Chapter 10: Cure the Madness
The blonde under his care fidgeted as they walked to the Headmaster's office, making the dragon raise a brow. An hour ago, he was told via ice crystal communication to come to Hogwarts, under their pre-established protocol at the palace by Sephiroth, who was less than articulate in his orders as Toushirou was. Damned ice dragons and their flair for secrets and being more cryptic than a tomb — you'd think after the two troublesome boys got together they would be easier to handle, being on the same page. But no… relationships were another haystack that Pyrrhus did not sign up for.
Nudging the blonde out of his mild fugue, the dragon nodded to the entrance of the Headmaster's office, alone. "Oi. You know where your control freak is?"
Draco scowled, crossing his arms in a huff. "No. Potter confronted him about something before classes and they went off. Didn't show up for McGonagall's and you know from there. I thought you knew, seeing how he was able to call for you."
"I was just told to get here ASAP, daddy's boy." Pyrrhus shrugged, ignoring Draco's glare. "Your boytoy doesn't really tell anyone very much of what he's thinking. I wouldn't take it too personally if he brushes you off like that, that's in his nature. He's a loner and a careful tactician, the control freak; it's when he's being reckless and not thinking that you should be worried."
"You sound like you're speaking from experience." Draco prodded as the dragon snorted.
"Believe me. Toushirou losing control is the least of your problems for now."
"Why?" Draco asked, grey eyes indicating that he knew there was more to this story. "You say that like it already happened."
"Because, if he was, none of us would be alive right now and it did, once upon a time. I would advise you to not ask him about it." Pyrrhus stated darkly, eyes narrowed. "He threw aside all of his and his clan's plans, not caring how carefully they were executed or thought out, all he wanted was to obliterate all traces of the event or anything remotely familiar of it before covering it in a layer of snow; all to satisfy his bloodlust."
Malfoy involuntarily shivered. He knew Toushirou was capable… but still… actually do so…
"But it happened years ago. And your boytoy knows better now. Come on." Pyrrhus pushed him forward with a shove. "We have a Headmaster to talk to and we still have to find your arm-candy afterwards. We don't have all day."
Flicking out his forked tongue in a small hiss, the dragon climbed the stairs, the blonde hot in his heels, scowling. He really wasn't cut out for this shit. But he swore his loyalty, and that meant something if he had anything to say about it. Entering with small grandiose, Pyrrhus scowled darker as he met the Headmaster's mysterious smile — his ire for wizards clear as Draco followed in, expression slightly displeased. If the old coot was expecting pleasant company, he was in for something on the other side of that rainbow.
"Mr. Pyrrhus and Mr. Malfoy, to what do I owe this visit?"
"Hitsugaya." Pyrrhus clicked his tongue, baring fanged teeth as he yawned. "Ordered me here to talk to you about a plan of his." You're not that special, you decrepit old man.
"We discuss many plans, which of them were you referring to?"
Pyrrhus gave a fanged smirk. "The one where we try to kill you, old man, remember that one?" Now, to the more interesting aspect of his task. "Though, a pity it is only attempts; nothing permanent or even mildly scarring sadly."
The dragon sighed, like he was actually saddened by the lack of death and harm. Draco wouldn't have been surprised if he actually was while Dumbledore looked a bit wary, before regaining his smile. "I am aware of Mr. Hitsugaya's plans as of late, Pyrrhus. He has informed me of his intentions of the Dark Lord for now, though with your arrival… he did not."
The addressed male shrugged, seating himself at the railing, hooking a leg in between one of the bars. "He doesn't tell a lot of people a lot of things. You're no exception and neither am I. He tells you and I enough and what is needed on that; a need to know basis or not at all."
"Yes, a characteristic that is frustrating to his peers." Dumbledore smiled, winking at Draco, who scowled before the professor turned back to the older male with a small turn. "But it would be hard pressed to believe that Hitsugaya would send you here blindly, Pyrrhus."
"True." Pyrrhus conceded, before his visage turned serious. "Only both you and are wrong. He told me nothing, only to get my ass here via his owl. And the fact that he told you and me nothing…"
"…speaks more than if he did." Dumbledore finished, both of them ignoring a scrutinizing Malfoy, as the atmosphere sobered.
Pyrrhus was not empathetic. "No shit. He's serious, old man."
Not giving anyone the chance to cut in, the dragon chuckled into his hand. "I may not know why Hitsugaya called me here, Dumbledore. But you best be assured that my presence here is not a good one. For you or His Royal Slither-ness. I am a rogue warrior, the last of my kind, that I have little to lose other than my friend Hitsugaya. And if not for his request, you and the rest of the Wizarding World could have burned for all I cared."
