Disclaimer : None of this is mine. It all belongs to J.K Rowling and I love her for it.
Severus awoke the next morning feel refreshed and exuberant after a nice long sleep; lying next to the one man he loved the most. He sat up and looked down at the sleeping Voldemort, with a very small smile. One finger lingered on the Dark Lord's cheek, smoothing along the skin, feeling for any blemishes. There were not any at all.
The Dark Lord's face wasn't ugly once you got used to it, yet it wasn't stunningly beautiful. Like Severus. That's how he would be described in the normal way of things, probably average. He would hate for Voldemort to be stunningly handsome, he'd feel as though he was below the Dark Lord, not equal, as he often liked to portray.
Voldemort turned over, and sighed, his head was very close to Severus's own head. There was silence for a while, and Severus could not help to stare at the face in front of him. His thoughts were broken when the sleepy Dark Lord spoke. "Stop staring at me, you horrible brat."
Severus's lip curled. "It is hard not to when you are right in front of me," he replied indignantly. One of Voldemort's eyes snapped open. It was hard to tell if it was meant to be a glare, but Severus supposed it was. "Do not make me turn over. You are so lovely to look at." Voldemort opened his other eye, smirked, and shut them again.
"You are quite strange, really, Severus," he said, but his tone was softer.
Severus smiled. "That is why you love me," he replied, trying not to laugh. He stretched, and yawned. "Voldemort, should be getting up now."
Voldemort's response was unpredictable; he pulled the covers over his head and burrowed down below them. "You are not my mother, Severus," he muttered. Severus smirked, and followed him under covers. Voldemort put one arm around Severus's waist and pulled him closer, for a very welcomed good morning kiss. They emerged several minutes later, ready to get up for the day.
"When are you going to the Order meeting?" Voldemort asked over their breakfast of toast and bacon.
Severus shrugged. "Whenever you are busy, I would hate to be in the way of you," he replied.
Voldemort smirked, and leant over the table to kiss Severus on the lips. "You shall go when it is best for you, Severus Snape."
Severus raised an eyebrow. Truthfully, he would rather not go anywhere, and he'd rather that Voldemort didn't want him to go either, but he knew he'd have to in the end. Half an hour later he apparated at the bottom of Grimmauld Place, and made his way up to number 12. With a sigh, he opened the door and entered. It was dark in there, and silent. He shuddered. He was about to see Sirius Black once more, in his own territory. He opened the next door, and followed to where he could hear voices.
It was the kitchen, Molly Weasley, Remus Lupin, someone with bubble-gum pink hair (Severus guessed it was Tonks) and most annoyingly, Sirius Black. Severus smirked around, and entered the kitchen, shutting the door behind him.
"Dumbledore told me there was a meeting today," he said coldly, mostly to Remus.
"There is," Sirius snapped; the look of hatred in his eyes adamant. Severus's eyes were just the same. "In half an hour, though I don't know why you're asking."
Severus's lip curled further. "I happen to be playing one of the key roles in this war, Black. What are you doing?" he sneered. Sirius muttered something about 'giving up houses', but shoved past Severus to escape from something that was obviously getting to him. Severus smirked. "Lupin, show me where the meeting hall is, please?" he asked.
Remus Lupin stood up, begrudgingly, and led Severus into the hall. "You shouldn't be so hard on Sirius," he said softly.
Severus laughed coldly. "I have a reason to hate him; he has no reason to hate me, you of all people should know that."
Remus simply shrugged. "Being with Voldemort does seem to be getting to you, Severus. Maybe you should ask for a break," he said lightly.
Severus rolled his eyes and sat down at the table. "Someone in my position doesn't get a break," he said sneering more then ever. "A Death Eater can never relax, especially one like me- a disloyal one."
Remus raised an eyebrow. "You should have considered that when you became a Death Eater."
"You should have considered doing something about my problems at school," Severus continued, his smirk changing in a blink of an eye into a scowl.
"What makes you think I didn't try to?" Remus muttered. Severus heard him easily. There was dead silence in the room. Lupin turned and walked towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Severus asked, trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice.
"I think Molly wants me," Remus replied, not turning around. The door clicked shut behind him.
"You'd better thank me for this," Severus spoke upwards, thinking with some satisfaction that maybe Remus understood some of his reasons for becoming a Death Eater a bit more now.
