Disclaimer: I make no profit from this. Severus Snape and all other characters do not belong to me. Eleanor however, is mine.

Chapter 11-Payback

Eleanor and Lord Voldemort were married the very same night.

Eleanor had been shocked and horrified when Voldemort spoke of his plans. Lucius had reacted much the same. He tried to talk his Lord out of his ludicrous idea for hours until finally he had been punished with Crucio for his second guessing.

Eleanor knew better than to question the decisions Voldemort made. Though she knew this would be the ultimate betrayal her plan to free Severus had taken on a new light and she planned to follow it through.

She was close to shaking when Voldemort turned away from Lucius to look at her.

"Why do you want to marry me?" she asked curiously.

He watched her closely seeking the reason behind her question. When he was satisfied that it was born merely out of curiosity he gave his answer.

"I see in you an ally Eleanor. You have astounding power in you, whether you have tapped into it yet or not. You, my dear, are a fitting mate for the world's most powerful wizard."

Eleanor nodded, "I will marry you." She said as if she had a choice. Even as she spoke she could feel herself becoming more his equal than his servant. "I will, but I have one request."

His red eyes glittered for a moment before softening a shade, "Which is?"

"If we are to be man and wife I will not call you Lord Voldemort. I will call you by your given name or another that you choose."

It was a dangerous thing to say but somehow Eleanor knew that if she didn't assert herself in some way now he would be disappointed.

It took a large amount of self control for Voldemort not to kill the young woman in front of him. Finally he seethed, "My dear, don't you wish to be known as Lady Voldemort?"

"I doubt you would be willing to share that title and I would never ask you to. You worked hard to become who you are and you shouldn't share that with anyone."

Eleanor knew he was pleased with her answer when he smiled, "You, dear Eleanor, may call me Thomas. You and you alone."

It had been six months since Eleanor had gotten married and in those six months she had seen countless horrors. She was always present when the Death Eaters gathered and she never left her husbands side. In doing that she was forced to witness innocents being tortured, raped, and killed and other things which she cared not to remember. It was when the Death Eaters and even her husband turned on to one of their own that she was happy Severus was safely locked up in Azkaban. It would have killed her to see him being tortured by his own kind.

Remarkably Thomas never had her join in on the festivities. She was only required to sit beside him and observe. She knew it wasn't because she was a woman. Bellatrix participated frequently and enjoyed every moment.

No, she knew that he was holding her back for something special. Something that, to him, would be well worth the wait. Eleanor shuddered to think what it was.

Watching Bellatrix move into the center of the room to circle her victim Eleanor sighed. Dear Bella was becoming a problem. Never one to conceal her love for her Dark Lord, Bella had been devastated when she heard that he had married Eleanor. She screamed in her rooms for hours cursing anyone who came within striking distance. It took her days to calm down. And when she finally did Eleanor knew that she had made another enemy. Whenever Bella looked at her Eleanor could practically hear her sending the killing curse towards her in her mind. Bella wanted her dead.

Eleanor knew that she would have to deal with her. She just wasn't sure how to go about it. She was still a loyal Death Eater and Thomas was fond of her. Eleanor was contemplating how to make it look like an accident when she heard her name called.

She looked up to see Thomas beckoning her closer. She stood up at went to his side overlooking the room filled with Death Eaters. None wore masks and she knew them all by name. She could have given the Ministry everything they needed to lock every last one of them away, but she knew it wouldn't get her any closer to Severus, and she wasn't about to help them when they had refused to help her.

She realized Thomas was talking to her and began to listen just as he finished.

"I've saved this one for you." He said motioning towards the doors.

Two Death Eaters strode in pulling a struggling person in between them. There was a bag over the person's head so Eleanor couldn't see who it was. She prayed to the Gods it wasn't the one person she wished to see the most.

The person was thrown to the floor in front of her.

"A gift for my bride." Thomas announced to the room. Then he moved closer so only she could hear, "I thought you might enjoy this one. Though, try to restrain yourself from killing. She might still be useful" he finished running a cool hand down her harm.

Eleanor was visibly relieved. It wasn't a man, but a woman. She inclined her head and the bag was ripped off of the person. The first thing Eleanor noticed was platinum blonde hair and she smiled. She searched the room for his face. When she found him in the crowd Lucius had shock written across his perfect features. If possible, he had paled a shade or two. Lucius looked from his wife to Eleanor. When he saw the triumphant look on Eleanor's face he knew there was no hope in sparing Narcissa.

As Eleanor stepped closer to Narcissa she knew she shouldn't feel this jubilant. Yes, Lucius had numerous offenses against her and he deserved to be punished. But, did his wife deserve it as well? She knew it didn't matter. If she didn't do this now Thomas would look at her and doubt his decision. She could never let him doubt her; he could never stop wanting her by his side.

Narcissa whimpered at the floor as Eleanor pulled out her wand. She had a last minute thought and found Bella standing off to the side. She was livid. Eleanor remembered that it was her sister she was about to torture and felt strangely more at ease. She winked at Bella and turned back to her victim.

"Look at me." Eleanor demanded and Narcissa raised her red rimmed eyes. Even in her current state she wasn't going to disobey an order from the Dark Lord's wife.

"You can thank your husband for this." She told Narcissa in a low voice that only she could hear.

Narcissa began crying again at her words. Eleanor ignored her tears and pointed her wand.

"Crucio!"