Thanks to all of you who took the time to review my story!
AN- Chapter betaed by Miette and dstone12, thank you :)
Severus spun, avoiding Manylion's attack while sending the Absorball on the right to intercept the Cavaliers' unknown spell, sweat dripping on his forehead as Maverick's Bombardia stuck his Protego shield.
Just like every other day for the past week, even on Hogwarts days, the Faery Cavaliers, Maverick, and Manylion were working hard preparing Severus for the eventuality that he would fight Lord Voldemort and face unexpected magical defences set up by the Lord. While Severus was used to long, intense duels against the voktere, the aim here was to hone his ability to simultaneously defend against multiple kinds of Magic and to quickly use the Absorball in the event an unknown spell or magical attack was aimed at him, all the while remaining physically aware and able to manoeuvre.
The first two days had been hard as he struggled not to lose his focus while using the Absorball. Initially, he often chose to use it on the wrong attack. However, Manylion and Maverick were relentless, and the Cavaliers were as proud to be asked to help as they were determined to see him improve. Severus had not been hit once today despite having begun sparing more than thirty minutes ago. Though he was getting tired.
Another difficulty added to the training was that Dhaal was forbidden from helping Severus. In the event they were separated, as they were during the fight against the Headmaster, Severus had to be able to count on himself alone. The Thestral usually disappeared during the session to train on his own, though he was evasive when asked what it entailed. Severus suspected that Dhaal was looking to unlock the rumoured third Scream, and would no doubt not say a word of it until he had mastered it or given up on it.
"Alright, take a break," shouted Maverick as Severus caught the Cavaliers' spell, the Absorball wobbling under the strength of the spell and feeling hot to his Sense.
Absorballs were said to absorb any magic aimed at them and to keep it contained indefinitely. The reality was more complex than that. From what Severus had been able to Sense and observe these past days, when a spell hit the Absorball, its flow was absorbed into the crystal ball and redirected to form a loop, thus containing the spell's magical energies inside it. The loop spun inside the Absorball, and with each turn, a little bit of the flow's magic was ejected from the loop, and redirected from the crystal to one of the outside flows. Depending on the kind and strength of the spell, a loop could take between a few minutes and several days to be returned to the outside flows.
The intensive use of the Absorball meant that there now were many loops inside it, and at the end of each training session, it would feel hotter to Severus' Sense, brimming with the Magic inside. Severus suspected that contrary to popular belief, Absorballs had a limit where they would not be able to keep magic inside them and would simply explode under the strain. Thankfully, for now, the night was enough for the Absorball to drain itself of most loops and be ready for training the next day..
Severus regretted not having studied this fascinating object sooner, as the loops would have been a great idea to strengthen his null circles if he had more time to think about the way to create those loops.
The clock was ticking with only two days remaining until the vernal equinox. Lord Voldemort had accepted his invitation to meet with House Caspian on that day with great pleasure – or at least, he had seemed to and had even mentioned it during the last meeting, earning Severus a glare from Bellatrix.
Severus did not know what to think of the fact that the Death Eaters still did not seem ready to go after the kids. Lord Voldemort had reassured them that he would soon provide a way to breach the Longbottoms' wards, however, nobody seemed to know which protections the Potters had chosen, nor where they were hiding Harry. As the Lord seemed determined to go after both kids at once, for now, the Death Eaters routine held on: meetings, plannings and raids. Only this morning, Jonathan had sent word that he had been called for a raid.
Most marked Death Eaters – and a few that were not, though there were only a handful left today– were on rotation so that each one of them could have the honour of fighting Aurors and proving their worth by not getting caught while inflicting as much damage as possible. Even some of the Lords had begun going on the more important raids. The fact that Regulus and Jonathan were still asked to go was hopefully a sign that they had not raised suspicions.
"Not bad for a Wizard," said Manylion, clapping him on the shoulder with so much force that someone not trained by Master Richtigk would have fallen on his face.
It was her first praise. Severus felt himself preening inside though he kept his face impassive.
"I would return the compliment, but I have no reference for Centaurs' abilities," he answered, keeping his smirk hidden as her eyes narrowed.
"Above Wizards, don't doubt that," replied the Centauress, baring her teeth at him in a mock snarl.
"You're certainly bigger," allowed Severus.
He had had trouble getting used to her way of moving at first, so different from either Goblins or Vampires but no less impressive. She was surprisingly quick on her feet despite having four of them, and all the more stable because of it.
"I'm sure Hagrid would be delighted to introduce you to the Hogwarts Herd," said Manylion. "Then you'll see that I'm being quite lenient with you."
"I highly doubt that," intervened Maverick. "I have met other Centaurs and..."
Severus did not hear the bickering that followed as his coin suddenly burned with a message.
The next scheduled meeting was to happen tomorrow, and they would only get its location two hours before. A summon this early in the day, when Severus did not partake in raids?
Severus hurriedly took the coin out of his pocket to read the message.
Emergency meeting. Now. Nather Manor.
That could not be right. The previous emergency meeting had been after the Baxter disaster, and even then, they had had one hour to get to the meeting. The Lord could not expect all the Death Eaters to drop everything without a moment's notice, it would be too suspicious, hence the scheduled meetings and the fact that the raids only concerned a few of them each time.
Either Severus was the only one being called, for his expertise or because he had been discovered, or something had happened during Jonathan's raid. They could not be finally ready to go after the kids, the Lord would have wanted all the Death Eaters present, and thus would have given them more time to arrive. Wouldn't he?
"Severus?"
