locking charm while Neville walked in and began talking to the nearest person. Before long, Neville had the sick people convinced that the potion would cure their ailments and poured just a bit of the sleeping potion into each waiting mouth. Hermione grinned at her accomplice as she locked the door behind them.

********** LTF **********

Harry and Draco stood inside the large stone room looking around as they waited for Sirius to make the transformation back to his human state. Severus took a small vial from his pocket and swallowed the contents before changing back to himself. By the time he was himself again, so was Siri.

"So that's…" Harry began.

"Supposedly, that is Salazar Slytherin." Theo confirmed.

Severus and Sirius nodded to indicate that the young turncoat was being truthful.

"I've read books about this castle." Draco smiled up at his husband as they began to wander toward the far end of the chamber, still holding hands. "The story basically goes that the Gryffindor family was close friends with the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. They and the Slytherins were all very powerful and they all learned from the same teacher but were then separated by their life pursuits. When they came together to mourn the death of their teacher, Helga and Rowena had brought their loved ones to meet the others which brought feelings of envy and longing into the hearts of Godric and Salazar. In honor of the man who'd taught them all they knew – the four families worked together to build the castle and named it after him. In the process, the two men fell in love."

Harry squeezed his husband's hand and looked over at his godfather who took over the narrative.

"They planned to keep a portion of the castle for themselves and their family to use while opening the rest up for a school but that never happened because Salazar's sister married that muggle of hers which upset the rest of the Slytherin family." Sirius informed them all. "With Salazar giving up the family name to marry Godric, Serena would've been expected to marry a wizard or witch who was only slightly less powerful than herself so they would be forced to take her name."

"Anyway, after he and Godric had their children, Salazar created this chamber to preserve his solitude." Severus smirked at them. "There should be a secret library or study of some kind located in here. You boys can investigate and get details from the portraits another time. We have a squatter to evict."

Harry nodded to the older man and asked Theo to move them along.

Pointing past the person sized statues of cobra snakes to the far wall, Theo informed them that they were looking at the next step.

As the group got closer, Harry realized there was a sort of ladder leading to the hatch he could see a long way up the wall. "So where does that go?"

"It opens to a bathroom…" Theo smirked. "Which leads to a corridor that holds many doors…the closest of which is Riddle's private study…and that is where he spends most of his nights because he rarely sleeps." Theo pulled parchment from his pockets and enlarged it. "This is a basic drawing of the room. There's a large terrace through these doors at the far end. I don't know what's in that courtyard so if he goes that way he may escape again or if he comes back through the castle there's little room to maneuver."

"That room looks familiar. Is looks like the one that Lily had reserved for her own use." Sirius murmured to Severus as he looked over the drawing. Glancing up at the younger man, Sirius questions him. "Is there a large bank of windows along this wall with the doors…and bookcases lining the rest?"

"Yes, and this is an ornate desk." Theo looked at the older man.

"Good." Sirius grinned at the others. "That courtyard is special. It's got a magical garden where I helped plant some flowers and trees for James' mother when we were kids. Lily always let me visit it which means that I remain…"

"In tune with the plants!" Theo grinned excitedly. "Can you coax them to grow over the doors so that he can't escape?"

"Maybe…" Sirius nodded. "It depends on the health of the plants and me getting to the doors before Riddle knows what's happening, they should sense my magical signature and help me out."

"Excellent!" Harry grinned at Theo and then his Godfather before turning to his husband. "Soon all of this will be behind us, love. Soon we and the magical realms will be safe from this line stealing, power hungry bastard."

Draco smiled. He felt fairly confident in the plans. What could possibly go wrong?

********** LTF **********

The halls had a very depressing feeling to them. It was almost as if the castle was vacant. Hermione and Neville glanced down a lot of empty hallways and, with their wands at the ready, they were trying every door they came across.

The first floor held the barracks room where the sick men and women were currently asleep but other than that there were mostly public rooms – the Great Hall, a trophy room, several receiving rooms, a few formal sitting rooms and a cloak room. The second floor was home to the library which consisted of several large sections. Each section had at least one small study attached to it. The third was supposed to house the royal suite and several guest suites.

