Friday, 7th July

Using Moody's death to make Nagini a Horcrux had been surprisingly… easy.

Convincing Nagini's soul fragment to latch onto him had been simple enough - he knew better than anyone what spells were needed after all, and the ritual had been completed with great success. Tom had passed out, briefly, much to Randolph and Theodore's horror, but he'd awoken again without any adverse side effects.

Admittedly, he'd replied in parseltongue when they'd asked him if he was alright and it had taken him an entire three days before he managed to start speaking English again but, really, that was just a minor event that wasn't worth a fraction of the panic that his friends experienced because of it.

Plus, it had the added benefit of scaring Quirrell away for a while.

But aside from that, he was mostly… normal. As normal as ever, anyway, which was, you know, decidedly abnormal according to everyone else, but he felt… fine. Healthy. Good, even.

Then there was the telepathy.

It wasn't true telepathy, not in the sense of Legilimency or whatever those ridiculous muggle movies with brightly dressed actors called telepathy, but Tom could… sense Nagini's presence when he wanted to. He could sense where she was in Slytherin Manor if he needed to find her or, likewise, if she needed to find him.

If he really concentrated, he could even hear her surface thoughts - although, in reality, snakes didn't really do anything other than surface-level thoughts given that they were motivated by survival and base instincts and not much else. But the ability was still useful to have and they had tested it, extensively, over the previous few days.

The further Tom physically was from her the fainter the bond got, but he could still sense it, vaguely, and even when he was summoned to Gringotts to sign some final documents regarding the Lincoln dukedom, he could hear in his mind what she was thinking about.

Food, mostly.

Occasionally warmth.

Nagini was a simple creature.

Nevertheless, a bond had formed, Nagini was as intelligent and vicious as ever, and Tom truly had pushed past the boundaries of what was once considered possible. He was, for all intents and purposes, a human Horcrux now - although it was debatable whether such a thing would still have succeeded had Nagini been human herself. The complexity of a snake's soul, after all, was infinitesimally lesser than a human one.

Barty had been busy over the previous week too, having redonned his disguise as Alastor Moody and inviting Dumbledore over for tea and scones while he told him that he planned on moving abroad. Apparently, his year teaching children had made him realise just how paranoid and stressed he had become in his old age and now he wanted to spend his final few years in peace and quiet, someplace sunny and safe - on a beach, perhaps.

He'd promised to write, but in true Moody-fashion, he hadn't told Dumbledore where it was that he was moving to. Tom estimated that it would only take a few weeks before the Headmaster stopped replying to his friends' letters - Barty could be especially tedious when he wanted to be.

Lucius Malfoy, it would seem, had been particularly active as well, as he had finally secured a meeting with Severus.

Tom had waited to meet Malfoy last, second only to the Potions Master. He hadn't believed Theodore's letter of course and had demanded in-person proof - which he had happily obliged. Lucius had been late to their meeting, the absolute coward, and Tom had been quick to let him know of his ire - His no-murder streak didn't apply to a few well-deserved Crucio's, after all.

And well-deserved they were, as it was this complete and utter buffoon who had put his diary - an entire half of his soul - in harm's way, had ranted and raved the loudest about blood purity and death to creatures, and had then led the riots during the Quidditch World Cup before apparating away as quickly as he could at the first hint of the Dark Mark above him.

Tom made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that the only bloody reason Lucius Malfoy was still alive right now, was because his son was currently still too young to become the next Duke of Wiltshire, and he needed another duke in the Conservative Party to help pass his future bills.

Lucius, needless to say, had agreed with the plan rather quickly and had promptly sent an owl to one Severus Snape asking to meet him by portkey immediately. He knew that if the man had received a letter from Randolph or Theodore, he would've been suspicious and likely would've run off to Dumbledore first - but a clearly rushed and worried-sounding note from an old friend whose son was in his House?

Tom heard the telltale whoosh of a portkey in the entrance to his manor and smiled.

He was right on time.

Severus frowned and glanced around at his surroundings, not recognising a single thing. When Lucius had written to him, urging him to visit immediately and even providing a portkey to do so, he'd been more than a little bit sceptical, but he recognised the writing, recognised the letterhead, and even recognised the owl - a large, speckled beast of a thing with burning orange eyes.

