A/N: Sorry this took me forever, guys. I had some issues about telling
Snape what had happend--couldn't decide if I should wait until he's forty,
or tell him now. Sooo... I realize this chapter is seemingly uneventful,
but trust me--it is a key to the plot. Eventually. Hehe. Oh, and thanks go
to Sarah Rose Black, for sending me my first flame! (She threatened to
embarrass me at prom if I didn't get up my next chapter soon, and save her
from 7th hour's boredom...) Enjoy! (And review for me? I haven't gotten any
for ages, save Sarah, and I know that's my fault, but still!)
The Chosen One and Her Circle Chapter 7
Severus, Peter, and Tom emerged into the light of the Entrance Hall, blinking at the bright sun shining through the windows.
"Peter, Severus, follow me." Tom ordered, ignoring protests from both parties.
He led them up this stair and down that, through this hall, and that door, and up this stair, and hadn't they been here already? It seemed to go on for eternity, but at last he checked the hallways for bystanders and, finding none, muttered a password at the wall. It opened up much like that of Diagon Alley's entrance, and he beckoned for the two other boys to follow him.
Stepping into the room, Peter gasped, asking where they were, and wouldn't they get in trouble for being there, but Tom chuckled, answering, "No others know of this place, not even that old fool Dumbledore!"
Severus was speechless. They were in a large common room that was curiously devoid of artwork, dormitories, or an entrance or exit of any kind. He knew that there was truth in what Tom said, but being there, in that large and "unknown" place, made him nervous.
"Well? Tom, why did you bring us here, if it is your personal lounge, as I assume?" asked Severus, ever the suspicious.
Tom chuckled again, a deep and menacing sound from within his very being. It sounded to Severus as though he practiced it in front of the mirror when he was alone, it was so perfect, so intimidating--but not to him. No one, and no one, could intimidate Severus Snape!
"I brought you here to make you a deal," he began, banishing the dust off of a couch and stretching out on it gracefully. "I will tell you what transpired, and explain it to Pettigrew there, if you two will bargain with me." He examined his fingernails while he let them soak this up, and directed a spell at a broken nail, fixing it instantly.
"What sort of 'bargain'...?" Severus finally asked. Peter remained silent.
"Just know that if you turn me down, I will be forced to perform memory charms on you, and first you must agree to that." Tom demanded.
Shrugging, Severus agreed. Peter, never one for peer pressure, nodded his assent also.
Seeming satisfied, Tom went back to examining his fingernails, and continued to speak. "I read about this in the Book that those twits were writing in..." he began. "But then, you wouldn't know about that, either, would you?"
"Just get on with it, Riddle, I haven't all day!" Severus said peevishly.
"Keep your robes on, Snape." Tom waved his wand, and a goblet of pumpkin juice appeared in front of him. He reached for it, and took a long drag, before speaking once more. "You have heard of the Chosen One, and her Cicle, have you not? And the Seeing Room?" He glanced at Severus over his goblet, smiling to himself.
Severus had went into a scholarly state--eyes half-glazed-over, mouth running a mile a minute--and finnished what Tom was about to say. "And within the legendary Seeing Room stone pedestal, upon which lies the Book of Prophesies! And the Recorder, and Observer, and Supporter, and of course the Chosen One... But what has that to do with what happened?" He asked, then answered himself. "Ah, but those in her Circle never remember what they do, where they are, until the Chosen One sees fit to release them from the state their minds have entered--much like denial." He turned eyes to Tom. "That is what you wanted me to know? That I have entered the Circle? That I am part of a legend that does not exist?" He scoffed at Tom. "And what do you ask in return of this valuable information?" Severus crossed his arms, sneering.
"Do not seek to mock me, Snape. I know what I am about." Tom warned him.
Peter was looking on in half interest, half fright as the two had their discussion. However, curiosity having won over, he piped up. "What are you talking about, Snape? And you, Riddle? Don't leave a friend in the dark, here."
Tom laughed. "Oh, but by the time I am done, you both will be very much in the dark indeed, Pettigrew..."
"Riddle, just explain yourself already." Snape said impatiently.
"Yes, yes, I'm getting to that..." Tom said, finnishing off the pumpkin juice and banishing the goblet to the far end of the room. It crashed into the wall and shattered.
He turned his gaze on Severus, then Peter. "I read in their Book of Prophesies--I studied their language in my fourth year--that one day, a Dark wizard would be overthrown by a young boy of merely 16 years. I have, as you have probably guessed, Snape, been very interested in the Dark Arts for quite some time now... I want to prepare myself to rise up and overtake the place of this prophesized Dark wizard. For that I need followers. You two would be my first. You, Snape, a Potions genius, would be wonderful to have on my side. And of course, Pettigrew there would be nice, too, as he spends much of his time with Potter and Black, that crowd. A spy, if you will--I would not be surprised if they spent their whole lives in waste, plotting to overthrow me after I succeed the Dark Throne." Tom stopped, letting this sink in.
Severus was never one to be thrown, and immediately asked, "What would you require of me? And how many are in your group already?"
Tom smiled secretively. "I will not tell you all of the group--I like to keep my followers wondering--but I will tell you this: you are not the first, and will not be the last. As to what would be required of you... Merely to call me 'master' and attend meetings, purge Muggles, that sort of Dark thing. And in your special case, mixing together certain ... potions which I would require in my future position as ... immortal."
Severus and Peter both started at Tom's last declaration. "Immortal?" Severus asked incredulously. "And how, pray tell, do you plan to achieve that?!"
"As I said before, Snape, I like to keep my followers wondering." Tom replied.
"But what do I get out of this?" Peter asked, whining.
"You? You get to live." Tom answered darkly.
Peter gulped. "Well, then, hehe..." he squeaked " no reason to not agree to that one, haha, as I'm getting so much out of it..."