Hermione was about to close the door to the last of the private study rooms when she noticed something. She hurried to Neville's side and whispered to him. "Do you see any paintings at all?"

"Only landscapes, Hermione. Why?" Neville asked.

She smiled. Her observations were confirmed and she couldn't wait to divulge the source of her excitement. "That one there… It's not supposed to be a landscape!" She was pointing to the painting above the fireplace that took up most of the closest wall. "It's supposed to have a person in it."

"Who?" Neville wanted to know.

"The famous wizard, Sir Janus Copplestone!" Hermione's eyes were shining as she blurted out her knowledge. "He was a friend of the French Potions Master Nicholas Flamel!"

"Sir Janus Copplestone? Wasn't he one of the first pioneers in the field of magical artistry?" Neville asked.

"Yes, he and Flamel invented the formula for the magical paint used in moving portraits and this portrait was acquired by James Potter's mother because she so admired his work. He was once quoted as refusing to ever sit for a portrait, saying that he didn't want to be the focus of any art-form, but several years later his friends and family managed to convince him that posing for one would be important for the world as well as his loved ones. The portraitist first painted a children's playground landscape with a bench in the far background and then painted Copplestone into it. His family kept the painting hidden until he passed and, once the portrait awoke, he forbade his family from telling more than a select few people about him, then disappeared into the landscape. Only a small number of people know that the man sitting on the bench back there is actually Sir Janus Copplestone!"

"There isn't anyone sitting anywhere in that painting, though." Neville frowned up at it as the pair walked over.

Hermione studied the painting closely. "It's a landscape of a playground. He could be anywhere…and he probably had to hide so nobody would move his painting like they did to the rest. There are seesaws over there and a slide next to that merry-go-round there…That path goes off to the edge of the frame…"

"Look! Shoes! I see shoes poking out from behind that tree!" Neville's voice became hushed as he encouraged Hermione to see what he was seeing.

"Sir Copplestone?" Hermione asked carefully. "Please, sir. My friend and I wish only to ask a few questions."

"How did you know all of that, girl?" A gruff voice came from the painting.

"One of your descendants sold your painting to the Queen of Magical Scotland with the stipulation that it would never leave the Potter family's possession." Hermione informed the still hiding figure. "Then, just after she died, a book was published – in her name – about the Copplestone family and she included you in it because she couldn't bear to let you remain in obscurity for all time."

"She was foolish." He huffed and peeked out slightly. "That's exactly what I wanted…obscurity."

"Please, sir. I promise not to tell anyone who doesn't already know…other than my friend here…and the new King of Magical Scotland. Do you know where they moved the other portraits?" She asked him. "It's really very important."

"Will you lock the doors to the library until your new King is in power?" Janus came more fully into sight. "I don't want to chance having someone find and move me."

"Yes, sir. I promise." She held up her wand and swore.

This seemed to satisfy him so he motioned for her to move closer and whispered. "I heard some of them talking as they moved the other portraits. They said there was a special room in the east tower that would confine them. I once heard the men complaining that they couldn't find Gryffindor though...He and the most recent royals only had empty frames. Can't move an empty frame."

"Please, sir, do you know where Gryffindor's frame is located?" Neville asked excitedly. "Our future king has us on a mission to find him."

"It should be in the Great Hall, young man." Janus told them quietly as he retreated behind the tree once more.

Hermione and Neville hurried to the door and locked the library magically, keeping Hermione's promise to the portrait just in time to hear alarm bells begin to ring through the halls. She threw the invisibility cloak over herself while Neville changed into his animal form and slipped under the cloak with her. After that, they made their way carefully down toward the Great Hall dodging two guards who seemed to be running in the direction of the battlements.

********** LTF **********

Harry's group had climbed the ladder and, just as Theo had told them, entered a bathroom.

"Thanks." Draco came up through the secret hatch and blushingly accepted Harry's chivalrous assistance with Theo following right after as the last of the group.

