The Long Night

Lord Voldemort

The Death Eaters who had joined Draco in the raid approached Voldemort to kneel and kiss his robe in leave-taking, the first ones to do so in token of Voldemort's satisfaction with their efforts. Snape came closer to Voldemort and Wormtail, favoring his injured right leg. Nagini, apparently sensing the excitement was over for the night, uncoiled herself and slithered up the stairs to reclaim her place beside Voldemort.

Snape waited as the remaining Death Eaters filed past the Dark Lord to make their obeisance before leaving the ruined building. Was this private interview a good sign, or a bad one? His initial explanation had been well received, he judged. The Dark Lord had accepted his reasons for preempting Draco and seemed withal pleased to be rid of Dumbledore. He had seemed almost pleased to have uncovered a supposed weakness for Narcissa and a reason to humiliate him in front of the others. As he remembered the laughter of the onlookers gathered around him, and his powerlessness to protect either himself or her, he reminded himself coldly that he did not value the good opinion of any who had been present.

"I see, Wormtail, that you left my house ahead of the exterminators," Snape said, sneering, as the last Death Eater backed away. Wormtail shot Snape a resentful glance.

"I could send him with Bella, too," Voldemort suggested, with a penetrating glance at Snape.

If that was what he wanted, he could just order it, Snape thought. It is a test, then, he decided. It was time to see what, if anything, his killing of Dumbledore was worth in the Dark Lord's eyes. Snape faced Voldemort directly, his black eyes glittering. "I had hoped, My Lord, that after tonight, I might dispense with Wormtail's...'assistance'," he said, placing a delicate inflection on the final word.

"Indeed, Severus." A slight smile crossed Voldemort's snakelike features, and he turned to Wormtail. "Wormtail, you will be rejoining me. I will see you later tonight."

Wormtail dropped to his knees and grasped the hem of Voldemort's robe to kiss it. "Oh, thank you, My Lord," he responded, before he scurried off outside the circle of light cast by the lanterns.

"I had my doubts about you, when you came back to me two years ago, Severus," Voldemort began after Wormtail was out of sight. "Your story hung together, and I could sense the truth in it. But I remembered always that Dumbledore was a powerful wizard, and yet he believed you as well."

"I feared as much, My Lord," Snape said silkily. "I accepted it as an unavoidable disadvantage of my role as a spy. I regret that I cannot continue to serve you in that capacity at Hogwarts."

A cold smile that did not touch Voldemort's eyes twisted his lipless mouth. "I knew you would not remain there past the end of this year, and I am well pleased that you accomplished the task before departing. Still, the details interest me. What was Draco's plan?"

"In rough outline," Snape began cautiously, furiously reorganizing the information he had deduced to stress Draco's contribution, "he secretly smuggled Death Eaters into the castle on a night when Dumbledore stepped out to Hogsmeade. Then he lured Dumbledore into an ambush atop the Astronomy Tower by sending up the Dark Mark where it could be seen from the village-"

"Yes, the others have told me all that happened. What was your role in the plan?" Voldemort interrupted.

"None, My Lord," Snape responded smoothly, "though I did what I could to divert the old man's suspicions after Draco's earlier, clumsy attempts. Fortunately, Draco made it easy by choosing methods that clearly originated outside the school. Draco would not discuss his plans and I knew none of the details."

"Interesting. I had heard you were a favourite teacher of his," remarked Voldemort.

"So he has said," Snape agreed. "I believe this change in his attitude was due to the influence of Bellatrix. She was always distrustful of my role as a spy. A very...straightforward thinker," he concluded, his lip curling.

Voldemort nodded his acceptance of the explanation. Returning to the subject, he asked, "You did not know the plan, then. So how was it that you came to be at the right place at the right time?"

"Professor Flitwick summoned me to help fight the Death Eaters. I disabled him and arrived alone at the fight. I saw one of us had fallen, and the others present below were outnumbered. Since I believed the mission to be most important, I ran up the Tower stairs-"

"You did not know the plan, you said," Voldemort interrupted him. "How, then, did you know Dumbledore was there?"

"A magical barrier had been placed across the stairs, which repelled all but Death Eaters. I saw its effects and recognized the spell. It seemed logical the barrier was keeping help from reaching Dumbledore while Draco carried out his task."

"Continue, then," Voldemort ordered.

"I ran up the Tower stairs. Draco had disarmed Dumbledore prior to my arrival and had his wand trained on him."

"They told me that in the end, he begged you for his life," Voldemort said, a questioning note in his voice.

"Yes," replied Snape, pouring all the contempt he felt for that lie into that one word and forcing his lips into a sneer.

"Show me!" Voldemort commanded.

Snape obeyed, inhaling deeply to calm himself as he made eye contact. He recalled again the memory of Dumbledore, slumped against the wall. The green jet of light, blasting him off the Tower. With every remaining ounce of strength, he fought to keep down the grief and self-loathing that threatened to overwhelm him as he relived the moment. Voldemort withdrew, a hideous grin of satisfaction on his face.

"So much for the old man's pious platitudes," he said triumphantly, his eyes blazing redly. "'There are things much worse than death', indeed," he finished in a mocking tone, and his high, cold laugh rang out across the now-deserted ruin.

Dumbledore's own words, Snape had no doubt, though he did not know the occasion on which they had been spoken. Their applicability to his own situation froze the sneer on his face. He must smile, he knew, and join in that hideous laughter, but it was just too much. Disgusted by his own weakness, Snape deliberately shifted his weight to his right leg, gasped, and righted himself. Voldemort had conveniently provided the excuse he needed for his failure to get fully into the spirit of the celebration, Snape thought, finally forcing a semblance of a sycophant's smile onto his face in response to Voldemort's obscene laughter.

