Draco was silent as he walked slightly behind his father; he could tell that he was concerned for him and didn't know exactly what to say to him or how to express it. It was clear that Lucius seemed to have some regrets; his eyes gave that away even if he refused to look at his son directly.
As they both entered his study; the fireplace roared to life and Lucius sighed with agitation. He went to his desk and rummaged in the topmost drawer; where Draco knew a secret compartment was that held a lot of his more...questionable letters and such.
To know that Potter's letter had been placed there; it was telling to how much time had changed in so little time.
"Draco, before I give this to you to read." Lucius said softly, "Know that I didn't withhold this to anger you, or because I felt that you didn't deserve to read it. I was eventually going to allow you to see the letter that Potter had sent, but...I also wanted you to have time to try and distance yourself from your feelings towards Potter."
Lucius then seemed sad, "I knew. I knew long before now that they already would not be accepted nor returned; because I saw first-hand from the memories they left of how...Potter and the Dark Lord were gradually accepting the roles they had to each other.
How their roles kept them connected by barely a thread, and what had occurred to each of them individually. How these experiences had caused shifts in opinions and their views to other areas. How it had changed them both."
Lucius paused to make sure his son was listening; Draco's gaze was intent, yet also distant. As if he couldn't believe all of this. Not as of yet.
Lucius spoke gently and gave to his son a sad smile, "The Dark Lord has always been...obsessive about Potter. First finding the prophecy that bound them and trying to find him to kill him. Now the prophecy is averted, but their connection remains untouched despite all that has befallen them recently, and they remain bound.
I have been aware for some time of the changes that Potter and our Lord were going through and accepting in the other. Forcing me to accept that the future of our cause would change. With how I knew of the Dark Lord due to my many years of service to him, and how I had known of his personality...I knew exactly how dangerous it would be to anyone else that tried to get in the middle and to separate them.
I didn't want you to read this; and then to have a sense of false hope due to how some phrases were worded."
Lucius sighed again, "I feel, at times, I have been a very bad father for you. I was too distant on a lot of levels while you were a child; I didn't feel like I should be close because of my dealings with the Dark Lord. I wanted to keep you out of that life as much as I could because I didn't want to force you to re-live another version of my life as I have done with your grandfather.
Yet, when I was teaching you about magic when you were younger in order to prepare you for the role you would eventually have to take from me; I was harsh and at times, cruel. It was why I often heard of how you ran to Narcissa after and sought her healing comfort.
I didn't prepare you for this life as a Death Eater as well as I should have. This is both mine and Narcissa's fault; as we never wanted you to need to live the same life as I have. She spoiled you in ways that I tried to curb; but ultimately, I couldn't bring myself to."
Lucius eyed the fire, "In that regard, I was weak."
He tensed as he stood there, "I am quite aware that I didn't give you the best examples to follow; though considering my allegiance to the world of magic...perhaps that is to be understood; on a basic level."
Lucius sat before the fire again and beckoned Draco over; who sat across from him.
Lucius grimaced as his mercury eyes hollowed, "You are my son, Draco. I do care about you and your well-being. I want what is best for you to succeed in your life and to see you surpass even I at some point. To be able to achieve your own greatness. But as your mother must have informed you by now... our marriage was never something we wanted."
Lucius paused, "I can partner with either gender, but I heavily prefer another male over a female despite that. Unlike your grandfather; who was the reverse. He too; he saw the beauty in both male and female forms, and he could have partnered with a male as well, but Abraxas was more inclined to female company."
Lucius eyed the fire a moment, "For a very long time; and especially when I was much younger, I constantly questioned myself about why...why my father even arranged this marriage when he knew of my wants and preferences.
I didn't realize part of the answer until much later. Not until after I was married and you had been born. Then more reasons became clear with all the new recent events that are happening; Potter's actions to defect...they brought more realizations."
Draco was quiet to this; to realize that his whole bloodline was a mixture of so many conflicting personalities and preferences.
Lucius quirked his lips, "By these admissions, you know now that had I had a choice in my partner; you would never have been born nor would Narcissa have ever graced the halls of the Malfoy estates. Or, if I had been allowed a choice and had children with that supposed choice of partner; you might be very different from the person you are right at this moment in time. I have endured this marriage in order not to be disinherited and to protect Narcissa from the same fate; at least, at first that was why.
When my parents and hers had passed on; the necessity of our arranged marriage was no longer necessary. But the war...it had made things very unstable, and even I could not in good conscious have thrown Narcissa out to the road with nothing to her name.
She has been fiercely protective of us; you and I, and she kept her word. She stayed by me until you were born and until we knew that it might be safe to separate, so committing those actions would have been very dishonorable and would have shown me doing her a great disservice.
Nor could I have thrown her out with you so vulnerable. Narcissa would have demanded custody of you had I done so, and I would have; at the time, acquiesced to her demand. Despite being a Malfoy heir, you would've then belonged to the House of Black. But you would not have been heir."
