"Good morning sir, breakfast as usual?" a deep voice inquired to the young man who sat at a long glass table alone. In front of him was a steaming cup of black coffee and a number of papers, none of which he showed particular interest in.
"Yes please Drakon," the answer came from thin lips and emerald eyes met red as Harry Potter smiled in confirmation. Though the person he was facing was in no way like him. Unlike Harry's almost pale skin and slender frame, his butler had red tinted skin and a tall imposing frame which rippled with muscle. A few tuffs of black hair were overshadowed by Harry's unruly mess of the same colour, though Harry did not have two curling horns perched on the side of his head.
A boiled egg was placed in front of him the moment the letter had been put down, Harry smiled in thanks as Drakon returned to the kitchen to complete the three course breakfast Harry had every morning.
"Job offers? Sir" Drakon inquired in his usual deep tones,
"Some, most are wanting us s bodyguards which is surprising," Harry muttered to himself as Drakon topped us his coffee, he was seemingly able to do a hundred things at once.
"Why sir? Surely there are none who could overcome us?" the butler questioned looking almost offended. His voice getting more threatening as the sentence ran on.
"Yeah I know, last time that included our client." Harry said with raised eyebrows as Drakon shrugged and smiled awkwardly. Razor white fangs could be seen through it.
"He attempted to harm the target sir, besides he should have made it clear that the girl was both mistress and a willing participant,"
"Which he did, after you had torn him limb from limb." Harry commented dryly putting down his letter. This time he found a stack of pancakes, toast and bacon before him. He couldn't help another smile.
"Fine, so protection may not be our strongest suit. What else is there sir?" Drakon asked sitting down, looking at the aged grandfather clock in one corner of the room warily.
"Assassination contracts,"
"Perfect, what could be better sir, killing comes naturally to us both?" Drakon grinned with a glint in his eye which was only matched by the crystal chandelier above.
"On our heads." Harry finished throwing the documents bearing vague depictions of a red skinned man and a black haired warrior. They were not accurate at all.
"Who on this realm would dare antagonise us sir?" Drakon snarled, a forked tongue sliding out his mouth, he did it often in anger. It worked in the same way a snake's tongue did.
"Malfoy, Nott, Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson and maybe even Zabini if he's had a bad day," Harry answered with a slight smirk at just how many enemies he had. The red skinned demon opposite hissed before a flash of purple caused him to vanish. A second later another flash retuned him and this time had a selection of pastries.
"Maybe we should pay them a visit sir, remind them of exactly who we are" Drakon suggested with a vengeful smile. Harry for his part chuckled as he bit into a pastry.
"Amazing,"
"What is sir?" Drakon asked simply and Harry turned to him
"That you, a demon who crushes and is feared by all his enemies, a creature that exists in a dimension beyond our control and is both blessed and cursed by immortality. Can make such good food." Harry grinned and his counterpart did not know whether or not to be pleased or offended.
"What's that one sir?" he pointed to a single envelope, it was the only one he had no opened.
"It was from that owl you intercepted yesterday," Harry commented, he had intended to read it out or pure interest and he had no reason not to now.
"You were right, it is death eater information." Harry began speaking half to himself and half to demonic butler as he read.
"A kidnapping plan, with a breaking... bonus" Harry questioned with a frown. He had taken part in one or two over the past three years but the word breaking confused him. Then he read the rest of the envelope, and it made his stomach turn.
"My gods." Drakon hissed when he was permitted to view the document, even he a sadist was disgusted. "That is the most dishonourable violation of everything we stand for, it may be the worst thing I have ever had the displeasure of reading." He spat a bile crimson liquid at the end.
"It's an open contract, so someone's sending them to every big name they can. Oh and would you look at this," Harry smiled pointing at the wax seal on the envelope. A visible M was imprinted on it.
"That's Malfoy's insignia isn't it sir?" Drakon's eyes narrowed,
"Indeed. I think it's time we meddle in the affairs of an old friend."
Meanwhile
Albus Dumbledore sighed, he hated today with an unrivalled passion. The twenty first of July, every year it came around and every year he found it wearing him down more and more. It was a day filled with hurt, and nothing else.
Five years ago, when he was just nine years old, Harry Potter had been reported missing. He had vanished into thin air and yet it had only been discovered when Dumbledore himself had gone up to check on the boy. He always did when he was round, he had often thought the Potter's other child had been given more favourable attention than his twin.
Yes, Helena Potter, the girl who lived had for many years been the apple of both of her parent's eyes. She was the girl who lived of course, which parent couldn't be proud? Though maybe Lilly and James had taken it a bit too far. Their other son had just quietly slipped from their lives, very slowly of course. Harry would get a few presents less for his birthday one year, his name on the cake may have been smaller or hastily done and little things occurred. Though they festered and then it was all Helena.
Dumbledore blamed himself; he had seen it happen and had only given subtle hints to Lily and James with the intention of speaking to them if things got worse. Though that reasoning had lasted him longer and longer. It had been him who proclaimed the girl who lived and if he hadn't then maybe everything would have been just fine.
However he had been the only person to really notice, Minerva had scorned Lily and James for not putting Harry on a party invite but that had been dismissed as a mistake and nothing more. Remus had once wondered why Harry's possessions remained constant, not getting any more or less but that too had been dismissed as Harry's choice. No, no one had really noticed except him.
Then came the fateful day when Dumbledore, who had decided to visit had gone upstairs to find Harry gone. When asked Lily and James frowned and then realised they had not seen him all day or most of the night before. Within a hour the house was swarmed by the Order and aurors.
