Indago:Reborn

AN: I apologize, profusely for the delay.

Betaed by deathangelgw. Go read her stuff here on AFF.

Chapter twenty-eight

“No. No, please!”

“I’m sorry, Harry. You should have obeyed me.”

“Please, don’t!”

Muroch smiled down at him, but it was neither encouraging nor happy. It was self-satisfied and Harry knew why. He had learned in the last two hours how much his fear pleased the Supero.

/So don’t show it!/

We must obey! He’ll hurt us if we don’t please him.

Harry shook his head and held on to the edge of the door. He wasn’t above pleading. “Please, please, don’t do this. I… I’ll try to do what you want.” His voice shook but Harry couldn’t get rid of the tremors.

Muroch’s eyebrows rose in pleased surprise. “Really? That’s good to hear, Harry. But, you see, I don’t need you to think about it. I need you to obey me unquestioningly. Hopefully by morning, you’ll understand that, hmm?” Muroch’s hand clenched on the door handle. “Now, stop being rude to your guest.” With a final creepy smile, Muroch used his superior strength and the door slammed closed in Harry’s face.

“No!” Harry beat at the door in a panic. “Please! I’ll … I’ll listen to you! Please!” There was no response. Harry kicked the door, hard enough to hurt his foot and screamed, “You bastard!”

A chuckle from the other side of the room had Harry spinning around and putting his back to the door. “Stay the hell away from me!” he shouted. He watched the figure come out of the corner where it had been lounging.

“Or what? You’ll call me names too?” The light in the ceiling illuminated the face but it was still a bit blurry. Harry growled. The man chuckled again. “Go ahead and show your bravado now, little one. Soon, you’ll be screaming.”

“Stop calling me that!” Harry shouted at the maliciously grinning man.

“Why not? It has just the effect I want it to. I’ve been studying quite a bit and just the words make you afraid, don’t they?”

“You’re nothing but a snotty little punk!” Harry hissed. “Nothing you say can do anything to me!” Harry was lying and he knew it. Every time the man used that horrible phrase Harry couldn’t help the frisson of fear that raced through his body. “You’re only using that to try to make yourself feel like a mighty alpha!”

“Actually, let me fill you in on our pack’s history, shall I? After your Alpha and his beta decimated us, the leader became obsessed with finding you again. But, as are all obsessed leaders, he was illogical in his search. How did he expect us to find you if he never let us out of that forest?” Brown hair shifted as the man shook his head in disgust. “So, years go by and I start to realize how incredibly cracked he is. My father, after having his arm ripped off, became almost completely useless. But I became his other hand. I learned and studied and eventually I left the forest. And guess who I met while studying in a library in London?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Muroch is almost as crazy as Quint was, but at least he has the brains to get what he wants. So, we made a plan: I go back to the forest and kill Quint, thereby taking over control of the pack, and Muroch sets the rest of us up here in comfort.”

“So you traded freedom for a life of being hired thugs?” Harry snarled. He kept his back tight against the door, yet all the while was looking covertly for any way out of the small metal room. He cursed his blurry vision.

The man shrugged. “Well, what are you going to do, hmm? I’m a Muggle in a Wizard world, you know. My dad can’t go back to his practice. So, yeah, we may be hired thugs, but we won, didn’t we? We got you back.”

“Muroch kidnapped me. That’s all!” Harry hissed. “I’ll be out of here soon.”

“Wake up, Harry,” the man laughed. “The dream is still there. It’s just that now the Indago and werewolves are working together. And you are still the key. Muroch is going to be lending your body out to everyone, for a nominal breeding fee, of course. But with our plan, we work for him and in return, we live in civilized conditions and get you. Nice, isn’t it?”

Harry stared at the younger man. “You are all sick!”

“Yeah, you may think so.” The man’s voice hardened as did his eyes. “But then, you’re not cursed. You’re not reviled and hunted. No, you sit in your posh house with your adored kid and your legal husband. What’s there for us? Nothing. But when we start bringing innocent children into the mix, the Ministry will have to listen to us then, won’t they? They won’t be able to just leave us on the list of beasts to kill off, will they? Not when those kids come from the very loins of their saviour…their hero and national treasure.”

