Embers

The end was near and he knew it. The final piece would be set in place within the next couple of days. The past several months had been among the most dangerous and draining he’d ever experienced, but soon, it would all be over. The thought filled him with a sense of something that fell short of optimism, but felt comforting nonetheless. He believed it would be wonderful to be free of all obligations, especially to those he did not care for personally. Severus Snape did not actively hate many people, despite what legions of Hogwarts’ students might argue, but he did relish his private time. He savored his solitude and longed once more to enjoy long and peacefully quiet afternoons and blissfully silent nights. In short, his time would once again be completely his own. With these thoughts, he wiled away an evening in a dingy little pub in Knockturn Alley. Rumours were running rampant and he listened to the idle chatter of those around him, but he heard nothing of any importance. He downed a last fire whisky and headed out into the chilly air. A last stroll through the dark alley and he’d head home for the evening.

He strode confidently and quickly, noting and ignoring the growing number of slumped figures who now littered the alley. He knew within seconds that he was being followed. His fingers wrapped smoothly around his wand. He walked a few paces further before turning on his would-be attacker.

“Stupify!” The wizard yelled, but Snape easily deflected the spell.

A chance ray of moonlight illuminating the attacker’s face caused his own nearly uttered curse to die on his lips. A stab of recognition chilled him to the bone. Draco Malfoy. He’d not seen the boy for a month or so. Draco had failed to show when Voldemort called his faithful. Lucius had claimed to not know where the boy was. He said the boy had run away. Voldemort had demanded the boy be brought to him personally as soon as he was found. Snape was utterly stunned to learn that Draco was not only still alive, but still in Britain.

By contrast, Draco did not appear to recognize Snape. He shivered in the chilly night air, giggled a bit and turned to run away. Snape grasped his wand and silently cast a leg locker curse. Draco immediately fell to the wet ground with a thud. In seconds, Snape had reached him and turned him over. Draco giggled insanely, his face now covered in mud. “Dd…don’t k…kk…kill mmmeee…don’t…kkill…mmmee!” He still gave no sign that he recognized Snape.
Snape grabbed him and apparated both of them to his new dwelling, one that would remain safely hidden as long as Snape’s secret keeper held the secret. He tried to capture Draco’s attention. It proved frustratingly difficult to get Draco to even focus on him. “Do you know who I am?” Snape quietly removed the leg locker curse, but held Draco by his collar and shook him gently.

Draco’s eyes narrowed slightly as if he were trying to place the face looking down at him. They widened a moment later, but he said nothing. “Sorry…sorry…didn’t mean to hurt…didn’t want to hurt…sorry…sorry…” He continued to ramble.

Snape’s brow furrowed deeply. He tried to talk to Draco and get answers out of him, but Draco remained incoherent. Snape felt he had no choice and so with one hand grasping his wand, the other holding Draco, he whispered, “Legilimens!” Images began to come to him. Draco offered no resistance and he easily sifted through memories. He saw Draco wandering the halls of Malfoy Manor and practicing dark spells, but the next image shocked him to the core. Snape caught an image of Lucius sodomizing Hermione Granger and then using Cruciatus on Draco before forcing him under the Imperio to rape her. Snape pulled out of Draco’s mind and looked with compassionate pity at the blond boy.

Draco pulled his knees to his chest and with his arms wrapped tightly around his legs, softly rocked back and forth sobbing, “Sorry, sorry…” Snape placed a hand under Draco’s chin and raised his head. His face was wet with tears. He sobbed, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

Snape wiped the tears from the boy’s face, then wrapped his arms around him and pulled him close. With one arm around Draco’s shoulders and the other hand gently stroking the boy’s hair, he tried to comfort him but knew of nothing that could ease his anguish. Draco’s sobs rang loudly in the stillness. “I know, Draco, I know.” Snape held him for hours until he quieted. Snape spoke gently to him. “Draco, there’s nothing we can do to undo the wrong that’s been done. However, there is something you can do to stop more pain and suffering from happening to her.”

“What can I do? I can’t go back there. She’ll never trust me again, even if I did. Not after what I…”

An idea began to take form in Snape’s analytical mind. Snape intended to find and rescue Hermione Granger. He would need Draco’s help to do that. Draco was already dangerously close to the breaking point, judging from the way he faded in and out of coherence. Yet, Snape knew he had to ask one more favor of the boy he still felt driven to protect. Snape feared it may be the final straw that would push him irretrievably over the edge, but with so little time remaining, he could see no other way.

