Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Harry stared at himself in the mirror. He could do this. It wasn’t that weird. It was all fun and games. Ginny would be freaked out, they’d have a good laugh and he'd change back at the end of the evening.

There wasn’t anything more to it.

They’d already learned how to transfigure themselves in class, it was just a new form. It wasn’t like he was unfamiliar with the form either.  There wasn’t a whole lot of difference – to see the face that haunted his dreams in the mirror instead of infront of him. He would have thought that the face would have slowly slid from his mind as the years went on, but if anything it only got stronger. It still scared him a little bit, but alas he had to do this. He’d already promised Ron, who was coming dressed up as Wormtail, that he would do this. There wasn’t any backing out now.

Slowly, he pulled out his wand and pointed it at himself, steadying his hand in the process.

He closed his eyes and focused on the tug of magic in his core, letting it flow throughout his entire body as he whispered the spell under his breath and envisioned the Tom Riddle that he’d met in second year in his mind.

Tom was so strong, crazy, and unpredictable. It was undeniably exciting. He never really just got to be like that, not with the face he so often put up around his friends.

Another deep breath later, he opened his eyes to meet the deep burgundy red of the man who haunted his dreams in the mirror. He was ready.

He quickly transfigured his robes into Slytherin ones and prepared his condescending smirk. He could do this.

Setting his gently condescending smirk into his face, he walked down from his dorm into the hallway where Ron was waiting, already dressed and transfigured to look like Wormtail. Though, Harry noted, it wasn’t exactly the best impression. The features were off and he definitely didn’t have the same air. “Bloody hell, mate. You look like a real snake.”

Harry gave a dry chuckle, “Yeah, I think it’s pretty accurate too. His face isn’t exactly easy to forget.”

Ron shivered slightly.

“Do you have your characterization down?” Harry asked and gave Ron a meaningful glance up and down.

Ron nodded firmly and said, “Yeah. Let’s go.”

Together, they walked down the stairwell into the Gryffindor common room.

With a gentle nudge, Harry made Ron enter the room first. It certainly caused a storm, which he watched amusedly from the doorway, as multiple people had their wands out and pointed at him.

A few nervously stuttered out explanations and a check from Hermione, Ron was cleared and glanced back at Harry in the doorway.

Since the drama surrounding Ron was resolved, Harry decided it was his time to make an entrance. Picking his smirk back up, which had fallen as he watched, he took a slightly nervous breath and tilted his head. This would be wonderfully chaotic.

With a slight strut to his gait, he walked into the common room and straight up to Ginny. Despite having on Slytherin robes, which as he looked around he discovered wasn’t super uncommon, no one really gave him a second glance as he entered. That was one of the perks of wearing Tom’s face tonight, no one would give him a second glance unless they knew Tom. Which of course, none of them did. Being anonymous for once was such a possibility for chaos and a truly wonderful experience for his psyche.

“Ginny,” Harry purred, staring down at her with his newfound height.

Ginny backed up rapidly as she made eye contact with him, almost spilling her drink. “Tom,” she hissed. “What are you doing here? Or are you just another of them in a costume?”

Harry reached out and cupped Ginny’s jaw, “Why would I ever be anyone except myself, my dear?”

She rapidly recoiled, “Don’t touch me.”

Harry gave a cold laugh. He was enjoying this. Tom was such a character, someone that he might’ve been if he hadn’t been in Gryffindor, so it really was particularly funny to tease her with it. It was nice to just separate himself from being the golden boy for once, he was certainly getting sick of the persona.

“Ginny, darling , why don’t you just sit down? Everything will be fine.”

“I don’t have to listen to you,” she pointedly angled her face away.

“Oh… but you will…” Harry glanced around the room slowly, “You wouldn’t want anything to happen, now would you?”

Ginny stiffened and Harry gave a tiny snort, “Now sit down and listen,” he said quietly.

Reluctantly she backed herself into her chair. Harry stood behind her, his back to the wall.

