Disclaimer: Not mine.

The Unwanted

Chapter Twenty One

Severus' son was six years of age now, taller than many of his classmates in the Hogsmeade day school. He was a sullen, inward looking child, except when in the presence of the Hogwarts staff, then he was outward going, pleasant and well mannered. However, he was still his father's son and would at times become withdrawn and reflective.

In the confines of their now combined chambers, Severus was hard-edged, sneering, sharp-tongued, and protectively loving. He learned to be caring, at times gentle and struggled to be a patient father although he frowned over hearing Beth's ongoing lessons with him.

Severus' nights were mostly spent reading essays, grading papers and patrolling the hall, no longer called to Voldermort's side as often as he had been, he worried about what was happening and felt powerless. He began to worry if he had fallen out of favour, if his family was safe, if he had been found out. One night as he was attending dinner in the Great Hall, he gasped and grabbed his left arm. Looking up at the Headmaster, he had nodded and left, thinking that after all this time whatever the Dark Lord wanted would be worse than what he had asked for before.

.

.

.

He bowed as soon his feet touched the grassy plot of land where the Dark Lord waited. "My Lord," he said as he prepared to block his mind. "I am here to do your bidding."

"Ah, my loyal servant," Voldemort's voice filled the quiet clearing. "Please rise. I have need of you this evening."

"Yes my Lord," Severus kept his face blank.

"I have a couple of blood traitors that must be negotiated with. I fear they have little to offer us." The Dark Lord smiled, waving his wand to indicate the agreement with the others in attendance. "Perhaps some sort of offering should be made to me. Some sort of tithing should be made."

"How may I help my Lord?" Severus stood stonily.

"You will take three with you. One is a new recruit that still has to prove himself. Show them how we deal with Mudblood traitors, but make sure it is the young Malfoy that throws the curse," Voldemort hissed. "You will take them to the McCaughey's, if I remember you are familiar with him."

"Yes My Lord," Severus bowed, sweeping his arm back in a formal gesture. "However, I fail to see the need of four to take but one child."

"Ah, my good servant, are you questioning me?" Voldemort hissed.

"Of course not, My Lord," Severus knew he had stepped too far.

Severus had no choice then but to walk over to where the new recruit stood waiting for him. Looking at the black caped and masked figures of his two assistants, he nodded to the apparation point and began walking toward it.

"Well Uncle, it appears we are finally together," Draco's voice came to Severus.

"Do you think this will be easy Draco?" Severus spat at him. "Have you killed before? Have you cast an unforgivable on a child?"

He turned from Draco and walked to the apparation point angrily. Once there, they left in a crack of thunder. When they arrived at the Muggle house Draco held back. Seeing his hesitation Severus became more furious, and thought he could easily kill Lucius for forcing this on his son.

Severus sent Draco around to the back door, telling him not to enter until they cleared the way, until he and the others were in position. Then turning to the others he sent them in the front at once, hoping to spare Draco casting the curse.

He entered behind the two Death Eaters, blocking their retreat, his wand aimed at their backs. In quick succession, he cast two Avada Kedavra curses and pulling off his mask raced up the stairs, meeting Mr. McCaughey on the steps. He quickly cast a spell to modify his memory and sending him downstairs to stand over the dead Death Eaters he rushed to the back and intercepted Draco.

"Trap," he gasped pulling Draco out with him. Running toward the apparation point, he was relieved to hear Draco's feet pounding after him. They quickly spun away, landing again in the grassy field. Severus snatched his mask off at once, striding up to Draco he yanked him around to face him.

"You lead me into a trap you fool," Severus hissed at him. "If the Dark Lord does not kill you I may myself." Turning to the Dark Lord and falling on one knee, he reported the failure they had met.

"You believe Draco Malfoy is the reason for this failure?" Voldemort hissed.

"Either him or one of the other two that now lie dead at the Muggle's house," Severus said evenly. "I was led to believe this Muggle-born did not know we were coming, yet he had set a trap."

"My Lord, on my name," Draco's voice shook, "I had no knowledge of this."

"Severus, leave me now. I have another job for our young friend here," Voldemort smiled. "He will learn not to be lax next time. Next time on his mother's life, he will not fail."

Severus returned to his chambers and grabbed his whiskey. He felt sickened to know that Draco had taken the mark. Smashing his glass into the fireplace, he stood taking large breaths to still his nerves, and tried to keep his stomach from heaving. His only thought was to keep Draco from casting the unforgivable that would earn him Azkaban.

Beth had heard him come home and running into the sitting area found him leaning on the mantel, staring into the fire. Walking up and putting a hand on his arm, she had wanted to comfort him, but had misjudged his silence. Thinking he was exhausted, she had not been ready for his reaction to her.

Slapping her hand off his arm, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her close. His mouth closed over hers, smothering any sound of protest. He ripped her gown off her shoulders, kissing and biting at her neck and shoulders, ignoring her protests.

Ripping her dressing gown from her body, he wanted to devour her. He ran his mouth down her throat, not gently nipping, but biting her nipples, not hearing her cries of pain. He pushed her to the floor, forced her onto her knees, his length in his hand, as he positioned himself over her. Grabbing her hair in his fist he forced her head down to the floor as he plunged into her, firm and hard, not waiting, not caring that she was not ready for him.

Flashes of the other, the one with silver hair and the long steps down to the dungeons flashed in her mind, she heard her father's laugh, and felt the same fear now as she had then.

One hand gripped her hips, one left her hair and slid around her throat, as he continued to thrust into her. She twisted, trying to get free, to pull away.

