The Dark Descent

by Madriddler

Dark!Harry Depressed about the deaths of those he loved, Harry slowly falls to the Dark side, learning of Voldemort's past and becoming intrigued about the man. During so he catches the attention of the devilishly handsome and dominating Draco Malfoy. Meanwhile, Ron Weasley gets the attention of Blaise Zabini. How will the Light react when their hero turns dark? DM/HP BZ/RW

21. Harry's Final Stand

Chapter XI

Harry's Final Stand

"Harry, it has been so long," the seventeen-year-old Voldemort said. He was still sitting in the red ornate chair. The Chamber of Secrets in his mind had changed, Harry felt both colder and hotter at the same time. He could see his breath, and a cold shiver went down his spine yet he could feel he was on the crux of sweating as he stared at the sitting Dark Lord. The torches on the walls dimmed until the statue of Salazar Slytherin behind Voldemort was barely viewable, it was as if the statue and the rest of the Chamber waned on the tip of existence and nonexistence. Voldemort moved his hand and a second, smaller chair appeared to his left. "Sit down Harry," he said coolly, "you have been a very naughty boy."

Harry stayed still, glaring at the Dark Lord. Voldemort chuckled and smirked at Harry. "Hiding your mind from me? What is it that you were trying to hide Potter? After everything we have gone through together… you dare to hide from me?"

"Where are the Horcruxes?" Harry asked.

Voldemort laughed. He looked at Harry and said, "Sit down Potter, you don't know what you are getting into."

"Where are the Horcruxes Tom?" Harry demanded again. "I know there is more than myself."

"Oh, Harry…" Voldemort said, his voice going deep, the baritone having a somewhat hypnotic effect on Harry. "You don't want to do this, do you Harry? No… you don't… Now… put your wand down… and sit down."

Harry started to feel lightheaded. A small voice in the back of his head edging him to obey, pushing Harry to submit to Voldemort and sit in the small wooden chair next to Harry. Harry's eyes started to dilate, and his feet moved slowly, each step getting heavier and heavier until a louder, more dominant voice called out. "Harry!"

It was Draco's voice. "Remember whose boy you are!" Draco's voice yelled. The voice immediately shot to Harry's brain and the lightheadedness immediately went away. Voldemort frowned when he saw Harry stopped.

"Come here Harry… come to your master…"

Harry looked at Voldemort and blinked his eyes. "You… You are not my master," Harry declared, taking out his wand and aiming it at Voldemort.

Voldemort looked at Harry's wand, unimpressed, and said, "What are you going to do Potter? You can't damage me, you can't kill me. Any harm you do to me, you'll also be doing to yourself… what could you possibly hope from doing any of this—"

"Crucio!" Harry yelled. The pain was instant. The intense, all-consuming sensation of white-hot knives piercing him was felt everywhere. It was as if the pain was all around him, the knives piercing every inch of his skin, as well as the area around him. Both he and Voldemort screamed, Voldemort fell back into his seat as he screamed, his eyes held open and staring at Harry as he struggled to stay on his feet. Harry's arms were starting to shake from the pain and a second later he stopped the spell, the pain leaving instantly and both Harry and Voldemort breathing heavily.

"Tell me!" Harry yelled, anger and hatred starting to course through his veins. Voldemort looked at Harry, his hair starting to come unkempt as he smirked at Harry.

"I am impressed Harry," Voldemort said. "Your hatred… your anger… I can feel it inside you." He smirked at Harry, "I knew you would be a powerful Dark Wizard Harry… and now I finally felt the results. We can be great you know… you have proven that. You just need to—"

"Crucio!" Harry yelled again. Voldemort began screaming again, as did Harry. This time the pain caused Harry's knees to buckle. He almost fell, but he stopped himself, instead kneeling as he continued the Cruciatus Curse. "Tell me!" He snarled through the pain. The Chamber of Secrets started to fade again, the details shaking, as if they were being hit by the torturous curse as well. "Tell me Tom!"

Voldemort continued to scream, his hands gripping the arms of the chair, his knuckles turning white as he finally closed his eyes. Voldemort's body began to shake as the curse took hold of him. The pain increased as Harry kept the spell going, it felt both incredible and awful at the same time. The longer Harry kept the spell going, the more hate he began to feel, and with more hate fueling the spell, it became more and more powerful. Harry felt like his body was going to explode as the pain increased. But he kept the spell going, knowing that Voldemort was feeling the exact same pain. "Tell me!" Harry yelled, his voice hoarse.

Voldemort's painful screams morphed into a morbid laughter. That only infuriated Harry even further as he stopped the spell for a second only to start it again. Voldemort's screams filled the space again. The Chamber of Secrets was now only vague blurs shaking violently around them as Voldemort screamed. The white-hot knives felt as if they were sinking deeper and deeper into Harry's skin as he kept the spell. The knives felt like it started to pierce his organs, his gut and stomach turning violent as a surge of bile traveled up his throat. He stopped the spell immediately and started coughing, leaning on his legs as he tried to swallow the bile back. The

"You are serious, Potter…" Voldemort said, looking proud yet hurt. His hair was now fully unkempt and Harry noticed that his arms were twitching slightly. "I'll amuse you," the seventeen-year-old Voldemort said. "I know where my Horcruxes are… all of them. I'll tell you where one is, since you asked nicely."

"Don't play Tom," Harry said, his wand still trained on Voldemort.

Voldemort smirked. "I would never play with you with this, you have earned this knowledge Harry. When I placed the Locket in the basin, I needed a creature to make sure my defenses work. A loyal Death Eater of mine had offered his house-elf for me to use. A mangy thing that called itself… Kreacher. Afterwards, my Death Eater tried to steal my Locket, but naturally the Inferi had drowned him."

"Kreacher…" Harry repeated. "He has the Locket?"

"Who knows," Voldemort said, watching Harry's wand. "But now that we know the Locket inside the basin was a fake, it might be possible."

Voldemort moved to get out of his chair, but Harry stepped closer, "Don't move," he stated. Voldemort smirked and watched silently as Harry figured out what to do. He needed to tell Draco, but how? Harry knew that sometimes he woke up screaming whenever he had a vision of Voldemort… whenever he was connected to the Horcrux. Maybe if…. Harry took a deep breath and shouted as loud as he could, "LOCKET! KREACHER!"