This was going on perhaps a bit too long. He didn’t really want to hurt her, he was his best mate’s sister after all. He just wanted a touch of fun.

He relaxed his pose into more of his typical one and crouched behind Ginny to whisper in her ear, “I’m kidding. It’s Harry. It’s all just a little bit of fun, but I still want to scare the others. Just play along, will you?”

Carefully, Ginny whispered back, “How do I know it’s really you? You sound like him. It’s not right.”

“You’re dating Luna,” he said in response. He was the only one she had confided in about it, and that was only because they were fake dating so that she could be with Luna without judgment from her family. The Weasleys hadn’t always been the most supportive, as they thought that she really belonged with Harry, so she had wanted to keep it quiet.

Ginny relaxed in her chair, “Go have your fun, consider it a favor repaid for everything you’ve done for me. Just, don’t scare me with him again, please. I- there’s a lot to unpack there regarding him.”

“I’ll be more careful in the future, darling ,” Harry told her and rubbed her shoulder before walking to the rest of the room.

As he sat down on the couch in the middle of the common room, he carefully observed the room. Ron had already changed back from his transfiguration and so had the majority of the other older students that had been transfigured. After the initial reveal of their identity, it wasn’t really fun anymore to keep it up. Afterall, it did make it more confusing for their friends. The younger students were all in muggle halloween costumes.

The gossip was already spreading and a group of couples were all making out. Afterall, it was Samahin. The muggle raised were chugging candy, of course. Meanwhile, the few purebloods were sitting in a corner and looking like they had betrayed god. Which, they had, so it wasn’t really incorrect. To not practice Samhain was to only hurt themselves and their magic. Without the help of Lady Magic to increase their magic and strengthen their connection to their favorite spells, they were dooming their own improvement.

 He sort of just sat there for a while, content to ignore the other Griffindors and his friends and just watch. It was nice to be anonymous for once. 

At this point, he was sort of considering heading downstairs into the dungeons to join the snakes in their Samhain ritual. It’d certainly be more funny to tease them, plus he’d get to see his boyfriend. No one up here even knew who he was dressed up as. Not to mention, it’d been nice to do Samhain in a group for once instead of always alone. 

The light had always banned the celebration of the sabbats, despite it being the very basis of their magic system, so practicing was often difficult for him. He was so sick of the ritualistic magic being seen as evil. Sure, it was “dark”, but, really, any rune was because of its direct connection to Lady Magic. He was honestly surprised they still taught Ancient Runes here, considering some of their associations. 

If he hadn’t been so deeply entrenched in what was expected of him as a golden savior, he might’ve, in another life, joined the death eaters to free their practices. That didn’t mean that he liked what he did, as Dumbledore’s golden boy, but he pretty much just had to accept it at this point. He wouldn’t be able to join them, not with the actions he had already done against them in the past.

The common room door slammed open. 

All heads turned to see Bellatrix Legstrange and a small horde of death eaters with her standing casually in the doorway. Casually, with a tilt to her head, Bellatrix said, “Who’s up for a fight?”

As one, the Griffindors all stood up, wands out in attack position. Harry however, stayed seated. He didn’t want to be caught up in another fight. He just wanted to practice Samahin, see Theo, and go to bed already.

As spells started to fly throughout the room, he disillusioned himself and slipped out the doorway.

He glanced back into the room at his friends all fighting, hoving for a moment in the hall. He didn’t want to fight. But… Ginny and Ron knew his disguise. He couldn’t just walk away without doing anything. They would report him to Dumbledore and then he’d get another lecture… which wasn’t ideal. But also, he really didn’t want to be caught up in this.

But, it wouldn’t be right to just leave them. He had to do something.

With a deep sigh, he reluctantly turned around and shot off a silent stunner at Bellatrix, removing his dissolution as he did so.

Bellatrix just swiveled around, dodging the spell and giggling, “Oho, pretty boy wants to play?” she cackled and gave him a smile, “Tell me… tell me. Are you really a snake or just a little lion in disguise?”

