Snape the Younger

Rarely allowing himself to relax completely, Severus felt safe enough in Tom Riddle's rooms to discard his robes and loll on the hearthrug in his shirt sleeves. Bare feet waved in the air as he lay on his belly with a book Tom had given him, gnawing on his quill tip as he read the ancient vampire language. One small word seemed to be pivotal to the meaning of the passage; just a small word but they were usually the trickiest ones. Shaking his head, he held up his hand and flipped through the dictionary that flew to his soundless accio. He found the word and nodded happily, having solved the passage's meaning, then froze as he realised what he had done.

Without thinking, he accioed the other two books in the series, turning them over and over in his hands, disbelief making him tremble. Every stain and scuffmark on the covers was as familiar to him as the lines on the palm of his hand. Every crease and browned blood stain on the pages was as it should be, as it always had been as it should not be. With no thought for consequences, he apparated, appearing before the bookshelf at Snape Manor with a pop that sounded like a gunshot in the silence of the ancient and deserted house. Sure enough, there was a three book hole in the line of tomes, a gaping hole in the uniform shelves that made up the Snape library.

Crack! Severus jumped as something stung his shoulders, ducking reflexively as another blow landed on his back. Growling in disgust, he cast protego over himself and turned to where his Grandmother's vengeful spirit was brandishing the riding crop wildly. Sneering at her, he folded his arms and all but dared her to hit him again. The spirit seemed to grow denser and flew at him with renewed vigour, flailing and slashing furiously until it realised there was very little effect.

Veraline Snape glared back at her grandson, realising her non-corporeal form was no match for the boy's physical body but her tongue was more than a match for his mind. She smiled thinly as she chose to address him in High Tongue; after all, he was holding the right books for it.

"So, less than offal, you have dared to return? Why have you stolen the children's books from him I found worthy to bestow them upon?"

"You gave them to Tom Riddle? Oh, I see. And what did he give you to gain them?" Severus asked, almost casually.

"Blood for blood, the old man's life for the privilege of entering my presence. Life for life, the life of a woman for a lesson in life twisting. Soul for soul, the use of a soul for the preparing of his soul. Flesh for Flesh, the consuming of flesh to preserve his flesh." The ectoplasmic figure pulses with gloating as it floated closer and leered into his face. "You are such a fool, you useless piece of filth, you offer yourself and your 'love' and it is taken and used and we laugh at your naivety as we harness your power. 'I love you, Tom, ooh, ooh, fuck my arse until I bleed and take my life's essence into you as I am nothing without you'. You are nothing at all! Pathetically groping for something more than you are, but you can never be anything but an imperfect tool for the use of men greater than you will ever be, crawling mewling gutter worm!"

Severus felt all the old insecurities and fears claw at his guts but refused to allow her to see how much her words were affecting him as he straightened and smiled, as cheerful a smile as he could produce with what seemed real amusement twinkling in his eye. "You are so very funny, Grandmother, you caper and rattle, so ineffective and animated, like a shadow puppet on the wall of reality. Do you think your words can touch me anymore? Do you think you can change what passes between Tom and I with your jealous prating? I think not." The formal cadences rolled off his tongue hissing and spitting like a cobra's dance.

"You think not?" Veraline repeated sarcastically. "Observe and despair," she gloated as a misty scene appeared on the wall.

Tom Riddle stood in his characteristic pose, hands on hips, a crooked smile on his face as the ghostly image of a ghost raged before him. Severus smiled slightly as his lover gestured and the ghost was silenced quite involuntarily. Tom was speaking now and Severus had to strain to hear the faint voices, echoes of an echo in the silence of the ancient house. "You taught Severus to speak the language and to use the magic and I want that power. I have his heart and his soul and now I want his knowledge but it would be even better coming from you."

"And what's in it for me?" Veraline's image demanded haughtily.

"You may have his husk when I have finished with it. He gives himself to me freely and eventually he will have nothing left for me. He will become useless and then I will discard him and you may have what is left."

"What use would a discarded and used piece of offal be to me?"

"You know the rituals and the spells, he is flesh of your flesh, much as you hate to acknowledge it, and he is blood of your blood and bone of your bone. Once I have consumed his soul, you may enter the flesh and reanimate it, giving a home to your soul once again."

"How can I trust you, a dealer in Black Arts and demon worship?"

Tom's shadow on the wall reached into his robes and found his wand, opening a vein and spilling his blood with the ritual words of a Wizard's Binding, selling his lover to his grandmother by blood and magic.

