Author Notes: This story is loosely based off of Kresley Cole's Major Arcana Chronicles. While it features the idea the plot is completely different. There are some elements that I found could work well with a Harry Potter fiction. The rest of the story is my own.
Warning: This story contains Slash. The main pairing will Draco/Harry. If you do not find this to be your taste, please do not read. This is a mature story and is aimed at mature audiences. Please heed the warning if you are underage and are not accustomed to this type of story.
I do not own Harry Potter and co. They are the property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. I do not make any profits from my stories.
Enjoy!
Chapter One
Gray mist swirled around the figure of the black haired teen as he crouched behind the crumbling remains of what once was Ollivanders Wand shop. His green eyes, shielded by the wire framed glasses, ticked nervously, as they flickered from left and right. Determining that it was safe to venture forward, he crept from behind the dilapidated building. Stepping carefully as to avoid detection, he made his way to the next ruined mound of bricks. He cursed silently when he noticed up ahead a few figures shrouded in dark robes.
"Bloody Hell!" Harry muttered to himself under his breath. He gnashed his teeth in frustration as he waited for the robed figures to leave his sight. His thoughts wandered as he waited. Just months ago, he and the Order of the Phoenix had maimed the ranks of the Death Eaters, as well as defeated the Dark Lord at the Battle of Hogwarts. Unfortunately, that had been the least of their worries.
Due to the over abundance of magic that had been released during this time, a powerful surge of arcane magic had swept through the world destroying everything in its path. Muggles were no longer oblivious to the nature of witches and wizards and had began to hunt them down as the quickly built their governments up. The Muggles rightfully blamed the magic user's for the desolation of their cities and towns, and the ravaged plains that stood in place of bountiful forests and fields. The captured magical creatures were used as beast of burdens and the witches and wizards were caught and their wands destroyed. That was least of the troubles though.
The population of both Muggles and magic user's were dwindling due to the creatures that had been released. Creatures who had been trapped for thousands of years blanketed and walled in by the ancient arcane magic. They hunted the humans down and devoured their bodies and souls. They were impervious to many forms of magic, but were not protected against Muggle guns, tanks, and missiles. However, they were a clever bunch, hiding in abandoned mines as well as burrowing under ground in lairs.
Also released with the creatures was a magic that caused twenty two individuals to battle one another for the glory of the world and the prestige of king or queen. The twenty two individuals were granted the power of the Tarot. More specifically the power of the Major deck. Each of the individuals that were picked were granted the powers of the cards they portrayed. There was the Fool, The Magician, High Priestess, The Empress, The Emperor, Hierophant, The Lovers, The Chariot, Strength, Hermit, The Wheel of Fortune, Justice, The Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, The Devil, The Tower, The Sun, The Moon, The Stars, Judgment, The World.
Each card was paired with one another. They were split into the dominant role, and the submissive role. The dominant role could command the submissive to use their powers against others. The submissive could use all range of attacks but were to make sure that nothing befell the dominant cards. The cards were to duel one another and to eliminate opponents by defeating them in battle. Once defeated in battle the depiction of the card which had merged itself onto the flesh of both the dominant and the submissive, would detached itself from the skin of the losers and paint itself in a scene of the skin of the victors. If a pair were to take out another pair, the cards that had merged on to the previous pair would return to the original dominant and submissive and they would once again enter the game. However, if a pair were to defeat every team then the game would end and the remaining pair would reign dominion over the land. Until their deaths and the game would once again start.
Harry sighed in frustration and then cursed himself for being loud when he watched the robed figures ahead stop and look around. Breathing quietly through his nose, he almost gave out another sigh of relief when the robed figures turned back and continued on their way. Making sure that they were out of sight he quietly slid forward. Quickening his pace he made it to the entrance or what was the entrance to an abandoned apartment building. He had been holing up there for at least two months. Making his way silently to the apartment on the second floor that he had been shacked up in, he stopped short, when he heard the unmistakeable sounds of someone scrounging around. Tiptoeing up the door to the apartment that was across from his, he peeked through the cracks. He recognized the heavy brutish body to the left side, but didn't recognize the voice of the other. Goyle. He hadn't seen him since the Room of Requirements.
