Life Debt

Chapter 7

One day, it happened. Fenrir slipped up and brought in chains to secure Harry's arms in place while he pounded him. However, he didn't secure his legs or put Cushioning Charms on the chains. When Fenrir left, Harry didn't let the opportunity pass. He smashed his head into the chains over and over. There was blood everywhere, and Harry had to fight to remain conscious enough to do it.

He was nearly out when the wards cracked. He felt Voldemort's presence before he passed out. When Harry woke up, his head was healed, and he was chained upright against the wall. His wrists were killing him from hanging limply there. His head was still aching, but he could tell that there was no lasting damage. He realized that he wasn't alone and there was someone sitting on the floor in his cell. He didn't have his glasses on, but he knew it was Draco.

"I dare not stay long, Potter. The Dark Lord is here." Draco sounded pissed.

Harry struggled to meet his eyes. "Draco? I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Sorry that you nearly left me here alone? Sorry that he tortured us for hours, all because you almost died?" Draco snarled.

He winced and was worried that Draco was going to take it out on him. "I had to try."

"No, you didn't!" he hissed.

"Destiny...."

"Fuck destiny. I hope you're ready and not too brain damaged. He'll summon you eventually to play with. Can you handle it?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"You could sell me out... if you want. That's always been an option."

Harry grimaced. Draco was his only... what? Protector didn't fit. His ally... his only comfort in life. He didn't want to lose him, nor allow him to be hurt because of him.

"Please... just play along alright? And stop trying to get both you and me killed."

Harry didn't have time to respond before Draco disappeared up the stairs. He didn't come back down, again. He heard screaming above him. It didn't sound like Draco, but he couldn't be sure. He had no way of telling time, but then Bellatrix and Yaxley came down to take their frustration out on him. Neither was too rough, only a few torture curses, and Yaxley just let him suck him off. Bellatrix layered the whole cell in Cushioning Charms, again, and thankfully vanished the chains.

"Don't try that again, slave!" she shrieked and tortured him a few more times. They force-fed him some nutrient potions and went back upstairs, and Harry passed out from exhaustion and pain.

***

"Draco... Fenrir tells me that you've been pampering our guest," Voldemort hissed, from his throne.

Draco stepped forward from the assembly and knelt. "Pampering is not the word I'd use, my lord."

"What word would you use?" Voldemort asked.

"Training. I'm training him, my lord."

"He heals him... feeds him... I bet he comforts him too! He's a traitor!" Fenrir growled.

Voldemort's red eyes glared dangerously. This was the moment. It was do or die. Draco nodded. "I don't deny it, my lord."

"See! Traitor!"

Draco glared at Fenrir. "I have my reasons, my lord."

"Reasons! Phh!" Fenrir growled, and Bellatrix, his father and the others laughed.

"Potter's only good for torturing and fucking!" his aunt shrieked.

"I disagree," Draco said, still kneeling. He didn't meet the Dark Lord's eyes or look toward the others.

"He's soft."

"Remind me who took your balls last week?" Draco sneered.

Fenrir lunged, but Draco did not try to stop him. Voldemort did, with a wave of his wand. "Peace... I want to hear your explanations, Drraaaco," he hissed.

"Hearts and minds, master," he said.

Voldemort tilted his head. "Explain."

"Fenrir, Yaxley and even my aunt... they can torture and rape anyone, but if you want to own them... you have to offer something more than pain."

"Nonsense!" Yaxley grunted, but Voldemort held up his hand.

"If you all keep torturing him into madness, what are you going to get?" Draco growled. "A mindless, speechless body. Like my aunt did to the Longbottoms. And are they useful there? Besides being an example? Potter is a prize... a prize that we shouldn't destroy."

Voldemort brought his fingers together. "And what use are you making of him?"

"He'll obey me... he'll listen to my every command... and he won't try to fight me or cower."

"He fucking obeys me!" Fenrir growled.

"He'll listen to me, too," Yaxley said.

"Yaxley, do you still torture Potter if he obeys you?" Draco inquired. Thank Merlin Harry had told him that bit.

