average human’s Reviews > Polyjuice > Status Update

And right before the train pulled in the station Harry snapped his fingers to make his camera float in midair so they could take a new group photo with the addition of the Weasley Twins, where Harry smiled brightly from his accustomed place between Luna and Susan.

It was as impressive as it was exhausting. The only mask Theo could manage was bored, and Harry spent the whole ride entertaining the others.

When the train arrived in the station Theo kissed Hermione goodbye in the privacy of the emptied compartment before he politely walked her to her parents.

“Hermione, Theodore,” Hermione’s mother, Jean, smiled warmly at them. “How was your year? I want to hear all about it.”

“It was great,” Hermione hugged her mother fiercely before hugging her father just as hard. “Can Theo come get dinner with us before we all go home?” She bit her lip lightly when she looked at Theo and he thought she seemed worried.

“I can’t, I’m sorry,” Theo told her before her mother answered, probably affirmatively. Hermione’s parents seemed to like him as they got to know him over visits last summer. It was a point of pride with Theo that Hermione’s parents trusted him with their only daughter. “I’m staying with Harry for a few days, and we have to floo to his house.”

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him slightly and Theo knew that she was annoyed he kept it from her until last minute.

“I’ll write you,” he whispered as he hugged her goodbye.

“Tell Harry I said thank you,” she whispered back cryptically.

“Theodore don’t be a stranger this summer,” Hermione’s father, Dan, said cheerfully. “We still have to finish our chess tournament.”

“Of course,” Theo smiled politely at Hermione’s father, who was as different from his own father as possible. “I’d never pass up an opportunity to hear more stories about Hermione as a child.”

Hermione’s parents and Theo all laughed at the look of indignation on Hermione’s face before, with one last goodbye, the three Grangers left.

Theo looked around the emptying platform and almost missed Harry’s shock of messy black hair as hidden as it was surrounded by two tall blondes and a couple of redheads.

“Theodore,” Lucius Malfoy said cordially as Theo approached the odd group. “How are you?”

“Fine sir,” Theo said back just as politely. He’d never understand how Harry had managed to pull a devout Death Eater to his side so easily, but figured it was just another of Harry’s many talents.

“Ready to go?” Harry asked him, beneath the freckled arm of Fred Weasley.

“I suppose so, yes,” Theo said slowly.

“Are you going with Harry?” Draco asked, envy plain as can be on his face.

“Theo’s staying the night and helping me study some runes I wanna learn,” Harry lied easily.

“I can help too,” Draco offered brightly. “I think I did well on the final in Runes.”

“Your cousin will come visit us soon Dragon,” Narcissa Malfoy said softly. “Right Harry?”

“Of course Cissa,” Harry grinned at the regal appearing woman. “Plus we’ve got the Quidditch Cup this summer, yeah? Fudge sent me tickets to the Top Box.”

The Weasley Twins laughed, and Theo’s bored mask slipped slightly as Harry casually mentioned the actual Minister of Magic sending him tickets to the coveted Top Box of an international professional Quidditch match.

“Then we shall see you there darling,” Narcissa said before sweeping a still pouting Draco off towards the floo.

“You guys are coming too, right?” Harry asked Fred and George.

“Your wish is my command,” the twin with his arm around Harry, Fred, said dramatically.

“Even more so when Ronnikins will die of jealousy,” George laughed.

“Why would Ron be jealous?” Harry asked curiously. “He’s coming too, isn’t he?”

Theo had a sudden realization.

“Harry,” he said slowly. “How many tickets did the Minister send you?”

“Twelve,” Harry said easily. “Wanted one for everyone plus one for Snape, didn’t I?”

“Merlin,” George sputtered. “Do you have any idea how much those tickets cost?”

“Didnt cost anything,” Harry shrugged. “I just told you I got them for free.”

The Weasley’s, and Theo to a lesser extent, all gaped at Harry’s casual tone.

“I’m dating the bloody Boy-Who-Lived,” Fred whispered in a stricken tone. “Merlin.”

“Come on Freddie, let’s go find Mum before you have a panic attack,” George laughed nervously as he pulled Fred off towards a large group of redheads that could only be Ron’s family.

“Did I say something wrong?” Harry blinked at Theo.

Theo didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the hold Harry unknowingly had over people.

“No,” he said steadily. “You’re just you.”

Harry gave him such a ‘duh’ look that Theo could practically hear Susan echoing the sentiment.

“Let’s go surprise Snape,” Harry said with a mischievous smirk that gave Theo a bad feeling.

“When you say ‘surprise Snape’, you don’t mean that you neglected to tell your guardian that I’m staying with you, do you?” Theo trailed helplessly after Harry towards the floo.

“When I say ‘surprise Snape’ I mean, let’s go surprise Snape,” Harry said simply as he stepped up to the floo. “I’ll go first, just say Spinners End: Sevvie, alright?”

Theo scoffed that Harry made his password his bloody owl. Apparently Snape didn’t tell him that he shouldn’t make his password something so easily guessed. Which was a bit daft of Snape really, considering Theo didn’t know anyone, save Dumbledore maybe, that had as many enemies as Harry Potter. But he nodded and waited for Harry to disappear in the flames before stepping up himself.

“Spinners End: Sevvie!” he cried.

2%

“Can we trade rooms now that Theo’s here?” Harry abruptly asked Snape.

“We are not trading rooms because you have a guest,” Snape said curtly, apparently this was an ongoing disagreement between them. “We are perfectly able to expand your room if we must.”

“Fuck,” Harry laughed. “Dunno why I didn’t think of that. It’s brill. C’mon Theo.”

Theo followed Harry through the sitting room to a set of polished black stairs and up to a short hallway.

“Our rooms in here,” Harry said, throwing open a black paneled door to the most horribly decorated room Theo had ever seen.

“Merlin,” he cringed. “What happened in here?” The walls were painted a mismatch alternating pattern of bright green and blue with literal splotches of red and yellow here and there throw on top of it.

“Oh.” Harry crinkled his forehead as he looked around the horrifying room. “Painted it last summer. I was just trying out different colors.” Harry shrugged and waved his hands and Theo watched as the walls changed to a dark blue, not unlike that of the Ravenclaw house. “Better?” Harry asked.

“Much,” Theo said as he sat gingerly on the edge of Harry’s bed. “So... what’s the plan?”

“Simple, you’re staying over for a few days and when your Dad tragically dies then I’ll tell Snape you’re staying for good,” Harry sounded distracted as he glanced around the room with a look of pure concentration. “Don’t move for a minute, yeah?”

Theo didn’t even have a chance to ask why before Harry held his hands up to his chest, palms out.

“I want this room to be bigger,” he hissed out, thankfully in English. Theo didn’t know if he could handle Parsletongue on top of the rest of the absurdity that was dealing with Harry on a one-on-one basis.

Theo would have told him that magic didn’t just work because you wanted it to, except that apparently for Harry Potter it did.

