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Subterfuge
France, Crossroads at the Ohain Road
June 17th, 1815
Kerthunk!
I stared down at the prone form of Albus Dumbledore, half in horror and half in malicious glee. Looking up, I met the triumphant gaze of Remus.
He grinned widely. "Sorry old man, I know you wanted to do the honors. Next time." He had the audacity to wink.
I choked down a sudden rush of mirth as I flicked my wand over Dumbledore, binding and gagging his unconscious form.
Remus returned the heavy, ceramic chamber pot to its former resting place, nodding in satisfaction.
I had been unprepared to see Dumbledore here in France. Upon further reflection, however, I recognized that there were precious few other wizards who would have been trusted with England's treasure: the Elder Wand.
I crossed to the case that held the wand and began methodically disabling the wards that protected it. It was a small comfort that my years of unfortunate familiarity with Albus aided me. I knew all of his favorite spells. The case's lock clicked open and I lifted the wand with two fingers, expecting it to somehow leap out of my hands and attack me.
"Let's go," Remus tugged on my arm, the invisibility cloak over his other arm. With a final look at Albus, I followed Remus back into the stormy night.
We slipped through the darkness, uneventfully crossing the battle lines. Returning to the encampment, I left Remus with Potter in my tent while I continued through the camp. I carried the wand and my box of potions; every step was more difficult than the last.
The Dark Lord waited for me in his palace-like tent, his new pet coiled in the poles. I eyed the large snake warily, running my fingers over the vial of anti-venom in my inner pocket. The thing's name was Nagini, a gift from Antonin Dolohov, who had brought her from Albania. I despised it unequivocally and was assured that the feeling was mutual.
"My Lord."
"Ah, Severus, my faithful servant."
"My Lord. As you requested." I extended the wand.
He took it gleefully, giving it an experimental flick to watch the small flare of sparks.
I turned away, opening the box and drawing out three elixirs, the final potions. I kept Nagini always in the corner of my eye.
"With this wand I will do great things, astonishing feats of magic and extraordinary displays of power!" The Dark Lord chortled manically. "It promises wonders to those who weald it."
Or perhaps wonders to those it wealds.
"I am glad you succeeded, Severus; I would have hated to have to repay all your years of loyalty with a final punishment." He motioned to Nagini and took the first vial from my hands.
I felt cold and knew that whatever color I may have had in my cheeks had long since faded. I watched as my master drank his own undoing to the cadence of the heavy rain on the tent roof.
"I am relieved to have pleased you, my Dark Emperor," I managed to return softly.
"My moste wicked and subtle friend, with bodie of Ellhorn, who knowes ways of magick moste evile." [Goldelot, from an entry in his notebook regarding the Elder Wand]
Edited for grammar, spelling, capitalization, punctuation & delusions of grandeur on April 30th, 2013 [courtesy of renaid, who took welcome liberties].
Edited for formatting and author's notes March 3rd, 2015.
