The Memory of a Dark Lord
by Honeybat
Part Two
Tom chuckled as he got off the bed to visit the bathroom. "You have to admit that was funny, Severus. The look on her face."
Severus was caressing said girls face as he draped her artfully on the bed. "Yes, who would have thought this is what it takes to flap the unflappable Miss Granger," he purred.
Tom studied them. "You really like her, don't you?"
Severus nodded. "Yes. She's everything we've been looking for in a woman, and then she's pretty too."
"If we can turn her to our side, she would indeed be more to us than a suitable mother for our children." He stepped into the ensuite. "Let's see how this develops, huh?"
Severus nodded and abandoned the bed too. "I'll go tell Manos to start breakfast." He wrapped himself up in a dressing robe he found on a hook by the walk in wardrobe that connected to both the bedroom and bathroom.
Tom was dressing in one of his stylish old greek outfits when he heard an angry buzzing sound from the pile of rags he'd discarded on the floor when they first arrived. He realized what it was when he heard the urgent whispers from next door. "Harry...Harry Potter...please answer...please..."
At first he didn't know what to do about the buzzing communication mirror. Then he decided to prank the girl even more. He cast a silencer on the room he was in so the girl wouldn't hear him, then he morphed his face to that of Harry Potter and conjured a pair of glasses. He flipped open the mirror. "Hermione?"
"Harry! Thank god you're there," Hermione was whispering. It looked like she was hiding behind the bed.
"Hermione, are you alright? What's happening? Are you in danger?" he whispered back himself.
"I'm in Greece, Harry. I was taken by Professor Snape and You-know-who."
Tom made a surprised face. "In Greece? What the bloody hell is HE doing there? And why are you suddenly calling him you-know-who?"
"Harry! I have no problem calling him you-know-what when we're all safe at school, but he's in the effing next room taking an effing shower, all right?"
"Huh? He's taking a shower? Is that a bedroom behind you? Hermione, have you been sniffing the potions again?"
Tom now had a really hard time holding in his mirth. This girl was awesome fun to mess with.
"Harry! This is not funny. I'm in real trouble here!" she indignantly huffed, still trying to be quiet. "Where are you? Still at the Dursleys, or did they move you yesterday? Can you tell the Order I'm in trouble?"
"Yes, I was moved yesterday," Tom confirmed. "One of them is down in the kitchen telling the elf to make us breakfast now." He opened the door to the bedroom and stepped out.
"Are you going down there now? I don't know how much time I have..." she suddenly looked up at Tom who now stood at the end of the bed.
"We have all the time in the world, Hermione," Tom replied, still in his Harry voice and Harry face, even though the rest of his body was still Tom. He flashed the mirror as he snapped it shut. "I forgot I had this in my pocket when Snape picked me up at Privet Drive yesterday."
He hunkered down next to her stunned speechless figure. "Things are not what they seem, Hermione. I am Tom Riddle, yes. Up until yesterday I was also Harry Potter. The Voldemort you know, the one resurrected a year ago, that is actually Severus creation. I wasn't banished into a spectre when I tried to kill Harry Potter, what was left of me was attached to little Harry's body. The real Harry died from the curse, so you could say, Harry and I are one and the same. Thanks to Severus, I now remember my full life and I have my full power back." He morphed back to his Tom countenance and removed the glasses. "I'm a Metamorph, so I can look pretty much like anyone I want."
"Breakfast is served," Severus cut in, arriving at the door. "I'll just be a few minutes," he told completely ignoring the intense look between the two already in the room.
She was shaking her head, grabbing at her hair. "This is too much," she mumbled.
He gently grabbed her hands and held them to his chest with one hand as he turned her head up with the other. "Hermione. Yes, I am ruthless, without much of a conscience, and I enjoy causing pain and suffering to my enemies. But, I swear on my immortal soul that you have nothing to fear from me, or from Severus. We'll make you our Queen. The Death Eaters will eat out of your hand, lick your feet clean or wash your parents' car every Sunday. Do you understand me? We connected with you last night so powerfully that we will never again be complete without you."
