CHAPTER 66: THE OBJECT OF HIS DESIRES
Severus Rogue wasn't the type of man to appreciate social events; in his eyes, it amounted to a waste of time that could be better spent brewing new potions or studying the latest experiments published by his colleagues in the field of magic. As he absentmindedly swirled the contents of his glass with a slow flick of his wrist, he observed with a bored eye the multitude of people bustling around him, discussing various subjects that held no interest for the Potions Master.
To be honest, it was in the midst of a world unfamiliar to him, ignorant of the subjects he himself valued, that he realized he had little interest in anything not directly or indirectly related to potions. Staying locked up in his laboratory until the end of his days seemed much more appealing than listening to the latest gossip about a particular person, business networks, or the possible appointment of someone to an important position, not to mention the fluctuations in the markets of the countries from which the many guests seemed to originate.
No, nothing held more value in his eyes than the bubbling of a cauldron, the sweet scent emanating from a pot where a potion simmered peacefully, or the precious liquid extracted from a plant that he hastened to add to his mixture to complete his recipes. But he was probably the only one in this place and among all these twits who felt such enthusiasm for his passion.
There was once another thing that held as much value as all this, or should we say someone else who could match it, but that person had long disappeared from his life, never showing the slightest sign of interest since that sad day when he had the misfortune to say the unfortunate words he still regretted after all these years.
At this thought alone and as usual, he downed the contents of his glass in one go, immediately suppressing the backlash of the alcohol he had just swallowed with a slight grimace that disappeared in a fraction of a second before he once again observed the crowd pressing around him. Lily was probably there, at least he hoped so even if he didn't know why he was so insistent that she be so close to him; she could just as well be hundreds of kilometers away, and he wouldn't know. But knowing she was here, quietly enjoying a pleasure as simple as the company of friends gathered for a special occasion, warmed his heart with the idea that it might make her happy, a happiness where, moreover, James Potter did not enter, and this thought drew a very brief smile from him; the fool didn't know the luck he had to have had a woman like her...
"Father should have attended this party in my place," declared the person next to him in a bored tone. "I don't understand what I'm doing here when I don't know anyone..."
"Which is precisely why he explicitly asked you to come, Drago," retorted Severus without looking at him. Making your own contacts would be a plus for your future business, and the name of the Malfoys is well known and respected in Great Britain, so it's wise to familiarize yourself with other families from the continent.
"It would have been much easier if he had accompanied me," replied his nephew. "One can't decently approach someone without having been introduced beforehand, and except for you, no one here can chaperone me."
"Do you expect me to hold your hand and lead you to these people?" he argued with a hint of irony. "I have no influence on the political front, so don't count on me to help you... to meddle in spheres where I won't be of any assistance."
"And do you expect me to give you my hand to lead you to these people?" Severus argued with a hint of irony. "I have no influence on the political front, so don't count on me to help you... to meddle in spheres where I won't be of any assistance."
"Father could have..." Drago muttered.
Severus suppressed the urge to roll his eyes at his nephew's childishness and preferred to distract himself in another way by grabbing one of the cups being circulated by a servant.
"Your father would never have been able to pass through the gate of this property anyway," he told him as he watched the owner of the estate engage in conversation with an extended group of guests all around her. "He and this woman had a disagreement in the past, and it would not be wise for him to dare to show himself in front of her without causing a scandal whose repercussions I might possibly suffer."
And that was an understatement. Wasn't the princess responsible for Lucius losing his arm? The man harbored a deep resentment, and despite the fact that this woman's dueling talents had long been recognized, he still couldn't stand the idea of being defeated by her, so much so that he had never uttered a word about it to his own son. The Dark Lord himself was aware of this story, and knowing for a few weeks now about the past connections between the family of the Princess of Lamballe and that of the Prince, he had thought of him, the man without ties or political weight, rather than another to go as a scout to test the waters and achieve the woman's neutrality in the conflict to come, without knowing that the first approaches had already been made and that his spy was now working against him! Drago was the only thorn in his side preventing him from approaching Marie-Louise calmly, and even though Voldemort assured him that the young man was there only to learn and familiarize himself with the same environment as his father, Severus suspected that he was mainly there to watch him and report any facts or actions that might make him doubt his loyalty; even after all his lies, and despite thinking he had been convincing enough, the Dark Lord was still wary of him, but his mistake was to believe that he himself would not be wary of a 15-year-old.
"Really?" Drago hissed in a dubious tone. "If there was a disagreement, I was never aware of it, but knowing father, I'm willing to bet the reason doesn't come from him."
