Tom raged and threw the locket into the wall with such force that it left a dent.
"That bastard!" he roared, "he set me up from the beginning!"
"What do you mean Tom?" Severus asked calmly, as if he was trying to settle a wild beast.
"The horcruxes," Tom explained. "I used to talk with Professor Slughorn when I was younger since most of my peers gave me a wide berth. Everyone thought I was a Muggleborn so I didn't have a very high standing amongst my Slytherin peers at first but Slughorn never seemed to mind that. We used to have very in depth talks, about potions at first, then we somehow moved onto the dark arts. He always said he saw great potential in me."
"You truly must have been a prodigy then as Slughorn only begrudgingly acknowledged Lily at first and used to actually suggest she look into her family as he struggled to believe she could be a Muggleborn with how well she took to the subject." Severus frowned, "I'm curious as to when he was interested in the dark arts however as he was always very adverse to it when we were at school."
"Yeah even we recognised that," Sirius nodded, "used to say how strange it was for the head of Slytherin to be light."
Tom shook his head. "Slughorn was far from light but he was friendly with Dumbledore, them having both attended Hogwarts at the same time, if a few years apart. I didn't mind the fact at the time, too grateful to have someone appreciate the effort I was putting into my studies and, as such I didn't question it when Slughorn gave me a copy of Secrets of the Darkest Arts to study, which is how I learned how to make them in the first place. If Dumbledore has a horcrux, however, then I think it's safe to assume that either Slughorn gave him a copy of the book as well or, more likely, that Dumbledore gave Slughorn the copy to give to me in the first place as Slughorn did always seem to defer to Dumbledore."
"You think Slughorn befriended you at Dumbledore's behest?" Severus asked.
Tom nodded. "At the time I just thought he saw my brilliance but, looking back, he seems to have put more stock in a student's standing than their mind, as we can see from how he treated you, Severus, which makes his behaviour towards me all the more suspicious. What I find particularly worrying is that I recognise that locket as having previously belonged to Hepzibah Smith, a collector of artefacts that I met while working at Borgin and Burke's. She was very friendly with me and actually used to try flirting with me which I think is why she was willing to tell me about this locket, that had belonged to Salazar Slytherin, and her other prized possession: Helga Hufflepuff's cup. Of course I couldn't turn down the chance to look at it when she offered to show them to me and even talked to her elderly house elf about the veracity of her claims. I did wonder what had happened to them after she died but I didn't want to go around enquiring after them since Dumbledore had already tried to pin her death on me."
"I remember that," Sirius said, frowning in concentration, "her elderly house elf accidentally poisoned her. My mother said it was proof that old aunt Elladora was right and that elves should be killed before they became a danger to the family. I tried to say that Kreacher already was a danger to me but she wasn't having any of it."
"Filthy traitors deserved it, he a menace," Kreacher muttered while staring darkly at Sirius.
"Did you ever do anything to warrant his dislike of you?" Severus asked.
"Just a few harmless pranks," Sirius shrugged, "you know like switching the sugar and the salt in the kitchen, moving antiques around and putting permanent sticking charms or freezing the blankets on his bed, nothing he couldn't easily fix."
"Yes except yous knows house elves can't use magic to help ourselves, only wizards, so I's freezing until master Regulus fixed it for me!" Kreacher wailed.
"Sirius, that wasn't very nice," Harry admonished. "You shouldn't bully someone like that, especially someone who's trying to help you."
"I didn't realise he couldn't fix it himself, they were just meant to be harmless pranks," Sirius said, trying to justify himself.
Harry just shook his head. "As someone who was the victim of my cousin's so-called pranks I can tell you that it isn't nice and you should apologise. What you did was bullying and I'm really disappointed in you right now, especially as I doubt Kreacher was the only victim of your 'pranks'. "
"No he wasn't," Severus admitted. "He and his friends made many student's lives hell while they were at Hogwarts and they were there and they rarely got in trouble for it."
"It was just meant to be a bit of fun," Sirius moaned, "and you gave back as good as you got Snivellus!"
"Yes but unlike you I only retaliated," Severus pointed out, "and I would never dream of targeting younger years like you did."
"And what did we tell you about name calling Black!" Tom admonished. "If you want to stay with us I expect better behaviour. I know you were stuck in Azkaban for years but you are an adult now and a parent. Act like it."
Harry looked disappointedly at Sirius and shook his head before turning to Kreacher and crouching down to get to his level. "I want you to tell me if he ever tries to do anything like that again ok." Kreacher nodded, his eyes swimming with emotions. "Now is there any chance you could take us to the Black home? It's just I worked hard to get away from Dumbledore and would hate for him to find me now."
