Yay! New chapter. Thanks for all the reviews so far. For once, I haven't got anything to bitch about. WOLF IS 111 A4 PAGES NOW, YAY!
Words: 7,148
Chapter 9
Draco's Task
For centuries the teaching staff at Hogwarts had always gotten home before the students: mainly because the train journey was so much longer than flooing. In this case, Severus Snape arrived at his home six hours before Draco and Ryder arrived at Malfoy Manor.
Spinners End wasn't a very pleasant place to live; it was dark and dirty, run down and poverty stricken. But Severus didn't particularly care. As a Potions Master he had enough galleons to buy himself a nice house to spend the summers in, but he never really spent the summer in Spinners End. He was usually at the Malfoy's or at Hogwarts.
But it wasn't only for that reason. As a child, his Father had despised him for being like his Mother – magical. His Father was a Muggle, and Severus didn't particularly like to broadcast that fact although he wouldn't deny it either. Growing up in Severus' home wasn't a very pleasant experience. Everything he did he was scolded for, everything he accomplished he was told he could have done better, anything he did better than Tobias Snape he was beaten for.
His Father had taken over his Mother's ancestral home and when Eileen Prince got enough courage to run from her Husband, she and Severus only took what ever they could carry and had no where to go.
They had spent a while at Malfoy Manor, but Abraxas Malfoy wasn't the nicest man, and his Mother soon decided that starving to death in the streets was better than fending off the Malfoy Lord's advances. They rented a room in the Leaky Cauldron after that, but they only had enough money for a single-bed room between them, for a week at most. Eileen got a job cleaning the rooms at the pub. Thom, the barman and owner, gave them their room at half the usual price from then on.
The house at Spinners End was the first place Eileen Prince could afford for herself and her Son. And Severus cherished the broken, empty house because it held his only good memories of his Mother.
Six hours before the boys got to Malfoy Manor, Severus had left his fireplace and sank gratefully into one of his comfortable black armchairs. He had been sitting for exactly 2 minutes and 43 seconds before his fireplace sprang to life and Narcissa Malfoy stepped out along with her Sister.
Bellatrix Lestrange had once been a Black – a Cousin of Sirius. She had married Rudolphus Lestrange straight out of school. After the fall of Voldemort, she, her Husband and Rabastian – her Brother-in-Law – were sent to Azkaban because they refused to denounce Voldemort. She had been broken out, along with the two Lestrange men, after Harry's fourth year.
Narcissa's eyes were puffy and rimmed in red, her bottom lip was swollen from being chewed on and her hands were shaking. Severus stood and led her to the second armchair. She slid into the leather, her shoulders shaking, as tears began to slip from her eyes again.
"Oh Severus, my only Son," she muttered and the dark haired man frowned. He had no idea what she was on about but he knew it had to be bad.
"Narcissa, calm yourself." He muttered, trying to console her, "Bellatrix if you would explain."
She grinned and her eyes twinkled in an insane way, unlike Dumbledore's her eyes twinkled with malice. "My Nephew was chosen for the exalted task of disposing of Dumbledore!" She cooed and Narcissa's sobs renewed. "He will be marked once he returns home."
Severus drew in a deep breath; Ryder would not be happy. Merlin knows that boy was highly possessive of Draco; to have another's mark on the blond would drive the Vampyre into a rage. "It is set in stone?"
"Oh yes, and Draco will make our Lord a fine servant. He will probably take Lucius' place as His most trusted in time!" Bellatrix seemed very pleased with the development; never having the inclination to have children of her own, she took great pride in her Nephews accomplishments.
"My poor baby, my only Son," Narcissa sobbed again. Severus could see where she was coming from. No one yet had been able to kill Albus Dumbledore, and Draco's chances were neither high nor favourable. The boy was, in one word, doomed. If he failed, Voldemort would kill him and if he succeeded the Wizarding World would rip him apart.
"There may be a way I can protect him," Severus offered hesitantly. Narcissa's eyes brightened for a moment and her shoulders stopped shaking. "I will give an Unbreakable Vow. Bellatrix, if you would preside."
She looked angry, but she held her wand out anyway. "Severus Snape, do you give your word that you will watch over Draco as he performs this task?" Narcissa asked, her hands clenched in her lap.
"I will."
"Do you swear you will protect him in any way you can?"
"I will." He swore again.
"And," she continued, "Should Draco fail in his task, will you swear you will carry out the deed in his place?" Bellatrix looked horrified. Her face had taken on a pinched expression as if Narcissa had just slapped her across the face and told her she was a bad Death Eater.
