Reversed Role

Lily was slowly recovering from her burnout and her conversations with Zoleia were a great help, the gentle witch had a way of getting her to put into words exactly what she was feeling since Severus' death, the anger and pain were the most obvious, but Lily had realised that her self-loathing had played a major part in her current situation. 

She hadn't joined Voldemort because she really believed in his cause, she didn't care about politics when she made her decision, Voldemort was everything she had been taught to despise and joining him was a form of punishment for her and a way of fulfilling Severus' wish so that he could continue to go through her. 

The 'training' Voldemort had put her through was also an important element of her current mental state, she had taken it all in her stride, never complaining, even though it was brutal and she had been on the verge of death more than once, it was another way for her to feel punished. 

Zoleia had helped her to realise and accept this, and they were trying to find better ways of dealing with her grief and guilt. She had a long discussion about what to do now, leaving Voldemort was out of the question, firstly because he probably wouldn't let her, but also because she didn't want to, Voldemort's ideas were not what she thought they were and Lily could feel that only he wanted things to change. Dumbledore just wanted things to go back to normal, he had no visions for this world.

But she had a new problem. 

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Miss Evans," the Malfoy patriarch smiled as she sat down in front of him. His office was surprisingly minimalist, considering the rest of the manor screamed 'I am rich!' 

Lily gave a small smile, "Please call me Lily, I've been living in your house for half a year now..." 

Abraxas nodded, his face suddenly serious, "Very well, I must discuss something our mutual friend, Tom, has done to himself. Something that I fear may cause the most important wizarding conflict in Europe since Grindelwald.

She blinked, "What has he done? Where is he now? It's been a week since I last saw him." She rubbed her throat. 

"He's recovering, he needs time alone to think about some things I told him," he paused, seeming to think about something, "I think he regrets what happened last week."

Lily laughed, "Lord Voldemort regrets nothing. We're just mice and he's the cat," even though he had healed her after his attack, "But I agree, his mood has been so erratic and changing lately..." She muttered. 

Abraxas nodded "Tom... I have known him since his first year, I was a year older than him, he has always had a terrible way of dealing with his emotions. He can't face them, and he always protects himself from them by doing something, anything, to make him forget them. The fact that we pureblood Slytherins were taught never to show our emotions hasn't helped him at all, and with Dumbledore always lurking around, having convinced Tom to be the next Dark Lord..."

"Well, he is a Dark Lord," Lily said matter-of-factly. 

"He is, but not in the way Dumbledore thought, for the old man, Tom is incapable of emotion, he does not feel and he seeks power only for himself," Lord Malfoy seems annoyed. 

"I've learned that Dumbledore only sees what he wants to see," she whispered, wanting to make Dumbledore pay for trying to cover up Severus' murder, "But he's wrong, I think, Voldemort feels a lot, but he's afraid to feel, isn't he?" 

Abraxas smiled sadly, "Yes, we can summarise it like that, but Tom has another fear, caused by his Muggle upbringing. He grew up in an orphanage in London during the Blitz."

Lily gasped, "That's terrible!"

"He saw his fair share of deaths caused by bombs or disease or starvation, seeing those horrors so young, being confronted with the fragility of humanity and not being able to express his emotions caused him to be absolutely terrified of dying. He spent most of his years at Hogwarts trying to find a way to achieve immortality, and he succeeded." His face was dark and worry lines appeared on his forehead. 

She made a thoughtful face and asked, "A Philosopher's Stone? No, it doesn't stop ageing... Oh dear, has he drunk unicorn blood? That would be why he is going mad!" 

Abraxas shook his head "No, he has made something worse, you must swear an unbreakable vow if you want to help him". 

"Why?" 

"You don't know Occlumency, Tom is an accomplished Legilimens, the vow will protect the knowledge in your mind." 

Lily froze for a minute, imagining Voldemort rummaging through her head, swallowed and nodded, "Okay, I will, who will bind us?" 

The Malfoy patriarch smiled, "I am able to make a vow and bind Lily." 

"Ah, yes." 

They stood face to face, hand on wrist, "Do you, Lily Rose Evans, swear to do all in your power to help Tom Marvolo Riddle?" 

It was her new purpose, to help Tom so that he could change the broken world that killed Severus. "I will," she said firmly. 

"Do you swear not to reveal to anyone the information that I, Abraxas Chrysotome Malfoy, will disclose to you about Tom Marvolo Riddle?" 

"I will." 

"And do you swear that you will never leave Tom Marvolo Riddle's side, even if you completely disagree with him?" She scowled at him, he just smiled, sometimes he reminded her of Dumbledore. Now she was stuck with the Death Eaters forever. 

"I will," she said, gritting her teeth.

The three shimmering strands that represented her promises sealed around her wrists and they were able to let go of each other's arms. 

