Without so much as a knock on his door, Dumbledore came bursting into Severus's office. There was a scratch down the side of his face, as he was panting. "Haven't got long, got Harry in my office," he started, looking at Severus who was shocked to see the old man in such a state. "You'll be summoned soon, get ready, he's going to be furious." He turned as if to leave, but Severus stopped him.
"Albus, what has happened?" he asked him quickly.
"The Prophecy was smashed, and most of the Death Eaters are now in Azkaban," Dumbledore was triumphant in his smile, until it faded. "And Sirius Black is dead." Severus didn't stop him from leaving this time. He merely smirked, watching as Dumbledore left and grabbed his cloak and disapparated.
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Severus could hear the Dark Lord shouting as soon as he stepped into the Manor, so he followed the sound. He didn't have to walk far, at the end of the Entrance Hall the Ball Room was echoing loudly. The furious Voldemort was stood over Bellatrix Lestrange, who was surrounded by a puddle of blood, at that moment gracefully spitting out a mouthful of blood onto, pretty much, the Dark Lord's feet.
"My Lord," Severus said, announcing himself, and bowing lazily to the man in front of him.
Voldemort instantly stepped over Bellatrix and headed towards Severus, kissing him roughly on the lips. "I am glad to finally see some sanity," he snapped, aiming his comment at Bellatrix who was slowly sitting up, coughing up blood.
"Then I fail to see why you were looking at Bellatrix, my Lord," Severus smirked again. "Why is it Bellatrix to be tortured? What has she done this time?" He smiled maliciously down at the woman on the floor, who shot him a look of pure loathing.
"She managed to loose that bloody Prophecy which is now smashed to smithereens." Voldemort shot her a look of loathing this time, which was far stronger then any look Bellatrix could hope to achieve.
"Dumbledore said Black is dead, is that true?" Severus could hardly contain that question. Voldemort chuckled, though Severus could tell it was very forced.
"Why do you not ask Bellatrix that, she was the one that killed him instead of doing what we set out to do." Voldemort turned, and kicked her hard in the ribs, causing more coughing. "Silence, you stupid wench, I could be making this a lot worse for you." There was a pause while he smiled evilly. "I will be making this a lot worse for you when Severus has gone back to the school… I do not wish to waste my time with him on you. You shall be lucky if I allow you to live."
That seemed to crush Bellatrix completely, because she flopped back down to the floor, rivers of tears cleaning away lines of blood down her face. Thankfully, they were silent tears, Severus couldn't handle more noisy crying. "We should not be so harsh my Lord, she did kill Potter's godfather after all."
Voldemort glared. "You can stop acting so happy, Severus Snape, dead Black or no dead Black, we still have not got the Prophecy, and if you do not shut up, you shall be right next to her in your own pool of blood." Voldemort turned, and walked away from both of them. "Come here." Bellatrix started to get up. "Not you, Bellatrix," Voldemort snapped over his shoulder, though Severus wondered how he had seen as his back was turned to her. He then realised that all of the walls of the Ball Room were intricate mirrors, outlined in solid gold. The Dark Lord had probably designed that to confuse his followers in a full midnight meeting, and so that he could see whoever he wanted to in a reflection. He crossed the room, and stood next to Voldemort, ignoring his threat.
"Do not kill Bellatrix," Severus said very softly so only Voldemort could hear. "She may be a silly little slut, a girl inside, but she's an asset at the very least."
Voldemort simply raised an eyebrow. "It was not my intention," he said. "She is clearly a lucky one to have survived Azkaban this time." His gaze softened slightly as he looked over to her, but hardened again as soon as he saw her. "And I need luck at the moment."
"Dumbledore said that Death Eaters have been sent to Azkaban," Severus said softly. "How many?"
Voldemort was silent for a while, looking at Severus with a calculating look on his face. "Every one that went, except Bellatrix."
Severus swallowed lightly, that was a lot of Death Eaters back in prison. The more he thought, the worse it looked. Lucius, Rodolphus, Avery, Rookwood… Even Crabbe and Goyle, though they weren't that useful, they could still fight. "Even so, there are still things we can do now without the Prophecy." He knew that was a feeble attempt at calming the Dark Lord down, into making him think that this didn't matter, it was worth a go.
Voldemort cast him a fraction of a glare, before looking back to Bellatrix, his gaze heating up again. "I have wasted months on fruitless tasks once again. I was promised thirteen years of repayment from those that escaped Azkaban the first time around and I have received less then a year of it." He paused, stalking back across the room to relieve himself of a wave of fury on Bellatrix, who resumed with coughing up some more blood.
