Severus Snape was born in a sleazy hotel on the East Side of LA in 1962. He started teaching Hogwarts at the age of 20. He was elected Head of Slytherin House at 25. He's the seemingly evil professor...the one famous for his greasy black hair, crooked nose, and sallow skin. This is the Snape that everyone knows, but there is another Severus...Deep inside, whom no one knows about.... No one, except Lucius Malfoy. (Drumroll)
They had met in their first year but neither thought much of the other until their sixth year. They became good friends, both with the same passion for the dark arts. At the end of their seventh year, they were "an item." They went out together every now and then and had a deep fondness for each other. When the Dark Lord began gathering followers, Lucius and Snape jumped at the chance. To everyone else, they were like brothers, best friends. They were never seen apart. To them, however, it was something more�much more...
"Goddamit!" Lucius Malfoy cursed as the rain beat against the windshield of his hot pink Jeep Wrangler. He was late again, and Fudge was getting annoyed by the time he pulled up into the slick parking lot. The wind blew his cloak off his shoulders as he climbed the asphalt steps.
"Get in here! We've got work to do." Fudge was getting ticked.
"You sound like Narcissa," he murmured angrily. This was not his day.
He walked into the dusty courthouse. Fudge was off murmuring angrily to a strange man in a long black cloak. Lucius felt he knew this man from somewhere, but he couldn't think of it. The man stood up and looked Malfoy squarely in the eyes. He felt as if a spear had been plunged through his heart. It was Severus Snape.
"Long time no see, old man." The soft words barely pierced Lucius's mind as he stood in shock. He barely breathed as the soft footsteps slowly left the room.
Within minutes, they were both cruising down the street in a ministry-issue black �41 Chevy. They drove in silence before Severus finally asked, "So, what have you been doing all these years, Lucius?" He just stared at the road.
"You know very well what I've been doing, Severus." There was a sudden icy chill in his voice as he spoke. Snape sighed. This mission was not going well.
"This was not my choice...I never wanted this." Lucius stared at him in amazement.
"So I suppose that all the things we went through some, 10, 15 years ago wasn't your choice either," he snapped angrily. Now Snape stared.
"I'm sorry." Lucius was furious at these words.
"Don't lie to me, Severus. I know you all too well. You were never sorry for what you did, betray us, betray me...I don't buy it."
They drove in silence again, finally stopping in front of a fancy Muggle hotel.
"Remember this, Severus? Room 127, I believe?" Snape lowered his eyes.
"I had no choice. I had to leave. If I had stayed, what we had between us would have destroyed our lives. I loved you too much for that."
"You loved yourself too much for that, Severus. I never once crossed your mind."
"You were the only one on my mind, Lucius." The calm, quiet voice was finally getting to him. Lucius raised his voice.
"And so, thoughts of me were what made you leave me in that room, broke and cold, with nowhere to sleep and no money? You left me to die, Severus. I'll never forgive you for that." Snape nearly wept, his voice cracking embarrassingly.
"It was all for the best. I had to leave."
They got out of the car and started to make their way up the granite steps. Inside, they asked the clerk for a room. There was only one room open. It was unmistakably room 127. There was a Muggle convention in town and all the rooms were taken. It had to be today. The first time I get to spend time with him in years, Lucius thought angrily. As he walked down the familiar halls, memories came to him in a dim wave. How many years has it been? he wondered. The faint sound of Severus' voice jarred him to his senses.
"Our room, Lucius." The soft voice was barely audible, but Lucius heard it as well as if he had been shouting. They walked in and set down their bags. It was a cozy room with one bed, a couch, and a TV. Lucius studied the TV in disgust. No doubt it was a Muggle thing, he supposed. He hated them-Muggles. Filthy, underdeveloped creatures as they were. Snape was already getting ready for bed. They had a long day ahead of them. Did they pay him to come back? Lucius wondered silently. Why is he back? These thoughts, among others, filled his head as he lay on the couch to sleep.
*******
When Lucius awoke, Severus had already gone down for breakfast. He blinked hard. Someone was knocking. Lucius got up to answer it. Just as he took his first step, the door burst open. Severus stood in the doorway, wand at the ready. As he put it back, he called to Lucius.
"Get up! Get up, already. We're late." Great. Another mark on his not-so-sparkling reputation for being on time. Lately, in fact, he was rarely on time going anywhere, even home. Snape offered a cup of coffee. Lucius glared in response. He shrugged and drank it himself. At this, Lucius rushed through the door, knocking into Snape on his way and spilling the coffee everywhere. He ran into the street. The morning was quiet, though Lucius knew that it wouldn't stay that way. He ran into a dark alley. In a loud pop, Snape apparated right in front of him, knocking him down. Lucius cursed as he dusted off his cloak. Snape smiled. Lucius could see the enjoyment in Severus' eyes as he glanced at him.
"It's been a long time since you ran from me like that, Lucius."
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Snape merely smiled. As he stood, Lucius swung at Snape. He ducked it in plenty of time. Lucius swung again. This time, Snape was not so lucky. The blow caught him around the mouth and he started to bleed. Snape smiled and started out into the street, Lucius following on his heels. Finally, as they had passed what seemed like an infinite number of corners and shops, Lucius began to wonder. "Where, exactly, are we going?" Snape smiled and pointed to a large Victorian house.
"There."
When they walked in, Lucius made a note of how large and beautiful this house was. It reminded him of his own home, without that stupid boy and his constant pestering. As they walked up a tall marble staircase, he noticed a beautiful chandelier, and more, the square above it. He tapped Severus and pointed it out to him. It was, undoubtedly, a trapdoor of some sort. Snape made note of it and continued on. As they reached the top, they stood outside a beautiful study with old, heavy furniture, desks, and exquisite bookshelves. A tall, thin man stood by the desk. Severus addressed him first. "Mayor Trynt, we're here to investigate a few murders in the area. Some strange murders. Do you know anything about them, anything at all?" The mayor shook his head and motioned for us to sit.
