FIC: Nose to the Wind ~ Harry Potter ~ Harry/Voldemort ~ Teen ~ Ch 16/27

[batsutousai]

Title: Nose to the Wind
Series: Like a Ghost in My Town
Fandom: Harry Potter
Author: Batsutousai
Rating: Teen
Pairing: Harry Potter/Lord Voldemort, James Potter/Lily Potter
Warnings: AU, violence, universe hopping/rebirth, Dark!Harry, werewolf!Harry, underage relationship (ish)
Summary: While Harry had been content with his second chance, that didn't keep him from thinking what he could have done different, how many people could have survived if he hadn't been set on the very specific path he'd walked. Third time is the charm, though, right?

A/N: So, the last couple of scenes of this chapter originally went in a completely different direction. When I realised how completely out of hand it was getting, I cut a huge chunk. If people want, I can probably be talked into posting the cut section on tumblr – I saved it because it was kind of amazing, I thought – but I won't bother if people don't care. (It's not complete, mind you, because I stopped myself in the middle of a scene.)

For ages at the start of this chapter, Harry is 15. (Hermione is 15, Will is 13, and Chris is 11.)

Cross-posted to Archive of Our Own and LiveJournal.

-0-
Chapter Sixteen – Perfectly Reckless
-0-

Hermione made a concerted effort to look unbothered by everything for the next couple days, but the way she was no longer looking to Harry to share in a joke, or reaching for him when they ended up mixed in a crowd, was telling.

Wednesday night, though, when they all parted in the hallway to their various rooms, Hermione called, "Harry?"

Harry glanced back at her, raising one eyebrow, and tried not to notice how everyone else in their group had also stopped to watch. "Hermione?"

She flushed slightly, under everyone's gaze. "Can we... Could you come in here?" she settled on, her blush darkening.

Harry couldn't help a fond smile. "Yeah, sure," he agreed, and joined her in going into her room after ruffling Will's hair, since he'd been standing right next to him.

Once in Hermione's room, she took up a position next to her bed, looking nervous. Harry walked calmly over to the desk chair and pulled it out to sit in, leaving her a clear path to the exit; he was too much wolf to ever think that getting between someone who could technically be prey and their escape was a wise idea. (Unless he wanted to make them feel trapped, in which case the kid gloves went right out the nearest window and the claws came out. But he wasn't going to do that to Hermione. Ever.)

A tense silence fell between them, Hermione unfolding and folding her hands in front of her, looking for one moment like she might sit on her bed, the next like she might start pacing. Harry just watched her, trying not to look like he was pushing her, but honestly just wanting her to decide what she was going to do.

Finally, Hermione said, "It all makes so much sense now!"

Harry blinked and eyed her uncertainly. "Erm... What does?"

"You and Vol– Him," she said, stumbling over the dark lord's name, "and how you always seem to just know things and your certainty that you'd have been in Slytherin, and–"

"Everything," Harry commented. "Right." He carefully folded his fingers together. "I'm sorry I've turned being a puzzle into an art form."

Hermione pointed a finger at him. "When he told you to come up with ways to keep tabs on other muggleborns, he wasn't really asking for suggestions, was he?"

Harry snorted, shaking his head. "No." He sighed. "That said, your idea did bear some fruit; we weren't keeping tabs on purebloods and halfbloods – I don't have the necessary resources – but a couple of students have come forward with reports. Or, well–" he allowed a tired little smile "–have been made to come forward by worried friends. So thank you for that."

Hermione blinked at him. "You– You're welcome," she replied before shaking her head and asking, " 'Resources'?"

Harry inclined his head. "Necromancer," he offered, because he knew from his brothers that she knew that much about him. "Spirits in the Realm of Death can look through what I refer to as the Veil – the barrier between the living realm and the Realm of Death – and see into this realm. They keep tabs on various people for me."

"You have a spy network," Hermione deadpanned.

Harry flashed her a smile. "Essentially. And there's not a person alive who can protect themselves against it."

Hermione frowned, looking uncertain. "Will said that you– That your necromancy wasn't...common?"

Harry shrugged and nodded. "Necromancy as most people practise it uses the same magic as you're taught at Hogwarts," he explained, and she made a face. "I know, but magic is neither good nor evil, it is a tool. It can be used to kill someone or to create a zombie, the same as it can be used to heal or cheer someone up."

"But what you use..."

"Is different," Harry finished. "I use magic pulled directly from the Realm of Death. Soul magic, you might call it, whereas the magic you use is physical. Because death magic is pulled from the Realm of Death, it's far superior to any magic your average necromancer might use." He offered her a grim smile. "I, quite literally, deal in death."

