The Leader

Chapter 43

Severus opened the red bound book by removing the buckle, and began his perusal, which was not difficult to do, as a vampire he missed nothing, whereas if he had been human, certain details would already be forgotten as unimportant. Like everything else Harry did, it was carefully recorded, each testing phrase of how he'd tried to destroy them, until he'd found a winner. Severus noticed that Harry used a lot of potions with only a few spells, and then there was a list with dozens of possible places where there could be a potential Horcrux half of them crossed off. He'd even tried harnessing the power of the Horcrux to find the others, but all tests had failed. He didn't ask Harry if he had found a way, it would have been in the book someone this meticulous wouldn't leave anything out.

He'd found a ring stowed away under the floorboards of the Gaunt shack. Then there was the one inside Harry that had been transferred and destroyed. The third to his extreme surprise had come from Hogwarts itself. The Diadem.

"You returned to Hogwarts?" Severus blurted out in his surprise. He was more surprised by that than the fact the Horcrux had been placed within Hogwarts it would have been one of his first suggestions.

"I did," Harry replied, a hint of nostalgia in his voice. He leaned against the wall, having watched Severus read the information he had already memorized. "During the summer before what would have been my fourth year at Hogwarts. Being from an Orphanage, Tom Riddle would have considered Hogwarts his home, just like me and many others did. I was there for nearly a week searching every single nook and cranny I could find. As heir I think Hogwarts actually began to guide me towards a secret room. I found dozens upon dozens of artefacts and books that I took with me along with the diadem."

"How? There are wards that alert Dumbledore to someone being in the school, which would obviously work during the summer." Severus pointed out perplexed.

"As heir it's my right to come and go, that and the wards wouldn't register me I am dead after all, I wasn't ever a threat to the teachers or Hogwarts. Third Hogwarts isn't as powerful as it used to be. Shade tells me that quite a few wards were removed the year I was due to enter Hogwarts." Harry informed him lazily.

"Removed?" Severus winced; it explained some of the things he'd been confused about for many years. "Let me guess…it was Dumbledore?" he drawled in annoyance, part of him would have preferred it to be Voldemort. Unfortunately he wasn't powerful enough to tamper with the wards, nor was Quirrell no matter who he had housed upon his head.

"It's hard to say, his magic surrounds Hogwarts wards," Harry said, shrugging his shoulders dismissively. "It would however, be my guess as well."

"You may as well add the item that Ginny Weasley found to the list," Severus commented, handing the book back. "Technically it is four Horcruxes, and if Ginny Weasley got her hands on one…it must mean he entrusted them to his followers. My best guess is either the Lestranges or Lucius Malfoy, they were his most trusted and most loyal. Considering the Lestranges were imprisoned at the time…and the grudge Lucius held for the Weasley's and how Draco acted that year…I would heavily bet on Lucius being the most likely culprit."

"You believe he would trust his followers with these objects?" Harry mused, that was one thing he had not considered. "I've always believed him too paranoid to even think of trusting people he thought as inferior." his gaze penetrating Severus intently, as his mind began to mull over potential people and places he hadn't thought of before.

"Considering one found its way into the population, yes, I believe so." Severus stated firmly, truly believing it.

"Hmm, and I just happen to have a few inner circle members that I've neglected to deal with long enough." Harry said, a slow vindictive smirk spreading across his face. "Let's see if they'll be any help shall we?" with that Harry put the book back in the safe, replacing his safety nets so nobody could get in even if they mimicked his speech of Parseltongue.

"And why don't you just ask me?" Severus asked as he stood, a desire to pout overwhelmed him, but he refrained - he'd never recover doing such a plebeian thing.

Harry arched an eyebrow, getting the distinctive feeling that Severus was actually upset with him. "You have already informed me of who you think Voldemort might have given one to, what more is there to discuss?" Harry pointed out, his gaze blank.

"The Dark Lord was also close to one other Death Eater, Regulus Black, he disappeared suddenly, and the Dark Lord never once spoke of it." Severus stated, "Black, I, Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy all received private tutoring from him." in other words they were singled out.

"Regulus Black…cousin or brother?" Harry asked, opening his door, Severus would know what he meant.

"You mean you don't know already?" Severus teased wryly.

"Are you kidding me? It would take forever to get through the Black family history," Harry snorted in amusement, "I was never interested in him, why would I be? Up until a few years ago I thought he was responsible for my parent's demises and in Azkaban prison for life."

"Touché," Severus replied, nodding his head curtly, good point.

Harry smirked at him before he Apparated on the spot, not bothering to inform Severus where he was going - his mate already knew after all. Making his way through his sanctuary, leaving behind the warehouse, giving a nod to his people when he passed them but did not speak. Before long he was at the 'pit' which actually didn't get used all that often, it was more of a scare tactic. Using his strength he removed the lid, laughing a little at the words coming from the snakes, which by the way were fed every day.

