Duality
The door flew open with a 'crack' as the man swept into the small room just off the stairs down to the basement. He fumbled around in the darkness, his hand flailing about frantically above his head until it came upon a slender string. He snickered and pulled, bathing the tiny room in light. The undersized area housed only a wing-backed chair and a wooden table with an object sitting on it. A thick, purple velvet cover currently obscured the oblong article. Before taking a seat, the man closed the door and locked it so as to ensure privacy. Next he took a seat in the comfortable chair, tossing his robes back as if they were the coat tails of a tuxedo. Taking a deep and steadying breath, he pulled off the cover to reveal a gold, gilded mirror. Staring back at him, as one would expect from a mirror was himself, albeit with a slight mustache and goatee. The man without the facial hair grimaced and quickly rolled his eyes.
"Would you please shave that repulsive thing off!" he snapped crossly.
"Now is not the time to be arguing about my facial adornment and you bloody well know it," his reflection countered, mirroring his gesture.
"And I will not get rid of it," he added with a glare.
"Alright, alright," Severus muttered.
"Did you do it?" his reflection questioned mysteriously.
"Yes. Did you?" the former teacher countered.
"Indeed," the goateed Severus murmured, looking sad.
"I felt absolutely awful about it too. I mean, yes Narcissa and I made that damned vow and all but…he was my mentor," the reflection muttered, getting up and beginning to pace.
"And you think I feel any differently, why?" Severus spat, remaining in his seat.
"Well if either of us should be feeling guilt it should be you. You're the good one after all," the mirrored version of Snape spat.
"Shall I take that as a compliment?" Severus growled.
"Might as well. Probably the only one you'll get for a while," his darker half commented
"I don't need my damned alter ego insulting me thank you," the double agent seethed
"So you actually feel guilty for killing him," Severus breathed in awe.
"Yes. Well I couldn't reveal myself now could I? Not with all those idiots around. I had to do what was best for the Order just as you did," the evil Severus said.
"I know. I just wish I'd gotten there before the rest of them. Perhaps things would have turned out differently," Severus mused.
"And what would you have done had the circumstances been different?" his alter ego queried, stopping to stand in front of the mirror.
"Well for one thing I wouldn't stunned Draco, the useless lump of flesh. He stood there like a baby," he began.
"And what if the others showed up?" the man with the mustache interrupted.
"I would have made it appear that Albus was dead so as to make them think Draco had succeeded…and at the earliest convenience tossed Greyback off the tower," he finished.
"So you don't like the dirty fur ball either?" his reflection muttered with a twisted grimace of a smile.
"No," Severus answered shortly.
"What would you have done had the circumstances been different?" Severus questioned firmly, almost in a mocking tone.
"Well…I would have done the same thing as you," he stated bluntly.
"You know, Potter was there the whole time. Didn't do a damn thing and he called me a coward," Severus sneered.
"Albus put the full body bind on him so he couldn't do anything," his counterpart sniggered.
"Oh really?" Severus remarked, lapsing into silence.
The two fell into a comfortable silence as they were surrounded by thoughts of their own. They were used to these moments by now. The clean-shaven Severus finally stood up and began to circle the room as well, going in the opposite direction of the other man.
"Can you at least pace in the same direction as me? You're making me dizzy," the goateed Snape barked.
Severus stopped in his tracks and glared angrily at himself. With a huff, he began to pace in the other direction. His evil half grinned happily and continued to pace in his original direction.
"Happy now?" Severus spat.
"Yes. Well I can't think if I'm dizzy you idiot," the goateed Death Eater quipped.
"Watch who you're calling an idiot," the Potions connoisseur growled heatedly.
"Sorry. I just love it when I make you angry," the reflection chuckled.
"Hmph. Bloody alternate world counterpart," Severus mumbled under his breath.
"Do I look sexy and evil when I stroke my goatee?" the evil version of Snape asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows.