Even if they were not his real reasons.
Severus smirked.
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Upon being invited into the Malfoy's Parlour in their beautiful Mansion, Severus greeted Lucius politely, as was required. When they were both seated, with a glass of wine in hand, Severus continued with the real reasons behind his visit.
"So, the Dark Lord is back," he started, unsure as how to start the conversation. The blonde was unfazed.
"Indeed, and restored to his former self indefinitely." Lucius smirked, one eyebrow quirked. "I take it you are in his same esteem?" Lucius was the only Death Eater that officially knew of Severus and Voldemort's relationship, and he'd done them the honour of keeping it quiet and quashing all rumours, as was his speciality.
"Of course, though for a moment I doubted he would take me back," Severus replied.
"I knew he would the moment you entered the room," said Lucius, in a moment of losing his ice front, he smiled. "He cares deeply for you, even if he will not show it."
"He shows it sometimes." He paused, not sure whether he should tell his old friend the news. "Lucius, I asked the Dark Lord if he would be bonded to me, and he said he would, when the war is over and if we win."
Lucius nodded. "We will win this war Severus, as long as we can all keep this pretence up." Severus nodded as well.
"I can," was his cold reply.
Severus soon left the Malfoy's, feeling the mark on his arm twinge slightly.
When he got back to the Dark Lord's manor, he was greeted in the normal cool demure.
"How was the meeting?" Voldemort asked, with one eyebrow raised.
"Shockingly boring, my Lord."
"You knew it would be, Snape" Voldemort remarked softly. "What are they planning?"
Severus shrugged lightly. "They were more interested in making sure everyone knew all about what everyone else is doing, but as I have been there every time it has been discussed, I knew it all."
"So?" Voldemort snapped impatiently.
"They are checking on what we are doing first, which is where I came in. I told them that you are aiming, at the moment, to break the ten out of Azkaban and get the Prophecy; only I haven't been told when." Severus sighed. "Lupin is going back to the Werewolves, he is trying to get back in with Fenrir Greyback and his lot again- we need to get them back on our-"
"Let me arrange all that," Voldemort cut in. "You have done enough for me as it is, and in the end you will get your reward." He stepped closer to Severus, and put one hand in the younger mans hair, gently caressing it. "And I will get mine."
"I hope that is me you are talking about…" Severus whispered, almost seductively. Voldemort kissed the Potions Master on the lips, very briefly.
"There is no one else I would prefer." There was silence for a while. "I have a job for you tomorrow."
"What?" asked Severus; almost dreading the answer.
"I need a… well, I need a strengthening potion." Voldemort turned and walked away, he obviously hadn't wanted to ask for one. He sat down on his arm chair by the fire, and poured himself a glass of wine.
"Why?" Severus replied warily, turning to face him.
"I'm not as strong as I used to be, yet. I am worried I will loose all of my powers once more." There was an awkward pause.
"I will start work first thing," Severus said firmly, breaking the silence, for which Voldemort was glad of. The thought of loosing the Dark Lord again worried him.
"Not a word to anyone…"
Severus walked over to where Voldemort was sitting, and sat just in front of him, leaning against the Dark Lord's legs. "When have I ever told anyone your secrets?" he asked. Voldemort smiled.
"You are my secret…" He lent forwards, and kissed the top of Severus's head. Severus couldn't help himself, he stood back up and sat with his knees either side of Voldemort's, facing the Dark Lord. "My favourite secret."
"I should hope so," Severus replied gently. "You have enough."
"Indeed, and most of them I have not managed to conceal from you." He gently stroked Severus's hair, and gentle smile crossing his thin lips.
"But does that not make me special?" said Severus, smoothly. He wanted to hear from the Dark Lord that he was special, which would make him feel better about his position. Voldemort probably knew that, and wouldn't respond in the way Severus wanted.
"Special? No." Voldemort's smile grew. "It makes you a nosy brat who should control his curiosity." Severus knew he didn't mean it all the way, though he suspected it meant Voldemort told Severus more then he ever wanted to, and couldn't help doing so.
Severus simply nodded. "I agree there." He looked at Voldemort carefully, and then leant forwards, so he was resting his head on his Master's chest. The Dark Lord's cold hands found their way into Severus's hair, stroking and caressing.