"Yes. What of these murders? I only know what I have been allowed to know, but I am glad to help."
"What was strange about them?" Severus smiled at Lucius and subtly pointed downwards at the carpet. Lucius had to look for a bit, but finally noticed a faint seam in the shape of a square identical to the one above the chandelier. He noted it in his mind as suspicious. The mayor looked appalled at such an obvious question. "Why, everything, sir."
"Clarify it for us, please." The mayor stared.
"You must be new here. Why, these murders are the talk of the town."
"Humor us." Lucius looked to find a faint smile upon his comrade's lips. He was enjoying this! However, of all the people to be indulging himself in this simple man's stupidity, Severus Snape was one of them.
"Well, I just got back the autopsy report, if you'd like to see it." Severus nodded and so the man passed him a large envelope. He continued as Snape inspected the contents of the envelope. "They were found late last Tuesday in their homes. They were untouched. Perfectly healthy other than the fact that they were dead." Severus looked at the worried mayor with counterfeit disbelief, as well as a subtle amusement. The Mayor continued. "I know. I didn't believe it when I heard it, so I went to go see it for myself. It's true. Every last one of them in perfect health except one. He got a nasty knock on the head, but not hard enough to kill him. Neighbors complained of screaming and some strange fireworks." At this, Severus and Lucius looked at the mayor and each other in apprehension.
"What kind of fireworks?" It was the mayor's turn to stare.
"Funny you should ask about that." He handed another envelope to them. "Very funny indeed. Why, might I ask, do you want to know so much? Who do you work for?" Severus stared at the mark in the sky for a moment before quickly replying.
"The newspaper in London. Any idea on who did this? This is a peculiar trick. "
"The police may have leads. We have no idea." By now, the mayor was sweating and trembling in fear. Lucius glanced at Severus. His lips were curled into an evil grin.
Lucius thought fast, quickly asking, "Are you feeling OK, Mr. Mayor?"
"I'm doing just fine.... Hot day, isn't it?" Snape caught on soon and jumped to his feet as the poor man nearly collapsed. As he helped him to a chair, his sleeve slid up on his arm a ways. The man fainted when he saw the mark burning bright red on Snape's arm and the queer smile on his lips. As the man crumpled into the chair, Snape began looking at the seam on the floor. After a few moments, he tapped the floor in a certain spot. As he did, the wall began to open, revealing a large collection of wizarding objects. Lucius jumped to his feet as he saw bodies stacked like firewood in the corner.
"This is our murderer. We need to get him and these bodies out of here." He wrinkled his nose as the stench of rotting flesh met him in a wave. He grasped the man's body and apparated. Lucius soon followed. They found themselves in an underground room which Lucius had seen only once- at the trial of his best friend and lover, Severus Snape. He remembered as the once young man had sat in the bewitched chair, how he had cried the night later, after finding that Severus had been betraying them all. How he had loved, that night- even through all the pain, he had loved that man, that once beautiful man. He still felt a twinge of pain for that man. Now, as the mayor was laid in the chair and revived, he laid all his memories and emotions to rest and watched the trial. They accused him of being a death eater- he admitted. He named names and cooperated. It went rather quickly. The only pause in the trial was- as the man named names, he mentioned "the man who talked with him", not realizing that that man was the one who brought him here- that he worked for the ministry. Other than that incident, the trial went well. The man was granted a 15-year sentence in Azkaban, which, considering the conviction, is very merciful.
On the way back to the old courthouse to meet with Fudge, they discussed the trial. After a brief moment of silence, Severus asked, "Did you ever forgive me for betraying you?" Lucius smiled at the look of regret on Severus' face.
"Of course, old friend. I was downhearted for a while, even angry, but I never hated you. I loved you too much for that." Severus still seemed somewhat somber afterwards, but more lighthearted, as though a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Lucius continued, "You did what you had to do. You had no choice.... Neither did I. It was a life in Azkaban or turning against the Dark Lord. We chose the latter. There's no shame in that." Snape stared in disbelief. There was no way on earth that he was hearing these words from Lucius Malfoy himself, but they came as clear as day.
"Why? Why didn't you hate me as the others did? How could you forgive me?" As he said these words, he remembered the young man in a cloak in the audience, sobbing. "That man...The one who cried for me at my trial...That was you! You never told me." Lucius smiled sadly.
"I wanted to stop them...To stop-... But there was nothing I could do. I had to live with that."
"Why? Why did you torture yourself like that? I was there for you.... I had always been..." Lucius sighed. There was so much to say, but they were nearing the courthouse now. The conversation had to end. Cornelius Fudge was already standing at the doors when they got there.
"Good work, you two. Jolly good work. Now, I have more." Snape sighed and wiped his face. It was an unusually hot day for London even in late June. Fudge seemed unusually giddy as he waved them inside.
"Is he starting to remind you of Barty Crouch, by any chance?" Lucius nodded in agreement. Fudge was gathering some papers on a desk and stuffing them into an envelope.
"Now, boys, this assignment won't be so easy. You see, there have been quite a few murders near London. You are to get there by way of the Underground. I warn you, not everyone there is a Muggle, so it'll be harder to pick out this particular man. His name is Simon Homes. According to his file, he went to school with you two. I hope you don't let your emotions help solve this case. I want this man brought to justice." Snape opened the envelope and began thumbing through the pages. Lucius thought he heard a small growl from Severus as he stared at the picture of Peter Pettigrew. "Now I want a full report on him in two days." Fudge was oblivious to this reaction. "Now, go back to your hotel and get some sleep. You look frightful, Mr. Snape." The words barely pierced their minds as they stared down at the photo.
