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Severus had not been expecting a warm reception, when he got back to Hogwarts on the first of September. Miverva simply ignored him, pursing her lips tightly together. Flitwick was looking at him sadly, muttering things to himself. Slughorn shook his head in disappointment. This, he supposed, was better treatment than what the Carrow's were getting. Minerva completely ignored them. In fact, everyone ignored them. Severus could tell this was going to be a hard year.
They were sat along the top table, the Carrow's either side of him as he sat in his Throne like chair. He watched through narrowed eyes as his students filed into the room, most glaring up at him, the Slytherin's smiling. He made eye contact with Draco for the merest of seconds, nodding briefly, and then looking away. Minerva entered the hall at last, followed by all the new students, the ones from Wizarding families looking suspiciously up at him. Severus noted that there were not as many students in the hall now as there had been in the past. He was barely concentrating through the Sorting Ceremony, and ate little throughout the feast, hardly speaking to the Carrow's.
Everyone of importance had returned, except for Ron, Hermione and Harry. That was expected, but he would have to tell Voldemort all the same.
Severus suddenly noticed the plates clearing, and hastily stood up to make his speech. The hall was silenced. Three quarters of the school glared up at him. "The Ministry for Magic has made some new rules for the school," he began, softly, knowing full well it would carry to the very back of the hall. Voldemort shared this talent with him. "A full list can be found on the second floor corridor." He paused. "And as you may have noticed, we have two new Professors... Alecto Carrow for Muggle Studies, and her brother Amycus Carrow for Defence Against the Dark Arts." He gestured to each as he spoke their names. "Slytherin's, Professor Slughorn will be replacing me as Head of Slytherin House." He paused, waiting for the lukewarm applause to fade back into a stony silence. "As always, the Forbidden Forest is prohibited. Your new timetables will be handed out tomorrow at breakfast by your Head of House. Now, to bed, you have lessons first thing." He seated himself back down, ignoring the obvious hatred the vast majority of students felt for him. The worst thing was, Voldemort couldn't make it to Hogwarts that night, and Severus wasn't going to leave the castle in a hurry too soon, just in case there were to be any start of year pranks played on him, or any other teacher. He waited for the room to empty, before he took the door at the back of the Great Hall, through a tapestry in the corridor and up a flight of stairs, which brought him straight to his rooms. He spoke the password to his door, and entered.
He sighed. His bed was going to be very lonely tonight.
He reached for the bottle of brandy, ad poured himself a glass. He kicked off his shoes, and walked slowly into his bedroom, setting the glass down after taking a sip, and unbuttoning his robes. Severus pulled them off, and threw them onto the bed, and then noticed a familiar figure sitting on the window sill, looking at Severus with an amused expression on his face.
"I didn't think you were coming!" Severus cried, and ran towards his lover, and kissed him hard on the lips.
The Dark Lord held Severus tightly to him, and kissed his hair. "I could not leave you alone, especially on a night like this one... I thought you would be upset..."
Severus nodded. "I need you more then ever," he murmured.
"I know... I feel the same way... You are truly part of me now, Sev," Voldemort responded. "My lover, my best friend... My soon to be husband..." His smile grew. "Let's make love on Dumbledore's bed!" he said.
"You are sick," Severus replied, pulling away and sitting down, though still he felt much better, just from those few words of comfort, and from the Dark Lord's childish wit.
"Is Potter here?" Voldemort asked, hopeful for a moment.
"No. Nor are his companions, Granger, and Ronald Weasley."
"Aww." He was silent for a moment, he laid back on the bed, looking up at the tapestry above the bed. It was very Dumbledore, two bees were sitting on light blue flowers, collecting the pollen. "It would have saved me a lot of time if he had returned."
"Mm," Severus replied, reminding himself to get a different bed at the first chance he got. He had killed this man, and he didn't appreciate the thought of sleeping in his bed for a year.
"You know, I want to find a way to piss off Potter."
"You're breathing, are you not?" Severus replied, with a smirk. "You could just go for the obvious, go for one he cares for deeply."
"But who?" Voldemort mused.
"I have been his teacher for six years."
Voldemort smiled, and kissed Severus's leg which was next to his face. "And your verdict is...?"
