Harry started awake when the body next to him moved and he glanced over his shoulder. Snape was asleep next to him and he carefully slipped from the bed but he wasn't careful enough as the other man turned to look over at him. The slight light coming in from the window the only light in the room, casting everything into shadows. The two men eyed each other off for a few seconds before Harry stepped further back from the bed. Crouching slightly, ready to run if he needed to, as he watched the other man warily.
"We have locked the house down," Severus said softly, without moving. "You can move anywhere in the house, we just don't want you leaving. Understand?"
Harry nodded as his eyes darted around, seeing the magic in the room and was distracted by a small dark form in one of the corners.
"Blake?" Severus questioned softly.
Harry slowly looked back at Severus, unsure how long he'd been distracted for. Time meant nothing to him.
"It's been two days since we found you," Severus informed him as he carefully sat up on the bed. "You have been in and out."
Harry looked around the room, it looked familiar and yet not. His legs gave out suddenly and he knelt on the floor as his head pounded. He started when hands gently grabbed his shoulders and he looked up into dark eyes, both familiar and yet not.
"Are you here?" Severus asked and Harry didn't know what he meant.
Harry looked down at his hands and started when he could see the blood on them, so much. Severus sighed and helped him to his feet and back to the bed and laid him down. He curled up as Severus sat beside him and ran his hands over his head until sleep claimed him again.
xXx
Severus blew out a breath when he felt that Blake had woken up over the link. He sighed and ran a hand over his limp hair as he bowed his head, they were all tired. He pulled himself out of the office chair with a soft groan and into the hallway. Ry and Bill had warded the house and the grounds but they all knew that if Blake wanted to get out, he could. Even with his magic not at its normal strength but the man didn't seem to want to escape. Well, escape the house anyway.
He came around the corner and stopped when he saw Blake standing in the hallway, in just his jeans. They had kept his pants on after they realised that he would just go walking naked, if they didn't. The man didn't seem to be concerned whether he was naked or not and that concerned Severus more than he would admit, it always had. Dracka however didn't seem to mind, bloody vampire.
Blake looked around briefly but didn't seem to see him, before he walked off down the hall with a slight limp. Severus winced when he saw the man's back in the soft light. It was littered with red marks from the whip Scorpius had used, overlapping Blake's older scars. The other man slowly made his way towards one of the living rooms with Severus following behind him.
He tensed slightly as Blake limped into the darkening room. The rising full moon could be seen through the windows and was the only source of light. Blake moved towards one of the glass doors to the gardens. Severus stopped just inside the doorway and his eyes flicked over to Dracka laid out on one of the lounges but Blake didn't seem to be aware of the two men watching him. He shivered slightly at that, since Blake always seemed to be aware of where they were and it was only on a rare occasion that they could sneak up on him.
Blake eased himself down in front of the glass doors as the moonlight bathed him in light and Severus silently stepped closer. Blake shifted until he was kneeling, with his hands on his thighs and Severus's gut clenched, it was the same position that he'd taken when they had found him.
Blake glanced over his shoulder and dull green eyes looked over at him. He shivered again before Blake looked back at the moon. Severus closed the distance between them and slowly lowered himself down to sit next to him and Blake shifted until he was sitting with his legs crossed, a more familiar position. Both men looked out at the full moon as the light washed over them until Blake reached out and placed his hand on Severus's knee, his wrists still wrapped in bandages. He looked over at the man and Blake gave him a smile. Severus sighed when his eyes locked with the other man's.
"Hey," Severus whispered as he covered Blake's hand carefully.
"Hey," Blake echoed.
Blake glanced around and his eyes lingered on Dracka before focusing back on the moon before them. It was only early, just after sunset and the moon was low and a dusty orange as it hung before them. Blake shifted until he was leaning into his side and he pulled the man close, feeling his cold skin under his hand.
Dracka carefully walked over with a blanket in his hands and when Blake didn't react. He held the blanket out to Severus as Blake stared out at the darkening sky. Severus wrapped the blanket around his shoulders, wincing at the sight of the man's ribs. Blake had always been slim, but the week and a bit of captivity and the last few days of trying and failing to get food or potions into him had taken its toll on the man's body.
