Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

A/N: To the guest that called me a bitch: bro for real? This is a hobby my guy, and I do have a life outside of this.


(Monday, November 28th)

Narcissa walked down a less traveled corridor, devoid of even of the quiet chatter of portraits, arm in arm with Severus. She adored how he insisted on walking her to class, even the ones they did not share. That was something he hadn't done in the two years before; of course, they weren't as close then as they were now, so it was only natural. Severus was an absolute gentleman, after all.

She didn't know what she'd do without him, for all the joy and light he had brought to her life.

She wished she had known him earlier.

"Severus, you know you must be ruthless with them," Narcissa said abruptly, the thought escaping her before it had even fully formed in her mind. But truthfully, he could show no weakness with the other Slytherins, not now. Too much time had passed with him not refuting their subtle accusations against him about if he really had been training with the Dark Lord.

This could probably work out in his favor – Narcissa had noticed that Severus currently lacked the necessary… nuance to properly handle the word games of Slytherin. Sure, he was cunning and had wit to spare, but he absolutely had been sorted into Slytherin due to his ambitions, not because of his ability (or lack thereof) to play the game.

Besides, it would do wonders for his self-esteem to annihilate his tormentors, something she knew he still struggled with from time to time. Narcissa was good, but she wasn't a miracle worker – it would take more than just a year of forcing him to see his worth to undo a lifetime of abuse and trauma.

"Mn." He hummed as he sent a tickling charm at the second suit of armor on the left to freeze the staircase to take them up rather than down. "Considering how they have treated me since I was a First Year, I don't think I'll have any difficulty with that."

"Good," she said, her hold on his arm tightening. "They deserve it. Don't hold back, darling. Show them they should fear you."

"If I want to be able to protect you-"

"This isn't about me or my safety, Severus, it's about you." Narcissa interrupted firmly. He gave her his undivided attention and so it was her turn to make the stairs behave, this time by shooting a mild Confundus charm at a nearby portrait of Brian Gagwilde III. "I want you to unleash hell on them for everything they have done to you for the past six years. Pay them back spell for spell, scar for scar, and shame for shame. Do this for you, my dear. Make them regret ever getting their wand – make them wish they had been far too dim growing up to understand how to use their gift of magic."

She watched him from her peripherals, to see how he took her words. Sometimes Severus needed a gentle touch, other times he needed words sharp enough to cut; Narcissa was not above providing either and everything in between.

"If that is how you want me to do this, then that is what I will do."

Narcissa sighed and shook her head but took it as a win. "If you aren't careful, people will think that I am your master." They left the walls of Hogwarts finally and were making their way across the green to the Greenhouses for Herbology. Luckily, they hadn't had to duel the door for it to let them out that time. The castle always seemed to behave better whenever Severus was around.

Severus was quiet a moment and then snorted, his breath coming out in a puff of white in the cold November air. "You are, in a way. I do what I do for you, Narcissa," he looked at her. "Wherever that may take me," he said solemnly. Even away from the Dark Lord's side went unspoken, but she heard it clear as a bell.

"Severus…"

He jerked his gaze away but gave a tight nod. "I do what I do for you," he said again.

Stunned by the depth of his devotion to her, she hugged his arm tighter and laid her head against his shoulder. She wasn't so sure that Severus had been… like this with Evans anymore. One did not simply leave the Dark Lord's service and expect to live. Of course, she could be reading too deeply into what he had said, even with his indirect confirmation… but Severus was not one to use his words lightly, in any situation.

If he had been like this with Evens, this deeply devoted, he wouldn't have called her a Mudblood, nor would he have allowed that to keep him from her, even if had to watch and protect from afar. Again, she could be reading too deeply into it, however, that didn't change the fact that she wished it was the truth.

That she wished to be the one that meant the most to Severus.

"You really think I should be so harsh with them?" he asked, unsure, breaking her from her thoughts.

"If the next words out of your mouth are anything along the lines of 'I'm not worth that' I will set your Moontrimmer on fire." She threatened without missing a beat.

That startled a laugh out of him. "I'll keep my thoughts to myself then."

"Severus Draconis Snape," Narcissa warned, pulling them to a stop so she could properly glare at him. The glint in her eye would chill a lesser man to the bone. "You are worth that and more, regardless of the tremendous power you were given to wield. You are worthy because of who you are as a person – because you are a person. You did not deserve that treatment – you never did, and you've the strength, both in character and in magic, to stand against them so that it never happens again."

"Thank you…" he said softly, giving her hand a squeeze. She could see how he still was wrestling with it, but he was more accepting of it than he had been at first.

"Of course, darling," she said, her gaze softening. Their difference in height was not so great, perhaps some 5 cm, so she reached up and tweaked his nose gently, eliciting a light scowl from him to which she just smiled sweetly in response. "Come along my dear, or we'll be late and Sprout already has it out for me; I daresay she does for anyone who manages to stay clean in her class."

Severus snorted. "She has it out for you because you froze your clipping of Devil's Snare so thoroughly it shattered."

"Yes, that too," Narcissa said dismissively. "Come along, darling."

{Furius Draconis}

(Wednesday, November 30th)

Severus was standing in his bathroom, trying to put on his dueling robes when Cassandra decided the rope belt he was tying around his waist was a toy clearly meant for her. When he was first given her, she reached just below his knee, and now she stood equal with it – Jevabaownns apparently did not grow quickly. Probably due to the splicing of dragon into a Kneazle, as dragons grew slowly over time, in fact, they never stopped growing. Wizards just killed them off when they started to get too large to handle easily.

"Cass," He said fondly. "Your services are not needed, you foolish feline."

She paused in her great attack against the rope and stared at him unblinkingly, her claws firmly latched on to his belt. It had taken him a while to get used to her pupil-less eyes, and slightly longer to understand her moods. But playful had been the easiest to understand, which is what she was right now.

"Don't look at me like that – you have plenty of toys that Narcissa gave you that you could be playing with."

She cocked her head to the left, still staring unblinkingly at him.

"I know, this one is moving and those aren't, I know. Here, I'll fix that." He pulled his wand, aimed it out the door, and animated her favorite toy, a neon green mouse with little bells in it. She was off like an arrow as soon as she heard the bells, and Severus couldn't help but chuckle.

He would have to thank Narcissa for insisting on giving him Cassandra, even though he had been so vehemently against having a familiar in the first place. She would be sure to tease him mercilessly about that, but then she wouldn't be Narcissa if she didn't.

