"Why are we so bound to the shackles of this life?" Was my first thought as the last of the barrage of curses penetrated what was left of my body. The pain was gone now, nothing left. "Well I'm assuming I will never be able to walk again." I thought but it wouldn't really matter as I had already accepted that this was going to be my demise. I had wasted so much of my life tied to that damn desk looking, planning, thinking, and it was all for nothing. So a madman could discover my research and take it from me. "Where is it!?" Cried the piercing hiss of the dark lord. "Where have you left the marker?!" "You'll have to kill me first." I replied. "Oh but I will my old friend, in time." He said. "But first you must give me what I have come for!" I looked down at the lifeless bodies of my wife and daughter. How innocent they were in all of this, and how little that meant to him. The only demented bit of solace I could take away from this was that they had left quickly and never saw it coming. "They are at peace." I thought, and I would soon be joining them. He struck me across the face again the crimson spray poured from my mouth with the violence of the sea. "Give it to me and I will end your suffering." He spoke with a calm quieting voice as if to sound almost empathic. I decided there was no point in fighting anymore, what would be the use? "Hidden panel, top right drawer." I replied. The dark lord opened the desk and removed the panel. "Ah yes, how quickly they all succumb." He said with great satisfaction. He removed the notebook and handed it to his associate. "Take this and decipher it Severus, and we shall find where it lies." He then looked back to me, I could barely make out his face but I could never mistake the dark lord. "Now my friend, thank you for your help." All I could hope was that my family had forgiven me and that someone would stop him before he found it. He braced back with his wand and I waited for the words. "Avada Kedavra!" And the Darkness fell.