The house shook lightly as Harry’s bedroom seemed to swell, and swell, and swell, until it was the size of a small studio flat.

“Sweet Merlin!” Theo yelped, jumping to his feet when the room stopped swelling. “How did you do that?!”

“Magic,” Harry deadpanned, despite his panting breath. “Bit harder than I thought.”

“Harry, Theodore, may I come in?” Snape knocked on the door.

“Yup,” Harry called from the spot on the floor where he decided to sit as he caught his breath.

“Foolish brat,” Snape said as he looked around the magically expanded room. “I said we Harry, we could expand your room.”

“Didnt need help, did I?” Harry looked up at Snape curiously. “It’s done now. ‘M just gonna make it a bit bigger later and add a wall or somethin’ so it’s a bit more private, like two rooms instead of one.”

“No you will not,” Snape said sharply. “I will do it before you drive yourself to magical exhaustion.”

“Is that possible?” Harry muttered to Theo as Snape drew his wand and began changing the room again.

“Possible, but rare,” Theo told him. “It’s usually something that happens to young kids when they do accidental magic that’s too strong for their core to handle.”

“Pft,” Harry scoffed. “I’ve been doing accidental magic since I was five.”

“It is not accidental if you intentionally did it,” Snape cut in. “Is this what you envisioned?”

Snape had made the room even larger and had the back wall wide with a dividing wall that cut halfway down the room.

“Yep,” Harry got to his feet slowly as he looked around the newly expanded space. “I’ll put my bed on that side-“ Harry pointed towards the side that had the clear view of the door, “and we can go buy Theo a bed tomorrow to go there,” he pointed at the other side of the wall. “Then we just need another dresser, nightstand, and a wardrobe cause I’m not sharing my closet.”

“This is an incredible amount of work for a temporary house guest,” Snape said slowly, looking them both over with his perceptive eyes. “Is there anything I should be aware of?”

“Nope,” Harry lied as he unstuck a photo from above the place his bed was. “Just wanna have room for my friends, yeah?”

Snape looked as if he didn’t believe Harry at all, but dropped the subject.

“Mavis says dinner is in an hour,” he said instead. “He also says that if you are late he won’t make dessert because apparently ‘Mavis has been missing Master Potter’.”

“‘Kay.” Harry tapped his bed with his knuckles and smirked when it disappeared and reappeared in the newly made space for it. “We’ll be there.”

Snape sighed in a weary way that Theo could understand before leaving the room.

“You can sleep on the sofa tonight and then tomorrow we can grab Draco and go to the furniture store Cissa showed me,” Harry called over his shoulder as he reattached his photo to the new place above his bed. “Kay?”

“I’ll have to go to Gringotts first,” Theo said. “I’ll need to withdraw money from my account.”

“Don’t,” Harry waved his hand and started unpacking his trunk, sending his belongings flying around the room with the silent and wandless magic he controls that Theo would kill for. “‘M gonna buy it. Well, I guess Sirius Black is. But same difference, yeah?”

“No,” Theo threw his hands up, exasperated with the odd things Harry says. “It’s not the same difference at all! Why would Sirius Black buy me a bed?!”

Harry blinked up at Theo, surprised by his outburst.

“Because I’m his Heir,” he explained slowly. “And I claimed my Heirship while he was in Azkaban so now I use his vault to buy things so my Potter vault can ‘earn interest’ or whatever Griphook says. There’s a ton of money in there, don’t worry.”

“You’re mad,” Theo groaned as he slid his trunk to the space that Harry determined was his. “Absolutely mad.”

“No I’m fuckin’ not,” Harry sneered from the other side of the dividing wall.

Theo gazed around the little private room Harry had made just for him. Harry was mad, but he was also sly, perceptive, cunning, and one of the most powerful Wixen Theo’s ever heard of. Theo and Hermione may be the most ‘book smart’ people in their year, but Harry was a genius when it came to people and magic, which was worth a lot more in some ways than book smarts were.

“No, you’re not,” Theo agreed quietly. “You’re brilliant.”



Theo woke up early the next morning, after spending the night tossing and turning on Harry’s sofa, and blearily stumbled in to Harry and Snape’s kitchen.

“Good morning Theodore,” Snape said, startling Theo at his quiet place at the dining table. “How did you sleep?”

“Fine,” Theo lied.

He’d slept terribly. He’d been worried about Harry, worried about his father, and worried he made the wrong decision for the last two weeks. It seemed like the closer it got to summer, the more stressed Theo came over it.

He didn’t want Harry to get hurt, or arrested, by trying to kill his father. Even though Harry easily admitted to killing Lockhart, Lockhart was a moron and Theodore Nott Senior was an extremely powerful man.

Theo knew this for a fact because he was his fathers favorite target to show the strength of his power to.

And even though Theo had spent his whole life wishing to be aware from his father, hiding from him as much as he was able to in the summers, and carried scars on his body from the man’s own wand- he was still his father. And Theo would be relieved to never set eyes on him again, but he was also already mourning him. He was mourning the father that he never got to have. The one that he would have done anything to make proud of him.

So yeah, he slept pretty badly.

“Harry should be up soon,” Snape said as he sipped something that smelled like the same weird hot coffee Harry drank in the mornings. “I presume you both will be shopping today?”

“Yes sir,” Theo said with a grateful nod towards Harry’s weird elf when he put a plate of fruit and a cup of tea in front of him. “Thank you Mavis,” he said kindly.

“Mavis is being happy to feed Master’s friend,” Mavis squeaked with a toothy smile. “And Mavis will be being happy to have Master’s friend here for as long as he is staying.”

“Speaking of which,” Snape drawled, putting the paper he had been pursuing down flat on the table. “How long exactly did you father grant you leave to stay here?”

“A few days,” Theo said evasively as he thought quickly of a way to lower Snape’s suspicion. “But... but he thinks I’m at Draco’s house. He doesn’t like Harry much sir.” Theo knew that admitting to one small lie usually helped to hide the bigger ones. If he admitted his father didn’t know he was at Harry’s house it might make Snape less suspicious on how long he was planning on staying.

And it worked apparently. Snape smirked at him and lifted the paper back up.

“I see,” he said simply. “I imagined that the Senior Mister Nott would never have approved of his Heir residing with Harry Potter.”

“No sir,” Theo agreed quietly as he picked at the food in front of him.

Snape hummed before the two of them lapsed in to an uncomfortable silence. Theo kept looking towards the kitchen doorway, wishing Harry would show up soon to break the tension.

Eventually Snape checked the time and frowned.

“Mavis,” he called. “Would you kindly go wake Harry up and remind him that it is important he still has breakfast at the same time in the summers as he does at school?”

“Mavis can,” Mavis said happily before popping away instantly.

“Why?” Theo asked curiously.

“Why what?” Snape asked, not unkindly.

“Why does Harry need to eat breakfast at the same time?” Theo clarified.

