A celebration for all. A victory for one.

[lord_mordre]

The Dark Lord sat on his throne, spidery fingers curled around the ends of the bone and ivory chair. He was particularly pleased with how things were progressing. Years of painstaking planning had finally paid off, and he had Severus, of all his followers to thank. And with Lucius in Azkaban and Draco so close to death's edge, he'd finally be

Comments

[path_draco]

Draco was not used to the shadow. He'd always tried to be in the spotlight, even when he had to fight Potter for it, but now... this had changed. He no longer sought the spotlight, knowing just how dangerous it could be.

He stood in a corner watching the people around him. A celebration! That was what this was supposed to be, but again, he didn't feel like celebrating. He'd failed to kill an old man, a man who was trying to give him a way out. His compensation had been the Cruciatus from a half-blood. The only reason to celebrate was that he was still alive.

[stoppered_death]

Snape's new rooms were as well-appointed as Voldemort had hinted, with separate laboratories fitted out for research into Dark Arts and Potions. In the labs he set down his backpack, accioed Draco's from wherever the lad had gone, then stretched out on the unfamiliar, too-soft bed for a few hours of potion-assisted rest.

As he bathed, he decided that modification of Dreamless Sleep for long-term consumption would be top priority among his side projects.

Now, the usual grease gone for once from his hair and the potions stains scrubbed from his hands, he strode down the corridor toward the hall. Attire far more impressive than his old teaching robes, but just as black, snapped in his wake as he approached the doors. Another act approached in the grand farce that was his life, and for once Snape was cast as a sort of hero. The irony twisted his lips into a smirk as he reached for the doors

[path_draco]

Draco could almost feel the change in the room as Snape entered the room. In the past, he'd seen students crawl away in fear - Longbottom had only been the most obvious, - but Draco had never understood it. Snape had always been his favourite professor, a man he could respect, but not one he feared.

Now, as he looked around the room, Draco understood the fear, even if he doubted that those imbeciles knew just how dangerous Snape could be. For a moment, Draco had been certain that his aunt Bella was right, and Snape was a traitor. Dumbledore had belived in Snape, and so did the Dark Lord. Dumbledore had been wrong, but a few minutes in the presence of the Dark Lord and a few well placed words from Snape had made Draco suspect that Snape was only loyal to himself, and that was true danger.

[father_fenrir]

The Dark Lord entered and Fenrir stood, shambling to his feet, feeling his too-tight robes rips as he moved. He needed to speak to Voldemort if possible - tell him about the den being raided, ask for help.

Others entered. Lucius' son. The boy who had been unable to do what he was ordered. Fenrir was surprised; he'd have bet good money that he'd have been dead by now. Not for the first time, Fenrir wondered whether Lucius was really unable to get out, or was he staying where it was safest.

Snape. And a different Snape at that. Fenrir could almost taste the difference. Freed from the yoke of servitude at that dump of a school, having done his master's bidding, Snape exuded an air of determination, his aquiline face handsome in its severity. Tricksy tricksy man... Fenrir thought, impressed in spite of his loathing for all of them. Fenrir admired strength, in all its guises.

Oh, but Lucius' son was bitable. Lickable. Not quite his father... no. But close. He wondered if he'd get a chance to get close to him tonight.

[prongs_by_proxy]

He had nearly finished the food Peter had brought when Master's iron touch clamped over his mind, a wordless twist which meant 'come to the place I am'.

He dropped the plate at once. It broke.

Without a word to Peter -- Master's call left no room for anything else -- he left the room and went where the command led him. Down the stairs and to the left, along a corridor, slowly because if he walked any faster he would fall and the floors here were harder than the ones upstairs. The plate had broken into five big pieces, and he didn't like to think of what a fall would do to James's knees.

My knees. They're my knees.Others passed him, heading in the same direction. Some glanced at him, some did not. Of those who did some turned pale or gave him strange glances. None of it mattered. Master's will sang to him

[father_fenrir]

As the THING walked in, Fenrir's hackles rose and his lips curled back in a reflex action. It was dead. Not even undead. It didn't deserve to be amongst the warm.

He snarled at the thing as it walked past, wanting to tear it to pieces. The face was familiar. It looked like Potter...

Surely not...

[prongs_by_proxy]

Now that he was here, the inexorable command gone from his head, he found it difficult to ignore his master's servants. One in particular made strange noises at him.

There'd been a monster, once, who'd made such noises at James, and then they had played.

He didn't know about playing with this one, but the smile he'd practiced so hard at had worked on Peter. He smiled at the man, making sure to show James's nice white teeth.

[bionic_hand]

The plate crashed; the mark burned. Peter followed wordlessly without having to ask where James was going.

It had only been a matter of time. Peter hoped the news was good. He knew he was a bit foolish to hope for praise, but as always a small part of him clung to the notion. James was certainly in better shape than when Peter had found him.

The others sounded happy, and Peter was glad for that.

He crept into the room quietly, right behind James.

[lord_mordre]

The Dark Lord smiled faintly at Severus, favouring his new second in command with a look akin to respect. The beaky oily-haired man was not much to look at, but he was powerful in ways most of his followers were not. A pity he could not require beauty for service. A legion of powerful and handsome followers would have made even his grandfather proud

[prongs_by_proxy]

The cold washed over him again, and his knees buckled. He'd been right; the floor damaged James's knees

[stoppered_death]

Snape had attended many Dark Revels, though never before in such a favoured position. He was familiar with his Lord's and his colleagues' tastes in ...entertainment. He had had time to prepare, mentally as well as physically.

