Chapter Text
They were dead and gone. Just like that. And whose fault was it? The damn rat had been the leak they had been looking for the whole time. Severus eyed the liquor cabinet in the corner of the study. No he needed to keep his thoughts clear…
There was a knock on the heavy wooden door.
“Come in.” Severus was wondering who would come to him in the dead of night. With everything that has happened today it could be Salazar Slytherin himself for all that I care.
“Severus? Are you alright?” was the gentle response. Ah well, not quite Salazar Slytherin but close enough.
“As well as can be expected Tom.” He croaked out. Why was his throat so raw?
The other man strode over to the fireplace and stared into it. They both stayed silent for a few minutes both lost in their thoughts, in their memories.
“Do you know what happened to young Harold?” The silence grew tense around them. When Severus had gone to check on the Potters he had found the dead bodies of James and Lily but he had seen neither hide nor hair from Harry.
“Dumbledore must have taken him after he killed James and Lily. I do not know where he is now. But he would not harm the child, at least not yet. He needs him alive for his followers to believe the prophecy.” After a short moment of silence he continued: “Have you seen the mutt? He was not at the meeting tonight and I do not want to imagine what the foolish Gryffindor will do when he finds out that Pettigrew ratted the Potters out.”
Tom looked up from the flames. He had a pensive look on his face. “Take Lucius with you and find him. Knock Black out and lock him up for all I care but we cannot lose him too!” His eyes had started to glow red in the firelight. Gone was the gentle caring man that was Tom Riddle, in front of Severus stood now the dangerous and dark Lord Voldemort.
Looking his Lord dead in the eye Severus nodded and left his study to floo Malfoy Manor.
~
Tom, now back in his right mind, stared back into the flames for a moment while thinking about their next course of action. Why had Dumbledore done this? Why declare Harry Potter The-Boy-Who-Lived, declare this little boy the defeater of Lord Voldemort? He wasn’t dead so why tell the whole wizarding world he had been vanquished? Everybody would let their guards down, perfect for him to attack… Surely Dumbledore wasn’t so naïve to believe that he would give up just because some of his most loyal followers had been killed? All the possibilities were giving him a headache. That has to be the old goat’s evil plan; he wants to give me an aneurysm.
Shaking himself out of his thoughts he left his husband’s study. He needed some sleep before organizing a meeting for tomorrow.
Walking through the dark halls of Springriver Mansion he stopped in front of a door. He opened it silently and looked through the crack. The moon illuminated the small child lying in the four-poster bed, her long dark hair rumpled from sleep. Tom stepped into the room, and just watched her sleep.
Miranda was their little angel. She would turn six in a little over two weeks. Not many knew she even existed or who her parents were. It would be too dangerous. Only his Inner Circle knew about her and he intended on keeping it that way. Well, his Inner Circle and Miranda’s surrogate mother Marlene, but she was under an unbreakable vow, which had to be enough for now.
Kissing her forehead softly he tucked her in and left the room with a short look over his shoulder. I promise to keep you safe my little angel. Always.
~
“What can Dobby do for Master Severus?” The little elf with the big eyes looked up at him as he stepped out of the fireplace.
“I am here to speak with Lucius. Could you tell him I am here to see him, please?”
“Of course! Dobby be right back!” With that the elf was gone and Severus hoped that someone had already told the Malfoys what had occurred earlier that night; he did not want to waste any time before going after the mutt.
“Master Lucius be in his study, sir!” A loud pop signaled the return of the elf who was now once again looking at him expectantly.
“Thank you. I will find the way on my own.” Without another word to Dobby, Severus strode out of the receiving room and hurried through the large manor, coming to a halt in front of a heavy wooden door. He knocked and entered the room after hearing the short “Come in!” from the other side of the door.
“I take it you were already informed of what happened?” Severus didn’t waste time on a greeting seeing the nearly empty wine bottle on Lucius desk.
Lucius only nodded once and then drained the remaining contents of his wine glass. Then he motioned to retrieve another glass for Severus but he interrupted him.
“I am afraid that will have to wait Lucius. We have to find the mutt first. Maybe the wolf too if I think about it…”
“Why? What do you mean? Don’t they know yet?”
“Oh I am pretty sure they know, but the mutt wasn’t at the meeting tonight and so Tom asked me to go and find him before he finds out about that rat and does something he will regret.”
“Right. Where should we start?” Lucius had gathered some parchment to write out a short plan on how to work this out. He did not like being unprepared for a mission.
Severus chuckled at his half-brother’s need for control but sobered quickly. This was serious. “As it’s not a full moon I believe he and the wolf should be at Shadowfield Chateau. Or at Grimmauld Place.”
“What if Black, or even both of them, is already going after Peter?”
“Well, if Black has taken off alone, Lupin should be able to trace his friend by scent if we get close enough. With both of them gone… we would have to look for them by following Peter’s trail and hope we will not be too late.” Severus was frowning, in his mind already thinking of possible hiding places for the traitor. Which were quite a lot.
With a last glance on his parchment Lucius grabbed another and scribbled a short note, presumably for Narcissa. “Then I think we should be going.” They both left the study and headed back to the receiving room.
“Should we take chances and just go to Shadowfield Chateau or split up and cover both?” Lucius inquired.
“I think we should take the chance. We will need both of us if it comes to keeping them inside either place.” Severus answered after a short moment.
Reaching the fireplace Lucius handed Severus the floo powder and smirked as Severus arched an eyebrow in question. “By all means, dearest brother of mine, I do not have a death wish. I am at the wrong end of a Black-wand often enough.”
Severus barely resisted rolling his eyes but took the offered powder and threw it into the fireplace.