Lorcan sighed and rolled onto his back and stared up at the top of his bed, the light blue fabric swaying slightly in the breeze coming in from his open window. He sighed to himself as everything that had happened over the last few days went through his head. Harrison had disappeared earlier in the day to have his meeting with his people after they had played outside in their lion forms.

Lorcan had been surprised by Harrison's animagus form, but he had enjoyed them playing together in their animal forms, and he had been upset when Harrison had to transform back to go to his meeting, even though Lorcan knew that it was to do with his and his family's safety. He hadn't been ready to part from Harrison's company. Frustratingly he hadn't seen him for the rest of the day either. He hadn't been expecting him at lunch, but he had thought he would see him at some point in the afternoon, supper at the very least, but nothing. Sirius had smiled at him, though he had an odd twitch in his eye as he explained that Harrison was still in the meeting.

He had hovered around a little in the evening hoping to at least have a conversation with Harrison, combing through some of his books for his research for Harrison and watching his father and dad interact. His father was a little subdued after everything that had happened, and Lorcan was able to see that he was shaken as well by what had happened.

Finally, he called it quits and went to bed.

For all the use that it had done him, he hadn't been able to sleep, his mind spinning over everything, unable to quiet down enough to let him sleep. He had tossed and turned, opened his books again, and tried sleeping again but nothing.

Groaning to himself he threw his covers off of himself and climbed out of the bed, grabbed his dressing gown, and made his way towards his living room to find something different to do to try and tire himself out. He opened the door to his living room and blinked as he took in the sleeping figure on his sofa, though it was only for a second because Harrison sat bolt upright quickly, his wand in his hand and his green eyes scanning the room.

When he realised there was no one else in the room he looked to Lorcan concerned, though his eyes were a little sleepy.

"Harrison?" Lorcan asked.

"Lorcan, is everything ok?" Harrison asked concerned starting to kneel up on the sofa.

"Everything is fine, I am sorry I didn't realise that you were here, I just couldn't sleep," Lorcan hurried into the living room before Harrison could fully get up.

"You can't sleep?" Harrison asked concerned tilting his head.

"My mind is just spinning, that is all," Lorcan sighed.

"It has been a busy few days," Harrison snorted, settling back down. He patted the duvet on the sofa in offering, and Lorcan wouldn't have been able to say no if he had wanted to when those hopeful green eyes turned onto him. Considering he had been longing for Harrison's company since they had parted, he made his way over and settled down next to Harrison on the sofa as the other lit a couple of the lights in the room.

"A busy few days is putting it mildly. What are you doing?" Lorcan asked curiously as Harrison transfigured what looked like a little hob on top of the coffee table.

"The best thing for sleepless nights, Remus always makes it for me when I can't sleep, it is the best hot chocolate that you will ever taste," Harrison smiled over his shoulder before turning back and summoning a few items that he needed, including a pan, two cups, and the ingredients that he needed.

Lorcan settled back onto the sofa and tucked his feet underneath him as he watched Harrison work, the tension relaxed from his body as he watched Harrison and the scent of hot chocolate filled the room.

"Here," Harrison held out one of the cups to Lorcan before settling back himself with the other cup. Lorcan cupped his hands around the warm ceramic and breathed in the sweet scent before taking a sip of it, realising that Harrison had spelled it to be the perfect temperature for drinking. He sighed contentedly as the warm liquid seemed to seep through his whole body, and he closed his eyes as he felt a tension that he hadn't even realised he had eased a little from his shoulders.

His blue eyes fluttered open, and he felt his cheeks heating up when he realised that the movement he had felt was Harrison shifting to pull the corner of the duvet out from underneath himself, and he was curling it over Lorcan's bare feet to keep them warm.

"I didn't think that you would sleep in here again tonight," Lorcan admitted, his voice soft and low as the time of night and lighting seemed to require.

"I hope you do not mind, I am still concerned and a little tightly wound. I thought about going back to my room, especially as I did not get to confirm you were ok with me being here. But I just wanted to make sure you were safe," Harrison said honestly.

