Tom sighed and closed his eyes as a familiar scent surrounded him right before a pair of arms wrapped over his shoulders and lips were pressed to the back of his neck.
'You need to take a rest,' Harry scolded slightly.
'I'm sorry, there is just so much to work through,' Tom groaned as Harry started massaging his sore back from having been hunched over his desk for so long.
'Three months ago you were still doing this for me,' Harry chuckled softly.
'It only seems like a few weeks,' Tom smiled looking to the picture frame sitting on the corner of his desk, the picture of himself, Harry and Berwin looked back at him.
'Come on, rest up, you can carry on in the morning,' Harry urged kissing Tom's temple.
'I should...'
'No, you have worked through most of the night too many nights on the run now. Bed!' Harry said firmly.
'I'm sorry, I've been ignoring you,' Tom sighed turning and wrapping his arms around Harry's waist to pull him onto his lap. His eyes fluttered closed when Harry just smiled and gently stroked his cheek.
'You're busy, and I completely understand why. And you haven't been ignoring us at all. I'm just worried about you, you need to rest Tom,'
'Once we get this next few weeks out of the way everything should settle down, I'll be able to delegate a little bit more,' Tom said hopefully.
'I knew that Dumbledore had made a mess of our world, I didn't realise how much,' Harry shook his head looking over a few of the papers as he carried on his soothing stroking of Tom's hair.
'His trial is basically a formality at this point, with everything that is being discovered, the people coming forward with allegations against him now that he is locked up, the amount of lives he is ruined. He's gone for life. He can't hurt us anymore,' Tom smiled raising his head to kiss Harry softly.
'I love you,' Harry grinned kissing him again a little more firmly.
'Is Berwin sleeping?' Tom asked, his suddenly husky voice and the spark in those ruby eyes lighting an answering fire in Harry.
'Charms up to warn me in case he wakes,' Harry nodded.
'Perhaps rest is not the thing I need right now, I am still wound tight from working on these idiotic proposals all day,' Tom smirked tugging Harry closer by the edges of his robes.
'Wound tight hmm? Perhaps I should help you with that,' Harry grinned leaning forwards.
'Perhaps you should,' Tom nodded a little breathlessly as he watched Harr licking his lips.
'I'll go and put some milk into the microwave for you, a nice glass with maybe some honey in will do wonders to send you to sleep!' Harry said brightly turning and starting to make his way towards the door leaving Tom gawping shocked and confused after him. That is until he caught a flash of mischievous green as Harry looked over his shoulder with a smirk. With a growl he lunged from his seat and chased after Harry who let out a shriek and threw the door open, racing away from the chasing Dark Lord.
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"Whose the handsomest little Dark Prince, whose the handsomest little dark prince, you are, yes you are,"
"Hem my Lord," Fenrir cleared his throat trying to fight to keep his face blank as he held the door open to show in the Werewolf Alpha of France.
"Ah Fenrir, Leon, please come in," Tom motioned to the seats opposite his desk, absolutely not blushing!
"Its ok I have a seven month old myself," Leon grinned walking over to the desk.
"His bearer is busy with his family today," Tom explained adjusting Berwin in his arms.
"Not at all, he is a beautiful baby," Leon grinned leaning over to look at the baby who was happy playing with his toes.
"Thank you. So concerning your alliance with the French Being community," Tom shifted back into Lord Voldemort role, just while bouncing his son in his arms and allowing him to play with his fingers and his sleeve to keep him entertained...and with Fenrir watching highly amused.
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"Harry he's fine, he was with me all day!" Tom said a little offended as he watched Harry stripping their son down and started checking him for any damage.
"I know, and I'm sorry but it was just...it was really hard being away from him," Harry's shoulders dropped where he was sitting in front of the fireplace on the rug with Berwin who was happily gurgling and slapping his hands down onto Harry's where they were resting on his stomach, his feet bobbing and bouncing in the air with his excitement.
"He was fine, he killed any chance of me coming across as a dangerous and deadly Dark Lord to Leon by throwing up on me and blowing spit bubbles at Leon all meeting," Tom chuckled as he sat down behind Harry and rested his chin on his young lover's shoulder to look down at their son.
"You'll always be my big, bad Dark Lord," Harry grinned as he started doing up Berwin's all in one.
"Good, I can't have you thinking I have gone all domesticated and pleasant," Tom huffed.
"Merlin forbid!" Harry laughed as Tom snapped his teeth by his ear. They grinned as Berwin let out a little excited shriek. "Where we ignoring you?" He asked scooping him up and resting him against his raised knees as he leant into Tom's chest.
"My son," Tom sighed poking Berwin gently in the stomach and getting giggles in return.
