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Daphne Greengrass

"Dear diary,

It's difficult to put into words how… strange today was. Potter… No, Harry was not only far from his usual self, but the skill he showed with wandless magic was unimaginable. I will have to do some research to find out the details, but all the evidence — the changes in appearance, the different personality, and the impossible magical talent — all point to a ritual of some kind. We need to do some more research.

On a related note, what happened to Malfoy made my day. Not only did the pompous fool get the life beaten out of him, he wet his pants after. Future Daphne, I hope you still have the memory in your pensieve. Also, I hope you have a pensive.

Furthermore…"

"Shit, the ferret actually pissed himself?"

SHRIEK!

Crash!

Sharp pain spread through Daphne's shoulder as she toppled onto the hardwood floor of her bedroom. Her wrists ached, her heart was pounding in her chest, and she was sure she would be unable to sleep well for a while. Her eyes, though, bore into Harry bloody Potter skulking in the upper corner of her room like a bat and panting just as hard as she was.

She stood up and pointed her wand at him. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Are you insane? I could've had a heart attack?"

"You could've had a heart attack? You scared me half to death! What are you doing in my room?" Her eyes bulged, and she paled as she remembered the defenses of Greengrass Manor. "How did you get into my house?!"

"Well, that's easy, I just…"

Slam!

Her father burst into the room with bloodshot eyes gaping and breathing erratic. He looked at her for just a moment, before his gaze found Harry, and he unleashed every curse he knew at him. It started with blasting and cutting curses, then grew into bone-breakers and entrail-expellers, and then some she couldn't even recognize.

When he finally dropped his wand, only a smoking ruin of dust and smog was what remained of most of her bedroom. Lovely… now she had to trudge through redecorating.

He took a deep breath and knelt to hug her. "Are you alright, princess?"

She ignored him and stared at the steaming destruction in front of her. Her shoulders shook in her father's arms, and silent tears slid down her cheeks. There was no going back from this. They were going to come after her father. He was going to Azkaban, or worse…

He petted her hair and whispered into her ear. "There, there, princess. It's fine now, you're safe."

"You need to get out of here."

"Honey, what are you talking about? I'm not going to leave you alone at a time like this."

"No, you don't understand, you need to leave the country. You have to go into hiding!"

He pulled back to hold her shoulders. "What are you talking about? The man was an intruder that attacked you, why would it matter that I…?"

"Father, you killed Harry Potter!"

Her father blinked and then gulped. "I don't understand…" Color drained from his face, and his voice turned raspy, as if spoken from a dry throat. "Why was he even here? Daphne, what's going on?"

"Father, I'll explain everything, but we need to get mother and Astoria and leave."

"Yes, yes, you're right, of course, we…"

"Daphne, if I could follow you here, I can follow you abroad."

She and her father both screamed as one when they heard the voice. They turned back to the destroyed part of her poor, ruined room, where a descending layer of smoke was revealing a living Harry Potter. His clothes were torn to shreds — good riddance to them, they were abhorrent — and he was covered in blood. Fragments of skin, bone, and internal organs lay in pools around him, yet… He was alive and uninjured.

He grinned and spat out a disgusting glob of blood and spit. "That was one strong reaction. Did you have a bad dream?"

Her eyes widened. "Harry…"

"Did you drink too much last night and have a hangover?"

"Harry, seriously…"

"Honestly, who reacts like that? It must've been fifty spells. Bone-breakers? Entrail-expellers? Who throws an entrail-expeller?"

Her poor father was frozen and trembling, and his wand was still pointed at Harry. His eyes were bulging, and his mouth opened and closed with no words coming out. A bead of sweat slithered down his face, and the tip of his wand glowed green.

Oh no…

He gulped, and his breathing was erratic. "What the hell are you, Potter?"

Though her legs were weak and wobbly, she approached him and put her hand on his arm. "Father, please. Don't."

Harry cocked his head. "Oh my… Lord Greengrass… Who would've guessed?"

What is wrong with you?

"You better watch your mouth, boy."

"Really?"

"You better watch your mouth."

She licked her lips. "Father…"

He's going to do it…

"You came into my house. You threatened my daughter."

"What are you gonna do about it, big guy?"

Her ribs squeezed against her chest. "Guys, please…"

Stop provoking him! No, I can't let him do this…

Her father clenched his fingers around his wand. "You don't want to know what I'll do."

"I want to know."

"You don't want to know."

Her hands shook, and heart pounded. "We all just need to sit down and…"

"You gonna do something, asshole? Do it! Pull the trigger!"

Are you for real?!

Her father's trembling worsened, and the tip of his wand started glowing brighter, the green curse on it just begging to be released. "I'm going to do it."

Her eyes bulged, and her breathing quickened. "No!"

