Daddy Dearest - (No Update, Edit)

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 87 ~ Summoned

After his last class, Severus was heading for his private rooms when his Dark Mark began to burn furiously. The wizard gasped and clutched his arm, stumbling into the corridor wall. Voldemort wanted him, and wanted him now. Several students were in the hall and looked at the wizard, startled.

"Are you all right, Professor Snape?" a worried looking Hufflepuff witch asked him.

"I'm fine…go on," the Professor said through gritted teeth, straightening.

The witch hurried off.

Severus let himself into his office, grimacing. His mark hurt like hell. He hurried into his study, then his bedroom, sliding open his secret panel and quickly putting on his deatheater robes and mask.

He dropped his occlumency wall and disapparated.

Voldemort was sitting on his throne, scowling. He had been following the trial and keeping track via the newspapers and getting inside information from several DKV members who worked at the Ministry. He was furious. This blasted trial had gotten out of hand. Draco, for all the help he had been over the past few years was a fucking idiot. In less than a week he had managed to undo all that they had worked so hard for. People were out in the streets bashing the DKV and gathering strength and confidence. Plus, they were opening old wounds.

Well, he would deal with Draco later. Right now, he needed to deal with the mudblood Severus was fucking. The wizard knew that several large withdrawals had been taken from Severus' accounts. Since the witch had enlisted the trial lawyer, Cronnie Jockrin, Voldemort had an idea where the money was going.

Severus appeared in front of the throne. The wizard dropped to one knee and bowed his head.

"You summoned me, my Lord?" Severus asked, his eyes on the floor.

He had a very bad feeling about this.

"Yes, Severus I have. Remove your mask and approach the throne," the red-eyed wizard said in his high-pitched voice.

Severus stood, lowered his hood, pulled off his mask and stuffed it into his pocket. Then he approached the throne. He kept his eyes on the floor as protocol dictated.

"You may look at me, Severus," the wizard said.

The Potions Master raised his head.

"Thank you, my Lord," the wizard responded.

Voldemort studied Severus, his long, elegant fingers tapping the arm of his throne.

"Severus, your son's mother is in the public eye, and her trial is causing quite a stir," the wizard said. "You are still fucking her I presume?"

"Yes my Lord," Severus said.

"Well her trial is having a negative effect on my efforts, Severus. She has excellent counsel, though Draco is doing so badly as to make that counsel almost unnecessary. My question is, how is she affording Cronnie Jockrin, Severus?"

Severus swallowed, knowing the Dark Lord probably already knew about the withdrawals from his savings.

"I am paying for it my Lord. The witch asked me to, as did my son," Severus lied. "I couldn't very well deny my son, my Lord…not if I want to keep my influence over the boy. If I let his mother go to Azkaban without doing anything, he would hate me."

"But Cronnie Jockrin, Severus? He is most dangerous, and most flamboyant. You should have known that his very presence would make the trial more visible," the Dark Lord hissed.

"It was who she wanted, my Lord. I had no idea this would happen," he lied.

Voldemort looked at him.

"You will stop paying the wizard for his counsel. Today. Now. Immediately. I want him off the case, Severus. I do not want him showing up in court tomorrow. Do you understand me?" Voldemort said imperiously.

Severus nodded.

"Yes, my Lord," Severus replied.

"I want you to remember this, Severus. I only allow you to be involved with the mudblood witch because your son is powerful and I want him. But your involvement with her is supposed to be basically to keep your son happy. If he is upset with you about withdrawing your support from his mother, lie and say your funds couldn't cover her legal costs and leave it at that," the wizard said.

Severus nodded again.

Voldemort looked at him a moment, then pointed his wand at the Potions Master.

"Crucio!" he cried, holding the blast on the shuddering wizard a full minute before letting him drop, gasping and panting to the floor. He had shit on himself.

Voldemort lazily scourgified Severus.

"That is just a little taste, Severus. You deserve much more than that, but you must get to your solicitor. Consider yourself lucky," the despot said. "Now go!"

From the floor, the wizard gasped, "Thank you, my Lord," and disapparated, returning to his rooms in a prone position, startling Hermione, who had been changing into something more comfortable after her day in court.

