A/N: Hey guys,
thanks for the wonderful reviews and adds and the hits! I'm flattered and feel so happy despite my poor health. There are so many reviews I couldn't answer yet, so I want to thank you for your support and suggestions. The process of counting your votes is going slower than I would like to, but the constant burn in my stomach makes me sluggish and sick a lot, so please bear with me for a while.
Aside from the thanks, I should say, this is the second longest chapter I've ever written in English and so much different from the original one. When I started translating this chapter I'd found myself unsatisfied with Harry's character after the ritual. He was simply pathetic and apathic, so I decided to change him. So you'll see a sarcastic, cunning and cheeky Harry who is inwardly fighting with himself and trying to find the real him.
So I'll hope you'll like the chapter and this slightly new Harry as well and feel free to leave a review, I always read them and try to answer them even if a little slowly. But if you want a fast answer or have more questions about the story, please send a PM, it's easier for me that way.
Take care,
Lilith
8. A new prison
They watched him with anticipation, searching for the first sign of some kind of break down or temper tantrum, but he just looked back at them with a tiny grimace, inwardly enjoying their struggles. Of course they feared his reactions, after all they had just told him that – in their utmost desperation – they performed a probably highly illegal ritual and wedded him off to...
Lucius Malfoy.
Actually Harry was waiting for the tell tale signs of hopeless fury himself as anger would have been a so much better emotion than the incomprehension he felt at that moment. He wasn't upset or anxious; he felt nothing but contentment and blankness. The rational side of his mind couldn't comprehend what happened, it was still too caught up with unbearable pain and despair.
He was married; married to another married man, a man he had detested with all of his heart, but now he didn't feel anything. There was no rage, no disappointment, no apprehension, nothing... Only a soft, seductive whisper in the back of his mind, purring devious things to him as he turned his gaze to his new husband.
A deep, husky little voice urged him to move and claim the blond wizard there and then, to show the others that the human belongs to him. It whispered appreciative words about the silky blond tresses and the luscious pale lips and wanted him to taste the snowy, perfect neck that taunted him mercilessly.
It was a maddening feeling, and despite the flaming desire flowing through his veins, he knew he should be disgusted by those suggestions. This was Lucius Malfoy for Merlin's sake! The ex-Death Eater who wanted to kill him so many times before, the arrogant pureblood who looked down on everybody and the man who in the most crucial moment helped him to defeat Voldemort.
And now the same Lucius Malfoy was sitting in front of him with trepidation shining through the steely calmness of his silver eyes. The man was unsure and tense and Harry enjoyed the sight of the slow breaking of the wizard's stoic mask. He found the other's slight fear and anticipation immensely delicious and the same time utterly irritating.
'As if I could do anything in this blasted state,' Harry thought with a sneer. 'I can't even stand up and they're frightened of my reactions?'
In the end it was him who broke the tense silence with a frustrated sigh. The moment he opened his mouth the wizards' hands twitched on their wands which caused Harry to scowl at them in annoyance.
"So, should I call myself Mr Malfoy from now?" he asked sarcastically; his voice was still hoarse from the constant screaming. "I haven't even known, bigamy is allowed in the Wizarding World..."
"Is there even a little brain in that despicable head of yours, Potter?" As always it was Draco Malfoy who lost his composure first. "You are not married to my father..."
The Ferret was seemingly repulsed by the idea of an existing intimate relationship between his once arch enemy and his father. Well it wasn't like Harry hadn't felt the same... or he wanted at least. It was simply unbelievable that the pure-blooded, arrogant, ex-Death Eater could ever utter one complimenting word to him, but trying to imagine those pale pink lips devouring his own lips was more absurd. No matter what that viciously seductive little voice said.
"The rite only created a substitute bond between you and Lucius, deceiving the instincts of your creature side and stopping the process of Valedictio Acerba," Severus spoke up in a careful tone, before the younger Malfoy could continue his tirade.
"How delightful," Harry said spitefully, surprising even himself. "So I don't have to worry about the lovely Mrs Malfoy and her possible bloodthirsty revenge, because I've stolen his alluring husband?" His mouth formed the words without his permission, but for some reason a part of him agreed with the anger that suddenly was boiling in his chest.
