Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Fooling Fate sequel to Bound	By : goldhorse Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 44179 -:- Recommendations : 3 -:- Currently Reading : 3
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. That lucky duck JK Rowling does. I don't make any money from this fanfic. I just play with her toys and put them back in relatively good condition.

Chapter List
- 23
- 24
- 25
The grounds of the Ranch were eerily silent, not even the animals stirred. A whooshing sound shook the surroundings followed by the terrified screams of dozens of abused and naked children landing from a rather hastily improvised portkey trip. A few seconds later, another sound was heard, this time of a wheezing cough and a grunt. Philippe and Alex had arrived.

Melody and Harmony scrambled up from underneath the children they had escaped with and ran towards their husbands. Unable to do much more than watch in terror, they clutched each other tightly and rocked back and forth. Alex frantically cast every diagnostic he could think of, muttering darkly as result after result came back with news he’d rather not contemplate. Severus and Celeste quickly joined them, waiting on baited breath for instructions.

Alex finally shook his head, tears slowly leaking down his cheeks as he cast a strong stasis over Philippe’s body. “He can’t handle the amount of magic needed to heal him, even to just survive the night. The stasis will hold him for a while, but it’s just stalling the inevitable.”

“No,” Celeste said frantically. “No, no, no. There has to be something else.”

Severus put a comforting arm around a now shaking Celeste. “Can you think of nothing else?”

“Only one thing,” Alex croaked, baring his fangs and hissing angrily. He couldn’t stand the thought that he wasn’t skilled enough to save his closest friend, his brother.

“It’s a thought,” Melody said softly, her voice trembling as she held a very fragile Harmony in her arms.

“No,” Alex said sadly. “Besides the fact that none of us have the ability to turn him, he’d never forgive us.”

“You don’t know that,” Celeste said angrily.

“But she does,” Alex said softly and nodded to Harmony, whose eyes were darting back and forth so fast it looked like she didn’t have irises.

“Harm,” Melody called softly, trying to gently snap her sister out of her trance. She always spaced out when she was searching for a future. “Harm!”

“I can’t see it!” Harmony cried in despair. “I can’t see one mother fucking speck of his future…or mine. Nothing. It’s blank.”

“Then the future is yet to be written,” Melody said. “What would you have us do?”

“Keep in mind,” Severus broke in gently, “that he is dead either way. Should he not like his new…un-life, he could always choose to forgo it. Vampires are only immortal to a point...and we already know that only certain souls are damned in turning. I’m sure the fates would be kind to him should he choose a different path. He has fought for them under no obligations, after all.”

“We still can’t turn him,” Alex broke in.

“Perhaps it’s time to mend some rifts,” Melody said softly.

“But you’d be exposed,” Harmony said quietly.

Melody gave a sad laugh. “I’d do anything for you; you know that don’t you?”

“Including facing a coven of very pissed off vampires?” Harmony countered, her voice tiny in that moment.

Melody tsked. “I don’t think they’ll be that pissed. “I mean, Sev still sends them potions monthly, we contribute to the bar, still send talent their way-“

“And absolutely refuse to meet with them in person,” Harmony said knowingly.

Melody shrugged. “We’ll deal with it. Just say the word Harm, say it and we’ll jump.”

Harmony let out a sob. “I can’t live without him, even if he isn’t…alive. I always wondered what you saw in Alex as a vampire, and now I can’t seem to remember why I was so against it. At least I could still be with him.”

“Done,” Severus said curtly and stood up. “I’ll go, less time wasted explaining that way.”

He disappeared with a loud crack, startling the children who were all huddled against each other and staring around wide eyed as a very sad Harry and Ginny watched over them. Knowing there wasn’t anything else they could do until Severus returned, Alex joined the Potters. He spoke in soft tones, explaining to the frightened escapees that he was a doctor and he wanted to help them but needed to examine them. They relented reluctantly but before he could start with their diagnosis, Severus returned with a loud crack, Tatyana in tow.

“My word,” Alex’s dam breathed out as she laid eyes on a broken Philippe. “His transformation will be most horribly painful.”

