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severus-snaps · 6 months ago

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A greasy-haired teenager sat alone in a dark bedroom, pointing his wand at the ceiling, shooting down flies...

never given this line much thought before but it fits with what Bellatrix says about Spinner's End being a "Muggle dunghill" and the dirty river etc, on top of the infamous collection of information in Two Up, Two Down post I love so much.

what follows is another moment for me of realising just how hard snape had it and the likely conditions he grew up in

he didn't have any older siblings (that we know about) to borrow clothes from, which was why he was in his parents' clothing; the fact that he wasn't loaned any clothes that fit marginally better or were even for boys from the neighbours suggests that the Snapes weren't particularly close to the other families, and i expect a large number of flies in the house (enough to be shooting down, enough to spot when harry only saw the memory fleetingly) suggests poor sanitation in the home

It's not just a case of Bellatrix being judgy about a Muggle neighbourhood, currently falling apart with houses on the cobbled streets boarded up and with broken windows, and a dirty, smelly river; Snape's home growing up was considered "a poor recommendation" even when he was a child. Two up, two down houses were, in that period (and even before) often falling apart, known for being unsanitary and unsafe, as well as damp and cramped together. they were never intended to be nice; they were thrown up so that workers could be near the factories, and that was about the only concern at the time

There's some really vivid descriptions of living in these sorts of houses around, but I've just found this one from facebook (with images I've added from flashbak.com):

The house had no electric supply and relied solely on gas for everything.

One wall in each room had one gas mantle fitted to it for light and when the mantle became faulty it would smell and the light would become less bright and eventually cease to do the job and need replacing.

There was a coal fire grate in each room but only the living room fire was kept lit to keep the costs down because although people worked long hours wages were low and money was in short supply.

In the kitchen the heat from the stove when cooking provided some warm that also made its way upstairs into the bedrooms.

During the winter months when the house was particularly cold overcoats were placed over the blankets on the beds for extra warmth for the children in the front bedroom. While the parents slept in the smaller back bedroom.

There was only one water tap in the house situated in the kitchen and the kettle or pans had to be filled when hot water was required. They were heated on the stove and because there was no bathroom the young children were washed in the large sink or a tin bath while others went to the public baths situated nearby, local to the area.

The toilet was in the back yard and was also unlit, leaving the gas light from the kitchen to light up the yard through the window.

Toilet paper was old newspapers that had been cut up into squares and made ready for use.

All flooring in the house was covered with lino with the exception of the living room that had a rug in the centre for comfort and to help prevent wear and tear. Since the end of the world war II there had been shortages and many households struggled to get basic food stuff and clothing.

The black market had been active for some years and those that had the money would get what they needed, while for those that had little depended on the rationing system introduced by the government to make sure that everyone got at least basic food stuff.

The I.D. card had been introduced because of the war and was proof of who you were and was used for the benefit of rationing. There were often queues at the butchers and many families got the scrag ends and scraps that were left over.

When it came to clothing, families would put aside what was worn by one child until the next child had grown enough to wear them and every item including shoes were cleaned and repaired if possible and put away and saved for later use.

In those days children at play preferred to play outside and regularly would play along the canal and the neighbourhood streets and alleyways. There were very few cars around and despite the unclean air from the surrounding factories they would play all day outside until they were called in.

In those days there were very little restrictions on pollution and it was normal to wake up in the mornings to smog that sometimes lasted all week. A real pea souper as they say

but like... imagine snape growing up there, like that, with no sense of community and parents who couldn't afford to or weren't able to care for him properly. this is so far beyond 'weasley poor' with their warm, cosy home and plenty to eat; this is gaunt poor, improper housing, and conditions that regularly made people ill

perhaps the Snapes had to rely on the black market to even eat enough, if they could afford it; I'm picturing chest infections and frost on the insides of the windows over the winters, and flies crawling in the house in the summers - and apparently limited use of magic at the time snape was growing up to rectify any of it, else the descriptions wouldn't be so consistently negative (and evocative) with a potential swarm of flies in his bedroom

