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For Lucius Malfoy, exchanging Polyjuiced Muggles for his old colleagues was the work of but a few moments. A thrill of pride and accomplishment rose in his breast as he led them off the boat to the Apparation point, where Cissa, Walden and Geoff were waiting with their retrieved wands.

"Cissy?" Bellatrix cried out quietly.

Cissa smiled and grasped her older sister's hand. "Let me Apparate you, Bella," she said gently. "There's so much we need to talk about."

Bella nodded and hugged her sister tight under the invisibility cloak. With a quiet crack, they left.

"What's going on, Lucius?" Rabastan asked. "I'm glad to be out, but it's been almost eight years. Why are you chancing it now?"

Lucius looked the five escapees in the eyes - the only part of them showing. "Our Lord has returned," he told them, knowing his awe was showing in his voice.

Erich jerked, stunned. "Where is he?" he demanded. "Where's my old friend?"

"Riddle House," Lucius said. "If you don't know the Apparition coordinates-"

Crack. Erich vanished.

"-We'll side-along Apparate you," he finished.

Rab shook his head and Apparated away, as did Antonin. Augustus shook his head in turn. "I had to keep my nose clean," he joked. "If you would?"

Walden held out an arm and took him to their Lord's manor, Geoff following behind.

"Rod?" Lucius said softly. His best friend was staring at him like he couldn't believe his eyes. "Rod?"

The gaunt man threw himself at Lucius, wrapping his arms around his shoulders like a vice. Lucius hugged him back tight, rocking back on his heels at the impact.

"I missed you, my friend," Rod mumbled into his shoulder. Lucius could feel warm liquid soaking into his shirt and instantly brought a hand up to smooth his friend's hair soothingly, blinking back tears of his own.

"It's good to have you back with me," Lucius whispered.

Rod let go reluctantly, swiping at his eyes and straightening his shoulders. "Riddle House, eh?" he said.

Lucius nodded. "You remember where it is?"

"I shall never forget," he said with a small grin. "Let's go greet our Lord."

The two Disapparated with twin cracks. All that was left was a mild scent of magic and unwashed wizard.

**

Tom was showing Harry the kitchen and how to request food from the charmed refrigerator, when several soft bells rang in quick succession. He straightened and smiled at Harry widely. "Let's go greet our guests, shall we?"

Harry blushed. He'd been rather quiet since waking up for lunch and finding he had a limp, even if he was much taller than before.

Tom correctly interpreted the embarrassed look on his 'nephew's' face. "Harry, if anyone should be ashamed, it's those Muggle pigs you were forced to live with," he said patiently. "Everyone out there will understand, I promise."

Harry nodded slowly, then more firmly. "Yes, Uncle Thomas," he said. They turned to leave the kitchen together as another bell chimed. "You have a lot of guests, Uncle," he piped up. "And why did the Malfoys call you 'my Lord' this morning?"

Tom chuckled. "I was their leader in the last war, Harry," he said. "Their Lord and general, so to speak." He slowed down so Harry could match the strides of his long legs.

They paused at the entryway to the hall, and Tom stood and looked at his followers in satisfaction. Sweet, dark Bella stood in confusion in the protective circle of her sister's arms. Lucius and Rod were in a corner talking as if they weren't to be separated until they'd made up for eight years. Walden and Geoff were leaning silently against a wall. Augustus was looking around the hall, intrigued. Erich was shifting from foot to foot, impatient. Antonin stood apart from everyone, still and tense. And Rab was sitting on the bottom step, watching everyone.

Tom stepped into the room. "My friends," he said, voice pitched to carry, "I'm pleased to find you well."

Erich spun around. "Tom?" he whispered. "My Lord?"

He laughed. "Erich, my friend. It is good to see you - all of you."

Bella dropped to her knees. "My Lord," she said, tears in her eyes, "we never stopped hoping."

"Rise, Bella," he said warmly. "We shall talk after you've all had a chance to wash Azkaban from your skin." He turned to Harry, who was once again hanging back in the doorway. "I believe we can put dinner off until our guests have freshened up, don't you think, Harry?"

"Yes, Uncle Thomas," he said shyly, coming forwards.

"Who's the boy, my Lord?" Walden asked.

"This is my adopted heir and nephew, Henry Peverell," Tom said. "He goes by Harry."

Lucius murmured briefly to Rod and walked up to Harry. "Harry, Narcissa and I have a gift for you," he said to the boy. He pulled a shrunken cane out of his pocket and tapped it with his wand, bringing it to normal size. The cane was a carved, dark wood with a fine, dense grain. The silver inlay came to a spiralling end in a knob at the top.

"Thank you very much," Harry said, staring at the beautiful walking stick. He gripped the knob in his left hand and stood straight, giving Lucius his first real smile since waking up.

"Most of you know the manor," Tom addressed his followers. "Feel free to use any of the baths in the house. Narcissa, will you keep Harry company?" He began walking towards the stairs. "I have something I need to take care of."