"I know he went out with Ginny Weasley last year, perhaps they are still together. We could try... This is his best friends little sister at the very least," Severus replied, thoughtfully.
"Ginny?" Voldemort chuckled. "It was me she was after for a while," he said, smirking.
"The Chamber of Secrets incident was... Unfortunate... But I believe the way you came back after the Triwizard Tournament was better." Severus said softly as he got into bed.
"We will kidnap her then," Voldemort said finally. "To lure him to us... Or just piss him off, as I said..."
"Good," Severus replied, smiling at his lover. "Come here."
Voldemort smiled back, and crawled on top of Severus, kissing him hard and passionately on the lips. Severus began unbuttoning the interfering robes from the Dark Lord, through the kiss, causing a low moan to escape Voldemort's lips. Severus pushed upwards, rolling Voldemort over and getting on top of him, kissing down the new exposed flesh, as he continued to remove the robe, never fast enough for him. "I don't think so," Voldemort snarled, turning them back over again so he was on top. "We can practice for the bond now," he hissed, slapping Severus hard across the face. Severus moaned, his stomach somersaulting over and over, nothing ever changed that with the Dark Lord – and finally pushed the annoying robe of Voldemort's shoulders.
"Yeh?" Severus asked, mockingly. "You're going to dominate me fully, are you?"
"Yes," Voldemort replied, with a smirk, roughly pinching Severus's nipple, and twisting. Severus arched his back, trying to escape the pain, moaning with desire. Voldemort didn't relent, he tightened his grip, and leant forwards, kissing his lover hard on the lips, biting as he pulled away. Severus could taste the metallic blood pouring into his mouth. He jerked away from Voldemort, who merely pinned him back down with his knees. "I will use handcuffs, Severus. And I will take great pleasure in hurting you."
"Please do," Severus replied, and continued to struggle, kicking upwards in a hope he would hit the Dark Lord. He missed. Voldemort's nails clawed down his chest, drawing blood there too. He reached Severus crotch, and stopped, laughing.
"Enjoying yourself?" Voldemort asked him, mockingly. A moment later, a long whip was produced. Severus's eyes widened, this thing looked painful.
"I was," he chocked out nervously.
"Thought so," Voldemort replied, kissing his lover on the lips, tasting the blood. He threw the whip onto the floor. "Teasing," he whispered, pinning Severus's hands to the bed with his own. "You used that on Draco, I think that is overly cruel for our standards."
Severus smirked, and kissed Voldemort. "I love you," he murmured.
"Shut up, brat," Voldemort replied, kissing him some more. Severus Snape was really becoming an addiction, worse then any form of drug. It was official, the Dark Lord had become infatuated with another man.
X--------------------------------------------------------------------------------X
There was a loud knock on the door of Severus's office. It was nearing midnight, and he was about to go to bed to wait for Voldemort. "Come in," he snapped. The door opened, and Minerva came in, followed by a sulky looking Draco.
"He was wandering the corridors, Headmaster," she said. Severus raised an eyebrow at Draco, and then looked back to Minerva.
"I shall deal with it, Minerva... Next time, you need to send any rule breakers to the Carrow's, was that not made clear enough?" Severus asked, coldly.
"Of course," Minerva replied, her nostrils flaring in anger at being spoken like that in front of a student. She turned on her heel, and slammed out of the room.
"What the hell were you doing?" Severus snapped at Draco.
"I wanted to speak to you," Draco said quietly. "I... I wanted to apologise to you..."
"For what?" Severus snapped. There was another knock, but this time it was from his chambers. "Come in, my Lord," he called, and Voldemort entered, frowning. His face relaxed as he noticed it was Draco in there.
Draco paled even more. "M... My Lord..." he whispered, bowing deeply.
"Draco," Severus snapped, drawing the boys attention back to him. "I do not want for you to be breaking the rules here again, and if I catch you doing so, I will bypass the Carrow's directly and have you sent to your Master instead."
Draco swallowed hard, his eyes flicking to Voldemort for a merest second. "What did the boy do?" Voldemort asked Severus dangerously.