Severus wasn't really surprised, "I will." Red light shot out of the end of Bellatrix's wand and wrapped itself around Narcissa and Severus' joined hands, like a snake, before settling into a figure eight and disappearing. The two let go of each other's hands, and calmly Narcissa stood and stepped into the fireplace. Bellatrix followed, grumpily.
XXX
Draco Malfoy waved goodbye to his boyfriend as Ryder began to spin in the fireplace, before disappearing from sight. His Mother and Father stood, stoically, behind him. Narcissa looked as if she had been crying. Draco smiled hesitantly. Narcissa hadn't gone to Kings Cross for him this time, and he was rather worried about how she looked.
"Mother, are you ill?" He asked, slowly moving forward to hug her. Beside her, Lucius flinched.
"We need to speak Draconais." He said. Draco frowned; he was only called that when he was in major trouble, or something really important was being discussed. "Follow us," he took Narcissa by the elbow, and led the way to his private Study.
Draco took a seat, as did his Mother. Lucius remained standing and began to pace. "You are to be Marked," he said, his voice low and pained. "I am loyal to my Lord, Draco, but I am loyal to my family as well. I love you and I want you to serve with me, but I want to keep you safe simultaneously. He may kill you if you refuse."
Draco, it seemed, hadn't been listening since he heard the word 'marked'. "Ryder won't be happy." He whispered. Vampyre's were notoriously possessive of their Mates, and it was only one year from then till Draco' maturity so Ryder would be even more overbearing. Not to mention they hardly saw each other.
"He will understand." Lucius promised. Narcissa couldn't bring herself to speak.
"Is it hard? My task?" Draco asked, hopefully. He flinched at the sad look that crossed his Father's face, "of course it is. Nothing but the most challenging for a Malfoy." He gave a humourless laugh. "Will I die?" No one answered him. "Can I tell Ryder? He'll need to understand why I'm de-"
"You WON'T die," Narcissa jumped out of her seat and cried. "Severus will protect you."
"Ryder can protect me," Draco challenged.
"He can do nothing," she hissed. "He is not from a family like ours," meaning Death Eaters, of course. "He is a child, Draco. Like you, would you truly drag him into all this?"
"That was low, Mother," the blond teenager whispered. He would do anything to keep Ryder safe, even if they weren't as close as they used to be, he still loved the other boy immensely. "I won't tell him, I promise." Narcissa sat down again. "When am I to be Marked?"
"Now," Lucius said, just as the study door opened and Lord Voldemort sauntered in, flanked by Peter Pettigrew.
XXX
The three Lestrange's had been broken out of Azkaban a year earlier. At first they hadn't much cared about their wayward Cousin, Atticus. Until they realized the man's Son would marry Draco Malfoy. And so they began to investigate. Happily, they found that Atticus had married a Pureblood – they had been worried that the man was completely against their ways.
And then, Atticus had surprised them one time. While they were spying on him, Atticus had been watching them. Laughing quietly, the Vampyre Lord had snuck up behind the three escapees and growled. All three Lestrange's had jumped a foot in the air. Atticus Rochairt had invoked Familial Agreements, and when Bellatrix found out about Draco being Marked, she had been sworn to tell Atticus.
Unhappily, the three loitered around the edge of the room. In the other corner, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin stood. Sirius was, for some unexplained reason, declared as dead when he didn't show up at the Department of Mysteries. Ryder had an inkling it had something to do with Dumbledore. Whatever the reason, that made Ryder Lord of House Black.
"Oh balls, what now?" He demanded as he flung himself down into a seat, pouting.
"We have a slight problem," Atticus informed him. In the corner of the room, Sirius Black began to laugh. Ryder glared at him.
He raised an eyebrow at his Father and waited. It was Bellatrix who spoke. "My Nephew is in the process of being Marked." Ryder stood but slumped back into the chair when Atticus shook his head. "He will be one of Our Lord's most trusted. His first task is to kill Albus Dumbledore."
Ryder looked slightly ill, but Rowena looked outraged. "He can't! Dumbledore is mine," she hissed and Bellatrix actually flinched away from the sound.
"Our Lord can do as he wishes! Our Lord is all powerful!" Bellatrix crowed.
"Says you. I'll ban Rose from mating with him," she huffed, ignoring the fact that she then would be unable to mate with Salazar. "I'm going to put an end to this farce." She stood. As she was speaking the fireplace had sprung to life and Lucius Malfoy had stepped out.
