Fade Away
Don't even own the computer this is written on
Author: Aloysha AKA Solis
Fandom: Harry Potter
Genre: Alternate Universe, Slash, Drama
Rating: M/R on ffdotnet. NC-17 everywhere else.
Pairings: Snape/Ron, Lucius/Percy, Draco/Ginny, Voldemort/Fred/George, Remus/Sirius/Bill, and Narcissa/Charlie
Warnings: Sex with minors, Sex in general, Slash, Violence, Language, Torture, and BDSM.
Notes: I'd like to say thanks to Mali, Catc10, Kit-D, and Sexy-as-Ron for reviewing. Now, on with the story.
Disclaimer: Other than that, no I'm not a really weird pervert who thinks sex with minors is okay (I'm still a minor myself at this point. July can't come soon enough…) There are laws against this sort of thing for a reason and no one with a conscious should engage in relations with someone who can't legally give consent.
Summery: Halloween 1981, Snape is given two choices. In a world where darkness won, Ronald Weasley is given as a prize for loyalty.
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Chapter One
Elemental Magic
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It was over within the month. Voldemort declared Lucius the new Minister of Magic and himself Lord of all Magical People in one fell swoop. He eliminated most of the Ministry, that being those unwilling to swear allegiance when brought before him, and quickly replaced them with those among the Death Eaters that he was inclined to favor.
Once he had his rule in England thoroughly established he sent small forces to each of the Ministry Offices around the world and those two came under his power with no noted struggle. Word hadn't quite leaked to the general public yet, as Voldemort had given control of the papers and radio to Narcissa and ordered nothing be revealed.
The final task had been Hogwarts. With the information Lupin provided taking out most of the members of Dumbledore's Inner Circle was almost disturbingly easy. Some slipped through the cracks, having been forewarned of the attacks, and Dumbledore himself vanished from Hogwarts, along with a few professors and students.
Most however were left behind. The school was placed in a kind of lockdown, with Slytherin students and loyal teachers enforcing it until Voldemort could choose someone he saw fit to take over as Headmaster. He didn't want Hogwarts destroyed, but rather turned into the 'ultimate' educational haven for Pureblood students.
Severus suspected it was more to rub salt in the preverbal wound than any interest in education but he had never been one to express such opinions.
"The first order of business will be to round up all of the Purebloods, Half-bloods, and Muggle-borns, one neighborhood at a time, and do what we have done in the Ministry. All who swear allegiance to me will be set loose with no consequence and all those who don't will be eliminated."
They were in Voldemort's new office, listening to the changes he intended to put into action immediately. They were his inner circle, the most trusted and competent among the Death Eaters, and thus worthy of their Lord's political musings.
Or something to that effect.
They being Lucius, Narcissa, the Lestranges, Severus, and of course Voldemort. It seemed Voldemort had a love of politics, or something of that manner, and was trying to re-make the government to suit his needs.
"We'll also have to closely monitor all people for a time, to stamp out any seeds of rebellion. It's always easiest to strike when things are transitioning. Severus has brewed a potion to suppress the urge to fight back and we'll begin to integrate it into the water but until then we'll be on guard." Voldemort was sitting at his desk, watching as a quill scratched over a piece of parchment. Severus assumed it was recording the man's decrees to be sent to the Ministry to be placed into action.
The potion of which Voldemort spoke was really less flowery than the man made it seem. It destroyed most, if not all, free will and made a person easily led, manipulated, and molded. The perfect concoction when staging a major coup d'état.
"From now on no one will be permitted to marry a Muggle. Anyone who does will be killed, along with his or her family. Muggleborns will only be allowed to attend certain schools and will break contact with their families the moment they cross the Magical Barrier."
That surprised Severus. He'd always thought Voldemort a bit of an idiotic fanatic who would see the entire Wizarding race wiped out by not allowing mixed unions to happen. While Severus wasn't found of Muggleborn wizards, at least not with them being on the same level as Pureblood ones, he wasn't so foolish as to think that they could do without them. There were about three Muggleborns to every Pureblood and they simply couldn't survive if they only intermarried.
