AN: I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! I also wanted to take some characters from Hogwarts Legacy and add them to the plot, so that it would make more since for Julian Claudius Gaunt's sudden appearance in the UK

Shifting into the new relationship wasn't completely easy, but after about a week, a nice routine had been found. Every other day Harry spent time with one of his two lovers, then went to see the other the following night. It was a simple, yet effective tactic, and it helped him spend time as equally as he could.

He was just beginning to wake up when he felt Tom shift beside him, warm arms tightening around him and pulling him closer.

:I could wake up like this for the rest of my life and still have my breath taken away: Tom hissed into his ears, making Harry shudder and flush darky, turning to look into warm crimson eyes. :Gorgeous: Tom praised softly, pulling him in for a deep, but sweet kiss. Harry closed his eyes and kissed back, crawling into the warm lap.

:So sweet: Harry mumbled against the smirking lips, giving a chaste kiss as he gazed into the heated eyes. :I love it: He smiled softly, kissing him slower, the tiredness still evident in their movements. Tom gripped his thighs as he rolled his hips slowly, earning a tired moan from Harry, who pressed his face into the warm neck.

:Minx: Tom mumbled softly. You've always had such a fascination with my lap: Tom's voice was a rumble, a mix of arousal and grogginess. :I certainly enjoy having you on it: His words were punctuated by another roll of his hips, Harry's eyes fluttering shut at the sensation.

:You should be proud of me for not sitting on it during your meetings. You have no idea how badly I thought of doing it.: Harry panted out as nimble fingers prodded at his backside, teasing his entrance. He pressed against it, a soft whine forming in the back of his throat. "A spell would be quicker." Tom chuckled, kissing the flushed shoulder.

"In a hurry, aren't we?" He leaned down to nip and suck at the marked neck, kissing a dark spot and grinning as he was rewarded with another whine. "I suppose you're correct, though. You'll be expected at Hogwarts in two hours." Tom smirked and made a movement with his finger and wrist, the spell settling around Harry, who gave a desperate groan. "Perfect."

"Please," Harry begged, grinding down on Tom's lap, sucking in a breath as Tom pushed his hips down, entering him in a matter of seconds. "Fuck," He groaned, eyes fluttering shut at the familiar sensation, rolling his hips. Tom gave a soft groan, fingers digging into his thighs as he gave a small thrust forward, watching the way his lover parted his lips, a shaky moan leaving them.

:My beautiful emerald: Tom praised, looking into the green eyes which were clouded with pleasure. Harry sucked in a breath, face burning as he leaned down to capture Tom's lips, slowly sinking up and down, movements a little sloppy from just waking up. :So stunning,: Tom groaned, tugging the hips down to meet his sloppy thrusts.

It was an embarrassingly short time later that Harry released, with Tom following not long after him, the duo flushed and panting, sharing sleepy kisses. With Tom's soft words and gentle praises, Harry's eyelids became heavy, and he found himself draped across the warm chest as the older cast a cleaning charm around them. The last thing he could remember was lips pressing against his scar, words whispering :I love you: before he fell back asleep, mumbling 'I love you too'

He was woken up an hour later, blinking at the sight of Tom in a three-piece suit, his brain coming to a halt as he drank in the sight. His lover noticed and sent him a small smirk, crimson eyes shifting to dark brown.

"How did you do that?" Harry blinked in surprise, flushing when a hand tilted his chin up, their eyes locking. "It doesn't look like a glamour."

"Goblin magic," Tom informed him, slowly caressing the warm cheek. "They're still allowed to perform blood rituals within the Goblin Nation, so long as it's performed within Gringotts, or in their homes. Wizards aren't allowed to interfere with that." Harry nodded in understanding, thinking back to the treaties he read in Binns's classroom, and during his own studies, "My eyes were originally brown, which is why I can change between the two." Harry hummed in understanding, leaning to place a chaste kiss on his lover's lips, smiling as it was returned eagerly.

"Are you worried that someone could recognize you?" Harry couldn't help but ask, looking into the dark brown eyes that he had once seen in the chamber of secrets, and once through a pensive when Dumbledore had tried to make him chase after Horcruxes in his sixth year.

"No. There weren't many who associated Tom Riddle with Lord Voldemort, and now that I go by Julian Claudius Gaunt, there will be even less to make the connection." His lover said, a thoughtful look on his face. "You see, there is one thing that no one knows, not even Dumbledore," Tom spoke softly, dark eyes alight with knowledge. "There was another Gaunt. My grandfather had a brother." Harry felt his eyes widen slightly at that.

For the select few that knew Tom Riddle was Voldemort, or even that he was connected to the Gaunt family through Marvolo Gaunt, this would throw them off.

"His name was Ominis Gaunt and he did sire two children with a member of the Greengrass family," Harry could hardly believe it. Dumbledore was wrong again. When the man had tried to force him to look for Horcruxes, he had been forced to see the Gaunt Family in their hovel, fighting with each other and tearing each other apart with their instability. Dumbledore had told him that this was the last of the Gaunt family.

