Act One

A/N: I anticipate that many readers will find fault with the language and grammar herein. Please bear in mind that this play seeks to remain authentic to the style and language of literature produced in the Tudor, Elizabethan and early Jacobean times (c.1485-1615). They had different modes of writing, grammar and spelling. While I have faithfully produced these as far as I could, please understand that I have opted not to replicate the erratic Tudor spelling as most words were spelt phonetically in the Tudor era (c.1485-1603). For example, 'hour' was then spelt 'hower' or 'hour' by the English aristocrats who have had an Oxford or Cambridge education, 'hauer' by the Welsh, Irish aristocrats or Spanish nobility who learnt English, 'hoaeur' by the middle classes who could write and read (ancestors of our modern cockneys), 'youer' by the Scottish aristocrats, because these peoples pronounced the word that way.

In order to be true to the custom of the time, this play is written in a combination of late Mediaeval Latin, as well as Tudor and Elizabethan English. Some English words used then had different of meanings than they do now. While I am aware that this maybe very off-putting to many people, I sincerely hope you will come to see and understand the plot as I intend for it to be read. As far as possible, I have included a glossary when the definitions of words differ from the modern meaning and pronunciations. If you are in doubt, ask and I will answer. Stage directions are given in square brackets, like so [ ] and asides be listed. If asides be not indicated explicitly in the text, they be denoted by round brackets like so ( ).

Numbers at the back of certain lines are line numbers. The right align command does not work with line numbers. When I tried it, the line pagination of my metre was eliminated. Please bear with the numbers that appear there, they are meant as a guide not as a distraction.

TANQUAM OVIS

ACT ONE

Act I Scene I

Uncharted island near Scotland. A clearing in a forested area.

Enter Severus Snape, Lucius Malfoy, Lord Voldemort and Death Eater attendants. All be cloaked and masked.

Lucius:

So shaken as we be, so wan with care,

Dare we find a time for frighten'd peace yet

That would breathe away these heavy mortal coils

So we can recommence in strands anon.

No more the thirsty parched throat of this soil 5

Shall coat her insides with the blameless' blood;

Think you friend, whither such days will come?

Severus:

Look and harken the Dark Lord's darker laugh

At the sight of these new able bodies

Who flock to trench war channels o'er our fields 10

And bruise the soul with their warlike stances.

Observe the hostile ears and starched eyes –

They bespeak of fear against troubled hell,

Which may rain forth from a troubled heaven,

Only upon the intestinal shock 15

And furious close and civil butchery

Shall all in mutual well-beseeming ranks

March all one way and be no more oppos'd

Against acquaintance, kindred and allies.

Our Lord beckons thee to speak, Lucius. 20

Lucius:

My Lord, my liege, your loyal servant bows.

Voldemort:

From whence doth you find the courage to kiss

The hem of my sacred and jealous robe

Dare you remain at whence I deign to strike?

[strikes Lucius]

Hence, hence, you idle creature, get you home! 25

Return only to present me your prize!

Lucius:

I have all at your disposal, my Lord.

Voldemort:

Thou liest, I do not see thine most valued jewel.

Speak, I command thee who claim'st loyalty,

Where is thine treasure – the fruit of thine loins? 30

Where art thine son, Draco, this black night?

Lucius:

It is not yet the ripe time for the lad.

His tutors command his education

In this his final year of paper trials.

Should your Lordship exercise small patience

35

The time may yet come when my son submits

To the splendour of thine power and grace.

Voldemort:

Severus, approach and bring me your word

On how 'tis with old Albus Dumbledore.

A fever with the absence of thine son, 40

Lucius, of which your life is in danger.

How deeply you at once do wound my heart.

Upon the greater part of my comfort

Lying uncertain in a desperate bed

At this time when fearful wars point at me 45

So needful for my forces is thine son

And his other comrades of our own cause,

It strikes me past the hope of comfort.