If Goyle were here then one of the former Death Eaters, or someone from Slytherin was with him. So caught up in his spying, he didn't notice the third person creeping behind him until he heard the quiet whispering words of a spell hit him. He turned quickly and fell and the last thing he saw and heard was the smirking face of a much older looking Draco Malfoy, and his smug words. "I'v finally got you in my grasp. Empress."
Harry woke slowly, groggily trying to figure out why he was moving. His tired green eyes vaguely took in the bleak surroundings as they moved up and down. Black tresses fell slowly in his eyes as he shook his head to try to clear the cobwebs that clung to his consciousness.
"Ah, sleeping beauty as returned to the land of reality." A mocking voice to the left side of Harry's head grated out. "Mafloy then." He thought to himself. "What no response, Potter?" The tall blonde stepped in front of his vision, blocking the gray surroundings with his dark clothing.
Harry sighed deeply, he really hadn't the energy to waste his breath on Malfoy. He wasn't sure what Malfoy wanted with him, but he wasn't going to give him the pleasure of asking why Malfoy wanted him.
"What is this, Potter subdued, you can't have been broke already?" Suddenly everything stilled as Malfoy signaled the man carrying Harry to stop. He was dumped unceremoniously on his arse with his hands tied behind his back.
Draco knelt in front of the trussed up raven haired teen. Lifting his chin with his wand, he sucked his breath in sharply when he gazed into the emerald depths that had plagued his dreams for years. To have Harry Potter at his mercy was certainly a fantasy come true. He had been hunting him for a year. Ever since Draco was marked as a Major Arcana, he knew without a doubt who his submissive was. The memories of past lifetimes haunted his every waking moment, till he thought to end his agony by ripping the strands of his pale hair from his head.
It came much as a surprise from some of the other Arcana that had been captured by Draco Malfoy and his legion of muggles and wizards alike. The one card that he had been looking for was none other than Harry Potter. How fitting. And slightly ironic. Who would have thought that the Boy Wonder was none other than the Empress. It caused no little mirth to Draco that one of the strongest wizards of his generation, was one of the strongest submissive cards in existence. The Empress. He would have pegged Potter for a more masculine, dominant card. Not that he was regretting the turn of events. Not in the least bit.
"In fear of sounding cliché, but Malfoy, to what do I owe this...pleasure?" Harry asked. His green eyes flashed in anger and annoyance that he had been captured by the Ferret. He almost laughed at his double damned luck. " Going to give me to the Muggles, eh? Toss my carcass at precious Daddy's feet? Boil my flesh from my bones?" He mocked the silver haired teen to do his worst.
Whispering softly in the ear of the raven, Draco replied in a quite controlled voice, "Nothing as bad as all that, I've simply collected what's mine." The soft breath ghosted over Harry's ear causing a shiver of...apprehension, to tremble down his spine. Standing up swiftly the blonde looked to the tall brute who Harry had identified earlier as Greg Goyle.
"We have arrived. Take him to the room that I have prepared for him and then meet me in my office. It is time to begin our plans." The silver haired teen looked at Harry and smirked darkly. " Now that the final piece has arrived it is time to start the game." Turning away Draco twirled his wand in an intricate design and muttered words of magic. An oak door appeared in the thin air followed by the shifting outline of a large mansion.
Stepping forward Draco opened the door and disappeared. Harry struggled as much as he could being tied up, but Goyle ignored his attempts and hit him on the back of his head, once again knocking him into the oblivion of unconsciousness, though he thought he had heard the gruff words of the big man carrying him. "Sorry Potter...sorry for all of us."
Draco stormed into his office locking himself in his private bathroom. Cleansing his face with water from the faucet. He looked up into his reflection. His quicksilver eyes took in the features of his face and the mark of his card as it curved from behind his ear to around parts of his collarbone and neck. He looked much older than his eighteen years of age, but not unattractive. He had lost the pointed angles of his face and in stead were square hardened lines and smooth planes. His lips were thin but plush when they weren't held in tight lipped control. His lashes thick and his hair a bit more mussed up than the slicked back look he had adopted when he was younger.