"That has to be the best sound in the world," Harry smiled.
"How was your day?" Tom asked after a few moments.
"The schools are all set up and ready to go in a few months, Hermione is doing an amazing job kicking everyone into gear to get them ready for the openings. I have sent out teachers to every house that has a magical child and we are well on the way to setting into place all the checks and watches that need to be done on muggle born homes, a week or so and it will be finished. And we have finished putting all the needed wards around their houses," Harry smiled.
"You've done amazing," Tom smiled kissing Harry's cheek.
"I've done amazing? You have practically taken over the Wizrading world in three months my love," Harry chuckled softly reaching up to hold the back of Tom's neck and draw him down to kiss his lips. "I am so proud of you,"
"No one has ever said that to me before," Tom chuckled breathlessly pressing his forehead to Harry's.
"I am, so proud of you. I love you," Harry smiled. "Are you ready for next week?"
"I would rather just kill him," Tom sighed gently rubbing Berwin stomach and smiling when his fingers were quickly captured and pulled to his mouth.
"I know, honestly I wouldn't mind doing that myself. But everyone is watching this one, we have to do this by the law," Harry said softly, running his fingers soothingly over the arm around his waist.
"I know," Tom huffed. "Plus it will do us a lot of good for it to be revealed exactly what he has done over the years and all his manipulations, it will stop any revolts and the Order from flaring up too quickly and gaining much support,"
"It does almost make me wish that we had left the dementors there though," Harry frowned leaning back into Tom more comfortably.
"Knowing that they are rotting in that place will be enough for me," Tom grit out running his fingers along Berwin's brow. Their little boy gave an excited squeal and blabber of baby nonsense at his Tad's touch lifting their dark mood.
"Hmmm enough talk of that, I want to enjoy my evening with my family," Harry grinned.
"No no no! We are having no black at our bonding!" Lucius fumed stomping into the living room.
"I was just thinking it would be striking, white with black trim," Severus huffed stomping in behind him.
"How about a navy blue theme?" Draco suggested rolling his eyes at Harry as he walked in looking completely hassled.
"Ron no! We are not having Quidditch in primary schools, there is a reason First Years aren't allowed to play, never mind 4-10 year olds," Hermione snorted.
"Aww spoil sport," Ron snickered. Rabastan was close behind, quickly claiming the spot beside her on the sofa.
"Apparently all the family," Harry said dryly watching as Fenrir sauntered in and sat on the floor beside Draco putting his head onto the blonde's lap causing him to fluster suddenly.
"It seems about right," Tom shook his head but he smiled slightly as he watched Rabastan and Ron start bickering playfully with each other. He rested his hand on Berwin as his other arm wrapped around Harry.
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"Tom can you get his coat please?" Harry called as he blew a raspberry onto Berwin's stomach before doing up his baby grow.
"Which one?" Tom called from Berwin's nursery where he was putting together Berwin's nappy bag.
"His green one," Harry called back. He was busy fighting Berwin's chubby little legs into his trousers and tickling his feet while his son pouted slightly at him, so he started when Tom's arm wrapped around his waist. Harry looked over his shoulder to find his lover's red eyes looked worried even as he tried to hide it behind a blank mask.
Making sure that the spells around Berwin to keep him safely on the changing table Harry turned in Tom's arms and wrapped his own tightly around his lover.
"It will be ok," Harry assured him.
"I don't want...Here you both have been safe, going out there I can not protect you all the time," Tom breathed out worried.
"We will be surrounded by friends, and I am more than capable of protecting myself, and neither of us will let anything happen to Berwin, its going to be fine," Harry assured him, combing his fingers through the hair at Tom's temples. "There is something else though?"
"I have been the bad guy, the Dark Lord for so long. I don't know how to be anything else," Tom admitted holding Harry closer to himself.
"Yes you do. You are a father now Tom, one who loves his son, and who is adored right back. You're a lover, a fiance and soon a husband. You are their Lord and their friend. You have a family, and you have a home. You aren't The Dark Lord anymore who people follow out of fear. They follow you because they love you, because they respect you. And you aren't alone anymore," Harry smiled softly brushing his fingers down Tom's cheek. Red eyes surveyed him before his lover smiled at him tugging him into a firm kiss.
"I love you," Tom whispered against Harry's lips.
"I know," Harry grinned wrapping his arms around Tom's neck and tugging him into another kiss. "And I, I adore you,"
"Harry. Stay by my side," Tom said, his nerves showing in the tenseness of his face.
"Always," Harry smiled beautifully.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"Oh look at my handsom nephew, how handsom are you," Draco cooed at Berwin who let out an excited giggle at his uncle, reaching out until he was able to find the finger Draco always held out for him, tugging it into his mouth to knaw on.