Lucius idly gazed to the fire before eyeing his son, "That title also belongs to Potter. His godfather Sirius; despite being unofficially disowned, was never truly cast off from the Black family. His grandfather, Arcturus Black, lived beyond his parents and had known Riddle while he attended Hogwarts. He knew that the Dark Lord might not do all he promised and lose his way.
Leaving his acolytes astray and adrift; so Arcturus withheld his judgment on Sirius. Especially after his younger brother; who served Riddle, vanished mysteriously and never was seen again. He didn't trust Riddle; and he couldn't trust Bellatrix nor Andromeda. Narcissa was married to me at the time; Arcturus wouldn't have trusted her either.
Which means; had I cast her aside with you then...you both might already be dead. Potter would have been too young to do anything, and Sirius...he might've sheltered you both as he did always have a soft spot for Narcissa, but due to the war, it is unlikely."
Lucius breathed as Draco was silent to all this; he never realized how complicated all of this had been for his parents.
"I have derailed the topic I wanted to speak of now." Lucius spoke, "Your grandparents arranged my marriage as should be expected; or rather, it was mostly Abraxas who did so. But unlike them, I had no voice in the deals they made. Most pureblood children don't; but my family has always been an exception to that. Yet again, Abraxas Malfoy was a cold and very meticulously calculative man. He was among the first to serve the Dark Lord due to their shared interest, their attendance of Hogwarts at the same time, and the friendship they shared. It is also why I have maintained a revered place of influence in the Inner Circle.
Even when I am merely Abraxas's son."
Lucius paused in a sudden quiet before he spoke again, "But your grandfather was not in any way against relationships between people of the same gender. I was confused and angry over this for a long time. I think however, though I do not know for certainty, that Abraxas feared for the Malfoy line's continuance when he made the choice to force my hand into this marriage.
I do not know if the decision weighed on him; if he regretted it at all, but what's done now is done."
Lucius's features were nearly stoic; yet Draco saw the sadness to his father as he recalled these memories of his grandfather.
"My father...and your grandfather; he was ill with Dragon Pox long before you were born. He suffered immensely from it in the last days of his life. Abraxas feared for the continuance of our bloodline because he knew; he knew I didn't exactly prefer female company and he was well-aware of how...rare it was for pairs of the same gender to conceive.
Even with the potions that were available."
Lucius shifted, "He was aware that even if another male I had married or I had become pregnant through the use of those said potions; same-gender pregnancies don't usually last to term either. Miscarriages were common because the same-gender pregnancies are often too delicate for most wizards or witches to maintain with some stability."
"The drain of magic on the body during one is immense; sometimes speculated as more costly to them than one is to a normal pregnancy, and it is why the other partner of the pregnant witch or wizard in a same-gender pregnancy must constantly be nearby their partner. The child feeds off of both its parents magic, and if there is not enough magic present, it causes a lot of pain before an eventual miscarriage if left prolonged."
Lucius looked to Draco now with a firm gaze.
"Which is why I believe that Abraxas desperately sought to marry me off to someone he was aware I could tolerate, but in the end; that I would never truly return affection for. Not the way he shared it with your grandmother when in privacy or close company of family and friends."
Lucius eyed his son, "I don't want to see you make the same mistakes. To live your life dissatisfied because of a relationship that will not ever return to you the love you should want for yourself. The type of love that you should want for yourself and to desire to have; a lesson I learned far too late."
Lucius eyed the fire suddenly, "Because I know exactly what it is like; exactly what it feels like to desire someone else who cannot return your attention nor affection. I speak not of the Dark Lord either nor because I was arranged to marry your mother, but of someone who I knew years ago.
I wanted desperately to be closer to them, but I forced myself away because of my arrangements with Narcissa. I didn't want Lord Black incensed at me for treating his niece like she didn't matter; even if Narcissa wouldn't have cared if I had pursued them.
Then it wouldn't have mattered if I desired him; he was bonded as well to another. Not as closely as Potter and the Dark Lord are, but you know the price for interfering and breaking bonded pairs. He and his bonded; they both vanished without a trace. During the war; I suspected that he took them both far-away and they both hid.
I know not if they survived the war, but I suspect not. There was no word of them appearing again in the aftermath of the first war. Though that could be because maybe they had left Britain altogether; to start anew somewhere else."
Draco's eyes hollowed to this as he then stared to the fire in confliction.
Lucius's gaze hardened, "And as much as I want what is best for you Draco; you are now an adult of legal age. I cannot protect you from the Dark Lord and his wrath if you decided to make stupid decisions that endanger you.
Especially now, that you know better than to dare."
Lucius cleared his throat some, "Potter and the Dark Lord; both of those two are immensely powerful wizards, and they are both uniquely gifted in their own abilities and ways. Potter never showed that until now; he was too wary of being too loud with his magical talents. As he should have been; the headmaster and the dark lord both would have tried to more succinctly garner his favor if he had."
Lucius eyed his son warily, "There is a great deal to Potter that we do not truly know. That in and of itself; is dangerous to anyone who wants to be closer. Now that he has been trained by Lord Death in the underworld with Tom; doubly lethal."
