Disharmony in the Dungeons

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 11 ~ Blood Right

Voldemort sat on his throne, looking bored as he watched the remains of the evening’s entertainment be dragged away. A muggle woman. She hadn’t been much fun, passing out after only the seventh raping. The Dark Lord ordered her flayed alive, then her throat cut. She let out a few blood-curdling screams as the skin was cut from her body, but she passed out again. Even the enervate incantation wouldn’t rouse her. Not much fun at all. Lazily, he scourgified the blood from in front of his throne, and looked around at the few deatheaters that stood watching, anxious to serve him.

“I am bored,” he said to them. They all cringed. Well, almost all.

The Dark Lord half-heartedly cast the Cruciatus curse on a deatheater that was engaged in conversation with another, watching him writhe in agony for a few moments before he released the wizard, and he fell gasping to the floor. Voldemort sighed. He wanted some action. Maybe he should send his followers out to round up a few small muggle children to feed to Nagini. They were always good for a laugh as they ran screaming for their mothers, pursued by the snake. It was more fun once the remaining children realized what the snake was going to do to them. Voldemort was just about to give the order when he felt Severus reaching out for him. Hm. The Potions Master was in a rare mood. This could prove interesting. The Dark Lord issued the summons and in a moment, Severus appeared, and knelt on one knee before him.

“Ah, Severus. It’s been a while since you’ve been in my presence,” Voldemort said in his high-pitched voice, his forked tongue flicking out for a moment, tasting the air and the scent of the wizard before him. “I sense you are disturbed about something. Something you feel I can help you with.”

“Yes, my Lord,” Severus replied, still on one knee, his head bowed.

“Rise and approach me then, loyal servant, and tell me what it is that troubles you,” the Dark Lord said.

“Thank you, my Lord,” Severus said rising, lowering his hood and removing his mask, sticking it in the robes pocket. His black eyes were glittering with hatred. Voldemort liked that look. Severus had a horrible, violent temper. Whenever he got that look in his eye, things were bound to get entertaining.

“My Lord, I ask you for the Blood Right concerning Lucius Malfoy,” the Potions Master said, looking Voldemort squarely in the eye. The Dark Lord didn’t really approve of this. It wasn’t the proper deference, but the Potions Master was obviously overcome with emotion, so he let it slide…for now. Voldemort straightened on his throne, interested. The Blood Right was the right to kill a deatheater for some unforgivable crime against another. Severus wanted to kill Lucius? Interesting.

“Why would you want to kill Lucius, Severus?” the Dark Lord asked him.

“He violated my wife, my Lord,” Severus said in a low voice.

“Ah yes. The little mudblood you married. The one my deatheaters have been clamoring for as treat for a Revel. Your marriage to her under the eyes of that damnable Headmaster ruined my plans for her,” the Dark Lord said, his red eyes narrowing a bit with displeasure. “But she’s a mere mudblood, Severus. Surely a little sport with her doesn’t warrant Lucius’ death.”

“My Lord, the witch was not amicable to his advances. In order to share a wife, there has to be consent…is that not the law?” Severus replied, pressing the wizard.

Voldemort looked at him tiredly.

“Yes, Severus….that is the law…but as I said, she’s a mudblood. Hardly even a real witch,” Voldemort said. Severus felt the blood rush to his head. He fought to control himself.

“My Lord, Lucius has tampered with what belongs to me. Mudblood or not, I demand satisfaction,” Severus said. The Dark Lord’s eyes glinted as the deatheaters around him muttered. Severus demanding satisfaction from him? Demanding? Either the wizard had gone mad, or he was truly caught up with this mudblood.

“Show me your relationship with this witch, Severus…maybe I can see for myself why you think she is fit to be avenged,” the Dark Lord said.

Severus carefully lowered his occulmency walls over any damaging thoughts and memories, then opened his mind to the Dark Lord. Voldemort searched his mind. He cocked his head as he witnessed some of his and Hermione’s debates.

“She is very intelligent, Severus. Very bright. Is she powerful?” he asked Severus.

“Yes, my Lord. She has great magical ability. From a child she could perform intricate spells that gave much older witches and wizards difficulty. And even now is leaning towards becoming a Spells Mistress,” Severus replied.

“A Spells Mistress? Interesting,” the Dark Lord said. He didn’t have a Spells Mistress or Master among his ranks. Having someone to create spells would be quite an asset. As Severus’ wife, perhaps the witch could be turned to his service in the future. The Dark Lord continued to look in Severus’ mind. The Dark Lord paused, his scaly face screwed up in disbelief.

“She is untouched, Severus? You haven’t fucked her yet?” he asked the normally lusty Potions Master.

“No, my Lord. She remains pristine for now. I want her to come to my bed willingly,” he said.

The Dark Lord looked at him consideringly.

“The marriage law is going to be overturned soon, Severus. You might not have much time to deflower her,” he said thoughtfully.

“I know my Lord. But killing Lucius might speed up the process. She will be grateful to me,” he responded. But Severus didn’t want to kill Lucius to bed Hermione. He wanted to kill Lucius because he deserved to die for what he’d done.

“I can see why you are angry, Severus, being that the witch is untouched. She also seems to have potential. Certainly a high quality mudblood in any case. Was she injured badly?” the Dark Lord asked.

“You can see for yourself, my Lord,” Severus said, careful to shield the image of him talking to Dumbledore. Voldemort looked on the bruised body of Hermione.