"I appreciate you being here, I am sorry that I woke you though," Lorcan bit his lip.

"It is no problem, I will never protest spending time with you," Harrison smiled at him.

"You are…" Lorcan snorted shaking his head.

"Yes?" Harrison grinned. Lorcan just shook his head and took another sip of his drink. "Your dad and father seem to be doing ok?" Harrison said and asked at the same time.

"Yes, Father seems a little awkward and uncomfortable, he doesn't seem to know what to do with himself, but they feel more settled at the same time. I knew Dad was hurt by everything, but I didn't realise how much, he hid it from me because I was angry enough," Lorcan sighed, wrapping his arm around his legs and resting his chin on his knees.

"That's not your fault, you were allowed to be angry at the situation," Harrison shook his head.

"You weren't angry though, I had my dad, and in my heart, I knew that it wasn't as though father wanted to be away from us. Your life was much harder, and you don't have the same anger," Lorcan said softly.

"Our lives and the circumstances were very different, I didn't have a chance to be angry, I was playing a part the whole time, I am fairly sure that torturing those your father keeps in the dungeons is my therapy, and how I get my anger out," Harrison snorted.

"I am feeling a little lost right now I think," Lorcan admitted quietly.

"Is there anything that I can do to help? I hope that I am not contributing to that feeling," Harrison said concerned.

"I am unsure where I fit in here, I feel as though I don't really have a place besides being my father's son, and I don't know how to ask my father if I can get involved in helping him because I don't know where I fit," Lorcan looked down at his covered feet, "you aren't contributing to it, you feel like a steady point right now, one of the few that I have,"

"Hang on," Harrison placed his mug down on the table and stood before apparating out, and then apparated back in a few moments later.

"Harrison, what?" Lorcan asked, confused but Harrison dropped down onto the sofa again and dropped a pile of paperwork onto the space between them.

"Here, these are my notes on our plans going forward, my notes on the people within the Dark side, and those on the light side with what I know about them, there are also some of the things that we are looking at doing and some of the plans that I plan on putting into place once we win," Harrison explained.

"Isn't it dangerous to have this written do…" Lorcan frowned but then picked up the first page and squinted, it was as though the words were zooming around the page. "You charmed it," Lorcan chuckled.

"Yes, and you need the code to be able to see past it," Harrison smirked, and Lorcan narrowed his eyes at the other as his brain spun to try and work out what Harrison clearly wanted him to figure out.

"Parseltongue," Lorcan laughed.

*Duck* Harrison hissed in parseltongue, and Lorcan snorted in laughter even as the notes revealed themselves.

"Duck?" Lorcan chuckled.

"I wanted something completely random," Harrison shrugged. "You can look over them and see what you think, see the areas you are interested in, and see where you want to go with them,"

"Will my father not be angry with you for giving me these?" Lorcan asked even as his eyes scanned over the first page, as with the notes that Harrison had had on the light side that he had shown Lorcan before the assassination of Dumbledore, the notes were orderly and detailed, well laid out, and showed Harrison's intelligence.

"Unless you haven't noticed me and your father bump heads a lot anyway, and I am more than capable of dealing with him. But he won't be angry for you seeing these, he doesn't want you to feel that he has forced you into being involved, or that he has shoehorned you into something, which is why he has been keeping you at a distance from this,"

"Thank you," Lorcan smiled, placing the paperwork on the coffee table.

"You're welcome, if there is anything that I can do to help, you know where I am," Harrison smiled.

"How did your meeting go?" Lorcan asked.

"I am annoyed that I allowed it to slip through, I am upping the security and trying to make sure that this doesn't happen again. My people are going to be keeping eyes on the people that I am concerned about, and I am making sure that they are keeping their ears open for any grumblings or murmurs of discontent, especially about you and your dad," Harrison said.

"It wasn't your fault," Lorcan shook his head.