"Impossible!" Severus was outraged. They were driving back to the hotel to get some sleep and relaxation before the morning. "The man is dead. He couldn't possibly be killing again. He's dead, I tell you! Sirius Black killed him, as well as a dozen Muggles. " Lucius simply nodded. He was thinking about what they were talking about before they arrived at the courthouse. He only caught half of what his comrade was jabbering on about. "Blew the street apart...Horrible tragedy.... In broad daylight..."
"Do you ever wonder what would have happened if you hadn't left?" Snape stopped talking in shock. They drove in silence while he thought.
"Yes. You would have never met Narcissa or had your boy; we'd both be in Azkaban or dead by now.... It was the right thing to do." Lucius felt his lip curl at the mention of his son.
"My boy is a disappointment to me. He's a failure and an idiot. I wish I had never raised him to be the spoiled brat he is now." Snape stared at the road. "But, think about it...If you hadn't left, we'd still be together. We wouldn't have the life we have now...It'd be a better life."
"We'd have no life, Lucius. We'd both be dead, or wish we were. There was no way for us to stay close after I turned spy without putting you in danger. I couldn't live with that." They drove the rest of the way in silence. After they returned to their room, Lucius laid down on the couch for a rest. Severus paced the floor, mumbling to himself. Things like, "The nerve, sending us after a dead man...." and, "What're we supposed to do, kill him again?" Lucius closed his eyes, trying not to listen to his raving confidant. He, somehow, slept.
*******
When he woke, it was still dark outside. He glanced at the Muggle clock. It was 2:15 in the morning. He rolled over, ready to sleep again, when he noticed it was very chilly in their drafty room. He curled up, but to no avail. He finally got up to get another blanket when he found the bed empty. Not thinking anything of it, he crawled into it. It was comfortable and warm and he fell asleep in no time.
When he awoke again, it was full daylight outside. He rolled to get out of bed and rolled into something. He turned to find that Severus had absentmindedly crawled in with him. Lucius thought nothing of it. He got up and dressed quickly. He went downstairs into the lobby for breakfast. When he returned, Severus was also awake and dressed. Lucius handed him a cup of coffee and he promptly drank it in one gulp. In a few minutes, they left for London to find this mysterious impostor.
They drove for what seemed like hours, Lucius staring at the road and Severus beside him muttering to himself. God only knows what his problem is, thought Lucius as the scenery suddenly changed from rolling hills and the countryside to a large and bustling city. The first place that they stopped at was, of course, the local taverne. Lucius knew he could use a strong drink, although he wondered if Severus should drink at all. The man had been babbling about this stupid assignment for 2 hours. Although, he thought, maybe a good strong drink will bring him back to his senses and he'll stop that perpetual babbling. He went to the bar and ordered a Scotch for himself and a shot of whiskey for Severus. He drank his scotch quickly, while Severus slowly sipped his shot, reveling in the taste. They sat in silence before Lucius stepped outside to enjoy the cool, fresh air. After a time, Severus joined him. Together, they walked back to the car. After a while, Severus finally spoke. "I can't believe it."
"What?" Lucius knew the answer, but it felt right to ask anyway.
"Fudge.... Of course.... Go right away to the Ministry. I have to look something up." Lucius was bewildered. They were supposed to go to this town to find this Simon Homes, if, indeed, he exists. Unfortunately, Lucius knew that this man was alive. He was at the Awakening of Voldemort. Voldemort called him something else...Wormtail. Where had he heard of such a person? He decided to ask Severus if he knows where he had heard that name. Within minutes, they had arrived. The headquarters of the Ministry of Magic was an old office building on the edge of London. As soon as Lucius turned the car off, Snape was out the door and going up the stairs towards the door. He ran to catch up with the madman. As soon as he was inside, Severus hurried to the archives. What's he doing in there? Lucius wondered. The archives were a place with records of every witch and wizard in Ministry history. It must be something from Cornelius' past, as that's whose file Snape was going for. As soon as Lucius caught up with Severus among the dusty files and boxes, he was already flipping through it. "Aha! Just as I surmised...Here it is, Lucius. Look-it's why Fudge is so giddy.... and why he's covering for Pettigrew."
"What makes you think he's covering for Pettigrew?" Lucius was a bit confused. "Isn't it possible that he just got the wrong information?"
"No. It's not possible...Remember? When Pettigrew died, Fudge handled it all. Fudge has a picture of Pettigrew in his office. There's no way he could've mistaken it." Now Severus was getting overly giddy himself.
"How did you know about the photo? But, you are right, old friend. He does have reason to be giddy...As well as reason to hide Pettigrew's identity." Lucius scanned the files as he spoke.
"I can see the picture from here. And see, right here it says that Cornelius Fudge is not his real name. His real name is.... Simon Homes...Imagine that. Also, he was convicted of being a Death Eater as well, went to Azkaban and all.... He escaped...." The men stared at each other. Lucius looked back at the paper, blinking hard. He wasn't sure he had heard his friend clearly.... But, sure enough, Simon Homes had escaped.
Severus read on, "�after escaping, Homes changed his name and joined the Ministry of Magic. He was given credit for improving Azkaban to prevent further escapes. ' He's also the one who enlisted the Dementors. I can't believe that he's in office even when the Ministry knows about this. Listen, there's more: 'While with the Death Eaters, he shared a close, personal bond with former Death Eater Peter Pettigrew.'" The men looked from each other to the papers.
