Harry sat alone in the room where Voldemort left him, stewing in angry thoughts. That was just what Voldemort had calculated he'd do too, Harry knew. But he couldn't help it. Except for the incident with Bellatrix, he hadn't been harmed since his capture. What Voldemort said had struck a chord with Harry. He just wanted to be happy for awhile. He didn't want to have to deal with training or curses or torture or killing people. It was crazy to think he could find that in a Death Eater camp though. It shouldn't have been crazy to think he could find an escape with the Light.

Things were adding to up accepting Voldemort's offer. Harry thought of Draco. Hadn't Draco been ready to kill himself over this? It would be terrible for Harry to seek solace with the very company that Draco was running away from. Life was such a farce sometimes. Would he and Draco still be on opposite sides then?

Six years ago, the Sorting Hat told Harry that he belonged in Slytherin. It wasn't wrong.

Harry felt a clever grin creep over his features. He had a plan, and he doubted Voldemort would turn it down. Everyone he cared about would be safe, including himself. Satisfied that he had an answer for Voldemort, Harry climbed into the vacant bed in the room and fell asleep.

"Severus," Minerva said, but her voice didn't have the same bite as it just did. "It's not Harry's fault. There is nothing that will change the facts. No matter how much you wish it so."

Severus looked at Minerva. She saw, for the first time, hurt behind the hard man in front of her. Severus quickly turned around. The last thing he wanted to do was voice his feelings about Harry. Harry. Why was he saying Harry? It was Potter, he forcibly thought. It would do no one any good if he showed he feelings now. Severus walked back into the other room where Draco was still sleeping.

Minerva wanted to comfort her colleague. She could see the struggle that he was going through. She thought about everything that he said. Calling Harry an enigma, she couldn't help the small smirk that graced her lips. Calling the child an enigma was like the pot calling the kettle black. Severus Snape was the personification of an enigma.

Harry woke up after a few hours of fitful rest. He missed Draco. He even missed his Professor. He couldn't help the small bit of hurt that his Professor didn't come for him, and then to learn that the man didn't care about him - Snape only wanted to save his mum, not him. Harry shrugged it off, because such things were commonplace for him. Looking around, Harry spotted Narcissa in the shadows of the room.

"Mrs. Malfoy?" Harry asked hesitantly, sitting up in bed. She looked at him intently. "I'm ready to talk to him." She nodded once, wordlessly, and left the room. Momentarily, Voldemort returned.

"Hello, Harry," he said in smooth tones. "I hadn't anticipated we speak again until tomorrow, but Narcissa informs me that you requested my presence?" Voldemort took his previous seat as he curiously watched Harry sit on the bed.

"Yes, sir," Harry said confidently, but he avoided the man's eyes. "I would like to accept your offer - but I have some conditions."

"Conditions?" Voldemort echoed, and laughed a little. Then a little whimsically, "What conditions are those?"

"Draco and Snape live," Harry demanded. "Hermione and the Weasleys live. Remus too."

"Is that all?" Voldemort asked.

"Yes," Harry said. "They live, unharmed, and I'll agree to your plan."

"So no maiming them," Voldemort almost pouted. Harry looked up long enough to glare at him, then dropped his gaze again.

"Please, sir, you know what I'm asking for. My willing cooperation is useful for your campaign. If you don't hold to what you know I want, even if you can find a technicality, I certainly won't be a happy horcrux, now, will I?"

"No, that you won't," Voldemort chuckled. "I agree to your terms. We have a bargain then?"

"Yes," Harry assented. "May I write to Draco?"

"If I'm not going to kill him, then I don't see why not," Voldemort agreed, and conjured some parchment and a quill for Harry. He rose, but before he left, he turned and said, "Harry, I will uphold your terms. Albus Dumbledore has made it extremely easy for me to provide a safer and happier, I dare say, future for you. Unlike him, I am a man of my word. I just rarely give it." And with that, Voldemort left the room. Harry knew he was about to write the hardest letter yet to his Pen Pal.

Slowly, Harry walked over to the desk and sat down. He looked at the blank parchment and really thought about the past few weeks, the past few months, the past years. All the while, what he knew he was about to write would probably be the hardest thing he'd ever done.

With a shaky hand, Harry picked up the quill, dipped it into the ink well, and began to write.

The Monster in the Dark,

Well, you don't have to worry about becoming a monster any more.

I know you're probably wondering where I am. Well, don't be. Everything is really going to be fine. I know that you were worried about what would happen to you. Just know that I've fixed it. You don't have to worry about it. You or Professor Snape.

Now, for what it's worth, know that I really appreciate your friendship. You've been closer, in the last few days, to me than my friends.

Do NOT come for me. I've made a deal to protect you and Professor. You won't have to fear for your lives or safety any longer. I am going to stay here. I want you to live your life in peace.

Your friend forever,

Alchemist

PS. Thank you, Draco Malfoy, for everything.

There. He'd done it. And before he could change his mind or worry about his wording, he went to the window and found an owl waiting. He tied the letter to the owl's leg and told it to find Draco, wherever he was.

"Hmph, Draco, it's for you!" Severus grunted, tossing a parchment to him. Draco caught it.

