Title: Snape's Betrayal
Author: Stardrops
Genre: Adventure/Action
Rating: PG 13 : There will be violence and murder, so I've got a high rating just as a precaution.
Summary: Severus must conceal his treachery and continue to assist the Dark Lord. While Dumbledore remains oblivious to this treason, people are dying. Can Harry and his friends purge the world of Voldemort's evil forever?
Disclaimer: Everything you recognize is J K Rowlings, the rest belongs to me. Which isn't much.
Chapter One: The Beginning
At Number 12, Grimmauld Place, Albus Dumbledore sat around the wooden table with the other members of the Order of The Phoenix.
"Where is Severus?" grunted Alastor Moody, asking out of mere curiosity rather than concern.
Dumbledore held his head high and lifted his chin as he prepared for another small battle about the merits of his spy. He knew his views were not shared by the rest of the Order on this matter. "He is fulfilling his duties."
Molly Weasley looked slightly perplexed. "Albus, I know we have been through this countless times, but I really must ask you again, are you absolutely sure we can trust him?"
Dumbledore exhaled somewhat impatiently. "Yes, Molly, as we have discussed. Severus has proved his worth to me, and I value his service as much as I value yours. He has been giving us much information that we will need if we ever want to overthrow Voldemort."
Arthur Weasley looked down at his hands, folded neatly on the tabletop. "He is gifted in Occlumency?" He dared not look up.
Albus surveyed him through slightly narrowed eyes. He sighed. "I know none of you trust him, but he is worthy of your support. He is valuable to our cause, and I wish you all would trust my judgement. Have I led you astray yet?"
The table was silent.
It was bitterly, immeasurably cold in the mansion, but Severus ground his teeth and willed his limbs to walk him further. His footsteps echoed eerily in the dark, damp hallway of the seemingly deserted mansion. As he entered a room to his right, he blinked as the sudden light from the fire hit his eyes. An armchair was seated in front of the fire, and the person sitting in it swung around to see him as he entered the room.
Severus bowed his head deeply. "My Lord."
The other man got to his feet and moved to stand in front of Severus. His glowing red eyes shone spookily in the dark room, and Severus felt a chill run down his spine as his mind was dissected by the older, taller man.
Lord Voldemort nodded at length and returned to the chair. "You may enter, Severus." It was a mark of how important Severus was to the Death Eaters that Lord Voldemort referred to him by his first, rather than last name.
"Have you learned anything more?"
Severus stood awkwardly to one side. "Nothing of great value, my lord. Though, I have reason to believe they have appointed another spy inside the network. They know where your secret position is located, and have sent me here to spy on you."
Lord Voldemort drew breath in harsh, raspy irritation. "You did not tell them?"
"Of course not."
Rising from his chair, Voldemort paced the room. "Well, we cannot move to another location yet, if they have more spies here." He whirled to face the other man, who blanched at the sudden movement. "You know not who it is?" he whispered menacingly.
Severus shook his head thoughtfully. "They've not told me much. I returned for two nights and they sent me off again."
Voldemort hissed in dissatisfaction. "I shall have to spend more time with the 'loyal' Death Eaters. It had better not be one of them turning traitorous."
Severus nodded thoughtfully. "What is your command for me now?"
Voldemort thought for a moment, staring blankly into the fire's flaming embers. "I want you to return to Hogwarts, Severus."
Severus blinked, certain he'd heard wrong. "I beg your pardon, my lord?"
"You will have to return to Hogwarts, Snape," Voldemort said, not looking at him but rather still staring thoughtfully into the fire. "I shall need your information from what Dumbledore and the children are saying and doing while in school."
Severus was dumbfounded. "But I thought you needed my service in the Order's headquarters?"
Lord Voldemort broke into an evil grin. "I will find someone else to fill that post til you have finished the school year again. In the meantime, you must go back to Dumbledore and tell him you wish to return to the school to help with the Potter boy."
"I have already told him I wish to resign from my post as a Potions teacher. What if he has filled the post?" Severus asked, knowing this would be a fruitless question. When Lord Voldemort asks you to do something, you do it no matter how difficult the process is.