With Cassandra now otherwise occupied (the playful growls and frantic jingling bells in the other room attesting to that), Severus was able to tie his belt in peace.

With that in place, he looked at the mask he created for the Squire's Dueling Club sitting on the counter. He had, of course, consulted Narcissa when he had been making it, and she had insisted a draconic theme.

"Your wand core is dragon heartstring, your familiar is part dragon, your Patronus is a dragon, your temper is as fierce as a nesting dragon's – your middle names have 'Furious Dragon' in it, for Merlin's sake! That many coincidences of dragons in your life is not something to be ignored." She had said to him when he questioned why she insisted.

So, he had fashioned his mask to look like that of a dragon's head. Subtly, of course. Severus wasn't one for standing out in a crowd after all. He was rather proud of his craftmanship of his mask.

As a nod to his Patronus form, he had charmed it an iridescent black, and unlike the masks he had seen the Dark Lord's Knights wearing, his ended just above his mouth. He had learned from observations that a vacant smile could prove just as unnerving as a mask with no features. He had worked a bit of complex magic for the eyeholes, so his eyes would be obscured but he would still be able to see as he normally would. Narcissa suggested making them glow purple just like the eyes of a Hebridean Black, so naturally, he added that.

He picked up Narcissa's ribbon from the counter and used it to tie his hair back like she had shown him. It was beyond him why the way his hair of all things looked mattered, but by this point in their friendship, he knew better than to question Narcissa. It was simply easier in the long run to do what she said, and he generally could not think of a reason to not do what she asked.

Besides, it made her happy, which was something Severus was all too glad to do.

Looking at his handiwork in the mirror, he knew it wasn't near as elegant as she'd be able to do, but it was functional and that's all he cared about just then. Stepping out of the bathroom, he cast a simple ward around the fire that would still let heat out, but would not let anything in – Cassandra had already destroyed a fair few of her toys by tussling with them too close to the fire – and with one last fond smile at his Jevabaownn he left his dorm. He was three steps away when he felt his wards snap in place, charmed to respond to both his presence and absence. A recent ward sequence combined with runes that he had figured out.

He was a further three steps when he heard a door open behind him; spinning on his heel he turned to face who it was that had woken, his wand in hand.

"Twitchy are we, Severus?" the soothing voice of Narcissa asked.

"A little," he grumbled as he put his wand away. He scrutinized her with narrowed eyes; she was wrapped in a sheer white shawl, wearing the nightclothes she had changed into the same night she had transfigured his two chairs into a loveseat – something neither of them had bothered to change back. "Why are you awake? It's a quarter 'til three."

"Your hair, darling. I knew you'd need my help. Come, you haven't much time if it's as late as you say." She beckoned him to her, before using the same hand to hide a yawn.

He was moving before he even thought about it. "I didn't do that poorly, did I?" he asked, turning so she could have access to his hair.

"This would have been fine for class, darling, but not a meeting as important as this. They will search for any weakness, and you must not show any, my dear."

Severus felt a growing warmth in his chest for Narcissa as her fingers carded through his hair before tying it back with a practiced ease. She rested her hands on his shoulders when she finished. "There. Properly elegant, but not over the top fancy. And it absolutely will hold up in any duel you get into."

He could tell she was nervous. He grabbed one of her hands on his shoulder and looked back at her with a reassuring smile. "Thank you, Narcissa," he said softly.

"Go," she said, abruptly releasing him so she could wring her hands. "It wouldn't do to be late."

"Of course not," he said, smirking. "Try to sleep, Narcissa. I will be fine."

"You had better be," she threatened, pinning him with an icy stare. He merely smiled at her before continuing on his way; he could feel her worried eyes on his back until he turned the corner.

As it was nearly three in the morning the Common Room was utterly empty and drenched in eerie shadows cast by the moonbeams filtering through the Black Lake when Severus entered it. Despite the obvious absence of others, he didn't let his guard down. He was, after all, headed to the Dark Hall that was warded in a way that allowed anyone inside it to cast the darkest magic they knew without setting off any of Hogwarts' alarms, and it was sure to be filled with Slytherins who had tormented him in the past.

Nothing to be worried about.

He pushed Spiritorum Etherialis on the bookshelf, revealing a dark spiral staircase. Taking in a deep breath, Severus made his way down the stairs, a hand ghosting along the wall to help keep his balance and to find the door. The trick to these stairs wasn't just finding the right book to reveal them, but to traverse them with no light. If one was foolish enough to light their wand, the stairs would be never-ending until the light was extinguished – Severus had learned that one the hard way when he had first tried to retrace his steps down there. He had counted going down some 150 steps before he recalled that it had been dark when he'd been dragged down there.

A mere twenty steps down, his hand ran over wood instead of stone and he fumbled around for the handle for a moment before managing to open it. He stepped into a corridor with torches lit with green flames. At the end of it was the Dark Hall.

Severus placed his mask on his face, the runes carved in it activating and adhering to his face so only he would be able to remove it. He squared his shoulders and steeled his mind, like it was the Dark Lord on the other side of that door he was meeting, not a bunch of vicious teenagers.

He pushed the door open and was then the center of attention, which nearly made him falter – but he couldn't show weakness here.

"Ah, there is the Chosen!" A masked Slytherin said – Severus recognized him as Yaxley by voice and stature. He came forward from the small crowd and clapped Severus on the shoulder. "In honor of this being your first night among us, we decided to do things a little differently."

"Did you now?" Severus responded, keeping his eyes on the other students.

"We thought something of a dueling tournament was suitable."

Severus saw right through him. "To see if I have actually been training with the Dark Lord?" The crowd shifted a little uneasily and Severus chuckled mirthlessly. "By all means, doubt. It is of no consequence to me."

"See! He doesn't even confirm it!" someone shouted. Undoubtedly Jugson. "He's nothing more than an upstart Mudblood!"

Severus let his magic free all at once as he stared the idiot down; it roared in his ears, practically begging to be used in a destructive manner. He distantly felt Yaxley snatch his hand away, as if he'd been burned. "Call me Mudblood one more time, and see what happens, Squire." He said, deadly calm.

Unable to see his face, Severus could only assume that Jugson was gaping like an idiot (as per usual) but could see that he was sweating profusely under the scrutiny of Severus's ire. When he wasn't able to produce a sound, Severus smirked and drew his magic back in. "I thought not," he turned to Yaxley. "How are we doing this tournament then? I'd like to get some sleep tonight."

"Uh," Yaxley said intelligently. He wiped sweat off his forehead. "Well, since you're new, we agreed that you'd be allowed to go first, against someone of our choice."

