Doppelganger

Chapter 19 Alice's Boon From The Dark Lord

Severus entered his classroom and began to prepare for the beginning of term as the dunderheads were to return in seven days. He sighed as he went through the student stores to make sure all the ingredients were at their proper levels as he reflected on the last two weeks. The Phoenix continued their raids and battled DeathEaters and it was getting to a stalemate as the DeathEaters expected to be attacked and Voldemort increased their numbers as he sent them forth.

The DeathEaters no longer tried to kill everyone outright. They were more focused on capturing prisoners than defending themselves. He remembered the interview from a survivor printed in the Quibbler this morning.

"They came out of nowhere and took my father and mother down to the basement. I was left alone with one DeathEater to look after me."

"Isabella how did you know that it was a DeathEater? Have you ever met one before?"

"Oh no I have never met a DeathEater before. But they were wearing skull mask and black robes. My mother and father told me about them and said to run if I ever saw one."

"And how old are you Isabella?"

"Fourteen."

"Why do you think that the DeathEaters were at your house?"

"My parents were Aurors."

"Please tell us what happened next."

"I heard screams and I heard my father begging for them to take him and let mother go. Then the front door blew open and in came these people wearing red robes with a mask that looked like a beak of a bird. One of them killed the DeathEater that was looking over me. Another took me outside and I saw a skull and snake was floating over the house. I don't remember how much time passed but the rest of the strangely dressed people came out of the house. Three of them removed their masks and told me their names and that my parents were dead and that they killed the DeathEaters."

"I know this is hard for you Isabella and I'm very sorry that your parents are dead. We must know their names."

"Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger."

"Do you know who Harry Potter is?"

"Of course I do and he had the scar to prove it. And he gave me a message to pass on that everyone not gives up hope as he would chase down every DeathEater until there are none left."

"And what will you do now Isabella?"

"They gave me a port key to take me to safety and I'm using it now."

This reporter watched as Isabella vanished right in front of me.

And still the Dark Lord did not call him and he worried about that as when the school was on break he performed raids and was regularly called.

Severus pulled out his time piece and looked at it. Two hours before dinner in the Great Hall. Just enough time to review his syllabus and then prepare for dinner. He walked to the classroom entrance to his private quarters reflecting on Hermione. He only had a few chances to see her in person but she used the link to him to tell him that she was safe although a few times he sensed that she was in pain and knew that she had been wounded.

Opening the door he walked in and immediately dropped his papers as he saw his wife before him wearing a silk green gown. "Hermione!"

Hermione rushed over and kissed him. "Severus I have missed you."

He returned her kiss in kind and pulled away before he was caught up. "Why are you here?"

Hermione looked to her husband with desire in her eyes. "The Phoenix has cancelled some planned raids as they rethink their strategy. I have at least a day to stay with you Severus and I have missed you husband."

He allowed her to remove his robes and she began to work on the buttons on his vest. "Why do you have clothing that has so many buttons Severus?"

"I do try to maintain a reputation that I am unapproachable and the buttons help." He drily chuckled as he took in his witch frustrations.

"Hmmm." Hermione muttered as she finished the last one and removed his vest only to find that his white shirt contained more and growled her frustration.

He chuckled and pulled her closer to him. "Let me hold you Mrs. Snape as I have forgotten the feel of you against me."

Severus looked into her warm brown eyes knowing that he was hers alone. "I have missed you Hermione." Leaning down and whispering the words to her as he used his long fingers to slip the straps of her gown and watched it fall revealing her beautiful body. He kissed her neck and began to move down and suddenly pulled pack with a hiss.

"Two weeks and he decides to call me now." He growled as he pulled away from her and went to the wardrobe and pulled out his DeathEater robes and quickly dressed.

He saw the worry in her eyes. "Wait for me Hermione. Remember the potions you gave to me before for I'll need them when I return. Let Albus know that I am called."

"Of course Severus." Hermione softly said. She watched as he pressed a few bricks revealing an entrance as he entered and left her behind.

Hermione sank on his bed as she watched the bricks move back in place and silently prayed that he would arrive back unharmed.

&*$#

Severus arrived and immediately bowed to the Dark Lord and waited to be addressed. After what seemed to be two hours he sensed someone walking around him.

"Severus you did not tell me about Potter and his cohorts? Especially the one named Hermione Granger?" The Dark Lord asked with menace in his voice.

"My Lord I did not want to risk my position with information that you surely had from what has been printed in The Quibbler."

Voldemort listened to the muffled response from his minion. "Rise Severus and remove your mask."

Severus did as he was commanded and kept his head bowed as he prepared his mind for the presence of Voldemort. He felt cold fingers left his chin up and looked up into the red eyes of his master

Voldemort flicked through his mind, pausing at the memories that interested him that occurred during the last five years. He spent a long time as he reviewed his servant's memory. Everything in his mind matched what he already knew.

"Follow me Severus." The Dark Lord called as he went to leave his throne room.

Voldemort entered a dining room and sat down with a flourish. "Sit Severus for a meal. I'm sure that you will enjoy it."

Severus sat down and noticed that all of his favorite foods were on the table. "My Lord you honor me. All my favorite food is here. Is this my last meal?"

Voldemort chuckled as he picked up a glass of red wine and indicated for Severus to do the same. "It might be Severus depending on how this meeting plays out."