His thoughts strayed to the raven haired teen who was now being transported to the room adjoining his office. How he had wanted to devour those red plump lips. He had barely restrained himself from pushing Potter to the ground and asserting his dominance. Just knowing that Harry Potter would soon be under his control brought a heat of adrenaline rushing through his body. He could not deny that he was satisfied in knowing that Harry was his for the taking. The thought of having the green eyed devil beneath him in not only station but in power drew a quiver of lust running down to his nether regions.
Draco stepped away from the mirror and into his office to discuss battle plans with his generals. Afterwards, he would break the raven haired man to his will. Binding him to the silver haired teen in every way till he possessed him mind, body, and soul.
Harry cursed for the thousandth time as he paced the small room that he was in. "Damn me for not moving along when I should have. " He knew he was in a dangerous position. He had no idea what Malfoy wanted from him. He could feel the presence of a card emanating from Malfoy, but he was unsure as to which one he was. Hopefully not a dominant, more to the point, hopefully not his dominant. That was the whole reason Harry had been in hiding.
He was not oblivious to the fact that many people wanted him. Not only because he had defeated Voldemort, but because he was a submissive card. And not just any submissive card, the submissive card. He knew that because before they went into hiding and splitting up, Hermione had researched what each card and had meant and had drilled the information into Ron, and Harry's head. Which he was extremely grateful. The last time that he had heard anything from either one was that Hermione and had been captured by a group of Witch hating Mug. gles. He mourned for her. Ron was still missing as far as Harry knew.
His verdant gaze scanned the small chamber once again as he took in the drab surroundings. A small wooden bed with a thin mattress covered by an equally thin green wooly blanket, a small desk with a chair, no windows, a tall reading lamp in the corners, and most surprisingly, a shelf with a few books. Harry contemplated what his next step should be. He had already tried using wandless magic since Goyle had taken away his wand before he woke up. The wards were strong in this room, leading Harry to believe that this was a former strong hold for witches and wizards.
Giving the stone walls once last exasperated look, he plopped down on the thin mattress of his bed and closed his eyes. He should just get the rest while he could.
Before he could slip into blissful slumber, a hard knock sounded on his door followed by the creaking of the hinges as someone walked in. Harry sat up quickly and without a consideration of thought, or planning, (which he could almost hear Hermione's exasperated lecturing at going headfirst into battle) he tackled the individual, vaguely taking in the tall frame as he plunged ahead.
It happened so fast, that Harry, had no idea as to what happened. One minute he was charging and the next he was slammed stomach first into the harsh stone wall. Feeling a tight grip on his hair as he tried to bring the breath back into his body, he wasn't prepared for the hard body that pressed against him so familiarly.
"That was a bit reckless, even for you Potter." The soft voice whispered closely in his ear, causing once again that damnable shiver to trail down his spine. "Though I hardly mind having you in this position, I would caution a warning to you, don't dare try to attack me again. I won't be so lenient." Draco pressed against Harry even harder before backing off and flipping him around.
Harry gazed at Malfoy with defiance lighting a fire in his eyes. "What the bloody fuck do you want Malfoy?" He wasn't in any mood to deal with the git. "Release me at once and we can both continue on with our morbid lives." He gritted out between clenched teeth. "I don't have the time to deal with your unpleasantness."
Draco whipped out his wand in anger and pressed it against Harry's cheek. "I don't bloody think so. I make the rules here and I give out the bloody commands." He snarled at the raven haired teen. A dark aura surrounded the blonde as he loomed over the fuming raven. His eyes lost the mercury color and turned black as night, his hair grew longer, and his voice lost the husky quietness that was it's usual. Purple began to etch itself along the tattoo that Harry just noticed on Malfoy's neck. Unbeknownst to Harry, who was so wrapped up in watching the transformation in Draco Malfoy, he didn't notice the changes in his own body, such as his raven tresses growing longer, streaked with silvery strands, or that his eyes had turned lighter, or his own card symbol glowing a fate silver aura.
