Harry
When Harry woke up, he was laying on something ridiculously soft and fluffy and had to fight against the desire to bury himself in the warmth surrounding him and go back to sleep. But he knew this wasn't his bed. That thought alone had him opening his eyes.
The bed beneath him was white and fluffy, and the blanket he had wanted to hide in was Slytherin green. He gave it a confused look and then turned to look at the room he was in. His breath caught when he realized he was on the floor.
Then everything came flooding back. The headmaster, the spell, and Mister Malfoy finding him.
Freaked out, he pushed to his feet only to have pain surge down his spine, he cried out and fell back into the bed. He knew he was whimpering. He could hear it but he couldn't make himself stop. His body felt like it was on fire and there was this itch deep within, it reminded him of when Madam Pomfrey had to regrow his bones in second year.
"Easy," the gentle tone from the Death Eater surprised him almost as much as the man's sudden appearance. He hissed and snapped when Malfoy reached out to touch him. The man didn't seem bothered, just pulled his hand back.
"I'm not going to hurt you." The man said calmly before trying again.
Harry waited until the hand got close enough before he lunged and snapped. He screamed out in agony as jolts of electricity raced through his traumatized body. Not a smart idea, Harry, he thought, as he stumbled and fell back into the bed.
When the Death Eater's hand appeared again, he whimpered, then weakly tried to snap at the man's fingers again only to get a flick to the nose. "I have something to help ease your pain, you silly cat, but I can not give it to you if you insist on trying to eat my fingers." Malfoy's voice, soft almost teasing tone.
Harry didn't know what to think of this Lucius Malfoy; he seemed so different from the angry, arrogant man Harry had met in his second year, or the proud man who stood before the pissed off Dark Lord in his 4th year. This man seemed less cold and more calm. It made his head hurt.
He let out a displeased sound when he was picked up and cradled against Malfoy's chest. The man made a soothing sound and carried him over to a dresser.
Harry saw the man reach for a potion bottle and started to panic, images of the last time someone forced him to take a potion running wild in his mind. He tried to ignore all of his pain as he scratched at Malfoy's hands. All he could think about was getting away. The man let out a hiss of his own when Harry cut deep enough to draw blood and his hold loosened.
Harry, thinking this was his chance, lunged away from the man, only for a hand to grab the back of his neck and lift him by the scruff. For a second Harry panicked because his body went limp.
His mind went back to when Fred had threatened to scruff Crookshanks — Hermione's cat — over the summer. He tried to remember the details of what that meant but just remembered it was something done to restrain a kitten often by its mother. Harry shot Malfoy a glare, not that the man seemed to notice. The tall blonde was using his wand to pour some of one of the potions onto a spoon.
"This is for the pain." Malfoy said as he moved Harry over the dresser and carefully put him down. Harry glared at the spoon, and then back at the wizard.
Malfoy kept one hand on the back of his neck, though no longer holding him and picked up the spoon with the other, bringing it close to Harry's mouth.
Harry thought about it. So far the elder Malfoy hadn't done anything to hurt him. He seemed to want to help him —well the kitten him, not the Harry him— and he was in a lot of pain. He took a small step forward and sniffed the pink potion, it smelled flowery and a little sweet. Figuring might as well, he stuck out his tongue and licked at the potion. While it smelt alight it tasted funky and he couldn't help wrinkle his nose and cough at the taste. He heard Malfoy chuckle. Harry turned and hissed at him. The man made a calming noise and started to gently pet his back.
Harry was tempted to stick his tongue out at the man, but that would be un-cat like and Harry didn't want to do anything that might give him away. Instead he forced himself to lick and drink the potion until the spoon was empty.
He was not happy when Malfoy filled the spoon again, this time with a clear potion that smelled like ginger. Thankfully this one didn't really taste like anything and Harry was able to drink it fairly quick. After that Malfoy put him back in the animal bed he had woken up in.
Harry laid down, not really sure what else to do. He knew he needed to get away from here, but at the same time, Malfoy was taking care of him. He figured it was smart to wait until he was feeling better before trying to take off. Plus it also gave him time to try and think of a plan for what to do when he got away from the Manor.
He had started to drift off only to be woken up by the smell of beef stew. He stood up and watched as Malfoy came back into the room, a small plate in one hand and a bowl in the other.
The plate and bowl were placed a foot or so away from his bed. Forcing Harry to climb out of the bed and carefully approach the plate. The beef stew smelling concoction was in fact mashed meat covered in some kind of sauce. Harry could see peas and carrots mixed in and his stomach grumbled. He cautiously took a bite and moaned at the taste.