"It was though, I am meant to protect you!" Harrison's jaw tightened turning his head away, Lorcan scowled and opened his mouth to say something but Harrison was already speaking again, "And I know that you and your dad are more than capable of taking care of yourselves and wiping the floor with them, but you shouldn't have to worry about doing that, you shouldn't need to,"

"You were keeping as close an eye on them as you could while Father was still allowing them into the manor, and to have free reign. He has apologised for allowing that to happen, you don't have to apologise for what happened," Lorcan assured him, smiling softly when Harrison turned to look at him.

"It still frustrates me," Harrison sighed.

"I know, which is why I trust you, and why my father clearly respects you so much," Lorcan said, "you take your position seriously,"

"Thank you," Harry smiled softly at him, his green eyes softening in that way that had Lorcan's heart fluttering.

"How are things going with your dad?" Lorcan asked, resting his arm on the back of the sofa and resting his head on his arm.

"They're getting there. I can see that he struggles with some of the choices that I have made, and some of the things that I do, the person that I am, he hasn't said anything about it, but I know he has talked things through with Remus and Sirius a lot to try and understand. I feel like I am second guessing who I am suddenly, and what I am doing," Harrison admitted quietly, and Lorcan realised with a start that aside from Nagini, he was probably the only one that Harrison had expressed this to.

"He has been through a lot, and not had a lot of interaction with other people, his world view has been flipped around, he probably just needs a little time, it isn't anything to do with you or the choices that you are making, and more with him trying to adjust to being out of that room and seeing things outside of what Dumbledore allowed him to see and know,"

"I…I hadn't thought about it that way," Harrison blinked. "Thank you,"

"You have reassured me, and helped me see things outside of the immediate so many times, I am glad that I can be here to help you for once," Lorcan shook his blond head.

"You were there for me when everything happened initially with me finding my dad, your support there meant so much to me," Harrison admitted.

"You are something else, Harrison Potter," Lorcan shook his head.

"In a good way or a bad way?" Harrison grinned.

"I haven't decided yet," Lorcan lied. "Go through some of these with me?" he requested reaching forward for the pile of paper.

"No problem at all, shall we start with the plans going forward?" Harrison offered.


Lorcan woke slowly, he felt warm and comfortable, though he scrunched just a little further under the duvet covering him as he slowly came back to consciousness, feeling well-rested and comfortable. His brain caught up with him and he remembered the early hours of the morning, the conversations with Harrison, and going over the paperwork that he had given Lorcan, the last thing that he remembered was getting tired and Harrison starting to speak softer before he obviously fell asleep.

Stretching his legs a little his feet under the duvet pressed against someone sitting at the bottom of the sofa, he was fully expecting to see Harrison there when he opened his eyes and looked over the duvet, he was not expecting to see his dad sitting there with a soft smile. When Lorcan blinked confusedly at him he pressed his finger to his lips and then motioned across the room.

That warm feeling in his chest that he was getting increasingly around Harrison flared brightly when his eyes found Harrison squished into Lorcan's armchair, one leg over the arm of the sofa, and his head tilted back at an awkward angle in sleep. Lorcan smiled and snorted fondly when he realised that Harrison had to have settled him more comfortably onto the sofa and put the duvet over him before settling onto the armchair to sleep so that Lorcan's boundaries were not pushed, and that no muttering of inappropriateness could be called.

"Good morning," Malakhai said softly.

"Morning Dad," Lorcan shuffled into a seating position, smiling appreciatively when his dad cast some freshening charms over him.

"Late night?" Malakhai asked.

"I couldn't sleep, Harrison kept me company until I fell asleep," Lorcan explained.

"Everything ok?" his dad asked, concerned.

"It is now," Lorcan smiled softly looking back over at Harrison who let out a little snort in his sleep.

"I am happy for you my love," Malakhi said gently.

"Nothing has happened yet," Lorcan shook his head.

