Well, here it goes again, another story. Lucky this time it is just a one shot, so it is already going to be complete. I hoping to obtain some feedback in this story because I wish to publish the original story onto Wattpad. For now, I'm content on publishing it here. So, here's my first and hopefully not last, one shot.
I do not own any an all things related to Harry Potter. I only own the original story minus the characters.
Finally, the day has come for Snape. For forty-five years, he has walked down every single aisle of Riddle Store #1 restocking shelves, helping customers find items they need, and cleaning up wherever he can. And all of this he has done without unwarranted pay raises or a promotion; he just wants to see people leave as happy customers.
In fact, he has been dedicated to his job so much it never crossed his mind to raise a family or have a big life outside his job, though he has made friends with his fellow coworkers and has considered them the closest family he will ever receive.
But the sun sets on every person's career eventually, and Snape is no exception. While he loves his job a lot, he wants to retire now and fulfill his one dream of seeing the world before his time on Earth ends. And with his generous regular pension promised when he first started and a few bucks in his 401K he was forced to open, that dream seems possible.
"Hey Snape," someone calls out. Snape looks back to see his coworker, friend, and trainee Draco coming his way from the electronics section.
Snape was proud to have Draco as a trainee on the eve of his retirement, though at first, he had doubts that Draco would take his training seriously. After all, his Uncle Voldemort is the CEO of Riddle Stores, Inc. However, Draco proved Snape wrong in the past five months. Heck, Snape even told his manager that Draco is going to make an awesome executive someday.
"Ready to walk to the other sides and clock out for the final time?" Draco asks.
"Uh…yes, and no," Snape tells him as he starts making his way towards the front of the store. "I wish they fixed the clocks in the back room by now."
Draco shrugs. "I hear next month, I hear next week, I honestly think the managers don't care at all. Maybe I should get Uncle Voldemort to light their asses on fire for taking so long. Anyway, enough about that. You going to miss this place, Snape?"
"Yeah," Snape says as they pass the men's clothing section. "I'll miss you guys and miss the joy of helping out any and all customers; seeing them smile when they get what they want. But I'm not going to miss how much Riddle has changed over the years. Man, I can remember when it was just general merchandise, no fancy electric gizmos, and simple registers with lots of cash rather than stupid computers with everything but cash. Heck, I still remember when people use plastic less often because it took weeks to clear. Now, what's the point in having cash, coins, ore ever writing checks?"
"Change is inevitable, Snape," Draco tells him. "Besides, cards go quicker than cash."
"Well, I still think cards are more impersonal than cold, hard, stiff cash," Snape says indifferently.
"Hey there, you're making cash sound like a dead body," Draco tells him.
"Might as well," Snape says, stops to take a short break. Forty-five years of walking down aisle after aisle is taking a toll on him, especially at his age. "And another thing, what's up with the rolling blackout and the rumors about the security cameras having problems?"
"Don't know, but here's a better rumor from the grapevine," Draco says. "I heard that the contractors we hired a few months back have been busted for cutting corners on overhead shelves. I try looking into it, but I think it's just rumors. Besides, didn't you tell me to take rumors with a grain of salt?"
"Eh…sounds like something I would say," Snape says starting the walk again.
Snape and Draco reach the empty checkout area. As they approach cash register #4, Snape stops there for a minute. Aside from the differences in the point of sales terminals, this was the first checkout area he worked on. Vivid memories of that day flood his mind; a young hip Snape looking at items, clicking the appropriate buttons, and then handling their cash, and returning any change with a smile on his face.
"Happy retirement!" A chorus of voices yell out, ending his reminiscing. All the graveyard shift employees gather around the checkout lane greeting Snape and singing "For he's a jolly good fellow."
"Looks like everyone is here to send of off," Draco gladly says while patting Snape's back and pushing him towards the time clock. "Now go on grand old man, clock out, enjoy your life, travels the world or something. Lord knows you deserve it."
"Well, as much as I like my job, I guess it's time to end this chapter…," Snape takes out his ID card. "…And begin my last one." He swipes the time clock for the last time; seven o'clock in the morning.
As he turns around to head for the backroom, many more congratulate him, pat him on the back, even roast him a little bit about being the oldest man of the store.
"I tell you one thing, I also don't like swiping a plastic card to clock in and out," Snape complains. "Now punch cards, those were the best."
"Yeah, sure they were," Draco sarcastically tells him as they pass the appliance section. "But in all seriousness, thank you Snape for training me on my probationary period. I learned a lot from you, and I hope your retirement goes well."
"Thanks Draco," Snape says as he leans against a shelf of vacuum cleaners, only for the shelf to fall apart; though Draco catches him before he falls to the ground.
"That was close," Draco explains, releasing Snape from his grip after he straightens out. "You alright?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine," Snape laughs off, assuring him he's alright.
"Well, let's keep going, Uncle Voldemort is actually here to see you off."