But for thee, who must know of thy son's ways

And dost seem so balefully ignorant, 50

I'll enforce it from thee by sharp torture.

To all who disobey my will – Crucio.

[Lucius strook by Cruciatus curse]

Severus:

Sir, his life, as that of his son and mine

Be yours in return for all and naught.

Look you – he kneels so still by your will. 55

Lucius:

Indeed. My son and his friends be young yet.

I know of nought where your plans may lead

Nor when your Lordship purposes to strike

I beseech you; hold me your loyal servant!

Severus:

Good pour from your Lordship's nobility 60

The day will come when the young will be here.

I dare be bound that he and them be true

And shall perform all their subjections loyally.

Voldemort:

An ill wind blows; the time is troublesome

[addresses Lucius]

I'll slip you for a season but my jealousy 65

Does like a thing of moonlight yet depend.

Severus:

So please, my Lord, news I have to impart

The Old Man's legions all from Hogwarts' drawn,

Suspect not our purpose nor our fair coast.

They and him hath not landed on your coast 70

For their supply of warriors has been cut

By orders of the Magic Ministry sent.

Voldemort:

The counsel thy offers amazes not.

Lucius:

Good my Lord, their purpose is valiant.

Your preparation can affront no less 75

Than what comes to bear in thine ears.

Come more, for more thou art ready.

Severus:

The want is but to move those powers in motion

That long with the right conditions to move.

Voldemort:

Thee and thine speak the truth. Let us withdraw 80

And meet the time as I seek you.

Severus, if you value your existence

As Lucius does, bring me the head

Of the old fool who would be rid of me.

Fear not what can from Hogwarts annoy us, 85

And grieve not at chances there. Away!

[Exeunt all but Severus]

Severus:

This damning mask doth choke my soul

Its removal causeth my skin to burn – what care I?

[Removeth mask]

O, how my fortunes do but dissemble?

They affect me at the blue moon. 90

My trembling flesh revolts against my spirit

I fear myself in this my revenge

That I years ago have wrought on myself

In ignorant vanity I wast won

By perjury and stern to come 95

Within this court of death ruled by a serpent!

Alas! The deeds I have unto me!

I hate myself for my stain'd hands and mind

Through Dumbledore's tongue I learn salvation waits.

The fool vouchsaf'd to lead me to myself 100

To hear at large discoursed all my fortunes.

I dare not believe in vanity's hope

For I am deformed, subtle, treacherous

And false – I dissemble to this Lord and pay court

To the grand ideals of an old savant 105

Allowing the worm of conscience to gnaw

Upon my soul for my treacherous past.

Thus spy I am for one and the other

In the hope to aspire to truth

Against this villainy across the land. 110

One day, I know all sides will cry gently

In the throngs that will desecrate my soul.

Thence, I shall die having fulfilled reason.

No creature loves me save the old fool

Who sends me to my death with no remorse; 115

No soul will pity me or mourn my end.

Wherefore should they since I hate myself?

But live I must; perplex my Lord, I must.

The heavens and my charges still must work

Wherein I am false, I am honest still; 120

Wherein I am not true to be true yet.

This present war shall find I love the mind's truth

For Fortune protects some boats that be not steer'd.

[Exit]

Act I Scene II

Dumbledore's Office, Hogwarts.

Enter Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Alastor Moody, Sybill Trelawney and Remus Lupin. Portraits of previous headmasters and headmistresses lie in the background.

Dumbledore:

Minerva, it needs be done, such flashes be form.

Minerva:

Mine heart doth repulse the notion, my lord.

Sybill:

Albus Dumbledore!

Dumbledore:

Who calls?

Lupin:

This witch by which peace may yet rise again. 5

Dumbledore:

Sybill, thou call'st on me

Thy tongue be shriller than thy speech.

'Tis wont to be in times of sense

Thou did'st cry 'Albus Dumbledore';

Speak and my ears be thine. 10

Sybill:

Beware the soft approach of the new moon

Take heed of he born on Janus' name day.

