Night of the Wolf

by WolfgangNH

Harry and Hermione's summer is the same as usual: Isolation from the magical world. Then events change their lives going into Fourth Year. Wolf calls and blackmarks haunt England and in the protected walls of Hogwarts. Werewolf Harry/Hermione dive into the world of the werewolves. An AU fourth Champion. Dumble Bashing. M rated for all the right reasons.

35. Chapter 35 - He knows!

A/N: I have had the ending scene in this chapter in my mind for months. I hope I did it justice. Enjoy.

A/N2: Harry Potter and his world belong to J.K. Rowling, Warner Brothers and anyone that has received licensing rights. I am grateful she gives us the privilege of playing in her world.

Chapter 35

May 4, 1995

Hogwarts, Scotland

Remus let out a yawn. It had been a long night and it was now very early in the morning. Hermione had awoken last night screaming. She had been so distraught that the Matron had to give the girl a sleeping draught.

Bonnie was still at her side, head on the mattress and her hand next to Hermione's. Neither Jason or her were willing to leave Hermione's side. He suspected Neville would have been here too if he could have been, but he had volunteered to take Luna back to Ravenclaw tower when visiting hours ended.

Annabel lay in the bed next to the frizzy hair girl. Remus had seen Annabel's eyes open most of the night, her wand in her hand, watching over their pack. Only about an hour ago had she finally fallen asleep, her hands still clutching her wand.

The pit in his stomach had grown. He needed to be out there looking for Harry, but Amelia had convinced them to stay and watch over the younger members of their Pack.

Sirius was out there with Black Group trying to dig up anything they could.

Worse were the four young girls and Professor Sprout who had obviously been imperished and obliviated. As Head-of-House of Hufflepuff, she had access to how the wards works. Remus did too, but he had not researched it in the few months with how much was already going on. She had known that when the Headmaster makes a portkey, he opens a hole in the wards. It was secret that very few knew. Karkaroff must have questioned her before he had cast the Imperio curse on her.

Worse was that there was a warning. He had missed it. He had noticed the smell once Bonnie and Dora had described it. How he had never picked up on that before, he didn't know. It was probably because most imperished people he had met over the years he hadn't really had a base smell to compare to and they had tried to kill him, either at the command of the Death Eaters or other dark wizards. And truth be told, most of them hadn't smelt well either.

The fact the girls had been friends of Bonnie and Jason was hitting them hard. They had trusted them, probably still did to some extent, but were conflicted. It was them that had hurt Harry and made it imperative to move Harry to St. Mungo's.

Remus was still trying to think on what they had found.

The DMLE had swarmed the Castle and all the students had gone into lockdown. He had had no clue that Draco Malfoy was missing until his name hadn't come up in a roll call.

Witnesses had said they saw a scuffle between Draco and Victor Krum, then Draco vanished. The boy had put a portkey onto the Malfoy heir. They couldn't tell if Krum had done it of his own free will or had been imperished. Because of that, he was in a cell in the DMLE right now while the others were at St. Mungo's to see mind healers.

The larger question was the other missing people. Karkaroff had gone missing after the interview in Hogsmeade. Remus could only come to the conclusion that the man was involved. He was a Death Eater. Now knowing what he knew about Voldemort, anyone that had been marked would either still be a Death Eater or marked for death.

He swore if he found the man first, he would cut the man's balls off and feed them to him before he cut the man's head off. He knew it was his wolf, but he didn't disagree with it.

Also missing were two Aurors and a shop keeper from Hogsmeade. Remus didn't think they were involved in the kidnapping besides maybe being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But until they found them, or their bodies, it was impossible to know.

Dora shuffled in her chair between Hermione and Annabel before standing up. They had been sitting for a few hours. She stretched while keeping an eye on their charges and the doors.

Given the fact that Hermione was still able to wake last night, he had a good feeling Harry was still alive. A bonding as close as they had would probably see the other die within hours of the first. Since she was breathing and moving as though having nightmares from time to time was encouraging. It meant they had time to find Harry.

Remus stood and stretched also.

Dora walked over to him and he gave her a brief hug. He could smell the worry and fear on her. "We'll find him," Dora said to him.

Remus couldn't bring himself to say anything. He wanted to believe that.

She stepped back with a determined look on her face. "Green said he was going to have a briefing at six-thirty. I should get going if I'm going to make it."

"Who's outside the doors," he asked, smelling the four Aurors.

"Nasan, Cromwell, Olive and Peters. They are Shacklebolt's men. I trust them. Smith is going to meet me at the Station. If they have a lead, I will be going with them," she told him.

He nodded. His place was with their younger members. "You come back when you find him."

She gave him a tremulous smile. "Don't I always? Don't want you getting cold at night."

He gave her a wan smile before giving her a kiss. "Be careful."

She moved to put her forehead on his. "You too, my wolf."

-oOo-

May 6, 1995

Hogwarts, Scotland

Hermione walked with Remus to the Headmaster's office. She didn't like leaving her pack behind, but she wouldn't have them around the man. Her wolf cried out to have them all near. It was all she could do to keep it together. She wanted to be out there finding Harry. He had been missing almost three days now and she was not doing well.

