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The Fate Changed Now What?	By : Krysania Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Tom Views: 8638 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I'm not JKR , not own Harry Potter, and consequently earn no money whatsoever.

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
Tom’s pov

Tom Marvolo Riddle had thought he already hated weakness like the plague, but he had never really taken himself into the equation before and so it was summarily proved he had no idea. . .
. . .Tom’s awakening wasn’t exactly pleasant. Alright, to wake up under Harry’s kisses wasn’t much of a hardship and if really pressured he would admit that he could get used to be waken up in that way on semi-regular basis, but it wasn’t what annoyed him. . .
. . .It was one thing to indulge Harry’s needs and even enjoy himself on the progress but quite another to lose control like this. . .
The combined effect of his first full, restful, sleep within a month and the morning activities had left him euphoric, lazy to a fault, and disgustingly weak. When he had finally shaken off the lassitude and had the presence of mind to check the time, a tempus had shown that it was barely half a hour before the train’s department, so they were already awfully behind schedule and had nowhere to near enough time for proper preparations. . .

. . .He didn’t even have the chance to punish Harry as he promised, or just the simple satisfaction of shouting at him properly. . .
Harry’s cheer didn’t really help matters. . .

“I like the more fluffy style to your hair.” he commented, eyeing him unabashedly.
“Hurry up.” he snarled finishing with the shaving charm.
Harry’s good mood wasn’t affected by his irritation and he didn’t seem to have a problem with any of this as, even at ordinary circumstances, hastening was the norm for him, he merely winked at Tom and in a moment later was ready for the day, even dried and dressed.
“See, ready.”
But Tom, though equally ready, hated the situation with a passion. Ever since he set foot on Hogwarts the morning rituals had been a form of fortification for him and now he didn’t even have adequate time for a proper morning shower.
Really, he adored magic but even the thought of some things left almost entirely to magic went beyond disgusting. There were no words to express the indignity.
“Come on then.” he grabbed Harry’s hand and hastened to the corridors, all but running to his room, Stone tucked aside he continued to the same pace.
Harry kept up with ease but tried to calm him.

“Hey, Tom, relax, we are going to be on time.”
He spared his partner a glance.

“There was never a doubt to this, but it shouldn’t have become a subject at all.”
He could feel Harry’s tension at his censure.

“I don’t remember to been alone in this.” Harry’s voice was quiet but it didn’t lack some bite.
Tom relaxed, things were back to normal.

“You weren’t.” he admitted.
Harry was surprised with this and Tom enjoyed it immensely but his partner regrouped immediately.

“Why are we hurrying anyway, wouldn’t it be better if we stayed here anyway?”
That was new.
Maybe, but it’s too late now, our trunks are already on the train.”
Harry looked at him incredulously.

“So? We could get them, seven hours later, at King’s Cross without problems there.”
Tom sent him a piercing glance. . .Tempting, too tempting, but no. . .

“We could also send an engagement announcement to the Daily Prophet.”
Harry blushed scarlet.

“Oups, I didn’t think it will look that bad.”
Tom’s face softened a little bit.

“Trust me it will, I doubt that anyone, except our people, got exactly what happened yesterday, but some people undoubtedly noticed. If we’d just show up at the station it will spread much further than school wide.
A momentary disappointment flashed at Harry’s eyes and was gone.

“Alright,” he took a thoughtful expression, “we could go to the Leaky as usual, but we’ll need a laboratory to work on the Stone so it’s either Zevi’s or Brax’s, don’t even think about Grimmauld Place.” his look made plain the consequences of such an action but his voice couldn’t completely hide his disappointment.
Tom took notice of it but, for now, pretended he didn’t.

“Perish the thought,” his shudder wasn’t completely theatrical.

“I’m no more eager than you for a vacation with dearest Walburga, so Malfoys it is.”
Harry wrinkled his nose.

“Why not Zevi’s? I’m not that fond of Brax’s relatives and I doubt they will appreciate us crashing at them without notice.”
Tom shrugged.

“It will have to do; Eileen’s fifteenth birthday is not that far away and Madeleine will no doubt approach you with an offer for her hand and a fat dowry. I’m not in a hurry to kill them.” he so wasn’t joking.
Harry stopped in his tracks.

“You’re not serious?”
Tom was almost amused, he really had no idea.

“Eminently.”

Harry’s disbelief wasn’t abating and he was forced to continue.

“They have an ugly, but quietly independent, daughter, what do you think they should do with her? It is known that you want a family and respect independent women; also you are almost too genuine. Your close friendship with Zevi and the great inspiration to send Potters their way will give them all the opening they’ll need to offer the match and if they take wind that they are your blood family it will be almost impossible to make them retreat it at civil terms.” his voice betrayed his displeasure more than he wanted to.
Nothing of it seemed to make an impression on Harry, he almost laughed to his face.
“You must be kidding me! I couldn’t trust the Potters at a better place and I know they will agree to help us, but to offer Eileen? No way! She is not that bad that she couldn’t find a proper husband while I have but barely a galleon to my name. No parent would want me for his daughter and even if they didn’t know about us, Zevi will clue then and it will be over. . .” he shook his head.
Tom’s blood was pounding hard and he was at the start of a rage, not so because of the tone, or the dismissal, but because he caught a hint of regret that implied that he really wasn’t so set against the match.
“One: with your level of power even if you were a mudborn she should be considered lucky, even if she was a beauty, and two: her crush to you also helps. As for our relationship, it hardly matters to that circle if we are discreet.” he tested.
“Crush? Discreet?”

He was so sceptical that it sounded almost stupid and then he exploded.

“Fuck the hypocritical pureblood attitudes and fuck you too, Tom, for agreeing with that shite.” he snarled.

Harry, usually, could read past his stylized tone, right to the true meaning, quite easily, even without their bond, but he was so incensed that he remained oblivious, his eyes were dead serious.

“This,” he flashed the ring, “Us, means something to me. Even if you asked it of me, for covering, I wouldn’t do it, nor I will ever allow you to do it.”
Something unclenched inside Tom, but he wasn’t going to admit it, Harry had enough power over him as it was.

“Language.” he chided mildly, though at another time he would have literally taken his partner’s head for said language and tone.

“. . .now, as you reminded me. . .” he glamoured the rings with a Parsel spell.
Harry’s eyes just dimmed instead of flashing again in rage and he turned to leave.

“Damn you Tom.” was thrown simply. It didn’t hold any emotion, only coldness.
Damn, damn, those feelings to hell!
Tom didn’t even think about it, with two steps he had caught up with Harry and grabbed him by the arm and neck (none too gently to the arm and quite happy with the bruise he was leaving, he was going to kill him someday, no question about it!) and held him to his body.
“. . .Not so soon. . .I wasn’t, I’m never going to ask you that. . .I didn’t choose the bonding only because it’s convenient but because I want to. You’re mine Harry.”

Harry froze as he was caught; knowing too well that the hand to his neck could turn to a threat in a second, no matter how gentle the current hold. He didn’t offer a single word of acceptance to his statements but relaxed against him.

