Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Harry Potter that will be used, unfortunately.
Summary: Harry was captured by Death Eaters and taken to Voldemort. Can he defeat him and come out alive?
Title: The end…or the Beginning?
Stepping back a few paces he waved at all of them before apparating away with a crack.
After apparating to St. Mungo's he had started to make his way towards Draco's room, almost stomping in his anger. He didn't understand why Ron just couldn't sit back and think about what he said. If there was one thing that irked him about his redheaded friend it was his stubbornness to not see logic. He knew that he himself in the past was the same way but circumstances made him become what he was today and it chafed him to have to deal with Ron sometimes. At least the others were taking what he said into account and thinking about it. That was a plus to the whole disaster.
"Harry? You look upset I'm guessing lunch didn't go so well?" Remus' voice made him look up, startled from his angry thoughts. Severus and Remus stood just outside the door to Draco's room.
"It went fine until Hermione started pestering about what I've been doing with myself. I told them and it led into a big thing. Ron's pissed at me for some stuff I said," Harry said taking a deep breath to try and calm down.
"What did you say?" Severus asked raising an eyebrow.
Harry waved off the question, "I'll tell you later." He said as he rubbed his temples as if in pain. "Let's just say some of the things I've been thinking about has left them, Ron more so than the others, a little upset with me." Severus and Remus shared a look but nodded they're heads. They knew Harry would talk to them if need be.
"Sure you're up to this?" Remus asked looking at Harry skeptically.
"Give me a second but, yeah, I'm up to this." Was the reply he gave as Harry took a few more deep breaths. Slowly Harry began to relax from his tense state and when he was as relaxed as he was going to be he looked to the two older wizards in front of him and nodded. They nodded back before Severus walked towards the door and opened it walking into the room. Remus and Harry followed behind him, Harry closing the door once they had entered.
Draco was sitting up in the bed looking a bit healthier than he had the day before. He still looked tired and worn but one could already see the faint signs of recovery. Harry was relieved to see this and smiled gently at the blonde as he watched them come in.
"Hello Draco," Severus said calmly as he took a seat in one of the chairs in the room. Remus greeted the blonde also as he took the other seat beside his lover. Harry sighed having to be the one to conjure a chair and flicked his wand with a muttered spell and conjured a nice comfy chair for himself.
"Hi," Harry said after he sat himself down, looking at the blonde on the bed. Draco looked at them silently a moment before speaking.
"I see you three are back," he said quietly but his voice held no malice or disdains only a hint of curiosity.
"Yes we thought you might like some company and to know what's going on while you're in here," Remus said giving the blonde a kind smile. Draco looked at him a bit startled by the answer. "That is if you want to know."
Draco didn't know what to think at this. Yesterday they hadn't really parted on a good note but yet here the three were. Looking to Severus the man's face looked quite blank as he looked back at Draco. Remus was all kind smiles and friendly looks, no pity from what Draco could see. And then there was Harry. Besides faint traces of tension which Draco somehow thought weren't in connection with him or this visit the man had a soft smile on his face. That soft smile that even made his eyes shine made something long and almost forgotten in Draco's gut clench, made his breath catch minutely. Clearing his throat and wincing only a bit he hoped the three men in front of him didn't notice his previous minute lost of breath or at least attributed it to his tortured condition.
"I'd like that," he said softly, having learned in his short time awake that talking too loud hurt his badly abused throat muscles.
Harry smiled at him again. "Well we also brought some Daily Prophets with us but as you know they're not always completely truthful in their accounts of events," he rolled his green eyes and shook his head. "Anyway the trials are slow going so not many Death Eaters have been tried yet…" he trailed off not knowing what to say to one who, for all intents and purposes was a Death Eaters himself.
Luckily Severus picked up for him. "You know how the system works Draco," the mad said looking to the blonde. "This time around the Ministry – bumbling idiots that they are – is administering Veritaserum to the Death Eaters. Depending on the extent of their crimes their punishments are dealt accordingly." Severus said.