"It's from Harry!" he gasped. Silence enveloped the room as Draco scanned the short note. Draco paled, but didn't let either of his teachers know what Harry wrote. He crinkled the letter up and threw it over his shoulder.

"What does it say?" Severus finally prompted.

"He's such an idiot, sometimes," Draco grouched. "He's gone and made some sort of a deal with the Dark Lord in exchange for our lives. He's barking mad." Draco crossed his arms sullenly and glared at the fire. Neither adult made any comment. Slowly, Draco's features softened. "I wonder what he had to agree to do. Death Eaters can be rather…" Draco's voice wandered. "But of course, you know," he ended weakly.

"Perverted," Severus supplied, for Minerva's benefit. She paled. "It's entirely possible, Draco, I don't discount it. Does Potter ask for rescue?"

"No," Draco answered. "The opposite. He's asking us to forget about him. Probably part of the deal."

"Hmm," Severus acknowledged. Minerva was silent.

"Well, naturally, we're going to disregard his Gryffindor heroics," Draco continued. "Sorry, Professor," he added, with a nod to McGonagall.

"Naturally, we are not!" Severus interjected. "We're not going to go rushing into things without proper precautions! The owl to your mother is already sent. We're too far into our previous plan to just back out! Any moment, she'll walk through the floo! Professor McGonagall has been cooperative enough to open her wards to your mother in the interests of this mission! You - " Severus growled, pointing at Draco, " - have been picking up bad habits from certain Gryffindors, and I'll train them out of you if it's the last thing I do." Minerva coughed. "Sorry," Severus apologized.

"So glad to know you care," Draco mumbled, but it sounded half genuine. Perhaps it was. The floo flared suddenly. Narcissa walked through the hearth.

"Hello, Mother," Draco said.

"Well, Severus," Narcissa said, not even acknowledging Draco spoke, though her eyes darted to him momentarily. "I was quite surprised to hear from you."

"Narcissa," Severus replied, inclining his head and rising from where he sat. "As you see, your son is currently safe, despite what I wrote in the message."

"A lure," she sneered. "What do you want?"

"Please, have a drink with me," Severus invited her cordially. "Minerva, Draco? If you would be so kind…" He gestured that the two of them should leave. Minerva laid a hand on Draco's shoulder and showed the boy out of the room. Severus poured the two of them drinks, careful to put a few drops of truth serum in Narcissa's. He handed one to Narcissa.

"First you lie to me to get me to come, then you hand me a drink," she said, her voice scathing. "Do you think I'm stupid? I won't drink anything you give me." She set it down. Severus shrugged non-committally.

"It's up to you, of course," he said. "It means nothing to me. I asked you over to discuss a certain prisoner. I'm sure you're aware of him?"

"Naturally," she sneered, taking a seat. Severus sat opposite her, swirling his drink idly.

"I wish to arrange a deal with you, Narcissa," Severus began. "I wish for you to free Harry Potter."

Looking at the drink now on the table, she said, "What makes you think that I would help you? That I would risk my life freeing the boy?"

"Because your son has declared a lack of will to live if Potter isn't rescued," Severus explained, setting his own drink aside, opting for the honest route. "You wish to see him happy, no?"

"Well, of course," Narcissa agreed. "Why would Draco have latched so strongly to Potter?"

"Long story," Severus dismissed. "Suffice to say that he is. My interest in the brat is only on behalf of Draco, mind you. Do you think you could arrange something?"

"There's rumors among the Death Eaters," Narcissa began. "Potter isn't treated well under Dumbledore's care, is he?" Severus shrugged non-committally. Then Narcissa continued, "What isn't a rumor is that the Dark Lord has offered him a safe place. Why, I don't know. But the offer was extended, and Potter took it. In return, he demanded the safety of certain individuals, including you and Draco. It was announced so that none of us would kill you by accident. The Dark Lord is intent on keeping his word to Potter."

"I see," Severus said. "And your impression as to the Dark Lord's ability to keep Harry safe?"

"If he doesn't hurt the boy himself, excellent," Narcissa assessed.

"I could have told you that," Severus sneered. "I meant your opinion of his intentions towards the boy."

"I don't particularly care," she admitted.

"Well, Draco does," Severus argued.

"He won't torture the boy," Narcissa said defensively.

"There's more that can break a person than torture," Severus said darkly, taking a sip of his drink.

"I don't know his intentions," Narcissa growled. "Do you expect me to know the Dark Lord's mind?"

"I expected you to observe and assess, yes," Severus corrected. Then he sighed.

"I think Harry is better off with the Dark Lord than with Dumbledore, if you really want to know."

"Really, now." They were silent for awhile. "You realize Draco tried to kill himself a bit ago, right?"

"What?" Narcissa hissed.

"He became convinced that the only way he could be spared a life as a monster was to escape life altogether," Severus continued. "He's pinned his hopes on Potter, to get him out of his plight, and while I understand what Potter has done, I doubt Draco will. Draco will insist on Potter's freedom. He won't rest until that has been accomplished."

"Draco won't - "

"I know your son better than you do, I dare say," Severus cut her off. "I understand you've done what you deemed best for Draco. That doesn't mean you did something good. The lesser of two evils is still evil. Your son resents you, rightly so, and you don't know anything about him. Now, will you free Potter?"

"What do you want from me?" Narcissa sighed.