"Severus!" she screamed, running over to the shuddering wizard. She recognized the deatheater robes. "Oh my gods. Voldemort got to you!"

She pulled the wizard against her, and gently stroked his hair as his shuddering slowed. There really was little more she could do than that. Pain potions didn't work on the Unforgivable. Only time took away the pain.

She knelt on the floor, holding the wizard and talking to him soothingly as his tremors died down. After about forty-five minutes, Severus was able to rise with Hermione's help.

"I need to go see Mr. Jockrin," Severus said.

"But Severus, isn't that dangerous? I thought you were operating through Mr. Dewgooder," Hermione said, her eyes worried. "A third party."

"I knew it would only be a matter of time before Voldemort found out I was paying for your counsel, Hermione. He knows, so there is no reason not to see Mr. Jockrin personally," the wizard said. "Do you know where he is staying?"

"Why do you need to see him, Severus?" Hermione asked him.

"Voldemort wants me to stop paying for your counsel immediately, Hermione. He doesn't want Mr. Jockrin in court with you tomorrow," Severus said. "Draco has dug a deep enough hole for you to be acquitted just on the basis that his crimes make yours pale in comparison. But if the trial ends now, then important information about the DKV and Voldemort will not make it to the general public. This is more than a trial, Hermione…it is our vehicle to begin to topple that organization. I need to lay the cards on the table with Mr. Jockrin. Hopefully he will see what is at stake and continue."

Hermione stared at Severus, then gave him the address of the wizarding hotel Mr. Jockrin was staying at, and the password that would get him past the lobby and the protections around the wizard.

As soon as he was able, Severus disapparated.

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"So you see, Mr. Jockrin, that my hands are truly tied in this matter," Severus said to the wizard. They were sitting in the drawing room of the lawyer's suite, firewhiskeys on the table before them. Cronnie arched an eyebrow at the dark, pale wizard looking somberly at him.

"Thirty years as a spy in the Dark Lord's ranks without discovery. Quite amazing, and quite selfish. Such a job is thankless and has no recognition to speak of…for the obvious reasons. So I imagine your motivations are singularly unselfish. You do this in the hopes of bringing down Voldemort," the lawyer said.

Severus nodded.

"Extraordinary," Cronnie said, taking another sip of his firewhiskey. "I imagine the Dark Lord was quite upset."

"Yes. If it weren't for the fact I needed to tell you I no longer could retain your services, I imagine I would still be there…" Severus began.

"Being tortured, no doubt," Cronnie concluded.

Severus didn't say anything.

Cronnie stood up and started to pace, the Potions Master's dark eyes following him.

"Professor Snape, when I first received the packet containing the information about Miss Granger's plight…I immediately recognized the potential for ripping a huge, gaping hole in the DKV's hold on the wizarding world. I even told myself I would be willing to handle this case pro bono. It seems that is exactly what I am going to have to do. I hate leaving a case unfinished, and I would not abandon your lady to the Ministry in any case. I am a gentleman after all, sir," Cronnie said, smiling at the wizard.

Severus breathed a sigh of relief. He rose and walked over to Cronnie, giving him a firm and thankful handshake.

"This is quite generous of you, Mr. Jockrin," the wizard said.

"Nonsense. I am a citizen of the wizarding world too. I am simply doing my duty, Professor. The DKV must be broken, and this is the best way to do it. Plus I am really looking forward to tomorrow. May I show you something?" Cronnie asked Severus.

"Yes," the Potions Master replied.

The wizard walked over to his briefcase, opened it and took out a photograph. He handed it to Severus, who actually let out a gasp.

"Where…where did you get this?" the Professor asked him, amazed.

Cronnie smirked.

There are ingenious pair of wizards…twins I believe, named Fred and George Weasley who run a joke shop in Diagon Alley. But besides jokes, they create the most amazing gadgets and gizmos that they sell in private sales. This is a Pens-pic. A snapshot taken from the mind of a person based on their memories. This photo has been declared a true recollection and image by several experts from the healing community, who witnessed its extraction from the mind of one Harry Potter using the specialized Pensive camera developed by the Weasley twins. I have signed certification from each expert concerning its authenticity. I will be introducing this photo into the trial, as well as simultaneously distributing several thousand to the public tomorrow," the lawyer said.

