A/N: Well, four and a bit years, a lot of life changes (including the fact that I had to get used to being called Doctor :D ). Not one but two burned out laptops - both of which killed between them close to 50 000 words of fiction and close to 100 GB of work-related projects.

All of this is, of course, no excuse for this delay but if you needed a reason for it - here it is.

This first chap is as usual un-betaed, as my beta is MIA since 2010, more or less. I am once again on the lookout.

I don't know if this hiatus has affected my writing negatively but I hope you still enjoy it and review with ideas and thoughts.

The title for Viper II is thanks to reviewer whose name I lost with my other files. Please, if you do read this - drop me a line so I can credit you! :)

Viper II

Celestial Omens

Prologue:

The garden was covered in a dense fog that had a greenish tint which gave the whole grounds an ominous cast and made him light the fireplace. He had already protected it with a password and a whole slew of enchantments against unwanted visitors, but still he would not have chosen to have it lit on this day.

He was tired, he felt old and worn, spread thin with the responsibilities lying on his shoulders and the expectations that piled upon him. For a moment he considered the Firewhiskey then turned away and sat at his desk, trying not to see the pile of parchment there. His eyes settled on the merry fire and got lost in it, letting it guide him into a light trance of Occlumency, which he could use to order his thoughts.

It was in this state that his servant found him – relaxed, with his eyes half closed and face expressionless.

"Master Lord Malfoy sir, there is being a Miss Mortifernie Virga to be seeing you, sir", the miserable creature trembled in its bow, brushing it's disgusting nose on the Persinan carpet.

Leisurely he returned to full awareness and threw a revolted look at the house –elf.

"Let her in", he waved it away, wishing it far from his sight. If only they could finally get muggle servants like geat-great-grandfather had. At least they were nominally human and thus could be taught how to be presentable or at least Imperius-ed into it.

Virga walked in like she owned everything in her sight – her head high and proud, her gait light and yet firm. She was the perfect picture of a pureblood lady. If only she did not have that unfortunate dark complexion she might had been at home in Malfoy Manor.

He gave a slight smile and stood to greet her.

"Mortifernie, a pleasure as always", he said giving a light bow and sweeping a hand toward the visitors chair at his desk and then assisting her with her seating.

Once back behind his enormous mahogany desk he settled comfortably and laid his hands on top, fingertips touching lightly.

"What can I do for you today? I must admit this visit is a surprise", It wasn't, but it was only polite of him pretend.

Her dark eyes were like daggers but the rest of her face was politely pleasant.

"Lord Malfoy, " this formality after his own friendly welcome said it all even if it was an acceptable address", I see that I find you in good health", he knew she wished him anything but", and apologize for this …unexpected visit but it seems I must seek your assistance on an urgent matter "

She was studying his face for any tells of his foreknowledge on this but she would not find any.

"Of course, I shall endeavor to be of assistance if it is at all in my power", he said pleasantly to move things along.

"It appears that my younger brother, to whom my father has recently entrusted most of our Family's financial and political responsibilities has an … unfortunate flaw in his character that malicious third persons took advantage of and thus put our Family in a not small amount of inconvenience", she paused to study him once more" monetarily speaking, as well as within society, should it become common knowledge"

He fought not to smile and managed barely. Yes, you could call her brother's deprived cravings an unfortunate flaw in the same way you could call a troll merely unpleasant.

"I see, and how may I aid you in this …unfortunate situation, Miss Virga?" he could not help himself when he paused before 'unfortunate' in much the same way as her.

Her eyes smoldered with the knowledge that he was well aware of the situation but still he was making her explain the shameful matter to him.

"It would seem that there had been an …altercation which has rendered the youngest Weasley child, one Ginerva, … unsuitable for marriage", she paused and he could see her words crawl out like bladed spiders" At all"

What she meant was that the only and youngest daughter of a lesser, but no less pureblood, family was in Saint Mungos disfigured and having barely survived the vicious and unprovoked attack by her brother and his companions.

This was grounds for no less than a blood feud as well as a social response that would outcast the family in these precarious times.

He kept his silence, waiting for her to tell him exactly what she wanted.

"We have offered them a betrothal", her face twisted in displeasure" in recompensation as well as a sizable dowry for the girl, but they refuse most vehemently. We have had to use a significant amount of resources to keep this matter quiet in the last few days but I fear we can no longer do so", she would have rushed her speech if she was not such a well- bred woman.

He leaned back in his chair and looked at her for a long moment then nodded.

"Most inappropriate conduct yes, but they are after all blood traitors", he said calmly" I may be able to assist but I cannot promise that any resolution would be less costly than you already have predicted"

By which he meant that even if they did not have to throw the last of their fortunes at the Weasleys and into various bribes, then they as a whole would be in his considerable debt. She had been aware of this before she came to him but it was still a bitter potion down her throat.

"I understand, Lord Malfoy. If you do indeed resolve this issue for us we would be in your debt", she replied, eyes sliding to the side.