"And you, Snape?" Tom asked.
Snape studdied him for a moment, then said, "All right, Master, but only because I want to try that potion to make one immortal..."
Tom grinned. "That's all I ask. For now..."
A/N: I love you all! Don't forget to review!
The Chosen One and Her Circle Chapter 7
Severus, Peter, and Tom emerged into the light of the Entrance Hall, blinking at the bright sun shining through the windows.
"Peter, Severus, follow me." Tom ordered, ignoring protests from both parties.
He led them up this stair and down that, through this hall, and that door, and up this stair, and hadn't they been here already? It seemed to go on for eternity, but at last he checked the hallways for bystanders and, finding none, muttered a password at the wall. It opened up much like that of Diagon Alley's entrance, and he beckoned for the two other boys to follow him.
Stepping into the room, Peter gasped, asking where they were, and wouldn't they get in trouble for being there, but Tom chuckled, answering, "No others know of this place, not even that old fool Dumbledore!"
Severus was speechless. They were in a large common room that was curiously devoid of artwork, dormitories, or an entrance or exit of any kind. He knew that there was truth in what Tom said, but being there, in that large and "unknown" place, made him nervous.
"Well? Tom, why did you bring us here, if it is your personal lounge, as I assume?" asked Severus, ever the suspicious.
Tom chuckled again, a deep and menacing sound from within his very being. It sounded to Severus as though he practiced it in front of the mirror when he was alone, it was so perfect, so intimidating--but not to him. No one, and no one, could intimidate Severus Snape!
"I brought you here to make you a deal," he began, banishing the dust off of a couch and stretching out on it gracefully. "I will tell you what transpired, and explain it to Pettigrew there, if you two will bargain with me." He examined his fingernails while he let them soak this up, and directed a spell at a broken nail, fixing it instantly.
"What sort of 'bargain'...?" Severus finally asked. Peter remained silent.
"Just know that if you turn me down, I will be forced to perform memory charms on you, and first you must agree to that." Tom demanded.
Shrugging, Severus agreed. Peter, never one for peer pressure, nodded his assent also.
Seeming satisfied, Tom went back to examining his fingernails, and continued to speak. "I read about this in the Book that those twits were writing in..." he began. "But then, you wouldn't know about that, either, would you?"
"Just get on with it, Riddle, I haven't all day!" Severus said peevishly.
"Keep your robes on, Snape." Tom waved his wand, and a goblet of pumpkin juice appeared in front of him. He reached for it, and took a long drag, before speaking once more. "You have heard of the Chosen One, and her Cicle, have you not? And the Seeing Room?" He glanced at Severus over his goblet, smiling to himself.
Severus had went into a scholarly state--eyes half-glazed-over, mouth running a mile a minute--and finnished what Tom was about to say. "And within the legendary Seeing Room stone pedestal, upon which lies the Book of Prophesies! And the Recorder, and Observer, and Supporter, and of course the Chosen One... But what has that to do with what happened?" He asked, then answered himself. "Ah, but those in her Circle never remember what they do, where they are, until the Chosen One sees fit to release them from the state their minds have entered--much like denial." He turned eyes to Tom. "That is what you wanted me to know? That I have entered the Circle? That I am part of a legend that does not exist?" He scoffed at Tom. "And what do you ask in return of this valuable information?" Severus crossed his arms, sneering.
"Do not seek to mock me, Snape. I know what I am about." Tom warned him.
Peter was looking on in half interest, half fright as the two had their discussion. However, curiosity having won over, he piped up. "What are you talking about, Snape? And you, Riddle? Don't leave a friend in the dark, here."
Tom laughed. "Oh, but by the time I am done, you both will be very much in the dark indeed, Pettigrew..."
"Riddle, just explain yourself already." Snape said impatiently.
"Yes, yes, I'm getting to that..." Tom said, finnishing off the pumpkin juice and banishing the goblet to the far end of the room. It crashed into the wall and shattered.
He turned his gaze on Severus, then Peter. "I read in their Book of Prophesies--I studied their language in my fourth year--that one day, a Dark wizard would be overthrown by a young boy of merely 16 years. I have, as you have probably guessed, Snape, been very interested in the Dark Arts for quite some time now... I want to prepare myself to rise up and overtake the place of this prophesized Dark wizard. For that I need followers. You two would be my first. You, Snape, a Potions genius, would be wonderful to have on my side. And of course, Pettigrew there would be nice, too, as he spends much of his time with Potter and Black, that crowd. A spy, if you will--I would not be surprised if they spent their whole lives in waste, plotting to overthrow me after I succeed the Dark Throne." Tom stopped, letting this sink in.
Severus was never one to be thrown, and immediately asked, "What would you require of me? And how many are in your group already?"
Tom smiled secretively. "I will not tell you all of the group--I like to keep my followers wondering--but I will tell you this: you are not the first, and will not be the last. As to what would be required of you... Merely to call me 'master' and attend meetings, purge Muggles, that sort of Dark thing. And in your special case, mixing together certain ... potions which I would require in my future position as ... immortal."
Severus and Peter both started at Tom's last declaration. "Immortal?" Severus asked incredulously. "And how, pray tell, do you plan to achieve that?!"
"As I said before, Snape, I like to keep my followers wondering." Tom replied.
"But what do I get out of this?" Peter asked, whining.
"You? You get to live." Tom answered darkly.
Peter gulped. "Well, then, hehe..." he squeaked " no reason to not agree to that one, haha, as I'm getting so much out of it..."
"And you, Snape?" Tom asked.
Snape studdied him for a moment, then said, "All right, Master, but only because I want to try that potion to make one immortal..."
Tom grinned. "That's all I ask. For now..."
A/N: I love you all! Don't forget to review!
