Chapter 3
Severus was never disappointed in the fare he received at Malfoy Manor. The selection was always varied, the cuisine, excellent. Still, despite the delicious breakfast set before him, the Professor was more concerned with the reason he had invited himself home with Draco. He had heard a rumor, just a whisper amongst the inner circle that Lucius was to be called to task at a surprise meeting that very night. Severus and Lucius had been on opposite sides for years, at first vying for the Master's favor and then after Snape's betrayal, though he wasn't sure if Lucius knew for certain that he had switched sides. Still, once they had been friends. Draco was his godson, for Merlin's sake. The man deserved to be warned, even if he was as evil as everyone made him out to be.
Snape was on his last cup of tea when Draco entered the drawing room looking distinctly ruffled. Nothing about his appearance would have given it away, but there was a look in his eyes. It was the look of one who has come up against a wall that they had not expected. Perhaps it was because Draco had rarely come across something in his life that he could not have, not something he really wanted. This worried Snape all the more. "Is everything not in order, Draco?" he asked, sipping his tea calmly.
"Not as perfect as I would wish, perhaps," the boy replied. "My father wishes to speak with you. Will you come with me?"
Snape stood, placing his cup and saucer on the tray before him. "Of course," he said politely. He was lead through the twists and bends of Malfoy Manor with a speed and sureness that surprised him. The young Malfoy seemed almost to hurry. Obviously something was seriously wrong.
Draco opened the door to the sitting room, not bothering to knock and ushered Snape in. Severus took a fraction of a second to be startled at the informality Lucius was showing. He sat, his arms around his almost ethereal wife, as she reclined against him. He was smiling down at her with none of the usual artifice that his expressions normally possessed when he had company. "Ah, Severus," he said, a pleasant look on his face. "Just the man I wished to see."
Severus raised an eyebrow, brushing his hair away from his face as he took a seat across from the family. "Oh?" he asked.
"Indeed, it is providence that you should so closely mirror my own needs," Lucius said.
Snape kept his features still. To say that it was unusual for Lucius to be so unguarded and openly friendly was to say that he disliked the Potter brat. It was an understatement of the most severe type imaginable. "I'm afraid I don't believe in providence," Snape replied carefully. "Its appearance usually precedes a trap."
"My dear Professor Snape," Narcissa said lightly. "You are getting quite paranoid in your old age."
"Well my paranoia is apparently justified, because this happens to be a trap." Snape said testily. "Luckily for you, I am here to warn you against it rather than spring it on you."
Lucius' face betrayed nothing, the faces of his family remaining carefully neutral, though his hands did briefly tighten around Narcissa. "Really?"
"I have heard it whispered in the inner circle that there shall be a surprise meeting called in a few hours time," Severus added.
This time Lucius did allow his feelings to show. Strangely enough he appeared startled and pleased. He relaxed slightly on the couch-like divan. "So soon?"
"It is called, so I've heard, for the express purpose of disciplining you," Severus continued. This time there was no mistaking Lucius' reaction. There was relief in his every movement, though his family only became more rigid. Snape furrowed his brow, utterly confused as to why this should be good news to Lucius.
Obviously reading his confusion, Lucius grinned wolfishly at his old friend. "Congratulate me, Severus," he told the man. "I betrayed the Dark Lord tonight."
Snape's mouth dropped open. That was the absolute last thing he had expected from the man. If he had said that he had decided to join the circus as the bearded lady, Severus would have been less shocked. "You-," he paused, at a loss for words.
"Hard to believe?" Lucius asked unsympathetically. Draco was actually grinning at his teacher. "I guess we can be traitors to the cause together… for as long as I live of course." He checked his pocket watch. "I give myself a good two, perhaps three hours."
Snape looked at his fellow Deatheater in dismay. "Why did you want me here, Lucius?" he asked.
"I need you to brew me the Vesuvius Potion," Lucius replied without preamble.
Severus stared at him unblinking. "You plan to use it at the meeting?"
"Yes," Lucius said without hesitation.
"You know how long it takes to create," Snape told the man. "We haven't the time."
"It is only the preparation that takes time," Narcissa corrected him. "You'll find that the perfectly preserved ingredients are all ready for you. As they always are in a Malfoy residence."
Snape found himself smirking, remembering the old Malfoy adage. "There is no shame in dying-," he said softly.
"Provided you take your enemies with you," Draco finished for him.
"Correct," Snape admitted. "But even with the ingredients pre-prepared, the potion takes four hours to boil correctly."
Lucius caught his eyes and held them. "There is a faster way."
Snape stood up, his dark robes swishing dangerously around him. "Absolutely not. If I combine them that way I run the risk of setting it off too early. I could turn this Manor into a crater."
"You're a Potions Master, Severus," Lucius said, waving him back to his seat. "I have every confidence in your ability. You're the best."