"Voldemort's here?" Snape asks joyfully. "I'm going to miss that rascal. You know, I trained him when it was just this Riddle Store. Draco stuck to what he learned, enter the executive side and expanded the company to thousands of stores and is called the greatest CEO to exist. Stick to what I taught you, Draco, and you'll be in your uncle's shoes someday."
Draco and Snape reach the double doors leading to the back room next to the layover counter. Snape hesitates for a minute while saying, "Yeah…Voldemort did a good job…". He walks through the doors. "He's one hell…."
A loud bang interrupts Snape. He quickly looks up to see what's going on when he sees what is causing the loud banging; the overhead shelves breaking apart, to which they fall down and bury him in a big pileup.
"Snape!" Draco screams as he quickly works on removing the debris. "Help! Somebody!"
"Draco, what the hell's going on?" A voice screams out. Draco looks up to see his Uncle Voldemort running towards him.
"The shelves fell down…Snape…underneath…someone call…someone call 911!" Draco yells as more coworkers approach the horrible scene to help remove debris.
"Snape…Snape…!" Draco continues yelling as he managers to pull an arm out of the rubble. At first, he lets it go and keeps removing debris…until he picks up the arm and lets it go again. The arm just drops down with no movement at all.
Draco just backs away from the pile, closing his eyes hoping this living nightmare will go away. He hopes when his eyes open, Snape is alive, and the pile of debris is gone.
His eyes open, and with a flower in his hand, he slowly places it on the closed casket carrying Snape's remains just as the cemetery caretakers start lowering it into the ground. Draco returns to his uncle's side and waits as the casket reaches the bottom of the grave.
"I can't believe he had to die that this," a coworker says drearily.
"He should had enjoyed just one second of retirement," another coworker laments. "Forty-five years of working in the same job in the same job, now down the drain…well down in the grave."
"Yeah, it's a crying shame this happened," Voldemort woefully says. "God, why did he had to take him away now? If it wasn't for this man, I might not be where I am right now. Hell, the company might not be where it is today without him training me."
Once the casket reaches the bottom, Voldemort walks towards the grave before facing his employees that had come to say their last goodbyes to Snape.
"I know this is a miserable turnout given that he has no family or very close friends," Voldemort says. "But I know Snape would be thanking all of you for attending his funeral and burial. He will be dearly missed by us. But I hope you all can carry on his legacy and strive to emulate his work ethic and devotion to Riddle stores."
Voldemort turns back towards the grave and says, "Goodbye Snape; we'll miss you."
"Goodbye Snape," some of his coworkers sadly say towards his grave as they walk off towards their cars to leave.
Once the last car leaves, Voldemort turns to the caretakers and asks for a few minutes alone before they throw the dirt back into the grave. They hesitate before shrugging and walking off.
Once they were out of sight, Voldemort turns to Draco and asks, "Do you have the paper?"
"Right here, Uncle Voldemort," Draco says opening a briefcase and handing Voldemort a small stack of papers. "Uncle Voldemort, are you sure about this?"
"Absolutely," Voldemort says as his sadness is replaced by a strange happiness that should not be present at a funeral. "With Snape dead and with no relatives who can claim his pension, owe can make a ton of money for ourselves."
"So, there's not one part of you that feels guilty?" Draco asks concerned, though not concerned enough. "No guilt about messing with the electricity. No guilt about disabling the time clocks in the back room. No guilt about impairing the security cameras. No guilt about hiring subpar contractors with the overhead shelves. No guilt about anything at all?"
"Let's see here," Voldemort says as he searches the briefcase while Draco is talking. "Snape's regular pension account…his 401K plan…not enough there in my opinion…his medical plan, dental plan…and all the paperwork with the most important detail: all beneficiary lines left blank. And it's all mine…excuse me…all ours Draco."
Voldemort stuffs all the paperwork back into a small paper bag. "As for all your questions…," he continues as he hands Draco the briefcase back to him. "He may had put his life into Riddle, but in the end, he's nothing more than a piece of trash. So, let this be your first lesson about being an executive; everyone below you is a worthless servant who should not mean anything to you. You need to be emotionless, tough, and especially; you need to destroy your employees to climb to the tip top of the corporate ladder. You'll be the boss one day, so keep this lesson in your heart."
Draco slowly nods his head. But having heard tough wisdom, he heads for his car to leave.
Voldemort takes a quick look, making sure nobody is around. Once he is sure the area is still clear, he disposes of the paperwork into the grave and shovels some dirt into it to cover up his misdeeds.
Voldemort soon hears the caretakers returning just as he replaces the spade back onto the pile of dirt. He briskly walks off towards his fancy car, but he turns around to observe the caretakers. At first, they are still while staring into the grave, but relief replaces his worry as they start shoveling the dirt into the grave.
As he prepares to drive off, he whispers, "Good riddance, good savings."
That's it. I hope to publish the original story on another site soon. Feedback is really appreciated though not necessary. If this is well received, I plan on publishing my 5-part story inspired by COVID-19. Thank you guys for reading.