Disclaimer: I own part of a house and many personal belongings as well as custody of my very own husband and two children. I think I would know if I owned the most successful book franchise of modern literature. JK Rowling knows.

The Bond Servant

Chapter Twenty-one

If anyone was looking for Hermione at the beginning of June, it had become a safe bet that she would be either in bed or in the bathroom. Morning sickness had started without warning a few weeks before. She had went to bed one night after a day of wedding planning and woken up to the immediate urge to empty her already less than full stomach.

Lucius, however, had been very supportive. He had climbed out of bed and taken the ribbon from his own hair to pull hers out of the way. Then, he had sat down on the floor behind her, rubbing her back.

Though still slightly nauseated, she eventually felt as if she was not going to throw up anytime soon. She had leaned back against him, sighing. "And so it begins," she said, sounding sour.

"And so it begins," he echoed. Every morning following, he made sure that a potion was near to her bed that at least would keep the food in her belly down. It didn't stop the extreme exhaustion and queasiness from lingering, though.

One afternoon, Hermione was working on preparing a syllabus for the following school year. While Albus had been happy to provide his own, Hermione wanted to change a few things.

She was looking over the sixth year coursework when the floo lit up and Lucius came out, a wide smile on his lips.

He walked over to her and sat down before kissing her firmly on the lips. "You'll be happy to hear that I secured a position with Gringott's today. Contract work, but they say that I should be kept busy. We no longer need to fear being destitute."

Hermione glared at him. "Destitute? Does my own career mean nothing to you?"

He frowned, "I was just teasing."

She huffed, throwing down the book she had been looking at as she stood up. "Teasing, sure. I think you actually do feel that way, though. Like I don't contribute. Just because my home is small, at least I paid for it myself! You don't even have your own place, you… you… freeloader!"

She stormed upstairs and flopped down on her bed, glaring at the ceiling. Downstairs, Lucius remained on the couch, flummoxed.

After twenty minutes of staring into the fire, he heard her coming down the stairs again. She looked apologetic as she sat down next to him. "I… I don't know what is going on. I think I might be losing my mind. I just… I know you were teasing. I about ripped a student's head off today for naming his owl 'Vowel'. I… think I might be losing my mind."

Lucius looked at her, feeling his lips quirk. "My mother says that the more hormonal and angry a witch is when pregnant, the more powerful she and her children are. Father says she only uses it as an excuse to defend her own behavior, but… I'll consider it a testament to your strength, love."

She looked down like a kicked puppy, and Lucius chuckled, pulling her into him. "I am proud of what you have accomplished and built for yourself, and I wouldn't dream to mock you for it. I am sure you will be ready to move on closer to the baby's arrival, but for now… this suits us just fine, I think."

She pulled back. "Move? I… I hadn't even considered it. I can't move!"

He frowned, "What do you mean? Surely you want somewhere a bit larger for further expansion. With a bit more grass and space to run around…"

She stood up. "Lucius, I love you, and I am excited to marry you, but… I am needed here. Severus comes here for an escape, and I can't abandon him!"

Lucius nodded, "Of course, love. I know that. We can keep this place, and he can floo over whenever he needs to. Hell, we can keep it with the expectation of Eileen coming to stay here if she gets up the courage to leave. I don't expect you to leave him behind."

Hermione shook her head. "It took him months to get used to seeking me out here. Now he will have to expect to come here and then floo to get to me? To intrude on a home we picked out specifically for our happy little family? I can't do that to him! He would retreat back into himself!"

Lucius was silent as he considered her words. Finally, he nodded. "Okay. But we are getting someone in here to magically expand this place and make it a bit more kid friendly. If we are going to be living here until Severus graduates, we will need more room."

Truthfully, Hermione hadn't much considered living arrangements. Lucius had always seemed happy enough to be there with her. And the reality of a baby was still sinking in, despite her sickness. Now, though, seeing how easily he gave in to her and knowing that this was not the house he imagined for himself… she felt a rush of love for him. She leaned into him, sighing in contentment as his hands came to wrap around her. "Times like these… I fall even more in love with you."