"Night time wanderings," Severus replied. "However." He looked back to Draco. "Thank you for your apology." He gave the blonde boy a small smile, and then waved his hand. "Go back to bed, and quickly." Draco hastily backed out of the room. When the door was shut, Severus turned back to Voldemort. "I hate this job," he said, and sat back down at the desk. He hastily tidied up the desk that was scattered with documents and papers, locking some pieces away in the drawer.
"I can make it all better for you if you want," Voldemort replied, his voice low and gravelly. Severus shuddered involuntarily, the voice was so sexy. "Come on, it's Friday. Come home."
Severus stood up, nodding. "Alright," he said. He opened the door to his rooms, and entered. He grabbed his cloak from the chair, and fastened it around his neck, before walking to the window, and holding onto Voldemort's hand. "It's a very romantic night," Voldemort whispered to him. "Just look at the stars, and the moon." Severus smiled gratefully, and stepped onto the window sill, before flying through the window, followed closely by Voldemort, who took hold of Severus's hand as he got through.
"It's beautiful," Severus replied, looking upwards at the full moon, and bright, twinkling stars. "Oh look, it's Bellatrix!" he said, pointing at a star next to a pale yellow one. "We'll have to tell her that we saw her on one of our romantic flies," Severus added. "That'll wind her up something awful."
Voldemort tutted. "You still hate her that much?"
"Yes," Severus replied at once.
"Oh well." Voldemort shrugged, and sighed as they reached the end of the protection. "Right. Through I go." He turned onto his side in the air, and went through two trees. Severus smirked. He could get through where ever he wanted to. "See you at home," he said, smirking some more, and disapparating. He appeared in mid air at Voldemort's manor, and a moment later heard a small pop behind him. He turned, and flew at his lover, kissing him. "Brat, get off me," Voldemort chided, pushing him back. "Save it for later, I'll get excited."
Severus laughed as they flew through the open front door. "Anything fun happened?" he asked his lover.
"Not really. I began my first draft of the Reformed Magical Decree, but that is about it..."
"Would you like me to have a look?" Severus asked quietly as they got up the stairs.
"Actually, I would appreciate that," Voldemort responded. "And I need your help with the new Hogwarts teacher list, too, I think you will be perfect at picking out the right people for the job."
"I should assume so," Severus replied with a smirk as they entered Voldemort's office. He was handed a piece of parchment, decorated in Voldemort's neat handwriting. Severus studied it for a moment.
The Reformed Magical Decree of Wizarding Britain
The Minister for Magic ?
Lord Voldemort
And His ? Consort
Severus Snape
Head of Magical Law Enforcement and Magical Accidents and Catastrophes
Memphis Yaxley
With:
The Head of Azkaban Prison, Interrogation of Suspects and the Wizengamot
Lucius Malfoy
Head of Mudblood and Muggle Prevention
Bellatrix Lestrange
Head of the New Auror Department
Head of International Magical Cooperation
Rabastan Lestrange
Head of the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures
Walden MacNair
Head of the Control of Magical and Muggle Objects
Head of Magical Transportation
Head of the Departments of Mysteries
Augustus Rookwood
Severus nodded. "I would suggest Rodolphus Lestrange for the New Auror office, you know," he said.
"I suppose, he is a fantastic duellist..." Voldemort picked up his quill and wrote the name in. "Which subjects at Hogwarts would you get rid of?" he asked, as he wrote.
"History of Magic for a start," Severus said quickly. "Astronomy and Divination."
"That's precisely what I thought," Voldemort replied. "Come, let's go to bed and think about this."
Severus nodded, and followed his through the back passage, up a small flight of stairs, and straight into their bedroom through the wardrobe. "Have you decided what else you are going to with Hogwarts yet?"
"Mostly. No more houses, I know that... The whole place is going to be Slytherin's."
"Good," Severus replied, taking off his robes and sliding between the sheets. "I cannot help but worry that this conversation is slightly premature."
"I need to be prepared should we win, Severus," Voldemort replied, putting his arms around his lover. "On that subject, can you get Ginny Weasley here by next week?"
"Course," Severus replied. "Tell me exactly what you want tomorrow." He rested his head against Voldemort's shoulder, and swiftly fell into a deep sleep.
x--------------------------------------------------------------------------------x
'Miss Weasley,
Come to my office tonight at seven. The password is Invisibility.
Professor S. Snape.'
