Rating:
PG-13
House:
Schnoogle
Ships:
Lucius Malfoy/Severus Snape
Characters:
Severus Snape
Genres:
Alternate Universe Slash
Era:
The First War Against Voldemort (Cir. 1970-1981)
Spoilers:
Philosopher's Stone
Stats:
Published: 04/22/2006
Updated: 11/15/2006
Words: 133,299
Chapters: 24
Hits: 12,488

Snape the Younger

Les Dowich

Story Summary:
COMPLETE. Severus Snape came from somewhere; he didn't just appear at Hogwarts. We have had hints of his back story but no one really knows it. How did he get to be a snarky bastard? Why? Who knows, besides JK Rowling? So, this series of short chapter/stories explores the possibilities which include Potions College, Malfoys, The Dark Lord and even Remus Lupin, as well as a growing conviction that the world is not a nice place.

Chapter 23 - The Begining of the End

Chapter Summary:
A decision is taken, a vow made and the consequences just keep rolling on.
Posted:
11/14/2006
Hits:
424


The Beginning of the End

September 1st

The first of September saw the beginning of the school year but as it fell on a Tuesday, there were no lessons. The noisy hoard flooded into the Great Hall, shouting, yelling greetings, teasing and pushing as they found their places on the benches reserved for each House. Severus had not wanted to participate in the travesty of a happy occasion, preferring to nurse his misery in his rooms, but Dumbledore had insisted. Grim and tight-lipped, Severus took a place near the end of the table between Slughorn and Kettleburn, allowing the cold spell he kept on his robes to creep out and slowly engulf his neighbours. If he couldn't be comfortable, then he was going to make sure nobody else was.

There were whispers in the body of the hall, curiosity over the new teachers running rife before Professor Dumbledore rose to make the announcements. Professor Sinistra would be the new Astronomy teacher and Potions Master Snape would be the new Potions Professor. There was an excited whisper through the Slytherin table and a few equally quick hisses of recognition from the other tables as Snape glared down at the upturned faces. Children who had been in first and second year while he was still at school would now be his sixth and seventh year students. A few children were also the offspring of Death Eaters and had encountered him in his 'professional capacity' when serving the Dark Lord. He wondered how on earth he was going to cope with them. He really, really didn't want to be a teacher, not at all! Still, rumours of the second kind would probably be helpful rather than harmful in keeping order in the classroom.

He had spent a week in bed after the horrible incidents over dinner, trying to block out some of the stinging and painful truths he had learned from Tom's mind. Tom's belief that he was a worthwhile human being had been one of the corner stones of his existence, but that had been removed completely in a cloud of hate and envy-generated manipulation. Riddle had wanted his magic and his secrets, his ability to use and control Blood Magic and Elder sorcery, not his love or his person or anything about him, Severus Ibrim Snape. It was humiliating and soul-destroying, tearing at the fabric of his being and negating everything he stood for. If he could not trust in something he thought was the foundation of his world, then how could he trust any judgement he made or any person who seemed to like him?

Oddly enough, one person he thought he might be able to trust was Minerva McGonagall, uptight cow that she was. She made no bones about liking him or trusting him, but she was honest, straightforward and not purposefully hurtful in her judgements. "Well, at least you found out before you married him," was her only comment, delivered with a sniff of disapproval and a shaken head.

That had startled a snort of strangled laughter out of him, a faint lightening of the black mood that had engulfed him this past week and a half, partially a hangover from taking the blood potion, partially sheer misery for a love gone sour. The woman had then proceeded to pour him a large cup of very black tea and top it off with a very large dollop of Single Malt Muggle Scotch whisky which she had from her cousin who owned a distillery. "I do not approve of drinking as a way of avoiding sorrows but I do think a good belt of scotch can cure a lot of ills," she told him consideringly as she added an equally generous portion to her own cup and toasted him slightly before taking a healthy mouthful. As sympathy went it was rough but honest and Severus sighed as he returned the salute.

Dumbledore's efforts consisted of acidic lemon drops, bad cake and rather silly jokes but he listened without making any judgements as Severus sat in his office and spilled every single secret he had ever kept, every thought he had ever had and every speculation he had ever made. The old man had said, 'start at the beginning and stop when you come to the end' and Severus had taken him very literally. It had taken hours to recite every facet of his life that he could remember, from his first memories of pain at his Grandmother's hands to feeling the death of his house-elf through the potion-induced connection. He wept, he swore and he even laughed, Dumbledore joining in appropriately, nodding or tsking or simply wrapping a comforting arm over his shoulders when he was too upset to continue. Finally, totally wrung out, both physically and emotionally, Severus had curled up on the headmaster's sofa and fallen into a deep, cleansing sleep.

The potion he had taken still connected him to Tom's mind but not as tightly as it had at first. The effect should wear off after a few days, in the meantime he knew what Tom was thinking if it was related to Severus and any of his doings. Tom's worry at Severus' illness was tempered by his fury at losing track of the boy who had been as close to him as any in his life. Tom knew he had taken a gamble on letting Severus get so close to him but he had had to let the boy in so as to build a bond of trust and liking between them. Tom was slow to admit that he had actually liked Severus for himself and not just for his usefulness, but all good things had to come to an end and Severus' usefulness was coming to an end. Sad but true. Then that the stupid elf had taken him into the heart of enemy territory where he could not follow was like a burning brand in the older wizard's mind.

Finally, after four days of exhaustion, Severus managed to pull himself into some semblance of order and set about clearing his mind of all hints that he knew anything more than he was supposed to. Professor Dumbledore offered to be his secrets keeper but Severus only laughed bitterly. "I have learned that I am the best person to be my own secrets keeper, only I can betray me if I fail to manage the trick."

"That is a lonely way to live, my boy, as an island."

"But it is safe," Severus replied grimly, easing a memory strand free of his mind and depositing it into his Pensieve. "Recent experience has simply reinforced the idea that the only person you may trust completely is yourself and even that is a risky proposition."