(wonder if he was underage here, and using his wand since his mother would've had one, or whether it's a snippet of post-hogwarts snape; the next memory is of snape on a broomstick, so presumably that's at hogwarts, and he was underage in the fly memory, trapped/hiding/sulking in his room)

then he gets to hogwarts with the likes of the malfoys, who have a whole mansion and peacocks and house elves and can afford anything they want, and they look down on the weasleys and their comfortable one-'moderate'-income supporting a seven-child home as if they were cockroaches. what on earth would they have thought of snape, if they knew? he had factual knowledge of the magical world, but i doubt he had that "raised in the magical world" vibe they so desperately want to protect

#severus snape #pro snape #snape #snape fandom #professor snape #pro severus snape #young snape #spinner's end #need to stop thinking about snape when i have things to do

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braveclementine · 1 year ago

Text

Prologue

Warnings: 18+ readers only, mentions of smut, mentions of nudity

Copyright: I do not own any Wizarding World characters that J.K. Rowling wrote. I do however own Elizabeth Kane (main character) and Trang Nyguen (best friend). There should be no use of these two names without my permission. I also do not condone any copying of this.

🤎🤎🤎🤎🤎🤎

𝕳𝖊 𝖜𝖆𝖘 𝖎𝖓 his small house, ignoring the outside world, completely immersed in the sheets of his bed, kissing the love of his life, when there was a knock at the door. His wife showed the most fleeting of emotion of fear, and then was gone, having turned into a small black animal with white paws and green eyes.

She called herself a cat but she was more of a kitten- to small to be called a cat. She was already by the door, not needing to have gotten dressed. He however, quickly threw his clothes on and smoothed his hair back, checking himself in the mirror before he left the bedroom door. He looked almost completely normal though perhaps his cheeks were slightly flushed more than normal.

She was on his heels as he walked out of the room and into the sitting room and opened the door. Elizabeth climbed onto the sofa and was stretching. Sometimes she was so catlike he could forget she was an Animagus.

There were two women standing on the front steps and his anger increased. So he'd left his lovely wife for these two? What the hell did they want?

"Narcissa, what a pleasant surprise. . . and Bellatrix. . . not so pleasant." He said, opening the door wider and letting them come in.

"Snape." Bellatrix said curtly, as she came in.

"Severus, I must speak with you, it's urgent." Narcissa pleaded.

"But of course."

He gestured the sofa to Narcissa and she threw her cloak off and casted it aside and sat down, her white hands, trembling, clasped in her lap. Bellatrix lowered her hood and did not take her gaze off of him as she moved to stand behind her sister.

He lowered himself into an arm chair and Elizabeth jumped up onto his lap, curling up into a ball and closing her large green eyes.

"Is that an Animagus?" Bellatrix asked, her eyes now on Elizabeth.

He snorted, playing casual and dismissive though his heart started to beat just a little irregularly. "Of course not. She was born from my last cat. Only a year old now. So unless your saying Animagus can be born, Bellatrix. . ."

"I was just asking." Bellatrix snapped.

His lip curled. One of Elizabeth's ears twitched but other than her tail, nothing else moved. "So what can I do for you?" He asked, looking at Narcissa.

"We. . . we are alone, aren't we?" Narcissa asked quietly.

"Yes, of course. Well, Wormtail's here, but we're not counting vermin are we?" He asked and flicked his wand towards the wall of books which revealed the hidden staircase where Wormtail had been hidden, listening. "As you have clearly realized, Wormtail, we have guests."

Wormtail crept into the room. His small eyes were watery and he was wearing that horrible simpering look Severus hated so much. "Narcissa!" He squeaked, his hands coming up in front of his chest like paws. "And Bellatrix! How Charming-"

"Wormtail will get us drinks, if you'd like them. And then he will return to his bedroom." Severus said in a lazy voice and added in his head, 'and hopefully you two will leave and I can go back to mine'. Unconsciously, he laid his hand on Elizabeth's head and started to pet it. She purred with content.

