*~* A Long Dark Walk *~*
Chapter 1 – Oh The Tangled Web We Weave
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, but I wish I did! I do own Christoph Snape and other characters you don't recognize though, and the plot!
A/N:
^_^
YES it is a Snape fic... with a little
sumthin extra *glee* and he does go a little nuts because I plan for this to be
a dark fic! I hope you like it!
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At that moment Frodo threw himself forward on the ground, and he heard
himself crying aloud: O Elberth! Gilthoniel! At the same time he struck
at the feet of his enemy. A shrill cry rang out in the night; and he felt a
pain like a dart of poisoned ice pierce his shoulder. Even as he swooned he
caught, as though a swirling mist, a glimpse of Strider leaping out of the
darkness with a flaming brand of wood in either hand. With a last effort Frodo,
dropping his sword, slipped the Ring from his finger and closed his right hand
tight upon it.
Fifteen-year-old Severus Snape snorted. What a dumbass! I don't believe he
put ON the ring as the wraith was coming for him... bet he would be in
Hufflepuff he thought and smirked as he closed the book. His smirk fell
quickly into a scowl as the next thought hit his head: I bet the great and
mighty Strider would be in lovely charming Gryffindor... Even though he was
thinking it you could practically see the sarcasm oozing from the look on his
face as he glared at no one. Unconsciously clenching and unclenching his hands
he stood up and put the book deep into his student trunk - no one must ever
know he had even touched a muggle book before. A deep flame arouse in his eyes
as he remembered the last time he had been caught with something muggle.
*~* Flashback *~*
An eight-year-old Severus slowly makes his way to his father's study in the
dungeons. Scowling and glaring the whole way down, he sent pictures hiding even
at that age (except the ones of his ancestors of course, from whom he had
inherited the look). Passing by a random set of drapes he rips them all down
piles them in the center of the hallway and lights them aflame with his trusty
muggle lighter - the one thing he was allowed to keep that was a muggle
invention. Cursing at the flames into which he stared so intently as he passed,
a little voice in his head wonders. What exactly is so wrong with wearing a
muggle hat?
Finally reaching the huge wooden doors he lifted the metal knocker and let it
slam several times against them, denting them thoroughly. He shivered slightly
while waiting for a reply and ignored the smirking ghost in the corner whom he
knew would be gleefully watching his punishment from one of the many good
viewpoints in the circular study.
A deep, low, cold voice answered. "You may enter."
Silently taking a deep breath (and finding, with a hint of satisfaction, the
smell of burning wood and cloth) he pushed open the door and entered the dark
stone room.
Glancing around a bit he noticed nothing had changed since the day he had come
in to ask his father if he could have a broom - there were still midnight black
curtains hanging in front of portraits of great Snape's past; one lone
fireplace that gave off no warmth what-so-ever, only a faint green glow; chains
dangling threateningly from the ceiling; a large bookcase, not only concealing
a secret room glittering with illegal Dark Arts objects and torture
instruments, but filled to the point of explosion itself with books that would
hardly be sold anywhere the Ministry was aware of. Besides those simple yet
to-the-point objects, there were only four left; one being a large elaborately
carved wooden desk; two being a great polished chair with black velvet seat and
back; three being Christoph Snape himself, staring blank-faced and yet
oh-so-evilly at his only son; and the fourth... the fourth was the worst of
them all. The fourth was Snape Senior's ebony and dragon-heartstring wand, out
of which all of the worse curses ever created, had been used multiple times on
various victims - Snape Senior's top favorites being muggles, lower class
wizards, and his wife. He had been known to kill many a person by very brutal
ways and his wife was no exception. First beaten into submission by hand, he
then proceeded to cut her skin with a knife, mutilating it beyond recognition,
and yet not deep enough to cause her relief by sending her unconscious. No, Christoph
Snape had other things in mind. Disemboweling her, yet keeping her blood
flowing, so she felt only part of his wrath, and burning her limbs slowly over
the fire he had watched his son make, his finishing touches were those he made
his son perform - all this time Severus had been watching in horror, in a Full
Body Bind, leaning against the wall. He had had no clue what his father had
wanted the fire for, and had resisted only moments ago, arguing that a house
elf was better suited for the job. A broken nose and a black eye later, the
fire was roaring and Severus was in shock. The final step for Christoph Snape
was using the new-found Imperio curse on his son: Severus, being only 5 years
old at the time, had no choice but to take the white hot poker and stab it into
his mother, moving it up from her stomach to her chest. She died instantly,
leaving Severus weeping and shaking on the floor, where Christoph continued to
flog his son with a spiked whip for being such a coward. When Severus was an
inch away from death, Christoph left him alone with the corpse of his mother,
and Severus vowed never to do that to a woman.
