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Chapter 12 – Enter the Death Eater
July 1978
"Tell me you didn't?"
Severus stopped in his tracks, standing in the dark doorway. With the late hour and the darkness of their chambers, he had assumed that she was already sleep. A flick of her wand and the lights in the room flickered to life. Hermione sat on their bed, he legs cross in front of her, while she fiddled with the fabric of her pajama pants, with her head bowed and her hair concealing her face.
"Didn't what?" He asked, but the burning in his arm made him feel guilty for playing dumb when she clearly already knew somehow.
"Don't. Dumbledore stopped by earlier to thank me for your contribution to the cause," Hermione explained, lifting her head to reveal red, puffy eyes, and glistening tear tracks down her face. "And here, I was under the impression that we had agreed that you wouldn't."
She received her answer, when he clutched at his burning left forearm. He looked guilty as the wheels turned in his head, trying to figure out what to say.
When he had met up with Lucius earlier in the night, he hadn't expected his request for a meeting to be granted immediately. They had left immediately from the bar and apparated to the Avery Manor, where the Dark Lord had been holding court.
Stepping into the dimly lit ballroom, he had instantly known that there would be no turning back. Lucius had led him to the small dining table at the far end of the hall where a small group dined.
"Ah, Lucius, so good to see you! I wasn't aware we were expecting you tonight," a handsome young man greeted him. "Who have you brought with you?"
Severus had stood slightly behind Lucius, but tall and proud as he observed the exchange. He recognized several of the members around the table. The younger Avery, who he had been in his same year at Hogwarts, Avery Sr and his wife, Bellatrix, who had been in her 7th year when Severus had arrived as a 1st year, and finally, Rabastan Lestrange, who had been in the same year as Lucius.
It left the last two occupants of the table easy to guess. Sitting between his brother and his wife was Rodolphus Lestrange, the family resemblance evident. Which left none other than the Dark Lord himself, Tom Riddle, at the head of the table.
"My lord, as per your request, I've brought you Severus Snape. With his interest in the cause, I assumed you would want no delay in my arranging the meeting," Lucius said.
Severus was concealed any shock at hearing that Riddle had requested him with practiced ease, simply watching the proceedings with an air of arrogance. It shouldn't have surprised him that he had been desired. As a Slytherin with considerable skill in potions that Slughorn often called genius, it wasn't too farfetched that word had traveled.
Briefly, he let that feeling of being wanted consume him, remembering all too well how he had strived for it his entire childhood, letting that power fill him up, but then memories of Hermione and her desire for him brought his feet back to the ground. He knew Riddle wanted him for what he could do and provide while Hermione wanted him for him, and he knew which feeling he preferred.
"Ah, yes, Mr. Snape," Riddle responded, his voice smooth and almost sickeningly sweet. "I hear that you have quite a talent for potions. Why don't we take the business discussion into the study?"
Standing, he turned towards the others at the table, "If you will excuse us. Enjoy your dinner."
With that, he led the way towards a concealed door at the back of the ballroom. Before moving to follow, Severus noted that Bellatrix Lestrange was glaring at him with a look at could freeze fire, while Rodolphus looked rather pleased.
Once in the study, Riddle gestured to chairs by the fire for Lucius and Severus while summoning a house elf to pour the fire whiskey. Severus took a cursory sip of the whiskey, appreciating the expensive quality as if slid down his throat with ease.
"I'm not quite sure what I did to upset Madam Lestrange, but she seemed particularly cross with me," Severus admitted, citing his concern at her look.
Lucius barked a laugh while Tom let out an appreciative chuckle at his observation before responding.
"Your arrival foiled her plans I'm afraid. Bella is simply disappointed that she won't be recieving an invite to my rooms this evening, while I'm sure Dolpho is glad for the fact he doesn't have to sit by while I take his wife to bed," Riddle explained with a smirk.
Severus took this information and filed it away for later, knowing it could be important, as could anything ever said at a meeting with Voldemort. His mental shields were on high alert, knowing of the man's mental abilities, ready to show him what he wanted to see.
"I'm glad that Lucius has brought you here this evening. You see, I had given him the special task to acquire you, as it were," Tom explained, slowly sipping his drink with a thoughtful expression. "I'm quite impressed with the speed at which he swayed you given your previous distance, but your power and abilities are undeniable."
Without warning, Severus felt the Dark Lord enter his mind, essentially blasting through the front door and filling Severus with an array of mental pain, feeling much like hundreds of splinters puncturing him. While many of his skills were well known, Snape's abilities as an occulmens and legilimens were a secret from the dark.