“What about you?” the question, when it came, held both vulnerability and defiance.
Tom thought it for a moment. The easy answer would have been ‘The same.’ a lie, yet his deeper preference. That would have left the inevitable fight with Harry for another, convenient, time but he was somehow reluctant, Harry could handle all of him, no dilutions involved. He chose the truth.
“I will never take another to bed, as I already promised, nor give a woman my name, even as cover. But I have no intention whatsoever to set our ambitions back. So, other than that, I will do whatever is needed until the day that we’ll have enough power to our hands that it won’t be necessary anymore.”
Harry tensed, his body stiffening as a board, and he freed himself almost violently. He turned to face him with distress, rage and betrayal radiating from his whole being, his eyes burning like twin green blazes.
Tom met them head on: he was giving the best he could under the circumstances and unless he was very, very, careful even this would be too much.

Doing it so Harry wouldn’t have to. . .not that he could handle a reverse. . .
Harry’s lips tightened until they became a thin white line but he understood the silent message.

“We will talk about this later.” he turned and left.
Tom found that he would have preferred a fight than this. . . The matter was far from over and knowing Harry he was going to give him the third degree for his every action from now on, but he would rather have Harry’s fire that this quiet resignation.
Harry noticed immediately that he wasn’t following and he slowed to check. He turned a bit and flashed him a teasing smile.

“Snape’s mother, Tom? That was mental! Zevi’s sister or not I wouldn’t look at her even if we weren’t together.” he snickered a little and sprinted away.
And he had thought that he had moods!
Tom had to replay the whole scene, rapidly, to his mind. Where had that come from? Harry’s emotions, up to the last part, were genuine of that he was certain. Yet, the implication was there that he had used them as retaliation for his coldness.

What was that, distraction as a covering to his hurt or a new game? Harry normally wouldn’t act that way at all so the bet was for now on a new game but he wasn’t certain. . .
The realization was far more intriguing and amusing than angering. Still, it certainly wouldn’t do to show any confusion.
“I’m going to kill you!” he took after Harry. . .

They reached the train with seven minutes to spare, panting, more from laughter than any exertion. Any problems were behind them, for now. . .

Tom straightened his posture immediately, the usual rumours weren’t bad but something more could become damaging. Thankfully no one was paying more than the usual attention to them and they got to their compartment in a hurry.
The usual crew was there, plush Minerva, but as they greeted them earnestly Tom noticed something strange, while they were quite happy to see them, especially Harry, they didn’t look unduly relieved by his presence, like they should if Diggory had spilled the beams. Also they were avoiding his eyes, though very carefully. He had to investigate. . .
A first probing at Alphard’s mind showed only vague memories from the night before, except his time with Minerva. This shouldn’t have been possible; the Black heir didn’t have the strongest mental shields even without his mark’s influence. So what could have happened?
He knew a strong possibility but he needed more data for a complete theory. . .
Next target was Abraxas. The same vagueness present, but other than that, an utter bore, a night spend in nothing but mindless flirting, not even networking, Tom was disgusted. Ah! A spare, almost disconnected, thought about Diggory and a memory before the latest Quidditch game. Those two were deeply connected with yesterday, of that he was certain. . .
But as he was to delve deeper to find the correlation, except the already established pattern, he felt Harry’s eyes intensely on him. It wouldn’t do, he was going to give him away. Not that he wouldn’t enjoy the terror of his followers at the realization that they were caught, but the memories were buried in such a way that if Malfoy understood his presence and panicked, some brain damage was unavoidable.
Tom was starting to get really angry at the deception he could sense but not enough to create permanent harm, especially if it could destroy Abraxas’ usefulness. They (especially Harry) needed a distraction.
A wicked smile graced Tom’s lips.

“Will none of you ask what our golden boy was up to, yesterday?” silence, but all eyes were on him; Harry looked both pleading and murderous. His smile became a smirk.

“Our Harry wanted to find a basilisk and get petrified. . . permanently. . .”
Harry barely managed to let out an irritated:

“Damn you, Tom,” before utter chaos erupted.
His followers and Minerva started shouting rapid questions, Granger bursted into tears. The clamour was almost unbearable but it was certainly worth it due to Harry’s expression. What did he thought that he would go completely unpunished after everything he had done? Not even close, this was merely the start. . .
With Harry busy, trying to answer their questions, he set to work. Abraxas’ mind didn’t offer any more at what happened, except the, again, connected memory of his moment with Harry after Walburga’s torture. Too sharp eyed that Malfoy! Maybe he should cure him of it. . .at least related to him. . .
Minerva’s mind was both easier and difficult. Easier because she wasn’t much at occlumency and so a piece of cake to view her deep worries about Harry yesterday, hers and of the others. Very much difficult too, because he didn’t have a hold to her mind as she didn’t bear his mark (something that needed to change fast) and so it would have been impossible to realise that something was hidden if he hadn’t checked the others first. Any doubt he had left was dissuaded. . .
It was a magical oath and they were all of them under it!
Tom was furious but he held it, for now, wanting to find out if there was anything more. Zevi’s mind was more structured and it took him a few moments to find out the same signs, even knowing where to look. That and a strange wall of awkwardness. . . With a bit more digging though he discovered something truly interesting. Prince had dared to hit on Granger!
On a personal level he couldn’t be more indifferent, but as a matter of status it could have been a huge blow and even worse it would have drawn too much attention to his business. Thankfully Prince had enough brains and decorum to make his move at a private setting, though Tom would have preferred them to have danced a bit more reservedly. But he had finally something useful to use against her and he was going to have some fun by making Harry squirm to convince him to not punish them.
Almost lazily he set eyes on Granger, she was still crying profusely and sniffing but she had found shelter into his lover’s arms and was hiding her tears to his neck. A bit too clingy for his tastes but for now he didn’t mind.

Harry was trying unsuccessfully to calm her down with soft words and apologies, while he patted her very awkwardly at her back. His eyes were unfocused and pleading for someone to save him.
He felt his attention immediately of course and he sent him an accusing glare. Tom merely smirked, he couldn’t have found a worst punishment; Harry would have handled a Cruciatus much better. . .
Granger felt that she didn’t have Harry’s full interest anymore, if not his own attention and raised her head. He almost didn’t need to break into her mind. Upon the meeting of his eyes she blushed, beet red, and her hand came to her neck, as in frigid. If Tom had been extremely generous he would have accepted her reaction as due to her awkwardness on where she had dared to put her hands. Unfortunately for Hermione that little gesture had been too telling, even without the tremendous blush.
Tom’s rage went sky-high. Of all the spells she could have utilized to check on Harry she had dared to use THAT? Nothing was capable anymore to hold back his wrath. . .
But as he whipped out his wand, to curse her as she deserved, (Unfortunately less than an Unforgivable, the wards were still active at the train.) he was forced to reconsider. Not out of any pity to the whole lot, that had frozen like snared rabbits, (except for Prince who had risen like a Gryffindor to take the blow) . . . their own time was coming too. . .
But because his charming partner had show fit to interfere, like usual. He had raised neither wand nor voice against him, not even held Granger any more protectively, but he didn’t have to. Harry merely met his poisonous, lethal, glare with a steely of his own and simply waited.
Tom could sense the protection around Granger and the others flaring to life in frightening proportions, much, much, worst than the one time he had dared to curse her. Unlike then, he knew that if he even dared to breathe wrong on her, right now, his magic will be gone forever.
“Everyone out.” Tom barked the order.
The others had the brains to scamper away, except the mudborn of curse; she had to be dragged away by Prince. . . Gryffindors!
Speaking about Gryffindors, Harry continued to regard him calmly and remained immovable and unafraid in the face of his wrath.

