Chapter 13

Death Eater

Severus Snape was curled in such a tight ball on his side in the corner of the chamber, had anyone stepped inside they probably wouldn't have notice him. The room itself was small and dark. Nothing covered the bare stone floor and nothing hung on the walls save the mildew and a surplus amount of slime. He heard water dripping far off somewhere and it disturbed him.

He was alone. It was both a blessing and a curse. Those times he was allowed solitude he dwelled in the pain that had proceeded it. This time was no different. His keeper, Lorsekruker had left him alone like many times before to lick his wounds.

Gods didn't he feel cold. He shivered violently feeling the worse of his injuries, the pain and the numbing frigidity creep up on and over him, twisting their ugly spiny vines around his nervous system and into his consciousness, stifling what little moral and insolence remained.

Only after the session did the real pain begin. Granted it hurt like nothing on Earth, but being left alone in this dark damp depravity called a room only made his mind clearer. What Severus really hungered for at a time like this was a foggy disbandment of his mind, not crystal clarity. He could only perpetuate in the misery of his situation instead of simply shutting down.

Somehow he had always managed to shut himself off when the horrifying deeds were being committed, separating his mind from the harsh vestiges of existence and dwell in a self contained bubble into a whimsical fantasy. Sometimes this was the only thing he could do to stay sane. Disconnect himself from reality and let Lorsekruker get on with it. He had found that was the best way to remedy the situation, but it wasn't working this time.

Dionysius Lorsekruker was a cruel man. Over time he had began to break the proud young man, Severus Snape who had survived many tormented years alone. Merely existing as a commodity in a place ambiguously labelled an orphanage.

The child, Severus Snape lived a few reasonably sheltered years with a dark wizarding family before he finally went to Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry.

Unsurprisingly he was sorted into Slytherin. As a tiny boy, with keen sense of cunning and ingenuity his intelligence was the only thing that had enabled him to survive. Being a precocious child much was expected from him.

With the knowledge and intellect he possessed Severus studied into the early hours of the morning, or until his eyelids dropped against his will and his body slumped from exhaustion. He was as skilled in potion making as any other of his subjects, making him an exemplar student.

But for him, his time at Hogwarts wasn't something he liked to dwell upon. Being a victim of bullies was'nt enough. He had nearly lost his life at one point during his seventh year. Had it not been for that irate James Potter, Severus Snape wouldn't have existed past the age of seventeen. Not that he wasn't thankful for young Mister Potter saving him from the Whooping Willow he wholeheartedly was, but Potter had taken the only precious thing he had in the entire world away from him and that was Lilly Evans.

Severus continued to sit alone.

It had been more than an hour since he had last moved, a cramp was building up in his legs and his toes felt painfully numb from the chill. He shivered and watched the door. Still locked and still no sign of Lorsekruker. The agony of his past and his present and the quickly depleting chance of a future was creeping up on him.

Carefully he moved his position and sat up stretching his long legs fighting circulation back into them. When satisfactory he pulled his legs against his chest and rested his chin on his knees. It was the only dignity he had left.

Being naked in a bitterly cold room didn't help his situation much either. He was bound to that corner of the room. Ankles being tied down to the floor by means of magic so strong even he, an accomplished wizard in his own right could not break.

He shivered and shuddered feeling the never ending cold creep through his body like a winding snake.

At least he wasn't cold during the assaults. Only after when the terrifying bitterness of reality came crushing down did it really penetrate to the bone.

At night time Severus Snape preferred the cold. It gave him time to think, to plan, usually futile sketches of hopeless absconding that even if he dared attempt would get him killed anyway. Which was worse, he wondered. Death or living like this? But today he would give anything to sit in front of a warm fire.

He gasped out loud when he heard the door to his prison cell blast open and in stomped Lorsekruker looking nothing worse for wear dressed in long flowing grey and dark blue robes.

Severus gazed up at him with glazed, heart broken eyes then remembered his duty. He looked down at the floor awaiting the orders from his master. He had to obey otherwise he would be beaten. He had come perilously close to death a number of times, only to be brought back to life because Lord Voldemort needed him. Any other reason then the young potions master would have been slung aside and left for dead years ago.

