Earth
"What do you mean, she's gone?" Victoire asked, horror-stricken as she pulled jeans and a sweater provided to her by the room and Salvatore followed suit; conjuring more casual attire.
"I realized I hadn't seen her in the common room and asked everyone when they'd seen her last, then I went to find Kit to ask him but he'd already been on his way to come tell me he saw two masked figures dragging someone along to the grounds," Link said.
"I tried to chase after them, but they were fast and I figured it would do more good to tell a professor. So I told McGonagall then ran to tell Link about what I saw," Kit offered.
"Fuck," Salvatore shouted, slamming his fist against the stone wall. They looked at him questioningly. "I think I know who's taken her." He breathed in deeply before he began. "Those muggle attacks. They've been orchestrated by the Slytherin crew you see me sitting with. I've been at every one, forced to take part in torturing muggleborns. I've never used any unforgivable curses on them - not that that redeems my involvement. But please believe me when I say I had no choice in the matter," he lifted his arm to reveal a tattoo of a sword dripping blood. "It's a brand, put on me by my death eater parents. They want me to spill 'unworthy' blood. When things went too far with Kieran Dillon all those months ago, I was uncomfortable. I wanted out, but everytime I've tried to argue with my parents about it they just use the Imperius curse on me."
Victoire gasped in horror as she went to comfort him, and Kit and Link stood by uncomfortably, upset for him.
"I went back for Kieran and dragged him to Hogsmeade, where I knew he'd be found by others and taken care of. I healed him as best I could and messed with his memories, because if my parents or the other Slytherins ever found out it was me who did that...they'd come after. I never wanted to hurt anyone," he admitted, fighting back tears that he'd held back for his entire life.
Victoire was crying, giving him comfort he didn't feel he deserved.
"I tried to keep you away," he whispered, apologizing for interrupting her life.
"Nothing could ever keep me away from you," Victoire said fiercely, grasping his face and making him look into her eyes as she said so, forcing him to feel the conviction of her words. He nodded weakly, his chest swelling with how desperately he needed to be assured of that.
"You are not bad, my love," she assured, placing her hand on his chest, where his heart beat for her.
"We trust you," Link said, his expression confident in his assertion. Salvatore nodded his head in silent thanks, appreciating it more than Link could ever understand.
"And we won't let anyone come after you," Kit asserted, his brows furrowed. Salvatore also gave him a nod as Victoire tugged him towards the door.
"We have to go," she said. "We have to tell Teddy."
They made their way to the Owlry, Victoire and Link under the cloak while Kit and Salvatore lead the way. Victoire scrawled a note to Teddy instructing him to meet them at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, and informing him of the situation.
They waited for ten minutes at the edge of the forest before Teddy arrived on a broom. "I've sent word to the Auror department for reinforcements. They'll be arriving shortly. All of you, head back to the castle."
"No," Victoire protested. "I'm staying. Jade is my best friend and I'm not going to abandon her."
"And we're not gonna abandon our girl," Salvatore growled protectively, stepping in front of Victoire.
"You," Teddy pointed an accusing finger at Salvatore. "You and your fucking friends are responsible for this, I knew it."
"He's not responsible," Victoire pressed, explaining on Salvatore's behalf the brand his parents forced on him.
Teddy looked between them, registering their closeness. "Are you two bonded as well, then?" he asked quietly. Victoire confirmed it with a nod, and saw something shatter within Teddy's honey brown eyes.
"I need to search the forest for Jade and get on with my job. All of you are students, and must return to the castle. It's not safe here, and I can't guarantee your safety," was Teddy's only response.
"We're coming along," Kit said simply. Teddy just ignored them.
"They left me out of the planning of this attack because they obviously knew I wouldn't let it happen, and they stopped trusting me a few months ago," Salvatore said.
"But you were okay with other muggleborns being attacked, were you?" Teddy questioned, making Salvatore's fist clench.
"Enough," Victoire cried out, breaking down. Jade was missing and in trouble. She couldn't think about anything else, couldn't handle her heart getting any more fractured.
"I've never been okay with it," Salvatore said quietly.
"If you all insist on staying around, make yourselves useful. Kit and Link, you two break off. Victoire and Rookwood, stay with me."
Everyone followed suit, and Victoire knew Teddy didn't trust Salvatore out of his line of vision.
"Where did you go that day in the forest, Rookwood?" Teddy asked.
"We're walking in that direction now," Salvatore replied, taking the lead to the location. Within minutes they were within a clearing and saw a bunch of hooded figures ahead. Teddy forced the cloak over Victoire's head.
Teddy silently did a piece of complicated magic that sent his coordinates to his fellow Aurors.