He had given him way too much leeway. . .
“Do you have any idea what they have done?” he gritted out.
Harry jutted his chin up.

“I don’t care; you are not going to hurt them.” it was a statement.
Tom lost it and grabbing Harry by the lapels of his robe he stuck him to the compartment’s wall.

“Then you don’t have the slightest idea.”
Infuriatingly, Harry kept his calm.

“Tom, what have they done? Usually you don’t lose it that soon.” he had the nerve to use his most understanding voice.
Tom forced himself to calm down to at least, almost, manageable level. It was the only way for him to explain and so convince Harry to drop the protection - and how it galled that he needed his partner’s permission to punish his own followers. But somehow the admittance was more humiliating by far.
“Your dearest friends and Granger, mostly Granger, used her pendant to check on us, to make sure you were alright after Diggory opened his mouth.”
Harry’s expression turned touched and then placating. . .

“Oh this,” he bit his lips, “I know you’re angry Tom, but it can’t be that bad, can’t you forgive them, for me.” his expression soured for having used such an open manipulation, especially of that type, but he probably believed that it was the only thing that could work right now. Unfortunately he hadn’t a clue, nothing could work now. . .
Tom felt the last stings, holding him back, breaking; it was the only thing that could make him confess what really happened. He dragged Harry up to bring them on the same height.
“You beloved Hermione” he whispered menacing, “spied on us at our most vulnerable,” seeing that Harry was again trying to protest he continued harshly, “she’d not only watched our most private moments, but thanks to her spell she felt everything that we’d felt.”
Tom didn’t have to say anything more; he let Harry down and waited for the explosions. His partner turned from paper white with shame and indignation to trembling with rage and back again, his eyes and magic blazing murder at all stages. But when he spoke it was the last thing Tom would have expected after such a display.
“You won’t hurt them.” it wasn’t even plea, it was an order.
Tom punched him and Harry blocked it, looking at him with those blazing eyes, wilful and beautiful like nothing else in the world. Suddenly, Tom wanted to hurt him as much as the others.
“You still own me another eight things,” his voice was silky; “I could order you to punish them until they break, for me.”
Harry blanched; his magic manifested by making the attached armchairs tremble violently in their positions, even more fearsome than simply breaking them, because he controlled them to ease his frustrations. His voice turned dangerous as Tom’s.
“Then you will end engaged to a squib, or maybe a squib yourself, your oath includes ordering others.”
It hit Tom like a giant slap.

“Then maybe I shouldn’t be engaged at all.” his words weren’t fuelled only by anger, the thought of losing Harry may be unbearable but it was equally unbearable to be the one always giving in, he couldn’t accept being the most dependant one.
His jab found home immediately.

“Jeez, that wasn’t even twelve hours, talk about fast, Tom.” Harry’s voice was normal, almost light, but he could read the pain in his lover’s eyes, words wouldn’t have been able to describe it.
Tom left him where he was and processed to melt the armchairs down to gain some clarity. After he thoroughly destroyed the compartment he regarded Harry again.
“What will have me do? I can’t just accept something like that? They betrayed us.” he was cursing his own weakness for getting so affected by Harry’s pain, but he felt reassured too. It was anything but easy to the other and he knew that if it ever truly came to down to it, in a life or death situation, he came first. . .
. . .The problem was that such a choice would destroy Harry and he wasn’t anywhere near ready to go that far. . .
Harry was holding his own admirably well.

“They haven’t betrayed us! Salazar, Tom! They took all that risk and got knowingly in all that trouble for me, to ensure that I was alright. How can I allow then to get hurt for this?”
Tom swore viciously inside. He had been so angry that he had thoughtlessly dismissed that little fact. Put it like this it was no surprise he fought that hard. There was really no way to change Harry’s mind, he would have accepted more easily to jump from the Astronomy Tower. . . He sighed inwardly; it wasn’t just blackmail anymore, if he insisted on this he was really going to lose Harry.
A predatory smirk crossed his lips. That didn’t mean that he was going to make it easy, there was a whole army of concessions he wanted and was going to get thanks to this. Tom was going to have his pound of flesh, one way or another. . .
“I can’t just leave them scoot free. They knew the consequences of their own actions.”
Harry sensed the difference and some of the strain left his face.

“I never said you should. What they did was both unbelievable nosy and beyond rude, you have every right to be angry. Just please no permanent harm, torture and definitely no Unforgivables.”
Tom relaxed. Harry had started coming around, he wasn’t completely irrational.

“It doesn’t seem quite enough.” he groused, pressuring some more, just to get Harry to truly negotiate.
Harry was on him, his lips started tugging upwards.

“That’s only because you haven’t seen it in enough creative contest, yet.”
Tom was intrigued, almost unwillingly.

“Do tell.”
Harry’s smile broadened.

“Have you ever thought about pranking?”
Tom would have been bitterly disappointment but something held him back. Maybe it was that dark gleeful smile. Still, he expected better. . .

“Kid’s stuff,” he dismissed, “and certainly not befitting a Lord or Lords.” the last part sharply pointed.
Harry’s expression didn’t falter, not even a little.

“Have you tried it?” he challenged.
It was the challenge and the smile, Tom decided, he could never resist that. Still, he would have been a fool if he stayed only on that . . .

“What do you have in mind? And no, just humiliation doesn’t work.”
Harry didn’t hesitate and started explaining with aplomb.

“Think about it, Tom, there are thousand things that while not overtly harmful will teach them to never go that far again. I’m sure that you can think of quite a lot.”
Tom was ready to scoff him, for being too soft, but he refrained due to that dark glint in his eyes, Harry may defend them but was extremely angry too, he wanted to explore that. It helped that he had already stated spinning ideas too. . .

The thought of Abraxas’ reaction at seeing his reflection getting older and more repulsive every time he looked at a mirror was very appealing. . .
He smirked.

“You better make it interesting, darling.”
Harry beamed at him for the concession.

“Trust me, I will.”
Tom decided that he had been generous enough, time to get to the root of the matter.

“They will, of course, need to buy my forgiveness and face some, at the very last, symbolic punishment naturally enough. . .”
Harry’s brow creased heavily at this but he knew him too well to not expect something like that, or hope that it wasn’t necessarily, even among his friends, never mind to change his mind.
“Obviously, what kind of punishment will that be?” he asked suspiciously.
Tom rubbed inwardly his hands; the fun was starting. . .

“Nothing less than a quarter under tempestate.”
Just as he had staked, Harry reacted to this.

“No, Tom, it’s too much.”
“Why?” Tom asked innocently, “it is not going to hurt them. They aren’t even going to feel like getting drown, only the danger of it.”
“Tom!”

Harry protested furiously, “its still torture, shorten it up.”
Tom was very interested to take notice that Harry, while protesting, he didn’t threaten to dissolve their pact to prank the others, it looked like protecting them or not he still had his own bone to pick. . .
Good, really good!

Tom may have far bigger fish to fry but this was too fascinating to be given up. . .

“I will, to ten or even five minutes, if you give me some small things.” he offered almost mischievously.
“Like what?” his lover asked with narrowed eyes.