Voldemort laughed. "Yelling into oblivion Harry?" he smirked. Harry glared at Voldemort. Somehow he knew that Draco must have heard him. Voldemort was just trying to rile him up. He turned his full attention on Voldemort and said, "Where are the others Tom? I know there are more."

Voldemort smirked "Now, now Harry don't be a greedy boy," he said. "I've already gave you the location where one is. What makes you think that I'll tell you the others—"

"CRUCIO!" Harry yelled. Voldemort began to scream again, it sounded as if an invisible pressure was forcing its way into the Horcrux's body, crushing and pushing every bone, every vein that it touched. Harry felt it too. The invisible force pushed through his ribs, the bone seemingly forced out of the way, cracking and breaking as it did so. Then the pain traveled past his heart, which was beating erratically as it traveled up his chest and into his throat. His vocal cords felt like they were being ripped apart, a mixture of bile and blood rushing up the crushing throat and into his mouth. But Harry didn't stop. Blood and bile didn't seem to be able to come out as the pain continued to travel upward with the mixture.

Voldemort's screams were interrupted only by hacks and coughs as the mixture of bile and blood came up his throat as well, unable to exit. "STOP!" Voldemort yelled. "STOP! THERE IS ANOTHER!"

"WHERE!?" Harry screamed, keeping the spell going It was difficult for both of them to breathe, each breath coming with a struggle to swallow the rising blood.

"HUFFLEPUFF'S CUP! BELLATRIX'S VAULT!" Voldemort screamed. Harry repeated them, hoping that Draco was able to hear him.

The pressure started to move again. It left their throats, and as it left, their esophagus seemed to expand to normal size again, the bile and blood moving back to where they belonged. But the feeling of piercing white-hot knives stayed, scratching and stabbing every bit of their skin. The invisible force pushed against Harry's eyes and continued to move until it reached his brain. The force slowly surrounded his brain, pushing against it, forcing Harry's brain to implode into itself. Harry's world collapsed until there was only the pain. His arm was stuck aiming at the Horcrux, the spell seemingly forced to continue as the force continued to push into Harry's brain. Harry opened his mouth to scream, but nothing came out. He could hear nothing, say nothing. It was as if his entire body was being reduced, blown away until only his arm and brain remained, the pain surrounding each of them.

The invisible pressure seemed to ooze into Harry's brain, he could feel it force its way inside, as if searching, looking for something. Whatever the force was looking for, it seemed to have found it, for the next second it began to expand again, pushing Harry's brain, Harry's mind apart, ripping it into pieces. Harry felt the pressure enwrap something, separating it from the rest of his mind as the pain become more and more unbearable. He wanted it to stop, to end. He wanted everything to end. "Kill me!" a voice screamed out. He didn't know if it was his or Voldemort's. The force began to extract whatever it held, and Harry felt tendrils snapping, as if whatever it was did not want to let go of his mind. Make it end, make it end, make it end!

The more the tendrils resisted, the harder the force pulled. It was the most exclusionary pain Harry had ever felt. The pressure pulled and pulled, and the pain got worst and worst until—Nothing.

The pain instantly vanished, his mind mended instantly as Harry's vision seemed to return. His breath was ragged as he looked around, tears smearing his face. He was still in the Chamber of Secrets, and Voldemort had stopped screaming. Harry was shocked as he watched the seventeen-year-old Voldemort. He was crying, tears smearing his face as well. Voldemort looked up at Harry and glared at him. "Ravenclaw's Diadem in Hogwarts… Room of Requirement… Marvolo's Ring… Dumbledore destroyed it. … My Diary… The Cup… the Locket… Me… the Horcrux Lord Voldemort did not know… and Nagini… Those are all of them Harry Potter."

"Harry stared at Voldemort, his wand still trained on him. There was no pain, it was as if he could not feel the Curse anymore, he could not feel the Horcrux anymore. He opened his mouth and yelled "RAVENCLAW'S DIADEM! ROOM OF REQUIREMENT! HUFFLEPUFF'S CUP! LESTRANGE VAULT! LOCKET! KREACHER! NAGINI! VOLDEMORT!"

Harry took several breaths and looked at Voldemort. "Thank you Tom," he said.

Voldemort tried to control himself, the Horcrux smirking at Harry. "If only Dumbledore knew how far you have fallen," he said. "Goodbye Harry Potter."

"Goodbye Tom," Harry said. He pointed his wand for the last time at the detached Horcrux and yelled "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Harry's body rocked violently before collapsing. "Harry!" Draco yelled, dropping the quill and parchment to rush to Harry's aid. He had just finished writing down what Harry had yelled. "Harry No!" He yelled.

Harry laid motionless on the bed. "Damn it no!" Draco yelled, fumbling to take out his wand. He casted every healing spell he knew, hoping for Harry to wake up. Nothing happened. "Harry please!" Draco cried out, resorting to banging on Harry's body. Still Harry did not move, laying motionless on the bed. In a cry of desperation, Draco sank to Harry's chest and screamed. There, he heard something… it was faint, but it was there. A breath! Draco moved closer to Harry's face and listened carefully. There it was again! Another breath, faint but deep. He was still alive! But he didn't know for how long. "I have to get him somewhere safe," Draco said to himself. "Somewhere where that bastard won't get him."

He lifted Harry's body, cradling him like a baby and called for a house-elf. He ordered the house-elf to go to St. Mungo's and get the best Healer there is, and to bring him at the cottage. The house-elf bowed and disappeared. Draco hurried to get what he and Harry needed while making sure that Harry was still secure in his arms. Voldemort did not know about the cottage, they would be safe there.

Making sure that everything was secure, Draco took a step and turned around, apparating away from Malfoy Manor to the small cottage in the country. Three times the size of Hagrid's hut from Hogwarts, the cottage was a small piece of Malfoy property that the family mostly forgotten about. Remote and quiet, Draco knew this would be the perfect place to keep Harry. Draco was just setting Harry onto the king-size bed in the only bedroom when the house-elf appeared with the Healer. "Keep him alive," Draco demanded when the Healer saw Harry. "Cure him."

The healer began getting to work as Draco watched, fearing and wondering if every ragged breath from Harry will be his last. After what felt like hours, the Healer turned from Harry's body and said to Draco, "Mr. Malfoy, his body seems to be under a tremendous pressure. He had sustained enormous damages, both physical and magical, and he will need time to heal. If you bring him to St. Mungo's—"

"No. He will remain here," Draco said, his tone marking that there would be no discussion about the matter. "Will he live?"