"Walk Victoire back to the castle, and ensure she gets there safely," Teddy commanded Salvatore.
Salvatore looked to Victoire. "I think he's right, baby. You need to get to safety. I never wanted to drag you into my fucked up life," he said apologetically.
"You didn't drag me into anything," she said. When she turned to Teddy he saw a resignation within her eyes that made her uneasy.
"Please, Victoire," Teddy insisted.
She shook her head and Teddy looked pained. He looked to Salvatore and made him promise to help identify each of the masked figures ahead.
"Please stay under the cloak and keep silent," Teddy warned Victoire before turning and walking straight into the clearing, wand aloft. Salvatore followed him.
Jade was tied and bound in the center of a group of eight masked figures.
"Drop you wands," Teddy commanded in a cold, unfamiliar voice. He easily deflected the spells they shot at him with a powerful shield, which Salvatore enforced with his own.
"There's the traitorous bastard himself," Roy Macnair taunted, Salvatore recognizing him by his sleazy voice. "Working with the Auror department? I'm not even surprised. I always knew you were a little bitch deep down, not willing to spill filthy muggle blood like the rest of us."
"Shut your fucking mouth Macnair," Salvatore spat. "Let Jade go."
"Take one more step towards her, and I swear to god I'll kill her!" shrieked the voice belonging to Vivianne Parkinson.
Oh, hell fucking no you don't, bitch thought Victoire venomously. She crept silently beneath the cloak, ready to strike at the opportune moment.
"Nobody is dying tonight. Put you wands down and step away from Jade," Teddy commanded again, wand between Vivianne and the other Slytherins as he and Salvatore faced them, Victoire silent right beside them under the cloak.
They had several minutes before the Aurors likely found them. If they could just stall and ensure Jade didn't get hurt within that time...
"Why did you change?" Vivanne demanded to know. "Why did you stop wanting me? Was it because of this muggle filth's best friend?!"
"Watch how you speak about my best friend," Victoire growled from under the invisibility cloak before Salvatore could bite back a response.
"Who said that?" Roy demanded, the other seven looking shaken by the element of surprise.
"Your worst fucking nightmare," Victoire hissed, shedding the cloak and feeling her body transform into the firey bird of her Veela heritage. Red wings burst from her back, and she flew into the air, breathing the fire of her wrath at the scum who dared capture her friend.
She hissed fire at the seven of them standing away from Jade as they ducked, rolling on the ground when their cloaks went on fire. Teddy immediately sprang forward and put himself between Jade and the Slytherins, protecting her as he deflected spells while trying to unbind her. Salvatore dueled two of them at once, trying to give Teddy enough freedom to untie Jade and throw the cloak over her. Teddy succeeded, and Jade scampered back invisibly while Victoire continued her attack. She'd never known she could do this before and she didn't know how to master this power of hers. Exhaustion tore through her, but luckily the other Aurors joined them at the moment she returned to her normal body.
Lights from spells cast flew all around them, and Victoire defended herself against Vivianne who immediately tried to use the Cruciatus curse on her. Teddy jumped in front of her, taking the blow.
"Teddy!" Victoire screamed, rushing to him while trying to stay alert and defend herself against the torrent on spells flying. She knelt to his side brushing his hair out of the way as he stood to get back on his feet, forcing Victoire behind him. She felt but didn't see hands tugging her away, and she knew it was Jade from within the cloak. Since the Aurors looked as though they were getting the Slytherins under their control, Victoire hid behind a tree to make sure that Jade was alright.
"Did they hurt you, Jade?" Victoire searched her friend from under the cloak inspecting her by the light of her wand.
Jade shook her head. "I'm fine, you lot showed up before they could begin torturing me. I want you to know that Salvatore is innocent, I heard them talking and-,"
"I know he's innocent," Vic assured, turning her attention back on the battle as it looked like the eight Slytherins were now being placed in handcuffs, Salvatore with them.
"Wait," Teddy called out to his colleague who was attempting to subdue Rookwood. "He's innocent."
Salvatore looked up at Teddy in disbelief, and Victoire felt as though she could kiss him.
"He saved Kieran Dillon and fought with me tonight. Any previous actions of his were done under the influence of the Imperius curse. We'll prove it under investigations if necessary. But I'm convinced of his innocence," Teddy said with a look towards Victoire.
***
Jade was taken to the Hospital Wing afterwards to tend to some minor scrapes and to take a calming potion after that ordeal.
"You know, seeing as a bird made me feel kinda good. It's the first time I've ever seen you look kinda ugly," Jade teased, making Victoire laugh and earning a pillow to the face.
"Well you can always count on my feathery, ugly ass to swoop in and save the day for you," Victoire assured. "I love you, Jade."