Hermione shuddered and finally sat on her bed. "And that, the figure that came to get you a couple days ago, Will said that was Death? Like, actual Death?"

"Mmm, simplified," Harry allowed. "A physical representation of a state of being that has no physical definition."

Hermione went a bit cross-eyed before nodding in understanding. "Right. He – it? – called you master?"

Harry couldn't hold back a laugh, startled. "You know, I think, you're the first person who's actually asked me about that," he told her, and she looked like she wasn't certain if she should be proud of that or not. "There's a complicated reason which is so utterly tied up in my last life, you'll have to forgive me for refusing to explain it."

Hermione sighed, slumping. "Somehow," she complained, "I knew you were going to say that."

Harry smiled and shook his head.

She straightened again and eyed him curiously. "So, the black...portal you walked through. Chris said it leads to Death's Realm?"

"Realm of Death, Death's Realm." Harry shrugged. "Yes. The afterlife, essentially." He frowned. "I expect he or Will also told you not to touch the doorway."

Hermione nodded. "Will said it was a really bad idea. Something about shrivelled fingers?" She grimaced.

"Necrosis," Harry agreed, and Hermione's eyes widened. "Extremely painful, yes, please don't touch them. I can fix it, or – if I'm touching you, protect you – but it's not a fun sensation."

"Did you ever–?"

Harry raised his right arm. "Whole arm, yes," he agreed and she looked horrified. "It was an adventure I'd not soon like to repeat. I say I would never wish it on anyone, but, well..." He shrugged. "I'd be lying."

Hermione covered her face with her hands. "How can you be so...so..."

"Cold? Cruel?" Harry suggested, and she let out a quiet noise of upset. "I'm not a nice person, Hermione."

"You've always been nice to me!" Hermione shouted.

"Yes," Harry agreed quietly, and she looked away, "I have. And I will do. But I can be nice to a handful of people, and still be a monster to the rest of the world. Perspective is everything."

"Perspective?" Hermione repeated.

Harry nodded. "If some prat breaks your heart and I drop them off the roof of Big Ben, is that chivalrous or monstrous?"

Hermione just sort of stared at him for a long moment in disbelief, before saying, "Please don't ever throw someone off the roof of Big Ben for me."

Harry coughed to hide a smile. "Astronomy Tower?"

Hermione let out a sort of helpless laugh and covered her face again. "Dear Merlin, you're terrible!"

Harry let himself smile for a moment, then sighed and leant forward. "Hermione," he called and she looked up, her eyes sparkling with a strange sort of horrified amusement, like she knew she shouldn't have found his suggestions half as amusing as she actually did. "You're my best friend, my sister, and nothing is ever going to change that," he offered, and she let out a startled sound. "But, if you told me you never wanted to see me again, I would walk out that door and you wouldn't. Because I know I'm completely screwed up and that's hard to deal with. I don't ever want you to feel uncomfortable when you come home for the holidays, okay? You don't deserve that."

Hermione stared at him, tears in her eyes. "I would never–!" she started before her eyes went wide and it was almost like she was seeing a part of Harry that he hadn't even realised she might have. He cleared his throat and sat back, uncomfortable. Hermione blinked a few times, a tear tracking down her cheek, and whispered, "You're my best friend too, Harry. And I wouldn't–" She sucked in a quick breath and another couple tears rolled down her face. "I got so caught up in who you were, I think I forgot who you are. I'm sorry."

Harry shook his head. "It's not–"

"Shut up and give me a hug," Hermione interrupted, looking very much like she was about to start crying for real.

Harry hurried across the room and wrapped her in a hug, so unspeakably grateful that she hadn't taken him up on his offer. He didn't want to lose Hermione, not again. "Thank you," he whispered into her bushy hair, and Hermione let out a broken noise and squeezed him tight.

Maybe, one of these days, Harry would learn to stop underestimating how much the women in his life saw when he wasn't taking pains to guard himself.

-0-

When they were packing up to head home on their last day, Harry had an epiphany.

"Hey, Mum, Dad?" he said, poking his head into their room. Will and Chris had trailed after him, looking curious.

His parents both looked up. "What is it, pup?" James asked with a smile.

Harry stepped into the room and scratched at his cheek. "So, since Hermione knows, can I go home my way?"

"Go home your–" James started before he seemed to realise what Harry meant. "Oh. Hm." He turned to Lily. "Are we trusting Harry to make his own way home?"