Severus pinned him with a stare. They were likely to put him against their best dueler, in an attempt to embarrass him. "Very well," he said eventually. "Are any of you capable of the Gorvish Tertiary Ward sequence?"

A student snorted. "You really think that's necessary?" That would be Sutcliffe.

"As we are under an entire castle, yes. I do." Severus said seriously.

There was a silence in the hall as the Slytherins tried to figure out if Severus was bluffing or not.

Someone from the crowd cleared their throat loudly, gaining everyone's attention. "I can do it, but I won't be able to partake in the tournament if I do." The student who stepped out was not one Severus immediately recognized – perhaps it was the Sixth year that he hadn't recognized from the Viper's Pit. He'd have to figure out his name. He took note of his height and the sound of his voice for later.

Severus tilted his head to the left. "If you don't cast it, I won't either and that rather defeats the purpose of the tournament, does it not?"

"Are you serious, Snape?" a student asked disdainfully, one that had Severus's hackles raised – Avery.

Severus felt his lip curl in a sneer as he looked at him askance. "Ask Heir Malfoy. He's the one that's having to remodel his home because of my duels with the Dark Lord."

"It's fine, I'll do it," the sixth year spoke up before Avery could respond.

Severus nodded at him and kept a trained eye on the teen as he worked on raising the ward sequence, ready to step in if necessary. It was, after all, one of the more complicated ward sequences that someone could build, and if done incorrectly the backlash could prove deadly. It took the teen nearly twenty minutes altogether, and he was pale and sweaty by the end of it, but he made no mistakes. Luckily, the Gorvish Tertiary Ward sequence, once erected, ran off the ambient magic in the area, and Hogwarts was positively filled with ambient magic.

Overall pleased with the teen's handiwork, Severus gave him an approving nod. Having been drilled relentlessly by the Dark Lord, he was able to have it up in under two minutes – the only reason he didn't put it up himself was how draining it was. He wasn't going to enter a duel with one of his tormentors with that handicap.

"Satisfied, Snape?" Avery snarked.

"Quite." He turned to the student. "Most impressive. However, if you start casting while facing north, it cuts about thirty seconds from each layer. With more practice, you'll be able to have it up in a matter of seconds."

"Ah… thank you." He said between his heavy breathing.

Severus nodded to him again and entered the humming ward sequence. "Now… who am I dueling?"

"Me," Avery said smugly. He was rolling his wand between his fingers in anticipation.

Severus bared his teeth in a fierce grin that only an idiot would take as being friendly. "Avery," he said with relish. "I was hoping that'd be the case." He missed the whispers in the small crowd, wondering how he knew who it was.

Where Jugson had been an annoyance, Avery had been truly horrible. Severus had his first taste of the Cruciatus from Avery, had his intestines momentarily expelled by Avery, his blood boiled, bones broken, skin blistered – Severus had every intention of repaying each and every one of those favors.

The amount of hatred he had towards Avery would be more than enough to fuel the magic he needed to make an example of him. To establish his dominance in one fell swoop.

"Wands only, this fight. No hand-held shields. Only spell off-limits is the Killing Curse. You can only hold the Cruciatus for thirty seconds at a time." Yaxley said, walking up to the ward sequence.

Avery entered the wards. He and Severus bowed to each other (neither very deeply) and took ten paces back. They assumed their dueling stances and waited for the start to be called by Yaxley. A thrill ran up Severus's spine – he was slowly coming to enjoy dueling under the tutelage of the Dark Lord; he almost hoped Avery would prove to be a challenge.

Yaxley looked between the two of them. "Ready – fight!"

In a blur of movement, Severus slashed his wand through the air. Blinding lightning followed the arc, sizzling, crackling, booming towards Avery, the colossal sound deafened all that were there.

Avery barely managed to throw himself out of the way. It instead slammed into the ward sequence, very nearly shattering the innermost layer. Avery looked at that damage and then back at Severus. "What the fuck?! Are you trying to kill me?!" he screamed.

Severus considered him a moment. "Is that not the point of a duel?" He asked before silently casting his own version of Incendio at his opponent, making him scramble to dodge the white-hot liquid flames that seemed almost sentient in the way they chased after a cursing Avery.

This was child's play compared to dueling the Dark Lord.

"This is your best dueler?" he called derisively to the surrounding crowd, easily batting away Avery's first spell of the evening. It fizzled out into nothing. Annoyed now, he threw another elemental spell at Avery, blasting him into the barrier wards with gale force winds, knocking his wand from his hand and his mask from his face. With a twitch of his right hand, Severus banished the wand away from Avery. "Pathetic," he spat.

With an irritated flick of his wand, Severus summoned Avery's robes to bring him close enough to grab him by the throat, choking him. "Does loss of wand mean the duel is over?" Severus called to the crowd.

"The duel ends when one side yields," Yaxley answered, sounding a touch reluctant.

Severus tightened his hold on Avery. "Do you yield?" he hissed.

"Fuck you, Snape," Avery wheezed.

A sharp, deadly smile stretched across Severus's face. "I was hoping you would say that." In one swift movement, he swept his legs out from under him and slammed him to the floor, knocking the air out of him with a satisfying oomph. Planting a boot on his chest, he cast with great relish, "Crucio!"

The cruse hit him in the head; blood curdling screams tore from Avery's throat. He thrashed and writhed under Severus's boot, trying to find an escape from the all-encompassing pain.

He would find none.

The power of the curse sang through Severus's blood, an increasingly heady feeling. He now understood what the Dark Lord had meant by how addicting the Unforgiveables could be. Perhaps rising in the Dark Lord's ranks would not be so hard as Severus feared. If this is how it felt to embrace dark magic so thoroughly…

"Chosen! Coming on thirty seconds!"

Severus locked eyes with Yaxley, who had been the one to shout. He had almost forgotten that he had an audience, Avery's screams drowning out everything else but the intoxicating power he felt. "Finite," He said with a careless flick of his wrist. The effects of the Cruciatus were slow to leave both the caster and the victim. He looked down at Avery. "Do you yield? Or shall we continue?"

"F-fuck yo-you, s-ss-Snape."

He looked back at Yaxley. "Is there a limit on how many times I can cast the Cruciatus?"

Yaxley slowly shook his head. "No."

"Good – Crucio."

The Dark Hall was silent but for Avery's screams. The spectators stunned by the calm viciousness displayed by Severus.

"Thirty seconds," Yaxley said weakly.

