Chapter 26
The man looked to Harry, “To celebrate the birth of your new Prince we will be creating a new chapter of brethren. Those who shall be directly under my Heir. Though they will still follow the proper Hierarchy. Much like my knights. Those who wish to join the Knights of the Chimera, step forward.”
Harry twitched under the mask, he did not just name some faction after that stupid nickname. He did. He looked at the man, “really?”
A deep chuckle was his only response and he didn’t say anything else as his friends and Marcus all stepped forward. He noticed Draco had not stepped forward nor did any of the actual adults but he noticed the parents of the ones that stepped forward were standing a bit straighter. This was an honor for them. It all clicked now. They really felt like this was a true honor. It wasn’t until he noticed the three people that had come with Fenrir stepped forward as well to join the Slytherins he had befriended.
Voldemort looked down at the gathered few and smiled an odd smile, “Those gathered know that the path you take is one of danger. Many will come for him and you will stand between those who threaten him and my Heir. You will obey any command given to you by him or myself. You will do everything within your power to keep him safe and happy. You are a new faction of Death Eaters but you follow in their stead. My heir has chosen his own goals as well that you are to help him see to success.” Then turned to Harry, “Come, it is time to mark them my son. I know I did not prepare you for this but they have chosen it as their path.”
“And the name?”
“Oh that was the spur of the moment. I was going to name them Knights of the Basilisk but they gave me the perfect opportunity.”
“You are cruel. So all of them knew what was happening tonight?” Harry stood to join him at the second step.
“They had an idea. Only their parents really knew the full details. Now to mark them you will place your magic into their skin, infuse it there with your will. Then you will say in parseltongue. Vessel. Envision what you want the tattoo to look like.”
Harry nodded and stepped forward, deciding to not use his wand. He looked to the man who he loved so much and watched him step forward and kneel, presenting his forearm. He tilted his head and looked it over, no. He didn’t like the placement. It was too easily seen. “Can I place the mark anywhere?”
“You can, and it's a good choice not to use your wand. Skin to skin is more intimate.”
Harry looked at Marcus, “I will mark your shoulder.”
Marcus paused and glanced up before grinning and removing his robe, setting it on the ground before buttoning his shirt. Oh… oh my. Smooth expanse of muscles and skin that had seen the other side of a curse a time or to. He could see an old scar where he knew the other had taken a bludger to the chest. Marcus turned and lowered the shirt enough to expose his upper shoulders.
Green eyes took in the wide expanse before he settled his hand on the others shoulder, his magic reaching for the others and jerked when his magic pulled and twined with something already there. Before he could even speak the words the mark slowly began to take place on the others shoulder. Slowly a blood red flower bloomed over the others skin thorny vines wrapping about it like a snake. He removed his hand and looked at his father “I didn’t do that.”
The Dark Lord stepped over and touched the mark gently, “No, this is a self made pledge mark. Harry, has he already pledged himself to you?”
“Well yes.”
“Will you show me the memory?”
Harry turned to him and nodded and he felt the other enter his mind and he called up the memory.
-Memory-
Marcus smiled and broke away and knelt at Harry’s feet taking his hand and kissing it and looking up at him, “Then I swear to you now. In the ways of old, by blood, by magic, and by soul that I am yours forever more. No matter what path you take I will follow. As in the old ways and in the new. I respeak my vow before Lady Magic.” He pulled a dagger from his boot and let go of Harry’s hand to slice his palm and take the smaller hand once more, “Harry James Potter, I am your knight, your protector, your lover, your friend. In the eyes of magic I one day hope to be your husband. I will stand at your side from now till death calls us. I am yours.” He bent and kissed the joined hands and magic rushed about them sealing the oath.
-End Memory-
Voldemort pulled from his mind, “He made a voluntary vessel pledge. He has been yours since he spoke that pledge. Well done. Now the others. Will you make them all strip off their shirts? It is rather amusing.”
