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I would just like to thank my wonderful reviewers for getting my review count up to 100 for this story!

Also, I would like to share this hilarious review with the rest of you, written ingeniously by Autumn Snowfall, based on the scene in the Great Hall from the last chapter...

Sev: -eating s. cheesecake-
Voldie: -enters great hall awesomely-
Students: GASP GASP
Sev: -keeps eating-
Voldie: -grabs sev's arm- Your rooms. Now.
Sev: -pulls arm from grip- No.
Voldie: -glare- YES.
Sev: -throws fork at Voldie's face- NO DAMMIT. I WANNA EAT MY FRIKIN' CHEESECAKE.
Students: O.O
Voldie: FINE! BE THAT WAY. SEE IF YOU GET SHAGGED TONIGHT.
Sev: FINE! I'D RATHER HAVE CHEESECAKE. SO HAH.
V: FINE!
S: FINE!
V: FINE!
S: FINE!
Students: O.O;
V: -storms out-
S: -eats cheesecake like nothing happened-

I must admit, I laughed loudly in the middle of the library in college.

Enjoy the chapter! I'm sorry to say to everyone that there are only going to be twenty four chapters in all, so this is the fifth to last. Don't worry, there'll be a sequel :) Voldemort's recent niceness is explained during this chapter, and if you're liking it very much, then I'm sure I'll be able to keep it in!

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Severus was in the Potions laboratory at Voldemort's Manor, still in the complicated business of brewing the potion for the bond. It was going to take a long time, this was already his eighth day of preparation. He'd been dashing between home and work for as much time as he could possibly snatch, day or night.

The doors banged open, and Voldemort entered, his robes billowing out behind him as he walked. "You did not tell me you were here," the Dark Lord said sharply, as a greeting.

Severus shook his head. "I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away."

"Why should I?" Voldemort asked, sitting down next to the empty cauldron. Severus pushed him off the chair, and pointed to one on the other side of the room. Laughing, the Dark Lord moved as he was directed, knowing how Severus hated anyone else being too close to his work. "It's not like you've even started yet."

Severus glared at Voldemort, who hardly noticed. He was busy surveying the work already done. "Preparation can be more important than the actual potion," Severus snapped. "Do not talk about what you have no clue about."

"Of course, as a highly well educated Wizard, I have no idea about Potions at all," Voldemort replied, sarcastically. Severus wanted very much to hit his lover, but refrained, knowing there was no point in beginning an argument now, let alone a physical fight with fists.

Severus ignored him, and began mashing up the Doxie Eggs in the bowl he had in his hand. "So, why are you here, apart from annoying me?"

Voldemort chuckled from behind Severus, and the Potions Master couldn't help but shiver at the rich, delicious sound. "I like looking at that lovely round bottom of yours." Hastily, Severus sat down, feeling slightly uncomfortable at the attention. "You're blushing."

"No I'm not," Severus snapped back. "Go away."

"Fine." Severus heard footsteps suddenly walking towards him, and then arms around his body. Lips pressed gently against his neck, a soft tongue licking tiny circles up and down his neck. A hand moved around Severus's front, the elbow resting on Severus's hip, the hand resting on the other hip. "But it is Christmas Eve today, did you not notice?"

Severus blinked, he actually hadn't noticed. Thankfully, he'd bought presents weeks ago, all he had to do now was remember where he'd hidden them. "I didn't."

"And you know what happens on Christmas Eve."

"Do I?" Severus grinned, and turned around. The Dark Lord's hand was resting lightly on the small of his back, and every moment Severus could feel himself being drawn in close to Voldemort, lips getting closer and closer by the second.

"We drink very expensive wine, and then we shag until you feel you will never be able to walk again." Voldemort's smile was rough, the same as the kiss, when their lips eventually met.

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Severus was sitting on the love seat in the sitting room, wearing only his black jeans, reading, his lovers head resting on his knees, in a similar state of dress when there was a hesitant tap on the door.

"What do you want?" Voldemort shouted loudly at the door. "Didn't I tell you all not to disturb me?"

"Unless there's an emergency," a voice called back. Severus groaned, and stood up, handing Voldemort his robe from across the back of the chair. "It's Bella, my Lord," the voice continued. Severus sneered, like that made a difference.

"Oh, come in," Voldemort snapped carelessly, finishing off the buttoning of his robes. The door slowly opened, and Bellatrix entered, looking around the room, her gaze stopping for a moment on Severus's still bare chest. "What, Bellatrix? Speak!"

