Duty before Honor
AN-Hey there guys! I'm happy to say I'm finally getting my SS/HG fanfiction in production. This story may get pretty long, so bear with me. Also, I'm splitting my time between this story and my Law and Order: SVU fanfiction: Contradictions. However, I will try my best to update at the very least, once a week!
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS, I JUST PLAY WITH THEM
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Manipulations
Severus sighed as he downed the last bit of fire whisky in his tumbler. The dark lord was becoming increasingly more frustrating as of late. The bloody reptilian beast was giving out crucios left and right for things as mundane as coughing during his speech. Severus could tell his master was slowly losing it. The prophecy had shaken him, though he would never tell his followers he was scared of a mere child.
Severus snorted and tossed his tumbler into the fireplace, ignoring the loud sound of glass shattering as it echoed around his empty home. Mere child indeed. How anyone could be afraid of Potter was a mystery to him. How was it, that the wizarding world at large had come to depend on such an ill-mannered, dunderheaded, weak little boy? Fate surely knew how to be cruel.
Severus glared at the fireplace as it flared to life with green flames, shaking him out of his thoughts. "Good afternoon, Severus," Dumbledore's cheery voice hit him in the face like a brick. Would it kill the man to be less cheerful?
"Is it?" Snape drawled.
"Come now, Severus," Dumbledore said; Severus heard the warning tone in his voice. Clearly, this was not a social call.
"Is there something you wanted, Albus?" Snape asked tiredly. He was still suffering the aftermath of the cruciatus curse he was given two nights ago, and didn't feel up for a chat. In fact, he wanted to down the rest of his firewhisky and hopefully pass out in an alcohol induced coma.
"Sharp as always, it seems," Dumbledore commented, though it wasn't complimentary. "I'm sorry Severus, but I have to decline your application for the Dark Arts position once more." He didn't sound the least bit sorry.
"I expected as much," Severus said without true feeling. He really wasn't even sure why he put in an application every year. Old habits die hard he presumed. "I'm assuming you didn't floo me just to tell me that. What do you really want, Albus?" Dumbledore's cheery façade faltered then. Without as much as asking, Dumbledore walked through the flames and into his home. Severus rubbed a hand over his face in an aggravated manner.
"Minerva and I have been talking," he paused to smirk as he heard Severus mumble something under his breath that sounded something like 'Fuuuuuck'. "We're assigning each of the members of the Golden Trio, as you insist on labeling them, a mentor of sorts. The time is drawing near to defeat Tom, and they need to be as well prepared as they can possibly be."
Severus had a bad feeling about this. "What does this have to do with me?" he asked wearily. As if he didn't already know. Albus put on his best smile and stroked his long beard.
"Harry and Mr. Weasley have already been taken care of. Miss Granger, however-"
"You cannot be serious, Albus!" Severus interrupted.
"On the contrary, I am. No, no, hear me out," he rushed on as Severus opened his mouth to voice what was sure to be a snarky reply. "There is a list of reasons as to why I believe she should be taken under your tutelage. The main one being, that Miss Granger has exceeded expectations on her OWL results, especially in the subject of potions. This being said, you are under a tremendous amount of stress, Severus," Dumbledore ignored the very rude snort Severus gave, "Miss Granger is more than capable of brewing the required potions for the infirmary, leaving you free to only brew the more potent potions, such as Remus's Wolfsbane."
"Albus," Snape growled. Dumbledore held up his hands.
"Let me finish, dear boy. You will not be her only mentor. Do you find me so daft in my old age to make the poor girl spend most of her time with you?" he asked in an amused voice. "She will also take tutelage under Poppy, as a healer. This will divide her time evenly. Given that she is one of the few that knows your true position, she can be of assistance to Poppy when you return injured."
"Absolutely not! I will not allow a mere child to-"
"Severus!" Dumbledore cut him off, his eyes hardening. "I am not asking you to do this. You will do this," he said sternly. Severus felt the familiar burning sensation on his wrists, reminding him of his wand oath he had made so long ago. The brooding wizard said nothing as he scowled at the fireplace. He got the message loud and clear. This wasn't up for debate; the decision had already been made for him.
"Poppy will be teaching her the necessary healing skills she will need to know out in the field," Albus continued, as if nothing had happened. "You will be teaching her the concept of dueling, wandless magic, and I'd like to see if you can teach her the first forms of Occlumency."