"I am still happy for you," his dad smiled. Lorcan chuckled before sliding out of the duvet and making his way over to Harrison, gently shaking his shoulder to wake him. Green eyes snapped open and Harrison wrapped his hand around Lorcan's wrist as he glanced around the room before settling when he realised that there was no danger in the room.

"Good morning," Lorcan smiled.

"Morning, good morning my Lord Consort," Harrison said through a yawn.

"I would ask if you slept well, but the angle your neck was at made my neck hurt. You could have slept on the sofa as well," Lorcan said softly.

"I didn't have your permission," Harrison shook his head before stifling another yawn. "What time is it?"

"It is 09:30," Malakhi told him, Harrison blinked before he groaned.

"Bugger, I am meant to be out with Fenrir in 2 minutes, he is going to be such a nag about this," Harrison said jumping to his feet.

"You had better get going then," Malakhi chuckled as he waved his wand, and some of the breakfast that he had clearly ordered for Harrison and Lorcan were wrapped into a fabric bundle for him. "Take this with you to eat,"

"Thank you my Lord Consort," Harrison smiled, bowing before taking Lorcan's hand and kissing it gently. "Lorcan," he said in a way that had butterflies jumping in Lorcan's stomach, he turned and hurried out the door.

"I have been looking for you! You're late…why the hell are you coming from the Lord Heir's rooms!" Fenrir's voice could be heard by them from the hallway. "Harrison, you're going to cause war," the alpha werewolf whined just before the door shut to Harrison's laughter.

"Nothing has happened yet," Malakhi repeated, picking his book back up and leafing through it.

"Shush!" Lorcan huffed.

"Why does Fenrir look as though he is about to have a heart attack and Harrison is still in his pyjamas?" Voldemort asked, looking over his shoulder as he walked into the room. Lorcan glanced at his dad before turning to his father.

"Harrison slept in my living room the last couple of nights to watch over me, I couldn't sleep last night so he kept me company until I did fall asleep, but it meant he was running late this morning," Lorcan explained.

"Oh," Voldemort blinked as he shut the door, clearly fighting down the first 4 responses that he wanted to give.

"Harrison settled Lorcan onto the sofa when he fell asleep, and then made to sleep in the armchair," Malakhi told his husband.

"Of course he did," Voldemort snorted, and Lorcan was pleasantly surprised to see a flash of fondness crossing his face.

"You're ok with it?" Lorcan asked nervously.

"I…" Voldemort started to say and then took a breath, he made his way over to sit down in the armchair that Harrison had not long vacated. "A large part of me wishes that you were not old enough to be courted, or want to court, and I am being selfish wishing that I could keep you to myself and your dad for a little longer. But if there is anyone that I could have chosen Harrison would have been the one, for all he skirts around the rules and is laid back, I know that he will always treat you respectfully and honourably. More than that he has a lot of love in his heart, I believe that if he loves you, he will completely and utterly love you,"

"Father, you know that even if Harrison and I do start courting and…more than that, that doesn't mean that we won't have time together right?" Lorcan said gently.

"I…it feels as though I am losing you before I have had a chance to try and make amends for what I have put you through," Voldemort sighed looking at his hands where they were resting in his lap.

Lorcan glanced at his dad, who smiled gently and with understanding at him, nodding a little. Lorcan got to his feet and made his way over to his father's chair, kneeling down at his feet he reached out and took his hands, meeting startled red eyes.

"I was really angry at you for a long time, but only because I loved you and I wanted for you to be with us. I was angry at the circumstances more than anything else, and speaking to you, actually getting to spend time with you, speaking to Harry and Nagini, I realised that it hasn't been easy for you either, that you have been suffering as well, and I and dad had each other, you were alone for a lot of that time," Lorcan squeezed his father's hand.

"It was through my choices though that it all happened," Voldemort shook his head, and through his expression, Lorcan was finally able to fully see the hurt, loneliness, and self-blame that his father felt. He knelt up and wrapped his arms around his father, the Dark Lord floundering for a good minute before he wrapped his arms around Lorcan and hugged him tightly.

