Radix Acclaro

6 - Memories

The next morning the two trios sat around a large dining table eating breakfast. It was an awkward affair with the bond no longer blocking out the reality of their situation. The sixteen year old Savior of the Light married, for all intents and purposes, to the Dark Lord and a known Death Eater, both old enough to be his grandfather and father respectively.

Harry knew Snape wasn't in any better shape; a 'former' Death Eater married to two of his own students who were both still underage.

The dishes were disappearing from the table when Harry asked, "So what happens now?"

"Well," Tom said after a small silence, Severus and Lucius seemed hesitant to speak, "It's Wednesday and as Christmas break starts next Friday, I thought the six of us would spend the three-and-a-half weeks until the start of the new term getting to know each other. Perhaps perform a few experiments?"

"Experiments?" Hermione squeaked uncomfortably.

Severus smirked when he looked at the girl but Harry noticed it lacked the usual venom.

"Many bonds require the subjects to remain in a certain proximity to each other or some rather...unpleasant...effects occur," Tom explained.

"While others provide the subjects with the ability to communicate mentally with each other," Lucius added.

"Oh," Hermione said, relaxing.

"But for today," Tom went on, "I think just spending time with our respective mates would be a good idea. Severus, I would like you to get a message to Dumbledore. Say whatever you like, we just need to prevent a full scale search and rescue."

Snape nodded his head, "Yes, Milord."

Standing, the Dark Lord held out his hand to Harry, shocking the young man. Hesitantly he took the older Wizard's hand in his own, smiling brilliantly when he received a small squeeze.

"Come Harry, Lucius. Let us adjourn to the solar. We shall see you at dinner Severus, Draco. Hermione."

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That afternoon the Malfoy-Potter-Riddle triangle discussed a great many things. Harry was surprised at the intensity of their conversation, and the often painful honesty.

Tom fully admitted that he'd been a mean-spirited and angry child. The orphanage itself had been a constant reminder that he was unloved and unwanted. Then Dumbledore had come and told him how special he was. Tom had felt special, like maybe he was worthy after all, but that small spark had been doused shortly after arriving at Hogwarts. Being a muggle raised half-blood in the thirties would not have been a good situation for any child – but for that child to also be a Slytherin; it was a disaster waiting to happen.

He'd turned to Dark Magic early on and while his goals had begun as a righteous desire for change in the Wizarding World, it had slowly been twisted into something dark...and insane. His crusade for educational reform, mainly the education of muggle-borns in Wizarding Culture had slowly spiraled into a mad desire to kill anything that defied him.

Harry watched the emotions playing on the other men's faces with interest. Lucius was trying to remain stoic while Tom looked uncomfortable, frequently rubbing his forehead as he spoke.

He never apologized for his actions, or the lives he had taken. He merely acknowledged that the choices he had made were not the right ones to obtain his goals. As the Dark Lord he, more than anyone, had learned just how corrupt and, in several ways crippled, the structure of their world was. The small part of that corruption he had known of as a child had started his quest, and his current in-depth knowledge of it demanded he take action.

Lucius' goals had not been so upstanding. He'd joined the Dark Lord freely, knowing he was steeping in Dark Magic, if not how much it was influencing the man's decisions. He'd joined to snub his father really. The Malfoys had always had such an intimidating reputation, one of cruelty and darkness, but Lucius' father had been a quiet, simple man who wanted nothing more than to sit in the gardens and read. His father had commanded no respect, had no influence – in fact he was mocked in their circle for being 'womanly'.

Lucius had achieved his goal in the Dark Lord's service. He was powerful and feared but the taint of being on the wrong side of the law was taking its toll, eroding all his work. While he had not begrudged Voldemort his skills, he had grown to enjoy the peace after the First Fall.

He too was a first hand witness to the corruption in the Ministry and elsewhere, had exploited it for his own gain many times, but acknowledged that things had to change if their society was to survive.

And then it was Harry's turn. Slowly but surely the two Slytherins pulled his life's story from him; the Dursleys, the cupboard, the starvation. Then his time at school; Quirrel, the fear sparked by his Parselmouth ability, the Tri-Wizard tournament and the loss of Sirius.

The Gryffindor actually felt considerably lighter afterwards.

Of course it wasn't all bad. They spoke of the good times as well, though those were few and far between for all of them. Harry told of Quidditch, and Hermione, the snakes in his Aunt's back garden that had kept him company all summer. He spoke of Ron before the redhead had distanced himself and of the Weasley's generosity.

They all had a good laugh over the Dobby incident and again when he told them about Buckbeak's rescue.

Lucius talked mostly of Draco. It was clear that the elder Malfoy truly loved his son.

Tom did not relate any happy moments, merely commented on Harry and Lucius' stories. Watching him, seeing the quick flashes of wistfulness, Harry realized that Tom most likely didn't have any pleasant memories and if he did they were so buried under the more recent nightmares of his life that he might never be able to resurrect them.

The young Gryffindor decided it was time all three of them had a bit more happiness in their lives. In fact, it was going to be his primary goal – a quest. And Gryffindors never fail when given a quest...