Chapter Fifteen: Summer Holidays Part Two

Draco was busy with his History of Magic homework and grumbling about stupid ghosts when he heard a tapping on the window. He looked up to see Salazar at the window and sprang to open it. As the owl fluttered in, Draco's interest turned to worry. Normally if Salazar had a letter he would try his best to nip the recipient while they were removing it. Now, though, he carried no letter and his wings and beak seemed darker than usual.

"Hey boy, how's Harry?" the young wizard said. Salazar eyed Draco and then hooted mournfully before hopping onto Draco's essay and running his wing across a blank space on the parchment. Draco stared in annoyance and then leapt to shoo the owl away.

"Oy you stupid bird what did you do..that..for" he trailed off, seeing the red substance on the parchment. Taking a cautious sniff he smelt the distinctive copper tang of blood and went pale. "It's Harry's isn't it?" he said to Salazar. The owl hooted and then cuffed Draco round the head for taking so long to figure that out.

Draco stared at his friend's owl for a minute before saying, "Stay right there, I'll tell my father about Harry. On second thought, come with me." Salazar hooted and flapped behind Draco as he ran to the sitting room where his parents were.

Lucius and Narcissa were enjoying a cup of tea when Draco skidded into the room, out of breath and nearing panic. Lucius frowned before saying, "Draco, what have we told you about running indoors?"

Draco waved off the reprimand, saying, "It's an emergency. Salazar, Harry's owl, just came in my window. He's got blood on his wings and beak and its Harry's. He's hurt, badly. He needs help!"

The two elder Malfoys exchanged a glance, before Lucius held his arm out to Salazar, who landed on it gracefully. Lucius examined the blood carefully before getting up from his chair.

"Where does Harry live, Draco?" he asked crisply.

Draco blinked before realizing that his father was going to help Harry and then answered, "Number Four Privet Drive. He told us at school so we could send owls to him."

Lucius nodded. "I'll go and see him. If he's in as bad a condition as the amount of blood on his owl suggests then I will need to bring him back here quickly and I can't Apparate three people. Floo Severus, tell him to bring healing potions with him, as wide a variety as possible. Apart from that, help your mother get the guest room ready for Harry. He will be staying with us for the rest of the summer and possibly longer if he agrees.

Draco never got a chance to question that last statement as Lucius promptly Apparated to Privet Drive. The wizard found Number Four very easily, as loud yelling was coming from it. As Lucius walked closer he felt the edge of the wards and stopped. Few people knew it but Lucius Malfoy was an accomplished ward breaker. It was what made him so valuable to the Dark Lord, and what made him part of the elite Inner Circle. Examining the wards round Number Four he growled quietly. Blood based, and based on love for the young wizard that lived there. They were almost non-existent given the amount of hate and indifference present in the house, directed at Harry. The sole protection seemed to be that any visitors or intruders in this case, could have no ill intent toward Harry. If they did then the wards would activate.

Snorting elegantly, Lucius stepped onto the front path and walked to the door. As he reached it his keen hearing picked up the sound of a boot hitting flesh and a muffled yelp of pain that the wizard recognized at being from Harry. Growling, he quietly unlocked the door and entered, not before disillusioning himself first.

The scene inside the house enraged him. Raiden was lying on the floor, curled up round his side, while Vernon and Dudley stood above him, kicking him and spitting vile curses at him. Raiden raised his head and hissed something which caused several pots and pans to fly at his attackers. Lucius stood by the wall, impressed at his command of wandless magic and that he was still fighting back.

Then Vernon kicked Raiden in the head again, and Raiden's command of his magic was lost. As he moaned in pain, Dudley kicked him yet again, and was just reaching down to pick Raiden up when an ice cold voice stopped him.

"Do not move, Muggle."

Raiden looked through a haze of pain to see Lucius Malfoy standing just behind the Dursleys, his wand out and a murderous expression on his face. He silently cheered at the rescue, while simultaneously being embarrassed at the need for rescue in the first place.

Lucius nodded to Raiden as he movd forward, herding the Dursleys towards the wall with swift flicks of his wand. When he'd cleared his path to his target, he petrified the muggles with an absent wave of his wand and then knelt by Raiden. With gentle movements he ran his hands down Raiden's body, checking for broken bones and other injuries.

"Does it hurt anywhere, Harry" he said gently. Barely able to think, Raiden nodded, wincing when Lucius pressed gently on his sides and head. Growling inwardly, Lucius gently immobilized Raiden so he couldn't be hurt further by the Apparition. Picking up the nearly thirteen year old wizard, Lucius arranged Raiden in his arms so he was supported and held firmly so he didn't flop around. Once he'd got a firm grip on Raiden, he turned to the Dursleys, and growled out, "I will be back, Dursley, and I will show you exactly what I think of muggles that abuse a wizard child."