Severus Snape had learned much about Lucius Malfoy over the course of their decades- long friendship. He had watched silently as Lucius had led Draco down a path of darkness and feared he had done too little to show the younger Malfoy the possibility of a different path. Snape reflected that perhaps he himself shouldered more blame for having not been in a position to do more to help Draco. He thought also of Hermione Granger. Although she had rarely figured in his thoughts, especially since he left Hogwarts, he’d never forgotten the Muggle-Born witch nor the important role she had played in trying to help the Order of the Phoenix to defeat the Dark Lord. Severus Snape believed he had to try and save her. He assumed Lucius would keep her barely alive until it was clear that the Dark Lord would be defeated, perhaps even a short time afterwards. Snape knew he had already done everything he could to bring about the downfall of Voldemort. He’d relayed his last message to the Order a short time before unexpectedly finding Draco in Knockturn Alley. All that remained was for Potter to face Voldemort and put an end to this nightmare. He hoped the boy was not so foolish as to reject whatever help the others would be able to offer him as he made his final preparations. A look of steely determination took hold on Snape’s face. It seemed he had one last mission after all. If he succeeded, perhaps both Draco and Hermione could yet be saved.

In the following days, Snape nursed Draco as best he could. Draco’s wounds had been overwhelmingly emotional and mental. Snape offered some calming draughts, but refrained from offering too many partly because he feared a possible addiction, but mainly because he needed Draco to be sharp. Calming draughts tended to dull one’s thought processes. He needed Draco to think plainly and clearly if his plan were to have any hope of success.

Finally, Snape knew the time had come to act. It was now or never. He hoped it was not too late. He called Draco and began to explain. “There is a way we can remove Lucius from Malfoy Manor to allow us the chance we need to rescue Miss Granger.” Draco looked nervously at his former teacher. Snape continued, “I know for a fact that your father betrayed the location of Hufflepuff Cup, albeit quite unknowingly to Ministry officials. No, don’t ask me to explain the significance. It doesn’t matter for what I need you to do.” Snape breathed deeply as he looked at Draco. He was spinning a story that was only partly true. Snape himself had discovered and betrayed the location of the Hufflepuff relic to the Order, but he needed Draco to believe his father had done it. “The Dark Lord wishes to know which of his followers betrayed him.” Draco’s eyes had gone wide in fear. “I need you to go before the Dark Lord and tell him this.” Snape felt a knot in his throat once the words had been spoken.

“The Dark Lord will kill me if I go before him.” Draco whimpered.

“The Dark Lord has not ordered your death, Draco. I know this for a fact.” Snape carefully cloaked his words. The best lies were often delivered as partial truths. “He has merely ordered that you should be brought before him as soon as you are found. I’m certain that once he sees what you have to show to him he will be pleased with the information and then he will, of course, take the appropriate measures with your father. That will allow us the time we need to get to Miss Granger and bring her to safety.” Snape hoped that Voldemort would not kill the messenger in this case. Voldemort had been quite displeased with the entire Malfoy Family. It was a risk he had to take and one he had to downplay to Draco to win the boy’s cooperation.

Draco considered Snape’s words. “I don’t know about what my father did to anything of Hufflepuff.” Draco knew next to nothing about horcruxes. He’d never been told. I want to help, but I have no memory of that. The Dark Lord will see right through me.”

“I will give you the memory, Draco. You need only make sure the Dark Lord sees it and no other when he performs Legilimency on you.” Draco looked fearful, but resolute. “Your aunt always said you did quite well with Occlumency, am I correct?” Draco nodded. “Have you made progress?” Draco nodded again. “Can you spin a web of deception in your mind, not merely put up a blank wall?”

Draco responded quickly, “I believe I can.” He looked at Snape. He was making an effort to appear more confident than he felt. “Did my father really betray the Dark Lord?” He sounded hopeful.

Snape thought for a few seconds before answering. “Do you remember your second year, Draco? Before school started when you and your father ran into the Weasleys and Miss Granger in Diagon Alley?” Draco nodded imperceptibly, but it was clear that he did not really recall the incident. Snape continued unabated. “Your father gave an item that belonged to the Dark Lord to Miss Weasley.” Draco remained impassive. Only a slight increase in his breathing rate betrayed his nerves. “Your father has perhaps unknowingly done the same thing once more, but with words rather than an object. However, the fact remains that he alone bears responsibility for the eventual destruction of what belonged to the Dark Lord.”

“Won’t he kill my father?”

Snape was impressed with Draco. He seemed much more under control. “You evaded the Dark Lord, Draco, and for much longer than I would have thought possible. Your father is, if nothing else, a very strong and capable wizard. Perhaps, he’ll be able to evade the Dark Lord, too.” Snape did not believe his own words, but Draco seemed placated. He did not believe his father would survive the wrath of the Dark Lord. Draco believed he had no choice, even if it meant he would be responsible for his father’s death. That thought terrified him and he struggled to compartmentalize it so he would not have to deal with it at all. He needed that thought to remain safely locked away deep inside where he could ignore it. Despite everything Lucius Malfoy had done to him and to others, Draco still loved his father. The thought of bringing about his death filled Draco with a dread and fear that threatened to engulf his very being, but like Snape, he could see no other way.

