Everything is J.K. Rowlings. I only claim the plot. Everything else is hers, all the characters and the magic, all of it. Please let me know what you think though, I encourage feedback of all kinds, just be nice about it!

So pairing votes:

Voldemort/Harry - 5

Daphne/Harry -3

Fenrir/Harry -1

Other suggestions have been Rabastan Lestrange and Blaise Zabini. There was a suggestion for a three-way Draco/Harry/Voldemort. Which would be cool but I'll say no for two reasons: one, I don't think I could write a triad relationship to full justice and two, I don't picture Voldemort as the 'sharing' type, Draco either actually.

So currently, still sticking with Voldemort/Harry. As I'm writing more and more chapters for this (because I've currently written fifteen in total and not even close to done) I see that pairing progressing stronger. So if this displeases you, sorry but I guess just stop reading then? Or continue to see if maybe you can believe the relationship. It is a slow burn. I mean Harry is still technically underage for another year. So I envision lots of tension building.

Also, this chapter talks a bit about Harry's family line. I mention his description briefly in the first chapter about him being slightly darker skinned thanks to his dads' side and then the lightning scar looking more like an actual bolt of lightning rather than that scratch in the movies. I mention briefly here that the Potters immigrated from India. I've read a few stories with an Indian Harry and I really liked that image and could picture that being just another reason why he stood out and another reason why the Dursleys didn't like him. It doesn't focus prominently in the story because that isn't the main influencer but casual references will be made, but I figured I should maybe clarify it in case it wasn't picked up on.

Again, reviews are greatly welcomed and appreciated!

My Family Line?

Harry gaped. It was Tom Riddle for sure but how? Harry had only just spoken to the snake version of Voldemort not but two hours ago. Was this really all just a bizarre dream? Harry considered it. Maybe he would wake up and he'd still be at Privet Drive fevered and in pain.

"I'm glad you enjoy the view, but please take your seat. We have a lot to discuss." Harry was snapped out of his minds spiral and his cheeks reddened of their own accord. That voice, it was just as cool and smooth as it had been in the Chamber. The only difference was that the red eyes were still present. But the perfectly coiffed dark brown hair sat upon the man's head and while the man was still pale he wasn't translucently so. He even had a nose! And lips! The Dark Lord was bloody handsome, the bastard!

Jerkily Harry tried to force his legs to move, taking the seat directly across from the man. He still needed to provide some distance between them, no matter what the deal had said. Voldemort said nothing about his choice of seat and instead snapped his fingers and an elf scurried out bringing plates of food. The two men sat in silence as the food was brought forth. Harry turned down the offer for wine by the elf, he needed all of his wits about him and just settled for a glass of water; noticing that Voldemort didn't have wine either.

The elf left and the two were in silence once again. "Do help yourself," Voldemort said easily as he began filling his own plate with a helping of the roast and potatoes. Working on autopilot and feeling incredibly numb, Harry copied the man's motions hardly able to take his eyes away. "Go ahead and ask your questions, Potter," the man sighed.

"How? Why? You're not-" Harry trailed off how did he even begin to ask.

Voldemort seemed amused, the quirk of one eyebrow being the only indication. "Such a Gryffindor. Well, Potter, allow me to answer your uncouth and garbled questions. This is my true form. Admittedly the way you saw me when I exited the cauldron at the graveyard was my rebirthed form, however, the miscreant Wormtail butchered the resurrection potion, leaving me in that state. It has taken the better part of this year to correct the mistake. I do appreciate your disposal of the sniveling fool." Harry shifted uncomfortably at that casual praise. His mind was still trying to process things. Voldemort was talking to him quite easily like they hadn't been sworn enemies just that morning. "As for why I am showing myself like this to you, well, as you pointed out during our meeting, you are not my Death Eater. You are an ally. There is no need for fear and intimidation techniques when it is just the two of us. Also, I don't enjoy the thought of walking about my own home in disguise."

"Right," Harry said dumbly. Was this Voldemort's way of showing that he trusted Harry? Or maybe even valued him? Harry scoffed at that thought internally. No, Voldemort most definitely did not trust or value him, well the man valued him for his inheritance but that was it. They merely had a deal and Voldemort was employing some strange Slytherin technique against him to set him at ease. Given the fact that they had sworn to not kill or harm each other while in this alliance Harry allowed the attempt to work but swore to still remain vigilant.

