Author's notes:
Standard disclaimer. It all belongs to JKR. Thank you for letting us play with your toys.
I will continue to use the occasional song lyric in the story and will give credit at the time when needed.
This is the seventh book in my Slytherin Harry series and covers Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts.
Book 1: Harry Potter and the Muggle's Daughter
Book 2: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Book 3: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Book 4: Harry Potter and the Blood Traitor's Daughter
Book 5: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Book 6: Harry Potter; Flesh, Blood and Bone
Book 7: Harry Potter and the Lady of the Lake
If you haven't read books 1-6 you won't know what's going on. But the bonus is you've got six completed books before you even get to this one!
Fair warning, this story will continue to be dark and have mature language and situations in it.
Harry Potter and the Lady of the Lake
Chapter XXIX
Both Generous and Wise
Severus Snape remained on the bed with his eyes closed. Like Harry had discovered with the Cruciatus Curse, even if his body remained within the confines of Azkaban, there was an escape for the mind and soul when dream walking. Even the nourishment the physical body needed existed on the alternate plane of existence. The only real danger came in forgetting. Whether you merged with your spirit animal or not, staying too long could lead to the loss of connection with the first plane. The physical body you'd left behind would waste away and die and with it your walk would become permanent. The temptation to forget was strong. How very easy it would be to remain where no treacherous old men, deceitful vile children of hated enemies, former masters or even lost loves existed.
There was peace.
There was time.
There was vengeance.
Most of all there was vengeance.
So he returned from the spirit realm often enough to satisfy the dementors and human guards he was alive and suffering as he should and he waited, bidding his time, looking, watching, learning. He'd never doubted the rumors of the Dark Lord's return. Dumbledore, the old bastard, had confided enough in him he knew of the Horcruxes. They'd gone together to try and retrieve the locket only to find someone else had already taken it. They had no more idea if R.A.B. had been successful in destroying it than they did in just who R.A.B. had been. That, failure, was the great Albus Dumbledore's biggest success in defeating the Dark Lord.
Of course Potter, Longbottom and McGonagall had destroyed the Diary when they'd rescued the Weasley girl. But after that they had nothing. Despite the seeming utter futility of the effort, Severus had agreed with Dumbledore's suggestion he return to his master when the eventual resurrection came. There was no other way they might learn how many, which objects, and where they might be hidden other than for him to become the Dark Lord's most trusted follower. He would regain his place at Voldemort's side by bringing his master the truth about the Chamber of Secrets. In the process he would displace Lucius Malfoy.
Of course that was all before the foul spawn of James Potter had gotten him arrested and thrown in Azkaban. The treacherous old bastard hadn't lifted a finger to help him. It had taken Severus more than a year from being arrested to find all the blocks in his mind. Even now he continued to fail in breaking them. The only answer lay in that they were blood-warded. There would be no breaking them. Not till such time as he wrapped his hands around the old bastard's throat and choked the life out of him.
Oh yes, there would be vengeance.
He still didn't know if he believed Lily was also returned from the dead or not. Oh no, he wasn't fool enough to believe the story in the papers. It was good. It sounded plausible. There was just enough there the sheep of the world would accept the story and run with it. But it was a cover-up for the truth and he knew it. If Lily were truly back from the dead she would never reveal the truth of how. Not when her enemy yet remained to be destroyed. Just the question of how she'd survived would drive the Dark Lord to distraction. The question remained though, was it really her? As more time went on, more news came to his ears, he found himself leaning towards belief. The speech on the floor of the Wizengamot, the threat to exterminate the Dark Lord and his followers certainly sounded of Lily.
But how to reconcile that with having watched her body being burnt at her funeral? But then he hadn't seen her body burning, had he? He'd seen a casket, nothing more. Could she have faked her death? It was bold enough he could see her doing so. What did he really know of those few moments when his Master had been in the room alone with her and the brat? There were no witnesses and the first person on the scene had been Black. Had he known? Had he been in on her plans? Giving the brat into Hagrid's custody so he could go after Pettigrew made sense if the plan was to then collect the child and disappear with Lily and continue the fight in secret. But then Black was in prison and the boy was with his aunt for years before he ran away. Would Lily have left him there so she would be unencumbered while trying to deal with the Dark Lord?
The answer was no. His path of introspection had begun long before his incarceration and he'd long since accepted many of the truths she had told him. If only he'd listened sooner he might have gone with her their last meeting where he'd begged her to abandon James and come with him to serve the Dark Lord.