Severus lifted the curse and stared lazily down at Avery beneath his boot, his vision nearly swimming with the power he still felt running through him. The Beater was drooling and had a dazed look on his face. He crouched down and grabbed Avery's jaw to make him look in his eyes. "Do you yield?"

"Yurgh," Avery groaned, nodding his head as best he could.

Severus smiled cruelly and gave his cheek a pat before standing up straight. "I think I'm done here." He looked around at the crowd of Slytherins. "Anyone else care to duel?"

He was met with absolute silence.

"I thought not. Someone deal with this idiot – make sure he's able to attend classes tomorrow."

"But-"

"But what?" Severus asked, turning towards to student. That interruption was enough to cut through his Cruciatus induced good mood. The small crowd scrambled out of the way so he had a direct line of sight.

"He's been under the Cruciatus!"

Severus dismissed the ward sequence with an irritated wave of his wand and stalked up to him, his magic swirling restlessly – that farce of a duel had done little to exercise it. "When has that ever stopped me from attending classes?" he asked calmly. "When has anything you Squires have done to me stopped me from attending classes?

"Avery had better be in Potions class tomorrow without so much as a tremor or you'll be given the same treatment as him. If I could figure out how to reverse the blood boil curse in my first year, you can figure out how to patch him together as a seventh year, Rosier."

Severus turned to the group at large. "If that was your best fighter, you all will find yourselves in Azkaban the moment you take the Dark Lord's Mark if you're lucky, dead if you are not. Just based on the Mudbloods' ability to withstand curses and Dark Magic, they would make better fighters than you lot – something that I will be passing along to the Dark Lord. He has had high hopes for this group – his Squires. How disappointed he'll be when I tell him what poor fighters you are.

"In fact, as far as I'm concerned, you have lost the right to consider yourselves Squires, based on the abysmal performance tonight. Don't even think of writing home to complain because I guarantee the fact that your best lost to me in less than five spells will not help your case at all. If you want to join the Dark Lord's ranks, you must first prove yourselves to me, and you should know that I have high standards.

"Over Winter break, I recommend you work more on your fighting forms than on finding new torturous spells to use on the Mudbloods of this House – I can tell you from experience that the Gryffindors are not submissive like our Mudbloods are. They actually fight back and could, without a doubt, take each and every one of you in a duel." Severus shook his head, disappointed. "If you are capable of holding against me in a duel when we come back, I might grant you the right to call yourselves Squires again.

"However, if I hear of any of you falsely claiming that title…" he smiled at them cruelly. "You won't like the consequences."

And with that, Severus left the Dark Hall.

{Furius Draconis}

Regulus and Yaxley wound up being the last two in the Dark Hall. Rosier and the Lestranges carted Avery off to his dorm to recover.

"Well," Regulus said, taking his mask off. "Can't say I expected that."

"You don't fucking say," Yaxley growled, snatching his own mask off. "If we'd known…" he shook his head. "How the hell did he hide that kind of power? Why would he?"

Regulus shrugged. "That's what I've been trying to figure out. Narcissa is so tight lipped about Snape's motives she might as well not even have a mouth. And Snape has no tells, at least none that I can see. Our House's treatment of him over the past six years has certainly taught him how to hide his emotions well."

"What's your best guess then? You've been working with him this semester. He's already one of the Dark Lord's Chosen; what could he gain from torturing Avery?"

"Slytherin has treated him like shit," Regulus said bluntly. "Avery was the worst of all of us towards Snape – had it out for him since day one from what I've heard. I can't say I blame Snape for wanting to put us in our place, now that he's been given permission to do so." Regulus shrugged. "It's what I would do."

"This has completely changed the dynamics in Slytherin," Yaxley muttered, rubbing his forehead.

"It rather has, hasn't it?" Regulus agreed, growing excited. "I imagine there will be a great deal of tiptoeing in the coming week – and probably even after Winter break."

Yaxley gave a short, helpless laugh. "We'll have Mudbloods acting up as soon as they hear about this."

Regulus pursed his lips. "Something tells me," he started, "that Snape will do what he can to favor them, and that perhaps we should too – hear me out! Snape has always been the perfect little Mudblood and did what he could to remain undetected by us, but he always stepped in for the other Mudbloods – its why he's so resilient against Dark Magic. I highly doubt he'll abandon them now, especially when he can so clearly destroy all of us. It would likely put us on his good side, should we help him in that."

Yaxley glared at him. "I hate that you're right. I'm not doing anything until he makes the first move though."

"Fair enough," Regulus said with a shrug. He didn't really care if Yaxley crashed and burned in Snape's Slytherin or not.

Yaxley sighed and rubbed his temples. "Snape is deadly as Fiendfyre now."

"Something tells me he's always been that deadly," Regulus countered. "I think Hogwarts's motto has been betrayed with him over the years."

"Black, we've blasted that sleeping dragon to hell and back with the bludgeoning hex. Multiple times."

"I've done no such thing, neither have you," Regulus was quick to correct. "Avery, Jugson, Hansen, and Sutcliffe are another matter entirely – keep that in mind. I will speak with Narcissa over the break, see if I can't get something more out of her about our resident dragon.

"But, I will bid you good night now, Yaxley. We can talk more about this later, I am exhausted."

"Good night, Black."

{Furius Draconis}

(Saturday, December 10th)

In the following week, there was a noticeable shift within Slytherin, just as Yaxley and Regulus had predicted. Narcissa was as pleased as the Kneezle that caught the Snidget, of course. But she knew the power Severus won earlier in the week would not last, not unless something more was done to solidify his place…

Perhaps something like an exhibition duel between him and the Dark Lord? Lucius's Yule Ball would be the perfect place for such a duel, but how to orchestrate it?

She was broken from her thoughts when Regulus caught up to her leaving the train station. "Narcissa, cousin, I am practically begging you to tell me more about Snape."

If she were less well bred, she would have rolled her eyes at him. As it was, she spared him a cool look from the corner of her eye, never breaking her stride. "So you can use it against him? I think not, Cousin."

"You would side with him against your own family?" Regulus asked, flabbergasted.

She stopped before the floo access and turned to look at him fully, frigidly. "We will discuss this at Grimmauld Place, Heir Black."

Regulus seemed surprised by her formal tone at first but quickly recovered. "Very well, Daughter Black," he replied as tradition demanded of him.

Narcissa gave a nod and then turned back to the floo, taking some powder from the pot. She called out the destination and was gone in a swirl of green; Regulus stepped out just moments after she had. The entire family was at their estate in France for Yule, so it was safe enough to speak here.

