TW: Language, Violence, Abuse, Blood
Demian left quickly, sending a message to Narcissa requesting passage to Malfoy Manor. She replied rather hastily and sent someone to pick him up, the entire ride there he kept checking his pocket for the trusty bottle, fearful it had vanished along with any chance of saving Draco. His heart thumped against his chest, an all too familiar fear controlling it and he took in jagged breaths until the car came to an expected halt. He didn't stop to thank his driver, who hadn't said a word to him the entire way. Whomever they employed certainly knew how to keep their mouth shut, he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
As he raced up to the manor he knocked forcefully until someone whipped the door open, a servant ushered him inside where Narcissa met him in the hallway, a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
"Let me see it." She demanded.
Demian took the bottle from his pocket and showed it to Narcissa, her fingers reached out to grab it but he pulled back.
"No, until Voldemort arrives this remains with me." Demian said.
Narcissa gave him a look of daggers but shook her head and motioned for him to join them in the next room. Lucius was standing there, back turned to him but his commanding voice overtook the room immediately.
"You shouldn't even be here."
He turned to face him and Demian stomach dropped as he walked over to him, sizing him up.
"A pathetic waste of my sons time."
Narcissa only sighed, but didn't argue with him.
"Now hand over the bottle before I decide to take matters into my own hands."
Narcissa stepped between them suddenly.
"You mean to tell me that you had no intention of saving our son, you only wished to acquire the horcrux?"
"Narcissa you've done enough, haven't you?" He motioned to her seemingly new addition of an eye patch. Her hand reached up and stroked it protectively.
"No, I've not done enough, and neither have you." She said to him, "This bottle will never reach his hands without someone saving my son first." She demanded.
Lucius scoffed, "Save him, and for what? For him to run away from his legacy with some low born mudblood? No, not while I'm breathing." He said, scowling at Demian.
"This is far less about his choice of partners than it is about saving his LIFE!" She shouted at him, "I refuse to spend the rest of my days looking at his husk!"
Lucius stepped forward and Narcissa tried her best to hold her ground, he pulled out his wand menacingly, but she didn't move.
"My love, I would be careful, before you lose your other eye and have no means of seeing him at all." He warned her.
She grit her teeth in anger, swallowing hard. "Enough of these games, call to him and let us get this over with. I want my son returned to me." She said once more.
"Don't you worry, he'll be here as planned."
This made Demians stomach drop. Lucius looked out the large window engulfing the room, although Demian couldn't understand what he was looking at in the blackness of night. Narcissa tapped her foot nervously, fidgeting once again with the ring on her finger. Without warning Bellatrix entered the room, she stood at the end of the table and poured herself a large glass of wine, sipping at it while humming.
"Oh why so anxious now, darlings. Everything is going according to plan." She said, laughing quietly.
The tension in the room remained, and Demian shivered at her words. His hand found its way to his pocket once more, he sighed in relief when he felt it was still there. In that instance Voldemort stepped into the room, Demian recoiled when he saw his face for the first time. His pale skin and unfamiliar crater in the center of his face frightened him endlessly. He gripped the bottle in his pocket firmly, as a safety net.
"The beloved Demian." Voldemort said in a raspy tone, "I believe you have something that is mine."
"I-I." He stammered, his words refusing to form.
"Speak up boy." Voldemort said, walking closer to him which only frightened Demian more.
"I-I want you to save Draco."
"Yes, save Draco. Of course. I had always planned on doing that."
Demian shot him a look of confusion, "I don't understand."
"Of course you wouldn't, and neither did Draco, nor Narcissa."
Narcissa looked up at him, her fist clenched when she realized she was part of this game.
"You cursed my son intentionally." She said, "You knew all of this would happen."
He just laughed, and Bellatrix joined in. Lucius stood by them, though he remained silent.
"You doubt my capabilities Narcissa. Your son was merely collateral damage to finding that horcrux. Now, hand it over to me."
Lucius interjected, "Wait, you promised me the mudblood would die."
