Death Whispers

Chapter Fifteen - Powers and Battles

Ministry Halls, January 24th 1982

Lucius strode down the narrow Ministry halls, his silver cloak whispering along his restricted path. He looked cautiously down the halls before knocking on the oak door.

"Enter," he heard a young voice reply.

The office was small and on the second floor of the Ministry, the Law Enforcement Division, the man inside was short and chubby but had a friendly face currently flushed as he bumbled around his office. As Lucius entered, the man raised his head and his blotchy red cheeks turned pale.

"Lucius," he stammered, "what can I do you for?"

Lucius sneered at the man and put his hand into his cloak. The move made the other anxious and he quickly reached for his wand.

Lucius chuckled as he pulled out a bag of coins. "Jumpy today," he said, as he raised an eyebrow and dumped the money on the table.

"Lucius I..." the man began but he was cut off.

"Fudge you should have no problem with this task, should you?" Lucius asked. "After all, it's what we both wanted."

"But," stammered Fudge, "Crouch is headed to take over now; Weasley's taken himself out of the running."

"Crouch," whispered Lucius, a sinister smile plastered on his face, "I will deal with."

"You won't harm him?" asked Fudge nervously.

"No, no, his problems will hit a lot closer to home."

Fudge didn't have the chance to ask any more questions as Lucius left his office and swaggered down the halls again. Most people ducked out of the corridor as they saw him but Arthur Weasley was not going to. Instead the two met in a semi stand off waiting for the other to move aside.

"Lucius," Arthur greeted unkindly, "what business do you have with the Ministry?"

"Just visiting an old friend," Lucius scoffed, and Arthur tried to look down the corridor to see whose rooms were there.

"Weasley, move, you have dirtied my robes," Lucius spat, pushing Arthur back and dusting himself off where Arthur's tatty green robes had brushed him.

"What are you doing here?" demanded Arthur again. "Who let you through these corridors!"

"I have business here as much as the next man Weasley," Lucius said cruelly leaning closer to Arthur. "I was making sure that you don't run for Minister, but I heard you've dropped out, what? The image of riches and power must have frightened you."

"I'm not scared," Arthur said, holding his ground and meeting the man's flashing silver eyes with his normally soft brown ones, "I am spending some time with my loving family, not that you would know anything about that."

"And what a dirty little family it is," Lucius retorted quickly, flicking his hair behind his shoulders. "So tell me, how are your brothers? Still in St. Mungo's are they? Insanity is hereditary you know?"

"Explains where you got it," Arthur said menacingly, "after all your mother..."

"Keep my mother out of this Weasel! What would you know?! Keep talking like that and the rest of your brats will meet the same sticky end!" Lucius tried to keep his temper in check.

"Don't you ever threaten my family!" Arthur growled through gritted teeth stepping even closer toward Lucius forcing the man to sway backward.

"What's the loss?" his pale eyes glittered dangerously. "You already have more children than you can afford. You are a disgrace to the name of wizard."

"You can talk, Death Eater!"

"I am not!" yelled Lucius, "I was cleared by the Ministry!"

People started staring into the small hallway from their offices as the two were yelling at each other.

"I know what you are," spat Arthur, "You have always been a manipulative...evil..."

Arthur shook his head fiercely, to angry to continue.

Lucius leaned forward out of the earshot from the eager faces peeping out of their offices. "You can prove nothing," Lucius whispered, "pity you can't buy brains, not that you could afford them, hey Weasley!"

Arthur was about to throw a punch at Lucius when Dumbledore rested his arm on Arthur's shoulder.

"Trouble boys?" Dumbledore asked.

The two men both looked down at their shoes as if still in school and scolded by the headmaster.

Lucius looked up first. "Dumbledore," he said, nodding coldly as he pushed himself past. Dusting his robes as he fled.

xxxxxx

Muggle Graveyard, January 26th, 1982

"Bellatrix, a delight to see you again," greeted Severus insincerely.

"Forgo the pleasantries Snape, we are going on a raid tomorrow night, Roldolphus has a lead about our Master's whereabouts."

The two had gathered in a cemetery. Bellatrix Lestrange had sent him a letter recently demanding his presence. Severus had thought the request odd but agreed to meet. Bellatrix and Roldolphus were the only married pair of Death Eaters and the Dark Lord favoured Bellatrix for her psychopathic tendencies. There was light from Muggle street lamps and the two stood just in the shadows.

"What? Just the three of us? Raiding who?" asked Severus.

"Always asking so many questions?" she sneered, raising a dark eyebrow to look at him.

"I don't remember you being the one allowed to give orders," Severus sneered back stretching himself up to great height so that he was a good foot taller than Bellatrix.

"It is an Auror's house and there will be five of us, Roldolphus has organised it and you know he can be trusted," she said indicating Roldolphus was the only one who could be trusted.

"Who's coming on the raid?" asked Severus again, trying to get any information from her.

"Snape, again with the questions!" she demanded.

"I don't want to compromise our position with idiots," he scoffed but she had already resolved.

She laughed madly, "As I said, Roldolphus has organised it, just follow your mark, it'll burn at midnight." And she Disapparated.

xxxxxx

Dumbledore was still spending time at the Ministry and Severus wondered if he should tell Minerva the plans when his owls to Dumbledore returned to him.

At breakfast that morning, she was again casting the Slytherin dirty glares and Severus decided against it.

The day seemed impossibly long, as he was jumpy and nervous again. His students were terrified and Charles Weasley hearing of his demeanor simply didn't turn up for class.

"Mr. Snape," Minerva caught him as he left the classroom after his final lesson, "a word if you please." Knowing that he wouldn't turn up for dinner she had to catch him now.

Severus nodded and the two stepped into his office. Severus had already filled it with potion ingredients that sat floating menacingly at the guest. Minerva looked around his office appraisingly. He sat down behind his desk but made no move to invite Minerva to sit, instead busying himself with essays. So she just stood behind the chair that had only ever been used by Hagrid.

"What do I owe the honour," he said sarcastically, his black eyes flashing cheekily.

"I have observed your late night outings and..." she began but Severus cut her off.

"What does it matter to you where I spend my time?" Severus interjected, his two hands spread palm down on the desk.

"I am Deputy Headmistress, and with Professor Dumbledore away I have a right to know where the staff are," Minerva demanded, drawing her small lips into a tight white line.

"Shall I introduce you to my concubine?" he sneered disgustingly.

She fluttered for a moment, "Mr. Snape! It is my duty to protect the students!"

"It's Professor now, McGonagall," he spat, "I am no longer a student here and it is none of your business where and with whom I spend my time." As if daring her to say otherwise he added, "If that is all Professor." Severus stood and gestured to the door.

Her tightly drawn face swelled with repressed anger and lacking of anything to say she stormed out and headed toward the Great Hall.

Two owls were sent with great speed that night. Having no other means to contact Dumbledore, Severus wrote a rushed letter about Minerva and the Lestranges plan for the evening. Walking to the forest that night was nerve wracking.

He traipsed across the grass field black robes streaming behind him holding a black bag at his side. He saw the light at Hagrid's hut still shining and turned to walk the opposite way into the Forbidden Forest. The forest was making eerie nighttime sounds and Severus found a small clearing far enough away from the castle to stand waiting.

The minutes ticked by loudly as it approached midnight and Severus reached into his bag to draw out the items inside. Pulling the silver drawstring around his waist he felt the string slither together to tie. He dropped the bag and held the mask in his hand. Looking at it fearfully he stroked the white material. When the Dark Mark burned he gripped himself, put on the mask and Disapparated.