Doppelganger

Chapter 27 Rally!

Severus knelt at the Dark Lord's throne. "Rise Severus and tell me of this night."

He did as he was commanded and finished his story. "I am sorry My Lord in how I killed Lucius. I had planned to corner him and prolong his suffering and make sure that he died knowing it was you who commanded it but I had Moody with me." He spat out.

"Yes and Alice was there. Apparently they were making plans to bring the Mudblood to me." Voldemort muttered as he thought over the night's events. "Tell me Severus did the Mudblood realize Alice's purpose?"

"Yes My Lord as Lucius foolishly implicated the witch's involvement. I Obliviated the mudblood and she has no recollection of Alice's duplicity and I covered up the witch's presence as mere circumstance." He humbly replied.

"Always able to think on your feet Severus for you are a clever wizard. And Lucius was right in his thinking. I have been intrigued with the mudblood since she arrived back on the scene so to speak. That is why I left her alone as I admit she is a puzzle to me. Only one other has survived the Killing curse and he has a scar to prove it. And from what I see of your memories First Knight all she has is the scars from her stay with me. She intrigues me." Voldemort spoke out as he thought of the enigma of Hermione Granger and remembered the witch's defiance.

Severus remained quiet as he waited. Fuck! The Dark Lord's attention was drawn to Hermione just as he feared.

"Tell me Severus of her behavior towards you. You put her down quite thoroughly when she arrived at Hogwarts."

Severus humbly replied. "She watches me always My Lord. And there is mistrust in her eyes when we do interact and that is not often. She is waiting for me to slip up so she can run to the old goat without fear."

"Her mistrust should be allayed now based on tonight. I am going to put you into a whole new light First Knight." Pressing his wand to his Mark and watched as six bowed before him.

"Rise faithful and take this." He commanded as he conjured up a parchment marking the location of the mudblood's muggle residence. "You will watch for one week and determine the muggle's routine. At the end of that week you will kidnap them and do with them as you please. I expect it to be very messy."

Severus watched as one took the parchment and the group left the Dark Lord's presence.

Voldemort looked to his right hand man. "I know that the mudblood is not the type of witch that you normally play with Severus but you will get close to her. After all you are a hero to the Phoenix right now and once you warn her of my plans for her parents she will see you in a new light and increase her trust in you. Then you will bring her to me when I have time to indulge my curiosity."

"My Lord the thought of being close to that mudblood disgusts me!" He snarled out as he watched the Dark Lord point his wand to him. "As you command so shall it be My Lord." Changing his tone as he quickly bowed down.

Voldemort placed his wand to his Mark. "Rise Severus and remove your mask. Let's see what Alice has to say for herself."

Severus did as he was commanded and watched as the apprentice appeared before them. "Rise and remove your mask." He commanded.

Alice did as she was bid and looked to the Dark Lord in fright.

"I sense and smell your fear Alice and it disgusts me. Speak!" Voldemort commanded.

"My Lord! Snape is not loyal to you. He killed Lord Malfoy!" She shouted out as her body trembled in fear.

Voldemort rose and went to her as his red eyes caught her blue eyes as he chuckled out. "Yes Alice and at my command." He replied as he walked around her. "But your plans with EX-LORD NOW DEAD MALFOY potentially interfered with my plans! You know what I task of you witch. My Knight saved your miserable life. You can have only ONE master and it is me!" Voldemort roared out as he entered the witch's mind. So she was drawn to the darker aspects of pleasure. He would show her dark and master her.

Voldemort sat back down at his throne as he looked to the witch with lust. "Severus go now and do as I bid."

"As you command so shall it be." Severus reverently spoke as he left the chambers as he heard Voldemort command. "Come to me witch!"

Alice moved forward as the Dark Lord smiled to her. Oh Merlin he looked more frightening than normal with that smile.

HGSSHGSSHGSS

Mr. Potter stood Dissillusioned and watched as Harry arrived back at the hall containing the dead and survivors as he slumped down next to Ron and Hermione. While the mission was successful there was a sense of defeat in the air. He walked over to the Trio and knelt down. "A rough night to be sure young Harry but this is your trial by fire. The going gets tough from here on out. Please join me in my room."

They waited a few moments before they left the room and joined the doppelganger.

"Have a seat my friends." Pointing to the chairs in his room as he poured everyone a drink and handed the glasses to them. He raised his glass. "We remember the fallen and remember their sacrifices and loss be it soldier or civilian." As he finished his toast and drank his drink in one go.

Hermione, Ron, and Harry muttered the same words and drank their drinks surprised at the smooth taste and lack of the sting of Fire whiskey.

Mr. Potter looked to them and chuckled. "Jack Daniels is my preferred drink to that of Fire whiskey. Much more enjoyable to the palate." He told them as he sat in a chair across from them.

"All of you remind me so much of what I was when I was young and a newly commissioned Second Lieutenant. I want you to listen as looking back at my service I wish someone would have told me what I am about to tell you." He stated.

"Lieutenants bless them are the closest of officers to the soldiers charged over them. They interact closely with them as they are charged to watch over their soldiers. They know them and their personal life as they lead them directly into battle and they watch them die, feeling personally responsible for each and every death. They wonder if they could play things out differently, would the outcome be different." Looking to the young men and woman as he continued.

"An officer moves up the ranks, the more soldiers you have but you are distanced from them. You move from direct leadership to distanced leadership. You plan the missions and you eventually become a figurehead as the soldiers know your name and that you are in overall command. They may or may not meet you. Usually if you do meet them it is because they are wounded and you handing out medals to them. Soldiers become numbers as you factor in acceptable loss rates to your missions and you justify to yourself at the end that if the deaths were what you expected or lower, then the mission was successful. Do you know what rank you are when your thinking skews from that of deaths to numbers?"

