"I once thought there was no right or wrong,
Or black and white...
I once thought there were only shades of gray
But then I met you and I realized
There is such a thing as pure evil."
Chapter 2: What you are
There weren't words to describe the Coven. Everything was quiet and orderly without the normal chaos that followed children around. The kids were dressed in solid black uniforms with a dark blue strip on their arms that denoted a 'rank.' Declan's twins were playing with their mother, Isabel. They were a boy and girl, seven years old.
"Hello, Mr. Snape." Mayon, the boy said.
Radella, the girl parroted him. "Hello, Mr. Snape."
Isabel looked up and smiled. "Hello, Severus, Dru." She turned and called to the children. Drucilla kneeled and met each child with a big hug. Snape resigned himself to nodding at each adult as they entered.
"Hello Garridan." The eldest child, 13 and the student of the Sire Alistair. "Ophelia, how are you darling." Nine year old girl and Liam's student. She just smiled and hugged the little boy who was a year older then Alchemy. He was Liam's child and was known simply as "Blade." In the Coven, Alchemy's name was "Kali." Snape had already greeted the two other Sires: Alistair, Ian. Elizabeth and Charlotte, the other two nurses had come out to greet them. It was early morning so Drucilla helped out with the regular chores of the day. Snape shut himself away in a study to some of the ancient books in the library. Around noon, Alistair brought him a lunch and they spent the evening talking about the future of the Coven. Alistair was astute and caught Snape's troubled mind.
"May I tell you something, Severus." Alistair said carefully.
"You appear to be set on it."
"You have great abilities, Snape." Alistair said careful. "Don't get caught up on names or in a bout of conscience." He continued after a pause. "These kids, these women, Drucilla, me, Liam, Declan and all those people who are fighting against us; none of them matter. Only the power matters. That's what we are all after aren't we? Even those fools who think our Master and us are out for no good. You are a superior wizard, Severus, and you have been one of most favored of Lord Voldemort's. You already have the power every one in this house clamors for. Don't throw it away."
Snape looked at Alistair carefully. He took a sip of his tea and nodded. "Thanks for the warning."
"I'm serious. You are walking a dangerous close line." Alistair leaned forward and put his hand and Snape's arm, over the Dark Mark. "I'm telling you as friend. Don't forget what this stands for."
Severus looked down at the hand covering his sleeve.
His room was abandon when Snape entered it. Outside it was storming and in the far room , the baby was screaming. Snape was walking across the room carefully. The floor was slippery. He called to his wife. Melanie wasn't answering. Each step he took was deliberate but wary. He tried to fight the fear that was growing in the pit of his stomach.
"Melanie?" He called.
"Severus?"
Snape swung around but it was Drucilla staring at him concerned. She was holding the baby in her arms. She had quieted down the babe but she was shivering. "Where is Melanie?"
Snape leaned down and slid his hands across the floor and stared at the dark red liquid on his fingers. It was blood. He looked up to the bedroom, the door was cracked and he could see the figure through the crack.
"She finally did it." He said stoically. "She finally killed herself."
Drucilla began to sob uncontrollably. He turned around and took her into his arms, cradling her. He tried to beckon tears but they would not come and he hated himself for it. Deep, in the pit of his stomach, Severus felt sick. It was because of him, she was dead. It was because him being who he was that made those little streams of blood silk through the house. His left arm began to hurt. Lord Voldemort was calling. Without a second thought, he released Drucilla and disapparated.
"I know exactly what it stands for, Alistair." He said in a way that told the Sire the conversation was over.
The evening crept lazily over the Coven House and bathed the house's gray, worn woodwork in a stale white. Snape's mood hadn't improved through out the day. He slipped away, finding solace in the isolation of the house's roof to watch the sunset. The sky was purple, gold, red, and blue hues that stretched out over the horizon like angel wings. It was quiet and warm and Snape liked it. He was almost at peace. Snape smiled ruefully. It had been a long time since he had been at peace. There were times he doubted it existed at all. He let his mind wander, recounting days at school with days only recently passed and was awed about how quickly the journey had took from there to here. He watched the sun.