Lucius saw how Draco fidgeted nervously, "You saw how Tom practically read your mind; even though I know I thoroughly taught you Occlumency and that Severus refined it. The Dark Lord has always been...one who was very in-tune with the magicks of the mind, and he definitely is someone who is said to be specialized in mind magic.
He will know if you dare to move against him with Potter as leverage."
Lucius then paused, "Potter himself; I believe that he has become proficient in mind magic through this training and absence. That both Potter and Tom's abilities for the mental arcane arts have been...amplified and strengthened because of their bond to the other. I noted the signs that Potter himself had also picked up on people's emotions and thoughts as easily as Tom does now; he may very well be on equal ground in regards to mind magic.
Which means he would know as well; if you dared to try to tear the bond he chose to accept. I do not doubt that Harry would not like it. He is the more merciful of the two; but only barely, and Harry would sit beside of the Dark Lord and enjoy watching Tom shred you to pieces of ribbon if you dared to interfere. We already know that from how he interacted with the necromancers he saved us from."
Draco sighed, "I suppose you are correct, Father. It's just...difficult. Potter has no reason to want to accept the bond; the Dark Lord killed his family, or at least he killed a lot of it, and nearly killed him too, so...why?" he asked softly
Lucius's gaze softened, "You will understand after you see the memories I need to collect. Though I imagine that as informative as they are for all; they are going to leave a lot of us in states other than we desire."
Draco scowled, "Meaning that these memories are more than going to exhibit both of them in many situations of undress and more."
Lucius smirked, "Yes. But remember that both of them; they didn't exactly click first. Some of what happens is merely because of out-of-control emotions; which seems odd for the Dark Lord to all of us.
It reminds us all once again that...despite everything, he is still a human."
Draco quirked his lips a bit, "A human with the penchant for violence, torture, and cursing people to death."
Lucius's smirk only widened; if only his son knew...Well, he was about to. He handed him the letter gently as his features softened, "Read this while I collect the pensieve that I stored all this away in. It will take me some time to sort through it all; especially as I need to remove some non-related memories."
Lucius then stared as a small box appeared with another parchment in a puff of black-blue smoke. He raised his brow and went to it; noting the box contained yet more vials of memories, and internally groaned to himself. He was happy that he was trusted enough to do this, but...
He shook his head and grabbed the parchment. Eyebrows ticking with irritation as much as desire when he read what these memories were supposed to contain. Then paled and drained of color as he read what the other half persisted of.
Draco watched him a moment as he finished the letter; his father looked ill now.
"Are you alright, Father." He said softly
Lucius breathed, "Yes and no. Potter and the Dark Lord must have been aware I intended to show the Inner Circle the pensieve. They sent me a new box with more memories to add. I am...glad that they trust me to do this; proud even, but the contents of this particular box...it is not something I really want to view."
Draco raised his brows now, "And why is that?"
Lucius saddened, "Because the vast majority of this box; it contains the memories of the Dark Lord's and Potter's childhoods. Both of which were abusive and horrifyingly atrocious; I still feel ill from remembering the few scenes I gained at the Wizengamot meeting months ago. This box makes all those look gentle."
"I will return in a little while with the pensieve. We will return to your mother and the rest after I do. Try to mentally prepare yourself for this; I know it will not be easy to see. I have...doubts that allowing Bella to see this will do anything good for her. No, I fear it may antagonize her Black Madness until she is all for attacking Harry; which would not end well for her."
Lucius eyed Draco a moment, "Narcissa would only be able to protect her sister for so long, and Bellatrix has already gained the ire of the Dark Lord today from how he spoke and acted to her about the bond he spoke of."
--
It was another hour later that Lucius returned to the hall with Draco in tow and holding onto his family's pensieve.
"That took a great deal longer than I suspected." Rodulphus commented
Lucius glared, "I know. I received another box with more memories in it to add to the ones here already. I had to sort them and ensure they matched with the time-line; which is not easy."
Rabastan smirked to his brother-in-law, "Not easy on the mind? Or the body?"
Lucius leered with a feral grin to him, "Both. Just you wait, Rabastan."
Lucius then noted the re-entry of their master and his mate, "My lord? Is something the matter?"
Tom smirked as his azure turned scarlet eyes practically gleamed with mirth whilst Harry; he had maneuvered himself to sit across his lap as Tom sat again to his throne and pulled him directly into his lap. Harry made a show of making his body right at home and rubbing himself against Tom lightly, provoking Bella with his actions while his eyes seemed to hide a secret that was another sort of amusement to him.
He was still dressed in his provocative clothes, but this time; their master had forgone his usual attire of robes. Tom brazenly sat there with merely his dress slacks and silk shirt. No tie and unbuttoned completely as Harry simply eyed them with a razor-like daring smile as many of them met their gaze.
Staring at both with faces that the two mates took extreme satisfaction in for their reactions.
The Inner Circle seemed to notice and was becoming increasingly aware...that the two had no problem making everyone there uncomfortable with their blatant disregard of modesty. Their master; they expected that of him. He had always been unafraid to show-off, but Potter too? It wasn't what they expected, and especially not so...unmitigated. The tension and stillness that arose from their presence was unlike any Lucius had witnessed in quite some time.