Albus simply shook his head sadly.

Once he felt he had removed as many of the incriminating thoughts as he needed to, Severus began to compose memories to take their place, of being ill, throwing up copiously, of Madam Pomfrey force-feeding him unpleasant concoctions of his own making. He artistically placed a memory of Dumbledore trying to breach his barriers but being repulsed successfully and one of McGonagall offering him scotch and laughing as he grimaced, wishing it was decent firewhisky, and tossed it back in an effort to defeat the food poisoning. The innocuous memory sequences would serve to preserve his position in Riddle's estimation while concealing the fact that Severus was no longer in love or even in remote like with the man.

~~*~~

September 5th

On the morning of the fifth, Severus flooed into Malfoy Manor and collapsed in the nearest chair, pale as a ghost and still shaky as he brushed his hair off his face. Narcissa looked up and gaped most unladylike until Severus sneered at her, making her shut her mouth with a click. "Well, look what the kneazle dragged in."

"Ah, shut it, Narcy, I feel like shit," Severus commented, his throat still scratchy from the very poor use he had put it to over the past few days.

"Oh dear, is Sevvy-poo in a fouler mood than usual?" Narcissa teased but rang the bell and asked that the maid inform her husband that his errant lover had returned at last.

"You are a bitch at times, Madame Malfoy," Severus commented without heat as Lucius hurried in, still in his shirt sleeves, and enfolded Severus in a hug. "Your wife is being a bitch, Lucius," he reiterated as the older man let him go and he sank back against the cushions wearily.

"Narcissa is a very talented, er, witch," Lucius smirked, shooting his wife a fond look. "We thought you might have died or something equally nasty, Severo. We half expected you to pop up as a ghost one evening."

"Yes, a ghost who was heaving its guts out every five minutes," Narcissa put in and laughed as Severus winced. "Just think, the youngest Potions Master ever to succumb to death by shellfish."

Severus shook his head slightly but forbore to comment, leaving Lucius to hush her up and ring for tea.

"How do you feel really?" he asked when Severus was settled comfortably.

"Bloody awful. Pomfrey tried to kill me with my own concoctions and Dumbledore tried the same trick with lemon drops. At least McGonagall was good enough to try it with Scotch whisky, not a bad drop really. Is the Dark Lord very angry with me?" he added as a non-sequitur.

"No, Severus, I don't think so. He was worried, obviously, especially when your elf took you to Hogwarts instead of here but that was an unfortunate thing, outside your control. I suppose I had better tell you that the elf met with a sticky end, I'm afraid. It really annoyed the Dark Lord and he just lost his temper and, well.... Suffice it to say, you need a new house-elf, Severus."

"Yes, I sort of gathered that when Nimbil didn't come back." Severus managed to keep most of the emotion out of his voice as he spoke in the off-hand manner of his social class. "I have decided to never own another house-elf again, they do seem to die unexpectedly when associated with me. Besides, Hogwarts has an abundance of the little buggers so I will not need a new personal elf, I suppose," Severus mused grimly, another spike of grief taking him but he shook his head to drive it away. Now was not the time, he needed all his wits about him to survive this encounter without being caught out. "So, what's been happening in the wider world while I have been incarcerated in the depths of Scotland? Is the Lord at his club or even still in the country?"

Lucius and Narcissa exchanged long, thoughtful looks. "He is at his club but he has not mentioned that he would like to see you at all," Lucius said slowly, contemplatively.

"He's been busy," Narcissa said smugly, radiating gloating as the two men exchanged exasperated looks. Severus almost remarked that Narcissa had a habit of taking up with his cast-offs but he managed to restrain his tongue and smile blandly.

"Yes, I know, he has so many duties and responsibilities," Severus replied dismissively, then smiled slightly. "How is my godson?"

They chatted inconsequentially about current news, Draco's run-in with a half-wild kneazle and Lucius' dilemmas with his company directors, the usual gossip of peers, but there was an underlying current that had never been present before, an uneasiness that was subtle but present. It seemed to peak when Severus mentioned setting up lesson plans and wondering which idiot had set Potions for Beginners as a suitable textbook for third year students. While Lucius teased him about being a nanny to snotty kids, the current was in full force. When Narcissa asked if he had managed to explore any part of the castle, it became even more obvious that the Malfoys were not really comfortable with where their old friend was going to be living in the future, even if it was at the behest of their Lord.

"Narcissa, as you so eloquently pointed out, all I have done for the past couple of days is sleep, puke and shit. Exploring the wilds of Hogwarts and uncovering secret passages are not the first two things you think of when suffering from food poisoning, believe me. Unless it is an expedition to map all the loos and bathrooms around the building and plot the shortest route between any two of them," Severus stated dryly, making Lucius crow with laughter and even Narcissa sniggered in appreciation.

"Well, you look as skinny as you did when you were sixteen, so you had better try and regain some weight or you are going to turn into a skeleton before our very eyes," Lucius remarked.

"On that note, let us remove to the dining room," Narcissa proposed, rising gracefully. "I promise there are no shellfish on the menu," she added with a malicious grin.

"Thank Merlin for small mercies!" Severus muttered as he followed them out.

~~*~~

September 18th

Lord Voldemort did not send for Severus until almost the third week of term, an owl landing beside Severus' plate at breakfast on Saturday morning. He recognised the Malfoy bird and handled it with care in deference to its viciousness as he slipped the parchment from its leg. The note was brief and to the point, a date, a time and an address, no seal or signature but Severus knew the handwriting intimately. He glanced across at the headmaster who nodded his permission very slightly as Severus used wandless magic to destroy the note utterly. One or two of the students who had been taking a covert interest in the teacher's message shivered fearfully at the malignant expression that crossed the dark, hook-nosed face. Someone was in trouble with Snape again!

