Okay, this is a bit revised... someone thought the language was too strong for a T (PG-13) rated fic... So I took them out of their misery.
Severus Snape sneered at a group of teenage boys circling a young girl, at the most ten years old. The girl had long black hair tucked up in a ponytail and was clutching a scrappy black bag to her chest. Her green eyes were wide with fear and a tinge of determination. She backed away into the ally wall, closing the circle herself.
"Give us the frickin' bag, you w#0$." the leader, a tall boy that seemed to be about seventeen hissed.
The girl seemed to stand up straighter, as if this happened every day. "No, I don't think I will, you worthless b!(#." Snape was slightly impressed with the way she talked with superiority; but insulting a man's virility was about the worst thing someone could do.
"You little s#! How about this; give us the bag and we might actually pay you to have a good time, don't, and we'll just have to kill you after we have our pleasure." the leader sneered.
"That's if you can catch me." the girl flung out a hand and some force threw the five boys a few yards away, into the ally wall if they were lucky, into a window nearby if they weren't. She shook her head in disgust and turned away from the scene of the skirmish and breaking into a slow run through the streets. Snape rolled his eyes and set off after her, wanting to make sure she had a proper teacher, or at least had someone to teach her about magic.
It wasn't as if Snape was growing soft, it's just that another witch controlled was another less witch for his master, Lord Voldemort, to destroy, or conquer. It was preferable to conquer, rather than kill – it was just too messy to kill everyone, and most people would rather save their own skins than stand up to the greatest Dark Lord of all time. But this girl showed promise of being either a formidable enemy, or being a valuable ally. It was better the second.
The girl stopped in front of a little visited store for miscellaneous items from books and texts to candy and beverages. The girl rang the bell on the counter and hopped up and sat on it, fiddling with a dagger on display. Soon, a man only slightly shorter than Snape himself with auburn hair and hazel eyes , looking to be about seventeen, stepped out of the shadows around the counter, somehow managing to surprise Snape, but the girl showed no reaction whatsoever.
"You're late." the man accused.
"It's not my fault; I ran into Dursley's gang on the way and had to pretend the shy, innocent, scared little girl who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. And anyways, Zev, you know you love me and would do anything for me." the girl glanced up with the cutest, most angelic face in the world that Snape was sure that even Voldemort's heart would melt.
"Simony Avan Ashwood, you stop that that instant. There's no time for you're Angel Face, although you've gotten better at it – maybe next time I'll feel a twinge of remorse at assigning you the task of cleaning and rewriting the labels on the potions on the back rack." Simony's sweet face was immediately exchanged for a dark scowl.
"Oh come on! I did that yesterday!"
"Really? They look a bit messy." Zev raised an eyebrow in a question.
"That's because you don't know how to read at all." Simony retorted quickly.
"No way, I can read type, but not the hand of a young girl."
"Then why did you assign me the task?" Simony asked, sliding off the counter, letting Snape could get a good picture of her; bright green eyes; shiny jet hair; a slim waist, No doubt drawing the attention of boys already, Snape thought; graceful, long fingers and hands; and there was quite a bit of muscle on her body, but subtle and built fur speed work.
"…Cause I like to annoy you." Zev picked Simony you started to tickle her, while the girl squirmed and giggled. Zev finally put her down. "There you go, runt. Now, scoot; I have some customers coming and they aren't the kind of people you exactly want to meet in a dark ally."
"You mean like the Nightcrawlers?" Simony asked as she was gently pushed into the storeroom in the back. "Because those weren't scary. They were actually pretty nice."
"No, not like the Nightcrawlers – worse. Much worse." Zev said seriously.
"Worse?" Simony was hooked.
"Yes. We're not dealing with magical beings – those can be negotiated with if they catch sight of you. We're dealing with the Inner Circle of Lord Riddle."
"You mean like the warlocks I saw exiting the shop when I came last month?" Simony innocently asked.
"What did you do to them?" Zev demanded.
"Oh, nothing, I just broke a couple arms when they tried to capture me." Snape could almost see the girl's face, green eyes wide with innocence, lips curved in a cute smile. "In the end they decided I wasn't worth the effort."
"Oh god…you're deep in trouble with them now, Simony. Just go and label the bottles…I'll let you out when they're gone." Zev sighed.
"Fine Zev; I'll see you later." Simony said and Zev closed the door and warded it against harm. Snape watched as the man opened the door to the back yard and three Death Eaters stepped in. Immediately Zev stood back and inclined his head a bit in salutation. The leader of the trio removed his hood and Snape saw that it was Lucius Malfoy.
"Greetings, Zeveth Andrus. Is the shipment ready?" Lucius asked in silky, refined tones that clearly said he was a gentleman born into the complex hierarchy of the pureblood families.
"Mister Malfoy, your shipment is ready; please convey my greetings to your Lord. While I fetch the package, feel free to explore my shop." Zev replied in a voice almost as silky as Lucius's own. Snape watched Zev quickly escape through the door to the back shop and return minutes later with a rather large sphere covered with brown construction paper.
"I shall convey your message to the Dark Lord. Good day, Zeveth Andrus." The Death Eaters walked out the back door with those words and Snape could hear a faint pop as they disapparated. Zev ran a hand through his short cropped auburn hair as he sighed in relief. Snape could see that he was uncomfortable around Death Eaters, but would trade with them, trying to remain neutral in the oncoming war.
"Simony, they're gone." Zev called quietly as he opened the door to the store room.
"So the package was the right one? You could read the writing?" Simony grinned.