"Please," Harry tried, and he really didn't care that it had come out as a whine; standard policy after an attack on an important politician – like the one that had sort of killed Voldemort not even a week ago – always meant restrictions on travel, so it was extremely likely the international floo hub was, if not completely shut down still, struggling to work through a backlog of people who'd missed their slot. Sirius and James, as aurors, could request an international portkey, but Harry didn't have a batch of his anti-nausea potion, and while they could certainly apparate instead, Harry wasn't particularly fond of that brand of travel, either.

Lily snorted and pinned Harry with a stern look. "Straight home. No side stops to check in on anyone."

Harry winced, knowing she meant he couldn't drop by Voldemort's manor and see him. Not that he expected the dark lord would be okay with that, anyway. "I know. I'm grounded."

Lily's mouth twitched, like she was suppressing a smile. "You are, aren't you?" she agreed, as if only just remembering that, and Harry rolled his eyes. She looked at James and nodded. "I suppose we can trust him."

"Can I go with Harry?" Will piped up from just behind Harry.

Harry blinked in surprise and turned to stare at where his brothers had stopped in the doorway of their parents' room. "Wait...what?"

"Me, too!" Chris immediately called, darting forward and grabbing Harry's hand.

James let out a choked sound, which could have been a laugh.

"We just have to hold your hand," Will insisted. "It's safe, right?"

Harry rubbed at his face with his free hand; he really should have known this would happen eventually. "Essentially," he agreed tiredly. "But you realise it's not a bleeding stroll in the park, right?"

Lily made a quiet noise, but didn't actually tell him off for cursing.

"I know that," Will replied, his voice firm. "But I–" Chris made a noise "–but we want to see. You go there all the time."

"I–" Harry turned towards his parents a bit helplessly. Because he knew his brothers, knew they weren't going to let this go, but taking them into the Realm of Death...

Better a controlled experience the first time, than have Harry rushing them through it because something happened and he needed to get them to safety, he realised.

James must have seen him making up his mind, because he sighed and turned to look at Will and Chris. "You do not let go of Harry's hands. Not for anything. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Dad," they both agreed, tone solemn.

James glanced towards Lily and she gave a tired nod. "Then you can go," he allowed.

"Yeah!" Will punched the air, while Chris hugged Harry.

"Is it possible for me to come, too?" Hermione asked from behind Will.

Harry turned to stare at her, his brothers going silent. "You–" Of course Hermione would want to go, as curious as she was about everything, but Harry only had two hands, and it was really hard to walk when you were trying to make sure three people were keeping skin contact with you. "I can't really–"

Harry blinked, his mouth falling closed. He couldn't take three people, but he wasn't the only one capable of taking people through the Realm of Death. Death? he called.

"I would be willing to serve, Master," Death replied with only a moment's delay.

Harry cleared his throat. "Okay," he agreed, and Hermione's eyes lit up. "If Mum and Dad say okay."

The sound James let out made it clear he disapproved of having to okay everyone tagging along. "Just..." He sighed. "Don't let go of Harry and listen to him in there," he finished a bit lamely, and Lily let out a quiet noise of amusement.

"Right," Harry declared, fighting a smile as the other three lit up, "I'm leaving in ten minutes. Finish packing quick."

As he'd expected, that cleared them out.

James touched Harry's shoulder lightly and he glanced back at his father, who was watching him with some concern. "Are you sure you'll be okay with the three of them?"

Harry quirked a smile. "I'll manage," he promised, because he wasn't about to admit that Death had offered to help.

James nodded and squeezed his shoulder. "Straight home."

Harry snorted. "Please. I'm not suicidal enough to force those three on Voldemort without warning. I'd be lucky if he only killed me."

James grimaced while Lily laughed. "Good point," James decided before squeezing his shoulder again and stepping back. "Travel safely?" he offered, sounding uncertain.

Harry shot him a sharp smile. "I'm not the one who's trying to get back into England after Voldemort got attacked in the ministry less than a week ago." James groaned, looking a bit hopeless. "If you don't get back before nightfall, I'm coming after you."

"I'm not sure if that should be reassuring or not," James complained.

"Not really," Harry offered before turning to return to his room. "I'll see you both at home."

"Yeah, yeah."

Harry didn't have to wait long for Hermione and his brothers to declare themselves ready, but he sent all of them back for a second look, to make sure they hadn't forgotten anything. (Hermione and Chris were both fine, but Will found a pair of socks that had fallen under his bed.)

"Right," Harry said as he sensed Death stepping out of a doorway behind him. Hermione's eyes went wide, but both Will and Chris offered cheerful greetings. "At least one of you needs to walk with Death, because I'm not juggling three hands."

"Me!" Chris and Will chorused before trading glares.

Death let out a bone-rattle laugh. "You may both come with me, should Master approve."

