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batsutousaiTitle: Xerosis
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
batsutousai
Beta:tsuki_no_suzu & magickmaker17
Rating: T
Pairings: Voldemort/Harry (post-Harry/Ginny)
Warnings: SLASH, AU, character death, super!Harry, Dark!Harry
Summary: Harry's world ends at the hands of those he'd once fought to save. An adult-Harry goes back to his younger self fic. Super!Harry
Chapter Three, Part One
-0-
The sweets trolley had already gone by and Harry was utterly sick of hearing about Lockhart from Hermione and Li. Even Terry seemed a bit interested in the bastard and Neville had retreated to the plant he'd brought with him for his bedside table and was having a one-sided conversation with it. Harry felt a bit like he was the only sane one in the compartment – which was wrong on so many levels.
"I'm going to visit Lillian!" he shouted over the extolling of Lockhart's virtues before he pretty much ran out of the compartment and slammed the door behind him. "Oh, dear Merlin, save me," he muttered, starting down the hall to the Slytherin girl's usual compartment. "I don't know if I can take another minute of this, let alone a year. Ugh."
"Hello, Harry," Lillian said as he opened their compartment door.
"Go. Away," Morag ordered.
Harry grunted and dropped himself into the tiny space between Lillian and the wall, making the girl snort. "I don't want to hear a single word about Lockhart," he muttered.
"Why not?" Millicent asked, leaning around Lillian. "I think it's wonderful that we'll have–"
Harry jumped up and dashed out the door, leaving the girls all staring after him as the door slid closed.
"Sanity, sweet sanity, why have you abandoned me? Surely there's someone on this train who's not gone nutty?"
Harry walked the halls for a while, shying away from any compartments with girls in them and stopping occasionally to say hello to some of his male friends and commiserate about the Lockhart Madness going around.
Finally, after walking almost the entire length of the train, he found a compartment with the one occupant he hadn't yet spoken to in this life. He slid the door open and stuck his head in. "Hello, there."
Wide silvery grey eyes looked up at him from an issue of the Quibbler. "Oh, hello. Were you just going to stand there and stare at me?" Luna Lovegood asked.
"Erm, maybe. You're not nutters about Lockhart, are you?"
"Should I be?" Luna wondered.
"I'd rather you weren't, honestly."
"Then I'm not," Luna decided before returning to her magazine.
Harry smiled a bit and stepped over to the seat across from her. He stretched out over it, pulled out one of his mundane psychology books – a recent interest of his – and settled in to read.
They were both silent for a few hours, content to read in each other's company. Eventually, however, Luna finished her magazine and set it to one side before considering Harry.
After a few minutes of being stared at, Harry glanced over at her. "Yes?"
"You're quite different from what I expected," Luna offered, "but I suppose anyone who'd died once would be a bit strange."
Harry jerked up in his seat and turned to face Luna, book forgotten next to him. "What did you just say?"
Luna smiled a bit dreamily. "You have Death's Mark," she offered. "He changes the people he's chosen."
"One of these days," Harry griped, "I'm going to figure out how you and Ollivander can figure out this stuff."
Luna blinked slowly. "Perhaps you're just looking at the wrong thing."
"Hn." Harry lay back down on his bench. "I don't suppose you've met Death too, have you?"
Luna gave a high laugh. "Met him? Oh, no. I've only heard stories."
"The Tale of the Three Brothers."
"And others. Death isn't all that popular a character, but he always seems to find his way into stories." She cocked her head to one side. "If you met Death, why didn't you die?"
Harry considered Luna seriously for a long moment, then slowly sat back up. "There were things I had to do; people I had to save."
"Everyone dies eventually," Luna pointed out, but she didn't sound disapproving, just curious.
Harry inclined his head. "Very true, and I have no intention of keeping my friends alive indefinitely; but I do want the end of their lives to be easier than they were. Will be. Whatever."
Luna nodded and picked her Quibbler back up to start reading it again.
Harry watched the strange girl for a few more minutes before picking his book back up and returning to reading it. Out of all of his friends, it seemed right that Luna would be the one to understand first.
-0-
"I'm not sure I can last until the winter hols," Harry muttered, dropping into the chair next to Luna. Terry and Li were both still mad about Lockhart, so Harry often spent his time with the blonde first year. Luna had yet to tell him to bugger off, so he kept coming back.
"If he vanishes the day everyone's leaving for holiday, they'll assume he's just gone home," Luna offered neutrally, not looking up from her essay.
"Well, yeah, but that doesn't solve my problem now," Harry replied.
"What will you do with the body?" Luna wondered.
"Feed it to a basilisk," Harry said without pause, having already worked that out. In fact, he'd already worked out pretty much everything. It was the waiting that was killing him "Luna, amuse me," he ordered.
Luna groped at her side for a moment for her bag. Once she'd found it, she felt around inside for the latest Quibbler, then slid it over to Harry, all without looking up.
Harry rolled his eyes, but leaned back in the chair and opened it up to a page that had been marked. His first reaction, upon seeing Lockhart's giant face, was to rip the thing to shreds. But then he actually read the article title: 'Long-Time Lover of Lockhart Bares All - Gilderoy Gay?'
Harry sat forward in his chair and read the article all about this guy who claimed to be Lockhart's gay lover for the past ten years. Some of the details were practically pornographic, but the whole thing lifted Harry's spirits sufficiently and he enjoyed the laugh. "This is fantastic, Luna. Do you mind if I keep it?"
"I have another copy," Luna replied absently.
"You're the best." Harry leaned over and kissed her cheek before jumping up and bounding upstairs to put the article on his wall next to Stephen's art of Ministry workers being killed. Stephen was already working on a new series of pictures depicting Lockhart's various deaths that he promised to give Harry this Christmas. Harry would have to suggest a picture of Lockhart being eaten by a fifty-foot basilisk.
-0-
Harry kicked his feet absently against the teacher's desk as he waited for his prey to show up. Lockhart always seemed to take forever at meals, but things should be pretty much winding down, what with all the students leaving in an hour. Harry had already gone back into the office and vanished all the man's things – Harry hadn't even wanted to touch the things for fear of germs – so now he was just waiting for the man himself.
Finally, the door to the classroom popped open and Lockhart stepped in, whistling a bit and smiling a lot. He paused and blinked a few times when he finally saw Harry. Then he smiled his most blinding smile and hurried forward. "Harry, Harry! I see you've finally come to me for help in managing your fame!"
Harry cocked an eyebrow at the man. "Managing my fame?" he asked. "Why would I come to you for that? I'd be more likely to ask the Headmaster for help. No, I'm afraid I'm here for a much different reason." Harry's lips turned up with a cold smile. "A much more... pleasing one."
He hopped off the desk and took two steps forward to where Lockhart was frozen in surprise, then opened his mouth and sucked down the man's soul.
"Oh. Ew. That was... Ugh. I think I'm going to hurl," Harry complained, gagging a bit. "Oh dear Merlin, that was, quite possibly, the worst thing I've ever eaten. That tops Sirius' casserole surprise." He shook his head and turned back to the soulless body in front of him. "Please don't be contagious," he muttered, grabbing Lockhart's arm. A wave of his wand drew the curtains over the windows, throwing the room into darkness.
Once Harry had shadowed Lockhart down to the Chamber and left him there as snake food, he shadowed to a cupboard off the entrance hall, then stepped out to join everyone as they made for the carriages to the train. Sirius had talked him into coming to visit for Christmas and Harry had agreed with the stipulation that his godfather let Harry cook Christmas dinner.
"How does it feel to be going home for Christmas?" Lillian asked as she appeared at Harry's elbow.
Harry glanced suspiciously around her, half expecting Millicent or Morag to pop up and start waxing poetic about Lockhart. "Kind of nice. Where are your groupies?"
