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Amazing Grace	By : Kooldragon400 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Lucius/Hermione Views: 41309 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any recongizable characters, nor do I make any money off of this story.

Chapter List
- 35
- 36
Thanks everyone who has reviewed the last chapter. There weren't many, but those that I did get meant alot to me. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, there's a little plot in this one and some character development. I'm gearing up for the major arc of the story. :D

If you don't like reviewing then please take a moment to rate the story. It doesn't take as long as reviewing but it still gives me some kind of guage for how the story is being received. Thanks alot, and I hope to hear from you guys!

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A great wind blew through the autumn painted trees, stirring the fallen leaves and swaying the blades of grass like a conductor directs an intricate symphony. It was late, the bright waning moon the only light across the landscape. A lone figure stood atop a hill, seemingly oblivious to the invasive wind. He stood tall, broad shouldered and well defined, wearing black from head to toe. The only spot of color in his apparel was the fluttering crimson cloak that marked his presence on the hilltop. The only other color in his presence was the glowing, piercing color of his orange eyes.

Death watched the house.

~~

Harry sighed softly as Analyn's head jerked again, and she raised her face up to look at him, her eyes drooping tiredly. She had been fighting sleep for several hours now, and it was completely unlike her. Of the three, Ana was usually quite amenable to a good sleep, and was the easiest to put down. The twins were usually more problematic.

But as it were, James and Lucas were already asleep, and he had already sent Grace upstairs as well. Ana wasn't sick, and she didn't appear hurt, so Harry had told Grace not to worry and just go to bed without him. Grace, for the most part, had not argued. She had volunteered to be the one to stay up with Ana, but Harry had merely reminded her of a few weeks before they had left North Carolina, when the twins had come down with a stomach bug and she had stayed up with them three nights in a row. So Grace smiled gratefully, checked on the twins, and then went to bed herself. Ana was just having an off night.

Ana appeared anxious about something. She kept watching the windows, as if there was something outside. Harry, his own self-preservation quite active, had at one point settled his daughter on the couch and had looked out the windows himself, trying to see what she saw. But he couldn't see anything. It was a bit creepy, actually.

But now he was sitting in the recliner in the family room, with Ana sprawled across his chest as he tried to get her to drop off into sleep. It was two in the morning and he himself was quite sleepy. He had taken to rocking her gently, and for a while it worked, but it also succeeded in making him sleepier as well. The gentle rocking, back and forth....tired....Ana wouldn't move....he'd just close his eyes for a moment.

Ana looked at her father's face as he drifted off into sleep. His fringe fell messily over the red scar on his forehead, nearly hiding his eyes as well. Ana regarded him for a few moments, before quietly slipping off of his stomach, landing inexpertly on her socked feet. She steadied herself on his knee for a few moments, before turning and toddling towards the window.

The floor length family room window was the greatest source of natural light in the house, and it was pretty, too. There was a stained glass mural around the edges of the window, and clear glass in the middle. In the evening, the family room lit up with all sorts of pretty colors.

She pressed her hands against the glass and looked out on the hill in the side yard. The man still stood there, his red cape fluttering menacingly. There was something about the strange man...it made her feel uneasy, like the time she had eaten some of her brother's modeling dough.

The man suddenly disappeared like daddy and mommy did sometimes, and she felt cold. She turned around, and the man was standing in front of Daddy's chair, looking down at him.

There was a scrabbling sound as Nala emerged from the library where she liked to sleep, ready to defend the house from the sudden invasion. But the winged cat caught sight of Death, and sat down suddenly, clicking her beak curiously and shuffling her wings.

Then the man looked down at her, studying her curiously as one might an interesting looking bug. Up close he didn’t seem so bad at all and so Ana approached him, sticking up her hands in the universal sign for ‘pick me up.’ He seemed surprised at first, before leaning down and putting his broad hands under her armpits and lifting her effortlessly. He didn’t even make the soft ‘oomph’ sound daddy did when he lifted her.

