Is There No Sanctuary?
By Barbara Kennedy
This is going to be a very short vignette, my very first fan fiction by
the way.
It is a short story of a possible behind-the-scene happening with
Professor Severus Snape very late one night, near the end of Goblet of
Fire, after the Tri-Wizard Tournament.
DISCLAIMER: As usual, none of these characters are mine *sigh*. I've just
borrowed them from J. K. Rowling, with many thanks.
_____________________________________________
A moist wind was gusting and swirling the torch lights spaced along the
walls and the dark cloak held tightly about a thin hooded figure slowly
climbing the stairs to the Astronomy Tower in the earliest hours of the
morning.
The dark sky was clear as crystal above him with a vast ocean of stars
unseen by the man whose eyes did not leave the stone stairs before his
feet. There was a distant line of clouds at the horizon, illuminated
briefly by lightning, foretelling a storm on its way.
When the dark figure reached the top of the stairs, he paused, looking
around, as if to assure himself that was alone before making his way to
the low wall at the edge of the tower. He leaned against the stone as if
needing the support to remain on his feet. His arms were clutched tightly
about him, though the wind was not cold. With head bowed, he remained in
that same position for many minutes, as though in deep thought, or in
painful reverie.
"Are you ill, Severus?" a kindly voice from behind the figure inquired.
The instant transformation of the figure at the wall was astounding. As
he twirled to face the speaker, his shoulders squared and his back
straightened, adding inches to his stature. The hood was blown off his
head by the capricious winds, revealing a long hook-nosed face and greasy
black hair. His sallow face briefly revealing a surprised and annoyed
expression quickly replaced with a more relaxed, but guarded look. His
hand held a wand pointed at the heart of the speaker, but lowered and put
away the wand as quickly as it appeared.
He saw the eyes of Albus Dumbledore twinkle in amusement at his actions
before he spoke, "Forgive me, Headmaster. You surprised me. I did not see
you up here.. No, I am not ill, at least not in body." The last five
words were mumbled, barely discernable over the sounds of the wind. He
glanced away again.
Dumbledore peered thoughtfully at Severus Snape; the relatively young
Potions Master here at Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft, then
came to stand beside him at the low wall and gazed at the stars above
them. "I'm often told that, you know. I'm easily overlooked, when I wish
to be. I've been up here observing the stars, Severus, and thinking. It
is easier to think where people cannot see you, sometimes, is it not?"
Dumbledore gave Severus a sideways glance, seeing a curious glance
returned.
"I should have realized that someone was up here, the torches are not
normally lit. It was careless of me to be so unobservant." Severus said
with a tinge of real worry in his voice.
"Are you sure you are alright? You look very tired." Dumbledore looked
closely at his face, peering over the top of his half-moon glasses.
"All I need is sleep. I haven't rested much since I left. I will be fine
in the morning. Do not worry yourself." His face showed strain and a
muscle in his cheek twitched slightly. Dumbledore notice that there was a
haunted look lingering around his dark eyes. It was apparent to him only
because he knew this man better than most other people who worked near
him every day. He was not one to let people near.
"Did things go well?" Dumbledore inquired, turning to face Snape, fixing
him in his gaze.
"Yes, as well as expected. Our preparations are in motion. Now we must
wait for the results." Snape turned and leaned once again on the
stonework of the wall, showing even more weariness than before. "I still
have some misgivings about my ability to perform the tasks you have given
me.."
"You will perform them admirably, I am sure Severus, just don't take
unnecessary risks to try to prove yourself. You have nothing to prove to
me."
"There is much I must prove after the events of the last week, if not to
you, I must prove myself yet again to that blind fool, Fudge. Especially
if he keeps on pretending.."
"Now, now, Severus, let me handle that problem, in my own way."
"I'm sorry, Headmaster, I just don't think it will be that easy to make
him see. That man was acting like a moron and has been for some time! He
fears more for his job than for the safety of those depending on him to
properly do his job! His incompetence is criminal. An empty shell lies
where once there was a witness and proof of the Dark Lord's return.
There is a boy being buried by his father and another almost killed
because.. " Severus faltered and he realized he had been shouting. He had
been shouting at the one man who understood more about the recent events
surrounding the disastrous Triwizard Tournament than anyone else he knew.
