A/N: Well. Here's another update for you, where there will be some mean potty-words at the end. Such as shit and bastard. But, the situation justifies the language. Other than that, we have some Sev/Harry Harry/Draco bonding time (")(") And some more horsie introductions. We also introduce Mr. Rabastan Lestrange.

Rabastan is only described by JKR as a thin, red-haired Death Eater that is Rodolphus Lestrnage's younger brother. So, I has taken him and moulded him into my own character ^^

Reviews bring updates faster!

Disclaimer: Last time I claimed I owned any characters that belong to JKR, nice little men in white coats came and took me away. :D If you think I own these people, besides Sylvia, the animals, PM, and PMRA, and Rabastan's personality, you are now sorely dissapointed, my friends.

Chapter 11: Soul-Bonded

"The rest of Prince Moon is the trails in the woods and the other riding ring." Draco said as the meandered down the trail. "So I guess there's not much to show you."

Harry shrugged. "Oh, well. It's really nice here, so I don't really care if there's anything else." He replied easily, swinging his arms by his sides.

"Ah." They stopped and leaned against the rails of the fence.

A golden horse with a white mane and tail plodded over to them, snorting curiously. Draco held his hand put, palm up, and the mare elegantly raised her muzzle to sniff it. The whiskers of her nose tickled his palm, and the blonde grinned.

"This is Melody." The Slytherin told the other softly. "You can pet her, if you'd like."

Harry's only previous interaction with any equids was Buckbeak in his third year and a ponyride pony for Dudley's sixth birthday party. So, he was rightly nervous of the huge animal standing before them.

Slowly, cautiously, Harry reached out a hand and let Melody nuzzle against his palm. When she moved closer, he hesitantly reached up and placed his hand on her cheek. Melody closed her eyes and leaned into Harry's touch as he rubbed her face.

Draco's silver eyes danced with mirth as he watched the other's amazement at being so readily accepted. "She likes you." The blonde noted casually.

Harry's emerald eyes went wide. "She does?"

Melody opened her deep brown eyes and regarded him lazily. He cream coloured tail swished at a few pesky flies as with a loud sigh, she shifted and sauntered off down the fence the direction the boys had come.

Harry stared after the mare, dissapointment etched into every line of his face. Draco gently nudged the other's arm, mindful of a lasting bruise. "Most people aren't even graced with her prescence at all. You're lucky." He said consolingly, smiling.

"Oh." Harry seemed pleased as they followed the trail back around a second, larger riding ring.

"So let's see, you've met Bella, Marcus, Melody, Captain and Swentzle." Draco said, looking to Harry for a confirming nod.

When Harry nodded, a jolt of pain raced down his spine, and he winced. Draco's silver eyes narrowed. "Are you okay?" He asked suspicously.

"Fine." Harry hissed through gritted teeth.

"Liar." Draco growled. "You should tell Professor Snape."

Harry stared in shock at the Slytherin, who was standing with his hands on his hips. "No way! Tell him? I don't think so."

"Why?" Draco demanded, exasperated.

"Because he's an adult." Harry blurted angrily.

Draco raised an eyebrow. "So?"

"So? Most adults in my life I don't trust. Plus, for four years of my life, he's absolutely hated me." The other said defensively.

"Well, he doesn't anymore. Trust me." Draco said confidently.

"Oh? How can you be so sure?" Harry snapped.

Draco sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "Well, he took you out of the hands of those bastards that call themselves your relatives, right?" He offered.

Harry faltered. "Right. But he would've done that for anyone, wouldn't he?" He asked, hesitation shining in his voice.

"Maybe, but not if he hated you." Draco said.

Harry stared at the ground, scuffing his foot against the ground, moving gravel and dirt. "Oh."

Draco nodded, noticing Harry's forlorn look. "You look like you need a hug." He said blankly.

Harry took a deep, shuddering breath. "I guess I do."

Nodding and steeling himself, Draco stepped forward and careful slid his arms around the other's shoulders, pulling him up against his chest. Harry stiffened a little, but accepted the touch. The two stood like that for several minutes, drinking in each other's comfort.

Suddenly, a loud snort sounded from right next to their heads, and they both jumped, scrambling backwards. Harry found himself standing behind Draco, peeking around the blonde's shoulder. His hands rested lightly on Draco's waist, holding them both steady.

Slowly, he felt the blonde relax, and relaxed himself. They were standing before a huge black horse. "Hey, boy." Draco greeted.

Harry recognized the horse as the one he'd seen galloping away from them when they'd first Apparated onto the driveway. "Well, now you've met Cobra." Draco said. "He's got a nasty temper."

Harry immediately backed further away from the fence, pulling the Malfoy her with him. Draco let out an idignant noise, but allowed himself to be used as a shield. "He's territorial, that's probably why he came over. He most likely heard us arguing." Draco said as they watched the stallion stretch his neck out and rub his nose against the wood.

