A/N: Because FFN. was down for so long, some people e-mailed me with their votes and so the results are in and this story has been finished. I will not be posting it all at once because the story is by far the longest I've written for Harry Potter. I think fans of the Dark Prince will hopefully enjoy this because the cunning and intelligence (and yes, ruthlessness) the Dark Prince displays in this story is how I truly pictured my creation. I also intent to change the title to "The Fading Light" because I feel it goes more along the lines of this story arch.
P. S: For Dark Prince fans around the web, Saerry Snape has begun writing a fic which I'm looking forward to with great excitement. Keep an eye out for it.
Time passed and the students slowly began to grow comfortable with the new dynamic of the school. Remus had slid back into his Defense Against the Dark Arts professorship like he had never been gone. His classroom and office was soon full with creepy and curious creatures for his classes. The laughter from his classes could be heard down the hall. Even Kaiya Alchemy seemed to become more comfortable with her latest assignment as teacher. The once somber dungeon was filled, not with laughter, but questions and shouting answers. She enjoyed sprinting through the class, pointing to random students and demanding an answer. The students flourished, except for Neville Longbottom who seemed to be naturally allergic to anyone named Snape.
However Slytherin House was miserable. The moral of the darkest house suffered from lack of mentor. Professor Vector, Sinistra, and even Lupin had all tried to head the house only to be summarily denied and rebelled against by the students. The Prefect of the House, Harrison Delacroix, took over the position in a kind of reluctant leader. But Harrison was still just a student and they needed their head.
The absence of Snape's presence was felt like death at Hogwarts.
Albus Dumbledore seemed to feel the lost the greatest, he wore his pain on his sleeve. Alchemy had her feelings buried somewhere deep inside her. She sent most of her time with Remus now. He would search her out and they would spend hours together. Still, the pallor over the school couldn't be escaped. It was like the stillness before a storm. Dumbledore made an announcement that no students would be allowed to stay over winter break with express permission from him. Harry Potter was allowed to stay at Hogwarts, granted that Kaiya would stay with him.
Nights were getting longer at Hogwarts and the weather was getting colder when the Aurora came. She was lovingly called "Old Victory" by the people under her command. Victoria Ambrosia Hawke had been the most talented Auror in her day and had weathered the storms of the Dark Arts for as long as Dumbledore taught. She had been as unmoving and unyielding to Dark Wizards as they had been cruel to their victims. Some called her ruthless while most considered her a needed evil. As an old warhorse, Ministry men who couldn't hid her away decided she'd be the best to head up the entire Auror forces. She took the job reluctantly and was slowly adapting from warrior to politician. Her hair was peppered, snowy white defeating dark gray. Her left hand was covered with a glove, which according to rumor was nothing more then a stub. She had lost her hand to a Death Eater, they said, although the glove always covered the hand and she allowed no one to see if it was true. She was walking with Dumbledore around the perimeter of the lake.
"How long do you give us?" Victory asked in a no nonsense voice.
"He'll move during Christmas, probably."
"Next week's Halloween. That'll give us some time." She nodded, thankfully. "I got my men hidden up mainly doing recon around the Balkans. You Know Who likes to hid around there."
"But Voldemort will keep his head down while Severus does his business." Dumbledore advised. "And Severus is an aristocrat. Whatever he has planned is going to go down like a well rehearsed play."
"We're going to be forced to do his dance, then." Victory stopped, looking stern. "So tell me the truth, Albus, can we beat him?"
Dumbledore was silent. "Only if he wants us too."
In an ancient castle hidden away between France and Germany, near the Ardennes Forest, Severus Snape planned destruction. Jacqueline rubbed Severus' back, delicately and sensually. She ignored the other men in the room. Severus, however, had his attention turned fully to the four men sitting around the table.
There was Galen McKenna, the man who had practically invented the Imperius Curse. Next to him was Erskine Raine, the platinum blond, and dark eyed master of the Cruciatus Curse. Lastly was Eoin Malone, whose hatred for Severus was renowned. Not that mattered to Severus, of course. After all, he needed their talent not their love. And talent flowed like blood in this room for each of one present was one of Voldemort's top lieutenants. At the height of their power, they had been ten in number but three were imprisoned in Azkaban and two had been killed. These were his commanders, his leaders. If Snape was his Prince, these warriors made up his crown. They were once called "the heads of the dragon," an allusion to the biblical monster that would one day bring about the apocalypse.
