Chapter 31
It was the dead of night at Hogwarts as Professor Dumbledore wandered through the school, the old man was restless and he had the niggling feeling that something was about to happen and it would not be something good. Thinking he heard footsteps running up the stairs toward the astronomy tower the Headmaster followed assuming a student was out of bed and up to no good.
When he arrived at the top of the tower there standing with his back to him, was Severus Snape. As the old man stepped out of the shadow of the building into the moonlight the former professor turned and laughed. 'You old fool; I knew you would follow me up here.'
'What do you want here Severus?' the headmaster asked 'when did you escape from St Mungo's?'
Severus never even answered his old friend and boss; he just raised his wand …
Professor Snape ran through the halls of the school setting off every alarm that he could and made as much noise and disruption as possible. Once at the gates of the school he turned and bowed to the other Professors that had followed him and then dissaparated before them.
It was another 15 or 20 minutes before the body of the Headmaster was found at the base of the Astronomy Tower – he was dead and it looked like he had been killed by the Avarda Kedavra curse.
At Malfoy Manor the master of the house apparated into his study, turning towards the mirror he shuddered …
'Oh Severus old friend, you are in real trouble now' he laughed as the face in the mirror changed back from that of Severus Snape into his own.
The News of Dumbledore's death spread quickly in the wizarding world, the front page of newspapers immediately changes announcing the news. Over breakfast the next morning Lucius looked shocked and Nichol tried to hide her distress while Lucius read her the front page news – she had liked the old man, and he had always been sweet to her. Reading on Lucius read out the rest of the story, including the parts that stated that Severus Snape had been seen running from the school and was now being hunted by Aurors.
Later that morning Tom arrived at Malfoy Manor and they spoke about Severus and what he had done. Lucius expressed his concern for his wife and unborn child.
'We need to find him before he comes here!' he announced.
'I think we should start to track him down' Tom declared.
'And then what?' Nichol asked.
'Well that would rather depend on whether you wish this to end permanently…' Lucius pointed out.
Twenty four hours later Nichol stood in the hallway of Malfoy Manor wearing a black cloak. With her stood Lucius and a couple of the people she had met at her wedding and initiation.
'Are you alright?' Lucius enquired.
'I think so …' she sighed 'are you sure there is no other way?'
'If you wish to be rid of Severus and to regain your confidence you do need to do this Nichol. Do you remember what I taught you?'
'Yes, but …' she faltered.
'No buts Nichol, if this is to end, you must do this' he then dealt the dealt clinching blow 'please Nichol, think of our child, they would forever be looking over their shoulder and hiding from Severus…'
Nichol took a deep breath, slipped the hood over her head and placed the mask over her face … 'let's get this over with!'
Severus had been in hiding now for days, he had no idea why some of his old death eater 'friends' - if that's what he should call them – had even helped him. When the death eaters had arrived at St Mungo's he had believed they were there to finally kill him. But instead they had whisked him away and ever since then he had been in hiding in a filthy, half derelict little cottage somewhere on the North Yorkshire Moors. He had enough food and drink to keep him alive and he had not seen his rescuers since they had brought him there. He knew they were still around though, he had seen shadows outside moving and they were watching him. There was no use him trying to leave here anyway; he knew he would be followed if he did. But most of all he knew that he was being hunted; for his old friends had ensured that he had received a copy of the newspaper announcing the death of Dumbledore… he was unsure how, but he was now a wanted man; his exit from St Mungo's had left him with no alibi and who would believe an ex death eater anyway? Dumbledore had been the only one to really trust him and he was now dead and the wizarding world believed Severus to be his murderer, and now he was facing Azkaban and the Dementor's kiss – if he was lucky.
When five figures apparated into the room Severus was hiding in he was not surprised, he had, he reasoned with himself been waiting for this.
Lucius and Nichol stood facing Severus with three other death eaters standing behind them 'I have been expecting you!' Severus muttered.
'Then you know why we are here then Severus?' Lucius asked.
'Of course, I have been waiting for Voldemort to order my death for many years now.'
Nichol glanced from Severus back to Lucius 'Who is Voldemort?' she asked.
Severus laughed 'I believe you know him in the guise of Tom Riddle…'
'I don't understand' Nichol mumbled.
Lucius raised his wand and stepped forward 'shut up Severus' he growled 'you betrayed the dark Lord and you betrayed us, you have no right speaking his name without cowering in fear.'