"Like I said, with the damages he had sustained… his body had placed himself into a magical coma in order to heal. When he wakes up is entirely up to him."

"So he just needs sleep…" Draco said, trying to comprehend.

"Essentially… yes Mr. Malfoy, he just needs sleep."

"Good, that's good…" Draco said, relief overflowing him. He looked up at the healer and said, "You may leave. And don't you dare tell anyone, or else I will make sure your career is over. Understand?"

"Y-Yes Mr. Malfoy… good day Mr. Malfoy," the Healer said before disaparating with the house-elf.

Draco went to Harry's side and pulled up a chair. He smiled at his sleeping boy and ruffled in his pocket for the piece of parchment. With his other hand, he grabbed Harry's hand as he read from the parchment. "Hufflepuff's Cup in Bellatrix Lestrange's vault. Ravenclaw's Diadem in the Room of Requirement. The Locket is with Kreacher… that's your godfather's house-elf, right Harry? And the last is Nagini… the snake V-Voldemort keeps by him. You did so great baby, I'm so proud of you. I love you, you know that?" Draco smiled softly at Harry and kissed his forehead. "You sleep now my baby, you earned it. Don't worry, I'll be here. I just have some work to do."

Draco stood up and quietly walked out of the bedroom and into the main room. He called out for a few house-elves and commanded them to watch over Harry and to inform Draco the second anything changes. The elves bowed and started working on the cottage, tidying it up. Draco took a deep breath and made sure he had the piece of parchment with the Horcruxes' positions. He envisioned his room in Malfoy Manor and with a step Apparated away.

When he appeared back in his room he quickly moved to his desk and took out the parchment again. "Hufflepuff's Cup is in the Lestrange Vault," he said to himself as he read. "Ravenclaw's Diadem is in Hogwarts in the Room of Requirement, Kreacher has the Locket and V-Voldemort's snake… The Cup, the Diadem, the Locket… I can't believe they are real. How am I going to find them? Let alone destroy them? Think Draco think…" Draco looked around his room, looking for inspiration. He looked at his bookcase and saw all of his books on the Dark Arts. He stood up and walked towards his bookcase. He placed a long finger on the spines of the books and mouthed the titles to himself as he read them, his finger moving from book to book as he did so. "Secrets of the Darkest Art…" Draco read. He couldn't help but smile. "Harry's first book," he said to himself as he pulled it out. He opened it and began to read. "Fiendfyre…" he said after awhile. He smirked to himself as he read more. A plan started to formulate in his head as he continued to read the chapter. When he finished reading, he placed the book back to it's place on the shelf and immediately returned to his desk. He took out a quill and wrote at the top of the parchment, "Fiendfyre."

Draco pocketed the parchment and stood up again, deciding to go after Slytherin's Locket first. He looked around the room and saw a pair of Harry's robes. He walked towards it and looked through the pockets, pulling out the fake Locket. Figuring it would help him, Draco pocketed it and headed towards he door. He stopped before the door and made sure to steel his mind, his Occlumency barrier fully encasing his thoughts and memories. He opened his door and stepped into the corridor. He first needed to look for his mother, he needed to know where exactly Sirius Black's house is located. He found her in the drawing room, conversing softly with other witches her age. "Draco," she said, surprised, "What do I owe the pleasure? You remember Mrs. Zabini of course, and Mrs. Nott and Mrs. Warrington and Mrs. Greenrass?"

"Mother… I need your help," Draco said. The witches looked silently between Draco and Mrs. Malfoy. Mrs. Malfoy looked concern for a moment. She stood up and looked at her guests. "Excuse me of a moment," she said.

"Of course Narcissa," Mrs. Zabini said. "I will just talk about the plans my son had told me. You know the ones, about his proposal?"

"I heard he is dating a Weasley," Mrs. Nott said scandalously.

"He is?" gasped Mrs. Warrington.

"Please tell me it isn't the youngest," Mrs. Greengrass said. "What was her name again? Gwen? Grace? Something common…"

"Ginny, dear," Mrs. Zabini said, taking a sip from her tea. "And no he is not marrying her. He is marrying the second youngest. A charming boy named Ronald."

"Ohh… how delightful…"

The witches' voices faded as Draco and his mother walked away from the drawing room. When he was sure no one was listening in, Draco turned to his mother and said, "Sirius Black's house. The one you visited when you were young, where is it?"

"Draco… what is all of this about? What is the matter? You look skittish," Mrs. Malfoy said.

"Mother, I don't have time to explain," Draco said, looking around for Death Eaters. "Please, just trust me when I say this is important."

"I do not know what is going on… where's Harry, Draco?" Mrs. Malfoy asked.

"Mother, please!"

"Alright, all right, let's see…" Mrs. Malfoy said, remembering. "The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, that is the name of Aunt Walburga's small manor. The family home is at Number 12 Grimmauld Place. It's in London."

"Thank you Mother," Draco said.

"You're welcome… can you please tell me what all of this is about?"

"I'm sorry Mother, it is better if you don't know," Draco said. Mrs. Malfoy frowned at this but Draco did not let her argue. He walked away before she could say anything, and headed towards the main doors.

Draco passed by several Death Eaters, all of whom only glanced at him as he opened the manor's door and stepped outside. Number 12 Grimmauld Place, he thought to himself. He tried to envision a mansion that would serve the Black family, but only generic visions came to mind. He took a step and tried to Apparate. His body felt it was being squeezed through a tube. He did not know where he was going to appear. The familiar squeezing stopped suddenly and Draco looked around as he barely landed on his feet. He landed in an alleyway. Draco looked around and saw that the sun was setting. He wanted to be back with Harry before night fall.

Draco walked out of the alley way and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that he was at the beginning of Grimmauld Place. His pace quickened as he followed the house numbers, searching for Number 12. When he reached Number 11, he stopped and looked at the house next to it, only to see Number 13. Confused, Draco looked back at Number 11, then at Number 13. He stared at the small space in between them, wondering where Number 12 was. Just as he stared, Number 11 and Number13 seemed to move, pushing away from each other as another building started to appear. Draco watched entranced as the Muggles around him seemed to ignore the house pushing into existence. Soon the houses stopped moving, and there, rusted but still legible, was the number 12.