Blake turned and looked up at him with a frown and Severus gave him a small smile, unsure if the man was still with them or not. Blake turned away and looked over at the vampire and Severus could see the shiver pass down Dracka's back. The vampire slowly knelt down beside them, with enough distance in case he needed to move quickly.
"You know we have chairs," Dracka remarked.
Blake snorted and Dracka relaxed.
"I like the floor," Blake replied, then paused. "Ah, maybe not the best words."
Severus smiled as Dracka gave him a leer, both men relieved at Blake's words. He was with them for the moment.
"Who else is here?" Blake asked.
"Ry and Draco," Severus replied. "With others coming and going."
"How long?" Blake asked with a frown.
"About four days," Dracka replied and Blake's eyes flicked to him.
"How long was I held for?"
"Just over a week," Severus uttered.
Blake looked down at the bruising and red lines on his skin and they weren't sure if they had lost him again.
"Don't remember," Blake whispered and Severus heart clenched. "Scorpius did something."
"He broke into your mind," Severus explained.
Rage and coldness flooded through Severus and Blake whimpered. He had to pull back on his emotions quickly. The link with Blake was still open since the man, in his state of mind, couldn't close it. Blake turned and looked up at him.
"Are you okay?" Blake asked, picking up on his emotions.
"No," Severus stated and pulled him close.
Blake just nodded, even in his state, he knew words weren't needed as Severus just held him. He shared a look with Dracka as they sat on the floor with the light from the moon shining down on them as Blake relaxed into his side.
xXx
Ry watched Scorpius through the hardened glass as the man sat on the bed in the cell they had placed him into. The man was muttering to himself and would flick his head around every now and again. Whatever he'd done to his father had back fired on the blonde as Ry watched the man in interest, the glass blocking the man's view of him.
He looked over as Kingsley let himself into the room Ry was in and looked in on Scorpius. Suddenly the blonde jumped up with a yell and punched out at the wall next to him which just bent with the spells they'd placed. The biggest difference between Malfoy and his father's condition was the violence. While Blake had shown no signs of lashing out, Scorpius had had to be sedated more than a few times over the last four days. Ry was very happy for the silver cuffs around the man's wrists, otherwise he was sure they wouldn't have been able to hold him.
"How's your father?" Kingsley asked softly as Scorpius settled down again and slid to the floor muttering to himself.
"He seems to be getting better," Ry answered. "Severus says that he's talking more and is more aware of what is going on around him. I haven't seen him, while he's been awake yet or lucid."
"No violence?" Kingsley as they watched Scorpius.
"Nothing," Ry replied. "Which we are all thankful for. I have no idea how we could have stopped him if he'd started lashing out or wanted to leave the house."
Both men fell into silence, both aware how dangerous Blake could be.
"Severus says he's having more moments when he sounds more like himself," Ry commented. "Hopefully, as he recovers physically, his mental state might settle as well."
"Alison mentioned it was the Legilimens spell that Scorpius used," Kingsley mentioned.
"Yes," Ry agreed. "I've spoken to Severus since my father doesn't have Occlumency shields around his mind. He said that Dad's barriers are very strong and he was surprised that Scorpius was able to get through them. We think this is what is causing all the problems. Dad never explained what type of magic he uses to shield his mind."
"His daughter said he was able to rip into his mind, while inflicting physical pain," Kingsley said softly and Ry clenched his fists. "I've looked at her memories, they are not pleasant."
Ry looked down at his hands before looking over at the dark man beside him and they both shared a look. Remembering what Blake had been like on his knees before Miller, unaware of what was going on around him. His normally sharp eyes, dull and glazed as every inch of him was covered in either blood or dirt. Ry was sure that image would haunt him for the rest of his life.
"Has he tried to kill you yet?" Scorpius hissed.
Kingsley and Ry looked up to see the man looking straight at them through the glass with clear blue eyes.
"You concern yourself with Dark Lords," Scorpius spat. "And yet have the devil beside you!"
Kingsley grabbed his shoulder as Ry glared at the man in the cell in hatred.