He didn't hear Malfoy leave the fact he didn't realize he was alone until he had finished off more than half the food and drank his fill. With his stomach full he turned back to the bed and laid down. When he noticed he was completely alone, he thought about getting up and looking around, but he felt too tired, and figured he could nap and snoop later.
The next few days were much the same. Malfoy forced him to drink the two potions twice a day, then Harry lazed around in his bed. Around the third day, he found he was starting to stay awake longer and had more energy. He had started snooping around Malfoy's overly large room. But besides a few dozen dark arts books on one of the man's bookshelves Harry hadn't found anything interesting.
By day five, he was bored. He also felt loads better, so when Malfoy opened his bedroom door that morning to go do whatever it was Death Eaters did with their days Harry darted between the man's legs and out the door. He heard the Malfoy curse behind him, but Harry raced around a corner and then another hoping to lose the man. When he didn't hear any footsteps chasing him he slowed down and started to look around.
The room he had appeared in that first day had been dark and cold, while Malfoy's room had been warm and comfortable. The hallway he found himself in now was a mix of both, the stone walls gave off a cool feeling but the warm glow of lanterns along the wall made the hallway bright.
The first room he found was a door had been cracked open and when Harry entered he found a mess. Clothes, shoes, and bedding tossed everywhere. He cautiously moved towards the bed, but when he saw a woman with messy black hair asleep he backed out of the room... slowly, not wanting to wake the insane witch.
The next two rooms were neater. The first had a man sitting up in bed reading. The man had given him a strange look when he entered but quickly went back to his book, seemingly uninterested in Harry. No one was in the second room but Harry saw a broom in the corner and wondered if cats could fly. Then he laughed at himself, because while that might be funny as hell to see, it was impossible.
He found a library next.
There was a large fire blazing at the center of the room, heating the room. Harry was sure the woman reading in one of the large back chairs was Draco's mother. He thought about going up to her and seeing what she would do but decided against it.
He hadn't even entered the potions lab. Just sticking his head in was enough to remind him of potions class and Snape. After the lab he found several more bedrooms but didn't spare any time snooping around in them. He could always come back later.
He was a little sad when he entered the kitchen and it was empty. His stomach was starting to growl at him and he was hoping he could find food. Leaving he noticed his feet, or paws, whatever, were starting to hurt from all his walking and he debated heading back to Malfoy's room, if he could find it, when he heard a voice he recognized.
"- Headmaster's trying to hide it." Snape said, and Harry rushed to find where the voice was coming from.
"Are you sure?" another voice asked. Something about it was familiar.
"I am."
Harry rounded a corner and found another library. Snape was standing with his back to Harry, a blonde man at his right, and they were both facing someone who was sitting.
"Does anyone else know?" The sitting man asked, and Harry almost gasped. Voldemort. The man wasn't the snake creature that he had been after the ritual in the cemetery. In fact, he looked more like the diary version of Riddle, only slightly older, nothing like the man that Harry had witnessed climb out of a cauldron. He even had dark brown hair instead of scales on top of his head.
"I believe Granger and Weasley know, though I have no proof." Snape said with a sigh, "something about it doesn't add up, My Lord."
"What do you mean?" Harry forced himself to look away from the surprising human looking Voldemort to look at Snape. The potions master was frowning.
"Potter wouldn't just disappear. He's too thick headed and stubborn to have wandered off alone and no one could have gotten to him inside the school. But the fact that Dumbledore has not announced that Potter is gone, is what is telling. When asked he simply says that the brat is in the hospital wing."
"Which he's not?" The other man in the room asked.
"No."
"What of the Order?" Voldemort asked.
"As far as I can tell, they know nothing." Snape said.
"Not even Black or the wolf?" Harry watched as Snape shook his head.
He wanted to scratch the man, yet at the same time, he wanted to tell Snape that he was right here and demand he take him home. Which was stupid; he didn't even know where the potion masters true loyalties lie.
He must have made a noise because the man next to Snape turned and looked at him. The man looked familiar as he smiled at Harry, "Well look who finally escaped Lucius' bedroom."
Harry backed up as the man moved towards him and even managed to dodge away when the man tried to pick him up a couple times but his attention was so focused on this man he hadn't heard anyone else move, not until a hand came under his stomach and picked him up. He yelped. He was turned ready to hiss and claw and whoever it, but froze when he saw crimson eyes looking at him.
"What is this?" Voldemort asked looking away from him and at the man that had been trying to catch him.
"Ohh Luc found him a few days ago, poor little guy was sick and hurt." Harry heard Snape sigh but couldn't take his eyes off of the Dark Lord who was still holding him. Harry was a little weirded out when the man's crimson eyes faded to blue.
