(August 8th, 1970)
This word is never new to him; muttered or spat he's been told through his life, even at a young age.
"MONSTER!" A blonde headed boy, screamed after he had been knocked off the park swings. A few parents turned their heads but most ignored the pair of boys. The blonde boy, on the other hand, looked like a tomato; red-faced, furrowed brows and clenched teeth trying to not cry as he held a horribly scraped knee.
"Richie I-I didn't mean it, I swear!" The other boy, with his dark shoulder length hair; Was weeping at his best-friends chosen words. Before the name had never hurt him, either when it was said by his father or neighbors. He knew he had thrown Richie off the edge these couple of weeks. His mother had said that his accidental magic was acting up even more; 'Sign of a strong wizard my boy, I'm certain you'll have the potential.' The boy did not care about his magic now, he wanted his friend; only friend, best-friend. Without Richie, he'd be lonely again. Maybe he did deserve to be lonely. His father called magic 'The devil's work', thinking it evil and in ill thoughts. Perhaps he was right.
"I don't want to be your friend anymore Rus! You're always hurting me, you like to pick flowers and plants like a little girl, your hair is long just like one and you STINK. My mommy told me not to play with any of the kids in the slums, SHE WAS RIGHT! You're a dirty, nasty, greasy po-" The blonde haired boy never got to finish his sentence, a large rock sank into the side of his face. Rus was running away, holding his much too large pants tightly in one hand, the soles of his shoes flapping and smacking against the concrete. He concentrated on ignoring the scream of pain, certainly getting the attention of adults now.
As concrete streets and picket fenced houses turned to cobble and slums. Dark smoke filled the places of clouds, muck water running down the drain pipes. He turned right on Darmouth street, entering Spinner's End, the last house by the alleyway. They were all alike with their dull windows and chipped wooden doors.
Crashing into the house, Rus would have made it quickly to his room if it hadn't been for his mother blocking his way. She came from the kitchen, holding a knife in her hands; not finished cutting up some herbs.
"Severus," she looked him up and down; noticing his tear-streaked cheeks. His mother let out a ghost of a gasp, gathering her skirt in a bunch and quickly wiping the tears away, "Severus, do not let your father see you crying, he's coming home early tonight from an interview, if he sees you like this he'll give you a good cuffing do you hear me?" Rus stayed silent, looking down at his worn shoes.
"I hate wizards…" His mother froze, words settling themselves in the pits of her stomach.
"You don't mean that Severus, you're just exhausted. Now come, let's get you din-" She was cut off as Rus pushed into her, grabbing the stinging sharp knife in his smaller hands and pouncing up the stairs.
"SEVERUS!" she yelled and tried to catch him, running up two steps at a time. Grasping his coat she felt rush of wind thrust her backwards; the grip on Rus's coat gone now as she tumbled down the stairs, head slamming against the steps. If it hadn't been for her magic and hardiness, she certainly would have died on the deep impacts the sharply inclined steps made on her head. Eileen, groaned in pain endorsing it; never risking being caught using magic.
Severus, on the other hand, paid no mind as he made his way to his bedroom, perhaps the size of a storage closet. Before throwing himself on his knees; Severus locked the door and shoved a small chest against it, he pulled out a small cracked mirror from under his bed. Propping it against his bed, Rus gripped a length of his dark hair; chopping it off in one slice. This was repeated almost seven times before he was surrounded by his own hair, an hour later, now cut to the top of his ears. He scowled at his reflection, anger filling his soul. If he wasn't a wizard he could be free, to have friends who didn't think of him as a freak, a father who liked him.
There was a thump against the door, hard and heavy as two others followed before the lock broke loose.
"SEVERUS!" His father's voice was penetrating, a looming figure in most people's presence. He stopped in his tracks, his mother; Eileen gasped.
"Severus, what happened to your hair?" The boy turned, getting up from the ground; Rus straightened his back and breathed in deeply.
"I'm not going to Hogwarts, I'm going to stay here and find a job."
"Severus shut up, you don't know what you're talking about!" She wore a bandage around her head. "You're too young to work and you WILL go to Hogwarts you understand me!"
"No, no if the boy wants to stay and work here I'll find him a job. Better than going to that devil school. There's no argument here Eileen do you hear me?" The blonde man pointed a thick finger at her face. "Don't try anything or I swear I'll beat you, Eileen, don't make me try it." His fists were clenched, knuckles bulging and white. She felt a shadow descend upon them at that moment, a chill that ran down her spine.
"Alright, that's fine Tobias if you want to do it your way, but I warn you now...this will come back to bite you…" She sighed and left the bedroom. Tobias took a moment to hear her leave before turning to Severus.
"I'll only say this to you once Rus, so hear me loud and clear; you made me proud today, you chose to be a real man." He awkwardly patted the boy's shoulder.