"I've seen his memories!" Scorpius yelled before he dashed across the room and smashed his hands on to the glass as he looked at them. "He has more blood on his hands than I could ever imagine! More power than any Dark Lord at his fingertips! And he doesn't use it!"
Ry shivered as they looked into Scorpius's blue eyes. He wished he could say that the man was just raving but his eyes were clear as he looked at them. Well aware they were there.
"Should I ask Severus to look into his mind to see how many of Blake's memories he saw?" Kingsley asked quietly, knowing that Scorpius couldn't hear them.
"No," Ry replied. "We can't risk it."
Scorpius had lost interest in staring at the glass and wondered off as his moment of clarity wore off.
"Ry?" Kingsley whispered.
Ry turned to the other man but he was looking at Scorpius.
"Your father is a good man despite the fact he is a Dark Wizard," Kingsley commented quietly. "And yet, his memories have done that to him."
Ry didn't say anything as Scorpius started to rage again as he lashed out at anything around him until four Aurors rushed into the room to subdue him.
"The Department have taken custody of him," Kingsley reported. "They are going to hold him as a security risk until we can work out how many of Blake's memories he has. His daughter is a different story. She has helped us and admitted to kidnapping Blake and will be taken to trial…Why don't you take some time off Ry?"
Ry watched as Scorpius was laid out on the bed as the potions took effect, sending him under, before nodding at his boss. The possibility that they may have had to do that to his father gave him a chill.
"Thank you, Kingsley."
xXx
Harry was laid out on his stomach on the carpet in one of the rooms in the house as he looked at the magic around him. Watching as something dark swirled along the floor and he held out his hand and the patch of dark magic danced along his fingertips. He wasn't sure how long he'd been there and he knew that both Severus and Dracka had checked on him a few times but had mostly let him be, which he was thankful for. He needed time to try and settle his mind and memories.
He glanced up when he felt dark magic and looked at the cloaked figure of the vampire in the open doorway before he pulled back on his sight.
"Are you hungry?" Dracka asked carefully.
Harry frowned as Dracka stepped into the room and Harry pushed himself up to his knees and the vampire paused. He was distracted by a mark on his leg and didn't notice the other man moving closer.
"Blake?"
Harry startled and scrambled across the room but the vampire just stayed where he was on his knee, where he'd knelt next to him. His dark eyes watching him as Harry stared back. He knew he shouldn't be reacting like this, that the vampire's dark magic was pulling on him to get closer but he couldn't. It was like two sides of himself were fighting against each other and yet his mind was settled around the vampire.
"Severus?" Harry whispered and he could see he had hurt the other man but he wasn't sure what he'd done wrong.
"He's in the kitchen," Dracka replied. "He has coffee."
Harry perked up at the word and shifted to his knees again and Dracka gave him a soft smile as he stood. Dracka walked out into the hallway and Harry followed after him with a slight limp. Severus looked up as they entered and Harry looked the man over. It was getting easier to separate this man with the memories of the man that had taught him at school. It was the eyes as they focused on him and he cocked his head to the side slightly which made Dracka growl.
Harry started and skipped a step to the side as he turned wide eyes on the vampire.
"Sorry," Dracka apologised as he stepped back. "Just a reflex."
Harry frowned and memories of another vampire flooded into his mind. Of a language of slight movements to get a message across without words. To put you in your place and he shivered slightly.
"Yes," Harry said softly in agreement as he moved towards the table in the kitchen and took a seat. Severus placed a mug and a bowl in front of him with a slice of bread. "Thank you."
Severus gave him a smile as he placed another bowl in front of Dracka and the man raised an eyebrow and Severus's smile turned into a smirk.
"Maybe you should cook tomorrow, Blake." Dracka muttered.
Harry paused with his spoon halfway to his mouth.
"Sure," Harry replied mildly as he continued to eat.
"You did a very good job of cooking for us last time," Severus said carefully and Harry frowned.
He got an image in his mind of a lot of people with children and lots of red heads. Then a thin woman with cold eyes, a fat man and a fatter boy sneering at him. The three people digging into the plates he'd cooked while he was left with whatever was left, if he was lucky.
