The Players

Harry Potter . . . Our Protagonist.
Lord Thomas Slytherin . . . The Love Interest and Man of Mystery.
Lucius Malfoy . . . Lord Slytherin's Lackey.
Draco Malfoy . . . Harry Potter's friend and confidante. Prat.
Hermione Granger . . . Genius friend of Harry Potter; Elves Rights Activist.
Albus Dumbledore . . . The Many Faced Man.
Severus Snape . . . A Tool. Also, Complicated.
James Potter . . . Handsome Devil. Head of the Auror Department.
Lily Potter . . . Total Babe. Potion's Master of Hogwarts.
Remus Lupin . . . Simply The Best. Also, Werewolf.
Sirius Black . . . The Most Interesting Man in the World.
Regulus Black . . . The Younger Brother. Head of the Family Black. Mother Loved Him More.
Bellatrix Lestrange . . . Crazy Hot. Mostly Crazy.
Barty Crouch Senior . . . A Bad Father.
Barty Crouch Junior . . . A Worse Son.
Fenrir Greyback . . . Crazy Crazy. Not Hot at all.

When we last left our players, it was on the 21st of December at Lansdowne Palace and Harry Potter and Lord Thomas Slytherin had made feelings, intentions, and world altering plans known.

Lord Thomas Slytherin had confirmed to Harry Potter that he was in fact Tom Marvolo Riddle; half-blood son of Merope Gaunt and Thomas Riddle, a muggle. He has also laid bare his plans to disassemble the nobility of Wizarding Britain as revenge for being treated poorly in his youth.

Harry Potter, a half-blood himself, identifies with Lord Thomas Slytherin's cause and has agreed to keep Lord Slytherin's origin secret.

And Now We End Our Intermission. . .

A small cough interrupted the silence of the night and Harry and Lord Slytherin reluctantly disengaged from each other's embrace.

James Potter was standing twenty feet away from them with a slack expression on his handsome face; immediately behind him with an almost imperceptible grin was Severus Snape. Given how the man never smiled or displayed any sort of emotion other than apathy, Harry knew the man was ecstatic. James Potter catching his son sucking face with Lord Slytherin; a man of dubious morals who represented the pureblood agenda. What could be a better revenge on your childhood rival and/or bully?

"Harry?" James said weakly.

Harry straightened his robes and looked away from his father, "Hey dad. I… uh… I'm okay as you can see. I see Severus found you and told you I was alright and not in any danger."

"Not that he believed me." Snape drawled and pretended to look at his nails but his eyes were looking between Harry and James.

James remained staring for a moment longer before pulling his glasses off and cleaning them, something he did when he needed a minute to think, "Are you. . . I thought. . ." He took a deep breath, "I am going to assume my son isn't under the imperius right now and that you have worked out your differences." He was staring at Tom as he said this, the threat obvious in his gaze.

"Lord Slytherin and I have reached an understanding." Harry answered.

"Looks like you reached more than just an understanding." James muttered.

"Anyways, I am sure you have somewhere you need to be. Away from here. Dad." Harry snapped, his tone glacial, "I imagine Sirius or mum would like to talk to you. Inside."

James frowned heavily, looking like he wanted nothing more than to stay outside and argue but it was three to one, despite Tom remaining silent and Snape merely glaring. "Fine, but you and I will be discussing this." James pointed at Harry, turned on his heel and walked back into the ballroom in a huff. Snape gave a small incline of his head to Lord Slytherin and followed James.

Harry's eyes remained on the doorway, but he could feel the heat radiating from Tom's body as the older man pressed up against him and he was slowly encircled within Lord Slytherin's long arms.

"Are you going to be my noble defender now? My knight in shining armour? Are you going to protect me from those who seek to undermine me?" Tom asked in a teasing voice.

He felt his cheeks flush despite the cold, "I think you can manage just fine on your own."

"I can but it's nice seeing someone else do it for me," Tom's breath was hot on his ear, "Maybe you'll be my guard dog. Protecting me from those who oppose me."