Surrender, it was sweet.

"Very well. I shall contact you shortly with news", he stood and she followed, seeing her dismissal" Despite circumstances, it has been a pleasure, Miss Virga"

She gave a forced, but no less graceful, bow of her head and bade her goodbyes.

When she had been escorted out by the elf that had appeared at his silent command, he sat back and grinned.

How good of Nefas to hand his own pawn over so easily. But Draco had always known that Pravus' vices would be his downfall.

His grin turned angry, more a baring of teeth than anything. The fire lit his pale hair ablaze and put tongues of flames in his near colorless irises.

Draco Malfoy, Lord Malfoy, would be the downfall of Nefas Pravus. Of that he had no doubt.

"My Lord", the Death Eater bowed deeply and fell to one knee.

Voldemort looked down upon Severus Snape with eyes the color of arterial blood.

"What news on the Northern front?"

While the situation was not equal to all out war it was close, very close.

The country was more or less divided with Hogwarts as one hold in Scotland , and Voldemort's main base in the south, close to Luton. Both were leading a so far underground war for control of the Ministry and thus far Dumbledore had had to retreat furthest. In fact Voldemort could smell victory not that far off.

Unfortunately, seeing their defeat near in the political arena the so-called Light side were falling back to guerilla tactics and attacking Death Eaters and minor bases, especially those close to their invisible borders. They were preparing for war, establishing the fronts so to speak.

"They are preparing a series of raids on known supporters of our cause in the Newcastle area. I have some of the targets, but not all. It would seem Dumbledore has grown more paranoid since your last success at the Wizengamot", and he proceeded to give those targets he claimed to know.

Yes, Severus was right in this, if not entirely truthful. But that was to be expected of a double agent. Never-the-less he could make a good guess as to what their true target was, despite their attempts to conceal it amidst other targets.

Greengrass Manor was near Blyth and it was their support in the Wizengamot he would need for next session if he wanted to once and for all remove that idiotic policy that made it law for the Ministry to alert the muggle Prime Minister to the goings on of the magical community. It may had been mere formality, but he had turned his back on his own dreams of dictatorship through brute force and thus needed to install change in policy with minimal fuss and as legally, according to the old system, as possible.

Then he would deal with the unsuspecting muggles as he saw fit.

"So, did he fall for it, Snape?",the young woman before him had nothing in common with the bright-eyed witch he had seen in her first year.

She was thin and wiry, hair cropped very short and swept back out of her face. He eyes were dark and hard, the left one baring a silver scar that ran parallel to it underneath the lower lit – a close miss from a dark curse.

Her ears were studded with runic gems for protection and strength, power and ones that were supposed to enhance the senses.

Her robes were well worn and an indistinct beige- gray color that seemed to shimmer and change almost like a chameleon charm as they moved through the house, blending into the backgrounds.

"I belive so, Granger", he said leading the way to one of the reception rooms where Mad Eye greeted him as warmly as always – with a wand to his face.

"Mad Eye, I checked him", she growled as if fed up with the old Auror's paranoid manner.

She would be too, since she was still his apprentice of a sort and spent most waking hours in his company.

She was one to talk though – she was probably the one other Order member that was as close to his levels of paranoia.

He didn't know why but after the death of that boy she had started to change very obviously, becoming even more withdrawn, fanatical in her studies and almost disturbingly interested in rituals. As the years passed she had began to toe the line on the gray areas that were available to her as a student of Hogwarts and in the summer after her fifth year he had found her trying to purchase some rather dark texts in Knockturn Alley.

He had brought her to the Headmaster and in a private conversation with him she had somehow managed to convince him that she was mature enough to make her own choices despite her age. Dumbledore had offered her a place in the Order – helping with research and such in the beginning. Then she had met Mad Eye and that had been it.

Now, four years later, she was almost unrecognizable and a most fierce opponent, as well as ruthless. For all this most Order members looked at her with suspicion but her close relationship with Moody kept them from making accusation of her being a dark witch, thus far.

He sat a few seats away from them and could not help the shiver of disgust as he saw how close she sat to the old Auror.

Inadvertedly he met her eyes and once more thought that there was something fundamentally wrong with the girl.

The World spun and the tiny mortal creatures upon it did not feel the power of her darkness spread into their insignificant, yet needed little souls.

At long last she had her General, even if she had to break him again and again, build him up from bare bones and mortal waste, wrench his tattered soul out and mold it to her wishes until he was hers to command. It had been an undertaking but success was inevitable.

The Dark deity looked into her rippling pool and gave the command.

Her General knelt and pressed his forehead to the stones of her far away keep.

"It will be as you wish it, my Goddess"

Shadows cloaked his form, for he needed no mortal clothes in this plane and while she was not overly vain she was glad that the vessel of her General was such a pleasing sight.

The thing she enjoyed most was the bright acid green of his eyes. They reminded her of Death. She liked Death.