“Because Mavis made him breakfast,” Snape said, which made no sense at all.

“Master Potter is not being here,” Mavis squealed as he loudly cracked back in to the kitchen. “He is not being anywhere in the house or the yard.”

“God damnit,” Snape swore. “Where is Harry?” he asked Theo severely.

“Probably getting Draco,” Theo lied. He had no idea where Harry was. They had said goodnight last night and planned on getting Draco and going shopping after breakfast today.

Snape stared at Theo intently for a long moment. Theo struggled to keep his face clear of any emotions before Snape finally nodded curtly.

“You’re lying,” he said. “Where. Is. Harry?”

“I really don’t know sir,” Theo said nervously. “Honestly.”

Their silent stare off was interrupted by a loud POP! and Harry suddenly appeared in the kitchen.

“Fuck.” Harry swayed on his feet and gripped the kitchen counter tightly. “Morning.”

Snape leapt to his feet and was beside Harry in an instant.

“Where were you?” he asked sharply. “And why do you stink like...” Snape inhaled before groaning and running a weary hand down his face. “Why do you smell like fire Harry?”

Fire?

Theo looked Harry over carefully and saw that he was covered in soot, despite apparently bloody apparating, and did smell strongly of smoke.

“Accident,” Harry said as he glanced around the kitchen quickly in a way that Theo recognizes as an assessment of danger or threats. “‘M gonna go shower.”

“Eat first,” Snape snapped. “Then shower.”

“‘Kay,” Harry yawned and plopped down in the seat between Theo and Snape and was immediately served by his elf. “Ta Mavis.”

2%

The three of them sat in what was absolutely a much more tense silence than Theo and Snape had shared. Harry quickly ate a plate of pancakes and fruit, seemingly indifferent to the state of disarray he was in. Snape glared at Harry and tapped his foot irritably as Harry dodged every question he threw at him. And Theo? Theo was confused.

He sat quietly while he waited for Harry to finish eating then followed him up to his room just as quietly. He couldn’t hold back his questions anymore the moment the door closed behind them.

“Where were you?” he asked Harry.

“Your place,” Harry murmured as he dug through his dresser. “It’s done.”

“What?” Theo staggered backwards and fell to the floor. “Harry- what happened?!”

Harry shrugged as he grabbed a long sleeved shirt from his closet.

“We fought, he said a lot of rude shit, and I killed him. Oh. Here.”

Harry pulled a box out of his discarded jumped pocket and enlarged it before he handed it gently to Theo.

“I thought you might want that.”

Theo was still reeling over Harry casually admitting he had actually killed Theo’s Dad-

Praise Merlin.

-when he opened the box slowly and choked up at its contents.

“Mother,” he sighed quietly at the stacks of photos Harry had grabbed for him. “Where- where did you find these?” Theo only owned one photo of his mother, the rest had been hidden away by his father the day after her funeral.

“Your dads cupboard in the back of his closet,” Harry said. “Figured you’d want them.”

Theo looked up at Harry and was struck by what he’d done. He freed Theo. Theo never had to go back to his father. Never had to feel the sharp sting of being a disappointment along with the equally sharp punishments dealt unfairly from his fathers wand. And in the midst of freeing Theo, Harry thought Theo might want a box of photos of his mother.

“I-I don’t know what to say,” Theo said in a choked whisper. “Harry- thank you.”

“It’s fine,” Harry rubbed the back of his neck, uncomfortable with Theo’s uncharacteristic show of emotions.

Theo nodded and flipped through the photos of his mother while Harry finished gathering his clothes.

“‘M gonna go shower now,” Harry told him. “I stink.”

“Oh,” Theo hastily wiped beneath his eyes and looked up at Harry. “Why do you smell like fire anyway?”

“Got caught in your fuckin’ giant parlor while the house was burning, didn’t I?” Harry scowled. “Nearly burnt up myself if I hadn’t of popped back home.”

“You burnt down the manor?” Theo was sure his eyes were comically wide, but he couldn’t find anything funny about the moment at all.

“Yup,” Harry said easily. “Killed him with a new curse I learned and thought it might be a good chance to try out fiendfire. Which, is actually pretty much impossible to control.”

Theo didn’t know whether he wanted to laugh, or cry, so he settled for sitting in the middle of Harry bloody Potter’s bedroom and stared at the floor while Harry took a shower.

Harry was a madman. He just killed a man, Theo’s father, and was only worried about how much he stunk from using fiendfire. Theo wasn’t sure if he was going in to shock in that moment or not but he did know this-

Harry Potter saved him. Freed him. Let him align himself to him. And even if Harry was completely mad- Theo was going to follow him for the rest of their lives.

Chapter End Notes

Up Next: Severus Snape had a plan for the summer but this ain’t that.

4%

“Theodore,” Severus called up the stairs. “Your presence is being requested in the sitting room.”

Hopefully if Theodore is a current fugitive, he will interpret Severus’ words correctly and make a run for it.

Severus returned to the sitting room and eyed the grim faced aurors carefully.

“Amy! How are you?”

Severus was torn between relief and exasperation to see Potter step in the sitting room, trailed closely by a pale faced and red eyed Theodore.

Which, was rather suspicious.

As was the way Potter was clenching his left fist as he politely shook hands with Shacklebolt and Tonks with his right.

Potter hates law enforcement almost as much as Potter hates hand shakes and other casual physical touches that do not come from Bones, Lovegood, or now Weasley.

“Tonks, I’ve got a funny story to tell you later,” Potter grinned.

Severus was suddenly aware that Potter looked remarkably like Lucius does when he is playing politician.

“Harry, I’m afraid this isn’t a social call. We need to talk with your friend.” Despite her clear dismissal, Amelia smiled warmly at Potter, taking any possible sting out of her words.

“Theo?” Potter asked, faux-surprise coating his voice as he very subtly shifted, guarding Theodore behind his back. “Why?”

“I’m afraid it’s official business,” Shacklebolt said, his narrowed eyes indicating he also did not miss the way Potter moved to hide his friend.

For fucks sake Potter, what have the two of you done?

“Gentlemen, if we could have some privacy?” Amelia said.

“I believe I should stay,” Severus said carefully but firmly. “Theodore is a minor and I would like to remain present for any official conversation as my role of his Head of House when he is at Hogwarts.”

Amelia nodded at Severus with a brief look of approval before turning to Potter.

“Harry, I’ll see you later okay?”

“He can stay,” Theodore blurted out. “If Snape can stay, then so can Harry.”

Potter’s eyes flashed with what seemed to be... smugness? excitement?... Severus could not quite figure it out before he nodded solemnly.

“If you’re sure,” he said, backing up to stand shoulder to shoulder with Theodore.

“Theodore I’m afraid I have some bad news,” Amelia said softly. “Your father was found a few minutes ago, I’m sorry. He’s gone.”

