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Snape said nothing. He looked away from the sight of her tears as though they were indecent, but he could not pretend not to hear her.
"That's why he's chosen Draco, isn't it." she persisted. "To punish Lucius." "If Draco succeeds," said Snape, still looking away from her, "he will be honored above all others." "But he won't succeed!" sobbed Narcissa. "How can he, when the Dark Lord himself— ." Bellatrix gasped; Narcissa seemed to lose her nerve.
"I only meant. . . that nobody has yet succeeded. . . . Severus . . . please . . . You are, you have always been, Draco's favorite teacher. . . . You are Lucius's old friend. ... I beg you. .. . You are the Dark Lord's favorite, his most trusted advisor. . . . Will you speak to him, persuade him — ." "The Dark Lord will not be persuaded, and I am not stupid enough to attempt it," said Snape flatly. "I cannot pretend that the Dark Lord is not angry with Lucius. Lucius was supposed to be in charge. He got himself captured, along with how many others, and failed to retrieve the prophecy into the bargain. Yes, the Dark Lord is angry, Narcissa, very angry indeed." "Then I am right, he has chosen Draco in revenge!" choked Narcissa. "He does not mean him to succeed, he wants him to be killed trying!" When Snape said nothing, Narcissa seemed to lose what little self-restraint she still possessed. Standing up, she staggered to Snape and seized the front of his robes. Her face close to his, her tears falling onto his chest, she gasped, "You could do it. You could do it instead of Draco, Severus. You would succeed, of course you would, and he would reward you beyond all of us —" Snape caught hold of her wrists and removed her clutching hands. Looking down into her tearstained face, he said slowly, "He intends me to do it in the end, I think. But he is determined that Draco should try first. You see, in the unlikely event that Draco succeeds, I shall be able to remain at Hogwarts a little longer, fulfilling my useful role as spy." "In other words, it doesn't matter to him if Draco is killed!" "The Dark Lord is very angry," repeated Snape quietly. "He failed to hear the prophecy.
You know as well as I do, Narcissa, that he does not forgive easily." She crumpled, falling at his feet, sobbing and moaning on the floor.
"My only son . . . my only son . . ." "You should be proud!" said Bellatrix ruthlessly. "If I had sons, I would be glad to give them up to the service of the Dark Lord!"
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