"Yes master Harry, I's take you and your mates, although I's not sure about the one that sired you," Kreacher groused.
"Unfortunately it's probably best we take him as I fear he might cause too much damage if left unchecked, although feel free to dump him back here anytime he misbehaves," Tom smirked, "and leave his new wand at the castle if you do."
Kreacher grinned.
"You know it's really difficult to take you seriously when you talk like that since you barely look older than Harry," Sirius huffed.
"Well it's not something you need to worry about as that is the next thing I plan on sorting out," Tom said, "and if Kreacher is willing to help it's something I should be able to accomplish easily."
It turns out that Kreacher was more than happy to help the great dark lord, especially as it would mean helping him reclaim his full power which Kreacher saw as the ultimate honor. Before that they set off to Black Castle and wasn't that a shock. Kreacher popped them all in the entrance all and Harry could swear that it was even bigger than Hogwarts with two staircases sweeping up to either side of the first floor and, between them, was a large tapestry that was absolutely full of names including, at the bottom, was Harry's name linked with a black line to James Potter.So it is true!" Sirius gasped, "you are my son."
"It's what we've been telling you," Harry smirked, "although it does help to have visible evidence of it. Wonder what the black line means?" He also wondered what the broken gold line linking his name with Tom and Severus meant but he didn't particularly want to draw Sirius's attention to that.
"It means that the pair was not bonded when the child was born," said a portrait of a richly dressed dark skinned man, "and the broken gold line indicates a bond that has yet to be consummated. That tapestry is a very intricate form of magic utilised by families in Africa and its how the family was able to keep track of everyone including any bastards as well as unplanned pregnancies; something which apparently came in quite handy in later generations."
"Who are you?" Sirius asked.
"I am Suleiman, known as Suleiman the Black, the first of this family who came over from Koumbi Saleh, Wagadou, to seek out new trade partners and stayed in this country to act as a diplomat," the portrait said. "Who are all of you? I assume at least one of you is a Black to be able to enter the property."
Sirius looked shocked to see his ancestor and had to shake himself out of his stupor to answer. "I am Sirius Black and this is my s, my son. Harry."
"Ah, the prodigal heir!" Sulieman grinned, "it is good that you have returned. Arcturus and Orion will be happy to see you, especially if you've brought your child. Orion was of the opinion that you would never have a child and the line would die with you."
"It was some unusual circumstances," Sirius admitted, "although I'm not sure I'm ready to see my father just yet. I had a run in with my mother this morning and I'm still dealing with the things I learned. I didn't even know this castle existed."
"That is understandable," Suleiman nodded, "I was never overly fond of that woman but she used to have Orion wrapped around her finger when they were younger. I am just glad that Arcturus managed to out live her. I would like to ask how you came here, though, since last I heard you had been incarcerated Sirius, with no hope of release?"
"I escaped to find Harry and possibly get revenge for a friend although it now seems like revenge isn't necessary," Sirius sighed, "although I have since learned that Harry is my son and not my godson as I had thought so it was definitely worth breaking out of Azkaban."
"I did think it was slightly strange since Arcturus said you have been found guilty of killing 13 muggles and another wizard," Sulieman pondered.
"That's a lie!" Sirius exclaimed. "Not only was I not guilty of killing those muggles, but the wizard isn't even dead and I was never actually given a trial, just dumped into Azkaban and left to rot, presumably on the orders of Albus Dumbledore since he was covering up the fact that Harry was my son."
"What!" exclaimed an elderly looking man who barged into Suleiman's painting, "but there has to have been a trial, I saw the transcripts. Do you honestly expect me to leave my grandson and heir to rot in jail if I can help it. I scoured over the pages and couldn't find a single way to get you off."
Sirius looked shocked at that announcement but managed to shake himself out. "I don't know what you've seen er, grandad, but I promise you there was no trial."
"I can attest to that sir," Severus said. "Dumbledore had tampered with your grandson's memories, removing any reference of himself at those events as well as blocking Black, I mean Sirius's knowledge that he had a naturally strong bond with Harry. I have been able to restore his memories but I can assure you that there was no memory of a trial. If there had been, I can assure you the truth would have come out that Sirius was completely innocent of the crimes."
The new man, Arcturus if the tapestry was anything to go by, grew furious. "That bastard Dumbledore has lost me time with my grandson as well as my great grandson in life. I will make sure he pays for his crimes and all crimes against this family, so mote it be."
"I will be happy to assist you with that endeavour, sir, as soon as I have regained my former strength," Tom smiled up at the man.
