A Touch of Evil

Chapter Three
Dark Mark Awakenings

Snape was awoken abruptly with a startled curse. The brand on his arm burned again signaling the rise of his other master was more than myth. Rushing to gather the robes and mask he had thought to set out before going to sleep. He escaped the wards of Hogwarts and apparated to the Dark Lord’s side.

While waiting for the ones without prior warning to arrive he took the time to examine his Lord. The new body of Voldemort didn’t look a day over 16. He had rich brown hair so dark it appeared black. His eyes were a startling mix of blue with flecks of crimson. He was a few inches above six feet tall and was not too heavily muscled.

The face was serene and had an uncanny resemblance to the Potter brat. When Voldemort finally spoke the voice was rich and hypnotic. “Welcome back my most faithful servants. My experiments were a success, I have gotten my own body back as you can tell. In the process of reestablishing my body I have learned a few things.

Harry Potter should not be taken lightly. The boy has Slytherin blood and the snake language of Salazar. He is strong and would be a powerful ally to our side. Unfortunately Dumbledore has already sunk his claws in on him. Harry was defending the man before the battle and afterwards he was so sure he would be forgiven.

It was nauseating to hear the boy speak like that. I had been expecting Harry to deny my every word, but his actions told me he fully believed Dumbledore would consider it a failure that a twelve year old boy couldn’t defeat a Basilisk in time to save his friend. He was trying to convince himself that Dumbledore would forgive him more than me.

Severus Snape come forward!” Voldemort commanded.

Snape came forward dropped to his knees and kissed the Dark Lord’s robes. “Master,” He intoned softly. The quality of his voice strangely ambiguous reaffirming the fact no one knew who his true master was. He used the exact same tone of voice when he dealt with Dumbledore as well.

“Ah, my spy has chosen to return, good, I have a task for you Snape.” Voldemort said with a slight hiss on the S sounds in the sentence. “I want you to keep an eye on Potter. Keep him questioning his loyalties. This hero worship he has for Dumbledore is just sickening. I do not want to kill the boy he could be too useful, but I don’t want a mindless robot either. Make him strong and deserving of the special blood he carries.” Voldemort ordered.

“Yes master,” Snape accepted his task easily. He had already planned on doing most of that already.

“You may rise Severus and return to your place.” Voldemort dismissed the potions master then continued on to other business.

Snape returned to his place gratefully, he disliked being singled out, he had been unbelievably lucky in not managing to get himself Cruciod. Now he was free to think on Voldemort’s words. Apparently Harry had gotten into quite the mess. He had managed to steal the Dark Lord’s curiosity, not exactly the best thing to do if you want to live to an old age.

He was honestly starting to get nervous over the great number of parallels betweens himself and Potter that were starting to add up. Although Potter was a few years younger than he had been, they had both been fought over by both Dumbledore and Voldemort. He had hated being treated like some prize by both sides, and Harry Potter was trapped in the same battle.

When the rest of the Death Eaters were dismissed Snape was told to stay behind by Voldemort.

“Severus, follow me,” The now younger lord led Severus through the manor the meeting was held at. Seemingly in line with Snape’s thoughts Voldemort spoke again. “This manor belonged to my muggle of a father. It will work as a meeting place for now.”

They reached a plush office where Voldemort offered Severus a chair, sitting down himself he spoke. “You can drop the act now Severus we both know your allegiance. I commend you on another masterful performance. Now fill me in on what the old coot has been doing for the past eleven years?” He commanded Severus to answer.

“Planning mainly, he inspected my Dark Mark the night you went away and knew you weren’t going to stay gone. His plans began with the placement of your rival. Even at that young age the boy radiated power. He wanted that power but not if the boy was free to do as he wished with it. He never told us exactly how he would achieve it but something about where he placed the boy was supposed to keep Harry from having any free will.

It has worked as far as I can tell. He doesn’t react to situations the way a normal boy his age would. I hate to say anything good about the spawn of Potter but he has potential which you already know.

I wouldn’t be surprised if he was under achieving. I noticed his scores are too consistent. Even Longbottom has areas where he only melts one cauldron a class instead of three. It is as if he knows where people expect him to perform and then doesn’t do anything differently. He is currently almost failing my class when I know he could be at least average if not good at brewing. I have to keep up appearances so I haven’t spoken to his other teachers about it but it seems like more of the same.

How exactly do you want me to carry out your orders? I refuse to be the boys friend let the rest of the wizarding world be that to him.” Severus reported.

I don’t care for your insolence Snape. If I order you to do something you are to do it without question, but I do see your point. No one would ever believe you had a change of heart toward the boy so quickly. Do it gradually gain the boys trust. I will even give you until the boy is of age for you to prepare him. I have never granted such time for a mission use it wisely.” Voldemort answered blue eyes flashing to crimson in his anger.

“Yes master,” Severus replied subserviently.

“Remember this moment Severus you will not receive another warning.” He said as his eyes faded back to the rich blue color. Even his voice softened for a while after he had gotten Severus to submit.

“I know you won’t fail me Severus. You spend all day observing your potions this gives you an edge over the rest of my ranks. You understand the value of patience and waiting for the right moment.

I know your efforts to understand the Potter boy will not be in vain. I want him to be a warrior not one of those hideous muggle robots. He is no use to us what so ever the way Dumbledore intends to raise him.

I know his kind Severus much like you and I that boy was born to lead not to follow. He has enough loyalty in him the hat put him in Gryffindor despite his blood. Whoever receives that loyalty will get all the power of the boy and I want his mind intact. He will serve us because he chooses to, we just have to let him know what the differences between the sides are.

