The Last Command

Pain shot through his forearm. Waking up with a wince, he quickly answered the Dark Lord's call.

He bowed low before Voldemort. "My Lord."

"Rise. How are your projects coming?"

"My Lord, they are progressing well. I believe I am almost finished with the Torqueo Draught. I also have some ideas for a potion that would dissolve a person's body from the inside out using flesh eating slugs. I have been waiting to finish the Torqueo first before starting."

"Very good. Your skills have improved during my absence, Severus. In fact, it seems you have become even more devious than in your youth."

"Thank you, My Lord." He gave a small bow.

"I have another project for you."

Snape looked at him questioningly.

"I am looking for something that will make a man's fears come to life."

"Pardon my forwardness, My Lord... but isn't a Boggart meant to do that?"

A sickening laugh escaped Voldemort's throat. "Of course it is. What I'm looking for is something a little more... lasting. Something that will envelope the victim, that cannot be banished with a simple charm."

Despite himself, Severus was already going through ingredients in his mind. "How long lasting?"

"Long enough to make the victim be unsure of the reality of it. Long enough to drive them mad."

"My Lord, I do not know if I will be able to..."

"Of course you will be able to." Voldemort reached forward, grasped Severus's chin, and tilted his head upwards. Blocking absolutely everything from his mind, he met the Dark Lord's eyes. "I have full faith in you, one of my most loyal Death Eaters. You are the best at what you do."

"I will do my best," Severus answered, his eyes still locked with Voldemort's.

"You will do what I ask."

"Yes, My Lord."

"Tell me, Severus, how is young Draco doing?"

"He shows an... eagerness... a yearning, if you will, to learn more than what he was allowed at school. I have given him unrestricted access to my library. He also shows an aptitude for both potions and Dark Arts mastery. I feel the best place for him is still under my tutelage. He has also expressed a desire to join an upcoming raid."

Voldemort steepled his fingers. "Perhaps we should arrange a raid for Draco." He nodded his head. "Yes, yes, I think we should. Have you any ideas, Severus?"

Severus searched his mind, trying to find something they could use. "Perhaps..." he stalled.

"Yes, Severus..."

"The Ministry, My Lord. Perhaps we could create a rouse..." Severus's mouth was speaking before he could think things through, "create a rouse elsewhere, draw the Aurors away..."

"Yes. Yes, I believe it may be time for an attack. We are strong enough to split our forces."

"There is Immort Alley in Sheffield; they have remained untouched until now, My Lord. The Gringotts branch there isn't as heavily protected as the one in Diagon Alley. If you give me another few weeks, the Torqueo Draught should be ready for use." Severus forced a gleam into his eyes and twisted his lips into something that resembled a grin.

"Yes, Severus. You have three weeks to perfect the Torqueo. I will put you in charge of the raid in Immort Alley. How do you feel about having Draco as second in command?"

"Draco lacks the control, if not the ability, to lead. This is, after all, only his first raid."

"Very true, Severus. Greyback will accompany you."

"Of course, My Lord."

"Draco will also be in your party. He has a rapport with you that I don't believe we should ignore. I also would like him to learn from the best."

"You flatter me, My Lord."

"Nonsense, Severus. Only the best could develop something akin to the Torqueo, or the numerous other potions and spells you have created. No one other than you would have been able to deceive Dumbledore for sixteen years. You are the best."

"I am nothing in comparison to you, My Lord." He lowered his head in a bow. "If you will excuse me, sir. I have much to prepare."

"You are dismissed."

"Thank you, My Lord." With a final bow, he left.

He was late for his session with the Potter brat, and he was sure he would never hear the end of it after the last meeting they had. He now had a deadline he wasn't sure he could meet, and he really didn't want to waste any time working with the boy. He pulled out his wand and quickly Flooed to the Manor.

He stepped out of the fireplace, quickly putting up a shield. He was rewarded with a spell bouncing harmlessly off it.

"Enough, Mr. Potter," he said, flicking his wand lazily and putting the boy in a body bind. "I heard enough of Professor Slughorn's praise of your potions skill this year. I'm curious how much of that is yours and how much was mine. When I release you, I shall test you and find out if anything seeped into that thick skull of yours from my old book."

Once released, Potter glared at him. Severus sighed and took the boy into the kitchen.

"I am developing a potion for the Dark Lord. The potion itself is finished; however, I refuse to give it to him if I do not have an antidote."

Potter swallowed and Severus scowled at him. "Sir, what about the bezoar?"

"The bezoar is effective against many deadly poisons. However, while some may consider this a poison, it isn't deadly in the least."

"Would Golplats's laws apply?"

"Golpalott was a fool. His laws are impractical, more so in this case. Don't think of what I need as an antidote, think of it as a neutralizer."

"What is this potion?"

"That's where you should have started your questioning, Potter. It is a potion designed to make the victim feel as if his body were being twisted and tortured. It causes no permanent damage. Similar in many respects to the Cruciatus, only not traceable to any wand, the Dark Lord has wanted it since the moment of his return."

