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When the rubble settled on Hogwarts, the bodies cold on the ground, Harry watched the people he knew change in the aftermath of the war.

Ron obsessed himself with Hermione and being an Auror. Eventually a fight with Harry about his choice not to do Auror training got to their friendship and Ron refused to talk to him after violently accusing him of turning into the next ‘Dark Lord’.

Hermione, with reluctant eyes, followed her new fiance and hardly ever talked to Harry anymore. Even when Molly Weasley invited him to the Burrow, the sadness and pungent awkwardness ended driving him away.

Ginny eventually broke up with him, claiming it was her position on the Holyhead Harpies that made her leave, but he knew that it was really the way he just couldn’t find it in himself to look at her as anything more than a sister since the Battle of Hogwarts
. She was always wanting to go out to public places with him on her arm, but he hated being in the spotlight, unlike her, so all their relationship had become were a long series of fights anyway.

Neville and Luna stayed by his side, neither of them having anyone else either, but it came down to Luna and him when (after traveling the world with them)
Neville went off to be an assistant at Hogwarts under Professor Sprout.

But Luna and him were alright.

They worked.

Living in Grimmauld Place was painful, but with every room he repainted or cleaned out, it felt more and more like home. Luna usually sat in whichever room he was working in, making light conversation and writing for the Quibbler.

Even after putting the Elder Wand back with Dumbledore’s body, it showed up by Harry’s bedside. No matter what he did it would just appear again.

So he stopped trying.

But as the wand was almost addictive in its power, Harry decided not to use it as much as he could, instead painting the rooms by hand. He bought more muggle carpentering books than anything else now days. Plus, the feeling of doing something with his hands kept his darker thoughts at bay.

Three rooms fully re-done and Harry noticed that his body was more toned, unlike how thin and wiry he used to be. He'd never really had baby fat due to the Dursleys treatment of him growing up, but this thin layer of muscle was new too.

Eating dinner late one day on the un-carpeted floor of a half-destroyed room, Harry frowned at the Elder wand that laid off to his side, chewing his food almost mechanically as his mind turned. “Why me?”

He’d interrupted Luna mid sentence, but the girl just smiled. They had lived together for long enough that neither could really get mad at the other, not with the stuff they'd been through. “For what Harry?”

“Well… Why’d I have to get stuck with this thing?” He jerked his head at the wand. “And why won’t it leave me alone?”

Luna giggled. “I thought you read the book?”

Harry tilted his head at her.

She just smiled fondly. As she’d told him before whenever he tried to apologize, she was used to his bouts of incompetence (but they both knew it was more like she was too ‘all-seeing’ for him sometimes). “Three brothers, standing on a bridge to meet Death? That’s you!”

“Yeah. The Deathly Hallows.” Harry chewed another piece of chicken as Luna looked at him with those wide eyes like he was missing something. Frowning, he swallowed too early and ended up hacking when the chicken didn't go down right. “You don't think- I can't be the Master of Death!”

“Why not?” Luna’s eyes were smiling, a hint of amusement lying under the innocence.

Harry huffed, changing the subject. “Any news from your father?”

Xenophilius had gotten out of Azkaban a different man, talking of creatures that even Luna could see weren’t real, ranting about finding his dead wife… He had gone off somewhere in Canada last they’d heard from him.

Luna smiled brightly and if not for the last six months living together, Harry would have missed the slight quiver in her lips. “Harry Potter, your nargles are out with a vengeance and it's not very nice.”

Nargles was Luna’s way of saying bad emotions or people.

Harry immediately lowered his eyes, guilt burning slowly in his gut. “It’s just- For a second you sounded like Ron, accusing me of turning 'dark' just because I didn't want to hurt anyone anymore… I’m sor-”

“You’re not evil or fully dark... I don't think you would know what to do if you tried to be.” Luna interrupted him, reminding Harry silently of their promise not to apologize, not for things they couldn't control.

Not anymore.

Instead they

showed

they were sorry.

Nodding, he looked down at his food, pushing it around with his fork and changed the subject. “I was thinking of maybe going to Gringotts tomorrow, try to fix whatever damage I caused with the goblins. It’s not like I can stay in this house forever.”

“I might stop by the apothecary.” Harry breathed a little easier when Luna readily accepted she was coming along without him having to ask.

That’s how they both lived nowadays.
Avoiding saying things, dancing through minefields without a second thought.

Luna and Harry shared a room, beds close by in case either of them had a nightmare. They ate together, worked together, and always went out of the house together. Neither mentioned their scars, their parents, or the war. They balanced each other out, like something between soulmates and siblings. They loved each other something fierce and unyielding, but it wasn't sexual love in the slightest (Harry shuddered slightly at that thought).

“I thought maybe tomorrow we could ask about the…” Harry drifted off, but Luna knew what he meant.

She took another bite. “Only if we get some ice cream on the way back.”

“Of course.”

They then drifted into a pleasant conversation about what colors would look good in the room, now that some of the walls had been knocked down and the dangerous artifacts had been either destroyed or locked away.

Luna brushed her teeth the next morning as Harry braided her hair back, casting a simple spell on it so it temporarily turned a light brown. Then they switched, Luna dabbing muggle makeup on his scar and tying back his hair as he brushed his teeth.

His hair had grown long and shaggy after the war, but Harry found it was easier to keep like that, so he kept it. That way instead of a bird’s nest, he could tie it back, control it.

Funny how when it had grown out long enough, it just fell in waves rather than the usual mop his short hair looked to be.

Luna giggled as he tried to both spit out the toothpaste in his mouth and hold still, knowing how much it hurt to move when her hands were in his hair. Instead he just ended up getting toothpaste all over his chin.

She finished his hair handing him a towel as she went to get dressed. “Very handsome.”

Harry scowled, wiping off his chin before casting a hair coloring charm. Having his eyes fixed after the war so he didn't need glasses, scar covered up, and longer light brown hair, he wouldn’t recognize himself on a crowded street.

He threw on a simple button up and slacks, he frowned slightly at Luna, who was wearing a simple light blue dress with grey leggings. “I never get used to not seeing you dressed in every color of the rainbow. It’s strange.”

“Camouflage. Right now i'm a water nymph, sneaking into human civilization for books and herbs.”

“That's much more realistic.” Harry chuckled as they aparated to the alley next to the Leaky Cauldron.

Not many people glanced their way as they strolled through the pub, into Diagon Alley.

When they got near Gringotts, Harry stiffened, feeling the eyes of the goblins at the doors as they passed. Luna’s arm hooked onto his, other hand on his upper arm as if to say ‘I’m right here, calm down’.

He noticed the two goblins at the doors had followed them in, but made himself walk to the end of the room with Luna calmly even if the Elder Wand in his boot was warming up in reaction to his apprehension.

The teller looked up, eyes narrowing as he saw through their disguises easily. “Come with me.”

Harry bowed his head, thankful the goblin didn’t use his name. They followed the goblin into the depths of the bank, feeling the two guards at their back.

A door was opened for them and they walked in to see a wizened old goblin sitting at a large desk.

“I am Fangtooth, Mr. Potter. Sit down.”

Harry noticed it wasn’t a request, and glanced at Luna as he sat. She smiled in reassurance, sitting next to him on a small sofa. After a pause he started to apologize nervously. “I apologize for my actions and will pay any damages, I didn’t mean any disrespect-”

“The damages will be payed.” The goblin grinned, teeth sharp. “But Gringotts thanks you for your contribution to it’s security and has reduced it’s fine. 10,000 galleons is all you need to pay.”

Blinking, Harry nodded quickly. He had twice that stored away in case of emergencies, not to mention the piles of untouched gold in his vaults he'd only been using for small things like groceries. “Okay. Okay yeah I can pay that.” The goblin handed him a contract and he quickly scanned it before signing. “Um- I was also wondering- Is there a way for Luna and I to become… siblings?” He glanced at the girl, wondering if the goblin was going to just throw him out now that he'd payed.

But the guards at the door left as soon as he’d signed the parchment, and now the older goblin looked over both of them, gaze less hateful. “If you do an inheritance test, Gringotts can set up a blood adoption for both of you.”

“Al- alright.”

The goblin got out a few things, handing over a dagger and a piece of parchment. “Seven drops of blood on the paper Mr. Potter.”

He did as told, watching in awe as the blood sunk into paper, before red line spread out, writing appearing.

Then the red faded to black and he looked over the fancy script.

Harry Jane Potter

A.K.A Harry James Potter

Born
: 31 July 1980

Mother
: Lily Janice Potter nee. Evans

Father
: James Charlus Potter

Godfather
: Sirius Orion Black

Wand
: Elder Wand

Titles

:

Potter Heir (by right of lineage)

Black Heir (by naming of godfather)

Gaunt Heir (by right of conquest)

Slytherin Heir (by right of conquest)

Ravenclaw Heir (by right of conquest)

Gryffindor Heir (by right of magic)

Peverell Heir (right of magic)

Master of Death

Magic:

Dark magical core (partially blocked, magical growth stunted: age 8)

Affinity for Parseltongue

Affinity for Protective Magic

Affinity for Dark Magic (blocked, core destabilizing)

Other:

Compulsion to hate Dark Magic (placed 1981)

Mutare Sexum

(placed 1981)

Compulsion to be reckless (placed 1991)

Compulsion to respect Albus Dumbledore (placed 1991)

Love potion keyed to Ginevra Weasley (broken 90%)

“I- Death?” He choked out. “What-”

Luna leaned over, scanning the paper, before smiling widely. “Told you so.” The girl's eyes narrowed at the bottom. “Though those

are

concerning…”

“I dont… What's a core block? Why do I feel like

‘destabilizing’

is a bad thing? And a

love potion

?!” Harry foundered, looking from between the goblin and Luna.

Fangtooth's eyes widened, but before he could ask, Luna gently pulled the parchment from Harry and handed it over.
The goblin seemed to glower at the paper. “You will have to see a healer to get these curses and blocks off you.”

He waved his hands, brain hurting. “Wait- Wait first can you please explain to me what each of them mean?”

The goblin nodded. “You have probably heard of the compulsion charm, but as for the others…

Mutare Sexum

is an especially dark curse that has been banned for centuries, same with core binding, as it traps the victim in the body of the caster's choosing while simultaneously leaching off their magic. Core binding was used in the Dark Ages by Lords to bind the magic of their enemies so as to enslave them and it is currently illegal to use, with the death penalty for binding an underage child. The fact that you can even wield magic after all this time… You are lucky to have your magic at all Mr. Potter.”

Harry’s voice was stuck in his throat and he felt like crying. He had a pretty good guess to who would do something so horrible just to manipulate him, but it still felt like this was all some big nightmare.

“If you want to sort plans for your adoptions and lordships, I can get together a file on your vault holdings to look over, and we can get you to a goblin healer to try to break some of those curses.”

“Right…” He looked at Luna with lost eyes.

Luna turned to the goblin, knowing exactly what Harry was asking of her, like always. “Can you get the lordship rings while we discuss between ourselves?” The goblin nodded lowly, exiting the room, and Luna pulled him into a hug. “It’ll be okay. Goblins are masters at breaking curses.”

He nodded, head still spinning. “But even the whole Death thing…”

“You should call him.” At his puzzled look she looked seconds away from rolling her eyes. “Call him! Death!”

Harry fidgeted, not knowing what to do, but deciding to take the girl’s advice. “Um- Death?... Can you hear me?”

“Always.” A low voice echoed around the room, seeming to originate from the corner and Harry turned around to see a mass of shadows had accumulated, pulsing. “You call, Master?”

Harry stared at the shadows until Luna elbowed him. “Oh- um- I was wondering what being ‘Master of Death’ entails… Could you bring people back to life or maybe make it so my parents never died or... Oh! Could you have Voldemort die before he gains too much power?”

The darkness seemed to scoff. “I do not meddle with human issues, as that is my sister Fate’s job. I can however, send you wherever you want, as you are more human than I.

You

can then meddle all you want… You are marked by Fate as one of her favorites after all, so I do not think she will not mind too much.”

Harry glanced at Luna. “And how would that work, like with time and paradoxes and-”

“I will send you back to whenever you want. From there, it is in your hands. You, young master, are removed from all the ails of time.” The darkness shifted, swirled. “You may ask for three things, if you go. Call on me when you decide.”

Then the door was opening, and when Luna and Harry looked back, Death was gone.

Fangtooth held a wooden box, stetting it down on the table in front of Harry and opening it to show seven rings. “Have you decided on your adoption plans?”

“Can I and Luna become siblings by magic? Tie our magical cores together?”

The goblin looked a bit stunned, pausing, but after a long second he grinned widely. “Interesting request. Both of you would have to go through an extensive cleansing process, especially you Mr. Potter, but if Lady Magic accepts it… you two would have intertwined cores, something so rare that no one could think to separate you.” The goblin grinned. “We will do that first, then come back to your lordships. Follow me.”

Apparently the cleansing process involved getting covered in foul smelling brown goop (that he didn’t want to know the ingredients of) to undo the

Mutare Sexum

, then laying out on marble slabs while goblins poured different potions over him to wash away any other residual magic, before a blood ritual was performed to unblock Harry’s core (one of the most painful things he’d ever felt).

He was sure he’d passed out, because next he knew he was dry and covered in a thin white sheet. Looking over, he saw that Luna was on a marble slab not so far away, and he assumed this way the magical adoption ritual.

Ignoring the fact they were both naked and a bunch of goblins were chanting around them, Harry reached over and instinctively found Luna’s hand.

Apparently, that was what the ritual needed, because then a white light was filling the chamber. Harry felt the grip on his hand tighten, and for a second he was wondering why, before a white hot pain raced through his body like lightning.
Dancing though every single inch of skin, all his nerves being squeezed, the fire raged.

And then with a finality, the pain disappeared.

He breathed a sigh of relief and then proceeded to black out.

Walking up, he saw Luna sitting on his marble slab, looking at him with soft eyes. “Harry… Don’t freak out.”

“Luna you know that if you say that, i’m going to-” Harry froze. His eyes were locked onto where his body was supposed to be, but instead of the lean legs and muscled chest… the body in front of him was toned, but the hips were a little to wide, legs too curved. Eyes traveling up to his chest he gaped. He had-

“Harry…”

“I’m… I’m a girl! Why am I a girl!” He looked up to Luna, pausing as he took her in. Her hair, once a white blonde now fell in a dirty blonde waves. And her eyes- her eyes were a soft sea green instead of the silver blue they were before. “And you- Luna, what-?”

“Your magic bonded.” Fangtooth handed over their clothes. “I didn’t think you would bond so well, but you seem to be magically bonded fraternal twins, exactly the same age. As for your gender, you looked like this when the

Mutare Sexum

curse was broken Miss Potter.”

That sunk in for a second. “What so he turned me into a boy because his Chosen One couldn’t be a girl? That’s sexist!” Harry groaned, mind whirling as she got dressed. “What am I going to go by? Harry’s not a girl’s name!”

Luna giggled. “Of course that’s what you’re worried about. What about Harriet? Hanna? Helen? Hera? Those are all good names.”

“Never mind. I’m staying with Harry.” He-

She

muttered, feeling uncomfortable with changing the name she’d always known. Fidgeting, Harry frowned. Her shirt was too tight on her chest, making it hard to breathe.

Luna waved her wand and Harry found herself wearing a blue dress that matched Luna's own. The open bottom made her squirm even more and with a giggle, Luna waved her wand again.

When Harry found herself wearing leggings she frowned, but let it go with a sigh. “This is definitely going to take some getting used to.”

They followed the goblin back to the room and he waved to the box. “Your Lordships, Miss Potter?”

“Fangtooth, what if we went back in time?”

Harry looked at Luna in disbelief at the blunt question, but the goblin only grunted in thought. “Ah… you

are

Master of Death, and of course

you

would wish to turn back time…”

Harry was sure she looked sheepish. “Well, anything to stop my family from dying... Can you help us? Identities, money, records?”

The goblin nodded. “I will send you with everything you could possibly need and more, but it will take time. Let us talk this out.”

There they sat, for hours, making plans.

Harry wrote down all the things she could remember, like a journal of her former life, and Luna did the same.
Then with the help of the older goblin, they went through the pros and cons of lordships, investing money, and other such topics.

Harry even sent a letter to Neville, asking him advice on the subject and if he would want to maybe come with them, as they’d always considered him their third sibling.

Neville replied quickly, saying that he wished them luck and that he’d miss them both, but he was happy as he was.

Finally with a sigh, Harry looked at the box of Lordship rings. “We can’t claim Potter, Black, or Gaunt, as they would draw unnecessary attention… But we should at least both have one title as an extra layer of protection.” She paused, before picking up the Peverell ring and slipping it on. It was cold for a second, before heating up and shrinking to fit her right ring finger. She put the Slytherin ring on her left middle finger, holding out the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor ones to Luna. “If we’re twins by magic then these should be yours.”

Looking at Harry briefly, she slipped them on her left middle and pinky fingers before smiling. “Thank you Harry, they're lovely.”

Harry turned back to the goblin. “Now for the trunk. Can you do that?”

The goblin nodded, sending someone off to go collect a expandable trunk and have it filled with gold, clothes, and books from their vaults. “Now, since neither of you will have names in that time, are there names you both wish to take?”

Luna and Harry glanced at each other, silently discussing, before Harry looked to the goblin. “Luna Love Peverell and Harry-” She pursed her lips, “-Jean Peverell.”

Luna glanced at her, but didn’t comment on the use Hermione’s middle name.
That was one of the things they didn’t talk about.
She did however, smile at the goblin. “May we see you tomorrow? I need some items from the apothecary.”

After Fangtooth dismissed them, they left (without any glamours) to get some dried herbs and ice cream.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Back at Grimmauld Place Luna and Harry forgot about any plans to paint the unfinished room, talking out what they would need to do in the past and where they could go instead. Then they set about looking over what they needed.

Throwing out some of the way old-fashioned robes that had been in the vaults and sorting out the jewelry and books,
they put together a pile of anything they could need or possibly miss.

The Marauders map, all three Deathly Hallows, the charm bracelet that Luna kept but never wore, Harry's old broken wand, Luna’s pendant from her mother, the broken basilisk fang, and the last letter Xeno had written his daughter were all then packed away with the gold and jewelry.

Then with a smile, they clasped hands, sat down for a late dinner and both wrote notes to their close friends: Minerva McGonagall, Hermione, Draco, Luna’s father, and Neville.

The next day with the identities they’d made and a letter from Fangtooth to his younger self in Harry's pocket, they stood in a Gringotts ritual room, hands clasped together.

“Death?” Harry called.

A tall man with pale skin and long black hair appeared, black pit-like eyes eyeing them unnervingly. The corner of his mouth quirked up for a brief second. “So, it seems my sister has intervened, and I now have

two

masters

…

” His endless black eyes hardened into obsidian orbs. “Know that while neither of you can die, only one can hold the Deathly Hallows, and therefore control over my powers.”

Luna nodded, smile soft. “I have no need for them.”

Death seemed to relax back into his usual state of boredom. “And what is it you want masters? Are you decided?”

“We wish to go back to when Voldemort was rising to power in the 1970’s, kill him before he kills our loved ones.” Harry set his jaw, determined. “One of our requests is to keep our memories, one is for Luna to have the sight… and…”

Luna looked at Harry fondly. “We want to be of age to go to Hogwarts.”

“She may only have partial sight, as any other way would drive her mad- Is this what you want?”

Harry nodded, glancing to Luna. “Yes.”

Death grinned widely. “Well then, Harry and Luna Peverell… Good luck.”

Harry squeezed Luna’s hand and with a sucking feeling, everything went dark.

Groaning, Harry blinked, cringing when her head pounded with a migraine not unlike when Voldemort had tried to kill her in the forbidden forest. “Ow... that hurt.”

“Yes. Death wasn’t very gentle.” Luna helped her up.

Looking down at herself, Harry groaned. “I’m still a girl!”

“Who are you and how did you get here?” A goblin snapped at them and they noticed they were standing in the same ritual room as before, but the whole room was tense, as if ready to fight them.

Harry raised his hands, slowly fishing out the sealed letter from his pocket. “I believe that this will help.”

The goblin in front grabbed the leader and read it quickly, eyes growing more and more squinty. Then with a grunt, he waved them forward. “We must talk to the Goblin King. It says you are a Goblin Friend, but there will have to be an audit of information.”

Luna and Harry kept close to each other, Harry rolling her eyes when Luna merely hummed and gazed at everything with wide eyes, ignoring that they were deep under the ground of Gringotts with weapons pointed at their backs.

Not that they could die, but still, it wasn’t ideal.

Led before a golden throne, a goblin that looked more like a sack of wrinkles read over the letter, before eyeing them. “Speak.”

“You should get your tellers wearable wards against the imperius curse, it’s too easy to use when you have an invisibility cloak. The dragon you keep under the vaults is heavily malnutritioned and should be let go anyway, as it’s a flight risk and has been trained to hate your very race. You also claim to be neutral in the war with Voldemort and yet you stored a horcrux for him, keeping him alive, so you might want to get that removed… That is what I can offer you now, as well as a list of profitable investments to make for the future when you’ve filed our papers.” Harry kept her chin up, head held high as the goblin stared down at her.

Eventually sharp teeth were exposed, and knowing it as a sign of good will from the creaking laugh that followed it, she relaxed slightly. “Well met, Lady Dragon Thief and Lady Moon. You are truly, as the letter says, friends of the Goblin Nation. May our gold flourish together.”

Harry bowed her head lowly in turn to the Goblin King, amused that the words changed to include both parties in the customary thanks. “And may our enemies bathe in their own blood if we are wronged.” She saw a few of the watching goblins shutter at her dark tone, but Luna just smiled softly, hooking arms with her.

A young goblin came forward, looking uncharacteristically unsure for the proud warrior race. “I am Fangtooth... You asked me to be your accounts manager?”

Harry knew that the goblin wasn’t probably of age to have gotten his own office or desk yet, smiling as she thought of how Fangtooth would move up and get more respected the more money and prestige Harry and Luna had.

Asking him to be their account managers, even now, he would have one of the biggest offices in the building- he probably thought it as a foolish fantasy that they called his name.

“You helped me and my sister out, so I did the same.” The goblin bowed his head deeply in respect and she chuckled. “Shall we get the paperwork started then?”

After a few hours of registering all the proper paperwork, Fangtooth looked at them. “You will be needing a magic guardian. Do you wish to take an inheritance test in order to find a relative you can live with?”

A tall man appeared, face pale and drawn, with a dark haired woman on his arm. “No need. My masters will be looked after by my favorite daughter. If I may introduce Morgana Le Fay, she will be staying with you two until she’s no longer needed, as Lady Morgana Peverell. You will find the paperwork for her is already sorted.” The man then disappeared swiftly, leaving the woman behind.

In a black lace dress that seemed to be fitted to her body with wild black hair that had thin braids ending in gold and silver beads that clicked when she moved, the woman cut an imposing figure.

Luna curtsied, while Harry bowed her head out of habit. “Miss Le Fay.”

Eyes that shimmered silver in the light looked at them both from over high cheekbones, a soft smile curving the corners of the woman’s ruby red lips. “My darlings… Call me Morgana or something of the like. You have no need for formalities with me.” She held out her arms and pulled them both into a soft hug. “And no need to worry. I’m here to guide you of my own free will. I find myself truly disappointed with one Albus Dumbledore, not to mention the state of the Wizarding World as a whole.”

Harry gave the woman a half-smile, before looking to the goblin watching them. “If you could have the Peverell Manor cleaned out, a few house elves hired, and get the paperwork in order... We will come back after a light lunch and sign off on everything.”

With bows and formal partings aside, they made their way into Diagon Alley.

Morgana sat across from Luna and Harry in Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, watching as they shared a cup of peppermint chocolate chip ice cream. “So, you two are

surely

not sisters by

blood

...”

Luna and Harry swapped glances, before Luna smiled at the woman airily. “By everything but.”

“And you are not from this time, like me.” Morgana sipped a cup of tea as she watched them, like she was trying to figure them out, dissect them with her eyes. “So what is your goal here?”

“My goal is to find the lost diadem of Ravenclaw. Or get Harry a boyfriend. Maybe i’ll even become a water nymph while i’m at it!” Luna said happily, eating the ice cream.

Harry just laughed at Morgana’s face of confusion.

After all the paperwork was settled with the goblins, Harry and Luna found themselves outside of a large manor in the countryside close to London. With white brick stained from age, Harry looked over the messy vines and unkept lawn and nodded. “Yes. This’ll do perfectly.”

“What are you talking about? This is…” Morgana frowned in a way that reminded Harry of Draco Malfoy. “

Unseemly

.”

Luna giggled. “Harry gets bored if she’s not working. This way she’ll have plenty to do before we get immersed in Hogwarts.”

It was no surprise to anyone (except maybe Morgana) that Luna was right as always.

After unpacking and getting stuff laid out, Harry set to work. Starting with the seemingly deserted kitchen, she had the three new house elves (affectionately named Clary, Kitty, and Stella by Luna) help her get the newest modern appliances as she stripped down the kitchen to the base, then she sent hours setting up the various appliances.

Luna sat nearby and sketched lightly in a notebook, Morgana lounging on a nearby chair sipping iced tea, half-asleep.

Though after Harry electrocuted herself twice trying to install the oven, Luna pulled her outside, flicking her wand. The grass was instantly cut.

Then with the help of Clary, a new picnic table was set out and they had cheese and crackers, sipping elven wine as they watched the sun set.

“Morgana, are you immortal? Or…” Harry’s voice trailed off.

The woman smiled widely, red wine-stained lips parting to show shining white teeth. “It’s more that Death offered me this mortal life to spend again helping you two so he didn’t have to, as he put it,

‘babysit’

. But no, child, i’m not immortal…” The woman paused, eyes sharpening on the two. “How is it? Living forever?”

Harry shrugged. “We haven’t lived long enough to really find out. But I have died a few times and I know that’s not fun.”

Morgana leaned in, face openly curious.

Luna smiled widely
through the slight buzz of wine. She was a lightweight compared to Harry, but drank less, only when she was completely comfortable with her environment. “Harry has a habit for finding the worst enemies and then making them hate her. She was killed by a Dark Lord before she came back and killed him. An eye for an eye, and all that...”

The woman who’d been King Arthur's downfall and Merlin's murderer- the woman who was sometimes credited (along with Merlin) for bringing magic to their world, eyed the girl with the brilliant green eyes in front of her.

So powerful and yet so painfully

good...

And Morgana Le Fey decided that this lifetime was going to be more interesting than she had thought.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Harry was in the middle of peeling a section of hideous wallpaper off of the walls in the ballroom, when a soft hum made her pause and twist to look down from her perch on her ridiculously tall ladder (that she had transfigured just for this job).

Morgana was watching her with those silver eyes, bottle of red wine in hand, her lips curled into something between a smile and a smirk. “Oh, no, don't mind me darling! Keep on doing... whatever it is you’re doing, way up there!”

Rolling her eyes, she shifted back to pulling at the wallpaper, making sure she got every piece of the ugly faded-yellow material that had personally been offending her eyes.

“By the way, not to interrupt your mission to destroy that hideously colored wall, but don't you think that would be easier with magic?” Morgana's smile was now verging on being irritating. “Because, isn't it too early in the morning to be trusting a muggle invention to keep you stable twenty feet in the air?”

Harry didn't know what time it was, seeing as when she’d gotten up to go to the restroom and decided to tear at this wallpaper, Luna had still been asleep- but that didn't matter as much as how the older woman’s voice was really pissing her off right now. Turning to eye the witch, she sneered in her best impression of Draco Malfoy. “I should think then, it's too early for you to be drinking a bottle of wine,

Miss Le Fay.”

With a rich laugh filled the ballroom that was tinged slightly orange from the dim light starting to peek through the windows

(huh, so it must be early morning),

and Morgana waved her non-wine-bottle-filled hand. “Get down from there you menace. Let me tell you about how I killed Merlin!”

Harry most definitely did not climb down the ladder to listen to the woman's story. No, she just knew that if she stayed up on the ladder with only half a nights sleep it wouldn't end well.

But if Luna found her laughing with Morgana about how she’d tricked Arthur into kissing a particularly ugly frog, then she would blame it on the wine (not that she had any, but no one needed to know that).

There was a certain charm to the witch with the silver eyes and the long obsidian hair that fell in messy curls, silver and gold beads clinking at the ends of interwoven braids as she walked.

Morgana couldn't tell you anything about warding or healing, but she could name every poison known to wizards in alphabetical order. There was no skills at cooking anywhere in the woman's body, but the second you need your hair braided she was there with a brush in hand.

Harry couldn't quite tell if the woman loved them, thought they were nuisances, or wanted to try some of her favorite poisons on them. There were no real emotions in those silver orbs, no decoding key to what her strange smiles meant.

But Harry had always prided herself on learning the rules to the unspoken game, especially when dangerous people were involved.

She’d done it with her relatives, with Snape and Voldemort, and then again with Ginny.

So she tried to learn Morgana’s rules. Surprisingly, there were only a few and they were fairly easy to abide by.

Stay (at least moderately) safe
Take care of yourselves
Always have a bottle of wine around
Act however you want, but always look fabulous

They sat one night in the ballroom thats walls had been painted a metallic silver and the ceiling black, Luna having spent multiple days on the ceiling mural of starry constellations (each one shimmering and sometimes moving when you weren’t looking).

The large fireplace had been going long enough that the room was warm, and when it had gotten dark, they had brought out all the candles in the house. The ballroom floor danced with light from the candles, the three of them sitting on a big pile of blankets in the center and quietly admiring the beauty of the large ballroom.

“You have magic. I

know

you do. I’ve seen you when you’re mad, when the air starts to chill and somehow everything smells like petrichor, like after a rainstorm.” Eyes that, in the light reminded her of silver coins, fixed on her. “So why do you continue to act like you can’t use it?”

Harry shrugged, continuing to thread her fingers though sandy blonde hair where Luna had her head in her lap. “My best friends in my last life, the two people I thought would be by my side forever, left me because of the possibility that my magic would corrupt me... I guess... that I don’t want to prove them right.”
Morgana didn’t seem to blink, face still, body un-moving for a long moment before she burst into laughter. “You- You’re too cute!” With a long sip of wine, the woman shook her head, voice thick with sarcasm. “No one person can be corrupted by using the magic bestowed upon them to redo a house.”
Luna cracked a smile at this.

“You’d have to meddle in either necromancy, soul magic, or blood magic to even start to have side effects!” Morgana snorted, voice lowering to a sarcastic mutter. “Magic, corrupting

you?

Ha-

bullshit.”

Harry rolled her eyes and let the conversation drift into something that held less meaning, eventually getting roped into painting Morgana’s nails in the patterns of venomous snakes while the woman told them a story of catching Arthur and Merlin in bed together and proceeding to make Arthur’s 'manly bits' disappear before locking the room.

And for all the unusual parts of Morgana Le Fay, Harry found that she wouldn’t have picked a better guardian for Luna and herself.

Plus, no one could top her stories anyway.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Diagon Alley was cautiously crowded, just like in her fifth year when no one knew whether Voldemort was back, except now there was no guessing.

Voldemort was active.

It was more of a bad game of Russian Roulette. The kids needed school supplies, so everyone went on the last weekend possible and hoped that nothing happened.

Harry was not actively looking for a fight

(yet)

so she and Luna stayed inconspicuous and stuck close to Morgana.

Luna swore on her favorite sketchbook that nothing would happen that would activate Harry's ‘Saving People Thing’, so she reluctantly let herself be dragged out of the manor and into the nervous crowds of Diagon Alley.

Either way, they already had their robes, enough money to buy the Malfoys, and every book on advanced magic they could ever need. But Luna and her needed both simple black robes for everyday wear (that wouldn't make either of them stand out to much unlike the silver and gold embroidered robes they had from the future’s vaults) and a few books, so here they were.

Shopping.

Harry apparently didn't get the ‘shop till you drop’ enthusiasm, having grown up in a body of an abused teenage boy, but Morgana made up for her lack in

spades.

Ignoring her pleas of just going to Madam Malkins, the woman dragged then to Twilfitt and Tattings, disregarding all plans to try to blend in with the non-rich Hogwarts crowd spectacularly.

“Come on darlings! The faster we get you your robes, the faster we can go look at those books on curses that you want!” Morgana's cheer in saying something like that out loud got a few looks, but when the store workers saw the dazzling woman in the form-hugging black dress, they seemed to realize that she was well within money and turned their heads. Said woman leaned against the counter in a way that had the man at the counter swallowing slowly and flushing, her voice a purr. “My lovely darlings are in need of

quality

Hogwarts robes. Do you have any openings for quick measurements and an order?”

The man nodded, as if forgetting how to speak and a younger woman (who looked just as flushed but could speak) came to his aide. “We- ah- are kind of busy, but Im sure we can make some time for your girls, Miss…”

It was a blatant pull for information, but Morgana just smiled brilliantly. “Peverell.”

The shop went quiet, not expecting to hear such an old name from a woman no one recognized.

Harry sighed. “Morgana… If you cause anyone in this shop to have a stroke, I'm going to ask for a different guardian.”

The woman turned, pouting slightly. “Harry, dear! I thought we bonded! I thought you were warming up to me!”

“Not enough to deal with

this.

” Harry grumbled, Luna giggling at her side. “This is exactly why I just wanted to go to Madam Malkins.”

There was a small gasp, like the ones stereotypical rich people make in movies, a woman with long black hair stepping forward. “Excuse my interruption, but you cannot go to

Madam Malkins.

Not with your- your heritage! You must have been raised by

barbarians

to think a lady of your standing would wear such cheap robes!”

Luna and Harry looked at each other, before bursting into a fit of laughter.

Morgana sighed, turning to the lady who looked affronted. “I apologize for the behavior of my nieces. They were not raised in the magical world, unfortunately, and I just took them in…”

Instantly the mystery woman looked at them, eyes curious as if she could smell the gossip. “Oh?”

“Our parents are dead. I was raised by muggles, Luna by our dad's brother until he passed away recently.” She rolled her eyes at the affronted gasps.

“Morgana, I think we should want to be home for dinner?...” Luna’s voice was soft, but held a tired weight to it, as if she was just as irritated with the way this encounter was going.

The uniformed woman that had jumped in earlier gave them a large fake smile. “If one of you will follow me, I can get you fitted…”

Neither moved.

Harry's eyes were burning, the arm locked with Luna's tensing. “I’m not going anywhere without Luna.”

The woman looked to Morgana, who in turn smiled thinly. “Harry, I'm sure you can both go back together. No one will try to separate you and your twin.”

This caused another air of shock, the store woman blinking. “Oh- um- no of course not. Please, both of you can follow me.”

Trading matching looks of tired irritation, they followed the woman into the back.

After twenty minutes of both being measured, fitted, and once or twice being poked with needles, the two were released from the torture chamber and guided back to the main area. Morgana looked up from where she was sitting with four women, smiling. “Ah, here they are! Harry, Luna, these two girls are going to school with you! Say hello to Narcissa and Andromeda Black!”

Both of them proceeded to freeze.

Standing in front of them were the three Black Sisters. Narcissa and Andromeda smiling politely while a young Bellatrix was talking with Morgana intently.

Luna was the first to get over her shock. “Nice to meet you, Ladies Black.”

Getting a sharp elbow to the side, Harry winced. “Yeah- um- nice to meet you.”

Andromeda sent her a strange look, but Narcissa was the perfect pureblood lady, curtsying. “Heiresses Peverell, please call me Andy. This is my sister Narcissa and the one talking to your aunt is Bellatrix.”

At this Bellatrix looked up, a slow grin spreading across her face. “Oh! Look at them! So adorable really, all wide-eyed like that.”

Harry then was getting her hair ruffled by the woman that had killed her Godfather, magic instinctively
smacking the hand away from her hair.

Luna pulled them both back before she could do anything else, eyes wary. “Sorry. My sister doesn’t like to be touched, I apologize for that.”

"No worries." The older girl smiled, eyes glinting. "That sure was an impressive feat of magic, knocking my hand away without moving or saying anything..."

Tensing, she clenched her jaw. "Well, it was very nice to meet you, but we have a few books to get." Before anyone could respond, she and Luna were hurriedly out the door, walking away at a brisk stride.

Soft sea green eyes glanced over to her. "You know that they aren't the same people. They might never take the mark, never hurt anyone."

"I-" She shook her head. "I just want to live, Luna. I don't want to be Dumbledore's puppet or another of Molyvort's little pawns. I just wanna be a teenage girl, have a bit of time acting normal before I think about what I want to do."

The arm locked with hers moved, hand slipping in hers and squeezing softly. "Okay. Then that's what we'll do."

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Before she knew, Harry was pulled away from gardening in the backyard, shoved into plain dress robes and then dragged to King’s Cross Station.

(Well not really, but it sure felt like it had been that much of a change, getting up so early to floo to a train that would take them to Hogwarts)

Something tightened in Harry’s chest as she watched the Hogwarts Express pull up. “It’s… beautiful.”

Morgana snorted, rolling her eyes as she hugged them both. “I’m going to get the house elves to re-do the patio so I can sunbathe, drink away my worries, and enjoy being alive. If you need me just owl.” Ignoring Luna’s giggles, Morgana kissed both their foreheads and then dramatically pushed them towards the train. “Be free my pretties! And stay away from trouble Harriet or Daddy Dearest’ll kill me!!”

A few families that had gotten to the station early looked at them weirdly, but Harry only threw a crude gesture over her shoulder, pulling Luna to the train.

“Right back at you,

brat

!” Morgana yelled after them, huffing as she stalked to the apparition point, disappearing.

“Are you going to antagonize Morgana too? She’d not that bad.” Luna let Harry guide them to the very front of the train. “Or is it something else?”

“She calls Death ‘Daddy Dearest’. That’s bad enough for me.” Harry moved to store the trunk away, stopping in front of the window.

Families ran around, kids hugging their parents.

She was staring when a red-haired girl caught her eye and she felt her throat close up. “Mom… She-” Putting a hand on the window Harry let the girl disappear from her view before looking to Luna. “I’m sorry but i’m breaking the rules- What about our parents? Malfoy? Hell

Pettegrew-

” She clenched her jaw, hands starting to shake.

Luna reached over, grabbing one of her balled up fists. “It’ll be okay. I mean, I know that my dad’s here… but we have to stick together. Like Acadian tree bark!”

With a slight smile, Harry nodded. “Yeah, alright. Together...”

They melted into a comfortable silence, Harry with her legs stretched out across one of the benches, Luna criss-cross on the other as they traded quips and talked about things that wouldn’t remind them painfully of where they were.

Slowly they both relaxed, like they were heading to Hogwarts back in their time. Ron and Hermione around the corner talking to Ginny and Dean, Neville late as usual...

Then their compartment door was being thrown open.
“Jame-!... Wait. You’re not James. And

I

don’t know you.” A long haired boy raised an eyebrow at them, grey-blue eyes curious.

Harry, meanwhile, proceeded to fall off her bench at the sight of Sirius Black.

Luna giggled, helping her up. “Harry he’s not a ghost.”

She glared at her sister, voice a strangled whisper. “He might as well be!”

Luna took Harry’s arm, extending it for her. “She’s Harry. I’m Luna. Nice to meet you, your ghostliness. We’re new- transfer students.”

Sirius looked confused, but shook Harry’s hand. “Are you two-”

“Siri!” A boy tackled Sirius to the floor, another boy walking up to the two on the floor with an eye roll. The boy on the floor looked up and Harry’s heart stopped. James Potter was looking at her. Her

father

was-

“Harry? Do you need to sit down?” When she nodded, still in shock, Luna guided her to sitting so she couldn’t see the boy’s soft hazel eyes. “Didn’t Neville say that he was making a rose bush hybrid that can walk around and eat rats? He got so sick of the rats running around and eating his plants, but I warned him: don't worry about the

rats,

worry-”

“-about the wacksurts.” Harry finished along with Luna, before smiling and tearing her eyes away from the boys. “Sorry. I think the nargles took me over for a second. Hey do you think Morgana would let us build a greenhouse? I wanted to build a greenhouse before... we could have a big backyard, maybe even find and raise Buckbeak!”

Luna smiled slightly, before turning to where the three boys were staring at them. “Oh… so many nargles all over these three.”

Harry pursed her lips, not daring to look from Luna. “They’ll go away eventually.” She heard movement and low whispers from the door and then relaxed as footsteps left the corridor empty, flicking her hand to close the door. “I wonder what house we’re going to get sorted into. Probably Gryffindor or Ravenclaw...”

“I want to go to Slytherin!” Luna pouted at Harry, eyes big. “Please? Then we wouldn’t have to see anyone we might be related to!”

Harry smiled, as if she had any type of choice when Luna looked so happy. “Yeah, sure. I’m sure i’ll get used to the snake pit eventually…”

Luna and Harry followed the other students to the carriages, petting the thestrals as they got into their own carriage, earning them strange looks.

After changing from their dress robes, they talked quietly, both melancholy at seeing the black winged skeleton-horses
again. Luna had on pink and loose white polka dotted pants with a light blue sweater under her plain Hogwarts robe, but Harry had avoided her sister’s strange fashion sense, instead just wearing ripped jeans and a simple t-shirt under her black robe.

Smiling like an angel, Luna made a flower crown with her wand, putting it on Harry’s head carefully.

Morgana had spent a lot of time making Harry sit still enough to weave small braids into her long hair, tying them off with little gold and silver protection charms, only letting her go so she could do the same to Luna. Though she found she liked them, from a practical standpoint, and because of the clinking sound they made when she walked. Luna had loved this, telling Harry she looked like a princess, skin sun-kissed and toned from working in the garden, glittering green eyes seeming bigger without glasses.

Shaking her head, Harry transfigured two radish earrings, and her sister let her put them in lightly before grinning. “Marvelous! Time to kick Voldyshort’s ass!”

“Luna!” Harry scolded, helping the girl out of the carriage when they stopped. Ignoring the stares, they made their way to the main hall, standing off the to side of the large wooden doors as the others took their seats. “Slytherin. Hmmm… Maybe I should try out for seeker again.”

“Yeah! You should!”

Harry smiled at Luna. “It’d give me something to do…”

Her sister smiled fondly, reaching out to grab her hand. “You

do

get bored.”

Then before anyone could say anything to them about not sitting down, the first-years were herded in and they were being forgotten. Watching the sorting, Harry glanced around the hall. She could tell Luna was doing the same thing because their hands were both tight, clutching at each other as memories overtook them.

“And we seem to have two… guests.”

Harry looked up, barely holding in the contradicting rush of sadness and anger when she met Dumbledore’s eyes. “I...” She cleared her throat, straightened her back and locked down her emotions before they could escape. “My sister and I are here to be students. Our names should be on your list, as sixth year transfer students.”

The man frowned. “I’m afraid we don’t have your nam-”

Harry stepped forward, Luna’s grip on her hand now holding her back instead of for comfort. “We’ve traveled a long way for this, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.” She saw the Headmaster’s eyes widen slightly at the use of his middle names. “Our parents, our friends all

died

for us to come here… So I beg you. Check your list. Luna and Harry Peverell.”

The hall was silent as the Headmaster flipped open his book, studying it. The man’s lips tightened, but he gave them a fake smile. “Harriet and Luna Peverell. Yes, It seems that you are here… Well then, please come up to be sorted.”

Harry scowled at the man’s obvious distaste for them already. She wasn’t sure if it was being older or knowing Dumbledore so well, but she could see right through him. “Old

fart

.”

Luna giggled, smiling widely as Harry made a big show of helping her up to the stool, placing the hat on her head. There was a moment of silence and then- “SLYTHERIN!” Smiling, Luna moved so Harry could sit down, putting the hat on her head over the flower crown.

“So, Harry Potter is now Harriet Peverell... Interesting. You could have great influence in Gryffindor, maybe even-”

The hat’s voice was as she remembered: old, musing, and always trying to change her mind.

Harry frowned.

“Before you start anything, I have a magical twin, bound by cores, and i’m not leaving her.”

The hat’s voice was almost whiny in his head.

“But you could be so good- famous even!”

“No. I’m not leaving Luna for a brand of fame that won’t ever fit me. I already have plans and you should see they are greater than anything Gryffindor could offer me, so i’d rather stick to the shadows, even if it means drawing negative attention.”

The voice seemed to sigh.

“Yes. I see… In that case, you have to go to-

SLYTHERIN!”

Sharing a smile with Luna, they made their way to the table of greens and silvers. Harry grimaced when she noticed that the only empty spaces were by one Lucius Malfoy, but with a glance to Luna, they sat down.

The blonde boy smiled at them. “Heirs Peverell, I am Lucius Malfoy.”

Harry flinched back at the slimy smile on the boy’s face. She reached for Luna, feeling her heart beat faster, vision blurring as images of Draco laying bloody on the floor of the bathroom flashed through her mind. “I don’t think- I can’t stop- Luna...”

Gentle hands guided her face to look at Luna. “Harry… You know what to do. Think about Neville. Think about all the people you saved. Hermione, Bill, Charlie,

Teddy

...”