As she entered, there was a large fight going on between Bones and Dumbledore. Snape was being held by two Aurors. "You ordered him to make a known poison for students in your school," Bones said irate.

"I assure you. None of that potion was intended for any student at this school. My concern was for the other attacks and movement of the Lycanthropes you have been chasing for almost a year," Dumbledore said in a low, heated voice. "They have already been on the grounds once and near the town."

"Wizengamot Law and the School Charter does not give you the right to brew such poisons out of class and then not destroy it immediately without explicit permission. Ordering Professor Snape to do so is going to see you both in the DMLE cells today. How much of your stores were taken," she asked.

Dumbledore stared at the woman for a few heartbeats. Her mind was racing to understand this. Her wolf and her were still too hurt to not have Harry here. Tonight would be the forth night and they were no closer to finding him.

When the Headmaster answered, he looked sour. "Two hundred bolts, six crossbows, four large vials of potion and five silver daggers."

Bones looked ready to kill the man. "Someone stole a small arsenal and you didn't report this! Green, how many cross bolts did you find?"

"Forty. Looks like each girl received ten," he said. "And four crossbows with the Hogwarts crest on them."

It suddenly struck her what they were talking about. Her anger, fear and distress all came crashing in as she drew her wand and stepped towards the Headmaster. "It was you! You ordered those girls to kill Harry."

"Hermione, no," Remus said grabbing for her arm.

She was already casting a string of blasting and cutting hexes. Dumbledore was fast. His wand was out and they deflected into the ceiling. There was a series of explosions and parts of the roof collapsed over the Headmaster. She was able to get six spells off before Remus grabbed her arm and tackled her to the floor. Bones had spun and it was only the woman's stunner that kept Hermione from letting off more.

When she had been revived, Bones held Hermione's wand. The woman was crouching to be eye level as she had been sat in a chair with ropes around her. Shaking her head, her anger flared again when she saw Dumbledore sitting at his desk.

"I'll kill you if he dies," she spat at the man.

"That is enough, Mrs. Potter," Madame Bones ordered.

She turned her glare to the woman. "Don't stand in my way," she said. She felt her magic was unhinged and it spread out, sending Madam Bones and other's hair into the air like static electricity was everywhere.

Bones gave her a hard look. "You have two second to reign in your magic or I will stun you myself and you can spend time in my cells in Hogsmeade for attacking without provocation."

She didn't miss the distaste the woman felt for the Headmaster. It was only out of respect for the woman that she took in a deep breath and tried to restrain her magic. She really wanted to kill the man.

After a few, Bones nodded. "Remus, you can let her go now. She is going to sit and listen while we tell her about the investigation about her husband. I will give you your wand back when we are done. My threat still stands, Mrs. Potter."

She glared at the woman for a moment before the ropes loosened. If Remus wasn't Pack, she would want to kill the person who bound her too. "Hermione, the Headmaster is not responsible for Harry's disappearance. Listen." Remus was trying to reason with her.

She huffed and crossed her arms, sitting heavily back into the chair and turned her head back to the Headmaster. "You made the potions and weapons that almost killed Harry," she accused.

The man looked at her with a calm and placid expression. "As you heard, Mrs. Potter, a storage locker that was a precaution against others of your kind was broken into."

"And if we happen to go out of control you would have used them on us!"

His placid expression seemed to drop for just a moment. "Myself and my staff would never have been able too. Your Pack has seen to that."

In other words, the Headmaster would use them on her Pack if he could. She growled and moved to get up. Remus put a hand on her shoulder. "Hermione, there is other information that is important. We can talk with the Headmaster later."

Her growl didn't drop until Madam Bones cleared her throat. "Now that that distraction is over. We called you up here, Mrs. Potter, because of your bond to Harry. Remus has said you can tell where Harry is?"

With the mention of Harry and their bond the situation came crashing back onto her. She felt as though she was fighting back tears again. It had been this way for days. She either lashed out at everyone or fell into pits of despair. Bonnie had slept with her the last two nights after the younger wolf had found her sitting in the Common Area in the middle of the night, just staring into the dying embers of the fireplace.

"I usually can, but haven't been able to since they took him," she said thickly.

Madam Bones kept an even face, but she could tell the woman was disappointed. "Thank you, Hermione," the woman said kindly.

"Where is he," Hermione asked.

Bones looked behind her to Remus before answering. "We don't know. It is fairly certain he was taken to the same place as Draco Malfoy. A Mind Healer was able to break the obliviation on Ms. Turgeon and they identified Headmaster Karkaroff as the last person she saw."

She sat up. The man had given them a wide berth all year. She had never cared for his scent. "Why," she growled. She wanted to know so when she killed him she would know if it was for a good reason or not.

"We don't know," Bones said.

She looked to the Headmaster. "He knows," she said. How could the man not know after what he had revealed to them last week? Dumbledore knew most everything going on in his school and it appeared the wizarding world at large.

