Chapter Four

Lorcan looked up from where he was staring into his bowl of soup tiredly, his brain still exhausted from the events of the last few days and not really fully awake, when the room went quiet.

Not even quiet, it went deadly still.

Blinking he looked around and realised that the eyes of his Father, Dad, Sirius, Remus, Lucius, Severus, Narcissa Draco, Bellatrix and Fenrir were all looking at the door. Turning to look he felt his heart jolt a little when he met green eyes that were looking intently around the room.

Everyone seemed to have stopped breathing as Harrison seemed to fill the doorway with his presence and his power. He was looking far more well-rested than he had early in the morning yesterday when Lorcan had checked in on him. He was dressed as he always was in fitted robes that left nothing to Lorcan's imagination.

The tension in the room rose as Harrison moved, stepping from the doorway and striding with intent steps straight towards Voldemort, Nagini curled tighter around his shoulders where she was twined and lifted her head to look around the room before she rubbed her head against Harrison's cheek.

It struck Lorcan as he followed Harrison's progress across the room that this was the first time he had seen Harrison with Nagini, after hearing about how much the snake meant to Harrison and the part that she had had in his life it seemed jarring to realise that he had not seen them together.

Everyone seemed to suck in a deep breath as Harrison reached Voldemort's seat and stood towering over him for a moment, Voldemort watching the other with sharp red eyes and a pinch to his mouth. The fact that James Potter was alive and in the manor had spread like fiendfyre, and with it the gossip and ponderings as to what this would do to the already unusual partnership of Harrison Potter aligned with Voldemort.

"Harrison," Voldemort acknowledged, and Lorcan was stunned to realise that there was a shot of nerves through his face as he looked up at the dark-haired man, his dad's words about his father genuinely caring for Harrison shooting through his mind.

"My Lord," Harrison took a step back and dropped into a deep, elegant bow, placing his hand over his heart as he inclined himself in front of Voldemort. "My Lord Consort, My Heir Lord," he turned and bowed deeply to Mikhail and Lorcan as well before standing and moving to take his seat, his hand resting briefly on Voldemort's shoulder, squeezing it before he moved and settled down in the empty seat beside Lorcan that had been left open for him.

Lorcan swept his eyes over the others at the table as Harrison settled and started filling his plate. Sirius and Remus were looking relieved and proud of him, Fenrir was looking relieved - but Lorcan had come to realise that the werewolf seemed to be concerned about the trouble that Harrison could and would cause when he was in a good mood, never mind if he decided to do it maliciously. The others were looking disappointed that Harrison had not rebelled against Voldemort, no doubt hoping that it would leave his position over for them to fight over again, and they seemed shocked at the manner of utter deference that Harrison had chosen to display his continued loyalty for Lorcan's father.

Turning a little, Lorcan saw his Dad was looking a little relieved but mainly reassured that Harrison wouldn't turn against his husband, and he was looking impressed with Harrison.

Lorcan turned to his father and studied him, even though he was not showing any real expression on his face as he turned back to his lunch, but there was something that had relaxed around his eyes and his mouth, his shoulders had relaxed and he seemed to be lighter, his red eyes were less sharp than they had been since the revelation that James Potter was alive, all from Harrison's touch to his shoulder.

Red eyes suddenly looked up, clearly feeling his gaze on him, and his Father blinked at him realising that it was Lorcan that was watching him. Lorcan and he stared at each other for a few moments before Lorcan turned and looked at Harrison who was in the process of feeding Nagini a sausage.

*Nestling,* Nagini hissed at him seeing that they had his attention, Harrison turned and smiled cheekily as he held another sausage up for Nagini.

*Pork are her favourites* He explained.

*I look forward to eating pig* Nagini hissed before scoffing down the sausage.

*Can we not talk about eating my relatives while having lunch please!* Harrison groaned.

*From what you have said about them it seems to suit them,* Lorcan joined in. He was aware of his Father and Dad's heads snapping up and staring at him for his use of Parseltongue, it was something that he had stubbornly refused to speak since he was twelve and did not want to use the skill that linked him to his absent Father.