Arcturus lookee at Tom quizzically. "You look exactly like a younger version of a boy called Tom Riddle who was in the year below my daughter, Lucretia, at school, but you can't possibly be him."
"I am him and it's a long story," Tom said, "as is how I am bound to your great grandson, but if you allow us all to stay I'm sure we can tell it to you at some stage."
"Of course you can stay," Arcturus announced, "this is the perfect place for Sirius to stay until his innocence is proven since it is entirely unplottable and very few wizards outside of the family even know it exists, one thing Walburga was actually good for."Plus you shouldn't even need to leave," Suleiman informed them. "It is a medieval fortress designed to withstand sieges so is completely self-sufficient, with our own spring as well as farms for food and potions ingredients which have been well maintained by the family house elves, so you should have no reason to even leave the castle walls. Should you need to go out for any reason, though, there is a supply of gold that is always kept in the vaults that are automatically accessible to the head of the house."
"I'm in charge!" Sirius exclaimed.
"Not quite," Arcturus winced. "The management of the household automatically shifted to your heir once you were incarcerated as a precaution. It's an old tactic but it wasn't uncommon for countrys' leaders to incarcerate members of a family on trumped up charges if they wanted to leave a property unprotected. There are ways to transfer the powers back but it might be difficult as you are technically a fugitive and the magic might not want to risk it."
"Its proper best to leave it with Harry anyway given that Black, Sirius, isn't exactly known for being sensible or responsible which is something that I imagine is a benefit with the head of the family," Severus suggested which caused Sirius to pull a face at him, an improvement on what his previous response would have been but it still only served to Severus's point.
"But he's just a kid!" Sirius argued.
"And you act like one!" Severus countered. "Plus Harry is more likely to listen to advice whereas you tend to run off half cocked. With Harry in charge you will still have some say in matters but can you honestly say you would listen to his opinion if the roles were reversed?"
"Well no, he's a kid who knows nothing of the wizarding world, why would I listen to him?" Sirius questioned.
"And that is my point precisely," Severus grinned.
"It's nice to have your vote of confidence dad ," Harry sneered. Sirius gaped at Harry, seeming to realise his mistake.
"I must admit this place seems perfect for us, Suleiman, so thank you, and thank you Arcturus," Tom said, ignoring the byplay of the rest of the group. "Would you be kind enough to call someone to show these three around? I, unfortunately, have important business to attend to which is best not left."
Tom called Kreacher again and, after some whispered instructions, disappeared. Arcturus, in the meantime, called Picky who was apparently the house elf in charge, to show them around the castle, ott at least some of it. Picky was more than happy to wax lyrical about his home: one that had been added to over the centuries to accommodate what had been an ever growing family. The sturdy curtain wall and moat enclosed a large area which included the great hall, the kitchen and an immense library and potions room on the ground floor, with areas for animals outside, although these seemed to be more for potions ingredients if Severus's reaction was anything to go by, although there seemed to be a bit of a kitchen garden as well, and Picky told him there were house elves that were specifically trained to look after these creatures and collect what was needed. The spring was also located in this area and Picky told them it was well protected to make sure that the house had access to clean water. The stream it produced cut under the wall, feeding a moat outside the wall as well as the land and Picky was happy to tell them that it was actually an unknown source of the great river Eden.
Beyond the wall there were apparently farms for crops and farm animals as well as a mill and a brewery but Picky said they would not have time to look at those that day, leading them away from the impressive fortifications to the luxuriously appointed family apartments which had Harry gaping in amazement. He had thought that Hogwarts was amazing but it had nothing on the Black family home and he had to keep pinching himself to remind him that it was real. The wooden panelled walls gave the large room a feeling of warmth and Harry could imagine that it helped with the draughts that were such a normal part of Hogwarts life. The rooms had even been separated into suites, complete with bedrooms, bathroom, reception rooms and studies so that each family could have their privacy while living together.
They were all tired by the time they had finished the tour and were happy to sit down to a lavish meal. Picky had informed them that there was an army of house elves who looked after the whole estate. It turned out that a lot of them had started their own families that were happy to continue serving the Black's so that there was no shortage of hands to maintain the estate. The only problem was that even after his meal Severus still seemed very tired and looked more wan than usual.
"Tom was right about not drinking wasn't he?" Harry said, looking worriedly at the potions master.
"I fear so," Severus sighed. "Dumbledore usually keeps me on a very tight lease during term time and the cross continent apparitions took more out of me more than I realised."
"Then perhaps you should feed now, then," Harry suggested, "I mean we're settled here now, aren't we?"
"Don't you dare!" Sirius roared, "you can't just offer yourself up like that! I know you said he can't kill you but you don't know what it'll do to you!"