“You think kidnap and rape are the means to go about getting respect?” Harry questioned, his voice rising a bit higher than he wanted it to. “Do you think that kidnapping me, the husband of a Ministry official and son-in-law to a man in control of millions of Galleons, is a smart move?”

“Oh, getting mighty big for our britches, aren't we? A name dropper now? What happened to that nice kid who tried to help me out of the forest, hmm?” The man crossed his arms over his chest, a cruel smile on his face. “Well, you’re out of luck. That father-in-law of yours is the one who paid for all of this.”

Harry’s eyes widened. “What?” he whispered.

“Guess in-laws really are a bitch, aren’t they?” the other man smirked. Harry watched him as he felt the world spin. No, that can’t be right. Lucius didn’t like him, but he wouldn’t… Not right under Draco’s nose.

Draco hates us. He wanted us gone.

Harry ignored the pitiful voice. He refused to listen and instead concentrated on getting out of there. “Look, um…” Harry tried desperately to remember the other man’s name.

“Jonathan,” the younger man answered helpfully. “But I don’t think Quint really introduced us properly.”

Harry bit his lip and carried on regardless of the other’s mocking tone. “Jonathon. Look, you have to see this is all crazy. Muroch is insane. You heard what he did to his own mother. How safe can you be? My husband works in the Ministry’s Law offices. He could help you--”

“How stupid do you think I am?” Jonathon asked calmly. “You think an Indago will help a werewolf?”

“Yes! One of my good friends is a werewolf! If you help me get out of here, I know Draco would help you with the Ministry!” Harry took a step toward the younger man. “And even if Draco didn’t, I would! I don’t think it's fair that they treat you so badly. If I had known that you were still out in that forest--”

“Stop. You’re embarrassing yourself. Do you actually think I am going to believe your lies?” the other man asked conversationally. “Do you think setting fire to part of the forest and having professional hunters come after us was ‘helping’ us?”

Harry frowned. “I never heard of any of that,” he said. “If the Ministry did that--”

“Not the Ministry…your wonderful husband. He set them on us. I suppose in revenge. But, there goes your plan to have him do anything on our behalf for your salvation.”

Harry shook his head. “No, Draco wouldn’t…” But Harry knew that he would. Draco wouldn’t admit it, but he had had as much trouble putting the horrible events of that time in the Forbidden Forest behind him as Harry had. He had even had nightmares. But whenever Harry had tried to get him to talk about it, Draco would laugh it off and distract him, usually with sex. Harry admitted that he had let it go, stupidly believing in Draco’s all encompassing ego to protect him. And, embarrassingly enough, Harry had wanted to believe that it was over and that Draco would take care of everything, even himself. Harry had let Draco handle everything from their finances to choosing their holiday destinations. Harry had revelled in being taken care of, had been so happy to not have to worry anymore and let someone else make all the decisions. He really hadn’t cared that Draco had become a tyrant. As long as he was sweet and nice to Harry, Harry had turned a blind eye to everything else. Even to Draco’s unvoiced needs.

“I suggest you forget about him and the outside world. Take it from one who knows,” Jonathon said with a hard eye, jerking Harry out of his guilty thoughts. “It’s best to keep your entire focus on survival. Forget everything else and figure out really quickly who you need to keep happy and what you need to do to keep yourself out of as much trouble as you can.”

“Just roll over and take it, then,” Harry said in disgust. “I’m not doing that. I’ll die before I do what that madman wants!”

“Oh boy, have you got this all wrong,” the other man chuckled. “You still haven’t figured out that this isn’t some adventure romance novel have you? There isn’t any hero coming for you. There is no weak point for the villain, and if there is, he certainly isn’t going to tell you it during some grandiose lecture. And you will not be allowed to die for your principals. That’s why you’re in here with me, little one. So you can figure that all out.”