Bellatrix looked hastily back to Voldemort, who was glaring daggers at her. "My Lord," she began, and to Severus it seemed like she was about to pass out. Her face was almost a puce colour, true, her face was pale naturally from make up and never leaving the house, but this was unnatural. "My Lord." She swallowed hard. "My... My Gringott's vault..."

"What about it?" Voldemort asked in a hiss, danger very much on the edge of his tone now.

Bellatrix gave a nervous laugh, and Severus felt a grim satisfaction in seeing her wipe her sweaty palms on her dress. "I... It got... Broken into today."

Voldemort's eyes widened slightly. "I'm going to kill her if she's saying what I think she is." A moment later, he spoke out loud. "And?" Voldemort's tone could literally have frozen a lake of water, it was so icy cold. Bellatrix winced visibly.

"One object is... is missing." Her eyes shut for a moment longer then a blink should have taken, and Severus slowly reached down, and picked up Voldemort's wand from the table, ready to hand it to his fiancée should he need it.

"Oh... She's going to die..."

"Horcrux?"

"Yes."

Voldemort took a big step closer to Bellatrix, who shrunk away backwards, her back hitting the wall. A large, pale hand enclosed around her throat. "That one object being?" he hissed venomously in her face.

Severus could now see Bellatrix shaking violently. "The cup, my Lord!" she whimpered out, before dissolving into very wet, and noisy tears. "I... I'm sorry, forgive me, please, I beg of you!" The Dark Lord's grip on her throat tightened, she was gasping for breath between her tears of fear.

"Who took it?" Voldemort demanded, shaking her. "Who was it?" Bellatrix's feet were hardly touching the ground, her puce coloured face had developed a slight blue tinge from lack of air.

"P... Po... Potter..." she gasped, eyes wide. "Please... Forgive... Forgive me..."

Voldemort stepped back from her, dropping her onto the floor. She lay there, wailing and gasping, massaging her throat as her Master walked away from her, towards his lover. "Severus..." he whispered, sitting down on the sofa with a thud.

"It's okay," Severus murmured, sitting down next to his lover and putting his arms tightly around Voldemort's waist, a gentle kiss on his neck. "It will be fine."

"Potter knows. He's destroying them, isn't he?"

Severus didn't bother to reply. He already knew the answer. They both did. "How many are left, Voldemort?"

"I don't know. The Diary, got destroyed... Nagini lives, the Diadem, I am sure... It remains at Hogwarts. There is a necklace, in that cave we were by on the beach that day, a ring..." Voldemort stood up, looking over the sofa towards Bellatrix. "You are certain?"

"Yes, my Lord," she whispered. Voldemort walked around the seat to her, and kicked her, hard in the ribs.

"Crucio," he hissed, aiming his wand at Bellatrix's stomach. As the spell hit, he turned, and sat back down, his head resting on Severus's shoulder. "Inform me when I've been sitting here for five minutes, won't you, I do not wish to kill her yet." Bellatrix's screams were loud from behind them, she was gurgling and crying, and Severus wished she'd shut up.

"Dumbledore."

"What?"

"Severus, did Dumbledore ever tell you why his hand got injured?"

"No."

"Did it look black, like it was dead? Was his hand dead?"

"Yes..." Severus looked at him, surprise clear on his face.

"He put that ring on then. He must have destroyed it. So one more at least has been destroyed for certain!" Severus remained silent, but his brain was whirling. Voldemort made contact once more. "And Potter's private lessons. Dumbledore must have been talking to him, and explaining to him about the Horcrux's."

Suddenly, Voldemort stood up and ended the curse from Bellatrix. "Get out!" he screamed at her. "Do not let me see you again!" Tears running down her face, Bellatrix fled from the room at a run. "I need to check. Now. I'll go to the cave now, then Hogwarts, and then I will add more protection to Nagini."

Voldemort strode into the bedroom, and Severus hastily followed, and began to get dressed. "Not you, Severus."

"I'm coming as well," Severus responded firmly, and pulled his cloak over his shoulders, doing up the clasp hastily.

Voldemort's own cloak settled to the ground as he stopped moving. "Severus-"

"Oh, shut up," Severus snapped, stalking past his lover and entering the sitting room once more. He picked up his wand, and handed Voldemort his own. "We do things together from now on."

"This is life threatening," Voldemort replied, still standing his ground. "You can wait here and finish your book."

"Are you saying I cannot handle this?" Severus asked loudly. "Are you saying the only thing I am any good for is sucking your-"

"Severus!" Voldemort cut in, indignantly. "You know I do not think that..." The two men glared at each other for a moment, before Voldemort sighed loudly, and pocketed his wand. "Fine, but no irritating questions, no sexual innuendo's, and you'd better follow every one of my instructions, especially in the cave, am I clear?"