She reached up and touched his dark hair, which kept ruffling like it was in a wind. He smiled at her and she giggled shyly, suddenly hiding her face against his neck. The smell of him was interesting....not like a normal smell at all....more like the feeling of lying down after a long day. The smell of clean sheets on a bed, or the stuff mummy sprayed around the house to make it smell good. The man stroked her head gently and she made a soft noise of approval, snuggling closer and closing her eyes.

The soft, even breaths of sleep were in his ear, and he walked on silent feet to the sofa. He deposited the little bundle gently against the cushion. Nala jumped onto the couch without prompting and nuzzled up to the sleeping girl, stretching a crimson wing over her protectively.

The Death turned back to Harry, a frown marring his face. The young man was asleep, but that could be cured easily. Death approached the chair on hunter’s feet, and aimed a swift kick to the chair, jarring Harry soundly.

Harry’s green eyes snapped open, and his hand went to his chest where his daughter had rested. With dawning horror he sat straight, looking for the girl. His eyes fell on the figure of Death, and his breath caught in his throat.

“No, no....why are you here?” he asked. “Where is Analyn?”

Death pointed to where she slept on the sofa. “Oh god!” Harry exclaimed, standing to his feet. “Is she…?” he couldn’t complete the sentence.

“She only sleeps.” Death said. Harry released his breath. He relaxed a bit. Death narrowed his citrine eyes at him and shot forward, grabbing a handful of Harry’s black hair and jerking his face towards him. Harry yelped slightly, grasping at Death’s armored wrist. “You are a naughty, forgetful little boy aren’t you?” he hissed, orange eyes blazing.

“I don’t know what-” but Death cut him off with a hard shake.

“You have forgotten our arrangement!” he snapped. “I gave you your Godfather back, and you’ve lost nearly half the time I said would pass before another Dark Lord rose. Are you trying to destroy the world as you know it?” he asked.

Harry felt as if his heart had stopped beating.

“I’m sorry…” he whispered. Death released him and Harry stumbled.

“All isn’t lost. But I’m done waiting for you. You’re going to do this my way. The Potter family has a seat on the Wizengamot. Gather your resources. Piece together the families of light…persuade those who are more interested in peace than power. Those who are interested in power will fight you because they’ll lose it. Reseat the lost families by tracing their blood. Those family seats that can’t be reseated must be redistributed. The prejudice has to fall or it’s going to make it worse by a hundred fold. Talk to my son, Viatoris. He can get the rest of the Children to obey you. It’s about time they were wrangled anyway…” Death said.

Harry felt as if the weight of the entire world was pressing against his shoulders. “I cannot possibly do this…..” he whispered. Death looked at him, before his fierce expression softened. He sighed and reached out to Harry. Harry winced as Death’s hand rested on his shoulder, and Death was reminded that even though he had given this mortal great power, he was still a tender member of the living.

“If I thought the charge impossible I would have never given it to you. It’s going to take some hard work now that you’ve squandered any bit of grace period you may have had. There is much to lose, this much is true…but there is so much to gain as well. Succeed and the benefits will be peace as this world hasn’t experienced in centuries. Fail…and the world is wiped away. You are not alone. Your allies will be with you. You are the impetus, Mr. Potter, but not the only force.” He said. He could feel Harry trembling under his hand. He put his hand under Harry’s chin and tilted his face up. “All of Heaven is cheering for you. Even Hell is reluctant to interfere so drastically with mortal affairs, and so wishes you good luck.”

Harry sniffled. “I feel so much better…” he said sarcastically.

“I’ll leave one more gift for you. It’s a hint. There is someone from your past who would be of great use to you. You’ll know who he is when you need to find him. Not everything is as it seems. You must look past the exterior and find the true heart that beats within.” Death said. Harry frowned.

“What kind of Dumbledore cryptic bullshit is that?” he snerked. Death gave him a warning tap across the side of his head.

“I’m supposed to allow you to use your brain. I’m told you’re clever enough to figure it out. Don’t worry too much about your past ally. Like I said…you’ll know who he is when you need to find him, but not before that. Now I have a dinner date with some drunk teenagers who thought thought they could use a bed-sheet as a parachute from the roof of a forty story building.” Death finished. Harry winced, but when he blinked Death was gone.