Smart, smart man, his Harry!
It was time to start the truly serious negotiations.

“Like not interfering on what I will demand from Granger and agreeing to work truly beneath one banner.”

Harry winced but he kept his cool.

“Would you mind getting more specific?”
Tom smiled his shark smile.

“Why certainly, Harry. You already know that we’ll need covering; I want Granger to fill that role as her penance, indefinitely.”
Harry opened and closed soundlessly his mouth.

“Why would you want her for that?” he managed to ask at least, obviously gaining time.
Tom’s eyes softened just a fraction.

“She is a very good embellishment to the view I want to present the world, one that could work for a very long time. Indeed it will be a heavy waste of time and effort to not use the recourse.”
He didn’t even need to add at how much this development would alleviate the pressure on him to flirt and so drop the possibility on Harry getting hurt quite a bit. His lover had guessed that even before asking and Tom was amused to see the gratitude fighting with his sense of altruism.
Unfortunately the fight didn’t last for long, Harry’s eyes hardened and any soft emotion receded to the fierceness of battle.

“No, this is going too far, we could destroy her any chance of future happiness.”
Tom rolled his eyes; really, Harry and dramatics didn’t go that well together.

“One: I never said that she should forswear any attachments, just to be discreet, like us. . .”
He didn’t manage to finish his plan, Harry was so anxious that he interrupted him.

“But it could still destroys her the possibility of a normal relationship with Zevi, it’s still too much.” he blurted out.
Tom sent him his iciest glare.

“. . .and two:” he continued like there wasn’t any disruption,

“the association with us will certainly be to her advantage too.”
Harry still looked unconvinced and Tom shrugged inwardly, if he preferred it that way?

“This is another misdeed of hers,” he stated, “Zevi, at least, should have known better than dance publicly so explicitly with her.” he exaggerated to make his point.

“There are many that, if I leave things simply like this, will seek to punish them to gain my favour.” he said without inflexion, not even a hidden smirk.
“Not if we stand behind them.”
Harry’s idealism had the tendency to present itself at the most unfortunate times. . .
It was Tom’s turn to sent Harry a disbelieving stare.

“And what should I gain with this?” he asked without pretence.
Harry, of course, turned indignant.

“I don’t need you, I will protect them myself.”
He merely shook his head.

“Of course you will, but there are many brainless ones, you may end just revenging them. . .”
Tom stopped in his tracks at the fury he could see brewing in Harry’s eyes. Someone else would have already started running. I’m losing him, he realised.
“. . .Of course nothing of this may come to pass. Hermione may decide to help us and even if she doesn’t, she can cash her penalty by taking some remote research post to the continent for a time, we’ll need to fill the knowledge gap if we are to take Grindelwald.”
Harry’s gaze was still cool but he didn’t look ready for a murderous breakdown anymore.

“You’re beyond cruel, Tom.” he told him solemnly.
He could have answered him, teasingly, that he already known where he was getting into but he chose to cut the chase.

“Their crime was unforgivable, if they were different people, or you didn’t care, they wouldn’t live past sunset.”
All joking aside that was the further he could go. . .
Harry understood the message.

“I will talk to her about it, maybe she will want to help, but it will definitely not be an indefinitely arraignment.” he draw his own line in the sand.

“No more than five to ten years.” he conceded.
“Fifteen.”

Tom insisted, to thoroughly cover any bases.
Harry smirked.

“Really, Tom, if we haven’t gained sufficient power by then something will be very wrong with us.”
Tom tilted his head in acknowledgement. He didn’t need anything else.

Truthfully, he trusted Granger’s ambitiousness and he rather doubted that it would need that many threats. . .

“We can do it together if you prefer.” he offered.
Harry shook his head, still looking worried.
Tom could guess the concern’s source quite easily.

“I wouldn’t worry if I were you. Prince is so infatuated that he consciously risked my wrath, this is not going to defer him for pursuing her.” he could be gracious in victory from time to time.
Harry visibly relaxed with this. He took a look around and raised two expectant and somewhat sarcastic eyebrows.

“So?”
Tom created a very luxurious divan from the nearest pile and countered the challenge by offering a seat. Harry accepted it and even sat near the middle, so he wasn’t in the doghouse. He didn’t make a move to fix the place himself, probably as a point that it was his own mess, but Tom didn’t mind, there wasn’t better threat than a visual one.
They rested against one another for some quiet, tranquil, moments. It had been a while since they had just hanged together without anything else in the horizon but enjoying each other. Tom was tempted to let things be for quite awhile more but he needed to tackle the main problem too, now that the metal was still hot. . .
So he regrettably opened his mouth.

“So what about the other matter?” he asked casually.
Harry wasn’t fooled; he was instantly on alert, though he answered in the same tone.

“I thought we’d fixed that years ago.”
Tom kept the same soft voice.

“We did, partially, but my followers remain mostly my followers and yours are just your own and yes, no matter how you deny it, they are your followers to the deepest meaning of the word.”
Harry was up like a shot and started pacing between the rubble like a caged tiger.

“Even if it was true, which is not, I’m not going to betray them like that.”
Tom nearly rolled his eyes. Harry would naturally see it like that....

“I see it more like formally acknowledging they are under your protection instead of letting them hanging.”
Harry started messing his hair, too aggravated for a calmer reaction.

“And what sort of leader would I be if I acknowledge their devotion and then hand them over, like a present?” he asked and it wasn’t completely rhetoric.
Tom was pleased, Harry had started accepting the right order of things, there were only some steps missing.

“I never said you should hand them over, my intend runs more toward the lines of a joined leadership beneath the same banner.”
Harry snorted his opinion of Tom’s intend, but there was a light of deep interest to his eyes.

“I’m not exactly fond of the existing banner, too Gothic to my tastes.” was all he said.
Tom couldn’t resist teasing.

“More to the lines of turning green every time you look at it,” he pointed out with savage amusement.

“But I’m considering a new symbol, one more appropriate to the circumstances.”

Harry looked at him in stunned surprise and Tom conjured a small painting of his new design with a warm feeling of accomplishment.

“So, what do you think?”
Harry started examining with interest and Tom waited for the verdict. He hadn’t spent undue time to this but it certainly had some work. He had wanted something new that, while fairly intimidating, was lighter than the dark mark and represented them to a certain point. He believed that his design, a menacing and frightening looking, green snake coiled around a comparable looking silver lighting bolt, both suppressing and supporting, had accomplished this.
Finally Harry met hesitantly his eyes.

“It is beautiful, Tom, I won’t deny that and loads better than the Dark Mark, but I can’t accept it,” he rubbed his scar, looking uncomfortable.

“I’m not that comfortable being represented by that symbol.”
Tom wasn’t disappointed, he could understand that and if he hadn’t been running rugged he would have fixed it before.

“Alright, I will find something else.” it was easy to agree, compared to the scope of things it was a very small thing.
But Harry hadn’t finished, yet, he was biting his lips harshly. Tom didn’t like that gesture, too much overlain to his own rights.

“Also, while I really like that motion, in theoretical scale, I’m even less comfortable with the practical applying. How can I do something like that to Leonard? I promised him his freedom; or even Minerva and even less Mione?”
Tom couldn’t help himself a scatting comment.

“I thought we had agreed that Granger is going to live.” he pointed out.
Harry’s expression would have incinerated stone.