Draco was unsurprised while the Headmaster took the words with quiet. It was no secret that Pyrrhus was less than fond of wizards, even Draco was treated in a relative distance for a while. But he did not make the mistake to think that the Pyrrhus was sympathetic to his problems. Because Draco knew hatred when he saw it.
"It could be argued that I hate wizards." Pyrrhus said bluntly, breathing in an ornate pipe from his suit pocket as incensed smoke blew from his nostrils. "But if Hitsugaya asked me, out of all persons, to come here; what do you think that says, Headmaster?"
Draco ran a hand through his hair. Of course, he thought to himself with a curse, as the Headmaster voiced it.
"Hitsugaya is readying to make his final decision. To decide the fate of our futures."
Draco was wary, despite it would have been what the others would have thought as days of bliss with a new love and relationship to explore. But the blonde was not. In between the signs of physical attentions and affection, Toushirou was consistent — often reminding him that their relationship was secondary to his loyalties to his society and duties as a captain, and that in the end, if needed, Toushirou would not be hesitant to leave it all behind. Even driving Malfoy to hate him if need be. He was not surprised to be honest, as it would have been a selfless thing that the captain would do at the expense of himself. Though, he often ignored the reminder as much as possible.
Pushing aside his plate in a clear mood, the only free Malfoy ignored the concerned looks of his friends before heading to the Common Room, wanting a moment of silence after Pyrrhus had ran him out of the Headmaster's office. Toushirou was oddly absent without a single notification, but for the most part, was able to take care of himself.
After all of this… Malfoy pondered in the privacy of his mind. Would we even be alive?
The chances of that were slim to none if you had asked Draco a year ago, if one were to explain the neck-deep situation that they were in. But somehow, through Toushirou, he was alive, along with the rest of his family. So far. While his significant other was capable and more so, it was understandable for Malfoy to harbor doubt — even with Toushirou's plan unfurling with the slow replacement of Death Eaters with puppets, destruction of Horcruxes and not to mention, distraction of attempting murder on Dumbledore. It was all… so much that Malfoy feared that with one wrong move, it would all come falling down in a dramatic swoop with Toushirou at the brunt of it.
"Draco?"
Taken from his thoughts at the familiar sound, Draco's eyes cleared to see Blaise before him, followed by Nott, who frowned at his distracted gait. "What are you doing here?"
"I… I was thinking." Draco admitted, his own voice sounding lame to him as he struggled with a better answer. "The acquaintance that you both saw this morning, he had left to find Toushirou a few hours ago and still hasn't notified me."
"Who is he anyway?" Blaise inquired as the boy leaned against the couch, as they sat comfortably around a coffee table, Nott taking to a seat beside Draco's armchair. "He looked older than us. A relative of Hitsugaya's?"
"You mean like his cousin?" Nott nodded, referring to their get-together over break.
"No." Malfoy shook his head. "He is a friend, a trusted ally who is also our senior. Hitsugaya trusts him enough to defend his home in Japan when he is away."
That alone cemented the trust for the Slytherins, as they were aware that the captain was paranoid enough to carry his belongings with him, nonetheless, leave his home to an individual.
"So, why is he here?" Nott inquired. "Not that he is unwelcome, but things are a bit tense right now."
"I think that is the exact reason why Toushirou has brought him here." Draco's glare darkened, honing on the green flames of the fireplace. "It is because we are nearing a turning point and he wishes to have all of his allies not only where he can see them, but also more importantly, where his enemies can see them."
"So, he's in the know?" Blaise stated more than questioned as Malfoy nodded.
"More likely even more than us." He admitted to the others' surprise as the blonde shrugged at their reaction. "Toushirou keeps more things from me than you would think. Most of the time, he makes or lets me draw conclusions for myself — half the time, he doesn't even bother to confirm or shoot it down. Or if he feels up to it, rarely sorts it out himself for me."
"Trouble in paradise?"
"More like discord." Nott supplied, frowning. "If this was how your dynamic was, then one could argue that it is not healthy. Your relationship, I mean. If you two don't communicate, misunderstandings and miscommunications are abound to occur. Like this issue, you don't even know where Toushirou is."
Draco scowled at the reminder but directed a small glare at Nott. "It is not like that. It's just how we work. I know Toushirou has other commitments before me — as any self-respecting person should, only that bastard does not have any shred of self-perseveration — and I as well; besides, I don't need to know everything. I am not his keeper and he is not mine, I have my duties and needs that come before he does. And he knows that."
"So, you two do have an understanding for a lasting relationship." The glasses wearing boy smirked small before it dissolved. "But the matter of his location aside, do you even have any idea what he has planned now? Now that the events of winter break seem to be a success?"
"As far as the end of this month…" Malfoy trailed off, thoughts traveling to last night.