"Do you even hear yourself, Severus?" she demanded.
"Lily, he will kill you."
"And if I join him, he will let me live? Me, a Mudblood? Will I be his slave or yours, Severus?"
"Lily, there is room for a witch of your talent."
"And that puts the lie to everything he and your lot stand for, doesn't it, Severus."
"Lily."
"No, she cut him off. If you wish to save me, then come with me. Join us in fighting him. You can even be the hero. Become our spy in his ranks. When he is defeated your praises will be spoken of for centuries."
He shook his head. "You don't know what you're talking about. His power, you can't even fathom."
She had just looked at him before drawing a deep breath and exhaling it slowly. "That's fine. You have made your choice. Even if it is the same path of cowardice you took our fourth-year, it is your choice to make. As then, mine is different."
"I am not a coward," he hissed, angrily advancing a step on her.
Her wand was at his throat instantly. "Then prove it and come with me." He said nothing. "When next he sends you to kill some innocent witch," she hissed, "do not hesitate, Death Eater; because if that witch is me, I will not hesitate in killing you."
And she hadn't. She'd killed an even dozen of his fellow slaves before that fateful night. If only he had listened, perhaps he wouldn't then have heard the beginnings of the prophecy and delivered that information to his Master. As much as he had regretted that choice it was the one he'd made years before he lamented the most. If he'd been stronger, less of a coward, more like… her son, she might have been his.
So, no, not if she'd known how he was being treated would she have left her son with her sister. But if she had believed he would be treated well, if she knew the Dark Lord wasn't truly vanquished, then would she have left him safe and protected while she worked to finish what she'd begun? There were simply far too many questions he didn't have answers to. Nor did he expect them to be forthcoming.
In the end, there was but one question that mattered, and this time, whether she were alive or dead, he would choose her.
"My Lord," Narcissa said, stopping at a respectful distance and bowing her head.
He regarded her for some moments before speaking and did not fail to take note her guard went up. As yet there had been no cause to punish her. Where others failed, she succeeded. Still, it would not do for her to grow too comfortable. "Your son," he asked. "He recovers?"
"Slow, my Lord. But he is eager for when his strength will allow him to serve."
Voldemort waited a few moments before responding. "And your other son?" He could almost see her hackles go up. Interesting that she was far more bothered by his attention towards the toddler.
"Growing, my Lord. Though it will be some years yet before he is capable of providing you worthy service."
"Indeed." Voldemort ran the fingers of his right hand on the arm of his throne. "You will no doubt be pleased to hear our dear Severus has awoken and will be able to assume his duties as their godfather."
"Severus has woken?" she asked.
He suppressed a smile. "Indeed."
She considered a moment. Nor did she fail to take note of his wand set on the arm of his throne under his left hand. "While I am grateful for this news and Severus' return to both yourself and my service, I fear my summons to appear has to do with Severus presenting you information that has given you cause to doubt my service, my Lord."
"And what information might that be?" he asked, caressing the wand.
"My Lord, I do not know. I can only assume Severus was in the confidence of my husband in things in which I was not."
"Your husband was in possession of something of mine. Do you know of what I speak?"
"My Lord, I do not. If you wish it returned I am happy to send the elf to bring it."
Nagini slithered from around his feet to coil in front of her. Rising up so her head was only but a foot beneath Narcissa's. Remarkably she did not retreat. She had learned well, to cower only invoked his wrath more. "That might be possible were it not destroyed," he hissed.
She swallowed tightly. "You—" she stopped at Nagini's loud hiss. "Severus," she corrected, "is certain of this?"
"He is."
"I can only assume your anger means my husband was at fault in this?"
"He was." She said nothing. "I find it interesting you do not offer to make amends, Narcissa."
"I am already in your service, My Lord. My life is pledged to yours. What worldly wealth remains is also yours. My son's are pledged to your service. I have nothing left with which to make amends."
Voldemort glared at her with his red eyes a moment longer. "Nagini." Narcissa flinched and then visibly sagged when the serpent lowered its great head and returned to him. She recovered quickly but the scent of fear remained strong in the room.
"How go your efforts to enter the school?"
"P–poor, my Lord."
Voldemort rolled his wand back and forth under his thumb. "I grow impatient, Narcissa."
"My Lord, I can no more enter the school than yourself."
Voldemort stopped rolling the wand and the tension in the room suddenly increased tenfold. "Surely you do not mean to imply I am incapable of finding a way past the wards of the school."
