Disclaimer: I own none of the character's the belong to JK Rowling - not me... I repeat NOT me.
Author's Note: No one reviews this story... I am so depressed. My lake of interest is the fact that people seem to have lost interest. Oh it makes me sad... WAAA! Anyway this is chapter 6 and hope that you like it and please leave me a review even if you tell me this story bites and should be scrapped. I know it should be and will get a rewrite when I can be arsed but until then for the love of all that is magical tell me what you think!!!
A young mind is so easily scarred - the wounds... they don't heal - ever.
Sculpting the Boy
It was a silent October morning, the night sky was being dissolved by the rising sunlight, as dawn broke the darkness. A young Severus Snape, sat in his bedroom window, looking out onto the morning light, shadowing his face from the rays with his palm to his forehead.
"Severus!" His mother called from down the stairs. "Breakfast time, come on dear," she hummed, as the scent of her cooking rose through the house.
"Just a minute," the five-year-old replied.
"It'll get cold!" The woman, with a stark voice, all of a sudden shouted.
"Okay, okay..." he muttered, all he wanted to do was watch the sun rise. Was it so much to ask?
"Good boy," she smiled, looking up the stairs, as a small boy in dark blue pyjamas, came running down the steps, pulling his dressing gown round himself. His hair was short and rough looking, having not been brushed since the night before, his hollow black eyes appeared to have the light of the sun still reflected out of them - a triumph of innocence.
"I was watching the sunrise, Mum... can't I do that for once?" He asked rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"I've told you before Severus, if you want to get up, and star gaze, you'll have to get up earlier, breakfast is always this time. So all you have to do is arrange your day around breakfast, lunch and, dinner. Now in the kitchen with you... your porridge will get cold," Imacia twittered placing an arm around his shoulders and walking her youngest son into the kitchen.
Already at the table was Severus' father, Severus didn't really get along with his father. He seemed a somewhat cold man with no time for him. Not that it bothered him, he didn't feel he was missing anything in his life. His mother, was caring enough for the pair of them so it didn't matter to him that his father wouldn't look up from the paper to wish him good morning, ask if he'd slept well... okay it would be nice if he did. But he didn't feel it was a vital part of life, even if he was so young.
"Morning, Dad," Severus said, out of habit, rather than hoping for a response. Imacia, glared at her husband, whom hadn't appeared to take any notice of his son.
"Severus, said hello to you Rycrypt, you could at least try to be courteous," she said getting annoyed... it seemed that his parents would have the same argument every morning. Well she would argue, his Dad would sit and read the paper absently, Severus rarely saw his father smile, or do anything but read. He seemed to be constantly taking notes, reading about the same sorts of things... often about Dark Magic. Severus from what he had been taught to read by his mother could make out a lot more than his father knew. He had been sneaking around the small library in their house and taking a few books to read... ones that he didn't think anyone else would read at the time.
He hadn't been told he was a wizard by his parents... he could only guess they didn't want to tell him until it was necessary, they didn't know he had been trying simple spells from the books since his father had told him to learn the alphabet. Severus liked to learn... only, neither of his parents, seemed ready to teach him anything that interested him. They wanted to teach him Maths, English and, Science. History, seemed to be his father's forté, Severus however didn't see how Goblins and Dragons fit into normal life since his mother, whenever he asked her insisted it was make believe that his father was messing with his mind and, filling his head with stories. Severus had to grant them one thing, they were great stories.
He sat and ate his breakfast in an uncomfortable silence, he could see his father getting more and more agitated, by the second, as he read the Daily Prophet... yet again more make believe, according to his mother. Why didn't she just tell him? Did they think he was a squib?
"Shit!" Rycrypt shouted thumping his fist on the table.
"Language!" Imacia snapped. Severus, just looked blankly at his father, who was now lighting a cigarette, Severus, hated the smell, he looked at his mother, who was glaring at Rycrypt, whom yet again wasn't paying attention but looking into space rubbing his temples with his right hand.
Severus, looked at the end of the cigarette and rolled his eyes back into his head before closing his eyes sharply, the cigarette exploded into Rycrypt's face and Imacia, looked at Severus, unsure what to think. Rycrypt, still with the butt of the cigarette in his mouth looked cross-eyed at the end of his hooked nose.
"Severus?" Imacia said calmly. "Did you do that?" He bit his lip.
"Umm... No." He said uncertainly, Rycrypt got out of his seat and stood, his black trousers hanging slack, to his bulled black shoes, and his white shirt hanging over his trousers slightly, a black v-neck jumper over that, Severus looked up at the tall proud figure of his father, and winced. The butt end of the cigarette was still in his mouth and dust sat round his face where the rest had exploded. His shoulder length, dark brown hair was looming round his face as the normally expressionless man began to appear rather fierce.
