And the Devil Begged for Mercy

A/N:So. I'm pretty sure you all probably hate me right about now. And I don't blame you. And you are going to hate me even more when I tell you why it has taken me nearly two months to post this. I started watching Star Trek: Voyager. And became obsessed. So I have now watched pretty much all seven seasons. But I am putting off any Trekkie ideas for stories and concentrating on this one. I promise. And please know that this will get finished because it is completely laid out where I know this story is going and all the details, it just needs is to be filled in with substance. So, to any of my loyal reviewers who are still left, thank you. And I promise, I will never abandon this story.

Minerva finished packing a small bag and grabbed her cloak before heading out the door of the room that had served as her bedroom this summer. Not that she would admit that the Malfoy Manor was growing on her, but she at least had stopped feeling uncomfortable within its walls. That was partly due to the mistress of the manor becoming more hospitable. Minerva almost smiled at the thought of Narcissa Malfoy; the youngest Black sister was stronger than she originally gave her credit for.

Running her fingers over the brooch at her neck, her thoughts drifted from the Malfoy home. Albus had given her the brooch after her first year teaching at Hogwarts. He had said then it was a congratulation for making it through the first year. For years, she wore it proudly as a sign of her post. The crest of Hogwarts, representing the four houses; houses she was proud to lead. Now it symbolized her only thread to Hogwarts, a thread she feared for so long might be broken.

In a way, part of it was, she thought. Albus had always been the steadfast connection to Hogwarts for her, but he was gone now. She was alone. If he was here, Albus would have argued that she could never be alone. Plenty of people were willing fight beside her, for her. In her heart, she knew she had support not only at Hogwarts, but throughout the Wizarding community. But Albus was not here. He was gone.

With a sigh, Minerva grabbed the bag and opened the door to her room. Standing in her doorway as she tried to exit was the slender figure of a Black sister, albeit not the one who had just been in her thoughts.

"Leaving so soon?" asked Bellatrix in a sickly sweet voice.

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes and catching the witty retort on the tip of her tongue, Minerva simply replied, "What do I owe the farewell to?"

Bellatrix huffed and stepped back to allow the elder witch to pass into the hallway. There was a rather un-dark-witch-like spring in Bellatrix's step as she followed Minerva down the hallway.

"I just wanted to make sure you were leaving."

"Yes, well, as hospitable of a host as your sister has been, Hogwarts is where I belong."

"You should do well to remember that." Minerva paused at her words as she reached the top of the staircase leading to the foyer.

Turning slowly, she asked, "Whatever do you mean, Mrs. Lestrange?" Dark eyes met emerald ones as Bellatrix's voice turned stony. No matter who was the better witch, there was a reason the name Bellatrix Lestrange was feared throughout the Wizarding World. She sneered forward, invading the Professor's person space.

"Your place is behind your books and your desk. Not at the Dark Lord's side," she spat. "That is my place. I've let you have your way this summer, but believe me; I know you have something up your sleeve. I will stop you before you can hurt him. So go back to Hogwarts and stay there." Blinking, Minerva looked her opponent up and down, decided she was not worth her time or energy and began walking down the stairs with grace and ease.

"I'm warning you McGonagall! Don't cross me," Bellatrix snarled as she marched down after her. "You don't belong here. You don't even bare his mark!" Bellatrix almost slammed into the other witch as Minerva whirled around on the middle of the staircase to face her.

"I was marked before you were even born!" she hissed in a manner that would have her students, and some Ministry officials, cowering in fear. Raising her left hand in front of Bellatrix's face, she pointed to the silver ring on her wedded finger. "I bore his daughter. I slept in his bed. I know his soul inside and out. I am a part of him. You need to know where you belong! I am the one you should not cross."

Bellatrix took an involuntary step back in shock, nearly tripping over the narrow stairs. Minerva continued down to the entry hall to the front doors. Severus was waiting there, sitting in an over plush chair. He raised an eyebrow at his colleague as she approached, but seeing the more than irate look on her flushed face, he knew better than to push the subject. However, he did jump to his feet quickly as he noticed Bellatrix barreling down the steps after her.

"You bitch! How dare you!" Drawing her wand with a mad gleam in her eyes, she pointed it at Minerva's back. "I am his most loyal servant. I have done everything for him! Cruc-"

"Bella!" Came a sharp voice from a door off to the side of the foyer. Bellatrix stopped mid-spell at the sound of Lord Voldemort's voice; her chest was heaving with anticipation and murder was written clear across her face. "Bella, dear Bella, what have the two of you gotten into a cat fight about this time?"

