Arthur watched Lucius enter the lift, with a faintly baleful stare and hair just a bit ruffled - a sure sign that things had not gone his way. Arthur had faced Lucius across enough battlefields - in the ministry as well as on Order of the Phoenix raids to read the signs of a less than satisfied Lucius Malfoy.

Arthur had known Lucius was up to something when he arrived at his office. Malfoy Sr simply didn't fetch applications even if he was nearby in the Ministry, though the ploy had been a good one. And Lucius would never in a thousand years chat Arthur up even if they were now both in the Order.

Arthur trusted Albus' word that Lucius was now behind Harry Potter - partly because Lucius had Draco befriending Harry and Draco was not good enough at subterfuge to fake a friendship - but mostly because Severus was obviously behind it all. Arthur remembered Severus' bordering-on-obsessive love for Lily. He would never let Lucius near Harry if he didn't have him tied up in enough Slytherin knots to prevent a betrayal.

It had been amusing to watch Lucius try a little ‘I'm better at treating squibs fairly than you' one-up-man-ship. Arthur would cheerfully let Lucius flaunt his ‘good works' in his face until he retired if it meant Lucius was no longer a Death Eater.

One of the things Arthur had most resented and hated about Lucius was remembering how Frank would -out of earshot of Alice - tell Arthur wistfully how he ‘just knew' Lucius would be such an asset to the light if he could be made to see reason. Frank had never seemed to believe that Lucius was an evil person, no matter what evidence was brought before him. Arthur valued Frank as a dear friend and had hated Lucius' disappointing Frank. Arthur had listened to many of Frank and Lucius' debates in school and had been impressed by both their logical minds and suspected Lucius had a soft spot in his icy heart for Frank, making it all the harder to understand how Lucius could follow Voldemort. It had must have been torture for Frank to watch Lucius apply his talents so vigorously and skillfully to the dark.

He wished Frank could be aware enough to know the Lucius had eventually ... through who knows what manipulation on Severus' part - most likely involving blackmail and hexes Arthur thought with a grin, but none the less ... here he was, a part of the Order that Frank had believed in, at last.

Arthur might even act put out or distressed the next time Lucius came in with something he thought would upset Arthur - if it made Lucius happy, he pondered in amusement.

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Fred and George arrived home for Christmas, smugly musing that they'd already received an excellent Christmas present. They'd been assisting a Slytherin first year who was being picked on because of his shabby robes and status as a governor's fund student - Timothy Hopkirk and his friends work, again. Timothy had laid low for a bit - then he'd been at making scholarship students feel like dirt.

Fred and George had rounded up several targeted children and with Cedric's approval had armed all of them with spell-bombs. The first year Slytherin had lured Tim and his friends into a corridor and they'd thrown the bombs. When the smoke cleared they'd all been sporting a nice set of horns and the backs of their robes had said ‘I'm too stupid to qualify for a scholarship - I paid a lot to get into Hogwarts'. The smoke had attracted Filch and the twins had gotten their co-conspirators away, but had been caught themselves. When Sprout had been summoned to see to them she had looked sympathetic, but not enough to let them off completely.

"Well, you can't say you haven't gotten away with a great deal over the last few months - I doubt Professor Snape's detentions have been a hardship for you - one detention scrubbing Filch's office floor won't harm you and will help you remember what happens when you get caught." Sprout had looked at them thoughtfully then had smiled and said, "You might keep an eye out for his box of ‘confiscated items'." Their faces had lit up and she had smiled and winked at them.

They had almost looked forward to the detention that evening and had shown up early. Filch had scowled and left them to it. They'd scrubbed and when they were sure Filch was gone they had charmed the brushes to continue. They'd hunted through the small office and found the box. They'd nicked a few items that belonged to friends and looked through the rest in curiosity. Then they had found the parchment with a paper clipped to it.

Fred had looked the parchment over while George read the paper. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good?"

The parchment had erupted into lines to their astonishment. "I think we need to look into this, George." Fred had said with a smirk.

They'd soon figured out numerous uses for the Marauder's Map and now were sure they were leading charmed lives. What could be better than a map to the castle that kept an eye on people for you?