"It's too late," he whispered looking at Ryder.
The brunette let out a growl, "if anything, and I mean anything, happens to Draco because of Voldemort, I will kill him." He snarled, "sorry Rowena." She shrugged and wondered idly if that meant she was going to have to go back to school, some generations on from now.
No body responded to the statement. Lucius helped himself to a shifter of Port and when Narcissa didn't follow through the floo, Bellatrix went to her.
"Can I see Draco?"
"No," Lucius answered, staring into his glass. "He doesn't wish to see you. He is afraid you will be able to sense he had a Dark Mark, and will hate him." Ryder looked over at Lucius and shook his head. "I know you won't, but Draco is in shock. He won't listen to reason."
"I won't tell him I know, if it makes it any better." Lucius smiled.
"We have bigger problems, at present," Rowena said breaking the newly descended silence. "Dumbledore is on his way to Number 4 as we speak." Ryder left the room cursing at the top of his voice in Gaelic.
XXX
Horace Slughorn's house was small but nicely furnished. Although, Harry thought, he could do with redecorating. The floral wallpaper was a bit dated and turning grey with age. The man had just agreed to be a Professor at Hogwarts, after being retired since the last War. Harry hated the way the man stared at him. It was nothing like Quirrell used to, but it was still unnerving. It reminded him of Gilderoy Lockhart; attention seeking, trying to gain fame through Harry, because he had none of his own, not really. Harry swallowed.
"My boy, you should come and have tea with me sometime," Horace offered with a sweet smile. Harry had the urge to bang his head off a wall; he knew it, the man was a user.
"Headmaster, don't we have to be at the Weasley's?" He subtly tried to make the man leave. So far, he had been too subtly.
"Look at the time! Sorry Horace, old friend, we'll have to be leaving you." Bout fucking time, Harry nearly screamed.
XXX
Bill was getting married to the French Veela from the Tri-Wizard Tournament. The thought kept running through his mind as he wandered down Diagon Alley with the Weasley's. They are getting married. Harry let out a small growl. They were trying to steal his and Draco's limelight! How dare they! He was engaged first! He shook his head; he knew he was being ridiculous, but he couldn't help it. He'd been behaving strangely since he heard that Draco was a Death Eater.
Rowena had said the Mark was removable, but that didn't change the fact that Voldemort had claimed someone that already belonged to Ryder. If the man wasn't Rose's mate, he would be twenty-six feet under by now.
Ginny Weasley had taken to stalking him again. How droll. She smiled sweetly up at him, and linked arms with him. He tried very hard not to shudder. He pretended to trip up, so he could unlink his arm from hers. "Oh Harry, are you ok?" She tried to pick him up but he 'fell' again and she fell with him.
"I'm so sorry Ginny," he said insincerely as he tried to help her up but let go of her hand too soon. "Sorry again," he said as she fell on her arse again. When she finally got up, after she begged Harry to stop helping her, it was easy to guess she didn't try to link arms with him again.
Hours later, or what felt like hours, Harry caught sight of Draco's stunning blond hair bob past a window. He looked over and smiled as he caught sight of his love heading into Knockturn Alley. He cast a quick glamour on himself, and with brown hair and brown eyes he slipped away form his 'friends' and followed after the blond.
"I need it fixed soon," Draco ordered Mr. Burke, "He will not be pleased if it isn't completed on time." He pulled up the sleeve of his left arm, and Mr. Burke gasped. "And keep the other one safe while you're at it." He threw a handful of Galleons down onto the counter and left Borgin & Burkes.
Ryder stayed where he was, in the corner of the shop and thought for a minute. "Imperio," he whispered with his wand pointed at the shop owner. "What was Malfoy doing?"
"He wanted me to fix the Vanishing Cabinet for him. I have to hold onto the matching Cabinet until the first is fixed." Burke intoned. His eyes began to clear as Ryder turned and strode out of the shop. He wouldn't sabotage Draco's efforts, because that would surely get the boy in trouble. But, if he knew what Draco was planning, he could help.
"Hey mate," Ron called as he lowered the glamour and made his way into the Twin's new joke shop – that his money had funded. "Where'd you go? I could have come with you."
Harry jumps off a bridge: "Oi, I'm coming too! Don't think you're doing anything without me, mate."
He rolled his eyes, "nothing. Just got a bit left behind." Ronald Weasley needed to get an imagination, or some initiative or something. For Merlin's sake, he was forever following Harry around or doing what Hermione told him. The boy was such a pain!