"Sirius is right Harry," Severus said, "I want you to be sure you know what you're doing, a vampire feeding can have unforeseen consequences."
"Will it hurt?" Harry asked.
"Unlikely, no," Severus replied. "A vampire is at its weakest when he's feeding so the bite tends to evoke feelings of euphoria in the donor to prevent them from wishing to harm the person feeding off them."
"Yes but that will leave you vulnerable," Sirius huffed, "which is why I will be staying here to make sure that Harry's safe."
"Then perhaps we should retire to somewhere more comfortable than the main dining hall," Severus sighed.
Picky led them up to the suite that was set aside for the head of the family and Severus settled onto one of the wingback chairs by the fireplace and motioned for Harry to sit on his lap. Harry fidgeted a bit, he could feel Sirius's eyes boring into him from where he sat on the opposite chair, but he swallowed his resolve and sat down across Severus's knees, refusing to look at his father. It was awkward as Severus pulled Harry a little closer but Harry tilted his neck anyway, hoping it was the right thing to do.
Apparently it was and Harry couldn't cover up the shiver he felt as Severus licked the skin on his neck. He gasped in pain and clutched the front of the man's robes when the fangs first pierced his skin but the pain soon dissipated and Harry felt his whole body become flush, tingling all over and causing him to shiver again. It felt like a sucking sensation at his neck and Harry was aware that it should be painful but it only felt good, so good, and Harry was shocked to hear himself moaning and leaning into Severus. Just as he felt something building, Severus pulled back and Harry felt himself whine at the loss.
"I think that is enough for now," Severus said, his own cheeks now flushed with colour. "I definitely felt the difference of the phoenix power in your blood. I didn't take much as I don't have any blood replenishing potions on me so I'm afraid you'll probably feel weak for a while. Would you like me to carry you to bed?"
"That would probably be a good idea," Harry said, slightly breathlessly.
"I'll carry him," Sirius announced.
"No," Harry exclaimed, pulling closer to Severus, "please Sirius."
"I fear the feeding has had the usual effect on him," Severus explained, "so I don't think he would feel comfortable with you carrying him at the moment."
"But I'm meant to be his father," Sirius grouced, "and I'm not sure if I entirely trust you with him."
"Of course you can trust Severus with me," Harry huffed, "he's already saved my life more than once and risked himself getting wands."That's not what I meant and the fact that you're innocent enough not to realise that is all the more reason for me to be the one to take you to bed," Sirius argued.
"No!" Harry shouted, pressing closer to Severus.
"I understand that you are technically his father, and while I applaud you for tapping into those paternal feelings you have to remember that Harry only met you yesterday so you are essentially a stranger to him," Severus reasoned.
Sirius scowled at him. "Fine," he growled, "but if I find that his virtue has been even remotely tarnished I will have your head."
Severus sighed. "You will know straight away if anything happens Black as the line on the family tapestry will turn solid gold. Now feel free to stand outside the door waiting but I'm afraid I must insist that Harry get some sleep to recover as well as a mug of hot chocolate to help replenish his fluids and blood sugar."
He lifted Harry up with ease and walked over to a room, laying Harry on the bed that had already been turned down and passing him a mug of hot chocolate that was waiting on the bedside table.
"What did Sirius mean about tarnishing my virtue?" Harry asked, once he was settled comfortably against the pillows.
"You are very innocent Harry, on certain ways anyway, but given our possible relationship I don't know if I am the best person to explain things to you," Severus said, clearly a little uncomfortable.
"Was he talking about sex?" Harry queried, causing Severus to splutter as well as Sirius who was obviously listening outside the door. "My cousin and his friends had bought some magazines over the summer and he liked to hide them in my room when his mum was cleaning so he didn't get in trouble. The articles in them were interesting sometimes but I didn't really see the appeal of the pictures."
"That is good to know given that you are bonded to Tom and possibly me should that be something you want in the future," Severus smiled, "but yes, that is what Black was referring to although you may not be as innocent as we first imagined. Since I assume those magazines were aimed at heterosexuals, however, I should point out that sex between men is quite different."
"Oh, ok, are you going to tell me about it?"
Severus blanched. "No Harry, I don't think that is necessarily a good idea. While I have given many students the talk over the years we should probably wait for Tom to come back since I'm pretty sure he's going to be taking the lead in any relationship."
"Ok,"Harry sighed, "although it's strange to think of you deferring to someone who looks like a kid."
"Well I think you'll be in for a bit of a shock when he returns," Severus smirked, "I just hope, for his sake, it's a good one."