A/N: Hello guys, welcome to the 8th chapter of "Dark is all that's left!".
Thanks for your reviews, it really gets me going. Apologies for the delay, my toddler just had a stomach infection and he's been a bit under the weather and cranky past few days. I'll try to be as regular as possible, and fear not, I'll ensure this fic is completed. (Not like what GoT writers are doing though, pathetic that really)
Disclaimer: I don't own the HP universe, if I did, there'd be no Weasels at the end, and we'd live happily ever after.
General Warnings: Graphic Torture and strong language. Reader discretion advised. Although you really should expect this from now on.
Notes at the end of the chapter.
Meanwhile, Hogsmeade
The greasy dungeon bat as he was called really despised the pukingly cheery atmosphere of the small village, especially during Hogsmeade weekends. As his luck would have it, the fresh supply of lacewing flies had been dropped off at the apothecary down the village on the very same day. Trust the suppliers to be utter dunderheads just like the ones he has to teach. With his signature sneer and billowing black robes he crossed the village into the dainty little apothecary to gather his supplies. As soon as he exited, he saw an unfamiliar blonde girl cross him towards the village fields. Not thinking much of it, he was about to move towards Hogwarts when he saw the dimwitted Weasley following the girl. If nothing else, this day could at least give him some pleasure punishing one of Minerva's lions.
He followed the duo into the fields, however stayed in the shadows several yards away from the only tree that hid the girl, yet he could see Weasley boy pretty much drooling. Few moments later he slid from the shadows with a practiced frown he called out to the redhead, "That will be 50 points from Gryffindor for misbehaving with a girl, and 20 more for public lewd behavior."
Still hidden from the potions professor, she realized that he missed their conversation and re-adjusting her plan, she cast the same glamour back on herself. The momentary shock from the redhead was all it took for Hermione to cast a wandless non-verbal confundus on her former friend. She watched with trepidation as the professor came closer and into her view, she hardly had to ACT nervous with the already foiled plan that could lead her getting caught, had her on-guard against Snape. He was by far the smartest of all playing both sides and still alive amidst the chessboard set by Dumbledork and the Noseless-freak.
"You, girl! Go back to your family! It doesn't bode well for little girls like you wandering alone in the woods. Rumors say werewolves have been sighted not very far from here." finished the dungeon bat with a disdainful frown as he turned towards the still dazed Ron Weasley. "Weasley! Are you incapable of understanding the basic of instructions? Head back to Hogwarts, you'll serve next 2 weeks in detention with me for your dunderheadedness."
With Snape's back turned towards her, she was thinking hard to salvage the situation as realization hit her. It was always Snape who unwillingly helped Harry in some way or other when she couldn't, he was quite instrumental in keeping him alive. If she was able to break Snape, then she could well and truly damage both sides of the war quite effectively.
Focusing as much as she could, she sent an overpowered stunner chained with a dark curse towards the professor's back. The potions professor sensing danger raised a powerful shield with the flick of his wand, the stunner was mostly absorbed, yet the extra power meant it cracked the shield as it did so, allowing the chained dark petrification curse to hit him square in the chest, which caused him to fall, his body tied with slimy vines that caused his body to go into temporary paralysis as soon as it came in contact with his body. It would have been absorbed by the shield if used by itself, yet it is better than the regular body-bind, where only a specific counter-curse would remove the binds and ennervate the victim. The sudden barrage of spells caused Ron to come off his daze and he realized how dangerous Hermione really is. He needed to get back to Hogwarts and warn Harry. He picked his wand out of his back pocket and moved slightly towards the witch.
She moved towards Snape with her glamour removed and spoke to Ron as she discreetly picked Snape's wand, "Well, Ron dear, I'm afraid we can't go on a date today. Professor here ruined the mood, but don't worry, we'll play another time." With a flick of the wand, she disarmed Ron, however he wasn't fazed much as he charged towards her with his tall burly body. Before she could respond, Ron was able to get a hard punch to her left shoulder causing Snape's wand to fall out of her hands and it started to bruise and tingle. Now that got her furious, NO one gets to touch her now, and live to see another dawn, yet she had made up her mind with regards to Ron. Instead of using her trademark torture techniques, she used magic to compensate for the lack of physical strength as she dodged the next punch and used her left fist to deliver a magically powered uppercut to his lower jaw. It wasn't too much, just enough to startle him and bruise his jaw rather than break it completely. As soon as he fell back on his arse, she flicked her palm to restrain him to the ground with vines erupting from beneath him.