“By you schooling me in Magical Creature politics?” Harry asked nastily.

“Oh no,” the other man replied. “This was all just friendly conversation to kill time.”

“Kill time?”

A truly nasty and frightening smile spread across the werewolf’s face. “You think you’re just being grounded to your room?” Jonathon barked out a laugh. “No, little one, you are being taught a lesson in obedience. A lesson in what happens to naughty little subs who don’t do as they are told.”

Harry pressed back against the door and looked around, trying to gauge where the danger was going to come from. Another nasty laugh had him watching the other man slowly advancing. “There are no windows or unlocked doors,” the man pointed out. “There is no escape and he locked you in here with me. Why do you think that is?”

Harry’s eyes were desperately searching for a way out. “I haven’t got a clue. You… you don’t have any pheromones to make me do what you want. Physically we are evenly matched, so you can’t force me to do anything. It isn’t even Lustrum, so doing anything wouldn’t further your cause.” Harry kept his voice firm but he knew that his body language was giving away his wariness.

“No, you’re right about that. But, like I said, this is all about you and your place.” Harry’s eyes jerked back to stare in horror at the approaching man. He had to be imagining the low growl that was entering the other’s voice right? He desperately tried to get his brain to work… to remember…

“I imagine a night with me under a full moon will have you changing your tune towards Muroch, don’t you?” The last of those words were definitely said in a growl as the man came into focus, and the brown eyes began to change from a warm brown to bright amber.

“Oh Merlin…” Harry hissed. “Wait! Wait, this is stupid! What’s he going to gain by having me killed!” he cried out desperately. He began to slide along the wall away from the approaching figure.

A throaty chuckle was his immediate answer. “Oh, little one, you’re going to be so much fun. I always knew Wizards were dim, but you take the cake. I have no intention of killing you.” The words were beginning to get lost as the creature started to transform. “You’ve been bathed in my scent since he shut that door. If you won’t be his mate, you’ll be mine. For tonight, at least.”

The sound of cloth tearing had Harry scrambling to the other side of the room. Oh Gods, this couldn’t be happening! He had to find a weapon! Anything! There had to be something in here he could use. His hands desperately slid along the wall. Claws clicking on the metal floor sent chills down his back and he ran from the noise. The sound of a large beast panting had him throwing his hands out, calling for his magic and futilely screaming out spell after spell. Eyes glowed out of the murky light and then the beast pounced.

*-*-*

Draco looked out into the darkness from his bedroom window. The lights of the town could barely be seen through the trees that were now in full bloom. He could hear Maia rustling about in her crib on the other side of the room and the sound of the people downstairs as they compiled their pointless notes. Draco had left, unable to listen to where Harry wasn’t. He wanted to know where he was, damn it! Eight days…eight bloody days. He felt as if every hour had been etched into his skin.

Maia rustled again and made a small cry before becoming silent again. She knew things were wrong. She knew someone vitally important was missing. Draco could see it in her eyes, in her reduced appetite, and in her restless sleep.

Stepping away from the window, he looked in the crib. She had grown so much in just those eight days. Harry had missed her rolling over. He had been so excited about the impending milestone.

Pulling the small blanket up to her waist again, Draco ran his knuckles over her cheek. Maia sighed in her sleep and then seemed to find peace. He knew he would be having her sleep with him again tonight. He didn’t know who gained more comfort from it: him or her. Not that either of them got much sleep these nights.

He left the bedroom door partially open and made his way down the hall. The sounds of the muted talking from below floated up to him, but he ignored it as he went in search of any bit of solace he could find. He didn’t bother knocking before walking into Snape’s room.

Severus sat at his table, which was cluttered with parchments and books. The bed, which looked as if it hadn’t been slept on in days, was also riddled with paper and discarded equipment. Two tables had been moved into the room and held a small laboratory on their surfaces. Draco looked at it all and then moved toward the tired looking man. He wondered if he looked as bad as Severus did.

