A/N: I'm baaaack, and with the next chapter, no less! Another flashback chapter – I'm sure you people who want to see Germanus and Severus' meeting think I'm quite evil – but anyway, this one is mostly about Severus' teen years and the rise of the Dark Lord. The details may be considered extremely sketchy, but keep in mind that the story is being told through Germanus' point of view, and his knowledge is just as sketchy, if not more so. Enjoy!

SRI (Shameless Rant Insertion): I'm really pissed off with ff.net's recent decisions – almost, but not quite, pissed off enough to move my fics. What annoys me most is that I pay for their Support Services and yet I have no control over where my money is going. I'd rather have it going to NC-17 fics than to the countless Mary-Sues out there, quite frankly (which appears to be what ff.net has decided to cater to). I'm not sure what I'm going to do, but I'm not a happy author. "Release your imagination and free your soul," indeed.

Chapter 6: Flashback – Never Did

June 31st, 1973:

             Germanus hated the M.U.S.S.R.

             He didn't hate the M.U.S.S.R. (Magical Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) for the reasons most people did; they hated it because it was communist. He had no idea why the magical community of Russia had decided to become communist and he couldn't care less. It couldn't be worse than fascism, as far as he was concerned, and he had tolerated that with Germany until Grindelwald had decided to make a run for world domination. He didn't even care that Russia had decided to take some spoils of war along with the deal – again, communist Poland couldn't be any worse than facist Poland, and the same thing went for East Germany.

             No, he didn't hate it because of communism. He hated the M.U.S.S.R. for two reasons: for one, he had to deal with both the M.U.S.S.R. and the Allies, who were not the best of friends by any stretch of the imagination. Every day the Representative of Britain, or France, or even West Germany would bother him with some complaint about how he should be dealing with the 'situation' in Russia. The M.U.S.S.R. felt he should be supporting them after all they went through during Wizarding War II. He didn't know what either of them expected him to do; neither side trusted him as far as they could throw him because of his dealings with the other side, so his authority was rendered all but impotent. Even so, ninety-eight percent of his paperwork and meetings revolved around the two bickering sides.

             As for the other reason, there was the fact that Russia was both part of Europe and of Asia, and because of Russia's plans for world domination he had to have even more communication with his least favorite fellow Seneschal than ever before. Tseng Yu Wang loved the M.U.S.S.R. for the simple fact that he knew Germanus hated it.

             Well, if he loved it so much, he could have it.

             "Gemmy?" Severus asked.

             Germanus looked up at his paperwork to see the thirteen-year-old closing the door behind him. "Severus, what are you doing here? You know I'm busy."

             Severus frowned and looked down at the floor. "Anna's a Seneschal and she's never too busy for me," he grumbled.

             "Maybe if she had to deal with communist Russia then she would be!" he shouted, making Severus flinch.

             Anna stormed into the room and put her hands on Severus' shoulders. "Germanus, would you calm down! Don't shout at him like that! It isn't his fault!"

             Germanus stood up tall behind his desk. "How dare you tell me how to raise my son!" he yelled.

             "I'm not your son!" Severus shouted. "And I don't ever want to be! Here!" Severus strode over to Germanus', thrust an envelope into his hands and stormed back out the door.

             "Germanus! He just wanted to give you a letter from his Headmaster! He got the highest marks in his year and the Headmaster sent you a special letter saying how talented he was! He was so proud of himself and then you had to go ruin it!" Anna cried.

             "Get out!" Germanus barked.

             "Gladly!" Anna said. She left the room and slammed the door behind her.

             Germanus sighed, rubbing his aching temples. He and Severus had grown even farther apart since he started school. He knew that much of the blame lay with him but he couldn't be expected to apologize. He was overworked. Severus ought to understand that.

             No, he couldn't apologize. He had to get his papers together for his meeting with the French Representative. He put Severus' letter, unopened, in his desk drawer. He would read it later.

             He never did.

*************************

August 12th, 1975:

             "Gemmy?"

             "Yes, Severus?"

             "Could I ask a question?"

