Just a quick note, I gauge how well my story is liked by how many reviews I get. For a story like this one that I kind of wrote on the side, if I don't receive a good amount of feedback I will end the series after the last chapter and continue to works that I feel my readers will enjoy better. So my point, even if it's just to say hello let me know if you enjoyed it if not stay silent and I will cease this story after the last chapter.

Thank you!

Mistress Slytherin

-2-

Harry gazed at Lucius Malfoy calmly. This was it; he was going to do this. Gray eyes showed a glimmer of fear for the very first time since Voldemort died as they stared up at him. "Potter." The man said his voice steady though his eyes were not. Lucius Malfoy looked the same as he had ten years ago, being a wizard had that effect he supposed but it still unnerved him to know that Lucius Malfoy still looked as imposing as he had in Harry's second year. Gray eyes surveyed him grimly and Harry knew that the man was thinking the opposite- how much must he seemed to have changed since the mere glimpse the man had seen of him during Voldemort's downfall? He was taller now, an even six feet, and broader too though most of it was tightly packed wiry muscle that he hid under his deceptively lithe form. The glasses were gone, a hazard on the field that he'd rid himself of nearly a year into his training- muggle surgery had left him with perfect eyesight. His face had sharpened, not at all the rugged square angles of his father though, more the refined grace of his mother his hair which he'd found easier to tame if long was different too, a single braid that stopped just between his shoulder blades. He could see what Malfoy saw if he thought about it- he was a Lord now, the Potter Lord, most influential body in the ministry and the savior head Auror defender of justice. Malfoy…Malfoy was a has-been, and not even a very good one either.

"Do you know what is going to happen to you today if you do not tell me everything you know?" Harry said calmly. Malfoy's lips were drawn into a thin line.

"I don't know what you're talking about Potter." He said coolly. Harry nodded in acceptance.

"I spoke to Draco." Harry said leaning against the table, he had all day for this after all. Malfoy's eyes sharpened.

"No doubt you did more than talking." He said with a sly smirk. Harry blinked at him in surprise, he'd thought that Lucius was blind to his son's 'adventures' but apparently not.

"No, we simply talked." Harry said wryly. "I had to tell him why he was about to lose his father after all." Harry said letting his eyes fall shut. Malfoy was silent for a long moment.

"He made you an offer." He said at last an edge of true fear creeping into his voice. "And you refused." He added. Harry nodded. "Perhaps I could make you a better one?" He offered after a moment. Harry cracked his eyes open.

"I'm listening," Harry said even though he wasn't. He was hoping that Malfoy would crack given enough pressure but it would be slow going, the man wasn't a fool.

"What do you want?" Malfoy said leaning forward in his chair. Harry frowned and shrugged.

"I have money, I have fame, I have a family. Right now all I want is answers unless you have something better to offer." He said easily enough. "The fact is that I'm going to get my answers Lord Malfoy even if it means you lose your mind and Draco never speaks to me again." Harry said opening his eyes fully to look at the man and show him that he was serious.

"What did Draco offer you?" Malfoy asked.

"The thing I wanted most in this world." Harry said honestly. Malfoy's eyes widened.

"Severus." He said in a quiet gasp. Harry flinched visibly. "Oh come Potter did you really think that you were the only person that visited his grave every year?" Malfoy cut angrily. "Do you think I wouldn't have figured out why your tears were so excessive? The only person that might have been blind enough not to see that you were infatuated with a dead man was your ex-wife!" He spat. Harry was amazed by the heat in the man's eyes, the anger. But why was Malfoy angry at him?

"He's not dead." Harry all but whispered to reassure himself.

"No thanks to you." Malfoy bit out. "You left him there Potter, dying and alone! If you had saved him than perhaps things would have been different! He would have remembered!" Malfoy's eyes were flashing in accusation and Harry's breath caught in his throat. Remembered? What did that mean? His heart craved to know, any nugget of information, anything. But Malfoy would clam up if he thought he had the upper hand.

"I thought he was dead." Harry said his voice hollow. "His heart had stopped and so had his breathing and Voldemort was calling me out." He said softly his memories of that day haunting him still.