"And he will." Voldemort said, he pulled out his wand and pointed it at Demian who looked at him fearfully, he started to beg, the only thing he could think to do,
"W-wait, please, I wasn't defiant I was bringing it to you willfully all I want is Draco!" He fell to his knees, awaiting his punishment and presented the bottle to him in his shaking hands.
Voldemort simply grinned at him, he kept his wand fixated upon his chest while he walked over and picked up the small bottle in his hands. He held it up to the light and then suddenly recoiled. He picked Demian up by the front of his robes suddenly, "Where is it, you lying little brat."
Demian felt tears rolling down his cheeks, he gripped at Voldemorts cold hands as his feet were lifted off the ground, "Please, I don't know what you're talking about! This is what I was given!"
"Cael..." Voldemort hissed, dropping Demian to the ground. He desperately tried to catch his breath in that moment of fear.
"Where is he?"
"W-who?"
"Don't play dumb with me, where is Cael."
"I don't know what you're talking about." He lied
"Who are you referring to?" Lucius asked.
"Don't interject!" Voldemort shouted. Lucius just nodded in agreement.
"Now, I'm going to give you one chance to tell me where he is." Demian tried to stand his ground, he looked away from him but the weakness of his tears and his trembling core gave him away.
Voldemort smiled, "Bring me Draco." He said suddenly.
"Wait, don't you dare!" Narcissa shouted, Lucius held her back as she tried to stop the servants from exiting the room, eager to bring petrified Draco to his rightful spot near his father. Demian simply cried, watching helplessly while several men carried him into the room, setting him down with an expected thud. Voldemort kneeled down next to Demian, he was forced to take in his face in its entirety and he shivered as the next words came out of his mouth, too close for comfort,
"One chance." He began, lifting his wand and turning it to face Draco, "Or I'll shatter him to pieces right here and now."
Narcissa struggled against Lucius who was trying to hold her back, Bellatrix simply stood in the sidelines, smirking as she watched her sister fight with whatever strength she had left. Suddenly, Narcissas instincts took over and she grabbed the arm holding her back, sinking her teeth into it until he let out a yelp of pain. A metallic taste filled her mouth as she pushed past him forcefully and shielded Draco with her petite frame to the best of her abilities. That familiar crimson stain with tear adorned cheeks branded her face once more and Demian couldn't help but admire her ferocity in that moment. He went to open his mouth, revealing where Cael could be found but a familiar voice echoed through the halls suddenly,
"Tom, Stop."
Voldemort looked up, somewhat stunned at the use of his birth name ringing in his ears. Cael walked into the room, holding up a small bottle in his hand.
"This is what you want, isn't it?"
That eerie smirk broke out across Voldemorts face and he stood up suddenly leaving a gasping Demian there holding his chest in an anxious fashion.
"I wondered when you would show up." Voldemort said. The rest of the room looked around, searching for answers to what might be happening.
"Harry knows you're here, and he's going to be coming any minute." Cael said suddenly.
"Another lie." Voldemort said, "Now be good and bring me the bottle."
Cael gripped it tightly and shook his head.
"You swore never to reveal its location Cael. You swore to stay away. You promised me."
"And you made promises too, didn't you."
Voldemort scoffed at his words, "You could never understand all that I've accomplished, all that I will accomplish. And nothing will stand in the way of me and my destiny, not even you."
"I'm already standing in the way of it, just by being here." He reminded him.
Voldemort simply walked towards him, leaning in close enough for only him to hear.
"Don't do this. Come with me, before you make me do something I'll regret."
"What have you done to yourself." Cael said, ignoring his request. He studied his face and sighed quietly under his breath, "This isn't how I wanted to remember you."
Voldemort went to grab Caels wrist, but he quickly turned away. He pulled out another small bottle and hastily took the cap off it, holding its liquid contents over the horcrux.
"What are you doing Cael." He hissed, "Stop this at once I COMMAND you!" He shouted.
Demian finally found the strength to stand, though his legs still felt wobbly. "Cael, please. Don't do this." He begged, which shocked even Voldemort.
"I'm sorry Demian, but this is bigger than young love." He said, a certain sadness in his eyes as his gaze was met with Demians.
