-October 15 1991-
Severus could not believe he was about to do this. To be honest, Severus couldn't believe a lot of things that had happened. The fact that the so-called "spy" that Dumbledore had been hiding for years had been one of his tormentors from childhood---one he'd overlooked hundreds of times because no one thought Peter Pettigrew was anything more than a snivelling coward. The fact that when Severus brought it up, Dumbledore had written it off like it was nothing. (Though, Severus really shouldn't be surprised about that, considering he did that during Severus's Hogwarts years whenever the marauders did anything) But the thing that was most surprising was the fact that Severus had finally stood up to the old coot.
Severus smirked thinking about it. It was so therapeutic, putting that senile old man in his place, Severus kind of wished he'd done it sooner. It was a great risk, sure, to openly dare him to use the oath, but logically, Severus knew he'd never do it. It would mean killing him in front of his precious Order---all of whom believe that he could do no wrong, and especially never murder a member---as well as losing a spy. Somehow, Severus figured that Dumbledore wasn't too confident in relying solely on Pettigrew for information.
Not that he'd be around for much longer.
Inadvertently reminding himself of what he was about to do, Severus sucked in a shaky breath. He was really doing this, wasn't he? He took a look around his home, a brush of nostalgia curling up in the back of his mind.
Spinner's End was by no means a lovely place. It held horrid memories from his childhood full of sadness, anger and terror. The decaying walls of his childhood home were scuffed and scratch, and Severus could recall perfectly how each dent in the walls got there---usually from his head being slammed too hard into it. This was the home where he was abused mercilessly, where his mother was murdered.
But there were good memories here, too, however slim. This was the place where he met Lily---sweet, innocent Lily. The first real friend Severus ever had, he met on the muggle swing set down the street---and this was the place where he and his mother danced to the old muggle radio in the garage. The place where he would braid his mother's hair and the place where he was taught potions.
Yes, there were many memories here, both good and bad. Severus found himself reminiscing as he sat in the rickety old chair by the fireplace. From his seat he could see the morning rays peak through his age-old curtains, bathing the kitchen in a warm and comforting glow. The light reflected off the vase sitting in the middle of the table and it danced around the room. Sitting in the vase was a wilting Lily flower, the last flower he'd received from Little One over a month ago, in it's final stages.
The sight of the nearly dead flower sobered Severus instantly. It was almost as if it were taunting him. The dead flower sitting in the old house at the end of a dying street with nothing but a bitter man to care for it. A bitter man that might not be alive for much longer.
Severus sighed and stood from his chair, the old chair legs making a harsh scraping noise against the hearth of the fireplace. He'd put it off for as long as he could, but now it was time to face the music.
Severus allowed himself one final look at his home before he flooed to the Dark Lord's Castle.
The atmosphere in the Castle was stifling, and Severus winced at the fearful glances that were thrown his way from the current occupants. The search for the traitor was still going, and it was clear from the trembling of the occupants' hands that Bellatrix was going overboard in her search.
Severus forced an indifferent mask onto his face to hide the fear he felt on the inside. It was almost second nature to him now, and Severus walked with the confidence he usually portrayed, not giving away any of his true emotions.
"Mipsy." Severus said calmly, turning to face the House Elf that popped in to stand beside him. "Please inform the Dark Lord that I request an audience with him."
"Mipsy be doing that for you sir!" Mipsy chirped, curtsying quickly before popping away.
Severus stood in place calmly, his cool eyes wandering over the other people in the room with him. He was standing in the Welcoming Hall of the Dark Lord's Castle, so there were only a couple other people. One was a low-tier Death Eater awkwardly reading a book by the door, trying to avoid Severus's gaze, while the other was a mid-tier Death Eater who was attempting to coerce the other to duel him.
"The Dark Lord be waiting in the Meeting Hall, sir!" Mipsy said, popping out in front of Severus. "I be taking you now!"
Severus forced himself to calm down, the fear rising up like bile in the back of his throat. This was it. This was actually happening. It was too late to back out now.
Severus followed the House Elf through the castle, his eyes straying towards the large windows so that he could catch a glimpse of the sun and flowers outside. Mipsy stopped in front of the grand, ornate doors that led to the Meeting Hall.
"He be in there, sir!" Mipsy squeaked. Severus nodded and she curtsies once before she pops away. Severus breathed in once, shakily exhaling before he pushed open the doors.
The Dark Lord sat in his stone throne, the desk and other chairs that were usually in the room were gone, leaving nothing for Severus to hide behind should he need to. The Dark Lord was calm, and Severus couldn't help the small bit of relief that bled through him at the sight of Little One sitting in his lap.