Snape coached Draco to the best extent possible under the circumstances in both Occlumency and Legilimency. Draco showed real promise with both branches of magic, but Snape knew Voldemort had long been a master. The moment came unexpectedly and the Dark Mark burned on their flesh. Almost instantly, both were clad in the all-black attire of the Death Eaters. Snape watched as a fearful Draco placed his mask on his face. Snape followed suit and they apparated to the spot chosen by the Dark Lord. The ring of Death Eaters surrounding Voldemort had grown quite small as more and more Death Eaters either fell or were captured. Draco stood next to his father, but remained perfectly still. He looked across to where Snape stood. He drew some degree of courage and confidence from his former teacher’s presence. He tried to not think about what lay mere moments ahead.

Voldemort surveyed the few Death Eaters remaining to him. “You disappoint me. How is it that those who have been in my service for years are unable to outsmart Aurors who have been on the job for mere weeks? ” He passed Crabbe, Goyle and the Carrows. “So much incompetence! It boggles the mind.” He uttered a small Crucio, just enough to make them all tense as a bolt of pain engulfed their bodies. He stood before Lucius Malfoy. “No one here has been with me as long as you, Lucius…and no one here has disappointed me more.”

“My Lord, if I could explain what happened…”

“The time for explanations has long since passed, old friend. I am no longer interested in hearing your excuses every time you fail me. And yet, in my immense generosity, I will give you a final chance to prove your continued usefulness, Lucius.”

Lucius straightened visibly upon hearing those words. He wondered what the Dark Lord would have him do. “Of course, my Lord.” Lucius answered. “It would be a pleasure and an honor.”

Voldemort allowed some time to pass in silence. Lucius held up admirably, but then he’d always been a slippery one. “I need you to use your never-ending supply of wile and guile to enter the Ministry and retrieve a small item for me. I believe you are well-aware of that which I speak?”

Lucius nodded. “Of course, my Lord. I know it well.” He bowed gracefully and respectfully.

“Then go! Don’t waste any more time than you already have with your over-developed sense of foolish grandiosity!” Voldemort waved his hand in an unmistakable gesture of dismissal.

Snape watched in growing horror as Lucius took his leave. The plans were falling apart. Snape had hoped that Voldemort would kill Lucius or at least keep him away from Malfoy Manor long enough for him and Draco to get there and rescue Hermione. He needed a new plan and he needed it immediately. He had no choice but to play it by ear and hope for the best.

Once Lucius had gone, Voldemort moved on to Draco. He studied the young Death Eater from all sides before finally stopping in front of him. His voice dripped with sarcasm. “The return of the Prodigal Son!” In one single fluid movement, he ripped the mask from Draco’s face and with his own face only inches away harshly breathed his comments. “I should kill you on sight but I find I have a curious need to know the answer to this question. Why have you returned to me, Draco?”

Snape watched from across the small clearing and tried to will strength to Draco. For a few seconds, Draco said nothing. He stood silent and immobile. Snape began to worry that the boy would crack under Voldemort’s intense scrutiny. Just as Snape had nearly given up hope, the words came. He heard Draco say clearly, “I can show you.”

Voldemort regarded Draco with a look of cautious curiosity and bemusement. With no warning and no verbal spell, Voldemort invaded his mind. Draco willed the images he’d constructed with Snape’s help to flow through his mind strong and clear. Voldemort probed fiercely and savagely as if trying to rip through the walls of each memory to see its constituent parts. Draco felt as if he were being mind-raped. It took every bit of strength and concentration he had to hold the façade in place. As the false memory unfolded, Voldemort smile grew larger. He pulled back and paced a few steps. He appeared to be deep in thought.

Snape looked at Draco, who struggled to stand without swaying. Snape avoided looking directly at Draco. He did not want to break the boy’s concentration. This would be the decisive moment.

“Your father is a disappointment, Draco. The question is this. What do you think should be done about it?” Voldemort stared into Draco’s eyes.

All the blood drained from Draco’s face. The Dark Lord wanted him to pronounce his father’s fate. Draco suppressed every bit of emotion he could until he felt almost as if her were outside his own body. He answered calmly but in a strong voice. “He should be killed.”

Voldemort pounced on the words. “Then you know what to do, Draco! Kill him!” Voldemort dismissed Draco with a curt wave of his hand. Without as much as a nod, Draco promptly apparated away…back to Malfoy Manor. He knew his father would be there. He knew, too, that he could not kill him.

Snape was the last remaining Death Eater in Voldemort’s presence. Voldemort approached him with an air of confidence that every piece had just fallen neatly into place. Snape awaited Voldemort’s instructions.

“Severus, follow young Malfoy and see to it that he has done as instructed. And when he has, kill him.” Snape nodded, and then disappeared with a slight pop.

Voldemort smiled. By the end of the evening, he would be rid of the remaining Malfoys and their stunning incompetence. Once they were disposed of, he would be ready to face Potter and eliminate him once and for all. He would wait a few minutes and then pay a surprise visit. Snape’s communications prior to the meeting were, as always, both damning and intriguing.