"Follow me, Severus," he said calmly, his nose twitching, Severus looked to his mother who didn't appear to be trying to protect him. She just sat in her seat spinning the long fine strands of raven black hair round her fingers.
"I... I'm sorry," he snivelled, as he got out of his seat and prepared for the beating of his life... his father had never struck him before, but he got the feeling he may start soon if his behaviour persisted.
"This way," Rycrypt, said still in an eerily calm tone.
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to, it was an accident!" He kept insisting but all he could do was follow the older man, and hope. He was led back up the stairs and into his father's study, he had never been allowed in there - before. Perhaps he kept weapons of excruciating pain up there.
"Sit," Rycrypt commanded, Severus didn't need telling twice, he parked his backside on the nearest seat, and almost burst into tears. "Oh grow up!" Rycrypt snapped having wiped his face off and now appeared to be back to normal again appearance wise.
"But I... I'm sorry," he repeated.
"Stop repeating yourself, I heard you the first time!" Rycrypt hissed.
"But I am," Severus persisted, Rycrypt's eyes softened.
"I know," he said, running his fingers along the spins of several leather bound books and taking one out holding it out to Severus, then taking the seat opposite him. "How long have you known?" Rycrypt said, his tone soft and soothing, but dangerous at the same time.
"What... known what?" The boy quivered taking the book in his hands.
"Don't play dumb with me Severus, I'm not your mother," his father snapped.
"Well I know a few things... what exactly?" He said itching to open the book.
"That you're a wizard?" Rycrypt said quiet frankly.
"I... I..." Severus started nervously.
"Stop stuttering!" Rycrypt barked, Severus flinched.
"Two years!" Severus shouted back, ducking his head down, and closing his eyes tightly. Perhaps I shouldn't have shouted...
"Very good..." Rycrypt said, his tone oozing. "And you have learned these small spell from where?" Rycrypt said running a finger along the desk and pressing at a certain point causing a hidden part of the desk to pop up.
"I... I..." he tried to think of a way to best gage his response.
"It will do you better to tell me the truth Severus. No lies," Rycrypt appeared to be able to see what thoughts were going through his head.
"I have been taking books from the library and picking up things from there..."
"And your wand?" Rycrypt said quickly, before he had time to continue his excuses.
"I don't have one... I have been messing about with my hands."
"Excellent!" Rycrypt said suddenly a smile on his face for once.
"Huh?" Severus looked baffled, and his father appeared to be happier than normal, he opened the hidden part of the desk and held out an old looking piece of wood to Severus, who was yet again baffled.
"I'm glad to see that you are not, the plain black and white person, I could have foreseen you grow into. There is power in your fingertips my son, have you the brain to use the power wisely, I wonder," Severus looked at the out stretched wand held within the older mans slender hands.
"I would do what I was taught... only no one has taught me yet," he said looking at the grain of the wood and fought to keep his hands back. It appeared to be so old that the magic held within it's core must be dead, but it was so beautiful to a five year old boy, who wanted nothing more, than to grow into a powerful wizard.
"And you wish to be instructed, or continue at your own tuition as you have already started - you have had two years you say? Sneaking around the house, and playing the fool. Allowing your mother and myself to play fools ourselves, and act as Muggles? Tell me one thing Severus," Rycrypt's eyes were no longer the deep, dark brown they had been, but a shining, glittering black before they hollowed out like Severus', it was now clear to Severus that the distant man whom he had ignored simply because he seemed dull was deeper than he had first thought. It was almost frightening, watching someone's eyes change colour right before you.
"I... I..."
"What have I said about stuttering?"
"Sorry," Rycrypt gave him a quizzical look.
"Never apologise unless you really mean it, it's foolish to a walk around saying;" his voice adopted a snivelling, measly tone. "I'm sorry this, I didn't mean to do that, it wasn't my fault..." he rolled his eyes and returned to his normal astute posture and tone of voice. "I may as well remove several vertebrae, and stop washing altogether, for the slimy creature that would make me seem. You wish to be taught my boy, they you will grow to be a man and not an eel."
"Well... I... what was your question?" Severus asked his father, trying to sound like he knew what he was on about and trying not to apologise for the simplest of things.
"Do you delight in my torture?" Severus blinked.
"Your torture?"
"Well you allowed me to go round dressed like I belong in some kind of asylum and telling you about our history like it were some vast fairy tale. All those things were true you realise?" Rycrypt took his sons hands and placed the twelve inches of oak in the five-year-olds shaking grasp.
"I checked it... in the books I was learning from on my own."
"How long have you been able to read properly?"
"Since I was four, but I found that if I pointed at things... they started to behave in a strange way , they I figured I would be able to control them... I had the levitation spell when I was three..." Rycrypt got up again and reached for a second book and began writing in it.
"Have you figured out what your mother and myself do... besides creep around and try not to show you magic?"
"Well Mum stays home all day but I guess you do something else... I'm not sure what," Severus started waving the wand around and looking at it strangely.