"I am not your servant!" Wormtail squeaked and he noticed that he had avoided his eyes.

"Really? I was under the impression that the Dark Lord placed you here to assist me." He said, trying to sound amused.

"To assist, yes- but not to make you drinks and- and clean your house!" Wormtail argued. Not that he did much cleaning in the first place. Elizabeth usually ended up doing it when Wormtail left. And of course, he didn't want that but she always insisted, saying she needed something to do. But perhaps it was simply because of what she'd said before- not taking anything for granted.

"I had no idea, Wormtail, that you were craving more dangerous assignments." He said silkily. "This can be easily arranged: I shall speak to the Dark Lord-"

"I can speak to him myself if I want to!" Wormtail said, enraged.

"Of course you can." He was sneering now, "But in the meantime, bring us drinks. Some of the elf-made wine will do."

Wormtail hesitated for a moment and then went away through a different hidden door. In fact, if a Muggle were to enter the house, they would think the sitting room was the only room in the house, despite the size of it on the outside. Every door in the main room was hidden. There were banging sounds in the kitchen and then Wormtail came back with a dusty bottle and three glasses and slammed the other hidden door behind him as he went up the stairs.

He got up, putting Elizabeth down on the floor so that he pour the three glasses of red wine and gave each other to the others, taking his own and moving to sit back down and saw that Elizabeth had jumped back up on the chair, curling up in the middle of it.

"Damn cat," he sighed, putting his glass of wine on the side table and picked her up and put her on his lap. She stretched out like a rug, purring. He petted her as though she were a real cat and damn, she really was acting like it. It must be a gift of hers- acting. She'd managed to convince Dolores Umbridge that Sirius was hiding in Thailand- not that it mattered now. He tried not to think of Sirius.

"The Dark Lord." He said, raising the glass. Bellatrix and Narcissa copied him and he refilled their glasses.

Then Narcissa said, "Severus, I'm sorry to come here like this, but I had to see you. I think you are the only one who can help me-"

Severus held his hand up and pointed his wand back at the bookcase. There was a loud band and he heard Wormtail squeal and there were footsteps up the stairs as he ran away like the little coward he was.

"My apologies." He said calmly, "He has lately taken to listening at doors, I don't know what he means by it. . . You were saying Narcissa?"

"Severus, I know I ought not to be here, I have been told to say nothing to anyone, but-"

"Then you ought to hold your tongue! Particularly in present company!" Bellatrix snapped, interrupting her sister.

"'Present Company'? And what am I to understand by that, Bellatrix?" He asked.

"That I don't trust you, Snape, as you very well know!" She exclaimed.

Narcissa let out a sob and covered her face with her hands. Elizabeth's ear twitched again. She hated when people cried, no matter who they were.

He set his glass down on the table and sat back, putting one arm lazily across the arm of the chair and petted Elizabeth with the other. "Narcissa, I think we ought to hear what Bellatrix is bursting to say; it will save tedious interruptions. Well, continue, Bellatrix. Why is it that you do not trust me?" He sounded amused. Good.

"A hundred reasons!" Bellatrix said so loudly that he didn't doubt Wormtail could hear from upstairs. She strode around the sofa and slammed her glass down on the table too. "Where to start! Where were you when the Dark Lord fell? Why did you never make any attempt to find him when he vanished? When have you been doing all these years that you've lived in Dumbledore's pocket? Why did you stop the Dark Lord procuring the Sorcerer's Stone? Why did you not return at once when the Dark Lord was reborn? Where were you a few weeks ago when we battled to retrieve the prophecy for the Dark Lord? Why haven't you handed over Elizabeth Kane? And why, Snape, is Harry Potter still alive, when you have had him at your mercy for five years!"

He had to cover a wince because Elizabeth had dug her claws into his leg when Bellatrix mentioned the duel for the prophecy. She meowed softly and turned her head away from the sisters as though rolling over and he saw tears coming out of her large green eyes and she quickly closed them.

