"Normal speech"

Thoughts

"Mental speech"

"Non-English speech"

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling, her publishers, and Warner Brothers own Harry Potter.

Chapter 53

Severus apparated to the Dark Lord's infirmary in the knowledge that, at best, he had fifty-fifty odds of surviving the summons. If the Dark Lord did not accept his explanation about the potions' potencies, or if he could somehow sense Severus's rejection of the horcrux, he would die.

Severus knelt on the cold stone floor of the infirmary, his face implacable behind his Death Eater mask. Voldemort stood next to Bellatrix Lestrange's bed, gazing at her sleeping form with something akin to fondness on his snake-like face.

"Rise, Severussss, and attend to your dutiesss," Voldemort hissed.

Severus stood. "Yes, my Lord." He went over to the first bed. Augustus Rookwood lay on it. Severus cast a silent diagnostic charm, and then withdrew two potions from his pocket. He silently spelled them into Rookwood's system before continuing to the next bed.

After the third patient, Voldemort spoke. "Severussss, were you satisfied with Rod of Paracelsussss?"

Severus turned to him and inclined his head respectfully. "My Lord, brewing with the Rod was beyond even my highest expectations. I am eager to work with it more intimately, as it channeled power more effectively than I could ever have hoped." Severus modulated his tone to seem as if he were trying to suppress extreme excitement.

Voldemort smiled coldly. "Show me," he commanded.

Severus knelt, raising his black eyes to meet Voldemort's crimson ones. As the legilimancy probe hit him, he showed his memory of preparing the Strengthening Solution. With the finesse of a master occlumens, he subtly shifted the memory of what had happened, presenting a Strengthening Solution that was only slightly more potent than usual, only slightly off-color. He retained the memory of his original emotions whenever he touched the Rod of Paracelsus, letting Voldemort feel his contentment. Eventually, Voldemort withdrew from his mind.

"Excellent, my own," he said. "Lord Voldemort is well pleased with you. Continue your ministrationssss."

Severus did not let his relief show. Bowing his head, in respect, he rose and returned to tending to the Azkaban escapees.

-DVDVDV-

Gellert met privately with Albus in the library of Grimmauld Place. Each man had a phoenix on one shoulder. Severus had intended to come as well, but he had been summoned shortly beforehand. Gellert waited until Albus had finished warding the room before asking, "Well, what is it that was too terrible to tell your minions?"

Albus's eyes twinkled. "Minions, Gellert? Really?"

Gellert chuckled. He had missed Albus. It seemed almost a pity that he was going to leave his old friend heartbroken and betrayed. Again. "If the shoe fits, my friend." More seriously, he said, "But tell me. I can see that you begin to appreciate the delicacy of your situation. Your reticence was merely the capstone to a day that was utterly abysmal from start to finish. We nearly lost everything yesterday. Had Master Snape died or been fully possessed due to your silence, this alliance would have broken irredeemably. That is not something I want. Nor, I think, is it something that would serve you well."

Albus nodded. "I know. I have been a great fool. I was slower to trust than I should have been, and it may yet cost us dearly." He sighed, and his expression turned very grave. "This information is extremely sensitive, Gellert. If it becomes public knowledge, Vol- Tom will win this war." Fawkes trilled something, and Albus nodded. "Harry Potter is one of Tom Riddle's horcruxes."

Gellert nodded slowly. That made . . . far too much sense now that he thought about it. The "power the Dark Lord knows not." Riddle does not know that Potter is his horcrux. If Riddle learned, then he would ensure that Potter survived at all costs. "So Potter must die," Gellert said.

Albus nodded grimly. "I can see no alternative." He looked at Gellert, unshed tears in his eyes.

Gellert understood. He shook his head. "I fear I know less about horcruxes than you, my friend."

"You must not tell Severus this!" Hellspawn said, his mental voice extremely agitated.

Gellert frowned. "A moment, please," Gellert said, glancing at Albus briefly before turning to Hellspawn. "Why not?"