*In more ways than one, the males look like fat pigs while my little nestling was nothing more than a twig,* Nagini hissed angrily, pressing her cheek to Harrison's.

*They will make for better eating for you when we go with Remus and Sirius to deal with them my friend* Voldemort joined in hesitantly.

*Seriously, you're going to make me feel ill, and I have warned you if you try and eat them, they will give you indigestion,* Harrison snorted.

*Will be worth it to hear their screams of terror* Nagini huffed before lashing out and stealing another sausage from Harrison's plate, hissing laughs when everyone but Harrison and Voldemort jumped at the sudden move.

*I was going to eat that,* Harrison said dryly.

"I hate it when you do that Nagini!" Sirius whined rubbing his chest.

"I think she may be laughing at you Sirius," Malakhi snorted at the noises coming from the snake.

"A shame that you are not a parselmouth like my Lord, Lord Consort," Lucius said with a hint of conversation, but the bite in his words was obvious.

"As much as a shame as your family seeming unable to produce anything but average descendants, Lord Malfoy," Harrison said with a bright and friendly smile.

"How dare you!" Lucius stood and tilted his chin up proudly, achieving a look of trying to stick his nose in the air. "How dare you insult my line!"

"You dare insult my Lord Consort, I warn you to be careful, Lord Malfoy, you are becoming irritating now, and should you carry on with your insults I will have no other path but to demand restitution for My Lord Consort and challenge you to a dual," Harrison said brightly, but his eyes were flashing.

"You are a child! You think you can match me!" Lucius scoffed, though Lorcan noted that there was a flash of uncertainty on his face.

Slowly Harrison pushed his chair out and stood, glowering at Lucius as all the mock humour fell from his face and a thundercloud spread across his handsome features. "No I am not a match for you, I far excel you and would wipe the floor with you. As I reminded your son, you have never beat me before, and I was seriously pulling my punches,"

"You…you…are going to be his champion!" Lucius spluttered pointing at Mikhail.

"All the time yes," Harrison smirked.

"Who exactly is him?" Voldemort said with icy anger, drawing himself to his feet and looking at Lucius with fury written across his features.

"My…my Lord, I did not mean…" Lucius stammered realising what he had done.

"Yes? Please do explain," Voldemort raised his eyebrow as he glowered at Lucius. "Please do explain to me why you chose to speak in regard to my husband as such?!"

"I…I…I…" Lucius looked between Harrison and Voldemort.

"Leave, now, I will deal with you later," Voldemort said lowly. Lucius hesitated for a second, seemingly trying to work out if there was some way that he could talk his way out of this, or around it, and quickly realised that he could not.

The blond turned and hurried from the room, Narcissa, Draco and Bellatrix hurrying after him with bows for Voldemort and shooting daggers at Harrison. Voldemort and Harrison did not sit down until the door shut behind the other group, and then they seated themselves nearly simultaneously with a tense silence.

Harrison started a little when he felt a light touch to his hand, looking down surprised to see nimble fingers resting on the back of his before he looked up to meet grateful ice-blue eyes. Nodding his head a little to Lorcan he turned back to his lunch and Lorcan withdrew his hand to start eating his own lunch.

"Heard you set Dumbledore on fire?" Fenrir asked into the silence of the room, and Harrison snorted into his soup and then started laughing.


"Harrison!" the dark-haired man paused as he made his way down the hallway, turning to see Malakhi hurrying towards him.

"My Lord Consort," Harrison bowed when Malakhi was close enough.

"May I talk to you?" the other asked.

"Of course," Harrison nodded.

"You aren't on your way to see your father?" Malakhi asked concerned.

"I am, but I will always have time to talk to you when there is something clearly bothering you, the presence of my father here will not get in the way of me doing my job," Harrison shook his head.

"Harrison…" Malakhi frowned a little.

"Please, let's talk, he took dreamless sleep, he will still be asleep for another hour or so anyway," Harrison reassured him, opening a nearby door that led into one of the drawing rooms of the manor.