He hurried to the sofa, and Nala withdrew her wing so Harry could see for himself the gentle movements of his daughter as she slept. He maneuvered her into his arms, holding her tight for a moment, before he took her upstairs to her room. He nestled her into her bed, and then hurried to the twins’ room. The two were always put down separately but tonight, as with some nights, they had found their way into the same bed and were both curled around James’ stuffed hippogriff. Harry watched them breathe for a few minutes before he was satisfied enough to leave the room.

He walked into his and Grace’s bedroom numbly. How could he have forgotten? How could he have been so stupid? It was inconceivable that he would not remember something as important as another Dark Lord rising. He dressed slowly for bed, thinking hard about what he had to do. He had purposefully stayed away from the Potter seat on the Wizengamot. He didn’t want anything to do with it, really. But he was the only one who could do it.

That didn’t make him feel any better about it!

~~

Tom spread his letter out on his desk proudly, reading it for what had to be the eleventh time.

Mr Tom Black

The Upstairs Room

12 Grimmauld Place

London

Dear Mr. Black

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress

There had also been a note attached to that one that was signed by Headmaster Torrin giving him permission to bring Alphard. The Headmaster had told him that he was responsible for the serpent and that the board of Govorners had clearly stated that any accident with the basilisk would result in Tom's expulsion, possible arrest, and the Headmaster's dismissal from the school for allowing it. The letter made it very clear that Alphard was not to make any of the other familiars 'disappear.' He was to do his hunting in the forest like a good serpent.

Tom had sent a reply back with a post owl, assuring the Headmaster that his serpent would obey and that he needn't worry about his position at the school or any of the other familiars.

He had several things he needed to do. And Sirius was taking him today to get the major one done. With one last look at the acceptance letter he stood from his desk and moved to his closet to get dressed for the day.

A little over an hour later he and Sirius strode through the hallway of the Ministry of Magic, straight into the Minister's office. Kingsley was scratching away at a document, his large eagle feather quill moving rapidly as he wrote. He looked up in surprise as Sirius knocked on the doorjamb, and removed reading glasses from his face.

"Sirius! I thought you were coming at two!" he said in surprise. Sirius gave him a friendly smile.

"It's five til." he replied. Kingsley looked at the clock and laughed.

"So it is. You said you and young Tom had a request of me. I’ll be happy to help any way I can.” Kingsley said jovially. Tom smiled shyly and stepped forward.

“It’s actually my request, Minister.” He said. Kingsley set his quill into its resting place and put his glasses aside as well. “I received my Hogwarts letter a couple days ago…” he started nervously. Kingsley gave him a polite smile. “I of course received the list of required equipment for the school year. This being my first year I will be allowed to purchase a wand. But…I don’t want to purchase one.” Tom continued. Kingsley’s smile was fading slowly, having an inkling of an idea of where this was going. “I wish to claim the one that was issued to Tom Marvolo Riddle when he visited Ollivander’s, and I know that the Ministry holds it.”

Kingsley sat back in his chair, regarding the young man before him. Tom had grown since he had literally fallen into the Ministry several years ago. He was tall for his age, and quite a handsome lad already. His hair had been modernized a bit at some point, but he still wore it parted to the side neatly. His eyes were expressive and observant, glittering ruby in the bright torchlight of his office. Though his hands were clasped nervously in front of him his feet were planted firmly, speaking of inner strength and resolve.

Tom Marvolo Riddle had been an incredible wizard. Evil, merciless and cruel, yes, but also powerful and cunning. This boy was cut from- no, this boy was the same cloth. But he was everything that Lord Voldemort could never have been. He was kind, meek, merciful, and if any of the rumors were to be believed, a God-fearing member of the Protestant church.

Being literally the same person would have some advantages. They already had a gage of how powerful the lad would become. He had said when he first came back that he wanted to be an Auror. Power like that should not be wasted or squandered. But the wand he asked for….its history was dark and tainted. That wand had killed countless people…

But as soon as the argument came it had gone again. Wands do not act of their own accord. A wand is no more than a tool. As mediocre or great as the wizard who carries it. Lord Voldemort had done great things with that wand. Terrible things, yes….but great. Perhaps great things could be done with the wand again?

