Severity
Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the characters and world portrayed in this fan fiction. I own nothing except the story itself. I make no money from writing this, and do it purely for entertainment.
Summary: Seventeen year-old Severus Snape is tired of being laughed at and picked on. Desperate to fit in, he invents a new potion that will bring out the hip "inner Sev". Problem is, he can't get him to go away. Murder, sex, and mayhem at two Snapes for the price of one.
Rating: Strong R for graphic violence, adult language, and implied sexual situations.
A/N: I was born in 1982, so everything in the 'seventies' world that I write is what I've gleamed from movies, internet research, and my mom. If anything is off- blame it on my not having been born in the day before the day.
This story is inspired by and loosely based on two other stories: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and The Nutty Professor (which was, incidentally, also inspired by Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as well). Reviews are appreciated, since they feed the Author's creative muse.
Chapter IIA Deal with the Devil
Snape was able to return to his dorm room with no one the wiser. All his roommates were down at breakfast already, judging by the neatly made beds the House Elves had already attended to. He opened his own hangings, already pulling the strange silk shirt off his body. He hissed in surprise more than pain when his back stung as the silk slid over the skin. Frowning, Snape looked over his shoulder into the mirror. His brows nearly reached his hairline when he saw the scars attesting to his first night out on the town. They were little more than angry red lines coming in matching sets of three or four parallel scratches. Snape's cheeks spotted with color as he realized where they had probably come from.
He was a bit alarmed that his memories seemed to be incomplete. It was like recalling a dream several hours after waking. The most emotionally vivid parts came easily enough- but the little things seemed just beyond his grasp. He could remember moments in the large bed with the three ladies, but had no notion of their names or even apparating to the apartment. Large blocks of time were simply gone.
He supposed it might have been an effect similar to intoxication. Or perhaps caused by it. The remnant bottles and taste in his mouth caused Snape to wonder how much he had to drink the night before. Which was rather odd, since Snape normally wasn't interested in drinking at all. He had tried it a few times, in moderation, but never acquired the taste for it.
He finished undressing, pulled on his robe, and left the dorm room, heading across the green-carpeted hallway into the bathroom. It was empty when he entered, allowing him appreciated privacy while his mind continued turning one question after another over. He had expected his personality to be altered slightly by the potion, but the seemingly inexplicable extremes it had taken somewhat disturbed him. He wanted to be more outgoing, and he certainly had been, but he had never even considered the possibility of being so outgoing as to somehow seduce three women into bed with him. He doubted even Black could have managed that feat.
There was also the problem of where the clothes and the money had come from. He didn't own anything like what he had apparently wore. Mostly because they would have looked terrible on his tall and skinny build. Apparently growing a bit of bulk helped solve that problem rather nicely, and he wasn't truly complaining- other than the fact that the alteration was temporary. He adjusted the heat of the water spraying down from the showerhead, brow crinkled in thought.
It was definitely the memory gaps that disturbed him the most. It left Snape feeling like he had lost some sort of control. He usually remembered what he ate for dinner two weeks ago- and these lost spaces of time unnerved him. What had he done? What had he said? Was he even coherent at all?
With a sigh of frustration he finished washing up, taking care when lathering and rinsing his back, and quickly performed a drying charm once he had climbed out of the shower stall. He pulled the robe on again and finished up his every other morning ritual. As he shaved, he paid very close attention to the face in the mirror. Trying to see the differences again. It was somewhat depressing to look back on this face when he knew what it could be, particularly his nose.
It made him itch somewhat for the sweet tasting brew down in his hidden lab.
As soon as that impulse took him he quickly dismissed it. The changes were too drastic, and yet too familiar, to hope to pull off during the day. He supposed he could have passed himself off as an older brother, but since the school had records that he was an only child it might have been unwise. Beside, he couldn't very well enroll under a new name without any academic record. Neither could he suddenly return to classes on Monday looking radically different after the weekend.