“As will his death, should he not be turned,” Alex said softly as he joined them again. He motioned for Harry and Ginny to put up a perimeter spell up just in case the children got scared and tried to run. He didn’t blame them, but it would be easier to contain them than to track them down.

“And you say you are not talented enough to heal him?” Tatyana’s tone was one of surprise and disappointment that cut through Alex like a knife.

Alex shook his head. “No one is. The amount of magic he would need to endure would kill him as surely as his injuries would.”

“What did this?” Tatyana breathed.

“Multiple blows,” Melody said, rising to stand with her husband and leaving Celeste and Harmony to comfort a very still Philippe. “He was possessed by a poltergeist which weakened him. Then a demon tore through him just as a guard hit him with a spell designed to cause ultimate suffering before a slow and painful death. He landed in a magic draining cell.”

Tatyana nodded with steely determination. “I will turn him…on one condition.”

“That is?” Melody asked without a moment’s hesitation.

“You will tell me why my child and you both smell different, and yet the same.”

Melody nodded and raised her wand in the air, pointing it toward the sky. “I solemnly swear that I will tell you why Alex and I smell different as soon as Philippe is on his way to transformation.”

Gold light swirled around Melody, finally settling around her chest before falling away. The vampire might not have been magical, but she knew the power of an oath just the same. She immediately knelt over Philippe’s body and took a tentative lick of the blood that had pooled around of an open wound on his arm. She frowned and scrunched her nose.

“I cannot turn him if he is not actively bleeding.”

“Oh!” Alex jumped and removed the stasis, wincing when Philippe took a shuddering breath. He’d lost consciousness long ago back in the dungeons of Khrone’s castle but his reaction to pain said more than words ever could.

Tatyana hummed her approval and quickly sank her fangs into him, draining him quickly before injecting her venom into his neck. When she was finished, she gave him a tender kiss on the forehead and pulled back. “Rest well, my child. You have a long road ahead.”

“We’ll stay with him,” Celeste said softly.

Harmony nodded numbly. She knew all too well the pain of the vampire’s venom. Even though it didn’t work on her, it still hurt. She dimly registered the faint screams of the children they had rescued, the sounds of Alex ordering control, and the smooth lecture Severus delivered after they had somewhat calmed down. The only thing that registered in her mind was taking her husband upstairs to clean him up.

“Now,” Tatyana drawled as she neared Melody and Alex. “I am most intrigued to learn of this new…smell.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“Wakey wakey eggs and bakey.”

Draco mentally groaned at the horrible greeting. The voice was gravely and high pitched, like it was being purposefully distorted to keep it from being recognized. It laughed when he remained still and started chastising Cygnus for casting such a powerful sleeping spell.

He took a moment to assess the situation before he dared to open his eyes. He could feel Hermione, awake, just waiting for him before she gave her position away. He mentally caressed her, ensuring her he was fine and went about checking himself out. There were obviously broken bones, if the sharp shooting pains in his ribs accounted for anything. The muscles in his back were thrashed as well, no doubt from involuntarily arching during the cruciatis. His head was pounding from the legilimency session with his half-brother earlier. Magic flooded his veins, evidence of his core trying desperately to heal the damage by itself.

He breathed a sigh of relief that Hermione was in the same shape. In another situation, he would be livid. In this one though, he was simply glad she was alive and healthy. Sessions with Voldemort and other Death Eaters had changed his perspective on dire straits. Alive was enough, relatively healthy was a godsend. He could hear the muttering in the background, urging for another wake up spell. Wanting desperately to avoid the sting that would cause, he cracked his eyes open.

The first thing he noticed was that it was exceptionally dim, something that had never happened. He’d always been assaulted with bright lights. It was a kindness really, intentional or not. It allowed him to quickly refocus his vision and catalogue his surroundings.

The room was fairly small, perhaps an antechamber somewhere, but the floor was different. There was no marble like in the grand entryway nor was it the stone flooring of the dungeons. If he had to hazard a guess, he’s say that the floor was old wood, stale and dusty. If he listened closely, he could hear it creaking when the something shifted. Were they even in Khrone’s anymore? The walls were bare, paint peeling over plaster and had no indication of any entry or exit. The ceiling certainly was a lot lower, perhaps only seven feet high. Was it an illusion?

