224Chapter eight
Lorcan stared down at his hands and the blood covering them and coating his ice-blue robes, watching the blood soak in and spread rapidly over the fabric. It felt as though the world had slowed down around him. It felt as though he was watching everything through a tunnel even as movement suddenly erupted around him.
Nagini seemed to come from nowhere as she launched herself down the hallway at the attacker, striking out at him, managing to catch him on the thigh just as there was a double pop of apparation. Ginny and Voldemort practically appeared in the hallway at the same time, the two of them only taking a second to take in the scene in front of them, even as they were raising their wands and pointing them at the attacker.
The spells hit them in the chest and sent them flying backward, crunching off of the wall hard and sliding down it, clearly unconscious and out of the game. Voldemort snarled as he cast a charm over where Nagini had bitten the attacker, making sure that her poison wouldn't kill them before they got the answers that they would need from them.
"Dungeon!" Voldemort snarled at Ginny, motioning to the crumpled form, just as Lorcan's knees gave out and they hit the floor painfully. "Lorcan!" Voldemort said desperately racing back over to them just as Luna reached them.
"I didn't see it in time, I am so sorry, I was tricked!" Luna said as tears poured from her eyes, dropping to her knees next to Lorcan. Voldemort grabbed his son's bloody hands as he reached him and knelt down beside him.
"H…H…Harrison," Lorcan managed to say as his father was already letting go of his hands and turning to Harrison.
He carefully rolled Harrison onto his back where he was lying unconscious on the floor where he had fallen.
"Shit," Voldemort cursed seeing the state of Harrison's shoulder and back, the spell had ripped through Harrison's shoulder, practically shredding his bicep, it looked as though most of his shoulder was missing, and there was bone poking through the wound that made Lorcan want to gag.
"Harrison! Harrison!" Lorcan cupped his face and called his name, hoping to see those green eyes at least open, but they remind shut, blood coating Harrison's pale cheek, neck, and chest, so much blood. It pooled out under him even as Voldemort was already casting numerous spells.
"Get the healers! Now!" Voldemort shouted, and Lorcan glanced up to see Dobby popping out. "Damn it Harrison, don't you dare, don't you fucking dare!"
Lorcan looked up stunned at his father as his voice broke, tears were in his red eyes as he looked down at Harrison, frantically casting spells over him.
"Harrison? What…what happened?" The cry from further down the hallway had Lorcan's head snapping around and he saw James Potter standing outside of Harrison's suite, gripping the doorway for strength.
"He…he has been attacked," Voldemort managed to choke out, also looking around at Harrison's dad before he turned back to work on Harrison.
"No!" Lorcan lurched to his feet and raced over to help James down the corridor as he nearly went flying, the two of them reaching Harrison just as one of the charms Voldemort had cast started making a worrying beeping sound.
"No! No! No! No!" Voldemort chanted as he threw his wand to the side and started to perform chest compressions on Harrison, James, Lorcan and Luna able to see the magic that he was pumping into Harrison's chest with every compression. "Don't you dare, don't you fucking dare! You swore yourself to me, and I am not releasing you of that vow Harrison! I am not!"
*My nestling! My nestling! No, fight, come on fight!* Nagini hissed curling herself around Harrison's head and rubbed her cheek against his. They all jumped when the beep became one long beep. *NO*
"No!" Voldemort roared, pressing more magic into Harrison, "Where are the healers?! Where is fucking Sirius and Remus! Where is Fenrir!" he shouted frantically looking up and down the hall as he carried on pressing furiously at Harrison's chest.
"My Lord!" All of a sudden three healers popped into the hallway with Dobby, as soon as they took in the scene they pressed Voldemort away from Harrison and started working on him themselves, casting numerous spells over him, working over the top of each other as that horrible beep carried on.
"You can't let him die!" Voldemort part demanded and part begged as he stumbled over to Lorcan and James just as Malakhi and Maribel apparated into the hallway.
"Harrison!" Malakhi cried out shocked at the scene, but then Ginny returned and raced over to them.
"You need to stay out of the way!" One of the healers gripped her and none too gently pushed her to the side before turning back to work on Harrison.
"Please, he's my family, my best friend! Please help him, don't let him die!" she begged wrapping her arms around a sobbing Luna, but the healers couldn't spare a moment even to comfort her as they carried on frantically working.
"His chest isn't moving," James cried.
"What happened?!" Malakhi asked, dropping down next to his son and husband, but they couldn't answer him, none of them could take their eyes off of Harrison.
"No!" Lorcan cried when the healers suddenly sat back a little, the looks on their faces as they glanced at each other telling them everything without them needing to say a word.
"No!" James sobbed trying to move to his son but unable to find the strength to.
"Harrison!" Ginny cried.
"NO! I said no!" Voldemort lunged forward suddenly, his hands glowing green with pure magic, he raised his hands right above his head and brought them crashing down onto Harrison's chest, the impact of the magic that washed through Harrison's body knocking all of them back, except for Nagini who had struck out at Harrison at the same time as Voldemort, and sank her fangs into his ruined shoulder. Harrison's body glowed green as his back arched, the magic washing through him until it seemed to disappear into the lightning bolt scar on his forehead.
There was an utter silence in the second that followed, and then three things happened. That long extended beep became a rhythmic beep again, Harrison sucked in a weak breath but it was a breath, and there was a loud cracking sound like wood being snapped, and suddenly an Asian woman was kneeling in the place Nagini had been, she cupped Harrison's face as tears poured down her own cheeks, she hunched over him as though trying to protect him as sobs wracked her naked body.
"We need to take him, the healing rooms," The healers said quickly before two stepped back and apparated out, the third one apparating and taking Harrison, and by extension Nagini, with her, leaving them all there staring at the too large blood patch on the floor, all of their minds in utter shock.
"What…what did you do?" Lorcan turned to his father who was looking equally stunned.
"I…don't know...I just…he can't…" Voldemort stammered staring down at his bloody hands.
"Was…was that Nagini?" Malakhi asked.
"I think so, her curse…" Ginny blinked.
"Love. Harrison was the key to breaking the curse, their love…for each other. Harrison he…he wanted to break…the curse on her, I figured it out…he was so happy, I thought we could…break it but not because Harrison…" Lorcan drew off as he started sobbing, covering his face with his bloodstained sleeves as everything caught up with him.
He felt his father's arms wrapping around him and squeezed him tightly. "Come on, we need to get to the healing rooms,"
"May I apparate you James?" Malakhi asked softly, holding out his hand.
"Thank you," James said through his own tears.
It was a messy group that made it into the healing rooms, the waiting part of the room looked unwelcoming and cold, empty, in comparison to the frantic movement through the open door of the room off of it where seven healers were hurrying about.
"Please can you take her? She is getting in the way, we will let you back in as soon as we can," One of the healers came out of the room with their arms wrapped around a very wobbly Nagini who had been wrapped in Harrison's robes.
