Chapter Twelve

Strange Request

An icy chill washed over me at the thought of my wife standing before The Dark Lord. My beautiful, amazing, loving, muggleborn, Gryffindor wife. The question was, what did he want with her? In the past their had been questions of my loyalty because of her, but I had been under the impression that was no longer an issue. Was he hoping to get some sort of information out of her? Thinking she was neutral was he expecting her to choose a side? Whatever the reason, the outcome could never be good.

"May I ask why, my Lord?" I asked anxiously. I couldn't go into this in the dark. I couldn't bring her before him without having a least am inkling of what he wanted with her.

A small smirk pulled to the Dark Lords lips as he took several steps closer to me. "No need to worry Severus. I have no plans to harm her, I simply desire to meet her. She seems a bit of a quandary to me, you see. A brilliant young witch who all but abandoned her way of life for you. Giving up her role in Dumbledores little gang, fleeing the country, then only to return when word of your capture reached her. She was a Gryffindor yet her actions seem far more Slytherin don't you think?"

"I suppose," I replied not really knowing what else to say. He was partially right, yet Lily didn't leave the country because she was scared, she left because she was young and wanted to live her life. She had admitted that she would always bare the guilt of not continuing the fight for freedom, yet she never regretted the decisions she made instead either. This time however, she had no plans to leave, this time she was very willing to be in the front lines, and I would be right beside her!

"Tomorrow night, 8, I want both of you here."

I managed to nod, but could not muster any further words. He dismissed me and I went straight home.

Lily's reaction to the news was not as I had expected. I thought she would have wanted to take the children and run, or maybe that's what I was hoping she would do. However, in true Gryffindor fashion she pulled forth her courage and said, "If it will help keep your cover I will do it!"

We told Dumbledore and the rest of the Order immediately. Several said it was a bad idea all together but Dumbledore said it was necessary and Lily had already agreed and so she would go. We transformed her wedding ring into a temporary port-key that would activate with a password. If the situation turned bad, she or I simply needed to say, "enchanted pixie dust" and she would be transported safe and sound to the Weasley's home.

When the time came to leave Lily's nerves finally seemed to be getting the best of her. As the hour grew closer she began to pace, twirling the band on her finger around and around.

"It will be okay Lily." I reassure her though in truth I was as anxious as she was, maybe more so. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to her.

She let out a long exhale and nodded, "Yes, it will be fine." She said shakily.

Pulling her into my arms, she rested her head on my shoulder. I kissed the top of her head and whispered, "I love you."

"I love you too," she whispered back. "Sev," She said raising her head to look into my eyes, "Do you think I will be able to block my mind well enough if he tries to read it."

"I'm sure you'll do fine." I had taught Lily Occulmency years ago. I originally had no plans to but one day she asked me to and so I did. She wasn't as skilled as I was, but she was a far cry better then Longbottom.

"Lily, we have to get going, we can't be late." I softly reminded her.

With a nod, she took my hand in her and we left our quarters. Ten minuets later we stood in front of Malfoy Manor. While the Dark Lord had many homes in which he used he preferred the Malfoy Manor by far though no one was really sure why. We were greeted by their house elf, an eccentric, nervous little thing called Dobby who lead us through the house and into the back garden and there the Dark Lord stood. His hands folded behind his back as he looked out into the vast garden.

Lily took a deep, calming breath as we began to approach him. I squeezed her hand reassuringly and she squeezed mine back. The Dark Lord turned at our approach, his dark gaze immediately went to Lily.

"Well, Mrs. Snape, I'm glad you decided to come. Some of my followers were doubtful."

"I am no coward," Lily responded bravely.

The Dark Lord gave a small laugh and nodded. "No, I don't believe you are. What impresses me more so is that you know when to show that Gryffindor bravery and when not to, which, I'm sure is part of what makes you a good fit or Severus." His gaze then turned to me, "Lets sit, shall we." Suddenly two benched appeared a small once, which he sat on and a large once just across from him, room enough for both Lily and I.

"I have been doing a lot of thinking lately, Lily." He began, his gaze now firmly set on my wife. "I mentioned this briefly to Severus once, the wizarding population has diminished greatly over the last century and that is quite discouraging. You see most wizarding families, with few exceptions, have a child or two and that is it. We witches and wizards we can live over two hundred years, witches can have children into their eighties if so desire, longer with potions assistance yes the average wizarding household is 1 to 2 children."

We both gave him a confused expression, having absolutely no idea where this conversation was going.

"Many wizarding families are breeding with muggles, who in turn are raised with muggles, and often their children do the same until all the magic that was originally in the line is gone. Occasionally from out of the line a child will be born with magic, a child like you Lily. But what good are muggleborns who just turn around and marry more muggles once again dissolving their magical heritage. Witches and wizards need to marry witches and wizards! You have made a good choice in choosing Severus. He is a strong, powerful wizard and comes from an ancient, pureblood line."

"Do you understand, young Lily," The Dark Lord continued, "I need you to be an example. An example of what a muggleborns can become. To help them realize what their role iin our society is. To rebuild that magical lineage that was lost from their family line so long ago. You and Severus already have two children, correct?"

"Yes." She answered simply.

"You need to have more!" He then turned his gaze to Severus. "More son's to carry on your name, Severus and more daughters to help other wizards carry on theirs."

I was caught in the sudden realization of what exactly was going on and why he had wanted to meet Lily. He wanted her, in essence, to be the poster child for magical breeding. Woman stayed home and had the magical babies while the husband went off and earned a living to support them. It was a very early century muggle philosophy which surprised me tremendously that he was interested even remotely in anything muggles do or once did.

"So… you wanted to meet me to tell me to have more children?" Lily asked, just for clarification.

"In part, yes. Many of my followers have no love for muggleborns, but perhaps we can change their minds about the usefulness of them."

"You want me to change the minds of muggle hating bigots by having babies."

As soon as those words left her lips I panicked, would he take that as an insult? She hadn't called him that specifically but it was inferred. I was more then a little surprised when in response he laughed.

"What I want you to do, Lily, is to show them, to show everyone that muggleborns don't have to be muggleborns forever. We can make all family lines pure again. We breed mugglborns with witches and wizards until there are no more mugglborns. This way, while it may take some time. We can all be a magically pure race."

"I watches as Lily brow scrunched up, her eyes squeezed shut. I had been that look before and an explosion of red-headed furry usually followed. Instead she took a calming breath, turned her gaze to the Dark Lord and said, "I see where your coming from. It's certainly something to… ponder."

"Excellent," He said then rising from the bench. "You may both go, but I may call upon you later."

Lily simply nodded and with a wave of his hand the Dark Lord dismissed us and we left. We walked back though the house in silence however as we began to walk down the path outside of the Manor Lily suddenly burst out laughing. When she finally calmed down long enough for me to ask her what was so funny, her reply was nothing like I had been expecting.

"I just find in terribly ironic?" She replied.

"Find what ironic?"

"That he basically ordered us to have more children and I just found out I'm pregnant."