* * * *
Voldemort lazily rolled his wand between his hands, staring at the young man who stood before him. He was thin, pale and blonde, every bit his father's son and as he stared at him, Voldemort felt the familiar twinge of hatred. Draco Malfoy reminded him of Lucius down to the very stance he took before his Lord and Lucius had betrayed him. The Malfoy name no longer meant anything to him, it was as bad as looking upon a Mudblood.
With a shake of his head, Voldemort had to remind himself that the boy standing in front of him was not Lucius and he had no way of preventing his father's defection to Dumbledore's side. He was just a boy, a faithful follower who, unfortunately, looked far too much like his father.
"Draco," Voldemort said, still rolling his wand in his fingers. "I understand you have helped the others bring Lucius and Glorificus to me."
Draco nodded, his eyes on the floor. "Y-yes, my Lord."
Voldemort smiled slightly. "Do I make you nervous?"
Draco's blue eyes flicked upward slightly before he dropped them once more. "Yes, you do, my Lord."
"And why is that, Draco?"
"Because your power is so immense, my Lord. I have never felt power radiating off a body like this before," he paused thoughtfully, then said, "Except, perhaps, for the girl."
Voldemort's smile widened. "You flatter me, young Malfoy. But you say that . . . the girl, as you call her, radiates power much like my own?"
Draco's eyes came up once again and he nodded briskly. "Yes. It almost hurts to be around her. She wants to do something good with it, but she knows what you're going to do to the world and it scares her." He allowed himself a tiny smile. "She's afraid to die."
Voldemort nodded. "Very good. Allow yourselves to feed the fear within her. Make her think that her death with be slow and painful, and let your father know that he will watch her die and take the Mudbloods with her before I allow him to finally die."
Draco bowed deeply. "Of course I will, my Lord."
"You have pleased me, Draco," Voldemort said. "Do not follow your father's failures."
"Never."
Voldemort nodded. "I will call the three of you when I have gathered the others to watch this momentous event. You may go now."
Draco smiled, then turned and left the room. Voldemort watched him go, then smiled as well. The boy would be a faithful follower, a servant he would be able to trust in the long run. Once he had wiped the world clean, once he had flooded it with power and purged out the ones who didn't deserve to live, he would make sure Draco became his second in command. After all, the Malfoys had been his most powerful followers at one point. If all went well, he could keep that family name under his power.
* * * *
"There," Snape said, pointing to a small house down a winding dirt road. "That's the only house around here for miles. That has to be the place where Voldemort is hiding."
Lupin squinted and stared at it. "Are you sure? It's so inconspicuous."
"That's exactly what Voldemort would want, especially at a time like this," Snape explained, moving toward the road. "The whole of the Ministry is looking for him right now, as well as Dumbledore and most of the Aurors. Everyone knows what could happen if he uses Glory's power, this isn't a light situation, Lupin. He'll be as hidden as possible."
"He should have left the country."
Snape glanced at him. "How then, could you tell me, would he have gotten his hands on Glory?"
Lupin sighed. "I'm sure he has Death Eaters all over the world, Severus. He could have found someway to transport her."
A small smile crossed over Snape's lips. "You give far more credit than is due, Lupin. After his fall, many of the Death Eaters did return to their normal lives. Many of them truthfully realized the error of their ways."
"Like you, for example," Lupin replied scathingly, before realizing exactly what he was saying.
Snape stared at him for a long moment, then nodded. "Yes, like myself. The point was that Voldemort's support isn't as strong as it once was. There are those, of course, who would run back to him the moment he returned to power, but they would be killed instantly for their cowardice and betrayal. While he's still weak and on the run he has very few followers who would be willing to transport Glory anywhere."
"So, he has to remain in the country where he can get at her easier," Lupin said.
Snape nodded. "That is exactly why he's chosen to remain where he is in most danger of being caught. He knew that once he had Glory there was very little anyone could do to stop him."
"You sound very resigned already," Lupin said. "If that's the way you feel then why are we even bothering with this? Neither of us are purebloods . . . shouldn't we just go back to Hogwarts and wait with the Headmaster until we die."
Snape glared at him, his dark eyes very angry. "I said that he knew there was very little anyone could do." His gaze turned to the small house that lay up the road. "I never said that I believed it."
Lupin nodded slowly. "What is our plan?"
Snape glanced back at him and grinned softly. "Plan, Remus? I don't have a plan."
Lupin stared at him, startled. "Two things, Severus . . ."
"Yes?"
"First off; no plan? Are you mad? And second; that is the first time I've ever heard you use my name."