“If you plan on eating, I would suggest getting down there before those charlatans consume everything,” Draco commented as he leaned his head down onto the other man’s shoulder for a moment. A potion-stained hand came up and casually ran its fingers over his cheek and through a strand of hair before Draco stood back up. The two men had been spending most of the hours of the day together and had easily slipped into an intimacy that had only just started to show while Harry had been pregnant. They touched each other often to remind each other of the other’s presence and to share in each other’s strength. It was very natural and comforting but they were careful to only do it when they were alone. Only once had somebody caught them. But Granger had only smiled sadly and left the room, never mentioning having seen them as they had touched foreheads, inhaling the other’s scent.

“I ate earlier,” Severus murmured and finished writing, taking a moment to stare down at the scrawled lines. He turned in his chair and looked up at Draco.

Draco’s gaze sharpened. “What?”

“I’ve been able to distil the remainder of what was in that bottle. I have only been able to analyse two sets of pheromones, yours and mine. Therefore there is a large margin of error. But, I do believe the poison was made of material from me.”

Draco frowned. “You?”

Snape tightened his lips. “I have recorded everywhere I have been in the last two years and all possible suspects who could have stolen anything from me. I have also run several experiments and have determined, unequivocally, that it is impossible to acquire the necessary material without the individual’s full cooperation.”

“It couldn’t be created by a hair or fingernail, then?” Draco suggested.

“No. It would be impossible, which means that the samples had to be taken from a subject, me in this case, with my full knowledge. Which, of course, I have not allowed nor has anyone approached me for.” Snape stood up and grabbed his cloak from the back of his chair, his face hardening. “The only person who has taken any samples from me, is myself. The very formula that was used for the poison was my own, with only small changes to mask the scent to be able hide it in the food.”

Draco watched Snape’s determined eyes as he tied his cloak about him. “You found another spy,” he deduced.

“Yes,” the older man said coldly. Draco nodded and went to get his own cloak.

The townhouse sat at the end of a side street off of Diagon Alley. It was smallish but very fashionable. In fact, his own family owned a similar one not far away. Draco looked up at the one lit window, glad that they would catch the occupant at home. He had never thought one way or the other about the man, but now he wanted him dead if he had anything to do with Harry’s disappearance. Dead but after he gave them all the information he had, which had better include Harry’s location. Snape had been silent and menacing since leaving the house and Apparating there. His thoughts and emotions were sealed behind a blank mask. With a hard three knocks, the door opened.

“Poffeser Snape, sir,” the hulking man grumbled. His accent was thick and a mixture of every rough neighbourhood of every large city in England. The bald head was small, the biceps were huge. All in all, the behemoth was exactly what he looked like: hired muscle. Snape gave him barely a glance as he stepped inside. Draco was given a thorough once over by the hulk and he tried not to sneer. Too much. He had no issue with this thug, but with his master.

“Severus! You came to see me!” a voice called out from inside. “If I had known, I’d have had dinner prepared. And I would have…” Draco had stepped inside the tidy abode and had obviously been seen by its owner. The voice started again, this time slower and definitely not as enthusiastic. “I would have set out favours for this little party. Severus, how did you know I always wanted to be the filling in a top sandwich?”

“I suggest, Logan, that you stop with your un-amusing banter and quickly realize the situation you are in,” Snape said darkly. Logan eyed the older man and then came the rest of the way down the stairs. He looked toward the door and saw that the hulk had left. “He’s already gone,” Snape confirmed, drawing Logan’s eyes back to him. “And this time, not even your safe word will bring him back.”

Logan again eyed Snape, his face carefully neutral. A quick glance at Draco, who was standing with the breadth of his shoulders showing in a sign of intimidation, and Logan was looking at Snape with a tight smirk and a raised eyebrow. "And what situation have I got myself into, hmm? Have you decided to fulfil my fantasy of having a Malfoy in my bed, Sev? I’d rather have Lucius, but this cheap knock-off will be fun.” Draco stepped forward but was held back by Snape’s raised hand. The blond snarled at the smirking man but held his peace. This was obviously going to be handled by the Potions Master.

