Author's Note: Hello all and welcome to the first chapter of my story, All For You. I know Deathly Hallows has come and past, but who says I can't put my version out here? Most of the ideas in here came to me before the book's release and I wrote this chapter beforehand as well. Although I did use some Wizarding World info and such disclosed in Deathly Hallows, any other similarities between this story and the actual book seven are purely coincidental.
July 29- I made some minor edits to this chapter that contradicted later events in this story.
Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling.
All For You
Chapter One: The Beginning of the End
To the average person, although it had seen its fair share of anomalies throughout the years, the village of Godric's Hollow was a nice place to settle down. It was small, quiet, and relatively crime-free. However, if you were to ask certain people of its already small population, they would tell you the same thing.
They would point to a spot sandwiched between two existing houses and say, "Now, if I do recall, there used to be a house right there. Then, one day, about sixteen or so years ago, I met a rather nice couple with a small boy, who couldn't have been more than a couple months or so old, who were interested in buying that house. Then, a few days later...poof! It was gone. Just like that!"
There were many theories as to why the house had just disappeared. Most of which revolved around the family who bought the house being abducted by extraterrestrials ("Which was all the rage back then") or the family actually being extraterrestrials and using the house to go home ("You know what I mean!") But the stranger thing was an event that happened many months later.
"I remember it very vividly. It was Halloween night, and there was this loud explosion, and some smoke, but we thought it was simply some Halloween pranks. The next day, however, there were these...people! They were some of the strangest people I've ever seen! They wore cloaks...and hats! Like they had forgotten Halloween was over. And they all had the same, solemn look on their face, like someone had died or something..."
But that was years and years ago.
Soft, white rays of the early morning sun peeked through the canopy of trees, reflecting off of the droplets of dew on the leaves, while the large trees made it difficult for one to see and maneuver them self around sufficiently. The forest of Godric's Hollow was never a popular hiking site, for its lack of wildlife and numerous blockages in the main trail didn't make it a favorite for most hikers. However, on this day, you could see two, strangely-clothed men walking through it.
One, who apparently was leading the other, walked with an air of purpose in front of the other. His jet-black eyes looked over his surroundings, as if searching for something. He had long, greasy black hair that fell in curtains around his pale, pallid face, his mouth turned in a slight grimace, while his slightly torn black robes billowed behind him. Following in his wake was a younger, shorter boy who looked even more disgusted. He looked almost sickly, to be honest. His pointed face was pale, almost grey, and his tousled blond hair was dripping with water. The boy's robes were severely torn, dirty, and in some places wet. He walked with an air of a once fine-manicured young man, but as he tripped on a large tree root, it looked as though his situation had suddenly become compromised.
"For the last time, what are you doing?" the boy said as he got up, vainly brushing off his robes and frowning at another large spot of water on his pants leg.
The other, not stopping at his charge's fall, replied in a voice of both annoyance and hesitation, "Following orders."
"Whose?" the boy asked hotly. "Because they obviously not the Dark Lord's!"
"Whose orders I am following are neither your business, nor your worries."
"Oh yeah, like I really worry about whether or not I'm walking to my death or not..." the young man snapped, his voice dripping with thick sarcasm."Why are you even doing this? I mean, why didn't we go to the celebration—"
"Because it would've been the last thing you ever did," the other replied icily, still not meeting the boy's gaze. "Do you not understand the seriousness of the situation you put yourself in? Do you not understand the immense danger not only you, but your entire family is in?"
"No. Why?"
"You did not kill Albus Dumbledore!" the greasy-haired man said, exasperated, finally facing the pale blonde, sounding as though he was trying to let off some steam.
"Yeah, well, you made sure of that..." the boy replied.
"Do not speak of things you do not understand, Draco."
"What's that supposed to mean?" the boy identified as Draco practically yelled.
"I made an unbreakable vow last year, if you do not remember! I promised with my life that I would carry out your task should you fail--"
"Oh, so this was to save your skin! I see how it is!" Draco sneered.
"--And now that the Dark Lord most likely knows this fact, your mother probably be dead by the time I am reunited with him!"
Draco said nothing. He got (if it was even possible) even paler. He ran a hand through his lank, almost white hair, and sighed, with his eyes tightly closed. This seemed to have struck a nerve.
"I...I should have never...now....she..." Draco looked heartbroken. "I should have never agreed to this..."
"What's done is done. There are sacrifices that must be made."
"Sacrifices," murmured Draco with a slight laugh. "I never understood that concept, and they're my parents. You may not care about anyone, but I do."