"Siri, I think you ought to go into the study in your dog form." Harry suggested. "He may not see you and if he does he won't know who you are and may not think you're a threat. Either way that means you might get to the terrace faster."

Sirius didn't bother to answer. He simply transformed and rubbed up against Harry's leg.

"Draco and I will go in together and get him focused on us. Severus, you follow and cover Siri. Get him to the terrace. Theo, you stay at the door. That way you can head off this escape route or intercept any people who might come and help him." Harry spoke softly as he reached for the door to the hallway. "In fact, you might think about booby-trapping the hallway."

Draco waited for Harry to open the door fully and followed closely as their godfathers hurried to keep up.

"I'll do that, Harry. Good idea." Theo nodded as he pointed out the door to Riddle's study. "Be careful, Highnesses."

Draco spared his old friend a grateful glance as Harry slowly turned the knob.

Before they could enter, however, the group suddenly heard the alarm ring out.

Harry let out a frustrated curse and pushed the door open. "Riddle, this castle is mine!"

The whole group rushed inside and Theo stayed just outside the doorway as the others began their tasks. Severus took a spot behind a bookcase with Sirius at his side as they waited for Harry and Draco to get Riddle talking.

"You!" Riddle growled at the interlopers as he stood from behind the desk. "How dare you? I raised you and kept you safe, Draconis! You betray me!"

"I betrayed you?" Draco asked in outrage, glaring at the older man with his wand pointed. "I was an innocent infant! You had no right to me or my castle or crown. You're the betrayer! You betrayed the trust of my godfather! You raped and used him! You assaulted my parents forcing them into servitude! The damage you've done to me and my family is unforgivable, Riddle!"

"You've betrayed more than just the Malfoys, Riddle." Harry's green eyes held lightning as he lifted his sword, pointing it at the man who'd dared to attempt domination over two magical realms. "You've betrayed your own family."

Riddle stifled a gasp and dared to glance at the young blonde as both princes began to inch sideways. "You told them of the scroll? This betrayal cuts me deeper than any sword, my dragon."

Draco recoiled in disgust while continuing to move in a circular pattern. "How do you dare to call me that?! I was never yours! I belonged to my parents and my country! You stole me from them and from Harry."

Riddle frowned at this comment, glancing back and forth between the boys. He didn't notice that he was being steered and as he circled with the two young princes, Severus led Sirius behind the evil man and subtly opened the door onto the terrace.

"You stole much from us both, Riddle." Harry said with clear condemnation in his voice as he moved in a circular pattern around the room. "And you will pay…"

********** LTF **********

Alone for the moment, Sirius became human and sought out his favorite part of the garden. It had been James' mother's favorite also.

The large willow tree dominated the climate controlled courtyard. It didn't look or feel like late January here. The wind rustled the leaves, as a soft sweet scent enchanted his senses. Roses and lilies could be seen in the surrounding garden. Ivy had climbed high around the door he'd used just a moment ago.

"Will you help me?" He whispered into the air as he touched the nearest ivy leaf.

The answer he received was not in words. The vines of ivy lifted themselves from the walls and began to grow toward the door.

Sirius grinned and slipped back inside with his wand drawn. He quickly got Severus' attention and ducked behind a sofa. "What'd I miss?" He whispered gesturing at the active players in the room.

"Just a bit of posturing and rhetoric." Severus hissed shushing the other man.

********** LTF **********

"Oh, yes – do! Let's rehash my crimes!" Riddle snarled at Harry. "I stole your realms and your thrones! I stole your riches and your castles! It all should've been mine in the first place!"

"You stole and abused our people!" Harry shouted at the older wizard. "You stole and warped our childhoods! You killed my family and raped the Malfoys' minds!" He ranted, breathing heavily as he took a step toward Riddle. "You kidnapped my betrothed and tried to twist him to suit your own purposes!"

Riddle's eyes flicked over toward Draco but Harry had anticipated that so he sidestepped to slightly hide the blond.

"Mine." Harry lifted his left hand knowing Draco would do the same.