The rooms looked the same, Tom looked the same, but Severus was very different now as he entered the room and smiled at his... what? Not his love, not his lover nor his master, just the man who would destroy him if he discovered how much Severus' heart had changed. Moving with his usual unhurried glide, Severus dropped a kiss on Tom's cheek, trying to forget that it was not smoothly tanned but bone pale and gaunt under the glamour or whatever it was. 'Not,' he told himself caustically, 'that it should make any difference, you always knew his appearance and his feel were at odds, you moron!' That was the trouble with having three parts to one's psyche; they occasionally held rather strenuous arguments when the body was trying to act normally.

Tom smiled at the tall, now extremely thin man who bent to kiss him, curving an arm around his shoulders and drawing him close. As they pulled back, Tom cast Legilimens and caught glimpses of sickness, Pomfrey's concerned face, Dumbledore pulling back as his boy vomited again, bathrooms, bathrooms and more bathrooms. The general feel from Severus was of aches and pains, exhaustion and a lingering malady that had not gone away. Satisfied that it was the reason for Severus' less than enthusiastic welcome, he led the boy to the nearest sofa and seated him comfortably.

"So, how is the teaching?" Tom asked, summoning a plate of dainty snacks and a pot of tea.

Severus chuffed out a breath in disgust. "Grim. I don't know what Slughorn thinks he has been teaching for the past few years but it was surely not Potions. The levels of ignorance are appalling and only over-shadowed by the general level of stupidity exhibited by the average Hogwarts student! They are dumb fuckers!"

Tom burst out laughing! "My poor, poor Severus, how you must suffer, is there no consolations at all?"

"If that stupid cow Trelawney making eyes at you is considered a consolation then so be it, but personally I cannot think how I have survived these last two weeks without casting Unforgivables on the lot of them!" He snorted in disgust when Tom wrapped his arms around his aching stomach, the belly laugh almost sending him into a spasm. "All very well for you to laugh, you don't have to face the little beasts everyday and realise that they are going to grow up into sheep just like their parents and there is nothing you can do to make them think for themselves. I should let them blow themselves up, really I should."

"Oh Severus, enough, enough please! My ribs are aching and I can't take any more. Is this a new form of torture, make your Lord laugh himself to death?"

"Better than having your brain curdle into Swiss cheese and run out of your ears in the stultifying quagmire of ignorance most people call Hogwarts!" he muttered grimly, sending Tom off again. Shaking his head, Severus summoned a glass of water for Tom's hiccoughs and waited while he managed to control himself enough to speak almost sensibly. "So, what has been happening in the real world?"

"Oh, not a lot, not a lot, I'm afraid. I caught a Seer and placed her under Imperius and had her cast the runes for that child you mentioned, Rupert Bowater. He seemed to be a good candidate for the fulfilling of that Prophecy you brought in, son of a prominent Pureblood diplomat who opposes me, mother a recognised scientist. His birth date was a governing factor and the Seer Saw that he had the destiny to be very dangerous to me," Tom said grimly, placing the waterglass down with a bang.

"Had the destiny? I take it you, er, solved that little problem?" Severus murmured, not glancing up or showing any overt interest.

Tom chuckled reminiscently. "Oh, indeed. I had the child abducted and given to Greyback then sent a ransom note to the distraught parents who immediately paid half a million galleons for the safe return of their son, even though it nearly bankrupted them. The money did wonders for my treasury and they got a child back, a changeling, no less."

Severus glanced up sharply. "Where did you get a changeling from? I thought they were all but gone these days?"

"Oh, there are a few wild ones out there in the Ural Mountains if you know where to look, and I do. Why, do you want one?"

"Well, they are potent potions ingredients, if you know how to harvest them properly," Severus reminded him huffily, making Tom laugh again and hug the young man in a one-armed squeeze.

"That's my Severus, a one-tracked mind! Anyway, Greyback turned the brat on his way back to England so we had a one-year old werewolf on our hands but before he could be given over to the Ministry to be dealt with, that idiot Greyback lost him. I mean, how can you lose a werewolf cub?"

Severus snorted. "Having seen how far young Draco can get when no one is watching, I am not really surprised. So, how did the cub fare on the loose, on his own?"

"Oh, some wizarding farm family picked him up. Aren't they going to be surprised next month?" Both men sniggered. "The Seer assured me that his destiny was now involved in colours and the werewolf community. No matter what he did, he would never touch on my destiny again. Pity the Seer had to die, she was a very good Seer, actually quite accurate and plain spoken but she was beginning to fight off the Imperius Curse, a very strong-willed old witch indeed."

"So, what's next on the agenda? What do you want me to do for you or am I now stuck at Hogwarts and useless to you?" Severus asked more soberly.

"Never fear, my Severus, there is a lot you can do for me, I do assure you. Staying at Hogwarts and keeping a very close eye on Dumbledore is vital to my plans, finding the items I want is equally important. However, in the short term...." The older wizard said seductively, stroking the black cascade of hair off Severus' shoulder and bending to nibble on his neck.

~~*~~

Dumbledore patted the young man's shoulder as he shook his head, ignoring the young wizard's tirade against his own perceived naivety. The news of Ambassador Bowater's son was indeed bad news but it would be even harder for them if the child was returned. The changeling had already fled the Bowater household so that aspect did not need any addressing. Perhaps it was best just to forget the child unless it had really been adopted by a family. Although, and it was merely a vague rumour, there had been a whisper about a wizarding farm couple on the high moors finding a child on their doorstep. Perhaps it should be investigated but there were more pressing matters to be dealt with. The death of the Seer - who turned out to be Samantha Lavington - was indeed a blow for the Guild of Knowing. Her skill and accuracy had often been called upon by the Wizengamot when all other avenues of discussion had been fruitless. Lord Voldemort had struck more shrewdly than perhaps even he realised when he had taken Samantha and killed her.

Severus' new mission was to search for the cache of artefacts left by Godric Gryffindor somewhere in the castle. He had been given a set of library references and some old parchments that seemed to give clues to the whereabouts of the cache but it was all pure speculation on Lord Voldemort's part. Having seen most of the references before, Dumbledore was not hopeful that Severus would find a fabulous new cache but he had to be seen searching diligently if he wanted to stay in Tom Riddle's good books. When Albus mentioned something of the sort, Severus sighed deeply and nodded.