XXX
Harry groaned his way through the first meeting of the Slug Club. As he had thought, Horace Slughorn was one of those people that lived off the strengths of other's and had been doing so for years. He was particularly fond of Tom Riddle's magical strength. His new favourite, was Harry Potter's fame.
He didn't invite Draco, Harry noticed. Then again, the man seemed to be very anti-Death Eater. Blaise Zabini, who was and always would be neutral, sat in the corner of Slughorn's train compartment.
Ryder had always like Blaise. He always defended Draco from everyone, and he made sure to keep Pansy away from him (since she found out about the Marriage Contract). They had gotten along well, better than well, because Ryder was likewise neutral.
"…Teaching Potions this year," Harry heard Slughorn say, "I'm a Potions Master, didn't you know?" Harry groaned; if this wasn't the Defence teacher, that meant Snape was.
XXX
Ryder rather enjoyed having Slughorn as a Potions Professor; Draco didn't though. And what was even better, after he had forgotten his copy of Advanced Potions Making, Slughorn had borrowed him a school copy. His new school copy came complete with hand written notes, presumably put there by the books last owner.
Whoever it was, Harry wanted to kiss them, it meant he could do well in Potions and get an 'O' without having to think of an excuse to his friends. He couldn't do well for Snape, because the man would recognize his brewing technique to be the same as Ryder's.
Crush the berry with the pommel of a silver knife. Ryder did as the note instructed and far more juice pooled out than it did when the rest of the class crushed it between their fingers.
His Potion was the best in the class, which would have been expected at Durmstrang but not here. "Well done, Mr. Potter. And as promised, here is a vial of Felix Felicis potion." Ryder shrugged and pocketed the vial. While he could make the potion himself, it was nice to be praised. He could get used to it, in face. With a grin he hugged the old copy of Advance Potions Making closer to his chest.
He'd have to swap the cover with the cover on his brand new book. There was no way he was giving this copy up without memorizing every note that was in it.
XXX
Draco Malfoy had been made Prefect that year. That meant he got his own room with access to the Prefects Bathroom. It also meant that when, his task wasn't going so well and, he wanted to break down and cry he could. First, he had debated telling Ryder. But he was so afraid the Vampyre might reject him, he couldn't bring himself to share the bad news.
Then he had ended up being followed all over the train by Harry Potter, until the boy had left for the Slug Club – to which HE had NOT been invited. Of course, Burke wouldn't finish with those Cabinets for a while, so Draco had to think of things to do in between now and then encase Dumbledore grew suspicious.
The man knew someone was out for him this year, but not who. Draco refused to act only when Dumbledore had time to narrow down the options. It was much better act now and waste Dumbledore's time, so he had none to think.
Draco threw himself down on his bed and sobbed. It was a Hogsmeade weekend after Friday, and it was the perfect time to start his plan. He had already bought the necklace, in Borgin & Burkes, now all he had to do was give it to someone to give to Dumbledore.
He wiped his eyes and sat up on the bed. How he wished Ryder was there to hug him.
XXX
Draco was shaking like a leaf. It was their first apparition lesson and he was too nervous. His first attempt to kill Dumbledore had gone so wrong. A seventh year named Katie Bell was in St. Mungos because she had opened the package before Dumbledore could get it. Draco had almost killed another student. He would be expelled and sent to Azkaban. He'd fail in his task and he'd never see Ryder again. The Voldemort would break him out of Azkaban and torture him to death.
He swallowed. He was going to die a virgin!
Blaise nudged him, "your turn," the Italian whispered. Draco shook as he walked over to the red circle on the floor. He stood in the centre and with a 'pop' he appeared inside the white circle a few feet over.
"Congratulations Mr. Malfoy," the Ministry Official praised, "and you didn't even splinch yourself!"
Harry likewise, did it first go. Ron lost half an eyebrow, which Ryder charmed so Hermione couldn't fix it, and neither could the Ministry Official. Which was funny.
Draco glared at the brunette. The one year he leaved Harry Potter alone, and the brunette takes up stalking him. When he tries to get Harry's attention – not that he ever did, mind you – Harry ignored him. Now that it was the other way around, he couldn't get rid of his four-eyed shadow.
It was time to try his second plan, Draco decided, when he saw Slughorn walk through the room with a bottle of brandy he had bought for Dumbledore.
XXX
Draco paced in his private room at Hogwarts. He was so angry and so scared. Ryder was coming to Hogwarts to visit him. Ryder had been standing outside the door for twenty-five minutes but he couldn't bring himself to open up for his love. What if Ryder did abandon him? What happened then? Draco thought he particularly wouldn't care if Voldemort killed him, if Ryder left him.