Lucius Malfoy most certainly had written him that letter, but this was decidedly not Lucius Malfoy's home.

There was a sudden pop next to him and he turned to find a small house-elf peering up at him with wide pale eyes, dressed, surprisingly, in what appeared to be actual clothes rather than the simple cloth toga that the Malfoy family house-elves wore.

"If Mr Snape be so willing, sir, Mr Snape be going into the drawing room".

It pointed a finger to the large wooden door to his right and then popped away again. Narrowing his eyes and subtly sliding his wand into his hand, he turned to face the doors and knocked.

"Come in".

That was Lucius's voice, most certainly, but he sounded almost… strained. Tense, even. And Lucius Malfoy simply did not do tense - it apparently wreaked havoc on his complexion. Tightening his grip around his wand, Severus pushed open the door and stepped in.

There were two men in the opulent yet classy drawing room. Lucius, of course, was standing to the right of and just behind a comfortable-looking armchair that had been turned to face the entrance to the room. The second man was a complete stranger; tall and elegant, sitting casually in the armchair with one ankle resting on his opposite knee, the suit handsome and tailored and obviously expensive.

Frowning now, and feeling more than a little bit mystified, Severus cautiously walked further into the room, stepping around the couch and towards the man, hoping that proximity would bring recognition or, at the very least, a recollection of-

It was him.

Severus had fallen to his knees before he could so much as blink, his heart pounding and his Occlumency shields rushing to the forefront of his mind.

It was him!

Snape had always been more… sensitive to Dark magic than the majority of his peers; it was why he'd been so drawn to it in the first place, as well as why he was so naturally proficient in the Dark Arts. He was simply more in tune with that type of magic, always had been, and the Dark Lord's magic was as Dark as they come, the power radiating off of him, intense and encompassing and almost seductive in its strength.

So even though the face in front of him was not familiar in the slightest, he knew exactly who he was sitting in that armchair.

Severus tried desperately to calm his racing pulse, clamping down firmly on all feelings of panic and fear and horror and shoving them all behind a mile-high occlumency wall and instead focusing on evening out his breathing. He was only distantly aware of Lucius standing next to the Dark Lord looking just as uneasy, having tricked him into coming here without any warning the absolute bastard!

Just how in Salazar's name was he going to get out of this alive?!

Unless, of course, getting out of this alive was the exact opposite of the Dark Lord's plan.

"Rise, Severus".

And that voice! Oh sweet Merlin that voice he hadn't heard in almost fifteen years but still haunted his dreams at night. How could he ever forget it? That voice had once promised him the world… and instead, had ended up destroying it.

"My sources tell me, Severus, that you are now buried deep in Albus Dumbledore's pocket".

Still slowly, carefully getting to his feet, Snape was quick to explain. "My Lord-"

"That is not up for debate; I was merely stating a fact".

Dark eyes pierced straight through him, but strangely, suspiciously, there was no hint of Legilimency being used against him. He lowered his gaze anyway, deciding that being respectful was the best, only, way to go.

"What is up for debate is what we're going to do about it" he continued, oddly calm, "You once served me well, Severus, and that loyalty deserves to be rewarded - no matter how much you've betrayed me since".

He flinched.

He didn't like this.

He did not like this!

The Dark Lord wasn't calm, wasn't reasonable, wasn't sane! He sure as bloody hell wasn't human-looking either! He never rewarded anyone for their loyalty, despite what he claimed, and the only "reward" for betrayal was a long and torturous death!

If he didn't know any better, if he hadn't felt the man's magic himself, hadn't heard that voice - that voice - that he would never forget for as long as he lived, then… he'd almost say that this wasn't the Dark Lord. But it was him. He was sure of it.

So just what the hell was he playing at?!

"Because of this, I'm going to give you a choice. Either I kill you, here and now but quickly, painlessly, in return for your initial service… or you can take an Unbreakable Vow".

Well... when he put it like that...

"May I ask what this Vow would entail, my lord?" he dared, bracing himself for a Crucio at any moment, but if he was going to die tonight anyway then he really had nothing to lose anymore, now did he?

To his surprise, as well as horror, the man simply… smiled. It looked good on him, he had to admit. The smile made the handsome young man look almost boyish. Harmless, even. Severus wanted to vomit.

