Severus Snape stared at his reflection one last time, took one last moment to clear his head and focus on his mission. On the mission.
Without a word he swallowed his potion. The altered Polyjuice tasted unsuitably sweet and tickled as it traveled down his throat. Before he could utter a word, his own face disappeared and in its place materialized the scornful expression of Draco Malfoy. He was surprised how comfortable he felt in the boy's skin, how perfectly Draco's sneer fit with his own. He wondered if Sophie felt that way in Harry Potter's skin.
He twirled the silver band in his fingers once more.
It was time.
_____________________________________________
Lucius Malfoy was not a happy man. His son's betrayal had cost him dearly in rank and favor with his Lord. Luckily, he could offer up that derisory wife of his as a sacrificial lamb. She had long since worn out her usefulness to him. He needed a new heir now, and quickly. He always had his eye on Portia's daughter, Pansy. She was underage, but would be sixteen next year and ripe for the picking. He could always get anything out of Portia Parkinson; she had given herself over many times with little effort on his part. The acquisition of her only daughter would be easy enough.
He watched the sun rise over the horizon. The last few days have been very difficult as he made the preparations for the initiation. It angered him that he had had to do the work alone while that twit, Pettigrew, got to stand at the side of the Dark Lord in the spot that is was rightfully his. He would have to do something about that. That simpleton was not going to reap the fruits of his labor. He had worked too hard and had given up too much to attain his position. Yes, he would have to do something about the Dark Lord's pet rat.
A few of the more creative methods of disposal were coming to mind when he heard the sirens that indicated someone was in the garden. Someone was able to bypass the wards around his grounds. Lucius could only change those around the house itself as his compatriots were constantly in and out of his premises, and trying to teach that mass of idiots to travel through the wards was more trouble than it was worth. No, only one person could make it that far without being detected – Draco.
So Draco was paying a visit, was he? Perhaps this day would hold more for him than he thought. Perhaps he could win some favor back with another sacrifice. He was so caught up in his thoughts of revenge, that he jumped a bit when he heard a knock at the door. 'What Draco was playing at?' he thought suspiciously. He pulled the silver serpent's head at the top of his walking stick to reveal his wand; clutching it tightly in his right hand, he walked to the door.
It was Draco, and he was levitating what appeared to be…a body. The body of a dark haired boy. Who looked just like…Harry Potter? Lucius nearly dropped his wand.
"Good day, father," Draco said plainly. "I have come bearing a gift."
Lucius stood staring at his son and the trophy he brought with him. A scan of his wand proved that the boy was indeed Harry Potter. Lucius was practically frothing in delirium. He had Harry Potter. He could deliver him on the day of initiation in front of every follower to the Dark Lord. This would not only re-establish his lost standing, but would cement him as the second in command…second only as long as Voldemort lasted.
He stepped past Draco and into the courtyard to make sure that no one was around to witness their entry. He pushed his son inside, and the prostrate body of Harry Potter followed.
"So," he bellowed. "Think this little token will be enough to get you back in my good graces, Draco?" His nostrils flared as he spoke. "Do you have any idea what that stunt of yours cost me? Do you have any idea what I had to do to keep the Dark Lord from destroying me and everything in a ten mile radius when you escaped?" He managed to roar through clenched teeth. "Tell me one thing that would keep me from killing you now," he snarled, pushing the tip pf his wand into the hollow of Draco's throat.
Draco stood calmly and looked at Lucius's inflamed face and wild eyes. "I am sorry, father, but it was the only way I could get close enough to Potter to get him here."
Lucius pushed his wand further. "You expect me to believe that trifle?"
"I had been trying to cultivate my relationship with the doctor for months, father. She has ties to the Weasleys and to Longbottom. I knew she was the link I needed. Her abduction ruined my plans. I had to get her back to ensure my place in the group. I wanted to present Potter to the Dark Lord at the initiation. I knew it would guarantee my rank."
'You have learned something after all,' Lucius thought, a bit of pride caught in the back of his throat only to be swallowed down just as quickly as it appeared.
"So you were willing to sacrifice your father for own placement?" he snarled.
"Excuse me, father, but I think you would have done the same," Draco answered plainly.
Lucius could not help but admire the boy's courage. He was right, of course. Lucius would have probably done the same for his own advancement. Nonetheless, the boy must be taught a lesson. "Draco," he tutted, "do not assume to know me so well. Had it been my plan, the good doctor would have been in my hands much faster than you managed…and much less dramatically." He paused to cast a silencing charm around the room. "Though I can understand your motivations, you must realize that you put me in a most precarious position and I do not take that lightly. So I'm afraid you will have to pay the price for that." With a twisted smile he raised his wand and in a soft, amused voice he spoke, "Crucio."
Draco's screams shook the house. No one heard them.
It was like music to Lucius's ears; the piercing scream of agony swirled around him and cradled him like a lullaby. He loved it more than anything else, the sheer misery he could cause with a word and a wand. He hated using the killing curse; there was no enjoyment in that - over all too quickly, but Crutiatus was a thing of beauty to be revered, and this particular stint was practically a religious experience. He paused to allow Draco to catch his breath. It would not do to have Draco pass out; Lucius planned on drawing this out for quite a bit. He looked at his son on his hands and knees on the floor. Potter's prone body had fallen to the floor when Draco did, but he remained unconscious – lucky for him.