Harry rolled his eyes since Tom couldn't see his face, "I sincerely doubt it."

Tom moved to in front of Harry, his red eyes glimmering with amusement, "You're thinking of actually defending me against attackers. Those who would come for my life if I become King." Tom ran his fingers through Harry's hair and tucked a loose strand behind his ear, "You'd be my bloodhound. I would send you to track down my opposition, sniff out their secrets and lies.

"I suspect most of the opposition will be my friends until you begin to dismantle the nobility." Harry said quietly.

"Some of them will remain your friends even after. Like Draco Malfoy or Regulus Black. They don't need the nobility to be successful. They both have more than enough money to remain as members of the elite."

Harry scoffed and was about to answer when he felt a pair of eyes on him. Inside the building his mother stood near the doorway watching them. Her green eyes shrewd and discerning. She pointed at him and curled her finger, beckoning him, "Oh for Merlin's sake." he took a step forward but she shook her head and Harry realized she had been pointing at Tom.

"I think she wants to talk to you." Harry muttered, mortified.

Tom had watched the little exchange with a smirk on his face, "Doesn't everyone?" He swept forward imperiously, his robes stirring up the snow that had fallen, "I'll meet up with you in a bit. Speaking of Regulus and Draco, why don't you locate them? I imagine I will be quite busy for the next while."

oOoOo

Lily Potter watched him, her green eyes taking in every detail; from his ornately tailored robes to his perfectly coiffed hair. Tom almost wished he had found someone else to hold his interest instead of Harry if this was how he was going to be treated.

Arriving in front of her he bowed and held out his hand, "Mrs. Potter. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"I wish I could say the same." She replied but put her hand in his expecting a handshake but received a kiss on the back of her hand, ". . . Shall we go somewhere a bit more private? I assume you can't stand the thought of being caught speaking to a mudblood."

Tom frowned, just how tarnished was his reputation among the light? "You would assume wrong then." He replied coolly but guided her to an alcove where they could be seen but not overheard, "It is unfortunate you have such a low opinion of me. I don't believe I have done anything to warrant such a reaction."

"Of course, you don't," she muttered before catching the hurt expression on his face, "I apologize. Today has been stressful with Bellatrix Lestrange running off with Harry and all that drama." Lily looked away and crossed her arms.

A small lip tremble and a hastily averted gaze was generally enough to give people pause. No need to overact. Like everyone else, Lily Potter only thought he was in his early twenties. Being perceived as younger and more vulnerable than most of the political players had benefitted him repeatedly; it might be worth trying to foster a maternal instinct in her with regards to him.

He let out a soft sigh, just enough for her to hear, "Mrs. Potter, I understand. I really do," He rubbed the back of his neck, going for the uncertain and nervous look, "I know I shouldn't have asked Bella to get Harry but I wanted to talk to him in private first before the party. . . I know we've had disagreements but I wanted to explain myself without the chance for eavesdroppers. I . . . I forgot there would be people worried about him. I am sorry for the stress I put you through today." He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, "How about we start again? My name is Thomas."

Lily pursed her lips and looked into his eyes, searching for something that she would be unable to find, he was a master occlumens after all, "And I'm Lily."

"It's my pleasure to meet you," he said sincerely. . . ish, and smiled weakly, "I thought Harry was more like his father but having now met you I can see that I was wrong."

She gave him an amused look, "Flattery will get you nowhere. I just want to know what your interest is in my son."

"Romantic." He answered instantly, "I will admit that he has other aspects that I appreciate but I find myself drawn to him for what we may be together more than anything else." It was a completely honest answer. He preferred to pepper his lies with truth's.

Lily Potter's expression had become closed off quickly with his answer, like she hadn't expected the honesty, ". . . And what if you're made King? Would you just shove him into the background as you made one of the daughter's of a pureblood family Queen? Would he be reduced to a consort or something like that?"

