Title: Bounty Hunter II: Black and White

Author: Snippy of Snippy and Snarky

Pairing: H/D, Hr/SS, L/G (other pairings added as story continues))

Disclaimer: HP & Co NOT MINE – don't sue.

Synopsis: Note: Disregard sixth book as the first Bounty Hunter was written before it came out, and does not incorporate its plots and character arcs. The struggle between shades of grey is enough to tear a hero in two. . .

Rating: Mature, R, Adult – rated for language explicit sexual situations and violence – reader discretion is advised.

A/N's: A quick note on Ginny in this story. She has become an important part of the story as a symbol of the corruption of innocence, and in this role works as a catalyst in the story. In other words, her character is a tool used by various other characters to achieve certain ends, and is a bridge for the third story in the series which I am currently considering. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks! Peace, love and a couple of sarcastic snakes!

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Lucius sat in his disheveled tuxedo, his bow tie undone, his shirt unbuttoned and his coat neatly folded on the back of his chair. A leather-bound book lay across his lap, and in his left hand he held his customary snifter of brandy.

Bane Apparated into Lucius' personal chambers, a rakish smile on his face. "Well, I was going to apologize for not bringing you back a piece of cake, but it looks like you made an appearance at the party after all. Tell me, who did you go as?"

"I should have gone as my son," Lucius didn't seem surprised to see him. "You seemed to be having a good time."

"How'd you know?"

"You walk differently than a Malfoy." Lucius shot him a look over his glass. "Dance differently, too."

"Are we getting a little territorial, then?" Bane smirked as he elegantly sprawled on the sofa, conjuring himself a drink. "Share, share, that's fair, right?"

"No point in getting territorial of a party favor." Lucius closed the book and it put itself back on his bookshelf. He quelled the anger that was eating at him every time he pictured how indecently close his 'son' had been dancing with Ginny.

"So you never told me how managed to rise from the dead, Lucius. Is that a House of Black trick?"

"I wasn't dead. I have developed an immunity to several kinds of venom and poison." Lucius smiled. "Just in case."

"I spent the last few years developing an immunity to iocane powder," Bane rattled off, somewhat surprised he could remember the movie. Innocent fun like movies seemed so far away, like he had watched them so long ago.

'Excuse me?"

"Nothing. It's a muggle thing, you wouldn't understand."Lucius mentally filed the information away. Muggles – immune to iocane poisoning, whatever that was. "So, your night ended early. You know it's suspicious for Draco to leave a party early."

"Yeah, I tried to kill myself, so I had to leave."

"I see."

"So, Lucius, care for a game of chess?" Bane conjured a marble chess set.

"As you wish." Lucius inclined his head. "Do you have a side preference?"

"I'll be white," Bane answered quickly. Lucius raised an eyebrow and Bane shrugged. "I've already been black today."

Bane started, making his move with little consideration.

"Do you always start with a knight?" Lucius inquired politely.

"Yes." Bane's eyes were focused on the board.

"Why? Most people start with a pawn."

"Because," said Bane. "I used to be one."

"A knight." Lucius nodded.

"No, a pawn."

As they played, Bane found Lucius to be an excellent chess player, the best challenge he had been presented with since Mad-eyed Moody. For awhile they were quiet, playing in silence, until Bane noticed Lucius checking his pocket watch.

"Got somewhere to be tonight? Or is playing chess with me really that dull?"

"Well, I have already discovered most of your weaknesses, and while exploiting them pleases me greatly, I had a different kind of pleasure in mind for tonight." Lucius sipped his brandy.

"Ginny Weasley, I presume," Bane drawled. "And what weaknesses?'

"She'll do for tonight," Lucius said dismissively. "And you under-use your queen. You let her get too far away from your king."

"Shouldn't she already be here?" Bane asked. "And that's part of my strategy, not a weakness."

"She'll be here soon enough. And how is that strategy?"

