CHAPTER ONE: SEVERUS IS HERE
I was that overseer the day he arrived, his long robes billowing in the wind and a glint behind his dark eyes. I never greeted the newcomers, but I was the welcoming committee of the day, so it was my job.
"Good day, Sir. I would like to welcome you to Hell. My name is Flame and I will guide you through this level and describe your job to you," I said calmly, but sternly, just as my training had taught me. I had been in Hell for seven thousand years, sent here by Christ himself for committing acts of witchcraft, and this man, I could tell committed the same crime. A wand stuck out from under his robes, and I knew what words he was about to speak.
"There has been a mistake," he said darkly. "I have never committed acts of evil intentionally, yet I am here. Please explain to me why." "Sir, are you a wizard or warlock?" I asked. He nodded quietly, like he was reluctant to admit such an offense, even in such a non-public place as Hell. "Any act of witchcraft is punishable, but if you do your duties, you may return to Judgment and be tested again. If you can prove that you have served the proper amount of time, then you will be released and sent to the appropriate area, usually a half-way stay on Earth or another planet with life. Do you understand this system?" I questioned. He nodded, so I led him to a working area.
The men were shackled together and were stacking books. The Lord kept many books with every detail of Time inside, and the books had to be organized and stored. Hell was the best place, since many who go to Heaven are allowed to live again to spread Wisdom to others. Most that come to Hell never get to see this however.
"Sir, keep up, please," I said calmly. "The warden is making rounds at the moment, and I wouldn't want you to go to the Pits on your first hour here." He obeyed and walked with me to another room, one where withdrawals were taking place. This level was for drug addicts, magic offenders, and the trigger-happy who were not saved on their home planet. The withdrawal is a symptom given to the spirit in Hell as a form of payment, and then they are sent to Judgment again and tested. Most never pass and escape their ways, and many end up at the final level of Hell, the Point of no Return. No one has gone there and returned to Judgment to hear good news. Satan is there, along with his followers. They have their space and we have ours, which is the preferred way.
"What is that?" he asked. He was pointing at a transport chamber for the exorcisms.
"Those who possess souls on what was your home world travel through there from the final level," I replied. "Now, we must get to your job, and we must see the warden to better place you. He holds the files in his office, and he'll decide what job you should do." "I would like to teach again," he said quietly. He started to lag behind me.
"Sir? Please keep up, Sir," I begged sternly. Once he was at my side, I whispered, "You'll have to work here as a physician first, one of the ones who stays with the ones going through withdrawal. Then, you approach the warden at the next level and ask to teach the unsaved children. They always need someone, but you have to prove yourself worthy. You are of magical background, remember?" "What is your job here?" he asked.
"I am like a social worker here. I've been here since Christ Himself was around, and even a little before then since this was before He went down to Earth and showed Himself to the people there. Today, I'm the welcoming committee, which takes newcomers around the area and then to the warden, who will be angry if we are late, now hurry, Sir." "It's Severus," he mumbled.
"Nice to meet you Severus. We then approached the warden's door. I knocked sternly and was allowed inside, with Severus right behind me.
"Hello, newcomer. Flame, thank you for bringing him to me. Have you given him the tour?" the warden asked.
"Yes, Master," I nodded to him. He shook his head in a pleased fashion and shooed me away. Severus was in the room for an hour, then he returned dressed in the fashion of Hell. His robes were replaced with a dress-like item like monks wear on Earth, from what I'm told. His hair was the same, but his wand was gone. As soon as he made himself at home in his work area, the withdrawal room, I was able to approach him.
My job is mostly to obey the warden, and my job was to guard Severus. The warden would not go into detail, but I felt that Severus had more on his spiritual record than being a wizard in real life.
The air grew thicker, but not from the heat, from evil, the kind that was hard to escape. And by the looks of it, Severus had someone from below on his trail, someone with darkness to the equivalence of Satan himself.