Tom frowned, "I understand that I appeal to many of the older pureblood's looking for a monarch but I am not a backwards facing traditionalist. I want to bring about the stability and decisiveness that a monarchy provides but still work towards bringing change to wizarding Britain. I have no need for a Queen and I will not be seeking one out to appeal to the masses."

Who needed an heir if you were going to live forever?

Green eyes once again began to bore into him, "I-" Lily began but was interrupted as Cornelius Fudge appeared at the alcove entrance.

"Ah! Here he is! Lord Slytherin I have been looking all over for you." The Minister of Magic pushed his way into the alcove, driving Lily and Tom further inward, squashed together near the back "I was hoping to speak to you about the Wizengamot vote on the secon-"

Tom's hand slashed across the small space that separated him from Fudge and Lily, "If you don't mind Minister I was speaking to Mrs. Potter." Tom said, an arctic chill in his voice. He did not like Fudge and was already looking forward to replacing him. Lucius said the man was easily manipulated but Tom didn't want some easily manipulated buffoon as the minister. Why did he have to appeal to some worm's ego and string them along when he could have a puppet that obeyed his every command? Fudge would be gone within six months of his rule.

Fudge looked at Lily with surprise, like he had not seen her in the alcove with him; as if it was easy to overlook those who were not pureblood's or members of the nobility if you were the minister, "Oh. Terribly sorry but could I steal Lord Slytherin away from you Mrs. Potter?" Fudge said in a pandering voice, like he was doing her a favour by interrupting their conversation.

Lily raised an eyebrow that immediately reminded him of Harry, the downward turn of her mouth showing her true opinion even though she answered that it was fine.

"We can speak at a later date Mrs. Potter." Tom assured her with a smile.

"That would be ideal." She replied and slipped past Fudge with her head held as high as any pureblood lady in attendance. Before she was completely out of his earshot she muttered, "The next few years are going to be interesting."

'They certainly will be.' Tom thought.

Fudge watched Lily walk off, "Potter. . . Potter. . . She's not related to James Potter is she?"

Tom bit back the sigh he felt bubbling in his chest, "I would have thought you knew more about your department heads and their lives Minister." He chided, "She is James Potter's wife and the Potions master of Hogwarts."

All Fudge did was remind Tom of how so many had easily overlooked him in his youth because they assumed him to be a muggleborn or half-blood of some unknown family. No matter how talented you were, they would still ignore you if you had no pedigree.

"Oh. . . yes. I do believe I may have met her before." Fudge said dismissively and smiled weakly at Tom, "As I was saying Lord Slytherin, I wanted to discuss the Wizengamot vote set for the second."

"What about it?" Tom asked stiffly.

"There is some concern that they may in fact vote against allowing you to ascend the throne and I wanted to see if you had any-" Tom cut the man off with a look.

"The Wizengamot has no say about what happens during Conclave. The Sacred 27 will decide if I am to be King. This is a matter for the nobility. I will attend the session and speak to to the Wizengamot but they will be unable to do anything if the Sacred 27 decide they want me on the throne. If they take any action otherwise they will start a civil war.

"I suggest you use your influence to ensure that they believe that retaining a monarchy is beneficial." Tom straightened his robes, "The Minister and the King need to be allies in this future. I doubt you would like to be known as the Cromwell of the magical world." Tom certainly didn't want to be Charles the First in that scenario.

Fudge blinked and stared at Tom for a moment, his chin wobbling, "What's a Cromwell?"

Tom fought the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose, "Nevermind. . . I understand that you are concerned about the Wizengamot but we have nothing to fear." Tom grasped Fudge's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze, "Together we will return Britain to it's proud heritage."

A grin broke out on Fudge's face and Tom wondered how quickly he would be able to get rid of the man. Six months would be too long to wait. Lucius had a wide variety of blackmail material, but Tom felt that Fudge should see who he had helped rise to power. The serpent that he had let into the garden so to speak.

Tom smirked, it would be fun to kill him over a weekend. He could think of a few people who would like to help him in that endeavour.