He squeezed tighter and kissed the top of her head.

Hermione was slightly surprised when Abraxas caused her wards to hum a week later. They were expected to see each other for dinner that night to celebrate Lucius's new employment and first successful job completed. If he was here early, and unannounced, it had to be important.

She allowed the wards to open for him and soon was opening the door as well. He walked in, nodding at her distractedly. "Hera," he greeted.

She nodded at him, sure the question was showing on her face. "Abraxas. Take a seat. What is going on?"

He followed her directive before looking at her nervously. "Before the last raid, the Dark Lord called me early to ask for a favor. He asked if, in the future, he could call on one of my house elves. Since he has become a somewhat… public figure… he does not see it as being particularly easy to go to the ministry and request a new elf for himself. He does not feel as if his three are expendable and asked for one of mine to help him with a life threatening task."

Hermione felt excitement and sickness war within her. What he was saying sounded eerily familiar. "Your elf…"

Abraxas nodded. "Yes. The Dark Lord used Spin a few nights ago. He returned last night looking a lot worse for wear and unable to speak. It was only today after ordering him to tell me what happened that I learned the truth."

"And that is…"

Abraxas looked at her, seeming to urge her patience. "Spin said the Dark Lord took him to a cliff overlooking the sea. He told Spin to attempt to get to a basin in the middle of a lake built inside the cliff and to get the locket from within. In order to get to it, Spin would have to drink a potion."

Hermione closed her eyes as her imagination ran away with her, filling in a very Kreacher-like elf in the place of Spin. "How is Spin now?"

Abraxas looked away. "He seems off. Agitated, unable to do thorough work. I think he is… addled. He wouldn't say what the potion would do, but he did say that he managed to get to the locket. He returned it to the basin after touching it and said it was evil. Potion materialized to cover it again."

Hermione nodded. "We need to go there. Both of us. It is one of the… horcruxes, and we need to take it… replace it with a replica."

Abraxas looked at her in surprise. "You can't do that! Spin said there were… bodies in the lake. Sounds like inferi. It is dangerous!"

"I can handle it, Abraxas. One of us will drink the potion, and the other will ward off the inferi. Perhaps we can even convince Spin to go back in with us and apparate us out."

"Lucius will do it with me," Abraxas said, forcefully.

Hermione glared. "Lucius is to be as uninvolved as possible, and you are well aware of my feelings about that. I can do it."

"Can and will are two different things. I will not allow you to go there. I will not even tell you where it is! You will stay here, as safe as I can keep you and my grandchild!"

Hermione growled, angrily. "Fine… Edgar, then."

Abraxas was quiet for several moments as if considering Edgar. He nodded.

"But he will be fully briefed on what to expect. I won't have him drinking that potion without knowing what he is getting into."

Abraxas scoffed. "He already knows everything you have Seen regarding it, doesn't he? He has better clearance than I do. I'll be drinking the potion, Hera. I think I can handle it just as well as he can, and I want to be the one to get that damned locket out myself. Mr. Bones can hold off the inferi. The spell isn't difficult."

Hermione frowned, worried. She knew Abraxas could easily cast the spell to keep the inferi at bay. "I expect you to practice with him before you go. If he seems incapable of handling them, you will switch. Understood?"

Abraxas finally nodded. "It goes to Dumbledore when we finish?"

"Yes. He will keep it safe with the other until it's time."

Abraxas stood from his seat. "In that case, I need to cancel dinner. I'll have word passed on if we are successful, and I'll owl Dumbeldore now."

Hermione stood as well, walking him to the door. After swinging it wide, she wrapped her arms around the older man. "Thank you, Abraxas. Please… be safe."

Abraxas patiently browsed the books in Flourish and Blotts. He had owled Edgar an hour ago with instructions to quietly meet him at the bookstore at his earliest opportunity.