“Don’t you dare.” he thundered out.
Tom was getting just as pissed.

“And I already told you that she is too dangerous to stay alive, unmarked.” he forced himself to calm down; he was never going to convince Harry with force.

“As for your Grandfather, you may have promised him whatever you want but I saw what happened from his perceptive. He has sworn himself to you three times already; one of them a fealty oath, the mark is a very short walk from that. Even Minerva has sworn herself to you in my presence.”
Harry was at a loss, he bit his lips, again. He really should cut him of that habit, promptly. . .

“But he didn’t finished the oath, I didn’t let him.” there was an element of childish grumbling there, which was way unusual, his Harry was as disillusioned with the reality of life as himself.
Tom found himself being almost tender.

“Harry, we both know that the conclusion is not always necessary,” he lectured, “especially, if one is not unwilling. . . The true foundation of one’s Magic is always the extent of one’s own will.” he half smiled half smirked.

“The question is what do you really want to do, sweetheart?”
That seemed to fortify Harry, he smiled lightly.

“I could ask them.” he decided.
Tom groaned softly but nodded his acceptance. Harry could keep his sensitivities, he could afford it. . .

“Do that, if it pleases you.”
. . .Both Leonard and Minerva had the right mindset and if Granger dared to be a Gryffindor about it, for all her intelligence, he was going to ply her with so many security charms that she would end wishing for the relatively freedom of the mark. . .
A strange, thoughtful, expression crossed Harry’s eyes at this and he met his own, piercing him to his core.
“Tom,” he started softly, “Do you know what would please me? No, more than that, make me downright happy? To let the guys go from their binding until the time for the new one.”
Tom gasped at the full challenge.

“Are you out of your addled mind?” he managed to ask, looking beyond murderous and barely holding a typhoon like temper.
If someone, anyone, else had been crazy enough to dare suggesting something even remotely in these lines he would have ended dead on the spot, but not Harry.

That look alone, iron will and green fire, together with something else, had gotten straight to his groin and the bold demand had done the rest. . .edging the tiny heat that was building low to his belly into something not so easily ignorable. . .

No, boldness wasn’t quite the right word; sheer audacity was coming a bit closer. . .
Harry was anything but intimidated with this; he continued looking at him with those damned eyes and wasn’t backing down an inch.
“If we are truly going to be one side then it should happen through equal terms.” he challenged unflinching.
The message was more than clear; if Tom really wanted power over Harry’s people and the unification, then he had no choice but consent to this. He could beat him black and blue for said audacity, or even curse him down to insanity, but the only result he could manage would be to lose that chance forever. . .
It was within Harry’s rights to demand this, he knew. The only thing that Tom could do to the others, as per their agreement, if he discarded this, was to extend their torture at ten minutes. Which, even Harry knew, were mere crumbs compared to this.
That understanding wasn’t lowering his rage, or his arousal for that matter, and he felt deeply conflicted.

How dare Harry demand something like that of him, never mind invoking such things inside him?
He wanted either to beat him to death or to throw him down and teach him the price and utter limit to his power. . .to take his lips until they were raw and bleeding, to make him bleed in other ways too. . .
Tom suddenly had it with his whole self. He expelled, forcefully, every feeling he had, both angry and lustful, to the link; he needed a clear head for this. . .
With that achieved, he was able to think again. The problem was that even on a purely cerebral state he was still fascinated enough with Harry’s conundrum brain to do everything in his power to win him over, but maybe this time the price was more heavy than reasonable. He should weigh his options to the utmost care. . .
The most offending thing in this, frankly, overbearing demand had been, for Tom, to end up affected from his own patent of tricks, the ones that Harry was usually impervious to. Not that his lover had done it deliberately, he was too new in this, never mind how innocent and Gryffindorish, to ever go near to that route. It had been done by pure instinct, which made it more dangerous than less so, and all around infuriating. . .
And yet Tom knew, without a shred of doubt, that even if he knew, even if Harry had come to full awareness on the extent of his influence, he wasn’t going to think him as weak, ever. His lover was very straightforward to this; aiming only to protect the others and had nothing to do with undermining him. . . he should have known and anticipated this. . . Harry had just gotten into his crazy head to get the others, even temporally, free so that the couples, at least, could run away if they chose to. . .
But could he really afford to give into that? He doubted that his followers would choose to desert them. Their devotion to him was threefold secured, due his charisma, ideas and, of course, ambitions. The added fact that they were equally devoted to Harry and their past adventures to the future only added to that hold, sealing the deal, but the danger of them thinking less of him was very present. That or taking it as reward for their inconceivable action, (betrayal, no matter what Harry said,) which was out of the question. . .
Still spinning everything to his advantage was what he did; Tom knew that if he worked this just right he could use it to scare his followers to deeper submission out of fear of losing their places and, far more importantly, win Harry’s gratitude and his acceptance for a number of demands on an infinite timeframe. . .
Yes, that was what he was going to do. . .

“It will happen when I chose to and exactly at how I chose to.” he said at last.
Harry looked at him stunned, clearly expecting a rejection by the time it took him to decide, recognising full well what he had asked, but it wasn’t only gratitude. . . Excitement, knowledge and elation was radiating from his pores underlined with feverish dilated eyes and fiery red cheeks. In Tom’s haste to purge his emotions he had just broadcasted them to the link. Shit!

“Thank you!” his voice broke due to his feelings.
Tom had enough, he was going to show him exactly who had the most power in this. He took Harry’s lips harshly, violently, the way he liked it. Harry responded as he expected, melting and trembling against him. Only it wasn’t a power play anymore. . . he was losing it, fast. It wasn’t only to punish him for his little display any longer. He burned, needing to take him again and again. . .
That though finally snapped him out of it and he pushed Harry away before it really got to the point of no return. Tom wasn’t a slave to his instincts, he prided himself being the absolute master of himself, mind, body and magic, not the other way around, but the thought of what he had almost done made him white with frigid. Beltane was more than four months away; all his plans could have ended for nothing. . .
Naturally Harry didn’t see it that way.

“What the hell is your problem?”
The last thing Tom wanted was to admit his weakness and, as many times in his life before, he covered his panic with derision.

“We lost enough time, dealing with this; it will be beyond foolish to lose more by exchanging liquids.”
Harry winced at the terminology.

“If you think so.” his voice held only traces of coldness but he could read the hurt.
He softened his voice the barest bit.

“Harry,” he started patiently, “we have been here, alone, for more than an hour, I will be surprised if our little tète a tète hadn’t made the rounds of the train, yet.”
“Salazar!” Harry was blushing furiously up to his ears. . .

“Alright, we’ll better call the others.” . . .and his mortal embarrassment quite plain, but he regained his composure and caustic humour fast enough.

“The damage has probably been done, though.” he pointed out, unrepentant.
Tom wondered for the nth time what he was going to do with Harry. He had been counting in his embarrassment to this but after a brief moment of mortification he was back to teasing.
“You never give up?” he asked in supposed resignation.
Harry tried to look innocent.

“Should I?”
They shared a grin but then Harry sent him his best puzzled look. Tom had learned to be wary of those.

“I don’t understand something, though.” Harry started.

“You were, no, still are, pretty much pissed when I asked you to release the guys and yet you agreed?”
Tom glared daggers.