Harry spread his arms, and a manic look settled on his face. "Do it, motherfucker!"

She glared at her father. "Stop!"

He ignored her; his frantic gaze locked on Harry. "I'll do it!"

"Then do it!"

"I swear I'll do it!"

"Then what the fuck are you waiting for?"

She turned to glare at him. "Harry, you are not helping!"

"Relax, he won't do anything. He's a panicky bitch, no more!"

Why?!

Her father's face reddened, and veins bulged on his forehead. "You little bastard!" His nostrils flared, and he was breathing as hard as a bull. "Avada Kedavra!"

"Father, no!"

Harry grinned. "Now that's what I'm talking about!"

The green curse left her father's wand and struck Harry like a bolt of lightning. Its sickly green light illuminated the room, and whisps of energy crackled off it as it slammed Harry back through the air. He landed on his back with a crunch and a groan. Then, silence.

Her father stared at the fallen body, panting and sweating. His crimson skin turned pale, and his wand shook in his hand. His knees hobbled and betrayed him. He collapsed to the floor with his face in his hands.

Tears ran down his face, and he sobbed. "I… Oh sweet merlin, I…"

She approached him with a sigh and hugged him from behind. "There, there." She rubbed circles on his back. "It'll be alright, Father. We'll deal with this."

Not that it would be easy. This was the Harry Potter, not some random muggle, but they'd manage. It would take a bit of subterfuge, a bit of bribery, but they would do it. Besides, if push came to shove, they could always turn to Malfoy. Though, his price would be steep and hers to pay…

She took a deep breath. There was no use thinking about it. She'd do it.

He is my father.

Her father's voice quieted, and he stopped sobbing. "No, no, I'll turn myself in."

"You're talking nonsense, we can…"

"Shut up, Daphne!"

She let go of him and stepped back. "What?"

He jumped up, his eyes bloodshot, and he gawked at her without blinking. "I cast the killing curse!" His voice was coarse and cracking. "On a fifteen-year-old!" He gulped, and a sob escaped him. "What kind of person does that?"

"It wasn't your fault…"

"Motherfucker!"

It was an irritating repeat of earlier, but she and her father both gasped and turned with gaping mouths to see Harry Potter stand up again, as if nothing had happened. In retrospect, they should've expected it.

Harry sighed and shook his head. "It didn't work. It did not work."

Redness descended upon her vision, and she started marching towards him. That no-good, asinine, insensitive… A pounding pulse beat in her ears like war drums, and each breath was a desert wind in her dry throat. That asshole! How dare he? Break into her house? Make her father think he'd committed murder twice. Make them both think her father had committed murder twice?

She grabbed his lapels and brought his face as close as possible to hers. Their foreheads pressed together, and their eyes met.

She glared at him with a set jaw and lips pressed together. "You better have a good bloody explanation."

He chuckled and smirked. "Let's get your father a calming draught. Then I'll tell you."


Albus Dumbledore

Thick smoke permeated the dim light of what few candles there were in the chamber. The rest of it lay covered in murk and dancing shadows. It was a grand oval space with walls of smooth stone bricks and pillars of black and gold marble. A circular table sat in the center it with nine people seated around it. Only the outlines of their faces were visible, and their voices were all distorted.

He stood in the corner with his arms crossed. He was to remain silent. Perenelle had been clear. He was there to provide input on Harry when they asked him. No more. Though, just being in this room was an honor in and of itself.

"Welcome, brothers and sisters." A man with a long beard bent his head. "Let us open the first meeting of the Round Table of the twentieth century." He stood and bowed. "May Titania's wisdom show us what is right."

The others stood and bowed as well. "May Mab's patience help us guide others to that right path."

"May Gloriana's strength enable us make sure none stray off the Path." The man with the long beard pressed his hands together. "Glory to the Triad!" He straightened and gestured to the others. "Please, be seated."

Everyone sat down and leaned back into their chairs. Drinks appeared on the table, and a few members lit up their pipes.

The man with the long beard cleared his throat. "Before we open our itinerary, what news of the muggle world, Inventor? Need we destroy it yet?"

A man with a moustache and middle parted hair steepled his fingers. "Not yet, Mentor. Their technology and weaponry have advanced, but not enough to warrant action. Furthermore, it is my personal prediction that they will exterminate themselves within two hundred years."

"In that case, I open the floor to Alchemist and Duelist, who have called for this emergency meeting."

"Thank you, Mentor. What I'm about to say is no more than a suspicion, utterly unsupported by fact or evidence." Nicolas took a deep breath. "However, with that said, Duelist and I believe that a Forgotten Power has been reawakened."

The others all recoiled, and a woman with a sharp nose leaned forward. "The Imago Dei Ritual?"

"Yes." Perenelle sighed. "The young man that performed it… We… We researched his life. His childhood was… unhappy to say the least."

