Death's Trials: first awaken the mind
The next thing Severus knew he was standing back outside of the mansion surrounded by the red rose bushes in their thorny beauty. However, this was different since it was the back garden, which in the distance had a white statue of the same angel that Snape had seen at that previous staircase. He immediately noticed with a sense of relief how the demons were no longer present; they must have fled away from Death.
"Your first trial is to awaken your mind, in other words to recover your memories," Death informed and let go of the spirit's hand. "Only when you can remember your past life can the other trials be successful...so you must not fail."
"I understand," agreed Severus, deep down feeling uncharacteristically anxious, just a little. "What exactly does it consist of?"
With a deafening click of his fingers that released red sparks Death suddenly made the angel statue in the distance start moving, her stone yet feathered wings outstretching as she yawned. Putting down the lyre on her pedestal she magically pulled the stone lily from her hair and held it gently in both of her slender hands. She then smoothly sat down on her pedestal instead of standing, blinking at the faraway Severus whilst holding the lily low for easy access.
Snape looked away in inner pain...why did she...remind him of someone?
Next the grey lily suddenly started glowing green, sparkles fading around it, releasing small streams of emerald light that encircled it.
Death spoke into the tense silence, "Your first trial is simple. The lily is the key to your memories: retrieve your memories."
Without so much as another clue Death abruptly vanished in a swirl of black smoke, causing Severus to hiss in discomfort at the strong wind he caused to pick up and shield his eyes with an arm. When the black smoke slowly faded away Snape became serious and determinedly turned back to the faraway angel. She had now become solid stone again—frozen in her position.
"This is a trial...it can not be that simple," Snape assured himself sternly, determination in his posture as he slowly took steps in her direction. "There has to be something more..."
All it took was a few quick strides closer before Snape gasped when the rose bushes began to rise. They moved together to form walls, some rose bushes literally just sprouting from the ground. Rapidly they grew, twirling and weaving around each other, rose buds suddenly blooming into spectacular crimson roses. Snape glared as in less than a minute he now stood at an entrance to a huge thorny maze. Death's words tauntingly echoed throughout his mind.
"The lily is the key to your memories: retrieve your memories."
Whilst the small breeze coming from the maze gracefully made his hair flutter Snape sighed, "And so the first trial begins."
His onyx eyes flashed in determination before he began to walk into the maze. On stepping completely into the maze Snape growled when the entrance behind him swiftly covered over, the roses growing so unnaturally fast with a rustling whoosh sound. So, now he had to get that lily at all costs...or it was all over.
Severus, I am not allowed to be with you in the maze. However, I am allowed to give you certain hints. I can not lead you to your memories...but I know you will need me.
I do not approve of the sound of that, Snape thought defensively, already knowing that this was not going to be just a simple walk in the park. For some reason this maze...reminded him of something...something that had happened once in his life. Yet, sighing in frustration, he found the maze rang a bell in the deepest crevices of his mind that he could not hear.
Do not worry yourself with this, if you succeed then you will have your memories...then you will know.
"I acknowledge that," whispered Severus, staring down the leafy passage. Suddenly the trial before him seemed much more challenging than he had previously assumed.
I have full confidence in you, Severus Tobias Snape, for you are a sharp person. I know you can succeed, but whether you do or not...is up to you.
You must be considerate yet selfish, brave yet a coward, open minded yet closed minded, must lie yet be truthful.
Cautiously creeping down the leafy passage to start the maze Severus solemnly stated, "You did not exactly give me a lot to go by, Death. What lurks within these walls? What happens when I finally get the lily?"
Silence followed, before Death suddenly answered with pride, Very good questions Severus. For your first question there will be certain obstacles you will have to pass by being open minded, whereas others you will have to think simply. If you find yourself coming across an obstacle you know you are going the right way, if you do not...then the Maze Wraths will find you.
"Maze Wraths?" Severus quickly asked and slowed down in his steps, this was sounding less and less pleasant by the second. "What purpose, pray tell, do they serve?"
If you happen to go the wrong way during the maze, then there is a possibility you will be closed off and forced to take a different route. This route can be longer than the real way or a shortcut, both at a hefty price. Going the wrong way altogether will cause the Maze Wraths to awaken and if they get you...you will fail.
"Oh wonderful," Snape sarcastically drawled and froze in his tracks. "But you remain to have not answered my second question, what happens when I finally get the lily?"
I am not allowed to give you detail on that one, you must find out for yourself.
So...I have limited information, Severus mentally concluded with a sigh. Looking up to the now grey sky he sternly asked, "Do I have a time limit?"
In a way, after a certain amount of time the maze will start closing off its entrances. Your time only fully begins when you properly start the maze, something you have not done yet. You will have to be quick or you could be boxed in by the walls...and the Maze Wraths will get you.
