Wed for Peace

The last three days of term began when Harry was, again, summoned to the headmaster's office. This visit was as pleasant as the one where he was told he would be marrying Riddle. Well, not exactly. These news were worse than marrying Riddle.

"What do you mean I have to stay with the Dursleys until my birthday?! I'm going to marry fucking Voldemort! Why would I need the blood protection?", Harry asked flabberghasted.

"Language, Potter.", Snape chided him.

The teenager threw a glare at the potions master. Snape didn't have to go back to an abusive household where he would be starved again. Harry would need to be the Dursleys' perfect little house-elf for about four weeks before being married off to a muderous megalomaniac. The teenager thought he was in his damn right to throw around curse words.

"Harry, I understand it is confusing. But until you are married we have to be cautious. You're safest with your family. I am sure you will be glad to tell them goodbye after they cared for you, no?", Dumbledore said calmly, gently.

Harry could only gape. Was the old fool for real? Were the Dursleys' fear unfounded? Had no one ever watched him in this hellhole?

"Unfortunately we do not have another place for you to stay. The Weasleys and Grangers are on holiday and Grimmauld Place isn't safe enough.", the headmaster further explained.

Unfortunately, even though he had inherited the house from Sirius, the headmaster was still his magical guardian and had a say where he would live. Until he was seventeen, Harry would not be able to live at Grimmauld Place. Or anywhere else.

"I would rather stay with Snape than with my 'loving' relatives.", Harry gritted out between clenched teeth.

Even the potions master looked taken aback with his statement. Dumbledore surveyed him carefully. Whatever he found in the teenager's eyes, the man was unwilling to relent.

"Unfortunately, Harry, Severus will have other pressing matters. I am heartbroken but you have to stay with your relatives.", Dumbledore replied firmly. From the tone the man was using and the hard set of his mouth, Dumbledore would not let him stay anywhere else.

"Fine.", he seethed.

He just had to make sure to stay out of the Dursleys' way. Maybe he wouldn't end up too badly bruised. Harry grit his teeth. Hopefully no one would tell his relatives about the marriage to Riddle.

"Wonderful. We will pick you up on your birthday." Dumbledore's tone of voice was once again cheerful and Harry suppressed a gag. How wonderful, indeed.

With that Harry was dismissed and the teenager turned to the door and left without saying anything else. Maybe he should start eating less in preparation. The teenager grimaced. What a wonderful way to end Hogwarts this year. He was not only a peace offering but also doomed to stay with the Dursleys until his birthday. Maybe he should let himself be killed, he mused. No more suffering. Or the Dursleys would kill him before he was married to Riddle. At least then he wouldn't need to sacrifice himself for the wizarding population that sometimes hated him and at other times worshipped the ground he walked on. Hypcritical bastards, the lot of them.

"I'm surprised you don't want to stay with your doting family. Trouble in paradise, Potter?", Snape asked sardonically and Harry jumped.

He hadn't noticed that the potions master was following him. The man was indeed a very good spy.

Upon registering Snape's question Harry laughed bitterly.

"Oh, yes. I will definitely miss being treated like a bad house-elf! Having to wait on their every wish will forever be a happy memory for me.", Harry replied, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Snape had stopped walking and now Harry stopped as well and turned around. Snape was pale. But the sharp glint in his eyes told the teenager that the man was fuming on the inside.

"What?", Snape hissed harshly.

Harry flinched at the tone and was about to answer when the man continued talking.

"The headmaster had been adamant that you had received a happy and loving childhood. He promised you were safe and spoiled."

Harry laughed bitterly. Well, now he was sure that no one had watched him while he was living with the Dursleys.

"I guess nobody read the address on my first Hogwarts Letter. It was addressed to my cupboard.", Harry chuckled sadly.

"Cupboard?", Snape asked quietly. Deadly.

For a moment the teenager hesitated. It wasn't that he didn't trust Snape with his life. The man had saved him multiple times. But he had also always belittled him in potions and Harry didn't want the professor to have a potential weakness being handed to him on a silver platter.

Harry shrugged. Fuck it. It wasn't as if his life was going well at the moment. Let the whole school know what he went through.

"The cupboard under the stairs. For the first ten years of my life that was my bedroom. At least until the letter came. They were afraid that the wizards were watching them and gave me Dudley's second bedroom. He threw quite a fit. It was worse after I went to Hogwarts, though. So, no. I would rather stay with Riddle for a month before the wedding and be crucioed at least once a day than go back to them.", Harry explained quietly.

