A Bond for the Ages

Chapter 46

Warning: torture, blood, and injury

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Watching Lucius stand in front of him, Draco wasn't sure what he'd prefer: his father or Voldemort. He stared hard at the silver mask before him, unwilling to show his fear, unwilling to let his father have any kind of power over him anymore. He stared, remembering every moment that mask featured in his life, remembering every moment he'd faced his father this way. He was filled with hate and terror and pain, and they all made it difficult to think beyond his father before him and the threat hanging over him. Yet, it wasn't so consuming that he didn't register Voldemort's order.

"Severus, bring young Harry up here to me. A front row seat is a wonderful gift, don't you agree?"

"Yes, my lord."

Draco could hear the tightness in Snape's voice, wondered how Voldemort didn't hear it, and his eyes flicked to the right at a Death Eater's movement. Robed and masked, he watched as Snape approached Harry next to him, wishing he could see the man's face, wishing he could see the comfort he'd come to associate with the professor. He wished they were home. He saw Voldemort flick his wand and heard Harry's chains rattle before Snape grabbed for the Gryffindor.

"Come on, Potter," Snape growled.

"Get off me, you son of a bitch," Harry snapped as Snape grasped the chain still connected to the collar and dragged him roughly to his feet. Draco watched Harry struggle even with his hands bound behind his back, needing to keep up the façade of Snape being the enemy. Draco understood; they would not be the reason Snape was discovered and murdered. If anyone was going to die, it would be them, not Snape, not after everything he'd done for them and been through. His life of sacrifice would not be for nothing.

Despite knowing it was all an act, Draco still felt a defensive urge to react when Snape lengthened the chain and gave it just enough slack to step down hard on, viciously yanking Harry to the floor by the throat. He ground his teeth at the cry Harry released as he crashed to the marble on his shoulder, coughing and wheezing at the assault on his esophagus.

"Behave, boy," Snape taunted and pulled Harry back to his feet.

Draco watched as Harry was shoved to his knees beside Voldemort and facing the hall. The chain connected to the collar was affixed to the floor and Snape fisted Harry's hair, pulling the Gryffindor's head up. Draco met Harry's eyes, seeing resolve but also fear in the green orbs. How he wished he could reach out with his magic to both comfort Harry, and feel Harry and Snape, feel their safety and care. He had no idea how they could get out of this, if they could, and he just wanted to feel them, feel home.

"Begin, Lucius," Voldemort said. "You have our utmost attention."

Draco was flooded with fear and wanted to whimper as he snapped his gaze back to his father hidden behind that so-familiar mask. He'd known this was coming, known one day he would be back in his father's hands, but he still wasn't ready. He knew what his father could do, would do, and he knew he wasn't meant to survive, not this time. His heart pounded and he gasped involuntarily as the chains on his ankles and neck were removed. His hands were brought to his front and then over his head as the chain reached up to the tall ceiling, pulling him to his toes. A strip of material wrapped around his head, effectively gagging him, and his breathing sped up.

Lucius leaned in close, his mouth at Draco's ear. "Welcome home, my son."

Draco shuddered and squeezed his eyes shut as Lucius circled him, tapping his back with his wand and making his shirt fall from his torso in multiple pieces. He felt Lucius' wand trace down his back and clutched at the chain he was suspended from, knowing what was coming. He opened his eyes to look at Harry again, taking in the support he found there. He wasn't alone. No one could stop this, but he wasn't alone. Despite being unable to see through the mask, he also moved his eyes up to Snape, imagining he could see the protective affection just as the first lash snapped across his bare back. He shut his eyes tight, flinched, and gasped around his gag at the sharp agony, all while knowing it was far from over.