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Weapon	By : uqui Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Voldemort Views: 105432 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 26
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Weapon (Possession Chapter LXXVIII)

Chapter XXVII - Setting A Trap

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Snape shivered as he knelt. There was a
sickly feeling in the back of his throat as he resisted the urge to look around
surreptitiously. You could do nothing covertly beneath the gaze of the one
watching him. That was one of the first things he had learnt but that wasn't a
concern, yet. He wasn't sure why he was here, and that was the problem leading
to his mounting unease.
Usually when the Dark Lord summoned him, he was given some indication about
the information Lord Voldemort was interested in. This time the Serpent Lord
had simply made one excruciatingly painful call through the dark mark
instructing him to attend him as soon as possible. And so the Potions Master
had made his apologies to Dumbledore, whose narrowed eyes showed that he also
was startled, left Hogwarts and apparated
immediately.
Severus had glanced to black robed red masked
attendants flanking the Serpent Lord before he'd knelt. Elites.
Not necessarily more powerful than any other Death Eater but fanatically loyal
and completely unknown. They were a part of the reason the Order was having so
much trouble dispelling the fear of Voldemort. You could work next to them,
drink butterbeer with them, engage in gossip, pass
them on the street and there was nothing to identify them, until of course they
stood against you on the battlefield, more than ready to take your life in the
name of their Lord or approached you with a smile, and a dagger behind their
back.
They were completely unknown and exceedingly dangerous, with their
identities only known by Voldemort. Their only draw back for the Dark Lord was
that they were not good for recruiting. They were too well hidden. But right
now that wasn't Snape's concern.
If the Dark Lord had human guards he wasn't as relaxed as they had thought
he was... Or he was expecting trouble from him... Severus
gulped at the thought as a new wave of cold passed through him. He really
didn't like not knowing what Voldemort wanted.
"Severus," the Serpent Lord spoke and Snape could almost hear the smile in his voice. It was not
comforting. "It has been too long."
"Yes, my Lord," he said, thankful that his voice didn't quiver.
There was always a certain amount of fear when he was summoned to see the Dark
Lord, but the only time he could remember being this afraid was the first time
after he'd agreed to spy for the Order.
The fear wasn't just originating in the fact that he didn't know what
Voldemort wanted now, it was coming from the whole situation. The Order had stuck
at one of the Dark Lord's bases with the vampire's aide, confirming that those
dark creatures were committed to their course of opposing him which would no
doubt pull the Dark Lord in a foul mood. In addition there had also not been
any where near enough bodies from the aftermath of Lucius'
failed rebellion so Snape fully expected the Dark
Lord do be looking for an excuse to lash out at anything and that included
anyone he suspected of being not entirely loyal, and Severus
was well aware what the Dark Lord suspected him of. He was under no illusion
that it was his use as a spy in Dumbledore's own house that had kept him alive
until now but in a fit of pique, the Serpent Lord could easily forget that,
especially if Voldemort thought Harry was a viable alternative...
And that was the other reason Snape was scared. If
what he suspected was true... He had to confirm that, not for Dumbledore, for
himself but he couldn't think of any way of raising such an issue short of the
Dark Lord revealing the information himself.
"I have been hearing some unpleasant rumours, Severus,
about my spy within Dumbledore's precious Order, but I am sure that they are
just that, rumours. Hmm?"
Snape had learnt early when dealing with Voldemort
that there were some things on which you could admit to minor, very
minor errors, in fact it was almost a game but on the question of loyalty...
well, that came down to the fact that if the Dark Lord had a question then you
weren't loyal. You could admit to nothing there. And with the events just past,
he had meant what he said to the dog and reporter in Dumbledore's Office. Right
now there was only one faction following the Dark Lord and he had to appear as
a part of that unified faction.
"Rumours about what, my Lord?" Snape
asked, trying to project a tone of mild, unworried inquiry.
Voldemort smiled. As always Severus was calm and
collected, even when obliquely threatened. There was a reason he had let the
Potion Master survive for so long, even with the questions of loyalty hanging
over his greasy head. The man was trapped between the improbable - the light
prevailing - and the impossible - escaping from his services - but it was
always a delight to see him walk that fine line.