“Your point?”
Harry naturally didn’t back down.

“I just don’t see what you gain with this? The whole point was for equal leadership between us when you were already angry with me for my interference, it doesn’t make much sense.”
Tom would have been much better if he didn’t need to answer to this.

“One: you may gain official power to my followers but you already could veto some of their punishment, so nothing lost there. On the contrary your own followers are free to do as they will, that needs to stop.

And two: what do you think will happen if they just continued being two separated fractions of dark and light magic? If we die or even fight, which is far from impossible, how long until a new civil war starts brewing?”
He really hated that soft look on Harry’s eyes.

“I know that I was right to trust you to do the right thing.” he told him with a smile.
Tom sent a mild curse which Harry dogged.

“You’re delusional, that or, for once, you didn’t really care for the right thing yourself.” he pointed with precision.
Harry’s grin was downright mischievous.

“Not exactly, but you put a lot of pressure for me to agree, I thought it was worth a shot.”
Tom ground his teeth at the realisation of his misstep.

“I’m calling the others; I have ten minutes of punishment to dice out.” he informed, maybe childishly.
The smile was gone like smoke and Harry was glaring right back.

“The deal was for five.”
That was far more like it!

Tom’s smile was gleeful but chilling.

“Only without added things, care to take the last demand back?”
Harry sent him an equally chilling smile.

“According to an older and much referred deal you can’t use my friends’ against me.”
Tom was both frustrated and enjoying himself.

“Maybe, but you already agreed to this. . . so, unless you want to start negotiating from the start you better accept it.”

Harry’s face told him all he needed to know, he really was considering it.

“Seven minutes.” he said at least, his final offer.
Harry nodded tensely his agreement and Tom concentrated into calling the others back but even as he finished with his task he could see that Harry was still on edge. There was still a chance he could try to take the deal back as it wasn’t bound though an oath.
“Any particularly preference for your symbol to the new mark?” he wasn’t cajoling Harry, merely asserting his position. . .
Harry relaxed a bit.

“I could accept a snake, especially a particular one, if I must.” there was the barest hint of teasing.
Tom felt a fierce surge of pride that Harry would prefer the emblem he gave him above anything else, on the other hand, No. . . .

“Two snakes intertwined?” Harry nodded his acceptance. “One: too suggestive and two: we are neither a firm of healers nor messengers to use it.”
Harry’s lips twitched.

“Oh, I don’t know, I doubt you would accept a lion and the stag was my father’s symbol, not mine.”
Tom frowned. Indeed he liked neither of those.

“Can’t you find something else, something that could represent both of us?”
“Something that could represent both of us. . .”

Harry looked deep in thought and then he outright smiled, a rather cheeky smile, Tom braced himself.

“The only thing that comes to mind is a Yin-Yang.” he said obviously expecting him to blow a gasket.
Tom wasn’t in a hurry to reject it, Harry may have brought it in teasing, but the more he thought about it the more he liked it. Harry wanted snakes intertwined too. . .

He started visualising what he wanted to create and after he had it completely shaped he started conjuring it. This time there wasn’t going to be a rejection. . .
Harry took the new painting and gaped, he looked again and gaped some more.
Tom noticed that he took great care to not wrinkle it, though his fingers were lightly trembling and felt his lips stretching in a rather feline smile. Harry was going to accuse him again of having a big head but he felt that it was a true masterpiece.
Indeed, the Yin-Yang surrounded by two intertwining, green and silver and green and gold, Ouroborous biting each other’s tails, was one of the more elegant things he had seen. . .
Harry shocked or not, truly appreciated it.

“I thought you said nothing too suggestive?” he managed.
Tom thought that it was rather mild as complain.

“It doesn’t look that way though.” he pointed out.
Harry was still too agitated but he wasn’t giving it back either.

“It shouts what we are to each other to the four winds; I can’t believe you want that.”
Tom couldn’t help a smile, this was a better reaction than Harry kissing him to distraction, it had truly touched him. . .else he wouldn’t fight that hard.

“Maybe to our people, no one else will figure it out. Do you like it?” he put a challenge himself.
Harry blushed scarlet.

“Of course I like it, but how. . .?” he didn’t manage to finish the question; their followers had found their way back and were knocking on the door. . .

Harry’s pov

Harry had quite a lot of things to say at Tom for his crazy inspiration and the way he expected things to go, but the door’s knocking interrupted him mid-speak, he sighed, he would have to make his feelings, regarding this problem, clear at a later hour. . .and it wasn’t even the largest of their problems. . .
At Tom’s sharp order the door was opened a fraction by Alphard, who took a swift look inside and was visibly taken aback. A look of impatience crossed Tom’s face and his voice took the familiar silky dangerous timbre.

“Do you plan to waste my time, Alphard?”
Alphard hastened to obey, looking faintly green and probably expecting to meet his premature end right about now, Minerva was the next one at the door and Alphard stiffened imperceptibly in apparent terror for her safety. Oh for crying out loud!

Harry interfered before Tom lost all patience and decided to spice things out of boredom. He was certainly capable of this, even without breaking their deal.

The faster things were over the better. . .
“Come inside, all of you, no one is going to die.”
Tom sent him a baleful look for intercepting his fun but he didn’t contradict him. Mione, Brax and Zevi got inside, looking more awkward than anything else, but surprisingly enough were accompanied by Leonard and Eileen. Zevi tried to block his sister from entering but she persisted with a stubborn tilt to her head and all the Slytherin masks in the world couldn’t hide her relief at finding him alive and unhurt.
Tom focused all his attention on Eileen, ignoring Leonard completely, but the occurrence could hardly called positive.

“Anything worth reporting, Miss Prince.” his voice was completely frosty.
Eileen bent her head in submission, half covering her cheeks with her long dark tresses and kept her eyes respectably down. It was flattering; her sooty eyelashes were making quite the nice contrast in all that paleness.

“No, my Lord.” she said softly, not quite terrified yet.
Tom was dead wrong! Harry decided, Eileen wasn’t ugly; she just had thick eyebrows and a heavy jaw, very remising of her older brother’s, or her possible future son’s, other than that she had very intelligent dark eyes and a quiet dignity. Some man was going to be very lucky someday to be able to call her his wife.
Not that he wasn’t surprised by her presence here, he was. She wasn’t an inner circle member to be allowed and she certainly wasn’t an idiot to risk her Lord’s wrath on a whim. A startling thought crossed Harry’s mind and he forcefully dismissed it, Tom couldn’t be right on Eileen crushing on him, he was just trying to mess with his head like usual. The girl never tried to get his attention and yet, the moment she felt his eyes insisting on her, even under Tom’s intense scrutiny, she coloured quite spectacularly. Crap!
Tom noticed of course and Harry shivered at the menace he could sense coming from him, Eileen seemed to shrink in herself; he put up some protections, just in case.
“Then your presence here is unnecessarily, unless you wish to share your brother’s punishment,” a quick glare at Harry’s direction for not allowing him to curse her just because, while Zevi and Herm looked pleading, “but you seem to be innocent of his crime.”
Eileen was a very sensible girl; she curtsied and was out of the door in a flash.
A collective relieved sigh was almost heard but then the tension started building again, no one had missed Tom’s comment about punishment and they were imagining God knows what. He was ready to reassure them again but his partner’s hand around his wrist (not quite violently,) sent a very different message. He understood and didn’t speak. All the same, he conjured seats for them from the rubble. Tom tensed but he didn’t care, his lover may prefer them on their knees but this was the further that he could go with this. . .
Tom then spared a moment on Leonard.