Those events had changed his life in ways he dreaded to think of. He was
not the only one in danger however, the whole wizarding world was at risk
because the Dark Lord had returned. Voldemort was reborn.
He gathered his cloak and pulled it about his shoulders again, bowing his
head. "You know my views on the man well enough." He looked directly
into Dumbledore's eyes. "I did not mean to shout. You will do what is
best, I know that. I just fear what damage he will cause before you can
act." He looked away again.
Dumbledore pulled out his pocket watch with the twelve hands and planets
and peered at it for a short time, then looked intently at the sky above
them and fiddled with the stem of the watch for a moment.
"I must go have look in on Harry and Moody in the hospital wing for a
moment before I retire for the night. Come along Severus, I insist you
get a sleeping potion from Madam Pomfrey, you do look all done in."
"Perhaps you are right, sir, I could use a deep sleep tonight."
They turned and proceeded to the stairs. Dumbledore patted Snape lightly
on his near shoulder and felt him shivering slightly. At the challenging
look, with a raised eyebrow, that he received, he merely smiled and
gripped the shoulder reassuringly, saying nothing of it. He followed
Snape down the narrow stairway.
Suddenly, about halfway down the stairs, Severus let out the tiniest
strangled gasp and gripped his left forearm, reeling back onto the stair
behind him. Dumbledore came around him and gripped his left hand. Snape
did not resist. He gently raised the sleeve covering the Dark Mark he
knew was tattooed on Snape's arm. It had faded from the vivid black it
showed when he had practically shoved it under the nose of Cornelius
Fudge to a barely discernable pattern of grey, except for the fact that
it now was an angry red in color and was raised like it had been recently
placed there with a brand. It looked like it would bleed if it were
touched, it was so raw in appearance.
"What is it Severus, a summons? Is Voldemort calling his Death Eaters
together?"
"No." Snape managed a bitter smile. "It is merely a reminder that he is
thinking of me."
"Can he find you through the mark?"
Snape shook his head, grimacing, "No, otherwise I am sure he would have
done so long before this. I am sure I have been..a disappointment to him.
He does not deal with disappointment well. It has been getting worse
since this afternoon. It was only a minor irritation then. He has
increased the strength of it slowly over the evening."
His skin had gone even paler than usual and his shivering had increased.
He spoke through clenched teeth now.
"He has many ways of making his feelings known to those who displease
him. It is not the first time I have felt that displeasure. Nor is it
likely to be the last. This, however, is the longest he has shown me
such..devoted.. attention. It is usually very short, and much less
intense."
Dumbledore held his hand over the mark and could feel intense heat
radiating from it.
He placed a hand under Snape's arm and lifted him back to his feet.
"Come along Severus, let us get you to the hospital wing. I'm sure Poppy
can at least reduce the heat and do something about your pain. I know we
cannot remove the mark, but let us see what we can do about this. Do not
worry, dear boy," Dumbledore reassured Snape before he could begin the
protest that he had obviously been about to voice "I will keep it as
secret as possible and you know Poppy won't breathe a word of it either."
Dumbledore half-supported the younger man all the way to the hospital
wing.
As they drew nearer to the corridor of the hospital wing, Snape
straightened himself and gently shook off Dumbledore's supporting hand.
"There may be someone awake in there, even at this late hour." Snape
hissed through his gritted teeth, his breathing rapid from fighting the
burning pain on his arm. He carefully smoothed his sleeve back down over
his arm, where large blisters were beginning to form. His hands were
shaking and he seemed annoyed at that small weakness. He took a slow,
deep breath, as if to steady himself before he spoke in an almost-normal
tone. "You go on ahead, I will come in a moment looking for you."
Dumbledore looked concerned, but turned to precede Snape to the door.
"Very well, but do not wait too long, Severus or I will come and carry
you in myself if I must. I will inform Poppy that you need to see her
privately if anyone is awake."
Snape raised an eyebrow but nodded curtly toward the door, indicating he
wanted Dumbledore to go, twitching one corner of his mouth in a half-
hearted attempt at a smile of thanks. Shaking his head and smiling at the
younger man's folly of pride, Dumbledore entered the room and quietly
closed the door.
Snape shook his lank black hair back out of his eyes and took slow, deep
breaths as he composed his features to his familiar scowl and waited for
a full three minutes before he walked to the door in his normal manner.