"It will kill him! Harry Potter is the son of the woman he loved. He has devoted himself too much to her memory. If he learns that the last link to her must die, he will stop fighting, losing what little will to live he still retains."

Gellert frowned but nodded. "I understand," he said. He would trust the phoenix's judgment. Hellspawn would know best about Severus's health. "Albus, thank you for informing me of this. I agree with your assessment, and understand why you did not share Potter's circumstances earlier. Nevertheless, you should have warned us about the existence of horcruxes." He paused, and then added, "I understand that Potter's scar sometimes hurts when he is in Riddle's company. Is that the extent to the horcrux's effect upon him, or are there other symptoms?"

Albus sighed. "He has had, to my knowledge, two visions of Tom."

Well, that answers some questions about how much the horcruxes can communicate with the original host, although we still do not know exactly what transpires once a horcrux is destroyed. It certainly makes Severus's situation far more precarious. Gellert frowned, far more concerned than before that his friend would not survive today's summons. "Albus, that rather strongly implies that horcruxes can communicate with the original host, at least to some extent. And yet you implied yesterday that such was unlikely to be the case. Are you actually trying to kill Master Snape?"

"It wouldn't surprise me," Hellspawn said bitterly. "Everyone else is."

"No, of course not," Albus replied. "I truly believe that Harry is an exception. Placing a horcrux in a vessel that can think and feel on its own – that would account for his ability to see into Tom's mind."

Gellert snorted. "That, and you don't care for Severus much, do you?"

He watched, amused, as a flicker of jealousy appeared momentarily in Albus's eyes. "I take it you do?"

"He did rescue me from Nurmengard. On Mordred's orders, but even so." Gellert shrugged. "And he cooks. I fail to see what you have against him, unless it is something so petty as his appalling bedside manner or his unfortunate personal hygiene."

"In fairness, both of those do tend to make someone fairly unpopular," Hellspawn noted. Gellert could tell from the mental voice that the phoenix was trying for his usual tone, but clear traces of agitation remained evident.

Albus sighed. "He was fascinated by the dark arts as a student, and he joined the Death Eaters almost immediately upon graduation. I truly believe that he has changed his ways, but even so, I admit that his past actions may color my view of him."

Gellert snorted. "A dark wizard bent on world domination, who has since repented. Merlin, Albus, you could be describing yourself. Or me."

The words seemed to hit Albus like a physical blow. Gellert was struck again by how old Albus looked. He seemed so lost. Taking pity on him, he added, more gently, "You can still move forward, my friend.. How you acted in the past need not determine how you act in the future."

Albus smiled sadly, but nodded. "Thank you, though I doubt deserve such kindness." He paused. "Also, in the interest of full disclosure, there is something I suspect about the ring horcrux. I believe that is might be the ring." As he said this, the twinkle returned to his blue eyes.

Gellert grinned, aware that his eyes were twinkling merrily in return. "Oh? I had wondered, when you mentioned it last night. If you are correct, that should be most interesting. Most interesting indeed."

"What ring?" Hellspawn asked.

"The Resurrection Stone," Gellert explained, still smiling, lost in old memories.

"Severus could bring back Lily," Hellspawn said, a note of wonder entering his mental voice. "We could save him."

The smile fell abruptly from Gellert's face. He shook his lead. "Cadmus Peverell died to be with his lost love," he reminded the phoenix gently. He smiled sadly. "According to the stories, it does not truly bring the dead back."

"Oh." A world of shattered hopes lay in that one word. The phoenix paused. "Maybe we shouldn't tell Severus this, either," he said at last. For the first time in Gellert's memory, the phoenix sounded defeated.

Gellert realized that Albus was watching the exchange with some interest. "We all have our dead," he said softly. "Mordred no less than you or I." Albus nodded sadly, good humor gone.

Gellert reflected on all the secrets he must now keep from Severus. For the Greater Good. I will keep silent, for the Greater Good.

A/N: Please review!