Author's Note: This story has been floating around in my head for quite sometime and I have finally found time to get it on paper. Sorry for the formating errors, I am still getting the hang of I hope you enjoy story!! Please R & R. Thoughts are in italics.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters; they belong to Warner Bros and J. K. Rowling. I do however own any original characters that may appear in this story and the plot.

Warning: This story will be SLASH. If you do not know what this means you should look it up before reading this. While it will not be apparent for quite a while this story is going in that direction.

Summary: Someone has a highly addictive and deadly drug and the only cure has been lost to the wizarding world. Who has it? Who needs it? And who will be its first victim? Two men are locked into deadly situations and as their journey continues they will learn the true meaning of …..

Coercion

Present

Hogwarts
Welcoming Feast

Dark eyes surveyed the hoards of students streaming through the doors. Pushing and shoving their schoolmates aside, they cluttered up the hall with their noisy chatter. The constant sound of high-pitched voices was hurting his ears so he retreated from the unpleasant sight before him and moved towards the great hall.

Another year, another batch of hopeless students, he thought. What trials must I go through this year, with the Potter brat returning? Every year another catastrophe. At least this year Albus has assured me the Defense teacher will be partially competent. I wonder whom he has found? He has been suspiciously tightlipped about the teacher's identity. I do not even know their gender! Anyhow, I shall find out shortly, the feast is about to begin. Musing finished, Severus Snape made his way into the great hall, a feeling of foreboding already firmly entrenched in his mind, even as the students scattered in his wake.

3 months earlier….

London, England
Early morning

The train signaled and pulled away from the station leaving the hurried mass of passengers to make their way to their next destination. One passenger in particular seemed to be rushed that early summer morning. Dressed in all black with a fierce scowl on his face, the man's long legs quickly made for the door to the outside world. Once he reached it he was quickly accosted by a similarly dressed man and escorted to a waiting car.

The car, continuing the all black theme, was a long stretch limousine that could fit at the very least 15 people. However when the door was opened for the traveler it was clear he was to be the only occupant. Once he was safely encased in the limousine, his guide made his way to the front of the vehicle and situated himself behind the driver's wheel and pulled away from the curb.

After traveling for a half an hour, the limo pulled up to a pair of silver gates and waited for admittance. The gates opened and the car pulled through, narrowly missing being hit by the quickly closing gates behind them. The car continued its way up a long driveway before finally pulling to a stop in front of a large house. A tall man with white blond hair exited the house and came to a stop at the top of the series of steps leading up to the front gate. He motioned for the driver to open the door for the traveler and called out in greeting once he had emerged from the limo.

"Hello, my name is Lucius Malfoy and I will be your host for the duration of your stay. I am sure you are quite tired from your trip so I will have a servant escort you to your rooms where you can freshen up. Lunch will be served at 12:00 pm precisely, after which we can retire to my study to discuss our business."

Without a word the traveler nodded and made his way up the stairs, where he followed after the servant Lucius had called. Lucius, slightly shocked, looked after his silent guest as he followed his servant, and shook his head. "That will have to change," he muttered to himself, "that will definitely have to change."

Malfoy Manor
12:00 pm

The traveler arrived exactly at 12:00 pm as requested, still wearing the dark clothes he had come in, but having noticeably cleaned himself up, with his dark brown hair smoothly combed and face shaved. He took a place at the end of the long table that graced the Malfoy dining room and waited for his host to arrive. Five minutes later Malfoy entered the room and settled himself down at the other end of the table. The food appeared on the surface and the first few moments were spent in silence as each man served himself. After taking a few bites of his food, Lucius wiped his mouth and inquired "I am afraid that I did not catch your name when we spoke earlier, what did you say it was?"

His guest looked up and gazed at him with midnight blue eyes. He did not say anything for a moment, perhaps composing his thoughts, and then quietly remarked, "I did not mention my name, however, if you must know, it is Carson Langley." He returned to his food after his short speech and did not look up again for the remainder of the meal. Lucius, shocked by his guest's rudeness, also did not attempt to make conversation again until both had finished. After the house elves had cleared the table he requested, " Mr. Langley, will you please join me in my study? We have a number of things to discuss." He got up from the table and headed out of the room, not waiting for a reply. Langley also stood up and followed him out of the room.

When the two reached the study, Lucius took a chair behind the huge mahogany desk that was the focus of the room, Carson took one of the two chairs that faced it, and waited for Lucius to speak. "As neither one of us has much time, let me cut straight to the chase. I have been informed that you were approached several times over the past year regarding a position with my organization, yet each time you have turned us down. Now suddenly you are willing to work for me? I would appreciate it if you would explain your reasoning." Lucius requested.

Langley thought for a moment and then replied, "Before this month I was not interested in your proposal as I was already previously engaged. However, my commitment ended this month, and as I was at loose ends, I decided to contact you regarding your proposition. Before I agree to anything though, I would like some further information on exactly what this job would entail. Your representative was somewhat scant in the information he provided me with."

Lucius folded his hands on his desk and leaned forward, " I think that you will be quite interested in my proposition. It involves teaching defense against the dark arts to a group of children at a renowned wizarding school. Hogwarts, to be exact. I wish for you to become a teacher there and forward me any information that you might overhear or discover while you are there. Specifically about one certain individual, but I will go over that when you have agreed to the job. Also, I would require you to take part in some specialized duties, nothing too risky, but I will also discuss that further once you have accepted," he stated.

The dark haired man leaned forward as well, "You mean to say that you want me to spy for you on the bunch of annoying children that occupy that school as well as the teachers? Why would you need my specialized skills for this? I would think that anybody with even the smallest notion of the dark arts would be able to suffice. As for these "specialized duties", they do not include anything that would put me in even the smallest amount of jeopardy, correct?"

"It is not just any group of people that you will be spying upon but a collection of some of the most powerful people in the world. I need someone who can at least match them if not best them. As for the specialized duties, as I said I will discuss them after you accept. However, I can reassure you that there is no life threatening risks involved." Lucius replied.

"Very well then, I have nothing better to do and this might be entertaining for a while. I will warn you, that if I find this job unsatisfying I will quit. I have no loyalty to you and I will not stay if I do not wish to." Carson sat back and waited for Lucius to finalize the deal.

"I am glad that we can come to an agreement. However on the matter of loyalty, you will be required to take a small mark to ensure that you will not betray my cause."

"Absolutely not! If I had known of this I would never have come even this far. I am sorry but my services are no longer available. I owe my allegiance to no one but myself and I refuse to be bound to anyone, no matter the cause." Langley shouted, eyes burning. He stood up from his chair and moved to leave when Lucius spoke.

"I am sorry but I am unable to accommodate your request. You see you already know too much. You will be working for me, willing or not." With that he hit the furious man with curse that knocked him out and sent him sprawling on the floor. "Yes I am sure that we can think of something to insure your obedience. In fact, I think my lord has just the thing," he said to himself, a disturbing smile crossing his face.

TBC???

Please R&R!! Thanks for reading.