             "You just did."

             A sigh. "You know what I mean. Are you too busy?"

             "As a matter of fact –"

             "Never mind, then."

*************************

August 13th, 1975:

             "Gemmy?"

             "Yes, Severus?"

             "Are you busy now?"

             He looked up from his work. "I suppose I could spare a moment. What is it?"

             "Is killing wrong?"

             Germanus couldn't hide his surprise. "Of course it is. Why would you ask a question like that?"

             "But…but what if the people who someone was killing weren't people at all?"

             "What are you speaking of, Severus?"

             "Well," he continued uneasily, "if they had tried to kill people in your family before, and if they would try to kill you if they knew about you, is it okay to kill them?"

             "I need more specifics."

             "Like…like Muggles."

             "Muggles?"

             "Yes. You know, how they tried to burn witches and wizards like us at the stake-"

             "Ah yes. Great-Great Grandmother Elizabeth had trouble with them. Not that they could hurt her, of course-"

             "But they did try to," Severus pointed out. "They wanted to kill her."

             "Severus," Germanus said sternly. "Muggles are like animals. They're too stupid to know what they're doing. They're even worse than Mudbloods."

             "But if they're just animals, shouldn't we be allowed to kill them? It's just like hunting, isn't it?"

             "Sev-"

             He was interrupted when one of his guards opened the door. "Sir, the Seneschal of Asia needs to speak with you. He claims it is urgent."

             Germanus sighed and turned to look sternly at Severus. "Remind me to finish this conversation later." He then followed the guard out of the room, muttering all the way about not being at the beck and call of another Seneschal.

             Severus never did bring it up again. He had his answer.

*************************

July 2nd, 1976

             Germanus really, really hated the M.U.S.S.R.

             He was sick of the paperwork; he was sick of the animosity between himself and the Representatives. Most of all, he was sick of having no clue as to what situation he would be thrown into next. He almost wished they would get it over with and declare war so it would all be settled. War was easy. War he could deal with. There were very standard procedures to go through. Being forced to mediate disputes between Representatives who were throwing thinly-veiled threats at each other left and right was grating on his nerves. Nevertheless, he had tolerated it for many, many years.

             This, though. This he could not tolerate.

             "Who the hell is this Voldemort and why don't you just kill him yourselves?" Germanus growled.

             The British, French, West German, Spanish, and Swiss Representatives were surprised by his reaction. "Seneschal, we told you that he is very difficult to kill. We need the cooperation of the International Confederation of Wizards, and your support in particular," the British Representative said.

             "My support!" he scoffed. "What do you want from me? You want me to deal with the communists. I deal with the communists. You may not think I do it well, but I do it as well as I can. It takes up most of my time. Now you want me to take care of some aspiring fascist. There have been dozens of them since Grindelwald's time. What makes this one so bloody important? He's only a minor force in a single country!"

             "He has killed thousands of British Muggles and Mudbloods, Seneschal, and now his sigil is showing up in France, as well. He is gaining support from highly placed Purebloods in all of our countries. We are concerned that he will cease to be a British problem and will become a European problem," the French Representative said.

             "You want me to send out a class five summons, don't you?" Germanus asked.

             They looked at each other with wary eyes. Finally the British Representative spoke up. "We believe it would be wise, Seneschal."

             "You believe it would be wise." His nostrils flared. "Yet I ask again, what is it that you expect of me? Dealing with the Grindelwald problem took up most of my father's time, just as the communist problem is taking up my time now. Which is more important? Surely you must realize that I cannot give both issues the attention they deserve at once. That's why you are all here to handle the minor problems like this Voldemort fellow."

             "He's been terrorizing us for six years!" the British Representative said. "We are incapable of handling the situation! He's attracting support from many of the youngsters leaving school, and they don't have a clue what they're getting into. Children have been murdering their own parents! His madness is a disease upon the nation that must be purged!"

             "You said this fellow was from England?" Germanus asked.

             "Yes, Seneschal," the British Representative said.

