The Lion and the Serpent

They met the others at the owlery. It was a safe enough place for a secret meeting, but Draco winced, stepping on the soiled straw, kicking the semi-regurgitated skeletons of rodents aside with his foot. Calixa teased him and nudged him towards the group of students waiting for them.



There were nine others, and Calixa introduced them all to Draco. Draco shook hands with them – repeating their names and not bothering to try and remember them. Lanky, dark-skinned Hyperion, sweet-faced-Anastasia with a full head of red hair, and short, stocky Rockford were the ones he had retained. Knowing he would be made to forget the names and faces anyways, he was more interested in what they had to say.



Calixa did most of the speaking. Even though she was one of the younger members, she was clearly the leader of the group.



“So what is the point of this?” Draco asked her curiously. “It\'s not like I am going to remember anything I learn.”



“It\'s more about what we can learn from you,” Calixa explained patiently. “Tell us anything that might be useful... why did he agree to take you as a slave? Just for revenge?”



“I don\'t think so,” Draco said. “He didn\'t seem surprised when he saw the Dark Mark. My guess is that he took me because he suspected I had one. He thinks it can guide him to Voldemort when he\'s ready to return.”



“I\'m just sure,” Calixa said icily, and Draco glanced at her quizzically.



“What can you tell us? Did you notice anything ...unusual about him?” Calixa probed.



Draco frowned. For a moment, he considered telling them about Harry\'s Mark, but something stopped him, and he just shrugged uncertainly.



“What does he talk about?” Anastasia asked. “Voldemort?”



“Yes... finding him... ending it all... killing him,” Draco said. “It\'s the only thing he thinks about.”



“I am sure he thinks about Voldemort a great deal,” Calixa said quietly. “Though we don\'t think he\'s planning to kill him. We believe he intends to join him.”



Draco shook his head vigorously. “Oh, no, no. You are wrong.”



“Told you,” Hyperion said, turning to Calixa. “He is brainwashed. He\'s sticking up for his Master.”



“I am not brainwashed!” Draco shouted. “What\'s the point in asking me questions if you instantly dismiss anything that doesn\'t fit with your preconceptions? I am not telling you that Harry Potter is a nice, kind, forgiving man. I am telling you he still wants to defeat Voldemort. That\'s all.”



“Perhaps that\'s what he wants you to believe as well,” Calixa said softly. “If you believe your enslavement is somehow for the greater good, you\'ll be more likely to willingly comply with whatever cruelty he inflicts on you. You\'ll be more likely to believe you\'ll survive, as well.”



Draco stared at her, terrified and speechless.



“Think about it,” she continued gently. “He created the current problem. The problem that now only he can solve. A coincidence?”



“He hates himself for it,” Draco said quietly. “I know that much.”



“Oh? Does the bond work both ways? Can you read his mind?”



“No,” Draco said reluctantly. “But he doesn\'t lie. Not usually, anyways.”



“He\'s more dangerous, and more duplicitous than you give him credit for,” she said. “He\'d been used for so long... by Dumbledore, by the so-called fighters for the Light. I don\'t think you realize how much that affected him.”



“Voldemort killed his parents,” Draco said. “Gave him his scar... have you forgotten that?”



“No. But I haven\'t forgotten that he was one of Voldemort\'s hortcruxes either. Maybe he misses having Voldemort as a part of him.”



“This is insane,” Draco muttered. “Oblivate me now, please. I really don\'t want to be a part of this.”



“I will, if that\'s what you want,” Calixa sighed. “But one day, when Voldemort rules, with Harry Potter by his side, and you are writhing in agony, not remembering what you are suffering for...”



“Enough!” Draco snapped. “I know that there is something wrong with Harry... but ... you are wrong, too.”



“It\'s called Stockholm syndrome,” Hyperion interjected. “The victim is attached to his kidnapper, and tries to defend him.”



Draco glared at him. “You are really something, you know?” he hissed. “With your little secret resistance group, and your brilliant ideas. Where were you all when I was beaten into a bloody pulp day after day? You think you are heroes? Why didn\'t you try to save me then?”



“You are not the only one who likes to play it safe,” Calixa said bluntly. “We never said we were heroes. We have to pick our battles wisely.”



“Right,” Draco said. “I wasn\'t worth shit to you when I was just a victim. Suddenly, I\'m in Harry\'s household, and you are all very interested in me.”



“One point to Slytherin,” Calixa spat.



“What?” Draco stared at her.



“One. Measly. Fucking. Point. For saving your life. That\'s what you are worth to Harry Potter,” Calixa said vehemently. “Try not to forget that when you are...”



Draco looked at her painfully. “When I am what, Cali? Sucking his cock? Licking his boots? Go on, say it. It\'s not like I\'ll remember any of it.”



They glared at each other angrily, but then Calixa\'s expression softened.



She lowered her head and opened her arms. “Come,” she said, and he went to her, without hesitation. Her arms encircled him and held him.



They stood in silence. Eventually, Draco asked awkwardly:



“What would you have me do, anyways?”



“Kill him,” Calixa said flatly. “When the time comes, and it becomes evident to you that he\'d crossed over to Voldemort\'s side, we want you to kill him.”



“Oh,” Draco said tiredly. “I don\'t know that I could, even then... even if I were willing. You must realize that he will never trust me. He\'ll never let his guard down around me.”



“You can,” Calixa said with cool assurance. “And I know that you will. Because you want to survive, you will be cautious, respectful, and obedient, as always. Eventually, he will start to relax around you. And then, when the time comes, you will strike. That is the way of the serpent.”



Draco swallowed hard, and stood silently, rigid with terror in Calixa\'s embrace. And then, a familiar, calm, impassive voice, with just a faint note of sarcasm, spoke behind his back:



“Well then, I suppose it\'s good that I\'ve taken at least some precautions before accepting a serpent into my household.”



Seemingly out of nowhere, Harry had stepped out. Draco felt his owner\'s hand rest heavily on his shoulder, and his terror became complete.



---------------to be continued ---