a/n: reviews are greatly appreciated! or else I will only update this fic on AO3
Albus Dumbledore was afraid.
He knew for the past four years he had led his Order of the Phoenix with great leadership, yet somehow it always fell flat when it came to Tom Riddle – Lord Voldemort – and his Death Eaters. He had seen many deaths of the youthful wizards and witches fighting and failing to even scratch the other faction, and wondered if they would need a mole to infiltrate the enemy. But who would it be? Who could be so brave to join the Dark side, and willing to lie so convincing to the Dark Lord himself, who was renowned as the greatest Legilimens the wizarding world have ever had?
However in spite of everything, he still had hopes that the Light side would win in the end; all they had to do is to be patient. Between Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom, Albus had no doubts that the former would be targeted for being the prophesized child but he didn't want to have any loose ends. The two families and their relatives would have to hide when the time comes.
Especially with the month of July was drawing closer, as he checked the parchment where Minerva McGonagall wrote the haunting prophecy almost a year ago. For a brief moment, Albus wondered if there might be other children would be born at the end of the seventh month but he then shook his head.
Whatever the future might be, he would need to sacrifice everything for the greater good.
Regulus Black smiled weakly as he watched his friends guzzling down some red wine and sweets, while discussing about their upcoming new raid. However, he wouldn't be joining them as he got to be in St. Mungo's Hospital in the next two hours.
They didn't hunt Muggles down as much nowadays, only searching for any wizarding child that was born in those families using old magic and they would negotiate on either having the child to stay in the Muggle world or the wizarding world permanently. More often than not, the children chose to embrace their magical side with their parents fully paid for their expenses whilst staying in the wizarding families that the Death Eaters picked.
And though many had voted for Severus Snape to take care of them, the man outright refused the offer; telling them he had more pressing matters to attend to. Not to mention he was often called by the Dark Lord for something 'mysterious and utmost important' as said by Lucius Malfoy.
Still, Snape did come over to teach the young wizards and witches some dueling spells and basic potions whenever he was not working at the Ministry of Magic, and that was what they watched from afar for the day in one of the Avery families' estates.
"He would make a good teacher in Hogwarts," Evan Rosier mused with a wry grin. "I mean, sure we have Zabini there already but Snape is better for the job, don't you agree?"
Alaric Mulciber snorted, "No offence, Evan, but Snape's all about the details. Even his experimental spells work well and that says something. Doubt the kids get to do potions as he did; bounds to be strict and all that, not like ol' Sluggy." They snickered at the mention of the old Potions professor.
"But that just makes our point valid, eh? No Potions Master is like him, no wizard got the dueling skills like him; it's really a miracle we got him in our ranks," William Wilkes interrupted, "Serves Dumbledore right for making that oath about the werewolf."
"Severus deserves everything good that we gave him," Regulus said softly and the rest chimed in their agreement.
"Oi, Snape!" Michael Avery called, grinning at the children surrounding the man in black as they stood up and took their coats. "We're going now."
"Be careful," Snape said and after sharing a nod with each other, Regulus then left for his work; as much as he liked being a Death Eater, he was glad that his position as a Healer prevented him from joining those raids.
Only time would tell when their downfall happens…
Lord Voldemort looked down to his Death Eaters with flared nostrils.
He observed as some of them squirmed in their seats, heads lowered in fright to avoid his penetrative gaze. Beside him, Severus Prince had his lips pursed into a grimace, mindlessly tracing his fingers at the patterns of Nagini's brown scales; the snake roaming on the table agitated the other men further when she flicked her tongue out.
His red eyes fell onto those who joined his faction right after their schooling ended in 1978. "To think that these are the first losses we have in the many years we fought against Dumbledore and his goons…" he started slowly, "…I'm starting to feel new rules are to be enforced soon."
"Forgive us, my Lord," Alaric Mulciber spoke with a slight stutter in his voice. "W- We didn't know Moody was there, and-"
"Silence."
Only the deafening hum of Malfoy Manor echoed across the room.