The man returned her stare. She would see him dead. Her wolf wanted anyone that had ever hurt Harry or her Pack dead right now.

The room all turned to Dumbledore. The man's face quirked as though he was in pain. She knew he knew. He was fighting the bonds to protect them. She smelt the conflict and pain. After a moment, he slammed his good hand into the table. "Damn you Potters," he said angrily.

"Albus, what haven't you told us," Bones asked in a dangerous voice.

The man glared at Hermione. He looked to still be fighting the vows to them. "I have suspicions and rumors. Nothing that has been verified."

-oOo-

A few days after the abduction?

Somewhere

Harry sat up, leaning against the wall. It was dark and damp in the cell. There was no light source. No way to tell the passage of time. There was a vent somewhere as they did get fresh air. It was the only thing fresh they got.

It helped some to get rid of the stench of what he could only assume was days of piss and shite in a corner of the cell next to him and in his.

He assumed it had been two days he had been awake. Draco didn't know how long he had been here, only that Harry had been taken into the cell probably a day or two after him. He had been given three meals about the time his body felt hungry, so that was the only way they were counting. Three meals a day.

Harry's shoulder felt much better, but it was still achy, and he could tell his magic was still low. Whatever the hags were doing with him was making him recover faster than he thought he would, but it kept his magic low.

He bared his teeth as the smell of the hags and two packs would sometimes waft down on the air drafts. He didn't like the smell of them.

Even more, he hated that they were doing something to him that he couldn't really feel Hermione. He knew she was out there. He could tell she was alive and as well as she could be, but that sense of knowing generally where she was and her emotional state had been cut off. He hadn't realized that it really was there and that he relied on it until he woke and couldn't feel it.

He heard Draco move.

"Are you alright," Harry asked as loud as he dared. They knew not to talk in more than a whisper, otherwise their jailors would come and he would often have to listen to Draco scream for minutes as they used the Crucio curse on him. They never hurt Harry, even if they threatened him. He didn't know the difference why they would torture Draco that way but not him.

"Bright as the sun," Draco said bitterly.

Harry frowned. He would never wish what Draco had endured so far on anyone. The boy was defiant, but Harry could hear the difference in his voice. Draco was starting to give up. He couldn't let that happen. If they were to escape, he would need Draco. Harry wouldn't leave him behind. "Draco, listen. I am not sure what is going on here, but I think the hags will try to control me. If they ever force me to drink anything that turns me into a werewolf, know that they will not control me. Trust me that I will not hurt you."

His wolf had heard things through that air vent that he doubted Draco could hear or understand.

There was silence for a moment. "Potter, it can't be near the full moon yet," Draco said scared. "I don't think it's been more than three or four days we have been here." Harry could smell the change. Fear towards him, not just their captors.

"I know that, but there are things hags can do to a werewolf that almost no one else can. Have you noticed that every time one of them comes in here to heal me, it is a different hag?"

"I haven't really looked at them. Many times I'm on the end of a wand," Draco told him bitterly. His voice sounded thick, as though he feared them being overheard again.

"I'm sorry, Draco. I would never wish that on anyone. This is important though. I think they are trying to claim the Hag's Call on me. They will try to control me. If they do, they won't succeed. I may have to play along. Just trust me that I will not harm you."

"That makes no sense, Harry," the boy said. It was one of the few times he had called him Harry.

"I know but trust me. I want to see my wife and pack as much as you do yours. It may be our only chance," he told him. He had to get back to Hermione. His pack needed him. He needed his pack. He felt so alone being separated from them. The feeling was worse than it ever had been when he lived at the Dursley's. It was like a part of him was missing. A wolf was not meant to be alone.

He was also worried about his Pack. If the hags were able to claim him, then his Pack would be theirs as well. Harry had seen all the signs that Remus and Alexandra had warned them about. They had taken precautions. Ironically enough, Dumbledore had given him the best protection with all those potions. He was essentially immune to their silver now. He wasn't immune to cross bolts and the poisons on them.

"You bite me or kill me Potter, I'll haunt you and your Pack from the grave," Draco told him, some passion returning to the boy.

"Fair enough," Harry said.

He had waited until now to tell Draco because he smelt a few hags coming through the air shaft. He smelt five wolves too. He swallowed when the bolts on the door slid open. A moment later, the iron door creaked open. Two men in masks and black cloaks walked in. Harry felt a shiver run through him. It was time for whatever was going to happen.

"Do not hurt either of them," the mask to the right said. "That means no Crucio."

Draco laughed. "Guess someone didn't like you practicing on me, Karkaroff."

"Be quiet, boy, or your suffering will be worse than it already will be." There were a few flashes of lights from spells.

They moved towards Draco's cage. "Do not harm the boy. He will be needed after your Lord finishes with him." It was the hag with auburn hair.

Harry's mouth went dry. He suddenly knew what was going on. This was what Dumbledore had been worried about. The insane wanker knew a way to return to power. "Draco, remember," he said quickly.

"You will be silent, slujitor al zeilor," one of the hags ordered.

