A/N: Hope you enjoy this chapter. Just a warning, there's some graphic detail about the ritual. I tried to make it as mild as possible, but if that kind of thing bothers you, skip it. Oh yeah, please review. :)

Chapter 11

Severus could only stare at the letter in disbelief. She had just said yesterday that she couldn't wait to see him, now she was telling him to stay at home; she was too busy to have time to spend with him. He looked up at Knave.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded. "Is she really this busy?"

I don't think so. She doesn't seem any more busy than usual. She hasn't even looked at the book today.

"What happened last night? Did she get the book open?" Severus asked.

I'm not sure. She combined them, and then gave me the oddest look. She took the book into her room and I didn't see her until this morning. She left the book in her room.

Severus looked nervous. "Did you hear anything while she was in there?"

I thought I heard a man laughing, but it was brief. There was a green glow coming from under the door for quite a while.

Severus' eyebrows knit in worry. "Knave, I need you to find out what's going on. Can you spy on her when she goes into her room again? Perhaps you can hide in the closet or something."

I will do as you ask and report back to you when I have some information. I am worried too. I have never seen her look like that. She was angry and suspicious. It was most unlike her.

Severus became eve more worried. He looked up at the bird and thanked him.

That evening, Lana led Claudio to the bedroom. She was unusually quiet. Even Claudio had made a comment before they entered the bedroom. Knave waited a minute then silently apparated into the closet. She had left the door open fortunately, so he had a good view of the two of them as they kneeled next to the bed. Lana reached for the book and opened it. Knave's eyes grew wide as Voldemort swirled up and out of the book. The spirit man glanced in his direction and Knave clouded his thoughts. Voldemort turned back to the two people at the bedside. Claudio looked on in horror but seemed to be unable to move. Lana just looked up blankly at Voldemort.

What on earth was going on? Knave thought.

Voldemort drew closer to the two.

"Very good, my pet, you have succeeded in finding us an assistant." He put his hand onto Claudio's forehead and a blank stare came over his face. Voldemort put his hand back by his side.

"You are here to assist us in a ritual," he told Claudio. "I need my body back and the vampires have given me a way to attain it. This Saturday, when the woman's baby is seven months along, you will go into the woods and set up a large cauldron. Between now and then, you will enter each of the vampire's coffins and remove the ruby clasp that holds their capes on. On the night of the ritual, these stones must be placed in three circles around the cauldron. Set up an altar over the cauldron. The woman will join you at the ritual site before midnight. Place her on the altar and at midnight, cut the baby from her womb. Place the woman's body into the cauldron. You must work quickly, for the child must remain alive until the end of the ritual! You will need a transformation potion. Pour it over the woman's body, take the child and pierce its heart over her body while chanting this incantation."

The book opened to a page and Claudio and Lana looked at the chant.

"You must utter it in the original language for it to be effective. Once that has been done, the woman's body will transform into mine and I will take possession of it."

They nodded dumbly. Voldemort turned to Lana.

"Teach him the incantation," he demanded.

She repeated the chant emotionlessly until Claudio could repeat it without errors.

Voldemort turned to Claudio. "You will remember nothing of what has happened here tonight. You will gather the stones and forget what you have done. I have no further need of you until the ritual, but you will report your progress."

"Yes, my Lord."

"Leave now and go straight to your tent. Talk to no one and go to sleep. Act normally in the morning."

"Yes, my Lord." Claudio rose and exited the room without another word.

Voldemort turned to Lana. "Guard this book with your life. If anyone suspects you, you are to kill them. Is that understood?"

"I will kill them, my Lord," Lana responded flatly.

"Now, you may sleep."

Like the night before, she closed the book, crawled into bed, and curled up holding the book, she was fast asleep in moments.

Knave couldn't believe what he had witnessed. Severus had been more than right. This was the worst possible thing that could happen. He flapped his wings and apparated to Severus.

He appeared on the bed next to Severus' sleeping form.

Severus, wake up! I have news!

Severus' eyes snapped open and he turned to find Knave on the bed. Even for a bird, he looked ruffled. The bird began pacing in circles on the bed and then turned to Severus.

Danger! You're all in great danger!

Severus sat up. "Tell me what you found out."

It's Voldemort! He somehow was in the book. Lana brought Claudio over tonight and when she opened the book, Voldemort came out. There's some sort of ritual he can do to regain his body. The bird suddenly stopped talking and put his bill under his wing.

The fear that was dormant in Severus all of these weeks bloomed into a great ball in the pit of his stomach. Voldemort was back? How could that be? Potter had killed him and destroyed the Horcruxes.

"How can Voldemort be back? What does the ritual entail?" he asked, already suspecting what the answer would be.

I don't know how he got in the book, but it's worse than you can imagine. He needs the baby. He'll sacrifice Lana, and then the baby and use Lana's body to reform his own. He needs Claudio to perform the ritual. He's put them both into some kind of trance. It's like they've been imperioused or something.

Severus' heart leapt into his throat. His past had come back to haunt him yet again. Now his wife's and baby's lives were hanging in the balance. He stood and took out his wand and was about to apparate to the dig site when Knave interrupted his thoughts.

You can't just rush in there. You need to find out how to destroy the book, so Voldemort will be destroyed too.

Severus lowered his wand and sighed. "How long before this ritual takes place?"

Knave leveled a sober look at him. It's this weekend, on Saturday. Once the baby is seven months along, the ritual can be performed.

Severus collapsed to his knees beside the bed. He put his head in his hands and tore at his hair. "I thought this was all over! Why can't that devil just stay dead?"

Knave hopped over to him. You must not lose hope. Voldemort is weak now. He can be defeated easily before he regains a body. You must find out how to kill him once and for all.

"I need the help of a vampire." Severus said suddenly.

He rose and went out to the fireplace. He threw some floo powder into it and said "Slughorn's." His face appeared in Horace Slughorn's fireplace. Severus glanced around the dark room. Horace was obviously in bed. Severus withdrew and grabbed more floo powder. Time was of the essence, he didn't have the luxury to be polite. He stepped into the fireplace, cried "Slughorn's" and threw the floo powder onto the ground. With a snap, he appeared back in the Slughorn fireplace. Quickly searching the home, he found Horace's bedroom and knocked loudly. After a minute he knocked again, this time so hard that the door almost flew off of its hinges.

A frightened voice came from the opposite side of the door. "I'm armed, so just go back from where you came from!" Slughorn bellowed.

"Horace! It's Severus," he barked. "It's an emergency. I must speak with you!"

Severus heard footsteps and suddenly the door opened, revealing an irate Horace Slughorn on the other side.

"What the devil is the meaning of this Severus? It's the middle of the night. Usually people use the doorbell!"

Severus had no time to look sorry. "I need your help. What is the name of your Vampire friend? The one who comes to all of your parties? I need to talk with him."

"That would be Sanguini. What ever do you need to talk to him for?"

"Where can I find him? It's a matter of life and death."

"Now Severus, I just can't go giving you people's addresses without knowing the reason! This is highly irregular."

Severus' patience disappeared. He grabbed Horace by the collar and pulled him within inches of his face.

"My wife's life is at stake! That's the reason. Now tell me where he lives or I'll turn you into a cockroach!"

Slughorn backtracked. "Now, now Severus, that's all you had to say. He lives in a cemetery. It's called Old Mortlake Cemetery in London. He's the caretaker. His house is located in the back of the place. It looks like a mausoleum, but as you approach it you can tell it is a residence. Just tell him I sent you, he'll tell you whatever it is you need to know."

Severus released Horace. "Thank you." He turned and had left the house before Slughorn had a chance to ask him anything else.