"Occlumency?" Severus asked. Dumbledore smiled at his spark of interest.
"Yes, occlumency," Albus replied vaguely. He hid a smile at Severus's groan of irritation.
"Must you be so damned nebulous, Albus?" Severus asked tiredly.
"Well, I can't have you getting bored with me, Severus," he ignored a glare worthy of scaring the dark lord and continued, "Minerva made a very valid point earlier. Miss Granger seems to be the only person that can get Harry to focus or teach the boy anything. If anyone can teach Harry, it would be Ms. Granger. I have full confidence in her abilities, and am willing to bet she will pick up the skill in no time. I believe there was too much tension between you and Harry for him to benefit in your lessons. When teaching someone occlumency, it is important for both the teacher and student to be comfortable with one another-"
"And you are under the assumption Granger would be comfortable with me? Or I with her? Why don't I invite her for tea sometime, perhaps chat about what we have read in The Prophet?" Severus sneered.
"Do not talk nonsense Severus," Dumbledore reprimanded. Severus reached for the almost empty bottle of firewhisky. Ignoring Dumbledore's disapproving gaze, he downed the rest of the bottle. "Comfortable may have been a poor choice of wording on my part. However, I'm sure you agree the air will be far less tense than that of when you taught Harry. Regardless, even if she isn't capable of teaching Harry, it would do no harm for her to learn the skill."
"Is that all?" Severus had had his fill of this conversation.
"Yes, for now," Albus stood up, his cheerful demeanor back in full swing. "Do try to sober up before term begins, Severus!"
Severus scowled as the elder wizard stepped back through the flames, his laughter still echoing off the walls. Severus growled and threw the empty bottle into the fire. Not only did he have to deal with trying to keep up his farce with a homicidal maniac, keep up with his teaching duties, and work with the order -without killing Lupin, but now he had to spend what little free time he managed to obtain with Granger?
He sighed and stood up, swaying a little as he did so. He had exactly two weeks left before he had to return to Hogwarts, and he was unsure whether he was relieved or not. Going back meant less summonings, as the Dark Lord knew it was harder for him to get away. That he was grateful for. However, he wasn't looking forward to sneaking through the castle corridors well into the night and being Potter's babysitter once more.
With a slightly defeated sigh, Severus grabbed another bottle of firewhisky and popped the cork. If he had to deal with Granger, he better drink enough alcohol to stay in his system until the end of the war.
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The atmosphere at Hogwarts was stifling, to say the least. The houses were divided, now more than ever. Even the sorting hat lacked its usual keen luster as it sang. A heavy silence had fallen over the older students, and the professors smiled empty smiles in order to hold the allusion that all was well. The gleam in Dumbledore's eyes had even diminished in intensity. The only thing that was remotely the same was the first years' barely quailed excitement, and even then, the young ones seemed to sense the apprehension in the air.
"What's Remus doing up there?" Harry asked as he scooped a spoonful of mashed potatoes in to his mouth. Hermione looked up distractingly from her book to spare a glance at the head table.
"Ith phe a tefer?" Ron mumbled around a mouthful of food. Hermione sighed and could almost feel her eye twitch in annoyance.
"Really, Ronald, do you have to eat like a pig? I suspect he may be the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," she said as her eyes flitted back towards her book.
"Yeah, but Professor Dumbledore said he couldn't be a teacher anymore because it was too dangerous," Harry reasoned. Hermione shrugged.
"True, but a lot has changed since then. If we wait long enough we'll find out."
As usual, her prediction came true as Dumbledore rose from his seat to take the stand at the podium. Almost immediately, the Great Hall fell silent.
"Good evening, I trust the feast is to your liking?" he smiled at the appreciative yells. "Good. Now, before you retire to your common rooms, there are just a few rules we need to go over. I will only say them once, so first years pay attention, and those of you who are returning, it would do well for you to listen too. First, and foremost, the Forbidden Forest is just that, forbidden. Anyone caught in it, without the supervision of a teacher, will be punished accordingly. Next, I would like to address curfew, as there have been a few changes. Your Sunday through Thursday curfew has changed from ten o'clock to eight o'clock," his voice rose over the shouts of protests, "And Friday and Saturday curfew has changed from eleven to nine!" he waited for the students to calm themselves.