Though Lucius himself was rather enjoying the situation as he watched his fellows flounder for words or trying to conceal their expressions.
"No Lucius, nothing is wrong. Don't mind us; we are merely curious to see how you put the memories together. Just pretend we are not here?" Tom told them slowly as Harry snickered and eyed his soul-bound with a look, "Though that might be easier said than done for them."
Tom smirked to that and inclined to his mate.
Lucius stilled now; this was...not what he had expected to occur. He inclined slowly and warily walked to the small table he summoned and sat the pensieve. He waited a moment as the rest of the Inner Circle situated themselves with their summoned chairs and other assorted seat arrangements.
Harry then cleared his throat as all the heads in the room turned and his gaze was cold, "I would like to forewarn all of you now that the first sets of memories; they are not totally connected to the bond. It will show you glimpses of your lord's childhood; he has agreed that now is the time to tell you these secrets.
It is also going to show you my own childhood; how I came to be how I am and why I hid myself. How my hiding changed over the years.
I warn you all that these memories are not pleasant; they will make many of you feel angry, volatile, squeamish and sick, and so much more. If you feel at any time that you can no longer handle witnessing these memories; you are free to quietly excuse yourself."
"But be aware that if you leave this room; you are not allowed to return and will not see the rest of the memories. You will need someone else to show them to you."
Tom's eyes hardened on his followers as one of his hands possessively caressed Harry to calm his nerves, "Our childhoods; they are nightmares you purebloods can't imagine ever being real. Can't imagine a child enduring."
Avery then spoke up, "My lord, what did you mean when you said 'us purebloods?'"
Harry smirked at Tom, "He caught on fast, my dear."
Tom smirked now widely as his eyes narrowed to them, "I meant it as it sounded, Avery. I am the last heir of Salazar Slytherin, but I am not pureblood. I, like Harry is, am only half-blood. Have been my whole life; yet that has not kept your ancestors from devoting their service to me and to my cause."
The hall stilled to that and stared before all breathed in and out; trying to keep their minds open. Everything was changing. Bellatrix stared at the one she had called master for years now; having believed of him to be pureblood.
Acknowledging he wasn't; it was not easy, and especially not for her. She who had yearned for so long to be noticed by him as more than a mere devoted soldier. Yearning that had gone on without ever being accepted or acknowledged for the woman she was.
As Lucius started the memories for them; Bellatrix breathed and tried her best to keep her emotions out of this, they would not help. She didn't like this new situation, but she knew internally that nothing she did could change it. Her master would kill her if she dared to act against Harry now; against him by proxy.
Narcissa glanced to her sister and her eyes showed her sadness for her; life had not treated Bellatrix with kindness as the eldest of the three Black sisters. Her Black Madness was worse than most in their family within the last four or five generations. Her arranged marriage to Rodulphus was without her consent like Lucius's contract to her had been; their father and Rodulphus's had signed the contract for her before she ever graduated Hogwarts and decided to pursue a career, and then it had become a battle for her and Rodulphus to keep the arrangement when Rodulphus's father learned that Bella was...infertile.
Andromeda had run off by that time and had already married her muggle. Had her daughter as well. Sirius was long-since lost them; unofficially disowned and considered as another blood-traitor to the Black namesake. Inadequate. While his younger brother Regulus went missing during the last part of the war before the unexpected and abrupt end to it; he still was missing and had never been found. Narcissa was contracted to Lucius against her wishes due to the demands of the late Abraxas Malfoy; her mother and father agreeing because they felt the match would be meshing well together.
She returned her gaze to the memories and paled somewhat as she watched this atrocious set of events; events supposed to be considered a childhood. Was it any wonder that the Dark Lord was as he was?
When the memories turned to the subject of interest; all there paled, turned shades of red or green, and made noises.
Draco's face was paler than it had ever been before; seeing how abysmally that Potter had been treated by his own flesh and blood relatives.
Heads turned to their master and his mate as a wave of furious magic rolled over the hall. Tom was clutching Harry to him and whispering; more like hissing, to his ear as he rubbed his back. Harry's eyed glowed with raw pain and agony to the reminders of his suffering. He twitched and struggled to break Tom's grasp; as if he wanted to run and hunt the muggles.
His blood-lust for revenge leaking into the magic he exuded as all shuddered with fear for themselves.
But it didn't last long as Tom refused to let Harry escape his grasp and managed to calm him as the last of the memories from their childhoods ended and moved to more recent events.
--
The hall was silent; deadly silent, as the memories came to end nearly four hours later. No one dared hardly to breathe nor to turn around and to look upon their lord or his mate. Not simply because they all were too stunned or horrified from what they were shown. Even if they wanted to. No; they all dared not to turn themselves around as the only sounds they could hear were that of soft, but glazed hissing. Quick-movement as fabric rustled; barely audible moans in a fast-pace and from two people.
Lucius didn't want to move; to turn and to witness this sight behind him as he knew it would only serve to cause him to yearn, but knew that he must in order to snap the rest from this haze. Mercurial eyes averted to off the side as he slowly turned hesitantly gazed up and his breath became ragged.