Harry just gave a feral grin and sent off another, stronger, stunner at her.

Bellatrix lightly skipped towards him as she dodged the stunner, “The silent type, eh? I’ll get that out of you fast. Pretty boy can’t hide for long.”

She sent a spell flying towards him, which he calmly sidestepped to dodge. She made it into the hallway and he backed up to give them some dueling room. “Come on pretty boy. Who are you under that little spell?”

He smirked, “Wouldn’t you like to know, darling ?” He didn’t want to give himself away that easily because then she would try even harder to kill him. Besides, it was certainly fun to continue on as Tom and this felt rather reminiscent of his character in a way that he couldn’t quite name. It almost felt like a memory… or a past life liven out in a dream.

She gave another cackle, “You’re so much like him . What little birdy gave you that persona?”

Harry hummed, “I am who I am, Bellatrix. You would do well to remember that.” He hissed Mordesmorde under his breath in parseltongue, making her crumple to the ground in pain while clutching her arm.

“Master,” she choked out.

Harry smiled and tilted his head at her lightly. The longer he played along the better.

She quickly stood up and glanced around as the pain subsided, “May I escort you to the dungeons, my lord?”

This was a terrible idea. And yet, he was going to do it anyway. This was his chance to make it out of his life as the golden child. This was his chance to start over and have real companionship during the sabbats other than the otherworldlies who joined. This was his chance to finally make a change. “Of course, Bella, darling .”

This was all going to come down crashing upon him the second he saw Voldemort, who would most certainly know that he was an imposter. But the little chance… a little chance to do Samhain as a group without judgment. The faintest chance to join them… It was too good to pass up. If he was able to get in with them without being killed instantly, maybe he could make his case to join them.

He led the way down to the dungeons, Bellatrix following just behind him. It was honestly nerve wracking to have his back to her, but if anything she was fiercely loyal to Voldie. She wouldn’t harm him as long as she thought that he was Tom. 

Probably.

Hopefully. She was certainly violate sometimes.

When they got to the common room entrance, Bellatrix tried to speak up, but Harry cut her off with a hiss, “ Open.”

The door slid into the floor to reveal the older Slytherin students with a mix of their parents and death eaters in uniform.

When they entered, no one seemed particularly shocked other than one death eater, who Harry couldn’t recognize, saying, “Bella, you’re done early.”

“I had to take Tom back here, for appearances,” she explained quietly, making sure that no one outside the three of them could hear what she was saying.

The man’s eyes flicked to Harry, “Back to the manor then, sir? So you can prepare for the Samhain ceremony later?”

Harry nodded, a cold look in his eyes.

The man pulled a portkey out of his pocket with a gloved hand and passed it to Harry.

One sickening moment later, Harry was inside a large office with a mahogany desk and a mid-twenties looking Tom Riddle facing him.

“Tom?”

Chapter Text

The older Tom stood up, flitting quickly around the desk and into Harry’s personal space.

Was he Voldemort? Or just a relative of him? It was honestly hard to tell. He didn’t think that Voldie had any relatives, but it was possible that he had a lookalike or a distant one.

The man reached out to touch Harry’s face carefully. Harry flinched back slightly but didn’t move. Older Tom ran his finger along Harry’s jaw and said with a heartbreaking gentle tone, “Haradian? Is that you?”

“I- I don’t know who you’re talking about,” Harry admitted honestly. He didn’t want to deceive the man.

Older Tom just shook his head and backed up slightly, waving his wand as he did so.

Harry felt the illusions covering him dissolve, putting him back in his Gryffindor uniform. Notably though, he didn’t lose the height he had earlier gained.

The older Tom got tears in his eyes, “It really is you. My boy…”

“I really don’t know who you’re talking about,” Harry said again, trying to drive home the point that he wasn’t who Tom thought he was. “I didn’t mean any harm, it was just an illusion for fun. I just wanted to join the Slytherins for Samhain.”