He looked up to see Manylion, Maverick and the Cavaliers watching him with concern.
He did not have the time to hesitate. He could not take too long to answer the call. He needed to have his House prepared, just in case he was wrong about what was going on. Or if he had been discovered. He needed to warn the others too.
"Training's over. Manylion, Maverick, I need you in my office now."
Trusting they would follow him, Severus accioed the Absorball to him then quickly made his way inside the Manor. On the way, he focused on his Bond with Mòr and Tuei, like his Chief had shown him only a few days ago, and summoned them to his office. It mostly worked like his bond with Dhaal, but on a less instinctive level. Said Familiar was already flow-travelling back from wherever he had been, Sensing Severus' urgency.
Once they were all present, Dhaal on his desk and the others standing in front of him, he did not waste any time.
"You know I've been working on a project which could have a big impact on our world and on our House," began Severus. "I told you it would soon be over, and I believe something may be happening now. I need to leave the Manor, and I don't know when I'll be back. I don't know what will happen while I'm away. I need you to be prepared to protect our House."
"What do you want us to do?" asked Tuei, not batting an eye at his announcement.
"Manylion, Mòr, you are in charge of the grounds' protections. Tuei, you have the Manor. Maverick will be in charge of overseeing everything. The wards should be strong against most threats, but we haven't had much time to practise with them. I don't know if they could be tricked by people like Demi and Mimi with more nefarious intent," explained Severus.
Maverick shook his head.
"I'm confident in our protections. Demi and Mimi were a very special case with an unusual intent. We may be a young House but the wards are strong, and such are our members. Not to mention the family stones of Xenophilius and Ted. Our members are well protected."
Severus nodded.
"I agree with you, but we cannot afford to be overconfident. I trust you to make the right choices. I have to say that the attack could come from our own government. Be careful and be sly."
"We won't let you down," swore Manylion, Mòr nodding in agreement.
Severus almost smiled at the pride Dhaal broadcasted through their bond. Their House was strong and capable.
"I know you won't. I may be worrying for nothing, but-"
"Don't second guess yourself," interrupted Maverick. "Better we worry for nothing for a few days than be taken by surprise and dead."
Severus smiled grimly.
"Thank you. Get to work, I need to speak with Andromeda before leaving."
They went out of his office, Maverick hesitating a brief instant but finally opting not to ask any question.
Andromeda came in only moments later after he called on their bond, sitting herself in front of him carefully.
"I told you I would explain my secrets in at most one week from now. Things are happening right now, I need to know I can count on you," stated Severus.
She blinked, a flash of surprise then hurt briefly showing in her eyes.
"Of course you can. You are my Head of House."
"Andromeda. I need to be certain that you will do what I want you to do, what I need you to do, and not what you, Regulus or Narcissa think is best."
He would not have accepted her in his House if he did not trust her. Yet, this was too important to mess up. He could not take the chance that the Black part of her would take precedence over her new House, even if she meant well.
He saw understanding dawn on her.
"Severus. I chose House Caspian. I'm a Slytherin, you know how we are. I will argue with you inside our House to ensure that you've considered every angle and risk you are taking. I will make no mystery of my displeasure at being kept in the dark to the other members of our House. But I will always support you outside. I will always act for the best of our House."
She paused, looking at him thoughtfully.
"You know I spent a long time without the protection of a House. I had to make decisions for myself and the safety of my family on my own for a long time. I am not used to not knowing, I have not been kept ignorant since I was a girl. It will take time to get used to it, and you should not hesitate to call me on it in private if you feel that I overstepped."
They held their gaze for several seconds before Severus nodded.
"Thank you for the clarification. I must ask you to take some actions that will be critical for us in the next hours, and we cannot afford to miscalculate. We cannot afford to be influenced by those who don't know the entire picture."
"And only you know the entire picture?" asked Andromeda.
"I believe I know more than most, though it's impossible to know everything," corrected Severus.
"I'm glad you are aware that you are not Merlin," said Andromeda, relaxing slightly. "What do you need from me?"
"I have been called to a meeting with Lord Voldemort. This might be nothing, but it might also be the sign that we cannot wait anymore. You need to warn Augustus, Regulus and Narcissa so they are ready. But they must not begin until Dhaal comes to them," warned Severus. "They must not begin the plan too early."
"And you really won't give me an inkling of what this plan is about?" asked Andromeda, displeasure showing in the thinning of her mouth.
Severus shook his head.
"I would not have told anyone even if I had been able to. Ignorance is the best protection for our House for now."
Andromeda looked away briefly before nodding with a sight.
"What if Dhaal can't come? Will you send someone else?"
Severus shook his head.
"No. If I haven't contacted any of you in two hours, either to tell you to stand down or to begin the plan, I trust Augustus to make the right decision."
He stood up, knowing he was already taking too long.
"I need to go now. The rest of the House is preparing to defend us, though I don't think it will be necessary."
Andromeda stood up as well and bowed.
"Thank you for trusting me, my Lord. I will not fail you."
They exited his office together, Severus quickly moving to his room with Dhaal on his shoulder.
"I told you you were worrying for nothing," Sensed the Thestral smugly.
"You can never worry for nothing where it concerns the Black family," replied Severus as he changed out of his training clothes into pants and robes with protective runes and ease of movement.
He made sure that the Absorball as well as the null stones were in his pockets, then let his eyes close for one second. He could do this.
"We have prepared for this," Sensed Dhaal seriously.
Severus nodded.
"I know. Let's find out what Lord Voldemort needs from us."