Shuddering slightly at the gruesome memory that had taken place in this very
room, he stood waiting for his fathers judgment.
"So you thought you would disgrace me in Knockturn Alley today did you....?
Starting to feel a little teenage rebellion are you?" Christoph asked
slowly, the coldness in his voice having the power to stun a rabbit for more
than an hour.
Severus didn't answer, only stood looking his father in the eye - he had
learned shortly after his mother was killed that looking away from a man's
stare was a strong sign of weakness, and had been flogged mercilessly for doing
so.
Christoph looked his son up and down, contemplating an idea for a moment before
answering in a slightly strange, lighter tone.
"I believe you are old enough now... old enough to prove yourself as no
longer being the stupid child you were..."
Snape Senior raised the feared wand and pointed to Severus right between the
eyes before whispering the hated word.
"Crucio."
*~* End Flashback *~*
*CRUNCH*
Severus looked down to his student chest, where his hands had been grasping the
side, white-knuckled, while he relived it all. Opening his hand slowly he saw a
chunk of the chest amongst the blood on his hand and he swore loudly. Quickly
fixing his chest with a spell he went to the bathroom and cleaned out his hand.
His mind wandering, he found himself thinking about the book again.
If father, or should I say "master", he thought bitterly,
ever found me with that book he would most likely rip out my entrails and sell
them to an apothecary to be used in some experiment or other... or just for
decoration knowing these people... man I wish I had some kingsfoil right about
no- what the bloody fuck am I saying! Gah! Snape, you need to get out more...
maybe go find some first years and set them on fire...
After wrapping his hand up quickly and putting on his dragon hide gloves, he
stalked out of his room, slamming the door, and up the stairs to the Slytherin
Common Room. Glancing about, he saw nothing new or out of the ordinary - Lucius
Malfoy was in the corner with a girl on his lap and a look of immeasurable
pleasure written all over his face as he moaned and hiked the girl's skirt up a
little more, revealing what Severus had suspected all along.
Dammit, doesn't that prick have any self pride at all? At least go behind
the couch if he can't wait to fuck! A little voice resembling the ever-annoying
Zambini's answered in his head. Ahh yes, but here you are, Severus Snape,
and the only girls you've fucked you've had to rape... seems to me Malfoy is
doing a hell of a lot better than you! Severus scowled about the room in a
blind rage before finding the perfect victim: little Timothy Parkinson, a 2nd
year who had always been scared shitless of him. Making his way over silently
through the shadows, he grabbed him and dragged her into a corner. Slapping him
around a bit physically to get his rage taken care of, he bound the boy with a
spell and set his hair and clothes on fire. As quickly as he had come he was
gone, leaving the other members of Slytherin to shrug and claim it was the
local poltergeist, Peeves.
Still feeling quite a bit angry, although he had enjoyed watching the flames
dance about and the look of horror on the younger boy's face, he slipped
silently out of the common room and stalked down the dark hallways of Hogwarts
hoping to find a fight while avoiding the Golden Boys of Gryffindor.
---------------------------------------------------
Slipping
silently down the halls, his anger emitting a slight green glow from his skin,
Severus headed towards the kitchens. Hearing voices but not seeing anything in
front of the Fruit Painting, he paused and concealed himself behind a random
suit of armor. Straining his ears, he caught part of a conversation.
"Are you going to ask her out?" Severus scowled into the dark
hallway. Even if he couldn't see him, Severus knew the sound of Sirius Black's
voice when it was spoken. Obviously the Golden Boys of Gryffindor were up to
something, and there was a snowball's chance in hell that Severus was going to
leave without finding out what.
"Shut up Padfoot - I don't like her! Just leave me alone!" James
Potter. No Questions asked.