Coldness cut through Albus' stomach. He'd been there when the Flamels went to confront Vernon and Petunia. Legilimency had been unneeded, for the two were proud of what they'd done. He had wanted to take Harry away from them at once, but, apparently, the boy had never reached them in the first place. It was an investigation he'd undertake right after the meeting.

Hopefully, he'll be willing to go to the Weasleys.

A man with a bushy lion's mane of brown hair stroked his thick beard. "I can certainly see the Two-Faced Terror accepting him as her own… She's always had a… thing for mothering."

A woman with an upturned nose played with her hair. "If he is hers, we won't be able to kill him. Shall I start devising a suitable prison?"

A plump woman with high cheekbones shook her head. "Now, now, Scholar, don't be so rash. We don't know if he's even aware of her yet. I say we get rid of Tom for him, as a sign of good faith."

Albus gulped, and patted Nicholas' shoulder. He was not to speak until spoken to, but they wouldn't take insult to him asking permission. A bead of sweat slithered down his neck at Nicholas' cold gaze. Well… at least he hoped they wouldn't take insult…

"Albus…" Nicholas narrowed his eyes. "This better be important."

"Yes, professor. It regards Tom… and Harry." His gaze fell to the floor. "There is a prophecy concerning Harry Potter and Tom Riddle. It speaks of a child destined to defeat the dark lord. It says that one must die at the hands of the other."

The man with the lion's mane snorted. "The prophecy will not stop my sword from impaling Riddle's skull."

"No, but…" The woman with the sharp nose tapped her fingers on the table. "It could mean that the ritual affected Tom as well. If she claimed Harry, another could've claimed Tom."

A chilly silence filled the room, and Albus stepped back. His input was no longer needed, and he was content to listen. He'd told them the important thing; they didn't need to know about the horcruxes. He could deal with those.

A bald, monkeyish man with a long goatee struck his staff on the floor. "We need more information. We need to get to know this boy, this Harry Potter. We need to know what he wants and, if possible, to convert him to our way."

Nicholas tapped his nose. "What do you propose, Wanderer?"

"If he truly is hers, he will, without a doubt, suffer some psychological damage thanks to her… gentle ministrations. Though, I dare not guess to what extent." The monkeyish man twirled his beard, and his voice quieted. "What I propose is that one of us goes to Hogwarts this year to fill the empty teaching position. We can get a measure of the boy and establish a relationship."

The woman with the upturned nose nodded. "I agree. However, we shouldn't keep the truth from him for long. We do not want to damage whatever fledgling relationship we manage to establish."

The man with the long beard looked at Nicholas, who nodded and turned to Albus.

"Albus…" Nicholas' tone was grim, but kind. "You are free to leave. We must deliberate and vote now."

He opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it.

Perenelle smiled at him. "Our apologies, Albus, but these are serious matters, and all the secrecy is distracting us. We will inform you of our decision."

Albus nodded and left.


Daphne Greengrass

Tap

Tap

Tap

Her gaze refused to leave Harry's as her fingers tapped on the table. They were in the secondary dining room, meant only for informal dinners of the immediate family, and steaming food and tea lay in front of them. It was well made, especially those cookies. Chocolate chip made from dough mixed with cocoa. Ooh, she'd kill for one right now… Except…

I will not move first.

She stared at Harry.

He stared back.

She tapped her fingers louder.

He started making weird noises.

She narrowed her eyes.

He pursed his lips.

She screamed and leaned back. "Fine! Don't tell me."

"Don't tell you what?"

"I'm not in the mood!"

"In the mood for what?"

She sighed and pinched her nose. "Harry, have you missed the five-minute staring contest we had? About you refusing to tell me how you got here?"

"Yes."

"You are being so…" She blinked twice. "Wait, what?"

"I did miss it. I kinda zoned out when you started ranting."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Calm down, Daphne, you've had a long night. It's fine. Your father is fine. Harry is alive, well, and insufferable. Just calm down…

Her shoulders loosened, and her breathing slowed. "Alright, Harry. Will you please tell me how you bypassed the wards of Greengrass manor? This place is a fortress."

He shrugged. "I just turned into a fly and hid in your pocket. Basic stuff, really."

She looked at the window. The night outside was murky and starless, and two golden chandeliers illuminated the room. It was a small place, with just the one table and four chairs. The marble walls had golden embroidery, and their utensils were of fine silver. None of which was helping her get over the fact that Harry was breaking the laws of magic. Repeatedly.

In any other circumstance, she'd call him a liar. Only animagi could turn into animals, and anyone whose form was a fly wouldn't have bothered learning. However, after seeing him do what he did… She no longer believed in the impossible.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "How did you do it? How did you survive all of father's curses? How did you survive the killing curse?"

"Well, that's easy."

She raised an eyebrow.