"That's why he took the death so seriously. He took care of all the arrangements, remember?" Lucius was aghast. "And his fondness for dementors...It all makes sense... Severus, we're after the wrong guy..." They hurriedly copied and replaced the files. Within minutes, they were on their way back to the old courthouse. Neither of them talked for the entire trip. When they returned, Fudge was even more cheerful than when they had left.
"Did you catch him? Very well done...Where is he?" The Lucius glanced at Snape just in time to see him walk up to Fudge and seize him.
"We have him now...the real Simon Homes. We're going to take a little trip, Cornelius." Fudge looked appalled. Lucius noticed as a sly grin curled Severus' lip.
"Severus.... Let's go." He wasn't sure, but he had a bad feeling about this whole thing.
"And let this filthy murderer go? Not a chance." Snape froze in shock as Lucius wheeled him around and decked him. A tiny trickle of blood ran from Snape's crooked nose. Fudge ran back into the building.
"Let's go back to the hotel, Severus."
Minutes later, they were pulling into the hotel parking lot. They silently made their way up to their room. Once there, Snape lay down for a moment while Lucius sat with his head in his hands.... He had a lot to think about. His good friend and old lover.... He was insane... Fudge was the minister, not a death eater...He was a good guy, in a sense... He worked against the dark side, not with it...It couldn't be... These thoughts spun in his head. He couldn't believe it; he wouldn't believe it. But he saw it, in plain black and white on the Ministry file. He finally lay down, Severus lying beside him, and slept.
*******
When he awoke, it was still dark outside. Snape had rolled to the other edge of the bed, taking most of the covers with him. Lucius silently got up and crept to the bathroom for a drink. When he returned, he found Severus had awoken and was watching him. He gently undressed for bed and laid down under the few covers left. As he did so, he was strangely aware of his heart pounding in his chest and his breath quickening. He rolled over to face Severus. The strange man smiled in knowledge of his emotions. He was reading Lucius's eyes like a meter, knowing that this frail-seeming man was excited by being in bed with him again, after all these years. Lucius could sense Snape's sudden interest in his cold, gray eyes, his long blonde hair, and his finely toned and muscular body. In an instant, Snape's countenance changed; he looked murderous, almost animalistic. Lucius jumped slightly as Snape's hand slid up his thigh, his hip, his back. He kissed Lucius suddenly, almost violently. It was then that he knew, this was the way it should be, their bodies entwined under the sheets in this familiar room of their past. The normally calm, refined men abruptly lost all sense of civility, of care and sophistication as they lost themselves in each other's thoughts and movements.
*******
Lucius awoke when dawn came. He blinked for a moment in the bright London sunlight. He was aware of Severus's hot naked body against his. He finally got up and began to dress. Severus suddenly sat up. "Awake, are you?"
"Yes, Severus, I'm awake. Come on, we have work to do today." He continued dressing absentmindedly. He was surprised to feel Snape standing close to him, his arms wrapped around his chest, clutching Lucius to him. He spun around to meet Snape in a sudden kiss. "We need to go. Get dressed." He looked up and down Snape's sweaty body. Suddenly, his pants seemed too small as he stared at the beautiful form. Severus followed his gaze slowly.
"Why?" He stared at Lucius in confusion.
"Why do you have to get dressed? What kind of absurd question is that?" Snape was suddenly enticed with Lucius's half naked body. He ran a long white finger down the man's powerful, naked chest. Lucius shuddered, as though there was a sudden draft in the warm room. Severus ran his finger down his robust washboard stomach. Lucius had half a mind to jump away, but he was frozen by this gentleman's touch. When he looked up at Severus's face, he hardly looked like a gentleman. He looked savage as he ran his hand down Lucius's belt buckle. He was frozen in shock as Severus undid the buckle one handed and pulled the belt off his waist. He suddenly stepped closer to Snape, abandoning all reason and distinction between reality and fantasy. The towering gentleman suddenly pulled Lucius's half-naked body closer in an almost brutal kiss. Suddenly, Lucius stepped away, picked up his belt and continued dressing.
*******
Within minutes, they were speeding down the road towards the old courthouse. Lucius had finally gotten Severus to dress, although it took nearly an hour. On the way, they talked of home and life. They discussed everything from Lucius's happy marriage to Severus's fondness of dogs. They decided that one of these days, they should go out to dinner somewhere. Someplace nice, like they used to. La'rue's came to mind, it being the place where they had their last date. It seemed like they were taking a trip down memory lane, remembering things that they had long since forgotten. The courthouse was obviously empty when they got there. The parking lot was empty except for the ministry-issue black 1941 Chevy that they had driven there. The building itself was locked tighter than a steel drum. There was only one way in.
They arrived inside with a small pop. The building was dark and deserted. They split up, searching the floors one by one. Severus thought he heard talking, but dismissed it as Severus's nonstop muttering. The problem was that Severus was not muttering anymore. He was moving silently, not even the clunk of his boots or the swish of his cloak was there. In fact, he had heard the voices too. He was following them, but he was having no luck on this floor. He went upstairs, not bothering to tell Lucius. His eyes suddenly fell on the thick layer of dust on the floor. Apparently, no one had been up here in a long time. He pulled his wand out at the ready and lit it. It cast a faint glow on a strange trail on the floor. It looked as though something had been dragged up here, something wide, but there was something missing. Why would they carry it in a winding path like that? The control of the sharp curves meant only one thing; it was a snake. But a snake of this size? It had to be at least a foot in diameter and weigh at least 75 kilograms. In fact, it weighed more than he did, judging by the tracks in the dust. He followed the snake trail for a while. His stomach dropped when he noticed that he was getting closer to the voices. He could recognize one of them. It belonged to the minister. The other, however, he didn't notice at first because it was a sound he had not heard for over a decade. It was a high-pitched sound, but not that of a woman. It was more like a broken record player. He dared not go closer until he recognized the voice. Suddenly, there was a deafening shriek.
