Chapter 3: Masking the Innocence

The Doll’s Dream; The Breath of Life is My Gift to You. Our souls are joined as one;


Chapter 3: Masking the Innocence.



Perenelle gasped and Nicolas looked just horrified. “Why? Why would you do such a thing?” whispered Nicolas in shock. “The Aurors are going to hunt for you… And when they find you… They’ll cart you to Azkaban before you can say anything!”


Tom sighed sadly and stared at the tablecloth. How to answer? How to explain? “Tom, just tell us. We’ll understand,” said Perenelle gently, patting Tom’s hand. Tom looked back to Nicolas and Perenelle. The two people he considered his parents. He didn’t want them to be disappointed in him.


“Okay,” he agreed. “I told you that I saw Harry’s baby memories right? I saw what old lady Potter did and I was angry. I waited for the right time and I just thought… today was the right time. I killed her and destroyed the house but not before I saw James Potter cast a Shield Charm around himself and his family,”


Perenelle laughed wearily, brushing away the stray tears on her face. “Even then you were still so kind hearted,” she said with a teary smile on her face. “We can’t tell Harry. Not until he’s ready to know of this,” Her face was set resolutely and grim determination played across her slightly wrinkled face.


Tom gave his agreement and looked at Nicolas. Did he really want this man to be disappointed in him? “What can I say? Harry would probably never want to see old lady Potter’s face ever. But you’re a good man to have spared his family,” started Nicolas. “The only thing is, they know you have Harry now. They’ll try to find him and we have to do something to make sure they don’t get him. I don’t want to lose him but if Harry wants to go back to them… It’s his choice. Just not know,”


If there was one thing Tom realized that day, it was that both Nicolas and Perenelle care very much for Harry and him. He gave them a warm smile and hugged them tightly, whispering “Thank you,”




Remus turned out the light of the guest room leaving the two bundled up kids asleep in the bed. He turned down to the sitting room and entered the same time as Sirius who was holding a tray of tea. James looked distraught and Lily was sobbing quietly. “What happened?” asked Sirius in his usual straightforward manner as he poured out the tea.


He handed one to Lily and another to James before taking the last two cups for himself and his boyfriend. Remus accepted the drink gratefully and sank down into the opposite sofa and Sirius sat on the arm of the sofa. James sipped the tea carefully before speaking. “Today was just like any other. Lils and me. We took the kids out to play. Suddenly, Tom, Bella and a few others dressed in black and masked appeared in our sitting room. They cast a spell on my mother and tied us on the sofa.”


Lily continued from there. “Tom told mum to tell us and she told us what she did to Harry,” Her voice shook and she kept quiet, not trusting herself to speak. James relayed what he had heard and gasps of outrage from his best friends. Finally, he told them that Tom had bombed the ceiling leaving him to protect his family with a Shield Charm.


“I always knew Riddle was a bastard. Him and my darling cousin Bella,” spat Sirius angrily. Remus placed a soothing hand on Sirius’ thigh and Sirius kept quiet in a brooding silence. Remus cleared his throat and said “From the way Tom reacted, he must’ve found Harry. If not how would he know? That means Harry is under his care and you can get your son back,”


Lily sniffled and burst out “Would he even want us back?! After what that woman did?!” James put an arm around Lily’s shoulder and soothed her with gentle words. Sirius piped up “We’ll just have to find Riddle and ask Harry won’t we?”




That night…


Tom tucked in his exhausted son and kissed his forehead before settling down in the armchair next to Harry’s cot. He opened a storybook and started reading watching as Harry slowly drifted off, unaware of the crime his father had done. Tom leaned over and ran his fingers through Harry’s hair. Soft just like any little kid’s hair.


“Goodnight Harry,” he whispered before leaving the room and dimming the lights. He knew Harry hated the dark.




10 years later….


A raven-haired boy took off on his broom into the sky laughing loudly. His face was covered with a half mask that covered his eyes and a part of his nose. Obviously, there were holes for him to see through.


Soon enough, another man joined him in the air and gave chase. Round and round they went in the cornflower blue sky. The young 7-year-old’s eyes glittered as he swooped into a dive and pulled up just inches from the ground. He heard clapping and was happy to see the older man smiling broadly and proudly at him.