"I'm Harry Potter."

It's fine… It doesn't bother me… It doesn't bother me… It bothers me… It bothers me a lot, and he's smirking again!

"Can you be serious for one second?"

He narrowed his eyes and sat up straighter. His muscles tensed, and a grave expression settled on his face. Heaviness filled the air, and the ground trembled under the rage of unreleased magic. A dancing light shone from his eyes, and his hair rose under an invisible and untouchable wind.

Wait, did I actually get through to him?

Her father squeezed her shoulder and nodded at her.

Of course not… On the plus side, I guess we're back to two calming draughts. Progress

She leaned back in her chair, and her father leaned forward with his wand in his hand. It would do him no good, but if he needed it to feel secure, she had no problem with it.

Harry's voice quieted. "You're finally ready to talk business?"

Her father matched his tone. "Yes."

"I can't tell you how I survived your attacks, but I can tell you why I provoked you into hitting me with that killing curse."

Her brow wrinkled. "What's the catch?"

"The catch…" He looked at her with a set jaw. "Is that, should you ever talk to anyone about this, I will come back and slaughter everyone living in this household." He turned back to her father. "Except for you. You will live just long enough to bury them all."

She gulped. After what they saw him do today… They wouldn't be able to stop him…

Her father hmphed. "Would it not be simpler to demand an Unbreakable Vow?"

Harry chuckled darkly. "I prefer vengeance over security." His nostrils flared, and he leaned forward. "This conversation is happening. Regardless of your feelings on the matter."

"I see…" Her father's face turned white, and he turned to look at her with a grim expression. "Daphne, please go to your room."

Her eyes widened. He was going to send her away? After everything? She had a right to know!

"Now, Daphne!"

"Father…"

Do I look retarded to you?

"She can stay." Harry shook his head. "That is, I want her to stay."

Phew… Thank you Harry.

Her father narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"My reasons are my own, but I will tell you this…" He closed his fist and looked at it. "You're prone to panic attacks, Lord Greengrass, as you've already proven…"

Her father's gaze fell to the floor, and his cheeks reddened.

"… and I am ill equipped to deal with you in such a state."

She raised her chin and pressed her lips together. "Go on, Harry. We won't tell anyone."

Her father nodded, and the temperature in the room dropped. Strands of ice formed on the windows, and the air dried out. The smell of ozone appeared in the atmosphere of the room, and static electricity bounced around off anything conductive.

Harry clenched his teeth and spoke each word with disgust. "I have a soul piece stuck in my forehead." His eyes closed, and head trembled, for a moment. "I need you to take me to the Department of Mysteries and use whatever trinkets you have there to take it out."

She frowned at her father's gaping mouth and bulging eyes. As much as she refused to use the word 'impossible' around Harry anymore, this really sounded silly. Soul piece? How could a soul have a piece? You had a soul, or you didn't, it wasn't a cake for you to cut into pieces and give to everyone at a party… Right?

She shook her head. "What…?"

Slam!

The chair crashed against the polished marble floor as her father jumped up with his wand pointed at Harry. "You little bastard! You dare mention that in front of my daughter?!" His nostrils flared, and his jaw trembled. "I should kill you where you stand!"

"Father!"

You already tried that!

"Except that you can't." Harry leaned back and crossed his arms. "Have you already forgotten how that turned out for you?"

"I don't care, you little son of a bitch! I'll keep killing you until you don't get back up!"

"Father! Stop!"

"Stay out of this, Daphne!"

"Stay out of what?!"

Slam!

Harry's fist smashed against the table, and he stood up. "You can't wrap her up in a bubble and protect her forever! The world is ugly! People do ugly things!"

"It's not the same! This is the foulest magic there is! She doesn't need to know!"

Her heartbeat pulsed in her ears like a war drum. Enough was enough! "Shut up! Both of you!" A red cloud descended upon her eyes. "Shut up." She turned to her father and took a deep breath. "Father, if you really don't want me to hear this, I respect that. I'll leave, and you…" She turned to Harry. "Will say nothing about it, unless you're willing to go through with your threats."

Harry cocked his head and chuckled. "Still think she's not ready to know, Lord Greengrass?"

Her father picked up the chair and sat back down. "Your logic is horribly eschewed, Potter. Being mature and strong-willed has nothing to do with learning about the darkest of magics. Well, maybe it does in your twisted mind, but not in mine." He sighed. "However, you have been the greatest of supports to me tonight, Daphne. Thank you."

"Father, I…"

"No, it's alright. You helped me through my episode and didn't turn on me after I used the killing curse on a child. If you want to stay and learn, you deserve that right."

Her cheeks reddened, and she blushed. "Thank you, father."

"What Potter mentioned is the darkest of all magics. A way for a dark wizard to cheat death. A horcrux."

