The Dark Lord's Pet Princess

76. The Elder Wand

To no one's real suprise, the people of Hogwarts refused to give up Harry Potter.
So at Midnight the battle commenced.
Since Voldemort only had two Horcruxes left, he kept Larissa and Nagini by his side, while he hide in the Shrieking Shack, instead of sending them off to fight.
Nagini was protected by a magical forcefield, so Larissa was not able to try and destroy her. She just hoped that Harry was on his way, carrying some method of destroying Horcruxes.
As Lucius didn't have a wand, he had remained at Voldemort's side, until he was sent to fetch Severus.

When Severus arrived, he bowed to Voldemort and then to Larissa.
"My lord, my lady. Their resistance is crumbling" informed Severus.
"And it is doing so without your help. Skilled wizard as you are Severus, I do not think you will make much difference now. We are almost there... almost" replied Voldemort.
"My lord, let me find the boy. Let me bring you Potter. I know I can find him. Please let me" begged Severus.

Voldemort ignored Severus's plees, and began twirling his wand around his fingers.
"I have a problem" he said quietly.
"A problem, my lord?" Questioned Severus.
"Yes. Why doesn't it work for me?" Asked Voldemort as he raised his wand.
"I do not understand. You have peformed extraordinary magic with that wand"
"No, I am extraordinary. This wand has not revealed the wonders it has promised".
"Perhaps you're not using it properly" mumbled Larissa.
"Quiet. This is between me and Severus" snapped Voldemort.

Larissa raised her hands in surrender and headed over to the other side of the room.
"This is no different from my original wand... I have thought long and hard, Severus, about why the wand refuses to obey me. Do you know why I have called you back from the battle?" Asked Voldemort.
"No, my lord. But please let me return. Let me find Potter for you" pleaded Severus.

"You sound like Lucius. Neither of you understand Potter like I do. When the time comes, he will come to me" announced Voldemort.
"But what if he should be killed by another?" Questioned Severus.
"My death eaters know that they are to capture Potter and not kill him. It is you I wish to speak to right now. Not Harry Potter. You have been valuable to me. Very valuable"
"My lord knows I seek only to serve him".

"Yes. But my concern at the minute is not whether the boy will come, but whether or not this wand will fail me when I finally meet the boy" revealed Voldemort.
"My lord, there is no question. When the time comes, the wand will not fail you, I'm sure" reassured Severus.
"But there is a question, Severus... I have been thinking long and hard about why the Elder wand refuses to be what it ought. And I think I have an answer. The wand cannot serve me properly, because I am not its master. You killed Albus Dumbledore. While you live, the Elder wand cannot truly by mine".

"My lord" mumbled Severus, in a voice no more than a whisper.
"There is no other way. I must master the Elder wand, so that I can kill Potter" informed Voldemort.
Before Severus could defend himself, Voldemort flicked his wand, sending Nagini's floating bubble, towards him.
"Kill!" Hissed Voldemort in Parseltongue.
Nagini obliged and placed her fangs into Severus's neck, causing him to drop to the ground.

Larissa screamed and threw her hands over her mouth.
"What did you just do!" Shouted Larissa.
Voldemort flicked his wand, summoning Nagini's invisible cage back over to him.
"I did what had to be done" informed Voldemort, with no empathy in his voice.
"He was your most loyal supporter, and you killed him without a second thought" gasped Larissa.
"He was a good man, but only I can live forever".

Voldemort headed to the exit, with Nagini at his side, but Larissa crouched down beside Severus.
"What are you doing?" Questioned Voldemort.
"No one should have to die alone" answered Larissa.
"You're coming with me" insisted Voldemort.
"Go, I'll meet you in the forest later. I'm not in any danger here, so I don't see what the problem with me staying is"
"Fine, stay here. But don't be too long".

Voldemort fled from the shack, and Larissa placed her hand against the wound on Severus's neck, even though she knew she could not save him.
"I'm sorry old friend" she whispered.
The sound of footsteps behind her, made her tense up, but she relaxed when she realised it was only Harry and his friends.
"Save him" ordered Harry.
"I can't. His wounds are too severe. He has less than a minute left to live" admitted Larissa.

Suddenly a strange silvery blue substance began emitting from Severus's eyes and mouth.
"Take it" mumbled Severus.
"He's giving you his memories" gasped Larissa.
Hermione quickly produced a flask and handed it to Harry, so that he could collect the memories.
Once the flask was full, Severus looked up at Harry.
"Look at me... You have your mother's eyes" muttered Severus.
A second later his own black eyes closed shut forever.

A single tear rolled down Larissa's cheek, which she quickly wiped away.
"He was a good man" she said quietly, as she stood to her feet.
"He wasn't really" admitted Ron awkwardly.
"Watch the memories in the Pensive in the headmaster's office. Everything will become a lot clearer then. There was something Dumbledore wanted to tell you Harry, which I'm sure is in one of Severus's memories. But, in case it isn't" said Larissa, before conjuring a flask, and filling it with her own memories.
She then handed the flask over to Harry.

"Watch the memories and everything will become clear" insisted Larissa.
"We've destroyed the cup and the diadem. Nagini is the last one, the last Horcrux" revealed Harry.
"I'm glad that you have almost finished your mission. But Nagini is not the last one" admitted Larissa.
"She's not?"
"No. The last one is not something you need to find, but it will be the hardest to destroy, for you personally... There's also something I need to do. And when the time comes I am prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice. But until then, I must rejoin my master's side"
"Stay safe"
"Yeah, you too".