Life Debt

Draco was moving mechanically under Harry's instructions. He never resented the bond, though, but he was still shattered from their night together. While his mind was more stable, now, he felt raw and exposed. They were about to risk everything they had... test fate. No, Draco appreciated Harry's orders as he walked out to the "kennel". He had already sent Granger and Weasley the time and place.

Raulf greeted him. "Lord Malfoy."

Draco smirked. So easy was it to assume the mantle of his father, regardless of whether the old man was alive or not. "How's my other pet?"

"Weak, my lord," Raulf said.

Draco noted that the werewolf was looking weak, himself. The house wards kept them all prisoner. However, with Draco's ascension to Lord Malfoy, he was in charge of the wards. He also wasn't bound by the Mark anymore to stay or make anyone else stay, like his father had been. The wolves also didn't have the Mark. The wards kept them here. There were cages inside the kennel for when the moon came.

"Summon your pack," Draco ordered, and they walked into the kennel.

Four werewolves in all remained. Two had been killed since the captivity started. Draco imagined that Greyback had done it during the full moon. The Alpha wolf was a rapist, even in his wolf form, and took the others violently. The weakest didn't survive, so all they had been tortured in some way by Fenrir. Draco checked that Greyback was still out of commission, which he was. The wolves had taken their revenge.

When the wolves assembled, Draco stood next to Raulf. "Is it freedom you want?"

The wolves looked stunned at his question, and Raulf, the new alpha, was afraid. "My lord... we would never betray the D-Dark Lord... please!"

Draco waved his hand, dismissively. "Tomorrow at nightfall... the wards will fall. There is your only opportunity to escape."

The wolves collectively dropped their scarred jaws. "Escape?"

"Yes. Or stay here and continue being slaves. The Dark Lord will install Greyback back as head of the pack. Do you want that?"

The wolves all flinched and looked actively distressed. Raulf muttered, "I thought... you did that... gave him to us...."

"I am not the Dark Lord... but I am free of him, now. You know what Greyback did to me... and no one stopped it. I know what he did to you all and I didn't stop it either. He's a monster, like the Dark Lord. Greyback has his uses... this is what the Dark Lord said. He wants the beast to hurt people... keep them in line. You have no Marks... you have sworn no oaths... you remain on his side for what? To be playthings for Fenrir?"

The wolves hissed angrily. "No!"

"Then why? Greyback brought you here. He can find you, but the Dark Lord... doesn't even know your names. You are only dogs to him."

The growling grew. They did not like that.

"So, my question is... do you want freedom? I'm offering it to you."

Raulf looked at his packmates. "This isn't a test?"

"No. It's an alliance. I plan on making my move. If you don't want to be enslaved by Greyback, killed by me or my allies, or imprisoned in Azkaban after the dust settles... I suggest you leave at sundown. This will be your only chance to run. The Dark Lord will fall or he will win tomorrow, and you'll only have those options: death, slavery, or imprisonment if you stay. I'm offering you all a fourth option. Run and be free. Escape this life. Greyback is the only one who will follow you."

The wolves glanced at the bleeding hulk that was their leader.

"It is your choice what to do with him. I won't kill him, so he might just be imprisoned. But I will have your answer. If you don't wish to risk betraying the Dark Lord, and want to trust in the Ministry, then I can imprison you all in the kennel."

"What if we tell the others you plan?" Raulf asked.

"How? And who do you trust?"

They looked uneasy.

"Take your freedom. I don't want to hurt any of you. But if I fail, the Dark Lord will hurt you, one way or the other."

Raulf looked at his packmates and nodded, "Lord Malfoy, you've been fair to us, even before you took out Greyback. I want to be free of this place."

"So do I!"

"And I!"

"Me, too!"

Raulf regarded his pack. "You need us to do something?"

Draco shook his head. "No. But you will never get a fair trial. I suggest you leave. I just don't want four werewolves in the fight and getting caught in the crossfire. If I die... I'm not sure what the wards will do."

"Thank you, my Lord. I think we will leave."

"I bid you farewell, then. I hope you all find peace," Draco said and offered his hand to the new Alpha.

Raulf looked astonished and tentatively shook it. "Thank you."

"I have no idea what my position will be after tonight, but if I'm able, I will help any of you after the Dark Lord is done."

The werewolves looked at him, astonished but they agreed not to fight for Voldemort.

Draco left and meekly followed Harry's commands as he walked into Yaxley's room. The drunk was sleeping. Harry didn't need to order this part, as Draco was glad to do it. He needed another wand to take out an enemy. He watched the bastard sleep as he Summoned Yaxley's wand. It came from the bed and Yaxley grunted awake. He blinked blurrily and realized who was in his room.

"Draco?"

"You should have placed some alert wards," Draco growled.

Yaxley scrambled to find his wand, but Draco held it up tauntingly. "Hey! Give me my wand!"

"You think I punished Greyback and my father and wasn't going to put you in your place?"

Yaxley's eyes widened. "Listen... I was just...."

"Desperate to rape someone?" Draco hissed. "You couldn't rape Potter, so I was your next choice?"

"Draco... you did good, kid. Joining the big leagues, now eh? We all had to pay our dues!" Yaxley stammered.

"Really? You gladly let the Dark Lord and his other sycophants fuck you in the first war?" 

Yaxley eyed the locked door like he was going to escape.

"I don't think so. The room has been Silenced, too," he said, curling his lip.

"Now, Draco... I don't know what you're thinking, but the Dark Lord will...."

"Isn't here. He didn't rescue me, any more than he would rescue you," Draco sneered.

Yaxley pulled the covers over himself like they would protect him.