"Please," Carrow rasped, his tone pleading, "Please get me out of here! I'll do whatever you want," even from where he stood Harry could hear the chittering of the wizards teeth.

"I do not think even the Dark Lord inspired such terror, I'm sure he would be extremely jealous of your…methods." Severus stated, eyeing the wizard with a pleased look on his face.

"Oh, I know you will," Harry said with dark promise, the wizard heard him judging by the sharp intake of breath before it was let out in an unsteady tremble. Eyeing the figure for a few more minutes, before he curled his hand into a fist, trickling his magic through him and levitating the wizard out of the pit fast, causing him to scream as he lost control of everything. As soon as he was safe from falling back in Harry let go, letting the terrified wizard fall with a thump.

Carrow scrambled to sit up weak and disorientated, watching both of them in fear, his eyes moving rapidly back and forth between Harry and Severus, his heartbeat erratically shooting through the roof. "Who are you?" Carrow whispered, still remembering the magic…by Merlin the magic, it made his Lord look like child's play, he would swear it on Salazar's grave.

"Tut, tut, tut, I'll be asking the questions," Harry said coldly, green eyes glittering like emerald chips caught in the sun. Remembering what this piece of filth had done, what he'd almost done to Rick and Severus, two of his most trusted confidants made him snarl, as he lunged for Carrow, his fingers wrapping around his delicate throat, before hoisting him in the air. Ignoring the fingers scrapping against his impenetrable skin, trying to get Harry to let him down no doubt. "I will ensure you suffer for what you did." he growled protectively "Nobody hurts my people and gets away with it."

"You were attacking me!" Carrow defended himself, his words garbled as he was still trying to breathe.

Harry scoffed before he flung the wizard away in distaste, in the direction of the little prison he had set up here. Walking swiftly forward, once he was near Carrow he grabbed a hold of his clothes and began to drag the man into the building which Severus realized quite quickly upon taking a single step inside - it was bigger on the inside than the outside.

Severus observed his surroundings with a critical eye. Each cell was quite big, each prisoner had enough room to stand up in and walk around. The cells themselves had a toilet, small cement table raised from the floor and a bed, it was more than the Dark Lord would allow. Rabastan Lestrange was sitting on the bed, staring at them with a look that was probably supposed to be intimidating, but when he'd looked into the eyes of the Dark Lord himself, Lestrange was pretty damn pathetic.

"You healed him?" Severus stated, slightly surprised but refusing to let it show, not in the presence of the Death Eaters anyway. The fall and injury that Rabastan Lestrange suffered that night should have paralysed him.

"Not me specifically," Harry replied, as he bound Carrow to a chair in a secluded area that was used to interrogate his prisoners. Which did not involve torture, not unless they were somehow immune to Veritaserum, which had only ever happened once. The consensus was that they had some sort of dormant creature blood running through their veins.

"Why?" Severus asked perplexed, he wasn't sure he understood why they bothered.

"I only kill if I have to, Severus, whether it's to prove a point, in vengeance, or if they're a threat." Harry said honestly, and Lestrange wasn't a threat, even if he did somehow manage to get out of the cell he had magically warded himself, he wouldn't bypass all the security. He would spend the rest of his life in prison, one more secure than Azkaban. "Magical blood is important, especially because of the two…three wars that we've been through. Grindelwald and the first war with Voldemort and now onto the second. I'll try my hardest to make sure the least amount of people die in this conflict and once its over…our world will know true peace like they've never had before." he declared passionately.

Severus nodded his understanding, getting the underlying message, Rabastan was no longer a threat hence the decision to heal him. He supposed death was far too good for the likes of him, after all the things he'd done he deserved to suffer. Then again he was no means innocent, but comparing his own crimes to Lestrange? Well he was a boy scout if that were the case.

Severus could feel the wards around that area, and wondered briefly what they did. Casting a detecting charm, he found out quickly enough. Basically it silenced the area, so nobody could hear out or in. Harry had magically strapped Carrow to the chair, ignoring his blubbering and begging. It was honestly quite pathetic, the proficiency of Harry ignoring it made him wonder just how many times in the past he'd done it.

"There, I hope you're comfortable," Harry said mockingly. "Not that you'll last long."

"I'll never tell you anything," Carrow spat, in a fit of false bravado.

Harry laughed in genuine amusement, "Yes you will, you'll be spilling all your dirty little secrets, all your masters dirty little secrets," Harry assured him, being vindictive and allowing the full force of his magic flow around the room, terrifying the wizard before him. He deserved it, how many people had he hurt? Killed? All in the name of what? Blood superiority.

"Tell me, what do you think I am?" Harry asked, reaching out to grab his chin, squeezing warningly.