"Sit down, this is going to be long and complicated," he motioned for her to sit back down. 

She complied and leaned towards him, "So what did Tom do to achieve immortality?" 

Abraxas' face was grave and dark, "He made Horcruxes. He has now divided his soul into five parts, each hidden in a material substance that binds him to the living plane. But the consequences of such an act... Tom is going mad, Lily, he is trying to fight it, and I know he knows what these things will do to him, but his fear of death is stronger. For now." 

Lily thought about what she had just learned, "How...how is a Horcrux made?" 

"By murder with the sole intention of causing murder for murder's sake, you have to take pleasure in taking that life. Then there is a blood ritual of which I know as little as possible," he said with a grimace of disgust. 

She took a deep breath, Voldemort taking pleasure in murder wasn't too strange, she would even call it normal, "Ok..." she swallowed, "So you want to restore his soul, is that even possible?" 

Abraxas made a face, "Yes...but it was never achieved." 

"Oh, simple then," she deadpanned. 

"He must feel genuine remorse for creating his Horcruxes." 

Lily put her head in her hands and groaned, now she was stuck trying to help Voldemort put his shredded soul pieces back together. It would take her all her life. 

She felt Lord Malfoy's hand on her shoulder, "I wouldn't make you take an Unbreakable Vow if I didn't have a serious plan. I will also teach you Occlumency." 

Lily lifted her head to face him, "So what is the plan?" 

✧ ✦ ✧

Abraxas watched the door close quietly after Lily's departure; the plan he had created would work, after all, Tom had made a Horcrux because of her. Of course, he hadn't revealed everything about his plans and the consequences for his friend, for now Lily was blissfully unaware of how important she was to Tom, both magically and emotionally. 

He had twisted the truth, made it look practical and rational, more about the political effort and silenced the real reason why this plan would work, the emotional reason. 

He looked out into the garden that his window office overlooked, he could see his daughter-in-law pruning some plants. It had surprised him at first to see such a refined looking woman as Narcissa Black getting her hands dirty in the dirt and dead leaves, Araminta never did anything like that. 

He grimaced, Merlin, how he hated his wife, he had never forgiven his parents for forcing him to marry her, but given that Araminta was the last heir of the Gamp family, making Lucius a double lord, until this... wretched woman refused to allow Lucius to bear her name, supposedly because her son was too much of a Malfoy, what a pathetic excuse, she just wanted to make them as miserable as she was. 

He needed her out of the picture, she was quite harmless, but Lucius was still far too afraid of her to become the confident Lord he needed to be one day. 

Abraxas tapped his fingers rhythmically on the windowsill, thinking that he had a very close friend who was not in the least bit deterred by murder...

No one would really miss Araminta...

He smiled softly as Lily joined Narcissa in her pruning, dragging Lucius unceremoniously along with her, while his daughter-in-law laughed at the sight of her husband being treated so rudely. 

He smiled, yes, Lily Evans was the key, and not just to his friend's salvation. 

He looked at the time on his pocket watch and sighed, he didn't like it, but he had a murder to plan. 

✧ ✦ ✧

He took a deep breath, organised his occlumency shields and tried to hide all his erratic and impulsive thoughts so that he could appear calm and collected in front of his followers. 

He was their leader, their lord, their master... His hand twitched. 

"Welcome, I know it has been a long time since we last met, but I had an important project to complete first. Now that Dumbledore is out of the political scene, I hope you have made progress in infiltrating the Ministry, seizing valuable positions or recruiting useful Ministry employees," he said in a sweet voice. 

They were in Château Lestrange, the ballroom where the meetings were held, attended by all his Death Eaters and followers, marked and unmarked. The masked faces shuffled uncomfortably until one of them finally spoke. 

"We have the majority in the Wizengamot if you need legislation passed, my Lord," he recognised the voice as that of Hector Mcnair. 

"And how did you manage to get the majority?" Voldemort asked. 

Mcnair hesitated, "We used some family members of some neutral members to blackmail them... some accepted bribes of money..." 

Voldemort saw red, rose from his seat and shouted "CRUCIO!" The man withered on the floor, screaming his lungs out in pain, "Are you all IDIOTS? How can you think that treats and bribes will make our side stronger? The moment you lose your grip on them, they will be weeping in Dumbledore's robes!" He swore. 

"My... My Lord... There are a few recruits that might interest you," Avalain Rosier spoke quietly. 

He turned his attention to the man, Avalain was intelligent and his wife a great help to Lily from what Abraxas told him, and their daughter Celeste helped her escape from Moody and Mcgonagall. "Do tell" 

"We've been contacted by a certain Remus Lupin, he wants to join us, apparently he heard about the Werewolf Rights Bill that Dolores Umbridge wanted to pass..."