Harry’s cheeks were wet, even as she didn’t think she was crying. “I keep seeing ghosts-”

“No.” Luna’s voice was stern. “Focus on my voice. Hear me and think about flying, about being chased by that Hungarian Horntail. God, you were

brilliant

on that broom. The dragon flying after you…Think about Hermione. How mad she’d be that we were here, back in danger like the fools we are. Think about how now I get to braid

your

hair for a change or how I’m going to beat you in our next duel-”

By now Harry was smiling through the tears, voice teasing but weak. “Lies! I always win!”

Luna gave her a fond look. “You cheat, what with that wand of yours.”

Harry traded her a sad smile that told the girl she was sorry. “And I have nargles surrounding me, so we’re even.” She looked up to see they’d missed Dumbledore’s speech, even as more than half the Slytherin table was watching them, food waiting in front of them.

They began putting food on both their plates, knowing what the other wanted. Luna wasn’t fond of a lot of red meat, whereas Harry loved it. Harry didn’t like tomatoes, but Luna liked them, and so on and so forth.

“So… where did you two come from?” A girl down the table asked, curiosity clear in her eyes.

Harry didn’t look up even though she knew that now whole table was watching.

Luna paused in putting pineapple rings on Harry’s plate, smiling brightly. “The future! Across countless stars and galaxies. Maybe from Venus- Harry here sure looks like her...”

She snorted, getting some bread pudding for Luna. “I don't look

anything

like Venus. The future though- that much is true. It has flying cars and everything. That and

way

better music.”

“You said you’re orphans?”

Harry looked up at Lucius Malfoy, smile fading slightly as she held back a grimace. “We said that, yes.”

“So you’re from an orphanage?... How’d you get the last name Peverell then? And you said something about your parents? Because-”

Luna leaned over, talking over the boy that was pissing Harry off. “Harry, do you think we should talk to Pomfrey? I’d hate to steal the nerve potions you need from Slughorn. It would make him think he had heliopaths sneaking around.”

Frowning at the mention of the potions she was supposed to be taking regularly, she pursed her lips. “We probably should… How many more days did that healer say before I can say I can feel anything in my fingers and toes? Because if this keeps up I might jump off the top of the astronomy tower.”

The girl shook her head, eyes fond. “You can’t rush nerve regrowth. You heard her, you were under the cruciatus for more than a few hours. But you should be better in a few more weeks… The after effects

are

slowly getting weaker.”

“That’s impossible!” Lucius was starting to sound like a whiny child at being ignored. “No one could survive that long under a cruciatus curse!”

Harry hid a grin at the boy’s tone, changing the subject smoothly. “That reminds me. Do you think that we could use the founder’s rooms? I heard that they have separate rooms designated for their heirs.”

The whole table seemed to look at their hands and Harry snickered to herself when chaos broke out.

Luna just shook her head fondly and they both ate their food quietly.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

They followed the others to the dungeons after dinner and when Harry was about to enter, a nearby portrait gasped. “Merlin! You’re the heir!” Harry spun around holding up her hands with wide eyes as if to stop the woman, but it was too late. “Salazar’s Heir!”

Harry winced at the stares it brought their way but Luna just nodded. “That she is.”

The woman popped into a portrait off to the side. “Follow me! I’ll get you to your rooms!” Glancing at each other, Harry and Luna followed the woman as she moved through the portraits, watching as she pointed at an empty canvas. “Go on! Step forward!”

Luna did, eyes widening when the portrait slowly colored itself in, a tall man with dark hair man blinking down at her, before his harsh gaze softened slightly. “So, my heir returns.”

“Can Luna stay with me?” Harry’s could tell her face was skeptical. “Because if not i’ll just sleep in the dorms.”

Salazar blinked at the question, looking them over for a second before a corner of his lips twitched. “Of course. Always for magical twins. ” The portrait swung open, the man in the emerald green robes disappearing once more.

The rooms inside were lavishly laid out in emerald greens and golds, with a huge window off to the side flanked by bookshelves, a sitting area with large armchairs, a king sized bed off the the side, and a door leading into a personal washroom with a tub sunken into the floor.

Harry gaped at the rooms, seeing their shared trunk was waiting.

Getting out their clothes, she put them away in the closet, Luna sorting out the books and papers onto a nearby desk. Finally, when they were done, Luna turned to a door. “I think this leads-” She pushed it open. “-to the common room.”

A room full of students stared at them and Harry studied the other side of the door with curious eyes. “That’s brilliant! Look at this Luna! It’s one sided and fades into the wall!” She took to pulling out her wand and trying to discern what charms made the door that way.

Luna giggled, moving past her to flop in a large armchair by the fire. “Now I know the hat begged me to go to Ravenclaw. It wanted

you

... Are you going to build one of those into the manor now that you’re set on tearing it apart and then fixing it back up?”

“Maybe...” Harry smiled around the room in content, noticing it was much more comfortable looking when she wasn’t under stress to find a monstrous snake that was killing people. “I wonder if my name’s still carved-” Her smile faded and she felt her hands twitch slightly, moving on quickly. “You said earlier you wanted to play with my hair?” She sat down in front of Luna.

The girl’s voice was soft, thin fingers carding though her soft black hair. “Which nargles got you?”

She hummed lightly, closing her eyes and leaning back into the soft sensation. “Ron. Hermione... Draco.”

“Ooooh!

Draco?

”

Harry tilted her head to look back at the girl, with a glare. “I

don’t

like him. I

refuse

to like him- on the basis that he’s a prat.”

“But he’s an Auror… And stubborn enough to put even you to shame. He could sweep you off your feet.” The girl’s voice was teasing.

Harry felt her cheeks heat but didn’t let her glare falter. “I’d rather feed him to a basilisk one limb at a time. Remember that one time he sat in a tree just to jump down and insult me?

Moron

. Plus, he’ll have a better life now that i’m far far away from him... A quieter one, just like he said himself.”

Luna huffed with soft laughter, but moved on. “You should put on some music. Or sing. Whatever comes first.”

“Should've packed my guitar.” Closing her eyes, Harry hummed, testing out her range and finding it was much easier to reach the higher notes. Clearing her throat lightly she thought of one of the songs she’d heard earlier in the week.

“Oh... my... heart... No rest tonight. Eyes... wide... shut... Shut out the light. Put me through hell again, I miss the fire... Let's burn the other end, with no end in sight. Come on and break me down, I'll let you ruin my day, flow through my veins... I need a fix, bitter and sick...”

Luna smiled softly and slowly the common room settled in around them, even if they were still all watching them closely.

Up early, Harry and Luna faced off in front of the Black Lake.

Luna had her wand drawn, Harry’s wand in her left boot.

They stared each other down, and then like a viper striking, Luna was casting spell after spell.

Cutting curses, body binding curses, few knockback jinxs, and blasting curses flew her way.

Harry strained, dodging, putting up barriers- constantly moving. She jumped, rolling and with a flick of her hand, Luna’s wand was flying to her.

The girl just smiled. “Good job! I did hit you though.”

Harry looked down at where her shirt was torn, a red cut on her side that wasn’t deep enough to bleed very much. She stood, wincing as she finally felt the sting. “Bugger. I was doing so well with my record. I blame the movement. It’s strange to be...” She drifted off, gesturing to her body.

Luna nodded, coming to get her wand.
They both weren’t used to being teenagers again, not to mention Harry had the disadvantage of not being used to her wider hips and being top-heavy.

“Those are some nasty curses.”

In a second Harry had her wand pointed at where two boys were watching them. Lucius and… a young Severus Snape. Her hand dropped to her side, as her heart plummeted to her toes, barely keeping her voice steady. “It’s a nasty world.”

The boy with the white blond hair studied her, before holding out his hand. “I would be proud to call you a friend, Heiress Peverell.”

Luna elbowed her, giggling. “Your

dragon

with long hair!”

She ignored her sister, looking past Malfoy to where Snape was standing. “You’re Snape, right?” Stepping past Malfoy, who huffed at being ignored once again, Harry managed a smile at the boy who was looking at her like she was diseased. “I hear you’re really good at potions… I hope I see you in class.”

Luna tugged at Harry’s sleeve.

“Well, I think we have to run, but i’ll see you around.” She grabbed Luna’s hand and they raced to get changed before breakfast.

After breakfast, Luna and Harry made their way to Potions, the first class of their day. Not listening to Slughorn, she started brewing the potion listed on the board from memory, half-listening as Luna talked animatedly about the forest faeries she’d been researching lately.

Slughorn ambled over, looking at the almost-finished potion in surprise. “You certainly have an affinity for potions, Miss Harriet Peverell. And Miss Luna- What are you

doing

?” He looked at Luna in half horror and half astonishment.

“Harry’s making the potion today. I can’t do it because it has bad energy, but I’m making a crown out of some bird bones I found outside!” Luna’s voice was matter of fact and she twisted some wire around the tiny bones. “Hold still Harry.”

Holding as still as she could while stirring, Harry felt a weight settle on her head, and turned to smile at Luna. “Thanks love. Does it do anything special?”

Luna beamed at the use of her chosen middle name. “It keeps away the ghosts around us... and also nargles! Can't forget about them!” Then the girl continued to talk about how she wanted to see if the Forbidden Forest had fae.

Harry nodded along, bottling her potion and starting to clean off her work station before hopping up on the cleared off lab bench and swinging her legs restlessly. “We should so see. Bring some honey and shiny buttons, like that time in Australia with ‘Mione. Maybe we can get you another wish- though spending it on making The Peacock King look like Elvis Presley for a week

was

pretty priceless.” Harry knew that her sister would pick up on Lucius’ nickname.

“Maybe I can get you a boyfriend!... if you’re not still hung up over the

Ginny

thing.” The girl's lips twisted slightly, as close to a scowl as she ever got.

Harry huffed, swinging her feet as she looked around, choosing not to acknowledge the comment. A lot of the class was watching them out of the corner of their eyes and she smiled back at Luna after a second. “Oh! We should go see Hagrid!”

The girl smiled, but it was tight, eyes wary. “I don’t know… he wouldn’t like the wrackspurts on your back.”

Stiffening slightly, Harry slid off the bench slowly and turned to see Dumbledore standing there, eyes twinkling. “Sisters Peverell! I came along to see how you were doing. I hear that you both have some… interesting titles.”

Harry moved to Luna’s side on instinct. “Yes, well we heard a lot from our family about this place… And then, boom, here we’re meant to believe we’re heirs.” She smiled thinly. “Though I imagine that we mixed up the pot a bit. I look a bit more like Rowena, Luna more like Helga. Such a shame our other brother died. He would’ve just

flipped

to be Slytherin’s heir instead of me... right love?”

Luna smiled brightly at that thought. “Always our little snake boy, that Nev.” Harry grinned at her sharply, both of them thinking about Nagini’s headless body, Godric’s sword glinting through the slick blood.

Dumbledore pursed his lips faintly, as if trying to contain his irritation. “I see… Well, either way, I hope you know you can come to me if you need.”

Luna and Harry clasped hands, reassuring each other of their presence, both feeling the gentle prodding at their thick mind barriers. “We won't, so no worries Headmaster. Both of us are more than happy to be here.”

They both didn’t relax until the man was long gone from the classroom.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Seeing Minerva McGonagall was like a knife to the gut and Harry could tell Luna wasn’t at the top of her game either, as Pandora Lovegood was sitting a few seats away.

Instead of practicing the assigned transfiguration spell, they sat at the front of the class, Luna sketching the Professor in her notebook quietly while Harry read a disguised book from Morgana about mind magic.

“Miss Peverell!” Both looked up. “As you both seem to be wasting away this time, can you please both show me a perfect human transformation?”

Luna and Harry stood away from the desk, facing each other.

In sync they cast the spell.

Harry looked down at herself to see she was Hermione, Luna having turned into Viktor Krum. A dopey smile appeared on the face of ‘Vicktor’. “Hermy-own I want to azk zou ‘o dance, but my veet are ‘oo big.”

Harry smiled, but then composed her features into a scowl that was very Hermione. “Now what have I told you? It’s Her-

mi-o-nee

, not Her-

me-own

.”

They both broke into giggles and with a flick of Harry’s wand they were back to their normal selves. Luna smiled up at McGonagall. “Was that alright Professor?”

The woman looked almost amazed. “That-... yes, that was quite splendid. Might I ask, where did you learn magic?”

Harry reached out, instinctively catching Luna’s hand from across the aisle, her smile fading. “There was-

Is

a war, Professor. Unfortunately, we found ourselves in the middle of it… But as for where we learned?” She smiled softly. “Well I’d like to say that-”

Then a burst of pain shot through her and she fell to her knees with a gasp.

Luna fumbled for her bag. “Harry you didn’t try to-

Harry

! You

need

these potions!” Harry wouldn’t let her go and she couldn’t reach the bag. “Professor! Please, get the nerve potion and the pain potion in my bag!”

The woman fumbled around the bag for them, handing them over and Luna knelt down by Harry, making her take the potions.

When Harry slumped, exhausted, Luna was frowning deeply, more than a little upset. “You know better Harry! You know what she did to you!”

“Cruciatus curse. I know.” Harry’s voice was hoarse, face shut off of emotion as the memories played though her mind. “Sixteen hours in segments of four hours at a time, three broken ribs, two-”

“Stop it! Stop talking like that!” The girl’s voice was hard, but there was an edge of desperation to it. “You know not to do that! Do you want

me

to stop taking the potions holding me together?”

Harry cast her eyes to the ground, guilt bubbling up in her stomach. “No.”

“Then get up.” Luna pulled her up, harsher than usual, grabbing her bag.

Harry steadied herself on one of the desks, legs tingling in pain. “Where are we headed?”

“I’m sticking

Pomfrey

on you.” Luna dragged her out, ignoring her groan.

When Harry was all patched up and being watched by Pomfrey, Luna promised to be bored for her in History of Magic and at lunch, before skipping off.

Harry frowned, resigning herself to being stuck here.

Madam Pomfrey had about thrown a fit when she’d done a scan of Harry.
Nerve damage, a scarred lung, recently healed broken ribs, and the patches of healing scar tissue were the least of her problems when she’d been under a crucio for so long that the curse had gotten a life of its own from the wild magic and started to eat away at her if she stopped taking specially made potions.

Luna had a similar case, but milder when she’d come back from being imprisoned in Malfoy Manor.

During the time that Neville, Luna, and her were travelling the world, a few Death Eaters had caught up to them and taken Harry hostage in a dingy motel. Torturing her for hours on end, an insane Pansy Parkinson (guided by an equally insane Rabastan Lestrange) would have killed her multiple times if she wasn’t Master of Death. She had been there until Luna and Neville, along with the new Auror Draco Malfoy found and saved him.

Afterwards, Neville went to Hogwarts, Luna and him hiding away in Grimmauld Place.

But now here she was, not having any pain, laying in bed-

Yeah, Harry was never one for sitting around. She’d stayed for a good two hours, but she was getting hungry and it was lunch. She pulled off the jean jacket she was wearing, having a house elf put it in her room, rolling her shoulders and hearing them pop as she got out of the hospital bed quietly.

Black vines circled her upper right arm in a tattoo that slowly grew and bloomed into black roses on full moons, her right forearm the symbol for the Deathly Hallows, the words under it reading:

“You care so much you feel as though you will bleed to death with the pain of it.”

A tattoo of a snake circled around her left wrist swallowing its own tail, a rune for protection was scarred over on her left wing bone, and on her hip was a scarred symbol for purification (thanks Pansy).

Making her way over to where Luna was sitting, her back to Harry, she saw a smirking boy flick his wand so that Luna’s cider spilled down her yellow blouse, causing half the hall to laugh.

Stalking over with her blood boiling, she stood behind Luna, knowing she probably looked pissed as she could feel her magic swirling angrily around her like a barely contained tornado. “Did you just

spill
my sister’s
drink

?”

“I- uh-” The boy looked surprised at seeing her, eyes widening at the picture she probably made, before his face settled back into a smug smile. “She’s

Loony

, she must’ve spilled it herself.”

Harry stepped forward, magic building as she made to rip the boy limb from limb, but a hand caught her wrist.

Looking back she saw Luna smile gently, even if it was weak. “He was just showing me a new spell, Harry-kins. Now why aren’t you resting? That last cruciatus curse brought you to your knees. I’m disappointed. Usually you kill at

least

six people before you go to your knees.”

The students around them stiffened at the matter-of-fact way Luna said that.
Harry felt her magic settle down until it was only buzzing slightly under her skin. “Yes, well, it’s been a long week love.” Her lips curled into a filthy smirk. “And, for your information, I go to my knees whenever I wish.”
Luna laughed arily. “Being a flirt is genetic, huh?.”

Harry chuckled, before sitting down gracefully. “With my luck, probably. Pass the pudding?”

The boy across from her did, eyes heavy on her. Luna smiled. “We have some time before History of Magic. I thought you’d be on a broom first chance you got.”

She shrugged. “I don’t want to leave you alone.”

With a soft laugh, Luna shook her head. “How about you show off how fast you are and I’ll send up a warning if I need help... though you seem to forget that I was in the same war you were.”

“Didn’t forget.” Harry laughed. “I saw Ron hiding behind you as you casted, plus I know first-hand how powerful your spells are.” She frowned down at where the cut on her side was almost healed.

Luna just smiled, putting more food on her plate than normal.

Finding a broom, Harry walked out to where Luna was sitting on a blanket with a cup of tea in her hands.

Grinning, she kicked off, flying loops around the Quidditch pitch. Doing a few circles, she flew as high as she could, stilling in the air before letting herself free fall. Closing her eyes, she fell, not allowing the broom to be anything other than dead weight in her hands. Only a second away from hitting the ground, she pulled the broom up, doing a barrel roll and winking at Luna.

The girl waved back excitedly.

With a whoop, Harry wove in between the towers, going as fast as she could. She missed flying like this, being cooped up in the house all the time.

Glancing down, she saw the marauders were now sitting with Luna.

Landing swiftly, she frowned at the boys as she approached. “Do sirs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs intend to bully my sister like they do Snape? Because if so I might have to hex them to high heaven.”

All four boys gaped at her, James stuttering out, “Wh- What-”

“Harry! Let them have their secrets!” Luna giggled. “They were just commenting on your flying. And your tattoos.”

“Oh...” Harry sunk into seating next to the girl. “Well then, please continue.”

Sirius leaned in, eyes glinting. “I bet I could beat you for number of tattoos.”

Luna and Harry shared looks, before she smiled at Sirius. “I know you could Pads, so no bet.”

“How do you know about our nicknames?” Remus eyed her warily and she could practically smell his distrust.

“That’s what I do. I know things. Like Sirius is trying to flirt with me because he’s upset about his family.” Harry gave Sirius a small smile. “Don’t worry about it Sirius. Walburga’s just a nasty woman and her heart’s too shriveled to give you the love you deserve… All though you should talk to Regulus. He’s not actually

that

bad.”

Sirius gaped at her.

Luna smiled. “Harry-kins, we have to get to class. You and I are going to visit Azrael this evening.”

Harry blinked, before she remembered that was the name they’d given the basilisk. “You sure love?” She didn’t want anyone to get hurt.

“Positive!” Luna helped her up, before waving at the marauders. “See you around boys!”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After Herbology, Luna and Harry split up. Harry went to get the sword of Godric Gryffindor, while Luna went to do… whatever she was doing. Shrinking the sword into the size of a dagger and strapping it to her side under her shirt, she made her way to dinner.

Seeing Luna sitting at the Gryffindor table with a large book, Harry made her way over. "Hey bookworm.”

The girl looked up with a slight smile.

“You have the letter opener?”

Harry pulled up the side of her shirt enough to show off the bottom of the leather holster. “Yup. Any problems with Albert Dumpsterfire?”

“Not yet.” Luna have her a long look. “You took your potions?”

“Yeah. Tastes like ass.” Harry wrinkled her nose.

Luna giggled, muttering under her breath. “

You would know

.”

Harry gaped at her. “Luna! I knew I shouldn’t have let Draco come over! I knew he was a bad influence!”

“And you aren’t? You were the one that got into a fight with the angry tree when we visited Neville last. I distinctly remember you drunk, shouting

‘harder daddy’

as you dodged it’s branches.”

Harry felt her cheeks heat, looking at her plate. “Shut up. We said not to talk about that.”

Luna still giggled as she put food on Harry’s plate.

Lucius leaned over the table, eyes sparkling at the potential gossip (not that there wasn’t enough of that about them). “You yelled

what now

?”

“She said-”

“Luna!” Harry looked at the girl, flushed with mortification. “Please love, not

here

.” Her face was
burning at the idea of the embarrassing stories getting back to her

parents

. “Not

now

.”

The girl’s smile faded a bit. “You’re right Harry. Spoilers aren’t needed.” She smiled, a thought seeming to occur to her. “Though if I get you drunk again, take you out to see the angry tree…”

“God help us all.” She buried her head in her hands, groaning at the glint in her sister’s eyes.

“Well now you can’t fault Morgana for calling Mortis ‘Daddy Dearest’.”

Harry buried her head in her hands. “Please don’t remind me of what I said when I was drunk and trying not to think of my ex-girlfriend

or

what our guardian called Dea-

Him

!”

Luna scoffed. “Ginny was never any good for you. Plus, you're gay.” Then the girl tilted her head. “Well

now

you’re straight, but… You know what I mean.”

“At least you’re finally as perpetually confused as I am.” Harry shook her head, starting to eat.

Instead of Charms, the two sisters found themselves in the girls bathroom staring at the ornate sinks. Harry tilted her head. “It feels weird to be here.” The ‘

without the threat of my ex getting killed by a strangely hot version of the Dark Lord’

was left unsaid.

The girl beside her just looked around. “Where's Myrtle? She should be around here somewhere…”

Realizing that, yeah, she
hadn't
been hit on by a pervy ghost yet, Harry looked around. “Dunno… Maybe she went to bother Peeves. Turning back to the sinks, she slipped into Parseltongue.

“Open.”

Luna hummed at the gaping hole that opened in the floor. “I wonder…” The girl scrunched up her nose, before hissing out:

“Stairs.”

Harry raised an eyebrow at the girl. “Shared soul talents.”
With similar smiles, they both turned back to watch as the cylindrical tube turned into a flight of stairs.

The chamber was as she remembered. Big. Dark. Creepy. And smelling wetly of dead things.

Luna bumped her shoulder. “Just think about it! If Azrael is feeling nice this time around, maybe she can eat Albie Dumptruck for us!”

Harry grinned, shaking her head softly as she giggled. “If he saw his ‘golden boy’ now…” Rolling her eyes, she hissed at the metal door and they both watched with interest as it swung open.

Smooth cold marble, graying with time and lack of care, made up the Chamber of Secrets. The face of Salazar Slytherin stared them down and they locked hands as they walked slowly down the marble isle lined by states of hissing snake heads.

Taking a deep breath and glancing at Luna, who nodded and closed her eyes, Harry gripped the girl’s hand tighter.

“I am Harry Jean Peverell, the heir of the Slytherin line, and your new master. Come, look into my eyes and see that you are free of your cage.”

The stone face of Salazar Slytherin groaned, sliding open slowly, behind the stone an ominous darkness. There was no noise or movement, until a slow sliding sound of scales over the slick marble got louder and closer.

Azrael, affectionately named by Luna after a demon in the most popular muggle religion, was just as terrifyingly beautiful as she remembered. A long winding body with scales that glinted green in the faint light slid out of the stone opening into the water, piercing yellow eyes fixing on her, and for a long second she stood completely still and wondered if she would die.

Then the snake hissed out something similar to a laugh.

“What a surprise. A speaker, calling me from my rest… The last speaker I saw was my mighty master before he sealed me away behind his marble likeness.”

Blinking at that, she nudged Luna, who looked up at the snake with wonder, before plopping down on the floor and hastily pulling out her sketchbook. Rolling her eyes at Luna, she turned back to look at the basilisk.

“Hold on. You mean to tell me that no one’s visited you down here since Slytherin?”

The snake slid a little closer, it’s head bobbing up and down as it curled around her as if getting ready to wring the life out of her.

“No warmth, no food but rats and occasionally nasty spiders… Will you let me explore again mistress? I can hunt down the students of muggle dissent… if you wish.”

It seemed to hiss in displeasure even as it asked.

Harry shook her head.

“No, there will be no harming the students or teachers of Hogwarts.”

When the snake bobbed it’s head and curled closer around her, she tilted her head to the side and looked at it.

“Why did Salazar give you that job? You don’t seem to like the idea too much.”

“The silly ordinary humans with no magic started leading witch hunts when the children bore of them would go back to their ordinary villages and do magic. If there were no children to endanger the school, then there were no witch hunts, and Master Salazar was happy.”

She thought about that, before running a hand down the basilisk's spine, earning a hiss of pleasure.

“We have a part of the Ministry focused on keeping our magic secret. You will never have to harm a magical child again Azrael. And yes, you may travel as you please, but remember to keep away from the eyes of everyone but my sister and I. Anyone else might get scared and hurt you if they see you.”

“I can cover my stare with a film to protect them like I am doing now...”

Harry smiled and let herself be curled around loosely in the green scales.

“I will have the whole castle see you for the beauty you are eventually, but for now keep out of sight, okay?”

The snake hissed softly.

“Yes, alright little mistress.”

She eventually took the task of cleaning up the Chamber, humming softly as she did, Luna happily sketching with Azrael curled around her instead.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

During dinner, a little paper crane appeared on the side of her plate, and she shared a frown with Luna before reaching out to grab it. Even knowing she couldn't get away with taking out her wand and checking the note for spells in such a public place, she still stiffened when she felt little pricks against her magic of the compulsion spells trying to latch onto her.

Rage welling up in her gut, she tore apart the simple spells easily with her magic, before moving to unfold the note with hands shaking slightly at the emotions welling up in her chest.

Luna carefully eased the paper from her fingers before she accidentally tore it to pieces, looking it over before silently turning it to face her.

My Dear Miss Peverell,

I would like to talk you you and your sister about the responsibilities that you carry on your hands by wearing those House rings.

I always find I fancy some Mango Sherbet
after dinners like this.

Sincerely,

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore

Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock

Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards.

Harry snorted at the titles below the note. “Is it bad I want Azreal to eat him?” Looking up, she locked eyes with Narcissa Black, an idea popping into her head. Smiling at the girl she tried not to wince. “Hey- um- I know that we haven’t really talked or anything since I was kind of rude in the robes shop, but do you know if you can get a message to our guardian though your sister? Bellatrix?”

Narcissa tilted her head. “Why would you need me to do that?”

Repressing a sigh, she took the note gently from Luna’s hand, passing it across the table. “I want her to know that the Headmaster called us up to his office without notifying any type of adult and that there were compulsions laced on the paper...”

“He did what?” A dark haired boy leaned in from where he was sitting at the blonde girl’s side. “You should tell Lucius. His father’s on the school board.”

She blinked at the young Regulus Black. “Um… If- um- if I get this to Lucius then could

he

get a message to Morgana? She’s the acting proxy of our Lordships until Luna and I graduate.”

Regulus looked at her for a long moment before nodding, taking the paper and gracefully moving to go lean over where Lucius was sitting a little ways down the table holding court. After a second, both boys (with Severus following them curiously) walked back over, Lucius extending his hand with a small frown.

“You have to be kidding me.” Sending an irritated look at where Luna was giggling, Harry pursed her lips and took the hand. “You better get that letter to anyone who can make Dumblepoor's live hell for this. I just broke my promise to never be friends with a Malfoy- don’t make me regret it.”

The boy grinned, squeezing her hand slightly. “Please. Call me Lucius. We are friends after all,

Harry

.” Then like the inner peacock he was, the boy strutted out of the hall, Regulus and Severus at his back.

She looked to Luna, trying not to sigh yet again. “What have I done?”

Her sister laughed, shaking her head.

The stone gargoyle seemed to stare at her.

She just stared back, not about to give Dumbleweed the pleasure of using his stupid passwords. As if sensing her stubbornness, she swore the statue rolled it’s eyes, moving to the side to reveal the stairs.

Luna patted her shoulder as she started up the stairs. “Good job. You out-stubborned a stone statue.”

If Harry had to guess how Dumbledore guessed this meeting to go, she bet that this was the furthest thing from his mind.

A group of six witches and wizards were standing off to the side of the office, voices raised, Morgana leaning off to the side of the group just seeming to enjoy the show.

Harry cleared her throat lightly. “Um- Sorry to interrupt- but the Headmaster called us up?”

A man with short blonde hair combed back neatly dipped his head to them. “Ladies Peverell, please come in. We heard about the situation and upon confirming with Gringotts that you two are indeed the Heiresses to Houses Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Gryffindor we also got an

interesting

file on the Headmaster.”

She tried not to smile, just tilting her head as if to inquire what it was even though she already knew. Hell, she and Luna had

made

that file, the goblins just adding to it.

Abraxas flipped open a manila folder, moving to pace softly as he spoke. “It seems the goblins have been keeping a close eye on you, Albus Dumbledore, and so we will now proceed with a list of crimes you are being accused of. Embezzling money from the Hogwarts scholarship accounts, placing compulsion charms on an underage student, sealing the will of one Gellert Grindelwald, neglecting eighteen claims of your Magical Wards being abused by the families they were placed with, choosing not to remove a curse on the Defence Against the Dark Arts position, and stealing artifacts from the vaults of your Magical Wards without express permission.”

Morgana stepped forward, eyes shining like liquid mercury in the light of the setting sun. “Albus Dumbledore, as proxy to the houses of Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Gryffindor, I am hereby motion to strip you of your title as Headmaster.”

“As representative for the School Board in name of House Hufflepuff, we agree with the stripping of your title.” The elder Malfoy looked like he was holding back a smile as he turned to the other witches and wizards. “Members of the DMLE, what is your verdict?”

Harry noticed the Auror robes, having half a mind to squeal with glee, but kept her face carefully blank.

The group looked stone-faced, but a man stepped forward. “I, Marcus Bones, as acting Head Auror for the DMLE, call for a investigation of Albus Dumbledore. Miss Peverell, as you are the proxy of three-fourths of Hogwarts, will you do the honors of sealing the wards? It has been decided that Mr. Dumbledore will remain as he is until the investigation is closed. Whatever is said in this room will not leave until the investigation is completed… are we clear?”

The eyes in the room turned to them.

Luna tilted her head. “Harry put up a secrecy charm when you started talking, or did you forget about the portraits that this man sometimes uses as spies?”

The whole room choked on their tongues, Morgana grinning. “I admit, I missed you two troublemakers!”

They were then tugged into a big hug, but Harry was distracted, waiting until the woman let her go to move to the place where Fawkes’ perch should have been and feeling around with her magic. “Where…” She pulled back at the shock that pulsed though her, eyes narrowing on the old man that’s eyes were significantly less twinkly than normal. “You didn’t!”

Dumbledore seemed to pale even more. “My dear, I don’t know what you are accusing me of now, but-”

“Oh shut up you two-bit manipulator!” Turning back to the seemingly empty space, she pulled her wand out of her boot, ignoring the strangled noise the old man made. “Revelio!”

The air shimmered as if trying to resist the charm, but with the elder wand working against it, a golden cage was revealed. Wrapped in shadowy chains inside the cage was Fawkes. Lifting it’s head to cry out softly to Harry, the phoenix tried to burn up, but the chains blocked it.

“Harry, can you get him out?” Luna’s voice was hoarse with emotion.

Rolling up her sleeves to reveal her many tattoos, she clenched her jaw. “I will do whatever it takes. Fawkes isn’t staying here any longer than he has to.” Muttering diagnostic spells, she moved around the cage, slowly pulling apart the wards.

About to do the same to the last of the defenses, a hand curled around her shoulder, head leaning over her shoulder to talk in her ear. “That’s a blood ward. Anyone that isn’t of the right blood or power level will be badly injured… are you sure you want to undo that?”

Pausing, she considered Morgana’s words, knowing if she did it then it would out her as not just a prodigy but greatly magically powerful. Turning, she pressed the Elder Wand into the woman’s hand, lips quirking up when silver eyes widened. “You’re right. You should do it.”

“I…” Morgana dipped her head, before smiling. “Whatever you say, but you’re still a brat.” The woman flicked the elder wand and said something in latin, the cage shattering, the smoky chains dissipating.

The phoenix cried out, bursting into blue flames.

A pause and a tiny feathered head poked out of the ashes, Luna moving forward to scoop the little bird up. The iconic Gryffindor-colored phoenix was now covered in downy black feathers, eyes a startling green. Luna laughed. “Harry! He looks like you!”

Moving over to pet the tiny bird’s head, she smiled fondly down at the magical bird. “I’m gonna name you… Lucifer.”

Morgana laughed brightly. “Keeping to theme?”

“Shut up.” Harry pouted.

Abraxas Malfoy stepped forward, eyes clearly intrigued. “It has been a pleasure, Ladies Peverell.”

Both Luna and her bowed their heads before leaving to give Morgana a tour around the castle (and to meet Azrael, who was a

big

fan of the woman).

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Harry was in the middle of turning Sirius’ tortoise different colors when the boy wasn't looking, giggling softly as he got progressively more paranoid while Remus, James, and Peter just snickered-

When a light tap on her shoulder made her look up to where Narcissa Malfoy was standing and looking unusually tense.

“Miss Peverell. I was wondering if you would help me with the cross-species transfiguration spell.” About to say something to defend her not knowing it, the girl cut her off with a look. “I saw you. In the beginning of class you turned your tortoise to a frog, then turned it back and just hummed to yourself before you started to mess with Black.”

The class seemed to look over.

“Hey! That was you?” Sirius scowled, the other Marauders busting out in laughter.

She rubbed the back of her neck. “I- um-”

Narcissa looked almost desperate. “I understand if you don’t want to teach me the spell, as you are playing your first Quidditch game tonight and that must be stressful but-”

The look in the blonde girl’s eyes was something so painfully similar to the one she wore when asking about her son in the Forbidden Forest, that Harry caved like a badly baked pie. “No- no, it’s not a problem... I’m still gonna beat Gryffindor either way, so why don’t you pull up a chair?”

James sputtered from across the room, Luna laughing softly.

Narcissa immediately pulled up a chair, eyes grateful, and it set fire to something bitter deep in her chest, leaving behind just a fondness for the blonde.

“Okay, so you have to focus of the picture of the tortoise in your mind and see it change to a frog. Magic is all about will, so say I want to turn Luna’s hair green-” She waved her wand wordlessly, Luna’s hair blooming into a light forest green color. “I just have to really want it to happen.”

Her sister smiled. “Lovely color Harry. It’ll go with the outfit I have planned to wear to the game tonight!”

Harry ignored the eyes on her as she pulled off her robes, stripping down to her spandex and sports bra

(the future was fucking awesome)

.

Looking up at the door opened, Luna flounced in and (without sparing a single glance to any of the half-naked boys) smiled at her with a slightly tilted head. “I thought that my sister was a Quidditch player, not a model, but here I am taking those words back.” Sea green eyes lowered and pale hands reached out to touch the place where the alchemy symbol for purification was scarred over over her right hip, the girl’s voice suddenly small and sad. “I wish she suffered.”

Softly pushing the hand away, Harry stepped into a pair of long dragonhide shorts, fastening the front so the scar was covered. “This way she won’t ever be put in that position.” With a smile, she tapped the nose of the big green snake headdress the girl was wearing, before pulling on her jersey and sitting on the bench. “Wanna do my hair? I’m not used to it this long and it’ll get in my face without any help, you know how bad I am with my hair.”

Luna nodded, moving behind her, hands nimbly pulling her hair into a tightly braided bun.

Harry was feeling the absence of her firebolt, having been told by Luna that she wasn’t allowed to play with it for at least another ten years, Morgana consoling her by buying a Nimbus 1000 that she had to practice with to get used to the sluggish reflexes (compared to her firebolt at least).

With a hand signal from their captain, they pushed off, Harry closing her eyes as she flew up and around to weave in between the pillars as easy as breathing. Blowing a kiss to where Luna was cheering, her large snake headdress standing out in the crowd, Harry took up her position.

Sirius Black was the announcer, to no one’s surprise, his voice filling the arena. “Welcome to Hogwarts first Quidditch game of the season! Today’s game is Slytherin vs. Gryffindor with the newest snakey seeker, Harry Peverell, showing off how good she looks in that uniform!” There was background noise of McGonagall telling the boy off, Sirius continuing. “And here’s Madame Hooch!”

“I want a nice clean game everyone!” The woman looked around the pitch, golden eyes fixing on her for a long moment before releasing the balls.

Her eyes fixed on the snitch, proceeding to shoot off after the golden ball the second that the quaffle was in someone’s hands. Losing sight of it, she stopped above the arena, looking around.

The Gryffindor seeker had a leer on his face as he moved to pull to a stop beside her. “Wanna bet I can catch the snitch before you, darling? If I get it, how ‘bout I get a kiss?”

Glaring at him, she smiled slowly. “Okay, but if I win, you have to wear the girl’s uniform on Monday.”

Thinking with the head of his that didn’t have a brain, the boy smirked. “You’re on.” With a wink the boy flew to the other side of the pitch.

Scanning the field once again, Harry caught sight of a golden blur flitting around behind the other seeker’s head. Chuckling softly, she flew over slowly, as not to spook the little golden ball. Seeing the snitch dart down, she pushed her broom into a dive after it, hearing the boy make a noise of exclamation and laughing breathlessly. “Catch me if you can!”

The wind whipping in her face, a pursuer at her back- it would be terrifying if it wasn’t so exhilarating.

Harry was inches away from the snitch when her eyes caught a red haired girl in the crowd and she spun out of control because of the violent jerk her body instinctively gave.

It couldn’t be. No she can’t be here-

She vaguely recognized she was free falling, mind swirling like the wind around her.

Ginny can’t get to her, not here, not now… So that must be- Molly?

Pulling up her broom sharply, she realized she was only a few feet from the ground.

The crowd was silent, watching her, players even paused midair.

Seeing a blur of gold she reached out to pluck the snitch from the air, before spreading her arms and falling back off her broom, eyes closed. The grass was wet and cold against her back, knocking the wind out of her lungs, and she blocked out the sound of cheering.

Why did loving people hurt?

The scarred ‘protection’ rune on her back ached and she could feel the knife carving into her skin.

Why did she decide that it was okay to hurt her like this?

Her cheeks were wet, a fat drop of water hitting her face and suddenly she was in the middle of a rainstorm, though she wasn’t sure if it was naturally raining or she’d caused this.

“Harry.” Luna was standing there, eyes tired and sad. “Harry she can’t hurt you. If I have to force it so her parents never meet to keep you here with me I will. You can’t let her have such a hold over you when she doesn’t even exist.”

The rain seemed to come down harder, a wind picking up around them, howling in an echo of the pain she felt in her chest.

But Luna didn’t even blink, taking off her headdress and moving to kneel beside her. “I know the rules we made. I know it hurt to even think about them and her, about what they did to you, but it’s not healthy anymore Harry. You need to stop bottling it all up… Maybe Quidditch was a bad idea.”

“No.” Her voice was hoarse. “No I- I can do it. Please don’t… don’t take this from me.”

Sighing, both soaking wet, Luna moved to lay down by her side, the wind and rain swirling around them like the storm in Harry’s mind. “I don’t ever want to see you hurt again like that.”

Her voice was quiet, barely audible over the howling wind. “I promised her- I promised that I wouldn’t be weak.”

“Harry, not crying when someone is carving at your skin with a knife is different than being weak. Strength is being able to move past that. You are strong, Harry Potter. Never forget that.”

By the time the storm around them stopped, the quidditch field was empty, Harry having cried out all the tears she’d been holding back since she was twelve and everyone hated her for an inherent ability she didn’t even know she could do.

The school was abuzz with whispers the next day.

Gryffindor seeker, Jason Steele, was wearing the girl’s uniform.

Not to mention Harry Peverell, probably the best thing on a broom since broom polish, had won Slytherin a game in less than an hour and then quit. Apparently her excuse was that ‘it wasn’t as fun without dementors’.

Both were packed, their trunk at the foot of the sofa in the Slytherin common room where Harry was laid out with head in Luna’s lap, the girl talking with Narcissa quietly. The blonde Black sister had grown as closer to them than even Severus, Regulus, or Lucius and all three of the boys had been fighting over the position of ‘annoyingly male friend/ older brother figure’.

“Cissa! You’re coming to the ball, right? Reg said you were thinking about not going!” And there was Lucius, gliding down the stairs to the boy’s dorms as fast as he could without running, because as Draco had told her before with that annoying smirk of his: ‘

Malfoys don’t run

’.

Narcissa rolled her eyes. “Of course I’m going. Both Bellatrix and mother would skin me if I didn’t go.”

Luna tilted her head. “What ball?”

“

Deez balls.

” Harry muttered, earning herself a swat on the head.

Regulus smiled pratishly. “Oh, you don’t know? Well you two would be expected to be there, but since your guardian seems to have neglected to tell you, it’s a Yule Ball for-”

Scoffing, she sat up. “Nope. Never again. I’m never doing that ever again. The dress robes were horrible, Parvati couldn’t stand me to look at me after that night, and I couldn’t stop wishing Cedric would just-”

“Harry. I was there.” Luna smiled, turning back to Regulus. “I’m sure that Morgana will drag Harry there, but I might go willingly. Where is it?”

Lucius seemed to puff up. “Malfoy Manor.”

Both of them flinched back, Luna beginning to look a little sick at the thought. “Actually I just remembered that we might be going out of the country for the break…”

“India! We’re going to India! And with that, we should head to the train!” Both shot out of their seats, Harry grabbing the trunk.

Never let it be said Peverells had anything against running, unlike the Malfoys.

Morgana was waiting for them at King’s Cross, a wide smile on her face, but nothing aside from small talk was exchanged until they were in the manor and the woman turned on them with her silver eyes flashing. “What is this I hear about not attending the Malfoy’s Yule Ball?”

They both cringed back.

Seeming to take a deep breath, the woman smoothed out her dress, and when she spoke again her voice was calm. “Darlings, I’m sorry for raising my voice, but if you two want to fit into this society then you must act like ladies of your standing. Peverell is a name that accompanies power.”

Glancing at each other, Harry clenched her jaw. “Last time we were in that manor Luna got tortured within an inch of her life and I was almost killed because of the fact I had a scar on my forehead.”

“Nothing will happen. I promise that both of you will be safe, even if I have to enforce that promise myself.”

Luna put a hand on her shoulder before she could nix the idea. “I’ll be alright… and we owe Narcissa not to be the only girl being stared at.” The smile she gave was knowing. “Plus that’s something you’re good at, ignoring attention.”

She sighed, looking from Morgana to Luna. “Fine, but my dress has to be at least as long as my knees or i’m staying home and reading.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Luna was chuckling at Harry, who was fidgeting and fiddling with her dress. At least it was long enough not to feel too uncomfortable, the top part just plain black with the skirt a dark forest green, but the fact almost her whole back was exposed was making her uncomfortable. Her pale scars were on full show against her still somewhat tan skin.

Morgana slapped the back of her head lightly. “Harriet Peverell, young ladies do

not

squirm.”

Huffing, she made herself stand still.

Luna hooked arms with her and they followed Morgana to the floo.

“Why are we doing this again?” Harry thought uneasily of finding Luna and Ollivander in the basement of the Malfoy Manor, the girl next to her tightening her grip knowingly.

Morgana smiled back at them. “Because darling, Narcissa and Bellatrix will be there, and because it's bad manners to decline. Also, i’m sure they will have much better wine than I could find around here.” At Harry's clenched jaw, the woman softened a bit, bringing a warm hand to her cheek. “Oh, sweetheart. If anyone tries to hurt you I have orders from Mortis to cut their head off. No need to worry.” The woman’s voice was soft and sweet, but the steel behind the words were unmistakable.

Luna giggled from her side. “And don’t worry about me Harry. I’m as undying as you, remember? Plus we both have Potter Luck on our side!”

“That’s not a good thing, Love.”

All three of them smiled at the inside joke.

Morgana was hiding a wickedly sharp shrunken swords on the inside of her thigh that were invisible even from the slit of her dress, Luna had shrunken potions on her bracelet that if thrown would do extensive damage, and Harry had the Elder Wand.

Plus, not to mention, none of them could really die.

With a sigh, Harry nodded. “Let’s do it then.”

It was embarrassing, but Morgana had spent the summer helping Harry get over her clumsiness when it came to wizarding travel and although she was perfectly fine with apparition and portkeys now, floos were still lost on her.

So Harry waited until the other two had walked through the green flames and then grabbed a handful of the floo powder for herself, stomach twisting uneasily. Stepping in she threw the handful at her feet. “Malfoy Manor!”

Stumbling slightly, she was thankful for the graceful arms that linked with her, successfully keeping her on her feet. She still wobbled slightly, but it was mostly due to the death-contraption shoes she'd been forced into.

