Plans in the making
Harry thrashed in his bed and whimpered in his sleep; someone was screaming but it was not Lily. It was a man, and he was in pain; he was being hurt, and Harry had to do something, but he was stuck, unable to move. Harry fought against whatever was holding him down, stopping him from reaching the person who was being hurt. Then, suddenly, he was awake.
It was very early, and daylight was beginning to filter through the gap in his curtains. Harry was surprised to find himself tucked firmly into his bed; his last memory was of sitting at the window. He looked towards the window; his chair was still pulled up to the wall just as it had been last night when he had put his head down on his folded arms and closed his eyes.
Pushing the mystery of how he came to be in his bed aside he tried to remember what had woken him. There had been screaming but Harry was not sure who it was or why they were screaming.
Closing his eyes, he tried to remember what he had been dreaming about but the images were like water slipping through his fingers and he couldn't hold on to them.
It was frustrating not being able to remember. Then, a thought struck him, his mirror. Sitting up he pulled his scrying mirror out of the bedside drawer and unwrapped it then he closed his eyes and focused on the screaming.
When he opened his eyes and looked into the mirror, the image came quickly. A man was hanging in the air, held up by his arms but he did not seem to be attached to anything. Harry did not recognise him but then he could only see the man’s back.
He needed more information so he moved his focus past the screaming man to the man in the armchair which was facing him. It took a moment but an image of an unglamoured Tom Riddle came into view; Tom was torturing someone but Harry still could not see who.
Suddenly the spell holding the unfortunate man was released and he fell to the ground, and he was not moving, Harry was not sure if he was alive or dead, and he found he did not care in the slightest.
It was disturbing on some level that he was watching this man suffer with complete indifference to his plight and he wondered whose eyes he was watching though. It was not Tom this time because he was looking at Tom. Harry was still contemplating how it was that he was seeing this scene when there was a loud bang. The door burst open and a muggle man limped into the room, yelling and waving a knife. It appeared as if he had a bad leg, so he was not moving very quickly.
Annoyance surged through Harry, and the view of the room changed as whoever’s mind Harry was in stood up, raising Harry’s viewpoint. He glanced down at the body he was occupying and realised he was in Nagini’s head. The snake had raised her entire body off the floor and was preparing to strike at the new threat.
Green light burst from the wand in Tom’s hand and the muggle, Harry was certain the man was a muggle, fell to the floor, dead. Harry recognised the green light and the feeling of the killing curse. He was not sure how he recognised it; perhaps it was from when he was a baby but he knew the man was dead.
Tom reached out his hand, and Harry slithered towards the man, and he felt Tom’s skeletal hand at the top of his head affectionately.“It's alright, my love,” Tom soothed gently Augustus will take care of it. Then the image faded.
Harry lay back down and thought about what he had seen; Tom was unglamoured and in his house. The man’s snake face suggested that he had still not completed the ritual with the diary…unless…maybe the diary was not enough…was it possible Tom had more than two Horcuxes? If Harry was one and he could watch Tom through Nagini’s eyes maybe the snake was a Horcrux too, and if he had three he could have more…Harry shook his head; he hated how his mind ran away with him. Pushing the covers back, he climbed out of bed and found some clothes. It was very early, but he needed to see Severus.
In the Headmaster’s office at Hogwarts, Albus Dumbldore was smiling; he was happier than he had been in the three years since Harry Potter had come to Hogwarts. His conversation with Ludo Bagman and Barty Crouch Senior had been invaluable, and he was very pleased he had taken the time to meet with the pair.
The Tri-Wizard Tournament being reinstated after 200 years was just what he needed.
Naturally, he had agreed to host the tournament at Hogwarts; it would give him the chance to show off his school on the international stage. He was very proud of his school; it was after all one of the Magical World's premier educational institutions, and his effort towards refining the curriculum and specifically catering to muggle-borns had only improved it.