"What I can't understand is why? Why would he want these things? What is the fascination for the Founders and why does the possession of their possessions dominate Tom's mind so?"

"What can we know of obsession, and make no mistake, Tom is obsessed. Maybe it is for a real purpose or maybe it is just the use of Dark Magic beginning to manifest the damage it always inflicts on the wielder's soul and psyche," Albus speculated softly. "You know the effect your own forays into High Court magic has upon you and you were brought up with it. Now imagine how much stronger the effects would be if you embraced the magic wholeheartedly and practiced diligently every day."

Severus sighed and agreed then frowned, chewing his lip slightly. "Here's another thing, Headmaster, Tom's obsession with the prophecy has not waned; he is still convinced he must destroy the children so that the prophecy will come to nothing. Now that Tom has finished with the Bowater child he is casting his eyes at both the Potter and the Longbottom child. If he follows his current path, then the Longbottom child will be the next target as his birthday is next on the calendar after the Bowater baby."

"Humm, and do you think he will follow the calendar in his line of reasoning?"

"I don't know, Albus, I just don't know, he is losing his rationality in many small ways. All I know is he will continue to hunt down anyone or anything he thinks may become a threat to him, regardless of the risks or consequences attached to the actions. He is slipping into madness, Headmaster, even I can see that." Severus almost begged for belief and acceptance of his word. It came like a balm to his spirit.

"Oh, I believe you, my boy, I just wish I could do something to salvage the boy who was Tom Riddle but I fear it is too late for that now."

"Far, far too late indeed," Severus agreed sadly as he took his leave.

~~*~~

October 10th

Severus blinked when he spotted a flash of red hair down the corridor, a particular shade of red that caught every spark of available light and tossed it back a thousandfold. The bright, dancing waves rivalled the splendour of the torches in the corridor. Moving swiftly and smoothly, Severus rounded the corner and almost ploughed into the stationary group just around the bend. Someone snarled wordlessly and Severus was thrown against the far wall with enough force to wind him.

"No! Down, Padfoot! Bad dog!" The feminine tones were sharp and commanding as Severus slid down the wall and tried to stop his head ringing where it had collided with stone.

"Are you alright?" a kindly voice asked and a warm, firm grip took his upper arm to steady him.

About to reply politely, Severus followed the arm up to meet Remus' concerned amber eyes, then looked beyond him to where Potter, Black and Pettigrew stood ranked around Lily and her baby. Black still had his wand out, a sneer of sheer contempt on his face as he waved the tip vaguely in Snape's direction.

"Oh come on, Lily, it's just Snivillus, you know he is fair game if he is caught. Bet you if he caught any of us on our own, we would be dead meat. Best be careful, Moony, you don't know what germs you might pick up after handling that piece of shit."

"Sirius!" The exasperated exclamation was threefold, Lily and Pettigrew adding high notes to Remus' protest.

Severus didn't even think, he simply glared and sent his own wave of wandless magic slamming into the annoying git, causing him to spin away and head-butt the nearest statue which happened to be the gargoyle guarding the headmaster's staircase.

"Severus!" The exclamation was equally annoyed and protesting as Sirius reeled back clutching his forehead with both hands.

Severus smirked and shook off Remus' hands but not as hard as he could have. "You might want to put a bridle on that big-mouthed idiot," he sneered, peering down his nose at Black who was now dabbing his forehead to see if there was any blood. The other three were obviously poised to either attack or defend depending on what move the two combatants tried next.

Sirius glared but before he could do more, Professor Dumbledore appeared on the stairs and smiled benevolently on all of the former students impartially. "Ah, all here safe and sound I see? Well, come along boys and girls, I have tea in my study ready for you, and Harry shall have some very nice chocolate I had sent over from Honeyduke's especially with him in mind. Ah, Severus, the spare cauldrons you ordered have come at last. Argus Filch is holding them in his office until you decide which potions lab you want them delivered to."

"Thank you, Headmaster," Severus said shortly, bowing slightly as he passed the group, making sure he banged into Sirius and caused him to stagger against the statue once more. Before Sirius could lift his wand, the headmaster was ushering them up the stairs and the chance was lost.

~~*~~

"Why didn't you hex the child while you had the chance?" Lord Voldemort demanded, glaring at the Death Eater kneeling before him with bowed head.

"My Lord, there was little opportunity, Black attacked as soon as he saw me and by the time I had neutralised him, the headmaster had appeared and so the chance was lost."

"Fool! Crucio!"

Severus fell, writhing in agony but as usual not a sound passed his lips. Lord Voldemort glared down at the man, wondering what it took to make him cry out. He often thought he might like to see how much Severus could stand but at the moment he was too valuable to waste in the experiment. He lifted the curse and watched with clinical detachment as the tall man climbed to his feet and carefully straightened his robes before moving a step back and bowing. Lord Voldemort was not fooled. Severus was hurt but he always straightened his robes, not to appear neat and tidy but to buy a little recovery time and get his rebelling muscles under control again. Damn, he was good, his lover and his most vocal critic. Well, soon he would be neither, merely a shell inhabited by another spirit, briefly. As long as the old woman believed, he would be able to control her and eventually he would sacrifice the last Snape to the Greater Powers and gain control of the family fortune to use in his own cause.

"It seems you had plenty of time to throw Black against the wall and swap repartee with him and the werewolf, obviously a more pressing matter than doing your Lord's business, humm?"

"Black started it," Severus muttered mutinously then sighed and bowed again. "I am sorry, my Lord, I had only planned to slip around the corner and do some initial spying on the group but they had stopped at an inconvenient place and the surprise was lost in an instant."