Severus was watching Potter’s face carefully and saw as he went carefully guarded at the news before turning a striken (fake) expression to Theodore.

“Oh,” Theodore said blankly. “Are you sure?”

Severus may have no idea what was happening, but he swore in that moment that he would hold acting courses for every student associated with Harry Potter at some point in the future.

“Yes,” Amelia said just as gently. “His body was found in the middle of your manor. Law Enforcement was dispatched this morning to the presence of fiendfire. They weren’t able to retrieve his body until the flames burnt themselves out. I’m so sorry.”



Flames.

Fiendfire.

Fucking Potter.



“Thats... I don’t know what to say...” Theodore said, his voice sounding as blank as his face was.

“I hate to ask you this, but were you here all night?” Amelia asked as Tonks pulled a notepad and a quill from her pocket.

“Yes,” Theodore said quietly. “I’ve been here since we got back from school.”

“Has he?” Shacklebolt asked Severus.

“He has,” Severus confirmed honestly. Theodore had tossed and turned on his sofa all night last night. It was God damned Harry Potter who was absent this morning.

“And Harry? Have you been home as well?” Shacklebolt asked.

“Why are you asking them these questions?” Severus cut in sharply before his ward could answer. “Are they being accused of something?”

“Nott Senior was murdered,” Tonks said bluntly. “He didn’t cast the fiendfire.”

Of course not. Because Harry fucking Potter did.

“And you were able to determine this how?” he asked.

“Because our team was able to determine that Nott Senior’s veins were vanished before the fiendfire was cast,” Shacklebolt said, his dark eyes glued to Potter. “Which means that someone killed him then set the manor aflame.”

And Shacklebolt had apparently already decided who that someone was. Which was quite a leap.

Even if Severus was sure it was true.

“And there was residual magic indicating that someone apparated away from the scene,” Tonks added.

“And you made the jump to blame Nott’s own son and Harry Potter?” Severus scoffed. “That seems hardly believable.”

“The spells indicated that it was a male, aged 11-16, that was last in the home before fiendfire was cast,” Shacklebolt said slowly. “In a home that required a password to get past the main gates.”

Which meant that they immediately guessed Theodore or one of his male acquaintances who was still underage. This was hardly a leap, this was narrowed down specifically.

“That’s horrible,” Potter sighed, still standing beside Theodore. “But Theo wasn’t there and neither was I.”

“This can be cleared up easily,” Amelia said. “Theodore we need to check your wand please.”

“Yes ma’am,” Theodore said dutifully as he handed Shacklebolt his wand.

”Prior Incantato.” Shacklebolt touched his wand to Theodore’s and they all watched as two levitation spells were revealed, followed by two charms, before Shacklebolt ended the spell.

“I believe Flitwick will be more than happy to inform you that those charms were part of the third years final exam,” Severus said curtly. “Shall I call him?” he raised his brow challengingly at Shacklebolt.

“No,” the other man said, handing Theodore back his wand immediately. “Our sincerest apologies Mister Nott.”

“Severus, do we have your permission to cast Priori Incantatem on Harry’s wand?” Amelia asked.

Potter’s left pinky twitched, just slightly, and Severus felt an overwhelming wave of gratitude wash over him at the signal.

“Of course,” he said, maintaining the cold tone of a guardian whose ward was being wrongfully interrogated for murder.

Shacklebolt reached out for Potters wand and Potter looked balefully at him before handing it to Amelia.

”Prior Incantato,” she murmured, touching her wand to Potter’s.

Four mist like shields tied together rose from Potter’s wand, the ghostly figure indicating what his last spell had been.

“A multiplicity shield?” Tonks asked with her pink brows high on her forehead. “There are aurors who can’t do that!”

Potter shrugged and they all watched as his wand puffed out a disarming spell, followed by a levitation spell.

“That’s it?” Tonks cried as the wand quit emitting images. “How can his wand only have three spells recorded on it?”

Severus said nothing, waiting, and hoping for the aurors to draw the incorrect conclusions.

“Harry... you don’t use your wand, do you?” Amelia asked slowly.

God damned son of a bitch, Severus cursed in his mind as Potter blinked at Amelia.

“I don’t,” he said politely. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know I’d need to be defended for using wandless magic. Maybe I should call Mister Malfoy?” Potter gave Severus a long and hesitant look, which was quite masterfully done. As was the threat to call his Barrister whose name carried nearly as much weight as Potter’s own did within the Ministry.

“Severus, can you confirm that Harry has been home since the train arrived in London yesterday?” Amelia asked Severus.

“I can,” Severus lied. “Theodore and Harry have both been here since three o’clock yesterday afternoon where they floo’d directly from the train platform.”

“Theodore, do you know anyone who matches our description that would want to hurt you father?”

“No ma’am,” Theodore answered Amelia quietly. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

Amelia nodded down at him and gently put her hand on her shoulder.

“Do you have family we can call? Someone to stay with?”

“He can stay here,” Potter said immediately. “We don’t mind.”



The larger bedroom.

The extra bed.

The need to go purchase additional furniture.

This was not ‘my life was in danger and I reacted quickly and killed them’, this was premeditated.

Nott Senior was a particularly cruel and devout Death Eater, but Potter plotting his death? This was perhaps one of the cruelest acts Severus has learnt of his ward committing.



“Severus? Would you be willing to sign on as a temporary caretaker for Theodore until we check and see if we can find any family?”

“Of course,” Severus agreed quickly, clearing his mind of Potter’s nonsensical actions. “Theodore is an excellent student and he is welcome to stay as long as he needs.”

“Alright,” Amelia smiled softly at Theodore. “Reach out to me if you need anything at all, okay? And if you think of anything that might help our investigation, get ahold of me. Alright?”

“Yes ma’am,” Theodore said softly.

Severus gave the Amelia and her aurors stiff nods and waited until they were safely through the floo.

“Theodore, upstairs,” he hissed through his clenched teeth. “I need to speak with Potter.”

“Go,” Potter nodded towards the stairs and turned to face Severus defiantly.

“Muffliato.” Severus waved his wand and placed his own spell around them as he and Potter glared fiercely at each other.

“Have you lost your god damned mind?” Severus eventually hissed. “You killed a man Potter!”

“Four,” Potter said casually, his arms crossed and his fists tucked beneath them. “Killed four men now, haven’t I?”

Severus stared at Potter, flabbergasted at his devil may care tone and was suddenly reminded of something the Muggle Mind Healer told Severus in an appointment.



‘I do think that Harry confessed to killing two men, not including the one you told me of. If these are true then Harry has actually become Britain’s youngest serial killer.’



For the love of God. How did this become Severus’ life?

“I will give you sixty seconds to tell me why you killed your friends father before I-“

5%

“Well... I mean, I don’t want to speak ill of the man or anything, and I don’t have any proof, but...”

“But what?” Severus snapped, fed up with Lupin’s hesitant speech. “Speak Lupin. What do you know?”