They wanted him to share his Mate with an uptight, icy bitch and he should have smiled and been a good little lapdog while he was doing this. They dared to throw him at that blond bastard and expected him to bow to their will and be the second in his new Mate's life. They wanted to meld him into something he wasn't nor had ever been; an obedient, mindless pet.
Well they could try.
"No, Mr Potter. I can assure you, you are safe from my wife... and from me too," came the dry answer from his substitute Mate. "The... bond between us doesn't require any intimate act from us, we will only have to spend a few hours in each other company everyday."
"Good to hear," Harry bit out scornfully. "After all who would in their right mind do anything intimate with me?"
His laugh was full of bitterness, but he didn't care. It was more than a little painful to hear the pure disgust in Lucius's voice and he felt more than betrayed by the disdainful wizard even though he knew they hated each other for more than five years. But a part of him didn't care about his petty enmity with the blond man, because Lucius should be his and was his and he should have acted like a Mate should!
He finally felt the insecurity and rage everybody seemed to wait for fill his soul, because he was trapped yet again by some forced link that tied him to a man who hated him more than – almost – everything. Malfoy despised him and he wanted to feel the same for the man, but he couldn't because the nundu in him found Lucius a perfectly agreeable Mate even if he was challenged by the blond wizard. That little whispering voice was still there, soothing him and planning to conquer the conceited pureblood, but his human side was more than sceptical about these plans.
Why would a man with a flawless ancestry like Lucius Malfoy want to be with a beast like him? Why would a human ever choose a monster willingly? Or had it been willingly?
It was clear that Lucius would never allow Draco to come close to him – no matter that the bond wasn't an actual marriage – as he was nothing more than a mud-blooded, deadly monster and the little, pompous asshole had to sire some pureblood scion for the Malfoy line. And he knew Severus wouldn't bond with him even if his own life was at sake, despite that their relationship got much better since they moved into the States. So what could have been tempting enough for the always cold and emotionless man to agree to something like this?
'Naturally our enthral and power, little one.'
Harry was startled by the clarity of the voice in his head. It was nothing like the sweet, deceiving promises he could constantly hear, it was a clear, strong hiss-like purr, the first conscious appearance of his creature side since the revelation of his inheritance. And it should have been impossible as he had woven firm net of chain around the destructive creature after he had awaken on the floor of his destroyed room at the Dursley's. What had they done to him?!
His eyes widened comically and shoving his self-pitying thought to the back of his mind turned to Severus who was watching him with suspicion in his onyx eyes. They used a ritual which tied to people to each other, but there was no ritual that had no severe consequences. And the need to be simply in each other's presence for a few hours just wasn't enough... not for him.
"So where is the catch?" Harry asked with a soft sigh, concentrating only on the problem at hand.
His face was blank, hiding his anxious thoughts and he watched was the other three shared a quick glance, before the Potions Master opened his mouth to let him into the parts of the ritual which, no doubt, wouldn't gain his appreciation.
"Well, just like most of binding spell this was invented in the Medieval Ages in the usual overly romanticised circumstances," Severus started his explanation with a sneer. "This particular ritual was created after a prominent pureblood family had found out that one of their sons is the Mate of a Veela. Then, magical creatures still had much more rights than they have now, so it's not surprising the family was delighted. It was a chance to freshen their bloodline and their descendants become more powerful. However not long after the nuptial the husband died in a duel which automatically meant the death of the lovely wife too. Unfortunately the woman was expecting the youngest heir of the family that time, so the elders of the family turned to the greatest mages of the country who miraculously had found the "cure" in time."
"What a touching little fairytale, I have never known you have such a romantic heart, my friend," mocked the elder Malfoy, when the other wizard finished his speech, but the only answer he got was a murderous glare.
"If you find my words so boring, why don't you continue from here and share the juicy details of the shady side of the rite with Potter?" Severus asked with a frosty, cruel smile and the sardonic half smile immediately disappeared from the blond man's face.
That smile was more than worrisome and Harry's stomach tied into an uncomfortable knot as he watched the exchange between the two Slytherin. Lucius' expression turned unreadable, but Draco's – who was surprisingly silent – face became frighteningly pale.