Riddle couldn't believe his eyes even as he saw the wedding rings. He could feel the magic in those bands. They pulsed with the magic of promises made long years ago. The brats had married! How was this possible? He would know if the Malfoy child had been betrothed! Severus would've told him! Wouldn't he? He shot a stunning spell at the boys and ducked behind a bookcase while trying to look around the room for other threats. "Severus…?" Riddle called out nervously. There had been more than just two to enter the room. He was sure of it. "Severus, are you here?"

"I am." Severus spoke with his wand actively enchanting his voice to echo so Riddle wouldn't find him. He didn't want his lover's or his godson's life to be endangered.

"You were loyal once…" Riddle's eyes roamed the room from his hiding place never staying too long in one spot. "You would've told me of a betrothal… wouldn't you?" He noted that the young princes had chosen to take cover behind his desk but he couldn't find Severus.

"Indeed. If it had happened while we were intimate, I would've been all too happy to betray Lucius." Severus confirmed as he motioned for Sirius to mirror his future moves. "That's what love potions do, isn't it Tom? But it began long before you and I met."

"What do you mean?" Riddle asked peeking out from where he was.

Severus remained silent hoping to draw the evil man out. It worked and Harry took a shot at their nemesis who deflected the spell and once again began circling the room opposite the young prince.

Severus and his lover both stood just as Riddle's back turned toward them. "The negotiations had been settled on and fully ratified for more than a month when I fell for your act."

"Betrothed from the cradle?" Riddle mused. "An archaic practice."

Harry snorted. This was probably the one and only thing he and Voldemort would ever agree on. "It is a bit archaic, perhaps – but it was also a wise move and effective in protecting the realms from you." Harry grinned inwardly as he saw his and Draco's godfathers quickly flank the vile man.

Severus took pleasure in putting his wand to Riddle's back. "You stole a lot from many people."

"Now, Severus…" Riddle was beginning to sound nervous but suddenly Theo rushed into the room.

"Harry, Draco, some of the men are on the way up! Hurry things along or it's over!" Theo called. "I've placed spells along the hallway but I don't think it'll hold them for long."

Thumping sounded at the door.

"My Lord?" They heard. "My Lord, are you alright?"

Harry looked at Riddle's face. "Let them in."

"What?" Theo gasped staring at the brunette as the pounding got louder.

"Not too sure that's a good idea, Harry." Sirius cringed at the idea of fighting however many men were on their way to rescue their leader. He sent a strengthening spell at the door while pocketing the evil man's wand.

"Petrificus Totalis, Incarcerous, Silencio." Severus was casting spells at Riddle to keep him quiet and under control while keeping an ear open to Harry's conversation.

Draco's head tilted as he considered Harry's suggestion. "Better yet, Harry. We could use him to get us all safely down to the Great Hall."

"Yes, Harry." Hermione said as she and Neville popped out from behind a bookcase. "You could do that…"

"But why do that when you can follow us through this secret passage and use Sonorous to get them all down there." Neville chimed in.

"Mione?" Harry laughed and hurried over to hug her and his god-brother. "Neville?"

"You won't believe all we've found, Harry!" Neville told him with a grin as the whole group followed him and Hermione into the secret passage with Severus floating Riddle behind them.

********** LTF **********

"After visiting the unofficial infirmary, we got into the library, Harry." Hermione sounded excited as she began to speak. "They'd removed all the portraits from the library so we looked in all the little study rooms but they weren't there either. That was when I noticed there was one left. It was a landscape but magically embedded inside the landscape was the portrait of a very special old man." Harry interrupted asking for the portrait's name but she glanced at the people surrounding her. "He asked that I not tell more than a select number of living people about him, so you'll have to forgive me for not naming him until later. Anyway, he hid in the back of his picture until the men had left him alone."

"When we found him, he was hiding behind a tree." Neville broke in. "But with a little coaxing, he told us where the other portraits had been taken."

"How did he know?" Draco asked.

"While in his earshot, one of the workers told the others to take the portraits up to a special room in the east tower." Hermione took over. "Then he mentioned that they hadn't been able to move Gryffindor's portrait or your parents' because they were empty and you can't move an empty frame."

