Harry Potter and The White Queen (BP3)
folder
Harry Potter › Slash - Male/Male › Harry/Draco
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
49
Views:
28,224
Reviews:
234
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
1
Category:
Harry Potter › Slash - Male/Male › Harry/Draco
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
49
Views:
28,224
Reviews:
234
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
1
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.
Soul Dilemma
Chapter Number/Total: 42/49
Chapter Title: Soul Dilemma
Words: 2021 Words
Tonks was waiting for them. She jumped up when they appeared. "Draco, I was shocked to hear from you," she said. "You look a lot better than you did a few hours ago." She looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"Where do you have Snape?" Harry asked, not wasting time on greetings or anything else.
Tonks raised an eyebrow at Harry.
"You'll have to forgive my husband. He lost all his manners somewhere in the night," Draco said with a grimace.
She smiled and nodded. "Remus is with Snape upstairs. He was injured but didn't want to be taken to St. Mungo's."
Harry threw Draco a disgruntled look but then turned back to Tonks. "Also, did you happen to see Draco's wand anywhere? He doesn't have it."
Tonks rolled her eyes at Harry and pulled Draco's wand from her robes. "Our aunt had it," she said, handing it to Draco.
"Thanks." Draco nodded. "And Rodolphus? Rabastan?"
"In custody," she said. "Along with the two others."
Harry made a very small indignant noise, wondering why he was the only one that seemed to be worrying about this whole mess. "Can we see Snape?" he asked Tonks.
Tonks frowned again at Harry's odd behaviour. But then she started up the stairs. "Come on," she said with a sigh, weariness showing in her footsteps and the way she pulled on the railings on the way up the stairs.
Draco took his husband's arm and followed. Ron and Hermione followed behind as well.
Harry frowned at Draco as they made their way up. He didn't think he was being so rude considering the situation.
Remus looked up as they came in. Snape was lying in the bed, eyes closed. He was clearly bruised and battered, his face even paler than normal.
Harry couldn't explain exactly how he felt about seeing Snape like that. The man had always intimidated him and made him feel an idiot, but he didn't look so intimidating right then.
Draco released Harry's arm and sat down on one side of the bed, reaching for one of Severus' pale hands. "Severus," Draco whispered.
"He's sleeping," Remus whispered. "They hadn't been too gentle with him either."
Harry looked at Lupin. "How badly is he hurt?" he asked. "Anything that needs major attention?"
Remus sighed. "He would heal faster under proper care," he said, "but that's not really feasible. I've done what I can here."
"I can hear you," Snape sneered. "I am sick, not deaf." His hand tightened in Draco's.
Harry turned his head again to look at Snape. Of course, he would be as wonderful as usual.
"Nice to hear your voice, Godfather." Draco smiled. "You had me worried."
Severus turned his head, opening bloodshot eyes and regarding the young man. "Draco, I thought ... I am glad to see you too."
And Draco thought Gryffindors were weird. Harry waited, wondering what the hell Lupin and the others must be thinking.
Tonks shut the door behind her and leaned on it. "So, time for answers," she said. "Because, if you want me to help clean this mess up with the Ministry, I want to know what the mess is."
Harry sighed heavily and rubbed his eyes for a moment. "Have you told them anything at all yet?" he asked Snape.
Snape's answer was to raise an eyebrow and look at him with contempt. Draco laughed, shaking his head.
Harry huffed and scowled at Draco. Why did he feel in such a bad mood suddenly? "Fine. Draco can ask the questions since you'll talk to no one else," he snapped.
Remus looked at Harry, as did both Snape and Draco. "Actually, Harry," Remus said, "I have to agree with Tonks on this. You need to tell us what is going on."
Harry looked around the room at them all and then leaned against the door. "Snape's still a spy for us," he said. "Dumbledore ... ordered him to kill him."
Remus huffed and sat back. "How long have you known this?" he asked.
Harry sighed. "Quite a while," he said. "Months."
Tonks muttered something under her breath that didn't sound very complimentary. Draco sighed and shook his head. Snape nodded.
"And what happened yesterday to lead to this mess?" Remus asked.