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Severus flooed with Tom and Harry to Prince Hall for their lunch. He would have broken ties with the lot of them except Samuel seemed to actually mean it when he had invited a ‘reconciliation' among them. They might need Samuel in the future, with open war on the horizon. If an uncomfortable lunch was all it cost them for another ally, well they could do that. Severus had no illusions that Edwin would welcome them and the sister, Eleanor had never been kind to Severus ... but perhaps she, to, had grown up.

Harry was grinning like Christmas was already here - his glasses were now gone, though he would need to continue to take the potion for months, as yet. Severus ruffled his hair and told him Merry Christmas as Harry had put the glasses away for the last time. Severus looked at Harry closely, Remus was correct in that the loss of glasses did make him look a little less like James, and emphasized his eye - Lily's contribution to his looks. Severus shook his head, it didn't matter to him and Remus would just have to deal with it.

The floo was in the entryway of the Prince Manor, near the front door. Samuel was there with a welcoming smile, flanked by a nervous looking Eleanor and a sneering Edwin. It almost cheered Severus to see that some things never changed.

They adjourned to the sunroom where Eleanor said she grew her magical roses year-round. Harry sat between Severus and Eleanor, to his relief and Tom was between Samuel and Severus. This left Edwin between Samuel and Eleanor - presumably to keep him in line. It also left him across from Severus, where could sneer and sniff at him. Severus actually laughed a couple times during the meal. As a teenager, he'd been easily hurt by such slights, now he found them amusing. Did Edwin really think Severus still cared what he thought?

Eleanor managed a pleasant conversation about her plants to Harry, and he told her of their ‘expeditions' into the woods and pastures, looking for potions plants and replanting some into their garden. Eleanor waved at the roses, "I wasn't sure of an appropriate Christmas gift for you - but if you pick out a rose you like, I'll give you one - you'll need to keep it inside until spring, of course."

"Foisting more of your roses on someone, Ellie?" Edwin sneered at her, unhappy at Severus' lack of response to his silent goading.

Harry was horrified and immediately snapped. "I think they're a splendid present. I know we'll all enjoy the roses. My Aunt has always loved her garden; I know she'll be eager to get her own magical roses when she sees ours." Harry smiled at Eleanor, who immediately started asking about Petunia.

Samuel glared at Edwin, silently ordering him quiet. Samuel had to quietly admit that the much younger Edwin was horribly spoiled. Their mother had died soon after his birth and the house-elves had over-indulged him - and by the time anyone had noticed, Edwin was out of control. Their father, Hadrian had found it easier to just give in to him and Samuel and Eleanor could do nothing with him. Now Edwin had a low-level job in the Sports Dept of the Ministry, running around fetching for Ludo Bagman, and lived at the Manor. Samuel knew he would likely never advance at his job - or move out of the Manor.

Samuel turned back to Tom; they'd been discussing the dragons - specifically Hazelette. Tom found it difficult to prove the dragon hadn't meant to eat the Death Eater without informing them he spoke to dragons. Tom's ability was not hidden at the Reserve, but Yuan had told him not to divulge it outside his family or the Reserve more than it already had been.

Samuel and Severus spoke a bit about potions over the dessert of a very pretty Yule log of chocolate covered fairy cake and crystallized candy Christmas trees. Harry had been visibly impressed and eager to try it, making Eleanor smile and serve him first.

Edwin was thrilled when Tom excused himself for a moment, and Edwin caught him as he left the bathroom. "I hope you don't think you'll actually get anything out of us for being Serena's little by-blow - at least she had the decency to die of shame, instead of crawling back here." Edwin rocked back on his heels, hoping for furious denials or that the little bastard of their cousin would take a swing at him - anything to make Severus and his little family leave.

Edwin had always hated the smart and clever Severus, who impressed everyone with his school marks - no matter how raggedly he was dressed or how poorly groomed he was. Now he was Harry Potter's guardian and was dragging another Prince scion into the family to show him up.

Samuel said this Tom Riddle had stayed here with grandfather Seneca until he'd died. What insolent cheek - for their grandfather to prefer Serena's bastard to them.