"So what? You rushed to the forest in a fit of self-righteous anger? Were you going to avenge him Potter? The man you secretly loved no matter how cruel he was to you? Bella told me you know, she told me how you ran after him the night the old headmaster was killed! Chasing after Severus and weeping like a child, enraged but unable to land a strong enough curse- was it because you felt betrayed? Because you loved him too much to truly want to hurt him?" Malfoy was leaning forward teeth grit and eyes flashing. He wanted to hurt him, he was trying to bait him, but Harry had played this game too often to be led on. Harry nodded calmly.

"Did your wife never tell you what happened that day Malfoy? Did no one tell you?" He asked quietly. "I loved him too much to curse him." He admitted readily. Malfoy's anger fell away instantly. "I knew there must have been a reason, after all he looked straight at me in the astronomy tower. He knew that I was bound and unable to defend myself but he didn't hurt a single hair on my head. Instead he played his part perfectly and protected Draco and I even when it meant killing his mentor. I knew he was clever enough to have something up his sleeve, I'd been using one of his school books for most of the year after all though I hadn't known it until he was running away and told me in his rage- no I knew long before he found other subtle ways to help me that he was protecting me." Harry said quietly. "I didn't know that I loved him though, or I wouldn't acknowledge it at any rate even when he was dying in my arms but I realized later of course that this too was part of his clever scheme, he must have known by the end. Dumbledore must have noticed and told him or maybe I was just too obvious. Watching him die…watching him die allowed me to walk into that forest and stand before Voldemort, to accept death with open arms." He said his gaze distant. "I was willing to die once he was gone, I was willing to simply give up and play my part." He said shaking his head. "Anger? There was no such thing at that point, no there was just- emptiness and sorrow." He said his breath catching. Malfoy was gazing at him silently, coldly for a long moment.

"And after? After you did what you were supposed to do? After you'd destroyed the dark lord? What then? You didn't even think to bury him?" Malfoy hissed. Harry closed his eyes.

"No…it was the first place I wanted to go, but I couldn't move. I stood in the Great Hall for an hour. I stared at the bodies of children I'd gone to school with, mere children that were forced to fight in a war because the adults were too cowardly to fight it for themselves. Children fought that war Malfoy; you do realize this don't you? The adults simply gave in and ducked their heads but the children stood up against an army and came out victorious." His eyes were shadowed as he stared ahead of him. "But they were children Malfoy, and by the end of the day it was their blood that painted the Great Hall so red that you could smell it for weeks after. So yes Malfoy, I stood in the Great Hall and stared at it too stunned and horrified to move. By the time I managed to make it to the shrieking shack it was a blazing inferno. I would have gone in if it meant retrieving Snape's body, but it collapsed before I could get close enough and Ron held me back." He said closing his eyes.

"And so you collapsed." Malfoy said quietly. "While I was using every last bit of my power to save his life while trying to evade Azkaban you slumbered unaware hidden away in the walls of Hogwarts." Malfoy said bitterly. Harry stared at him silently wondering if he would offer up any more information than that. When he didn't Harry sighed.

"I was in a magical coma. The stress of having been hit with the killing curse had taken its toll on my body and with Snape dead and my part done- I didn't want to wake up." He admitted softly.

"But he wasn't dead! He was alive struggling for every breath once the drought of living death was removed; the venom had been sitting silently in his body corroding his tissue even as it sat in stasis. He was in agony and we couldn't do anything about it until the venom had been flushed from his system and then when that was finally done we had to pump him with potions to restore his organs and tissue. Those potions couldn't be taken with pain inhibitors and so he suffered even more! By the time he woke it was a wonder that he could even remember his own name!" Malfoy was incensed now and Harry held his breath. "He couldn't remember me though." Malfoy said his face falling. "He couldn't remember Narcissa or Draco or anything at all! He couldn't remember anything or any one; he was like a new born babe!" Malfoy was seething. "Take my mind Potter, go on! Destroy my mind the way you destroyed his!" He growled.

Harry stared at him silently for a long moment. Snape…Snape didn't remember? Anything? Any one? Him? He had to know. He had to find out. But more than even that there was this mysterious dark lord on the rise and he had to know about him too, even if it meant destroying Lucius Malfoy. But before he could lift his wand, before he could do anything another thought hit him like a stone.