Lord Voldemort sighed and nodded, accepting his servant's words before turning to another masked and robed figure. It was Malfoy, Severus was sure; he recognised the stance and the tilt of his head despite the Death Eater costume he wore. "Well, that's settled, I am going to give that idiot Potter one more chance to renounce the Mudblood and take a proper wife. If he refuses then they are all fair game, not just the woman and child. I want you to make sure he is available to hear my offer, and that he accepts my generosity. Do you understand, my trusted servant and friend?"

"I do, my Lord," Malfoy's rich, fruity tones were strong and clear.

Everyone bowed as the Lord clapped Malfoy on the shoulder and called him a faithful servant once again before apparating away. Only Severus saw the glare on Lucius' face that was quickly hidden away.

~~*~~

"I tell you, Albus, he doesn't give a toss about Lily and Harry, only about getting Potter married off suitably to a purebred girl of impeccable lineage," Severus insisted angrily as he paced the Headmaster's hearthrug. "And I'll tell you something else for free," he snapped, spinning in a flurry of robes to pin Albus to the spot. "You have a traitor of the worst kind in that group. I'll put money on it being Black but it was definitely one of the group that were here on Saturday, one of the Marauders," he spat contemptuously, shaking his head.

"What makes you think that, Severus?" Minerva asked, watching the man pace in agitation.

"He knew exactly what had transpired between the group and myself, exactly! He couldn't have known those details unless someone who had been present had told him. I don't know which one it was but as I say, I would bet on Black. Yes, I know Remus is a werewolf and everything supposedly Dark, but I know Remus and I don't think he is capable of betraying his friends like that, simply because he is a wolf and has pack instincts. They will die to protect their young, you know?"

Albus nodded then sighed. "I will talk to James and Lily and convey your fears to them myself, it's the best I can do just now. If they agree to my help, I will make further plans later."

Both Severus and Minerva nodded but both were deeply troubled as they left the office. "He's a Gryffindork, he's not going to be sensible and hide," Severus muttered mutinously as they descended the stairs and paused at the bottom.

Minerva McGonagall snorted in a most unlady-like fashion. "No, Severus, I don't suppose he would as a rule but he has a wife and child to protect now, perhaps he might grow some Slytherin caution and a sense of self-preservation," she murmured hopelessly.

"And pigs might yet fly," Severus snapped, summing up both their feelings very succinctly.

~~*~~

October 22nd

"Potter, be sensible, it is your only chance of having a full and natural life," the shrouded head in the fire said cajolingly.

James glared at the shadowy figure in utter disgust, unable to place the voice but he knew he had heard it before. "So you are asking me to give up my wife and son, declare the marriage void and take up with a girl from Spain I have never even met before because she is of a good wizarding bloodline, which someone - who will also remain nameless - has decided will be a perfect match for my bloodlines and between us we will produce perfect children who will not be squibbs. Please, tell me if I have misquoted any part of your previous speech."

"No, that is a fair summing up of the proposal," his caller agreed in considering tones.

About to blast the man with a rather nasty hex, James stopped himself and sighed deeply. "And Lily and Harry would be allowed to simply go off to America or Africa in peace and never be bothered again?"

"In essence, yes, that is so."

James drew a deep breath through his nose then chuffed it out. "It's a lot to think about," he said slowly, his mind working very quickly. "I will need a little time to consider everything. Can you wait a couple of days for the answer?"

"Our Lord is not a patient man and his offer is more than generous but I think I can give you three days grace, no more than that. The alternative is, of course, death by Unforgivable Curse to all three of you, you do understand, don't you?"

"Oh yes, you said that at the very outset of the conversation," James replied bitterly. "Three days it is then." He turned away from the fire then turned back but thankfully his unwelcome visitor was gone. Gathering a handful of floo powder he tossed it into the flames and flooed home as quickly as he could.

~~*~~

October 23rd

"Severus, what a delightful surprise," Lily said as she opened the door and saw the tall wizard on her doorstep.

"This is not a social visit, Lily," Severus said harshly, grabbing her shoulders to whirl her inside and shut the door, then he slumped a little and rolled his eyes when she clutched her collar fearfully. "Don't be any sillier than you have to be, Woman, would I come calling in the middle of the day and announce myself by ringing the bell if I had been sent to kill you?"

Lily snorted and waved him inside. "With you, who knows, you are just contrary enough to do something as bold as that, yes," she teased as she ushered him into the sitting room and offered him a seat.

One of Severus' eyebrows rose as he considered her words then smirked. "Humm, good plan actually," he commented, looking around in approval. "You have made a nice home, shame it is for Potter. Look Lily, enough chit-chat, you and the idiot have to take Harry and get away as fast as you can and as far as you can. South America, Australia, somewhere remote. I have a cousin living in Australia, if you need it, I can write you an introduction to her so she can help you hide...."

"What? What are you rabbiting on about, Severus?" Lily stopped fussing with the teapot and stared at her friend as if he was barking.

"Damn it, Lily, he wants you and the baby dead! Lord Voldemort, Tom Riddle, the Dark Lord, You-Know-Bloody-Well-Who, call him what you like, but he is coming for you and Harry and I really, really don't want to lose my only real friend to that mad-man, do you understand? And you can't tell any of your friends either, especially not Black. One of them is a spy and I don't know which...."

"YOU!" The roar was furious and the hex that slammed into Severus' back was potent enough to knock him out of the chair and onto the hearthrug.

"James, no! He came to warn us. Stop it, now!" Lily shrieked as she caught her husband's wrist and cast a dumbing hex over him almost without thinking. "Severus, are you alright? Can you get up?"

Severus rocked to his knees then forced his legs under him, cancelling the hex on himself wandlessly. "Of course I can. Potter hasn't managed to muster the wherewithal to do that much damage, and if Tom Riddle hasn't been able to kill me yet, then I doubt he will."

"Stop being so provocative, Severus, please, we don't have time for it. Now, James, Severus came to warn us that the Dark Lord is after us, did you know that?" Lily demanded angrily as she lifted her hex.

