Eternally Yours

Chapter Twenty-one

The Man Who Sold The World

Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and related characters.

Severus Snape apparated into the drawing room of Riddle Manor, holding a goblet of potion in one hand and feeling very uneasy. He took a deep breath, steadying himself, and strode confidently toward the Dark Lord's inner chambers. He was pacing steadily down the hallway to the door of the Dark Lord's study when Lucius Malfoy suddenly apparated and began walking next to him without missing a step.

'Hello Severus,' Lucius said in a manipulative voice.

'Lucius,' Severus said with a curt nod of his head.

Lucius pursed his lips together and then set hand on Severus' arm, pulling him to an abrupt stop. Severus did stop, and turned fluidly on his heels to face Lucius. The look on Lucius' face would have instilled fear into the hearts of even the bravest men. Severus, however, was not at all intimidated; he was running on pure adrenaline and met Lucius' gaze with his own.

'I know that you're sleeping with my wife,' Lucius said evenly, his eyes blazing.

Sirius just gaped at him, but didn't bother to protest; there was something more in Lucius' eyes. Severus watched him silently, waiting to see where he was going.

'I could kill you for it you know,' Lucius said in an almost playful tone. 'But that really wouldn't get me anywhere, so I've decided to use this to my advantage.'

Severus regarded him. 'And I suppose that it wouldn't do any good to tell you that I'm not sleeping with your wife.'

'I think we both know better than that.'

'I see,' Severus said pensively. He ran a hand through his hair. It was getting greasy; he'd have to wash it. 'Then, exactly what do you want from me?'

Lucius gave a sly smile and leaned in towards Severus. 'You can start by giving me that potion,' he brushed his lips against Severus' cheekbone, 'and I'll see you tonight.'

Severus watched Lucius straighten up, and let him take the goblet from his hands, an expression of wry amusement on his face. 'You mean to curry favor with the dark lord by crediting the potion to yourself.'

Lucius nodded slowly. 'And discrediting you for not completing it of course. Then I mean to repay the favor that you so kindly did my wife.'

Severus shifted his eyes to the goblet and mulled everything over in his head. If the potion didn't work he would have a lot of explaining to do, the dark lord would want to know why he had delegated his responsibilities to a less qualified death eater. He'd also have Lucius to deal with, and that wasn't really something he wanted to think about. On the other hand, if the potion did work he would take care of two birds with one stone. He'd let Lucius take the blame for depriving the dark lord of all his powers, thus eliminating the problem of Lucius' unwanted, not to mention ungainly, advances as well as saving his own ass, in more ways than one.

Severus weighed his options in the few seconds that he was afforded and then he told Lucius quite collectedly, 'I guess I'll see you tonight then.'

A thin smile spread across Lucius' lips. 'I look forward to it, perhaps we should have that mud-blood of yours tape it with one of those muggle recording devices; I'd love to see the look on Narcissa's face when I have you pinned to the mattress and begging for more.' Lucius brought his hand up to Severus' stunned face.

Severus composed himself, 'How is it that you know I'm sleeping with the mud-blood?' He heard his voice falter at that last word, and it hurt his heart to say, but things would be worse for Hermione if he used her name. Lucius had to think that his interest in Hermione amounted to no more than a casual malevolence.

'Oh you can't expect Draco to see you shagging Harry Potter's mud-blood girlfriend and not let me know about it; using him for correspondence with love letters to my wife might not have been your greatest idea either. I have to admit that I admire your gall though, sleeping with that annoying little mud-blood right under Dumbledore's nose. The only thing better would be fucking Potter himself. I wonder how much like his father he would be. James was always a little quick on the draw but ready for another round, if you catch my drift. Of course, before Harry was born I was almost sure that the kid was going to come out blonde. I slept with his mother almost exactly nine months before he was born; I always did make a pretty good polyjuice potion. I had no idea that they were trying to conceive. Of course, seeing the kid, there's no doubt that he's James' son. A little polyjuice potion and I could have him as easily as you had his girlfriend, but I would want him to know it was me.'

Lucius fondled a lock of Severus' hair absently for a moment. 'Though I really don't suppose there's any need to involve your other whore, as long as you're willing to cooperate. We could always just lash Narcissa to the end of the bed. Yes, I like that better. I perform better with a live audience.'

'As interesting as your sexual exploits are Lucius. I have a class to teach; one with your charming son in it, as a matter of fact. Since you're taking my potion to the dark lord, there's really no cause for me to be here, so I bid you farewell. We'll deal with the specifics of our new arrangement tonight then, shall we?'

The grin that had spread over Lucius' face fell into that thin smile again. 'Fine,' he said with a curt nod.

Without another word Severus disapperated, leaving Lucius alone with the potion that might contain his doom.