Lillian blinked in confusion, then snorted when she realised who he meant. "Tracey and Morag went ahead so they didn't have to see you, and Millicent left last night by floo so she wouldn't miss her portkey; her family's travelling to Canada for the holidays."
"Hn." Harry shrugged and they climbed into a carriage together. Since very few people would get into a carriage with a Slytherin, they started out after a few minutes without any additions.
"I know you're a half-blood and all, but did you receive an invite to the Christmas Ball?" Lillian wondered.
Harry, who had been watching the passing forest out the window, glanced towards her and shrugged. "Yes, but I very much doubt I'll be allowed to go. Sirius doesn't care for pureblood gatherings." His lips curled with a smile. "Although, it may be for the best. Knowing my dear godfather, if he came, he'd dress for the occasion, and no one wants to see that."
Lillian grimaced, having heard about how the last of the Blacks had dressed to pick up his godson. "Fair point. Still, we'll miss having you there."
"You might, but I know plenty of people who will be all the happier if I miss," Harry retorted, amused.
"Not as many as you might think. You did get an invite, after all."
"I'm Harry Potter," Harry pointed out as the train came into view. "I would be the talk of the year if I attended a pureblood gathering, especially one that attracts the sort of crowd this one does."
Lillian sighed, silently conceding the point. The Malfoys' Christmas Balls were known for their exclusive guest list. Families like the Longbottoms or Weasleys would never be invited, simply for their Lighter leanings. Even Minister Fudge had never gotten an invite, for all that he sucked up to Lucius practically year-round.
The two stepped together onto the train and wandered down the hallways, glancing into crowded compartments for a place to sit. Harry's friends were mostly staying in the castle over the holidays, only Neville going home. The Gryffindor boy, Harry knew, would be more comfortable sitting with his Housemates than Harry, especially without Hermione there to run interference. For all that Neville was okay with Harry, the half-blood was just the right amount of crazy that Neville was never sure if he was taking the mickey or not.
They finally came across a mostly-empty compartment and Harry slid the door open, not so much to take it over, but because of its occupant. "I thought you were staying at the castle?"
Luna looked up at him from her Charms book. "Oh, yes, Daddy's travel plans fell through when the man he was supposed to meet with about the Blibbering Humdinger mysteriously died."
"Mysteriously?" Harry repeated, amused.
Luna nodded. "That's what the report in the Daily Prophet said, but Daddy and I agree it must have been the Blibbering Humdinger. They very much dislike being in captivity."
"Vicious little blighters," Harry agreed, moving into the compartment to sit across from Luna.
Lillian looked troubled for a moment before sighed and joining the two Ravenclaws in the compartment. "Lillian Moon," she said to the first year in introduction.
"Luna Lovegood," Luna replied absently, eyes on Harry. "How did your meeting with the peacock go?"
Harry's lips turned up at the corners and satisfaction gleamed in his eyes. "Fantastically. I introduced him to a snake I know of and left them to get acquainted."
Luna smiled ever so faintly. "I wonder who we'll have for Defence after Christmas?"
"Hopefully someone who isn't a great fraud."
Lillian blinked at them. "You think Lockhart's going to leave because of some snake? What did you do, lock him in Professor Snape's office?"
Harry chuckled. "No, though that would have been fun. More the pity."
"Then what did you do to the man? And don't try playing innocent with me!"
Harry's eyes darkened with amusement. "I left him in Salazar Slytherin's famed Chamber of Secrets," he replied. "The basilisk is always hungry."
Lillian's eyes went wide. "You–!"
"Or I would have, if I were a Parselmouth," Harry added as he pulled out a book to read. "Maybe we'll all luck out and the ponce will have eloped with his gay lover."
Lillian spent a good hour simply watching as the two Ravenclaws read as if nothing had happened. Eventually, she got bored and stood. "Well, Harry, I'll see you in two weeks, assuming you don't make it to the Christmas Ball."
"Have a good Christmas, Lillian," Harry replied, looking up from his book and shooting her a smile.
As soon as the compartment door had closed, Luna dreamily wondered, "What does peacock taste like?"
"Wild berries that have been shat out. And, for the love of all that's magical, don't ask me how I know how that tastes."
Luna glanced up at him, mischief in her wide eyes. "Whose faeces–?"
"Luna!"
The girl burst out laughing while Harry moaned and covered his eyes.
-0-
Harry didn't need to have experienced Christmas with his godfather to know that if he wasn't up in time, Sirius would wake him up in the most obnoxious manner he could. So when Sirius came in at the crack of dawn to wake Harry, he found the boy already dressed in a house robe, book resting on his stomach as he read.
"Do you ever put those books down?" Sirius demanded.
"I could hunt down the authors and suck the knowledge out of them like some sort of dementor-human hybrid, if you'd prefer," Harry retorted as he marked his spot.
Sirius made a face. "Okay, new rule. We don't mention dementors or soul sucking on holidays. Ever."
Harry rolled his eyes and levered himself out of bed. "You have no sense of humour."
"...you are completely inexplicable," Sirius decided, shaking his head. "Did those muggles break you?"
"I got hit in the head with a Killing Curse and he blames my oddities on the mundanes," Harry muttered to himself as he preceded his godfather downstairs to the tree.
"Muggles have mysterious ways!" Sirius defended.
"I think Azkaban rotted your brain!"
"No debate there," Sirius replied before dropping to the floor next to the tree and grinning hopefully up at Harry as the boy looked around for a chair to sit in. "Come on, it's Christmas! Sit on the floor!"
Harry sighed and dropped lightly to the floor. "I don't understand what it being a mundane religious holiday has to do with sitting on the floor."
Sirius shot him an odd look, then waved his wand and sent the packages from under the tree zooming to their respective giftee. "Presents!" Sirius declared with a disturbing amount of glee before pouncing on a random gift and ripping the paper to shreds.
Harry sighed and looked over his disturbingly large pile before picking out one from one of his friends and opening it carefully. He continued in that vein while Sirius demolished his pile, then turned greedy eyes on Harry's. Harry rolled his eyes at his godfather and shoved a section of his pile from people he didn't know towards his godfather, much to Sirius' glee.
Terry had given Harry the second book of a set on Chinese ritual magic; he'd given Harry the first one for his birthday. Li gifted him with a magical charm from China that was supposed to help him retain information better, which worked best, Li had noted, when worn between one's eyes, but could also be worn as an earring, necklace or hair decoration. Hermione had given him a lovely eagle-feather quill. Neville had given him a couple singing lilies to plant in the summer and Harry made a note to put them in the garden out front as soon as he got home in June.
From Stephen was the expected art of Lockhart dying in different ways. He'd added in the piece of Lockhart being torn apart by a giant snake, then gone with the theme and also drawn pictures of the other House animals taking their turns. Sirius, predictably enough, had gotten Harry a Nimbus 2001. Harry wasn't on the Quidditch team this time around, but he still loved flying, and the school brooms sucked. The Nimbus would get plenty of exercise.
Lillian, continuing the trend from last Christmas, sent him a glass stag figurine. He'd mentioned in passing one afternoon in the library that his father had been a stag animagus, partially hoping she'd send him one to go with his glass lily. Luna had also sent him a glass figurine, but hers was meant more as a joke and it got a surprised laugh from him.
"What?" Sirius looked up from yet another box of sweets. As soon as he saw the glass peacock, he frowned a bit and asked, "Why is it decapitated?"
Harry snorted and covered his mouth. "Erm, Luna and I refer to Lockhart as a peacock," he explained, gently setting the statue next to the stag and out of harm's way.
Sirius sighed and shook his head. For all that Luna sounded a little odd to him – Harry had mentioned her a few times in his letters – she was certainly better than that Slytherin friend of Harry's. Sirius honestly wasn't sure how those two had become friends and managed to remain such for a year and a half. Surely Harry had discovered the evils of snakes by now?