This reminder of his punishment did not escape Voldemort's notice. He looked back at Snape, a hint of the smile still on his lips. Snape dropped his gaze, permitting some of the fear welling in his chest to show on his face. Voldemort's smile grew wider.

"What, had enough, Severus?" he said softly, training his wand lazily on Snape. "You seemed so eager earlier."

Snape straightened. "Like Dumbledore tonight, I merely recognized that death would be the ultimate failure. I did what was necessary to avoid it," he responded.

Voldemort's eyes narrowed and his hand steadied for a moment, before his high, cold laugh rang out again, and he lowered his wand. Snape exhaled softly, only then realizing that he had been holding his breath.

"Well said. And, well done, tonight," said Voldemort. "Your judgment was correct; the opportunity young Malfoy created was not to be wasted."

"You spoke of a reward, earlier, Master," said Snape, encouraged. "Since my actions did meet with your approval, there is one thing. Might I beg, My Lord, that I be permitted to oversee Draco in any task you assign him? So that I might continue to avoid the consequences of my part in the...foolish behavior?"

"Very well. Make sure that the boy does not give me cause to regret this decision, Severus," he warned.

"Thank you, My Lord. I will," Snape responded, inclining his head respectfully.

"About your own tasks, Severus, I have given them some thought over the past year," said Voldemort. "You have been teaching Potions at Hogwarts all these years. I presume, then, that you would be able to provide potions as needed for various uses?" Voldemort asked.

"Certainly, My Lord," Snape said without much enthusiasm. If he spent his days brewing poisons, Veritaserum, Polyjuice, and antidotes for others to use, he might gain some new contacts and forewarnings of Death Eater raids, but not the sort of secrets he hoped to uncover.

"Not many among my Death Eaters have this skill, Severus," Voldemort pointed out dangerously.

"Indeed, Master, I know to my regret that few students have the precision of mind to perform adequately in this field," agreed Snape. "Though, young Malfoy had an Outstanding OWL. Perhaps, if you have no other pressing tasks for him..."

"For now, he may assist you," Voldemort said. Snape bowed his thanks.

"Among my Death Eaters, you stood out as a youth with your knowledge of the Dark Arts. Not so much the Unforgivable Curses, which all learn and use, but more arcane, complex topics," Voldemort stated, shifting subject abruptly.

"I am pleased that you think so, Master," Snape replied carefully.

"And in your years with Dumbledore, have you lost this edge? Tell me the truth!" Voldemort commanded, gazing directly at Snape.

"No, My Lord," Snape answered confidently. "Although Dumbledore had me teach Potions all those years, I have kept up my skills, and done a great deal more reading and study on my own time." He was not sure where this conversation was leading, but this sounded far more likely to concern the sort of assignment Dumbledore would have wanted him to obtain.

"The Dementors are among my most potent allies, Severus. How do you feel about them?"

"A wizard is wise to fear them, Master," Snape said smoothly. "Yet I have studied what is known about them extensively."

"We shall speak of this further." Voldemort said. "For now, you are to set up a Potions laboratory."

"Yes, My Lord," Snape said, dropping carefully to his knees. "It will be done."

As he started to approach the Dark Lord on his knees to make his obeisance before leaving, Voldemort raised a hand.

"One more thing, Severus."

Snape stopped and looked up.

"They tell me that Potter chased you and Malfoy across the school grounds, Severus," Voldemort said.

"Yes, that is correct, Master," Snape responded calmly.

"Why would he have done so?" asked Voldemort.

"He saw me kill the Headmaster," Snape explained. "I did not see him on the Tower, but he owns an Invisibility Cloak. He must have been wearing it."

"Potter was there?" said Voldemort, his eyes flashing redly as he again raised his wand. "Why have you not mentioned this before?"

"What? The others didn't tell you?" said Snape, his lip curling contemptuously as his stomach roiled. He pushed his recently acquired knowledge of Potter's activities that night deep down under his memories of the tower. "No, let me guess. None of them noticed the second broom."

"The second broom?" asked Voldemort.

"Imbeciles," said Snape. "The Headmaster appeared to be alone when I showed up, but there were ,two brooms leaning against the wall, so obviously he must have flown back with someone else. Who became clear when Potter started chasing us."

Voldemort lowered his wand. "Now that is an interesting bit of information. What was he doing with Dumbledore?"

"I am sorry, My Lord, I do not know," said Snape, shaking his head in a show of regret. "I mentioned in my reports this year Dumbledore's occasional trips from the school, whose purpose he did not share with me."

"Other spies tell me the Ministry, too, seeks the purpose of these excursions. I shall see whether they can shed any light on this," Voldemort paused, considering something.

Snape waited, concealing his impatience. Kneeling on the uneven stone floor was not doing his knee any good.

"So, how did the boy take it?" asked Voldemort.

"He was furious," Snape responded. Prompted by an angry glare from Voldemort, he continued. "He caught up to us near the edge of the school grounds. He was shooting off Stunning spells in our direction. As I turned to cover the others' escape, he attempted the Cruciatus curse against me. Repeatedly."

"You say attempted-how could he fail, if he was so angry?" asked Voldemort.

"I parried them; they never reached me. He is at best a mediocre duelist. This further incensed him. He attempted other spells and goaded me to fight him. Alecto Crucioed him, but I reminded her of your orders. Once the others had left the grounds, I disarmed him and made good my own escape."

"He truly hates you, then," said Voldemort with a cold smile.

"So it seems, My Lord," responded Snape.

"You have given me much to think on, Severus. You may leave now, with my thanks."

Snape walked up to Voldemort on his knees and kissed the hem of his robe. Rising to his feet, he bowed deeply and backed off the dais, before limping into the forest to find Draco, Bellatrix, and Narcissa.