Hey! Wow, it's been awhile, forgive me, my grades dropped and the family had a cow, so much that they took my 'puter home with them... rather annoying, really, so there was this whole issue, then there was finals, and art class dramatically needed catching up to, so I've been a bit in the sinker lately, my greatest of apologies! (bows repeatedly in apology) Augh! This was a hard chapter to write, first off there was the issue of coming up with a plan for Mouldie Voldie to have in the first place, and then figure out how to play it out and all of that funfun stuff... There's no Helios in this chap, but I think there is in the next... dunno, have to check with the muses that decided to visit me every now and again with pops of intrusion in my dreams and other disturbing places... believe me, it's very terrifying to have a muse visit while doing dishes or while you're doing... bathroom... things. Or during a scary movie, but then it's usually my horror muse... and I'm babbling... all right then, on with chapterey goodness! ---> And it's been fixed, thank you...


Harry was on the grounds late Thursday evening, he had fallen into the regularity of his classes, barely avoiding detention nightly with his favourite Potions professor, neither Ron nor Hermione could figure out why he was so distracted and why he was 'purposely' egging the professor on with his shameless flirting, and Ron was even a little bit jealous.

"Harry," He had approached the vampire a few days ago while he was 'studying', "Harry, what is going on?"

"I don't know what you mean, Ron." Harry looked at the red-head innocently.

"With you and Snape!" He had exclaimed, flustered.

Harry smirked, "Why I would assume the same thing that goes on between you and Malfoy."

Ron had flushed brilliantly, "Me and Malfoy? I don't…"

Harry's eyebrow arched, he had seen the two of them dangerously close, in each others face, eyes both full of passion for one another as they had argued, throwing barbs and spark-filled glares, "Really, 'cause I was pretty sure that you two were going to kiss…"

"Don't you dare say I was going to kiss the ferret, Potter!" Ron had hissed before he had smothered Harry's mouth with his own and shoved him into his bed, yanking the curtains shut as he effectively silenced Harry.

Harry smirked at the memory, stretching his arms to link his fingers behind his head as he walked, thinking. What really were his intentions toward the forbidding man? He pondered this as he came to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, pausing before climbing up into the branches of a tree and perching just high enough that he could see over the others. He liked him that was for sure, but how? He wanted to date him? Sleep with him? Love him? Harry paused at the last one; did he even know how to love? In what he had seen from who he was, Helios, he was not much more than a slave in his 'Master's' harem, and Harry himself was unsure of the emotion, the Dursley's certainly didn't care enough, let alone love him, and the Weasley's, did they love him, he was just a skinny, scrawny, orphan, who had no redeeming qualities other than having an incredible amount of luck on his side, not that his luck helped anyone else, Sirius, Cedric… even he died once, but happened to come back to life, with an alternate personality… sort of.

He sighed, watching the sun sink over the lake, his thoughts awhirl; curfew would be soon, he really should get back inside… later. He leaned back against the trunk, letting the night air wash over his face, the moonlight bathing him in its ethereal glow as he leaned into the beauty.


The boy was here again. Like a moth driven to the flame, he always wandered these grounds, as if searching for something that not even he could claim. He watched him, something was odd about him this year, like he had realized something and adjusted himself for the better. But he seemed lost, bewildered, like he didn't know what to search for, sure the Dark Lord was still rampaging about and the boy seemed to realize this, but he still searched, as if the answers to all of his questions lie in the moonlight with her ethereal glow. But Severus knew that the moonlight held no answers, he spent enough time screaming at her in his own younger days to know that. He stood, curfew was to be soon and Potter should be told. He wasn't doing it because he cared, god forbid, but he figured it would be… civil of him, to put the demons he harboured against the boy to rest, and let Potter know that bedtime was soon.

"Potter." He spoke quietly, knowing the child could hear him, "Potter, curfew, will be in a few minutes and unless you think that your house could stand to lose a few points, which I doubt they could, judging by the glance I took at it earlier, I suggest you move you contemplations indoors." He glanced up through the branches, spotting the green eyes that watched him closely.

"Yes, Professor, I suppose I should." Potter replied.

There was the soft rustling of branches as the boy climbed down, landing lightly on his feet like some great cat that had nothing better to do. "Quickly, Potter, you have ten minutes." Severus folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the tree, watching as Potter began to walk away before turning back to the Professor.

"Thank you for letting me know, it was… decent of you." Potter grinned and ran off towards the castle, as Severus raised an eyebrow at him.


It was late the following night when Severus got the summons. The fierce burning travelled up his arm and he rushed to gather his mask and robes before fleeing the grounds and Disapparating to his Lord's side. He performed the customary kiss of the hem of his robes and straightened to his place in the circle, his head bowed. He was fortunate he was early today, there would be retribution surely not speaking of Potter's reappearance.

"Ssseverus…" The red eyes turned onto his still figure and Severus bowed before him.

"Yes, My Lord?" Severus asked, not daring to look up at the eyes burning into him.

"Was there something you wanted to tell me?" Voldemort asked in a sick parody of Dumbledore's most popular question, except Severus knew that the kind twinkle would not be there when he answered.

"Yes, My Lord, the Potter child, he has returned to the school, he is alive, and seemingly oblivious to the fact that he is supposed to be dead." Severus responded quickly.

"And why," Severus bit his lip as the Dark Lord gripped his hair and pulled Severus to face him as the other Death Eaters began to Apparate, "Wasn't I told sooner!" He snarled.

"I could not get out from beneath McGonagall's eye; I could not escape to see you, My Lord." Severus responded, closing his eyes against the Dark Lord's vicious overturning of his mind.

"Severus… Crucio!"

Severus choked back a scream and curled up upon himself as daggers hot as lightning embedded themselves in his skin and his veins lit up from the inside out as he endured the Cruciatus Curse, "Please, My Lord… forgive me…"

The curse was lifted and Severus stumbled to his feet, "I do not forgive, Severus, you'd do well to remember that."

"Yes, My Lord." Severus bowed to him and retreated back to his place in the Circle as Voldemort stood to address his other followers.

"I have a plan. A way into Hogwarts now that Dumbledore is gone and the nuisance, Potter, is in a 'stage' of his life, shall we say?" Voldemort swept his cloak around him dramatically, laughing softly to himself, a terrifyingly sane look in his eyes, not like the previous madness that they were used to seeing. "Now, there is a spy I have recently acquired, extremely close to Potter himself, who will, not only report the boys movements, but keep up on the latest topics on the Hogwarts mainstream, people of interest, I'm sure you all understand what I mean, but they will keep me informed." Voldemort grinned, "Oh, yes…" He murmured, "Yes, there will be blood…"


Well... looks like Voldie got into them muggle movies again. damn him, he stole my cuzzies version of SAW II... bugger, (chases after evil fiend with broom) come back here!