Leaving the Dursleys shaking in fear, Lucius then flicked his wand at them again, ensuring that they couldn't tell anyone of his visit. To anyone else, they would say that Harry ran away.

Lucius walked quickly down Privet Drive, carrying Raiden until he felt the wards end and it was safe for apparation. Concentrating hard he apparated to Malfoy Manor, landing in the entrance hall, being met by Draco and Narcissa.

"Come up to the guest room, Severus is waiting there," Narcissa said, casting a look at the unconscious boy that seemed so different from the happy, alive boy she'd seen a few weeks ago, at the train station. Draco was nervous as well, he couldn't imagine the idea that a child could be hurt by their family in the way that Raiden had been. Although he'd known that his friend's family wasn't the nicest, to see this abuse first hand as it were shocked him to the core.

"He, he will be alright won't he?" he asked as they reached the guest room and Lucius put Raiden down on the bed.

Severus, after hissing sharply at the identity of his patient, got to work. Sparing a glance at his other student he said "He will be, Draco, just let me get him back to health."

Draco nodded and let his mother pull him out of the room. The last thing he saw was his father sitting in the chair by the bed and watching Severus work on his friend.

Inside the room, Lucius and Severus were looking intently at Raiden. Severus, although a Potions Master, also had basic Medi-wizard training as part of his certification which was coming in very handy now. After two hours of hard work, during which Severus healed numerous cuts and abrasions, and the deeper injuries as well, which included a bad concussion and some bruised organs. Also on the list were three cracked ribs which were also healed. Finally Severus sat in the other chair and sighed.

"He's as healed as I can make him, Lucius. Now tell me, what is our young Mr Potter doing lying unconscious in your home, and why is he so banged up?"

Lucius growled in annoyance. "Draco came running into the sitting room a few hours ago and told me that Mr Potter was hurt. His owl, Potter's that is, had blood on his wings and beak and was very agitated. I apparated to his home and found his uncle and cousin beating him. He had obviously fought back; tell me Severus, did you know that he could do wandless magic?"

"Yes I knew about it. He can fight with it?" Snape asked, intrigued.

Lucius nodded. "Yes or at least he was. He used wandless magic to make the pots and pans fly round hitting his relatives. Then his uncle kicked him in the head and his magic control left him. I stepped in at that point."

"I see," Snape said, musing on what to do. "Well, he obviously can't go back there, so what do we do with him?"

Lucius looked at his friend as if he was stupid. "I had intended to invite Mr Potter here for the holidays, as Draco wanted to play Quidditch with him. I think I'll do a bit more than that now."

"What do you intend to do?" Snape asked cautiously. Although Lucius Malfoy had been Voldemort's right hand man, with Snape being the left hand one, he wasn't one that took pleasure in torturing children and in fact loathed two things more than anything else in the world. One was child abuse. The other was muggles. The Dursleys had the dubious honor of being both at once, muggles and child abusers. There was no way that Lucius was going to let any muggle get away with harming a wizard, and especially not Harry Potter.

Giving Snape an evil grin, one which vividly reminded Snape of why Lucius was one of Voldemort's most feared Death Eaters, he said, "Get appropriate revenge of course."

"You might wish to hold off on that, Lucius. There is additional information you don't have yet which might, shall we say, enhance your ideas for revenge."

"What information?" Lucius growled.

Snape shrugged. "I have to wait for Mr Potter to wake up so I can see if he wants you to know."

Lucius raised an eyebrow and then rose. "Alert me when he wakes, I have to go reassure my son and wife that he hasn't died."

"Draco I can understand but Narcissa?" Snape asked with a raised eyebrow.

Lucius smirked. "From the moment she met him, she has been in love with him. If I let her she would quite willingly adopt him I think. This will only reinforce her desire to add him to our household."

Snape smirked and just as Lucius had closed the door, Raiden awoke. Finding himself in a different place, the Dark Apprentice cautiously looked around the room, relaxing slightly when he saw his teacher.

"Where am I?" he queried.

Snape shrugged. "You're in the guest room of Malfoy Manor, Mr Potter. Don't you remember how you came here?"

Raiden searched his memory before slowly nodding. "Yes sir, my uncle and cousin were beating the crap out of me and then Mr Malfoy rescued me. I was fighting back but it wasn't good enough. I feel like I failed."

Snape shook his head. "Don't, Mr Potter. It is not weakness, nor is it a failure, to lose against two opponents who are much bigger and stronger than you are. You are only almost thirteen, and despite your, mentor, you do need help occasionally."

Looking around, he leaned closer and in a low voice that seemed to be very menacing, yet the slight spark in his eyes betrayed his amusement, he said, "You're not a Dark Lord yet."

