Chapter Two – A Change of Fates
Severus reappeared in front of the same ancient building that he had known so well nearly fourteen years ago. Every step was the same as he was once again forced to face his past. Every movement was calling him back to a life he once led – a life he now regretted with every fiber of his being.
The shadowed form of the foreboding building loomed out of the imposing darkness. Severus had to keep his mind focused on his one task…to not let the past repeat itself. He could not let so many die again on a quest for power.
The dark mark, which had been emblazoned on his arm in his youth, burned with all the fury of the hellfire that it was created with. It was almost painful to walk back into the darkness that had created him. Again, he had to resume the role of the infiltrator; and he hoped that he would come out of this alive. For Severus knew deep down, that either the side of Light or the Dark Lord himself, would kill him if it were discovered that he had betrayed them.
Severus stepped up to the heavy wooden door -- stained in the color of the blood of the dead who had suffered for so long-- and opened it regretfully as his mind reverted back to the time in his life which truly made him decide to change for good.
~~~~~
November 1, 1981 -- The deed had been done, but not in the way it had been intended. Two Potters were dead but not the desired ones. After one Halloween night, the entire wizarding world had been changed.
Severus sat alone in his darkened flat. His eyes had become quite accustomed to the absence of light; to put a light on now would only bring more pain. The young Death Eater was a picture of misery, slumped in a poor excuse of a chair, hanging his head in his hands as the events of the previous hours surged through his head with the force of the Cruciatus Curse. The voices of the horrified Death Eaters rang clearly through his ears.
"A one-year-old destroyed The Master…."
"He didn't come back…."
"All of us will be sent to Azkaban for sure now…."
"No one survives Avada Kedavra…."
"Deny everything and maybe we will be spared…."
The panicking voices echoed through his mind, refusing to succumb to his efforts to silence them. These voices made Severus relive his failure again and again.
Failure.
One word could have such a powerful draw on someone. Severus knew he had given the message to Dumbledore but it had not helped. Lily and James were still dead, murdered without a cause. The only one who had been spared by some twist of fate was their innocent infant son. Guilt wrenched at Severus, only wishing he had done more. He knew within in the depths of his soul that he had still owed James. The debt had not been paid by Severus' one act of attempted redemption. Instead, it was almost like he owed James even more because of his failure. All of this nearly made him sick to the point of tears, as he wanted nothing more than to be freed of it entirely.
The sun started to rise on that November morning, the rays of the blasted messenger of morning burning Severus' sleep-deprived eyes. Morning meant facing all that had happened. He had a feeling that anyone who had ever practiced magic now knew of young Harry Potter and the demise of the Dark Lord. He also counted the seconds until the Ministry came knocking on his door to take him and all the other Death Eaters to Azkaban. Fear ran thick in his blood as a heavy decision weighed on Severus' mind. Should he stay with those he despised but who had given him power? Or should he return to the side of Light that he had abandoned in his seventh year at Hogwarts? On one hand he faced the Dementors and a permanent dark existence inside the unforgiving walls of Azkaban. The other meant begging to be taken back by those who hated him, even a few former friends.
He pondered it deeply. Hours had gone by before he had made his decision. Severus decided a bruised ego was better than getting the Dementor's Kiss. What morals he had left were truly being tested by playing both sides and it was now time to choose. Ignoring everything that the Death Eaters had screamed, he abandoned his misery and set off to plead his case to Dumbledore….
~~~~~
Severus walked stoically into the forbidden realm, keeping his train of thought on what he had to do now. Boldly, he walked into a room filled with those he had turned his back on fourteen years ago. A lone flickering light lit the path that Severus followed.
"Welcome back Severus…." Voldemort hissed.
