Daddy Dearest - (No Update, Edit)

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
*******************************

Chapter 46 ~ Monday at Hogwarts

Poppy returned from her weekend off in a foul mood. She had attended Saturday's DKV meeting in good spirits. Her first act upon arriving was to locate the coordinator and inform her that she had information to that would be quite shocking to the group. The coordinator tried to get the medi-witch to divulge it, but Poppy was going for the "big shock" factor and said she would rather share it with the group as a whole.

The medi-witch sat rather smugly through the meeting, which consisted mostly of DKV jargon and recaps of what the organization was about for those new members in attendance. Then they discussed the latest efforts of the group as far as making changes to the existing laws. There was a new reform they were trying to get accepted. The "Muggleborn Incentive Program."

On the surface, it looked to be something advantageous for struggling muggle-borns who wanted to be accepted by the DKV, a kind of insurance for them when the organization came into full power and the laws changed. Many muggle-borns would most likely lose their positions and the MIP was a program where muggle-borns would sign up and be guaranteed employment, a decent wage and job security.

However, the only positions would be blue-collar jobs. No positions of authority. Those would be taken by purebloods. Any muggle-born who signed on to the program would be in essence, a DKV member, though they would have no decision-making privileges in the organization and would only be allowed to attend certain meetings. Still, signing on to the MIP would be of benefit when the New Order was established. Those muggle-borns who did so would not be greatly affected by the new laws that would come into play, simply because they would already be indoctrinated and under the DKV's thumb.

Poppy sat through the meeting, which had over five hundred members in attendance, waiting for the part of the program where members mounted the dais and announced their latest discoveries and information. This was followed by great applause and acknowledgement if the information was worthy of it. Poppy was sure the news that Severus Snape, an established deatheater had an illegitimate son eleven years of age and birthed by a muggle-born would be considered quite interesting by the membership. She might even be granted an interview with Voldemort himself. Wouldn't that be something?

Imagine Poppy's consternation when the coordinator stepped to the podium with the latest DKV news, and told the members that an established deatheater named Severus Snape came forth of his own volition and admitted to fathering a child by a muggle-born witch eleven years ago, and that Voldemort, instead of casting him out, accepted the child, Mathias Granger-Snape as a suitable half-blood for DKV membership in the future. She also announced that the child's mother, Hermione Granger was also to be given consideration and not targeted until her son came of age and renounced her.

Poppy slumped in her chair. This was awful. Her information was suddenly made null and void. She had no idea Severus had come forward with the truth. Damn it. When the coordinator called the medi-witch to the podium, Poppy was forced to admit she had nothing of worth to offer in front of five hundred DKV members, all of who shook their heads and made disparaging comments about members who brought nothing to the table. Afterwards during the mixer, not one member mingled with her. She stood by the libations table alone as people talked and laughed around her, politely shunning the witch. It had been horrible.

So she returned to Hogwarts on Monday morning with quite an attitude. She was furious with Professor Snape as if he had purposely sabotaged her intended presentation. When she passed by the wizard as he sat eating his breakfast in the Great Hall, she fixed him with a targeted glare, not that the wizard noticed. But Albus did.

The old wizard shook his head sadly as he looked at the medi-witch. He was well aware of her affiliation with the DKV, since she wore short sleeves quite often and prominently displayed her Mark. It was a shame bitterness took her down such a path. Although he was the Headmaster of the school, Albus could not take a teacher or staff member to task for their political affiliations.

Poppy saw her Dark Mark only as a visual representation of her membership in a political organization. But Albus and many others knew it was much more than that. It was a representation of the Dark Lord's hold on her. His brand. She belonged to him now. When Voldemort invoked that mark, Poppy would become a mindless minion intent on slaughter and mayhem. The Order had to find a way to prove the Mark's real purpose and make the members see what danger they were in.