That decision planted firmly in his mind, he wiped off the excess shaving cream and headed back towards his room. Once inside, he changed into the standard charcoal black trousers and with button up shirt. Forgoing his tie and sweater since it was the weekend, and settling for topping it all off with only his school robe. He used to wear only his robe, most of the Slytherins did, but after the fifth year incident he had decided it would be prudent to have trousers on. Just in case Potter ever tried that again.
There was lightness to his step and a sort of secret smirk on his face as he left the Slytherin dormitories and headed through the dungeons. He reached the Great Hall, his mood rather good for the first time in years as he held his head a bit higher and walked down the bench until he found his customary place at Malfoy's side.
Malfoy turned away from Narcissa long enough to glance over at Snape. Seeing the rare smile on the Slytherin's face, Lucius narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "What's with you this morning, Severus? Late for breakfast, and when you do decide to join us, you're wearing a cocky grin on your face."
"Just having a good morning is all." Snape answered breezily, taking a piece of toast from the center platter. "It's a lovely day."
Lucius regarded Snape as if he had just grown a hundred new heads. "It's a what?"
"A lovely day." Snape repeated, enunciating the words slowly- one syllable at a time.
"Are you on drugs or something?" Lucius asked, completely ignoring Narcissa in favor of investigating this alarming development. "Fall and hit your head on the way up?"
"No," Snape replied evenly. He paused to take a bite and chew thoughtfully, swallowing before speaking again. "I finished my project last night."
"The one you've been obsessing over every waking moment?" Lucius asked.
Snape nodded to him. "That's the one. I'm a genius, you know." His smile widened fractionally. "It was a complete success. A few unexpected results, but nothing a few adjustments shouldn't fix."
Lucius apparently took that as a good enough reason for Snape's odd behavior. "Ah, well, congratulations then." He said it without too much sincerity, and returned his attention to Narcissa.
Snape was not bothered by the cold shoulder, he felt much to good this morning for anything to damper his spirits. He had, for the first time in his life, experienced what it was like to be wanted and admired. He enjoyed the attentions immensely. Or, at least, thought he had. There were still those annoying lapses.
He went back to eating breakfast with a faraway look on his face as he again recalled what he could of the night's escapade when the owl post arrived. The owls carrying the Prophet, recognizable by the brown leather pouches attached to one leg, dropped the rolled up newspaper before subscribers. Snape's paper was dropped next to his plate, and he slipped a Knut into the owls pouch before it hooted and flew off.
Snape reached for the paper and snapped it open. His fork stopped mid air as he spied the Headline on the front page.
Robbery at Gringott's in LondonSnape's eyebrow lifted in interest as he read the article. It was, apparently, the first successful robbery of any branch of the Goblin controlled bank in over fifteen years. The goblins that had been there at the time were confused, but insisted it was a single witch or wizard. The robber apparently took over ten thousand Galleons. Snape whistled appreciatively. That would be enough to make anyone comfortable for the rest of their lives. Whoever took the money was probably already at some sandy beach on an uncharted island.
The robbery was discussed with interest across the Great Hall. Snape turned from the front page, and began glancing through the rest of the paper. The mail owls had delivered most of the packages, and were turning to leave, when a commotion from the enchanted ceiling drew most of the Hall's attention.
A whole line of delivery owls were swooping in, causing the other's to hoot angrily as they swerved to avoid them. The packages, and there were many, needed four owls to carry just one. Their size was enormous, and everyone watched, wondering where they were bound.
Snape had been watching the descent, noting they were all headed towards the Slytherin table. He wondered if Lucius had gone on another shopping binge, since the owls were still on a path directly to him. So he was extremely surprised when the first of the packages landed on top of his plate. But that surprise turned into horror as every package landed on the table in front of him. After a few moments, Severus Snape was surrounded by at least twenty large packages- all addressed to Sev Snape.
He gaped down at them in complete bafflement, and then noticed that everyone else seemed to be staring in the same curious manner. He swallowed, picked up the top parcel with both arms, glared into every set of eyes he met, and started out of the Great Hall. He hoped the House Elves would handle the rest, because he didn't want to lug packages back and forth- especially since he had no idea where they had come from.