The other man said nothing. They continued for several minutes, when the man leading stopped suddenly. Draco did the same. They had reached a small clearing.
"We are here."
Draco looked around.
"I don't see anything."
The greasy-haired man pointed to a spot some twenty meters away.
"The house is right there," he said.
Draco raised an eyebrow, followed by the other. Surely enough, a house was there. It had materialized right after the words were spoken. It looked as it was rather makeshift, but livable. The building looked to be about two stories, made out of stone, very few windows, and no chimney.
"Come."
Draco followed the older man towards the front door. The greasy-haired man took his knuckles and knocked several times on the senescent door. Several moments later, a man's voice spoke from within.
"Identify yourself!"
The greasy-haired man cleared his throat and spoke clearly.
"It is I, Severus Snape, bringing Draco Malfoy."
The clink of several chains coming out of their holds could be heard from within, and seconds later the door opened, and a man appeared in the door frame. He looked to be about middle-aged, but due to a large amount of lines on his face caused by stress, looked years older. His frizzy black hair was so long it was tied back in a ponytail.
"Ah," said Snape, a small smirk forming on his lips. "I was told to be surprised. Am I really to believe that you've been cooped up in this, ah, humble little abode for so long?"
The man glared at Snape
"I've only been here since The Dark Lord returned."
Snape gave him a look of mock concern, "Pity."
"So, I hear you've renounced the old ways, Snape. What's this? Tired of playing the spy and finally decided to choose your side...after everything Dumbledore did for you..."
"My allegiance should be made plain to you. If you have any uncertainties, then perhaps you aren't as well informed as I thought you would be," Snape told the man simply.
The man raised an eyebrow at Snape, and then looked at Draco. "So...this is Lucius Malfoy's son, then? The one who we have to babysit while you go off playing the Dark Lord's pet?"
"Last time I checked, you haven't exactly been helping anyone, have you?" snapped Snape.
The man glared daggers at Snape. "I've tried."
"Unfortunately, I suppose it's hard to believe the words of a dead man…"
"Look, I don't like you, I never have, and I never will. I'm just doing whatever I can to help the cause, to make sure my promises weren't in vain," snapped the man.
"This seems to be a trend, doesn't it?" Snape alleged.
The man glared once more, utter dislike painted in his eyes.
Draco looked utterly confused.
"Whoa, wait! What is going on? What do you mean babysit...?"
Snape rounded on the boy.
"You're going to be staying here for a while, Draco."
"What? How long?" Draco cried, affronted.
"A while," said the man gravely.
"And how long is a while, exactly?"
The man looked at the boy, slightly annoyed. "Has anyone told you that you're a right little bugger?"
Draco seemed to be seething. "And what makes you think that I am just going to sit around while he—"he waved his arm in Snape's direction, "—gets to go off, having all the fun?"
"Because you're life depends on it."
Rolling his eyes, Draco glanced at the man, "who are you, anyway?"
"Wouldn't you like to know," he replied, a smirk on his face.
Snape gave one final glance at the mysterious male in the door frame. He turned to leave.
"I would keep an eye on the outer edges of the forest...and the town. You never know who you'll find," he said as a final word of advice. "And Draco?"
Malfoy did not reply.
"Do not put your life in danger. Your mother sacrificed her own for you, and I, especially do not want it to be in vain. I made a promise to keep you safe, and I intend to do so."
"Whatever."
"Hey, Snape, wait!" called the man.
"Yes?"
The man got close to Snipe's face, and then whispered:
"Look, whose side are you really on?"
Snape gave one final smirk.
"Wouldn't you like to know?"
And with a CRACK, he disapparated, leaving the man and Draco behind.
And miles away, minutes later, Snape would find himself in a large room he only assumed was once used for dining. The long table was draped in a blood red velvet table with black accents, while a large stone fireplace provided the room with a dim glow. There were many dark-robed people sitting in chairs, others leaning against the wall, every one of them still and silent.
"Ah, Severus, I see now you have decided to join us," came a cold, high-pitched voice from the head of the table. Snape found himself being stared at by two crimson, cat-like eyes, while the rest of his pale, hairless, serpentine face looked quite relaxed. His long, spidery fingers were crossed elegantly in his lap and though he seemed calm, Snape could sense this man's distaste.
"I am terribly sorry My Lord. It seems young Draco has...escaped."
Several hisses were heard from around the table.
"I spent several hours looking for him; he interfered with my side-along apparition. We ended up miles away from here. He then tried to overpower me and get away, and unfortunately, succeeded."
The man whom Snape addressed as "My Lord" smirked.