But, no, Harry liked snakes, even the animal kind. Sirius had caught him scaring a hawk away from a wounded snake in the backyard over the summer. Sirius honestly didn't know what had happened to the snake, but Harry had never tried bringing it in, seemingly understanding that his godfather wouldn't be okay with it. (Honestly, Sirius was absolutely terrified of snakes, so he was glad Harry hadn't tried bringing the thing inside.)
The rest of Harry's gifts were from people who'd attended his birthday party and felt obligated to send a gift. About half of them sent books – most Harry had read and owned, some he hadn't – or sweets, such as the box Sirius had open in his lap. Harry wasn't looking forward to writing thank you notes, but at least he had a few Trace-free wands he could use to speed up the process.
After sorting his extra gifts into piles either for him – the books he didn't have and any chocolate – or for Sirius – the books he already owned and any other sweets – he started the long, tedious process of moving his things up to his room while Sirius dithered over which books to add to his own library and which ones to toss.
Once both of them were done, they shuffled into the kitchen and Harry tossed together a quick breakfast. After that was cleaned up, Harry set about preparing dinner while Sirius left the kitchen under penalty of dog kibble.
Harry turned on the wireless and quietly sang along to the songs he knew while he went through the familiar motions of making a Christmas dinner. While Molly had still been alive, she had often been the one in charge of making the large family meals, only allowing her children to help with the small things. When she died – of old age, about twelve years before Ginny – Harry had taken over the making of family meals, having long gotten past his lingering resentment from the Dursleys making him cook for them as a kid.
Now, in a different world, it seemed strange to be making a Christmas dinner for only two people. He'd considered inviting all his friends stuck at the school to enjoy the holidays with Sirius and him, but hadn't been sure how they'd react to him cooking food. It was nowhere near normal for a twelve-year-old to be so proficient in the kitchen. Honestly, Harry was lucky Sirius had been willing to accept his excuse of helping Petunia with large meals, or he'd probably be stuck with Sirius' cooking. Or Chinese food.
As Harry started on the pie, he forcibly turned his thoughts to a new track: the Malfoy Christmas Ball. He'd received his invite shortly after Hallowe'en and immediately replied that he most likely wouldn't be making it, due to his guardian's views of his cousin and her family. Narcissa had personally sent back her understanding and added that they would keep him on the guest list in case he was able to make it, but they wouldn't expect him.
The real question was, did Harry want to go to the Ball?
Harry had spent most of the last month mulling over the pros and cons. On one hand, the Ball would be a great place to be seen and make connections among like-minded individuals. However, on the flip side of that, if the wrong person saw him there, it would completely ruin him. He was under no delusions about what the wizarding public would do if they found out their saviour and champion hated mundanes as much as Voldemort, and Harry had no interest in testing his Occlumency barriers against real dementors. (Though it might be interesting to see what happened if he tried sucking out the soul of a dementor.)
At any rate, going to Azkaban was out of the question, and as much as Sirius irritated him, Harry didn't want his godfather to find out that his godson was a murderer. Not like that.
So, going to the Ball wasn't an option, but it was also too good an opportunity to pass up.
What to do... What to do...
-0-
"I'm surprised you dared show your face, even such a poorly known one," he commented to Tom Riddle as he came to stand next to him.
The Dark Lord glanced down at the pale-eyed apparent vampire at his side. "And you are?"
Pale eyes glittered up at Riddle as a smile curled his lips. "The one you Marked as your equal."
Riddle jerked at that, then narrowed his eyes. "Potter?"
The smile widened. "Yes. However, I'm currently using the name Xerosis."
"A skin condition?"
Xerosis coughed. "Skin or eyes, thanks. What did you do, memorise a dictionary?"
Riddle grunted and turned sharp blue eyes towards the dance floor again. "I'm surprised to see you here. I was under the impression your 'guardian' wouldn't let you come."
"Sirius doesn't know I'm here. We're currently playing Monopoly in the living room."
Riddle glanced back at him. "You have a time-turner."
"Would you believe me if I said a fan sent it to me?"
"No."
"Mm. Pity." Xerosis sipped at his wine and glanced over the guests, making note of who was there and who they were talking to. "I snuck into the Department of Mysteries and stole one. Or I will, in about... five hours, I believe."
"You make a very bad poster boy for the Light."
"I've decided that my sole purpose in life is to serve as a bad example," Xerosis retorted. "Or, at the very least, completely break the people who would stand against me." He glanced back up at the Dark Lord. "How long are you planning to hide out and plot, anyway? I get that you need to re-gather your forces, but how long before you start decimating leeches?"
"Leeches?" Riddle replied, lips curling unintentionally with amusement.
"Mundanes, muggles... Whatever."
Riddle glanced back down at the boy. "Mundanes?"
Xerosis shrugged. "My aunt's word for non-magicals."
"Only one person I know calls muggles 'mundanes'," Lillian's voice declared from behind the two wizards. When Xerosis turned to her with one eyebrow raised, she smiled. "I'm glad you could make it. Even if you did have to come in costume."
Xerosis rolled his eyes. "Do you have a radar or something?" Lillian smirked a bit and Xerosis snorted. "Whatever. Thank you for my gift, by the way."
"Of course. And thank you for mine." She struck a pose and her new necklace glittered in the candlelight.
"It looks good on you," Xerosis complimented.
Riddle cleared his throat. "I assume this is one of your friends?" he asked.
"Lillian Moon," the girl offered with a brief curtsy.
Riddle's lips curled with a dark smile. "You have your mother's eyes, Miss Moon."
Lillian's eyes narrowed. "Few dare to mention my mother, sir. Might I inquire as to your name?"
"I am Lord Voldemort," Riddle informed the girl, enjoying the way her face paled.
"Merlin save me from megalomaniacs," Xerosis muttered, rubbing at his eyes. "Lillian, calm down. He's under oath to not harm you."
"Potter–"
"Xerosis," Harry reminded him, seeing Lillian's father approaching.
"Is something wrong, Lily?" Mr Moon asked, touching his daughter's shoulder and eyeing the two males sternly.
Lillian cleared her throat and nodded. "Everything's fine, Father. We were just discussing... um–"
"The Ministry's cruelty," Xerosis smoothly inserted. "A friend of mine was recently hunted down for preying on a mudblood. We were... unaware... of Miss Moon's own grudge against the Ministry and I fear we might have upset her. My apologies." He sketched a perfect bow.
Mr Moon blinked a few times in surprise while Lillian's mouth dropped at her friend's smooth cover. "I– Please, no apologies needed. Lily seems fine, right, darling?"
Lillian snapped her mouth shut and managed a smile for her father. "Yes, just fine. Don't worry about me, Father."
Mr Moon nodded. "Excuse me, gentlemen."
Once he'd left, Lillian turned on her friend. "That was practically Slytherin."
Xerosis smirked. "I did tell you there was a chance I'd end up in the House of snakes."
"Well, yes. But usually you're too busy being a mad Ravenclaw with his nose stuck in a book, that I forgot about that."
"That was sort of the point."
Riddle snorted. "You? A mad Ravenclaw? I can't see it."
"I also do a disturbingly realistic Gryffindor," Xerosis quipped, shooting the Dark Lord a wild smile. "If we ever face each other in public, I promise I'll put on a good show."
"Strangely, I think I'm looking forward to it," Riddle decided. "Well, Potter – Xerosis – I'll take my leave. Enjoy the rest of your year."
"I'll give Alissia your love!" Xerosis called after him, naming the basilisk in the Chamber.
Riddle shot him a sharp look, then snorted. "Don't forget to feed her while you're forcing yourself on her, lest she eat you."