The pain of the invasion compromised his ability slightly, but he maintained his shields and led Riddle on the merry chase of memories that showed him exactly what he was looking for. Riddle saw Snape's childhood, his abusive muggle father, nasty muggle neighbors in his poor northern town. Severus showed him the Marauders, picking on him from practically the moment he had arrived at Hogwarts because he was a Slytherin.
Many nights in the hospital wing, but he had always given as good as he had gotten and worse. Saint Dumbledore ignored the incidents, believing his precious Gryffindors and that Severus to be the instigator, punishing him while the Marauder got off without any punishment.
Pushing further, Riddle searched for more, latching on to any thread of emotion or supposedly distracted thought and pulling it into view. He did all of this as roughly as possible, enjoying the look of pain on Severus' face as he essentially raped his mind. Of all his skills and talents, Riddle valued his skill as a legilimens the most as if gave him the most power over others.
Despite the pounding, driving, splitting pain, Severus only offered up the memories he wished to be seen, protecting his secrets in a mental vault. He offered up snippets of his theoretical debates on dark magics, altering them slightly to let his enthusiasm show. He gave memories of developing spells of questionable loyalty when the Marauders pushed him too far.
After what had felt like hours, Riddle finally withdrew from his mind, seemingly satisfied with all he had witnessed. He saw a young Slytherin much like himself, fascinated with the darker aspects of magic, hatred and anger bred in the way Snape had been used and abused by almost every person in his life. He also saw immense power and a drive to control.
As if he had never invaded his mind, or enjoyed the pain he caused on doing so, Riddle ran a hand through is beautifully tousled dark hair, composing his face back into a mischievous smirk that made him look younger and even more handsome.
"So, I hear that you are apprenticing with old Slughorn?" Riddle had inquired, even though he had seen it in Snape's mind.
"Yes sir," Snape responded, his voice and face composed, concealing any sighs of discomfort or pain. "He has me on an accelerated program and I should be able to apply and earn my mastery by August next year."
"That's quite impressive, completing a four-year study on a little over a year. You must truly be as advanced as they say. However, skilled at reproducing recipes and creating your own brews are two different things. I'm in need of a potion master with imagination," Riddle told him, looking slightly put out, probably from Snape's lack of response to the pain.
"I've adjusted every brew I have been taught and several books worth of potions I taught myself to make them more effective. I already hold patents for improved and more effective versions of aging, de-aging, the antidote of veritaserum, several healing potions, and had created my own, powerful lust potion," Snape finished with an amused smirk.
Riddle laughed heartily at this. Severus was not an overly handsome man like Riddle. He didn't have the natural beauty that some men had and his nose was still considered too big for his face. However, his features were appealing in a rougher and darker manor. Still, beautiful men, like Riddle and Lucius, found his creation of a lust potion considerably amusing. Severus knew this, using it as a strength, a show of power instead of letting it invoke insecurities.
"I am pleased Severus. It seems that you are all that was promised by your fellow snakes and more," Riddle applauded. Nodding toward the ring on the younger man's left hand he continued, "I see that you are married. Your wife?"
"Half-blood, my lord. A bleeding-heart Gryffindor in the truest meanings of the words, but highly intelligent, brilliant, creative, and just as cunning and devious as any Slytherin," Severus remarked, taking pride in his wife.
"But not working for the other side?" Riddle asked, his brow furrowed. His concern trailed off into a rant, "It seems like all the House of Gryffindor does these days is breed warriors of the light, as they seem to declare themselves. As if I am the darkness. I simply want peace for wizard kind. No more fearing or hiding from the muggles when we have the power for greatness."
"Unlike all of her housemates, she never fell for the kindly, loving grandfather persona of Dumbledore's. She questioned practically his every decision in regards to the school and specifically my treatment at the hands of the Marauders. She is my most valued debater and sounding board when discussing the dark arts and the creation of spells and potions," Severus assured him.
"Hmmm, would she be useful to the cause?" Riddle inquired.
Suppressing the shudder, Snape responded, "She is starting her dual apprenticeships with the ministry. Studying both ancient runes and arithmancy. However, she is very stringently avoiding taking sides in the conflict, preferring to focus on her studies."
"Ah, but she knows you're here."
"Yes, my lord, she knows I value power and strength, and revenge against Dumbledore and his merry band of bullies. She accepts my choice," Severus assured him.
"Good. I think that I've heard all that I need to. Come my boy, kneel before me and become one of my own," Tom insisted, standing from his chair.