When he removed his hand from her chin to caress her cheek and hair, she was gaping at him in complete awe. "Is that why my magic sings when you touch me?" she whispered.
He nodded. "Yes. Yes, you feel it too!" He leaned forwards and kissed her gently, yet their magic almost exploded at the contact.
"Kissing Victor, Ron or anyone else was never like this," she moved forwards and they kissed again, this time with more heat.
"Hey!" came a bark from across the room. "Breakfast first!" Tom chuckled and rose from his kneeling position on the floor. He held out his hands to help her up.
She only hesitated briefly. The sheet she had wrapped around her sagged and she quickly pulled back one of her hands to protect her flagging modesty.
"Go have a shower, Goddess, I'll find you something suitable to wear today."
She nodded and fled to the bathroom still wrapped in the sheet.
"That went better than expected," Severus noted.
"I'm not so sure. She may not be yelling and screaming, but once she processes what I told her, there will be the questions."
"Indeed," Severus agreed. "And this time it's our turn to answer the know-it-all."
"No matter what, all we have to do to shut her up is show her the library."
Severus chuckled. "We'll never be rid of her."
Tom almost dropped the mirror when it buzzed again. He looked at it suspiciously and immediately noted Hermione's mirror was on the bed. Too bad there was no caller ID on these, you had to open then to see who was calling. "Who's calling now?"
"They must have realized I took you by now," Severus noted. "I wouldn't be surprised if it's the old coot himself."
This time he needed to be more careful when he answered. He tossed the head-cloth and turned his tan robes black and anonymous as he reached for the glasses and morphed fully into Harry Potter. He walked into the wardrobe and locked the door to the bathroom even as he warded it for sound. Dosing the light to make the surroundings hard to distinguish, he also hid the clothes racks. What remained was a small indistinguishable room.
He flipped the mirror open. "Hello?" he replied neutrally.
"Harry, my boy!" came the worried voice of the Headmaster.
"Professor Dumbledore? Why are you on the mirror network my friends and I use?" He tried his best to sound clueless.
"Are you alright, Harry? Where are you?"
"Of course I'm alright. Why wouldn't I be? I'm at the new safe house. Snape came and brought me here yesterday, just like your letter told me he would." Tom had to really fight not to cackle in glee over the old man's confused face.
"I did not write such a letter, Harry. I fear I misjudged Professor Snape, he is working for Voldemort after all. Can you tell me where he took you?"
Tom shook his head. "I'm not the secret keeper professor." He looked up at Severus and aimed his next words above the mirror's edge. "Professor Snape, Professor Dumbledore is on the mirror. Could you tell him we're not abducted or anything?"
Snape hurriedly turned ugly as he took the mirror. Tom smirked even as he bit his thumb to keep from laughing.
"Headmaster," Severus nodded in his Professor manner. "I fear we have another spy amongst our ranks. The Dark Lord knew all our plans for Potter. We are lucky I found out in time. We are now at my personal safe-house. Until you flush out the spy, I will care for the boy here."
Tom nodded, good piece of acting of Severus'. All the panic seemed to leave the old man's voice and manners then. "Thank Merlin we have someone who knows when to act quickly to avoid disaster. Dung slept through his shift yesterday and when Tonks arrived this morning the boy was gone. Petunia told us you just stunned the boy and left. The others feared the worst."
Severus snorted derisively. "I'm not the leak here, find the traitor," he snarled and shut the mirror with a snap. He instantly switched the snarl with a delightly evil grin.
Hermione opened the door to the room. "What are you doing in there? I thought you were going to find me a dress?"
Tom again morphed from Harry to Tom seamlessly. "Dumbledore called. We had to make up a quick story to cover up my whereabouts." He picked up the head-cloth again and put it on as he banished the glasses.