Maybe he made a mistake in telling Snape. Maybe he would tell his little Slytherins all about pathetic Potter, not able to fight back against muggles. But he could also be sympathetic to the way Harry had suffered.

Snape was still gaping at him and seemed at a loss for words. Harry shook his head and bid a farewell to his professor before resuming his walk to the Gryffindor Tower. It was clear that the man needed time to process. Even if Harry was unsure how it would be processed. The man had accused him of lying before.

The corridor leading to the entrance of the common room was quiet and a shiver ran up his spine. His gut was telling him that he should be careful. And his gut had saved him before. Slowly and silently Harry looked around the corner. To his surprise Seamus and Dean were in front of the common room entrance. They seemed to be waiting. Waiting for him.

"And you're sure he'll be back before curfew?", Dean asked his friend sceptically.

"He has to. I know he was summoned by Dumbledore just after dinner. I am sure it was about the marriage with You-Know-Who.", Seamus said, pacing impatiently.

Harry wanted to scoff. Apparently Seamus wasn't done with discussing his marriage. And he obviously thought he couldn't take Harry alone or Dean wouldn't be there. What a Slytherin-way of accomplishing things, Harry mused. Maybe he should be Slytherin himself and just disarm them before they noticed him. This evening was a clusterfuck of bad events.

"And what do you want to do? Stun him? Interrogate him? And then?"

Dean was angry enough to almost shout.

"I don't know, okay? I just need answers. The Harry I know, the one who defied Umbridge, would never marry that megalomaniac murderer and be the docile little sheep. There has to be something he's not telling us!", Seamus yelled back.

Harry was fed up! Everyone wanted to decide what he could do, should do and what he should tell them. He was no one's pet, for Merlin's sake!

"What I'm not telling you is my business alone, you know? I do not need to tell you guys anything.", Harry answered and walked around the corner.

The two Gryffindors whirled around. Seamus pointed his wand at him but Harry was faster. With only a flick from his wrist both of his classmates' wands landed in his grasp.

"I don't like it when someone hexes me. And I also don't like it when you are angry at me. I understand your point but I am not marrying him because he looks normal again. I am marrying him because it was the only solution to stop a war with losses too great for the wizarding world. Believe me or not but don't stoop as low as the Slytherins.", Harry ranted, he was just done with the day. It wasn't his fault that he'd had no choice! It wasn't his fault that his life was a clusterfuck of bad happenings! It wasn't his fault that the headmaster was a scheming bastard and that Voldemort was an evil Dark Lord and had decided to fuck with his life over one half of a damn prophecy!

The two looked properly chastised and while raising a silent shield charm he sent the two wands back to their owners.

To his surprise Dean and Seamus let him enter the common room without any spells aimed his way. Suspicious, Harry entered the room still letting the shield charm hover but nothing happened.

As he couldn't see Ron and Hermione he decided to go to his bedroom. Maybe Hermione had an idea to help him. At the very least his two best friends would be able to comfort him. Sighing he trekked upstairs to the dorm rooms.

But upon entering he was greeted by the sight of his best friends snogging on Ron's bed. For a moment the teenager could only stare. He managed to unfreeze and clear his throat making them jump away from each other.

"Harry... I...", Hermione started but trailed off uncertainly.

There was a warm feeling curling inside of Harry as he realized what had happened. Ron and Hermione stopped that awful pining!

Harry let his two friends stew for a moment but eventually he cried: "Bloody finally!"

Ron and Hermione looked gobsmacked.

"What?", Hermione asked.

Harry grinned at them.

"I was waiting for that. Finally that awful pining is done with.", Harry exclaimed excitedly.

His two friends were starting to lose the tension in their shoulders and Harry hugged them tightly. He had wished that his best friends would finally find their happiness. What a load of horse shit that he won't get such a happy ending. The ugly, envious feeling curling low in his stomach made him clench his hands to fists, before loosening them again. He shoved it aside. His friends deserved happiness, even if he wasn't destined for it.

Harry sat on his own bed and waited for Ron and Hermione to cuddle up on Ron's bed before telling them what happened in the corridor.

"What where those two thinking?", Hermione asked aghast.

Harry just shrugged his shoulders. He was glad no one was injured and he wasn't being interrogated right now. Being tied still didn't sit well with him after what happened in the Graveyard.

"What did Dumbledore want?"

Ron changed the topic and Harry slumped his shoulders.

"I have to spend the summer with the Dursleys again until my birthday. After that I'll be marrying Riddle."

Hermione gasped loudly and Ron stared at him in astonishment.

"But there's no need for the blood protections anymore?", Hermione asked confusedly.

