Disclaimer: Nothing you recognize belongs to me. Just borrowed. Will be returned. Snape is welcome to stay, though.

A big Thank You goes to my beta-reader, Maggie and my beta-reader and brit-picker, Melusin, who both are always encouraging, helpful, and thorough.

Part I - Separation

Prologue

The night was warm, quiet, and very dark. The salty air felt sticky, and no sound was heard except for the occasional hoots of ship sirens and the soft lapping of the waves against the rocks of the shore. A multitude of holes covered these rocks like pockmarks; some were large, some small, and some gaped like the toothless mouth of an old giant. Some of these mouths were barely more than rock overhangs, but others opened up to cave systems formed by labyrinths of passageways and large cavities.

In one of these large cavities, a tall, thin man with a bald head, red eyes, and a flat, reptilian nose stood motionless, staring at a man in black robes laying prostrate in front of him. Other people, wearing hooded robes and silver masks, surrounded them keeping a respectful distance.

"Rise, my faithful servant!"

"As you wish, Master." Severus Snape, the man on the ground, rose slowly. His eyes were glittering through the slits in his Death Eater mask.

Lord Voldemort, his master, circled around him.

"So, here you are, Severus. Awaiting your praise and reward. Awaiting honour beyond your dreams. You, who have rid me of the enemy I loathed the most. The Muggle-lover. The blood traitor. Dumbledore." He completed the circle and faced Snape again. Then, he turned and looked at the other Death Eaters.

"What do you say, Death Eaters? Does Severus Snape deserve this reward? Has he acted in my best interest in assuming the task that was given to Draco Malfoy?" he asked quietly.

Some of the Death Eaters murmured, but none dared to speak.

"Was that devotion when Severus killed Dumbledore?" Voldemort continued in a smooth, low voice. "Was it devotion when he completed a task that I, myself, failed to accomplish? Or was it ambition?" He paused, looked around again, and then swept dramatically towards Snape, staring into his eyes. "Perhaps you now think that you are my equal, Severus? Maybe that you are even more powerful than I am? Perhaps you thought it was justified to dismiss the boy and show your own power? What do you say, you, who have tried to copy me for so long? You, who imitate the way I move, who mimic the way I speak? Perhaps now you aspire to think like me? Or to think for me? – What do you say, Severus? Are we to call you 'Master' now?" He flung his arm out in a theatrical gesture and then rested it on his chest, head bowed in false humility. A few of the Death Eaters chuckled.

"May I speak, My Lord?" Snape asked quietly.

"By all means!" Voldemort hissed. "I daresay we all are breathlessly awaiting your report! And while you have our attention, perhaps you could enlighten us on the whereabouts of the boy and his mother?" While Voldemort's stance was still theatrical, his voice had become cold and threatening.

"I was not informed about Draco's plan, Master," Snape said. "When I heard about the Dark Mark over the Astronomy Tower, I hurried there immediately, because I knew that Draco must have tried something. On the way, I saw Death Eaters fighting Aurors and students, and it didn't look good. Our brothers and sisters fought bravely, efficiently, but they encountered fierce resistance. Reinforcements of Aurors and more students and teachers were to be expected soon. We would have been outnumbered.

On the stairs to the tower, I noticed a barrier that could only be crossed by Death Eaters, and I felt that speed of action was required, so I hurried up the stairs I found Draco and some other Death Eaters on the ramparts, Fenrir Greyback among them. The boy stood there with a lowered wand and stared at Dumbledore, who was lying on the floor opposite him. Dumbledore didn't seem to have a wand and appeared very weak – too weak to stand. The boy, or any of the other Death Eaters, could have killed him easily. It looked as though Draco had lost his nerve. I analysed the situation quickly and decided to act while the opportunity was there. Dumbledore was so desperate that he pleaded for his life. I killed him. Then, I fled the castle with the boy, urging the other Death Eaters to leave as well. We ran over the lawn towards the Forest, and I ordered Draco to meet me in the secret chambers at the Malfoy residence. Then I sent him to the Apparition point.

I was delayed by Harry Potter, who was being tortured by one of our brothers. I put a stop to it, because I know that you wish the Potter boy to be undamaged, My Lord. The boy attacked me. I disarmed him, and was about to bring him to you when I was attacked by a Hippogriff.

Some of the Death Eaters laughed maliciously, but Snape calmly pointed to a large slash on his shoulder. The wound was still bleeding lightly. "I barely escaped, but when I Apparated to Malfoy Manor, neither Draco nor his mother were anywhere to be found. I do not know where they went, but surely Bellatrix would know their whereabouts?" He paused and searched the group of Death Eaters for a familiar shape.

"We will get to this later, my silver-tongued friend," Voldemort said silkily. "Continue with your tale. We all wish to know how you will excuse your behaviour this time."

Snape bowed reverently and continued. "Dumbledore was so weak that he wasn't worthy of your attention any longer, My Lord. He was too weak to stand. Anyone could have killed him." He lowered his head and fell to his knees. "I never sought to be your equal, My Lord. I only try to follow your example in every way possible. If I have offended you by unconsciously imitating you, I can only hope for your forgiveness. However, if my arrogance has clouded my judgement, if I have failed you, My Lord, then I await your punishment. My life belongs to you, as always."