Severus' mouth dropped open. He couldn't even speak for several moments.

"But…but Harry's been on assignment ever since the trial started," Severus stammered.

"Professor Snape, I am a lawyer with a number of resources at my disposal. Borrowing Mr. Potter was not difficult. A port key, a hospital room, some experts and witnesses and the deed was done," the wizard said. "And it was done during his lunch break, so there can be no complaints from the Ministry concerning laxness in duty on his part," he added.

Severus shook his head. The man was brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

"This is going to throw the wizarding world into an uproar…including the DKV. But…but many will say this is a forgery," Severus said.

"Not the way I'm going to introduce it, Professor. Trust me," the wizard said slyly. "There will be no doubt as to its authenticity when I am finished."

Severus stared at the wizard, wishing he could be in the courtroom when this little beauty was presented in evidence.

"You are amazing, Mr. Jockrin," Severus said sincerely.

Cronnie smiled.

"So I've been told," he replied.

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Hermione anxiously paced the Professor's private rooms, walking from the study to the bedroom to the study again so often, it was a wonder she didn't wear a groove into the stone tiling.

She didn't know what to think. Mr. Jockrin was a dedicated lawyer, but he required a fee to work. He had to make a living after all, and though he was pricey, he was worth every galleon. Hermione had a sinking feeling that she might be in court alone tomorrow.

Mathias had stopped by earlier to check on her. He was delighted to know she was staying with his father for the duration of the trial. Of course, he couldn't tell anyone…so Andreas knew.

"There will be music in the dungeons," the wizard had quipped, smiling.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mathias asked him.

In response, Andreas waggled his eyebrows at him.

"Oh," Mathias said, scowling a little.

Mathias didn't like to think about his mum that kind of way. Her shagging and all that. He knew she had sex with the Professor, but it just seemed so wrong they still did it. His mother was so…well…so old for it. And his father…good gods. He was ancient. Mathias idly wondered for a moment if the Potions Master used any potions to help him along. Then the young wizard shuddered.

Enough of that.

Oh well, as long as they were happy that's all that mattered. His mother and father had been together a while now. Mathias suspected they were in love. Especially his father, though the wizard denied it.

"She is here for her safety, Andreas," Mathias said, turning the page of his Arithmancy book with a bit of attitude.

"Oh, I've no doubt about that. Your father will protect her well. He would kill for her, you know," the wizard said. "Such love is between them."

Mathias looked at Andreas.

"You think my father loves my mother?" Mathias said.

"He does. It shows in his aura, but not in the usual way," Andreas replied. "It is not evident in his emotional aura. Your father is so disciplined, he does not allow himself to feel as the rest of us do. It is almost as if he has occlumency on his emotional aura. It shows up in his physical aura though. Your father is a very physical man. He must make your mother quite happy that way."

So that's why Mathias never saw love in Severus' emotional aura. He was looking in the wrong area.

"Is it pink?" Mathias asked Andreas.

The black wizard snorted.

"Do you think anything about your father would ever be pink? No, it is like a deep, red pulse," Andreas answered him.

Hmm. Anything with a red tint was a powerful emotion. Well at least Mathias now knew how his father felt about his mum. He had no doubt how Hermione felt about the Potions Master. He could see it clearly in her eyes when she looked at him sometimes…but still she looked kind of sad too. They probably didn't talk about love much. Witches liked to talk about love.

Maybe when Voldemort was dead, then they could do it. Then his mum could be truly happy.

"He loves you too," Andreas added matter-of-factly, leafing through his parchments. "He'd die for you just as quickly as for your mother."

"Well, we just have to make sure he never has to do that," Mathias said darkly, thinking of the Dark Lord.

"We will," Andreas replied, his face somber.

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A/N: Wow. Severus was lucky he had to stop the retainer. Voldemort probably would have given him a terrible working over. Now…what does Cronnie have that would turn the wizarding world on its ear? I bet you all have an idea. This is becoming dangerous. If Voldemort loses support, what will stop him from utilizing the terrible power of the DKV dark marks? Lol. I have no idea. But I'm not going to let that stop me. Tomorrow in court is going to be goooood. Please review.