A/N: A quick short story told from Snape's point of view. My take on the
whole story about what happened the night Voldemort visited Godric's Moor.
Please review it! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Everything (save the plot) belongs to Rowling.
"The most bitter tears wept over a grave
are for those of words left unsaid,
and deeds left undone."
Betrayal
"Why did you betray us?"
The words hang in the air between James and I for a long time. I think for a moment about the irony of this situation. Here I am standing in the living room of his house, stoic and unyielding and as sinister as an Angel of Death. He knows that is exactly what I am. I'm his guarantee that he will die tonight. But he doesn't seem at all surprised by this at all. Instead he just watches me with unasked questions. The question plays over and over again in my mind and I try to string together the events that brought us from brothers to enemies.
I remember our weeks together before Hogwarts, before the Marauders, before Voldemort, and before that terrible brand on the arms of Death Eaters that have so clearly drawn a line in the sand between him and I. Once we were kids, eleven years old and bound for Hogwarts. Once we were boys left alone in Diagon Alley two weeks before we were to enter school for the first time who didn't have a friend in the world till day we met each other. Once we were never apart and everyone in the Alley called us brothers. Once we both wished that was true and made a oath to make it so. Once we had saved each other's life and were certain that oath would forever make us friends. And once I was foolish enough to believe it.
And he was still foolish to believe it, even after our paths separated, he to his Marauders with that bastard Sirius Black and I to the aristocrats and old families, as my family names expected of me. At school we were tepid enemies even though I struggled to forget him. He was never to let us part and even summer right before school began again, I could expect to see him again in Diagon Alley. But we grew up and left school and by that time Voldemort had come into power. But I don't to remember that.
I hear Lily scrambling upstair and I try not to smile. Does she believe that she can escape him? I have already accepted the grim truth. No one can escape him- not Muggle, not Auror and certainly not a traitor. I briefly consider telling James the truth about me but I dismiss the idea. To tell him would be to ask for forgiveness and I, like Lucifer, am too proud for that.
"Have you come to kill us, Severus?" James asks. He knows its me even with my mask.
So I take it off and let him see me. I shake my head no. I tell him I'm here to ensure he doesn't escape. He mentions Dumbledore and begins on how if I had just followed him. I briefly consider telling him again but instead I hear the question again.
"Why did you betray us?"
"Better to reign in Hell, then to serve in heaven." I say cooly.
His replies in a weak voice. "That's not always true."
Voldemort comes before I can say anything more. I don't watch as they fight, I don't listen as they scream at each other because I already know the dialouge. It's the exact same one I will one day say before Voldemort kills me.
The words of the killing curse catch my attention and I turn as James falls limp to the floor. Voldemort says something to me and I nod like a good servant. He goes upstairs to kill Lily and I'm left with my brother.
I kneel besides him and ask for the last time my question. My voice is low and breaking. "Why did you betray us?"
James' arm is posed over his head and I turn my eyes to his Mark. The skull and snake are the same as mine and I curse him. If he had just come to me, we would have found a way. But then I remember he never knew what I am. He never knew he was right about me, and that he and I were on the same side.
I pull a vial from my robe. It's a powerful acid and gingerly I open it. I pour it over James' arm and watch as it eats away the Dark Mark. I couldn't save him but at least I can preserve his memory. The poison acts quickly and the Mark is gone. The damage will appear Voldemort's doing and James' will be the martyr. I stay kneeling by him, waiting to hear Lily fall. I hear a baby crying, Harry. I look to James and wonder if Harry was the reason he betrayed the Death Eaters. I hear Lily fall and I shut my eyes and wait.
Then, I feel a burning pain in my arm and it rips through me. My mind begins to search for reasons and my body on insticts runs upstairs to Voldemort. But he's not there. Frantically, I search for Harry. He is huddled in his crib, weak, crying and bleeding from his head, but alive. I don't understand why and my mind continues to search for answers. I go to Harry and pick him up. Except for the wound on his head, there's not a scratch on him. I use a charm to heal him but I can't remove the new scar. He'll have it all his life.
"You're alive little Harry, scarred but alive." I tell him. He stops crying and clings to me for comfort. "Don't worry. Your dad had a mark too and he did great things. So have you." I look around the room and back to Harry, thinking I should tell him something more. He still looks frightened. "And I promise I'll watch out for you, to ensure you continue to do great things." I'm barely beginning to register what must have happened here. I'm barely beginning to understand what he did. "You've freed me Harry. You've freed a lot of people but now it's time to rest." I stay with him, holding him close to me till he falls asleep again. As I put him back into his crib, I consider staying with him but my duties overrule that. I say goodnight to Harry before Disapparating. I have to tell Dumbledore about all that has happened tonight.