"There have been questions wondering how Ferous
base could have fallen so quickly and so easily when so very few of my servants
knew its location."
Severus suppressed the urge to gulp. He should
have known he'd be suspected for that, even though he was innocent. Still, he
had been careful to find out exactly how Dumbledore had known about that base.
Hopefully Voldemort wouldn't find his explanation too convenient, even if it
was the complete truth. If he hadn't of known that the vampire cared nothing
for what they deemed to be petty human squabbles Severus
would have thought that perhaps the ancient being was deliberately trying to
put him in a difficult situation.
"The fall of Ferous Base was a gift my Lord,
from the vampire elder Xeoaph to Dumbledore, to show that
they, the vampires were committed to the rather incomprehensible goal of seeing
your demise. I have not yet been able to ascertain how the vampire discovered
the base's location though, my Lord but I believe, regrettably it was through
chance."
"A gift?"
Snape didn't need to look to know that blood red
eyes were hooded dangerously. "Xeoaph's words,
my Lord, not my own," he murmured.
"It makes a rather interesting gift and puts me in a somewhat difficult
position for I have any number of loyal followers who know that you were the
only one who knew about the base and are connected to the Order. They trust
that I will take appropriate action and trust is a very difficult thing."
This time Snape did gulp and even though he knew
he could hide nothing he began gathering himself. He couldn't win a fight
against the Dark Lord and two Death Eaters, but if it came to it, he refused to
go without at least trying. And if he could run... he would run.
Something slammed down upon him, like a physical presence but magical,
driving him down to the stone before the Dark Lord and Severus
hissed as the air was driven from his lungs.
"I thought you knew better than that, Severus,"
came the cold jeer as the Potion Master struggled
furtively against the restraint. "I'm not going to kill you and while I do
believe you are innocent of allowing Ferous Base to
fall, you are going to have to be punished for even thinking you could escape
me. Latter though, for now I wish to know how Dumbledore's only hope is
progressing."
"Potter?"
"Yes, young Harry Potter," there was a completely different note
in the Serpent Lord's voice as he murmured the name, a note that was entirely
too pleased, too sated, and all together far too smug for Snape's liking. It seemed to confirm everything he
suspected but at the same time gave nothing away. Voldemort could still be
gloating over his 'conquest', something Potter hadn't really spoken about.
Or could that..?
He shivered as a new possibility opened itself to him, thankful that his
reaction would simply be taken as the anticipation of punishment, not for what
it truly meant. Could it be that Potter had been so... dominated by the Dark
Lord that he had agreed to follow the older man? It wouldn't be the first time
that the Serpent Lord had used any means necessary to achieve his goals, it was
just not a means that one suspected the Dark Lord would employ when dealing
with an enemy. The boy was not submissive either... It would have been a
dangerous coupling.
But it could potentially explain things. Given the difficulties Harry had
faced throughout his life, he may have been subconsciously looking for someone
to protect him... and Voldemort could have played on that fear, offering the
boy affection, attention and a form of protection that would appeal to one who
had suffered as Harry had. To be owned, to be touched only by one person, to
know that you never need risk being touched by another... That could have been
appealing to Harry, especially since he knew the Dark Lord both could and would
carry out the threat to kill to protect that which he thought was his. And in
return all Harry had to do was be loyal, to turn towards him at the most
precipitous moment, to throw the Order into disarray and allow him to win.
Then, he would take care of everything.
It was a dark kind of love but it would be comforting, consistent and
reinforced by every show of strength Voldemort gave to Harry. It could be the
reason he had turned. Absolute protection from one you knew could give
it was a very powerful lure, combine that with pleasure and acceptance and you
had a arrangement that would appeal to an impressionable youth, especially if
the Dark Lord had played on fears of years of war, emotional pain and being
seen as an object, or if Voldemort had been his most charming, suave and
charismatic.