"How gracious of you," Malfoy drawled before turned his sharp silver eyes to Harry. "After a thoroughly tedious research for your and your soul's sake, Mr Potter, this ritual seemed the least dangerous and demanding, however as you assumed it doesn't come without a price." The ex-Death Eater paused for a moment, enjoying the young nundu's anxiety.
"Just say it, Malfoy or you don't have the balls? Are the consequences that dreadful?" Again that darkish urge stole his ability to form his own thoughts, challenging and taunting his Mate mercilessly with pleasure.
"If you are so curious, then enlightening you will be my greatest pleasure," purred Lucius maliciously. "Although you're already showing the first signs of the success of the ritual. You are attracted to me, are you not, little kitten?"
"Lucius!" snapped Severus angrily. "I think, it would be wiser if you remain silent while I explain everything to Potter."
"Be my guest, Severus. Salazar knows I would rather not speak with the boy at all," the blond wizard sniffed haughtily, but remained in his seat none the less.
It was infuriating and the vicious creature in him roared with barely suppressed rage. How dare that pitiful mortal belittle him? He should have felt honoured to be a mere substitute of his real Mate, but that arrogant good for nothing human thought he was above the king of predators?
"Why my beautiful Mate how could I not be attracted to a graceful, stunning and revoltingly mortal thing, like you?" Harry whispered huskily and the hoarseness in his voice had nothing to do with his wounded vocal cords.
Green eyes clashed with stormy grey, and although he felt more than a little drained he made a threatening move towards his Mate. The effect was instant, three wands pointed at his chest daring him to make another rash movement, but only his mouth quirked into a ruthless smirk as he watched the Slytherins with defiance and slight amusement.
They waited for his temper tantrum and break down upon telling him the bad news, but something happened, something they hadn't counted with when they performed the ritual. They had woken up his other side, breaking its chains and letting it loose in him.
He could feel its desire to break free and take control of his whole body, but there was one thing Harry had forgotten too, nundu were one of the most dangerous creatures among the magical beasts because they were not only vicious, merciless and nearly indestructible, but highly cunning too. And the beast in him was waiting for the best chance to attack at the moment.
"You were saying, Severus?" Harry asked in a composed tone which surprised the other three greatly and amused him immensely.
"Insufferable brat." The Potions Master scowled at him, but put away his wand. "Cease this intolerable idiotism at once and listen, because this isn't a game. The information in the notes had been vague at best, yet it was still less dangerous than a real blood-bond or soul-bond ritual. But naturally there is a catch as you said..." For some reason the man seemed to be a little unsure what to say.
"Severus, in some way I've always been grateful for your brutal honesty, so just spill it out like always," Harry smiled at his guardian slightly, but instead of an answering smile he only got a dark glower."
"You want brutal honesty, Potter? That blasted vampire hasn't cased to be your real Mate which means–"
"That I will still want to tear apart that human chit and claim the walking corpse," he finished the sentence with a sneer. "So I won't be able to look at them without the urge to destroy everything around me and maybe even myself?"
"I start to believe you graced only me with your act of incompetence in all these years," remarked Severus sarcastically. "However, the substitute link between you and Lucius should prevent any ravenous act on your behalf, though we'll see on Monday."
"You want to send me back?" Harry asked, shocked.
"It would be quite suspicious if the new boy of the city would disappear after only two days in high school. By the way, I haven't known you were such a coward to run away from a little challenge like this," came mocking reply and all of sudden the world narrowed to the only two of them, shutting out the two blonds of the conversation.
"I think, I have proven enough times I'm not a coward, but it's not you who have to endure that excruciating pain and despair every time you see that blood sucker!" he snapped back hoarsely.
"As I said, the bond should ensure your safety and the mildness of your reaction," Snape argued firmly. "But he is your Destined Mate and the attraction will never disappear, unless you kill him of course."
"Wonderful! It's my greatest wish to be hunted by an entire coven of vampires! But two weeks ago you had no problem with me transferring to the Washington Academy," Harry said in annoyed tone.
"But two weeks ago the Daily Prophet had not been full of the Weasley girl's vows to search for her True and Only Love all around the world," the ex-spy shot back and he couldn't argue with this.