He growled. He felt the command, but it didn't hold sway over him. The auburn hair lady smiled. It was full of ugly teeth and malice. "You will be fun, my wolf."

He shook his head. "You have no right to call me that," he said getting up. Only his Mate or select few could do that.

Her smile grew wider. "Fight it now. It will make it sweeter when you will be mine by the end of the night."

"Ours," one of the other hags said sounding annoyed.

"Worry not, sisters. He will belong to the coven, but this one will be my greatest treasure."

"Ulliana, he is not yours," the one right behind her said angrily. She was a brunette. Whatever magic they used to hide what they truly were had faded on her. The sallow look, fetid yellow eyes and rotting teeth were repugnant to look on.

The one called Ulliana turned on her. "It is my skill and knowledge that have claimed the first two packs. It is my ability at potions that has brought this boy to be presented to our Gods. He will be mine, as much as he is the Coven's."

"Can you argue about this later. The moon vill be up in twenty minutes and ve need to get this brat to the Dark Lord," Karkaroff said before stepping towards Draco's cage.

Harry couldn't see the other one from his cage as he stood back from the door. It gave him an option to jump or charge them. He wished he had his wand, but he could draw on his magic if needed. He knew if he did, he only had a few spells before his strength may grow too weak to cast.

The hag hissed at the man. "Stay out of this, Wizard. This does not concern you or our contract."

The tall man stepped back into his sight. "Listen, hag. You are here under contract. You vill do whatever ve say."

The five hags closed ranks and stared at the man. "We are under contract, wizard. Our ways are our ways though. Do you wish to challenge us?"

Five large men stepped into the room from outside the cell. Harry eyed them. They were werewolves and they scared him some. His wolf growled at them. They were all very muscular, extremely hairy and with teeth more like a wolf and hands with long, claw like nails. It was very much like the descriptions of Fenrir Greyback he had heard. The man in the mask stood there. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking or looking at.

"We are protected by your contract. I doubt Fejulzia will take kindly to a broken contract," Karkaroff told her.

The women hissed, sending a shiver up his spine. "You dare use her name," the hag Ulliana started.

Karkaroff shut her off with a wave of his hand. "You are not the only ones that vorship the old Gods, hag. I know the vays and rights. Now, move out of the vay and get the other one to the cage. My Master vill vant him ready vithin the hour."

Ulliana bared her ugly teeth. "When this contract is up, I will kill you myself should you dare to approach us again."

Karkaroff laughed darkly. "Ve shall see. I know of novere else you can obtain some of the ingredients you need."

Her snarl didn't lessen, but at a wave of her hand, a path was made that the men and a stunned and floating Draco took. Harry felt his heart drop to see the panic in Draco's eyes. He wasn't stunned. He was immobilized. The smell of fear in the cells was as much Harry's as it was Draco's.

After the men walked out, one of the hags spit some brown stuff on the floor. Ulliana put her hand on the woman. "No. No curses. He is right. Fejulzia will not bless us if we break this contract."

The grey hair woman gave Ulliana a malevolent look. "He denigrates the Chief Goddess. All must pay for insulting her."

"You insult her more if you do anything to violate our contract. You know the price they offer for this," Ulliana said in a severe voice. "I will let your blood myself and lock your soul away if you threaten this. You know the other covens need that animal."

The grey hair woman snarled. "This is a bad deal, Ulliana. These are like all wizards. They will break the deal."

"The Goddess will see to it that this is done. Otherwise, they shall pay. Now, we need to start the ritual. Bring him," she said nodding to Harry. "I don't trust him to not think to escape."

The other five werewolves moved towards his cage.

-oOo-

Malfoy was floated out of the cells. His breath was starting to grow faster. He knew the types of masks the men were wearing. He had overheard his father a few times describe them, almost lovingly, to associates that did or still do believe in the Dark Lord's higher purpose. The black masks with silver highlights were meant to instill fear in any who saw them. They were also meant to mask the men behind them.

They moved him into a narrow winding staircase. It continued in both directions.

"Ve are taking you to a special place," Karkaroff said with a sneer. "Hope you enjoyed your last meal, boy."

He wanted to make a snide remark back, but only his eyes could move in the full body bind he was in. Apparently, they didn't want him to get any ideas about escaping.

His only hope might be Harry asking him to trust him.

The men turned to go down. They passed a window that showed a castle. He could only make out a wall and a large keep before he was walked past the window.

The men were quiet as they walked him down the stairs. At the base of the tower, they walked him out into the cool air. It smelt so much better than the cell and tower he had been in. He really didn't spend much time considering that. In the courtyard, he made out a deep circular pit with a wrought iron cage over it.

His blood ran cold. That was a dueling cage, but it could be used for other blood sport as well. Potter saying they would turn him into a werewolf screamed in his head.

"I hope Lucius decides to show. Should be good sport in there later," Karkaroff said.

"Will you be quiet," the other man snapped.

The men walked him across the courtyard and into an open cellar door. His breathing was growing faster the closer they got. Something smelled and felt off. They didn't hesitate to enter the stairs and walk down them.