Moody:

The soothsayer false bids ye beware

Of the new moon's imminent coming.

Lupin:

She doth not dream, not when her voice 15

Crack'd with pain and fists a-shaking.

Dumbledore:

The hour grows later and common will dead

Heed me, Minerva, my time waxes short.

[Enter Severus Snape]

Moody (aside):

They say the potions and defence master

Is a brave fellow for his stout heartstring; 20

One that hath fought single combats unarmed

Some such flashes I see with my mind's eye,

Superficially hang on him for form.

I observe his inward character –

He is a melancholy being who's face 25

Be nothing but the engendering of toads:

Where he is jealous of any man he doth lay

Worse plots for them than ever wert imposed

On Hercules, for he strews his way,

Flatterers, panders, intelligencers, 30

Atheists and a thousand such political monsters.

He should have been the Head of the Defence chair

But instead of coming to it

By the primitive decency of law

He did bestow lures largely and 35

Impudently as if he would have

Carried it away without Heaven's knowledge.

Yet, some good he hath done.

He with his most perverse and turbulent nature,

Falsifying peace with Dumbledore ;40

And the worm who cannot be named

Making us wink at his past and that yet to pass.

What appears in him mirth, is merely outside;

If he laugh heartily, it is to laugh

All simple honesty out of fashion. 45

He dissembles and speaks with others' tongues,

And hears men's suits without hearing ears,

Only to entrap offenders in their answers,

Dooming men to death by information and hearsay.

The law of Dumbledore to him, methinks, 50

Is like a foul black cobweb to a spider.

He makes it his robes, his cloak, his dwelling

And a prison to him and others to tangle

Those who shall have design to feed him.

Dumbledore:

How now, good friend, Moody? 55

Thy look is grave and thou must rest.

Let you all but Severus hear me.

Go now and pass to that which waits.

Give me not your looks of black,

There is much that means to be done. 60

[Exeunt all but Severus and Dumbledore]

Severus:

Moody, methinks, doth not abide by me;

He did think ere he left this hallow'd space

I nev'r pay debts unless they be shrewd turns

And those I will confess, that I do owe.

Dumbledore:

It is most true and oft-times I fear it, 65

For thou dost but flatter me and Riddle most –

So say the oracles that hang at thy lips

And verily I believe in them

For the devil speaketh truth in them.

Severus:

I know'st what I am. What I am, I am – 70

I do not seek to light the time to come,

Only to stain the time that hath past.

Phineas Nigellus Portrait:

Spake thee like a one true of Slytherin.

Our valour though great, is nought

In the preserving of the justice of the self. 75

Remember, Dumbledore, the lad owes only himself.

Dumbledore:

Aye, 'tis true.

What business hath thee?

Severus:

I must continue as court-gall,

The Dark Lord desireth that Lucius and I 80

Our worth to prove for love of piety.

He would that we rail that those which he wants,

Would be as lecherous, covetous and proud,

Bloody or envious as any man,

If we had means to do so. 85

Dumbledore:

He wisheth to haunt me still

With talks of my death through thee;

Wilt thee o'ersee the order of the course?

Severus:

Not I, when Lucius' wife promises to mirror her sister.

Dumbledore:

I pray thee, do. There is no choice else. 90

Severus:

Wilt thou condemn me more than I am?

My hands canst not be cleansed hereafter!

I am a poor gamester in a poor part;

If it would'st not damn my soul

Myself I would but slay! 95

Dumbledore:

I do observe thee of late, my lad.

Thy gentleness have fled thy eyes

Thou bear'st stubbornness of the self

At too strange a hand!

Phineas Nigellus Portrait:

Severus Snape, I protest in earnest! 100

Thou art must look to thyself

Serve thyself and know thyself

To truly keep thyself from harm.

The Dark Lord wilt save thee nought;

Dumbledore shalt protect thee naught. 105

Consider thyself and be the survivor

Above all those who play the fool

To escape from the violent end!