"Nagini," Voldemort breathed, reaching out for her as Lorcan did, the two of them hugging her as she started sobbing.
"He's strong, and tough, you made sure of that, he's…he's going to pull through," Voldemort comforted her, stroking her long black hair that was streaked with grey.
Nagini's legs suddenly gave in and she nearly crumpled to the floor if Voldemort hadn't been able to catch her around the waist. He eased her down into a chair and knelt in front of her.
"He's…he's…" Nagini managed to say before she started sobbing again.
"Calming draught," One of the healers raced into the room and practically shoved the vial of potion into Ginny's hands who was the closest person before running back into the room.
"Here," Voldemort took the vial and pressed it to her lips, needing to encourage her a little before she tilted her head back and took the potion. "Where are Sirius, Remus and Fenrir!" Voldemort growled looking around as though they would appear.
"Here," Malakhi helped James to sit down in the chair next to Nagini, his weak legs starting to shake with the pressure of standing on them for too long.
"Where are Mooney and Padfoot, they should be here," James said a little absently even as tears trickled down his face.
"I will…I will go and find them, Harrison would…he would want them here," Ginny's voice cracked as she spoke, but she straightened her back, seemingly having something to do helping her just a little. She popped out of the room and Luna stumbled over to sink into a chair, sobs wracking her form, Maribel made a small noise and hurried over to her, sitting in the chair next to her and wrapped her arm around her.
"Wait!" Lorcan said suddenly, and sounding suddenly too loud in the room, loud enough that they all started and turned to him. "Mooney and Padfoot? You're Padfoot," Lorcan said to James.
"No, I'm Prongs, Sirius is Padfoot," James shook his head.
"But… Dobby is calling you Paddy," Lorcan said absently as his mind was spinning.
"Yes, the P from Prongs and the rest from daddy we think," James nodded.
"Lorcan?" Voldemort frowned seeing Lorcan's face.
"We need to look for them, I…did we have coffee together the other day, and Sirius, Fenrir, and Harrison come in?" Lorcan asked James.
"I no, that…that wasn't me," James said with a trembling voice.
"We need to find them, I think they have been attacked as well!" Lorcan stood and before anyone else could do anything he pulled his wand out. "Expecto Patronum, Harrison has been attacked by a traitor, we think Sirius, Remus and Fenrir are in the manor injured, search every inch of the manor to find them,"
The large lion bowed to him before it burst through the wall and raced off to take his message to those Lorcan now knew could be trusted considering they had exposed the traitor.
"Fuck, I should have thought about that, they are the ones that are most likely to have been around Harrison and have charms on him," Voldemort sighed.
"Your language is terrible when you're stressed," Lorcan said absently.
There was a pause in the room, and then a slightly hysterical laughter broke over them all. They settled down onto the chairs to wait for news, either from the healers still racing around the healing rooms or from one of the others.
"How is he?!" Sirius demanded as he stumbled into the room with his arm thrown around Rodolphus' shoulders, the taller man holding tightly onto the arm of the injured man with his other arm around his waist. Sirius had dried blood down his face and looked as though he had been tightly bound going by the marks they could see on his arms.
"Where is he?" Fenrir snarled limping into the room with Fleur behind him, her hands out to catch the limping werewolf if he fell, but seemingly that was all she was allowed to do.
"Where is that traitor!" Remus growled as he was helped into the room being held between the twins.
"Dungeon," Voldemort grunted.
"Harrison is in there, they are…they're still working on him, it isn't…" James licked his lips.
"I want to see him!" Sirius tried making for the room but Rodolphus held onto him firmly.
"You need to let them work on him, Sirius," Rodolphus said painfully, lowering Sirius into a chair and then knelt down at his feet, cupping his face gently as tears poured from Sirius' eyes.
"My pup!" Sirius keened and Rodolphus wrapped his arms firmly around him and tugged him into a tight hug, rocking him slightly when he started weeping.
"How bad…" Remus stammered as he dropped heavily into a chair on the other side of James, reaching out to take his hand.
"He…his heart stopped…he wasn't…wasn't breathing. Voldemort, he saved him…" James turned to look into wide red eyes.
"How?" Remus asked curiously.
"I don't know, I just couldn't let him go," Voldemort said, his voice wavering as he spoke. Malakhi reached out where he was sitting next to him and gripped his hand tightly.
"I didn't realise Harrison meant that much to you," James said softly.
"He…I have watched him grow, I have taught him, I have…I was all he had and he was all I had besides Nagini for a good while," Voldemort admitted, holding tightly onto Malakhi.
"What…who…who did it? We, were attacked by someone polyjuiced as James, who was it?" Sirius asked, pulling back from Rodolphus.
"It was…" Ginny started to say, but they all froze and snapped their heads towards the healing room when the charm started making a loud, frantic sound, and the healers started moving around even more rapidly. They all sat there staring, not even blinking as they prayed to mother magic.
"He is stable, the next 24 hours are going to be important. We are going to monitor him closely, the spell did a lot of damage to his shoulder and chest, but also the concussive impact of it caused damage to his organs. Whatever you did My Lord is still working inside of him, on the couple of times where he has started failing your magic seems to step in and help him. It isn't definite I am sorry, but we are very hopeful," The exhausted healer explained to them.
"Thank you," Voldemort nodded before dropping back into his seat and scrubbed his hand down his face tiredly. It had been seven hours since the attack, and they were all utterly exhausted, and though it wasn't the news that they had wanted, it was good news.
"We will be through there if you need anything, we will come and check on him in an hour, we're going to take it in turns sleeping now,"
"Thank you," James said, and the others all nodded and murmured their agreement as the healer walked through the healing room and into their living quarters looking utterly exhausted.
They then sat there in silence for a few moments as they took in everything that had happened, the fact that Harrison wasn't out of the woods yet, but that he was still with them, that he had survived the worst.
"Erm…sorry to ask but…who are you?" Sirius suddenly asked, and when they looked at him he was looking at Nagini.
"Nagini," She said, and Sirius nodded before his brain clearly caught up with what she just said, and he gawped at her.
"Nagini but you're…not a snake! How?" Remus choked.
"Lorcan believes that the key to breaking my curse was my love for Harrison, seeing him like that, it broke the curse. All I was thinking was that I wanted to wrap my arms around him, and the curse just broke," Nagini explained, wrapping her arms around her waist as she looked into the room at the too still form of Harrison.
"Harrison is going to be overjoyed when he sees you," Lorcan said softly, but there was a determination to his voice that Harrison would make it.
"I will get transfiguring the chairs into something more comfortable for us to wait," Sirius said standing.
Lorcan reached out and stroked his finger down Harrison's face gently, he felt like he hadn't been able to breathe easily for the last 48 hours, and it was only now when the healers had finally given the all clear that he was going to recover that he could finally take a breath.