"A disgusting parasite we call vampires," Carrow hissed out his disgust.

"Awfully brave aren't we?" Harry said with a small coo, "What would you say I was? A pureblood? Half blood?" unleashing his magic again just for the amusement.

Carrow shuddered violently within his grasp, his eyes blown full wide, "Pureblood," he whispered, lust, desire and hatred coating his voice all at once.

Severus leaned against the wall, he knew if he had been human he would have been panting and writhing at the feel of the full extent of Harry's magic. It was powerful, strong, and seductive, just like Harry's personality. The urge to be nearer it was titillating, it was like a moth being drawn to a flame and embracing it despite the fact it knows it would be burned. Utterly impossible to resist. Yet he had like a fool been resisting, but like he had decided earlier…he wanted to give this a try.

"Wrong," Harry whispered into Carrows ear, "Your master has a Muggle father, I am a half blood, the son of a pureblood heir and a Muggle born witch…the side you joined is destroying magic not saving it. How many squibs have the pureblood's given birth to in the last five decades? How many have mental problems? How many are deformed?"

Harry was surprised and annoyed when he felt Severus grab a hold of him, spinning him around and slamming him into the wall. The urge to lash out was very strong, but he trusted Severus implicitly. He knew Severus would never betray him, he literally couldn't, and the vow prevented it. Still he did not like being manhandled, especially when there was no - Harry's thoughts abruptly cut off at the feel of his mates lips pressed ardently against his own, reciprocating allowing Severus control - monetarily of course - this time Severus could not use the fact he was drunk on blood to argue that he didn't want this.

His moment was up; Harry spun them around so Severus was against the wall, flicking his tongue out, demanding entrance which Severus immediately submitted too. There was nothing submissive about Severus however, as their tongues battled it out for dominance. Grinding their bodies together until Severus gasped as arousal furled through him, enticing him further.

Harry suddenly ripped his lips away, leaning his forehead against Severus' his eyes brighter than they'd ever been before. "This is not the time or place," he said almost mournfully. What the fuck was he doing? He cursed himself? His mate had finally made a move and he was denying him? He was out of his mind.

"No, no it's not," Severus murmured quietly, regaining control of himself - however temporarily it might be. He had denied his mate for far too long and himself as well.

"Half an hour," Harry promised, giving him a chaste kiss, "Thirty minutes," he said seductively, unsure if he would be able to wait that long. Inhaling the smell of his mate, the arousal permeating the air from both of them wistfully before he reluctantly let him go completely.

Harry turned around, ignoring the look of utter disgust on Amycus Carrow's face; instead he smirked and quickly removed the Veritaserum. He was done playing around; the only play he wanted was now with his mate who begged his attention. "As fun as this is…I have somewhere else I would rather be, with someone who is definitely more important than you." he growled, grasping his neck, he pressed in until Amycus screamed in pain, it was then Harry tipped in the drops of his own creation of Veritaserum.

As if he was reading Harry's thoughts, Severus asked, "Your version?" he enquired in real curiosity. Standing to the side, observing Carrow's reactions keenly, wishing to see how Harry's version differed from the original. "It doesn't look like its working." there was no usual outwardly sign.

"It always works," Harry replied assuredly, he had every confidence in his own brewing abilities, plus he had used it various times in the past.

"There are no outward indications, how can you be so sure?" Severus asked, not doubting his abilities but he was a wizard who liked to know things, he merely wished to understand it.

"Come here," Harry said, and Severus immediately wandered forward, which wasn't much, just two steps.

"Smell it? Subtle but there, it smells similar to sweat, but not completely." Harry said, "That is the first sign of it working, the second is obvious, he's gone docile, but not the way the original potion does it. You could go up to someone and give them it and nobody else would be any wiser. No glazed eyes, no monotone voice, and do you want to know the beauty of the potion?" he said smugly, just bragging now.

"Do I?" Severus asked shrewdly, every point Harry made was very true, and he was in awe. "I read the recipe, I can't see what else there is."

"Scurvy grass, lovage and Sneezewort," Harry counted them off.

"Befuddlement draught," Severus replied immediately, he could answer in his sleep.

"But more powerful with the other ingredients in the Veritaserum, they forget they'd taken it, sometimes it's just they forget they were forced to answer and assume they did so on there own." Harry sneered in vengeful satisfaction. "It depends on the magical powers when it comes to either state the person would be in."

"You better ask some questions before it wears off," Severus cautioned him, it didn't last long after all.

"Again mine is better than the normal stuff," Harry said inordinately pleased. "But you are right, I did promise half an hour didn't I?" he said heatedly watching those black eyes flare with desire but it was quickly covered back up, if he had been human he would have never seen it. Oh he was definitely going to make Severus lose control tonight; he would make Severus forget even his own name. He conveyed this through eye contact, which Severus could not keep up, instead he found Carrow fascinating again. He would have suspected Severus of being a prude, if not for the fact Severus had been the one to initiate contact with someone else tied up in the room.

