A/N: Oh, boy, Igor doesn't even know the half of it….hope everyone is staying well 3 I'm trying to update more, but law school is kicking my butt!
As the horn rang to start the competition, Igor banged his cane on the wooden planks in support. There was no doubt in his mind that Durmstrang would take first place. Krum had swum in the cold waters up north; the lake was nothing for a boy of his build. Beside Igor stood the plump head of Hufflepuff; she'd shoved herself between Igor and McGonagall prior to the start of the competition. Whether she knew about what happened, Igor wasn't sure. Knowing McGonagall, she wouldn't have said a word, the stubbornness he hated so much in the Scots. But, from his little interaction with the Hogwarts staff, he could sense their friendship was a close one. Sprout had shot him a look of anger when she'd walked to meet her champion, but he couldn't tell if it was out of competition or anger for her friend. Igor had had to roll his eyes; Snape had taken a physical disagreement and blown it up to something more. The man was irritatingly cold, but Igor had always sensed that when he finally snapped, it would be an emotional snap. In their few meetings before the start of term, Igor had always sensed his exterior was a front. Based on Snape's reaction, he had deduced the two were lovers, something that he found repulsive given not only the age difference, but the very fact that anyone could be attracted to the likes of the infuriating woman.
The nature of the task was that it was going to take some time, and he pushed past the other mentors, walking up the stairs to the other observes, pushing through the crowd once again until he found who he was looking for "Severus," he said, grabbing his arm.
Severus immediately pulled his arm from Igor's hand. "Get off me if you don't want me to make a scene," he muttered. "I will not hesitate to shove you off the edge of this platform. There's enough people in the crowd to make it look like another tragic outcome of these tasks." Igor saw that Snape smirked; he always seemed satisfied with himself when he made a snide comment.
A cough came from nearby, and it took Igor a few moments to realize it originated from the small Charms professor who stood on the other side of Severus, too short for Igor to have noticed. "Do you have something to add, Flitwick?" Igor asked.
"No, not at all!" Flitwick exclaimed.
"Whatever you want, Igor, you may say it in front of Filius."
"You seemed to take issue with me bringing up our business in front of other members of the staff." From the twitch in Severus's cheek, Igor knew he had the upper hand. Trying to garner what Flitwick knew, Igor glanced down to the man who looked confused, but concerned. "Lucius Malfoy contacted me."
"Has he? Been giving Draco too many detentions?"
Trying to keep his patience, Igor hissed, "You know why. He's testing me."
"Testing you?"
"Testing to see where my allegiance lies."
"I suppose you best decide whether you intend to pass or fail," Severus replied, turning to face him for the first time since the incident in the castle corridor. This time, there was no emotion in his expression. The panic and the fear from that night were gone. "If he is speaking on behalf of a certain figure, I do recall that figure does not take well to questionable loyalties."
"Where do you stand, Severus?" he asked, desperately trying to get an answer from the man who had evaded his question for weeks. Everything he knew about Severus was contradicting: his close ties with Lucius, but paternal relationship with Dumbledore; his lack of panic from the dark mark's thickening, but affair with the Deputy Headmistress. The more Igor heard about the Dark Lord's impending return, the more desperate he could feel himself to decide his loyalties. He was a traitor- a marked traitor. There was the chance Voldemort would take him back, accept the apology, but he had weighed it over in his mind that this was not the more likely outcome of his return.
"Look, it seems Miss Delacour is out of this one."
"Severus!" Igor exploded, earning the attention of the crowded platform. Snape smirked, turning to face him again. "I don't know what to do," he hissed under his breath.
"You seem to be the only one panicking. I've told you before; I have nothing to worry about. It seems you cannot say the same. Now, I suggest you get back to your platform and see to it your champion makes it out alive. You wouldn't want any more blood on your hands, would you?"
Knowing that if he pushed Severus anymore, he would only attract more attention, Igor turned to walk down the stairs when Severus's hand caught his collar and pulled him back. "Don't do this in public again; don't you dare even look Minerva's way, or I'll make sure that your wavering loyalties are well known before you even having the chance to look at the Dark Lord."
Later, after a loss for Durmstrang and a win for the Gryffindor bitch, Igor couldn't help but feel hatred boil up as he saw Snape walk back towards the castle, a woman on his arm, a home to call his own, and without a worry about the Dark Lord's return. The man had somehow managed to not only betray the Dark Lord, but be living a life free from the worry that was plaguing Igor as the mark on his skin darkened with each passing day.