"As self-preserving as ever, I see" the Dark Lord replied, "A true Slytherin indeed… I hear that you're Head of Slytherin House now. Congratulations".

Snape's eyes briefly darted over to Lucius, but the blond looked just as nervous, bewildered, and terrified as he himself felt.

"... Thank you, my lord?"

He waved a dismissive hand, and Severus automatically flinched back, expecting- something, but there was no flash, no spell, no curse, nothing. He didn't know what was happening right now. And he really didn't like not knowing.

"The Vow would merely entail your loyalty once more" the Dark Lord continued, seemingly oblivious to both men's panicked confusion - or, far more likely, getting immense pleasure from it, "As well as an oath of secrecy to protect our cause, which would, naturally, prevent you from telling anyone, including Albus Dumbledore, anything that I do not wish for him to know".

That… sounded… reasonable.

Why the actual fuck did that sound reasonable?!

Who the bloody blithering hell was this guy?!

"... I would gratefully accept the Vow in that case, my lord" he replied carefully, "As well as offer you my most sincere apologies for-"

He waved another hand, cutting him off. "You did what you had to in order to survive, my friend. I do not blame you for that".

My friend?!

What the fuck?!

Was this a dream? This was a dream, right? This had to be a dream because there was no fucking way in Salazar Slytherin's name that this man right here, the Dark Lord, the one and only Lord fucking Voldemort had just called him his fucking friend and hadn't Crucio'ed him yet!

"... Thank you, my lord" Severus eventually said again, trying desperately to just fucking keep it together!

He simply had to make this Vow and then, presumably, he would be allowed to leave, at which time he would apparate to Hogsmeade, walk back to his quarters, drink an entire bottle of firewhiskey, and then, perhaps, if he felt like it, throw himself off the Astronomy Tower - and if someone happened to wake him up at any stage between now and then, he would be most obliged.

"Lucius, the Vow?"

Malfoy, pale and visibly shaken, snapped to attention at the Dark Lord's command - although it had sounded suspiciously like a request rather than a command or perhaps, even, a question. His trembling hand reached into his robes to produce his wand. He appeared, for a moment, to hesitate before stepping forward, clearly uneasy with the entire situation.

Yeah, Severus thought bitterly, also stepping forward, join the fucking club, you traitor.

He kept his expression blank, his body still, unwilling to show even the smallest hint of weakness in front of the Dark Lord, especially now when everything seemed so impossibly… different.

The Dark Lord stood as well. He had always been very tall, of course, but it had been a long time since Severus had been this close to him and those five or six inches of height had never seemed greater.

They clasped their right hands together.

Snape's infallible mask briefly cracked when he realised that the Dark Lord's hand was warm.

Lucius placed the tip of his wand on their linked hands and the stranger, the monster, the man started to speak.

"Will you serve our cause once more, and fight to achieve our original goals?"

Severus swallowed thickly. There was no room for protest, no time to reword or rephrase anything, no chance to back out. He nodded, feeling the magic twist in the air around him.

"I will".

A thin ribbon of golden light extended from Lucius's wand, curling around their clasped hands.

"Will you refuse to share any information pertaining to our cause, our plans, or my return with anyone who isn't already aware unless I grant your explicit permission?"

The Dark Lord's piercing gaze had yet to leave him. His eyes were dark, unrelenting, and somehow more terrifying than the crimson reptilian visage he had learned to fear.

"I will".

Another band of light tightened around their hands, the Vow starting to sink deep into his bones with every promise he made.

"Will you continue your role and duty of my spy within Dumbledore's followers and meetings, ensuring that I remain informed of any pertinent information?"

"I will".

With one final burst of brilliant red, the bond was in place and Lucius, still pale and now trembling, lowered his wand, stepping back quickly as though afraid that he might be punished for even existing that close to their lord for a moment longer than necessary.

The Dark Lord smiled, and once more, it made Snape question everything. This wasn't the madman that he had known before. This new creature was something far more composed, calculating, and somehow, insidious.

"I am pleased with your decision, Severus" he said, his voice chillingly kind, "And I look forward to seeing just how useful you will be to me in the days ahead".

He barely contained the shudder that threatened to shake his entire body. Instead, he nodded, too overwhelmed to say anything in response. This moment, this room, this world felt surreal, as though he'd been yanked headfirst into an alternative reality where the Dark Lord had… changed.