Xerosis chuckled and turned back to Lillian, who was looking at him like he was mad. Well, madder than usual. "Yes?"
"I'm still trying to wrap my brain around you being on speaking terms – pleasant speaking terms, at that – with the Dark Lord."
"We hashed things out over the summer," Xerosis replied, waving the discussion away. "Now, why don't you show me around? And perhaps we could do a circuit around the dance floor?"
Lillian smiled. "You know how to dance?"
"I know how to do many things, my dear," Xerosis teased, taking her arm. "I am, after all, a vampire." He flashed his fangs at her.
Lillian snorted. "Of course, how could I have missed that. And how old are you?"
Xerosis chuckled. "Not quite a century, yet. Ninety-six."
Lillian shook her head. "Sure you are. Alright, Xerosis, wasn't it?"
"That's correct."
"What does that even mean?"
"Evil, mundane-killing, child vampire," he retorted.
"You're so full of it."
"But you love me anyway."
Lillian laughed, glancing over at him with a fond smile. "I suppose I must, to put up with you all the time. Come on, I'll introduce you to my friends. Properly, this time."
"Without the spitting of the ground I walk on and the thumbing of their noses?"
"With any luck, they'll actually like you once they give you a chance."
"One can only hope."
-0-
"What did you do for your break?" Luna asked as Harry took the seat across from her.
"Ate a couple of souls, stole a time-turner, joked with a Dark Lord and crashed a ball. You?"
Luna smiled dreamily. "I painted my ceiling."
Harry smiled back. "I'll have to come see it this summer."
"Okay," Luna agreed before burying her nose in the most recent Quibbler.
Harry pulled his own copy out. "Thanks, by the way, for the subscription. And the peacock."
"Of course, Harry."
They both settled in to read for the trip, at peace with each other.
-0-
The Ministry had lent Hogwarts the use of an auror who'd been wounded in action during Christmas and wasn't allowed back on active duty until late June. Auror Sian certainly knew what he was talking about – in fact, he'd banned all of Lockhart's books from his classroom the first day – but he disliked children on principle. He seemed to get on well enough with the seventh years and he tolerated the sixth years, but everyone else was gum on the bottom of his shoe.
Harry loved him. During his third class, he started up an argument on the use of Veritaserum during criminal trials. During his sixth class, they spent almost forty-five minutes debating the moral repercussions of using the Unforgivables during the first war against the Death Eaters. For the ninth class, Harry asked about what sort of Dark spells aurors used in their line of work and how they justified that while chasing men and women who used the exact same spells.
"Potter," Auror Sian replied, "either shut up and let me teach, or start coming to my classes with the seventh years. You're confusing your classmates."
Harry grinned a bit madly. "I'll do that, sir," he agreed and Sian had snorted before returning to their lesson on the disarming charm.
After that, Harry started attending the seventh year classes when he didn't have a class of his own. At the start, the seventh years seemed quite displeased with the interloper, but then Harry started a debate with one of them about which of three shield charms would hold up best under a blasting curse and they slowly accepted him as being on the same level knowledge-wise, even if no one would let him try casting any of the spells they discussed.
By the end of the year, Harry decided it had been the best year of his entire Hogwarts career. When he mentioned that to his friends during the train ride back, Hermione drily pointed out, "Harry, it's only our second year."
But Luna, who had curled up on the floor between Harry's feet, had glanced up at him with a knowing smile and he knew she understood.
"So, what is everyone doing this summer?" Li asked.
"Pranking my brother," Terry decided, glancing up at where his trunk was stashed overhead. Harry had spent a pretty knut on pranks for his friend for both Christmas and his birthday, if only to make his summer that much more bearable. All of the pranks, Harry had assured him, were mundane-safe.
"I'm going on holiday in France," Hermione replied, smiling a bit. "I owl-ordered a tourist book about magical France and Mum and Dad said we can stop by a few places."
Everyone agreed that sounded pretty amazing.
"I'll probably spend the whole summer in the greenhouse," Neville admitted, pinking a bit. "Gran said she's gotten a few new plants in since Christmas."
"Sirius and I will be driving each other completely bonkers," Harry reported. "You're all invited to come and save... Well, to come join in on the fun, I suppose. Sirius has already expanded the guest rooms just in case." He rolled his eyes.
"You'll come visit me like you promised, though, won't you?" Luna asked hopefully.
"How about in two weeks? That should give me sufficient time to be considering decapitating Sirius," Harry replied cheerfully.
"I'll have Daddy pull the cot out of storage," Luna agreed.
"Are you going back to China, Li?" Hermione asked, leaning forward. She'd spent a portion of the past year asking the Chinese witch about her home country and was absolutely fascinated. She'd been a little jealous that both Harry and Terry had learned Mandarin, but Li had lent her a couple of books for over the summer so she could teach herself.
Li shook her head. "No, but my family is coming here for a couple weeks." She smiled a bit sheepishly. "They speak very poor English, so I do not know if inviting people over while they are here would be polite."
"I'd like to meet your family," Harry decided. "And I could use the practise."
"Yeah, and your cousin is really nice," Terry added.
Li giggled. "That is because she has a crush on you."
Terry grimaced. "What? Ew!"
They all shared a laugh over that, then settled in to talk about next year. Bets were placed about what sort of person they might have for Defence next year and Hermione, rolling her eyes, promised to keep hold of the money until they knew for sure. Eventually, they all settled in to play Exploding Snap or read a book and the rest of the trip passed in a blur.
When they arrived in London, Harry waved his goodbyes, then hurried over to where a big black dog was waiting for him, tongue lolling out to one side. "Hey, Padfoot. You ready to go?"
Padfoot gave a loud bark, then transformed into Sirius, who wrapped Harry in a hug before apparating them away. "Welcome home," Sirius said, stepping back from his godson.
Harry looked around the cottage Sirius had bought and smiled. Somehow, without him realising, the cottage had become his home.
And he wouldn't change it for the world.
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A/N: So, I wasn't sure if I'd use the title of this fic as anything more than a title, but then I needed a name to call Harry and, well... It's random enough. And I kinda like it. (Lord Xerosis has a nice ring to it, don't you think?)
I know someone's going to ask this: Albus did want Harry to go back to the Dursleys for only a week to renew the wards, but Sirius managed to convince him that the wards over his new cottage were awesome enough that Harry would be perfectly safe there. (Something about a do-no-harm ward and a ward that disallows anyone that both Harry and Sirius disapprove of. Of course, Sirius has no idea that Harry is on Voldie's side and, therefore, is okay with a couple Death Eaters. XD He'd have gone for a Fidelius, but there was no one he trusted enough with his and Harry's secret.)
For those of you who are quietly – or not so quietly in some cases – bemoaning the lack of Draco Malfoy: I don't much care for Draco. I think he's too whiney, and overused to boot. So Draco will play a very minor role in this fic. Like, you might see him every third chapter or so. You'll be seeing way more of Lillian and, through her, Millicent and Tracey.
So, seriously, can we stop it with the reviews asking for more Draco?
Oh, a minor translation, since it threw Shara:
Fùqīn -- Chinese for 'father'
~Bats ^.^x
Chapters:
Pro - If We Could Only Turn Back Time / 1 - Long Road
2 - Never As It Seems |||3 - The Bad Man, the Sad Man ||| 4 - Armies of Robbers and Thieves
5 - Fear Falls Like Rain ||| 6 - Rage Like Fire ||| 7 - Born From Conflict
8 - Reach Any Star ||| 9 - Cold Fields ||| 10 - Ice Inside Your Soul
11 - King of Anything
Author:
batsutousai Beta:
tsuki_no_suzu & magickmaker17Rating: T
Pairings: Voldemort/Harry (post-Harry/Ginny)
Warnings: SLASH, AU, character death, super!Harry, Dark!Harry
Summary: Harry's world ends at the hands of those he'd once fought to save. An adult-Harry goes back to his younger self fic. Super!Harry
Chapter Three, Part One
The sweets trolley had already gone by and Harry was utterly sick of hearing about Lockhart from Hermione and Li. Even Terry seemed a bit interested in the bastard and Neville had retreated to the plant he'd brought with him for his bedside table and was having a one-sided conversation with it. Harry felt a bit like he was the only sane one in the compartment – which was wrong on so many levels.
