δAuthors noteδ

Hi everybody! I know that this story has taken an interesting turn, but I promise you that it will all make sense in the end. Hermione will also come into play, but not as you expect. Now to the story:

CH: 7 Fame and Death

A fat, colorless-haired rat ran into the castle and through the corridors until he reached a huge room. It had the silver and green décor of Slytherin. He stood in the shadows and slowly transfigured into the form of a man. He looked around to find a snake-like man alone in the corner of the room. He grinned, so he was here.

He started to walk up to the man, but only got two paces before the man in the corner turned around and said,

"Good Peter, you are here."

"Yes I am, and I have news," explained Peter.

"Good, but first, how is my favorite double crosser?" he smirked. He saw the pain in Peter's eyes. Good, he thought, I struck a painful point. If he's in pain while he works for me, he'll think twice before betraying me.

"I-I'm fine, Lord Voldemort, master," Peter stammered. Well, Voldemort noticed, least he's staying tough.

"Peter, we both can tell something is wrong. What is it?" he probed, smiling.

"N-n-nothing," stammered Peter, looking more scared by the minute

"Come now, Peter, don't lie to your master," coaxed Voldemort,

"You know I can see right through you."

"S-sorry. It's just…" his voice faded, and he tried once more.

"It's just that I hate spying on my friends like this! I mean they tool me in when I was down and-"

"- And who took you in when you were down for the second time? Me! Don't even think about backing out now!" he thundered. Then seeing the terrified look on Peter's face, his voice cooled,

"Come now, tell me what you know," he said becoming closer.

They talked as Peter told him all of Dumbledore, Lily, and James's meeting. Also of his family relation, which he became very proud when he saw the look in his master's eyes.

"You-you did good," It was Voldemort's turn to stutter,

"Now leave me," he commanded.

Slowly the form of Peter transformed back into a rat and he scurried out of the room.

"My second nephew, he's my nephew!" he screamed.

"Ha ha ha," he laughed,

"My nephew. If he's the baby in the prophesy, I'll be remembered forever! And my nephew too. Just think," he went on,

"Just think of the headlines: 'Voldemort announces his long lost family and shows them to the world, then slaughtered them! Yes, if he indeed is the one in the prophesy, then I must kill him! I will find them and kill them, all of them!"

He strolled out of his room and called the one person whom he could trust to help in this mission., Severus Snape. His dislike for James would be the key element to this project, he sneered.

He found Snape lounging on a couch in his room. Gingerly, he crept into the room. He sat down next to Snape and smiled.

"Snape, Snape, I have a business proposition for you!" he coaxed.

"What'd ya want?" lazily, Snape asked.

"Well, what if I said you had the chance to hurt somebody who you hate more than anything?" he questioned, then seeing Snape's interest, he continued,

"Well, there is a certain school friend, is there not? Who you would love to hurt? Someone who stole your girl?" he questioned further.

"Yeah, but what does James have to do with anything?" he asked, becoming very interested.

"Well I was just informed that Potter is my nephew. And his son my second nephew." he smiled at his own amusement.

"He's what?" Snape cried,

"Well, what do you want me to do?"

"Now that's the spirit," he laughed. They talked for hours and planned every little detail to kill the Potters. When all was said and done, Voldemort went back to his room.

"Yes, my plan is going to succeed. I will kill James, his wife, and his son!" he screamed as he laughed into the night.

"Ahh!" shouted Dumbledor. Beads of sweat rolled down his face. That was the worst nightmare he had ever had. But it was so real, he thought. No, it was just a dream, he told himself, just a dream.

He could still see the pictures of Voldemort and Snape, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake off the feeling that this was more than a dream. Should I tell James? He asked himself. No, no, I'll worry about that tomorrow, and reluctantly, he went back to sleep.

Off to the north, in a castle that was brimmed with daylight, there stood a man. His snake-like features were remarkable. And on his shoulder, a rat. And as he stroked the rat he muttered softly,

"Soon, Potter, you will know what true pain is like. Soon, you will die!"