In mere seconds they flow-travelled to Nather Manor grounds, just outside the anti-apparition wards. No, the anti-flow-travelling wards.
"I won't be able to get to the group as fast as we thought," Sensed Dhaal worried. "Shouldn't we arrange another signal?"
"I don't see how, if we want to get the timing right."
"I'm not going to leave you to get them a message if I can't get to you quickly!" exclaimed Dhaal, agitated.
"I'm not a powerless child Dhaal!" replied Severus. "Trust me to hold my own for a while, will you?"
"I don't like it," answered Dhaal mulishly.
"Neither do I," admitted Severus softly, Sensing reassurance and trust to his Familiar.
Dhaal whined but rubbed his head against Severus' cheek in a wordless show of support and love.
They crossed the wards, Magic parting to allow them entrance as the Death Eater coin acted like a key for Severus. The wards would keep out any being who did not possess either a Mark or a coin. Thankfully, it did not include magical creatures like Dhaal. Severus knew the group had tried and failed to find wards able to prevent a Phoenix from getting through.
With his Sense as open as he could without letting his inner defences down, Severus noted that the Manor's protections had been upgraded since his previous visit. He also was more sensitive to it, Sensing with awe the numerous powerful magic flows that coursed through Nather grounds. They were almost overflowing, blinding his Sense and preventing him from distinguishing the goals of the various existing defences of the manor.
Still, Severus noticed that some of the smallest flows felt as twisted as Lord Voldemort. There also was a feel of something different that Severus could not pinpoint, which could be the sign of a dormant ward.
He sadly did not have much time to ponder this mystery as they arrived at the front door of the manor. For once, Dhaal was perched upon Severus' shoulder in plain sight, a show of respect and truth toward Lord Voldemort and Nagini.
Severus expected a House Elf to welcome them, but Nagini was the one to open the door for them, part of her body raised from the floor so that her head was above Severus'. He repressed a shiver as she towered over them, not able to gauge if her hissing was the sign she was assessing them as a threat or simply saying "hello".
She slithered back on the floor and led them to Lord Voldemort, Dhaal's distaste for her echoing with the wrongness of her magical presence. They went past the room where the Lord had received Severus several months ago, going deeper into the manor. He could not help but feel that the manor felt colder and more foreboding today.
To Severus' surprise, they went out of the main building to enter a cloistered garden. The wards felt even stronger here, with additional protections. Lord Voldemort was standing in the middle of the garden, facing Severus and two sitting people who looked to be chained to their seat. Apart from them, the manor seemed to be empty. Severus felt dread coil inside his stomach.
Nagini joined Lord Voldemort, hissing softly at him while affectionately bumping his hand with her head. He hissed back at her with a fond look which reminded Severus of the first time the Lord had offered him the opportunity to join the Defenders, before looking up at his visitors.
"Thank you for coming so quickly, Severus, Dhaal," welcomed Lord Voldemort with a smile.
"It sounded urgent, my Lord," answered Severus with a light bow.
"Marvolo, Severus. We are alone here," corrected the Lord.
"Are we?" asked Severus, tilting his head toward the two prisoners.
The Lord's smile increased with satisfaction.
"Ah yes, you haven't seen my gift yet. Come here, Severus."
His gift?
Severus took the few needed steps to join the Lord with calculated speed, his Occlumency shields raised as tight as he could.
Helhest. It took all his training not to show anything other than surprise as he came face to face with Sirius Potter and Peter Pettigrew. What were the morons doing here?
Pettigrew and Potter-bis glared at him, a magical gag obviously preventing the latter from insulting Severus as much as he would have wished to.
Severus could feel the Lord's gaze on him, analysing his every reaction and waiting for his response to the situation. Why had the Lord called Severus and not Mulciber or Lestrange?
"This is a surprise my Lord. How did we manage to catch half of the Marauders?" asked Severus, his eyes not leaving the prisoners.
"It wasn't easy, but I have an ace up my sleeve," answered Lord Voldemort cryptically with a satisfied smirk.
McDonald. Was she truly a spy for the Death Eater then? Or were Pettigrew and Potter-bis part of a trap from the Order of the Phoenix? But what kind of trap could involve them being kidnapped and hidden behind the powerful wards of Lord Voldemort which would hide them from their allies? The Order knew that the Death Eaters had killed Baxter and tortured other prominent figures. They knew they planned to kill two babies from old and noble families, for Helhest's sake! Why would they think they would hesitate to kill Pettigrew and Potter-bis?
"What do you need from me, Marvolo?" asked Severus, unsure how to navigate this unexpected turn of event.
"One of them is the Potters' secret keeper," explained Lord Voldemort. "I need your help to make them tell us where they are without triggering the spell's safeguards. It will require a subtlety and mastery few are capable of in our group, and I thought it would also be a nice revenge for you after your school years."
It was actually a nice token of appreciation, if you will, in a twisted way, if Severus had enjoyed torturing people with mindtricks and had truly wanted to kill a baby. How was he going to get out of this?
"Are we sure the Potters chose the Fidelius spell?" asked Severus, trying to stall and give himself time to think.
"Yes," stated Lord Voldemort, his demeanour turning colder. "Are you doubting me, Severus?"
There was a warning here. Severus could not help but notice that Nagini had left his field of vision. He could Sense her somewhere on his left, moving to circle behind him.
"I got your back, focus on your Lord," Sensed Dhaal, feeling tense but resolute.
Severus looked at the Lord in the eyes without flinching.
"The Fidelius seems like a foolish choice for a House as old and powerful as the Potters."