“Harry Mikhail Riddle! I saw that!” shouted a woman sternly as she stepped down from the back patio. Harry laughed and landed gracefully in front of the woman, pouting cutely. “But Aunt Nellie…” he whined. “It was just for fun!” Perenelle rolled her eyes as she kissed his forehead lightly.


“You’re lucky I’m so forgiving,” she said mock sternly, her laughing eyes gave her away and Harry took off to the skies again and joined his father in the air. Tom laughed and the father and son stuck their tongue out at Perenelle cheekily, which made her laugh at their likenesses. Maria was the next to come out onto the patio with a tray of ice-cold lemonade for a hot summer day.


“Monsieur Tom! Harry! Come down and have a drink,” she called out. Immediately, two blurs landed on the ground and came racing over for the drinks. Maria chuckled as she poured out 3 glasses of lemonade before escaping into the house. Just in time too because no one came between Harry and his lemonade. It was after all his favorite drink.


The 3 sat together quietly watching the sun set over the horizon each brooding on their own thoughts. Harry understood why he wore the mask. His father had told him everything when he was 6. Even though he wanted to throw a tantrum like any other 6-year-old, his sensible mind kicked in and he asked his father to explain.


He had vague memories of what happened but couldn’t help but feel glad that the old lady dumped him when she did. If not, he wouldn’t have met his father, Aunt Nellie and Uncle Nicolas. He loved his new family and his new name. He didn’t want to return to his old family.


“Dad?” he asked. Tom looked at him with a gentle smile on his face. “I have to go to Hogwarts right?” Tom reached over and tussled his son’s hair, replying “Yes Harry. It’s a requirement that all young wizards go. I don’t want you careering off to Durmstrang,”


Harry laughed and gulped down his lemonade. Just 2 days ago, on his 11th birthday, a letter had come for him, telling him he had a place in Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. He wasn’t shocked. He knew something like this would happen. After all, he had been trained in various aspects of magic since he was young.


His father, he knew was a wanted man. For killing that old lady and usage of the Unforgivable Curses. That was why he was required to wear this mask whenever he was outdoors. Should they go to an open and public area, he would wear a cloak with the hood up. It made people peer at him curiously but for safety reasons… Harry readily agreed. He didn’t want to lose another family and get forced to return to the Potters.


“We’d better go down to Diagon Alley tomorrow. It’s only a few weeks till Harry goes off to Hogwarts,” said Perenelle fondly with a hint of sadness. Harry smiled at his godmother and stood up. He moved to her and hugged her. “Don’t worry Aunt Nellie, I’ll write to you when I’m there. Every single day!” he announced brightly. Harry was particularly receptive of people’s feelings and Perenelle laughed.


“Pinky promise?” asked Perenelle smilingly, holding out her right pinky. Harry grinned, holding out his own. “Pinky promise,”



Diagon Alley…


Rosaline Nerissa Potter clung to her father’s hand while looking around the brightly decorated street in awe. For a moment, she forgot why she was here in the first place. “Gods Rose, stop clinging to dad like a lifeline! We’re just coming here to shop for our school stuff!” said Aidan in an irritated voice, grabbing his twin sister’s hand and yanking her off their dad’s arm.


Rose slapped Aidan’s hand and glared at him, her brown eyes promising revenge when they returned home. “Shut up Dan! It’s our first time going away from home! I’m just nervous!” she snapped. James rolled his eyes and stepped between his children.


“Time out. If I hear one more argument from the two of you, you’re going home with me and I’ll send the both of you to separate schools,” said James firmly, in a voice that brooked no argument or protest.


Lily exited Flourish and Blotts to see James standing between Rose and Aidan who were giving each other death glares but weren’t saying anything to each other. She sighed and shrunk the books before placing them into her pocket. “James, why not bring Rose to choose her owl and I’ll bring Aidan to get his wand. When we’re done we’ll exchange,” suggested Lily.


James readily agreed and took Rose to Eeylopes Owl Emporium while Lily went in the opposite direction to Ollivander’s.



Perenelle walked next to Harry pointing out various shops and enjoying Harry’s responses. She had to practically drag Harry out from Flourish and Blotts because he was son interested in the various advanced texts that he had not seen in the Flamel’s library.


