The Search Is Over,
Chapter 53, The Beginning Of The End
The first half of the year felt to Regulus like a ball rolling down hill, rapidly speeding up as it went. January passed relatively quickly while February went by even faster. The only thing that stood out about that month was Valentine's day. It provided a meaningful opportunity to celebrate and revel in their love now that they finally could do so. Other than Regulus going out to feed, he and Kreacher spent the entire evening in their bedroom at Doge's with the door locked. Regulus fed Kreacher chocolates and wine in bed and Kreacher pleasantly shocked him with some inventive...tricks that took scentual pleasure to an entire new level.
By the end of March, Wolfgang and Adler finally worked out a connecting charm that linked Kreacher's listening charm to a scrying charm allowing Death Eaters to at last be tracked via their dark marks from Knockturn Alley. In early April, Regulus received a note from Severus that he was rather expecting as it asked he and Kreacher to attend a meeting at Wolfgang's to continue making plans for Snape's own survival. enclosed in Regulus's note was another that Severus asked be sent on to Albus at Durmstrang. The man was obviously concerned that his correspondences could be tracked, as he sent them with his own personal and obviously resentful owl.
Regulus sent Albus's note off via Mortis at once, and just as quickly released Severus's owl to return to him.
"He wishes us to meet late in the evening this Wednesday near midnight," Regulus told Kreacher, passing the note to the elf.
"That's logical," Kreacher murmured, nodding his understanding.
"With being Headmaster now, Severus Snape cannot just vanish after dinner without raising notice and questions."
Regulus and Kreacher knew better than most that one couldn't be too careful when it came to Voldemort and his followers, two of which now taught at Hogwarts. For Regulus this was still difficult to believe...Processing that things had actually gotten that far probably should not have been so challenging considering what Voldemort had already done to them, but it was.
Perhaps this stemmed from hoping the Ministry would finally man up and step in to do their job. Part of Regulus wondered if they were simply too inept and cowardly to do so or if they actually couldn't locate the man or track his followers. He was truly leaning toward the former, though. He believed the later was fully possible were the Ministry willing to be tougher and perhaps even more vicious to gain necessary information...To quote Gellert, for the greater good, but blast it, sometimes that was necessary! A bit of harshness to save many lives was necessary especially when the reluctance to do so got Voldemort in power and innocent people killed.
Regulus and Kreacher arrived at Wolfgang's that Wednesday, half an hour before midnight, because it was better to be late than early, or so Regulus's Mum had always said. Albus and Gellert were already present, having tea with Millicent and Wolfgang. The two did not seem to know what to say to one another, and both interacted more with everyone else. Though they were of the same generation, that didn't surprise Regulus in the least as the two were day and night. He still highly respected both and found admirable qualities in both despite their obvious differences.
As always, Regulus attempted to scan Grindelwald's impressively shielded mind, and as usual he failed. Well this time he did get the vague concept of Grindelwald missing Zabini and wishing he could be here with him along with the vague feeling of not being complete without the other even in social situations with wizards whose company he generally enjoyed. While that was more than usual, Regulus chalked this up to Zabini being the crack in Grindelwald's armor rather than Regulus actually making any progress on the blonde's shields.
Regulus found it both ironic and awe inspiring that three out of the six gathered in the room were supposed to be dead. He, Grindelwald and Albus were obviously harder to kill than people expected and that felt surprisingly empowering to contemplate even if it shouldn't have. It was all about planning and staying one step ahead for each of them, if in different ways, after all.
When Severus arrived, he had Mag with him, which was no surprise. The person walking at Snape's other side was a surprise, though.
"Professor Flitwick," Regulus greeted with a warm smile that he couldn't keep from looking hopeful as he feared his second favorite professor thought less of him now.
"Regulus~! So good to see you!"
Flitwick's wise, merry button black eyes sparkled with true warmth as he smiled at Regulus. Regulus gave an inner sigh of relief.
"I was so pleased to discover that he'd not gotten you after all. It broke my heart to think of such a promising young wizard dead at such a young age."
"Thank you," Regulus said.
As the two spoke, Severus was greeting Dumbledore. It was clear how much both had missed one another, and Regulus was touched.
"Albus! Thank you for coming," Severus exclaimed, reaching to embrace the older man who returned the embrace.
"Anything for you, Severus, you know that," Albus said. "Besides, it's nice to be out and about a little. What with the me being dead business, I try to stick to Durmstrang as much as possible," he added with a chuckle. "Oh and Bera sends her regards," Albus added, resuming his own seat as Severus settled onto a sofa between Mag and Filius.
As Albus and Filius exchanged greetings, Regulus turned to greet Severus and Mag.
"We really need to sing together again soon," he told the red head who nodded eagerly.
"Definitely!"
When Wolfgang's kobold had served Mag, Filius and Severus their tea, Snape began to speak.
"Thank you all for being here," he began, sweeping the faces in the room with a glance.
"I want to say that first. I asked to meet with all of you this night, because I presume all of you would be pleased if I survived these hopefully final days of Voldemort."
Just as killing Death Eaters made Regulus feel a deep sense of satisfaction and productivity, so did acts like this. Saving a life rather than taking it was the opposite act, so in that it felt even better. Still both taking the lives of Death Eaters and saving the lives of others who could be needless and blameless victims of Voldemort's madness struck at the Dark Lord in much the same way. Contributing to both as much as he could made Regulus feel at least somewhat redeemed.
