AN: I do not Own Harry Potter and I write for enjoyment and others. I do not make any money from this. Voldemort is victorious and the world begins to slip…
Severus arrived and knelt, head down in respect for his Lord and waited.
A cold voice hissed out. "Rise my Second and approach me."
He stood immediately and approached the black throne that Voldemort, Exalted Ruler of the Worlds sat. "My Lord what service do you desire of me?"
Voldemort tapped a long pale finger on the arm of his throne and several minutes passed as Severus stood before the throne and waited.
"You are my Head Inquisitor, Headmaster of Hogwarts, and Second. Tell me who is left on your list." The cold voice demanded.
"My Lord there is four left to capture. Sybil Trewlaney, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, and the Mudblood Hermione Granger."
Silence wafted out as Severus stood still, calming his fear. Being called to the Exalted Ruler with no one in attendance brooked ill for the witch or wizard called before him. He braced himself for punishment.
Silence wafted as Severus remained still and waited.
"It's been ten years Severus." Voldemort hissed out. "How can you not find an old witch, a blood traitor, a witch not right in the mind, and a filthy witch not worthy of us? You caught the others easily enough and that list was originally five hundred, some of those listed were most powerful in Majiks."
Severus remained silent. Nothing he could say would help him at this point.
Voldemort stood from his throne and approached Severus, holding his wand out and soon entered Severus's mind and flicked through memories.
After fifteen minutes Voldemort sat in his throne, pleased of the voracious and blood thirsty hunt of the Order of the Phoenix and any who dared to speak out against him, led by Severus. And the extra's that he tortured and killed. Any who spoke or treated his second wrongly in the past.
"I find no fault with your service to date Severus despite my coming back and save you from my sweet Nagini's poison. I needed you to look dead and not sure you were loyal."
Voldemort leaned forward, red eyes glittering. "You will bring Sybil Trelawny to me alive. Forget about the others. Do you understand?"
"Yes My Lord!" Severus barked out. "I will bring the Seer to you alive."
Voldemort nodded. "I don't think you have pursued your list with the same gusto when it was much longer. You have two weeks to produce the Seer or your life will end."
Severus recognized the threat and dismissal and left without a word. He walked quickly, quelling his urge to run. Leaving the Exalted Ruler's palace he turned his heal and Apparated away to Hogsmeade village.
He did not glance at the empty buildings confiscated in the past with glowing writing declaring buildings taken in the name of the Exalted Ruler. Large posters flashed the graphic torture and death of the past owner that defied Voldemorts rule.
He paused at Gringotts Bank and remembered the past. The goblins put up the most resistance when Voldemort demanded the contents of the bank transferred to him and the Goblins refused. As a result Voldemort wiped out the race of goblins and made a show of it, sending him in to claim the bank. He personally led a team of fifty Deatheaters to claim the bank and only five walked out alive, including himself.
Moving out of the village, he did not even glance at the long poles with skulls, past traitors of the regime. He mentally named them as he passed. Rosemerta who ran the Three Broomsticks, , Aberforth Dumbledore who ran the Hogs Head, Ambrosius Flume and his wife who ran the candy shoppe Honeydukes, along with most of the professors of Hogwarts.
After a long walk he held his hand out and the gates of Hogwarts opened up to allow him in, gates closing with a rusted squeak when he walked through. He wondered if anyone noted the start of decay in the Wizarding world.
School was out for the summer but you would never know it by the bleak sky above and the chill. The Wizarding world was slowly imploding on itself, he thought, moving through the dark halls and to his quarters.
He removed his outer cloak and tossed it in a chair, not caring where it landed. He had serious things to think about and sat down at his desk and picked up a fragment of a scorched portrait.
"I seek you Albus! Come to me!" He growled out.
Silence greeted him and he cursed, flinging the fragment away and watched it flutter to the floor. He promised himself once again that he would burn it and finish the destruction he always promised when his mentor, the Lead of the Light did not answer. He was lucky to save that one fragment when all of the portraits were burned, fate allowing that bit to reach him. He thought it was a good omen at the time.
He sighed and held his hand out and grabbed the bottle of firewhiskey that floated to him. He did not bother with a glass, instead taking a healthy drink from the bottle and placed it on his desk.
Of course he knew where the ex-Divination professor was hiding. He knew for five years, deciding not to pursue the flighty witch with thick glasses, considering her harmless. It might have been a bit of guilt on his part he mused, because he killed all of the teaching staff personally on Voldemort's command as none would swear allegiance. Minerva had been the hardest, her eyes sad. When he drew near her with the knife in his hand she whispered that she forgave him and that he had to carry on the fight and others would be there for him.
There was no one and the years of service to Voldemort made him strong in the Dark. Still there was that tiny spark in him that knew things were not right. He held to that but knew Dark would win in the end and he would be lost. It was only a matter of time.
Tomorrow he would gather Sybil and take her to her death. It was matter of self-preservation. His self-preservation.
He briefly thought of the others on his list and dismissed them because his Lord told him to forget about them. He did search hard, focusing on Hermione Granger but the witch dropped out of sight. He knew she was alive because the Book of the Veil did not contain her name and he periodically checked it throughout the years.
