4

Thanks again (and still) to Septentrion for the alpha read, and Ayerf for the betaing.)

Voldemort was at the gates of Hogwarts, waiting for Snape to let him in. It was rare to surprise the Dark Lord, but Snape seemed to have managed it, as Voldemort swung around from the gates, wand raised.

"My Lord," Snape said, bowing quickly.

"Severus!" Voldemort replied, annoyed. "What are you doing on this side of the gate?"

Severus straightened, brushing off his robes as he did. "There was an incident, my Lord." He brought out a large key and unlocked the wards keeping them out. "I was called to Malfoy Manor to collect your gift."

Voldemort raised his brow. "The girl?"

"Yes, they caught Granger."

Voldemort looked pleased. "Why did you not return here with her?"

"I'm afraid Bellatrix found the temptation to play with a Mudblood too much to bear. I walked in to find the girl in a damaged condition."

Voldemort stopped, looking at Snape in surprise. "Bellatrix? I must confess that I am surprised she would dare disobey my order."

"She says that she didn't recognize the girl."

"Was the Mudblood damaged beyond repair?"

"Thankfully, no, my Lord. I took her home and was able to heal her in only a few minutes. But that is inconsequential, my Lord, for when I went back to the Manor to question everyone more thoroughly on their behavior, I arrived to find Potter Disapparating. Bellatrix waylaid Weasley with a well aimed knife, but Potter escaped. They claim that Potter and Weasley showed up after I left with Granger, and, to be fair, I did hear a noise in the cellar just before I left the first time. It could have been the boys Apparating in."

Snape braced himself for the Dark Lord's fury, and, sure enough, the Dark wizard seemed to swell with anger. Voldemort wasn't moving, but the air around the two of them swirled in agitation.

"Do you believe them?" Voldemort hissed.

"Although I find it difficult to believe, when I looked in Granger's mind, her memories confirmed the story. It seems she has not been traveling with Potter for some time now."

Voldemort clenched a fist in a show of agitation. "This is unacceptable, Severus. This is twice they have let Potter slip through their hands."

Snape bowed his head in acknowledgment, and his thoughts drifted to Draco. "Master, although it is unacceptable on the part of the adults, I beg for your lenience on Draco. He was the one who alerted me that Granger had been captured."

Voldemort waved his hand distractedly. "I have no intention of doing serious harm to the boy, Severus. You need not fear."

"Thank you, my Lord."

They stood there for a few moments in silence. Snape didn't dare to interrupt Voldemort's thoughts.

"You said that Potter escaped, but not Weasley?"

"Correct. Weasley is currently decorating my sitting room floor. I have been trying to heal him, although it seems Bellatrix used one of her special blades, and the wound is proving difficult, even with my special collection."

Voldemort nodded. "After I have finished here, I shall stop by to see if I can gather any information from the boy."

"Of course, although I had to give him the Draught of Living Death, so there may be nothing to find at this time."

Voldemort nodded again, this time with impatience. "Very well. Go see to him, and I shall be by later."

Snape bowed and retreated through the gates. He didn't dare let his relief show until he was safely home again, and by then he had other things on his mind, such as the sobbing girl tied up in his chair, and the boy who lay dying on his floor.

When he looked at Weasley, he swore. The wound had started bleeding again.

He turned to Granger and freed her, though he didn't lower his wand. "You will follow my directions exactly. You will not try to attack me; you will not try to escape. If you do not obey me, Weasley will die. Do you understand?"

The girl nodded mutely, still sniffling, but quickly regaining the resolve and composure he'd been impressed by earlier. She didn't move except to wipe her nose with her sleeve, which seemed to disgust her as much as it did him. He conjured a handkerchief and tossed it to her. "Clean yourself up quickly then kneel beside Weasley, beside the cauldron."

He wasn't surprised when she complied without hesitation. He knew by the way she looked at Weasley that there was nothing she wouldn't do for him. He understood that feeling; he found himself sympathizing.

He knelt on the other side of the boy. He instructed her again on how to clean and treat Weasley, and soon they had fallen into the same rhythm they'd had before he'd been summoned. It would have been almost relaxing if the situation hadn't been so urgent.

"Sir?" Her voice startled him, even though it was so quiet as to be almost inaudible.

"Yes?"

"Why am I here?"

Snape stiffened, but quickly forced himself to relax. "The Dark Lord gifted you to me."

He heard a tiny 'oh' and then nothing. He tensed for the following 'why', but it didn't come. As the minutes passed, he kept half expecting her to say something else, but she never did. She just did as she was instructed and gave Weasley mournful glances. He was surprised she didn't ask more questions, although he was more than grateful she hadn't. He had a difficult line to tread until the Dark Lord had come and gone.

And, truth be told, he hoped she never did ask why. He wasn't sure he could explain without coming off as a gushing fool. Or a dirty old man.

They worked in silence, trying to regain the ground lost during his Summons, but it was slow going. Just as the wound was starting to knit together, there was a knock on his door. Biting back a curse, he instructed Hermione to continue while he rose to get the door.