Malakhi walked into the room in front of Harrison and sat down in one of the chairs in front of the fire, turning to watch Harrison placing privacy charms and wards in front of the door and then moving to seat himself in front of Malakhi.

"What is bothering you, My Lord?" Harrison asked resting his elbows on his thighs and looking at Malakhi with intent green eyes.

"This really can wait Harrison," Malakhi frowned a little.

"My Lord, something is bothering you, please, allow me to help," Harrison smiled.

"I…I understand that you are my husband's right hand and that your loyalty is ultimately to him, but you have indicated that you are loyal to myself and Lorcan as well," Malakhi started saying slowly. Harrison frowned concerned at the course of the conversation, having not expected for it to go this way at all.

"Are you asking for me to keep this conversation between us?" Harrison asked when Malakhi seemed uncertain about carrying on.

"...Yes I am," Malakhi nodded sharply, his lips pinching tightly in a way that Harrison had never seen before.

"Unless I feel that it is a threat to you or Voldemort or Lorcan, this conversation is between us," Harrison said softly.

"A threat in a physical way, or emotional?" Malakhi asked, wringing his hands.

"Is…is this to do with your relationship with Voldemort?" Harrison asked, daring to reach out and take Malakhi's hands between his own. "If it is then I swear my silence in this,"

"It is not fair of me to put you in this situation, especially with your age," Malakhi shook his head.

"What is bothering you, My Lord?" Harrison asked gently.

"I…am I a fool Harrison? I…you know my husband, you know him between than anyone else I think, even myself, you understand him as I do, and you have been involved in his life for a long time. Have I been a fool?" Malakhi blurted out, looking at Harrison with brown eyes that were clearly showing his turmoil.

"In what way Malakhi?" Harrison asked, the use of his name by the other for the first time visibly stunning the other man, drawing him a little out of his panic.

"I have…I have heard information that…" Malakhi gulped and licked his lips before seemingly deciding just to say it. "I have heard information that my husband…that Voldemort has been having an affair with Bellatrix and that they have had a child together, a daughter,"

"May I ask where you have heard that from?" Harrison asked, but Malakhi shook his head, "very well, I can tell you without doubt and upon my magic that Voldemort has been true to you, there has been no affair, and there are no children. He loves you, and he loves Lorcan, though he can be terrible at showing it, there is no one else for him,"

"You must think I am a fool," Malakhi withdrew his hands and turned his head to the side with a flush on his cheeks.

"Not really, I think Voldemort is fucking lucky," Harrison answered, grinning when Malakhi turned back to him shocked. "You have stayed true to him though you have been kept a secret, and I think more important to you, your son has been kept secret, you have been hidden away, you have had to live your life with your husband being a shadow, not sure that he would be able to bring himself back, and still you stayed loyal. He is surrounded by sycophantic followers who would kill, literally kill, to have their son or daughter married to him, to be married to him themselves. The concern that something has happened, especially when whispers of an affair and a child are being whispered to you, you are allowed to have doubt and be concerned, after everything that he has put you through, through choice or not, he is lucky that you are here standing at his side,"

"I…thank you, Harrison," Malakhi nodded.

"I am his right hand, but I am here for you as well. That is not limited to me being a weapon, but for me being here when you need me, and to lean on me as well," Harrison smiled.

"My husband, and I, are very lucky that you are in our lives, and I am grateful to you Harrison, I feel safer knowing that you are here," Malakhi said, and then smiled a little, easing the torn look on his face, "and I feel safer knowing that you are watching over Lorcan,"

"Yourselves and Lorcan are my utmost priority," Harrison chuckled, meeting brown eyes head-on.

"Hmm, I need to let you go," Malakhi smiled nodding and they both stood, as Harrison turned to leave Malakhi reached out and took his arm, "thank you, Harrison, for both this, for putting my mind at rest and indulging me, and defending my honour earlier,"

"Any time My Lord," Harrison said intently, hoping that it was clear to Malakhi exactly how serious he was about it, and he bowed and left the room, heading towards the rooms that his father was staying in.