Bellatrix was breathing hard, having gotten everything off of her chest and he smiled. "Before I answer you- oh yes, Bellatrix, I am going to answer! You can carry my words back to the others who whisper behind my back, and carry false tales of my treachery to the Dark Lord! Before I answer you, I say, let me ask you a question in turn. Do you really think that the Dark Lord has not asked me each and every one of those questions? And do you really think that, had I not bee able to give satisfactory answers, I would be sitting here talking to you?"

He felt Elizabeth shift on his lap again.

Bellatrix hesitated. "I know he believes you, but. . ."

"You think he is mistaken? Or that I have somehow hoodwinked him? Fooled the Dark Lord, the greatest wizard, the most accomplished Legilimens the world has ever seen!" He continued, raising an eyebrow. Oh yes, he'd kept the Dark Lord out of his mind mostly. He had to protect Elizabeth of course. If he found they were married. . . if he even found out he had feelings for Elizabeth. . .

Bellatrix remained silent.

Of course. . . they weren't really married. . . yet. . . her father wouldn't let her until she turned of age. . .

"You ask where I was when the Dark Lord fell. I was where he had ordered me to be, at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, because he wished me to spy upon Albus Dumbledore. You know, I presume, that it was on the Dark Lord's orders that I took up the post?"

Bellatrix gave the slightest of nods and then opened her mouth to speak but he stopped her and said, "You ask why I did not attempt to find him when he vanished. For the same reason that Avery, Yaxley, the Carrows, Greyback, Lucius and many others did not attempt to find him. I believed him finished. I am not proud of it, I was wrong, but there it is. . . If he had not forgiven we who lost faith at that time, he would have very few followers left."

"He'd have me! I, who spent many years in Azkaban for him!" Bellatrix said with a passion.

"Yes, indeed, most admirable. Of course, you weren't a lot of use to him in prison, but the gesture was undoubtedly fine-" Severus said in a bored voice.

"Gesture! While I endured the dementors, you remained at Hogwarts, comfortably playing Dumbledore's pet!" Bellatrix shrieked.

"Not quite. He wouldn't give me the Defense Against the Dark Arts job, you know. Seemed to think it might, ah, bring about a relapse. . . tempt me into my old ways."

"This was your sacrifice for the Dark Lord, not to teach your favorite subject? Why did you stay there all that time, Snape? Still spying on Dumbledore for a master you believed dead?" Bellatrix jeered.

Severus felt a brief flicker of annoyance. He still wasn't entirely sure why Dumbledore didn't give him the post. That was the reason he'd come up with.

"Hardly, although the Dark Lord is pleased that I never deserted my post: I had sixteen years of information on Dumbledore to give him when he returned, a rather more useful welcome-back present than endless reminiscences of how unpleasant Azkaban is. . ." Severus said calmly.

"But you stayed-"

"Yes, Bellatrix, I stayed." Severus said, starting to get impatient. Elizabeth rolled over onto her back, stretching her legs upwards and then collapsed onto her side. "I had a comfortable job that I preferred to a stint in Azkaban. They were rounding up the Death Eaters, you know. Dumbledore's protection kept me out of jail; it was most convenient and I used it. I repeat: The Dark Lord does not complain that I stayed, so I do not see why you do."

But he continued, not giving her a chance to interrupt, "I think you next wanted to know, why I stood between the Dark Lord and the Sorcerer's Stone. That is easily answered. He did not know whether he could trust me. He thought, like you, that I had turned from faithful Death Eater to Dumbledore's stooge. He was in a pitiable condition, very weak, sharing the body of a mediocre wizard. He did not dare reveal himself to a former ally if that ally might turn him over to Dumbledore or the Ministry. I deeply regret that he did not trust me. He would have returned to power three years sooner. As it was, I saw only greedy and unworthy Quirrell attempting to steal the stone and, I admit, I did all I could to thwart him."

"But you didn't return when he came back, you didn't fly back to him at once when you felt the Dark Mark burn-" Bellatrix started and he winced as he felt teeth on his fingers and looked down. Elizabeth had curled up in a ball around his hand and had bitten his fingers very softly. He rolled his eyes.