Lucius bent over Draco, and placing his wand under his son's chin, he pushed it up so that Draco's bloodshot eyes could meet his own. "I don't know what sort of game you are playing, but you have chosen your opponent poorly. I do thank you, however. Your work has all but guaranteed me my place in the hierarchy, and for that I will make this quick. I will have two trophies to deliver today. One I will allow to remain alive, as his presence is needed. But the other one…well, Draco…Let's just say no one really cares about the condition that body will be in."
Lucius pointed his wand directly between Draco's eyes. He was about to speak when-
"Drop your wand."
Lucius froze. Harry Potter stood uncomfortably close, his wand digging into Lucius's back.
"Draco," he sighed. "Draco, can you not even stun someone properly? Have you no ability at all?" He spun quickly, the tip of his wand crashing into Potter's. "I have no time to play with you, boy. Though, trust me, I would love the opportunity to show you what a real wizard can do. This foolishness has gone on long enough, I have a few guests that I need to attend to. Now, be a dear and come quietly." He smirked. Through a sickly grin and stark white teeth, he laughed. "I will happily remove your tongue to insure it." Green and black sparks sizzled from the end of his wand. He had forgotten Draco was behind him until he heard…
"Memini Meminisse."
The words cut through the air and the force speared Lucius, dropping him to the floor. He wailed as every cell in his body began burning, his skin quickly blistering, his trembling hands, bleeding.
"What…what dark magic is this?" he croaked.
"Like that, do you?" Draco drawled. "It's a little something I've been working on for a while now…a special gift just for you." His eyes glittered and grew dark. "A bit of ancient magic no one has bothered with for centuries. It's amazing what one can dig up when one is truly motivated." He moved in closer until his mouth was upon Lucius's ear. "Tell me," he whispered, "how does it feel?"
"What have you done to me!?!" Lucius growled through gritted teeth.
"I have done nothing to you. Nothing, but make you remember." He stood up straight and looked down at the prone man. "How many were there?" he asked. "How many have you killed for pleasure? How many have you tortured for sport? Tormented out of boredom? Did you think they would go away easily? Did you think they wouldn't spend eternity waiting for their chance for revenge? You should know better than anyone else revenge is never forgotten…only delayed."
Draco watched as Lucius's breathing began to calm. "Memini Meminisse," he shouted again. Lucius's scream echoed throughout the room. A slash appeared on his right check and blood began to race down his face. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out.
"They're in you cells, you know, embedded on your skin. Every life you take leaves a mark on your soul, every person you destroy claims a part of your memory and remains there. Every hex and curse, every drop of blood spilt permanently becomes a part of your being. And this wondrous little spell uncovers them, releases them, frees them to remind you of what you have done. Alas, the person who suffered those pains is long dead, so there is not one to bear the agony anymore. No one but the person who holds the memory." He spoke the words slowly, savoring every syllable as it left his dry lips.
"The more you have harmed, the more memories there are to uncover, hence, the stronger the reaction." He paused to survey the blood pooling on the floor around Lucius. "I must say, father, even I am surprised as how powerfully a few rounds of the curse has affected you. Your cruelty has even surpassed all than I had imagined." He sneered. "More's the pity. I was hoping this would last longer."
Lucius began to laugh. "I….I must say you have impressed me," he managed through heavy breaths. "I didn't think you had it in you."
"I learned from the best," Draco replied softly.
"Draco…think of the power we could attain." Blood sputtered about as he spoke. "You could destroy the Dark Lord with this …you could be the Dark Lord."
Draco's eyes went dead. "Opportunist to the end, aren't you? Sorry to ruin your plans, but Voldemort is no longer human enough for this spell to affect him. You are only just yourself. No, this spell will only be used for one person this day."
"You won't do it," he leered.
Draco didn't answer.
"You have never killed," Lucius continued. "You are afraid to. You know what the taste of death will do to you. You know what the smell of power can do to you." He paused to catch his breath. "You fear it because you want it."
"I never wanted to kill," he began, "I only wanted to please, to belong. But that part of me was killed long ago. You see, I am only just human myself.'" He pointed his wand at Lucius's head. "Goodbye,'' he whispered hoarsely. And with all the strength he possessed, he screamed, "Memini Meminisse."
Lucius's body shook and twisted. Invisible hands hoisted him in the air and contorted his body as blood began to pour from his pores. His mouth was open, but he could not gather the air necessary to breathe. A sickening crunch sounded as his body began to compress. A shaking bloody claw reached out for Draco.
Then nothing.
He fell to the ground and his lifeless body began to collapse onto itself until nothing was left but a pile of indistinguishable rubbish on the floor.
Draco dropped his wand and fell to his knees, and a steady stream of tears trailed down his expressionless face as he stared at the pile of what was once a man. An oddly steady head went to reach out but stopped in mid air. This was the end of so much. Too much. His attention was caught by the shuffling of feet behind him.
"Are you all right?" Harry Potter asked.
"No," Draco answered without turning around.
The stood like that for a while, Harry afraid to speak, Draco unable to. It wasn't until they heard voices outside the front door that they moved.
They both grabbed their wands and pointed it at the front door, where two figures stood looking into the room. One was shocked, the other, furious.
"You had better have a damn good explanation for being here," one roared.
Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter stood facing Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter.