In front of him, the stranger retook his seat, as graceful and handsome and harmsles as ever, like a docile snake coiling back into itself. He wasn't entirely sure if that was a dismissal or not, but he figured it'd be best to leave as soon as possible anyway in case the monster from his nightmares returned and cast that long overdue green spell, so as soon Lucius stepped out of his way, Snape turned towards the door.

"Oh, and one more thing, Severus".

He froze.

So this was it.

This was the moment he killed him.

He should have realised, really - the Dark Lord always did like to play with his food before eating it and making Severus believe that the Vow would led him leave this room alive was no doubt just another tier in the fucked up cake that was the Dark Lord's sense of humour. Of course he wouldn't be let live, not after he'd betrayed him, degraded him, humiliated him, not after-

"I have a question".

… What.

Taking a slow, careful breath, Severus turned back to him, keeping his expression neutral. Even now, after sensing his magic, hearing his voice, accepting his vow… it didn't feel real. He didn't feel real. This was all just a fever dream, it had to be. This new Dark Lord, with his human face and soft appearance, unsettled him more than the snake-like creature he'd once been ever had. A man with a plan was far more dangerous than any monster driven by impulse, after all.

"I have to admit, I'm curious, my friend" he continued as pleasant as ever, "What did make you defect to Dumbledore in the first place?"

Oh.

"I… I was, uh… I…"

He didn't have to answer, of course, but he also didn't like to think about the extremely short future awaiting him if he did not. He couldn't help but stare at the young man in front of him. His picture-perfect face was marred only by one half-faded silver scar that cut across a sharp cheekbone. He wondered how he got it, and if the person responsible was still alive.

Snape's gaze flickered to Lucius, unbidden. There were certain things that not even his oldest friend knew, and it was one thing to show weakness in front of the greatest Dark wizard to ever live, but it was quite another to be humiliated while doing so.

"You are dismissed, Lucius".

Severus blinked and immediately turned back to the Dark Lord, unable to prevent the surprise coming over his features, and he saw that shock and confusion mirrored in Lucius's face too. Sending him from the room to preserve some of Snape's pride was… unbelievably considerate of him.

No.

Literally.

It was actually physically impossible to believe that he would ever do something so considerate.

"My… My lord?"

Evidently, Lucius thought so too.

"You may go" he replied calmly, "I have no further need of you tonight. Thank you for your help today".

He nearly recoiled at the words. Thank- Thank you?! Fucking- thank you?! What the actual fuck?! The Dark Lord did not simply thank people! That wasn't a- a- a bloody Dark Lord thing to do! He killed and tortured and punished, he didn't say thank you!

"... Yes, my lord".

With a nod and a deep bow, Lucius hurried from the room, giving Snape an intense look as he passed, a look that could only really be translated as "he hasn't killed you yet, so don't fuck this up!" The rare show of concern still didn't make up for tricking him there.

"Now so" the man said as the door shut behind him, "You were saying?"

Maybe this wasn't a dream. Maybe this was hell. He'd certainly done enough in his short life to deserve it. He stood, frozen, the silence in the room weighing down on him like a thousand curses. His mouth was dry, his heart pounding in his chest as the Dark Lord's eyes remained on him, unwavering, expecting.

"Well? I have granted you privacy. Speak freely, my friend".

Snape swallowed hard, but the words caught in his throat. This wasn't how he had imagined this conversation going, not with the Dark Lord, of all people, seated before him. He never wanted to speak of Lily in front of anyone, much less the monster whose hands had taken her life… but did he really have any choice?

He hesitated, his mind whirring. How much should he reveal? He couldn't deny that he had cared for Lily, that much was unavoidable. But he also had to be wary. The man was testing him, he had to be, and Severus was consciously aware of the face he was now, once again, walking a tightrope between two master manipulators - the Dark Lord and Albus Dumbledore.

"I… cared… for someone" he began, each word clawing its way out of him, "Someone who… mattered. To me. More than anything… Lily Potter".

The name lingered in the air like glass, oh so fragile and ready to shatter, and Snape braced himself for the Dark Lord's reaction. But instead of anger or mockery, there was only a curious tilt of his head.

"Lily Potter" he mused softly, "I must admit, Severus; she was an unusual choice for your… affections".

