Chapter 14:

Top Secret

"You want me to what?" Neville asked as he stared a cross his dinning table at Harry Potter.

"And it must not wear off." Harry said, not repeating himself. "I have a list of Potion Masters that are willing to help. Most I know from my training academy."

"Is Snape one of them?" Neville asked, wearingly.

"No, I have not told him or anyone off this list." Harry slid the list over to Neville. "No one else must know what we are trying to do. Not even after we are done. No one can know."

"I understand." Longbottum gave out a sigh.

"Not even your other half."

Neville gave him a pointed look. "I know." He snapped.

Harry smiled. "You are a good friend Neville."

"Tell me about it." He sunk back in his chair.

***

Severus knew Harry was keeping something from him. He could tell it in the way the young man spoke; as if it would be his last and it really unnerved Snape. His brother told him he had nothing to worry about, but then again Cynnus did hang around Black to much.

Something big was going to happen, he knew it. He knew it when Neville Longbottum contacted Harry through Severus's hearth and the young man simply told Harry, "It's ready."

Harry left with no explanations, no goodbyes, just a kiss and soft words, "I love you."

The night that followed was the longest in Severus's life. He went down to his brother/Black's room and told them what happened just moments ago.

Sirius for once listened to the other Snape, because he had, as well, noticed Harry's strange behavior. "What do you think he's up to?"

"What ever it is, he's not told any one of us." Severus sneered into his cup of tea.

"You mean anyone from the Order." Sirius replied.

"Gentlemen," The vampire and both wizards jumped at Albus's voice coming through the fireplace. "We have company."

"What is it, Albus?" Sirius asked, standing up from his couch, grabbing his jacket and wand.

"Just meet me at the school entrance and you will see." The Headmaster's head disappeared.

With out delay, the three men ran out of the room, met the Headmaster and most of the staff out at the schools large double doors.

"What's going on Headmaster?" Cynnus asked as he was the first of the three to arrive.

The Headmaster simply nodded towards the Dark Forest . Severus and Sirius could not see anything amiss. Had they Cynnus's eyes and ears they would have hear the soft pounding of padded feet.

"How mean are there, Cynnus?" Asked Albus.

"Close to a hundred, give or take a few." The vampire replied ignoring his twins questioning glare.

Severus and Sirius both opened their mouth to ask what was coming, but a blood chilling howl answered them. Sirius took a steep back as many howls answered the first. The Snape twins reached for their wands.

"What of the children, Albus?" Minerva asked as the howls came closer.

"We must do our best to make sure the werewolves do not get past us." The older wizard reach for his wand as the first of the army broke into the clearing.

The large werewolf stopped at the edge of the forest; his hair standing on end. The werewolf gave out one more howl before it barked and growled at the staff of Hogwarts. Soon more werewolves joined the first. Sirius took in a deep breath at the sheer number of them.

The half moon peeked over some dark clouds, giving the battle field a silver-ish glow. The night became deathly still. No one moved and some barely breathed.

"We must not let them past us." Albus whispered as the first one started to charge; followed by the rest. Severus felt his muscles tense as the pack of werewolves approached.

Before anyone knew what happened, Severus gave out a howl of pain, clutching his arm. The werewolves gave out a pitiful moans as they stopped their attack and fell to the ground; slowly changing back in their human form.

Severus looked down at this arm to see his mark burning bright, before the tattoo burned its self out, leaving a scar of the Dark Mark in it's place.

"Sirius," Albus turned away from Severus's arms. "Go and fetch Madam Pomfrey and tell her she has more then one werewolf that needs her." Sirius nodded and ran as fast as he could down the halls, as Albus walked out on to the field to help the fallen werewolves.

Severus, still looking at this arm in shock, felt his legs give out and he sat on the front steeps of Hogwarts. His twin came up behind him, wrapping Severus in his arms.

11 years later

A boy of eleven years sat in a train compartment with his best friend, John Weasley. The other boy laughed as his friend tore eagerly at his chocolate frog wrapper. His bright red eyes twinkled as John, 'Whooped'.

"I don't have this card yet!" John flashed his wizards' card in his friends face.

"Who did you get?" The dark unruly haired boy asked the redhead.

"'Dangerous' Dai Llewellyn!" The redhead 'whooped' again. "He was a madman on the Quidditch Pitch."

"Yes," The other boy smiled, "I know. Dad has told me all about him."