"So we asked where Gryffindor's frame was located." Neville grinned.

"As we were leaving, he asked us to lock the library until it was safe so we did." Hermione took a deep breath and began to relate the next part of the story. "That was when alarm bells began to ring, so we got under cover and made our way down to the Great Hall."

"When we got there, your parents were in their frame." Neville smirked. "They told us about the passage to get to the study you were in and said you might need some help if there were alarms going off. Then James went to tell Lucius and Narcissa what we were able to tell them while Lily stayed with us. When James came back, they sent us to help you and give you the news that Lucius would bring in the reinforcements." He paused. "I didn't know there were reinforcements, Harry."

"Neither did I, Nev." Harry shot a glance at his godfather.

"Dumbledore arranged for our back up to arrive at Malfoy Castle after we'd left." Sirius told the younger men and woman. "If this didn't work at all, they would've gone back to their lives and mourned our loss but because our assault worked to a certain extent they will come in and help us finish it."

It was that moment when Harry realized that they'd stopped. "Are we here then?"

"Yes, Harry. This is the lever to trigger the door. The Great Hall is locked from the outside until you let people in so there's no need to be cautious." Hermione pressed the lever and, as they exited the passage, she showed the young prince how to open it from the other side.

Severus released the spells on Riddle before pushing him into a chair and reapplying them.

"Theo, go get Pettigrew. I want to deal with him as soon as possible." Harry commanded. "I'll wait a few moments until you should be in your rooms before calling them all here. You should come back via a secret passage to be on the safe side."

The turncoat nodded. "Give me five minutes."

As Theo left through the main doors, Harry caught sight of a member of the battlements attack team. "Blaise!"

Blaise was in cougar form but he transformed and hurried into the room. "Hey, Harry. Draco, you made it!"

"There was a small sparring match with Riddle but other than that there hasn't been much more than sneaking around, so far. It's been fun, actually." Draco said shaking his friend's hand. "Where are the others?"

"Ron is injured. Pansy's looking after him with Dora Tonks." Blaise glanced over at the rest of the group. "The hunting party joined us after they'd finished their task. We didn't have any full on casualties; just a few minor injuries…except for Remus and the enemy, of course."

"Remus?" Harry said loudly drawing Sirius' attention.

The older man came over to listen.

"He's alive. It's nothing to worry about." Blaise asserted quickly. "He was hit by a few spells. Kingsley was sorting him out as I left to find someplace large enough to accommodate all the injured."

"Lucius is on his way with some back up. I'm going to call Riddle's men here in a few minutes. Tell Dora to take the critically injured to the library." Harry called Hermione over. "I'll send Hermione with you; she locked it herself. She also knows what was just discussed including the timing of ongoing operations."

"Alright, Harry. By the time we get there, Hogwarts will be safe." Hermione agreed as the two left quickly.

Harry placed his wand to his throat. "Hear me, Hogwarts! I am Harrington James Potter, the rightful heir. Those of you who serve Voldemort, he is here in the Great Hall with me! He has lied to you and I want to set things straight! If you wish to know the truth, come to the doors of the Great Hall in a timely fashion."

"Harry." Draco tapped his husband's arm. "Your parents are in their frame."

Grinning, the brunette turned in a circle until he saw the two side by side frames. One was still empty but the other held a familiar couple so he walked over to it and smiled up at his parents. Just as he was opening his mouth to speak, the room echoed with an alarm. He sighed. "Hold that thought." He said to them before quickly turning to Sirius. "What's going on?"

"Kingsley set that alarm to let us know when the road was being used. It's Lucius." Sirius reported.

Harry grinned with obvious relief. "Let him know to assist Lucius' entry and have the reinforcements directed here." He then returned to his parents' portrait for a short conversation.

********** LTF **********

Harry was alerted to the arrival of Riddle's followers by the sound of shouting in the hallway outside of the Great Hall. Sirius held him and Draco back from investigating while Severus went to the doors and used the spell to see through solid objects.