"Over the time you were unconscious – which was remarkably short compared to the damage there was," Remus picked up casting a side long look at Harry, one corner of his mouth quirking in a small smile. Harry ignored the look keeping him self from fidgeting just barely. Draco caught it but decided not to comment. "Anyway as I was saying there have only been five trials so far and the nature of punishments, as Severus said, was based on their list of crimes and the severity." Here, Remus picked up a few issues of the Daily Prophet from his side where he had set them and handed them to Draco. Draco took the proffered items and scanned the front page of the first one. It was the latest edition of the Prophet and talked about the latest trial.
The latest trial had been for Alexander Avery who had received life in Azkaban and his wand snapped. It had a list of his offenses which Draco knew was a bit milder considered to other Death Eaters. Avery had never been as bloodthirsty as some of the other Death Eaters, Draco remembered.
"Avery was just tried yesterday," came the voice close to his ear. Head snapping up Draco looked into green eyes that rose from looking at the article. They stared at each other, grey and green clashing. Finally Harry leant back in his seat eyes never leaving Draco's that were staring at him intently. The quiet clearing of a throat broke the two men from their trances and both flushed a bit as they came back to themselves. Clearing his own throat Harry averted his eyes from Draco's.
"Right. Um, well, er Jugson and Sludgewell received the same punishments as Avery," Harry said uncomfortably aware of the tension that had arisen in the room. "Mulciber and Rookwood," he continued still not looking at none of the three other occupants. "Were given the Mercy Potion."
Draco, who had been studiously not looking at Harry; he felt a bit overwhelmed still by the closeness of those green eyes and the intense look in them looked up, slightly confused and slightly interested. "Mercy Potion?" he questioned looking briefly at Harry before turning to Severus.
"The Ministry needed a way to deal with a criminal whose sentencing was death. And since the Dementors weren't available they needed an alternative," Severus said slipping into professor mode. "You might have heard rumors about it," he looked at Draco who looked thoughtful before nodding his head, only half sure. "Ah, well then, its only been declared okay for use in the last 5 or 6 months. I guess it wouldn't be too well known. Either way the potion is a poison that gives the accused a supposed merciful death -"
"Which compared to the Kiss I think anything would be," Harry muttered derisively with a snort.
"-for the death is said to be painless," Severus continued as if Harry hadn't interrupted him but glared at the other man. "It works within five minutes of consumption and works its way through the blood stream and begins to slow the heart until it stops altogether. The whole thing takes no more than ten minutes usually to do its job. There's a sleeping potion administered before the Mercy Potion so the person is asleep when they die." Severus finished explaining.
"Not many people think its fair for the Death Eaters to get off so easy but I think its pretty fair," Remus said quietly. "The Dementors Kiss is just too barbaric."
"They've got Aurors hunting down the missing Dementors before they cause any trouble," Harry said. Silence hung in the air, heavy and oppressive as they all sat in thought. Draco thought about Albus' offer and his own trial that would occur and he still wasn't sure about it. Would the Ministry let him off because all he did was for a good cause? He wasn't sure. And the Malfoy name was already mud to the magical world. He made a decision of what he wanted to do. But first...
"Who is next to go on trial?" Draco asked breaking the silence. The other three men looked to him, slightly startled.
"Its," Harry coughed before continuing. "Its Bellatrix and Rabastan Lestrange." He said quietly not quite keeping the satisfaction out of his voice. Rodolphus Lestrange along with Walden Macnair, Peter Pettigrew and a few other Death Eaters Harry couldn't remember had been killed during some of the battles during the war. Harry had killed Pettigrew himself but pushed that thought away. It hadn't really been as satisfying as he had thought it would be and it made him sick and uncomfortable to think about what he did.
Draco nodded his head slowly a thoughtful look on his face. "They'll get the Mercy Potion for sure. They've been evading Ministry capture so long and they were the worst of the Death Eaters," he said quietly. The other three nodded their heads in agreement to that statement. "Could I talk to Severus alone for bit?" he asked looking at Severus before he looked to the other two.
Remus nodded his head, rising from his seat. "Of course Draco," he said looking at the blonde before looking at Harry who also rose from his seat. "Will just take a trip to the visitors' tearoom."