"Be that as it may, and assuming that I don't destroy your home and kill everyone within a mile's radius, that will make the Vesuvius twice as powerful as it normally is. Do you understand how much devastation this will cause?"
"All the better," Lucius said calmly. "It will ensure that no one escapes its range."
"This is insane," Snape told him, knowing even as he said those words that he had already agreed.
Lucius knew it as well. "Cheer up, Severus," he replied, pulling his wife a little closer. "We're going to be heroes. Won't it all be worth it to see Fudge's face when he is forced to give two Orders of Merlin, First Class, to two Deatheaters?"
"I'm more looking forward to seeing Potter's reaction," Snape admitted, pushing himself up of the chair. "Draco, take me to the potions room," Snape said. "It is best if I start immediately, before I change my mind." Draco, still grinning at the idea of seeing Harry Potter's reaction to the news, motioned for his Head of House to follow him. The night wasn't getting any younger.
As soon as they were gone, Lucius more felt than saw his wife crumble. He sat up, pulling her more firmly into his lap. "I am so sorry, Narcissa," he said softly, putting all bravado aside.
"I'm not sure if I can do this, Lucius," Narcissa said quietly, laying her head on his shoulder.
"You can," Lucius told her, holding her as tightly as he could. "You are so much stronger than I am." Narcissa made a sound, half laughter, half a sob of disbelief. "It's true," he insisted. "If I lost you Narcissa, I wouldn't survive you long. And I know it is hideously unfair to ask it of you, but you could keep going without me. You'll have Draco," he placed his hand gently on her stomach, "and you'll have this."
Narcissa lifted her head to meet his eyes and found his intense gaze too much for her to take. She began to cry in earnest, silent tears spilling down her cheeks. "Could you try the spell again?"
Lucius caught her face between his hands, kissing the tears away. "Of course, my love, but I think it is still too early to tell." He pulled out his wand, pointing it at her abdomen. "Reviendola," he said, swishing the wand in a counterclockwise circle. A flood of gray smoke trailed out of the tip of the wand, flowing around her midsection. After a few moments it changed to a dull yellow color, then began to fade. Narcissa's face fell. "I'm sorry, darling-," Lucius began.
"Wait," Narcissa said as the smoke that was rapidly dissipating suddenly changed to a brilliant crimson. Even her tears couldn't disguise the brilliant smile on her face.
Severus was never disappointed in the fare he received at Malfoy Manor. The selection was always varied, the cuisine, excellent. Still, despite the delicious breakfast set before him, the Professor was more concerned with the reason he had invited himself home with Draco. He had heard a rumor, just a whisper amongst the inner circle that Lucius was to be called to task at a surprise meeting that very night. Severus and Lucius had been on opposite sides for years, at first vying for the Master's favor and then after Snape's betrayal, though he wasn't sure if Lucius knew for certain that he had switched sides. Still, once they had been friends. Draco was his godson, for Merlin's sake. The man deserved to be warned, even if he was as evil as everyone made him out to be.
Snape was on his last cup of tea when Draco entered the drawing room looking distinctly ruffled. Nothing about his appearance would have given it away, but there was a look in his eyes. It was the look of one who has come up against a wall that they had not expected. Perhaps it was because Draco had rarely come across something in his life that he could not have, not something he really wanted. This worried Snape all the more. "Is everything not in order, Draco?" he asked, sipping his tea calmly.
"Not as perfect as I would wish, perhaps," the boy replied. "My father wishes to speak with you. Will you come with me?"
Snape stood, placing his cup and saucer on the tray before him. "Of course," he said politely. He was lead through the twists and bends of Malfoy Manor with a speed and sureness that surprised him. The young Malfoy seemed almost to hurry. Obviously something was seriously wrong.
Draco opened the door to the sitting room, not bothering to knock and ushered Snape in. Severus took a fraction of a second to be startled at the informality Lucius was showing. He sat, his arms around his almost ethereal wife, as she reclined against him. He was smiling down at her with none of the usual artifice that his expressions normally possessed when he had company. "Ah, Severus," he said, a pleasant look on his face. "Just the man I wished to see."
Severus raised an eyebrow, brushing his hair away from his face as he took a seat across from the family. "Oh?" he asked.
"Indeed, it is providence that you should so closely mirror my own needs," Lucius said.
Snape kept his features still. To say that it was unusual for Lucius to be so unguarded and openly friendly was to say that he disliked the Potter brat. It was an understatement of the most severe type imaginable. "I'm afraid I don't believe in providence," Snape replied carefully. "Its appearance usually precedes a trap."
"My dear Professor Snape," Narcissa said lightly. "You are getting quite paranoid in your old age."