“Very well.” Kingsley replied. Tom actually looked fairly surprised. “The wand will be your responsibility. I expect….great things from you, Mr. Black.” He said, standing from his chair. “Come with me to the Restricted Artifacts vault.” He said. He opened a drawer on his desk and pulled out a small golden card.

The trip down to the vault was silent save for a few people giving greetings to the Minister, or the occasional greeting to Sirius. Most people watched Tom with a mixture of curiosity or fear. Tom could only imagine what they would look like had Alphard been around his shoulders.

The vault had an oppressive air of Dark Magic around it. When they entered the hair on the back of Tom’s neck stood on end, and he could feel his own latent magic sparkling at his fingertips, ready to protect him should anything happen. His eyes brightened in color, glowing with power and intensity in the presence of the Dark magic.

The wand was on a shelf in a box, not on display or in a place to bring attention to it. Kingsley picked it up from the shelf, and turned to Tom.

“No one was able to touch the wand after He was destroyed. It was keyed to his magical signature. I don’t see that being a problem for you.” He said. Tom nodded, his nervousness back.

Kingsley opened the box, revealing the bone white wand. It was like a siren’s call. Something so familiar was calling to Tom. His hand came up of its own accord, reaching for the wand. Kingsley and Sirius both watched with bated breath as Tom’s finger’s closed around the wand, and lifted it from the box it rested in.

The tip lit up suddenly with a bright, almost blinding light, and Tom gasped as magic coursed through him. It was blessedly familiar and altogether foreign at the same time. It was like coming home at the end of a long day, but arriving at the wrong house. It was like a bowl of homemade stew in the middle of a hot summer day.

His eyes lit up white and his body seized up, rings of magic starting at his feet and arcing upwards. His hair stood on end as the whole room crackled with powerful magic, and Tom felt suddenly numb.

His body still stood but his mind closed down, and he found himself suddenly trapped in a dream-like world.

~~

“How unexpected.”

The voice sounded behind him and he whirled around, coming face to face with-

Himself.

The other being was much older, probably in his twenties, but the eyes were already stained completely red with Dark Magic. He gave off an air of confidence that bordered arrogance, and he grinned when he saw Tom.

“You’re…me…” Tom said.

“I am merely a shade in the wand. A piece of personality left behind from years of being wielded by the same wizard.” The copy of Voldemort said.

“What do you want?” Tom asked.

“Well…I had merely wanted to be used again…but I suddenly know my purpose. I am incomplete. And so are you.” Voldemort said. Tom blinked.

“What?” he asked in surprise.

“I am not bound by mortal knowledge. I know everything your magic knows now that you hold this wand. As much as the original me was cruel and inhumane, you are the opposite….but no less incomplete. He was Yin, you are Yang. But one cannot exist without the other.”

Tom swallowed hard. “What are you proposing?” he asked. The shade of Voldemort grinned widely, a rather frightening sight to say the least.

“As His shade, I too am Yin. You still are Yang. Let me merge with you. Together we can have power unknown.” He said.

“Will you control me? Will it change my personality?” he said. Voldemort approached Tom, circling the boy like a predator.

“Your personality would change…but it would be balanced. You will never realize your full potential unless you are whole. How can one value mercy when you cannot comprehend cruelty? How can you choose to love fully if you have never hated? Without light there is no shadows, only darkness, but how can one appreciate the light if he has never walked in the darkness?” Voldemort asked.

“Will I still be in control?” Tom asked again.

“I am not a true force of magic. Only a shade…a sliver of personality wedged into an inanimate object. Alone I do not have the power to control anything. If we merged we would become one. Not two as one, but one complete being.” Voldemort replied. Tom swallowed.

“How do I know it’s not a trick?” he asked. Voldemort shrugged.

“I have no reason to lie. Like I said. I am not truly animate….not truly sentient. Only a piece left behind.”

Tom was thinking furiously.