Draco's head hit the top of the stairway. Spots rolled in his eyes and he would have probably cried out if he had been able too.

"Be careful, you daft idiot. We are not to harm him," the man spat at Karkaroff.

"He vill survive," Karkaroff told him.

It was a short set of stairs that brought them to a ritual room. Malfoy Manor had a room like this below the ground floor. He didn't think it had been used in a few generations. Old magic used rooms like this and they didn't practice this type of magic anymore.

They turned him so that he was facing the center of the room. A pot emitting a strange pearly white smoke sat simmering in the center of a circle. Runes were around the edges of the ring it sat in. From the angle his head was at, he couldn't really make them out. Pansy had pushed him on Runes this year.

To his left was a wooden cross with silver wrist and ankle manacles. He recognized them as power sappers. They were going to put him on the cross before that cauldron. He tried to struggle. He didn't want to be here. Only blood rituals were set up this way.

"Put him on the cross," a ratty voice told them.

The men didn't question as they levitated him over to the cross. "Imperio," Karkaroff said. Like when Moody had done this earlier this year, Draco felt his body follow the commands to hold his arms out. His mind was raging over what was happening while he just stood there and allowed them to hang him up.

Karkaroff flicked his wand and Draco was fully released. "Let me go," he demanded, knowing nothing else to say.

"And have you miss the rebirth of our Lord," the third man said. He looked up to see a man that looked mousy, with a twitchy nose, balding head and round belly. The man was holding something in his arms like a baby bundle and a snake was curled up at his feet. "Now, to begin."

With that, the other two took up positions around the cauldron and began to chant.

Draco struggled against the manacles, needing desperately to get out. After a moment, they paused and he looked up. The rat man reached his hands over the cauldron and dropped a sickly looking, raw skinned boy of long limbs into it.

"Now, Yaxley," the rat man called out.

"Bones of the father, unwillingly given," the other man in the mask said. He took out pieces from a bag and the cauldron started to froth as soon as they reached the potions surface. It changed from a pearly white to mottled blue.

The rat man moved to the cauldron, whimpering and tears leaking down his face. "What are you waiting for, Pettigrew," Karkaroff spat.

Pettigrew! Peter Pettigrew! This was the man that had betrayed the Potters. Pettigrew took out a long silver knife. "Flesh of the serv...v...vant, willingly given."

The knife slashed down, cutting his left hand off above the wrist as though the knife met no resistance and it splashed into the potion. Pettigrew cried out as blood started to spray out of the stump of his arm. Draco saw the cut bones for a second and closed his mouth. He was afraid if he opened it he would lose his last meal.

Karkaroff stepped over and took the silver dagger from the ground next to Pettigrew. He approached Draco. "Blood of thy enemy, forcibly taken," he snarled. The man grabbed his shirt and ran the knife down his front. His shirt ripped open and then he cut his sleeves off so he was bare above his belt.

Draco had the sudden fear they were going to cut his heart out. Why else remove his shirt?

"No. Ahhhh," he cried out as the knife cut into his forearm. It was deep enough to let the blood start pouring out of it, but he didn't think it was deep enough to stop him from using his arm.

"Stop your crying, boy. Feel lucky it wasn't your heart."

Karkaroff stepped over to the pot. It was now a violet purple color. He dropped in a few drops of Draco's blood before the pot started to roil and froth. Karkaroff stepped back quickly and dropped to his knees.

"On your knees, rat," Karkaroff barked.

A crying Pettigrew picked himself up, clutching his arm that now had a cloth over it. The man knelt like the others. Draco struggled even more. He didn't want to be here. They hadn't killed him, but that was probably because whatever was coming would.

The cauldron gave out a shriek like a tea kettle before cracking. The sound rattled his teeth and vibrated up the cross. The cauldron split in half and the smoke spread out along the floor. He saw a figure on its knees through the smoke and he stopped breathing.

The thing was completely bald. It's skin pale as weathered bone. Its hands and toes were longer than normal. "No," he breathed under his breath.

The thing took in a long breath. It moved its hands up to its head and slowly stood up. "Ah, to smell again," it said in a cool voice.

Draco watched the thing stand. It had the muscular body of a runner. The fact that there was nothing between its legs was disturbing. He didn't make a sound, too afraid to see He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named before him.

The thing was facing him and it opened its eyes, they were a reddish hue and looked more snake like than human. A smile spread on his face to see Draco. "Ah, our honored guest. I would have preferred the Potter brat, but we can't sully our blood with that infection now, can we. I do admit, though, I had not expected him to survive this year. I would have preferred to see you complete the last task as well, to show you truly are the son of one of my largest enemies."

Draco was so afraid he wasn't sure how he hadn't wet himself. "Yaxley, my robes," the thing ordered the proffered man.

"My Lord," the man said next to him before getting up. He walked over to a table and took a pair of robes. Voldemort stretched out his arms and waited for the man to dress him. The wanker did it to show his supporters he was in charge. After he buttoned his robes, Yaxley backed away.