Tom smirked at the furious little man - not that much older than him, really - still in his twenties. His cheeks were ruddy with overindulgence and he was already running to fat. Edwin's eyes were so bloodshot that Tom wondered if he experimented with drugs - magical or muggle. It was surprisingly easy to smirk at him. Words like by-blow and bastard had been used so much at the orphanage that they had long ago lost their sting. He knew he would go much farther in the world that Edwin could ever dream of so overlooking Edwin's insults was not very difficult. Somehow he'd thought Edwin would be more creative with his insults.

"Is that the best you can do? You'll have to run around with Severus a few days and learn how to really insult someone." Tom retorted. "I've far more gold than I'll ever need, already - and you really shouldn't speak of your cousin Serena in that manner - I'm sure she was a better person than you could ever dream of being."

Tom brushed past him and returned to his seat, Yvane laughing and cheering him on. Edwin followed him a few minutes later and slumped into his chair and studiously ignored them all.

It was finally time to leave and Severus was surprised to find he'd mostly enjoyed the visit. Eleanor asked to correspond with Petunia - she'd managed to network with some other amateur gardeners who exchanged information and plants - and she was eager to add to their number.

Tom and Harry were now clutching two small rosebushes - a yellow one for Aunt Petunia and a red climber for Harry to put against a garden wall at Dragonsrest. Harry grinned and thanked her and Severus repeated the sentiment with sincerity. Tom also thanked them for lunch and ‘the welcome to the family', smiling blandly at Edwin's face that was turning purple at the thanks.

They flooed back to Dragonsrest and Tom was shooed to his room to rest before supper. Severus and Harry took their now habitual walk beside the cliffs so Harry could look out over the crashing waves and rolling sea. Severus had noted a few dragons following them. Most hibernated for days at a time, then come out for food. So there were always dragons around - just fewer in number. Yuan had told him that the dragons still guarded the occupants of Dragonsrest - they just didn't camp on their doorstep anymore.

Harry watched the sea in fascination for an hour, talking quietly with Severus, and then at last reluctantly followed Severus back from the cliffs, feeling a bit hungry for fish. He told Severus he hoped the house elves would bake a nice sea bass or cod. Severus eyed Harry and wondered about the boy's animagus form, and chuckled. He hadn't heard of a sea lion form - other than Selkies - and they weren't really an animagus, they were magical beings that weren't really human.

To Severus' amusement the house-elves had indeed come up with some baked fish. The Potionsmaster knew Tinker indulged all the children at every opportunity, and Dobby was still slavish whenever he met up with the wary Harry. Dobby likely went out and dove in the sea for the fish, himself, he mused in disgust.

After supper they went to the lab and Harry assisted in making Doxycide for the roses while Tom pretended to read a book on the sofa, but really just fell asleep, again. Harry looked concernedly at him.

"He'll be okay; taking back another piece of his soul has tired him - when he hasn't totally gotten his strength back, as yet." Severus reassured him. "Now, doxies are partial to magical roses and may even sneak inside to get to them. We put this in a spray bottle and it will knock them out. Put the doxies in a large glass jar, and Tom or I will ... dispose of them."

Harry nodded, feeling a bit bad for the doxies - but he'd been bitten by some of them in the woods - nasty creatures, really, so he told himself not to be concerned. Severus continued his running lecture, and let Harry do most of the stirring and adding of ingredients. It was still early when Harry bottled the doxycide into several spray bottles proudly.

Tom stretched and yawned. "I think I have time to run the owlet over to Percy." Severus nodded and Tom fetched the owl and flooed to the Weasley's Burrow.

Harry slyly pulled out the Chinese checkers, making Severus groan a bit. Harry was still better than he was at this. He needed to teach him chess, soon.

Percy greeted Tom with enthusiasm, and Ron even smiled - since Percy had presented him with Scabbers when he arrived home. The owl was given with solemn thanks for all his help. Percy presented him with a heavy present that was obviously books. Tom cheerfully took it - books were always welcome. Percy had found a large old owl cage and had cleaned it up nicely, preparing for the arrival of the owlet.