"And you made it?" Severus smirked as Potter began to turn green. "How could you just make something like that?"

Severus shrugged. "If I hadn't created it, someone else would have, eventually. I rarely trust other people with creating things I am capable of. I needed something to occupy my mind. I assure you, teaching dunderheaded students like yourself wasn't a challenge."

Potter mumbled something that Severus chose to ignore. "Why are you asking me this? You know my potion skills aren't the best."

"I am aware of that, Potter. However, you are the only person with which I can speak openly about this. You did manage to make an "E" on your potion OWLs, so there is some potions knowledge in that arrogant head of yours."

Potter snorted at the almost-compliment. "I guess I can help you."

"Very well, let's get started."

Severus conjured a quill and parchment. He went over each ingredient with Potter, thinking out loud why he added what and when. He ignored the fact that it was Potter he was speaking with; he just spoke. Potter had surprisingly many questions to ask, and Severus found that answering them confirmed his original thoughts while making the potion. However, the boy had no original thoughts of his own on the subject.

He did find that speaking aloud forced him to organize his thoughts more than if he had just been scribbling them out as usual.

Potter interrupted him, "Sir, what about using crup fur? The calming effect..."

"Is definitely something to keep in mind." Severus looked in shock at the young man who had been the bane of his existence for the last six years. "You may be useful after all."

For a while, Severus almost forgot that it was Potter he was working with, and not his mother. He had spent many hours in the back of the library with Lily Evans creating new potions and charms. Perhaps the boy had inherited more than just her eyes. It didn't negate his disregard for anything other than himself though.

Eventually they were working in silence next to each other. It was occasionally interrupted by Potter asking him about an ingredient or a stirring technique, but altogether the experience wasn't unbearable. Potter handed him a piece of parchment to look over, and he pointed out the mistakes in Potter's theories.

As he was marking the parchment, a soft voice interrupted his thoughts. "I spoke with Dumbledore's portrait the other day."

"And what did the old coot have to say?"

"He told me to trust you." Potter pouted, "But he wouldn't say why."

"Some secrets are not the Headmaster's to tell. I'm sure you can understand that."

"But they are yours. Why should I trust you?"

Severus smirked. "Because the Headmaster told you to."

"Damn it, Snape! I'm tired of going around in circles. I need more than that to trust you!"

Severus lowered his voice dangerously. "Because I am the only one who can help you. No one knows more about the Dark Lord, no one is a better Occlumens and Legilimens, and no one knows more about the Dark Arts than me. In short, because you have no choice."

Potter sighed, defeated. "Sir, how much do you know about the Horcruxes?"

Horcruxes? Plural? He narrowed his eyes. "I know only of one, a ring that Professor Dumbledore destroyed. It had a curse on it, it was killing him. I was able to slow the process, but as you could see from his hand, there was no reversing it."

"Voldemort made more than one."

Severus hissed, both at the name and the implication. "That isn't possible, Potter, no one has ever made more than one. The human soul can't be splintered more than once."

"His diary my second year, that was one too."

Severus's eyes widened. "You destroyed that one. How many are there?"

"There were six. At least that's what the original plan was. Two have been destroyed, one we almost had, but it wasn't there... Dumbledore thought Nagini is one."

"Seven soul fragments," he hissed. "What are the others?"

"Nagini, the ring, the diary, the locket--which is missing--, a cup, and something else, most likely belonging to Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. Plus Voldemort himself."

"Tell me about this missing locket."

"The night Dumbledore... well, he found the location of one of the Horcruxes, a locket that used to belong to Salazar Slytherin. Anyhow, someone had taken it before we got to it. There is a cup, a gold cup that once belonged to Helga Hufflepuff, Voldemort got a hold of it. The last Horcrux is most likely something that belonged to Rowena Ravenclaw or Godric Gryffindor. I have to destroy all of the Horcruxes before Voldemort. As long as they're around, he won't be truly destroyed."

"Very well. I shall attempt to find out what I can. As should you. You have access to the Hogwart's library. See if you can find out information about the Founders, see what artifacts of theirs remain."

"As soon as I can." Potter nodded solemnly.

They ate lunch, and continued to work on the potion for the rest of the day.

"Sir, why is this so important?"

"What do you mean, Potter?"

"Why are you so anxious to get the antidote to this potion made?"

"Because I am expected to deliver the potion to the Dark Lord soon. And I learned a long time ago never to let anything I create out of my control without having a way to counteract it."

"If Voldemort wants it..."

Severus winced. "Do stop using his name in my presence."

Potter glared at him. "If You-Know-Who wants it, when is he planning on using it?"

"I do not know the exact date, but in approximately three weeks, there will be a dual attack. I am to lead Death Eaters in an attack on Immort Alley in Sheffield. The Dark Lord will be attacking the Ministry. Do tell Professor McGonagall, as I'm sure she can help arrange something to minimize the casualties."

"Yes, sir. May I go now?"

"You may."

Potter left the room, and Severus went over all he knew about the Horcruxes. Damn Albus for not telling him sooner. Four soul shards to destroy along with the Dark Lord, Potter had his work cut out for him.