Possession
Chapter XXI - The Lines Are Drawn
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Lucius sat in his study as he read the reports sipping what appeared to be a glass of red wine. The reports were promising. When he had spoken to the gathered Death Eaters about leaving their Lord he had gotten a good response but he had chosen his audience well. Those ones came from strong wizarding lines, well versed in the dark arts and they wanted nothing more than to assert the authority that came with being pure bloods.

They had been an easy audience. It was the ones his minions had spoken to over the last few days that were important. He had sent various creatures out, with tokens of sincerity to canvas the more important and powerful Death Eaters and even to speak to a few people he knew had Dark leanings but weren't in the Dark Lord's service. It was a delicate operation. They were all extremely powerful individuals and one wrong word could bring disaster. He was confident that they wouldn't run to the Lord Voldemort but he did not need another challenger.

He wasn't bothering with the lesser Death Eaters. Let them follow were they would and they would follow him once they saw their Lord defeated. The Lord Voldemort quite rightly thought little of them since the he, Lucius or any of the elite would be more than a match for at least twenty lessors. It was the more powerful one's the older Malfoy was concerned about but it appeared many of them were prepared to follow his lead. The Lord Voldemort had upset too many of them since his rebirth.

Lucius smiled but then grimaced at the taste. It wasn't red wine. It was a far more useful concoction - blood. Basilisk with enough Adder and Cobra blood to dilute the deadly Serpent Kings blood to the point where it was safe for human consumption. He'd been drinking it, one glass a day for close to a year now and already he could feel the changes. It wouldn't make him a parcelmouth, that gift was inherited or nothing but it could make him immune to the poisons of serpents and provide him protection from the stare of the Basilisk. And when he struck against the serpent Lord, Lucius knew he was going to need all the help he could get. Every time he was called to attend Lord Voldemort he knew the potion was working through the sibilant hissing of the snakes. They had seemed dead before but now they were vibrant with life and respectful of him. The serpents knew... They knew they could not hurt him.

He grimaced again as he set the now empty glass down, reaching for a different potion. This one was more mundane but equally important. He'd taken it many times before but the batch he was drinking currently was far more potent than his efforts in the past. This was a fortifying potion. One that strengthened his body and magic. It couldn't increase his ability. There were only a handful of methods to do that and none of them were open to him at the moment but it could and did bring his body and magic to their peak condition. When he struck at the Lord Voldemort he would be at his full formidable power, armed with his strongest talismans and shields and backed by his chosen Death Eaters.

The Dark Lord would fall before him and then he would take the power of the Dark for his own. He sat back, a half smile gracing his features as he considered it. He could taste the power already. All he need do now was bribe, seduce and cajole a few more ranking Death Eaters and then he would strike.

"Delusional..."

The whisper brought him back to reality and with a fluid motion he stood, drawing his wand.

"Put that away, Malfoy..." The murmur came from the shadows, coming from everywhere.

"Show yourself!" He commanded.

The deepest shadow on one of the bookshelves rippled and the split open and Lucius found himself face to face with a beings who's skin was ivory white. Blue eyes were rimmed in crimson and sharp canines caught the skin of his bloodless mouth. Vampire... Lucius thought as he brought several spells to mind.

"I am not here to attack you, Malfoy," the Vampire whispered again, his eyes never leaving Lucius's grey orbs. "I am here to offer the next Dark Lord a deal."

Lucius started a bit at the choice of words but then he relaxed. Voldemort did not have control over Vampires. Those Dark creatures refused to follow anyone but themselves but they weren't above temporary dealings with mortals when it suited their purposes and from everything Lucius had heard lately in was entirely possible that the Vampires would make a stand against the Dark Lord.

"That's right..." the Vampire breathed, reading Lucius' mind. "Voldemort has made a mistake."

"So it's true?" Lucius questioned, lowering his wand slightly and gesturing for the Vampire to come closer.

"You do not cripple an elder and get away with it."

Lucius nodded. "So what do you want?" He asked. It didn't really matter why the Vampire was here, what mattered was this deal.

The vampire bowed slightly. "My name is Ikhan. I am a childe of the Elder Xeoaph Casitial and it is he who will support your claim."

"How?"