"Did you receive private training from Lord Voldemort?" Harry asked, not even bothering with asking his name he just did not care for information he already knew.

"No," Carrow answered, eyes flashing in jealousy as he thought of all those who had.

"Did you ever see Lord Voldemort gifting his followers with items?" Harry asked intently.

"No," Carrow replied.

"Did you hear whispers of Voldemort giving anyone gifts? Hear anyone bragging about it?" Harry demanded.

"Yes," Carrow admitted.

"Who and when?" Harry fired off quickly.

Severus watched in fascination, the normal brew only allowed one question to be asked, and if you wanted to you could actually get around it. That didn't seem to be the case with this one, his desire to brew it grew exponentially.

"1979, there was whispers of Regulus Black being awarded, he explicitly asked for Regulus' help, I don't know what happened or what it was but he disappeared afterwards." Carrow revealed, "Bellatrix Lestrange shrieked Malfoy Manor and Lestrange Manor to the rafters for a week about being the most loyal, that her Lord and Master trusted her above all else, in her drunken state she revealed it was a cup, Hufflepuff's cup. Nobody has ever seen it and just as quickly as she spoke of it, she never did again."

"Told you," Severus stated with a smug sneer.

"Hufflepuff's cup," Harry mused, flicking his hand and a silencing spell prevented Carrow from hearing just in case. "Ravenclaw's diadem, what other items are notoriously known by the last two founders?"

"I believe that Godric Gryffindors sword was his most notable possession, it's also been the reason for a great many Goblin wars," Severus said frowning lightly, "As for Salazar Slytherin, I would say it was his chamber, the chamber of secrets…each portrait he is painted in…he had a large locket intricately designed with emeralds in the shape of an S."

"Damn, there is no trail to follow," Harry grunted with a silent curse.

"There has to be one, Ravenclaw's Diadem was supposedly missing since the founder's time, not only did you find it but the Dark Lord did as well." Severus informed him, his brow furrowed as he tried to think of potential places.

"Hmm, I wonder if Bellatrix's husband is aware of her coming and goings, perhaps he might hold an answer…" Harry said thoughtfully turning to face the wizard in question, contemplatively. "No matter, I've made more progress today than I have in a while, one more day cannot hurt." he couldn't believe it was him saying this, but he was patient, he had learned long ago that wanting too much too soon always had its drawbacks. He was quite happy to wait, especially considering he had someone to share his time with. Someone who wouldn't just be a single night deal, no this was his mate.

Sooner or later he would have all information they could possibly give him. Then they would be sent to the new prison, which was completely installed. They just needed the prisoners transferred from Azkaban to it, which he had a feeling Fudge would drag his feet regarding but there was truly nothing he could do. He had informed Bones that it might happen and to continue to ask each day until he signed the document to transfer them.

With a twitch of his hands, the bindings on Carrow were undone and the wizard was unconscious. Harry levitated him carelessly, not truly concerned about his safety, into one of the open cells, dropping him unceremoniously onto the bed, and the door swung closed with a clang and the wards flared up. He would let him come out of the spell on his own, he honestly didn't care if he had a headache or not. It wasn't his job to make Carrow's life more comfortable. He did sneer at the female Carrow's sentimentality as she cried out for her brother, her twin, concerned for him.

"I believe we can now leave," Harry said heatedly, grasping a hold of Severus, kissing him, Apparating them both to Potter manor, to his bedroom, their bedroom soon enough he hoped. Finally, after all his waiting it had bore fruit, Severus was ready for all he had to offer, and thank Merlin for that.

I can't believe I forgot about the Carrow's! It wasn't until I was reminded they were imprisoned! :O how shocking! BUT thankfully not too much time has passed :D so will Bill be the one to find out about the cup or will Bellatrix's husband know about it? not that it matters for the next time ;) enjoy it while it lasts though since the next time anything...saucy happens will probably be near the end of the story :D hmm just wondering how I can make Dumbledore a bigger annoyance, he has to do something he's just that kind of character :D and I wonder how to get rid of him too...I think I've done it every conceivable way...I suppose I could have Harry do something similar to what he did in Pretty Boy :D left him in thet muggle world unrecognizable magic bound and unable to talk, move or do ANYTHING surrounded by the Muggles he liked to champion ;) hmm I don't like repeating myself but damn it would be nice to be able to elaborate on that particular plot idea it was only mentioned once in pretty boy :D anyway there we go! The next chapter! Am I getting better or what! I've actually updated five nights in a row! might even get to a week without missing a beat :D not bad all things considering and THANK YOU all so MUCH for your concern I've recovered fully from my trip to the hospital :) your concern was lovely! R&R please