Voldemort turned his cold, emotionless eyes towards Severus, who recoiled slightly under the unwavering gaze. "You shall have to come up with something. Anything. He must take you back into Hogwarts. You are needed there."
Severus gritted his teeth together. If there was anything he hated, it was having to crawl to people. Asking for his job back was going to be nothing short of excruciating. He hovered for a moment, unsure of whether or not he could go.
"You may leave now, Severus. I wish to be alone."
Severus nodded, jerked his head forward in a bow and left the room.
Lord Voldemort sat quietly and motionless in his armchair. "And we shall strike them soon," he said to himself softly.
Dumbledore was waiting for him back at the Headquarters, as though he knew what Severus was about to ask. "You wish to return to Hogwarts to teach?"
Severus nodded. "I believe my service would be better at school. I can keep surveillance on the Potter boy and his friends. I have reason to believe they are in great danger." His face was serious and his voice somewhat warning.
Dumbledore leaned forward slightly, beckoning Snape forward. "What has he told you?" he asked sharply.
Severus chewed his lip thoughtfully. "He says that he is going to lure Potter out of school and into his domains, where he will duel with him. He has sent me to the Headquarters to spy, I believe I would be better off in the school."
Dumbledore frowned. "Won't he ask why you are teaching instead of spying?"
"If I tell him you were unable to fill the place and asked me back, he will think I returned because it would otherwise look suspicious. He need never know."
Dumbledore nodded. "Very well, Severus. You may return to Hogwarts. But first, is there anything else he has said that the Order should be aware of?"
Severus noticed the clear eyes looking deep into his own and knew his mind was being searched. His skills in Occlumency were valuable in situations such as these, but with such a powerful mind as Dumbledore had, it was sometimes a struggle to concentrate on the parts of Voldemort's plan that Dumbledore was supposed to know.
He concentrated on the cover-up story he and Lucius had worked out together with Voldemort. Dumbledore seemed satisfied with what Severus's mind was showing him and nodded Severus from the room.
As he entered the hallway, Severus uttered a sigh of relief. His under- cover work was difficult at most times, but when he was alone with Dumbledore, it was by far the most testing. He could tell that his mind would be searched at the most random moments, and it was disconcerting to have to constantly be on your guard.
Returning to his room, he began to pack ready to return to Hogwarts with the rest in two days. He'd need to return to Voldemort first, and tell him of the new arrangements. He knew that this meant he would be the most valuable of Voldemort's followers, and he was pleased with this ranking. But getting to this position had required hard work, far harder than he'd ever imagined when he'd first agreed to be in the Death Eaters on his eighteenth birthday. This new task he was being set was going to be harder still. But once the Potter boy was dead – and he would be – Severus would be the most celebrated of the Death Eaters.
And that was a very encouraging thought.
Lucius was with Voldemort when Severus returned the next day. "What new do you bring?" hissed Voldemort, his eyes alive and interested at the return of his Death Eater.
Severus bowed as he entered the room and then walked to stand opposite Lucius in from of Voldemort. "He has agreed to take me back on. He thinks I will help protect the Potter boy."
Voldemort omitted a hiss that was as evil as a laugh can be. Lucius smiled also.
"Well done, Severus," Lord Voldemort whispered. He twisted his face into a grotesque smile and added, "If you continue to serve me so well, we shall find a place of higher ranking than a Death Eater."
Severus's heart leapt and he bowed once more. "My lord, I exist only to serve you."
Voldemort nodded and turned to Lucius. "Now, Malfoy has brought us some interesting news. Tell him, Lucius."
Lucius flicked his grey eyes in Severus's direction. "We've a traitor on our side. Someone is passing information to Dumbledore from our center."
Voldemort leaned closer to Severus. "Any idea who it could be?" he breathed. "One of your fellow Death Eaters been mingling with Dumbledore's followers?" He leaned back and barked, "Don't stand there silently, Severus, tell me what you have seen!"
Snape shook his head wildly. "I've seen nothing that could be described as suspicious. You've so many people doing tasks that only they and you can know about, it is difficult to know who should not be there."
Voldemort considered this. "You speak truthfully. But tell me, who was at the Headquarters when you were there yesterday?"
Severus cocked his head to one side as he racked his memory.
