Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters, ideas and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Chapter 3:
Lord Voldemort, also known as Lord Slytherin and formerly known as Tom Marvolo Riddle, sat in his throne as he pondered the direction the war was going.
Voldemort was a charmer, very charismatic and an extremely handsome man; even now after finally securing his means for immortality – his many horcruxes, he was still handsome. The only changes on his perfectly sculptured face, was his eyes, which were now a ruby red. Voldemort looked no older than thirty, and after the making of his horcruxes, he made sure that he would always stay that way. He would let nothing deter him and his plans.
After Voldemort graduated from Hogwarts, he secured himself a job at Borgin and Burkes. He made good use of his natural charm and swayed the customers towards their direction, making good business for Borgin and Burkes. But after his last visit to Madam Hepzibah Smith, who had claimed to be the descendant of Helga Hufflepuff herself, the tides turned and it was clear to Voldemort that he needed to move on in his life and find out what else the magical world had to offer.
It all began when Hepzibah Smith called for her house elf Hokey to bring out her two most prized possessions in an effort to impress the young and handsome Tom Riddle. Hokey reappeared with two elegant boxes, and when Tom saw Helga Hufflepuff's cup and Salazar Slytherin's locket, he knew that he must have them.
Hepzibah made her second mistake that day by telling Tom the story of how she acquired Slytherin's locket from Burke; she told Tom that he gained it from a young, poor and disheveled pregnant woman that looked no older than her mid-twenties. Apparently the woman did not know what her own locket was worth and sold it for a measly ten galleons. Tom Riddle's green eyes gleamed red for a few seconds as he realized that the woman was his mother and that the locket in that fat lady's grubby hands belonged to him as the rightful Lord Slytherin.
Voldemort shook his head as he recalled how he politely took his leave and planned for Madam Hepzibah Smith's death.
He returned the next day and confounded poor Hokey into killing her Mistress. Hokey was later heard telling the ministry officials that she was very old and forgetful, claiming that she had accidentally mistaken the poison for sugar when preparing Hepzibah's cocoa. Voldemort smirked at how easy it was to obtain the two famous artifacts that were documented as lost throughout the centuries, and never having been suspected of her murder.
He quit Borgin and Burkes after that incident and started to travel around the world. He was a naturally curious boy and he wanted to know all the secrets of magic and all the forbidden spells, gifts and especially blood magic
After many years, he returned with a vast repertoire of spells and more knowledge of magic than he could ever hope for. He delved into the deepest depths of magic and lost himself for many days. He left Borgin and Burkes as Tom Marvolo Riddle and returned to Britain as Lord Voldemort. He gained his followers of Death Eaters and became their Dark Lord and a person that everyone in magical Britain feared of even speaking his name.
He planned to take over magical Britain and to cleanse it from the witches and wizards with impure blood and undeserving of their magic. He wanted to bring back the traditions long lost due to the arrivals and changes of the Muggleborns such as Samhain and Yule, instead of those ridiculous muggle holidays that Dumbledore and the ministry has forced all respected purebloods that still follows the Olden ways to endure, like Christmas and Halloween. Once he succeeded in taking over magical Britain, he would begin with his plans in taking over all of magical Europe and then move on to America, Russia and so on.
Voldemort shook himself from all his memories and his reminiscing as he thought back to the reason he was in deep thought.
His current predicament brought to him by his faithful follower, Severus Snape. In one hour Severus had succeeded in crashing all his hopes and dreams, crumbling them to ash. A prophecy child is to be born and could have the power to end his perfectly immortal life. He began pacing the throne room as he remembered that day over a year ago.
Flashback:
Lord Voldemort sat in his throne in the meeting room where his inner circle all sat with their hooded masks on. To his right sat Bellatrix Lestrange, as crazy as ever, but quite the ferocious witch with an excellent repertoire of the Dark Arts and the most loyal of all his followers. To her side was her husband Rodolphus Lestrange and his brother Rabastan Lestrange, both of them were as loyal as Bellatrix and very ruthless and fierce as well. To his left were Evans Rosier, Lucius Malfoy, Regulus Black and Antonin Dolohov.
They had finished a Death Eater meeting and the seven of them were the last to leave. Just as they were heading out the majestic door, Severus Snape came barging in looking extremely nervous and disheveled, wringing his wrists with many sheens of sweat filtering all over his forehead. The fool had even forgotten to don his mask on and he never showed up for the meeting.
"You're late Sevvie, the meeting is over," Bellatrix cackled. "You dare show your face after your unjustified tardiness."
But before Severus could answer, Voldemort interrupted, "That will do Bellatrix! I am the Dark Lord here and I will question whether his tardiness is to be justified or not! You may leave, all of you." The others winced at the tone in their Lord's voice and they all glared at Bellatrix for causing it, except for her husband of course who was far too used to Bellatrix and her ways.