"Tobby, Tobby, Please Severus, Tobby…"

He held still, then leaned back slowly, pulling out of her and wrapping his arms around her waist. "That's all witch, that's all," he panted his breath coming short. "I need you, stay with me tonight. Just stay."

He was angry that he had tried to hurt her, he was angry that she had come to him, and he was angry he had lost control. He held her until he felt safe enough to control his need, then picking her up, he carried her to his bed, lying next to her, and holding her he fell asleep.

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It was near the holidays that things began to go horridly wrong. Severus had found out that Albus had foolishly poisoned himself, a poison that was slowly withering his arm and would slowly take his life. In an effort to keep the fool alive long enough to finish the war, Severus poured vials of potions into him, to slow the progress of the fatal illness.

In the recent days owls had dropped small parchments onto his plate during the morning meals. Some of them blank, others with small black borders and a single name, sometimes hers, sometimes Tobby's. Today's missive had a different name that made him snap his head up and see look at Draco, who had sat watching him as the owl had arrived.

Severus watched Draco turn even whiter than his normal pallor and stand, almost tripping over the bench before running out of the door. One student had already been injured, and another poisoned, in attempts on the Headmaster's life. Now he knew without a doubt who Draco's next test would be.

Whispering in Dumbledore's ear, he left the hall and after collecting the potions he'd brewed to slow the poison that was destroying Albus' life, he went to the Headmaster's office to wait for him. Thinking he could convince Albus to speak to Draco he was horrified to hear what his Headmaster had planned instead.

"Albus, you cannot expect me to give you this Oath, I will not do it," he again stated flatly.

"But Severus, lad," Albus chuckled, "it seems you have all ready taken it, just down a different path. It would be like killing two birds with one stone. You would be keeping to your oath with Narcissa, and keeping mine."

"A poor choice of words old man," he seethed.

"Albus, I call on your Oath to me." He ran his hands through his hair. "If I do this what happens to Beth? What happens to my son?"

"Your oath to Narcissa would have…"

"Would have left them safe and in your care." Severus sat down heavily. "I never planned to survive this. If I could not get Draco out of it any other way I would die by not fulfilling the oath, knowing that Draco was safe and my family would be taken care of."

"I have not forgotten," Albus said sternly at Severus' insinuation that he would ignore a wizard's oath.

"Then tell me, oh great father of mine," Severus sneered, "How will they be protected once I kill you? Who will care for them when you and I are gone? Do you think they will let her have my inheritance? Tell me how my son can be raised here?"

"They will be taken care of." Albus frowned.

"Albus, if you are gone… and I manage to escape, they will come for her. They will have her, and my son. I will never see her again. I don't know if it would be different if I had friends that I saw on occasion, or students that stayed in touch years after graduating as you do. If I had her for seventy years as many married couples have each other, could I let her go any easier? Would it hurt less Albus? Would it?" He shook his head, continuing.

"If we had produced a family to rival the Weasleys, would it hurt less to lose one, or two? If my parents were alive, if I had friends to sit down and have a pint with, would it hurt less?" He asked again.

"What are you asking son?" Albus asked sadly.

"I have no family or friends to watch over my family Albus. Unlike you, I have no one to come running to her side. Who will weep with her? Who will go to the funerals with her? If in fact after this act, I am allowed one, who will sit with her? Albus understand this, I will make the Oath you ask of me, but in return, I must believe that she will have a place to turn. That she will be taken care of in this world or the Muggle one, she has no magic Albus, she cannot survive this world without it."

"She is legally my daughter Severus. She will have the full love and support of all that love and support me. She is my only heir. I thought you understood the reason for the adoption fully. Surely, you did not think it was just as a bed warmer for you." Albus scowled. "She was the first year that was lost to us. I was unable to help her then. I can do so now. She will find a few vaults full, enough to survive in the Muggle world for a few decades, if she so decides. What else concerns you Severus?" He asked still frowning deeply.

"She needs her magic restored," he stated flatly.

"It will be done. What else concerns you Severus?" He continued to frown.

"I want Tobby's education assured, not the cost, the acceptance. The assurance he will not be treated as the bastard son of a Death Eater," Severus looked up to Albus's eyes.

"I cannot dictate the feelings of others. However, I will do everything I can. What else concerns you Severus?" Albus waited for Severus to answer, and thinking that the young wizard had not heard, he turned to repeat the question when he heard the reason.

"I want her as my wife," Severus said softly.

"Have you told her this?" he asked with the same frown.

"No, nor can I until this final battle comes, until it is over, and if I fulfil your oath I won't live long enough to see it. She will be a target for the Dark Lord once I am gone. A wife and child of mine would be the target of every Death Eater in the country. I cannot ask her," he finished.

"Severus, she does not think you love her," Albus sighed deeply.

"What? How could she not?" Severus did not know what to say.

"Oh, let me see, perhaps it is because you told her you did not. Or it could have been the turn of words you used many years ago, about not making things between you into more than they are," Albus sighed. "Then again, what would I know? Children do not confide in their parents as much as they used to."

"Severus kneel before me and take the Oath," Albus demanded. In a swirl of magic and a flash of light, the Oath was sealed. Severus stood, scowled, and turned to leave.

"Severus," Albus spoke to Severus' back. "The Oath I gave to you will continue to my death. You and yours will have the very magic you require, I have bequeathed this to her. This is to be the last of my inheritance. You and Beth will share my magic. It is rather like creating a vessel for a soul, as Tom has done, only you and she are my vessels."

"You are crazy old man," he whispered. Then turning to Albus, he crossed the room to the older wizard, and, for the first time in memory, Severus Snape wrapped his arms around the shoulders of a Wizard, embracing another, and allowing himself to be embraced.