Sirius and Remus looked up when he walked into the room, smiling a little at him from where they were seated on the sofa that they had brought in. With a soft sigh, he stripped off his robes and dropped down onto the sofa between the two of them in the gap that they created for him. Dropping his head onto Remus' lap he threw his legs up onto Sirius' lap and groaned contentedly when Remus started combing his fingers through his hair in just the right way.

"Good show pup," Sirius said softly, resting his hands on Harrison's legs.

"Thank you, the last thing that we need right now if for doubt to form, cracks to appear or anyone to think that the bond between us is weakened," Harrison muttered.

"It has been a long few days, and we have not really had time to talk properly about everything that has happened," Remus commented.

"Hmm, I am ok, my mind is a little jangled, and the reality of my father being so close to me for so many years, what he has had to go through, I wish that I had made Dumbledore suffer more, but then I know that that would have been foolish and could have led to me losing control of him and him getting away. My logic and emotions are battling each other," Harrison sighed.

Remus and Sirius exchanged a look over his head and then turned when there was a soft hiss. As ever Nagini seemed to know when Harrison needed her, and she had made her way into the room, sliding onto his stomach and twining herself around his chest and stomach and pressed her face to his cheek, resizing herself just a little to cover more of him as she squeezed him gently in a hug.

"I will be fine, it is just a lot," Harrison admitted relaxing into the three of them.

He wasn't aware of dropping off to sleep, but the next thing he knew he was waking up with the sounds of the low rumble of voices around him. When he shifted a little, his mind still slow and sleepy the voices quietened down. He would have gone with his instincts of fighting in case he was in danger, but then he felt a familiar squeeze around his chest and a gentle nudge to his cheek and realised that Nagini was wrapped around him.

*Safe?* He asked sleepily.

*Safe my little nestling, it is your father, the wolf and your annoying dog,* Nagini hissed and Harrison chuckled, the niggle between Sirius and Nagini wasn't serious but they did like digging at each other.

"Amazing," a not quite familiar voice said and Harrison opened his green eyes as his brain caught up with who it had to be. James Potter was sitting watching him with bright hazel eyes, a wide smile on his face as he looked at Harrison.

"You don't mind it?" Harrison asked, swinging his legs around and settling between Remus and Sirius, Nagini shifted so she wasn't blanketing him quite as much, resizing herself to a smaller size and draping herself over his shoulders.

"Not at all, it is brilliant! How though?" James asked curiously.

"When Voldemort tried to kill me he transferred some of his power into me, including his ability to speak Parselmouth," Harrison explained.

"Harrison frequently tells him to fuck off in the tongue that he completely unwillingly gave him," Sirius beamed proudly.

"And other things," Remus snorted as he rifled in his pocket and produced a bar of Honeydukes finest chocolate, holding it out to Harrison.

"I am feeling fine," Harrison protested, but he took the chocolate quickly anyway.

"Mm hmm," Remus smiled brushing Harrison's fringe from his face.

"May I ask you something?" Harrison looked at James who looked nervous.

"Yes," He answered after a moment nodding.

"Did anyone else know that you were alive? That Dumbledore was keeping you, prisoner?" Harrison asked, lounging back casually on the sofa in a way that tricked none of them.

"Arthur Weasley, Molly Weasley, Minerva McGonagall and Poppy Pomphrey," James listed quickly. "I don't know if anyone else knew, they were the ones that I know for definite did,"

"Arthur Weasley is in the dungeons, I am sure that he can tell me if anyone else knew," Harrison nodded.

"I am coming with you," Sirius said softly, his grey eyes flashing dangerously. Harrison nodded reaching out to take his hand, his godfather met his eyes and smiled sharply, getting a nearly identical smile back.

"Can you two stop smirking at each other, honestly," Remus snorted amused and the two of them started laughing.

"You three are so close," James said, and they turned to look at him concerned but found him smiling happily at them, "I am not jealous or upset, don't be silly, I'm so happy that you all have each other,"

"We have our own suite of rooms here in the manor, once you are ok'd to move we can have an extra room added and you can move in with us if you want?" Harrison offered.

