Disclaimer:
This story takes place a couple years before the fall of Voldemort. It will involve Snape, and his choices concerning the dark arts. All characters seen in this portion are property of the wonderful and imaginative J. K. Rowling (yes, ALL of them, but some of them are only mentioned VERY BRIEFLY, so their personalities are my own creation). There will be some romance, but the story may get a little dark as it goes on, so consider yourself warned (not much of that yet tho.... later.) Other characters who will be making an appearance beside those you will meet now: James Potter, Lily Evans, Sirius Black, Tom Riddle, Lucius Malfoy, Albus Dumbledore, and possibly Nicholas Flamel. Kay. HERE IT IS (and it's really long!):--------------------------
Shadow Singer
Chapter 1
The scent of rain, fresh straw, and smoldering fires stirred in the wind, quivering through the nearly deserted streets of Diagon Alley. Most of the shops had closed their doors for the night, though the remnants of the busy day could still be seen in the dozens of footprints left in the muddy ground. The shadowy sky, full of slowly growing, black storm clouds with silver edges, was dark and moonless. Colorless fog smothered the street. Aside from the call of an owl on the weary October night, the only sounds were the ones that came from within the Leaky Cauldron. Music, laughter, and tumultuous voices clashed with the heartbreaking silence that reigned outdoors.
Severus Snape found himself strangely aware of this hither to unnoticed battle, as he paused beside the archway leading into the Alley from the pub. The greasy light that shown upon the wall turned the white bricks an eerie yellow, the color of aged bones. From the top of the arch, a large peacock regarded him, a disconcerting glitter of emerald, bronze, and blue as an electric flame. The first drops of rain were beginning to fall, in a desperate attempt to drown out the ruckus from the Leaky Cauldron. As they came down more steadily, and just as quickly, Snape began to realize the intense ferocity of the coming storm.
Adjusting the hood on his black cloak, he proceeded out into the street, making his way through the icy torrents. He encountered no one, though he vaguely thought he could hear footsteps somewhere in between meticulous the rolls of distant thunder. Indeed, when he rounded a corner, he caught a glimpse of a pale gray blur within the darkness. Had it not been for the footsteps, he might have mistaken it for his imagination. . . or perhaps one of the local ghosts. Glancing, casually over his shoulder, he saw nothing. But the footsteps continued, following him from a comfortable distance.
Deciding that he was too wet and cold to care if he was being followed or not, Snape did not alter his course. He arrived shortly outside of a small, faded shop with a battered sign that read: Arsenius Jigger, Apothecary. Herbs and Potions for every Ailment. The footsteps paused, somewhere close by, as he produced a small silver key from his pocket and unlocked the door. As he opened it, he looked behind.
The grayish shape was standing forlornly in the middle of the road, looking miserably wet. It was definitely a person, at least humanoid, that was. It was watching him, almost hopefully. He and the being stood, for some moments, studying each other. Then, shrugging, Snape stepped inside.
"Wait!"
A voice called through the rain. He turned once more, in time to see the figure, dashing madly in his direction, slip and fall into the muddy ground.
"Shit!"
It had a female voice.
He could hardly make out her grayish form through the rain. Lightening flashed abruptly, shattering Snape's vision into shards of darkness and merciless white. He could see her more clearly then, struggling most unhappily in the mud.
"Oh, for God's sake," Snape called out to her, irritated. "Come inside."
He went inside, too quickly to see her, shimmering silver in the mist and rain, spring up energetically and make a mad dash toward the shelter of the store.