"And last, but certainly not least, you will encounter many new corridors during your stay here. This building is ever changing, and there are places that I, myself, have never been in. There are rooms that are extremely dangerous, and it will do you no good to go exploring," he gave an amused glance at the trio, whom each had the good grace to blush.
"Now, with the rules out of the way, I would like to introduce your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for this year. Some of you may remember, Professor Lupin," the Great Hall exploded with clapping as Lupin stood and bowed deeply, all the while smiling brightly at a shocked Harry.
"I wonder why he didn't tell us back at Grimuland Palace," Ron said, finally taking a break from eating to say a coherent sentence.
"Maybe Dumbledore asked him to keep it secret," Hermione said thoughtfully, her brain was already working a mile a minute.
"Hopefully, we're about to find out," Harry nodded towards Dumbledore, whom was walking rather slowly towards them.
"Good evening, would you three mind meeting me in my office when you have finished eating? There are matters in which I need to discuss with you," he said politely. The trio looked at each other curiously, but nodded never-the-less.
"Yes sir," Harry answered for all of them. Albus smiled at the boy and squeezed his hand lightly on Harry's shoulder.
"Barely been here an hour, and we're already being pulled into his office," Ron mumbled when the old wizard was out of ear shot.
"It must be important, seeing as how it can't wait until morning," Hermione commented.
"Maybe it has to do with what's got Malfoy sulking over there," Harry nodded in the general direction of the Slytherin table. Hermione inspected their rival carefully. He did seem off-putted. The air of arrogance that usually surrounded him was replaced by something rather heavy. It looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Not that Hermione cared, the ferret could sulk all he wanted to.
"Or maybe it has to do with joining the Order!" Ron piped up. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Give it a rest, Ron. We can't join until we're seventeen. Besides, do you really think we're ready to join the order yet?" she closed her book and stood up. The boys followed suit as they began making their way to the Headmaster's office.
"I don't see why not!" Ron argued.
"We have neither the experience nor skill to join the order right now," she said seriously.
"Says you!"
"Have you forgotten what it was like at the Department of Mysteries? We wouldn't last two seconds in a real war, Ron!" she snapped.
Harry sighed and jumped in between the two before things could come to blows. "She's right, Ron. I want to join just as bad as you, but we aren't ready. Give it another year?" he smiled at his friend. Ron gave him a small smile and a nod.
Hermione sighed. They had not been at Hogwarts for two hours, and they were already feuding. She hoped deeply that it was not a foreshadowing of what the rest of this year would hold.
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Hermione took a brief moment to take in her surroundings as everyone got settled. She sat by herself, close to the window and watched as everyone interacted with one another. Lupin and Harry seemed to be in a deep discussion, whilst Professor McGonagall was talking to an uncomfortable looking Ron. The only person left in the room was Snape, whom was standing in a dark corner, blending in rather well. Hermione wasn't even sure that the boys knew he was there.
Her gazing was cut short when he finally looked up and glared at her. She did her best to hold his gaze, but ended up looking away fairly quickly. The man could wilt flowers with that bloody stare. She could still sense his eyes on her, and she tried to ignore the holes he was boring into her skull.
"Sorry I'm late, Headmaster. Todt Cringer, a first year, had a stomach ache," Madam Pomfrey said briskly as she entered the room.
"Will he be alright?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes, of course. Just a case of first day jitters," she said promptly. The elderly healer took a seat beside Hermione, smiling at her as she did so. Hermione returned the gesture. She had always had a soft spot for the nagging witch.
"Splendid. Now that we're all here, we can begin. Remus, would you care to start?" Dumbledore asked as he stroked his beard. Lupin nodded and cleared his throat.
"Bet you guys are wondering why I'm teaching again, aren't you!" Lupin said with a smile. The trio said nothing as they nodded their heads enthusiastically. "Well, I ran into a little problem last time with the Wolfsbane potion. You see, it was still in the experimental stages back then, and wasn't as effective-"
"I thought you just forgot to take it?" Ron said ungracefully. Lupin flinched and rubbed his hand on the back of his neck in an embarrassed manner.