"He's teething," Harry winced.
"Aww is your mouth sore?" Ron leant passed Draco to rub Berwin's cheek.
"He's been fussy," Tom nodded absently rubbing Berwin's leg.
"He's being good though," Harry smiled fondly.
"Alright calling to order this hearing, bring forth the accused, Albus Dumbledore," Harry tilted his head down to hide his smile as Madame Amelia Bones purposefully left out Dumbledore's many names. "Are you Albus Dumbledore?"
The man was looking more than a little worse for wear, the last three months in prison did not seem to have done him well Harry was pleased to note as he reached out and slipped his fingers through Tom's. Dumbledore's long hair was tangled and frazzled, his beard had clearly had to be chopped back, he was looking thin, and old. His blue eyes were glinting with fury as he looked around the room at everyone, even as he plastered on his grandfatherly smile. He had pointedly left his empty sleeve hanging loose, and was gripping it as though it hurt him. Harry met Hermione's eyes and rolled his own at her seeing the old man's dramatics.
"I am Headmaster Albus Wulfr..."
"State yes or no Mr Dumbledore," Amelia Bones cut in causing a ripple throughout the court room.
Harry took the chance for the surpise in the room to distract everyone, and he picked out the faces in the court room crowd for Dumbledore's fans. Meeting Rabastan and Rodolphus' eyes where they were sitting a row behind their main group under polyjuice guarding them. He motioned discreetly to all of the different places Dumbledore's supporters were sitting. The two nodded minutely when they located them all.
"They know?" Tom asked softly as Bones was reading through the very long, and detailed list of Dumbledore's offences.
"They have them," Harry nodded.
"...Child endangerment, child neglect, abuse of position, with holding of wills and other legal documents, forging magical documents, knowing willfull neglect of charges, attempted murder, casting harmful curses on an unborn child, causing permanent harm through curses against a child, false imprisonment of a minor, and these are merely the most serious of your charges. How do you plead to these accusations?" Amelia Bones asked.
"I am severely disappointed that anyone would think that I..."
"Mr Dumbledore, guilty or not guilty," Bones called sharply.
"Not guilty," The old man muttered almost petulantly.
"Very well. Let us hear from the first witness," Bones sounded seconds away from rolling her own eyes at the man.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Harry watched as Tom made his way up onto the stand with his normal regal dignity. He held Berwin close to his chest as he watched Tom make the magical oath to tell the truth before he took his seat facing the court. The ripple that went through the crowd was mixed, everyone torn between the sight of the Dark Lord they had been brought up to fear, and the man who they had been hearing about lately in the papers.
"Can you state for the records your name please," Bones requested, her head held back. Harry had to respect the woman, she did not faulter or change her manner as she faced the crimson red gaze of Harry's lover.
"Lord Vo...Tom Marvolo Slytherin-Riddle," Tom met green eyes from across the court room, his heart warming at the bright smile he recieved.
"Thank you Lord Slytherin. You are bringing accusations of willfull child neglect, child endangerment, neglect of duties, of attempted murder of your heir, and causing perminent harm against your heir, as well as threatening the life of your fiance. If you could tell your part please," Bones requested.
"The first time I met Dumbledore he came to inform me of the fact I was a wizard at the orphanage I grew up in. At first he was very kind and warm, he explained everything to me and enquired about my conditions at the orphanage. I informed him of the abuse I suffered there, I had shown signs of accidental magic from a baby, and the orphanage was run by muggle christians, they viewed my magic as me being possessed by the devil, and tried to starve, beat and abuse the magic out of me. I was frequesntly refused meals, I still bear the scars from the beatings that I recieved weekly. I was locked in rooms alone for days on end. Upon hearing this Dumbledore assured me that he would get me out of there.
He tried to calm me by discussing the magic that I had performed, it was going very well until I told him that I could speak to snakes. My guess now would be that he correctly guessed I was Slytherin's heir. After that our conversation finished quickly, when I asked when he would be getting me out I recieved a very curt, soon, and did not see him again until Hogwarts.
There he constantly berated and dogged my heels, I could do nothing right, I was constantly in detention, points deducted. And there was no talk of my being removed from the orphanage. When I everntually went to speak to my head of house, having given up hope on Dumbledore, and with Christmas coming, I was informed that Dumbledore had already investigated the situtation and had proven that I was making it up. I could not get anyone to believe me, even when I showed them my scars. I later found out that Dumbledore had cast a glamour over them to avoid anyone believing me.