Hogwarts would put on an excellent show; there were several students currently in their seventh year who would do the school proud. Angelina Johnson would be ideal; she was an excellent student and a Gryffindor. Cedric Diggory was a Hufflepuff, but he was also a good option. Cassius Warrington was certainly talented enough but it would never do to have a Slytherin Champion - unless…unless the Slytherin was Harry Potter.
If Harry could compete it would be the perfect way to test the boy's mettle; it would remind the wizarding public just who Harry Potter was and maybe even awaken his inner marauder. Harry was underage; the rules said champions had to be seventeen, which might make things difficult. Harry had more than enough power to win the competition, and Severus could be manipulated into guiding him through the tasks. Fortunately, cheating was a time-honoured part of the tournament. It would require some research but he was sure he could figure out a way to bypass the new age rules.
The Tri-Wizard Cup would be arriving in the next few days; he would have the rest of the summer to examine it and plan out how to enter Harry. He picked up the book Crouch had given him the rules had been rewritten for this new tournament and Albus hoped there were some loopholes to exploit. It only took half an hour to read the book and as he read an idea formed.
The Champions would be selected by the Goblet of Fire. Those wishing to compete would place their names into the Goblet, and it would select those most worthy of competing. If he created the protections himself, then it would be simple to ensure that Harry’s name was entered; the challenge would be ensuring his name was selected.
Once a Champion was selected, they were bound to compete, and the magic of the Goblet created a binding Magical contract. Albus was not sure if this would be true for a minor. If he was still the boy's magical guardian, it would not matter, but whoever his new guardian was may not be so accommodating. Lucius Malfoy would certainly have something to say about it. He would need to find a way around that, too, perhaps Harry being the chosen one would make a difference.
Albus put the book down; he needed more information; he also needed an ally and a new Defence Teacher. Fortunately, he knew just the Auror for both jobs. He pulled out some parchment and began to compose a letter to his old friend and Order of the Phoenix member Alastor Moody.
Tom leaned back in his chair and smiled a terrifying smile, Rookwood shifted on his knees and worked hard to keep his face blank. The Tri-wizard Tournament could be exactly what he needed to ensure his resurrection was the spectacle it ought to be.
The ritual he had found was old and dark; the magic it created was strong, but it was fickle. He would need the most talented of his people involved if it was to be successful. Augustus Severus and Lucius, obviously and perhaps even Barty. The ritual called for bone from his father, the flesh of a servant and the blood of an enemy.
That might be awkward since Harry was not technically an enemy any longer, and he was not even sure if Severus counted as a servant. Of course, it wouldn't do to cut any vital parts off Severus while he was conducting such a finicky ritual in any case.
Still, if he could have Harry involved somehow, it would be perfect. The whole Wizarding World believed that Harry would be the one to defeat him. Thanks to Dumbledore, Potter was the ‘Boy who lived.” So surely using his blood as the blood of the enemy would work, not only would it work, it would be…poetic.
Truthfully, he had all he needed to complete the ritual right now, Rookwood was more than capable of conducting it. He could cut a hand off Pettigrew, and enemies were easy enough to find. It could be done quietly without fanfare…but what would be the point of that? Resurrecting would be no fun if there was no one there to bear witness to the moment.
Tom sighed and contemplated his options. Rookwood was getting restless, but he would just have to wait, he was not done with the man. Tom glared at him and raised his…well, he didn’t actually have eyebrows at the moment, but the effect was the same; Rookwood settled.
If Harry was to compete in the Tri-Wizard Tournament and win…Tom was certain he could find a way to make that happen. Harry had more than enough power to be competitive and Severus would guide him he would not want the boy hurt, and cheating was traditional.
It would be easy enough to get Harry here with a portkey, but how would he get the portkey into the final task? The Triwizard Cup was presented to the winner, he mused. If the cup was a portkey… it could bring the winner here to the Little Hangleton Graveyard.
However, he would need someone to turn the cup into a portkey. Severus would help Harry survive the tasks, but he would not further endanger the boy. He eyed the stoic man in front of him. Rookwood would be ideal but he needed him close; he could not afford to send him to Hogwarts for the whole year.