The thing smiled and Draco shivered. It was basking in the fact he had three people around him that worshipped him as a king. "My wand," he ordered.

A whimpering Pettigrew reached into his right pocket and held up the man's wand. Voldemort turned to the man and took it. "Ah, to feel the power again. Crucio," he said as though whispering to a lover. Karkaroff started to scream and fell over. After a few seconds, the man let up and Karkaroff lay on the floor. "Crucio!" This time the spell had more vehemence in it. Karkaroff screamed again and arched his back. It was a longer time before Voldemort stopped. "You please me to bring me back, Karkaroff, but I am still displeased about many things about you."

"Yes, my Lord," the man panted and shakily tried to get to his knees. The man's muscles were convulsing on and off.

Looking around, Voldemort snarled. "We should retire to where the entertainment shall be before we call our other Death Eaters. Get up Pettigrew." His scorn towards the man showed the man's disgust at his servant. Draco was shaking. How much worse would this man's Crucio curse be than Karkaroff's? "Come," he said flicking his wand at Draco. "Nagini, stay with me." The entire cross lifted and as his feet left the floor, he felt the strain on his body as his wrists and ankles were forced to carry his weight. The cuffs on his wrists bit into his skin.

He bit his lip to keep from crying out. Voldemort walked towards the stairs, him floating behind with the huge snake below him and the other three pulling up the rear.

Walking into the night air, he heard chanting nearby. It was discordant and guttural. It sent a chill through him as much as what had just happened. "Karkaroff, what are they doing," Voldemort nodded towards the cage.

"As you requested. The mutt will be ready for you soon."

The man smiled again. "Won't it be fun to have dear daddy watch the show," the man said towards him. Draco looked at the man wide eyed.

They walked out into the middle of the courtyard. Draco was left to float. His arms were starting to hurt with the strain of supporting his weight. "Your arm, Pettigrew."

The man had fallen to his knees near the Dark Lord. "Oh, Master. Oh, I am so grateful," Pettigrew started.

"Your other arm," Voldemort said in a calm voice.

"But, Master," Pettigrew whined.

"Your other arm, Pettigrew, before I change my mind."

"Y...y...yes, Master," the man said extending his right arm.

Voldemort grabbed the man's wrist and roughly pushed back the man's sleeve. Draco saw the Dark Mark. It was a black snake that slithered around a sword and skull. Voldemort gave a deranged expression of glee as he touched the mark. Pettigrew whined as the mark grew darker and almost seemed to be burning the man's skin. "Now, we shall see who is still loyal," the man said with a sneer.

After a moment, there was a crack as a shadow in pitch black robes and mask appeared. Another appeared a few seconds later. It was several minutes before more than a dozen figures appeared around him. Voldemort frowned. Or at least that was what he thought the man had done. "So few," he said softly. He looked around the circle that had formed around them. "Some are missing that are not in Azkaban."

He walked over to the nearest Death Eater. "Where is your partner, Goyle," he said swiping his hand over the man's mask. Lord Goyle came into view, his face twisted as though in pain before dropping to his knees.

"I don't know, my Lord. I have not seen my wife for weeks," the man said.

"I see." The Dark Lord looked very displeased. "And you have not looked for her?"

"It is not unusual for her to go out of country," Lord Goyle responded.

"Ah. So, is that why did not you searched for me then? You thought me just out of country? Like your wife?"

"No. No, My Lord," the man said groveling. "I never thought that."

"And how about you, MacNair? Did you think me just out of country?" He walked to the next man.

"No, My Lord."

"You thought me dead," the man snarled. He wiped his hand over the other man's face and again the man looked in pain as he kneeled. "You all thought me dead. Crabbe. Selwyn. The Carrows. And you Avery."

"My Lord, if we had any indication you had survived," Lord Avery begged.

"Crucio!"

Avery fell to the ground screaming. "There were signs," Voldemort hissed at the man. "Signs that two of my Death Eaters found."

Voldemort flicked his wand up and Avery stopped screaming. "There were signs, Avery. Ask Karkaroff. He found me before that rat Pettigrew. Did you, my faithful Servants, truly believe a fifteen-month-old baby could defeat Lord Voldemort?"

"Master," Pettigrew whined, sounding much weaker. Draco's breathing was coming in short spurts. He knew he was going to die. He wasn't ready to die.

"Yes, Pettigrew. You found me and brought me a source as good as Karkaroff to make our plans. For that, you should be rewarded," Voldemort said. "Do you not agree, Nott?"

"Yes, my Lord."

Voldemort laughed. "Oh, you are all worms. My truest believers lay in Azkaban. I will free them and they shall be rewarded for never betraying me. Now, Pettigrew, hold out your arm."

The man held out his trembling arm. A moment later, a silver hand had replaced the one that had been cut off. "This is the type of reward a gracious Lord Voldemort shall give to his faithful."