It was pitch black out when Draco felt the sheets shift on the shared bed as his grey eyes opened blearily to see a billowed curtain, slightly ajar to reveal a darkly garbed Hitsugaya — dressed in a uniform that he looked comfortable and very familiar in. It was a custom black robe under a white sleeveless one, that Draco knew to be his lover's official uniform that cloaked his position as a superior — it was symbol of pride as much as his family crest. Moving immediately, the blonde flung aside the curtains in a muted creak, now awake gazes meeting one another.
"Your awareness has improved."
Draco ignored the address. "Where are you going at this time of night? Do not tell me it is another one of your midnight swims?"
The personification of no self-preservation had the audacity to smirk, lightened with a hint of teasing. "No. But if you must know, I am going to a family meeting of sorts. One that does not allow the presence of outsiders of the clan. I will return in about an hour or so."
"At this time of night?" Malfoy questioned skeptically.
"It is morning in Japan, Draco. It is much more convenient to inconvenience one of us than to make the other twelve to be awakened in the dead of night. Not that the rest of us sleep much for that matter." Toushirou chuckled small before pushing the blonde lightly back on the bed. "Go to bed. I will be fine."
Malfoy was silent as Toushirou took it as his understanding until a whisper pierced the quiet. "Are you… will you still be here?"
The footfalls of tabi stopped. A pause. "It depends. How long were you referring to?"
"Would it be childish for me to say forever?" His voice devolved into a soft tone, barely a whisper. But it rang so loudly, Draco could have sworn he shouted. "Would it be wishful thinking?"
With a half turn, Toushirou's white hair glowed in the moonlight as a single eye glowed in the natural light, cold. "Yes. It would be. However, I suppose I will divulge in your fantasy for a bit longer."
Instead of reassuring, Malfoy felt cold. The shared sheets of their bed, once warm no longer but as icy as his partner's element — Draco did not dare break the wall between them, he was frightened in what he would find behind it. Was this what Toushirou meant by his secrets? Would he leave him so easily if he knew something more? Shaking himself, Malfoy gripped the sheets under his palms, straining the silk. Fantasy? Did he mean that it would end? That there was going to be a time when he would have to awaken from it?
He would rather remain in such a delusion than to wake.
The realization was calmer then he thought he would receive it — resigned and dependent upon his fate. Cold fingers took him from his thoughts, cupping his face as familiar lips pillowed his jawline, sending shivers down his back.
"Way of Binding: No. 65: Forced Slumber." He felt breathed on his skin.
It was too late when Draco realized his lover's ploy, befalling into the demon magic.
The following morning, Malfoy awakened to cooling sheets, the tousled crinkles in the blankets and pillow indent evidence of his lover's promised return but instead of relief, the blonde felt a bead of wariness and suspicion. It was no dream of the night that Toushirou avoided answering his question — he knew it was childish, but… was it so far-fetched? — and left after knocking him unconscious. Annoyed, Malfoy made his way to the showers to his morning routine, internally swearing to confront his best friend the moment they had the privacy. However, it was just his luck that Potter had the idea to speak to Toushirou that morning of all days and then with Pyrrhus' timely arrival; there was no moment to spare for him.
And it was not like he could blame Toushirou. He did not ask Potter to come to him. He did not ask to be involved in all of their Western drama and headache of Voldemort — but he was. Because of a stupid crystal ball and their poor excuse of a professor, honestly how she was qualified was a larger mystery to Draco than how Crabbe and Goyle had gotten so far in Hogwarts with their many detentions (Thank god for Snape.).
"… Toushirou was tightlipped on that." Draco finally finished as he met Nott and Blaise, who were sporting a deadpan. "What?"
"So, he didn't tell you?" Nott mused, cupping his chin in a tone of finality. "What a shocker."
While the blonde glared at his least favored child, Blaise was more tactful. "But it is expected of him. Even though he does not keep us completely from the dark, Hitsugaya is not the sharing type, you just being a slightly more informed. Though, not by much." Only by a fraction.
"Don't you two have someone else to annoy?" And why was he the only one who had to deal with this?
Holding the thin metal device, Toushirou rose an eyebrow at the simple instructions from the former captain of the Twelfth Division, flipping it through his fingers. "Very well, I will do so. Thank you, Urahara. The samples will be delivered to you by Korihana, there are several blood samples that I omitted from Kurotsuchi's hands."
Ignoring the blonde's remark of being his favored uncle, the ice captain replaced the device in his pocket, before reappearing in the outskirts of the grounds alone. Shunpoing to be unseen and unfollowed, he seated himself on the edge of the roof of the many towers, overlooking the scenery for a moment. Then a shrill ring broke the still silence, as he answered with a click to his bluetooth.
"What is it?" A pause.
"When?" Another pause as he allowed the person on the other side to reply.
"Very well, send a message for Tia Harribel to stand by, I will make accommodations to assure that she will be informed as soon as it happens. And of your charge?"