"Forgive me, My Lord, I misspoke. I simply desired to impress the difficulty of the situation upon you."
"I am aware of the difficulty, Narcissa. I sympathize with you plight. It pains me, even, I cannot allow you your vengeance upon Harry Potter. I recognize the girl is a poor substitute. That is why I do not undertake the task of capturing Lily Potter, the boy or the girl myself. I leave it to you so that even though you must give me the boy and his mother, you will know that their ultimate demise came because you bested them. Do you not agree this is generous on my part?"
"It is both generous and wise, my Lord."
He smiled. "I am glad we agree, Narcissa. Because I have thought of something of yours you can offer me as payment for your husband's failure."
She frowned slightly. "My Lord?"
"The girl, Narcissa. You will release me of my promise to give her to you." He could see the rage flare in her eyes before she managed to regain control.
"Of course, my Lord," she agreed.
"Thank you, Lady Malfoy. In acknowledgement of your generosity to me, I offer you the choice of any two others in payment."
"You are too generous, My Lord."
He waved her off. "While not yours, the failure must need be paid for. Your service though also demands a price and it will not be said that Lord Voldemort failed to reward those loyal to him."
"Thank you, my Lord."
Again he waved off her thanks, "I am pleased we could come to an agreement. Now, tell me who it is you wish in payment of this debt?"
"My niece, Nymphadora Tonks, my Lord… And the Mudblood."
"The Granger girl?"
"Yes, my Lord."
"Done," he agreed.
Five minutes later Narcissa slammed the door of the suite closed. Draco looked up but then went back to the tome he was studying. She glowered at him, wondering if Lucius could possibly have confided in him. She highly doubted so, but… "Did your father ever mention he was in possession of something belonging to the Dark Lord?"
"No," he answered without looking up.
"You are certain?"
"The answer will remain the same no matter how many times you ask… May I ask what it was?"
"I do not know."
"Then how are we to return it? I assume it is not too presumptuous on my part to think that is what he wishes?"
"There is no returning it. Your godfather has informed our Lord the item was destroyed."
"The bastard woke then?"
"Yes, he woke," she snapped. "And with one piece of information has supplanted me in the Dark Lord's confidence and brought down threats against yours and your brother's lives."
Draco finally looked up. "Sorry?"
"I told you, the Dark Lord does not suffer failure, Draco. Your father failed. I was called to account for that failure. I was forced to release him of his promise to give me the Weasley girl in payment for that failure."
Draco jumped to his feet. "What!"
"You heard me."
"You promised her to me!"
"The choice was my life, Orion's, or yours Draco. If you wish to sacrifice yourself, then, by all means, go do so."
Severus Snape stood just behind Nagini. The forest pressed in around them while the lights of Hogwarts' Castle twinkled in the distance through the trees. Regaining the Dark Lord's confidence had been… painful.
"Crucio!" Severus dropped to the floor, screaming in agony. He only knew he'd not been held under the curse for very long by the relative speed with which he recovered. "Did you think I would fail to remember, Severus?" Severus' answer had been another scream. "Did you think you could escape the consequences of betraying me five years ago?"
"My Lord," Severus gasped, "I did not know it was you. If you had only confi—ARRRRGGGH." When he'd recovered some semblance of coherence he opened his eyes to the terrifying visage of Nagini's nose but inches from his. Absurdly his mind jumped to Harry Potter and the way he'd bump noses with that damn serpent of his, and did the Dark Lord display such affection with his familiar.
Severus cautiously pushed to his knees, straightening his back despite the tremors still shuddering through his body. "My Lord," he gasped, "Dumbledore knows of the Horcrux."
The Dark Lord visibly stiffened. "What did you say?"
Severus took a couple of panting breaths and spoke as quickly as he could. "During Potter's second year the Weasley girl was possessed by an object, a diary. It took her into the Chamber of Secrets where Dumbledore believed you intended to resurrect yourself by consuming her soul. Harry Potter somehow located the entrance to the Chamber. Accompanied by Neville Longbottom and Minerva McGonagall he entered the Chamber. Somehow they killed the basilisk and rescued the Weasley girl by stabbing the diary with a fang from the beast."
