Chapter 9: Reparations

Marvolo was unconscious when they found him. The explosion had sent the entire escort flying and Voldemort was supposed to be dead. Whoever had fired the spell would be under investigation as soon as the ministry was up and running again. Marvolo had been on his way to a Wizenagemot meeting when the explosion had occurred. He had been on his way to pick up a birthday present for his son.

Lucius cursed as he saw his Lords body flung across the rubble like a rag doll. The proud Lord Voldemort looked, for only a moment, defeated. Dalen would go berserk if he could see his father. Lucius thought. Then again, Dalen would be able to see who did it with his gift. Even for a wizard he was extraordinary. He reached the dark lords limp body and levitated him gently off of the rubble. Grabbing his lords hand he disaparated.

~~~A Light is Born~~~

Severus cursed in his head as he noted the damages done to Marvolo's body, the injuries were quite extensive and he doubted his lord would make a complete recovery. Again he cursed himself and Sirius Black. Black for setting the bomb, and himself for not listening to Dalen.

Flashback

Dalen was sitting in front of the fireplace in Riddle manor anxiously awaiting his fathers return, he was reading one of the schoolbooks he had quite obviously stolen out of Draco's trunk. It wasn't a dark arts book as Severus had expected, but a simple book on charms. Suddenly he stood up a look of panic crossed his face, and his eyes gave off a hint of red.

"Father? No." He whispered hoarsely, staring off into space.

"Dalen? What's wrong child, what is going on?" Severus stood, cautiously inching forwards in case Dalen fell.

"You have to help Father. Tell him not to go to the meeting. Please! You have to tell him! Something is going to happen and he won't come home. Please!" Gathering the distraught boy into his arms he murmured comforts as he rocked the child against his chest. Dalen fought against him, crying out for his father.

"Nothing is wrong child. Nothing will happen to your father. Hush child." he slipped the frantic child a calming and sleeping draught and put him to bed.

He went back to his potions journal and tried to ignore the sinking feeling that something was desperately wrong. The floo flared green and Lucius stumbled out.

"Luc? What's wrong? Has something happened?"

"There's been an attack, on the ministry. The Lord's been injured" Severus felt the world tilt. Not only from the fear of his lords survival, but from the suffocating feeling of failure. Dalen had been right.

End Flashback

Dalen had been right about his father and he, Severus, had pushed him aside and ignored him. He had probably set back the progress with his trust issues.

"Aside from his leg, he will most likely recover. I doubt it will be a complete recovery and he will need more rest more often. But he will recover. I just fear for Dalen." Severus turned to Lucius, a trace of fear in his eyes,

"He sensed this Lucius. I brushed it off as his usual paranoia, but he sensed it. If I had listened to him and gone to see what happened or stopped Marvolo from going to the meeting as he begged me, maybe the damage wouldn't be as bad. This is partially my fault."

"No my friend. Marvolo will not blame you. He will yell yes, curse you? Probably. But he will not blame you. " Lucius rested his hand on his friends shoulder, comforting him. Severus simply nodded, wiping his face tiredly.

"I have to check on my godson."

~~~A Light is Born~~~

Draco doodled as the professor droned on and on about defensive spells. He missed Dalen, a lot. He had received little word from him since returning to Hogwarts, only a letter or two about his progress from his father with a few words at the bottom from Dalen himself. It was weird being back at school after everything had happened, especially with Potter, or Evans as he was calling himself now. The entire Wizarding world was in an uproar against the ex-light wizards that had hurt their rulers son. Voldemort had taken the Wizarding world through politics, and law. Few lives were taken in his silent crusade, and no magical blood was spilled.

"Mr Malfoy. I assume you think that your doodles are much more important than this class, well then I am sure you won't mind answering some questions on the subject. Will you?"

"Not at all professor Moody." It was no great secret that the sacked auror hated the Slytherin's. The way Severus hated Gryffendore's. Nor was it a mystery why.

"What is the best defence against a boggart?" Draco pretended to think very hard

"A banishing charm. Though laughter is believed to be best way a banishing charm is ninety percent effective." Take that. Moody simply growled and moved away from the desk.