"Crucio!" Snape turned on his heel and hurried until he was far enough away to apparate without being heard. He apparated to Lucius, nearly knocking him down again.
"Apparate! Get out of here!" Snape was obviously frantic about something.
"What the hell? What do you mean, apparate?" However, the anxiety in Severus's voice finally made him leave. Once outside, they got in the car and took off, back to the hotel. Snape caught his breath before talking again.
"It was Him." Lucius nearly hit the roof. After getting used to the silence, he was shocked to hear Snape speak.
"Who? Fudge?"
"Yes. And another." The look on Severus's face told the rest. It was chalk white and looked as though it had just seen a ghost, or heard one at least. Lucius's heart jumped into his throat.
"My God. No." Snape could see that Lucius was looking for every excuse as to why He couldn't be in London, looking for every excuse to live. Snape was crestfallen at the look on his comrade's face, for he knew. Lucius had been one of the voices that Harry Potter had uttered after watching His gallant return. Lucius had been there. But, now both of their lives were in danger, for if either one of them were to be caught, they would be killed for their treachery. But, wait, He doesn't know about Lucius helping them. He only knew about Snape. Lucius would be the perfect spy. Severus shook his head. How could he even be considering this? He was a spy once and it almost killed him. He still felt a painful twinge whenever he thought of his punishment. Subjected to the Cruciatus curse by his Master, trapped in that horrid chair, a full week in Azkaban. In fact, he hated dementors almost as much as Dumbledore did. That simple thought gave him an idea.
"Turn here."
"But that goes to Diagon Alley..."
"I know, just turn." Lucius obeyed suddenly, turning at the last second. They veered through traffic, narrowly missing a red light. Finally, they stopped at a small hut, just on the edge of the alley. "Wait here." Severus jumped out of the car and headed up to the hut, stopping at a side wall. He muttered something and the wall moved, showing the real door. He had hardly knocked when a tall man in a long silver beard, a tall pointed hat, and a bathrobe opened the door. Dumbledore immediately let Snape inside. Once inside, they sat to discuss the problem. Of course, Dumbledore knew all about Fudge. "How do you know already?"
"A mother's intuition...." They both laughed. "No. Actually, I was the head of that investigation. Filed the report myself."
"How could they let that piece-of-shit get elected as Minister?"
"Very carefully, my boy. Very carefully. For starters, they had to get rid of the old file and get a new one. Then, they had to change his name, go through a bunch of legalities. It was a very difficult process, to make him disappear."
"But why? Why did they want him as Minister?" Dumbledore shook his head.
"I don't know. It had something to do with the protection at Azkaban."
"The dementors. No wonder Fudge was so eager to have them at the school: they were old friends of his." A look of sadness suddenly passed over Dumbledore's face. "Oh, I forgot. You don't like them. You've always hated them, but I never knew why." Severus noticed Dumbledore's blue eyes glance at a picture that he hadn't seen there before. It was a girl, blonde, very pretty, and young, maybe seven or eight. She looked like she was laughing. Dumbledore noticed that Severus was looking at her too and looked away.
"My daughter. Her name was Anne. They found her and her mother alone on a dark night. They were on a walk with our dog, Scruffy.... They're ruthless, those creatures. You can figure the rest of the story. She was eight years old. It happened about 15 years ago. The dementors were looking for Lord Voldemort and possibly some of the death eaters." Snape cringed a little at the sound of the Dark Lord's name.
"He's back, you know. The Dark Lord. He's back, and he wants revenge. I found him in the Olde Courthouse, which we've been using as a headquarters of sorts. He was torturing Fudge. If he finds out that I've betrayed him again-"
"He already knows that, Severus. You knew that all along. Tell me, who are you really afraid for?" Snape hesitated. He wasn't sure if he should tell about him and Lucius or if he should just leave it alone. "Is it Mr. Malfoy, perhaps?" Snape jumped at the sound of Lucius's name. He could only nod. "What, did you think I never found out about you two while you were in school?" Dumbledore chuckled. "I needed no cloak to be invisible. You were rather careless, as all young couples are. I only hoped that you two could've stayed together or at least split somewhat gracefully. It was almost disheartening to learn that our first, um, unique couple had had such a nasty fallout."
"You don't know the circumstances, Albus. You weren't there. But, anyway, yes. Yes, I fear for him. I love him and I don't want the Dark Lord to find out about us or to find out about Lucius's betrayal. That's why I'm here, to ask for help." Dumbledore sighed.
"I have only one idea that may help you. However, the last time that I used it, it resulted in the loss of two very great friends and co-workers of mine. I will not let that happen again.... I can't help you." Snape was outraged. In a sense, he understood why Dumbledore was unwilling to lose them too, but he was angry that he couldn't take his chances.
"It's our choice. If we do this, there is a chance that we may be betrayed, yes. However, if we don't do it, we'll be dead anyway. You know the story just as well as I do. Almost no one survives once the Dark Lord decides to kill them. We at least want a choice." Dumbledore sighed heavily.
�I don�t know what to do.� He rubbed his forehead. �Is Lucius outside?� Snape nodded. �Invite him in. I don�t want to be rude.� A few minutes later, Lucius, Severus, and Dumbledore were gathered around Albus�s table with mugs of strong tea. �I don�t know what to do.� Albus was muttering to himself. He couldn�t risk losing them, but at the same time�. He�d have to find someone they trusted. Someone who didn�t hold a grudge against either one. The more he thought about it, the less people he found he could trust with something so important. He finally decided that there was only one choice left�but he couldn�t risk it� He had to�But� God, this was hard� Then, he got an idea.