"Come in," he called and began to peel his shirt off. Ryder raised an eyebrow and Draco blushed softly but unfastened his belt. "I want to make love. I'm a virgin. I don't want to die a virgin."
"What makes you think you're going to die?" Ryder asked, acting as if he knew nothing about Draco's Mark. Of course, then his eyes drifted down to the bare arm that Draco was desperately trying to cover up again with his right hand.
"I forgot about it," he whispered. "I was so afraid to tell you."
Ryder moved over to him and fastened the belt again, before picking the shirt up off the floor and feeding the blond's arms through the sleeves. He buttoned it up. "Now sit," he pushed Draco onto the bed, "and explain."
Draco launched into an explanation at once, his entire body trembling until Ryder repositioned them so Draco was resting between the brunette's legs, his back to Harry's chest.
"I was so scared. He didn't look like Potter said he did after fourth year. But he was terrifying. He kept rolling his eyes or sneering to himself, and I thought he was angry at me!" Ryder nearly laughed. Tom and Salazar must be driving the man back to insanity. "I cursed a student. She's in St. Mungos. It was an accident I swear, Ryder! And Weasley! I poisoned him. If it weren't for Potter, he would have died. I don't want to go to Azkaban!" Draco cried.
He turned in the brunette's arms and began to sob against his love's chest. Ryder held him and patted his back. He shifted so they were lying beside one another.
"I don't want to die a virgin," the blond whispered.
"You won't die," Ryder swore, running his hands through blond hair. "And when you're really ready, I'll fuck that virginity right out of you." Draco moaned in anticipation. He did admit that he was still nervous at the thought of being fucked by Ryder. He had always thought he would have been on top; but then he was told about Ryder and their marriage contract and knew he would never be able to dominate the Vampyre.
When he was ready and comfortable, Draco thought, they wouldn't fuck. They'd make love.
Draco had his best nights sleep since he left Hogwarts last year. When he woke up, Ryder was gone, but a small ring lay where the brunette had lain all night.
XXX
Draco paced in the Room of Requirements. He knew Harry Potter and his friends had used this room last year to learn Defence without Umbridge knowing, and since he had been the one to catch them, he now knew where the room was too.
He looked at his ring finger on his left hand.
He was wearing the ring Ryder had left for him. He might not have said it, but Draco knew Ryder meant it as an engagement ring. Most Pureblood's didn't trade rings until they graduated and they wore them for one year before exchanging them for wedding rings, after marriage. Draco grinned; Ryder was marking him as his!
The ring was beautiful, even if it didn't look like an ordinary engagement ring. It was platinum and a half-inch thick. The ring was engraved around the outside with the image of a vine – much like on Ryder's blood oak wand – with tiny little leaves. The engraving was filled with gold. On the inside of the ring, on the half that rested against the underside of Draco's finger were the words 'As Long As You Want Me'. Draco didn't understand them, but he knew it could translate to 'I Love You' coming from Ryder.
Sitting on top of the ring – like a normal engagement ring – was a large, perfectly cut clear diamond. Draco had been happily flaunting the ring around the school, showing anyone and everyone who would watch.
Pansy was his favourite person to show. She had gone purple with anger then fainted away. When she woke she had cried for an hour before demanding Draco take off the ring and give it to her. Because after all, she was the woman in their relationship so she was supposed to wear the ring. Draco took great delight in telling her – in front of all of Slytherin House – that the ring meant he and RYDER were engaged, and she was delusional.
Coming away from his thoughts, Draco looked over at the Vanishing Cabinet he had picked up from Borgin & Burkes. Burke was still working on the broken one. Crabbe and Goyle stood watch outside, Polyjuiced as first year Slytherin girls.
He heard Harry Potter's voice and then Goyle give a surprised squeak. Draco swallowed as the room began to change. Potter was obviously coming inside. In a panic, Draco rushed to the Vanishing Cabinet and jumped inside, making sure to leave the door slightly open.
Harry sat down on a cushion and pulled out his copy of Advanced Potions Making. He began to make notes on a sheet of blank parchment of all the new spells that were written down the margins of the book pages. He needed to test these spells out. Ryder had more than enough sense to know he shouldn't try spells on humans without knowing what they did first.
He conjured the golem, which still looked like Harry. Draco thought that was a bit narcissistic but he wasn't going to leave his Cabinet to say so. "Sectumsempra," Harry shouted aiming his holly and phoenix feather wand at the golem – which fortunately can't die.