"There was Dumbledore, of course, the members of the Order and the Potter boy with his friends."
Lucius stepped in. "Who were the friends Potter was with?"
Snape frowned. "Oh.........Granger, Weasley and another girl. I think her name was Lisa – no – maybe Lorna? I cannot remember."
Voldemort's eyes blazed red and he looked so fiercely angry that both Lucius and Severus crumpled to the floor to bow low before their master.
"Luna?" he hissed angrily.
Snape lifted his head. "Yes, my lord. I believe so."
He jerked his head back irritably. "Get up. I did not ask you to examine the floor, look at me when I am speaking."
The two men immediately got to their feet and fixed their gazes on Voldemorts pale but angry face.
"The Lovegood child was there. Was her father there?" Voldemort murmured.
Snape shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Not that I saw. But it is a very big house, and I was not there for very long. Anyone could have been in the bedrooms without coming down to dinner."
Voldemort's face coiled into an evil smirk. "I think we've found the traitor." He turned to Lucius, his commanding voice back. "Bring me Lovegood." He looked to Severus. "Leave the girl be for the time being. We shall deal with her when the time is right."
Lucius nodded and left the room after bowing low. Severus was about to follow suit when Voldemort spoke again. "You cannot return to me often during the school term, Severus. Dumbledore will know something is going on. I shall call for you once every three weeks. If you have desperate need to speak with me, tell Lucius or someone else and they will relay the message to me."
He seemed to relax, his body appearing frail and old as he let out a breath of air in a long, cold hiss. "You may leave."
Severus nodded and left.
As he walked down the hall to return to the Order, he stopped beside Lucius. "Will you come when I call you?" he asked the blonde man.
"If I can. If not, give me an hour. I shall make my excuses and come as quickly as I may."
Severus nodded and left the building.
As Voldemort watched his Death Eaters carry out his plan, he grinned with a sadistic, evil smirk.
Everything was going his way again.
A/N: There, we have an evil Snape. He will not go soft. He will remain evil. This was written on request from Evil Pilgrim, so I very much hope you enjoy, Mousie! Anyone else who is reading this, I would welcome your comments very gladly.
Author: Stardrops
Genre: Adventure/Action
Rating: PG 13 : There will be violence and murder, so I've got a high rating just as a precaution.
Summary: Severus must conceal his treachery and continue to assist the Dark Lord. While Dumbledore remains oblivious to this treason, people are dying. Can Harry and his friends purge the world of Voldemort's evil forever?
Disclaimer: Everything you recognize is J K Rowlings, the rest belongs to me. Which isn't much.
Chapter One: The Beginning
At Number 12, Grimmauld Place, Albus Dumbledore sat around the wooden table with the other members of the Order of The Phoenix.
"Where is Severus?" grunted Alastor Moody, asking out of mere curiosity rather than concern.
Dumbledore held his head high and lifted his chin as he prepared for another small battle about the merits of his spy. He knew his views were not shared by the rest of the Order on this matter. "He is fulfilling his duties."
Molly Weasley looked slightly perplexed. "Albus, I know we have been through this countless times, but I really must ask you again, are you absolutely sure we can trust him?"
Dumbledore exhaled somewhat impatiently. "Yes, Molly, as we have discussed. Severus has proved his worth to me, and I value his service as much as I value yours. He has been giving us much information that we will need if we ever want to overthrow Voldemort."
Arthur Weasley looked down at his hands, folded neatly on the tabletop. "He is gifted in Occlumency?" He dared not look up.
Albus surveyed him through slightly narrowed eyes. He sighed. "I know none of you trust him, but he is worthy of your support. He is valuable to our cause, and I wish you all would trust my judgement. Have I led you astray yet?"
The table was silent.
It was bitterly, immeasurably cold in the mansion, but Severus ground his teeth and willed his limbs to walk him further. His footsteps echoed eerily in the dark, damp hallway of the seemingly deserted mansion. As he entered a room to his right, he blinked as the sudden light from the fire hit his eyes. An armchair was seated in front of the fire, and the person sitting in it swung around to see him as he entered the room.
Severus bowed his head deeply. "My Lord."