She had gotten him a snowy white owl for his going away present and he was happily playing with the owl, which he named Hedwig. “Aunt Nellie?” he asked looking up from the owl on his shoulder. “May we go to the Apothecary? I’d like to see all the Potions stuff now and get a kit of my own,”


She smiled at him and offered her hand. “Of course Harry. That will be the second last stop seeing as we don’t have to get you a wand as you got one when you were 7. But you’re going to have to go to Madam Malkins for robes,” said Perenelle in agreement. Harry slipped his small hand into her warm one and they made their way down the street.

__


Lily smiled at Aidan who was voicing out various names to give to his grey screech owl. She wasn’t looking where she was going and accidentally knocked into a boy who she couldn’t see the face because he wore a hooded cloak and a mask. “Oh! I’m sorry!” said the boy politely. “I wasn’t looking where I was going. Hedwig, come down girl. I’ve got some owl treats,” The young boy pulled a few owl treats and placed it on the palm of his hand. Finally, the white owl, which he called Hedwig, came down and took the treats.

“Harry! Don’t run off like that!” said a worried woman. “Oh dear, I’m so sorry. He ran off without me and must’ve bumped into you,” Lily smiled at the woman and felt a pang when she heard the lady call the child Harry. ‘He must be her son’ thought Lily.


She smiled at the lady and said, “It’s no problem. I wasn’t looking where I was going either,” Perenelle and Lily exchanged polite smiles before moving off to their intended directions. Lily to Leaky Cauldron and Perenelle with Harry to Madam Malkins for his robes.


As soon as Harry saw that Lily and Aidan was out of earshot, he looked up at his godmother and asked, “Aunt Nellie, was that Lily Potter?” Perenelle noted that he did not call her mother. She ruffled his already messy mop of raven locks and nodded. Harry gave a small ‘Hm’ and had his deeply in thoughts face as they made their way to Madam Malkins.


Perenelle gently guided him through the doorway of the shop mostly due to the fact he almost kissed the closed door of the shop. “Harry?” she said, calling him out of his thoughts. He jerked back and looked up at Perenelle looking disheveled. “I’ll wait outside all right?” He nodded and Perenelle escaped from the slightly crowded shop.


Harry waited quietly for his turn and stepped up on the small wooden block to be measured by a measuring tape. “Hello,” a voice drawled. Harry glanced to his right and saw a boy who was slightly shorter than him with pure blonde-white hair and grey eyes. It looked to Harry like the boy had a permanent look of cold indifference on his face.


“Hello,” Harry replied politely. No use being rude. His father would kill him if he disused his manners. The boy smirked and said airily “Finally, a polite person. You’d think this place had more polite people,” Harry raised an eyebrow and stifled his snickers and the blonde’s airs and graces.


Harry cleared his throat and chose to introduce himself first. “I’m Harry. And you are?” he said, his voice dripping with buttery politeness. If the blonde wanted polite people, Harry would be a polite person. Always go with the flow. That was what his Uncle Nick thought him.


Harry it seemed chose to do the right thing for the blonde smirked haughtily and replied “Malfoy. Draco Malfoy,” Harry smiled and leaned over to shake Draco’s outstretched hand when the tape measure was done with him. The moment their hands shook, a bond of friendship tied them together and they grinned easily at each other.


As Madam Malkin worked on altering his robes – Harry’s mask was still on – Draco roamed the shop looking for a nice cloak to buy. “So Harry,” he drawled. “What House do you think you’ll be in? I bet I’ll be in Slytherin. My dad was a Slytherin,” Harry had given some thoughts on what House he would be sorted in and hoped it would be Slytherin because of his Parselmouth skill.


“Slytherin,” he replied easily without any hesitation. “My father was a Slytherin,” Harry could literally sense Draco’s approval of him upping as soon as he replied and was glad of it. At least he made a friend. Harry remembered somewhat vaguely that his father knew a Lucius Malfoy and was now attempting to court Harry’s Uncle Severus. “Your father?” enquired Draco. “May I ask who he is?” Harry glanced at Draco out of the corner of his eye and replied cryptically “Your father would know. Ask him who slept in the same dorm as him and slept near the door and always woke up at 6,”


Draco was slightly peeved by Harry’s response. Did he not know when a Malfoy wanted an answer, the answer would be a clear and to the point one? But still, this boy named Harry intrigued him. He was curious to know why he kept that mask on. Did he have a birth defect? Or perhaps a scar of some sort. Draco was determined to unmask the boy but not break him. No, breaking him would break the life in those swirling green eyes.