Dumbledore:

Severus, be not deceiv'd if I veil'd my look,

Vexed am I that thy position now 110

Will mistake the love I bear thee in my heart.

Thou must perforce do what thou must.

Know'st thou of the hidden worthiness in thy soul.

Severus:

Hold me dangerous, old man

For dangerous I am! 115

Phineas Nigellus Portrait:

Slytherin Severus, I beg thee to think –

Look on all differently if at all,

Redemption thou wish'st to seek in thyself.

Set honour in one eye and death in the other,

'Tis for thy own survival in this 120

War of all wars against all.

Dumbledore:

O multum dilecte Deo, tibi militat aether,

Et conjuratae curvato poplite gentes

Succumbunt: recti soror est victoria juris.

Ergo, you must for now as Phineas bespoke; 125

It is an ill-favoured war of all against all.

When the Order of the Phoenix and Voldemort

Do jointly knit their brows at the field of blood,

Their frontiers, leaning on each other's bounds,

There meet both our forces must without me. 130

Remember my proud array; I will not be all gone.

Even if death do furnish me your hand,

Both our forces will be burnished well

And full of hopeful fear and fearful hope;

Both menacing alike with daring shows, 135

Both vaunting colours sundry of device,

Both cheerly sounding trumpets, drums and fifes,

Both raising dreadful clamours to the sky

That valleys, hills and rivers made rebound,

And heaven would quake frighted with the sound 140

My presence non-physical bespeaks my power

That resideth within all the Order's souls,

So long as I remembered am, I'll not be gone.

In this then, if you my end to bring anon,

Our battles would lie pitch in squadron form, 145

Each corner strongly fenced with wings of shot;

Harry Potter will with his cornet make attempt

To march forth against Voldemort with our Order

And arrest the malice of his fell'd approach.

Phineas Nigellus Portrait:

Thou wilt end it all, Severus, if now, 150

Thy act for the good of all and thyself,

Thou alone canst avert that which will be.

Pede pes et cuspide cuspis;

Arma sonant armis, vir petiturque viro.

Dumbledore:

Thou art tired then; in a word, I am also. 155

Longer to live most weary, and present

My throat to thee and thy ancient malice

For all who keep thee from thyself in spirit

Since I have ever given thee all my love

I urge thee to do Voldemort's will 160

And draw the blood to preserve thyself

And with that forward our cause.

Severus:

Since I hath ever followed him with hate;

Since I hath ever followed thee with love,

Drawn turns of blood out of my bloody hands, 165

I canst not live but to my shame, unless

Thou art certain it be to do thee service.

Dumbledore:

Severus, Severus Snape,

Each word thy lips hast last bespoke

Thou hath weeded from my heart 170

A root of wet-clung poor direction

To others who think I speak divine things

Let me twine mine arms about that body

Where against his grained ash a thousand times

Hath brak'd and scarred the watery moon 75

With splinters to clip thy faery wings:

Then do the deed that thou must on the night

When the moon waxes anew three days hence.

Hew thy target from thy brawn with cruelty

Beat me out twelve several times 180

To unbuckle the helms and fist my throat

And wake me full dead with all and nought.

Phineas Nigellus Portrait:

With this then, thou art can banished be

Away from the quarrel of the Riddles

And those who would break on the river Styx. 185

Thou wilt in doing so not pour war

On thyself against thy territories;

Thou art would be safe to take leave

Of me and of Dumbledore.

Dumbledore:

And to recall that my end will be thy succour. 190

Severus:

You bless me, ye gods!

Therefore most absolute sir, if thou wilt have

The leading of thine own revenges, take

The one half of my commission with thee.

I shall return to thee in three days 195

To commend thy soul to the Order;

Thou art a true friend than e'er an enemy.

[Exeunt severally]

Act I Scene III

Severus Snape's house. In the book filled sitting room.