James mumbled something then nodded grimly. "Professor Dumbledore said something about it, then some joker turned up in my office floo today and threatened you and the baby very specifically."

"Oh God, what are we going to do, James?" Lily asked fearfully, glancing up the stairs almost automatically.

"Professor Dumbledore has offered to put the whole family under the Fidelius charm for our own protection," James confessed softly. "It's kind of extreme but..."

"Do it," Severus said grimly. "If Professor Dumbledore takes the threat that seriously, then I suggest you do too. He is not a fool or a panic merchant, he is a skilled and knowledgeable wizard. If he thinks a Fidelius charm is necessary, then I suggest you take him up on the offer as soon as you can."

"Damn it, Snivillus, I don't need you to tell me what to do," James fired up but Lily slapped his arm harshly.

"Maybe we do, maybe Severus is just the person to tell us. After all, he has been spying on the Dark Lord successfully longer than anyone else. Oh come on, James, where do you think half the information the Order gets comes from, the pixies, the Daily Prophet?"

"He's a spy?"

"You know I'm a spy?"

The outrage in both questions would have been funny if the topic had not been not so serious.

"Yes, I figured it out quite a while ago, you both know I am very good at puzzles. Now, James, we had best get in touch with Professor Dumbledore and see what is involved in setting up the Fidelius charm, hadn't we? Thanks again for the warning, Severus, you had better go in case someone sees you and you put yourself in danger. Take care of yourself, my dear friend." She reached up and dropped a kiss on his cheek before he could move away; giggling tearfully as he looked outraged just before he apparated out. James made a protesting noise and his wife turned to him with an expression of sheer disgust. "Oh for God's sake, James, grow up! Severus is gay! He's into shagging men and not into shagging women, not even interested in women in any shape or form, got it now?" she demanded exasperatedly before he could make any further protest. "Now call the professor, won't you?"

~~*~~

October 24th

"They are gone! We had them under surveillance and now they are gone! I want to know where they are immediately, do you all understand? Find me those bloody Potters, that little brat will not grow up to be a threat, do you hear me, I will not allow it! I want him killed; I want his blood splattered all over my face as I watch him die. I want him dead and I want to watch his eyes as the life leaves him! Find me that family immediately!"

Death Eaters scattered as the random hexes and spittle splattered them all. The fusillade of multiple apparitions was almost deafening in the enclosed space of the Riddle House's Great Hall.

Roaring inarticulately, Lord Voldemort continued to blast and hex the furnishings, lashing out like a rabid dog at anything that caught his attention. He hated to be thwarted in his plans and the Potters were causing him to change them. How dare they try to escape him; how dare Potter refuse his more than generous offer. How dare they challenge his will and his plans for their future or lack of one?

~~*~~

October 30th

"My Lord, I know where they are, I know who the Secrets Keeper is and I know how they disappeared," the smug voice in the shadows murmured with a mixture of fear and gloating in the softly triumphant tones.

All the Death Eaters gathered in the Great Hall at Malfoy Manor leaned forward to hear better, hear the pronouncement that should make their Lord happy again and stop the random bouts of Cruciatus he had been inflicting on his followers almost constantly for the last four days.

Severus leaned forward too, trying to recognise the voice that was betraying his friend and her son to his lover. Who was it? Black? Was he right to think that Black would sell out his friends for the price of favour? It couldn't be Pettigrew, he was too spineless and Lupin, even if he was a Dark Creature, was as loyal to his friends as any wolf was to his pack. Not Lupin, not Pettigrew, it had to be Black, first cousin to both Narcissa and that mad bitch Bella, it had to be him. Gods, he felt sick to his stomach.

"Tell me! No, whisper to me, I want no slip-ups on this one," Lord Voldemort muttered a triumphant gloating on his face as he leaned into the shadows. Again, everyone leaned forward hoping this time for a glimpse of the news-bearer but the Death Eater robes he wore hid all but a blob-like outline from their sight. "Ah, perfect! And tomorrow is Halloween, just the prefect timing too! Bella, Severus, Rodolphus and Goyle, you will come with me. The rest of you will stay here until I bring the news of our glorious triumph back to share with you all in feasting and celebrations."

Severus felt the anti-apparition wards go up with a sinking heart. He was trapped and would not be able to warn the Potters or the Professor about this attack. Grimly he listened as Lord Voldemort outlined his plans for the following evening, culminating in the taking of the baby's soul to fuel yet another foray into Demon Summoning. The sickness in Severus' soul became even more pronounced when he realised Lord Voldemort would be using the very magic his own Grandmother had taught him in secret, the magic Severus was a party to but had all but renounced a number of years before. All he could do was choke down the bile that clogged his throat and wait. If there was any chance of slipping away, even if he was seen and noticed, he would take it, better to forfeit his own position than let the blood of innocents flow to such a cause.

If Tom Riddle succeeded in gaining the child's soul, he would be all but invincible, immortal and totally immoral, a dictator of the very worst kind. No one would be safe from his wrath, no one would be able to oppose him in his reign of terror and no one would be safe ever again. If Tom Riddle did not destroy them, then the Muggle masses would surely do so. No matter how Tom despised them, the Muggles would overwhelm them with sheer weight of numbers and drag them all down to their doom without a second thought.

~~*~~

November 1st, 1.00am

"Headmaster! Oh Merlin, Albus, he found them and he has killed her, but his curse rebounded and destroyed him." Severus could hardly speak for the shock that made his teeth chatter as he stumbled out of the fire and landed on the headmaster's hearthrug. "I tried to get near them to stay his hand or foul his aim, but he was too intent. He wouldn't let any of us go into the cottage with him and the others refused to allow any disobedience to his orders. I think he took James out first, the idiot tried to defend his family but he was not strong enough. We all heard him shouting, yelling hexes, then screaming as Lily stood there, refusing to budge, begging for Harry's life but James was definitely hexed first. Gods above, Headmaster, it took him a long time to die. The others were laughing and chattering, holding the anti-apparition wards even when we felt Lily trying so hard to apparate out. Bella was particularly nasty, letting the ward slip a little then reinforcing it in an instant, tossing Lily's spell back onto her most painfully. I tried to let the ward down but...." Severus dashed tears from his eyes and gulped the whiskey the Headmaster held out to him as if it was merely water before continuing as if the interruption had not happened.

