Part Twelve:

Septina felt a presence behind her, not quite friendly but definitely no enemy. Turning around, she glared at the bright light she knew was Sirius Black. "Black. Kindly leave me alone."

"No. You need help."

Deep sigh. "Go bother another unfortunate, I am not in the mood for this idea of a joke."

Black shook his head. "It isn't a joke."

"Oh, really? Why should I believe you?" Arms folded across her chest, ignoring the throbbing in her left arm.

"We are allies. Reluctant ones, I admit, but allies." He reminded her. "I am going to help you. And if he finds out who I am, I'll tell him that I want to see Dumbledore pay for not helping me out 16 years ago. For refusing to clear me now-even though he can, quite easily." His words ended and he transformed, tossing a leash up at her.

"Just don't think that this means I owe you anything, Black." Resigned sound. It took some effort not to mock him for his inability to say the Dark Lord's name. Even she, who had used it many times, felt reluctant to speak it.

'I'm not that stupid, no matter what you think of me.' He thought, somewhat resentful of this. But ever since he'd talked to Lily, he'd been trying to change his manner towards them. It also, he was reluctant to admit, started when he'd first seen her broken body in the forest. Seeing her like that made him realize that she was human, mortal, like everyone else. And he hated having his perception of them shattered like that.

At the entrance of the Riddle Manor, she paused. Momentarily tightening her grip on the leash, a last gasp of frightened air escaped her before she straightened her shoulders. Tossing her head back, she walked in and up to him. "Master." She whispered, falling to the ground.

After a moment's hesitation, not long enough to be noticed, the dog followed suit.

"I have returned."

Voldemort reached out and took hold of her extended hand, pulling her towards him. Critically, he studied her, noticing the differences immediately. "You are much thinner than I recall you being. And your eyes-what happened to them?"

"Lucius blinded me in a search for the fabled third eye. He wanted to steal the visions, use them in his own quest for power." Halting, as though unwilling to betray her cousin. "I'm sorry, I killed him. He attacked me, all I could think of was how he betrayed you." Her head dropped again.

Fingers tilted her chin up. "Hush, child. It is of no consequence now that you have returned. I trust that you will also help me secure your brother's loyalty to me again?"

"Willingly." Relief filled her.

Sharp eyes then turned towards the dog. Nagini was hissing at it but the dog remained low to the ground, eyes downcast. To all appearances, it was well trained. "What is that doing here?" He asked, calling Nagini to his side.

"My guide." Shamed voice, as if she knew she was unworthy to return because she needed another's help to get around. "It has been hard to see my way around. He saved me."

"Any good?" Innocent question that covered the real one, one she heard and understood all to easily.

Amusement. "Many mistake him for the Grim and die of shock."

"Excellent. What have you seen recently?" Back to the business at hand.

Shifting slightly, the woman moved into a kneeling position. "That the Potter boy is no longer important. Another holds the key. One that Narcissa has knowledge of." Untrue. The boy was still vital but he didn't have to know that. And Narcissa was inconsequential, she held no place in this.

"Draco?" He wondered, then shook his head. "To obvious-even for them. I will have watched her carefully. You will, of course, be staying the night in your room."

"As my lord wills, I am more than happy to obey once again." Hiding her revulsion, she leaned closer and kissed him.

Token protest before he relaxed but conscious always of her sudden appearance. His need to test her loyalty, he let her go after a moment. "I will see you in the morning. Be so kind as to wait for my summons, there is much that needs doing that doesn't concern you."

Black watched all of this with strangely detached calm. 'I wonder if this means I'm learning to see the world through less biased eyes.'

The dark head bowed, hair veiling her face. Bending down, she searched for the leash, cursing her fumbling efforts. Black flicked his tail and the leash hit her hands, she grabbed hold of it.

"Is there something you would ask me?" He remarked, watching her actions. Obviously she wanted something from him or she would've left after his dismissal.

She paused, gathering her thoughts. This had to come out just right. "If it would be all right with you, my lord, may I inform my brother as to my position? He does worry so, I would not have him think that I was harmed in any way by aurors or the forest. I would, of course, allow you to read anything I wrote him."

"That will not be necessary." Voldemort decided that he could afford to be kind. "By all means, send him a missive, let him know that you are well."

"Lord Voldemort, you are to generous. I do not deserve it." Humble.

"No, I don't suppose you do." Clear dismissal, though still kind. "Go now before I change my mind."

Bowing, the two left the room, never turning their backs on him. Entering a set of rooms at the top of the stairs, she gestured towards the left. "That's his room. Stay out of it if you know what's good for you" They entered the bathroom and she managed not to lose her stomach as she rinsed out her mouth.

"I hate doing that." She muttered, walking back into the main room. Going to the wardrobe, she pulled out a sleep shirt and changed, unmindful of Black's eyes.

