His Revenge Series I
Retaliation
Written by Talula E. Owlby
Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling, not me.
Severus Snape, given a task by the Dark Lord, sets off a chain of events that forever changes the lives of the Potions Master and Harry Potter. Features a past slash relationship between Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape. Harry Potter and Severus Snape come to an understanding.
The Snake Den
Severus Snape felt improper in Malfoy Manor. He had been let in by a barefooted, crooked toothed house elf wrapped in what looked like a scrap of tea stained table cloth. Severus did not feel much more distinguished, and he was over aware at his greasy curtains of hair and sallow, yellowing complexion.
"Wait here while I retrieve Master Malfoy," the house elf rasped, and with a crack the creature had left him alone in the familiar entrance hall. Severus Snape was not a man to show his discomfort, so he stood with feigned impatience as he surreptitiously eyed his surroundings. Not much had changed since Lucius Malfoy was a seventh year Slytherin and Severus had visited the manor for the first time many years ago. A lifetime ago.
Marble columns lined the foyer that had impressive vaulted ceilings and high arched windows. The entire décor was awfully gothic and clichéd, and Severus, the overgrown bat that he was, fit in quite nicely with the antiqued wall tapestries and pewter gargoyle torch brackets. He pulled his travelling cloak around his chest, and waited.
Just as he had expected, Lucius Malfoy had waited for a few minutes, he was sure, to make a grand and provocative entrance. The doors opened, and he appeared in all his aristocratic glory. The glimpse of the lighted chambers behind him made his fair blonde mane glow white around his pale angular face. His robes whispered the man's wealth as they blossomed behind him as he walked the serpent cane in his manicured wand hand.
Severus vaguely wondered if he had scrubbed the last potion stains off his own working hands, but he did not glance down, but mustered a vaguely pleasant smirk down his hooked nose as Lucius walked gallantly through the hall to greet him.
"Severus, my slippery Potions Master," Lucius announced, "What do I have to owe this pleasant surprise?"
Severus felt his eyes raking up and down his countenance, taking in his robes, posture, and other things that aristocrats looked for in their guests. Severus lifted his nose a bit higher in the air.
"While I wish that I was here for pleasure, I am unfortunately conducting business as usual." Severus afforded himself a grimace, and Lucius mirrored it with a long suffering sigh.
"I am not surprised, friend. Come, join me in the parlor for drinks, and we will discuss necessary business."
The Potions Master followed Master Malfoy through the entrance hall, entering a room that served as foyer leading to separate wings of the manor, with spiraling staircases for each respectively. Snape recognized the door to the house elf quarters and kitchen in a shadowy corner underneath the staircase to the eastern wing. The ornamental gardens were through an adjoining mezzanine to their left.
Severus had been in Malfoy Manor on many occasions, both during his school days as well as older years. He did feel old, indeed, but still slightly taken aback by the grandly macabre mansion. And macabre it was, with ferocious jade sculptures of dragons with blood and sinew in their jaws, and paintings of human execution and torture.
They climbed the western staircase, and followed the emerald carpets along other hallways, through doors, and finally to Lucius' best and favorite study. Severus swept inside when the door was open, not glancing at the eldest Malfoy.
Straight backed, wide winged armchairs faced a stone fireplace, burning low and dark. Pewter candle holders were on most available spaces, creating a sort of low light that cast shadows in the corners. Lucius went to the liquor cabinet that they had often raided during the summers as kids. It was the only furniture in the room other than bookshelves and a desk shoved into a corner in the spacious room.
"Please, take a seat, Severus," Lucius motioned to the chairs around the fire. They were as uncomfortable as they looked, and made it quite impossible to slouch. Of course, Severus Snape did not slouch, no matter the chair.
Lucius returned with two stout glasses of scotch and Snape took one of them without a word. He flared his nostrils and gently swirled the contents of his glass around a few times. Simply the finest, as if he had expected less.
They sat for a while in silence, looking into the fire and sipping their drinks. Severus was loath to admit to himself that the familiarity of the room as well as the company of Lucius, was bearable. Pleasant. Despite the fact that he could feel the aristocrat's eyes looking at him even closer. No doubt wondering if the clothes that sat in his chair matched the high standards of a Malfoy. Severus smirked to himself. Of course they would not.