All of a sudden Harry felt a burning sensation that brought him to his knees. Moaning in pain he felt as part of his magical core and soul were leaving him, replaced by something foreign and slightly warmer. The transformations were over in a mere few seconds.
"Ah, the Empress has come out to play has she? I will now show you Potter, why you are a submissive card. " Draco unleashed his aura to wrap around the raven and force him against the wall. He then placed Harry's arms above his head and gripped his chin to force him to look up at him.
"I had thoughts, Potter, that we could do this in a civilized manner, without me having to break you so soon, but I see that can not be. You will bend to me or I will keep you locked up and in pain." Draco brought his face an inch away from Harry's. Gazing deeply into his eyes he tried to force his will on the other.
Harry gazed at him furiously. "If you think for one minute that I will bloody bend to your bloody will. You have another thing coming, you insufferable git. If I did not bow before Voldemort, what the bloody hell would make you think that I would bow before a spineless cowardly prick!" Harry all but shouted into the infuriated blonde's face. He struggled against the hold that Draco had on him. Trying to kick the blonde's legs or anything that he could reach. His reward was his head being slammed into the wall. Dazedly he looked at the blonde who smiled wickedly at him.
"You won't bend to my will? I see." Stepping away from the raven he walked swiftly to the door and called out to some orders to the guard he had posted outside. "Bring me the Weasly and the bloody Mudblood." He looked back at Harry mockingly. "Also send for Zabini, and Nott." Not waiting for a response he swiftly closed the door.
"We shall see Potter, who bends to whom this evening. Taking the chair by the desk, Draco transfigured it into a more comfortable chaise with silver pillows. Sitting comfortably, he set his attention on Harry. Licking his lips, he pictured the many things that could be done to the raven haired teen and none of them were in any way innocent.
Hearing a knock on the door, Draco bade them an authoritative, "Enter."
Harry gasped in shock when he saw both Hermione and Ron herded into the room by two vicious looking Muggles. One of them roughly pushed Hermione to her knees and the other kicked at the back of Ron's to force him down. It was followed by extreme expletives leaving the red haired teens mouth, and threats to the guards went unnoticed.
"Enough of that you stupid git." Draco bit out at the red headed Weasly. Swiftly standing up he back handed the red head amidst the outraged yells from Hermione and Harry. Glaring at him while spitting the blood from his split lip, Ron went to open his mouth, before Hermione elbowed him in the side.
"You should be so lucky that your bushy haired bitch is there to save you from further hurt, you blood traitor." The blonde haired male mocked. He calmly looked behind the guards to the two men who had entered quietly behind them. "Ah, Blaise, Theodore, how nice of you to join our little reunion. Please have a seat. I trust you remember, Miss Granger, The Weasel, and of course our very own savior, Harry Potter."
With bemused looks on both of their faces they sat down into the two chairs provided to them by the guards.
"To what do we owe this pleasure, Draco" Blaise asked in his smooth monotonous voice. His attention was snagged by the curly haired brunette kneeling before him. He was immediately captivated by her fiery passions that he could see burning in her whiskey colored eyes. He grinned lasciviously, noticing the hatred pouring off of the red headed wizard beside her.
Theodore nodded mutely in Blaise direction giving Draco the silent question as well, all the while his attention riveted by the snapping blue eyes and the head full of spitfire red hair of the Weasley.
"It has come to my attention that you are in need of your submissive cards, and I believe I have exactly what you are looking for." Both men eyed the blonde speculatively.
"You would be willing to give us the cards?" Blaise questioned. Raising one of his dark eyebrows, "What is in it for you Draco?" Slytherin's did not help other Slytherins without something in return. It was an unwritten rule amongst them. He watched as the blonde smirked even more.
"I will demand you fealty, nothing more nothing less." Draco smugly informed them. "Now to what degree as to how you get them is up to our ill fated savior." Locking eyes with the furious raven haired boy, he got up and walked slowly up to the bound boy.
