Thank you for reading! I don't own any of Harry Potter! Please let me know if you enjoy! Updates every Saturday!
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A gentle slipping noise whispered through the air as Nagini moved her heavy coils across the floor of Malfoy Manor towards her prey.
Her black eyes were frigid with sinister determination as her slithering came to an end once she approached the fat rat who had dared enter her domain.
It wasn't a well-known talent of Animagi, to communicate with other animals, but Peter made good use of it.
Before Nagini could strike, Peter spilled his secrets in the form of sharp, high-pitched squeaks.
Peter's most important declaration became fortunately lost in translation between the differing languages of a snake and a rat.
In those few squeaks that would have appeared to anyone else as desperate shrieks for his life, Peter revealed his true identity to Voldemort's pet and offered his information in order to save himself from a hideous fate.
Nagini's tongue flickered as she listened.
Once Peter finally quieted, instead of snapping him up in her massive jaws, she silently turned and weaved her way through the mansion until she entered the room Voldemort occupied.
"Nagini!" He said with a sinister smile as she slithered through the cracked door.
"Master!" She hissed in Parseltongue, "The one you seek approaches!"
Voldemort narrowed his evil eyes as he listened to the news Nagini readily relayed.
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In the spring, Hogwarts entertained a brief recess during which the entire Snape family found themselves present for yet another Death Eater meeting at Malfoy Manor.
It bothered Severus and Lily that Voldemort had specifically requested Harriet join them.
They brought Ellery as well that evening to display their feigned loyalty, but the Dark Lord merely nodded at the boy.
His interest lay in Draco and Harriet.
As he clutched one of their arms each while he stood at the head of the Malfoys' elegant dining table, a shark-like grin cracked across his thin lips.
"As our victories continue, do not forget that the next generation will enjoy the fruits of your labours. My dear Harriet……and Lucius's son, Draco……will wed in a few short years and serve as physical reminders of how we have changed the world!" Voldemort cackled.
Aggressive cheers erupted around the table.
Lucius and Narcissa forced smiles of false happiness while Severus and Lily managed to applaud.
While Severus upheld his Occlumency, Lily's worry for once was not primarily focused on the war or Harriet's predetermined destiny.
Instead, the mother of the Chosen One frowned at the unhappy pout on her daughter's fair face while she watched her eldest child.
A moment later, Harriet followed Draco out at Voldemort's order to let the adults begin their meeting, but Lily breathed a heavy sigh.
Above all else, she wanted her daughter to be safe and……..happy.
It made Lily mourn that Harriet was slated to marry a boy she despised.
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As they stepped out of the dining room together and headed down the corridor to meet Ellery in the parlor, silence lingered between Draco and Harriet.
She failed to notice that he cast her one admiring glance after another as they made their way down the dimly lit corridor.
Draco silently noted that Harriet's emerald green robes were the perfect compliment to her bright eyes.
Regardless, he failed to anticipate she was silently gathering her courage to further splinter his already broken heart.
"...Malfoy?" Harriet asked just before they rounded a corner.
"What, Snape?" Draco answered.
He stopped abruptly and turned to face her while they paused by a large window.
They exchanged frowns for a silent second before Harriet blurted out, "You have to think this is mental too! Don't you?"
"I have to think what's mental?" Draco asked as he narrowed his gray eyes.
"Us!" Harriet scoffed as she gestured to herself then Draco, "Married!...Look, maybe we can help each other out of this. If we work together, I think we can break this stupid engagement."
Harriet blinked at the solemn frown of lamentful resolution that washed across Draco's face like a veil of absolute determination.
In his heart, Draco still carried the boldness his confrontation with Harriet's secret lover had lent him.
He spoke with his voice lower and deeper than Harriet knew it could go as his words came directly from the depth of his pining soul, "I'm afraid I can't do that, Snape."
"...Why not?" Harriet frowned. She laughed mirthlessly as she went on, "Surely you don't want to go through with this either, Malfoy? We hate each other!"
Draco kept his stony scowl of pure resolve as Harriet's frown softened while she asked, "...Don't we?"
He took a step towards her in the moonlight.
Harriet blinked.
She became suddenly aware of how much height he had acquired during the previous months.
Draco had become taller than her.
Almost as tall as-
"I know you'll never believe that the incident at the Yule Ball was not my doing, but that's the truth, Snape. I had no idea Crabbe and Goyle had cooked up their own ridiculous plot." Draco explained for the hundredth time, "I assure you, my plans for the evening were quite different."
Harriet scoffed as she missed his allusion.
She narrowed her eyes and glanced away until Draco snapped, "LOOK AT ME!"
Harriet instantly met his gaze as she gasped at the fierceness of his command.
In that moment, Draco no longer seemed as weak as Harriet had always perceived him.
She stared up into his gray eyes as he sniffed and at last, staked his claim, "You were promised to me at birth, by the Dark Lord himself. A Malfoy takes what is rightfully his, Snape. I will not allow your willful spirit…….or random strangers who crawl in caves……to interfere with the duty the Dark Lord has given us both."
Harriet's eyes widened in shock.
"In…..In caves?!" She spat as realization dawned on her, "Wh-What are you talking about, Malfoy?!"