He stepped through the door and saw that someone was awake, the retired
Auror Mad-eye Moody. Dumbledore had just recently rescued Moody from
imprisonment in his own magical trunk, where Crouch Jr. had kept him
alive while masquerading as Moody. He was in quiet conversation with
Dumbledore, who was seated beside his bed. The only light showing was a
candle on the stand beside Moody's bed. Both of Moody's eyes were focused
on Snape as he motioned him over to his bed at the far end of the row.
Snape saw Moody's bright-blue magical eye shift to a partition around the
bed where Harry Potter was sleeping after his traumatic experiences at
the end of the Tournament. Mrs. Weasley, who was here to be at hand for
Harry, was asleep in an empty bed next to the partition. Her children
were not in the room.
When he got close Moody spoke quietly. "Albus tells me you were singled
out for a bit of rough attention today. Saw Dumbledore and you in the
hallway and wondered what was going on. Come here lad and let me see."
Snape scowled at being addressed as "lad" but said nothing.
Moody held out his hand and Dumbledore nodded to Snape reassuringly.
"Madam Pomfrey will be back in a moment, Severus. I've explained to her
as well as I could what was happening. She has gone to gather the things
she needed to treat you. You needn't worry. Harry and Mrs. Weasley have
been given sleeping potions and will not awaken until morning. Her
children were sent to sleep in Gryffindor Tower."
Snape hesitated, but came closer, still wearing his habitual scowl.
Though he knew Moody's magical eye could see his arm without doing so,
Snape carefully rolled up the sleeve to expose his Dark Mark once again
as he stood next to Moody's bed on the opposite side from Dumbledore. He
was surprised to see that, in the short time since he had lowered his
sleeve in the hallway, his arm was now crusted with drying amber-colored
clear liquid tinged with blood that had begun to seep from the large
blisters into the fabric, sticking it painfully to his arm. He loosened
the fabric from his arm with a quick tug, breaking more blisters as he
did so. He flinched slightly and his hands shook with his shivering, in
spite of his attempt to hide it.
Moody took a surprisingly gentle but firm grip of his hand and pulled his
arm closer to his face, both eyes affixed on the raw flesh. "Sure you
haven't been playing with a dragon, Laddie? Looks fair cooked and I can
feel the heat from here. You're trembling like you're chilled to the bone
too. Ye look like ye better take seat until Madam Pomfrey gets back."
"I assure you I have not been anywhere close to a dragon at any time
today." Snape said rather stiffly, eyes blazing. He jerked his hand from
Moody's grip. He surprised them by locating another chair nearby and
sitting without protest.
"What kind of curse d'ye think Voldemort is amusin' himself with to cause
that?" Moody asked looking at Dumbledore with his good eye, though the
question clearly had been directed to Snape, who was still the target of
Moody's magical eye.
Snape raised his left hand in a distracted manner and flexed his fingers
experimentally before saying "It is nothing more sinister than a simple
Transferal Charm, but what is being transferred is the cause of what you
see here. I have seen him use it before as a punishment, but never to
this extent."
Snape took another tremulous deep breath before continuing, staring at
his arm, "Perhaps it is more accurate to say that the Dark Lord has been
using the charm several times today. I have felt it no less than six
times since midday. Each time the effect has increased. What I am
experiencing is the match of the pain and damage of someone who has just
received the Dark Mark, once for each new Death Eater the Dark Lord,
Lord Voldemort, it seems, has just marked as his most loyal followers."
As he finished speaking, Snape looked towards the inner door of the
hospital wing where Madam Pomfrey's office and storeroom were located. As
he started to stand and seemed about to say something more, he grasped
his arm once again, sucking in a great gasp of air through clenched
teeth, grimacing in pain, he fell out of the chair. He curled
convulsively around his arm as he lay on his left side, then slumped
loosely onto his back, unconscious. His arm was bleeding slowly now and
wisps of what looked like steam rose from the blackened wound on his arm.
To be continued...
So, let me know what you think. This is my first fan fiction. It was
originally done in eight short chapters on Chamber of Secrets Forums
[CoSForums.com] in the library under my name, Barbara Kennedy.
I'll put up the rest of this two-part short vignette in a couple of days,
but I want some reviews first. Thank you.