'He tricked you Nichol, don't let him turn you into darkness, you are better than that' Severus pleaded 'I know you think I am now crazy, but I do care about you.'
Lucius took Nichol's hand and turned to Severus 'don't you speak to my wife in that way Severus!' the way he held her hand ensured that Severus could see the dark mark that Nichol now bore on her arm.
'Bastard!' Severus hissed at Lucius and lunged towards him.
Nichol leapt forward but Lucius stopped her, wrapping his arms around her 'Darling, think of our baby…' he soothed whilst grinning at Severus, knowing that he had dealt a low blow to Severus.
'Is it true?' Severus turned to Nichol.
'Yes, it is' she replied.
This time Severus moved towards Nichol as he spat out at her 'you bitch, that should be my child!'
Nichol automatically raised her wand protectively and Severus laughed, he appeared to be slipping back into lunacy 'you better be prepared to use that, you treacherous slut, or I will hunt you down and kill you and your brat!'
Lucius gasped; even he was shocked to see this decline in Severus who had always been almost as proud as himself. Turning to Nichol he nodded lightly to her. At his side Nichol shook as she pointed her wand at Severus, closing her eyes she spoke the worst curse of all 'Avarda Kedavra!' and then she felt the world moving beneath her feet as she fell into blackness.
The next day Nichol woke in her own bed and upon recalling the events of the day before she ran to the bathroom and promptly threw up. As she came out of the bathroom Lucius was standing waiting for her with a glass of water 'the first time is always the worst' he said 'it gets easier.'
Nichol took the glass and smiled weakly, noticing for the first time that the mark on her arm was now darker than before.
Months later life at Malfoy Manor had slipped into a routine, Nichol had not returned to Hogwarts as she was about to have their baby, but she had informed the school that once she had a child minder she would be returning.
She now knew Tom Riddle as Lord Voldemort although she herself was still permitted to call him Tom, which really annoyed Narcissa. Sometimes she was quite alarmed by the way she had come to terms with the fact she had taken a man's life – but she did justify this in her mind as having been self defence.
When the time came for the baby to arrive it was not like a modern muggle birth, Lucius was no doting father in attendance – he was more like a Victorian father pacing downstairs awaiting the news of his heir.
Once the child was born he then came upstairs to meet his new son for the first time.
As soon as Lucius looked at his son he felt in his heart – almost laughing himself at the thought of himself with a heart – that this child was definitely his son. 'Lucius' Nichol spoke quietly so as not to wake the baby 'do you have a name in mind?'
'Yes' he nodded 'I do… Abraxas Nikolai Malfoy, after both our father's if you find this agreeable?'
Nichol looked at her son and then her husband and whispered 'I think that would be a perfect name.'
Lucius stayed at Nichol's bedside whilst she took a nap, he was sitting in a rocking chair with his son in his arms. Glancing at his sleeping wife – she had done well; she had given him a strong and healthy son. He would always care for Nichol, she was a good wife and unlike his mistake of a first wife she was also now a death eater… He would protect her always, he liked her company and enjoyed having her in his bed – but he did not love her and never would – for Lucius Malfoy was incapable of love.
Looking down at the baby in his arms he ran his finger across the birthmark on the child's forearm – a simple charm would hide that for now, but someday he would wear that mark with pride.
One day the Malfoy name would strike terror into the hearts and minds of both wizards and muggles alike.
Voldemort had made the gravest mistake of his life – and Lucius knew that he now held in his arms the secret to his destruction. Once this child was grown Voldemort would be nothing, he would slip into time as a mere rumour and child's tale. By forcing Lucius' hand and making him marry Nichol had been Voldemort good for the Death Eaters, Nichol could link them into the muggle world and help them hide, she was also a valuable link into Hogwarts, Voldemort had thought her to be a valuable ally to him.
But now everything would change. Nichol had been pregnant when she took the dark mark, that had never been done before, the child was fathered by a Dark Wizard with great powers – 'if I might say so myself' he mused – and then the final sealing factor … Nichol had taken an innocent life whilst carrying this child. Severus had of course been innocent, his only crime had been that of envy towards Lucius, and the love and desire he felt for Nichol – and now he was dead by her hand.
Lucius now held in his arms the most powerful dark wizard the world hand ever seen; Abraxas Nikolai Malfoy was the first wizard ever to be born bearing the dark mark…
The End