"Excuse me!" Severus gawked.
"Well do I? Minerva used to tell me I did," he retorted.
"Well then there's your answer. Honestly do I look like someone who cares!" Severus shouted.
"Well, I am your alter ego," the image remarked.
"Oh shut up about the damn goatee," the good Snape seethed.
"Ah Minerva. She's the reason I didn't want to go through with it you know. I had to give up her up. Personally I think Albus knew that and he wanted to break us up. Always was jealous that she fell for me and not him," Severus boasted with a sniff.
"I know what you mean. He never liked it much. Always saying staff shouldn't get romantically involved at staff meetings, always eyeing us. And now I can't even be with her. Now she'd rather toss my arse in Azkaban," the evil man whined in annoyance.
"It's Narcissa's fault. I blame it on her!" Severus shouted.
"I couldn't agree with you more," his foil exclaimed.
"You know. It seems to me that I belong in your world and you in mine. At least we'd then fit the sides we're really on," Severus's alter ego developed thoughtfully.
"I think it might just cause our worlds to get too unbalanced and out of line. Don't want to screw up the entire world now would we?" Severus answered calmly, seating himself once again.
"Well I suppose not. Then we'd have to fix everything and no doubt one of us would have to commit an act of unthinkable good…or evil depending to fix things and that's just too much work for one wizard," evil Severus expounded with a nod.
"Right. I have more important things to do at the moment then to clean up after you," Severus snickered with a smirk.
"Oh and what would that be?" the mustached wizard inquired hastily.
"Win my girlfriend back, avoid being found by the Ministry and Potter. Oh and finding the remaining Horcruxes and anonymously sending them to Potter as well," Severus explained in an airy tone, counting on his hand as he went.
"Oh as if I don't have to do that either? Don't forget, just because you're good and I'm evil doesn't mean our worlds don't run the same course of fate," hi devilishly evil looking mirror image retorted.
"Alright so you have a point. But just because I know about your world doesn't mean I'm entirely used to it," Severus sniffed.
"I have a feeling I'm going to be very bored this year with no annoying students to terrorize," he added.
"Well it won't be too dull. After all, being a fugitive does have its exciting points. I find the chase rather exhilarating," the mirrored version of the Potions Master breathed with a devious glint in his eye.
"You would. You're more in shape than I am," Severus mumbled into his sleeve.
By now, the other residents of the building had begun to wonder to where the dark-haired wizard had disappeared. The young blonde boy noted that he'd seen him descend the stairs into the basement. Several others agreed with his account and his mother, Narcissa, instructed him to go fetch their murderous companion for dinner. Draco slowly made his way down the stairs and found the closed door to his left. He saw a thin beam of light showing from under the door. He pressed his ear as close as he could for he was sure he heard voices.
"I heard that," the deviously gorgeous wizard said, running his thumb and forefinger along the hair on his chin.
"That was a compliment you imbecile," Severus snapped back.
"No it wasn't. You just called me an imbecile," his reflection snapped back in exactly the same tone.
"P-Professor Snape?" Draco called through the locked door.
The boy's voice seemed to echo through the room as Severus realized that Draco was calling in both worlds. Along with his alter ego, Severus grabbed the purple shroud and tossed it over the mirror before moving swiftly to the door and unlocking it. He yanked it open, causing Draco to tip forward before catching his balance.
"What do you want Draco?" he sneered, not very happy with being interrupted.
"Well sir. Um…" Draco began awkwardly.
"Out with it!" Severus bellowed.
"I could have sworn I heard you…talking to yourself just now and that I heard an echo when I called to you," Draco explained sheepishly.
"Oh. And Mum said dinner is ready," he stated dryly, delivering his intended message.
"Alright well don't stand there. Move!" Severus ordered.
"Talking to myself Mr. Malfoy? Honestly, perhaps you need to get your hearing checked," Severus retorted as he walked up the stairs to join the rest of the people that were playing guest in his home.