Percy lifted the owlet carefully into the cage. Errol winged over and the pair soon were carrying on a hooting conversation.

"I think I'll name him Hermes." Percy said happily. The little owl would soon be much bigger - he was already making short flights and had all his spells applied. It would ease some of the burden on Errol to have an owl at Hogwarts to send letters with. Percy gave Errol a couple of treats and scratched his head.

Percy and Tom talked awhile about recent events. Tom wished he could share his happiness at being reunited with a piece of his soul. But, he could just imagine Percy's horror at learning his friend had at one time been set to become Lord Voldemort. Tom shook his head slightly - he truly felt he wasn't that person anymore. Perhaps he was immersing himself so much in his new identity that he was beginning to believe it himself.

"That wouldn't be a bad thing. You aren't the same, and you are a part of the Prince family, now." Yvane said. Dragons were much more pragmatic about such things.

The twins and Charlie peeked at the owlet and said Merry Christmas to Tom. Ginny came by and said to say Hello to Harry and Draco ... and Dudley, too.

Ron edged over to peek at the owlet as well. He was still wary of Tom, and he knew his new friend Neville was as well. It had been heartening that Neville had been coolly polite to Harry Potter when he was there. Ginny, of course, had immediately taken up the conversation with the rich prat, so he and Neville had continued their conversation. Neville had rolled his eyes and sneered at Ginny and Harry, to Ron's amusement. It was refreshing to know someone who disliked Harry Potter and Tom just as Ron did.

Peter, in his rat form, watched the proceedings with resignation. He'd preferred being at Hogwarts with Percy, as he could open the cage door and sneak around at night. He sometimes found food in the common room, and if there were no portraits around, he could be human for a few hours. Remus had figured out that the portraits doubled as spies early in their years at Hogwarts.

Now he would have to be careful, again, at the Burrow. He gave a little rat - type sigh. He didn't really mind being a rat. He learned a great deal that way. He hoped Ron was as smart Percy - Percy always knew what was going on and therefore Peter did, as well.

Ron, at least would be in Harry Potter's year and Weasley's were always in Gryffindor - where Harry Potter certainly would be. From there Peter could determine the right time to make a move. Peter hadn't decided what that move would be - but Harry would be there to ensure it was a significant one.

Tom finally bid everyone a Merry Christmas and goodnight. Molly pressed a jug of wassail ‘her very special recipe' and Tom had taken it with a grin. It felt good to have a family give warm and obviously sincere holiday wishes to you. He flooed back to Dragonsrest and went to bed with a warm cup of the wassail.

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Wednesday - Christmas Eve arrived, along with Hugo Savage and Lucius Malfoy. Tom, Draco and Harry flooed to the Three Broomsticks after breakfast to spend part of the day with Rosemerta - and keep them well away if Albus got angry and hexes flew around.

Draco and Harry were both clutching letters - Harry had gotten three so far, from Remus Lupin - via Severus, of course. Draco had gotten some from old friends - Theodore Nott, Pansy Parkinson and Gregory Goyle.

They both were hoping for advice from Tom and Rosemerta.

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Albus arrived at Dragonsrest mid-morning, finding Severus and Lucius hovering presents to sit artfully around the tree - it was getting harder to see the tree as the presents mounded up. Albus proffered the box of presents he's brought, his hands trembling a bit.

He'd spent all night struggling with his conscience and a migraine headache. He'd only gotten rest after he'd reached a decision - at about 5am. He'd then gotten a few hours sleep before being awakened once more. He'd already put together presents for the boys but he'd added to their number.

He'd not intended to give the Invisibility cloak until Harry's first year. But he couldn't keep all three Hallows in his own grasp. The only way to limit himself would be to give the cloak back, now. He could trust Severus to keep the cloak - and Harry - safe.

Severus took the box and eyed Albus' bloodshot eyes and haggard look.

"Would you like a bit of tea and scones, Albus?" Severus asked uncertainly.

