Chapter Thirteen: The Aftermath of the Battle:
Voldemort was not in a good mood, he had been exposed and several of his top death eaters had been captured and were headed to Azkaban and death. Lucius and Rudolphus had not yet come at his summons and he was getting more and more angry as he waited, Bellatrix stood trembling in pain from her wounds but she would not beg her master to allow her to tend them. No she bore the pain with honor as she was here while her husband was probably rotting in Azkaban at that time. She was thinking on this when the doors to the hall opened and Lucius entered supporting a wounded Rudolphus, he had a bandage over one eye that was bloodied and his blood stained Lucius' pale locks of hair. Rudolphus staggered and fell to his knees as did Lucius, Rudolphus did not rise when ordered by Voldemort.
"Master I have the prophecy." Lucius said handing up a box that he had put the orb in.
"Finally, you have done well my servant." Voldemort said summoning the box he looked for a brief moment over at Rudolphus. "Ah and you were wounded my pet."
"It' is only a flesh wound." Rudolphus said bowing low.
"Lucius, take him and have him tended to, I wish to view this alone." Voldemort said looking up at his death eaters. "Go now!"
They bowed and Lucius helped Rudolphus up and out of the room, Bellatrix followed him out, Lucius knew that Aurors would head to his home soon and he hated to leave Rudolphus here so gravely wounded. He had no choice if he was to keep his cover and not end up in Azkaban himself. He ordered Wormtail to tend to Rudolphus or he would make his last days very painful. He left the crumbling Riddle manor and Apparated home and quickly bathed and dressed in soft robes, hid his death eater robes and took out his wand, the registered wand he used everyday and went downstairs to wait with his wife for the Aurors. They were in the middle of a chess game when there was a knock on the door and one of the elves answered and several Aurors burst in and walked to the drawing room.
"What do I owe this visit?" Lucius said standing wincing slightly.
"Where were you this evening Malfoy?" Kingsley demanded of him.
"Here, not much other place I could be, my hip well it has been giving me trouble as of late." Lucius replied.
"It flares up once or twice a year." Narcissa said calmly rising, "I have been tending to it this evening."
"Not one of your elves?" Dawlish asked.
"No, I will not let an elf take care of my health." Lucius said coolly, "why are you here?"
"There was an attack at the ministry." Kingsley said noting the look of shock on Lucius' face. "In the Department of Mysteries."
"That, that is impossible." Lucius said.
He sat down looking shaken and pale and it was clear he was a very good actor. He knew that several of his men had been captured but a lesson had been learned from the last war, they had been spelled silent before this battle so he was safe for now. Still he knew he walked a thin line and if these Aurors did not believe him he could face another stint in prison being beaten and interrogated and that was something he did not want to repeat. Narcissa looked worried and she was not acting, but she made it look as if the worry was for what she had just learned.
"Let me see your wand Malfoy." Kingsley said.
"Why do you need to see my husband's wand?" Narcissa snapped, "why must you bother him for something he has nothing to do with?"
"I don't mind Narcissa." Lucius said handing over his wand. "I wish to help anyway I can."
"We will see one we find what we want here." Kingsley snapped taking the wand he checked it carefully with Prior Incanto then handed it back. "Well it seems as if you were not there."
"No I was not." Lucius said taking back his wand, "if there is anyway I can help let me know please."
"I will you have my word on that." Kingsley said. "I will be watching you Malfoy."
"Of course, would you care for something to drink before you go?" Lucius asked politely.
"No thank you we have to go." Kingsley replied.
Once the Aurors were gone Lucius sat back looking worried, only Narcissa knew that Lucius did not want Voldemort back. He could trust her as she was not only his wife and love but as good if not better Occulumens than he was. She knew he had been at the department of mysteries but not by choice, if he had refused Voldemort would have killed his family and him before his eyes and many more people would be dead. Lucius had saved quite a few pureblood families who were opposing Voldemort and he really wanted him gone. He had been put out to say the least when he had come back, the last few years had been peaceful and he had enjoyed not having a dark lord ordering him about. Now he was back Lucius had no choice but to follow him. His getting the prophecy to Voldemort raised his standing in the dark lord's eyes though that could change at any moment and Lucius knew that all too well…
Hogwarts:
Aberforth headed to the hospital wing to see Severus Snape, he was worried about the mental state of the boy as he knew this torture would bring back memories of what had been done to him in the ministry. Aberforth had spent a long time working hard to help Severus heal and what with that and his helping in his own way to raise Harry he hoped that would keep Severus on the right side. He hoped that what had happened had not undone the years of work on the poor boy. He walked through the main part of the hospital wing and saw Hermione quietly arguing with Ron who was laying in bed with heavily bandaged arms and to the private staff ward. He smiled at the sight before him and who could blame him?
