At ten o'clock precisely professor Severus Snape grabbed his left forearm with a curse and a wince. The Dark Lord was summoning him. Cursing colourfully under his breath, he grabbed his black Death Eater robes and white, emotionless mask. Almost automatically he also grabbed the small package Potter had thrown at him only hours before.
He arrived as one of the last, since he had to get of the Hogwarts grounds before he could Apparate to his 'Master's' side.
'Ah, Severus, I have been waiting for you. Have you finished?'
Wordlessly the Death Eater turned spy handed the inhuman wizard Potter's package.
The creature that considered himself the most powerful wizard on earth smiled broadly, making many of his followers suppress shivers.
'I assume this is it then?'
The professor remained silent. He had absolutely no idea what was wrapped in the brown paper and he wasn't sure he wanted to know. Unless it was that stupid potion he was to make for 'his Lord' he would be in serious trouble right about now.
As Snape was lost in his dark thoughts Voldemort had started unwrapping the paper. He gasped when at last a vial holding a two-coloured liquid was revealed.
'Well Severus, I must say: you have surpassed yourself. It is certainly beautiful.'
In Voldemort's hands rested a perfectly brewed Potion of Connection. The liquid bubbled and swirled as the vial was held up to be shown to the Death Eaters. The red half of the potion swirled and twisted, restlessly waiting for its grey bubbling counterpart to receive its last, most crucial ingredient.
'What part of Potter did you use, Severus? It seems quite temperamental.'
'A drop of blood, my Lord. It will provide the strongest possible connection. You will have full control over him.'
What on earth had Potter been thinking?
'Indeed? You'll have to tell me sometime how you managed to get hold of some of Potter's blood, Severus. I know for a fact the bumbling old fool has the boy well protected.'
'Of course, my Lord.'
What should I say then? Potter gave it up willingly?
'Well, I guess I'd better do my part then, hadn't I?'
Snape nodded dejectedly as the other Death Eaters murmured soft encouragements to their Lord.
Voldemort reached into the folds of his robes and pulled out his wand. With a slight grimace on his face he made a small cut in his wrist and held it over the opening in the vial. A drop of blood oozed from the pale arm and Snape watched in fascination as it fell into the potion, fearful of what it would mean for the wizarding world.
Well, what do you know, a small part of his mind thought, the bastard bleeds red after all.
The bubbles hissed and popped, replacing the grey with red. The swirls accelerated, then faded as the two colours matched each other. Voldemort the picked up the vial once more and looked at Severus.
'Bottoms up, don't you think, Severus?'
Severus nodded, not thinking clearly anymore. Potter had just about given himself willingly to the Dark Lord. Yep, that was right! Wasn't it?
Voldemort stood up from his throne.
'Well my loyal Death Eaters, this is the end of Harry Potter. Within a few hours Dumbledore's dear 'Golden Boy' will sit here in front of us all, grovelling for me. He will be entirely helpless and do anything I command him to do.'
He gulped down the potion and his eyes glazed over slightly as he looked at something none of his companions could see.
'Ah, Potter. Were you enjoying your sleep? I am terribly sorry to have disturbed you, but I'm afraid I have a request to ask of you. Surely it wouldn't be too much trouble to join me and my friends here as soon as possible? We'll be waiting.'
He smiled and focussed once again on Severus, then gazed around the room.
'Gentlemen, let's start the waiting. Sit, please.'
But before he could even lift his wand arm to conjure the seats, a form materialised next to Snape with a loud pop and took a step forward.
'You called, my Lord?'
The voice of Harry Potter was unmistakable, even from underneath the white mask he was wearing.
'Oh Potter, I must say, I like your sense of humour. Learnt to Apparate, have you?'
'Yes, my Lord.'
Snape noticed something.
'Well, enough chitchat, tell me the prophecy; skip to what I don't know.'
The monotonous voice of the sixteen-year-old echoed through the stone chamber.
'The Dark Lord shall mark him as his equal, but he shall have a power the Dark Lord knows not. Neither can live while the other survives.' (AN: I know the wording is not quite right, but I don't have the book handy to look it up; also some things are purposely left out)
Snape couldn't place what he noticed in Potter's voice.
Silence fell over the chamber as Potter finished reciting the prophecy. Voldemort stared at the young man, who stared right back (well, as far as Snape could tell with both of them wearing masks).
After a minute or so, it was surprisingly Potter who broke the silence.
'Well, my Lord, if you don't need my services any longer, I shall take my leave. Oh, and I hope you don't mind if I take our resident Death Eater with me. After all, you can't be so stupid as to believe that he is totally loyal to you when he's been spending almost two decades under Dumbledore's nose, can you?'
With that the arrogant boy grabbed Snape's arm and prepared to Apparate away.
'Oh, I hope you liked my present, Tom!'
As Snape was whisked away he recognised it: Potter was having fun!