The Inferius was sitting on the Dark Lord's lap, his legs falling over his knees, his face staring stubbornly at the wall, a single hand coming up to play with the Dark Lord's collar absentmindedly. The toddler hadn't turned at his entrance, so Little One didn't know that it was him. Severus took the small mercy.
"Why have you asked for me, Severus?" the Dark Lord asked, his crimson eyes studying Severus. "Is there a problem with the versitarium?"
Severus winced ever so slightly, and he clenched his hands into fists. "There is no problem, My Lord."
"Then why am I here?" the Dark Lord demanded.
Here goes nothing. "My Lord," Severus said shakily, and Severus clenched his fists tighter to hide the trembling. "I have found the identity of the traitor."
It was silent for a long time, and Severus risked a glance up at the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord's eyes narrowed dangerously, his possessive grip on Little One tightening. The toddler paid no mind to the grip, his blank eyes not leaving the wall.
"Who." he hissed. Severus swallowed nervously, and for the first time since he was but a child, he prayed.
"I request a boon, My Lord." he said, keeping the fear out of his voice. The Dark Lord stared at him for a moment before his head tilted downward in the slightest movement. Severus continued. "I request... mercy, My Lord."
The Dark Lord stilled, and Severus risked another look upwards to see the Dark Lord's calculating gaze. This, of course, was the moment Little One decided to look at him and his eyes widened ever so slightly and burrowed deeper into the Dark Lord's chest. Severus could see the moment when the Dark Lord connected the two dots. His grip on Little One tightened ever further while his eyes flashed with rage.
"You dare---"
"I was not the traitor who harmed Little One, My Lord." Severus rushed out.
"Yet you do not deny you are a traitor." the Dark Lord demanded. Severus flinched at the deadly tone.
"There was a raid," Severus said softly. The Dark Lord's eye bore into Severus, silently demanding an explanation. "In 1981, My Lord, on Diagon Alley. My best friend, the love of my life, she was killed by a Death Eater during the raid." The Dark Lord was silent, but there was no mistaking the fury in his Lord's eyes. "I... I strayed. I was so angry and hurt... I turned to Dumbledore in a moment of weakness. He took advantage of my grief and forced me to swear an unbreakable vow to his cause."
The Dark Lord seethed and Severus trembled as the incredibly dangerous man hissed at him. In his arms, Little One squirmed and the Dark Lord began to pet his hair softly, and Severus could tell that it was the only thing keeping the Dark Lord from killing him where he stood.
Severus breathed in before he continued shakily. "I have searched tirelessly for ways out of it and found none."
"Your story, while heartbreaking---" the Dark Lord spoke with unflinching rage. "---is of no interest to me. Is there a point, Snape?"
Severus winced at the Dark Lord's use of his last name. That wasn't good. Of course, Severus knew that there was no possible way Severus was getting out of this with the Dark Lord's favor, however he'd hoped... Severus took a deep breath, the oxygen filling his lungs and allowing him the strength to continue.
"I was ordered to take Little One to the Order---"
The dark Lord exploded, and hisses of rage spewed from his mouth. Severus screamed as the cruciatus hit him. The pain was like nothing he'd ever felt before. Severus had suffered under the curse before, several times in fact. Most of them coming from the Dark Lord himself! Yet this curse was more painful than all of those combined. The enraged and murderous intent behind the curse made it all the stronger. Severus had wrongly assumed that he would not be tortured in the presence of Little One, as the Dark Lord was insistent in sheltering the Inferius.
He greatly misjudged the Dark Lord's fury and protectiveness.
When the curse was finally lifted, Severus trembled, his muscles spasming. When Severus had finally regained enough coherency to control his limbs, he pulled himself from the ground into a low bow and continued.
"I kept him safe from harm, made sure no one hurt him while he was there, My Lord. The worst that happened to the child there was his confusion as to where he was. Nothing more." Severus said, hoping that that tidbit of information would be enough to keep him from being slaughtered.
"And yet," the Dark Lord hissed, his eyes the same color as the blood in Severus that the Dark Lord no doubt wished would spill. The Dark Lord had maneuvered the Inferius so that he was facing the Dark Lord's chest, unable to see what was happening to Severus. The Dark Lord continued to run his fingers through Little One's hair, his gentle ministrations contrasting greatly from the torture that he just adminstered. "My precious seems terrified of you. Why?"
Severus winced. "I believe that he no longer trusts me, My Lord. He believes that I will take him from you again."