In the meantime, Lucius and Severus were discussing things on their own. Dumbledore interrupted their conversation. �I think I have a solution.� Both men jumped at the sudden noise. �In the �Secret Keeping Spell�, there�s nothing to specify who the keeper has to be. It just says for it to be someone whom you can trust.�
�So what�s your suggestion?� Severus snarled. He was getting quite frustrated by the whole thing.
�One of you can be the keeper.�
�You�re joking, right?� Severus was surprised at the sound of Lucius�s voice, but he was equally enthused by his participation.
�Not at all. It will work, you see�Not to mention that it will completely eliminate all worries of being deceived. It also puts whoever is the secret keeper out of danger. You both know as well as I do that Voldemort can and will use whatever means necessary to acquire that information. However, he can only use it if he can find the keeper�� The men nodded. Dumbledore sighed. �If only I had known sooner�.� Severus looked at the floor. He and Lucius knew all too well who occupied Dumbledore�s mind right now. �But not a word�for two reasons� Should Voldemort learn of our plans beforehand, he may well try to eliminate you before we are able to do the spell. Besides, if word gets out that there may have been a way to save Lily and James�. It could create a conspiracy, and too many files will get unearthed, much like the one that you fellows came across.� Snape and Lucius nodded numbly. It was brilliant, but dangerous. What should happen if word did get out? What should happen if other files are unearthed�Like Severus�s�? But, for their safety, they had to take the chance. They both agreed to discuss it and left.
*******
�I don�t know�. I�m lost.� Lucius and Snape were driving back to the hotel, discussing the idea. Snape sighed.
�I�ll do it.� Lucius looked at Severus in disbelief. �I�ll be the keeper.�
�No. No, no, and bloody hell no! I can�t afford to let you.�
�Lucius, listen to me. You mean too much to me for this. I�m doing it and that�s that. I can�t lose you.� Lucius stared at his friend.
"I can�t lose you, either, Severus. I can�t live with letting you sacrifice yourself for me. After everything we�ve been through��
�Lucius! Come to your senses! If I don�t do it, and you get killed� One of us has to do it� I think that I should be-�
Lucius cut him off. �Severus, he�s not looking for me! He�s looking for you. He wants to kill you anyways. He�ll be less likely to suspect me than you� He knows you too well, Severus.�
�Lucius� What are you going to do, go to the meetings? If the Dark Lord knows about us, what makes you think that he won�t torture you to find me? If he can�t find me, he can�t find you. I have to do it.�
�Severus� I have an idea.�
�What? Tell me, Lucius.� Lucius sighed as he turned a corner. Severus twitched in anticipation.
�What if� What if we were secret keeper for each other?� Severus stared.
�What do you mean, secret keeper for each other?�
�I could be your secret keeper and you could be mine. That way, my life is in your hands and yours in mine. He can�t find one without finding the other� It�s foolproof.� Severus knew as well as Lucius that this plan was far from foolproof, but he nodded nonetheless.
�We�ll have to talk to Dumbledore� And Fudge.� Severus started nodding but caught himself.
�Is Fudge even our boss anymore?� Lucius stared. �Is he even alive?�
�I don�t know. I� I think we should find him.�
�No. No way in hell are we going after that murderous bastard for any reason other than to kill him.� Lucius suddenly had the urge to hit Severus again, but he held himself.
�Lucius�� There was a long moment of silence as Severus decided what to say. �You�re absolutely right. Going after him would be ill-advised.� They pulled up to the hotel and got out. Severus leaned over the hood to talk to Lucius. �That�s why we�re going to wait for him to come to us.�
�There�s no way in hell that he�d come for us, and you know it. We�d be waiting forever.� They started towards the door.
�That�s why we�re going to set bait.� Lucius stopped in his tracks.
�WHAT?!?!?! No way in my or your bloody hell. I�ll kill you first.� Severus smiled comfortingly.
�I never said our bait was going to be a person. I just said it would be bait.� He read Lucius�s eyes. His confusion rose like a thermometer in boiling water.
�What the�.? What are we going to use, then?�
�Information, my dear friend. Information. We have valuable information that Fudge can�t afford to let get out. All we have to do is make the public believe that we have valuable information, which could put Fudge out of the Ministry forever. He�ll go to any lengths to get this �information� and when he does, we�ll catch him. The classic trap. A rodent like him won�t be able to resist it.� He smiled maliciously.
�And what if he gets a henchman to do his bidding? We both know that Fudge has connections, in the Muggle world as well as the magical world and he will use them. I can guarantee it.� Snape sneered.
"If he used henchmen, we can easily torture them for his whereabouts. If they don�t know where he is, they will surely know someone who does.�
�But�But�. But, Severus! Torture curses are illegal, not to mention that they�ll find us. �Just follow the trail of babbling idiots!� That�s what they�ll say! We�ll be ruined! Cursed! Killed! (gasp) SHISH-KA-BOB�D!!!!�
Severus laughed. He could never understand his friend�s over-fretfulness, and that amused him. �We�ll be fine,� he chuckled, throwing his arm over Malfoy�s shoulder. �And don�t worry about the �babbling idiots�� I�ll take care of that.� Lucius� gaze slowly assessed his companion�s countenance, taking note of his mischievous grin and the mad twinkle in his eye.
"You�re insane, Severus. I�ll have no part of this.�
�Ok�fine. I�ll try to attend your funeral, but with my busy schedule, I don�t know if I would be able to make it.� He laughed bitterly.