"You want me to do this." He said stunned. Malfoy flinched back as though he'd been burned but his eyes…his eyes told Harry the truth. Harry felt his heart seize up in his chest. "I won't find anything will I?" He said quietly. "No…No whoever he is he's too clever to leave you with any information- you've been made a sacrifice but why?" He said narrowing his eyes. Malfoy simply sat there his shoulders beginning to sag as though the world was weighing on them. "He's planned this, somehow he knows that you've given up, he's used you to a certain extent but you weren't even really necessary, he could have chosen any number of people to do what you've done for him so why?" Harry grit his teeth in annoyance. This didn't make any sense!

"Think carefully Potter." Malfoy said with a pained sneer. "Why me?" He said wrinkling his nose in disgust. The answer struck Harry sharply.

"To get to me- no to test me…he's watching me but why? What is he testing for? To see how far I'm willing to go? To see what my weaknesses are? How long has he been watching? He knows well enough to know about Draco- possibly even Snape, he knows your weaknesses and mine and Dracos…" His eyes rose sharply. "He's threatened your family." He said suddenly.

"Yes." Malfoy said through grit teeth. Harry moved around to sit opposite of the table and watched Malfoy thoughtfully.

"He's made you make a vow not to say anything." Malfoy smiled. "Then I'll guess." Harry said nodding sharply. Smile for yes frown for no and no reaction for not even close." Harry said tapping his fingers idly. Malfoy smirked.

"Clever." He said with a nod of appreciation. Harry nodded.

"He knows about Snape?" Harry said going to his first fear. Malfoy smiled albeit painfully. Harry felt his eyes fall shut before he opened them again. "He knows about Draco and I." Malfoy smiled. Harry nodded; this was where it got tricky. "Is he watching right now?" Thin lips turned down and Harry relaxed slightly. "Have you met him face to face?" Malfoy continued to frown. "Do you know how long he's been watching me?" Malfoy continued to frown. "But he knows me very well?" Malfoy smiled painfully and Harry sighed. "If I let you walk out of this room unharmed will he kill you?" Malfoy winced but smiled. "And Draco and Narcissa?" Harry said fretfully. Malfoy smiled a bit of fear in his eyes. Harry frowned thoughtfully. Slowly it was beginning to add up but the answers left his mouth dry. "I have a plan." He said allowing his eyes to fall shut. "But Draco won't like it, none of you will." He said shaking his head. Malfoy stared at him intently.

"Whatever it is Potter, know that I'm willing to do anything for my family." He said with a short nod. Harry smiled weakly.

"I'm going to make it look as though I tortured you into insanity, however once you return home you are going to have to raise every ward you have and keep Draco and Narcissa inside." He said before hissing quietly. Three long black snakes hissed in assent and easily slipped from his sleeves before slithering across the ground. Malfoy tensed his face becoming pale his lips drawn into a thin line as the snakes slithered up his pant leg. "These are three of the most deadly snakes in existence; they will serve as extra protection for Narcissa and Draco. I already have other means of protecting them scattered about but you don't need to know about those." He said smiling thinly. "Wait for my instruction and don't take a single step outside of your wards until I tell you to, Draco will know what sign I'll use to make sure that you know it's from me." He said drawing his wand. Malfoy nodded his shoulders sagging slightly in relief.

"Potter." He said wincing slightly. "Saint Mathews church in London." He said gritting his teeth. Harry stared at him for a long moment.

"Snape?" He said hardly daring to hope.

"Save the world Potter, that's what you're good at." Malfoy said looking away. Harry stared at him for a long moment before nodding.

"Did-do you love him too then?" He said clenching his teeth. Malfoy's eyes darted towards him sharply.

"He's a different man now Potter, he has no idea who he is or what he has done for the world, he's found peace in that place, don't ruin it for him." He said coldly. Harry nodded.

"And Malfoy…tell Draco I'm sorry." He said sadly. Malfoy sneered half heartedly and looked away.

"Get on with it boy." He said sharply. Harry smirked faintly before nodding and readying his wand. Spell after spell was suddenly shot at Malfoy. His skin turned a pale sickly gray color and his nose began to bleed, Blood vessels burst in his eyes and with a wince one of his eyes blackened, a small cut appeared on his cheek-bone and grey eyes glared at him before turning glossy. Harry wordlessly handed him a tissue.

