Even for those who already read it, I strongly advise to read it again, since I had to change some important information.
Thanks again for my dear beta Snape'sWitch!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would like to make it clear that none is mine, because if it was Snape would be the main character!
Warning: This will probably be a OOC Severus in the future, but I promise to make sense! I also warn you about: Sex, bad language and violence.
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2. The Vow
After the news sank into their minds, Harry began planning, "It will be impossible to take him out of Azkaban. We must go there to find out anything we can!"
Hermione was not listening to him though. After the great news Tonks had delivered, she immediately turned to the portrait, only to find the headmaster looking . . . sad? Something is not right here. Despite the agitation that followed, she asked in a loud voice to get everyone's attention, "Why did the portkey send us here, Headmaster?"
It worked; everyone stopped. Tonks, who didn't know what was happening, spoke first,
"What portkey? I thought you were in Snape's quarters! It took me forever to find you here."
Hermione turned to her, "We were. However, Snape planted a portkey that sent us here. At first we thought that it was a joke, but the headmaster said he knew why."
Tonks looked confused, but she didn't have time to ask anything, as the headmaster's portrait started his explanation, "He wanted you to know the truth; the truth that only I can tell," He looked at Harry and said, "Remember when I told you that the older we are the bigger are our mistakes?"
Harry nodded and the headmaster continued, "I've made a mistake that could destroy our side, or bring us the victory, depending on how you intend to deal with it."
His listeners sat down. They knew this explanation would take some time, and Hermione was afraid of what she was about to hear.
The headmaster went on, "When Severus came to Hogwarts he was a very secluded boy. I didn't pay much attention to him because the Marauders gave me other things to think about." He smiled fondly at Harry, "but I was wrong. Severus had a secret, and his secret would change many things, including our lives."
Harry made a move to interrupt but the headmaster held up his hand for him to wait. "I didn't understand why he joined the Death Eaters . . . why he took the Dark Mark. But what shocked me most was that he was a half-blood himself, and Tom was very picky in those aspects. I didn't understand it, not until I knew the truth myself."
Looking thoughtful, the headmaster paused, and then continued, "What I didn't know was his background. Severus was indeed a half-blood; his father was a Muggle, but not completely. A vampire bit Severus's father before marrying his mother; several times I would say. You see, when someone feeds a vampire willingly, this person becomes one gradually. I think that not even Severus could know why his father did it. The truth is, when Severus's father finally married Eileen Prince, he was a full vampire with a double life. When Severus was born, they moved to the vampire world. He was raised in the Vampire Realm until he was eleven, and finally came to Hogwarts."
Dumbledore gave a time for his words to sink in, then went on, "I discovered it one night. The Slytherin students had a big party in their common room after a Quidditch victory. As you can imagine, everyone drank a lot and things got out of hand. Slughorn couldn't stop it, so I went there personally to calm them down and end the party. I counted everyone, but Severus and Miss Maverick, a fifth year, were missing. I searched for them, and found him feeding from her at the lake."
Everyone looked disgusted but the headmaster didn't seem to mind, "I owled his parents immediately. I dare say his father seemed proud, but his mother didn't like it a bit. It was on that day I discovered the truth."
Hermione was gobsmacked. Severus Snape was a vampire, and fed from people! Even knowing this impressive news, she asked, "But what does it have to do with him taking the mark?"
Professor Dumbledore answered simply, "Everything. At that same time, that was when Tom was gathering his forces. He and was becoming very strong. He had a werewolf by his side, and that was what frightened the vampire world. Fenrir Greyback was gathering the werewolves against the wizards, but mostly against the vampires. The werewolves wanted war. However, the Vampire world itself had an internal war. They were divided into a Vampire Realm and a Vampire Nation. They were in a civil war, and if the werewolves decided to interfere, there would be no united army to fight against them. So Tobias, Severus's father, sent his son to act as a spy to negotiate with Tom and Fenrir. That was the real reason he took the mark."
Harry pacing furiously in the office, burst out, "But he killed you! He's a murderer! Why are you telling us this? This doesn't explain anything!"
