Disclaimer: See chapter one.
Chapter Five: Sacrifie
Severus lay in his bed, his mind whirling.
Dumbledore knows. He has to know. That old fool knows everything. What's he going to do? What am I going to do if he discovers me? God, why didn't I think all of this through?! Severus thought, just as the drawn curtains on his bed were pulled back.
"Severus, get dressed. We're being summoned." Lucius Malfoy sneered, throwing a black robe and white mask onto Severus' bed.
"Wha-? But, my mark… It's not…"
"You're very low in the Dark Lord's ranks right now, Snape. You don't expect Voldemort to summon you directly?"
"Sod off, Malfoy." Severus said simply, standing up and pulling on the black cloak over his school clothes. "Are your parents picking us up?"
Lucius only nodded, motioning for Severus to follow him out of the dormitory and out the school building, ducking the school's caretaker the entire time, until they reached the Forbidden Forest.
"You're late." Milan Malfoy spoke, his voice ice. Lucius visibly gulped for a moment before bowing his head in shame.
"Now, now, Milan. They're two minutes late; it's not that big of a deal. Now, boys, let us away." Andréa Malfoy winked at the boys.
Severus found himself surprised at the attitude of the woman. She wasn't acting in any manner that he would have assumed a Malfoy woman would. Andréa Malfoy seemed to be a warm, kind woman, with a very slight French accent. She had beautiful long white blond hair, pulled back into a tight bun at the base of her skull. She looked like a slightly more androgynous Lucius, all save her eyes. They were not hard as ice, like her son's, but affectionate.
She was a stark contrast to her husband. Milan Malfoy stood tall, his shoulders broad, with a thin mid section. His shoulder length black hair was pulled back into a ponytail; strands of silver already began to make their presence known. His eyes were a bright blue, and Severus knew where the hardness, the coldness, in Lucius' eyes came from.
He wore a heavy silver ring, of two snakes, intertwining in a skull.
The sign of the Dark Lord... Severus mused.
While preparing to apparate, Andréa stepped up to Severus. She smiled sadly.
"I'm sorry about your parents, Severus. They were good people." Andréa whispered, squeezing his hand slightly. Severus knew that she was being truthful.
"Thank you." Severus nodded, becoming slightly choked up.
He turned towards Lucius and Milan as he slipped on his bone white mask. Milan put a hand on his son's shoulder as Andréa did the same for Severus. They were enveloped in a flash of bright light and were gone.
Severus put a hand to his head quickly, nausea overtaking him slightly. He glanced around him, finding himself and Lucius standing in a darkened room, behind what appeared to be dozens of other Death Eaters, all dressed identically. Just nameless figures standing around the one they worshiped as their Dark Lord.
Voldemort himself stood in the center of the mass of people, his robes of the finest silk, as black as midnight. His dark hair was brushed back, not a single hair out of place.
Severus felt an instant pull to the dark man, flushing deeply behind his mask.
What power… I've never felt myself drawn to someone as I am to him. His eyes are… hypnotic…"Severus! Pay attention!" Lucius hissed, jabbing Severus sharply with his elbow. Severus stood straighter, and fought to keep his attention span on Voldemort's words instead of his eyes.
"My followers, I ask not for much. Only for your devoted worship… Now, I do not think that is much to ask for in return for the power and prestige of being in my court.
"Unfortunately, it has come to my attention that one of my own has betrayed the fold. One of my Death Eaters has betrayed me…"
A murmur ran through the Death Eaters surrounding Voldemort, some standing stock still, others looking about, as if trying to find the one who betrayed their Lord.
"This man was one of my most loyal subjects, working under the Ministry of Magic, in London. He was spying on the Minister himself for his master.
"Apparently, he feared for his life if he was caught being, oh, what was it he said? Oh, yes. 'A turncoat.'" Voldemort waved his wand, and what appeared to be a large black lump fell to the floor in front of him. "Hawthorne Hawkins… The betrayer."
Severus felt his heart begin to beat faster, looking at the lump as it began to move, sitting up and kneeling in front of Voldemort, kissing the hem of his obsidian robes. The man was tall, seemingly very powerful, with thick black hair that was very badly mussed.
"L-lord Voldemort… It's a lie… I follow only you." The man stammered, tears coming to his dark eyes. Severus paled beneath his mask, deducing what was going to happen to the middle aged man.
Voldemort glanced around at his subjects before his eyes rested upon his youngest followers, Lucius and Severus. He motioned for them to approach him, his eyes glittering.
"Malfoy the younger and Severus Snape." Lucius bowed to Voldemort, as did Severus. "I believe you've been practicing your hexes, Malfoy. And Severus Snape is simply famous for his dark arts work, be it potions, hexes, or curses… I'd like you two to show our Mr. Hawkins here what happens to those who betray the fold.
Severus glanced over at Lucius, who seemed to be enjoying his time in the spotlight. He could only imagine what must be running through the mind of Milan Malfoy.
He must be burning with jealousy…
Lucius bent down to meet the yes of the betrayer, grasping his Hawkins hair in his hand and pulling him to his feet. He grasped his wand in his other hand, a semi-maniacal gleam in his eyes, visible through his Death Eater's mask.
"You've betrayed the Dark Lord, Hawkins. Not smart." Lucius whispered, before back handing the man across the face with all his might. He turned to Severus and sneered. "Why don't you have a go at him… You could use the practice."
Severus stood still for a moment, looking between Lucius, Voldemort, and the bleeding man on the ground. He wondered if his father had the same look on his face when the Aurors were killing him as Hawkins had now. Did his father beg for his life as this now whimpering man is now? And what of his mother?
He shook the thoughts out of his head before turning first from Lucius, then to Voldemort, and then finally to Andréa Malfoy. He could see only her eyes through her mask, but they were still warm, still assuring. She nodded slightly to him, indicating to him to continue.
He grimaced behind his mask before whispering the curse.
"Sacrifie."
The formerly proud form of Hawthorne Hawkins began shuddering as pain coursed through out his body, his skin splitting and bleeding beneath his now shredded robes. Hawkins screamed as Severus repeated the curse, this time screaming the ancient French curse, a small smiling appearing on the face beneath the mask.
So this is power… Severus thought, no longer feeling nauseous at causing another such terrible pain, but almost… enjoying it? I could learn to like this.