"But the Fidelius was recommended by Dumbledore, and we both know that James Potter will do anything the old coot asks of him," replied Lord Voldemort.
"But to choose one of the Marauders as the secret keeper… Isn't it too obvious?" argued Severus.
"It fits with my sources and Dumbledore's disappearance," answered Lord Voldemort.
He crossed his arms, facing Severus with a cold stare.
"Why aren't you more enthusiastic, Severus? I'm offering you the chance to be the key to our victory, and to get revenge on your bullies at the same time, yet you seem strangely reluctant."
"Marvolo, I just want to be certain that we are not following a wrong lead. To kidnap Sirius Potter is to take a great risk and have the entire Auror Department looking for him. The Potters' magic may also help them find him and—"
"I assure you my wards are stronger than that, Severus," interrupted Lord Voldemort, offended. "Do you know Severus, I always listen to you during meetings. To what you say and what you don't. I know you are not convinced by our current interpretation of the Prophecy. I tried to see if I could find other interpretations and I must say there is one that could also fit very well."
"Is there?" asked Severus, keeping his voice steady even as the Lord's presence seemed to become darker with each passing second.
The Lord smiled, and it took all of Severus' willpower to stand his ground and not take a step back.
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches… The Prophecy came out at the beginning of 1980, a few months before you finished your Apprenticeship. Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... There are many ways to be born, either in flesh or in Magic. If I'm not mistaken, you were emancipated at the beginning of July and passed your NEWTS at the end of July, which allowed you not to go back to Hogwarts for your last two years. You became a free man, right?"
"Indeed," answered Severus, not believing his ears. Was the Lord really trying to tie Severus to the Prophecy?
"Abraxas served as your cautions. Abraxas helped you study for your NEWTs. He was the one to support me first, but he was also very cautious of the Defenders. There are many ways to defy someone," stated Lord Voldemort, his eyes boring into Severus'.
"Really Marvolo, I can't belie—"
"And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not…" continued the Lord, imperturbable. "You are my equal, both in Magic and blood. I told you so during Lucius' wedding. I asked you to be my pillar and my safeguard. You came back to us with a powerful Familiar, a Thestral, master of Death. Tell me Severus, do you wish to kill me?"
"Never, Marvolo," answered Severus, trying to put all his feelings about the matter in his voice. "Prophecies can be made to fit almost anyone because they are so vague. Did anyone accuse me of betraying you? Did they come to you with proof or only whispers of rumours, lies and jealousy?"
He needed to switch the focus away from him. He needed the Lord to believe him.
The Lord let out a small laugh, breaking the mounting tension.
"As always you aim true to the heart of the matter, Severus. Of course they are jealous. You are my favourite after all. My chosen heir."
His heir? Was it really how Marvolo thought of him?
"And yet, truth can be discovered within jealousy," continued the man, as if he had not just blindsided Severus. "You are friends with Wilkes and you trust Augustus because of his friendship with your late mentor. I believe the two of them to be in agreement with Lady Greengrass about our actions. They would try to manipulate you against me."
"I assure you they did nothing of the kind," said Severus truthfully, thankful the Lord had not included Regulus in the lot. "Yes they have their doubts about the direction our group is taking, but they remain convinced our goal is worthy."
"Hmm, we'll soon know who is right about this between you and Bella," said Lord Voldemort gravely.
Severus felt alarm grow at his words, but did not have any way to act about them as the man kept speaking.
"Even she has her bias. She can't believe that the Black heir would plot against me but she insists that his closest friends do. It seems to me that you're either all traitors or all faithful. What do you think, Severus? Is it the Black heir using you as his puppet to gain control of the group in my stead?"
"If someone is trying to manipulate us, they are those who implied that I'm not loyal to you," answered Severus firmly. "You asked me to be your safeguard against the most extreme members of our group. I'm doing my best to do so but it's not easy when you listen to them so often."
"You claim to be loyal, and yet, you're stalling to avoid wringing the Potters' hiding place from those two," stated Lord Voldemort, suddenly reminding Severus of their two prisoners. "I can't help but remember how fond you once were of Lily Potter née Evans. What would you believe if you were in my shoes?"
Severus looked at the Lord. He seemed to be willing to listen to Severus. He had noticed patterns that made him doubt Severus, doubts amplified by the likes of Bellatrix. If Severus told him the truth…
"We decided we were not taking that risk!' Sensed Dhaal, alarmed.
"You know I didn't agree with the others on this," countered Severus.
He had always been as honest as possible with Marvolo. Wasn't it the perfect opportunity to right this mess without losing his trust?
"Broer, are you sure?" asked Dhaal, agitation leaking through their bond.
The other option was to use illusions, potions and mind tricks to fool the two Marauders and make them give up the Potters' hiding place. Severus could make himself do this, however, if this was a kind of trap from the Order of the Phoenix…
"Be ready to defend yourself or go to Andromeda," warned Severus.
He took a deep breath to steel himself then faced Marvolo. The older man was looking at him with a mix of curiosity and anticipation.
"Those two are not the ones we should be focusing on right now," stated Severus. "You asked me to be your safeguard, and this is what I've been doing ever since I came back from my Apprenticeship. You're straying from the path Slytherin laid out for us because you are not completely yourself anymore."
The Lord froze.
"What are you saying, Severus?"
His voice was deceptively calm compared to the way Nagini's magical presence had sharpened in Severus' Sense.
"First, we should put those two to sleep. I don't think they should be privy to this discussion," said Severus, tilting his head in the direction of the prisoners.
