Harry Potter and The Serpent King (BP5)
folder
Harry Potter › Slash - Male/Male › Harry/Draco
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
52
Views:
20,700
Reviews:
85
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
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Category:
Harry Potter › Slash - Male/Male › Harry/Draco
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
52
Views:
20,700
Reviews:
85
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Suicide Mission
Chapter Number/Total: 35/52
Chapter Title: Suicide Mission
Words: 2166 Words
Within an hour, Harry, Draco and Sirius were already in Hogsmeade. They Apparated away from their usual spot so that Sirius could transform without the risk of being seen.
When they entered the pub, Aberforth gave them both very strange looks and an even stranger one to the 'dog', eyebrows raised. Despite being obviously confused, he walked into the back and they followed.
"We haven't any time to explain here," said Harry once the door was closed. "You can hear it along with Snape."
Aberforth's eyes were wide. "Is that -?" he asked.
"Yes. Sirius, go ahead."
Sirius wagged his tail and stared up at Harry before he began to shift, morphing into the tall, dark-haired man that he was.
"Sirius Black," Aberforth said, mouth slack. "But you're -"
"Dead," Sirius finished for him.
"We haven't any time," Harry repeated. "I'll Side-Along Sirius and then you can let us in to see Snape."
Aberforth blinked rapidly and seemed to come out of a daze. "Yes. Yes, of course," he said.
Harry nodded and reached for Sirius's arm, Disapparating with him.
Draco joined them at the site and waited for Aberforth to join them. It was a few seconds before the other man was there and Harry supposed it was from the shock.
Still seeming dazed, Aberforth pulled his wand and did the strange prodding of the rock.
It was a quite a while before Snape arrived. When he did, he drew his wand immediately. "Black?" he asked.
Sirius inclined his head. "Snape," he said.
Harry watched warily.
"Yes, it's him," Draco said. "We found a way to bring him back through the veil."
Snape scowled, looking between them. "I can't be gone long," he said. "What is this about?"
"We should go inside," Draco said quietly.
"You want me to take him inside?" Snape sneered.
Harry could see the muscle bulging in Sirius' jaw and he glared at Snape himself.
"I'll go ahead and take him, Severus," Aberforth said, looking between the two men.
Harry glanced at Draco as Aberforth moved forward and then Disapparated with Sirius.
"Take Harry and come back for me," Draco said.
Snape frowned and turned to Harry, taking his arm and Apparating them inside.
Harry didn't jerk away from Snape, but he was very tense and then very glad when he let him go.
“Come on," he said to Sirius, taking a seat at the table.
Aberforth followed them, conjuring a fifth chair for himself.
Snape disappeared and reappeared a minute later with Draco. Draco sat down in the chair beside Harry. Snape stood with his arms crossed, glaring at them.
Sirius looked like he was holding himself back from making a comment.
"So ... we've got a plan," Harry said, feeling very awkward.
"How did you bring him back?" Snape asked suspiciously.
Draco sighed and explained his theory and the basic concept of the spell, but without going into the actual details.
Harry stared at the table and concentrated on not flushing too brightly.
Sirius drummed his fingers on the table impatiently.
Aberforth listened to Draco closely, glancing at Sirius as the blond spoke.
"Impressive," Snape said approvingly at Draco's explanation. "But that doesn't explain why you have brought him here."
"We are ready to go after the next Horcrux," Draco said flatly.
Harry clenched his hands, it being the only thing he could do to cope with talking about this. "We ... need you to help Draco get into ... Voldemort's headquarters," he said, closing his eyes for just a second.
"You what?!" Severus exploded.
Sirius quickly sat up straighter, scowling at the outburst.
Harry closed his eyes again.
Draco took a deep breath, looking up at his godfather. "We need to get in there to see if the last Horcrux is that snake and, if so, kill it," Draco said.
"You would send him in there?" Snape glowered at Harry.
Draco stood and snapped, "Severus, this was my idea."
"I don't want him to go," Harry said, opening his eyes to stare at the table, "but the entire Order agreed with him. I would go by myself if they would let me."
"I took an Unbreakable Vow to protect you, Draco," Snape hissed. "You can't ask me to do this!"
"I can and I am. Unless you have a better plan," Draco said calmly, his eyes meeting his Mentor's. "We can't go after Him until this is done. And we need to take the wards down or bring him out so that Harry can confront him then."
Harry looked up at Snape, begging with his eyes for the man to have a better plan.
Sirius leaned back in his chair and looked at Snape expectantly.
