Nico, Voldemort's Older Brother (Being Rewritten)

Severus XXX

  I strode out the infirmary, knowing that it was highly unlikely that I would make it back alive, Should Voldemort still be insane. I cursed Dumbledore, he knew it was dangerous for me to return to the Dark Lord. I passed Hogwarts' anti-Apparition wards and Apparated to the Dark Lord's side. I fell to my knees, internally wincing and stowing my pride away.

  "Severus." Voldemort hissed, I didn't dare to look up and hoped that my occlumency shields would help me. "You're late."

  "I had to get away from Dumbledore and his watchful eyes, Master." I said smoothly. "My spying position within Hogwarts is secure, and Dumbledore suspects nothing." I had joined him when he was sane, but it seemed he had only become more unhinged with time.

  "No need for excuses, Severus. Look at me."

  I looked up and quickly fought to hide my surprise at seeing him look like a human and around my age. "Master?" Voldemort actually looked human... and sort of decent. I noted that there weren't any other Death Eaters there except for Lucius Malfoy.

  "You have some strange protectors," Voldemort remarked, his brown eyes glinting. "However did you gain Selena Black's loyalty?"

  "I don't know what you mean, Master." I looked into his eyes. "The only Selena I know of is a fourth year Ravenclaw, and her last name is Alimari, not Black."

  "You lie fairly well." Voldemort hissed, and I felt my heartbeat speeding up.

  I was glad I hadn't taken out the various portkeys I had sown under my skin from the last war. "I don't know what you mean, Master."

  "Oh, drop the act, Severus." Lucius spoke at last. "Selena and Serena made him sane again. He knows, he's Nico's little brother."

  I glanced at Voldemort, seeing the resemblance. Seeing and hearing were two different things. "So he's sane again?"

  "Indeed." Voldemort said, looking amused. "You should call me Marvolo. Voldemort was a character I made up in my youth, later exploited by Dumbledore. I'm not Voldemort, nor Tom Riddle anymore. Stand, Severus. Please."

  I stood up slowly, letting out a sigh of relief. "If I may ask, how did you manage to regain your sanity?"

  "It turns out that making horcruxes have a somewhat damaging effect on one's psyche." Marvolo smiled sardonically.

  "Oh, really?" I drawled sarcastically, then flinched slightly. I prepared myself to be hit with the cruciatus curse.

  "Oh, dear Severus." Marvolo frowned. "I won't do anything to you."

  "Past behavior says otherwise," I said, not sure how long the sane behavior would last.

  Marvolo winced, "I suppose so, but you should believe me, Severus." He paused. "My mind is a jumble of half-forgotten memories and blurs." He glanced at Lucius, "Lucius, could you please inform Severus of all that occurred in his absence?"

  Lucius nodded, then turned to Severus. "Di Angelo, Potter, and Diggory appeared via portkey here, Pettigrew killed Diggory, Marvolo became human again, he summoned us, those Black twins appeared—Alimari, whatever they're calling themselves this time around—, they conversed, revealed too much, wiped the mortals' memories, disappeared, the Death Eaters were dismissed, and Marvolo had a midlife identity crisis."

  Marvolo scowled, but surprisingly, I didn't sense any malice in his face.

  Lucius smirked, then continued, "After Marvolo decided that he was neither Tom nor Voldemort, he became Marvolo. Then he summoned you, and here we are."