"As many of you are aware, Mag has read the runes for me at my request. I will not survive the entire encounter with Potter and Voldemort if I remain. This is due to some unforeseen shift on Voldemort's part that her runes say I would not be able to predict or see coming. For this reason, I must leave around midway through if I am to survive. Mag says I will see the proper opportunity to depart clearly. For me to depart successfully without being hunted down by Voldemort or his followers, due to whatever Voldemort will kill me over, another should be there in my stead. Another that Voldemort will believe to be me. This person will die in my stead. I feel a Death Eater is most suitable to fill this role because those people have done such dreadful things in Voldemort's name and loved every moment of it that they deserve to die far more than I."
Regulus spoke first, nodding his agreement. "I feed on Death Eaters when I can find them, and evil Muggles when I can not, so of course I support your reasoning. If evil people die so that we can live, I say we're helping the world out...making it a better place." Grindelwald, Kreacher, Wolfgang and Mag nodded their agreement while Filius looked thoughtfully grave and Millicent looked bored.
Regulus thought that if they'd had Mag's runes back when, they could've known that their supposedly fool proof plan to kill the Dark Lord would go badly awry. They could've regrouped and figured out something else to do. There had been no one with a runic gift for them to turn to, however, and sadly what was done, was done.
For his part, Albus looked doubtful, but remained silent, so Severus continued. "Each of you have skills that would help me greatly to succeed in this endeavor. Gellert's elf has suggested the idea of capturing a Death Eater and freezing his dark mark so that it is in a sort of stasis until it is needed. We can link it to mine so he can be summoned when I am which will make posing as me all the more believable. We can transfigure him into me rather than using Polly juice that could obviously wear off at precisely the wrong time."
He looked directly to Albus then. "I was hoping that you would help with that bit, as if anyone's transfiguration can go undetected by even HIM, it's yours."
Albus nodded. "You literally saved my life, so I owe you the same, Severus, even if I disagree with the method used."
Severus frowned, obviously offended if trying not to show it. Seeing the man show feeling was fascinating, Regulus had to admit. Like some rare novelty.
"That's the only reason," Severus demanded.
Albus's blue eyes softened as he sighed. "Of course not, Severus. You are like a son to me, you know that. I never planned to see you dead at the end of this. Again I am not comfortable with the method, but if it is the only thing to be done, of course I agree that a Death Eater deserves to die far more than you. I just hate that we are burdened with making that decision."
Severus nodded, seemingly mollified.
"The next step after we have this Death Eater appearing as me on the outside, is having him appear as me on the inside...In his mind," he continued. "Not only that, he will need to either believe it himself or be placed under extremely good compulsion not to reveal that he is not me to Voldemort or anyone else."
At this, Severus turned to Regulus.
"I was hoping you could handle that bit. I have read much of the hypnotic abilities that come naturally to vampires, and if they're half what they appear to be, we can bend him to our will in any way we like. It's simply a matter of choosing the best method that you feel would be undetectable by Voldemort. So would you recommend that he believes himself to be me or that he is compelled to pretend to be?"
Regulus frowned, considering the question for several long seconds before replying. Severus's life could literally depend on his making the right choice, after all.
"Though I am quite certain that I can do either, I would like to see how your memories are to be implanted into his mind before I decide which method will work best."
His past mistakes had taught Regulus extreme caution if nothing else.
Severus nodded.
"Fair enough."
"Gellert and I have made a great amount of headway on our Death Eater tracking system in Knockturn Alley," Wolfgang spoke up, reaching for a sheet of parchment on a low table beside the chair in which he sat. "Here is a list of names that we have tracked thus far along with their addresses. If any are suitable, we can work on a plan of capture directly."
"Thank you," Severus murmured gratefully, taking the parchment and quickly reading over the three Death Eaters listed on it.
""Boris Bane will do I think," he decided. "He is a steady brutish sort unlikely to be missed right away."
Regulus did not recognize the name, but he had only been in the Dark Lord's service for a short time. Many had certainly come after him and he hadn't exactly tried to get to know many of those who'd worn the mask along side him. He'd preferred to keep company with the Lestranges rather than making new friends. They'd always had a close family circle with little tolerance for others, he supposed. Ah well, it didn't appear he'd been missing much from Severus's unflattering description of their mark.
Wolfgang nodded. "I have three cloaks of invisibility currently on hand," the German half giant said. "I could capture him on my own, but as we're being extra careful these days, if you would like to come along with me, Regulus and Kreacher, it could be helpful. We will wear the cloaks and remain undetected. We can take him in the middle of the night so that no one will be in his presence. I usually kill Death Eaters rather than collecting them," Wolfgang said, an amused smile passing fleetingly over his face. "With us keeping this one, if you could compel him to relax, Regulus, things would go far more smoothly and we could eliminate unnecessary use of magic."
Regulus nodded readily. "Of course. Just say when."
Wolfgang smiled. "How is tonight?"
Regulus nodded after exchanging a quick glance with Kreacher. "I think we're free."
"After we have our captured Death Eater, the next step is transferring Severus's memories into his mind in a fashion that makes them appear to be his own," Wolfgang continued.
"Making him experience the memories is the best way to accomplish that," Grindelwald spoke up. "I read something once long ago that spoke of connecting one's emotions to a pensieve to achieve this...full experience."
"We have a book in our library at home that addresses that," Mag said. "It's called empathic experience. Some...more progressive countries use it to punish criminals by making them experience the hurt they caused their victims."
"Excellent," Wolfgang enthused. "Can you bring that book here tomorrow?"
Mag nodded.
"Good. We will meet here again tomorrow night to proceed if you are all able," Wolfgang said and everyone agreed. The process of saving Severus had fully begun.