The man was shocked by the scars and emaciated state he saw. 'What happened?' He thought, 'I haven't seen this kind of condition on anyone before-not even in Azkaban. Is this because of he-who-must-not-be-named?'

Piercing black eyes met his, a light in them that made him suddenly aware of the fact that she knew his thoughts. 'Years of being a death eater and Lucius' prisoner. My cousin has a definite taste for mayhem and loves torture. And say his name, it will help you get over any fear you might have of him, plus destroy the idea that he is to be feared.'

'Isn't he?'

'To a certain extent he is. But people's refusal to say his name only increases his power-if only in their minds.' Disgust laced her mental voice.

Sitting cross legged on the bed, she thought for a moment. Black jumped a little when a small black bird flew in and rested on the dresser. Turning suspicious eyes back towards the bed, he was relived to see her still there. After a moment, she tied something to its leg and whispered an instruction to it. In a flurry of feathers, the bird disappeared out the door.

'Will he-who...Voldemort read that?' He was proud of his ability to speak the name without too much wavering in his voice.

'He might. One can never tell what he'll do. It won't do him any good, I just wrote what I told him I would.'

'And your brother will figure it out?'

Derisive laugh. 'We've been doing this for years, Black. He'll know and respond accordingly.'

Crawling under the covers, she patted the bed.

Black joined her after deciding that she was serious about having him near her.

She buried her hand in his fur, yawing tiredly. 'Don't think that this means that I like you, Black. I don't. I need to feel something real. Something alive, you're the closest thing. Tomorrow, we must work on your presentation for when you meet the others. I will say this, you did surprisingly well. Lord Voldemort was most impressed by you attitude and the way you look.'

Even in thought, her sneering was alive and well, Black mused. He didn't know whether to be impressed by it or upset. 'How do you do that?'

'It is part of my soul, it is what I am. I make no excuses for it.' She shrugged, 'We must sleep. I already know from experience what is going to happen tomorrow.'

'In a moment, what did you mean by Harry? And that reference to Narcissa?'

Yawn. 'What do you know of Lily's nature?'

'She said something about being the Pendragon. But isn't the Pendragon part of the Arthurian legends?'

'She is, directly descended from Arthur himself. Her real power is derived from the heart and soul of the land, as is Potter, Juniors. As for Narcissa, I lied. She knows nothing of importance. I was buying Draco time.'

'He really killed his father.'

'Yes.'

'What will you do if Voldemort finds out the truth?'

'The thing about Voldemort is, he never believes anything he doesn't want to.' Reflective. 'He wants to believe that he is immortal, so to a certain extent, he becomes so. People are afraid of him, they project their fears upon him. He feeds upon it, draws that power into himself and becomes that which they think he is.'

The dog's head shook. 'It seems too complicated to me.'

She refrained from making any comment about his lack of intelligence. 'Try thinking about it in another way, what gives you the ability to do what you love?'

'I don't understand what you mean.'

'If you didn't believe in yourself, do you think that you could do the things you love?'

'Probably not.'

'Your belief in your abilities drives you to accomplish them. In some way, the belief others have in you feeds your soul and gives you strength. The same thing happens to him.'

'Hmmm...that actually makes sense.'

'It does. When one is held in a kind of lifeless stasis, one has a lot of time to think about things.' She closed her eyes, stroking the soft fur under her hand. When he didn't say anything else, she allowed herself to drop off to sleep.

Sirius watched her for a while, then rested his head on his paws. He had a lot to think about. Morning would come soon, bringing with it a whole new set of problems he wasn't sure he could handle. But he needed to rest in order to face it.

*****

Voldemort looked down at Nagini, "What do you think of my seer?" His snake was not only the key to keeping him alive, she had an insight into his servants that he now lacked. She was his most important tool now that his judgment was impaired by his rebirth.

Potter's blood had brought him back but at a price. He lost his decisive abilities, his clear and level headed thinking. Worst of all was the feelings of guilt he occasionally experienced. If he didn't know better, he'd think that he was connected to Potter by more than their shared blood.

"She is hiding something from us somewhere inside her mind, much like her brother does." She hissed, curling around his legs.

"Yes. But is she being truthful?" File the reference to Severus aside for the moment.

Considering the answer, "As far as she will allow herself to be. Or knows herself to be."

"And him?"

"The brother? He is useful to us but deceptive." Flicking tongue caught the fly. "I don't quite trust either of them."

"Always a wise move when dealing with them. They have deceived me before." Resting his head on his laced fingers, he contemplated the stairs. "And the dog?"

"Is not truthful. There is something shifty about it." Eyes seemed to close in thought, "It is debatable if she is aware of it. But the fear from both is real."

He turned back to his snake, resting his hand on her head. "Fear from a dog, I will tolerate. But I do not trust the fear of my seer."

"Why?" Curious. Her master seemed fond of fear, feasted on it like others devoured their food.