By Barbara Kennedy
This is going to be a very short vignette, my very first fan fiction by
the way.
It is a short story of a possible behind-the-scene happening with
Professor Severus Snape very late one night, near the end of Goblet of
Fire, after the Tri-Wizard Tournament.
DISCLAIMER: As usual, none of these characters are mine *sigh*. I've just
borrowed them from J. K. Rowling, with many thanks.
_____________________________________________
A moist wind was gusting and swirling the torch lights spaced along the
walls and the dark cloak held tightly about a thin hooded figure slowly
climbing the stairs to the Astronomy Tower in the earliest hours of the
morning.
The dark sky was clear as crystal above him with a vast ocean of stars
unseen by the man whose eyes did not leave the stone stairs before his
feet. There was a distant line of clouds at the horizon, illuminated
briefly by lightning, foretelling a storm on its way.
When the dark figure reached the top of the stairs, he paused, looking
around, as if to assure himself that was alone before making his way to
the low wall at the edge of the tower. He leaned against the stone as if
needing the support to remain on his feet. His arms were clutched tightly
about him, though the wind was not cold. With head bowed, he remained in
that same position for many minutes, as though in deep thought, or in
painful reverie.
"Are you ill, Severus?" a kindly voice from behind the figure inquired.
The instant transformation of the figure at the wall was astounding. As
he twirled to face the speaker, his shoulders squared and his back
straightened, adding inches to his stature. The hood was blown off his
head by the capricious winds, revealing a long hook-nosed face and greasy
black hair. His sallow face briefly revealing a surprised and annoyed
expression quickly replaced with a more relaxed, but guarded look. His
hand held a wand pointed at the heart of the speaker, but lowered and put
away the wand as quickly as it appeared.
He saw the eyes of Albus Dumbledore twinkle in amusement at his actions
before he spoke, "Forgive me, Headmaster. You surprised me. I did not see
you up here.. No, I am not ill, at least not in body." The last five
words were mumbled, barely discernable over the sounds of the wind. He
glanced away again.
Dumbledore peered thoughtfully at Severus Snape; the relatively young
Potions Master here at Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft, then
came to stand beside him at the low wall and gazed at the stars above
them. "I'm often told that, you know. I'm easily overlooked, when I wish
to be. I've been up here observing the stars, Severus, and thinking. It
is easier to think where people cannot see you, sometimes, is it not?"
Dumbledore gave Severus a sideways glance, seeing a curious glance
returned.
"I should have realized that someone was up here, the torches are not
normally lit. It was careless of me to be so unobservant." Severus said
with a tinge of real worry in his voice.
"Are you sure you are alright? You look very tired." Dumbledore looked
closely at his face, peering over the top of his half-moon glasses.
"All I need is sleep. I haven't rested much since I left. I will be fine
in the morning. Do not worry yourself." His face showed strain and a
muscle in his cheek twitched slightly. Dumbledore notice that there was a
haunted look lingering around his dark eyes. It was apparent to him only
because he knew this man better than most other people who worked near
him every day. He was not one to let people near.
"Did things go well?" Dumbledore inquired, turning to face Snape, fixing
him in his gaze.
"Yes, as well as expected. Our preparations are in motion. Now we must
wait for the results." Snape turned and leaned once again on the
stonework of the wall, showing even more weariness than before. "I still
have some misgivings about my ability to perform the tasks you have given
me.."
"You will perform them admirably, I am sure Severus, just don't take
unnecessary risks to try to prove yourself. You have nothing to prove to
me."
"There is much I must prove after the events of the last week, if not to
you, I must prove myself yet again to that blind fool, Fudge. Especially
if he keeps on pretending.."
"Now, now, Severus, let me handle that problem, in my own way."
"I'm sorry, Headmaster, I just don't think it will be that easy to make
him see. That man was acting like a moron and has been for some time! He
fears more for his job than for the safety of those depending on him to
properly do his job! His incompetence is criminal. An empty shell lies
where once there was a witness and proof of the Dark Lord's return.
There is a boy being buried by his father and another almost killed
because.. " Severus faltered and he realized he had been shouting. He had
been shouting at the one man who understood more about the recent events
surrounding the disastrous Triwizard Tournament than anyone else he knew.