When he reached his room, he saw that the elves had taken the liberty of moving the rest of the boxes. They took up most of the room, filling the middle of the long rectangular room, as well as having been pushed against the walls and his dorm mate's beds. Snape wound his way in between the boxes, taking the one still in his arms all the way to his bed. He set it atop the mattress, and went about ripping it open.
Once the lid had been pulled off, he stared down at its contents. "What the-" Clothes, folded and in various shades of black, filled the box to the brim. He rummaged through them, noticing the expensive material they were made from. A few had Italian and French labels.
Snape left that box and started tearing through others. More clothes, Wizarding and Muggle, but there were also jewels, magical items (more than half were illegal), and anything he had ever truly wanted to own- but not had the bread. When he was finished the impromptu catalog, he numbly moved the first box aside and collapsed onto the bed- staring off into nothingness.
It had to be a huge mistake. Someone, maybe a Wizard that happened to share a similar name, had bought all these things. Or it was just old fashion clerical error. Snape didn't know which, but he did know he hadn't bought any of this.
The door was pushed open, and he saw the sandy blonde head of Walden Macnair peep inside. He whistled as he spied the boxes. "What's all this about, Severus?"
Snape's lips twisted into a ferocious sneer. "Get out."
Macnair gave him a cheeky grin before stepping inside as far as he could. "My room too, mate." He lifted the lid on one and started to check out it's contents, when Snape jumped from the bed and slammed it back down- scowling.
"Paws off." He hissed, swatting at Walden's hand.
His fellow Slytherin lifted a brow at him, but settled for a shrug before turning and heading back for the door. "Fine. Have it your way." Macnair said over his broad shoulder.
A thought occurred to Snape. "Hold on a moment."
Macnair turned, tilting his head as he waited for Snape to continue.
"Yesterday-" Snape stopped, running a hand through his hair. "Last night, did you hear me come in?"
"Yeah." Macnair replied slowly. "Why?"
"Just wondering." Snape muttered, thinking quickly. "Did I do anything- odd?"
Macnair gave him a slight smirk in response before answering. "Severus, when don't you do something strange?" The cold glare he received prompted him to elaborate. "You rummaged around for a while in your trunk. Performed a couple of spells." Snape nodded and moved carefully towards his trunk, trying not to knock into one of the many packages in his path. "Why are you asking me anyway? You hit your head or something?"
"No. Thanks. Fuck off." Snape replied smoothly. He caught Macnair giving him the finger before shutting the door, but Snape was more concerned with the contents of his trunk.
His wand worked to unravel the wards and hexes, before finally unlocking it. When he popped it open, his eyes nearly bugged out of his head.
"Shit." Galleons shined at him, hundreds- thousands of them. He slammed his trunk shut again, looking all around to make sure no one else was around to see anything, and then fell backwards onto his ass. His head bowed low- Snape alternated between laughing and swearing angrily.
At least he now knew who had robbed Gringotts.
•·.·´¯`·.·•
Snape was back in his laboratory, wearing a path in the stone as he paced back and forth in the tiny room. Ambrosia, charmed earlier so it wouldn't spoil, had been ladled into ten round bottles which all gleamed at him in a beckoning manner. He would spend his time glancing at them, before quickly looking away. His fingers twitched, and he folded them behind his back to keep from reaching out on impulse.
He wanted another night. Badly. The potion was a Siren's song, promising all things he had ever wanted. Of course, like a Siren's song, he now saw that there were reefs ahead, very sharp and dangerous reefs that had the potential to tear him apart. And like those sailors of legend who had sailed towards them, he found he didn't particularly care.
His mind dutifully provided the excuses he needed to clear his conscious. He had needed money very badly- and it was no longer an issue. No one had any idea who had robbed the bank, even he hadn't known. No one would believe a seventh year student at Hogwarts capable of pulling off such a caper. There was no way he could be suspect, and there was now enough money that a recurrence wasn't an issue.