"Ah. See here, Narcissa. It seems your dear son was well capable of getting away, but not completing the simple task I gave him..."
He had addressed an extremely pale woman with long blond hair who sat to his right, the fear easily seen on her face. She spoke nothing.
The snake-like man continued.
"You see, Severus, I have heard from several eye-witnesses that you took on the task yourself of murdering Albus Dumbledore. Am I not correct?"
Snape did not hesitate. "Correct, My Lord."
The Dark Lord gave a lipless, mirthless smirk. He continued to speak in a calm, but sinister voice.
"For so long, I doubted your true allegiance, Severus. For years I had always believed it my mistake of allowing you to go into Dumbledore's employ. You have such talent, such skill; such a waste on their side. It would have been quite the shame to have to kill you had you gotten in my way. I had thought you had forever left me that you had— ah — discovered your true colors. For obvious reasons, I was not surprised that you did not come when summoned after my return. I thought that perhaps, like Igor Karkaroff, had fled. However, when you did return, it was to say quite the shock, but your reasoning was understandable. Yet still I doubted you.
"And then you explained to me Dumbledore's reforming of the Order of the Phoenix, and his supreme trust in you. For the first time in years, I had a spy right under the nose of both Hogwarts and the Order. Dumbledore never doubted his trust in you, did he? You play your cards quite well, Severus…Unlike some people."
He glanced over to a small, round man in the corner of the room. Several of the people in the room sniggered. The smirk on his face widened.
"Dumbledore was an old fool. That is what led to his destruction. I commend you, Severus. It seems, at last, that you have proven your loyalty."
His smirk faded.
"Yet Bellatrix here has told me otherwise."
Narcissa's head snapped up. The woman sitting directly across from her shifted in her seat. Unlike Narcissa, Bellatrix had long, slightly matted black hair, heavily lidded eyes, and that gave her a maddened look.
"Bellatrix has told me that last summer, you and Narcissa made an Unbreakable Vow. An Unbreakable Vow, which, unless I am quite mistaken, made you the substitute for Dumbledore's murder. Am I not correct?"
Snape hesitated for a second. "Yes...Yes, My Lord, it is true."
Narcissa gave the tiniest of nods, horror etched on her pale face.
"Tut, tut, Narcissa...And I expected so much more from you...it seems that the Malfoy clan has provided nothing but disappointment these past few years..."
Fear was beginning to show on the woman's face. She began to shake.
"Please, My Lord, please, I had to...my only son..." squeaked Narcissa.
"Ah, such devotion in such wrong places. Am I not right, Bellatrix?" the Dark Lord motioned the dark woman to his left.
"Indeed, My Lord..." muttered Bellatrix, not meeting her sister's eyes.
"You see," he continued. "I never expected Draco to fulfill his duty...But Narcissa....Your lack of faith is disturbing. Lord Voldemort has no room for acts like this."
With that, Voldemort stood up, and faced his followers. Narcissa was shaking madly now.
"This new regime, this Beginning of the End as I have dubbed it, is one that stands for power and superiority. It is almost certain that the Order of the Phoenix now lies in shambles, with its leader dead. But we cannot back down, oh no. We must attack in bigger numbers, and not show any signs of weakness. We have made allies out of a very willing clan of vampires, and our raid on Azkaban in the near future will not only prove us as an unstoppable force. However, we must pluck away many of the things that could cause…tribulations in this time."
"As for you, Severus," he motioned Snape. "I did not intend you to kill Dumbledore. It seems that your true allegiance has been made. You will be greatly rewarded."
A bit of color seemed to return to Snape's face.
"Thank you, My Lord," said Snape, bowing.
Voldemort then pulled from his pocket a long wand. The air in the room seemed to drop several degrees as several of the Dark Lord's followers' breaths caught in their throats.
"When we break into Azkaban, I plan on dealing with Lucius. As for you, Narcissa...I am long finished with your family's mistakes..."
He raised his wand.
"Avada Kedavra."
With a look of shock, Narcissa fell out of her chair, her face drawn and pale. She was dead.
Silence fell amongst the Death Eaters. Bellatrix sat, still as a statue, staring at the body on the floor, face stony.
"Such a shame," declared her sister's killer. "Lord Voldemort has no room for disloyalty. I cannot have followers like Draco Malfoy in my command. Without them, we can not fail. The Order of the Phoenix will be destroyed. Harry Potter will meet his end."
Authors Note: Thats chapter one! Hoped that piqued your interest for this story somewhat... Chapter two hopefully coming very, very soon!