"You didn't mean for it to happen, you didn't plan for it to happen, it wasn't your fault. What happened, happened, I want to move forward and make the most of being together now. And even if I court Harrison or someone else, that doesn't change that I am your son and I want to have a relationship with you," Lorcan smiled. "I will still be living here with you and Dad,"

"And what if Harrison doesn't want to live with us?" Voldemort asked as Lorcan pulled back, a happy smile on his face.

"Oh please, that man is absolutely wrapped around Lorcan's little finger, he would jump off of a cliff if he asked him to," Malakhi snorted.

"Dad!" Lorcan flushed.

"Well it is true," Malakhi laughed.

"That is true, he is extremely dedicated to you already," Voldemort smiled, he reached out and cupped Lorcan's cheek, "and that is all I could ever want for you, to be loved,"


"Harrison!" Bill called running down the hallway towards the younger man. "Thank Merlin, I have been looking for you everywhere!"

"Is everything ok William?" Voldemort asked as the eldest Weasley came to a stop next to Harrison where he was standing with Lorcan, Voldemort, and Fenrir.

"I always feel like I am in trouble when you call me that, My Lord," Bill grimaced.

"Your group is as impertinent as you are," Voldemort huffed.

"Why were you looking for me?" Harrison asked amused.

"Moody sent this for you," Bill held out a letter to Harrison.

"Hmm," Harrison hummed and passed the letter to Lorcan. Bill looked away pinching his lips together to try and stop his laughter at the expression on Voldemort's face. "Kingsley is suspicious of a couple of our people in the department, and is trying to look into Dumbledore's death, he believes that it was murder,"

"Which it was," Bill snorted.

"Assassination," Harrison corrected, "he is also making noise about trying to find me," Harrison sighed.

"What about imperioing him?" Fenrir suggested.

"You would probably be better off kidnapping him and replacing him with someone who is polyjuiced, he is a strong enough wizard to resist Imperio after a short while, and his closeness with Nymphodora Tonks," Lorcan suggested.

Voldemort paused and turned to him before smiling slightly and inclining his head, "That is a good idea,"

Harrison smiled a little when Lorcan brightened at the comment, his face not really changing, but his blue eyes seemed to shine a little.

"Harrison?" Voldemort turned to him.

"I shall go and get him, My Lord," Harrison bowed a little, "come on Bill,"

"Why am I going with you?" Bill blinked.

"Because Kingsley is bald, and we need to make polyjuice," Harrison said and started walking away. Lorcan, Voldemort, and Fenrir watched Bill consider what Harrison had said for a moment before his brown eyes widened in horror.

"Harrison, no!" Bill whined, hurrying after him.

"Shit rolls downhill William," Harrison said cheerfully.

"Harrison!" was whined again before Harrison reached out and grabbed Bill's arm and apparated them out.

"Good call," Fenrir grinned at Lorcan.

"Thank you," Lorcan smiled at the werewolf, he turned when his father rested his hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently.


Lorcan and Malakhi stared at each other wide-eyed following the sound and turned towards the door before lunging to their feet with their wands in their hand and moving to open the door.

"For fucks sake you three!" Harrison's bellow both made them relax, and curious at the same time, and they opened the door, slowly lowering their wands in time to see Sirius, Fred, and George running past, smoke coming off of them and covered in soot, terror on their faces while Harrison descended on them.

"Help My Lords!" Fred squeaked with pleading brown eyes, reaching out for the two of them but a spell hit all three at the same time, changing them into rather terrified-looking rats, rats that squeaked increasingly in panic as they scrambled to carry on running when Nagini dropped down from Harrison's body and lunged at them.

"Erm?" Malakhi managed to make the questioning noise as his brain tried to catch up with the last couple of minutes.

"I'm going to kill them," Harrison sighed, coming to a stop outside the door that they were gathered around, Lorcan was surprised to see his eye was even twitching a little.