Regulus looked at her expectantly. "Heir Black, an Oath on a Name has been made by Severus to me. That relationship trumps all others as you well know, so to answer your earlier question, yes, I side with him against family."

Regulus blinked at that information. "Duly noted Daughter Black." He licked his lips and leaned forwards. "I know I am not supposed to ask-"

"And yet you plan to ask anyways," Narcissa cut him off with a shake of her head. "I swear, neither you nor Sirius have any respect or fear for the Names of Power, and that is dangerous my dear cousin."

"It's about Lucius, isn't it?" Regulus asked, barreling ahead. "Snape swore to protect you from Lucius. He's known to liberally use dark curses on those who disagree with him."

She narrowed her eyes at him. He was like a thestral with a bone when he got hold of something and wanted more information on it. He would just keep pestering her until she caved, and she'd rather that not happen in front of any other family members – Regulus was just shameless enough to beg her for information in front of their parents, and she couldn't have that happening. She would have to lay this to rest here and now. But the entryway was no place for this conversation, even if they were the only ones in the house.

Narcissa turned and walked towards the stairs, motioning for him to follow. He was hot on her heels as she led them up to his room, which she locked and warded with a dizzying number of wards – a habit picked up from Severus.

She turned to him. "Swear on your Name that anything I say to you in this room here and now will not be shared with anyone via any method imaginable unless I say otherwise."

Raising an eyebrow, he complied. "I so swear on my Name of Black that I will follow the stipulations you gave until you release me."

Narcissa sighed in relief. Members of the Black family were raised to be just as proud of their name as they were of their magic – asking a Black to swear on their name was akin to asking them to swear on their magic. Should an oath on their name be broken, they would be stripped of their name. Regulus would not betray her or Severus now.

"Lucius wrote to Severus, asking him to keep an eye on me and report back to him as he thought that I was… interested in another, and potentially engaging with this imaginary person. Severus did not take kindly to that."

Regulus snorted. "No, I imagine he did not."

Narcissa leveled him with an unimpressed stare. "Do not interrupt. Severus confronted me about it, certain… truths came out which led Severus to swear on the Name of Protection that he would not allow Lucius to harm me. To best do that, he must rise higher than Lucius in the Dark Lord's ranks, and as such, if I give you any further information about Severus, that could potentially be jeopardized. His position in Slytherin is new after all, and very precarious."

Regulus slowly lowered himself onto his bed, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "This is a family matter now, you know," he said. "If Snape thinks that Malfoy will mistreat you, that is unacceptable. No Daughter of Black needs to put up with that – we're Blacks for Merlin's sake!"

"Daughters of Black are not afforded the same rights as Sons of Black," Narcissa snapped. "Why do you think Andromeda ran off?! She was to marry Matthias Carrow! A man with three previous wives, all dead by his hand."

Regulus blinked. "Surely not… Uncle Cygnus loves you!"

Narcissa let out a bitter laugh. "He loves the connections his daughters can bring through marriages. And don't forget that it is your father who signs off on these marriages as our Lord Black. With Andromeda eloping and Bellatrix given a free pass because she's just that bloody terrifying, I have no choice but to marry Lucius or else Father will have failed his duty to our Family. I don't see myself as being allowed to live if I fail him in that."

She couldn't help but feel bad for causing Regulus to look so lost. "Our family really is fucked up, isn't it?" he asked quietly.

Sitting next to him on the bed, Narcissa nodded. "It truly is. I would never say this outside of this room, but Sirius and Andromeda are lucky to have escaped it. It's made it that much worse for those of us who are left, however." She took his hand and smiled sadly, an expression that he returned. "Severus is my best chance at a decent life, and so I will protect him with all that I have. It is only fair as he is doing the same for me."

"I will respect that, Narcissa. Do I have your permission to tell the others that a Name has been invoked?"

"No," she said immediately as she stood to pace. "Taking over Slytherin is good practice for him. He would not survive among the Knights if this was just handed to him. Besides, he would hate that as he is rather looking forward to utterly destroying the House."

Regulus shuddered involuntarily. "He was ruthless when dueling Avery."

"You put him up against Avery?" She asked sharply, coming to a stop. She knew that he had be Severus's greatest tormentor. "And Severus was okay?"

"You saw him after the meeting," Regulus said, confused.

Narcissa sighed. "Yes, I suppose I did… but Avery? You know what he's done to Severus."

"Yes, yes I do," Regulus said softly. He had brought Severus to her once before after Avery had gotten a hold of him one night last year – he had tried to push past Severus's tolerance to dark magic and succeeded. Severus suffered rather severe nerve damage in his hands and feet as a result and couldn't catch a quaffle to save his life after, much less write with a quill or brew potions.

Yaxley had some choice words with Avery following that, but nothing more came of it. It was only with daily soaking in Severus's enhanced murtlap essence that he made a full recovery, although, she could tell that the cold affected him more following the attack than it had before.

Regulus cleared his throat, possibly also remembering the same attack Narcissa had been. "I imagine Snape will make him pay his dues. He certainly got started the other night."

"Good," she said fiercely, her eyes glinting like the sun on arctic waters.

She looked at her cousin, tilting her head, calculating the pros and cons of including him in her plans. Quickly coming to a decision, she spoke: "Tell me, Regulus, what do you think the chances are of setting up an exhibition duel between Severus and the Dark Lord at Lucius's Winter Ball?"

His face lit up, eyes darting as he undoubtedly went over the possibilities and through plans of how to make it happen. "My dear cousin, I think the chances could be very good."

{Furius Draconis}

(Saturday, December 10th)

Voldemort was waiting in the receiving parlor of Malfoy Manor for Severus to arrive. His youngest Chosen had sent a letter a week prior briefly outlining the disastrous Squire meeting he had attended, and Voldemort was impatient to get all of the details. There was also the matter of a letter he had received from Severus's mother that they needed to discuss…

The fireplace flared green and out stepped Severus, he waved what little soot there was from his person with a careless wave of his wand. Looking up, he startled – eyes going wide – when he saw that Voldemort was standing in front of him but soon settled. He always did enjoy the appreciative look that Severus gave him whenever he was around him.

"My lord," Severus greeted with a respectful dip of his head.

"Severus," he greeted warmly. "Come, we have much to discuss. Leave your trunk, the elves will take it to your room."

"As you say, my lord."

They walked side by side down the hallways in silence; it would be some time yet until the halls would be filled with people – his people. He was planning on using Lucius's Yule Ball to network with the foreign dignitaries that were sure to come. He planned to merely start in Britain after all, he would need contacts abroad once he finished here.