Draco smirked and walked up the steps. He gripped the handle of the door and was surprised to find it unlocked. He took his wand out and opened the door. Draco only took a couple of steps into the home before the door slammed closed. "Kreacher?" Draco called out. He walked through the small hallway and looked around, disgusted by the mess. "Must be a rubbish house-elf," Draco said to himself. "Kreacher!" he yelled louder.

"Who dares calls Mistress' Kreacher?" an old, raspy voice said. An old house-elf walked into view and glared at Draco. "Who walks into Mistress' most noble house?" it asked.

"Are you Kreacher?" Draco asked, looking down at the mangy house-elf. "You will help me find a Locket, Kreacher."

Kreacher laughed at Draco. "Mistress, look at this boy, commanding your Kreacher."

Draco, having little patience for house-elves, took out the fake Locket and held it in front of the house-elf. "Harry told me that you would know where the real Locket is," he said. Kreacher stopped laughing and glared at Draco. "That is Master Regulus'. Give it to Kreacher, you filthy wizard."

Draco glared at the house-elf. "No. You will tell me where you have put the real one." He pocketed the locket.

"Give that to Kreacher," the house-elf said.

"I am Draco Malfoy, and you will do as I say," Draco demanded.

"A Malfoy…" Kreacher said, his demeanor changing completely. "Master Malfoy… give back Kreacher Master Regulus' locket."

"Maybe," Draco said. "First you give me the real Locket."

"No, Master Regulus told Kreacher. Told Kreacher to destroy locket… but Kreacher couldn't. So Kreacher hid it—"

"Destroy it?" Draco said, "Yes, that is what I want Kreacher. Tell me where you put the Locket."

"Oh! Oh! Poor Kreacher! Poor Master Regulus! Kreacher failed him!" Kreacher moaned. "He stole it, stole it from Kreacher!"

"Who did?" Draco asked.

"That thief," Kreacher said. "Took it from Kreacher, I tried to stop him Master Regulus, but Kreacher failed!"

"Who! Tell me his name!" Draco demanded. He didn't want to deal with a grieving, demented house-elf. He just wanted to find the Horcrux so he could go back home to Harry.

"Mundungus Fletcher!" The house-elf yelled. Draco frowned, not knowing the name. "I'm guessing he's a member of the Order of the Phoenix?"

"Yes," the house-elf said.

"Thank you… Kreacher," Draco said. He took out the fake locket and handed it to the house-elf. Kreacher took it greedily and began talking to himself again. Draco couldn't help but sneer at the house-elf's madness and turned to leave the home. Draco apparated back to Malfoy Manor, he needed some way of finding Mundungus Fletcher.

Draco saw two lowly Death Eaters and smirked to himself. He walked up to them and said, "You two! Come here!" The two Death Eaters looked confused before coming over. Even in their dark robes, Draco could see that they were a couple of years older than him. "What are your last names?" he demanded.

The young Death Eaters looked at each other. "Travers," said the first one. "Swannage," said the second one. "What do you want Malfoy?"

"You know who I am?" Draco asked.

"Y-Yes… everyone does," Travers said.

"Then you know what my family is capable of," Draco said. He gave a sharp look at the two Death Eaters. "There is something I need done, and I want you two to do it."

"Why would we do that?" Swannage asked.

Draco turned to the Death Eater. "You are Swannage, correct?" he asked.

"Yeah," Swannage grunted.

Draco looked at him and performed his best sneer. "I remember you, what are you doing here? Are you even a half-blood? Because there is no way you are a pureblood."

Swannage looked at Draco. "What's it to you? I'm a servant of the Dark Lord, just as you."

"True… you are," Draco stated. He looked at Travers and said, "Will you do what I tell you? This will help the Dark Lord."

"We will, but what will happen if we don't Malfoy? Last I heard your daddy's in Azkaban," Travers said.

"As is yours," Draco said. Travers chuckled but said nothing. "But still, I hold ground over you," Draco continued. "Remember whose manor you two are in. A word from me and your experience here will be hell. Another word and your lives will be ruined, even after our Lord wins the war."

"Yeah right!" Swannage said cockily.

Draco looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Would you like to try me Swannage? It would be all too easy destroying you." Draco stared at Swannage coolly, unafraid of the older Death Eater. Swannage stared back as Travers took a step back, looking carefully between the two. Draco remained quiet as he gazed at Swannage. Swannage's eyes started to look nervous before they darted away. "Will you be a good boy now?" Draco asked.

"What do you want us to do?" Swannage asked obediently.

Draco smirked. "There is a man I want you to look for. His name is Mundungus Fletcher. He is reported to be a member of the Order of Phoenix. I am sure that even a git like you knows who the Order is. Find him, and bring him to me."

"That it! Just find a bloke?" Swannage asked.

"Yes," Draco said. "Is there a problem with your orders?"

"No Malfoy, there isn't," Travers said.

"Good," Draco said. He looked at the two and asked coldly, "Why are you still here? Find him!"

The two Death Eaters bowed and walked out of the foyer through the two huge entrance doors. Draco watched them leave. He thought to himself as he left the foyer, the Locket should be his soon, but as he wait he should try and get the other two Horcruxes. He decided to leave the snake for last. Draco looked outside and saw that it was finally night time. "I should head back to Harry," he told himself.

He turned around to head back to the foyer, but his mother walked into the corridor and said, "Draco, come. It is time for dinner."

Draco turned around and saw his mother waiting impatiently. "He demands it," she stressed.

Draco's eyes looked between his mother and the outside window. He needs to get back to Harry, but it wouldn't be good if the Dark Lord becomes suspicious too early in the game. "Very well mother," he said.

"Good. Have you seen Harry? He isn't in your room and I could not find him anywhere," Mrs. Malfoy said.

Draco thought quickly and lied, "Harry is sick. He's sleeping."

"But he isn't in your room," Mrs. Malfoy said.

"He is in the room next to it," Draco lied. "He insisted. I've locked the doors to give him some privacy."

Mrs. Malfoy frowned, "I will send a house-elf for food after dinner," she decided.

"Don't worry," Draco said. "I've already had a house-elf send him food."

Mrs. Malfoy took the answer and turned around, leading Draco to the dining hall. There were less Death Eaters than Draco expected. Yaxley was there, sitting close to the Dark Lord's right as he sat at the head of the table. Draco noticed that both Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange were there too, both of them staring at Draco as he and his mother came in. Voldemort looked at Draco and said "Sit next to me Malfoy. We have certain… results we need to discuss."