He didn't doubt that he was only one to have been or still be affected by the memories; this wasn't going to be easy. His erection throbbed as his breath was short to the sight laid before him, and to the others; who slowly did as he had done.
Tom sat there in his usual lazy, imperial posture; red eyes glazed and glossed over with immense desire while he whisper-hissed to Harry's ear. As he could see the faint outline of where his trousers were undone. The faint, but firm thrusts of his hips upward. His hands clasped to Harry's hips and preventing him from moving; magic laced into his fingers and ensuring his mate wasn't able to run-off with his blood-lust.
Though Lucius vaguely doubted Harry had much of that left now.
Harry's leather pants were now unfastened and revealed that he had nothing underneath them; which wasn't surprising given how tight they had been. His erection was out before them all; if they had been brave enough to turn, and it stood straight up. Lucius watched in rabid curiosity and desire as his master hissed at Harry; then the teenager bounced on him and gripped himself.
Stroking his length and mewling near silent as the pearlescent pre-cum leaked out. Tom moved one hand to touch it and then rubbed it between his fingers as he eyed it. Smirking for a single moment and then he inclined; more to himself.
He lifted Harry gently up and removed himself before inserting the fingers. Lucius's eyes dilating and widening to the sheer lack of modesty the two had. Harry moaned and mewled as the removal occurred; only to whine when Tom was not inside him, and then to moan again as the fingers entered.
The others, by now, had turned as well. Most of them were wide-eyed as he was. Some of them showing their emotions freely now with desire, lust, jealousy, and more to the pair. Tom kept Harry there; knowing they were all watching this. He wanted them aware that this boy was his and his alone.
Suddenly, the fingers left the smaller body and Tom ungently thrust himself back into Harry's waiting hole. Harry shrieked with slight pain as waves of magic laced in wanton need wafted the room, but he never stopped nor asked to stop. Tom's movements were fast, rough, and needy as Harry mewled and met each one; his body's muscles contracting with tension as his breathing became labored.
'That's it, Harry...' he hissed, 'You're so tight around me. I want to forever be sheathed in this warmth.
Your warmth.'
Harry's eyes dilated more, slanted, and began to glow with magic. All as he knew the others were staring at this scene; not that he remotely cared much.
'Fuck me then, Tom' He whined in a hiss, 'Let them see you split me open for you, and for them.'
The Death Eaters breathed in sharply as Tom's scarlet eyes began to glow the same as Harry's had; only with a different sort of light than they were used to. Wondering what on the great Earth the boy had said to their Master to illicit such a response from him? Harry shrieked again as Tom shoved him hard from his lap to the floor and onto his hands and knees.
As he was pulled out of and roughly slammed back in. As he grabbed Harry's hair and pulled his head taut. As his hips snapped in and out of him while he hissed louder; which only made Harry move quicker with him and to hiss louder as well.
It was then as they all stood there transfixed that Tom smirked wide while scarlet irises gleamed. He lowered his body and reached for his mate's length; tugging it sharply as Harry gurgled with want before he felt Tom's other hand hold him into place.
'You look so lovely like this Harry. Your ass held up to me and taking in my cock like it's the last one on the earth. Now lovely; take my seed into you.'
Harry whimpered with need as he felt the hand close-off his own orgasm; while Tom's length spasmed inside his channel and he felt the sticky white semen coat him. As he knew Tom had kept any of it from leaking out. Harry's eyes widened suddenly as the cool of a metal ring slid onto him.
He thrashed to that sensation, and Tom scowled before he yanked his hair; stilling the boy as he whined louder.
'We're not done yet, lovely. Not by a long-shot.' He hissed as Harry arced his ass higher in need; desperate for touches, 'I will have you begging me for more before tonight is done. Begging me so plainly that the only thing on your mind is how you will get more of me inside you.'
Harry went slightly limp to that as his eyes remained dilated, but somewhat let the fire die. His body untensed as he groaned with new flashes of desire coursing him like electricity. Tom smirked as he thumbed the overly red member with his long fingers; causing Harry to shudder and spasm.
"Fight me all you want, Harry." He spoke softly now with amusement, "I will enjoy the battle."
Harry narrowed his eyes at Tom before he suddenly clenched his ass. Tom's cock seared with heat as the older wizard's desire began to stir. His member twitching at the challenge as he narrowed his eyes to the teen who looked to be smirking now.
Tom growled as he forced Harry down and pulled out slightly before shoving himself back in. Not waiting for himself to be fully erect; nor for Harry to regain his own arousal.
"You are mine, Harry James Potter." He loudly hissed with his possessive desire, "Do not tempt me into training you like you are a mere pet for me to toy with. You won't like it?"
Harry hissed before he spoke, "Won't I, Tom? You as well as all the rest here; they know and have seen what I desired. To let the tightly bound control I have go, and to let someone else take the reins from my hands."