The Dark Lord did not answer. Finally, he turned towards the door, as if the answers lay in it. "I did not cause that fear. It was wrought in her by another, therefore it does not belong to me."

"You will change that."

"Will I?" Doubtful. "Somehow I do not see it happening."

She hissed comfortingly, "Mater, you are tired and weary of the chase. Rest, things will look better in the morning."

Malfoy Manor:

Narcissa sat in the chair, fingers idly stroking the side of the chair. The moment her husband ceased to live, she felt it. But it wasn't his death that troubled her, he had died honorably. It was the person who'd caused it. Never had she thought the day would come when they would be betrayed by him.

She had wondered about him, worried over him. But had always assumed that he would make the right choice. Now she was faced with this problem and what to do about it.

It was unthinkable.

Inconceivable.

The most unlikely person of all.

But it had indeed been him.

Her son.

There was nothing else to do.

Draco would pay.

And soon.

Hogwarts:

"The aurors will, of course, have been summoned." Albus said, glancing down for a moment. There was no emotion in his face, until he looked at his professor. "Since one of the unforgivables has been used, we cannot hide what has happened. I am sorry."

Severus closed his eyes, nodding his head. "The question is, will they believe us?"

"Why wouldn't they?" Lily asked.

"Cornelius Fudge is still Minister of Magic." Remus Lupin quietly spoke. He had just come back from his fruitless search for Sirius, though he suspected where his friend would be found. The question remained, did he still carry enough panache to carry off what he was planning to do? Would he be able to deceive a wizard whom nobody could deceive for long?

It was true that Azkaban had changed him. It made him more serious about things. But had it done enough to prepare him for this?

"That pompous peacock?" She spat, voice breaking into his thoughts. "I clearly recall all the times he has messed up because he refused to open his eyes. The man-I use the term loosely-has the sense given dirt, though I think that's an insult to dirt."

A reluctant smile touched Severus' eyes briefly before they froze again. His arm suddenly reached out and a raven landed on it, bearing a message. Accepting it, he read and summarized it for them. "Our dear old friend, Voldemort has tentatively enfolded her back into the fold. She told him that the Potter boy is of no importance and has turned his eye to Narcissa."

"Is she right?" James asked hopefully. His son may yet escape being used like a toy.

The potions professor scoffed at his naiveté, "About the boy's worth? Of course not, he is still a viable weapon to us and him. Narcissa having any place in this is the lie. That woman knows nothing of import."

"He's a child!"

"He hasn't been allowed to be a child since the wizarding world thrust their burdens onto his shoulder and has expected him to save them all from Voldemort." He shot back.

"So, you care about him? Could've fooled me by your recent behavior." James snapped.

"I'm sorry. I've never been one to strew flowers around the place and scream at the top of my lungs my feelings. Showing and acting is a more effective way of accomplishing things. As does thinking, not that you would know much about that."

A warning crackle of thunder silenced them.

"I don't understand. What is going on?" Harry asked, moving to Snape's side. Hated this man may be but he was not afraid to talk to him, to ask him flat out what was going on. Though his mother had explained everything, things were moving to fast for him to keep track of it all. He was confused and wasn't afraid to show it anymore. Let them think what they would of him, he needed to know.

Lucius Malfoy's cold body still rested on the ground between them. Blue eyes stared up at them unblinking. A silent testament that the price of war is sometimes the division of families. Harry shuddered and focused on the dark professor instead. Lily closed the eyes and covered the body, then turned to listen to his answer.

Snape looked at him, really looked at him. A twisted smile crossed his pale, thin face. In that moment, one could truly see him as the specter of grinning death, there was an unsettling air about him. "The games have resumed."

"Games?" Draco asked, coming to stand at his cousin's other side. Behind him the other seventh year Slytherins waited to hear their head of house's response. Hermione was there as well as Neville Longbottom, Harry registered his presence with shock.

The Gryffindor looked comfortable with those who had once been his enemies. Harry suspected that there was more going on than he knew and he wondered again why he was the only one kept in the dark about things-especially if Snape was right about his importance.

"Yes. Games. We have the king," indicating Harry Potter, "the queen," Lily, "and all the pawns, rooks, knights, and wizards in now place. It has definitely resumed."

"Snape, how can you act like this? As though lives aren't at stake." James demanded.

Cold look. "That is the way I am, Potter. You knew that, why would you suppose I would change just because 17 years have gone by?"

"Because things have changed, Severus, you know that." Lily's voice was quiet but forceful. "We know better now. You have prepared a generation of Slytherins who fight for us instead of against us."

Albus spoke firmly, ending the conversation. "Well, I say we prepare a little surprise for our dear, old friend Thomas Riddle. And send him to Hell permanently this time."

The End.

Conjunctiva-the connective tissue in the eyes, if infected a person develops pink eye.