"You see, in chess when you lose a piece, you don't just lose that piece, you also lose the square. An enemy now occupies the territory. The queen is a powerful weapon, and thus often targeted. If you keep your queen close to your king and lose her, you let your enemies in the back door," Bane explained softly.

"Something worrying you, Bane? Concerned about my virtue?"

"Just a little friendly advice. And virtue, Lucius?" Bane smirked.

"Haven't you heard? The old Lucius died, I'm a brand new man." Lucius grinned.

"No, I'm a brand new man." Bane laughed. "Just see that your queen isn't playing both sides of the board."

"That's why you keep her close to king and castle." Lucius gestured at the board.

"You know the nice thing about chess, Lucius? Your pieces can't turn on you. You can sacrifice a queen, trade her back for a pawn, and she's still on your side."

"Precisely where I intend to keep her." Lucius stated firmly. "Are you questioning my motives or my resolve?"

"Your strategy. Trusting Ginny could be the end of you, see? Weasley's are the temperamental violent type.""She's under my control."

"You really think so?" Bane shrugged. "It's your board for now, mate. Run it how you like."

"For now?"

There was a soft knock at the door.

"Speak of the she-devil." Bane grinned. "Well, we'll have to finish this game later. Wouldn't do for Harry Potter to be seen with the likes of you. No offense."

"None taken."

Bane swirled an invisibility cloak around his shoulders. "I'll just let myself out, then."

When Lucius opened the door to let Ginny in, he was careful to leave enough time for Bane to slip out the door. Ginny was barely in the door before she was kissing Lucius desperately. As Bane brushed past the red head and heard the door close behind him, he murmured, "That's the problem with the queen, mate. She's just so damn close."

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Harry stood on the patio for a long time, trying to consider what just had happened. If the other him wasn't Tom Riddle reincarnated in some way, then what did that mean? What if they were both Harry Potter? And if not, who the hell was going around looking like him? And did this have something to do with his scar disappearing? He frowned. All of these questions were coming up now and he had the nagging feeling that they should have come up before. Why hadn't he asked Dumbledore any of these things? And why the hell had his alter ego chosen such a melodramatic nom de plume? Harry would never do that – well, except for the time that he had been know as the Bounty Hunter.

He stared at the spot where the fake Draco had disappeared and cursed. If that Draco was fake – where was the real Draco? His heart raced a little as he considered the possibility that the other Harry – or Bane – had hurt Draco. He clenched his fists. No one was going to touch Draco – hurt anybody he cared about again. Not even himself.

As Harry headed up to his rooms to weapon up and search for Draco, he never considered the fact that he had just placed Draco Malfoy on the list of people he cared about. His mind was focused on his destination – the Slytherin Common Room.

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Bane strolled through the party in his invisibility cloak, enjoying being able to watch people while they were unaware. He had come across Hermione and Snape in a compromising situation outside of the old Potions Classroom. He had watched for awhile before they adjourned inside the room, he assumed to make use of the great big teacher's desk. Bane grinned: nothing more classic than the naughty school girl and the strict professor.

His other self had sent him a little off kilter. He was fairly certain now that the other Harry was evil. After all, he had attacked him out of nowhere. Bane knew that Harry wasn't Tom Riddle, but hadn't the slightest clue who he actually was. Maybe he really had just been split in two. In which case, Bane was going to have to find someway to rejoin with that asshole. He frowned, not liking the prospect. Bane was happy with himself. He liked the way he was, the way he felt now – he had no desire to change. But there could only be one Harry Potter.

There was only one decision he could make. Even though he was fairly certain that they were the same person split in two, Bane would have to kill Harry.

His decision made, Bane headed for Slytherin, where Draco awaited him. All of that rough handling and fighting outside had awoken his hunger for a different kind of rough handling. He smirked. A lot of it.

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Harry burst through the door to the Slytherin Common Room, Sword of Gryffindor tightly clasped in his hand. "Draco!"

"I'm right here, Potter." Draco stood up from his seat by the fire, a bemused expression on his face.