Tom's breathing was bordering on ragged as his scarlet gaze became possessive of his soul-mate. His mana erupted with a dark wave that forced the rest down to their knees with their heads bowed. They dared not to look up or upon them.
"I will have no one else, Harry." He hissed aloud, "No one but you, and I swear to Merlin that if you keep pushing me like this; I am one day going to do something I know I won't like and regret it. I know internally that this bond cannot be broken; but when you work me up like this...I barely can control myself with you."
Harry smirked as he clenched again and slightly wiggled his rear, "Good. I want you to only ever to desire me and to want me. I want the rest of these followers of yours to know that you are not ever going to choose them over me; that the option is now out of consideration."
Harry paused before he commented slightly, "And if you keep at it like this; I am going to be pregnant before the war with Necromancers is ever really started or over."
The rest of them suddenly looked up to that and saw how their master smiled before he smirked, "That wouldn't exactly be a bad thing; time is short and uncertain in war. I would love to see you round and swollen with our heir or heiress."
Tom then saddened, "Or do you not trust me to protect you, Harry?"
Harry sighed as his body untensed some before tensing again, "You know that I now trust you over anyone else I have ever trusted in my entire life. If I didn't trust you even a little; I wouldn't have tried so hard to convince you of the bond. Nor would I have ever let you near my body; no matter how my magic caused me agony for the forced distance. I just feel it is...unwise, to try to bring a child to this world while we yet have so many enemies."
Harry then smiled softer, "But when the time is more correct; I wouldn't mind being the other partner to your children, Tom. I kind-of wouldn't have to mind at this point; being bound to you for forever, and all."
Harry then slanted his eyes as they rolled towards the back of his head, "Yes. Right there."
Tom smirked, "So wanton, Harry. Sometimes I almost; almost...cannot believe that you're the one reminding me about things."
Harry hissed suddenly and clenched down hard as Tom growled at him for it. Thrusting harder before he released into his mate for the third time time. He waited and made certain that all his seed stayed with his mate before gently pulling himself out.
Harry stood up red and flushed as his eyes regained some of their more natural color from the luminous glow. He rubbed a hand to his hair before he silently strutted off; not bothering to try and stuff his erection back into the pants with the cock ring, nor to hide the fact he was horribly hard from all this.
No. His erection was still rosy red and jutting out and up from the nest of fine dark curls it had for a bed to rest in. His sack heavy and weighted as it pressed where his member would be if it hadn't been so aroused. The pants remained unbuttoned as he walked off; his frame confident while he smirked to them from half-lidded eyes.
Provoking them and daring them to try and act. Mocking them all for the fact that he had now what many had desired for years. Engraining the fact that he wasn't who they had thought of him as. Watching as he once more raised his hand and delicately rubbed the jeweled head of his torc necklace.
The others watching in astonishment as it raised its head to meet the petting hand with affection. Harry's eyes slanted and smiling; smirking at them all while he petted her, and as he hissed to it about what just happened. Tom stilling to that; not knowing that Harry would share such...information with Amarinda.
Tom watched him go however; with fondness, love, and adoration. Shining in his eyes and showing each and every one of them all how much had truly changed. He sat back down upon his throne, and he also didn't bother to redo his trousers; making a statement, or several by that action.
"Now you all know." He spoke to them in an indifferent tone, "You know why he came to me to defect. Why I accepted this bond eventually, and why we were chosen to be bound to the other this way."
Tom's facial expression turned glacial as he eyed them all, "If I ever hear of any of you daring to hurt Harry now after this; I will make you wish that you were never born. Your mere existences in the world after that will be painful, bleak, and short-lived. I have learned a great deal more magic than last I was present with you; do not force me to turn my magic against you all.
He is here to stay and this home you graciously are inside of; is our new base of operations. It is one of the many of Harry's ancestral homes on the Peverell side; we will be here now instead of constantly at Malfoy Mansion."
He leaned to one side as he propped his head on the hand that was there, "Now, to business. The Necromancers you have heard the rise of; it is true. That they have risen up, and that they are indeed a threat to us. Lucius and his family have already been attacked once by them; they were searching for Harry."
Tom watched them warily, "The Necromancers wanted Harry to return to their domain with them, and for him to learn from them. To become one of the leaders of their Occult; to join their campaign against us. He, however, refused. It wasn't simply because he was my soul-mate, and those actions would not have aided in healing me. Harry also didn't need to learn from them when Lord Death personally tutored him in the underworld after he was healed. We both learned much from him and from Lady Life in our time away."
"The two deities did not, however, finish their tutelage. So, they will be gracing the halls of the house soon with others of their type and or spirits of the past; potentially ancestors of any one of you all. I urge you all to not antagonize them; their punishments will not be...soft."
Tom sighed as he bridged his nose in waiting for patience, "And due to the threat the Necromancers pose; Harry and I decided to call cease-fire and truce to Albus and the Order. To the Ministry of Magic."
A cacophony of voices rose to this.
"Silence." Tom spoke louder in his soft-cold tone as all quieted, "Albus spoke to Lucius in my stead prior to the Necromancer's attack on Malfoy Mansion. He brought Alastor Moody with him; as a friend. Albus eventually agreed to the truce with convincing from Alastor; though it remains to be seen if he will actually honor it."