“Theo’s boggart is his father,” Lupin said quietly. “I told Albus that I think he’s abusing Theo. Or... was, I suppose. Was abusing Theo.”

That. That was the missing piece to the puzzle.

Theodore told Potter his father was abusive and made Potter vow to not tell anyone. Potter then must have offered to kill the man. And Theodore must have accepted.

“I have to go,” Severus said curtly. “I will speak with you later about your courses.”

“Okay, well tell Theo-“

Severus ended the floo call in the middle of whatever emotion driven drivel Lupin was about to share. He slumped down in his seat and buried his hands in his hair as he berated himself.

He had failed Theodore and Potter both.

His diagnostics on Theodore in the child’s first year had not shown any prior abuse, but that was not rare for children of talented users of dark magic. In those cases Severus simply looked for any behavioral indicators of abuse.

The fact that Theodore had not shown any said quite a bit about the child’s ability to disassociate from the abuse.

Which meant it was likely rather severe.

And Potter...

Severus had spent the entire week treating Potter coldly when they interacted and thinking the worst of his ward.

And Potter had learned that his friend was being abused by his father, was under a vow not to inform anyone, and had simply taken the matter in to his own hands at Theodore’s request.

-A child rapist.
-A Voldemort possessed madman.
-A man with a sword to Potter’s throat.
-And a child abuser.

Potter was not some cold hearted killer, racking up a body count.

He was a traumatized survivor who worked yesterday morning in defense of his friend.

And Severus had treated him terribly for it.

Well.

He’ll just have to make it up to him. Potter and Theodore both.

Severus thought about it as he sat quietly, occasionally hearing floorboards squeaking above his head, when he had the perfect idea for the two grey oriented boys that was stored in his private library in his bedroom right at this moment.



“Mavis, kindly ask Harry and Theodore to join us for dinner,” Severus said when he grabbed his apology gift and entered the kitchen.

“Oh, is Mister Snoop done being mean to my poor Master Potter?” Mavis asked with deceptively wide eyes. “Mavis was thinking maybe Snoop wanted to upset Master some more instead.”

“I am not wanting to upset Harry in any way,” Severus said tightly, unaccustomed to explaining himself to an elf. “Please inform the boys I would like them both to eat in the kitchen tonight.”

Mavis grumbled something no doubt unflattering under his breath before obediently going to fetch the boys.

When the two boys entered the kitchen, both looking around carefully as they settled on to the edge of their seats, Severus attempted to make amends.

“Theodore, it has been remiss of me not to ask after you. How are you?”

Theodore looked startled at Severus’ neutral tone and sent a subtle look Potter’s way before responding just as neutrally.

“I’m a little shook up, but I’m okay. Thank you for asking,” he said in what sounded to be a rehearsed answer.

Severus nodded before breathing deeply and turning his attention to Potter, who appeared to be prepared for anything but neutrality.

“Harry, I apologize.”

“What?” Potter seemed startled by Severus’ apology and his eyes flicked around the room quickly as he laid his palms flat on the table. “What are you apologizing for?” he asked warily.

“I have been incredibly unfair and rude towards you the last two days and for that I apologize.”

Potter squinted at him as he tilted his head in the odd way that Severus begrudgingly finds amusing.

“Even though I can’t tell you what happened, or why?” he asked.

“I should have shown my trust in you that there was a reasonable explanation for your actions and not demanded an answer in order to treat you with the civility that you deserve,” Severus said.

The two of them stared at one another for a few long moments before Potter eventually broke his gaze and shrugged.

“I knew you didn’t trust me,” he muttered. “Even though I tried to tell you that I really can’t tell you what happened.”

Severus glanced towards Theodore who shifted uneasily on his seat before looking back at Potter.

“I do trust you,” Severus insisted. “I made a mistake, and I hope that you can forgive me and we can put it behind us.”

“Are you going to do it again?” Potter asked predictably.

“Will I react badly the next time you come home smelling like fire and are immediately interrogated by the DMLE for murder? Probably,” Severus admitted. “I wish that you had came to me first, as would have been appropriate. Especially as you risked your life, and freedom, again. But that is no excuse for my actions, hence the apology. And since I cannot falsely promise not to react badly in the future, I have instead gotten you a consolation prize in exchange for the truth that I am only human and will make many mistakes when it comes to my own behavior.”

“What consolation prize?” Potter asked, an interested light in his eyes.

Severus smirked as he pulled out the book in his robes and offered it to the boys.

“This is an incredibly old, and rare, book of blood based defensive and offensive spells.”

“Woah,” Theodore gasped, his brown eyes wide as he stared at the book Severus slid towards them. “I-I don’t even think this is legal.”

“It is not, so I would prefer it remain here when we return to the school,” Severus confirmed, watching Potter carefully as the child examined his blatant bribe. Potter flipped through the pages and his eyes widened eagerly as he pointed a page out to Theodore.

“I accept your apology and I will probably forgive you eventually,” Potter said, the edge of his lips curled up in to a small grin.

“Thank you,” Severus said genuinely. He had no idea if Potter truly would forgive him for his actions, but hoped that they would at least put the matter to rest for the summer.



The three of them ate dinner in a much friendlier atmosphere than they had experienced so far this summer. Severus asked about the boys’ summer homework and Potter scowled as Theodore explained his complex studying schedule he was trying to force Potter to follow. Severus even, in an act of pure penance, listened to Potter extensively describe the teams for the upcoming Quidditch World Cup.

“You’ll see what I mean about Krum’s tactics when we’re there,” Potter eventually said as they finished eating.

“When we are where?” Severus asked with a curious glance towards a heavily sighing Theodore.

“The Quidditch World Cup,” Potter blinked at him. “I’ve got tickets for the Top Box.”

“The Minister of Magic sent Harry twelve tickets to the Top Box,” Theodore said with an exasperated look towards Potter.

“Minister Fudge believes Harry is ‘as good as a son to him’,” Severus said drily, recalling the man’s words as he twisted his bowler hat anxiously in Potter’s hospital room at St Mungo’s.

Which Severus did not believe. What Severus believed was true was that the Minister simply enjoyed being on a first name basis with the Boy-Who-Lived.

“Yeah, he likes me,” Potter smirked. “Even got me a good camping spot for two nights for the new tents Theo and I bought. But Blaise isn’t coming because he said he’s not leaving Spain or the women there until he’s drug kicking and screaming back to school. Draco told us yesterday his family got tickets of their own. And Fred, Ron, and George are going with their family because someone owed their Dad a favor and got them all tickets to the Top Box. Soo, I’ve got five extra tickets. But I already got one for you originally, don’t worry,” Potter said hastily. “I was thinking I’d give one to Susan’s aunt and one to Black, but I dunno what to do with the other three.”

“The other four,” Severus corrected him. “As there is nothing in this world which would make me wish to spend two nights camping with a group of teenagers and watching a Quidditch match. Though I do recommend sending an additional ticket to Lupin, as he does live with your godfather.”