I have to tell him about those who died and the boy who lived.
Disclaimer: Everything (save the plot) belongs to Rowling.
"The most bitter tears wept over a grave
are for those of words left unsaid,
and deeds left undone."
Betrayal
"Why did you betray us?"
The words hang in the air between James and I for a long time. I think for a moment about the irony of this situation. Here I am standing in the living room of his house, stoic and unyielding and as sinister as an Angel of Death. He knows that is exactly what I am. I'm his guarantee that he will die tonight. But he doesn't seem at all surprised by this at all. Instead he just watches me with unasked questions. The question plays over and over again in my mind and I try to string together the events that brought us from brothers to enemies.
I remember our weeks together before Hogwarts, before the Marauders, before Voldemort, and before that terrible brand on the arms of Death Eaters that have so clearly drawn a line in the sand between him and I. Once we were kids, eleven years old and bound for Hogwarts. Once we were boys left alone in Diagon Alley two weeks before we were to enter school for the first time who didn't have a friend in the world till day we met each other. Once we were never apart and everyone in the Alley called us brothers. Once we both wished that was true and made a oath to make it so. Once we had saved each other's life and were certain that oath would forever make us friends. And once I was foolish enough to believe it.
And he was still foolish to believe it, even after our paths separated, he to his Marauders with that bastard Sirius Black and I to the aristocrats and old families, as my family names expected of me. At school we were tepid enemies even though I struggled to forget him. He was never to let us part and even summer right before school began again, I could expect to see him again in Diagon Alley. But we grew up and left school and by that time Voldemort had come into power. But I don't to remember that.
I hear Lily scrambling upstair and I try not to smile. Does she believe that she can escape him? I have already accepted the grim truth. No one can escape him- not Muggle, not Auror and certainly not a traitor. I briefly consider telling James the truth about me but I dismiss the idea. To tell him would be to ask for forgiveness and I, like Lucifer, am too proud for that.
"Have you come to kill us, Severus?" James asks. He knows its me even with my mask.
So I take it off and let him see me. I shake my head no. I tell him I'm here to ensure he doesn't escape. He mentions Dumbledore and begins on how if I had just followed him. I briefly consider telling him again but instead I hear the question again.
"Why did you betray us?"
"Better to reign in Hell, then to serve in heaven." I say cooly.
His replies in a weak voice. "That's not always true."
Voldemort comes before I can say anything more. I don't watch as they fight, I don't listen as they scream at each other because I already know the dialouge. It's the exact same one I will one day say before Voldemort kills me.
The words of the killing curse catch my attention and I turn as James falls limp to the floor. Voldemort says something to me and I nod like a good servant. He goes upstairs to kill Lily and I'm left with my brother.
I kneel besides him and ask for the last time my question. My voice is low and breaking. "Why did you betray us?"
James' arm is posed over his head and I turn my eyes to his Mark. The skull and snake are the same as mine and I curse him. If he had just come to me, we would have found a way. But then I remember he never knew what I am. He never knew he was right about me, and that he and I were on the same side.
I pull a vial from my robe. It's a powerful acid and gingerly I open it. I pour it over James' arm and watch as it eats away the Dark Mark. I couldn't save him but at least I can preserve his memory. The poison acts quickly and the Mark is gone. The damage will appear Voldemort's doing and James' will be the martyr. I stay kneeling by him, waiting to hear Lily fall. I hear a baby crying, Harry. I look to James and wonder if Harry was the reason he betrayed the Death Eaters. I hear Lily fall and I shut my eyes and wait.
Then, I feel a burning pain in my arm and it rips through me. My mind begins to search for reasons and my body on insticts runs upstairs to Voldemort. But he's not there. Frantically, I search for Harry. He is huddled in his crib, weak, crying and bleeding from his head, but alive. I don't understand why and my mind continues to search for answers. I go to Harry and pick him up. Except for the wound on his head, there's not a scratch on him. I use a charm to heal him but I can't remove the new scar. He'll have it all his life.
"You're alive little Harry, scarred but alive." I tell him. He stops crying and clings to me for comfort. "Don't worry. Your dad had a mark too and he did great things. So have you." I look around the room and back to Harry, thinking I should tell him something more. He still looks frightened. "And I promise I'll watch out for you, to ensure you continue to do great things." I'm barely beginning to register what must have happened here. I'm barely beginning to understand what he did. "You've freed me Harry. You've freed a lot of people but now it's time to rest." I stay with him, holding him close to me till he falls asleep again. As I put him back into his crib, I consider staying with him but my duties overrule that. I say goodnight to Harry before Disapparating. I have to tell Dumbledore about all that has happened tonight.
I have to tell him about those who died and the boy who lived.