A knock sounded and Tom called for the person to enter. Barty strolled in looking much healthier than when he had arrived; the Dark Lord was struck by a very clever thought: Barty could do it. He was still not entirely sane but then who was? Barty was perfect for the job. He would follow the instructions given to him, and it would allow him to destroy his father, something Tom knew the young man greatly desired.
“My Lord,” Barty said respectfully, dropping to his knees beside Rookwood. “I wondered if I might…”
Tom held up his hand for silence, and Barty instantly stopped waiting for his Lord to speak.
The spectre turned to look at Rookwood. “Tell me Augustus, do we know who the new Defence teacher is going to be?” Tom hissed.
“No one at present, the Headmaster, is yet to fill the position. As soon as the Minister is informed, I will relay the news,” the taller man promised.
“See that you do, Augustussss,” he hissed, and his eyes flicked to Barty as if he intended to move on, but then, almost as an afterthought, he looked back at Rookwood.“How is the search for my new gardener going?” he inquired.
“Mr Ezra Fischer will begin work on Monday as you suggested, My Lord,” Rookwood replied
“Perfect. You are dismissed, Augustus,” He said shortly, turning his full attention to the new arrival. “Barty, we have much to discuss…”
Lucius sat in his office reading over his proposed changes to DMLE operating procedures and the role of Chief Warlock in sentencing. It was a gross misuse of power for a Chief Warlock and the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to be able to send people to prison without a trial, war or no war. Lucius wanted the laws tightened and he was sure he could make Fudge see sense on the issue. The man could not afford any more scandals his office had seen too many already.
The changes Lucius was proposing would ensure such things could never happen again. It would create more work for the Wizengamot if everything had to go to trial, but Lucius could not see another way. As things stood, the Chief Warlock and the Head of the DLME had the power to decide something was not worth the Wizengamot's time, and they could only be overruled by the Minister. Which would be alright, except there was no rule forcing either the Chief Warlock or the Head of the DMLE to consult the Minister.
The door to his study opened and his personal elf Hobdy entered the room with a tea tray and his newspaper. Lucius thanked the elf without looking up from the parchment he was reading; Hobdy bowed and left the room.
Lucius finished reading through his proposal and turned his attention to the tea tray he had tea at 11:00 every morning and read his paper. Occasionally Narcissa or Severus would join him but today it seemed he was alone. He unfolded his paper and scanned the headlines.
It was all about preparations for the World Cup. The entire Ministry had lost their minds over the ridiculous event and to make matters worse he was expected to attend. Fudge had pulled him into his office the day before and forced four tickets for the Minister’s Box into his hands; at least the boys would be happy.
The tea was almost gone so he cast a Tempus charm, it was 11:20; he should head to the family sitting room. Narcissa had arranged for Sirius to talk with Harry this morning and he really should be there. The sooner the bloody man was safely in St Mungos the better he thought as he refolded his paper.
Harry was in such a hurry to get to Severus he did not notice his mother walking towards him as he all but flew past her in the direction of his betrothed rooms. Naturally, the woman followed.
Harry skidded to a halt outside of Severus' rooms and took a moment to compass himself before he knocked on the door. It took a few minutes but finally, the door opened and the man looked out. “Harry,” he said in surprise. “What can I do for you?”
“Can I come in?” Harry asked.
Severus hesitated it would not be proper for him to allow Harry into his rooms here. At school, he was Harry’s teacher, and he had always been lenient with his snakes; no one else would care for them the way he did. However, it would be pushing the boundaries here. “We should not be alone in my bedroom Harry, go down to my office and wait for me, I won’t be long,” he told the boy. Harry nodded and headed down the hall to the office Severus used while in the Manor.
Narcissa stepped out from around the corner with a smile on her face. Severus was a good man; she had known this but that had been an excellent test of his intentions towards the boy she thought of as her son. She wondered however what could have brought Harry to Severus' door so early in the morning; it might be any number of things, not the least of which would be her cousin.