"You are correct. Lord Voldemort is obsessed with Harry Potter but you do not understand the reason. The boy is dangerous and it is that danger the Dark Lord is seeking to absolve. However your son's actions represent the other way of destroying the danger the boy is and for that my Master will support you." With a flourish, Ikhan reached into a pocket and drew forth a small vial. "Xeoaph's blood, freely given. Where his submission was forced by the Lord Voldemort, and his blood was taken, you need not fear retribution for this."

Lucius reached out and took the vial. It was heavy. There was more than blood contained within it.

"The day before you strike, take it," Ikhan instructed. "It will not turn you, it will not make you immortal but it will boost your power. You are powerful Lucius Malfoy but as you are you could never defeat Lord Voldemort. His power is far more than you understand but this will allow you to stand equal for a time so you must make the best of it and crush him while you can. When you strike, call us and we will come. For this one battle Vampires will walk with your forces and fight as one. After that though... Our vengeance will be complete and we will disappear."

The older Malfoy nodded. This deal was a once only contract, one where he took the risk and carried out their dirty work...

But... The vial in his hand... The vampire's blood was singing to him and already he could imagine the power it would give him. He could almost hear his own blood surging through his body.

"I will call," he murmured and Ikhan nodded, wrapping the shadows back around his form as he disappeared.

"We will come."

Voldemort turned away from the tortured Muggles as a small serpent approached him. It was a dusty brown snake, one that blended well with the shadows and could travel unnoticed. It was one of his spy snakes. Small, lithe, intelligent, with a mildly venomous bite and one that wasn't due back for some time. He hissed at it questioningly.

-Master...- It replied, looking up at him.

With a gentle gesture the Dark Lord bent down and scooped up his servant, feeling it wrap itself around his arm and beginning to hiss it's report. It was only then that Voldemort realized the condition of his servant and his eyes glowed with anger.

The little snake looked okay, but he could feel it trembling against his skin and he could tell from the cool temperature of it's scales that it was not well.

-Rest,- he hissed at it. -Regain your strength, then report to me,- he gave the instruction, showing compassion none of his Death Eaters would ever receive.

The snake shook it's head sadly. -Master... I cannot. My next sleep is eternal. There were too many shields.- Its tongue flickered weakly as it lowered its head to his arm. -Master, rebellion,- it whispered, it's voice becoming weaker and Voldemort could feel the coils around his arm loosening. -Those who serve you are not loyal... Will strike soon...-

The snake hissed suddenly, surging upwards as it spasmed. -Vam... vampire...- It choked but somehow seemed to gather itself, grunting and clenching its jaws together. -will... help...- It gasped, breathing heavily and Voldemort watched on, supporting the little serpent as he could, as it's brown eyes glowed with an unnatural light. It was forcing itself to live but it could not continue for long. -...them...- The word was less than a whisper but he heard, just as he had heard every word. With a final spasm the little body stilled, going limp around his arm.

Long white fingers reached out and gently stroked the dead serpent and he saw with his mage sight a mist rise from the body. He hissed at it, gesturing with his own power and driving it from the body of his servant. Someone had wanted him to heard this. Someone had wanted him to know of the rebellion but nothing more and so they had tortured his servant and sent it home.

Someone was going to pay.

-Nangini!- He called for his pet as he arranged the body in his lap, coiling it as if the little snake was just asleep. Rebellion... Dissention... The attack on his destined mate was then not just a random act by someone misguidedly seeking his favour. It was their first move. Voldemort's eyes narrowed, burning dangerously. He could play this game. He had not attained his position without knowing how to tell who was truly loyal and who was merely waiting to strike.

-Sss,- her response was immediate.

He held out the body of the small serpent to her. -Taste them.-

Nangini nodded, opening her mouth gently and taking the body from his hands. Nangini knew every Death Eater. She tasted them all at their initiations and so none could hide from her. If they had touched the little serpent, she would know. It hung limply from her lipless mouth as she flicked her tongue all over it. At length she looked back up at her master, shaking her head. -Vampires, only,- she hissed, reporting back on the scents she had detected.

The Dark Lord nodded, taking the body back. It was as he suspected. Xeoaph wished to test his mastery. He reached inside his robes and brought forth a small vial containing a thick red liquid - Xeoaph's blood, willingly given after a little dark coercion. "Come..." He whispered the word, smiling into the darkness that had settled around his throne room.

"Come..." Voldemort invited again. "And I will show you what mastery means."

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