"I always cooked," Harry uttered, still caught up in the memory.
He didn't see the two men share a look.
"When?" Severus whispered. "What are you seeing?"
Harry shook the memory loose as he kept eating and the two men turned back to their meals, believing the conversation had dropped.
"When I was a child," Harry said after a few minutes.
Both men started at his voice and looked over at him.
"When you were a child?" Severus repeated in question.
"Yes."
"Before you came to Hogwarts?"
"Yes."
Severus and Dracka shared a look.
"What?" Harry asked with a frown, getting the feeling he'd said something wrong.
He looked down at the bowl and felt a little sick.
"Just eat what you can," Severus suggested as if reading his mind.
Harry nodded and pushed the bowl away, he was distracted by a patch of light magic on the floor as the two men spoke quietly and he started to feel sleepy again.
"Come on, Blake." Severus whispered as he placed his hand on his. "Back to bed."
xXx
Dracka watched as Blake looked at something they couldn't see and he shivered. He was sure that the man was looking at the magic in the room but it still gave him a shiver to see the man the way he was now. He moved slightly and Blake's eyes flicked over to him and he froze but the man just looked at him before getting distracted by something else. It reminded him of Ben Cooper and the way the man had been when he'd came to Hogwarts as Blake's eyes tracked something over the floor as he held his hand out.
"How is he?" Severus asked softly as he came to lean next to him.
"Gone," Dracka replied with a sigh.
"How long has he been in here?" Severus questioned with a frown.
Dracka glanced at his watch.
"Going on three hours," Dracka reported mildly.
Suddenly Blake yelped and both men looked over in concern but Blake was just flicking his fingers and they looked at him in amusement.
"I think the magic just shocked him," Dracka said with a smirk.
"Shut it," Blake snapped, looking right at them.
Both men shivered at the way that Blake could go from his mind not with them to looking right at them, back to normal. Sometimes it wasn't that easy to spot as Blake got to his feet and stalked towards them before pausing. His head flicked over to look at something they couldn't see. Both men looked Blake over while he was distracted, seeing the damage done to the man's body. He was healing but slowly as the man turned back to them and paced closer. Blake moved until he stood in front of the two men.
"Hey," Severus greeted softly.
"Hey," Blake replied with a small smile.
Blake's eyes focused on Dracka and he shifted slightly under his gaze as the demon took notice of the man's scent. Blake stepped closer and took a sniff of him and Dracka's lips twitched up.
"Getting me back?" Dracka inquired and Blake pulled back sharply.
"Nope," Blake replied. "You never told me why."
Dracka gave the man a leer and Blake stepped back again and the demon in him whined slightly at the move.
"It's a vampire thing," Dracka answer, automatically.
"Vampire thing," Blake muttered and Dracka felt his heart clench.
Blake turned and wandered over to the lounge and sprawled out over it as the two men watched him in both amusement and concern as they shared a look. It was hurting both of them to see Blake like this. Such a strong man…so broken.
"Kingsley stopped by and dropped off a few files," Severus remarked as Blake curled up. "They are about his capture…not pretty."
Dracka nodded, he could tell that from the marks on Blake's skin.
"Ry has spoken with a few healers at St Mungo's," Severus added. "And Kingsley has had people from there look at Scorpius and they aren't sure what happened."
"He broke through the magic," Blake stated and both men looked over to him.
"Around your mind?" Severus asked as they moved over to the lounge.
"Yes," Blake confirmed. "The Hallows flared."
Dracka and Severus shared a look as they stopped before him.
"To protect you?" Dracka asked softly and Blake snorted.
"They are a curse, Dracka." Blake said in amusement, sounding like himself as he used the vampire's name for the first time since he was rescued. "But I am their master, they protect what is theirs."
"His spell mixed with the power of the Hallows?" Severus questioned as he knelt beside the lounge.
"I don't know," Blake muttered with a frown. "Too many memories."
Dracka sighed, unsure if they had lost him again as he took a seat in one of the armchairs and looked over to the other man to see green eyes watching him.
"You are a fix point," Blake uttered. "Only one of you."
