No Church in the Wild: though there are many different ways you could interpret it, the basic theme of the song this story is named after is: there are no guarantees of refuge or salvation when you're fighting against someone or something much bigger than yourself...

*Action/adventure/drama with focus on Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco. No slash. Canon pairings.*

Some mature themes and graphic violence.

Note:

The first few chapters are very fast-paced with multiple POV shifts. This is required to set up the plot quickly. Think of it like an extended prologue of sorts.

This story begins in the middle of summer before Harry Potter started the Horcrux search, at the same point where the Deathly Hallows began.

As it turns out, Voldemort had a backup plan to go along with his Horcruxes...

No Church in the Wild

CHAPTER ONE

Pompeii

The door to the study opened with a bang, startling Narcissa badly.

She stared down at her lap, where her dropped teacup was now laying, the brown liquid soaking into her silk robes.

Draco had fared better, sitting across from her with a clear view of the door, still holding his own tea. "What is it father?"

Lucius Malfoy looked down at his wife's back, addressing her, as if she'd been the one who'd asked the question. "He wants you."

Once again, Draco spoke, "Why?"

Ignoring his son: "Now."

Draco stood. "What does he want?"

"Mind your tongue," Lucius hissed, only now sparing him a look, "he wants your mother. And he wants her now."

Narcissa looked up at her son, seeing how he paled in front of her eyes.

"He's not going to… I mean, the other woman, she died-"

With real fear in Lucius' voice: "Boy, watch what you say or so help me-"

Narcissa finally scooped up the teacup, setting it carefully on the table before standing and facing her husband. He too, had paled considerably, but he had none of the shakes that Draco now suffered from, going up and down his arms to the cup he still grasped, knuckles whitened.

"Where is he?" she asked.

Lucius pursed his lips before answering. "Master bedroom."

She felt her stomach twist, her heart beat faster. But neither showed on her face.

"Mother…"

"I look forward to our next teatime Draco," Narcissa said cutting off whatever he was going to say, putting a calming hand on his wrist as she briefly looked up into his beseeching eyes.

Then she allowed Lucius to lead her from the room.

"Is he going to kill her?"

Severus Snape glanced up at the voice, looking away from his bubbling cauldrons of potions and unrolled scrolls. It had been many weeks since the younger Malfoy had graced the dungeon area of the Malfoy Manor. There wasn't much reason for him to visit, as it had become Snape's domain. It was where he'd been practically banished by Voldemort, ordered to find a solution to the Dark Lord's problem.

But Severus wasn't surprised to see Draco standing in front of him. Now that his mother had been visiting Voldemort for the last week, Severus had no doubt she'd let it slip to the boy that she drank a potion before every… session. Perhaps she'd even sent her son down here herself, no doubt wondering, with a bit of horror, he thought, what it was that Voldemort was making her ingest.

Snape turned back to his cauldron, stirring it carefully. "Not if I made the potion correctly, no."

"What about the other woman? That- that Terwyn Wilkes?" Draco stood on the other side of the table now, hands placed on top in fists. "She died after two weeks!"

Snape acknowledged this with a small tilt of his head, "I've changed a few ingredients since. It's been modified. Utilized a few different techniques-"

"That's it?!" he snapped, "You changed a few ingredients?" Then he completely lost it, grabbing a handful of Snape's empty beakers, hurling them at the wall where they shattered. "That's all you have to say?! He's going to kill her by doing this! R-rape her and kill her! Don't you care-"

Snape pulled out his wand, ignoring the fact that Draco reciprocated almost immediately, instead aiming at the door the younger man had entered through, slamming it shut with a wordless spell.

"You fool," Snape said quietly into the silence, "did you even think of putting up a Silencing charm before throwing your little fit?"

Draco glanced at the door, breathing hard, but still held the wand pointed at Snape's chest. He clenched his teeth. "I don't care."

"That's your problem Draco, always so short-sighted."

Eventually, Draco lowered his wand, staring down at the cauldron. "Did you fix the potion or not?"

Snape regarded him. Saw the high points of color on each cheek, the tremors of rage still going through his wand hand. "I believe so, Draco. But it's an ancient and extremely complicated magic that the Dark Lord is attempting... You have to be prepared for the worst."