As the two watched, the horse suddenly looked up, ears flattened against his head. Draco backed them up further, and the stallion reared up, letting out a loud scream. Harry jumped violently, and Draco shouted, "Get out of here, you stupid bully!"

The horse dropped to the ground, whinnyed, and thundered away, mane and tail flying out behind him. Harry was breathing hard, looking utterly terrified as Draco turned to check on his new friend.

"Are you okay?" He demanded.

Harry stared blankly at the blonde, trembling. "I-I'm sorry." He choked out.

"Potter?" Draco asked quietly. "What are you blathering about?"

"I'm sorry, Uncle." Harry said, beginning to shake.

"Harry? Harry, what's wrong?" Draco's eyebrows knitted together, silver eyes dark with confusion and worry.

"I'm a freak." Harry mumbled, a single tear slipping down his cheek.

"No, you most certainly are not." Draco said sternly. "Let's get you out of here." Gently, he took Harry's elbow-the arm without the cast-and pulled him closer.

Harry wrenched free, eyes wide with terror. "Uncle! No, I'm sorry!" He sobbed, tears flowing freely.

"Harry!" Draco began to panic as the Boy-Who-Lived curled in on himself, falling to the ground. "I'm getting Severus!" With that, he bolted back down the path.

The blonde ran faster then he ever could remember, concern filling his mind. "Uncle Severus!" He shouted, and Snape peeked around the barn door.

"Draco? What's wrong?" He asked at his Godson's face, which was filled with terror.

"It's Harry, he just-he-I don't know!" Draco grabbed Severus' sleeve and began to drag him back towards his friend.

"Draco?" Snape demanded as he hurried along after his Godson.

"Come on!" Draco nearly screamed.

The two raced back to Harry, where they found the Boy-Who-Lived curled up in the fetal position on the dirty ground. Snape immediatley sank to the ground beside his charge, onyx eyes filled with confusion.

"Potter?" Snape asked, velvet voice rich with an odd sort of terror. "Are you okay?"

Harry merely whimpered in response, body wracked with sobs. Then, at a loss of anything else to do, Severus took a deep breath and slid his arms around the boy's waist. Harry curled into the offered warmth, tears seeping into Severus' shirt.

Snape slid one of his arms under Harry's legs and propped the other against the teen's back, and gently picked him up. "Come on, Draco." He ordered, carrying the sobbing teen back towards the Manor.

They rushed Harry to the house, Swentzle careful following. When they arrived in the lliving room, Severus deposited Harry on the couch and bolted away with a shout of, "I'm getting a Calming Draught!"

Draco sat next to his new friend and put his arms around the other instinctively. Sniffling, Harry leaned against the thin blonde's chest, continuing to cry and incoherently beg for mercy.

Seconds later, Severus ran back into the room, Sylvia right on his heels. Severus gently pulled Harry from his death grip on Draco, and he poured the potion down his throat. "Harry?" He murmured softly.

The boy curled up in the man's offered embrace. Sylvia sat on Draco's other side, rubbing the blonde's back between the shoulder blades at the sight of his fright and confusion.

"Shhh, hush now, Harry." Severus whispered comfortingly.

The teen sniffled a little, regaining control over his erratic breathing. "S-Sorry…" He stammered, focusing his jade eyes on the soft beige couch cushions.

"It's alright." Severus murmured, rubbing soothing circles into the boy's back.

Harry looked up, trembling, and Severus brushed the dark fringe out of his eyes. "Breathe, Harry." Snape said softly.

Harry swallowed thickly, coughing a little. "Th-Thank you." He mumbled.

Severus nodded as Harry looked up and met his concerned gaze. "What on earth happened?" He asked, his voice laced with troubled tones.

Harry shrugged. "Draco?"

Severus turned to Draco, keeping his hands lightly resting on Harry's shoulders. Draco looked as worried and scared as Severus and Harry combined. "Well, we were walking, and um…his neck hurt a bit, and I told him to tell you, and he said he didn't trust adults. So we had this conversation, and it ended up with us hugging and Cobra coming up and scaring us." Draco said slowly, silver eyes narrowed.

"And the stupid horse reared up and freaked him out and made him get all upset!" The blonde snapped, anger dancing in his eyes. "And then I ran to get you!"

Harry whimpered, and Draco immediately checked his tones. "I'm surprised you haven't been coughing more." He said, slow and calm again, hiding behind the famed Malfoy mask.

Severus smoothed Harry's ruffled hair down and absentmindedly clacked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, a thoughtful habit he'd never bothered to break. "So, Cobra set this off?"

Harry and Draco nodded, but Harry winced as another reminder of the previous pain swept down his spine. "We need to go to the doctor for that neck of yours." Snape said offhandedly, staring Harry right in the eye. "Now I want to know the truth: Are you okay?"

