Disclaimer: The characters in this story (except Julius) and the universe in which they exist are the property of JK Rowling. I am just torturing the characters for my own amusement and generally making a mess of things.
Chapter 23 - Secrets Revealed
Severus Snape's heart had stopped as did his breathing. The horror of the nightmare hitting him full force as he stared at the blond man before him for what seemed an eternity. It was in truth the barest of moments, however, and he quickly regained his composure, his lips forming a deep intimidating frown as he strode purposefully towards his office door, brushing rudely by Lucius Malfoy, undoing the wards and stepping within. "For someone who is on the run from the Ministry of Magic, you have developed a regular habit of showing up at the same place more than once. What do you want this time, Lucius? Returning my book, I hope?"
Lucius Malfoy followed the potions master into the chilly confines of his office pushing upon the door to close it, but not hard enough as it remained open a crack. He had a smug smile upon his face as he approached the black-clad professor, a subtle pompousness to his gait. "Oh, I think you know exactly why I am here, Severus. Did you really think you could keep this little secret forever?"
Julius lay upon his bed staring up at the ceiling as he had for the past several hours, only closing his eyes to feign sleep when the celebration had at last come to an end, his dorm-mates taking to their own beds. It was not long after that the four other boys were lost in the simple dream-filled slumber of their simple lives. Julius envied them that peacefulness, wishing he could go back to the days of his euphoric ignorance. He sighed slightly, lifting his head to glance at Corner's alarm clock across the room. One o'clock. With a frown he rose, unable to lie there any longer and slid from his bed, leaving the dorm and making his way across the darkened common room and down the stairwell.
His heart was aching and he was so angry at his father for his past improprieties which had brought all of this misery upon the both of them. As he passed the stairwell that led to the Gryffindor rooms, he paused for a moment, wondering if Hermione was asleep, or if she was lying awake as he had been. A good part of him wished he hadn't told her that he could not see her anymore, that he hadn't lied about not caring about her. Nothing could have been further from the truth; he knew in his heart that she was the only one for him.
With one last glance up the stairs, he continued on his journey, and turned down the stairwell that would lead towards the dungeon. He needed to talk to his father, and hoped the professor was still awake.
As Julius strode quietly down the corridor, he noted a sliver of light radiating from the potions master's office and his heart lifted slightly, his pace increasing. But once he neared the door, he heard voices from within that made him pause. Peering through the slight crack in the open doorway, he spied his father talking to a tall blond-haired wizard, and their conversation did not appear pleasant. He knew he should not listen, that he should return to his dorm, but Julius was unable to pull himself away, some inner part of him wanting to look upon his enemy.
"Oh yes, Draco told me all about your son, Severus," Lucius Malfoy sneered, moving slightly to his right, which afforded Julius a glance of the wizard's face. "He was surprised it took him so long, as apparently the boy resembles you quite well. The Dark Lord is not going to respond with much pleasantness when he finds out the boy is alive, I am sure."
Professor Snape was standing in the middle of the room, his arms crossed before him as he spoke to Malfoy, his shadowy eyes smouldering with contempt. "And I suppose you are going to be the one to tell him, Lucius?"
Julius swallowed hard as he listened, leaning further against the space between the door and its frame. A little too far in, as he pushed the door slightly, causing it to groan slightly upon its hinges.
Lucius's eyes darted towards the door, hearing the sound, and took a few steps to block the view of the partially open door from Snape who apparently had not heard. An infernal smile, so similar to his son's spread across his pale lips, his grey eyes flickering with malice as he slid his wand slowly from his robes, keeping it hidden from the man across from him. "Of course. There is no question to where my loyalty lies… Professor. I expect to be richly rewarded for this little tidbit of information." Taking another nonchalant step towards the door, he added, "Now you, however… I cannot even to begin to imagine your reception when He calls you to Him."
"Honestly, Malfoy," Snape responded as he stepped towards his desk, his voice extremely even-toned, ice cold, "I cannot understand why you are wasting your time here, when you obviously have so much back-stabbing on your agenda for tonight. I thought our friendship meant something."