The younger man shook his head. "I can't lose her."

The cauldron started bubbling between them, loud in the silence. The color changing from a deep purple to an even darker black. Snape had no answer.

Despite having called Draco Malfoy a fool, Snape knew it was actually himself who was the one acting with thoughtlessness. In fact, if the Dark Lord found out, it was most certainly suicidal.

But he was doing it anyway.

CRACK

Unkempt meadow grass bent slightly in a light breeze, reaching his knees.

He turned his head, scanning the hillside of the field where he stood… ah. There it was. Illuminated by the moon, a leaning house, with far too many rooms stacked upon each other. Both chimneys pumping out smoke as he watched, most of the lights of the house burning brightly in the windows. The Weasley's Burrow.

Just far enough away from it to feel their invisible wards, crackling dangerously, but not to set any off. Hopefully close enough to reach the mind of the one he needed.

Snape focused his magic; attempting Legilimency from this distance was difficult but not impossible. Especially if the recipient didn't have any shields, which he knew Hermione Granger did not.

He slipped through the wards carefully, just a small mental thread, feeling its way into the house. It didn't take long to locate Granger, resting on a chair surrounded by the Weasley family, full from dinner, content with the company. When Snape recognized that Potter, too, was in the room, he almost jerked himself back, too quickly, which might have alerted some of the Aurors stationed inside to his presence. But he controlled the urge, instead delving deeper into Granger's thoughts.

Now came the difficult part. The influence of thought. It was a hard skill to develop, not exactly Imperius, not exactly Occlumency, a different kind of magic, that if the Dark Lord knew he could and had used on him, he'd have ripped the flesh from his bones.

Perhaps after such a filling dinner, I should go outside... some fresh air... look at the stars… he supplied carefully to Granger.

Yes, that sounds rather nice, she agreed almost immediately. She had no idea that the thought had not originated from her. And Ron too. And maybe Harry'll want to try his broom he hasn't been on that in forever, he's so depressed-

With an annoyed curl of the lip, Snape stopped her, actually, it would be nice to be alone wouldn't it? This house is always so crowded, I should take a minute to myself.

Yes, maybe it would be nice to be alone…

Snape didn't feel she needed any more convincing than that. He'd wait. And indeed, he felt her slowly come to the conclusion that she should go outside. She took her time actually leaving though, finishing her conversations, saying where she was going to the others, explaining she wanted to be alone for a bit when they asked if she wanted company, stopping by in the kitchen for another tart.

Snape felt his hand tighten impatiently on his wand.

Finally, Granger opened the back door and stepped outside.

As soon as the door closed behind her, Snape sent out his spell, "Imperio!"

The wards around the house immediately went off, he felt them vibrating in front of him, fireworks shooting off into the sky. He knew everyone in the house was scrambling, trying to figure out what was going on. More Aurors were already Apparating inside.

But they were going to be too late. Granger had no chance on fighting him off, and Snape easily assumed control. "Run this way," he ordered through their mental link, "quickly."

Snape watched the house as Granger followed his command. And finally someone had enough thought to go after Hermione, and the door burst open. None other than Harry Potter of course. His eyes immediately fell on her, who had just reached the awaiting Snape.

Severus stared at the boy, filled with hate; it was the first time he'd seen him since that fateful night he'd had to kill Dumbledore. But Snape was wearing his Death Eater mask and Potter was none the wiser.

"EXPELLIAR-"

Snape snatched Granger's arm and Apparated away before Potter could even finish the spell.

Narcissa's hands clenched onto the bed sheets, sweat dripping from her forehead, tears from her eyes. She bit her lip, pulling it between her teeth until she'd torn a bit off. She screamed.

The evil on top of her performed a silencing spell without lifting a finger, without lifting a wand, continuing his rhythm.

This was the most painful it had ever been. Why, she wondered madly. why why why why why? She screamed again, sobbing now.

It continued.

Granger was still holding that damn tart. Snape knocked it from her hand. "Go sit in that chair."

She did, and though Snape felt a small amount of struggle, he easily held it under his control.

Waving his wand, numerous ropes appeared across his captives wrists and ankles, around her waist. Tightening until he waved his wand again. Good. He doubled checked his wards around the little shack they were now in. Good. Made sure his mask was in place. The potion he'd used to change his voice was still working.