The dim lighting was coming from two wall torches, both flickering pathetically against the far wall. They looked to be on either side of a fireplace, but it was hard to tell. It illuminated three figures in the room. One sat on a throne of sorts, much less ornate than the one Voldemort preferred. It was more like a glorified dining room arm chair. It wasn’t even on a platform. The two standing figures had wands. He ordered Hermione to open her eyes when he saw a wand pointed at her.

“Good morning starshine. The earth says hello.”₁

Draco wanted to spit at the owner of that horrible voice but he knew that would be a very bad idea. If the person didn’t hex him to hell and back, the other two people in the room certainly would. He recognized them both when the light flickered brighter for a moment, Dormer and Cygnus. The owner of the voice, however, was fully cloaked and remained in shadows.

Hermione, on the other hand, couldn’t help herself. She snorted and rolled over to face Draco, who was lying beside her on a scratchy, faded rug. Surprisingly enough, she wasn’t bound and remained unhexed. She was even allowed to reach out and grab Draco’s hand. Feeling kind of loopy from the small surge of magic that flowed through her on contact, she giggled and said the first thing that came to her mind.

“I’m the gatekeeper.” ₂

Draco wheezed out a laugh. He briefly suspected that his wife had consumed a pain potion. She was always sensitive to those but she was still feeling too much pain to have been on it. The way their captors were grimacing, he wondered if she were on to something.

‘I have a plan,’ she whispered at the back of his mind and he understood her intentions immediately.

“I’m the keymaster₂,” he finally choked out.

“What in the bloody hell-“ Dormer whispered in astonishment.

“Enough,” the third person spat. “Cygnus, how long did you hold them under?”

“Not that long,” Cygnus said a bit sulkily. “I hardly touched them.”

Hermione giggled madly, realizing that her mad ranting had the correct effect. They believed her to be addled from the curse. “Take me now subcreature!”₂

“We never talk anymore₂!” Draco said dryly, forcing his laugh into a high pitched cackle worthy of Aunt Bella.

“I want you inside me₂,” Hermione cried, moaning rather huskily.

Even in their captured state with three very confused people looking on, Draco found himself becoming aroused. He giggled a bit too much like a girl for his tastes and said “Go ahead… no I can’t. Sounds like you got at least two people in there already. Might be a little crowded.”

“What madness is this?” The third person screeched. “What in the hell is wrong with them? Did you fry their brains?”

“Hardy,” Cygnus scoffed. “They’re just…just acting. They wish to fool you Master.”

“Do they?” the Master said slowly. “Mrs. Malfoy, stop this at once.”

Hermione panted like a dog and rolled her head up, baring her teeth and crossing her eyes. “There is no Dana, only Zul.”₂

“Mr. Malfoy!”

Draco let out a wheeze. “I am Vinz Clorthos, keymaster of Gozer. Volguus Zildrohar, Lord of the Sebouilla.”₂

“Nonsense!” the Master cried. “Invade his mind!”

This time, they worked together to make sure and lead Cygnus down a rabbit hole in Draco’s mind. Each brought forth random scenes taken from muggle cartoons, theater shows, and one too many rounds of Truth or Consequences played with muggle tequila. It created the perfect jumble to back up the illusion they had gone mad. Besides, how many purebloods watched old muggle movies anyway?

“No!” Cygnus yelled when he finally waded out of the mental muck. “His mind is…jumbled.”

“Dormer,” the Master cried sharply. “Check her mind.”

Dormer was much sloppier than Cygnus, clumsily tearing holes through a few false walls they put up. It was hard not to laugh at his blatant inexperience and lack of control but they managed to keep a lid on it. Bits and pieces of Voldemort torturing random victims mixed with muggle horror films had him backpedaling as fast as he could.

“They are deranged!” Dormer cried.

“Cygnus, you idiot!” The Master howled. “You’ve broken them too early! Now we’ll never know the missing secrets of the phenoms.”