"Lucius has Bellatrix at wand point." Severus called out. "I'll open the door." As he did, all eyes turned to him. "Lucius, Harry has invited them to hear the truth of their master's lies. If you'd please have your forces surround them, we might get on with things."

Draco's father nodded and lowered his wand, but kept a steady eye on his sister-in-law. "Zabini, Parkinson – hold the doors for my son-in-law's guests, would you?"

Riddle's people filed in without further incident but when they saw their master bound in a chair they began to whisper to each other.

"We captured him rather quickly though I'm rather shocked at that since we had a slightly more difficult time capturing Malfoy castle." Harry began as he looked them over. A glance at Riddle found him glaring at Harry. "Let's get started, shall we? My name is Harrington James Potter. Your lord told you I was dead. What he failed to mention was that, before he got here to kill my parents, fourteen years ago, someone had taken me away – hidden me from danger."

The whispers quieted as Riddle's followers listened.

"He told you Draco was under his power…a cursed sleep that could only be lifted by Riddle himself." Harry smiled. "What he failed to mention is that True Love's kiss was an option as well."

Draco took a few steps forward to address them. "He also failed to mention that he was using all of you to carry out a vendetta against his own family! He is a descendant of Salazar Slytherin's sister not Slytherin himself."

"LIES!" Bellatrix Lestrange cried but she was held back from drawing her wand by her husband.

"You can see for yourselves if you wish." Severus brought out the scroll Draco had given him. "He held me under a love potion for months and used me to enter Malfoy Castle."

Lucius stepped forward a well. "He then enslaved me and my wife – kidnapping my son."

"ALL LIES!" Bellatrix shouted, struggling in her husband's grasp.

"Your sister was made a servant!" Lucius was livid as he argued with her. "Your nephew would've been forced…unspeakable things…"

Draco approached his father to gently calm him. "But I wasn't. I'm safe from him now."

Lucius sighed and glanced apologetically to his son-in-law who only nodded understandingly before speaking to the crowd again.

"Riddle has had you doing his bidding to get revenge on the Gryffindor bloodline!" Harry said.

"How do we know you're really the Potter prince?" Someone shouted.

"I did come prepared for that question." Severus came forward with a vial of potion and a blank scroll. "This is the Bloodline potion! Do any of you doubt that I have the skill to brew it?"

Nobody challenged him.

"Prince Harry, a drop of your blood, please." Severus asked lightly.

Harry hadn't known this was going to happen but he was prepared. He took his dagger and cut his fingertip. Holding it over the vial, he allowed several drops of blood to fall into the potion. It changed from brown to red as Draco rejoined him.

"This scroll is blank." Severus allowed it to unroll to the floor from his hand.

Again, nobody protested.

Severus poured the potion down the open page and the whole room watched it form words.

Bellatrix came forward looking over the words that had been written in Harry's blood. "It says the whelp is really the Potter child." She appeared to sag with disappointment but quickly rallied, drawing her wand and brandishing it wildly.

Her husband, a man named Rabastan Lestrange, lifted his wand as well and they were soon joined by many of Riddle's followers as they began targeting the royals.

Severus was hit with a Stupify that was meant for Draco but Kingsley quickly remedied that as one of the men who'd come with Lucius slashed his wand viciously at Bellatrix. She was quick to dodge his spell before taking aim at Harry who was pulled out of the way by Draco and Sirius.

Harry thought quickly and lifted his sword.

Quickly understanding what he was up to, Draco scanned the room raising his wand to cover his husband as the brunette closed his eyes. Suddenly the Sword of Gryffindor was lined with flames and the crowded room grew still and quiet.

Riddle's followers were staring at Harry and his sword almost in awe.

"HEAR ME!" Harry shouted into the silence. "I do not wish to harm you but, if my family is in danger, I most certainly will not hesitate!"

Harry's forces kept their wands ready in case anyone decided to make trouble while Riddle's people seemed to have become slightly subdued.

Theo approached from behind Harry holding a small cage. "Your Highness, I have Pettigrew."