"Send me an owl tomorrow with any other concerns. Now if you'll excuse me I have been repeatedly cloistered away this evening." Tom said with a bow.

"Ah. Yes. The people do need to see their soon to be king. Do enjoy the party Lord Slytherin." The Minister bowed and left.

Tom conjured a mirror, checked his appearance and prepared for several hours of schmoozing.

oOoOo

It was too hot. His robes felt too constricting and there were so many people looking at him. Harry felt like a caged animal.

Tom had left him almost two hours ago and he hadn't been able to speak to Draco without Lucius present and Regulus had vanished before Harry had a chance to speak to him. There had been a few others he had recognized from Hogwarts but the majority of the guests were purebloods that he only knew from peerage books.

The pureblood's in attendance didn't like to interact with halfblood's like him. Halfblood's whose fathers were just a thread away from being considered a blood traitor.

How many of these people had his father wanted to arrest but had been unable to do so because of their connections? How many had murdered or tortured or just taken advantage of people they considered to be less than them?

James had fared better than the last head of the Auror department; a muggleborn who had tried to arrest the patriarch of the Nott family. He lasted a month before being demoted so hard that he hadn't been seen since.

Harry assumed that Daniels had been demoted and not murdered. His father would have mentioned if his predecessor had been murdered.

Probably.

He had seen his mother leave after she had spoken to Tom and he desperately wanted to know what had been said between the two. Harry leaned up against the wall and fingered the stiff collar at his neck. He wanted to go outside again to cool off but was hesitant to leave in case Lord Slytherin thought his date had ditched him. He also didn't want to be caught outside by himself while surrounded by people who thought him less then human.

Harry spotted Tom and watched the future king as he spoke to the Greengrass matriarchs. He had been watching him on and off during the evening and it had been educational given how Tom could play a crowd. Tom was animated when he spoke to women and more stoic when he spoke to men. He was a bit louder and boisterous with the older men and serious and closed off with the current generation of Wizengamot and Conclave members.

He played the crowd with ease.

Tom Riddle had been born at the end of 1926 and even though Lord Slytherin looked like he was in his early twenties he had over seventy years of experience of interacting with people; learning their strengths and weaknesses, their desires and fears. No one would be expecting this young looking man to have the mind of a much older predator.

Harry certainly had not expected it. He had perceived Tom as some spoiled pureblood or halfblood heir out to benefit himself and only himself. To find out tonight that Tom had been playing a long game against the nobility and that it was going to culminate with the disassembly of the noble class had been a shock to say the least.

Part of Harry still didn't believe it.

What kind of Slytherin would work to destroy the source of their power? Tom had been building up this persona for years, laying the groundwork to take the throne for decades, and today he decides to share that he's been working to destroy it all?

Could someone really be that petty?

Harry briefly thought of his Slytherin classmates.

Yes. Yes they could.

He grabbed a glass of wine from a passing house elf and swirled it briefly before drinking. Life had certainly gotten interesting since he first met Lord Slytherin. Despite their talk tonight he still had so many questions for Tom.

Why did he look so damn good? What was his timetable for going after the Sacred 27? What would he do when people figured out what he was doing? Would Tom kiss him again tonight? Did he have a plan if there was a revolt?

The question Harry was ignoring raced around in his mind, unvoiced but still present. He wasn't uncomfortable with Tom's true age, he enjoyed older men, and the fact that he looked young didn't hurt. . . but why was Tom interested in him?

Tom had said that he enjoyed Harry challenging him and his ability to chase down his past but they barely knew each other. They had exchanged some letter's and had argued at midsummer. . . Tom barely knew him. Was he just going to be used and discarded of?

He brushed his thumb against his lip and smiled softly. The kiss had been good though. He had enjoyed that thoroughly. There was no denying the animalistic attraction between them. Another glass or two of wine and maybe he would act upon those animal instincts.

Harry drained the glass.

Big changes were coming to Britain and Harry was not going to sit on the sidelines as the world changed.

Now, where was that red eyed fuck?