Internally, Severus balked. For the second time that night, things were moving far faster than he had anticipated. However, he knew he was in too deep to back out now. Setting his mostly full whiskey on the side table, he stood and crossed to kneel in front of the wizard he was about to pledge his life too.
Riddle, gently, took Snape's left arm in his hands, unbuttoning and rolling up the sleeves of his button-down shirt. Once the younger wizard's left forearm was exposed, Riddle gently ran the pads of his thumbs along the unmarked flesh. A gentle flex of his wrist and Riddle's wand was summoned for the sheath on his forearm and into his hand. The tip of the yew wand traced along the smooth skin before suddenly, it dug painfully into Snape's forearm while Tom recited the binding spell.
Tendrils of smoky blackness crept out of the wand, latching onto the skin and burning hot and bright as it formed into the dark mark. At this point, Severus' composure broke and he screamed as the spell made the flesh of his arm feel like it was melting off. His knees collapsed beneath him and he would have slumped to the floor, had Riddle not been holding his arm in his surprisingly strong grasp, muttering his spell while his mark burned through Snape's skin agonizingly slow.
When the mark was complete, Voldemort let go of the younger man's arm, smirking as he sunk to the floor, clutching his arm and now moaning in pain. After a short time, the Dark Lord demanded.
"Get up."
"Yes, my lord," Snape whimpered, his whole arm still feeling consumed in flame.
However, Severus still rose to his feet, standing before his new master slipping his shields back into place to mask the pain.
"Welcome to the ranks, my son," Riddle greeted him, wrapping Severus in an embrace. "Now, we celebrate! We will hold a formal celebration in your honor soon, but it is too late to summon the masses, so we'll simply put a dent in the Avery's liquor cabinet!"
Tom retook his seat, gesturing for Severus to do the same, while picking up his glass of whiskey.
"A toast! To new alliances and progress in the wizarding world!"
All three wizards drank to that, throwing back their glasses. Snapping, Riddle summoned the elf back to pour another round.
"Now Severus, your main tasks will be to create potions and spells for me. While I've seen you are a talented dueler, there is no reason to risk your potential in the field.
"The dark mark branding was a spell of my own creation. A bastardized and mixed version of older binding, marriage and slavery spells. However, the magic will bind to just anyone right now. I desire for it to be a test of true loyalty and a gift for those of my inner circle. I wish for you to develop it," Riddle explained.
"Of course, my lord, that is a wonderful idea," Severus carefully stroked the older wizard's ego. "If you could provide me with the texts you used for reference and the current spell work, I would be honored to continue your work."
"Excellent! I knew I could count on you, Severus. Now, there is one more thing."
"Yes, my lord, anything," Severus insisted, his stomach churning at the eagerness he had to portray.
"You are studying at the school and expect to take over the potions position before long as I understand it?" Riddle inquired.
"Yes, my lord. Slughorn wishes to retire after this next year."
"Very good! Now, what I want you to do, is to get close to Dumbledore. Befriend the old fool, make him trust you. Be careful not to push too hard and expose yourself, but the hope is eventually you'll be able to feed me information. Right now, we are destroying the Order of the Phoenix. However, I suspect they will start better preparing their defenses. It never hurts to play the long game though while you develop spells and potions for me," Voldemort explained.
"Of course, my lord," Severus agreed.
The three wizards sat and talked while they consumed the expensive fire whiskey and celebrated Severus' induction late into the night. It was the early hours of morning before Snape apparated home, his arm still a raging fire.
"Show me," she demanded.
Slowly and reluctantly, Severus rolled up the still loose sleeve covering his left forearm. As the blue cloth of the shirt lifted, it revealing the writhing skull and snake brand, the dark mark.
The brand was still red and inflamed. Lucius had informed him that it would remain that way for a few days and any salves or pain potions would only make it worse.
Hemione's eyes widened a fraction as she stared at the ugly black and red mark where the previously unmarked skin had been. She had wanted to believe that Dumbledore was lying to her. That he was trying to manipulate her because he had failed to get Severus on board with the plan. However, the later in the night it got, as she waited for him, the more her hope diminished. The brand on his arm however was clear.
"Get out," she snapped.
"What?" He asked, his slightly alcohol fuzzy brain not quite understanding.
"You heard me! Get out," she yelled. "I don't want you here right now."
Getting up from the bed, she shoved him back out into the hallway before pushing past him and storming towards the living room.
"Hermione, wait," Severus exclaimed, following behind her. "Will you please just listen!"
"Listen to what, Severus! Listen to you explain how you betrayed me! What excuse do you have that could be good enough?" She insisted, as she turned to go toe to toe with him.