“Do you have any memories of the other me?” he asked. Voldemort threw back his head and cackled gleefully.

“I do. His knowledge was vast. Flashes of memories still rest in the wand and its history.”

Oh, the Slytherin thing to do would be to grasp at the power being presented to him. But no matter what the shade said, he could not tell if he was being lied to. If he merged and lost himself to the power of the shadow in the wand, it would be as if Voldemort never died. He would be resurrected a third time. But if he was being told the truth, there was power like he could never dream of at the tips of his fingertips….

“Choose quickly. I cannot be accessed again. If you deny me the shade disappears to be replaced by a shade of your own.” Voldemort said. Tom bit his lip, and did the only thing he knew to do: he began to pray. Voldemort watched with curiosity as Tom closed his eyes, moving his lips as if chanting a spell. After several long moments of this, Tom suddenly opened his eyes. He looked at the shadow of Voldemort with determination. He held out his hand to Voldemort. Voldemort grinned ever wider.

He grasped Tom’s hand.

~~

There was a sound like the rush of electricity, and with a flash of firework-like magic the air cleared. Kingsley and Sirius both blinked rapidly as their eyesight came back into focus, and they both saw Tom still standing, the wand in his hand. His hair was as wild as Harry’s on any day, and still crackled with latent, static magic. He looked up, and Sirius noticed that Tom’s red pupils were now ringed with a band of red so dark it appeared black.

“Well.” Tom said finally, reaching up to smooth his crackling hair. “Well.”

Kingsley closed the box the wand had been held in, and put it back on the shelf so as not to draw attention.

“Oh, we can definitely expect great things from you.”

~~

Lucius was in his office going over financial statements. Hermione had just left for the evening, turning down an invitation to stay the night. She had assured his tender pride that she was still quite serious about him, but she wanted to take it a bit slower this time. Well, slow in some parts. She said she would never want to give up sex for so long again. He quite agreed. Several times, in fact.

An elf popped into his office, nervously wringing its tea cozy clothing. He made sure to finish up the line he was working on before he looked up over his glasses.

“What?” he asked irritably. It seemed every time he sat down to do his finances something liked to pop up.

“Missus Grace is at the floo for you, sir.” The elf whimpered. Lucius pulled off his reading glasses.

“Damn. Fine.” He said, and the elf disappeared gratefully. He neatly stacked his papers and put them into his drawer before he left the office, going to the library to answer the floo. Grace’s head floated languidly in the green flames, and Lucius noted she looked a bit nervous.

“Grace.” He greeted politely. She smiled.

“Dad. I…er…I have a last minute favor to ask.” She said. He raised both eyebrows a bit. “Well…Harry has a bit of business at the Ministry he needs to take care of….and he wants me to go with him. And..well….Draco has the twins, he’s really good with them….but…I was wondering if you could watch Analyn for a few hours?” she asked.

“She…doesn’t know me.” Lucius said.

“What better way to get to know each other? It’s only for a few hours, I promise….it would mean a lot to me.” She said hopefully. Lucius regarded her for a few moments.

“When?” he asked.

“Harry’s appointment is at four. So….we need to be there in about an hour.” Grace said. She saw the surprise on her father’s face. “It truly was last minute, dad. I wouldn’t ask otherwise….” She said softly. Lucius cleared his throat a bit.

“And what if she isn’t too pleased about staying with me? I would prefer not to deal with a crying little girl for several hours…” he said. Grace shook her head.

“Oh, Analyn is very relaxed. I think you two would get along just fine…” she said. Lucius frowned, and tilted his head forward slightly, thinking.

“I…I suppose. Bring her through, then. But be sure to bring everything she might need. I haven’t time to be transfiguring safety blankets and binkies…” he said, trying to sound gruff over his nervousness. Grace saw right through it and he knew it.

“I’ll be over in about ten minutes with her.” Grace said, and her head disappeared.