HGSSHGSSHGSS
Hermione Granger immediately woke from a nap, feeling dread and knew she was about to be found.
Rushing to a large cavern in the cave she lived in on the island of Tristan de Cunha, she found Luna and Neville playing with their seven year old son.
Luna stood up and wiped her hands on her jeans. "I think it's time Hermione. Time to gather those and find a place for the End. It's coming you know." Light voice almost singing to her.
She continued. "We've talked about it Neville. Take Hermione and tell her."
Neville moved to her and cusped Hermione's chin and caressed it. "Come with me."
She allowed Neville to lead her out of the cavern.
HGSSHGSSHGSS
Severus waited until sunset, leaving the castle and entered the Forbidden Forest. The Centaurs were hard to find and he used every locater charm he knew and after 6 hours sensed he was close.
He stopped wand in hand, sensing something was near him but could not see it.
"Severus Snape." A voice greeted him. "Put your wand away and I will reveal myself to you."
He recognized the voice from long ago of the temporary Divination professor of long ago.
Severus tucked his wand into his pocket. "Reveal yourself Firenze." He demanded.
Firenze revealed himself and the moonlight glowed on his white coat. "Are you sure you need what you seek?"
Severus studied the Centaur, knowing the half horse-half man knew his purpose.
"I do not have a choice Firenze. I ignored her but the Dark Lord wants her brought to him." Severus softly replied.
Firenze studied the dark wizard before him and lightly snorted. "The stars predicted it and why I am here. Mars cries out and the stars rush away. World's End drives them."
Severus remained still not understanding the words and Firenze spoke. "On my back one last time Severus. I'll take you to what you seek and see you in the green meadow at the End."
Days passed and they stopped from time to time, Firenze offering him sandwiches from a bag that he carried around his neck.
"She made them for you." Firenze replied before trotting off to graze.
On the eight day Firenze slowly trotted to the edge of a strange forest. "I need to show you something,"
Severus had no choice but to hold onto the mane as Firenze stepped up his pace and soon halted. He climbed off the Centuar's back and walked to the edge of a cliff. He stood, green lush forest around him but the view before him was bleak, void of forest and grass. Whispish black forms that looked human darted toward them slowly, stopping just before the cliff.
"What is this place?" Severus whispered. What are those?" He asked.
Firenze pawed the ground with a hoof. "Their beginning and our End. They are drawn to you, Dark wizard that you are. We've not much time."
Severus grew alarmed at the cryptic words and climbed back on to Firenze.
Firenze galloped at a fast pace, while Severus held tightly to Firenze and was almost tossed off when the Centaur suddenly stopped.
"What you seek is here Severus Snape. I must prepare myself with my wife and foal for our journey to the Green Meadow."
Severus watched the Centuar leave and grew nervous. The Head of the Heard should have approached him. Where was Bane?
A human figure walked out of the forest into the meadow where Severus was left.
"Severus" Sybil greeted and held out her wand, hilt first.
He took it and placed it in his robes.
"You've come for me. The Eye speaks of the end and I willingly go to my fate."
Severus never understood the older witch, disturbed at what he observed earlier. "Explain Sybil"
"Nothing to explain my dear boy. Beginning of the End." Sybil replied.
"Your hope resides within you Severus Snape, though the stars, the Eye, is unsure. Now take me to Tom!"
He tucked the envelope into his pocket, assured she was as crazy as ever and risked a question.
"Why is my Lord so adamant that you be brought before him?" Severus demanded.
Sybil laughed. "So I can tell him he will be successful and kill me. But he is not your Lord Severus. You've something within you that states otherwise."
He began to reply and stilled, watching the Centaur herd arrive, flowers entwined in their mane. The foals gathered around their mothers, whining softly, while the stallions slowly trotted around the clearing, softly snorting before settling down next to their family.
Firenze arrived with a pouch around his neck.
"Take it!" Sybil demanded. "The moment Firenze met you ensured their death."
Severus slowly untied the pouch from Firenze and tucked it into his pocket. "I'm sorry." He whispered.
Firenze softly snorted. "Don't be. We've known it for centuries. We will go to the Green Meadow, with green grass and pure water. We will not be driven by the stars and we can rest."
Firenze looked to the edge of the clearing. "They come and blackness is with them. Go! Do not let our deaths be in vain."
Sybil threw herself to him and he automatically wrapped his arms around her and Apparated away.
Firenze trotted to the center of the clearing. "The Green Meadow…." Hearing his herd speak back his words. "The greenest grass, the purest water…."
The darkness gathered closer. "Peace, foals dance in plenty, safe from all."
Firenze stopped for a moment seeing a black whispy form rush towards him and continued. "We love, we rest…"
The darkness enveloped Firenze and his herd and knew no more and the clearing and forest around them turned black and shriveled up.
HGSSHGSSHGSS
Luna paused for a moment. "Be well in the Green Meadow Firenze. Pure water and the greenest of grass for you." She whispered and called her son to her and held him tightly in her arms.