The woman sighed at the thought of her cousin. She was pleased he had been freed from that awful prison and she was even happy to take responsibility for his treatment. However, the man had insisted on speaking with Harry before he would agree to go to St Mungo's. It was understandable, she supposed, naturally, he would want to talk to his Godson. However, she would not have him upsetting her son.
Deciding she could trust Severus to interact appropriately with Harry, she turned around and headed to the guest wing. Perhaps she should have a little chat with Sirius before he met with Harry.
Harry sat in Severus' office on the visitor's chair; it was high enough that he could swing his legs without hitting the floor. The images in the mirror had unsettled him for many reasons. The realisation that Nagini was a horcrux was just the start, Harry was worried about the complete lack of empathy he felt for both the man Tom had been torturing and the man he had killed. Maybe it had been because he had witnessed it through Nagini's eyes but surely, by now, Harry should feel something.
Severus entered the room a few minutes after Harry arrived and he sat in his chair opposite his young betrothed. “Harry?” he asked softly seeing the look on the boy's face.
“I saw Tom torturing someone,” he blurted out without any preamble. “In my dream and then in my mirror. It was horrible he was hurting him so badly. The man was screaming and begging,” Harry rasped, his eyes wide.
“I am sorry Harry, that would not have been pleasant, were you watching through the Dark Lord's eyes?” He asked concern in his tone.
“No, It was Nagini. I saw through the snake's eyes, and…she didn’t care about what was happening, and so I didn't care; she was just annoyed about the noise and I…I didn't feel anything. I don't know if the man lived or not, but then Tom killed another man. I think he was a muggle, though what a muggle was doing in Tom’s house I don't know. I feel sick, Severus. I feel sick, no,w but then…I felt nothing…” Harry whispered.
Severus stood up and walked to the sofa indicating for Harry to come with him, Harry followed and sat down beside the man. Severus took Harry’s hand. “Harry after everything you have been through in your life the very fact that you retain the ability to be empathic is remarkable. Not only do you display empathy to your friends but you expect to feel it for strangers and for someone with your experiences that is commendable. However, it is not conducive to retaining your sanity given what you still have to face. I think perhaps as you mature you will learn to remove yourself from emotive situations, as with what happened here,” he told him.
“So it’s good that I didn’t care?” Harry asked his eyes going wide.
“Oh Harry, you did care, you care very much; if you didn't you would not have run to my rooms at this hour needing to talk to me,” Severus reassured him. “What you did was create some distance between the action you witnessed and the emotion related to that action. You gave yourself the chance to be objective rather than become lost in the emotions it is that distance which allows you to act yourself in such situations.”
“So it was a good thing?” Harry repeated.
“Well yes, it was a better option than falling apart. There was nothing you could do this time, however, had you been there you might have been able to help the man being hurt,” Severus explained.
Harry thought about that and it did make sense. He would have helped the man if he could have, when he thought about it he had wanted to help in the first place, before the Nagini’s indifference had blocked his feelings.
“Sev, do you think Tom will be able to…I don't know…be reasonable? Is he going to be able to work towards implementing his ideas without violence?” Harry asked.
Severus looked at the boy sitting next to him, he looked so painfully young. It was not that Severus ever forgot Harry’s age but sometimes the way he responded to challenges made him seem much older than his years. The abuse he had suffered and his will to live despite his circumstances had forced him to mature much sooner than other young people. It was a situation with which Severus was intimately familiar.
“I honestly don't know,” he admitted after a few moments of thought. “I hope he can, and if he is willing to put his soul back together and work towards educating the public about his goals and working with the members of the Wizengarmot…then maybe he will be successful,” Severus said.
“I hope so too, I don’t want to fight him and people will expect me to stop him if he…well you know starts a war,” He said with a sigh.
“There are many ways to prevent a war, Harry, but you won't be alone no matter what happens. I do think The Dark Lord is serious about political change, and I hope that with support from Lucius, Augustus Rookwood and myself, he will focus on achieving his aims peacefully,” the man said reassuringly.
Harry smiled at the man. “Thanks, Sev,” he replied with a small smile.
“Was that all?” Severus asked gently.
