1 Secrets in the Dark
1.1 Part three
The coldness, beside him, it sent shivers tingling down his spine. He jumped, drawing a quick, shallow breath. Harry noted the whiteness of Snape's knuckles, and although Snape's hand tightly clasped, they were still evidently shaking. The last time he had felt this presence, it had been completely dark, now it was light, Snape had the chance to see what it really looked like. Snape took a deep breath, turned his head, but instead of turning all the way to look at it, his gaze was caught by the mystified expressions on Harry and Ron's faces. They looked completely bewildered by Snape's actions. He wondered whether the boys could see something he couldn't. This feeling of inferiority persuaded Snape to turn his head abruptly to face the presence. Nothing…nothing but air. He realised that the boys had been watching him, watching his fear reflect in his jerky movements. Quickly struggling to regain control, he straightened up, and, pretending that nothing had happened, he glared at Harry. Snape picked up a potion from the table, and reached out to pass the small vial the Harry. "This time, no excuses!" Snape declared, his voice weaker than usual. Harry, although still afraid of Snape, and still greatly disliking him, felt a strange concern of the Potions Master. Harry was too worried over what had just happened to Snape to remember what could happen when he did not do what Snape asked of him.
"What happened? Are you okay???" Harry asked genuinely.
"Ahh," Snape fumbled over his words. "Nothing, nothing at all. Now drink that potion."
But this answer did not satisfy Harry. "Professor! Please, just tell, me, what happened!?" Harry asked rather bravely, then remembering who he was addressing he added a small "please?"
"Forget it, Potter!" Snape spat.
This time the coldness past through Ron, who let out a scream, which was stifled by his hands over his mouth. Ron, not being one of the bravest wizards you could ever meet, took this as a good time to leave, running out of the room in hysterics. Harry, on the other hand, was too curious to leave.
"Professor, I know something happened, I just want to know what it was…it was that coldness, wasn't it?" Harry looked at Snape for an answer, but he didn't verbally offer one, but judging by the expression on Snape's face, Harry continued. "It passed through me too!"
Snape's head shot up, eyeing Harry curiously. Snape desperately wanted to ask for Harry's advise and opinion of what it was, for it was terrifying him, but he dare not make himself look as if he needed help from a student, and Harry Potter at that! Snape wasn't sure if he wanted Harry to leave or not, so they just stood there, not saying a word, glaring at each other. A few minutes ticked away, without either of them talking or moving, obviously they were both as stubborn as each other. Snape finally relaxed a little, as it seemed that the thing was not going to come back, he drew in a breath to speak, but realised that the air directly in front of his was freezing cold. He stifled a small gasp, and stumbled backwards, hitting his head in a shelf, causing Snape to fall to the ground, unconscious, potion bottles falling around him and smashing on the floor.
Severus ran as fast as he could back to Peter, Sirius and Remus. "It's happened again!" Severus shouted. All the boys, knowing at once what he was referring to, immediately stood up. "But this time it's worse! He disapperated WITH Lily!" They all knew the severity of this, bringing a complete, unknowing innocent into this. They had to do something! That was a mixed babble of ideas from the boys, none of which would work. The boys spent all afternoon thinking, trying to devise plans, they even found there way to the library, which was not a common place for them to go, but even that didn't help any of them.
That night, the boys were each in their dormitories. Severus could not sleep, he was far to worried, not only about James this time, but about Lily! Then Severus was struck with an idea! He clambered out of the warm bed, his bare feet slapping on the cold, stone ground. Careful not to make a sound, he climbed the stairs up into the Slytherin common room, and out into the deserted corridor. He climbed up many levels of steps, and then made his was up to the top of the tower, which contained the Griffindor common room and dormitories. Having been told the password previously, so he could come and help with James and his dark moods when necessary, he quite easily entered through the fat lady portrait, into the Griffindor common room. Silently he made his was up the stairs to the boys dorm room. He took out his wand and waved it so that the door glided silently open. Severus peered inside, and saw James invisibility cloak hanging off a post of the bed. 'I suppose he uses it so often he has no need to put it away' Severus thought. Using the magic from his wand, Severus guided the invisibility cloak gently into is awaiting palm. Then, once again using the advantage of his wand, he closed the door, and crept away, unnoticed.