Severus gulped; even he would have been pushed to
resist that. Not for the man himself, but for the knowledge that he would
always be safe, that for him, peace existed because the Dark Lord ruled all.
And maybe, cradled by a strong and comforting embrace, body replete with heavy
lethargy, mind numbed by pleasure, the Boy-Who-Lived had given in to it all.
"He is progressing, my Lord," Snape said
carefully as the magical pressure abated somewhat, uncertain of what answer the
Serpent Lord wanted. "I am unsure of all the details but Dumbledore
believes he will be ready to fight by the end of summer."
Voldemort seemed pleased. "So soon?"
"It would be sooner, my Lord but he is having trouble working with the
vampires, and of course, Dumbledore wants Harry to be completely ready should
he encounter yourself in combat."
The Dark Lord waved the last away, focusing instead on Severus'
first words. "Problems with the Order's new alliance
already?"
Severus shook his head. "No," he clarified
quietly. "It's more problems with Harry and his interactions with the
vampires. The Order and Dumbledore is happy with the alliance, but as my Lord
knows, the boy's power is light. I'm told he killed a vampire during his DADA
practical. How though still hasn't been released to the Order."
"He is controlling his powers now?"
"Yes."
Voldemort almost seemed to sigh. "I might almost have forgiven the boy
if he'd destroyed the vampires," he murmured calmly, knowing Severus would see that as a reflection of his own desire,
rather than any real expectation he had of Harry Potter. "How did he fair
in his OWLs?"
Snape blinked slowly steadying himself. Despite
the fact that this was not going to go over well... had he just seen... a
shadow? They were showing their support that openly? Did they really support
the Dark Lord? Or was that just a ruse? Later, he cautioned himself,
wincing imperceptibly when his mind supplied the addition, if we have a
later.
"While his results are not public, not even to the Order, the examiners
were all talking about how well he did. I'm given to understand that he
shattered all previous records. How will require more time to
determine."
There was a chuckle, more a hiss of pleasure from the Dark Lord, and the
Potion Master hid a spike of surprise. Voldemort was pleased? In terms of
power, Harry had been able to match the Dark Lord for short periods of time and
that had angered Voldemort in the past. Now he was informed that the boy would
potentially be matching him in terms of knowledge, at least in the daily usage
of magic and he was not raging? There was something else here. Harry had
to be serving him somehow...
"Do not waste your time, I already know how. Tell me rather of the
training they have planned."
"Dumbledore plans on focusing on combative magic rather than theory
although there will be some. The Order will focus on pushing Potter to reach
his animagus form to allow for as many advanced
concepts as possible to be introduced to him."
There was a serpentine hiss sounding vaguely angered. "What is his
form?" Came the demand.
"I do not know my Lord," Severus said
immediately. "They have not yet requested the seeing potion from me."
"Typical!" Voldemort snorted disdainfully. "What part will
you play in Potter's training?"
"They have not yet requested my aide."
"Ah."
Snape shivered. The note in that single syllable
was not good. It seemed to indicate that his answer was a conclusion all of
itself and the conclusion was not one favourable to him. They suspect you, they
know you, they do not trust you. All those words were
there. He had to regain something. "Dumbledore has not asked me to leave
for the summer but they are neglecting the boy's Potion training and so I have
not been called upon, however I am certain I will be necessary for drills in
duelling and weaponry."
"You had better hope so," Voldemort hissed, ruby eyes flashing
dangerously. He already knew Severus was not telling
him everything but if he was not in a position where he could tell him anything
then he had no further use for the traitorous Potion Master. It would be a
waste of fine skills but he could not afford a traitor within his ranks. Not
anymore. It was a game and he was good at playing but the time when he could
humour Dumbledore and place the expected expectations on Severus
was fast drawing to a close especially now that he had an even more perfect spy
within the ranks of the Order, curtesy of his mate.
The Potion Master would have to choose soon who he truly belonged to and
while he would regret the loss of skill should Severus
side with the fool Dumbledore that would not be enough to halt the strike. The
man had made two mutually exclusive magically binding contracts and one way or
another he would have to break one.
