When the Dark Mark Burns
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Lucius Malfoy rejoices at first. It has been thirteen years, thirteen years of lies and sycophancy, but now he can throw off the mask of respectability and declare his true allegiance. The Dark Lord has risen again, and his rebirth heralds the dawn of a new age. No more will Muggles and Mudbloodsbe accepted as equals, no, now purebloods will take their rightful place at the head of the wizarding world. The Dark Lord has returned, and Lucius is filled with elation.
However, elation is soon replaced by fear. After all, did he not denied the Dark Lord? Did he not resort to lies and bribery to escape Azkaban? The Dark Lord does not forgive such failures. His revenge will be swift and brutal, and Lucius knows that there is a good chance he will not survive the night. Yet how can he stay away? He knows the consequences of flight; he has seen the bodies of too many to have any doubts about that. If he tried to flee, the Dark Lord would simply kill Narcissa and Draco in his place, and he loves them too much to allow that to happen. No, he cannot ignore the summons.
Lucius does the only thing he can do. He touches the Mark and Apparates to the Dark Lord's side. And if he hesitated a moment, if doubt crossed his mind, then he shows no sign of it. For he belongs to the Dark Lord, body and soul and he can do nothing else. Out of fear and hope, Lucius returns.
Igor Karkaroff if filled with terror as the sudden pain confirms his worst fears. Somehow the Dark Lord has regained his old strength and now desires the presence of his most devoted servants. But Igor denied the Dark Lord and turned against his brethren, and he can never return. If the Dark Lord does not kill him, his former comrades will. His betrayal runs too deep for any chance of forgiveness.
He knows he must flee, but he does so without hope. The Dark Lord has never allowed anyone to leave his side. He himself has pursued those who attempted it, and he remembers all too clearly how passionately the Dark Lord extorted them to avenge him. He never thought that one day he would be the one they called traitor.
The Dark Lord does not forgive. The Dark Lord does not show mercy. So Igor runs for his life and does not look back. He might survive a week, he might survive a year, but he holds no illusions that he can run forever. Knowing death is coming, knowing he cannot escape it, Igor flees.
Severus Snape always knew that this day would come. Some said that he was dead, others that his power was gone forever, but Severus knows the Dark Lord too well for that. He has thirteen years to ponder the Dark Lord's coming. But the question of what he will do is still undecided. Does he return to the Dark Lord, and be welcomed back into the only family he has ever known or does he remain at Dumbledore's side and serve as his spy, risking his life every day for people who despise him?
The choice should be simple. With the Dark Lord he would have the power he has dreamed of all his life. He would not have to hear the whispers that follow him, or see the mistrust in the faces of those he passes. He could make them pay for the things they have done to him. But he would also have to look into the face of the man who murdered her, and that is something he cannot do.
So Severus ignores the summons and turns instead to Dumbledore. He knows he will have to face the Dark Lord's anger before the night is over and beg him to spare his life. He acknowledges the possibility of torture and death, but every waking moment is torture and death would mean seeing her again, so the prospect does not daunt him. But while he lives, he has the chance to remedy some of his past mistakes. Severus lets the Dark Mark burn and knows what he must do.
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