DISCLAIMER: J.K Rowling owns Harry Potter and all other characters and locations.

Chapter 4 – Binding Familiars

The hall in Malfoy Manor was lit brightly. Rows of chairs were filled with important friends of his parents, all invited to witness the binding of a familiar to the Malfoy heir. Draco stood next to an alter draped in emerald silk, the lights tracing a halo upon his blonde hair. At that moment he appeared every bit the prince he was whispered to be. His dress robes sat perfectly upon his frame as he listened to the drone of the ancient wizard standing before him. The panther lay on the alter; the only sign it lived was the steady rise and fall of its silken chest. He had been drugged before the ceremony, put into a deep sleep so the ceremony could proceed without mass bloodshed.

Shifting in an effort to get more comfortable in his stiff dragon hide boots, Draco began to wish he had worn his second favourite pair. Then again, these ones did make the ensemble look absolutely smashing. Jerking back to attention, he watched as an ancient wizard drew a blade made of steel across the shoulder of the massive cat. Extending his own hand to the wizard he watched as the same blade traced a thin line across his palm. Blood welled to the surface, a startling contrast against the pale skin of his hand. Taking a deep breath, he placed his hand onto the matching wound adorning the panther's shoulder. Muscles slid beneath his palm as the panther flinched at his touch.

"Draconis Lucius Malfoy, do you take this beast as your familiar?" The ancient wizard intoned.

"I do." Draco stated simply, his voicing echoing through the hall.

"Blood of your blood?"

"Blood of my blood." Responded Draco, ignoring the itch growing within his palm.

"Magic to magic?"

"My magic to his magic." The practiced lines flowing smoothly from his lips, drilled there by his father several hours ago.

"Soul to soul?"

"My soul to his soul." The feeling in his palm intensified, sending tingles up his arm.

"Do you name your familiar?"

"I name him…Damian." His palm burned as the wizard nodded, as if his approval of the name was important to Draco.

"Bonds made of blood, bound by steel." "Bound by steel, bond is healed." The finishing line hung in the air, as if daring any to refute it.

A silk cloth was whisked off a small table revealing a ring and a collar. In a neat movement, the ring was slipped onto a finger running with blood. The collar took a little more effort though, with two men aiding him, the priest finally managed to slip the collar around the animal's neck. With a resounding snap, the collar closed, simultaneously the itch vanished and he felt as if a new door had been opened in his mind. Turning around slowly, he faced the crowd of people watching him and smirked slightly before he swept them a neat bow. Immediately the air was filled with clapping as people rose to congratulate him on the success of the ceremony.

Standing between his parents, Draco gazed at the ring around his finger. Made of silver, it was designed to look like a snake resting its head on its tail, clutched within its fangs was a large emerald. The collar resting around his panther's neck was very similar, having several smaller emeralds resting within the coils of snakes encircling it. Glancing at the alter he watched as several house elves gathered the slumbering animal and vanished with an inaudible pop. Sighing softly, Draco shook hands with yet another friend of his father. The celebration of the binding would likely take all night, which meant he was forced to shake the hands of people he either hated or didn't know; it was going to be a very long night.

Hermione sobbed uncontrollably in Ron's arm, he wasn't that much of a comfort, being in just as much shock as she was. Members of the Order stood around the small kitchen of the Burrow. All of them had shadows beneath their eyes and most bore signs that they hadn't slept in several days. No one spoke, afraid to break the silence that filled the house and seemed to echo into the area beyond.

"He's just vanished." Mad-Eye Moody stated, "All of his stuff is still at the house, even his wand." Sliding his hand into the pocket of the overcoat he wore, the wizard carefully placed a thin wand on top of the table. The highly polished wood reflected the light as it sat there among the empty teacups and plates, as if the whole incident could be blamed on those gathered around it.

"Harry would never go anywhere without his wand." Whispered Ron, extending a hand and allowing his index finger to float above the wand in an empty caress. Stiff nods of agreement by all the Order members brought a lull upon activity within the kitchen.

"Something's happened to Harry, that poor boy!" Mrs. Weasley wailed, bursting into noisy sobs and clutching her husband. Hermione and Ginny quickly followed, their own sobs ringing loudly in the silent kitchen. As the night fell away, the Burrow was silent except for the whispers of comfort and the soft murmurs of plans and possibilities.

Harry woke to find himself lying atop a thick pillow in one of the largest bedrooms he had ever seen. The first rays of morning light were just brushing the room. Climbing steadily to his paws, he felt the collar around his neck shift but instead of biting it moved like liquid, flowing smoothly rather holding then restraining. His eyes immediately fell upon the figure draped across the bed. Gliding forward silently, he peered at his master, who slept on his side with one arm thrown across the bed while the other was tucked under his head.

'Hold on, Master. When the hell did I start calling Draco master? I mean he's a right git most of the time.' Then there were the other times when he looked like an angel, until he opened his mouth and ruined the whole picture. Draco was the very image of perfection in Harry's mind, but sometimes he could be a little demon. As if the devil had personally sent him with the mission of driving Harry insane.

Shaking his head at his thoughts, he turned his gaze back to Draco, who had just begun to stir under the watchful eyes of Harry. Slowly eyelids flickered before opening and revealing a set of ice blue eyes, quickly followed by a scream that would have woke the dead.

A/N: Thanks again to my wonderful reviewers. I promise to update as soon as I can, which is generally pretty fast due the routine I've got going. I would also like to thank every one for the wonderful name suggestions; I'll be using several more of them when I introduce the other Slytherin familiars.