Harrison had colour back in his face finally, it wasn't that horrible grey that had been over the last few days that had terrified Lorcan, but now thankfully he was looking better. His arm was in a sling, but the mess that his shoulder had been was healing well. It was the reason that the healers were keeping him unconscious so that he wouldn't have to go through the pain of the healing.
Lorcan started a little when a hand rested on his shoulder, turning he found his father behind him. If anything the last few horrific days had seemed to break down another of the barriers between them, and Lorcan only considered for a moment before he turned into his father and wrapped his arms around his waist, burying his face into Voldemort's shoulder, seeking out the comfort and safety of his father.
He could feel Voldemort's shock at his action, but he moved right away, wrapping his arms around Lorcan and squeezing him just right as his scent seeped into Lorcan's senses. He felt like a little boy again getting the comfort that he had longed for from his father but hadn't been able to have.
"I have been so busy being angry at you for not being there and missing so much time, that I feel like I have missed even more time by being so angry at you," Lorcan admitted, and his father tightened his arms a little more.
"You had every right to be angry at me, at the situation, and to take your time once I came back into your life. We have years and years in front of us, and I will always be here for you, it doesn't matter how old you get, you will always be my little boy, you will always be my baby boy that would only fall asleep to my singing even though I sound like a strangled cat, you will always be the little boy that took his first steps towards me. You will always be my son, and I will always be here for you, whenever you need me," Voldemort said softly cupping the back of his son's head. Lorcan sniffed and then burst into tears as he buried himself into his father's comfort.
"Come on, you need to sleep in a proper bed and take a dreamless sleep, you are exhausted," Voldemort said softly, before Lorcan could say anything he felt a spell being cast over him and realised as his father scooped him up that it had been a featherlight spell.
"As much as I am loath to admit it, I am getting old, and my back isn't what it used to be," Voldemort grumbled, managing to pull a small noise of amusement from his son.
They walked through the waiting room where James and Nagini were fast asleep side by side, Sirius was resting his head on Rodolphus' shoulder where the other man was fast asleep with his head back at an awkward angle, Sirius' grey eyes met Lorcan's and he smiled softly and blew him a kiss before he settled back down, closing his eyes to try and get some rest. Remus was sprawled awkwardly over a couple of chairs in what looked like a restless sleep, the blanket over him had been placed there by Fenrir who had seemed to be the only source of comfort Remus had managed to find over the last 2 days, the werewolf finding comfort in the other who understood how his wolf was feeling at the injury that had been done to his cub, the cub Fenrir saw as his own cub as well through Remus - not grandcub apparently. Fenrir was close by to Remus, he had barely left his side, he was sprawled on the floor near him with his head resting on a pillow and blanket thrown over him, but he was wide awake staring at the ceiling.
"I knew you and Harrison had been close, I didn't realise how close you had been," Lorcan said as his father walked down the hallway towards their family wing. "I'm not upset or angry," the blond added, shaking his head when he saw the expression on Voldemort's face.
"I was thinking about you at first, I couldn't be with you and help you, but I could be there with Harrison. It was more than a little ironic, I couldn't be with my own son because of Dumbledore, but I could be there with his child of prophecy because he wasn't watching and looking after him," Voldemort snorted and shook his head. "I think I mainly focussed my paternal instincts onto him at first and focussed on the revenge of being able to corrupt Dumbledore's child of prophecy, but I quickly came to care for him as himself,"
"It feels a little like a full circle that I have fallen in love with the man you also see as something of a son," Lorcan said softly.
"In love huh?" Voldemort smiled.
"Yeah, I think I am in love with him," Lorcan sighed.
"You don't sound impressed with that," Voldemort chuckled.
"I was so determined not to like him at first, and now months later I am in love with him, and I didn't realise how much he has actually come to mean to me until I nearly lost him,"
"He is like fungus, he grows on you," Voldemort said, Lorcan lifted his head from his father's shoulder to look at him and saw a sparkle of amusement in his eyes. He walked into Lorcan's rooms and took him through to his bedroom.
Lorcan felt like a child as his father placed him on his bed and transfigured his clothes into pyjamas and tucked the covers around him before summoning Lorcan's hairbrush, and carefully started brushing his hair the way he had watched Malakhi do a few times now.
"I was determined not to like your dad after I met him for the first time," Voldemort said after a few moments of the brush just combing through Lorcan's hair in a soothing motion. Lorcan turned wide blue eyes onto his father and saw a soft, loving smile on his face. "I had places I was going, things that I had to do, I had a whole plan of how my life was going to go, where I was going to go. Falling in love wasn't in there anywhere,"
Voldemort combed his fingers through Lorcan's hair before going back to brushing it and Lorcan relaxed back into his pillows.
"Then I saw him. He was…gorgeous, not just physically but his personality just made him stunning, and even though I tried my hardest, I couldn't stop my eyes from going to him, wanting to have one more glance at him, wanting to see one more smile, hear one more laugh. That went to wanting to have one more conversation, just know a little more about him," Voldemort started braiding Lorcan's hair. "All of a sudden I realised that I loved him, and I was incredibly lucky that Malakhi was so patient with me and understand of how…emotionally stunted I believe Harrison calls it…and he gave me a chance,"
"Will you tell me a little more?" Lorcan asked quickly as his father finished braiding his hair. Voldemort smiled happily and nodded, toeing his shoes off and settling down on the bed next to Lorcan as his son lay down. He fussed over the covers making sure that they were tucked around Lorcan before he settled fully himself and started talking again.
"The first time I actually managed to ask him on a date I thought I was going to make an utter fool of myself, because why would someone like him be interested in someone like me? But he said yes so quickly, and the next thing I know he grabbed my hand, and we were going on the date right there and then, he wasn't giving me a chance to panic and back out. It sounds cheesy but I knew on that date that he was the man that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. He was so unexpected, something that I had not been planning, but all of a sudden there he was, and no matter how difficult our parting has been, no matter how much heartache it has caused me, I have always thanked my lucky stars for that night that we met. I just wish that I had been able to spare him, and you, the pain of the years that have passed. But your dad seemed to burst into my life and change all my plans for what my life was going to be, and I have never been more thankful. Though I could have done without being terrorised by your Grandmother," he added with a grumble, managing to get a chuckle from Lorcan.
"She has never really cared who you were?" Lorcan asked.
"No, when I met her for the first time I hoped that who I was would at least gain me a couple of points. She looked me up and down as though your dad had brought a goblin home," Voldemort snorted. He reached into his robes and handed Lorcan a vial of dreamless sleep.
Lorcan took the potion and knocked it back, handing the vial back to his father who placed it back into his pocket and then settled down again.
"The first time I saw your dad we were at a ball, I was there to gain some allies, and your dad was there as part of the social circle that were there. I was in the middle of talking to a group, doing my best to charm them into donating money to my cause when I looked across the room and found your dad's eyes already on me, and I felt as though I had had a shock go through my body…"
Lorcan's eyes fluttered shut as sleep started to take him over, listening to his father telling him the story of the night that he and his dad had met, the soothing rumble of his voice washing over him as he sank into sleep.