"Very well, Malfoy. How do you defend against a blasting hex? A curse your father is very familiar with. I do believe." Draco sneered at the old auror. The mad man had cursed his father with a blasting hex during the war. Nearly taken his arm off too. If it hadn't been for Narcissa, then his father would likely have been killed or lost this wand arm.

"Protego. The ordinary basic shield charm. Either that or duck." Moody glared at him, his magical eye spinning in its socket. The rest of the class was staring at the fierce competition between teacher and student.

Moody turned away in a huff, his peg leg scratching along the floor of the class as it was dragged behind him. Draco smirked, it was like a child pouting because he didn't get his own way.

"Class dismissed." Mad-Eye growled, "Mr Malfoy. You have detention tonight at eight with Mr Filch, and another on Saturday at noon with me." Draco nodded his understanding stifle and walked out of the class room quickly. The old man was getting on his nerves already, and it was barely two months into the semester.

~~~A Light is Born~~~

Marvolo held his son close as he rested. Dalen had foreseen the explosion happening and tried to warn them. He couldn't blame Severus for this happening to him, it hadn't been his fault. Besides, he had already cursed him enough for one day.

"My lord?" The whisper came from the door, Bellatrix.

"Yes? What?" He hissed angrily.

"Sirius Black has been spotted, my lord " she whispered respectfully.

"Has he been caught?" He growled when his most devout follower shook her head in the negative. Of course, without him to lead them most of the death eaters were useless. They were mindless sheep. Good tools to use whenever the need suited him, but incompetent otherwise or on their own.

"Then find him, and bring him to me alive!" He ordered. Bellatrix cast one last glance at Dalen before fleeing the room. Marvolo sighed and pulled his son closer to himself. Dalen reached up and latched onto his pyjama shirt tightly. His thumb in his mouth. For all intents and purposes, Dalen was still a child. He had never grown past the mentality of a very young boy. Though in some ways, and on a particularity good day, he was very old and wise. Mature even.

"Oh my sweet child. I will not ever let anyone else harm you. My own little one. I promise." He whispered into his sons hair. "I love you child."

Dalen woke briefly later that evening, still curled on his fathers lap. He smiled sweetly down at his father and curled up into a tighter ball and went back to sleep. He was safe he realized, as he lay on his father. The evil men weren't going to hurt him ever again. At least not while his father was around. Though he knew bad times were ahead, and it was likely that he would be separated from his family again, he knew that his father would never leave him, or just forget about him. He was happy. Content. With a soft smile he drifted back into the land of nod.

~~~A Light is Born~~~

Bellatrix snarled as she headed away from her lord. The little beast had already taken Lord Voldemorts eyes away from her. He shouldn't be paying attention to that little freak, not when she was around him. She missed having his attention focused on her completely. Smiling she calmed herself, soon. He will see me again soon. Sirius will take care of everything once he has the brat. She continued down the hall with a skip in her step. Soon enough she would pass off the child to her cousin and reap the rewards of dealing with a little pest. Unbeknownst to her, two coal black eyes watched her leave the mansion. With a whisper of the wind, they vanished after her with a billow of the black cloak.

~~~A Light is Born~~~

Sirius sent a hex and a curse at the practice dummy. He was furious. Voldemort was supposed to dead! the explosion was supposed to have killed him. But no, it hadn't. Damn Lucius Malfoy one hundred times over! Behind him he felt the floo flare.

"Oh cousins Sirrus!" Bellatrix, he sneered. She would be a great asset to his cause, especially with her loyalty to Voldemort failing.

"You'll never guess who I caught spying!" She sang. Swiftly cursing whoever she was with. The grunt of pain followed by the sound of knees hitting the floor made him grin. He turned around swiftly.

"Well well. Looks like you still haven't learned your lesson about sticking your overly large nose in other peoples business. Have you, Snivillus?"

TBC

A/N: thank yo for reading and reviewing everyone. I am very grateful to all of you for your continuous support. I had been hoping to post this two weeks or so earlier, but we went on a surprise vacation instead and I only just got back.

Thank you again. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.