If Ginny and perhaps other members of the Weasley family were so determined to find him as they stated, he couldn't go near to the Wizarding World and he had to be extremely careful. Of course Ginny wasn't nearly powerful enough to follow his magical imprint, but with Hermione as her aid, it would be more difficult to hide. Not because the muggleborn was so powerful, but because the researching skills and her vast knowledge. Nonetheless Harry couldn't understand why did they wanted to drag him into their ridiculous mission of sensationalism.
When they met for the first time after his transformation, he had already known Ginny Weasley neither could nor would ever be his Mate, however the witch was unable to accept that although he didn't cased to like her, he wasn't in love with her. Yes, he had found the youngest Weasley very gorgeous and didn't regret their short – although a little strange – relationship, but she just wasn't enough. Something had been missing from her and their relationship for him to feel a whole and Harry didn't want to hurt his best friend's little sister. And on the other hand he was sure he would die despite his creature inheritance.
Of course the situation only became worse when he told his friends about his less than straightness. In the Wizarding World, where blood adoption and other useful spells and potions could ensure the flourishing of the bloodline homosexuality wasn't a big issue – after all Dumbledore himself had been gay too –, yet Ron yelled at him and called him revolting names and unsurprisingly the Prophet was flaunting his orientation the very next day of his announcement to his friends.
Which meant he had to stay in Forks and play the role of the muggle, human teen, who was more attracted to boys than girls.
'Maybe the next brilliant news will be about Voldemort's second resurrection,' the young immortal thought sarcastically. Okay perhaps not, but he was sure Severus had at least one more unpleasant surprise such as this last one.
"So I'm a prisoner... again," he muttered under his nose bitterly. "Anything else I should know? Maybe a clause which states Lucius has to knock me up to complete this lovely little bond?"
"Don't even joke with this, Scarhead!" Draco Malfoy's face was positively green at that suggestion.
"Just imagine it Draco darling, a litter of cute little kittens for you as siblings. Wouldn't be it wonderful?" Harry said in a sultry, suggestive tone. "And you could practise until your first surely sweet puggy baby is born from the enchanting Pansy."
"No!" screamed the Malfoy heir and jumped out of his chair faster than anybody could react. "Shut up, Potter! You don't know anything! I would never marry to that bitch! Do you hear me, never!" And with that he run out of the room, slamming the door after himself.
"Congratulation, Mr Potter, it was a really fitting way to thank Draco and Lucius their help to save your sorry hide," Severus hissed with flashing black eyes.
"Considering that I had saved their life too, we should call it even, don't you think?" he spat back. "And perhaps you're right and I was a little too harsh with him, but I will not tolerate any disrespect from any of you. This is my house and I'm not the helpless little boy who you can easily scare with your deadly glares."
"What do you want from us? To bow to you? To crawl on our knees before you and kiss the hem of your robes?" Lucius asked, his furious grey gaze burning with hatred.
"No, Lucius, I want only you to kneel in front of me, preferably showing kissing something fleshier than the hem of my robes."
The shock that spread over the two Slytherins' face was almost worth the short loss of his control, but Harry felt as bewildered as the others. His hands fled to his mouth, covering his treacherous organ with his palms, but the damage was already done.
He didn't understand the beast in him. Its words were vulgar, seducing yet cruel and voiced unspeakable things like they were nothings. It was a maddening feeling, sensing another personality in you, a personality that was the perfect opposite of you and one which was so much stronger than you. It was like losing himself and turning into an entirely another being and he hated this feeling so much.
"What did you say?" the blond wizard asked in a dangerously soft voice, but the younger man just shook his head in denial and didn't answer.
It was true he was angry at the pureblood aristocrat and despised him with every ounce of his humanity, however despite his adventures at Hogwarts, he hadn't completely lost his mind... yet.
"Look at me, Potter!" demanded Snape, suspicion evident in his voice.
Their eyes met, but the viridian emerald gaze show nothing of the turmoil he felt. His mental shields were strong thanks to the Potions Master and Harry was more than determined to keep his changes to himself for now. He didn't want Severus to know what had they really done and his Slytherin – or more likely nundu – side wanted to use this little secret to his advantage.