"I�m not going to die. You are, and you�re not taking me with you. Goodbye, Severus.� He started to walk away, and instinctively, Snape turned around, watching him walk off. The next moment, Malfoy felt someone pull him back and to the ground as tires squealed all around him. �What the hell are you doing?�
�Saving your life,� was the calm reply. Severus dusted off his cloak, waved goodbye, and started to walk away as Lucius absorbed what had just happened. He hadn�t gotten ten feet away when he heard Malfoy�s boots clicking on the sidewalk behind him. �Farewell, old friend. I�ll be leaving you as I wander off to my death,� he called jokingly over his shoulder.
�I should bloody well hope not! Why, you�da been hit by that car if it wasn�t for me! I saved you, and I�m not about to let that go to waste. I�m going too.�
Severus couldn�t help but laugh as his friend tried desperately to retain his pride. �Whatever you say, Lucius� Whatever you say.�
�Right�now� Where are we going?�
�Back to the courthouse.�
�Are you out of your bloody mind?! We�ll be killed! (straightens up, trying to look manly) I mean, you�ll be killed. I just don�t have the energy to save you again.�
�Ok. I�ll go alone, then.�
�You� You� You can�t! And leave me all alone out here in the open London? He�ll be after me, next, you know.�
�Don�t worry, old chap. I�m sure he already is.� Severus paused for a moment, then took a turn, Lucius trailing behind him.
�Ok. Fine. I�ll go, but you have to promise not to let me get hurt�I mean, not to get into trouble. Kay?�
�Fine. Just watch your�um�posterior, ok?�
�What the�. Ok, ok! Whatever you say!�
�In other words, watch your caboose, Dix.�
�What did you just call me?! I�ll say right now that I don�t approve of that kind of language and I�ll knock you clean into next Tuesday for it!�
�Ok. Car.� Severus pointed down the street, away from Lucius.
Lucius jumped. �What? Where?�
Severus laughed heartily. �Something wrong, Lucius?�
�No� Not at all. Just worried about your poor self, that�s all.� He started brushing off his cloak nervously, glancing around frantically.
�Paranoid, are we?�
�No,� he said casually, still shivering fearfully.
�Right,� replied Severus skeptically.
They walked along soundlessly for a while, until suddenly, Lucius chuckled and muttered: � �I�m going to fong you,�� and began giggling like a schoolgirl.
�What in the bloody hell is wrong with you?!?!� was the frantic reply.
�I was�ahem�indulging myself in a little Muggle television this morning. It was rather amusing. Too bad you missed it.� Lucius chuckled a little more, but regained his composure soon enough. Snape merely sighed.
�You�re a lunatic if I ever did see one, Lucius.�
�Why thank you, Severus. I love you too,� Malfoy muttered, sarcastically.
�I know.� Snape smiled at Malfoy, and he stepped back, fearing that Snape would try something, like another kiss, but Severus, being a gentleman, stayed like he was. They continued on in silence, once more. When, finally, they reached the courthouse, they found it mysteriously unlocked. They, of course, walked right in. Fudge stood in the main hall, muttering to himself.
�How dare he�Doesn�t he know better�I ought to�Whole city could�ve heard him�� Suddenly, he noticed the two men standing there. �What do you want?�
Just as Lucius opened his mouth, Snape interjected, �To arrest you.�
�On what charges, eh?� Fudge turned very pale.
�For conspiring with and assisting the Dark Lord.� Lucius was shocked at his own voice.
�Not to mention failure to inform the public on your ulterior motives. It�s enough to send you to Azkaban for the rest of your natural life�And then some.� Fudge looked like he�d seen a ghost. �What�s the matter, Fudge?� Snape continued. �I thought you liked the Dementors. You did, after all, put them there.�
�You�re insane! Both of you! I never did such a thing! You have no proof!�
�Au contraire, Cornelius. We DO have proof. But we�re leaving you with a choice. Help us, or the media will feast upon this faster than you ever dreamed. You�ll face imprisonment, or possibly exile from the wizarding world. You�ll lose your powers and your position. And, by the way, we know who you really sent us after, as well as who Simon Homes really is.� Fudge blinked, trying to process what he just heard. �Your decision, Cornelius?� No reply. �Your decision?� Severus was getting impatient. Finally, he said, �I guess we�ll take that as a no. Lucius?� He turned to walk out the door.
�Wait!� Severus stopped and smiled before turning back around.
�Yes?�
�What do you need me to do?� Severus chuckled, walked towards Fudge, and motioned for Lucius to follow.
�We need bait, Cornelius�Or should I say, Simon?�
*******
They were all sitting at a round table in Dumbledore�s kitchen. Each one had a cup of tea, but none were drinking.
�You�re mad!� exclaimed Lucius.
�Maybe so,� confirmed Dumbledore. �But a genius nonetheless. Voldemort can�t risk losing his connection through Cornelius. Nor can he risk Cornelius losing his position as Minister.�
�Exactly,� Severus agreed. �He�ll swallow this hook, line, and sinker. By the time he realizes what�s happening, it�ll be too late.�
"How exactly do we trap him?� Lucius wondered aloud.
�The chair. Remember, from the trials? Disguise it, invite him to sit, and he�ll be trapped before he knows it. It�s foolproof.�
�Not quite, Severus. This is all assuming he cannot summon his followers, has no access to a wand, and is stupid enough to see through it.� Dumbledore added a note of doubt about his last notation. �Besides, even if we were able to trap him successfully, how do we vanquish him? He�s much too powerful now�even to die.�
�Why must we kill him? Just keep him forever, I say.�
�Lucius, we cannot risk his followers freeing him. He must be disposed of COMPLETELY.� Dumbledore lowered his head in thought. He had an idea, but would any of the others be aware enough to see it?