"I'm going to visit Lillian!" he shouted over the extolling of Lockhart's virtues before he pretty much ran out of the compartment and slammed the door behind him. "Oh, dear Merlin, save me," he muttered, starting down the hall to the Slytherin girl's usual compartment. "I don't know if I can take another minute of this, let alone a year. Ugh."
"Hello, Harry," Lillian said as he opened their compartment door.
"Go. Away," Morag ordered.
Harry grunted and dropped himself into the tiny space between Lillian and the wall, making the girl snort. "I don't want to hear a single word about Lockhart," he muttered.
"Why not?" Millicent asked, leaning around Lillian. "I think it's wonderful that we'll have–"
Harry jumped up and dashed out the door, leaving the girls all staring after him as the door slid closed.
"Sanity, sweet sanity, why have you abandoned me? Surely there's someone on this train who's not gone nutty?"
Harry walked the halls for a while, shying away from any compartments with girls in them and stopping occasionally to say hello to some of his male friends and commiserate about the Lockhart Madness going around.
Finally, after walking almost the entire length of the train, he found a compartment with the one occupant he hadn't yet spoken to in this life. He slid the door open and stuck his head in. "Hello, there."
Wide silvery grey eyes looked up at him from an issue of the Quibbler. "Oh, hello. Were you just going to stand there and stare at me?" Luna Lovegood asked.
"Erm, maybe. You're not nutters about Lockhart, are you?"
"Should I be?" Luna wondered.
"I'd rather you weren't, honestly."
"Then I'm not," Luna decided before returning to her magazine.
Harry smiled a bit and stepped over to the seat across from her. He stretched out over it, pulled out one of his mundane psychology books – a recent interest of his – and settled in to read.
They were both silent for a few hours, content to read in each other's company. Eventually, however, Luna finished her magazine and set it to one side before considering Harry.
After a few minutes of being stared at, Harry glanced over at her. "Yes?"
"You're quite different from what I expected," Luna offered, "but I suppose anyone who'd died once would be a bit strange."
Harry jerked up in his seat and turned to face Luna, book forgotten next to him. "What did you just say?"
Luna smiled a bit dreamily. "You have Death's Mark," she offered. "He changes the people he's chosen."
"One of these days," Harry griped, "I'm going to figure out how you and Ollivander can figure out this stuff."
Luna blinked slowly. "Perhaps you're just looking at the wrong thing."
"Hn." Harry lay back down on his bench. "I don't suppose you've met Death too, have you?"
Luna gave a high laugh. "Met him? Oh, no. I've only heard stories."
"The Tale of the Three Brothers."
"And others. Death isn't all that popular a character, but he always seems to find his way into stories." She cocked her head to one side. "If you met Death, why didn't you die?"
Harry considered Luna seriously for a long moment, then slowly sat back up. "There were things I had to do; people I had to save."
"Everyone dies eventually," Luna pointed out, but she didn't sound disapproving, just curious.
Harry inclined his head. "Very true, and I have no intention of keeping my friends alive indefinitely; but I do want the end of their lives to be easier than they were. Will be. Whatever."
Luna nodded and picked her Quibbler back up to start reading it again.
Harry watched the strange girl for a few more minutes before picking his book back up and returning to reading it. Out of all of his friends, it seemed right that Luna would be the one to understand first.
"I'm not sure I can last until the winter hols," Harry muttered, dropping into the chair next to Luna. Terry and Li were both still mad about Lockhart, so Harry often spent his time with the blonde first year. Luna had yet to tell him to bugger off, so he kept coming back.
"If he vanishes the day everyone's leaving for holiday, they'll assume he's just gone home," Luna offered neutrally, not looking up from her essay.
"Well, yeah, but that doesn't solve my problem now," Harry replied.
"What will you do with the body?" Luna wondered.
"Feed it to a basilisk," Harry said without pause, having already worked that out. In fact, he'd already worked out pretty much everything. It was the waiting that was killing him "Luna, amuse me," he ordered.
Luna groped at her side for a moment for her bag. Once she'd found it, she felt around inside for the latest Quibbler, then slid it over to Harry, all without looking up.
Harry rolled his eyes, but leaned back in the chair and opened it up to a page that had been marked. His first reaction, upon seeing Lockhart's giant face, was to rip the thing to shreds. But then he actually read the article title: 'Long-Time Lover of Lockhart Bares All - Gilderoy Gay?'
Harry sat forward in his chair and read the article all about this guy who claimed to be Lockhart's gay lover for the past ten years. Some of the details were practically pornographic, but the whole thing lifted Harry's spirits sufficiently and he enjoyed the laugh. "This is fantastic, Luna. Do you mind if I keep it?"
"I have another copy," Luna replied absently.
"You're the best." Harry leaned over and kissed her cheek before jumping up and bounding upstairs to put the article on his wall next to Stephen's art of Ministry workers being killed. Stephen was already working on a new series of pictures depicting Lockhart's various deaths that he promised to give Harry this Christmas. Harry would have to suggest a picture of Lockhart being eaten by a fifty-foot basilisk.
Harry kicked his feet absently against the teacher's desk as he waited for his prey to show up. Lockhart always seemed to take forever at meals, but things should be pretty much winding down, what with all the students leaving in an hour. Harry had already gone back into the office and vanished all the man's things – Harry hadn't even wanted to touch the things for fear of germs – so now he was just waiting for the man himself.
Finally, the door to the classroom popped open and Lockhart stepped in, whistling a bit and smiling a lot. He paused and blinked a few times when he finally saw Harry. Then he smiled his most blinding smile and hurried forward. "Harry, Harry! I see you've finally come to me for help in managing your fame!"
Harry cocked an eyebrow at the man. "Managing my fame?" he asked. "Why would I come to you for that? I'd be more likely to ask the Headmaster for help. No, I'm afraid I'm here for a much different reason." Harry's lips turned up with a cold smile. "A much more... pleasing one."
He hopped off the desk and took two steps forward to where Lockhart was frozen in surprise, then opened his mouth and sucked down the man's soul.
"Oh. Ew. That was... Ugh. I think I'm going to hurl," Harry complained, gagging a bit. "Oh dear Merlin, that was, quite possibly, the worst thing I've ever eaten. That tops Sirius' casserole surprise." He shook his head and turned back to the soulless body in front of him. "Please don't be contagious," he muttered, grabbing Lockhart's arm. A wave of his wand drew the curtains over the windows, throwing the room into darkness.
Once Harry had shadowed Lockhart down to the Chamber and left him there as snake food, he shadowed to a cupboard off the entrance hall, then stepped out to join everyone as they made for the carriages to the train. Sirius had talked him into coming to visit for Christmas and Harry had agreed with the stipulation that his godfather let Harry cook Christmas dinner.
"How does it feel to be going home for Christmas?" Lillian asked as she appeared at Harry's elbow.
Harry glanced suspiciously around her, half expecting Millicent or Morag to pop up and start waxing poetic about Lockhart. "Kind of nice. Where are your groupies?"
Lillian blinked in confusion, then snorted when she realised who he meant. "Tracey and Morag went ahead so they didn't have to see you, and Millicent left last night by floo so she wouldn't miss her portkey; her family's travelling to Canada for the holidays."
