The Erlking

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Hey all, sorry for the wait.

I know, in Indelible 7 I said I wouldn’t be posting till my exams were done, but oh well, I lied. I couldn’t keep away.

Hope you all enjoy the chapter. And please read the AN at the very bottom thanks!

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Important: FaUn is a mythical being with the legs of a deer and the torso of a human, with horns. A FaWn is a baby deer. Both of which are Harry’s animagi forms. So no, Harry won’t be keeping the horns, they were just to freak people out.

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Words: 3,652
Chapter 9
The Trade Union
May 1996.

It was a widely known fact that Lord Voldemort did not like to be disturbed. One did not simply waltz into Malfoy Manor and request an audience with the Dark Lord. They waited until their presence was demanded for. But Severus didn’t have the time to wait. He needed to speak to his Lord now, and regardless of the consequences, he found himself knocking harshly on the door of the study, which Voldemort had claimed for himself.

The Malfoy house elf bowed once and popped out of sight as the door slowly creaked open. Severus had spent the past two months thinking over his conversation with Lucius. He had finally come to a decision.

“Severus,” Voldemort hissed, his red eyes narrowed as he peered through the crack in the door. “Come in.” The door inched opened with another creak, and Severus slipped inside before closing it behind him.

Usually the Dark Lord threw the door open, so it banged off the wall and caused his followers to cower. For the Dark Lord to be so secretive, there must be something very important going on inside of that study. Severus only hoped it was not so important to mean he had forfeited his life. With a gulp he raised his eyes and nearly cried out in fear as the red eyes that peered through the door met his. They weren’t Voldemort’s eyes; Voldemort was sitting at his desk, leaning back in his chair and smirking. The Erlking, however, was standing just in front of him, his teeth sticking out over his bottom lip. Severus took a step backwards and lowered his eyes.

“Severus Snape, a pleasure to meet you.” The Erlking lowered his head very slightly, and in return Snape bent at the waist.

“The pleasure is all mine, Sir.” Severus looked at his hands. They were clenched by his side, and they were trembling uncontrollably.

“He was my first choice, you know,” The Erlking commented to Voldemort as if Severus was no longer standing there. “He, and the Malfoy boy. A pity that they both decided to hide from me at Hogwarts, is it not?”

“A grievous one, I’m sure.” Voldemort replied, his eyes lingering on Severus’ shaking hands.

“Malfoy, I had hoped, would be a good friend for Harry. But it mattered not. Lupin was a very good second choice.” The Erlking waited for the Dark Lord to look up at him. “He will be accompanying Harry, you know. And the Huntsmen shall keep Quirrell.”

“That is agreeable. So Lupin is not dead?” The Erlking merely shook his head.

“You do not seem yourself Marvolo.” Audenarde whispered, and despite himself Severus strained his ears in the hope of hearing. “What troubles you?”

“Two months, there’s two months left.” Voldemort said, just as softly.

“Two months, yes, until my loss is your gain. And you cannot think of a way to welcome him?” The Erlking chuckled. “May I suggest his godfather?” With another chuckled, he called the mist to him, and allowed himself to be chocked by it. The mist surrounded him on all sides, shielding him and suffocating him. Severus began to cough as the mist swirled towards him and brushed over his face. He waved his arms, to clear the fog, to push it away from him. Almost as if it had never appeared, the mist was gone. And with it, was the Erlking.

“How is it, Severus, that you know of the Erlking in the first place?” Voldemort said it lazily, as if he was merely asking the time, but they way his eyes were narrowed promised Severus pain.

“He has Lily’s son.” And really, that was all the answer anyone who knew Severus would need.

“You were helping the old man rescue him?” Severus nodded. “And how do you feel now, that you’ve seen the Erlking here, with me?”

“I know, my Lord.” He swallowed heavily, cleared his throat and started again. “I already know. In two months Harry will be free of the Erlking and he’ll belong to you. To be honest, forgive me, but I am not happy about that. Nor was I happy that he was with the Erlking, nor was I happy when I learnt that Albus had left Lily’s son with those evil Muggles. I will not be happy about any of this until I am sure Harry is happy.”