"Well Ron, the last time a fucking Weasley hit me, ended up a permanent resident of the Janus Thickey Ward at St. Mungo's. Too bad I'm in a rather forgiving mood today. It'll just be information that I take today. Your soul would be taken later. Make no mistake, I'll make sure the Weasley name becomes extinct for this generation and the ones to come." spoke Hermione with a sneer worthy of the Slytherin Head of house which turned to a malicious grin as she finished her threats.
"You're a monster, and a slimy bitch. They should have killed ya back then. Absolutely Mental, tha's what you are! I won't give'ya any information. Harry will save me." spat the youngest Weasley boy, missing the smirk that crossed Hermione's face as she twirled the wand around and moved towards him, bending closer to his tied-up form.
"Well, I asked nicely, though what makes you think you'll resist my charms. I am quite beautiful, aren't I? But, enough of playing around. I've much more important business. So, yeah... 'LEGILIMENS'" finished with a whisper as she pointed the wand between his eyes. She was getting quite skilled at using legilimency, with so many practice subjects. She tried not to turn his brain to mush as she'd done the first couple of times. Although most of what she saw, did prove he would be better served to house mush rather than what filth and mediocrity it houses right now. Yet, she did find few interesting details perusing through his unprotected brain.
"Horcruxes..." crooned Hermione as she exited his memories.
With the final clean-up she portkeyed the unconscious professor back to her safehouse. Then proceeded to heal and confound the redhead into thinking he spent an amorous evening with an unknown blonde young witch, memories of their real encounter obliviated from his head. Well, what he doesn't know, won't hurt him after all, well, as much as his now twisted fate allowed him. He's almost signed up for an elaborate and excruciating end with the way he hit Hermione. Really, what is with Weasleys and hitting women, that too beautiful women.
Putting him to sleep, she disapparated back to her safe house in a wisp of black smoke.
5th October, Diagon Alley
"Really Kingsley! What are we even doing here? It's been 5 days since we're standing watch in front of Gringotts." questioned the pink-haired Auror with an irritated huff. "Tonks, it's not my place to question Albus. As per his instructions, we are to stand guard at Gringotts without interfering and be on the lookout for one of You-know-who's inner circle. The one's from the first war. Malfoy, Bellatrix and their ilk. They must be apprehended upon their exit from the bank. And 5 days or 50, we do as are told." replied the dark-skinned Auror in a deep baritone that left no room for arguments.
"I still say we're wasting our time here. Bellatrix and Greyback were sighted north of Suffolk vandalizing the wizarding part of the town just a day ago. Diagon has been attacked already, what's the use coming back here?" retorted Tonks as her partner let out a deep sigh.
"For the hundredth time Nymphadora! Don't poke your nose in matters outside your intellectual capacity. This is war, and as a member of the Order, we are supposed to follow the orders Albus issues. He has a better understanding of the situation and had been instrumental in His defeat last time around."
"DON'T call me NYMphaDora!" hissed Tonks as her hair turned a flaming shade of red then back to mousy brown and pink as she finished with a pout "I just wish we knew what we were doing. Sometimes I feel he's keeping too many secrets of his own."
"I'm taking a break, keep a close watch Tonks!" gruffed Kingsley
"Aye!" was her only response as she set to monitoring the alley entrance to Gringotts.
Same day, Acid Factory
It was same state Snape was in as the earlier prisoners of the Acid Factory had been. The only difference was that he wore what appeared to be a plain muggle jumpsuit of sorts. His robes hanging primly nearby over a suspended hook. He realized his mistake at once, the girl. He had been so busy gloating and punishing Weasley that he didn't really consider the girl a threat of any sort. Whatever she hit him with was a dark curse, the after effects was a sort of raw numbness you feel post freshly regrown skin. The more he thought about it, the more his apprehensions got clear. If his conclusions were true, then he was in a very dangerous situation, his prospects of staying alive looking bleaker by the minute. Both sides have been played expertly. If this continues, it wouldn't bode well for any side, especially for Potter and his merry bunch of miscreants. His love for Lily did outweigh his hatred for James and his marauders. That's the only reason he vowed to keep Harry safe as he hugged his only true friend's corpse. He had her eyes though everything else reminded him of James. No, that won't do, he can't let Hermione ruin Harry's life. As much as he despised the brat, he'd give his own life to protect him. The life debt already repaid when he saved them from Lupin back in third year. He'd have to get back to Dumbledore somehow.