Mark my words Severus that boy will grow to be our strongest ally. Dumbledore had his chance with the boy and he already wounded him. Now it’s out turn, we mustn’t break him. I want you to teach him and guide him. Foster the boy’s trust in you and never, and I mean it, never break the boy’s trust. If you must make Harry a promise you make damn sure you keep it.” Voldemort went over aloud exactly what he had been pondering since he had met the boy.

He knew he was doing the right thing in his approach. The boy seemed to be a lot like himself. He was going to make sure the boy received the same treatment from his side that he had wished for as a boy.

Not many knew this but Voldemort had also been used for his power. Dumbledore back before all the fame and titles had come to him, the top student in the school. They had worked together to kill Grindelwald. In fact it had been Voldemort that had cast the final spell.

Then he was betrayed. While he was too weak to defend himself Dumbledore bound him to silence, and took all the credit for the death. When he was finally well again he attempted to get his share of the reward for killing Grindelwald. Dumbledore accused him of being dark, and the rest of the wizarding world turned on him.

That is what created Voldemort he didn’t have a hatred for muggles so much as half bloods. To him half bloods took everything from him. Dumbledore and Grindelwald were both half bloods, but they had never publicly admitted that. Everyone knew Voldemort was a half blood at least he didn’t lie. He felt if he had been a pure blood along with his Slytherin lineage he might have commanded more natural respect.

“Severus.” He said dropping most of the Dark Lord pretense. “This body feels wrong to me after so long as just vapor. Help me to feel again?” This was undoubtedly a request not a command. Voldemort, Dark Lord or not didn’t force his attentions on anyone. Out of all the crimes he had been accused of rape wasn’t one of them. His Death Eaters indulged themselves on raids yes but never Voldemort himself.

“I understand master,” Severus said revealing once and for all his taste for men, and this man in particular.

That night Severus made love to his one true master, and Voldemort got to really feel his sixteen year old body once more. It wasn’t a very well known fact that the Dark Lord was gay. In fact the only people who knew that piece of information were his lovers.

Voldemort’s body was pale, young, and deceivingly soft. Severus was even paler, scarred through time, and rock solid. The contrast was startling unless you realized this was not their first meeting, just in this life it was different. The needy one had switched places and the giver of comfort was opposite as well.

It was nearly dawn before Severus hobbled into Hogwarts. In all appearances he had just undergone another rough meeting. That was all anyone was ever supposed to see. The shared encounters between the Dark Lord and Severus were of utmost secrecy; Severus’s life was on the line.

He did one thing out of the ordinary on this morning. Before heading back to his quarters, for a large glass of fire whiskey and a mild pain reliever, he went to the hospital wing where a small boy with unruly black hair was sleeping fitfully still recovering from his ordeal in the Chamber of Secrets.

He didn’t do anything more then look at this boy who had managed to garner the attention of two lords of magic, both just as powerful and just as deadly as the other. This child of his enemy had become a pawn in the game between light and dark. Potter was firmly entrenched in the exact same position as he had been forced into those long years ago.

He didn’t like the boy, and he certainly wouldn’t pander to the boys every whim. It went beyond saying that he absolutely refused to be more then civil to the boy. He would however carry out his master’s whishes and satisfy his own curiosity at the same time. He would guide the boy in the game. He would be brutally honest, frighteningly hard, and exceedingly difficult, but it would keep the boy alive and mentally intact enough to fight on whichever side he chose of his own free will.

With that thought in mind he stalked out of the hospital wing never looking back onto the white bed at the boy laying there. If he had he would have noticed bright green eyes opened a small margin.

Without his glasses on all Harry could see was a large black shape but Snape had been standing close enough to the bed the boy had caught some unusual scents, belladonna, and honeysuckle a bizarre combination of sweetness and darkness. Over top of the smell Harry associated with the professor after suffering many lessons with him breathing down the back of his neck was another sharper scent.

Harry easily recognized the scent. It was musky and cool like the smell of a deep forest after a light rain or mist has just left. It was the kind of smell one would expect from a serpent. Harry knew it was the scent of the Dark Lord. Severus was coated in the scent that Harry remembered vividly.

His tired body got the best of him and Harry drifted off to sleep with a whisper of a memory ravaging his conscience. The burning hot lips of Voldemort on him and that smell overwhelming his senses. He only had one last conscious thought before fully succumbing to sleep.

Why did Severus smell so strongly of Voldemort? He knew he was a spy that had been explained to him by Dumbledore. Even that couldn’t explain how strong the scent was. He had to have been in contact with Voldemort for far more time then was necessary in a Death Eater meeting.

He couldn’t explain it and he wasn’t sure he wanted to try. The memories the scent had uncovered returned the tingling to his lips and triggered an odd feeling deep in his gut. He was too young yet to understand this feeling and he knew it was for the best that he didn’t.

Severus Snape finally got to rest in his favorite arm chair by the fire with his glass of potent alcohol. He seemed to have forgotten about the liquid if the lack of sipping had anything to do with it.

He was too busy thinking over the last twenty four hours in his head. Two people figured heavily on his thoughts. The Dark Lord he had loved and was loving again. He was everything he had remembered along with everything he had hoped for when he heard Dumbledore say he might return.

The other was just a boy and a right annoyance that one. He had done everything in his power over the last two years to make that boy’s life hell. Now he had just sworn to his master and himself that he would guide the boy. Even if the guidance wouldn’t be gentle it was still more than he ever thought he would do for anyone baring the last name Potter.

He sat staring for a few hours until dawn had fully come across the horizon. When he felt his body tire he rose from the chair drained his glass of the whiskey it held and threw himself rather ungracefully on his bed. He was due up for a nice long rest. He closed his eyes hoping the world would turn itself back upright when he awoke.