As the images faded, Severus drew a deep breath and shook his head pityingly, a crooked smile bending his lips into a sneer as he faced his grandmother across the expanse of dusty floorboards. "You know, I almost believed you right up until the end. A Binding of that magnitude leaves scars, Grandmother, as well you know, and if Tom had received a scar of that magnitude, don't you think I would have noticed it?"

Veraline cackled and flew at his head, making him duck reflexively. "You don't even know what he looks like so how the Hell would you know, you blockheaded, love blinded fool? Try opening your eyes instead of your legs next time you see him, a revealing spell might just do it, but I doubt it!" She swept over his head then turned back briefly, a transparent hand pointing a bony finger at his nose. "Flesh of my flesh, seed of my seed, bone of my bone, blood of my blood, I don't think so! I would rather rot in Hell than inhabit that ugly body of yours!"

"It can be arranged!" Severus said flatly, a wealth of promise in his tone.

Veraline merely cackled and disappeared into the wall.

~~*~~

Lord Voldemort sat on his throne in the decaying confines of the Riddle House at Little Hangleton and worried at the Prophecy Severus had brought to him with all the intensity of a rabid dog. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal..."

What did it mean? Which July's crop of children? This year's, last year's, next year's? If it was this year's did that mean he would have to look out in the future? Should he dispose of next year's crop by killing every woman he found pregnant in October and November? But the first line stated that the one with the power to vanquish him approaches. This implied that the child was already conceived, if not born. So perhaps those planning a child could be ignored for the time being.

If it was this year's crop, he had better see that his representatives at the Ministry broke into the records and gathered him some names and addresses. He was reasonably certain that there were very few children due to be born this year. For some reason there had been fewer marriages and fewer families planned so therefore there were fewer children to be born.

However, he had a reasonable idea that the child was already born, born to those who had already defied him. Who had the audacity to deny him even once, never minds twice or thrice? Only that bastard Dumbledore had dared say no to him with any sort of success. Could it be one of Dumbledore's little pets who were going to stand up to him? If the line was not taken literally, if it was a collective defiance then it could be any one of Dumbledore's little sycophants who had whelped. Last year there had been a couple of brats born into that circle and there had been at least two of them born in July, had there not?

One couple were Aurors, weren't they? They would have power and would probably produce a fairly powerful child but never someone strong enough to defeat him. Still, the child might have the potential to grow strong enough to 'upset his harmony', which would be extremely annoying in a gnat attack sort of way. Longbottom was an old family, well entrenched in the northern reaches of his potential kingdom and Emily Longbottom was a total cow who had sent his representative off with a hex that came very close to the Dark Arts. Ah, old stock like Emily were invaluable but they just did not have the flexibility to get with the plan and would probably have to be broken rather than bent to his will, such a pity! Still, Family Longbottom had denied him which put them in the running as the potential fulfillers of the prophecy.

The other child was a mere half-blood, a Mudblood mixture from the Potter stock and the creature he took up with after he had been offered much better breeding stock by an agent. A half-blood might grow up to be a problem. After all, if he was in any way honest with himself, he was technically a half-blood, but his connection to the founder over-rode that small defect and compensated beautifully for it. But wasn't there a rumour that the Potters could also trace their ancestry back to the founders, to Godric Gryffindor of all people. It was just a rumour but it would bear checking out. And hadn't that Quidditch playing idiot also refused his indirect offer of sponsorship just a few months ago? That made two denials, did it not? Three times denied was what the line read but still, he hadn't won his battles by striking prematurely. There was a lot of research to be done before he made up his mind and he had the perfect tool to do that research for him. Yes, the most perfect and unsuspected tool which was so ironic it was exalting!

Smiling to himself, Lord Voldemort continued to make plans for his rise to power.

~~*~~

"Me, me, me!"

Severus grinned and bent to pick up the small but insistent blond clinging to his leg. "Demanding little stinker, aren't you?" he commented and gently batted an exploratory hand out of his ear. "What do you want, young Master Draco?"

A stream of insistent and earnest baby-talk followed making Severus nod and smile as his godson poked and prodded, trying to pick the buttons off his collar. Narcissa rolled her eyes when Severus nodded seriously; concentrating as if the child was giving him the secrets of the universe instead of a lot of drool and soggy fingerprints.

"One assumes it can be arranged," Severus finally replied, making the baby laugh and hug his neck.