Harry's emerald eyes flashed and he avoided Snape's piercing gaze. "Well…"

"Harry." Sylvia whispered, speaking for the first time. "We want to help you."

The Boy-Who-Lived snorted bitterly. "Sure. That's what they all say. We want to help you, Harry." He said heatedly.

Severus and Sylvia exchanged glances over Draco and Harry's head. Harry untangled himself from Severus and stood up, moving to sit by himself in a plush armchair by the ornate dark marble fireplace.

"Why? You've hated me, I just met you, and you've hated me too!" He accused, shooting glares at Snape, Sylvia and Draco in turn.

"Yes, but that was before Draconis and I knew." Severus corrected. "And I never truly…I've never hated you, Harry Potter."

Harry looked up sharply. "What?" His green eyes were clouded with suspicion.

"I hated your father. And I was blinded by the fact you looked so much like him." Severus took a deep breath. "I couldn't see Lily. Or you, for that matter. Only James Potter."

Harry nodded, but winced. "I have to remember to not do that." He grumbled.

"Where is the pain?" Severus asked, moving over to where the boy stood up.

Harry reached up and gestured to the left side of his neck, right under the base of his skull. Severus let his cool fingers brush against the spot, and he discovered Harry's muscles were all knotted up.

"I think I've got a potion that will temporarily fix this. Tomorrow, I will take you boys into town to look around and go to the physician." He said, moving towards the exit. "And Mr. Potter, I believe you are in need of a new wardrobe. Draconis can help you with that tomorrow." With that, he walked out.

Sylvia laughed stridently at the downright evil smirk on Draco's face, and the suddenly terrified expression on Harry's. "Poor, poor Harry." She said, grinning and ruffling the blonde's hair affectionately as she sashayed out of the room.

Draco's silver eyes gleamed with anticipation. "Oh, Harry. What fun we'll have tomorrow." He purred.

Harry gulped, eyes wide. "Help." He squeaked to no one in particular as Draco advanced.

-ooOoo-

Severus was in his personal lab, looking through his stores to see if he had all the ingredients for the potion he needed to make for Harry when he felt the burn of his left forearm. He hissed in surprise, and clamped his right hand over the Dark Mark.

Turning with a whirl of black robes, he Accio-ed his Death Eater robes from the cabinent andstalked towards the door. "Sylvia!" He shouted as he rotated sharply on his heels and dashed up the stairs.

She peeked out of her office. "Sev? What's wrong?"

"I've been Summoned. Fire-Call Albus and tell him. I've got to go." He said shortly.

She nodded, grey eyes wide. "Be careful." She warned, running down the stairs after her older brother.

He nodded curtly and vanished out the front door, Sylvia running to the fireplace. With a wave of strong elemental magic, he transformed into the black cloud of smoke Death Eaters used to transport themsleves, and took flight.

The journey was relatively short, the magic allowing him to fly at speeds faster then a Muggle fighter jet. When he arrived at the gates of Riddle Manor, he returned to his natural form and stalked straight through the wrought iron gates, his Dark Mark keying him into the wards.

He met one of the Death Eaters from Harry's vision, Thorfinn Rowle, at the doors to the Manor. "Be careful, Snape. The Dark Lord's in a bad mood today. He practically blew McNair's nose off for sneezing." The other warned.

Snape nodded his thanks and swept down the hall and into the Grand Dining Hall. "Ah, Severus. We were beginning to fear you'd lost your way." Voldemort greeted quietly. "Have a seat."

Snape sat obidiently, two seats down from the snake-like man himself. He noticed that all three Lestranges were there, the Carrows, and one Lucius Malfoy, along with many others. Voldemort turned to Snape.

"Has Dumbledore said anything about Harry Potter, Severus?" He asked calmly.

Snape paled, but not visibly in this light. Double-checking his Occlumency shields, he said emotionlessly, "No, my Lord. But I have caught word from an overheard conversation that the Blood-Wards on the boy's home have fallen."

"Why did you not come to me to share this information?" Voldemort demanded, sanguine eyes darkening.

"I just learned of this moments ago. Right before I was Summoned." Snape said.

"Ah. And you were planning to come to me?"

"Of course, my Lord. I was changing into my robes when I received the Call."

Voldemort accpeted this and began to describe the raid. "The woman is now under the Imperius curse and their house has been burned to the filthy Muggle ground." The Dark Lord finished.

Severus licked his lips. "Now, Severus, I want you to go down to the lab and develop a potion that will compel the old coot to tell you of Potter's whereabouts." Voldemort ordered.

Severus nodded. "Yes, my Lord." When he stood, he offered a curt bow and swept from the room.

He pondered his dilema as he walked, allowing his feet to guide him to the Potions lab of Riddle Manor. When he reached the room, he set out a cauldron and scales, then hurried over to the extensive bookcase opposite the ingredient shelves.