Fortunately, it was no strange sight to see Abraxas browsing the aisles of his favorite bookstore. A bibliophile at heart, his preferences in books were even known to the employees there.

He looked when a hand reached for a book a few away from where he was currently reaching. Edgar Bones grabbed a navy bound book and opened it up. "What's going on?" he asked quietly, pretending to scan the book's contents.

Abraxas continued to run his hands on the spines as he responded. "One is available. The cave. Are you familiar with the details?"

Edgar nodded unperceptively, "I know as much as Hera remembers from her vision. How do we get there?"

"My elf was taken there. He remembers the location, but we will be responsible for getting ourselves out."

"When do we go?"

"As soon as you feel ready. I am as prepared as I can be," Abraxas said. Truthfully, he was eager to get it done and over with. The longer they waited now that there was a chance would only give them more time to become nervous. Too much stress could cause mistakes, and in this situation mistakes could easily prove fatal.

"I'm ready," Edgar said, confidently. Finally, he would be able to do something to partially get back at the Dark Lord. He would be able to help kill him, or at least a small part of him. It helped that he was in on Hermione's secret. She had shared with him and Dumbledore a pensieve memory of what Harry had told her of the cave. He had already practiced how to keep Inferi away as well as how to work with his surroundings to help get them away without harm.

"Good. I'll call my elf, and he will take you. Then, I'll go outside to the apparition point, go home, and be taken from there. That way, it will appear as if I am home for the evening, at least."

"What if He calls you?" Edgar whispered.

"Then we move more quickly. I don't think that will be the case, though. He does not know that my elf made it out of the place alive, and I sent him an owl today thanking him for his trust in me and stating that I was pleased my elf could give his life for his use."

A young woman walked down the aisle, glancing Edgar over with appreciation. Abraxas snapped his fingers, watching as Spin appeared. He spoke at a normal tone, knowing that his voice carried. "Elf. I wish you to go to the library and see if we have this book already. If not, return immediately."

Spin nodded, his ears flapping. He looked half terrified. "Yes… yes, Master."

As the woman turned the corner at the end of the aisle and disappeared, Spin grabbed Edgar's hand and popped away with him. Abraxas waited just a minute before walking out of the shop and to the apparition point.

Upon his arrival to Malfoy Manor, Spin was already waiting for him. "Is… is you sure, Master?"

"Yes, Spin. Take me to Mister Bones."

A moment later, Abraxas and Spin materialized in a small cavern. The wall in front of them was blank and the mouth of the cave was just feet away. Edgar was against the wall, drenched. "The spray is coming in pretty quickly. Do you know how to get in?"

Edgar, of course, knew that the wall required blood, but it would be easier for Abraxas to come to the conclusion and propose it. Abraxas waved his wand over the wall and then pressed his hand to it. "A blood ward."

A quick slash of his wand over the opposite hand had blood pooling within his palm. He pressed it against the wall, smearing the blood. Moments later, the wall spread apart, much like the bricks of the Leaky Cauldron entrance to Diagon Alley. They moved quietly in as Edgar spoke. "Are you going to drink the potion or feed it to me?"

Abraxas frowned, "I'll be drinking it. As long as you believe yourself capable of dealing with the dead. They should be relatively new, so they will be strong. Less time to decompose, but… I think he is adding the disappeared to their ranks, so hopefully there will not be many yet. Do you have the decoy?"

Edgar nodded, more comfortable with fighting of Inferi than dealing with his present demons. He was able to deal with people in pain and was a fully certified healer. He could handle dealing with the effects of the potion on Abraxas easier than if it were reversed.

They walked down the passage, aware of the sound of the wall closing behind them when they were too far away to run quickly back to it. After a few hundred feet of walking by the light of their wands, they came to the water's edge.