Severus screeched as he was cursed once more, his body spasming against the unforgiving floor as the torture racked his body.
"The point." the Dark Lord demanded plainly. Severus swallowed back the blood pooling in his mouth and nodded.
"I am fully on your side, My Lord, and I will do everything I can to get out of the vow." Severus said, forcing his shaking limbs into a bow once more.
"Why?" the Dark Lord demanded, his words bordering on parseltongue.
Severus swallowed dryly and allowed himself to meet the Dark Lord's gaze. Onyx met crimson, as pleading met murderous intent.
"Because my dead friend, the love of my life?" Severus said softly. "Little One is her son."
________
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Voldemort said nothing as he stared at the traitor before him. The worthless rat trembled in the silence, no doubt preparing himself for another round of the cruciatus. In his arms, Little One was silent. Voldemort allowed the pliant body of his child to ground him, and Voldemort narrowed his eyes.
So, Snape had figured out Little One's old identity. Unsurprising, given his allegiance. Dumbledore knew who Little One used to be, so the Order must as well. Voldemort was not happy about that. The less who knew about Little One, the better. It would be incredibly difficult to protect Little One if all of his secrets were common knowledge.
As for Snape, this would be difficult. He was a traitor---the thought sending a flash of rage through him---and could no longer be trusted. He was the one who kidnapped Little One and brought him to the Order in the first place, but not the one who tried to kill his precious. According to him, anyway. But why should Voldemort trust him?
If what Snape said was true, then Voldemort knew that he could trust in his desire to keep Little One safe. Love made people weak and gullible and easy to manipulate. Love for a dead person made them even more so. The vow, however, would be tricky.
If Snape was under a vow, his loyalties would be split no matter who he truly believed. As much as Voldemort despised Dumbledore, he was smart. The vow was a genius way to keep Snape in check. Voldemort really ought to do that. It would save him quite a bit of trouble.
Voldemort lifted his hand, ignoring the flinch that Snape gave in return, and allowed his head to rest on his free hand. His face adopted a cold mask, and his other hand moved to hold Little One's back in a possessive gesture.
"Very well, Snape." Voldemort said, his harsh face making Snape jump. "I accept your offer."
Snape looked up at him, his eyes betraying his surprise. "My Lord?"
"I will not kill you," Voldemort continued. "In exchange for my mercy, I demand the identity of my precious's attacker."
Voldemort could see the relief shining through Snape's mask, and the potion's master nodded gratefully. "Of course, My Lord." he said. "The traitor who attacked Little One was Peter Pettigrew."
Voldemort felt his body tremble with rage. Hearing the name of the person who attacked his child only reminded him of the horrific feeling he had while he stitched his child back together. Voldemort recognized the name, and a face flashed in his mind.
Peter Pettigrew was a low level Death Eater from the war, and in the years that followed, he never climbed the ranks like most do. Voldemort had never given the man much thought, as he could practically smell the man's uselessness. To know that he'd been a traitor this whole time only made Voldemort's fingers twitch with the urge to maim.
"Do you know the reason behind the attack?" Voldemort asked calmly.
"Dumbledore claims that he did not order the attack," Snape said. "It would appear that Pettigrew went rogue. He was unaware of Little One's true identity."
Voldemort nodded curtly. "You are dismissed." he said blankly. Snape blanched at the tone, but nodded nonetheless. The man stood and walked briskly towards the doors. He had reached out a hand to open the door when Voldemort called him again.
"My Lord?" he asked, turning to face him, a brief flash of fear on his face.
"Stay in the Castle." he demanded. "I will come find you later so that we might discuss your... punishment."
Snape shivered in fear but stood his ground. He nodded and bowed once before he left the room, the door clicking shut behind him. With the newly found traitor out of the room, Voldemort allowed himself to relax.
He sunk into the throne, his grip on Little One tightening as he buried his face into his child's black locks. Little One reached up to wrap his arms around his neck in a mock embrace. Voldemort felt himself calm down in the comforting embrace of his child. Holding Little One, knowing that he was safe allowed Voldemort the peace of mind he needed to plot.
Voldemort knew who hurt his child, and now he could finally get his revenge. The familiar feeling of rage and homicidal desire curled up in his gut and Voldemort's deadly smirk was hidden in his child's mop of hair.
"Do not fret, dear one," Voldemort whispered softly, pressing a soft kiss to the crown of Little One's head. "I will have my revenge soon."
A deadly, half-crazed smile bled across Voldemort's face.
"He will scream for what he's done to you."