Severus was at least a head taller than the young witch. However small though, she was fierce and a force to be reckoned with. Her wild hair sparked and crackled with wild magic.
Snape wanted to defend himself. He wanted to show her that he had done the right thing, the only thing! Unfortunately, the guilt burning through him proved all of those assertions wrong before they even tumbled from his lips. Despite his observations, opened his mouth to argue anyways.
"I did this for us Hermione! So that we can have a life free of conflict sooner rather than later! So that our friends will be alive and well at the end of this. It was the only way," he insisted.
"Severus Snape, do not lie to me! It wasn't the only way and you promised to tell Dumbledore no, but you let him get to you! Let me guess. He told you that he expected more from you, that you were the only logical choice, that refusing made you a coward? You let him push all of your buttons!"
"You weren't there, Hermione," Severus argued back, the whiskey making him angrier because she'd hit the nail on the head. "I did what I had to. I did what needed to be done."
"Without consulting your wife? The woman you promised yourself to? Your partner in all things?" Hermione demanded.
Severus was silenced, unable to argue the point further.
"You didn't come talk to me because you knew that I'd talk you out of it. You knew this plan was stupid, dangerous, and unnecessary, but Dumbledore told you everything you need to hear to justify it, so you took that and ran before someone could talk sense into you," she screamed at him.
The sound of a door opening down the hall startled them both, as Minerva wax roused by their argument. She padded the five steps into the doorway of the sitting room, watching the two carefully.
Not wanting to fight with her husband in front of her mother, Hermione turned towards the floo.
"Get out, now," she insisted again.
Grabbing a handful of floo powder and the collar of his shirt, she threw the first into the fireplace, calling out for the 'Den' before bodily shoving Severus into the green flames.
When he disappeared and the green flame died down, Hermione turned on her heel and headed back to her bedroom. She swept past her mother without a single word, slamming the door to her bedroom behind her. Minerva let her go, returning to her room, knowing she shouldn't get involved in her daughter's marriage. They would have to make their own mistakes and figure it out themselves.
Curling up on her side in the big bed, she grabbed his pillow, pulling it in close and sobbing into the fabric as she took comfort in his scent. She hadn't wanted to kick him out, but the rage burning in her had brought several dark hexes to the forefront of her mind and she wouldn't have been able to forgive herself if she had cast on him.
Returning to her bedroom, she stepped into the attached bathroom, splashing a bit of cold water on her face. Taking a long hard look in the mirror, she grew concerned, not liking the dark rage within her eyes. With a heavy sigh, she turned away and climbing into bed. After crawling under the covers on her side, she reached over and pulled his pillow to her, nuzzling her face into the fluffy mass, clinging to his scent.
Tears began to fall again and she sobbed into the pillow for a long while before exhaustion claimed her and she fell into a fitful sleep. Dreams were filled with images of her husband screaming in agony under the cruciatis curse, his body laid out and dissected like a science project, and pieces of the man she loved being delivered one at a time. Her mind coming up with all sorts of terrible and painful deaths Severus might experience if it was found out that he was a spy.
She awoke, screaming and sobbing a mere two hours later, the sheets wrapped around her tightly, making Hermione feel as if she was bound. Mentally, she had been bound and forced to watched another of her husband's potential and gruesome deaths. Her screams woke he mother again, and this time Minerva rushed to her daughter's side.
Gently tugging at the blankets, Minerva freed the younger witch and drew her into her arms. Minerva rocked Hermione gently, holding her tight and whispering reassurances into her ear, while occasionally kissing the side of her head. When the sobbing lessened, Hermione relaxed and sunk into her mother's embrace.
"I can't lose him. I'm so terrified that he'll be found out and murdered for it. Or that he'll be killed just for the hell of it one day," Hermione admitted quietly.
"My dear, you know that man of yours in a true Slytherin. He is a powerful occulmens and legilimens. If anyone can do this, it is Severus Snape," Minerva assured her.
"I'm just so mad at him. We had made a decision not to have him join Voldemort as a spy, and he turns around and does it anyway, without talking to me," Hermione vented. "When he showed up and all but admitted it, I wanted to hex him within an inch of his life."
"I understand, my dear," Minerva said. "It's a completely understandable reaction."
"It scared me though, how badly I wanted to hurt him because he'd hurt me," Hermione sighed. "I need to go to him though. Thank you, mum."
"Always, sweetheart. I'll always be here for you when you need me," Minerva responded, kissing her forehead gently before retreating back to her room.
Hermione stood from the bed, straightening her sweat drenched clothes and pulling a robe on around her. She strode to the sitting room and tossed a handful of floo powder into the dying flames. They roared back to life, - near blinding bright green color.