Edgar reached into his pocket, pulling out very small model of a boat. He dropped it in the water's edge before pushing it out a bit. "Engorgio!" The boat grew to the size of a small speedboat, sturdy and capable of carrying them both.

"Is it sea-worthy?" Abraxas asked, looking at it skeptically.

Edgar smiled and nodded. "It is and always has been a boat. Just one I took weeks learning to shrink and enlarge with ease. It's been fine on the Black Lake and at the coast off of South Hampton. I've been working on it ever since Hera told me she had Seen a lake of the dead that would need to be crossed."

Abraxas nodded, pleased that his future daughter in law could be helpful even in her absence.

"Before we get in, you should know how to operate it. Just in case. The rotors at the back will spin and project it straight forward with Propulso. If you do need to steer and without using the wheel, shoot steady stream of light at either side to get it to turn in that direction. The longer you hold the light on it, the harder the turn. Understand?"

Abraxas nodded again, happy to hear that his companion had done his best to be prepared. "You do know how to kill Inferi?"

"Fire, yes," Edgar said, stating what would be obvious to anyone that had managed to pass Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"Very well. If you would be agreeable, I can put a ward around the boat itself to make it impervious to fire. It would only hold up for ten minutes or so once the fire starts, but if things get too bad, it should be long enough to get us there and back, hopefully."

Edgar smiled. Having an expert at warding was a boon indeed. "That sounds very useful."

Abraxas walked toward the water and carefully balanced on the rock as he reached out his wand to touch the boat with one, then he started to chant. Finally, a gold light emitted from the boat, lighting it up slightly as it seemed to sparkle for a minute before going back to normal.

Abraxas pulled back, looking slightly tired. "The wards can sense the danger, and it was harder to cast as a result. If a place or object is under attack or in danger, it is always harder to ward. They are certainly down there."

The both levitated a large nearby rock to the edge of the boat to use as a step stool to climb in. Once situated, Abraxas spoke again. "If you are comfortable with operation, I would like to try to steer the boat on the way there. Get a handle for it."

Edgar nodded as he climbed in himself. "Propulso and we are off. I'll light the way for us."

As promised, Edgar used a spell that caused a lighthouse effect to issue from his wand. There, with little curve to their path, was the tiny island. Moments later, they were speeding through the water.

"I'll admit to never being on a boat this quick before," Abraxas said, appreciatively.

"Muggles. They can't apparate, but they can make things fast in other ways," Edgar said, looking ahead.

After a few minutes, they were docking on the island. Jumping off, they both approached the basin in the middle. The sickly green glow it emitted made the potion look nothing less than threatening, and Edgar looked at Abraxas. "Are you sure?"

The blonde man nodded, looking down into the potion. "I can see it down there, sparkling. I suppose we use this?" He lifted the small cup perched on the side and went to dip it in to get his first glass.

"Wait!" Edgar said. He aimed his wand at the boat and called out, "Accio thermos!" The thermos came flying, and Edgar caught it quickly. He then sighed, eyeing it and feeling that it wasn't as heavy as it should be. "I had hoped that it would stay filled, and we wouldn't have to disturb the lake at all."

Abraxas chuckled. "He was a Slytherin for a reason. He won't make it easy on us."

Edgar sighed before perking up and walking forward. He unscrewed the lid and dipped it inside, watching as it filled with noxious potion, carrying much more in volume than the tiny cup that was provided.

"Slytherins are clever… but often cocky," he said, smirking as he held out the container. "The quicker you get it down the quicker this is over with."

Abraxas nodded, taking the thermos from Edgar. "You know to leave me if you have to? At the same time, if you leave me without it being absolutely necessary, I will remain a ghost with the singular intent to torment you until the day you leave this plane to rot in hell."

Edgar chuckled lightly even as Abraxas frowned. "To his eventual demise," Abraxas said, then he tipped the thermos back.

He chugged down the first bottle, doing his best not to react to the bitter taste. Before it took effect, he was handing it to Edgar to refill. He was halfway through the second cup when it began. He fell to his knees, muttering to himself as he rocked. Edgar spelled open his mouth as he pushed the cup to it, forcing him to swallow.