"She was my closest friend". The words felt like they were being yanked out of him. "I didn't care that she was a muggle-born; her blood status meant nothing! She was- She was different. She had a brilliance, a kindness, an- an honesty that was-"

He forced himself to clamp his mouth shut, realising he was saying too much, revealing too much. The Dark Lord did not care about such things - about the complexity of human emotion.

"She was… important to me" he finally finished, voice hoarse.

The Dark Lord leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled in front of his face as he contemplated his words. His expression was unreadable, but Snape could feel the weight of his scrutiny.

"And you believed that I would not keep my word?" he asked, a note of cold amusement creeping into his tone, "That I would not spare her, as I promised? Was that why you became Albus Dumbledore's lapdog?"

Severus' jaw tightened. He had gone over this in his mind so many times, the memory of his frantic pleas, the desperate hope that the Dark Lord would spare her, protect her. But deep down, even then, he had known that it was a fool's hope. He had never truly believed Lily would survive that night.

"I asked her to step aside. Three times, Severus. I gave her the chance to live, as I promised you, but she refused. It was her choice to die".

Snape's hands clenched into fists. The cold logic in his words cut through him like a blade. He had known - he had always known - that this would be the Dark Lord's justification. But hearing it now, after all these years, brought the old wounds to the surface once more.

"You may have asked her to step aside" he admitted, his voice trembling with the effort to keep himself composed, "But Lily would never have abandoned her son. I knew that… I knew she wouldn't. I trusted you to at least try to keep your word but I couldn't- I couldn't trust you to spare her if she refused".

He could see her in his mind, standing in front of Harry's crib, pleading, protecting, even knowing that her death was inevitable. In front of him, the young man's expression darkened slightly, his fingers tapping against the armrest of his chair, his eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Her refusal, Severus, left me no choice. The prophecy demanded the boy's death, not hers. She threw her life away for a child that was already doomed!"

Snape's head jerked up at that, his eyes flashing with a mixture of grief and rage. "It wasn't just any child! It was her son!"

"And yet, she died for nothing. The child may have survived me… but he didn't survive for very long afterwards, did he?"

The room seemed to darken, the oppressive weight of his words filling every corner. Snape felt the air grow colder, his heart sinking further. It was the twisted, cruel truth that had haunted him every day since Lily's death: she had died for nothing, and he had failed her in every way that mattered. That she had died to protect her son, and her son had been murdered anyway.

"I was willing to spare her" the Dark Lord said, "But she decided her own fate".

And as much as Severus hated it, hated him, hated himself, hated the anger and guilt and regret that clawed its way through his chest… he knew that the man was right.

"I went to Dumbledore" he admitted, "because I couldn't bear to watch her die. I had to try… something. Anything".

"And what did that get you, Severus?" he asked, just as quietly, just as softly, "A lifetime of servitude to an old fool who abuses you? A man who will discard you the moment you are no longer useful? Would Lily Potter have wanted this life for you?"

Snape's head bowed, his shoulders shaking with the weight of it all. He couldn't look up, couldn't meet his lord's eyes anymore. His mind flashed with memories of those last few years - years of spying, lying, and deception. Years of carrying the weight of both sides, always fearing discovery, always trapped between loyalty and survival, always living on a knife's edge, braced to die at any moment.

"... I failed her" he finally whispered, the words burning his throat, "But I could not let her die without at least trying to save her. Even if that meant betraying you".

For a long moment, the Dark Lord said nothing. The silence stretched on, unbearable in its weight. And then, slowly, he rose to his feet, towering over him once more. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes - brown, not red, human, not monster - bore into him with a terrifying intensity.

"Your devotion to her was admirable, Severus" he said softly, his voice laced with something almost like pity, "But in the end, it was futile".

He stiffened at the words, but before he could protest, the man continued, his tone calm, deliberate.

"I don't regret killing her, but I do regret her death. She may have been a muggle-born, but she was a powerful witch and a worthwhile opponent… She fought valiantly until the very end".

He felt his eyes burn and he quickly lowered his gaze so as not to show any weakness.

She fought valiantly until the very end - of course she did! She was Lily Evans, the most selfless, courageous, and intelligent woman he had ever known! She had been his best friend, his closest ally until he'd fucked it up… but now, here he was, with her killer standing before him telling him that he had given her a chance.