"Hn." Harry shrugged and they climbed into a carriage together. Since very few people would get into a carriage with a Slytherin, they started out after a few minutes without any additions.
"I know you're a half-blood and all, but did you receive an invite to the Christmas Ball?" Lillian wondered.
Harry, who had been watching the passing forest out the window, glanced towards her and shrugged. "Yes, but I very much doubt I'll be allowed to go. Sirius doesn't care for pureblood gatherings." His lips curled with a smile. "Although, it may be for the best. Knowing my dear godfather, if he came, he'd dress for the occasion, and no one wants to see that."
Lillian grimaced, having heard about how the last of the Blacks had dressed to pick up his godson. "Fair point. Still, we'll miss having you there."
"You might, but I know plenty of people who will be all the happier if I miss," Harry retorted, amused.
"Not as many as you might think. You did get an invite, after all."
"I'm Harry Potter," Harry pointed out as the train came into view. "I would be the talk of the year if I attended a pureblood gathering, especially one that attracts the sort of crowd this one does."
Lillian sighed, silently conceding the point. The Malfoys' Christmas Balls were known for their exclusive guest list. Families like the Longbottoms or Weasleys would never be invited, simply for their Lighter leanings. Even Minister Fudge had never gotten an invite, for all that he sucked up to Lucius practically year-round.
The two stepped together onto the train and wandered down the hallways, glancing into crowded compartments for a place to sit. Harry's friends were mostly staying in the castle over the holidays, only Neville going home. The Gryffindor boy, Harry knew, would be more comfortable sitting with his Housemates than Harry, especially without Hermione there to run interference. For all that Neville was okay with Harry, the half-blood was just the right amount of crazy that Neville was never sure if he was taking the mickey or not.
They finally came across a mostly-empty compartment and Harry slid the door open, not so much to take it over, but because of its occupant. "I thought you were staying at the castle?"
Luna looked up at him from her Charms book. "Oh, yes, Daddy's travel plans fell through when the man he was supposed to meet with about the Blibbering Humdinger mysteriously died."
"Mysteriously?" Harry repeated, amused.
Luna nodded. "That's what the report in the Daily Prophet said, but Daddy and I agree it must have been the Blibbering Humdinger. They very much dislike being in captivity."
"Vicious little blighters," Harry agreed, moving into the compartment to sit across from Luna.
Lillian looked troubled for a moment before sighed and joining the two Ravenclaws in the compartment. "Lillian Moon," she said to the first year in introduction.
"Luna Lovegood," Luna replied absently, eyes on Harry. "How did your meeting with the peacock go?"
Harry's lips turned up at the corners and satisfaction gleamed in his eyes. "Fantastically. I introduced him to a snake I know of and left them to get acquainted."
Luna smiled ever so faintly. "I wonder who we'll have for Defence after Christmas?"
"Hopefully someone who isn't a great fraud."
Lillian blinked at them. "You think Lockhart's going to leave because of some snake? What did you do, lock him in Professor Snape's office?"
Harry chuckled. "No, though that would have been fun. More the pity."
"Then what did you do to the man? And don't try playing innocent with me!"
Harry's eyes darkened with amusement. "I left him in Salazar Slytherin's famed Chamber of Secrets," he replied. "The basilisk is always hungry."
Lillian's eyes went wide. "You–!"
"Or I would have, if I were a Parselmouth," Harry added as he pulled out a book to read. "Maybe we'll all luck out and the ponce will have eloped with his gay lover."
Lillian spent a good hour simply watching as the two Ravenclaws read as if nothing had happened. Eventually, she got bored and stood. "Well, Harry, I'll see you in two weeks, assuming you don't make it to the Christmas Ball."
"Have a good Christmas, Lillian," Harry replied, looking up from his book and shooting her a smile.
As soon as the compartment door had closed, Luna dreamily wondered, "What does peacock taste like?"
"Wild berries that have been shat out. And, for the love of all that's magical, don't ask me how I know how that tastes."
Luna glanced up at him, mischief in her wide eyes. "Whose faeces–?"
"Luna!"
The girl burst out laughing while Harry moaned and covered his eyes.
Harry didn't need to have experienced Christmas with his godfather to know that if he wasn't up in time, Sirius would wake him up in the most obnoxious manner he could. So when Sirius came in at the crack of dawn to wake Harry, he found the boy already dressed in a house robe, book resting on his stomach as he read.
"Do you ever put those books down?" Sirius demanded.
"I could hunt down the authors and suck the knowledge out of them like some sort of dementor-human hybrid, if you'd prefer," Harry retorted as he marked his spot.
Sirius made a face. "Okay, new rule. We don't mention dementors or soul sucking on holidays. Ever."
Harry rolled his eyes and levered himself out of bed. "You have no sense of humour."
"...you are completely inexplicable," Sirius decided, shaking his head. "Did those muggles break you?"
"I got hit in the head with a Killing Curse and he blames my oddities on the mundanes," Harry muttered to himself as he preceded his godfather downstairs to the tree.
"Muggles have mysterious ways!" Sirius defended.
"I think Azkaban rotted your brain!"
"No debate there," Sirius replied before dropping to the floor next to the tree and grinning hopefully up at Harry as the boy looked around for a chair to sit in. "Come on, it's Christmas! Sit on the floor!"
Harry sighed and dropped lightly to the floor. "I don't understand what it being a mundane religious holiday has to do with sitting on the floor."
Sirius shot him an odd look, then waved his wand and sent the packages from under the tree zooming to their respective giftee. "Presents!" Sirius declared with a disturbing amount of glee before pouncing on a random gift and ripping the paper to shreds.
Harry sighed and looked over his disturbingly large pile before picking out one from one of his friends and opening it carefully. He continued in that vein while Sirius demolished his pile, then turned greedy eyes on Harry's. Harry rolled his eyes at his godfather and shoved a section of his pile from people he didn't know towards his godfather, much to Sirius' glee.
Terry had given Harry the second book of a set on Chinese ritual magic; he'd given Harry the first one for his birthday. Li gifted him with a magical charm from China that was supposed to help him retain information better, which worked best, Li had noted, when worn between one's eyes, but could also be worn as an earring, necklace or hair decoration. Hermione had given him a lovely eagle-feather quill. Neville had given him a couple singing lilies to plant in the summer and Harry made a note to put them in the garden out front as soon as he got home in June.
From Stephen was the expected art of Lockhart dying in different ways. He'd added in the piece of Lockhart being torn apart by a giant snake, then gone with the theme and also drawn pictures of the other House animals taking their turns. Sirius, predictably enough, had gotten Harry a Nimbus 2001. Harry wasn't on the Quidditch team this time around, but he still loved flying, and the school brooms sucked. The Nimbus would get plenty of exercise.
Lillian, continuing the trend from last Christmas, sent him a glass stag figurine. He'd mentioned in passing one afternoon in the library that his father had been a stag animagus, partially hoping she'd send him one to go with his glass lily. Luna had also sent him a glass figurine, but hers was meant more as a joke and it got a surprised laugh from him.
"What?" Sirius looked up from yet another box of sweets. As soon as he saw the glass peacock, he frowned a bit and asked, "Why is it decapitated?"
Harry snorted and covered his mouth. "Erm, Luna and I refer to Lockhart as a peacock," he explained, gently setting the statue next to the stag and out of harm's way.
Sirius sighed and shook his head. For all that Luna sounded a little odd to him – Harry had mentioned her a few times in his letters – she was certainly better than that Slytherin friend of Harry's. Sirius honestly wasn't sure how those two had become friends and managed to remain such for a year and a half. Surely Harry had discovered the evils of snakes by now?
But, no, Harry liked snakes, even the animal kind. Sirius had caught him scaring a hawk away from a wounded snake in the backyard over the summer. Sirius honestly didn't know what had happened to the snake, but Harry had never tried bringing it in, seemingly understanding that his godfather wouldn't be okay with it. (Honestly, Sirius was absolutely terrified of snakes, so he was glad Harry hadn't tried bringing the thing inside.)