“I suppose I shouldn’t have expected you to, Haradian. I’m sure the compulsions were strong. Let’s go, Gringotts awaits.”

The older Tom grabbed his arm and they apparated away, Harry getting slightly nauseous from the trip.

The moment they emerged into Gringotts, Tom dragged Harry up to the counter. “We need a paternity test.”

What the actual hell was going on? He was 99.9% percent sure that Voldemort of all people was not his father. What did he do?

The goblin looked them up and down, “Do you really need it?” The goblin gave a faint chuckle, “I’m kidding, one paternity test coming right up. What’s your name?”

“Tom Marvalo Riddle.”

So he really was Voldemort. That definitely wasn’t creepy at all, that his arch nemesis thought he was his son.

The goblin paled slightly and checked his log, “Your account manager is Bobwig, yes?”

Tom nodded and the goblin got down from his stand to lead them into one of the back offices.

They followed the goblin into one of the many offices that lined the halls of the back rooms.

As they sat down in the two chairs facing the desk, the goblin left to get Tom’s account manager.

Meanwhile, Harry just stared in the mirror behind the desk. He was wearing his Gryffindor robes, but the illusions on his face and height hadn’t lowered. Sure, his hair was slightly different, more black with tighter curls than the gentle waves that had been present before but still.

What was happening? Tom had tried to change him back, one of the greatest wizards alive, and he didn’t even do anything. Harry’s robes were the exact same spell and timing as his face and body. By all known laws of magic and transfiguration, he should have changed back once the spells on his robes were removed.

So what in the love of Lady Magick was going on?

At this point, he almost just wished that he had stayed back in the tower or in his room. He didn’t want to deal with this right now. He shouldn’t have done this stupid prank in the first place. He should’ve just dressed up as a dog or prepared in advance to become an animagus. Really, anything was better than this.

A different goblin came in and created Tom with a toothy smile, “Mr. Riddle. I see you wanted a paternity test? For the youngling here?”

Tom nodded, “He looks too much like Haradian would have for me not to be suspicious.”

The goblin, presumably Bobwig, glanced back and forth between Harry and Tom once.

“I understand. I’ll get out the forms.”

Bobwig sat down behind his desk and dug around in the drawer for a moment before pulling out a ceremonial knife and two seemingly blank sheets of paper.

“Just two drops of blood from each of you on the sheet,” the goblin explained as he started the process.

Two emotionally draining hours later, Harry walked back out of Gringotts with a new name, new parents, and a set of lord and heirship rings on his fingers.

He was so done. James had kidnapped him as a baby from Bellatrix because he apparently thought that she wasn’t a fit parent. Harry actually didn’t blame him, Harry wouldn’t have trusted her with a baby either, but it did make Harry’s whole encounter with her earlier even more awkward. He flirted with his mother, while pretending to be his father. That- that was just really funky on his brain.

He didn’t like it.

Not to mention, how was he going to break the news to his friends? He certainly wasn’t the prophecy child, his birthday was in early August not July. He really wasn’t light and he didn’t have any of the same views on dark/light magic and rituals as them. 

Would they just drift apart? Would they snap at him? What about his face? He’d have to use illusions or transfigure his face 24/7 if he wanted to go back to school.

What would happen to them? He didn’t want to give them up, especially Ginny and Luna. They were good friends, regardless of his alignment and thoughts on political issues. He’d always suspected Luna was gray or darker anyways, but that didn’t matter as much. He really valued their friendship. They were always there when he needed them for comfort and he was there for them. It was a healthy relationship, which was more he could say for Ron and Hermione, and he really treasured it.

With Tom (Dad? Father? Tom?), he apparated back to Malfoy Mansion.

They settled down on the lounge couch in the study, chatting idly as Harry explained his own thoughts and what had happened over the last few years.

His father was certainly interesting. He seemed caring and thoughtful about Harry, but Harry also knew his otherside. Tom could be brutal, vicious even, to his followers and others so it was certainly a strange contrast. Yet, he found that he didn’t really mind it. His father cared and that was all that mattered.