Severus turned towards one of the cupboards in there and swung the doors open. "Should be female clothes in here," he told with a wave. "They're kinda out of date. Perhaps they can be considered vintage these days, though."
It seemed it hit Hermione for the first time that she was in the company of two gay or bi men who apparently liked to morph their bodies in a multitude of ways. She was blushing prettily as he went through the clothes.
Tom sniffed her newly washed hair from behind and reached for one of the tan sun-dresses and a flowery wrap in red acromantula silk. "How about this one, Goddess? The style suited you very well last night."
She started at his action, apparently very aware now who he was. Tom chuckled at Hermione's hesitant movements as she accepted the dress and wriggled into the stretchy material. "You look gorgeous, my Lady," he smirked appreciatively, eyes caressing her blushing countenance.
He carefully wrapped the silk around her, caressing her shoulders and arms, never letting her eyes leave his. He leaned in for another kiss and was met with equal desire. Her hands ran down his chest and around his waist. She drew him close.
"Now fellas, I know the warming charms can hold the food warm indefinitely, but it always taste better the first half hour. Especially Manos' eggs."
"Who's Manos?" asked their female companion as she disengaged Tom's lips to look at Severus.
"He's our housekeeper, the craziest elf you've ever met!" Severus replied and winked at Tom.
Hermione glared at them, but didn't speak up for the elf's freedom, this time. Perhaps she thought it a lost cause with the Dark Lord.
She stopped dead in the kitchen when she realized just who the elf they were talking about was. He was wearing multiple socks and hats, all made by her in her third year "Dobby?"
The elf ran happily towards them "Master Tom, Master Tom, you's back!" he wailed as he hugged his legs and feet. Tom kneeled and squeezed the little creature's shoulders affectionately. "Yes, i'm back, Manos."
"I's so sad when Master not recognize me anymore. I's so happy you's back, Master."
"You were faithful still, oh crazy one." He picked off a hat. "And still proud to be free, too." He looked up at the very confused Hermione.
"Oh yes, MIssy Hermy made these for me. Wonderful, she is," the elf bobbed his head enthusiastically and then he was hugging Hermione's legs too. "Thank you's Missy Hermy..." he looked towards Tom again. "Missy be new Lady? Manos soon have new Masters to take care of?"
Hermione gasped in shock over the suggestion, but Tom just hummed, nodding thoughtfully. "Perhaps, Manos. Perhaps. We'll have to convince her first," he winked.
Hermione rested lazily under the umbrella. Sipping a cool drink in the shade, watching people playing in the water, was one of the many things she loved about vacationing at the Mediterranean. The entertainment this afternoon was so baffling it beat any book. She was watching the Greasy Git, Bat of the Dungeons Severus Snape and the bloody Dark Lord himself toss a frisbee between them in the surf. They were laughing.
At home in Britain the war was in full swing, people were killed in raids every day. And here was Voldemort throwing a frisbee and laughing on a beach. Herself, she was trying to wrap her mind around her new desire for said Dark Lord. She blushed when she remembered how he had cornered her at the local taverna loo and given her the fuck of her life up against the hard tiled wall. She was mortified at his complete lack of shame. She shook her head, perhaps the Dark Lordy side of this man was showing after all, in his complete lack of inhibitions.
She couldn't help but wonder how being Harry Potter had affected him. Since the change had been so recently, she had a feeling he didn't know the answer to that question himself.
Suddenly Severus yelped in pain and dropped the frisbee. He easily picked it up again and the two guys walked back to her location.
"Playtime's over for this time, my dear," Tom told Hermione even as he gathered their belongings. Since they were on a mixed Magic and Muggle beach, they pulled on their robes and walked to the parking area above the beach. Hidden behind the cars, Tom side-along apparated Hermione back to their house, since the wards didn't allow anyone but Tom and Severus to apparate or portkey in unaccompanied.
