Severus Snape sighed as he once again listened to the idiot that was headmaster of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, ranting about Voldemort once again.

"This is it Severus, now our battle truly begins. Harry returns to Hogwarts, to the Wizarding world and there is no doubt in my mind that Voldemort will follow." The older man drew himself up to his fullest height, trying to look all dignified and like a leader. To be fair given his strong and powerful magic, his long and respectable beard it might have worked.

But the rainbow hued trails that the golden snitches flying across his bright purple robes ruined that effect.

As did the fact that everything coming out of the old man's mouth was pure horseshit.

Voldemort was dead. Severus knew this because on that night of the 31st October 1981 when Voldemort killed Potter, then Lily and finally went for their son, Harry only to have his killing rebound on him, that fateful night the Dark Mark on Severus' arm disappeared.

The connection between Voldemort and his followers died when he did and Severus remembered feeling it, feeling the magic that Voldemort had been leeching off of him and presumably all the other Death Eaters, snap back to him.

Until that moment Severus hadn't even realised just how much Voldemort depended upon draining the magic out of others to fuel himself. That the Dark Lord was little more than a fucking parasite.

But yes, Voldemort was well and truly gone.

If only he could get Albus Dumbledore to believe him.

"Morning Lucius," Severus said and sank into the armchair he usually sat on when visiting his old friend. He reached over pouring himself a large generous drink of the muggle scotch that Lucius was so fond of.

"Dumbledore?" Lucius said knowing well that it was only that old geezer that got Severus so worked up.

The complete disappearance of the Dark Mark had affected Lucius greatly. As it turned out, Lucius had inherited a life debt from his father that he owed the Dark Lord and Lucius was the one whose power had been sapped the most out of them all. Suffice it to say, when Voldemort died, when Lucius felt powerful for the first time in a good decade and he could finally kick out his worthless and quite mad sister-in-law, and thus secure a modicum of peace for his wife and safety for his son, his life had taken quite the turn for the better.

Besides, he was a Malfoy after all. Why bend at the knee in front of another when he could just get all the power in the world for himself?

"Dumbledore," His friend confirmed.

The old goat had been quite pain in their arse for ages now. Most of the Death Eaters, well alright, the powerful Death Eaters with a modicum of sanity, had recognised the Dark Lord for the pissant he was and denounced him and his ideals soundly. The Imperius came very helpful to them and they used it well.

But the goat refused to believe their sincerity. He believed that when the Dark Lord would rise again they would follow, that they were only building a power base for Voldemort to use in later years.

Horse shit.

Then again, Dumbledore was a bigoted idiot. Never did seem to realise that they were Slytherins for their ambitions and for a need for power. Why in Merlin's name would they want to bloody share this power that they worked so hard for?

"I'd keep an eye out Lucius, the man's got plans. Stupid ones but you know how Fudge kisses his arse."

"Plans you say?"

"Well Harry Potter is coming back to Hogwarts, which means of course that Voldemort will come back to Hogwarts and so Dumbledore's making plans to deal with whatever vessel the man chooses to use." Severus took a large swig from the tumbler mouth screwing up as the alcohol hit him. "I never thought I'd say this...but I'm quite concerned for the Potter spawn."

Lucius froze. Even the house-elf tending to the fireplace froze and gaped at the Potions master. Every single living being in the Malfoy Manor had at some point been subjected to Severus' 'Potters are evil, friend stealing sons of bitches' rant.

Lucius and the house-elf shared a covert glance and the glass in Severus' hand was refilled with a snap of the elf's fingers and it disappeared to make the bed in the guestroom for Severus.

And Lucius settled himself into the chair across from his friend. "What do you mean concerned for the boy?" He asked softly and in as gentle tones as he could manage. Didn't want to set Severus off when he was in this maudlin a mood.

"You remember how I mentioned Lily's sister before?"

Oh, yes, Lucius remembered. That Evans had a horse like sister mad with envy over her magic, had been a source of great laughter in the Slytherin common rooms. Muggles being jealous shrews were a staple joke fuelling their amusement and mirth. Severus had added to their rich tradition of jokes, marvellously imitating the gaping look on her face as he had broken branches and terrified the chit back when he was a child.

"What about her?"

"It appears that the muggles that Dumbledore in his infinite wisdom placed the boy with, to keep his fame from getting to him, were that jealous cow and her husband and son."

Oh. Oh, dear. That wasn't good at all.

"And guess who he's sending to introduce Harry Potter to the Wizarding world?"

"Who?" Lucius asked, dreading the answer.

"Rubeus Hagrid."

Lucius froze again before rushing into action.

"Severus, something must be done. We cannot let Dumbledore get his hooks into the boy."

So much sheer political capital contained within that tiny child and it would be twisted by Dumbledore's plans to save the same Muggles that were inevitably his gaolers. Ugh.

No, no, that would not do.