"Well my paranoia is apparently justified, because this happens to be a trap." Snape said testily. "Luckily for you, I am here to warn you against it rather than spring it on you."
Lucius' face betrayed nothing, the faces of his family remaining carefully neutral, though his hands did briefly tighten around Narcissa. "Really?"
"I have heard it whispered in the inner circle that there shall be a surprise meeting called in a few hours time," Severus added.
This time Lucius did allow his feelings to show. Strangely enough he appeared startled and pleased. He relaxed slightly on the couch-like divan. "So soon?"
"It is called, so I've heard, for the express purpose of disciplining you," Severus continued. This time there was no mistaking Lucius' reaction. There was relief in his every movement, though his family only became more rigid. Snape furrowed his brow, utterly confused as to why this should be good news to Lucius.
Obviously reading his confusion, Lucius grinned wolfishly at his old friend. "Congratulate me, Severus," he told the man. "I betrayed the Dark Lord tonight."
Snape's mouth dropped open. That was the absolute last thing he had expected from the man. If he had said that he had decided to join the circus as the bearded lady, Severus would have been less shocked. "You-," he paused, at a loss for words.
"Hard to believe?" Lucius asked unsympathetically. Draco was actually grinning at his teacher. "I guess we can be traitors to the cause together… for as long as I live of course." He checked his pocket watch. "I give myself a good two, perhaps three hours."
Snape looked at his fellow Deatheater in dismay. "Why did you want me here, Lucius?" he asked.
"I need you to brew me the Vesuvius Potion," Lucius replied without preamble.
Severus stared at him unblinking. "You plan to use it at the meeting?"
"Yes," Lucius said without hesitation.
"You know how long it takes to create," Snape told the man. "We haven't the time."
"It is only the preparation that takes time," Narcissa corrected him. "You'll find that the perfectly preserved ingredients are all ready for you. As they always are in a Malfoy residence."
Snape found himself smirking, remembering the old Malfoy adage. "There is no shame in dying-," he said softly.
"Provided you take your enemies with you," Draco finished for him.
"Correct," Snape admitted. "But even with the ingredients pre-prepared, the potion takes four hours to boil correctly."
Lucius caught his eyes and held them. "There is a faster way."
Snape stood up, his dark robes swishing dangerously around him. "Absolutely not. If I combine them that way I run the risk of setting it off too early. I could turn this Manor into a crater."
"You're a Potions Master, Severus," Lucius said, waving him back to his seat. "I have every confidence in your ability. You're the best."
"Be that as it may, and assuming that I don't destroy your home and kill everyone within a mile's radius, that will make the Vesuvius twice as powerful as it normally is. Do you understand how much devastation this will cause?"
"All the better," Lucius said calmly. "It will ensure that no one escapes its range."
"This is insane," Snape told him, knowing even as he said those words that he had already agreed.
Lucius knew it as well. "Cheer up, Severus," he replied, pulling his wife a little closer. "We're going to be heroes. Won't it all be worth it to see Fudge's face when he is forced to give two Orders of Merlin, First Class, to two Deatheaters?"
"I'm more looking forward to seeing Potter's reaction," Snape admitted, pushing himself up of the chair. "Draco, take me to the potions room," Snape said. "It is best if I start immediately, before I change my mind." Draco, still grinning at the idea of seeing Harry Potter's reaction to the news, motioned for his Head of House to follow him. The night wasn't getting any younger.
As soon as they were gone, Lucius more felt than saw his wife crumble. He sat up, pulling her more firmly into his lap. "I am so sorry, Narcissa," he said softly, putting all bravado aside.
"I'm not sure if I can do this, Lucius," Narcissa said quietly, laying her head on his shoulder.
"You can," Lucius told her, holding her as tightly as he could. "You are so much stronger than I am." Narcissa made a sound, half laughter, half a sob of disbelief. "It's true," he insisted. "If I lost you Narcissa, I wouldn't survive you long. And I know it is hideously unfair to ask it of you, but you could keep going without me. You'll have Draco," he placed his hand gently on her stomach, "and you'll have this."
Narcissa lifted her head to meet his eyes and found his intense gaze too much for her to take. She began to cry in earnest, silent tears spilling down her cheeks. "Could you try the spell again?"
Lucius caught her face between his hands, kissing the tears away. "Of course, my love, but I think it is still too early to tell." He pulled out his wand, pointing it at her abdomen. "Reviendola," he said, swishing the wand in a counterclockwise circle. A flood of gray smoke trailed out of the tip of the wand, flowing around her midsection. After a few moments it changed to a dull yellow color, then began to fade. Narcissa's face fell. "I'm sorry, darling-," Lucius began.
"Wait," Narcissa said as the smoke that was rapidly dissipating suddenly changed to a brilliant crimson. Even her tears couldn't disguise the brilliant smile on her face.