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Fast Frank: Tom doesn't know (yet) about the events of Lucius, giving Ginny the diary. – Thank you for the review for this story and Dark Lords Daughter
Chapter 5:
Hermione and Ginny sat on their beds in their hotel room in Dublin. They had checked in an hour ago and had just finished unpacking. Hermione was going over a few ground rules with Ginny.
"Most importantly, "Hermione stated, "Don't call them Muggles, some people might get offended."
"Ok, don't use the word Muggle," Ginny replied, "If they don't know what it means, why might they get offended?"
"Because they don't know what it means," Hermione replied, "and they could think it is meant as an insult, especially if you say it to the wrong person."
"I don't understand," Ginny stated.
"In the magical world, there is blood purity," Hermione explained, "In the muggle world we have racism which is hatred based on skin colour and religion."
"Like Dean?" Ginny asked.
"Yes, Dean has likely been exposed to racist remarks," Hermione commented sadly.
"That's terrible," Ginny spoke.
"Ironic though," Hermione added, "That the likes of Lucius Malfoy are very similar to those they despise."
"True," Ginny replied.
"Anyways," Hermione changed the subject, "make sure you keep close to me, I don't want to lose you in Muggle Dublin."
"Ok," Ginny replied with a tight smile, thinking that she really didn't want to lose Hermione either.
"On a lighter note," Hermione smiled at her friend, "What shall we wear when we go out to dinner tonight?"
"Let's have a look," Ginny replied, glad for the change of topic.
Severus sat at the end of a table; in front of him spread out on the table was a map of Dublin. The hotel in which Miss Granger and Miss Weasley were staying was marked with a purple pin; Severus traced his finger along the roads of the map that led towards the arena that girls would be at for the concert.
"Severus," a voice spoke from the doorway.
Severus looked up to see seven individuals in the doorway, "Ah Lucius, gentlemen, please come in," he gestured towards the table, "I was just going over last-minute details."
"The Dark Lord informed us you were to be leading this mission," Higgs commented in disgust, "I don't see why. You are a traitor and are likely to be working with Dumbledore and will betray us."
"My position as a spy within Dumbledore's ranks," Severus sneered at the man, "Has enabled me to gather our Lord much sensitive information in regards to the Orders actions."
"I bet you give them information too," Higgs hissed.
"Our lord is always aware of what information I pass onto Dumbledore," Severus spoke down to the man, "I wouldn't be able to abstract much information from the Order, if I didn't provide them with some information."
Higgs continued to sneer at him.
"If you have a problem with me," Severus spoke as if he was talking to a five-year-old, "I suggest you take it with our Lord," he paused, "wait you already did didn't you and he told you what for."
"Severus," Avery spoke, "Perhaps you could go over the mission?"
"Of course," Severus responded, and he stood, "The girls are staying in the hotel marked with a purple pin."
The group nodded.
"You will be split into three groups: two pairs and a trio," Severus continued.
"Won't you be paired with one of us?" Avery asked.
"No," Severus replied, "I have my own part to play in this mission, and I need to do it alone."
"Probably going to betray us," Higgs muttered under his breath.
"Your jealousy is pathetic Higgs," Severus sneered, "I am far more loyal to the Dark Lord than you, I would gladly have gone to Azkaban for him but alas I was needed elsewhere, and if you continue to provoke me it won't be you who will face the end of my wrath but your son."
Higgs backed down and decided to only glare at Severus.
"Now, back to the mission," Severus changed the topic, "Lucius and Avery you will be one pair, Greengrass and Davies you are the second pair and apologies Pucey and Carmichael you two are stuck with Higgs to make the trio."
The group nodded.
"Right, now I am sure the Dark Lord informed you that this attack needs to be a muggle attack with no Dark Mark in the sky," Severus spoke, "this is of the utmost importance, this is for two reasons, the first being he doesn't want the Order to know we have the girls and the second he still isn't ready to publically announce his return."
"We know all this," Higgs spoke, "What I want to know is why he wants those girls, one of them is a Mudblood and the other a Blood Traitor."
"Miss Granger is one of Potter's best friends and the only reason the boy passes any of his classes," Severus replied, "Miss Weasley, is the sister of Potter's other best friend additionally she is part of the family who Potter considers family."
Higgs seemed satisfied with the answer, as did the majority of the others apart from Lucius who was watching him with an odd expression as if he had finally figured out several things.
"Now let us go over the plan," Severus stated, "without interruptions."
Tom left his bedroom and walked across the corridor to the door opposite, the word Adanya was carved into the door. His fingers traced against the letters on the door and sighed as his hand wrapped around the handle. He had not entered this room in years, not since the fateful Samhain he left to kill Harry Potter. Sighing, he remembered his goodbye to his then little two-year-old Adanya who had been fast asleep in her bed, when he had gone in to kiss her goodnight. His daughter had awakened and asked him where he was going. He sighed as the image of his little girl whispering her response into the darkness came into his mind. The same whispering voice that haunts his dreams and taunts him when he's awake:
Come back, Daddy, come back soon.
