Author's Notes:
This is the first in a series of one-shots about a little bit of everything, all based on songs from Queen's album A Night at the Opera, from 1975. I will be writing one story for each song. There will be a little bit of humour, a little bit of romance and a little bit of angst. The shorts are all completely unrelated, and have different ratings and themes. I have placed a general rating of T on this series entirety, but make sure to read the ratings of the idividual stories so you don't get any nasty surprises.
This story is quite straight-forward, really. In a way it is also a sequel to a story I have posted on this site, called Humility, but it is not necessary to read it to understand this story.
Summary: "Death on two legs! You never had a heart of your own... Have you found a new toy to replace me? Can you face me? But now you can kiss my ass goodbye." At a Death Eater meeting in 1979, Severus is forced to face Lucius again, after five years of silence.
Genre: Angst/Romance/Drama
Rating: T
Death on Two Legs
It had been five years now, since Severus Snape had last seen Lucius Malfoy. He had been fifteen at the time. It had not been a pleasant parting, and Severus was strangely anxious about meeting him again. But when Lucius looked up from his idle conversation with McNair, and strode across the entrance hall of Malfoy Manor to greet him, Severus put aside all emotion.
"Severus, old friend!" said Lucius slyly as he shook his hand.
"Lucius," replied Severus, stiffly and stone-cold.
"So chilly!" said Lucius. "I know it has been a while, but there's no need to be rude! Did I not teach you not to be rude? Avery!" He turned to the man standing next to Severus. "Is your father well? Is he coming?"
Severus took his chance to slink away into the shadows.
It was little wonder that the Dark Lord had chosen Malfoy Manor to host this gathering of Death Eaters. The manor had enough rooms for all of them to stay over night, and it was rather secluded and away from most Order busy-bodies. There were not many places where such a large gathering could meet anymore. They were at the point where the war was being waged full on, and the Order of the Phoenix was becoming bothersome.
Severus had joined the Death Eaters straight out of Hogwarts, but his assignments had been far away from Lucius Malfoy, at his own request. The Dark Lord granted it, because he knew that Severus was valuable. He had vast knowledge of curses and potions. No other Death Eater had been as diligent a student as Severus Snape. Though he was young, he knew his business better than anyone.
But now he had been summoned here. This was an important meeting. The Dark Lord would not attend it in person, of course – it was too risky – but he had chosen a few people to speak for him and give out orders on his behalf. Severus was one of them.
The main meeting was not until the next day, however. Severus spied across the hall, seeing all the guests that had arrived early. There was Bellatrix Lestrange, Lucius' sister-in-law, and her husband Rodolphus, chatting to Narcissa. Bellatrix' sister. Lucius' wife. Severus felt a pang of half-anger, half-sadness. The same feeling returned when he saw Lucius' hand stroke the small of Avery's back ever so slightly as he spoke to him. He should have known…
Severus left the hall and went off to the great Malfoy library. It had been long since he was last here, true, but he still remembered the way to that library, which he had first visited at the age of thirteen, and then again at fifteen. He had spent so many hours there, reading the books it held on dark magic, studying every bit of it. And Lucius had helped him to understand, taught him. He had mostly taught him things he already knew, but Severus had enjoyed Lucius' company back then.
He stayed in the library all evening, and he hardly noticed the time passing as he found all the books he had used to read before.
"So this is where you are, Severus." The silky voice by his ear held out the S at the end of the name like a snake's hiss. Severus stiffened. He had not even noticed somebody enter the library, but he knew that deadly, silky voice well enough.
"Yes, this is where I am, Lucius," he said, closing his book.
Lucius did not answer. Instead his tongue flicked out of his mouth and lightly brushed Severus' earlobe. Severus jerked his head away.
"Don't you have a new toy now?" he sneered, refusing to look Lucius in the eye.
"Now, now, Severus," replied the other, sitting down on the table and grabbing hold of Severus' chin to turn his face towards him, "did I not teach you humility?"
"You did," said Severus, meeting his gaze. "It is a lesson I never forgot."
"Really?" said Lucius mildly, studying his strong features carefully. "Because you sound like you might need me to refresh your memory." He let go of his chin and stood up. "You have never ceased to surprise me, Severus."
Severus said nothing, but got out of his chair and began taking the books back to their shelves. Lucius followed him with his eyes.
"I always get what I want, Severus," said Lucius, his grey eyes gleaming. "You know that."
"Oh yes," drawled Severus. "Like a spoiled little boy, you either whinge your way to it or take it by force."
"The cheek!" exclaimed Lucius in mock-offence. "But I can forgive you anything, Severus," he said, and approached him again, embracing him from behind. "You are right when you say I have a new toy. But you were my first toy. The first thing I defiled."
It was no declaration of love. It was not even remotely romantic or poetic. But somehow it stirred something. However, Severus quickly shook it off, shuddering ever so slightly.
"No," he said. "You have replaced me, and most likely you've done so several times over. You say those things, that you defiled me, played with me, as if it were a virtue. Is that satisfaction to you?"
"Defiling innocent things, Severus," said Lucius, reaching up with his right hand to stroke his cheek lightly, tilting his head towards him as he did so, "is the greatest pleasure and satisfaction there is." He kissed him softly. "And I know you liked it too," he whispered.
Severus shuddered again, but broke free of the embrace, turning his face away. "I don't want it. I never did. I could have wanted you, but not in the way you took me. First with your luring, kind words, and then with force. I never wanted that." He looked up at Lucius again. "But I thank you for that lesson. I have needed that humility. I have no innocence anymore. This world has no room for innocence."
He went back to the table where he had been sitting and collected the cloak he had carelessly left on the chair. "Good night, Lucius," he said firmly. "We will never speak of this again."
The meeting the next day went as planned. When he and Lucius spoke after, it was short and courteous. A formal hand-shake. A cold, un feeling smile. Their eyes did not ever really meet. But that was the way Severus wanted it to be. This was simpler.
He wondered sometimes, after that, whether Lucius ever thought of it again. Whether he felt guilty. Whether it ever plagued his mind. But there was always a wall of cold, which he could never break through. And if he had once loved Lucius Malfoy, he knew that the other had no heart and never loved him back.