They entered the study he had claimed to work in. With the smooth grace of a snake, Voldemort sat in his ornate clawfoot armchair before motioning for Severus to sit as well. "Tell me what transpired at this so-called Squires' dueling club."

Severus snorted, settling into the seat across from his. "It was pathetic, my lord. They put me against Heir Avery, who was supposed to be their best dueler, and I had his wand in three spells."

Voldemort's eyebrows rose comically. "Three?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Pathetic indeed. And most disappointing. I do hope you taught him a lesson, Severus."

"I did, my lord," Severus said.

Voldemort leaned forward, seeing the gleam in his dark eyes. "The Cruciatus?"

A slow smile curved on Severus's face, one that Voldemort enjoyed. Cruelty was a good look on Severus. "I understand what you mean by… intoxicating now."

"Good," Voldemort purred, leaning back in his chair. He had known that Severus had his doubts about joining from the beginning – it was partly why he had paid so much personal attention to him, he knew it was what Severus craved and was, therefore, the best way to get him to stay. Severus was too valuable an asset to kill over doubting the cause. But it seemed that his plans had paid off and now he felt he could safely Mark his youngest Chosen. After he graduated, of course. It wouldn't do to have him be discovered by Dumbledore and be shipped off to Azkaban before he even got to be used.

"They've never faced a formidable challenge – we Mudbloods were never allowed to fight back. You have a good group of torturers in them, my lord, but they are atrocious fighters; I can guarantee that they would not last in a duel against anyone.

"I told them to focus on their fighting forms this break, and I will evaluate them again once term starts. As it stands, I did not feel that they were worthy of even calling themselves your Pages, let alone your Squires – I hope I was not overstepping in that, my lord."

"You did not," Voldemort said. "I should hope that you put them in their place as you did, Severus. I trust your judgment when it comes to dueling and fighting as it should align with my own at this point.

"Tell me, who was in attendance that night?"

"Avery, Heir Yaxley, Heir Rosier, Jugson, Sutcliffe… beyond that I can only guess as they all wore masks. Had they spoken I could have identified more."

"Masks, you say?" Voldemort asked, irritated. "That cannot be allowed to continue. See to it, Severus."

"As you say, my lord," Severus said, dipping his head. "I also made a mask, but I will not wear it until I am fully a Knight, my lord."

"Nonsense, you have earned it," Voldemort dismissed. "Did you bring it with you?"

"I did not, my lord."

"You will need to retrieve it. I cannot claim you in public barefaced – it would undoubtedly get back to Dumbledore – but you deserve to be acknowledged. Those that can be trusted will know that it is you."

"You honor me, my lord."

Voldemort gave him a warm smile – emotions were such useful things when manipulating someone. He shifted in his seat and pulled out a roll of parchment. "Have you been in contact with your mother recently?" Voldemort asked.

If Severus was thrown by the change in topic, he didn't show it. "No, my lord. We generally do not speak much while I'm at Hogwarts – it's the owls, very few will actually come to me and mother does not own one. If I have something urgent to say to her, I usually ask Narcissa to send the letter for me."

"I see…" Voldemort said. The mention of Lucius's betrothed was interesting, perhaps something he would need to look into later. It wouldn't do for Severus to have a strong attachment to someone other than him. "She was in my Year at Hogwarts, you know." Severus jerked as if he had been slapped.

"She was?" He asked incredulously.

Voldemort chuckled at the look on his Chosen's face. "She was." He confirmed. Severus flushed red – Voldemort thought it endearing. "We lost contact after graduation, of course. When you were brought to my attention, I did not know you were the son of Eileen Prince. I suspected it when you were first brought before me – you share many traits with her – she later wrote to me and confirmed my suspicions."

Severus cringed; interesting. "If I may, what did she say to you, my lord?"

Voldemort studied the young man before him. He was lenient with the teen, he knew he was. More than he was even with Bella. He wasn't sure if that should be troubling or not. He passed the roll of parchment to his Chosen. "Here, you may read it."

"Thank you, my lord." Severus did not take long to read it, his dark eyes flew across the page, his brow furrowing the further down he read. He looked back up at Voldemort when he finished.

"You notice something is… off, do you not?"

The teen nodded slowly and handed the letter back with a sigh. "I thought she had been getting better…"

"Something was wrong with Eileen?" Voldemort asked sharply. They hadn't been friends per se, but she had never been nasty to him like the other Slytherins had been at first. She'd even misdirected them from him a few times. That was not the sort of thing Voldemort was prone to forget.

Severus blinked at him. "She… starting in my fourth year, I noticed she was… that she was slipping. I researched and found that it was likely Wild Magik taking over her core. She got worse each year until Heir Malfoy showed up at my house over the summer. She regained some of herself after that visit, but clearly, she's regressed."

Voldemort narrowed her eyes. "I take it your… father was the source of the turmoil in her magic?"

It was subtle, but Voldemort could tell Severus was now guarded. That would never do. "Yes. Tobias was… a hateful man."

"Do not water it down, Severus," Voldemort said harshly. "Do not diminish what the Muggle did to you and Eileen."

"He was abusive," Severus blurted out, looking like he wasn't really sure why he said that out loud.

Voldemort smiled at him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Neither of you are any less for that." He took the letter back from Severus and looked over the shaky handwriting that was once elegant. "You know once Wild Magik takes root in someone's core, it cannot be cured." His voice was almost gentle – not a tone he had ever put much effort into perfecting.

"I know," the boy said, his voice tight.

Voldemort stared into the flames, thinking. "She should finish her life in comfort, don't you think?"

"Yes my lord, but-"

"But what, Severus?"

"I don't have the money to give her a comfortable… end."

"She is the only child of Lord Severance Augustus Prince, she will have a comfortable end, Severus."

"My lord… Lord Prince disowned her and any heirs she might have had."

Voldemort squeezed his shoulder. "I will handle it." After all, Voldemort repaid his debts. He and Eileen would be even if he did this for her – and if Severus became Lord Prince then it would likely entrench the boy more with him.

He would keep Severus by his side, no matter what. If he couldn't have him, then no one could. Voldemort never did learn how to share his toys as little orphan Tom Riddle.

{Furius Draconis}

(Wednesday, December 21st)

As part of his responsibilities as Heir Malfoy, it was upon Lucius to organize any public affairs that Malfoys were hosting, especially since his father was bedridden these days. As such, Lucius spared no expense for this year's Malfoy Annual Yule Ball. From the food to the decorations, to the drinks and the entertainment. It wouldn't do for it to be thought of the Malfoys that they went the cheap route on anything.

