The Lion and the Serpent

Harry\'s words created a stir at the round table. Draco just sat numbly, Harry\'s voice still echoing in his mind, drowning out the whispers and murmurs around him. Suddenly, he saw Hermione\'s worries and fears in a whole new light. Harry no longer was someone who was dibbling in the Dark Arts, walking the line between the Darkness and the Light. He intended to take a plunge into the abyss.



And even then, in the midst of the deadly revelation, Draco\'s Mark stirred and twisted, moved by Harry\'s voice, against all caution and against all reason, yearning to touch the one who owned it, and be touched by him. Harry appeared to have noticed it too, and looked away.



At the table, the students murmured and whispered, agitated. Layre was the first one to bolt.



“I am out,” he said firmly, shoving the toad in the front pocket of his shirt. “I\'ve had enough of Voldemort...”



To everyone\'s surprise, it was Calixa\'s hand that grabbed Layre by the shirt, forcing him to sit down again. She then stared at Harry intently, as if assessing his suitability for the role of the Dark Lord. Finally, she challenged him:



“And I suppose we are to believe that once you\'ve become Voldemort, you\'ll just let us kill you?”



“Of course not,” Harry said softly. “But even with my resistance, my death shouldn\'t be that difficult to achieve. The evil is weak, and unstable, just as it incarnates. Ask Hermione about Professor Quirrell, if you don\'t believe me. And in this case, there will be no hortcruxes, no servants of darkness trying to keep me alive....”



They all sat silently for a while, thinking about what had been said. Finally, Minerva spoke, her voice quietly sad:



“I have always known it would come to something like this. Since the day we placed you at your uncle\'s doorstep... Like Albus used to say, over and over again, Neither can die, while the other survives. ”



Harry shrugged. “For what it\'s worth, I have no intention of surviving this time.”



Minerva stood up. “We should probably adjourn for now. We all have some things to think about... We will just settle in, and then continue this conversation in a few hours.”



“Sure,” Harry said absently, and then looked at Minerva suspiciously. “Settle in?”



“Hermione informed us that your proximity provides certain protection against Voldemort\'s influence. We intend to make full use of it,” Minerva advised him. “I have pulled these young people out of classes until the current crisis is resolved. I am adding three additional rooms to your quarters. The expansion spell will take place in a few minutes. To make a long story short, we will all be enjoying your hospitality until we either win this war, or the world ends.”



Harry\'s face, that had remained stoic and impassive while he spoke of his own death, now paled slightly.



“My private quarters have been turned into a Slytherin dormitory,” he muttered. “Truly, this is a fate worse than death.”



“Mr. Potter, surely you must have wondered why the Headmistress made us show up with our backpacks and pets,” Kaige murmured sweetly.



“I tried not to think about it,” Harry said sourly. “Well.. fine. You are all... welcome here. Try to keep your conversations civilized and quiet. The top shelf on the bookcase is off-limits to everyone, except Hermione and Minerva. And if you value your lives, you will not even think of opening the door to my private bedroom, for any reason.”



Calixa stared at him with a shameless smile.



“Why, what\'s in your private bedroom?” she asked.



“My tarantula collection,” Harry said flatly, giving her a blank, cold stare, and Draco noticed with amused satisfaction that the students, including Calixa, shivered uncomfortably.



Draco watched quietly, as the students chatted quietly amongst each other, forming little groups, and figuring out the sleeping arrangements. Minerva and Hermione were speaking in the corner. Quietly, unnoticed, both Draco and Harry slipped out into Harry\'s bedroom.



Having made their escape, they both collapsed on the bed facing each other, and Harry issued a long tired breath of relief.



“Well.. this could have gone worse,” he said cheerfully. “It\'s not every day you get to announce yourself as the next Dark Lord to your students.”



Draco glared at him, unamused. “So that\'s what it was all about? You telling me to stay detached and obedient? Because it would make it easier for me to let you die?”



Harry nodded reluctantly.



“You suck, Potter, you know that?”



Harry laughed quietly, and patted Draco\'s head. Draco stiffened under Harry\'s touch. Harry was asking him to go against everything he\'d become. The bond has deepened, Draco\'s actions and thoughts becoming anchored to Harry\'s kindness and approval, not just his anger. The Mark, now awake and needy, was yearning for the owner\'s dominance.



“Harry – I...”



“You will do what I say,” Harry said, his hand grabbing Draco\'s hair harshly. “You will be obedient. You will follow my orders. You will let me die. Is that clear?”



“Yes,” Draco said resentfully, reluctantly.



“Yes, what?” Harry demanded, his grip still firm on Draco\'s hair.



“Yes, Master,” Draco said painfully. “I will let you die.”



Satisfied, Harry nodded and released him.



“How do you intend to do it anyways?” Draco asked. “Draw Voldemort inside you? What\'s the plan?”



“The plan is as follows. I damage my body irreparably. Then, I open my Mark, so that Voldemort\'s essence can pour in. Then... I die.”



“I don\'t know, Harry,” Draco muttered. “Voldemort is not stupid. Why would he occupy a damaged, dying body?”



“Voldemort isn\'t a conscious being at this point,” Harry said. “It\'s just ... venom floating around. It has no awareness. Just instinct. It will only acquire consciousness after it enters me. By that time, it\'ll be too late.”



Draco nodded and lay on his back, with his eyes shut. Harry\'s proximity was intoxicating, maddening. Draco\'s entire body demanded his touch. The Mark throbbed and burned, in response to the words of power, danger and death.



Harry\'s hand rested against Draco\'s chest, and Draco could feel his own heartbeat and Harry\'s pulse throb in unison. Slowly, gently, Harry\'s hands unbuttoned Draco\'s shirt. His eyes still shut, Draco smiled blissfully. Harry\'s fingers traveled along Draco\'s chest, his fingernails leaving faint scratches. Teasingly, Harry positioned his fingertips against one of Draco\'s nipples. With a slight involuntary moan, Draco arched his entire body upwards.



More, he begged silently. Harry\'s fingers squeezed, pinched, and a wave of pure delight washed over Draco\'s entire body. He could swear he heard a serpentine hiss in his mind.



“Use my Mark,” Draco blurted out suddenly. “Not yours. Open it. Have Voldemort enter me. Then kill me.”



Harry withdrew his hand from Draco\'s body and glanced at him grimly. “That\'s the dumbest thing I\'ve heard in my entire life. The prophecies...”



“Fuck the prophecies!” Draco protested furiously. “It\'s a brilliant idea. My Mark feeds on pain. I\'ve been reading about it. Many slaves with the Mark of Promise had been killed for the pleasure of their Masters... and died in ecstasy. Come on, Harry, be rational for once. There\'s no reason for both of us to die.”



Harry stared at him in utter confusion. “Both of us... what are you talking about?”



“The Termination Condition!” Draco hissed. “You hated me when you\'d set my bond! You wanted me dead!”



Harry looked at him sourly.



“Draco, you are such a retard, it\'s almost funny. I admit, I didn\'t like you a whole lot, but... look... When I die, you go free.”



--------------------- To Be Continued ---------------------