With a flick of his wand, the Lord cast the Bewitched spell on Pettigrew and Potter-bis despite their respectively alarmed and furious look. They slumped in their chairs, unconscious as soon as the spell hit.
"I'm listening."
How to say his part without being hexed right away or worse?
"Everyone agrees that you're the one holding our group together. You are our chance to stop our world from slipping into the grasp of those who believe that the only difference between Muggles and us is that we get a wand at eleven. You are our chance to translate Slytherin's rules into laws so that Magic and its children may flourish. We know it. You know it. As you told me before, as Abraxas told me many years ago, you're the one who allowed multiple factions to work together. Without you, we have no guarantee that our movement will persist and prevail. So you took steps to ensure that death would not prevent you from achieving your mighty goal."
Severus waited with bated breath as his words sank. Marvolo was as still as a statue.
Finally, the Lord spoke.
"So you've discovered my secret."
"Secrets," corrected Severus gently, remaining on high alert.
This was the moment when one wrong word could make or break the trust between them.
"You are thorough," said Lord Voldemort lightly, with a hint of admiration showing. "But they made me more than I was, not less."
"Until you made too many and added the Marks to the mix."
"Speak plainly, Severus. We're past allusions and half insinuations," snapped Marvolo.
"Making too many Horcruxes is dangerous for your core's stability. You felt it, this is why you used the Marks to take Magic from the marked Death Eaters, to counterbalance the magic you are losing due to having to sustain so many Horcruxes," explained Severus. "You did not intend for the Marks to work both ways, but they do."
Severus caught the sudden straightening of Marvolo's spine at his last words. He watched as the Lord got a far away look, no doubt focusing on his Mark to check that Severus was telling the truth.
"It should not be possible," whispered the other man after several minutes, the look of uncertainty foreign on his face.
He looked at Severus sharply.
"How do you explain it?"
"With so many Horcruxes, your core is stretched thin, even with the added Magic brought by the Marks. You just don't have enough Magic left to pay your sacrifices. Which means—"
"That Magic is trying to pay itself back by taking Magic from me through the Marks, making it an infinite circle. But if I'm giving magic to them, their core…"
"You know exchanging Magic is the surest way to twist cores," nodded Severus.
"And it twists mine in return."
It was not the only thing twisting Marvolo's core but at least, the Lord had gotten the gist of the problem and was not accusing Severus of lying. Overall, the Lord seemed strangely appreciative as if discovering a new facet to magic he had not yet fully explored or understood. It was like you could see the blocks were beginning to fall into place expanding his mental architecture regarding magic.
"Thank you for bringing the matter to my attention, Severus."
He felt himself relax minutely.
"But that doesn't explain why I cannot reach any of my Horcruxes."
The Lord's face was impassive, yet his eyes promised that Severus would die if his answer was not satisfactory.
"I found them and put them somewhere safe," admitted Severus. "I wanted to have them at hand when I told you about all of this. This is the true reason why I asked you to come to my House on the vernal equinox. So that I would tell you about the effect of your Horcruxes and the Marks on yourself and convince you to reunite with them."
"Reunite with them?" repeated the Lord, surprised. "You don't want to destroy them?"
"It would be too dangerous for you," replied Severus. "Your magical reserve is already far too low."
"And then what?" asked Marvolo. "If I reunite with my Horcruxes, my core will have enough magic to pay for my sacrifices so magic will stop paying itself through the Marks… Wait... No... My core will be full enough that Magic will try to make me pay for all my unpaid sacrifices of these past years at once. It may not even wait until I'm reunited with all my Horcruxes before attempting to pay itself. Are you trying to kill me, Severus?!"
"No!" exclaimed Severus. "I have created a blocking circle that should cut you off from magic and allow you to reunite with your Horcruxes safely then control the way you are going to pay Magic back."
That was quite the exaggeration, but he could feel that he would never be able to convince Marvolo to risk dying while paying Magic back. The Lord did not seem to notice it.
They remained silent for several minutes, Lord Voldemort thinking hard. Nagini had slithered back to his feet, which Severus took as a sign that the Lord had put all thoughts of betrayal on the side for now.
Finally, the older man spoke.
"This is too dangerous."
Severus felt his heart sink.
"I cannot take the risk of dying while paying Magic back. You said it yourself Severus. Our movement is not certain to survive me. And I really don't want to die."
I don't want you to kill me the moment I'm whole went unsaid but resonated in Severus' head.
"Plus, I don't want to lose Nagini. However, what if I reunited with only some of my Horcruxes?"
Severus blinked in surprise. That was not a definite refusal.
"I could keep Nagini and another Horcrux to ensure my survival."
Marvolo's gaze rested on Severus, almost… pleading and… hopeful.
"We can try," answered Severus slowly. "I had not thought of this possibility, but… We can try. I'm not sure it will be enough to untwist your core and allow you to pay Magic back, especially with the Marks still on."
Marvolo looked away from him and sighed.
"I'm not sure I could remove the Marks right now even if I wanted to. The two way magical exchange changes things. But you knew that, this is also why you have your blocking circle. To protect the Mark bearers."
Severus gave a slight head nod in agreement. The man was sharp as ever.
"Can we wait to be done with the Prophecy before doing the reunification?"
"The more we wait, the more your core and those of the marked Death Eaters' get twisted," said Severus. "And the more the instability in your core increases."
He looked with interest as Nagini and Lord Voldemort held a long conversation in Parseltongue. Was Nagini supporting the reunification or counselling Marvolo to kill him? Of course, the Lord could not do so as long as he could not reach his Horcruxes and find their location.