Luna giggled arily at her visible displeasure and after a pause, Morgana let go of her. “Well darlings. I expect you to be safe in your fun. And Harry, please stay out of trouble.” With a soft ladylike sigh, the woman stalked into the crowd of finely dressed Lords and Ladies, blending right in with her long white cocktail dress and long cape gleaming like fresh snow as she walked.

“I wonder sometimes if she knows me at all.” Harry and Luna looked at each other with amused smiles, both shaking their heads slightly as they drifted closer together. “We should find Narcissa, maybe see what hidden creatures are lingering around the food and wine.”

Nodding slightly, they walked in perfect sync down into the crowd. It was usually just a habit, matching breathing and steps, working as a single unit, but for now it was necessary. If either of them started to have flashbacks or a panic attack, this way the other would know in an instant.

The ballroom they entered was quite beautiful.

Strands of fairy lights were hung around the room, everything sparkling of silver and slight blue undertones. The beauty made it a little easier to breath, as if this was some other group of people than the ones who had previously been out for their blood, a different house than the one they'd been tortured in.

She spotted Regulus from across the hall and something loosened in her chest.

Squeezing Luna’s arm, she nodded that way, and they started over. Regulus, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Lucius, and Andromeda were all standing around and talking as if it was just another day at Hogwarts.

Narcissa spotted them first, smile brightening. “Harry! Luna!”

Unclasping arms to bow lowly in sinc, they both smiled and straightened, but a familiar voice stopped her short. “What

interesting

dresses.”

Harry stopped instantly, looking over to where a dark-haired man was
sneering at them
with his arm hooked with Bellatrix’s, and the dots connected smoothly.

Rabastan Lestrange

. The same man that had tied her down to a bed, whispering insane words of encouragement to Pansy as she carved into his hip.

Her hand went to her hip, breathing coming out in short pants as she stumbled back. The lights flickered. “No no no… not here. She’s not here. He’s a ghost. I killed-”

“Harry… Do you know how to dance?”

The question broke her out of her panic slightly, blinking up at Luna. “I- what?”

Her sister smiled, eyes crinkling as she held out her hand. “Come on. I know Neville and you used to have those dance lessons when you were having flashbacks. So dance with me.”

Chest feeling tight, she took the hand, pulling the girl to her. “You- you know the dance?” At the nod, she closed her eyes and imagined she was in Grimmauld Place, Neville’s hands guiding hers and humming the tune to the waltz under her breath she moved. Like nothing had changed, her partner moved with her smoothly.

There was no Ginny, Pansy, or Rabastan here. No pain or hurt, no scars that still aches on bad days. Just the music and the gentle movement of their feet.

Eyes opening, she dipped the girl, smiling softly. “Sorry. I said I wouldn’t-”

“You lead well.”

Harry let the subject change with only a slight pause. “I might be a girl, but i'm still taller than you, short stuff.”

Luna’s laugh was quiet. “String bean.”

Harry found laughter bubbling up from her chest, unable to keep it in, and she was sure that the same song she'd been humming was playing now in the background. Sometimes her magic would still do things like that, even without her noticing. “I would be offended, but it's pretty true… Although, if i’m a string bean, what does that make you?”

“A radish.” Luna lit up at that, beaming brightly. “Can you go get us something to drink? I might need it.”

She then noticed her sister’s hands were shaking, stopping their dance. “Yeah, want me to go get something from the drink table? I can find Morgana if you want?”

The girl smiled, jinling her charm bracelet. “I’ll be fine with ‘Cissa and Regulus.”

Purposefully not looking at the man attached to Bellatrix, she led Luna back to the group. “I’m going to get some drinks, i’ll be right back. Don’t get into trouble- that’s

my

hobby.” With a wink, she glided over to the table where a familiar woman was holding a glass of red wine and talking animatedly with a group of men.

Bright silver orbs caught sight of her and the woman smiled wider. “Darling! You looking for the wine?”

“Yeah, Moon was hoping she and I could steal two glasses.” Harry gave the woman a thin smile.

Morgana’s eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly. “Everything alright?”

Lifting a shoulder in a half-shrug, she grabbed a bottle of elven wine and poured two glasses easily. “Better now that i’m getting drinks.”

“And are you old enough to be drinking that?” The voice was low and smooth and faintly familiar, but she could care less about who it was when Luna was alone and uncomfortable.

Curling her lip up into a soft sneer, she clicked her tongue. “I’ll worry about my age when my sister stops shaking because of a traumatic flashback, so why don’t you back off

sir

.” Spinning on her heel she looked at Morgana. “If you ever force me to come to another of these 'Gana, I swear I will ask Mortis to kill you off.”

At the woman’s snort and soft

‘Brat’

, she marched towards where Luna was standing at Regulus’ side- almost in his arms she was so close to the boy.

“That’s elven wine. Are you even old enough to appreciate the taste?” It seemed the man from before was following her, footsteps soft.

Luna turned towards her, face pailing and starting to look a little sick.

The smooth voice spoke up again. “How about you put down the glasses and allow me to dance with you instead?”

Her eyes flicked to the man irritably, about to tell him off, when her breath caught in her throat and she just barely stopped herself from tripping over her own feet.

She knew why Luna was so upset.

Tom fucking Riddle

was standing beside of her.

Feeling her breath stutter in her chest, a wave of pain and fear and anger crashing over her all at once, she didn't know how she kept her face clear of emotion but somehow she did. “No. Take a hint.” Feeling eyes on her back, she stalked to where Regulus looked to be supporting Luna, concern in his eyes. Harry handed her the wine glass, downing hers in one smooth gulp.

Luna latched onto her, hands tightening. “Harry. Harry he's coming over…”

Perfectly styled brown hair framed
a face so perfect it made her want to punch it, dark brown eyes glittering with something akin to predatory hunger. He clicked his tongue. “See? You just downed it all in one go. No respect for the drink at all.”

Feeling something in her chest start to burn like a forest fire, she narrowed her eyes, ignoring the way Luna clutched at her arm. “Maybe I needed to do that to stand the sight of

your face

.”

There was a silence in the group.

Luna’s nails dug in further to her arm. “Harry. Harry this was a bad idea. To- to many- I-”

Whirling around, she took both wine glasses and shoved it at Regulus, cupping Luna’s face. “Luna, Luna breathe with me. Remember when we met that forest spirit in Indonesia? The way it licked your face, turning your skin purple? I don’t think i’ve ever seen Neville laugh harder than he did then. And the sphinx that you talked to for four hours before it stepped to the side and just let you pass? Though I wasn't amused at having to dance around in nothing but gold body paint to distract it from where you snuck out when you got stuck in that trap. I was highly uncomfortable, but no ‘Nevile can’t dance’ you said. Harry has to because he’s a better dancer.

Bullshit

by the way, I couldn’t dance to save my skinny white ass and you

knew

that.”

Luna buried her head in the crook of her neck. “Too many nargles.”

“Darlings? Need a hand?” Morgana was at their side, fingers twitching but face carefully impassive.

Harry shook her head. “No no. Just a normal Yule Ball.”

The woman snorted. “Harry, we get it you’re fourth year was a disaster, I think we’ve all heard the rant- though I am sceptical about you out flying a dragon.” Before she could start to defend her flying skills, the woman looked over her head, gaze icy. “And who are you, that sent my niece into this state?”

“Gaunt. Thomas Gaunt.” The man was fixed on them instead of Morgana, dark brown eyes glittering. “It’s funny… I don't seem to have seen you three around here before. Your names?”

The low voice seemed to echo through the room, the crowd now avidly watching like a pack of wolves waiting for blood. Harry’s breath hitched, the room flickering into the dark and blood stained room Hermione had been tortured in.

Luna gripped her arm, voice a whisper in her neck. “She’s not here. She’s not going to get hurt. None of us are. They’re all safe, far

far

away from us.”

Harry’s thoughts were far away, eyes still seeing that pool of blood.

Morgana’s voice was hard, eyes flashing with the promise of violence. “My name is Morgana Peverell, and you are causing my wards great distress, Mr. Gaunt. Please back up.” Turning to them, the silver eyes melted slightly. “Darlings…”

Her voice was a strangled whisper. “Too much blood. There’s too much blood around us Morgana. Please- I- I don’t know what to do.”

“Just let the memories fade away again love…” Long nails scratched gently at her scalp, Luna and Harry still clutching at each other. “Sorry for making you come here. I thought you would be alright, what with being at Hogwarts all year without anything too bad...”

Luna huffed out a small laugh, pulling away slightly with damp eyes that were smiling with hidden laughter. “You would think you’re allergic to riddles.” Harry blinked, the blood fading from sight, and she burst into a peel of laughter.

Morgana smiled, but it was tired. “We definitely messed this up.”

“Fourth year all over again!” Harry’s voice was insistent. “Bad dates, third wheeling, the threat of snake-face, and constant vigilance! I told you it would happen! And this time I didn’t even get to stare at Cedric all night!”

The other two smiled at that, Morgana casting a charm over both of them to dispel the wet cheeks. “At least you didn’t have to deal with a Hungarian Horntail again.” Luna smiled. “Though I get the feeling you’d much rather be on a broom than here.”

She grinned cheekily. “You’d be right.”

A slimy voice came from their side. “How

interesting

you two are.” Rabastan Lestrange went to grab her shoulder and all the lights in the ballroom exploded.

“Harry, please calm down!”

Harry ignored the voice, all rationality going out the window and she turned to the boy, luminescent magic whipping around her like green vines. “You are not going to touch me or Luna.” The boy stumbled back as she stalked forward slowly. “You will not

look

at me or Luna.” Outstretching her hand, a tendril of green magic caught the boy by his throat and lifted him from the ground slightly. “Or I will-”

Arms wrapped around her waist, a soft voice murmuring a question into her shoulder. “Would Neville approve?”

Instantly the tendrils released the boy as if realizing what they were doing, slowly curling around her once more and sinking back under her skin.

With a flick of her hand, Morgana repaired the lights, catching Harry when her knees buckled. “Come now, my blood-stained soldiers… We must get you home, away from these thoughts of war.” Her smile was curved as she looked down at Harry, who was having a hard time keeping her magic under control, the woman’s teeth glinting in the light. “You were quite entertaining, but I do believe that we should take our leave before you end up leveling this manor with your distress, little mistress.”

Harry’s head lolled back as the woman walked, seeing a crowd watching them, and at the front was a familiar man with dark brown eyes.

Then a different type of green light came forward. “PEVERELL MANOR!”

In an instant, they were in the manor.

“What the hell was that!” Harry paced in front of the fire after she’d awoken from passing out, emotions a jumbled mess or relief, fear, and anger. “Voldemort looked like- well- normal! And what's with the trap! I thought Lucius invited us because he was trying to be nice! Hell, Draco was nicer than

that

!”

Luna was watching her pace silently, while Morgana watched the fireplace with a thoughtful look on her face. “Maybe that's the point of those things.” Harry looked at the woman, who fixed her with liquid silver eyes. “How would you go about getting new recruits? You invite them to your party though friends they already know, sit back and watch until something strikes your fancy, and then seduce them to your side.”

She shivered. “I like you better when you're not so good at getting inside a dark lord’s brain.”

Morgana rolled her eyes, sipping her glass of wine. “I'm more surprised how handsome he is… that must be part of the timeline's differences though.”

“Timeline differences?”

The woman nodded slightly. “In order for your presence to be possible here, Fate had to balance out the past, and I think he's one of them… or she might just be messing with you.”

Harry looked at the two of them incredulously. “You mean he might not have made any Horcruxes and that’s

Fate’s fault?

”

Morgana shrugged.

Luna took this brief silence to giggle out, “
Potter luck.”

That made the three of them laugh (if a little hysterically), finally relaxing in front of the fireplace for the night.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Luna was holding Harry to her promise not to do any maintenance on the house over the winter break, so she split herself between working in the new greenhouse (

gardening doesn't count Luna

), having fun outside, and reading in the expansive library.

She was currently in the middle of building a snowman, Luna sketching her as she did, when an owl landed on the small pine tree next to her. Hooting to get her attention, she reached forward to carefully take the letter after making sure there were no charms or spells on it.

It was addressed to Lady Peverell, one of those letters that can only be opened by the actual recipient, so she opened it whilst slowly making her way back to the porch.

She

was

Lady Peverell after all.

Crossing the barrier of the heating charm, she sunk into a chair across from where Luna was bent over her sketchbook. “Apparently we have a new Defence teacher. The notice just went out for one Professor Thomas Gaun-

Oh you’re bloody kidding

!”

Luna hummed, still sketching away, and her voice was deceptively light. “Well, we did put on

quite

the interesting show.”

An
swishing sound came from down the patio as the door opened, Morgana coming out with her usual glass of wine in hand. “Oh? And

who

are we talking about? Is Harry gonna break someone’s heart?”

“Riddle.” Harry hissed out the name, ignoring Luna’s soft laughter.

The woman took a long sip of her wine, the red liquid staining her lips as she smiled slowly. “He

was

quite good-looking. Maybe I should go talk to the Malfoys…”

When Harry tensed, Luna looked up with knowing eyes. “Harry, can we go to Diagon Alley? I want some new paints. The surrounding forests are perfect for finding forest spirits to paint.”

Letting herself relax slightly, she nodded. “Of course love. You mind if we stop by Knockturn Alley? I need some better fertilizer for that clipping Neville gave us.”

Nodding eagerly at the idea of growing one of their own rose bush hybrids for the greenhouse, they both looked at Morgana, who sighed and waved her hand. “Very well. Go on and get dressed. We should leave before it gets too busy.”

Both girls rushed to get ready, as Harry was slightly wet from playing in the snow and Luna was in pajamas.

The small wizarding calligraphy shop at the end of Diagon Alley did indeed hold a small area of art supplies, of which Luna hoarded like a greedy dragon whenever she could. Harry was the only one other than Neville that had ever seen inside her sketchbook (as most of the sketches were of him/her and the other boy), but Luna was secretly the artist behind all the artwork that had been in the Quibbler.

Harry had one of her unprinted originals in their bedroom at Grimmauld Place and now it rested above the fireplace in the manor, a still sketch of Hermione, Ron, and him all laughing by the Black Lake. So in turn for both staying by his side and making Harry look like a greek god (or as it was now- goddess) in her sketches, Harry spoiled her with art supplies.

((

Though when she tried to ask the girl why her drawings made her look like that, Luna had just laughed and told her that was how everyone else saw her, which she didn't really believe.

))

The store was dimly lit, the light from the large windows in the front of the building dimming the farther back into the store you ventured, but when you saw the first candle, under it were the art supplies. The best paints, brushes, drawing quills, and colored ink you could buy in Wizarding Britain. Though Luna had plenty of muggle arts supplies at home as well from the time they'd spent in muggle London over the summer.

After spending almost an hour and a half on debating the colors to buy for painting the forest pixies, they finally got together a bag and met Morgana across the street to venture into Knockturn Alley.

Knockturn wasn't that bad, not as Harry’s scared young mind had made it out to be.

Sure, there were plenty of drunks and hooded figures, but there was no real danger… unless you were a pretty young girl. But Morgana's ice cold stare that promised an effortless death seemed to ward most people off approaching Luna or her.

Speaking of the girl, she was busy looking into windows and dragging Harry into shops when she saw something shiny, her bright smile contagious to the people around her no matter how much bitterness they exuded. Salesmen gave her half off, hooded figures let her pass easily, and even the sneering patrons would lessen their distaste at her beaming smile. Not to mention the way Harry couldn't help but laugh more around the girl, feeling light-hearted for the first time in months at not having to worry about people recognizing them.

They made their way the the small apothecary and herbology supply store in the depths of the Alley, the little store squeezed in between two bigger stores, Luna letting go of her to stand with Morgana outside the shop.

Luna knew all too well how seriously she took her garden when she’d accidentally stepped on one of her Marigolds and Harry had practically cried. So the girl left her alone to meticulously read over the ingredients for the different fertilizers in peace.

Harry was focused on recalling Neville's lecture on growing a live plant guardian for keeping away pests, when a low voice startled her from where she seemed to be glaring at the pot of fertilizer in front of her.

“Not a

usual

expression I see being made at dirt… but an interesting one, for sure.”

Her head snapped up at the velvet words, eyes catching deep brown orbs watching her closely, voice freezing in her chest. “I-”

What was she supposed to say to the person who had killed most of her family?

Clearing her throat and looking away from the man’s face that her brain kept juxtaposing the pale snake-like face over, she pursed her lips. “I don't see your what your concern is for ‘

dirt'

as you called it, but if you really want to know, I am looking for the right blend of ingredients so I do not have to blend my own.” Her tone took on a more musing tone as she lost herself in examining the pot next to the one she'd just been glaring at, fingers running over the label. “Although this one seems alright, except for the lack of thestral dung… but I suppose I could get some from the herd at Hogwarts…”

“You are close with the thestrals?”

Feeling her jaw clench at the reminder of the man's presence, she shrugged fluidly, scooping up a good amount of the fertilizer into a large jar and turning on her heel. “It’s none of your business. Excuse me, but I have to go.”

And yet, Fate hated her.

The man’s easy loping gait caught up with her hurried steps. “Is that any way to treat a curious acquaintance?”

Harry stopped, spinning around and looking up at the man with eyes she was sure could have burned down the store, feeling her magic like a frayed wire pulsing under her skin. “Do not

presume

I want to have anything to do with

you.

You are a stranger to me and my family and I will walk away as many times as I dare well please

.

Goodbye.”

If she expected to have a crucio flung at her, she was sorely mistaken. Instead, the Dark Lord just looked pleasantly amused. Gritting her teeth, she huffed and marched to the front desk. Ignoring the slow footsteps following her, she smiled apologetically at the woman in the front and paid.

Morgana frowned when she saw the man following her, Luna just smiling a little tighter than normal. “Looks like you got the fertilizer and I got my paints!” The girl hooked arms with her. “Time to make sure you take your potions!”

Harry relaxed a bit at the girl's presence, letting a small whine slip from her pouting lips. “But the healer said it would only be eight weeks! You're just making me do this to torture me, aren't you!”

The woman next to them laughed threateningly at Harry, eyes suddenly very malicious. “You either take the potions, or i'll make sure all the pain potions in the house have

mysteriously

disappeared when that cruciatus curse comes back to haunt you.”

“You wouldn't!”

Vivid red lips curved into a vicious smile. “Darling… do I have to tell the

exceedingly overprotective

‘father’ of yours that you're not taking your potions? I am

sure

he would

love

to make you see reason.”

Luna snickered at Harry's face of thinly disguised horor.
At most, Death would just sigh a lot and then lecture her on taking care of her undying body for so long she'd feel like a stupid child, but she didn't want to tempt that.

The three of them walked down the Alley, proceeding to forget about the man with the sharp cheekbones and narrowed brown eyes watching them.

Hogwarts was a soothing balm to all the drama of the break, it’s magic rushing over her as she walked through the halls. She and Luna sat down at the Slytherin table and Harry let a small smile curl her lips. “Hey love… do you think that we could go see Leviathan? I miss him.”

The girl smiled. “Of course. I’m sure he’d love to see you, he always did love your hugs.”

Severus tilted his head, looking at them from a little bit down the table. “What do are you naming after Christian demons?”

Harry’s grin was wide and slightly manic. “Only our friends! Plus, you all know Leviathan. Azrael however… will probably be wandering around soon enough.”

Dumbledore stood, the hall falling silent. “Welcome back after such a wonderful winter break! I’m afraid we have a new Defence teacher, as Mr. O'Malley has had to travel back to Ireland suddenly for… family emergencies. However, please welcome Professor Thomas Gaunt!”

The man stood, smiling pleasantly, and his eyes found hers.

She scowled, rolling her eyes and turning to whisper with Luna until the man sat down.

“Also, I fear that there has been recent sightings of a Basilisk in the forbidden forest.” Whispers broke out across the hall and Dumbledore had to raise a hand to get silence. “Please do not worry as it has not left the forest and if it does, it will be dealt with- but this being said, the forest is most unacceptable to be exploring at the moment.”

Luna frowned slightly, but a small smile from Harry made her lighten a little.

After few more words of otherwise boring information, the feast appeared and they started their usual ritual of making each other’s plates.

“We’ll have to warn Azrael to stay in the forest.” Luna tilted her head, putting a small coconut cookie on her plate. “And to stay away from the unicorns. She can eat all the acromantulas she wants, but I don’t want her getting cursed.”

Harry nodded with a soft snort. “Aragog won’t know what hit him. Bloody spider.” She shivered impulsively at the memories of the acromantula nest.

Luna laughed softly. “Are you afraid of spiders Harry? Or just that one?” Her eyes twinkled with humor. “I thought your hair was black, but now I see it might actually be red...”

She hissed lightly at the jab, eyes mirthful. “Well, as we both know, you never face off against a nest of acromantulas without a flying car. And unfortunately, my last flying car got beat up by the angry tree.”

Both fell into a sort of sad silence, leaning on each other as they both looked at their food in a nostalgic haze.

“You should eat. We both know how bad your nightmares are when you’re hungry.” Harry’s voice was soft. “You’ll wake me up and then neither of us will feel much like going to visit Leviathan tomorrow.”

The sea green eyes looked up at her, something incredibly fond in them. “Half a plate for both of us. And no telling me you aren’t hungry. We both know you’ll forget to eat and then Mortis will lecture you on your health again.”

With a soft snort, she nodded. “Deal.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The threat of defense class looming on the horizon, Harry and Luna had the house elves pack them a picnic and went out to sit by the Black Lake. Casting full-body heating charms, they both stripped down to shorts and sports bras, playing rock-paper-scissors for who would jump in the water first.

Harry (obviously) lost and with a loud battle cry, ran into the Black Lake, diving at the last second.

The water was nice, the heating charm making it just warm enough to be almost like the muggle swimming pool she’d taken Teddy to a few times. With a wordless bubble head charm and weight charm allowing her to sink slowly, she looked around. Finally spotting a tentacle she waved erratically, a big eye blinking at her, before the slick appendage slowly moved to curl around her waist.

She was pulled to it’s big eye, which inspected her slowly.

Hearing a strange tapping, she twisted to see the pane of glass that showed the Slytherin common room, bunch of students gaping at her.

Waving, she turned back to the giant squid, pointing up with a grin.

In a smooth move, she was thrown up, flying through the air with a exalted whoop of excitement and then she was falling, twisting midair to dive into the water cleanly. Bobbing her head to the surface, she smiled widely at Luna, who was sitting on a big inflatable tube wearing sunglasses with a pina colada in hand (with a tiny umbrella). “Don’t wanna get wet, your highness?”

Luna smiled. “I’m not crazy, unlike you, princess.”

Harry was pulled out of the water, shrieking in surprise as the giant squid raised her above where it’s massive head was now poking out of the water. “Levi! If you sneak up on me like that i’ll have a stroke!”

With a loud laugh, she grappled with the tentacles, ending up hanging upside down while a massive eye narrowed playfully at her.

“Miss Peverell!”

Twisting to look at the beach, she saw most all the students and half the teachers watching her.

She grinned. “Hello!” She was thrown up, laughter bubbling from her lips as she was caught again by Levi, this time right side up. “I- hahaha- seem to have done something?”

McGonagall looked vaguely upset, Flitwick was sputtering madly, Dumbledore looked mildly amused, Slughorn was gaping, and ‘Mr. Gaunt’… was looking at her with that same intense gaze as always.

McGonagall stepped forward. “Both of you! On the beach this instant!”

Looking at Levi, she shrugged, hugging the tentacle wrapped around her. “Sorry Leviathan. We’ll come visit soon. Oh! And say hi to Azrael if you see her!” The squid bobbed it’s head, setting her back it the water lightly and diving back underwater.

Out in the middle of the lake, Harry spelled some rope, handing an end to Luna and tying the other around her waist. “Hold on.”

“Onwards!” Luna cheered happily.

With a snort, she started to swim. It was a bit uncomfortable with the extra drag, but she’d been swimming this lake for years during the reconstruction, traveling to muggle pools whenever she could to keep in shape, so it wasn’t as bad as she thought.

Reaching shore, she pulled Luna in by the rope, before helping her up with a tiny bow. “M’lady.”

“String bean, your braids are all messy. Morgana will be quite upset. You know her rules about presentation.” Luna chided.

Harry rolled her eyes, waving her hand, and her hair untangled itself while squeezing out all the water. “It’s amusing how she’ll let you wander around the forest naked talking to the pixies, but me? No I have to look perfect

all

the time.”

The girl’s thin eyebrow raised. “You were right there with me, dancing drunkenly as you begged the trees for a boyfriend.”

Harry coughed loudly, feeling a heat spread across her cheeks. “Anyway! I feel that we’re not getting anywhere productive with this conversation. We should move on.”

“Or maybe I should tell everyone what you were asking Morgana the other day about-”

Slapping a hand across the girls mouth and hiding her face in her hand she shook her head. “Merlin smite me down.” With a deep breath, she looked up at the teachers, her flushed cheeks the only sign of her wavering composure. “So… what’s the public gathering for? I thought the Black Lake was part of school grounds.”

“It- it is, but-”

Harry tilted her head. “And is Leviathan not the same squid that both protects the school and was placed there by the founders?”

McGonagall pursed her lips. “Yes, but-”

“And since Luna and I are the heirs for Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Gryffindor, are we not allowed to play with our ancestor’s friends?”

Dumbledore, who looked a little more fond of them when they were causing teenage mischief, stepped forward. “Of course you are.”

McGonagall scoffed. “Albus they are barely dressed,

wrestling

with the

giant squid

!”

Luna tapped Harry’s shoulder, whispering in her ear. “Um, Harry, I think you might wanna tell Azreal to hide. Like

now…

”

Harry glanced towards the forbidden forest, eyes widening at where the giant basilisk was watching her.
Waving her hands wildly to keep the attention on her she scrambled for some type of way to keep the majority of the school from freaking out. “Shit- um- I-... We have another friend! Yeah, her name’s Azrael! She’s really pretty and very friendly and she
needs to stay hidden for now
, but we’ll see her soon…”

The message didn’t seem to be helping, the huge snake slowly sliding forwards to the edge of the forest.

“Mistress, come keep me warm.”

The soft hissing was the catalyst, and in an instant Harry had aparated in front of the snake, throwing up a shield to block the spells the teachers had instinctively cast. The barrier pulsed strongly, so thick it almost looked like glass, the spells sliding off of it.

Turning, she threw up her hands in exasperation. “Really? Are you that daft, you big limp noodle? What did I say about not being seen! You’ll get hurt!”

“Azrael missed Mistress. Spiders were crunchy and satisfying, but their dead husks were not as warm as Mistress.”

The snake curled around her like she was a huge teddy bear, nosing at her hair.

“Why is Mistress undressed? Are you mating? Did you find a suitable mate?”

Spluttering, she flailed.

“What? No you idiotic snake! I was swimming!”

The snake hissed. “You smell of the squid.” The coils tightened slightly. “Remember you are my Mistress. Not his.”
“Harry darling, why don’t you tell Azreal to go back to her Chamber and that we will be seeing her later. As much as I would like to talk about your truly pathetic love life, we

do

have class.” Luna walked through the barrier easily, patting Azrael's scales fondly. “It’s nice to see you Azrael. I do hope those spiders were a satisfying hunt.”

The basilisk hissed fondly, rubbing her giant nose against Luna’s face and dropping Harry’s eye level, it’s yellow eyes narrowing on her.

“I do want to see hatchlings eventually, young Mistress. You better take your sister’s advice and find a mate.”

Without another word, Harry was again left embarrassed and half dressed as the snake slithered away.

Throwing up her hands in defeat she summoned the picnic basket and her clothes to her hands, striding towards the castle in frustration. “Why is everyone bugging me about my sex life!”

Luna giggled, skipping after her. “You

are

still half dressed, Harry darling.”

“Yeah, what’s it to you? You’re the one who, not just six days ago, begged to draw me naked because you ‘had a rare bout of inspiration’! Well let’s just give the whole

school

that bloody inspiration!”

This threw the blonde into a fit of melodic laughter as she followed Harry.

The students and teachers watched the two sisters leave, still at a lack for words.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Harry showed up to Defense class in a tank top and jeans, a blank look on her face, while Luna kept nudging her with a wide grin. She just batted away the other’s nudges, sinking into a chair by the window with a scowl. “Why are you so sure that I would like

The Peacock King

? He's nothing like Draco!” Backtracking Harry scowled. "And I don't like Draco anyway!"

Luna looked at her with knowing eyes. “Are you sure you're not still hung up on a certain blonde Auror? You said he looked really good in that uniform-”

"Luna..." She pouted as the girl sat down next to her. "Please let that go? I was on enough pain potions to tranq a small horse!"

The other students in the class stayed relatively silent, watching both the two sisters, but the door was opening the next second the professor entering with a small smile on his lips. “Hello class! I am Professor Thomas Gaunt, but call me either Professor or Mr. Gaunt... Today we will be talking about Boggarts!”

Harry glanced to Luna, who looked slightly worried. The Professor slash Dark Lord continued to talk, Harry barely paying attention as she looked worriedly at the trunk in the corner she now noticed was rattling.

“Miss Peverell? What does a boggart look like?”

Eyes snapping to the man up front who was looking at her with a raised eyebrow, she scowled. “Boggarts look like whatever you fear. No one has ever seen the true shape of the boggart.”

The man looked extremely pleased. “And what is the spell to make them lose their power Miss Peverell?”

This time Luna answered, soft voice carrying in the quiet room. “Riddikulus. It turns the boggart into something else, which then can usually be found humorous, thus the laughter weakening them substantially.”

Gaunt clapped his hands. “Very good! Now, I want everyone to stand up and form a line in the middle of the classroom! You will then be facing a real life boggart, and when you do so successfully, you may leave class! I also am assigning a short four inch paper on why your boggart took the shape it did!”

The class scrambled up, Harry and Luna slowly making their way to the back of the line.

As soon as everyone was standing, the desks were folding themselves away, leaving a large open space.

She heard the others start to cast the spell easily, laughing and then scrambling out the door to enjoy the free time.

Luna squeezed her hand. “I’m sure you’ll be fine. If anything, you have your wand.”

Nodding, they watched as the line thinned and the room emptied.

Soon enough the kid in front of Luna stepped to the side, picking up his bag. Squeezing her hand, Luna stepped forward, wand raised.

The clown of the last kid melted away, a old glassy eyed Ollivander standing instead in the middle of the circle in the same ragged clothes, and on the floor in front of him was a birthday cake drawn in dust. The man gestured to it sadly with a half smile.

Luna clenched her hands tightly. “No… no they got us out- they took us away from there. You’re not really here.”

The man looked so lost, his eyes so sad, and he kept gesturing to the birthday cake drawn in the dust. Harry's heart felt as if it was torn in half.

“I’m never doing that again." Luna's voice held a steel behind it, rolling her shoulders back. "I’m never spending another birthday there and not even you can make me.”

The girl raised her wand, even as the man’s eyes widened in fear.

“Riddikulus!” Instantly instead of the heartbreaking scene, there stood Harry- well when she was a guy- messy short black hair topped with cat ears and a frown on fake-Harry’s lips. Luna giggled, elbowing her. “I remember that! You were furious for

days,

for not knowing how to get rid of them, but you looked so adorable!”

Harry rolled her eyes, stepping forward as Luna moved to the side.

Her duplicate turned to smoke and after a second Ginny stood there, smiling at her.

She sucked in a sharp breath. “

You…

” The girl sashayed forward, smiling, and she stumbled back. “You’re not real. Not here. Ginny please- I didn’t mean to- you have to understand I didn’t mean to leave! It’s just you were sleeping with Dean and I- I couldn't take it anymore.”

The girl held up a single finger and her mouth clicked shut out of habit. The girl pointed to a spot in front of her, eyes narrowing dangerously and Harry started to step forward, hands shaking.

A hand caught her wrist, Luna shaking her head at her. “Harry, you have to let go of her. You did it before, you can do it again. You saw the test. You know she dosed you with enough love potion to kill an elephant.”

Her eyes were still on the redhead who was now glowering and Harry nodded. “Right. She-... she hurt me. She made me bleed for her own amusement, slept around behind my back… She’s not even here. How could she hurt me now?”

Like it heard her, the boggart shifted, faces of the dead coming and going slowly, like a slideshow of bodies.

Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Cedric, Dobby, Fred, Severus, Collin, and so many others.

Just endlessly cycling through the bodies of the people she’d let die.

Raising her hand, the Elder Wand snapped to it from her boot and the figure landed on the pale snake-like visage of Voldemort.
Her voice was tight. “You will never rise. I

will

save them.” With a flick of her wand, a bright light consumed the figure, and a second later there was nothing but a pile of dust where the boggart had been.

Luna squeezed her shoulder and the slamming of a door had them both looking to where dark brown eyes were assessing them coolly. “So... two girls that look so young and yet have seen so many dead bodies…

no wonder

you can see the thestrals.” The man stalked around them like a jungle cat circling it’s prey. “I was suitably interested when you two had your little moment during the party, but to be parseltongues on top of that,

and

wear that ring on your finger?”

A wand was pressed to Harry’s throat in an instant, glittering eyes only an inch away from hers.

She stiffened, tightening her grip on Luna’s hand.

“Who

are

you?” The man glanced at Luna only for a second. “Her I could care less about, but

you…

There’s something very familiar about your eyes that draws me in. Along with your easy display of high level magic, that tattoo on your arm, and the fact that you have the ring of the bloodline that

belongs to me

-... Who are you really?”

Eyes sliding to Luna quickly, she looked back at the man and shrugged. “I’m Harry Peverell. Resident menace of Hogwarts, lover of flying really fast, sucker for a well dressed man, and all around annoyance to every Dark Lord I meet…

Tom

.” She grinned slowly at the man’s widening eyes. “Y’know… I had really hoped to get rid of Dumbledore before I decided what to do with you.”

The man paused, face so close she could see specks of gold in the brown eyes, before he pulled back. “The name’s Thomas, Harriet, not

Tom

.”

Harry waved her hand dismissively. “Whatever, Tim. Now we have to get to potions if you’ll excuse us.” At the door she turned back with a sarcastic grin. “Oh, and I like your face. Much better than how it was- all snakey and without a nose.”

Not missing the amused irritation on the man’s face, she and Luna ran out of the room.

The girl raised an eyebrow at her when they were far enough away. “Did you have to antagonize him?” At her shrug the girl sighed. “And what about Potions? Are we actually going there?”

She laughed. “No way. We’re gonna go see what’s up with Azrael.”

After confirming with the basilisk, that no she had no idea who Tom Riddle was, they sat in her coils throwing out theories. “He could have gotten distracted by something and never have found the chamber, but still made the other Horcruxes...”

Luna hummed, her sketchbook on top of where Azrael's head was lying lazily in her lap. “He could be sane, not have created any soul shards this time.” Eyes like the summer sea glanced up to look at Harry for a moment, before they were back on the sketchbook. “He

could

be a valuable ally, what with neither of us being able to stand Albania Dipmblebutt.”

Chuckling at the nickname for the Headmaster, Harry thought about what she’d said for a long moment, content to just run her hands over Azrael's scales. “Maybe.” A frown tugged at her lips when the image of gleaming brown eyes popped into her head, making her shiver in something between fear and apprehension. “Something about the way he looks at me is…

unnerving

.”

Harry looked up to see Luna looking at her with a small knowing smile and a tilted head. The girl was silent for a long moment, before shaking her head slightly and looking back down.

“What?”

Luna’s voice was amused when she spoke, voice soft. “Oh nothing. Just wondering how Morgana’s faring.”

“She’s probably finding something to do.” She went back to stroking the smooth green scales, eyes slipping closed on their own accord.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The next day at lunch a midnight black eagle (

that had been gleefully named Merlin by a smirking Morgana

) flew in.

Harry raised her arm, only gritting her teeth slightly when the bird landed, its talons sinking through her robe and into her skin easily. “Hey Merlin. What do you have for-” she stopped short at seeing the red envelope. “
Shit

…”

Luna reached past her with a smile. “Wonder what Morgana wants.”

Said letter (read: Howler) opened into a mouth, smooth voice echoing across the hall.
"HARRY DARLING, WHY AM I SUDDENLY GETTING AN INFLUX OF LETTERS PROPOSING MARRIAGE CONTRACTS? DID I NOT TELL YOU THAT YOU AND YOUR SISTER WERE TO STAY OUT OF TROUBLE? AND WHAT'S THIS ABOUT SWIMMING IN THE BLACK LAKE HALF NAKED WITH A SQUID!- Also say hi to Azreal for me darling- I THOUGHT I RESTRICTED YOUR NUDE DANCE PARTIES TO THE FORESTS BY THE MANOR! DON'T YOU KNOW HOW IRRITATED MORTIS GETS WHEN HE IS PULLED FROM HIS WORK?!”
Harry groaned, letting her head fall on Luna's shoulder. “Make her stop...”

“-ANYWAY, THE ELVES ARE TAKING CARE OF YOUR GARDEN, THE CREEPY LITTLE TREE THING YOU TWO GREW IS EATING THOSE RATS LIKE YOU HOPED, AND THOSE FAIRIES YOU TWO MADE FRIENDS WITH OVER BREAK WHILE DRUNKENLY DANCING AROUND ARE ACTUALLY VERY GOOD CONVERSATIONALISTS. HOPE YOU TWO ARE NOT AS

PAINFULLY

BORED AS I AM. I'LL JUST BURN THESE MARRIAGE CONTRACTS, BECAUSE MORTIS WOULD KILL ME IF I DIDN'T. KISSES DARLINGS! MORGANA PEVERELL.”

As the red letter burst into flames, Harry lifted her head with a grimace. “If anything, my flowers are not dead, the guardian's getting fed, and we know she hasn't started doing things like raising the dead yet... But marriage contracts?” Harry eyed her sister with a pout, pulling out the puppy dog eyes. “You better not leave me here to suffer alone, radish. No one deserves you, not without going through my extensive trials, and even

then

...”

Luna chuckled, eyes fond. “I don't think the contracts were for

me

, string bean.”

Harry blinked at that, pout disappearing as she tilted her head and hummed thoughtfully. “Oh. I didn’t think of that... Morgana should know better than to burn potential marriage contracts. She's lucky to find

anyone

who will deal with her ‘special’ kind of crazy. Plus, she only has this life.” Pulling out a parchment and missing the way Luna shook her head, Harry started to write a short return letter. “That psycho should marry someone. Might keep her busy, Merlin knows she gets just about as bored as me and she’s all alone in that big manor… I’ll tell her that we think she should at least consider marriage, even if it’s just to keep her from running rampant through my greenhouse.”

Luna giggled lightly, shaking her head. “Sure Harry. You do that.”

After Harry sent the letter away with Merlin, she looked up at where Lucius and Regulus both were gaping at her. “What? Something wrong? If it’s about calling ‘Gana a psycho, she knows all too well that’s what I call her… Luna can vouch for that.”

Luna just directed a blinding smile Harry’s way. “Nothing’s wrong Harry darling. Now eat, we have that thing at Gringotts in thirty minutes.”

Harry grinned sharply. “Oh! With King Uark! I'm excited to see how our projects have come along so far…”

“I get the impression they wanted to ask you a favor about the dragon. It said in the letter that since it was your idea that they would like you to help them with it, not to mention the fact they hate it and it still hates them.” The girl shrugged as she popped a grape into her mouth.

She hummed in contemplation. “Think I can out-fly this one, like I did the Horntail? If I can get it to follow me, I can guide it back to the manor and then get it to see reason. Plus, then Morgana will have a pet to that she can feed the sheep that keep wandering through the wards. We both know how much she hates having them around, and if it continues she might just end up using them to summon some demon or something.”

Lucius choked on his drink, while Narcissa leaned forward, as if interested.

Luna nodded. “Mopsy?”

With a pop, a small hogwarts elf appeared. “Missis Rav-claw need something?”

“Can you get Harry's special broom from our trunk?” The elf popped away, popping back in with the sleek Firebolt.

Standing, Harry bowed her head slightly to the elf and took the broom with a smile. “Thanks Mops.” After the elf popped away, Luna stood with a small smile and hooked arms with her, Harry looking to her as they both started for the exit. “You gonna be worried about me love? I know those tasks fourth year had you worried.”

Luna shook her head. “If you die i'll just have Morgana resurrect you.”

Harry’s laugh rung out around the room. “

If I die.

Please! You think I'd really get taken out by a malnutritioned dragon? Ha!”

No one was surprised to see a picture on the front page of the newspaper of Harry Peverell on her strange broom being chased by a (not so) malnourished dragon.

Harry herself hummed at the paper in her hands lightly the next morning at breakfast. “Okay, so Baal wasn't as blind or malnourished as I remembered... more just angry.”

The hall looked on in a mix of exasperation and amusement at the girl who apparently had sustained three large claw marks on her back (the gauze slightly visible from her tank top), but had refused to stay in the medical wing, much to Madame Pomfrey's irritation.

“Well, at least he likes the sheep. Morgana was really going crazy over that for a while.”

Luna hummed from her side. “It was good to see Fangtooth and Urak.”

“It was.” Harry smiled down at the gold bands on her wrists. “I really like these bands the King had made for me. They help dampen my magic, and though it's a little strange, it definitely feels more comfortable. I still haven't really been able to control my magic since I had that core block removed and it'll be nice not to break anything when I have nightmares.”

Severus blinked. "Someone had your core
blocked?"

Harry blinked up at him. "Yeah. My grandfather figure decided I was too much of a threat and bound my core when I was a kid." She frowned lightly. "By the time he was dead and I went to the goblins, my core was destabilizing."

The whole hall seemed to gape at her.

Narcissa looked almost close to tears. "But... why would he do that to you? I would never do that to my child!" A soft choked off sob came from the blonde girl's lips.

Flailing slightly, she looked at Luna. "Help?"

Her sister just raised an eyebrow. "Hug her?"

"Um- It's okay Cissa..." Harry awkwardly pulled the girl into her arms, rubbing at her back lightly. "The goblins helped me out, well became friends with me really, so I don't really mind it as much as I used to. My magic gets kind of wild like it has a mind of it's own now though, probably because I was just weeks away from becoming an obscurial..."

The girl in her arms clutched at her tighter with more tears and she looked around in distress.

Luna huffed from her side, leaning forward on the table. "I remember this one time that I decided to use a bigger canvas for my mural of the people in our home town, so naturally I got all my paints together and set up shop on the wall of the dining room. I was halfway though the paining, Harry sitting behind be and reading, when I realized that her magic had been compulsively drawing weird eyebrows and strangely colored facial hair on the people she didn't like."

Narcissa sniffed, pulling away with a wobbly smile. "Sorry... I just-"

"It's okay Cissy." Harry's smile was warm. "I promise you, you'll be an amazing mother."

Blonde hair fell in blushing cheeks as the girl looked embarrassed. "Thanks Harry... For what it's worth, I think you'd be an amazing mom too."

She coughed, cheeks turning red. "I- what- no... I'd be more of the strange aunt..."

"Or the famous godfather that takes you to muggle zoos because the Daily Prophet hates him!" Luna chimed in, making Harry beam.

Severus shook his head, standing up. "You two are really weird and giving me a headache."

The two sisters laughed lightly, waving the boy off and returning to their meal, Harry's arm slung around Narcissa's shoulder.

The hall of students didn't know what to make of the two sisters.

Dragons, core blocks, goblin kings, wild magic… what next?

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Apparently McGonagall wasn’t too happy with Harry telling off a Slytherin that had tried to insult Lily Evans, disapproving of her calling the boy a ‘half-brained homosapien with erectile dysfunction that feels pathetic and needs to put everyone around him down to feel an ounce of pleasure’. So Luna had joined her in detention by shrinking the boy’s head into a phallic (penis) looking shape that the class wouldn’t stop laughing at.

Unfortunately, the detention had been

graciously

taken on by Professor Gaunt.

Stepping into the classroom warily, they both glanced at each other at seeing the Dark Lord bent over a stack of papers. The man glanced up briefly, lips quirked up in amusement. “Come in... I’m not going to kill you, if that’s what you were wondering. You two are much too fascinating for me to kill off without at

least

an explanation.”

Luna shrugged, moving to sit at the front.

“Moon!” Harry hissed.

The girl just waved at her. “He’s telling the truth. Plus, it’s not like he’s any harm to either of us.”

The man looked up, eyes watching her closely over a pair of (fake?) glasses as she moved slowly to Luna’s side, before sending them a half-smile. “Wonderful.” With a wave of his wand, the bench restrained them to stay sitting, both their wands flying to his hand. “Now then…”

“Really Luna? Yes, let’s sit down, let the psychopath restrain us!” Harry looked at the girl next to her, who just shrugged.

“He hasn’t hurt us yet.”

She scoffed, glaring at the man.

“Yet

she says

.

Yet

.”

Tom Riddle tilted his head, leaning back against his desk. “I feel as if I should be offended with how little you two pay attention to me, even knowing who I am… Be happy that you two are more interesting than irritating for now.”

Luna tilted her head in that knowing way of hers. “Sir, if you had a line drawn in the sand for the difference between interesting and irritating, Harry would have crossed it weeks ago. It’s her special talent, pissing off Dark Lords... so why don’t you just admit there is no line?” At her noise of betrayal, the girl looked at her. “Don’t look like that. You know it’s true. Just ask Dumbledore.”