She gulped and looked down. "Harry mentioned a soul piece. Does that mean that…?"

"Yes." Her father took a deep breath, and his gaze moved to the window. "A dark wizard shatters his soul through the murder of an innocent. Then he rips that shattered piece out of his body and places it in a container. Thus, if anyone should ever manage to kill this dark wizard, his soul would not move on to the afterlife, for the piece trapped in the container would hold it back."

Harry leaned back and steepled his fingers. "Exactly. I have one of those stuck in my forehead. Every method I've tried has failed to get it out, including getting hit by a fucking killing curse."

"I don't understand, though…" Her father frowned. "Horcruxes are made using inanimate objects. How did you end up with one?"

"Oh, I'm sure it was coincidental. Old Smellymort was pretty unstable by the time he attacked my parents, so it must've broken off and latched onto me when I whooped his ass with his own spell."

"Yes, yes, I can see that happening…"

Daphne's stomach hardened, and ice crept through her chest. "You… You have a piece of the Dark Lord's soul stuck inside you?"

"Yeah. Its quite annoying too. It got stronger with me and keeps pestering me at the most inopportune times."

Sweet Merlin…

Her father stroked his chin, and his voice quieted. "We'll have to do some research… This is unprecedented…" He stood up and moved to the door. "Come, Potter. We must get you to the Department at once!"

Harry followed him and chuckled. "Of course. Lead the way."

Daphne's heart hammered in her chest as they closed the door behind them. That was it? After everything, her father wasn't even going to ask her how she was? All that drivel about foul magic and her being a child, and he was just leaving?

To be fair, I did want him to stop coddling me… But he could've asked!

Her hands shook, and she bit back a scream. He was getting a piece of her mind when he came back! Mother's too! In fact, she was going to wake her up right now and…

"Daphne?" Her father poked his head through the opening on the door. "You coming?"

She blinked. "What?"

He chuckled. "You didn't think we'd leave you behind, did you?"

She smiled and followed him out. "No, I didn't."


Severus Snape

His robes billowed behind him, and air colder than it should be smashed into him, as he walked into the grand dining room of Malfoy Manor. It was a large chamber encased in marble and lined with ornate pillars. Lavish paintings graced the walls, and exotic plants adorned the floors. A massive table stood in the center, upon which sat twelve people.

The smallest of frowns appeared on his face after he closed the door. Among those twelve were Bellatrix Lestrange, Barty Crouch Jr., the Lestrange brothers, Augustus Rookwood, and Antonin Dolohov, all of whom should've been in Azkaban… Or dead in Barty's case…

Curious…

He blinked and moved to the single empty seat remaining, to the left of the head of the table. Interestingly enough, it was not Lucius sitting there, but a strange, tall man he'd never met before. His skin was pale, and his curly hair was jet black. His dark eyes were fixed on Severus.

Bellatrix smirked at him as he sat down, and the others slumped their heads and kept silent.

"Welcome, Severus." The man's voice was smooth and slightly deep, and he spoke with no rush. He treated each word as a gift to the one listening. "It's been… a while."

He froze and held his breath. This… This was…

"I'm glad you recognized me just by my voice. No one else was that clever." The Dark Lord chuckled. "That is just one of many reasons why I hold you in such… high regard."

"Thank you, my lord."

Merlin's hairy balls, how was the Dark Lord back? With no one aware… Shit! Occlumency! He strengthened his occlumency shields as much as he could with such short notice and pushed the fake memories and shield to the forefront. Hopefully, they'd work as well now as they had before…

"Well then, now that we're all here…" The Dark Lord clapped his hands, and food and drinks appeared on the table. "We can begin. Bella?"

She stood up and straightened her robes. "There is no suspicion about the decoys we left in Azkaban. Their… Our deaths should be reported in the morning."

Severus' eyes narrowed slightly. Bellatrix was sounding… too sane for someone that'd spent more than a decade in Azkaban. She looked too healthy as well. There was no… manic gleam in her eyes, and she wasn't shaking. What was going on?

At least her filth of a cousin is still rotting there.

The Dark Lord nodded. "Good. Lucius?"

"Nothing new in the Ministry, my Lord. There hasn't been a peep about you, the Azkaban breakout, or anything that could be related to us in any way."

"Excellent. Augustus?"

"The devices are in place, my lord. We will know if Potter steps foot into the Department. However…"

"Speak freely, Augustus."

"Well… I believe we should abstain from going there again, my lord." Rookwood closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "They almost caught me while I was placing the devices. They'll be even more vigilant now…"

The Dark Lord smiled. It was soft and kind, and everyone else soaked it up with the eagerness of children. None of them noticed it failed to reach his eyes. No, his eyes were icy and unblinking, and his eyelids were raised just a bit too high.

"Fret not, my friend. I will not punish you."