Albus hesitated, and then shook his head. Best to get things over with. Severus also hesitated and waved at the library door. "It's on the table, in the library." Albus trudged into the library, not realizing Severus and Lucius hadn't followed until the door closed behind him. The reason was obvious as he froze, seeing Auror Hugo Savage at the library table, glass of wassail in one hand, the Resurrection Stone sitting on the table in front of him.

Albus sat on the other side of the table, with a sense of doom closing down. Hugo looked at him a bit sympathetically. The Headmaster had obviously not slept well over this.

"Albus, why exactly do you need the resurrection stone?" Hugo asked, going straight for the kill.

Albus winced. So they knew most everything, then. "I wanted to talk to my sister." Albus said simply. "I feel responsible for her death ... I guess I was hoping for forgiveness, or at least a sense that she might have understood that I had simply been young and stupid, not malicious."

Hugo was old enough to recall there had been some tragedy surrounding Albus' family, and that Aberforth still hadn't forgiven his brother for it. Albus obviously had never gotten past it. "We all have regrets that we would like to make right with the dead. But, Albus, even in the tale this stone didn't really help. Nothing truly brings back the dead - you'll just make yourself insane with it."

Albus sighed, "I did hope to get a sense of closure. In spite of what my brother believes, I never meant her harm - I just thought I'd found a way for both her and I to be able to leave the house and we could all do things together." Albus shook his head, aware that Hugo couldn't understand what the situation had been. But it didn't matter, he wasn't going to get the stone, after all and somehow that was a relief.

Hugo watched Albus come to terms with the stone being withheld, but that left the question of where the stone should go.

"The Peverell ring somehow came to the Gaunts - I suppose its young Thomas Riddle's, then." Albus said slowly, smiling faintly at the thought of Voldemort's son possessing the ring and using it against him.

"It shouldn't be running around loose, though - even on Tom's finger. We'll have it put in his vault." Hugo smiled a bit fiercely. "You know Tom, as 'Voldemort's bloodline', took the contents of Voldemort's Vault - moved everything and left him a single knut." Telling Albus this was Lucius and Severus' idea - if things had progressed this far without wands being drawn. It was a sop to Albus Dumbledore's pride, a piece of information that Albus could enjoy, and chew on. Tom didn't mind letting the Headmaster know, and he would likely be aware of more people to return money to.

Hugo waited for Albus' rather hysterical laughter to quiet. "He's the reason a lot of people have gotten some of their money back - like Benjy Fenwick's family."

Albus nodded, still wiping his eyes from his laughter. "Tom's a good lad, from all I've heard and seen. He certainly takes great care of Harry." Albus mused on the incongruity of the Dark Lord's son guarding Harry with his very life.

Albus stood, staring down at the ring with the Resurrection stone in it a bit pensively, then turned and walked away without a backward glance. It had just been a dream, really, making peace with Ariana. He would just have to wait until after death, like everyone else.

Hugo waved the stone back into the cabinet, reluctant to touch it even with the Horcrux gone, and followed Albus.

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Severus stood by the tree, clutching the gaily wrapped package grimly, glaring as Albus flooed away. The Headmaster had taken his revenge with twinkling eyes and a beaming smile - telling Severus that the gift for Harry was James' old invisibility cloak. He'd gently reminded them that one of the Deathly Hallows had also been a cloak, and then ended his speech with "It's up to you as to whether Harry should have it now or next Christmas, Severus."

Severus, Lucius and Hugo now stood; staring down at the innocent package like it would explode at any moment.

"You don't think that's really another ... Deathly Hallow, do you?" Lucius looked askance. To have come across even one was astounding. Now to see another - wrapped in garish Christmas colors that only Albus would have matched together - it really was too much.

"What should I do?" Severus muttered. He didn't like giving such a gift to Harry - a clear encouragement to flout rules and get into trouble. Albus obviously felt it would be of assistance to Harry - give the little soldier another weapon to practice defeating the enemy with. But Harry was only ten - not even a first year, as yet. It could wait a little longer. He went up the stairs and shoved the present into his closet. It could be given another Christmas - not this one.

Hugo watched Lucius breath a sigh of relief as Severus rejoined them, hands empty of Deathly Hallows masquerading as Christmas presents. "I suppose you don't really need ten year olds creeping around Dragon Reserves under invisibility cloaks."