"Ooooh touchy Prongs! Don't fret too much - you might have an accident in
Lily's panties and she wouldn't be too pleased when she got them-"
*BOOM*
Severus rolled his eyes. Remus Lupin had just appeared out of nowhere and fell
into a statue, knocking it over. He had obviously been pushed by someone most
likely Potter Severus thought with a smirk All is not well within the wondrous
and perfect land of the Gryffindors... The question was where were they and
how did they become invisible. The younger, stupider, wide-eyed Severus that
was calling in his head. Maybe they found a way into Middle-Earth and stole
the ring from Frodo! Those dolts probably don't even realize they are
attracting Nine Nazgul with horrid blades to this very spot at this very- SHUT
UP!!!! The current Snape intervened I DON'T NEED A LITTLE DAYDREAMING
BRAT IN MY HEAD WHEN I AM MEETING VOLDEMORT NEXT WEEK TO BE INICIATED!
Snapping back into reality, Severus watched as Lupin went invisible again just
as the door to the kitchens swung open. Intent on not being left behind,
Severus slipped in with them and hid himself behind one of the many stoves,
positive that they would be able to see him.
With a swishing sound, the three boys appeared out from under an Invisibility
cloak. Severus' eyes widened at the sight of it - it was shimmering gray in
color and brand new too. Severus had asked for one for his last birthday only
his father couldn't find one - there were only 8 known ones in England so far.
After getting sandwiches and seating themselves down on the comfy couched by
the fire, the Gryffindor boys continued talking.
"So James, when are you going to pop the question?" Sirius teased.
James ignored him. "So about this way to turn Malfoy red and gold... how
are we going to convince the midgets" he motioned to the house elves
"to put the elixir in his drink?"
This time Remus rolled his eyes. "Uh HELLO earth to Prongs! Look at these
things!" he gestured to a group of eager house elves that had suddenly
circled the group carrying various plates of sweets "They would do
anything for us just for a simple praise!"
"He's got a point Jamie my maturing friend - if you acted like a house elf
then Lily would be yours for eba and eba!" Sirius blinked his eyelashes
and put his hands to his face like he was gushing. Remus laughed, Severus
glared at the happy moments the group shared, and James threw an unfinished ham
and cheese sandwich at Sirius' head. Severus had decided he had had enough and
slipped back out into the hallway... but not before planting a few muggle
cherry bombs around the kitchen.
About five minutes and 13 explosions later, teachers were swarming the area
while Severus Snape was back in bed, actually looking forward to seeing a red
and gold Malfoy nancing about the Great Hall the next morning. Oh wait until
I tell father James Potter has an invisibility cloak... he'll freak! And with
this new information about Potter and Evans, I'll be able to get my revenge one
way or another or them or my name isn't Severus V. Snape! Unfortunately,
his rest was rudely interrupted by Zambini who had broken the spell on his door
and barged into his private room.
"Snape! What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?! Parkinson nearly
died in the common room tonight! I don't believe your father or the Dark Lord
will appreciate this very much!" Zambini stated, going from shouting to a
cold hatred in his voice.
Severus remained cool and collected. "And what does a Zambini have to do
with a Snape's life? I am allowed to do whatever I damn well please as long as
it has nothing to do with helping Gryffindors."
Zambini scowled, knowing his place and subdued himself. "All I'm saying is
you'd better watch you're back Snape - you've made a lot of enemies in you're
four years here."
Severus snapped. Uncontrollable rage ran through his blood at immeasurable
speed at he attacked Zambini with a clever mixture of physical and magical
weapons, producing the desired amount of pain with the very least amount of
evidence. When Zambini had finally gone unconscious from a bash to the head
with Severus' raw fist, Severus proceeded to levitate the limp body out into
the hallway where he left him there in a heap.
Passing by Malfoy's private quarters on his was back he stopped to put a
silencing charm on the room, as he did not want to be kept awake all night long
again from the screaming and moaning of various girls, as well as Malfoy
himself. Why can't that damned fool learn this charm himself?! Better yet,
why can't he just screw all the girls in Hogwarts and get it over with?!
Everyone knows he wants to, just as everyone knows he is betrothed to his own
cousin, and no one's complaining about THAT Severus unconsciously made a
disgusted face. In many ways he hated Malfoy with a passion, and, yet, in many
ways he was forced to show that Malfoy was better than him when it came to
dealings of the Dark Lord. Oh yes, perfect Malfoy! Malfoy, who gets anything
and everything he wants! Malfoy, man-whore of Slytherin! Malfoy, already one of
Voldemort's lead Death Eaters! Malfoy Malfoy Malfoy!