Lorcan woke slowly, feeling a little more rested, but still as though he had been run over by a herd of Thestrals. He managed to get himself moving slowly, throwing his covers off of himself and shuffling through to the bathroom.
He hurried through his shower, eager to get back to Harrison's side. The healers had been hopeful that they would be able to wake Harrison today, if not him waking himself, and he wanted to be back with him. With how stubborn Harrison was Lorcan was sure that this would be the day.
He dressed quickly tugging on a shirt with a mandarin collar to it, absently thinking that Harrison would like him in this, the jumper was white and neat as it hugged his figure, and he pulled on some neat high-waisted black slacks.
"Master Lorcan, you being eating and drinking something first, please," Gretchen requested as he went to hurry through his rooms, she was standing in front of his table with a small layout already waiting for him. She was looking at him with pleading eyes, and he knew that she had been worrying about him, he had not been eating much over the last few days.
"Thank you, Gretchen," Lorcan was desperate to get back to Harrison, but she was looking so worried that he couldn't just walk out. He sat down and took a quick swig of his coffee before starting to shovel his food into his mouth in a way that would make his dad horrified.
"Gretchen," Lorcan turned to her after his eyes fell on the corner of the room.
"Yes Master Lorcan?" the House Elf said happily, looking so pleased that he was eating that he took another big mouthful of his breakfast before speaking again.
"Could you please get rid of all those courting gifts, I have no need for them," Lorcan asked.
"Of course Master Lorcan," Gretchen smiled and moved to start sorting through the items for him.
He made his way through his breakfast trying not to think too much about the last couple of days and how difficult it had been for them all, it didn't go very well though, and he realised that he was exhausted despite getting a decent night's sleep thanks to the potion his father had given him. He yawned and finished his coffee and turned to get up. But as he did Gretchen moved a couple of gifts, and Lorcan saw it.
"Gretchen! That plant!" Lorcan stood and hurried over to his house elf. She dug out the plant that he was indicating to and handed it to him. He glanced over the plant, and he went numb when he realised what it was that he was looking at.
Shaking he turned and stormed from his room, ignoring Gretchen's calls behind him as he stormed through the corridors of the mansion and down into the dungeons, he could feel the rage settling over him that he had not felt for the last couple of days, so focussed on the worry and fear of losing Harrison and the stress of watching him so ill, but now it felt as though the rage was burning through his system like fire, and he prowled through the dungeons like the lion his animagus form was until he got to the private cell that the attacker was in.
Lorcan stood there for a few moments, placing the plant down on the floor at his feet before he straightened and allowed the fury to burn through his system as he looked down on the boxer-clad form of Harrison's attacker.
He was lying on his side with his hands magically bound behind his back, and Lorcan stared down at the other man, listening to the steady drip drip drip echoing around the dungeon. "How pathetic," he muttered to himself.
He couldn't believe that this man had attacked and managed to do so much damage to Harrison, that he had managed to injure someone so powerful, but the trust that Harrison had had in him had allowed him to get close enough to do so.
"Good morning. Come on, it's time to wake up," Lorcan said loudly enough to make the man lying on the floor startle back to consciousness. "That's it, time to wake up! It's time to play!"
Brown eyes met his own and Lorcan narrowed his eyes as he crossed his arms and started the spell that he had decided on while making his way down to the dungeon, keeping his eyes focused on the figure that moved so that he was kneeling in front of Lorcan looking up at him.
Lorcan watched with satisfaction as those brown eyes widened in terror as he realised what was about to happen when he noticed what Lorcan was doing to the plant that he had sent him as a courting gift.
"Now. You will tell me why!" Lorcan snarled, giving in to the anger washing through him. He watched with satisfaction as the vines that he had created from the plant at his feet shot forward as though they were snakes, lunging for Neville Longbottom, piercing through the skin of his chest and wrapping around his torso so that the thorns in the vines pierced his skin.
He made sure that the vines didn't go too deep, working them just under the skin to cause as much pain as he had been through over the last few days. "Why did you attack Harrison? Your Lord's Right Hand! Why?" Lorcan demanded when Neville didn't say anything, actually appearing to try and fight back the pain that he was in with the vines to keep quiet. And well, Lorcan was not going to have that, he needed to know why!
He directed the vines to move along Neville's arms, down his legs, and start creeping up under the skin of his neck until finally Neville threw back his head and screamed! He screamed loudly before his confession came spilling out.
"Because it should have been me! Ahhh! You, the position! It all should have been mine!" Neville screamed.
"What?! You!" Lorcan sneered, and Neville snarled back at him until Lorcan moved the vines under his skin reminding him that he was in control here.
"I could have been the child of prophecy! It was between me and him, and your father chose him! A half-blood over me, a pureblood! I lost my mum and dad as well, just in a different way!" Neville shouted startling Lorcan with the venom in his voice, "I didn't get the fame though, I didn't get the acknowledgment, I had to go and live with my Grandmother and my family who thought that I had no magic and started trying to scare magic out of me because they thought I was a squib!"
Lorcan stared at the man in front of him, unable to believe what was coming out of his mouth, but he needed to know why he had done what he had, so he let him carry on.
"I thought I had been the first one to join the Dark Side, I thought that this would make me high within the Dark Lord's ranks, make me important! And then I find out he is here! That he joined years ago, that he is favoured by the Dark Lord! And then he tells me that he is going to be the Dark Lord's Right Hand, and he 'converts' me! He always gets there first! He always is lucky and gets there first! And then I heard about you!"
"What about me?" Lorcan said coldly, clenching his jaw as he looked down at the other, battling down the disgust that he was feeling just looking at him and having to listen to him.
"We heard that the Dark Lord had a husband and son, and I figured that was going to be my chance, that was going to be how I could get myself ahead, how I could get myself recognised and finally beat Harrison!" Neville looked Lorcan in the eyes, "I could marry you and be husband to the Heir of the Dark Side, and I would overtake him, I would be more important than him!"
"I never even noticed you as anything but one of Harrison's followers," Lorcan said lowly, and Neville snarled like an animal, trying to lunge forward towards Lorcan before crying out when he realised that he was being held in place by the vines still under his skin.
"Because of him!" Neville shouted, spit flying from his mouth in the space between them, "Because of him, you didn't notice me because he came swanning in and stole your attention! Stole you from right under me! It is his fault! I watched him starting to flirt with you, and I knew that I had to get him out of the way to stand any chance of putting my plan into place! I had to kill him to get him out of the way finally!"
Lorcan had to suppress his anger, fight down his desire to react, he sensed that there was something more, that there was a little more to come.