Sound of approaching footsteps got him out of his thoughts, as he tried to look past the corner as much as he could tilt his head still shackled to the overhead beam. He tried to wandlessly summon his robes and his wand, though none worked. They must be charmed against it, he thought as he could make out a shadow of a woman walking towards him. With steady steps the woman with blonde hair and cute pale face approached him.
"Helloo there! Professor!" spoke the girl in a sickly-sweet drawl. "Ms. Granger! There's no need for that glamour. I know it's you. I reckon it was you on top of that mountain under that hood and glamoured purple eyes. I must say, from an insufferable know-it-all, you have quite moved on. I never thought someone like you absorbed in vanity. You ou..." his rant was cut off by Hermione, "O shut up Snape! It's always endless ranting with you. You should try politics with all the endless speeches and monologues! And you might win, considering the sheep of wizarding Britain. You're qualified as well, that mark on your arm, it might work in your favor. Afterall your good friend Lucius has one too, he'd been doing pretty well with the ministry until Harry got him caught. Dear Lucius ranted almost every day how Potter was going to pay. Now I know where Draco gets his whining skills. Ah well, coming back to topic, yes it was me. And no, I'm not vain." retorted Hermione with a calm yet snappy tone as she swept her hand across her face to remove the glamour as her hair turned dark as night and her eyes turned back to amethyst with an unnatural glow.
Snape was stunned with the ease with which she dispelled the complicated glamour wandlessly and non-verbally. Even more with the haunted and malicious look she exuded with her glowing eyes and scarred face. It wasn't horrible per se, her face was still beautiful, yet the scars gave it a malicious look.
"What's the matter Snape! Enchanted? And NO, I wasn't under glamour that night at the Burrow. These are natural. Well, as natural as they could be. Do you like your new clothes? I thought black didn't suit you much, it's more appealing this way. Don't take me to be a fool professor. I was in Azkaban, so might be a wee bit insane, but I haven't lost my marbles. Your wand and all other possessions are under a special charm. Don't try and touch it, although I'd love to see you try, it'll give me a chance to test a curse I put on them. An Egyptian curse that one. The moment the object touches the person, the curse activates and doesn't stop until it rots the body. Imagine the rot starting at the fingers creeping towards your heart. You did tell in our first class, you could teach us to put a stopper on death. Well guess what, there's no cure for this one. I researched it a lot, it's a one-way ticket to the 'Next Great Adventure' as our headmaster puts so eloquently. See that owl, or it's rotted withered corpse rather, I put the same curse on a piece of bacon. You know Hedwig was a smart bird but too loyal to Harry... which brings us to you!" she finished her own monologue with a smirk and a tilted glance at Snape.
"As admirable as your new skills are Ms. Granger, you do understand I'm a reputed potions master and professor at Hogwarts..." said Snape as he calmed himself, though was cut off yet again by the dark witch, "And I'm a CONVICTED MURDERER...Murderess... whatever, sentenced to 2 life terms, and left rotting at Azkaban. Yet here I am, and here you are. I don't give two shits about your reputation, professor. Playing the double game, spying for both sides, for what? Don't think I didn't notice you silently protecting Harry all these years."
She saw the slight change in his expressions despite his indifferent mask, "Awwww... behind those sneers and insults, does the greasy dungeon bat have a warm fuzzy heart? Is that it? No, that can't be all. Well as much as I yearn for that little secret of yours, I'll let you in on one. You won't be able to protect him now. Oh, I'll let the old coot play his games with Harry, I've learnt a fair great deal from dear Ron in our little encounter back in Hogsmeade which you, Oh not so rudely interrupted. But this works too. I got the info, I get a greasy-bat to play instead of a redhead-weasel, one of which I've already played with, so it's win-win. He'll get his turn, though you won't get to enjoy that treat. I'll have fun breaking you, others were too easy. You, on the other hand, 'Expert Occlumens!', let's see how far your expertise helps."
"You don't intimidate me witch! I've served the Dark Lord for years and nothing that you do can break my will. I'm used to being Crucioed and I'm resistant to Veritaserum. Your attempts to gain information from me is futile. It would be better for you to let me go. You won't want me as your enemy. Trust me witch, you haven't seen the worst of me." growled Snape with a practiced confidence, as he truly had confidence in his abilities to withstand torture. The worst he feared was his life, which he'd already realized was short considering his inability to touch or summon his wand or cloak.