"Yes well, there's that too," Remus said quietly. Had he have turned around, he would have seen Severus smirking at him from his darkened corner. The werewolf cleared his throat once more before continuing. "Anyway, Professor Snape has perfected the formula, there are no serious side effects, and it is guaranteed to withstand the full night of transformation. As far as forgetting to take it, that is virtually impossible now. This," he held up his wrist to show them a small metal bracelet, "Will keep me from doing so. It is charmed to burn every month before the full moon rises, and will continue to do so until I take the potion. It is also charmed to never come off, that way I won't have to worry about putting it back on, should I take it off."
Hermione eyed the bracelet with interest, her mental wheels turning. The amount of skill a person would have to possess to create such difficult and elaborate charms was astonishing. The only person who came to mind with that amount of knowledge was Professor Flitwick. She made a mental note to pull Lupin aside later and ask him about it. She tuned herself back into the conversation at large.
"So, that means it's safe for you to teach again," Harry said with a grin. Remus shared in on the boy's smile and nodded.
"That's correct Harry, but that's not my main reason for being here," Lupin said, suddenly serious.
"Ah, that brings us to our real reason for this meeting," Dumbledore piped up from his desk. All occupants in the room focused their attention on the old man. "As you know, the Dark Lord has become increasingly stronger as of late. The time to act is quickly coming upon us. Last year's occurrence in the Department of Mysteries will not be half as dangerous as being in the actual war. You will be fighting against wizards, twice your age, and masters of the dark arts. Your current levels of dueling, war tactics, and over all knowledge of war is lacking considerably," he somehow made the harsh words sound gentle.
The room had fallen eerily silent. Severus took his time to expect the three students. The boys had gone pale, and looked forlorn; almost as if they were just hearing the news for the first time.
That made sense.
Severus had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. Had the boy wonder and his side kick really not thought things through? Potter had even gotten his Godfather killed, and he still hadn't seemed to wise up. Had they really not realized the danger they were in? Apparently not.
Dunderheads.
Miss Granger, on the other hand, had perplexed him somewhat. The girl was listening attentively, as she always did, but something about her was off. She didn't seem the least bit scared. She seemed almost angry. Interesting.
"I am not saying this to scare you. I am saying this because it is something you need to hear," Dumbledore said patronizingly. To anyone else, it would sound gentle, consoling; he knew otherwise. However, by the looks of things, Miss Granger had heard the undertone as well. Her face twisted into a sneer, much like one of his own, and she turned away.
"Fear not, as I have come up with a solution," Dumbledore said cheerfully. "These four have agreed to mentor you this year in the necessary skills you each need individually. Are you all up to this?" Albus asked. Severus held back a snort. As if they had any choice. They each nodded, Granger albeit a little stiffly.
"Very well, I'll start with you, Harry. I have invited Remus back to Hogwarts for his mentorship. He is the most adequate person to help train you in dueling. He is also the best candidate to help you control your anger, as that is one of your downfalls." He said. Harry nodded and cast a glance to Lupin, whom smiled reassuringly. "Mr. Weasley, Minerva will be your mentor."
Hermione didn't hide her smirk as Ron's eyes widened in horror. The boy was petrified of their head of house. "You have remarkable skill in strategy, as does Minerva. There are other concerns that are best suited for Minerva to coach you on, but it is best if I let her explain them to you in private." Ron audibly gulped and nodded weakly, refusing to look at the elderly Scottish woman.
"And that brings us to you, Miss Granger. I'm assigning you to Severus," the boys turned so quickly in their chairs to look at Hermione, that she was almost afraid they had given themselves whiplash. She ignored their looks of pity and tried to focus in on what the headmaster was saying.
"You are exceedingly bright for your age, as was Severus. Coming into that, there are many necessary potions that it would benefit you to know how to brew, in case of emergency. His dueling style is also well suited to yours. However, Miss Granger, I am also assigning you to Madam Pomfrey. There will be a need for a medic out on the field, should anyone not be able to get to Poppy in time. I have complete faith that you can learn the basics of healing in this course of time. I hope I have not put too much on you, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked.
"No sir, I can manage," Hermione said calmly. Dumbledore smiled brilliantly.
"Excellent! Then it is settled. Each of you will meet with your mentors in their offices, directly after lunch tomorrow. Miss Granger, you will meet with Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing. Are there any questions?" he paused and waited briefly. "Well, if that is all, I must bid you all a good night. It is far past this old man's bed time!" he joked.