It was cold and dark outside, but Severus knew what he had to do. He threw the invisibility cloak over his head, and ran across the grounds and into the dark forest. He was terrified, but determined, he was not going to turn back now! He made his way through the forest, carefully avoiding roots of old trees and fallen branches. Severus walked for what seemed like hours, but still alert and careful. Then, he heard a crack of branches behind him. He hurriedly spun around, to find a welcome surprise - it was a centaur of the forest. Severus removed the cloak so that he was now visible. A centaur looked upon Severus inquisitively, and the asked why he was in the forest, especially at this time of night. Severus simply replied, "I must find Voldermort!" The centaur took a step back, but then replied "you shall not find whom you seek here, if you must find him, you should search further a field, in the shadows of the rock, but I do advise you not to continue your search, you shall not be rewarded, by anyone, not even he himself." The centaur disappeared after that, off into the forest somewhere. Severus thought for a moment 'the shadows of the rock?' Then he realised, the centaur must have been referring to the Shadow Cliffs, yes, that was it. Severus ran through the forest, sharp branches tearing at his bare face and hands, and catching on his clothes. Still he ran further and further, faster and faster until, just as the sun was rising, he reached the edge of the forest. Severus stepped out into the milky dawn, from here he could see the Shadow Cliffs, he would be there by nightfall.
Snape awoke, finding himself in the hospital wing, holding a very painful head. He thought hard, but all he could remember was the cold. The, he heard a grunt in the armchair beside the bed. Snape turned to see Albus Dumbledore, face screwed up like an old newspaper, holding a box a Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. "Tripe" he explained absently. "Now, my dear Professor, you have been out for two days now. Young Mr. Potter reported your episode to us."
"He would, wouldn't he" Snape breathed under his breath.
"Now, now, Severus, mustn't be like that, this is a matter of great concern, it was luck Mr. Potter had the presence of mind to run immediately to me, who knows if you would even be here if he did not." Dumbledor stated.
"Yes, I suppose you're right." Snape accepted. Then his curiosity got the better of him, "But Albus, the coldness, do you know what it could be?"
"Ahh, yes. Mr. Potter told us about that, he felt it too. And it sounds to me as if we have a spirit in our midst. Not like our known ghosts, such as Sir Nicholas and The Baron, but rather a presence, trapped outside this plane, yet still aware of our presence. It maybe it is trying to contact us, or annoy us, or just accidentally half connecting with our plane of existence. Whatever reason it may be, it is obviously having effects on you which we do not want. Maybe you should stay here, in the wing, for the time being, so that someone may always be watching out for your safety. It will be best." Dumbledore advised wisely, before standing up and leaving Snape alone.
'I suppose he is right' Snape thought. He hated the fact that he needed help, help from other people, help from…Harry Potter! It was a sort of comforting feeling knowing that there were people who were willing to help him, willing to look out for him. Although, he did hate to feel so dependant on others, they had always let him down in the past, too many times now, so many times in fact, that it was no longer in his nature to trust. Not anyone other than himself, and even that had a question mark beside it now that he could not even control his emotions, an art which he had been practicing for years now. The only person who had never once let him down was Lily, Lily Evans…but, he had let her down, and for that, he still felt responsible and guilty. Snape laid his head down on the pillow, and thought of this, and once again, emotions overtook his mind.
The Shadow Cliffs were drawing nearer, Severus could now hear a low, rhythmic chanting, a sure sign that he was drawing nearer to his desired destination. He strained his eyes and could just make out tiny, shadowy figures slowly moving in front of the cliff. The shadows were growing longer, as the sun sank behind the horizon, to his left. As he drew nearer, Severus could see that the people were entranced in a slow, circular pace, around a large, flat, grey stone, on which, was the struggling body of a girl. A small stone crunched under Severus's foot, drawing the attention of each of the dark, hooded people. The one that was evidently the leader waved his arm, and immediately two figures glided swiftly over, grabbing Severus's arms and fastening them behind his back. Severus knew that struggling would not help, and these people were in fact dragging him directly to the place which he had been trying to reach for over a day now, so was quite relaxed, letting them do all the work of holding him upright. He was unprepared for the harsh way his body fell to the hard, uneven ground. Severus picked himself up to address the leader, whose feet he had been dropped at, although, his eyesight shifted past the figure, to the girl fastened to the stone, and fell back to the ground. It was Lily! Severus gathered himself, and again stood, more composed than last time, and announced "I am here as an exchange!" Severus paused, but then there was silence, so he continued. "Myself, for the girl" he said pointing at Lily. One of the figures stepped forward, and removed its hood. James! His face was reluctant, as he placed his hand on Lily's face, and traced her jaw line with his finger, which obviously repulsed the girl.
