~Just a note to those of you who made it through chapter 1 and are now
going to chapter 2.
First of all thank you! And I want to let you know that this fic should be
considered on the AU side since I've dreadfully mangled ages and times in
order to bend this story to my will.
I'm well aware that if Professor Chant has only been gone 8 years, there's
no way that Sev really would have had time to be a death eater and
everything. And I also know that it's impossible for Harry Potter and the
gang to be anywhere NEAR Hogwarts, let alone be in their sixth year.
But this is the beauty of fiction. I'm making more fiction out of already
created fiction really.
Just thought I'd let you know that I'm well aware of the improbabilities
associated with my plotline.
Thanks again!~
**************************************************************************** *******
Severus Snape was cold. He had just come from a Death Eater meeting which had taken place in the middle of some icy moor and had spent the better part of it shivering beneath his thick robes, and thinking longing thoughts (which most would say he was incapable) of his comfortable dungeon rooms. Most of all he had been thinking of his roaring fire, which he should have been staring at now, warming his hands, but instead he was standing in front of a cold grate, his brows knitted together tightly.
He was sure he had left it lit when he departed several hours earlier he had purposely left it going so that he would come home to a bit of warmth and comfort. He knit his brows even tighter, pulling his mouth in a perplexed smirk as he re-enacted his preparations earlier, right up to his door, which was still locked and warded as he had left it.
Severus paced back and forth across the room a few times, bottom lip caught between his teeth and hands clasped behind his back.
Something didn't add up about the whole situation. If Snape was in the habit of second guessing himself, he would just assume that he had mistaken what he meant to do with what he had done. But no. He was never in question under his own personal scrutiny.
Pausing in his treks, Snape took another look at the hearth. The fire also had not gone out by itself, he noted. There were still half burnt logs stacked up, and nothing was smoldering. . Had the fire gone out by itself for some reason, the logs would still be hot and likely smoking. He paced around the room once more before tapping the logs and bringing them to life with flame.
Throwing himself down on the couch across from his NOW blazing fire he crossed his arms over his midsection and mulled over the last possibility. Could someone have actually come in and put the fire out? His wards were untouched, but no matter, there were more then enough skilled Wizards to bypass his wards. Half the blasted student body probably could.
"Dumbledore wouldn't have done it." He muttered to himself. "He knew I was going out and wouldn't have come near here until knowing for sure I was back."
"The House Elves wouldn't dare." He laced his long fingers comfortably behind his head, smirking slightly at the thought of the cowardly creatures. "Trespassing students wouldn't be stupid enough to leave such an obvious mark of intrusion. Even if it was Potter and the Gang." Leisurely he thought about what he would do to Potter if he had found the brat sneaking into his rooms, rummaging through his personal store of potions ingredients and rifling his drawers. He figured one day he would catch him. The cocky brat had done it once and got away with it (due to lack of concrete proof) he'd be fool enough to try again some day.
Suddenly Severus sat up straight. He vaguely then more solidly remembered something that was said at the meeting. In the midst of his shivering and lack of attention he had heard Voldemort say something about the traitor.now, what was it. The Dark Lord was unimpressed.it seemed that they once again had a traitor in the group.leaking information to the Order. He had said not to worry (unless you were the traitor), because searches were going on quietly and at random and the turncoat would be found and.dealt with.
"So,' said Snape, 'Not wasting anytime before beginning searches." He got up and went to his desk and rifled through his own papers. "Nothing, nothing, nothing.they'll never find anyth-" Pausing, his eyes grew wide and he picked up a large folder full of parchment detailing things discussed at meetings of the Order. He blinked and turned the pages one by one trying to figure out why it had been missed, how a search could have gone on and he was still standing here alive holding the biggest most incriminating piece of evidence imaginable. Hurriedly he carried it over to the wall opposite the hearth and pushed it into the crack between the stones where it was normally stored.
"If the search had been going on during the meeting, then I should be able to figure out who it was." He said to himself, sinking back onto the couch, heart racing. "Lestrang, Crabbe, Goyle, Me, Foulsham, Banks, Malf-.Malfoy." Snape covered his face with his hands and slid down on the couch.
"It was Lucius Malfoy. That bastard. He probably volunteered to search my rooms before Voldemort said anything, in fact! I would say he probably put the idea of a traitor in his head."
Of course, there was a traitor. There almost always had been. Severus Snape had been working for the Order for over 8 years. Periodically, rumors of a turncoat would surface among the Death Eaters and measures would be taken against it. At first Snape was terrified he'd be found out, but as each year and each wave of gossip washed over them and he remained unscathed, he began to feel he was untouchable. The best spy there ever was.