It was just one slip he had during a heady power trip. A single mistake was nothing to deem the experiment a failure. Granted, the mistake was a whopper of one- but what sort of man would he be to give up on it so easily. He had a duty to see his creation to fruition.
And, a small part of his mind whispered, another fun romp wouldn't hurt either.
Last night was the Slytherin loner's first taste of power, that feeling of being able to do anything, and he wanted more. He wanted to know what it was he could truly be. He wanted to reach out for the things he wanted, and actually be able to grasp those golden hoops. Pull them back in with the ease he had experienced the night before.
His mind made up, he grabbed the closest bottle and greedily drank its entire contents in one long go. The Ambrosia seemed even sweeter this time, and he had to fight against the urge to drink a second bottle. It warmed him, making itself at home in his skin, and he immediately felt a heady blast of anxiousness combined with a blinding euphoria.
Snape sank down to the floor, eyes rolling back, and lost himself.
•·.·´¯`·.·•
The weekend passed in a blur to Snape. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday morning were spent in the company of naked women he didn't know. He was always careful to leave before they had a chance to awaken, since the physical transformation was likely to raise questions even in the Wizarding World. It left him with hangovers- but feeling languidly good, relaxed, and in a terrific mood. There were no more robberies, no reason to think that anything was amiss.
Snape believed he had everything under control. Even with the growing blanks in his memory. He came to compare them to drinking black outs. Since they usually came during periods where the potion was potently affecting him. Certainly nothing he did.
His kingly nights were affecting him during the day as well. He took note of how he dressed, took care about his appearance in general, and tried to be a bit more patient with his fellow students. The changes in Snape were noticed first by his fellow Slytherins. Lucius in particular had made a few comments- asking when he had taken the stick out of his arse. Snape had only smiled mysteriously in answer, before heading off to the library to study.
The week continued, and Snape abstained from the potion in favor of his academics. By the time Wednesday's classes rolled around, his seeming relaxation did a complete one eighty. He was in a dark mood that grew as each hour rolled by. That night, he had trouble sleeping- tossing and turning restlessly for hours. On Thursday, not only was he still crabby- with his temper easy to set off, but he was bone tired as well. By Friday, he was actually sweating profusely, his hands would shake, and he had trouble concentrating even in Potions.
As his last class, Arithmancy, let out- he rushed to his laboratory and took the Ambrosia with violently trembling hands.
The transformation was far from painful that night- in fact, it was better than the sex he later indulged in. That was not the only difference either. Snape also realized that he was loosing more time. Each time he took the potion, it seemed to be a blink of the eye between the time he would collapse, and then wake up. He also had a sense that he was changing in the routine, no longer concentration on Disco bars- but going out to seedier places. One time he had the address to a Knocturn Alley club in his pocket. More dark arts items would be delivered in the mornings, or already be waiting for him at his room when he returned.
Since Snape had always held an intense interest in the Dark Arts, he didn't mind it very much. The books were rare- and he loved the chance to read them. The artifacts were fascinating, and even though they were on a black list by the Ministry- he had no trouble keeping the growing collection in his new trunk since his old one was still filled to the brim with Galleons.
His vast conquests grew as much as his new collection. The women were always new and different. Blondes, brunettes, red heads, dark skinned, light, pale- rocker, stella, even hippy. Never muggles, he was glad to see. There were curvy women and petite, leggy or short, sensual or cute. It seemed he had a wide variety of tastes, and he found that each one was a delight on their own. He felt no need to speak of his conquests- brag as the others did in Quidditch locker rooms. Instead, he kept them as his secret bolster of confidence. Girls, in certain circumstances, did want him. And did they.
But during the days his thoughts always remained on one in particular. Lily Evans. His black eyes would smolder as he watched her. No longer embarrassed by the thoughts that flew through his mind as he stared at her- that prudish attitude seemed ridiculous now. Snape often wondered why he kept fixating on one woman when he had scores of others no more than a beckon away. There was something about Evans that called to him, and he found himself fantasizing about her even more than before. Perhaps because he now knew what could have been—had Potter not been in his way.