"I am afraid," the leader spoke with a slippery hiss, "that this man has just claimed this specimen for his wife."
Severus thought, then said "There is much which I can do for you, I can help you, I excel in classes, especially potion making, where this girl can only form a means of entertainment for you, no real use for your cause, please, take me instead!"
The leader appeared to be thinking, then, without uttering a word, waved his wand and Lily was released from the stone. Severus, although relieved, was terrified, now for his own safety. James uttered a groan of protest, but was waved into quiet by the leader. Lily stood up, and began to run over to Severus, but she tripped and landed flat on her face. Severus quickly swept over to her and checked that she was all right. Her clothes were a little torn and here face was badly bruised, but nothing unrepairable. Lily opened her eyes, she knew what he had just dine for her. She began to weep, surprised and touched that she could mean so much to someone, yet, distressed and terrified about all that he had just given up for her.
"You no longer belong here, LEAVE!" The leader thundered. Before Lily would have given anything to leave, but, now, knowing that Severus was going to be left here with them, she wanted to stay, to protect and comfort him. Then the leader started chanting such a verse that Severus's hair stood on end & a chill ran down his spine. Lily started to cry harder, and cry out, as if this chanting physically hurt her. She jumped up and ran as swiftly as she could towards the Dark Forest, only looking back once, at Severus.
Then James spoke, "Now that she is gone, what shall we do with 'him', Voldermort?"
The leader turned towards Severus, and removed his hood, with a malicious glint in his eyes…
1.1 Part three
The coldness, beside him, it sent shivers tingling down his spine. He jumped, drawing a quick, shallow breath. Harry noted the whiteness of Snape's knuckles, and although Snape's hand tightly clasped, they were still evidently shaking. The last time he had felt this presence, it had been completely dark, now it was light, Snape had the chance to see what it really looked like. Snape took a deep breath, turned his head, but instead of turning all the way to look at it, his gaze was caught by the mystified expressions on Harry and Ron's faces. They looked completely bewildered by Snape's actions. He wondered whether the boys could see something he couldn't. This feeling of inferiority persuaded Snape to turn his head abruptly to face the presence. Nothing…nothing but air. He realised that the boys had been watching him, watching his fear reflect in his jerky movements. Quickly struggling to regain control, he straightened up, and, pretending that nothing had happened, he glared at Harry. Snape picked up a potion from the table, and reached out to pass the small vial the Harry. "This time, no excuses!" Snape declared, his voice weaker than usual. Harry, although still afraid of Snape, and still greatly disliking him, felt a strange concern of the Potions Master. Harry was too worried over what had just happened to Snape to remember what could happen when he did not do what Snape asked of him.
"What happened? Are you okay???" Harry asked genuinely.
"Ahh," Snape fumbled over his words. "Nothing, nothing at all. Now drink that potion."
But this answer did not satisfy Harry. "Professor! Please, just tell, me, what happened!?" Harry asked rather bravely, then remembering who he was addressing he added a small "please?"
"Forget it, Potter!" Snape spat.
This time the coldness past through Ron, who let out a scream, which was stifled by his hands over his mouth. Ron, not being one of the bravest wizards you could ever meet, took this as a good time to leave, running out of the room in hysterics. Harry, on the other hand, was too curious to leave.
"Professor, I know something happened, I just want to know what it was…it was that coldness, wasn't it?" Harry looked at Snape for an answer, but he didn't verbally offer one, but judging by the expression on Snape's face, Harry continued. "It passed through me too!"