"Alright, we'll do the reunification now," finally said Lord Voldemort.
Really?
"I suppose you have everything ready," continued the man with a wry smile.
"Indeed. However, I must warn you that the blocking circle is tricky. Once inside, you cannot get out of it on your own. You need someone outside to move one of the stones to break it," answered Severus, trying to think of everything he needed to tell Marvolo so he would not get back to the idea that Severus was a traitor. "If you agree, I intend to be inside the circle with you to help you with the reunification. Your Horcruxes could need some help merging back with your core, especially if the older ones are more than a few years old."
"Who would move the stone to get us out then?"
"Dhaal. And Nagini if you wish her to remain outside, but she can also be inside the circle with us."
If you want additional protection went unsaid.
"We'll need to take the prisoners inside with us too," mused Marvolo. "We don't know how long it will last or how the magic manipulation may affect us or the wards. We cannot take the risk to have them free themselves."
Severus grimaced but nodded. Better to have the Marauders inside than outside.
"We'll do this here. The wards are old and attuned to me, they will help bolster me and protect the group," stated Marvolo.
He sounded so sure of himself that Severus did not dare propose they move to Fox Covert. Moving Pettigrew and Potter-bis there would also be an unnecessary hassle.
He showed the Lord the stones of the blocking circle then set them up in the garden, moving the still bound and unconscious Pettigrew and Potter-bis a bit so they were inside the circle without disturbing it. He left only one stone askew to keep the circle open for now. They were lucky the weather was fair for this time of year.
"Will you ask Augustus to bring the Horcruxes now?"
"I don't want to have all the Horcruxes together at once, we don't know how they will react or try to influence us. I need to know which one is your first, and I'll send Dhaal to fetch it," answered Severus.
He did not want to admit to the others' participation in the plan unless he had no other choice. It would also allow Dhaal the opportunity to share what had happened using his bond with Andromeda.
The Lord stared at him for a few seconds before nodding.
"The first one is at Lucius'."
Of course it was.
"I'll ask him to bring it here," continued the man unperturbed.
Severus did not want to involve his brother in this. However, he could not make any objection that would not immediately make Marvolo suspicious. The Lord clearly was trying to get back in control and using Lucius to do it was clever. Severus would have to check that the Horcrux really was the first one. He hoped it would be as easy to Sense as Wirkrund had made it sound.
He nodded his assent and watched as the Lord used his Mark to send a message to Lucius. He hoped Narcissa was watching over her husband closely.
"How did you find out about my Horcruxes?"
Marvolo's voice was steady, his eyes showing genuine curiosity. Severus felt hope rise in his chest. They could make it. If he did not lose the other man's trust with an ill-advised answer.
"The twisting of Magic coming from your core and the ones of the marked members of our group was obvious during my first meeting," answered Severus, watching Marvolo closely.
"I see. That's the true reason why Dhaal refused to let you take my Mark."
Severus nodded.
"Why did you not tell me then?"
Now to walk the fine line of telling the truth without reawakening the man's suspicion of betrayal.
"I was taken by surprise. The level of corruption was… unbelievable. I also had no idea at first of its origin, and if it was voluntary or not."
Severus sighed.
"I had been away for several years. I had to be…"
"Cautious," completed Marvolo for him. "No Slytherin would blame you for it. And you had not yet proven your extraordinary mastery of Magic yet. Even I may not have taken you seriously then."
He paused, pensive.
"How did you understand that the corruption was due to the Horcruxes and the Mark?"
He did not want to confirm to the Lord that Augustus, Jonathan and Regulus knew about the Horcruxes and had been part of the plan. Yes, he had suspicions, but as long as Severus did not confirm it, it remained only this.
"Well. I first suspected the Marks because of comments I heard from various marked Death Eaters. Jonathan, Evan and Lucius of course, but other younger members as well. All of them mentioned that being marked gave them a feeling of belonging. I also noticed that the marked Death Eaters seemed to influence each other's feelings during meetings, especially when tensions ran high," explained Severus.
"Really?" said Lord Voldemort. "I had wondered… I thought that it was the feeling of belonging brought by the Marks that made us reach a consensus more easily."
He did not seem to lie. He might be truly unaware of the depth of the influence of the Marks onto their bearers.
"And then, how did you—"
To Severus' relief, they were interrupted by the unexpected and sudden arrival of a House Elf who was talking to himself.
"Bad diary! Dobby told you, Dobby cannot lend you his Magic! Dobby won't let you take Magic from anyone else, Dobby is a good Elf! Dobby knows that you're hurting, Dobby promises that Mistress Narcissa's family will help you. They will reunite you with yourself and you won't hurt anymore. No, you cannot use the magic of the wards, even if this is not Malfoy Manor. Bad diary, Dobby will punish you if you keep this up, naughty diary,..."
Severus recognised the House Elf as being one of Lucius'. He quickly realised that Dobby was in fact speaking to the thin black notebook he held in his hand. A notebook which felt as wrong as a Horcrux. This had to be the diary.
The House Elf's one sided speech was concerning as it showed high awareness from the Horcrux.
"You are not Lucius Malfoy," said Marvolo to Dobby, though he looked more intrigued than angry.
Dobby tore his attention from the Horcrux toward the Lord with difficulty. He blinked, then smiled suddenly, looking back at the diary excitedly.
"See, this is the main part of you. I told you Mistress Narcissa was going to help!"