"Well, I'm not your Dark Lord, but trust me, I'll break your mind before your die. It won't be much fun if you do die first. I'll try not to break you too much, now, enough talking, let's see how you scream."
With a flourish of her hands, Snape was moved to another section of the room, he could see some sort of muggle contraption straight out of horror movies he saw in his childhood. Well there are some perks to be a half-blood. Even more so, when most of those were spent in Lily's company. A snap of metal clasps clamping open got his attention as he was lowered onto what was essentially a crucifix of sorts with heavy duty metal chains and hooks to secure a victim. His heart skipped a beat as clamps snapped closed and held him in place effectively hindering any movement. His head and face kept in place with an iron half mask leaving his face, forehead and scalp open. A look straight up confused him even more so as there was nothing but an overhead bulb illuminating his face and a slightly rusted faucet of sorts. All of a sudden, a drop of water fell on his scalp just where his hairline started. He could feel the warmth of the droplet as it met his skin. His inability to move caused a little irritation but nothing more.
"Is that it? Ms. Granger, I hope you don't take me to be one of those girls your age. I'm not afraid to get wet, as you so seem to think. These restraints seem archaic, yet they don't faze me." huffed out the dungeon bat as he could see her sporting a familiar malevolent grin. Hermione let out an insane cackle full of mirth and it reminded him of someone not too far from the Dark Lord's inner circle. He had seen and heard this manic laugh, which more often than not resulted in pain, blood curdling screams, yet there was a method to this madness.
"Well, professor, that's it! Sometimes the simplest of things cause the worst of traumas. You still don't know, do you? I reckoned your muggle side of upbringing might enlighten you. Worry not, I don't expect you to fear getting wet, I expect you to fear, to feel pain. Plain and simple. No fear of the unknown, no pain of cruciatus. Afterall, you feel the cruciatus for a minute, 10 minutes? That takes a lot of magic out of you to keep the curse going. You probably feel the after-effects for a day? No sir, I intend to make you suffer each moment, 24x7. That's the beauty of this device, it's called the Chinese Water Torture." said Hermione with grin that promised pain as she flicked her fingers and the droplets turned cold. The moment it hit his forehead, the nerves reacted to the cold water and he instinctively flinched.
"See, a small change and your body reacted. Imagine constant change in temperature. Well, tell you what, imagine it to be blood of those who you've killed, hurt, punished in the Dark Lord's name. Imagine it to be Harry's blood, or yet someone whom you cherished." with another wave the droplets turned thick and red, Blood.
"Ms. Granger, please, I'm not your enemy. Let me go, I'll help you kill the Dark Lord." pleaded Snape as he realized the tactic she was using. He had to get out before she does lasting damage. Even if this method doesn't work she could just as easily kill or maim him.
"No, No professor. Please don't beg. Not so soon. And I don't care about the Dark Lord or the Light. When I'm done, all your Lords will be naught but names in some old history books. I wonder if 'Hogwarts, a History' will mention it. Everything started and ended with Hogwarts after all. And no more talking professor. This is a silent self-study class. Ssshhh..." she spoke in a sicky sweet tone as she finished chastising the professor and with a wave the professor couldn't hear his own voice, the only sound he could hear was the blood droplets falling to his forehead and then dripping off into a small puddle beneath him with an audible plink.
She waved him good-bye and skipped off slowly from his view whistling the eerie tunes of a popular muggle horror flick 'The Exorcist' and stopped just around the corner to look at him with her glowing eyes and let out a manic cackle that would haunt him for days and left him struggling against the shackles.
A/N: I started writing this chapter and I couldn't really stop. Snape is a very complex character and killing him lightly won't do any justice. He's best occlumens after the Dark Lord himself and so Hermione's Legilimency won't work against his barriers. She's smart about that, and hence hadn't attempted it fearing he might counter-attack her mind. I hope the scene wasn't too long and dragged out. I'm still learning how to write better dialogues. Monologues are a bit easier to write though.
This one's probably the longest chapter that I've written so far, not sure if other chapters will be similar length or less. It all depends when I get the perfect time to break.
As usual, please read and review. I'm eagerly awaiting comments on this one. Positive, negative, OK, whatever you feel, just let it rip in the comments down below. I'll see you next time. Cheers!