But Voldemort's political machine had the DKV members thoroughly indoctrinated. Even questioning the organization's beliefs was considered harassment and met with strong opposition as well as thinly veiled threats of legal action against the perpetrator. Members were to report any incidences of DKV bashing immediately, including the name of the offending party. The person was then put on a "watch list" which was distributed monthly to members. It was their job to make life difficult for that person by any means available outside of physical violence. Most often the attacks would be on a social level, targeting not only the person but family members, husbands, wives and children. Sometimes the attack would be economical. If a DKV member employed the offender, he or she could easily find himself or herself without a job, no matter how many years of service they provided.

Some business-owners joined the DKV not for their philosophy, but for the economic advantages. A DKV merchant sticker was given to the proprietors to place in a prominent area. If members saw this sticker, they frequented the establishment. With the offer of one hundred thousand potential customers as incentive, many business owners joined willingly, figuring taking the mark would be quite profitable in the end. It was even better if they were seen by other members giving shoddy service to known muggle-borns. There were more half-bloods and purebloods than muggle-borns in the wizarding world, so the customer loss was minimal and well worth the effort.

The DKV was quite supportive in matters of this type, with members even being instructed to frequent favored establishments. One merchant went as far as to post a sign in his window stating he did not serve muggles or muggle-borns. Of course, the Ministry came down on him and he had to remove the sign, but not before earning a windfall from all the business sent his way by the DKV. He made a small fortune.

With incentives such as these, the DKV continued to grow in leaps and bounds. It wouldn't be long until the campaign for Voldemort to be accepted back into wizarding society would begin. And that would be the true beginning of the end.

************************************

Mathias and Andreas were sitting together in the Great Hall enjoying their breakfast. The two wizards had fallen into an easy friendship, and it was safe to say that the boys were quickly becoming the best of friends. Mathias appreciated Andreas' intelligence, quiet, non-judgmental demeanor and rather accepting manner, not to mention his magical abilities. Very little ruffled the wizard, not even the racism he experienced from his other housemates. It was nothing overt. No one called him names. Mostly it was a quiet withdrawal from his proximity, or empty seats on either side of him in class. Mathias would have sat with him, but didn't have any classes with Andreas, since he was a first year. Still, as even-tempered as the black wizard was, there had to be a reason why he was sorted into Slytherin. Mathias was sure sooner or later he would see why.

Andreas gravitated to Mathias simply because the boy accepted him for who he was. He never discerned any falseness with the pale wizard. There was no duplicity. If Mathias said how he felt, he meant it. He didn't see Andreas as anything other than a fellow housemate and Andreas knew he would be a loyal friend, one who would stand by him if he were needed. He didn't have many friends at Hogwarts. Actually Mathias Snape was the only one so he was treasured.

As Mathias bit into a piece of toast and jam, Jasmine Malfoy walked over and sat down beside him. Immediately Mathias scowled and looked at her in irritation. He swallowed.

"What do you want now, Jasmine?" Mathias said, frowning at her.

Jasmine blinked her blue eyes at him.

"I just want to apologize, Mathias," she replied.

At this statement, a rather shocked Andreas leaned forward and looked at the witch. Jasmine apologizing? The world was going to end.

The scowl on Mathias' face didn't change.

"Apologize for what?" he asked her suspiciously.

"For everything. You're right. I have been acting like an idiot. I need to be more open to life and not just follow my father's beliefs so blindly. And I'm sorry for trying to tell you what to do, Mathias. I won't be doing that anymore. But I don't blame you if you don't want to talk to me. I've acted horribly…like a spoiled little brat. I'm sorry," she said, her eyes glistening as she stood up to leave.

Mathias looked at her. She had apologized and promised not to act like such a chit. He could accept that. Mathias wasn't mean by nature. Jasmine just managed to get on his last nerve. If she were willing to change he could give her another chance.

"Wait, Jasmine…you…you don't have to go. You can eat with us," the boy said.

"I don't want to be a bother," she said, sitting back down.

Mathias let his black eyes wash over her.

"If you meant what you just said, then you won't be," he replied.

Next to him, Andreas served himself another helping of eggs and toast. He didn't comment on Jasmine's sudden change of heart. It wasn't his place to. Life had to play out without too much interference or there was a great price to pay. Too heavy a price for Andreas.

Suddenly owls flocked into the Great Hall.