The other man got to his feet and moved to stand in front of Severus. His glowing red eyes shone spookily in the dark room, and Severus felt a chill run down his spine as his mind was dissected by the older, taller man.
Lord Voldemort nodded at length and returned to the chair. "You may enter, Severus." It was a mark of how important Severus was to the Death Eaters that Lord Voldemort referred to him by his first, rather than last name.
"Have you learned anything more?"
Severus stood awkwardly to one side. "Nothing of great value, my lord. Though, I have reason to believe they have appointed another spy inside the network. They know where your secret position is located, and have sent me here to spy on you."
Lord Voldemort drew breath in harsh, raspy irritation. "You did not tell them?"
"Of course not."
Rising from his chair, Voldemort paced the room. "Well, we cannot move to another location yet, if they have more spies here." He whirled to face the other man, who blanched at the sudden movement. "You know not who it is?" he whispered menacingly.
Severus shook his head thoughtfully. "They've not told me much. I returned for two nights and they sent me off again."
Voldemort hissed in dissatisfaction. "I shall have to spend more time with the 'loyal' Death Eaters. It had better not be one of them turning traitorous."
Severus nodded thoughtfully. "What is your command for me now?"
Voldemort thought for a moment, staring blankly into the fire's flaming embers. "I want you to return to Hogwarts, Severus."
Severus blinked, certain he'd heard wrong. "I beg your pardon, my lord?"
"You will have to return to Hogwarts, Snape," Voldemort said, not looking at him but rather still staring thoughtfully into the fire. "I shall need your information from what Dumbledore and the children are saying and doing while in school."
Severus was dumbfounded. "But I thought you needed my service in the Order's headquarters?"
Lord Voldemort broke into an evil grin. "I will find someone else to fill that post til you have finished the school year again. In the meantime, you must go back to Dumbledore and tell him you wish to return to the school to help with the Potter boy."
"I have already told him I wish to resign from my post as a Potions teacher. What if he has filled the post?" Severus asked, knowing this would be a fruitless question. When Lord Voldemort asks you to do something, you do it no matter how difficult the process is.
Voldemort turned his cold, emotionless eyes towards Severus, who recoiled slightly under the unwavering gaze. "You shall have to come up with something. Anything. He must take you back into Hogwarts. You are needed there."
Severus gritted his teeth together. If there was anything he hated, it was having to crawl to people. Asking for his job back was going to be nothing short of excruciating. He hovered for a moment, unsure of whether or not he could go.
"You may leave now, Severus. I wish to be alone."
Severus nodded, jerked his head forward in a bow and left the room.
Lord Voldemort sat quietly and motionless in his armchair. "And we shall strike them soon," he said to himself softly.
Dumbledore was waiting for him back at the Headquarters, as though he knew what Severus was about to ask. "You wish to return to Hogwarts to teach?"
Severus nodded. "I believe my service would be better at school. I can keep surveillance on the Potter boy and his friends. I have reason to believe they are in great danger." His face was serious and his voice somewhat warning.
Dumbledore leaned forward slightly, beckoning Snape forward. "What has he told you?" he asked sharply.
Severus chewed his lip thoughtfully. "He says that he is going to lure Potter out of school and into his domains, where he will duel with him. He has sent me to the Headquarters to spy, I believe I would be better off in the school."
Dumbledore frowned. "Won't he ask why you are teaching instead of spying?"
"If I tell him you were unable to fill the place and asked me back, he will think I returned because it would otherwise look suspicious. He need never know."
Dumbledore nodded. "Very well, Severus. You may return to Hogwarts. But first, is there anything else he has said that the Order should be aware of?"
Severus noticed the clear eyes looking deep into his own and knew his mind was being searched. His skills in Occlumency were valuable in situations such as these, but with such a powerful mind as Dumbledore had, it was sometimes a struggle to concentrate on the parts of Voldemort's plan that Dumbledore was supposed to know.
He concentrated on the cover-up story he and Lucius had worked out together with Voldemort. Dumbledore seemed satisfied with what Severus's mind was showing him and nodded Severus from the room.
As he entered the hallway, Severus uttered a sigh of relief. His under- cover work was difficult at most times, but when he was alone with Dumbledore, it was by far the most testing. He could tell that his mind would be searched at the most random moments, and it was disconcerting to have to constantly be on your guard.