John smiled proudly as his friend rolled his eyes. The dark haired boy went back to his potion book, trying to pick up where he left off, but that was interrupted by the compartment door flinging open.

Standing there was a boy their age; spiked pale blond hair, alabaster skin and bright blue eyes. "Have either of you seen a toad named Trevor?" The other boys shook their heads and the pale boy sighed, "My dad has lost him again."

"Who's your father?" John asked.

"Professor Neville Malfoy." The boy steeped into the compartment, head held high. "I'm Draco Malfoy Jr."

"I'm John Weasley." He stood and shook the other boy's hand.

Standing up, the dark haired boy said, Come and sit with us." Extending his hand, he said, "I'm Tom Riddle."

11 Year earlier

After the retrieved all the stones the werewolves wore, Severus went down to his dungeons. He was deathly worried about Harry; the young man was still missing.

Pacing in front of his hearth, Severus started thinking up rescue plans, but stopped when a load knock echoed through his chamber. Rushing to the door and opening it wide, he got the shock of his life.

Standing there, with a small baby in his arms was Harry Potter. Blood trickling down the side of his face and the young wizard looked like he was trying to take his weight on his left leg. "May I come in?" He asked brushing his blood soaked hair way from his face.

Standing aside, Severus let them in and closed the door after he chucked to see if anyone was out in the hall. "What happed?" He asked as soon as the door was shut.

"You can not repeat any of this, Severus." Harry warned. "It's classified. If the Ministry found out one of us said anything. I could lose him." Harry lifted up the child in his arms. "Let me just get to the point. Voldemort is gone," Here Harry sighed. "But Tom Riddle is still alive."

"Where is he?" Severus asked, cocking his head to the side.

"He's asleep in my arms." Harry said as Severus mouth dropped. "I can't tell you what took place, but let's just say that an accident in your class taught me something." He stopped and chuckled softly. "That Neville Longbottum can make the impossible possible; especially with a harmless potion."

"What will happen to Mr. Riddle?" Severus asked, finding a chair to sit in.

"I have adopted him." Severus shot out of his chair and Harry put up his hand to stop his lovers rant. "He will grow up with a loving parent. Tom is barely a year old. He doesn't remember his life before now and he will not return to that life."

Sighing, Severus asked, "How can you be so sure?"

"Because I will raise him." Harry said passionately. "He will grow up knowing love and compassion. Tom will have friends and will go to Hogwarts. He will be human, Severus."

"Why would you care?" The older wizard asked.

"I had to do something." Harry hissed. "The Ministry were going to kill him once he was weakened and seeing him like this," Harry cooed down at the baby. "I could not let that happen. It takes a great man to fight and kill his enemy but I think a greater man would do what I have done. I am happy that I'm given this chance to raise him right."

"You are serious about this?" Severus pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I even gave up my Aura position." Harry smiled as Severus snorted.

"You didn't even like being there."

"Yes," Harry smiled. "But they don't know that."

Severus looked up to Harry's big green eyes. A small smirk came to his normally stern face. "Well, I'm not going to let you raise that child alone." Harry's mouth dropped as Severus plucked the baby out of his arms. "If you did he would be a spoiled brat, just like all the rest."

"I think it's you that will spoil him, not me." Harry crossed his arms over his chest.

"That has yet to be seen." Severus gave the smaller man a quick kiss. "Now, you need a long bath. I'll look after Tom in the mean time."

"You really surprised me, you know." Harry said as he headed towards the washroom. "I thought I'd have to beg you to marry me." Chuckling at Severus shocked face, Harry walked into the bathroom, but not before he waved his wand, levitating a small box in front of the tall man.

Inside was a single silver wedding band. Carefully plucking it out of the air, Severus slipped the ring round his finger. Looking down at the child in his arms he was surprised to see twinkling red eyes peer up at him. Eyes he's seen many times before but never so innocent. "You would think your Daddy would be more romantic." He cooed down at the dark haired boy, with a large smile on his face.

*The End*

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Well that's it! ^_^ Don't kill me.

I was thinking about making a sequel about Tom's first year at Hogwarts, but if I do, it won't be until later. I still have my other story to work on and another that is in my head. After I get those finished maybe then I'll come up with a sequel.

I hope you have enjoyed my little fic!

A Big *HUG* and Thank You goes out to all that have reviewed so far. Thank you all for your reviews! ^_^\../