A Change of Heart

Chapter Eight

Snape bowed to Voldemort, "You asked for me, my Lord?"
Voldemort waved him to a chair, "Have a seat, Severus."
Snape sat down gingerly on the edge of one of the chairs.
"Lucius' chairs are... too luxurious," remarked Voldemort. "Do you not find it so, Severus?"
"I am used to more- ah- functional furniture, my Lord," replied Snape. He still was quite composed. Voldemort admired that about this man. Snape was one of his few followers who could keep their heads in a crisis.
"Ensure we are not eavesdropped upon, Severus," said Voldemort. "And this conversation is not to be reported to Dumbledore. If he asks why I summoned you, tell him some falsehood."
Snape bowed again, "As you wish, my Lord."
Voldemort was silent for a moment as Snape cast the necessary spells to stop anyone from listening to their conversation, accidentally or otherwise. He was impressed by how Snape adapted a few simple spells. So, Snape was inventive too. A good trait in a teacher, apparently.
Voldemort wondered idly what made Dumbledore trust this man so implicitly. Dumbledore, for all his faults, was no fool. And while it was true that he was always ready to believe the best in others, he had always lamentably, failed to believe the best in Voldemort. But Dumbledore trusted Snape, still did. He believed that Snape worked for him. And he, Voldemort believed Snape worked for him.
Which of us is being fooled by you, Severus? He wondered as Snape took his seat again. Or are you playing some game of your own?
"Look at me, Severus," he said softly.
Snape faced him, calmly.
Voldemort cast the Leglimency spell without words, adding aloud, "No blocking me out, Severus,"
He looked into Snape's head for any signs of treachery and found none. He found contempt for Dumbledore, for Potter, and he also found quite a great deal of anger towards... ah.... Black. He nodded, satisfied.
"I take it you would get a great deal of satisfaction to kill Sirius Black."
"A great deal of pleasure, my Lord," Snape's face and voice was impassive, but he fidgeted a bit. "Is that what you wish of me?"
Voldemort shook his head. "Not yet, Severus. We shall have to defer your pleasure to a more appropriate moment."
"I live only to serve," Snape bowed.
"Severus, I remember you being enamoured of Lily Potter once,"
He watched Snape's face from under his hood. The impassive mask cracked for an instant and something almost like longing came to Snape's eyes. But that was gone just as quickly.
"At one time, yes," said he evenly.
Voldemort nodded. "She had a-sister?"
Snape nodded.
"What was her name?"
Snape's brows furrowed, "It was some flower," muttered he. "Rose? No. Gardenia, I think. No, that's not right. Petunia! That's right. Petunia." He smiled a bit apologetically. "I never met her, my Lord. Evans mentioned her often, but.."
"I can imagine you weren't paying attention to her words," Voldemort said drily. "One more thing, Severus. Do you know if Petunia Evans is married?"
"I believe so, my Lord, but I don't know anything else. Evans and I were not too friendly after our fifth year."
Voldemort nodded. "A mudblood was not the one for you, Severus. There are many pure bloods worthy of your attention." He rose. "You may leave now."
Snape bowed and went out. Voldemort returned to the library. He had a name. But that did not bring him any closer to finding out where Petunia Evans now lived or what she was called now. He frowned. She was a muggle. And Dumbledore's spell would ensure that she would be undetected by anyone using magic to trace her.
Voldemort sighed. He hated muggles. But it seemed he would need to find Petunia Evans the muggle way. And the worst thing was, though he did grow up in a muggle orphanage, he had not been to the muggle world except to kill and terrorize for almost fifty years now. 
But he could learn. How hard could it be? Muggles do it every day. And he was Lord Voldemort.