“No Master! It can’t be. They haven’t endured half of what we put others through, not even a sliver of it. They couldn’t have broken so easily.”

The Master sneered and lowered their hood. The pure couple was hard pressed not to gasp as the appearance of their previously faceless enemy was far more familiar than they hoped for. How could they have not seen? Then again, how could they have seen at all? They were expecting a wizard, someone of “noble pureblood birth” that would uphold the same values as Voldemort, or at the very least, sympathize with them. This was…

“How do you know?”

“I-I,” Cygnus stammered.

Draco fought back his surprise and spewed another line. Maybe the Master would misconstrue it and let valuable information slip. “Wait for the sign. Then our prisoners will be released. You will perish in flame, you and all your kind. Gatekeeper!”₂

“Enough!” Cygnus roared and hit Draco with a stinging spell. “Master, I’m sure they are fine. Just let me work on them a bit longer.”

“And ruin what little mind they might have left? I think not. No, dispense the veritiserum.”

Draco took that moment to laugh…loudly and boisterously. While they all gaped at him, he curled into a ball and took out a tiny tablet from a hidden compartment in his top buttonhole. It was no bigger than the head of a tack and contained a serum that Severus had developed years ago as an antidote in his search for a better veritiserum. It had proven effective for up to 24 hours. Seeing its usefulness, every member of the team carried one concealed in a place that wouldn’t be easily spotted and confiscated. He slipped it under his tongue under the guise of a coughing fit.

Hermione patted Draco on the back as hard as she dared, hoping not to provoke the men holding wands on her. The motion enabled her to hide other movements, such as retrieving her tablet and consuming it. So far, their crazy act had bought them valuable time…and a glimpse of the Master. She just hoped that with the antidote, they could continue on with it and fool their captors. Perhaps even get close enough to steal their wands back so they wouldn’t have to use wandless magic to escape.

‘I haven’t lost my wand yet,’ Draco thought to her. ‘I’m not about to do so now.’

‘You think they’ll go for it?’ Hermione thought back nervously.

Draco looked up and studied the Master’s face. Black eyes with so much contempt, he was hard pressed not to shiver. They held a darkness that rivaled the Dark Lord, something she had managed to conceal previously. The Master, as many times as he had seen her face in the past week, had apparently lived a hard life. From their research, they knew she couldn’t have been much over fifty, and yet, she looked closer to eighty.

‘I think so,’ he finally answered. ‘She’s good at hiding her emotions, but I think she’s going to put all her stock in the potion. We’ll be out of here by Monday.’

‘Are you sure it isn’t Monday yet?’ Hermione thought.

‘I honestly don’t know, but we’ll be out of here soon anyhow.’

‘I love you,’ Hermione sighed before being forcefully rolled over. Cygnus tipped the veriteserum down her throat. She smacked her lips and grinned as maniacally as she could at Dormer. “Hi! I’m Chucky. Wanna play?”₃

“What the devil?” Dormer hissed but thought better of it. He administered a dose to Draco as well. The wait for the serum to take effect was tense.

“Draco Malfoy,” the Master screeched, obviously trying to pick the most sane of the pair to start with. “Why did you come to Khrone’s Castle.”

Draco turned to look at her, keeping his eyes as wide and innocently child-like as he could manage. Then he darted them sharply to the left and back to her a few times, giving the impression that he was unable to focus. Then he rolled over and pushed up, appearing as if he wanted her to come closer. When she shuffled forward, he leaned up and whispered loudly, “I see dead people.”₄

“What is wrong with you?”

Draco grinned. “We all go a little mad sometimes.”₅

“I see,” the Master said with pursed lips and then looked up at her lackeys with a quizzical expression. “What should I make of this?”

Draco figured he’d answer her. “Be afraid…Be very afraid.”₆

“Hardly,” the Master said with a sneer. “But you should be. Cygnus, perhaps your favorite spell will bring him around.”

“As you wish,” Cygnus said with a bow. “I’m sure Draco has heard of this one. It was a particular favorite of our father’s.”