"Yeah will just let you two talk," Harry said. "Severus you want us to bring you anything back?" He turned to the black haired man with a questioning look.
"No that will be alright. We're going home after this so I'll just wait," Severus said shaking his head at Harry. Harry nodded to him, passed a quick smile at Draco before he and Remus left the room.
Severus turned back to Draco who was looking at him with a raised eyebrow, looking faintly surprised. But what the man next to him did next surprised him even more. Severus Snape smiled at him. "Let's just say things aren't as they used to be," was all he said. Looking serious again he looked at the blonde on the bed. "What was it you wanted to talk with me about?"
Draco was silent for a moment looking away from those black eyes that seemed to bore into him. He had always respected the man next to him and thought his opinion would be worth something and his opinion was wanted. Draco turned back to the man. "I need to tell you something and I also need your opinion, sir." Draco said looking the man in the eye. Severus looked back at him silently, intensely but said nothing and just nodded. Taking this as his cue Draco continued.
"I was the mysterious spy among the Death Eaters. I am – was – Maverick," Draco said bluntly not wanting to dance around the subject. Looking at the black haired man Draco noticed only faint surprise on his face but besides that he looked like he just figured out something he'd been looking for the answer to.
Indeed Severus had found the answer to some questions he'd had. He had been contemplating the identity of Maverick and Draco Malfoy since they had found him in that room back at Voldemort's hidden manor. "I thought so," Severus said matter-of-factly.
Draco looked a bit shocked at this but not much. He always knew his old Head of House was smart and quick to find the missing pieces to a puzzle. Instead of asking how he knew he asked something else. "Does Potter and Lupin know?"
Severus looked thoughtful. "I've talked to Remus and he has his theories and agrees with me that you're a likely choice. Harry, I'm not so sure about. I think he believes you to be Maverick but he hasn't said anything to Remus or me about it yet. Normally he would but he hasn't. But I know how he thinks," Severus said.
Draco was silent for a moment taking it all in. The fact that Potter and Lupin had put so much thought into him and the identity of Maverick made him feel warm for some inexplicable reason. Brushing the thought aside he focused back on the conversation. "In the last note I wrote I gave my identity. Dumbledore knows who I am, knows I'm Maverick and has offered me a way to escape going to Azkaban. As long as I testify under Veritaserum but I'm a bit hesitant to accept," he said not quite looking Severus in the eyes.
Severus remained silent waiting for the blonde to continue.
"There'll be media frenzy when this all comes out and I'm not sure," Draco swallowed the lump in his throat. "I'm not sure I can handle it." He said quietly. "I trust Dumbledore as insane as that sounds and I know he wants to help me out but am I really going to get off when my history isn't so clean?" Draco finally looked up at Severus. The black eyes were full of understanding as they looked at him and Draco was glad to not see pity.
"That's a valid fear Draco because we know how the media and the public are. Vicious little cretins," Severus muttered the last part and got a small smile from the blonde. "But Draco," Severus said turning serious again. "Either way you go you'll receive that media attention; if not for being a Death Eater than for being the one to save so many lives through spying and almost dying in the process.
After Voldemort's first fall the only reason I wasn't sent to Azkaban like so many others is because before the end of the war I had realized what I had really gotten myself into and wanted out. I had gone to Dumbledore and offered to spy for him. When the bastard was first defeated Dumbledore had vouched for me and with his status among the people he got me out of punishment.
Many still believed I was a Death Eater and that I was using Dumbledore for my own reasons. The same will be for you Draco. Many will still believe you were a willing Death Eater and only trying to escape the punishment you deserve but under Veritaserum and with the support of Dumbledore and say Harry Potter, you will have more of a chance of winning. And don't forget that Remus and myself will be supporting you also," Severus explained and looked at Draco closely.
Draco looked back at Severus thoughtfully. He understood perfectly what Severus meant and it put things into perspective for him. He was pretty sure he knew what he wanted now but decided to not say anything yet. He would think on it a bit some more but he was almost positive he knew his answer.