"It's late but if you want to come down to eat a late dinner, that's fine by me." He nodded walking towards the door. "Good night Rus." the door creaked shut, Severus was left somewhat flabbergasted by his pa's actions. Letting a long sigh escape him, a pressure from his chest seemed to escape, and yet there was a lingering of regret that festered at the back of his heart. Rubbing his eyes, hunger wasn't felt in his stomach, only a wave of exhaustion that washed over him.
A man leaned against a crumbling brick wall; hidden under the darkness of the alleyway. A long crooked wand resting inside his sleeve; his eyes narrowed as the most devilish smile spread upon his pale face, yellow teeth the only color the man wore.
"Hush my little one...let your dreams take wing" He whispered up into the air. His heels echoed against the cobble, the dusty moonlight illuminating his path. Hands dug into his pocket. "One day when you're big and strong, Prince, you will be a king." Walking down the street, the most aggressive of dogs hunched back, cats hissed and hid away.
His scraggly blonde hair swung side to side, looking like the poor people of Cokeworth. Making his way down the road into one of the abandoned factories, smelling heavily of rust and coated with dust.
"Alois, did you get him? Did you see him? Is he like the prophecy say's, like father spoke of-" Alois, the blonde haired man slipped out his wand and zapped him with a hex.
"Entomorphis!" A cockroach was in the man's place. "You know what I've told you about blabbering, your voice grates my ears, dear brother." He sneered "Make sure you aren't squished, the spell will wear off in a few minutes; I promise, unlike last time." Making sure to stomp his foot near the cockroach, he watched it scuttle off.
With sharp crystal blue eyes, Alois watched the rest of his men stare at where the cockroach was.
"WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?!" He bellowed; quickly sending his henchmen back to work. He observed them; their unusual nervous demeanor.
"Grindelwald…" The blonde man growled, turning around to watch a handsome man walk in, his hands clasped behind his back, wearing a dark sharp suit.
"Tom…" Alois muttered out the man's name.
"IT'S LOR-you know what Alois, I won't get angry for you." He waltzed on over, rolling his eyes. "Did you find the boys location?" Tom inquired.
"Of course I have." Tom nodded, a malicious grin spreading on his lips, "Perfect the prophecy will fall into place. But there is one little problem I have."
Tom placed a thin hand on top the man's shoulder. "I'm taking over our little operation, you're just to blinded over some idiotic revenge, and; don't you think it would be better if I was ruling?" Alois slid Tom's hand off of his shoulder, icy crystal eyes digging into the other man's eyes.
"The prophecy says 'As the wind comes to his command, a prince will rise from the tenth hour; in a great black pit of a spiders web a king will be born' he is the child, I am sure of it!" His jaw became clenched.
"And If I were to perhaps be, the child of the prophecy?" Tom's eyes were usually cold and calculated, but in a moment of insanity; his dark brown eyes turned into an endless tunnel of nightmares.
"No Tom, I found the prophecy and I founded the Knights of Walpurgis. If you do not like it, then leave!" He pushed his wand against the man's stomach, sinking it into the soft flesh. Tom grinned.
"Fine, have it your way Grindelwald, I'll find my own way around this; you know, I always get what I want."
"Riddle." The other man disappeared in a loud crack, apparating out of the factory.
"He wants to go against us?" He turned around to face his men, some leaning against the walkway from up top, watching with deadly curiosity. "It's time to take some action boys; IT'S TIME TO START KILLING, START A WAR IF YOU MUST MEN, TONIGHT WE BEGIN OUR MISSION." There was an ear deafening roar from the savage followers. Their wands clutched tightly in their hands, thrust up into the air.
There was something to the air that night, something that made the hairs on your stand back for no reason. The people of West Cokeworth thought nothing of it but a warning of rain.
Men were arriving from work, their wives patiently waiting for them while the children slept and dreamt of tomorrow, but they wouldn't have a tomorrow.
The first sound that was heard was a scream, a man's throat being slit.
"Fiendfyre…" The dark magic was spilled into the neighborhood engulfing it in hellish flames. Homes were broken into, with muggle men: women and children all being tortured at the hands of the Knights of Walpurgis. Skinned from head to toe, eyes ripped from their socket. The screams of those being burned and the murdered where like an orchestra to Alois's ears.
"Do you hear that Virgil? That beautiful music, like a lullaby to my ears, so beautiful." He moaned almost erotically. His brother shifting uncomfortably. "Tomorrow's daily prophet will be quite interesting once the Aurors find out this is a magical fire. See those men out there trying to put it out in vain? I want them killed, DO IT VIRGIL!" He pushed the younger man off the factory building.
"Tobias, what's going on" The Snape family ran out of their home, most families where already outside watching in horror as a fire blazing higher than any water tower far in West Cokeworth ate up the neighborhood. Some women fainted and cried out, but Eileen Snape took her son in her arms, making him look away.
"Come now Severus, you mustn't see this, come inside." She looked over at her husband who stood still glued to his spot watching the flames, his blue eyes reflecting the hellish licks of fire. But Severus turned to look, just a peek at the frights; it sent a chill down his body.