"I've come back to you, my princess," he whispered to the wooden door, "I'm back, and I will never leave you or Leilah again."
He eventually built up the courage to open the door and step inside the room, and he was shocked by what he saw. Instead of a toddler bed in the middle of the room, there was a beautiful King Size four-poster bed with beautiful cream drapes which complimented the light colour scheme of the room. The floor was also clear of children's toys and instead looked suitable for a teenage girl. He exited the room with haste and moved to the room next door which had Leilah's name engraved on the door. He sighed as he took in the room that had been chosen to be Leilah's growing up. The colour scheme was similar to Adanya's and again was suitable for a teenage daughter.
"Firefly," he called as he felt a tear run down his face.
"Yes, Master," the elf responded.
"Did you do this?" Tom gestured to the room that surrounded him.
"Yes Master," Firefly responded, bending its head forward, "I is sorry, Master, we hoped for the day you would all return."
"Firefly," Tom responded, "Thank you, for ensuring my daughters' rooms are ready for their return and thank you for believing that I would one day return."
"You wouldn't leave your girls with Bumblebore," Firefly responded, "Are you getting them, Master?"
"Yes," he replied with determination, "yes, I am Firefly."
"You look beautiful," Ginny smiled at Hermione who was dressed in a dark green maxi dress and a pair of black heels.
Hermione blushed and smiled at her friend, "you look beautiful too."
Ginny looked down at her pale pink dress which fell just below her knees, "I'm so glad you had a dress that wouldn't clash with my hair."
Hermione smiled at her friend, "You can keep it."
"I couldn't," Ginny responded.
"Course you can," Hermione claimed, and added before Ginny could protest further, "it looks much better on you than it did on me."
"Are you sure?" Ginny asked.
"Course I am," Hermione replied, "Plus I kind of see you like a sister, and it is my understanding that sisters share clothes."
"Thanks, Mi," Ginny grinned tightly, still feeling bad about the dress and the other clothes Hermione had leant her for the weekend.
Hermione smiled at her friend, "Tell you what if you get your mum to make some of those cookies she made us last year we can call it even."
Ginny relaxed with a smile, "Ok, when I get back after the weekend, it's the first thing I will do."
"Now come on, let's do each other's hair and makeup," Hermione smiled.
30 Minutes later
Knock, knock
"Girls are you ready?" Helen Granger's voice called out from the other side of the door.
"We just need to grab our jackets and bags," Hermione replied, standing up from the bed she had been sat on.
"Do you have the key?" Ginny asked her friend as she grabbed her jacket.
"It's still in the door from when I locked the door when we arrived," Hermione replied, "I didn't want it to go missing."
"Ok," Ginny smiled at her friend's forward planning.
"Let's go," Hermione smiled at her friend and made sure she grabbed the key as she unlocked the door to their room.
"We were thinking of going for a walk after dinner," Her mother commented to the girls, "Will you be ok in those heels?"
"Of course," Hermione replied with a smile, "I used a cushioning charm on them."
"I thought we couldn't use magic outside of Hogwarts," Ginny replied
"I charmed them at Hogwarts," Hermione smirked, "I always have a couple of pairs of high heels in my trunk just in case I need to wear them and I learned the cushioning charm can be applied to shoes from Penelope Clearwater in my third year."
Ginny nodded in response and looked at the shoes on her own feet
"Don't worry Gin," Hermione replied, "I'm sure your Mum used the charm on your shoes before you came, plus I imagine we won't do that much walking,"
Ginny nodded in agreement.
"Come on then," Helen smiled, "Your dad is waiting downstairs in the lobby."
"Tom?" Severus whispered as he entered the Dark Lord's study, "You wanted to see me?"
"Severus, apologies I was just resting my eyes," Tom nodded at his wife's friend, "I wanted to know how the plans are going for Sunday?"
"Well, the team know their places," Severus commented, "and as long as Higgs behaves, we shouldn't have a problem."
"Did he give you trouble?" Tom asked though he already suspected he knew the answer.
"No more than I could handle," Severus replied with a smirk, "I threatened his son; it seemed to do the trick."
"His son?" Tom asked, wanting to know a bit more about his divisive follower.
"Yes," Severus sneered, "Terrence is a Slytherin like his father; he is a year older than Adanya."
"Hmm interesting," Tom smirked, "Do you think we could bring him on board?"
"Maybe," Severus spoke, "But he likes to play by the rules, which is an abnormality for a Slytherin."
"With the right incentive though," Tom gleamed.
"Definitely," Severus nodded, "He's nothing like his father."