"She is deceiving you, my Lord!"

Voldemort waved a skeletal hand, dismissing her comment. "You have brought your doubts to me many times. Just as my most loyal servant would."

"Yes my Lord." Slowly Bellatrix lowered her wand, but she was still seething at the elder witch who was calmly standing in front of the door as if the little spat had never ensued.

"Minerva is not a servant. Nor is she my follower. No, I daresay she is much more than just a loyal Death Eater." He walked to Minerva and brushed a finger across the side of her face. "For she is not loyal."

Severus tensed at Voldemort's calculated words. There was not a Death Eater he did not know who had been questioning McGonagall's intentions from the start. They all had various theories for why the Dark Lord had allowed her to stay with them, but the Dark Lord had always dismissed every worry or inclination that McGonagall might not be truthful. If he chose to listen to Bellatrix now, they could all be in trouble.

"No, I was not," murmured Minerva softly. "And that, Tom, was the greatest mistake of my life. I may not want to serve you, but I know now who controls me. Let me take my place, beside you, like I vowed to do the day I married you."

Severus barely heard her words. The woman whom he had worked next to for over fifteen years was looking at the Master he had served for half his life with a gaze he had never seen her wear before. There was something pure and seductive in the way she stared at the Dark Lord now. Minerva McGonagall was submitting; she was bending at the Dark Lord's will. She was giving him the power, or so it seemed; and he was drinking in every second of it.

He had seen a similar look from Bellatrix before, but never once had the Dark Lord turned an eye. But Bellatrix Lestrange was no Minerva McGonagall. Madame Lestrange whispered in the devil's ear and purred pure evil. The devil begged for mercy from Madame Riddle. There was no denying it. Minerva McGonagall just played Lord Voldemort like a school boy. Severus himself almost believed her as she whispered something into Voldemort's ear, something he could not hear.

There was no doubt Tom Riddle had married his equal. And she was using every weapon in her arsenal to lead him to his death. There was only one way they would win this war, and there was only one woman who could defeat him: the woman he made the mistake of giving his heart to.

All Bellatrix could do was stare at the wicked smile that had come across her Master's face. When she glanced at Snape, he kept his face passive and his eyes on the ground, but he could feel her outrage filling the room. Voldemort paid her no heed as he offered his arm to Minerva. She accepted with a smile, and they walked grandly out the front doors that opened wide for them. Severus followed a few steps behind and he just could not resist giving a shocked Bellatrix a mocking smirk before Disapparating to Hogwarts.

Minerva felt the familiar tug of Apparation and when she felt herself on solid ground, she found that Voldemort had brought her directly to her room at Hogwarts. She also noted that Severus had not followed them here. Setting her bag down, she watched him as he surveyed the room.

"I always knew you would come back to me."

"There was a time when I thought I never would," she replied honestly. Voldemort regarded her with searching eyes.

"What changed your mind?"

Minerva took a seat on her couch and peered thoughtfully at the fireplace. "I guess I realized I did not want to die."

"Naturally."

"I mean it, Tom. Albus protected me here and gave me everything I ever needed. I never thought of betraying him…I never thought it was possible."

"But here you are, wearing my ring once again." He did not sit beside her, but walked behind the sofa to place his hands on her shoulders. His touch was chilling, but she leaned into it.

"Severus betrayed him, why couldn't I?" Shaking her head, she added, "He is no longer here to protect me."

"You never needed protecting, Minerva." His voice was almost gloating, as if her turning to Dumbledore all those years ago was an uncharacteristic sign of weakness. He did not know the strength it took for her to walk away from him, her husband.

"Maybe not, but there was a time I needed saving and you gave me life."

Lord Voldemort did not reply. Instead he walked over to her dresser and opened the top drawer. There he removed a picture frame. She knew the photograph well. It was Selene at age seven, laughing and dancing in a circle. She was wearing a purple dress that twirled around her. She was happy and full of life.

"I asked you once if it would make a difference if she was still alive." Minerva blinked at his words, trying not to let on her confusion. "I asked how one little girl could make that much of a difference. Well now I know. One little boy is standing in my way; our way, Minerva. Just a boy. I need you to win this war; I need to know that you intent to keep the vows you once made: until death do us part. And I plan on living forever."

Minerva swallowed hard. "I will be by your side, Tom, until the end." She tried not to look at the satisfied look the Dark Lord wore as he thought he had her at his will. It disturbed her to no end. But that did not matter; there were greater things to worry about than her pride.