Harry took his time answering that question then finally he said. “I am supposed to be talking to Sirius this morning. Mum promised him he could talk with me if he agreed to go to St Mungo's for treatment. I know he is unwell but I don't like the way he talks about you. I understand why you don’t want him to know about our contract but I don’t want to listen to him putting you and my family down and trying to get me to leave here and go to Dumbldore,” Harry confessed.
Severus shifted in his seat; he had no one to blame for this situation but himself. It had been his idea to ask Lucius to look into Black’s conviction. Now, he was a free man and wanted to see Harry. Perhaps he should have asked Narcissa to check him for compulsion charms. “Your Mother is right Harry, your Godfather is unwell. However, that does not mean you have to put up with him forcing his ideas and opinions on you. You can tell him to stop, tell him you won’t talk with him if he is not going to respect you and what you want.”
Harry huffed. “He will just say you have given me a potion to confuse me. He won't listen to me,” Harry replied.
“Then you can leave, Harry. You are under no obligation to talk to him. He asked for the opportunity to talk to you, and he will be given that opportunity if he blows it, then that will be on him. You are in control.” Severus reassured him.
Harry smiled Severus always knew how to make him feel better about things that scared him, he silently thanked Lily for her foresight in making the the man his magical guardian and arranging the betrothal contract. Instead of replying, he surged forward, threw his arms around the man's neck and hugged him tight.
Sirius Black was nervous he only had one chance to talk to Harry and Narcissa had made it clear that she would withdraw the opportunity if he started attacking Harry’s new family or Snape. Remus had also warned him about attacking Snape and pushing Dumbldore as an alternative guardian.
Harry had a strong connection to Severus and the Malfoys after spending the best part of three years with them. Sirius could not understand what Dumbledore was thinking letting Harry be sorted into Slytherin he did not know what to make of Harry’s distrust of Albus.
Remus had not told Sirius everything about Albus. He had not told him about Harry being abused by his Aunt and Uncle nor had he mentioned that Albus had got Severus released from Azkaban after only a few days; he was struggling to understand that himself.
If today went well then Sirius would go to St Mungo's without a fight, if it did not go well he knew Narcissa had arranged for Sirius to be committed to the Janus Thickery Ward against his will. Harry’s lawyer had filed the paperwork on the grounds of protecting Harry.
Remus held tight to Sirius’ hand as they made their way to Lucius' study for the meeting with Harry and he prayed for the first time in many years that his lover would see sense.
The door was open as they approached and when they looked into the sitting room they saw Harry sitting on the sofa next to Narcissa; he was cuddled close to her his head resting against her shoulder, she had her arm around him and was whispering softly to him. Remus felt Sirius tense next to him and squeezed the man's hand in warning.
Lucius was standing at the fireplace watching his wife and son, sensing the men's arrival he glanced up and called them into the room. There were two chairs set opposite the sofa where the blond man indicated they should sit while he moved to the sofa on the other side of Harry.
Lucius sat with his eyes focused on Black. “I believe you have been made aware that this is your only opportunity to speak with Harry and that we will not tolerate you upsetting him.”
Sirius sneered but did not comment. Instead, he turned to Harry. “Harry, I know you think that you’re safe here but you have to understand that they are servants of the Dark Lord, I don’t understand why you trust them but not Albus Dumbldore.”
Harry sighed he had hoped it would not go this way. “It’s simple,” he told his Godfather. “They are my parents and they have taken care of me. The only reason I have clothes to wear is because Narcissa, my mother, bought them for me. There is more food here than I can eat and I get birthday and Christmas presents. When I got hurt at school they came to check on me; they care about me. Professor Dumbledore, on the other hand, left me with Aunt Petunia and her husband. I was abused there; I was forced to cook and most days they didn’t let me eat what I cooked but I had to clean the kitchen after they ate. I only survived because your precious headmaster realised, at some point, that my reading a writing were not good enough for me to have written the letters he claimed I wrote. He sent Miss Daniels to help me and she helped me survive. She made sure I got food to eat; there was a nutrient potion in the strawberry milk she gave me with the sandwiches. Some days, that was the only food I got for the day. She also gave me a warm coat. Dumbledore wanted a weak, overly grateful Gryffindor, but he got a cunning, self-sufficient Slytherin and I know which I would rather be,” Harry finished his eyes never leaving the man across from him.