"We lost two promising young men to the Order; Evan Rosier and William Wilkes in our latest raid," Lord Voldemort continued, "As much as I am saddened by their passing, they also deserve praises for their valiant effort of greatly injuring Alastor Moody, one of our main opponents. And for that, let's give a toast to them." He raised the glass of his red wine solemnly.
"To Evan Rosier and William Wilkes," the Death Eaters murmured.
The Dark Lord glanced at the man beside him who only took a small sip of his drink. "Lord Voldemort has been merciful to all of you, and he forgives you for your blunders. But he will no longer tolerate any failure from now on. Understood?"
The few uneasy and apologized mumbles from his followers made him sneer to himself. Despite everything, he still enjoyed striking fear to those pureblooded families who claimed themselves more powerful than other people in the wizarding world. He then went on, "As suggested by Severus Snape, I will modify your Dark Marks so that only we all can see each other's Marks. This is to make sure none of us will get caught by the Aurors or the Order."
"My Lord, thank you for your utmost thoughtfulness," he heard Bellatrix Black-Lestrange simpering from a few seats away. "…And you too, Snape."
Severus only hummed absent-mindedly as his response.
After everyone went to the ballroom, Lord Voldemort began the process to change the Dark Marks' properties; starting with his Inner Circle seeing that some of the influential Slytherin families were there, including Lucius Malfoy. It was tedious work especially when everything was all done in the wee hours of the morning, but he knew it would pay off in the end.
Besides, if it weren't for them, Lord Voldemort would not get to where he was now.
Spring came by, and on 16th April, Severus was in the backyard of the Snape house in Spinner's End, tending to the small garden of some plants and flowers. He started the project only about two weeks ago after attending Evan Rosier and William Wilkes' funerals; taking inspirations from Septimus Prince with his gardens back in Prince Manor.
He only wore the gardening glove on his silver left hand and as such got his other fingers caked with wet soil when he planted new seeds. Taking the watering can, he then filled the item and watered the rest of the plants and the sprout of his mother's buried ash wand; the only magical plant amongst those he had.
As much as he wanted to fill the backyard with other magical flora for his potions, Spinner's End was still a Muggle settlement; no doubt the government would try to renovate it in the future and he didn't want to find any trouble with the Ministry of Magic. Sighing, he went to sit on the ground and leant against the grey wall, glancing to see Marvolo in his owl form was preening the brown feathers.
Severus wondered if the soon-to-be ash tree would have Bowtruckles. If so, he could use its branches to make wands. Ash and Hazel; that would make a nice shop name if he were to venture into wand-making some time later.
He was about to rise up and clean himself when he heard a faint whoosh, frowning when Marvolo flew onto his shoulder. A mere moment later, footsteps entered the air and he was face-to-face with Albus Dumbledore.
"Dumbledore," he almost hissed, quickly having his Occlumency shields on guard.
"Severus. I have been looking for you."
Those damned blue eyes continued to unnerve Severus to this day. "What do you want?" he snapped.
"Just here for small talk." With a wave of his wand, the wizened wizard conjured two wooden chairs and gestured for him to sit, to which he warily did so.
"We have nothing in common," Severus said, crossing his arms. The owl on his shoulder hooted and clicked its beak as well.
"Ah, but I assure you we do have things to be discussed," Dumbledore beamed, his eyes twinkling at the flowers that began to bloom, "I suppose you do know that both Evan Rosier and William Wilkes were Death Eaters?"
Severus paused before inwardly narrowing his eyes. So Dumbledore was playing a game of manipulation. Alright, he could do the same. "You barely knew anything about what went on in Slytherin House."
"Oh? Do tell."
"Most of us are only acquaintances," Severus began, "there's no real friendships like the other houses. And they look upon past prestige of someone's family first before anything else. Tell me, does this look like a good upbringing to you?" He gestured toward the old Snape house behind him. "I only did what I could to survive for seven long years in there, and I had made my own name, hadn't I? By improving potions recipes and techniques, they flocked on me for even the smallest scrap of acknowledgement but I pushed them away. No one even knew I lived in this hovel once."