The rest of Harry's gifts were from people who'd attended his birthday party and felt obligated to send a gift. About half of them sent books – most Harry had read and owned, some he hadn't – or sweets, such as the box Sirius had open in his lap. Harry wasn't looking forward to writing thank you notes, but at least he had a few Trace-free wands he could use to speed up the process.
After sorting his extra gifts into piles either for him – the books he didn't have and any chocolate – or for Sirius – the books he already owned and any other sweets – he started the long, tedious process of moving his things up to his room while Sirius dithered over which books to add to his own library and which ones to toss.
Once both of them were done, they shuffled into the kitchen and Harry tossed together a quick breakfast. After that was cleaned up, Harry set about preparing dinner while Sirius left the kitchen under penalty of dog kibble.
Harry turned on the wireless and quietly sang along to the songs he knew while he went through the familiar motions of making a Christmas dinner. While Molly had still been alive, she had often been the one in charge of making the large family meals, only allowing her children to help with the small things. When she died – of old age, about twelve years before Ginny – Harry had taken over the making of family meals, having long gotten past his lingering resentment from the Dursleys making him cook for them as a kid.
Now, in a different world, it seemed strange to be making a Christmas dinner for only two people. He'd considered inviting all his friends stuck at the school to enjoy the holidays with Sirius and him, but hadn't been sure how they'd react to him cooking food. It was nowhere near normal for a twelve-year-old to be so proficient in the kitchen. Honestly, Harry was lucky Sirius had been willing to accept his excuse of helping Petunia with large meals, or he'd probably be stuck with Sirius' cooking. Or Chinese food.
As Harry started on the pie, he forcibly turned his thoughts to a new track: the Malfoy Christmas Ball. He'd received his invite shortly after Hallowe'en and immediately replied that he most likely wouldn't be making it, due to his guardian's views of his cousin and her family. Narcissa had personally sent back her understanding and added that they would keep him on the guest list in case he was able to make it, but they wouldn't expect him.
The real question was, did Harry want to go to the Ball?
Harry had spent most of the last month mulling over the pros and cons. On one hand, the Ball would be a great place to be seen and make connections among like-minded individuals. However, on the flip side of that, if the wrong person saw him there, it would completely ruin him. He was under no delusions about what the wizarding public would do if they found out their saviour and champion hated mundanes as much as Voldemort, and Harry had no interest in testing his Occlumency barriers against real dementors. (Though it might be interesting to see what happened if he tried sucking out the soul of a dementor.)
At any rate, going to Azkaban was out of the question, and as much as Sirius irritated him, Harry didn't want his godfather to find out that his godson was a murderer. Not like that.
So, going to the Ball wasn't an option, but it was also too good an opportunity to pass up.
What to do... What to do...
"I'm surprised you dared show your face, even such a poorly known one," he commented to Tom Riddle as he came to stand next to him.
The Dark Lord glanced down at the pale-eyed apparent vampire at his side. "And you are?"
Pale eyes glittered up at Riddle as a smile curled his lips. "The one you Marked as your equal."
Riddle jerked at that, then narrowed his eyes. "Potter?"
The smile widened. "Yes. However, I'm currently using the name Xerosis."
"A skin condition?"
Xerosis coughed. "Skin or eyes, thanks. What did you do, memorise a dictionary?"
Riddle grunted and turned sharp blue eyes towards the dance floor again. "I'm surprised to see you here. I was under the impression your 'guardian' wouldn't let you come."
"Sirius doesn't know I'm here. We're currently playing Monopoly in the living room."
Riddle glanced back at him. "You have a time-turner."
"Would you believe me if I said a fan sent it to me?"
"No."
"Mm. Pity." Xerosis sipped at his wine and glanced over the guests, making note of who was there and who they were talking to. "I snuck into the Department of Mysteries and stole one. Or I will, in about... five hours, I believe."
"You make a very bad poster boy for the Light."
"I've decided that my sole purpose in life is to serve as a bad example," Xerosis retorted. "Or, at the very least, completely break the people who would stand against me." He glanced back up at the Dark Lord. "How long are you planning to hide out and plot, anyway? I get that you need to re-gather your forces, but how long before you start decimating leeches?"
"Leeches?" Riddle replied, lips curling unintentionally with amusement.
"Mundanes, muggles... Whatever."
Riddle glanced back down at the boy. "Mundanes?"
Xerosis shrugged. "My aunt's word for non-magicals."
"Only one person I know calls muggles 'mundanes'," Lillian's voice declared from behind the two wizards. When Xerosis turned to her with one eyebrow raised, she smiled. "I'm glad you could make it. Even if you did have to come in costume."
Xerosis rolled his eyes. "Do you have a radar or something?" Lillian smirked a bit and Xerosis snorted. "Whatever. Thank you for my gift, by the way."
"Of course. And thank you for mine." She struck a pose and her new necklace glittered in the candlelight.
"It looks good on you," Xerosis complimented.
Riddle cleared his throat. "I assume this is one of your friends?" he asked.
"Lillian Moon," the girl offered with a brief curtsy.
Riddle's lips curled with a dark smile. "You have your mother's eyes, Miss Moon."
Lillian's eyes narrowed. "Few dare to mention my mother, sir. Might I inquire as to your name?"
"I am Lord Voldemort," Riddle informed the girl, enjoying the way her face paled.
"Merlin save me from megalomaniacs," Xerosis muttered, rubbing at his eyes. "Lillian, calm down. He's under oath to not harm you."
"Potter–"
"Xerosis," Harry reminded him, seeing Lillian's father approaching.
"Is something wrong, Lily?" Mr Moon asked, touching his daughter's shoulder and eyeing the two males sternly.
Lillian cleared her throat and nodded. "Everything's fine, Father. We were just discussing... um–"
"The Ministry's cruelty," Xerosis smoothly inserted. "A friend of mine was recently hunted down for preying on a mudblood. We were... unaware... of Miss Moon's own grudge against the Ministry and I fear we might have upset her. My apologies." He sketched a perfect bow.
Mr Moon blinked a few times in surprise while Lillian's mouth dropped at her friend's smooth cover. "I– Please, no apologies needed. Lily seems fine, right, darling?"
Lillian snapped her mouth shut and managed a smile for her father. "Yes, just fine. Don't worry about me, Father."
Mr Moon nodded. "Excuse me, gentlemen."
Once he'd left, Lillian turned on her friend. "That was practically Slytherin."
Xerosis smirked. "I did tell you there was a chance I'd end up in the House of snakes."
"Well, yes. But usually you're too busy being a mad Ravenclaw with his nose stuck in a book, that I forgot about that."
"That was sort of the point."
Riddle snorted. "You? A mad Ravenclaw? I can't see it."
"I also do a disturbingly realistic Gryffindor," Xerosis quipped, shooting the Dark Lord a wild smile. "If we ever face each other in public, I promise I'll put on a good show."
"Strangely, I think I'm looking forward to it," Riddle decided. "Well, Potter – Xerosis – I'll take my leave. Enjoy the rest of your year."
"I'll give Alissia your love!" Xerosis called after him, naming the basilisk in the Chamber.
Riddle shot him a sharp look, then snorted. "Don't forget to feed her while you're forcing yourself on her, lest she eat you."
Xerosis chuckled and turned back to Lillian, who was looking at him like he was mad. Well, madder than usual. "Yes?"
"I'm still trying to wrap my brain around you being on speaking terms – pleasant speaking terms, at that – with the Dark Lord."
"We hashed things out over the summer," Xerosis replied, waving the discussion away. "Now, why don't you show me around? And perhaps we could do a circuit around the dance floor?"