Harry waved a careless hand. "I know you'll keep them in line." Because, even if one of them slipped out of Death's grip, it could protect them for long enough for it to grab them again, which wasn't an ability Harry had. (Or maybe it was? He was never certain exactly how much more than a normal mortal he could do when it came to death magic, after the Hallows became a part of him, and he didn't tend to have anyone to run tests with.)

"I, too, am uncertain how much you are capable of, any more, Master," Death offered mentally.

You really should quit this habit of snooping through my thoughts, Harry replied without heat, as he held out his hand to Hermione and said, "I guess that leaves you with me."

"I apologise, Master," Death said, not sounding even a little bit sorry. Not that Harry had really expected his eternal servant to feel bad about reading his mind. He didn't really expect Death to stop, either, wasn't certain Death could stop; their connection would always be a complicated one.

Hermione took Harry's hand and let him draw her through a doorway that opened for them, leaving Will and Chris for Death to manage. Once on the other side, Harry stopped to give Hermione a moment to adjust to the change in...well, pretty much everything, honestly.

"It's a little...cold," Hermione offered uncertainly as Death stepped through a doorway with Will and Chris, both of their bags firmly on their backs, rather than hanging off one shoulder, as they'd been when Harry and Hermione had left them.

"It's Death," Harry replied with a careless shrug.

"We've been here before," Chris offered quietly, and Hermione shot him a startled look. "Harry brought everyone."

"I didn't have a choice," Harry admitted, motioning with his head that they should start out. For Hermione, he explained, "When we were in Spain, our guide led us into a necromantic ritual. The only way I could think of to deal with all the necromancers involved in the casting, was to just transport all of us to the Realm of Death."

Hermione let out a quiet noise of disbelief. "You really do react first with killing people, don't you?" she complained.

Harry shrugged. "It's a character flaw," he admitted, and she choked, while his brothers both laughed.

"Alas, not one you seem concerned about," a resigned voice said from behind Harry and Hermione.

Harry stopped, tugging Hermione to a standstill next to him, and sent the spirit an amused look. "Hello, Albus," he offered, sensing more than seeing Death and his brothers stop a few steps further along. "Are you intending to play chaperone?"

"Perhaps," Albus replied mildly.

"Harry?" Hermione asked, sounding uncertain.

"Ah." Harry cleared his throat. "Sorry. Hermione, Will, Chris–" he glanced over his shoulder, towards where his brothers were watching curiously "–this is Albus Dumbledore, former headmaster of Hogwarts and the leader of Voldemort's opposition during the war. Albus, you know everyone."

"I do," Albus agreed, inclining his head. "It's a pleasure to finally get the chance to meet you all." His mouth quirked with a fond smile. "Well, become reacquainted with William, and meet Christopher and Hermione," he corrected.

"Huh?"

Harry rolled his eyes and explained for his brother, "Before Mum and Dad accepted Voldemort's amnesty offer, they and our uncles were all members of Albus' group. It didn't happen often, but you and I were brought to a couple of meetings."

"Oh." Will frowned. "He's the one you don't like, right?"

Albus chuckled, while Harry snorted. "We have a difference of opinion about..."

"Nearly everything?" Albus suggested.

"Essentially," Harry agreed before shaking his head. "Chaperone or not, as you please, Albus, but I did promise Mum and Dad we'd head straight home."

Albus sighed and said, tone knowing, "You would rather I keep an eye on your parents."

Harry smiled at him. "It would ease my mind a bit," he admitted, because knowing Albus was around, keeping an eye on his family, as much as they argued, did always make him feel better about leaving them to see to other duties.

Albus nodded and turned to go back in the direction they'd come from.

"Come on," Harry ordered, and they started walking again.

"He seems...nice," Hermione offered.

Harry hummed a bit. "He believes that you should be able to solve differences without bloodshed, I think he's an optimistic old fool." Hermione let out a choked laugh and Harry offered her a smile. "Yeah, I know. We've mostly agreed to disagree, any more, but he occasionally gets it in his head to try and talk me around to his side and I respond by calling him names."

"Oh no," Hermione moaned, hiding her face against Harry's shoulder and squeezing his hand.

Harry chuckled and squeezed her hand back. "We agree on some things, like keeping my family safe, so he's usually not too far from the house." He snorted. "If I didn't already have a handful of spirits watching Hogwarts, Albus would probably make a habit of going there every year. As it is, I really don't know who he'll start following around, now Chris is joining you and Will."

"You don't think he'll follow you?" Hermione asked.

Harry shrugged. "I suppose he might, but I don't know why. So far as I'm aware, he doesn't make a habit of following after me when I go my own way."