“And you may find out in two months.” Voldemort paused. “If your answer pleased me. Who are you loyal to?” He folded his arms over his chest and waited, anything but patient.

“Harry Potter, Lily’s son. And by association, you, my Lord.” Severus bowed at the waist again, paused in that position as if awaiting punishment, but when none came, he stood, and he went to leave the room.

Just before the door closed behind him, Voldemort said, “two months, Severus.” Snape clenched his fists again. Just two more months, and he would be able to protect Harry if need be.


July 1996.

The Death Eaters shivered. It had started off as a warm night, but suddenly a fog had descended and with it, it had brought a biting cold and wind. The younger Death Eaters, especially the unmarked children of the Inner Circle, huddled together to stave off the cold. Every now and then, Voldemort’s eyes would take in their surroundings, not searching for Dementors like some thought, but in fact searching for the slightest hint that the Erlking was following his trademark mist.

They were stood in a semi-circle, giving enough room for the Huntsmen to stand opposite them and complete the circle. Voldemort stood in the near centre, looking down on two Gryffindor boys who were bound and crying softly. Some of the teenagers flinched with every pitiful beg for mercy. It was one thing to torture random Muggles on a raid, but they had gone to school with Colin and Denis Creevey for six years.

“Please let us go, please, please!” The eldest boy, Colin, begged. He was a year above his brother.

In answer, the mist seemed to swirl. It snaked forward and surrounding the two boys who only started to cry louder. As everyone watched the fog dance, Thestrals emerged from the Forbidden Forest and into the clearing where the Death Eaters stood. Behind them, came the Huntsmen on foot. They took up their positions, completing the circle. When the fog died down, The Erlking was standing beside Lord Voldemort watching the two boys critically.

“They’ll do for now.”

“But we did say three or four.” Another voice cut in. The throng of Death Eaters parted to let Faun through. His rust brown hair hung to his shoulders and he brushed it out of his eyes, careful not to cut his hand on either of his curved horns. His legs were bent and covered in rust coloured fur, and his feet were cloven. The only article he wore was a cloak made from the scales of a Norwegian Ridgeback dragon. It trailed across the ground behind him, and its hood was down, baring his horns to those present.

The look on Lord Voldemort’s face was priceless. As the Dark Lord gaped at the horned boy, Severus and Lucius stepped forward and bowed simultaneously. “We have the address of a very Light sided family. You could bring one or two of them here now, and save the others for later if it pleased you?” Lucius said in a slightly bored drawl, all the while keeping his eyes lowered respectfully.

“You are a Faun.” Voldemort whispered coming to lean over the boy.

Harry smirked, “that is my name, Marvolo.” He took a step back and the Dark Lord’s eyes followed him. Despite the fact that Harry looked nothing like he did the last time they had met, Voldemort still found himself attracted to the younger Wizard. With a mocking bow, Harry called the mist to him, commanding it to hide his nakedness as his legs changed back into those of a human, and the fur disappeared to leave him bare. He pulled the cloak in closer around his shoulders as the horns shrunk back into his head. His hair was black once again.

The mist settled, and the teenagers in the crowd gasped at the beautiful sight in front of them. Harry Potter truly was beautiful. “I am Faun, the Erlking’s beloved. And soon, I suppose, I shall be yours Marvolo.”

The two prisoners gasped at the sight before them, having caught sight of the lightening bolt scar. “You’re Harry Potter! You have to help us!” Denis cried.

“Why?” Harry asked in all seriousness.

“Because,” Colin stuttered, as the Death Eaters watched on amused, “because you’re the Saviour. You’re the good guy, the hero. You are meant to kill them.”

“Please kill them.” Denis whispered before sobbing when Harry merely smirked back at them.