“What does that old man have anything to do with this? Why are you two avoiding him, you two should be his favorites if you weren't in-”

Before the man could go into a rant of all the questions he had, Harry spoke up. “I’m Harry. We’re from an alternate timeline where you go crazy and make multiple horcruxes and look like a snake. You killed my parents, tried to kill me, but just succeeded in making me a horcrux. Eventually you

actually

succeeded in killing me, weakening yourself, so I killed you.” She smiled sweetly. “Can I stand up?”

Tom waved his hand, releasing them. “Wait, so is the horcrux how you got the parcel-speak? And don’t try anything, I have your-”

Harry punched him squarely in the jaw, grinning. “

Wandless.”

Leaning back on the desk, she scowled. “That was for restraining us when you could’ve asked nicely!”

Holding his face, the man looked at her for a long moment, before starting to laugh. “You’re really something else, Harriet.”

“Keep calling me that,

Tim

. I dare you.” She shook out her hand, frowning. “Damn! I didn’t think your cheekbones would be that sharp! Of course

you

would have dangerously sharp cheekbones...”

Luna moved to pluck her wand from Tom’s hand, casting healing spells on both the slowly-bruising points of contact. “Are you two quite done? Harry, if you aren’t too busy fawning over his cheekbones- and yes I know that Draco had nice cheekbones as well- can we talk about the horcruxes?”

Flushing, she rubbed at her (now healed) hand. “Draco’s cheekbones wouldn’t break my fingers! He might be a prat, but his face is

much

nicer!”

Again, her and the man glowered at each other. “My cheekbones are defined and

elegant

. This

‘Draco’

fellow couldn’t even compare.”

A soft sigh broke their glaring match. “Maybe I should just leave you here, go talk to Azrael. She would listen to me.”

Harry opened her mouth to apologize to the girl, but thought better of it, hopping up onto the desk instead and looking at Tom with curiously narrowed eyes. “Why

didn’t

you make any horcruxes?”

“How did you know I didn’t?” The man’s cocky smirk faltered when Luna cleared her throat, the man shrugging and looking vaguely uncomfortable for the first time in what seemed like ever. “I had a dream-like vision when I was trying to find the Chamber of Secrets… something that would come to pass if I continued like I was and something that might happen if I didn’t. I picked the better of the two.”

Luna nodded. “In our timeline Dumbledore raised Harry to die, pitting you and her against each other, and even going so far as to crate a false prophecy in order for that to happen. Morgana has a theory that since we decided to go back, Fate had to alter the timeline to make up for our presence and that’s part of what made you decide to be relatively sane.”

Thomas shot the girl a look at the ‘relatively’ part. “I

am

sane!”

Harry raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. “You were stalking me, plus when you finally got us alone you proceeded to threaten me because of the ring I wear.”

“Why

do

you have that ring?” At her look, he scowled. “I’m curious. It

is

my birthright.”

She twisted the ring, shrugging. “Right of conquest. I killed you, remember?”

There was a long pause of silence.

Thomas tilted his head, eyes glittering again in the way that made her want to turn and run away. “Will you do it again, now that you know my story?”

Scoffing, she glared at him. “

Do

I know your ‘story’? All I know is you seem to have changed your mind and that you left the Chamber of Secrets alone. What about the diadem, the locket, the ring, the chalice, or your diary? Any of those could be horcruxes.”

The man frowned slightly. “I don’t know where any of those other ones are-”

“You don't remember where you put your diary?”

He ignored her sarcastic jab. “

But...

how about this?” Long fingers dipped into the collar of his robes, pulling out a gold locket that glinted in the light, large green ‘S’ shining on the front.

Instantly Harry had her wand raised, slowly extending her slightly shaking hand. “Slowly. Lift it off and place it in my hand.”

The man’s voice was low. “So combative.” At her dark glare, he huffed and slowly pulled the chain over his head, lowering it into her outstretched hand before grabbing and pulling slightly. Their hands clasped with the locket in the middle and his dark eyes

burned

. “A gift. A token of my good will.”

When he let go, her hands were shaking even more than before.

She took a few steps back, glancing at the man before opening the locket and quickly moving away from it with her wand at the ready. After a second she moved forward, poking it with her wand. Nothing but a golden locket.

Flushing, she grabbed it by the chain and held it out. “Take it. I don’t want it.”

The man frowned lowly. “Are you

rejecting

my

gift

?”

Luna moved forward, gently easing her arm back and taking the locket, before looking at the man. “Thank you for talking to us, but I think we’re both tired. Goodnight Professor Gaunt.” The girl quickly pulled Harry away from the room.

Later in their large bed, both curled up under a pile of blankets, Luna looked at her softly. “You should wear the locket. It is a gift, after all.”

“I can’t.”

The girl’s smile was soft. “You can… plus, it’ll make all of this easier, I promise.”

She looked up, eyes searching. “Why?”

A half shrug was all she got. “Just trust me on this one.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Harry was kneeling, bent over an injured Niffler that had apparently taken a liking to her (hence Kettleburn reluctantly letting her help), talking to it softly while she wrapped a small bandage around where one of the kneazles had taken a swing at it for getting to close. Sitting back on her heels, she smiled proudly. “Look at you- all fixed up!”

There was a flash of gold in the sunlight, both her and the niffler looking at where a gold chain was poking out of it’s pouch slightly, and the creature tried to slowly poke the chain into the pouch while her eyes narrowed.

“You little thief…”

After a second of neither of them moving for a long second, chaos erupted.

The little beast scrambled away, pain seemingly gone now that it had stolen from her, and she lunged after it. Weaving through the crowd she paused at not being able to see the little creature, grinning menacingly. “I’m

going

to track you down you little thief. And then we will see why no one steals from a friend of the Goblin Nation.”

Pulling off her golden armbands, she shed her black leather jacket, laying it out neatly on a nearby rock.

“You're going to hunt him down?” Luna looked almost as if she was pitying the little duck-platypus-thing. “Isn’t that an unfair punishment for stealing the locket you claim not to like? You

could

just tell Him it got stolen.”

Harry frowned at her sister. “And have him hurt someone tearing the castle apart trying to find it? Not on my watch!” Rolling back her shoulders, she transformed easily into her animagus.

Standing only a foot high on four feet would have been incredibly disorienting if she wasn’t so familiar with the feeling. Feeling her rounded ears twitch, she caught the noise of jingling, bounding after it on silent paws. Following the smell of metal and the sound of jingling coins, she stopped in front of Sirius Black and gave a slight whining sound.

The boy blinked down at her, then crossed his arms. “What? It’s not like he stole from

me

.”

With a huff she looked in amusement to where the boy’s favorite silver rings were missing.

Turning a shade of red in embarrassment, the boy shook out his robes, the niffler falling to the ground and freezing when it saw her. Trying to run, she caught it’s bad leg under her paw and bit down gently on the scruff of its neck, before carrying it like an insolent child over Luna.

The girl scooped up the niffler gently, smiling and proceeding to turn the little beast upside down, giving a small shake. “Come on now, you know better than to steal from Harry. She

did

fix your leg.”

Transforming back, Harry caught the locket before it hit the ground, picking up the silver rings and tossing them to Sirius before looking back to the creature that now wouldn’t meet her eyes. “Rude little beast.” With a soft huff, she picked up her golden bands off her jacket, putting one on and tossing the other to the niffler. “Too bad I like you so much.”

The niffler looked overjoyed, stuffing it's new golden treasure in his pocket and scrambling back to his burrow.

Luna looked at her in amusement as she clasped the locket around her neck and tucked it into her robes carefully.

“Not a word.” Harry glared at her sister, grabbing her jacket and stalking towards the castle, muttering under her breath. “I need a drink.”

Ketlleburn’s voice was scratchy. “You can’t leave yet, Miss Peverell, or I’ll be forced to give you a detention!”

She frowned deeper, clenching her fist around her jacket, but kept walking.

Narcissa sat down next to her quickly, Defense Against the Dark Arts not having started yet, eyebrows furrowed with worry. “Is it true? You have Slytherin’s locket?” Trying to ignore the girl was meaningless, the blonde's voice laced with fear. “Please Harry- Do you have it?”

With a short huff to show her irritation, she lifted the locket from her robes.

“Why are you wearing that?” Lucius seemed to have appeared behind Narcissa, as he sometimes did, frowning. “That belongs to the-”

Narcissa cut the boy off
with a slightly tense smile. “-To the Heir of Slytherin! I’m just happy you found it!” The smile faltered slightly as a thought seemed to pop into her head. “You did find it… didn’t you?”

She looked at the two with a raised eyebrow. “Why? Does it belong to someone?”

“No!” The girl looked a little sick. “Just wonder-”

“It was a gift.” Harry didn’t like the concern and fear the eyes of the people she considered her friends. “Mr. Gaunt said he’d found it on his travels or something, said it should be with the Heir of Slytherin, practically spit venom at me when I tried to reject it.”

Both looked startled, if not even more concerned.

Lucius tried to give her a smirk, but it came out all wrong, with too many frown lines around his eyes to really portray the mask of indifference. “Well, only you would want to reject something like that.” And then the boy moved off to whisper with Severus and Regulus.

Luna flounced in and Harry practically shot up in her chair. “Did you get it?”

A napkin was set in front of her, along with a plastic water bottle filled with dark red liquid. Harry scrambled to take a bite of the chocolate eclair, closing her eyes and moaning softly at the taste of the pastry that she’d been craving since EVER.

“Miss Peverell… Is there something you’d like to share with the class?”

Eyes flickering open to meet narrowed pitch black orbs, she smiled sheepishly, tongue darting out to get rid of the incriminating chocolate evidence on her lips. “Just that the Luna’s single and likes to draw people nude.”

The girl flushed lightly, eyes widening just a fraction, but her voice was a hiss. “Harry!
Don’t make me hide all your hairbands!”

“Wow, that’s uncalled for Moon, I was just answering the Professor’s question!” She smirked, taking another bite of the eclair only for it to be snatched away from her and eaten by Luna, who was crossing her arms now. Whining lowly in the back of her throat, Harry sunk in her seat. “Mooooon… How dare you! I thought you loved me! I thought we were sisters! I thought-”

“Miss Peverell.”

Harry turned back to ‘Thomas Gaunt’. “Yes, Professor?”

Eyes the color of a freshly dug grave peered at her. “Detention, for causing a scene.” Then the man swiftly turned on his heel, moving to the blackboard to start talking about thestrals.

She turned to Luna with a pout. “This is betrayal. I feel betrayed.”

“Miss Peverell! Detention for talking during my class!”

She sunk lower into her chair, but it seemed the more she scowled, the more her sister and Narcissa both giggled.

Getting up moving staircases that seemed determined to mess her up, was a pain in the ass.

Doing that while

drunk

?
Harry was sure by the time she stumbled into the Defence classroom, she was missing at least two items of non-essential clothing.

Though to her credit, her optimism was at an all-time high. “Good morning Mr. Rid- Gau-... whoever you are!”

Said

‘whoever you are’

was leaning against his desk, arms crossed over his chest as if he was prepared to give her the longest and most painful lecture of her life, but instead his eyebrows just furrowed. “...Why are you missing your left shoe?”

Looking down, she swayed slightly, giggling when hands caught her from falling.

“That’s what I lost! Bloody staircases, always eating my shoes...” Looking up, she found that the man was holding her shoulders. “Oh. Hi... When’d you get so close?”

“You’re drunk.” It wasn’t a question, but the following sigh made the man sound like he was thinking of throwing her out the window.

Snickering, she moved to push herself up, not caring if she was using the man’s chest to do so. “If you throw me out the window

you’ll

have to tell Morgana. She gets all huffy about things like that.” Pausing, she turned to look at the man (who looked vaguely constipated), tapping her fingers on his chest where she was currently stabilizing herself. “Though… I have thought that it would be a fun way to go.”

As if sensing where her train of thought was headed, long fingers curled around her wrist. “No. You’re not throwing yourself out the window.” Heaving another sigh, a hand gently pushed her to the side of the desk.

“If it’s for science then who are

you

to deny- WHOA what are you

doing

!” She squawked indignantly as (unfairly) warm hands caught her hips, lifting her up to sit her down on the sturdy wooden desk.

Tom rolled his eyes, lips seeming to hide a smile as he moved to sit in his large desk chair, laying his feet on her lap. “No possibilities of getting hurt if you aren’t stumbling around like an idiot.”

Harry tilted her head to the side (a little too far to be natural but whatever). “And your feet?” She patted the shiny dress shoes in her lap a little awkwardly, as if they were a small dog.

“So you don’t fall off the desk.” Again, the lips curled into an amused smirk.

She narrowed her eyes, trying to poke a hole in his metaphorical water balloon, but her head felt fuzzy so eventually she just shrugged. “Thank-ks then?” looking down, she found she was running her fingers lightly over the top of the soft black leather shoes. “These... are pretty.”

There was a soft snort but she didn’t really register it.

“Are they?” Tom’s voice sounded as if he was trying not to laugh. “And what about me? Am

I

pretty?”

Looking up with wide eyes, she leaned forward a bit, barely noticing the way a leather dress shoe moved to stop her from pitching forward. Reaching out, she pursed her lips as she ran a hand though the unfairly soft brown hair. Sitting back up (with help from the shoe thanks shoe), she hummed lightly. “I liked your diary horcrux. He was pretty, even back when I thought I was into girls. But now-...” Scoffing, she crossed her arms. “I hate you.”
“Do you?” The voice was almost a purr and she slivered slightly. “Because I hear that you traded a golden band given to you by the Goblin King for my locket.”
Blinking, she snapped her fingers, ignoring the book that exploded into shredded paper behind her. “I know! My jacket! That was the other thing the staircase ate!” She pouted. “I liked that jacket…”

There was a soft huff of air from off to her side. “You really are a strange creature, Harry.”

Eyes sliding to the man, she smiled easily. “Thanks Tom.”

“That wasn’t-” Tom stopped, letting out another of those deep sighs. “You act like you’re a child… how old are you anyways?”

Giggling, Harry counted on her fingers slowly, looking up with a grin. “Twenty six! I think… Things kind of got weird and messy after my nineteenth birthday, so I don’t really count anymore.”

“Oh? What happened on your nineteenth birthday?”

Moving to turn as much as she could, she patted the shoulder that had the scarred rune . “My ex took a knife to my back. Told me that it would keep me safe…” Her laugh was a dark thing, born of bitterness and for some reason her cheeks were wet. “I think- I think she just wanted to hurt me… everyone wants to hurt me in the end...”

There was a breath of air released, softer this time, like a wounded animal, but she didn’t look up.

The weight of the shoes on her lap started to move and she grabbed them, looking up, some strange panic welling in her chest. “No- no don’t go. I… you can’t let me fall over, remember?”

“You’re not going to fall. Not tonight.” The smooth voice was uncharacteristically soft. “I’m going to move, can you manage to keep yourself out of harm’s way for five seconds?”

Harry giggled though the tight wetness of her throat. “Do you know me?”

A soft huff and then a hand was grabbing her wrist, feet disappearing, and it pulled softly to dislodge her from where she was sitting. She managed to land on her feet and before she could stumble, arms caught her, caging her to a warm chest that was vibrating with silent laughter. “You know, you’re quite amusing when intoxicated.”

She stuck out her tongue, going with the first insult that came to mind. “Well… your cheekbones are too sharp.” Damn it brain! That wasn't an insult!

Guided to sit on warm legs, her knees supported by the arms of the chair, dark brown eyes crinkled slightly as the man grinned down at her with unfairly white teeth. “Whatever you say, little one.”

She went to scoff, but ended up yawning instead, her brain nudging her to tell the man where he should help her get to if she were to do something like die (or fall asleep). “We… we’re in the- the founders… room.” Her brain felt like molasses, yawning again softly. “I still... hate you...”

The vibration of a soft chuckle spread through her like the feeling of sun against her skin.

The returned whisper was soft and lingered just out of reach, unintelligible in her sleepy and drunken fog.

“Sure you do.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Waking up slowly with a long groan at the headache pounding her brain, she was about to summon a pain potion to her, when a vial was pressed into her hand. Downing it, she blinked up at where Luna was watching her with a slight smile. “What?”

“I was quite surprised when Thomas carried you in, asleep in his arms…”

Harry blinked. “He what?”

Her sister's voice was teasing. “He even went as far as helping me get you into bed, only scowling a bit when I asked him if he could get a hangover potion, as we had run out… and he very nicely came back with your missing shoe and jacket.”

At this she sat up, frowning and looking over at where Luna had moved to dramatically show off where her was leather jacket was draped over the back of a chair. “He

what

?”

“He brought back your jacket and shoe back. Apparently Peeves knew where they were.”

Harry tried to wrap her head around this series of events. “He… he couldn’t have left me up in the classroom, could he? No, we have to remember he wants us as allies for some reason.” She nodded. “Right. Allies with Voldemort means that he doesn't kill you when you're drunk...”

Luna's smile was soft, as if she was speaking to a small child. “Do you remember any of last night?”

All that was in her brain were hazy snippets of conversation and tangled-up emotions but a soft voice echoed two sentences in her mind, clear as day.

‘

You're not going to fall. Not tonight.’

She shivered slightly, biting softly at
her bottom lip and trying to will away the urge to bury herself back under the covers of the bed. “Not much, but I know he was strangely nice.” She huffed a short laugh. “It was probably because he could use it to press me for more information.”

Harry rolled out of bed and went to get dressed, lingering for a long moment on whether or not to wear the leather jacket before moving to wear one of Luna’s warm knitted shawls instead.

“You look adorable!” The soft voice followed her from the room.

She responded by throwing a middle over her shoulder finger, but the soft laugh that she heard before the door to the Slytherin common room closed only made her feel worse.

Harry pulled the dark blue shawl around her tighter, the fabric that hung down to her knees encasing her like a warm hug. Head aching as the handover potion started to wear off and knowing that she need to take the nerve potion currently in Luna's bag, she glanced out of the corner of her eye to where her sister was talking with Narcissa.

She was currently avoiding the eyes that saw too much, the smiles that seemed to be hiding secrets about herself that even she had yet to untangle. Merlin if it didn't hurt though, Luna was practically part of her.

As if able to hear her thoughts, Luna looked at her. “Need your potions Harry?”

Throat closing up slightly she nodded stiffly. “I-... yeah.”

There was no anger or resentment anywhere in Luna's posture as she placed two potions in front of her and the smile sent her way only held soft emotions. “Nerve and headache potions.”

With a slight dip of her head, she looked at the potions, chest constricting tightly. She'd had a thought in the midst of yesterday, the one that had led to her getting so spectacularly drunk, and again it poked at her brain. Her hip ached with something raw and bone-deep. “Luna?” Her voice was barely a whisper. “Do you think she was right? Do you think i'm cursed?”

“Yes. You are most certainly cursed.” The soft voice was certain, blue eyes made of steel. “But when has that ever made you any less strong or capable?”

"I thought as much." Harry stood, leaving the plate of food untouched. When she walked out of the hall, hands shaking as they gripped at the soft blue fabric, two potions still sat on the table.

Narcissa went to stand, but a pale hand caught her arm.

“No.” Luna's eyes were infinitely sad. “She has to learn to stand on her feet again. There is nothing you or I can do for her now...”

The blonde Slytherin worried at her lip, eyes holding only concern for her friend. “But what about the nerve potio-”

“Harry needed to stop hiding behind them eventually.” The hand pulled on Narcissa’s elbow softly, guiding her back to sitting. “She'll be alright. I would go as far as saying that she has a Guardian Angel, but I feel as if he would find that offensive in its nature.”

There was a soft huff from the man now standing over the recently vacated seat. “You would be right. Both potions?”

Luna looked up at the ‘Professor’ as if she expected him to be there, the people that knew the man's secret watching intently as the lighter haired Peverell sister just inclined her head slightly. “The headache potion. I think that she should be quite fine without the nerve potion.”

Professor Gaunt raised an eyebrow. "You forget I stopped searching for it? Tell me how to get in."

The corners of the girl's lips curled up, as if the tense frame of the man amused her greatly. “Girls bathroom, at the sinks. I find asking for an opening works best.”

Long fingers curled around the green potion.

“Say hi to Azreal for me!”

The man's lips twitched as he strolled out, robes billowing behind him.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Harry Potter was a leader.

A fighter.

Someone that would stand against insurmountable odds and come out on top without anything more than a few new battle scars.

He was taught not to cry out in the face of pain, was taught to bite back the yells, because you could never give your enemy that pleasure.
Bleed before you cry any day.

Harry Potter had died though.

In that dark forest he had died, and the web of lies holding him captive had finally been visible, like a spider web glistening in the light after a rainstorm.

What was born of the ending war was someone who swore not to hurt unless needed, who would rather work in the background than ever stand in the light again.

Someone who saw the creatures around the world for beautiful and inspiring rather than useful.

A watcher, healer, a mastermind, and sometimes just an ordinary teenager.

Harry Peverell had been born a long time before she had her name, living in the body of Harry Potter.

For a long time, almost five years, Luna and Neville were the only people to see him as who he’d become.

But one night he’d stayed out late in muggle London with Luna talking about the different places around the world they wanted to see, and when he came back Ginny was pissed off.

He knew she’d been sleeping with Dean Thomas, they’d had their fair share of fights about it, but this time Ginny seemed well and truly

furious

.

Accusing him of cheating on her with Luna, the redhead had backed him into a corner, poured a vial of the love potion she’d been slowly dosing him with over the years down his throat and then tied him to the foot-board of the bed.

He hadn’t cried when she cut into him, deeper than she ever had before, but that was because he was to busy babbling on about how much he loved her. Then, with his blood slicking his skin, she called Dean over so they could fuck on the bed he was tied to.

In his haze of the love potion, that act had hurt more than the rune of ‘protection’ she’d carved into his shoulder.

“Don’t you see Harry? I gave you that mark to protect myself.”
Ginny had smiled wickedly, running a hand over his face as she rocked back into Dean’s thrusts.
“You ruin everything you touch Harry, so I had to make sure that you can never do that to me. I needed to break you a bit, just so you couldn’t hurt me with your cursed hands.”

He’d begged, pleaded for her to love him, but she’d only sneered in a way that was worse than any nasty look he’d gotten before.

“I’m sorry Harry. But the protection rune has to scar over before you can touch me. You wouldn’t want me to get cursed… would you?”

Luna had shown up the next day while Ginny out at the store, fire blazing in her eyes.

She’d cut him free, given him an antidote for the love potion and dragged him to Grimmauld Place. Neville met them there and before his shoulder had even fully scabbed over, the three of them were halfway across the world.

Apparently Ginny had stolen the love potion from George’s experimental supply and the boy had alerted Luna.

It was the worst birthday Harry had ever had.

And yet it was the catalyst, the match that started the flame under their feet to be different, to be better than any one of the twisted people that had come out of the war changed into the worst versions of themselves.

She’d felt it the moment it started to hit her.

Wrapped in Azrael's scales, she flinched back at the tightness in her chest, slowly tightening as if bands of iron were crushing her chest. Then came the fire, all consuming, licking at every nerve as it spread though her like a venom.

Harry knew she was screaming, but the lack of sound made it clear that her vocal muscles were frozen up in the pain. Or she was deafened by the pounding in her head.

“

You ruin everything you touch Harry.”

Ginny’s voice was sickly sweet in her ears.

Hands that felt cold on her burning skin brushed her hair back. “Harry? Harry, can you speak to me? What’s wrong, what’s happening?”

“I needed to break you a bit, just so you couldn’t hurt me with your cursed hands.”

The man’s voice sounded worried, hand slapping her cheek lightly. “Harry! Come on, open your eyes!”

What a funny thought, the Master of Death, wishing she could die…

The man slipped into parseltongue.

“Why isn’t she waking up!”

Why does a immortal being tether himself to a human? Why does the man that could be a emotionless immortal overlord decide not to risk making a horcrux? Because we are all subject to one thing: fear.

Death is afraid of being forgotten, of the loneliness the void beyond the world of the living.

Tom Riddle was afraid of the eventual lack of control he’d have over his own actions.

And Harry Peverell?

She was afraid of feeling okay, of letting go of the bitterness in her heart that had become as close a friend as Neville or Luna.

Her voice was a whisper. “Death?”

Tom sounded outraged at this. “No! I’m not going to-”

“Yes, Mistress? You call?” The voice of the entity was tight, as if he had been called from a particularly good tv show. “Are you finally ready to be rid of that horrible curse your magic keeps festering?”

Her nod was just a twitch, still in excruciating pain.

Death stepped forward, Tom scrambling back. “Very good, Mistress.” Hands like ice pressed on either side of her head and in an instant a chill passed though her, putting out the flames of pain as if they had been dosed with water. “Do tell Morgana to stop calling me down to complain about those marriage contracts. I am

quite

busy.” With a bow, the man sunk into the ground like a mass of shadows.

Harry went limp against the coils of the basilisk.

“I think I need a nap.”

“You’re the Master of Death?” Tom stood over her with a slight frown. “And what did he mean by ‘magic keeps festering’?”

Running a hand over her face tiredly, she sighed. “I was unconsciously keeping the curse inside, otherwise I think it would have flushed itself out by now… well, it’s a long story, but I felt guilty. The girl who tortured me was insane because I didn’t kill the other Voldemort before I did.”

The man narrowed his eyes. “You told me that you didn’t know how to kill

him

until the last second because of Dumbledore… So how would it be your fault?”

She flailed, not knowing how to explain it to him. “Because I should have convinced her not to take your mark, because I was focused on my own problems instead of thinking everything though, because I was unnecessarily rude to all the Slytherins- pick one!”

Eyeing the Basilisk watching them for a wary second, Tom sat down next to Harry with a small frown, holding out his hands. Both were in fists, palm down. “How about

you

pick one.”

“What?” Harry blinked at him.

He just rolled his eyes. “Just pick one, before I decide not to let you play.”

Scowling at him halfheartedly, she tapped his left hand.

He flipped it over, unfurling his fingers to reveal a galleon. “This is the chance that you could have found a way to kill

him,

as a teenager, without Dumbledore’s careful manipulations.” She reached for it, only for his hand to close, both hands going behind his back.

“And I though I was the kid...
” The slight frown he sent her had her huffing and waiting him to finish his stupid game.

Tom held out his hands, both closed in fists again. “Now, if you can find the coin, then I might believe that you had a part in some girl torturing you because she went insane.” At her skeptical look, he raised an eyebrow and gave her a smirk. “Unless you think that you’re innocent?”

Clenching her jaw, she tapped his right hand. Empty. With a shit-eating grin, he unfurled his other hand, also empty.

She threw her hands up. “It’s not even there!”

“Look closer.” He tapped her hand to get her attention again, fingers of his right hand moving so a coin suddenly appeared, chuckling lowly at the look on her face. “Really, little one, you had no way to win at the game if everyone else was cheating.”

Grabbing his hand, she pulled the coin from it, looking over the smooth skin with narrowed eyes. When she could find no skin colored pockets, she looked up with a half-smile. “Sleight of hand?”

His hand not held captive by her reached out to nimbly pluck the coin from her fingers, before proceeding to make it dance across his knuckles with a wide grin. “I used to be the best pickpocket in the orphanage.”

This made her bust out laughing. “Of course you were. Tom Riddle, bad at something?

Impossible

.”

“Well, I detest flying, So it seems your theory of impossibility was just broken.” At her sputtering, the man extracted his warm hand from hers, replacing it with a cool vial of green liquid. “Drink that. I expect you to be in a better state for tonight’s detention than you were last night.” With one last smile, the man smoothly stood and strolled out of the Chamber of Secrets.

Azrael moved her head in front of Harry’s face, green eyes wide.

“I like that speaker, Mistress. You should claim him as your mate and have many hatchlings.”

Harry choked on the breath in her lungs, coughing.

“What the hell are you on you daft green worm! He’s an ally!”

“Do ‘allies’ always come to check on each other, bringing potions and soft words?”

The snake looked skeptical.

Scrambling to stand up, Harry downed the potion, finding her headache receded quickly.
Casting a dirty look at the basilisk, she snorted.

“If not allies, then friends.”

Stalking out of the chamber, she wondered how her life got so messed up she was friends with a Dark Lord.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Luna smiled at her when she walked in late to History of Magic. “Better?”

“Yeah.” Harry slid into her seat. “What I miss? Goblin wars again?”

Before the girl could answer, a boy hopped up onto the table in front of her with a wide (slightly maniacal grin). “So… you’re the new girl that everyone’s been whispering about.” The boy’s tongue darted out to wet the side of his lips.

Studying the wiry frame and floppy brown hair for a moment, she broke into a smile. “Hey Barty. You here to help me study? I admit I’m a little rusty on my history and I hear that you’re the highest scoring in the class.”

Bartemius Crouch Jr. blinked at her, as if expecting a different reaction. Tongue darting out again, the boy smiled, this time more friendly. “Sure. Budge over.”

If Harry thought that the man had been a good Defence teacher, she was blown away at how well he taught History, having an affinity for remembering all the dates and people.

By the time class ended, she was sure that she’d learned more from the boy than she had in all her years listening to Professor Binns. Plus, Luna and him had hit it off spectacularly, talking animatedly about the different creatures they liked and the places they’d been.

Harry buried her face into the velvety skin of the Thesteral she was laying on, muttering softly to the beast about being bored, when a chirpy voice sounded from next to her.

“Wotcher Harry?”

Raising her head just a bit, she blinked up at a smiling face with bright bubblegum pink hair, voice coming out strangled. “Teddy?” Falling off the creature in a tangle of limbs, she wrapped the pink haired person in a big hug. “I missed you so much you-”

“Harry.” Luna’s voice was smooth, calling over from where she was playing with a baby thestral. “Teddy’s not here. He’s gone, remember?”

She slowly pulled herself away, looking over the facial features that were just a tad too feminine to be Teddy. Whining lowly in the back of her throat, she climbed back onto the thesteral she’d taken to calling ‘Fred’ in a morbid sense of homesickness. “Gone. Right.” She clung to the skeleton horse, burying her face back in it’s soft skin. “I’m the worst godfather known to man.”

“Snuffles went to Azkaban for most of your childhood, what about him?” Luna’s voice was light.

Harry turned to glare at her. “And he broke out to see me! No- i’m the worst godfather ever! I mean what did I do? Take him to the pool a couple times?” She groaned. “I didn’t even

have

to go to Azkaban!”

The thesteral huffed, moving it’s head around to bite at her hair.

Luna chuckled. “First quidditch, now this? I’m starting to thing you

want

the dementors to show up. You know there are easier ways to remember your third year?”

She gave a muffled scoff. “What, wanna save a hippogriff from execution? Steal a time turner? Confront the man that betrayed my dead parents?”

A hand pulled her off the Thestral and she landed on her back with a wheeze.

Luna looked down at her with a slight frown. “I meant go to Hogsmeade. We haven’t been all year and I hear that you finally have a guardian that has signed your form… We could make it a double date, both take someone we like this weekend!”

She blinked up at the girl. “Don’t make me relive the Yule Ball fiasco again, you know I hate asking people on dates...”

“You can ask a guy you like this time though!” Her sister pouted. “Come on Harry? Please? I’ll ask someone first?”

With a long sigh, she let herself be helped off the ground. “I’m going to regret this…

fine

.”

Grinning widely, Luna turned to the class watching them. “Harry needs a date to Hogsmeade this weekend, pass along the word!” Instantly the class was whispering amongst themselves.

“I’m already regretting everything.”

The girl smiled sweetly. “That was for telling everyone I draw nude portraits.”

“But you

do

!” She watched the girl flounce off, groaning in silent mortification and looking to the thesrial. “Kill me. Please.”

The beast just huffed, trying to bite at her hair again.

It was if the whole male population was now choosing to show off, but only exclusively around her, even Lucius and Regulus winking at her exaggeratedly in class when they did something ‘impressive’ (though it was mostly to tease her).

Slamming the door to the Defence classroom open, she flung her bag on the desk and went straight for the line of training dummies in the back of the room, flicking out her wand and proceeding to ruin the whole line one by one with different curses and spells that flowed from her wand without a thought. Out of breath and hair a mess, she flicked a diminuendo at the last of the dummies, before casting a couple charms to tie back her hair and get rid of the light sheen of sweat she’d worked up. “I hate the boys in this damn school.”

Tom watched her from over the pair of glasses he wore whenever he graded papers as she moved to sit on the table in the front row right in front of his large desk. “Is this about the rumor that you’re looking for a potential date to Hogsmeade this weekend?”

With a sigh she transfigured her skirt and leggings into a pair of worn jeans, pulling her legs up on the table and crossing them. “Luna thinks i’m homesick.”

“Are you?”

She raised a shoulder, before dropping it. “I miss my godson. Neville and Hagrid. Cho, George, Bill, Charlie, Semus, Draco. I miss everyone so bad it hurts... But not enough to be dragged around by some guy like arm candy.”

The man hummed, moving to pull open a drawer, before tossing something at her.

Catching it without thinking, she saw she was holding a book.
Before she could look at the title, a pale hand plucked it away from her, Tom wearing a deep frown as he stood over her. “Miss Peverell, are you holding a book from the restricted section? I fear that’s another week detentions.”

“What-”

The man narrowed his eyes at her, the brown orbs glittering. “Are you protesting my teaching methods? Maybe you’d want a detention this
weekend
then?”

Getting where the prickly man was going with this, she gave him a shit-eating grin and grabbed the book back. “Actually sir, I believe that this book on ‘

Prophetic dreams’

-” She gave him a strange look, before shrugging, “

-Is

mine.”

“Detention this weekend, Miss Peverell!” The long fingers snatched back the book and it was swiftly put back in the desk drawer.

She pouted as if unhappy with the unfurling events. “But Professor! I have a date this weekend!”

Dark brown eyes narrowed on her. “If you are so insistent on going out to Hogsmeade Village, you will accompany me, as I do believe I have to oversee the trip this weekend. But I expect you to stay in my sight the whole time!”

Giggling at the stern ‘teacher voice’ she smiled. “Thanks. I really thought I’d have to ask someone and I might have just ended up asking Barty.”

“Crouch?” Tom suddenly looked a lot more interested, leaning forward in his chair and steepling his fingers.

Nodding slightly she tilted her head with a slight smile. “He’s a bit mad, but plenty funny if you know where to look. And he’s brilliant in History! I’ve never been so glad to have someone tutoring me! The kid’s a genius!” She paused, looking at where Tom was frowning. “Don’t worry. I already know he’s one of yours, so you don’t have to break any bad news or anything.”

The man hummed, eyes seeming to darken to a pitch black. “Yes, well, I fear that the detention is non-negotiable, nor are the rules of not leaving my sight.”

Harry shrugged. “Sure, but I’m at least going to Honeydukes, so you’re either coming with or dealing with me gone for five minutes. I’m having sugar withdrawal because the elves refuse to give me any since Morgana sent them a letter lying about my having a slight allergy. I think it was payback for calling her a psycho in public, but you never really know with her…”

“You like sweets?”

She smiled. “Only as much as I like Luna, which is more than most anything else.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Harry had a splendid time telling every person she could about her weekend detention in sad tones, watching as the boys slowly deflated and went to lick their wounds.

It made classes much better when she wasn’t wishing she could jump out the astronomy tower every other minute.

Wearing her favorite black skinny jeans and a top that was like a hoodie but had a cutoff that would rise a bit when she lifted her arms, she pulled her sister to the Great Hall. “So… who’re you taking? You wouldn’t tell me!” She had never felt more like a teenage girl, but she was really dying to know.

“Little Luna, not even a hug? What am I, a corpse?” A grinning girl with grey eyes and messy black curls appeared, draping herself over Luna’s back, winking at her. “Hey you too, emerald eyes.”

Harry blinked. “Bellatrix?”

Luna smiled shyly. “Morgana thought that Bella was unhappy in her assigned marriage contract, so she asked me and we’re setting up a contract unless Bells can find someone else.”

The taller girl put her arm around Luna, pouting. “But Luna-moona! I thought we were perfect for each other!”

She opened her mouth to protest, but saw the pleading look in her sisters eyes and thought about how insane Bellatrix and Rodolphus drove each other, deciding against it. “Okay. Fine. But I still get to feed the other one to Azrael.”

“Who are you feeding to Azrael?” Tom appeared, looking down at her with slightly curved-up lips. “You might give her indigestion.”

Rolling her eyes, she looked at Bellatrix, who was gaping at the man. “Bella?” The girl blinked at her. “Can I make it so your ex-fiance disappears?”

The girl seemed to be having trouble processing the sight of Tom, but at the prospect of murder, she grinned immediately. “Of course! Can I help?”

Luna smiled fondly, moving to take the girl’s arm and guiding them towards the path to Hogsmeade. "Come on Bells, you can show me around the village."

Tom looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “Are you two going to take

all

of my followers?” At her shrug, he sighed, starting to walk with her. “And what’s with Rodolphus? Why’s he on your hit list?”

She tapped her hip. “He was the insane Death Eater that corrupted my classmate and drove her to torture me for two days straight.”

“Oh.” There was a dark look on the man’s face. “Well... I don’t like him or his brother much anyway, want me to have him strategically killed so that no one will suspect anything? It might be better than him just disappearing.”

Harry glanced up to him, a smile curving her lips that was much too fond for her liking (thought she couldn’t really stop it). “That’s the sweetest thing you’ve said to me yet Thomas! Keep it up and I won’t need sugar from Honeydukes!” She laughed when the man scoffed slightly, winding her elbow with his. “Now come on! We have to get going or all the chocolate will be gone!”

They caught up to Luna and Bellatrix, who were holding hands, Luna swinging their arms back and forth while Bella looked down at the girl fondly. Harry narrowed her eyes, and when the girl glanced up, dragged a finger across her neck then pointed to Luna and her. Paling a little, the girl nodded, moving a little closer to Luna.

Harry smiled up at Tom, whose eyes went from narrowed to looking down at her impassively. “Are you just wandering around making sure children don’t die then?”

“Pretty much.” The man smirked. “Are we going to Honeydukes to get you your sugar first, or are you going to wait and be patient?”

Scoffing, she unhooked her arm with his, starting to skip off. “Chocolate!”

Tom caught up with her where she was leaning on the side of Honeydukes, scowling. “I thought we had a deal?”

“You’re slow.” Grinning, she moved inside the store, not about to wait for him to hex her for that. Moving to the back of the store, she huffed when she noticed that the bag dispensers were all out but the top one. Standing on her tiptoes, she pulled out a bag, sinking back to her feet and humming as she looked around. Meeting eyes with a familiar stunned face, she waved. “Hey Sirius!”

The boy glanced at her and then away. “Should-... should you be wearing that?”

Humming, she looked down, not seeing anything wrong with her clothes. “It’s not dress code, but then again, when did I give a flying fuck-”

“Harry…”

“-buckets about that- Mr. Gaunt! How nice to see you!”

Tom rolled his eyes. “Adding another word onto the end of your cursing will not make it any less likely to give your guardian another reason to deprive you of sugar.”

Sending the man a glare, she turned back to look for the chocolate frogs, pursing her lips when she saw they were also all gone except for the top shelf.

Someone was doing a bad job of restocking, for sure. Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes would

never

have this problem.

Looking down at her shoes, she flicked her wand, smiling when the transfigured heels gave her a few extra inches so she could reach up and grab more than a couple of the chocolates. “

Ha!

Score one for Harry!”

Dropping the chocolates in her bag, she used the extensive training Morgana had put her through to stroll across the room easily. She actually found the clicking sound of heels pretty, but hated actually wearing them for longer than half an hour at a time. Letting the spell wear off to revert her shoes to her normal blue converse, she went to reach for a jar of cherry lollipops when a hand pulled them down first.

Tom stared at her, seemingly unamused, jaw slightly clenched. “You do know that whenever you reach for something, your shirt rides up? It seems to be

very

distracting.”

Harry turned to face him, voice amused. “Are people staring?”

“

Yes

.”

Humming, she took seven lollipops from the jar. “Cool. Can you get me the jar of worm-looking things? I love those.”

Clenching his jaw tighter, the man grabbed the jar for her, watching her take a scoop. “Are you quite done?”

“I have to be sure I don’t run out! That would be horrible!” She smiled widely. “Plus I have to get extra. It’s Valentines next week and I have to outdo Luna for better gift, being the elder twin sister and all.”

After a few more minutes of just having Tom grab random things, trying not to laugh as the clenched jaw got more pronounced, she finally gave in and paid.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Sending her bag of candy back with a house elf, she popped the one cherry lollipops she’d kept behind into her mouth, looking at Tom with wary eyes. “You look mad.” The candy clacked against her teeth. “If you kill me, you get to tell Morgana.”

He shot her a scathing look. “Did you not notice that the shop boy was moving everything up to a higher shelf so he could ogle you? And why are you even wearing those provocative clothes anyway! You look like a common

floozy

!”

Taking a step back as something akin to hurt bubbled up in her stomach, she felt a warm arm twine with hers. “Harry-kins… did you forget who you are for a second?”

Looking over at her sister with a wobbly smile, she shrugged pitifully. “Not a skinny white boy with messy hair and bottlecap glasses?”

“Not even close.” Luna smiled. “...Remember that wall of the old house I painted a mural on? The one of you draped in silk pajamas that Neville had gotten you, looking out the window? You came to me and asked why I made you look so beautiful, but Harry- that’s just who you are.”

Moving to envelop the girl in a hug, she sighed. “I hate people. Can we go back to the manor, take Azrael and Leviathan with us, and just shut down the wards until everyone we know is dead? Morgana wouldn’t mind and you would have plenty of wildlife to paint…”

Luna patted her head. “I’m afraid not, string bean. We have plans, remember?”

Pulling herself away from the girl, Harry tried to smile, but it fell flat. “Do they, by any chance, involve me jumping off the astronomy tower?”

The girl’s smile was wry. “Maybe.”

“YES!” Pumping her fist slightly, she rolled the lollipop around in her mouth and looked at the girl with curious eyes. “Did you get the parcel from Morgana?”

Nodding, her sister’s lips quirked. “Already in the rooms. Though I am quite interested in why you needed Sa-”

Covering the girl’s mouth with her hand she turned red. “Nothing. It’s nothing and should be treated as such nothingness until I get around to unwrapping it. I spent a lot of time asking around for that book, and Regulus was not happy to sneak it out of the old house so he could get it to ‘Gana… Don’t worry, I got your parcel already in the room hidden in the bookcase. I promise I won’t tell either.”

Bellatrix moved to lean on Luna, eyes curious. “Luna-moona? What’s this about

secrets

?”

Luna smiled sweetly up at the girl. “I think you’ll see soon enough Bells.” Sea green eyes looked from the spot next to Harry (where presumably Tom was standing), before darting back to her. “You gonna be alright? I’m not gonna be around to answer every time you call out through the twin bond...”

“I’ll be fine. No worries.”

With a soft smile to her, Luna was dragged by Bellatrix off towards a small obscure book shop.

Watching until they disappeared, Harry glanced out of the corner of her eye to where Tom was watching her, frowning and starting to walk towards the Three Broomsticks.

Long steps of nice dress shoes caught up to her easily. “Are you... mad at me?”

“Of course not, Mr. Gaunt. Why would you think that?” The corners of her lips twitched up at the irritation that passed his face, before her eyes searched out two table on opposite sides of the room, the table to their right perking up to wave at her. “I’ll be over with my friends, but feel free to sit with the other teachers that came to

‘supervise’

.”

She knew the table with Professors Sprout and Slughorn would be the last place he wanted to sit, but as she was already walking off, he had no choice but to either leave (and break his own rule of having her in his sight) or sit somewhere. Plus now the two other teachers had seen him.

Chuckling darkly under her breath, she slid in the empty seat of a booth, smiling at the group. Narcissa, Lucius and Severus were on one side, with Regulus in the corner of the other. “What’s up? I probably only have at maximum thirty minutes before Mr. Gaunt drags me out of here, but for now i’m a free woman.”

Lucius looked at her searchingly. “The da-

professor…

he doesn’t seem too happy. Something happen?”

“Well other than Luna dating Bellatrix…” She shot a betrayed look at Narcissa who just smiled back unaffected. “Apparently he has an issue with the way I dress. Knowing him, next thing i’ll be getting detentions for breaking dress code.”

The table seemed to be communicating through glances, the bench sinking as Barty sat down next to her. “Nice seeing you here Harry.” The boy grinned, leaning a little closer. “I see that you’re playing with your food. I approve- though I would have gone with a short skirt and leggings.”

Tilting her head at the odd choice of words, she laughed slightly. “Next time i’ll go with that, but I just kinda threw on something comfortable for the day. Thanks for the fashion advice though, Merlin knows I’m horrible at that kind of stuff.”

Barty blinked. “So you

aren’t

wearing that on purpose?”

“No?... I just found it in my closet and felt like wearing it today.” She worried at the hem of the long sleeves, turning one inside out. “But feel the inside. It’s so soft!”

