The Dark Conspiracy

DISCLAIMER: The author does not claim ownership of the characters used in this fictional story, nor does she intend to make money out of it. Any concept, entity and the like that you recognize belong to their specific owners. This story was written and published for the purpose of entertainment only. Thank you and enjoy.

Chapter 36: Breaking Point

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"He's not here!" George yelled from upstairs.

"Not here either!" Hermione said, coming from the kitchens.

Draco sighed as the three of them congregated in the study room where he and Severus last regrouped.

"He's not here. I don't want to say this, but something must've come up." The blonde slumped down on an overstuffed armchair. George took the seat directly across him, where Severus sat just hours ago. Hermione on the other hand, sat on the sofa beside George, rubbing soothing circles on her belly. Draco eyed her.

"Granger, are you sure you're okay? It's quite late."

Hermione smiled at him.

"Thanks for the thoughtfulness, Draco. But I am quite fine."

Draco's face reddened slightly.

"I was merely pertaining to the welfare of your unborn children," he shrugged. "So, what else does this leave us?"

"The locator spell?" George put it. Both blonde and brunette eyed the redhead. George sighed.

"I mean, there goe4s our plan of using the professor's blood to find Harry… but I was thinking, maybe if we jointly looked for Harry and Professor Snape, maybe it would give us a better detail since they are bonded –they are practically one and the same, right?"

Draco frowned.

"That's –"

"Possible." Hermione mused. She turned to Draco. "We defect to our original plan of using Harry's stuff. But we need something from your godfather."

A few minutes later, the unlikely trio were standing over a map of Europe. George held a parchment with Harry's penmanship, while Draco held a silver athame that belonged to his godfather. Hermione had a scrying crystal draped over the fingers of her left hand and over the map. She eyed her two companions.

"Ready?" They both nodded. Hermione began chanting in Latin while the crystal began to spin wildly. When the chant was finished, the crystal landed on the map –coordinates began to shoot out of it.

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There were no windows in the dungeons, but Severus' body clock told him that it was already almost midnight. He let out a deep breath. Harry had fallen asleep not too long ago, after continuously reassuring the older man. Severus could not help but relax (and shut up) after hearing those words from his bonded –Harry, for all his Gryffindor brashness and unpredictability, can tame even the most ferocious Dragon –or snake for this matter…

Yep. He, Severus Snape, was officially whipped.

Severus snorted at the thought, but he could not deny that it was a fact. Bond or no bond, he was in love with the Gryffindor hero.

Now, if only they could get out of this vampire lair…

The half-vampire was about to nod off to happy thoughts of Harry and him when his senses picked up an approaching party. His heart raced, realizing who they were. A familiar creaking of the wooden door followed through.

"Good to see you again, my childe."

"Argen."

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Ron Weasley stepped out of the kitchen floo of #2 Ivy lane, brushing soot off of his orange Chuddley Canon robes. He immediately frowned upon seeing the state of the kitchen: it was utter chaos. Not that Ron was obsessed with cleanliness –that was more up Hermione's alley –but what caused him distress were the three cups of tea that were left on the dining table. The redhead keeper's mind went back to his conversation with Malfoy.

'That git!' Ron exclaimed in his head. He then stormed his way upstairs to their bedrooms to confront his wife. Malfoy was banned from setting foot in his house, and Hermione would have no say in it. He was the man of the house, damn it!

A few minutes of fuming as he searched through their modest cottage, Ron finally collapsed on one of the kitchen chairs.

Hermione wasn't home. There was no note.

The redhead glanced at the muggle clock: 11:00 p.m.

A blonde bastard was going to get it. Ron then angrily stomped off back to the master's bedroom to change.

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Severus closed his link to Harry and shifted in his chains as his sire walked up to him; Ferum was not far behind, but the auburn haired man opted to stay y the doorway, a smirk plastered on his face. Severus stared at him as if trying to rip the vampire into shreds with his glare. Argen followed the half-vampire's line of sight and smiled.

"Ferum, leave us be." The blonde ordered. "Close the door and wait for me outside, I won't take long."

Ferum gave the man a curt nod and carried his orders on. Argen turned back to his chained childe.

"Dear, dear Custos," He drew even closer, until his face was mere inches away from the dark wizard. "DO you really think that you could get away with defying me?" Argen's voice was but a whisper, but his every word was enunciated well. Severus gave him a blank stare.

'Slap!'

The impact drew blood on the half-vampire's lips. Argen smirked as he watched the crimson droplets fall from his childe's split lower lip, down to the cold stone floor of the dungeon cell.

"You will never get rid of me that easily, Custos,"

Severus held his head up. His lower lip was throbbing, but he managed a smirk of his own.

"Of course not Argen, Harry Potter has that honor."

'Slap!'

More blood spilt from Severus' tender lips.

"Harry Potter –Juven Salvatore –is no match for me!" Argen spat out angrily. He then grabbed his childe's face with one hand and forced the latter to stare in his now red irises. Severus' obsidian ones remained unchanged as Argen tried to reach out to the creature in him. A few seconds more, Argen smiled.

"You wizards are weak –and yet you pride your legendary bonds? They are nothing. Before midnight tomorrow, you shall belong to me and I alone shall be your mate. The blonde sire then captured Severus' still bleeding mouth in a bruising kiss. The half-vampire closed his eyes, refusing to give a reaction to the intrusion.

