Big thanks to Zorak23 for helping me with this chapter. Thanks for your caring reviews. I'm trying to get better for myself.
holy shit we reached chapter 90. i suddenly realized how tired i am.
reviews cheer me up. shits about to go down.
Severus landed on his knees in the center of a large elaborate banquet hall, he knew not which part of the world he was in. He didn't need to look up to see that he was surrounded by masked, cloaked figures with their wands drawn on him.
"At ease."
That voice sent chills down his spine. He knew it belonged to the man who tore him apart. He kept his head down, trying his best to cover himself from potential harm.
"But Sir, we have to be mindful of intruders- "
The polished tile beneath him flashed with the red glare of a curse, followed by the painful screams of it's intended target. He remained curled on his knees with his head down, trying to make himself seem as small as possible. A defense mechanism he used growing up with his abusive father.
One of the shorter Death Eaters pushed his way through the crowd around him, "Brother!" Regs rushed forward and knelt beside Severus. Reaching out to his longtime friend who flinched away from him.
A pair of expensive polished shoes stepped before him, "Leave us."
Regs' mask covered his concerning looks towards his best friend, his actions did not. He hesitated, angering their master. Hearing the impatient tsk, Regs quickly retreated to the crowd. Lucius and Nott scowling at him and pulling him behind them forcefully.
"I told you, never break rank!" Lucius hissed.
Severus took a shaky breath as the dark shadow loomed closer to him. No one expected the Dark Lord to get on his knee in front of him, cupping his cheek softly, almost lovingly.
Severus let the hand lead him, tilting his head up to meet the soft gaze of grey eyes, "My lord…"
A warm smile spread across his lips, "My son… my fallen son… you've come home."
He was helped to his feet; with a wave of a hand, his clothes were dried and corrected, and his messy matted hair in its proper place. Wrapping a protective arm around him and looking out to the crowd of followers.
"Behold, my greatest creation!" he announced and showed Severus off proudly.
Murmurs and whispers could be heard throughout the crowd. They turned to face the majority of them, and he continued his speech.
"A few moons ago, a man came to me, asking for salvation. That man was Severus Snape." He made a look of disgust as he explained, "A half-breed with no lineage."
"Mudblood!" a voice called out from the crowd.
"Filth!" another rang.
Voldemort nodded enthusiastically, "Yes, a man of no status or worth. But your Lord saved you, didn't I?"
Severus tilted his head, "My lord."
"I absolved the man once called Severus Snape. I cleansed the impurities from his mind, body, and soul!" He ripped Severus' sleeve up his arm to show them the thick black mark of his brotherhood, "Behold! Lord Severus Prince, the purest of blood and my gift of miraculous mercy!"
The crowd roared and cheered, clapping and raising their wands in honor. Lucius and his friends were not celebrating. They knew something was wrong, and that man standing in front of them was not the Severus they knew mere weeks ago.
He turned back to Severus, cupping his cheeks lovingly and gazing into his eyes through the mask, "My son, you are my greatest achievement, my proudest moment. The forgotten son that fell from the heavens like the morning star."
Severus knew what he meant; he'd known for a long time now what he was meant to be. Who he was meant to be. He bent his head to let the other man kiss his forehead.
"You will be my prodigy, my heir in the absence of kin…." He pressed his lips to the top of Severus' mask, "My Son of the Morning."
Severus has been with Voldemort since he returned. Always at his side and every beck and call. As Albus promised, he was not hurt. The opposite, which made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. The Dark Lord nurtured Severus back to health. Healing his remaining wounds, bathing him, feeding him, and speaking to him lovingly as a father would his own child.
He could do nothing but accept it all graciously. Then the day came when he started questioning Severus, teaching him the ways and darkness of his liking.
"Tell me again, my son. Why did it take you so long to seek me out?" he asked from his armchair while sipping his tea.
Severus was standing near the fire, where he made a habit of being as much as possible. His tendencies for fire still dependent until he was able to control them, as his master promised. He turned to speak to him, "The muggle in me was too proud, My Lord. I thought that I would be able to live in a world that didn't belong to me on my own. I falsely hoped and tried to pave my own way into the world and failed."
"That's when you realized you were nothing," Voldemort added with a sneer.
"Correct, My Lord." Severus bowed his head, "I spoke with Lucius again, and he advised me that the answer to my prayers was standing in front of me. Then he promised to speak to you on my behalf if I were to come to the next meeting."
He hummed and set his cup down, "Yes, and remind me again what you asked for. What was it you sought from me in your quest for redemption?"
Severus paused for a moment, "Worth."
"Explain."
"I wanted to be worth something. My blood, title, and trade worthless with the lineage I was born into." He paused in thought, "I wanted everything my brothers had."
"Yes," Voldemort hummed again, "Wealth, fame, fortune… everything the others asked for. Yet, there was another reason for it, was there not? Your bride?"