The golem's chest split open, and imitation blood began to flood out of the gash. "Merlin," Harry breathed as he saw the damage done. He was so glad he had tested it first.
Draco was trembling. He prayed to any higher power that Harry never caught him. He really didn't want to be on the receiving end of that curse. As Potter was leaving, Draco left the Cabinet. But his robes got stuck on the lock and when he went to untangle them, he fell into the Cabinet and the door closed behind him. He swore as he was spat out of the newly fixed Cabinet-twin at Borgin & Burkes.
"Master Malfoy, I was just about to write to you." Burke put down his quill and smiled, well grimaced more like. Draco handed over the rest of the money he owed the man, cleaning out what little he had left over from the summer.
He left the shop and headed to the jewellery shop in Diagon Alley. He bought his purchase with a cheque order, which saved time on having to go to Gringotts. Draco returned to Hogwarts through the Cabinet and went to his room to write a letter to his Father. It was almost time.
An hour later, Harry Potter received a package via owl addressed to 'R. Hammond'. He hid it before either Hermione or Ron could see it and left the Great Hall. In the Gryffindor dormitory he pulled out the package and opened it slowly. He gasped as he picked up the ring carefully.
It was almost identical to the one he had sent Draco. Except it didn't have a diamond on top. By Wizarding Custom, only the female – or female equivalent – partner wore a diamond engagement ring. The males wore a ring that could pass for a wedding ring. It was beautiful, and engraved on the bottom inside, was 'I Will Always Want You'.
XXX
Ryder was trembling. He didn't care for the man who lay panting at his feet, but seeing anyone go through so much pain was traumatising. Dumbledore fought to pull himself to his feet, and after some time, Ryder helped him up and out of the cave. In Dumbledore's blackened hand was a golden locket with a large letter 'S' engraved into the front. A golden ring with a large black gem sat on his blackened finger.
Ryder looked back at the cave and shuddered. The wind buffeted the both of them as they tried to get around the side of the cave and onto flat ground again. When they touched ground, Dumbledore lay down on the grass and gave a small laugh. "We did it my boy," he whispered.
"Yeah," Ryder said, staring over the edge of the ground to where the cave entrance was hidden below. He swore he could still hear the Inferi moving about inside. He shuddered and clutched a hand to his chest. He could feel his ring – which hung on a necklace out of sight – through the clothing, and squeezed it slightly.
"Come my boy, I am ready to leave," Ryder couldn't have agreed more.
XXX
Lord Voldemort had no idea that, at that very moment, Severus Snape was pouring a special potion over the ring he had stolen from his maternal Grandfather. Gaunt's ring was no longer a Horcrux. Like the diary had been, it housed a piece of Voldemort's soul; but now, the soul had been cast out.
With nowhere for the soul to go, and it wanted to go before Dumbledore caught it and destroyed it, it headed back to the other two pieces of himself.
He didn't stick around long enough to see what happened to the golden locket.
Voldemort gasped and tensed up as the soul from Gaunt's ring entered his body. He immediately de-aged one year, in looks. He was 29 again. He shuddered as he felt another consciousness prod at his heavily Occluded mind. If it wasn't bad enough that he had to put up with Tom and Salazar, poor Voldemort now had – who the fuck was this anyway?
"You may call me, Marvolo," the voice said. At once, the other two parts of him began welcoming Marvolo. Voldemort sighed and summoned a Death Eater to bring him a headache potion of seven.
An owl flew in through the window with a letter. Voldemort instinctively knew it was from Draco Malfoy. He dearly hoped Malfoy didn't fail; he just wasn't in the mood to listen to excuses.
XXX
"It's a fake!" Harry cried incredulously as Dumbledore read the note that had been stuffed inside the golden locket.
Dumbledore didn't reply. He waved at Snape, who immediately left the room. "Put your cloak on my boy," Dumbledore ordered. When Harry didn't moved, Dumbledore stunned him and covered him up with the Invisibility Cloak anyway. Harry raged beneath the fabric, trying to get free.
He gave up a second before the door flew open and Draco stormed in, wand raised. "You die today, old man," the blond shouted. "Ava-" But he couldn't finish the word.
"You can't do it can you? You can't kill me." Dumbledore wasn't sounding condescending; he sounded like he understood what Draco was feeling, but Ryder knew differently. Don't let your guard down; he wanted to shout to the blond, Dumbledore will have you in Azkaban by the morning!