Raiden groaned. "I see you've seen Star Wars," he said with a smirk. Snape smirked back and nodded before growing serious.

"Mr Potter, Lucius is contemplating some action against your relatives, but, well, would it scare you if I told you that he was your master's right hand man?"

Raiden shook his head. "Not at all sir. I assume you're asking for permission to tell him about my rather unique status regarding the Dark Lord?"

Snape nodded and Raiden sighed. "Hang on" he said, before his eyes went unfocused. Snape, recognizing the signs of mental communication, went silent and waited.

Raiden reached over their bond, tapping lightly on his master's shields. Voldemort wasn't busy and had been thinking of checking on Raiden anyway so he responded quickly.

Yes Raiden, what is it? he asked. Raiden sighed.

I'm in Lucius Malfoy's house, and Snape wants to know if I can tell him about our relationship.

Why are you in Lucius' home and why does he want to know about us? Voldemort queried, wary of too many people knowing.

My relatives beat me up and Mr Malfoy rescued me. He's apparently contemplating revenge.

(chuckle). I almost feel sorry for them. Almost. Tell him; make him sign the parchment though.

Thank you Master. I'll do that.

Good. Get well, and if I know Lucius he'll use his ministry contacts to get you permanently removed from those muggles. If he does, then let him. I don't want you being killed before you can properly remake the world with me.

Yes Master. I'll talk later.

Goodbye

Raiden cut the connection and sat up in the bed. "Do you have that parchment with you sir?" he asked. Snape cocked his head to the side, and then withdrew the parchment from his robe pocket. He always carried it with him so no one could find it in his desk if they went snooping round. Just then there was a knock on the door and Lucius entered, with Draco and Narcissa following close behind.

"Harry, how are you?" Draco questioned.

Raiden smirked, and then replied, "I'm OK, Draco, thanks to Professor Snape and your father." Looking toward Lucius, he inclined his head and said "Thank you for rescuing me sir, I believe that I may just owe you my life."

Lucius shook his head. "No thanks necessary, Mr Potter, I would have done it for any of Draco's friends. You are welcome to stay here as long as you wish, and I will let you and Draco catch up soon, however, now I need to discuss some information with you and Severus here."

Draco growled at being pushed aside once again but one look from Lucius silenced him. Smiling at Raiden, Draco said, "See you later Harry" before leaving with Narcissa once more behind him, who smiled softly at him before closing the door.

Lucius smirked as the door shut and then fixed Raiden with a piercing stare. "Mr Potter, Severus told me that you had some information for me that might help with my ideas for appropriate revenge against those disgusting muggles that you call relatives."

Raiden sat up against the pillow and met Lucius' stare evenly. "I can't tell you without you signing the piece of parchment that Professor Snape has hold of sir. It will stop people from getting the information out of you in any way."

Lucius raised an eyebrow, looked at the parchment and, seeing Severus' name there, signed himself. A flash of light surrounded him as he was added to the group and then things were ready.

Looking steadily at Lucius, Raiden said smoothly, "I am Lord Voldemort's apprentice."

Nothing else was heard as Lucius had fallen from his chair in a dead faint. Looking at the man curiously, he then looked at Snape and said, "What is it with my position and people fainting sir?"

Snape smirked before waking his friend up. Lucius smoothly rose from the floor, dignity firmly in place, and resumed his seat before saying, "You're telling me that Harry Potter, the saviour of the wizarding world, is the personal apprentice of the Dark Lord?"

Snape and Raiden nodded. Lucius sighed before smirking evilly. "Well, now I'm really going to have fun," he said. At the puzzled look from Raiden he smiled and said, "I don't like child abuse, Harry, nor do I tolerate muggles very well. The two situations are combined in your case. The fact that you are the personal apprentice of our master makes the situation even more intolerable. So, I'm going to show those muggles what happens when you piss off a Death Eater."

Raiden smirked and then said, "Do what you like sir, but may I request two things please?" Lucius nodded at him and Raiden said, "Castrate my cousin, there's no reason for the Dursley genes to be passed on any further, and please don't kill them. I suspect that Dumbledore has some kind of watch on them and it would look suspicious if they died. Apart from that, have as much fun as you want."

Lucius looked surprised and pleased at the evilness of Raiden's suggestion. "You don't want to watch?" he asked.

Raiden shook his head. "No sir, just knowing that they won't be able to hurt me again is enough."

Lucius nodded and then rose from his chair. He stood for a moment before asking, "Do you have a name that you will use when you eventually reveal yourself as the Dark Apprentice?"

Raiden nodded. "Yes sir. I will be known as Lord Raiden."

Lucius bowed slightly. "In that case, I will take myself off and exact some appropriate revenge for your appalling treatment, Lord Raiden."

Standing by the door, he looked back at Severus and said, "Are you coming Severus?"