Enter Narcissa Malfoy and her sister, Bellatrix Lestrange

Bellatrix:

Have patience, good sister, there's no doubt Lucius

Will soon recover his accustom'd health

Only if Severus Snape would but come.

Narcissa:

Were that true, I would not think him traitorous

To have doubts in his mind in the Dark Lord's service. 5

Alas! My poor husband and his sick heart,

To spite his fashion'd escape from Azkaban

And debase my Lucius' post in his all-seeing eyes

To crop the golden prince of not only my lord

But on my son, who's all equals not Lucius' moiety! 10

The Malfoy House now a beggarly denier

In the need to prove our loyalty to adorn the cause

Which the Dark Lord demands to that

My son and my noble husband must prove. 15

Bellatrix:

In that you broke it ill, it makes him worse.

Therefore for his sake entertain good comfort

That your son is full well capable

To take your lord's place to prove him true

To that great cause laid by our Dark Lord. 20

Narcissa:

If my lord were dead, what would betide me?

If my son were dead, what would betide me?

Bellatrix:

No harm but loss of this lord and son.

Narcissa:

Thou painted barren shrew, know'st thou

The loss of this lord and son includes all harms!

Bellatrix:

The heavens have bless'd you with a goodly friend 25

To be your comforter when all else should fail.

Narcissa:

Durst you speak'st of my lord's bosom bow

That Severus Snape who's face a false creation

Proceedeth from the heat-oppressed brain?

Bellatrix:

I think though never wast where grace wert said 30

Aye, for 'tis true Severus Snape hath too

Much that is suspected of him.

Narcissa:

Much is suspected of Lucius!

Bellatrix:

But more so of Severus Snape, your friend.

Dost your son and his minority 35

Mean so little to thee – art thou unnatural?

The Dark Lord bade me offer you a boon:

Your son and lord wilt remain goodly bless'd

In His grace, should you present Snape this test

Of loyalty to us and our kind.

Narcissa:

The Dark Lord to this prayer, you mouth'd

Wilt scarcely whisper Amen in a trice.

He loves not thee, nor me, nor Lucius,

Draco nor Snape – 'Tis all about Himself.

Since He loves not me; be you, sister, assur'd 45

I hate thee not for His proved arrogance.

Bellatrix:

I do beseech thee, either not believe

The envious slanders of these false accusers

These worms which lay waste to corrupt thy mind

Of if the Dark Lord be accus'd on true reports,

Bear with His weakness, which I think proceeds

From wayward desires of power'd grandeur

And no grounded malice to thy person or House.

Lucius know'st too well the Dark Lord's mind

He know'st His jealousy is drawn withal – 55

'Tis either Him or Snape, Narcissa dear,

Unless thy son a willing sacrifice

Thou giveth to the Dark Lord's wondrous grace.

[Enter Wormtail]

Narcissa:

Here comes good Wormtail with Lucius' news.

Saw you my honoured lord husband today?

What likelihood of his amendment, sir?

Wormtail:

Madam, good hope, Mr Malfoy speaks with cheer

He saith he desire to make atonement

Betwixt your son, Snape and yourself

And sent to warn them to his presence. 65

Look you there, Severus Snape doth approach

[Exit Wormtail]

[Enter Severus Snape]

Severus:

They do me wrong, and I will not endure it!

Who complained unto the Dark Lord

That I, forsooth, am aloof and love Him not?

By Grindelwald, they love Him but lightly 70

That fills His ears with such dissentious rumours.

Because I canst not flatter and look fair,

Smirk at Bella's face, smooth, deceive and cog,

Duck her and Lucius with apish courtesy,

I must be held a rancorous enemy! 75

Bellatrix:

Dost thou speak ill of me or of the Dark Lord?

Severus:

Beauteous madam, I bear you not offence.

Your lack of honesty or natural grace

See'st my imagin'd injuries on you

[aside]

A plague upon thee all to cause me to betray 0

He who trusts me with his life, soul and care

Thou must trouble the riddle with lewd complaints

And plague this living hell within my immortal soul!