"The Den," she announced as she stepped into the flames.
Moments later, Hermione stepped out into the small studio that Remus rented in London. The young werewolf was awake, sitting in a chair by the fire reading, despite it being rather early in the morning. He looked up as she arrived, giving her a sad smile. Setting down his book, he stood and wrapped her in his arms, simply holding her for a few moments.
Hermione finally broke the silence.
"I'm sorry for pawning him off on you," she told him.
"It's fine Hermione. When he arrived and explained what had happened, I tore him another one for you. Then, I hate to admit we broke out the booze. One benefit of being is werewolf is my metabolism, I can drink pretty much anyone under the table," he said with a playful smirk.
"Thanks for taking care of him," Hermione answered, turning to look where her husband had passed out on the couch.
Even in a drunken sleep, he looked pained. Frown lines covered his face and his sweat damp hair stuck to his face haphazardly, as if he had been struggling in his sleep.
Slowly, she kneeled down on the floor next to him, gently shaking his shoulder with one hand while wiping back the tendrils of hair from his face.
"Severus, wake up sweetie," she murmured.
Slowly, his dark eyes fluttered open, staring deep into her honey browns. A deeper frown crossed his face after recognition hit him.
"Hermione?" He questioned, his voice rough and slightly hoarse.
"Yeah, I'm here. Let's go home, love," she insisted.
"But I lied to you," he murmured, his eyes turning down.
"Yes, you did. And I have not forgiven you for it. I'm still mad. No, I'm furious and feeling betrayed. But you are my husband, you belong in our home, in our life, and we deserve a chance to work this out," Hermione admitted, somewhat disappointed with herself for her initial reaction. "I shouldn't have thrown you out. I want you to come home."
He looked back up at her, the sincerity in her eyes. "I don't deserve you or your forgiveness."
"Yes, you do. And in time, you will have my forgiveness. You are human, my love, and human's make mistakes," Hermione assured him. "Now let's get you home."
He nodded silently and helped her pick him up from the couch. His world spun violently and he felt like he was going to be sick for a moment before Hermione stabilized him. Slightly stumbling, the pair made their way to the floo. With a nod a Remus, Hermione tossed in the powder and they disappeared into the green flames.
The trip through the floo had Severus bent on two and Hermione immediately conjured a bucket, just in time as he emptied his stomach. He was swaying and about to sink to his knees when Hermione wrapped herself around him again.
"Let's get you to bed," she murmured.
The trip down the hallway took longer than normal, and Hermione had to vanish the contents of the bucket, hovering in front of Severus, several times.
However, the eventually made it to the bed, where Severus set down heavily, still fully clothed. Gently, Hermione knelt and pulled off the clunky dragonhide boots. Then, she stood in front of him, slowly unbuttoning the long-sleeved blue shirt, peeling it off his shoulders. Doing her best ignore the large, angry black brand on his left arm, she summoned a rag and bowl of water and gently wiped the sweat from his torso and face. Finally, she had him lay down in his spot, pulling his trousers off and leaving him lying on his underwear. She pulled the covers up over him before moving over to the other side of the bed, shedding her robe and climbing in beside him.
He laid still beside her, his dark eyes had been watching her the entire time she cared for him and put him into bed. Tears started as a trickle down his face quickly turned into stifled sobs and he thought about everything that had led him into his current mess. The burning in his arm persists and for the first time in a long time, he was truly scared. He had walked willingly into the snake pit and now had to convince them all that he was one of them. The cost of failure was his life and most likely the lives of those he loved.
Hermione felt and heard his sobs beside her and she reached over to him, pulling him over to sob into her chest. He clung to her as he let the tears fall, letting her be his strength. She let her tears fall again, crying with him as they both tried to come to terms with their new reality of their lives and the dangers of the war.
Eventually, the crying stopped, as the light was starting to drift in through the curtained window. Hermione rolled onto her side and instinctively, Severus rolled onto his side and scooted up behind her, draping his left arm around her. Hermione flinched slightly, knowing that even though she couldn't currently see the mark, she had seen it and knew it was there. Severus tried to pull away, realizing that her reaction was to the mark and feeling guilty.
She quickly gripped his wrist to stop him from pulling away, avoiding the irritated area and being gentle, but firm. Snuggling deeper into his body, she felt safe in his arms, as she had for years. The feelings of anger, hurt, and betrayal drifted to the back of her mind as she slipped onto sleep in her husband's arms. It took longer for Severus to find sleep, but soon the tension eased from his body and his mind knew that with Hermione at his side, he could survive anything.