It was so strange to know that his face almost exactly mirrored the face in front of him. It was eerie.

About an hour later, Bellatrix burst in suddenly with a sunshiny voice, “It’s time for Samhain, darling!”

Both Harry and Tom turned to face her. She startled back, “Tom?”

“Hello, darling,” Tom said gently, “This is Haradian.”

Tears gathered in her eyes and she rushed to hug him, beginning to run her fingers through his hair as she did so, “My baby boy…. You’re here.”

“Hi… Mum,” Harry said quietly.

“My little one, I’ve missed you so much. I can’t believe I didn’t- earlier…,” Bellatrix said quietly. Then under her breath, just barely audible, she said, “He’s alive. He’s alive. He’s alive.”

A few minutes later, Bellatrix pulled away and looked at Tom, “How?”

“He came back, that’s all that matters, love. Don’t worry about it, I’ll tell you later tonight,” Tom said gently, reassuring.

She looked pensive for a moment before saying, “Ah yes. Samhain. Do you have formal robes, darling? Narsssia is holding a ball afterwards.”

“Umm no. The only formal robes I have are from fourth year and I don’t think they’ll fit anymore.”

She gave him a quick look up and down as if measuring him up, “You can wear some of your cousin, Draco’s. They’ll be a little short, but I can make some alterations.”

Malfoy was his cousin now. Draco Malfoy, his literal worst enemy, was his cousin. How the heck was he going to react? This was messed up.

Harry nodded along.

She grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the room, “Let’s go so that your father can get ready.” She gently dragged him all the way up several flights of stairs to a seemingly random corner of the mansion.

They stopped in front of one of the more spread apart suite rooms, Bellatrix knocked on the door, “Draco, honey? Are you decent? I’ve got someone for you to meet.”

“Yeah, you can come in,” Malfoy’s voice called from behind the door.

Bellatrix opened up the door to reveal Malfoy in formal robes fixing his collar. Harry followed her in as Malfoy turned to face them.

“Draco, this is your cousin Haradian. My son.”

Malfoy’s eyes widened so much that they looked like they would bulge out of his head, “I thought he was dead…”

“It’s complicated,” Harry said honestly. “I can explain more once we’re alone. I’m sure he will want to fill her in on all the details.”

Malfoy’s mouth opened slightly as Harry spoke.

Bellatrix moved her hand to Harry’s shoulder and addressed Draco, “Do you have any dress robes that are too long on you? It’s too late for us to shop.”

Malfoy opened up his wardrobe and shuffled through hundreds of sets of robes before finally pulling out an outfit and eye judging how it would look on Harry, “This should fit.”

The outfit in question was a stunning green silk suit set with an optional lovely dark green overcloak for warmth. He loved it.

Bellatrix nodded, “Just send me an owl or come find me if you need any alterations, then.”

“We will,” Malfoy promised and Bellatrix left the room.

The moment that the door shut behind her, Malfoy pulled out his wand and pointed it straight at Harry with an angry look on his face, “What are you playing at, Potter?”

Chapter Text

Harry’s shoulders relaxed from the tense position they’d been in before throwing his hands up in the air in frustration and ranting, “I don’t know! I was transfigured to be younger Tom to mess with Ginny, but then Bellatrix showed up and she recognized me and I used parseltongue to make her mark burn just to play along ‘cause I wanted to celebrate Samhain with you guys. But then she brought me down to the dungeons and they sent me to Tom’s office, and then he removed the transfigurations but they didn’t freaking come off and now I’m stuck like this and we went to Gringotts and I got a blood test and I’m their freaking kid and now I’m here. I’ve got no clue, anymore. It’s been crazy.”

Malfoy was honestly the only one he could tell this all to right now. He wouldn’t attack him and probably wouldn’t judge him.

Malfoy stared at him blankly and lowered his wand, “What the hell.”

“I know, right! I’m so done,” Harry expressed.

Malfoy bent over, laughing, “You freaking idiot. You went 16 years without knowing that your parents weren’t even yours.”