"Harry and I know that this decision will not be easy for any of us to acquiesce to. To handle fully."
Tom smirked now suddenly, "Though I would bet that Albus does intend to honor it. The old man is very afraid at this time; afraid of Harry now due to his Peverell lordship and inheritance. Afraid because he is aware that Harry knows of all the things he has done to him over the years.
And Albus does not wish to die; to leave this world with regrets that he cannot make right somehow."
Tom scowled, "Not that there will ever be any way for what he has done to either of us to be forgiven. That there will be a way for him to make amends for all the horrendous actions he has committed to us and to our lineages.
"So, this truce will be effective as soon as Harry and I meet with Albus and those of the Order to talk the terms of the arrangement. Which is set to occur in a matter of days here at this mansion; they do not know this is our base. They believe it to be neutral ground."
Tom eyed them, "However, once the arrangements are finalized and processed; both the Death Eaters and the Order will be housed here at times. You will and are to be working together for the cause of defeating back this incursion to our territory.
Harry and I will be working with both factions as will many of the veteran Order members and perhaps even Albus himself at times; though Harry and I will be watching this intently if so. We will all be training the rest of you all as needed to combat this threat. Meaning, the Order will come to see the necessity of Dark Magic like we needed them to long before now. Just as many of you will come to realize that Light arts are yet needed to maintain balance in the world.
The hall was quiet as Tom stood and bore his body to them in the half-dressed state it remained in, "Harry and I have already finalized our plans for the emergency alert system we wish to use. This system will be owled to you all to implement to your homes once the last pieces are in place here as the foundation.
It has many uses, however, the main use for this is to alert us of an attack from the Necromancers to any one of your homes while still unprepared. To outline safe evacuations when the warning signals start as the system will detect from which directions the attacks may come from. To avoid being caught and lose valuable allies. The Necromancer's magic; it doesn't exactly work the same as ours does, so we have the advantage in this regard."
He eyed them all sternly, "This truce is something that I did not wish to agree to at first; it took much convincing on Harry's part to me; to persuade me to consider it. It wasn't until a random attack happened to him while separated in alternate planes that I realized how dangerous this was. Had Harry died there; I too would have expired, and none of you would have ever known."
"So, in light of this; I ask and beseech all of you to really try to accept this truce. I understand that this is difficult for all of you; especially after so much persecution and condemnation from those of the other side, but just as they did this to us..."
Tom sighed, "We didn't exactly help ourselves either. I lost my way when I corrupted myself and then had to wait until now to return wholesomely to the fold. Because of Harry needing to be alive, and to grow."
"I allowed many acts of violence and destruction that I would have curbed had I been in my right mind. I allowed and condoned horrific behaviors that I would not have otherwise; especially not after my own experiences and Harry's experiences compiled on top of it."
Tom watched as some shifted and nodded; while others scowled to this or made hardly an expression. Knowing that he and Harry may need to root out those who would rebel against this new regime of theirs.
"There will be many changes to how we operate in the days to come. However, I know that I have exposed a lot to you all...including allowing the memories Lucius shared tonight to be viewed." He spoke softly, "Go home and think about all you have learned here. Keep in mind that Harry and I will know if you speak to anyone of them who doesn't know of this. And remember; I am still your lord. I am Lord Voldemort, and I have no mercy for traitors.
You who bear my mark; you swore yourselves to my service and that is a vow I uphold you to. That Harry now upholds to you all; just as he expects of you to force him to prove his usefulness. And he will as time continues.
The start of his usefulness was his willingness to hand over detailed information no-one else had, and the earnest desire to return me to my own body, my own mind, and my own soul. To myself as much as to him as my one and only eternal bonded. Also, he has returned to me to my true duty of what it means to be the Dark Lord, and to this world while he guides Mother Magic as the Lord Peverell."
Tom then stepped down from his throne and dais it sat upon; he turned and eyed it with emotions that the others couldn't read from him of what was. He then walked out of the hall and vanished from sight.
Leaving the room full of stunned Death Eaters; some of them with their heirs or heiresses present. Most of the adults circled together and spoke softly; soft enough that their children could not hear them.
The younger people gathered mostly to where Draco stood or slightly out of their area; and some eyed him warily now. Knowing of his...affection for the Potter heir.
Pansy bit her lips, "That was...really Potter then, wasn't it?"
Draco eyed her and then snorted in laughter as his eyes shined with mirth. He smirked a bit as he then hollowed, "Oh, it was definitely him. Just the real version of him that of us most don't know; that we never saw before now, and the one he's only now allowed himself to show."
Blaise rose a brow, "You'd know though, huh? I mean you did have a thing for Potter all this time? And that rivalry of yours with him was really toxic because of it? I mean; you absolutely hated the female Weasley because she believed she was destined to marry him."
Blaise smirked at Draco who had flushed pink in slight embarrassment, "Not to mention the bookworm Granger when Skeeter kept posting articles of how their was some sort of triangle between her, Potter, and Viktor Krum?"