Draco was barely able to shut off his nerve endings before the curse struck his cheek. The initial sting though, it was one he wouldn’t soon forget. The spell mimicked the lash, only it left a gash in the skin and allowed the wound to ooze for a while but not to the point of bleeding out. It also hurt worse than any cut could. He fought desperately against the memories that threatened to flood him and concentrated on acting insane.

“Oh yes,” Draco wheezed and gingerly touched his cheek. He brought his fingers back and noticed that they were covered in his blood. An idea sprung to mind and he pulled Hermione over to him, plunging his fingers in her mouth. “There will be blood.”₇

Hermione moaned at the taste of his blood, lime cordial, her favorite. She was pleased he had thought of it so quickly. Sharing blood would hopefully keep their bond strong. She stretched up and licked the rest from his face like a cat, making sure her sounds of pleasure were audible.

“Merlin, that’s sick,” Cygnus said in disgust. “Maybe they are crazy.”

“That’s it!” The Master screeched. “Bring in John.”

It really was too perfect. In walked Sanders, the Ancient Runes teacher. Draco looked up from his wife’s tender ministrations and cackled. “Heeeere’s Johnnie!”₈

“What in the hell?” Sanders asked gruffly, his wand trained on the couple.

“Cygnus broke them,” Dormer sniffed.

“I doubt that,” Sanders said slowly. “They are much cleverer than you are giving them credit for.”

“Why would you say that?”

“Master, have you not done your homework on Severus Snape and Melody Bach?”

“I have,” the Master said stiffly. “And you will show deference to me or face the consequences.” With that, the Master took out a medallion as red as Voldemort’s eyes and pointed it at Sanders. The teacher paled and hit his knees, whimpering.

“I am sorry Master. It was unwise of me to speak out of turn. I merely wished to ask if you thought he wouldn’t have taught this couple how to survive.”

“Sanders, you are as slippery as a goblin and I grow tired of your smug attitude.”

There was no warning as a purple light shot out of the medallion, striking Sanders squarely in the chest. The man let out a scream to rival those of Zandra as she had her soul ripped out. His body convulsed and contorted several different times before the man soiled himself and collapsed on the ground, a shuddering, stinking mess.

Draco bit back the bile in his throat. That curse had been nastier in a shorter span of time than any cruciatis he’d ever witnessed. However, if they backed down now, then the Master might see through their plan. Sanders obviously wasn’t in her favor and they could use that to their advantage. Before he could say anything, Hermione jumped in. She waggled her finger in a mock browbeating before speaking through her nose.

“I will not be threatened by a walking meatloaf!”₉

Draco hissed out a laugh at the baffled expression on the Master’s face. Knowing she was truly starting to believe in their psychotic break, he continued on in that vein. Sanders had started sobbing, giving him the perfect opportunity to channel his father.

“No tears please, it’s a waste of suffering.”₁₀

“Indeed,” the Master said, her lips quirking into a smile that made Draco want to vomit. Of course she would take pleasure in the suffering of others.

“Of course, Sanders knows to of my noble work, don’t you Sanders?”

“Y-y-yes M-m-master.”

“He knows I study all of my experiments very closely before I make a move on them. I admit…I was a bit lax in my treatment of Melody. Her most recent healing was a revelation…scars left over from the Dark Lord, if I’m not mistaken. No ordinary witch could endure that kind of pain.”

“M-m-master, if I m-may,” Sanders stuttered meekly.

“What?” The Master snapped.

“S-s-severus S-s-snape is n-not to b-be undere-estimated either.”

“I know that!” The Master snapped. “Do you think I would underestimate the one man able to live under the Dark Lord’s nose whilst betraying him? I’ve seen him in action. The man is talented…but not flawless.”

“Master?” Dormer asked quietly, as if he was in shock that she had seen a flaw.

“You think Severus Snape has no weakness?” The Master asked incredulously. “He fawns over that filthy vampire loving half-blood he calls his wife, his utterly ordinary children who have extraordinary egos, and…these two.”

Draco swallowed hard and grabbed Hermione the tiniest bit harder. Just what was the Master getting at? He was afraid to find out, and even more afraid if he acted concern. In lieu of playing it smart and keeping a low profile, he swayed back and forth and summoned his best Trelawney voice.