"How did you manage to get past the wards?" asked Lord Voldemort, making his voice sharper to bring the House Elf's focus back to himself.
Dobby blinked at him.
"Dobby is using the diary link to the wards to get access. Mistress Narcissa said it was urgent to get it to you."
House Elf magic was definitely a wonder.
Dobby's ears fluttered earnestly.
"Mistress Narcissa is also saying that she is very sorry but Master Lucius is indisposed and cannot come here himself, so she is sending Dobby to bring the diary."
She was very clever.
Lord Voldemort echoed his thoughts.
"One has to admire a woman who's both a Black and a Malfoy. Dobby, would you please put my diary in the circle?"
Severus still could not reconcile Lord Voldemort's behaviour toward Dìleas and now Dobby with Kreacher's atrocious memories. Once more, he wondered if it was the effects of the Lord's twisted core, amplified in the aftermath of creating a Horcrux, or if the Lord just did not care for those he deemed unworthy.
The House Elf obeyed the Lord's request then looked at him expectantly, earning a speculative look.
"Is there something you wish to say?"
Dobby nodded enthusiastically.
"Mistress says that Dobby is to assist you in any way he can."
The Lord seemed to hesitate before shaking his head.
"Thank you Dobby, but I don't need your services. Go back to your Mistress."
The House Elf went to protest but the Lord silenced him with a look. His ears dropping, Dobby nodded and disappeared.
Without further ado, Marvolo walked inside the circle.
Severus was frozen for a second. Could it be that simple? Where was the Lord's paranoia? Didn't he have more questions about the proceedings? Shouldn't he have asked for more assurances?
"Are you coming, Severus? This is your plan and we don't have time to waste," called Lord Voldemort, impatient.
"I'm here, Marvolo," answered Severus, walking inside the circle.
He looked at Nagini who made no move to join them inside.
"Be careful," Sensed Severus to Dhaal.
"Mind your Marvolo and I'll mind his abomination," Sensed back Dhaal.
Severus put the last stone into its place. Immediately, he felt the runes activate, isolating them from the outside.
"Impressive."
Severus looked at Marvolo, feeling his chest fill with pride at the admiring look in the Lord's gaze. The older man walked along the circle, examining it with his Sense.
"After we've dealt with the Prophecy and the election, we will take the time to speak about Magic together," stated Marvolo.
Severus nodded with a small smile. He dearly hoped they would be able to.
"Focus," Sensed Dhaal sternly. "We don't even know if he'll be alive in the end."
Trust his Familiar to keep Severus' feet on the ground.
"Alright, what do I do now, Severus? Do I take my Horcrux in my hand and wait for it to merge? Do I encourage it to merge with me?" asked the Lord, looking at Severus questioningly.
"First, I need to check if it will fit correctly with your core without needing my help," answered Severus.
And I need to check you did not lie about the diary being your first Horcrux, added Severus in his own mind.
Marvolo nodded, watching him closely.
Severus focused on the diary, prepared to examine it when he suddenly remembered something quite important.
He looked at the Lord hesitantly.
"I almost forgot. To be able to help and check your core, and later help if the Horcrux doesn't fit, you'll need to lower your inner shields."
To his surprise, Marvolo rolled his eyes.
"I am aware, Severus."
Right. The Lord was well versed in Magic, even though he did not seem to have heard of Khorlos.
First, Severus focused lightly on Marvolo's core, ignoring a shiver of disgust at its wrongness. All of the older man's Khorlos were at least cracked, however three were wide open. No wonder his core was so twisted. Then, Severus focused on the diary, adjusting his Sensing shield to protect himself while letting him study the Horcrux. It felt as wrong as the others.
Patiently, Severus examined it then followed the link between the Horcrux and Lord Voldemort's core. He felt himself relax a bit as he confirmed that Marvolo had been honest with him. The Horcrux was half of the Lord's Manipura.
He frowned to himself as he compared the diary's Sense and the Khorlo's.
"How long ago did you make this Horcrux?"
"Hmm, about forty years ago," answered Marvolo.
"How is he even sane?" Sensed Dhaal, incredulous.
"Wirkrund said that with proper precaution, you could live normally with a Horcrux," answered Severus. "Remember that Marvolo's skill and knowledge is above most Wizards'."
Dhaal did not answer, but Severus got the feeling that his Familiar was reevaluating his assessment of the Lord.
"The other Horcruxes are far more recent, aren't they?" asked Severus, curious to confirm his theory that Marvolo had only lost control in the last few years.
"Indeed," confirmed the Lord, his face unreadable. "I made the second one about five years ago."
What had changed, wondered Severus, to push the Lord to make another Horcrux when he had lived thirty five years with only one? How would everything be different today if he had remained content with his only Horcrux?
"Severus," warned Dhaal.
Right, focus on the task at hand.
"Marvolo, this Horcrux won't fit back easily, your core has changed too much in forty years. I will need to help you… position it properly, and maybe to hold it until it… sticks to you. I don't know if it will be painful or uncomfortable," admitted Severus.
The Lord did not seem surprised, only impatient.
"I figured as much. Let's get on with it."
Marvolo accioed the diary to him, Severus' Sense honed in on both his Manipura and his Horcrux. As soon as the diary hit the other man's hand, Severus used a tiny bit of outside magic to help guide the magical flow coming from the Horcrux toward Manipura.
At first, it went smoothly, Severus only needing to keep the link between the Horcrux and Marvolo's Manipura steady and prevent the Horcrux from latching on to the other Khorlos. It was almost like trying to merge the source of the river with its mouth, with the flow of the river getting more and more compressed as its source got closer to its mouth, and the river trying to get out of its bed because of the energy filling it.