"Why is it not common knowledge?" Harry questioned. "I know the Gaunt family had been reduced to next to nothing. That was one of the memories Dumbledore forced me to watch last year." How Dumbledore had gotten them, he would never know.

"Ominis disowned himself from the Gaunt family shortly after his graduation. He wanted nothing to do with them. Instead of his wife changing her last name, he changed his when they married." Harry listened to the words, letting them sink in as he got a better understanding.

"How did you discover all of this?" Harry asked, waving his hand as he started to get dressed, giving a small smirk at the way Tom lingered on his neck and chest, eying the marks with a pleased expression.

"While he removed himself from the family, his disowning was never finalized by magic. His birth and death certificates still reside in the Gaunt Vaults, as well as the Slytherin Vaults. The Slytherin Vault has a magical artifact similar to a pensive. Instead of memories fueling it, it is fueled by magic itself, as well as the person's emotions." Harry's eyes widened again, fascinated by the object.

"When you say emotion…I take it there were a lot of negative and dark emotions?" He hesitated, watching as his lover nodded after a moment.

"Ominis in particular. They forced him to perform the Crucitas curse, and when he refused, they used it on him when he was a child." Harry twitched at that, a deep frown on his face. "I plan on using my relation to him. In his later years, he was a prominent figure in the Ministry, despite his blindness. He promoted the old traditions, while expressing the need for change regarding blood status." The more Harry heard, the more he fell in love with the idea. It was a great way for his lover to cover his tracks and a great way to set forth a motion for change.

"You're a bloody genius," Harry said, shaking his head fondly. "Truly. You think of every detail. It's astounding." His lover had the smallest flush on his cheeks and Harry grinned at it, pulling him down for a small peck. :My genius Dark Lord: There was a flash of amusement in their bond. "I am curious about something, though. If there were more descendants from the Gaunt line who went by the name of Greengrass, surely the parselmouths would have been exposed in the Greengrass line?" Tom hummed at that, nodding.

"Ominis had only one male heir. His daughter, unfortunately, died fairly young from Dragon Pox, being that there was no cure yet. His son carried the line for a few years, but eventually, the Greengrass blood curse killed his last descendant thirty years ago. She died in her twenties and had no husband at the time." Harry felt his eyes widen at the information, going over it in his head. "In the documents created by the Goblins, she had an illegitimate child," Harry smirked at the information.

"If they ask, that's who you will claim to be your mother?" His lover nodded.

"Precisely, and to stay hidden, private tutors were hired while I lived in France." Harry was awestruck again by his lover's meticulous planning, not a single detail missed. Tom chuckled at the look of awe on his face, leaning down to give him a final kiss. "As much as I love having you with me, you have to head back to Hogwarts soon," Harry merely hummed, wrapping his arms around Tom slowly, biting his lips.

"I'm looking forward to seeing you there soon," He mumbled, flushing when a hand carded through his hair, eyes soft. "When will you be coming to Hogwarts?" He asked, leaning into the touch with a small sigh of pleasure. Tom smiled, stroking the hair more.

"Tomorrow night. They want the students to be aware of my presence before Dumbledore's removal, to not create a shock when they return from the holidays." Harry nodded at that, fingers curling into Tom's robes slowly as excitement bled into the bond.

"Good. I'm happy I'll get to see more of you instead of just at night," The older wizard smiled down at him, placing a small kiss on his scar. "And I'm looking forward to the mornings. You could keep me in your bed for longer," There was a soft groan as Tom leaned down to capture his lips instead, backing him up against a small desk in the corner.

"Minx," Tom breathed out, claiming his lips again and Harry eagerly pressed back, letting the time trickle away.

"You were later than usual this morning," Hermione grinned at him as they found a perfect spot in the courtyards, the pair deciding to avoid the great hall today and enjoy a light, but warm meal outside. "Have fun?" Harry flushed at the look but was unable to stop from smiling to himself.

"Yeah, we did. It can be hard to leave him in the mornings sometimes. I commend you for the long distance you're doing with Viktor, Merlin knows that it must be hard." It was something they occasionally talked about, but it didn't come up too often in their conversations.

"It is hard, but you know I enjoy a challenge." Harry laughed softly at the good nature in her voice and the way she smiled. "It's something we had to discuss fairly early on and being that we both had time constraints to distract us, we came to the agreement that we would be able to do long distance. He often travels for Quidditch, and with me still, in school, it's served as a good distraction for both of us. We write and firecall whenever we can. And during breaks, we always take the time to see each other." There was a look in her eyes and Harry noticed something behind them as he took her hand, watching her expression flicker again.

"Hermione? Is there something you're not saying?" She bit her lips and slowly looked into his eyes, a look of hesitancy in them. He frowned more, growing more concerned at her hesitancy.

"I'm worried about the future." She admitted, her expression brittle. "Not the immediate future, but further down the line. Viktor and I won't be able to maintain a long-distance relationship like this forever. I have plans to join the ministry and work under the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, to try and change the way magical creatures are treated. Viktor knows I'm passionate about this and he supports me fully, but…" She bit her lips again, and Harry knew what she was trying to express.

"You don't want to leave the United Kingdom and you don't want to ask Viktor to leave Bulgaria." She deflated and nodded solemnly.