The snake at the man's feet hissed at Draco as he stifled a cry. He had slipped and felt the shackles break the skin of his left wrist. Voldemort turned to him. "And now to the son of one of my most faithless. I do not see Lucius here, Draco. I think daddy has abandoned you, like he has me." The man sounded full of hate.

Draco turned his head away, he didn't want to look at the man. "Look at me when I talk to you," the man said viciously and grabbed Draco's chin with cold hands. "Just as spineless as your father. Lucius didn't meet my eyes often."

Draco would not be his father and looked up into the man's sick red eyes. "I am not my father," he said to the man.

Voldemort looked at him for a moment. "No, perhaps not. I think I have missed a fierce servant in you if your Father had been faithful. But he betrayed me in ways that can never be forgiven."

As he finished, a howl of a wolf pierced the night. The grin Voldemort gave him made his whole body shake. "You ask how the son of one of my most trusted Servants at one time came to be here instead of the boy who banished me? It is simple. This boy's father is a real threat. That fifteen-month-old whelp was only saved by his mother. A filthy mudblood whore."

Voldemort spat on the ground.

"Now, that boy shall become one of my greatest weapons and you shall be his first meal," Voldemort told him.

Draco started to struggle. "Let me go. You're so brave you won't do it yourself or give me a wand to beat the..." Draco started to scream as the man's wand inflicted pain worse than anything he had felt from Karkaroff. He screamed and writhed in his bindings. More blood started to trickle from his wrists and legs. He wasn't sure how long he was held under the curse, but when he came back to himself he was shaking uncontrollably and Voldemort was talking to his insane rabble.

"... I can be merciful. Draco shall be released and given a chance to defend himself. If he survives, I shall end his suffering quickly. If not, then Harry Potter will be mine."

Draco lifted his head to see Voldemort turn to him again. Draco was shivering uncontrollably as his body tried to recover from the Crucio curse. You-Know-Who flicked his wand and Draco fell to the ground. There was another howl from the large pit. "My newest weapon grows hungry. Shall you stand boy and receive your wand or shall I just throw you in?"

Draco put a hand on the ground and shakily stood up. His feet were bare and the gravel of the Courtyard hurt. He felt a few scratches on his bare chest from where he had been dropped. He stood and tried to steady his body. He was the Heir to the Malfoy's. His father may grovel to this man, but he never would. He tried to stuff his fear down. Either he would trust Potter or he would have to kill him. Either way, Draco had a feeling the only way he might live was to trust Potter.

"Lord Voldemort," a woman's voice came to him.

The man turned. "Is he ready?"

"Yes, My Lord," the hag said. He had a feeling she didn't like referring to the man as such.

"Excellent. Take this boy down to complete the ritual. Give him his wand when you lock him in," the man said handing the hag his wand. Draco had to keep a snarl off his face. A hag was never to possess a Wizards wand.

"What of my other one," Draco asked. If he was doing this, he wanted any advantage he could.

"Crucio," Voldemort said again. It was pain beyond pain and he tried to stand up through it. He didn't want to give the man the satisfaction of having him piss his pants again. By the wetness in the front of his pants, he figured he must have the last time. This time, it was much shorter. He had fallen to his knees panting. Rocks bit into his skin through ripped leggings.

"You will get what I give you, boy. Be grateful I don't tie you on a spit and leave you for the beast to feast as he will," Voldemort hissed at him.

"Now, my friends, please come around the old Arena Yaxley has been so gracious to give us."

Draco took a stumbling step behind the hags, who led him down a flight of stairs. They opened a wrought iron grate door and slammed it behind him as he walked in. "Take it. You harm this one and I will gut you myself," the Auburn hair hag told him holding his wand through the grate.

He took it. "I don't think you control him like you think," he snarked at them.

She snarled at him and the grate behind him opened. He turned and walked to the back of the cell. In the center of the stone ring was a black werewolf. It was big, muscular and he felt the power from the thing. Its eyes were looking at him. It was the eyes he had hated so much until recently. They were green, intelligent and hard. He thought he saw pain on its face and the white lightning bolt on its forehead stuck out. This was Potter.

Draco swallowed. "It is time to enter the ring, Malfoy," Voldemort said from above. "Be a man, unlike your father."

The taunt made him bristle. He was going to be a far better man than his father. Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the ring. The grate closed behind him. "Attack, slujitor al zeilor," one of the hags ordered.

Harry shook his head and growled.

"You see? This is the great Harry Potter," Voldemort called out. "A mere mutt. He shall be my greatest weapon."

Harry bared his teeth and finally got up on all four. He looked up at the Dark Lord and barked. "Slujitor al zeilor, you will attack," all five hags said from behind him.

Harry's growl deepened and he took a step back, shaking his head. When he looked up, Draco saw the same eyes that had been there minutes before. He advanced on Harry.

Harry crouched as though ready to attack. "Now, slujitor al zeilor!"

Harry barked and dug into the dirt. Draco felt as though his heart stopped. Was he to trust this thing? Draco cast a cutting hex.

It sailed wide, as he had hoped. He tensed as Harry barreled into him, knocking him down and biting the ground around his head. "On... back..." the werewolf said. "Xxxssss."