�What about�.� Started Fudge, but he shook his head, as if to dismiss the idea.
�What?� Severus was starting to hate the broken man who called himself Fudge.
�The Dementors.� Fudge seemed frightened at the mere thought, and Dumbledore turned pale.
�Has He even got a soul, though?� Lucius glanced at Dumbledore, but said nothing.
�And I thought they were loyal to him.�
�Good observations, Lucius and Severus. How DO you plan on carrying this out, Cornelius?� Albus�s voice shook slightly, but he remained calm, hoping no one noticed.
�Well, since his fall, they�re loyal to me. Besides, who said anything about the Kiss? They�d imprison him within his own mind, within his anger and fear. He�d be forced to face his past, possibly even committing suicide, eventually.� The others looked around at each other. He had a point�the best any of them have had. Suddenly, Dumbledore began to clap. The others gradually joined in, and Fudge turned an interesting shade of pink. Albus left and returned, a moment later, with a bottle of brandy. They all toasted, drank, and finally, feeling rather tipsy, Dumbledore sent them all home.
*******
SET UP FOR THE TRAP: With Dumbledore�s help, they rented a furnished apartment in a small, out-of-the-way Muggle town. Fudge used his Minister privileges to acquire the chair and Severus apparated it to the room and covered it, to disguise it. When all was done, the room looked as such from the door: the main room had a small table in the center, under a dim chandelier, a small, disheveled bed, the disguised chair, and a few shelves of books and the such. Finally, they needed the bait. While Dumbledore, Severus, Lucius, and a few other ministry workers waited outside for the signal � an open window, Fudge sent for the Dark Lord, who appeared almost immediately.
�My Lord, please, sit down."
�Thank you, Cornelius. Why did you call me here?�
�My Lord, I fear that we have been discovered.� The chains have begun, very slowly, to creep up around Voldemort�s arms and legs.
�Really? How do you suppose that has happened?�
�I fear we have a traitor in our midst.� The chains have almost bound Him, while He is still unsuspecting.
�Who might that be?� Once the chains have securely bound the Dark Lord, Fudge pulls out his wand and sets it on a shelf before gliding to the window.
�Let me open this a bit�It�s become dreadfully hot. I apologize for the inconvenience.� Voldemort suddenly realizes that he is securely bound to the chair.
�Fudge!� At that moment, the others apparate into the room, wands at the ready.
�I�m the traitor, Lord!� Suddenly, under a rush of voices and curses, the Dark Lord falls out of his chair, the chains snapped by the attacks. Blinded by light and pain, he stumbles around, trying to get up, and suddenly finds Fudge�s wand where it had been knocked off by the apparators. In a moment of screeching agony, Voldemort raises the wand and mutters a curse through his clenched teeth just as a separate curse hits the wand and shatters it, throwing a cloud of dust over the room, accompanied by absolute silence as all try to figure out what has happened.
As Voldemort lays on the floor, gasping and groaning in pain, the others look around, in shock. Dumbledore collapses to the floor, a blazing hole in his stomach. Fudge falls to his knees, whimpering, his head in his hands. Silence floods the room, pressing in on everyone�s ears. Lucius is rocking back and forth on his feet, whispering �Oh, god, no�God...No�� Severus just stares, his eyes unfocused, his mind processing what has happened. The others look at each other and apparate out, their work being done. Suddenly, Dumbledore looks up at the others.
�Listen to me.� Everyone stands to attention, shocked by the old man�s feeble voice. �Look at me, all of you.� They all, reluctantly, turn to face him�Well, all but Voldemort, who is laying in a heap on the floor. �Do not despair. Yes, I am dying. Yes, I have lost this battle� But, we are in a war between good and evil, and war has casualties. So, we have two choices. Either we all lay down and die, letting the bad side win, or we can grieve and move on to win this war and live the life we�re supposed to. I know all of you very well, be it as coworkers or students or friends. None of you have ever been known to take the easy way out. Some of you, in fact, (looks directly at Severus and Lucius) have been known to seek out the hard way, if only for a challenge. Grieve over me, remember me, but don�t ever give up, or take the easy way out. If only because I told you to, win this war, and create a legacy to live on for generations.� With that, Dumbledore laid back in peace, and breathed his last. The others took his body and apparated out, leaving Voldemort to the Dementors, who swooped in moments later.
*******
SEVERAL YEARS LATER: Severus and Lucius lie on a disheveled bed in a cheap hotel room on the outskirts of London. Lucius is fully clothed, aside from the fact that his shirt is unbuttoned and lying open. Severus has long since thrown his shirt onto the floor by the bed. He�s just about to fall asleep when Lucius�s voice jars him awake.
�Do you suppose he really knew about us?�
�Knowing him, he probably did.�
"I miss him.�
�I know.�
�How do you think the Dark Lord is getting along with his old friends?�
�I dunno.� Lucius gets up to hear the newspaper when it slides under the door. Severus rolls over and watches him. �Think we did good in honoring his death?�
"Probably. Although, if he doesn�t like his statue, I suppose he�ll let us know.�"Don�t forget the memorial at Hogwarts.�
�Same with that� I wonder what happened to Fawkes.�
�Dead, from what I hear. The poor bird just couldn�t live without his master, I guess.�
�Oh. Look at this.�
�What?�
�There�s a man walking around Diagon Alley claiming to be Dumbledore�s son.�
�What? Dumbledore doesn�t have a son.�
Outside, on the street, a young man walks past with flames in his eyes and the ghostly echo of a phoenix flying overhead.
___________________________________________________________
Melissa Potter's note: All hail Sheila Potter, Queen of the Cliffhangers. Congrats to Sheila for the longest short story on the website and the first real slash fan fic on the site.
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