"Bleak!" Harry called out. He placed his book down on his desk, groaning as he stretched. "Bleak, come here!"

The house elf didn't appear.

"Bleak!" He tried again. Still, the house elf did not appear. Harry bit his lip in distaste. He was hungry, incredibly so. Plus, it was around dinner time. Where was Bleak? The elf usually brought him food right at six-thirty, especially during whatever meeting his father had going on. So where was he?

"Bleak?" Harry asked, sticking his head out of his bedroom door. The halls were silent as usual, and Harry walked out, peeking around. He twisted the ring on his finger, rolling it. He kept turning his head. He really shouldn't go out, but as his stomach growled with a forgotten hunger, he made the step.

In and out, he'd be fast. He always was.

Quickly moving down the flight of stairs, Harry kept his feet as quiet as possible. He ran on his toes, heading towards the kitchens, eyes searching for any available house elf. Sure, he mostly liked Bleak, especially when the other ones looked at him funny, but they hadn't been doing that much. Harry was glad.

"Bleak?" Harry whispered as he neared closer to the kitchen. He could hear the sounds of voices from nearby, but he tried to ignore them. He crept closer, hands wrapping around the door handle. Nothing. They were locked.

He sighed, turning away as he headed down the hallway again, the shouts and angry conversation filling his ears once again. He shouldn't go over there. He needed to go upstairs and wait. Maybe he should try calling Bleak again, but only once he was upstairs.

He turned down the hallway, moving quickly towards the noise. Just one little glance. Just one little look. Then he'd rush back upstairs and wait. He moved closer.

"My Lord, it's unreasonable! The Sun faction will stop at nothing to get us destroyed! If we start supporting the Moon faction, who will support the Star faction?"

Sun? Moon? Star? The words meant nothing to Harry, but he couldn't help but be intrigued. And who was that man calling 'Lord'? Oh, just a peek. He leaned forward, pulling the door open just a little more, desperate for a glance.

And then something pulled him.

He felt himself get lifted up, a cold hand covering his mouth as he screamed in protest. He kicked, his feet colliding with the legs of his attackers, but the person didn't let up. His heart pounded as the door was torn open. He grabbed the person's hands, trying to pull them away as he was brought into the room. All eyes looked up at him, and he flushed in shame. These strangers were all watching him get carried like some bad guy!

"Hadrian."

Harry could have died on the spot. The person holding him placed him down. Harry just stood there, his head hung in shame. He had gotten caught. He knew, he knew he should have just gone back upstairs!

"Dad, I-"

"What are you doing down here?"

"I-I was hungry!" Harry said, voice pleading.

"You have a house elf." Marvolo's voice was like the thickest ice. His every word was sharp and angry, and it pierced Harry's young heart like no other thing had. Not even the dog that died in the book he read yesterday. Father being angry was worse than anything else.

"I tried calling him, I swear! Like a million times!"

"Bleak." His father called. The house elf never showed. "I see."

"He was here by the doors, My- Mr Marvolo." A deep, silky voice said.

"Because I could hear you guys, and it was loud!" Harry explained, finally looking up. He turned to see the guy that had brought him in. The man had slick hair, with a large protruding nose and vivid black eyes. Harry spun the ring on his finger, looking back at his father.

"Someone must have left the door open. No matter, come here, Hadrian."

"I'm sorry, Dad. I really am." Harry said as he moved closer, now standing beside his father. He flinched involuntarily as Marvolo drew his wand, waving it. Food appeared on the table.

"Take the seat beside me." Harry quickly obeyed. "While I admit this isn't how I would have preferred doing it, it needed to happen eventually."

"I'm sorry…" Harry said again, even as his father passed him a plate of food. Harry noticed that everyone waited for the both of them to be served before moving themselves.

"We will resume discussion later, everyone. For now, let me introduce my son, Hadrian."

Harry bowed his head as everyone looked at him. Oh, Merlin, they were going to see his ugly face and-

"Hello again, Hadrian." A familiar voice said. Harry looked up, seeing Mr Thorik. "Lovely to see you again."