"I will warn you now Potter, if you do not submit to me in every way that I demand, I will let Blaise who's perversions know no bounds, unleash his unholy sickness against your bushy haired compatriot. I will let him force her into his perversions because I can. If you agree I will ask that Blaise give proper …..courting, if you will." He stopped for a moment as he watched Harry ponder his proposal. Draco signaled his head to the dark haired Italian who immediately jerked the witch up to him, he pressed her back up against her front and lowered his head to her neck, making sure all eyes were on him.
Ron struggled against his captors as he watched the bastard Italian ravish and leave dark bruises on her pristine skin. "Leave her alone you perverted prick!" Hermione's eyes sought out Harry's and tears trailed down her cheeks. The Italian was giving no consideration to her feelings as he took what he wanted.
Harry knew that Hermione wouldn't want him to sacrifice anything for her but he could not leave her to the mercy of that slimey git. "I'll...I'll fucking do it, you bloody bastard!" He watched as the Italian lifted his head from Hermione's neck, but not before giving it a soft peck.
"Very good Potter. But that is only the beginning. You will be mine in every sense, and what better way to marry me?" The blonde watched as abject horror crossed the male's face.
"You are out of your damn mind, you know that Malfoy. I am a man, you can not be bloody serious about this?" Harry could not contain the horror at the thought of being in the hands of that man. He planned to escape once he assured himself that he would be able to get his friends away from their captors. Marrying Malfoy would complicate matters dramatically.
Harry was not unaware that the Malfoy's were in a position of power. They had many Muggles and wizards and witches at their beck and call. Marrying Malfoy would give them more power while assuring that their son would have a future of total dominance, for Harry would be obliged to serve Draco and follow his command.
Harry knew that Draco knew exactly what he was doing. If he binds Harry to him in any type of ritual, marriage, an Unspeakable Vow, binding their blood, Harry would be further in his control. The only way to bind a submissive card to a dominant card was to bond them through blood, or by claiming them as their own.
Harry had escaped such a fiasco a few months back from one of the deranged former Death Eaters. He was not looking forward to being part of this debacle. He could not afford to.
"I thought you would say that Potter." Draco coolly looked away from Harry, to motion to Theodore to grab the red haired male from the floor. "I guess you don't mind if we give Ronald to Theodore. Though I do warn you now, the pain that Ronald will be inflicted could have been prevented if you had just said yes. I have it on good authority that Theo likes to beat manners and submission into his...servants. I expect he should be no different in this case. You may take him away whenever you are ready Theo." Draco watched in amusement as Ron sputtered his outrage and was rewarded when Theo slapped him across the face.
"You will behave you pathetic mutt, or I shall take great delight in beating it from you!" The normally quite man spat out as he forced Ron to his knees once again. "Bow before Master Malfoy and give him accolades for letting your pathetic arse live!" Ron went to snap out a retort but was once again rewarded with a punch to the face.
Hermione wailed as she watched her love being broken in front of her. She struggled relentlessly in the arms of Blaise as Ron was punished over and over again, until he fainted into unconsciousness. The brutal attack on her boyfriend left her frightened. The Italian gripped her tightly and whispered in her ear, "Hush now poppet, we wouldn't want you to get hurt as well, eh?" He licked her ear and watched as she shivered in apprehension.
Harry watched helplessly as Ron was beaten. The guilt tore at his insides causing a mixture of regret and nausea to churn away as he struggled relentlessly. Seeing the brutality of the other man left Harry burning with anger. Whipping his green eyes to the mercury ones before him, he nodded once in acquisition not trusting himself to sling out curses as his answer.
"Very good Potter. Theo I trust you won't be so brutish to the wretched Weasel?" Draco smirked coldy as the dark haired man in question revived the red head. Theo looked quietly at Draco before he nodded his affirmation of Draco's request. He had not wanted to be so harsh towards the young red head but he had had no other alternative. Draco had know this. He was asserting his dominance and power over them all. This was a demonstration for everyone's benefit, not just Potter's. He pitied the green eyed teen even more that he had in school.
Draco would not make his life easy.