"There are still those who did not go to the Ministry this time who continue to pay their debt to you," Severus said softly. "You have lost merely a few members of your innermost circle, my Lord, it is not of that much consequence to you. You still have Bellatrix, and you have myse-"
Voldemort cut him off. "Do you think I care about whom I have?" he snapped. "I would have gladly sacrificed anything for that lump of glass and what do I get, Severus?" The Dark Lord was almost foaming at the mouth in anger. "Uncovered." If they had been alone, Severus would probably have slapped Voldemort around the face. As Bellatrix was there, he knew that the Dark Lord would not hesitate to kill him on the spot. "So now we can go about our normal business. Bellatrix-" he addressed the woman laying in her own blood on the floor. "When I have finished with you, you will conduct the other Death Eaters in keeping up the fear, I want the Wizarding World to be in anarchy as it was, you will remember, in my last reign."
Bellatrix looked up, as if she were about to speak, a small smile forming on her lips. "But if anything, no matter how small, goes wrong, then I will be giving the task to someone else, and I shall make you Severus's little Potions helper for the duration of your life." She looked crestfallen once more. "Go and await my presence in the dungeons." He turned his back on the woman struggling to her feet, and looked back to the Potions Master.
"As for you… Severus…" Voldemort narrowed his eyes threateningly in the direction of his lover.
"Does that mean you would have sacrificed me for that stupid lump of glass, my Lord?" Severus asked softly, the Dark Lord almost thought he was calm until he saw the look his faithful Potions Master had in his eyes.
"I said I have to win this war before I become your bond mate, Severus," Voldemort replied with a stony expression. Severus wished he hadn't bothered about coming here tonight, until the Dark Lord pushed him against the mirror roughly, and ran his hands up and down Severus's back. "But as sacrificing you would not get me my Prophecy, so I would not do such a thing." Severus couldn't help but lean forward into the embrace and kiss his lovers neck very gently.
"Thank you," he murmured. The door at the end of the hall burst open, and several Death Eaters entered. Voldemort quickly pushed back from Severus, and the Potions Master arranged his face into a look of fear.
"What happened?" the Dark Lord barked at the men. As they came towards the him, they each knelt on the floor, some shaking in fear and others looking strangely too calm.
"M… Master…" the first man who entered started, quickly removing his hood and black mask, trying to hide his shaking hands. "Th… They have been sent to the top security wing of the prison my Lord…" he managed to say.
"And just what is top security?" Severus asked, sarcastically, stepping forwards. "Extra doors?"
The man looked up suddenly and squinted at Severus for a moment, before looking back to the Dark Lord in confusion. Severus wondered where exactly this man had come from, and why there was such a lack of brain power. He sneered. "I suggest you find yourself a more informed subject," he said to Voldemort, who contented himself with a smile.
"Then their punishment will be a sentence in Azkaban until we have a use for them, if that is the case and we cannot retrieve them until I have full power…" Severus's comment seemed to have dampened his foul mood into something a little more sociable, and the Dark Lord was playful now. That was going to hurt Bellatrix something terrible when he finally got down to the dungeons. "Severus, you must tell me some more about Malfoy." Voldemort looked pointedly at him, and Severus found himself regretting his comment to the less informed subject who was now watching them both most carefully.
"I…" He felt the colour in his cheeks rising. "He is in Azkaban, my Lord…" Severus had no idea what the Dark Lord was asking him.
"What? At that age?" Voldemort raised an eyebrow.
Severus considered for a moment, and then finally understood that the Dark Lord didn't mean Lucius. "And his son is at Hogwarts." Voldemort simply rolled his eyes and turned back to the men.
"Go down to the dungeons and you will find a certain woman down there, look for the gorgeous long hair, she should be covered in blood unless she has taken the liberty to clean herself up." The pause there clearly meant she'd better not have done such a thing… "Tie her up in the most imaginative way you can think of, and let her fight with you if needs be. I do not want her stunned or disarmed, but you may use as much force as is necessary." He turned back to Severus as they stood up with difficulty and left the room bowing.
"If they get her tied up at all I will promote all three of them to the Inner Circle," Voldemort said, with a satisfied smirk on his face. "And now, that gives me a little while at least with you, my friend…"
Severus considered for a moment, though his gaze from the Dark Lord didn't waver. "I do not suppose you would feel happy with me partaking in Bella's punishment?"
Voldemort released his hold on Severus, surveying him for a long moment. "I shall allow it if you do not attempt to take her life, Severus. Firstly, however, I wish to speak with you, and if I decide you have time for a little fun with Bellatrix, you may." He looked sceptically at Severus for a moment. "You never normally want to partake in this sort of occasion."