"You will continue to report to me during summer. I will summon you and
you will have information about young Potter's progress. You will not
interfere, and you will aide in his training to the best of your ability. Do
you understand Severus?"
Snape nodded wondering vaguely and not liking the
conclusions he was drawing about why the Dark Lord would encourage his enemies
training.
There was a serpentine hiss before Voldemort continued, his robes whispering
softly as he shifted positions. "I will enjoy crushing their hope,"
the older wizard murmured.
Severus nodded, as if agreeing with his Lord. The
Dark Lord was still banking on the fact that he was stronger, that Harry's
magic had not yet stabilised... Ah... he had to mention this. "My Lord?"
"Yes?"
"Potter's Coming of Age Ceremony is approaching but it will not be held
at Hogwarts."
That seemed to catch Voldemort's interest.
"They will hold it at the Potter Estates?"
"No. I do not know where my Lord but Dumbledore indicated that while
the shields of Hogwarts are impressive, and the Potter Estates shields are
keyed to him, that neither would be sufficient and so he had called in a
personal favour for the provision of stronger shields."
His words caused a slight stir from the guarding Elites but they were
composed enough that their start could be mistaken for restless shifting. The Dark Lord though... Severus
was hard pressed to conceal his surprise as Voldemort simply nodded,
relaxed and calm at the information. The Dark Lord's reactions just weren't
adding up.
/- To you, -/ came a whisper and Severus
lowered his head, clenching his teeth as he focused on anything but that voice.
Why here? Why now?
"With Gryffindor's Power it will be
necessary," Voldemort muttered before fixing ruby eyes back on the still
kneeling Potion Master who was staring intently at the flagstones as if his
life depended on it. "Look at me," he commanded quietly.
Snape was thankful for the distraction and raised
his eyes, cautiously, to look at his supposed Master with what he hoped was a
sufficiently attentive gaze. Adoring, obedient, approving but not mindless, his
psyche automatically provided the chant he had long ago perfected for the times
when he was allowed to look upon the once handsome man.
"You are one of my most skilled servants, Severus,
from one of the oldest wizarding lines,"
Voldemort began softly and Snape mentally shuddered,
knowing where the speech would end, later had caught up to him. "You very
quickly grasped the truth during your formative years and so came to serve me
at a young age and thus I have been graced with the services of one of the
finest Potion Makers in generations and so it pains me when there are questions
hanging over their head.
"You have been my finest spy, Severus. No one
else has ever gotten that close to Dumbledore and you know the information you
provide me is priceless, and I have rewarded you thus. I have no wish to lose
your services either as a Potion Maker or Spy but there is a limit to how much
I can over look."
Ruby eyes blazed fiercely and for a moment it didn't matter that the Dark
Lord before him was no longer human, Snape could
sense the power he had been attracted to and under that gaze was tempted to
cast himself to the Dark Lord's mercy because only that power could protect
him, and only that power could give him his desire. It was a dark attraction.
The almost constant pain from his Dark Mark vanished and he could feel waves of
pleasure emanating from it, washing through his body, leaving him feeling heavy
and replete. This was the power he had swore his oath
to, that he had agreed to obey for eternity...
This was the power I fought so hard to escape! Severus
growled to himself, fighting as his body wanted nothing more than to prostrate
itself completely before the Dark Lord, begging forgiveness for even thinking
that the Light could be correct path. Deliberately he remembered the absolute
pain of his induction into the Order, pain that had washed away, somewhat the
darkness that had tainted his soul, pain that rivalled the cruciatus
curse, pain that he had embraced whole heartedly because it was the only way to
salvation.
"Ah... you always were strong," Voldemort broke the feeling with a
hissed laugh and the Potion Master almost collapsed, shivering as he realised
how close he had come under that dark power to throwing it all away. "My
mercy though is not infinite and my tolerance not unbounded. I know of the
phoenix that is even now quivering on your back and I know what you are hoping
for. It will not happen.
"The time is coming Severus when you are
going to have to chose, once and for all who you will support. Dumbledore and I
have always played to win and the time when we can humour indecisiveness is
fast coming to an end. You are running out of time Severus
and I am running out of patience."