The table all moved to touch the soft inside of the hoodie, Narcissa’s face lighting up. “Do you have another one of these I can borrow?”

Lucius frowned, pulling the girl closer to his side in a possessive show of male hormones.

Harry laughed, clacking the lollipop against her teeth. “I have a ton of them! But, no worries Lucius, I’ll give her one that’s full length. No need to make you go ape by having your girl wear something possibly revealing.” She’d seen too much of that living in a boy’s dorm for her adolescent life to want them to fight over it if she could help it.

The table stared at her, Regulus running a hand over his face. “That’s the most hypocritical thing I’ve ever heard you say.”

Harry mulled that over, before giggling. “Yeah, I guess you’re right... but Luna doesn’t really care what I do as long as I don't get hurt and I don’t hurt anyone we haven’t already talked about.” She glanced over and at seeing Tom stalking her way, buried her face in Barty’s shoulder. “Nooooo… Make him go away. He’s annoyingly hover-y today.”

“Harry. Our deal still stands and I find that i’m out of ink.” The man’s voice was clipped.

Barty pushed her away gently, standing up so she could get out of the booth, his eyes on the floor. “Sorry Professor, I didn’t know you were with Harry for the day.”

She didn’t move, instead leaning against the seat and tilting back her head to look at the man lazily. “Go away... Deal’s off. I’m fine here.”

The air around them seemed to chill, the other students freezing in their seats.
Tom’s jaw clenched. “Are you sure Harriet? I’d hate to have to punish your friends for your misbehavior.”
There was something wild and dark in those brown eyes that made her think of Voldemort for a brief second and it made her stomach twist uncomfortably. Tom was supposed to be different, someone better than Voldemort.

Fists balling up tightly, she mechanically got out of the booth, standing with her back as straight as a board and glaring up at him. “Mr. Gaunt… next time you threaten

any

of my friends, I swear to Merlin I will go a whole day stark naked, your precious dress code be

damned

.” Stalking away, she could hear the table of her classmates all sputter at her words.

There was only tense silence as the two of them walked stiffly to the small calligraphy shop at the end of the street.

Harry immersed herself in running her fingers over the covers of all the journals, pretending to not be able to feel eyes burning on her back. Moving onto quills, she picked up a fluffy feathered quill and brushed it against her cheek to feel the softness, inadvertently making herself shiver.

Then slightly cold fingers were plucking the quill away from her hands, setting it back in it’s jar with a clink that seemed to echo in the empty shop. The velvet voice was just a murmur. “You really don’t know, do you?”

Worrying at her sleeves, she picked up another quill and fidgeted with it as if pretending to examine it, heartbeat racing at being this close to him (especially as he was looming over her like a vampire waiting to strike). “Know what?”

“You walk into dangerous situations like they hold no water to the things you seen, laugh like the world’s dying around you, and treat everyone you meet like they will be gone if you blink. Half the school’s in love with you, Harriet Peverell, and the other half wants to ravish you as if you were a steak to a wolf.” A chilled finger tilted her chin up and she blinked at the eyes that were the color of dripping honey. “And you chose to walk around in clothes that provoke the worst in people, not even caring or noticing when they try to use you for it… Do you see why I would be upset, little one?”

She could feel the icicle that had been piercing her lungs melt slowly, making it easier to breathe. “Yeah...” Huffing slightly, she glanced away from the intense golden eyes, not liking the burning feeling they
kindled in her chest. “You’re a better friend than I deserve Thomas.”

There was a soft sigh like that of resignation, the warm air tickling across her face smelling slightly of peppermint, before the finger on her chin was gone and the man had straightened up again. “Yes- well- either way, I need your opinion.” Long fingers held up two inks, one dark blue and one forest green. “Which screams

‘I hate you’

more?”

Arching a single eyebrow, she tapped the green ink bottle. “This one. Why?”

“Dumbledore decided that since he’s technically still headmaster, that he wants updates on the on-goings of our detentions. I think though, that he wants me to inadvertently spy on you.” Thomas grinned viciously. “So I’m going to send him long rants about how irritating you are until he gives up and stops bothering us.”

Harry giggled. “Well, i’m sure you have plenty of built up agitation to expel over my antics, so i’m guessing it won’t be that hard to do.”

The man looked at her with an unidentifiable emotion, the closest one she could name to it being exasperation with a mix of something wolfishly like hunger. “You have

no

idea…”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Harry was laying on her stomach across two tables she’d pushed together, flipping through one of the muggle romance novels Luna had lent to her when she’d complained about being bored.Though it wasn’t exactly helping her boredom. The girl in the book was stupid and it was annoying her.Shoving her book away from herself, she turned her head to look at Tom, resting her chin in her palm. The man’s quill was moving quickly, looping and dotting as it went, his gaze intent on the paper.Sliding off the table, she padded behind the chair, standing on her toes to read what he was writing.

Headmaster Dumbledore,

When I was assigned Miss Peverell, I was under the assumption that she was a magical prodigy, not some trouble-making
teenager. Though I am loathe to admit she does have significant magical power, she is also brash and doesn’t seem to understand the workings of the Wizarding World.

Although her dealing with the goblins show she is a formidably talented ally, she doesn’t seem to care much for house rivalries or the ‘trivialities of politics’ and I am not at all inclined to try to explain them to some girl that will not understand.
The detentions seem to have no effect on her, but I think I've
been able to finally enforce she do schoolwork quietly and not annoy me with her usual antics . As for her behavior, she constantly undermines the dress code and puts herself in dangerous situations...
The man looked up, seeming to tense and she assumed it was because she wasn’t where she’d been a second ago.“Don’t you think you’re being a little harsh?” She muttered, leaning forward to run a hand though the perfectly arranged brown hair to mess it up.The man’s head tilted back, brown eyes looking up through thick lashes to watch her, lips curving up slightly. “Should I tell him that you’re doing fine and have him put you with a worse detention like Filch? You yourself expressed how much he likes anyone opposing him to be beaten down...”Humming, she leaned against the chair. “Well when you say it that way… continue painting me as the worst student you’ve had the pleasure of crushing under your metaphorical boot.” When the man moved to do just that she wove her fingers back into his hair, snickering when he gave her a look out of the corner of his eye. “What? Your hair’s soft.”Huffing slightly, the scratching of the quill started up again.Running her hands through the thick brown hair and continuing to mess it up thoroughly, she let her arms drop limply to hang against his chest, pressing her forehead to the curve of his neck with a sigh.Long fingers caught her left hand, pressing apart her fingers like one would do to a cat. “What happened? Did you do this?” His voice was tight.Shifting so her chin was resting on his shoulder, she looked at where his thumb smoothed over the pale white scarred lines in her handwriting ‘I Must Not Tell Lies’. She hummed. “My fifth year Defense teacher. It was the year that the other Voldemort came back from the dead using my blood...” She gestured to her other arm, watching as he pulled up her sleeve and sucked in a hissing breath at the long white scar. “The Ministry labeled me crazy for trying to tell the world he was back and sent a woman from the ministry to ‘make the accusations go away’. She used blood quills in her detentions.”“Name.” The voice was dripping with venom, hands running over the scars as if he could rub them away. “Give me her name and I will deal with her accordingly.”Chuckling softly, she pulled back, standing up and pulling her sleeve down again. “I somehow doubt that she will live long if I do that.” Smiling, she moved to sit to the side of his chair on the desk. “Do you think that Valentines will be entertaining? I hope Luna likes her gift…”Tom narrowed his eyes at her for the subject change. “You know, I could just ask Abraxas to find this woman. I'm sure he would have heard of someone like her.”Harry snorted. “Not likely, but it'd be funny to try to see him try.” She knew that Umbridge was still a student, a particular Slytherin no one liked and most everyone avoided. “Anyway… It’s a tradition between Luna and I to give our friends gifts on Valentines since for the past few years it’s just been Neville, her, and I. But now we have so many different people to spoil- Any ideas for things to get you?” She was nervous that he wouldn’t like what she’d already gotten, hoping he’d give her a hint to what he liked so she could be certain.The man smirked. “I have a few ideas… but I would rather you surprise me.”Scowling, she slid off the desk and slung her bag over her shoulder. “I was afraid you would say that.”At his soft laugh, she flipped him off while walking out.
Luna and her woke up early, getting together their bags of gifts and trading presents.She’d gotten her sister a picture of the new creature roaming the manor along with the dragon, a Crumple-Horned Snorkack that she’d had the goblins find, whereas the girl had given her a small golden snitch. Smiling widely, she looked down at the little ball. “I’m going to jump off the astronomy tower.”It opened, empty, but still, it was the thought that counted.Luna giggled from her side.Walking into breakfast late, having to mail their presents to Morgana off, Harry stopped short in front of where she usually sat. A pile of chocolates and flowers covered her plate and spilled over onto the surrounding table, whereas Luna’s plate held a worn book with a simple note on top marked by the stain of a lipstick kiss.Luna smiled, hugging the book to her chest with a light flush on her cheeks. “She shouldn’t have!”Harry worried at her lip, waving her wand, so the chocolates all shrunk down, stacking neatly on the side. Sitting down, she gathered up the flowers. “Luna, you think you could…”Her sister smiled, nodding and standing to undo the bun her hair was in so she could rebraid the hair with the flowers woven in.Turning back to her plate, she started to sort though the chocolate by diagnostic charm, frowning deeper as she encountered some nasty love potions. Settling on three boxes that seemed to be clean, she picked up the one that looked like it was from Severus, popping a chocolate into her mouth.The rush of warmth had her chest constricting and she scrambled to grab Luna’s hand. “It- she-... make it stop-!”Luna’s hands disappeared from her hair, grabbing her shoulders and turning her to check her pulse, pupils, and the inside of her mouth before cursing softly. “Amortentia. The Lordship rings can’t counter it. Harry, you need to breathe, she’s not here. You’re not in danger.”All Harry could see were Ginny’s hazel eyes as she stared at him hatefully, a sickly smile on the woman’s lips. The heat felt like cold fire, like it was causing her heart to beat out of her chest, killing her. “I- I can’t-... Don’t make me go- go back.”“Who did this?” The velvet voice was ice cold, raising to speak over the hall, fury barely disguised in his tone. “WHO USED LOVE POTION ON MISS PEVERELL?”She sobbed at the feeling of the fire building, Luna’s chilled hand brushing her hair away from her face. “Harry… I’m going to use that spell that Neville found in the tomb in Egypt, but I need to make sure I have your word of consent or it won’t work.”Her voice was broken. “Do- do it.”Her sister nodded, arms hoisting her up and laying her out on the cold tile. “Cissy, get me a knife. Luc, a glass of wine. Reg, a glass of water.” The items were handed over quickly. “Mr. Gaunt, I need you to cut her skin shallowly above both collarbones.”“But-”Luna looked up at him with burning eyes, tugging down Harry’s shirt slightly. “Unless you want her to destroy this hall in her panic, you’ll do this for me. I- I can’t bring myself to hurt her.”Brown eyes appeared over her line of sight, a frown on perfect lips. “I’m sorry about this.” The knife cut into her, her magic pulsing at the feeling, tears on her cheeks. Long fingers brushed over her cheeks softly before the man withdrew. “I promise to bring whoever did this to justice.”With a stiff nod, Luna started to chant the ancient spell.Blood flowed out of her body though the cut on her left shoulder in a steady stream, passing into the water, then the wine, before re-entering the right cut. The water cleaned the blood, the wine replacing the potion.The burning was sucked from her body, replaced with the hazy warm feeling of the wine. Releasing her breath, she slowly sat up, grabbing the wine and drinking the rest of the goblet before giving Luna a shaky smile. “Remember when you did that to Neville but all you had was a bottle of fireball? I’d never seen him so drunk!”Luna let out a long sigh. “No more chocolates for you without buying them yourself.”Harry let herself be helped up, staggering slightly. “Whoa… everything’s a little wobbly…” Though she guessed that was what happened when alcohol was introduced to the bloodstream.They both looked at where Tom was dragging a boy over by his ear, the boy scrambling and trying to get free. “No! I didn’t mean- She wasn’t supposed to get hurt by-”“Shut up.” The boy was pulled to a stop in front of them. “This is the culprit that drugged you, Miss Peverell. What should his punishment be?”Harry burst out laughing. “Ludo? Ludo Bagman?” She grinned at Luna. “I should think this is payback for Gred and Forge, wouldn’t you agree?”The girl holding her up eyed her. “You sure you’re in the right state for that?” At her nod, Luna hesitantly let her go. “Give him something good for me then.”Swaying slightly, she grinned at the boy, sauntering over. “Ludo… You could have just asked for a date…” The boy flushed as she laid her hands lightly on his shoulders, leaning in slightly. “But you see, I don’t date assholes.”Kneeing him in the crotch, she let him stumble back, tears in his eyes. “What-”“Maybe this’ll teach people to drug me with love potions.” Her lips twisted into a sneer. “Wasting perfectly good chocolate- and for what- a quickie in the bathroom before I sue you and you go to Azkaban? What a waste of time and energy when you could’ve just asked, not that I would’ve said yes to someone like you .”She turned about to walk away, when-“Slut!”Spinning around, she kicked him in the gut, stalking forward when he choked and digging her nails into his throat so hard they drew blood. Her voice was a hiss, blood dripping down her fingers. “ What did you say to me? Do you know who I am? Who I've seen die in front of me? I have fought against greater foes and come out on top than you will ever see. Do not mistake me, I would slit your throat in a second if I had my-”“Miss Peverell!” McGonagall’s voice rang out across the hall. “Mr. Bagman will be dealt with, but there is no attacking students in this school! Mr. Gaunt, please get her out of here!”Warm fingers wrapped gently around her arm, tugging her away from the whimpering boy so that her nails scrapped him, and she was dragged out of the Great Hall (less roughly than it looked of course).
When they got to his classroom, she snapped her fingers twice, a house elf appearing to hand her a goblet of wine that she sipped. “That was interesting.” Eyes widening, she put her goblet down, pulling a green velvet wrapped package out of her bag. “Oh! Here- I was going to get this to you at detention, but since we’re here...”Tom took it, watching her as she hopped up on the table and went back to nursing her glass of wine, before he opened it carefully. Blinking at the green-leather bound journal, he looked up at her. “How... this is-”“Salazar Slytherin's journal. In my last life I found it hidden away in the Black library, so I asked for a favor from Regulus in turn for one of my hoodies.” Harry smiled widely, blood beginning to feel more and more like warm honey.The man put the book to the side, moving towards her and before she knew what was happening, strong arms were wrapping around her. “Thank you little one. It’s perfect.”After a second of surprise, she buried her face in his shoulder, bringing her arms up to wrap around him. “You’re welcome Tom.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Tom was frowning deeply as he stood in front of the class, back stiff in a way that he usually reserved for dealing with Dumbledore. “Class, today we have a guest speaker, by invitation from Dumbledore.” Harry smirked at the lack of title, the brown eyes seeking her out and the man’s lips twitched just slightly at her response, but it was gone the next second. “Please welcome Mr. Gilderoy Lockhart.”

Luna and Harry glanced at each other, both wearing matching grimaces.

A man glided in like a peacock strutting, younger than she’d remembered, and for a second she could imagine why he’d won an award for best smile… then she shook that feeling off.
The man had obviously not been standing beside Tom when he’d won, and i
t was visible that all the girls in the class were torn between the dark allure of the Defense Professor (Dark Lord) and the bumbling blonde buffoon.

Though Tom seemed more interested watching her like the overprotective snake he was.

She was definitely comparing him to Azrael and that was weird.

Lockhart’s smile seemed to falter for a second at the lack of response to his charm, glancing at the man next to him, lips thinning a bit. Then, following the man’s brown eyes, he looked directly at her.

Harry got the immediate feeling she was going to wish she could throw herself out the window by the end of class and Luna’s giggles to her side were not helping ease that dread.

With a smile that could blind a unicorn, Lockhart looked around the class. “Hello everyone, I am Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin

Third Class

, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five times winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award... But I don't talk about that; I didn't get rid of the Banden Banshee by smiling at him… Today I have come by invitation of your Headmaster, to show off what next year will be like, as no Defence teacher has lasted more than that...” A sideways glare was sent at Tom, who was standing off to the side.

Most of the girls sighed deeply and she looked to Luna, whose twitch of the shoulder gave away the girl was just as irritated with this interruption of their lives by someone so stupid as Harry was.

“May I have a volunteer? How about you, with the green eyes?”

Biting back a groan, Harry slumped in her seat a little, but Thomas was not about to be made out as a fool of a teacher in front of this blonde idiot. “Miss Peverell, unless you have a sticking charm on your chair, I believe you were asked up front? Or is that another detention?”

Sending Luna a pleading glance, she slowly stood from the chair and strolled up to the front. “Sorry Professor. I tend not to respond to being called by appearance, as most teachers learn their student's names.”

The class giggled, Lockhart’s jaw clenching slightly before he gave her a big fake smile. “Apologies, my dear, but I didn’t catch your name. Peverell, you said?”

She curtsied mockingly, smiling sweetly up at the man and cackling internally when he seemed to melt a bit. “Luna. Luna Peverell, sir.” She hid her glee at the choked-out cough coming from her sister, instead just tilting her head. “So… what did I volunteer for?”

Lockhart draped his arm across her shoulders, as if not noticing the dark cloud seeming to form around Tom. “Well my charming young lady, how would you like to have me coach you on dueling one of your classmates? How about the young lady you were sitting next to!”

Harry blinked up at him. “That’s Harriet, my twin sister.”

“Perfect! Then there will be no love lost!” Arm steering her towards the exit, the man smiled over his shoulder. “Come along then class!”

The Great Hall was set up just as it had been her second year, the long dueling platform already having students crowded around each other. Luna had caught up to where she was trapped at Lockhart’s side, turning to mouth

‘timeline’

at her with a slight grimace.

She was steered to stand next to the blonde peacock up on the platform, his arm around her making her want to gouge his eyes out, but she supposed that could wait until she let off some steam in her duel against Luna.

“Gather ‘round! I would like to introduce my lovely assistant, Luna Peverell...” She smiled and waved to the whispering crowd. “...And her sister, Harriet Peverell!”

The girl just crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow in a bad imitation of her.

Lockhart gave Luna a look of irritation, before smiling at the crowd widely. “Don’t worry, you’ll still have your classmates when we’re done here. These two young ladies are going to face off in a duel and when done, I will help critique their methods!”

The crowd clapped, still unsure about their names, but knowing it probably meant trouble.

The peacock clapped her shoulder lightly. “Make it good.” Then he spun on his heel and walked away.

She approached her sister, her wand currently holding back her hair in a messy bun. “Why do I feel like you’re Draco in this twisted scenario?”

Luna laughed but it was darker, more irritated than normal. “You

wish

I were Draco. At least he had a crush on you.”

“Yeah... I do now that I know you aren’t going easy on me… At least raise the wards?” Harry frowned when Luna did exactly that with a flick of her wand. “Morgana help me, you’re mad, aren’t you?”

The smile she got was thin. “Of course not… But you might bleed a little by the end.”

Harry hummed. “Kinky.” She heard more than a couple people in the crowd sputtering, smiling lightly. “Hope you got something good for me or this’ll be more painful than distracting.”

A flicker of understanding filled the blue eyes, before it was gone, lips twisting up as the girl raised her wand. “Scared,

Peverell

?”

Harry just laughed, bowing, and they both walked the appropriate distance away.

Luna raised her wand, Harry standing at ease, wand humming from it’s place in her hair.

“On the count of three ladies… One… Two...”

Luna struck like a viper, casting curse after curse her way, to which Harry threw up wandless shields that only stayed long enough to dispel the bolts of magic. Like an elaborate dance, they moved in sync, attacking and defending as one. A curse hit her, sending numbing needles through her whole side and she laughed, wand flying to her hand. “I see you like the book Bella got you!”

The grin she got back was vicious and sharp. “I thought we agreed to no wands for you until you were bleeding! I don’t see any blood!”

“Fuck off Moon! You know just as well as I do that i’m bleeding internally!” Lashing out with a flame whip that the girl dodged, she dropped to her knees sharply into to avoid a over-powered severing charm. “Is this about the peacock? Because we both know that was just a taunt!”

Luna clenched her jaw, the soldier coming out in full view as the girl casted a silent imperio that Harry brushed off only to get hit with a body binding curse. “You keep ignoring it! All of it!”

Magic ripping apart the bonds, Harry sent a wordless expelliarmus, catching the girl’s shorter wand easily.

Her voice was soft but on the edge of dangerous. “What.

What

am I ignoring? The torture wasn’t enough, no let’s add on Teddy being gone, or hey- the guy you liked decided he wanted to be far far away from you because

‘all you cause is trouble’

. Maybe you want to rub it in my face that Cedric died in front of me because the nights I wake up screaming aren’t enough? Or how about the fact my ex carved a fucking rune into my shoulder while I was drugged up on love potion? What do you want me to break down my shields to cry about today Luna?”

“It’s Neville’s birthday.” A tear dripped from her sisters eye, getting wiped away a second later.

The room was silent.

Harry rubbed a hand over her face, closing her eyes for a long moment and taking a deep breath in before letting it out in a soft breath of air. “

Fuck...

It is, isn’t it?” Tossing the shorter wand back to the girl she opened her arms. “Okay, yeah I deserve one for forgetting that.” Hissing at the cutting curse that hit her, she wrinkled her nose. “Well then, where is the super-obscure off-the-map place we’re going to this year?”

Luna’s smile was wobbly. “Home?”

Nodding, she moved to pull her sister into a hug. “I can do that.”

A second later, both girls were gone from Hogwarts Grounds.

When they got back to Hogwarts the next day, Tom looked happier and Lockhart was declared missing, both sharing amused glances
when they noticed the way Azrael seemed a little wider in one section. Though the snake only admitted to finding a better meal, they both had a fairly good impression of what happened.Also... Ludo Bagman had apparently
escaped
Auror custody and hadn't been seen since, but when she asked Tom if he knew anything about that, he'd just smiled and propped his feet up on his desk with a self-satisfied smirk. "Did you know Azrael likes chicken?"She hadn't known how to answer that, but gave him an extra long hug at the end of detention just in case he'd done what she suspected he had.Weird thought, the Dark Lord serving out justice... Perhaps Ludo had wronged him in some way?Harry didn't put much thought into it.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Narcissa sat, watching as the Peverell sisters ate breakfast, seeming to communicate through tiny gestures and single words alone. She knew that the whole school had been trying to figure out the two girls since they came to Hogwarts, but so far there were only a few things that were public knowledge.

Harry was the most oblivious person on the face of the earth-- The girl was the hottest thing to walk on two legs and have boobs since Morgana Le Fay herself, and all the boys of the school had been desperately trying for months to find some way to be noticed by the girl, even going so far as sending out marriage contracts. But nothing. She was as dense about attraction as a stone wall.

Harry was brilliant--
Even if she was hopeless about social norms, she was a genius when it came to just about anything else. Her magic was raw and powerful when it leaked out of the walls the girl kept around it, but Harry never used it to it’s full extent. Always very careful, in a way that showed just how powerful she actually was.

Luna knew way more than the average person--
Where Harry was power, Luna was talent. Her magic wasn’t as strong or overwhelming, but the girl was never behind her sister in any way, not to mention the way the girl seemed to always know things a step ahead of everyone else. Narcissa had never seen the girl look surprised. Ever.

The Peverell sisters were twins--
Magical ones at that, the highest level of a bond two people can have, which explained the ease of communication

They were both powerful Political figures--
Luna was heir to both the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor Lordships, while Harry was the heir to the Peverell and Slytherin Lordships. Which was another reason for the mad rush to get the marriage contracts set up- though Narcissa was happy for Bella, who seemed overjoyed at the chance to be with Luna and didn’t care a bit for the girl’s money or power.

They were both Parseltongues-- And seemingly best friends with Salazar Slytherin’s basilisk. Which was insane, but whatever.

Harry had a talent for wild animals and dangerous creatures--
Between the basilisk and the giant squid, no one had really thought otherwise, but a dragon? That was just ridiculous! Plus the way that in Care of Magical Creatures the girl had taken to taming ever creature Kettleburn threw at her- there seemed to be something about the girl that made animals respect her.

They were friends of the Goblin Nation--
The nation most known for being notoriously hateful of wizards, the last wizards being named their friends having been the Hogwarts founders themselves, apparently loved the girls. Again, WTF?

Harry loved sweets-- It was widely known, though after the whole ‘Valentines Day Debacle’ no one really dared to try give her sweets and risk of ending up like Ludo, who had gone missing without a trace.

And yet- as a friend of both the girls, a loyal follower to the Dark Lord (who was currently playing Professor), and a common visitor to the Malfoy Manor- Narcissa knew a few things more than the average Hogwarts student.

Not that she’d ever share.

The Dark Lord was completely and utterly obsessed with Harry--
In all the time she’d been privy to the man’s followers, she’d never once seen him display any interest for another human being, much less any female. Even when Bellatrix had gone through her phase of flirting and wearing slutty clothing around the man, he’d only looked bored. And here Harry appears- and he turns into the most overprotective, possessive, lovesick fool she’d ever seen.

Harry and Luna knew exactly who their Defense Professor was--
This one had taken her a while to piece together, but the realization was startlingly obvious. Neither girls held an ounce of fear towards the man, but there was a certain way they looked at him that had clued Narcissa in on this fact.

They both knew all of The Dark Lord’s followers--
Once she’d found out about their knowledge of the Dark Lord, she looked back on it, and both girls knew about the loyalties of the friends they’d made but didn’t seem to care.

They both had been in a horrible situation before they’d come here--
Their in depth dueling had been a testament to that, even if Harry’s words didn’t say just as much. She’d seen the way they would clutch at each other some days, how Harry would wake up from her naps violently more times than not, the way certain things would cause them to draw back into their masks, and how Harry’s eyes would burn when she said certain names.

Their Aunt, Morgana, was crazy-- Crazy hot, according to every guy she’d talked to (she agreed silently), but crazy altogether. The woman had apparently taken to educating Bellatrix on her ways of ‘killing and maiming men while staying relatively sane’. Narcissa had to agree with Harry on this one. She seemed a little psycho.

Both the Peverell sisters hated Dumbldore--
Like, loathed him. The kill-you, dig-up-your-dead-body, leave-you-out-for-wild-animals-to-eat, and spit-on-your-corpse kind of hate. Plus, they always had the funniest names for him (their latest nickname was Abbot Dumbbell).

Harry could sing-- This was less of a secret that only she and the small group of her friend knew, but it was still a closely guarded secret of the Slytherins, who had mostly taken to admiring Salazar’s heir from a distance. The group (that she privately called The Emerald Knights) of the sister’s closest friends were hesitant to let anyone close to the two girls, especially after the ‘Valentine's Day Debacle’, only hesitantly letting the Marauders slide since they made Harry smile so often. Even before the Dark Lord’s orders to keep both girls safe, the group had silently come to an agreement to direct the overly good and bad attention away from the two sisters.

Luna knew about all these facts, even if Harry was still oblivious--
The girl had been the one to even suggest the name of the ‘secret group’, smilingly offhandedly as she’d let Narcissa in on a few names of Slytherins to watch out for like Dolores Umbridge, Rita Skeeter, and the Carrows. She’d passed the names along, glad to have an excuse to dislike the four Slytherins that had always rubbed her the wrong way. If Luna didn’t like them then they had to have done something to warrant that dislike.

“-cissa?”

Blinking, she looked up to where Harry was looking at her with one of her smiles that could make anyone feel like they were special. “Sorry Harry, I seem to have been lost in thought. Say that again?”

The girl chuckled lightly, taking a bite of her granola covered yogurt and smiling fondly at her. “I was just wondering what you were so lost in thought about? Your boyfriend isn’t

that

hot.”

Lucius made a wounded noise, his arm curling around Narcissa, and she leaned in instinctively. “I beg your pardon?”

Harry grinned cheekily, leaning forward just a bit. “Then

beg

.”

Severus and Regulus snickered at Lucius’s stunned face, but they all quieted down as a man strolled up to stop behind the girl with the vivid green eyes. “Miss Peverell, I believe you have detention with me during your off period?”

The beads woven into pitch black hair clicked softly as the girl turned to smile brilliantly up at The Dark Lord, and something in his eyes shone at being the source of that smile. “Can’t have me forgetting, can we?” Standing and pressing a kiss to the top of Luna’s head, the girl gave them a short wave as she bounced after the ‘Professor’. “See you in Potions!”

Luna shook her head softly, voice amused. “What am I going to do with her?”

“Tie her to a post?” Severus’ voice was dripping with sarcasm. “Maybe then she wouldn’t get in so much trouble.”

The girl seemed to consider it, before sighing. “No, I think i’ll leave the ropes to Thomas.”

Coughing on the spoonful of oatmeal, Narcissa felt her cheeks burning. “But- I thought that she-...”

Luna’s eyes were too amused for the normal picture of innocence she painted. “What? You thought that I wouldn’t know, what with having lived with her all these years? No no no- I saw the red marks on her wrists whenever Draco came around.”

“She- I thought she hated him!” Now

this

was interesting information.

The girl snorted. “Oh, no, they definitely had their issues with each other. I wouldn’t have had to leave the house so often if they

didn’t

, loud as they could be.”

Narcissa hummed, the others blinking as the new information sunk in, and she added that to her list.

+1)

Harry was, as the girl herself would say it, ‘kinkier’ than anyone expected of someone so oblivious.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Harry woke up panting, feeling as if her lungs were squeezing painfully, making it hard to breathe. Carefully extracting herself from her sister’s arms, she wrote up a quick note and threw on pajama pants that clashed horribly with her tank top.

Summoning a towel from the bathroom, she passed through the halls to the Prefect’s bathroom, pressing her Lordship ring against the wall. The door swung open and she smiled, pleased. Folding her clothes carefully, she sighed as she slipped into the warm water.

It had been the same dream as she’d gotten most of her fifth year.

Sirius, falling backwards into the veil, arm outstretched as if reaching for her. Lupin holding her back as she screamed, Bellatrix’s haunting laugh.

Closing her eyes, she sunk further into the corner of the large bath, water just barely below her ears.

A voice drifted through the silence, making her blink.

“Stummin’ my pain with his fingers, singing my life with his words, killing me softly with his song, killing me softly with his song, telling my whole life with his words- killing me softly... with his song…”

Smiling at the low voice singing the muggle song for over near the showers, she chuckled, joining in with the next verse.

“I heard he sang a good song, I heard he had a style-”

There was a noise of surprise and the sound of a crash nearby, muttered curse words following it closely.

Laughing softly, she continued to sing.

“And so I came to see him, to listen for a while… And there he was, this young boy, a stranger to my eyes-”

The voice joined in again in harmony with her,

“-Stummin’ my pain with his fingers, Singing my life with his words, killing me softly with his song, killing me softly with his song…”

The two of them finished up the song and there was a pause of silence.

“Sorry ‘bout that- I didn’t expect anyone to be in the bath this early.” She called, hoping whoever it was didn’t hurt themselves.

The sound of feet and then Sirius Black was blinking at her, holding a towel and wearing baggy sweatpants. “How- why are you here?”

Harry was glad for the extra bubbly water covering her, not liking the idea of the boy
seeing her like this. “I’m here because I had a nightmare about my godfather dying, what about you? Any relatives die in front of you lately?” She knew it was rude, but she had honestly been having a shitty night.

The boy rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, I was gonna tell you that I had a hard night’s sleep, but I guess you got it worse.” He glanced at her. “If you wanna talk about it… I’m actually not that into girls as I am guys so…”

She chuckled, already knowing that from the way the older version of her godfather had stared at Lupin. “I think I’d rather not… but if you know any other songs, i’d be happy to join in.”

“Yeah, okay.” The boy rolled up his pant legs to his knees and sat down on the ledge a little ways away. “You know

‘American Pie’

?”

She nodded, her eyes slipping closed as the boy started to sing.

Later in transfiguration, a smiling Sirius made his way back to the Slytherin section, winking and sitting down in the seat next to her before Barty could. He was all loose limbs and easy smiles, unlike the other Slytherins who had tensed at his arrival. “I quite enjoyed our duet this morning.”

Harry smiled at him fondly, as he had always been dear to her even when he was a

bit

crazy from Azkaban. “Maybe I should go to the prefect baths more often, huh?” She paused, tilting her head at the boy. “You know, you shouldn’t make Remus give you the password so you can try to hide the fact you sing in the shower.”

The boy scowled at her teasingly. “At least I don’t join in people’s songs and scare the living daylights out of them!” The boy pulled up his shirt, pointing at where a bruise was forming on his shoulder. “That hurt!”

Giggling, she waved her wand and cast a healing charm, before winking. “If you don’t like that, then don’t try to shag in the showers, it’s probably the worst choice you can ever make.”

“Good to know.” With another wink that had her slapping the back of his head, the boy barked out a laugh and moved back up front with the marauders.

Barty gave her a strange look. “Midnight escapades in the prefect’s bath? Professor Gaunt will be disappointed.”

Rolling her eyes, she leaned back in her chair. “He’s not my guardian, so it’s not his business. Plus if he really cares all that much about the rules, we sung muggle pop songs and talked about why we couldn’t sleep, nothing else.” At the boy’s raised eyebrow she snorted. “What do you take me as? I haven’t slept with anyone since I had a goddamn rune carved into my back, and I only share a bed with Luna to keep away the nightmares.”

The boy hummed. “Well… I suppose that’s not against the rules then.”

Luna giggled from her side. “Though knowing him, this’ll get back to him somehow.” The girl patted her shoulder. “You poor unfortunate soul... he’s not going to be happy.”

Before she could ask why he would even

care

, McGonagall was starting class.

Humming to herself, she shrugged her bag off on the first table she could, moving to a desk in the middle of the room. They only had these lunch detentions one a week, but she suspected that they were mostly to stop Thomas from killing Slughorn in the middle of the Great Hall.

“What are you doing?” The velvety voice had an undertone of steel, and she knew that Luna was right, he was upset.

Damn.

Ignoring the man that had stood up from his desk, she tapped her wand against the desk and carefully transfigured it into a keyboard. Modifying a charm she’d learned in Japan, she hooked up a small amount of her magic into the electronic device and smiled when it’s screen light up with a blue light. “Magic.” The man snorted, making her lips curl up slightly. “I got lessons in America from this jazz musician on how to play, thought you’d be okay with some music as long as i’m not bothering you.”

With a slight huff, the man leaned against the desk in front of her, raising an eyebrow.

Rolling her eyes at the not so subtle cue for her to continue, she started to sing, not touching the piano yet.

“Hey, my love. I buried you a month or two ago. I keep thinking that you're standing on my floor, that you're waiting there for me. Hey, my love. You've walked out a hundred times- how was I, supposed to know this time that you wouldn't call- That you wouldn't come home... But four drinks I'm wasted-”

She moved, starting to play smoothly with her singing.

“I can see you dancing, I can lay down next to you, at the foot of my bed. If I drink enough, I can taste your lipstick, I can lay down next to you- But it's all in my head. If I drink enough, I swear that I will wake up next to you…”

As she continued playing, the man moved back to his desk. There was relative peace, her playing the few songs she could remember from memory, the soft scratching sound in the background giving away Tom grading papers.

There was the soft sound of bells that was the timer for the detention, leaving them both with twenty minutes to pack up and get to their respective classes, but Harry dragged her feet in getting her stuff together.

“You have Charms next?”

She blinked up at the Tom. “Yeah, I do.” She wasn’t going to ask how he knew that, instead just sighing. “It’s my least favorite class right now, as Flitwick decided that I have to sit somewhere I wouldn’t

‘disturb the class’

, putting me in the very front of the class… Fudge has been more annoying than usual and that’s saying something because I knew him when he was a spineless politician.”

With a frown, the man leaned against his desk, face carefully impassive. “And what does ‘annoying you’ entail?”

“He keeps hitting on me. It’s more crass humor than anything, so I’m not too bothered by it as I’ve heard worse, but still I might end up punching him If he won’t stop encroaching on my space.” Harry rolled her eyes, but gave the man a slight wave. “I’ll be fine! See you later!”

Tom Riddle wasn’t happy.

Not with the fact that Harry was so careless with her safety, not that the girl seemed to brush off how the boys in this school treated her, and not with how hopeless his attempts at courting her seemed.

About to go for his office floo so he could properly rant to Abraxas (and possibly Morgana if she was there) about this building irritation, the door to the classroom flew open, Luna Peverell rushing in.

The girl with the hair that in direct light almost looked more white than the mix of yellows and light browns it was in dim light of the castle, was crying, eyes franic as they landed on the piano. “No- she-”

“Miss Peverell?” His voice was soft, knowing from his experience with Harry being upset that being calm and slow would work better at approaching this type of situation, but the girl didn’t seem to see him. “Luna?”

Big blue eyes finally met his, but they were glassy, tears on her cheeks. “I- I missed her, didn’t I?”

And then suddenly he had an armful of crying teenager.

Not sure how to react, he settled on patting the girl’s back softly. This was the sister of the green-eyed girl he held in a regard higher than anyone else, he could at least try to provide some type of momentary comfort. “What happened?”

“They- they took Bella’s book…” The blonde sniffed slightly pulling back and wiping at her eyes, and for a second he was reminded of a small white bunny. Then the girl was shaking, a soft sob echoing through the room. “The lake- they threw it in the lake!”

He had three options here.

1- He could play the ‘teacher’ card, find out who did this and report them for bullying, maybe help the girl get her book back. Harry would understand and he wouldn’t have to make a scene.

2- He could find out who did this and then skin them slowly. Bellatrix would certainly be happy, but it might put off Harry and Luna.

3- He could do nothing, make Harry hate him forever, and possibly get murdered by Bellatrix in his sleep.

Yeah, so he had two options.

The third one was unacceptable, unthinkable.

But first he should find out who did this.

Luna frowned deeply at his question. “The Carrows.”

There was a sort of venom in her tone, making him think that she didn’t like the siblings much anyways. Pushing her away gently he looked her in the eye. “What did they do?”

“When yo-

he

was insane, he took over Hogwarts, appointed Snape headmaster and the Carrows two of the teachers. They- they would torture the kids, everyone but the Slytherins.”

Tom frowned lowly. He had no room for possible child-abusers in his ranks.

Plus, the fact that two of his followers had dared to hurt one of the Peverell sisters had made his choice for him. He’d made it clear that the sisters were off-limits and they would pay the price of not following those explicit instructions.

Looks like he’d have to make an example out of them.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Harry was bored out of her mind, having tuned out Fudge’s stupid comments as soon as she sat down, and currently was staring at the door to the hallway with a frown.

Luna hadn’t shown up yet.

She knew it was paranoia as she could feel that her twin was physically fine, their bond making sure of that, but there was a sense of uneasiness in her chest. Just as she was about to just say ‘fuck it’ and go find her sister, Tom strolled into the classroom.

Flitwick smiled, pausing in his lecture. “Mr. Gaunt! What can I help you with?”

“I apologize for the inconvenience, but if I could borrow Miss Peverell for a moment, it seems there is a matter that needs her attention.” The man was just in a casual button-up and slacks, his outer robe seeming to be gone from when she’d last seen him.

Flitwick nodded quickly. “Of course, of course!”

Harry searched the man's face for any sign of trouble, but couldn't find anything too troubling. There was a blank mask of polite indifference on his face, but she saw something flicker in his eyes when Fudge started to lean towards her.

The boy’s voice from her side was curious. “What did you do?”

She didn't even spare him a glance, standing and slinging a bag over her shoulder. “I assume they found the body of the last boy I dated.” Letting her lips curve into a grin when Fudge paled, Harry moved to where Tom was waiting. “What’s up?”

With a nudge of his head, she followed him out to the hall, to where a girl was wrapped in a robe too large for her.

Luna smiled weakly. “Hey Harry.”

“Radish?” Moving over quickly, she looked for wounds as soon as she saw the tear tracks on her face. Shooting Tom a wary look, she frowned deeply. “What happened?”

Luna shook her head slightly. “It’s not his fault Harry, he helped me come get you… The Carrows- they took Bella’s book.”

Her jaw clenched, feeling her magic tense under her skin. “I’m going to hurt them. Where is it?”

The girl looked down, but luckily Tom spoke up. “The Black Lake. I thought you would like to know before I punished them accordingly.”

Harry blinked at the man at that. “You’re going to punish them? How?”

A smile curled the lips and the man would have looked like something divine if his eyes didn’t give away just how

painful

that punishment was going to be, just going so far as to remind her the man was a Dark Lord for a reason, even without horcruxes. He leaned against the wall, the rolled up sleeves of his dress shirt showing off his forearms as he crossed his arms with a grin that flashed white teeth. “Now, my dear… That would be telling.”

She huffed, looking back to Luna just to have an excuse to look away from the sinful sight the Dark Lord made.

Standing at the edge of the Black Lake, Harry dipped her hand into the water slightly to wake the latent magic in it. “As Heir of Salazar Slytherin, I command you return what was unfairly taken from my sister.”

There was a slow ripple out across the water of the lake, before bubbles started to rise from the depths. Leviathan rose to the surface, a book, familiar looking glasses, a pair of shoes, and a knitted jacket- setting them all carefully to her side before dipping his head and retreating once more.

Looking at Luna, who was staring at the ground, she sighed. “Luna, you know that you could have come to me, right? I would have put a stop to this...”

“By threatening the whole school Harry?” The girl’s voice was soft. “I don’t want that...”

“What am I supposed to do! You’re my sister! What if-... what if they hurt you Moon? What would I do then?” Moving to gather the girl into a hug, she felt herself choking up. “I wouldn’t-

couldn’t

live if you weren’t here with me. If something happened I would go to the ends of time and space to save you. You know that, right?”

Her sister chuckled softly after a pause of both gripping tightly at each other. “Bella’s gonna be mad… She would have wanted to be in on their punishment.”

She looked up at where Tom was watching them with dark eyes and a pronounced frown. “I’m sure she’ll agree they deserve what they’re going to get. Right Thomas?” Her jaw clenched at that thought of the siblings.

With a sharp nod, the man’s lips curled into something a little darker than a smile. “She’ll like what I have in store for them.” Then with a wink, he was striding off to the castle again.

Harry eyed the Carrows. They looked like they were fine, but she’d seen the dark look in Tom’s eyes when he had stalked off earlier, so she just sucked up her pride and hoped that whatever he did would take effect soon.

It turns out, the man was one to draw out his victim's suffering, which to be honest wasn’t that surprising considering he liked the torture curse far more than he liked the any other curse.

By lunch the next day, both Carrow siblings were twitching slightly, not even touching their food. Their eyes were haunted, refusing to even look in Luna’s direction. No one seemed to want to even acknowledge them either, as if the two siblings had been completely shunned by the whole Slytherin house.

But Harry watched.

Every meal the two would try to eat, only to look devastated, curling in on themselves and just waiting the meal out before scrambling out of the Hall.

The second day there were dark bags under their eyes, the third both looked exceedingly pale and thin.

At lunch on the fourth day, Narcissa had to tug on Harry’s shirt sleeve to get her to stop staring at the siblings that looked worse than death (trust her, she knew). “Harry-... Harry, what do you think about my runes project?”

Not even looking at what the girl was holding, she shrugged. “It’s fine.” She missed the glances the table shared, instead looking up to where Luna was watching her. “Moon… what did he do to them?”

Luna’s brows furrowed just slightly. “You don’t want to know Harry. Please… don’t ask me to tell you.”

Her stomach sank. “Do they really deserve this?” Voice soft, she caught the girl’s hands even as the sea green eyes darted away in shame. “I know they hurt you, they hurt Neville too and I’ll never forgive them for that… but do they deserve this? They’re

kids

, Luna. Just like we were.”

The girl looked like she was going to cry.

“Love… You were the one that said things would be different. Are we really that horrible we would punish those for offences they haven’t committed?”

There were clear tears hanging from her sister's lashes, but the girl shook her head, taking a deep breath. Her voice was a soft whisper. “They- they can’t eat or sleep or have any communication with the other Slytherins until he releases them.”

Harry sucked in a sharp breath.

Memories flashed through her mind of summers alone, curled up in bed too hungry to sleep, crying alone. Of dropping a tea cup because of shaky hands and getting hit with a frying pan. Of talking to the cupboard ceiling just to try to ease the pain of loneliness that ate at her chest.

Standing up suddenly, she felt the eyes of the whole table as she marched down to where the siblings were sitting, huddled together. They both tensed, eyes down, as if she was going to hit them.

“I- I am so sorry.” Sinking into the bench next to Alecto, she felt herself crying, cheeks wet. “I’m so sorry- I never meant to-”

Both siblings looked up, eyes wide as they took in her tear-stained face. Amycus blinked at her. “We- we hurt your sister though…”

She wiped at her eyes and gave them a wobbly smile. “And if you’re smart, you’ll do to remember who she’s courting.” Both siblings paled after a second. “Look, I’ll take the curse off you either way, but can we agree to just be mutual acquaintances? You promise no more bullying, and in turn I'll keep Thomas off your back?”