“It is less likely to be seen and can even be mistaken for a tattoo. I like the idea.” Harry nodded to Marcus and the other smiled and the other put back on his shirt and robe before stepping to the side. Adrian stepped forward next and did the same turning and lowering his shirt far enough to display his shoulder and Harry placed his hand on the other shoulder and thought of the mark on Marcus but slightly different. Silver instead of red, “Vessel” His magic lept to complete the task fusing into the others skin and the mark unfurled in black and silver.
He repeated this to each of the Slytherins he had become friends with and when the first wolf stepped up already shirtless and flexing a little in show Harry almost laughed. The wolf turned and knelt and Harry settled a hand on his shoulder and glanced at Fenrir who nodded encouragingly. He closed his eyes and brought the mark to mind but this time when the mark unfurled in swirls of vine and the silver lily a crescent moon worked its way into the mark as he thought of their wolf nature. The two other wolves received the same mark and soon all ten were marked and Harry felt drained. He nodded to them, “It is done my Knights. Welcome.”
Voldemort nodded and placed a hand on Harry’s shoulder, “Well done.” Then gestured for him to sit back down which Harry did gratefully. The Dark Lord dismissed the knights who now stood in a small group on the other side then looked out at the others, “Now, to begin discussing how we will be rescuing our brothers and sisters. Those of you in the ministry have slowly been working more of our brethren into the ministry. We will strike while the iron is hot.”
Harry tilted his head and listened as the man told his plan to his followers. They were going to use Dumbledore being distracted by the Ministry worker and attack during the Halloween holiday. It was dangerous but there would be less workers. He hmmed softly and wondered how others had escaped in the past. It was a fair question. “Are any of them unregistered animagi?”
Voldemort paused and looked at him, “why do you ask.”
“Sirius Black, he escaped because he was able to slip out as a dog. Dementors don’t recognize animals as prey. You could smuggle some out that way. If you don’t want to raise too many alarms too quickly. It depends on how public you want the break out to be?”
The man paused and stepped back taking a seat next to him in his own throne, “The thought has merit.”
“You also have to look at how damaged they are going to be. Right? Some may not even be able to walk or leave without assistance. So that raises the risk of discovery. If we have people already working in the prison it would almost be easier to replace them.”
“I am not going to replace and abandon them.” The other snarled softly.
Harry saw a few other shift uncomfortably and tried not to laugh, “I wasn’t saying abandon or replace them in that way. Polyguise. Barty told me that was how his father got him out. He polyguised his own wife and replaced her with Barty. They did not even know. They still don’t know how it was done.”
The man tapped his chin, “You would have me place another in that cell?”
Green eyes looked to him, “There are many who deserve worser fates. I could name a few off the top of my head.”
The dark grin that spread across the man’s face, “Oh do tell Harry. Who would you sentence to Azkaban I wonder?”
Harry flushed and now felt like he stepped into a trap, who would he sentence to Azkaban? The teen looked at the man before switching to Parseltongue, “Depends on if they were their long term or if they were sent there to die. We could trial it with one or two at first. Pick two of your followers you want out immediately. Replace them with terminally ill or ones spelled to die of more natural causes. Rapists, abusers, criminals who truly deserve to be tortured by those creatures.”
The man’s eyes glittered, “A fine idea and I know just the two I will want to use for this experiment.” He turned, “Have our brethren on the inside get hairs from the Lestrange brothers. We will test my Heirs idea. With any luck they will be home with us by the end of the week.” He tapped a finger on his chin, “They will need care as my heir stated. Find us a loyal healer who can be here when we need them and I will need Severus and his potions skills as well.”
Harry snorted then quickly covered it up but it was too late red eyes were already gleaming at him.
“Something to add, Harry?”
“I wouldn’t trust him.” Harry shrugged. “Not with this location or knowledge of me.”
A single brow rose and the scales seemed to darken along his brow, “Oh?” The red eyes glittered. “Do you think my spy is not mine?”
Harry shrugged, “Not mine to say. I just don’t trust the man.”