Everyone looked up, chattering excitedly as the owls delivered letters and parcels. A large brightly beaked bird landed in front of Andreas, a package wrapped in vividly colored fabric tied to its legs.

"Osuru!" Andreas exclaimed, stroking the bird affectionately. "You've come a long way, my friend. Thank you."

The wizard piled some fruit on a plate and placed it before the toucan, who dove into it hungrily as the wizard removed the package. Mathias and Jasmine looked at it curiously.

"Aren't you going to open it?" Jasmine asked the wizard.

"No, it is not meant for everyone's eyes," Andreas replied, setting the package aside but close to him.

This served to make Jasmine only more curious, but she bit her tongue as her grandmother instructed.

Mathias was curious too, but figured if Andreas wanted him to know what was in the package, he would tell him, and returned to his meal.

Jasmine sat quietly next to Mathias and ate her food. Grandmother had been right. He accepted her apology and had been nice to her. She could do this…it required quite a bit of acting, but Malfoys were natural thespians. She could pull off this 'nice, thoughtful witch" act easily. She would get Mathias to believe she was this reformed little angel, then find out what he liked and work at him slowly over time. She had plenty of time to learn him. Once she learned him, she could start to carefully manipulate him. But that would be when they were both older and the look in his eyes changed when he looked at her. Jasmine would recognize that look and use it to her advantage.

She was sure she wouldn't fail.

******************************************

When Mathias went to Potions class that afternoon, the Professor was there in all his snarky glory. The little wizard studied him closely to see if there were any noticeable change in the wizard's demeanor because of his visit to see Hermione, but if there was…Mathias couldn't see it.

Severus railed about the poor marks of the last pop quiz, lamenting he hadn't had to teach such a group of dunderheads since the time of Neville Longbottom, a statement which made Edwina sink low in her seat. The Potions Master assigned an insane amount of reading to be completed by the end of the week, when a new quiz would be given…and this was to be done along with their regular daily assignments. Severus stalked up and down the rows, handing out the red striped parchments, scowling blackly. He handed Mathias his quiz, frowning down at him.

"Just because you passed the quiz, Mr. Snape, is no reason to assume you will not be required to do the assigned reading or take the test, because you will be," the Potions Master sniped, then continued on, stiffly handing out parchments to the rest of the blanching students.

Mathias just raised his eyebrows and studied his quiz. He'd received perfect marks. Maybe his father's visit to his mum hadn't gone as well as he'd hoped. Well, he'd ask the Professor about it later. All the wizard could do was take points and tell him to mind his own business. Judging by the Professor's mood, that's probably exactly what he'd do.

******************************

That evening, for the first time since starting Hogwarts, Mathias saw Andreas angry. The black wizard stormed through the common room, his eyes hard and nostrils flared, bumping into his fellow students without a word of pardon. One fifth-year caught the wizard by his shoulder, ready to take him to task as he spun Andreas to face him, but one look at the boy's face made the older wizard pale and release him.

Mathias was impressed and watched Andreas fly up the steps to his private room. After several moments, Mathias decided to find out what was wrong with him. He had never been to Andreas' room before, nor had Andreas been to his, but this was a special situation. Mathias rose from the armchair he was sitting in. Jasmine had been sitting on the arm of the chair quietly.

"I'm going to see about Andreas," he said to the witch.

Jasmine nodded.

"Okay, Mathias. I hope he is all right," she replied.

Mathias nodded, walked to the stairs and ascended the steps quickly, his robes billowing a bit. Jasmine looked after him, her eyes narrowing slightly. She was a bit jealous of his interest in Andreas. She wanted all his attention.

Jasmine really could care less how Andreas felt, but since Mathias did, she played along. It seemed to work. Her grandmother was a genius.

Mathias walked down the corridor reading the little room cards until he saw the name "Mbutu" posted next to a door. Mathias knocked.

"Go away! I am not in the mood for anyone!" Andreas called out angrily.

"All right, Andreas. I will see you later," Mathias answered.

He was in the process of walking away from the door when it opened.

"Mathias," Andreas called to him.

The wizard turned, and Andreas motioned for him to come back, opening his door wider.