"Severus," Malfoy said, his voice casual, but tense, "you look much worse than when I last saw you."
Snape felt his spine snap to attention, his body rigid and still.
"If you find my presence in your house distasteful Malfoy-"
Lucius cut him off. "Do not act the fool, Severus," he barked, "You know I will not play these games with you."
Severus swiveled his black, expressionless eyes to Malfoy, meeting his icy gray ones. He unclenched his jaw to speak.
"My state of being is hardly your concern then," Severus said barely above a whisper, voice frosty, "this is a path that we certainly do not need to take again."
Lucius' simpering laugh ended that particular conversation, but Severus continued to look at him unblinkingly until Malfoy turned his own gaze back to the flames.
"So, old friend," Lucius smiled as if nothing had been said, "I trust you are prepared for start of term?"
"As prepared as I ever have been. A new generation of cretins to enlighten to their own incompetence."
Lucius laughed again. "But I do trust you will be able to tutor my son more effectively now that his classmates have been… uh… pruned away by their O.W.L. marks." Lucius began looking at his nail critically. Severus took a large sip of his drink.
"Indeed. Young Draco should be able to further his potions prowess considerably in the terms to come. If he affords the necessary effort, of course, he shall do quite well."
The silence was heavy and stuffy, and Severus felt himself shifting slightly in his seat. The room was warm, but he was chilled to the bone.
"Our Lord sent you." Lucius stated. It was not a question.
"Not in so many words," Severus replied thinly, voice devoid of any emotion, "but the Dark Lord is requesting my services, that, as you know, require materials that I cannot acquire in my current position."
"In your current position." Lucius repeated Severus's words, and turned to face the potions master. His porcelain face was smooth, fair eyebrows lifted above piercing grey eyes. Severus could not help but notice the man's uncharacteristic bags under his eyes. The usual smug expression that always flitted across his lips was cut with an odd seriousness. It was rare that anything worried the pampered aristocrat, but his feminine soft hands were also much more restless than usual. Severus noted this in his mind, deciding to examine it further at a later time.
And perhaps a few strands of his pale golden hair had escaped the low tail at the nape of his neck.
"Your current position," Lucius repeated once more, looking as if he tasted something foul, "it is abhorrent to me, Severus."
"I am quite aware of your opinion, Lucius," Snape said coldly, "and I am not inclined to hear you voice it again."
"Why do you fight it, Sever-"
"Not another word of it, Malfoy." Severus ground out between clenched teeth; voice a low snarl in his throat, "I will not sit here and listen to you carry on like a blithering idiot, beating a dead-"
"You will not speak to me like this in my home, Severus!"
Snape was surprised to find, moments later, that they had both risen to their feet, and were seething. Severus flared his nostrils and stifled an angry sound threatening to rip loose from his chest. Not many would stand and face the dour Potions Master at the peak of his fury. But Lucius Malfoy was an exception. Lucius Malfoy was confident to Snape's threats.
"Then I will not foul your residence with my presence any longer," Severus hissed, eyes narrowed as he glared down his hooked nose. He turned to leave, but Lucius had moved with a sweep of silken robes to bar his way.
"You and I both know, Severus that you are not going to leave without fulfilling the Dark Lord's request."
"You know nothing, Lucius," Severus whispered venomously, "I am not relying on you. I can procure the necessary materials elsewhere."
"Ah, so the Potions Master is being put to use."
Snape's spine went rigid, but he stopped trying to advance toward the door.
"Severus, this is indeed what I have tried to tell you many times before. We wouldn't have to, what did you almost say, we wouldn't have to beat a dead hippogriff, if you would listen to me."
The acid had drained out of Severus's voice, replaced by a dead monotony, but he repeated, quietly this time, "You know nothing, Lucius."
"As you have assured me on many occasions."
The tension had lifted from the room, but Severus was completely still.
"Come, Severus, let us finish our drinks, and I will help you find whatever you need."
Mechanically, Snape nodded, and they returned to their seats in front of the fire.