The words were muffled in the mild wind as Toushirou smirked, his expression contemplative. "Is that so? He would like to invite me to such a momentous gathering?"
A moment of silence. "Inform him of my acceptance."
"Acceptance? Acceptance to what?" Toushirou ignored the newly arrived Pyrrhus, who thankfully left Draco to deal with the other Slytherins after their meeting since Blaise and Nott were not sufficient in explaining why it was justified to set several Hufflepuffs aflame just because — their last excuse was to see if uselessness was combustible after bursting into the three's very interesting conversation. Not that they knew he was eavesdropping. Therefore, he was able to use his own version of magic to appear, dangerously standing on the roof the transfer had taken perch to. Not that he would be in any real danger if he fell off or anything.
"An invitation to meet Voldemort." Toushirou replied nonchalantly as the dragon nodded before turning so quickly, he could have had whiplash if he were human, as the words sunk in.
"You—?! Why, in the name of dragon's bane, would you do that?" The dragon huffed, regaining his footing. "Unless you're getting close to kill him? Take him out when you're extending a hand? I'm not one for underhanded tactics and all (seeing how I'm a dragon) but if you kill him, you kill him, boya."
Humming under his breath, the captain shook his head. "The choice may be mine to decide whom will die, Pyrrhus. But the one who will end the others' life will be one or the other — not me. I have no interest in being a glorified hero to these wizards."
Pyrrhus shrugged, not really caring about the lives of wizards. "I'm the last advocate for wizard lives. But even I know if you recklessly kill this guy, you'll have a mess in your hands. So, why you meeting him now, control freak? I thought you were leaving your creepy minion Death Eaters to your bidding. There's no need for you to meet him."
Toushirou was unamused by the nickname but said nothing. "They are stand-ins for temporary safety against the Dark Lord, as well as to satisfy the alliance between Draco and his friends. Once I am out of the picture, it will be Draco who will receive the credit for saving their parents — who had been conveniently altered in being unable to try to finish anymore of Voldemort's work when he passes. My meeting with him is a… test of the waters."
"And what exactly are you testing?" Pyrrhus narrowed his eyes as Toushirou shrugged lightly.
"Who knows? It will be nothing more than a meeting, Pyrrhus. A conversation."
"Bullshit. Nothing is as simple as a conversation with you." The dragon growled, insulted that the captain assumed that he could be easily slighted. "You always have a plan. So, what the hell are you doing, now?"
With unabashed attitude, the transfer student made no indication to answer — fine, then onto the more… annoying shit… "If you won't answer me that, then answer me this. What are you planning to do with Draco? After all of this? Don't think I didn't notice what you said."
Eyes expectant, Pyrrhus felt dread in his throat as he saw the boy he called master pause in his thoughts, eyes no longer far away but now very much here with him — glowing with the determination that screamed his position in Soul Society. He was not talking to the Hogwarts student, prodigy of Slytherin, Hitsugaya Toushirou — no, he was talking to the one who came here on a mission, a captain of the Gotei 13 — that Hitsugaya Toushirou. Lips pursed, the captain held up a hand as the sunset rays warmed them, his ring glinting in the light. "You are foolish if you believe that I was going to survive this confrontation in the eyes of the wizards, Pyrrhus. Whether it be the curse of the Horcrux on Tom Marvolo's ring or Voldemort, I will not return to Hogwarts after this year. All of the information needed of the wizards had been collected, and I am not alive; I do not belong here. I am needed at Soul Society. It comes before Draco and I."
"So, after all, this…" The dragon waved a hand to the school, surprised at the lack of care in the captain's words. "You're just going to leave?" Leave Draco? You are literally almost everything to that kid.
Toushirou smiled coldly. "What did you expect? You knew in the beginning when I let the curse grow on my gigai. You knew when I told you about my wand and my position. Did you believe words to be lying when I said that I was not allied with anyone but Soul Society? My loyally is first and for most, to my home."
Pyrrhus felt himself stunned, a loss of words at the child — no, Master before him.
"…Then, what of Draco?"
Toushirou smiled softly — was it wistful…? — as he slipped off the ring — a gift from the boy who they spoke of, a simple silver band with a row of small emeralds for Valentine's — before setting it aside like it had no sentimental value. "He would have to cope, in his own way… now wouldn't he?"
The dragon was silent as he heard the boy before him sigh, a hand running through his white hair, eyes twinkling with dark mirth like a chess master who was amused at the emotions of his pieces. "It will not be the first for him, after all."
"But enough of Draco, it is time that you learned why I asked for you to be here." The captain waved aside as he cupped a hand over his lips, hovering over the elder male's ear as the sinful lips whispered softly. Lost into the wind, Pyrrhus flinched away from the captain when he finished, red eyes wide.
Not only was his master a cold-hearted bastard, he was starkly mad.