"Yes, Master," Severus spat, angry at being spoken to like a child.

"Make sure you know it," Voldemort snarled, pushing Severus away from him slightly. "See you on the beach." The Dark Lord promptly vanished from the spot he was standing on. Severus cursed, and disapparated.

The foreign smell off seaweed hit Severus as he reappeared, along with the crashing and rolling sound of the sea. He could see Voldemort walking in the distance, the darkness beginning to swallow him up. He ran, and slowly started to catch up. "You could have waited," Severus snapped as he slowed to walking pace next to Voldemort.

"Shut up," Voldemort hissed. He suddenly took off, into the air, making Severus stumble as he tried to keep up. Hastily he got into flight, and continued to follow his lover. Voldemort landed on the other side of the water that was connecting the sand to the rock of the cave. They approached the rock blocking the cave. "Since you're here, you can make yourself useful. Give me your arm."

Severus rolled his eyes, but complied all the same. "A blood sacrifice, no doubt."

"I told you not to ask questions," Voldemort snapped, pulling a knife out of his robes.

"It wasn't a question," Severus replied, and then gasped as Voldemort made the cut on his arm, slightly bigger then was needed. Blood splattered onto the rock, and it opened, revealing a chamber within, glowing eerily green. There was a sea of shiny, green tinged water, with one small boat set on it.

"Get in," Voldemort ordered, pushing Severus gently towards the boat. "Do not disturb the water, either. I do not want an army of my own Inferi to deal with." Severus slowly got into the boat, followed shortly by Voldemort. The boat began to move of it's own accord, and Severus realised that they were heading towards a small island in the middle of the lake. The boat finally stopped, and they both got out. Voldemort quickly walked towards the basin in the centre of the island, the source of the green light. He stared at it for a long moment, before Severus couldn't handle it any longer.

"What?"

"It's gone." Voldemort looked up at Severus, his eyes wide. "They've destroyed it."

All anger Severus felt towards Voldemort disappeared in an instant, he walked towards his lover, and for the first time in their relationship, put his arms around Voldemort in a gesture of pure comfort. His fiancée's head was resting on Severus's shoulder, arms tightly around Severus's waist, and he was shaking. "It makes sense," Voldemort said, and even his voice was trembling. "It's why I've been so... So... So human, recently... Since they destroyed the last one, it must have been..."

Severus understood. The Horcrux's had left only the softer, sweeter Voldemort inside of him, and as the other parts of his soul were destroyed, there was less evil left. The nicer side was now taking over, and Voldemort certainly hated that feeling. "You're only human really, my love," Severus whispered. Hugging his lover tightly to him, he kissed Voldemort lightly on his neck, occasionally under the robe on the shoulder, until the shaking subsided. "Are you okay?"

Voldemort nodded after a moment, and pulled back. His eyes were glowing bright green, slowly fading down to their usual deep blood red.

"Let's go home. You look like you need a very strong drink." Swallowing lightly, concern showing on his face, Severus steered Voldemort into the boat. Severus couldn't remember the journey back to the manor, he was too busy squeezing Voldemort's hand as hard as he could, wanting to make sure that the Dark Lord knew he was there with him, all along.

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Back at the manor, both Severus and Voldemort had a glass filled with Firewhisky each, and were drinking it down quickly. Voldemort was still in a state of exceptional shock, and Severus was beside himself, hardly knowing how to comfort Voldemort.

"Bed." Severus jumped. The Dark Lord had not spoken since he'd told Severus that the necklace had gone from the basin.

"Of course," Severus responded, helping his lover up, and leading him slowly towards the bedroom. Severus pulled off Voldemort's cloak and robes, tossing them onto the chair in the corner of the room, and slowly sat Voldemort down onto the bed, before kneeling at his feet and beginning to undo his boots. He kissed each knee before pulling the shoe off. He then pulled off Voldemort's trousers, and guided him under the thick duvet off the bed.

"Will you stay, Sev?" Voldemort's voice sounded thin to Severus, clearly the man was still shaky and worried, and Severus couldn't blame him for being so.

"Of course," Severus repeated, removing his own clothing, and sliding into the bed next to Voldemort. His smooth arms slipped around Voldemort's still shivering body, his grip tight and comforting. "Tomorrow we can go to Hogwarts."

Starting to sound sleepy, Voldemort spoke. "I would like to visit the Chamber of Secrets..." he muttered. "It's been a while."

"It has," Severus replied. "Go to sleep now though, love."

A few moments later, quiet snores and deep breathing filled the room.