"Yes… my lord," Draco said, refusing to meet Voldemort's eyes. He silently past the Lestrange brothers, and he heard the younger one whisper "Traitor" to him. Mrs. Malfoy frowned, but took her place at the table. The food appeared, but Draco was not hungry. Voldemort looked around the table and said, "Potter is not here."

"He is sick, my lord," Mrs. Malfoy said. "He is resting in the room next to Draco's."

"Is that so?" Voldemort asked, turning his attention to Draco. Draco glanced up at him and softly said, "Yes, it is." Voldemort simply looked down at Draco and said, "Bring him to me tomorrow then. For now, Yaxley had told me something interesting that I believe you should know."

"H-He has?" Draco asked.

"Yes," Voldemort said. "Remember this morning, when you and Harry have left to watch the trial of Bellatrix Lestrange? I have given both of you one order. Make sure that she is sentenced to Azkaban, and report immediately back to me. Now, not only did you and Harry deliberately not report back to me immediately after the trial, but Bellatrix Lestrange had been sentenced to the Dementor's Kiss."

"You traitor," Rodolphus said. "My wife's dead cause of you and that poof!"

Draco just looked at the Lestrange before turning to Voldemort. "Know that I am not merciless Draco," Voldemort said. "Explain why you and Harry did not speak out against the sentence. From what Yaxley had told me, Harry had a perfect opportunity to speak."

Draco looked down at Yaxley. The old gentlemen just gave a nod to Draco. Draco just knew he was smirking from behind his wineglass. "Speak Draco, it is rude to keep our Lord waiting," Yaxley said.

Draco gave him a sharp look before looking at Voldemort, focusing on anything but his eyes. He felt the familiar invasion of Voldemort in his mind. "We decided not to cause a scene," Draco said. "My aunt's sentence was the result of a Minister who needed to show the Ministry still has strength. Anything Harry or I could say would not deter the Ministry's mind."

"Then you should have forced him," Yaxley commented. "A little Imperious Curse should be more than simple enough for you or Potter to cast."

"We were being closely watched," Draco told Yaxley, turning his attention from Voldemort to the old man. "It would have been obvious if Harry or I took out our wands, even if a little bit."

"A simple jinx would fix that," Yaxley said. "You and Harry had plenty of opportunity to take control of the Minister, just admit that and then we can go to the next issue."

"We had no opportunities," Draco said simply. "You were there, Yaxley. If it were so easy, surely you could have done it."

"Yaxley's responsibility there was to simply watch you and Potter," Voldemort said emotionlessly. "You and Potter have failed Draco."

"We had no opportunity," Draco said. "The courtroom was full. Umbridge had brought full attention to Harry and me."

"I heard," Voldemort said. "At that point, you and Potter have lost any chance you had to fulfilling your mission." Draco turned his attention back to Voldemort. "Unfortunately, though, I still have need for you and Potter. You two will receive your punishments, but only at a later date. But in the meantime…" He stood up and addressed the Lestranges. "You two may not harm Draco or Potter… yet. In the meantime, you will go and collect Lucius. For every time Potter and Draco disappoint me, you may… take care of Lucius."

"Yes, my Lord," the Lestrange brothers said. Voldemort looked at Mrs. Malfoy and said, "That seems only fair, correct Narcissa? After all, your son did fail."

Mrs. Malfoy looked like she wanted to argue, to get out or do something, but under Voldemort's malicious stare, she only nodded. Voldemort smirked. Draco had to resist glaring at the Dark Lord, instead he stared at his food and silently waited for dinner to end, planning how to use the Lestrange brothers in the meantime.

As soon as Voldemort dismissed them, Draco left and returned to his room before apparating to the cottage. He ate a small dinner in the kitchenette and moved into the king bedroom, where Harry still laid. With a sad look, Draco undressed and climbed into bed, being careful not to disturb Harry in case that somehow worsens his condition, and slept uneasily.

The next morning, Draco made sure the house-elves were taking care of Harry before he left the cottage. Draco decided he should go for the Hufflepuff cup first, figuring it would be the easiest. He envisioned Lestrange manor and took a step. He Apparated in front of the large black doors of Lestrange Manor and pointed his wand at him. The doors opened quietly and Draco walked in. Using his memory of the small manor, Draco navigated the dark halls, keeping his head done so not to see the various paintings of torture. A Lestrange staple. He made it to Rabastan's room and unlocked it.

Draco smirked at Rabastan's sleeping form. He crept towards the man and pointed his wand at the man's temple. "Imperio," he hissed. Rabastan made some noises before relaxing. "Wake up," Draco commanded. Rabastan's eyes opened, having a dazed look about them. "You will dress then take me to the Lestrange Vault in Gringotts."

The Lestrange just nodded, Draco having full control of his weak mind. Rabastan stood and moved to his wardrobe. He dressed quickly and went to the door where Draco was waiting. Draco led Rabastan to the nearest fireplace. "We will travel by floo. You first."

Rabastan took a fist full of Floo powder and threw it at the fireplace, green flames bursting up. "Gringotts!" he yelled before walking in. Draco followed suit and casted the Imperious Curse again as soon as he stepped into Gringotts. Rabastan's dazed look returned and Draco pocketed his wand, knowing that his spell will still be in effect. Walk to the stand, he thought. Rabastan took a step forward and Draco followed. They were the only wizards in Gringotts that morning, the building filled with goblins already working. They walked towards a goblin who was crouched over a large ledger. He goblin looked up and stared at them through it's hooked nose.

"What business do you have?" the goblin asked.

Draco looked between the goblin and Rabastan and thought of his response.

"We are here to withdraw an important heirloom from the Lestrange vault," Rabastan said, voicing Draco's thoughts.

"Very well," the goblin said shortly. He closed his ledger and got down from its chair. The goblin led Draco and Rabastan to the back of the bank, where the mine carts were waiting. The three got in and Draco kept his eyes open, waiting for The Thief's Downfall. He knew of the bank's defenses. He knew that if he kept Rabastan under the Imperious Curse, then the cart would crash thanks to the Downfall. The cart flew across the railways as they went deeper and deeper into the bank. Draco did his best to keep his stomach down as the rails twisted this way and that, passing multiple alternative pathways of rails and vaults.