Nothing from wrestling Giants to mating thestrals would have earned the slightest flicker of reaction from him.

So when Snape's prowling stride - its smoothness calculated to make the most of his trailing overmantle and wing-wide sleeves - actually paused, and his usually-expressionless black eyes blinked and widened, these tiny reactions spoke volumes.

Potter? What the fuck?A stare as focused as a black searchlight tracked the progress of the tousle-haired figure through the hall, cataloguing the marionette-clumsiness of its movements as it knelt by the Dark Lord, assessing the unhealthy hue of skin: even more pallid than Snape's own

[lord_mordre]

The Dark Lord ran his bony fingers through his pet's hair. Soothingly, almost lovingly. Part of him was fearful he'd grow too attached. Fondness was just another name for weakness. He would not let this creature, this shadow of a man weaken his resolve. And just to prove this, more or less to himself, he dug his nails into the tender flesh below his pet's chin before resuming his stroking.

Nagini was deeply jealous of the attention her Master lavished on the creature clad in manflesh. She lunged at her Master's pet before she was caught by the swiftness of His hand, disciplined in a sibilant tongue.

Nagini slithered off in search of earthier pursuits, creeping silently through Wormtail's legs. Now that the craven had joined them, the Dark Lord could commence with the festivities - and the assignments.

"Wormtail, so good of you to join us. Come," the Dark Lord beckoned with a crook of his finger, extending the invitation to Severus with a dangerous smile. "I have an assignment for you and Severus."

[bionic_hand]

He did seem in a good mood. This was no guarantee that Peter wouldn't be punished at any moment, nothing could ensure that. But he could not discern any displeasure with the condition of James, so things could be much worse.

Peter approached, bowing low. "Yes, My Lord, whatever you wish."

[prongs_by_proxy]

He looked around at the familiar voice. Peter had said he would stay, and he had. Suddenly it seemed that the servants weren't talking that loudly, and of course they were staring at Master, not a common inferius. Especially not one as foolish as himself.

He made James's mouth smile.

No.

He smiled. He smiled at Peter, and relaxed against Master's thigh.

[stoppered_death]

Snape stared down at the creature. Closer, there was no mistake; and especially not when the creature gave an unnatural rictus grin - to Pettigrew, of all people.

James Potter as Snape knew him, had only bothered to acknowledge Pettigrew existed at all when the rat fawned on him as if he were the Dark Lord.

Inwardly, Snape was staggered: his obsessive researcher's mind leapt after the implications. With difficulty he tore his gaze away from this stunning advance in the Dark Arts, and gave the Dark Lord an openly admiring look.

"Would this" a wave of one hand at the crouching creature, "be the assignment, my Lord?" There's a definite timbre of hopefulness in his usually-composed voice, and a glint of professional interest in dark eyes.

[lord_mordre]

The Dark Lord noted the glint in Snape'e eyes, and his smile widened.

"It would at that, Severus. Now that you've rid us of that old fool, I want you and Wormtail," he said, pausing a moment to pluck a hair from Potter's head, "to humanize it as much as possible. Wormtail's already established a repoire with it, and they seem to be on the same level intellectually."

The eunuch refilling the Dark Lord's wine goblet snickered at the insult, but was quickly silenced with a look that would curdle milk. Quick thinking, the eunuch brought two more goblets, appeasing his Master before giving a low bow in His Service.

The Dark Lord noticed a sour look on Wormtail's face. The oaf, it seemed, was adverse to sharing his toys. "Do I detect a note of greed, Wormtail? Surely, you would not deny Severus his thanks for ridding us of Dumbledore?"

[stoppered_death]

It was easy for Snape to give the part of him that had been obsessed with the Dark Arts since childhood free rein. "A fascinating assignment, my Lord," Snape replied softly, taking a goblet without sparing the eunuch a glance. "It will be a privilege to do whatever I can to enhace the inferius' physiology and behaviour."

Snape risked a half-step closer and lowered his voice to a discreet murmur. "Naturally, the chances of success would incraese, with any data on the process of its creation that my Lord sees fit to share ...when we are away from peeping eyes and prying ears." A disdainful glance down The Nose at Pettigrew.

[bionic_hand]

"It's done, then?"

Snape was going to be more insufferable than before. His efforts had always been better recognized than Peter's; this had just got worse by tenfold. If Snape had his way Peter was going to wind up feeding and cleaning up after both Snape and James.

Peter ignored whatever insults about him Snape was uttering. "No, of course, as you wish, My Lord. I only thought it strange Severus would want the task. They were never very friendly," he managed to say with a straight face.

[stoppered_death]

Snape bared uneven teeth in a nasty smirk at Peter. "Yes, it's 'done'," he replied, ever so sweetly. "Tell me, Wormtail," he drawled, "was it my competence you were questioning," the sneer widened, "or my Lord's comprehension?"

"And are you further insinuating," Snape continued after a brief, horrible pause to let that last question sink in, "that I could permit mere schoolboy squabbles to stand in the way of a direct order, when I killed Dumbledore, without even needing explicit orders, only the knowledge that the deed would be in accordance with my Lord's wishes?"