"What was the bang?" Lorcan asked curiously, looking down the corridor from where Harrison had come from, and was a little alarmed to see smoke billowing out of a door.

"It is fine, the house elves are putting it out," Harrison huffed pinching the bridge of his nose, "I have no clue what they were brewing, but whatever it was, they blew it up,"

"Are you ok?" Lorcan asked with amused concern stepping out into the hallway and resting his hand on Harrison's shoulder.

"No, they are pushing my last nerve!" Harrison growled.

"Sirius?" Remus asked, walking down the hallway and pushing James in the wheelchair that Harrison had bought for him, more like a rolling armchair and absolutely layered in cushioning charms to keep a still far too thin James from being uncomfortable.

"And the twins," Harrison grumbled.

"Master Harrison," Dobby popped into the corridor, smoke coming from the tip of his tea cosy hat.

"How bad is it?" Harrison sighed from his boots and Lorcan chuckled, squeezing his shoulder before taking a risk and sliding his arm through Harrison's. The immediate brightening in the younger man was more than worth him taking the jump, he pointedly ignored the look they were getting from the three older men with them.

"There is being a purple and green…goop running around everywhere," Dobby grimaced.

"When you say running around?" Harrison groaned. Dobby opened his mouth but then pointed back down the hallway, they turned and watched a house elf battling a gloop of liquid that was trying to wiggle out of the room while the elf hit it with a broom. "For fucks sake," Harrison huffed.

"Harrison, language," Remus said fighting back laughter.

"I would worry more about making sure Nagini doesn't eat Sirius than scolded me for my language," Harrison smirked as he waved his wand and forced the gloop back into the room, and cast a barrier over the doorway.

"What did you turn him into?" James asked.

"Rat, Nagini was complaining that she hadn't been able to stretch her proverbial legs today," Harrison shrugged before groaning, "Dobby send for Snape,"

"Snape?" James' lips pinched together, a look of utter fury crossing his face.

"James?" Malakhai asked concerned. Harrison absently wondered when his dad became James to Malakhai but he was more focused on James.

"I would like to have a few words with Snape," James said through gritted teeth.

"James," Remus rested his hand on his friend's shoulder, seeing that he was actually shaking with fury.

"Perhaps we should take this somewhere a little more private?" Lorcan suggested softly.

"In here," Malakhi nodded, stepping back into the room, Lorcan gently pulled Harrison in with his arm still through his and led him over to one of the sofas and sat down with him while Remus wheeled James into the room.

"Dad?" Harrison asked.

"Dumbledore took great delight in telling me how Snape treated you because you were my son, and showed me the number of times that he tried to get you expelled, the number of times that he went for you, he took joy in telling me how bad you were doing in potions because Snape was sabotaging you or allowing the Slytherins to sabotage you," James grit out.

"It's…" Harrison started to say, but James held his hand up shaking his head, Lorcan squeezed Harrison's arm in what he hoped would provide comfort.

"He knew what Petunia was like, he knew what she thought of magic and he knew how she had treated Lily when they were growing up, the things that she, and then Dursley had said to her," James shook his head.

"How?" Harrison reached up and covered Lorcan's hand on his arm, knowing that this wasn't going to be easy to hear, Lorcan slipped their fingers together.

"They were friends, best friends, they found each other when they were children, both of them showing accidental magic, Snape knew what it was, his mother was a witch, he explained to Lily and they became friends, even when they got to Hogwarts and were sorted into different Houses," James looked to Remus.

"They were good friends even though Lily was in Gryffindor and Snape in Slytherin. Until fifth year, James and Sirius were…"

"Bullying, we were bullying him," James turned to Harrison. "I was jealous of his and Lily's relationship and I reacted childishly and stupidly,"

"I am not one to be throwing stones on choices made," Harrison shook his head, James scanned over his face before nodding, seeing that Harrison understood.