The headmaster looked sadly at him. "True, my boy, it doesn't, but let me finish. As soon as Severus took the mark, I requested his help. It was too great an opportunity to lose. His father then gave him to me, binding us with an Unbreakable Vow. Severus would serve me in whatever I would ask, even if disagreeing, or else he would die."
Now, it was Hermione who was outraged. "So, he was your slave?"
Dumbledore sighed, "Yes, unfortunately, his father gave him to me as a slave."
Even Harry stopped pacing around, and looked at Dumbledore. Now they knew why Voldemort feared him. Hermione was just angry. How could he use a boy to do the dirty job! How could his own father give him away? She wouldn't hear an explanation for this. She knew it.
Dumbledore continued, "The first horcrux I found drained my energy, but the second one, the locket, did worse. I actually had a piece of Tom's soul in my body, and gradually it was killing me. I wouldn't mind dying for the cause, but it was also enslaving me. Soon I would be Tom's unconscious slave, and he would use me to destroy the Order. I first realized this when I assigned Severus to the position in the Defense Against Dark Arts subject. I couldn't afford losing one of my spies at that moment, and I certainly jeopardized his position in doing so. The liquid was doing to me what the scar was doing to you, only more intensely. Soon, I would be another menace to you. All of you." This time he turned to Professor McGonagall with longing eyes, "I asked him to kill me, while we still had time!"
For the first time Hermione wished Harry was right about Professor Snape's alliances, for things certainly couldn't get any worse.
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After the Headmaster's explanation, the group traveled to Azkaban.
They knew that Severus was weak since he hadn't fed himself properly for months -- another piece of information that Dumbledore had delivered -- the dementors' proximity could kill him. They needed Snape more than ever now. The Daily Prophet reported that there were werewolf attacks before, but the Order took no notice of them, believing that they were isolated incidents. Now they were almost sure that Fenrir was able to convince the whole pack to join the Death Eaters. Besides which, he might have other valuable information.
Tonks sent her patronus with the Headmaster's information to the Order at Grimmauld Place, and when they arrived at Azkaban, they were met by Arthur, Molly, Remus and, unexpectedly, Ginny.
The redhead hugged her friends and her brother, asking, "Is it true? Snape is a slave vampire? Dumbledore asked to be killed?"
Despite Ginny's ability to summarize the most horrible situation Hermione had ever been through in one single sentence, she answered, "All true. We heard it from the Headmaster's portrait himself!"
"Let's go. He's in a separated cell. We were able to keep the dementors away," said Arthur, whilst he led the others to Snape's cell.
When they arrived in his cell the vision was horrible. Severus Snape, former Potions Master of Hogwarts, lay in the corner, holding tightly to his clothes with his body curved and his face hidden by his hair. His hands were pale, and his fingers were thinner than before. He seemed trapped.
Molly entered the cell carrying raw meat and tried to give it to Severus. He didn't move.
"He is not an animal! He needs human blood, not raw meat!" They heard an angry Draco bellowing from the cell in front of them.
Truth be told, Hermione couldn't agree more. This man has been a real hero since he was sixteen! He doesn't deserve to be fed raw meat like a dumb animal! She stepped to Draco's cell and asked politely," How do we feed him? Should we just show our wrists for him to bite?"
Draco looked at her searching for any hint of sarcasm, but found none. Hermione noticed that he was in better shape than Snape, though he was paler than usual, but looked healthy.
"He doesn't have strength enough to bite. You'll have to cut your wrist, and give it to him. It won't be easy. He doesn't like to drink blood."
Draco's tone reassured Hermione. He was definitely on their side. At least on Snape's side, and that was a lot coming from him. She looked at the others. No one seemed happy to be doing this. So deciding to take matters into her own hands, Hermione transfigured a piece of meat into a sharp knife, and entered his cell.
However, Harry disagreed, and held her arm, "Don't! I know he's a victim, but he may attack you."
She pulled away and asked him, "Will you do it?"
There was no answer. He just looked at her helplessly. She entered the cell and knelt near Snape.
"Professor? Are you awake?"
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Next Chapter: On the way
". . . His mouth caressed the glass as ifhe was kissing it. She felt her mouth becomedry, and suddenly she realized how erotic this scene appeared to her—she had to look away."