"I do not... if he complies," Yaxley grudgingly admitted.

"See my lord? A willing slave or a cowering, beaten dog? If all you wanted was for Potter to lose his mind, then I will stop my efforts. But if you want Potter listening to your every request... attentively... then I can give you his heart and mind."

"Prove it," Fenrir growled. "If your way is so much better."

Draco waited for Voldemort to speak. "Lucius... bring our guest up here."

It only took a few minutes before Potter was thrown on the floor in front of Voldemort. He was shaking and curled up into a fetal position. Luckily, they had foreseen this happening. The Dark Lord would eventually make an appearance. This was the moment where they would win or they would lose.

Draco gestured to Fenrir to start and cocked his eyebrow in challenge.

"Get up and suck my cock, slave!" Fenrir growled at Harry, who cowered on the floor. Draco could just hear him mumbling pleas under his breath.

"Get up!" he screamed and kicked him.

Harry whimpered more and said, "Please...."

Fenrir growled and punched him in anger. He hauled him up, and Harry did it. "See?"

"I'm not impressed," Draco sneered.

Harry stopped and whispered, "Master?" Before Fenrir shoved him back into his dick to finish.

Draco had to try not to smile. Harry got the delivery perfectly. Voldemort looked at Draco, questioningly.

"Apologies if I offended you, my lord. I couldn't allow him to call me Draco or Malfoy anymore. I can train a new honorific, if it offends."

"I can tolerate it," Voldemort hummed as Fenrir came and threw Potter to the floor, like he had won. Voldemort looked at him. "Your turn, Draco. Present your toy."

Draco bowed his head and stood. "Puppy? Come here." Harry lifted his head and found him. He crawled until he was at his feet, and there he waited. "Sit up on your knees, now." Potter complied easily. He was shaking, as he got onto his knees, clasped his hands behind his back and looked at the floor.

"That's a good boy. Keep your eyes on the floor, unless someone says otherwise. Understand?"

"Yes, master," he echoed, maintaining his stare at the floor.

"Will you do anything I want?"

"Yes, master."

"Yaxley? Would you like to demonstrate that it's not just me?" Draco said, and the Death Eater came over.

"Puppy? Listen to what Yaxley says, understand?" he ordered, and Potter tenderly obeyed Yaxley's demands and performed another blow job in front of everyone.

"He's good, I'll give you that, Draco," Yaxley admitted, putting his dick away.

Potter went back to his submissive pose. A little too easy for Draco's taste, but they were playing a game.

"You see, my lord, I can train him to behave exactly as he should. I've always had a rivalry with Potter, and seeing him following my commands... is very satisfying. Sure, Fenrir and my Aunt Bella softened his will, but I was there to build him back up. He tried to kill himself after Fenrir brutally tortured him, and he wanted to escape that pain. Besides... my lord... I think that you would want him this way, rather than a mindless animal."

Voldemort's eyes narrowed. "Leave us." He waved off the others, and now, it was just him and Potter alone with the Dark Lord. "What did you mean by that?"

"My lord... I recall when we caught Potter... you called him your life insurance policy. I imagine that means that you wish him to be alive. And... if I might be so bold... I feel that somehow you and he are connected to each other."

"Crucio!" Voldemort hissed.

Draco fell to the floor, screaming as pain exploded through his body. He writhed for what seemed like hours until the Dark Lord lifted the spell. His sight returned, and he saw that, thankfully, Harry hadn't moved, though he was shaking.

"Get up!" Voldemort growled.

Draco got to his knees with his head bowed and waited for his judgment.

"How do you know that? Look at me and answer truthfully, or I'll let Fenrir have you!"

Draco looked at the Dark Lord. He always had to be ready for this. He had years of training thanks to his father and aunt poking around his head.

"My-My lord... my f-father t-told me about... the Department of Mysteries. How you... implanted the fake vision for Potter... I... g-guessed... that's w-why you want him alive. His d-death will affect you," Draco stammered with suitable fear. He recalled truthfully that time before and after the failed venture into the Ministry from both his aunt and father. He only thought of that part of his knowledge.