Given her more of a chance than Dumbledore had.

"Lily Potter was a brilliant witch. Brave, talented, but naïve. Young" the Dark Lord continued, "And Dumbledore used her, like he uses so many others. He manipulated you all, weaving his grand schemes and positioning her as nothing more than a pawn in his game. You know this".

Severus's breath hitched. A part of him wanted to reject it, to defend her memory, but deep down, he couldn't deny what he'd come to suspect over the years. Dumbledore, with his benevolent grandfatherly façade, had a cold, calculating side. Severus had witnessed it many times - how the old man sacrificed people like chess pieces, all in the name of the greater good.

"He knew what I would do if I learned of the prophecy. He knew you'd come to me, that you'd beg for her life. That you would then go to him, to try and ensure her safety. He allowed it. And yet, despite his promises to protect her, where was he that night?"

Snape swallowed hard, a cold pit of realisation forming in his stomach. Where had Dumbledore been? If the old man had known the Potters were in danger, why hadn't he done more? Placing them under the Fidelius Charm with Peter Pettigrew as their Secret Keeper had been an egregious mistake. Dumbledore had known better. He had to have… right?

But Severus Snape was no fool.

He straightened, his dark eyes narrowing as they locked onto the Dark Lord's human face - so different, so harmless. The smooth skin, the boyish smile, the perfectly coiffed hair - it was all so carefully crafted. He was wearing a mask, just like Dumbledore. This was no longer about sentimentality, no longer about his grief or the fractured love he still clung to. This was about manipulation, ambition, and survival.

"Dumbledore could have hidden them himself, in one of his own private properties, even on unplottable land if he so wished. He could have been the Secret Keeper himself, but he chose not to" the Dark Lord continued, his voice gaining a subtle edge, "He let them die because it furthered his plans. A martyr's tale, a Boy-Who-Lived, a way to dispose of me… All of it neatly crafted to set the stage for the perfect end to his war".

Snape clenched his jaw, the words striking deep. As much as he hated to admit it, the man was making sense. He'd always assumed that Sirius Black had been the traitor before the truth had come out, but hadn't Dumbledore suspected him too? Why had he allowed the Potters to make Black their Secret Keeper if he genuinely believed there was a chance that Black would betray them?

The more he thought about it, the more the pieces fit together - but there was more than one way of looking at a puzzle.

"I kept my word, Severus. I gave her every opportunity. I asked her to step aside - three times. But she wouldn't. I did everything I could to keep my promise to you... Can your precious Albus Dumbledore say the same?"

Severus hesitated, carefully choosing his words. Both Dumbledore and the Dark Lord had their own agendas, and he had long learned to walk the line between them. His value lay in his knowledge, his ability to navigate both sides. But this new Dark Lord, with his handsome face and unsettling patience, demanded a different approach to the one he was used to.

"The Headmaster is always ten steps ahead" he started slowly, "He manipulates everyone - me, the Potters, his general public. He used me to gather information, just as he used others to achieve his ends… But even he didn't want their deaths. Not like this".

The Dark Lord looked amused.

"Oh, I don't doubt that, my friend. Dumbledore may not have wanted their deaths directly - but he allowed it, just as surely as I caused it. He saw their sacrifice as necessary for his narrative, for his war. The prophecy foretold my demise and, according to Albus Dumbledore, the lives of the Potters were a worthwhile trade".

Severus' jaw tightened. He had always known Dumbledore to be ruthless when it came to the greater good, but hearing it laid out so plainly, so coldly by the young man in front of him, twisted something inside him. And yet, he couldn't deny that part of him agreed. Dumbledore had made choices that led to the Potters' deaths. He had known the risks, and he had still left them vulnerable.

But the Dark Lord… He had also promised Snape that Lily would live, had dangled that hope before him like a poisoned chalice, only to let it shatter in his hands. Both men had manipulated him. Both had used him.

But neither could afford to lose him.

And yet, now… now the Dark Lord was something different. Something more dangerous, perhaps, but also more capable. If this new monster was truly human again, if he had regained his sanity, his composure, his original goals, then maybe - just maybe - the Dark side could achieve what it had set out to do all those years ago.