No sooner had the words left Dumbledore's mouth, Snape had vanished in a dramatic flair of robes. Hermione rolled her eyes heavenward. Did the stupid bat have to be so dramatic?
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"You know, I felt bad for me, getting stuck with McGonagall and all, but bloody hell, Mione! Snape!" Ron said sympathetically. The trio was the last to occupy the common room. Hermione had quickly cast a couple of silencing charms as they settled in front of the fire to discuss their previous meeting.
"Professor Snape, Ron. And don't forget Madam Pomfrey as well. At least I won't have to spend my entire week with him," Hermione said thoughtfully.
"You're taking this rather well," Harry observed.
"Yeah, really, Mione! You should be begging Dumbledore to switch him out with someone else," Ron shook his head in pity.
"He's not that bad," she rolled her eyes at their incredulous looks. "Well I mean, yes, he is a git, but we're both going to be much too busy to actually get in a shouting match."
"Yeah sure. And I bet he won't hex you in the middle of dueling and take you to You-Know-Who either," Ron mumbled.
"Honestly, Ronald! Stop being so childish. You know Professor Snape is on our side!" Hermione hissed. She was tired of having this discussion over and over again.
"How can we be completely sure of that? If he can fool you-know-who, then what's to say he can't fool Dumbledore?" Ron argued. Hermione bit her tongue and looked to Harry for help. Harry cleared his throat, obviously uncomfortable to be placed in the middle once again.
"Come on, mate. Dumbledore says he's okay," Harry said gently. Ron turned to him, angry that he was taking Hermione's side on the matter.
"Oh? And you believe that he's on our side? No doubts at all?" he questioned. Harry looked away and was silent for a moment.
"Dumbledore trusts him, so we should too," Harry said quietly. The look he gave Ron was close to pleading. The red head sighed and looked away, though visibly still agitated.
"Yeah, all right. So, what do we tell everyone when they ask why we're spending so much time with teachers?" Ron asked. Hermione blinked in surprise. That was actually a smart question to ask.
"Obviously we cannot tell them the truth, especially when it comes to Professor Snape. I say the teachers will come up with some excuse and let us know tomorrow," Hermione said.
"I guess so," Ron said. His face grew a little more serious as he said, "Did it scare you guys? What Dumbledore said?"
"A little," Harry admitted. They looked at Hermione expectedly and she shrugged.
"It didn't scare me any more than I already am."
"Well jeez, Hermione. You make it sound like it's no big deal," Ron said, anger seeping back into his voice. Hermione scowled and leaned forward in her chair.
"I'm the one that makes it sound like it's no big deal? While you played on your broom all summer, I sat inside researching ways to help us through this bloody war. Not to mention, my parents are muggles! And does the fact that I almost died last year mean nothing to you?" she growled as she referred to the nasty hex Dolohov had hit her with at the Department of Ministries. At first glance, she was fine. It was later that they found out the curse continued breaking down tissues, and by the time she was taken to the hospital wing, it was almost too late.
"Mione' I-"
"Forget it, Ron. It's fine," she sighed, the fight draining out of her with her exhalation. "Look, it's been a long day. How about we call it a night?" She forced a smile on her face and got up. The boys agreed and uttered their 'goodnights' before quickly escaping up to the boy's dormitory. They knew not to argue with the witch when she was in a mood.
Uttering a silencing charm around her bed to drown out Lavender's snores, she flopped down, face first. Crookshanks hopped onto the middle of her back and purred wildly, happy that his master had decided to finally come to bed. "Hey there Crooks," she crooned as she turned and laid him on her stomach. She felt utterly exhausted.
She and Ron had been fighting much more than usual ever since he had begun dating Lavender last year. She wasn't really even sure why things had gotten so bitter between them. Sure, Hermione had once thought she loved him, but she now knew it was just a childish infatuation. So, why were things still so strained? She still didn't know. He was always picking fights or being snide. It aggravated her to no end, and she felt immensely bad for dragging Harry into the middle of everything. Merlin knew he had enough to think and worry about without having to play mediator.
With an exasperated sigh, Hermione rolled over and fell into a fitted sleep, not even bothering to change out of her uniform.
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Severus downed his third glass of firewhisky and briefly thanked the potion Gods for the invention of the hangover potion. He was going to need it before his first class tomorrow. Not that being hangover-free would help his mood much. To say he was angry was an understatement.