He went to tip the bottle containing basilisk poison onto the horcrux but Voldemort lurched up, "I'll free him. You come with me, now, with the horcrux and no one else has to die." He said, trying to bargain.
Cael tipped the bottle back, "Free him now." He demanded.
Voldemort obliged, he walked over to petrified Draco and pulled a small blade from his robes, he slit open his palm and let the deep dark liquid drip over his stone face. In an instant color started to return to Draco, when the last bit of gray was fleshed from his body he gasped for air, gripping at his throat. He fell to his knees next to his mother who simply hugged him, rocking back and forth while he caught his breath.
"Now, come with me." He said, and the rest of you are to never speak of this again if you value your lives." He warned them.
In that moment the house became alive with screams, Demian could hear people clamoring in the manor but he couldn't take his eyes off Draco. He cried tears of joy, ignoring the chaos around him and for a split second their eyes met. Draco found the strength to release his mothers grip from him and he stood up. Through the banging and quarrels, they found each other in that room. He took Demian in his arms and held him tightly, wetness decorated his shirt as he cried. For a moment, only the two of them existed, even as everyone else in the room was darting around from an apparent fight that had broken lose. A sudden noise of glass shattering jolted them both back to this plane and Draco tried to shield Demian from the flying shards. He took his hand and ran to the sidelines, where they ducked around the corner of the hallway to get a good look at the battlefield. Multiple spells were flying around the room, the tapestries adorned on the walls were lit with flames and the room was quickly filling with smoke.
Harry and Dumbledore could be seen, ducking behind the cover of pieces of the long wooden table.
"Get the bottle!" Voldemort yelled, Bellatrix suddenly bolted after Cael as he tried to exit the front doors.
"You have to save him." Demian pleaded to Draco through the noise. "Please, he's the reason you lived!"
Draco looked at him with confusion but nodded. He kissed him quickly, knowing the halls of the manor well he slipped unnoticed to the front door. He expected to see him struggling with Bellatrix, however she was already slumped over, Cael wrapping her wrists tightly with ill-fashioned ropes.
"Help me carry her." He said.
Draco did as he was told, slinging her over his shoulder, he followed Cael back to the fight where he peeked around the corner, looking for an opening.
"I must get this to Harry." He said, showing him the bottle. "Whatever you do, don't let her break free."
Draco nodded, he watched Cael dart through the chaos of the foyer to where Harry was, he desperately tried to shove the bottle into his hand which caused him to falter in his stance, a rogue blasting curse struck his wand suddenly. It cracked down the middle, Harry groaned in frustration and dropped it, quickly putting the bottle in his pocket.
"Get him NOW!" Voldemort commanded; Lucius pushed up in that moment while Dumbledore attempted to go after Voldemort himself. He closed the gap between them and Demian watched from the sidelines, deciding what his best move should be. The smoke that was slowly filling the room had him holding his arm in front of his mouth while he desperately attempted to filter his air through his clothing. Narcissa was already coughing, holding her wand up weakly in a defensive stance, unsure of who to point it at. She saw Demian around the corner and ran to him,
"We must leave, now! Where is Draco?" She said, scanning the room hastily with her one eye.
"He's on the other side, with Harry!" Demian shouted through the commotion.
Narcissa gripped his hand and led him to the front of the house, where the smoke was thinner. She coughed a few times, opening the large front door and gasping for clean air as it filtered in.
Demian could finally see Draco, protectively guarding Bellatrix who was still passed out.
"Draco we need to leave!" Demian pleaded, "Please, before something happens!"
"Not yet." He said. "Potter needs this." He took his wand out from his pocket and ducked, avoiding the flying debris and raced to Harry, who was currently defenseless.
"Take it!" Malfoy shouted, holding his wand out to Harry.
Harry looked at him and nodded, a sense of understanding amongst them in that moment.
Before he had a chance to use it, Voldemorts voice rang out "ENOUGH!" He kept his wand raised, pointed at Dumbledore.
"This ends now. Hand over the bottle or everyone in this room dies."
Lucius looked at him with confusion staining his face, "M-My lord?"