He released her from the Imperius curse.

Granger's passive face immediately turned to frightened anxiety. "What do you want-"

"The Dark Lord has a new plan that will destroy the Wizarding world as we know it. Muggles will stand no chance against this magic."

Granger blinked up at him, struggling to process and not let her fright stupefy her. "W-why would a Death Eater tell me this? Why should I believe-"

"I'm sure you're aware that the Order has some Death Eaters working with them?" he answered blandly, unimpressed. Although he wasn't technically in the Order's service anymore, he knew he needed their assistance.

"Yes but- well, don't you have better ways to communicate with them?"

"The Dark Lord has many eyes looking out for him. Triple spies. Now do you want to keep quibbling and wasting time, or do you want to know what the Dark Lord has planned?"

"Can't you release my ropes, at least?"

He ignored her. "He's attempting to sire a child."

She immediately stopped struggling, looking up at him with a mix of suspicion, horror and disgust. "He is? Can he even do that?"

"He's found an ancient and very dark magic that seems to coincide with the idea. It makes many among us believe it might be possible. He has failed on a previous attempt, but so far his most recent endeavor seems to be… successful."

"But... but how would this, as you said, 'destroy the world'?"

"It's not the siring of the child, it's what he plans to do with the child. He needs to sacrifice it for a spell that would grant him almost unlimited power."

"What kind of spell is this?" she demanded, eyebrows climbing, "I've never heard of it."

"It's not something one would find in the restricted section at Hogwarts." Snape bit out impatiently. He'd chosen Granger to be the recipient of this message because he'd hoped she'd be the least likely to stop him with stupid questions or pointless threats. He didn't have time for them.

"I've read a lot of books-" she started defensively. Foolishly.

"The Dark Lord has traveled the world, searching for and interrogating, torturing, wizards and witches to discover dark magic such as this. He has spent years assimilating and deciphering all that information. Do you understand the gravity of the situation? The successful sacrifice of a male child of his own seed in this ritual spell would grant him back his own body; grant him powers you and I have never even dreamed of." He paused here, surveying her, before finally adding, "Your parents wouldn't stand a chance, in Australia or anywhere else."

She paled, setting her mouth angrily.

"It would be wise to polish up on your Occlumency shields."

"I…" She looked as if she literally was going to be sick for a moment. Then, with an abruptness that surprised him, her face cleared, and she looked up at him grimly. "Okay, what else do you know? What's your plan? What do you want us to do?"

His left forearm started its warning tingle. No doubt Voldemort had just been told a lone Death Eater had attacked the Burrow and kidnapped an Order member. Someone would be paying with their life tonight. Hopefully the precautions he took would make sure it wasn't him.

He waved an arm, and immediately the ropes holding the Granger girl fell away. "Once I Apparate, my wards will drop and you will be able to as well. I don't suppose I need to tell you to share what I said to only those you trust in the utmost?"

"Wait, you didn't tell me enough. I need to know-"

CRACK

She spent all her time recovering now, Draco reflected darkly. Her life was spent in two beds. The one with Voldemort and the one in her own bedroom.

He watched as the Imperiused medi-witch put another cool washcloth on his mother's face. She moaned in response, leaning into it. How he hated this.

"Draco."

"M-my Lord!" he stuttered in surprise, turning from the bed. The tall, pale figure of Voldemort stood in the shadowed doorway behind him. His blood ran cold at the sight. At the last possible second before it would have been imprudent, he remembered to bow.

Voldemort stared down at him, his slit eyes contracting. "Draco, why aren't you with the others preparing for the raid?"

"I'm- I just wanted to check on mother first, but I'm … I'm going there right now, actually," he said quickly, straightening.

"Very well." Voldemort said, and then turned his eyes to his mother, taking in the view of her blonde hair spread over the pillows, nightgown sticking to the sweat on her body.

Draco stared at him, feeling a violent heat rise from deep inside him. A rage he could barely restrain, but would never dare express.

"Oh, but you think I can't feel that, Draco?" Voldemort asked softly, dangerously, though his penetrating gaze didn't move from Narcissa. "And that you dare look at me so? Your aunt Bellatrix might have taught you how to block yourself from others, but not me. Never me."