"Then Lily stood there, refusing to budge, begging for Harry's life but Tom was past listening, he just laughed and cast Avada Kadavra. She died instantly with only one scream that seemed to go on forever. Thank God it was quick, I don't think I could have stood by while he played with her, really I could not have. She landed almost in slow motion, falling over Harry, protecting him even in death, making him cry but when Tom cast the same unforgivable curse at the boy, it rebounded! All his preparations, all his careful spells and pre-said incantations came to naught against a one-year old baby! I tried to get to Harry and protect him but the others were trying to finish Lord Voldemort's job and destroy the child. I let a shoe transfigured into a baby go in the hallway and it crawled away, distracting them enough so that I could do something for Harry. All I could do was cast protego on him and hide him under an unnoticeability spell. Bella was going mad, tossing curses and hexes at everyone, even Rodolophus caught a few of her wilder shots, but Harry was fine even though I couldn't do any more for him. You have to go immediately, get the child and hide him, you have to go now." The last was said at a shriek as the distraught wizard dived back into the floo and was gone.

Albus barely had time to alert Minerva before he flooed out to the small house where he had hoped the small family would be safe. Knowledge that one of the Marauders had betrayed them all was like a stone in his gullet. Oh, he knew Sirius had a nasty temper and often did wildly rash things but had he betrayed his trust? Albus did not want to think it was so as he hurried to the site of the disaster.

~~*~~

Malfoy Manor was lit up like Christmas, the anti-apparition wards that had been keeping all the Death Eaters in place had vanished away at ten to midnight, letting every one free to leave. Of course there had been some speculation when the Dark Lord had not returned to announce his triumph but then, who were they to question their Lord's comings and goings?

Lucius and Narcissa stood in the Great Hall, holding hands and graciously seeing the last of their unexpected guests out. They had been treating the enforced lock-in as a social occasion, a pre-triumph gathering of the Death Eater party that was to explode into rejoicing the second the victory was announced. There was even a huge amount of champagne all ready to be popped.

As the minutes trickled by, the guests had become restless despite the food, music and dancing and eventually a few had slunk away, more and more following. By wordless agreement, the Malfoys had decided to act as if this was a planned part of the gathering and had been graciously bidding farewell as if the party was coming to a perfect ending - anything to save face - but they were both growing rather uneasy.

When Severus was suddenly there, paler than a ghost, dishevelled and shaking fearfully, it was almost a confirmation of their fears.

"Lucius, there is no time to explain. Our Lord is dead, completely disappeared, physically and spiritually! The Potter child defeated him. The alarm charms went off a few seconds after the Lord's magic was cancelled so I imagine the Aurors are hard on my heels. The Lestranges and Goyles are already in hiding and I assume everyone else can fend for themselves. Here, this is the best I can do to protect you, as I don't think disappearing is an option for you two. This is liquid Imperius, impossible to brew, I know, but I am very, very good so no one will ever suspect. You and Narcissa have to take it immediately, no questions, no arguing, do you understand? Then you can claim immunity to persecution by way of being under the Imperius Curse for the whole time, you understand?"

"But why..." Narcissa began even as Lucius' eyes widened in comprehension then fear.

Suddenly the implications of Severus' gabbled news hit him like a ton of bricks. He was a known and avid supporter of the Dark Lord. He had held rallies and parties here in his home; he had openly campaigned for the Dark Lord's ascension and his dominance of the Wizarding world. If the Dark Lord was gone, defeated by a mere child, it would make him look like a complete idiot at the very least. At the worst - and trust the Aurors to make sure they only saw the very worst - he and his family would be the scapegoats for the Lord who was not there to face the charges himself. Malfoy was in danger! Family Malfoy was vulnerable to attack and destruction for picking the wrong side. Now, Severus was offering them a way to save face, save their lives and save Family Malfoy from complete ruin. It was the only way out of an impossibly complicated situation!

He grabbed the small potions vial Severus held out and quickly forced it onto Narcissa, who drank it almost reflexively, before he grabbed his own dose from Severus and downed it in one.

Severus nodded to his lover and smiled sadly as he drew himself up tall. "You are both free of the necessity to follow Lord Voldemort's orders; you are no longer under his spell. You will forget I was ever here this evening except as the bearer of good tidings and in ten minutes you will be free of the Dark Lord's influence," he pronounced, then dived back into the floo system, vanishing away.

The Malfoys looked at each other in astonishment then Narcissa covered her mouth with her long white fingers, tears welling up in her ice blue eyes. "Oh my Gods, the Dark Lord is dead, he's gone, Lucius, he's gone! What will happen to us now?" she whispered fearfully, a sob escaping her tight control.

"Now we can lead a normal life, free of the Imperius Curse we have been under for so long," Lucius told her firmly as he curved an arm over her shoulders and drew her closer. "Now we have to do some damage control and I think Severus has just saved our bacon, as well as our reputations."

"But only if we repudiate the Lord," Narcissa snapped angrily.

"Sadly, we must repudiate him or lose everything my family has ever worked and schemed for. And Narcissa, Malfoys do not go to Azkaban! Ever!"

~~*~~

November 1st, 2.00pm

Sirius skidded to a halt in the middle of the street, cornering Peter against the side of a hardware store on the main street of the small Muggle village. "You bastard, you unutterable, traitorous bastard," he screamed, his voice raw from tears and fury. "How could you do that to our friends? How could you betray them to that monster?"