"I can!" Draco insisted.
"You can't, you're not like them. I can help you. Let me help you, Draco." Draco's wand lowered and Ryder couldn't believe what he was seeing. He struggled harder against his bonds but he knew there was only one way to get free before Dumbledore hurt Draco.
The blond's head was tilted forward, his eyes closed, so he didn't see Dumbledore smirk and raise his wand. Nor did he see Severus throw open the door and get stunned trying to come to Draco's defence.
Harry removed his 'skin'. Where he stood, frozen in place, was now Ryder. He flung off the cloak ignoring Dumbledore's startled look and shouted, "Avada Kedavra," using his blood oak wand. Dumbledore slumped lifelessly to the floor, his eyes flashing green before going dull and grey.
He looked at Draco, "run." Draco opened his mouth a few times but no words came out. He moved to Severus and lifted the curse. "Go," he ordered again.
Snape came to his senses first and grabbed Draco's arm, pulling him towards the door. Draco looked back at Ryder. "How did you get here?"
"I swore to protect you, did I not?" He asked, evading the question. Fortunately, Draco never saw Harry Potter in the room, so he had no reason to connect the dots. They ran, Severus pulling Draco down the stairs leading away from the Headmaster's Office, as Draco stared back at his fiancé. Ryder waved.
When they were out of sight, he moved over to the window and looked out, while making sure to keep out of sight. The place was in chaos. There were Death Eaters steaming out of the school and onto the front lawn, fighting Professors and students, cutting people down with curses and being cut down in turn.
They probably got in through the Vanishing Cabinets, Ryder realized. He quickly cast a glamour over himself again. When his hair was brown and his eyes brown too, he made sure his features were non-descript before conjuring a Death Eater mask and robes and pulling them on. He conjured the golem and left it where Dumbledore had made him stand and threw the cloak over him.
He shared his memory with the construct, so if anyone tested it, they'd never know it was the real Harry.
Then Ryder levitated Dumbledore so he stood in front of the window. "Avada Kedavra," he called, very loudly, so the people below could hear. Dumbledore topped from the window and fell from the tower to hit the ground with a sickening crack.
Ryder looked away, took a deep breath and ran from the room, throwing curses randomly and making sure people knew he was the one to kill Dumbledore, not Draco.
He ran passed Fenrir Greyback, who looked up at him and smirked, before bending down to sink his fangs back into Bill Weasley's face. Ryder winced – poor Fleur Delacour. Draco he noticed had already left Hogwarts, but he could see Severus fighting against a Death Eater Ryder knew was Bellatrix: maintaining his spying position.
XXX
Lestrange Manor was cold and empty when Ryder got home. He took off the Death Eater garb and removed the glamour. He pulled the ring off of the chain, and pushed it onto his left ring finger with a smile. Draco probably wouldn't want him when he knew the truth.
Maybe not, Ryder thought, but he could keep him safe anyway.
He nodded determinedly and flooed to Riddle Manor. He got there at the same time as Draco was giving his excuses.
The Death Eaters were slowly trickling back from Hogwarts, but the two senior Malfoy's had been waiting with Voldemort since Draco's owl arrived. They looked nervous and pale, but Ryder's attention was better focused on Draco.
"It wasn't my fault!" The blond insisted. "I don't know who it was!" He lied, not wanting to get Ryder hurt or in trouble.
"Do not lie to me Malfoy," Voldemort hissed as he raised his wand.
"Don't be so hard on the boy," Salazar chastened the Dark Lord.
"Yeah, he's only protecting his Mate," Tom joined in.
Marvolo had quickly realized that the other two had teamed up against Voldemort, and had chosen their team. He too wanted his Mate. "We'd protect our Mate, wouldn't you Voldemort?"
"That makes no sense," Voldemort whispered and the Death Eaters exchanged nervous glances. He sneered at Draco, and raised his wand higher. Draco tensed as Voldemort began to pronounce 'Crucio', but the sound of the door being flung open stopped him mid-speech. Draco relaxed for a moment as he recognized Ryder, then tensed in fear for the other boy.
"He is MINE," the brunette hissed, striding forward angrily. Rose leant against the doorframe and wiggled her fingers in a 'hello' to Voldemort.
"Now, you've done it, idiot." Salazar hissed.
Tom gave Voldemort a mental kick in the groin: which he only managed not to scream from. "You keep making our Mate's family hate us! What's wrong with you?"