As Edgar went to refill it again, Abraxas started crying. "I've wasted it… I… I could have saved her if I hadn't… Lucy, my sweet Lucy girl."

Edgar ran back to his side, helping him lie back on the ground and pouring more into his mouth. "It's okay, Abraxas… drink… drink, and she will be fine."

Abraxas started screaming then, coughing on the potion as he tried to resist. Still, Edgar helped him to swallow. He was relieved then that it was not Hera there with him, or even Lucius or Rodolphus… he knew them too well. It would have been harder to keep them going. He went to refill the cup as Abraxas thrashed on the silt, sounding as if he were being tortured.

As it filled one last time, he was pleased to see that the potion was shallow enough to reach in and touch the necklace. It was stuck there, though. Immobile until the last cup could be consumed. He returned to Abraxas, considering if it would work to knock him out and spell it into him. He suspected not and didn't want to risk things going from rough to catastrophic.

Painstakingly, the task was done. While Abraxas continued to yell, Edgar moved to the basin and reached in, grabbing the locket. He immediately felt the darkness of it and barely stopped himself from throwing it. Instead, he put the locket in the thermos and summoned the cap, encasing it within. He fished in his robes again, pulling out a cheap replica of the locket that Dumbledore had made for them. The headmaster had cast a number of dark spells on it to give it a similar, if still lesser, aura of evilness. Tossing it in the basin, he watched as it was covered up by the potion once more.

He ran to the edge of the water and dropped the thermos inside the boat before returning to Abraxas's side. The older man had stopped screaming and was currently trying to crawl to the water. "Not yet!" Edgar said. He levitated the body of the man and dropped him on board as well. Then, he climbed on, ignoring the pleas for water.

He took a deep breath as he grabbed a bucket. Steeling himself, he dipped it into the water, filling it and pulling it back on board. He had barely had time to give it to Abraxas before the water started to move as Inferi moved to the surface and toward their boat. "PROPULSO!" With the speed, Edgar was easily able to get them out of reach rather quickly. Back at the safer shore, Abraxas climbed a bit unsteadily to his feet and Edgar quickly grabbed the thermos and shoved it in his robes before helping Abraxas back onto dry land. Edgar shrunk the boat quickly and picked it up out of the water.

The sound of things splashing in the water toward them was growing steadily louder as Edgar started the journey down the path back to the cave, pulling Abraxas with him. They could see the inferi in rather shallow water then. There were hundreds, much more than he was expecting. He supposed the Dark Lord had to have been animating muggle corpses.

"Fucking madman," Edgar said, feeling his pulse racing. "Should we destroy them? Cast Fiendfyre and run? The idea that somewhere inside they remember what they once were… it's a sick kind of torture."

Abraxas shook his head, continuing toward the exit without stopping. "No. If we make it obvious we have been here, he will know. If he decides to just casually check on his own, it is best that it look undisturbed. After this is all over… we will come back, then." His voice was weak, and he was pale even by Malfoy standards, but Edgar could see that Abraxas was holding his own. Of course, he was of good health prior to being there. And, his logic was sound.

Edgar frowned but nodded, slashing open his hand with his wand as they got to the exit. He smeared the blood on it and they left, apparating to a rock that overlooked the cavern. They waited several minutes to see if the gate had shut, and when no Inferi fell into the sea they assumed that it had.

"Spin," Abraxas called, softly. The house elf appeared, looked surprised but relieved to see his master.

"You… you is alive!" it said, looking at them both with wide eyes.

"Yes, Spin. Take us home."

Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Thank you again for all of your reviews and continued reading. Family here is on cloud nine as the man of the house just got home after 9 months overseas. As a result, I haven't been writing as much, but I'm still doing pretty good. Expect another chapter in 5 or 6 days. Please review and tell me what you think!