             "Well, I happen to know someone who actually lives there, unlike the rest of us. No, no complaints. I'll have him brought in immediately and see what he thinks of all this." He looked one of the guards in the eye, and he nodded, walking out the door.

             "Who is it, Seneschal, if I may inquire?" the British Representative asked.

             "Why, it's my younger brother. He's been going to school at Hogwarts these past years. Never mentioned anything about this Voldemort."

             The British Representative nodded sadly. "Ah yes, Hogwarts. That school has been hit hardest by Voldemort's campaign, despite its Headmaster's best efforts. Which house is your brother in? I was a Ravenclaw, myself."

             Germanus blinked. "House? I don't know, actually. I never thought of asking him. It doesn't matter, I suppose. He's in his last year, so it's a little late to ask now."

             The Representatives looked uncomfortable in a way that Germanus had learned meant they knew something he didn't. "What is it that has you all so concerned, exactly?"

             "Seneschal," the English Representative said, "your brother…I'm not sure how to say this, but…has he expressed any…inappropriate political leanings?"

             "I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about. But it appears you can ask him yourself. Hello, Severus. Please take a seat."

             Severus walked in, looking nervously around at the others there. He sat down, still not taking his eyes off the group. "Germanus, why am I here?" he asked suspiciously.

             "Severus, you go to Hogwarts. Have you ever heard of a Dark wizard going by the pseudonym of Voldemort?"

             Severus snorted. "Who hasn't?"

             Germanus frowned. "You never told me about him."

             "You never asked. You never asked about anything."

             Germanus paused. "Severus, tell me all that you know about him."

             He shrugged. "What's to know?"

             "Stop answering my questions with questions."

             "I wouldn't have to if you didn't ask me questions in the first place. Maybe I would answer if they weren't here," he said, indicating the group of Representatives.

             "Severus," he frowned, speaking firmly, "I demand that you tell me all that you can immediately. This is important."

             "Why?"

             "Why what?"

             "Why do you want to know?"

             "These Representatives here are concerned about him."

             "They ought to be. He's a thousand times smarter than they are, and a hundred times more than their precious Dumbledore."

             "You're a Slytherin, aren't you?" the British Representative said accusingly.

             "And proud of it," Severus smirked.

             "What on earth is a Slytherin, who is this Dumbledore, and why have I never heard of any of this before."

             "I'll be happy to answer that," Severus said confidently, ignoring the looks of horror on the Representatives' faces as to where this was leading. "A Slytherin is someone who is cunning, ambitious and completely looked over in favor of the foolhardy Gryffindors. Dumbledore is one of those who participate in the looking over. As to why you've never heard of this before, it's because you're a sheltered old prick who doesn't give a rip about my life!" he shouted, storming out the door.

             Germanus blinked. He had a migraine the size of the M.U.S.S.R. Thinking about that just made it worse.

              "You're all dismissed," he said. "Rest assured that I will look into this matter. Please leave your dossier on Voldemort with me. I'd like to look it over." The British Representative nodded, a look of pity on his face as he put the folder on Germanus' desk.

             It was refreshing to be pitied.

*************************

July 1st, 1976:

             "You shouldn't have sent him back to that school."

             "I didn't know-"

             "Yes you did! Everyone knew. He said it publicly."

             "He didn't say he was actually going to join-"

             "It was clear enough to me," Anna said. "As well as to everyone else who 'gave a rip', as he was so apt to say."

             "You speak of him as if he were dead."

             "He may as well be."

             "Why?" Germanus asked.

             "Even being your brother won't save him, Germanus. Besides," she looked away sadly, "it appears that he doesn't want to be saved."

             Silence.

             "I sent out the class five summons," Germanus offered.

             "About goddamn time."

             Silence.

             "I will get him back, you know," Germanus said. Anna wouldn't look at him. He looked down at his desk, at the papers and the quill and ink and his own aging hands. That was the first moment it seriously occurred to him that he was going to die some day, but it didn't matter at the time.

             "I hope so, Germanus. Merlin, do I hope so."

             But he never did.