(Untitled)

[barelybitten]

The only reason Bill agreed to come with Lucius to this party was the promise that he might be able to see Ginny. Considering that they were locking all the slaves into one room (guarded by a only a few people), he thought that it might just work. If he and his sister behaved and didn't talk too loudly, they could talk and he could let her know

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[bound_harry]

Harry was taken to the room with the other Slaves, but he had a certain air to him. Snape had told him he wouldn't be harmed if he behaved, and if there was a mark on him that wasn't there before, there would be hell to pay. To hide the fact that he didn't have the tattoo like everyone else, he wore a collar that Snape had given him to hide his neck completely. So that no one would be tempted to take it off for a peek, a spell was put on it to keep it in place.

He went in and recognized nearly everyone there, but pretended they were all strangers. He had to be Snape's Slave, Nathaniel, not Harry Potter. Harry Potter was dead. It was easier for him to act the part with the dejected looks on everyone's faces, and he moved to sit in a far corner on his own when the guards let him go without manhandling him. He appreciated the perk that went along with a threatening Master.

[hr_neville]

Neville was huddled against a wall, hugging his knees. In all outward appearance he was just being well-behaved, but inside he was seething. He ached all over and there were fresh cuts on his back and arms, but he wasn't even thinking about that.

He'd been in and out of nearly thirty Pureblood homes, and none of the occupants had ever liked him (except one, but he tried not to think about that either), but they hadn't had any cause to hate him with any particular malice, either. Not beyond resenting his crimes as an inferior being. But Bellatrix knew him, had known his parents... he clenched his fists and tried to push that thought to the back of his mind. Usually he was good at that, but all the defensive means he had developed over the last few years were crumbling in the face of this previously unknown complication.

Frustrated beyond all rational thought, he ran his fingers through his hair. He hadn't really looked around at the others - if you've seen one, you've seen them all - but it had occurred to him that now he was back

[bound_harry]

Harry glanced around at the others, seeing Bill with Ginny and wondering if he ever imagined the two would look so distraught, until his eyes came to rest on Neville. He didn't see Hermione or Ron, and hoped that was a good sign that maybe they wouldn't be there. Maybe they were still free.

Carefully he scooted over to Neville and sat down, swallowing a lump in his throat. "Neville," he said, his voice quiet and curious, "are you alright?"

[hr_neville]

Neville looked up, surprised. He didn't recognise the man in front of him, despite his earlier observations. "Do I know you?"

[bound_harry]

Harry looked sheepish and averted his eyes when he shook his head. "Probably not. I know you, though." He scratched the back of his head, just above the collar. "Just, uh, wanted to make sure you were okay. You don't look it. Who has you?"

[hr_neville]

Neville sighed. "You really don't want to know. How d'you know me? I only just got here."

[bound_harry]

Harry had to think fast, and shrugged. "Everyone knows you from the war. Neville Longbottom...one of the last to see Harry Potter alive before V--You Know Who got him. You're sort of famous." He assumed this would be the case as Neville was the last person he was with before facing Voldemort, and hoped it was common knowledge by now. "And I do want to know. Is it Lucius Malfoy?"

[hr_neville]

"No," he said, trying to ignore that first part. "It's Bellatrix Lestrange. Fourteen days and counting."

[bound_harry]

Harry winced and looked away. There was no telling what Bellatrix was doing to torment him, and frankly, Harry didn't want to know. "Oh. I'm so sorry."

[hr_neville]

"Don't be. It's my own fault for getting myself sent back here in the first place. What about you?"

[bound_harry]

"Huh? Oh." Harry looked up at a guard, shrugged, and stared at the floor, his voice incredibly quiet. "Snape owns me."

[hr_neville]

Neville stared. "What?"

[bound_harry]

Harry lifted his arm, showing Neville the cuff. "Severus Snape. He's the one who owns me. I'm his Slave." He shrugged. "I guess there could be worse fates."

[hr_neville]

"I'd be hard pressed to think of them," he said, honestly. Next to Voldemort himself, Severus Snape was the only person he could think of that would be a worse Master than Bellatrix Lestrange. He couldn't stand pity, but he found himself feeling sorry for this boy already. "What happened, you really pissed someone off and they recommended you?"

[bound_harry]

Harry shook his head, thinking about what had happened. "He just sort of found me and decided to keep me. He'd never had a Slave before me, so at least that's comforting." He lifted a hand to stroke the collar on his neck. "Makes me wonder sometimes, though."

[hr_neville]

Neville frowned. "Found? You mean, not bought? Where were you before?"