Rookwood gulped and bowed. "Thank you, my lord."

Tightness took hold of Severus' chest, and he tilted his head slightly. This was… strange. The Dark Lord's behavior was so unlike his usual self that he might've suspected this was an imposter. He was… too calm. Too calculating. Too Slytherin.

Except… the power was there. The softly shimmering magic beneath the Dark Lord's skin. The frigid air was brimming with it, and it oozed from him with every movement and spoken word like a tainted smog.

No, this was the genuine article. Still, the other shoe had to drop… Eventually.

The Dark Lord stood up and looked upon everyone present. "None of you should fear me. I have already forgiven you for not seeking me out. I have pardoned you for renouncing me. After all, it was the Slytherin thing to do."

The others murmured their consent, but their gazes rose to gawk upon him.

"You are my most capable and trusted allies, and I am not as I was." His expression was grave, and his voice softened. "I became… ill during my later years. The decades of dark rituals, which had transformed my appearance into the snakelike monster you knew before, chipped away my sanity and made me into a complete antithesis of myself."

Severus pressed his lips together and clenched his jaw. There he was… The Dark Lord from the tales. The older Death Eaters had often told them of the charismatic young man that had recruited them from Hogwarts. He'd always thought they were faking their wistfulness and nostalgia in those moments, but he believed them now.

He makes you want his approval… It's like we're all children, and he's the parent. Genius.

The Dark Lord took a slow sip of his wine. "I lost all my cunning. All my capability of tactics. All that which had been the pride of my Slytherin heritage. This was mostly because of a single ritual." He gestured towards Rookwood. "Augustus, please explain to everyone what a horcrux is."

Severus' heartbeat quickened slightly, as Rookwood started speaking. Dumbledore had already covered it back when Potter brought him the diary. The two of them had begun theorizing about how many the Dark Lord could've made and what they could've been, yet… Was he going to tell them?

But why would he share such critical information…?

The Dark Lord nodded after Rookwood finished his explanation. "Yes. Before my fall, I made five of those. I split my soul five times. The items I gave you, Lucius, Bella, had two of those pieces imbedded in them."

Bellatrix's eyes widened, and she grinned. Of course, she would be honored. Her devotion was insane, even by Severus' standards.

Malfoy paled and gulped.

Oh, yes… He lost the diary. He had a horcrux destroyed… Over a petty squabble. Ooh, the Dark Lord wouldn't be happy about that one…

The Dark Lord glared at Malfoy, and his voice turned cold for a single moment. "We will discuss the diary in private, Lucius. However…" He raised his chin. "None of this matters anymore. My soul pieces have returned to me, and I am complete once again."

Severus furrowed his brow and leaned forward. "My lord, wouldn't that leave you unprotected?"

The Dark Lord chuckled and whipped him with a look that sent shivers down his spine. "I thought that would interest you… Severus." His lips stretched into a smirk, and his voice lightened. "You needn't worry. I am far harder to kill than before."

Severus kept his face from showing a reaction, but his insides were churning. The merged soul explained the changes in personality and appearance… At least now they could take that into account and plan around it…

Barty gasped. "Have you found an even greater form of immortality, my lord?"

"Ah, Barty. I am truly delighted to have followers as devoted as you and Bella." He smiled at Barty's tears of joy. "You're right. I have found a better way. I have found a superior way, one which neither divides the soul nor takes it out of the body. It entails creating an anchor and connecting the soul to it, like with a chain. Even if the body dies, the soul will never move on to the afterlife, for the chains will hold it back. Afterwards, it is a simple matter of creating a new body."

Bile burned in the back of Severus' throat, and his chest hurt with lack of breathing. This was horrible! If what the Dark Lord just said was true, he no longer needed to keep the number of horcruxes low… He could make hundreds. Worse! He no longer needed items of significance. He could make them out of anything… A pebble, a random object, a grain of sand…

I need to tell Dumbledore about this as soon as possible!

"In fact!" The Dark Lord grinned — though his lips curled in, and he licked his fangs — and spread his arms. His gaze washed over everyone gathered here. "As of today, only you, my most trusted lieutenants, shall bear my Dark Mark! None other in my service shall have that privilege!"

He looked at and nodded at each person one by one. His nostrils flared, and he took a deep breath. None of the others blinked, and they hardly dared breathe.

The Dark Lord's voice quieted. "The reason for this is simple. Too long have I walked alone. Too long have I believed that, in my superiority, I alone was capable of anything. Too long have I held you, my best and brightest, under my heel with fear and torture. As of today, we are a true Order! I am your Lord and Leader, but I shall never again be your tormentor!"

Severus had to force himself not to snort at the tears in everyone's eyes. For Merlin's sake, Bellatrix was trembling in her seat like a schoolgirl in love. Were these people retarded?