-BREAK-

Severus was sitting in a chair he had occupied many times over the past years. The Headmaster's office was silent as he sat pondering the day. Minerva had secured her place in Lord Voldemort's confidence and they were back at Hogwarts. The new school year was about to be under way and the war was in full swing. He traced his fingers over the edge of the large desk and not for the first time, wished he was anywhere but here.

He heard the door to the office creak open and the click-clack of her boots. "Aren't you sitting on the wrong side of the desk?" Her voice was as even as if this was five years ago and they hadn't a care in the world. What she said was true. He was sitting in front of the desk, not behind it in the Headmaster's proper chair.

"It doesn't feel like my desk." He did not look back at her as he heard her walk around the office behind him. There was the sound of a cabinet opening, a bit of shuffling, and then the familiar sound of glasses clinking together.

"Hmmm. I believe I remember you saying that the first time you sat behind the desk in Slughorn's office." Minerva set two glasses before him and poured an amber liquid into them. Then, to his surprise, she settled herself in the Headmaster's chair, resting her head back with the bottle of Scotch in her left hand.

"I guess I got used to it."

"That's because you belonged there. No matter what set of circumstances, the bad and the good, led you to Hogwarts, you always belonged here. I guess no matter what path we try to take away from our true calling in life, something always leads us back."

Severus chose not to reply, but reached out to take his drink. The glass felt solid and final in his hand and when he took a sip, the liquid burned with his tumultuous thoughts.

"I just signed my soul to the devil," she said softly. With a bitter laugh she added, "Again."

He glanced up to try and read her expression before he answered, but her head was still tilted back and her eyes were closed. "No, the devil is eating out of the palm of your hand."

"I hope so." Sighing, Minerva leaned forward and set the bottle between them. She took her own glass and took a sip. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable earlier, but Mrs. Lestrange gave me the opportunity I had been looking for. The timing seemed right."

"It was. He bought it."

"That's because I've never lied to him before."

Smiling into his glass, Severus almost laughed. "Well it's a good thing you have me, because I've gotten pretty good at it."

"What would I do without you?"

"You would still have Albus." His words were flat and emotionless. She opened her mouth to retort, but seemed to lose her words, because she shut it again.

Silence fell between them. They drank in silence. Every once in a while, one would fill the other's glass back to full. They did not need to speak, for they knew the other's doom. The portraits in the office knew better than to speak, especially Albus Dumbledore, so they all pretended to slumber in their frames.

"I'm going to hurt them."

"Who?" His voice was gruff with his question. He had not expected her to speak again.

"My family." She closed her eyes to hide the tear that had formed. It took him a moment to realize what she meant.

"The staff here at Hogwarts. And your students," he said and Minerva nodded. "They will understand when the time comes."

"You will tell them?"

"Yes. If I survive."

"I will not to see the triumph of this war, but in my death, I will know we have won."

"If you think I can survive, what makes you say you won't?" asked Severus though he was already dreading her answer. She had already kept so many secrets: her marriage, her child (whom he could only assume was dead).

"If Mr. Potter succeeds, I will die. And I am ready."

"I don't understand, Minerva."

"You will, when the time comes." When she set down her glass and stood up, he knew the conversation was over. He let her leave without another word.

In his heart, Severus hoped she was wrong. He pulled himself to his feet and walked around the old and tired desk to the chair that now belonged to him. As he sat down, he thought about the woman who should have inherited that chair after Dumbledore's death. Oh, the devil should beg for mercy from Minerva McGonagall. They all should be begging for mercy from Minerva McGonagall. Harry Potter may have been the Chosen One, but she was the key to Lord Voldemort's undoing. They were all at her mercy now.

A/N: Again, since I don't have a preview, I'm adding a note to the end. I want feedback on Bella and Minerva's little chat and the Minerva/Voldemort interactions. When I first wrote it, I felt like Minerva was defending her place by Voldemort's side a little too well, but then as I tried to re-write it some other way I found nothing was convincing of her character thus far. She truly loved Tom Riddle and I feel like she had every opportunity to become a Death Eater, to become evil and she chose not to. But if she had, her status next to him would be untouchable. But I want to know what you think. Also just a reminder, I've said this before, but I want to say it again. This is not a Minerva/Voldemort romance. Min/Tom, yes, but not Lord Voldemort. Dumbledore has said time and time again that Voldemort is incapable of love.