"Then you know your father very poorly," he thought. "If only you could help me distinguish people of our kind from Mudbloods and other filthy Muggles, you would make my task much easier in approaching them," he continued, scrutinizing the people around them.
"And if you started by being quiet and stopped saying such nonsense, you would know that in business, blood status no longer matters," his godfather murmured sternly. "I would be willing to bet that even your own father has in his records Muggle businesses in which he may have invested your fortune without ever admitting it, so don't limit your possibilities to people capable of wielding a wand when it comes to money."
Drago seemed ready to respond and take offense at what he considered Severus's ramblings, but the latter silenced him with a simple look, the same one he used every time he misbehaved when he was much younger. Instead, the heir of Malfoy, like his godfather, turned his attention back to the festivities in front of him, occasionally picking at the hors d'oeuvres presented to him while the atmosphere became increasingly noisy and lively.
Severus, his glass once again empty, immersed himself again in his thoughts, all of them, of course, revolving around Lily Evans. Two days now that he had been there, two days observing as discreetly as possible every female guest in search of that beautiful redhead who had captivated his heart many years ago. Two days of observation, amidst a crowd of people adorned in their finest attire, and yet... two days of failure. Not that the task was easy either, as Marie-Louise seemed to have invited an entire town into her home!
But it had to be admitted that Lily didn't seem to be there. Perhaps for security reasons? Did Princess Lamballe still mistrust him to the point of keeping away for some time the woman he secretly loved for so long? The thing was plausible, and he would almost not have blamed her for doing so, but still... What wouldn't he have given to be in front of her, to throw himself at her feet and beg her to forgive him... The image was grotesque, but if it was enough to get the forgiveness he so desired, he would have been ready to do it in front of everyone.
But Princess Lamballe had also spoken of her as an employee in her service, so he expected to find her among the servants circulating between groups of guests with a tray in hand. But even here, he had to face the facts and realize that none of the people employed in the service matched his Lily. There was still the kitchen staff, but Severus certainly wasn't going to risk going there at the risk of displeasing the owners with his curiosity.
There remained one last possibility that he had also considered, something a bit far-fetched but entirely possible in this case and under the current circumstances: Polyjuice Potion, or failing that, spells that changed a person's appearance for a limited time. So perhaps that was the reason why he had never crossed paths with her, and it would be very difficult for him to recognize a magical signature at the moment given the number of wizards and witches present.
These different possibilities at least had the merit of piquing his curiosity, and Severus wondered why Princess Lamballe went to such lengths to protect a woman who had no blood ties to her. Another mystery in itself, but Marie-Louise and her children seemed accustomed to this fact; hadn't her son suddenly appeared out of nowhere, claiming to be the heir to her powerful dynasty?
The party continued tirelessly, and the newlyweds, who had spent their first night together the night before, had long since disappeared to take a walk in the estate's park, far from the noisy and intrusive crowd that swarmed them like a spider on a fly caught in its web. For a moment, Severus almost envied them, although the king's loud announcement of the prince's renewed honor three times toward his wife during their wedding night had something humiliating about it. However, an inner voice questioned him on why he wasn't doing the same rather than standing like an idiot near the buffet table.
"Oh yes," he recalled, glancing at his nephew, "it's because I have to keep an eye on a certain young man who prefers to sulk in his corner to avoid any foolishness."
If only he had come alone... He could have easily embarked on discreet searches with the sole purpose of finding his youthful love... Or he would have cut short his presence in this mansion to rest peacefully in his laboratory, a bottle of Firewhisky placed on his desk as he once again dwelled on the mistakes of his past. Would it be more entertaining than what was happening around him? Oh, maybe so.
"Severus, what a surprise to see you here."
Recognizing the voice, having heard it so often in the past, and having already glimpsed him several times since the previous day, Severus didn't even bother to turn his head to face his new interlocutor and openly display his disdain.
"Lupin," he said in an unpleasant tone. "I should say the same about you. I didn't know animals were accepted at this type of event."
Remus just smiled briefly, probably used to Severus's verbal jabs and not at all angered by this latest one.
"Always so pleasant," he said simply.
"Being pleasant is not in my field of expertise, especially when it comes to you or any of your friends," Severus retorted.
"I thought that petty grudges from youth could fade with time, but it seems I am mistaken, and they can be tenacious if one is not careful."
"I nurture them with as much care as I need to monitor the dosage and temperature of my potions," he said disdainfully. "It allows me to learn from my mistakes and not repeat them twice."