Snape looked back at the house and sighed. "To answer; no plan because no matter what we plan, he'll know. We go in there just to get Glory out and to deal with Lucius in whatever way he needs to be dealt with. Second; I'm sorry."
Lupin was taken even more aback by the apology than he had been by the use of his first name. "Sorry? What for?"
"For being completely biased against for because of your school day friends," Snape said softly, still avoiding Lupin's gaze. "You were just a boy and you never did anything to harm me. The werewolf had nothing to do with my hatred for you . . . it was because of James Potter and Sirius Black." He held up a hand as Lupin tried to talk. "I know they were your friends, but that is not my concern. My concern is how you interact with me and . . . and I apologize."
Lupin remained silent, but nodded slowly. "Thank you, then."
Snape nodded as well. "Are you ready?"
"For what?"
"To walk into that house without a single thought of a plan inside your head?" Snape asked, smiling softly.
Lupin nodded. "You know, Severus, I think I am."
Each with their wand in hand, they turned and strode purposefully up the long road that led to the house.
* * * *
Draco's arm burned, sending shooting pains clear to his shoulder and he glanced up to see Tina wincing and Daphne rubbing at her arm. He had called the three of them, they were to bring Lucius and Glory in to die that very moment. Voldemort's few faithful followers would be gathered, prepared to witness the momentous day when the world would be wiped clean of all the filth that inhabited it.
Draco smiled softly, then grabbed Glory by the arm and hauled her to her feet. She made no noise as he pulled her and it disappointed him. With a malicious grin, he dug his fingers into her as tightly as he could, knowing it had to hurt her slightly. Her blue eyes turned to catch his and Draco's smile widened just before he caught the hint of a grin on her lips.
"Helping your pathetic Lord, are you?" she hissed. "Giving me a little more power to wash over the world? You're hurting me."
Draco gasped slightly, feeling part of himself being taken away. It felt like nothing he had ever experienced before, as if there was a hollow and empty place in his body where he had taken power from.
"Ever wonder when there's too much in me?" she asked as he dragged her along. Lucius was walking behind her, his fingers on her elbow. "Did he ever wonder when I'd have so much power inside of me that I'd just explode? I wonder what use I'd be to him then."
"Shut up," Daphne growled, poking her wand into Glory's back. "You talk too much."
Glory raised an eyebrow. "I suppose that always was one of my bad traits."
"Don't make me use the Cruciatus on you again," Daphne warned.
Glory smiled again. "Go ahead. See how much of that I absorb. Try to make me take a little too much and see what happens. I'm sure Voldemort would be very pleased to find me lying useless on the floor."
Daphne's jaw tightened and she jabbed at Glory again. "Just walk."
"Don't provoke them," Lucius whispered.
She shot him a look that told him to immediately shut up and he fell behind, still touching her but feeling further away than he had in a very long time. If she was planning something he wanted to be involved in it, but he knew that Glory would be more safe and more likely to save herself, and the world, if she acted alone. Still, Lucius couldn't help but feel doomed as they came upon a heavy wooden door that he knew would lead to a room full of Death Eaters. Followers of Voldemort who would be ready to jeer at him, torture him if they were allowed and he wasn't prepared to face that. He had lived, he had done the things he'd wanted to and yet, he had not had a full life. He didn't want to die, not yet.
Draco pushed the door open and tossed Glory inside. She tripped on the floor and stumbled into the circle of Death Eaters as Daphne pushed Lucius aside and closed the door. Glory stared defiantly at the shadowed faces that were watching her, determined not to show fear to any of them. She would revert back to her old self if she had to. There would be no crying, no begging for her life, no whimpering with pain. There would only be the cold, clear eyes of a woman who had accepted and resigned to her fate. She was in a position where there was nothing left for her to do, but realize that she had failed and because of her failure, the world would pay.
"Glorificus," a smooth voice hissed from the shadows and a moment later, Voldemort stepped into the circle with her. "Still as beautiful as I remember."
She stared at him, expressionless.
"Still as vacant, apparently," he said, chuckling. "You were always so cold. It's quite hard, really, to see what Lucius Malfoy sees in you. He always liked the ones with a bit of fire in them."
Glory said nothing.
Voldemort smiled at her. "No comments, my dear? No sarcastic and witty remarks, no dying statements that my defeat will soon come and your death will not be in vain? No need to make yourself into a martyr?" He cocked his head. "Strange. So few of them go quietly."
With a shrug and a sweeping gesture to his audience, Voldemort stepped closer to Glory. "Pay attention Lucius, you'll love this."
He reached out and placed his palm flat against her chest. Light burst forth from her body and Glory screamed, her body shaking with pain. Voldemort just smiled and continued to take her collective power into his frail body.