"Oh, honestly, Severus, you spoil the child outrageously! How on earth can you even pretend to take him seriously, he's just a baby and has no real language skills," the woman burst out, jealous that her son seemed to pay more attention to the younger man than he did to her, his mother. "Put him down, he has legs for a reason, you know?"

Smirking, Severus put the baby on the ground and steadied him until he gained his precarious balance then allowed the child to clutch his robes as they made their way back to the conversational arrangement of furnishings in the Malfoy family drawing room. Draco staggered and swayed but managed to walk the whole distance under his own steam, plopping onto his nappy on the rug before his piled toys.

"My dear Narcissa, he is a Malfoy, of course you must take him seriously," Severus told her as he settled in a chair near her and crossed his legs elegantly.

For a second Narcissa looked mutinous then she giggled, the tension building between them dissipating instantly. They sat and gossiped comfortably for some time, Narcissa making no comment when Draco crawled into Severus' lap and drifted off to sleep, a thumb firmly plugged into his mouth. The pop of a house-elf finally broke into the quiet afternoon, the small creature bobbing its head in deference.

"Lord Voldemort is telling us he is coming in a moment," the elf announced making Narcissa blink and quickly grab her wand to straighten the room up, banishing Draco's abandoned toys to the nursery and the tea things to the kitchens.

"Do you want me to take Draco upstairs?" Severus asked, rising to his feet as the young woman fussed and fumed.

"Not on my account, Severus," the smooth, well-known voice replied from the doorway and both adults turned to bow. "Oh, nothing so formal, my dears," Lord Voldemort said with a smile Severus had learned boded no good for someone. "Is Lucius here?"

"Oh, my Lord, I'm so sorry, he is at the office," Narcissa gushed hurriedly, offering their Lord a chair and summoning fresh tea, a whisky decanter and some of Lucius' best wines for his refreshment. "I can send an elf for him immediately."

The Lord smiled, patting her hand as he took the seat she offered and gently pulled her down beside him. "Now my dear, don't fuss so. Severus, didn't you say you had some potion ingredients to buy this afternoon? Humm, might be a good time to do your shopping."

"As my Lord commands," Severus bowed, careful not to disturb the baby in his arms as he apparated.

Narcissa blushed and fluttered her eyelids as the Lord turned his sleepy gaze on her fully. "Now, my dear, what can you tell me about...."

~~*~~

Draco did not stir as Severus laid him on the sofa and selected books from his library. If he was to buy potion ingredients then he would buy them with a very specific, glamour-breaking potion in mind, he decided with a grim smile. He did not want to credit his Grandmother's words with any hint of truth but, in all fairness to the old witch, she had never really lied to him so why would she start now?

None of the normal spells or potions would be powerful enough to open such an intricately crafted glamour, of that he was certain. Tom was a powerful wizard and Severus had a feeling he had been dabbling where it was not wise to tread, not wise at all. Although his Grandmother had tried to beat and train his conscience into a pliable and pitifully impotent voice in the wilderness of his consciousness, it had not happened. His conscience was fully functional and had some very strictly held ideas of its own that would not allow him to stand by complacently and allow another to trade in the souls of innocents. If pushed hard enough, Severus would admit that the creation of inferi was abhorrent to him, that it went against his grain and the practice of human sacrifice for the same gain was distasteful. Torture he could take or leave, as long as it was not of an innocent. However, the stealing of his soul and his body was definitely a non-event!

He had finished mentally composing his shopping list and was writing it out when Draco finally stirred and wanted a drink, clean pants and then to play. A quick spell took care of the basic needs, his house-elf quickly popped to Malfoy and came back with clean clothes and very soon, young Master Malfoy was ready to hit Diagon Alley on his first proper shopping trip with his favourite Godfather.

~~*~~

Diagon Alley basked in the warm June sunshine, the sun sparking flashes of pure rainbow from the shop windows that lined both sides of the street. Draco was fascinated, pointing, squealing and laughing when he saw something he liked. Indulgently, Severus approached various windows so his small charge could peer in, pressing nose and sticky fingers onto the glass. One or two shop-keepers made as if to protest then backed away smartly when they realised who was holding the little brat up against their glass.

With some forethought, Severus strolled into the nearest toy shop and spent quite a few moments allowing Draco to browse the merchandise until he seemed to become permanently attached to a toy snitch that whirred and buzzed and allowed itself to be caught on a regular basis. Once Draco was happily engaged in trying to catch the toy, Severus made his way to Robinton the Apothecary and pushed into the cool, dim interior. A clerk looked up indignantly at the childish squeals of delight, his eyes going quite round before he scuttled away to fetch the Head Clerk. Mr Jarmes hurried out brushing his hair down and bowing so low his chin almost bounced off his knees.