“Where is Harry?” Snape asked calmly. Logan tossed his head and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Why in Merlin’s name would you ask me? I thank you for your vote of confidence but Divination was never my best subject,” Logan drawled. He held his smirk even as Snape stepped closer and loomed over him. “And it is excessively heartless of you to bring up your secret lover and fling him in my face.”

“I am not going to argue with you anymore about your unfounded fantasies, Logan,” Snape hissed. “Your jealous routine grew tiresome as soon as you dragged it out. Answer my question.”

Logan’s eyes flashed and his lips tightened as he glared up at Snape. “I can’t answer your question, Severus! You think I have information that the rest of the world does not?”

“I know you do.” The statement was followed by a step forward, forcing Logan to bump back into the banister. His glare never lessened and in fact his face grew angrier.

“You don’t know everything, you pompous prick!” Logan hissed. Draco could sense Snape’s increasing anger and his loss of patience. But he wasn’t going to warn Logan to watch his tone. “If you did, you’d have found your precious Potter!”

“I am going to find him,” Snape said threateningly. “I know what you have done, Logan. Now tell me who and how far you are involved.”

“I don’t have one thing to tell you. Just because I think the little peasant did the world a favour by disappearing doesn’t mean I helped him do it!”

“I’ll kill you,” Draco snarled and moved forward. Snape allowed him only so far and then put a hand on his chest to keep him from following through with his threat. Logan was now crowded against the banister with no escape. Never once did he flinch or show fear. He merely split his glare between them.

“If you had done your job and kept your little bitch in your own bed and not in Severus’, I suppose you wouldn’t have misplaced him,” Logan hissed with a nasty smirk.

“Enough!” Snape barked, forestalling Draco’s attack. “You are the only person who could, or would, have access to my notes and my private lab. I know it was you that gave that information away. Now, who did you give it to and where are they holding Harry?”

“I am not telling you a damn thing!” the cornered man snarled. “The fact that you have the audacity to even ask is ridiculous! And proves my ‘unfounded fantasies’!” Logan seemed to stand up taller and glared determinedly into Snape’s face. “I let you do anything and everything to me! I have been your punching bag, your listening ear! I let you do things to me that Lydia had no clue of and I did it all in silence for years! But the very moment that nasty little mongrel has the slightest bit of difficulty, you drop me like a hot cauldron! Don’t tell me you haven’t slept with him! Don’t you dare look in my face and lie to me about your feelings toward that brat!” Logan had worked himself into screaming but Snape never batted an eye. Draco wanted to rip the little man’s head off for insulting his husband, but he held back, waiting for the sign from Snape.

“Draco, please wait outside. I’ll be with you shortly.”

Disbelieving silver eyes shot to the older man. Snape’s gaze rested solely on Logan’s red and flustered face. No emotion was evident on the Potion Master’s visage or in the air. But, trusting the other Supero, Draco nodded and silently left the house, shutting the door with a soft click.

The night had gotten a bit chilly, Draco noticed as he watched a few pedestrians make their way through the narrow craggy streets, their cloaks pulled tight. When the scream that came from inside was abruptly silenced, either by magical means or other, Draco merely pulled on his gloves and shifted his weight from his right foot to his left. He personally didn’t care if Snape was slowly ripping strips of flesh off that little bastard’s inner thighs. He only wished that he had been allowed to stay and watch. Knowing that he could have pushed the issue did not abate his desire to charge back in there. But he respected the subtleties that Harry often accused him of being blind to. This was Snape’s matter. Logan was his to deal with. He had no idea how the older man felt about being betrayed and lied to, but it was his to handle. In private, if he wished. Draco just hoped the man hurried. Harry was still out there somewhere. He looked up through the narrow and clustered buildings until he could pick out the waning moon high above.

“Please, Harry, be alright. I’m coming.”