Chapter 12

Serverus' potions lab was no longer a dungeon. Lord Voldemort had secured for him the finest of all possible equipment and ingredients. Ingredients he scarcely dreamed of at Hogwarts, arrived to him from all over the world. Some had qualities so potent that they were not allowed around under-age wizard others so rare he thought he'd never see them in his lifetime. Yet they arrived daily from Blood Loyalists that wished to gain favor with Lord Voldemort. Serverus' skills as a potion maker had been refined through his years of teaching at Hogwarts but with the incredible options before him his skills reached a new level unmatched in the Wizarding World.

Voldemort demanded perfection. All of the members of the counsel needed to be at the best of their abilities at all times. They needed to be at the height of their alertness, with keen minds free of distraction. Severus made sure that all potions required were ready at a moments notice. Lord Voldemort himself required potions for strength and singleness of mind. His vanity required potions to restore his looks after so many years of survival as a parasitic soul. Serverus was able to brew for him finest potions know to their world and their affect was nothing short of amazing. Voldemort was stronger now than his was before the unfortunate night at the Potter's.

Serverus was overwhelmed with work and took on an apprentice. His niece. She had inherited the family's abilities for potion brewing. She had worked for year in a small shop and now was called to work beside Serverus at this most crucial time. Lada was tall and dark, but that is were the resemblance to her uncle ended. She had long dark hair and deep blue eyes, fair skin but not pale. She had a strength about her and a grace of movement as she worked about the lab. Serverus alone was allowed to brew potions for Lord Voldemort, while Lada created the stores for the counsel. Her presence in the lab calmed Serervus, who was having trouble dealing with the growing demands from Lord Voldemort. Most of their time together on the lad was spent in silence, the exacting nature of potions brewing required their full attention.

"Severus." Lord Voldemort said as he entered the lab. "I need to speak to you."

"Of course. My Lord." Severus answered and placed a vial on the counter.

They stepped out of the Lab together.

"Severus, As you know the date of Harry Potter's birth is coming quickly and I have selected the scenario on which we will act." Lord Voldemort said with his eyes still focused on Lada inside the Lab.

"Very good my Lord." Snape answered.

"Harry Potter will flee to the Dark Forest were he will try to align himself with the centaurs and unicorns there. Freinz and the others there are the most unified force against us. Harry will have no fear of betrayal with them. It is there he will plan his attack against us. You must go to the Dark Forest and prepare it for his arrival. I have already sent several freed house elves there to wait for your instruction. Their loyalty is assured. Severus, I ask you depart with haste. We don't have much time."

"Very good, My Lord." Severus replied with a bow and left to hallway to prepare for his journey, but before he left the hallway he noticed Lord Voldemort enter the Lab. Voldemort had a look in his eyes he did not recognize. Was it a look of kindness?

Snape stepped to the edge of the Dark Forest and looked toward Hogwarts Castle as the sun set behind it. The grounds had been his home for nearly his entire life. It looked as constant and beautiful as it always had. He thought of Professor McGonagal scrambling to ready the castle for the coming school year. Hogwarts would go on. The parents had confidence that Minerva McGonagal would be able to carry on the grand tradition of Hogwarts noblely. Hogwarts did not close during the first assault of Lord Voldemort, so why should it close now? Beside Harry Potter would not be returning in the fall. This fact alone reassured more parents more than anything Head Mistress McGonagal could say. There was no reason for anyone to attack the castle now because Dumbledore and Potter were gone.

The Wizarding World had created a resource that was all too easy to be persuaded to loyalty with Voldemort, House Elves. With their freedom a cozy home in a tree, they would do anything asked of them. Earlier that day, Snape plotted their dwellings and instructed them on their task. He covered the forest borders with entry charms and placed detecting devices at points throughout the area. He put spells on the Wood Trolls to be certain they remembered whose side they were on.

The forest was nearly dark as he completed the last of his tasks and took a moment for one last look at Hogwarts. The sky changed from the pale blue of sunset to the deep purple of the sky losing it's last bit of warmth before the night. Snape stepped from the forest edge to the shore of the lake. The water laid as still as dark glass on the moonless night. Above the shore of the lake stood Dumbledore's tomb. It stood luminous against the darkness. Snape approach. His cloaked figure was but a shadow in the summer night. His head bowed, he moved in silence. Close to the tomb he let out a single breath with a shudder. He extended his hand to the smooth white stone and fell to his knees.