“It was very kind of you to come here; you saved me the time I would have wasted later to find you.”

Leonard gaped at this but the teen Dark Lord’s words were the last warning, he cast. . .

“Tempestato.”
Harry started silently counting the minutes, until the punishing session was over. He didn’t like this, as in at all, but he had accepted it and understood, sort of. For that reason he kept a totally expressionless face, they could guess his disagreement well enough, but he wasn’t going to make a public fuss about it. They were going to deal with such things in private.
As a friend he could do all the appeals he wanted, but a joined leadership was a completely different matter. An open disparity could sink things quite fast and most of their friends were Slytherins, it was in their nature to exploit such opportunities. . .
Still, he felt quite sick to watch them gasp, searching for a fresh breath, locked in their own minds. Harry longed to avert his eyes, to forget himself by concentrating on something else, anything else, instead of facing them in those endless, endless, moments. . .

Salazar knew he had enough serious problems of his own to consider, but he couldn’t, he owed them at least this much.
Finally, the seven minutes were over, their friends got their bearings back and slumped against their chairs. Although they still panted, like they had run for miles and miles, none of them looked worse the wear or were sending him resentful glances for allowing it without protest. On the opposite, Harry caught them, mostly the Slytherins, glancing secretly and clearly conveying to each other: ‘That was all?’
On one part he was relieved, on the other, they weren’t as discreet they believed and Tom’s jaw had started clenching in annoyance. He prepared himself to run interference, again, but then Tom did something that went beyond astonishing.

He took his hand and started speaking:
“You are undoubtedly aware that you got away far too lightly, compared to your crime.” he started haughtily and they looked at him in terror, expecting far worse.

“The reason for that rare favour is because, today, I have ample reason to celebrate and share my happiness. Harry agreed to share his life with me. . .” he squeezed his hand and unglamoured the rings.
Suddenly it was too hard to breathe. Harry was used into rolling with the punches but this was something else. He could understand the timing but it still wasn’t making much sense after Tom’s insistency on secrecy. Nothing truly did today, his partner had done naught but constantly cross signals and he was too weathered down and exhausted to decipher them all.
A huge cheer was heard with the announcement and Harry felt annoyingly like a bride. A part of him had been alright with the secrecy, needing to keep the change close to his heart, for now, even from his friends. Yet, he couldn’t help but being touched with this, both the semi public declaration (for whatever, other than the obvious, reason) and their friends’ happiness for them.

“Thanks guys.” his voice got clogged by emotion and his death grip on Tom’s hand was proof enough that it wasn’t only directed at the others.
The others smiled in understanding to his outburst but know much better than stop paying full attention on Tom. Indeed, a moment later, his partner continued.
“Do I need to warn you that if you dare to do something in those lines, again, or offend me in any other way, it won’t be the case anymore?” that was said with a very charming smile, but no one missed the deadly intend. The smiles dimmed and a shudder took them.
Message passed, things went back to being pleasant.
Or so it seemed, Harry couldn’t help but being uneasy with Tom’s behaviour, not the threat; that seemed the only normal and consistent thing of the day. What sincerely troubled him was that said behaviour was cleanly cut on two different patterns. One consisted the usual cautious, (paranoid,) manipulative manner, the other, while still manipulative, was far more indulgent and infinitely less cautious. Deeply inside he had to admit that he was terrified of that part. . .
Harry was still so engrossed to his thoughts that everything felt more dreamlike than reality. But when Brax came to congratulate them he noticed that, while formal, he dared to use ‘Tom,’ instead of ‘My Lord.’
. . .If any of his friends heard this, Harry was sure that he, or she, would comment that he was approaching paranoia himself. That it was only the mellow part, present in the start of every relationship, but he knew better. Tom may indeed feel like that, (he did too, wanting him constantly, to his total embarrassment, and, more dangerous, longed to please him in every way he could) but he hated it too. . .
Zevi was formal as well but he literally beamed at them. . . Minerva kissed them on both cheeks, (Tom stiffened but, strangely enough, he endured it.)
. . .Harry’s fear that his partner was merely tolerating the new aspect to them just to keep him was totally appeased only to be replaced with the realisation that Tom may want him as much he did but was far from pleased with that fact. The morning scene, for a start, had been proof enough, Tom had responded more than enthusiastically, but afterwards he was like a scalded cat. That or he simply hated for Harry to take any kind of initiative to intimacy. . .
Mione nearly cried again and hugged him so hard he nearly passed out, (not a hint of dark feelings from there, thank God!)
. . .He had been prepared for some testing but this went further than anything he had steeled himself. How long they were going to last with such baggage was anyone’s guess. . . Harry had a feeling that the other shoe weren’t far from dropping and when it did the less open Tom was, in regards to them, or indulgent, the less he was going to withdraw. . .
Alphard patted his back, shook Tom’s hand and started muttering about fireworks and throwing the best engaging party ever created.
Harry was anything but certain with this. A party sounded nice but somehow he was too weary for it, plus, he rather doubted that Tom would want such attention thrown to them, even at a very close circle. He was very surprised that he didn’t veto it on the spot.
But then again most of his attention was focused on making Brax uncomfortable, Harry still didn’t know what he had done to gain Tom’s ire to that extent; he was going to find out pretty soon, that much for certain. . .
And then Leonard took him aside and sent him a step closer to residency at Janus Thickey ward. Congratulations he could handle, but his dearest grandfather not only seconded Alphard’s suggestion for a party but insisted on hosting it at Potter manor and more importantly that they definitely should spend the vacation there too, not merely Alphard and Minerva as it was arranged. Harry was at a complete loss. . .
“But your mother?” he tried, “it wouldn’t be right to put her in such trouble after her recent injury.”
Leonard wasn’t backing down.

“All the more reason for you two to come, you need recuperation too.” there was a strange look in his eyes, intense devotion mixed with resolution. The resolution had been there before but the devotion was new.
Harry considered briefly using Legilimency to find out the reason for the change, but the fact that Leonard was indeed bound to him with the fealty oath made him pause. He wouldn’t take anything more from him, especially, not without his permission.
Still, this could end pretty much awkward, he decided to stop being subtle.

“Look Leonard, I appreciate this, really do, but your mother can’t, won’t, be comfortable with us there, especially with the party you are planning.”
Leonard looked confused for a moment and then he laughed.

“I get what you mean and believe me, if the news of the party won’t end broadcasted to the world, it won’t be a problem with her, she is way past such attitudes.” his smile faltered.

“We’d paid dearly for them.”
He honestly didn’t know what to say in this and then his grandfather continued.