"Back-stabbing? No, No, my dear Severus. I am just the Dark Lord's servant, the bearer of ill tidings," Lucius Malfoy returned, "I believe back-stabbing is what you did to Him when you failed in the simplistic task of dispatching those annoying Potters and ran to save your own family instead. And as far as our friendship goes, I cannot believe you were actually so easily deceived. Our 'friendship' was never more than the Dark Lord telling me to keep a close eye on you."
Snape frowned at this. He should have known. His temper flaring, he turned his dark eyes to the other man, his voice becoming even more chill. "Tell me, Malfoy, did the Dark Lord think you so loyal when you told the Ministry you were under the influence of the Imperius Curse and did not act of your own volition?"
Lucius scowled at the potions professor and strode quietly towards the door, keeping out of sight of whoever might be on the other side. Grasping the knob, he pulled the door open quickly, and reached for the surprised student, grasping him by the front of his robes and pulling him inside. "Well, well… what do we have here?" Malfoy grinned menacingly, his arm holding the boy in a headlock, his wand pointing towards the student's throat. "Hmmm… let's see. Black hair, dark eyes, tall, thin build… Julius, I presume?"
Severus Snape paled as Lucius pulled the boy with him, further into the room, showing his son's face to him. His nebulous eyes flared with a mixture of anger and fear. What had Julius been thinking? What was he doing here? "Let him go, Malfoy," Snape growled, reaching towards an inside pocket of his robs for his wand.
"I wouldn't make any rash moves if I were you, Severus," Lucius replied with a diabolical smile dancing upon his lips. He squeezed the boy's neck tighter, causing Julius to wince in pain, and held his wand threateningly under his chin. "All it takes is a little flick of my wand."
Julius gasped for breath as he lifted his eyes fearfully to his father, his stomach churning with the knowledge that if something happened to the potions professor, it was going to be all his fault for getting in the way.
"An even better prize than mere words for the Dark Lord!" Malfoy exclaimed triumphantly. "What better punishment could there possibly be for your father, Julius, than for the Dark Lord to torture you right in front of his eyes."
"Leave the boy, Lucius," Severus commanded as he approached them aggressively, his dark eyes smouldering with anger, feeling so helpless, and wanting only to protect his son. "He hasn't done anything to deserve this. He is innocent. It is me that you should be pointing that wand at, not him."
Lucius merely smirked slyly at the advancing man, jabbing the wand hard into the boy's neck, convincing the professor to remain where he was. "Ah, but Severus, he has. He lived, when he shouldn't have." Casting that stormy grey gaze down upon the boy whose head he held like a vise, he asked maliciously, "So where is your beloved mother, Boy? Is she hiding in this castle as well?"
"Alessandre is dead, Lucius, sorry to disappoint you," Snape answered for him, his mouth a fierce set line. His dark gaze moved between the Death Eater and his son.
"Pity, isn't it, Severus. Such a beautiful young woman. I can't blame you for mourning her," Malfoy retorted sarcastically, moving slowly, backing up towards the doorway. "Shame you two had so little time together."
The potions master's face flushed red at the blond wizard's comment and he strode a few steps forward, reaching for his wand.
"Ah, ah, Severus," Malfoy warned, jabbing Julius hard enough to make him cry out from pain and fear. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."
But while Malfoy was distracted, Julius, furious with himself for crying out, reached up and grabbed Lucius's wand in his hand, quickly and violently moving it away from his face, the sudden force of the movement snapping the wand in half. He wasn't going to allow this man hurt his father, not if he could help it.
"Dratted boy!" Malfoy yelled furiously, fighting with the now straining Julius, reaching for the boy's pocket.
Snape had his wand drawn out mere seconds later, and just as Lucius acquired Julius's wand, shouted, "Expelliarmus!" disarming the wizard and sending the ebony wand flying across the room.
Julius pulled free of the Death Eater's grasp and ran to retrieve his wand from the floor, and watched as his father moved across the room towards the blond man.