"Potions Master Snape, so good to see you again, it's been too long.... How may Robintons serve you today?"

Severus reached into his robes and pulled out a parchment which Draco immediately lunged for and stuffed straight into his mouth much to Severus' surprise. Blinking, Severus carefully removed small, ripping fingers from the list of ingredients he wanted and shook his head as Draco began to scream furiously.

"Oh goodness, poor little baby.... Here, give him.... Oh dear, is he hurt?" the various sales people were quick to ask as Severus struggled with the squirming child.

"Master Malfoy, you will cease that row immediately!" Severus commanded in low, even tones and Draco stopped his row to listen. "There are some things in this world that do not belong to you and my shopping list is one of them. When you are old enough to have your own shopping list, I promise I will not be so badly behaved over it."

Draco tilted his head on one side then grinned and blew a bubble before trying to catch his little snitch again.

"Humm, typical Malfoy," Severus muttered under his breath in amusement then passed the soggy list over with aplomb. "Have these things delivered to my London address," he instructed before leaving, a clerk hurrying to open the door. Draco peered over his shoulder and waved enthusiastically before grabbing a handful of Severus' hair and giving it a good yank.

"Ow, you little stinker! Let go please," Severus said firmly, trying to disentangle the small fingers of the gleefully giggling child.

"Got your hands full there, Severus, my lad," a cheerful voice said from behind and he turned slightly to see Lily Potter laughing at him, her own son slung on her hip. "So whose baby have you stolen this time? Is this a habit of yours, picking up stray babies?"

"Draco, let go and show your manners please," Severus muttered between clenched teeth and the little stinker did let go, turning to grin at the lady then blow a distinct raspberry at the baby who was glaring back through his mother's very green eyes. "This is my Godson, Draco Malfoy, who has been particularly annoying and has grabbed at everything in sight. Master Malfoy, meet a friend of mine, Madame Lily Potter and Master Harry Potter."

Lily grinned and dropped a slight curtsy to which Severus bowed slightly but Draco lunged and grabbed a handful each of Lily's red and Harry's black hair, hanging on tightly until the baby screamed and Lily yelped.

"Oh Merlin, I am so sorry, Lily, keep still I've...."

A new set of hands reached up and carefully released the fingers from Harry's hair and rubbed his head consolingly. Lily managed to free her own hair and Severus stepped back prudently before realising they had been joined by none other than Remus Lupin, looking tired and rumpled. "Lupin," he acknowledged the werewolf warily.

"Hello Severus, nice to see you again. And you must be Master Malfoy, hello there."

Draco immediately hid his face in Severus' shoulder shyly.

"Typical Malfoy," Lily muttered mutinously, checking her baby's head for damage but there was none and Remus had already wiped the baby tears away. "You owe us an ice cream for that, Severus Snape! Come along, both of you. I won't settle for less than Florean Fortescue's famous banana split!"

Exchanging bemused glances with an openly amused Lupin, Severus followed in her wake and sat at the table when Lily pointed to a chair imperiously. "Now tell me all about what you have been doing these last few months. Last time I saw you was at that ill-fated concert you bundled us out of, and don't you make hushing notions at me, Severus Snape. I want some answers and I want them immediately. Oh, and I will have the banana split too."

Ice cream ordered, Severus continued to glare at the woman who failed miserably to be intimidated, as per usual. "Look, it's not safe for you to know anything more than you do already, Lily, believe me. I got you out at great personal risk and I don't want to have to waste my efforts because I had to Obliviate you right here in the middle of Diagon Alley, understood? Now, eat your ice cream and try not to spill it all on yourself again."

Lily pulled an outraged face but ended up in giggles when she remembered the incident Severus was referring to involving Snape versus Sirius and James, a triple-decker choc fest cone and a banishing spell. Remus laughed softly too having been on the periphery of the splash zone the cone made when it hit both of his friends. Lily had been on the other side and had received her share of the sticky melted mess. "Now that was funny," she remarked, feeding the baby a spoonful of ice cream and laughing at the faces he pulled. Draco didn't fare much better until he realised it was sweet and yummy and then he went for it with both hands. "Merlin, that's one grabby baby!"

"He's a Malfoy, it runs in the family," Remus teased gently. "I have to go, Lily; will you be alright on your own for a while?"