Those events had changed his life in ways he dreaded to think of. He was
not the only one in danger however, the whole wizarding world was at risk
because the Dark Lord had returned. Voldemort was reborn.
He gathered his cloak and pulled it about his shoulders again, bowing his
head. "You know my views on the man well enough." He looked directly
into Dumbledore's eyes. "I did not mean to shout. You will do what is
best, I know that. I just fear what damage he will cause before you can
act." He looked away again.
Dumbledore pulled out his pocket watch with the twelve hands and planets
and peered at it for a short time, then looked intently at the sky above
them and fiddled with the stem of the watch for a moment.
"I must go have look in on Harry and Moody in the hospital wing for a
moment before I retire for the night. Come along Severus, I insist you
get a sleeping potion from Madam Pomfrey, you do look all done in."
"Perhaps you are right, sir, I could use a deep sleep tonight."
They turned and proceeded to the stairs. Dumbledore patted Snape lightly
on his near shoulder and felt him shivering slightly. At the challenging
look, with a raised eyebrow, that he received, he merely smiled and
gripped the shoulder reassuringly, saying nothing of it. He followed
Snape down the narrow stairway.
Suddenly, about halfway down the stairs, Severus let out the tiniest
strangled gasp and gripped his left forearm, reeling back onto the stair
behind him. Dumbledore came around him and gripped his left hand. Snape
did not resist. He gently raised the sleeve covering the Dark Mark he
knew was tattooed on Snape's arm. It had faded from the vivid black it
showed when he had practically shoved it under the nose of Cornelius
Fudge to a barely discernable pattern of grey, except for the fact that
it now was an angry red in color and was raised like it had been recently
placed there with a brand. It looked like it would bleed if it were
touched, it was so raw in appearance.
"What is it Severus, a summons? Is Voldemort calling his Death Eaters
together?"
"No." Snape managed a bitter smile. "It is merely a reminder that he is
thinking of me."
"Can he find you through the mark?"
Snape shook his head, grimacing, "No, otherwise I am sure he would have
done so long before this. I am sure I have been..a disappointment to him.
He does not deal with disappointment well. It has been getting worse
since this afternoon. It was only a minor irritation then. He has
increased the strength of it slowly over the evening."
His skin had gone even paler than usual and his shivering had increased.
He spoke through clenched teeth now.
"He has many ways of making his feelings known to those who displease
him. It is not the first time I have felt that displeasure. Nor is it
likely to be the last. This, however, is the longest he has shown me
such..devoted.. attention. It is usually very short, and much less
intense."
Dumbledore held his hand over the mark and could feel intense heat
radiating from it.
He placed a hand under Snape's arm and lifted him back to his feet.
"Come along Severus, let us get you to the hospital wing. I'm sure Poppy
can at least reduce the heat and do something about your pain. I know we
cannot remove the mark, but let us see what we can do about this. Do not
worry, dear boy," Dumbledore reassured Snape before he could begin the
protest that he had obviously been about to voice "I will keep it as
secret as possible and you know Poppy won't breathe a word of it either."
Dumbledore half-supported the younger man all the way to the hospital
wing.
As they drew nearer to the corridor of the hospital wing, Snape
straightened himself and gently shook off Dumbledore's supporting hand.
"There may be someone awake in there, even at this late hour." Snape
hissed through his gritted teeth, his breathing rapid from fighting the
burning pain on his arm. He carefully smoothed his sleeve back down over
his arm, where large blisters were beginning to form. His hands were
shaking and he seemed annoyed at that small weakness. He took a slow,
deep breath, as if to steady himself before he spoke in an almost-normal
tone. "You go on ahead, I will come in a moment looking for you."
Dumbledore looked concerned, but turned to precede Snape to the door.
"Very well, but do not wait too long, Severus or I will come and carry
you in myself if I must. I will inform Poppy that you need to see her
privately if anyone is awake."
Snape raised an eyebrow but nodded curtly toward the door, indicating he
wanted Dumbledore to go, twitching one corner of his mouth in a half-
hearted attempt at a smile of thanks. Shaking his head and smiling at the
younger man's folly of pride, Dumbledore entered the room and quietly
closed the door.
Snape shook his lank black hair back out of his eyes and took slow, deep
breaths as he composed his features to his familiar scowl and waited for
a full three minutes before he walked to the door in his normal manner.
