And So My Story Begins
A/N: This is a Snape-spy kind of fic, and I may decide to make it a sequel to my last story The Dark Man's Niece. And for anybody who has read my last fic, tell me if I'm being more descriptive, please. Okay? Okay!
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and associated character, places, and certain events are not mine, they belong to J.K. Rowling.
Severus Snape was sitting at his desk, preparing the upcoming year's lessons. Making seating charts, and lessons were his least favorite things about teaching. What he liked most, however, was torturing the Gryffindors. You knew that, though.
The clock chimed four. Tea time. Snape sighed, and stood up to leave. He walked through the deserted halls, and soon met up with the other teachers. Then he sat in his designated seat at the teachers' table.
A sudden display of food appeared in front of the staff members. Many teachers began to eat, and talk about the up and coming year at Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft.
"Hullo," greeted Albus Dumbledore. His eyes twinkled eternally through his half moon spectacles.
Snape returned the gesture with a short nod. The chatter of the other professors was too much to compete with.
"Are you ready for tomorrow?" asked Dumbledore, he never gave up.
This time Snape was forced to reply. "Almost," he said. Then under his breath, "I haven't finished planning how to torture Potter."
"What was that, Professor?"
"Nothing, Headmaster."
"Oh. And you, Minerva, are you ready?"
Minerva McGonagall was seated on the other side of Snape. "Yes, I believe so," she said in her flat voice.
Suddenly, a sharp, hot pain shot through Snape's arm. He let out a tiny gasp, but then surpressed it. The Dark Mark, on his wrist, was burning furiously. Snape tried to make it through the pain, but it came to be too much for him.
"Dumbledore," he said through gritted teeth, "can I talk to you, outside?"
"Yes, of course." Snape and Dumbledore stood up, and departed from the dining hall. McGonagall gave them a curious look as they left.
"What is it?" Dumbledore asked concerned.
"Voldemort is summoning me," Snape stated simply. The sun poured through the window, spreading an eerie light on him. This made him even paler looking, if that was possible.
"Are you going to go?"
"I have to, he'll be suspicious if I don't. I am your spy, after all," said Snape gruffly. Snape was a Death Eater in Voldemort's inner circle, but what Voldemort didn't know was that Snape was spying on him, and reporting back to Dumbledore.
Then he sighed, and disapparated. The next moment he was in a circle of other Death Eaters. All of them were dark robed, masked, and hooded. Snape always wore a dark robe, so he just masked himself, and pulled up his hood. There were a few spots in the circle that were empty, because those Death Eaters were too cowardly to return to the Dark Lord's service.
Despite it being the afternoon, the forest was dark, and there were graves all around. A shiver ran through the circle as an almost non-human creature entered the ring.
"You're late," barked a voice. It belonged to Voldemort.
"Sorry, master," mumbled Snape. "I won't be late again, but it was hard to escape that Dumbledore."
The Dark Lord cringed at the mention of the headmaster's name.
"Explain to me what that little episode was last year," he snapped, referring to a show of treachery from Snape.
"Uh, well," faltered Snape, how could he explain it (A/N: Sorry, but I find myself referring to Ch. 17 of my last story)? "I didn't want you to kill her."
"You are telling me who not to kill?" bellowed Voldemort.
"No, but I thought she'd be more useful alive, how will you kill Potter without her?"
"I would have found a way. Nevertheless, you will be punished in the near future for this treachery. Shall we begin?"
"What now, master," asked a cold, drawling voice that could only belong to a Malfoy. Lucius Malfoy. Somehow Voldemort had helped him escape from Azkaban (A/N: Sorry, referring to my last story again).
"I am tired of playing games with Potter. He will die this time. Severus, you will play a pivotal role in this."
Snape snapped up. "Like what?"
"Calm down. You only need to make sure Dumbledore remains in the dark. Lucius will have the most important part. I will tell you later. Now go," Voldemort dismissed them. "Next time you will be punished, Severus."
Snape solemnly returned to Hogwarts. Teatime was almost coming to a close, but not yet.
"Was I missed?" he asked Dumbledore, returning to his seat.
"I took care of it. Meet me in my office?" said Dumbledore.
Snape nodded, and returned to his meal. He ate in a revered silence, and no one bothered to ask him what was wrong. No one ever did.
***
It was past eleven at night, and Snape knew Dumbledore was still awake. He dressed, and made his way to Dumbledore's office.
"Lemon drops," he said. The gargoyle leapt aside, revealing a spiral staircase, leading to a oak door.
Inside, Dumbledore was awake, and thoughtfully sucking on a lemon drop, of course. Dumbledore was wearing an eccentric, purple night robe.
"Hello," he said. "How was the last meeting?" he said, referring to the Death Eaters meeting
"You know," Snape said dryly. He picked at a piece of wood protruding from the desk. "Like always. They're plotting Potter's death again. My job is 'to keep Dumbledore in the dark'"
"How do they want to kill him?"
"They didn't say, but I'm sure they will, right after they punish me for saving Harper. Lucius has a major part."
"By Merlin! Is that all? Well, thank you, if only we had more spies like you. Oh, and don't get beat up too badly," said Dumbledore with a grin. Snape, however, was not looking forward to what he'd have to face.
Snape returned to his chamber. He sat on the bed, thinking about the fact that he'd be saving Harry Potter, and not giving him a hard time. Then Snape allowed himself a fleeting smile: only two more years, and Potter would gone. However, it was going to be a very, very long year.
A/N: Well, I guess it'll have to be a sequel now that I referred to it so much. Wow, that was much longer than I usually write. Did you like it? Review please!