Severus estimated they were almost halfway done when the flow between the diary and Manipura stilled.
He looked at Marvolo, wondering if something was wrong, and could not help but stare. A translucent young man was facing the Lord, and from the look of him, he was the physical manifestation of the Horcrux.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Severus blinked. He had not even imagined the Horcrux could speak or show more personality than to try and feed on someone's magic.
"What do you think you're doing?" shot back Marvolo, frowning at his younger translucent self.
"I am saving myself. I don't need you to exist, I was growing stronger without your help!"
This younger Marvolo was much more expressive, though he emitted just as much assurance as his older self.
"You certainly need me to exist, we are one and the same," answered Marvolo, looking both baffled and exasperated.
"We certainly aren't anymore. Look at what you did to yourself! You're a right mess!"
"I am aiming to fix this hence the need to reunite together," explained the Lord through gritted teeth. "Now stop resisting and get on with it, I don't have all day!"
"And why should you be the one in control? It doesn't seem like a good idea from where I'm standing," sneered the young Marvolo.
To Severus' alarm, he felt the Horcrux tug on his Sense before looking up at him.
"Hi there," said the young Marvolo, looking at Severus speculatively. "We must be very good friends if he's trusting you to do this. And you have to be almost as brilliant as us. So you know that there's something really wrong with him and that I'm in a far better state than he is."
Severus felt amusement rise through him despite the seriousness of the situation. Was this part of Marvolo really trying to bargain with him so that he would keep existing? How cheeky… he thought incredulously.
"I know Marvolo's Magic is twisted right now. We are trying to heal it, thus the reunification," answered Severus.
"But why should I pay for his mistake? I was going to be strong enough to regenerate my body soon!" pouted the young man.
If he was saying the truth, which Magic had he been feeding on? Lucius'? Hadn't Dobby said that he had been preventing the diary from feeding on Magic not his own?
"That's enough," snapped Marvolo.
Suddenly, Severus felt the link between the Horcrux and its Khorlo tense as Marvolo tried to force his Horcrux to merge back while the latter still resisted. Magic was intent, and in this case, a 'battle of wills' would determine the winner. Severus could not do anything to help aside from keeping the link from spreading to the rest of Marvolo's core.
After what felt like an eternity but surely only was mere minutes, the flow of Magic began to move again from the Horcrux to Marvolo. Slowly at first, then faster and faster.
"Don't do this! Please! I'm you! I don't want to be you when I'm old, I want to be better! Don't, please…"
Severus made himself ignore the Horcrux's pleas as he slowly began to lose substance. Marvolo and he were one and the same. No, he was not killing one man to save another, he admonished himself as the Horcrux's influence faded.
Finally, the Horcrux slammed against its Khorlo, making it whole aside from a few uneven places. Patiently, Severus used outside flows to coax Manipura into stretching itself to come into contact with the Horcrux part of itself everywhere, without leaving any gaps or holes.
When Manipura finally became complete and seated itself properly in place, Severus barely had time to raise his various shields up before being pushed both through Sensing and through a burst of uncontrolled Magic that he barely absorbed with his Protego.
"Sorry Severus," said Marvolo, almost sheepish. "I did not expect this reaction from my core." He hesitated then slowly admitted: "It feels like I'm too full and my Magic needs to escape me."
Recalling how he had felt after creating his House and adopting his House members, Severus was not surprised. The man had not realised how much Magic his core was wasting trying to get its Khorlos back together. Even though Wirkrund seemed to think that, if you were careful, you could live your entire life with one Horcrux without it affecting your core, Severus was not convinced that it was true for as long as forty years. You might have managed not to twist your core, but it had to be affected somewhat.
"Alright, may I look at your core?" asked Severus.
Marvolo nodded, gesturing at Severus to go ahead.
Once more, Severus focused his Sense on the other man's core.
The first thing he realised was that his core looked more solid than it had previously. He had not even noticed that it looked less corporeal than his own in his previous observation, but now that it had gained intensity, the difference was startling.
His second observation was that Manipura was no longer gaping as wide as before but had remained open. Good.
His third and last observation was more worrying. Marvolo's core was vibrating, as if it was trying to find an outlet for the sudden afflux of magic. Severus had no idea what it would mean if the vibrations increased with each Horcrux.
"I hadn't realised that my Horcruxes could develop a… personality of their own," said Marvolo softly, gazing at the now inoffensive diary. "Subduing him wasn't easy. Is it going to be the same for each of them?"
"I don't think so," answered Severus, understanding his apprehension. "This one was the oldest by far and… I think the first one is special."
It was part of the main Khorlo.
"So far so good," Sensed Dhaal. "The abomination seems to trust you, she did not even move when the other Marvolo fought."
"She is linked to them both as a Familiar and a Horcrux. She was aware of everything happening," Sensed back Severus, though he could admit to himself that having Nagini on his side would be a plus.
They should take a break now to let Marvolo's core adjust, yet, Severus knew the clock was ticking. They could not risk the circle breaking too early. He also could not risk the Lord changing his mind after this first reunification if given too much time to think.
"Are you ready to go on?" asked Severus, studying Marvolo for any sign of magical tiredness or renewal of paranoia.
"I am," answered the Lord, a determined glint in his eyes
Severus felt a smile tugged at his lips.
His plan was working, and Marvolo was going along willingly, proving Severus right.
After so many days spent planning and doubting, they just might salvage this mess.