"How many's that now Severus?" Voldemort asked Snape.
"I believe seven, My Lord." Snape sounded resigned, "there was the falcon with the broken wing that Barty found. The fox, Rabastan, just had to rescue. The two turtles, Barty released into the pond. That horrid owl Luc saved, the one that pecks everyone but Bella. The rabbit Luc found and gifted to Rosier's niece, and the lizard that is now living in the garden, another of Luc's, I believe."
"Don't forget the hedgehog." Barty teased. Harry recognized him now.
Harry actually saw Snape shudder, "as if I could."
"And now we have a cat." Voldemort said. The man brought the hand not holding him up, and no way in hell was Harry going to let the Dark Lord pet him. He swiped his paw at the man, hissing at him for good measure. The Dark Lord raised an eyebrow, then Harry's stomach growled. He found himself grateful cat's couldn't blush or he would have died from embarrassment.
Voldemort chuckled. "Barty, please go feed your little friend."
"Yes, sir." Barty said, rushing forward and grabbing Harry. He tried to hiss at the man but he was crushed against Barty's chest before he could. He debated scratching the man for the manhandling but figured the ex-defence teacher/spy was taking him away from Voldemort so he would let it go.
When they entered the kitchen Barty placed him on the counter and started looking through cabinets. Harry debated jumping off and finding Malfoy's room but when Barty started muttering and cursing at the cabinets he found himself too amused.
Harry laid down on the counter and watched as the Death Eater grumbled and muttered at the items inside. It only got better when the man got excited over some kind of meat sticks he found and he rushed over and held it out to Harry. Who sniffed it and took a small bite. It was peppery but good and he found himself munching on the jerky while the death eater rushed off to search for something else.
Sometimes later Malfoy entered the kitchen.
"Crouch, what are you doing?"
Harry wanted to snort, because Barty had piled about a dozen cans on one end of the counter and a few packages of some kind of white meat next to them and yet the man was still rummaging through cabinets.
"Trying to find something to feed your kitten," the man replied, his head inside the cabinet he was currently searching.
The blonde patriarch let out a long sigh, and looked down at Harry, "the man's insane." he whispered, reaching down to pet Harry's head. Then a little louder so Barty could hear he added, "He is eating."
Harry leaned into the gentle fingers a little, only a tiny bit ashamed of himself.
"He's eating one of those meat sticks Rodolphus is obsessed with. That's not food, Luc."
Harry watched as Malfoy leaned against the counter and picked up one of the meat sticks. The man smelled it and made a disgusted face. Harry didn't understand why, the sticks were pretty good, as if to make that point he dropped the one he was eating and used his paws to steal the second out of Malfoy's hand. The blonde just gave him a look, then just went back to petting him.
"Bartemius, why not ask a house elf for help." Lucius said with a smirk.
"Do not call me that!" Barty shouted coming out from the cabinet he had been looking through, his face was red as he glared at Malfoy. Harry watched as the two stared at each other, and for a second he wondered if he was going to have to get out of hexing range. But neither wizard drew their wands.
After a couple tense seconds Barty's shoulders dropped, "I wanted to do it," the man muttered.
"Pardon?" Malfoy asked and Harry got the feeling that the man was teasing the younger Death Eater.
"I wanted to make the cat food, you prick." Barty snapped. "Don't you have Severus here to pick on? Go away." Harry's mouth fell open when Barty actually made a shooing motion with his hand towards Malfoy. The older man raised an eyebrow, shook his head then turned and walked away.
The interaction seemed to have made Barty lose some of his excitement,because not even a minute after Malfoy disappeared, a house elf was called. Barty ordered the small creature to make Harry dinner. Then the damned Death Eater tried to take away Harry's meat sticks, well meat stick, as he had almost finished the first one. Harry had growled and stuck his claws into the man's hand. Barty winced and pulled his hand back. He would have grinned if he had been human instead he just stared at the man, challenging him to try again. Barty snorted eventually and left him alone.
The Death Eater didn't even seem upset when Harry was too full to finish off the food the house elf made. He just took the plate away and sat Harry on the ground.
Which Harry took full advantage of as he darted off again. He wanted to see if he could find Voldemort again and spy on the man. Maybe he would learn something useful and be able to use it against the man later.
Harry spent the rest of the day exploring, trying to learn the layout of Malfoy Manor. Which didn't go as planned, as the place was huge, and he kept getting turned around and lost. By the time he climbed into the small cat bed that night, he realized he had spent a whole day among Death Eaters and the Dark Lord and they had all seemed so bloody normal. Nothing like the dark terrifying monsters he had always imagined.