Snape growled and turned his back on them. His shoulders shook.
Draco walked around the table and stood behind him for a moment. Then he laid a hand on the man's shoulder. "Severus," he said quietly. "I know this is asking a lot of you."
Snape shook his head, whirling around to face Draco. "Do you have any conception of what they will do to you if you are caught?" he sneered, anger and fear in his eyes.
Harry paled drastically and Sirius looked at him, his face very concerned. He reached out and shook Harry lightly by the shoulder. "You all right?" he asked.
Harry's stomach squirmed uncomfortably.
"Yes, I do," Draco said, chin held defiantly. "And I know what will happen to myself and everyone I care about if we lose. Which is why we must act before it is too late." Draco held the other man's gaze until Snape nodded.
"They are planning something," the old Potions Master said, "something big. You will need to move soon."
"We're going next week," Sirius said slowly as Harry didn't volunteer the information. "During the new moon so that the werewolves won't be as effective."
"Can you get us in?" Draco asked.
"Who is us?" Snape asked, glancing at the others. "I am not taking Potter in."
Harry didn't reply.
"No, not him," Sirius said. "Only Draco and myself."
"In your Animagus form, I see." Snape nodded. "That is possible." He turned to look at the other man. "If you get caught, my priority will be the mission and Draco, not saving you," he said sternly.
Sirius shrugged nonchalantly, though his eyes were hard as he stared at Snape. "I rather figured that," he said. "I know what I'm getting into."
"I doubt that," Snape said, but turned back to Draco. "Do you have anything in mind that will make this something more than a suicide mission?"
Draco nodded. "We need to find a way to take the wards down," he said, "so that when I attack the snake, the rest of our forces can attack the stronghold."
"And he said he's already been there," said Sirius. "He can take me on Side-Along."
Harry sat and listened, feeling powerless against all of this.
Snape only glanced at Sirius. "Yes, I remember," he said. "I will have to manipulate the Ward Keeper so that you can get in. So, once in there, what then?"
Draco smiled again. "I have a potion that will make me invisible," he said.
"You do?" Snape's eyes widened.
Harry looked up at that, wanting to see Snape's reaction to Draco's exceptional skill.
"I developed it," Draco said, pride in his voice.
Snape regarded him for a moment. "Interesting," he said, but his approval came through in the simple word.
"It only works on living flesh and it requires silence," Draco said. "So someone would need to carry my wand for me. Probably Black in his Animagus form."
"You've given this a lot of thought," Snape said, grudging approval in his voice again.
Draco nodded, still holding the man's gaze.
"When you attack the snake, it will alert him," Severus said.
"And then what?" Harry asked quietly, looking up at Draco.
"It has to be timed so that the wards come down and our forces attack then," Draco said. "He must be distracted or I will ... not succeed."
Harry felt his stomach lurch again.
"I'll distract him if I have to," said Sirius. "No matter what the cost."
Snape nodded. "What day?" he asked.
"Black and I will meet you here in five days," Draco said. "Our forces will plan to attack twelve hours after we go in."
"Why?" Snape asked.
"You know why," Draco said. "I won't be alive if it takes more than a day."
Harry resisted the urge to exclaim that this was mad.
Snape scowled but nodded.
Draco relaxed, laying a hand on his godfather's arm. "Thank you," he said.
"Do not thank me for this," Snape said angrily.
Draco nodded and stepped back, dropping his hand. "So the two of you will need to work together to take down the wards," he said looking between Snape and Black.
Sirius raised an eyebrow at Snape. "I've already had my lecture on this," he said.
"I have shown I can work with anyone if I have to," Snape said coolly.
"Good," Draco said. "Anything else?" He looked at Harry questioningly.
"I ... think that's it," Harry said distantly.
"I must get back," Snape said.
Harry, Sirius and Aberforth stood from their chairs. Aberforth glanced between Snape and Sirius and then decidedly held his arm out to the latter. They were gone in a moment.
Draco gestured for Snape to take Harry first. His godfather huffed and turned to Harry.
Harry resignedly held his arm out and Disapparated with Snape when the man took it.
Snape released Harry quickly and returned for Draco.
Draco took his arm but Snape hesitated, looking at him for a moment.
"I am sorry, Severus," the blond said.
"You should end the binding with him first," Snape said. "If you are captured ...."
"I know, but I won't," Draco said.
Snape scowled. "It is foolish to keep such limitations," he insisted.
"The binding has saved my life several times," Draco said quietly. "But that isn't the point. I want it."