Now this is where it got very tricky. It would be hard to do this without telling about Horcruxes. Once again, Hermione came to Harry's rescue.
"We've been in contact with Professor Snape and he's been passing us information," she said. "That's where we got the lead on where the Death Eaters were going to be, only, according to Draco, it wasn't Professor Snape we got the information from. It was that Lestrange woman, Polyjuiced into Professor Snape. She set us up after learning that Professor Snape had been helping us - although, I'm not sure how she got that information from him."
"She didn't," Snape said, frowning.
Harry furrowed his brow and looked at Snape, confused. "Then how ... ?"
"I wish I knew," Snape said, grimacing.
Draco was still holding the man's hand. Even more surprising was that Severus was letting him.
"This is not good then," Harry said very seriously. "Is your cover blown?"
"It would help if we knew what information she had passed on to others. We may need to 'interview' the Lestrange brothers," Snape answered.
"Whatever happens, Voldemort isn't going to be happy about this," Harry continued seriously. "This is Bellatrix Lestrange that is dead. Something very, very bad is going to happen. No doubt in my mind. And yes, questioning the Lestranges is something we should do as soon as we possibly can. Without the Ministry being there."
Draco looked over at him. "Harry, even if they can get us in," he said, "there is no way the Ministry will let any of us question them without an Auror present."
"Fuck," Harry cursed, rubbing his forehead and closing his eyes.
"I might be able to get you in with me," Tonks suggested.
Draco raised an eyebrow and looked at Harry.
Harry looked up at her, thinking. "We can't do it with anyone else," said Harry. "If we can't get you, we can't do it."
"Harry," Draco said, "tell them."
Harry closed his eyes for a moment. He looked at Draco again. "Are you sure?" he asked very seriously, not at all sure himself.
"You need them," Draco said, looking to see if Hermione and Ron agreed.
Ron was looking hard at Harry, his posture showing his uncertainty.
Hermione was looking at Lupin and Tonks, her face serious and conflicted.
Harry covered his face with his hand. "This is - possibly the hugest secret you will ever have to keep in your lives," he began, making up his mind.
Draco nodded, listening while Harry explained the Horcruxes. He didn't like putting these two at additional risk. Yet, he trusted them.
"... and that's how I can kill him. We have one more left to find and then Dumbledore told me that he thought there was one in Voldemort's snake, Nagini, and the last piece is in Voldemort himself," Harry finished.
Remus shook his head. "Why didn't you tell us this before?" he asked. "We could have helped you."
"Dumbledore told me to tell no one. It's not a matter of trust, it's a matter of keeping this away from Voldemort. If he knew that I was told about them, he would make more and fetch the ones he has. No one would ever be able to kill him. If any one of you were caught by the other side - imagine what would happen if this information was taken from you? Everyone has their breaking point. It was - is safer if the least amount of people possible know about it. That's why I didn't tell you."
"I understand, Harry," said Tonks. "But now that we know, we can help. How is this related to the Lestrange brothers? Are you worried that they know?"
"Bellatrix knew about them," Harry said. "It's what we really went to Snape for - to find out about a possible location for one of them. If she knew, then it's possible she at least told her husband. If they know about them ... I don't know what we will have to do with them. Even a Memory Charm can be broken - and it's already been proven that it's not exactly hard for Voldemort to break them out of prison - and he would. Especially to get information on Bellatrix's death. If we modified their memories, he would break through."
"And you need to find out if they told anyone else," Snape added.
"Harry, unless you change your orders to me, I can't talk in front of them yet," Draco sighed.
"You can talk to anyone about the Horcruxes who knows of them," Harry said promptly.
"No," Draco said. "That would have meant Aunt Bella could have gotten the information. Say I can only talk to the people who are currently in the room about them."
"You can talk about Horcruxes only to the people currently in this room," Harry said.
Draco sighed and nodded.
Snape frowned, watching the exchange. "You use the binding to shield yourself?" he asked Draco.
Draco smiled. "To make sure that even when captured like that, I can't betray Harry."
"Clever," Snape said, sounding impressed in spite of himself.
Harry hid his smile by ducking his head for a moment. "So, do you think you can get us in to question them?" he asked Tonks, looking to her now.