But weren't you like them once? Weren't you ready to give your life for him? Didn't you…? No! He wouldn't think like that. Those days were long past, and he'd sacrificed enough on the altar of his own stupidity to reminisce about it now.

"You are all precious to me. Thus, I want you protected. I wish for you to live and rule the world forever with me, as my most prominent servants." The Dark Lord took a deep breath. "This is why I shall make these new horcruxes for each of you! You, my most trusted lieutenants, shall be as protected as I am! I shall personally protect your precious anchors!" He chuckled, a mirthless and gravelly sound. "I expect nothing in return but your faithful service."

As everyone else cheered and shouted the Dark Lord's name, Severus' eyes fell to the table. They didn't understand… The Dark Lord just took hostages from them more valuable than any family member. He got their very lives. Who among them would ever betray the Dark Lord when he held the objects that kept them safe from death in his possession? The secrets of the horcrux's creation would remain with him, none of the others would be able to create their own.

The Dark Lord raised his hand to quiet them. "I understand your jubilation. This is a momentous occasion. Please, go celebrate with your families. Revel in your status and the anticipation of the reward I shall bestow upon you. Your Lord bids you leave in high spirit and good mood."

Among the murmur of excited conversation and the racket of chairs moving and shoes clapping against the floor, Severus rose to walk out.

A hand clasped his shoulder.

He looked at the Dark Lord, who was smirking at him.

"Not you, Severus. I would speak with you first."


Creek…

Thump.

The doors smacked against the frame after the final person left. The air chilled further, and invisible whisps of malignant magic permeated the room. A small smile sat on the Dark Lord's face as he handed him a glass of wine and stared at him until he drank it all.

Three seconds after he took the last sip, lightning coursed through his blood until it reached his brain. Like a snake, it slithered through his occlumency shields as if they weren't there and wrapped around his mind. Though his mental faculties and emotions were still his own, the lightning had bound his ability to lie tighter than any chain.

He could only tell the truth.

The Dark Lord laughed. It was ugly and full of malice, like having hot tar poured into your ears. "Does your potion master's mind appreciate my improved version of veritaserum, Severus? I crafted it just for you after my sanity came back to me. Do you know why?"

He gulped. "No, my lord."

"I realized how impressive your occlumency is. In my… damaged state, your decoy walls were enough to convince me I had succeeded in breaching your mind. Obviously… I've realized my mistake.

Severus leaned back into his chair, pressing his elbows to his sides. "I've never lied to you, my lord."

"Oh, I know that. You just… withhold information or spin the truth to suit your needs. Make no mistake, I'm… impressed."

Hairs lifted on his nape. "Thank you, my lord."

"Tell me, Severus, what did you think of my… little speech?"

A bead of sweat slithered down his neck. "It was ingenious, my lord. They now serve you with true affection. I have no doubts every single one of them would die for you."

The Dark Lord chuckled. "It must baffle you, doesn't it?"

Chill filled up his stomach. "I'm not sure I follow, my lord."

"We both know I'm a psychopath, Severus. I feel no love, no friendship. Everyone that was in this room could fall dead in front of me, and I wouldn't care." He smirked and leaned towards him, his voice quieting. "Yet, I convinced all of them that I feel both of these emotions for them. I persuaded them that they… matter to me. Do you know how this comes back to you?"

His heartbeat thrashed in his ears, and his chest tightened. He barely forced the words out. "No, my lord."

"Just because I don't feel love doesn't mean I don't understand it. It was my insanity that kept me from seeing how… devoted you were to your mudblood. Your allegiance isn't to me or Dumbledore. It's to her." The Dark Lord drummed his fingers against the table. "That's why you were planning on running to Dumbledore the moment this meeting ended and telling him everything. You want me dead because I killed her. Am I wrong?"

His ribs squeezed and constricted his heart, and rocks gurgled within his stomach. He looked down and kept quiet.

The Dark Lord smiled maliciously. "I asked you a question."

"No…" He gulped. "My lord."

"When did you betray me Severus? Was it after I killed her? Was it because I promised to spare her and didn't?"

"No, my lord." Shudders ran through his entire body, and his gaze glued itself to the table. "I betrayed you the moment you decided to go after her family… I knew she'd die for her son."

"Ah…" The Dark Lord nodded. "Yes, that makes sense. I'm curious, Severus. If I had spared her, who would you have served?"

"You, my lord."

"Even though she would've hated you?"

"Yes. She would at least be alive."

"I see. Thank you, Severus. However…" The Dark Lord pointed his wand at him and smiled. "I'm afraid our discussion is at an end."

Icy fingers slid down his back, and his spine froze. His heart pounded in his chest, and each breath was coarse sand down his throat. This was it… The tip of the Dark Lord's wand was glowing green… The killing curse was about to strike him. Well… It wasn't so bad… There'd be no pain…

I'll be with Lilly… Hopefully she'll forgive me…

He closed his eyes.