Whatever was missing must have escaped gradually, he reasoned. It must have been slow and methodical transforming him from able youth with grandiose dreams of the future to a man who could barely contain his stomach.
Snape stomach turned painfully and caused him to flinch. He cursed his sickness and wondered how long he'd been suffering through that too. Everything had changed in his world and had forgotten to tell him. He wrapped his arms around his stomach and thought about his school days, hoping that taking of his mind off the illness would allow him some respite. It was hard to believe that just seven years ago he had been a top student of Hogwarts. As a student, as much as a man, he was quiet but adept, reserved but intelligent. He kept few companions and ever fewer friends but to those select few he was fiercely loyal. He was governed by his own moral code that often alienated people, not that it mattered at all to him. Severus Snape knew even back then what he wanted: Power. Nothing would stand in his way, he would had determined that long before he even entered school and he had the discipline to follow through. It was the reason he and Melanie had first parted.
Ambition was his greatest strength and his strongest foe. His ambition had drove Melanie away and had led him to a young wizard named Silas Malfoy who in turned led him to a recluse named Tom Riddle who promised the world (and delivered.) It had led him to power alright at the price of his soul.
He suddenly rebuked his ideas, bringing his mind into focus. Discipline coupled with ambition were his strengths and he played on them. He had to make sacrifices in his vie for power, regardless of the consequences. He flexed his left arm which proudly bore the Dark Mark- given to him by his Master, Lord Voldemort himself. He was wanted what he had always endeavored to be: strong, and powerful. People feared him, even Silas who had introduced him to the power feared his wrath.
Snape shook his head, assured. This was the path he decided for himself. He was Voldemort's best for a reason. He was loyal without question.
"I am a Death Eater." He mused to himself, to reaffirm his decision to himself.
"Prove it."
Snape turned. The Sires were staring at him with devilish grins on their faces.
"Alistair said you were feeling down." Ian began, vainly attempting to wipe the grin off his face.
Liam continued. "So how about a little Muggle baiting?"
Snape forced the doubts out of his mind. "Lead the way."
They disapparated in a fury of laughter.
Or black and white...
I once thought there were only shades of gray
But then I met you and I realized
There is such a thing as pure evil."
Chapter 2: What you are
There weren't words to describe the Coven. Everything was quiet and orderly without the normal chaos that followed children around. The kids were dressed in solid black uniforms with a dark blue strip on their arms that denoted a 'rank.' Declan's twins were playing with their mother, Isabel. They were a boy and girl, seven years old.
"Hello, Mr. Snape." Mayon, the boy said.
Radella, the girl parroted him. "Hello, Mr. Snape."
Isabel looked up and smiled. "Hello, Severus, Dru." She turned and called to the children. Drucilla kneeled and met each child with a big hug. Snape resigned himself to nodding at each adult as they entered.
"Hello Garridan." The eldest child, 13 and the student of the Sire Alistair. "Ophelia, how are you darling." Nine year old girl and Liam's student. She just smiled and hugged the little boy who was a year older then Alchemy. He was Liam's child and was known simply as "Blade." In the Coven, Alchemy's name was "Kali." Snape had already greeted the two other Sires: Alistair, Ian. Elizabeth and Charlotte, the other two nurses had come out to greet them. It was early morning so Drucilla helped out with the regular chores of the day. Snape shut himself away in a study to some of the ancient books in the library. Around noon, Alistair brought him a lunch and they spent the evening talking about the future of the Coven. Alistair was astute and caught Snape's troubled mind.
"May I tell you something, Severus." Alistair said carefully.
"You appear to be set on it."
"You have great abilities, Snape." Alistair said careful. "Don't get caught up on names or in a bout of conscience." He continued after a pause. "These kids, these women, Drucilla, me, Liam, Declan and all those people who are fighting against us; none of them matter. Only the power matters. That's what we are all after aren't we? Even those fools who think our Master and us are out for no good. You are a superior wizard, Severus, and you have been one of most favored of Lord Voldemort's. You already have the power every one in this house clamors for. Don't throw it away."
Snape looked at Alistair carefully. He took a sip of his tea and nodded. "Thanks for the warning."