“Have you checked the children?”₁₁

“Oh but I have,” the Master drawled, answering his seemingly mad question. Had she seen through him? “Tell me Draco, how are you connected with Severus Snape?”

Draco swallowed a bit harder than necessary, giving the impression that veritiserum was working. Truthfully, he felt absolutely nothing. However, even insane people were affected by truth serum. The difference was that their answers were only slightly more coherent than their babbling. Then he grinned and clapped his hands in a way his children used to do as toddlers.

“It’s alive. It’s alive!”₁₂

The Master’s eyes lit up, obviously thinking his ranting had meaning. She leaned forward, eagerness written all over her features. “How is your connection with Severus Snape alive?”

Draco cocked his head and wracked his brain for an appropriately vague message. “Sometimes dead is better.”₁₃

The Master screamed in frustration, causing her minions to cringe in various states of fear. Apparently, she didn’t spare the medallion. It reminded him of the way that the Dark Lord ruled his minions, only she apparently had less of a temper. She pointed her medallion at him and he heard his skin sizzle. The curse was fairly short but he could tell he had sustained some serious burns.

“This can’t be happening,” the Master panted. “The key to all of our research, here, in our grasp, and their mad.”

“This is no dream!” Hermione called out happily. “This is really happening!”₁₄

“SILENCE!” The Master shrieked and shot an electrocution hex at her. “Tell me, Mrs. Malfoy, how could a filthy little mudblood like you wield such powerful magic when I can’t? ME! I am a noble pureblood, the purest! I can trace my heritage further than your blood traitor husband. The Dark Lord promised me that he would find an answer and the closest he got was this medallion.”

Hermione cocked her head and studied the red medallion as the Master went into a rant at the injustice of filthy muggles. It reminded her of the infinity necklaces that were used to trap a soul in them. What she wouldn’t give to have Melody right about now. Perhaps she could figure out just exactly what this object was. As it stood, the only thing she knew was with that artifact in the Master’s hand, they could be struck down at any moment…and her patience was wearing.

‘When do we strike?’ Draco asked.

‘Soon,’ Hermione answered while searching for the right thing to say to enrage the Master. ‘She has to be mad enough to overlook any bursts of powerful magic. The others need to be distracted.’

‘That’s a hard one. They might look like idiots but trust me, they aren’t.’

‘It’s strange isn’t it?’ Hermione thought suddenly. ‘If Lucius trained Cygnus even a bit, then he should know that you’re every bit as strong as he was. If the Master knows you and Severus are connected somehow, then she would know this too. Sanders might be in the dark about us, but he most definitely knows how formidable Severus and Melody are.’

Draco physically nodded in agreement, aware that he looked a bit strange nodding during the Master’s rant. Perhaps she would try to play on that and get a bit closer so he could snatch the medallion. ‘You’re referring to the bumbling way they are handling things. They remind me of Crabbe and Goyle on a particularly stupid day.’

‘Do you suppose they are bewitched?’

Draco let his head spin around aimlessly, trying to get a glimpse into the eyes of his captors. Sanders’ were the easiest to catch, the caramel orbs dazed with pain. They looked…cloudy, but he wasn’t as blank as he should have been if he were under an imperius. He knew from experience that Sanders was what Melody liked to call a hard ass. He didn’t take any shit from anyone, didn’t seem to be afraid to have a wand pointed at him, and was more than ready to start a duel should he need to. Why did he cower so quickly?

A glance showed that Dormer was in the same state. From Severus’s previous lessons about the proud pureblood, he doubted he cowered to anyone but Voldemort. How had the Master cowed him so thoroughly? This was especially alarming considering his performances with Zandra’s torture.

Cygnus was another story altogether. His eyes were clear as crystal, gleaming onyx with a slight maniacal gleam from his Master’s words. He sort of made sense, in a twisted way. If the Master had raised him, then it would stand to reckon that he would have a fondness for her. Still, the son of Lucius and Bellatrix shouldn’t have been so… sycophantic...at least not to anyone except for Lucius.