"We were bullying him, Lily came over to help him, and to tell us what she thought of what we were doing. He called her a mudblood, she couldn't forgive him that," James sighed. "They were not close again, but he was still in love with her,"

"In love?" Harrison grimaced.

"Yes," James nodded. "He…I can, I can never forgive him for knowing how Petunia and Dursley were more than likely to treat you, and still left you there. I can never forgive him for that night either,"

"That night?" Remus asked confused, reaching out and taking his friend's trembling hand.

"When…when Voldemort…" James started to say and then grimaced looking at Malakhi and Lorcan, the blond's grip tightening on Harrison's arms as they all quickly realised what James was talking about. "I don't want to stir anything talking about it, but that night, after I had been laying there for a while I think I came back to consciousness, Harrison crying stirred me, but I couldn't move, I was able to open my eyes eventually and could see Snape cradling Lily's body, and he was completely ignoring Harrison who had blood pouring from his head. He lay there with her for Merlin knows how long holding her, and then got up and apparated out, leaving Harrison there in his cot still,"

"He just left him there?" Malakhi frowned, turning to look at Harrison.

"Yes," James nodded. "I could hear Harrison screaming, and crying, and I couldn't move. And he just completely ignored him, then Dumbledore came,"

"He just left him, crying, but if he loved her, how could he do that to her child?" Lorcan frowned tightening his grip on Harrison's arm and hand, almost clinging to him as he imagined a small baby Harrison sobbing and crying, his forehead bleeding from the now famous lightning bolt scar, and Snape just completely ignoring him while James was stuck in his own mind having to listen to his son sobbing, and being unable to help him, to comfort him.

"Because his love was selfish. It was why at the end of the day Lily broke their friendship and chose James, because even though he could be a bit of an idiot, he had a good heart, and he is a good person, and his love for her wasn't selfish and possessive, it wasn't the controlling and hoarding love that Snape held for her," Remus sighed.

"I can not forgive him for what he did, for leaving you there crying, for leaving you with Petunia," James ground out.

"Snape is be being here," Dobby popped into the room looking at Harrison intently.

"I will be with him now," Harrison said nodding. He slipped his arm free of Lorcan's touch and they all watched as a mask slipped into place over his features, hiding the hurt and anger that had clearly been on his face, instead a calm and collected expression smoothed down his features.

"Harrison?" James asked.

"I am sorry for what you went through, I can't imagine how difficult it was for you to have to go through that, but Voldemort still needs him. I will deal with him afterward," Harrison brushed down his robes and then walked out of the room.

"He's stronger than I think even he realises," Remus smiled sadly when James turned to him. "He compartmentalises,"

"I am going with him," Lorcan said standing, his dad nodded gently to him and he quickly left the room, James Potter's hazel eyes grateful as he met them before leaving the room in time to see Snape barely restraining what was clearly a sneer as Harrison reached him.

Harrison turned slightly to watch Lorcan walking down to him, Snape's dark brown eyes flicked onto him and then back to Harrison, and Lorcan could see the dislike in them, and the distaste.

"I was not aware that you were keeping our Lord Heir company, is our Lord aware of that?" Snape said even as he bowed to Lorcan.

"I am more than capable of making my own choices, Harrison summoned you for me," Lorcan came to a stop next to Harrison and slipped his arm through his again, watching the expression on Snape's face with satisfaction as the man tried to fight down his clear feelings to the move and implications of the move.

"Of course Heir Lord, I have been extremely busy brewing potions for My Lord and have been putting up with Longbottom's wide-eyed stare at me while I am going through his plants for my potions, but of course, I have time to assist you," Snape drawled.

"There has been a potions incident in there from an experiment I requested. We are in need of your expertise to deal with it," Lorcan said with a balance of ordering and charming the oily man.

"Of course My Heir Lord," Snape bowed, his brown eyes slashing to Harrison, pausing on his face as though trying to read something from him, and then turned and made his way into the room.

"Do you wish to go back to them?" Lorcan asked gently as soon as the door was closed behind Snape, turning his clearly concerned blue eyes onto Harrison.