Malfoy froze before the advancing Severus Snape, the potions master's wand pointed directly at the man's heart, his shady eyes colder than he had ever seen them. "This is not the last you have heard from me, Severus," he threatened, and then quickly turned to run out the door.
But Snape was too quick, shouting "Incarcerus!" pointing his wand towards the Death Eater's feet, causing ropes to bind his legs together, tripping him, and sending him hard to the floor. The potions professor grabbed the man's shoulder and forcefully turned the man over onto his back, glaring down upon his dark brother in crime, and shoving his wand under his chin. "Were you going somewhere?" he asked gratingly.
"Such a shame she got away," Malfoy muttered bitterly, staring with utter hatred towards the black-haired man above him. "I had such a wonderful vision of her screaming her head off in those flames the day I set fire to your home."
Words cannot describe the ugly change that came over the professor's face as he heard this confession, and he set his jaw, his hands trembling with uncontrolled ire as he glowered at the worm of a man beneath him. "You…" he growled, his breath coming in heated gasps that beat against the Death Eater's face as his temper ignited into a raging inferno "You are the one who set fire to my home."
Malfoy sneered at the man whose family he was sent to kill, and lifted his chin, his jaw set in determination. "Yes," he said with pride.
"You are the one who set fire to my home," Severus repeated terrifyingly, but then another expression quickly replaced it, echoed in the light of realisation that suddenly shone from his eyes. "You are the one who set fire to my home… the one sent to kill my family."
"I believe we already covered that, yes, Severus," he replied, glancing sidelong at the professor, wondering at the change in his demeanor.
Severus laughed, a horrible, triumphant laugh, as he gazed down upon the Death Eater, and jovially pronounced, "Finite Incantatum," upon the ropes that bound Lucius legs. "Go!" the potions master exclaimed, rising to stand with a defiant look upon his face. "Go tell the Dark Lord that my son lives, Lucius."
Julius stared blankly at his father, wondering if the man had gone mad. Tell He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named that he was alive? What was he up to?
Lucius Malfoy seemed quite disconcerted as well as he slowly stood, brushing the dust of the floor off his finely tailored robes. He glanced at the potions professor, the stormy grey eyes that had shown with victory mere moments before now filled with uncertainty. He actually wanted him to tell the Dark Lord? Something was very wrong.
"Well?" Severus Snape, inquired, crossing his arms before the man. "Shouldn't you be scampering off to tell your wonderful news?" He had a look in his eyes that clearly said that he was enjoying this.
Lucius just stood there blankly, floored by this sudden change that had come over Snape. Suspicious, he narrowed his eyes, and asked quietly, "Why are so you keen for me to tell Him all of a sudden?"
Severus Snape just smiled and let Malfoy stew for a bit before finally answering. "Surely, Lucius, you can see the dilemma it would cause for you if you told the Dark Lord about my son?"
Malfoy just stared, he couldn't think of why he would not want to tell the Dark Lord anything.
Snape frowned slightly, shaking his head slowly in exasperation. "Clearly, not as bright as you look," he replied, smirking at the affronted frown that stole across Malfoy's face. Continuing slowly, as if he were speaking to a small child, "Think about it, Lucius. The Dark Lord punished me for not killing the Potter family. When he finds that you failed to kill mine, do you think he will act with kindness to yours?"
Malfoy looked crestfallen, and what pompousness that had been left within him vanished. He appeared to wither before Julius's eyes as the man realized just how close he had come to having his own family murdered… or worse.
"I think not," Snape finished, dark eyes sparkling with malice. With a wink towards Julius, he bent to pick up Lucius's wand, the two pieces hanging together by the thin dragon heart-string that was its core. "I believe this is yours," he said to Lucius, holding it out to him.
The Death Eater took it without protest, his eyes still staring blankly, wondering where he went wrong. Severus placed his arm around the man's shoulder and led him to the door, whispering, "I trust there will be no further discussion on this topic, lest I go to the Dark Lord myself."
"You wouldn't…" Lucius's eyes darted quickly to the professors, horror in their grey depths.