Lorsekruker smiled, that deranged smile that promised more depravity and turpitude for Severus Snape. He never let him fall into the sweet open arms of unconsciousness when he hurt him, and he hurt him in more ways than one. Not always physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. The deranged assailant took great pleasure in chiding Severus about his supposed exploitation of Alana Snape, Severus' deceased mother. A woman he never even remembered, but loved unconditionally.

"Look at me Snape," came the cutting voice. A voice that always threatened to cut Severus into two. It was a voice that he had come to both respect and fear.

Severus looked up slowly. He held onto himself tightly not daring to let go of his knees.

"I have a little present for you, Severus."

The forboding time could'nt have been intrupted by a most welcoming presence. The Dark Lord glided into the room. His snake like face hidden behind the hood of his cloak, but the red devilish eyes glowed in the blackness.

"Snape?" He hissed as he stopped a few feet away from Severus who looked up with wide questionable eyes and still crouching on the floor.

"My Lord," he whispered and bowed his head. Lorsekruker was standing nearby.

"Master," he murmured then bowed.

"Dionysius, you may leave us. This is a subject of much secrecy."

"Yes my Lord," Lorsekruker trembled slightly. His usual cruel facade replaced with bumbling quandary. He turned and walked silently out of the room.

Severus found himself slump slightly probably from fatigue, but abruptly stiffened when Voldemort's icy talons brushed against his bare shoulder.

"Severus Snape," said the Dark Lord. "Arr, Severus my loyal follower. You have been chosen for a purpose,

Voldermort frowned behind the cowl.

"I see that my friend Dionysius hasn't been treating you too well."

Is that not plainly obvious, thought Severus.

"All that will stop soon. I am sure you'd be delighted to know. Neither the less. You will go on a mission of espionage. Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You will spy on that impressionable fool, Albus Dumbledore and bring back any information that you deem important. He is clouding the minds of our followers and the problem must be rectified. Do you understand?" he didn't give Severus time to reply and continued. "Disclose to me personally anything that deems us of value. You will speak of this to no one,

"Tonight we will hold a vestige in honour of his majesty, the Dark Lord of Lords. In the morning we will seek out those who do not follow the path into enlightenment and they will be destroyed." Severus swallowed. "It is the beginning of a new chapter. The world has turned. Our very existence is under threat."

Voldemort pushed back the hood revealing a pale grey reptilian like face. The scarlet eyes glowed dangerously, eerily and directed their stare on the younger man.

"You have been spared Severus Snape," he said. What did he mean by that? Severus probably would never know. "On your feet Death Eater." Awkwardly he stood shakily.

"Questions?"

"Yes. Why have you chosen me?" Voldemort laughed. It was a sound like tortured steel

"Because." Voldemort smiled un-expectantly. Through the thin lips Severus could make out jagged teeth. "Dumbledore is expecting you. You were a prized student at that school were you not?"

"Apparently my Lord."

"Sources tell me that he requires a potions master. You yourself have to admit you excel in the art of potion brewing. There has never been a better time than to get one of our own inside Dumbledore's fortress.

"Two open evenings are being held in honour of the four houses. I expect you to honour yours. And there are open interviews for teaching vacancies. I am told that several candidates have been seen already. I trust your devotion to the Dark Lord, Snape and your expertise to convince Dumbledore to take you. He is weak minded, but not foolish,

"Be sure to get the job Snape. My wrath will cost you your soul."

The bony hand once again brushed against his skin, this time dragging a gnarled claw like finger over Severus' lip drawing blood.

"You are free to bathe if you wish. Clean robes have been prepared.

"Thank you Lord Voldemort."

"Good. You will leave tonight. A carriage will be awaiting you at half past nine. Be sure that you are ready. Fare well brother."

Voldemort turned and swept out of the room leaving Severus Snape in his wake. He stood there for a long moment wondering. He took a deep sigh. Was it relief or something else? He didn't know yet. He had a chance. A feeble, but me."

Severus Snape fell into unconscious. He wished that he would never wake up.