My inheritance was kept from me until I came across it by luck on my own when I was fourteen. When came my time to leave school I found that Dumbledore had whispered in enough ears to ensure that I could not gain employment, by this time he had defeated Grindelwald and no one dared go against him. Every time I tried to raise my points and concerns for magical children in the muggle world in the political arena I was blocked by Dumbledore, often in illegal ways.
And finally, the worst of the crimes commited against me were ones to my son and fiance. Harry discovered that he was pregnant with our son Berwin while he had been taken into Dumbledore's care. He was concieved due to a miscast spell and the merging of my magic with Harry's, we believe the fact that our wands are brother wands had something to do with this. They figured out that our son was half mine, and decided to terminate the pregnancy for Harry while he was passed out due to shock. Luckily my fiance is an incredibly powerful wizard whose power is connected to his emotions. His magic formed a shield for the baby and protected him from the numerous abortion spells they cast before he woke up. Upon waking Harry informed them that the baby was part his and he did not want to lose the baby. Dumbledore ordered him to be taken to his Headquarters and locked up. There the termination spell was repeatedly cast on him, they broke into his room durng the night hoping to catch him off guard.
Harry with the help of Miss Hermione Granger managed to escape, and he came to me, his enemy out of fear for his and his baby's life, believing that I was his best option. When my son Berwin was born, we were informed by the healer that...his eyes had been damaged due to the spells cast upon him. His vision has been perminently damaged. We are trying some potions that may be able to heal him so that he will be able to have some small amount of vision, but he will never see properly," Tom grit out the last part, his eyes flashing wth fury and his magic pulsing and swirling for them all to feel.
"And you will name him your heir?!" Dumbledore snorted.
"Berwin has already been named my heir. You may have stolen him ever being able to see the family that surrounds and loves him, but that does not make him any less my son, any less worthy of the posistion he has been born into," Tom hissed out furiously glaring at Dumbleodre.
"You will have a time to speak Mr Dumbledore, for now if you do not hold your peace we will silence you!" Bones scolded but Dumbledore had already done the damage to himself, eyes were flicking between him and where Harry was sitting cuddling Berwin to his chest.
"Thank you Lord Slytherin, you make take your seat again," Bones inclined her head. Tom stood and gracefully made his way across the court room to take his seat by Harry again. Under the baleful glare of Dumbledore they pointedly joined hands again, Harry relaxing when Tom brushed a gentle kiss to the back of his hand.
"Next witness Healer Burns," Bones called out.
The court room sat listening as Burns listed the damage that had been done to Berwin due to the spells, and the damage that he had found in Harry and his Lord due to abuse that should have been picked up on straight away. Tom's red eyes locked on Pomphrey's across the court room and smirked as he watched her paling dramtically.
Finally Burns stepped down from the stand and a parade of witnesses took the stand, Harry was slightly amazed at how many peoples lives Dumbledore had ruined all of them coming forward even from other countries to say their piece against the old man. He knew that if it wasnt for the spells around the courtroom slowing down time they could have been at this for weeks. But finally it was time for Harry to take the stand. He handed Berwin over to his Tad and moved to take the stand himself.
"Mr Potter," Bones called over the murmuring of the room. "If you could,"
And so Harry started his story, from being left on a doorstep in just a blanket with no protection spells in October, to the events he was forced into at Hogwarts, the abuse he suffered at the hands of his relatives and the fact that Dumbledore was aware of it. The events when he had found out about Berwin, and the attacks before he had managed to escape. He told the court about how he had known that if he wanted his baby to survive his best chance was Tom.
"How can you be with that monster?!" Someone shouted from inside the crowd just as Harry was about to step down from the stand. Harry raised his eyes and surveyed the crowd, even though Bones was ordering the removal of the person that had shouted everyone was looking at him wanting the answer.
"Because he is kind, and he is gentle with me, because on my first night there he gave me a room with huge windows because he knows that I hate dark places after being locked in the cuboard, he treats me with respect, and he asks my opinion and what I want which no one has ever done for me, he never makes choices for me. And more importantly he loves our son to the ends of the earth and back, and he is an amazing father to him. I am with him because when I look at him I don't see a monster. I see a man. The man I love and the man I will marry, spend the rest of my life with and will have a family with," Harry said softly but his voice echoed around the room, his eyes never left Tom as he spoke, watching his fiance hold their son close to his chest and smile at him.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"Albus Dumbledore, this court has heard the charges against you. You now have the chance to speak in your defence," Amelia looked to Dumbledor where he was sat. The old man straightened his shoulders and looked around the court room doing his best to look kindly and knowledgeable.
"Everything that I did, I did for the greater good, sometimes it was a hard choice to make and it was hard to bear, but I did it for the best of everyone,"
Harry blinked before looking at Tom incredulously, that was his argument, really that was what he was going with?