* * * *
Voldemort lazily rolled his wand between his hands, staring at the young man who stood before him. He was thin, pale and blonde, every bit his father's son and as he stared at him, Voldemort felt the familiar twinge of hatred. Draco Malfoy reminded him of Lucius down to the very stance he took before his Lord and Lucius had betrayed him. The Malfoy name no longer meant anything to him, it was as bad as looking upon a Mudblood.
With a shake of his head, Voldemort had to remind himself that the boy standing in front of him was not Lucius and he had no way of preventing his father's defection to Dumbledore's side. He was just a boy, a faithful follower who, unfortunately, looked far too much like his father.
"Draco," Voldemort said, still rolling his wand in his fingers. "I understand you have helped the others bring Lucius and Glorificus to me."
Draco nodded, his eyes on the floor. "Y-yes, my Lord."
Voldemort smiled slightly. "Do I make you nervous?"
Draco's blue eyes flicked upward slightly before he dropped them once more. "Yes, you do, my Lord."
"And why is that, Draco?"
"Because your power is so immense, my Lord. I have never felt power radiating off a body like this before," he paused thoughtfully, then said, "Except, perhaps, for the girl."
Voldemort's smile widened. "You flatter me, young Malfoy. But you say that . . . the girl, as you call her, radiates power much like my own?"
Draco's eyes came up once again and he nodded briskly. "Yes. It almost hurts to be around her. She wants to do something good with it, but she knows what you're going to do to the world and it scares her." He allowed himself a tiny smile. "She's afraid to die."
Voldemort nodded. "Very good. Allow yourselves to feed the fear within her. Make her think that her death with be slow and painful, and let your father know that he will watch her die and take the Mudbloods with her before I allow him to finally die."
Draco bowed deeply. "Of course I will, my Lord."
"You have pleased me, Draco," Voldemort said. "Do not follow your father's failures."
"Never."
Voldemort nodded. "I will call the three of you when I have gathered the others to watch this momentous event. You may go now."
Draco smiled, then turned and left the room. Voldemort watched him go, then smiled as well. The boy would be a faithful follower, a servant he would be able to trust in the long run. Once he had wiped the world clean, once he had flooded it with power and purged out the ones who didn't deserve to live, he would make sure Draco became his second in command. After all, the Malfoys had been his most powerful followers at one point. If all went well, he could keep that family name under his power.
* * * *
"There," Snape said, pointing to a small house down a winding dirt road. "That's the only house around here for miles. That has to be the place where Voldemort is hiding."
Lupin squinted and stared at it. "Are you sure? It's so inconspicuous."
"That's exactly what Voldemort would want, especially at a time like this," Snape explained, moving toward the road. "The whole of the Ministry is looking for him right now, as well as Dumbledore and most of the Aurors. Everyone knows what could happen if he uses Glory's power, this isn't a light situation, Lupin. He'll be as hidden as possible."
"He should have left the country."
Snape glanced at him. "How then, could you tell me, would he have gotten his hands on Glory?"
Lupin sighed. "I'm sure he has Death Eaters all over the world, Severus. He could have found someway to transport her."
A small smile crossed over Snape's lips. "You give far more credit than is due, Lupin. After his fall, many of the Death Eaters did return to their normal lives. Many of them truthfully realized the error of their ways."
"Like you, for example," Lupin replied scathingly, before realizing exactly what he was saying.
Snape stared at him for a long moment, then nodded. "Yes, like myself. The point was that Voldemort's support isn't as strong as it once was. There are those, of course, who would run back to him the moment he returned to power, but they would be killed instantly for their cowardice and betrayal. While he's still weak and on the run he has very few followers who would be willing to transport Glory anywhere."
"So, he has to remain in the country where he can get at her easier," Lupin said.
Snape nodded. "That is exactly why he's chosen to remain where he is in most danger of being caught. He knew that once he had Glory there was very little anyone could do to stop him."
"You sound very resigned already," Lupin said. "If that's the way you feel then why are we even bothering with this? Neither of us are purebloods . . . shouldn't we just go back to Hogwarts and wait with the Headmaster until we die."
Snape glared at him, his dark eyes very angry. "I said that he knew there was very little anyone could do." His gaze turned to the small house that lay up the road. "I never said that I believed it."
Lupin nodded slowly. "What is our plan?"
Snape glanced back at him and grinned softly. "Plan, Remus? I don't have a plan."
Lupin stared at him, startled. "Two things, Severus . . ."
"Yes?"
"First off; no plan? Are you mad? And second; that is the first time I've ever heard you use my name."