"And then he gets his dad back! My parents are sick in the hospital and will never recover, and not only does he have Nagini, Remus, Sirius, and Fenrir, but he gets his dad back! It isn't fair! He doesn't deserve any of it!" Neville screamed.
"You're right, he doesn't deserve any of it," Lorcan nodded and felt a flash of amusement when Neville looked up at him with wide eyes before a hopeful look crossed his face. "He earned it,"
"Shut up!" Neville snarled before he let out an ear-piercing scream as Lorcan moved the vines under his skin again.
"He earned everything, he earned his place as Right Hand, he earned the right to Court me, he earned the right to hold everything that he has! I didn't even notice you because you are nothing, you are weak, you have little power, you would never have been high in the Dark Side, the only way you were going to be of any rank was because of Harrison you moron! The only reason that you were going to gain any recognition was through Harrison!"
"Shut up!" Neville cried out as the vines moved further under his skin.
"I didn't even see you, and I never would have even if Harrison had not taken my attention! And you dared to try and take him from me? You dared try and kill him!"
"He's not dead?" Neville looked so disappointed that Lorcan snarled and moved the vines further through Neville.
"Darling," Lorcan started when an arm wrapped suddenly around his waist, squeezing gently, and his heart nearly stopped as he recognised the voice, the scent that washed over him, recognised the arm around him, and the chest pressed to his back. The hand slipped up his chest to cup his chin.
When Harrison turned his head he met those green eyes that for a good few heartstopping moments, he had thought he would never see again. The noise he let out was something from deep inside of him and he eagerly pressed his lips to Harrison's when his partner leaned towards him.
He wasn't satisfied with just that and he turned in Harrison's arms so that he could press deeper into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Harrison's waist and pressing against him, desperately kissing him as Harrison's fingers buried themselves into Lorcan's blond curls and cupped the back of his head as he kissed back, though there was a tone of Harrison offering comfort to Lorcan through the kiss.
Lorcan had to pull away from Harrison far too soon when Neville made a noise from behind him, and he snarled slightly against Harrison's lips in annoyance, but he met shining green eyes that were sparking with fury, though there was a softness to them as they looked at Lorcan.
"You don't get to see me kissing him, you don't get to see him like that," Harrison said without taking his eyes off of Lorcan. He held his hand out and Lorcan could feel Harrison's magic running alongside his own, running down the vines in Neville, and then he heard the traitor cry out behind him.
He half turned and watched the vines creeping up Neville's face, running up his cheeks, before finally going through his eyes, before Lorcan turned uncaringly away from the traitor and looked at Harrison again instead. He was wearing a simple white shirt that was only half buttoned up and his injured arm was still in a white sling, and though he was still looking a little pale, he was standing there in front of Lorcan, awake and you wouldn't have known that he had been at death's door, that they had nearly lost him.
"You shouldn't be up yet," Lorcan frowned, cupping Harrison's face.
"Gretchen came and said that you had come down to the dungeon in a fury," Harrison explained.
"And you came right here?" Lorcan spluttered.
"I was worried about you," Harrison grinned before gently kissing Lorcan's cheek and moved his way along to his lips, the two of them completely ignoring Neville behind them. Lorcan fell into the kiss, unable to stop himself from kissing Harrison back when he had had the awful thought that he wasn't going to be able to kiss him again.
"Come on you," Lorcan said softly, listening with a burning satisfaction to the groaning coming from behind them as he wrapped his arms around Harrison's waist and apparated him back to his healing room.
And right into a whole load of chaos.
"Where the hell has he gone?"
"Has someone taken him?"
"No one has been in through the wards!"
"Where the hell is he?"
"He was unconscious!"
"You didn't tell them you were leaving?!" Lorcan hissed, turning towards the door into the waiting room that they had practically been living in for the last few days.
"In my defense, I didn't realise they were out there, the door was shut," Harrison said quickly as Lorcan lowered him to sit on the edge of the bed, and there was a sudden silence from the room, and then everyone was trying to pile through the door at the same time.
"WHERE IN THE HELL DID YOU GO!" Sirius shouted, shoving Fenrir out of the way and managed to make it through the door.
"N…Nagini?" Harrison stammered though, his eyes locked on the woman standing in the doorway.
"Hello Nestling," Nagini smiled, and the others moved out of the way so that she could walk across the room to Harrison. Lorcan watched his intended's face crumple and tears started to fall down his face as he reached out with his good arm for her.
Nagini covered the space between them quickly and threw her arms around Harrison, looking as though she was squeezing him as tightly as she dared with his injury, while Harrison's arm wound tightly around her and he buried his face into her shoulder.
"What…how?" Harrison said into her shoulder as she reached up and started to comb her fingers through his hair, rocking them slightly to comfort him.
"Lorcan believes that it is because of my love for you, when you were attacked, my fear for losing you, my love for you, broke the curse," Nagini explained. "It is a little confusing and we're going to have to look into it a little more, but right now all I care about is that I can finally hug you properly,"
Harrison let out a sob and seemed to press even closer into the hug, tightening his good arm around her as she rocked them and ran her fingers through his hair. The others standing watching the moment between them felt as though they were intruding, but at the same time couldn't look away from the moment that obviously meant so much to the two of them.
"You're going to age normally now though, I was going to offer to break the curse, but only if you wanted," Harrison sniffed, pulling back and wiping his eyes.
"I wouldn't have wanted to outlive you anyway nestling, and a shorter life is worth being able to hug you even once," Nagini shook her head.
"I am sorry to interrupt but we need to check you over, you have only been conscious for an hour," one of the healers who had entered the room after allowing them all a moment cleared his throat. Nagini stepped back and then hopped up on the bed next to Harrison while the healer walked over and got ready to cast his spells on Harrison.
"So, where did you go?" Remus raised his eyebrow and crossed his arms looking utterly unimpressed.
"It was my fault, I went to…speak to Longbottom, Gretchen told Harrison that I had been upset," Lorcan stepped in, especially as Harrison's mischief seemed to be coming back and his eyes were twinkling as he looked pathetically at Remus.
"Is he still alive?" Voldemort asked uncaringly.
"Just about, though there is a fair bit of damage," Lorcan huffed.
"Lorcan is very inventive, he used the plant that Nev…Longbottom sent him as a courting gift," Harrison caught himself, and though there was a flash of pain across his face, he pushed it away.
"How did he use…nope, actually I don't want to know!" James snorted, holding his hands up.
"He's going to be dealt with," Voldemort promised carefully, glancing between Harrison and James.
"Good," James nodded firmly, his eyes glancing to where the ruin of Harrison's shoulder was healing.
"Did he say why?" Remus sighed, reaching out and combing his fingers through Harrison's hair as soon as the healer was done.
"Jealousy, he thought that he deserved my position and that I was stealing everything from him, and getting things that should have been his," Harrison grimaced.