Dumbledore had purposely avoided telling him who had gotten the DADA position, and eventually he didn't care enough to ask. The moment he walked into the Great Hall and saw Lupin, he immediately knew why Albus had kept the information secret. He wasn't sure what made him angrier, the fact Dumbledore had refused to tell him like some sodden child, or the fact that he had to work with the bastard again. Either way, he knew he was livid. And to beat it all, he had to spend unwanted time with one third of the precious golden trio.
However, the Granger girl had perplexed him. She seemed to have matured past her peers by a small margin. Her attitude as the headmaster talked had amused him immensely. It seemed he wasn't the only person who knew Albus was nothing more than a manipulative old bastard.
Perhaps what perplexed him the most was her attitude towards him personally. He had expected a horrified expression when Albus said he would be one of her mentors, but her face was passive. She even gave him a slight nod in his direction. Anyone else would have been running for the hills.
He hissed as a white hot pain seared through his arm. He growled and took a rather large swig out of the firewhisky bottle before getting up to quickly gather his death eater robes and mask. With an annoyed expression, he threw a handful of floo powder into the fireplace and stuck his head through the flames.
"Albus?" he called. The older man came into view, night cap in hand.
"Have you been summoned? Already?" Dumbledore asked surprised.
"Yes, I am unsure as of why," his voice didn't portray an ounce of pain he felt from the burning mark on his arm.
"Very well. I shall wait up for you. Be careful, my dear boy," Dumbledore said as he walked away. Severus pulled his head out of the flames and made his way quickly of the castle to the front gates. Pausing only to secure his mask in place, he apparated to Malfoy Manor.
He was immediately alert when he noticed the Dark Lord and the Malfoy's were the only ones present. This was no ordinary meeting
"Ah, Severus. So glad you could join us. I was worried you would not be able to get away," the Dark Lord said from the head of the table as Severus bowed in front of him.
"It was not easy, my Lord. I am sorry I could not come sooner," he drawled. This seemed to please his master, for he smiled.
"Nonsense. Arise, my loyal spy. You are amongst friends here."
Severus stood and took a seat to the right of his master and in front of Lucius. Narcissa took a seat beside her husband, while a nervous looking Draco sat beside his Godfather. Severus glanced at his Godson through the corner of his eye. He looked unusually pale, and even though he put up a good front, he could tell the boy was utterly petrified.
"I have summoned you here, Severus, because something very important has come up. Young Draco here has decided to join our cause," the dark wizard smiled, almost affectionately, at the boy. Draco attempted a smile, but it looked more like a grimace. Severus felt his gut twist in sorrow. He wanted so much more for his Godson. He knew Draco didn't really want to join the Death Eaters, but had no real say in the matter.
"The Malfoys have asked you to be their witness to the ceremony, do you accept?" the overgrown lizard asked. Severus mentally sneered. As if he had a choice? When did he ever have a say in anything?
"Of course, my Lord," he bowed his head in mock respect.
"Excellent. Then we shall begin. Draco, come bow before your new Lord," Voldemort hissed. Draco quickly got up, and Severus was proud to see his legs quiver fearfully for only a moment before gaining control of himself. Draco kneeled and bowed his head.
"Draco Malfoy, do you swear to uphold every command I give?"
"Yes, my Lord," Draco's voice was weak and fragile.
"Will you give your life to me, in order to further our cause?"
"I will, my Lord."
"Hold out your left arm," the Dark Lord commanded. Draco did as he was told, taking time to roll his sleeve up.
"This mark is proof of the unbreakable vow you have committed to," Severus sucked in a breath at the dark magic crackling within the room, "Do you vow to serve me, and only me?"
"Yes, my Lord," Draco said quietly. The tip of Voldemort's wand grazed Draco's bare forearm, and then a bright flash of red momentarily filled the room. Severus felt a mild ache at the painful whimpers Draco released. He was surprised at how well the boy was taking the pain. Many new followers writhed in the floor wailing in agony. The boy had surprising control over his emotions. Even Lucius had howled in pain when he received his mark.
