Chapter 5
Notes:
TW: Graphic depiction of violence, blood, character death (not main).
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The path led to the Manor where Carrow was staying was small and dark, dampened from the rain just a few hours ago. Harry led the team through the gate, the closer he was here, the bond in his heart tugged at him stronger. Thunders crackled above them, and Harry took a deep breath, facing the main door before him.
"On my count," he said, turning to the Aurors behind him, "three, two, one." He kicked the door open, the wooden entrance breaking in half and crashing to the floor. Harry stepped on it, entering the empty house. No light, no sound, no people. Carrow knew they'd come here.
"Where the hell is he?" Ron's voice was low behind him as they followed Harry's trail into the hallway.
Harry closed his eyes, inhaling in the air. The smell of dark wizards filled the air, but it wasn't just one, there were two people here. And one was particularly familiar to him.
"Greyback," Harry sneered, his growls rumbling inside his chest. The scent of Greyback was tangled with the faint warm scent of Draco, it lingered in the air, along with the smell of blood.
"Greyback is here?" Neville asked and Harry nodded silently, stepping forward. "Then where are they?"
"Closer than we think," Harry said, glancing at the line of portraits hanging on the walls. Carrow had stolen the Manor from someone, possibly killed them, and decorated it as though it was his new place already, changing the portraits to their family instead.
"What do you mean?"
Harry didn't answer him, his nostrils flaring as he slammed the invisible figure into the wall. He threw the man flat on the floor, aiming his fist directly into the wizard's concealed face until there was blood on his knuckles. The Alpha wrapped his hand around the unseen flesh, squeezing the air out of the one beneath him, murmuring the incantation as it revealed Carrow, lying bloody on the floor and still had a smirk on, showing his red teeth.
"You think a weak spell and some potions can block your rotting scent from me?" he growled, and the Beta laughed, earning another blow at his face. "Where is my mate?" Harry seized Carrow by the collar, hauling him half-up, snarling at the Beta. "Spit it out, Carrow, now."
"Now, now, no need to be so wild, we're all people here," Carrow cooed, blood trickling out of his nose. Harry's grips turned tighter and Carrow clicked his tongue. "You should think again before you try to kill me, Alpha. After all, I have your mate, and he's with Greyback right now, who's willing to slash his throat without a second thought."
"We'll go-…"
"Oh, no, I highly warn you against that," Carrow said when Ron stepped forward. "He kills on command, you see. If I die, your precious Omega dies as well. Anyone who comes close, Greyback will kill him. I will only give him back, when you give me my sister back."
"So that's what you want this whole time," Penelope said behind him, her voice quiet. "You sick fuck."
"Sick? Or someone who loves his family dearly?"
"Sick," Harry snarled, but it only made Carrow laugh louder.
"You can't kill me, Potter, your Omega will die," Carrow said, his hands clutching on Harry's robes. "Surely, you won't want your mate and your new pups to die too?"
The Alpha's eyes were wide with shock, and Carrow cackled when Harry's grip loosened. "Oh yes, your precious Omega is pregnant. Give me my sister, or Greyback kills your family."
Harry was close to tearing Carrow in half, but he was thinking about protecting his mate as well, and his pups. It was still hard to grasp the fact that Draco was pregnant, he should have known.
"Harry!"
Harry's heart throbbed as he looked up, glancing at the end of the hallway when he heard Draco's cry of pain. He let out a loud roar, shaking the chandelier above them. Harry grasped his hands around the Beta's collar and picked him up, flinging his entire body against the wall and releasing him unconscious on the carpet.
"Take him in, all of you, go!" Harry ordered, sprinting away from Carrow's unmoving body and into the direction of the staircase.
He followed the faint trail of scent, Draco's scent, and he was led into the dungeon. Harry's blood rushed through his veins, pumping his heart, his bond was rippling through him like the lightings outside.
The thunder was deafening outside when Draco heard the loud shouting between Greyback and Carrow. They were arguing, and there was a tinge of hope inside him that it was something good. Draco snatched the gold goblet near him and snuck it behind his back as he heard footsteps approaching.
Draco flinched when Greyback barged into the dungeon with a knife in his hand. The Omega stepped back, pressing himself against the wall, recoiling from the werewolf. "What's going on?"
Greyback was inaudible, a quiet growl emitting from his throat as he marched towards Draco and dragged him away. "What the fuck is going on? Don't touch me!"