"Try me."
A/N: Hope you liked the plot twist. This is my favourite chapter.
Chapter 23 - Secrets Revealed
Severus Snape's heart had stopped as did his breathing. The horror of the nightmare hitting him full force as he stared at the blond man before him for what seemed an eternity. It was in truth the barest of moments, however, and he quickly regained his composure, his lips forming a deep intimidating frown as he strode purposefully towards his office door, brushing rudely by Lucius Malfoy, undoing the wards and stepping within. "For someone who is on the run from the Ministry of Magic, you have developed a regular habit of showing up at the same place more than once. What do you want this time, Lucius? Returning my book, I hope?"
Lucius Malfoy followed the potions master into the chilly confines of his office pushing upon the door to close it, but not hard enough as it remained open a crack. He had a smug smile upon his face as he approached the black-clad professor, a subtle pompousness to his gait. "Oh, I think you know exactly why I am here, Severus. Did you really think you could keep this little secret forever?"
Julius lay upon his bed staring up at the ceiling as he had for the past several hours, only closing his eyes to feign sleep when the celebration had at last come to an end, his dorm-mates taking to their own beds. It was not long after that the four other boys were lost in the simple dream-filled slumber of their simple lives. Julius envied them that peacefulness, wishing he could go back to the days of his euphoric ignorance. He sighed slightly, lifting his head to glance at Corner's alarm clock across the room. One o'clock. With a frown he rose, unable to lie there any longer and slid from his bed, leaving the dorm and making his way across the darkened common room and down the stairwell.
His heart was aching and he was so angry at his father for his past improprieties which had brought all of this misery upon the both of them. As he passed the stairwell that led to the Gryffindor rooms, he paused for a moment, wondering if Hermione was asleep, or if she was lying awake as he had been. A good part of him wished he hadn't told her that he could not see her anymore, that he hadn't lied about not caring about her. Nothing could have been further from the truth; he knew in his heart that she was the only one for him.
With one last glance up the stairs, he continued on his journey, and turned down the stairwell that would lead towards the dungeon. He needed to talk to his father, and hoped the professor was still awake.
As Julius strode quietly down the corridor, he noted a sliver of light radiating from the potions master's office and his heart lifted slightly, his pace increasing. But once he neared the door, he heard voices from within that made him pause. Peering through the slight crack in the open doorway, he spied his father talking to a tall blond-haired wizard, and their conversation did not appear pleasant. He knew he should not listen, that he should return to his dorm, but Julius was unable to pull himself away, some inner part of him wanting to look upon his enemy.
"Oh yes, Draco told me all about your son, Severus," Lucius Malfoy sneered, moving slightly to his right, which afforded Julius a glance of the wizard's face. "He was surprised it took him so long, as apparently the boy resembles you quite well. The Dark Lord is not going to respond with much pleasantness when he finds out the boy is alive, I am sure."
Professor Snape was standing in the middle of the room, his arms crossed before him as he spoke to Malfoy, his shadowy eyes smouldering with contempt. "And I suppose you are going to be the one to tell him, Lucius?"
Julius swallowed hard as he listened, leaning further against the space between the door and its frame. A little too far in, as he pushed the door slightly, causing it to groan slightly upon its hinges.
Lucius's eyes darted towards the door, hearing the sound, and took a few steps to block the view of the partially open door from Snape who apparently had not heard. An infernal smile, so similar to his son's spread across his pale lips, his grey eyes flickering with malice as he slid his wand slowly from his robes, keeping it hidden from the man across from him. "Of course. There is no question to where my loyalty lies… Professor. I expect to be richly rewarded for this little tidbit of information." Taking another nonchalant step towards the door, he added, "Now you, however… I cannot even to begin to imagine your reception when He calls you to Him."
"Honestly, Malfoy," Snape responded as he stepped towards his desk, his voice extremely even-toned, ice cold, "I cannot understand why you are wasting your time here, when you obviously have so much back-stabbing on your agenda for tonight. I thought our friendship meant something."