"So you don't feel sorry for their passing?" Dumbledore queried.
"Not much," he shrugged, smothering the guilt for badmouthing his Slytherin comrades. "Why are you here?"
"You knew of the Order of the Phoenix," Dumbledore started, "Having two Death Eaters killed at once was a great achievement for us after years of fighting them, and I knew this is the perfect chance. We can topple them down by identifying their Dark Marks and achieve better if there is a spy in Lord Voldemort's trusted circle of followers."
"And you want me," Severus muttered.
"It's just what you said, Severus; you are gaining traction in the wizarding world and even if you're hiding, Lord Voldemort will try to find you," the old wizard said quietly, "You are a good man, if a bit vengeful and I'm sorry for overlooking the werewolf incident years ago. And this is strictly confidential information, but Lord Voldemort will target Lily Potter's son due to a prophecy made last year. I know you are no longer friends with her, but I do hope you still remember her kindness. Love is the greatest magic of all."
"Then have Potter protect her and their kid. Don't they love each other?" Severus sneered. "I have moved on, Dumbledore and I intend to stay that way. Now leave before I made you to."
"You do realize Lily has lost her magic."
"So? That has nothing to do with me. And it's not like there isn't any Muggle means that can be used as self-defense."
His heart plummeted to his stomach after the words left his mouth and Severus mentally slapped himself for the blunder. Now he had to find another way to execute his plan of murdering the Potter child without Lily playing the heroine. Even though the idea of having James Potter killing his own son under the Imperius Curse was on priority, he still needed to find another method for safety measures. And to endanger Peter Pettigrew's unassuming position was not an option.
The two looked each other in the eye before Dumbledore finally sighed, "Perhaps I have been wrong in my judgment. I have heard that a Slytherin's loyalty is sacred, but if you have said so, then we are done for now. Farewell, Mr. Snape. I do hope you remain safe from Lord Voldemort." With that, the old warlock Disapparated and Severus groaned, already imagining how Marvolo silently chided him with his big orange eyes before they left to Prince Manor.
The following months passed by, and in early August, Regulus Black was in St. Mungo's Hospital, quietly searching for any new birth certificates of children who was born somewhere in the ending week of July whilst tending to the few patients admitted in the pregnancy ward. The Dark Lord had sought for him to look for the information, but wouldn't punish him if he hadn't found any.
And so, Regulus closed the drawer and muttered the few locking spells before checking the sleeping patients for the last time and took his leave. The moment he entered a dark alley, he quickly Apparated to Malfoy Manor but when he knocked on the mahogany doors, his cousin greeted him.
"Regulus," Bellatrix started with a wild grin, "What brings you here?"
"Is the Dark Lord here?" he asked.
She snorted. "Check the library. Snape bounds to be there too if I'm correct," she hissed the final sentence and left, with Regulus could only blink before making his way to the aforementioned place.
"My Lord, it's Regulus Black bringing the report of what you asked for," he said.
"Come in," a cold voice spoke from the other side and Regulus entered the room. As expected, Severus Snape was beside the powerful wizard, black eyes trailing after him in disinterest.
"Well, Regulus?" the Dark Lord queried.
Regulus bowed down to the man and kissed the hem of his dark robes. "There are no children born in the end of July this year, my Lord. But if it is a note of interest, Molly Weasley is in the ward for her seventh child."
"Is that so…" Lord Voldemort muttered, "The Weasleys are like rabbits, don't you think? The moment we thought they're done with, they went on to have another child."
At that, Regulus huffed in amusement, "They just want a girl to be married off to a rich family, that's all."
"Filthy blood-traitors, poverty are what get them in the end," the Dark Lord scoffed. "Very well then, Regulus; you may go."
But before Regulus stood up, his curious mind went to ask, "Is something the matter with what you ask for, my Lord?"
"Just a small inconvenience from the opposing side, but it will be over soon." Lord Voldemort's red eyes briefly fell onto Severus Snape and all it did was sparking Regulus' curiosity and puzzlement even further before he took his leave.