"Correct." he stated, not moving his hand. "I returned two hours later. I returned on Dumbledore's orders."

"On Dumbledore's-?" Bellatrix sounded outraged.

He was impatient now, "Think! Think! By waiting two hours, just two hours, I ensured that I could remain at Hogwarts as a spy! By allowing Dumbledore to think that I was only returning to the Dark Lord's side because I was ordered to, I have been able to pass information on Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix ever since! Consider, Bellatrix: The Dark Mark had been growing stronger for months. I knew he must be about to return, all the Death Eaters knew! I had plenty of time to think about what I wanted to do, to plan my next move, to escape like Karkaroff, didn't I?"

And he had. He had certainly considered taking Elizabeth and leaving. Australia, Japan, America. He wondered if Elizabeth would've gone with him. He wondered if the Dark Lord would've followed him across countries to kill him and his wife.

"The Dark Lord's initial displeasure at my lateness vanished entirely, I assure you, when I explained that I remained faithful, although Dumbledore thought I was his man. Yes, the Dark Lord thought that I had left him forever, but he was wrong."

"But what use have you been? What useful information have we had from you?" Bellatrix sneered at him.

"My information has been conveyed directly to the Dark Lord. If he chooses not to share it with you-" He started.

"He shares everything with me!" Bellatrix said, firing up at once, "He calls me his most loyal, his most faithful-"

"Does he? Does he still, after the fiasco at the Ministry?" He jeered now.

Her claws dug into his leg again.

"That was not my fault! The Dark Lord has, in the past, entrusted me with his most precious- if Lucius hadn't-"

"Don't you dare- don't you dare blame my husband!" Narcissa said in a low deadly voice.

"There is no point apportioning blame, what is done, is done." He said in a smooth voice.

"But not by you!" Bellatrix said furiously. Elizabeth's heard perked up, her ears twitching. "No, you were once again absent while the rest of us ran dangers, were you not, Snape?"

"My orders were to remain behind. Perhaps you disagree with the Dark Lord, perhaps you think that Dumbledore would not have noticed if I had joined forces with the Death Eaters to fight the Order of the Phoenix? And-"

Elizabeth was sitting up on her haunches. He went on, trying not to sound nervous, "-forgive me- you speak of dangers. . . you were facing ten teenagers, one of them a formerly captured captive and no idea how to cast magic, were you not?"

"They were joined, as you very well know, by half the Order before long! And, while we are on the subject of the Order, you still claim you cannot reveal the whereabouts of their headquarters, don't you?" Bellatrix hissed.

Elizabeth sprang and Bellatrix tripped back, raising her wand, but Elizabeth hadn't been aiming for her, but rather a butterfly that had found its way into the room. She carried it triumphantly in her mouth to the corner of the room. He rolled his eyes, but was glad she was still acting like a cat. His heart was pounding greatly in his chest.

He did his best to recover by smirking at Bellatrix's obvious discomfort at Elizabeth's antics.

"I am not the Secret-Keeper; I cannot speak the name of the place. You understand how the enchantment works, I think? The Dark Lord is satisfied with the information I have passed him on the Order. It led, as perhaps you have guessed, to the recent capture and murder of Emmeline Vance, and it certainly helped dispose of Sirius Black, though I give you full credit to finishing him off."

Elizabeth's large green eyes glared at him from the corner. He knew he was going to pay for saying that later but he also knew that he had to keep up appearances and he reluctantly raised his wing glass as though toasting Bellatrix. Elizabeth turned her back on him, her fur raised. He almost sighed aloud.

"You are avoiding my last two questions, Snape. Harry Potter. Elizabeth Kane. You could have killed him at any point in the past five years. You have not done it. You have not handed her over. Why?"

"Have you discussed this matter with the Dark Lord?" He asked, amused.

"He. . . lately we. . . I am asking you, Snape!" Bellatrix said, her cheeks red. He wondered briefly if she was still sleeping with the Dark Lord.

