Elemental Magic

THE MEETING

This was my second meeting, and as I stood in the moonlit graveyard surrounded by the hooded, masked silhouettes of the Dark Lord's followers, a shiver ran up my spine. I had brought two new recruits with me tonight. They stood behind me nervously awaiting their initiation.

As I approached our master, I fell to my knees and bade the recruits to do the same. Then I crawled towards him and kissed the hem of his robes, before rising and taking my place in the shadowy circle. The new recruits, to my relief, followed my example and came to stand beside me. Within minutes, the rest of the Death Eaters had arrived and taken their places in the circle. I noticed there were at least a dozen new recruits among us. The Dark Lord seemed to have noticed too, because he looked pleased.

He started to pace slowly outside the circle of his followers and stopped behind a person, now and again, seeming to glean satisfaction as the unfortunate recipient of his attention trembled in fear. I did not even shiver when he stopped behind me, which made him remain there longer, before starting the initiation ceremony.

"My Death Eaters, I am pleased to see that you are whole and healthy after the string of attacks we have struck against the Muggle population of Britain, but I am even more pleased to see that you have brought more followers to help our cause." And he launched in to a speech explaining the Death Eater ideals and goals. It was the same speech he had given at my own initiation, and only weeks before, and I found myself tuning him out as I remembered the lucky chance which had lead me to the Dark Lord.

It all began in Diagon Alley where I had gone to buy some potions ingredients for the last potion I needed to finish my collection of undetectable poisons. Just as I had come out of the apothecary, I saw Lucius Malfoy, Head Boy and fellow Slytherin, going towards Flourish & Blotts. I strode towards him, calling out his name.

"Severus, what a surprise!

He looked well, as he should. I had read in the Daily Prophet about his appointment to the Ministry and his recent marriage to the lovely Narcissa Black, who I also remembered from school. Malfoy was certainly on the road to success.

"So how is Narcissa?" I enquired politely, despite the fact that I hadn't been invited to the wedding. Even if I was offended, one didn't go around insulting Malfoys.

"Well enough, but how are you, Snape?" said Lucius.

"Ah, the usual. My Potions work keeps my busy."

"Snape, you should come to dinner tonight at the manor. Narcissa would like to meet you."

The invitation caught me by surprise, but I quickly decided that cultivating the wealthy, pure-blood Malfoys was more important than completing my potion immediately, and accepted his offer.

* * *

That night after dinner, Lucius took me aside. "Do you know anything about the attacks on Muggles that have been occurring these last few weeks?"

"An outburst of anti-Muggle sediment, apparently. The same symbol was left in the sky above each of the houses that were destroyed."

"Do you believe what these people are doing is correct?"

"What they are doing is what almost every wizard wants to do."

"Would you like to get back at those Gryffindors who gave you hell at Hogwarts?"

"How can I do that?"

"By joining these people who are killing the Muggles."

I raised my eyebrows skeptically. "How would that help? They don't kill wizards, do they?"

"No, but you can learn ways to get back at them. Things they didn't teach a Hogwarts." He paused. "Dark Magic. Interested?"

"Certainly, but I don't know how to contact them."

Lucius smiled and said, "I know some people. Just meet me here tomorrow at eight o'clock."

So that was how I was introduced to the group that calls themselves the Death Eaters. The next day, after listening to the initiation speech given by the Dark Lord, I was made to stand in front of him and give my oath of allegiance.

"Do you, Severus of the house of Snape, swear to continually serve until your death? Do you swear to utter no words about this cult or its inner working, even under threat of torture and death?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then you must accept my mark to ensure your loyalty and undying devotion. Will you accept it?"

"Yes."

Then they made me read quotes such as Odeint dum meutant! -- Let them hate so long as they fear!

"Impedio oblitteranda est" -- Obstacles are to be eliminated.

"Thou shall not get caught."

Then they branded the Dark Mark on my left forearm. The mark was a skull with a snake protruding from its mouth.

The Dark Lord had finished his initiation speech and was looking around at his Death Eaters who were watching him intently, hanging on his every word. The Dark Lord smiled and called to the new recruits to come forward so that they can be brought into the fold of his followers. After branding one of the new recruits himself, the Dark Lord stepped towards me, leaving the work to Lucius Malfoy.

"Severus, take a walk with me."

The request was so unexpected that I was it took a couple stunned seconds before I could reply, "Yes, Master." I followed him, keeping a respectful half a step behind.

"What is our next target like, Severus? I presume that the Mudbloods are not powerful enough to beat back a group of Death Eaters?"

I knew what the Dark Lord was talking about; the last mission had been a complete failure. At least three Mudblood witches had slipped away under our very noses. Luckily, I had not yet joined the Death Eaters at the time, so I had not suffered the Dark Lord's fury.

"There may be complications, Master. There's always that risk," I said. "But they will not be able to escape the attack," I added quickly, seeing the Dark Lord's face darken.

"Very well, Severus, I will put you in charge of the mission. I expect you to deal with any...complications. Know that I will not accept failure."

I could see that he was not happy with me. That I had escaped unscathed was a miracle. The Dark Lord walked away, towards his pet snake, Nagini, and I made my way towards Lucius, who had given the job to Avery. "What did he want?" Lucius asked.

"Oh, nothing, just a pleasant reminder to me about that last little failure and a not so subtle threat about what will happen if it occurs again." Lucius was looking at the floor. It had been he who had carelessly let the Mudbloods slip past him unnoticed, though he would never admit it.

After a boring half-hour watching the new recruits scream as the Dark Mark was branded into their flesh, the Dark Lord finally dismissed us with a final admonition.

"I expect the Dark Mark to be hovering over that Mudblood's house and all its occupants dead. I will not accept failure this time, for this will be the last mission without resistance you will be assigned. If you fail, you will be punished severely. This mission is the second step towards our goal, so I am sure the Ministry actively try to thwart us. Be on your guard."

With that, the Dark Lord turned and Disapparated. I gave Lucius a courteous nod and Apparated to my flat. As I got into bed, I thought about all the difficulties we might face if the Mudbloods decided to fight back. With the weight of the mission resting uneasily on my shoulders, I drifted off to sleep.