He swallowed the hardball in his throat, "Yes, My Lord. I wanted to worthy of the name Ollivander I worked so hard to join houses with. I won her father with hard work and dedication, but what would be the point if I had nothing else to show for it?"
"Your wife, you haven't spoken of her since returning to me," he pointed out.
Severus shook his head, "Because there is no reason to. She was an unnecessary distraction."
He crossed one leg over the other, "I take it she didn't agree with your loyalties?"
He knew Voldemort was reading his mind, because he was playing a false memory of them fighting about him wanting to join the ranks, "No, My Lord. She was ignorant of your glory."
"She left you?"
"I sent her away." He corrected, "As I said, an unnecessary distraction that took my attention away from important matters, from you."
"Oh really?" he said in an amused tone.
"Where she is, I don't know. Probably at one of her father's many estates. She refused to absolve the marriage, which I would have denied her at any cost. She holds hope that I will 'see the error in my ways and return to her.'"
"Wise of you to keep her as your wife. House Ollivander is a strong lineage, and when the time is right, you will have her bear you an heir to continue our legacy."
"Of course, My Lord. Your will and testament will reign forever."
He stood slowly, straightening out his robes, "Follow me, I have something to show you."
They traveled through the many staircases and into the dungeons of the Manor. Severus knew not whose home they were in, but he knew for certain they were no longer of this earth and it now belonged to the Dark Lord.
They arrived into a large dungeon that had two fireplaces, one on each side of the room with lit scones on the walls and rows of tables and shelves full of potions equipment and ingredients. Voldemort walked into the room first and down the aisles of workbenches with his arms stretched out in show.
"You came to me asking for fame and fortune," he spun around to look him in the eye, "While I can easily give this to you with the wave of a hand, I believe you can do this yourself. My dearest one, you have proven to me that you are more than the other wretches amongst my ranks. You have so much potential in you."
"My Lord, you are too kind." He bowed his head and put his right fist to his chest.
"I will give you the means to make it happen," he reached up and grabbed Severus by the chin, making him look up at him, "I've been in your mind, I've seen the ideas race in your head for a means to give your wife a voice, to be able to hear again."
Severus' eyes widened, causing the other man to laugh in his face.
"Yes, I see your thoughts clearly. There is nothing you can hide from me. That's how I know your heart and soul are pure and mine." He smiled evilly, "This lab is yours, and anything and everything you need to create the potion is yours. You need but only ask and it shall be provided."
Severus grabbed his hand and bent to kiss it, "You are most gracious, My Lord. How shall I repay you?"
He pulled his hand back and waved it, as if it was of no matter, "Succeed, and you will have the world at your demand for your potion. All you asked of me will be delivered. House Prince will rise, then we will have it added to the Sacred Twenty-Eight. Right after we eradicate the blood traitors, of course."
Severus worked in the lab from sunrise to sunset, having every meal with the Dark Lord when called upon. His mind trying to focus on the tasks at hand, but in the long hours alone in the dungeon, his thoughts consumed with his wife. He had been at the manor for three months now.
A few times, the Dark Lord came down to check on his progress, and he cursed himself for nearly letting his guard down. He vowed to do better and push her further and further into his mind. He was turning into the cold, hard calculated man she described to him.
"Tell me of your recent testing," his master asked one day.
Severus stopped working and wiped his hands as he spoke, "All failures, the most recent only grew the bone but not the skin. I'll be needing more rats soon."
The Dark Lord quirked a brow and pursed his lips, "I think not."
"My Lord?"
"I think you lack motivation, not rats." He smiled, "I will give you the means to do so."
Severus was confused, how was he going to gift him with motivation?
The door to the lab opened, he turned to see Regs walk in with his hands folded behind him.
"My Lord, you called?" Regs asked, ignoring Severus and looing to their Master.
He smiled at him, circling him as he spoke, "Yes, I need you to assist your brother."
"Of course, anything I can do to help." He bowed his head.
Severus saw the danger before Regs did, "My Lord, this isn't necessary. I can do this-"
"Tsk, tsk. I insist, and Regulus doesn't mind," he put an arm around him, "do you?"
He shook his head, smiling at Voldemort, "No, sir, not a problem."
"Good…"
Regulus was shoved face down onto the workbench, and his arm held out, palm flat against the table. He grunted in pain and bit his lip as the large knife Severus used to chop ingredients came down on three of his fingers.
Regs made no noise to scream, he had known better after being on the receiving end of his master's wrath before for his smart mouth. He bit down on his cheek hard, causing it to bleed, but his mind was focused on another pain.
Voldemort waved his hand casually, and the three fingertips floated before Severus' face, "I see how close you two are, save your brother's flesh. Or each time you fail I come and take another piece of him."
Severus stood there with his eyes and mouth clenched tightly. All he could do is bow his head in fear of vomiting or sobbing.
Voldemort put a caring hand on his shoulder and spoke softly, "I do this for you, my son. To motivate and lift you. I know you will not fail me again, but will you fail your brother?"