Potter blinked at him in surprised.

“You’re not gonna come? But... I got you your own tent because I figured you wouldn’t want to share with anyone else.

Apparently there was something that could cause Severus to attend a three day Quidditch event.

Guilt.

“You purchased a tent solely for me to use during your recent shopping trip?” Severus asked.

“He did,” Theo said lightly, his brown eyes hardening momentarily.

“Despite my atrocious behavior towards you?” Severus asked Potter.

“I figured you’d get over it quick,” Potter shrugged. “And the tents were selling out fast. I probably wouldn’t have been able to get three of them if it weren’t for the fact I signed an autograph for the shopkeeper.”

“That... that was quite kind of you,” Severus said. “Thank you Harry. I suppose I will suffer through the event in that case.”

“Brill,” Potter grinned at him and Severus felt the knot of guilt in his stomach lessening slightly. “It’ll be great, just wait.”

Severus privately did not believe it would be great. It sounded as if though there would be an entire hoard of loud and excited students seated together in the Top Box, alongside high ranking Ministry officials. It sounded terrible.

But Potter was excited. And he’d bought Severus his own tent despite Severus treating him harshly. So he would go.

7%

Lucius woke up in the early hours of predawn and stared with no small amount of terror at his left forearm.

“Darling, what is it?” his wife murmured from beside him. “I can nearly hear your thoughts whirling.”

“My arm... it... it hurt Cissa.”

Narcissa sat up abruptly at this.

“Lumos,” she said, lighting their room with a large light from her wand. “Show me.”

Lucius dutifully held his arm out to his wife. Narcissa hissed sharply between her teeth at the sight of the mark on his forearm.

“Is it darker?” she whispered.

“Yes,” Lucius said. “It is.”

The two Malfoy’s stared at his arm in silent horror for a few long moments.

“What will you do?” Narcissa asked quietly.

“I cannot break my oath to Potter, I swore my fealty on my magic and life Cissa. I vowed to remain loyal to him regardless of what happens with the Dark Lord.”

“Good,” Narcissa said curtly. “Then we remain loyal to Harry. We chose wrong before, we will not risk our Dragon by attempting to play politician with a madman.”

Lucius absently agreed with her and stroked her silken hair when she laid back down.

The problem that Narcissa refused to acknowledge was that being on Potter’s side had as much potential to be ‘playing politician’ with another madman. Despite the way he charmed his wife and son, they had not seen Potter when he threatened Lucius outside the Hospital Wing the day Lucius pledged himself to the child’s causes. Potter was incredibly strong, powerful, and the prophesied vanquisher of the Dark Lord; which made him a safe bet in Lucius’ opinion, but Potter was mad.

That was a simple fact.

***

“You’ve noticed it surely Malfoy?”

“What do you think it means?”

“Is He coming back?”

“I have noticed,” Lucius said slowly. “I am unsure what it means.”

The other men seated in Avery’s office all shared uneasy looks.

“He’s going to kill us if He returns,” Crabbe said quietly. “We’re dead.”

“He’s going to think we aren’t loyal,” Goyle agreed.

“You’re being quiet Malfoy,” Avery said astutely. “Surely you have an opinion on what we should do.”

“Apologies,” Lucius said as he swirled his glass of bourbon. “I am unsure how we go about proving our loyalty to a Master who has been gone for over a decade now.”

“Maybe you don’t want to,” Avery said, leaning forward with his teeth bared like a shark who smells blood in the water. “I heard that young Draco is close with Harry Potter. Have you found a new Master to serve Lucius?”

Yes.

“Don’t be crass,” Lucius sneered. “Any fool can attest to Potter’s power. Draco does what he must to avoid the same fate as the Lestrange boy.”

Crabbe and Goyle shared a look at the reminder of the shock the men had all felt when they had seen the scar on Lestrange’s face that Harry Potter had left on his first night in Hogwarts.

And a matching one the next year.

Lestrange was a fool. As were these men.

“I think it’s a fluke,” Avery sneered. “The Potter brat is a whelp and would piss himself in fear if he were faced with what a real Wizard could do.”

“Suppose Nott killed himself then?” Goyle grunted.

“There is no proof that Albus Dumbledore’s Golden Boy killed Nott,” Avery snarled.

Which was as correct as it was incorrect. There was no proof. Yet, they were all fully aware of whose wand added ended Nott’s life regardless.

And Avery would meet the same fate if Potter heard him refer to him as ‘Albus Dumbledore’s Golden Boy’. Potter held as much disdain for Dumbledore as he did the Dark Lord. The child refused to bow to anyone. It was a sentiment Lucius could respect greatly, even as he himself would be willing to bow to anyone who could carry his causes further.

He liked to believe he was more practical than Potter in that manner. Though if he wielded power as effortlessly as Potter did, perhaps he would consider differently. But he didn’t. And so Potter was the Master that Lucius would serve in an effort to choose the winning side this time.

At a minimum, he would like to avoid the end that Theodore Nott Senior had found.

It had only taken Lucius a few coins to rub the palms of a few well placed members of law enforcement to learn what they discovered at the ashes of Nott Manor. A vein vaporizing curse, followed by fiendfire, committed by an underaged wizard? Coupled with a news article stating that Theodore Nott Junior now resides with Harry Potter and Severus Snape?

It was no wonder that Harry Potter was Kingsley Shacklebolt’s main suspect.

Harry Potter was Lucius’ main suspect as well.

Lucius had shamelessly suggested that perhaps the DMLE focus on Walden Macnair’s nephew, Benjamin Macnair, with a manufactured cause that young Benjamin held a grudge against Nott Junior for a schoolhouse quarrel. And perhaps Benjamin had likely been seeking vengeance on Nott Junior, and wasn’t it a wonderful coincidence that Macnair only found a dark wizard and not his innocent young Heir?

Macnair had enough Ministry connections of his own that nothing would come of Lucius’ insinuations, and the spotlight would turn away from Potter himself.

And if it earned Lucius some small goodwill with the boy he pledged his loyalty to then all the better for Lucius.

These machinations were what Lucius excelled at. Twisting and turning facts with small suggestions, and a few golden coins, to see his goals achieved.

It was a political minefield, and the slightest misstep would end Lucius’ life, but there were much worse fields to be fighting on.

“Vincent says Potter is a force,” Crabbe grunted. “I don’t know what to tell him to do.”

“I told Gregory to only distance himself from Potter until we know what to do,” Goyle said. “There’s no use making an enemy of the boy until we know more.”

“The Dark Lord will not accept neutrality,” Avery slammed his glass down on his side table. “I have told William to make a show in their house this year. See who stands by Potter’s side when he is taken down from his self-righteous pedestal. And those of us left should be proving our loyalty to the Dark Lord before he returns. The time for playing neutral is over.”

