Summary: It all went downhill after Sirius' death for Harry Potter, but Fate never ceased to cartwheel around him. Captured by Voldemort, he still won only to be executed by his own side for the victory which was paid literally by his blood and pain. Forced into the Death Veil, and... accompanied by Snape?!!!... he finds out that life is far from over for him.. err, them. New world awaits for them, full of mysteries, adventures, ...demons?! And what's with Snape all of sudden?

Warnings: violence, mentions of abuse, language, definite though not graphic slash later, but not HP/SS, for them it's father/son relationship, creature HP, creature SS, AU post OotP, Kyou Kara Maou crossover, AU KKM post second season.

A.N: I've written it nearly year and a half ago, just to entertain myself and to practice English. I just wished to see my favourites heroes interacting, and wished to see Harry and Severus happy somewhere.

Disclamer: I don't own anything from Harry Potter books or Kyou Kara Maou anime series. I'm writing purely for fun and gain only writing experience for myself. And yes, I really gain it. Well, I hope.

Chapter 1

Now…

"It's over. It's finally over." – Harry Potter's entire being was filled only with this thought. He stood over gruesome remains of Voldemort as if paralyzed and couldn't turn his eyes away from defeated Dark Lord' s head; it lied several feet away from what was left of Tom's body. "It's over. I'm free. Merlin, I'm free!" – he couldn't help grinning madly, despite blood dripping from numerous wounds, and cold wind freezing his bare body. Well, almost bare, he had only torn remains of his school pants on him.

Who would have thought that The Final Battle would be so…short and…strange, really? He had no idea actually, how he did what he did, but suspected that somehow it was connected to what happened to him during his torture sessions in Voldemort's dungeons when he was captured by Death Eaters.

A while back…

Harry Potter's life was not easy since he was one and a half year old. First his parents were murdered by psychotic Dark Lord, who after hearing that damned Prophesy got obsessed with eliminating his possible defeater. Voldemort lost to Harry Potter at the night of attack because of Lily Potter's sacrifice, and Harry Potter lived. Then again, could his life with his relatives where he was stuck ever since be considered just that, a life, or merely an existence? Well, he survived them as he survived Voldemort's Avada Kedavra, and went to Hogwarts. Time spent at Hogwarts was happiest for him if not to mention numerous attempts to end his life, Snape, the one teacher who despised the very sight of him, and his schoolmates that were turning their back on him every time something happened. But he was a survivor, so he preserved. Then Sirius came into his life. Sirius, his Godfather, wrongly accused and convicted without even trial, escaped from Azkaban prison that was thought to be impossible to break out from. But Sirius did it for him, to protect him. He brought hope for the future to Harry, and that hope was shattered two years later when Harry was lured by resurrected Voldemort into a trap, and Sirius died in a rescue mission. If only Snape told him then that Sirius was safe…

When Sirius died, Harry blamed himself, naturally. And blamed Snape, of course, but himself more. He secluded himself for the summer in his room, barely eating and withdrawing into himself. He decided to push his friends away, and when school year began, he had been escaping from their watchful eyes whenever he could, his favorite place being Hogsmeade. Not that he as the main target of the enemy didn't understand danger of being in somewhat public place and unsupervised, without help and back-up, but the truth was that he became …not quiet actively suicidal, but death-welcoming, and unconsciously seeking danger. Well, he got his wish. On one of his many trips to the wizarding village he heard soft "Stupefy" from behind and then there was blackness. It was November at the time.