“Oh gods…what have I just done?” he asked, going and sitting nervously on the sofa near the fireplace. The ten minutes seemed like ten hours to him as he waited for Grace to come through with his granddaughter. He hadn’t yet seen any of the children, and this would be his first glimpse of the girl since she had been born. He still had the pictures of her and her brothers births in a drawer in his office. Though he hadn’t been on speaking terms with Grace…they were still his grandchildren.

The floo flared green, and Grace stepped out with a bundle wrapped in a floo cloak. She unraveled the large cloak from her daughter, and hung the dusty fabric by the fireplace.   Then she set the little girl on her own two feet while she removed her own cloak and whipped a small bag from her shoulder.

The little girl was looking around the large library, and her luminous green eyes fell on Lucius. She had the facial structure of the Malfoy family, thin and elegant, and her blonde curls were kept off of her face with a blue satin headband. She was wearing a knit cotton blue dress with a smiley faced dolphin on it, and little canvas tennis shoes laced up with rainbow laces. She was clutching a stuffed phoenix in one hand, and in the other was a pasteboard book.

“Dad…this is Analyn. Analyn, this is Grampa Malfoy.” Grace said softly, kneeling beside Analyn and pointing towards him. She blinked and then looked at her mother questioningly. “You’re going to stay with Grampa for a little bit. Just like you stay with Mimi Molly sometimes.” She explained.   Ana seemed to understand, and adjusted her grip on her phoenix.

Grace stood, and looked at Lucius. “She’s got a change of clothes in the bag just in case there’s an accident. She should be able to go potty by herself, but I put her on one of her pull-up nappies just in case….this being a strange place to her. Just ask her if she needs to go and take her if she says yes. I also put her sippy cup in the bag…she won’t drink anything without it.   The bird is Nicky, her favorite stuffed animal. God have mercy on you if he disappears. The book is a fairytale about a lonely little dragon. If you read that she very well might nap. Maybe. She doesn’t like fish, but she loves chicken. She gets an upset stomach if she eats red sauce on pasta, but don’t let her eat too much cream sauce or your nose will hate you.

Other than that she’s pretty chill.” Grace said.

“Good god.” Lucius breathed. Grace laughed.

“It’s all written on a notecard in the bag.” She said, holding out the strap of the colorful bag. He took it from her, and looked down at Analyn.

“Are you going to be good for Grampa?” Grace asked her daughter. Analyn looked up at Lucius again, and then at her mother. She nodded. Grace laughed, and kissed the girl’s forehead, making her giggle. “Very good. Mommy will be back in a few hours to get you. I hope you have fun with Grampa!” she said, standing. She came a bit closer to Lucius.

“Thank you, dad.” She said softly. He swallowed hard, and gave a noncommittal gesture with his free hand. “It means a lot to me.” She said, moving forward and wrapping her arms around his waist. He was stiff momentarily, before his arms came up and he returned the hug. Grace inhaled deeply, and pulled away a few moments later.

“If there’s an emergency just contact Draco. Like I said…the twins are with him but he’ll come if you need him.” She said. Lucius drew himself up a bit.

“I think I can handle one little girl.” He said haughtily. Grace just smiled. She retrieved her floo cloak from the hook, and flung it around her shoulders.

“Okay, Ana. Be good. Bye bye, baby.” She said, and kept glancing back at the girl even as she grasped a pinch of floo powder. Ana raised her hand that was clutching Nicky the phoenix, and waved it at her mother. Grace dropped the emerald powder, and the disappeared a few moments later in the flames.

Analyn walked over to Lucius, and they stared quietly at each other for several moments, before Ana raised her hands to him. He set the bag aside on a chair, and leaned down to pick her up. He balanced her bottom in the crook of his arm as she seemed to study him quietly. Then she leaned forward and kissed his cheek, and he had to consciously not grimace as her lips were moist.

“Grampy.” She said softly. His eyebrow twitched.

“Grandfather.” He said, trying to correct her pronunciation. She grinned, showing little white teeth. She drew her book and stuffed phoenix to her chest, and then leaned forward, burying her head against the side of his neck. She giggled softly.

“Silly grampy.”

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D'awwww. A bit of plot, some drama, and some sweet fluff. You know you love it. Just tell me how much. :3
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Amazing Grace