"I will talk to Shacklebolt," she said. "I can't tell him the whole story, but I think he will trust us enough to give me access."
"Then what?" Draco asked. "If they know, what do we do?"
"You kill them," Snape said.
"What?" squeaked Hermione.
Harry's eyes widened.
Draco took a deep breath but nodded.
Remus put his face in his hands. "You can't ask them to do that," he said.
"I didn't ask them," Snape said. "I told them what needs to be done. Do you have a better idea?"
"I can't do that," Harry said seriously. "It's what separates us from them. I won't kill them. We'll have to take them and keep them somewhere. Here maybe, but I can't kill them - no matter who they are."
Draco winced. "How will you get them out of the Ministry without getting Tonks and Shacklebolt arrested?" he asked.
"I don't know, but I'm not killing them," Harry said, his tone implying that he was not arguing about this. He stared hard at Draco.
"I hear you," Draco said. "So we go find out what they know."
Harry nodded. "Yes. I can't see how they won't know though. Even if they only know a tiny bit we'll have to take them. Voldemort can piece things together. Even the slightest inkling would make him check the Horcruxes."
***
Tonks arranged it and several hours later they found themselves being led to a holding cell the Aurors had placed the Lestrange brothers in. The stone walls and iron bars looked very much like a dungeon.
Draco walked beside Harry, quiet and thoughtful.
Harry couldn't ever remember being so tired, despite the nap he and Draco had taken in their old room at Grimmauld, but he was determined to get this done.
"How do we do this?" Harry asked Draco. "Do you even know?"
"First," Draco said, "you tell me I can talk to them about Horcruxes. I think I have some ideas."
"You can talk to them about Horcruxes," said Harry. "And good, because I have a slight feeling they're not going to want to cooperate."
Draco's eyebrows rose. "Slight feeling?" he teased.
Harry shook his head and smiled amusedly despite the situation. "Yeah, just a little hunch."
Draco shook his head at the Gryffindor. "Good hunch, that one," he said.
"I would expect so," said Harry, looking sideways at Draco and cocking his head.
Tonks looked sideways at the two of them. "Are you two ever not flirting?" she asked.
Harry snorted and smiled at Draco.
"Never," Draco answered in a serious tone.
Chapter Title: Soul Dilemma
Words: 2021 Words
Tonks was waiting for them. She jumped up when they appeared. "Draco, I was shocked to hear from you," she said. "You look a lot better than you did a few hours ago." She looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"Where do you have Snape?" Harry asked, not wasting time on greetings or anything else.
Tonks raised an eyebrow at Harry.
"You'll have to forgive my husband. He lost all his manners somewhere in the night," Draco said with a grimace.
She smiled and nodded. "Remus is with Snape upstairs. He was injured but didn't want to be taken to St. Mungo's."
Harry threw Draco a disgruntled look but then turned back to Tonks. "Also, did you happen to see Draco's wand anywhere? He doesn't have it."
Tonks rolled her eyes at Harry and pulled Draco's wand from her robes. "Our aunt had it," she said, handing it to Draco.
"Thanks." Draco nodded. "And Rodolphus? Rabastan?"
"In custody," she said. "Along with the two others."
Harry made a very small indignant noise, wondering why he was the only one that seemed to be worrying about this whole mess. "Can we see Snape?" he asked Tonks.
Tonks frowned again at Harry's odd behaviour. But then she started up the stairs. "Come on," she said with a sigh, weariness showing in her footsteps and the way she pulled on the railings on the way up the stairs.
Draco took his husband's arm and followed. Ron and Hermione followed behind as well.
Harry frowned at Draco as they made their way up. He didn't think he was being so rude considering the situation.
Remus looked up as they came in. Snape was lying in the bed, eyes closed. He was clearly bruised and battered, his face even paler than normal.
Harry couldn't explain exactly how he felt about seeing Snape like that. The man had always intimidated him and made him feel an idiot, but he didn't look so intimidating right then.
Draco released Harry's arm and sat down on one side of the bed, reaching for one of Severus' pale hands. "Severus," Draco whispered.