To say the Dark Lord was shook was inadequate to the reality. Dumbledore had assured him Voldemort would be unaware of the destruction of the Diary. Severus had been doubtful of those assurances. Surely the destruction of part of one's soul would not go unnoticed. Apparently though, the old bastard had gotten a few things right. The Horcrux was not a relatively benign object. The soul captured within it sought rebirth just as much as the wraith that had possessed Quirrell. The old bastard had believed, in pursuing immortality, the Dark Lord had actually created rivals. Yes, the task of finding and destroying the Horcruxes was no mean feat. But they had one card the Dark Lord didn't know of in that the Horcruxes themselves would seek to be found. Severus felt he'd seen that dawning realization sweep a wave of terror across the Dark Lord's demonic face before he'd schooled his visage to normal again.
"I can go no further," Severus said. He could feel the magic of the wards pulsing in the air around him. It seemed the old bastard had been busy. Severus could almost appreciate the change; if it weren't preventing him getting his hands on Dumbledore and throttling him then and there that is. "I shall wait for you here." Nagini swiveled her head around. Severus forced himself to meet her glowing red eyes; eyes that matched those of her master. Even the most dedicated of the Dark Lord's servants might have balked at the assignment; thinking the Dark Lord to have lost his marbles. Severus had spent enough time in the presence of two wizards and their familiars to know Nagini would have no difficulties remembering or being distracted from her task.
He bowed his head slightly. "Mistress." Undoubtedly she would report back to her Master and it could only help him for the Dark Lord to know he recognized the serpent as being above him. Oh if he could only go back and speak with his fool self when he first fell under the influence of the Dark Lord with his delusions of promised power and importance. Would the fool he'd been even have believed him when told he would give subservience to a bloody snake? He doubted it. After all, hadn't he chosen poorly in following Dumbledore as well? He was weak and all to easily manipulated by stronger wizards presenting him too easy paths to what he desired. One promised power and respect. The other offered redemption. Or so Severus had told himself. In reality it was revenge he had sought. All the better when a blind eye was turned to his petty tormenting of Harry Potter for his father's sins. Oh, he still hated the boy, but more than three years spent in the company of his Shadow had at last directed his self loathing where it belonged. There was no one to blame for his wasted life but himself. But maybe, possibly, his chosen death would allow him to rest in some semblance of peace.
Severus was brought out of his dark and twisted thoughts by a sudden flaring of light from the wards form near the direction Nagini had disappeared in. Surely the serpent hadn't triggered the wards, had it? Birds and deer and a thousand other creatures a day passed through without issue. He'd told the Dark Lord that himself when questioned. Edging closer Severus nearly tripped over the body of the great serpent. She lay at his feet ensconced within magical bindings. Drawing his wand he quickly canceled them. The serpent remained unmoving though and he didn't relish getting close enough she might wake and strike him. Whatever commands the Dark Lord had given her he rather doubted she'd remember he wasn't to be attacked. Taking the portkey he'd been provided he levitated it onto her limp body and activated it. He then apparated to the pier where boats to and from Azkaban left the mainland. From there he took his wand and pressed the tip into the dark mark branded on his arm. It was only a moment later a loud crack announced the arrival of the Dark Lord. Severus immediately dropped to his knees.
"My Lord, forgive me, the wards have been changed. Nagini was unable to pass through the castle's protections. I managed to free her from her bindings but she remained unresponsive and I feared she might forget your commands I was not to be harmed if she awoke and I was within range. I sent her to you and returned as near as I could." He remained on his knees with his head bowed while the Dark Lord stood over him. The rage of the Dark Lord was palpable, thrumming through the air against his body and he braced himself for the inevitable. He was surprised then when the Dark Lord grabbed the back of his collar and apparated them back to Azkaban. He was still recovering from the rather more intense feelings of being side-along apparated than doing so himself when he was tossed roughly across the stone floor to crash against the wall. He hit his head hard, nearly blacking out, and when he regained his bearings found himself to be locked in one of the cells. His wand was obviously missing. Climbing to his feet he shuffled to the door and cautiously peered out the barred window. He could see nothing but a single torch in the corridor outside. He didn't bother calling out. Frankly, calling attention to himself was the last thing he wanted to do. Turning, he examined the space he was in. There was nothing. Not even the bed or hole in the floor that had been his toilet in his previous accommodation. Sliding down the wall he sat with his head tipped back, legs bent and arms resting on his knees. Only imminent death or guaranteed success warranted use of the one weapon he had available. What he now knew must reach the right ears.
Author's notes:
Me thinks things are not going so well for Severus, Narcissa or Draco.
Also, remember in this story water is a natural inhibitor to magic and unless Voldemort is helping them, it is beyond the ability of near everyone to apparate over the distance of water between England and the Isle of Azkaban.
And next week's torture: Chapter 30, There is incoming