Both nodded quickly.

Pulling them both into a hug, she let her magic smooth over them like the rain of a storm, undoing the curses and putting them to sleep gently. Both of the Carrow siblings slumped in her arms and she sighed softly. “Buttons?”

With a soft pop, a wide eyed house elf appeared. “What can I’s be doing for yous missis Slyther-ins?”

“Please get these two back to their rooms. Thank you Buttons.”

Looking overjoyed to help, Harry was free of the two Carrows, taking a second to lean against the table with a long sigh. Looking down the table to catch Luna's eye, she got up and stalked out, hands in her pockets.

She thought she deserved some fresh air.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Surprisingly, the first person to seek her out was Remus Lupin. With careful eyes, he approached slowly, sitting down to the side of her on the large rock she was perched on with her knees drawn up to her chest.

There was a long pause, before a scarred hand extended a thin rectangle to her. “Chocolate?”

The soft noise she made was something between a sob and a laugh, but before he could pull away, she nodded. “Yeah… thank you.” Reaching out with shaking hands, she broke off a piece of the chocolate bar, eyes burning with tears when the sweet taste his he tongue.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to-” The boy sounded slightly panicked.

“No, no it’s-” She wiped at her eyes with a soft laugh that was a little too sad for her own good. “A man that I used to see as an uncle- he claimed that chocolate could cure anything.”

Remus smiled a little crookedly. “Doesn’t it?”

This time her laugh was something born of actual happiness. “If you say so.”

“Harry!” And there were the other three marauders, Barty and Severus walking calmly a little ways behind the boys. Sirius made a show of skidding to a halt and falling all over Lupin on ‘accident’. “You okay?”

Shrugging, she broke off another piece of chocolate, not exactly comfortable with the group watching her break into tears. Handing the chocolate back to Remus, she gave them a half-smile that she knew didn’t exactly reach her eyes, and nodded. “I’m fine. Thanks guys… I think Barty and Sev can help me get to class safely.”

Gracefully she unfurled herself from the ball she was in, starting to walk towards the castle.

She knows that there’s eyes on her back, but she’s too lost in thought to care.

Whoever told her that you had to be injured to feel pain was obviously wrong, because something colder than ice was worming it’s way under the bottom left side of her rib-cage.

Harry’s in detention two days of tense silence later, sitting in the very back of the classroom and reading a dusty tome on imbued magic, when she realizes why she’s so bothered by all this so much. She knows she’s been distant lately, lost in thought, but she hadn’t really felt much like her usual energetic self.

It wasn’t really that she’d let something like that happen, or even what had happened (though those were still a small part of it), it was the

disappointment

that had hit her like a sack of bricks when she’d realized that- even though not as insane- Tom was still the same heartless bastard that had become Lord Voldemort.

That glint in the lovely brown eyes that she’d come to enjoy watching change colors ever so slightly, was the same glint that had been there when she’d been made to bow to him all those years ago in the graveyard.

She had tears in her eyes before she could really recognize why, why this revelation hurt so much… And she stood from her desk and grabbing her bag quickly, wanting to leave before she lost control of the tears on her cheeks fully.

“And where are you going?” The voice was smooth, so unlike the harsh hiss of Voldemort but she stiffened all the same.

Looking over and ignoring the way those brown orbs widened, she shook her head. “I don’t think I can do this. I think I made a mistake in my foolishness. I think i’m going to ask McGonagall to take over my detentions, but thank you in your efforts to try to make me into a good student Mr. Gaunt.”

Without looking back, she walked out quickly.

It wasn’t really a surprise that instead of McGonagall, she was put in with Slughorn, cleaning cauldrons and helping brew potions for the medical wing.

Luna was brushing out her hair, fingers soft as the morning light filled the room with a soft glow. “Do you really see no difference?”

The girl had been trying to change her mind for weeks, ever since the Defense Professor in question had turned into a living ice statue.

“Not enough.” Her voice was a whisper, as it usually was now days, a sort of tired ache settling in her bones no matter how much she tried to sleep it off.

With a long sigh, the hands moved from her hair, her sister moving so she was face to face with her. “He felt remorse over the consequences of his actions, he’s working though mostly legal means to get what he wants, and he’s not attacking people randomly! He’s sane, and as much as I hate to admit it, he’s an okay person!” Luna looked at her with soft sea green eyes, hand gripping the hairbrush in a show of unusual irritation. “Just- talk to him, won’t you?”

Harry sighed and nodded slightly, moving out of the bed to get dressed. “Fine. I’ll go see him during lunch. Today is the day he usually skips after all.”

“And put the damn locket back on for Merlin’s sake. You look at it ever morning like you want to anyway.”

Shooting her sister a halfhearted glare, she looked to where the gold locket had been laying out on her desk, taunting her for the past few weeks. Cursing her weakness, she clasped the locket around her neck, not even bothering to pretend like she wasn’t fiddling with it when she went to breakfast.

Narcissa’s eyes lit up when she saw Harry fiddling with the gold chain. “Feeling better?”

With a soft snort, she moved to sit next to Barty, who was apparently joining them at the Slytherin table. “Why does everyone think that I wasn’t feeling okay in the first place?”

“Harry, you haven’t smiled for the last two weeks, and when McGonagall asked you to name a law of human transfiguration, you recited the law for international portkey travel without blinking.” Barty tilted his head a little.

She looked at Luna, who nodded, as if to confirm this. “You also corrected Professor Flitwick on a- um-

contraceptive

charm, proceeding to then show off your knowledge on a method that I believe won’t be brought over from America for another few years. He fell of his stack of books in shock.”

There was a giggle bubbling out of her lips and she smiled widely, trying to imagine the picture Luna was painting, before she was full out laughing for the first time in a while. When she had gotten control of dying laughter, she grinned at Luna. “The one that Neville was so fascinated about?”

“The same. With the use of a thin rod, a potion, and some interesting plants that we had to pry Nev away from.” The girl was smiling.

Snickering, because that really must have been entertaining for her sister to hear her talking about absentmindedly, she poured herself a glass of orange juice. “I must have been really out of it. I usually save that story for family dinners.”

They both grinned, remembering the tradition they had to try to embarrass each other while getting progressively more drunk during holidays.

Harry stands in front of the door, shifting her weight, for more than a few minutes. Finally bringing up the courage to just get this over with, she straightens her spine and knocks on the door.

“Come in!”

Stepping inside the classroom, she feels eyes on her, but doesn’t look away from where she’s fixed on the corner of his wooden desk. “I would like to offer an explanation for my actions, and then-... then I hope you can in turn help me settle these fears of mine, whether it be for good or for bad.” Her eyes dart briefly to his, catching the frown and the darkness in the brown eyes, before having to look away.

“Very well. Continue.” Tom’s voice, as smooth as ever, curls around her like a noose and she knows that she couldn't get herself to leave now even if she wanted to.

Swallowing thickly, she curls her hands in the material of her shirt for a second before taking a deep breath. “In my original life, I was raised by my aunt and uncle, who were muggles that absolutely hated magic. I- I was the equivalent to a house elf, in that, by the time I was six I was doing most of the chores around the house and cooking all the food. My name was ‘freak’ until elementary school, where I learned my name was actually Harry because of my teacher. I slept in a cupboard under the stairs and because I went to bed hungry most nights, I was an insomniac, which didn't help the starvation or the loneliness...”

“Harry-”

Holding up a shaky hand, she pursed her lips for a long moment. “That’s not really the issue- well it is- but not the main issue… I- I saw

him

in you, in your eyes when you were promising them punishment and- Thomas I really want to be your friend, probably more than anything else I could want, but if you can’t prove to me that you’re better than the monster that killed so much of my family in front of my own eyes… then I can’t be around you.”

There was silence, but then her fixed gaze of the desk was blocked, the man moving to stand only a few feet away. The smooth voice was soft, as if talking to a spooked animal and it would be offensive if it wasn’t so damn
true
. “Harry… can you look at me?”

Biting the inside of her cheek, she glanced up, expecting harsh dark eyes and instead losing her breath a little when they were the color of warm gooey caramel.

Moving just a bit closer, the man’s lips curled up into a slightly teasing smile, something so

Tom

that she was sure her lungs weren’t working correctly. “That’s better...” Her hand was caught in warm, long fingers, held tightly as if he was afraid she was going to run away. “As much as i’m going to try to ignore that you compared me to that other

fool,

I know logically that he and I were once the same person. I know that once we had the same face, the same ideals... but don’t mistake me, we are nothing alike anymore. I would
never

dare

hurt you… So please, tell me, how do I prove this to you?”

Looking at the eyes so filled with remorse, guilt, and hurt, she smiled gently. “You just did.” Squeezing the hand holding hers, she moved forward to be met in a warm hug, arms curling around her as she buried her face in his chest.

“Don’t do that again.” The velvet voice was stern, like when he would lecture her on things she didn’t know, but there was a hint of relief under all the steel.

Harry laughed softly. “Does this mean I can come back here instead of making potions and scrubbing cauldrons? Slughorn sure talks a lot…”

With a huff, the arms tightened around her for a brief second, before loosening. “I find my classroom is too quiet, would you be able to fix that?”

“Of course Professor.” She looked up to give him a cheeky grin. “Whatever you want, as long as it’s not scrubbing cauldrons.”

The brown eyes rolled. “You’re a menace.” Long fingers moving to gently ruffle her hair (but ended up something closer to something like petting a small cat) and s
he sighed happily, melting further into the hug while humming her agreement.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It was with reluctant hesitance that the Carrows were accepted into their small group, and both siblings seemed to have really taken her undoing their curse to heart, reminding her a bit of how Crabbe and Goyle had followed Draco around in her previous life.

Though, if she was stuck with these bookends, she was going to make them the best bookends possible because

pride

.

So she and Luna took up training the two siblings to be the best version of themselves. Luna was better with the mind arts, helping them with the organization and expansion of their scattered (and somewhat simple) minds, while Harry went into full on Professor-Mode.

Though this seemed a novelty to both the rest of their group of friends and the whole house of Slytherin, who slowly but surely started to show up whenever the Peverell twins were ‘teaching’ the siblings out on the quidditch pitch.

With fond memories of the DA, Harry took to engaging the younger first and second years while Luna was working with the siblings, enjoying how the kids eyes would light up when they did something correctly.

Plus, she absolutely adored the warm feeling that she got when able to help one of the kids as it reminded her so much of teaching Teddy how to cast the patronus charm only to find his patronus was a werewolf.

“Harry! Look! Look I did it!”

Spinning around where she had been helping a younger firstie with the levitation charm, she smiled brilliantly at where Lily was being nuzzled by a glowing doe. “That’s awesome Lily!” The girl was the same grade as her, but had
shyly asked if Harry could help with the patronus since she was struggling with it in defense class, and because of Lily being a Gryffindor, more than a few of her friends from other houses had tagged along with her which led to the weekend sessions being packed with kids of all houses and ages.

((Like little groups of color, the houses would all pick a corner of the quidditch pitch and watch the Peverell sisters teach. Harry had somehow become the unknowing ‘mom’ of the underclassmen, who raptly took to her teaching with stars in their eyes.))

Harry found her arms full of the smiling redhead, who was squeezing her in an enthusiastic hug. “Thank you thank you thank you!”

Hugging the girl back as she smiled widely, she patted the girl’s back and pulled away to make sure the pride could be seen in her eyes. “I’m very impressed Lils, a full patronus is very rare and a testament to your magical strength!”

“That was quite a show of magical ability, Miss Evans.” Both girls looked up, Lily looking humbled at the sight of the Defense Professor standing so calmly at the edge of their small teaching group. An amused smile curled the man’s lips as he strolled forward, all easy grace that reminded her of a natural predator, not that his careful masks would ever show that. “No wonder I have been impressed by the increasing ability of my younger students… I assume you are behind this, Miss Peverell?” He leaned forward just a bit, looming over her with a smile as sharp as a knife.

The air seemed to thicken as the eyes of everyone in the vicinity watched their favorite professor look like he was going to bite the head off the (unspoken) favorite student of the whole castle.

But the air was broken as Harry just tilted her head with a sight smirk on her lips. “Afraid i’ll steal your job, Professor?”

The slight laugh the man gave shocked the crowd into silence, watching like hawks as the professor straightened up and moved to pat the girl’s head with a fondness that no one had ever seen the indifferent man ever display. “I was actually here to tell you that I would be more than happy to make this gathering an official study club, under my supervision of course.”

Harry nodded, looking to Luna. “What do you think Moon?”

The more elusive and mysterious of the sisters gave her a soft smile. “And are we naming it after the bumblebee again?”

“Most definitely

not

!” The thought of her fifth year had her eyes burning, vibrating with the irritation that awoke in her veins. “I wouldn’t give that moronic old wanker the time of day, much less name the pride of my teenage rebellion after him! I thought I made it clear that it was anything but an army, teenagers are not a weapon to be trained for the blood ‘greater good’ and would throw myself off the astronomy tower before I let what happened to us happen again!”

The amassed students watched in awe (the Slytherins the only ones not gaping like fools as they had seen the girl like this, even if they were still as awed) as Harry seemed to radiate magic, hair moving as if there was a soft breeze where there wasn’t one. There was a warm feeling washing slowly over the field, expanding the brighter the girl’s eyes got, the smell of
fresh peppermint and the sweet undertones of chocolate.

Luna just smiled, eyes amused, as if she knew that Harry would accidentally overwhelm the majority of the school if left ranting about this. “How about we call it the Defense Association? We could still have the galleons you adored so much, for the higher ups of the club- the people who could help us teach and the perfects- so then they could pass along any messages and changes to the schedule?”

Nodding as if considering this, Harry smiled. “That would work.”

“If that’s sorted, maybe you should pull your magic back in?”

Blinking, she looked around at where Lily had sunk to her knees unsteadily and over half the crowd was glassy eyed, a few even having fainted at the rush of magic. “Shit, I forgot where a was, didn’t I?” Pulling back her magic like re-spooling unwound thread, she smiled sheepishly. “Sorry. Fifth year just

really

pisses me off.”

There was a collective intake of breath as the crowd seemed to regain their ability to think over the warm blanket of intoxicating magic. Lily looked up at her with eyes like saucers. “Was that-... was that your magic?”

Grimacing, she helped the girl up and pressed a hand to her flushed forehead while she spoke to her sister. “Luna, how bad was it?”

“You worry too much.” When she glanced back at her sister, she was smiling. “You didn’t hurt anyone Harry, just gave them a shock.”

Lily blinked, color slowly evening out. “Yeah, she’s right. It actually was really nice...”

Feeling her knees wobble, she was caught by strong hands, the Defense Professor looking at her questioningly while he braced her from falling. “You okay there little one? That was quite a display of magic...”

Humming softly, she closed her eyes to try to cut off the headache. “Just- jus’ a little dizzy.”

The world tilted as hands scooped under her knees, and she was suddenly in warm arms. “You know, with the amount of trouble you seem to get in, I wouldn’t be surprised if you have some latent curse on you or something, you infuriating menace.” Then with a sigh, he nodded to Luna. “I’ll get her to the infirmary, if you can deal with this.”

Sharing a look that Harry missed (as she was in the middle of trying to curl closer to the man in her exhaustion), Tom started to walk towards the castle.

There was a short silence, and Remus Lupin blinked at where he’d sunk to his knees, trying to think over what had just happened.

Harry had been irritated, that much was obvious in the girl’s posture and tone as she ranted about something that was obviously a touchy subject, but then- there was a wave of energy, passing through him like a electric charge and turning his blood to molasses. It was warm and all consuming and even Moony seemed to purr under it. The scent of peppermint came along with it, crashing into his heightened senses and washing through him like ice water being dumped onto him.

And then the girl had just looked embarrassed, and the warm hazy feeling was pulled away, as if pulling the blanket off when you’re trying to sleep. He would have protested, but he was too busy trying to figure out what had happened.

Professor Gaunt caught Harry, exchanging a few soft words with Luna before he started off towards the castle as he swore the quieter sister muttered something like ‘overprotective guardian demon’, before her soft blue-green eyes moved to sweep the area. “Is everyone alright?”

It looked like most everyone had recovered, but now whispers were flying, some boy from Ravenclaw moving forward with wide eyes. “What was that? Did she do that? How is her magic-”

Like a group of dementors swooping down on their prey, the small group of Slytherin were instantly surrounding Luna in a protective horseshoe, Narcissa’s voice like ice, as they all had their wands raised on the frantic boy. “Back

up

.”

The silver haired girl just looked amused, pushing Narcissa’s arm down softly. “No, it’s okay… I’m fine.” The group slowly lowered their wands, all but Narcissa and Severus put their wands away.

Sirius leaned over to Remus slightly. “They’re really like the royalty of this school, aren’t they?”

He nodded slightly, still watching the Peverell sister.

Luna looked around, holding her hands out slightly to look nonthreatening. “I apologize for any confusion or fright, Harry… My sister has a unusual gift for letting go of her magic when she gets emotional.”

“That’s not normal!” A girl in Slytherin marched forward, her outfit of pinks clashing with her robe horribly. “What kind of freak would-”

Like a switch was flipped, Luna’s normally soft eyes hardened into cold pits head tilting to her side with a knife sharp smile on her lips. “Now now… I’m not a violent person, Miss Umbridge, but you already rub me the wrong way and if you dare call my sister that name again… Well I have it on good authority that more than fifty students, some of which are in the crowd right now, would kill for a mere drawing of my sister- What do you think they would do if I were to offer up a date with her to the first person that could give me your

head

?”

It was at that moment that the whole school realized which one of the Peverell sisters was the sweet, innocent one, and it was definitely the one who flirted with everyone and told sex jokes in the most inopportune times.

It was at that moment, that Hogwarts realized that Luna Peverell was more dangerous than her sister.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Harry was humming under her breath one of the classical piano pieces Morgana liked while she was trying (and was failing, but whatever) to braid Tom's hair while he graded papers.

“Harry?”

“Mhmm? Whats up?” She frowned at the braid that was falling apart in her hands.

The man turned around slowly, eyes amused as his lips quirked up. “Don't you have exams? Wouldn't most students be stressing out?”

Her grin was teasing. “Well, it's good that i'm not most students then, isn't it?”

Tom hummed slightly at that. “Well… I believe that i'm going to get roped into going to Hogsmeade this coming weekend, would you do me the favor of accompanying me?”

After the first trip to Hogsmeade, they'd always just either found each other by chance in the village or she went with her group of friends, but they had never actually verbally planned any type of outing together (except the first one).

Harry moved to lean against the corner of the desk, frowning just a little. “I would love to-” There was a smile beginning to form on those normally impassive lips, and oh, now she felt bad. “-but I have a date.”

The quill in the Professor's hand shattered. “

What?

”

Taking his hand carefully and casting a cleaning spell to get rid of ink splatter, making sure that none of the pieces had dug too far into the skin. Ignoring the hissing from the man as she eased the tiny shards (of what looked like ivory) out of his hand. “I have a date. Luna apparently set me up on a date this weekend with Charity Burbage.”

“The Hufflepuff? Why?” Thomas didn't look happy with this news.

She raised a shoulder in a half shrug. “Apparently she did a favor for Luna and so Moon promised her company, but wanted me to go instead because of a date with Bella.”

The tremulous brown eyes narrowed. “What did she do?”

Chuckling softly, Harry pulled out the last shard of ivory and cast a healing spell before cleaning up any remaining blood. “Apparently she put itching powder in all of Dolores Umbridge's robes and shoes.” At the raised eyebrows she grinned. “I don't know why, but I don't like Umbridge anyway, so i'm fine with it.”

“A toast to her sanity then, may it withstand you”

Her giggles escaped, whether she wanted them to or not and she moved to drape herself over the prickly man in a brief hug. “Try not to scowl too much, you tend to look less handsome.” With a small wave, she skipped out of the room.

~

Tom watched the smile of the girl he’d come to think about in his every waking moment with sharp eyes, and should she need him he would be there. Before her smile could waver, before she could get hurt, he would have his wand drawn and a curse on his lips.

He knew this type of all-consuming obsession, he’d felt it before. The desire to hunt down his birthright, the need to find the Chamber of Secrets- they had nothing on the unrelenting burning of his chest when Harriet Peverell smiled.

He would burn down cities for that smile, if it would so please his green-eyed angel.

Oh, he knew he was in too far.

That this stain on his soul had spread so far there was no way back out, but then again, wasn’t giving your soul up willingly to someone easier than splitting it into pieces?

There were a million different ways he’d thought up to manipulate the girl to his side, a thousand different cages he had already thought up to trap the beautiful girl in- she couldn’t leave his side or he wouldn’t know what to do, not again- but he’d dismissed each and every one as soon as they came into his mind.

She would never have forgiven him- he had thought that losing those trusting smiles and gentle hugs would surely be worse than a little bit of freedom.

Tom was regretting that right about now.

He had a perfect little villa down in the Caribbean Islands, completely unplottable, and he was toying with the idea of how the girl would like an extended vacation away from any of the stupid stares she was getting.

Obviously, she had not dressed herself (he was going to kill whoever did dress her, slowly too). Harry was one for worn jeans and leggings that made his wand hand itch to curse half the male population in the school, she was

not

one for short skirts- and were those

fishnets

?

Growling softly to himself, he found an arm twining with his. “She looks lovely today, don’t you think?”

“Yes- she looks lovely every day.” His voice was stiff, unamused. Of course Luna would find him while he was (definitely NOT) stalking her sister. He looked down at the silvery haired girl who was watching Harry fondly. “I thought you had a date?”

Luna looked up at him. “Oh- Well Bella had a meeting with Morgana she had to go to, i’m sure you know how long the processes of negotiation for marriage contracts can go… Or maybe you will in the future.” The girl waved off the way his eyes snapped to her. “Anyways, I was just planning on going and reclaiming my girl’s day out.”

Tom scowled. “Harry said it was a date.”

There was a pause before the girl’s lips curved into a smile so devious he was sure he’d imagined it. “Hmm… must have been a miscommunication error.” Then Luna skipped off as if her whole life wasn’t devoted to causing him unnecessary trouble

Following at a pace befitting of someone who happened to see the girl, he walked over to see Harry with a slight crease on her forehead, but her face smoothed out and she laughed before waving her sister and the Hufflepuff off.

“I see your date got stolen away.”

The slight girl startled, jolting a little and he almost felt bad if not for the way her wide green eyes lit up at seeing him. “Is it bad i’m a little glad? Charity was only hoping for a fun day out on Hogsmeade and I-...” A pretty flush crept over the slightly downturn cheeks and she shifted to try to hide a basket behind her back. “It would have been a little more than awkward.”

Chuckling, he took a step forward to invade her space and leaned in close to gently guide the basket from behind her back, cataloging the slight shiver he gave at his proximity. “And what is this?” His voice was soft, still leaning in close.

She fidgeted. “I- uh- I helped the house elves make a picnic? It’s not much, but I like baking when i’m nervous and it might not show but the last proper date I had was after the war with Gin, even though he really only watched bad-”

“Harry.” He relished the open

trust

in the green eyes that looked up at him, letting a bit of that insufferable fondness curl his lips. “Will you let me accompany you in your picnic?”

“Um- I uh…” Blinking up at him a bit owlishly, she smiled, regaining her normal composure. “I thought you had supervising duties

Professor

?”

And that- that right there was playing dirty. Crossing his arms, he let a bit of steel creep into his eyes and voice. “I am currently off duty due to Professor Sprout’s kindness, but do not think your attitude won’t get you another few days detention, Miss Peverell.”

With the bright smile that he coveted so, the shorter girl moved to take his hand, curling their fingers together so that she could lead him off towards the Shrieking Shack. Her voice was light, as if she didn’t realize his fascination with her smaller, softer hands holding his. “You believe in ghosts Thomas?”

He snorted softly.

Harry just grinned back at him. “Don’t worry. No ghosts will bother you with me around.”

If he took the afternoon talking over grape juice (the closest thing to wine the elves would give her apparently) and assorted foods to spend as much time as he could memorizing every little detail of her face, so sue him, he only really had a little over two weeks until summer… and how torturous would that be to not see his green eyed angel every day?

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Harry focused trying to cut the brownies she’d made into perfect squares.

“So... I heard that students are being called into the hospital to be screened by goblin healers and everything's under powerful secrecy charms.”

She hummed, squinting to see if that was really the middle of the pan.

“And that Luna dyed her hair pink.”

Nope, she was a centimeter off of the center to the left.

There was a pause, and a sigh. “And that Narcissa decided to marry Barty.”

“That’s nice-” She blinked, the conversation catching up to her. “Wait Luna didn’t dye her hair!”

Tom looked incredibly amused, long fingers prying the knife from her and like the perfect perfectionist person he was, cut the brownie tray down the middle like nothing was easier. “So glad you decided to play attention to me.”

She watched his perfect brownie-cutting skills with a slight pout, mentally going over his words from before as she leaned back on her hands, fingers curling in the long grass of the hill by the Shrieking Shack. “I knew that the goblins would get involved, mostly because I asked them to… but they must have been called in by the Ministry if they’re here this early.” At the curiosity in his dark brown orbs, she smiled slightly. “Both Luna and I turn seventeen over break, at which point we can reveal our lordships fully to the world without causing suspicion to why we had been able to previously claim them… we had planned to make next year a living hell for Dumblesnore, but it looks like the Ministry beat us to it.”

“Oh? And do you have plans for your birthday? Seventeen is the legal age of adults in the Wizarding World… What’s the first act of mischief you and that sister of yours are planning to get up to?”

Harry somehow managed to keep a straight face despite that honeyed voice sending chills down her spine (and not in the bad way either), and reached over to grab a brownie. “Depends. Luna has decidedly informed me that there is a countdown to my seventeenth birthday in one of the more…

scandalous

magazines…” She flashed him a mischievous smile.

Ha! Take that! Payback for your voice!

“So who knows?”

Tom’s eyes flashed, voice frosty. “You should sue for slander.” Before she could wave it off--that was NOT how she intended him to take this--the man hissed, voice verging on the edge of parseltongue, “No one should be objectifying you like that! You might not have an issue with it, but I would think that Morgana would see things differently, don’t you think?”

She munched on her brownie. “Well I mean, it bothers me a bit, but I’m sure it’s mostly just stupid publicity. It’s not everyday one comes into the spotlight as both Lady Slytherin and Lady Peverell.” She tilted her head at the man. “And since when did you and ‘Gana get close?”

“She and Abraxas have a mutual… friendship. Your guardian is corrupting my followers just as efficiently as you and your sister it seems.” The man sounded quite put out by this.

Leaning forward, she patted the top of his soft brown hair, steadfastly avoiding his eyes. She knew that if she looked at anything besides his hair… well, she had a brownie to enjoy, she didn’t need her stomach tying itself into knots at his stupid face. “Poor poor Tommy… If it makes you feel any better, none of us Peverell women have any intention of taking over the world for at least another twenty years…”

The man hummed, eyes still watching her with the scrutiny of a snake waiting to strike. She caught his gaze as she pulled away--

stupid!

--and her lungs stopped working.

The moment drew out between them like a red string.

She had to look away

but goddamn she would not be the first one to do so.

Needing to do something to break the thick tension, she took a bite of her brownie, keeping eye contact with him the whole time. She noticed his eyes drop down to her mouth and the flash of her tongue--

HAH take THAT, Tom!

Pretending she noticed nothing, she chewed slowly, let out a (exaggerated but he didn’t have to know that) hum of

enjoyment

, letting her eyes slide half-closed as she swallowed. She noticed Tom swallowed right after she did, and bit the inside of her lip to keep from smirking.

She was definitely winning.

Biting her lip (see Luna she knew how to be flirty… when it wasn’t serious

why would it be serious

), she used her fingers to break off about half of her remaining brownie (because she needed to keep some for herself okay), and held it out to Tom. “I know you’re not a fan of sweets, but at least try a bite?” She smiled softly, widening her eyes pleadingly. “Please?”

When the man sighed in defeat she again leaned forward to hold it out, only to freeze when warm fingers caught her wrist, holding her there as he bit part of it off. Eyes never leaving hers she felt teeth just barely graze her skin as the chocolate dessert was eaten out of her fingers.

Harry? Needing to breathe? Was that a new thing?

Did he just lick her fingers--

She faintly recognized the smirk curling the man’s lips, but she lost all her motor function as the man pulled back, his hand loosening and the hot pads of his fingers traced her arm as he slowly let go of her. “Delicious.”

She needed a drink or a cold shower or maybe just to hide in her wardrobe because every nerve in her body was on fire.

Harry found herself bringing her other hand to that wrist, skin still tingling from where his skin had touched hers. Not able to meet the eyes she could feel now more than ever, she dipped her head a bit and worried at the hem of her worn skinny jeans, making sure to

not

grab her wrist where he just touched it. “So, what are your plans for the summer?” Trying not to wince at the needy way she’d phrased that, she glanced up quickly, almost sighing in relief when there were no emotions of aversion there. Just the familiar heat of watchful eyes and a slight smile on those cunning lips.

“Back to politics and paperwork… unless you have an objection to that?”

Why was his voice so enticing?

Maybe it was a spell. Ooh, if it was a spell she’d have to look it up.

In a rush of the brash Gryffindor behavior she was known for, she looked up with a teasing smile. “A bet then! If Dinglewhore bites the proverbial bullet before the term ends, then it’s an outing of your choosing over the summer- but if he manages to pry the Headmaster position from our hands for another year, then you come back to teach again!”

A grin slid across the handsome face-

oh she was so very screwed either way, but at least now her descent into hell would be smoother this way-

and the man nodded. “Very well. It’s a deal.”

Their hands met, eyes clasping, and she wondered if this was what it felt like to sell her soul.

Luna was the most annoying sister ever.

Try having a split-second picnic with your hot professor slash Dark Lord? Nope- she already knew.

Make a deal with the

handsome

devil himself? Already knows what’s going to happen (but won't tell).

Not to mention she thought it incredibly funny to hint at things but not actually tell her if they were just a joke or some little hint to her future. Through Luna’s wide grin at the end-of-term feast was a clear enough sign: something was going to happen.

And happen something did.

The doors to the Great Hall slammed open, Abraxas stalking into the room looking fabulous, with Morgana looking equally fabulous (with a wine glass in hand because

of course

) on his arm. “Albus Dumbledore, you are under arrest for embezzling money from the Hogwarts scholarship accounts, placing a total of eighty-seven compulsion charms on underage students, sealing the will of one Gellert Grindelwald, neglecting twenty-six claims of your Magical Wards being abused by the families they were placed with, not getting the proper authority to remove a curse on the Defence Against the Dark Arts position, and stealing artifacts from the vaults of your Magical Wards without express permission.”

Morgana stepped forward, eyes shining like liquid mercury in the light of the floating candles. “As proxy to the houses of Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Gryffindor, I am hereby motion to strip you of your title as Headmaster.”

“As representative for the School Board in name of House Hufflepuff, there is unanimous support with the stripping of your title.” Abraxas was actually grinning as he looked back at the two teams of Aurors that had followed them in. “Members of the DMLE, your verdict?”

The group looked almost disgusted at having to even be here, the head of the Bones family stepping forward. “I, Marcus Bones, as acting Head Auror for the DMLE, sentence Albus Dumbledore to Azkaban for the remainder of his natural life.”

The gavel had dropped.

Albus Dumbledore was sent to Azkaban for the crimes he'd committed, the DMLE having checked all the willing students they could for compulsion charms and found most all the students from influential families had them.

Hogwarts was scheduled to close fully for the summer, as the school was going to be subjected to a thorough inspection by the School Board, classes and curriculum already being set to change.

All in all, she and Luna felt accomplished.

They could always take their NEWTS over the summer anyways. Their main goal was overturned, and now? Now they could live knowing that no one else would die by the crazy Headmaster’s hands (But Azrael had demanded that she come with them- she was still stuck on the

‘hatchlings’

thing).

Though she had a feeling, that from Tom's wide smirk, that the coming summer was going to throw a wrench in all her 'life un-bothered by other humans' plans.

But she'd be lying if she wasn't a little bit excited for what was to come.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Luna and her were walking down to the carriages, when a voice called after them. “Miss Peverell!”

Stopping to smile back at Tom, Harry raised an eyebrow. “Something the matter, Mr. Gaunt?”

“I know that you don't have the best experiences with galas, but the Malfoys are hosting a Summer Ball and I would like you to be there. It's only though invite, only people that I trust.” In his hand was a golden invitation.

Luna and Harry glanced at each other.

“Please, come to the ball.” The man’s eyes were carefully unreadable. “Everyone will be in masks and glamours, some even with voice modifying charms. It’s an old game of the Malfoys to try to find suitable matches that actually get along. You and your sister should come, if not for the possible marriage contracts, then the dancing and wine. Your guardian is welcome as well, if you wish and I do believe you owe me an outing of my choice.”

Harry looked at Luna, who nodded and started walking away. She took the invitation hesitantly. “If you start stalking me again, i’ll hex your ass so fast…”

That got a laugh from the man, Tom letting go of her with one of his half-smiles that made her stomach flip. “No stalking. Not now that you’ll actually talk to me.”

“Fine then. We'll be there… Goodbye Thomas.” With a slight smile, she turned on her heel, meeting Luna by the train.

Three adults were waiting for them at the train station, Abraxas and Morgana in their usual state of finery, but the dark-haired man with the pale skin and slightly sunk in cheeks threw her off.

Saying their goodbyes to the rest of the group, Narcissa, Lucius, Luna, and her made their way over. The other three started up a conversation with the two

idiots

adults, but she only stared at the man’s eyes that were like black pits. “I haven’t seen you for a long while.” Her smile was thin. “I hope you aren’t here to see anyone I know…”

The man smiled stiffly, as if his face was not used to the motion, eyes glinting like the endless night sky. “I have not. I only come to see you safely home, mistress.”

“Oh… okay.” She smiled softly. “Then is it alright if I give you a hug?”

The deity’s eyes widened slightly, before he opened his arms, and she took that as an invitation to give the man a long hug. Slowly, hands patted her back awkwardly. “I have never…”

The sentence wasn’t finished, but her heart ached all the same. “Yeah. I figured as much.” Pulling back, she smiled and took the man’s slightly colder hand. “Don’t worry. You’ll get tired of them by the time break is over.”

Morgana moved over, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “Darling, how has school been? Any potential husbands I should know about?”

Mortification turned her face red.

“Morgana, step off your platform. Harry will not be tying herself to just any mere

mortal

.” Death’s scowl was sharp, but he quickly tried to backtrack when the three blondes of the group looked at him like he was crazy. “My mistress will have nothing but the finest suitor- and

only

if she wants that for herself!”

Luna giggled, patting the man’s other arm. “You’re really not helping your case Mortis. Now come on, let’s go home before you butcher any more of the english language trying to tell of ‘Gana for bothering Harry.”

With quick goodbyes to the Malfoys (and Narcissa), they flooed home.

Luna and Harry went off to their rooms to unpack, but there was loud sounds as soon as they left, yelling starting up.
“-not be marrying him!” The sound of something shattering.

“Why not!” Bang. Bang. Crash. “-eserves to be happy!”

A loud metallic sound, the sound of glass cracking. “-ut not with HIM!”

Harry paused, looking back to where they had come up the stairs. “Should we- ah... do something?”

“No.” Luna hooked her arm, shaking her head softly as she pulled her away. “They just need to sort some things out. I’m sure they’ll be fine.”

The house seemed to shudder a few times while they unpacked, but Luna didn’t looked worried so she just shrugged it off. When they were done, the downstairs suspiciously quiet- they both made their way down.

Morgana and Mortis were sitting in the dining room at either end of a large table, glaring at each other, but other than that the house was still intact. The woman narrowed her eyes at the personification of Death, before smiling at them. “Hungry darlings?”

Harry looked to Luna, who just gave a half shrug. “Yeah… I guess so.”

The invitation said the date was the week after her ‘seventeenth’ birthday, Morgana happy for the chance for them to mingle (and possibly get Harry a boyfriend
not that she’d be interested in anyone but a certain ex-professor
), even as Mortis frowned unhappily.

Narcissa and Bellatrix came over to celebrate, Abraxas joining them, and Harry amused herself with watching Morgana and the elder Malfoy gossip while getting progressively drunker (Mortis had gone somewhere else as soon as the wine came out and she didn’t want to think of what her sister and Bella were getting up to).

Narcissa leaned over to her when Morgana started to paint the man’s toenails purple. “Do you understand what you’re seeing?”

“Nope.”

The girl was watching the scene in front of them as if it was a train-wreck happening before her very eyes. “Me neither…”

Harry shook her head, smiling at the girl as if her guardian wasn’t giggling like a suburban mom about hearing which of the Death Eaters had gotten in trouble lately. “So what do you have planned for the summer?”

“Well, at the moment the big talk of the town is the Summer Ball the Malfoys are hosting.” Knowing eyes glanced at her, a smile on the girl’s lips. “Are you going?”

Flopping onto her back, she stared at the ceiling mural of the stars, voice petulant. “How do you know I got an invitation?”

Narcissa giggled. “Mr. Gaunt- he

must

have given you one- you are his favorite after all.”

There was something under the teasing in the girl’s voice but Harry couldn’t place it so she brushed it off. She let her green eyes slide over to the wide grin, sighing. “Yeah… He and I made a bet on when Dundlepoor would get booted out of Hogwarts… so I guess I kind of have to go, don’t I?”

“Yup!” The girl looked beside herself with glee. “But don’t worry- I’m sure that Mr. Gaunt would be happy to keep you company if you don’t know anyone!”

She huffed, closing her eyes, her voice a quiet mutter. “That’s what i’m afraid of.”

They got gifts from friends the next day, Morgana spending an hour arguing with the Dragon she’d bitterly named Arthur (apparently he was too hot-headed or something) over trying to eat the messenger owls.

From Severus were two vials of golden Felix Felicis potions, Regulus having gotten then both intricate curved swords from the Black family vaults, Lucius had sent over a stack of obscure books for the two of them, and Barty had made two incredible rune pendants that would help ward off harmful spells.

Narcissa had gone all out- getting them both beautiful ballgowns- Luna’s silver and pale blues while Harry’s was green velvet with gold trim (the girl had just winked when Harry mocked her about the Slytherin colors, as they both knew Harry actually liked it). Whereas Bellatrix had just gave Luna a very long and passionate kiss and then flipped off Harry for acting as if she was going to throw up.

Mortis presented both girls with picture frames- both girls trying to hold in their tears when they were pictures of their old families- having to beg Morgana to help him when two crying teenage girls enfolded him in a hug and wouldn’t let go.

Abraxas joined in with Morgana on her present, promising them lessons in Wizarding Law while Morgana announced she would teach them to sword-fight (ignoring Mortis’ frowning disapproval).

But Harry’s favorite gift came with a large red-tailed hawk.

Pecking at her fingers lightly before letting her reach for the package tied to it’s leg, she unwrapped it to find a soft brown leather journal with golden edges, and upon flipping it over she found a familiar name right at the bottom like she expected.

‘Tom Marvolo Riddle’

Just opening it to see there were words inside and not just blank pages, she smiled before closing it. She’d read it later, after talking to the man at the ball.

Also inside the package were two masks. One, like the feathers around the eyes of an owl, the other a blue mask that rose into what looked like butterfly wings.

Snorting, she shook her head.

Of course he wanted to rig the game, be able to pick out everyone in the crowd that he knew.

Well, he was gonna be in for a surprise when she didn’t play by his rules (he really should know better by now).

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"Mistress... do you really think it wise to go to this event?" Mortis frowned at her, leaning against the wall as she dressed.

With a hum, she glanced at the pale man. "Yeah? Why- are you worried about me?" Her smile was teasing even as she tried to reach around to get the zipper up.

Sighing, Death moved forward, batting her hand away and pulling the zipper up. Cold hands settled on her shoulders and in the mirror it looked vaguely as if there was a looming shadow handing over her. "I do trust that you are smart enough to see when to leave a dangerous situation, Mistress. It is more that I fear you do not know all of what drives this man, all his goals."

Harry smiled up at her guardian, the never-ending entity of darkness, and turned to pull him into a hug. "Thank you for caring, but I will be fine."

They stood like that for a long moment and she wondered if this was what it was like to have a father.

Pulling back, she grabbed the two masks on her dresser and started for the door.

"I can heal a lot of wounds, Mistress..." The words made her pause, her hand on the door. "But I cannot fix a broken heart."

Swallowing the lump of ice in her throat and pushing it so far down in her mind that she wouldn't have to think about it, Harry nodded but didn't look back, not wanting to meet those endless pits the man had for eyes. "I understand."

Giving her blue mask to Bellatrix before the gala, she waited a few minutes after the eldest Black sister and Luna had gone through together, before putting on the mask she’d made herself and stepping through the floo after Morgana.

Her mask was modeled after her animagus of an arctic fox (with the ears and everything), a glamour on her eyes to make them blue and her hair to make it look a light brown (and conceal the little clinking beads that would give her away).

Winking at Morgana, she moved smoothly to the drink table, spotting a tall man in a black skull mask. The only black skull mask, where most of the skull masks around the room were white or silver.
Tom- she knew it was him- approached Luna and Bellatrix, bowing and holding out his hand to the dark-haired girl.

She hid a giggle behind the glass of white wine she'd picked up.

This should be good.

Bellatrix in turn bowed, words spoken, and in an instant she saw the line of Tom's back stiffen. Calculating brown

eyes flicked up to scan the room, catching her own eyes for a long second.

She tried her best to act as if she was unaffected, but her pulse raced.

Had he found her already? He shouldn't have, her glamour was perfect!

But the dark eyes looked down to the glass in her hand and with a moody frown curling on his lips, the man turned to stalk towards a blond man in a silver skull mask she was assuming was Abraxas.

So… he’d caught her preference for red wine. Interesting. Putting down the white wine she’d been pretending to sip, she moved into the crowd easily.

Finding Severus easily in a black mask of a bat, she smiled widely. “Felix Felicis? Really?”

He blinked at her for a second before a smile curved his lips. “Well, with your penchant for trouble…”

“True.” She laughed easily, before holding out a hand. “Care for a dance?”

Severus took her hand, leading them into a smooth waltz. “You’re not wearing the mask that you were given, are you- Because you knew that he’d find you the instant you walked in.” It wasn’t really a question. “I know you know who he is and I know that with your magical talent you’re practically his equal, so he treats you like one. I also know however, that I was told to tell him immediately if you slipped through his plan.”

Harry grinned. “Really? Because the moment I approached you, you were under a lip-locking charm. So technically, you

can’t

tell him.”

The boy smirked back at her. “Very clever… I suppose I should point you to Regulus?”

At her nod, she was pointed subtly to a boy in a white mask that was painted with green swirls. Moving to dance with a few other people, she then moved to the youngest Black brother. Making sure to dance with people at random to distract the brown eyes scanning the crowd from what looked like a raised throne (fucking drama queen),

she moved onto Lucius who was wearing a reflective mask, then to Narcissa who was wearing a mask with big white bunny ears.

After saying hello to most all her friends and even dancing with Luna once, she was walking to the small table of snacks, when a hand snaked through her arm. Barty grinned at her from where he'd appeared. "Nice Lip-locking charm."

Smiling, she shook her head. "I forget how stupidly smart you are sometimes

Bartholomew..."

"And how sly you are, Harriet."

They both smiled, talking as they nibbled on some fruit and cheeses, before the boy bowed a bit and extended his hand to her. "May I have a dance princess?"

“You may, my loyal knight." Harry grinned, moving to take his extending hand and letting herself be twirled around. "So... are you gonna give me away? Or can we just dance for a little while?”

The boy’s smile was fond. “Sorry princess. You know how he is when he gets mad.”

She felt the glamour on her eyes and hair disappear, sighing, and when she was dipped again she saw black dress shoes stalking towards her. Pulled back up, she was twirled around, only to be caught by another pair of arms. Looking up at where dark brown eyes were narrowed on her, she smiled sheepishly. “Hey Thomas... Funny seeing you here...”

“You always do your best to push my limits, don’t you, little one?” The hand on her waist squeezed just a little to emphasis his words and she could feel her heart stutter in her chest. “Those masks were a

gift.

To be worn by you and your sister

alone.

So imagine my surprise when the black-haired girl on Luna’s arm calls me

‘my lord’

?”

Harry snickered lightly. “Wow. Must’ve been traumatizing.” The hand squeezed a little tighter and she laughed, moving a little closer to the man (her very blood seemed to be vibrating at having him so close). “Thank you, for the gift, by the way. It’s really beautiful.”

The man tensed a little. “You read it?”

Giggling, she tilted her head. “Why, does it have all your teenage wet dreams? No, I checked it for a horcrux and then set it aside. Figured i’d read it after I talked to you.”

“Can I have it back then?”

Harry blinked up at the man whose eyes betrayed apprehension. “If you want. I don’t need to read something that’s overly personal to you…”

There was a conflict being sorted in the man’s eyes before he huffed out a short sigh. “No… it’s okay.” Moving to spin her around, the man’s eyes lightened. “So, have you seen the desert table?”