The black haired teenager threw up his hands.

"Apparently Dumbledore wants me to be 'safe' before marrying the megalomaniac Dark Lord or so he said. I'm pretty sure he could've gotten Grimmauld in at least a decent shape. The esteemed headmaster was adamant that I return there."

Harry sighed. He gave his friends a sad smile.

"I'll live.", he breathed. At the sceptic looks he received he added: "It's nothing I can't handle. It's only for a month. But if you could come up with some ideas until the end of term, I would be grateful."

Ron and Hermione didn't look convinced. Harry threw them another sad smile. Both of his friends sat on either side of him and hugged him close.

As long as he had them, maybe this wouldn't be too bad.

The next day at breakfast Harry received another Letter from his fiancé. The owl landed gracefully in front of him, stuck its leg out and left after Harry had untied the letter. The owl was as sociable as the Dark Lord who sent it. Harry found it a bit amusing.

Dear Harry,

I do not require an answer to this letter as it is shortly before school lets out for the summer.

Unfortunately Hedwig wasn't keyed into the wards of my manor and was injured while bringing your letter. I was, luckily, fast enough to safe her but you will, most likely, not see her before our wedding. I am truly sorry I had not enough foresight to warn you about the wards.

As for your second question: please forgive me but I cannot tell you my reasons through a letter. The answer will have to wait until after the wedding, I'm afraid.

Or before that if your atrocious relatives give you any reason to flee their premises. I've received some insightful information about their treatment of you. If you do not feel safe or need to escape simply say Home in parseltongue and the ring will take you to me. It is an emergency portkey and I dearly hope you won't need it.

For the time we will not hear of one another please consider a question of mine:

Is there any possibility for you to forgive me for my past actions?

I will not require an answer immediately and I wish for you to take your time in thinking about it. If I am lucky there will be an answer by our wedding night.

I am eagerly awaiting the wedding day.

Your dearest

Tom Riddle

How did Riddle know about his relatives? Had he seen the memories while entering Harry's head during the incident at the Ministry of Magic? No, Harry didn't think so. A sudden realization had him snapping his gaze to Snape who was sitting stoically in his seat at the staff table. The teenager narrowed his eyes at the potions master but the man didn't betray any emotion. Just before he was about to turn his head back the man gave him a small inclination of his head. Harry hesitated but nodded back. Even if it was living with Voldemort, Harry would appreciate the help to possibly get away from his relatives if it got too bad.

"Harry!", Ginny's voice snapped him back to the table.

He turned around and saw a widely grinning Ginny.

"Hi?"

His greeting was uncertain. Ginny had been screaming at him not that long ago about marrying Riddle. Why she was this friendly right now puzzled Harry.

"I.. I'm sorry for the way I reacted. I know it's not your decision to marry Voldemort. I made you some cookies as an apology.", she stammered and pushed a plate into his hands.

Still slightly suspicious he took the plate and lifted one of the cookies with his left hand. Immediately Voldemort's ring went hot. Harry let the cookie fall with a hiss and shook his hand to get rid of the pain in his wrist. What a warning.

"What exactly are these made of?", Harry asked.

Ginny just gaped at him.

"Why are you not trying them? I made them with love.", Ginny pushed.

With love. Sure, more like a love potion.

"More like a love potion, am I right?", Harry hissed, so quiet only Ginny was able to hear him. He didn't need anyone else listening. The youngest Weasley was in enough danger without anyone else knowing what just happened.

Ginny paled rapidly before trying to snatch the plate back. Harry held it out of her reach.

"Listen, Ginny. I don't want you in trouble but if you don't stop pursuing me, I am sure Riddle will notice. I know you don't realize what danger you're putting yourself in but men like Riddle don't take kindly to someone trying to take away the things they want. As I am currently among that list, it is absolutely dangerous to try and bewitch me. Even if Riddle wasn't in the picture, I'm sure you wouldn't want to keep feeding me a love potion to keep me. I don't like you in that way. I'm gay.", Harry hissed into her ear.

He waited for her reaction.

Ginny was now pale enough that her freckles stood out on her cheeks and nose.

She didn't apologize. But she nodded, took the plate and vanished it quickly.

"Wonderful.", Harry murmured and went back to his breakfast.

Ginny rushed out of the Great Hall and Harry looked around. Hopefully none of the other students had noticed their interaction.

Harry locked eyes with Draco Malfoy who watched him with narrowed eyes. Nearly imperceptibly he shook his head. Malfoy narrowed his eyes further but nodded once.

With that Harry turned back to his breakfast and thought about an answer to his fiancé's question.