Indecent Transactions

Lucius was not there when Severus arrived at in the main hall, he had not waited. Quickly, Severus made his way down to the dungeons again, his features cold and sharp in the blue light of the Everlast Torches. At the sixth doorway he stopped. Silence. He stepped inside.

Unlike the other room in the dungeon, this one was bare of furniture and stretched far back into the darkness. Severus could just make out the gleam of Lucius\' hair. \"Lumos,\" he said as he walked towards Lucius, his voice echoing ever so slightly in the quiet darkness. Lucius flashed him a bitter smile before turning back to the wizard on the floor.

The wizard was terrified, that much was obvious, and a small dribble of blood issued from the corner of his mouth. Severus knew this man, Lochrin Dippet if he was not mistaken, which he was not. Dippet\'s pleading eyes found his own, but Severus immediately shot him down with the coldest look he could muster. \"No better than a mud-blood,\" he spat.

Dippet quickly averted his eyes and starred down at the dirty stone floor. He shuddered, a single sob escaping his body. Severus looked fiercely at the healer, who was standing in the corner trying not to stare, and pointed a steady finger towards Dippet.

The healer crossed the floor to Dippet and put his hand on Dippet’s shoulder to comfort him: but his eyes stayed cold. Then the healer\'s hand dropped stealthily along Dippet\'s arm, down to the wrist. Dippet paid no attention. The healer took his wrist between three fingers, distractedly, the same time drawing back a little and turning his back to the other two wizards. He took a watch from his pocket and glanced at it for a moment, never letting go of the wrist. After a minute he let the hand fall inert. Stepping back to his corner he nodded towards Severus and Lucius.

Lucius pocketed his wand, bitter smile still rigid on his face. He bent down next to Dippet, slowly and gently caressing his head and neck. The collapsed wizard let himself be handled, his eyes never leaving the floor. \"Now, now,\" Lucius drawled, \"No need for that again, we\'re all friends here. Is there anything I can get for you? A glass of water perhaps?\"

Suddenly Dippet seized Lucius\' hand and looked at it strangely. He held the Lucius\' hand between his own two hands. Severus swiftly realized what was about to happen, but he made no move. The healer must have suspected something too, as he suddenly could not keep himself from starring. But Lucius didn\'t see a thing, he smiled paternally. After a moment Dippet brought the white hand to his mouth and tried to bite it!

Lucius pulled away quickly and stumbled back against the wall, a livid glare in his eyes. He swept back towards Dippet, but Severus stopped him in his tracks with a hand to his chest. Severus smiled crookedly at Dippet, and next to him, Lucius relaxed slightly, although his eyes didn\'t lose their animal wariness and he still had his chest pressed firmly against Severus’ hand. Dippet, still looking up at the two wizards, began a horrible, dry, ragged laugh. Lucius pushed forward harder against Severus\' hand, pulling his wand from his robes. Severus let his hand fall, \"Crucio!\" Lucius shouted, bitter grin back on his face.

Severus waited for several seconds until Lucius, breathing raggedly, lowered his wand. \"A simple Silencing Charm would have sufficed.\"

\"It was to me that the Dark Lord bestowed the lead in Muggle-torture,\" said Lucius calmly, although his voice had a cruel edge to it. (Book4, pg650)

\"Hmm,\" Severus glanced down at the unconscious man at his feet. \"Do you have his wand?\"

Lucius pulled a wand made of a very light wood from his robes. Severus licked his lips, the snake-like tongue darting from his mouth for a fraction of a second. Ah, the taste of victory. \"And since when,\" he paused, \"do Muggles have wands?\"

An angry flash passed through Lucius\' eyes, but it vanished instantly, replaced by a cold smile. He turned away from Dippet on the floor and faced Severus, \"Aha, my friend, well done.\"

He shifted his weight and stealthily moved closer to Severus; they were now only inches apart. He leaned in and pressed his lips to Severus\' ear softly.

It was happening again, just like it had in the past. Why did Lucius have this effect on him? Alarm was a white-hot knife sliding smoothly into his middle, sharp and painfully evident, but he smothered it from his features. He wouldn\'t let Lucius know his fear; that was what he wanted.

Lucius\' breath was hot against his neck, as searing as his threatening words. \"Don\'t toy with me. Perhaps you have forgotten what happened last time you landed yourself in the way of my anger, and I was very generous then.\" He continued after a small pause, \"Yes, He called you his most faithful servant that night (Book4, pg651/2), but I know your little secret, Sev,\" there were daggers in his voice, \"and you never forget it.\"

Lucius ran his fingers though the sleek black hair, God, no one had hair like Severus.

He glanced back at Dippet, slowing coming to, now gasping for breath. \"There\'s a memory charm on him. Break it,\" ordered Lucius almost mechanically. \"He may be able to tell us about Black\'s whereabouts, or he may be useless. Either way, get rid of him afterwards.\"

Lucius turned and began to walk from the room, but he stopped at the door and turned back; Severus was still looking at him. With that he swept out of the room, smiling.