I arrived with a crack at the terraced house of Severus Snape, I looked it up and down for a few moments, pondering what to do with him. He would be useful certainly, his intellect alone would be priceless in my hands, and yet he sold his soul to Dumbledore.
After a minute I knocked on the door; a few seconds later Snape appeared. "Who are you?" He asked, his voice strained, and eyes red. He was obviously so distraught that he forgot to hide his tear-stained cheeks, like he normally would.
I had forgotten to remove the glamour, though it was probably a good thing, a bald-headed snake look-a-like isn't a normal thing to see in the muggle world, believe it or not.
"Severus." I hissed, making no attempt to disguise my normal snake-like voice, "May I come in?"
He went white with terror, and gulped. Though the signs were very slight, even now, when he thought death was upon him, he tried to hide it, he was a very good spy. He stepped aside and I slid in through the doorway. Snape shut the door quietly and followed me into the ill-lit living room. The room itself was plain, a few old and rickety chairs and some thread-bare dark curtains were the only items in the room. It was cold, gloomy and so very like Snape.
"Severus, you have disappointed me." I hissed.
"My Lord, you must understand!" He pleaded, deciding that there was no point acting coy.
"Understand what exactly?!" I yelled. "You came to me, asking me to spare Lilly Potter's life. And yet, it seems that you do not trust me to honour my word. You went to Dumbledore and sold yourself to him! I do not care who this women is or was to you Severus, I gave you my trust, my word and you betrayed me!"
"My Lord, you can change your mind on a whim, I had to be sure she would be protected." He persisted.
"And how well did that go for you?" I snarled. "You think Dumbledore keeps his word? Look at Godric's Hollow, does that look like a family's house that has been protected? Well I kept my word! I asked her to step aside three times and yet she refused!" I sighed. "You were a part of my inner circle, I value the Death Eaters that make it to that group. I would never betray my word to those in the inner circle."
He went silent for a moment. "And yet she and the boy and Potter are dead." He murmured.
I contemplated something for a minute before deciding on my next action. I grasped his arm and said "come with me" before apparating to Malfoy Manor.
I marched up the driveway that seemed to go on forever and once again rang the doorbell like a fucking postman. It was answered relatively promptly by Dobby once again who wordlessly opened the door and let us in.
"Master Malfoy is in his study, Master Dark Lord." He informed me, his voice trembling.
"Thank you, Dobby." I said. And then traipsed in the direction of Lucius' study, Severus followed behind me.
When we arrived at his study, I knocked on the slightly ajar door and entered the room. Inside there was an obviously expensive mahogany desk, behind which was Lucius Malfoy, who hastily stood up and then knelt in subordinance. I looked around as we walked in; surprisingly there wasn't a lot to observe. The entire right wall was covered with a bookshelf, which was full of books, which at a quick glance covered the history of the Ministry all the way to the Dark Arts. The left held a few paintings, though they weren't particularly unique in any way, the Malfoy's obviously liked having their expensive items displayed where people could see them.
"Rise, Lucius." I ordered, and he swiftly did.
"My Lord." He started. "May I ask why you are here?"
"Because I want to show Severus what I brought you yesterday - well, early today, and to show him the error of his ways" I explained.
In reply he snapped his fingers and Dobby appeared almost immediately after.
"Dobby, bring Cepheus." He snapped at the elf.
"Please." I added at the end, with a pointed look at Lucius. Dobby's eyes bulged at me before he bowed with a quick "Yes, Masters." And then popped away again.
"I will talk to you after this Lucius." I informed him; he winced.
A few seconds later and Dobby popped in again, this time a bundle of silk white sheets were in his thin arms.
Severus looked upon the child, and enquired to Lucius: "Since when have you had two children?"
I answered. "Since early today. This child was previously known as Harry Potter. I may not have been able to save Lilly but I saved the next best thing: her son."
He gasped. "My Lord..." he trailed off.
"Hush Severus. No one can know. He will be raised as a Malfoy, when the time comes I will tell him of his true identity, but for now he will simply be Cepheus Malfoy as Lucius and Narcissa have decided he is to be." I told him.
"Now, Severus. As much as I wish I could trust you, I cannot." I said solemnly.
"My Lord, please..." he said before trailing off again.
"My Lord." Lucius spoke up. "May I ask, what exactly Severus has done to break your trust?" He enquired.
"He was Dumbledore's spy." I replied. "He did not believe me when I told him I would save Lilly Potter's life."
Lucius fell silent.
"Alas." I started. "There is always a solution. Give me your arm." I asked and he slid up his sleeve and bore the Dark Mark. In reply I brought the sleeve back down and clasped his arm.
"Lucius get out your wand." I ordered.
"My Lord?" He asked in confusion.
"The Unbreakable Vow, Lucius." I explained. He inhaled sharply.
He slipped his wand out of his cane and placed it on top of our clasped arms.
"Do you, Severus Snape, swear to serve me loyally and faithfully?" I asked.
"I do." He replied. And a red wisp of light twisted around our hands.
"Do you swear to carry out any orders I give you, with the chance to air any issues you may have?"
"I do." Another wisp wrapped around the other.
"Do you swear to, unless given explicit instruction, not reveal any of the plans of the Death Eaters' or my plans to Albus Dumbledore or anyone who is not a loyal Death Eater?" I asked finally.
"I Do." He replied, and a final red wisp entwined with the others, they glowed and then faded into nothingness as Lucius lifted his wand.
"Thank you Severus. Now, let us go to the drawing room, we have things to discuss." I said and then swept away. The two Death Eaters following behind.