"I'm not going to soil myself by touching you," he snapped, and enjoyed the confused face Yaxley gave him. "I just need to make sure that you won't be in any condition to cause me problems."

After an hour of torture and broken bones, Draco left Yaxley a slobbering, unconscious mess. He wasn't going to be able to walk anytime soon. Harry told him to kill him only if he had to. He locked Yaxley's room when he left and went down the hall to his parents' suite.

He didn't bother knocking and went in, sealing the door with locking charms and Silencing wards. He turned and his mother was reading a book by the fire. His father was pouting in a high-back chair by the window.

"Draco?" his mother called.

"You don't even knock?" his father hissed.

"I'm the master of this house and family, now, Lucius."

His father barred his teeth, like he wanted to attack, but his mother stood up. "Draco... what brings you here? You haven't visited before...."

"Before father raped me?"

Lucius looked out the window, and his mother stepped closer. "Draco... I'm so sorry that happened to you."

"It happened to me a lot. Are you going to listen to what I say? Will you make father listen?"

"Draco... what do you mean?"

"Do you love me, mother?"

Narcissa reached out and tried to hug him, but he stopped her. "Draco...."

"You let them Mark me... torture me and rape me...."

"I do love you... there was no option. He'd kill us all," she whispered, her eyes filled with tears.

"Perhaps, but I want to know if you are willing to take a chance now to make it up to me."

Narcissa took his hand. "My child... what are you asking?"

Draco stared back at her. "I'm going to destroy the Dark Lord, tomorrow. At sundown, I will lower the wards so help can arrive. I want you both to flee... out of the country... to France at least."

Both his parents were stunned, but Narcissa recovered first. "Leave you here? To fight him alone?"

"I'm not alone. Harry and I have a plan."

Lucius stood up and strode over to him. "Harry? Greyback was right! You were... what? Saving him!"

"Yes, to both, but I won't trade words with you about him."

"You think I will allow you to succeed?" Lucius shrieked.

Draco laughed. "No matter. I will either die or succeed. Either way, you will both fall. The Dark Lord will kill you both for my treason, or the Ministry will entomb you forever in Azkaban. I do not wish to have that on my conscience."

Lucius floundered. His father had realized that he was right. They were all tied to Draco's fate. His mother put her arm on Lucius's arm and said, "Draco... we can't leave you."

"You've left me this whole time. I know you couldn't oppose him, but you still left me to suffer at their hands. And I told you, father, when I demanded the mantle of the house, you can live the rest of life in luxury... if you do as I say. I'm offering you both your life and freedom. Are you going to take it? Or stay to die or be arrested? Your choice."

Lucius's lip quivered weakly, and he didn't answer. His mother, shamed, asked, "This is what you want?"

Draco looked at her and nodded. Harry had agreed with his request to allow him to release them. He was so grateful that he did. He remembered staring at the ground when he had stuttered out his plan and waited for Harry to decide if it was allowed. He wasn't sure if his deference was just the spell anymore. His mind was so broken that he needed absolute obedience in the form of Harry's orders.

"We will flee then," she answered, with tears in her eyes.

Draco nodded. "Tomorrow, at nightfall, I will drop the wards. Leave this place, leave the country and do not return."

"Will I ever see you, again?" she asked, trepidatiously.

Draco shook his head. "I doubt it. We have a lot of healing to do. I have to survive tomorrow. Harry has to live... or I won't. My fate is his, including what happens after."

His parents looked worried at that and did not like that. His father, despite his actions, still didn't want him to die. His mother definitely didn't.

"My love, I hope I do see you, again. Please... one day... reach out to us."

Draco nodded, unable to say anything else. He allowed his mother to hug him, but didn't come closer to the man that used to be his father.

Lucius swallowed hard. "Draco... I'm sorry for what I did... for everything... this mess. I regret hurting you."

Draco's back tensed at the memories. "I can't forgive you, Lucius. Some things can't be forgiven nor forgotten, but you can make up for a little of it, by going with mother. I need peace of mind when I face him."

Lucius nodded, somberly. "I will flee."

"Promise me."

His father lifted his head, resolutely and said, "I, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, swear on my magic and life that I will leave the mansion with my wife and flee the country as soon as the wards are dropped."

"Thank you," he said, relieved. He hadn't been sure that Lucius would go.

His father wasn't done. He bowed his head and said, "Lord Malfoy, I'm sorry I gave up on you. I thought they had broken you and our family, and in my grief and drunkenness, I took out my frustrations on you. It's not an excuse... but the reason. I was so proud of you... that day when you stood up against them and me. I will follow your commands for the family until I die. If you defeat the Dark Lord... and wish me to return to pay for my crimes... I will surrender myself. I swear my fealty to you, Lord Malfoy."

Draco's jaw dropped, but he recovered. "Thank you... Father. I hope you realize that I have sworn fealty to Harry, and he might take you up on your offer."

"I understand, my lord," his father said, still bowing in deference. It was weird.

"I'll accept your oath, then," Draco said, simply. It wasn't unheard of for families to swear loyalty to each other, but Lucius suddenly pulled up his sleeve and the Dark Mark just melted off.

They looked at it and then at each other. Draco was surprised it was that easy. Maybe Harry didn't have to Mark him, or perhaps it was because of their family magic? He didn't know, but he did know for certain that his father was serious. He turned to his mother. "I need another wand."

She handed hers over. "Of course, my son."

He took it and handed Yaxley's to his father. "I can't use this one. You must make sure that mother is safe."

"I will protect her with my life, my lord."

Draco decided that he didn't like being called that. "Goodbye, then. I wish you both a quiet future."

His mother hugged him, again, and he left,locking their doors and windows from entry for 24 hours.