"If you are captured ...." Snape said again, seeming unable to continue.
"I know," Draco said.
Snape shook his head and sighed. He Apparated them out.
"Back home now, correct?" Sirius said when Draco and Snape were there.
Harry nodded.
Sirius gave Snape an only slightly sarcastically-polite nod before Disapparating.
***
Draco was grateful to get back to Grimmauld. His whole body was sore with tension. Harry had been quiet during the trip, which usually meant he would explode later. Draco sighed as he removed his robe and handed it to the house-elf.
"I'm going to go talk to Remus," Sirius said with a small resigned sigh. "I'll talk to you later." He walked off down the hall.
"I'll go and get the baby," Harry said quietly, handing his robe to the house-elf as well.
Draco followed his husband, not replying but wanting to be near him.
Harry found Ron and Hermione shortly and Hermione frowned curiously at Harry.
Harry wondered what he looked like.
"Did everything go all right?" she asked.
Harry crossed to the cot in the room and lifted Valen out of it. He was sleeping and Harry held him gently to his chest, trying not to wake him. "It went okay," he said quietly in answer to Hermione's question.
Draco leaned in the doorway. "Snape agreed to the plan," he said quietly.
Ron nodded and as he looked at Harry, he seemed unable to decide if he should say good or not.
Harry sighed, unable to decide himself, though he was leaning towards this being bad.
"We need to get the word out that our people need to meet at Hogwarts in five days," Draco said. "And it would be better if they arrived gradually and attracted as little notice as possible."
"Our people?" asked Ron, looking confused.
Harry raised an eyebrow as well.
Draco frowned. "The Order and anyone else we have who is willing to fight," he said. "We need to get them close to the island."
Harry nodded. "We'll get them there," he said, still a bit quiet. "We have the next meeting coming up for all of the finalities and we can tell them then."
"Better have the meeting tomorrow then," Draco said, frowning.
"We can do that," Harry said with a small sigh. He wanted to scream and pull his hair out and rip ... anything he possibly could, but he just stood there blankly.
Draco looked at their sleeping child in his husband's arms. He reached out and ran his hand down his child's hair.
Harry smiled very softly at Valen. At least he could still manage that. He didn't want to feel the way he did. He wanted to feel confident and strong, and he had - before this plan of putting Draco in the very thick of it and at the most risk was made permanent.
"Thanks," Draco said to their friends and then took his husband's hand, leading him and their child up to their room.
Chapter Title: Suicide Mission
Words: 2166 Words
Within an hour, Harry, Draco and Sirius were already in Hogsmeade. They Apparated away from their usual spot so that Sirius could transform without the risk of being seen.
When they entered the pub, Aberforth gave them both very strange looks and an even stranger one to the 'dog', eyebrows raised. Despite being obviously confused, he walked into the back and they followed.
"We haven't any time to explain here," said Harry once the door was closed. "You can hear it along with Snape."
Aberforth's eyes were wide. "Is that -?" he asked.
"Yes. Sirius, go ahead."
Sirius wagged his tail and stared up at Harry before he began to shift, morphing into the tall, dark-haired man that he was.
"Sirius Black," Aberforth said, mouth slack. "But you're -"
"Dead," Sirius finished for him.
"We haven't any time," Harry repeated. "I'll Side-Along Sirius and then you can let us in to see Snape."
Aberforth blinked rapidly and seemed to come out of a daze. "Yes. Yes, of course," he said.
Harry nodded and reached for Sirius's arm, Disapparating with him.
Draco joined them at the site and waited for Aberforth to join them. It was a few seconds before the other man was there and Harry supposed it was from the shock.
Still seeming dazed, Aberforth pulled his wand and did the strange prodding of the rock.
It was a quite a while before Snape arrived. When he did, he drew his wand immediately. "Black?" he asked.
Sirius inclined his head. "Snape," he said.
Harry watched warily.
"Yes, it's him," Draco said. "We found a way to bring him back through the veil."
Snape scowled, looking between them. "I can't be gone long," he said. "What is this about?"
"We should go inside," Draco said quietly.
"You want me to take him inside?" Snape sneered.
Harry could see the muscle bulging in Sirius' jaw and he glared at Snape himself.
"I'll go ahead and take him, Severus," Aberforth said, looking between the two men.
Harry glanced at Draco as Aberforth moved forward and then Disapparated with Sirius.
"Take Harry and come back for me," Draco said.
Snape frowned and turned to Harry, taking his arm and Apparating them inside.