"Alright, put him aside for now. Let's deal with the self-styled Lord Voldemort first." Harry took a deep breath to steady himself before turning back to the crowd. "Severus do you have Veritaserum?"

The older man nodded and produced the correct vial.

It was administered by Sirius and the allegations against Riddle were quickly verified.

"Attempted line-theft…assault on the royal families of both England and Scotland…many multiple murder charges…rape and attempted rape…" Sirius listed. "All heinous and malicious crimes…What say you, Your Highness? How shall he be punished?"

Harry watched Riddle for a moment and then sighed quietly, shaking his head almost imperceptibly. "If I thought a prison would hold you forever, I'd put you there in a heartbeat, Riddle." He glanced meaningfully at his godfather.

Sirius only hesitated for a second but he sighed and released the spells on the prisoner to everyone's dismay. He tossed Riddle's wand into the air and as the crowd began to understand what was happening, he cast shield charms over Draco and Severus while Lucius cast one over himself in alarm.

Riddle stared at his wand which was lying at his feet. After a moment he smirked. "You don't have the guts to execute me. Is that it?"

"I am simply offering you the chance to die with the honor you didn't have for the first part of your life." Harry told his adversary.

Riddle stood and picked up his wand.

Harry activated his wristband shield and lifted his sword. The flames ignited as he deflected Riddle's first spell.

That was all it took to provoke the tempers of the surrounding crowd. Spells flew in all directions but any that found their way near Harry were burned from the air by Gryffindor's sword.

Harry could see that his forces were holding their own but many of Riddle's followers were beginning to tire out so he used his sword and shield to deflect Riddle's spells toward those particular people.

Rabastan Lestrange was his first target and he fell to the ground after firing a dark hex at Lucius. Bellatrix didn't notice because she was trying so desperately to get at Sirius but his shield charm was too strong.

Harry was still waiting for Riddle to act rashly enough to make a mistake. He kept aiming jinxes and hexes toward the evil man who'd killed his parents but they were too evenly matched so every spell was intercepted with little to no fanfare.

Finally, as several of his followers fell in quick succession, Riddle let out an enraged scream and tried to make his way toward Bellatrix who was one of a few still standing.

Harry smirked inwardly. The closer Riddle got to his followers, the less aiming he'd have to do to take them all down. A bright green spell shot at Harry and the young prince aimed it at Bellatrix who fell dead at her master's feet.

Another scream sounded from Riddle's throat as he began a rapid-fire barrage of dark spells at Harry.

Gryffindor's Sword was glowing with white-hot fire as Harry swung it through each spell taking small steps in Riddle's direction to face him down. Minor hexes made their way through his defenses giving him small cuts and bruises but for the most part, Harry was unscathed.

Riddle sat panting with fatigue as Harry approached. As a last ditch effort, Riddle fired the killing curse at the boy.

Harry's emerald eyes flashed with lightning as he brought his shield and sword up at once to block it. He heard several shouts of his name and even more anguished cries of protest. After all, there was no known way to block Avada Kedavra but Harry was certain the Sword of Gryffindor would be able to protect him even from this.

The room fell quiet after the large explosion of fiery light. Everyone wanted to see what happened…and as soon as the dust settled, Harry stood to find out for himself.

He was met with thunderous applause as his forces saw their leader alive and well. Draco had tears rolling down his cheeks as he made his way into Harry's arms.

Realizing that they were beaten, most of Riddle's followers laid down their wands and other weapons. Some remained hostile and had to be taken down but Harry and Draco were well protected from further conflicts.

"Prince Harrington, the last of Riddle's people have been subdued." Kingsley called from across the room.

Harry was reluctant to release his hold on Draco, but there was business to conduct, so he sighed and loosened his grip on the blond. "Hold them where they are while we hear the case against Pettigrew. I want them to witness it so they know how I will deal with them when their time comes."

Draco resisted Harry's attempt to distance them, keeping hold of the brunette's hand.