"If I had murdered Harry Potter, the Dark Lord could not have used his blood to regenerate, making him invincible-"

"You claim you foresaw his use of the boy?" She jeered.

"I do not claim it; I had no idea of his plans; I have already confessed that I thought the Dark Lord dead. I am merely trying to explain why the Dark Lord is not sorry that Potter survived, at least until a year ago. . ."

"But why did you keep him alive?"

"Have you not understood me? It was only Dumbledore's protection that was keeping me out of Azkaban! Do you disagree that murdering his favorite student might have turned him against me? But there was more to it than that. I should remind you that when Potter first arrived at Hogwarts there were still many stories circulating about him, rumors that he himself was a great Dark wizard, which was how he had survived the Dark Lord's attack. Indeed, many of the Dark Lord's old followers through Potter might be a standard around which we could all rally once more. I was curious, I admit it, and not at all inclined to murder him the moment he set foot in the castle."

Elizabeth's back was still to him though her fur wasn't bristled anymore. He wondered if she'd actually eaten the butterfly. He doubted it.

"Of course, it became apparent to me very quickly that he had no extraordinary talent at all. He has fought his way out of a number of tight corners by a simple combination of sheer luck and more talented friends. He is mediocre to the last degree, though as obnoxious and self-satisfied as was his father before him. I have done my utmost to have him thrown out of Hogwarts, where I believed he scarcely belongs, but kill him, or allow him to be killed in front of me? I would have been a fool to risk it with Dumbledore close at hand."

Elizabeth was trotting back to where he was sitting and then flopped in a patch of sunlight streaming through the window.

"And through all this we are supposed to believe Dumbledore has never suspected you? He has no idea of your true allegiance, he trusts you implicitly still?" Bellatrix asked.

"I have played my part well. And you overlook Dumbledore's great weakness: He has to believe the best of people. I spun him a tale of deepest remorse when I joined his staff, fresh from my Death Eater days, and he embraced me with open arms- though, as I say, never allowing me nearer the Dark Arts than he could help. Dumbledore has been a great wizard-"

Bellatrix made a scathing noise.

"-oh yes, he has, the Dark Lord acknowledges it. I am pleased to say, however, that Dumbledore is growing old. The duel with the Dark Lord last month shook him. He has since sustained a serious injury because of his reactions are slower than they once were. But through all these years, he has never stopped trusting Severus Snape, and therein lies my great value to the Dark Lord."

Bellatrix opened her mouth and he continued, feeling snappish, "And for Elizabeth Kane? It is highly impossible for me to simply bring her to the Dark Lord. As I have understood it, there have been two attempts at taking her in. The first, she escaped herself because Nott wanted a little. . .fun. The second, the order rescued her. Stupid really, her father fights so hard for her. They never had a chance. And it is for the same reasons as not killing Harry Potter that I have not taken Elizabeth Kane. Both children have a special place in Dumbledore's heart. There is no way for me to possibly take her or kill him without losing my position as a spy."

Nott was eventually going to pay for his stunt, but he wasn't entirely sure how. But the idea of anyone- especially a Death Eater's- kissing Elizabeth, feeling Elizabeth, filled him with rage. But he tried to hide that for the moment.

"Now. . . you came to ask me for help, Narcissa?" He asked, turning to her. The sooner this was over with the sooner he could get back in bed, the sooner he could apologize to Elizabeth, the sooner he could feel her mouth on his, his hands on her supple apples. . .

"Yes, Severus I- I think you are the only one who can help me, I have nowhere else to turn. Lucius is in jail and. . ." Narcissa closed her eyes and two tears trailed out of them and he felt pity in his heart. Damnit, Elizabeth had softened his heart. "The Dark Lord has forbidden me to speak of it. He wishes none to know of the plan. It is. . . very secret. But-"

"If he has forbidden it, you ought not to speak. The Dark Lord's word is law." He said very quickly.

Narcissa gasped and Bellatrix looked extremely satisfied and said, "There! Even Snape says so: You were told not to talk, so hold your silence!"

He got up and closed the curtain. Elizabeth poked her head up in annoyance and hissed at him.

