Daddy Dearest - (No Update, Edit)

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 29 ~ A Visit to the Dark Lord.

Severus had been considering something since Mathias first arrived at Hogwarts. Something dangerous. Something that could cost him his life if it didn't work. He had served Voldemort loyally, as far as the despot knew, for over thirty years. Not that this would mean that much to the wizard. He'd killed loyal deatheaters before. Yet, he was still the only deatheater he had close to Albus Dumbledore, and the wizard was just paranoid enough to want to keep him there. Even if the Dark Lord didn't kill him, Severus could count on an extended torture. But it would be worth it to keep Mathias safe.

Severus met with Albus shortly after he returned to Hogwarts, and told the old wizard what he was considering.

"Severus, he might kill you, then go for the boy," the Headmaster said with horror.

"I will not reveal who Mathias is until he finished with me," the Potions Master said, "even torture would not make me reveal that boy or his mother. Mathias is quite powerful even now, and Voldemort might take that into consideration. The boy is a half-blood, even if his mother, who is also powerful, is a muggle-born. He might accept Mathias," Severus said.

"He would want to boy to join his ranks when he reached adulthood, Severus," Albus said, his eyes dark.

"I know, Albus," the wizard said, "Perhaps Mathias will be more like me than we realize," he responded. "I could begin teaching him occulmency now, and he could help us in the fight against the Dark Lord. If he took the mark, we could study it as much as we need and find a way to remove or use the insidious spell it contains against Voldemort."

"But would Mathias be willing to do this?" Albus asked the wizard.

"If Voldemort will accept his existence, then I plan to divulge who I am to the boy as soon as possible. Not only who I am, but my history, my past…everything. I believe he will keep the secret. He is very much like me, Albus. I think he will understand, and be willing to take up the fight," the Potions Master said. "If I don't tell him I am his father soon, I suspect he will figure it out for himself, which would be disastrous."

"Are you going to inform Hermione of your intentions?" he asked the wizard.

"I haven't decided yet," Severus admitted. "I suppose I should since I promised her I would help her tell the boy I was alive. I don't know what her reaction will be to the possibility I could be killed. Though if I was, she would never have to tell Mathias who I was since the lie would become the truth. She might even hope that Voldemort will kill me."

Albus scowled at him.

"Hermione would never wish that, Severus," the Headmaster said. "She's not that kind of witch."

Severus wasn't that sure.

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Exactly a week later, Severus showed up at Hermione's house unannounced. The witch opened the door, and was startled to see him. She quickly became upset, thinking he had come to try and seduce her. She wasn't ready to deal with him.

"I'm here on business, Hermione," Severus said to her quietly, whooshing past her, his robes billowing, "You don't have to worry about me acting toward you in any untoward way…tonight. I need to inform you of something."

The sober expression on the Potions Master's face made Hermione feel better about his visit. She gestured toward the living room.

"Come in, Severus. Mathias is spending the night at Harry's," she said.

Severus looked at Hermione sharply.

"Harry Potter's house?" he asked her with a frown.

"Yes," she replied, wondering why the wizard was frowning.

Severus shook his head. Obviously Mathias hadn't informed her of the feud between himself and James Potter. Well, the boy must have his reasons, so the Potions Master said nothing more about it. He walked into the living room and sat down in an armchair. Hermione lowered herself to the sofa and looked at the wizard expectantly.

Severus dove right in. He saw no reason to hesitate or mince words.

"I am going to Voldemort to tell him I have a son by a muggle-born, and am going to try to get the Dark Lord to accept him. I will not reveal who you or Mathias are until he is through with me, and has agreed to let you both live. If he does not agree, most likely I will die under his torture," the wizard said.

Hermione stared at him.

"Why do this, Severus?" she asked him.

"Because, Hermione. Telling Mathias I am his father and not being able to act as if he is my son will be a hurtful thing for the boy. I don't want to deny him any longer. But the only way I can publicly take responsibility is if the Dark Lord allows it. So I am going to go before him tomorrow and confess the boy's existence."

"So you are doing this because you want to be a true father to Mathias?" she asked the wizard.

"Yes," Severus replied.

Hermione looked at the pale man sitting across from her. Most likely Severus was about to go to his death for the right to acknowledge his son and be a father to him in every sense of the word. Hermione had mixed feelings about this. First he abandons Mathias for eleven years, then he decides to risk his life to acknowledge him. She didn't know what to think.

"There is no way I can make up for the past eleven years, Hermione. If I weren't so selfish, I would have done this when you said you were pregnant. But times were different then. The Dark Lord is still a murderous bastard, but he admires power. Mathias is going to be a very powerful wizard. He might grant him the right to live…with conditions," Severus said hesitatingly.

"Conditions? What kind of conditions?" Hermione asked, her brow furrowed.

"He might want him to take the Mark when he reaches adulthood and serve him," Severus said.

"NO! Absolutely not! Mathias will not serve the Dark Lord!" she screamed at Severus, who had expected that reaction.

"I know it sounds terrible, Hermione. It is. But perhaps, perhaps Mathias will be able to help us in the fight," the wizard said. "Perhaps he will serve as a spy."

"My son? A spy?" Hermione said, staring at Severus.