He stepped through the door and saw that someone was awake, the retired
Auror Mad-eye Moody. Dumbledore had just recently rescued Moody from
imprisonment in his own magical trunk, where Crouch Jr. had kept him
alive while masquerading as Moody. He was in quiet conversation with
Dumbledore, who was seated beside his bed. The only light showing was a
candle on the stand beside Moody's bed. Both of Moody's eyes were focused
on Snape as he motioned him over to his bed at the far end of the row.
Snape saw Moody's bright-blue magical eye shift to a partition around the
bed where Harry Potter was sleeping after his traumatic experiences at
the end of the Tournament. Mrs. Weasley, who was here to be at hand for
Harry, was asleep in an empty bed next to the partition. Her children
were not in the room.
When he got close Moody spoke quietly. "Albus tells me you were singled
out for a bit of rough attention today. Saw Dumbledore and you in the
hallway and wondered what was going on. Come here lad and let me see."
Snape scowled at being addressed as "lad" but said nothing.
Moody held out his hand and Dumbledore nodded to Snape reassuringly.
"Madam Pomfrey will be back in a moment, Severus. I've explained to her
as well as I could what was happening. She has gone to gather the things
she needed to treat you. You needn't worry. Harry and Mrs. Weasley have
been given sleeping potions and will not awaken until morning. Her
children were sent to sleep in Gryffindor Tower."
Snape hesitated, but came closer, still wearing his habitual scowl.
Though he knew Moody's magical eye could see his arm without doing so,
Snape carefully rolled up the sleeve to expose his Dark Mark once again
as he stood next to Moody's bed on the opposite side from Dumbledore. He
was surprised to see that, in the short time since he had lowered his
sleeve in the hallway, his arm was now crusted with drying amber-colored
clear liquid tinged with blood that had begun to seep from the large
blisters into the fabric, sticking it painfully to his arm. He loosened
the fabric from his arm with a quick tug, breaking more blisters as he
did so. He flinched slightly and his hands shook with his shivering, in
spite of his attempt to hide it.
Moody took a surprisingly gentle but firm grip of his hand and pulled his
arm closer to his face, both eyes affixed on the raw flesh. "Sure you
haven't been playing with a dragon, Laddie? Looks fair cooked and I can
feel the heat from here. You're trembling like you're chilled to the bone
too. Ye look like ye better take seat until Madam Pomfrey gets back."
"I assure you I have not been anywhere close to a dragon at any time
today." Snape said rather stiffly, eyes blazing. He jerked his hand from
Moody's grip. He surprised them by locating another chair nearby and
sitting without protest.
"What kind of curse d'ye think Voldemort is amusin' himself with to cause
that?" Moody asked looking at Dumbledore with his good eye, though the
question clearly had been directed to Snape, who was still the target of
Moody's magical eye.
Snape raised his left hand in a distracted manner and flexed his fingers
experimentally before saying "It is nothing more sinister than a simple
Transferal Charm, but what is being transferred is the cause of what you
see here. I have seen him use it before as a punishment, but never to
this extent."
Snape took another tremulous deep breath before continuing, staring at
his arm, "Perhaps it is more accurate to say that the Dark Lord has been
using the charm several times today. I have felt it no less than six
times since midday. Each time the effect has increased. What I am
experiencing is the match of the pain and damage of someone who has just
received the Dark Mark, once for each new Death Eater the Dark Lord,
Lord Voldemort, it seems, has just marked as his most loyal followers."
As he finished speaking, Snape looked towards the inner door of the
hospital wing where Madam Pomfrey's office and storeroom were located. As
he started to stand and seemed about to say something more, he grasped
his arm once again, sucking in a great gasp of air through clenched
teeth, grimacing in pain, he fell out of the chair. He curled
convulsively around his arm as he lay on his left side, then slumped
loosely onto his back, unconscious. His arm was bleeding slowly now and
wisps of what looked like steam rose from the blackened wound on his arm.
To be continued...
So, let me know what you think. This is my first fan fiction. It was
originally done in eight short chapters on Chamber of Secrets Forums
[CoSForums.com] in the library under my name, Barbara Kennedy.
I'll put up the rest of this two-part short vignette in a couple of days,
but I want some reviews first. Thank you.