"I would really like that," James nodded quickly.

"Good," Harrison smiled brightly.

"So…Lorcan?" James asked and then started laughing when Sirius started fake sobbing while Harrison grabbed a cushion and started hitting his godfather with it. Remus huffed and reached out to take Nagini when she leant towards him to escape the behaviour, and he made his way with her across the room to sit on the bed with James as Harrison and Sirius started wrestling playfully. Meanwhile, James watched them happily, unable to believe that he was here with them, and was getting to see them.


"Master Right Hand," Gretchen bowed as she popped into the room, the four men in the room turning to her as she bowed.

"It is fine to call me Harrison Gretchen," Harrison smiled as he looked at the House elf.

"I couldn't Master!" Gretchen shook her head looking scandalised as she had every time that Harrison had suggested it.

"What is it that you have been sent for Gretchen?" Remus asked the House Elf gently, distracting her.

"Master Dark Lord if being apologising, but he is being needing Master Right Hand," She said.

"Tell him I will be with him as soon as possible," Harrison nodded.

"Yes Master Right Hand," Gretchen nodded popping out.

"I will see you guys in a bit," Harrison smiled standing.

"Everything will be ok, yes?" James asked a little nervously, obviously still struggling to adjust to the idea of Harrison spending time with Voldemort and being summoned to him.

"Everything will be fine, I swear, he isn't the man that you heard about with the people that he cares about, not sure what I would call our relationship, but I do know that he cares about me," Harrison smiled moving over to the bed, Nagini hissed something lazily from where she was coiled in a patch of sun on the windowsill.

"What did she say?" James asked curiously.

"That Voldemort knows that she would eat him if he even thought of giving me a haircut that I didn't want, never mind what I would do to him, especially after last time," Harrison chuckled.

"Last time?" James asked confused looking between Harrison and Sirius, Remus and Nagini.

"Your son decided to destroy one of the oldest Slytherin manors when Voldemort tried to order him around as though he were one of his Death Eaters, I think that was the moment that Voldemort realised that Harrison was going to be his right hand, well going to have to be his right hand or they would kill each other," Sirius snorted where he was stretched out on the sofa.

"Destroyed as in…" James asked, his lips twitching as he fought not to laugh.

"Boom," Harrison made an exploding gesture to go with his noise.

"Big boom," Remus snorted, rolling his eyes.

"He flattened it," Sirius nodded proudly, and James started laughing brightly.

"I better get going, I will see you guys soon," Harrison smiled. He hesitated for a second before he sat on the edge of the bed and leaned over to hug James. His father froze for a second before he wrapped his arms tightly around Harrison and squeezed him far tighter than Harrison had dared to hug him.

"See you in a little bit," James brushed Harrison's hair from his eyes with a soft, loving smile that warmed Harrison through.

"See you in a bit Cub," Remus smiled when Harrison turned to hug him as well. Sirius laughed when Harrison threw himself down on top of him when he opened his arms to get a hug himself when Harrison turned to him. He hugged Harrison tightly before releasing him, allowing the young man to roll himself to his feet.

"See you soon," Harrison waved as he walked from the bedroom and started making his way down the corridor towards Voldemort's study, not seeing the slight movement behind him of someone under an invisibility cloak and heavy charms to ensure that Nagini's snake senses wouldn't be able to sense their presence if she had been with Harrison, a charm that they had used many times, their brown eyes narrowed at Harrison's smile and bounce to his step, their mouth thinning into a slim line at the sound of James Potter's voice coming from the room before the door shut, and the laughter of Sirius and Remus. Jealous eyes tried to burn a hole into Harrison's back, hatred clear and viciously obvious in them, and their hands clenched into tight fists, their nails biting into their palms.


"How many times knock!" Voldemort snapped when Harrison just walked into his office, shutting the door carelessly behind him.

"You knew I was coming," Harrison waved him off.

"You should still knock, it is respectful!"

"I am plenty respectful, you knew I was coming,"

"You should still knock, it is manners!"

"Are you saying I don't have manners?"

"Of a heathen! Yes!"