Voldemort looked at him calculatingly, “alright” His eyes looking out at them and they all quickly looked down. “Lucius, you will bring Severus to me by morning. He will reaffirm his loyalty or he can replace one of the brothers in Azkaban.” then waved, “Leave us.”
The room quickly emptied and the man stood and turned to Harry, “Already you bring great influence to my circle. Your mind is refreshing. Even though you may have just signed Severus’s death.”
“He has hated me since the day I stepped into Hogwarts and has made my life hell there. I have no affection for him. Even when I was practically adopted by the Slytherins. He said nothing. Did nothing.” He closed his eyes and looked away, “No one ever did anything. Lack of action is just as bad as those who take the actions. He knew I was being attacked in the Halls. Just like Dumbledore knew what the Dursley’s did to me. After the task, I fled to the Syltherin Common Rooms when I found out that Dumbledore was most likely potioning me. Snape had come in to ask the Slytherin’s if I was there. They said yes and then Dumbledore was down there to remove me.” He stood and looked at him, “Snape could be yours and loyal to you. I am not saying he isnt. I am just saying the man has never helped me and has gone out of his way to single me out, humiliate, and hurt me.”
The Dark Lord took a step forward and settled a hand on his shoulder before pulling him close, “He will not do so again. If he does, then I will deal with him. I will speak to him and determine his true alliances. Even if I must pry it from his mind.” He grinned then, “Come, you have gifts to open and then I want you to rest. Letters will be sent out soon and you will need school supplies. If you still wish to return to Hogwarts.”
“I do and what gifts?”
The man chuckled, “The large table full of them in the ballroom. It is how gifts are given at a ball. You will have to write thank you letters. I also intercepted other gifts from your other friends at Hogwarts and had them checked. They are safe to be opened as well.”
Harry smiled, “Thankyou. Can Marcus and the others sit with me while I open them?”
The man sighed, “Of course. Come, I will have a house elf bring them to the dining room we normally use.”
The two walked down a long hall and Harry stepped into the small dining room they normally used when not entertaining and grinned when he saw Marcus and the other Slytherins already there helping the house elves settle the large gift pile. A few others stood off to the side, Fenrir, Lord Malfoy, Lady Malfoy and Lord Flint.
“That is a far bigger pile than I thought.” Harry stared at them in slight disbelief.
Draco snorted, “Please, you have probably seen bigger.”
Harry shrugged, “Yeah… but never for me. I never really got presents growing up and once I started Hogwarts I got some from Hermione, The Weasleys, and Hagrid but that's about it.”
Lady Malfoy stepped forward and pulled Harry into a firm hug, “Oh you poor dear. Well don’t you worry. I will fix that.”
Draco and Lucius both paled and shook their heads behind her back. A slight look of terror on their faces.
Voldemort chuckled, “Narcissa, my Heir does still need to breathe and open them. As for gifts. I will make sure you receive even more at Yuletide.”
Harry flushed and was finally released from the hug, “You don’t have to. Honestly, I am just happy to have a family.”
A soft sniffle had him looking at Lady Malfoy who just pulled him back into her arms, “Oh you're such a darling! You can call me Aunty Cissa. Do you like chocolate dear? Or any other sweets? You must tell me your favorite things. I will send them to you while you're away.”
The teen smiled at her, “Thank you A..aunt Cissa. I like chocolate but I don’t have much of a sweet tooth other than that.”
Marcus piped up, “He loves treacle tart and is growing his own menagerie.”
Harry glared at him, “I only have three animals. It is not a menagerie.” He reached up and stroked the snake that had been sitting calmly on his shoulders.
The woman smiled and stroked his hair gently and he closed his eyes turning into the hand, it felt nice. Not as smothering as Mrs. Weasley always made him feel like. “Harry dear, let's go ahead and open your gifts.”
Harry smiled and settled into the seat next to Marcus and began to open up his gifts. It was a late night but he loved every moment of it. The mask still curled against his skin, surrounded by some of the most dangerous wizards he could do nothing but feel safe.