Severus attached the note to his owl, and sat back, and waited for that knock on his door, later on that evening. This was too easy.
x--------------------------------------------------------------------------------x
The knock came five minutes later. Severus stood, and strode over to the door, opening it himself to let her in. When she was safely over the threshold, he locked the door behind her. "The Dark Lord has a need for you," he said silkily, sitting back down. "You have a choice – Come with me willingly, or I will force you." He looked up to the girl in front of him, seeing her scared expression in her eyes.
"Why would I want to go to the Dark Lord?" she asked him, her tone settling on defiant. She drew out her wand, pointing it at him.
'Expelliarmus,' he thought, and straight away, her wand soared from her hand, right into his own. "Come now, Miss Weasley, you do not think you could defeat the Dark Lord's most trusted servant, do you?" he asked her, smirking. Severus could see Ginny's eyes roaming the room, as if looking for a way to escape.
Unexpectedly, as Severus walked around the desk to her, she kicked him hard on the shin. Hardly thinking, he slapped her hard across the face, instantly making her nose bleed. "Do not!" he warned her, raising his wand. "Crucio." The spell hit her fast and hard, and she was on the floor screaming. "Not so strong now, are we?" he sneered, as he lifted the spell. "Impero," he whispered. He ordered her to get up, and slowly, he walked towards her motionless figure, putting one arm around her and forcing one of her hands onto the Portkey he had prepared.
Lucius was awaiting them in the Entrance Hall of the Manor. "Good news?" Lucius asked Severus softly.
"Of course," Severus replied, gesturing to the red haired, cursed girl stood next to him. "Surprisingly easy to put the Imperius Curse upon. I feel no resistance."
Lucius smirked. "Blood traitors," he responded, tapping his cane lightly on the floor. He'd bought himself a new wand, a very good and expensive French one, which he'd found to be better then his older version any way. They walked towards the Meeting Room, in which Severus could see all the Inner Circle sitting, waiting. "You will find the Dark Lord to be in a slightly agitated mood today, though I suppose he is merely concerned for this mission," Lucius said softly. They entered, sitting down comfortably in their usual seats.
"Severus," the Dark Lord said, softly, looking at Ginny who was standing next to Severus's chair. "Ahh, you have her... Any problems?"
"You'd know if there had been," Severus replied, with a smirk.
"Indeed," Voldemort said dryly. "You are sure this is her?"
"Inescapably sure."
Voldemort nodded, and held out his hand to Ginny, beckoning her forwards. Severus directed her to follow Voldemort's instructions. "Remains docile because she is under the Imperius Curse... Ahh, Severus, your methods amuse me," Voldemort said, surveying Ginny carefully. "I remember you... You told me everything once..." Voldemort murmured. Severus and Lucius exchanged glances. "Poured everything inside of you into a Diary..." Voldemort chuckled quietly, and then looked up at the rest of the Death Eaters present. "So, does anyone else have any good news that they wish to share?" he asked, sarcasm clear in his tone.
Yaxley leant forwards. "My Lord, I have good news," he said quickly.
"Oh I thought we would hear from you, Yaxley," Voldemort sneered. Severus soon realised that his lover was in a very nasty mood, covered by a sarcastic, bitchy façade. These moods were usual very dangerous, you could be in trouble and not notice it until you were being cursed, or until you were dead.
To his credit, Yaxley continued without a glint of fear in his eyes. "I have been placed onto the Committee, my Lord."
"Is that it?" Voldemort asked, his tone verging on bored.
"No, my Lord," Yaxley replied, a smirk present on his features. "I had the two houses of Potter's companions searched. Ronald Weasley has Spattergroit, and Granger has moved to France with her parents."
"Good, well done," Voldemort replied, scanning the table once more. "Travers, how are things in the Transportation department?" he asked, his gaze settling on the man next to Lucius.
"F... Fine, thank you, my Lord... I... I have been promoted to Deputy..." the man replied, visibly shaking. "We... We have had constant surveillance on every fire wired onto the Floo network, every Apparation we can, with date, exact time, locations and names logged and checked thrice over..."