"He's sleeping," Remus whispered. "They hadn't been too gentle with him either."
Harry looked at Lupin. "How badly is he hurt?" he asked. "Anything that needs major attention?"
Remus sighed. "He would heal faster under proper care," he said, "but that's not really feasible. I've done what I can here."
"I can hear you," Snape sneered. "I am sick, not deaf." His hand tightened in Draco's.
Harry turned his head again to look at Snape. Of course, he would be as wonderful as usual.
"Nice to hear your voice, Godfather." Draco smiled. "You had me worried."
Severus turned his head, opening bloodshot eyes and regarding the young man. "Draco, I thought ... I am glad to see you too."
And Draco thought Gryffindors were weird. Harry waited, wondering what the hell Lupin and the others must be thinking.
Tonks shut the door behind her and leaned on it. "So, time for answers," she said. "Because, if you want me to help clean this mess up with the Ministry, I want to know what the mess is."
Harry sighed heavily and rubbed his eyes for a moment. "Have you told them anything at all yet?" he asked Snape.
Snape's answer was to raise an eyebrow and look at him with contempt. Draco laughed, shaking his head.
Harry huffed and scowled at Draco. Why did he feel in such a bad mood suddenly? "Fine. Draco can ask the questions since you'll talk to no one else," he snapped.
Remus looked at Harry, as did both Snape and Draco. "Actually, Harry," Remus said, "I have to agree with Tonks on this. You need to tell us what is going on."
Harry looked around the room at them all and then leaned against the door. "Snape's still a spy for us," he said. "Dumbledore ... ordered him to kill him."
Remus huffed and sat back. "How long have you known this?" he asked.
Harry sighed. "Quite a while," he said. "Months."
Tonks muttered something under her breath that didn't sound very complimentary. Draco sighed and shook his head. Snape nodded.
"And what happened yesterday to lead to this mess?" Remus asked.
Now this is where it got very tricky. It would be hard to do this without telling about Horcruxes. Once again, Hermione came to Harry's rescue.
"We've been in contact with Professor Snape and he's been passing us information," she said. "That's where we got the lead on where the Death Eaters were going to be, only, according to Draco, it wasn't Professor Snape we got the information from. It was that Lestrange woman, Polyjuiced into Professor Snape. She set us up after learning that Professor Snape had been helping us - although, I'm not sure how she got that information from him."
"She didn't," Snape said, frowning.
Harry furrowed his brow and looked at Snape, confused. "Then how ... ?"
"I wish I knew," Snape said, grimacing.
Draco was still holding the man's hand. Even more surprising was that Severus was letting him.
"This is not good then," Harry said very seriously. "Is your cover blown?"
"It would help if we knew what information she had passed on to others. We may need to 'interview' the Lestrange brothers," Snape answered.
"Whatever happens, Voldemort isn't going to be happy about this," Harry continued seriously. "This is Bellatrix Lestrange that is dead. Something very, very bad is going to happen. No doubt in my mind. And yes, questioning the Lestranges is something we should do as soon as we possibly can. Without the Ministry being there."
Draco looked over at him. "Harry, even if they can get us in," he said, "there is no way the Ministry will let any of us question them without an Auror present."
"Fuck," Harry cursed, rubbing his forehead and closing his eyes.
"I might be able to get you in with me," Tonks suggested.
Draco raised an eyebrow and looked at Harry.
Harry looked up at her, thinking. "We can't do it with anyone else," said Harry. "If we can't get you, we can't do it."
"Harry," Draco said, "tell them."
Harry closed his eyes for a moment. He looked at Draco again. "Are you sure?" he asked very seriously, not at all sure himself.
"You need them," Draco said, looking to see if Hermione and Ron agreed.
Ron was looking hard at Harry, his posture showing his uncertainty.
Hermione was looking at Lupin and Tonks, her face serious and conflicted.
Harry covered his face with his hand. "This is - possibly the hugest secret you will ever have to keep in your lives," he began, making up his mind.
Draco nodded, listening while Harry explained the Horcruxes. He didn't like putting these two at additional risk. Yet, he trusted them.