Mind still numb, he began cutting up his roast and he put some in his mouth to chew robotically. He really was out of his depth and was content to wait for Voldemort to take the lead.

"Now, Potter, on to our arrangement," the man began after about five minutes of silent eating. "You requested protection and I requested the prophecy." Harry nodded, settling back in his chair. "You also requested information, and I have been searching through my library, a library I will show you and grant you access to after dinner, to find any books pertaining to Necromancy and while I haven't found a great deal I do believe I know where you need to start in your search." Harry was listening intently. Finally, he was getting somewhere. "However, I shall show you all of this at the conclusion of dinner. For now, in exchange for the protection provided you shall recite to me the prophecy."

It was a rather abrupt demand and Harry hadn't been expecting it. He'd expected something more eloquently phrased but maybe Voldemort was realizing that Harry wasn't some Slytherin minion and that blunt would work best? However, given that he really didn't put much stock in the prophecy, and one of his requests was already being fulfilled, Harry sighed and recited the words that had imprinted themselves onto his mind the moment Dumbledore told them to him. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives …" Harry took a sip of his water after he finished and watched Voldemort for his thoughts. "Personally, I don't put much stock in it. But I've never really cared for Divination anyway and I don't like some crazy bat dictating my future any better than I like the meddling old coot controlling my life."

Voldemort stayed silent and Harry let him, finishing his roast in the silence. "Interesting, I will look into it more however if my theory is right, it might not hold its power anymore." The man appeared to be thinking out loud and while he was curious Harry didn't have the energy to question it. "Now, Potter," the crimson eyes were focused on him again. "What do you know about Necromancy?"

"Not much actually," Harry admitted with a sigh of frustration. "I didn't even know what the mark was, Hermione had to tell me. I know the stories of Necromancers being the Darkest of the Dark and how a lot consider them evil or something. But I don't feel Dark or evil. However, I spoke with Mimsy and apparently, elves have a different interpretation of Necromancers." Now that he had a human face, Harry was able to pick up on the different emotions displayed easier and noted the interest in the news of the elves. "Apparently to the House Elves, Necromancers are called Death Masters. And according to Mimsy the stories they have pertaining to them paint Necromancers as the balance of all, the sword and shield and justice, which does sound better."

"Admittedly I have never heard of this interpretation by the elves, but it does prove that there is more for you to research than what my library might be able to provide," the man frowned, disrupting his smooth pale features. "Do you care for dessert?" Harry blinked and shook his head. He wanted answers! "Very well, follow me then."

The man stood gracefully and Harry jolted upright and had to hold himself back from running after the man as he led him out of the room. His heart was starting to pound faster again in the hope of learning something about these powers. Hermione had said Necromancy was considered Family Magic. It was another secret to unravel about his ancestry and Harry was desperate to learn it.

It was only about five minutes later that Voldemort led him through a set of double doors and into a library that could rival the one at Hogwarts. Harry could only imagine how excited Hermione would be at seeing this place. There were rows of shelves going down the center of the room and shelves lining the edges of the room. Towards the front was a sitting area with some tables. Two couches and two chairs formed a circle of sorts with small end tables next to each. Off to the side were two larger tables with books already stacked on them with some sturdier chairs settled around them.

"These books are the only ones I could find mentioning Necromancy," Voldemort said, placing his hands on the two stacks of books on the table, making Harry realize he had been left awkwardly gaping at the room. Harry glanced at the stacks, seven books in total. It was better than nothing though. "Tell me, Potter, what do you know of your family line?"

Harry tore his gaze off the books that could possibly hold some answers and looked at the man providing them. "My family line? Like the Potters?" The man pursed his lips and looked almost annoyed but nodded. Harry found the reaction odd but answered. He wasn't in the position to argue right now. "Not much. They were purebloods until my dad married my mom," Harry felt his throat close up slightly not at all comfortable talking about his parents in front of their murderer. "I get my hair and skin color them," Harry frowned, wracking his brain for any other tidbit he could recall that had been mentioned about the Potter family. Voldemort continued to stare at him, his eyes not missing anything. "I don't know much really. Apparently, the whole lot of them were in Gryffindor." Harry shrugged, feeling highly embarrassed at his lack of knowledge and felt his anger starting to bubble towards the man knowing he was the cause of his lack of knowledge.