Harry looked confused for a moment. "Are you . . . alright?"

"A little dark and twisted, but I'm told it's genetic." Draco smirked. "That's a great big honking sword you got there, Potter. Planning on a little after dinner beheading, were we?"

"Something like that." Harry lowered the sword so the tip rested on the ground. "What happened to you?"

"An evening of well-deserved rest and relaxation. What happened to you?"

"That's not what I meant. The other Harry was pretending to be you tonight at the ball. I thought that he must have done something to you . . . but obviously I was mistaken." Harry frowned, beginning to realize that the other Harry must have had Draco's cooperation.

The Common Room door banged open again, and Bane strolled though the doorway in his customary dramatic fashion. "Draco!"

"Well, this must be my lucky day. Two of you at the same time." Draco grinned wickedly.

"What are you doing here?" The Potters demanded of each other.

"Visiting Draco," Harry spat.

"I live here," Bane replied pompously.

"Do you?" Harry shot a look at Draco, who shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "Do you always make a dramatic entrance when you come home?"
"Excuse me?"

"I'm just saying, I was never that much of an attention whore."

"I am NOT!" Bane objected in indignation.

"You always open both doors when you enter a room?" Harry asked pointedly. "Whatever happened to being stealthy and not attracting attention to yourself?"

"Why bother? There's no one to hide from anymore – no one who can hurt me – you – us – anymore." Bane glared at his counterpart.

"As entertaining as this journey into the land of Potter's troubled psyche is, and it is, really, very entertaining," Draco drawled. "Don't you feel a little silly fighting with yourself?"

"Shut up, Draco!" They both snapped.

"My bad." Draco bowed his head. "Please, continue."

"Speaking of your bad, did you forget to mention something about your living arrangements to me?"

"I'm sorry, Potter," Draco bit back. "I wasn't under the impression that I had to inform you of my living arrangements. I thought you made it very clear that you don't like or need me around."

"I did," Both Potters admitted softly.

"Can you two stop that? The surround sound is beginning to freak me out a little." Draco sighed, seating himself by the fire once more.

"So, you've chosen sides then?" Harry demanded, his eyes pinning Draco's.

Draco opened his mouth to answer, but Bane cut him off with a quick, "Yes, he has."

"And apparently, you two can handle my portion of the conversation as well. Perhaps I should go catch up on some recreational reading, as I'm not really necessary here." Draco folded his arms over his chest.

"No need. I'm done here." Harry looked around in disgust, then spat, "He can have you."

"I already knew that, but there are more pressing matters we should discuss before you rush off, Potter," Bane cautioned, ignoring Draco's huff of resentment.

Harry raised his sword ever so slightly, a grin across his mouth. "Discussion is really pointless, don't you think?"

"Pointy objects away, Mr. All Fight and No Think." Bane sighed. "Look, are you ready to tell everyone about me, yet?"

"I was planning on announcing it at your burial," Harry grinned.

"That's what I thought. So, for right now, I think it's in all of our best interests, if you and Draco play nice for now." Bane moved to stand behind Draco, placing his hands on his shoulders in a clear show of ownership. "Otherwise, they'll notice that something's wrong."

"Fine," Harry smirked, slowly prowling towards the two until he came to a stop just in front of Draco. Bracing his hands on the chair arms, he leaned down, his nose inches from Draco's face. He watched as Draco's breath caught and his pupils dilated with a smug look of satisfaction. "Of course, that begs the question, how nice do you want me to play?"

Bane's face tightened in possessive anger, though all he said was, "That's up to Draco."

"So tell me, Draco." Harry smirked. "How nice do you want to play?"

Harry stood up and headed for the door, leaving Bane and Draco staring after him, both of them speechless for a moment. Just before he walked out the door, Draco stood, calling out, "I think you've forgotten, Potter. I don't play nice." Draco tossed Harry a wicked smile as he paused at the door. "And neither do you."