Rab looked up at him from his seat on the stairs and smirked faintly. "Yes, you do," he said, /sotto voce/.

Tom strode up the steps, smirking. Damn, but it was good to be home.

As soon as he heard the door close behind him, he flung up a silencing charm and whirled around, slamming Rab against the door. "Mordred, I missed you, Rab," he whispered into his lover's hair.

"Never lost faith in you," Rab said quietly, chest hitching with suppressed tears. "Never, never."

Tom tilted Rab's face up and kissed the tears leaking from his dark eyes. "Don't cry, Rabastan," he ordered teasingly. "We're together again, right?"

"I'm not crying," he said gruffly. "It's just some Azkaban grime in my eye, that's all."

Tom kissed him lightly. "I have a very large bath," he said, "right through that door." He jerked his head in the direction of the water closet, not letting go of Rab. "Are you going to need help washing that grime off?"

"Don't joke, Tom," Rab warned. "I've been bloody celibate for over eight years now."

"Rab," Tom sighed, tugging him towards the bath, "when it comes to you and sex, I never joke."

**

Dinner had been a noisy affair, everyone in a victorious mood. Narcissa and Bellatrix sat on either side of Harry and kept him entertained, making plans quietly above his head to make his Christmas the next month the best in Britain. Lucius and Walden caught up Rodolphus, Erich and Augustus to current events in the Ministry. Geoff and Antonin ate quietly, listening and adding a few comments every once in a while. Tom and Rab had their heads together throughout dinner.

Finally, as the plates vanished back into the kitchen, Tom stood. "My friends, I thank you for joining me for dinner this evening. Lucius, Narcissa, Walden, Geoff, you have my gratitude for rescuing our people today." They all bowed their heads to him. "Erich, Augustus, Antonin, Rod, Bella, Rab," he looked at each of them in turn. "You are welcome to stay here with my nephew and me for as long as you need. It is the least we can do to make up for your years of suffering at the hands of the Ministry."

"Thank you, my Lord," they murmured, bowing their heads.

"If you don't mind, my Lord," Narcissa spoke up, "Lucius and I would take Bella and Rod home with us."

"I don't mind at all," Tom said, surprised and pleased. "Bella? Rod? Does this suit?"

"It does, my Lord," Rod said, grinning at Lucius.

"I would like to spend more time with Cissy, my Lord," Bella answered, "and reacquaint myself with my nephew, Draco."

Tom smiled. "A worthy goal, Bella. I am glad that you have family to go to."

She nodded and quirked her sweet, sly smile at him.

"It's getting late," Geoff said unexpectedly. "My wife and son will be expecting me. With your permission, my Lord."

Tom gestured a gracious dismissal at the large man. "Give Helene my regards," he said. Geoff stood and bowed, and walked from the dining room.

"We ought to leave as well, my Lord," Lucius commented. "We've left Draco by himself practically all day."

"It was good to see you, Lucius," Tom said. "Go see to your son. I'll call you soon."

The two men and two women stood and bowed, the sisters kissing the top of Harry's head.

Walden shrugged. "Whenever you want me to leave, my Lord."

"We have much to discuss, Walden, and you are my eyes in the Ministry," Tom said in response.

Rab caught his eye and stood. "Harry?" he said, beckoning. "It's time for you to go to bed. I'll take you up." The young boy grabbed his cane and followed him up the stairs.

Tom turned back to his followers still at the table. "We're taking our fight to the courts this time, my friends..."

**

"'They watched the pale rings of light round his lanterns as they dwindled into the foggy night. Suddenly Frodo laughed: from the covered basket he held, the scent of mushrooms was rising.'"

"Very nice," Tom said quietly from where he was leaning against the doorframe, listening and watching Harry sleep.

Rab looked up from the book, slipping a bit of parchment between the pages. "I'm a natural at it, or so he tells me," he said. He got up from his seat on the bed and walked over to Tom. "Let's go to bed."

Tom laughed softly. "If all your decisions are that good, I'll retire and let you be the Dark Lord."

Rab snickered and slipped an arm around his waist. "I'm tired, Tom," he said, yawning. "Take me to bed."

"Mmhmm." They walked down the hall together, footfalls light.

"Tom?" Rab asked, as they lay in bed together.

"Yes?" he replied, carding his fingers through the patch of hair on Rab's chest.

"Your adopted nephew, is that Harry Potter?"

"Not anymore."

"Does he know what you did?"

"He knows enough for a nine-year-old." Tom nuzzled the soft skin under his jaw and breathed, "Mordred, Rab, he's more like me than you could possibly believe."

Rab leaned over and kissed him tenderly. "I could see that," he said. "I believe you."

"Go to sleep," Tom said quietly. "You need the rest."

His lover grinned at him sleepily and closed his eyes. Tom wasn't far behind.