“Please Harry; I won’t say it’s completely selfless, I‘ll feel better with you two there to protect mum until we move with the Princes’ but I honestly want you there, you’re family and if you’re that serious about Tom he is as well.”
He didn’t want to hear any of this. On one part Leonard’s confession about his mum stirred all his protective feelings and guilt. On the other he had longed to hear something like that, from a blood relative, for all of his childhood and now that he finally had he had no idea on what to do with it. Yet, something still insisted that it would be a really bad idea, for everyone, to associate with this family. The best, or worst, part: he knew that his grandfather was honest; some things simply couldn’t be avoided when one was a practised legilimens. . .
He was getting desperate at finding the right words to decline when he felt Tom’s arm circling his waist. Harry was almost faint with relief, he could finally get out of this impossible position, he didn’t even care about the scatting language his partner was undoubtedly going to use. . .
But it looked like Tom had decided to do nothing but shock him today. . .

“I assume that there is a laboratory in the house?” he commented lightly.
Harry stiffened to this but Tom held him even tighter against him.

“Tom.” he hissed warningly, a step before creating a scene.

Tom ignored him.
Leonard was oblivious to the tension, beaming at them and not even bothered with the snake language.

“Of course, my father’s, it will be my pleasure if you use it.”
Tom radiated satisfaction.

“We’ll love to. . .” he said immediately and offered his most charming smile.

“All of us.”
Harry had enough with this. He untangled and glared for all that was worth.

“No way in hell.”
Tom merely raised an eyebrow.

“Do you really prefer Malfoy manor?” he almost teased but not exactly.
Naturally Harry had almost nothing to say at this but it simply made him to feel even more of kilter and he didn’t like this at all.

“Hardly.” he admitted at least and returned his attention on Leonard.

“You certainly don’t have to.” he offered in the dim hope of making him to change his mind and managing to get away.
But Leonard, although he had a pretty good idea of Tom’s true character, and had been cursed by him a very short while ago, took no hint.

“I don’t mind, we haven’t fallen that far to be incapable of hosting some friends for a while.” he said almost offended, but then he smiled.

“And I can do it even alone, anyway, thanks to you.” he boasted patting his pocket.
The bet!

Harry had heard of it but he had written it off as a bad joke. He wondered if Leonard flirted with a death wish. Thankfully, he didn’t have to restrain Tom; he wanted something and so held on to his anger.

“How much did you got?” his voice held only sick curiosity.
“350 galleons.” Leonard couldn’t hide his pride.
Harry felt really sick. This was from more than half the school and it probably got into that point because of the recent time he spent alone with Tom, but before he could blow up Tom’s cool voice soothed him.
“You are going to fix this Leonard Potter,” he ordered.

“You are going to obliviate anyone that paid you.”

Leonard paled with the bulk of work he had to do but Tom continued.

“If you’re incapable of casting the spell, Zevi, Alphard, or Minerva will help you.”
Leonard didn’t look constipated any more.

“Alright that’s fair, I don’t want to get you in trouble.” at the door he stopped.

“By the way, I almost forgot. Tom, Diggory wanted to talk to you at prefect’s compartment.” he mentioned casually and left.
Harry’s head snapped up hearing this, and here it was, everything that he had refused to see, plain into Leonard’s eyes, without a single defence:

‘I need to go in Nurmengard, the Dark Lord has a member of my family.’
No wonder for his grandfather’s need to go all out. After Dumbledore’s indifference this must have looked like heaven in comparison. Still, at the moment, Leonard’s reaction was the last of his concerns; Sam had gotten himself in grave danger, the fucking idiot!
“Tom, don’t.” Harry started, almost panicked at the wave of angry magic he could sense, he didn’t even care what Sam wanted, although he had quite the hint. He barely had the presence of mind to use parseltongue.
Tom’s eyes were glinting dangerously, promising murder.

“Why should I, darling? If dearest Sam wants a meeting, for whatever reason, I’m obliged to give it to him.”
Harry swallowed down his bile, looking desperately at his partner.

“Please.”
Tom froze.

“You plead for your second choice, golden boy?” the cruel smile couldn’t hide his unpleasant surprise from hearing this.

“That’s only proves that I have every right and reason to hurt him, as per our agreement yesterday.”
Harry was so flabbergasted and angry with the first comment that even the direct threat and the allusion to their talk became almost irrelevant for a moment.
“Come again, my what? Who the hell came up with that utter crap?”
That seemed to mollify Tom, but not completely.

“Malfoy, he was under the impression that you needed a second option and tried to set him up with you.” he informed Harry airily, but the sourness returned immediately.

“Not a completely erroneous assumption, of course. You already admitted of considering sleeping with him.”
Harry gaped at him. Brax had dared to do what? It was a miracle then that he hadn’t ended dead on the spot and the danger was far from over. Brax was safe from anything deadly, of course, but Harry could sense that Tom’s lethal rage was anything but dispatched. No shields of care were going to protect Sam and even less protests of the simple truth that Sam was never his lover and so completely irrelevant to their deal. Even a pointed comment of Diggory’s position in society was going to end at deaf ears; his lover was so incensed with Sam’s perceived challenge that the most probable end was Sam tortuously dead and Tom magicless.

He needed to be more inventive than that.
Harry hated to give more power over him on Tom, especially after today’s realisations, but if it saved Sam’s life (and Tom’s magic) it was worth it.
“Sam is not a threat to you, Tom. . . or a possibility that he could ever be so. . . Not out of anything as simple as the belief of being straight but because the only way it could have worked with him is if I was the golden boy you mentioned. . . and we both know that I was never truly that. . .”
Miracle of miracles that seemed to work, something like mirth danced at Tom’s eyes and if there was relief as well. . . that was never going to get disclosed. . .

“Don’t fret, sweetheart, I'm not going to get overboard with the badger, merely the just deserts for his tattling, nothing more or less than the others.”
Harry relaxed, that much he could handle.

“Alright, let’s go.”
Tom raised a sardonic eyebrow.

“Going were? Last I checked Diggory wanted the meeting with me, after all. Don’t you trust me?” he asked only half teasing.
Harry told himself to keep his calm.

“I do,” to a point, “but I have a feeling that the request has to do with something I asked him.” no reason to elaborate on details if he was mistaken.
Tom’s teeth flashed reading perfectly the implied words.

“I’m honoured.” he replied dryly, “Anyway, if that’s the case I will call you.” he dismissed and headed for the door.
Harry had enough with this; he set to follow Tom and give him a true piece of his mind when the realisation stroke, he was stuck where he stood.

“Tom!” he bellowed out, deeply offended; “You will pay.” he promised not bothering with snake language at that.
That had a minimal result. Tom’s eyes narrowed out to the others that had watched the whole exchange looking progressive more terrified.

“You already have your orders, go to it. Granger stay.” was the only thing he bothered to say.
The others looked at Harry worriedly but left in a hurry, Alphard half dragging Minerva. Mione looked like she wanted to dismiss Tom’s order and leave but at the end she stayed, biting her lips and looking beyond worried but not daring to interfere with them.
Harry was still enraged for getting dismissed like that but words didn’t look like they would have much of a result so he moulded the rest of the rubble around Tom, up to his waist, to at least have him work for it and see if he liked being contained for a chance.
Alarmingly, Tom didn’t even look bothered with that. Also, predictably, it only took him a couple moments to free himself from said trap.

“Harry,” he started quite calmly but with a hidden underline of danger, “I have kept my part of the deal, but you haven’t, yet. If you want the Hufflepuff to live you will talk with Granger, right about now.” having sort of won the case he left, leaving Harry insulting him with every profanity he knew. . .
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The Fate Changed Now What?