"Listen, you bitch!" Greyback barked, pressing the knife against Draco's neck and the Omega went still under the sharp blade. "It seems like your precious Alpha has found this place, and he's going to be here soon. I have to fucking bring you somewhere else, Carrow's command."
There was a booming crash above them, of the door being destroyed, and Draco looked up. "Harry," Draco murmured, his heart warmed with relief when he knew his Alpha was here, saving him. He glared at the werewolf, snarling, "you can fucking try, I'm not going anywhere without my Alpha."
Draco swung the gold goblet against Greyback's temple, sending him staggering back. He slipped through the open doorway, getting out of the dungeon for the first time. It wasn't far until he was yanked back by the collar, Greyback hauling him back into the dungeon as Draco struggled, digging his feet into the ground. His strength was no match for Greyback.
"I should fucking kill you," Greyback barked, throwing the Omega back inside the room with a loud thud.
The Beta stomped forward, ruthlessly swinging a kick at Draco's flank as the Omega cried out. He hugged his stomach instantly. His Omegan instinct was screaming at him to protect the pups. Greyback was merciless, his kicks hitting the Omega's sides repeatedly. Some even hit his face, and Draco could feel blood dripping out of the corner of his lips. His tongue tasted metal, and his head hurt.
"Harry!" he cried his Alpha's name in hopes he could hear him. When he heard the loud roar Harry had made, resounding through the walls and making the ceiling rumble. Draco's bond tingled with a sudden surge of strength.
"I've had enough of you fucking wretched Omega," Greyback snapped, stopping his kicks and bending down to grab Draco up. The Omega retaliated with a counterblow, turning his knuckles red with the blood spurted from Greyback's nose.
He kicked at Greyback's chest, hard. The Beta lost his balance, falling backwards on the floor. Draco heaved, stumbling on his feet and trying to head for the door again. Greyback pulled out his knife, and Draco froze in his tracks as the Beta blocked the door.
"It's like you're fucking begging to be killed, Omega."
"By you?" Draco chuckled, hugging his sides and slightly wincing from the pain, "I'd rather fucking kill myself instead."
Greyback growled, striding towards him. Draco crouched down, snatching the wooden tray in his hand and swinging it at the Beta's head, turning him red from anger. Greyback plunged the knife forward and Draco blocked it with the tray. The blade pierced through the wood under his eyes. Draco moved away from the knife, twisting his wrists and chucking it back at Greyback's temple, making the werewolf shake his head from the sudden dizziness.
"You bitch."
"You really should reconsider that, seeing how you can't defeat an Omega," Draco said, laughing dryly as he licked the blood off his lower lip.
Greyback's eyes flashed with the intent to kill. He wrenched the knife out of the tray, lurching it at Draco's middle again. The Omega dodged it briefly, yelping when Greyback took hold of his wrist, his force was close to breaking his bone.
The Beta bent Draco's hand behind his back. The Omega howled, pain coursing through his body like electricity. Greyback shoved him against the wall and Draco used his free hand to fling his punch at the Beta. It didn't miss Greyback's cheekbone, but Draco's mouth went slack, gasping at the sudden pang of pain, a source of dark magic flowing in him. Draco inhaled deeply, wincing as he glanced down at his middle. Blood was gushing out of his stomach where the knife had impaled inside him.
Draco's breath shuddered when Greyback pulled the knife back out, and his own trembling hands came up to cover his wound as his body wobbled and slipped down on the ground. Tears escape his eyes, and he only wished his pups were safe, that the knife had missed them.
"Draco." His Alpha's growl was blaring, and Greyback turned around, facing Harry, who was standing at the doorway with his hand red of blood.
"Harry," Draco called out, his voice weak as he held on to his injury. Harry eyed it immediately, another growl rumbled inside his chest.
"Looks like I won, Potter," Greyback said, cackling loudly.
Harry's eyes were flashing red with his knuckles bloody before he lunged at the Beta. Greyback aimed the knife forward as Harry seized his wrist, twisting his entire arm as Greyback howled, dropping the knife on the floor.
Harry closed his other hand around Greyback's neck, pushing him backwards until he was pressed flat on the wall. He struck multiple blows at the Beta's side, until he was coughing out blood. Greyback gasped for breath, thrashing when Harry's blows hit him in the ribs. It seemed like he'd fractured it already.