Mathias turned around and did so, entering the wizard's room. He looked around.

Andreas had an assortment of beautiful African masks, fabrics and paintings arranged on his wall. Small statues were everywhere. In a terrarium a small black snake flicked its tongue at Mathias, its eyes glittering like diamonds as its nose touched the glass. The room smelled of herbs and incense.

Andreas also had beautiful animal skins on the floor, zebra, leopard and others Mathias couldn't identify. A large, soft Lion skin draped his bed as well. The wizard was dressed only in his boxers, which were Slytherin green. He must have peeled off his robes the moment he entered his room, much as Mathias would do after class. Mathias noticed he had scars on his chest. Not scars as if from an accident, but scars that seemed to be etched in his dark skin on purpose. Andreas noticed Mathias looking at the marks.

"Ritual," he said, "From my own journey seeking out the "Dark Soul of the World". If you go on the journey, you will be marked as well. But maybe not like this."

Mathias studied them. There were four raised lines on the right of his torso and four on the left, all perfectly aligned and of the same length. It looked as if a big cat had hooked him with both paws from behind and dragged its claws back. They were very cool scars.

"Did they hurt much to get, Andreas?" Mathias asked him.

Andreas shrugged and looked down at his scars.

"I don't know, I received them when I was on my journey and awoke with them. The scars are not made by human hands but are given as proof you have been in the presence of the Dark Soul of the World. If you awaken without them, then you have simply dreamed…not journeyed. They do not hurt and look as if you have always had them when you awaken," the wizard said, tracing one of the scars with his fingertip.

Mathias nodded, glad he was at Hogwarts. His mother would have bugbears if she saw him scarred. But he was willing to face the Dark Soul of the World for the kind of magic Andreas exhibited. And the scars were cool. Mathias looked at his friend.

"Andreas, what were you so mad about when you came into the common room tonight? I've never seen you angry like that before," Mathias said curiously.

Andreas scowled blackly.

"That is because I have been taken beyond my limits, Mathias. There is a witch here that almost drives me insane. She is false and jealous, and punishes me ever chance she gets…not for being wrong…but for being right. She is a wicked, wicked witch," Andreas said, kneeling and reaching under his bed.

He pulled out a suitcase with a number of locks on it.

"Who is it, Andreas?" Mathias asked as he watched the wizard hoist the suitcase on to his bed.

"Professor Trelawney," the wizard spat, his brows drawn together. "Ever since she discovered I have the True Sight, she singles me out and tries to show me up, wanting to challenge my predictions with her own as if it were some kind of competition. My gifts aren't meant to be used this way, but she deducts points or gives me a poor mark if I do not comply. Today she kept me after class and wanted me to tell her my secrets. I have no secrets but I would not tell her that either. She became irate and took one hundred points from Slytherin and assigned me a week's detention," he said, frowning as he undid all the locks and opened the case.

Mathias walked over to the wizard and his eyes widened as he looked down on what appeared to be several…dolls. They were about a foot tall each, except for one that was six inches with tufts of cotton all around its head. They were hand-sewn, made of coarse white cloth, and featureless, except for what features Andreas had drawn in. But their clothing showed that they were all wizards and witches.

"You play with dolls, Andreas?" Mathias asked him, a bit surprised that a wizard would do such a thing.

Andreas gave Mathias a look much like Mathias would give Jasmine when she said something incredibly stupid.

"No, I do not play with dolls. These are dolls, yes…but not for play. Each doll represents one of my teachers," Andreas said, "My mother told me I should be sure to make dolls of each of them at the beginning of each year and keep them until the year ends. If the teachers are fair with me, all is well. If not…."

A very wicked gleam rose in the wizard's black eyes as he took out a gauzily dressed doll with bangles, small necklaces and large glasses fashioned out of what looked like wire. Mathias had seen Professor Trelawney once or twice, though she mostly stayed in the North Tower. The doll favored her.

Suddenly Mathias understood why Andreas was in Slytherin.

*****************************************
A/N: Woo hoo. Andreas' darker side comes out. Jasmine is a little suck up. And Poppy…oh well, better luck next time…and the DKV is really nasty business. Please review.