"I feared as much," the man said simply. "You might want to read up on your family history," he said picking up a large tome next to the research stack. Harry glanced at the title and saw it had something to do with wizard genealogy. "This is a document of every known member of each Pureblood family. The Potters have a chapter in here." Harry stared at the book unable to hold back on his longing. There had been a book with a whole chapter about his family! Why had no one told him! "There is another family that I believe would do you well to read up on. Have you heard of the Peverells?" Harry shook his head. "Take a seat Potter and allow me to give you a brief lesson in the history of wizards."

Nervously, Harry took the offered seat across the table from the Dark Lord as the man prepared to give him a lecture about his own family history. His anger rising over the absurdity of it all. This man was the reason he was an orphan! This man was the reason he had no knowledge about his family history! Clenching his jaw and fisting his hands, Harry concentrated on keeping his temper in check. He needed the information and if he had to listen to Voldemort then he would. He would let his temper loose in the privacy of his room. He needed information and he needed to learn but his jaw was starting to ache from the force he was putting into keeping it shut, Harry turned his attention to the human version of his former nemesis.

"There is such a thing as the Sacred Twenty-Eight, are you aware of this?" Harry frowned that did sound familiar.

"A little."

"The Sacred Twenty-Eight is a compilation of what some Pureblood long ago deemed as the Purebloods. Your friends Weasley and Longbottom are part of this list. The Potters, however, are not despite their long withstanding Pureblood lineage. There are two reasons for this. The first being the commonality of the last name. Potter is also common among muggles and so the creator of this list thought that the Potters had already been intermingling to gain such a last name. The second being the staunch pro-muggle views that the family has always espoused." Harry was surprised at how professional this lecture was, there wasn't even any sneering when the word muggle was said. Voldemort was in full lecture mode. "Now, there is another ancient Pureblood family that also did not make the list but that is because it died out in the male line before the list was created. This is the Peverell family." Voldemort paused and Harry nodded to show he was following though he was confused as to why this all mattered. "Have you ever heard of The Tale of the Three Brothers?"

"I saw it in the book in my room but I haven't read it," Harry said, shocked at the familiarity of the title.

"I suggest you read it tonight. It discusses three brothers and how they apparently outwitted Death himself gaining three incredible artifacts in return. This is, of course, a child's story but all fairytales are based on truth to some degree. The Peverell brothers Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus are considered the three brothers that story is based on." Harry hated the fact that he was hanging on every word that came out of Voldemort's lips. The damn man was too charismatic for his own good and Harry had a feeling that everything from this lecture was going to come together quite soon. "There are many rumors that these three brothers were most likely the Necromancers of their generation." Harry held his breath his eyes wide and sitting on the edge of his seat. Who were the Peverells? How was he connected to them? "Sadly, the line of Peverell ended only a few generations after these brothers, at least in the male line. The youngest brother, Ignotus had a granddaughter by the name of Iolanthe. Now, young Iolanthe later married a young man by the name of Hardwin Potter a first generation immigrant from India, continuing the family Potter from there and carrying the blood of the Peverells along the way."

Harry was reeling. So the Potters had merged with the Peverells who were rumored to have been Necromancers. Information and knowledge about his family history. Harry felt a little overwhelmed. "So I'm descended from the Peverells and gained my inheritance through them, but why me? Why not any other Potter?"

"That I cannot tell you. There are rumors of requirements to be met to claim the inheritance that apparently, no one but you has met." Harry frowned at that. "However, this inheritance does give you a connection to the Peverells and so I suggest you speak with the goblins at Gringotts. Request access to the Peverell vaults, there should be journals in there discussing the Family Magic and that will give you a better understanding of how to proceed."

"I'll go tomorrow morning then," Harry agreed, already trying to plan out how to work it. He still didn't have a wand which made him leery to leave the protection of Voldemort's home. At least here he knew he wouldn't be attacked if only because of the deal they had struck.