As the door closed, Severus approached the Dark Lord and bowed down to his feet before kissing the hem of his robes and said, "I apologize my Lord but I was detained in Hogsmeade when I was spying on the old fool Dumbledore."
Voldemort's wand hand was halfway lifted and the Cruciatus Curse was at the tip of his tongue, until he heard the reason for his delay. He thought that it would be in his best interest to find out what information Severus had without suffering from the after effects of the torture curse; Severus Snape after all was one of his most faithful servants and has proved his worth to the inner circle. "Speak of your findings then Severus."
Severus shivered in his place and tried as much as he could to steady his trembling hands. The information he gathered from the old fool's meeting was sure to be rewarded by his Lord but he had not managed to retrieve the full prophecy and his hiding place was discovered and that could have him suffering from his Lord's wrath for his failure. He breathed in deeply and opened his mind to the Dark Lord.
Upon sensing his servant weakening his perfect Occlumency shields, he roughly delved in.
He found himself outside the door to one of the rooms in the Hog's Head, listening to boring and useless drivel for some worthless Seer inquiring for the Divination Professor position and just as Dumbledore refused her, his interest peaked when the Seer's voice deepened and convulsed as she spoke of a prophecy.
'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches … born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies …' unfortunately, that was all he heard as Aberforth Dumbledore discovered him eavesdropping and threw him out of the pub.
Lord Voldemort violently yanked himself from Severus' mind and began seething.
Poor Severus Snape tried steadying himself from the onslaught of the Dark Lord ripping through his mind and forcefully exiting it and started to tremble again, as he waited out for his punishment for failing to discover the whole prophecy.
Voldemort on the other hand, wanted nothing more than to be alone and barked for Severus to get out and leave him be.
End of Flashback
Lord Voldemort decided that it was not worth his time at the moment and to forget about the prophecy until the end of July. It was pointless to start killing all the pregnant witches as the wizarding world was in great need for a magical boom of births.
Over a year later, however, after deducing and studying all aspects of who this child could be, he settled on the fact that it was either the Potters or the Longbottoms.
He found out that it was either the Potter twins or the Longbottom brat, who were only a day apart. Other than the fact that the three children were born at the end of July, in other words as the seventh month dies; the Potter and the Longbottoms has defied and escaped him personally three times each, which was quite a feat and earned his respect, even though one of them was a mudblood.
Lily Potter Née Evans was the exception in his opinion. The exception to the rule that all Muggleborns are weak with no ounce of magical power and knowledge. Oh, he knew that Severus and Lily were once best friends and grew up as neighbors, so he knew that she was the top five of her year with a remarkable talent in Potions, Arithmancy and Charms.
The only problem was, he did not know which of the three brats were the child the prophecy spoke of, and so he decided that he would kill all three of them, which was regrettably a waste as they came from powerful magical lines – but alas, he could not have anyone stand in his way for world domination and deter him in his rightful rule of the magical population all over the world.
Lord Voldemort was waiting for Severus Snape to arrive; he spoke to no one of the prophecy and forbade Severus in telling it to anyone, even those of his inner circle. Even his worthless spy Wormtail had no clue; his best friends deemed it best not to tell him anything due to him being weak minded. So, he could only relay his plans to Severus for now, and he had a mission to send him off to.
The doors opened, acknowledging that Severus had arrived and after the usual bowing down and kissing of his robes, he asked his follower to rise. "Severus, I have a mission for you – but first, we must speak of this prophecy."
"Yes, my Lord," said Severus respectfully.
"I have pondered over this prophecy," Voldemort sneered, "I didn't want to act rash and so, I decided to bid my time and let it play out. After all this waiting, I have come to the conclusion that it is either the Potter twins or the Longbottom brat."
After Severus heard that the Potters were to be targeted all he could hear resounding in his head was one word: Lily. Severus began to panic, but could not interrupt his Lord and decided to speak after being given permission.
"I want you to go to Dumbledore and ask for the Potions position and place yourself as a spy there, for me of course. I am sure the old, senile fool has hidden the Potters and Longbottoms and it is your mission to find out where they are residing, and what better place to be than under Dumbledore's own crooked nose," said Voldemort harshly.
"The old fool would never offer me the position, he knows I am a Death Eater," said Severus frantically.
"Come now Severus, you are smarter than that. You are a Slytherin after all. Feed him tales of fake remorse and how I am targeting the two light families, speak of your so called love to the Mudblood and how you want her safe and that you would turn spy for him," Voldemort grinned evilly.
