Voldemort was really starting to get tired of possessing the bodies of snakes. He wanted his own body back, but it was now clear to him that if that was ever going to happen, he was going to need some help.

But who could he turn to? He knew that if it had been possible, Bellatrix would have gladly helped him. Unfortunately for Voldemort, though, she was in Azkaban and out of his reach.

Wait. He could go to Lucius. Lucius would help him. True, Lucius had claimed that he had been under the Imperius Curse in order to escape Azkaban, but it was also true that Voldemort and Lucius shared a long history together. Voldemort had been there on the night that Lucius had been born for crying out loud. Yes, Lucius would help his lord and master, and maybe, just maybe, Lord Voldemort would graciously forgive Lucius for betraying him.

Voldemort slithered into the Malfoy garden. It was empty except for a small boy sitting on the grass.

The boy, who looked to be no older than a toddler, had very familiar looking platinum blond hair. The boy could only be Lucius's son, Draco.

Voldemort slithered up to Draco.

The boy was completely unafraid as he watched the snake slither towards him. Snakes were friends. At least that was what his parents had always told him.

But they had also told him that he was to never approach a snake. Parents could be so confusing.

Draco waved happily at the snake and said, "Hello, snakey."

Snakey. Didn't this foolish boy realize that he was Lord Voldemort, the greatest wizard to have ever lived?

Draco got up and walked over to the snake. His parents weren't around, so they wouldn't know that he had not listened to them.

Before Voldemort knew what was happening, he was being picked up by the toddler boy.

Draco then began to dance around the garden.

It was not long before Voldemort began to feel dizzy. Who would have ever thought that children could have this much energy?

Voldemort needed to get himself out of the situation as quickly as possible. He wasn't strong enough for this.

But it was hard to focus on much of anything when you were being held by a boy who was hopping around like a demonic bunny.

Voldemort was suddenly blasted out of Draco's hands.

Who dared to hex him as if he was some common criminal?

"Draco," came Narcissa's anxious voice, "get over here. Get away from that snake."

That snake. He was Lord Voldemort, not that snake.

"But snakes are friends, Mommy," Draco protested.

"Only symbolically," Narcissa replied.

"What does that mean?" Draco asked in a confused voice.

Narcissa paused for a moment, clearly thinking of the best way to explain this concept to her young son.

Voldemort, by this point, had recovered both his coordination and his wits. Angrily, he made for Draco.

But Narcissa's quick eyes saw what he was doing, and she wasn't going to have any of that. A snake might be the Slytherin symbol, and she had been proud to be a Slytherin; but that didn't mean that she was going to allow a snake to attack her precious little boy.

Voldemort once again found himself being hexed by Narcissa.

What was it with mothers and always getting in the way?

Voldemort began to make for Narcissa, but this time he made sure not to slither in a straight line. He wasn't going to be hit again by her.

Narcissa threw hex after hex at the approaching snake, but it managed to dodge all of them.

Narcissa released a loud, piercing scream.

"Narcissa," came Lucius's concerned voice, "what's going on out there?"

"There's a snake after me!" Narcissa shrieked.

A moment later, Voldemort found himself having to dodge hexes being sent his way by both Lucius and Narcissa.

Lucius, I am your lord and master, Voldemort hissed. How dare you try to hex me.

Draco, meanwhile, was clapping his hands and laughing in childish delight.

This wasn't right. The boy should be bowing down to him, not laughing at him and acting as if all this was nothing more than an amusing game.

Several moments later, Voldemort was struck by two hexes.

Now completely outraged, Voldemort began to go for Draco once again. Someone was going to pay for all this, and the boy was the only one without a wand.

Voldemort suddenly felt two curses striking him. A moment later, he was on fire.

They had set him on fire. His faithful followers, his faithful servants, they had set him on fire.

Clearly, trying to attack the Malfoy heir in front of both of his parents had not been one of Voldemort's brightest ideas.

Voldemort's spirit left the now burnt-up snake.

Voldemort only had one thought as his spirit sought a new snake to possess.

The Malfoys are one day going to pay for this.