"Including me," Lorcan snorted. Voldemort wrapped his arm around his son's shoulders and squeezed him gently. "He believed that he was Harrison's equal and that it was luck, chance and some sort of…deception on Harrison's part that meant he got ahead of him,"
"He's not even half the wizard you are," Sirius growled annoyed, stepping up behind Harrison.
"He still managed to make a mess of me, because I trusted him," Harrison sighed.
"That is on him, not you, we discussed this," Voldemort tapped Harrison's forehead.
"Hmm,"
"Don't hmm me Harrison," Voldemort snorted, flicking his forehead.
"Hey! I am injured here!" Harrison protested waving at his arm.
"Then stop moping and concentrate on healing!" Voldemort flicked him again.
"Hey! The abuse!"
"Children," Nagini snorted.
"He started it," the two of them said together.
"Weird, so so so so weird, and I spent the last decade and a bit locked in a room," James started laughing, shaking his head when they all turned to look at him.
"Hey," James smiled when he walked into Harrison's healing room and found his son awake.
"Hey," Harrison smiled.
"How are you feeling?" James asked concerned, coming to perch on the edge of his bed.
"Tired, and sore, and a little stupid for not seeing it, but ok," Harrison sighed.
"Never thought I would be saying this but Voldemort is right, this isn't on you, it is only on him," James shook his head.
"Can I ask…" Harrison started to say and then bit his lip.
"You can ask anything," James took his son's good hand and squeezed it.
"You and Voldemort being in the same room together, I have been keeping him away from you, but you seemed ok?" Harrison asked carefully.
"He took Lily from me and from you, and that really is hard to deal with, part of me will never be able to move past that," James sighed, and Harrison grimaced, but then his dad squeezed his hand again, "however, I can understand to a level the reasoning behind it, and Dumbledore manipulated the situation, if anyone is ultimately to blame, it is him. But I think I can learn to live with it and exist with him considering he saved your life, and I saw the care, the love, that he genuinely has for you when we were losing you, he truly cares for you, and he looked after you along with Nagini when you were younger, he saved you from the Dursleys. Talking to my mind healers, I need to draw a line between He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named who attacked Godric's Hollow, and the man that is here now, for my own sanity. But you love each other, and you are in love with his son,"
"I am sorry that you are in this position," Harrison said quietly, and James shook his head.
"I am not, this could have gone a million ways, and yet I am here, with my friends, with my son, the people that care about him and he cares about, I am getting to see you fall in love, and I am getting to know the man you are in love with. I am so impressed with you Harrison, with your determination, your intelligence, your loyalty, and your passion. I am so proud to be your father, I am so proud that you are my son. I am happy to be here, right now!"
"Thank you," Harrison said softly, leaning forward and burying himself in James. It was a little awkward with the angle, and because of Harrison's arm, but at the same time it was what they both needed.
"I think seeing how much he genuinely loves you and cares for you was what I needed, though I wish that it hadn't happened the way that it did. He was broken to think that we had lost you," James smiled as they pulled apart. "Anyone that loves you that much, that did what he did to save you, I can live with,"
"Thank you," Harrison fell into the ready hug James offered him.
"Hello," Nagini tapped on the door, getting their attention after a few moments.
"Hello….o why are you wearing…so little?" James spluttered, quickly turning to face Harrison.
"I am not used to wearing clothes anymore. Voldemort told me that I wasn't allowed to walk around the mansion wearing nothing, and Malakhi asked me nicely so…"
"So short shorts and a wrap top?" Harrison asked, and James looked back at him expecting him to be a little horrified seeing his mother figure dressed like that, "fair," Harrison nodded.
"You really were raised by a snake," James snorted.
"Now James, that sounds like an insult," Nagini said lightly as she glided across the room to them, climbing onto the bed next to Harrison.
"It isn't, you did an amazing job," James smiled softly at Harrison, dropping his teasing.
"He was pretty amazing already," Nagini smiled softly, settling against the pillows next to Harrison and ruffling his hair.
"That was my early influence," Sirius announced, walking into the room and climbing onto the bed next to James.
"Please," Remus snorted, also climbing onto the bed.
"I am meant to be recuperating here you know," Harrison snorted, reaching forward and rifled into Remus' pocket to snag the chocolate bar hidden in there, though he did let out an annoyed huff at the awkwardness of doing it.
"You went running off after Lorcan moments after you woke up," Remus raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him.
"Remi, don't look at me like that!" Harrison whined.
"He has a point," Fenrir said walking in.
"Have I mentioned how amazing it is that you two are talking and getting on?" Harrison said, and then carried on before anyone could answer, "but Gramps come on don't gang up on me!"
"Don't make me break your other arm," Fenrir growled, grabbing a chair and dragging it to the side of the bed.
"Love you too," Harrison chirped.
"We're not ignoring the fact that you went running off right after you woke up," Remus glared at him.
"Remi," Harrison whined.
"Big trouble," Remus shook his head.
"Remi,"
"Eat your chocolate," Remus snorted.
"I am worried that it is poisoned now," Harrison whined and then pouted when Remus just smirked at him. With a grumble, he ripped the package open using his good hand and his teeth and bit dramatically into the chocolate bar.
"That is definitely Sirius' early influence," James laughed.
"Hey!" Sirius protested, shoving his friend gently.
"What do you think you are doing?" Lorcan asked sharply as he walked into Harrison's healing room and found the man on his feet, James, Nagini, Remus, and Sirius all looking frustrated as they stood around the room.
"I am leaving this bloody room, I am fine! My shoulder is nearly healed!" Harrison huffed.
"Absolutely not, bed!" Lorcan pointed to the bed, moving to block the doorway when Harrison took a step towards it. The others in the room paused in their arguments to try and get Harrison to stay put to see what Lorcan could do.
"It has been over a week!" Harrison protested.
"Do not make me order you, Harrison Potter, I want you to get into that bed, and you're going to stay there until the healers say that you can leave!" Lorcan narrowed his blue eyes.
"Lorcan…" Harrison wavered.
"I will be worried sick if you are running around so soon after the attack. I know that it is difficult for you, but please, just a day or two longer," Lorcan stepped to his side and pressed his hand to his good arm.
"Two more days at the very most, and then I am leaving no matter what they say!" Harrison said mulishly, flopping back onto the bed.
"Thank you," Lorcan stepped over and took Harrison's hand, "I know it is tough,"
"I'm just so bored," Harrison whined.
"Well, my father asked me to hand you these, he said that he needs them looked over," Lorcan held up the sheath of parchment that he had in his other hand, and Harrison perked up visibly.
"Thank Merlin,"
"You're a workaholic," Sirius snorted.
"Just because you haven't done an honest day's work in your life," James snickered.
"Hey!" Sirius protested.
"Don't go looking at me for sympathy, you kept that you're seeing Rodolphus from me," Remus said, shaking his head.
"We were taking our time to see if there was something more there or if it was just sexual," Sirius whined.
"Gross," Harrison grumbled, already reading through the paperwork.
