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Darkness of Angels: Tenebras Angelorum

Prince Manor 24th August 09:28 AM

He awoke with a start, he couldn't see anything, it was all blurred and shapeless. Reaching around he couldn't identify where he was, remembered being thrown out into the garden; being beaten within an inch of his life, by Vernon of course, he remembered dragging himself over to the bushes, the only safe enclosed area in the entire garden.

Then he remembered there was something else, just as he was ready to fall asleep and let the magic heal him enough for the night, he remembered a tall dark figure, one that he could recognise. Tall, dark and foreboding. Excluding Voldie and Lucius Malfoy (and how they'd be able to break past Dumbledore's wards he had no idea), he could only think of one other that could make him cower in fear; Snape. If Snape had him at least he was safe, although simultaneously in mortal peril from Snape's unprecidented wrath.

Once again it hit him, the immense pain from last night, the burning, the flaming, the agonising destruction of his body. Harry almost winced in the memory of last night. But it wasn't just the beating that had caused him that much pain. No. Snape had done something to him as well, but what exactly had been done.

His hand had finally found where his glasses were and with practiced ease, Harry slid them on to his face and brought them to rest on the bridge of his nose. He had been laying on a rather plush beige bed with an oak frame and surrounded by plain cream walls. Harry located the door on the other side of the room pulled the duvet off of the bed, and noticing that thankfully he was clothed, headed over towards the exit of the room.

As he reached the door handle, Harry was susprised to find that it was not locked but opened purely at his touch. The door swung out into an elaborately decorated corridor with long winding hallways, all lined with portraits of the predecessors of the owner of the apparent mansion.

Smelling a gorgeous waft of what must have been breakfast, Harry turned left out of 'his bedroom' and proceeded along the corridor and down a grandeous stairway leading at the far left of the open welcoming chamber to a lavish and well laid dining room. And of course Snape was sat at the head of the table looking expectantly at Harry. Well then, Harry thought, best get this over and done with shall we...

"Good morning Professor." Harry intoned politely. Snape only held his hand up, gesturing for Harry to come and sit down but not to talk yet.

As Severus drained the last of his mug, Harry waited nervous for what was about to proceed, he was certain that Snape would send him to Dumbledore, then all that would happen would be that he would end up back at the Dursley's for 'his own safety'. Halting Harry's gradually panicking thoughts the professor began to speak.

"Apologies Potter, coffee is a necessity in the morning."

"Um that's... that's fine Sir."

"Perfectly eloquent as always Potter, glad to see that hasn't changed at least, one of the few things that hasn't." This was said with a large smirk plastered across Severus' face, as if he knew (which of course he did) that Harry had no idea what 'changes Severus was talking about.