"Back-stabbing? No, No, my dear Severus. I am just the Dark Lord's servant, the bearer of ill tidings," Lucius Malfoy returned, "I believe back-stabbing is what you did to Him when you failed in the simplistic task of dispatching those annoying Potters and ran to save your own family instead. And as far as our friendship goes, I cannot believe you were actually so easily deceived. Our 'friendship' was never more than the Dark Lord telling me to keep a close eye on you."
Snape frowned at this. He should have known. His temper flaring, he turned his dark eyes to the other man, his voice becoming even more chill. "Tell me, Malfoy, did the Dark Lord think you so loyal when you told the Ministry you were under the influence of the Imperius Curse and did not act of your own volition?"
Lucius scowled at the potions professor and strode quietly towards the door, keeping out of sight of whoever might be on the other side. Grasping the knob, he pulled the door open quickly, and reached for the surprised student, grasping him by the front of his robes and pulling him inside. "Well, well… what do we have here?" Malfoy grinned menacingly, his arm holding the boy in a headlock, his wand pointing towards the student's throat. "Hmmm… let's see. Black hair, dark eyes, tall, thin build… Julius, I presume?"
Severus Snape paled as Lucius pulled the boy with him, further into the room, showing his son's face to him. His nebulous eyes flared with a mixture of anger and fear. What had Julius been thinking? What was he doing here? "Let him go, Malfoy," Snape growled, reaching towards an inside pocket of his robs for his wand.
"I wouldn't make any rash moves if I were you, Severus," Lucius replied with a diabolical smile dancing upon his lips. He squeezed the boy's neck tighter, causing Julius to wince in pain, and held his wand threateningly under his chin. "All it takes is a little flick of my wand."
Julius gasped for breath as he lifted his eyes fearfully to his father, his stomach churning with the knowledge that if something happened to the potions professor, it was going to be all his fault for getting in the way.
"An even better prize than mere words for the Dark Lord!" Malfoy exclaimed triumphantly. "What better punishment could there possibly be for your father, Julius, than for the Dark Lord to torture you right in front of his eyes."
"Leave the boy, Lucius," Severus commanded as he approached them aggressively, his dark eyes smouldering with anger, feeling so helpless, and wanting only to protect his son. "He hasn't done anything to deserve this. He is innocent. It is me that you should be pointing that wand at, not him."
Lucius merely smirked slyly at the advancing man, jabbing the wand hard into the boy's neck, convincing the professor to remain where he was. "Ah, but Severus, he has. He lived, when he shouldn't have." Casting that stormy grey gaze down upon the boy whose head he held like a vise, he asked maliciously, "So where is your beloved mother, Boy? Is she hiding in this castle as well?"
"Alessandre is dead, Lucius, sorry to disappoint you," Snape answered for him, his mouth a fierce set line. His dark gaze moved between the Death Eater and his son.
"Pity, isn't it, Severus. Such a beautiful young woman. I can't blame you for mourning her," Malfoy retorted sarcastically, moving slowly, backing up towards the doorway. "Shame you two had so little time together."
The potions master's face flushed red at the blond wizard's comment and he strode a few steps forward, reaching for his wand.
"Ah, ah, Severus," Malfoy warned, jabbing Julius hard enough to make him cry out from pain and fear. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."
But while Malfoy was distracted, Julius, furious with himself for crying out, reached up and grabbed Lucius's wand in his hand, quickly and violently moving it away from his face, the sudden force of the movement snapping the wand in half. He wasn't going to allow this man hurt his father, not if he could help it.
"Dratted boy!" Malfoy yelled furiously, fighting with the now straining Julius, reaching for the boy's pocket.
Snape had his wand drawn out mere seconds later, and just as Lucius acquired Julius's wand, shouted, "Expelliarmus!" disarming the wizard and sending the ebony wand flying across the room.
Julius pulled free of the Death Eater's grasp and ran to retrieve his wand from the floor, and watched as his father moved across the room towards the blond man.