"No, I can't go back in there," Harrison shook his head.

"Do you want to be alone?" Lorcan asked.

"No," Harrison shook his head looking down at Lorcan intently.

"Show me somewhere you like?" Lorcan asked, and Harrison's green eyes sparkled for a second, the tenseness to his face easing.

"May I apparate you?" Harrison smiled a little.

"Yes," Lorcan licked his lips and then stepped into Harrison's larger, warm body, and wrapped his arms around his waist. Harrison's green eyes widened and he wrapped his arms around Lorcan before apparating them out.

The blond Heir Lord kept his arms around Harrison even when they appeared where Harrison had moved them too, and he pressed his face into the younger man's shoulder, and hugged him, his breath catching when Harrison's arms tightened around him.

"I trusted him," Harrison said after a minute of them just standing there. "I knew that he didn't like me, but along the way, he did protect me, and I trusted that for whatever reason he was doing what he did, that I could trust him to protect me, and I…hearing that was difficult. But more so was thinking what my dad had to go through, what he has been through,"

"I am sorry," Lorcan reached up gripped onto Harrison's robes.

"What for?" Harrison sounded startled and Lorcan leaned back to look up into his eyes.

"For what you have been through, for what you have had to deal with, and the fact that you still have to hold everything together and carry on for what is the best for the cause," Lorcan reached up and brushed his hand across Harrison's face. "I am sorry for the betrayals that you have had to put up with, and are still having to deal with,"

"I just can't wait for the war to be completely over so that I can stop constantly looking over my back and wondering where the next betrayal is going to come from. It feels a little sad that I am longing for the time when I just have to be concerned about a normal level of looking out for betrayal," Harrison sighed.

"I won't betray you," Lorcan said softly, and green eyes practically flamed as they looked intently at him.

"That could be taken the wrong way," Harrison said roughly.

"Or the right way," Lorcan said a little breathlessly before turning and looking at where they were.

"It is a hillside by Hogwarts. Your father taught me to apparate from 12 so that I would be able to meet with him, this is a place where I would come to get away from everything, to get away from all the eyes watching me, and the people that I had to pretend to be friends with," Harrison explained.

Lorcan looked out from the hilltop that they were standing on. It was stunning, there were hills and valleys as far as the eyes could see across the landscape, and there was snow tipping a lot of the hills around them. Right below them was a large loch, the water glittering in the sunlight, the water crystal clear, and there were stunning bursts of purple, white, and pink where heather was growing over the landscape.

He turned to look at Harrison and found the younger man already looking at him, already watching him with that expression that he seemed to wear when he was looking at Lorcan, the expression that made Lorcan's breath catch and his heart jump in his chest, the expression that Lorcan saw in his dreams, both day and night. He smiled softly and reached up to cup Harrison's cheek again.

"You have never brought anyone else here before, have you?" Lorcan asked, but he already knew the answer to the question.

"Only Nagini," Harrison said earnestly, and Lorcan smiled at him. Leaning up a little on his toes he pressed their lips together, feeling the shock going through Harrison before he tightened his arms around Lorcan's waist and kissed him back. It was simple, and it was almost sweet with the way that Harrison held him, as though he were something precious, something important to Harrison.

Lorcan's blue eyes flickered shut and he pressed closer to Harrison, his hand sliding up his face to bury his fingers into that ink-black hair and lost himself in the kiss.

"Lorcan," Harrison breathed out against his lips when they eventually managed to find the will to pull apart.

"I accept your courting," Lorcan said against Harrison's lips and watched green eyes flare with joy.

"Really?" He asked with a beaming smile.

"Really," Lorcan smiled back, combing his fingers through Harrison's hair now that he had finally allowed himself to do what he had been longing to.

"I won't let you down," Harrison promised.

"I know you won't, and I won't let you down, I promise," Lorcan smiled, humming contently when Harrison dipped down to press their lips tenderly together again.