As expected, the Dark Lord was waiting on the other side. Severus opened the door wide and bowed him in. Voldemort looked around the room, although his eyes seemed to remain on the boy and girl on the floor.

"Is he ready?"

"No, my Lord. As you can see, his wound is still fragile. I dare not revive him until the skin doesn't want to split apart anymore."

Voldemort nodded, not looking surprised. "I paid a visit to the Manor on my way here. Bellatrix admitted that the poison is one of her newer inventions. She hasn't yet developed an antidote."

Snape snorted. "Has she ever?"

Voldemort's mouth quirked up. "She does tend to lose her drive once she gets what she wants. I suppose her experiments are no exception."

Voldemort's eyes were fastened on Hermione, and Snape didn't like the hungry expression.

"You said you have looked in the Mudblood's mind?"

"Yes, Master, although you are free to look for yourself."

Voldemort nodded, but made no move to reach for Hermione. She was tense; Snape could see she was listening to them, but she kept her eyes down and continued working on Weasley.

There was a moment of silence before Snape realized Voldemort was waiting for something. Mentally cursing, he outwardly apologized and offered the Dark Lord a seat and some wine. Voldemort immediately took the chair Hermione had been in, but declined the wine.

Conversation didn't seem to be in keeping with the Dark Lord's mood, so Severus stayed silent. He maintained his obedient facade, although the way Voldemort's eyes never left the girl made him very nervous. Soon enough came the words he was dreading.

"I am afraid I do not understand your taste for Mudbloods, Severus."

"And I am afraid I can not readily explain it, my Lord."

"The Potter girl I could almost understand. You had been friends with her before entering Hogwarts, is that not so?"

"Yes, my Lord."

"And I could see she was a fiery sort, the kind to bring passion to the bed. Not to mention that bedding your enemy's wife must have been extremely tempting for you. Yes, I could see why you would have wanted her."

Voldemort paused, running his bony fingertips along his mouth for a moment, while still gazing at Hermione's back.

"This one, I am having more trouble understanding. Tell me, what was she like as a student?"

Snape glanced at Granger. Judging by her posture, she was as uncomfortable with this conversation as he was. "She was an overachiever. Always doing three times the amount of work required, always striving to be the very best."

Voldemort chuckled softly. "Yes, I can see how that could be appealing."

Snape smiled his greasiest smile, though he was feeling rather ill. "And, as you noted for Lily, Miss Granger has the added benefit of being close to our enemy. Close enough to hurt."

Voldemort nodded approvingly. "Yes. Bellatrix mentioned that she told him of the girl's fate. I hear he didn't take it very well."

Snape chuckled. "No, I imagine not. In fact, I expect this will tear him apart more thoroughly than even Black's demise did."

Snape was surprised to see Voldemort flinch just slightly, although he wondered if he had imagined it when Voldemort started smiling.

"Yes. I imagine this will hurt him even more."

Voldemort lapsed into silence which Snape did not dare break, though he was itching to know what punishment the Dark Lord had meted out. They both watched Hermione work, mesmerized by her rhythmic motions. Suddenly, Voldemort stood and strode over to Hermione to observe her motions more closely.

He inspected Weasley's wound from behind her, and Severus was impressed that she paused only a fraction. He wondered if it was courage or love that kept her going. He didn't stop to think that it could have been courage borne of love.

"It seems the boy's wound has finally closed. Stand up, girl."

At that, Hermione paused, the cloth in her hand dripping potion into the cauldron. Snape stood to force her up, but before he could reach her, she had discarded the cloth and stood up, looking directly at Voldemort's shoes.

"Look at me, girl," he said.

She obeyed and then tensed as Voldemort plunged into her mind. Snape waited, forcing himself to breathe normally and to suppress any fear he felt. The Dark Lord held her in his gaze for so long, Snape was starting to get nervous, though he kept his mind from wandering toward his doubts. Finally, after several more minutes, Voldemort withdrew, looking intrigued. Hermione immediately looked away, biting her lip as if to keep from crying.

"Bellatrix's story seems to be true, except for her fib about not recognizing the girl. Potter refused to tell the girl what he was planning, so one day, she left. I should warn you, Severus, she is a fiery one. She intends to fight you every step of the way."

Snape smirked. "Ah, but that is part of the fun, my Lord. And, if it grows tiresome, there is always Imperio."

Voldemort chuckled again, this time with less tension. "Yes."

He looked down at Hermione, who had taken up her post again as Weasley's wound was starting to reopen.

"It seems that Weasley was in on whatever Potter was plotting. Your potion is obviously only delaying the inevitable, though. Take him to Hogwarts. Pomfrey should be able to mend him well enough for our purposes in no time."

Snape bowed his head, not knowing whether he was relieved or worried.

"Of course, my Lord."

Voldemort smiled and put his hand on Severus' shoulder. "I am sorry you have to put work first yet again."

Voldemort made to leave, but Snape stopping him with a quick, "Master..." Voldemort turned back, curiously. "I know it is not in my place to ask, but has Bellatrix been punished for seeking revenge on me through the girl?"

Voldemort looked at Snape with an inscrutable expression for a long moment before responding, "She has been punished. However, she has yet to feel the brunt of my disappointment."