Severus was leaning forward, tracing various paths on a map. In between the fingers of his left hand, he twirled an ancient coin. It was dating from the dynasty of Severus Alexander Caesar, his namesake. Somewhat ironically, Severus Alexander was the boy king who was known for his peaceful reign. His own army stabbed him in the back and Snape did not intend to share that fate.
"You're either a fool or suicidal to plan this, my Prince."
"Either way McKenna it will make a spectacular show." Severus said. "How do you kill a snake? You crush the egg before it's hatched. The same is true in this instance. The way to win is take out the enemy before he has the chance to fight. The Ministry is impotent. Fudge and his stiff-collared friends won't dare attempt to intervene."
"You're targeting Albus Dumbledore, that frail body holds a lion's heat."
"What good is lion's heart if it's dying?"
Raine looked surprised. "He's dying?"
"I hardly give him the year. His death is evitable; our main concern should be attacking his legacy. Once he's gone McGonagall, Figg, Lupin anyone of these names will try and continue his plans. Stop them before they have the chance too."
"Even the Ministry will not stand idly by." Raine prompted, although he looked interested. "They'll move."
"By the time they do, Hogwarts will be a smoldering ruin."
"It is a daring plan, one I'm not entirely sure we can execute." Raine smiled. "Not even with you dear Prince."
"McKenna? If I asked you to start a little a chaos, could you?"
"Do you want broke, blind, or bedlam?"
"How about all three?"
"Already done." Galen pulled out a cigarette with his teeth from his pack. He muttered a curse from the side of his mouth and lit it. "Where and when?"
Godric's Hallow, forty-five minutes prior, the Ministry headquarters, thirty minutes prior, Hecate Academy, fifteen minutes prior, and finally Hogwarts." Severus counted off the times as if he was reading from a book. "Now I don't care who takes care of Godric's Hallow, or the Ministry but I want Malfoy to head up the attack on Hecate. He is to attack the Auror Academy only, leave the orphanage. None of the attacks are to last longer then 30 minutes. Just a little razing and chaos: and I want each one to lead into the next, more brutal one got it. I want them reeling. Malone, and McKenna plan these. Pick people you trust to follow orders. But I want you two to be with me at Hogwarts." He scribbled something on a sheet of paper and handed it to Jacqueline. "Make sure he's there too."
Jacqueline nodded but said nothing. Raine looked up at her then flashed another charming smile. "This is going to take a miracle."
"It'll be Christmas, Erskine, it's the time of miracles. So be of good cheer and trust me." Severus stood and bowed. "Now while you go and tend to your homework, I have to make sure all is prepared."
"Aye, aye Professor." Raine mused.
Malone watched the door long after he left. "He's insane."
"Probably." Raine agreed. "But I'd sooner trust his plans then yours."
"So would I." Malone agreed. "But think about this, Erskine. If all this…craziness works, The Dark Prince will no longer have Dumbledore to worry about. Severus is bloodthirsty and ambitious, him and that little tart Jackie." He pulled on his cloak. "So who do you think he'll go after next." Malone bowed out.
Raine chuckled. "And when Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept. For there were no more worlds to conquer." He glanced at McKenna and smiled. "I'll buy you a drink."
Severus stepped outside into the chilly air, and began to cough. He pulled out a handkerchief and covered his mouth. Jacqueline had hung back, knowing Severus would hate her if she tried to help him. The force of his coughing caused him to double over. Jacqueline flinched when she saw he had drawn up blood. He rose up and wiped the excess from his mouth, inhaling deeply to catch his bearings. In his new move, he pulled out a flask from his side and drank. A healing potion, no doubt.
"How long?" She asked.
He glanced back. "I don't know."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because you already know. You knew going in that the Elixir of Life never grants life. It only prolongs it." He gingerly touched his stomach, where he had been impaled. He could feel the tenderness. He winced and looked at her. "Which is why I'm hurrying this, along. I'm going to start this war if it's the last thing I do."
She walked over to him and threw her arms around him. This time, he allowed it. In the moonlight she kissed him gently. She smiled and looked deep into her eyes. "Lets go start a war."
"Grand idea, Jack. Go get Karkaroff."
