Chapter 4

The Triwizard tournament had begun, only it was not the Pentawizard tournament, but for the sake of tradition it was still called the Triwizard tournament. The date for the first task was scheduled, and everyone dispersed. Later that evening after the Beauxbatons' and the Durmstrangs' had gone back to their carriage and ship. The Celestial Knights went to their rooms. They had been given a spare dorm. The prefects and a few members of the Hogwarts staff began their patrol for students sneaking out of bed.

Severus was grateful that he was off duty tonight. He was tired from the day's activities. Was he surprised that Harry had somehow snuck his way into the tournament? The answer to that should have been no, but somehow he thought that this would go differently this time. As much as he had given Harry grief about getting himself into trouble, usually it was someone else with some weird plan of theirs. Severus had thought it might have been Dumbledore himself. This situation just meant that Severus had more work to do. As he made his way to his small apartment in the dungeons, he had a sneaky suspicion that he was being followed.

"Alright, who is it? If you're a student it would be most unwise to tale a teacher at this hour."

"So I've heard, Severus. I'm not an ordinary student am I?" A woman with a white cloak had appeared behind him.

"Salamandra, " Severus's heart just plummeted to his stomach. This was the last thing he needed. He couldn't even yell at her. She would go straight to Sera, and that would be a fiasco in itself. "What do you want?" He sneered.

"Can't a girl visit her dear brother-in-law? Someone sure has it in for the Potter boy. Do you think its Karkaroff?" Severus invited her into his sitting room, and gave her a glass of her favorite muggle red wine.

"It's been like that since he first started here. He's always getting into trouble. He's a rule breaker and a menace just like his father. I'm going to grow old before my time." Severus sighed as he sat in the chair opposite from this girl. It had been a year since he married Sera. The relationship was his biggest secret, even Dumbledore didn't know.

"You should tell him, you know. He trusts you, and you trust him. He is the only one who would come running to your rescue if something happened to Sera. Lucius might actually take her side. You should think about it." Why was this girl so smart? She was almost the exact replica of her sister. She was a much better Legilimens was much better than his.

When she left that night, Severus was grateful, but it meant he had a lot more to think about. Seraphina was a good friend of Lily Evans back when they were in school. When Severus was arse and called Lily that foul name, it was Seraphina whom Lily ran to for support and comfort. As Severus sunk deeper into the inner circle of the Dark Lord's followers, Sera had become Lily's confidant. After they had left Hogwarts, there were rumors that Sera had disappeared from some mischievous reason of her own.

It wasn't until last year that he saw her again. She was wearing a muggle night club outfit so he wasn't sure, but no one could mistake those eyes, that nose, or those lips. When she walked into the nightclub, he followed her. Severus had no idea she could dance like that. She looked like a lioness on the prowl, but her movements were seductive. She was a temptress that made Bellatrix look like a little awkward schoolgirl. A look of surprise appeared on her face, when Sera saw Severus, but it disappeared quickly and she didn't stop dancing until the song was over. Then she walked quickly over to him and grabbed his hand. Sera led Severus to the back of the building, past the back room where a few horny guests were enjoying themselves. Severus blushed when he thought thats where she was taking him, but he was wrong. They walked down a long dark staircase. Then she pushed him against the wall once they were out of sight.

"What are you doing here? Do you realize what you have done?" She hissed at him. Her beautiful angry eyes burned holes inside him. "Now, I have to find a way so that you don't get killed."

"Why would I get killed?" He finally found his brain enough to say something.

"Because you are an intruder, and He is watching. This is the lair for the Clan of the Hidden Terror. Congratulations, not only are you a Death Eater and a member of the Order of the Phoenix, but you will have to be a Clan Member. When we walk into that chamber and kneel before him you have to agree to everything I say or he will kill you, got that?" Severus realized that he made a mistake and assured her that he would do whatever she said. Then he followed her into a chamber. There was a person being tortured by flaming whips on one side.

"Alexi, don't play with your food." Sera moved her hand and the poor victim burst into tiny pieces and disappeared. Severus suddenly felt sick and worried. Who was this woman who had been his classmate? This place reminded him of the muggle raids when he was first a Death Eater.

"Sera, you came back. You brought food." Another one said, eyeing Severus. Severus put on his best Snape scowl.

"He's not food. He's getting initiated tonight. I, unlike you, can do what I want Emile. The Dark One actually likes me." Sera smirked at the man who was now snarling. There were two large black doors at the end of this horrendous hallway full of death. Severus was terrified, but kept his dark look. No one had made him this afraid in years. Sera stood in front of that door, and waited. It seemed like ages until the door opened, but Sera didn't move a muscle. They walked in quickly, and the door shut tight again.

They had walked into a throne room, and the man sitting on the throne was covered top to bottom in a dark material. His face was covered, and on top of that he wore a dark cloak.

"Sera, you have been very naughty. I had no idea you were engaged. You must really like this man if you kept him a secret." Sera had dropped to her knees and pulled Severus down so that he was kneeling as well. "You know that I will have to punish, Sera. I don't like my servants to keep secrets from me, but you may marry this man. I will not kill him." The man walked down towards Severus, and eyed him carefully. Severus didn't know that this is what he was doing. No one could see his eyes, but Sera knew the process. She had stood witness to it many times. "Normally, I would have you beaten and tortured. As it is your initiation day, tradition forbids it. I cannot physically harm Sera because I need her to work for me. Having her indisposed for a few days would harm me more than it would harm her. "

"Dark One, what would you like to do? You may do what you like to me. I will always do your bidding." Sera said to the ground rather to the Dark One, himself. The Dark One laughed, an eerie laugh.

"I have decided what I will do." He opened his arms wide, and the large black doors flung open. The room quickly filled with more dark hooded people. They were elegantly dressed. Severus recognized some of them from the nightclub. "What is his name, Sera?" I motioned for them both do stand up, and they did so.

"His name is Severus Tobias Snape." The Dark One's voice crackled even more with laughter.

"You have caught the greasy dungeon bat of Hogwarts. You are right. The only way for you to save his life is to marry him right now." Severus was wondering how he knew that. The Dark One pronated his hands quickly, and all of Severus's clothes disappeared. Severus moved to cover what dignity he had left, but was quickly shouted down by the Dark One. He realized that he was actually standing on his robes.

Sera had been disrobed as well, and she laid down on the bed made out of their robes. The Clan members were chanting some sort of spell, and Severus was told to consummate the binding ritual immediately. It wasn't that he wasn't in love with her. He was very much in love with her. The act of doing something so intimate and private in front of a crowd of people was humiliating and he wasn't sure if he could do it even if he wanted to. She was exposing herself to save his life because he had been nosy. He couldn't stop his face from turning red. Sera was staring at him with angry eyes.

Severus had no choice. He climbed on top of her and kissed her. It wasn't for her. He had to calm his nerves somehow, and he accomplished the goal that they expected him to accomplish. He buried himself deep inside her as quickly as he could so that he could hide himself from the eyes of so many. He couldn't stop himself. He was that much in love with her. When he woke up, they were laying in a beautiful soft bed. His arms were around his new wife.