‘No, but there is something going on,’ he finally answered.

Hermione grumbled and cursed at herself for choosing the path of madness to escape. It was terrific to keep their captors from asking any questions, but it made it difficult for them to ask any as well. It had kept them relatively healthy though. It was a gamble, playing mad. However, after seeing Draco’s memories of broken victims of Voldemort, she was certain it was the safest path, and he obviously agreed. Now she was burning with curiosity. Why was the Master in league with Voldemort in the first place? How did Cygnus fit into this?

“Of course, I had planned on just prying the truth from you,” the Master sighed, gaining the couple’s attention once more. “But I suppose we’ll just have to start with the testing.”

‘Now!’ Draco thought desperately. They wouldn’t be able to keep their secret if they started undergoing power testing.

Hermione held her breath as Cygnus leaned over her to carry her. She was baffled as to why he was approaching her the muggle way, but thankful none the less. She would make sure to put this memory in a pensive to go back and study this setting again, but for now, she struck, tripping the Lucius facsimile and snatching both her and Draco’s wands from his robe pocket. She tossed Draco’s to his while casting a binding charm with hers.

The Master screeched in indignation and thrust the medallion out, striking with all her might. Hermione managed to duck it and lug Cygnus up as a shield. She just hoped that the Master had a shred more humanity than Voldemort did and wouldn’t fire at her human shield. Her luck held, the Master screaming impotently and firing around the large form of her ward.

Draco had a battle of his own, Sanders and Dormer both on his case. He was lucky that Sanders was still sluggish from his earlier hexing and managed to stun him while ducking out of a binding hex. Dormer, on the other hand, was sharp. It was easy to see that he learned his fighting style from Voldemort and Draco was hard pressed to keep up with him. His body didn’t want to cooperate, the block on his nerves affecting his reaction times.

Lights flew in a blinding array of colors, reminding them of that night in the Myrtle’s bathroom so long ago. Both caressed the memory lovingly, drawing strength from it and casting in tandem, driving back their two remaining captors. Draco shifted and drew Hermione into his arms, her back to his chest, his wrist touching her bare skin. He had taken the liberty of using the same charm on his portkey as Melody had placed on his collar when they were in school. It blended in so perfectly that Cygnus didn’t notice it as he no doubt searched their bodies for artifacts.

“PORTIS!” Draco shouted, activating the portkey and throwing up one last shield as they went twisting out of sight.

They landed on the grounds of the Ranch, gasping in the night air. How long had they been gone? The impact of the landing broke their concentration and the pain came flooding back to them. Their screams mingled in the air, alerting the occupants to their arrival.

Severus, Melody, Alex, and Celeste were there in a blink of an eye, hovering over their bruised and battered bodies. They dimly registered pain and healing spells and obediently swallowed vile potions designed to heal internal injuries. Their strength was waning, but they had to know.

“How long,” Draco croaked and struggled to lift his head.

“It’s Sunday night,” Melody said softly. “You made it out in good time.”

Draco nodded and collapsed back onto the ground, relieved that they didn’t lose much time.

“Who is the Master?” Severus asked as gently as he could.

Hermione opened her eyes and shuddered in pain.

“Moira MacNeeley.”

**footnotes**

quotes taken from the following movie:

1: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

2: Ghostbusters

3: Child's Play

4: The Sixth Sense

5: Psycho

6: The Fly

7: Saw II

8: The Shining

9: An American Werewolf in London

10: Hellraiser

11: When a Stranger Calls

12: Frankenstein

13: Pet Sematary

14: Rosemary's Baby

AN: Thanks to everyone for your wonderful reviews. They keep me going when the going gets tough. Keep them coming and let me know how I'm doing!

Now, did anyone notice the movie quotes? I happened to be watching Ghostbusters when I was writing this so I thought, what the hell. In honor of Halloween, your movie quotes are from the movies above. Have fun discovering them (if you didn't catch them the first time).

Until next time...Love you guys!

*Now with new citations. enjoy.
- 23
- 24
- 25
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Fooling Fate *sequel to Bound*

Fooling Fate sequel to Bound