"And what mistake would you avoid repeating concerning me?" inquired Remus.
"The mistake of crossing your path, and I was doing quite well before having the displeasure of meeting you in this place."
"That meeting surprises me, I must admit," conceded the werewolf. "I didn't know you could have any connections with Madame, or that you could appreciate social events like this, unless you are here only as an escort for this young man," he added, glancing discreetly at Drago.
The latter, feeling Remus's gaze on him, immediately averted his own, perhaps afraid of meeting the eyes of this illustrious stranger, but a blush appeared on his cheeks nonetheless.
"If you had taken the trouble to remember the official introductions that took place yesterday in front of the newlyweds, you would have noticed that Drago did not have that privilege, unlike me," Severus reminded him condescendingly. "This answers your questions about the precedences you might have had regarding our presence. As for my connections to this woman, that remains in the private domain, a domain that is obviously denied to you unless she deems it important to inform you of it. The real question is what a beast like you is doing here in the middle of poor, innocent guests unaware of the danger you represent…"
Here, Drago furrowed his brows at his guardian's words, intrigued by the mysterious words of the man, but Severus didn't bother to tell him more when he addressed him:
"Drago, could you go get me something to drink, please? My glass is unfortunately empty, as you can see, and I don't have the patience to wait for one of these valets to come to us."
"Why should I go?" he replied, raising his voice. "I'm not here to obey you but to observe, and certainly not to serve as an underling while you chat comfortably with him…"
"Because if you don't, I might be less patient in the future about your mediocre results during my classes, which could allow a certain person to take advantage of the situation to try to provoke you further outside the classes, if I made myself clear," he said indifferently, but the underlying threat was clearly perceptible.
His nephew seemed not to understand at first, then his eyes widened slightly as the blush returned to his cheeks. Defeated, he walked away muttering, or rather cursing his guardian's authority. Severus suppressed the laughter that threatened to escape his lips as he saw him go; it was so easy to manipulate his nephew whenever Matthew Potter entered a conversation.
"You've been gone for several years now," he resumed, turning his attention back to Remus. "Many people are aware of your prolonged absence, especially those who would have every interest in having you in their hands."
"I know," Lupin replied calmly. "And what will you do then? Warn your master of my existence? Throw me into Dumbledore's arms? A dilemma for the double agent that you are, but it would be difficult for you to do it here, with so many people around you and with Madame's protections over her entire estate."
"I could," he confirmed. "I could take advantage of the torture that the Dark Lord would inflict on you to get you to confess any secrets Dumbledore might have entrusted to you, or vice versa, let the headmaster rummage through your mind in search of what he desires until he destroys you... Oh yes, Lupin, I could, but unfortunately for me, there are far too many variables at play for me to take that risk, especially the fact that your disappearance coincides with those of three other people. If I trace it back to you, or if any of the people mentioned earlier trace it back to this lead, then one of them would be in great danger, and I cannot allow that."
"And what makes you think these famous missing people are with me?" inquired the werewolf with a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Don't take me for a fool, please. The fact that you are linked to the Potters, that you seem to be the godfather of one of Lily's children, that the four of you disappeared at the same time, and that Princess Lamballe half-admitted to me that Lily was in her service, leads me to believe that you are indeed all four together, maybe not here today, as the risks could be high, but frequent encounters are certainly possible."
Lupin seemed to lose his composure for a fraction of a second, but he quickly regained his demeanor and displayed the same annoying smile that used to grate on Snape's nerves when they were both students at Hogwarts.
"I'm done for," he said in an amused tone, raising his hands in the air. "But you didn't need to be a genius to figure it out the moment someone, like you so skillfully did, pieced together the clues to solve a puzzle. I'm impressed."
"Your presence is just a small addition, but I perfectly suspected theirs here even before you had the idea to present yourself so foolishly to me," assured the Potions professor with a haughty tone.
"And what will you do now that you know all this?"
Rogue remained silent for a few seconds, distracted by the laughter of the youngest daughter of Princess Lamballe, whom he could observe from the window overlooking the courtyard below, playing blind man's buff with other youngsters and comrades of the groom's regiment.
"Nothing," he said negligently without looking at Lupin, "and Madame knows she can trust me to keep such a secret, even if it means missing an opportunity to see you drift away from Lily."
"Are you jealous by any chance?" Remus asked immediately.
The look Rogue gave him made him swallow, but he kept his composure.
"I just realize it's been all about her since a while," he explained, unperturbed. "Are you thinking of getting into the good graces of this woman to get close to the object of your desires?"