"I have impeccable manners!"

"Impeccably bad manners!" Voldemort sniped while Malakhi, Lorcan and another woman that Harrison noticed was sitting next to Lorcan.

"Erm…" Malakhi didn't look sure if they were actually arguing or bantering.

"Your knickers out of a twist now?" Harrison asked turning and bowing deeply to Lorcan and Malakhi.

"My knickers…I…they were not in a twist!" Voldemort spluttered.

"I like him," The older woman suddenly laughed, her slightly stern face gentling with her laughter.

"You have to be Maribel," Harrison smiled bowing to her as well.

"How did you know?" She asked with a smile.

"Lord Malakhi takes a lot of his looks from you," Harrison said.

"Thank you," she said smiling proudly at her son.

"I was not aware that you would be arriving so soon," Harrison glanced at Voldemort and snorted when his lips pinched together.

"Neither was I," He answered, though Harrison already knew that from his expression.

"I was told to stay away until everything was won and sorted, so naturally I chose to ignore him," Maribel waved her hand dismissively at Voldemort.

"Perhaps we could move to business?" Voldemort sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, interrupting Harrison's laughter.

"Of course my Lord," Harrison grinned, dropping into a chair next to Lorcan, who was sitting unusually quietly.

"As you predicted, the Order kept secret Dumbledore's death, which will have erased the last of the evidence of your spell, and as you predicted they have had to announce the death today," Voldemort said.

"That almost sounded like a compliment," Harrison smirked.

"You're almost worth the money that I pay you," Voldemort snorted, rolling his red eyes when Harrison just laughed.

"It has hit the papers then?" Harrison asked.

"Yes, and it is causing the confusion that was planned, people are running back and forth trying to work out if I killed him, had him assassinated, whether it was the accident that it looked like, some people are even throwing out the suggestion of suicide. Because they can't agree with that, they are all running around like headless chickens,"

"I appreciate that pun," Harrison pointed at him, making the Dark Lord snort amused.

"Our people have been moving into place, they have managed to imperio a number of people in the Ministry with the distraction, those that we discussed within the Auror and Law Enforcement have been taken and replaced with Death Eaters, and Moody has captured and brought Tonks and Shacklebolt, they are in the dungeons,"

"Speaking of the dungeons, my father told me that Arthur and Molly Weasley, McGonagall, and Pomphrey knew that he was being kept prisoner," Harrison said lowly. Red eyes flashed onto him.

"They're yours," Voldemort nodded.

"Thank you, My Lord," Harrison nodded back with genuine respect.

"What is the next step then?" Malakhi asked, looking between Harrison and Voldemort, his expression gentling on the two of them when he realised that Voldemort was including himself and Lorcan, and by extension his mother, in the plans, and he also had no doubt that it had been Harrison who had kicked him into doing so.

"Our people will be making their way into the Ministry, hopefully discretely and quickly, and they will be making the cracks that we need so that as soon as the time is right we will be able to take over the Ministry without anyone realising until it is done," Voldemort smirked.

"The next immediate step is to have our people get themselves into St Mungo's, and in a few days we will explode the wards in Hogwarts," Harrison said.

"St Mungo's?" Lorcan frowned.

"You can do that to Hogwarts? I thought those wards were almost unbreakable," Maribel frowned.

"Harrison spent a lot of time while at Hogwarts placing different spells, hexes, and curses along the ward lines, building them up and waiting for the right moment," Voldemort explained.

"Anyone that gets injured in the coming battles will go to St Mungo's for care, having control of it is an important step in making sure that we know where our enemies are and getting to them quickly," Harrison answered Lorcan.

"That makes sense," Lorcan nodded.

"I want you to go and deal with Tonks and Kingsley, I want as much information as you can get out of them Harrison," Voldemort turned to Harrison.

"Of course My Lord," Harrison agreed.

"Your…father?" Voldemort asked a little stiltedly.

"A little confused by everything, but he understands the choices that myself, Sirius, and Remus have made, especially in the face of being Dumbledore's prisoner and knowing what he has done. He is tired and it will take a while for him to heal, but he will heal. He is going to be moving into our suite as soon as he can be moved,"

"The healers I sent for should be here soon, they are the best that I could find," Voldemort said.