Severus felt Death vanish from his mind after that, his mind feeling strangely empty without Death's presence or any memories. A warning wind whipped down the enclosed space and made the grass sway like a bloody red sea. Leaves rustled loudly and red rose petals flew. Everything seemed to sinisterly wait, listening, watching...whispering.
The wind suddenly blew from behind him, making him growl low in his throat when he was forced forward and into the maze. As soon as he was in then the passage behind him hastily covered over in rose covered vines. And so...the trial for his life began.
Tense silence consumed the maze as its wandering victim painfully slowly crept down the passages. Everything was so terribly quiet that it was unnerving, causing his heart to thunder unnervingly in his ears. No matter where he went he felt like eyes were watching him, felt like shadows were stalking, and felt as if some frightful hands were suddenly going to grab him. His muscles involuntarily became stiff in the tension as he slowly, ever, ever so slowly...approached the first turning.
Peering around the corner with heavy caution weighing down his nerves he felt his heart swell for a second in relief at discovering the passage empty. He just felt so...frightened? No Severus Snape never felt frightened...not like this. He supposed it was just the prospect of a Maze Wrath suddenly appearing out of nowhere, and not knowing what they looked like left little to his imagination.
At feeling his time on a thin thread he picked up the pace, marching down the passage that appeared to have no turnings whatsoever. This is strange, in fact I have not seen any branch off passages at all since I begun...but is this not a maze? Snape suspiciously thought as when he reached the end there was another turning—that led to another single route. If he kept going he swore he would reach the beginning again since he was going in a square shape.
"Is this already my first obstacle to conquer? But what am I supposed to do?" Severus thought aloud as he quickly scanned his surroundings. Time was slipping from him bit by bit and he felt jittery with unease.
Deciding that he must be wrong he sprinted to the end and took the right turning—the only turning. He froze instantly in his tracks at seeing the same single route with a single turning at the end. Taking a step back his heart pounded when he realised he should not go that way...going back to the entrance was the wrong way. Not wanting to risk triggering the Maze Wraths he hastily looked around, keeping his mind collected like he always used to do as he tried to find a way out of this never-ending square.
Remember, Severus...be open minded, Death suddenly echoed in his mind and Snape would never admit that he jumped. Think outside the box.
"Haha very funny," Snape sarcastically spat at the small joke, for he was stuck inside the square box trying to get out. "But that helps me naught at present."
All of sudden there was a loud crash and Snape whipped his head over his shoulder. The way he had come had just closed off. There was only one way to go—the wrong way—the Maze Wrath way!
A shaky sigh escaped him whilst he crossed his arms and thought things through, onyx eyes observantly examining his surroundings. All he saw were green bushes that towered around him at all sides. Their thorny vines had loads of fully bloomed red roses, and the occasional rose bud...
Narrowing his eyes he realised that there was rarely a rose bud since most were already fully bloomed, why have random rose buds amongst them? For a moment the contemplating spirit stood and thought, staring directly at a rose bud right beside him on his left. What if those buds were a hint of some sort? Gradually, with a glare in his eyes, he grasped the soft rose bud within his hand.
There was a noticeable shift in the air as when he let go the rose bud immediately bloomed, its beautiful elegance outshining all of the other surrounding roses. Snape took a hesitant step back as almost instantly the rose bush around the rose became transparent, the transparent wall in the shape of a curved archway. Each vine was still magically visible to him, yet revealing more of the maze on the other side.
Rose buds were obviously a key thing to acknowledge, which his mind briskly took note of whilst he walked though the phantom doorway. As soon as he reached the other side the rose reclosed itself with a small explosion of red sparkles. The hidden doorway then hurriedly vanished, restoring the wall to how it had previously been. No rose bud lay on his side, and he frowned at realising it was a one way system...there was no turning back.
Hearing other faint crashes about the maze Severus understood that tine was flying by, in turn causing the maze to close routes off. Darting off at a run the thought occurred to Severus that he was already going the wrong way.
Severus followed the twists and turns, bolted down a left passage, then a right, then a left, then a straight ahead. Twists and turns was an understatement as before when there had been no turnings there were now at least five at a time. He shot down another right turning, he needed to memorize every turn he made. He sprinted down the passage; he needed to remember certain roses. Stopping with heavy breaths at three forks in the path hesitation filled him. Choices were crucial now and Severus' eyes sharpened. He needed to remember everything.
The grey skies above flowed by like a smoky grey ocean, the wind picking up once more, strongly blowing against the motionless Snape who gave a quiet grunt in annoyance. Keen onyx eyes carefully observed the three passages: looking from the left one, to the middle one, to the right one, and then back to the left. Three equal choices, one right—two wrong. Doubtfully, Severus felt his heart sink into his stomach, discovering his chances of choosing a wrong way was more than the right. If he picked a wrong way...then the Maze Wraths would be awakened sooner than he would have liked.