Acknowledging Draco's feelings with a kiss to the back of the younger man's hand, Harry called Theo forward. "Sirius knows the spells to force the transformation and keep Pettigrew from returning to animal form before we are ready."

Theo turned toward the older man. "Sir, if you would?"

Sirius looked at Harry who nodded. He nodded back and performed the spell that enlarged the cage first. The rat inside attempted to flee through the bars but Sirius had that covered as well. He then cast the spell to change him forcefully to his human form, quickly following it with a spell to remove magic from the area inside the cage.

Harry spoke clearly in a loud voice. "Peter Pettigrew, in this Hall and in the presence of these witnesses, I accuse you of treason against your country and your king!"

Sirius looked up as a newly healed Remus entered the room with the help of Hagrid. He went to stand beside his old friend and then turned back to the proceedings.

"But you've betrayed more than your country and king…" Harry paused for effect. "You betrayed your friends – people who had counted you as close as family! I've done some research over the last few weeks and discovered that there are many ways to deal with such a traitor. I could banish you to the nearest country that would have you…" He glanced at Lucius.

"No." Draco's father spoke as if he'd tasted something rotten.

"I could petition France or Germany but it seems so much trouble to go to for someone who betrayed my family to the extent that you have." Harry mused. "In my research I found…but this might be too severe…"

"What is it Harry?" Draco asked with worry in his eyes.

"There is a spell to keep an animagus in his animal form for the rest of his natural life." Harry looked up to see what his godfather thought of this.

Sirius had a pained expression, as did Remus.

Harry looked up at his father's portrait. "What would you do?"

The former king looked down at his son. "To rule a country, one must make difficult decisions, my son. I remember becoming my animal form and the joy I found in it but I wouldn't wish it to be permanent."

Harry sighed. This was a tough one. He looked at his husband. "I have no wish to be cruel. He will be returned to animal form until I find an alternative country to banish him to…" He met Pettigrew's desperate stare. "But if you ever step foot in Scotland again…"

Lucius broke in as he took a place at Harry's side. "Or England!"

"If you ever step foot in Britain again, I will use that spell and you will live out the rest of your life as a rat." Harry nodded in acknowledgement of Lucius' words. "Someone get him out of my sight!"

Sirius sighed in relief as he hurried to transform the convict back to rat form and resize the cage. He picked up the small cage and handed it to Remus.

"Mr. Shacklebolt, those who put down their weapons are free to leave. However, I wish you to keep a list of their names. If they ever commit any crime against me or mine again I wish to know about it." Harry's voice rang through the room with authority and Kingsley Shacklebolt bowed in response. "Put the others in a dungeon to deal with later."

"Yes, my prince." The older man said as he signaled his aurors to assist him.

********** LTF **********

Harry led Draco and their godfathers into the trophy room to get out of the way. "We did it…" He whispered into his beloved's hair as they embraced once again. He was shaking with relief that the battle was over and they'd not only won but had done so with only a smattering of minor injuries instead of significant losses.

"Yes, you did, Harry." Lucius said softly as he followed the group into the room and joined them with hearty handshakes and hugs. "Draco…Both of you were magnificent." He hugged his son tightly. "You will be fair and just rulers."

"The coronation will take place in a few days." Sirius announced. "We need to invite several important parties which will incidentally help you out with the Pettigrew situation, Harry."

"Delegates from several nearby magical communities?" Harry asked with a smirk.

Siri nodded.

"My owl has just carried the news to my brothers. They will be here in time." Theo said lightly. "You might wish to set riders out for the nearby villages, Highnesses."

"A very good idea, Theo." Harry grinned. "Why don't you send them out? Ron can take the north road with Blaise heading south. I think Neville can handle going west while you take the east."

"Me, Highness?" Theo was fairly shocked. He hadn't thought the Gryffindor prince liked him at all.

Harry nodded. "Yes…you."

"Thank you…my prince…" Theo felt incredibly touched by this honor. "And future king."

Draco was elated that Harry had taken such a liking to Theo. He sighed happily in his husband's arms as his friend headed out to tell his fellow riders of their mission.

********** LTF **********