He came back to consciousness in the dungeons already chained down, and it was the beginning of the nightmare. During those impossibly endless sessions full of pain and screaming he was used as the main entertainment for psychotic bastards who liked to show off their knowledge (rather expressive, that he would admit) of the most extravagant and unusual torture spells and curses they knew. Voldemort participated as well intimidating his minions into awed silence with his incredibly painful and inventive curses (that hurt so much more than Crucio speaking truthfully), but he liked also to sit back and taunt Harry about his inability to protect best friends and family. He liked to torture Harry psychologically most of all. He took special delight in informing Harry about Death Eaters' raids and occasional killing spree. If someone known to Harry was killed, Voldemort spoke about every detail of their demise. The name of the Death Eater who did it, the name of the used curse, the effects and pain it caused, and what was done to the bodies. That was how he learned about Dursley's death, and death of Remus. While he never wished such fate on the Dursley's (they were torn by Voldemort's pet werewolves), he couldn't find it in himself to mourn for them after all they had put him through. As for Remus… His last true link to his parents was dead by the hand of Bellatrix Lestrange, who cursed Remus with Argento Sanguina while Professor Lupin was on some errand for Headmaster in Knockturn Alley by himself. Harry couldn't even imagine how painful it should have been for the werewolf to have his blood turn slowly into liquid silver, knowing that there is no counter curse, no chance to get to healers. He imagined Remus lying there on the deserted street under smirking eyes of Bellatrix and listening to her insane giggling and laughing, and …just… dying. He didn't even get a burial, or body to bury. Apparently liquid silver inside werewolves makes them to burn from inside out. Never before had he felt such hate and rage as in these minutes. He could cast ten Crucio on Bellatrix at the same time now, he supposed. Each one of them would be as painful and potent as Bella's own. It was after Remus' death that IT happened.

Every session continued until he was on the brink of dying, literally few breaths away from the end, and then he would be healed back to…well, it could hardly be called health, more like stable condition. When Voldemort told him about Remus, Harry first felt like drowning, then emptiness, then hate, and rage, and pain, and agony, both mental and physical. Then something snapped inside him, as if some wall had been broken, or unknown part of his mind shattered apart and then was pulled together, but differently. Some incredible and powerful force akin to his own magic, but more alien, more wild, and more tangible - filled him for several seconds changing him (barely, but he could feel it), and just as suddenly as it appeared, it vanished. Every now and then, and after each session this force had been filling him for longer and longer periods of time, unnoticeably to others. Harry couldn't understand what it meant at all, but he could feel changes in himself already. The curses didn't hurt as much as before, and his hearing improved a lot. His eyes didn't require glasses anymore, and he could differentiate Death Eaters by smell alone. He found out that he could read emotions of others by directing his attention towards them. Harry supposed these changes would be useful in usual circumstances; however he was surrounded by enemies and was in constant torture. He could feel hate, and anger, and sickening pleasure around himself, and smells made him violently ill not once. He was brought to the near death state at every session as before but now he had a clear conscience during all of the time. If the changes were meant to do him good, they failed drastically. They had brought him closer to breaking. That he wasn't broken yet was a miracle by itself. But he had hope and desire to protect his friends, so he refused to give up by sheer will alone.

Not too long after Remus' death Voldemort gathered all Death Eaters in the main hall of his manor, and placed Harry chained down in front of his throne. He circled Harry curling his lips in twisted smile.

"Ha-a-a-rry, it seems to me you Griffindorish foolishness is rather contagious. Wouldn't you like to know who was caught yesterday defending those filthy mudbloods on Hogsmeade trip?" - Vodemort drawled sibilantly.

"Draco Malfoy?" – sarcastically asked Harry. He knew his cheek will result in Crucio or something like that, but couldn't resist. He couldn't allow Voldemort to see how close to giving up he was.

"How did you know?" – Voldemort's eyes narrowed in suspicion, Crucio temporarily delayed.

"Draco Malfoy?!!" – Harry could only gape in astonishment at the Dark Lord. – "Was he under Imperio?!"

"I see," - mused Voldemort, - "you had no idea, but your luck struck again. I wonder if you did all your tests at Hogwarts this way. After all you managed to pass your courses so far and not by studying, I'm sure. Oh, and by the way, Crucio."

"Go to hell, Tom," - wheezed Harry trying to swallow down screams.

"How rude, Potter. But then, what else could be expected from the filthy blood?" – Voldemort laughed shortly, and then ordered to some Death Eater. – "Bring Malfoy traitor here."