"Don't touch," Harry snarled, his claws dug into Greyback's neck, piercing through the skin, deep enough to draw blood out as his fangs showed, "my mate." With one swift move, Greyback's throat was ripped out. Blood sprayed out as the Beta's body fell on the floor next to Draco. His eyes were still wide open, and blood surged out of his exposed neck, pooling around his head. Dead. Greyback was dead.
Harry rushed to Draco's spot, his big hand covering his Omega's wound completely and his other hand cupped Draco's face. "No, no, baby, don't…" Harry shook his head, heart shattering when he saw how much Draco was bleeding out. A string of spells escaped his throat, but the blood was still spilling out. "No, no…"
"The knife is cursed…Harry-Harry, listen to me," Draco said, his voice hoarse as he leaned into Harry's hand, "save our pups, Harry. Do everything to save our babies, please." Tears soaked his cheeks, mixing with blood, and Harry's heart clenched. He buried his face in Draco's neck, scenting him and feeling his pain through the bond. It was a pain he'd never felt before. "I-I don't care what happens to me. We can't lose our pups, Harry, you hear me?"
"No, Draco, no. I'm not going to lose you," Harry pleaded, his lips pressing on the salty and wet spot on Draco's cheek. He couldn't lose Draco, not now, not ever. "No, not again, no. I love you, please, please stay with me." Draco bared a weak smile, tipping his head forward to kiss Harry on his lips, his breathing short. "I-I'll save you all, please, stay, Draco. Stay, love, stay."
"You can't do that, Harry," Draco said, smiling weakly as he coughed, blood trickling out of the corner of his lips. "You're not invincible, and neither am I." He brushed his hand against Harry's face, and the Alpha melted in his Omega's warm touch. "I love you, Harry, so much."
"No, don't say that, no," he begged, body shaking with pain, "I love you. I love you, Draco, don't-don't leave me. I can't live a life without you next to me." He pressed harder on the wound, leaning closer to Draco. "Darling, don't-don't do this to me. Death couldn't do us part, remember?" he asked, reciting his vows as Draco gave him a fragile smile. "I won't let you go, I won't, I can't. I love you, I love you, Draco. Please, don't leave me here."
"My Alpha," Draco whispered, his eyes fluttered slowly, "I'm yours, now, and forever, Harry." His hand dropped from Harry's face and his eyes refused to open again.
Harry let out an anguishing roar as he held Draco's unresponsive body in his arms. His heart thumped like a drum as he Apparated them both, breaking through the ward of the Manor and into St. Mungo's.
"Oh Merlin's fuck, Draco!" Katie Bell rushed to Harry in her Healer robes as the Alpha placed his mate on the empty bed. "Details, now!"
"He's stabbed by this knife," Harry said, handing Katie the knife he hadn't forgotten to snatch before bringing Draco here. Harry took his mate's limped hand and kissed his knuckles, tears dropping on his Omega's delicate skin. "Please, please save him, and our pups." Katie's eyes widened and she nodded, calling other Healers for help.
"Trust us," the Beta said as she tugged at Harry's robes, "Harry, you need to leave. We need to heal him right now."
"No, no, I can't leave him, I can't," Harry said, shaking his head, refusing to let go of his mate's hand but Katie was pulling on him stronger.
"Harry, you have to calm down." Katie managed to yank him away and push him out of the room. Harry stole one last glance at Draco, he was still breathing, weakly, his eyes weren't open anymore. "Harry, stay out here. We will do our best. Okay? All you need to do is stay here, wait, and don't do anything stupid."
Harry nodded, words stuck in his throat as she closed the door, blocking him from the room. He collapsed on the chairs outside the room, head buried in his hands and he couldn't shake the fear off him. The thought of losing Draco, of not seeing Draco every day from now, terrified him to the core. He was the only one Harry had ever loved, his true mate, he was Harry's world. And now his world was dying before him, and Harry was powerless, unable to protect or save his mate. And their pups, their pups Harry hadn't even had a clue about.
He had failed Draco, failed their son, failed at bringing their family back together. He was at fault for all of this. Harry broke down completely when the bond was hurting him more than it had ever been. It felt like he was stabbed by the same knife at his heart, and he was left with an open wound, just like Draco. He felt Draco's life through their bond, it was there, but it was faint, and Harry tried not to think about losing his mate. No, he couldn't, he wouldn't accept it. Harry closed his eyes, wishing to be reunited with his mate again.
Notes:
Reunited? Sort of. Sorry for that, everyone.