But obviously he was also getting lazy. He couldn't just leave documents like that lying about for anyone to see. Yet he had, and Malfoy hadn't seen them. It was impossible. Malfoy would have taken even the slightest indication of Severus' guilt and "Avada Kedavra" him into oblivion. Why would he pass by something so blatant?
Something didn't add up. The Fire had now gone out on it's own. Severus Snape was cold.
**************************************************************************** *******
Severus Snape was cold. He had just come from a Death Eater meeting which had taken place in the middle of some icy moor and had spent the better part of it shivering beneath his thick robes, and thinking longing thoughts (which most would say he was incapable) of his comfortable dungeon rooms. Most of all he had been thinking of his roaring fire, which he should have been staring at now, warming his hands, but instead he was standing in front of a cold grate, his brows knitted together tightly.
He was sure he had left it lit when he departed several hours earlier he had purposely left it going so that he would come home to a bit of warmth and comfort. He knit his brows even tighter, pulling his mouth in a perplexed smirk as he re-enacted his preparations earlier, right up to his door, which was still locked and warded as he had left it.
Severus paced back and forth across the room a few times, bottom lip caught between his teeth and hands clasped behind his back.
Something didn't add up about the whole situation. If Snape was in the habit of second guessing himself, he would just assume that he had mistaken what he meant to do with what he had done. But no. He was never in question under his own personal scrutiny.
Pausing in his treks, Snape took another look at the hearth. The fire also had not gone out by itself, he noted. There were still half burnt logs stacked up, and nothing was smoldering. . Had the fire gone out by itself for some reason, the logs would still be hot and likely smoking. He paced around the room once more before tapping the logs and bringing them to life with flame.
Throwing himself down on the couch across from his NOW blazing fire he crossed his arms over his midsection and mulled over the last possibility. Could someone have actually come in and put the fire out? His wards were untouched, but no matter, there were more then enough skilled Wizards to bypass his wards. Half the blasted student body probably could.
"Dumbledore wouldn't have done it." He muttered to himself. "He knew I was going out and wouldn't have come near here until knowing for sure I was back."
"The House Elves wouldn't dare." He laced his long fingers comfortably behind his head, smirking slightly at the thought of the cowardly creatures. "Trespassing students wouldn't be stupid enough to leave such an obvious mark of intrusion. Even if it was Potter and the Gang." Leisurely he thought about what he would do to Potter if he had found the brat sneaking into his rooms, rummaging through his personal store of potions ingredients and rifling his drawers. He figured one day he would catch him. The cocky brat had done it once and got away with it (due to lack of concrete proof) he'd be fool enough to try again some day.
Suddenly Severus sat up straight. He vaguely then more solidly remembered something that was said at the meeting. In the midst of his shivering and lack of attention he had heard Voldemort say something about the traitor.now, what was it. The Dark Lord was unimpressed.it seemed that they once again had a traitor in the group.leaking information to the Order. He had said not to worry (unless you were the traitor), because searches were going on quietly and at random and the turncoat would be found and.dealt with.
"So,' said Snape, 'Not wasting anytime before beginning searches." He got up and went to his desk and rifled through his own papers. "Nothing, nothing, nothing.they'll never find anyth-" Pausing, his eyes grew wide and he picked up a large folder full of parchment detailing things discussed at meetings of the Order. He blinked and turned the pages one by one trying to figure out why it had been missed, how a search could have gone on and he was still standing here alive holding the biggest most incriminating piece of evidence imaginable. Hurriedly he carried it over to the wall opposite the hearth and pushed it into the crack between the stones where it was normally stored.
"If the search had been going on during the meeting, then I should be able to figure out who it was." He said to himself, sinking back onto the couch, heart racing. "Lestrang, Crabbe, Goyle, Me, Foulsham, Banks, Malf-.Malfoy." Snape covered his face with his hands and slid down on the couch.
"It was Lucius Malfoy. That bastard. He probably volunteered to search my rooms before Voldemort said anything, in fact! I would say he probably put the idea of a traitor in his head."
Of course, there was a traitor. There almost always had been. Severus Snape had been working for the Order for over 8 years. Periodically, rumors of a turncoat would surface among the Death Eaters and measures would be taken against it. At first Snape was terrified he'd be found out, but as each year and each wave of gossip washed over them and he remained unscathed, he began to feel he was untouchable. The best spy there ever was.
But obviously he was also getting lazy. He couldn't just leave documents like that lying about for anyone to see. Yet he had, and Malfoy hadn't seen them. It was impossible. Malfoy would have taken even the slightest indication of Severus' guilt and "Avada Kedavra" him into oblivion. Why would he pass by something so blatant?
Something didn't add up. The Fire had now gone out on it's own. Severus Snape was cold.