"It does run in the family," the wizard said. "The boy is very like me, Hermione. I was seventeen when I joined the Dark Lord, and twenty-one when I turned spy. Quite young. I can teach the boy occulmency, so he can hide his thoughts…"

"No," Hermione said. "I don't want Mathias involved in this."

"But he is already involved, Hermione. He is the son of a deatheater. Voldemort's evil is overtaking the wizarding world. Whether or not you want it, he is going to be affected. Now he can be like one of the beasts of the field and be herded along with everyone else when this comes to a head, or he can be a lion in the fold and try to help bring Voldemort down. Ultimately it will be his decision. If he chooses to fight, I want him prepared…that is if I am allowed to live. If not, you needn't worry. You can keep the lie that his father is dead going. Because I will be dead."

His dark eyes rested on her.

"And you, Hermione, you will no longer have to wrestle with yourself concerning me any longer. You will have the pensieve and my memory," he said quietly, standing up.

"If I live, Hermione, we will talk of Mathias' future when I return. If I die, then, never let him know who I was," the wizard said, starting for the door.

She followed him. He stopped near it, and turned to her.

"This is good-bye, Hermione. Whether it is for now or for eternity I don't know, witch, but take care of my son."

His black eyes swept over her.

"And yourself," he said quietly.

Severus opened the door and was gone.

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Voldemort felt Severus reaching out to him. He hadn't heard from the wizard in months. He issued the summons and the Potions Master appeared in his deatheater garb in the sparse round throne room. A few of the original deatheaters milled about. None of the political DKV members were ever allowed here.

Voldemort's eyes narrowed.

"Come forward and reveal yourself, Severus," the scaly wizard lisped, his red eyes resting on the Potions Master. "What news of that fool, Albus, loyal servant?"

Severus walked toward the throne, lowering his hood and removing his half-mask, sticking it in his robes pocket.

"He is still at a loss as what to do, my Lord. He has no defense against the DKV, since they are a legal organization. He laments the continued growth, my Lord, and fears you will soon be called out of exile," Severus said.

It was the truth.

"Excellent, most excellent to see him paralyzed. I am very pleased, Severus," the wizard said, a long, lipless smile splitting his face. "But I felt you reaching out for me. This means you must have something you wish to discuss."

"Yes my Lord," Severus said bowing, "My Lord, you do accept half-bloods into your ranks?"

"Yes, Severus. You know this because you yourself are a halfblood. You renounced your parents and rededicated yourself to me," the wizard lisped.

"I would ask a boon of you, my Lord," Severus said, falling to one knee and staring at the ground.

"A boon. What kind of boon?" the Dark Lord asked.

"I have a son, my Lord. A halfblood born of a muggle-born witch from a one-night tryst, my Lord. I would have you accept him. He is very powerful even at his young age," the Potions Master said.

The Dark Lord's eyes flashed redly.

"How old is this son?" he asked the wizard, frowning.

"He is eleven, my Lord and already shows the power of a wizard many times his age," the Potions Master said.

"And his mother is a muggle-born? How could you have hidden this all these years from me, Severus?" the Dark Lord demanded, his face darkening.

"I abandoned them, my Lord. Lately I have found out how powerful the boy is. And he is dark, my Lord. Worthy to serve you," Severus said.

"Abandoned them. Ah, then it was not a relationship," the Dark Lord asked.

"No, my Lord. I gave her liquor and seduced her, taking her virginity. She meant nothing to me," the wizard said.

"I see. Well, Severus, you are lucky it was nothing more. I have nothing against my deatheaters fucking muggle-borns and leaving them. Leaving them with child is even more acceptable. If you had taken any responsibility, Severus, I would have killed you all. You were wise to abandon them. So you say the boy is powerful and dark?" the Dark Lord asked the Potions Master.

"Yes my Lord," the Potions Master said.

Voldemort's eyes narrowed.

"What is the boy's name Severus?" Voldemort asked him.

Severus didn't answer. The Dark Lord looked at him thoughtfully.

"Ah Severus, you will not give me his name until I say I will allow him to live, then," the wizard said, gesturing toward Peter Pettigrew who was standing beside his throne. The rat-like wizard's nose quivered with excitement, and he hurried off.

"Very well, Severus…the boy may live as well as his mother, but you…you will suffer for not telling me of him sooner. I don't like secrets, Severus. You know this," Voldemort hissed at him.

"Yes, my Lord," Severus said, rising as two burly deatheaters walked up to him and began to remove his clothing.

Peter Pettigrew rolled out a cart containing whips, chains, shackles and scourges, a look of pure glee on his face.

"It's been a while since I've had the pleasure of tormenting you Severus. I enjoy you because you are so strong, so difficult to break," Voldemort breathed, his red eyes glittering as he looked at all the instruments of torture.

Severus was left in his boxers as one deatheater locked the shackles to his hands and feet. He stood before the Dark Lord, centering himself.

"Let's soften you up a little before we get started," the Dark Lord purred.

"Crucio!"

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A/N: Wow. Severus went for the gold, didn't he? At least Mathias and Hermione are safe, and Voldemort, though he is torturing him is being merciful and has decided not to kill him. Maybe his foray into the political world has softened him up some. Anyway, please review.