She perked up. “What? No! Where is it?”

Talking quietly, Harry perched on the arm of the throne, they watched the crowd and shared quiet opinions of people’s outfits. As the night went on they talked about a varying range of subjects from people they would kill in the room to favorite flavors of ice cream.

Eventually she was yawning, leaning against him, his arm around her waist keeping her from slumping. Catching Luna’s eyes across the room and her sisters point to her own mask and then Harry, she blinked, shifting slightly to glance at the man next to her. Luna had a point. “Can I shift into my animagus? It’d be a lot easier.”

Tom looked up at her in surprise, nodding slightly.

Hopping down from her perch, she smirked. “One sec.”

Moving behind the back of the throne, she untied the mask and put it on the ground, transforming smoothly. Getting adjusted to once again being on four paws, she picked up the mask in her teeth lightly, padding around the the front of the throne and hopping up onto the man’s lap.

Brown eyes blinked at her and he moved to take the mask from her gently before long fingers were scratching behind her small ears. Chirping softly, she moved to lay in the indent of his legs, tail flicking happily as he continued to run his fingers down her spine soothingly.

Before long, her eyes were drifting closed.

Harry felt herself be gathered into warm arms, lifted up. “Harry… Little one, your sister and Bella are retiring to a room in the manor… are you okay sleeping here?”

Blinking up at the man, she found herself chirping softly before pushing her nose further into the silky fabric that smelled of warm spices.

There was a huffing laugh. “Do

you

speak fox?”

Luna’s voice was soft. “She can stay with you for the night. She tends to sleep badly if she’s alone, and I’m afraid waking up here while an animagus without someone by her side would be too much.” The familiar voice took on a harder undertone. “However, if I find that you acted in any way improper without her explicit written consent, I will cut your head off with Harry’s favorite sword and not feel an

ounce

of regret.”

The man holding her rubbed softly at one of her paws with his thumb. “Got it. Written consent.” With a soft chuckle, they were moving again. Only getting jostled a little with the sound of an door being opened and closed, she was laid down on silky sheets, the warm arms retracting.

Blinking her eyes open as the cold creeped in, she chirped, eyes adjusting to the faint light as her heartbeat started to race at being alone in an unfamiliar place.

Had she been kidnapped? Where was she again? What had-

“It’s alright little one. You’re not alone, i’m right here.” The voice was a murmur, coming from where a soft light spilled from a cracked door, as if talking to a small child to calm them down. “One second lovely, i’ll be right there...”

Trying to make herself comfortable, she ended up just sitting on her back haunches, tail flicking agitatedly at not being able to see the man.

The door opened, Tom padding out, and she blinked in surprise. He was wearing low-hanging sleep pants, but his chest was bare. He wasn’t overly muscular, more broad with lean muscles, but his arms (as she’d pretended not to have noticed before) were lined with veins that made her chest burn uncomfortably. The man raised an eyebrow at her. “See something you like?”

No- just, well- damn, why do you have to look like THAT?

Huffing, she turned and buried her way under the covers, moving all the way to the end of the bed.

“Little one… I was joking, come back?” The man moved to raise the covers, his amused eyes meeting hers. “Come on darling, you have to be cold without your own personal heater and you probably don’t want my cold feet anywhere near you… will you come out from there?”

I'm not happy about this. I'm going to run for Minister of Magic and make not wearing shirts illegal if you dare try to give me a heart attack like that again.

Harry slowly moved out of the covers, sitting on the far side of the bed and staring at him.

Tom huffed softly, rolling his eyes and climbing under the covers to lay down, watching her.

Neither moved.

A pale hand shot out, but she dodged it nimbly, nipping at his fingers before evading the other hand and dancing down to the end of the bed. Brown eyes narrowed at her. “Quick little thing, aren’t you?”

Harry gave a mocking chirp, jumping from the bed to avoid his lunge.

Maybe you're just slow! HA- take that Tom! You might be hot, but you're still slow!

Looking at him with narrowed eyes, she watched as he heaved a long sigh and flopped back into the bed. Jumping back up on the bed, she continued their staring match. Content that he wouldn’t try to grab her again after a few long minutes, she slowly inched forward.

He raised his hand, pausing when she growled under her breath. “You won’t let me pet you?” Hissing slightly when she bit his finger softly, she moved closer, tucking herself under his arm and flopping down against his chest. A soft laugh vibrated through her back. “Can I move now little one?”

Yeah, or I wouldn't be laying here you big idiot.
Tilting her head back to look at him with lazy eyes and huffing, she found the arm he’d had raised moving to cage her against the warm chest.

“Morgana’s right in calling you a brat you know.”

She ended up biting him a little too hard for that and when he hissed loudly she soothed the wound with her tongue before nosing at the spot in a half apology.

Oh great... Another thing in her growing list of things she’d refuse to ever admit: Tom tasted like the same earthy spices he smelled of, but she’d

forever

deny liking it.

The man snorted softly. “Goodnight Harry.”

Nosing at the inside of his wrist, she exhaled a long breath and relaxed into the sleep waiting for her.

Goodnight Tom.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Waking up with a soft yawn, she wiggled slightly, feeling uncomfortable at having fallen asleep in her dress. “Lulu, lemme go… I have’ta get outta this bloody dress or i’m going to

suffocate

.”

“Well, we wouldn’t want that, would we?”

Eyes flying open, she pushed herself away from the half-dressed man, and would have fallen off the bed if it weren’t for a hand catching her wrist. Tearing her hand away, she stood up, hands nervously smoothing over her dress. “Thomas... I- I thought-”

There was an amused smile on his lips. “Luna stayed the night here with Bella, asked me to keep you company so you didn’t suffer emotional distress.”

Jokes on her sister- Harry was suffering emotional distress by having this man so close to her without a shirt.

Moving instead to glance around the room, she swallowed her nerves, just glad that the man was there instead of being left alone. She could trust him. He’d never put her in harm’s way before.

“Are you alright? You may borrow some clothes if you so wish to get out of that dress...”

Glancing at the man, she gripped unconsciously at the simple fabric of the slightly tight blue dress she was wearing. “Yes, thank you. I would appreciate that very much.”

The man moved smoothly to his closet, pulling out a simple black button up and a pair of knee-length trousers. “These should fit then and if needed, I know a few sizing charms.”

Trying to keep from turning red, she turned around and moved her hair to the side. “Can you please unzip my dress? I would do it myself, but I don’t think I could reach...”

There was a pause, before he answered, voice sounding slightly pinched. “No worries.” Warm fingers brushed her neck slightly, the zipper slowly dragged down to the curve of her spine. “I’m sure you can get it from there.”

Giving him a smile in thanks, she moved, pausing at the door. “Mind if I shower?”

Tom pressed his lips tightly together, eyes burning with some unreadable emotion. “If you wish.”

“Thanks!” Smiling, she closed the door behind her, stripping and turning on the shower. Trying to be as quick as possible while still washing out her hair, she stepped out and cast a wandless drying spell, before pulling on her underclothes as well as the shirt Thomas had provided.
It hung loosely from her frame.
She grimaced in the mirror- she hated how lumpy loose shirts made her look. Who knew breasts were such a pain?

She tried pulling on the pair of pants Tom had given her, only- ah, damn. They were just long enough that she would trip on them, and fit just wrong to where she couldn’t roll them up right. She hissed out through her teeth in frustration. Really?

Really??

Next time she was bringing a duffle bag with her own change of clothes to a dance, convention be damned.

Well, she looked in the mirror, at least the shirt was long enough that she could

technically

wear it as a dress. A very short, very loose dress-

Nah, she would ask him for another pair of pants.

Mind made up, she folded the cursed pair of pants- why couldn’t they just fit and spare her the indignity- and walked out into the main bedroom. “Hey Tom these pants don’t fit me, do you have another pair I could try?” She placed the folded pair of pants on the end of the bed before turning to look at him, wondering why he hadn’t yet responded.

He was staring at her. Like, intense staring, full on you-have-captured-every-last-one-of-my-brain-cells staring, the heat of his gaze making her flush red with embarrassment even though she had been

completely

comfortable just moments before. She looked down at the floor and fidgeted with the ends of the shirt cuffs (his shirt). “Please?” she asked quietly.

He still didn’t respond.

She looked back up at him and gave him her best glare (though it was kind of ruined by the disembodied screaming in the back of her brain). “Tom if you don’t get me another pair of pants I’ll go out to breakfast dressed like this.”

“

No!

” Tom snapped, then coughed suspiciously. “I, ah, I should have another pair that would fit you.” He shifted uncomfortably under the covers. “Just… go put your hair up, in the bathroom, and I’ll have them for you.”

Giving him a long look at his strange response (because seriously what did that even mean??) she turned and walked back into the bathroom. She checked her hair in the mirror- really, it didn’t look that bad, what was up with him?- and quickly tied her hair back into a slightly messy bun.

“Here.”

Harry froze at the sudden heat of Tom’s presence behind her. He put the pair of pants he’d gotten for her on the counter. “These should do,” he said.

“Thanks,” Harry responded, forcing nonchalance into her voice.

He was right there. Why was he standing so close? That was dumb of him. Maybe if he got out of her personal space she wouldn’t feel so… so weird.

Finally, he moved away, and she shut the door before shimmying into the pants he gave her. Sighing at how much more hassle getting ready was this morning than it should have been, she left the bathroom for the final time (thank Merlin) and smiled at where the Dark Lord was sitting on the edge of his bed, fully dressed and watching her. “I assume the people that stayed the night are meeting up for breakfast?”

Nodding slightly, the man stood. “No one but you, your sister, and a few of my followers stayed- but yes they will be waiting for us. Do you need a resizing charm?”

Harry just waved her hand. The clothes weren’t that much bigger on her, mostly just a little long, but they were comfy enough that she didn’t care. “It’s fine. They’re quite comfortable actually, thank you.”

“And are you planning on wearing shoes?”

She snorted. “Those heals from last night? No way I would be caught dead in them without Morgana holding me at sword-point.” Starting out, she skipped through the halls she’d occasionally roamed whenever she’d been invited to a Malfoy ball after the war and couldn’t refuse because Narcissa always guilted her and Luna (and sometimes Neville) into coming.

Entering the dining room, she immediately covered her eyes with a squawk. “Hey! PDA! I thought I had a rule against making out over breakfast!”

Bella pulled back with a sly grin at her. “Hey green-eyes. I see

your

night was interesting.”

She scoffed. “Less than yours- and before you start- I don’t ever want to hear anything about you and my sister hooking up or I swear i’ll drink bleach.”

“You will do

nothing

of the sort.” Thomas looked at her, nose wrinkled in distaste. “Must you skip like a child everywhere you go?”

Harry just rolled her eyes, moving to sit in an open seat between Barty and Regulus. “Hey Barts! I’m still mad at you about that whole ‘taking my glamours off’ thing, but I’m willing to let it slide If you get me some chocolate...”

The boy looked abnormally pale and fidgety but nodded. “Um- yeah- sure Harry…”

Luna called over the table. “Harry, dear, why don’t you sit next to me? I’d be more than happy to braid your hair.”

Shrugging, she ruffled the boy’s hair with a snicker, before moving around the table to sit in between Luna and Thomas (who had a deep frown on his face). She turned in her seat so Luna could do her hair, raising an eyebrow at the man. “Snake got your tongue? What’s making you all moody oh great Dark Lord Voldyshorts?”

A dark glare was sent her way. “You know I will not hesitate to convince the elves to take all the sugary items you posses...”

“Wow. Uncalled for,

Thomas

.” She raised her foot, jabbing the side of his leg with her toes. “So are you going to be moody all day? Because knowing Luna and Bella, they’re gonna stay connected by the hip for as long as they can, and I don’t wanna deal with Morgana alone... so I was planning on staying here.”

Brown eyes turned on her fully this time, curious. “Oh?”

She shrugged, moving to tuck her cold toes under his thighs with a half-smile. “I think Morgana would only piss me off with her talk of marriage if I go home, so i’m more than fine staying here.”

Luna leaned over so Harry could see her out of the corner of her eye. “She started that again? Want me to talk to her? I had thought Mortis told her to lay off trying to get you to marry.”

Harry rolled her eyes. “She went from insisting that

‘proper young ladies do not dance naked in the forest’

and

‘proper young ladies don’t make sex jokes’

to

‘Harry, you need to get married and carry on your line with an heir’.

Honestly, I only listen half the time she starts to lecture, mostly because sometimes I can get her to repeat said sex jokes.” She giggled. “You should have heard when I got her to ask me what a-”

“I don’t really think this is the best place or time Harry-kins.” Luna chuckled. “But I do still want to get you drunk and set you on the angry tree, maybe even get a picture of it. I remember Neville and Draco laughing their asses off.”

She felt all her blood rush to her face. “Luna! I thought we talked about this! Draco had gotten me drunk and then started pestering me about Ginny so I was both intoxicated and irrationally mad!”

The girl snickered. “Still never letting you live it down. Or that time in America that you decided to try your hand at being a stipper. ‘Can’t be harder than Quidditch’ didn’t you say?”

Harry buried her face in her hands, slipping into parseltongue.

“Moon, you know that this is not the time, hell you were just scolding me for my language!”

Her sister laughed.

“I couldn’t help it.”

Her hair was released.

“But you should really put a stipper pole into the ballroom, teach me how to dance like that. I’ve never seen anyone get so much money in one night- or phone numbers.”

She rolled her eyes.

“I’m never doing that again. I was so embarrassed and i’d never had that many guys hitting on me.”

Scoffing, she touched where her hair was braided back, returning to English. “Thanks Moon.”

“Mhmm.” Luna made a noise of confirmation, but it was muffled and Harry looked up at Thomas with a frown.

“They’re making out again, aren’t they?”

The man nodded, eyes black pits. “Indeed.” She sighed, about to remove her (now warm) toes from under his thighs, when long fingers caught her heels nimbly. “You can remain as you are... I don’t mind.”

Blinking at him, she smiled fondly. “Thanks.” Twisting slightly to grab her plate, she ate like that, sideways on her chair with her toes tucked under Thomas’ warm thighs.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Harry was laid out across a settee in Tom’s office, reading as the man did some of the paperwork he had to catch up on. Putting down her book with a sigh, she stared at the ceiling.

“What’s on your mind?”

Glancing over at the dark eyes watching her, she shrugged. “I can’t bring myself to fully believe that Dumbledore’s gone… I mean- I’m happy that the two of you are both stepping away from this battle, but it just-” She shook her head. “Luna and I are taking our NEWTS next week, so we won’t be going back to Hogwarts, but… I still…”

“Feel like there’s something missing?” The man’s voice was amused. “Well... what did you wish to do with your life if you didn’t have the war?”

The ceiling was really interesting and she stared at it pointedly, shrugging.

There was a soft sigh. “Harry… You don’t have to tell me, but talking it out with someone other than you sister might help.”

Looking down at her hands, she picked at one of her fingernails, trying to get all of the blue nail polish off that Narcissa had put on her during their sleepover. “I was going to get married, have kids… I had planned to be an Auror but after the war I really only wanted to help people. Before the whole mess with Ginny I had planned to get support for an orphanage, to take in abused muggle-borns and teach them about our society…”

“So why don’t you do that? You’d be great at running an orphanage- and an amazing mother.” His voice held some hidden weight but she was too busy thinking over the words themselves to notice.

She was about to ask for his help as a politician to get the orphanage idea up and running, when the door to Tom’s study slammed open.

Mortis, in his neat suit, stalked in with dark eyes. “I believe you have stayed here long enough, Mistress.”

Tom stood, eyes burning, and the room chilled. “Who are you to burst in here like this and what power do you have to order her around!?”

“I’m her father.” Was Mortis’ dry response, the void in his eyes even more tremulous than usual. He looked at her with a piercing gaze. “Now Mistress- we’re going. I will not have you around this

man.

”

Harry held up her hand to where Tom looked ready to hex the entity, touching Mortis’ arm lightly. “Mortis… what’s wrong? You surely know that Thomas wouldn’t hurt me… Has something happened?”

The black pit-like pupils trembled, expanding to encompass all the white in the man’s eyes and for a second all the light in the room seemed to be sucked into Death’s orbit. Then with a deep breath of air, the man held up a thin rectangular object. “I found this.”

The golden lettering on the back of the journal glimmered.

She looked at Tom, who looked a little pale- probably with both seeing his journal and in the hands of

Death

no less. “Thomas?” Her voice was small, unsure, and his eyes flicked to her.

They both knew what was going through her brain.

What was in that journal that was worrisome enough for the entity of Death himself to intervene on her behalf?

“Come on Mistress. We’re leaving.” A cold hand wrapped around her wrist and she let herself be pulled from the study.

“Harry-” Tom moved forward, but stopped, face regretful and she felt her stomach sink. “I- I was young and blind… I didn’t- I hadn’t met you…”

Mortis glared back at the man. “The ends justify the means, right

Tom

?”

And then shadows were wrapping around them both, curling around her like a cold embrace. The last she saw was her name on Tom’s lips, before she found herself standing numbly in the kitchen of the Peverell Manor.

Morgana walked in, stopping short at the look on her face. “Mortis…”

A journal was thrown roughly on the table. “Read it and tell me i’m wrong.” Then he was gone too and she was left alone, reeling.

“Mor- Morgana?”

The woman moved forward, silver eyes concerned. “Yes darling?”

Her hands were shaking as she picked up the leather journal, voice barely above a whisper. “Give Luna an hour… Then shut down the wards.”

There was no reminder of how that would basically make the Manor inaccessible from the outside world, unplottable and under layers of death magic so strong it could hold out a thousand armies. Harry already knew that was exactly what she was asking.

With out another word, she moved to the greenhouse.

Like the beginning of any story, there is the exposition.

The story of Tom Riddle started with the orphanage, his coming into magic though controlling the children around him though fear, his obsession with control. It made her sick, but she pressed on.

Then Dumbledore came into Tom Riddle’s life.

Hogwarts was brilliant, but it changed him. The young boy so full of hope found that even in the world of wonder he would be treated like dirt, like a second-class citizen, unless he grew to be stronger.

So stronger Tom Riddle grew. Within three years he was ruling the Slytherin Court, and then he found about his bloodline, his family.

That was when his story started to change from the one she knew.

October 31st, 1941

I normally dream of the Chamber, the marble walls, the untapped power that would come with finding Salazar’s secret rooms… But last night I had a strange dream, unusual from my usual dreams of power and revenge.

Green eyes.

Green eyes so brilliant that they were the only thing I could see, gleaming in the darkness. And for some reason I can see nothing but those eyes. I find myself staring, lost in thought, at the different colors of green in the potions storage room.

Even asking Abraxas, there is no such color of any fabric or potion that we can seek out and for some reason that makes me irrationally irritated, as if there is something within me turning with the need to possess something that beautiful…

-Riddle

Stomach turning, Harry read on.

The normally meticulous boy seemed to go crazy with obsession over this dream- the same green eyes watching him in the midst of darkness.

July 5th, 1942

I did it. I found my father, that pig, and killed him. I am the end of the Riddle line and no more will carry this diluted blood.

But none of that bothered me.

Nothing but the color of that spell, the killing curse. It was the same green of the eyes that haunt my sleep. Except now I am left with no dreams. The green eyes are gone, having left my mind to leave way for the dreams of cold marble and a chamber that seems almost empty and cold.

Worthless.

The power that came with the Chamber will never match the burning feeling I felt- as if being reborn- when I was caught in the gaze of those emerald eyes.

-Riddle

So… he lied.

There was a horcrux. He had killed his family after all.

Harry cursed herself for believing anything that had come out of his mouth, taking a deep breath, but when it came back out it was wet and shuddering. A sob caught in her throat.

She had wanted to believe-

There was a soft knock on the door, Luna looking at her with eyes the color of sea-foam. “I hope you don’t mind… I brought Narcissa and Bellatrix.” There must have been something in her eyes, some hurt broken jaggedness that she felt she had swallowed because her sister moved over to where she’d curled up under a mango tree. “What happened Harry?”

“He lied.” The journal was shoved at her sister.

Luna read the passage, looking as if the wind had gotten knocked out of her for a second before closing it and standing, extending her hand. “Come on. I think we should get multiple people in on this.”

Telling the two Black sisters had been hard, but it wasn’t as hard as watching them read the journal, feeling the second-hand rage and hurt wash over her again. Eventually after a night of ice cream, liquor, and crying, they sat down and Morgana read the journal out loud as if it was a novel.

August 24th, 1942

The green eyes won’t come back and I think it has something to do with the horcrux- the ring. But I won’t give up my chance at mortality. Not for any dream.

Though I have to wonder… will I ever see those eyes again?

I miss dreaming. That darkness, the burning in my veins, the soft look in those emerald orbs… I will do anything to find her- I know somehow that those green eyes belong to a witch, one of unimaginable power at that.

-Riddle

Everything seemed to fall into place. The book on Prophetic Dreams that he had from the restricted section of the library, the way he had wanted his journal back, the way he had acted when they had first met.

Harry grabbed the journal from Morgana’s hands before she could read on. “I’m setting it on fire.”

Luna grabbed her wrist before she could throw the journal in the fireplace. “Harry… think about this…”

“Think aBOUT

WHAT

LUNA?” There were tears on her cheeks hands shaking. “I loved-

love

him and all he sees me as… is a weapon.” Her laughter was mixed with sobs, hands letting the journal drop to the floor. “I- I gave him

exactly

what he- what he wanted. I got Dumbledore out of the way, came to his side willingly-

GOD how STUPID am I?

”

There was a quiet silence, Luna holding Harry as she sobbed into her sister’s shoulder.

Then came the soft but resolute voice of Morgana. “One week. We are going to stay here for one week, cry and eat ice cream and paint our nails and get drunk- then we are going on a vacation.”

The room looked at each other.

Bella didn’t look fazed in the slightest. “So… Where are we going to go Harry? What do you want to see of the world?”

Her laugh was dry, but still as hurt. “Anywhere that

He

can’t reach me.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Tom Riddle, Thomas Gaunt, Lord Voldemort… the man with the dark brown eyes and cupid’s bow lips sat on his throne lost in thought.

Green eyes haunted his brain as they had since he was thirteen and obsessed with the power that he now had under his feet-

But now along with those green eyes were pink lips curved up in a kind smile, a small button nose that would scrunch up when aggravated, and the intoxicating smell of peppermint and chocolate that she gave off when her magic was rising to her skin...

Now it wasn’t just the power or those beautiful eyes that held him captive.

It was her.

Harry herself held had drawn him in like a siren, with her soft smiles and warm hugs… and now she was gone.

She’d been gone for two and a half weeks now.

“Milord?”

Tom’s head snapped up. “Abraxas. Any news?”

The man had been in the Peverell Manor many times more than Tom and had been tasked with finding it and bringing Harry back to him, but the man shook his head, looking worn thin. “It’s gone. I- I cannot find it anywhere, not even the potion you gave me… It must be warded with magic stronger than the fidelius charm.”

He growled lowly.

How dare that man- that horrible man with the black eyes- take his beloved from him? Hidden her away behind powerful wards? Tom should have done that first- made her stay with him like he’d originally planned, but no he had been weak to her charms. Stupid.

“What… what now my Lord?”

“Bring in her friends.” If he had to pry her location from the minds of her friends, then so be it.

Abraxas paled, but nodded, and moved away.

A group, (

The Emerald Knights

- as his traitorous brain supplied) were led in. They looked like hell, but still they stuck together as a group. Disgustingly loyal, even as a part of his heart ached to have been able show her just how loyal he could be, how she should never have left him.

But the sadistic, cruel part of his brain just spat at that notion.

She’d turned his followers into Hufflepuffs.

“Tell me… Where is Harriet Peverell?”

There was not a word.

See? They cannot even answer a simple question for their Lord.

Standing, he strolled down from the dais his throne was on (the same throne she had sat next to him on, let the possessive part of him revel in letting everyone know she was

his

), stopping in front of Barty Crouch Jr. “Barty…” The boy flinched. “Tell me… Where did my dear Harry go? Surely you know, what with being her

favorite

and all…”

“My- my Lord… I- I don’t know.” The boy closed his eyes, taking a fortifying breath (like a
weak G

ryffindor)

. “There was no warning, they- they just left a single note.”

Instantly he was burning from the inside out.

His dearest had left a note and this filth had kept it from him? How dare he?

“Show me. NOW!”

Shaking hands held out a piece of paper lined with a familiar loopy scrawl and he snatched it up.

My Knights,

I’m not sure how to tell you this, but I do not foresee myself returning. I’ve already taken my NEWTS, along with Luna, and have no obligations to return to Britain.

It has been a long journey for me and I see myself staying here, out in the wilds of the world-- we just saw these beautiful ruins of an ancient village and wow, can you believe how wonderfully beautiful the world is?

Luna and Bellatrix decided to get married out here, standing with their legs being lapped at by saltwater, fish swimming at their feet.

They might return to Britain when the summer is out.

I wish

I don’t think I can.

Narcissa is telling me to write Lucius- tell him that she loves him dearly and she will be back with many gifts and stories of her travels. (Sorry about stealing her Lucius, but she will return in one piece, I promise.)

Severus- I’m sending you potion ingredients soon along with some fruit that we found that the natives use to ease aches and pains- i’m sure that you’ll like that.

Regulus- please please please don't do anything stupid while i'm gone like try to pick a fight with your brother.

Barty- keep being wonderful, you're bound to do great on your NEWTS.

Do not worry for me, my Knights, w

e are still under the same stars.

~

I find myself thinking that this is my fault, and yes, this part is for the man who will eventually make you give him this (he never did understand personal space).

I think I was too caught up in the brilliance of having everyone I love here and alive to see though the web of manipulations I was blindly stumbling into. So many times I have been used, hurt, victimized, that this time why did I think it would be any different?

I have decided to travel when Luna and the others go home, find somewhere far far away and spend my life with the occasional visit from Mortis. Neither of us can hurt the other, and we have no will to hurt the ones around us, so I imagine it will be ideal.

Alone is something I do best.

Still, feel free to send me letters and tell me how you live your lives- just because I am not there does not mean I do not care- and maybe one day I will find enough courage within myself to return.

-Harry

(+ Luna, Morgana, Bellatrix, and Narcissa)

Tom wished so bad to set the paper on fire, but then she would be lost truly and irreplaceably, so instead he just held it in shaking hands and re-read it. “Leave me.”

“May I-” Lucius reached out for the paper but he pulled back, clutching at it as if it was his lifeline.

“LEAVE! NOW!” He had his wand out and pointed at the group of boys, but let them leave before he sunk to the floor, gripping at the paper.

Something wet dripped onto the ink, blurring it slightly and he brought his hand up to his face slowly.

He was… crying.

Harriet Peverell... what have you done to me?

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Narcissa was insistent. If she was to be travelling the world, she would be going to the Paris Wizarding Fashion Week.
And with the word of Ladies Gryffindor-Ravenclaw and Slytherin-Peverell, well any door was pretty much open to them.

Harry frowned at the necklace she’d been given- a green lace choker that would signify she was a guest of the utmost importance- and slipped it on (while trying to ignore the part of her brain that told her that green was Tom’s favorite color).

Luna and Bellatrix shared the same green necklaces (married couples were disgustingly adorable), Morgana and Narcissa wearing the dark blues of travel companions.

“Look at that my Moon Princess, you have the same color as me.” Bellatrix hummed happily, dipping to press a kiss to Luna’s lips and then the bridge of her nose. “And how

beautiful

you are in my favorite color…”

Harry mock gagged, grinning as she had to block the hex sent her way. Linking arms with Narcissa, she shook her head. “Come on Cissy, let’s go somewhere else that won’t make me want to hurl.”

Narcissa giggled, but allowed herself to be pulled off.

Because of the girl’s insistence, the throwing around their titles, and Morgana’s cool silver eyes that promised pain for anyone who displeased her- they had gotten backstage access and free roam. Basically they could go wherever and talk to wherever they wanted.

It was wonderful, the people were usually very nice (once they saw her choker), but Narcissa had left her to go fawn over a famous singer she’d seen and Harry had been left alone to wander.

“You! Green eyes!” Turning in surprise, she saw a man stalking towards her. “Yes you, you daft girl- come on- we have to get you ready! What were you doing wandering around like that!”

She almost laughed at the tone. She hadn’t had a stranger talk to her like that since she’d left Britain. “Sir… I think you have the wrong person.”

Instantly the man stopped, looking at her as if not expecting her accent, taking a moment to really

look

at her before paling. “Miss- Lady Slytherin-Peverell! I- We- One of our girls got lost and I thought that she was you and I am so sorry for my mistakes, how can I ever-”

“Do you need help? You seem very stressed.” Keeping her voice soft, she smiled friendly. “I would be happy to help… If I can?”

The man seemed to light up. “Would you? Oh, I have the perfect outfit for you!”

She was going to regret this… but whatever.

Wasn't that why she was doing this? To forget those burning brown eyes if just for a second?

Before she knew it, three woman were helping her out: a woman undressing her (weird but okay whatever), a woman trying to get her to sit still to touch up her makeup, and a woman that was asking her what she could do to her hair (anything but take out the beads).

Eventually she was dressed and handed silk shawl-thing. She looked down at herself, frowning. “Um… Shouldn’t there be more… clothes?”

One of the woman laughed. “My Lady- Monique, the woman you’re replacing- She’s our model for sleepwear. Usually in the centerfold for Witch Weekly International too, though I’m expecting you’ll outshine her for that title and make the cover.”

Looking down at the soft material that was like a mix between a bra and lingerie- straps criss crossing her chest- the soft silk shorts paired with lacy knee socks and a loose silk shawl. She looked sexy, it was strange, but she swallowed down her nerves and just smiled. “No shoes?”

“No shoes.” The woman doing her makeup was smiling, eyes soft. “Don't worry- as long as you can handle men staring at you, then you’ll do okay.”

Harry laughed. If she could handle the heavy weight of Tom’s gaze, then she could handle anything (she had been a stripper for a short while after all). “Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

Bellatrix brushed a hair away from her wife’s face.

And wasn’t that the best thing she could say. Wife. My Wife. My lovely, beautiful wife.

“Luna, darling, i’m sure Harry’s fine.” She kissed her wife gently to bring her further away from the edges of panic. “Use your twin bond. She must be feeling something in that pretty but clueless head of hers.”

That get her a slight eye-roll, the girl (

HE
R
WIFE)

focusing intently before breathing a sigh of relief. “She’s okay.”

Bella grinned smugly. “Told you.” She was about to dip again, kiss those intoxicating lips again, when-

“Excuse me! You! With the dark hair!”

She looked up, half thinking of hexing whoever dared interrupting their moment, but Luna just smiled politely. “Can we help you sir?”

The man looked thrown for a second, flushing. “Lady Gryffyndor-Ravenclaw! I-… Well we’re looking for a model for one of our dresses, as one of our girls canceled and, well, your companion-”

“

Wife

!”

The man flinched back a little at Bella's vicious tone, before continuing hesitantly. “Your wife… has the perfect form and features for it- if you would be okay with-”

“Of course!” Luna beamed up at her and she felt all her irritation melt away. “Bella, wouldn’t that be amazing? You could be a model for a day!”

She was putty in her wife’s hands, smiling sweetly at the wonderful girl she’d managed to make her wife (she was still so happy at that title). “Anything for you, Moon.”

The man clapped his hands. “Oh! We could do a couple’s outfit! Come on then- this way-”

Looking at each other and shrugging, Bella snagged a kiss, before they both followed the man over to a dressing area.

Harry was dragged to a big curtain. “Okay… so what do I do?”

The man with the communication earrings smiled at her. “You’re going on after a couple. So the two of them will go out- walk down and back- and when they get to the edge of the lights you’re going to walk out. Since you’re the last one, just go at your own pace. Smile, wave, maybe blow a few kisses, do something cute at the end of the runway, and then walk back.”

“Oh. That’s not that bad.”

With a snort, the man nodded. “Good luck.”

Before she could ask why it sounded like he was sending her to her death, two girls turned the corner, pausing at seeing her. “Harry?”

She looked at where her sister and her sister-in-law

(that was fucking weird to think)

were dressed in elegant gowns, Luna’s a loose white one with flowers in her hair where Bellatrix’s was a black corset and skirt with a crown of what looked like bones. “You two look…”

Scary? Beautiful? Like complete opposites?

“You look cool.”

Nice one Harry.

Luna just laughed. “Not as cool as you, sister. This memory’s

so

going in the blackmail material for the holidays.”

Harry groaned. “Just- just go do your stupid couples thing where everyone else can see how sickeningly adorable you are.”

And as if one que, a man waved at the two girls.

Bellatrix pressed a smirking kiss to her cheek, moving away before Harry could smack her, and both girls giggled as the passed through the curtains.

Harry turned to the nearby magical screen showing the runway, smiling softly at the two girls as they walked down the runway, making each other smile and holding hands. She was glad Luna was so happy.

At the end of the runway, Bellatrix spun Luna around, dipping her into a kiss and making the crowd go wild before they both turned and started walking back.

Damn… how was she going to beat that?

Working with the last two brain cells in her frazzled mind, she wrapped the robe around her as it was her cue to go out, ignoring the man’s waves for her not to do that. Then she opened the curtains, walking out smoothly.

Holy Hogwarts there was a shit ton of people here.

Swallowing down her rising nerves, she faked a yawn, strolling gracefully to the middle of the runway before sending a wink at the crowd and letting her robe drop open at her sides. Instantly the eyes in the crowd got wider. Letting the silk ripple at her sides as she padded down the runway gracefully, she blew a kiss and giggled when a man in the front row fainted.

Moving to the end of the catwalk, she caught the eyes of a pouting Narcissa. Laughing slightly, she slowly shed the silk robe, letting it slide off her arms. With a scandalous grin, she tossed it at Narcissa, watching as the girl lit up.

Then with another kiss to the crowd, she put a hand on her hip and strutted back to backstage.

Beat that bastards. She wasn’t the most popular stipper in New York’s top gay bar for nothing!

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Tom was pretty sure he’d figured out the stages of heartbreak.

First was the shock.

He was sure he’d never spent this much time looking at the stars, wondering,

Where are you Harry? Are you happy? Do you think of me when you go to sleep?

He would run his fingers over the small red marks where she’d bitten him that day before everything had gone so wrong, the same ones he'd refused to let Abraxas heal magically, watching them scab over and fade naturally.

The world seemed to blur together on those days he was lost in his mind. He would hear her name and his head would snap up, expecting her to be standing there like when he’d messed up before with a hesitant smile on her face. But she was never there.

Then came the sadness.

Crushing, like a vice in his chest, he ached something raw these days. And the crying- he’d thought it somewhat of a novelty the first time it had happened, but now he was tired of it.

Fine. He had emotions. Lovely- Now could he get rid of them again?

He didn’t want these cold nights,
gripping at the soft blue dress that with every night smelled less and less of her, those elegant blue heels sitting on his dresser as if having them would somehow make her come back to him.

After the sadness he was back to anger.

Tom was sure he’d cursed more of his followers- people he even thought as his friends- than ever before. The nights he would stand on the balcony of his room cursing at the stars as if she was somehow able to hear him.

The rage that made him set fire to that letter (Lucius’ frown be damned) and he wished he had his journal so he could rip it page from page as he should have done the second he met her.

~~

He was in the middle of pacing his study when there was a knock on his study door.

"What!”

Severus, the coolest of the group of teenagers and the least unaffected by his moods, walked in. “I thought you’d want to see this.” Then a magazine was placed on the desk, the boy leaving before he could be asked about the meaning of the interruption.

With a sneer, he picked up the magazine, and all the thoughts of cursing the boy for interrupting him faded into nothingness.

He found himself transfixed. Captivated.

There she was.

His Harry.

For a second his anger faded to nothing, but then his brain caught up to his emotions and he almost lit his office on fire with the amount of pure outrage that welled up in his blood.

‘Harriet Jean Peverell: Hottest International Bachelorette- Shows Off Her Moves In Paris’

was in bold letters across the front of Witch Weekly International, a moving picture of Harry shedding a silky robe and tossing it at the crowd and then blowing a kiss playing out over and over on the cover.

Make no mistake, he was incredibly turned on by the picture, but that just managed to make him more mad.

How many other men were seeing this? How many thousands of wizards were lining up to woo her with the type of utter devotion that wouldn’t be tainted by them having split their fucking soul?

He broke his office- the desk in pieces, the books ripped apart, the chairs in splinters.

And yet, as he sat in the destruction, he couldn't help but feel as if he'd lost her all over again.

~~

Fourth was the fear.

The crushing weight of-

Is she happy? Does she care? Will I ever see those green eyes again, be able to hold her smooth hands in mine? What if she finds someone else to treat her like the princess she is?-

on a loop. In his brain. All the time.

Then came the bargaining.

He would find her. Talk this out.

As he sat in his study, ring horcrux rolling over his fingers in the one muggle magic trick he’d allowed himself to learn, he thought of what he’d done. But he would fix it. He would make sure she understood that yes, he was an idiot, but he was

her

idiot and that would never change.

One day, somehow, he'd make things right.

He'd find his green-eyed angel if he had to tear the world apart brick by brick.

It was time.

The summer was at an end and Harry hugged the three women, holding onto Morgana’s hand in an airport in Asia longer than she had with the other three. “Take good care of them. For me.”

Those eyes like silver mercury watched her for a long moment before the woman was pulling her into a long hug. “Don’t forget who you are darling. You always have a home in Britain, whether it be Hogwarts or the Manor.”

With a long sigh, she smiled up at the woman. “Thank you Morgana. Now go check on that blonde you’re so fond of and make sure all my knights are in one piece.”

“And what of your king? What if he is in pieces?” The woman’s tone didn’t change but there was something knowing in her eyes.

Harry stiffened, pulling away. “Goodbye Morgana.”

The woman sighed, but dipped her head. “Goodbye Harry.”

Tom stood facing the blonde that had gotten off the plane in London, two women standing at her sides. “Morgana. Luna. Bellatrix… Where is she?”

Both dark haired women looked like they wanted to kill him, but before they could do a thing Luna was in front of him, and his cheek burned where she’d slapped him. Her eyes were slitted, voice bordering on parseltongue, more furious than he’d ever seen her. “You

idiot

! I can understand what you did, but lying to us about it? After we told you all our secrets?”

“I- I know. I’m sorry...”

The sea green eyes flashed in rage. “Sorry doesn’t

fix

my

sister

!” A thin finger was poking at his chest, emphasizing the girl’s point. “She came here to live. To be happy and what did you make her do? Now she thinks she has to run away again! She’s convinced that somehow this is her fault, as if you gave her any reason

not

to marry you!”

He blinked. “She…”

Luna’s answering grin was cold, vicious really. “Yeah. You got what you wanted. So close, can you

taste

your failure? She was considering marrying you, thinking of setting down actual roots, building her dream orphanage with you. And what did you do? You broke her fucking heart. So good fucking job with that.” The girl scoffed, moving away. “Come on Bella. We’re going home.”

Bellatrix sent him a glare as she passed, leaving just him and Morgana.

“You really messed up this time Tommy...” The woman that he’d come to before with even the most sensitive of material just looked at him with a sad half-smile. She took his hand, pressing something into his palm and closing her hand around it. “Maybe for good this time.”

Then he was left alone, staring down the white expanse of walkway, wishing Harry would turn the corner with her soft smile and give him a hug.

Looking down at his hand, he let his fingers uncurl slowly.

A medium black box sat in his hand and with shaking fingers he pulled it open. Nestled into black velvet lining, was the Slytherin lordship ring and his locket, emeralds of the two ‘S’s’ glinting in the light.

Oh.

It hit him then. The message he was holding in his hand, the sad look in Morgana's eyes.

She really wasn’t coming back.

Not now… not ever?

Suddenly, he found out the final step to heartbreak.

The actual breaking of the heart. The pain of having something so beautiful, so precious, so

loved

, ripped away forever.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It had been two months.

It was strange, living alone after so much time spent with Luna by her side.

The small townhouse in Paris would sometimes creak and she’d turn with a joke on her lips, expecting Luna to be standing there, only to deflate when the hallways were empty. Or setting out an extra plate of food at breakfast, a yell almost off her tounge before she would remember-

right… she was alone.

Waking up in the middle of the night panting, she’d reach up instinctively to run her thumb over the heavy golden locket, breath stuttering when her fingers would close around air and she’d have to remind herself that-

I’m okay… Luna’s safe with Bellatrix and you know that you’re safer alone. Everyone’s safer if you’re alone. You want this Harry. You’re okay...

It was one of those nights, hand clutching at her shirt in a panic to find the smooth reassuring metal of the locket, breath as fast and choppy as unwanted tears fell from her eyes.

“Shhh… You’re okay Mistress. Alive and safe- I’d never let you get yourself in any real harm…” Cold hands held her shaking hands, the bed dipping by her side. “You’re safe with me.”

What a weird way to fall asleep, slumping against the entity of death after coming down from a panic attack, but when she woke up the next morning, there Mortis was- sitting at the table in his crisp suit- and he hadn’t left since.

After a week (or two) she’d finally gotten him to call her Harry as part of a deal that she would try to take better care of herself. Apparently the half moon bags under her eyes, the messy hair, and the way she was bordering on too skinny was why the man had taken it on himself to become her bossy pseudo parent.

She was wrapped in a blanket, sitting on the couch with a tub of ice cream after she’d woken up screaming, her throat feeling like she had swallowed a bunch of spikes. Her gaze didn’t leave where the muggle tv was playing a news station, but they both knew that neither of them were actually watching it.

“Can you-... are you able to kill me?” Harry had wanted it to come out like a question but it came out more like a plea, her scratchy voice a whisper in the dark morning light of the townhouse.

Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Death’s suit melting into jeans and a t-shirt as the man frowned and leaned back into the sofa, and she wondered idly when Death had become such a

dad.

“I do not

need

someone to tie my existence to this plane of the living… so the answer to your question is yes... Yes, I could kill you.”

There was a pause, the air feeling as if it had stilled in anticipation for what they both knew she’d ask eventually, but she couldn’t do it. Not yet. Instead she just stared harder at the muggle man on the tv talking about the weather and swallowed thickly. “You could very well use Luna as your Mistress.”

Again the man nodded just slightly, also looking at the tv as if he was some normal human half-listening to her when she knew that he could care less about the weather than the dirt on the ground. “I could.”

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath of air. It was slightly damp from when it had rained the other day and she’d opened the windows so that the sound of thunder would cover up the heartbreaking sound of her sobs.

Not that it had much of a purpose. The only other humanoid person she’d been around for almost three months had sat across from where she’d curled up in a small ball and hummed a strangely haunting tune like that of a funeral march.

(She suspected that the death entity knew only a few songs so she didn’t bring it up.)

“I… I think I am ready to move on.” Her laugh was bitter and she finally turned to look at the pale man, eyes burning with unshed tears. “I mean- as much as I'll ever be.”

Eyes slipping closed again, she held perfectly still, ready for that burst of pain and then nothingness that she knew would come with dying.

But it never came.

“I think you misinterpreted my answers, so I will clarify… Yes, I

could

kill you, but no, I

will not

kill you.”

She blinked at the man with a frown, her voice full of desperation and a hint of some stupid emotion that she didn’t want at the man’s proclamation. “What good are you then?”

Death, the bastard, had the

gall

to crack a brief smile at that before it faded once more. “I told you before, the heart is not something I can fix… but for you, I will try.”

The man waved his hand and she felt a few freshening charms wash over her, but before she could open her mouth to ask what the man meant by that- his shadows were consuming them.

Head finally stopped spinning, she glared at where Death was standing next to where she was sitting cross-legged on the floor. “What the fuck Mortis! What
did you do!”

“H-harry?”

Oh shit- She would know that voice anywhere, no matter how startled.

She looked past Death, hissing like a wounded animal when she saw where she was, her voice an angry whisper. “Death! What the actual buggering fuck did you do? Take me back to my ice cream right now!”
Death just waved his hands, her tub of mint-chocolate chip ice cream appearing next to her before crossing his arms like a stubborn child. “You're not allowed to go back. It would be highly improper to have you do something stupid like try to kill yourself.”

There was a soft gasp, a voice was unmistakably Narcissa sounding wounded. “Harry? Why would you-”

A tall figure appeared next to Death, and she could tell by the shoes who it was

(always with the shiny black dress shoes)

, but ignored him as she curled into a small ball, breathing hitching as she hid in her blanket.

He wasn’t here- he couldn’t hurt her again- she was alone. Alone was key. Alone was what she wanted, what she deserved- she shouldn’t be here. Not here, anywhere else- alone- somewhere else

.

Cold hands found hers again. “Breathe for me Harry. I mean what I said- I would never let you get hurt… Breathe for me, come on you can do it…”

When she found her breath, she gasped out a single sentence. “If you're not- not the entity of all things dead and evil and Harry-hating... then

go away

.”

That got her a soft snort. “I do not hate you Harry- I was trying to protect you from yourself.”

Oh yeah. Death was totally that one pouty dad who was brushed off by their kid after doing something ridiculous.