Soon, Draco saw the beginnings of the Thief's Downfall ahead. He knew that this had to be timed perfectly. Too soon and Rabastan would cause a commotion. Too late, and they would fall to their deaths. Draco watched as the Downfall came closer and closer, his nervousness and anxiety growing each and every second. They were a hundred feet away and Draco kept the spell going, fifty feet, twenty five feet, ten feet, one foot—NOW! Draco canceled the spell and held on tightly as the mine-cart flew through Thief's Downfall. The cart continued to move, staying on the rails as it turned and Draco sighed. They passed. Rabastan groaned and began looking around confused before Draco reestablished the Imperious Curse.

Rabastan had a dazed look again and the cart continued on its way, the goblin not noticing anything. After several more twists and turns, the mining cart slowed to a stop in front of the Lestrange Vault. The goblin hopped off and did not wait for Draco and Rabastan. The two wizards stepped out of the mining cart and walked towards the goblin. The goblin placed its entire palm on the vault's door, and the door melted away, revealing a cavelike opening crammed from ceiling to floor with golden coins and goblets, silver armor, the skin of strange creatures—and many more treasure that Draco could not see. "Bout half the size of my family's vault," he said to himself as the goblin led them in.

Draco looked around, looking for something that looked like Hufflepuff's cup. Draco examined one tall shelf, and saw a small golden cup. The cup had two handles, and when Draco looked closer he saw a badger engraved on it. That one, he thought. Rabastan walked up to Draco and pointed at the cup. "That one," he told the goblin.

The goblin walked up and looked at the cup. "Very well," it said. The goblin said some things in a language Draco did not understand, and he watched as the cup slowly levitated off of the shelf and moved by itself into the air. It descended slowly and the goblin reached up to grab it. When it was in its hands, the goblin turned to Rabastan and offered it, "Here," it said.

Take it, Draco thought. Rabastan took it and gave it to Draco to hold. Draco looked down at the cup and felt… power. A malicious power that he quickly stashed away in a robe pocket. The goblin led them out, using a railway that did not pass through Thief's Downfall as they were leaving the vaults. Back at the surface, the goblin returned to its ledger as Draco and Rabastan went back to the fireplaces. They returned to Lestrange Manor and Draco stopped the Imperious Curse. With his senses back to him, Rabastan glared at Draco. "What did you make me do!? What is that cup you made me steal?" he demanded.

Draco did not answer. Instead he pointed his wand at Rabastan and yelled, "Obliviate!" A light blue light flashed from Draco's wand and attacked Rabastan, wiping his memories of his actions that morning. Draco pocketed his wand and quickly apparated away, back to the cottage.

Safe at the cottage, Draco walked towards the small dining table and took out Hufflepuff's Cup. He stared at the cup for a moment, wondering how such a small object could hold so much power, and decided to check on Harry. Harry was still unconscious, and Draco frowned. He had been sleeping for almost a day. When will he wake up? "Harry baby," he said sitting down in the wooden chair near the bed. "I'm starting to get scared. Voldemort… I think he's getting suspicious of us. Yaxley had told him of the trial. He is angry, said he was going to have the Lestranges torture my father because of our failures. …It is only a matter of time before he starts torturing me… or my mother. We have little time Harry, but I think I'm making good progress. I have one Horcrux already. Hufflepuff's Cup, it's right here… in the cottage. I'm going to keep it here until I'm ready to destroy them all at once. I have two Death Eaters searching for Mundungus Fletcher. The Locket, the one that Kreacher was supposed to have? Fletcher stole it apparently, so I am having them look for the man while I get the other two. Don't worry baby, I'm being safe. After I'm done with them, I'll use a memory charm and wipe their minds of what they have done. I've already done it to Rabastan Lestrange. What's two more Death Eaters?"

Draco tried to chuckle but couldn't. The sight of Harry's motionless body made it impossible for him to smile. "I know… you're still alive, but it's hard… talking to you like this. Harry… please wake up. After… after all of this is over, I have some great news for you. Would you… would you like to know what it is?" Draco sniffled, trying to hold back his tears, and leaned closer to Harry. "I am going to make you mine. Forever. You'll never be Harry Potter again. Instead, you'll be a Malfoy. My Malfoy. I am still your dominant, my beautiful, beautiful submissive. Even though we don't play it often, we know it's true. That's why we're perfect for each other baby. We balance each other…" Draco wiped a tear that was forming under his eye. He smiled kissed Harry's forehead. "So wake up, so I can lavish my submissive with all the pleasures he want."

A house-elf appeared in the doorway and told Draco that two Death Eaters were looking for him, saying that they found a man he wanted. Draco thanked the house-elf and looked down at Harry. "I have work to do," he said. "You just stay here and rest."

He left the cottage and soon arrived back at Malfoy Manor with the house-elf. "Where are they?" he asked.

"The basement, Master Draco," the house-elf said.

"Does the Dark Lord know they're here?" Draco asked as he and the house-elf walked towards the stairs leading to the basement.

"No Master Draco," the house-elf said.

"Good. Do not tell him," Draco commanded the house-elf. The house-elf looked shocked. "But—but—"

"Do not tell him. That is a direct order," Draco said. The house-elf looked extremely worried, as if divided by two orders. It finally looked up at Draco and hesitantly bowed. Draco took that as a "yes" and went down the stairs towards the basement. He heard the taunts of the two Death Eaters and followed the sound of their voices. In a corner room of the basement, Draco found the two Death Eaters, as well as Fletcher. "We found him, Malfoy," Travers said.

"Is he unharmed?" Draco asked as he closed the door, locking it with a whispered "Colloportus!"

"Is that you Malfoy?" Fletcher asked, turning to look at Draco. "Thought you looked familiar, look just like your dad you do."

"Fletcher," Draco said. "The Locket you stole from Kreacher. Give it to me."

"Locket? What locket?" Fletcher asked, chuckling. "Oh, don't tell me you believe those nasty things they say 'bout me! That I'm a thief and all that! I tell you, I would never steal from Sirius' house, never!"

"The Locket has an engraved snake in the shape of the letter 'S,'" Draco continued. "Harry and I need it, it is very important."

"Oh yeah? And what is so important that you need the Locket for? Eh Malfoy? And what's with these two dressed like Death Eaters?" Fletcher asked.

"I'm using them," Draco stated, only casting a casual glance at the two Death Eaters. "The Locket holds a key to killing Voldemort. Destroy it, and Voldemort hurts."

