Chapter 35: Memories Of The Cold One

My Thanks To All My Readers And Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.

{"What I really meant to say...Is I'm sorry for the way I am...I never meant to be so cold...Never meant to be so...Cold to you, I'm sorry about all the lies,Maybe in a different light,You can see me stand on my own again...I never really wanted you to see...The screwed-up side of me...That I keep locked inside of me so deep,It always seems to get to me...I never really wanted you to go...So many things you should have known...I guess for me there's just no hope; I never meant to be so cold..."}So Cold,Crossfade

The Snape Residence, North America, Unknown World...

Blazing fury behind cold obsidian had been just one of the contrasts amid the forest trees and freshly fallen white snow below their boots. A twenty year old Regulus had been injured pretty badly from the last series of attacks from his father's wand.

"You should have grasped this concept of magical defense by now boy!" hissed Snape irate.

Regulus crawled along the snowy bank hearing the stream nearby as his father's patient and calculating footsteps moved along the frosted ground.

Blood oozed from the twenty year old's mouth and his body trembled due to his numerous aches.

"D-Dad please." he said weakly.

Snape only grew more agitated.

"Is this what you plan to do to an enemy?" he asked as if disgusted by the very sight of him.

"I-I'm not your enemy Dad..." said Regulus struggling to breathe as he felt his lung might have been punctured during the last attack. "I-I'm your son."

"A son that turns out to be little more than a disappointment." said Snape coldly as he glared down at the younger wizard his harsh expression more biting than the snow that surrounded them.

"I-I didn't mean to be." replied Regulus looking back up at the bitter angry wizard he loved more than anything in the world.

Upon hearing these words, Snape seemed to break free of whatever madness gripped him and immediately healed his ailing son.

The Potions Master's fury had been due to his upcoming role in what was to be Albus Dumbledore's untimely death. He had been so obsessed with protecting his wife and son from the eventual backlash that he had nearly killed him in the training exercise.

The boy may have been twenty years of age but he had still been a boy...his boy.

"I-I apologize." said Snape turning away from the younger wizard in shame. "I treated you no better than my own father treated me and you did not deserve such disrespect."

Regulus had not known what to say to this as he got to his feet.

He moved toward his father unsure of how to approach him.

"Dad..." he started.

"You are not a disappointment." said Snape with all sincerity.

Regulus was not to be denied as he ensured his father looked upon him when he said what he needed to say.

"Neither are you Dad." he said meeting the cold wizard's eyes.

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Snape's Bedroom, Malfoy Manor, Wizarding World...

When Regulus opened his eyes, he found himself in his father's bedroom back at Malfoy Manor. He had eaten from the tray Narcissa Malfoy had left behind for him and left nothing but an empty glass and the plate in his wake. He had been rather pleased that she placed the food on stasis while he had made his little trip to The Burrows.

He had been half delirious when he returned still seeing his father standing at the foot of his bed. The memories of the elder Snape had been overwhelming in his current condition but it was comforting to see his father again.

The threat to the wizarding world had been a serious one and Regulus couldn't afford to ignore it any longer. The younger Snape came to the conclusion that his father would never have sat idly by and allowed something so evil to take over given his involvement in the two wizarding wars against Voldemort.

And more importantly, he was not going to allow this Arcturus to hurt Hermione, it didn't matter if she was with freckles or not...she had been his only friend since the murder of his father and the subsequent passing of his mother.

Regulus got dressed ignoring the sore muscles in his battered body and made his way toward the bedroom door.

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The Sitting Room, Malfoy Manor, Wizarding World...

Lucius Malfoy had been seated at the breakfast table with Narcissa and Draco when Regulus arrived. The Senior Malfoy smiled watching the seemingly out of sorts young wizard make his way toward the table. He had not known the place prepared for him had been his father's for years.

"Morning." said Lucius with something of a smile plastered across his charming face for the first time in years.

"Yeah." grumbled Regulus turning his attention to his plate and grasping a piece of toast.

Narcissa shook her head.

Clearly Snape Jr. wasn't much of a morning person either.

Draco smiled unable to get how much his God-brother reminded him of his Uncle Severus.

"I trust that you've had a good night's sleep." he said turning his attention to his own meal.

"Dreamed of the old man last night." replied Regulus biting into his toast. "Even in my dreams he's never any fun."

"Well you'd have to get him drunk first." said Lucius with a grin.

Regulus chuckled at this.

"So you knew my Dad when since he was a kid?" he asked curious.

Lucius nodded.

"I did." he replied. "He was about eleven and I was a handsome twenty something with more money than well...anyone."

Narcissa rolled her eyes.

"What your uncle means to say is that your father has been dear to us for a great many years and there isn't a moment that goes by that we don't mourn his loss." she said.

"Draco tells me Dad and you use to fuck." said Regulus finishing off his toast. "Was it before marriage or did you three have some kind of an arrangement?"

Narcissa smirked.

"Quite the vulgar use of wording but...your father and I did have a brief relationship before either of us were married." she replied.

"Nice." replied Regulus in admiration of his father before taking a big gulp of what appeared to be pumpkin juice.

The grimace on his face had caught the attention of everyone at the table.

"What the fuck is that!?" he asked standing up from the table and spitting it across the room.

Lucius Malfoy burst out laughing and found himself joined by his wife and son.

"If this boy isn't a chip off the ol' block I don't know what is." said the amused Senior Malfoy. "Severus hated pumpkin juice...he called it the most rancid thing in the history of wizarding idiotics."

"Well he was fucking right." replied Regulus letting the juice drip down his chin. "Who the fuck thought of something that insane?"

"Hey I happen to like pumpkin juice." said Draco unable to keep a straight face.

"Pumpkin spice is good...pumpkin pie is fucking fantastic but pumpkin juice is just the kind of bullshit a geek boy like potter would approve of." said Regulus not at all pleased about aftertaste.

"Accio wine." he said sitting back down and uncorking a bottle of red wine.

Lucius continued to chuckle as he watched his newly discovered nephew finish his breakfast and down a whole bottle of red wine at the same time.

"Father...where has he been all my life?" asked Draco turning his attention back to his food.

"In North America I believe." replied Lucius with a sad smile.