“And how would you have us do such a thing?” Lucius asked carefully, making a mental note to inform Potter and Draco to avoid William Avery this year. “How do you suggest that we show our loyalty to a Master who is not here to witness it?”

“We create a spectacle,” Avery said, his pale eyes glittering dangerously. “Something that can’t be ignored.”

***

“We’re going to be late!” Draco yelled for the tenth time.

“Quiet darling or we won’t go at all,” Narcissa warned him.

Lucius scoffed at the coddling tone his wife took with Draco. Draco could do no wrong in his wife’s eyes. The same could usually be said about Lucius himself, but after a night spent tossing and turning over the occasional slight pains in his left arm, he was in no mood to be ordered around by his Heir.

“You will speak with Severus today?” Narcissa asked as she checked her reflection one last time.

“I will,” Lucius said quickly.

“And you will remember who our loyalties are tied to?” she hummed.

“I am unlikely to forget,” Lucius said tightly. He was marked by one madman and pledged his life and magic to another. It was the very thought that had kept him from resting peacefully since the first line in his mark darkened.

Narcissa turned and stalked close to Lucius, her round grey eyes were narrow and hard as she pulled him closer to her by his robe collar.

“Draco will be killed for ever associating with Harry. You will not risk my sons life by even entertaining the notion of returning to the man’s side if we should be so unlucky to see him rise again. We have chosen our side and we will stick to it. Is that perfectly clear Lucius Abraxas Malfoy?” she hissed.

“Crystal,” Lucius said, his heart racing wildly in the face of his wife’s untamed fury.

“Good.” Narcissa released him and smoothed his collar down before plastering a pleasant smile on her face. “Then let us go see our family shall we?”

Lucius watched with admiration as Narcissa plucked the golden wrapped gift off her vanity and walked gracefully out of their room. Their marriage may have been one of contractual convenience, but Lucius would be a fool to believe he could ever have done better than the beautiful and fierce woman he has called his wife for fifteen years now.



“Harry! Happy Birthday darling!” Narcissa cooed gently as she slowly offered the young man a hug. “How are you?”

“Fine, thank you,” Potter smiled at Narcissa, but Lucius could sense a tightness in his expression. “Snape’s in the kitchen,” he said politely to Lucius.

“Thank you,” Lucius said, quickly making his way to his closest friend and only true adult ally.

“Lucius,” Severus greeted him when Lucius stepped in to his heavily decorated kitchen. “How are you?”

“As well as can be expected,” Lucius shook Severus’ offered hand. “And you? How have you been faring with two teenagers in your home?”

“As well as can be expected,” Severus snorted as he mimicked Lucius’ words back to him. “The boys have created a game out of sneaking their partners in for ‘sleepovers’.”

Lucius chuckled at Severus’ disgruntled tone.

“And who is winning this game?” he asked.

“As I have been forced to have breakfast with Mister Fred Weasley multiple times this summer, I believe Potter is,” Severus said drily.

Lucius laughed more genuinely at that. He was incredibly lucky that Draco had more decorum when it came to experimenting with his teenage desires. He wouldn’t begrudge his child if he brought someone to their manor, as long as it was not one of Arthur Wesley’s spawns.

That, he would quickly put a stop to.

“Please tell me that isn’t a sword or more throwing stars?” Severus sighed upon spotting the gift Lucius carried for Potter.

“Of course not,” Lucius drew himself up and looked at Severus down his nose. “It is a kaiken, enchanted to be dull when wielded by any aside from Potter.”

“I hate you,” Severus groaned. “He’s built a wall of weapons Lucius. A wall of weapons.”

Lucius patted Severus’ shoulder sympathetically. Though privately he saw no issue with Potter having a wall of weapons, Lucius himself had one in his office.

“Do you have time to speak in private?” Lucius asked quietly with a pointed look at Severus’ left arm.

“After,” Severus murmured. “We will speak after.”

Lucius nodded curtly and resigned himself to mingling with the odd mixture of houseguests Severus and Potter were currently hosting.

When Lucius and Severus joined the party in the backyard, Lucius found his wife laughing quietly beside her cousin Sirius Black and his mate, the wolf Remus Lupin.

“All sorted out dear?” Narcissa asked softly as she linked her arm in Lucius’.

“It will be,” he assured her before greeting Black. “Black, Lupin,” he nodded courteously at both men.

“Malfoy,” Black responded coolly. “How are you?”

“I am well, and yourself?”

“Good.” Black’s eyes, so like Narcissa’s, wandered over towards the group of teenagers that Lucius’ son was grouped with. “Harry invited you then?”

“He did,” Narcissa cut in smoothly. “I told him how we are related and I believe he was delighted to discover he had living family.”

Lupin scoffed lightly, which was an interesting reaction.

“Problem Lupin?” Lucius asked.

“Not at all,” Lupin gave him a bland smile before pulling on Black’s hand. “Let’s go find Harry, okay?”

“Excellent Lucius, irritate our allies. It’s a wonder you’ve survived this long,” Narcissa said after the two briskly walked away.

“The werewolf is no ally of mine,” Lucius sneered.

“That is where you are wrong, darling,” Narcissa hissed quietly. “Remus Lupin lives with Harry Potter’s godfather. Harry has invited them both to the game next week where you will play nice or risk isolating yourself from the only possible entity that will keep my son alive. Yes?”

Lucius maintained the emotionless mask that he never drops in mixed company, but if he were a lesser man he would have scoffed.

Playing nice with a werewolf. It was both disgraceful and distasteful.

Though later that evening as Lucius watched Potter twirl effortless circles around Sirius Black in a mock-duel, he thought perhaps treating the werewolf with civility was a small price to pay to remain in the powerful young man’s good graces.



“I presume you are experiencing the same signs as myself?” Severus asked Lucius that night after the majority of party guests had left.

“I am,” Lucius said simply, accepting the proffered glass of scotch graciously.

“And so you have come to, what? Seek out my approval to return if the Dark Lord comes calling?” Severus’ tone was casual, but his grip on his wand was tense.

“I have not,” Lucius said slowly. “I came to ask you what you intend to do if it happens.”

“I stand by Potter,” Severus said, taking a long sip of his drink. “As I have always intended to do.”

“You will stand against the Dark Lord publicly by Potter’s side? You will be marked a traitor Severus, He will want your head on a platter.” Lucius could hardly prevent the worry that coated his voice. Severus was Lucius’ closest friend. If there was a man alive who Lucius could drop his pretenses around, it was him.

“You believe I would be welcomed back with open arms?” Severus curled his upper lip. “Be sensible Lucius. The Minister himself declared me to be a spy and the guardian of the Boy-Who-Lived. I am high on a list of targets no matter what I do. I may as well go down fighting.”

“You could flee,” Lucius suggested. “I can give you money Severus. You could flee and we both know you could hide yourself away.”

“And leave Potter? Tsk, come now Lucius. Would you flee and abandon Draco?”