"Go to hell," Snape replied sharply.
Remus chuckled for a few seconds, but the tension between them was just as palpable as the empty glasses each held in their hands. Perhaps that was why no one seemed to approach them, or why Drago was taking so long to come back and bring him what he had asked for.
"How is Dumbledore?" Remus asked, changing the subject.
"You may have been an excellent student when we were both at Hogwarts, but as for your ability to extract information from others, you make a poor agent," he said, rolling his eyes. "If you're so eager to know, you should go visit him right away instead of lurking in your lair."
"I was just inquiring," assured the werewolf. "Judging by your connivance with Princess Lamballe, I would assume that we could play on the same board, so sharing information would be essential for both of us."
"I don't think you can teach me anything useful," he said in a tone that brooked no argument.
The truth was that he himself had little to say to Princess Lamballe, at least nothing more than what she might already know about the actions of the Dark Lord and Dumbledore, which was somewhat irritating to him given the feeling of being currently about as useful as a porcelain plate in a foundry. Their meetings could be counted on one hand, but with Voldemort's constant surveillance on him and the increasing workload each time from the headmaster of Hogwarts to lay hands on the eldest son of the Potters, he had little free time for himself. Trust was earned, and Severus had long since assimilated that, so if Marie-Louise did not yet deem it necessary to tell him where the missing Potters were, it was probably not Remus who could tell him. Therefore, he refrained from transmitting anything to the werewolf right next to him... a matter of principle or simply for the pleasure of keeping him in the dark.
"As for my information, I remind you once again that I only give it to one person in particular; this prevents there from being more people who might know them, and personally, it prevents my cover from being discovered so quickly."
"And... In exchange for information about Lily?" Remus tried. "Maybe I could even arrange a meeting when I'm sure I can trust you..."
"You're bluffing," replied Snape, although doubt crept into him at the prospect of seeing her again.
"Who knows? When it comes to protecting my godson or his family, I'm ready for anything. I'll let you think about it, and if you agree, you just have to tell me. I'll give you the means to answer me discreetly so as not to break our respective covers. See you soon, Severus."
And without further ado, Lupin headed for the exit of the hall, disappearing behind the heavy wooden door that his nephew crossed in less than a few seconds, looking as bored as ever.
"These servants are really pathetic," he said, handing him his glass. "I had to traverse the entire castle to find one! If this woman were truly the respectable witch she claims to be, she would be served by house-elves and not by filthy Muggles."
"Your monologues and other complaints may entertain your mother, Drago, but for my part, they only exacerbate my headaches," he muttered, massaging his temple.
The red appearing on his nephew's cheeks intensified when, without really paying attention, Severus poured the liquid so difficultly obtained by Drago into the first potted plant within reach.
"Let's take our leave of these people," he said, grabbing his arm to lead him to a quieter place where they could Apparate. "I'm tired."
Rogue had a lot to think about, and he didn't like the prospect. No, the meeting with Lupin hadn't been entertaining or even interesting, but at least he had the opportunity to deliver some well-aimed jabs, reminiscent of the good old days. But it had been instructive in a way because he was intimately convinced that Lily Evans had never been so close to him in over twenty years. The question remained as to why there were so many mysteries surrounding her and her two children, why so many secrets, so many precautions for their protection? Why did Princess Lamballe insist on protecting a simple woman in her service, who could endanger the lives of her two children with the baggage she carried behind her?
The indifference of a mistress towards her servants or any other member of her small staff would suggest that she quickly got rid of them, but she persisted in keeping her by her side, and also in enlisting the services of this shabby and possibly dangerous werewolf. Their first meeting had already raised this question for him, but Lupin's insistence on wanting to know the information he was transmitting to this woman, even if it meant pressing the emotional button, made him suspicious. There had to be some connection between them all, maybe even a form of blackmail, although Severus couldn't imagine Lily using it against someone. But something, a parameter for the moment unknown to him, made him believe that she was in the midst of a plot involving the inhabitants of this castle, and somehow assured him of the considerable security measures that had been put in place to protect her.
Severus had a lot to think about, and he knew it from the moment he crossed paths with this princess, but for now, he had to bring the moody and rude boy back to his parents, and after a few steps in the courtyard, time for them to come across the group of young people having fun in the courtyard, they moved away from the field to the entrance gates of the park where, the spell preventing Apparition not going that far, they both disappeared, unaware that multiple times that day, a pair of emerald eyes had never stopped observing one of them.
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