"...Dolores Umbridge could be an excellent recruit," Gritus Goyle's voice boomed over Avalian's. 

A terrified silence fell over the room and Voldemort, astonished at the stupidity of some of his sycophants, burst into hysterical laughter and like the imbecile he is, Gritus joined in, "Sanguinem Fervescere," Voldemort whispered, suddenly stopping laughing. 

Soon the effect began to take hold and a circle was formed around the man, he was bright red, blisters all over his body, he began to scream in pure agony, holding his face in his hand and falling to the ground, writhing like a worm trying to escape the pain. He scratched his face until it was bloody, and gasps of horror echoed around the room as they saw the blood pouring from his body was boiling. 

Voldemort sighed, "I'm sure no one will miss him," silence answered him, and with a flick of his wrist he made the body disappear, "Now, back to business, I told you clearly that I would be the advocate of magic, always on the side of magic, and what are werewolves? Magical creatures! So please, someone get rid of this Dolores!"

Mcnair nodded, a pleased smile on his face, "It's as good as done, My Lord". 

"Good, now Avalain, good work with Mr Lupin, send him to Malfoy Manor, if Abraxas doesn't mind of course?" He glanced at his eldest follower who just smiled and nodded. 

"Not at all." 

Voldemort sat back in his throne-like chair, "Now that I have seen that most of you have been completely useless, you are dismissed. Only the marked will remain"

Abraxas, Lucius, Avalain, Tiberius Nott, Bellatrix and her father-in-law Rhys Lestrange and Herodotus Avery remained as the others slowly departed.  

Voldemort decided to get straight to the point, his Occlumency shields were unstable, he had to go: "We know where the Fae-elves live. I can't go there myself, I need an emissary who is not too well versed in the Dark Arts, someone whose magic is mostly neutral. Therefore, Bella and Rhys, you are not suitable candidates..." He looks critically at the other member of his inner circle, "Herodotus..."

His old friend shook his head, his silver eyes looking sad "I apologise, but I have been using blood magic for decades to help Ieranima with her illness" Voldemort felt as if he had suddenly been electrocuted, he had completely forgotten about Herodotus' wife. 

"Is it getting worse?" 

His school friend shook his head, "No, thank Merlin, but nothing works to calm her anaemia unless I share my blood with her, or the blood of our children".

Voldemort nodded, "Well... Nott, I remember you liked to dabble in necromancy." 

Tiberius sighed, "It's been a while, but yes." 

"I apologise to My Lord, but I don't think I'm a suitable candidate either, like Herodotus I used blood magic to protect my home," Avalain spoke. 

Voldemort looked at Abraxas, "A nice walk in the woods tempt you, Abraxas? I suppose Lucius is a little busy with his Lordship's training." 

His old friend smiled his small, wise smile, "Indeed, he will be attending the next Wizengamot meeting without me, I would be honoured to represent you". 

"You will go as soon as possible, Dumbledore's emissary must have already met with them. The rest of you can go" 

When they were alone, Abraxas called for a chair, "My bones hurt. How are you holding up?"

"Very well," he said crisply. 

His old friend hummed, "That was the first time you killed one of us, I thought Gritus was no great loss, Galilea will be delighted to hear of her husband's demise".

Voldemort snorted, "I'm fine. Now. Your mission with the elves." 

"I assume you don't want me to ask them to join us," Abraxas guessed. 

Tom smiled, "You know me so well. Be respectful, observe and use all their customs, and if you can, try to learn what Dumbledore has asked or promised them, but don't forget that they cannot lie, but they are very talented at distorting the truth. Then tell them that we will fight so that they can live freely in this world without having to hide, that all magical beings and creatures will have rights, and that the only thing I ask is that they don't join Dumbledore. I trust you to deal with their questions"

"Of course. You want them to join you of their own free will," Abraxas concluded. 

He nodded, "Indeed." 

"I will endeavour not to disappoint you, Tom," Abraxas rose to his feet. 

"Don't call me Tom, you know how I despise that name," Voldemort grimaced. 

His old friend stopped and nodded, "Of course, have a good evening," then stopped again, "Oh, I almost forgot, it is a favour I am asking of you, but Araminta is becoming unbearable, could you please make her disappear discreetly?" 

He scoffed, "Killing Araminta is hardly a favour, Abraxas, consider it a birthday present, but why not do it yourself? Do I look like a henchman?"

"Certainly not, but in case they start an investigation, I would like to keep my hands clean, but forget it, I will find another way, perhaps she will choke on her spiteful tongue," he muttered the last part into his beard. 

Voldemort grinned, "I will find time to take care of her"

Abraxas smiled, looking genuinely relieved, "Wonderful, I will go now. 

He nodded, and as soon as he was gone, he let his Occlumency shields fall. And the room he was in exploded.