"I'm sorry, it was most unbecoming of me," the former Gryffindor had to force out the words. "But you must understand, this situation is too overwhelming for me at the moment."
Well it was true, realising the people who helped you, had accidentally released your worst nightmare from its chains could be more than a little disturbing. And knowing that their help actually hadn't meant that much in relation to the problem of your real Mate was even more so.
"Continue with your explanation, Severus, I want to leave the boy alone as soon as I can," said Malfoy arrogantly, not even sparing Harry a glance.
"As you wish, my Lord," remarked the ex-spy mockingly. "As you heard Potter, your dear Mate wishes to get rid of you as fast as he can, so I will be quick."
It was clear that they didn't even acknowledge his apologise, but he simply didn't care. They saved his soul, but it was just paying back their life debt, there was no emotions involved... on the Malfoy's part at least. Severus was completely another matter, but the man was seriously pissed at the moment which meant Harry had to wait for him to calm down before say anything.
"As I said, you will feel the pull toward the vampire boy, but it shouldn't be strong enough to cause any problem to you." Snape's face was an empty mask once more and the first sparks of shame wormed their way into the nundu's heart. "The new bond will help you to even out your emotions, and although it doesn't force you to initiate any intimate relationship between Lucius and you, it won't let you to use another substitute to satisfy your needs either."
"So this means, I'll have to spend my rather unending life in celibacy?" Harry asked taken aback.
"Unless you seduce that blood sucker you are pinning after so much, away from the muggle girl, your only aids will be your bare hands," replied Malfoy with a menacing smirk.
"Then I should get acquainted with them soon, huh? But what about you, Mr Malfoy?"
It was another tactless and rather foolish question and he perfectly knew it, but the rage hadn't dissipated and he wanted to pay back the man for his cruelty and arrogance. Lucius Malfoy decided to bind himself to him and he would not give up. The pureblood suggested him to seduce his Mate and he would do just that. But the Mate would not be a vampire. However Harry was still too weak to fight with anything other than words, so he had to wait a little more.
"Considering that I had been married before this... bond, I can initiate sexual intercourse with my wife just like you could with that Mate of yours if he had any interest in you at all," came the cold jibing answer from the silver eyed wizard.
Harry's keen ears heard the soft snort that came from Severus' direction, but suddenly he felt like his chest was flooded with a lava like, hot, thick substance and every thoughts were erased from his mind only to be filled with plans to distort Narcissa Malfoy's face until her husband couldn't recognise her. It was surreal to him, his bones ached with need to destroy something or more likely someone, but why? Was he jealous of the woman? Or was it possessiveness over something that should have been his by right? He didn't know and was frightened to search for the answer.
"I... see." he said slowly, not looking at his "spouse". "If there is nothing else, then get out!"
"Ah, I was waiting for the famous hero tantrum. Sadly for you, Potter, there is one more thing you should know." Severus' expression changed from blank to slightly gloating yet distressed, but before he could continue, the door burst open and a clearly frantic Draco Malfoy marched in with a wailing Teddy in his arms.
"Make it stop! Make that thing stop its terrible screaming!" the Ferret seemed desperate, his grey eyes were almost pleading.
"Give him to me, then get out!" Harry snapped with dangerously narrowed eyes. "All of you! Now!"
Nobody said anything, and the younger Malfoy nearly threw his godson at him in his hurry. Teddy's screams immediately softened into distressed hiccups while the two older Slytherin silently watched him rocking the tiny body and whispered caring nonsense into the little ears. He didn't care anymore, because his parenting instincts were more primer than the possessive nature of his creature side.
"I said, get out! I'm tired of listening to your endless taunting, mocking and scolding, so kindly leave me the hell alone!" he hissed with a vicious scowl and finally they seemed to move, closing the door behind them with a soft click. "I'm sorry, cub, I'm so sorry I couldn't be here for you..." he whispered, the first drops of tears sliding down on his face.
A/N: One more thing. I'll try to hurry with the new chapter of Childe of destruction and at the weekend I'll finally post the new chapter of Antique Slavery too. Wish me good luck with translating.