Severus was dosing under warm blankets clad in one of his soft warm charcoal gray night shirts and next to him curled up in a soft bundle of warm silver fur was McGonagall in her Animagmus form of Tabby. Aberforth saw the bruises on Severus's face and he saw that one foot was heavily bandaged and propped up outside the covers. His right hand was splinted and bandaged until his fingers healed but he was alive and sleeping. Or he was until Aberforth took a seat next to him and petted Tabby who murmured softly in sleep, yawned and stretched extending her claws as she did so. She stretched out and purred as Severus scratched her ears.
"I see she stayed the night." Aberforth said.
"Yes, she makes a great cat, though if I don't behave she scratches and bites." Severus said and Tabby began to wash her face. "I think she likes being a cat."
"How are you doing?" Aberforth asked Severus.
"Well I am alive and mostly intact," Severus said, "Poppy said she cannot reattach my toe, but Flitwick did say he might have something to help out with that."
"They were evil to harm you like that." Aberforth said angrily.
"Well the headmaster blamed himself, he sent a letter and Voldemort sent back my toe." Severus said bitterly, "that was Wormtail's idea."
"Figured it would be," Aberforth said then he saw the small jar on the table and a toe in it, Severus's toe. "What will you do with that?"
"I was thinking of putting it in my classroom, that or levitating it over the headmaster at the leaving feast." Severus said.
"You are a horrible man!" McGonagall said turning human and sitting in a chair by Severus. "That would traumatize the students!"
"That was the point." Severus said and he scratched his side, "how much bloody longer do I have to wear these things?"
"Well you suffered extensive burns and a suit of long underwear infused with burn potions will help you heal faster." McGonagall replied.
"It itches!" Severus snapped.
"Oh good it is doing its job, once it stops you should be fine." Poppy said coming over handing him a potion.
"This tastes terrible!" Severus snapped as he drank it down.
"You made it." Poppy said taking the goblet, "don't blame me." Then as Severus made a face at her as she walked away, "and don't you make faces at me young man!"
Aberforth arranged the pillows behind Severus's head and he lay back, he was still tired, the effects of the loss of a toe, the beating and the hexes and acid burns had taken their toll and he needed a lot of rest. That and he was drained at the news the headmaster had given him, Voldemort had the prophecy and would know what it contained. Harry though had been more excited about it, he saw it as a warning to Voldemort, if Voldemort choose to follow that warning then he had a chance to live, if not then he would die.
"Voldemort has the prophecy." Severus said, "he won the battle."
"No he did not, we got ten of the death eaters and we got you back." McGonagall said.
"That would mean we won, we need you and you are worth far more than that prophecy." Aberforth said, "in fact if no-one would have gone to get you I would have, I would go to hell and back to bring you to safety."
"I still do not understand why." Severus said softly.
"Well maybe because you are worth it." McGonagall said, "even if you are annoying, evil tempered and incorrigible. You had a lot of people who wanted to save you, Harry came up with the plan and the order would not let him go unless they were all there to protect them."
"Who had the idea for such horrible masks?"
"That was Miss Weasley." McGonagall said, "her brothers were torn between being proud and a bit miffed."
"Well she is talented and with six older brothers she deserves her own recognition." Severus said.
"I agree with that." Aberforth said, "she got Rudolphus too, I did not know she knew such a curse, I think she er blasted his eye out."
"That does not surprise me at all." Severus said, "probably learned it from Sirius's library."
"No doubt she did, there is Black blood in the veins of the Weasleys and she is one who seems to have a lot of traits of that house." Aberforth said then added quickly, "the good traits of course."
"Unless she gets mad then I would duck even." Severus said.
"I don't blame you, now you should eat what would you like?" Aberforth asked.
"I would like some salmon." Severus said, "some hard boiled eggs, baked potato, chocolate cake and a pretty girl…"
"Severus Tobias Snape!" McGonagall snapped at him.
"I was going to say a pretty girl to read to me." Severus said innocently. "Oh and one more thing, Voldemort's head on a platter."
Aberforth grinned as McGonagall glared at Severus, Severus would be fine but he was going to want revenge for what had happened to him. Right now he would rest and get back his strength for the war ahead. He had to talk to his house and soon, they had to know that Voldemort was evil and had to be stopped. If he was willing to attack the head of his own house what else was he willing to do?
Yea Voldemort made a big mistake, coming back! Even his top death eater does not want him around, Lucius liked being top dog and now he is not he is not a happy wizard. Severus will want his revenge for what was done to him make no mistake about that. Oh and yea Ginny can be a bit of a violent girl, that and I wanted her to be a match for Harry. She had to be powerful in her own right and really she was in the books though we did not see as much of her as we should have.