Harry didn't jerk away from Snape, but he was very tense and then very glad when he let him go.
“Come on," he said to Sirius, taking a seat at the table.
Aberforth followed them, conjuring a fifth chair for himself.
Snape disappeared and reappeared a minute later with Draco. Draco sat down in the chair beside Harry. Snape stood with his arms crossed, glaring at them.
Sirius looked like he was holding himself back from making a comment.
"So ... we've got a plan," Harry said, feeling very awkward.
"How did you bring him back?" Snape asked suspiciously.
Draco sighed and explained his theory and the basic concept of the spell, but without going into the actual details.
Harry stared at the table and concentrated on not flushing too brightly.
Sirius drummed his fingers on the table impatiently.
Aberforth listened to Draco closely, glancing at Sirius as the blond spoke.
"Impressive," Snape said approvingly at Draco's explanation. "But that doesn't explain why you have brought him here."
"We are ready to go after the next Horcrux," Draco said flatly.
Harry clenched his hands, it being the only thing he could do to cope with talking about this. "We ... need you to help Draco get into ... Voldemort's headquarters," he said, closing his eyes for just a second.
"You what?!" Severus exploded.
Sirius quickly sat up straighter, scowling at the outburst.
Harry closed his eyes again.
Draco took a deep breath, looking up at his godfather. "We need to get in there to see if the last Horcrux is that snake and, if so, kill it," Draco said.
"You would send him in there?" Snape glowered at Harry.
Draco stood and snapped, "Severus, this was my idea."
"I don't want him to go," Harry said, opening his eyes to stare at the table, "but the entire Order agreed with him. I would go by myself if they would let me."
"I took an Unbreakable Vow to protect you, Draco," Snape hissed. "You can't ask me to do this!"
"I can and I am. Unless you have a better plan," Draco said calmly, his eyes meeting his Mentor's. "We can't go after Him until this is done. And we need to take the wards down or bring him out so that Harry can confront him then."
Harry looked up at Snape, begging with his eyes for the man to have a better plan.
Sirius leaned back in his chair and looked at Snape expectantly.
Snape growled and turned his back on them. His shoulders shook.
Draco walked around the table and stood behind him for a moment. Then he laid a hand on the man's shoulder. "Severus," he said quietly. "I know this is asking a lot of you."
Snape shook his head, whirling around to face Draco. "Do you have any conception of what they will do to you if you are caught?" he sneered, anger and fear in his eyes.
Harry paled drastically and Sirius looked at him, his face very concerned. He reached out and shook Harry lightly by the shoulder. "You all right?" he asked.
Harry's stomach squirmed uncomfortably.
"Yes, I do," Draco said, chin held defiantly. "And I know what will happen to myself and everyone I care about if we lose. Which is why we must act before it is too late." Draco held the other man's gaze until Snape nodded.
"They are planning something," the old Potions Master said, "something big. You will need to move soon."
"We're going next week," Sirius said slowly as Harry didn't volunteer the information. "During the new moon so that the werewolves won't be as effective."
"Can you get us in?" Draco asked.
"Who is us?" Snape asked, glancing at the others. "I am not taking Potter in."
Harry didn't reply.
"No, not him," Sirius said. "Only Draco and myself."
"In your Animagus form, I see." Snape nodded. "That is possible." He turned to look at the other man. "If you get caught, my priority will be the mission and Draco, not saving you," he said sternly.
Sirius shrugged nonchalantly, though his eyes were hard as he stared at Snape. "I rather figured that," he said. "I know what I'm getting into."
"I doubt that," Snape said, but turned back to Draco. "Do you have anything in mind that will make this something more than a suicide mission?"
Draco nodded. "We need to find a way to take the wards down," he said, "so that when I attack the snake, the rest of our forces can attack the stronghold."
"And he said he's already been there," said Sirius. "He can take me on Side-Along."
Harry sat and listened, feeling powerless against all of this.
Snape only glanced at Sirius. "Yes, I remember," he said. "I will have to manipulate the Ward Keeper so that you can get in. So, once in there, what then?"
Draco smiled again. "I have a potion that will make me invisible," he said.
"You do?" Snape's eyes widened.
Harry looked up at that, wanting to see Snape's reaction to Draco's exceptional skill.
"I developed it," Draco said, pride in his voice.
Snape regarded him for a moment. "Interesting," he said, but his approval came through in the simple word.
"It only works on living flesh and it requires silence," Draco said. "So someone would need to carry my wand for me. Probably Black in his Animagus form."