The thought of Lily drove him to try and emulate his secret nightlife with his image during the day. His once jerky movements became smoother- more graceful. He found the deep voice the Ambrosia brought forth was a much more natural tone to him, and the smooth words were like a hidden treasure always buried away until he chose to bring it out. He was learning, and improving, himself. While most teenagers at seventeen would spend years trying to find out what it was they had the potential to become, Snape had the advantage of already knowing.
November gave way to December. Snape had begun taking the potion during his school nights, simply because he couldn't stand the alternatives. He was still weary, but also much more relaxed. He began hearing the rumors of a new power rising up, one that was taking an interest in Slytherins. Snape's night excursions during the week went unnoticed, since half of the seventh year Slytherins were sneaking out as well.
Snape didn't pay much attention to the hushed conversations that died out as soon as anyone passed by the small groups huddled in corner seats of the Common Room. He was far more enveloped in his own two separate worlds, Snape's daytime academics and the nighttime excursions. The first time he had any sense of the enormous shift within the snake's lair, came when he returned from classes one day- intent on stopping off at his room for a brief nap before dinner and Ambrosia.
Lucius, Macnair, Crabbe, and Goyle were already there, sitting on the floor in a tight circle. As that had happened so much that month, the talking died out as he walked in. Snape snorted in annoyance, before moving past them and towards his bed. It was as he removed his green and silver striped tie that Lucius spoke to him.
"Severus, why don't you join us?" He asked with a casual lightness that Snape could tell right away was feigned.
He glanced over as he pulled off his tie. "Why should I? You all seem quite happy in your secret little club."
Lucius' gray eyes flashed with momentary annoyance before he smoothly recovered. "We thought you might like to be included."
"You thought wrong." Snape stated, drawing back the heavy green overhang.
"Come now, Severus." Lucius murmured. "Surely you have some interest in power. In a new world order where pureblood isn't dirtied by mudblood upstarts." He arched one silver blonde brow. "Someone with your- talents- could find themselves rising quite quickly in the right atmosphere."
Snape tilted his chin up, and the result left him looking down his large nose at the King of the Snakes. "I don't need anyone's help, Lucius. Least of all a Malfoy's."
"Yes, we've all seen your new found confidence." Lucius retorted. "But we also remember the shaking little nobody desperate for protection from the Gryffindors."
"Some protection." Snape muttered darkly, climbing into his bed. "You can take your new Dark Lord and shove his offers right up his arse. I don't need him, and I don't need you, Lucius. Leave me out of it."
The silence that accompanied the snapping of his bed curtain was more than a little gratifying. Then the whispers began again, more earnest and obviously quite a bit angry. He drifted off to sleep, wand close by under his pillow, and didn't awaken until much later.
Like usual, he went down to his laboratory and took the Ambrosia.
•·.·´¯`·.·•
Lucius Malfoy had been furious for most of the evening. After he left the Great Hall, glad Snape hadn't shown his greasy head, the Slytherin headed back down the dungeons. His unforgiving eyes flashed irritably at the lower years wandering by, and they quickly scampered out of his way at a barked command. His mood had not improved by the time he reached the entrance that led into the Slytherin Common Room.
He was about to give the password when soft footsteps from behind caused Lucius to stop. With great annoyance, he turned his head to the side and glanced out the corner of his eyes to see who had been following him. He was a bit surprised to see a figure completely draped in a long black velvet cape, complete with hood pulled up over his head. Whoever it was stood mostly in the large shadows playing against the dimly lit wall from the flickering torches. The result was a barely visible silhouette in black emerging from darkness, and Lucius' heart beat quickened momentarily in fear.
"Lucius," the familiar silken voice drawled, "I'm glad to have caught you."