Pansy chuckled to herself now before raising a brow, "And then after he was outed; you profusely glared at any other male that dared to even try talking to him. Not that you stopped it..."
The adults had paused now and sat still to listen to their children; wanting to see where this led.
Draco pursed his lips as his mercury eyes showed his emotional turmoil, "I still very much am attracted to Potter...as I have always been. However, I am not dumb enough to test the boundaries of the bond between him and the Dark Lord. I saw how...different Potter was; when he showed up at the mansion with the Dark Lord to save us from a unit of Necromancers."
Draco's lips quirked as his eyes gave a sad tone to them, "I would never be able to keep up with him now that he's revealed his true nature and self to us. After everything he's endured; he deserves someone who can be an equal to him. Not to say that none of us haven't endured hardships; but ours as the heirs and heiresses are paltry examples to his. I cannot, however, speak for our parents and relatives.
They have had more of an idea to his suffering due to serving the Dark Lord. Longer than we have ever graced his halls to listen to the meetings and to learn from them."
Draco's eyes distanced, "I remember as they both fell into the garden. Fell from a portal that opened in the sky from whatever alternate plane they had been on. Walking through it sedately; knowing they had derailed the fight and gotten the attention of our invaders. Magic suffocating the area as they appeared and landed gracefully on their feet. Dressed in combat robes and seeming like they knew we had needed them."
Draco then darkened and seemed solemn, "The Dark Lord and Potter; they both used magic to fight. From their wands as much as non-verbal magic or wandless magic. But...they both also used weaponry imbued with magic and hand-to-hand combat; hence the great physical condition that both are in. They trained rigorously for that, as we saw."
Draco's eyes closed shut tightly, "That fight...it was the first time I ever saw what a true glimpse of what war was really like. I was...constantly fearing for my life as I tried to find ways silently to get my mother out of there. My father yelling at me to go and to leave him behind; yet I...
I couldn't move. I stood there frozen in shock as if I were stunned. It wasn't until one of the Necromancers threatened to kill me after he ordered me to sit that I obeyed. We were caught off-guard by their assault; the wards we have didn't even hardly warn us."
Draco opened his eyes with a hardened look, "Potter came through the portal and spoke to the Necromancers briefly, but then taunted them and forced them to fight. Potter practically goaded them into it. He fought on equal grounds to not only them, but the Dark Lord while back-to-back."
The rest of the younger purebloods were silent; having always known how powerful Potter was and supposedly supposed to be. Yet, this hit it home for them all."
Draco softened his look some, "It is as my father told me once before; Potter was born and bred for battle. He was always made for this; even if he still had to learn as he grew, and long before the bond showed up. First the prophecy and how it had dictated his life; people trying to manipulate his decisions and actions from shadows.
Then his never-ending trail of battles for his own survival and the willpower he must have needed to have while at his summer home; we all just witnessed a truly atrocious childhood...two of them in fact, and two of them that none of us can even think of having. "
Draco sighed sadly, "Then Potter was constant running and fighting from the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters; building his skills as he went along. Skill-building while wearing a complete mask and hiding his true self from us; one we never suspected to be there.
His endless perseverance and fortitude at withstanding all we threw at him during school to try and weaken him mentally."
Theo eyed Draco a moment, "Can he really use Dark Magic like we felt before?"
Bella suddenly cackled as she rolled off her chair and grinned madly, "You bet he can. He tortured me twice in one hour, and that was the first time he ever cast dark magic, boy! Such raw anger; bubbling like lava until his face was cherry red and..."
Her eyes glazed as she held her wand up and whispered, "Crucio."
Bella eyed them, "I remember that the first one tingled and stung, but it didn't have any bite. I laughed at him. I told him that he had to mean it for it to hurt. I had killed his godfather; my blood-traitor cousin, and he became incensed as I laughed."
"I laughed so much I didn't sense the imminent danger I put myself into. Potter raised his wand to me again; his emerald gaze swirling with a storm of magic and fury as he uttered the curse again."
She pouted, "That time I fell over and screamed raw. It fucking hurt, the little bastard."
Rodulphus rolled his eyes at her, "Bella my dear, I think we know all this. We just watched it occur in the memories."
Everyone stilled as Harry's head popped into the room and he smirked, "Also, I am not a bastard, my dear Trixie. My parents were married before I was born. If anyone here is to be labeled as a bastard; you should try and direct it at your master.
His parents were not married when he was conceived nor when he was born."
The hall all sweat-dropped in anxiety and stilled as they all heard, 'Harry!' from the background while Potter smirked and disappeared.
Draco coughed loudly, "And that is his queue for getting the Dark Lord's attention to him again, don't you agree Father?"
Lucius smirked as all turned to him, "I would agree, yes. Of course; Potter is now the only person on the earth that knows more of our master than anyone else. Whether it is information of him or otherwise. I wouldn't be surprised to find ourselves hearing screaming soon; those two have no modesty, shame, or mercy for the tender-hearted."
It was soon after this they dispersed; but not before the first several loud screams echoed the halls and rang within their ears.