"Oh calm down Eilís" He said and immediately regretted it. It had been the first name that had popped into his mind. A spasm of pain went through her eyes as there were no way to show facial expressions on her feline face and she leapt onto her four paws and walked out of the room.

"It so happens that I know of the plan." He said and he realized he sounded a bit dull. "I am one of the few the Dark Lord has told. Nevertheless, had I not been in on the secret, Narcissa, you would have been guilty of great treachery to the Dark Lord."

Would she wait for him in the room? Or would she have climbed out the window and left? Oh why had he used that stupid name?

"I thought you must know about it! He trusts you so, Severus. . ." Narcissa said, breathing freely.

"You know about the plan? You know?" Bellatrix said, looking enraged.

"Certainly, but what help do you require, Narcissa? If you are imaging I can persuade the Dark Lord to change his mind, I am afraid there is no hope, none at all."

"Severus, my son. . . my only son. . ." Narcissa whispered, more tears sliding down her pale cheeks. He remembered briefly how Elizabeth had been so fearful about not having children. It must be a woman thing.

"Draco should be proud. The Dark Lord is granting him a great honor. And I will say this for Draco: He isn't shrinking away from his duty, he seems glad of a chance to prove himself, excited at the prospect-"

Narcissa began to cry. "That's because he is sixteen and has no idea what lies in store! Why, Severus? Why my son? It is too dangerous! This is vengeance for Lucius's mistake, I know it!"

He looked away, her tears tortured him.

"That's why he's chosen Draco, isn't it? To punish Lucius?" She whispered.

Yes. But he didn't say so.

"If Draco succeeds, he will be honored above all the others." He said slowly.

"But he won't succeed! How can he, when the Dark Lord himself-?" Narcissa sobbed and Bellatrix gasped and Narcissa was suddenly very panicky. "I only meant. . . that nobody has yet succeeded. . . Severus. . . please. . . you are, you have always been, Draco's favorite teacher. . . You are Lucius's old friend. . . I beg you. . . you are the Dark Lord's favorite, his most trusted advisor. . . Will you speak to him, persuade him-"

"The Dark Lord will not be persuaded, and I am not stupid enough to attempt it." He said flatly. "I cannot pretend that the Dark Lord is not angry with Lucius. Lucius was supposed to be in charge. He got himself captured, along with how many others, and failed to retrieve the prophecy into the bargain. Yes, the Dark Lord is angry, Narcissa, very angry indeed."

"Then I am right, he has chosen Draco in revenge! He does not mean him to succeed, he wants him to be killed trying!" Narcissa choked out.

"It was that girls fault!" Bellatrix was saying now hotly. "She told Potter to smash the prophecy and then tricked us saying she always keeps her promises!"

"You mean Elizabeth Kane?" He asked, trying not to sound proud. "That's because she does keep all the promises she makes. You should've known her fingers were crossed. Of course she told Potter to smash the prophecy- she had probably already foreseen the words in her head before they even got there! She knew that it could not land in the Dark Lord's hands!"

But the conversation was interrupted by Narcissa who staggered off the couch and clutched the front of his robes, her tears falling onto his shirt. "You could do it. You could do it instead of Draco, Severus. You would succeed, of course you would, and he would reward you beyond all of us-"

He grabbed her wrists, feeling that this was going to get to personal. He said slowly, "He intends me to do it in the end, I think. But he is determined that Draco should try first. You see, in the unlikely event that Draco succeeds, I shall be able to remain at Hogwarts a little longer, fulfilling my useful role as spy."

"In other words, it doesn't matter to him if Draco is killed!" Narcissa said.

"The Dark Lord is very angry." He repeated. "He failed to hear the prophecy, he failed to attain Elizabeth Kane. You know as well as I do, Narcissa, that he does not forgive easily."

Narcissa crumpled, falling at his feet, sobbing. "My only son. . . my only son. . ."

"You should be proud!" Bellatrix said unsympathetically. "If I had sons, I would be glad to give them up to the service of the Dark Lord!"