Tom and Severus looked apparently silently at each other for a moment when they were back. Until Tom spoke up. "Okay, you'll have to do the present version of Voldemort, Severus. Since he's your creation, I'm not sure i can do good enough a job on this short notice. I'll be you, I know you well enough for that." He looked towards Hermione. "You'll be the new Apprentice," he looked thoughtful then waved his wand. "Let's not reveal who you are just yet," he mumbled and when she looked down she realized she was no longer a woman. And while her body was still slight it looked and felt more athletic. Long, straight, electric blue hair fell over her shoulders. The next moment, she was encased in layers of black dragonhide body armor and a top layer of silk with an asian cut to it.
She looked up and found Tom already looking like Severus Snape after a good many hours in the Potions lab, complete with the body odor and shitty attitude. She blinked, for a moment uncertain if Severus had exited the bathroom and switched with Tom without her noticing.
That was until the door swung open. Hermione gulped nervously. In front of her stood Lord Voldemort himself in full glory. Even Tom seemed to shudder when he laid eyes on the monster. "That is one scary look, dude," Tom broke character to note.
What he got in return was an angry red glare that sent shivers down Hermione's back. "Do not joke with me when I am like this!" the words were sibilant and dripped with anger and malicious intent.
Hermione gasped when Tom immediately sank to his knees and bowed his head to the ground. "I apologize, My Lord." He then kissed the hem of Voldemort's robes.
"Watch your tongue, Death Eater," Voldemort spat coldly.
Severus crawled backwards and somehow managed to get back on his feet while still looking and behaving like a whipped dog trying to please his Master.
The Monster turned towards Hermione. "You may be my Apprentice, but you still have to abide by the protocol." He gestured towards the ground in front of him. "Your turn."
She hesitated.
Severus spoke up beside her. "If you hesitate at the meeting, he'll have to crucio you."
"What?"
Then she was screaming on the floor, the pain worse than she'd ever imagined when Harry described it. It must have been over almost immediately, but the fire in her veins remained. A voice hissed in her ear. "Thiss iss not a game, Miss Granger." She shivered violently. He rose and stepped away again. "Shall we try again?"
This time she'd learned her lesson. She had to play her part. She bowed and kissed the edge of his robe flawlessly this time. "Forgive me, My Lord," she echoed Tom's previous words.
Voldemort nodded curtly. "At the meeting, Severus will take his place amongst the inner circle, you will arrive with me, walk three steps behind me and then when I take my seat you will bow and take your place on my left side and Lucius on my right; as he was released from prison last week and is still my second in command. Are we in agreement?"
"Yes, My Lord," the two in front of him immediately responded.
Voldemort nodded and waved his wand. Tom and Hermione were immediately shrouded in Death Eater garb, Tom with Severus silver Mask and Hermione spotted gold when she glanced down. She touched her face and found her fingertips lengthened into claws made of the same golden material. The Mask felt like a part of her face. It was a strange feeling to realize that for all intents and purposes she was now a fully garbed Death Eater.
Severus, no Tom, leaned close and whispered. "Whatever you do, do NOT disobey him. Whatever he asks, do it without hesitation."
Swallowing the nervous lump in her throat, she nodded and wondered if Tom too was nervous. This would be his first meeting in sixteen years, after all. Before she could ask, Voldemort clamped a hand on her shoulder and she was apparated away.
They arrived in a mansion overflowing with the most gaudy decoration she had ever seen. Voldemort strode ahead down the hall without a word, his cloak billowed even more dramatically than Snape's. She followed, three paces behind as ordered and tried not to gawk at the gilded swans, diamond roses and haughty portraits following them down the hall.
"Lucius, what is so important it couldn't wait until the meeting this evening?" Voldemort barked even as he burst into Lucius' private study as if it had been the Potions classroom at Hogwarts.