Several minutes later the ordered Death Eater dragged in the bloodied body that Harry with shudder recognized as his rival Slytherin. Malfoy was conscious but could hardly stand by himself, so Death Eater dumped him on the floor near Harry. Draco turned his head slowly and stared at Harry for some moments. Something unrecognizable flashed through his eyes, and then he glanced blankly in the space ahead of him. Voldemort gloated:

"Well, well, well.. Two heroes lie before me, all broken and hopeles. Isn't it marvelous? Draco, why won't you share with us, what is it Dumbledore told you to convince to protect those disgusting mudbloods so bravely? Did he decide to make you the new Golden Boy, Hero of the Wizzarding World? Or promised you something?"

Harry looked at Malfoy Junior worriedly. Why had Malfoy suddenly decided to risk his life for those he always despised so much? Was Voldemort right in his assumptions? Was Harry himself abandoned by Dumbledore and Order of the Phoenix so fast? No, no, they wouldn't do it!

Malfoy snorted.

"I wouldn't do anything Dumbledore asked me, I don't consider myself an idiot. I had my reasons, and they have no relation whatsoever with the old git."

"Hmm, be as it may, you still betrayed me. But I'm feeling merciful today, so I'm giving you a choice. Here is the knife." – He tossed black wickedly looking knife on the floor near Malfoy. – "And you can see Potter beside you. You can do anything you want to him with this knife, as long as you don't kill him, and for that I'll allow you to die quickly. Or you can refuse and die very – very slowly and painfully." – Voldemort looked positively amused.

Malfoy paled as he looked at the knife, and was shivering slightly.

"Do it, Malfoy," - Harry caught Malfoy's eyes with determination.

"Do what, scar head?" –snapped at him pale Slytherin.

"Use the knife, ferret, what else. I'll survive anyway, you know – Boy-Who-Lived and all," - Harry smiled weakly, bitterness in his eyes. – "Use it as long as you can. In the worst case, you'll die quickly without suffering, in the best case – you'll get the chance to escape."

Malfoy stared at him blankly for several moments, not quiet believing his ears. His worst rival was giving him the chance for quick death or escape, ready to pay for that with his own blood and suffering. Not that will do any good in his case, but Potter couldn't know it. So bloody Gryffindorish he is. Still, he really underestimated his heroic nature. When he saw Potter there, lying in chains before the Dark Lord, he didn't expect to find that wild fire in his eyes. If several months of constant torture hadn't broken him, Potter really was something. And maybe he really did have a chance to win. Pity he himself won't see it, but when was fate ever fair to Draco?

Malfoy slowly got to his knees and picked up the knife, then crawled over to Potter. From the corner of the eye he saw how Dark Lord leaned eagerly forward on his throne, expecting the entertainment to begin. Malfoy bent over chained Potter, pretending trying to choose a spot to begin, and whispered quietly, his back shielding them from Voldemort's glinting eyes.

"Listen, Potter. There won't be escape for me, cause I'm dying anyway. I've been sort of.. cursed, and there is no counter curse, so it's no use trying to save me. But I can do something for you, and I need you to answer me first. Do you think you'll beat him?"

"Yess," - hissed Harry softly, his eyes burning with hate. Draco looked startled, but continued.

"Then I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, give you my heritage of Varnaay by the Right of Willing Last Blood." – Draco breathed out and began to draw some runes on Harry's chest making it look like he was randomly drawing lines over Harry's chest.

The moment the knife touched Harry's bare chest, he felt the presence of the mysterious power. It swirled around them; he could feel it examining Malfoy. He glanced at Draco, and scanned him. Well, no malicious intents, strange calmness and acceptance. Sorrow? Grief, so deep and fresh…Perplexion?

He was surprised and looked at Malfoy's face. Draco continued to draw the runes, but his eyes betrayed that he felt the power, too. At last, Malfoy finished, and asked urgently:

"Do you accept my Heritage as your own?"

"Yes," - murmured Harry.

"Promise me, you'll protect Severus, my Godfather." - asked him Malfoy suddenly, his voice trembling slightly.

"What?" - Harry's voice wavered. – "You mean Snape? But he…" - his voice trailed off, as he saw the desperate look on Draco's face. And suddenly he could only hear the echo of the words "godfather" and "protect" in his head. He couldn't say "no" to that, could he? He failed Sirius, killed him if he was honest to himself. At least he'll try to protect Draco's godfather. Even if that was Snape who hated his guts. – "I promise." – he said firmly looking Malfoy into eyes.