"Severus?" Lucius questioned, instantly relaxing. His annoyance at Snape rose to the forefront a second later, and he sneered rather nastily at the dark shape. "What do you want?"
"To talk." The cape fluttered, and he saw the long pale fingers curl around the edges before pulling it tighter around him. He stepped out, head bowed and concealed by the hood. "In private, if at all possible."
Lucius' eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Had a change of heart, have you?"
"Something like that." There was a humor in the tone that suggested some hidden joke. Lucius found he didn't appreciate it at all. Especially since he had the nasty feeling he was at the butt of the joke. Severus Snape's richly dark voice continued. "I may have spoken rashly before." He moved from his spot against the wall, starting down the corridor. "Why don't we talk about your new Lord in the forest?"
Lucius followed automatically, drawn like a moth to a flame. "The forest?" He asked a bit uncertainly, apprehension fluttering within his chest. "Why there?"
"Frightened?" Severus asked softly, not slowing in his pace.
Lucius inhaled sharply, straightening his spine as he did so. "Of course not." He hissed.
He could hear the small twisted smirk on Severus' face as he replied. "Of course." He echoed, and veered off to take one of the many hidden passageways in the dungeon. A tall armored statue concealed the tunnel; it's steel plates glinting in the firelight. The visor turned towards them with a loud scrape of metal, waiting for the password. Severus whispered it, and they both watched as the guard stepped off his pedestal, revealing the crack of an opening in the wall behind him.
The crack was uncomfortable to squeeze through, scraping them both as they passed. Luckily once they passed the thick wall itself, the crack led them into a large underground tunnel. It was pitch black, and Lucius jumped as he heard the suit of armor step back onto the pedestal. He pulled out his wand, uttering Luminos, and starting after Severus' outline ahead of him as he ducked cobweb after cobweb.
A scraping sound from ahead caused him to jump, and grab on to Severus' cape. "What was that?" He nearly squealed in a small, trembling, voice.
"A rat." Severus answered, pulling his cape out of Lucius' tight grasp in one fluid tug. "They find these underground passages to their liking." He said in a soft voice everyone tends to adopt in darkness.
He knew when they had passed under the walls of the castle when the temperature took a sudden dive. Lucius found himself shivering uncontrollably- the sound of his chattering teeth echoing far off into the darkness. He cast several warming charms, sighing with a puff of steam, as it began to settle in around him.
They walked for nearly ten more minutes, before the tunnel angled steeply upwards. The pair climbed it, with Lucius grumbling complaints under his breath as pieces of dirt broke off the top near the dangling roots and fell into his hair. Severus ignored him, disappearing above as he slipped through the opening. Lucius followed, carefully brushing off his clothing free of dirt as he came out into the cold landscape. Snow had yet to fall, but it was bitterly cold never the less.
Severus waited silently until Lucius had finished, and then began leading the way further through the trees. The tunnel led to the very edge of the forest, not far from Hagrid's Hut, where the trees were relatively thin. It appeared to Lucius that Severus had other plans as they hiked their way deeper into the black trees. The further they went the more the trees twisted together- their limbs interweaving like vines. Lucius swallowed nervously when the branches that interlocked into a gnarled canopy above them blocked the stars that sprinkled the night sky completely out. The trees appeared as skeletal creatures without their leaves, dead things that surrounded the lone pair of students.
Severus seemed unconcerned and continued into the heart of the Forest. When he finally stopped in a small clearing within a circle of those ancient trees, the grass brown and matted against the ground, Lucius let out a long breath in relief. He then watched as Severus stayed close to the shadows, choosing to lean against one of the great black trunks as he silently waited for Lucius to gather his wits.
Lucius folded his own arms, tossing his head arrogantly to fling away errant blonde strands that itched as they dangled in front of his eyes. "Well?"
"You said the magic word before, Lucius. I was hoping you could speak a bit more about it." Severus said in that strange soft voice he had so recently adopted.
Lucius shrugged nonchalantly. "Magic word?"
"Power." Severus whispered in reply, almost reverently.
