The first thing Harry noticed when he came to his senses was that he wasn't wearing any clothes. And the second thing was the magical bonds holding him in place. Not good. The room-if that's what it was-was so dark and gloomy that he couldn't see any walls. It could have been a very dark forest if it weren't for the flagged stone floor and the echo when he managed to move his shackles.

"Someone's going to be in big trouble," he said aloud, trying to sound braver than he felt.

"Someone?" said the silky voice with the French accent.

Harry turned his head. The dark man approached from the shadows, glided really, and stopped beside Harry on the board on which he was lying. His eyes raked over Harry's body and Harry felt himself blush. "Exquisite," said the man.

"This is a little sick, you know. I'm not going to be courted. I'm already married."

"A complication but not impossible to overcome."

"Oh yeah? You don't think I'm going to agree to all this quietly, do you?"

"You may make as much noise as you desire." And he leaned over Harry.

Harry stiffened, expecting a bite to the neck, but instead the man drew his tongue in one long stroke across Harry's chest. It was unpleasant because it wasn't Draco and because he was ashamed that he enjoyed it. And because of his unclothed state, he was afraid that this would soon be evident. "W-here is Draco?"

The man lifted his head, smoldering eyes riveted to Harry. "The fair one? Don't worry. He is not here. I tried to capture him as well, but he Disapparated away. Leaving you behind. Not the bravest…husband…I have ever seen."

Harry tried to ignore his words. He knew Draco was devising a way to rescue him. But how could he find him if Harry didn't know where he was?

"So what do you want with me? Are you going to make me a vampire?"

The man only laughed.

"Why me?"

"You are a very powerful wizard. We can feel your power."

"You can feel it?"

"Humans, even human wizards, cannot sense the magic around them unless they are carefully trained. But now I am more than human. I am part of the magical fabric. I know when power is present."

"Oh. Well jolly good for you. But I'm not interested in becoming a vampire. I just got married, you see, and I happen to be on my honeymoon."

"Quaint. But of little interest to me." He bent down again and licked Harry from his chest down to his belly. Harry felt his flesh respond and cursed himself.

"They call this rape, you know."

The man smiled, showing sharp teeth. "I know."

Okay. So reasoning with a vampire was out. "You're using some mind thing on me, right?"

"Correct."

"Is that why…why-?"

"You are responding? Oui. Unless you have always secretly coveted the idea of being seduced by the Undead."

Eww. "I really don't fancy myself a vampire."

"Who said you were going to be a vampire?"

"Isn't that…well, isn't that what this is about?"

"No." And then that wicked tongue traveled again down his body from his navel and dragged all the way up Harry's stiff erection.

Harry concentrated on the image of Umbridge in a bathing suit. It wasn't working. "What the hell does this have to do with-"

The man looked up at Harry, gave his organ one more lick, and rose up. "It's part of the ritual."

"What ritual?" said Harry in a strangled voice. "Don't you just have to bite me and then…whatever. I'm a vampire?"

"I told you. I am not making you into a vampire. You are a vessel."

"A vessel of what?"

"Of souls."

"I'm a what?"

"Well not yet. But you will be."

A horrible sensation seized Harry. The man couldn't be talking about what Harry thought he was saying. His breath hitched. "What…exactly…"

"You see, Harry, we are already immortal, but not impervious. What we need is a powerful wizard. THE wizard. And he will be a vessel for our fractured souls. And once our souls are encased elsewhere we can never be destroyed. And you being Harry Potter, no one would dare kill you. Hence, we are free to let loose ourselves. For all eternity."

"I won't live forever."

"We can make it so you do."

"You're making me into a…a Horcrux?"

"Imprecise, but close enough."

"But you can't!" Harry pulled fiercely at his restraints. "I won't let you!"

"Haven't you noticed, Mon petit, you have very little choice?" It was then that Harry became aware of shadows moving in the edges of the faint light. Here were other figures. He couldn't tell how many, but there were a lot. Just what was going to happen to him?