"Sure, Remus, Severus will watch over us, won't you, Sevvy?"

"Don't call me Sevvy," Severus reprimanded but his growl lacked impact when he had a mouthful of strawberry ice cream. Lily just laughed at him.

It was the oddest afternoon Severus had ever spent - and he had spent some odd afternoons in the past - chatting with Lily Potter, wife of one of his worst enemies and her son, while nursing the next generation of Malfoys and stopping him making mudpies of the ice cream remains. They spoke of many things, including expectations past and present. Lily didn't press her need for explanations which made Severus more willing to give partial and obscure information, liberally hidden in gossip and innuendo. The woman was most impressed when Severus told her he had applied to Hogwarts for a job and Headmaster Dumbledore had not said no but offered him the Potions position.

"Do you even want to be a school teacher, Severus? I thought you were the mad scientist type, locked up in your laboratory with puffs of coloured smoke issuing out of the windows and from under the doors," she giggled, especially when Severus looked puzzled by her reference. "It's a Muggle thing, don't worry. But honestly, Severus, would you be happy?"

Severus sighed. "What has happy to do with it?" he asked softly. "I would have facilities to do my research in and if the price is teaching dim-witted children not to blow themselves up, then so be it." He sighed again then half smiled, half sneered. "Only you would ask if I was happy, do you know? How odd."

Lily shook her head and was about to comment when a house-elf popped into being at Severus' knee, a neat black pillowcase slung jauntily around it's very thin frame, the Snape Crest picked out in gold thread on one corner. "Master, Lucius Malfoy is asking where you are and is sitting at the flat waiting for you. He is wanting his dinner and your presence now, Master," the house-elf said apologetically, nodding deferentially to Lily and grinning as Draco tried to grab one of its ears.

"No, Draco, don't harass Uncle Severus' elves, there's a good baby. Make the nursery ready for Draco, Nimbil, and have dinner prepared for two. Tell Lucius I will be along in a few moments, please."

The house-elf nodded and bowed, grinning from ear to ear as it disappeared with a pop. Lily shook her head and grinned at the dark man who had just cleaned his charge's face without a wand. "You are truly an odd-bod, Sevvy, you treat a house-elf with more common courtesy than you do most people," she commented as she used her wand on Harry's sticky face and hands.

Severus sneered as he rose and settled the now sleepy child on his hip. "She serves without complaint and does as I ask when I ask it, what more could anyone want, and don't call me Sevvy," he reiterated as he apparated away.

~~*~~

Lucius was in a foul mood and had already hexed half the ornaments on the mantle shelf leaving the smoking remains in mute testimony to their destruction. He glared as Severus flooed in, snarling when he realised it was his son in his lover's arms. "Where the hell were you, Severus, I have been cooling my heels here for hours and I'm starving! Do you know that Lord Voldemort is seducing my wife even as we speak? What are you going to do about it? Well?"

Severus shook his head in exasperation, rolling his eyes as he handed Draco over to stop Lucius doing any more damage to his property. Lucius accepted the bundle almost absentmindedly as he paced the hearth rug ranting and raving. Ignoring his tantrum, Severus set about repairing some of the damage and was half way through when the fire roared, billowing smoke over the ceiling. Even Lucius jumped back in fright as their Lord stormed out of the hearth, his eyes flashing red as he glared around.

"You, you traitorous little bastard! How dare you stand there staring at me, Judas!" he roared wildly.

Both Severus and Lucius flinched away from his fury, unfortunately Lucius stumbling over the fire irons making them clatter to the ground. Lord Voldemort swung around his anger suddenly refocusing and he snapped up his wand as fast as a striking snake. "Cru..."

"No! You will not harm my godson!" The roar was deep and furious; reverberating in the enclosed space, making both men start as wandless magic seized the drawn wand and wrenched it out of Lord Voldemort's hand.

Shocked, Lucius grabbed a handful of floo powder and yelped 'Malfoy Manor' disappearing instantly as Lord Voldemort roared inarticulately and advanced on his opponent with hands clawed ready to physically strike. Severus stepped back, giving Lucius plenty of time to make his escape then tossed Tom's wand aside to counter the open handed blow he aimed at Severus' face. Wizards rarely came to fisticuffs once past adolescence but both men were too furious to even think of summoning magic, instead relying on nature's weapons as they punched and clawed at each other as they wrestled for dominance.