"But you're not sure," Hermione guessed.

Harry shook his head. "No. I can't actually tell if a spirit in the Realm of Death is watching nearby while I'm in the mortal realm, unless I have a doorway open." He snorted. "Well, I can usually tell if one of them is watching me, the same way you'd know anyone is staring at you, but I'd have to check to know for sure which of them is playing the snoop."

"Do they ever do that?"

"Mm. Usually only when they need to pass on a message."

"Master yells at them, otherwise," Death helpfully offered from where it, Will, and Chris were trailing behind; the two humans had apparently discovered the ability to make things appear with a thought, because stones and grass were trailing behind them, and Will was riding along on a black skateboard.

"Yes, thank you, Death," Harry replied, and Hermione muffled a giggle. "Will, you realise that'll vanish as soon as you walk back through a doorway."

"Not going through a doorway yet!" Will called back.

Harry rolled his eyes and murmured to Hermione, "He's going to stumble because he didn't get off it fast enough and I'm going to laugh."

Hermione reached across with her free hand and smacked his shoulder. "You're terrible."

Harry was absolutely right about Will not getting off the skateboard quickly enough when a doorway opened for Death, and he stumbled and fell onto the carpet of their living room. Harry managed to resist the urge to laugh, but Chris didn't even try, and Will ended up chasing his younger brother up to their room, shouting threats in Atlantean.

Harry left Hermione to follow the other two while he turned to Death. "Thank you for the assistance," he offered fondly. "I know they can be a handful."

Death gently cupped Harry's cheek and he closed his eyes and relaxed into the touch. "You know I am always willing to assist, Master."

"I know," Harry agreed, "but that doesn't mean I can't be grateful."

Death drew away slowly, and Harry smiled up at it. "Your gratitude is a gift, Master."

"Flatterer," Harry accused.

"Only for you, Master," Death promised, amusement colouring its genderless voice.

Harry chuckled. "Still my favourite," he insisted, and Death let out a bone-rattle laugh before stepping back through to its realm. Harry watched after it for a moment, amused, then turned and made his way upstairs. Hermione had retired to her room, leaving it for Harry to keep his brothers from killing each other.

-0-

"Master," Death called the Sunday after they'd all got home, while Harry was making his way downstairs for breakfast, "Merope warns that Tom intends to stop by today."

Harry paused on the last step, blinking. Did she tell you why?

"No. However, the attack against him was done by former Order members."

Harry nodded and continued his way into the kitchen. Very well. Thank you both for the warning.

"Of course, Master."

Harry offered a helpless sort of smile to his parents when they both looked towards him upon entering the room. "So, it sounds like we should expect a guest today?"

"Who?" James asked while Lily turned to get Harry something to eat with a frown.

"Voldemort."

"Why?" James demanded, and Lily abandoned the food to look at Harry.

Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know for sure," he admitted. "However, the attack on Monday apparently came at the hands of former members of the Order of the Phoenix; my best guess is that he's turning to the only former Order members he's on even passingly good terms with to seek more information."

Lily and James traded frowns. "The first we heard of an attack was Monday."

Harry nodded as he settled into his usual seat at the table. "I figured as much. You're too close to someone who's known to be in Voldemort's circle." Multiple someones, really, though, considering that James hadn't found out about Severus – and, by extension, Barty – by now, it was likely that most people weren't aware Lily was on good terms with him.

"I suppose so," James agreed, frowning.

"I guess we won't know why he's coming until he shows up," Lily decided as she brought over food and tea for Harry. "Do you know when he'll be here?"

"Thanks," Harry offered for the food, before shaking his head. "I expect he has other things planned for today, so he'll drop by whenever he's got a free hour or two."

James snorted, nonverbally making it clear what he thought of the dark lord making them plan around his schedule, but since the plan for the day was already for them to relax at home, Harry really didn't think his father had much to complain about.

He did warn his brothers and Hermione when they came down, however, and received uncertain looks.

"You can still go out and play," Lily insisted. "It's unlikely that Voldemort will want anything to do with any of you."

"Probably safer all around if you scamper," James added under his breath. "Fewer targets."

Harry rolled his eyes.

Will and Hermione both ended up outside, with Chris staying in because (he claimed), he was going to miss Harry next month and he wanted to spend lots of time with him. Which, well, Harry wasn't much looking forward to having both of his brothers off at Hogwarts, either, but he had his own means of keeping tabs on them. (And he was learning to trust those means, after two years of Will being at Hogwarts.)