Marvolo wasn't as composed as the rest of them. This was the first time he saw his Mate after all. "That's my Mate? THAT IS MY MATE? Mate? Mine? Her? That? WHOOOOOO!" Voldemort wanted nothing more than to strangle the 19 year-old Marvolo. Oh, he wanted another headache potion as well, of course.
"He is MINE," Ryder repeated with a growl. By now all the Death Eaters were gathered in front of their Lord. But they parted like the Red Sea to let the enraged Vampyre through. He gathered Draco against him and petted the blond's hair for a few seconds, making sure he was ok, before turning back to Voldemort. He pulled the sleeve of Draco's robe up and hissed, "remove it." Voldemort didn't move, "REMOVE IT NOW!" The Vampyre roared. Rose's eyes turned blue.
"I will not," Salazar kicked Voldemort for saying that, especially since Rowena's eyes narrowed at the words. "He is my follower."
"He is MY Mate, and you will remove it, or I will kill you, Rose or no Rose." He hissed, his voice deadly and dangerous.
Rose smiled at him, her eyes green again, "I'd do it if I was you. Technically he is older than me by a minute, so he can ban me from Mating with you. And you'll go insane again and Rowena will hate me and Ryder but Ryder will growl at her and then they'll fight and well, yeah… just take off the Mark." She beamed at Voldemort. Not mentioning that she didn't particularly want him to die, even though he had yet to get his act together.
His resolve crumbled when his Mate smiled at him. He knew he disappointed her, but he also knew he could earn her love and respect, and he wouldn't be such a disappointment anymore. And the first step in that direction, was keeping her angry Brother happy.
"Malfoy, come here." Draco flinched and slowly made his way forward.
The blond screamed as Voldemort's wand dug into his arm and the Mark began to burn itself off of his flesh. Ryder's growling intensified, but Rose had moved forward and was holding him back. The moment Draco's left arm was bare again Ryder pulled the blond towards him and Rose nodded at Voldemort and whispered 'thank you'.
All four souls residing in that one body melted at her silent words. Each of them finally thought they might have a real chance this time. Especially since now Dumbledore was dead.
"So, Malfoy, who did kill Dumbledore?" Voldemort asked, genuinely wanting to know.
"I did," Ryder glared at the Dark Lord, just as Severus slipped into the room and bowed briefly.
Ryder looked at Draco, as Severus reported what the Order and the Ministry were doing about Dumbledore's death. He knew that it was soon. Everything was coming to that point in time that depended on whether or not Draco could and would forgive him. They would soon be 17, which was the usual age to announce an engagement – even though you wouldn't wear rings until Graduation, when most people were 18.
He would have to tell Draco this summer, he knew. But he didn't really want to. Should Draco ever leave him, he'd – well no, he wouldn't turn himself into the Aurors, but he'd do something really desperate and embarrassing like beg for forgiveness or become a stalker, or…
He shuddered and pushed that idea out of his head. As much as he loved Draco, getting with Ginny Weasley to drive the blond insane with jealousy just wasn't worth it.
XXX
Dumbledore had been buried at the school, and through the golem Ryder had been able to see the experience and find out how his and Draco's Slytherin friends were doing. They'd be arriving straight after they arrived home.
Ryder knew he had to tell them. And he didn't think he'd be able to go through with the drama more than once. Neville was different, he was a Gryffindor and therefore relatively pliant. Slytherins were a tricky bunch to confess to, because they either hated you for tricking them in the first place or they drove you mad insisting they knew all along.
Pansy drove him mad as it was, so she obviously hated been invited.
Neville was coming though. Ryder wanted him there to help him out, protect him from angry snakes if necessary. He didn't mind overly much if his friends decided not to like him. He still had Viktor Krum and Neville Longbottom, and of course he had Rose and his parents too. And Lucius Malfoy – supposing Draco allowed Lucius to speak to Harry.
The only one he was worried about, was Draco. He couldn't bare the thought of losing Draco. He twisted the ring on his finger before pulling it off and turning it to read the inscription.
I Will Always Want You…
How Ryder wished he could believe it was true.
There was a knock at the door. Ryder swallowed, straightened his robes and opened the door. Unlike telling Sirius and Remus, he wanted to tell his friends on his own. He chuckled as all of his friends entered the room – Viktor had shown up as well – and thought about how he was feeding himself to the proverbial lions.
Well, here goes nothing.
XXX
Well there you go, that was HBP my way! Hope you like it, please give me loads of reviews. I have no plot to work from now – so I have to think up my own, so I need extra reviews to fuel my fancies!