“It’s not my fault! I looked like them, Malfoy. How was I supposed to know any different?”

“You. Your whole personality and life. You’ve never really acted like either of them, based on the stories my mother has told me. You’re so much like Uncle sometimes, it’s absurd. How’d you even get into Gryffindor?” Malfoy asked him.

He’d always thought he acted like a mix between the two of his “parents”, or at least the exaggerated stories that he’d been told about them from Sirius, but now, looking back, he did act a fair amount like Tom sometimes. Especially when he wanted something from someone. He wasn’t really sure how much he acted like Bellatrix, but he also supposed that he never knew her before she was insane, so that was that.

“I persuaded the sorting hat,” Harry told him.

“Of course you did. I’m not even surprised. And, it’s Draco now, got it?” 

“Alright. Harry, then.”

Draco nodded along, “Let’s get you presentable, we’re expected outside by the fire in about half-an-hour. You do know how to practice Samhain, yes?”

“Yeah. I’ve been celebrating all the sabbats on my own since fourth-year,” he replied. Victor had been the first one to introduce him to it, when he invited Harry to his small ritual party in fourth-year.

“On your own?” Draco echoed, “That must’ve been terrible.”

“I’m pretty solitary anyways, it didn’t matter much to me if I was the only human among the visiting fae and otherworldlies,” Harry shrugged.

“What fae ?” Draco asked carefully, “It isn’t normal for any fae or otherworldlies to show up unless someone is about to die or something tragic is about to happen. Have you ever had anything happen on your sabatts?”

Harry shrugged, “Samhain’s always been weird for me, tends to be chaotic before the night’s practice. Like today… But it’s usually nothing particularly tragic. I mean- when I was a baby, the whole thing with James and Lily happened on Samhain. Then, first year the troll burst in…”

“By Lady Magick, you really do have a crazy life, Harry. I’m not surprised that they're interested in you,” Draco expressed in disbelief and then sighed, “Let’s get you in robes, or we’re going to run out of time to fix up your hair.”

Harry took the outfit and went into the adjoining bathroom to change. He wasn’t comfortable with Draco seeing his scars, despite everything else. His scars were different from his past. The scars were his weakness, his loss, while his past was his strength, his dedication to moving forward. 

After he was changed, he emerged into the bedroom. “How do I look?” he asked Draco, who had taken up a book while he waited.

“Terrible,” Draco said passively. “Sit down,” he motioned to his makeup station, “I’ll fix your hair and then your robes before we leave.”

Harry sat down in the makeup chair and Draco began running his fingers through Harry’s hair, “When was the last time you washed this… you know what never mind, I don’t even want to know.”

Draco cast a cleaning spell on his hair and got out a pair of scissors from one of his drawers, “I’m just going to trim down a few of your random strands that are weirdly long.”

Harry just held still while Draco messed with his hair. He didn’t really care what Draco did with it, he trusted that he probably wouldn’t ruin it. Not today, at least.

Twenty minutes, a haircut, and a few covered up pimples later, Draco repositioned Harry’s robes to just the right level and escorted him out to the fire.

As Harry approached, Tom turned to face him as if he could sense where Harry was. Harry slid up to him as Draco went to the other side of the fire, “Father,” he said quietly.

“Haradian… you look good,” Tom said as Bellatrix wrapped an arm around Harry’s shoulder.

“Are you ready?” Bellatrix asked him.

“Yeah… I’m ready,” he said as he stared into the fire.

A fair amount of time later, all of the death eaters and their children were gathered around the fire.

Tom stepped forward from the crowd, “Everyone, welcome. At last, it is time for our favorite sabbath.”

The group cheered.

Tom pulled out a pad of note paper from his pocket and used accio for an entire armful of pens, “Now is the time for us to all start anew. Write the change you want to see and bring us forward. One and all we have all gathered here because we want to free our own practices from the hands of those who would prevent our practice.”

He passed out the pens of paper and everyone scribbled down their answers.