"Good," Tom nodded, "While we are on the topic of recruiting, is there any other ex-students or soon to be ex-students I could consider?"
"I have several," Severus grinned, "Mostly children of current followers."
"So whose spawn am I expecting to join my ranks?" Tom responded.
"Alexander Bole's son Lucian has recently graduated Hogwarts," Severus began suggesting students who had currently left Hogwarts, "He was a Slytherin like his father, and he has been accepted onto a St Mungo's Healer training course."
"It would be beneficial to have a few Healers on our side," Tom stated, "Who else?"
"Roose Bolton has a son called Ramsay," Severus suggested, "He is quite sadistic and would make a good protégée for Bella."
"Roose has betrayed us," Tom commented.
"Having taught Ramsay at Hogwarts I can honestly say he is nothing like his father," Severus mentioned cautiously, "I feel as long as he can torture others he would be content and he would kill his own father if he had to."
"Then perhaps that can be his initiation," Tom suggested, "Let us continue."
"Daniel Munslow has a son called Eric," Severus carried on naming ex-students, "While the boy was a Hufflepuff like his father, but you know they value loyalty, and he additionally has a knack for charms."
Tom nodded but didn't say anything.
"I also have Marcus Flint," Severus commented, "He currently plays Quidditch professionally."
"Nathaniel's son?" Tom queried.
"Yes," Severus nodded, "There is also Daniel Derrick's son Peregrine."
"Most of these seem to be Slytherin's Severus," Tom noted cutting Severus off, "Not being biased I hope?"
"Not at all," Severus replied, "I just know the Slytherin's better as I was their Head of House."
Tom smirked, "What about current students who are due to graduate this year?"
"Eddard Warrington's son Cassius, Rodric Pucey's son Adrian and a Brian Montague," Severus listed not bothering to go into too much information on these students.
"All Slytherin's?" Tom teased.
"All Slytherin's" Severus gritted, "I will observe students in other houses when I return in September."
"Good," Tom smirked, "I do love proving people wrong when they think Slytherin's are the evil house."
"Evil lies in everyone," Severus responded, "It's just getting a person to act on it, which is difficult."
"Oh, my friend," Tom smirked, "I do love your little anecdotes."
"I am glad I amuse you, My Lord," Severus responded, with his own smirk.
"Merlin," Tom replied, "I hate it when you talk like that, you sound like those followers who live to kiss my feet."
Severus grinned, not bothering to apologise.
"Let's get back to business," Tom spoke, "Any updates from the Order?"
"They have established a safe house to act as a meeting point," Severus spoke, "Dumbledore is the Secret Keeper."
"Of course," Tom hissed, "The Old Fool believes himself to be untouchable."
"I have no doubt that you wish to prove him wrong," Severus commented.
"Of course," Tom laughed evilly, "I want to have him begging at my feet, petitioning I save his life stating he could have easily killed my daughters, but he chose to let them live and grew up, I will rip his skin from his bones and allow Nagini to feast on his organs as he still lives."
"Tom," Severus spoke calmly to his friend.
"What Severus?" Tom asked, "Should I not be angry at the man who took my daughters from me, while I was attempting to..."
"We know what you were tempting to do Tom," Severus spoke, "And it was a cruel trick of Dumbledore's."
"Everything he does is cruel tricks and manipulations," Tom hissed, "I will reveal to the world exactly the kind of man Albus Dumbledore is."
"I plan on being there when you do," Severus spoke in agreement, "and helping you in any way I can."
"But first, let's get my daughters back where they belong," Tom said, standing up and stretching his legs.
"Of course, Adanya and Leilah's return is of the utmost importance," Severus replied and also stood.
Tom held out his hand, and Severus shook it but was surprisingly pulled in for a hug.
"I don't know what I would do without you, Severus." Tom spoke calmly in his ear, "You are very much like a little brother to me."
"I'm honoured you think so highly of me," Severus responded.
"Adria considered you her brother in all but blood," Tom replied, "And I have come to think of you as the same, you are considered family."
"Family," Severus breathed.
"Yes," Tom replied, "It's nice to have a family who can celebrate your accomplishments with."
"Yes," Severus replied, "Like taking over the Wizarding World."
"Exactly," Tom replied, "and people you can trust to be put in positions of power, anything you want Severus I will grant you whatever position you want."
Severus only nodded, slowly considering all the options now available for him.
AN:
So the end of the chapter is a bit sappy I know, but I always imagined Tom saw Severus as a kindred spirit (Both Fathers were dicks – Tom's failed to acknowledge him and Severus' was abusive, and both of them Half-bloods). So Tom is creating Severus opportunities that Half-bloods possibly won't have. Tom is also more human because of Adria – but I can imagine he doesn't show it often. Also, his closeness to Severus is due to Severus' closeness to Adria.
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