Snape's head shot up, eyeing Harry curiously. Snape desperately wanted to ask for Harry's advise and opinion of what it was, for it was terrifying him, but he dare not make himself look as if he needed help from a student, and Harry Potter at that! Snape wasn't sure if he wanted Harry to leave or not, so they just stood there, not saying a word, glaring at each other. A few minutes ticked away, without either of them talking or moving, obviously they were both as stubborn as each other. Snape finally relaxed a little, as it seemed that the thing was not going to come back, he drew in a breath to speak, but realised that the air directly in front of his was freezing cold. He stifled a small gasp, and stumbled backwards, hitting his head in a shelf, causing Snape to fall to the ground, unconscious, potion bottles falling around him and smashing on the floor.
Severus ran as fast as he could back to Peter, Sirius and Remus. "It's happened again!" Severus shouted. All the boys, knowing at once what he was referring to, immediately stood up. "But this time it's worse! He disapperated WITH Lily!" They all knew the severity of this, bringing a complete, unknowing innocent into this. They had to do something! That was a mixed babble of ideas from the boys, none of which would work. The boys spent all afternoon thinking, trying to devise plans, they even found there way to the library, which was not a common place for them to go, but even that didn't help any of them.
That night, the boys were each in their dormitories. Severus could not sleep, he was far to worried, not only about James this time, but about Lily! Then Severus was struck with an idea! He clambered out of the warm bed, his bare feet slapping on the cold, stone ground. Careful not to make a sound, he climbed the stairs up into the Slytherin common room, and out into the deserted corridor. He climbed up many levels of steps, and then made his was up to the top of the tower, which contained the Griffindor common room and dormitories. Having been told the password previously, so he could come and help with James and his dark moods when necessary, he quite easily entered through the fat lady portrait, into the Griffindor common room. Silently he made his was up the stairs to the boys dorm room. He took out his wand and waved it so that the door glided silently open. Severus peered inside, and saw James invisibility cloak hanging off a post of the bed. 'I suppose he uses it so often he has no need to put it away' Severus thought. Using the magic from his wand, Severus guided the invisibility cloak gently into is awaiting palm. Then, once again using the advantage of his wand, he closed the door, and crept away, unnoticed.
It was cold and dark outside, but Severus knew what he had to do. He threw the invisibility cloak over his head, and ran across the grounds and into the dark forest. He was terrified, but determined, he was not going to turn back now! He made his way through the forest, carefully avoiding roots of old trees and fallen branches. Severus walked for what seemed like hours, but still alert and careful. Then, he heard a crack of branches behind him. He hurriedly spun around, to find a welcome surprise - it was a centaur of the forest. Severus removed the cloak so that he was now visible. A centaur looked upon Severus inquisitively, and the asked why he was in the forest, especially at this time of night. Severus simply replied, "I must find Voldermort!" The centaur took a step back, but then replied "you shall not find whom you seek here, if you must find him, you should search further a field, in the shadows of the rock, but I do advise you not to continue your search, you shall not be rewarded, by anyone, not even he himself." The centaur disappeared after that, off into the forest somewhere. Severus thought for a moment 'the shadows of the rock?' Then he realised, the centaur must have been referring to the Shadow Cliffs, yes, that was it. Severus ran through the forest, sharp branches tearing at his bare face and hands, and catching on his clothes. Still he ran further and further, faster and faster until, just as the sun was rising, he reached the edge of the forest. Severus stepped out into the milky dawn, from here he could see the Shadow Cliffs, he would be there by nightfall.
Snape awoke, finding himself in the hospital wing, holding a very painful head. He thought hard, but all he could remember was the cold. The, he heard a grunt in the armchair beside the bed. Snape turned to see Albus Dumbledore, face screwed up like an old newspaper, holding a box a Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. "Tripe" he explained absently. "Now, my dear Professor, you have been out for two days now. Young Mr. Potter reported your episode to us."
"He would, wouldn't he" Snape breathed under his breath.
"Now, now, Severus, mustn't be like that, this is a matter of great concern, it was luck Mr. Potter had the presence of mind to run immediately to me, who knows if you would even be here if he did not." Dumbledor stated.
"Yes, I suppose you're right." Snape accepted. Then his curiosity got the better of him, "But Albus, the coldness, do you know what it could be?"