"Leave a bit of the blood around your nose." he said before casting a spell on himself to appear pale. When we go out there you are going to have to stare forward and not move a muscle no matter what, don't smile, don't frown, don't look at Draco or Narcissa or anyone else. If this man is anything like I think he is he will want to watch the fall out between Draco and I, the slightest hint that you are sane will kill you instantly." He said frowning.

"I understand." Lucius said quietly. Harry nodded grimly and took a deep breath.

"Lets' go then." He said transfiguring the chair into a wheel chair. "Bear with it Malfoy, for your family." He said quietly before pushing the chair forward and holding his pass to the lock on the door. With a shimmer of magic the door clicked open. It didn't take much for Harry to pull the expression he needed, he only needed to remember how it felt to hold Snape in his arms and believe that the man was dead. He rolled Malfoy through the empty halls until he reached the room where Draco would be waiting. His heart ached as normally stoic features twisted in horror and gray eyes widened the loss plain to see. Harry was suddenly glad that he hadn't actually gone through with it; Draco would have shattered him right then and there. Draco stared at his father and the silence rang heavily in the air for a long moment before gray eyes lifted and stared into his.

Harry forced himself to remember that day, the empty feeling as he stared at Snape's still body, the feeling that it had all somehow been his fault, if only he'd been better, if only he'd been stronger, faster, more. But Snape was dead and somehow that hurt worse than anything he knew. And more than ever he was aware as he dropped his gaze that Snape hadn't made that sacrifice for him alone, it hadn't been his, Snape had done it for Draco. He'd kept that knowledge from Draco ever since.

"Th-There wasn't anything was there?" Draco said his voice weary and broken. "There was no information…but you still went through with it." Harry looked up and suddenly gray eyes looked very much like onyx ones. He didn't block Draco's fist when it crashed into his face, he didn't stop it or the blows that followed, he laid there and took the beating for the first time since he'd been a child. He didn't fight it when Draco's wand came next and curses fell on him cutting his skin burning his flesh. Only when an unforgivable was on the tip of Draco's tongue did Harry reach up and grasp his hand.

"You mustn't Dray the alarms will go off." He wheezed. Draco was panting his face screwed up and his eyes crazed as he stared down at him. Harry flinched when Draco spat at him and climbed off of him expression screwed up and into the most horrendous hatred, a look that Harry had never seen in Draco's eyes even when they'd been students blinded by house rivalry.

"Congratulations Potter." He sneered. "You've become a monster." He hissed cruelly. Harry felt his breath hitch in his throat as Draco grabbed the handles to his father's wheel chair and pushed him away with a quiet whirr. He laid there and listened to the sound of the floo flaring to life before the silence followed in its wake. Slowly he stood ignoring the agony of what he estimated to be three broken ribs and the tug of blistering skin. Determined he limped to the floo and tossed some powder in weakly calling out his destination before stepping through.

As the ashes settled the smallest of black dots scurried from the upper corner of the room rushing across the wall and through the door bypassing alarms and wards alike. Unnoticed it crawled into an air vent and through countless twisting turns until coming upon its destination. Letting out its silken thread it dripped down from the ceiling dropping quickly to the ground below before with a flash changing and morphing into a human male. The man with cropped black hair and deep set blue eyes knelt swiftly.

"He did it my lord." He said quietly. "Malfoy Senior was little more than a piece of furniture put on for display." He said crisply and quietly.

"I know." Came a voice. Deep resonating power began to creep through the room as a set of glasses were set down. "I was watching through your eyes." Blue eyes widened but the head bowed respectfully. "I wasn't sure just how far Potter would go to defeat me; it always interests me to see how far one is willing to go for what they believe in." The voice said calmly.

"Will you try to sway him then my Lord?" The kneeling man asked hesitantly. The other was silent for a long moment. "He doesn't seem to be the type that can be swayed…"

"Anyone can be swayed given the right persuasion, every one has their price, that one thing that they would do anything for." Came the bored reply. The kneeling man winced.

"Forgive my imprudence my Lord, it is not my place to question you." He said bowing until his forehead nearly touched the ground.

"Hn." The other said lazily. "Continue to watch Potter." The other said dismissively before watching as the man shifted and changed until all that could be seen was a tiny black spider scuttling across the floor.

"That was too easy Harry, but then Voldemort didn't know you like I do." The Dark Lord muttered with a slowly growing smirk.