'Harry,' Severus whispered in his head. 'Only Harry,'

Argen must've noticed his childe's reaction to the kiss, or the lack thereof –he pulled away with a controlled expression on his pale face.

"You used to melt in my arms Custos, you used to burn with my touch –"

"That's never going to happen again, Argen,"

Argen smirked.

"Salvatore's much better than I, then?"

"There is no comparison," Severus said darkly. Argen's face contorted in fury, but after a beat, he smiled once more.

"Then I have to see it for myself before I dispose of him." The blonde vampire said meaningfully as he watched Severus squirm against the chains.

"Bastard! You won't touch him! I will –"

"What, kill me, Custos?" Argen teased. "Do not worry; I will leave something for you childe. You get the honor of breaking Salvatore before your hands get soaked in his blood –"

"Never! You can never make me hurt Harry!"

Argen raised one perfect eyebrow.

"You've grown feistier since the last time we've spoken. A little feat brought about by our dear Salvatore? You underestimate our kind then, Custos." Argen leaned in for another kiss. Severus stiffened at the touch as at the same time, he felt Argen's hands wander dangerously down south. The sire smiled at his childe's petrified state.

"You know, Custos, I still think that you are fighting for a lost cause by refusing to give in to the creature in you." Argen whispered. "Tell me that you don't want my hands all over you writhe in pleasure… surely, an inexperienced brat like Salvatore is no match for a master like me…"

Severus opened his mouth to protest, but he was unable to make any sound come out of it. Argen's expression was victorious. He stepped away and eyed the obvious erection that was visible through Severus' black trousers.

"You want me, Custos. And if I have any say in it, I would be happy to oblige you… but not now. Duty calls,"

"Bastard!" Severus snarled. He hated this feeling. It was no question that this twisted vampire appealed to the dark creature in him. He hated that Argen still had that hold on his other persona. And the fact that it was the new moon in two- no –one day, did nothing to help bolster his resolve. He eyed his sire darkly.

"Right I am, Custos," Argen said as he began to walk away. "Enjoy your stay here, tomorrow will be a lot of fun." The door shut close as Severus let out a frustrated growl.

"Merlin, help Harry,"

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Harry slept peacefully while his bonded dealt with conflicting thoughts, unaware of the emotional turmoil Severus was going through after closing off his end of their mental link. The young savior was currently dreaming about a particularly steamy snogging session with his bonded when an earthquake shook him awake –or at least, that's what it felt like to him.

"Hmn –wha –huh?" Harry grumbled as he opened his eyes.

"Wake up, sleeping beauty," a cold, but evidently amused voice said. Harry shook his head vigorously, much like how a dog would and focused his vision; good thing his glasses were held up by a permanent sticking charm that only he can undo. His sight was instantaneously greeted by a redhead vampire with a lopsided smirk.

"Oh. It's you again. Harry breathed. "Now, I really loathe you. That was a really good dream you interrupted!"

"Good to hear that then," the vampire smirked. Harry huffed.

"So, what do you want, Fergie?"

"Ferum."

"Huh?"

"My name is Ferum," the vampire said irritably. "And you will not speak to me in that insolent tone!"

Harry snorted.

"Says who? I'm not one of your stupid lackeys, so I'll use any tone as I want, Farcey!"

"It's Ferum!"

"What's a Ferum?" Harry asked innocently as he yawned.

"My name!" The redhead snapped. "I am called Ferum! And you'd better be nice to me Salvatore… I can make your short stay here either heaven or hell."

Harry looked up at him with a bored expression.

"I don't believe that you wield such power, Furry. You're just a mere lapdog for that blonde lunatic of a vampire. If I'm going to be nice to somebody, I'll be nice to him, he's creepy. You, Fordie, on the other hand…" Harry let the rest of his words trail off for maximum effect. Ferum's face contorted into an expression of rage. His irises turned deep scarlet.

"It's FERUM!"

"Oh, for the love of Merlin and Circe!" Harry whined. "What in the nine circles of hell is a Ferum?"

"IT"S MY FUCKING NAME!" Ferum snarled, his fangs now bared.

"Oh." Harry murmured. "Sorry, Fe –"

"FERUM!"

"Right, right, Ferum," Harry sighed. "Really weird name if you ask me," the young savior then shrugged. "But then again, you're a weird kind, you lot, even for vampires –"

Ferum lunged at the young man's chained form, his hand went dangerously around Harry's pale neck.

"You have to know Salvatore, that I have long lost my patience on you… and the only reason that I am not strangling you to death right now is the fact that my sire wishes to make a spectacle out of your demise. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?"

"Yeah," Harry coughed. "Geez, you sure do confirm the stereotype of hot-headed redheads." He then smiled slightly. "You kind of remind me of Ginny."

"Ginny?" Ferum asked as he released his hold on the wizard.

"MY ex-girlfriend."

Ferum fought hard not to voice out his obvious displeasure at being compared to a girl by biting his lip. Even so, a low growl escaped his lips. Harry chuckled. Ferum looked stupid.

"You look like you're constipated."

Ferum growled.

"You will pay for this, Salvatore. You will break and I will enjoy watching every single minute of your misery!"

With that, Ferum strode out of the dungeon cell, leaving Harry alone to his thoughts.

"Really nice bloke, that Fergie…" Harry murmured before drifting back to sleep once more, unaware of the horrors in store for him once he wakes again.

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