"Didn't you properly introduce them as well?" Remus asked Harrison as Lorcan reached out and helped him turn the page as he was struggling one-handed.
"I did, I feel even more offended," Harrison muttered.
"I know what you lot are like, I didn't want you scaring him off!" Sirius groaned.
"Rodolphus is a big boy, if he can't take a few threats to his bits and pieces then he isn't worthy of you," Remus smirked.
"I like his beats and pieces!" Sirius wailed.
"Didn't need to know that!" Harrison grumbled.
"There there," Nagini patted his shoulder.
"Your sarcasm is easier to pick up on when it isn't in Parseltongue," Harrison snorted looking over his papers.
"Please don't scare him off!" Sirius begged Remus.
"Not me you need to worry about," Remus laughed. Sirius slowly turned around and found James smirking slightly manically at him.
"What the…seriously!" Lorcan groaned looking around the room and found Harrison missing.
"He is gone?" Sirius sighed, poking his head into the room and seeing it was indeed empty. "Come on, I know where he will be,"
Lorcan followed Sirius through the manor to his father's study, when Sirius opened the door and they walked in, Harrison turned to look sheepishly at him.
"I promised 2 days, it has been 2 days!" He said quickly as Lorcan's eyes narrowed on him.
"I am keeping him on desk duties, don't worry, it is better to keep him busy and know where he is than having him running loose," Voldemort snorted from where he was resting his elbows on his desk.
"What are you talking about?" Sirius sighed walking over and dropping down into the seat on one side of Harrison while Lorcan took the other side.
"Longbottom," Harrison said coolly.
"Have you been able to get anything more out of him, besides, you know, the vines that were stuck in him," Sirius waved his hand while Lorcan grinned viciously.
"Not much, the same thing pretty much that he told Lorcan and Harrison, he feels that he deserved Harrison's spot and that Harrison had stolen it all from him, going right back to Harrison being the Child of Prophecy and not him, all the way to Lorcan choosing Harrison, and James Potter being found alive. I think the simple answer as to why he attached Harrison is pure jealousy. He wanted to kill him," Voldemort said, and though it was said neutrally it looked as though every single muscle in his body was tense.
"I want five minutes alone with him," Sirius growled.
"His fate is in Lorcan's hands," Harrison said calmly.
"Me? Why?" Lorcan turned to Harrison wide-eyed.
"You are my Lord, and more importantly my intended as well," Harrison shrugged, grimacing just a little as it pulled on his still healing shoulder.
"If that is your choice," Voldemort nodded to Harrison and turned to Lorcan, "just let me know when you have made a choice,"
"I will," Lorcan nodded distractedly, already thinking of the hundred different ways that he wanted Longbottom killed.
He sat mainly listening to his father, Harrison, and Sirius talking over some things that they were putting into place, and how the takeover of the Ministry was going, adding his own comments now and then, but mainly thinking.
"Harrison?" Lorcan asked when the meeting came to an end.
"Hmm?" Harrison turned to Lorcan with a soft smile.
"Would you escort me to my rooms?" Lorcan asked, already getting to his feet and reaching out to help Harrison to his feet, which the dark-haired man accepted with a reluctant grumpy look.
"Of course," Harrison smiled, kissing Lorcan's cheek. "See you later!"
"Dress smart for the meal," Voldemort ordered.
"Will do, I will make sure all my bling with be on,"
"Brat!" Voldemort rolled his eyes before holding his hand up to Sirius when he stood, "So, Rodolphus,"
"Oh come on!" Sirius groaned.
"Is everything ok?" Harrison asked as they walked down the hallway to Lorcan's rooms, the walk so far having been silent.
"Hmm? Yes, sorry, I am just thinking," Lorcan smiled, opening the door for them, and once they were inside he shut the door behind them and locked it before taking Harrison's good hand and led him through to his bedroom instead of the sofa Harrison had been aiming for.
"Erm, if I get murdered it will be a good way to go out," Harrison shrugged and went with Lorcan.
"We're not doing anything but lying down!" Lorcan said flustered, his cheeks turning bright red.
"I know," Harrison chuckled. "With all the will in the world I am not up to any type of physical activity like that, never mind the practicality of it with my shoulder,"
"I just want to lay with you," Lorcan was still flustered and embarrassed.
"I know, I was just teasing," Harrison said gently tugging Lorcan against him, pulling their joined hands behind his back to keep Lorcan against him as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to his lips.
Lorcan narrowed his eyes at him, and with a small smirk, Harrison pressed another couple of kisses to his lips and then pulled back.
"Harrison," Lorcan huffed and cupped his face with his spare hand as he leaned up on his toes and kissed Harrison firmly.
"Lor…" Malakhi stopped speaking when his son held his finger to his lips. Harrison was sprawled out on Lorcan's bed fast asleep, his head tilted back slightly and he was snoring lightly. Malakhi smiled softly and walked over to sit on the bed beside Lorcan who was sitting next to his intended reading.
"He was determined that he was fine but fell asleep in about ten minutes," Lorcan smiled down at Harrison. "How is everything going?"
"Fine, your father is catching up with everything." Malakhi had been running the dark side and keeping things moving while Voldemort had been by Harrison's side while he had been unconscious. "Are you doing ok?" Malakhi asked softly, reaching out to brush a curl gently from Lorcan's eyes that were so like his husband's had been.
"I thought that once everything had calmed down, my fear of losing my partner would kick in, and I would want to back away from him as fast as I could after coming so close to losing him," Lorcan admitted quietly, turning to look at Harrison.
"But?" Malakhi asked quietly, looking hopefully at his son.
"But I think I understand now a little better why you stayed so faithful to Father," Lorcan finally looked away from Harrison and turned to his dad, "I wanted to run away, to protect myself, but I couldn't, I care too much for him already, and the idea of not getting a little bit of extra time with him because of my fear, it outweighed my thoughts of backing away," Lorcan sighed.
"I didn't mean to cause you so much fear for relationships," Malakhi sighed.
"It isn't your fault, I am not blaming you for it, I guess…I just wanted to try and make things better for you and hated seeing you so sad," Lorcan admitted.
"You made me happy," Malakhi shook his head.
"Yes, but I couldn't give you what you missed from my father. I struggled to understand why you didn't move on, but seeing you together, and understanding just a little myself, it makes sense to me," Lorcan shook his head. "I only ever wanted you to be happy, to have everything that you wanted,"
"You're such a sweet boy, I raised an amazing man if I do say so myself," Malakhi smiled softly, kissing his son's forehead.
The two of them pulled apart to chuckle when Harrison let out a particularly loud snore beside them.
"Harrison, he confuses me," Lorcan admitted softly, his eyes focussed on the other again.
"How so? I mean besides the manic hurricane that he can be," Malakhi grinned teasingly.