Bellatrix:

Friend Snape, thy slyly mistake the matter,

My words unlike thine be unprovoked 85

I tell you now ere I leave for my Lord's,

Aim you, your interior hatred elsewhere

Against Hogwarts, Dumbledore and his friends,

Then will your place among us be secure

And your perceived disloyalty will fade 90

In the Dark Lord's mind and give him peace in war.

Severus (aside):

And lessen'd be that small, I implore ye gods,

That I might poison her with the Styx's waters!

Bellatrix (aside):

I'll'd soon hath thy traitorous heart in my grasp;

Thus die those untrue to my noble Lord! 95

Narcissa (aside):

Out devil, Snape! I remember my pains well

Thou seeketh my husband and son's deaths.

See how my poor heart doth wish to break!

Severus:

I wast a packhorse with Lucius in all

The Dark Lord's great and unspoken affairs; 100

A weeder-out of His proud adversaries;

A liberal rewarder of His rewarders;

To royalise His blood, I spent mine own.

Bellatrix (aside):

Hast thou truly shed thy mongrel's blood?

I shalt rend thy gut from thine purring throat 105

To spill my blood o'er thy perfidious soul

That durst pretend fealty to the Dark Lord!

Would that Lucius could'st see Snape's narrowing eyne

Which all but point to his palpable guilt!

Narcissa:

Will you spend it now to save my lord and son, 110

To prove yourself a noble true Death Eater?

[aside]

Dare he speak of blood which has yet to spill?

Aye, and much better blood than his or thine.

And so still art a murd'rous villain.

Hie thee to hell for shame and leave this world, 115

If disloyal thou provest to my husband,

My son and the Dark Lord's true gilt throne!

Thou cacodemon, I wish thee with Death!

Bellatrix:

Sister dear, calm I prescribe to thy temper;

Forget not that which we must perforce do, 120

Friend Severus we have hopes to employ.

[aside]

And in that employ, I'll'd catch his falsehood

With my unglov'd hands and send him to death!

Severus (aside):

Foul wrinkled witch, I curse thee and thy House

And thy sister too to be banished 125

On pain of death to hell's burning sulphurs!

Narcissa (coming forward):

Alas, friend Severus! Gentleman friend!

Do not turn away, Severus, from power.

[Grasps Severus' hand]

Bellatrix:

Dost not our women's pleas stir thy chivalry,

What canst we govern'd by our feelings do? 130

[aside]

Dare I hope to espy him hesitate

In this politic snare of women's lies?

Severus:

I will not if you would'st return my hand.

Bellatrix (aside):

For thy proud impudence to my sister,

I swear to be the instrument of thy death. 135

Narcissa:

Pain is here in my breast from many fears

That death can yield me here by my body

A husband and a son thou ow'st to me;

And thou ow'st the Dark Lord allegiance.

This sorrow I have by right is thine 140

And all the peace you usurp be mine by right.

Severus:

Tyrants themselves would weep at thy speech.

Bellatrix (aside):

Dissemblers would choke at thy traitor's speech.

Narcissa:

No man but prophesised revenge for it.

Severus (aside):

I wish none of you may live your natural age! 145

Narcissa:

If thou dost not save my husband and son

Or to the Dark Lord thy disloyalty

Perforce to remove and disabuse

Heaven will rain plagues on thy hateful soul

Exceeding those that I can wish upon thee. 150

On thee, the troubler of my poor world's peace

The worm of conscience I curse gnaw thy soul;

Thy friends suspect for traitors while thou liv'st

And take thyself without any friend!

No sleep close thy obsidian eyes 155

Unless it be to haunt thee with tormenting dreams

Affrights thee with hells of ugly devils.

Thou abortive, misshaped dissembler

Say thou wilt do this for my lord and son

To save thyself in the Dark Lord's gold grace 160

Thou loathsome issue of Prince...