"I see... would you care to take a guess?"
"Umm... I'm not sure," he was too preoccupied with the wand. "I want to be an Auror, though! Fight dark magic... or at least be able to use it," Rycrypt's expression darkened.
"Never trade what is right and good for what seems attractive at the time... you will regret it, I guess that is the first lesson you will have to learn... there are many people that have fallen foul to that. I am one of them," Severus looked blankly at his father.
"You see this scar?" He pointed down the right side of his face, at the scar running over his eye. "How do you suppose I got it?"
"Fighting dragons?" Severus, seemed very excited about his answer, Rycrypt couldn't help a smile.
"No, but if it had have been I would seem less of a coward. Jealousy," he said coolly.
"How can an emotion cause that?" Severus asked.
"Quite simple really, I was hopelessly in love with your mother. Though I never would have admitted it back then but it was because I was young and foolish... well not young... let's say unwilling to profess to more than I knew I felt." Rycrypt slouched back in his seat. "I wanted her more than anything, and when it became apparent that I couldn't have her the dark side seduced me.
"I spent years practically blind researching something I shouldn't have done in an Old Italian library. A man... I believe they call him You-Know-Who or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named or something stupid like that. All I know is that I was beaten to submission by a young man who called himself Lord Voldemort, he wouldn't give me his real name.
"Now, by the time I had discovered what he wanted, I had regained my balls and a grip on reality when I stole it back rather than let him get his scaly hands on it... not that he could have used it anyway.
"The book you have in your hands... it is the most dangerous thing you are ever likely to see in your life. I called it 'The Book of Shadows.' I will teach you to read it, simply because I don't want the information it contains to simply die with me.
"Anyway I ran away from the danger like a dog with its tail between it's legs and in order to regain my self respect I took my job back at the ministry as an Auror to destroy the man that nearly destroyed me. Never allow the dark side to seduce you Severus, you never know what trouble you might get into." Rycrypt went to get another cigarette then looked at his son, remembering the mornings events and decided against it.
The boy blinked as he looked at the older man sitting before him. He was so blunt... straight and direct to the point... no more pussy footing around things of a strange or unusual nature, he was being told the truth. It was horrible, unsweetened truth wasn't what Severus had thought it would be. It had a strange affect on the five year old boy who was now thinking to himself... why did I want to know all this?
"You see Severus, life isn't as sugar coated as your mother likes to pretend. It is filled with lies, deceit, and rules that are impossible to follow. Because it is a game my son, you will need to learn how to play," Severus thought about the toys in the box in his bedroom. Play?
"But I know how to play," he started. Rycrypt smiled.
"It isn't that kind of game. But play does always start with the most simple of things until you reach a stage where, complexity is the only challenge. It is a simple case of knowing how to manipulate the system, that is all. When you are older you will understand, and I will explain it when you need to grow up, but until then try and live life, childhood is very important and giving it up because you desire to be studious isn't worth it."
"Oh..."
"Back to that book," he pointed at the book in Severus' hand. "The language within it is strange and you will learn to read that and write it, but only if you feel you are ready and the information I am going to teach you is more than likely to steal away your childhood because it paints a prolific image... can you cope with that?"
"Umm," Severus looked at the book, then to his father. He was telling him not to give up his childhood but offering him the chance to learn something no one knew about at all... what was he going to do?
"Life is full of choices. You go and think about it... I have to go to work. No doubt your mother will want to start teaching you again soon." Without a work Severus got out of his seat and walked out feeling very strange. His father actually spoke to him... not only that he treated him like he was a hell of a lot older. He drew his breath and went to get dressed for a morning's work.
::~::~::
"Have you found anything?" Voldemort asked, a hunched man with icy grey eyes, and a receding hairline.
"Not yet, my Lord. He keeps himself to himself, and doesn't show anyone anything. There are only a few people, within the ministry that he trusts, and none of them would betray him. That, and I don't think they have any idea what he is capable of," the man said shortly.
"Then we must make them see, shouldn't we," Voldemort hummed, the second man laughed.
"But how, my Lord, there is only so much I can do at the ministry, without being suspected."
"I have no time for cowards," Voldemort hissed raising his wand, and the second man fell to his knees.
"Please!" He begged.
"Fool!" Voldemort shouted. "Good help is so hard to find these days," he complained in a high pitched ooze... he started to sound Welsh, "and when you find one, who has guts, he buggers off and stabs you in the back... really Malfoy, if you want a job done you have got to do it yourself." Malfoy blinked, was he going to die?
"My Lord?"
"Make me the polyjuice potion... If you will not take the risk yourself... then I shall pretend to be you, myself. I haven't the patients to listen to excuses. Do as I command! I need that book!"
Author's Note: More weirdness.. but for the last time tell me what you think! PLEASE!
I.C. Fire (in state of exam stress - please humour her)
silver_shadow54@hotmail.com