"Indeed it does," Voldemort said softly. He stared into Snape's eyes for a long time; Snape met his gaze calmly, unwaveringly. Finally, a slight smile curled Voldemort's thin lips and he spoke softly, "I will punish you for your arrogance when you deserve it, Severus, but not now." He put a hand on Snape's shoulder and faced the other Death Eaters. "Look at Severus, my friends. Here we have a man who is a quick thinker, a man who knows how to seize his advantage. Severus has done well tonight. He will be rewarded. He will be honoured beyond imagination." Voldemort helped Snape to his feet. "But first we must find out what happened to our cowardly servants, the Malfoys. Then we shall decide how to punish them..."

"My Lord, please..." A female voice interrupted Voldemort and a figure among the Death Eaters fell to her knees. "They must pay for their cowardice, but they are loyal, Master. Please..."

"Ah, Bella," Voldemort interrupted her. "You should know that my forgiveness is not infinite. You, who know me so well, you, who have been amongst my most faithful servants in Azkaban. You, who were always devoted to me... do you now put your family ahead of me?" He walked towards her, a terrible smile on his face. "Tell me, Bellatrix, where is your sister?"

"I do not know, Master," she shrieked. "I do not put them ahead of you. I would sacrifice everything and everyone for you! I did everything in my power to prepare the boy for the task."

"Is that so?" he hissed. "Then why, pray tell, did you not deem it necessary to inform me of the Unbreakable Vow Severus made with your sister?"

"You told him?" She stared at Snape accusingly.

"Of course I did," Snape said silkily. "Unlike you, I understand that earlier ties of kin and friendship are secondary compared to the bond that binds us to our master. You forced me into this oath with your distrust. Your presumed closeness to our Lord blinded you to the detrimental effect such an oath must have on Draco's mission. Narcissa put Draco's safety before the interest of our Lord, and you did nothing to stop her." Snape lips curled into a sneer. "If I hadn't sworn the oath, you never would have believed me. We would have fought, and one of us could have been killed. That would have been a huge disservice to our Lord."

"You always were a sneaky bastard, Snape!" Bellatrix shrieked. "Isn't it amazing how you always twist and turn every word until you present yourself in a favourable light? You, who sat fat and safe in Dumbledore's lap all these years, while–"

"Enough!" Voldemort ordered coldly. "I will be the judge as to who is faithful and best fulfils my bidding. I despise bickering among my Death Eaters. All of us here are your true family. Whoever was your family before you came to us no longer counts. You are just as guilty of holding on to sentimental ties of friendship as Bellatrix is, Severus. This will stop now."

"Yes, Master..." Bellatrix sobbed while Snape inclined his head in acquiescence.

"So, how shall we deal with the Malfoys?" Voldemort asked. "Perhaps I should forgive them, yet again, for putting their own interests above that of their master? I ask myself, is that fair? Is that the way to deal with servants who have failed me again and again? And I answer myself, 'No!' They need to be punished. They will be found and killed. They cannot be trusted and allowed back into our fold. They have outlived their usefulness."

"Master, please..." Bellatrix shrieked.

"Stop snivelling, Bella," Voldemort snarled. "It seems the time in Azkaban has muddled your brain. Where is the zest, the unwavering devotion of the Bellatrix I once knew? Surely your years spent in Azkaban couldn't have been as trying as the years I, myself, spent away from my body... powerless... alone, deserted by my servants."

Bellatrix fell to her knees. "No, Master. Of course not. None of us had to endure what you did…"

"Exactly. But did I give up in despair? Did I succumb to depression? No! I kept searching. I bade my time and grew stronger – and look at me now! Your Master is back. Lord Voldemort is back. Stronger than ever before, more determined and wiser than ever before." He paused and looked around.

The Death Eaters stood motionless, and not a sound could be heard except for the soft slapping of the waves on the rocks at the cave entrance.

"Tonight, one of my enemies… No, let's be truthful, my greatest enemy, was vanquished. Albus Dumbledore was a great and powerful wizard in his time. He was a wizard who took it upon himself to oppose your master, to uphold the twisted ideals of the Muggle-loving fools at the Ministry. He was a wizard who denied my claim for power, for greatness. A wizard who lacked the vision to follow my design for a powerful, a better magical world. Tonight he was slain."

Voldemort paused for a moment. The Death Eaters still stood motionless. He spun around on the spot, looked at them all, and then he laughed, a high-pitched, shrill laugh.

"Rejoice, my Death Eaters, rejoice! For the enemy was vanquished by Lord Voldemort's faithful servant, a man who proved his worth once more through his deeds. Let it be known to all my Death Eaters that Albus Dumbledore was vanquished by my most trusted servant, by Severus Snape!" He walked back to Snape, who still stood in the centre of the circle, and put an arm around his shoulders. "Ask for your reward, Severus, and it will be yours!"

Snape fell to his knees again. "I do not need a reward, Master," he said in a calm, carrying voice. "If doing my duty has pleased you, then I have been rewarded already."

Voldemort smiled, clearly pleased.

"But, perhaps a humble servant may ask for a favour?" Snape continued.

"Ask, Severus, and if it is within my power to give, it will be granted."

"You are too generous, Master," Snape murmured. "I only ask that you let me complete what has already begun, what you have already demanded. Let me go after the Malfoys. Let me be the one who punishes them."

A choked sob was all that could be heard from Bellatrix Lestrange, but Snape continued candidly. "Let me show you that bonds of friendship mean nothing to me, compared with the devotion and admiration that binds me to you."

Bellatrix's sobs grew louder.

"Favour granted. Bring me proof of their deaths. The way you rid me of them is up to you," Voldemort said with a cruel smile. "And now you will go, my Death Eaters. Bellatrix, you will stay."

With a sharp, crackling sound, the Death Eaters Disapparated.