Draco blanched, struggling to get himself under control, glancing away immediately. Most of his anger now washed away by abject terror at the soft words. "I'm sorry my Lord, I didn't mean… I forgot myself."

"You know, if you hadn't been with me in the hall at the time when we were betrayed by Krimbooth, I might have suspected you, Draco."

Draco remembered, three weeks ago, Remmy Krimbooth had gone and kidnapped Hermione Granger, and through his network of spies, the Dark Lord had found out about it almost immediately. His heart skipped a few beats imagining himself going through what Krimbooth had when Voldemort found him out.

Krimbooth's screams had been heard all throughout the Manor, amplified magically and lasting for hours. Voldemort had made all the Death Eaters parade past him at the end. The man had been left with no eyes. His legs had been nubs.

"I'm sorry, my Lord." Draco said again, desperately.

"Go," Voldemort answered, walking around the length of the bed, "I want to be alone... with your mother."

He fled from the room.

Shrouded in night though they were, the Muggle town would surely see them on such a clear evening, riding through the sky, and they didn't want that happening too early. So they landed, and walked. Draco ended up beside his father at the end of the pack, each carrying their own brooms.

Lucius double-checked that there was a good amount of distance between them and the next closest Death Eaters, before leaning just a little bit closer to him. "You had a run-in with him?"

The younger man shook himself out of whatever reverie he'd been in, looking surprised that his father had actually addressed him. He nodded.

"I will only warn you once. Stay away from your mother, Draco," Lucius said in a hushed voice.

Draco stopped short, staring at him. "What? Why?"

"Keep walking. It's too late for her. He has bigger plans than you can ever conceive. If your mother had her faculties left, and if she knew how close you came to getting yourself killed last night, she'd be saying the same thing." He started walking faster at this point, not wanting to draw attention, saying one last time, over his shoulder, "Stay away."

Narcissa stared at the butter knife, lying by the biscuit tray.

She felt like this was the first time she'd been lucid in a while. It was like breaking from a sea of molasses, and she could feel it trying to pull her back under, telling her to rest her head on the pillow. Close her eyes. Drift off.

But she wanted that knife.

She let her head fall to the other side of the pillow. The medi-witch was still there with her, staring at nothing with deadened eyes.

"Get the knife for me," she demanded, feeling her words slur together as they left her mouth.

The medi-witch didn't even acknowledge her.

There was a noise to her right, a clearing of the throat. She turned her head, expecting her son, instead, she saw the sallow-skinned Severus Snape. She stared at him uncomprehendingly.

"I see my potion brought you around," he said softly, coming closer and sitting in an abandoned chair to her right.

"Yes," was all she could manage. Her eyes went back to the butter knife. Severus was right next to it. Maybe he'd give it to her.

"Listen… Narcissa, there's something you need to be aware of."

She examined it's lightly serrated edges, trying to tune Severus out.

He picked up her hand, holding it in his. His hands were warm and hers were cold. "It finally happened-"

"The knife…"

He ignored her; maybe she hadn't said it aloud. "Narcissa, you're pregnant."

Her hand tightened in his, but she showed no other reaction. She wanted that knife so badly though.

"AURORS! THEY'RE OUTSIDE!"

"They're not outside you fool they'r -aaagh!"

"Aurors!"

Draco dove for his wand, knocked from his hand by a lucky disarmament spell. Feeling another whiz by his face at the same time, he grabbed it and scrambled back to his feet, immediately taking off for one of the Manor's side doors. Aurors were all around, Death Eaters were all around, the spell that almost hit him could have been from either but he wasn't waiting to find out which, he wanted to be by his mother's side.

He slipped inside, bolting for the stairs.

"Where th' fuck ya' think you're goin'?" Fenrir Greyback demanded in his deep growling voice, grabbing Draco's robes from behind, almost choking him.

"Get off!"

"You fuckin' coward, the Dark Lord's gonna' hear about this!"

Draco resisted the urge to take his own wand to the despicable creature but before he could consider it too long, Greyback dropped him, baring his pointed teeth before bellowing out, "AVADA KEDAVRA!" over and over again. Aurors had breached the Manor. They were inside.