"Thank you Severus," he said simply. Severus nodded his head but he could see his words had an impact of the other man. Hiding a smile he stood slowly.
"Let me see if Remus and Harry are back yet. We'll have to get going soon," Severus said walking towards the door. "Oh and your welcome Draco and I wont say anything until you wish it." And with that he opened the door and looked out into the hall to see the two he was talking about leaning against the opposite wall and talking quietly as they sipped from Styrofoam cups. They looked up when the door opened.
"Why don't you two come say goodbye to Draco so we can leave?" Severus said quirking an eyebrow.
"Nice chat?" Remus asked looking at his lover closely.
"Interesting," he said shortly before turning back into the room. Harry and Remus followed behind him.
Draco was looking thoughtfully at the enchanted window when they came in.
"Well Draco it was a nice visit with you. We'll try to stop in again soon," Remus said giving him a friendly smile. Draco found himself returning it.
"It was nice talking with you again much better than the first time," Harry said giving the blonde a charming smile to which Draco smiled back feeling something in his gut flutter at that smile. "You want me to tell the staff to deliver the Prophet to you?" Harry asked.
"Yes," Draco said nodding his head. He wanted to keep up on who was on trial and what was going on. Harry nodded his head smile still firmly in place.
"Will see you again Draco," Severus said. Not long after that Severus, Remus and Harry left the room leaving Draco to watch after them. When they had left Draco thought about all that had happened during that visit. Talking with Severus had helped him with his decision. If he had not only Dumbledore but the Boy-Who-Lived supporting him he was sure his trial would go in his favor.
The only other problem was the media frenzy that will happen but he was sure with the support he was offered and a little determination he could stand through it. Thinking back on all that Severus had said he couldn't believe that Potter might have thoughts of him being Maverick. Was that they reason he was helping him out then? Because he had helped the Light side out and secretly spied for them? For some reason that made him feel a bit disappointed. And Draco knew why he might feel like that.
I thought that had died out, he thought with a small groan. He remembered how he had begun to find Potter attractive back in 7th year. Hell, he had even wanked to fantasies of the raven haired man. But he had thought that the whole thing had died out after he graduated and joined the Death Eaters. Apparently, it seems, it was only repressed.
"Joy," Draco muttered sarcastically, lying back against the pillows. One thing at a time, he thought. Deal with your own life first Draco. With that thought he pulled the covers up and shut his eyes, determined not to think anymore about it.
The second they apparated into the foyer of Snape manor Remus turned to Harry with an amused look on his face and Harry looked a bit sheepish though he looked more stubborn. Severus looked from his lover to Harry with a quirked eyebrow.
"Alright you two what is it?" Severus said looking at Harry knowingly.
"You remember how you woke up only a week after you were tortured even though the Healers said it would be a long time until you did? Remember why you woke up so soon?" Remus asked slyly, smiling at Harry.
"Ah yes," Severus said smirking wickedly at the younger man who was flushed and shifting uncomfortably under their stares. "Harry, did you lend a bit of your magic to Draco to heal him quicker?" Severus asked.
'Erm, well just a bit," Harry said. "It was just to heal him a bit more quickly. I was only trying to help." Harry said defensively.
"I had thought that was the case," Severus said still smirking at Harry. "Plan on telling him?"
"I don't know, maybe, maybe not. It all depends," Harry said with a shrug.
"Depends on what?" Remus asked smiling gently at Harry.
Harry fidgeted a bit more uncomfortably before sighing. "Depends on if he'll ever want anything to with me," Harry said before apparating away to his room leaving Severus and Remus to stare at where he had stood.
"I think Harry might have more of a chance then he's letting himself hope for," Severus said quietly turning to Remus. "I mean you were there in the hospital room. You saw what happened or were happening between those two."
Remus nodded his head. "The intense way they were looking at each other? Yes, I saw it but Harry; you know how he is Severus. He won't let himself hope for the best because he doesn't want to be let down so he'll take what he can get." He sighed and shook his head.
Severus nodded but didn't say anything. What was there to say when the truth was already spoken? With a sigh the two wizards headed for the study to wait until it was time for dinner.