It was slightly encouraging to find that Voldemort wasn't so blinded by his way of thinking that he could see the obvious. Perhaps he had really made the correct decision.
"Next is Magical Creatures. All of the restrictions against them will be destroyed. So long as they are loyal and don't threaten the Magical populace I see no reason to have all of these foolish laws that could, potentially, breed discontent among them against us. Severus I have decided you will, for the time being, take control of Hogwarts."
Severus scowled. "I don't care for children."
Voldemort's expression seemed to imply that he didn't care. Severus sighed then nodded his agreement. This was just another way to taunt Dumbledore. Who better to take control of his school then the one who had helped send him into hiding?
The old coot was going to be furious.
"The last thing, for the moment anyway, are the Elemental Barriers. The Ministry has the barriers placed on all wizards the moment they display any elemental power. I plan to stop placing the barriers. As Elementals are only found among Purebloods and Half-bloods of extremely powerful background it would seem pointless to restrict allies."
Elemental Wizards were more of a story than reality. The Ministry had placed restrictions and demanded all children who showed the power have the powers bound to stop them from becoming too powerful years ago. Almost a hundred and fifty years if Severus recalled right.
"You're going to release the elemental powers?" Lucius sat up in his seat.
Voldemort flashed Lucius a nasty smile. "Getting your hopes up Lucius? Hoping to have your own binding reversed?" Lucius just stared at him. Voldemort chuckled. "No, I won't be releasing anyone's power. It's impossible to reverse the bindings."
"What if they choose to rise against us?"
Voldemort made a dismissive noise. "All children born with Elemental powers to families that would teach them to rebel against us will be placed in Hogwarts, where they will be taught the right way and have no urge to defy."
The right way being Voldemort's way. A generation of brainwashed morons, all under Severus' indifferent tutelage. He could hardly contain his joy.
"Beyond that, while I intend to stop placing the barriers, I plan to have them placed with loyal families, where they can be of use."
More like sold like slaves. Sent to Hogwarts to learn how to serve those who served Voldemort well and then shipped off to the highest bidders.
Oh well. At least he'd be able to mold Hogwarts as he saw fit. The first thing was he was doing was getting rid of that damn sorting hat and the houses. He'd find a more fitting way of deciding where the students were to be, and he'd weed out little bastards who reminded him of Black and Potter straight away.
Speaking of Black, he was a little surprised Lupin wasn't present. In less than two weeks the werewolf had become Voldemort's new favorite, tracking down and dragging in his former allies with a dispassionate focus that was unlike Severus had ever seen. Surely he was worthy of the inner circle as well.
As if echoing his thoughts the door swung open and Lupin strode in. The temperature of the room seemed to drop, as if he'd brought in the chilly November air with him. He walked right to Voldemort's desk and handed him a piece of parchment. Voldemort took it and read it quickly, a smile curving his lips as he did.
"You found the Weasley family. Hardly surprising, considering the sheer number of them." He sat back, crumpling the parchment as he went. "I've decided, Lupin, that you will be my new Executioner. You seem to have a talent for it."
Lupin inclined his head to the side slightly by way of response. Severus honestly didn't think he'd heard the werewolf speak since he'd agreed to join the Death Eaters.
"I think the elder Weasley's should be your first duty in your new position. Tomorrow I think, in the middle of Daigon Alley. A way to let the public know that things are changing. The Weasley children…how many are there?"
There was a pause then Narcissa spoke. "One girl, a few months old. Three older boys, a set of twins, and then a younger boy."
"Have them taken to Hogwarts."
"That may be difficult." Lupin said, voice low and harsh. "The two oldest ones have exhibited…odd power. One conjured a bird of fire and turned Crabbe the ashes and the other a dragon of water and drowned Goyle."
"Much to your dismay, I'm sure." Severus commented. Lupin glanced over at him, amber eyes as cold as ice. He shrugged.
"I thought it was funny."
Severus couldn't even find it in himself to be surprised anymore. It was becoming far too easy to become jaded these days. He just nodded then leaned back in his seat, turning his eyes to Voldemort, who now looked very thoughtful.