Chiding himself for acting like suck a baby he slipped into his black silk
pajamas and back into bed. Staring up at the ceiling, restless, and slowly
trailing a knife along the pale skin of his arm, leaving a little trail of
blood, he let his mind wander where he wouldn't dare let it wander during the
day...
*~* Day-Dream *~*
Sitting nestled into an over-stuffed black leather chair, Severus snuggled
close under a blanket with a think book in his lap. All of the walls in the
room were covered from top to bottom with every kind of book imaginable - thick
books, skinny books, books on white and black magic, muggle books and wizard
books, books on potions and books on cooking. All of the books in the world
were kept in this one room that belonged to Severus and Severus alone. The one
space on the wall that wasn't covered in books was a roaring fireplace that
actually gave off heat. The ceiling was one giant skylight, which was currently
shielding the books and Severus from a raging storm. Everything in this daydream
was always the same - reflecting where Severus longed to be: sheltered from the
world in this one room forever. Everything was always the same... but this time
there was one thing different.
A dark shape, in a jumbled mass, was in the corner of the room. Blank eyes
stared at Severus until he finally got up and walked over to inspect it.
Standing there in shock, about three feet away from it, he recognized the shape
- his mother's mutilated body staring up at him. Just as he was about to turn
and run out of the room Potter came out of no where and put the invisibility
cloak over his mother's body. Removing it once, the mutilated corpse suddenly
turned into Zambini, with the same blank stare in his eyes as his mother had
had. Disturbed beyond believe, Severus started backing away from Potter and
Zambini, but Potter called out to him.
"No - wait and see."
Surprised at himself, he did stop and watched. Potter replaced the cloak over
the body and removed it once more. The figure once again turned female, but it
was no one he recognized at first. Severus crept closer to the person and knelt
beside it, slowly turning it over so he could see the young woman's face and
screamed bloody murder. In worse shape than his mother, if it was possible, was
the closest thing he had ever had to a friend, whose family had moved before he
started Hogwarts to America to reinforce the growth of the Dark Lord's power
overseas. Both the dream Severus and the real life Severus wept, unable to cope
with the image and feeling of terror growing in his stomach. A sudden cold
swept over Severus and he turned around to yell at Potter as if it was his
fault but stopped short by the sight that was in front of him. His father was
standing there with the grin and look of a maniac in his eyes and a giant
butcher cleaver in his hand. Potter was in his arms, turned completely inside
out and screaming before Christoph Snape made his stomach burst and Potter was
able to relax in his death. Severus stared wide-eyed with horror and terror at
his father, forgetting everything he had learned about being stone faced and
stone hearted. Glaring at his son, Christoph advanced, raising the butch
cleaver high in the air and whispered with an insane laughter before bringing
the cleaver down on his son's skull.
"For the Dark Lord!"
*~* End Daydream *~*
Severus awoke screaming and sweaty. There was blood on his sheets, which caused
him to panic even more. Loosing all composition he leapt out of bed with his
wand ready and stood at defense in the middle of his room, ready to bind his
father and ship him off to St Mungos. Realizing no one was there and that he
was in his own room at Hogwarts once more, he sighed and collapsed against his
bed.
A sudden thought struck him. What about the blood then??? He looked
around to see where exactly the cut had been and what might have caused it when
he looked over at his bed and found the answer. Swearing loudly he mentally
abused himself while he grabbed the long knife and magicked new clean sheets
onto his bed. Dammit Snape you're falling apart! What the fuck were you
thinking, falling asleep with the knife in you're hand?! How many times have
you tried to kill yourself in your sleep now - 473? Gah I'm so disgusted in you
I don't even want to talk to you and you ARE me!
With that little bit of mental abuse, Severus cleaned off the knife, put it
away carefully in the bottom of his student trunk (along side his collection of
Tolkien books) and slipped back into bed nursing his wounded arm, to get as
much sleep as possible out of the little darkness that remained in the world.
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A/N: So what didja think? Bloody eh? I don't think the rest of the fic will be as bad as this I think it was mostly just to set the feeling of poor Sevvy-Poo's life *grin* don't ask I have problems. Please Read and Review!!!