He ran his long fingers along the spines of the books until he found one that could help him develop this Potion the Dark Lord requested. He found himself almost pleased with the task. He liked a Potion-related challenge every now and then. He wasn't a Potions master for nothing, after all.

He pulled the musty old tome from the shelf and dropped it on the work table, riffling through the pages until he found one that looked helpful. With that, he sat on the stool and began his research.

Three and a half hours later, this was how Rabastan Lestrange found him. The raven-haired man was leaning over a cauldron, mumbling to himself under his breath. One hand was stirring the Potion and the other was adding the occasional ingredient with what appeared to be random spur–of-the-moment decisions, but was most likely very carefully measured out portions.

Rabastan stood at the door awkwardly for a few minutes, watching Severus work. Not sure what to do, when Snape straightened up a little and hunched over his notes, he rapped his knuckles on the doorframe. He was steadfastedly ignored.

After waiting a few seconds, he cleared his throat. "Um…excuse me?"

"What?" Was the stiff, brusque reply.

Rabastan was momentarily taken aback by the Potions master's rudeness, then said, "The Dark Lord wishes to know how your Potion work is going."

The other man was silent as he threw in some powdered something. The cauldron immediatley began bubbling over, hissing violently. "Shit." Snape spat, flinging in something else slimy and stirring frantically.

Rabastan stared at the other's back, shocked. Never, in all his years as a Death Eater, had he heard this man curse. Not that he'd had much interaction with Severus, albiet. When the cauldron stopped hissing madly, Severus sighed and cast a (very strong, Rabastan noted) Stasis charm over the work-in-progress.

Then he turned to face the ginger, who had begun to fidget. "Does He wish me to join him upstairs or shall I give you a report and trust you to relay it to him correctly?"

"Um, He said for you to give me a report." Rabastan said awkwardly.

Snape pursed his lips. "Tell Him that I've done my research out of 'Boek van Duistere Magie en hekserij (Book of Dark Magic and Evil Spells)' and that I think that flobberworm secretion extract and this rosewater petal's spine, and a blood sample will work nicely." Severus said in a confident rush.

Rabastan stood there, mouth agape before nodding. "Um…okay." And he practically ran out of the room, leaving Snape to his work.

Rabastan bowed to Voldemort as he re-entered the throne room. "He said he did research and some stuff like…flobberworm blood and rose petals and Dumbledore's secretion or something will work. Nicely." He said hurridley.

Voldemort glared. "Go write it down, Rabastan. I want a full report. Do not strain my patience. Bellatrix, go with him to make sure he does it right." He ordered.

Rabastan's sister-in-law jumped out fo her seat and practically dragged Rabastan back down into the dungeons, where the lab was situated. Instead of waiting like Rabastan had, she stalked in and grabbed Severus' arm just as he was adding something.

He poured an entire bottle of something into the cauldron as Bellatrix said darkly, "The Dark Lord wants a full report!"

The resulting explosion was magnificient. The cauldron began frothing madly, and Severus backed away, shoving Bellatrix into a nearby table in his haste. "You idiot!" He snarled as he ran into Rabastan.

The Potion exploded. Violently. Shrapnel from the metal pewter cauldron flew everywhere, and Bellatrix shrieked as she dove under the table Severus had shoved her into. The room rocked with the force of the blast as Severus and Rabastan fell backwards in a tangle of limbs and cloaks.

Snape ended up on top of Rabastan, pinning the red-head to the floor as the currently brownish-purple-yellow Potion splattered all over the room, and them. A fine, violet mist filled the room, before setting into Rabastan and Severus' skin.

When the Potion-or what was left of it-calmed down, Severus untangled himself from the terrified ginger and jumped to his feet. "YOU UTTER ASSINE FOOL!" He roared as Bellatrix stood up also. "DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT TOOK ME TO MAKE THAT?"

"Four hours." She returned snootily. "Bastard."

"OUT!" He pointed at the door, shaking with rage, but Bellatrix merely stuck her tongue out at him. "What was that purple fog stuff?"

"I don't know, I was too busy trying to to GET KILLED IN THE BLAST!" Severus shouted as Rabastan peeled himself off the floor from where Snape had smushed him.

"Well, sorry." Bellatrix didn't look apologetic at all.

Suddenly, Severus froze. He had the oddest feeling. He realized with a wave of panic that some form of magic was tingling it's way down his spine and into his chest. Shivering, he tried to repel the feeling, but it grew stronger. Rabastan appeared to be having the same reaction to the mist that had settled over them.

"What is this?" The ginger asked, fear showing in his voice.

Suddenly, a bright light shattered the odd pair's vision, and the last thing Severus remembered before he collapsed was Rabastan and someone else crying out in agony. Then, he sank into unconiousness.

-ooOoo-