Severus took a sip from his wine as the Dark Lord continued. "This is part of a boon that I have given to one of my Outer Circle that is most faithful. One that first told me of the existence of Hermione Granger and the capture of Lucius."

Severus finished his glass of wine and exclaimed. "My Lord Lucius is captured? I had not heard of it."

Voldemort looked to his right hand man. "Such simple taste for food Severus. I admit that I am surprised that Sheppard's Pie and Bangers and Mash are your favorite meals. I expected something more complicated." He motioned to a DeathEater to open the door and watched as a witch entered.

Severus remembered his manners and stood up as the Madame Pomphrey's apprentice arrived and pulled out a chair for her to sit.

"Thank you Severus." Alice replied as he pushed her chair in and sat back down.

"Please eat." The Dark Lord commanded as he attended to his meal.

Soon the meal was finished as Voldemort called for his house elves to clear the table and addressed the witch.

"I have granted you a boon Alice for your service to me. Tell me faithful one, what is it that you desire that you feel that out of all my DeathEaters only Severus can help you."

Alice looked nervous as she had seen Snape in a rage before. She looked to him and saw that he was studying her intently. "Lord Malfoy My Lord. And as he is involved in spying on our enemy Severus is the only one that can get to him."

"And why Lord Malfoy? What is he to you?" Voldemort asked as he picked up his wand and held it lightly in his long fingers.

Severus recognized Voldemort's light tone and the way he held his wand. Someone was about to be punished and he was glad that it was not him.

"He was my sponsor My Lord and he is my master. I feel pain from the binding that we performed. I must have him." Speaking out in frustration.

"Look to me Alice." Voldemort barked out as he pointed his wand and went into her mind. After a few minutes he pulled out and looked thoughtfully at the witch. The binding happened after she had already been accepted into his ranks. "Very well Alice it is granted. Severus will be pleased to bring you your boon. Now leave us so that I can discuss this."

The wizards watched as the young witch left the hall.

Voldemort turned to Severus. "Well faithful one this falls into my plans nicely as I arranged this meal to remind you of where you stood if you failed me. I thought that she would ask to have you and you would deny her as she is not the type of witch that you prefer. Lucius has overstepped his boundary concerning the witch and I require you to bring him forward to answer for it." He motioned a DeathEater over and whispered and the DeathEater immediately left. "So Severus is it possible to rescue Malfoy and the others of the Inner Circle?"

Severus looked to his Lord and carefully replied "It will be difficult My Lord since Potter has decided to lead the attacks and I have been left out recently as he does not trust me. I do not know where they are being held at." One did not tell the Dark Lord no.

Voldemort chuckled as the DeathEater came back and handed him a parchment. "You will wait in my throne room. You have a very important mission to complete tonight."

Severus watched as the DeathEater left and he spread out the parchment that he had been given. "This tells me where all of my Outer Circle are currently located. Notice the concentration here." Pointing his wand to a tight cluster of black dots on the parchment. "Too many in one place as I discourage them meeting in groups outside of a mission."

"My Lord you have known where Lucius is the whole time?" Severus exclaimed as he remembered to inflect the proper amount of awe in his voice.

"Yes Severus based on the clustering of my captured Outer Circle. I watched as several died as the dots faded until the Phoenix realized that they could not use magical means to get any information out of them. No doubt they used muggle torture after that. Lucius is a titled important wizard and I am sure they have not tortured him at all. I left him there to suffer in humiliation for being so predictable."

Severus reflected that had been the case. "My Lord if I lead this raid than my usefulness will come to an end as the Phoenix will think that I betrayed them."

"And why would they think that Severus?" He asked as he once again held his wand lightly in his hand.

"I did not rescue the mudblood after all. It is only because of the old goat's trust in me that I was able to overcome it by feigning ignorance." He replied as he eyed Voldemort's wand. "Despite the appearance of Hermione Granger I know that she is dead. Her body was in wake three days in the muggle world before she was buried My Lord and no one survives the killing curse. It is a ruse My Lord."

"Put your mask back on. You will lead this raid Severus and just tell the old goat about my parchment afterwards." Pressing his Mark and twenty DeathEaters appeared along with one of the Inner Circle. "Bella is your second and these are the best of my Outer Circle. If you do not succeed with the tools that I have given you Severus at least you had a meal of your liking before I kill you."

Voldemort walked over to Bellatrix LeStrange and kissed her. "Bella my sweet one. We are rescuing our Inner Circle and it is your job to kill all of the captured Outer Circle as they have failed me. Make it messy sweet one."

Shit! Bella his second and twenty of the best and most dedicated of the Outer Circle with no chance of warning. What was he going to do?

Back at Hogwarts Hermione stood up. "I will warn them Severus." She thought out.

Severus stood as Voldemort motioned for the group to gather around as he pointed to the parchment for them to remember where they needed to go.

"You will not Hermione. If you love me and trust me you must remain silent. Otherwise Voldemort will kill me and my usefulness ends." He thought back as he touched the port key that Voldemort created along with his fellow DeathEaters as they disappeared.

She began to cry as Albus patted her shoulder. "Severus will be well Hermione. You have to believe it."

AN Next the raid and Severus's loyalty is tested once again.