"As you wish M'Lord, but may I ask you of something … if you would allow me this request," said Severus as he trembled at how daring he was being to venture for such a thing.
Voldemort narrowed his eyes at his follower, daring him to contradict him, "You may."
"Please spare Lily Potter. Kill the rest for all I care, but I still hold on to the sentiments of my once childhood friend –"Severus asked, but was interrupted by the Dark Lord, "You have found out about the prophecy and came to me immediately, of course you didn't hear the full prophecy but nevertheless you have done me great service, sol I shall grant you this request."
"Thank you my Lord, thank you," Severus rambled breathlessly as he bowed low and kissed the hem of his robes. "I shall ask for an audience with Dumbledore and seek for the Potions position."
"Yes, you may leave and see that you do not return without landing that job within Hogwarts," snapped Voldemort. He watched Severus Snape leave and cackled to himself; he would not spare the Mudblood, but sometimes he had to feed his followers with useless dribble and empty promises in order to succeed, and Severus would either accept the Mudblood's death or he would have to regrettably end his life.
Severus departed quickly, he apparated to Prince Manor and sent an owl to Dumbledore of a place and time to meet; he knew that the Dark Lord would not keep up his end of his bargain, he noticed the lies and empty promise in his expertly concealed words and Severus Snape now knew that he was to forsake the Dark side and do whatever he could to secure a position in Hogwarts and become a spy to the Light, all because of one Lily Evans now Lily Potter.
***THE FORGOTTEN POTTER***
Albus Dumbledore was shocked when an owl pecked on his window at his office in Hogwarts with a letter from Severus Snape. He had known that Severus had become a Death Eater during his sixth year, which was quite a shame as his talents for Potions and Mind Magic would have done a world of good for the light side, although the downside was that Severus Snape was not one to be easily manipulated by him.
His eyebrows rose as he read the contents of the letter and he abruptly stood, donned his travelling coat and apparated to Hogsmeade. He strode quickly along the narrow path, stopping at the edge in front of a tall cliff. He began his climb to the top and finally after fifteen minutes he reached its peak.
Standing directly in front of him was a frantic Severus Snape, pacing in wide circles and mumbling to himself. All in all, he looked as crazy as Bellatrix Lestrange was looking these days. Albus audibly cleared his throat and demanded in a cold, stern voice that sent chills down Severus' spine.
"Why have you asked me to meet you here of all places when you know that I have knowledge of you being a Death Eater?"
Severus slumped as he said, "Soon to be a defected Death Eater."
Albus' face was priceless as the shock was visible clearly on his face.
Severus explained to him that he was the eavesdropper in the Hog's Head and that he immediately hastened to his Lord and told him of the few lines he heard which pleased Dumbledore immensely that the whole prophecy was not overheard. Once Severus ended with the events of what happened that morning in the Dark Lord's chamber, Severus breathed in deeply and wringed his wrists, waiting for Dumbledore's reaction.
After a few minutes of silence, Dumbledore finally spoke up and asked, "So why are you coming to me? Why tell me all this when you are seeking for the Potions position?"
"Lily!" Severus said desperately. "He told me that he would spare her life, but I do not believe him! I cannot live in a world where Lily is no more and I cannot follow a man that will have brought around her death."
"You do know that the prophecy does not refer to a woman. It speaks of a child born at the end of July," Albus said slowly trying to gauge what Severus' reaction would be.
"Yes but, he thinks it's one of her children! He intends to hunt them down, to kill them. Hide her, hide them all, the Longbottoms as well. I beg you," Severus pleaded.
"What will you give me in return, Severus?" asked Dumbledore; he kept his face impassive but inwardly he was smirking. A few well-chosen words and he would have backed Severus Snape in the corner and once the appropriate time has arrived, Dumbledore would have Severus give him a magical oath with no way out and a spy in the Dark Lord's inner circle.
"Anything," said Severus in a resigned tone.
"Very well, Severus. Go back, tell Voldemort that I have given you the position as Potions professor, term starts in a few months and you will start to get settled in. When the time is right I shall expect a vow from you," said Dumbledore strictly.
Severus nodded in resignation and apparated away.
Albus Dumbledore chuckled softly as he fished a lemon drop from his pocket and sucked on it. He did not expect this to happen when he woke up this morning, it was a quite the surprise but a pleasant surprise after all. A fantastic turn in events.
Severus Snape was a Slytherin with quite the affinity to mind magic, he could not be manipulated or steered his way, but he has his spy now and another follower inside Hogwarts under his nose. He may not be able to manipulate Severus, but he was his only chance of not being thrown into Azkaban and favors in the wizarding world were gold in his opinion.
Albus chuckled harshly before apparating to the gate of Hogwarts and made his way to his office with a new pep in his step and a gleeful look on his face.