With a chuckle Harry said, “It's too bad I'm not as wonderful a person as people say I am, because the world could use a few people like that.”7

He turned away from them, and raised an eyebrow at Voldemort. The Dark Lord nodded and Lucius stepped forward again. The Erlking took the slip of parchment from the blond’s hand. “The Burrow.” He read out loud. “We only steal the souls of those who do not sleep as we pass by.”

“They shall be awake.” Voldemort promised. As he spoke five of his Death Eaters apparated away to the Burrow, intending to keep every body awake, but alive until the Huntsmen arrived.

“But before we leave.” Harry looked hopeful, he was almost bouncing on the balls of his feet and so the Erlking nodded slowly. With a cruel grin, Harry turned to face the still begging older brother. He shouldn’t know the spell he was about to use, but that didn’t bother him. The Erlking had taught him, and no one could hide from the Erlking. Not themselves, nor their knowledge. “Sectumsempra!” He cried, his hand flung out in front of him, wandless. Colin’s body flung backwards from the force of the spell, along with Denis’ as they were still tied together. His chest split open and with a chuckle Harry watched as his hands clumsily tried to hold himself closed. Blood seeped past his shaking fingers, and he screamed as the Canis closed in around him.

“Untie them.” Harry ordered. Shakily, Severus made his way hesitantly between the hounds and cast the cutting hex on the rope. He grabbed Denis by the collar and pulled him towards Lily’s son. Harry was nothing like Severus expected him to be. He bowed, loyal to Lily’s only child nonetheless, and left the trembling boy at his feet.

“Please no, please no,” Denis whimpered as Harry straddled him. The dark haired boy began to hum, softly at first and then it grew louder. His body swayed slightly, side-to-side, hypnotized Denis’ eyes followed his movements. A knife was placed in Denis’ right hand. Harry stood up, and continued to hum as he watched Denis life the knife to his left elbow and begin to hack.

The boy screamed, not stopping as he continued to saw his left arm off. His eyes were wide with pain and terror, but his brain no longer controlled his actions. He was at the mercy of the Siren in front of him. Harry’s smirk widened as the Erlking’s delighted chuckled reached his ears. Audenarde threaded his fingers through Harry’s hair, and pulled his head back, stealing one last kiss and freeing Denis from the thrall. The Erlking and some of his Huntsmen disappeared, finding their way to the Burrow.

Harry watched as Denis threw the knife at him, before picking up his severed left arm and screaming widely as he hugged the arm to his chest. “The blood loss will kill him soon. Or the Canis’ will.” He spoke to the remaining Huntsmen, who surged forward as one, and descended upon the screaming child.

Harry just watched, and smiled as he licked Denis’ blood of the knife.

Two arms wrapped around his waist, and a body pressed against his from behind. But Harry didn’t struggle or move away, instead he laughed and offered the knife back over his shoulder. “No thank you, my love,” Voldemort whispered against his cheek.

“Our bargain is not yet complete, Marvolo. I am not yet your anything.” Voldemort merely allowed his lips to twitch into a brief smile. But he did release the boy. However, he continued to stand behind him, their bodies flush.

“You will be mine soon enough.”

“Hmm,” Harry turned his head to face the Dark Lord, his cloak coming loose and completely revealing his nakedness to all those who had remained in the clearing. “But are you sure you can handle me?”

Voldemort chuckled in return. His body surged forward and he stole Harry’s lips in a kiss, and stole his breath as well. Harry panted as they pulled back. “I am fairly confident.” He smirked; his eyes alight with pride and desire. “I have a gift for you when we return.”

“A collar? A lease?” Voldemort glared and then rolled his eyes. He didn’t speak. “A surprise I guess.” Before anymore could be said, Severus and Lucius approached the two bodies on the ground. The Huntsmen were once again standing in their semi-circle, and the Canis’ were sitting obediently at their feet.

“Remove them, which ever way you like.”

The word ‘Incendio’ was on the tip of both Wizard’s tongues when Harry giggled. “Is there a way you can get them back into the castle? Into their beds?”

“Possibly.” Severus nodded.