He had spent months planning this event, down to the very last detail. Even the elves had freshly pressed tea towels, embroidered with the Malfoy Family Crest.

He had even told Narcissa what colors she should wear, in order to match with him and with the decorations. So it was greatly disappointing when she arrived wearing the opposite of what he had asked of her.

"Betrothed," he greeted coolly.

She arched an inquisitive brow. "Yes, Lucius?"

He pointed a disdainful finger at her robes. "That is not evergreen, nor is that gold."

She looked down at her robes of silver and red before looking back at him, confused. "Is this not what you requested I wear?"

He rolled his eyes. "No," he seethed. "I told you, evergreen and gold." He gestured sharply to his own robes, ornate and splendid in those colors. They were also long enough to hide his boots he had special made to give him enough height to be taller than Narcissa – she had never seen him without them on, charmed as they were to look like a normal pair of boots. It wouldn't do to let her know she was the taller of the two.

"It is easily fixed." She pulled her wand and with a complicated pattern, she changed the colors to perfectly match his own robes.

"That is rather beside the point-"

"Ah, Lucius, you're looking charming as ever," Bellatrix interrupted, her eyes sharp and dangerous.

He sneered wordlessly at her, his ego still stinging from the… lesson she had taught him. She smirked at him before turning to her sister. "Cissa, how lovely you look! However, I liked the red and silver on you better – it brought out your eyes more and silver is much better for your complexion. Don't you think, Lucius?"

He twitched.

"Narcissa looks radiant in whatever color she wears," he answered, refusing to yield.

"A very diplomatic response," Bellatrix said, smiling at him knowingly, dealing another blow to his ego. The glitter in her eyes told him she knew it too. The bitch.

She turned to her sister. "You must come and find me later in the evening, Cissa. I feel as if it has been an entire year since I've seen you."

"Of course, Bella," Narcissa said warmly. They embraced before Bellatrix swept away; Lucius knew she'd be keeping an eye on him this evening.

He stiffly offered Narcissa his arm, which she took daintily. They then took a turn of the ballroom to see and be seen, as was expected of the Heir apparent and his betrothed.

That done, Lucius removed her hand from his arm. "I've business to attend to. Mingle if you will." And then he was gone. He didn't care if he was being rude to her or not.

He didn't really have business to deal with, but this way, he could keep an eye on Narcissa. When his plan with Severus fell through and now with Bellatrix keeping an eye on him, he had to try a different method for determining where her eye had strayed. This ball was an opportunity as he had invited several members of her year group.

Lucius settled in, his eyes tracking her movements from across the hall.

Perhaps he could ask one of his elves to track her movements while at Hogwarts? Yes, that could work, he would see to it once the Ball was over.

Snape entered the hall, fashionably late, and dressed splendidly in robes of red so dark they looked black, trimmed with silver. Lucius had not supplied him with the money for those robes, so the Dark Lord must have done so… and wasn't that irritating.

He was nothing more than a half-blood, a poor, filthy half-blood that grew up in a hovel and allowed a Muggle to beat him. And yet, it was he that the Dark Lord favored. Not Lucius.

So what if the half-blood was half decent at potions? Lucius was the Heir to the Malfoy Family, a proud member of the Sacred Twenty-Eight! He should be favored by the Dark Lord over any half-blood, no matter their skills!

It hadn't bothered him to introduce Snape to the Dark Lord, after all, they had all been asked about Potioneers that might be persuaded to join and he'd be damned if anyone else introduced Snape before him, but he wasn't meant to be a Chosen. Lucius was, damn it all. He did more for the Dark Lord than Snape ever could.

Lucius snatched a drink from a passing elf and leaned against the wall, glowering and grumbling to himself as he pulled himself back to his task of watching his betrothed. She was currently walking around the ballroom on Snape's arm, mingling masterfully with the large crowd.

So far, she had not paid any undue attention to any of the guests, nothing that would suggest to him that she held feelings for any of those he had seen her talking to. But that did not necessarily rule any of them out. As far as he was concerned, the only one she couldn't possibly be interested in was Snape himself, even though it was Snape's arm she clung to where she only ever laid her hand on his offered arm. He was everything Snape wasn't: handsome, rich, cultured, desirable – did he mention handsome?

There was no way Narcissa could ever be interested in Severus Too Many Bloody Names Snape.

{Furius Draconis}

Bellatrix was entirely certain her baby sister was interested in Severus Snape.

She had never seen her so… radiant, so happy, as she was walking the ballroom on Snape's arm. The ease with which he had offered it to her spoke of habit. That Narcissa's robes originally matched the colors of Snape's robes before Malfoy threw his little hissy fit was not lost on her either.

Her eyes narrowed in on her lord's newest Chosen, wondering if he felt the same way towards her baby sister. She truly did not know him well enough to discern that – yet. Bellatrix had always taken her role as eldest sister seriously – she knew both Narcissa and Andromeda inside and out, which is probably the only reason she could see her youngest sister's interest so clearly.

Her focus shifted over to the corner Heir Malfoy thought he was hiding in and couldn't bite back the sneer that formed. If he weren't so valuable to her lord, she probably would have killed him for what he had asked of Snape in regard to Cissa.

She knew the teen was at the very least devoted to Cissa, just from what her sister had told her of her Prefect counterpart, as well as from the fact he refused Heir Malfoy. How deep that devotion ran, she had no idea. It bore looking into, only because Cissa was so obviously enamored with him. She would need to speak to her youngest sister about this, and soon before others managed to catch on to where her attention strayed.

It wouldn't do for Cissa to stray from her betrothal with Heir Malfoy. Andromeda had already taken that route – Bellatrix really couldn't fault her for that, given who she was to marry, but it would likely mean Narcissa's death should she follow in the steps of Andromeda. Not something she was willing to allow to happen.

She knew her own inability to marry due to no one being brave enough, coupled with Andromeda eloping and Sirius running away, put an enormous strain on the youngest Blacks. She hated it but knew she could do nothing about it.

Perhaps she could speak to Snape, get a feel of where he stood. She would speak to Narcissa first, though.

{Furius Draconis}

"I never thought I'd see you in a color other than black," Narcissa teased, a gentle smile on her face.

He gave her a slight glare from the corner of his eye. "You are the one who picked the colors, Narcissa. I would be wearing black if you had left it up to me."

She laughed at that. "This a good color on you, darling. You look very handsome tonight."