The two fathers shook their heads adamantly.

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Tom was reading the letters the boys had given him once again, pondering the information. Draco and Harry were busy enjoying the novel experience of serving as waiters at Rosemerta's pub. Draco loved taking orders from people and loftily telling them the ‘special' of the day. Most were so astounded at having the Malfoy heir taking orders that they didn't object to him correcting their wine selection in a patently snooty tone.

‘Really', Draco thought - ‘didn't they know you didn't order a red when you were eating fish?'

The patrons would barely be recovered from that when they would be astounded by their order being served by ‘The Boy Who Lived'. Rosemerta and her chef - a semi-retired elderly wizard named Renee - were having a wonderful time watching the bewildered lunch clientele.

It was Christmas Eve, so a lot of people were doing last minute shopping. Rosemerta had a nice tree up - with Severus' gift of singing angels decorating it, filling the air with carols. It would do no harm to bemuse them a bit over her choice of waiters for the day.

Tom was surprised at the subtlety the werewolf was displaying - after the typical overblown Gryffindor tantrum at the failed lunch meeting, Lupin was now telling story after story of Hogwarts, with the Marauders frolicking along enjoying their studies and playing Quidditch. After the first letter he always managed to have some Slytherin tricks being foiled - he just never mentioned Severus, himself. Whatever Slytherin was the current ‘bad guy' in the stories always managed to eventually be a Death Eater - and that information was mentioned at some point before the end.

Tom was surprised that Severus let the letters through, though he supposed it wasn't news to Harry that although all the houses had Death Eaters, the Slytherins had managed to be a majority. Harry likely enjoyed the stories of James - and most of the tales were harmless. Tom hated it that Remus still seemed intent on slowly picking away at Harry's regard for all things Slytherin, and likely hoped to diminish Harry's respect for Severus.

Tom put Remus' letters aside and picked up Draco's. Theodore Nott was already displaying a bit of cunning. His letter never actually said he would AK himself before siding with Voldemort, but his letter implied it quite subtly. He informed Draco that Blaise Zambini was networking relatively hard for someone not yet in Hogwarts, apparently seeing a power vacuum with Draco no longer the obvious rallying point for Death Eater children. Theodore, though, with his parent's tacit permission, intended to continue to ally himself with Draco. Nott Sr. had been shocked by Lucius' defection, but had decided Lucius knew what he was doing. Mrs. Nott, relieved at her husband's decision, was also supportive.

Pansy seemed ambivalent, her father was in Azkaban and she was unsympathetic to Harry's cause. However her mother just wanted to survive, and was fencing-sitting and telling Pansy to not burn any bridges. Pansy, only being ten, just wanted to know if they could still be friends.

Greg's letter was short and had many misspellings. Tom sighed, he recalled the Goyles that had been in school with him - had he really resorted to them as henchmen? This boy seemed confused and a bit desperate. His parents were not in Azkaban and they were pushing him to befriend Blaise, and his friend Vincent Crabbe had already done so. The Crabbes, Tom shuddered again he must have run mad, by that time, to have included them in his schemes, though he supposed they hadn't been difficult to lead around by the nose.

Tom felt badly for the boy, only ten and already being pushed into the role of sycophant to some Dark Prince-in-training.

Draco had said Lucius had read the letters ‘and was discussing with Severus and Sinistra about it all.' Draco was relieved that Theo was on their side, irritated that Pansy would still be annoying him, but he worried greatly about Greg. Greg's father was, according to Draco, frighteningly brutal and if he thought Greg less than loyal... Draco had shuddered, Greg would never survive, he'd said.

Rosemerta watched the boys serving plates of food, while she served drinks from the bar. It was quite nice to have the boys chattering and Renee teasing Draco - insisting that Draco speak French to him and then saying his accent was off - horrifying Draco, who insisted his accent was perfect, thank you. She heard the door chime and looked over, nearly dropping her tray.

Amos came in with his son Cedric, followed by her ex-fiancé Aaron Diggory - with his wife and two children.

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