"Hello…" Harry said, giving a small wave. "Uh, how is Theodore?"

"He is well. He's been studying that muggle thing you two were doing. What is it called…"

"Algebra?" Harry said, the spark returning to his eyes.

"Yes, that. I don't understand the fascination, but boys will be boys, I suppose."

A few people at the table laughed.

"Hello, Hadrian." Another man said. Harry gave him a small wave as well. "My name is Antonin Dolohov. We've heard a lot about you."

"Er, you have?"

"I'm Agustus!" Another man said. There were a lot of men in this room. "Augustus Rookwood!

"Avery Yitek."

"You can call me Barty! I don't care much for my last name. My, you really do have-"

"What an ickle little baby!" A woman cooed, reaching across the table, uncaring that she was in peoples' way. "I'm your auntie Bella! What a cutie!"

THIS WAS HIS AUNT? Harry looked at his dad in confirmation, his breathing quickening. This was all too much! The man shook his head.

"Forgive my wife," The man beside her said, his voice both rich and light. "I am Rodolphus, and this is my wife, Bellatrix. To my right is my younger brother, Rabastan."

"Er, hi."

"I shall do the rest," Father interjected quickly. Harry spun his ring, overwhelmed. His breathing slowed as he spun the ring over and over, focusing on that.

"Thank you," Harry whispered. Marvolo didn't mention it.

"That is Veth Crabbe and Giran Goyle. The man who brought you in is Severus Snape. Corban Yaxley and Lucius Malfoy are beside him. You know Thorik. That man at the end is Walden Macnair, and the-" Father suddenly paused. Harry peeked over. "Nial, what are you today?"

"A freak- ow!" The man named Macnair yelped. Harry didn't know why.

"They and them, Mr Marvolo, sir."

"Right, Hadrian, this person is Nial Travers."

"Hello…" Harry waved to the person. "Er, I like your eyes. They're sparkly."

"Thanks, kid! Coloured contacts. My real eye colour is brown."

"Oh. Erm, Dad?" Hadrian points to a man at the very end, his head bowed down. "Whose that?"

"A rat, son. If you must know, his name is Peter Pettigrew." Marvolo explained, eating his dinner. Harry was confused, but he didn't mention it.

"I wouldn't talk to him, Hadrian." The man named Augustus remarked. "You may catch some horrid disease."

"Yeah," Barty added in, grinning widely. "Rat disease."

The two men laughed, even getting a chuckle from Rabastan. Peter just hung his head more.

"Now, Hadrian," Marvolo said after the food had been cleared. All conversation stopped. "You have an important choice to make."

"Yes?"

"You may stay here and join the meeting or return to your room."

"What happens if I stay?" Harry asks.

"You must choose now."

"But-"

"Now, Hadrian." Harry didn't have time to think about it. What could it mean if he stayed? If he left? Harry didn't know. He couldn't think.

"I'll stay!" he said abruptly. Marvolo smiled at him.

Father was…happy. Harry felt he had made the right choice. His heart soared with accomplishment. He had never had his father smile at him quite like that. Father seemed so…pleased.

"Very well. Augustus, continue where you left off."

"Right," he cleared his throat, standing up. "We cannot give into the Sun faction. Not only just on a seat level but also as a whole. They cannot have the upper hand of the Wizengamot! They'll continue corrupting with their inclusive ideology!

"Not to mention their increased funding to creatures."

"Yes! That too! Last year alone, they requested thirteen thousand Galleons be allotted for werewolves and vampires! Not to mention their mudblood fund that barely gets any use!"

"That's because no one is aware of it, especially with the one offered at Hogwarts." Another voice added. Harry thought it was Nial.

"What's a mudblood?" Harry asked his father quietly.

"Someone with dirty blood, Hadrian. Someone not like us."

"Oh."

For some odd reason, the word didn't sit right with Harry.