"Excellent work... You will report to me if anything of importance shows up," Voldemort responded. He looked around the table again. "I trust the numbers of people placed under the Imperius Curse at the Ministry increase daily?" Numerous people around the table nodded vigorously. "I am pleased," Voldemort said softly, his eyes now on Severus. "Snape, I need a word in private... Now..." He looked around the table once more, and settled on Lucius. "Lucius, I need you and Bellatrix to take Miss Weasley down to my dungeons, and ensure that she is settled in well."
Lucius stood up, followed by Bellatrix, and they each grabbed a wrist as Severus released the Imperius Curse from her. Ginevra's eyes cleared, and she looked around the room, and then saw Voldemort. She let out a high pitched scream, just as Lucius and Bellatrix dragged her out of the room. Several people laughed, Severus merely smirked. "Alright, I expect reports instantly if anything important should happen," Voldemort said, standing up. "The rest can wait for our weekly meetings." He waved his hand dismissively, and beckoned Severus towards their rooms hastily.
"What?" Severus asked once they were halfway up the stairs.
"You shall see," Voldemort replied, pushing him into the doorway. "It's for the bond." Inside the door of the sitting room was a desk that Severus had never seen before, with a single piece of parchment on it, and a quill next to it. His stomach churned as he noticed it was one similar to what Umbridge used on the students for punishment. "We've been engaged for a long time now," Voldemort said, shutting the door. "Yet it does not feel that way. There is no... Real magical connection, I have not felt it nearly as often as we should be feeling it, which makes me think that the rings are not enough. Through an engagement connection, we should be able to feel what the other is feeling at times where an emotion is at it's strongest, and we should be able to have mental conversations when we are on close contact."
"So?" Severus asked, softly, backing away from that quill.
"So, Severus, I think we need to do more..." He beckoned impatiently to the table. "Blood sacrifices are needed, along with new rings, rings that have more meaning."
"What has more meaning, then?" Severus asked quietly.
"We both share the same star sign, Capricorn... Our star stone is black Onyx, I thought that would be more appropriate." Voldemort opened the drawer of the desk, and pulled out two small, black velvet boxes. Inside, when Severus opened his, there was a thin band of silver, with a rather large black stone set on it. Voldemort's was identical. "But we need to do the blood tie before we remove the other rings, otherwise the connection is lost."
"Why do we have to do a blood sacrifice with one of those quills?" Severus asked quickly.
"They aren't the usual type, I promise," Voldemort replied, a small smile on his lips. "I also wanted to do something else for you." He slowly, pulled Severus towards him, and rolled up his sleeve over the Dark Mark. "You are not my servant. You are not my follower, you are my lover, my husband to be..." Severus gazed at Voldemort for a second, before what he was truly saying sunk in.
"You... You would remove this from me?"
"If you wish." Voldemort's hand closed around Severus's mark. "And do you?"
"I... Yes, if you are..." Before Severus could finish his sentence, he let out a loud scream, the Dark Lord released his hold on his lover, and caught him in his arms before Severus could his the ground. "If you'd said it would hurt that much, I would have kept it," Severus muttered, standing himself up.
"Sorry," Voldemort replied sarcastically, a smirk on his lips.
"You're not," Severus said to him, smiling now the pain had gone, his eyes fixed on the new, bare skin that, though he would never admit it, he had wanted to set his eyes on for so long. Truth be told, he hated being a Death Eater, he only did it for his lover, because he knew it was the only way they could be together.
"Damn right," Voldemort replied, heading to the table and picking up the quill. "Now, if I sign here-" he beckoned to the parchment. Severus walked closer to it, and read. It said;
Magical Bonding Between
Lord Voldemort
and
Severus Snape
In accordance with the Iniquus Bonding Ceremony, there is a need for a blood sacrifice and a mark for the engagement.
The blood sacrifice on paper must be burnt magically to seal the agreement.
The blood sacrifice must be shared.
Signed:
Lord Voldemort
Dominant
Severus Snape
Submissive
Severus looked up. "Okay," he said, beckoning to Voldemort to continue what he was saying.
"If I sign, my name will be engraved to somewhere on your body that is significant to us – So I think it will be your forearm, as it is highly significant for me, and it brought us together at the beginning. However, as the quill cuts away your skin and the blood is transferred to the page, my blood will be put in the cut, and vice versa - therefore we are sharing blood."
