Chapter 756
Lucius's Request
Chapter 756 Lucius's Request
A moment later, Lucius's arm trembled slightly. He let go of his fingers in despair, watching Snape get up and carefully pack away the package. He couldn't help but gasp, feeling his hands and feet grow cold.
Snape said, "After the master receives the package and verifies that everything is in order, I will pass on any further instructions you may have."
“Good job, Severus,” Lucius said softly, glancing at where he had stored his packages.
Snape raised his glass: "It wasn't hard work, it was all for the Dark Lord."
"For the Dark Lord."
Lucius downed his drink in one gulp, then watched as Snape refilled his glass.
Perhaps due to the effects of alcohol, Lucius suppressed his anxiety and asked in a low voice:
"Severus, is there... is there any way for me to speak directly with the Dark Lord?"
Snape frowned slightly.
"I'm begging you, Severus."
A flicker of urgency crossed Lucius's pale face, his voice filled with anxiety and fear: "Give me a chance, I can explain... I will make the Dark Lord believe in my loyalty again..."
Snape's face was like a perfectly polished mask, completely expressionless. His dark eyes were unfathomable, and he simply responded indifferently:
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Lucius. I also don’t know anything about… a direct ‘audience’.”
"No, you know!"
Lucius spoke excitedly, yet dared not raise his voice. He glanced at the two thieves again, cast a stun spell on each of them to enhance its effect, and then said:
"After losing Avery and the others, you're the only one who can still contact the Dark Lord! We all know how much he trusted you in the past! For the sake of our past friendship, Severus!"
"You overestimate my status, Malfoy!"
Snape remained unmoved and said, "Think about it carefully. Dumbledore vouched for me personally, and I've been a professor at Hogwarts for over a decade."
"Of course, the order to stay by Dumbledore's side as a double agent was given by the Dark Lord himself, and I have been waiting for the right opportunity at Hogwarts."
"But how can you so simply assume that after all these years, the Dark Lord would still trust me without reservation?"
“But not on that day… You are the only one who wasn’t arrested. The Dark Lord’s trust in you is definitely greater than mine.”
"As for now... I'm not lying to you. Although I have a one-way channel to get this thing to him, I have no idea where the Dark Lord is, when he will respond, or even if he will respond at all..."
Lucius slumped his shoulders in dejection. His understanding of the Dark Lord told him that Snape was telling the truth...
If the Dark Lord hadn't been without anyone else at his disposal, perhaps both of them would have been considered suspicious and publicly executed by the Dark Lord?
Lucius rubbed his face helplessly, then suddenly picked up the wine glass on the table and drank it all in one gulp.
“Then please do me a favor, Severus… In exchange, Galleons, ancient books, potion ingredients, magical artifacts, the support of the Board of Governors… Just name your request, and I’ll grant it!” Snape’s expression shifted slightly as he looked up at him.
Lucius, as if grasping at a last straw, whispered pleadingly:
"When you deliver the items, please pass on my message... tell him that Lucius Malfoy has never wavered! Tell him... no, please also take a letter for me!"
He got up to look for parchment on the bookshelf, but accidentally bumped into the table, causing the glass to fall over with a clatter and shatter on the floor.
Snape reached out to steady the wobbly table, waved his wand to restore the wine glass to its original state, and then silently took out a parchment and a quill.
This was undoubtedly an agreement. Lucius gave him a grateful look, sat down, and began to write furiously.
Snape stood by and watched, and Lucius didn't stop him. Instead, he stepped aside to let Snape see for himself that he hadn't written anything detrimental to Snape in the letter.
Lucius begins by expressing his loyalty to the Dark Lord in an extremely sincere and excited tone. He then explains why he did not fall into the hands of the Aurors that day. Next, he recalls their past relationship, praises the Dark Lord's greatness, and states that the Malfoy family will continue to fully support the Dark Lord, and so on.
When Snape saw him write that the reason he escaped Azkaban was because Barty Crouch Jr. had deliberately retaliated by turning him into a toad that couldn't fight, and that Lucius deeply suspected his motives for doing so.
Snape: ...
He could even utter such self-deprecating words, and the process of turning into a toad was written with genuine emotion. The pain and confusion during that time were extremely real and specific. If Dumbledore hadn't told him the true identity of the informant that day, he would have suspected that Barty the Younger had really transformed Lucius.
Moreover, as someone who could still maintain some contact with Voldemort, Snape actually knew some inside information...
For example, the Dark Lord had two suspects regarding the person who revealed the monastery's address—Barty Crouch Jr. and Lucius Malfoy, and in the Dark Lord's view, Barty Crouch Jr. was more suspicious than Lucius Malfoy.
After this letter, Lucius might actually regain some of the trust he deserves.
The words of self-defense had been lingering in Lucius's mind for who knows how long. He wrote them down in one go, carefully reviewed them, then sealed them and handed them to Snape.
“Even though there’s a misunderstanding between Barty and me, my loyalty to the Dark Lord remains unchanged. Please tell the Dark Lord, Severus, that I will always await his summons!”
When Snape received the envelope and read the full text of the letter, he seemed to be subtly moved, and his cold expression softened slightly.
His gaze swept over Lucius's face, which was filled with anxiety and longing. He took half a step forward, his voice extremely low:
“Dark Lord, there are indeed some plans recently… concerning our comrades who were buried alive in Azkaban… who never betrayed us…”
Lucius's eyes lit up, and he looked tentatively at Snape:
"Could it be... that the Dark Lord intends to..."
Snape nodded slightly, his eyes fixed on Lucius as if scrutinizing his true thoughts.
"This requires meticulous planning, and... perfectly timed support. Lucius, if you can prove your worth and demonstrate undeniable contribution in this process..."
He subtly drew out his words and said slowly, "Then perhaps the Dark Lord will accept you again and trust you."
(End of this chapter)