"So mote it be." – Malfoy drew the knife across his own palm and then pressed it to the runes on Harry's chest.

The pain was on par with Crucio; Harry felt like burning inside out, his back hurting especially. Power rolled of him in waves alarming Dark Lord that something was not right. Voldemort angrily threw Malfoy away from Harry with a flick of his wand.

"You…. You'll pay for your foolishness…"- he hissed in rage. – "I'll make you beg for death for weeks before you'll get it."

"We-ell, good luck with that." – drawled Malfoy mockingly, gathering his last strength, and stabbed himself in the heart.

"Arrrrgh!!" – howled Voldemort. – "Crucio! Crucio! Crucio!" – he cursed his followers randomly, not forgetting to hit Harry as well. – "What has he done to you? Answer me, Potter!! Or I'll make you, and you know how good I'm at persuasion.."

"I have no idea," - coughed the blood Harry, deciding to avoid more pain for now. – "He drew some runes, and that's it."

"I don't see any runes." – Dark Lord's eyes narrowed.

"What?!" – to Harry's astonishment there were indeed no runes on his chest. - "But they were there…"

"Interesting," - mused Voldemort, calming down a little. – "But we have lost our entertainment guest, unfortunately. So you'll have to pay for that."

That session was the worst of them all, making Harry curse Malfoy's name in the end, though he supposed he would have done the same choice if he knew back then what would happen. That time the power stayed twice as long as during last time.

About dozen sessions after, as it was the only thing Harry could measure his time by now, Voldemort decided that the time for the main strike has come. Tending to be dramatic he planned to kill Harry in front of all opponents on the battlefield, and attack Hogwarts using their despair over death of that bloody Gryffindor. He ordered the Death Eaters to assemble themselves before Hogwarts, and wait for him not attacking. At the same time he put his captive Boy-Who-Lived through the torture session, but not getting him too close to death's door. Right after session he brought him to battlefield, where Hogwarts' defenders gathered outside already. Members of The Order of the Phoenix in their golden with black battle robes, Ministry workers and Aurors in their uniforms as well, and senior Hogwarts students from last two years. All were standing shoulder to shoulder in organized groups. They were ready for battle, apparently.

Voldemort smirked at them maliciously.

"Look, Dumbledore! That is your saviour!" – he kicked Harry. – "Will he save you now? Will he protect you? You better surrender now and pray for quick death, old fool. And you, Ssseveruss… Traitor…You'll regret your treachery, that I promise you."

Hearing that Harry managed to raise his head and saw Professor Snape standing among other professors in Order of the Phoenix' uniform, his wand clutched in his hand. Draco's eyes came to Harry's mind: "..protect.. Severus… godfather..". And then IT came again. He felt the power coming and consuming him, and understood IT won't leave as usual this time. He couldn't control IT, but tried to concentrate on his desire to protect Hogwarts and his friends and allies, and especially Professor Snape, from the Dark Lord and his minions. And held onto that while before his eyes Voldemort was ripped apart and Death Eaters were falling dead to curses they used on Harry during torture and Harry was wavering under the wild torrent of pain, fear and terror and... When power left him, he was standing alone among dead bodies of Voldemort's army, covered in blood and unsteady from torture, power rush and onslaught of emotions. And then he understood that The War was over.

Now….

Delighted with his freedom, Harry turned to Dumbledore and others, smile still on his face. First of all, he noticed bewildered look on Snape's face, then he saw fear in Headmaster's eyes, and then... plain terror on other's faces.

"Demon freak.." – fearfully shuddered Ron.

"Monster," - spat hatefully Hermione.

"He became new Dark Lord," - he heard others whispering. – "Look at him, at what he's done. He's as Dark as they come."

"Demon…"

"No human could do that…"

"Freak.."

"Abomination…"

"Mr. Potter."

Not understanding, he looked at Headmaster.

"What…?"