Neither was the strongest wizard in the world and soon both were panting for breath so hard they literally fell apart on the hearthrug, fingers still fisted in each other's robes. Slowly, a finger at a time, Tom uncurled one hand and touched his neck where two ragged punctures curved over his collarbone.

"You bit me," he complained, examining the blood on his fingers incredulously.

"Well, you punched me in the nose and broke it again!" Severus retaliated thickly, touching the offended member tenderly. "What the hell do you think you were doing, attacking Lucius when he was holding Draco? For Merlin's sake, Tom, that was uncalled for."

"I am your Lord; you will speak to me with respect, Snape!"

"You are not my Lord, Riddle, not in these rooms anyway!" Severus retaliated smartly, rolling to his knees and groaning as strained muscles protested. Carefully, he unfolded until he stood on his own feet and chuffed a breath shaking his head in disbelief. He held out a hand and helped drag Tom up, leaving him to regain his balance while he went to his workroom and fetched a healing potion or three.

Tom eyed the goblet Severus poured him warily but sipped it as Severus sipped his own share of the bottle's contents without qualm. "It was reported to me that you were consorting with the enemy in Diagon Alley today, openly and unashamedly! I was naturally upset and wanted to know what gave you the right to desert me like that?"

"Desert you? Tom, you fool, I was eating ice cream with an old school acquaintance while babysitting my godson while you, my lover, seduced his mother at her home. What was I supposed to do? Turn Lily into a toad in the middle of Wizarding London and hang the consequences. Gods, Tom, you are so paranoid at times! Lily Potter has always stood as a friend, even when all her friends, including her husband, hated me. She told me an interesting thing, there are only six children with birthdays in July, Harry, Neville Longbottom, Jasmine Brampton, Pansy Parkinson, Tatianna Ionella and Rupert Bowater. Brampton and Ionella are out of the running as their birthdays are the second and the seventh of July respectively. Parkinson is already yours so that leaves three who may fulfil the sense of the Prophecy."

"Good intelligence, even though I knew most of it already. Bowater is a new factor though. Where does he come from?"

"His Father is the Wizengamot representative to Greece and his mother has just gone out to join him after the birth of their son. He was born on the twenty-ninth of July so he is a real possibility," Severus said thoughtfully, passing Tom his wand and shaking his head at the state of the room. "Honestly, that was no way for two grown wizards to behave, now was it?" he complained fretfully as he sent a reparo charm to cover a broken table.

Tom stared at his wand then narrowed his eyes speculatively to where Severus bent over picking up a spill of something. Then he smiled wryly, lowering the wand, perhaps not. He dabbed his neck again, the sting making him hiss in a breath and Severus turn to the sound. "This blasted thing won't stop bleeding," he complained huffily.

"Damn! Sometimes I..., well, no matter, let me look." Severus hurried across to examine the two ragged puncture marks, dabbing at them with his shirt cuff, then pressing harder to see if the bleeding would stop. It wouldn't so he told Tom to put some pressure on them while he hurried off and brought a salve from his workroom. It took a few moments but eventually the two ragged tears healed over and left two tiny white scars behind.

"It seems you have a few more vampire tendencies than you realised," Tom teased but not entirely kindly.

"You always knew that," Severus reminded him equally harshly.

"So I did. When are you to leave and take up your new position at Hogwarts?" he demanded in a complete change of subject.

I have to report to the school by the fifteenth of August for orientation and to settle in before the beginning of the new school year."

"Good. Once you are settled, contact me and I will direct you to what I want you to find for me," Tom told him, heading for the fire before he turned, one foot on the hearth. "Do not fail me, Severus Snape, or you will wish you were never born," he warned menacingly, a tone he had never taken with Severus before.

"Of course not, my Lord," Severus replied sarcastically but Tom was gone in a flurry of green flames and soot.

~~*~~

Severus sighed and hurried to his workroom to pick up the small crystal vial with a tiny, tiny amount of blood in the bottom. Wandless magic was untraceable and usually unnoticeable to even the most paranoid wizard. The tiny amount of blood he had gathered from his sleeve would be the final ingredient in the potion he had been toying with brewing ever since he had spoken to his Grandmother's ghost. The fight had added the impetus to the brewing and Tom's parting remarks had been the last deciding factor in the arguments for and against the brewing. Severus had to know if Tom was planning to destroy his soul for magical gain before he could make a rational decision on what he was to do with the monster he seemed to have created.

Sighing deeply, resignedly, Severus lit his first cauldron.

09/10/2006