Malfoy immediately took off, up the rest of the stairs, slipping on a rug in the hall before catching himself, turning to the door.

He burst into his mother's room, slamming the doors shut behind him. "Mother, get down!" he shouted, throwing some shield spells on the door, floating over her wardrobe for good measure. "Aurors are inside, and the Dark Lord's not here, he went on a scouting -" he choked on his tongue, turning around for the first time and seeing none other than Harry fucking Potter staring him down from the other side of the room, a wand pointed straight at his nose.

The prick was holding a broom in his other hand, and there was glass all over the floor. It didn't take a genius to realize he'd gotten in through the window.

"Accio wand!" he commanded before Draco got his wits back, and though Draco tried to hold on, the wand went zipping into Potter's waiting hand. "He really does keep you guys in the dark doesn't he? 'Scouting mission'. Right."

"What the hell do you know about it?" he spat, eyes going from his wand, to Potter, back to his sleeping mother.

Potter just shook his head, then with a move of his wand: "Petrificus Totalus!"

Draco's arms snapped to his side, his legs together, and he toppled over, landing hard against the wardrobe before sliding and landing down on his side.

Potter was gathering his mother up from the bed, carefully lifting her.

He better not hurt her! he screamed in his head, watching as Potter put her on the broom in front of him. She still had not woken.

Behind him he could hear someone pounding on the door, the wardrobe bouncing against him from the incredible pressure. Potter paid this no heed though, sending Malfoy one last look as though considering something, before flying out the window, throwing that damned invisibility cloak over them. The last thing he saw before they disappeared from view was his mother's head resting on Potter's shoulder.

Voldemort had lost his Horcrux locket and the newly-pregnant Narcissa all in the length of an hour. When he reached the manor, dark thunderclouds enveloped the sky, Death Eaters and Aurors alike were struck dead as he went by.

Bellatrix Lestrange was the only one who dare come close to him after the remaining Aurors had retreated and the Manor's wards were back up.

"What would you like us to do, Master?"

He was silent, looking over the room. Various artifacts and plant-life in his line of sight exploded, making anyone near them cringe.

When he could control himself enough to speak, he requested they bring him Draco Malfoy.

"No! No! You have to take me back! He'll kill him! He'll kill him!" Narcissa howled, wildly scratching at anyone who risked coming close. "Take me back!"

The doctor pressed a hand to her own face, clotting the blood with a cloth, one of Narcissa's victims. "She's been going on like this ever since she woke up," she shook her head, raising herself from the bedside stool, "I'll fetch something to calm her down."

"Please, please, take me back!" she wailed tearfully.

Harry looked at his two friends, nodding towards the door.

They followed him out, past the four Aurors guarding the entrance at all times. Hermione didn't wait a beat, immediately saying, "Well, it's true. Somehow Voldemort got her pregnant, the doctor confirmed it while you two were gone."

"Hard to believe, isn't it?" Ron said, rubbing his chin, "Blimey, I almost feel bad for her."

"Well, now that we got her we can finally focus on what Dumbledore wanted, which was getting rid of the Horcruxes." Harry said.

"Harry, maybe, well, if Dumbledore knew Voldemort was going to try this, maybe he'd have wanted us to focus on it too," Hermione said, starting hesitantly but rushing to finish at Harry's dark look, "I'm just saying maybe!"

"Excuse me?"

The three turned, seeing the doctor poking her head out the door, "Excuse me, you- you might want to hear this."

"What?" Harry demanded as they rushed over.

"Well, I got her to calm down some, y'know a bit of chocolate, a small potion... and now that she's more understandable, well..." the doctor licked at her lips, looking nervous and a bit overwhelmed. "Well, just come listen."

Narcissa was sitting up in her bed, holding a mug of hot chocolate in her hands, staring over at them. She met Harry's eyes and her stare seemed to grow even more intense. "Potter. Potter listen to me-"

"I'm listening," he said evenly.

"The Dark Lord confided that he knows a spell to locate me anywhere, at all times, as long as he has an immediate blood relative of mine at his disposal, which, I'm sure you're aware," her voice wavered a bit, "he has one."

Harry watched her take a sip from the mug while he thought. If she was telling the truth...