Malfoy froze before the advancing Severus Snape, the potions master's wand pointed directly at the man's heart, his shady eyes colder than he had ever seen them. "This is not the last you have heard from me, Severus," he threatened, and then quickly turned to run out the door.
But Snape was too quick, shouting "Incarcerus!" pointing his wand towards the Death Eater's feet, causing ropes to bind his legs together, tripping him, and sending him hard to the floor. The potions professor grabbed the man's shoulder and forcefully turned the man over onto his back, glaring down upon his dark brother in crime, and shoving his wand under his chin. "Were you going somewhere?" he asked gratingly.
"Such a shame she got away," Malfoy muttered bitterly, staring with utter hatred towards the black-haired man above him. "I had such a wonderful vision of her screaming her head off in those flames the day I set fire to your home."
Words cannot describe the ugly change that came over the professor's face as he heard this confession, and he set his jaw, his hands trembling with uncontrolled ire as he glowered at the worm of a man beneath him. "You…" he growled, his breath coming in heated gasps that beat against the Death Eater's face as his temper ignited into a raging inferno "You are the one who set fire to my home."
Malfoy sneered at the man whose family he was sent to kill, and lifted his chin, his jaw set in determination. "Yes," he said with pride.
"You are the one who set fire to my home," Severus repeated terrifyingly, but then another expression quickly replaced it, echoed in the light of realisation that suddenly shone from his eyes. "You are the one who set fire to my home… the one sent to kill my family."
"I believe we already covered that, yes, Severus," he replied, glancing sidelong at the professor, wondering at the change in his demeanor.
Severus laughed, a horrible, triumphant laugh, as he gazed down upon the Death Eater, and jovially pronounced, "Finite Incantatum," upon the ropes that bound Lucius legs. "Go!" the potions master exclaimed, rising to stand with a defiant look upon his face. "Go tell the Dark Lord that my son lives, Lucius."
Julius stared blankly at his father, wondering if the man had gone mad. Tell He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named that he was alive? What was he up to?
Lucius Malfoy seemed quite disconcerted as well as he slowly stood, brushing the dust of the floor off his finely tailored robes. He glanced at the potions professor, the stormy grey eyes that had shown with victory mere moments before now filled with uncertainty. He actually wanted him to tell the Dark Lord? Something was very wrong.
"Well?" Severus Snape, inquired, crossing his arms before the man. "Shouldn't you be scampering off to tell your wonderful news?" He had a look in his eyes that clearly said that he was enjoying this.
Lucius just stood there blankly, floored by this sudden change that had come over Snape. Suspicious, he narrowed his eyes, and asked quietly, "Why are so you keen for me to tell Him all of a sudden?"
Severus Snape just smiled and let Malfoy stew for a bit before finally answering. "Surely, Lucius, you can see the dilemma it would cause for you if you told the Dark Lord about my son?"
Malfoy just stared, he couldn't think of why he would not want to tell the Dark Lord anything.
Snape frowned slightly, shaking his head slowly in exasperation. "Clearly, not as bright as you look," he replied, smirking at the affronted frown that stole across Malfoy's face. Continuing slowly, as if he were speaking to a small child, "Think about it, Lucius. The Dark Lord punished me for not killing the Potter family. When he finds that you failed to kill mine, do you think he will act with kindness to yours?"
Malfoy looked crestfallen, and what pompousness that had been left within him vanished. He appeared to wither before Julius's eyes as the man realized just how close he had come to having his own family murdered… or worse.
"I think not," Snape finished, dark eyes sparkling with malice. With a wink towards Julius, he bent to pick up Lucius's wand, the two pieces hanging together by the thin dragon heart-string that was its core. "I believe this is yours," he said to Lucius, holding it out to him.
The Death Eater took it without protest, his eyes still staring blankly, wondering where he went wrong. Severus placed his arm around the man's shoulder and led him to the door, whispering, "I trust there will be no further discussion on this topic, lest I go to the Dark Lord myself."
"You wouldn't…" Lucius's eyes darted quickly to the professors, horror in their grey depths.
"Try me."
A/N: Hope you liked the plot twist. This is my favourite chapter.