“Then hide them for the time being. If Audenarde brings some back with him, we will leave them all in their beds for the Headmaster to find, in his own time.” Harry stepped away from Voldemort and sat on the forest floor in front of the Huntsmen. The Canis’ descended upon him. They nuzzled his hands and his face, licked his legs and feet, curled up in his lap and tried to claw their way up his back to sit upon his shoulders. And the Beloved boy let them.

“There were only seven of them within the house when we arrived,” a faceless Death Eater reported back. “The Twins arrived within moments however.”

“Nine souls. Is our bargain complete?” Voldemort asked, his eyes straying towards Harry.

“Seven souls, and two bodies.” Voldemort frowned. Understanding dawned as two of the Beta’s stepped forward, each holding a struggling child. “Two more bodies, before our bargain is fulfilled.” The Erlking promised with a smirk and a flash of eyeteeth.

Hermione Granger screamed as she caught sight of the Death Eaters and other creatures surrounding them. Ronald Weasley was still in shock. His entire family had been slaughtered in front of him, and the man wearing a cloak of Mermaid scales had held his head so he couldn’t look away. All he had left was Hermione, and she was being held captive as well. He sniffled, they were supposed to be getting married at the end of next year, and this wasn’t fair.

“There was another there.” Harry noted softly, standing up and pushing the Canis’ off of him. “Why did you not take her soul?”

Ramon, who held Ronald, smirked at the boy. “She was a Veela. They are neutral to this Wizard war.”

“Very well.” Audenarde said simply, and Ramon gave a relieved sigh. Morfis tightened his hold on the bushy haired girl who began to struggle wildly. “In which order my Beloved?”

“The girl first.” He whispered, walking towards the struggling girl. His hands caressed her face as Morfis held her tightly. His eyes met Ron’s and the boy began to curse and kick. “I want to break his heart before I break him.”

Morfis threw the girl to the ground where she attempted to crawl away. But Harry’s vice like grip around her ankle stopped her. Still wearing nothing but his dragon skin cloak, Harry allowed his horns to burst through his hair, until they were pointing threateningly towards the crying girl. His legs grew fur and curved as his toes fused together again. Faun looked down at Hermione. One hand knotted in her hair, and he let go of her ankle. He tugged her up, and she scrambled around so she was facing him. “Please don’t do this.”

“Don’t do what?” His head tilted to one side.

“Please don’t rape me,” she whimpered, tears falling from her eyes. Harry let out a small chuckle.

“I don’t rape.” He grinned at her, in what he hoped was a comforting manner. “But you’ll still die. I plan to break his heart by breaking yours.” She sobbed louder, her hands pressed to her mouth to stifle them. Her head shook from side-to-side as she silently begged to be let go.

His knife was back in his hand, and he straddled her, before pressing the tip of the blade to her shirt and cutting it open. Her hands slew to hide her chest and Harry frowned. “Don’t move,” he muttered, before he began humming under his breath. Hermione, much to her fear and annoyance, found that she could not move at all. Her eyes shifted left to right but her hands and feet wouldn’t move, and she couldn’t find the strength to buck the boy off of her. The knife trailed down her chest, between the valley of her breasts and then down lower to dip into her belly button.

He smirked at her, “this shouldn’t hurt,” he promised. Then he dug the knife into her chest, just above her heart, pressing harder on the blade and she shrieked in pain. He chuckled, “I never said it wouldn’t hurt you.” He shrugged as paid glazed eyes tried to focus on him. He continued to carve into her chest until at last there was enough room for him to put his hand into her. When his hand came out, it was clutching her still beating heart. With a grin in Ron’s direction – the boy was still swearing and screaming – Faun lifted the heart to his mouth and took a bite out of it. Blood sprayed into his mouth and across his cheek but he merely chuckled, swallowed and took another bite. Hermione lay still, dead, beneath him.

“You may do with him as you wish,” Harry nodded to the Huntsmen as he stood up and brushed the dirt from the fur of his knees. “Then place them all in their beds at Hogwarts. The Death Eaters will help you.” A glare from the Dark Lord made the Death Eaters bow in agreement.