Tension took hold as the maze once again fell deadly silent, awaiting its victim to make its fatal move. Shivers travelled down his body and he rubbed the top of his arms. Black hair whipped around his shoulders in the freezing wind. Shiny onyx eyes cautiously scanned everything. More faint crashes of the maze closing ways off were heard. Snape's eyes widened as the middle passage abruptly closed off—what if that had been the right way! Now only the left and right remained...and time was running short.
"Either one of these is the correct way and it is a 50/50 probability...or I missed the right one and now no matter what I take I will be one hundred percent wrong," Snape muttered, his calculations whizzing through his mind.
An image of an hourglass heartlessly entered his mind as he visualised his time slipping way from him like the heartlessly falling sand. Time was running out—his time was running out—and he felt the pressure as he thoughtlessly picked the right passage.
Sprinting as fast as he could his heart thundered mercilessly at what he saw. Every single rose on the walls suddenly dropped dead from their bushes and shrivelled up on the floor. The red grass beneath him turned a sickening brown. Gasping for breath he sped up, had he taken the wrong way? A crash resounded behind him. His heart froze in his chest. Spinning around he found the way back blocked.
A horrifying growl was caught on the wind which reached his ears filled with threat. Before he knew it the whole maze was suddenly darker, as if the shadows had terrifyingly grown in strength. Coldness grew as the wind grew stronger, another growl carried on its haunting waves. Then, where there was now a barricade of rose bushes...a disturbing four fingered black hand emerged. It was huge as it disgustingly dripped a foreign black liquid that made puddles on the dying grass.
No Severus! You took the wrong way, run!
Frozen to the spot he could only watch as a thin arm followed the giant hand, then a pointed shoulder...then a pair of petrifying red eyes. It was absolutely huge and horrifyingly over-towered the man by several inches. Hurriedly shaking his head to snap himself out of it Snape turned on his heel and bolted for it. A heart stopping scream roared behind him, then came the rapid thumps of its chasing feet. It was fast—unspeakably fast!
Without his once hindering wound he felt that he could use wandless magic with ease. Just as he elegantly spun around to cast a stunning spell Death yelled, NO! Do not use magic in my realm; it will do nothing for you here. When you use magic here your dead body in the world of the living will cause magic effects...not your spirit form here. For wizards magic remains within their body even through death.
"Could have informed me of that sooner!" Gracefully dodging a swipe of the creature's massive claws with a backward handstand Severus then quickly fled. "How in Merlin's name did you not see that as important to tell me before I ran into this?"
Once again a horrid scream that chilled him to the core resounded as the beast followed in hot pursuit on all fours. Why did this chase...remind him...of something he could not remember? Death did not answer and he cursed under his breath when he glanced behind him. The monster had its razor teeth bared—ready to pounce.
Time appeared to slow down as the humongous beast's massive hands mightily pushed off of the ground, brown and dead grass leaves slowly flying into the air. Grey clouds sped across the sky as the wind powerfully blew. Claws slowly outstretched ready to grab him, to finish him, to end this. In slow motion it reached for its prey. If it got him it was all over!
Black liquid disgustingly dripped to the floor as it launched for him. Skilfully, Snape swerved to the side, hissing in pain when he collided with the thorns of the wall. A whoosh of air was felt as the Maze Wrath whizzed passed him in slow motion. Millimetres away from his face a claw barely missed. Red eyes hungrily locked onto him.
Not expecting the dodge the creature landed with a loud thud—leaving a crater in the ground. Dead rose petals were thrust into air by its force. Time returned to normal as in rage it roared.
It was then that Snape ran straight passed it, just evading another slash of its claws. Where was he going? He had no idea anymore as he thoughtlessly took another choice of two passages. At this the dead rose petals on the ground abruptly went black. Another anguished cry of fury followed behind him...followed by another one.
Death conveniently missed out that the more wrong turns I take, the more Maze Wrath's there will be! Snape exasperatedly shouted in his head at finding another of the creatures hunting him down, like famished cats hunting a vulnerable mouse. Time truly was running out as he recklessly took any turns to lose them.
His heart frightfully dropped into his stomach as on the next left turn...he ran straight into a dead end. There were no roses, so he could not find a rose bud to allow him through. In sudden inner panic he whipped around to get out, but behind him were four creatures—trapping him. Had he really kept going wrong ways?
The passage was so narrow he could not bypass them. All four seemed to struggle to fit, making Severus raise an eyebrow in understanding of the fact they were all too large to fit. They were stuck, clawing viciously at him, as they seemed to try and figure out a way to get through. However, he was still trapped himself and was unsure of how to get out.