He had been so angry, no one there that day had seen the headmaster so furious. He had shouted, roared, though he was not alone. Minerva and Remus had been with him, as had most the Weasley's, Moody, and even Snape had agreed with him. Some had forgiven now, Minerva and Snape were the ones who had never forgotten and both mentioned it at every opportunity. Remus tried to deal with it and Dumbledore himself had half forgiven them.
It was difficult now, with Voldemort rising once more he had to hope everyone would put aside their angers. He did not hold out much hope. In fact it was the same feeling he held onto when thinking of Harry, he hoped the boy was out there, alive and well but reality had corrupted that now. Now he just hoped Harry had gone quickly, starvation, capture and the hundred of the others things that could have found Harry were the fates he tried to avoid as they came with guilt. He took his part of it willingly.
"Oh Harry," he repeated those words every year. He would gaze out at the lake with dreaming eyes and sighed deeply. He would cherish his memories and then wonder what happened. He assumed Harry had ran away, though he could not think how. Not without any of his possessions anyway. Though quickly it didn't matter, he resigned himself to thinking about the boy and his fate.
One week later
A darkened street was where Harry and Drakon were stalking, both wearing flowing black robes and watching a single house with anticipation.
"Do you need anything sir?" Drakon asked, his official job was as Harry's butler but he skill in combat gave another side to his job. He was both butler and partner and had been since the day the two had met.
"Not at the moment," Harry answered glancing at the letter, this was supposed to be the place and it was almost eleven, the given time.
"Of course sir," the red skinned man tasted the air and muttered something about nothing being around, then he paused.
"Something the matter Drakon?" Harry asked noticing his servant and friend was standing upright, like a snake ready to lunge.
"Something's in the air sir, something..." he didn't need to continue for three loud cracks filled the street and Harry saw three figures advancing on the house.
"Permission to use extreme prejudice sir?" the demon requested in a tone akin to excitement, his red hand clenched in a fist. Drakon did enjoy this part of the job.
"Granted," Harry replied drawing his wand, they both advanced and the death eaters remained oblivious to their presence. Though they did not get there in time for before either Harry or his butler could arrive the front door was kicked down and the three charged in.
"Damn it." Harry spat, he had been hoping to avoid this and now it was impossible, he ran as did Drakon. They needed to get into the house before the kidnapping was complete, they had been to slow.
"Who the devil," a scream broke off a man's startled voice as pain was sent flying towards him.
"Drakon go!" Harry ordered and with this the red demon began to run, faster and faster he ripped through the air and into the house.
The study was where the screams of pain were coming from. A man at his desk was being subjected to the torture curse. A middle aged man, with a mop of brown hair, slight stubble and a rounded face which was distorted in a scream. Though his torture did not last long.
The masked man using the curse felt a heavy finger tap him three times on the shoulder, feeling slightly annoyed his fun was being interfered with he turned. He turned to see a smiling red skinned man who was not the death eater he was expecting.
The next thing he knew was a flurry of fists and fangs and only when the brown rug below him was entwined with crimson red did the taller man stop.
"Apologies sir, I will pay for the replacement of that rug." He addressed his statement the victim who promptly fainted. Drakon sighed before leaving the room. His master however was a floor above and quietly moving towards a room where flashes of red were being evidently seen.
"Crucio," a feminine voice declared and a howl of pain followed as Harry appeared in the doorway, his eyes fixed upon a tall masked woman and a younger bushy haired girl.
"Excuse me miss, would you be the leader of tonight's operation?" Harry inquired gently, the woman turned in a flash and fired a stunner. It bounced of Harry's quickly conjured shield.
"Who are you?" she demanded
"Would you mind telling Lucius and Voldemort that his plan to undermine the girl who lived by... breaking her friend was a waste of time." Harry requested again but it was not actually a request. It was said with an air of threat.
""Who are you?" she tried again but with no answer she fired a curse, one that was immediately blocked and she moved to fire again.
Harry had already moved however. With no spoken words his wand fired a sickly black flash, which knocked her to the floor. The second death eater to be taken down and the only who would survive. Screaming from downstairs told Harry the third death eater had been dealt with already.
"Who are you?" The question was asked this time by the young bushy haired girl, who was about his age and stood up, pointing her wand at him all the way. Harry smiled simply.
"I apologise for the disturbance, the aurors will be here within half an hour." He turned and prepared to leave.
"Is that it?" the girl questioned from behind. She sounded almost, disappointed.
"Hermione is it not?" he asked turning back to the girl. She still had her wand out, preparing to fight to the death in nothing more than a dressing gown, it was admirable. She nodded to confirm her name.
"A pleasure to meet you, now unless you are going to reward me, which you are not obliged to do of course then yes that is all. Again I apologise for the intrusion,"
"I know you."
"No you don't," Harry's haste in answering told Hermione the opposite. Realising she needed time to think she quickly came up with a plan.
"Reward you how?" she winked seductively, Harry chuckled. She had indeed made a healthy attempt in seduction. Thrusting her relatively rounded chest forward, her legs a bit behind and her pose was good. Though her plan was transparent, at least to him.
"My dear girl, if you attempting to entice me in order to extract information then I must say better than you have tried, none have succeeded now goodbye." Hermione visible flinched when a tall, red figure behind Harry came into view.
"I shall send a cheque replacing all I have broken miss," a deep imposing voice announced and then, with nothing more than a flash of purple they were gone.