Blood red eyes glowed and Snape could have sworn
he could see the serpent moving behind them. He tried to keep his expression as
neutral as possible because he sensed that unless he was going to grovel
immediately to reaffirm his oath, the Dark Lord would not take any
communication kindly.
As the Serpent Lord raised his hand, and an iniquitous light appearing in
his eyes, it almost didn't feel like it was happening to him. Severus just watched calmly, knowing what was to come and
made no attempt to brace or otherwise protect himself.
It would have been futile anyway.
"Crucio!"
It wasn't until the pain actually
started that Snape felt like it was happening to him.
He gritted his teeth against it as much as he could but as every nerve ending, and every muscle shot waves of agony though him he
couldn't hold back any longer and screamed, writhing on the stone in a vain
attempt to reduce the pain.
Red orbs, made all the more fierce by the stark whiteness of serpentine features
and skin, watched impassively and it was only when specks of red began flying
from Snape's mouth and his screams became liquid,
indicating that his thrashing was causing internal damage, did the Dark Lord
release the curse.
Severus gasped for air, drawing himself back into
a position of reverence in an as dignified manner as he could manage when every
bone and muscle ached. Voldemort had gotten stronger, the pain told him as much
and while it was an interesting piece of information it did nothing for him
here.
He didn't notice the lumpy hessian bag that
appeared beside him until the Dark Lord spoke.
"Take that with you, Severus. Give it to
Dumbledore." Voldemort rose and as he walked towards a shadowed side
entry, flanked by the two Elites, Snape shuddered as
the Serpent Lord allowed his aura to pervade everything again. Just before he
disappeared he spoke once more, murmuring words so softly that the Potion
Master could barely hear them over the labouring of his breath but he felt
them. "Dumbledore or me... do not disappoint me, Severus."
As soon as the Dark Lord disappeared Snape
collapsed, clawing at his arm and the burning mark that was still resonating
with the cruciatus curse. It wasn't the first time
this had happened, but it was the first time the pain had lingered in tangible
form for so long. No doubt Voldemort was trying to teach him a lesson. After a
few moments though the Potion Master tried to compose himself and with shaking,
staggering movements he forced himself to his feet. He didn't want to remain in
this castle any longer than he had to.
He snatched up the bag, knowing by its weight and shape what it contained
but not caring to check any further as he stumbled, trying to balance
correctly. /- You know the trouble with
Dark Lords is that they never tell you all your options, -/ the familiar
voice whispered to him so gently he almost didn't hear it. /- You can always choose to follow us. We
protect our own, you know that. You'd never need fear the Dark Lord, or the
Ministry, or the Order, -/ they continued to murmur, invoking the sick
feeling in the back of his throat to emphasise their point as his stomach felt
queasy. /- You'd be free, Severus, free to follow your own pursuits and all that we'd
request is every once in a while you make us a few potions. We'd even provide
the materials... for them and for others... -/
He tried to squeeze his eyes closed, tried to ignore the voice as he
visualised his destination but the voice would not go away, and with everything
that had happened he couldn't force himself to concentrate on the picture.
/- Imagine what you could do! The
potions you could develop, the recognition you'd receive... And you'd have all
that with peace because we can give the wizarding
world that, Severus... we will give the wizarding world that.
/- Think about it, Severus,
think about it long and hard because Voldemort was correct on one count - you
are running out of time. -/ With the final warning
the voice faded and Snape could sense that the
infinitely powerful presence that was the shadows was gone.
But it would be back.
It always came back.
Just like the Dark Lord.
Severus apparated, no
longer caring at he couldn't get a fix on his location, no longer caring about
anything but the need to get away.
/- You will be ours, Severus, -/ the shadows whispered at the now departed
Potion Master. /- Because no one else can
give you your desire, -/ they added laughing before the room fell silent,
and everything was still.
---
Snippet: ‘The Shadows had asked
for some of his time, saying that they needed to talk with someone and that
they thought it would be best if this time they had a physical presence.’
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