"I love you too, Big Bird," she grinned, and they descended into a laughing fit as they went over the details of the night. Victoire filled her in on everything from her bonding with Salvatore, to Salvatore's innocence, until Madame Pomfrey forced Victoire from the room.
Salvatore was with Teddy somewhere, undoubtedly being questioned and offering as much information as he could. Victoire knew that Teddy trusted him now and would ensure to vouch for him and make sure he was treated alright through the process. Salvatore would need protection now that his family knew of his betrayal, but luckily since he was of age it wouldn't be an ordeal for him to break ties with his family and live on his own come graduation that spring.
The other Slytherins were questioned as well, and since they were of age they'd be sent to a penitentiary. Only Salvatore had a brand forced onto him by his parents; an unwilling participant in their crimes and pureblood ideology. Salvatore came out clear, and was free to continue his last year at Hogwarts.
Things settled down over the next few days, and Teddy requested to meet Victoire in the hidden passageway to Hogsmeade. She felt nervous, and after all they'd been through together she had no idea how he felt. The way that he had vouched for Salvatore warmed her heart, but it wasn't the last obstacle between them.
She walked down the stone passageway, mossy dirt underfoot as she lit her way through the dark with her wand. She wore a tight fitting brown dress, her heart pounding through her chest as she approached Teddy midway through the passage.
Neither of them said anything as they continued to close the distance between them, Teddy wrapping his arm around Victoire's waist. She gazed up at him uncertainly, feeling as though she were offering his heart to him again on a silver platter, not knowing whether he'd send it back or devour her whole. He brushed her blue hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear as he brushed her full lips with his thumb.
"Vic," he murmured, his tone sensuous as he looked at her intensely. She wrapped her arms around his neck, recalling the events of a few days ago with more clarity.
"Thank you for protecting me," she breathed, the image of Teddy taking the brunt of the Cruciatus cruse for her branded within her memory.
"I will always protect you. From real or imagined enemies," he said, alluding to his previous dislike of Salvatore. "I would take the killing curse for you, Victoire. But more than that, I'd...I'd live for you, Vic. If I haven't lost my chance with you...If I haven't messed things up so badly between us..."
His grip on her waist tightened possessively at that, as if his body were not prepared to have to let her go. "Then I would live to serve you. I don't know if I'm also your soulmate like the other men, but it doesn't matter to me anymore, Vic. I know I'm not the only one to possess your heart. But I've realized something."
Tears welled in Victoire's eyes as she waited with bated breath for his next words. He brushed her tears away lightly with his thumb, leaning down to stare into her eyes, his own holding a gentleness and warmth that she wanted to bathe in forever.
"I've realized that I'm already yours. I've always been, ever since we were kids. It's always been you, Vic. I can only ever love you, and desire you. I could make my peace with you loving other men, too. But I could never reconcile with not being able to give myself to you the way I've longed to for my entire life."
He got on his knees, holding her hands in his; kissing them. "Let me worship you, Victoire. Let me spend the rest of our lives proving to you how much you mean to me, and how much I'm willing to work to be worthy of you."
She met him on his knees, throwing her arms around him and kissing him. He grabbed her back lightly, almost as if he expected her to pull back and change her mind. When she didn't, he wrapped his arms around her a little tighter, lying down on his back and pulling Victoire atop him until her pussy was on his face.
He pulled her dress over her thighs, ripping her panties off her and breaking them. He gripped her thighs possessively, running his tongue along her centre and making her pant with need as he worked her clit with his hot, wet tongue. He rubbed his fingers along her wetness, curving them as he inserted them within her and began turning his wrist in slow circles. She released a high pitched, breathy moan that spoke of the unfathomable pleasure he was driving her towards. She rode out those slow circles with her hips, leaning back to grab his cock which she found rock hard for her. She began fisting his length and he brought her to climax, pleasure overwhelming her whole being.
Before her body completely recovered, he sat up with her still on top of him as he pushed off his pants and underwear and threw her dress off her. He cast the aguamenti charm around them, making the floor muddy as he grabbed a fistful of mud and painted her thighs with it. She looked into his eyes, realizing what he was doing as he looked at her with vulnerability sparking in his gaze. Her own gaze was still hooded with pleasure as she slid onto his cock, riding him slowly as she put her hand around his throat.
"Mine," she growled, addicted to feel of his pulsating cock within her, slowly increasing her pace.
"You're my fucking queen," he said, caressing her face lovingly as she rode him faster. Pleasure built within her again as she cried out and he came within her at the same time, their soulmate bond snapping into place. In the heavy moments after they rode out their pleasure together, they shared a slow, tender kiss that would be their first of hundreds of thousands as soulmates.