Snape looked back at the house and sighed. "To answer; no plan because no matter what we plan, he'll know. We go in there just to get Glory out and to deal with Lucius in whatever way he needs to be dealt with. Second; I'm sorry."
Lupin was taken even more aback by the apology than he had been by the use of his first name. "Sorry? What for?"
"For being completely biased against for because of your school day friends," Snape said softly, still avoiding Lupin's gaze. "You were just a boy and you never did anything to harm me. The werewolf had nothing to do with my hatred for you . . . it was because of James Potter and Sirius Black." He held up a hand as Lupin tried to talk. "I know they were your friends, but that is not my concern. My concern is how you interact with me and . . . and I apologize."
Lupin remained silent, but nodded slowly. "Thank you, then."
Snape nodded as well. "Are you ready?"
"For what?"
"To walk into that house without a single thought of a plan inside your head?" Snape asked, smiling softly.
Lupin nodded. "You know, Severus, I think I am."
Each with their wand in hand, they turned and strode purposefully up the long road that led to the house.
* * * *
Draco's arm burned, sending shooting pains clear to his shoulder and he glanced up to see Tina wincing and Daphne rubbing at her arm. He had called the three of them, they were to bring Lucius and Glory in to die that very moment. Voldemort's few faithful followers would be gathered, prepared to witness the momentous day when the world would be wiped clean of all the filth that inhabited it.
Draco smiled softly, then grabbed Glory by the arm and hauled her to her feet. She made no noise as he pulled her and it disappointed him. With a malicious grin, he dug his fingers into her as tightly as he could, knowing it had to hurt her slightly. Her blue eyes turned to catch his and Draco's smile widened just before he caught the hint of a grin on her lips.
"Helping your pathetic Lord, are you?" she hissed. "Giving me a little more power to wash over the world? You're hurting me."
Draco gasped slightly, feeling part of himself being taken away. It felt like nothing he had ever experienced before, as if there was a hollow and empty place in his body where he had taken power from.
"Ever wonder when there's too much in me?" she asked as he dragged her along. Lucius was walking behind her, his fingers on her elbow. "Did he ever wonder when I'd have so much power inside of me that I'd just explode? I wonder what use I'd be to him then."
"Shut up," Daphne growled, poking her wand into Glory's back. "You talk too much."
Glory raised an eyebrow. "I suppose that always was one of my bad traits."
"Don't make me use the Cruciatus on you again," Daphne warned.
Glory smiled again. "Go ahead. See how much of that I absorb. Try to make me take a little too much and see what happens. I'm sure Voldemort would be very pleased to find me lying useless on the floor."
Daphne's jaw tightened and she jabbed at Glory again. "Just walk."
"Don't provoke them," Lucius whispered.
She shot him a look that told him to immediately shut up and he fell behind, still touching her but feeling further away than he had in a very long time. If she was planning something he wanted to be involved in it, but he knew that Glory would be more safe and more likely to save herself, and the world, if she acted alone. Still, Lucius couldn't help but feel doomed as they came upon a heavy wooden door that he knew would lead to a room full of Death Eaters. Followers of Voldemort who would be ready to jeer at him, torture him if they were allowed and he wasn't prepared to face that. He had lived, he had done the things he'd wanted to and yet, he had not had a full life. He didn't want to die, not yet.
Draco pushed the door open and tossed Glory inside. She tripped on the floor and stumbled into the circle of Death Eaters as Daphne pushed Lucius aside and closed the door. Glory stared defiantly at the shadowed faces that were watching her, determined not to show fear to any of them. She would revert back to her old self if she had to. There would be no crying, no begging for her life, no whimpering with pain. There would only be the cold, clear eyes of a woman who had accepted and resigned to her fate. She was in a position where there was nothing left for her to do, but realize that she had failed and because of her failure, the world would pay.
"Glorificus," a smooth voice hissed from the shadows and a moment later, Voldemort stepped into the circle with her. "Still as beautiful as I remember."
She stared at him, expressionless.
"Still as vacant, apparently," he said, chuckling. "You were always so cold. It's quite hard, really, to see what Lucius Malfoy sees in you. He always liked the ones with a bit of fire in them."
Glory said nothing.
Voldemort smiled at her. "No comments, my dear? No sarcastic and witty remarks, no dying statements that my defeat will soon come and your death will not be in vain? No need to make yourself into a martyr?" He cocked his head. "Strange. So few of them go quietly."
With a shrug and a sweeping gesture to his audience, Voldemort stepped closer to Glory. "Pay attention Lucius, you'll love this."
He reached out and placed his palm flat against her chest. Light burst forth from her body and Glory screamed, her body shaking with pain. Voldemort just smiled and continued to take her collective power into his frail body.
* * * *