He watched in horror as the man-with a sharp-toothed smile-bent over him again.

* * *

Draco hadn't planned it. Hadn't even imagined it was possible. He had simply Apparated, hoping to get away long enough to pursue Harry and effect a rescue.

He never expected that he could Apparate all the way back to Hogwarts.

He stood in the empty entrance, frozen by what had happened to Harry and by where Draco now stood. His immobility didn't last long. He took off at a run toward Dumbledore's office and flew up the marble staircase.

He didn't know the password, but never even noticed when he waved his hand and the gargoyle statue guarding the entrance simply slid aside. He stepped up onto the spiral stair and took them three at a time. He didn't knock, but pushed the door open. "Albus! Albus, are you here?"

Dumbledore appeared at the top of the gallery and looked down. "Draco? Whatever are you doing here? What is wrong?"

"It's Harry. He's been abducted." And with the words finally came the reality. Adrenalin had propelled him this far. But now he broke down. With hands quivering, he inhaled a sobbing breath and dropped into the seat before Dumbledore's desk. The old wizard hurried down the stairs and came up beside Draco, dropping a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Tell me."

"Vampires," Draco choked out. "There was a vampire and he stole Harry. Albus. I'm so afraid at what they are doing to him."

"How did you get here-?" But Dumbledore seemed to have guessed. He studied Draco for a moment. "Do you know where they have taken him?"

"I don't know." He wiped the wet from his face with the palm of his hand. "I got away before the bastard glamoured me."

"And this was in France?"

"Yes."

"I will go with you. But we must make a stop first."

"A stop?" He leapt to his feet. "Albus, there's no time!"

"There is time for this." He took Draco's arm and they immediately Apparated away.

They landed with a thud on a hillside over-looking a gloomy cemetery. A twisted tree stood guard over a decrepit mausoleum. Dumbledore headed for the marble mausoleum, grey with age, and knocked on the door. Draco watched him, stunned, and was about to make a biting remark when the door opened. Something stood in the shadows but Draco couldn't see who-or what-it was.

"Mr. Sanguini," said Dumbledore. "A moment of you time, if I may."

"Albus. Hurry," said Draco.

Dumbledore turned his head slightly to Draco, but kept his attention on the man-it was a man, Draco could see now-in the doorway. He was pale with dark hair and he moved as if air passed through him.

"Yes?" said the man. His voice was soft and low. Draco imagined he would like to listen to it all day-and then he shook out his head. Another bloody vampire!

"Our friend Harry Potter was abducted only minutes ago by a vampire in Provence. Can you tell me-"

"Diablerie. He is notorious amongst my brethren. And he has sought power for his nest a long time. If he has Potter, then I fear for France."

Draco edged forward. "Is he making him into a vampire?"

Sanguini stared at Draco. "I know you. I see an aura of death around you. You were one of his followers."

"I…I…"

"While it is true that Draco was once a Death Eater," Dumbledore cut in, "he became one most unwillingly. And he has sought to help rather than harm. But most importantly, he is Harry's spouse."

Sanguini stared at him anew. "His spouse? Most interesting. I for one did not follow He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Many of my kind did. Certainly Diablerie did. But I chose not to." He angled his head slightly, still staring significantly at Draco. "I think I also remember you from Horace Slughorn's party at Hogwarts some five years ago. You were not invited, as I recall."

"We're wasting time."

"There is time. They are not making him into a vampire."

"Mr. Sanguini," said Dumbledore anxiously. "What are they doing?"

"He is most powerful now. The both of you joined," he said, eyeing Draco with his strange dead stare. "I can feel your power now. But certainly Harry must have more. They must be using him as a Vessel of Souls."

Dumbledore nodded, but his eyes were concerned.

"What's a Vessel of Souls?"

"We'll explain along the way. Come Mr. Sanguini. Can you tell us where to Apparate?"

* * *

With a crack, the three of them appeared in a clearing outside a dense forest. Dumbledore peered into the twilight and seemed satisfied that no one was there. "A Vessel of Souls, Draco, is simply that: a place where one's soul may be stored to imbue a person with immortality."