When it got to Harry, he wrote, “ I wish to see my own path forward and my own improvement along with the freedom of our practices. ”

When everyone was done writing it down, along with the mold chatting that everyone shared, Tom took their attention once again, “Let us begin.”

As one, they moved clockwise in a circle around the fire, throwing their wishes in the fire one at a time in order.

Harry slowly relaxed as he spun and moved around the circle. It was calming in a way. 

Freeing.

When the crowd had all thrown in their wishes, beautiful androgynous people stepped out of the fire. The fae were here.

Almost as one, everyone reached in their pockets, pulled out their gloves, and put them on. Everyone, except Harry, that was.

One of them, dressed in a dark robe with a hood pulled over their face, floated up to Harry, “Haradian, it is good to see you again,” they said as they fell in sync with Harry’s movement around the fire.

“Death. A pleasure.”

The crowd around them muttered lightly.

Harry reached out his hand to Death.

A different hand clapped on his shoulder, “Do not touch him, Harry. You will not live to see the dawn,” he heard Draco whisper quietly in his ear before he drifted off.

Harry didn’t care. His gloves were in his pocket, but he knew that it didn’t matter either way. He’d already died once, he could die again.

He took Death’s hand and shivered slightly as a wash of cold came over him.

Death gave him a quietly gentle look, “You’ve learned and grown much since I last saw you, my little protege.”

“And you have grown ever wiser, I expect,” Harry responded as they began to dance.

“How are your studies on our art going?”

“Well, I can do the basics but humans are still beyond me.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll get it soon, I expect. You’re doing well. I can stay with you as soon as you master it.”

Harry nodded and allowed Death to swirl him around.

“Thank you,” Harry replied and allowed Death to pass him off to one of the fae as a dancing partner.

Many partners later, Harry made his way back to Death to say goodbye, as their time tonight was coming to a close until the sabbat.

“Death,” Harry said, “Did any of the others come tonight?”

“We’re all always where the others go, you of all people should know that. They’ll make their way to see you before they leave, I expect. The fates didn’t come, though, they had other things to attend to.” Death paused for a moment, “Goodbye, little one. I shall see you again for Yule.”

“Of course. Goodbye,” Harry gave a small bow to his teacher. Death ruffled his hair and gave a kind nod before passing him off once again.

Later that night, when the dancing slowed and the ritual came to an end, the fae pulled themselves out of the crowd and the death eaters backed up.

Harry searched through the crowd, looking for the others. At last, he caught a glance of Life, clad all in white, contrasting starkly against the darker robes of the death eaters.

Life came towards him and stopped about a foot from him, “Haradian, I will expect great things from you until we meet again.”

Harry chuckled lightly, “You have no domain over me, Life.”

Life gave him a smile from under his hood and gave a little laugh, “I’ll just keep watch on you for now, I might just want to steal you from Death’s grasp for a little mentorship.”

“You know you can’t do that, Life. I’m too far gone for you,” Harry responded.

“Worth a shot,” Life swung his arm in an indifferent motion.

Life gave him a nod and walked off.

A moment later, Lady Magick slid into view, as elegant as always.

“My lady,” Harry addressed her and bowed low.

“Haradian, I see you’ve found your family,” she told him, her voice smooth and strong.

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied respectfully as he straightened up.

“Good. You will do well here, the assigned light was not good for you,” she told him.

“Thank you, milady,” Harry bowed again. Almost all the fae had left and he didn’t want to take up her time any longer.

Lady Magick reached out and ruffled his hair, “Goodbye, Haradian. I shall see you on the next sabbat.”

“Yes, milady,” Harry replied quietly.

She left back into the fire and the woods were quiet once more, the death eaters thoughtful from the ritual.

Slowly, the death eaters made their way back into the manor for the ball and feast. Harry slid up to Draco as they walked through the gardens.

“What the hell was that?” Draco asked him as they walked.

“What do you mean?” Harry asked him. It wasn’t that weird.