He gave her a disbelieving look; he knew very well that he did not approach handsome. "I'll take your word for it," he allowed.

"I mean it!" she said, tightening her grip on his arm. "Have you not noticed the looks you've been getting from most everyone tonight?"

"I beg your pardon?" he asked, bewildered. "What looks?"

She laughed again (Merlin, he loved her laugh). "Oh my darling, you are not observant at all to have missed the attention you've gotten tonight."

He huffed. "Narcissa, I think you mistake who that attention has been for – clearly, they were looking at you. You look radiant."

"Thank you, darling," she said sweetly.

"Were you fishing for a compliment, Narcissa?" he teased.

"Of course not!" she said. "That was just a nice side effect of teasing you, my dear."

He gave a huff of amusement. "Should I start complimenting you more often, Narcissa dear?"

"You would not be remiss to do so, Severus darling," she replied, her eyes glittering mischievously.

He rolled his eyes with a slight smile on his face. "Your wish is my command, fair lady." He said with a mock bow.

As he straightened his spine, something caught his eye. "I think your sister is trying to gain your attention."

"Oh?" Narcissa asked, searching the ballroom for Bellatrix. Severus pointed her in the right direction with a tilt of his head. "You would be correct. I'll be just a moment, darling. I did promise to find her later when I arrived today."

"Take all the time you need," Severus said. Another Black caught his attention, causing him to narrow his eyes. "It looks as if the Team wishes to speak to me."

She gave him a searching look. "Regulus will not allow anything you cannot handle to happen."

He arched a brow at her, but she merely smiled at him (sending a burning jolt through him) before slipping away. He shook his head before making his way over to the Quidditch Team.

"Heir Yaxley, Heir Black, Major and Minor Lestrange, Heir Parkinson," Severus greeted respectfully. He gave Avery a savage smirk. "Avery," he said. The teen sneered back with no real heat behind his gaze.

"Snape! There you are," Regulus greeted him in turn, warmer than he ever had before. Severus arched a brow at him. "I was wondering if it might be possible for you and the Dark Lord to have a duel? So we could see just how advanced you truly are? There's no possible way any of us would ever be able to keep up with you from the way you took out Heir Avery."

Severus glanced at him sharply, before remembering Narcissa's words. He would trust her judgment of her cousin. "If my lord is not opposed, I would not be either. I will ask."

"He's here?" Yaxley asked, his eyebrows jumping up his forehead. "I thought with Ministry officials here, he wouldn't be in such a public place."

"You say that like my lord isn't a master of disguise," Severus said.

"No! – wait – that's, that isn't what I meant!" Yaxley backpedaled. "I didn't think of that."

"Clearly," Severus drawled. "I will speak to him."

Severus drifted away from them without another word in search of the Dark Lord but knew he would not have an easy time of finding him in this massive room. Help was needed.

The only other Chosen he actually knew was Bellatrix, and she seemed much closer to the Dark Lord than he was. She'd probably know how to find him, and she'd also know that if the request of her younger cousin was feasible or not.

Searching for Narcissa's platinum blonde hair made finding the Black sisters that much easier – she stood out in this crowd where most everyone else had dark hair.

There – she was still with her sister. He made his way through the crowd, not really noticing the way they made way for him.

"Severus!" She greeted, her face lighting up beautifully. "That did not take very long; what did they want of you?"

"Heir Black asked if it would be possible to see a duel between myself and the Dark Lord," Severus answered, his own face softening upon approaching her. He turned to her sister. "Bellatrix, I was wondering what you thought of that?"

"What are you asking me for, Severus?"

He felt like she was testing him. "I have only known our lord for a few months and am still learning the etiquette of being his follower, I am not certain if that is something I can request."

Bellatrix smiled at him, and he wasn't entirely certain if that was a good thing or not. "Come, I will escort you to him. I admit to wanting to see such a duel for myself."

She attached herself to his arm before he could say anything to that and subtly dragged him out of the ballroom. They walked in silence, much to Severus's relief. He wasn't entirely certain what to make of Narcissa's sister outside of the fact that she terrified him. At least they were united in protecting Narcissa – he trusted her for that and that alone.

"Do you have a mask with you?" she asked abruptly. "I saw Slughorn earlier this evening. It wouldn't do for to you duel our lord barefaced and have him see that."

Severus nodded. "The Dark Lord asked that I bring it."

Her eyebrows rose. "Did he now? Interesting. Better put it on now."

He didn't know what to say to that, so he said nothing as he pulled out his mask and let the runes attach it to his face.

She appraised him from the corner of her eye. "Nice mask," she said.

"Narcissa suggested the theme," he replied.

"Of course she did." She pulled him around one more corner before stopping before a room Severus had never been to before. She looked at him again before pulling her wand (he couldn't help stiffening) but she only changed the colors of his robes to a deep purple with gold accents. With a knowing smirk, she put her wand away, pulled her own mask on (ornate, but unsettling), and knocked on the doors.

They had to wait a few moments before the door opened of its own volition. Bellatrix entered with grace and confidence, forcing Severus along with her. The well-lit room held a large rectangular table with their lord at the head and several people sitting around it – none of whom he recognized.

"Ah, my Chosen, you have perfect timing," the Dark Lord said, rising from his seat.

The slight change in pressure of Bellatrix's grip on his arm letting him know she was going to kneel, he hastened to do the same.

"My lord," they said, their voices overlapping.

"Rise, my friends. I was just about to send for you, I wish to introduce you to the gentlewizards before you. Dignitaries from across Europe that hold similar views to our own."

Bellatrix squeezed his arm again, harsher this time, to let him know she'd do the talking – he was all to happy to let her. "Well met and bright Yule to you, gentlewizards. You will forgive my companion and I for hiding our identities – it is not yet safe to show face in this country with views like ours. I'm sure you understand."

"Well met," one said. "You both are forgiven; the same is for our countries."

The Dark Lord smiled at the room before turning his gaze to Severus, his eyes sparkling in mirth at seeing his mask. "My dragon here is not yet out of school, but is ferociously formidable – he has been training with me the past few months. Shall we put on a duel for the Ball, so you all may see for yourselves the power you would be aligning yourselves with?"

The men gathered around the table turned to one another, murmuring before the one who spoke earlier said, "If it is not too much trouble, it would be interesting to see how close the rumors are to describing your power."

Lord Voldemort grinned ferociously. "Excellent."


Well, this was a long'un. Hope you all enjoyed it!

My semester starts Monday, so I wouldn't expect too much out of me in the coming months lol