“Very well. Would you like to keep in correspondence until we meet on the Hogwarts Express?” asked Draco primly. He silently prayed Harry would say yes. He wanted to get to know this boy and uncover his secrets. Harry smiled lightly and jumped off the wooden block and replaced his cloak, pulling up the hood once more.


“It would be a pleasure,” said Harry happily, producing a spare parchment and quill from his pocket and handing them to Draco. Draco scribbled his address on the parchment quickly and handed it back to Harry.


“Nice meeting you today,” said Harry quietly. Before Draco could respond, Harry was already gone and walking up the street to The Leaky Cauldron to floo back home. Draco had a smile threatening to play out across his face as he joined up with his mother outside Madam Malkins.


“You look happy,” observed his mother. Draco merely smiled cryptically in response and his mother chuckled as he launched into the story of meeting a green-eyed boy in the robe shop.




That night at the Malfoy Manor, the dining room… (a/n: I know. Quite a number of eating scenes)


Draco finished up the last of the well-cooked lamb shank and placed his fork and knife together at the left of his plate before dabbing his mouth with the napkin on his lap. Lucius smiled at his son’s table manners and inclined his head. Draco returned the smile and sipped his orange juice carefully.


“Father,” started Draco carefully, cushioning his cup with his pinky finger so it would not bang down on the table. Lucius looked up from his own nearly finished plate of lamb shank in surprise. “Yes my Dragon?” replied Lucius.


Draco cleared his throat a couple of times before starting, “I met a very interesting person today. He said you knew he’s father. A boy who slept in the same dorms as you, slept near the door and always woke up at 6 without fail,”


Lucius chuckled, finishing up his meal in the same fashion as Draco except he nursed a wine glass in his hand. “Yes, I knew of a boy like that. Tom Riddle,” he replied, still chuckling. “I believe it means you have met Harry?” Draco nodded enthusiastically and was about to launch into the same story he had told his mother on the way back from Diagon Alley.


“Wait, did you say Harry is Tom Riddle’s son?” exclaimed Draco. Lucius nodded in response. “Tom Riddle was the one who killed old lady Potter then went after the Longbottoms because they chose to get involved in it. Only their son survived,”


Narcissa wisely chose to stay out of this conversation. This was between father and son. She would not get involved unless things got out of hand. Out of hand meaning Draco throwing a temper tantrum. But she could see that Draco was paling at the thought of befriending a murderer’s son.


Lucius sighed. “Tom only did it because he did not want to lose Harry and Harry would not have wanted to lose his new father. If that was what family did to their children, then I’d say dear old Tom was right in doing what he did.”


Draco sputtered and he stood up from the table outraged. “But father! How am I to know Harry isn’t planning on killing me either?!” Lucius slammed his wine glass down on the table and massaged his temples to prevent the headache that was coming to worsen.


“Draco, we have discussed this matter when you got the letter from Hogwarts,” said Lucius warningly. “Tom Riddle is an old friend of mine and he made his intentions clear. He only killed the people who were involved in Harry’s abandonment and not Lily and James Potter. They were clueless to the events. Does this not prove that Tom Riddle has a conscience?”


Draco sat down heavily on his chair knowing full well that he could not go against his father’s reasoning. Also, he recalled the way Harry spoke of his father. With pride and love. That meant he loved Tom Riddle willingly and had accepted the heinous crimes he had committed. He could feel his father’s expectant look watching him unblinkingly.


“I will not bring this up with Harry unless he does and I won’t think any lesser of him,” he answered his father’s unasked question. His father gave a satisfied nod and picked up his wine glass once more. “Oh yes, Harry said he would correspond with me until we meet up at the train station,” said Draco proudly. He indeed did like Harry and not even the tiny fact his father was a kind murderer could stop him from pursuing the friendship.


Narcissa smiled and chipped in “Why, you did not mention that in our earlier conversation Dragon,” She noted her son’s excitement that rolled of him in great waves. He smiled apologetically. “Sorry mother. I was a bit caught up in the telling of how I met him,”


Lucius chuckled with his wife and he said, “You haven’t told me. Would you care to repeat your story for me, Dragon?” Draco smiled and launched into the tale once more with the same enthusiasm that made his parents smile lovingly at him.


End Chapter 3.


Note: This story contains boy love boy relationships as well as girl love girl. If you cannot stand it, don’t read.