"Ah," Lucius' eyes glittered with greed, "knew you'd come around, old boy."
"Indeed."
Lucius regarded Severus silently before continuing. "Lord Voldemort promises all his loyal followers high positions in the new government." He stated easily, his recruitment speech having been well rehearsed. "Those who he feels contribute the greatest to our cause, he'll reward just as richly."
"Money is not an issue." Severus murmured, one long tapered finger reaching beneath the hood. Lucius had seen Severus trace his lips in thought before, something the brilliant boy did as he considered something. Before Lucius could continue with his pitch, Severus spoke again. "He intends to overthrow the Ministry of Magic then?"
"He does, and he will." Lucius replied. "He is very powerful, Severus. His body- he's transformed it. You can feel the dark magic rolling off him. He says, and it's easy to believe, that he's immortal now."
"Immortal?" There was a cold, humorless laugh. "A very unlikely claim, Lucius."
"You haven't met him." Lucius said firmly. "If you had, you'd doubt nothing he said."
"I find myself weary of those who proclaim their greatness. They tend to be weak fools hoping no one will bother to disprove their boasts." Severus retorted smoothly.
"He's not boasting, Snape." Lucius countered. "And I wouldn't call him weak to his face- or ever again." Severus remained silent, and the air around them grew thick with tension. Lucius rolled his shoulders, rolling the uncomfortable feeling off with it. "All he asks is loyalty to his cause. If you give him that, you'll be rewarded."
"And his cause is to purify the Wizarding world." Severus stated flatly.
Lucius nodded. "It's about time someone put a stop to the intermingling of Muggles and Wizards. Not to mention the Mudbloods."
"Perhaps." Severus replied without conviction. Lucius felt his hold on the man slipping.
"He knows many Dark Rituals lost to the rest of the world, Severus. I've seen some of the books. He's teaching us." That got his attention again, and Lucius smiled slightly in triumph. "Oh yes. Everything they won't teach us because it's too dangerous, he's more than willing to. Everything. He distinguishes no such thing as good and evil- you know. To him- it's all power. And those to weak to seek it." Lucius paused for the full dramatic impact before speaking again. "Are you to weak to seek it, Severus?"
"No." Severus said with such conviction, Lucius nearly stepped back. The hood that concealed Severus' face turned towards him. "When do I meet him?"
"It's not that simple." Lucius answered. "There are a lot of people who would like to get close to the Dark Lord. He desires proof of your intentions."
"What proof would he take?" Severus asked.
Lucius gave a cold smile. "An offering, of course."
"An offering." Severus repeated softly.
"Mhm."
The black hood that shadowed his face, casting the appearance of a Dementor, turned towards him. "This Dark Lord of yours sounds as if he's trying to elevate himself to the level of a God." Severus stated quietly. "You are speaking of a sacrifice?"
"It's the one thing an Auror or Ministry Agent would never do." Lucius stated without one trace of disgust as he spoke about murder. "And, what better way to start purging the world of those unworthy of living in it then to start with the hearts of Muggles? Bring him a heart, and he'll believe your sincerity. Come to him without one, and he'll kill you on sight."
"Pleasant sort of chap." Severus again pulled the cape tighter around his body.
"War is a nasty business. Those afraid to get their hands dirty don't interest the Dark Lord." Lucius replied with a casual shrug.
"Very well." Severus replied, gazing from under his hood. "Tell me where he is, and I'll bring him what he desires." Before Lucius could tell him, Severus delivered a confusing ultimatum. "We don't speak of this outside these woods. Ever. Understand?"
"Of course." Lucius agreed easily.
Severus nodded and waved a hand for him to continue. Lucius then told Severus where the Dark Lord would be waiting for him. He was sure Voldemort would find Severus a great asset, and Lucius would be rewarded for bringing him into the fold.
Lucius left the middle of the clearing that night with a twisted smile on his face. The blonde Malfoy was feeling very pleased with his success.
•·.·´¯`·.·•
More to come…