She just shook her head, hiding her face in her knees. “No.”

“Harry…” The man-she-must-not-name fell to his knees, hands hovering just slightly as if afraid to touch her. “You- you came back…”

Putting on her best sneer she steeled herself and looked up at

Him

with a glare. “Not

willingly

.” But the utter hopelessness on his face, the bags under his eyes, the messy hair, and the ruffled appearance made her blink a bit.

He looked- for lack of a better word-

devastated.

Looking over her, hands gripping onto his knees and eyes searching, it was as if he was trying to memorize her face- carve it into his brain. “You look… sad.”

Harry’s sneer was back. “Fuck off.”

To her complete and actual surprise, he just laughed, making her chest constrict painfully. “I think I deserve that.”

Alone Harry. You can’t hurt anyone if you’re alone and no one can hurt you. You just have to get over this and then you can go back to Paris… Because that’s what you want…. Right?

She hummed noncommittally, making her shaky hands grab the icecream, shoving a spoon of her green ice cream into her mouth, glaring up at Death who just glared back (

fondly, because he’s such a

dad

).

“Harry?” That soft velvet voice was back, smooth in a way she only heard him speak when she was crying.

It pissed her off, blood boiling in an attempt to cover up the way she just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry until she couldn’t feel a damn thing- couldn’t feel the way her chest was closing in on itself at seeing him. “What do you

want

! What are you trying to get from me

now

Thomas?”

There was a long pause (long enough for her to angrily eat another scoop of her ice cream), before- “I want you to destroy this.”

Looking up, she froze in surprise at the ring he was holding out to her.

The Gaunt ring.

His horcrux.

Extending her hand just enough to feel the dark magic coming off it, she pulled back as if burned, eyes slits. “What’s the catch? You would never do something like this- you made another didn’t you?” She looked up to Death, who just put his head in his hands.

Tom looked as if he had been slapped. “No! No I just-… I missed you...”

What the fuck. What, was he expecting her to believe that? To fall back into his trap?

A hand, soft on her shoulder made her look up to where Luna was standing. “Harry… How about I do you a favor and pull you out of that tangle of vines in your head? He’s not lying. He really

has

been kind of a mess since we left.” Her sister pulled her up to her feet and into her arms. “Now… As for your self-care, I believe that I will have to assign you someone to watch after your well being for at least two weeks just to make sure you don’t do anything stupid.”

She went to open her mouth in protest, but stopped herself with a sigh when she realized that

yeah that was probably a good idea- she had just asked death to kill her

. “Neville’s rules?”

“Neville’s rules.” Luna nodded, before taking a hold of her shoulders and spinning her around. “Now fix this.”

Harry stood, now sure what to do, looking down at where the normally so poised man was kneeling with his horcrux in hand. Feeling herself about to cry, she looked up to the gilded ceiling, biting at her lip to stem her rampant emotions.
“Death?”

The man to her side hummed.

“Is someone’s soul one of those things you can fix?”

Death scoffed, moving forward with to pluck the Horcrux out of the man’s hand, ignoring Tom’s flinch. “What entity of ‘

Harry-hating darkness

’ would I be if I couldn’t do that?” The man seemed to pull a wisp of red smoke from the ring, flicking it at the man with a face of disgust. “Take this back you

cheat

.”

Tom convulsed, eyes rolling back in his head and collapsing to the floor, and for a long moment she almost thought he’d died before he gasped like a drowning man and his eyes flew open. Hands shaking, he slowly pushed himself up, blinking up at her. “Harry? You’re-... you’re not a dream, are you?”

She felt her chest tighten uncomfortably, because she’d had those same dreams- of seeing him only to wake up alone. “No. Not a dream.”

Standing up on unsteady legs, the man looked at her as if she would disappear, voice more wreaked than hers. “Forgive me… Even if you truly are a dream- I- Forgive me?”

Harry could hear the blood in her ears like the rain on the roof of the Paris townhouse, swallowing thickly as she stepped forward carefully. Watching him stiffen, she moved slowly to wrap her arms around him, resting her head on his chest. Closing her eyes so she didn’t have to see Death’s smirking (

smug bastard)

face, she trembled when warm arms slowly wrapped around her, long fingers gripping at her like she’d disappear. Her voice was barely above a whisper. “I missed you too.”

“I’m so very sorry Harry… I really am.” His voice was a whisper as he curled around her tighter.

Someone cleared their throat from behind them. “As lovely this whole thing was, I’m sure that neither of you have slept for a few days, so i’m assigning Tom to Harry-watch and Harry to Tom-watch and kicking you to your beds... or

bed

in your case.” Luna then pointed her finger at Tom. “And the rules I gave you after the ball still hold.”

With a hasty nod, a hand stroked at her hair softly and she found that her eyes were already half-lidded with exhaustion. “Come on little one, we’ve been ordered to both get some sleep.”

Pulling back, she yawned, nodding a little and letting herself be guided to a familiar room. She heard herself make a wounded noise at the folded dress and heels, moving to run a shaking hand over the familiar black velvet box sitting on the dresser.

“They’re yours. Both. I don’t need them.”

Looking back at Tom to assess if what he was saying was true, she slowly opened the box, taking out the locket. Running a thumb over the front, she felt her lips wobbling and clasped it around her neck easily before tucking it under her tank top. “Thank you...”

Tom didn’t look at her, eyes fixed on the wall. “I don’t expect us to- to go back to the way were, not with what I did…” Those deep brown orbs flicked to where she was standing still, unsure of how to work with him, something raw and charged between them that hadn’t been there before. “But I hope- I hope that we can be friends again.”

There was the feeling of being punched in the gut.

Friends.

Of course. That was what he’d always seen her as, hadn’t he? So why did that hurt her as much as seeing him had?

“Y- yeah I-...” And then there was the hot wetness of tears on her cheeks and she spun around, trying to wipe at her face.

“H-Harry?” Tom’s voice was uncertain. “What- Was it something I said? Do you need someone else to-”

She reacted instinctively, not about to let go of what comfort she could get, spinning around and grabbing for him, fingers clutching at his shirt as she looked down at where her tears were splatting softly on those shiny black dress shoes. Her voice shook, unsteady in the light of the rising sun. “S-stay?”

What was it about her that invited tragedy?

“Of course... Always.” Gently he walked backwards, her fingers still gripping tightly at his shirt, and after kicking off his shoes his hands found hers. Holding her trembling hands in his larger ones, he gently uncurled her fingers and moved to the bed before tugging her in.

She made that soft sound of pain again when he pulled her in, wrapping his arms around her, and his chin settled against the top of her head as he tucked her into him like he was trying to get her as close as possible. “Shhhh… you’re okay... I vow to that I will do everything in my power not to ever hurt you- physically or emotionally- again.”

Feeling the magic of an unbreakable bond settle around her shoulders, she broke, gripping tightly at him as she shuddered wet heartbroken sobs into his neck.

His long fingers traced circles across her shoulder-blades and the velvet voice was soft as she calmed down enough to drift towards sleep. “Goodnight Harry.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Harry was sitting on a long bench, head in his hands, not moving even though the rain was soaking him to the bone.

“So… are you planning to wait until you freeze to death?” The bench sunk and he glanced over to see Neville smiling at him, before gesturing to his umbrella. “Are you-?”

He shook his head. “I don’t mind the rain.”

Neville laughed lightly. “If you didn’t I would think you wouldn’t be sitting out here.” They shared tired smiles before the person he saw as an older brother sighed deeply, leaning back into the bench. “Harry… Luna and I are concerned about you. We’ve given you time- almost three months of time- to learn to cope on your own, but you still seem…”

“Stagnant?”

That made the boy wince. “I was going to say that you seem to be having trouble- but I guess that would work too...”

Harry tipped his head back, letting the falling rain hit his face as he closed his eyes. “I fall asleep to dreams of being tortured, everything I eat tastes like sickly sweet love potion, and I can’t go near bodies of water without fear gripping me because I remember being drowned over and over- so much so that sometimes I wish that I had actually drowned.” His voice was flat, holding no more emotion than if he was talking about the weather. “So... how do you propose you fix me?”

Neville sighed softly. “Know first that I in no means want to fix you, because you can’t fix things that aren’t broken… but Luna and I came up with a system that might work.”

He cracked an eye open, tilting his head to look over at the boy, raindrops sliding down his long eyelashes as he raised a single eyebrow.

"It goes on the pattern of 1, 2, 3, 4. We'll expect you to have at least 1 meal a day, 2 showers a week, 3 glasses of water a day, and 4 hours of sleep a night. You are not to touch dreamless sleep- Luna or I can share a bed with you if you like- and alcohol will be taken only in moderation, as will casual flings.” Neville was always the one with the brain for politics and deals, having grown up with lessons from his grandmother, and now Harry realized what it was like to be on the other side of the boy's steel-laced eyes. "When we think that you have the possibility of harming yourself or slipping on your care, one of us will be assigned to watch you- make sure that you don't try anything stupid."

Thinking it over, he nodded just a bit.

It sounded reasonable- especially given the lack of care he was spending on himself nowdays.

But he still frowned a bit. “And… what if I forget? What if it gets bad and I don’t eat for a few days?”

His best friend tilted his head. “Then we stick Draco on Harry-watch and he forces you to both eat and shower.”

“What!”

Neville laughed as Harry turned to look at him with wide eyes. “Yup. Payback for worrying Luna apparently.”

He groaned miserably, ignoring his best friend’s laughter.

Warmth, making her feel as if she was pressed against a patch of warm sun, and she wiggled closer to the source of the heat.

Only… she hadn’t been in a bed with another person since Luna and Bellatrix had gotten married… so who was holding her?

Then, as if a wave of memories crashing over her, the night came back to her in flashes.

“You came back…"

"I want you to destroy this…"

"I missed you..."

"Forgive me..."

"Come on little one, we’ve been ordered to both get some sleep…"

"They’re yours. Both. I don’t need them…"

"I hope that we can be friends again..."

"I vow to that I will do everything in my power not to ever hurt you- physically or emotionally- again..."

"Goodnight Harry.”

Harry allowed herself to stay there, in his arms, warm and truly content for a moment longer before she softly moved the arms off of her and slid out of the bed. Padding to the bathroom, she looked at herself, sighing deeply. Clad in loose pajamas, hair a mess and slight bags under her eyes, she frowned at her reflection. “I

do

look sad.”

Huffing, she moved to close the door behind her, stripping and getting into the shower.

She had washed her hair, relaxing under the feeling of the hot water when a loud string of curses and a crash made her pause. Turning off the water, she wrapped a towel around herself, peering around the corner only to find Tom sitting on the bed facing away from her. He seemed to be cradling his hand, the sizable dent in the wall making her realize what had happened. “...Thomas?”

Jolting, the man spun around, standing and staring at her with wide eyes. “I-... I thought you were…”

“I was just- um- in the shower.” She jerked her thumb behind herself, her other hand tightening on where she was holding her towel up. “I heard the crash, are you okay?”

Looking down at his hand, he blinked and then looked back up at her with eyes so dark they looked almost black. “Yes, i’m fine.” His eyes seemed like they were trying to absorb her into their inky orbs and she shifted, not used to the heavy gaze, having not been around another human for almost three months.

Nodding stiffly, she looked him over once more, flicking her hand to repair the wall. “Right... I’m gonna get dressed then.” Not waiting for a response, she shut herself in the bathroom, leaning against the door.

Stupid girl- He’s your friend! Stop feeling so damn tingly when he looks at you like that!

Berating herself silently, she shook her head and moved to where she’d found her favorite jeans and t-shirt (probably thanks to her shadowy 'father' figure). Getting dressed, she tied her hair up lazily, before moving for the door.

She swung open the door and almost collided with Tom, who looked ready to knock, and they both froze for a second before he took a step back. “I was just coming to inquire what ‘Harry-watching’ entails. I heard something about… rules?”

Harry
nodded slowly, moving past him slowly and sitting down on the bed, fiddling with the locket. “Yeah- um- so it’s pretty much just reminding me to eat, sleep, and drink water while also making sure I don’t do something stupid. Luna usually had me pose for her art so I stayed still, Neville used to have me help him with organizing all his notes or helping with his garden, and Draco-” Flushing red at that thought, she waved her hand a little. “He had other methods of keeping me occupied.”

There was a long silence, the dark brown eyes peering at her as if he could get past her occlumency barriers if he stared long enough, his lips curving a slight frown. “Oh? And what methods might those be?”

Trying very hard to

not

think about Draco’s various methods (usually involving making it so she couldn’t move very far from the bed), she cleared her throat. “Right! Well I should eat something!” Ducking the hand that tried to grab her arm, she shot out of the room and didn’t stop until she was in the dining room.

“Harry-watch?” Draco sneered lightly, but the three of them knew he was more confused than anything. “And what does that mean?”

The blonde Auror had been the one that Neville and Luna had called in a panic when he’d gone missing and he was the one to find Harry in that dingy motel room, strapped down to a blood-stained mattress with two insane Death Eaters torturing him. Since then, he’d joined the three of them in their travels, using the excuse that he had plenty of time off work and that ‘protecting the Boy-Who-Lived was good enough as any case according to his superiors’.

Luna smiled- she seemed to like the blonde prat more than the rest of them- and just explained Neville’s rules in a soft tone.

When she’d finished, Draco’s eyes finally found him.

Harry knew he looked like shit, wrapped in a multitude of towels he was still soaking wet and probably looking like a kicked puppy if how Luna’s eyes had softened when Neville had brought him back was an indication- but the Auror just snorted.

“Fine. Whatever. But if i’m being assigned to watch you, you’re going to take a bath.” The blonde grabbed his arm and started to drag him to his bathroom, grumbling the whole way about ‘wet dogs’ and ‘damn puppy dog eyes’.

It was only when the strong hands started to pull off his dripping clothes that Harry found his voice. “What- what’re you-”

Draco arched an eyebrow at him, making him feel like a kid under the piercing stare. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m going to be giving you a bath like the damn helpless puppy dog you are.” The hands returned to ridding him of his clothes, not gently but not overly rough in their treatment, before the blonde sneered at his shivering body and moved to turn on the water. “Get in.”

Harry looked from Draco to the bathtub, shifting uncomfortably. He didn’t have much shame or hesitancy in being seen naked, but getting bathed by his former schoolyard nemesis was crossing the line a bit. However the dark glare from the Auror made him think twice about voicing those thoughts, stepping into the bathtub and moving so he was sitting in a ball, the hot water lessening his shivers a bit. “T-Thanks…”

There was a huff from his side. “I might be doing this out of whatever good will seeing you so pathetic has managed to drag up from the bottom of my cold heart, but the next time you so much as pause in doing what I tell you, I swear to Merlin I will make you regret it.”

Harry shivered, nodding.

He wondered idly what it said about him that he almost wanted to see just how the blonde prat would try to make him ‘regret it’ as those calloused hands worked shampoo into his long black hair.

Maybe he’d just have to find out the hard way.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Harry’s hand trembled as he pressed his thumb lightly to the knife, watching in grim fascination as the skin welled with vivid red blood.

“What are you doing?”

Dropping the knife to the counter, he spun to look at where Draco had his arms crossed over his chest. “N-nothing? I was just- just making sure that-”

“That it would cut you? That it’s sharp enough?” The Auror narrowed his eyes, stalking forward to grab his hand. “Dumbass- you’re terrible at lying. A stupid Gryffindor through and through.”

Irritation welled up to the front of his chest. “Shut up you slimy snake.”

Further the blonde moved into his space, effectively pushing him back into the counters and the hand holding his moved. He hissed as a nail digging into the cut on his thumb, the taller sneering at him. “Oh? Who’s the snake now?”

“You, you bloody ferret.” He gritted out.

The wound was released, the other’s hands instead moving to pin his arms to the cold counter-top
behind him, steel gray eyes glinting as Draco leaned over him. “I ought to punish you for talking back to me. In fact... I might just get out that beautiful red rope that I found in Asia and-”

“If you two would refrain from contaminating my kitchen, that would be preferable.” Neville walked in, rubbing at his eyes, making the both of them freeze. “It’s too early for me to deal with whatever you two were about to do.”

Draco stepped back, removing himself from Harry’s space all except a single hand on his wrist. “Good morning Neville. I will take this elsewhere, not to worry.”

As the blonde dragged him from the kitchen, a yell was all that followed them. “Remember the damn silencing charms this time! No one wants to hear that!”

Harry flushed bright red.

Luna looked up from where she was talking in hushed tones, tucked into her wife’s side, when Harry skidded into the dining room. “Something wrong Harry? You look flushed.”

Shaking her head as nonchalantly as she could, Harry sat in a seat between Lucius and Regulus, bringing her knees to her chest. “No. Nothing wrong here.”

Tom moved in, eyes watching her closely as he sat down in his usual seat, frown even more pronounced.

Sea green eyes glinted in amusement. “So… It doesn’t have to do with memories of the

interesting

and

creative

methods a certain blonde Auror used to keep your mind off all the demons floating around that brain of yours?”

“No- I don’t know what you’re talking about! I hate that arrogant prick!” Harry felt as if all the blood was rushing to her face and just pooling there, choosing to glare at her sister. “I certainly have no recollection of whatever scandalous acts your brain is making up!”

Morgana appeared out of nowhere, pressing a kiss to her cheek and sitting down next to Abraxas. “Oh, are we talking about Harry’s love/hate relationship with that blonde Auror of hers?” The silver eyes were malicious, a grin stretching red lips as she leaned forward. “My favorite story is the one where you broke your wrist because you two-”

With a frantic wave of Harry’s hand- a piece of toast was shoving its way into the woman’s mouth, effectively shutting her up. “Gana! That story- or any other story- was told in the confidence of the holidays and will remain as such!”

The woman pulled the toast from her mouth, sticking her tongue out. “Brat.”

“Are you tormenting your guardian Harry?”

A shadow fell across her plate and she tipped her head back to look up at Mortis, lips curving up into a grin because he wasn’t wearing his suit. “And if I am?”

The man raised an eyebrow. “No ice cream for a week.” At her outraged face, he grinned in a way that would normally make people shiver. “Kidding- I could care less. Do you wish for me to get your belongings from the townhouse?”

“Would you please?” Reaching up, she patted the top of his head like a puppy. “Thanks dad.”

Morgana sputtered from across the table, Abraxas laughing at her, but they both ignored it. Mortis’ eyes softened just a bit, lips quirked up. “Your wish is my command.” Then with a wink, he disappeared in a mass of shadows.

Feeling a lot lighter now that she’d had a shower and seen the whole extended family in the span of a few hours, she grinned at where Luna was looking at her. “Did you know he actually has a great voice? He most only knows funeral dirges, but they’re actually really nice to fall asleep to, so it’s not too bad.”

Luna smiled softly at her. “Did he keep you company? You were alone for three months… we both know how you get alone.”

Harry looked down at her plate, not having the will to tell her sister that she’d done the ultimate stupid thing and asked Death himself to kill her, shrugging. “I… I would say I did alright.”

Again the emotionless voice of the tall man spoke out from behind her, more flat than usual. “And since when did asking the entity keeping you alive to die count as doing ‘alright’? Because I got the impression that you were a danger to yourself, hence my bringing you here.”

“Harry…”

Curling in on herself, she kept her eyes on the plate of food that she had yet to touch, picking up her fork and stabbing a bit of her scrambled eggs. “

Snitch

.”

The entity of death snorted, a dry sound without any humor. “I will not lose the person I chose to bind me to this earth so easily, Mistress.” Then the man was gone again.

Standing up, she shook her head. “I- I think I’ll try again at lunch. I’m not very hungry.”

“Harry-”

But before her sister could look at her with those wide pitying eyes or make her feel guilty, she was stalking towards where she knew the secret stash of alcohol was.

“Oh darling, you’re home!” Ginny smiled at him from where she’d stepped out of the kitchen.

He sighed tiredly, slipping off his shoes at the door and shrugging off his jacket so he could hang it up, grumbling tiredly. “Yeah, I managed to get away early- I don’t even know why the Wizengamot calls on me anymore- it’s not like I can tell them if someone’s innocent by looking at them. I’m not a seer.” Moving forward, he dipped to kiss her, pausing when a finger was pressed to his lips.

Ginny smiled sweetly. “You must be tired darling. I made you some tea though…”

A cup was extended to him and he blinked at it, before smiling thankfully and taking a sip. Half-way through the cup, he felt a wave of tiredness washing over him. “I… I must- mus’ be…”

Strong hands caught him when he pitched forward and he wondered when Dean had gotten here. The man smiled thinly down at him. “Hey mate. I was just over here passing a message to Gin from Ron- here let me help you to your bed…”

He nodded, muttering something that was meant to be a thank you before passing out.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Harry found herself drunk, this time laying across Tom’s lap while he was lounging in his large armchair, not exactly sure how she’d gotten there. So she voiced that. “Why- how’d’I get… here?”Tom looked down at her, away from his paperwork, eyes amused. “When I found you, you were trying to down the whole of the Malfoy's alcohol stash, so I dragged you back to here so I could watch you while you drunkenly danced around my office. You threw up in the fireplace, decided dancing wasn’t a good idea, and then curled up in my lap because you were cold.”She nodded slightly, trying to process that.
She had done what? In front of
her friend/crush/protector/person?
“I-... I'm sorry?”That got her a laugh. The slight smile he gave making her chest squeeze around her heart uncomfortably. “It’s fine. It was actually quite amusing, so I don’t mind.”
She wasn't going to touch the fond amusement in his tone with a ten foot long stick- mistaking the meaning of his words would only drive him anyway
and she wasn't willing to let that happen.
Her hands reached for the gold locket around her neck out of habit for something to do when the turning in her stomach got too much, raising it and smoothing a finger over it. “I think I might have missed this more than you.” It was a weak joke, falling flat when she saw something raw flash across his face and she scrambled to correct her mistaken words
before he could look away, hand automatically moving to grip at his shirt. “Joking! I was trying to joke… I missed you tons more than the- this locket.Brown eyes glanced at her, darkening, and warm fingers moved to loosen her fingers from his shirt. Holding her hand as he looked deep into her eyes as if he could see in her very soul, he methodically relaxed her stiff fingers into putty. “I wouldn’t hold it against you... I lied, even after you had told me everything, even after you and I became close friends… I don’t think we can ever truly fix what I ruined- but it’s noble for you to try.”
Friends. Right.
Ignoring the stab of pain that bloomed red hot right beneath the right side of her rib-cage, she smiled as widely as she could, even if it came out a little too sappy with the loose tipsy state her body was in.
“Then maybe you haven’t met me. I can fix anything,
unlike my tall friend made of shadows and darkness.”Tom looked at her for a long second in which he seemed to be trying to read her mind- even though there was not a single tap at her mental shields- before he shook his head with a smile. “You’re far too kind for your own good.”Harry snorted, leaning back, finding a hand came out to steady her just before she fell. "Whatever you say darling." Her voice was a murmur, and if her attention wasn't already captured by the window of the study, she would have noticed the way the hand on her back twitched.
They fell into a quiet silence. Her head was hanging backwards so she could see through the window, neck fully bared to the cool night air, and she wondered when it had gotten so late.
The stars hung in the sky like frozen teardrops sewn into the fabric of empty void that was the night sky, moon a battered pearl slipping from it's thread as it slowly fell across the fabric of the sky. It was beautiful- always had been- and she remembered watching this same sky so many times before.~
"Does it ever get better?" Harry sat on the roof of Grimmauld Place, voice soft. He'd found the small latter leading out to the roof when he'd been going through the attic and since then he'd come up when he had trouble sleeping.

The older redhead
Weasley joined him sometimes, as they shared a friendship over both being hated by Molly, Ginny, and Ron Weasley. "You know... I'm not sure anymore." George had a cigarette
hanging from his lips, the grin that he'd worn so often as a kid gone missing since his twin had died, replaced with the thin white cancer stick whenever the man wasn't working.

They weren't talking about the same things, but it worked either way.

Both were painful.

Both events had equally ruined their lives and yet made them so much stronger.

Both of them were shattered vases that had been put back together with gold sealing their cracks and chips.

"I don't think it ever goes away... not fully." They didn't look at each other, keeping their eyes on the stars, as if that could negate the fact both of them were crying. "I think... I think that time doesn't heal wounds- that's just a lie that everyone says. I think that instead you just forget. Forget how bad it was, forget how good it could be... forget why you're hurting."

Harry stared
at the moon. So beautiful
and yet so cold. So unwavering in it's stubborn
persistence
to continue to do the same thing over and over and over again. His voice was just above a whisper. "I don't want to forget."

Forgetting meant letting it happen again. No, he'd keep the bloody shards of glass that pierced
his heart close, make himself remember exactly why he woke tasting honey so sweet it make him sick coating his tongue after nightmares of red hair and demanding hazel eyes.

George snorted, taking a long drag of his cancer stick and he saw the man shake his head out of the corner of his eye. "Mate, it's not a choice. And holding it in isn't healthy
either. Just- just let time take it's course. You'll see. Sometimes it's best to let some of those things fade, because even as much as you forget, the really important stuff will always stay with you."

"Hmm." He didn't respond other than to hum slightly.

No matter.

The stars would understand his need to remember, to hold all that pain and bitterness in.

They would never disagree
with the notion that somethings should never be repeated- they'd seen too much bloodshed.
~Harry blinked, before lightly filing the memory away again.When she spoke again to break the silence of the study, her voice was musing. “I think I’m in love...”The hand on her back that was keeping her weight from tipping her over gripped at the fabric of her blue t-shirt just slightly. “Oh? And who with?”Using Tom's broad shoulder to pull herself back up, she giggled. “Not who, silly. What .” Teeth sucked her lower lip in to worry at it for a second before she smiled slowly. “I’m in love with the stars.”There was a long exhale from the man, his brown eyes softening. “And why is it you love the stars little one? What about them captivates those emerald eyes of yours?”“They’re shiny.” Giggling at the man’s scoff, she felt her smile melting off her face, shrugging slightly. “No, I-... I think I can understand them, all alone up in that endless void, watching as everything around them dies…” Her laugh this time was bitter, a sharp and blood-stained thing that forced tears to her eyes.Tom said nothing, but long fingers interrupted the progress of the salty liquid drops on her cheeks before they got to her chin.Harry felt the presence of those shards of glass in her heart she’d hidden away in her chest more than ever on nights like these. “Y’know Ginny- my ex- she used to tell me I tasted like desperation and self-destruction when we kissed. Eventually she stopped kissing me all together, claiming the fear of being left alone had ruined my lips for her…”“I’m sure she was lying.”She huffed a tired laugh. “I grew up thinking I had to save everyone else and was completely fine with walking to my own death at the age of seventeen- do you really think I will ever taste like anything other that my own self-destruction?”Warm fingers caught her chin, tilting it so she was looking into eyes the color of jagged rocks that could sink ships. “I’d imagine you’d taste a bit like fire and those sweets you’re so fond of.”Caught off guard, she blinked, laughing under her breath nervously.
ABORT! ABORT MISSION! BREACH IN THE WALL HOLDING THE EMOTIONS!

Unfortunately, the warnings in her brain were bypassed by her dumb mouth. “Is this something you’ve put actual thought into?”There was a curved smirk on those perfect lips of his, the thumb holding her chin moving to tap her lips, pitch black orbs watching intently as she gasped just slightly. “More than you can imagine, little one...” Then the smirk was slowly spreading into a wide smile that held a hint of promise, as he drew away to lean back in the chair. “Though I believe I promised your sister written proof from you of your consent.”Harry blinked, before fumbling to reach over for the nearest blank parchment on the desk.Laughing more than she’d ever heard, her hands were caught and pulled back to her lap, Tom’s eyes lit with amusement. “Not now, little one. You’re much too intoxicated to know what you want and though I might not fear much, I do fear that sister of yours.”Her wrists were released from his gentle yet strong grip and she tilted her head to narrow her eyes at him. “You told me once that half the school was in love with me and the other half wanted to devour me like a steak- or something like that- but what I want to know is... which category do you fall under?”Tom seemed to think about it. “When I first saw you I wanted nothing more to put you in the prettiest cage I could and break your wings just a bit so you could never leave…” He seemed to ignore the way she tensed, continuing to trace random shapes on her back with the long fingers of the hand supporting her. “But now… don’t you think I can devour you and still want you to stay the beautiful free spirit you are? Because if you let me, I will... devour you, that is.”“I-” She shivered slightly, voice not able to be more than a whisper.
How the bloody hell was she supposed to respond to that? “I think i’d be okay with that.”His smile was that of a wolf that had gotten the taste of blood from the prey he’d been tracking for so long. “I will avidly await those written words, little one. I plan to make quite good on finding out exactly what brand of candy you taste like, so I can crush all the bittersweet notions in your head of your ex being anything other than a horrible woman.” Then, eyes softening, arms pulled her into his chest as he stood up. “For now though, I insist you sleep off your habit of getting intoxicated and then being irresistible. It’s really wearing my patience.”Harry found herself snorting at that. “What patience? You seem pretty impatient to me.”“Then you have not been watching the only object of your desire running around, turning the heads of everyone she meets and trying to stop yourself from torturing anyone who touches her.”Her laugh was bright. “Oops?”Tom glared down at her halfheartedly. “I find that I don’t mind as much, as I am the one sharing a bed with you now.” Laying her down on said bed, he shed his shirt and laid down, pulling her to his chest and resting his chin on her crown of hers. “But really. Go to sleep you brat.”As she yawned, tucking her face into the corner of his arm she felt one of the shards of ice in her heart melt away, leaving the wound to heal.
Maybe, just maybe, moving on from the past wasn't always a bad thing.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It was always a fight not to freak out when waking up to someone so close, so warm… her thin shirt and shorts did nothing to block out the heat that Tom's bare chest gave off, making her feel sluggish and warm, as if she could stay like this forever.

Some of that emotion was probably in the soft groan she gave, the arms around her tightening just a bit, velvet voice a soft mutter in her ear. “I think i’m caught up on paperwork. Plus, no one would miss us at breakfast…”

Wiggling slightly to get one of her arms to the bedside table, she thanked her lucky stars that she had remembered to get one of the elves to put a hangover potion there, swallowing it and sighing when her head stopped pounding. Putting the empty potion bottle back on the table, she twisted in the arms, burying her face in the warm skin of Tom's chest. “I don't wanna get.”

Tom huffed softly. “Guess that decides it. Breakfast in bed.” With a grin, he rolled them so he was sprawled across her like a heavy heated blanket, but somehow managed to make it so that she was still comfortable. Propping himself slowly up on his elbows so that his weight was off of her even more, he just stared at her intently.

She raised an eyebrow at the deep look of thought on his face. “What?”

“Just wondering how painful my death would be if I kissed you...”

Flushing a bit, she moved to push at him, feeling something in her chest warm up when he moved immediately as she started to show that she needed the space. “Lucky for you- you’ll never have to find out.” Smoothly she summoned a piece of parchment and a pen to her hands, using her knee to scrawl quickly. “I, Harriet Jean Peverell… consent with sound mind and body to being Tom Marvolo Riddle’s lover… Signed and- dated!” She threw the quill and parchment at the bedside table, feeling a grin spread across her face at the man's laugh. “There. Done.”

In a smooth move Thomas was there, pressing her into the bed, eyes a mix of amusement and something darker. Slowly he leaned in until they were just a breath away, voice as soft as velvet. “You have no idea how long I have been waiting for you, how many nights I have spent dreaming this very moment of being able to truly call you

mine…

”

“I'm still my own person.” She whispered a gentle reminder, voice a little more breathless than she would have liked.

But that was expected with him so close, his body a thick line of heat against hers.

“There are no gilded cages that can hold me.”

His laugh spread hot breath across her face. “Oh, don't I

know

that. No, I expect nothing less than being able to watch the mayhem you cause, right by your side... though I fear what I will do if you ever let another touch you as I do…”

She shivered at the dark eyes, before smiling. “Not to worry darling. I don't think I will ever need another… now are you going to kiss me? I had the expectation that you-”

Lips dipped to press against hers, softly silencing that train of thought, before the man was moving away again and she blinked as she was tugged gently so she was sitting facing him of his lap. With a smile she wiggled closer so she could curl her legs around his waist, winding a hand up into his hair and tugging him down to kiss her.

What started out slow and tender devolved into something heated as if trying to memorize the other. As if he could somehow- by breathing the same air out of her very lungs- brand her very insides with the liquid electricity that was radiating out of every point of contact that held.

Having to pull away to catch her breath, she smiled at him, feeling his hands tighten just slightly on her waist in response to the look. “What's the verdict?”

“Caramel.” He leaned forward so their foreheads were resting against each other, a slow smirk spreading across his lips. “You taste like salted caramel.”

Harry looked at him, amusement curling in her chest. “Salted caramel... Really?”

Tom's eyes were laughing at her. “One of the only types of sweet I can stand… though-” He leaned forward to bite at her bottom lip gently, before drawing back with a wide grin. “You’re

infinitely

sweeter.”

Ignoring the way another sharp of ice piercing her heart melted away under the growing heat of the sunflowers growing in her heart, she giggled, tilting her head so she could capture his lips once again.

Harry made her way into the office, having been dragged out of the Manor by Luna for a ‘twins day out’.

“Where did you get that?” Tom peered at her over his glasses, but his eyes were fond.

Looking from the pot of tiny mint plants in her arms to him, she smiled widely. “Luna was keeping them alive for me. I saw them in America in a cute little herbology store. Aren't they cute?” Setting down the pot on the corner of his desk, she pulled off a leaf, rubbing it in between her fingers and pressing a nail into the green leaf before holding her hand out. “They smell wonderful and fresh mint is really nice to have around to keep away bugs.”

Long fingers gently wrapped around her arm, pulling her in, smelling the mint leaves in her fingers before he dipped his head and pressed a kiss to the inside of her wrist. “Oh?”

Flushing, she let herself be tugged in, pulled into his lap. “Yeah… spiders and ants aren't big fans of-” she leaned in to kiss him softly, “-mint.”

“And how was the day out with your sister?” Tom’s arms tightened around her like a snake wrapping around its prey, dulcet tones of his voice a purr against her throat, where she could feel him smirking.

Fighting the urge to fidget at the feeling of his warm breath fanning softly over her bare neck, her voice came out as a breathless mutter. “It- ah- was good.”

Tom hummed softly as if musing over some deep thought, but she couldn't remember what she had been planning to tell him about her day out, because those perfect white teeth of his were grazing over where her pulse was racing. “I missed you.” The murmur was soft against her skin, teeth nipping at the junction of her neck before she could even start to form a thought. “Paperwork was tedious without you.”

“I- uh- missed… missed you too.” Her voice was breathless, hands grabbing at his shoulders, nails digging into the shirt fabric over his shoulders.

Humming lowly, he moved to bury his face into the soft skin of her neck.

Finding where her breath had gone and forcing it back into her chest, she moved a hand to card gently through the soft brown hair, nails gently scraping his scalp. “What’s wrong darling?”

There was a pause, but eventually the response was muttered against her skin. “I will never let you go.” Moving to gaze at her, his dark eyes burning intensely. “If you leave me I will burn down cities to get you back. There is no going back. I will never let you go. Not even-”

Brows furrowing, she pinched his nose.

“‘ot e’en-” He sounded ridiculous, cutting himself short and just staring at her.

She tilted her head, removing her fingers. “Sorry. Go on. You were saying?”

With a huff, he started up again. “Not even if I have to kill-”

Harry pinched his nose again.

Dark eyes narrowed. “Wat ‘re ‘ou do’ng?”

“Well i’m not really interested in hearing you threaten my friends or family because you’re possessive, so i’m going to do this until you tell me what’s

actually

bothering you.” She smiled sweetly, pressing a kiss to his cheek when those dark orbs narrowed on her threateningly. “I bet that I have more patience, so why not just tell me?”

A long suffering sigh and she let go. Tom looked away, turning his head as if he was embarrassed. “You… cannot die.”

“Yeah?”

Glancing at her from out of the corner of his eye for a second before looking away again, his jaw clenched. “I-... If we are

together

... no matter how old I get, you would not leave me?”

Harry blinked slowly, trying to sort of the man’s cryptic mutterings, before a wide smile spread over her face. “Thomas Riddle, are you asking if we can grow old together?” The man scoffed, but his eyes darted to her quickly. She giggled, smiling. “If it makes you feel better, I’ll grow old with you- age just like anyone else… To be completely frank, i’m not sure if I’ll just perpetually get older or if Death will just let me go…”

At this, Tom looked at her fully.

She grinned. “Guess we’ll just have to wait and see!”

“You-...” His voice held something so soft and reverent that she almost wanted to look behind her to see if he was speaking to someone else. “You would give up eternity for me?”

Tilting her head, she smiled just as fondly. “Turnabout's fair play, right? You were going to give up a part of your soul, gave up your chance at eternal life… so this is just my matching your conditions to this relationship of ours.”

Hands were grabbing her, lips pressing to hers as if he was trying to crush them, the kiss bruising but the energy that ran through her veins told her that this way incredibly important to him. Gasping when teeth pulled at her lip, they engaged in a battle of dominance- all lips and tongue and hot breath- before pulling away, Tom clearly the victor with how she was practically putty in his hands.

“We- uh- should have done that earlier.”

Grinning down at her, he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, gathering her up into his arms tightly as he leaned back in his chair. “We have all our lives to spend together, sweetheart.” There was a pause, the silence filled with a warm feeling that filled her chest. “But really, if you leave me-”

Reaching up, she pinched his nose, huffing and sending him a glare. “Really?”

His laugh was funny-sounding, but it made her smile.

This was good.

Better than good- this was perfect.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

They were sitting-

well, Tom was sitting, she was wrapped around him like a koala

- in the study. Harry blinked slowly, fatigue catching up to her after a long day of doing nothing and cuddling (such a hard life).

“What are you naming them?”

She moved to rub at her eyes. “Hmmm?”

Tom turned his head, planting a soft kiss to her cheek. “Nothing, nevermind- you’re obviously tired.”

Hitting his chest lightly, she pouted. “No! Say what you were going to!”

The man sighed, rolling his eyes. “The other day, Luna said you always name your plants. So what did you name them?” He nodded his head to the potted mint plants that were now sitting next to one of the armchairs she’d claimed as her own, along with a few of her books.

Giggling, she smiled dopily up at him. “I knew I caught you watering them yesterday!”

“Forget I asked.” His scowl deepened.

Snorting softly, she wiggled so she could push herself up enough to kiss where his eyebrows were furrowing. “Barnabas.”

Brown eyes looked down at her blankly. “Barnabas… Okay… and the others?”

“No no, it’s a collective group name. They all are individually named Barnabi, but put together they’re called Barnabas. As a collective.”

Tom blinked slowly. “You named you mint plants

Barnabas

?”

She nodded, smiling widely. “Well that and Susan.”

By now the man looked to be regretting asking, but with a sigh he looked at her with pained eyes. “And who is... Susan?”

Pointing over to the one taller mint sprig that seemed a bit healthier than the others, Harry pursed her lips. “Susan’s the pretty, vibrant one. But she’s kind of a bitch and none of the Barnabi like her because she steals the most water.” She looked back at Tom. “I have have half a mind to kill Susan to keep the others safe.”

They stared each other down.

“I-… remind me why I like you?” Tom looked at her sceptically. Trying not to show how much that stung, she shrugged, starting to untangle herself from him when his hands wrapped around her waist. Peppering kisses across the bridge of her nose and cheeks, the man smiled fondly at her. “I’m kidding. Even if I doubt your ability to name things, that won’t matter much, because I’ve already promised Luna name rights to our firstborn.”

Harry gaped at him. “You did

what

?”

He nodded, eyes looking a little hesitant as if he wasn’t sure he’d messed up. “Well it’s been discussed that you love kids and-”

“Luna is even

worse than I am

at naming things!” She cut off his almost frantic explanation. “She’ll name our child Lollipop because

‘it sounded pretty’

or something equally stupid!”

Tom considered this, before shaking his head. “I have a favor to call in for Bella, she’ll help convince your sister to stay away from something so horrendous as muggle sweets.” Then the dark orbs locked on her and suddenly the hands resting on her waist were tightening as he leaned in, grin wolfish. “So how many children are you planning?”

Harry swallowed, realizing she hadn’t even tried to deny wanting to have kids with him. “Uh- I- I don’t know… maybe two? I- um- want to adopt, get kids out of bad households so that-”

Long fingers weaving into her hair, she was pulled into a heated kiss, and she knew that Tom was more than happy with her choice.

"What's a pretty lady like you doing, sitting all alone over here?"

Harry only spared the man that deemed himself worthy to sit in her Tom's chair a blank glance, before turning her attention back to where the man in question was giving a passionate speech about the plans for their orphanage to a group of Wizengamot lords.

Oh how stunning he was, eyes full of that raw power and determination that gave her shivers even from here.

"Y'know, it's rude to ignore people…" The stranger's voice took on an almost sneering quality to it. "Why don't you let me buy you a drink, make up for it?"

With a small sigh at being torn from watching Tom work his charm on the other politicians, she leaned back in her chair, taking a sip from the almost-empty glass of wine that she had been absentmindedly swirling as she stared at the man she planned to marry. "I will have to refuse, sir, as I would not like to drink more than I have."

She made to stand, reluctant to intervene in Tom's fun, but not liking the vibe the man was giving off- when his hand grabbed her wrist. "Come on sweetie, one more drink won't hurt…"

"I believe she said no." A familiar warm figure settled lightly at her back, radiating comforting heat even as the air around them seemed to chill. "Now I would recommend you take your hands

off of my fiancee's wrist.

"

Letting go instantly, the man took a shaky step back. "I- I didn't-"

Tom ignored him, arms moving to encircle her tightly and yet carefully, as if she was hurt. "You alright Harry?"

"You didn't propose." She tipped her head back, beads in her hair clinking, so that her head was laying on his shoulder and she could see him from out of her lashes. "How can I be your fiancee if you haven't proposed?"

With a soft huff that usually meant he was amused at her for not knowing something he thought was common knowledge, he pressed a light kiss to her forehead. "Ah, but see, technically the locket you're wearing was a courting gift. One that you accepted. And with the sacrifices we both committed to, plus having shared a bed... in Wizarding culture all that's left to our courting is the consummation."

"...oh." Trying her best not to flush like she knew the man was expecting, wearing that teasing half-grin, she just studied his elegant features. "No wonder you got all pissy when I tried to reject the locket."

The man scowled, flicking her ear lightly in a show of childish irritation. "Be quiet you menace." Looking up to the man watching them still, she watched as his eyes darkened and started to brew up a storm. "So… what were you thinking when you tried to force a drink on a woman- much less

my fiancee

?"

"I- It's not like that, I- I recognized her from the magazine and, well, I just wanted to say hello- I swear!"
Tom huffed, sounding distinctly unamused. "So you came over, ignoring all the signs that Harry was completely uninterested and just- what- decided to accost her?"
By now whispers were starting up around the room, and she hid an eye roll when she saw two Aurors looking as if they were getting ready to apprehend the man, gently prying herself from Tom's arms. "Thomas. I'm perfectly fine. I'm thankful you were there to help, but we both know I could have-"

The man lunged, a syringe in his hand and before anyone could do a thing she had dodged his hand and twisted it so he was laying on the floor, her high heel against his throat and her long nails drawing blood from how tightly she was holding his wrist.

"-dealt with it…" Finishing her original sentence in an amused drawl, she pried the syringe from his hand, dropping his arm but keeping her heel on his throat. Harry held it out to Tom. "Any ideas on what it is?"

"Ma'am we can-"

Tom interrupted the Auror that had stepped forward, shaking his head as he handed back the needle of clear liquid. "Its not magical."

Humming, she looked at it for a second before pulling out a compact mirror and flipping it open. The mirror inside glowed blue, showing her call was being connected.

The Auror looked between her and Tom, unsure. "I'm sure this can be done by our-"

"Harry! Darling! What can I do for you!" Morgana's face grinned at her from the compact, the people around her starling (except Tom).

Harry held up the syringe. "Non magical. Most likely poison. No real distinctive color and it's odorless. What would you use?"

"Ma'am, we can do this oursel-"

"Botulinum toxin." Morgana had sobered, eyes solid silver. "Need some help disposing of the pig who tried to poison you?"

With a smile and a press of her heel against a vein in the man's that make him sputter and choke for a second, she shook her head. "No, but thank you. Toodaloo!" Snapping the compact shut, she cast a spell to make the syringe unbreakable before holding it out to the haggard Auror. "Here. It's most likely Botulinum toxin… Thomas?"

A soft hum of acknowledgement. "Yes dearest?"

"Can we go home now?" She knew he was clearly turning over every possible reason for the almost-assassination, obsessing over it, and just wanted to go home and sink into his arms. "I'm tired."

A warm arm wound around her waist, Tom smiling down at her through the worry and anger lingering in the depths of his eyes. "Of course little one… it's been quite a day."

She doubted that the man currently being restrained
by the Aurors would make it to see the dawn of the next day- not with the look that Tom gave Abraxas as they passed him.