"Wait, what you talking about Malfoy!" Swannage demanded, moving to get his wand. Draco turned and easily casted "Expelliarmus!" at the two Death Eaters, their wands flying away form them.

"So you're trying to get a leg-up on No-Nose are you? Very tricky of you Malfoy, I like that!" Fletcher laughed. He rummaged through his robes and said, "I had a lady who was interested in this, but now that I know it's value to You-Know-Who… ahh whynot! Have some fun with it!" Mundungus pulled out a golden locket and threw it at Draco. Draco examined it, smiling when he saw the engraved snake.

"Thank you," Draco said. "Do you have your wand?"

"Of course I do," Fletcher said. "These two were stupid enough to not even take it. Well… ta-ta Malfoy." Fletcher disapparated away, leaving only Draco and the two Death Eaters. Draco didn't even give the two a chance as he casted the Memory Charm on them, leaving them dazed and confused.

With two Horcruxes in his possession, Draco walked up the stairs of the basement. He walked across the foyer and heard a heavy thunk sound. He turned and saw Nagini slithering down the grand stairwell, the giant snake using the banister to navigate. Seeing the snake, and knowing that he had to destroy it too caused fear to ride up Draco's spine. There was no way he could leave his mother with such a monster such as that. He quickly ran around the manor, looking for his mother. He had to get her out of this house, out of Voldemort's reach. He found her reading in a small library. "Draco," she smiled. "There you are. Sometimes I wonder if you forget about your mother. It is so lonely without your father here."

Draco frowned. "Mother, you need to leave the manor… at least for a couple of days."

"Whatever for Draco? Are you alright? First you wanted to know where my aunt's home was, and now you want me out of my own house? What is the matter with you Draco?" Mrs. Malfoy asked.

"Nothing is mother," Draco said. "It is just that… things are going to be… dangerous here for the next couple of days… and Harry and I don't want you to get hurt by accident. So I think… we think… that it would be best for you if you stay at someone else's manor for awhile. Until the danger is past. Please mother… Harry and I don't want to worry for you."

"You two do not need to worry for me Draco," Mrs. Malfoy said. "Instead it is I who is worried about you. But… I can see how much this means for you and Harry… I guess I'll see if I can stay at Viola's house. Perhaps I can see if I can help with the wedding preparations for her son and that Weasley boy… that would be nice. Take my mind off things for awhile."

"Thank you mother…" Draco said, taking a step to hug his mother. "You have no idea how much this will relieve me and Harry."

"Of course dear," Mrs. Malfoy said, returning the hug. "Now, if I am to leave for Viola's, then I have to start packing soon." She gave Draco a soft smile and walked out of the small library, leaving Draco by himself. Draco took a sigh of relief.

"That solves one problem," he muttered to himself. "Now… I just need to go back to Hogwarts." Draco went to the fireplace and looked for the small silver cup containing floo powder. He figured it would be less suspicious for him to travel via floo powder. He hoped that the school's defenses hadn't tightened during the summer as he threw the powder at the fireplace. "Hogwarts! Professor Slughorn's office!" Draco yelled. He stepped into the green fire and felt the familiar sensation of nauseating spinning. His body was thrown around a couple of times, as if trying to forcefully push past the school's barriers before with one final lurch his feet landed on solid ground.

He almost fell getting out of the fireplace, but caught himself. He almost couldn't believe that he was able to make it to Hogwarts. It felt as if he drank Harry's Felix Felicis. Professor Slughorn's office was unusually dark for the time of day. The room was silent as Draco crept away from the fireplace, and Draco guessed that either Slughorn was not in his office, or he was not in the castle at all. He did not dwell on it however, as he quickly but quietly got out of the office. He knew he was on the fifth floor of the castle, and had to get to the seventh floor without any of the ghosts or remaining staff seeing him.

Draco sprinted down the corridor, trying to remember the secret passages that would lead him directly to the corridor where the Room of Requirement was. He could not, so he had to slow down and, irritated at himself, made his way towards the great staircase. He stopped when he heard voices. Professor Sprout and Professor McGonagall were strolling down the corridor, talking to each other, discussing who should be the next head of Hogwarts. Draco hugged the wall as he waited for them to walk away, thankful that they did not see him as they walked across his corridor's opening. Draco waited until he couldn't hear the sounds of their voices before he moved again. He quickly made it to the stairs and made his way up, taking the steps two at a time as he kept alert.

An idea, a thought that he was going to do it, he was going to get Voldemort's Horcruxes all in two days grew in his mind as he got closer and closer to the seventh floor. When he finally reached the corridor with the Room of Requirement, thoughts of Harry filled his head. He frowned and tried to clear his mind of those thoughts. Instead, he chanted in his mind, I need the room with the Horcrux. I need the room with the Horcrux. I need the room with the Horcrux. He walked around the corridor three times, turned to where the room is supposed to be, but the door didn't show.

Draco frowned, confused why the door did not show. Maybe it was too direct. Draco decided to try something more general. I need a room to hide things. I need a room to hide things. I need a room to hide things. He walked around the corridor three times, turned to where the room is supposed to be, and smirked when he saw the door. Standing where it was supposed to be. Draco pushed the door open and stepped inside. The room was huge and cluttered with almost everything imaginable. Draco looked around and cursed. The room seemed endless and things were almost piled to the ceiling at least twenty feet high. Draco looked down the pathways made of cleared junk. He had no idea where to start.

Slowly becoming overwhelmed, Draco took out his wand and casted "Lumos!" before slowly walking down a pathway, his eyes darting over everything around him, looking for something diadem like. Broken and damaged furniture littered everywhere Draco looked, with books piling high on top of them. Draco went further and further down the pathway and saw, to his shock, a great bloodied axe, which he hoped wasn't used for centuries. Draco walked through endless pathways, both his eyes and wand moving around wildly as he looked for the diadem. He felt that hours were passing by as he looked, finding nothing but books and broken furniture. He moved his wand, and for a moment, thought he saw a glint. He moved it again, and the glint became even clearer. He moved towards where he saw the glint and yelled out in excitement. There, laying under a burned book, was a silver diadem with pure-blue sapphires. Draco took up the final Horcrux and couldn't be happier with himself. He's done it! He gathered the remaining Horcruxes! Now, all that was left was to destroy them, and Nagini as well. He placed it in his robes and began the long journey home.