Sirius sat in stunned silence, why had Remus not told him? He turned to look at the man beside him. “I am sorry Siri, I thought it would be too much for you to hear. I just…I wanted you to get better first,” he said softly.
Sirius looked back at Harry. “What about Sniv..sorry Snape?”
Harry glared, but he ignored the man’s slip. “Severus is the reason I am safe, he got me away from Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon as soon as he found out what was happening. He asked Madam Pomfrey to do a check-up, and it showed everything that was wrong with me. Severus made me the potions I needed to heal from injuries and the nutrient potions I needed,” Harry replied. His reply barely scraped the surface of all the things Severus had done for him but it was all Sirius needed to know.
“I see,” the man replied. “So I imagine I will not be able to convince you to go to Dumbledore.”
Harry did not reply verbally he merely raised an eyebrow and looked at Sirius the older man shuddered at the expression on Harry’s face which was pure Severus Snape.
“Right, well, I am your godfather, and I should have custody of you…” he began, but he stopped when Remus put a hand on his arm.
“Sirius,” He whispered. “We talked about this; you do not have the right to custody. There is an order in place. Lily named Snape Harry’s Magical Guardian.”
“But James…” Sirius insisted, but again, he was cut off by the werewolf.
“James' will went missing, as did Lily’s. I have told you this, remember? There was a copy of her will found in her vault when Severus went to Gringotts to ask about removing Petunia as Harry’s guardian,” he told the man.
Sirius was confused again; had Remus told him this? Why couldn’t he remember?
“Sirius,” Narcissa said softly. “I know this is confusing for you. The dementors have done a lot of damage to you over the years. Fortunately, your animagus form protected you somewhat, but you still have healing to do. Let me take you to St Mungo's now, and you can talk to Harry again at Christmas when you are feeling better.”
The dark-haired man turned to look at his lover. “What about Remus, where will he go while I am in the hospital?”
“He can stay here if he wishes,” Lucius said.
“Or he can live in any of my houses,” Harry added. “I want you to get well, Sirius. I want us to have a relationship, but for that to happen, you need to be well enough to accept my new family.”
Sirius shook his head. “I can’t leave you here, Harry; my instincts are screaming at me that you are not safe here.”
“I am perfectly safe. I have been safe for three years. Living here is the safest I have ever been, and when you're better, you will see that,” Harry told him.
Remus put his arm around the man he loved and pressed a kiss to the side of his head. “Come on, Siri,” he encouraged him. “Come with us now, come and get better for Harry and me. We can't be together while you are like this I promise I will keep an eye on Harry while you are away.”
“Like what?” Sirius asked, bristling. Sirius shook his head in amazement. “I think I am the only one who is seeing reason here - they are Death Eaters, Remus,” He hissed. “Snape is a Death Eater,” he spat forcefully. He tried to push himself forward towards Harry, but he found himself stuck to his chair.
“Sirius, stop,” Lupin said.
Narcissa got to her feet. “We are done here,” she said. “Harry, go back to Severus and stay with him until I come for you, tell him to send a patronus when you are with him,” she ordered.
Harry got slowly to his feet, his eyes still on his Godfather. “I will see you at Christmas, Sirius,” he said before obeying his mother’s instruction and leaving the room.
Sirius looked like he wanted to argue, but Remus put his hand on the man’s arm, and Sirius deflated. Harry left the room. Silence fell until a doe patronus appeared several minutes later, informing them all that Harry was safe with Severus.
Remus' eyes went wide at the sight of the doe, which spoke in Severus’ deep baritone voice, assuring them all that Harry was safe with him in his office; Lupin swallowed his shocked exclamation. It didn't necessarily mean anything he told himself, though he did not believe it. At that moment, he thanked his lucky stars he had never mentioned Harry’s patronus to Sirius.