Draco lowered his head and waited. Voldemort hissed, "Perhaps I should remind my lieutenants to keep their mouths shut. Have you told anyone this?"

"No, my lord. I... didn't want to... betray you. That's why... I've watched Potter so closely. I can only guess... that you are trying to break the connection."

Voldemort raised his wand, and Draco was pulled to him by magic. Voldemort's long fingers wrapped around his throat. Draco let fear run through him. "Why?"

"My lord... I kn-know I've failed you. I don't crave the carnage and bloodshed that Fenrir and Aunt Bella revel in, nor do I think you do. I'd rather find a different way to break someone. Torture is easy, but messy and permanent. Look into his mind, master. He's nearly gone. If... if... you can't break the connection... and Potter is too damaged, what happens? And if you do break it... Potter is still a valuable playing card for your rise to power. Imagine if he was at your side... willingly? I want to serve you my lord... in a different way than your half-breed does."

Voldemort let him go. "You have interesting ideas. Fenrir has his uses, but perhaps you do, too. Will your dog obey me?"

"I've trained him to follow my commands, including obeying others. However, I have not tried it."

Voldemort nodded. "Command him then."

"Puppy... obey our master's orders. You will call him my lord."

"Yes... master," Harry responded, shaking.

"Come here, slave," Voldemort ordered.

Harry slowly crawled to Voldemort and knelt before Voldemort's throne. Voldemort forced Potter's head up and cast Legilimens. Voldemort was certainly affected by their connection more than Harry was. Draco waited as the minutes passed. He prayed that Harry could get through this. Finally, Voldemort pushed him away and massaged his temples.

"Your concern has merits. He thinks about you a lot."

"I spend a lot of time with him, my lord. I had to undue a lot of damage and train him to behave and listen. He always had a lot of free will, you recall."

"I do. Let's see how effective it's been. Draco, give him your wand."

"My lord?"

"If you really believe he is broken... you shouldn't be bound by my order to prevent him from escaping. Prove it."

Draco swallowed hard. He hadn't expected this. Of course, Voldemort could defend himself, but Harry could do anything with a wand. He had to have faith... faith that Harry wouldn't sign their death warrants. He got up, set the wand in front of Harry and backed away. Voldemort seemed impressed.

"Slave, pick it up," he ordered.

"Yes, m-my l-lord," Harry stammered and picked it up. It felt warm in his hand.

"Do you know what that is?"

"Y-Yes m-m-my..." Harry stuttered, as he shook. He was resisting the urge to try anything.

"Fill this bowl with water, I command you," he ordered, and conjured a bowl on the floor.

"Ag-Ag-Aug-ment-tai," he stammered, and nothing happened.

Draco really hoped that Harry was just playing along.

"M-My l-lord... I...."

"Crucio!" he growled, making Harry drop screaming. "Try again. Aguamenti."

"A-Aguamenti," Harry muttered after he got to his knees again, and water burst out of the wand. Harry cut it off when it was filled.

Voldemort leaned back and nodded. "Very good, Draco. Take him back."

"Puppy, come back and give me the wand."

Harry came back and held up his wand to Draco. Draco noted how strange it felt. He had recovered his wand and Harry's invisibility cloak from Harry's discarded clothes the night he was captured. His aunt didn't even check them.

"Good boy," he said, touching Harry's head.

Harry bowed at his feet and leaned into him. Voldemort seemed amused by Potter's deferral.

"He's yours alone to train. When I return, I expect him to be ready for anyone to use."

"Thank you, master."

"And Draco... I expect discretion on what we have talked about," Voldemort hissed, and his brand seared with the implied order to be quiet.

Draco bowed. "I live to serve you, master."

Voldemort got up and left. Draco could hear him ordering Fenrir and the others that Potter was off-limits unless he said so.

Draco waited until the door closed before he knelt and whispered, "Are you okay?"

Harry met his eyes and nodded.

Draco let out a breath of relief. "Thank you... for... not... you know... fighting."

"I'd never put you in harm's way, Draco," Harry whispered.

Draco stared into Harry's eyes incredulously, before he decided to take him downstairs.