"Elemental spirits. No one has seen one since the barrier went up." There was a strange gleam of excitement in his gaze. "It seems the Weasley children will be the perfect specimens to begin with."
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From what he heard the execution went off without much of a hitch. A crowd had formed, wanting to see what all the fuss was about and, at exactly noon, Lupin had performed the killing curse on Molly and Arthur Weasley. There had been some screaming and panicking but a half-dozen Dementors had quickly seen everyone moved to silence and then, within moments, had returned to whatever they'd been doing before.
As Voldemort had said that begun the new 'Era' as it were. All of the Muggleborns were moved out of Hogwarts, some of the Magical Universities, and high positions in society then 'relocated' to more 'appropriate' levels. All those who resisted were sent to Azkaban and forgotten. Voldemort's new laws were announced, much to the joy of the Creatures community.
Severus was pretty sure that, should Dumbledore ever be able to gather forces again, he'd find a hard time battling giants, werewolves, and vampires. Voldemort had secured himself a very powerful army just on that front.
Severus had to admit that Voldemort was smarter and more practical than he'd originally thought.
At least that's what he'd been about to believe, when Voldemort graced him with his final reward for his loyalty and such, in the form of a one-year-old child.
Ronald Weasley to be exact, the youngest boy of the recently killed Weasley parents. He wasn't the only one to receive such a gift, Lupin had gotten one as well as the release of his lover. Lucius and Narcissa had both claimed one, as well as well as the only girl as a future companion for their son.
After all, the Weasley's came from an old family and they had to be sure their son married and breed well, even if it ended up being vaguely incestuous.
Voldemort had laid claim to the twins and, in some strange kind of karmic fate, Severus had gotten the one that no one else wanted. Even when he was part of the inner circle he was at the bottom of the preverbal totem.
Then again, Bellatrix and her husband hadn't gotten anything except control of Azkaban, so he supposed he didn't really have a place to complain. A mangy werewolf and a spy had outdone them, after years of unfaltering loyal service.
That had to hurt.
Still, there was the issue of this child.
Severus blinked at Voldemort, who seemed pretty pleased with himself, while trying to ignore the mousy looking woman holding the infant in question standing behind the man. Finally he found words.
"What am I going to do with a baby?"
"That's hardly my concern. I'm sure you'll find in time that he'll be very useful. He'll be powerful, loyal to you, and if his older brother's are anything to go by he will be an attractive child."
Severus decided to not even dwell on how disturbing that was, or how sorry he felt for the twins now in Voldemort's possession. While he was a great many things, most of which were foul and vile, he liked to think he was just slightly above buggering children.
"It's not as if you have to take him now. For now he, the girl, the twins, and one of the other boys will be cared for elsewhere, until they're old enough to actually be useful." Severus didn't want the child at all but it seemed Voldemort already had his mind made up.
Whatever. It was hid experiment anyway. Severus would just…sell the brat or something whenever it got sent back to him.
"Fine."
Voldemort smiled, but it was a very loaded expression and it made him very uneasy. "Don't be so pessimistic Severus. I'm sure you'll thank me later."
"Sure."
Voldemort's smile only grew wider. "Indeed. Since he is now yours it's up to you if you wish to change any of his records. His birth records have been altered of course, to eliminate his parents and erase his last name."
"So he's baby number six?"
"Just Ronald at the moment, ward of one Severus Snape. Lucius and Narcissa saw fit to give their prizes the Malfoy name."
Severus winced at the prospect of the kid having his name. "Ronald is fine. If we're done I have some changes I'd like to put into action at Hogwarts, not to mention finishing re-warding the castle. As much fun as keeping the students under lockdown as been I think it's time things begin."
Voldemort nodded. "Let me know how things have gone when it's done. I'm very interested in what you plan to do."
Funny. The only thing Severus was really interested in was the bottle of brandy he knew was in the cellar of his manor. He'd worry about Voldemort's twisted idea of what constituted a reward later on, after he'd finally gotten things sorted out.
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Next Chapter: Six years later and we finally encounter a very different Ron than the one we know, and the story truly begins.