Ron spoke up, "We need to move her, Apparate her somewhere."

"Then what? Continuous Apparation?" Hermione said doubtfully, "That'll lead to splinching for sure."

"Well, we need to do something, Voldemort might be coming right now!"

"Hogwarts," Harry decided, "We need to take her to Hogwarts, he can't Apparate into there, he shouldn't be able to detect her there-"

"It's a very powerful spell, linked with blood," Narcissa cut in, "he will be able to detect me. He might not be able to get to me immediately, if I was stashed in Hogwarts, but he'd know exactly where I was. Your best chance," she took a breath, "your best chance is to go get my son, as you did me."

Harry clenched his fists.

"What is it?" Ron asked, looking at him with worry.

"I had a chance to grab him, Malfoy. Or-or y'know, get rid of him, when I got Narcissa." He shook his head angrily.

"Well you didn't know, mate."

"Yeah Harry, how could you have?"

It didn't sit right with him, no matter what they said. He would've had this problem over and done with yesterday, but instead they were going to have to go back in there, maybe getting more Aurors killed.

"Hey do you guys think..." Ron spoke in a low voice, as Narcissa was leaning closer, trying to hear, "dya' think she's makin' this spell up? Just for us to go fetch Malfoy for her?"

Harry considered it, but Hermione had the solution: "We're going to need some Veritaserum."

"My Lord," Snape bent low, kissing the hem of his robes.

"Rise, Severus."

He almost hesitated, knowing he'd be getting a good look at what he'd only halfway seen from the entrance. But didn't dare keep the Dark Lord waiting.

"The ritual has been completed."

Blood, lit by strategically placed candles, all around the room behind him, painted into symbols, pentagrams, Latin words, some symbols he didn't even recognize, that still leaked, only half-coagulated. "All I need is the Itari." Voldemort beckoned, making him tear his eyes from the most dramatic part of the scene, the naked body hung up in the middle of the room, hanging by his shackled wrists, toes a few inches above the ground.

Snape immediately held out the small beaker of Itari potion, made with copious amounts of Draco Malfoy's blood. It was not a potion he had even heard of until being asked to make it two days earlier with the Dark Lord's own hand-written notes on how to prepare it. Voldemort carefully took it from him, removing its stopper. He sniffed it through his slit nose, hissing, "Very good."

"Thank you, my Lord," Snape said graciously.

"And the other?"

Snape took the other beaker from his pocket. A blood-replenisher.

"Feed it to him," Voldemort said, waving a dismissive hand, "see if it will save him. I might have need of him once more."

"Yes, my Lord," he bowed, though wondering if Draco could really still be alive, with this much of his blood covering the walls.

Voldemort swept from the room, leaving Severus to deal with the aftermath of his work.

As he slowly approached Draco, he could see his hair had been shorn off, only the shortest amount of blond fringe remained on his head. Up-close was even worse; he'd had the same symbols covering the wall carved into his body, everywhere. His chest, back, the sides of his neck, some going up into his hairline.

Severus surveyed the seeping patterns grimly. He very much doubted they could ever be removed considering the ancient black magic they'd been imprinted with. That is, if Draco somehow survived the next hour.

"Draco," Severus tried, lightly tapping a hand on his cheek. Unsurprisingly, he didn't respond to Snape's touch, just hung there silently, completely unconscious. He pointed his wand, "Rennervate!"

Draco's body twitched, but he didn't awaken. He was far past such a simple spell.

Snape grasped Draco's lower jaw, pulling it open gently and tilting his head back, emptying the vial into his mouth. He then pointed his wand at Draco's throat, waving his wand in tight small motions. The spell triggered Draco's muscles to start working. He pulled another vial out and repeated the process. Another one might kill him, but not doing it might kill him, so after a moments consideration, he pursed his lips and did it once more.

Severus sighed, stepping back. A few drops of the potion had slipped down Draco's chin but little else had changed. After three doses any person with more than a small chance of surviving would have woken up, complaining of pain. Draco did not.

Still, he breathed.

Snape looked up at the magical chains holding him in the air, conjured by Voldemort himself. He obviously didn't plan on letting Draco down anytime soon.

Severus stayed with him as long as he could.

This chapter is named after a song by Bastille