"Rise, my child. You have pleased your master tonight. Lucius, Narcissa, take your son to his bed to rest. He has earned it," Voldemort said proudly. The elder Malfoys nodded and wasted no time doing as they were told. Narcissa came to her son's side and helped him up, mindful of his still burning arm. Severus glanced at Lucius and caught his quick look of apprehension. He knew Lucius wanted to speak with him. He nodded, a bare tilt of his head, and knew that Lucius would catch the movement.
With the Malfoys gone, Voldemort turned his full attention to his spy. "What is your opinion of the Malfoy child, Severus?"
"He is very bright and competent for his age. I feel with the proper time and training he can be a valuable asset to you, my lord." Severus could feel bile rising with every word he spoke. He was setting up his own Godson to become lizard breath's own personal lap dog.
"That was much like what I was thinking. Tell me Severus, do you believe he has the capability to become a spy?"
Severus felt an intense sinking feeling in his gut. A spy? Surely he had misheard.
"I'm not sure my lord. I would have to evaluate him and see if it were possible," Severus drawled. The dark lord nodded stiffly, obviously that was not the answer he desired.
"Very well. Do so within the next couple of days and tell me your findings on our next day of meeting. However, I'm positive you can teach the boy what he needs to know. If not, I will find you at fault for his failure," he hissed warningly. Severus understood it loud and clear. If his readings came back negative, he was going to be the one punished.
"I understand, my Lord," Severus bowed his head.
"Good. This is all I wish to speak of with you tonight. I hope you do not disappoint me, Severus," the cold wizard said as he stood.
"Of course not, my Lord," Severus said humbly. Voldemort merely nodded in response before disappearing into a cloud of smoke. He took a deep breath and ran a tired hand over his face. The large antique clock chimed in the middle of the grand room, and Severus started when he realized it was nearly two in the morning. He still had to talk to Lucius, and then relay everything back to Albus before he could even think about sleeping. He groaned quietly as he stood and went to find Lucius. This was shaping up to be a long night.
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He found the blonde man pacing in the study, his golden locks flying behind him with each step. He paused briefly and gave Severus a look of apprehension before turning to continue his pacing. Severus sighed and sat in an overstuffed, expensive leather chair to wait. He knew he wouldn't speak until he was ready. So, he helped himself to the aged bourbon on the desk and settled deeper into the comfy chair.
He hadn't known how long the man had paced, but he was mildly surprised he hadn't worn down the plush carpet with his close to frantic footsteps. "Tell me Severus, what did our lord want?" Lucius asked as he continued to watch his feet move below him.
"He has taken a special interest in Draco," Severus said carefully. He watched as Lucius sighed and slipped into the chair next to him. He poured himself a drink and placed his head in his hand.
"Yes, I can tell he has something planned for my son. He has been adamant to get Draco to join the cause for weeks now. I couldn't put it off any longer. What is his intended purpose?"
"He wishes to use Draco as a spy," Severus said simply. He didn't bother to look at Lucius's surprised expression.
"Circe," Lucius cursed under his breath.
"I am to evaluate him and determine by our next meeting if he is capable."
"Surely, you will tell him Draco is not suited for the position?"
"It has been made very clear that should I find him unacceptable, it shall be viewed as my failure to train him as such," Severus looked him in the eye, his expression grave. Lucius looked away and sipped his drink.
"I see," Lucius said tiredly.
"I will do what I can," Severus said calmly. He stood and walked over to the only man he considered somewhat a friend. With a squeeze to his shoulder, Severus left the man alone to think.
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"Glad to see you are well," Albus said as he motioned for Severus to take a seat in front of his desk. "I am perplexed as to why Tom called a meeting so soon."
"It was not an actual meeting. It was an inauguration."
"For whom?"
"Draco," Severus said. He rubbed a hand through his hair- a rare sign of distress. Albus raised his eyebrows and sat back in his seat.
"Why so soon? He is not of age yet?" Albus asked.
"He intends to make him a spy."
"I see," Albus stroked his beard for a moment before replying, "And young Mister Malfoy has consented to this?"
"No, he does not yet know. I am to determine whether he has the capability or not. If he does, I am to train him. If I find him to be unsatisfactory, it will be my failure to bear," he spat. Dumbledore hummed in thought.
"What are your thoughts on this?" the elder wizard asked.