"I want a family and kids," She admitted to Harry's surprise. "Not immediately. But I do want it. And if Viktor and I can't compromise, I don't see how we can have a future together." She turned to him, soft tears landing on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her, being reminded of a similar moment a week ago. He stroked up and down her back slowly, letting her vent her worries.

"I love him so much, Harry. He's charming, smart, funny.." She trailed off. "He looks at me like I'm the most important person to him, and I feel that way when I look at him too." Harry used one hand to stroke her hair as a small sob left her.

"Talk to him during Yule when you visit him," Harry suggested softly. "Trust me when I say this, Mione. That man is smitten by you. I've seen the way he looks at you, and that's the face of someone who wants to spend the rest of his life with you. Tell him what you're worried about, okay? He might be worrying about the same thing."

"I gave you similar advice last week," She laughed wetly, and Harry chuckled, kissing her curls gently.

"What can I say? You're always giving good advice. I figured it was my turn to do it," He joked, earning another wet laugh. "I'm sorry you're having doubts about your future, though. How long have you been worrying about this?" He couldn't help but ask, hearing the small sniffle she gave.

"Truthfully? This is a recent development." Hermione confessed. "School has always played a major role with the long distance. It's always been part of my distraction, but now that we're going to be graduating in six months, it hit me hard. That in six months I would be applying for a position in the ministry and not be moving back with my parents." Harry saw another expression flicker on her face, and he gently tightened his hold around her.

"I'm sorry," He whispered, not able to imagine how it would feel to leave behind a family, especially one as supportive and caring as Hermione's. Another sniffle escaped from his friend as she curled into him.

"They know I plan on staying here, but that doesn't mean it's not going to be hard leaving them behind. I plan on visiting them when I can, but I do feel guilty about leaving them." Harry nodded, considering her words. "They assured me that they don't blame me and that they're not upset, but I know it's also hard on them."

"They want what's best for you," Harry's voice was soft as he spoke, running a hand through her curls. "And I know they're proud of you, Mione. You're one of the top students in our class and you have so much passion for improving this world. Even if they don't understand some of the laws or customs here, they do understand all the hard work you've put into this and getting to where you are." The bushy-haired witch offered a wet smile, hugging him tightly.

"Thank you," She whispered. Harry could feel some lightness return to his friend and he didn't bother withholding his small smirk.

"I know something else that will cheer you up." At her small hum, Harry continued, "I plan on using the Twins lemon drops today." Another laugh escaped from Hermione, who slowly pulled away.

"Merlin, I can't wait to see that!"

Albus Dumbledore was having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

First, it started with eating a rotten lemon drop. It was delicious right until the end. As soon as the candy finished melting on his tongue, the worst taste replaced the delicious lemon flavor. He immediately bolted from the great hall, holding his hand to his mouth as he ignored the whispers and stares.

Later in his office, Fawkes pecked his hand hard, drawing blood. The feisty phoenix then scratched at the hand, flying away and squawking at him loud enough for his ears to ring. The bird had been doing that often in the last two years, which served to only frustrate the old man more.

"Come now, Fawkes," He had spoken in a soothing voice. "I brought you food." The Phoenix merely squawked at him again, flying higher to the tallest perch he found, turning his back on the wizard. "How rude-" Before he even finished the sentence, something warm and sticky hit his robes and head.

The window opened suddenly, with magic that was not his own, and out the Phoenix went, leaving behind a gaping soon-to-be ex-headmaster, with Phoenix excrement on his body.

And when he had finally cleaned himself up and made his way to dinner in the great hall, a letter was waiting for him at the head table. With a resigned sigh, he opened the envelope.

Headmaster Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore,

In an effort to make this acclimation easier on the students, the Ministry will be sending in a third-party official to finish your tenure after Yule. He will be arriving tomorrow night so both he and the students can familiarize themselves with each other.

Julian Claudius Gaunt will be arriving at approximately ten o'clock tomorrow night, and he will be treated with respect. If the Board discovers any attempts to discredit him, or attempts to make the students wary of him, the consequences will be dire.

As stated in the last letter, your position at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry will be nullified starting the 22nd of December. Your belongings will be gathered, and you will be escorted off the premises no later than eleven pm,

An Official Statement from The Board of Governors, Chairman Lucius Malfoy, and Chairwoman Amelia Bones.

Dumbledore felt numb as he stared at the letter, dread pooling in his gut as he read the name over and over.

Julian Claudius Gaunt.

Gaunt. Gaunt. Gaunt.

His head was buzzing, eyes wide and face pale as he tried to grasp the situation.

Gaunt.

Could it be…

When he looked up from the table and met Harry's eyes, the old fool came to a conclusion.

He had to convince the chosen one, and soon.

As he unwrapped a new lemon drop and internally thought of what to say to Harry. As he placed the hard candy into his mouth, it eventually started to burn and sting. He winced as he removed the candy slowly, eyes catching the long crack that had splinters through the deformed piece. The edges had cut his tongue open, making the lemon flavor burn and sting all the more.

Albus Dumbledore was definitely having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.