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"Open," Voldemort hissed in Parseltongue, staring into the sink of one of the girls bathrooms in the school.

After waking up the next morning, they'd decided to eat breakfast and go to Hogwarts as soon as possible. On their way out of the Manor, they'd crossed paths with Bellatrix, who looked completely terrified, and turned, and ran in the other direction. Voldemort had continued to walk, an impassive expression on his pale face. Severus had left Voldemort to go to the Room of Requirement alone and invisible, and the Dark Lord returned to Severus's office with a smile on his face, an instant relief to both of them.

And now, as the Chamber of Secrets began to open, Severus's nerves were kicking in. Voldemort looked at him, and smiled. "As the former Head of Slytherin House, I think you should have been in here at least once."

"Funny, that," Severus muttered, his stomach lurching as the exit appeared to be a big black tunnel, going deep into the ground. "Sure you can't go alone?"

"Certain." Voldemort smirked, and grabbed Severus's hand, before jumping feet first into the tunnel, dragging Severus with him.

The descent was awful for Severus, his stomach was going crazy, the smell was rotten, and his robes were getting covered in a disgusting green slime along the way down. He landed with a thump, right next to Voldemort.

"It's got a bit dirtier then I remember it to be," Voldemort said with a smirk, and a chuckle. The sound echoed off the walls, it was too dark for Severus to see. A moment later, Voldemort's wand lit up, and Severus could see black walls, with green slime attached, and then right in front of them what clearly was the ceiling, mostly on the floor in a collapsed heap. Going down through the middle was a passage way cut out of the rock. "Who was the last person down here?"

"Potter," Severus said grimly. "Destruction follows him, I'm afraid."

Voldemort laughed again, and started towards the rubble. "Well, this clearing is helpful, so let's not hate him too much."

Severus rolled his eyes, and followed his lover through the rocks. They continued walking for a while, and then suddenly, they were in a huge hall-like room.

"Welcome to the Chamber of Secrets," Voldemort said loudly as they saw it. The sound echoed even louder around this room. "Isn't it beautiful?"

Beautiful for a Slytherin, Severus thought. The snake statues and carvings around the room were typically Slytherin, dirty black marble on the floors, with stone walls and ceilings. The rafters were shiny with little bits of silver added into the mix of the cement. As they got further in, Severus's eyes widened. There, in front of them was the Basilisk which had caused them so much trouble five years ago, it's eyes gauged out, flat on it's back, empty eye sockets staring.

"Oh!" Voldemort gasped, and walked towards the giant snake, stroking down it's back, almost like a loving caress. "Oh, what did that boy do to you, my beauty..." With a sigh, Voldemort stepped back from it. "This Basilisk was once at my command, and only mine. As the last Heir of Slytherin, this belonged to me." Severus stepped forward, and slid an arm around Voldemort's waist.

"I am growing sentimental," Voldemort said, warily, his scarlet eyes now scanning the rest of the room. He walked towards the other side of the room, spotting a blackened patch. "And here is where a part of my soul was destroyed." He knelt down, his fingers sifting through the pile of ash. Next to it was a huge tooth, the Basilisk tooth. "And here, it's destruction." He picked it up, and conjured a small glass bottle out of thin air, and carefully placed the tooth in there.

Slowly, Severus walked towards him, and knelt next to him. "Come on, love, you don't need to be dwelling on this any longer." He helped Voldemort up, and led him towards the entrance. "How, exactly, do we get out of here now?"

Voldemort looked at him, and suddenly his face broke into a smile. "You're so stupid," he said, laughing, and a moment later he took off into the air. Severus tilted his head to the side, but hastily followed all the same. They reached the top of the tunnel, Severus was glad that he was finding breathing much easier as they got closer to cleaner air. As they left the Chamber, it began to seal once more.

"You're filthy," Voldemort said, looking over Severus as they landed.

"You too," Severus replied. Every square inch of his robe was covered in slime, his face and hands included. A moment later, when Voldemort had flicked his wand, they were both back to their normal, tidy selves. "Thanks. Now, we should get out of here before any student sees you."

Voldemort stepped forwards and kissed Severus lightly on the lips. "I agree," he murmured. "Thank you. For everything."

"It's my pleasure... You've done enough for me in the past, love," Severus replied, a small smile on his lips. "Besides, now I know tonight you won't whip me."

Voldemort laughed loudly, and kissed Severus again, only this time, the kiss was long and hard, and it really made Severus realise how loved he was. The smile returned to his face as they continued to kiss. The feeling was amazing.

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What a quick update! Please leave as many reviews as you can, I live off them!