Severus pondered on it for a moment, and the nodded. "I assume this is the only blood sacrifice we will undergo?"
"Of course, how much of my blood do you want?" Voldemort asked, a smirk on his features.
The Headmaster laughed, shaking his head mockingly at Voldemort. "I know I would enjoy draining it all from your body..."
"I'm sure you would, however, if you wish to be bonded to me, I need to have at least some blood left over," Voldemort replied, smirking at his lover, and picking up the quill. He hastily signed the parchment in Severus's blood, and Severus started to feel a searing pain on his own arm, on his new, cleaned skin. Voldemort set down the quill and looked at Severus's forearm, watching as his name appeared on his lovers flesh. The words Lord Voldemort were shining brightly in blood on Severus's skin. The Dark Lord lifted his lips to it, sniffed the blood with his slit like nostrils, and kissed the skin next to the mark gently, lovingly.
Severus exhaled his breath, but continued nonetheless. He picked up the quill, and signed the parchment in blood below his name, watching as Voldemort did, as the name appeared in his skin, shining and raw.
The Dark Lord raised his wand, and Severus felt a slight sting in his cut, before the parchment suddenly burst into flames in front of them. Voldemort hastily picked up the rings, and pulled off Severus's old one, and put on the new one, before beckoning to Severus to do the same. When the ring was firmly planted onto his finger, Severus was pulled roughly into Voldemort's arms and kissed feverishly.
"I love you," Voldemort murmured.
Severus smiled weakly, his head was spinning and he could see stars around him. "I love you," he said faintly, feeling the strength in his knees diminishing. One ticking of a clock later, Severus was on the floor, out cold.
x--------------------------------------------------------------------------------x
"...I wish the brat would wake up... It has been half an hour now... My concern is increasing..."
Severus cracked an eye open. "Stop talking to yourself," he said, groggily to his worried lover.
"Oh good, it worked," Voldemort said, a smirk on his lips. "I thought a bit of mental connection might help wake you, I was quite right."
"Mental connection?" Severus asked, sitting up. His head instantly felt like it was going to explode, so he hastily laid back down. "Why do I feel like I've just been murdered?"
"I told you," Voldemort said coolly, standing up. "This is a magical bond. You are bound to feel like shit, I am in your head. It's a pity you're only good enough to be a submissive, otherwise I'd be the one with a headache." He chuckled.
"Stop talking," Severus ordered. "It's like a hammer hitting me..." He closed his eyes, thankful that apart from his lovers constant talking, there was no noise in the room. The heavy curtains over the windows made sure of that.
"How about if I'm in your head?"
Severus opened his eyes to look at Voldemort, who was now pulling back the curtains Severus had been so grateful for. He then realised that the Dark Lord was merely looking out of the window.
"Much better. I like this bond."
"Mm, when we're truly bonded then this will work for long distance... When you're at Hogwarts, and I am here, this will work still."
"I know. Turn around, Voldemort."
Voldemort did as he was told, looking at his lover, with a concerned expression on his face still. Severus realised that though the Dark Lord didn't show it in the way he was talking, he was still very worried about Severus.
"How do you feel?" Voldemort walked towards Severus, and placed a cool hand on his forehead. "Still feverish." Voldemort sighed aloud, and shifted his hand upwards slightly so that his icy fingers were all on his head.
"I'll be fine."
"You'd better be," Voldemort said, aloud. "I need you."
"Shh," Severus murmured. "You could survive without me... It wouldn't kill you..." He continued silently, making the connection once more. "But I need you too. You're perfect, you know."
Voldemort smiled. "We're almost bonded. We need each other."
"I hope you are certain you want this." Severus shut his eyes, resting now. His head was agonising.
"I am certain I want this. I think I have always wanted this."
Severus could tell that those red eyes were still fixed on his face. He wanted to look back into them, but he knew they were so bright, they would make his head hurt even more. "Don't stop looking at me. It'll hurt my eyes, but I like knowing you have no interest in anything other than me."
"I'm here, Severus, I promise I'll always be here."
And Severus felt a cold hand pick up his own, and squeeze it tightly, and decided that he would rather die than be parted from Voldemort for all eternity.
"I feel the same," Severus heard in his head, as he drifted off to sleep, a content smile on his lips.