"Like a Horcrux?"

The old wizard measured Draco with glittering eyes. "I see Harry told you."

"Only just today. Why would they do that to Harry?"

"Because he is a powerful wizard. And to use such a man will make the Vessel that much more impervious to destruction. And him being who he is…well. One would be hard pressed to kill him."

"Kill him? Who's going to kill him?"

"If they succeed, Draco, in tearing in two their already corrupted souls and placing them in Harry, then the only way to reverse this is to kill him. Harry would have to die."

"No! I won't let you!"

"Draco. We are here to prevent the ritual. Not to kill Harry."

"But if you can't prevent it? Then what? Albus, if you plan to kill Harry…then you know what I will do."

Dumbledore's face fell. "Yes," he said with a deep sigh. "I know."

Sanguini looked anxious to depart. "I do not like being in the open," he said and slid into the shadows. They followed him.

Draco was on edge. Every little sound or broken twig made him jump. He'd never been so desperately frightened in his life and he realized with some irony that this time it was not himself he feared for, but for Harry. If anything should happen to him…But he didn't want to imagine it. Not to Harry. Not his Harry. He'd had so little time with him. It wasn't fair. He wanted to grow old with him. Such a strange thought for two young men to have, but Draco realized that he wanted this most of all. He wanted those years that were stolen from the both of them while they grew up in their separate lives. If not a childhood, then at least an adulthood together and then old age. They had laughed about how they'd look as grizzled old wizards, when Harry's hair would grow as white as Draco's. And how, even with wizened lips, they would still kiss.

Sanguini moved quickly through the brush, unaffected by the brambles and thorns. Draco moved right behind him and Dumbledore took up the rear. Suddenly, Sanguini stopped and lifted his head into the air as if sniffing the wind. "He is close," he said.

"Caves?" asked Dumbledore softly.

"Yes. There are deep caverns nearby. Look to the skies."

But why look to the skies, wondered Draco irritably, if the caverns were below? But then Draco saw it. As the last flicker of setting sun edged the uneven horizon of trees, bats emerged like a great flight of hornets. They speckled the orange sky in a funnel shape and Draco knew instantly that the point of that funnel were the caves. "There!" he hissed, pointing.

Dumbledore and Sanguini looked and then the vampire headed toward it.

The light was falling and it was getting harder to see. Draco stumbled over many a twining root, but he dared not lift his wand to call the light. They were getting too close, and the blood pounding in his ears was enough to call dark things.

Sanguini stopped again and pointed to a darker slash in the side of a hill. The bats had all left and if it weren't for a sliver of moon casting a faint silvery glow along the forest, the cave's entrance would not have been noticeable at all.

Sanguini turned to Draco. "Do you love him?"

It was a strange question at such a time, but Draco sensed it wasn't merely idle curiosity. "Yes. More than life itself."

"It may come to that."

Draco swallowed. Somehow, he knew it might. He turned to Dumbledore. "Sir, if I die, will Harry keep my magic?"

Dumbledore smiled kindly. "Yes. The power you now share goes beyond mere life and death. He will always keep a part of you within him."

"Good," he said, his voice cracking. "I want him to have a piece of me with him. Will you promise to look after him? He's hopeless when it comes to properly taking care of himself. And I don't think he owns a tie that isn't wrinkled."

"Draco…"

"Promise me."

Dumbledore looked older suddenly. He nodded. "I promise."

Sanguini turned to the old wizard. "Malfoy and I take this last journey alone, Albus."

"But Mr. Sanguini-"

"You are too old," he said unsentimentally. "And he is young. He is what they want."

"You mean I can trade myself for Harry?"

"Possibly."

"But actually…you're thinking of something else."

"Yes. Come now. There is little time left."

He looked once at Dumbledore before he followed the vampire into the velvet darkness of the cave, and didn't look back.


On to Chapter Seven
"Vessel of Souls"

Back to Chapter Five
"Harry Potter and the Eight Horcruxes"

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