"Don't play stupid." Draco sneered, "I dueled him myself, that boy you've been running off to for a quick snog every chance you get. Have no doubt, once we've graduated and married, I'll put an end to that!"
Harriet's expression changed from shock to anger as she spat, "You've been spying on me!"
"Everyone whispers about where you could possibly be going, even Granger and Weasley." Draco huffed as he crossed his arms, "Since you and I are to be married, your well-being is my obligation. I have every right to know where you spend your free time."
Harriet grit her teeth as her mind raced to think of a way out.
"Fine!" She spat, "I'll do it without your help, Malfoy! The Dark Lord adores me, I'll tell him to nullify our betrothal and he'll listen! He always listens to me!"
"Then I'll tell him about how disloyal to his order you've been to kiss that nutter in the cave behind my back!" Draco raged, "I'll say you aren't a fitting bride for a Malfoy heir! When he learns you've disobeyed his command, what do you think he'll do, Snape?"
Harriet clenched her jaw as her enemy made an irrefutable point.
"Who is that boy, anyway?" Draco sneered.
"None….of your….business." Harriet said very slowly.
Draco shrugged, "Very well." His gray eyes burned as he spoke with a deadly seriousness while he firmly reminded his fiancé, "Have your fun while you can, I suppose, but like it or not, Harriet Snape……you're already mine."
Harriet scoffed in offense as Draco turned and walked away.
She stood there in the dark hallway for a moment while she balled her hands into fists.
As she closed her eyes, she could hear Draco chatting with Ellery in a haughty tone to signal his boredom.
Draco had to show any emotion besides his exhilaration at his own small victory to Harriet's little brother.
It took several moments for her to gather her thoughts.
Amidst her rage at Draco's insolence, she drowned in shame.
Her heart belonged to Tom.
Why then, should Draco's impressive plea have given her such a thrill?
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"Perhaps a train station?" Narcissa suggested.
"...Or a bridge?" Antonin offered.
After Draco and Harriet had left the dining room, each Death Eater had put forth their own location recommendation for Voldemort's next strike.
He silenced the many voices as he held his pale, long-nailed hands up and smiled, "My friends, I greatly appreciate your dedication to further our efforts! However!" He paused as he glanced over at Nagini who slithered beside his chair. Voldemort kept his eerie smile as she raised herself up to be level with the table and let her master stroke her scaly head, "My dear Nagini has informed me that a much greater event must take precedence over our next mobilization."
Under the table, Lily gave Severus's hand a nervous squeeze.
Severus felt his pulse quicken as he maintained his Occlumency with a convincing outward calmness.
He had never been one to enjoy surprises, much less when they came from Voldemort.
"Severus!" The Dark Lord snapped without warning.
Severus obediently answered, "Yes, my lord?"
"I require your immediate assistance with the intricacies of the plan itself! After fourteen painful years, this will be our greatest chance at defeating my hidden enemy!" Voldemort sneered.
The seated Death Eaters glanced from their leader to each other.
"Forgive me, my lord." Severus said in his low voice, "...I do not understand."
Voldemort's lips cracked into a wild grin of malicious glee as he let out a dark chuckle while his horrifying eyes glanced at each witch and wizard around the table.
"As you all have heard," He began, "The Triwizard Tournament is in progress this year at Hogwarts."
Lily tightened her grip on Severus and he instantly did the same, silently cursing the fact that he could do nothing else to comfort his lover in that anxious moment.
"I have been informed the Potter Child will be present on the night of the final task! Unsuspecting of what's to come…" Voldemort said with a grand gesture of his hand.
His followers chuckled amongst themselves as they understood his grim desires.
"Severus," Voldemort said again as he turned to his general, "You and your lovely wife may enjoy the treasured gift of watching me defeat our greatest foe once and for all!"
Lily's nails dug into the back of Severus's hand as she plastered a smile on her face as he nodded, "We would be honoured to witness your victory, my lord."
As the meeting continued, no thought was given to the fat rat who peered out from the hole he had chewed in the wall.
Under the darkness of the large clouds that drifted in front of the moon, no one noticed the large, black dog who stood with his ear pressed against the dining room's window while he listened to every word.
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Lily maintained her composure as the Snapes returned home that evening.
She and Severus bid their children goodnight and tucked them into bed before they walked to their room together.
Severus closed the door, cast a Silencing Charm, and turned to Lily with his arms open.
The wailing screech that tore from her lips as her beautiful face twisted in anguish made tears well in Severus's dark eyes as she clutched onto him and shrieked, "SHE'S NOT READY! SHE'S NOT READY!"
Severus held her tightly and whispered soothing words of encouragement in his velvet baritone until Lily's screams quieted into woeful whimpers.
As he nuzzled his flower in his nurturing embrace, he braced himself for what lay ahead.
"The Potter child, Lily." He whispered in her ear, "He said the Potter child, not the Potter girl. Perhaps he has not yet learned that Harriet is his target. We may buy her more time, my love, we may buy her more time."
Lily clung to him while she continued to weep until Severus kissed her lips lovingly in an effort to both distract and reassure her.
Silently, he held onto the hope that he had gained an accurate impression of Voldemort's newly acquired knowledge.