"I fear my position as a double agent will become compromised either way. Refusing to teach the boy would displease the Dark Lord, and may cause him to doubt my loyalty. If do tutor the boy, there is a strong chance he will find out my true intentions. Draco is no fool, and with the tutoring he will receive, he will quickly pick up on events that do not add up. Furthermore, where shall I find the time?" Severus sighed and tightly shut his eyes. This was getting to be too much.
Dumbledore sat back in his chair and stroked his beard in thought. "There is another solution," Dumbledore said quietly. Severus immediately grew alert at his master's tone of voice. It was the same voice that signaled he was not going to like what the old man had to say.
"Do tell," Severus said carefully.
"Would Draco be willing to trade sides?" Dumbledore asked lowly. Severus furrowed his brows.
"While I'm sure he does not want to be tied to the Dark Lord, I'm unsure as to if he would go as far to go against his parents and the Dark Lord himself. Why do you ask?" Severus asked. He already had an idea where this was going, and he could feel his anger beginning to rise.
"Should Draco be willing to switch to the side of light, he will become a double agent," Albus said. No sooner had the words left his mouth, Severus stood up and slammed both hands palms down on the old man's desk.
"No. I will not let you use my Godson like a pawn in your miserable game of chess. I will not damn him to the same life I am stuck in," Severus hissed. His voice was quiet with barely pent up rage.
"Sit down, for goodness sakes my dear boy. You're making my ulcers flair up," Dumbledore sighed. Severus growled at his demeaning manner, but sat down all the same.
"I did not say that you had to choose this option. I was merely stating another possibility. However, have you thought about what you're going to do if Draco does come to you, wanting to change sides?" Albus asked. Severus's anger calmed as the question had taken him by surprise. No, he hadn't considered that.
"Not initially. I do not foresee Draco going against his parents and the Dark Lord," Severus said. Dumbledore leaned forward with a serious expression.
"And if he does come to you wanting to change sides?" Dumbledore asked once more. Severus sighed. Obviously he hadn't said what Dumbledore had wanted to hear yet.
"What is it you want me to say?" Severus asked tiredly.
"The fact of the matter is, we are in a crucial part of this war. Another spy would give us a higher advantage. Should Mister Malfoy come to you seeking redemption, he is to become a double agent," Dumbledore said matter-of-factly.
"No, I will not allow it," Severus said sternly. Dumbledore's eyes hardened.
"It is not up to you, Severus. I will make it very clear to him that he either becomes faithful to me, or he must serve his original master."
"Tell me, Albus. If you can so easily take away a sixteen year old's free will without guilt, what makes you different from the Dark Lord, himself?" Severus asked coldly. Magic crackled in the air as Albus's anger flared.
"Enough, Severus! If it comes to that, you will do as I say," he paused and took a few deep breaths. "Now, as to what to tell the Dark Lord; I want you to agree to take Draco under your wing as a spy." Dumbledore said completely calm. His anger seemed to have dissipated within a matter of seconds. Severus narrowed his eyes. He saw right through his master's plan.
"You want me to teach Draco how to spy. You want him to find out I'm a double agent so that he will be persuaded to switch sides. That's your plan, isn't it?" Severus said without emotion.
"Clever as always," Dumbledore said with a hint of sarcasm. Severus didn't so much as flinch. He was used to his second master's manipulation. The dark professor said nothing as he stood and walked to the door.
"I will do as you say, only due to the oaths that bind me," Severus said, his back turned to Dumbledore. "It's a game to you, isn't it Albus? Playing with the lives you hold in your hands, you truly see no wrong in your actions?"
"My dear boy, who has time for remorse when you're at war?" Dumbledore called tiredly over his shoulder as he disappeared to his chambers.
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Severus collapsed onto his bed, not bothering to even take his boots off. He had a little over an hour before he had to get up and get ready for his first class. He rubbed his burning eyes and cursed. He was at his wits end, and he had only been back to the damned castle for a day.
His mind was a jumbled up mess, which angered the man greatly; he had always prided himself on his extensive concentration skills. He grunted and rolled onto his back. After a moment of calming silence, he felt his eyelids get heavy and his breathing slow down.
"Damn you, Albus," he muttered before giving into his exhaustion and allowing himself to sleep.
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1.) Well, there it is! What did you think? Interesting so far?
2.) If you find any grammar mistakes, please let me know…It's two in the morning, so my grammar skills may not be on the highest level, lol.
3.) As always, I am very open to criticism, and love reviews!