At that, Harry jumped back as though stung. He yelped like a dog in pain.

Voldemort was laughing. "No need to kill him that quickly, my new pet. I want to watch for a moment."

The other Death Eaters laughed with their Master. "You see the power I can wield? Be this a lesson unless you wish to find your own offspring in the same position. Now, give me a show."

Harry circled around as Draco got up. He pointed his wand at Harry. His hand was shaking from the aftereffects of the cruciatus and the realization that a werewolf could talk and that Harry was so powerful that he knew he would be dead already if the creature wanted it.

His whole body was shaking. Voldemort laughed again. "Look at him quiver. He knows he will die."

Someone spat. "Just get it over vith. Kill the bastard. I vant his father in there next."

"All in good time, Karkaroff. You still owe me before I give you any boon like that," Voldemort said. "Crucio!"

Karkaroff started to scream. Harry used that to point at an X on the wall above a grate. The pit was against the outer wall and a grate had been put in the wall, probably to wash the blood out after a duel or event like this.

Harry started to run at him again. Draco suddenly understood. The X wasn't an X, it was a rune. The rune Xesse. A reinforcing rune. It had to be reinforcing the wall against spell fire. Meaning if it was destroyed...

He dodged Harry. As he did, he sent a blasting hex behind the werewolf. It hit the wall next to the rune. It glowed a faint blue before dissipating. That was the plan. Overpower the rune. Draco doubted he had enough power though.

Harry skidded to a halt and turned on him. Teeth bared. The wolf had intentionally missed him. It was breathing a little heavier than normal. "Nowwww." Harry turned towards the rune and send a surge of magic that was more than anything Draco could dream of doing.

It hit the wall and the rune glowed bright blue and cracked. Draco started to cast blasting hex after blasting hex.

He heard people yelling above him, but he couldn't lose his concentration as Harry sent another surge of energy. It was less than the first time, but still magnitudes higher than what he could do.

The fact he was doing it in werewolf form and without a wand was even more terrifying.

"NO!" Voldemort screamed above everything else.

There was a flash, but the rune was sucking in any magic in the ring as it tried to counter the sudden onslaught on it. Voldemort's green spell hit the ruin and there was an explosion. Rock flew everywhere. The sound of iron bending screeched over the din.

A chunk hit his leg and he went down. It was a searing pain. In comparison to Voldemort's cruciatus, it was a slight tremble. Draco grabbed his leg. There were people yelling and a dust cloud was over everything.

The black werewolf ambled over to him. Harry dropped as though almost exhausted. "Back," it said, its tongue lolling out of its mouth.

"This isn't easy, Potter," Draco said in pain as he tried to stand and fell. Draco was sure his leg was broken.

Harry slouched just a little more. "Back," he said.

"Find them," Voldemort yelled in a high pitch voice. A wind whirled around them lifting the dust cloud.

Draco, scared of what might happen, grabbed Harry's fur and pulled himself up. Harry growled and once Draco was on his back, Harry took off. It was three lopping steps that almost shook him off the werewolf's back. They dropped ten feet as they burst through the hole in the wall and then stumbled and rolled down the steep hill at the base of the castle.

They both landed hard against a rock. There was yelling and spell fire from above, but they were now a hundred feet down. Harry got up, stumbling and acting as though drunk.

Draco forced himself up. "Over here, Potter," he said through the pain. His body was starting to protest the abuse.

Harry came over and he climbed on the werewolf's back again. He wrapped his arms around Harry's neck.

There was a crack nearby and he looked up to see a Death Eater pointing his wand at them. Harry swiped his arm up before the man could do anything else and the man went flying over a cliff that they had just barely missed, hitting the rock instead. The man yelled and Draco thought he saw his wand go flying.

Harry slumped against the rock. "Come on, Potter. I am not about to tell Granger you died."

Harry growled and stood up. Draco held on as tight as he could as Harry started to lop away. They didn't meet anyone else as they found a path down the fifty-foot drop. Fields surrounded the castle and two villages could be seen in the distance.

"That way. We might find a working floo," Draco said pointing towards one of them.

Harry took off in the opposite direction. Harry looked up at him and shook his head. A froth was starting to form around the boy's mouth. Draco wouldn't be able to do this without him and he was growing weary why others hadn't come after them, so he didn't question when the werewolf when the other way.

Harry ran for a while, putting distance between them and the castle. Draco was about to ask where they were going when Harry tripped over something in a wood copse they had found. Draco was thrown off his back. The pain in his broken leg flared and he saw black spots in his eyes for a moment.

"Bloody hell, Potter. Warn me next time you are going to stop," Draco said eventually. Keeping his anger up was the only thing keeping him from passing out.

He heard the labored breathing of the beast. "Potter!" Draco moved enough to see the the black werewolf collapse on the ground. It looked like a dark lump on the ground in the half-moon light. The thing was breathing heavily, as though in a lot of pain.

"Potter," Draco asked. "You still with me, Potter?"

The werewolf didn't move or say a word.