Lillian smiled. "You know how to dance?"
"I know how to do many things, my dear," Xerosis teased, taking her arm. "I am, after all, a vampire." He flashed his fangs at her.
Lillian snorted. "Of course, how could I have missed that. And how old are you?"
Xerosis chuckled. "Not quite a century, yet. Ninety-six."
Lillian shook her head. "Sure you are. Alright, Xerosis, wasn't it?"
"That's correct."
"What does that even mean?"
"Evil, mundane-killing, child vampire," he retorted.
"You're so full of it."
"But you love me anyway."
Lillian laughed, glancing over at him with a fond smile. "I suppose I must, to put up with you all the time. Come on, I'll introduce you to my friends. Properly, this time."
"Without the spitting of the ground I walk on and the thumbing of their noses?"
"With any luck, they'll actually like you once they give you a chance."
"One can only hope."
"What did you do for your break?" Luna asked as Harry took the seat across from her.
"Ate a couple of souls, stole a time-turner, joked with a Dark Lord and crashed a ball. You?"
Luna smiled dreamily. "I painted my ceiling."
Harry smiled back. "I'll have to come see it this summer."
"Okay," Luna agreed before burying her nose in the most recent Quibbler.
Harry pulled his own copy out. "Thanks, by the way, for the subscription. And the peacock."
"Of course, Harry."
They both settled in to read for the trip, at peace with each other.
The Ministry had lent Hogwarts the use of an auror who'd been wounded in action during Christmas and wasn't allowed back on active duty until late June. Auror Sian certainly knew what he was talking about – in fact, he'd banned all of Lockhart's books from his classroom the first day – but he disliked children on principle. He seemed to get on well enough with the seventh years and he tolerated the sixth years, but everyone else was gum on the bottom of his shoe.
Harry loved him. During his third class, he started up an argument on the use of Veritaserum during criminal trials. During his sixth class, they spent almost forty-five minutes debating the moral repercussions of using the Unforgivables during the first war against the Death Eaters. For the ninth class, Harry asked about what sort of Dark spells aurors used in their line of work and how they justified that while chasing men and women who used the exact same spells.
"Potter," Auror Sian replied, "either shut up and let me teach, or start coming to my classes with the seventh years. You're confusing your classmates."
Harry grinned a bit madly. "I'll do that, sir," he agreed and Sian had snorted before returning to their lesson on the disarming charm.
After that, Harry started attending the seventh year classes when he didn't have a class of his own. At the start, the seventh years seemed quite displeased with the interloper, but then Harry started a debate with one of them about which of three shield charms would hold up best under a blasting curse and they slowly accepted him as being on the same level knowledge-wise, even if no one would let him try casting any of the spells they discussed.
By the end of the year, Harry decided it had been the best year of his entire Hogwarts career. When he mentioned that to his friends during the train ride back, Hermione drily pointed out, "Harry, it's only our second year."
But Luna, who had curled up on the floor between Harry's feet, had glanced up at him with a knowing smile and he knew she understood.
"So, what is everyone doing this summer?" Li asked.
"Pranking my brother," Terry decided, glancing up at where his trunk was stashed overhead. Harry had spent a pretty knut on pranks for his friend for both Christmas and his birthday, if only to make his summer that much more bearable. All of the pranks, Harry had assured him, were mundane-safe.
"I'm going on holiday in France," Hermione replied, smiling a bit. "I owl-ordered a tourist book about magical France and Mum and Dad said we can stop by a few places."
Everyone agreed that sounded pretty amazing.
"I'll probably spend the whole summer in the greenhouse," Neville admitted, pinking a bit. "Gran said she's gotten a few new plants in since Christmas."
"Sirius and I will be driving each other completely bonkers," Harry reported. "You're all invited to come and save... Well, to come join in on the fun, I suppose. Sirius has already expanded the guest rooms just in case." He rolled his eyes.
"You'll come visit me like you promised, though, won't you?" Luna asked hopefully.
"How about in two weeks? That should give me sufficient time to be considering decapitating Sirius," Harry replied cheerfully.
"I'll have Daddy pull the cot out of storage," Luna agreed.
"Are you going back to China, Li?" Hermione asked, leaning forward. She'd spent a portion of the past year asking the Chinese witch about her home country and was absolutely fascinated. She'd been a little jealous that both Harry and Terry had learned Mandarin, but Li had lent her a couple of books for over the summer so she could teach herself.
Li shook her head. "No, but my family is coming here for a couple weeks." She smiled a bit sheepishly. "They speak very poor English, so I do not know if inviting people over while they are here would be polite."
"I'd like to meet your family," Harry decided. "And I could use the practise."
"Yeah, and your cousin is really nice," Terry added.
Li giggled. "That is because she has a crush on you."
Terry grimaced. "What? Ew!"
They all shared a laugh over that, then settled in to talk about next year. Bets were placed about what sort of person they might have for Defence next year and Hermione, rolling her eyes, promised to keep hold of the money until they knew for sure. Eventually, they all settled in to play Exploding Snap or read a book and the rest of the trip passed in a blur.
When they arrived in London, Harry waved his goodbyes, then hurried over to where a big black dog was waiting for him, tongue lolling out to one side. "Hey, Padfoot. You ready to go?"
Padfoot gave a loud bark, then transformed into Sirius, who wrapped Harry in a hug before apparating them away. "Welcome home," Sirius said, stepping back from his godson.
Harry looked around the cottage Sirius had bought and smiled. Somehow, without him realising, the cottage had become his home.
And he wouldn't change it for the world.
-0-0-0-0-0-
A/N: So, I wasn't sure if I'd use the title of this fic as anything more than a title, but then I needed a name to call Harry and, well... It's random enough. And I kinda like it. (Lord Xerosis has a nice ring to it, don't you think?)
I know someone's going to ask this: Albus did want Harry to go back to the Dursleys for only a week to renew the wards, but Sirius managed to convince him that the wards over his new cottage were awesome enough that Harry would be perfectly safe there. (Something about a do-no-harm ward and a ward that disallows anyone that both Harry and Sirius disapprove of. Of course, Sirius has no idea that Harry is on Voldie's side and, therefore, is okay with a couple Death Eaters. XD He'd have gone for a Fidelius, but there was no one he trusted enough with his and Harry's secret.)
For those of you who are quietly – or not so quietly in some cases – bemoaning the lack of Draco Malfoy: I don't much care for Draco. I think he's too whiney, and overused to boot. So Draco will play a very minor role in this fic. Like, you might see him every third chapter or so. You'll be seeing way more of Lillian and, through her, Millicent and Tracey.
So, seriously, can we stop it with the reviews asking for more Draco?
Oh, a minor translation, since it threw Shara:
Fùqīn -- Chinese for 'father'
~Bats ^.^x
Pro - If We Could Only Turn Back Time / 1 - Long Road
2 - Never As It Seems |||
5 - Fear Falls Like Rain ||| 6 - Rage Like Fire ||| 7 - Born From Conflict
8 - Reach Any Star ||| 9 - Cold Fields ||| 10 - Ice Inside Your Soul
11 - King of Anything
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Date: 27/5/11 21:34 (UTC)Ah yeah I might actually buy it if the shipping isn't too much to Canada...However there is a Canada Post strike going on >.>
Oh yay, it will be Chantha Mok adding you :) And that is weird. I know I can let people leave me messages who aren't on my FB. Didn't have anything weird like that though.
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Date: 27/5/11 21:37 (UTC)^.^"
LOL. Well, if I had money, I might have it shipped but, alas, I am full of broke. *sigh*
Understood. *salutes*
Some people can leave me messages, some can't. I don't get it and, honestly, after a couple of months trying to figure out why it's such a bitch, I've bloody well given up. *sigh*