Perhaps Severus could use this new version of the Dark Lord to further his own goals as well.

"Lily's death… haunts me" he said cautiously, "But it's not just her. This war… It's always been about the long game. About winning. Dumbledore has played his role, shaping the world to fit his vision, but now you… you have returned to reshape it again".

The Dark Lord's smile widened, but there was a sharpness behind his eyes even as he retook his seat and gestured for Severus to join him in the opposite armchair. He sat down slowly, carefully, still expecting, still preparing for the monster from his nightmares to return.

"Dumbledore, and by extension, the Progressive Party, dream of a world where muggles and magic can coincide in peace and harmony, a world with no prejudice or fear or hurt, a world where people like us, those with ambition, with power, are kept in check… but that's not the kind of world we live in, Severus, and you and I are among the very few to realise it".

Snape's heart quickened. He had always believed in the Dark Lord's vision, in the idea of a world where prejudice, fear, and hurt also didn't exist - but a realistic world, all the same. One where muggles couldn't cause harm and Dark creatures could live freely without retaliation from those in the Progressive Party.

But the Dark Lord had been unstable by the time he'd joined him - bloodthirsty, cruel to a fault, and consumed by his obsession with immortality. Now, though, with this strange new creature sitting in front of him… he was focused, controlled, human. Perhaps, with this transformation, the Dark side could finally become what it was meant to be - a force for change, for equality, for protection.

"I've always served you for a reason, my lord. Not for power or riches, but because I believed in your vision, because I could see the world you were trying to create… But I also see the games being played by both you and by Albus Dumbledore. I know that both of you seek to use me for your own ends. I know that, in the past, you have used me just as much as he has for nothing more than your own gain. I know that, in this regard, there have been times when you have been no matter than him".

The room seemed to freeze.

For a moment, Severus thought he had overstepped, that perhaps he had revealed too much - that perhaps the man really had been waiting for him to misstep like this just to have an excuse to kill him after all.

But then, to his surprise and slight horror, the Dark Lord laughed.

"Good" he said, his voice terrifyingly warm, "I would expect nothing less from a true Slytherin".

Severus inclined his head slightly, acknowledging the compliment even as he internally screamed what the fuck what the fuck what the-

It would appear to be his new life mantra.

He could feel the Dark Lord's gaze on him, assessing, calculating. This wasn't the mindless loyalty he had once demanded from his followers. No, this was a test - a challenge - and luckily for him, Severus had always known how to navigate these waters. He had survived this long by playing both sides after all, by faking loyalty while keeping his true thoughts hidden behind layers of Occlumency and careful deceit. He knew exactly how to keep his cards close to his chest until he saw which player was about to win.

He looked up, meeting the Dark Lord's eyes evenly, his heart pounding. Once again, there was no trace of Legilimency and there was that scar, a blemish, on his cheek. The monster he'd once known, once feared, was… human, now. A mere man, just like him. Someone who wanted to change the world for the better - a world where Lily Evans and all those like her would never be pawns again. A world where Harry Potter would still be alive.

And, terrifyingly, Snape found himself looking forward to it.

"I will serve you, my lord" he said, "But I will not be used blindly. I believe in the cause; I always have. But I will not be a pawn. Not again".

The Dark Lord's smile widened, and this time, it held something close to genuine approval.

"I wouldn't expect anything less, Severus. You are far too valuable to waste as a mere pawn like Albus Dumbledore seems intent on doing - I may not have realised this before, I'll admit, but I can see it now and I promise you, I'll never forget your worth again".

Snape felt a strange sense of relief at that. He had made his position clear, and the Dark Lord had accepted it - at least for now. He would play this game carefully, watching, waiting, and choosing his moments. Both sides had used him, but he would ensure that this time, he was the one in control. He had nothing left to lose, after all.

He stood, and with a bow, turned back to the door, but once again, the Dark Lord's voice made him pause.

"One last thing before you go, my friend" he said softly, "You are right to still be cautious of me; Dumbledore's manipulation runs deep… But remember this: I keep my promises, Severus. I always have".

Snape inclined his head again, feeling the weight of the Unbreakable Vow - both of them - heavy on his shoulders.

"I will remember that, my lord".

And with that, he left the room, his mind a whirlwind of suspicion, ambition, and a dangerous new hope - the game was far from over.