Draco went to sleep as soon as he got home. He ran into nothing on his way back to a fireplace in Hogwarts. The sun had set completely, and Draco was exhausted. He did not eat when he got back to the cottage. Only undressed and went to bed, his dreams full of new and exciting things he wanted to do with Harry.

It took Draco three days to figure out where and how he was going to destroy the Horcruxes. He knew Fiendfyre would destroy anything in its path, including the Manor, so there was no way he could cast it in there. As much as he wanted Voldemort dead, there was no way he was going to risk Malfoy Manor for it. Instead, he decided he was going to do it somewhere remote, just in case he could not control the Fiendfyre. Draco figured that if he lost control, he could simply diapparated away quickly and let the Aurors handle taking care of the fire. He made sure the Horcruxes were secure in his inner robe pockets before he left for Malfoy Manor.

He needed to find some way of getting Nagini away from Voldemort. Lately the Dark Lord had been keeping the giant snake close to him. Draco could hear the man hissing to the snake whenever he past his father's study. Draco walked along the corridor leading to his father's study when he stopped. A small group of Death Eaters were guarding door. "What's going on here?" he asked as he approached them.

"The Dark Lord is having a meeting," a Death Eater said.

"Then why didn't Harry or I heard of it?" Draco asked.

The Death Eaters laughed at him. "The Dark Lord is angry at you two poofs. Why would he want to have a meeting with you then?"

Draco glared at the group of Death Eaters and had to resist pulling out his wand. The Death Eaters continued to gruff at him, only to stop as the door opened slowly. They all stiffened as a loud hissing sound filled the corridors. The Death Eaters looked down to see Nagini slithering around their feet. The snake moved purposefully around the Death Eaters, showing them that she could kill them at any moment. Draco looked down at the snake, bottling his fear. Nagini turned and hissed when she saw Draco. She stopped moving and started to raise, standing fully to reach Draco's chest. Draco stared at the snake's eyes and suddenly felt dread and anxiety. Her eyes were not normal snake eyes. There was something off putting about them, something… almost human. Draco stared down at the snake and his hand moved slowly to his robe. He had a feeling, a thought that if he showed her what was in his pocket… that she would follow him to her death.

Nagini watched curiously, calculatingly as Draco opened his robe. He barely opened it, but it was enough for the snake to see as Draco took his other hand and briefly pulled out the Locket before pocketing it. He smirked at the snake before turning and walking away from the group of petrified Death Eaters.

Draco smirked and quickened his step slightly as he heard Nagini following him, hissing lightly. He occasionally glanced back to make sure the snake was still following him. Nagini stuck mostly to the shadows, but Draco saw glances of her when they stepped into well-lit areas of the manor. He just had to trust that she wouldn't either lose interest or straight out attack him when he stepped outside. Draco walked down a back corridor, knowing that it led to a servant's exit. It would be quicker that way. Draco pushed open the small door and stepped outside, leaving the side of the house and gave one final glance to make sure Nagini was following him. She was, so Draco made sure to keep looking ahead and tried to keep his pace calm. There was an old house off of the Malfoy Property. Draco didn't know who owned it before, but he knew that it was far enough away that it shouldn't cause too much harm burning it down, and the Aurors would be far enough away from Voldemort and the Death Eaters that they wouldn't see each other.

Draco kept his pace even, he wouldn't look back. He was scared to look back. He somehow knew that if he looked back to check Nagini, then he would die. He kept his head high as he walked, he could see the old abandoned house in the distance. He remembered when he was young, he and Blaise would use to run to the house, just to look at it. That was how he figured out the old house would be a perfect spot.

The house had a deep basement, the walls showing signs of decay as roots and earth were slowly taking over it. When Draco finally reached the house, he left the front door open for Nagini, knowing that she was only one step behind him. "The Locket, Hufflepuff's Cup, and Ravenclaw's Diadem," he said out loud. "I have them, all here. They are the last ones, correct? Along with you." Draco walked through the small kitchen and towards the small door that led to the basement. He opened it and walked down the stairs. The basement was full dust-covered furniture. Draco went to a table near the back and slowly opened his robe. One by one he placed the Horcruxes onto the table, an icy feeling of fear growing in him as he heard the slithers and hisses of Nagini.

He could not tell where she was. His eyes darted around as he faced the Horcruxes. His hand slowly moved towards his wand, and he felt something by his feet. He jumped and casted a Stunner, the red light illuminating the dark basement for a moment. Nagini appeared for a moment, right in front of Draco before disappearing again. Draco made a ran for the stairwell, but a heavy appendage wrapped around Draco's leg and he fell down. He turned quickly to see Nagini coiled to strike. He casted another stunner and tried to get away, but the snake kept a firm grip on his leg, her lower body wrapped twice around it. Nagini lunged at Draco, but he rolled away. She struck again and Draco rolled again. He could hear the snake's aggressive hiss right next to his ear. Draco aimed his wand and kept casting Stunner after Stunner. "Stupefy! Stupefy! Stupefy! STUPEFY!" The basement was illuminated by the red lights of stunners. With each light, Draco only saw glimpses of Nagini. He looked down and saw where she was holding him. He quickly aimed his wand at her tail and yelled "STUPEFY!"

The red stunner hit it's mark and Draco heard the snake cry out in pain. The hold on his leg was gone and Draco took that moment to scramble to his feet. He ran for the stairs and pointed his wand away from him, yelling the incantation for Fiendfyre.

The flames shot out from Draco's wand and immediately Draco seemed to lose control. The flames morphed, forming a pack of fiery beasts. Flaming serpents, chimaeras, and dragons rose and fell and rose again, the remains of the basement thrown up in the air into their fanged mouths, tossed on clawed feet, before being consumed by the inferno. Draco saw briefly a giant snake catching on fire before the fires started to turn on him.

Draco ran his fastest as he fled the basement. He could feel the heat of the flames lick the back of his neck as he pushed through the basement door. The fire seemed to have a life of it's own as it chased Draco, an unearthly roar coming from it as Draco ran through the kitchen and out the front door. He continued to run until there was a mile between him and the house. He stopped and turned to watch the fire consume the house. He saw wizards starting to apparate to the fire and decided it was time to leave.

He arrived at the cottage and rushed into the room to see Harry. "I've done it!" he said cheerfully. "Harry I've done it! The Horcruxes… they're all gone. Did you hear that? They're gone! You can wake up now! … Please baby… please wake up."