While Harry did not do rape, many of the other Huntsmen did. And, similarly to Quirrell, Ronald Weasley spent the whole night screaming for mercy, before the Huntsmen grew tired of him and stole his soul.

Each of the four Gryffindor’s were placed in their beds in Gryffindor’s Tower with Severus’ help. Remus Lupin, who had stayed hidden at the back of the group for the entire show finally came forward and with a small bow to the Dark Lord, took Harry into his arms.

“I’ll always be with you, you know.”

Harry allowed a soft smile to spread over his face, “I am not nervous nor upset. Change is inevitable, Remus. It is not something to rage over, but rejoice in. So I am to be Voldemort’s, just as I was Audenarde’s. But just like then, and as now,” Harry found his mouth occupied by the Erlking’s fingers, which brushed over his tongue and his teeth.

Audenarde finished the sentence for him. “Just like then, and as now, Harry will still be the one with the power in the relationship. Because both Marvolo and I are entranced by him, would kill for him.” Audenarde pulled his fingers back with a sad smile, “and lay down our lives to protect our beloved.” He hugged Harry closed, briefly, before releasing him. Ron Weasley continued to scream, he would not die for hours yet. “I will miss you, but remember. You are always beloved, and you will always belong to us.”

“Unto death.” The Erlking gifted him with one sadder smile, watching as Harry changed back into his human form, before he allowed to mist to carry him back to the Eternal Lodge. Those who had no interest in Ronald followed him. Harry turned to face the Dark Lord. “Do I get my surprise then?”

“When we arrive home.”

He cast one longing look at the drifting fog before moving to stand by Voldemort’s side. Remus followed him. “And where would home be this decade?”

“Malfoy Manor,” Lucius answered with a bow. “I am honoured by your presence.”

“It’s you again!” Harry grinned at him. “Hello.” Narcissa and Draco, who stood by Lucius’ side, both bowed and greeted him. “Let’s go home then?”

Voldemort gave orders to some of his Death Eaters; Severus being among them, to place the bodies where Harry wanted them placed, but allowed the others to disapparate home. An arm snaked around Harry’s waist and the boy smirked softly as he raised his hood to hide his face. Green eyes peered out from the darkness and Draco Malfoy shuddered as his eyes met those of the beloved boys. Voldemort watched as some of the Huntsmen grew bored and left, but others still remained.

“Let’s, shall we?” Voldemort pressed a kiss to his beloved’s head, his lips brushing the dragon scales and his arms tightened on the sixteen-year-old boy as they apparated to Malfoy Manor, followed by the Malfoy family. “Welcome home.”

Harry shook his head, stepping back from the Dark Lord’s embrace. “Home will always be where the heart first was, but this is a very close second.” He smirked at the flash of annoyance that crossed Voldemort’s face. The rest of his life was set to be very interesting indeed.

XXX


7 – Alan Alda: “It's too bad I'm not as wonderful a person as people say I am, because the world could use a few people like that.”

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Thanks for reading. Please leave a review, and read the paragraph after this. Thanks.

I have an idea for a new fiction that came to me in a dream, honestly. It’s called “Soul Seeker” unless I think up anything better, and the summary is as follows:

Summary: [HP/DM] Harry didn’t watch Severus die, so he never learnt that he was a Horcrux. When Voldemort was defeated Harry made sure not to get hit by the Killing Curse, and therefore a part of Voldemort’s soul still lives on inside him. When Draco is freed of the Dark Mark, his Veela heritage starts to search out his Mate, but his Mate’s soul isn’t calling out to his own like it’s meant to. Instead, the Horcrux is calling out to Voldemort’s soul, and Harry’s scar is still hurting. All is not well. Alternative ending to DH. No Epilogue.

What do you think? Original enough a Veela fiction for you? I’ll probably start it after my exams, but only if people want me to, otherwise it will have to wait until The Erlking and Indelible are finished.

I need to make a banner for it as well, unless someone volunteers?