Sub Rosa

I average about ten to fifteen pages a day, Lady Aidil, so writer\'s block is not a problem. I also have stories for Harry and Hermione and Minuet and Draco all mapped out and ready to go once this one is finished. Writer\'s block? I dream this story at night and wake up with four more chapters, I am looking forward to finishing it, so I can have a break. : )


Chapter 31- November Falls Like an Axe

The room was as elegant and tasteful as the the rooms at the Malfoy home were. The dining table had been removed and an elegant scroll leg chair had been set next to the fireplace. The rest of the room had smaller chairs and a large table with maps and plans scattered artfully across it. It had been expertly staged to look like a war room, when in fact it was more of a throne room. The chair by the fire served as the throne to the red-eyed, pale skinned tyrant who held the room in thrall.

Severus knelt before the Dark Land and reported. The story they had concocted to extricate Severus from the “Pansy Problem”, yet another of Kathryn’s whimsical titles, was simple. The headmaster was blamed. His perspicacity was the cause of their failure, that and Pansy’s clumsiness. Severus felt a twinge of guilt laying blame on a sixteen-year-old girl, but the memory of Kathryn’s body being flung across the circle kept his anger hot enough to keep him true to the tale.

“Bella was convinced the girl was ready.” Voldemort sighed, looking at Bellatrix with a frown. Bellatrix stood quietly under Voldemort’s eyes, even knowing how badly this reflected upon her.

“The girl is loyal, Master, but she lacks years and experience, she could not hide her gloating.” Severus tempered praise and criticism. He didn’t want Pansy’s life on his hands and if Bellatrix owed him one, he would get farther with the insane witch.

“Loyalty must be rewarded, but lack of control cannot be tolerated.” Voldemort appeared to think for some time.

“Bella, the girl will be released home for the Yule holidays, yes?”

“Yes, my Master.”

“Good, take her at that time, train her in control.” Severus’ skin was crawling at the thought of what Bella would do to the girl, but he kept his knees bent and his head down, feigning disinterest and obedience.
“Severus, you have not even asked me why I did not inform you of my plot at Hogwarts.” The voice was silky smooth and compelling.

“If I needed to know I am sure you would have informed me, Master. I trust your wisdom in these matters.” He allowed himself a shrug, as though, it was self-evident.

“If only all my Death Eaters were as loyal and intelligent as you, Severus.” Voldemort purred and with a flick of his hand, Severus was dismissed back into the circle. If they were, mused Severus grimly, Voldemort would already be dead.

“But there are more important things to discuss than one small failure amongst a multitude of victories. I have been paying attention to many things, my loyal soldiers. I have noticed how the pure blood grows thin. I see how we breed less and less as the generations pass.” Voldemort rose, his red eyes sweeping the room. He began to walk amongst them, head cocked to one side, taking the pose of a favorite uncle or an academic as he lectured.

“I am disturbed by these things.” He shook his head sadly. “What good will it do us if we purge ourselvesthe the mudblood filth, only to find there are too few of us to continue on?” He posed the question and looked around at the assembled Death Eaters, maintaining his avuncular attitude. Not one person there was foolish enough to assume that Voldemort hadn’t already answered this question in his own mind.

“I have decided that we need to seriously address the issue of future generations.” Walking with that calm measured stride, he returned to his chair and settled into it with a swirl of fabric and a genial smile that was horrifying on that twisted countenance.

“I have set up genealogical charts and studied them and determined which of you need to produce children. Severus, you in particular have never produced a child and it saddens me.” Severus’ blood ran cold. Despite the warning signals the previous speech had contained, he had hoped against hope that he would not be asked to produce hostages to fate.

“I have always felt they would be a distraction in my service to you, Master.” He knew it was hopeless, but he didn’t know what else to do.

“It is a small thing I ask of you.” The voice had taken on a warning tone that Severus knew all too well.

“I will, of course obey, Master.” What else was there to say?

“Good, as soon as possible theou sou shall see to it that Bella bears you a child.” Bellatrix’s eyes were as horrified as his own and that sight was the only thing that kept him sane.

He had no clear memory of the next hour as Bella pleaded with her master. She would be useless to fight for nine months, she cried. Her husband could be freed from Azkaban to do this thing. She begged until Voldemort inflicted Cruciatus on her and then finally, thinghing on the floor, she assented.

A simple spell later and it was determined that she would be fertile in a week, at which time Severus would do his duty. Severus, silent through the whole scene, simply nodded. Bellatrix, still shaking from the curse, shot him a look of hatred and he resigned himself to a night of extreme unpleasantness.

There was a potion he could brew that would ensure he produced no child, but he would be stuck trying each month till he succeeded or Voldemort died. Not a thought that inspired joy. But it was either that or fathering a child on Bellatrix Lestrange.

He listened to the other matches. After Bella’s performance no one else dared to protest the pairings. Had he been paired with anyone other than Bella, it might have amused him to watch the Death Eaters being assigned to screw their way to a new world order, but the humor of the situation was washed away by the thought of Bellatrix Lestrange naked in a bed with him.

Oh gods, what was Kathryn going to think of this? That thought made him shiver.

“Are you cold Severus?” Bella spat at him, she had stalked up beside him to where he was leaning on a credenza.

“Bella, I’m sorry ahead of time.” He kept his voice low and tried to look resigned and sad, instead of terrified and disgusted.

“It’s not your fault.” She was being surprisingly sane and generous for Bella. “If I hadn’t been taken to Azkaban I could have done this duty with my husband years agohe fhe frowned at Narcissa where she sat, coldly speaking to her assigned partner, Magnus Lovage. “She always was a slut, she’ll jump at this.”

“I suspect it was her idea.” Severus sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

“What? Are you sure?” Bella was shooting venomous looks at the slender blonde.

“At her last Garden Party she talked a lot about heirs and bloodlines and how we all needed to be producing more children.” He shrugged and gave Bella another resigned look. “At least I respect you, Bella, I can’t stand to be around Narcissa.” He perjured his soul without a second thought, trying to ensure his genitals came out of this experience intact.

“At least you’re loyal to oasteaster, not a sycophantic power hungry toady.” She replied, nodding at Pettigrew, who was licking his lips in anticipation of bedding Avery’s wife. “I suppose it could be worse.” Mrs. Avery had a look of cold loathing on her face as she eyed Pettigrew. “I just don’t want the distraction of raising the little grub.”

“If that’s a problem, I will simply take it to Hogwarts. A suitable sob story to that old fool and it will be no trouble at all. House elves are such useful turetures.” He smirked at her and she nodded, quite relieved. He masked his own relief at her easy acquiescence. If he had to have a child with her, at least he could see to it that it was raised away from her insanity. It occurred to him that his child would be related to Sirius Black and it gave him pause.

“I heard from Narcissa that you have a lover now, will this be a problem?” If Bella was attempting to sound casual, she was failing.

“It doesn’t matter, she is only at Hogwarts for a year, by the it it is an issue, she will be long gone.” He shrugged, putting indifference into every syllable, despite the coldness that was settling into his gut.

“Good.” Bella was satisfied and moved off to join the others.

Severus stayed longer at the meeting than was his wont, amusing himself with the thought that right now he had rather face Voldemort than Kathryn.