"Only because I labeled it myself, runt." Zev grabbed the smaller girl around the waist and initiated a small wrestling match, won by the older. The duo sat in content silence for a moment, until Simony broke the silence.
"Zev? Why is it so hard to be neutral in this war? Why does Lord Riddle want so much power? And why is he so cruel about it?" Snape was surprised that a mere ten-year-old was thinking thoughts that complex – most girls her age were thinking about how to get to the nearest Claire's® and spend her allowance.
"Well, that's an interesting topic, runt." Zev turned Simony in his arms until she faced him. "It's hard to remain neutral because both sides want to win badly, and will do anything to. Lord Riddle wants power because he was looked down upon all his life, never given respect until he entered Hogwarts, and even there he had to earn it. All his life he craved attention due to…circumstances, and now that he has enough power, he just wants more. He's hooked on it. I'm not sure while he's so cruel about receiving power, but it probably has something to do with the fact that to him, to be kind is to be stupid, and Lord Riddle hates being stupid."
"Well, he's being stupid by being influenced by old prejudices and learning's. Isn't it better to keep an open mind, and gain power by friendship, rather than force?" Snape could detect a remorseful tone in the young girl's voice as she spoke. "That way, there's always someone to support you, rather than a great abyss ready to swallow you."
"It's always best, runt. But some people can't see further than the end of their own noses, and while they might mean well, what they do isn't always." Zev smiled crookedly.
"You mean like that bumblebee guy?" Simony asked with interest. "Because he was really nice, but he seemed a bit blind. He treated me like a baby."
Zev groaned. "I should never have taught you foreign languages. Yes, it's like Dumbledore. He's done so much, that he's started to believe in his own legacy, not remembering that he himself was your age. He's forgotten that this time, someone else might be the one in charge. Simony, you must promise me that you will never repeat what you hear in here to others, especially the muggles. Most will never understand, or will use the war for personal gain. You must promise me."
Simony bit her lip, but promised, "I promise that I will never tell anyone not worthy. But, if I find someone that needs it for the right reasons, I will tell them. You know that." Simony looked up to see Zev smile half-heartedly.
"I didn't expect anything less." Zev picked up the younger girl and stood up with a yawn. "Now come on. We should get this place cleaned up." He whispered something in Simony's ear and she glanced towards Snape, and nodded, grin creeping up on her face. "Now, go get it, and don't be late again. If you find Dursley, just kick his ass, for heaven's sake."
"See ya, Zev. Back in ten." Simony skipped out of the shop, not even looking at Snape once. She turned the corner and dashed off into the main part of town. Snape decided to pay a visit to this Zev Andrus, just for curiosities – big curiosities.
"Mr. Andrus." Snape said quietly as he opened the door. "I have heard that you carry an amazingly wide array of Potions."
"That I do." Zev answered as he looked up. "Which one would you be after?"
"The Wolfsbane." Snape said, knowing that it was one of the hardest Potions to brew in the world.
"Ah, I'll go and get it for you. Please wait here for me." Zev went into the back room again and came out seconds later carrying a small vial filled with a dark liquid. "One pint of Wolfsbane – that will be three Galleons."
"You must have a fine helper to be so talented so to brew a Wolfsbane Potion so finely." Snape carefully set out his trap, fully aware that the man might step over it.
"I brew my Potions myself, sir." Zev's face closed down on all emotions. "My sister helps with labeling when she can fit it into her busy schedule – she has five children, you know – but not a regular helper."
"Now there you lie; Zeveth Andrus." Snape snarled. "What about that Ashwood girl that was in here moments before I came in?"
"Simony is none of your concern." Zev whispered in heated tones. "If you know about her, you are certainly a spy – for which side I couldn't care less. Now, pay and get the hell out of here."
Snape dropped three Galleons onto the counter and turned heel. At the door, he paused, and said quietly, "I know where she is. I could take her for the Dark. You'd never see her again. Remember that, and never cross me again. Good day, Mr. Andrus." Snape took a great pleasure in seeing the color drain from Zev's face as the door swung shut behind him. Now, about that Ashwood girl... She was most likely a Pureblood, and taught well by some school or another, it didn't matter which.
Lord Voldemort would accept her anyways. She was powerful, and servants with power were the best. With practice and the right cultivation, she had the potential to become greater than the Dark Lord himself. She could be his heir, to rule when he was gone. All hope for the light had disappeared when the little Potter baby died.
It was hoped that she could have destroyed Snape's Lord, but that plan backfired when little Ryoku Potter died of disease when she was one year old, nine years ago. Her older brother, Nicolas was never found, but he was only eight when his sister died, and was in no place to fight. Lily and James were killed in a raid soon after, and when they died, so did the hopes of a baby that could defeat Voldemort.
Sure, Dumbledore was still alive, but he was getting old and weary, and had given up any hope of winning. It was looking bleak for the Light, and Snape wasn't going to help them. Heck no. He was going to live through this war, and was going by the philosophy, "Lean to both sides, and you won't fall over." He was working for the Phoenix Order, and the Dark Order, making potions. He was trying to remain neutral, like Zev and Simony, although at this point in time, Snape was leaning towards the Dark side. He wouldn't fall if he was resting on something.
But back to Simony. That girl had talent, and unless she was in some kind of Order al ready, she was in hiding, trying to get away from the Orders. Snape hadn't heard of any new recruits, and the Phoenixes wouldn't allow a ten year old girl into their group. They were too "noble". Or so they thought. Really, they were just ignoring hidden talent. Snape snorted and apparated away to his home in Bath.