“I’ve seen Lucius do much worse. She is quite shapely, Severus…albeit small,” the Dark Lord said, his red eyes glinting. The Potions Master did not reply to the Dark Lord’s assessment of his wife’s physical attributes. Voldemort looked at Severus for several moments then made a decision.

“I will summon Lucius, and see his side,” Voldemort said, “I expect you to restrain yourself, Severus. Overstep your bounds and you will feel my displeasure even more than I currently plan for you,” the Dark Lord said warningly. Severus knew that he would be punished for demanding satisfaction. He didn’t care at this point. As long as Lucius died.

The Dark Lord concentrated. After a few moments, Lucius appeared before the throne, next to Severus bowing on one knee before Voldemort. It took every bit of strength for the Potions Master not to grab the wizard and start beating him.

“Rise, Lucius,” the Dark Lord said.

Lucius straightened, lowered his hood, removed his mask, then looked sidewise at the Potions Master, a dark glitter in his gray eyes.

“How’s your wife, Severus?” he smirked. The Potions Master’s knuckles went white.

Voldemort watched Malfoy goad the Potions Master, then said, “Lucius, Severus has asked for the Blood Right concerning you, because of your dalliance with his wife. What do you say to this?”

Lucius gave an ugly little laugh.

“The Blood Right? For roughing up a mudblood? That’s absurd, my Lord. That’s like giving a man a death sentence for whipping a dog, my Lord.”

Severus seethed at the comparison.

“Were you aware, Lord Malfoy, that the witch is untouched. A virgin?” Voldemort asked.

Lucius looked at Severus in disbelief before answering.

“No, my Lord. I didn’t. If I had, I would have been aiming much lower when I attempted to fuck her,” he replied. Voldemort laughed at the wizard’s nerve.

“Let me see what occurred, Lucius,” the Dark Lord said. The blonde wizard bowed his head as the Dark Lord entered his mind.

“Lucius,” Voldemort said, his voice serious, “You were intending to kill the witch, not have your way with her.”

Severus’ eyes went black as death at this revelation. He would have returned to find Hermione raped and murdered. Oh, he needed to kill the wizard…now.

“I lost my temper, my Lord. It was only my intention to indulge in her charms, as is my right as a brother,” Lucius replied.

“Yes, Lucius, but as you know consent is a part of that right. The witch was not willing. And quite resourceful. She deserved to escape you. Attempting to kill another deatheater’s wife is a serious offense. If the witch had not escaped, she would be dead now,” the Dark Lord said.

His red eyes shifted between the two.

“I believe Severus is well within his rights to claim the Blood Right in this matter, Lucius. You must face him,” Voldemort said. Lucius looked at Severus then back at Voldemort.

“With pleasure, my Lord,” Lucius said bowing.

“No magic,” Severus growled. Voldemort looked at him.

“What, Severus? You wish to fight Lucius to the death without magic? That is positively beastly,” the Dark Lord said. “I like it. Very well. No magic.”

The two wizards bowed to the Dark Lord, then backed away from each other. From out of the attending deatheaters, two females approached, one for each wizard. They began to unbutton their robes and removed them. Then they removed the wizards’ shirts as well, and their boots, or in Malfoy’s case, his shoes. Then their socks. Severus watched Malfoy the entire time. The women carried the robes and shoes away.

Severus and Lucius stood facing each other, both shirtless and barefoot. Lucius’ build was much broader that that of the Potions Master, his arms were larger too. Severus was leaner, but well-muscled and fast. He felt as tight as a coiled spring as he looked at the blonde-haired wizard, and imagined him beating and mauling his tiny wife. His pale face snarled into a mask of complete and utter hatred.

Lucius’ gray eyes were cool as he sized the Potions Master up. He knew the wizard was a deadly fighter, but Lucius was no slouch either. He had killed men hand to hand before, and he would kill this wizard, and not just because of the Blood Right. He hated Severus, ever since he returned to his wife and felt the change in her body when he fucked her that first time after Severus’. The Potions Master had claimed her, overriding Lucius’ own claim. It wasn’t supposed to be like that. She wasn’t supposed to long for the wizard, to dream about him.

Lucius had nearly killed Narcissa when she sighed the Potions Master’s name during sex. He had beaten the poor witch senseless. He was lucky she survived, but she was never the same towards him after that. And he took his rage out on every other woman he came in contact with since, longing for the day he could pay Severus back. When the dark wizard married, all Lucius could think of was revenge. He wished he could have killed the mudblood. Obviously she meant something to Severus, something beyond the marriage law. No matter, he would get his satisfaction when he pissed on Severus’ corpse.

Voldemort sat straight up in his throne, nearly quivering with excitement. Now this was entertainment. But something was missing. Ah, yes. He flicked his wand toward the two men. At their feet, two wicked daggers with entwined pewter serpents for handles appeared. Severus quickly grabbed his and held it at the ready, crouched low and thirsty for blood. Lucius picked his knife up, and tossed it from hand to hand, testing the weight and balance of the blade. Yes, it should do nicely. He’d gut the bastard. Lucius set himself ready for battle.

Every deatheater in the room was silent as they eyed the two wizards. Who would live? Most hoped Lucius would win. Severus was greatly disliked, and the feeling was mutual. He didn’t serve the Dark Lord to make friends. He served the Dark Lord with the intention of destroying him one day. And as good an actor as Severus was, his hatred for every single one of them still registered dimly on those around him. The Dark Lord savored the tension for a moment longer…

“Begin!” he cried.

The two wizards charged each other, blades raised high and hungry for blood.

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A/N Pretty exciting. Go Severus! Go! Please review