"I'm serious. You are walking a dangerous close line." Alistair leaned forward and put his hand and Snape's arm, over the Dark Mark. "I'm telling you as friend. Don't forget what this stands for."
Severus looked down at the hand covering his sleeve.
His room was abandon when Snape entered it. Outside it was storming and in the far room , the baby was screaming. Snape was walking across the room carefully. The floor was slippery. He called to his wife. Melanie wasn't answering. Each step he took was deliberate but wary. He tried to fight the fear that was growing in the pit of his stomach.
"Melanie?" He called.
"Severus?"
Snape swung around but it was Drucilla staring at him concerned. She was holding the baby in her arms. She had quieted down the babe but she was shivering. "Where is Melanie?"
Snape leaned down and slid his hands across the floor and stared at the dark red liquid on his fingers. It was blood. He looked up to the bedroom, the door was cracked and he could see the figure through the crack.
"She finally did it." He said stoically. "She finally killed herself."
Drucilla began to sob uncontrollably. He turned around and took her into his arms, cradling her. He tried to beckon tears but they would not come and he hated himself for it. Deep, in the pit of his stomach, Severus felt sick. It was because of him, she was dead. It was because him being who he was that made those little streams of blood silk through the house. His left arm began to hurt. Lord Voldemort was calling. Without a second thought, he released Drucilla and disapparated.
"I know exactly what it stands for, Alistair." He said in a way that told the Sire the conversation was over.
The evening crept lazily over the Coven House and bathed the house's gray, worn woodwork in a stale white. Snape's mood hadn't improved through out the day. He slipped away, finding solace in the isolation of the house's roof to watch the sunset. The sky was purple, gold, red, and blue hues that stretched out over the horizon like angel wings. It was quiet and warm and Snape liked it. He was almost at peace. Snape smiled ruefully. It had been a long time since he had been at peace. There were times he doubted it existed at all. He let his mind wander, recounting days at school with days only recently passed and was awed about how quickly the journey had took from there to here. He watched the sun.
Whatever was missing must have escaped gradually, he reasoned. It must have been slow and methodical transforming him from able youth with grandiose dreams of the future to a man who could barely contain his stomach.
Snape stomach turned painfully and caused him to flinch. He cursed his sickness and wondered how long he'd been suffering through that too. Everything had changed in his world and had forgotten to tell him. He wrapped his arms around his stomach and thought about his school days, hoping that taking of his mind off the illness would allow him some respite. It was hard to believe that just seven years ago he had been a top student of Hogwarts. As a student, as much as a man, he was quiet but adept, reserved but intelligent. He kept few companions and ever fewer friends but to those select few he was fiercely loyal. He was governed by his own moral code that often alienated people, not that it mattered at all to him. Severus Snape knew even back then what he wanted: Power. Nothing would stand in his way, he would had determined that long before he even entered school and he had the discipline to follow through. It was the reason he and Melanie had first parted.
Ambition was his greatest strength and his strongest foe. His ambition had drove Melanie away and had led him to a young wizard named Silas Malfoy who in turned led him to a recluse named Tom Riddle who promised the world (and delivered.) It had led him to power alright at the price of his soul.
He suddenly rebuked his ideas, bringing his mind into focus. Discipline coupled with ambition were his strengths and he played on them. He had to make sacrifices in his vie for power, regardless of the consequences. He flexed his left arm which proudly bore the Dark Mark- given to him by his Master, Lord Voldemort himself. He was wanted what he had always endeavored to be: strong, and powerful. People feared him, even Silas who had introduced him to the power feared his wrath.
Snape shook his head, assured. This was the path he decided for himself. He was Voldemort's best for a reason. He was loyal without question.
"I am a Death Eater." He mused to himself, to reaffirm his decision to himself.
"Prove it."
Snape turned. The Sires were staring at him with devilish grins on their faces.
"Alistair said you were feeling down." Ian began, vainly attempting to wipe the grin off his face.
Liam continued. "So how about a little Muggle baiting?"
Snape forced the doubts out of his mind. "Lead the way."
They disapparated in a fury of laughter.