"... and that's how I can kill him. We have one more left to find and then Dumbledore told me that he thought there was one in Voldemort's snake, Nagini, and the last piece is in Voldemort himself," Harry finished.
Remus shook his head. "Why didn't you tell us this before?" he asked. "We could have helped you."
"Dumbledore told me to tell no one. It's not a matter of trust, it's a matter of keeping this away from Voldemort. If he knew that I was told about them, he would make more and fetch the ones he has. No one would ever be able to kill him. If any one of you were caught by the other side - imagine what would happen if this information was taken from you? Everyone has their breaking point. It was - is safer if the least amount of people possible know about it. That's why I didn't tell you."
"I understand, Harry," said Tonks. "But now that we know, we can help. How is this related to the Lestrange brothers? Are you worried that they know?"
"Bellatrix knew about them," Harry said. "It's what we really went to Snape for - to find out about a possible location for one of them. If she knew, then it's possible she at least told her husband. If they know about them ... I don't know what we will have to do with them. Even a Memory Charm can be broken - and it's already been proven that it's not exactly hard for Voldemort to break them out of prison - and he would. Especially to get information on Bellatrix's death. If we modified their memories, he would break through."
"And you need to find out if they told anyone else," Snape added.
"Harry, unless you change your orders to me, I can't talk in front of them yet," Draco sighed.
"You can talk to anyone about the Horcruxes who knows of them," Harry said promptly.
"No," Draco said. "That would have meant Aunt Bella could have gotten the information. Say I can only talk to the people who are currently in the room about them."
"You can talk about Horcruxes only to the people currently in this room," Harry said.
Draco sighed and nodded.
Snape frowned, watching the exchange. "You use the binding to shield yourself?" he asked Draco.
Draco smiled. "To make sure that even when captured like that, I can't betray Harry."
"Clever," Snape said, sounding impressed in spite of himself.
Harry hid his smile by ducking his head for a moment. "So, do you think you can get us in to question them?" he asked Tonks, looking to her now.
"I will talk to Shacklebolt," she said. "I can't tell him the whole story, but I think he will trust us enough to give me access."
"Then what?" Draco asked. "If they know, what do we do?"
"You kill them," Snape said.
"What?" squeaked Hermione.
Harry's eyes widened.
Draco took a deep breath but nodded.
Remus put his face in his hands. "You can't ask them to do that," he said.
"I didn't ask them," Snape said. "I told them what needs to be done. Do you have a better idea?"
"I can't do that," Harry said seriously. "It's what separates us from them. I won't kill them. We'll have to take them and keep them somewhere. Here maybe, but I can't kill them - no matter who they are."
Draco winced. "How will you get them out of the Ministry without getting Tonks and Shacklebolt arrested?" he asked.
"I don't know, but I'm not killing them," Harry said, his tone implying that he was not arguing about this. He stared hard at Draco.
"I hear you," Draco said. "So we go find out what they know."
Harry nodded. "Yes. I can't see how they won't know though. Even if they only know a tiny bit we'll have to take them. Voldemort can piece things together. Even the slightest inkling would make him check the Horcruxes."
***
Tonks arranged it and several hours later they found themselves being led to a holding cell the Aurors had placed the Lestrange brothers in. The stone walls and iron bars looked very much like a dungeon.
Draco walked beside Harry, quiet and thoughtful.
Harry couldn't ever remember being so tired, despite the nap he and Draco had taken in their old room at Grimmauld, but he was determined to get this done.
"How do we do this?" Harry asked Draco. "Do you even know?"
"First," Draco said, "you tell me I can talk to them about Horcruxes. I think I have some ideas."
"You can talk to them about Horcruxes," said Harry. "And good, because I have a slight feeling they're not going to want to cooperate."
Draco's eyebrows rose. "Slight feeling?" he teased.
Harry shook his head and smiled amusedly despite the situation. "Yeah, just a little hunch."
Draco shook his head at the Gryffindor. "Good hunch, that one," he said.
"I would expect so," said Harry, looking sideways at Draco and cocking his head.
Tonks looked sideways at the two of them. "Are you two ever not flirting?" she asked.
Harry snorted and smiled at Draco.
"Never," Draco answered in a serious tone.