Fluid Reality

Voldemort

Tom Marvolo Riddle, known to the rest of the world as Lord Voldemort, looked down at the baby in the arms of Antigone Weasley, a smile crossing his face. Few ever saw that smile. The baby cooed in response, reaching up towards him with chubby arms. He chuckled, and Antigone looked up at him with a smile on her face.

"He is adapting well, my lord. I doubt he will even realize that you are not his father when he is older." She pitched her voice low, to keep it from carrying to anyone who might pass by the open door to the room. "And he will be quite powerful when he is grown, nearly as powerful as you, my lord."

Voldemort nodded, letting Harry catch his fingers, another smile crossing his face as the baby giggled. "That is good. Keep me informed of his progress, Antigone. I will not have anything damage my plans for young Harry."

She nodded, one hand absently stroking the wispy black curls as she watched her lord and master interact with the small babe in her lap.

Drawing his hand back, Voldemort left. He strode towards the throne room he'd had the main ballroom of the Riddle Mansion converted into. Many of his Death Eaters were milling about there, their conversations falling silent as he entered the room. Only two did not look at him with fear or awe in their expressions - his second in command, Lucius Malfoy, and his lover, Severus Snape. He beckoned both of them forward as he scanned the room, a frown settling on his face when he failed to see his spy.

"Lucius, where is Black?" His voice was a dry sound of dry snake skins being rubbed against one another.

"My lord." Lucius frowned, his expression troubled. "Black has not come out of his room in three days, and the house elves refuse to enter. I have sent Narcissa and Draco away to the house in London, and intend to investigate this evening."

Voldemort's frown deepened. "You may leave now, and return as soon as you have determined what is keeping Black sequestered in that room."

Lucius bowed smoothly, his expression bland as ever. "Of course, my lord." He strode from the room, the other Death Eaters clearing a path in front of him. There went a dangerous man, mused Voldemort - all the more reason to keep the ambitious politician close.

Leaving him with just Severus - and a room full of irritating incompetents. He growled softly, and Severus raised an eyebrow. "Is there something wrong, my lord?"

"Them." It was all that he needed to say, and Severus nodded, having heard his rants chapter and verse on the useless morons and fawning idiots that appeared to be attracted to his banner. Oh, a few were more than that, but not many. He could almost enumerate them on the fingers of one hand. Severus, Lucius, Antigone, Celeste, Josephina, Kalysta. He wrinkled his nose at the small number. At least, with his new plans, he'd be able to gather more of the intelligent to his side, not the disturbingly mediocre.

~~~ ~~~

Lucius cautiously opened the door to the room he'd let Black occupy, not entirely certain what to expect. He felt his stomach heave at the sickly-sweet smell that hit him with an almost physical blow as he stepped into the room. Black was sprawled over the bed, still alive, though he had the distinct impression that would not be the case much longer. He slowly approached the bed, a handkerchief held to his nose to filter out the worst of the smell, and looked down at the man who'd destroyed his hope for a quick end to the war, a frown on his face.

It took almost a minute for Black to realize he was there, and the dying man glared at him, trying to reach for his wand, his hand scrabbling on the sheets. "What have you done to me, Malfoy?" he croaked, giving up on the wand, and struggled to pull himself upright, murder in his eyes.

Lucius let a smirk cross his face, though he felt more like running and slamming the door, leaving Black to die alone. "Killed you, apparently, Black." He stepped back, to avoid Black sullying his robes. He watched the other wizard a moment longer before turning and leaving, tossing one last remark over his shoulder. "Goodbye, Black."

He managed to close the door without slamming it, then leaned against the wall, taking a moment to force his stomach to settle before stalking to his own rooms and changing his robes. He sharply commanded Dobby to see that they were burnt, and then left the Manor for Riddle Mansion once more. Voldemort would be waiting for a report, as much as Lucius would rather avoid the meglomaniac.

Suppressing a sneer of disgust at the display as he entered the throne room, Lucius carefully avoided noticing Snape altogether. He bowed smoothly to Voldemort, waiting to be told to speak before delivering his report.

"Well, Lucius?"

"It appears Black caught plague, from what I was able to determine before I sealed the room, my lord." He kept his voice even, his eyes meeting Voldemort's squarely for a moment before settling on the wall to the right of the throne.

There was a moment of silence, than Voldemort laughed, his chuckle sending a trickle of ice down Lucius's spine. He could only wonder what the Dark Lord found so amusing.

"See that his body is disposed of, Lucius, and any other arrangements are taken care of. I should hope that Black passed the plague on to those fools who insist on throwing themselves against me before he returned to us."

"Of course, my lord." Lucius nodded, and waited for anything else that the twisted creature in front of him might order him to do.

Voldemort waved one hand in dismissal. "That will be all for now, Lucius." He bowed once more, leaving without a backwards glance. He would be called back to the throne once again, probably soon, but he doubted it would be before the next day. Not with the Dark Lord busy with his... lover. His lip curled in distaste, and he Apparated once more, wondering if his day could get any worse.