"You've given this a lot of thought," Snape said, grudging approval in his voice again.
Draco nodded, still holding the man's gaze.
"When you attack the snake, it will alert him," Severus said.
"And then what?" Harry asked quietly, looking up at Draco.
"It has to be timed so that the wards come down and our forces attack then," Draco said. "He must be distracted or I will ... not succeed."
Harry felt his stomach lurch again.
"I'll distract him if I have to," said Sirius. "No matter what the cost."
Snape nodded. "What day?" he asked.
"Black and I will meet you here in five days," Draco said. "Our forces will plan to attack twelve hours after we go in."
"Why?" Snape asked.
"You know why," Draco said. "I won't be alive if it takes more than a day."
Harry resisted the urge to exclaim that this was mad.
Snape scowled but nodded.
Draco relaxed, laying a hand on his godfather's arm. "Thank you," he said.
"Do not thank me for this," Snape said angrily.
Draco nodded and stepped back, dropping his hand. "So the two of you will need to work together to take down the wards," he said looking between Snape and Black.
Sirius raised an eyebrow at Snape. "I've already had my lecture on this," he said.
"I have shown I can work with anyone if I have to," Snape said coolly.
"Good," Draco said. "Anything else?" He looked at Harry questioningly.
"I ... think that's it," Harry said distantly.
"I must get back," Snape said.
Harry, Sirius and Aberforth stood from their chairs. Aberforth glanced between Snape and Sirius and then decidedly held his arm out to the latter. They were gone in a moment.
Draco gestured for Snape to take Harry first. His godfather huffed and turned to Harry.
Harry resignedly held his arm out and Disapparated with Snape when the man took it.
Snape released Harry quickly and returned for Draco.
Draco took his arm but Snape hesitated, looking at him for a moment.
"I am sorry, Severus," the blond said.
"You should end the binding with him first," Snape said. "If you are captured ...."
"I know, but I won't," Draco said.
Snape scowled. "It is foolish to keep such limitations," he insisted.
"The binding has saved my life several times," Draco said quietly. "But that isn't the point. I want it."
"If you are captured ...." Snape said again, seeming unable to continue.
"I know," Draco said.
Snape shook his head and sighed. He Apparated them out.
"Back home now, correct?" Sirius said when Draco and Snape were there.
Harry nodded.
Sirius gave Snape an only slightly sarcastically-polite nod before Disapparating.
***
Draco was grateful to get back to Grimmauld. His whole body was sore with tension. Harry had been quiet during the trip, which usually meant he would explode later. Draco sighed as he removed his robe and handed it to the house-elf.
"I'm going to go talk to Remus," Sirius said with a small resigned sigh. "I'll talk to you later." He walked off down the hall.
"I'll go and get the baby," Harry said quietly, handing his robe to the house-elf as well.
Draco followed his husband, not replying but wanting to be near him.
Harry found Ron and Hermione shortly and Hermione frowned curiously at Harry.
Harry wondered what he looked like.
"Did everything go all right?" she asked.
Harry crossed to the cot in the room and lifted Valen out of it. He was sleeping and Harry held him gently to his chest, trying not to wake him. "It went okay," he said quietly in answer to Hermione's question.
Draco leaned in the doorway. "Snape agreed to the plan," he said quietly.
Ron nodded and as he looked at Harry, he seemed unable to decide if he should say good or not.
Harry sighed, unable to decide himself, though he was leaning towards this being bad.
"We need to get the word out that our people need to meet at Hogwarts in five days," Draco said. "And it would be better if they arrived gradually and attracted as little notice as possible."
"Our people?" asked Ron, looking confused.
Harry raised an eyebrow as well.
Draco frowned. "The Order and anyone else we have who is willing to fight," he said. "We need to get them close to the island."
Harry nodded. "We'll get them there," he said, still a bit quiet. "We have the next meeting coming up for all of the finalities and we can tell them then."
"Better have the meeting tomorrow then," Draco said, frowning.
"We can do that," Harry said with a small sigh. He wanted to scream and pull his hair out and rip ... anything he possibly could, but he just stood there blankly.
Draco looked at their sleeping child in his husband's arms. He reached out and ran his hand down his child's hair.
Harry smiled very softly at Valen. At least he could still manage that. He didn't want to feel the way he did. He wanted to feel confident and strong, and he had - before this plan of putting Draco in the very thick of it and at the most risk was made permanent.
"Thanks," Draco said to their friends and then took his husband's hand, leading him and their child up to their room.