Dracka shivered at the man's words.
"Blake?" Severus whispered and the man looked back at him.
"Two of you," Blake stated.
"Two sets of memories?" Severus clarified. "Is that what you are saying?"
Blake cocked his head to the side and Dracka bit down on the growl in the back of his throat. He had to remind himself that he had to treat Blake as a wizard at the moment and not like he normally did. Blake's eyes flicked over to Dracka before he curled up further on the lounge and they could see he was getting tired. He had been tiring quickly and didn't have the energy that he normally would which wasn't surprising.
"Are you going to sleep here?" Severus drawled in amusement.
"Sure," Blake replied with a familiar grin. "Why not?"
Severus stood and held his hand out to the other man.
"A bed is for sleeping, Blake." Severus told him. "Come on."
Blake looked at his hand for a couple of seconds before grabbing it and Severus pulled him to his feet. Dracka moved to his feet and Blake started and skipped a step to the side and his heart clenched. Blake had never reacted to him like this before and he could almost hear the demon in him whine as he froze. Severus gave the man's hand a slight tug and those green eyes left him.
"Come on, back to bed." Severus suggested.
Blake nodded and Severus led Blake from the room as Dracka sat back down in the chair and held his head.
xXx
Severus looked down at the man in the bed, his eyes lingering on the bruises he could see as he reached forward and picked up the man's limp hand. It had been a week since they had found Blake and they weren't sure if he was going to mentally recover from what had happened. He had mostly healed physically except the swelling on the back of his head and the raw skin around his wrists from the silver cutting into his skin.
However, it was Scorpius breaking into Blake's mind that concerned them the most. It both surprised and concerned him that Blake's natural instinct was to run and hide since he was normally such a strong man and would stand and fight. He would have believed that fight would have been his first response until Albert pointed out that Blake was a child of abuse, conditioned to flee first and fight second. Something that would have been drilled into him at a young age and that thought alone sent a shiver down his back.
Severus pulled his thoughts away as he looked down at the man in the bed to realise that green eyes were watching him. He warily looked back at him, unsure.
"Hey," Severus uttered.
"Hey," Blake whispered back.
Severus ran his thumb over the back of the man's hand. Mindful of the bandages around his wrist.
"Dracka?" Blake whispered as his eyes flicked around.
Severus felt his heart clench at the word, this was really hurting the vampire.
"Do you want me to call him?" Severus asked.
Blake frowned and Severus wasn't sure if he was reading into his expression or his mind was slipping again. It had been a surprising the way that Blake had reacted to the vampire.
"Call?" Blake said, sounding unsure.
Severus released his hand and pulled his phone out as green eyes watched him carefully. He sent a text to the vampire before slipping the phone away.
"Severus," Blake whispered and he gave the man a small smile.
"Yes?" He replied, but Blake didn't say anything else.
Severus watched Blake carefully as Dracka opened the door and slipped into the room. Blake's eyes watched the other man, behind Severu,s as the vampire hesitantly walked closer to the bed.
"Hey," Dracka said softly as he knelt by the side of the bed, but Severus could tell the vampire was ready to move if he needed to.
Blake reached out a hand towards him and Dracka hesitantly grabbed it. Blake gave it a slight tug and both men froze, unsure.
"Come here," Blake whispered as he pulled on Dracka's hand.
Severus and Dracka shared a look, before Dracka stood and Blake released him. The vampire slipped out of his shirt and handed it to Severus before removing anything from his pockets. Blake watched him the whole time as Severus frowned.
Dracka moved back towards the bed and they shared a look before Blake wiggled over slightly and the vampire slipped into the bed with Blake. The smaller man curled up around the vampire and Dracka whined slightly before green eyes locked onto Severus.
"What are you waiting for?" Blake asked, sounding more like himself.
Severus gave him a grin and slipped out of his shirt as well and stepped to the other side of the bed. He curled along Blake's back, the fact the man was wearing pants was jarring as he wrapped an arm around his waist. He wasn't sure how long this would last. How long Blake would sleep until he woke screaming or trying to get out of the bed but for now, he would take it. Hopefully it was a step in the right direction.