Voldemort merely nodded and stepped away from the table, allowing Harry to grab the books provided. Harry did watch the man out of the corner of his eye and saw him claiming one of the couches, summoning a book for himself.

"Potter?" His name being called broke his concentration and he glanced up. He had just finished reading the chapters about the Potters and the Peverells and was starting to flip through the first book discussing Necromancy. "Where is your wand?"

Harry flushed and glanced back at the table. "Don't have it," he mumbled, feeling his face flushing red and his nerves tighten. Would Voldemort take this opportunity to attack him despite the deal?

"Where is it?"

"Don't know. I didn't get to grab it when I was taken captive."

"You willingly came to my manor without a wand?" Harry could hear the disbelief in the tone and couldn't help but smirk a little and turn fully to face the man who looked astonished. It was still strange seeing emotion, no matter how minuscule it showed, on the man's face.

"I needed help and protection for a reason. Besides, I think I would have been able to hold my own given my inheritance."

Voldemort eyed him through narrowed eyes. "It was still a foolish risk. What if I had cursed you as soon as you arrived?"

"I was relying on the fact that you'd be too curious about why I was appearing before you to automatically kill me outright. I know that you like knowing all the details, you don't like being out of the loop. Hence I was betting you would wait."

"You seem rather confident in your assessment of me."

"Am I wrong?" Harry asked with a confident tilt to his head as he gazed at the man who looked decidedly uncomfortable at the turn of this conversation. Harry let the silence hang for a moment more before changing the topic. "What should I call you?"

"Excuse me?"

"What should I call you? I mean I'm not your Death Eater so 'My Lord' is out. Voldemort is better suited to your snakey persona. And I know you hate Tom, and I'm not foolish enough to anger you every time I want to talk if this arrangement is to last. So, what should I call you?"

Voldemort was silent in thought. "Call me Marvolo. However, this is a privilege you may only utilize when we are in private. Is that understood, Potter?"

"Harry."

"Excuse me?"

"You calling me Potter is going to get old fast. So I guess when we are in private you can call me Harry. We are allies after all. Sound good, Marvolo?"

"Yes...Harry." Given how bizarre the conversation was becoming, Harry abruptly spun back around to face his books and tried to focus on the words before him.

"You will need a wand before you leave for Gringotts."

"I'm working on it," Harry replied, not wanting to turn around. "I've got my elf gathering up the items I don't want to fall into the wrong hands."

Since Harry was still focused on the book in front of him he wasn't able to see whatever expression Volde-Marvolo made but the man didn't say anything else. Until it was time for bed two hours later. By this time, Harry had already gotten through five of the seven books and they all said the same thing. Beyond frustrated, Harry gave a short nod to Marvolo before following Mimsy to his room.

Collapsing into the unfairly soft and silky sheets of the bed. He read through the children's story that was apparently based on his ancestors and found himself with more questions. With a sigh, he placed the book on the bedside table and flopped back onto the pillows. But Harry couldn't shut off his mind no matter how much he tried. He tried to organize everything that had happened.

First, he had been shut off at the Dursleys apparently undergoing his magical inheritance. Then he had his inheritance, felt great and killed his uncle...by accident. Dumbledore and Moody suddenly show up, stun and kidnap him locking him up in a dungeon below Grimmauld Place. Dumbledore, the supposed Leader of the Light and the man who Harry trusted and respected and looked up to, tortured him! Cursed him and tried to bind his magical inheritance that would have led to his death if done right. Dumbledore wanted him dead there was no question. Luckily his friends were still loyal to him and had rescued him. Which only led to the confusing day which was today. He had begged and pleaded with his classmates and been taken to strike a deal with the Dark Lord himself. Considering all that he had already learned, at least about his family history, Harry couldn't really regret his decision yet. He hoped he wouldn't regret it in the future either. And he hoped his parents and Sirius forgave him and understood why he was choosing Voldemort, however temporarily.

Because it was just a temporary deal. There was no way that Harry could officially join him. Absolutely not. The fact that the man looked attractive and acted incredibly sane and provided him with answers held no influence. No, this was all temporary. Dumbledore would perish and Harry would go on his merry way...somewhere….

Just temporary, Harry repeated to himself as exhaustion finally claimed him.