When Voldemort hadn't shown up by lunch, Chris decided he was going outside after all, and ran out with Will as soon as they were both done eating. For her part, Hermione excused herself to do some studying for the OWLS – Harry absolutely didn't roll his eyes – and went upstairs.

"If he shows up expecting dinner, he can go–"

"James," Lily warned, disapproving.

Harry snorted. "Nah. Nothing against Mum's cooking, but I expect he'd prefer whatever his house-elves make." He huffed. "If he waits until dinnertime to show up, though, I'm sending Death after him."

James laughed and leant forward over the table to ruffle Harry's hair. "I love your 'not-a-friendship'."

Harry ducked out of his father's reach and tried fixing his hair. "You can only say that because you know he's actually kind of terrified of me."

As if the discussion had called him, someone knocked on the front door.

"Right," Harry said, jumping to his feet. "I'll get it."

It was definitely the dark lord – Harry could smell him before he reached the door – and he hadn't bothered glamouring his new form for the visit, so he looked like a younger Tom Riddle. (The difference was no more than twenty years, but absolutely noticeable.) "Hi!" Harry chirped, then winced when he realised how that had come out.

Tom chuckled, red eyes practically dancing. "Hello, Scythe," he returned, and he almost sounded...

Harry closed his eyes. "I didn't tell them," he said, switching to German. "About the ki– About your intentions. I forgot."

"I think I'm supposed to be insulted," Tom returned, scaling back his smile.

Harry winced. "Did you come for that? Because I should probably warn them, and I totally can–"

"Scythe," Tom interrupted, and that was very obviously fondness in his smile, now. "First, let me in," he ordered and Harry let out an embarrassed laugh and stepped back to let the dark lord in. "Second, no, I came about the attack."

"Because there were former Order members involved?" Harry guessed as he shut the door. Tom raised an eyebrow and Harry shrugged. "Death let me know. I didn't ask for any specifics, however. They don't know anything about it."

Tom shook his head. "Neither you nor they know what they might know."

Harry placed a firm hand against the dark lord's chest, keeping him from walking further into the house, and narrowed his eyes at the man. "You are not using legilimency on my parents," he said, his voice hard.

Tom closed his eyes. "Yes, I assumed you were going to say that. I only came to talk." He brushed one hand against Harry's cheek, light and quick, like he wasn't certain it was allowed, or hadn't realised he was going to do it until it was too late to stop himself.

There were times Harry really wished it was easier to read the man.

He sighed and let his hand slide down Tom's chest a bit before dropping back down to his side. Tom narrowed his eyes at him and Harry flashed a smile before turning to lead the way into the dining room, where Lily had brought out tea and settled in next to James, both of them looking tense.

James blinked upon seeing Tom, and Lily's eyebrows went up.

Tom sighed. "Minor change in my appearance, I'm aware. You may lay the blame upon your son."

"Partial blame," Harry insisted and the dark lord snorted, clearly of a differing opinion.

They settled down at the table and Tom allowed a stiff nod when Lily silently offered to pour him some tea. "What all has Scy-Harry explained to you about the events of Monday?"

James cleared his throat. "Essentially what was in The Daily Prophet: You were at the ministry, doing one of your regular checks, and were engulfed in an explosion that didn't seem to be magical in nature. You vanished for a time, before returning and rooting out the perpetrators."

"Harry did say, this morning, that former members of the Order of the Phoenix were responsible," Lily added.

When Tom glanced at Harry, he shrugged. "We were on holiday, and you know I don't go digging unless I have a reason to do so."

"Hm." Tom threaded his fingers together under his chin. "The explosive was muggle in nature, though the trigger was magical. The perpetrators were Dorcas Meadowes, Caradoc Dearborn, and Emmeline Vance."

"Emmy?" Lily whispered, looking particularly pale. "But, I just had lunch with her before we left for Rome."

James straightened. "Dorcas' daughter finished Hogwarts this year, didn't she?"

Lily swallowed and gave a jerky nod. "Caradoc's son, too. And Emmy's son finished last year."

"Yes," Tom remarked drily, watching them with eyes that missed little, "it seems their children no longer needing protection was what led them to restarting Dumbledore's little group."

Lily stiffened. "And their children? You didn't–"

Tom glanced towards Harry out of the corner of his eye, only barely moving his head. "Their offspring are of no concern to me, so long as they don't take to the footsteps of their parents." He waved a careless hand. "The three were quite willing–" Harry barely resisted the urge to snort "–to explain their reasonings and were...insistent that they were the only members involved."

"You don't believe them," James suggested.

Tom put on a cruel smile. "On the contrary, I'm quite certain I have the truth of the matter. However, it is true that other former members of the Order of the Phoenix also have children who will soon be finishing at Hogwarts, and they may be considering similar attempts."

