It was easy to earn the older boys trust. Barty had thought that probably wouldn't be the case - he was always so closed off, preferring his own company to that of others - but he had been pleasantly surprised. Perhaps he was not alone by choice.

That made this all so much easier. He had thought that Regulus would be the one to open up such paths for him, but Regulus had been a disappointment. Too scared of what the future could hold to want to forge his own way; too scared of what his cousin might say to want to ask her for help. Even his brother was better than that. At least he'd been willing to make his own way. Regulus simply had not. And that had led him here.

To Severus.

The boy craved any form of affection - it was pathetic really - and that desire only increased once Evans dropped him. Barty would laugh at the other boy if that very desperation wasn't exactly what he needed right now.

Severus wanted acceptance so much that he was willing to do anything to receive it. He was always hanging around at the edges of Hogwarts' group of potential Death Eaters, mostly ignored but still sometimes garnering their attention - it was that ability to slip unnoticed into the shadows, Barty believed, that was the only reason they kept him around.

It wasn't much, but it was something. And Severus would be his way in.

With calculated words of passion and acceptance, Barty wormed his way into Severus' life. Gradually, he made himself the centre of the boy's attention until Severus wanted him to be in every part of his life.

He had to listen to the boy complain about his family, about Evans and Potter and Black; he had to put up with looking at his ugly face, and touching his greasy hair; letting the boy invade his personal space every chance he got, hidden away in empty classrooms or down secret corridors.

But, ultimately, it had been worth it. He got exactly what he wanted, kneeling at his Lord's feet, arm searing, and a sea of masked faces surrounding him. He smiled through the pain, grinned, laughed. Yes, it had all been worth it for this.