“You will die Severus,” Lucius said harshly. “He will order any who encounter you to kill you. Is it worth that?”

“I would die for Potter, and I will kill for him,” Severus said simply. “So I believe my loyalties have been declared rather clearly. It is now time for you to choose a side and stick with it.”

“How could I choose any side besides Potter with the vow I’ve given him?”

“Precisely,” Severus said. “So what is the problem?”

“The problem is that I’m dead if I betray Potter and dead if I don’t!” Lucius said sharply.

“You think I can’t protect you?”

Lucius rapidly turned around to see Theodore and Potter himself lounging in the doorway. Potter’s face looked amused, but the twirling knife in his hand was an obvious threat.

“Harry, how did you get in here?” Severus asked wearily, as if this were a common occurrence.

Which, considering his ward was none other than Harry Potter, perhaps it was.

“Magic,” Potter said with a bland look. “Thought i heard screaming in here.”

“No you didn’t,” Severus scoffed.

“No,” Potter smiled, “I didn’t. But I did hear everything. So, let’s make a plan, yeah?”

“We are not making a plan,” Severus scoffed. “Go to bed boys.”

“No.” Potter came further in the room, followed by Theodore, and kicked the door shut behind them. “Lucius is mine, isn’t he? And so are you. We need a plan to keep you safe for when Timmy comes back.”

“Is the Dark Lord rising a great concern of yours?” Severus asked sardonically.

Lucius gripped his glass and silently watched the two volley back and forth.

It would be much more entertaining to watch Severus argue with what Lucius believes is the man’s own karma if the topic were not so dire.

“It is when he keeps trying to break in to my head.”

“What?!” Severus’ hand slipped on his own glass at Potter’s blunt confession. “Explain. Immediately and without sparing any detail, please.”

“Timmy keeps trying to break in to my head,” Potter said slowly. Lucius’ nearly grinned at the exasperated look on Severus’ face.

It actually served the man right to have a ward so sarcastic and disobedient. Severus was a menace when Lucius served as his prefect.

“What makes you believe this?” Severus grit out.

“Cause it feels like it did when Dumbledore did it, doesn’t it? So I let him slide in for a minute so I could figure out who was doing it, and I saw a man Timmy called Peter and a giant fuckin’ snake.”

Lucius and Severus both gaped at Potter. Theodore looked unsurprised, Potter had likely already informed him of this unheard of occurrence already.

“You share a mind with the Dark Lord?” Lucius breathed, forgetting his own determination to watch Severus and Potter argue without his input. “Merlin.”

“We have no research on how a survivor of the killing curse is impacted,” Severus said, slipping in to what Lucius deems his Ravenclaw voice. “It may have created a link between the two of you.”

“Well he’s giving me a headache, so let’s make a plan to keep everyone on my side safe and then kill the bastard,” Potter sneered.

“I do not even know how it is possible for him to rise again!” Severus said, his composure slipping in favor of frustration. “Albus swears that he is not dead, yet offers no solutions on how it is possible.”

“You’re gonna find out though, yeah?” Potter asked.

Severus must have looked towards Theodore too rapidly for Lucius to catch, but slow enough that Potter did, because Potter shifted to stand in front of the other boy slightly.

“Theo’s mine too,” Potter said lightly. “He stays.”

“I may be able to earn some semblance of trust with Albus, but it will be difficult when he see’s my allegiance with you instead of him,” Severus explained. “And as he currently believes you are the next Dark Lord, he will not view my allegiance favorably.”

“Dumbledore’s an idiot who thinks everyone will eventually see his side,” Theodore said with a juvenile roll of his eyes. “You just need to talk about how you’re steering Harry to him and he’ll trust you again.”

Potter snarled at the implication, as Lucius knew that he would.

“What about Lucius?” Theodore murmured to Harry, eyeing Lucius from head to foot. “What do we do with him?”

Potter twirled his knife as he studied Lucius calmly.

“Same thing but opposite.” Potter said softly. “Snape sticks to Dumbledore for protection, Malfoy sticks to Timmy and the Death Eaters.”

“Absolutely not,” Lucius said immediately. “If I am discovered they will kill me.”

“And if you don’t do it then I will,” Potter said calmly.

“Harry! You are not killing Lucius!” Severus said sharply. “What is wrong with you?”

“It’s perfect though,” Theodore insisted to Severus. “The Dark Lord would never let you back, you were right, your loyalty to Harry is too well known now. So if he rises, we need someone who can respond when he calls and tell us immediately.”

Lucius looked at the two boys young men in front of him and realized that this was Harry Potter, the leader of the Grey Alliance, and his right hand Lieutenant. They were not children playing games in this moment, they were nearly men plotting for a war.

It was chilling.

“That may be the safest plan for now,” Severus eventually agreed thoughtfully. “I assume the others have already called you about the changes in their marks?”

“They have,” Lucius confirmed. “Avery, Crabbe, and Goyle are determined to remain loyal to the Dark Lord despite acknowledging Potter’s power. They plan to rally the others and make a public demonstration during the World Cup.”

“Brill,” Potter’s eyes lit up. “How many are left? Cause old Nott is gone, and Snape is mine.”

Lucius glanced at Severus at Potter’s declaration of ownership of the man and was surprised to see a pleased look in his friends’ eyes.

“Avery, Crabbe, Goyle, Macnair, and Karkaroff,” Lucius listed off the only free members of the inner circle who still lived. “Karkaroff will be in attendance as his student is on the Bulgarian team, but he will not face any of the others. His evidence put away too many others.”

“So, five? That’s it?” Potter laughed and Theodore sighed heavily. “Snape and I could kill them in one swoop at the cup. Then Timmy could rise and not have any followers.”

“Those are only the ones who were branded, you idiot child,” Severus snapped at Potter. “You arrogantly believe that marked followers are the only ones who will follow the Dark Lord? Purebloods across the country will happily follow the man with no visible marks to be held.”

“Severus is correct,” Lucius said hastily as Potter looked unconvinced. “Avery will recruit many sympathizers to join him at the cup.”

“You.”

“Excuse me?”

“Avery will recruit people to join you at the cup,” Potter said. “Cause you’ll be with them.”

“They may not accept me,” Lucius said, choosing his words will careful precision. “It is well known amongst them that I allow my Heir to associate with you.”

“I’ll protect Draco, you figure out how to prove you’re worth keeping around.” Potter gave him a lopsided smile that would have been nearly friendly if not for the cold look in his eyes. “I didn’t forget about the diary, did I?” he said softly.



Lucius laid in bed next to Narcissa that night and thought of the future.

“Did you talk to Harry?” Narcissa asked quietly.

“I did.”

“And?” she prompted him.

Lucius sighed, praying to Merlin that Potter would prove to be a man of his word and Lucius’ family would survive whatever calamity was quickly coming their way.

“And it appears as if I am once again joining the Death Eaters.”