"You heard me correctly. Every innocent life in this room will perish."
Harry stood up from behind his cover suddenly, without hesitation he threw the horcrux to the ground, expecting it to shatter, but it didn't. Voldemorts laugh rang through the halls, as it unexpectedly slid to the center of the room, unphased. The thick black smoke had everyone gasping besides Voldemort and Dumbledore, whose wands never left each other.
In the moment of stillness Cael threw the bottle of basilisk poison into the center of the room, unlike its counterpart it shattered effortlessly and splattered along the ground, coating the bottle. A small crack formed in the center, spreading like a spiders web until it finally broke into pieces. Voldemort shrieked in that moment as the piece of his soul it contained diminished into the air, joining the smoke that had taken up residence in the room.
Both Dumbledore and Harry shouted "Confringo!", their wands pointed at the dark lord, but he vanished suddenly, appearing behind Cael and wrapping his arm around his neck,
"This isn't over." He shouted, causing everyone in the room to turn around and face him once more.
Cael didn't struggle, almost as if he had accepted his fate in that instance. They suddenly both disappeared, and everyone rushed to exit the house. Draco even dragged Bellatrix out, though he didn't want to. When they were a safe distance away Lucius stood in front of his manor, watching the flames engulf it from the inside. He sighed quietly as the rest of his family didn't even bother to look back.
"I'm sorry we couldn't defeat him." Harry said to Dumbledore sadly.
"I don't think we were meant to."
Harry looked at him confused. Narcissa was still coughing on the sidelines, wiping her face free of the blood she swore she could still taste on her tongue. Harry went to hand Draco back his wand, but he shook his head.
"I don't think I'll be needing that anymore." He said, which caused Demian to shoot him a confused look.
"We're leaving."
"W-we are?" Demian said.
"Yes, we are. I'm renouncing magic, I'm renouncing this life as of today."
"Over my dead body." Lucius interrupted his moment.
Dumbledore suddenly pulled his wand out again, pointing it at him. "You, Mr. Malfoy, won't be having much of a life after tonight." He said to him. Lucius scoffed. "We'll see about that."
Bellatrix was still tied up, they had every intention of taking her to Alcatraz that night, and hopefully with Lucius joining her.
"I will help you be free of this life." Narcissa said. "I'll make sure it's so."
Draco smiled at her gratefully. He reached up and gently stroked her cheek, admiring her courageous battle wound. "Thank you, mother. I knew that I could count on you." She protectively gripped his hand and held it to her cheek for a moment, her tears coating his fingertips.
Malfoy stopped and took one last look at his childhood home, the memories of his complicated life burning up with its walls. He glanced down at Demian, his face stained with ashes and gently brushed his hair behind his ear, studying his expression.
They left together to start a new life, free of magic. Draco, Demian, and his parents moved to Canada in an attempt to flee from their pasts. Demian still wrote to his friends often, keeping up to date with all the dramatics roaming the Hogwarts halls. Some days he even missed it.
They tried their best to move on with their lives. Attending normal school, making new friends, harboring their terrible secrets, but a sudden fear always crept back in as they wondered about the unknown. Demian questioned if this was how Cael always felt, and what had happened to him. For almost 3 years they lived in peace and solitude, having almost adjusted to their new lives when a letter arrived at their home.
A curious house seal resembling a lotus flower adored the back, with no sender marked. Demian simply shut it in a drawer, he looked over at Draco who nodded in agreement with him, a silent understanding. Their selfish love for one another made them scared to face their past once more. They knew it was only a matter of time before their decisions caught up to them. But their need and want for each other far outweighed their desire to save anyone else. Demian realized he was much more like Draco that he imagined; his own version of a monster created when couldn't choose the rest of humanity over him. However, in that moment of desperation Malfoy had vowed to never leave him, and always protect him. And he did so, every day that they spent together.
However, the time would soon come when the letter was to be opened, when they two of them must bury their monsters to face a bigger threat.
But that day wasn't today, no. They relished in their selfishness once more, their quiet lives hiding the scars of their past that were desperately clawing their way to the surface
The End.
(Epilogue?)(Book 2?)