The usually so proud and haughty Pureblood was immediately out of his chair and on his knees before his Lord. Hermione found it absolutely hilarious. Thankfully, the Mask made it easy to remain blank and emotionless on the surface. "The Order, My Lord. They have taken to interrogating their own members with Veritaserum this afternoon. Our spies will undoubtedly be revealed when it's their turn to answer questions."
Voldemort grabbed the Malfoy Lord around the throat and lifted him up to his eye-level. "Do you think me an amateur, Malfoy?" the man tried to shake his head as he gurgled for air.
"Do you think I would send anyone to spy on the enemy without proper protection?" Again Malfoy tried to shake his head no.
"As long as I am alive and have a body, their loyalties and any sensitive information are protected in their minds, even from mind reading and truth serum."
"You may be the top dog at the Ministry, Malfoy, but you better remember it is on my orders. If you do not step in line, I will replace you." He leaned even closer and Hermione could see the elder Malfoy's cringe. "Do you understand?" he hissed menacingly and tossed the gasping wizard back into his chair.
"Yes, My Lord," Malfoy gasped as he nodded like an over eager house elf. So this is what it takes to break the man out of his haughty attitude, she mused silently.
Voldemort completely ignored the Malfoy Lord now. "Come, Apprentice. We might as well call the meeting now, since we're already here." She nodded and followed, she too ignoring the gasping man behind the desk.
She found it absolutely surreal to stand next to Voldemort and watch the mass of Masked Death Eaters arrive and pay their respects. It was also rather strange that in the line in front of her stood the real Dark Lord, pretending to be just another follower. Harry Potter stood as just another follower. Hermione Granger was Voldemort's Apprentice. She suppressed a shudder of pleasure when the Dark energy washed over her.
Soon, something was happening that she had not expected. The Dark Energy around her was arousing her male body to the point of bursting. When the Dark Lord cast a Crucio on a failure of a servant, the burst of magic made her come. She was mortified. Especially when Voldemort turned towards her with a toothy grin. "Got off on that, did you, Apprentice?"
She nodded. "Yes, My Lord," she whispered reverently.
Then he ignored her again, but as the meeting progressed, she found herself lost to the sensations around her. Now she knew why they were called Revels. When the meeting was winding down; everyone had given their reports and received new orders; he stood and spoke up. "Tonight, my followers, I have news. Beside me stands my new Apprentice. At this time, you shall know him by the golden Mask only. Should you come across him away from my presence, know that he speaks for me. Should he give you an order, you will obey: as if it was me."
"Yes, My Lord!" the full assembly chanted.
"Severus Snape. Next meeting you will bring me Harry Potter and take your rightful place at my side as my second in command."
A shocked murmur traveled across the room. "Yes, my followers. Severus here has the boy. By next month, he will be ready to listen."
Suddenly the whole room was chanting in glee. "Master, Master, Master!" Hermione found herself chanting along.
Then the meeting was over and Voldemort strode off. Hermione hurried after, suddenly afraid to be left behind. They apparated from the lobby they arrived in. Moments later they were back in the bedroom in Rhodes.
Voldemort's confident stride faltered and he sank down onto the bed. Head rested in his hands, he leaned forward. He looked sick. Then his disgusting features melted away and his whole body seemed to just...relax into the features of Severus Snape. When he looked up, his eyes were once again black and haunted. The real man behind the mask was back. He waved the pale yew wand and all her changes went away as well. She walked over to him and sat down next to him. They said nothing for several moments.
"You did well, Miss Granger," came his normal voice.
"I'm having a hard time imagining all that was just an act, Professor."
"Occlumency, Miss Granger, is a both wonderful and terrible tool. When I shut my humanity off behind a wall; what you just experienced is what remains."
"What you experienced is also what remains when you split your soul too many times, Hermione," another voice came from across the room. Tom had arrived. "Before I met Severus I had precious little humanity left in me. What remained though, was enough to fall for the haunted sixteen-year-old. When we bonded, more of my humanity returned, or perhaps I should say; I borrowed some of his. In return, Severus became less. I had found love and knew to feel affection for my bonded, but I was still very unstable. Not until now, I've really come to my full senses."