So maybe it wasn't a womans thing. Just the sweet women wanted children.

Severus started a bit at her words. 'If I had sons.' Bellatrix knew perfectly well that women could be Death Eaters too. So why. . . no. . . had her and Voldemort. . . surely not?

Narcissa gave a scream of despair and clutched her long beautiful blond hair. He quickly stooped, seizing her by the arms, lifted her up and made her sit back down on the sofa. He poured her more wine, shoving it into her hand. "Narcissa, that's enough. Drink this. Listen to me."

"It might be possible. . . for me to help Draco." He said slowly, hoping he didn't regret making such a statement.

She sat up, "Severus- oh, Severus- you would help him? Would you look after him, see he comes to no harm?"

"I can try." He said.

She flung her glass away and it skidded across the table and she took up a kneeling position at his feet, seizing his hand and pressed her lips to it. He felt heat in his cheeks. Maybe it would be best if Elizabeth was gone. Was this going to go any farther?

"If you are there to protect him. . . Severus, will you swear it? Will you make then Unbreakable vow?"

His heart stopped. Unbreakable vow? If he screwed up. . . he could die. Draco had a tendency to attack Elizabeth at school. If he made the vow. . . how could he protect Elizabeth from Draco if he was supposed to be protecting Draco? He kept his face emotionless and said, "The Unbreakable Vow?"

Bellatrix cackled with laughter. "Aren't you listening, Narcissa? Oh, he'll try, I'm sure. . . The usual empty words, the usual slithering out of action. . . oh, on the Dark Lord's orders, of course!"

He kept his eyes on Narcissa's blue, tear-filled eyes. She was still clutching his hand. "Certainly, Narcissa, I shall make the Unbreakable Vow. Perhaps your sister will consent to be our Bonder."

Pride, he thought reluctantly. Pride was what killed Sirius and pride was what was going to kill him. But it was too late, he'd said the words.

Bellatrix's mouth fell open as he lowered himself so that he was kneeling opposite Narcissa. They grasped right hands. "You will need your wand, Bellatrix." He said in as cold a voice as he could muster. If Elizabeth wasn't there when he got back. . .

Bellatrix pulled out her wand. "And you will need to move a little closer." He said.

Narcissa spoke. "Will you, Severus, watch over my son, Draco, as he attempts to fulfill the Dark Lord's wishes?"

"I will." He said.

A thin tongue of flame issued from the wand and wound its way around their hands. There was some heat, but it was not painful.

"And will you, to the best of your ability, protect him from harm?"

"I will."

"And, should it prove necessary. . . if it seems Draco will fail, will you carry out the deed that the Dark Lord has ordered Draco to perform?"

He twitched for a second, wanting to pull his hand out. Elizabeth would be horribly pained if he died. It took him a second to find the words.

"I will."

As the fiery bond finally fell away, they drew their hands apart and then they were gone as quickly as they had come.

He stood there in the sitting room for some time and then turned and headed into the bedroom, slamming the door behind him and locking it.

She was still there, curled up in a ball on the bed, her large green eyes glaring at him with anger.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, "It was the first name that came to mind and it came out. I didn't mean to."

She turned back into a human, completely naked and his heart started to race, looking at how perfect her body was, the curves in her hips, the small but plump breasts, her large brown eyes, the long brown-red hair that reached past her perfectly shaped ass. Perfect- unless he looked at her right hand which had words carved in it. Her eyes were a bit puffy and red, the rest of her face was extremely pale. Her bottom lip was quivering slightly. She'd been crying.

"It's fine. I understand." she whispered, walking up to him, pressing her body to him. Her hands slipped up to his collar and he shivered with anticipation as she lowered his cloak from his shoulders and then unbuttoned his shirt. "Come back to bed." She whispered, turning her back on him and his heart thumped irregularly, watching her hips swing as she walked.

He waved his wand, turning out the lights and shutting the window shades and quickly climbed back into the bed, and climbed back onto her, going into her, and went back up into Heaven.

⬅️➡️

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