"Ahh, yes. Mr. Potter told us about that, he felt it too. And it sounds to me as if we have a spirit in our midst. Not like our known ghosts, such as Sir Nicholas and The Baron, but rather a presence, trapped outside this plane, yet still aware of our presence. It maybe it is trying to contact us, or annoy us, or just accidentally half connecting with our plane of existence. Whatever reason it may be, it is obviously having effects on you which we do not want. Maybe you should stay here, in the wing, for the time being, so that someone may always be watching out for your safety. It will be best." Dumbledore advised wisely, before standing up and leaving Snape alone.
'I suppose he is right' Snape thought. He hated the fact that he needed help, help from other people, help from…Harry Potter! It was a sort of comforting feeling knowing that there were people who were willing to help him, willing to look out for him. Although, he did hate to feel so dependant on others, they had always let him down in the past, too many times now, so many times in fact, that it was no longer in his nature to trust. Not anyone other than himself, and even that had a question mark beside it now that he could not even control his emotions, an art which he had been practicing for years now. The only person who had never once let him down was Lily, Lily Evans…but, he had let her down, and for that, he still felt responsible and guilty. Snape laid his head down on the pillow, and thought of this, and once again, emotions overtook his mind.
The Shadow Cliffs were drawing nearer, Severus could now hear a low, rhythmic chanting, a sure sign that he was drawing nearer to his desired destination. He strained his eyes and could just make out tiny, shadowy figures slowly moving in front of the cliff. The shadows were growing longer, as the sun sank behind the horizon, to his left. As he drew nearer, Severus could see that the people were entranced in a slow, circular pace, around a large, flat, grey stone, on which, was the struggling body of a girl. A small stone crunched under Severus's foot, drawing the attention of each of the dark, hooded people. The one that was evidently the leader waved his arm, and immediately two figures glided swiftly over, grabbing Severus's arms and fastening them behind his back. Severus knew that struggling would not help, and these people were in fact dragging him directly to the place which he had been trying to reach for over a day now, so was quite relaxed, letting them do all the work of holding him upright. He was unprepared for the harsh way his body fell to the hard, uneven ground. Severus picked himself up to address the leader, whose feet he had been dropped at, although, his eyesight shifted past the figure, to the girl fastened to the stone, and fell back to the ground. It was Lily! Severus gathered himself, and again stood, more composed than last time, and announced "I am here as an exchange!" Severus paused, but then there was silence, so he continued. "Myself, for the girl" he said pointing at Lily. One of the figures stepped forward, and removed its hood. James! His face was reluctant, as he placed his hand on Lily's face, and traced her jaw line with his finger, which obviously repulsed the girl.
"I am afraid," the leader spoke with a slippery hiss, "that this man has just claimed this specimen for his wife."
Severus thought, then said "There is much which I can do for you, I can help you, I excel in classes, especially potion making, where this girl can only form a means of entertainment for you, no real use for your cause, please, take me instead!"
The leader appeared to be thinking, then, without uttering a word, waved his wand and Lily was released from the stone. Severus, although relieved, was terrified, now for his own safety. James uttered a groan of protest, but was waved into quiet by the leader. Lily stood up, and began to run over to Severus, but she tripped and landed flat on her face. Severus quickly swept over to her and checked that she was all right. Her clothes were a little torn and here face was badly bruised, but nothing unrepairable. Lily opened her eyes, she knew what he had just dine for her. She began to weep, surprised and touched that she could mean so much to someone, yet, distressed and terrified about all that he had just given up for her.
"You no longer belong here, LEAVE!" The leader thundered. Before Lily would have given anything to leave, but, now, knowing that Severus was going to be left here with them, she wanted to stay, to protect and comfort him. Then the leader started chanting such a verse that Severus's hair stood on end & a chill ran down his spine. Lily started to cry harder, and cry out, as if this chanting physically hurt her. She jumped up and ran as swiftly as she could towards the Dark Forest, only looking back once, at Severus.
Then James spoke, "Now that she is gone, what shall we do with 'him', Voldermort?"
The leader turned towards Severus, and removed his hood, with a malicious glint in his eyes…