"You want us to spy for you," Lily said flatly.

"Indeed," Tom agreed, finally reaching for his tea.

"No."

"Lily–" James started.

Lily turned to her husband, fire in her eyes. "No. I am not going to play spy against my friends because he–" she waved a hand in Tom's direction, the dark lord watching everything from behind his tea, a hint of amusement glinting in his eyes "–is paranoid!"

"Mum," Harry interrupted, because he had no interest in watching his parents get into a fight about this, "what if the next target isn't Voldemort? Or isn't just him?"

"Who, then?" Lily nearly shrieked, turning on him with wild eyes.

Harry met her eyes coolly. "What if it was Severus?" Because, as headmaster of Hogwarts, he had a very public position, and it was no secret who he owed allegiance to; if you couldn't take out the head of the monster, Harry knew, the next best thing was to take out the support.

Lily flinched back as though struck.

James frowned and opened his mouth.

"What if it was me?" Harry added and everyone – even Tom, which was telling – went very still. "I may not be publicly tied to Voldemort right now, but you have no guarantees that will remain the case once I finish school. You both know I intend to find work in the magical world–" they'd discussed it a couple times, especially since Harry was as good with potions as he'd become, it being one of the few magical things he could openly do without a crutch "–and if you think no one's going to notice how much I support Voldemort, you're living in a fairy land."

"I hardly think that would be the thing that would get you targeted," Tom muttered.

"Please don't complicate this right now," Harry replied quietly. And, yeah, he really needed to tell his parents that he and Tom were...whatever they were, now. Merlin, he hated trying to label them, in any reality.

James cleared his throat and gently covered Lily's hand with his own, looking towards her with serious eyes. "What did we promise?"

Lily swallowed and nodded. "I know."

Harry caught Tom looking towards him with a raised eyebrow and shrugged; he could make a couple of guesses as to what his parents were talking about, but he wasn't about to go sharing any of them with the dark lord.

James turned hard eyes on the dark lord. "Fine, we'll keep an ear to the ground. How should we get news to you? Harry?"

Tom shrugged. "Should he be willing. You may also pass notes through Wormtail."

Lily perked up slightly. " 'Should he be willing'?" she repeated.

Tom sent her a flat look. "I hardly believe Scythe will follow any of my directions."

Harry snickered and ducked his head when the dark lord shot him a knowing look. "Did you want an apology?" he teased, peering up at the man from behind his fringe.

Tom snorted. "Really."

Harry put on a mock surprised look. "You're right. There are other things I should apologise for, first."

"I'll take it in writing," Tom shot back, his eyes glinting with amusement.

"Are you going to pin it up somewhere?" Harry asked, sitting back and waving his hands like he was unveiling something. " 'And here is the list of apologies from one Harry 'Scythe' Potter, the thorn in my side. Please ignore the parts that have been blacked out due to security concerns–' "

"You'll have to write those on a separate paper," Tom decided.

Harry snorted. "Sorry, only one apology letter for you."

"Hm. I'll have to copy the less sensitive ones over on to a separate page," Tom mused before shooting Harry a superior look. "Unlike some people, I can actually do that."

Harry shot him a flat look. "You're just going to keep beating that horse, aren't you?"

Tom smirked. "It's not dead yet."

"I can fix that."

"I can't decide if I'm disturbed," James whispered to Lily, "or entertained."

"Anyway," Harry announced, shooting his father a knowing look before turning back to Tom, "if you didn't have anything else you needed to do here?"

"Kicking me out, Scythe?" Tom asked, but he didn't look bothered as he got to his feet.

"Giving you the chance to actually walk out the front door. For once," Harry shot back, also standing, so he could see the dark lord out.

Tom snorted and led the way to the doorway to the hallway. Once there, he paused and turned around, a strange expression on his face. "Ah, there was one other thing," he announced, before leaning forward and pressing a brief hard kiss to Harry's mouth. "Front doors are tedious," he whispered as he pulled back, too quickly for Harry to do more than blink in surprise. "Goodbye, Scythe." And then he disappeared with a crack of apparation.

Harry closed his eyes, silently cursing the dark lord for surprising him twice now with kisses. I really need to stop letting him get away without me returning the favour, he complained to himself.

"Harry," Lily said from behind him, and Harry flinched. "Is there something you need to tell us?"

Harry couldn't quite bite back a Russian curse as he turned to face his parents. Lily was trying to look stern and mostly managing to hide her smile, while James looked like he didn't quite know how to react to what had just happened. "Voldemort," he offered carefully, "may have, possibly, on Monday, made his intentions clear?"

