I consider the people around me, following me for a small bit of my power and glory, proving themselves useful if they can. I call them family, but they are not so important to me that any one of them could be disposable. Unfortunately, it would be highly inconvenient to kill the grovelling boy at my feet. The thought was persistent, which annoyed me, there was no real reason to kill him other than my anger. Because the news he'd brought had angered me, exceptionally, but the messenger was valuable and it would do no good to train the others that bad news would be the cause of their death otherwise I'd never be told anything.

Either way, I still wanted to kill him, desire was frivilous and more often than not counterproductive but it was there all the same, annoying me. Not to forget that there was this bad news I'd been told and there was the trouble the bad news caused, beyond just making me angry, that is, no this bit of bad news would complicate my plans for the immediate future. At the very height of my power to have this little thing become a new obstacle, something else to plan for and worry about.

The one with the power to vanquish the dark lord approaches. Born to those who have thrice defied him. Born as the seventh month dies.

Prophecy is a very wooly branch of magic, but Albus Dumbeldore heard the whole thing and wooly or not it was still magic. I wonder if knowing this prophecy in its entirety would give Dumbledore an advantage against me, another advantage, beyond his years of experience and more than his considerable power kept safe behind the ancient protections of Hogwarts. Then there was just plain old hope, the prophecy had already caused more damage to my cause than I should allow by allowing the commoners to think I could be defeated, by a chosen child or not.

"And the child mentioned?" I asked next, looking at Lucius now, who could advise me on such things as which of the families in the wizarding world were fornicating.

"The Potters, the Longbottoms, the Bones, and the Weasleys are expecting," Lucius answered me immediately, always to the point, always informed, useful.

"And your wife?" I asked him next, enjoying the look of pure panic on his face, "When is she...due?"

"June," He answered immediatly, but not relaxing, still. "The beginning of June my Lord, though I didn't mention or own family because we have been and always will be loyal to you."

I smiled at the fair haired man, he certainly had a way with words which I was rather partial to "Yes my slippery friend," I conceded, then directed my thoughts to my previous encounters with the other named parents-to-be.

I had met James Potter on exactly three occasions, once when I had, along with my followers attacked the school train, once when I attacked Hogsmede and a third time flying above muggle London. Potter's mudblood bride was know to me also, the red head woman whom I'd also met on three occasions, though I didn't know her by name.

The Aurors Frank and Alice Longbottom I'd met on many occasions, they were well renowned, and certainly an obstacle to my continued rise to power without their son being the one who might destroy me. The Bones were known to me also, a powerful blood traitor family who where known for being brilliant judges and aurors and other job-types which would naturally set them against me. As for the Weasleys, I knew the family, knew of them, killed many of their number but had never met the Weasley woman personally. Blood traitors and certainly worth murdering the older generatins, but not in relation to this.

"The Potters, the Longbottoms, the Bones, then, consider them targets." I declared, though didn't intend to act on this prophecy yet. "Though what true threat could an unborn children be to me, were you expecting to see blood tonight?" I asked, the dismissal obvious, though for the thicker of the number, "Get out, I'll call if you're needed, all but you, Severus."

The boy was still kneeling at my feet.

"My lord," Severus said once we were alone, I considered him, young and isolated, he seemed not to get along with anyone from regular society or anyone in our ranks. "My Lord, if you're to go after the Potters, might I ask a favour of you?"

"You can stand, Severus, this information, though incomplete is valuable, and you were prompt in your delivery of it." I considered his request, and supposed that he had earned a reward. "I'll hear your favour." I encouraged him, though I didn't know what I might expect from the boy.

I was now more concerned with what to do about the prophecy. Would the child be identified and trained to kill me, would it be extraordinary or does the rest of the prophecy detail a horrible weakness. It would also make more sense to act now, before Dumbeldore does, he wouldn't expect me to act, not before hearing the completed prophecy, these things often had a way of manipulating an action to begin a cascade of events. Like I'd already observed, a wooly branch of magic. There was also the somewhat less pressing issue of killing an infant, which in the long term is less desirable, as easy as the task would be. I was a monster, and saw the merit, but there was a certain charm and righteousness needed to be involved in winning the loyalty of lesser men, killing infants wouldn't achieve this end.

"Lily Evans-" Severus began, before his words caught in his throat. The name was unfamiliar to me, I raised my eyebrows at him for more information but he didn't get a chance to speak before I figured out to whom he was referring.

"Mrs Potter?" I asked and he nodded, again his words appeared to fail him, "You'd have me spare the mudblood?" I asked next, and Severus again nodded.

"She's a great witch, also-" He began but I interrupted his pathetic little attempt to justify his favour, to manipulate me.

"You're attached to this woman, then, obviously, is it true love, perhaps Severus?" I mocked him, unmoved by the request and his bumbling about trying to ask for it. "How touching," I continued, a small smile graced my features as a plan formed in my head, "I will kill the man first," I vow, "I trust you're not emotionally attached to him, also?" I thought to ask and Severus shook his head, no. "And I will disarm the woman, and take her child from her, and I will offer her her life in exchange for her child, she will donate the baby to our cause and be instantly promoted through our ranks, she will be free to be with and chose you for a husband and I will name you both the first purebloods in the Snape line. If she refuses, I will kill them both." I smiled, I could see already Severus knew the woman would refuse, and it would be the last time Severus would ask me for anything as frivolous as the life of an enemy. "Is that a fair reward Severus? I offer her a whole new life, to be rid of her blood traitor husband and his ways and have a life with you as Mrs Snape?"

He bowed, obviously wishing to be dismissed. "My Lord," He said to me, by way of thanks, I'd assume.

"Severus," I said, stopping him, "You'd have me kill the baby immediately then, not try to complete the prophecy? You don't see any moral issue with murdering an infant?" I asked him, enjoying the fear and confusion I knew he'd be feeling.

"It would make the most sense to remove it before it might fight back," Severus said, I walked over to him now, closing the space between us.

"But I was asking a question on morality, Severus, not strategy."

"It's just another person," Severus said darkly, I liked the logic. "Why should age matter?"

I dismissed him then, glad for the chance to finally be alone. I'd have but a few days before Dumbeldore would make his move. The rest of the prophecy could detail exactly who the child would be, it could detail how and when it might hope to bring about my demise, it could say anything, but recorded and stored at the ministry meant it was beyond my reach for now. I could wait, Dumbledore would insist the families go into hiding, raise the child as a beacon of light and hope, train it even, to be someone I might fear - the notion was laughable, though it also gave me pause.

"It's just another person," I said aloud, echoing Severus' sound reasoning on my perceived morality issue with murdering an infant, and this would qualify as defending myself, not that I needed any excuse. It was decided then, the babies, after their birth will die, along with their parents, already prominent Order of the Phoenix supporters. I will send Bellatrix and whomever else she wishes to deal with the Aurors, Lucius to see to the Bones family and I will see to the half-blood child myself. It seemed fitting, but I also had a promise to make to young Severus.