Bellatrix (aside):

What doth the wench do by acting so brown?

Anger wilt not entrap the snake for long!

Severus:

Narcissa!

Narcissa:

Severus! 165

Severus:

Ha!

Narcissa:

I call'd thee not!

Severus:

I shall for mercy call for thee then!

Narcissa:

Not if the period I give to my curse!

Severus:

Alas, thou canst not, for 'tis done by me 170

And ends in sweet dulcet tune, 'Narcissa'!

Thus, this curse thou hath but breath'd on thyself!

False hearted woman, end thy frantic curse,

Lest to thy harm thou move my patience!

Narcissa:

Peace, friend Snape, thou art but all malapert; 175

If this deed of the dark Lord thou commit

Thine fire-new stamp of honour 'twill be scarce.

In Dumbledore's demise the stars of all

Will rise – yours, my son's, my lord's, my sister's –

O that your new found nobility could judge 180

That 'twere lose it and be miserable

And if it fall with you, I'll dash you to pieces!

Severus:

And turn the moon of the Sun to shade? Fie!

My word for the Dark Lord's murd'rous deed, you wish,

Very well, I shall use it to climb up 185

And ascend the sky with another's soul

To the fold of the gods' gentle sleeping peace

Until that should come when all is lost,

I will let eternal darkness fold me!

The Dark Lord in his aery's nest will see 190

As the gods and Dumbledore see'st it:

As it is won with blood, lost be it so!

Bellatrix:

The gods and our ranks be thanked for thy faith

In the unending service of our Lord!

Peace and thy hand I shalt wring as thy friend. 195

Narcissa:

I know now thou art a good man of worth.

I'll kiss thy hand in peace and gratitude;

May fair befall thee, my lord and my son.

[Exeunt Narcissa and Bellatrix]

Severus:

The devil himself could not pronounce the title

More hateful to mine ear than Narcissa! 200

Behold Narcissa, thy bones be hollow,

Impiety has made a feast of thee.

Go forth, Severus in that famous act,

Wherein all nature's value is contained:

Be thou on earth as Faustus wast in deed! 205

How am I glutted with conceited of this!

Cursed be He, the Dark Lord, for stealing

Dumbledore's sacred holiness from me!

Maledicat Dominus!

Cursed be He, the Dark Lord, for forcing 210

My hand to end Dumbledore's care for me!

Maledicat Dominus!

Cursed be Lucius Malfoy for playing

His House and I like fools in this charade!

Maledicat Dominus! 215

Cursed be Narcissa Malfoy for her

Gratuitous love of her own!

Maledicat Dominus

Cursed be her that Bellatrix Lestrange

For ensnaring me with the Dark Lord's lure! 220

Maledicat Dominus!

Yet violence I must deploy for light to prevail!

Dumbledore, my love for thee is troubled

Yet I must take action or die myself!

The Malfoys and Lestranges be my destined plagues 225

And the Dark Lord to in his illiberality!

First in His hand, he bade me kill Dumbledore,

Supported by the Malfoys and Lestranges!

O, these wounds dangerous they have given me!

And by those wounds, they force me to yield; 230

In admitting to this insane judgement,

Dumbledore has yielded himself and I;

These hands will never more be cleaned,

And by all this yielding, I am a slave

To both Dumbledore and the Dark Lord! 235

Alas, my poor soul! Will I e'er be saved?

I must act tam armis quam ingenio,

To ensure Potter brings the prophecy

To its promised end to the Dark Lord.

[Exit]

FOOTNOTES & GLOSSARY

One of my betas informed me that in Act One, not all my footnotes &ca were displayed. There appears to be a word limit on each uploaded section on this website. To remedy this, I will include the glossary and footnotation on a separate page following each Act if this should happen. After an analysis, I realise that the notations to Acts I. III and V will have posted separately. I can post the notations to Acts III and IV with the play proper because they are relatively short Acts. Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted.