FicWad

Severus Snape had not attended a major gathering of Death Eaters in some time, since his assigned role as spy had kept him at Hogwarts. Without that excuse, his frequent attendance would now be required. He pushed down the brief flash of revulsion he felt, and allowed his senses to explore the area around him. The grounds of Riddle House seemed haunted by the shadows of the birds and animals that used to be there.

It was early now and Severus hoped to remain undetected, so that he could see who would be coming tonight. There had been no new human Death Eaters to swell their ranks of late, with the exception of Draco Malfoy, who would not be attending. The Dark Lord had been forced to rely on threats, blackmail and the Imperius Curse to maintain his numbers. Of course, he had Giants, Dementors, and a legion of Inferi to do his bidding. It was still a terrifying prospect... and when he thought of their likely target, he felt ill. Still, he needed to see...

Far to his left, a small 'pop' told him that the assembly had begun. A cloaked and masked figure hurried toward the manor house. Quite close to the back door another masked figure appeared, and quickly entered the house. Severus curled his lip in disgust. 'Still playing dress-up, like children,' he thought. He took a moment to plan his own appearance before watching two more figures appear. He would wait until they were all there before entering the house, so he decided to lean upon a large tree and relax himself. His treacherous mind flashed back to Hogwarts, where Zelda was and a deep longing to go back rushed through him. He quashed that moment of weakness, and then simply waited.

Twenty minutes later, he could see no more arrivals. He waited a few more minutes, and then began strolling leisurely toward Riddle house. The kitchen door was ajar, and he slipped silently through it. He heard voices... quarrelsome, loud voices coming from the open drawing room door. From that, he surmised that the Dark Lord must not yet be among them.

"With the old fool gone, there are none to stop us from making sport of the wretched Muggles around us," Bellatrix pronounced in her arrogant way. "There are too many of them, so I plan to thin their ranks."

"I can handle that," Fenrir Greyback snarled eagerly. "Once we've gotten rid of those fools at the Ministry of Magic, we'll take whatever we want."

"Talk all you want," Peter Pettigrew exclaimed importantly, "but the Dark Lord will tell you what to do. You all talk as though you're in charge, but you have no idea!"

"I suppose you know the Dark Lord's plan, rodent?" Bellatrix shrieked, pulling her wand and advancing on the suddenly terrified Wormtail.

Severus took one deep breath and stepped quietly inside. The inhabitants of the room all wore cloaks and masks - as though it were a masquerade party, he thought. As if anyone could truly disguise his or her identity just with that.

"Play nicely, children," he murmured snidely. He pointed his wand at Bellatrix, who had jumped at the sound of his voice. "How delightful to see you, my dear Bellatrix."

The tall woman whipped around and fired off a Hex at him, which Snape blocked easily. He did not retaliate, however, and as she attacked him repeatedly, he simply blocked her spells and stood relaxed, leaning casually against the drawing room wall.

"Fight, Snape! Or are you too cowardly to engage me?" snarled the woman. "I don't know how you survived until now, but this time I'll finish you directly!" Her eyes gleamed madly through the holes of her Death Eater mask and her rage grew as she discovered she could neither make headway in her attack nor provoke him to attack her.

The other inhabitants of the room had all stepped as far as possible from Bellatrix and Snape... and were watching eagerly, hoping to see bloodshed.

Snape, having prepared mentally for this moment, was easily able to block the witch's Curses. He was also enjoying this opportunity to push her completely out of control. "Unlike you, Bellatrix," he said lazily, "I am able to follow the Dark Lord's instructions. He has told me that he will deal with you himself, and I am satisfied that he do so." He blocked another Hex and was amused to see that she grew more furious each time that he blocked her.

Out of the corner of his eye, Snape saw Wormtail scurry out of the drawing room door, as the rest of the masked people watched the duel. None of them said a word however - and as he kept blocking her curses, he wondered idly whose demise the onlookers would prefer more, his, or Bellatrix's.

A crimson flash from the direction of the doorway blasted the wand from Bellatrix's hand, causing Severus to turn calmly and nod his head respectfully. "My Lord, good evening," he murmured, lowering his wand deliberately.

Bellatrix had frozen in shock, and perhaps she realized that she had gone further than was acceptable. "My Lord, forgive me," she wailed. "He attacked me, so I was merely defending myself."

A faint, ironic smile crossed Snape's face. Perhaps the sight of him, returned from death - as she thought - had unhinged her. Only a madwoman would lie needlessly to the Dark Lord... but then, she had always walked a fine line in respect to sanity.

"I am confused, Bella," Lord Voldemort hissed. "Severus Snape has proven his loyalty beyond any of you. Why would he attack you, flawed servant that you are?"

Her eyes darted around the room, looking for an escape. She had indeed forgotten everything but her own jealous fury, when Snape had entered the room alive and unhurt. "My Lord..." she began, but fell silent. She saw the others all moving discreetly away from her, refusing to be associated with her. She could not say what she wished to say; none there would believe her. She threw herself at the feet of the Dark Lord, weeping, and began kissing the hem of his robes. "My Lord, I am sorry, but when he entered so unexpectedly I believed he would attack me."

"Was he unexpected, Bella?" Voldemort asked coldly. "Perhaps you did not expect him, but I knew that he would be here tonight. I believe you must explain your recent actions now, toward my /most faithful servant/."

At those words, Bellatrix turned and stared furiously at Snape, who allowed a cold smirk to appear on his features. "I... I did not, I do not... My Lord, he is not to be trusted!" she shrieked. Her eyes were bulging, and flecks of saliva flew from her mouth.

Voldemort stepped back from her, and said icily, "This noise is unseemly. You must take a moment to get a grip on yourself, Bella." He pointed his wand at her and softly said, "Crucio!"

She collapsed to her hands and knees, and then fell on her side, writhing and gasping. Her limbs began to twitch convulsively and the onlookers began muttering to each other. They had never seen the Dark Lord publicly torture Bellatrix Lestrange and the suddenness of it was disturbing.

"My Lord," Snape murmured softly.

Voldemort ceased the Curse, and turned to Snape, "Do you dare to interfere? I shall discipline the woman... it is not for you, Snape!"

"I do not presume to ask it, but she will be needed to assist in carrying out your plans," he said levelly, "and to combine too much physical weakness with her undoubted mental deficiencies is perhaps not in your best interests for now."

The red eyes fixed suspiciously on Snape's impassive face and he saw Snape's snide thought... that Bellatrix would loathe being indebted to Snape for his intervention. An icy laugh shocked his assembled followers and Voldemort said, "Perhaps Severus has a soft spot for our dear Bella. I shall spare her further punishment at his request."

Bellatrix heard the words as she lay twitching spasmodically on the floor. She realized that she had wet herself without realizing it and her eyes burned madly at this humiliation. Knowing herself indebted to Snape for the end of her torture was even deeper shame and she wondered what the slippery wizard meant by it.

As Voldemort and Snape stepped around her to join the others, she forced herself to her knees, and tried to gather the strength to stand. She could not yet manage it and knelt wretchedly on the floor. She had thought she hated Snape before, but that was nothing compared to what she felt at this moment, she thought bitterly, preparing to crawl to her wand.

The masked Death Eaters were moving restlessly. They had now seen Bellatrix publicly tortured - and then, the amazing fact that Snape dared to intervene against their Lord's intentions. Not only that, he had been successful in doing so... which made them nervous. They now waited obediently for their master to speak.

Voldemort gazed at the small group of his followers, and they were far from an impressive lot in his estimate. However he knew all of their potential and how to exploit it - he occasionally wished for more displays of cleverness and less of sheep-like passivity. Lucius remained in Azkaban, and after the son's recent failure, he wondered if the father would be of any use. Narcissa Malfoy had disappeared recently. There would be no time to recover her and the Malfoy brat had most likely been killed.

The Ministry had released almost no information in the aftermath of Dumbledore's death, only that Snape was being sought for 'questioning.' If they had killed the boy, then they had not yet released the fact. Young Malfoy had been terrified almost beyond reason, and it was unlikely that he would allow himself to be taken alive. He certainly had not responded to the summoning of his Dark Mark.

"Greetings, my Death Eaters," Voldemort hissed coldly to the small group. "Now that our last significant adversary is no more, we shall move forward in our quest." He sat down before them in a high backed armchair and gazed around at them, offering them no opportunity to be seated. He let silence fill the room, and watched as the masked ones began to squirm nervously.

Snape took up a position on the Dark Lord's right, standing one step behind him. This afforded him the opportunity to view all of the Death Eaters and flaunted his position as the current favorite. He watched Bellatrix crawl toward the corner where her wand lay. Having erred so publicly, she might now be more unbalanced - and prone to erring again. It was odd, though, that he now felt so dispassionate about the mad witch. In the past, he had been consumed with hatred for those who had abused him - but now, Bellatrix was merely an obstacle to defeating the Dark Lord. Repulsive but unimportant.

"The past months have effectively weakened the general population," Voldemort proclaimed in his high, icy voice. "We shall now move on to conquer the institutions, and I shall soon be in a position to rule completely. In one month from now, we shall mount our attack upon the Ministry of Magic... at the same moment that we take Hogwarts for our own. Lastly, we shall also take Azkaban, releasing the last Death Eaters imprisoned there and replacing them with all those who have opposed me."

Here Voldemort paused, allowing his followers to erupt in murmurs of wonder and appreciation for the bold plan. To attack both locations at the same moment would make it unlikely that any defense would be adequate, Snape thought. He remained deferentially silent and waited to hear more details.

Voldemort heard a quick intake of breath near his shoulder, but nothing more. Snape would be needed in several key roles, so the Dark Lord would be watching and listening carefully for signs of disloyalty. He knew that Snape was an ambitious man, who hoped for great renown. He was prepared, now that Dumbledore was dead, to offer Snape the opportunity to become his lieutenant, but he also was aware that he needed to remain wary in the man's presence. He waited for the muttering to die down before he continued speaking.

"Only one of you has truly justified my confidence, the rest of you have failed me repeatedly. But I can be merciful, and when you have successfully done my bidding, you shall all be richly rewarded," Voldemort proclaimed. "For this mission I shall choose one to command at each location. For Hogwarts, Severus Snape shall direct our force. He knows the ways of the school intimately."

Snape allowed a complacent smirk to touch his thin lips in response. He saw the Death Eaters shuffling nervously. It seemed that none of them wished to be commanded by him - which was a pleasing thought.

"My Lord," Pettigrew wheedled, "Who will lead your force at the Ministry?"

"I have given much thought to this," said Voldemort coldly. "All of you have failed me. Of those in this room, my choice was Bellatrix. However, this very night she has attacked the Death Eater who rid us of Albus Dumbledore, so I fear that she is no longer worthy of this honor."

Bellatrix was still too shaken to stand, but she had crawled to her wand, and listened intently to Voldemort's words. Her eyes had narrowed when she heard of the honor Snape was given - but she had managed to contain herself. However, when she heard her own name mentioned, she dragged herself forward and flung herself at his feet. "Master, I beg you/... allow me to serve you! I shall do /anything you require of me!"

Voldemort ignored the groveling woman. "Each of you shall be assigned to fight at one of these locations, under the orders of your commander. Now I shall consult briefly with Severus, so you will wait for me. Bella," he hissed, "I shall speak with you presently. Cease your sniveling and compose yourself!"

Snape followed Voldemort into an adjoining room, and the door closed firmly behind them as the Dark Lord pointed his wand at it. His eyes met the glowing red ones dispassionately. "You honor me," he pronounced levelly. "The plan is ambitious; I shall endeavor to do my part."

"You have not mentioned Bella," Voldemort said mockingly. "Do you believe that she is worthy to command my followers, Snape?"

A thin black brow rose in response. Severus wondered what this game was, he had never been shown this open confidence before, nor had Bellatrix been held up to question until now. The Dark Lord did not show trust. After a thoughtful silence, he said slowly, "She is not an unintelligent woman."

"No," Voldemort said. "I would prefer Lucius, in spite of his past failures, but until we control Azkaban he will not be available to me. In fact, the best of my number are still imprisoned. I shall watch Bella closely."

"I must know more of your plan, if I am to lead the taking of Hogwarts," Snape murmured. "Which of them will be assigned to assist me?"

"You shall have Wormtail," Voldemort murmured maliciously, "He has ably assisted you, has he not?"

Snape nodded. He had expected that the spy would be with him frequently from this point, and had resigned himself to it. "Thank you," he responded politely, "Which of the others?"

"You shall have Amycus and Alecto," Voldemort said, finality in his voice. "When the plan goes forward, you shall also have giants. As well, if you wish it, I shall send Inferi to you. I see the taking of Hogwarts to be a simple task, since it is virtually untenanted for the summer. On September the first, we shall begin to educate the next generation of Death Eaters, Severus."

Snape had expected this, but had not considered that he would be assigned to lead the attack. His thoughts were racing, but he gathered himself and asked, "Will the rest be assigned to the Ministry? I believe that is the greater challenge. I wonder if Bellatrix is up to it."

"Of course, she is not," Voldemort hissed, "She has no experience at leading, and no experience with the Ministry. That is why I must give a larger number to that operation. I shall supervise Bellatrix myself, and offer guidance when it is called for."

In fact, then, Bellatrix would command nothing, Snape reflected, allowing Voldemort to see the cynical musing. "I shall need time to reflect," he mused aloud.

"You shall have it, Severus. I have not offered this opportunity to one of my servants before. I hope that you will not... disappoint me."

Snape looked directly into the burning red eyes. "I shall not disappoint you," he muttered abruptly. "If I may have a brief time here alone, I shall decide how to proceed."

"Very well," hissed the icy voice, "Take what time you need, Severus. I expect that you will begin to plan immediately. Join us when you are ready."

Voldemort left the small room abruptly and Snape was finally alone again.