Severus was off the bed and the two men hugged fiercely. Hermione found it quite touching. When they parted, Tom caressed Severus face. "The meeting today has opened my eyes fully, Severus. I'm afraid your 'resurrection' have been in vain. I cannot return to what I once was." He turned towards Hermione. "Yes, the Harry in me recoils just as violently as I am at the very thought of returning to 'that'."
"Do not worry, Tom. I have several contingency plans ready to go. Or we can come up with something new, your choice, My Lord," he amended.
Tom nodded. "Yes, we have a lot to think about. Why don't we take the rest of the evening and try to come to terms?" He again turned towards Hermione. "Especially you, Hermione. Both Severus and I agree that we want you to be a part of our team. You'll be an equal partner. But, please do remember this will not be any new Golden Trio. We will not be fighting any Dark Lord. We ARE the Dark. The methods will change, but the aim is still to conquer Britain and the world. Think about it, okay?"
She nodded. "What if I say no?"
Tom nodded. "Yes, you may tell us no. I will obliviate everything that happened since you met us, and you'll return to Britain as our enemy. I will be disappointed, but there will be no second chances. Next time we meet, the only mercy i will show you is to give you a quick death."
She gulped. "I appreciate your honesty, Tom."
Severus wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her out of the room. "Come, my favorite little know-it-all, I'll sweeten the deal for you," he smirked. By then, he seemed to have thrown off the effects of being Voldemort completely, even the haunted look in his eyes was gone. He seemed playful, something she'd never imagined seeing in her Potions Master. Then again, the Potions Master was just another of the roles he played, wasn't it?
She gasped in awe when the stone steps they descended opened up into a large underground chamber. The ceiling was a replica of the Hogwarts Great Hall, except this showed the bright sunshine of mid day Greece even though it was now beginning to near dusk. "This is one of our half dozen libraries spread across the globe. It's dedicated to Ancient Greece and Mesopotamia and contains both Light and Dark tomes, since it was our aim to have as complete a record of both ancient and current Magics as possible."
"What else do you have, and where?" she asked, heart beating faster all of a sudden at the thought of this being only a fraction of the total information in their possession.
He laughed at her greedy question. "Our Roman villa has everything about the Roman Empire, I'd say it's at least thrice as large as this one. In Alexandria, we have a private portal to their famous library as well as a modest collection of ancient Egyptian scrolls ourselves. In Scotland we have Slytherin Castle, with our British, Celtic and Nordic collections. There's our Peruvian pyramid with collections about ancient American cultures like Incan and Mayan as well as those farther south in the Amazonas. In Beijing there's an ancient secret entrance to the royal library. Oh, and I'm not counting the fact that any scroll, tome or tapestry from any collection can be called up at a moment's notice from anywhere we are located," he winked.
Hermione was almost swooning now. "And is this only Magical knowledge?"
He laughed. "Of course not. If can deliver a book, we have it as well."
She blinked and stared at him. Did he just reference The Internet?
"Hermione. knowledge is knowledge, no matter how you come by it. I have a feeling scrolls and books are about to become obsolete in the near future. The Dark Lord and I aim to live forever, don't you think we also aim to follow the times, even if they are mundane times?" He held out an arm and pointed to a far corner. When she looked she found a state of the art computer system on a table. He put a hand on her shoulder. "Dear girl, you've only scratched the surface of all the knowledge in the world that are at your fingertips."
She staggered over to one of the tables and sank down onto a chair. "This is...how..." she looked up at him. "How could I possibly turn you down? Even without Harry being gone, how could I have given this up?" she sighed.
"You'll have love, you'll have power, you'll have knowledge and you do not have to betray Harry for it. What more would you want of life, girl? Think about it, you have until morning. Call Manos when you need something to eat or drink." He nodded and left without further words. She didn't stop him.
soon to be continued...