Suddenly Death's concerned voice entered his mind that made him calm down and listen; Remember this well Severus, the maze itself is alive. The maze can hear you if you reach out for it...but it can not discern between truth and lies.
You must be considerate yet selfish, brave yet a coward, open minded yet closed minded, must lie yet be truthful.
Snape furrowed his eyebrows, out of all of the things he was told to do he understood that he had to lie. Closing his eyes he blocked out the monsters screams, blocked out the sound of the gale, blocked out the rustling of the leaves. Ever so slowly he walked backwards; his shirt covered back coming into contact with the thorny dead end. Little did he know, since his eyes were closed...that the creatures had managed to sort themselves out. One Maze Wrath agonisingly slowly crept towards him with murderous intent, red eyes ablaze with unquenchable hunger.
The maze can hear you if you reach out for it.
Severus concentrated on his thoughts and began to feel the presence of the maze itself, its unnatural aura flowing into his back where he was in contact with it. Dripping black the beast was nearing him. Outstretching its claws it was reaching for him. Slobbering black it hungered for him. It's pupils thinned—ready for the kill!
...but it can not discern between truth and lies.
I am Death, let me pass, Snape lied. Instantly the thorny wall behind him vanished. The Maze Wrath suddenly attacked. Snape's eyes widened as he fell through the gap—a hand of terrifying claws just missing his face.
Stern eyes flashed as with his quick reflexes he gracefully did a one handed backwards handstand to save him from falling to the ground. His feet connected with the ground—hard. As soon as his feet touched the floor he fled. But Snape heard the monsters following...the wall had not closed off after him.
After several turns he all of a sudden slowed down, shock and amazement flowing through his features. Deep inside he was overflowing with relief as his heart swelled with an internal joy he rarely ever felt, yet his face still remained emotionless with a frown of determination. There, in his sights, was the angel statue, the lily containing his memoires glowing green against her motionless pale stone. It was right there—almost in his grasp—straight ahead.
Glancing over his shoulder he spotted the four Maze Wrath's charging for him, and an unexpected smirk crossed his face, "Let us see who gets what first."
Severus Snape ran for all he was worth, if he was going to discover his life and those missing gaps he had to do this. Many different passages passed him, but he only had sights for the one ahead—the right one. One by one the four Wrath's roared in desperation at learning its prey's motive for they could not let him get away.
In a flash Severus had entered the circle in the middle of the maze, the statue with its lily lowered for him to reach just insignificant metres away. Determination overflowed as his memories were literally there for the taking, for him to finish this—to succeed this trial!
Finish this Severus!
For his chance at life Severus leapt for the stone lily, heart hammering in his chest from the adrenaline. For their chance at his eternal death the Maze Wrath's lunged for their escaping prey. Fingers brushed stone—claws brushed his back. A loud chime rang loud and true. What had won?
The beasts covered their ears in agony, withdrawing away from the spirit with his hand upon the stone lily. In their pain they slowly began to descend into the shadows below, lightning above outlining them as a storm brewed. Snape had touched it first and so he had accomplished victory.
Rain began to descend down from Heaven as the monsters cowered away in fear from another bell chime, the rain actually washing away the black shadows as if purifying them. Like acid it melted the Maze Wrath's into black smoke, their shrill cries of agony echoing throughout the maze before they finally disappeared completely. Severus Snape had won for the ringing of the bell signalled it.
In relief he slouched against the statue, hand still settled upon the stone lily as he panted heavily. However, what he did not notice was that the lily beneath his shaky fingertips no longer had that magical green glow. Somewhere, deep within his mind...something began to shift.
That was a very intense event and deep down the normally emotionless man was extremely rattled. So, when Death appeared in a cloud of black smoke behind him, Severus Snape felt relieved that it was over.
"Congratulations on your first trial, Severus," Death congratulated whilst putting a bone hand on the spirit's slightly trembling shoulder, noticing how the spirit flinched at the contact. "It will take time for your memories to restore themselves. Come, let us have a tea break before the second trial...you appear to need it."
xXEND OF CHAPTERXx
Well here you are, and as much as it pains me to tell you this...but I am disappearing again :( I only get the time to write stuff like this in the holidays now so you may not see me for a while, but please do wait patiently and stay until the end :)
I hope this chapter is a good place to leave it and do check my story often in case I do miraculously manage to write another chapter between now and the next holiday. I guess I will see ya guys there ;)
HUGE NOTE: I am actually a part of a site called 'Hogwarts Prime', and my username is Bremilda Demon. If you want to read some more of my work I write in exactly the same style as I do here, except this is obviously my own character being me ;) It is much more personal in a sense.
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