"Old arrogant fool, he's still so self assured in his popularity," Hermione shook her head.
"That is all you have to ay?" Bones asked finally when it became clear that he wasn't carrying on.
"Yes, I know that my friends and peers will see that though they were hard choices, they were the right ones," Dumbledore nodded sagely.
"He's cracked!" Ron and Draco spluttered together.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"All please stand. Lord Flint please let the room know your decision," Bones called out.
"Under the oath of magics placed over this room I swear that the decision we made has been truthful and under no outside influence. Under all allegations made against Albus Dumbledore here today, we find him guilty!" Flint called out.
Harry let out the breath that he had been holding and sank against Tom's side, who wrapped his free arm around Harry hugging him close and hugging Berwin close to himself. There was a shocked silence around the room until Dumbledore suddenly started hissing and spitting like a boiling kettle.
"How dare you do this to me, do you morons know who I am, you wont last two minutes without my help! You think that power hungry Slytherin and his whore are going to be able to lead you, them and their deformed baby..."
The entire room winced at the crack of magic that went through the room, both Harry and Tom standing with their wands raised and pointing at the space Dumbledore had been in.
"Medi wizard for the idiot please," Bones drawled.
"They should be arrested! They attacked him!" One of Dumbledore's supporters screamed.
"The man insulted the child that he himself caused harm to, I believe that under the old blood Lord rules they are within their rights to claim restitution against him. He's just lucky the godparents didn't get involved, especially as one as already claimed an arm," Bones snapped back. Indeed Hermione, Draco, Ron and Fenrir were nearly foaming at the mouth, them being a little slower in drawing their wands.
They all stood and watched in grim satisfaction as a heavily bleeding Dumbledore was dragged from the room none too gently.
''Let's just go home,'' Harry sighed tired reaching out to take Tom's hand again.
''Home sounds perfect,'' Tom nodded with a soft smile, wading the way out the court room as he held his son and fiance close, his followers, their friends in a tight circle around them, guarding and protecting them, Bill taking the point to lead them through the curious crowd.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Ten years later
"No! Tom No!" Harry screamed laughing as he ran down the corridor.
"Got you!" Tom smiled as he apparated in front of Harry and swept him off of his feet.
"Tad no cheating!" a young voice laughed before Berwin launched himself onto his Tad's back.
"It wasn't cheating it was being clever!" Mai and Gwili said similtaniously as they joined in the fray.
"Ah ah," Draco scooped up one giggling twin as Frenrir grabbed the other.
"That's cheating, you came from nowhere!" Mai complained giggling from within Draco's arms.
"We didn't cheat we were being clever!" Fenrir grinned.
"Now what is all this noise?" Hermione said mock seriously stepping out from the room nearby, her hand covering her very pregnant belly, Rabastan not far behind his wife as usual lately.
"No decorum!" Lucius tutted coming around the corner holding Severus's hand as a curly haired blonde launched herself from their side.
"Daddy, Father grandpa and Grandfather took me to see the big school! Am I really going there in three years?" Bianca squealed as she threw herself into Draco's arms.
"Yes you will, Berwin will be there first though," Fenrir nodded as he combed his fingers through his daughter's wild curls that Draco was still slightly horrified with.
"I want to go with Berwin!" Gwili pouted reaching for his big brother.
"Its ok, I will write to you guys all the time and I will be home for the holidays," Berwin grinned hopping down off his Tad's shoulders and making his way over to where the sound of his brother's voice and the feel of his magic had come from.
Tom and Harry watched amused as their family walked away from them down the corridor and into the green room. Harry was still in Tom's arms and he rested his head on his husband's shoulder with a fond smile.
"I want another one," He said softly.
"Really?" Tom perked up.
"Really, what do you think, up to it?" Harry grinned curling the hair at the back of Tom's neck around his fingers.
"Most definitely. In fact while they are all distracted..."
"I thought you had a meeting?" Harry smiled.
"What is the use in assigning a Minister of Magic if I can't let them handle the meetings!" Tom snorted.
"Now that is very true my love. Now move quick, I can hear Charlie, Bill and Rodolphus coming this way," Harry tugged on Tom's hair. He giggled as with a smirk Tom captured his mouth and apparated them out to their bed. Their family was ever growing and they were growing ever closer by the day.
As Harry looked up into the red eyes of his husband, the father of his children, and the love of his life he could never be more thankful that he had made that decision all those years ago to come to Tom and take his chance with who had at the timne been his worse enemy. Everyone deserved a second chance. He just didn't know if this was Tom's or his own.