"I'm sorry, my boy. It seems I failed you, I couldn't save you from turning to darkness. I'm so sorry, my boy, that you had to turn out just like Tom. And I'm sorry, but for the good of Wizarding World you can't be allowed to live. As the Head of Wizengamot Council, I sentence you to Death Veil."

"What..?" – falling into shock whispered Harry.

"I'm sorry, my boy, but you are too dangerous to let you live. We've had enough battling one Dark Lord." - Dumbledore raised his wand. – "Stupefy."

Harry, still in shock and feeling waves of fear and hate didn't even try to duck, and fell down onto his back stupefied.

"Albus! Have you lost your mind?!" – Snape shouted suddenly. – "He saved us and you discard him just like that?! You told me to protect him for that?!"

"Severus, sure you understand my decision? Look at what he's done. Do you want to risk him turning into the Dark Lord worse than Tom? His powers are not matured yet, and he is already so powerful that easily destroyed Tom and his servants. Do you imagine what he would be capable of if we'd let him to grow up? It can't be allowed to pass!"

"He won't become like that! He's Lily's child!" – Snape was desperate. - "You can't kill Her child! I promised to protect him!"

"I free you of your promise." – Dumbledore answered calmly.

"Well, I refuse to be freed!!"

"He will be executed one way or another, Severus. I'm sorry, but you won't change that."

"I won't abandon him! Not him too! I've lost Draco, and if you take Potter away, what will I live for?"

"You'll find something, I'm sure. After all, you love Potions." – Dumbledore serenely smiled at him.

"I won't." – Snape looked at Headmaster coldly. – "When are you going to kill him?"

"Execute, Severus, not kill. Harry we knew is dead, we all saw it. He wouldn't allow for all Death Eaters to be killed like that."

"You don't know what he would or wouldn't do. Answer my question, Dumbledore."

"Immediately. We can't have the chance of him escaping. So, the execution has to be right now."

Snape glanced around him, looking for support, for someone to help him to protect Potter, but everyone had only fear and disgust in their eyes, and approval for Dumbledore's actions. Every one last of them.

That was not right. Why was he the only one to defend Potter? They never went along, not that it was the boy's fault though… The only fault Potter did was having that blasted James Potter's face and being sorted into Gryffindor… After Potter was captured, Snape was chosen to inform Potter's relatives, and that visit left him shocked for many days. How could he be so blind? How could he not see the signs of abuse? The lone and fragile child behind that bloody mask of Gryffindor Golden Boy? When Snape told Dursley's about what happened they laughed! And told him that it was "bloody pity it hadn't happened earlier". In anger he Legiliminced them and it left him feeling sick and shaking in fury. He didn't touch them then, but promised them that they will be brought to court and will go to Azkaban for many-many years. Too many to survive…

And then they got themselves killed. Revenge was ripped out from his hands, but justice was served at least, even if like that. Funny thing fate is…

"I see." – the Potion Master said calmly. – "That is how you treat the one who saved you. Maybe he's better to be dead than live among the likes of you, then. But I won't leave him. Not him too."

He went to stupefied Gryffindor and gently picked him up.

"What are you going to do, Severus? Escape with him?" – Dumbledore's face darkened.

"Not at all, Headmaster." – spat Snape. – "I know you won't give him a chance to live in peace until he's dead. And after everything he went through I think he would prefer to die, too. So I'm going to the Death Veil."

Snape disapparated not giving Dumbledore time to answer, and appeared in front of Ministry of Magic. It was empty, as all Aurors and workers went to Hogwarts. With covered in blood Gryffindor in his arms he silently walked through the Ministry halls. As he reached the room with the Veil, he heard echo of steps behind him. When he turned to it, he saw Dumbledore walking fast towards them. Without saying anything Snape turned back and entered the room.

"Severus, I'm glad you saw reason. But why in Merlin's name do you want to be the one to execute that..boy?" – Dumbledore's voice broke the silence in the room.

"I said I won't abandon Lily's child, Headmaster. You may consider it as my resignation." – Snape replied not turning back. Lily... Maybe he'll see her once again before falling to Hell. Maybe she'll forgive him... He tightened his arms around Harry and stepped into the Veil.