Title: Atomos
Rating: M
Pairing: Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy
Disclaimer: Characters and universe owned by J.K. Rowling.
Summary: AU. Draco is used in a plot to bend Harry Potter to Voldemort's will… however, Draco thwarts the plans, using the same spell that was meant to capture Potter to protect him. Harry takes him to a world beyond what he had ever known. SLASH.
Warnings: Slash.
A/N: I am re-writing the entire fanfiction. I am sorry if this bothers anyone, but my writing style has changed in the past few years. If I am to continue and finish my fanfiction, I must start over. Otherwise, this crap will just sit here forever getting on my nerves… I've noted that much of it will not have to be re-written, but this is just warning… Also, this is totally AU. I'm taking liberties, for my own amusement and nothing more.
Voldemort laughed coldly, enjoying the way Draco flinched at the sound. The boy still wasn't worthy to be called a Deatheater, but he would do for the next project the Dark Lord had been working on… Atomos.
Atomos was a singularly strong bond, using both the Atomos potion and spell to great effect. After the potion is taken, the person who casts the spell is bonded to the drinker. The question was… how to get Potter to drink the potion? Voldemort gave the Malfoy an annoyed look. If he hadn't known that that he'd make great live bait, he would have killed the useless creature long ago. The boy failed him one time too many.
In any case, the Malfoy manor was a very nice place to have Deatheater meetings.
"For this to work, I need Potter alive," he hissed at his followers, giving them a Look that plainly said if someone killed Harry Potter without direct orders to do so they would not survive him long. And they would be in unendurable pain before following him to the grave...
"M'lord," Severus Snape whispered softly. He then waited to be acknowledged before continuing. He was in high favor after killing Albus Dumbledore for the Dark Lord. Only he and Narcissa knew that it was for his godson Draco, that he killed the ancient wizard, not Voldemort. And that he truly regretted it, it just had to be done…
"Yes?" the Dark Lord waved his hand at Severus.
The dark-haired man sighed and continued his line of thought out-loud. "Are you sure… the Atomos? It is an incredibly strong bond, and it hasn't been used for centuries because of the dangers, and the side-effects. Perhaps a less extreme bonding spell that would bind Potter to you…?"
"Crucio," Voldemort said, watching idly as the man fell. Severus Snape had proven his worth, and his loyalty, but he still didn't have the authority to question his Lord! Voldemort sneered at the pain on his Deatheater's face, but when Snape did not make a sound even after his legs gave out, he relented. "I have my reasons. Potter will be under my control, not only physically but mentally as well. This must be done. I must have that boy." I must have his power, his thoughts echoed.
Draco's shoulders shook slightly, watching the exchange. He had been hit with the Crucio very often since he failed to kill Dumbledore, since he failed to kill anyone. He just couldn't. It was sickening; he was so weak, he just couldn't look in someone's eyes and then kill them. The very thought made him ill. He didn't want to be a Deatheater anymore.
If he had one chance, the slightest chance, he'd take it. He didn't want to switch sides either, he'd only be killed for what he'd done. It was all his fault the great Albus Dumbledore was dead, after all. No one knew that he had been going to let Dumbledore go, that Dumbledore was going to save him and his mother… suddenly he blanked his mind, realizing that the Dark Lord might search it for any signs of disloyalty.
Voldemort saw young Malfoy twitch again and frowned in annoyance. "Brat, I am not going to kill you until I am finished with you. If I get what I want out of this I may even allow you to live. So stop acting like I'm going to Avada Kadavra you." Luckily he had put his wand away after casting the Crucio curse on Severus.
Draco nodded numbly, trying not to think of anything except his Dark Lord, of his great intelligence and well-thought-out plans. When the red eyes left his face, Draco carefully did not let out a sigh of relief as he wanted to. He still trembled, he couldn't help it. Voldemort punished the slightest things these days- he stopped that train of thought in its tracks and stared at the ground wishing he could disappear into it.
"Severus, prepare me the potion. It must be perfect, it is most important, more important than the spell even. If you fail me in this, I shall give you the pain of a thousand deaths and send you to the abyss!" The Dark Lord finished with a snarl, and then composed himself.
He was getting unhinged, everyone knew this, but knew better than to say anything.
After everyone Disapparated, Draco decided something… he was going to stop Voldemort's plan, and gain a protector at the same time. He called on a House Elf to clean up. Draco smirked his old smirk; he had some research to do. Atomos… he liked the sound of that.
Harry cried out in pain, clutching his forehead. His scar was burning, he could feel Voldemort's happiness, and he shuddered to think what was making the Dark Lord so happy. Harry swallowed a sick feeling, and climbed out of bed. He was not getting any sleep after that.
He was at Grimmauld Place. It was his now, and living in it made him feel rather odd. It was the last place Sirius lived... It was still a dark place, but after exploring it thoroughly, Harry was content with it. Larger on the inside than the outside, it could easily be called a mansion.
There were some rooms that you couldn't get to unless you went thorough certain doors and hallways in a certain order. There were some places that looked like they were parts of other buildings, rooms hidden inside other rooms, secret passages inside secret passages. Indeed, he had a nice little maze on his hands and he was proud of it.
Harry only wished Sirius was still there. He was already getting over Dumbledore, he had seen his lifeless body, but Sirius... his body had never been found, and never would be. He suddenly forced his mind off that pathway, he had taken it so many times and it led only to depression.
He let his mind wander where-ever else it wanted and was faintly surprised when it came to Malfoy. The pale blond boy, his rival, he had hated him so much. Now, he felt only pity and a little bit of respect. Draco Malfoy was only protecting his mother. Wouldn't he do the do whatever he could to protect his mother if he still had a mother to protect? If not the same way Malfoy was going on about it…
He closed his eyes a moment, to try to clear his mind altogether, and took a deep breath. Held it. Released it. He did that for a while until his mind felt more relaxed, then let his breathing return to normal. He was feeling a strong urge to take it into his own hands, to save the Malfoys from Voldemort. The Order refused to do anything about it; he was a Deatheater, that was it. After Snape's defection, they no longer took Deatheaters into their ranks, or even helped them. Azkaban or death.
Dumbledore's loss had affected the Order in a negative way, and most of the more noble/responsible members were now acting independently of it. Harry was one of those people. He didn't even consider himself a member anymore, except when it was in his best interest.
He could rescue them; he wanted to, he had to. Draco was innocent, Narcissa was innocent, and they were going to die because of Lucius' failings. Harry never guessed that thought had been planted in his mind by Voldemort. But what Voldemort didn't realize was that thought would've come along on its own eventually, that Potter had a strong sense of right and wrong, that he had seen Albus Dumbledore's death and the events that transpired before. The way Draco had wanted out of it all, and Dumbledore had been willing to help... as Harry was ready to help now. He nodded firmly to himself, grabbed his wand, invisibility cloak, and some things from the twin's shop.
"Accio firebolt," Harry whispered softly, climbed on his broom, and went off into the night, and dangers unbeknownst to him.