"Finite Incantatem."

Severus opened his eyes, and his mouth gaped. The foreign warmth withdrew from his body, and the lightening disappeared from his mind. He froze, and a high-pitched ringing echoed in his ears. The Dark Lord hadn't killed him?

"You seem… confused, Severus."

He shook his head, blinking rapidly. "I… I don't understand…"

The Dark Lord chuckled and smirked. "Severus… A spy of your caliber is… invaluable." He shook his head. "I'm not going to lose the… unique services you can provide over… past mistakes."

He frowned. "But… I confessed I wasn't loyal to you. I confessed I was planning to betray you."

"Ah, yes… that." The Dark Lord leaned back into his chair. "I admit, that, with anyone else that would usually result in a… long death. However, Severus, you really underestimate my genius."

"My lord…" His stomach fluttered. "I don't follow."

"Controlling people is easy, Severus. It's all about finding out what matters most to their hearts." The Dark Lord took a long sip of wine. "The others all want the same thing, and it is not what you may expect. Oh, they may talk about blood purity, tradition, and all that rubbish. What they really want… is acceptance."

Severus' head flinched back, and his eyes widened. "That's impossible."

"Au contraire, my traitorous friend. Did they not have power before I arrived? Was the pureblood oligarchy not running magical Britain before me?" He took another long sip. "Well?"

"They…" He took a deep breath and frowned. It didn't make sense, but The Dark Lord had a point. Severus wasn't around back in the fifties, but he was aroundafter the end of the First War. Lucius Malfoy had made more progress in the Wizengamot in a year than the Dark Lord had in a decade of terror. The pureblood faction was winning, blood purity ideals were at an all time high. Even Dumbledore couldn't stop them, which he never failed to whine about. Then why…

"You see it now, don't you?" The Dark Lord laughed. "You just can't understand why such people, such… Slytherins would crave acceptance and friendship. Yet, it is you that should understand it best."

His eyes focused on the table, and he kept quiet. What could he have possibly had in common with the elitist, rich, pureblood snobs that made up the other Death Eaters? They had everything handed to them on silver platters, while he had to suffer under a muggle father that…

His eyes widened.

Oh…

"Yes, I see you understand." The Dark Lord drank more wine. "Like you, all of them have been victims of parental pressure, though in another way. Their parents conditioned them that they were never to trust anyone, confide in anyone, befriend anyone. When I provided them with an opportunity to become friends — granted, behind plenty of pomp, ceremony, and denial — they lapped it up like the dogs they are."

He shook his head. "But what does that have to do with me?"

The Dark Lord looked up and pressed his lips together. "Back in my… damaged state, I thought the same applied to you. When you first knelt before me, I looked into your eyes and saw the same need that they had. Well, I thought I did." He took a deep breath. "Yet, you are a completely different creature, aren't you, Severus? You're like me. You're… obsessed."

He frowned. "My lord?"

"Now, now, don't deny it, Severus, it's not healthy." The Dark Lord chuckled. "We are similar. Except that, I desire power. You crave that mudblood girl of yours. Unlike the others, you need only her acceptance. Her love."

A vacant look descended on Severus' face, and weakness permeated his muscles. He slackened in his chair like a rag. "I don't see how that matters anymore, my lord. She's dead."

"It matters, Severus, because you're the most capable servant I have. Smarter than Bellatrix, a better duelist than Lucius. Though not to me, you possess greater loyalty than Barty. You're also a half-blood. You shall be my greatest lieutenant. My right hand."

Severus stayed silent. What could he say to that? They both knew that he'd be running to Dumbledore the moment he made it out of here alive…

"You're now thinking I'm crazy and that you'll betray me the moment I let you go, but you're wrong."

Severus frowned and narrowed his eyes.

The Dark Lord grinned maliciously and pointed to the back door of the room, behind Severus, which lead to the kitchens.

Severus' gaze followed his finger, and his heart skipped a beat in his chest.

Impossible… What…? How…? Impossible!

In front of them stood a young woman, whose dark red hair fell to her shoulders. Her face was gentle and symmetric, but her skin was the pale white of a corpse and had cracks in it like broken porcelain. Her eyes… Her distinctive bright-green eyes lay within black sclera, not white.

Severus' mind froze and heart stopped beating. His lungs refused to take in breaths, and his bulging eyes threatened to fall out of his head.

He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

"Hello, Severus." Lilly Evans smiled at him with affection she hadn't shown him since they were children. "I've missed you."


That's it for chapter two! I hope you enjoyed it. Leave a favorite/follow to know when chapter two comes out, and leave a review to let me know. I read and answer all of them. Have a great day until chapter three!