"I appreciate that My Lord," Harrison smiled.

"We are ok?" Voldemort asked.

"Nothing has changed at all for me, Voldemort, nothing except my determination that we are going to win this," Harrison said seriously leaning forward. The two of them looked at each other for a moment before Voldemort inclined his head just a little. "I will go and get started," Harrison said standing and stretching.

"Thank you," Voldemort said.

"It was lovely meeting you, I hope I get to spend a little more time with you My Lady," Harrison bowed to Maribel, "My Lord Consort, My Lord Heir," He bowed and turned to leave the office. He was making his way down the corridor when he heard hurried footsteps behind him. He turned and bowed his head when he realised that Lorcan was hurrying up behind him.

"May I talk to you?" Lorcan tilted his chin back.

"Of course, any time," Harrison smiled, before looking surprised when Lorcan snatched his hand and tugged him a little further down the corridor and into what had become the family drawing room, "is everything ok?" Harrison asked when Lorcan released his hand and moved to stand in front of the fireplace.

"I wanted to ask you that, we have not had a chance to talk in private, I wanted to make sure that you are ok, and that working again isn't too soon, if it is I will speak to my father!" Lorcan said firmly.

"I am fine," Harrison moved forward and dared to reach up and cup Lorcan's face, looking down into blue eyes in relief when he did not step away from his touch. "I am fine, there is still a lot to sort through, and I am concerned about how things are going to go, and how my father will heal, but I am more determined than ever to ensure that your father wins, and I have my part to play in that, and my job to do," Harrison smiled.

"But everything has happened so fast for you," Lorcan looked up at him concerned.

"That has been a lot of my life, needing to react to things and deal with them. Besides, winning the war is important to protect the people that I care for," Harrison smiled.

"Remus, Sirius, and your Father?" Lorcan asked.

"And others," Harrison swept his thumb over Lorcan's cheek before withdrawing his touch before he pushed his luck, but he was happy to see Lorcan's cheeks burning a soft red at his words.

"If you need help or time then I can…I can help," Lorcan said, and Harrison could practically see some of his prickles rising.

"There is something that…" Harrison started to say and then hesitated.

"What is it?" Lorcan tilted his head, his prickles lowering with his curiosity and the fact that Harrison had actually asked for his help.

"There is something that I have been looking into, I know that it is a long shot, but if there is a way to do it I will do anything to make it happen, but I need help looking into it, I think I have been looking at the problem for too long and need some new eyes on it, and research while it something that I can do, it is not my real skill set,"

"Of course, I can look into it, who else have you talked to about this, did they have any ideas?" Lorcan asked, he tilted his head when Harrison looked slightly embarrassed and reach up to rub the back of his neck.

"No one else," Harrison shook his head.

"Oh, oh! I am…thank you for trusting me," Lorcan said surprised. "What is it that you are looking into?"

Harrison explained his project to Lorcan and where he had gotten so far with it, and the places that he had become stuck, watching as a soft smile crossed Lorcan's face as he listened to him.

"I will definitely do my best to help you with that," Lorcan said, and to Harrison's delight, he reached out and squeezed Harrison's hand before quickly withdrawing his hand.

"Thank you, you have no idea what this means to me," Harrison said honestly. He desperately wanted to lean in and kiss Lorcan's cheek, and the mischievous part of him that came from Sirius desperately wanted to, but the side of him that was from Remus told him it was not the right time.

As they stepped out of the room and Harrison bowed to Lorcan before they separated and went their separate ways furious brown eyes glowered between the two of them, hands clenching so tightly that blood started welling from the cuts they made in their palms.


"Where was Harrison during supper?" Malakhi asked.

"Indeed, I was looking forward to spending more time with him," Maribel said where she was walking next to her grandson with their arms linked together.