"He has placed Longbottom's fate in my hands, he said because I am his Lord and intended. He confuses me as to how he can be so powerful, that he could easily be in my place, but he shows me so much deference, and can be my partner at the same time,"
"That is because you don't recognise the power that you hold yourself," Malakhi hushed Lorcan when he opened his mouth to protest, reaching forward to brush his hair from his face again. "Harrison sees it, he sees the man you are becoming and the leader that you are going to be, he sees the power that you hold, and he has no interest in challenging that, he wants to be by your side, and to guard your back as well. He is incredibly powerful, but he shows deference to you because he wants to help you become who you're meant to be,"
"I can not be ruthless like Father though," Lorcan said softly.
"That is what is needed though," Harrison said roughly, and both men turned to see him awake though he was looking sleep still as he stayed laying down on the mattress, only turning his head so that he could fix his green eyes onto Lorcan.
"What?" Lorcan asked, confused and a little startled.
"Your Father is an amazing man, and the world that he is going to create I believe in, but sometimes things need to be forged in fire and blood, but once they are created if they are going to survive they need someone that can hold it together with a firm but gentler hand. I completely believe that that person is you," Harrison smiled softly, placing his good arm in the space between them holding his hand palm up.
Lorcan reached out right away and took his hand as he looked down at Harrison whose green eyes were showing everything that they felt for Lorcan.
"I love you, and I want to be at your side and support you through everything that is to come, and whatever happens with us I will be there for you when you need me, I will be your weapon when you need one but can not do it yourself, but that isn't a weakness, that is what is needed to make sure that what we are working so hard to create now survives for a long time, you are what is needed to make sure that what we are working so hard to create carries on. You can make the hard decisions when it is needed, you can make the tough choices, but make them with a gentler and more understanding heart than your father can manage. You aren't your father, and you won't rule like him, and that is a good thing, you are both the right person for where you are going to rule," Harrison shrugged, grimacing just a little.
"You believe that?" Lorcan asked softly.
"I believe in you, I did before I met you from what your father had told me, and I believe in that even more. I am happy being at your side and guarding your back, that is where I want to be, I want to be there when you need me," Harrison raised Lorcan's hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it tenderly.
"Thank you," Lorcan smiled beautifully down at him.
"Come, it is nearly time for the meal," Malakhi shook his head when they both turned sheepishly to him, clearly having partly forgotten that he was there.
"Ugh, I think I am going to need a little help getting up," Harrison admitted reluctantly as he shoved himself into a partly sitting position with his good arm, but there was a grimace of pain on his face.
Lorcan leaned over and kissed Harrison's cheek before setting his hands on his back and helping him sit up and then turn so that he could swing his legs over the side of the bed. He scooted behind him and kissed his cheek again before holding out a pain potion that he pulled from his pocket. "Take this and let's get your bling on you,"
"Thank you," Harrison sighed in relief knocking back the vial before Lorcan helped him rock to his feet.
"I will go and get changed myself, I have also been instructed to put my…bling on," Malakhi chuckled. "I will see you both outside the dinning room," he cupped Lorcan's face and kissed his forehead, and then did the same with Harrison, leaning up to kiss the taller man's forehead as well.
"Let's get you blinged up," Lorcan smiled stepping up to Harrison and wrapping his arms around his waist, and leaned up to kiss him, "I love you too," he said softly against Harrison's lips when they parted.
The smile that he got in response was something that he would hold close in his memory for the rest of his life.
"You need to wear a little more than that!" Voldemort was protesting as they came around the corner.
"Why?" Nagini asked looking down at the shorts, wrap top and sleeveless robes that she was wearing.
"Because…you're half naked!" Voldemort spluttered.
"I've been fully naked the whole time that we have known each other," Nagini shrugged.
"That is…not something that I want to think about," Voldemort grimaced before brightening when he saw Lorcan and Harrison walking toward them. "Harrison! Tell her,"
"I think you look lovely," Harrison shrugged, "what is wrong with it?" he asked, genuinely confused.
"Honestly, I am getting flashbacks to your childhood," Voldemort sighed pressing his fingers to his closed eyes before opening them again.
"Father…your eyes," Lorcan blinked and stepped closer to his father, gazing at his eyes intently.
"What?" Voldemort asked confused.
"Harrison, do you see it?" Lorcan turned to his intended.
"Yes, your eyes aren't as bright red," Harrison nodded as he looked closer himself.
"Really?" Voldemort transfigured a mirror and looked closely at his eyes. "They're not, the red eyes are evidence of the steps I took to make myself live longer," Voldemort said absently.
"We're going to have to look into that," Harrison said concerned.
"We will, tonight is a night for us to enjoy," Voldemort placed the mirror down and actively waved away the subject. "Oh," his eyes went past Harrison and Lorcan, and when they turned they found Malakhi walking towards them. He was dressed in deep maroon robes that were perfectly fitted to him, lined with gold. He had his blond hair braided neatly and was wearing a gold circlet on his forehead with a garnet charm hanging from it, resting on his brow.
"Hello," Malakhi smiled at them all.
"You look…you are…it is…"
"It is amazing that you two managed to get together," Sirius snorted, walking over with a slightly nervous looking Rodolphus' hand in his, the eldest Lestrange brother blanched at the smirk Harrison gave him, but Lorcan distracted him by hitting him gently in the stomach.
"I have a feeling that it had a lot to do with Lord Malakhi being able to read between the lines," James said as he walked down the hallway with Remus from the other direction.
"Dad? You're joining us?" Harrison asked surprised.
"Yes, I am fed up with hiding in the family wing of the manor, I thought it was time that I enjoyed a good party and got to spend time with you all for dinner," James shrugged as he came to stop in front of them, though his words were light, his eyes were determined and they knew he understood completely that he was making a statement about where he stood.
"Are we ready?" Voldemort asked holding his hand out to Malakhi as Fenrir, Ginny, and Maribel walked around the corner to join them.
"Ginny," Harrison called, and the redhead looked at him hesitantly. "Walk in beside me and Lorcan please,"
"Harrison, I…"
"I have missed you the last few days, all this lot are fussing over me, you would at least assist in my escapes," Harrison grinned, motioning to her leaving her with no real choice but to walk over to him. "It wasn't your fault," he said firmly, resting his hand on her shoulder when she was close enough.
"I am meant to protect you, to watch your back, and I didn't see it, I let you get hurt," Ginny shook her head.
"It wasn't your fault," Harrison said before snorting and looking at Voldemort who was looking at him pointedly. "It wasn't anyone's fault but Longbottoms. You are still my right hand, and I have no desire for that to change, you did your best, and that is all I can ask," Harrison pulled her into a hug.
"I won't let you down again," Ginny said softly. Harrison hugged her a little tighter before stepping back. "Ready," Harrison smiled at Voldemort.
"Come on then," Voldemort kissed Malakhi's cheek and then led the way into the dinning room where their followers were waiting for them, presenting a united front as they walked in dressed to their best.