Returning to his room, he began to pack ready to return to Hogwarts with the rest in two days. He'd need to return to Voldemort first, and tell him of the new arrangements. He knew that this meant he would be the most valuable of Voldemort's followers, and he was pleased with this ranking. But getting to this position had required hard work, far harder than he'd ever imagined when he'd first agreed to be in the Death Eaters on his eighteenth birthday. This new task he was being set was going to be harder still. But once the Potter boy was dead – and he would be – Severus would be the most celebrated of the Death Eaters.
And that was a very encouraging thought.
Lucius was with Voldemort when Severus returned the next day. "What new do you bring?" hissed Voldemort, his eyes alive and interested at the return of his Death Eater.
Severus bowed as he entered the room and then walked to stand opposite Lucius in from of Voldemort. "He has agreed to take me back on. He thinks I will help protect the Potter boy."
Voldemort omitted a hiss that was as evil as a laugh can be. Lucius smiled also.
"Well done, Severus," Lord Voldemort whispered. He twisted his face into a grotesque smile and added, "If you continue to serve me so well, we shall find a place of higher ranking than a Death Eater."
Severus's heart leapt and he bowed once more. "My lord, I exist only to serve you."
Voldemort nodded and turned to Lucius. "Now, Malfoy has brought us some interesting news. Tell him, Lucius."
Lucius flicked his grey eyes in Severus's direction. "We've a traitor on our side. Someone is passing information to Dumbledore from our center."
Voldemort leaned closer to Severus. "Any idea who it could be?" he breathed. "One of your fellow Death Eaters been mingling with Dumbledore's followers?" He leaned back and barked, "Don't stand there silently, Severus, tell me what you have seen!"
Snape shook his head wildly. "I've seen nothing that could be described as suspicious. You've so many people doing tasks that only they and you can know about, it is difficult to know who should not be there."
Voldemort considered this. "You speak truthfully. But tell me, who was at the Headquarters when you were there yesterday?"
Severus cocked his head to one side as he racked his memory.
"There was Dumbledore, of course, the members of the Order and the Potter boy with his friends."
Lucius stepped in. "Who were the friends Potter was with?"
Snape frowned. "Oh.........Granger, Weasley and another girl. I think her name was Lisa – no – maybe Lorna? I cannot remember."
Voldemort's eyes blazed red and he looked so fiercely angry that both Lucius and Severus crumpled to the floor to bow low before their master.
"Luna?" he hissed angrily.
Snape lifted his head. "Yes, my lord. I believe so."
He jerked his head back irritably. "Get up. I did not ask you to examine the floor, look at me when I am speaking."
The two men immediately got to their feet and fixed their gazes on Voldemorts pale but angry face.
"The Lovegood child was there. Was her father there?" Voldemort murmured.
Snape shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Not that I saw. But it is a very big house, and I was not there for very long. Anyone could have been in the bedrooms without coming down to dinner."
Voldemort's face coiled into an evil smirk. "I think we've found the traitor." He turned to Lucius, his commanding voice back. "Bring me Lovegood." He looked to Severus. "Leave the girl be for the time being. We shall deal with her when the time is right."
Lucius nodded and left the room after bowing low. Severus was about to follow suit when Voldemort spoke again. "You cannot return to me often during the school term, Severus. Dumbledore will know something is going on. I shall call for you once every three weeks. If you have desperate need to speak with me, tell Lucius or someone else and they will relay the message to me."
He seemed to relax, his body appearing frail and old as he let out a breath of air in a long, cold hiss. "You may leave."
Severus nodded and left.
As he walked down the hall to return to the Order, he stopped beside Lucius. "Will you come when I call you?" he asked the blonde man.
"If I can. If not, give me an hour. I shall make my excuses and come as quickly as I may."
Severus nodded and left the building.
As Voldemort watched his Death Eaters carry out his plan, he grinned with a sadistic, evil smirk.
Everything was going his way again.
A/N: There, we have an evil Snape. He will not go soft. He will remain evil. This was written on request from Evil Pilgrim, so I very much hope you enjoy, Mousie! Anyone else who is reading this, I would welcome your comments very gladly.