"You are tired," said Voldemort suddenly stiff. It was a simple statement, but Severus felt how tense the Dark Lord was below him. Was that because he was uncomfortable, or because he didn't like Severus on his lap?
"Yes, I am," Severus admitted, and went to move back. Voldemort stopped him by putting one arm around the Potion Master's neck.
"Do not go," Voldemort said quietly. Severus stopped moving, and laid his head back down again, feeling calmer. The hands continued to stroke his hair, gently and almost lovingly. "Did you see Black?"
Severus nodded. "We did not fight that much, considering…" He smiled at his Master. Sirius really wasn't anything to him- apart from a great hate, probably one of the biggest he possessed.
"Why do you hate him so much?" Voldemort asked, his eyes covered in a black misty haze. Curious, or angry?
Severus shuddered slightly, and buried his face in Voldemort's chest. He knew he'd have to tell his Master why, but at the same time he didn't want to. When the fingers in his hair stilled, he pulled his face back, quickly. "Just school, my Lord." There was a sudden change, Master wanted to know, servant couldn't find the words to explain.
"What do you mean, Severus?" he snapped, and then regretted saying it in the way he had. He'd simply wanted to know what had made Severus the man he was, the Death Eater he was.
Severus flinched. "We always used to fight a lot… His best friends were Potter, Lupin and…" He wondered if his Master knew who his servant, the one that had brought him back to life, was best friends with Sirius Black.
"Wormtail, I know." Silence.
"Well, anyway, they never like me…" He trailed off. "I think you know now, either way," he whispered. Surely the Dark Lord could pick that up easily enough. And he didn't want to talk about it.
"Yes." More silence. A very tense silence, with only sounds from the fire, and wind outside. "I will not bring it up again." Severus felt a rush of warm gratitude towards the Dark Lord, welling up inside him, and spreading.
"Thank you," Severus said very quietly, and moved up for a kiss on the lips. He received a half hearted kiss at first, but it soon turned into a passion filled embrace.
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Severus was present when the Dark Lord met with the werewolf for the first time since his downfall. Fenrir Greyback was one of the most ruthless and evil werewolves around and even went as far as to killing people before full moon, rising some as werewolves, ending the lives of others. He wasn't about to be submitting to the Dark Lord as a servant, which made things sometimes hard for them.
"Lord Voldemort," came the greeting from Greyback as he entered the room. He was dressed in black leather trousers, and a leather jacket, which from a distance looked fairly alright, but up close was stained with blood and varying other substances. He was tall, muscular, with long, yellowing finger nails and teeth. His eyes were blood shot, and he had a mass of untamed black hair, sticking up in all sorts of different directions. "Ahh, and Severus Snape, I can see you two are sticking together, just like old times."
Severus often wondered in Fenrir did know about their relationship, the werewolf had always been good at working things of this sort out. "Indeed," said Voldemort, not looking in the slightest bit disgruntled or angry. Severus knew what was best to do - stay silent. "I take it you are still going to be fighting for my cause," the Dark Lord said suddenly.
Fenrir shot the Dark Lord a dark look. "And I suppose you think I could find it within myself to join the Order of the Phoenix?"
"One can never be too sure," Voldemort replied quickly. "Well then, have you any questions to ask me?" Severus knew exactly what Greyback was going to ask for. He allowed the smallest hint of a smirk to touch his face.
"How much am I going to get for this?" Fenrir snapped, spotting Severus's smile. Severus got rid of it, but inwardly laughed. That was, indeed, predictable.
"What we agreed on last time," Voldemort replied crisply.
"That was fourteen years ago - " Fenrir began, but Voldemort cut him off smoothly.
"Take it or leave it, I have not become richer in the fourteen years of my demise." He stood up, and wandered towards the window. The sun was rapidly setting, creating a glorious pink, purple and blue sunset, streaked with silver and gold light. Severus could almost hear Greyback thinking.
"Alright, I'll take it," the werewolf hissed, clearly furious, turned, and slammed the door behind him as he left. Severus could see him hopping down the drive in his usual fashion.
There was a satisfied smile on the Dark Lord's face. "That saved me a fortune," he said to no one in particular.
"He knows, Voldemort," said Severus softly. "Keep him happy, otherwise my position is destroyed."
"Stop worrying," Voldemort told the Potions Master harshly. "Fenrir knows his place."
Severus wasn't convinced.