"And you didn't tell us?" Lily complained, before giving up on suppressing her smile.

"I had other things on my mind," Harry insisted. "We all did, really."

Lily got up and hurried forward to pull Harry into a hug. "I'm happy for you, sweetie. So is Dad, even though he's being suspiciously silent," she added pointedly.

James sighed and came over to join them. He squeezed Harry's shoulder and offered him a tight smile when Harry looked over at him. "I am happy for you," he agreed, before his expression twisted with discomfort. "I know you think of yourself as however many years older than Mum and I, but please remember your body is fifteen and the age of consent–"

Harry covered his face. "Dear Merlin, please stop."

James cleared his throat, clearly as happy as Harry about the topic. "Sixteen, Harry."

Harry groaned and took a moment to rub roughly at his face before looking back at his father. "I know the law," he agreed tiredly.

James shook his head, his expression hardening. "Stick to this one," he ordered. "Out of all the laws you 'know', you need to follow this one."

Harry closed his eyes. In his last reality, when Tom had finally given in, he'd given in all the way, not gone with quick kisses and fond looks. But, then, Harry had been a different man, then – and in an older body – and they'd been heading into a worldwide war. Here, now, they had time, could ease into things the way they were supposed to have done.

"Harry," James warned.

Harry met his stare evenly. "Until next year," he promised quietly, "we'll keep things chaste."

James held his eyes for a long moment, clearly looking for any hint of a lie – not that he'd have found one, had Harry not meant it; he'd mastered lying to his parents before they'd realised he had things to hide – before nodding. "Good." Then he looked away, grimacing. "Let's never have this discussion again."

Harry groaned and rubbed tiredly at his eyes. "Please. And if anyone in this family tries giving me 'The Talk', fair warning, I have a wand and the spell list may be pathetic, but I am fully capable of creativity."

"Not to mention," Lily said, clearly amused by both of them, "you can always ask your boyfriend to add more."

Harry flinched and turned wide eyes on his mother. "You did not just refer to Lord Voldemort as my boyfriend."

James let out a laugh that suggested he needed mental help. "Lily," he choked. "Lily, please."

Lily caught her lower lip between her teeth, her eyes sparkling. "Too soon?" she suggested.

"I need a drink," James decided, running his hands through his hair roughly.

"Mum," Harry tried, and his voice came out sounding strained, "please, if you love me at all, don't call him that. Ever. That is–" Words failed him utterly and Harry just sort of waved his hands uselessly between them.

Lily shook her head. "Fine. What should we call him?"

"The dark lord?" Harry suggested weakly, even as he turned the question over in his head. He'd never actually tried to define his relationship with Tom before, beyond occasionally referring to him as his 'lover', but this version wasn't that, yet, and James might actually do more than talk about getting a drink if Harry suggested that.

Was there a word that could be used to describe his relationship with the dark lord? A word that didn't make him flinch to even think about it, or suggest events that hadn't occurred yet?

"Partner," Harry realised.

Lily's eyes lit up. "I like that," she decided before turning the sort of smile that made Harry want to run for it on him. "Now it's official, you should tell your uncles."

"Can I skip that conversation?" James requested weakly.

"I second that," Harry added.

Lily grabbed Harry's arm and used it to drag him close enough that she could pull him into a hug with his father. "You're both such babies," she said fondly and Harry traded a helpless look with his father. "We'll have a family dinner next weekend."

"Doomed," James whispered, and Harry hid his face against Lily's shoulder and laughed.

Like a Ghost in My Town Series:
Stand Against the Moon Chapters:
Pro | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05
06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12
Nose to the Wind Chapters:
1 - Death Once Again || 2 - Bring Out All the Good Inside Me || 3 - Death and Living Reconciled
4 - Orphan Man || 5 - Using Gentle Words to Shelter Me || 6 - Living on Your Breath
7 - You Just Might Get it All || 8 - Never Want to Come Down || 9 - Only the Silence Remains
10 - Love is a Doing Word || 11 - Nothing Sacred || 12 - The Heart Yearns
13 - Mirrored in Your Stare || 14 - Camouflage Denial || 15 - Precious and Fragile Things
16 - Perfectly Reckless || 17 - Your Arms Feel Like Home || 18 - The Sun Will Set For You
19 - Your Love Has Always Been Enough || 20 - Keep Up This Charade || 21 - Truth Like a Blazing Fire
22 - Give Yourself a Try || 23 - Done Pleading Ignorance || 24 - Your Razorblade Caress of Love
25 - Summer's Scent Still Lingers || 26 - Burn Out the Stain || 27 - Final Masquerade

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