"He is still dealing with business," Voldemort said, "he can be very determined and focused on a job when he is given one,"

"I would like to get some books from the library, could you help me find the ones that I need, father?" Lorcan asked awkwardly making Malakhi and Voldemort turn quickly to him wide-eyed.

"Of course! I can recommend some as well, there are so many in there that are lost within the shelves," Voldemort said quickly.

"Thank you, I think I will need a wide variety," Lorcan said.

"Of course, do you want to go now?" Voldemort asked.

"Oh, I thought you would be busy, tomorrow would be fine or…"

"No!" Voldemort said quickly, "no, I have time now, we could go and spend a couple of hours getting what you need,"

"I thought you had a meeting?" Lorcan frowned a little.

"It isn't as important, it can be postponed to tomorrow," Voldemort shook his head.

"Oh…oh right," Lorcan nodded, "I will go and get my notebooks and meet you there?"

"Of course!" Voldemort nodded eagerly. "He asked to spend time with me!" he said when Lorcan hurried away to go and get his notebooks.

"He did," Malakhi smiled happily at his husband, cupping his face and leaning up to kiss him.

"I will be careful, I will be careful not to go wrong," Voldemort promised.

"Just be yourself and spend time with him, that is all that matters," Malakhi kissed him again. "Go on," he slipped his arm through his mother's as they watched Voldemort hurrying away to the library with hope on his face.


Lorcan yawned as he stepped back into his rooms and waved the 4 piles of books that were levitated behind him to the desk in the corner. It had been a long day, and the last few hours spent with his father had been both enjoyable and tiring, they had spent the first hour awkwardly moving around each other, awkwardly trying to find and make conversation with each other without anyone else there to act as a buffer.

Talking about the types of books that Lorcan was looking for, and his Father helping to expand his ideas for where he could look from Lorcan's explanation on what he was looking for without giving away Harrison's secret, though he thought that his father already had an idea of what Harrison was looking into and that Lorcan was now assisting him with it considering a few of the books that he had suggested.

Finally, they found themselves talking easily as they discussed different magical theories and books that they had read, Voldemort suggesting a lot more to Lorcan that had nothing to do with what Lorcan was going to be looking into, but ones that he thought he would enjoy. Lorcan had suggested a few books as well, and he had felt himself thawing a little when he noticed his father picking them out and setting them to the side, taking them with him when they left.

"Master has gifts," Gretchen said as he walked into his living area.

"More courting gifts," Lorcan sighed looking at the pile with disdain, they had been coming in since he had been announced as his father's heir.

"Yes, but I think young Master might be wanting this one," Gretchen smiled plucking a small wrapped box from the pile, the smallest one there out of the lot. Everything was always big and gaudy and expensive, so it definitely caught his attention, even more considering Gretchen who had been there since he was born thought it would be something that he would want to see.

"Thank you," he said, taking the gift from her. It was plainly wrapped in blue wrapping paper that he felt himself flushing as he realised that it matched the shade of his eyes.

He pulled the wrapping away and opened the box, tilting his head when he realised that the box had a golden and blue silk scarf in it. Reaching in he started pulling the scarf out and blinked when it suddenly changed to a pitch-black fabric with small sparkling dots on it like stars. He pulled the fabric completely free and then gasped when the fabric suddenly seemed to start flowing downward.

The black and sparkle flowed out of the scarf, and the blue and gold returned, before that also flowed out, the colours twisted together forming a swirling whirlwind before dancing playfully around him, and then flying upward to the ceiling of his rooms. It covered a small area the size of the scarf in his hands that had shifted back to black with small sparkles, looking up open-mouthed he watched as the colour slowly spread across the ceiling until it seemed to sink into it.

Lorcan gasped as the colour settled and he realised that he was looking at an imitation of the night sky, shining with stars, each of them glittering a little as he spun in a small circle looking up at them. Minutes later he looked down into the box and found a white rose sitting in it.

He was aware of Gretchen popping out of the room but he reached in and took the rose out, eagerly reaching for the tag that he could see on it, it was short, simple, and brought a massive smile to his face before he made his way over to the sofa and lay down on it, staring up at the amazing ceiling.

With all dedication, Harrison