“Death, Life, Lady Magick… They all talked to you. Only you. Death and Lady Magick even ruffled your hair. And you weren’t wearing gloves. What the hell, Harry?”

Harry shrugged, “Death took me under his wing after the first time I died and I think Lady Magick likes me. Life’s pretty hostile since I’m in Death’s domain, though. As far as the gloves, because I’m in Death’s domain, the fae can’t harm me. I can’t touch Life, though, his touch burns like the fae.”

“What even is your life, Harry?” Draco said, defeated.

He just shrugged again, “Eh. It’s normal at this point.”

Draco shook his head and they went inside the manor.

The moment they got inside, Harry started to glance around for his parents and anyone else he knew.

After spotting the Slytherins in his grade, he wandered with Draco up to his parents, who were conversing with Draco’s parents.

“Mum, Dad,” Harry said as he walked up.

His mother turned to face him and scooched over slightly so that he could stand between them. “Cissy, this is Haradian.”

His father gave him a smile as he approached and ruffled his hair, “Haradian.”

Narassia immediately rushed forward and pulled him up into a hug, “Oh little one, it’s good to have you back.” She pulled back to look at him better, “Call me Aunt Cissy, okay? You can call on me whenever you need me. Your parents were just telling me you need a new wardrobe, so we’ll be doing that soon.”

She let him go.

Harry gave her a gentle smile, “Thanks.”

She ruffled his hair, “You go on, I’ll introduce you to everyone at supper.”

Harry nodded and followed Draco to join his friends.

When they finally found his friends, Harry made eye contact with Nott.

“Guys, this is Haradian,” Draco introduced him when they approached.

“Hello,” Harry said.

“Harry?” Theo whispered.

Harry grinned and leaned in to give Theo a quick hug and kiss on the cheek, “Hello, love.”

Zabini stared at him for a moment, “Of freaking course, my best mate is dating a deathling, and an old one at that.”

Harry chuckled, “Quite the aura reader aren’t you, Zabini.”

“How are you still alive? It- it doesn’t make sense. Your soul isn’t fractured, if anything it’s got an extra little straggler.”

“Death is an old friend at this point,” Harry shrugged, “I died for the first time when I was just over a year old and he took me under his protection. I’m honestly not even sure that I am alive anymore, but I’m close enough.”

It really wasn’t a big deal anymore. He didn’t care about sharing this, after how clearly Death picked him out in the ritual crowd.

Zabini shook his head and Theo shrugged, “He’s just like that, ya gotta accept it.”

Zabini snorted and muttered, “Alright, man.”

Theo grinned at his boyfriend, “You’ll give me the full story later?”

“Of course. Our usual spot back at school?”

“Yeah. That’d be nice,” Theo smiled and blushed slightly.

Harry smiled back at him.

The rest of the party was fairly uneventful as he was formally introduced to the party, talked with Aunt Cissy, and explained everything to Theo.

After the party, all of the students went back to Hogwarts, the majority just apparating back into their rooms since the barriers were always down on the sabbats.

When he got back to his dorm room, he collapsed onto his bed. A few minutes later, just as he was getting comfortable under the covers, Ron burst into the room and, as soon as he saw Harry laying in his bed, said, “Mate? You’re still in disguise.”

Harry sighed, “Yeah. I’m kinda stuck like this for now. I’ll figure it out in the morning.”

Ron just shook his head, “Whatever, mate. Just be back to normal for classes tomorrow, yeah?”

Harry hummed in agreement and rolled over to go to sleep. He’d throw on an illusion in the morning and roll with it for the next few months until he got out of school. It’d be fine.

He could just roll with it for now and disappear from his life as Harry Potter as soon as he graduated.

And, if Draco and Theo happened to throw him some odd looks in the halls until Yule when he could talk to them again safely, well no one had to know.

Afterall, he was just Harry Potter, the golden child, to the majority of the public. They never really needed to know anything different.

A new chance. A new life. A new opportunity.

And best of all, freedom at last.