Peter trembled but stood his ground, the cornered rat. "Our friends? You mean your friends! All they ever did was tolerate me, tease me, laugh at me, and tell me I was a fool and a coward for not defying my father and doing what I wanted most. You should have heard Lily prose on and hand out the advice with all the authority of her Mudblood arrogance. Who the Hell did she think she was, trying to play Ducks and Drakes with a pureblood's future? What did she understand of Family and Duty and what was owed to the Name? Nothing, a stupid Mudblood whore! The Dark Lord was right about that, Mudbloods have no appreciation of tradition and obligation to the blood."

"She was your friend! She helped you and encouraged you, and you repaid her by leading that monster right to her home and standing by while he killed the whole family. All of them are dead because of you, Peter, so now you are going to have to face up to James' ghost because I am going to kill you myself," Sirius snarled, raising his wand.

"Oh no, just a second, I have one more thing to say to you, Sirius Black, fool and blood traitor." Peter raised his wand which had been transfigured into a knife and brought it smartly down on his own hand. Sirius gasped as one of Peter's fingers was neatly and cleanly severed, almost without any reaction from Peter to pain or fear or horror. It was as if he was on a higher plane from the usual one they inhabited. Both wizards watched the finger as it seemed to float to the ground in slow motion. Peter suddenly smiled, looking like his own younger, more carefree self once again. "Sucker," he said clearly before the world exploded in Sirius' face.

~~*~~

November 1st, 9.30pm

"What's that noise?" Frank asked Alice as they were going up to bed.

"No idea, probably just a cat." She laughed softly, leaning against his arm tiredly. Neville had been fretful all day and she was worn out.

The quiet tinkle of breaking glass made them both jump and reach for their wands as four figures broke into the hall and stairwell and yelled expelliarmus almost in chorus with the Longbottoms. Frank's wand was ripped from his hand and his body tossed hard against the stairs even as Alice managed to disarm one of the Death Eaters who were invading their home. The nearest man, willowy and tall, punched forward with a strong right hook and clipped Alice's chin neatly. Stunned, she stumbled over her fallen husband and tumbled down the stairs in a flurry of dressing gown to land at the slim Death Eater's feet. The four Death Eaters grabbed the unconscious Aurors and dragged them through to the living room, tossing them down carelessly on the hearthrug before the shorter of the men pointed his wand and cast 'enervate'.

"So you want to play hard-ball, do you?" the tones were female, the voice high and hysterical. "What have you bastards done to our Lord? Where is he? Tell me now! Crucio! Tell me, tell me! Now!"

The woman arched high, a scream of pure agony lancing through the air and upstairs a small child woke with a start and a whimper of terror.

~~*~~

Severus stared down at the neat, bold writing on the fly sheet of the small book. 'To Severus, love is... never having to admit you are impossible! Have a great Christmas. Love, Lily and Harry. (I won't mention James; I know what that does to your blood pressure.)' No more sly post owls, no more unexpected and hard-to-explain gifts, no more flame bright hair dancing down a corridor, no more... no more. No more suffering the Cruciatus Curse for no apparent reason, no more kisses in front of the fire, no more mind-stretching chess games, no more slow, sensual sex. The two most important people in his life were gone in an instant. One removed by the other's obsession with a prophecy that might or might not be true. The obsessed removed by a mother's love for her child and need to protect him, even in death.

"The Longbottoms! Oh Merlin, the Longbottoms!" Severus surged to his feet and grabbed the floo powder. "Headmaster's office! Albus, the Longbottoms, they are without protection and no one has caught Bellatrix Lestrange yet, have they? She is totally deranged and will be even more so now that the Dark Lord has disappeared."

Albus blinked then shivered. "You don't think..."

"I don't know, but I am not going to take any chances. I will go to their place immediately, you get hold of the Aurors and meet me there," Severus said harshly and pulled out of the fire, renewed the floo powder and flooed out to the nearest public floo in Hogsmeade.

Apparating silently was a trick he had learned over the years and Severus used every scrap of stealth he could to get close to the building. Maniacal laughter rang through the rooms of the small house, the screams and groans of a soul in agony as the mad-woman encouraged her companions to keep the Cruciatus Curse hard and strong on both the Longbottoms. Frank was barely twitching but Alice still screamed; small high-pitched squeaks like those of a dying rabbit. Severus shuddered, letting himself in quietly at the back door and creeping past the open living room door. He prayed to all the Powers-That-Were that the stairs did not creak as he crept up them and opened doors until he heard the soft whimpers of a terrified child.

The boy was sitting in his cot with his thumb plugged very firmly in his mouth, silent tears running down his face. Moving silently, Severus bent and picked him up, the little body going rigid in his arms, the huge inhalation heralding a scream of some magnitude. Severus clamped his hand over the wide-stretched mouth and managed to stifle most of the noise but the cut-off shriek was enough to make one of the four torturers downstairs perk up his ears. Severus ground his teeth in frustration as he wrestled with the child, trying to hold him still and silent enough to cast a silencing charm over him but he was not having too much success.

"Well, well, Severus Snape, is it? Fancy meeting you here," the man drawled from the doorway, his wand held casually in his hand.

"Barty, I thought you were busy," Severus replied, the child in his arms freezing in terror.

"Evidently. Is that the child whom our Lord wanted killed? Did you think you could steal the child and thus the glory when our Lord returned to us?"

"You read my mind, Barty," Severus said softly, rocking the poor child gently. "Still, I suppose I can share it with you," he added slyly making the mouth below the mask curl contemptuously. It froze as Severus cast a wandless Stupefy which nearly caused his knees to buckle in his present, semi-exhausted state, but it was enough to temporarily stun Barty, long enough to get his wand out and cast Obliviate over the man before he could hit the ground. "You are lucky I don't have time to kill you, you imbecile, but a fast death would be too good for you, you bastard," Severus hissed venomously as he kicked the still body in passing.

He made it down the stairs before the front door burst open and red robed Aurors burst in, curses and hexes flying indiscriminately. Severus yelped as something caught him in the side, turning to protect the child with his body. He didn't see the bludger spell that slammed into his skull, or the spells that took out the Lestranges.

21/10/2006