Severus curled his lip. "Bellatrix is a special case, my Lord," he said, nodding. "She tickles a sensitive spot and I have no choice but to tickle her back."
Voldemort laughed icily but didn't comment on it. "I have another affair I wish to discuss with you, Snape," he said, while starting to pace around the room. Severus wasn't sure that he liked the tone in which he was being spoken to, it sounded as if Voldemort was about to find something to blame him for.
"Yes, my Lord?" Severus responded respectfully, watching as the Dark Lord found himself to be calmer sitting down on his throne. Severus strolled over to where the Dark Lord was seated, and knelt in front of him.
"You have heard of a Horcrux, have you not?" Severus was shocked at the question.
"Why of course I have, my Lord… The user splits his or her soul into a half, or many parts, using an object that is close to what the user… The magic used in them is as dark as it gets…" Severus trailed off, and then quickly stood up. "That is how you survived… Of course…"
Voldemort smiled coolly. "Very well done, Severus…" he drawled sarcastically. "Which, needless to say, I have not told any other one of my followers except a few at the beginning who knew of my interest, although they are now long gone."
Severus was shocked that he had not noticed this about the Dark Lord before. It explained everything that there was to know about his lover. "Severus, there is one person who Dumbledore is going to be desperate to have back in his service now. You know him well, I am sure. Horace Slughorn?"
The Half Blood Prince was silent for a while, and showed now trace of emotions on his face. "What would a Potions Master mean to you?"
Voldemort chuckled softly. "What do you mean to me?" Severus simply shrugged, causing a slightly louder chuckle from the Dark Lord. "Everything," he whispered. "Because he was also my Potions Master, long before you even existed Severus Snape." He had slowly moved forwards so his lips were just brushing against Severus's ear. Snape's breathing had sped up just a tiny bit as Voldemort leant over him, so close they were touching. "And you surely can easily guess who told me about them, and who now wants to hide that mistake so badly he will do whatever it takes to hide it."
He pulled away, so suddenly it made Severus jump. When he looked up again, Voldemort was back to pacing in front of him. Severus stood up and walked slowly towards the Dark Lord. "Where is he now?"
Voldemort's mood change was absolute. He pulled Severus into a very tight embrace, though it wasn't pleasant or warm, just domineering and extremely cold. "If I knew that I would have killed him by now," he snapped. Severus's heart rate increased, he was terrified. The Dark Lord must have sensed it, because he loosened his hug slightly and stroked Severus's hair with one hand. "I have searched every known location he has stayed in for the past ten years. I have even had the unknown ones searched. He is on the move, and is terrified that I will come and find him."
He sighed angrily and turned to sit back on his Throne, leaning back thoughtfully. "Dumbledore knows all of this, of course, and he will be the one who finds him if my minions do not get a move on and find him." He drummed his fingers restlessly on the arm. "And then, Dumbledore will employ him at Hogwarts again."
Severus felt his mouth go dry. If Slughorn was going to become Potions Master, then that would mean… He looked up at Voldemort, who had hardly noticed any change in the mood at all. "Then he will make you Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." Voldemort looked straight at Severus. "You would like that, I am sure, but it will mean that Dumbledore will know my greatest secret and when, and how it all began."
Severus shrugged again. "I have been Potions Master at Hogwarts for long enough to know that no one keeps that job for longer then a year. You have not heard the rumours; they say the job is cursed." There was a steely glint in Voldemort's eyes, and Severus could have sword he'd seen a smirk on his lips, but it vanished soon afterwards.
"Maybe." Voldemort pulled Severus towards him and kissed him roughly on the lips, as the doors at the end of the hall burst open. It was Bellatrix, wand in hand, robes torn open revealing an equally torn red dress (A little too artfully torn in revealing places for Severus's taste). "Sorry to interrupt, Master," she said, though Severus noticed she hadn't dared come in any further and had a distinct look of fear on her face. "But three men just barged into my cell and told me they had to tie me up, though I could fight them…"
Voldemort stood up, smirking. "Yes I did order that, my dear. Well?"
Bellatrix came a bit closer. "I assumed it was a test my Lord… I left them stunned on the floor with only a few major injuries…"
Voldemort laughed coldly and beckoned to Bellatrix. "Come closer Bella, tell me all about it."
"I had best be leaving, my Lord," Severus said softly, bowing to the Dark Lord, noticing Bellatrix's smirk as he walked past her. He closed the doors behind him, shutting away the noise of Voldemort's flirting, and Bellatrix's giggles, his mind full of new thoughts and feelings.