Harry looked to him sadly. "A General." He whispered.

"Yes young Harry. And so you show up and rally the troops when needed and hand out medals when needed but at the end of the day it is the Lieutenants that lead them as you wait for the results. And now we come to you three. Lieutenants thrust suddenly to that of the equivalent of Generals but at the level of a Lieutenant as you plan the missions and then you lead them into battle. But that is the nature of this war against Voldemort as you have the additional burden of everyone thinking that you are destined to bring him down. And up to this point there has not been any direct confrontation or offense. It was only defense. So each loss of life is personal to you but that is acceptable as long you do one thing."

Harry looked to him realizing the truth of his words. "And what is that Mr. Potter?" He whispered.

Mr. Potter looked to him. "Be a General and Lieutenant all tied up into one as the days of old. Rally, inspire, lead and motivate your troops in the dark times. You did it before when you formed Dumbledore's Army as I have all of your memories and thoughts though there was little thought to loss of life. Oh the joy of being young and not realizing the bigger picture. The only difference now is you realize the potential cost of your plans."

Harry looked to the Doppelganger remembering Lord Malfoy's attempt to remove the Headmaster from the school. "And how do we do that Mr. Potter? I realize the truth of your words and Merlin help me but the description you stated is spot on."

"Disguise yourself young Harry and I will show you." Mr. Potter replied as he motioned the magical to follow him.

HGSSHGSSHGSS

Severus arrived to the safe house and entered the room where the dead and the survivors were gathered in the same room and felt the feeling of despair in the room. Weak! He thought to himself as he stood against a wall and looked for the Trio and not seeing them. Perhaps he should align himself more closely to the Dark Lord as if this was the indication of the state of the Phoenix then they were doomed.

"Still your Slytherin thoughts husband!" Hermione admonished through their link.

He watched as the Trio entered the room and watched as Harry walked to the podium with Hermione and Ron beside him. "Order of the Phoenix." He spoke out as he watched the surviving witches and wizards look to him.

"I know your loss and your heartbreak at the deaths of the innocent and our fallen." Taking a moment to look at everyone gathered in the room as Albus entered the room and hung back. "I feel the same way. But we were successful as we took our enemy down."

The room was silent as they waited for their leader to continue

"Tonight we gathered to battle to protect the innocent of the Wizarding world. And that we did each and every one of you. We went forth justified in our resolve and each and every one of you performed splendidly. Our fallen is gathered amongst us and that is well as we remember their sacrifice and brought them home."

Mr. Potter looked to the gathered. "We will defeat Voldemort all of us together united as one." Looking to the group as he watched them flinch at the Dark Lord's true name.

"You fear the name." Mr. Potter continued. "But we know him and we have a power against him."

"And what is that Harry Potter?" One wounded witch spoke out in pain from her injuries.

"The very thing that has brought us together. The reason you are here. Some of you here rose up against him during his first rise to power and heeded the call to gather again knowing the danger and yet you are here. Why?"

The witches and wizards looked to him intrigued by his words and reflected on them. The entire room was silent as they waited for Harry to continue.

"Love! Love for our husbands and wives. Love for our children and family as you are here to protect them and their future. Look about you and see your comrades gathered around you. We all share a special bond as we are gathered to fight the Darkness. And we will do it together and we will win. Everyone here thinks that I am destined to defeat Voldemort. I will do it because you will be at my side." He ended his speech with feeling as the room erupted in cheers.

Mr. Potter looked to the side and whispered. "And that is how you do it Harry."

Harry watched as Mr. Potter, Ron, and Hermione joined the cheering group. Major Granger was right in her farewell letter. Mr. Potter is a leader of men.

Albus stood next to the Disillusioned young man. "Your doppelganger is inspiring."

"That he is Albus." Harry replied thoughtfully.

Severus stood back and watched the group gather around the Trio. He snorted as he reflected on the words realizing that it was the doppelganger that spoke the words.

"Admit it Severus. You were inspired for a moment before you quashed the emotion." Hermione sent out along her connection as she noticed Severus in the back of the room.

"Maybe for one moment." He sent back to his wife. "Flowery words are one thing but it is action that counts and cost the most."

Hermione watched as her husband walk out of the room.

Albus walked up to the podium and spoke out. "Never more inspiring and truer words were spoken and young Harry is exactly right. But we need to address the repercussions of our actions tonight."

The entire room became silent as they turned their attention to Dumbledore.

"Voldemort will be watching for death notices and will target the families of the fallen. We must get them moved to Hogwarts tonight. Those that are able to gather round as we need to complete this immediately before there are more deaths. Then we can honor and bury our dead in private."

The Phoenix gathered him as he began to task them.

HGSSHGSSHGSS

Hermione left Harry and Ron as she made her way up to her room yawning. They had moved all of the families and held a short burial for those that had fallen. She entered her rooms not surprised that her husband waited up for her.

Severus stood up and noticed the state of his witch. "I drew a bath for you."

They went to the bath chamber as he began to remove her robes and noticed the apple shaped birthmark on her left shoulder as he kissed it. "I have a paste that would remove it Hermione."

She settled into the bath as he began to take a cloth to wash her. "Don't Severus. The mark makes me uniquely me." She replied as she enjoyed his touch.

He finished washing her and noticed that she had fallen asleep as he gathered her into his arms, silently casting a drying spell as he placed her onto the bed as he removed his robes and joined her.

He had a week to rescue her parents and he knew of her plans to stay with her friends. He would address it later and let her enjoy her stay with Potter and Weasley before he dropped the bomb.

Severus wrapped his arms around her naked body as he allowed himself to fall asleep. There would be time to worry about the Dark Lord's plans for her later.