-Voldemort-

Of course I had known it was Snape causing all the trouble; who else could it be? The man had just left my service and mysteriously went missing, and I'll admit I didn't know where he was for a good three days. But even after the very first Death Eater was killed, I knew it was him.

I'll say this: yes, I was upset when Jack was killed. I was more than upset; I was practically manic. At the time, I had jumped to conclusion, hadn't thought out all possibilities. At the time, I thought that because of Snape, my reign was hopeless. After he made his escape, I realized that there were other ways of conquering the ministry, and began to wonder why I ever took that girl in. I will hardly admit it to myself, but I really do think I enjoyed the idea of a female companion; maybe a little too much.

I will not go into any detail, because since her death, the mere thought of Jack has disgusted me; I had cast her away even before her body grew cold; but she was an irresistibly sensual child, and me - without even one record of previously shared affection - I just got a little carried away. I'd kick myself, but there's no use crying over spilt milk. What's done is done, and I don't think I'll ever do it again.

Jack's help was not what I needed, though. Snape killing her wasn't much of a loss on my part. But his Death Eater killings... I believe that the man just wanted to kill them simply in spite, but he was hurting my fleet more than he thought he was, I'm sure. He probably didn't realize that if he had kept up killing unsuspecting Death Eaters, my entire empire would come crashing to the ground.

I hate to say it, but Severus Snape is a born killer. He's swift and has the potential to be a great dark force. He's better than half of the Death Eaters, easily. He's cleverer than most of them. It's his ego, his enormous head that gets him into all of his trouble; believing he's better than all of us, that he can get rid of us all. Get rid of me! Ha. He's a clever fool if you know what I mean.

I sent twenty of my best Death Eaters to set a trap for Snape, and it was easy enough to trick him. He has no sense of foreseeing what his foolishness might cost him. His life, for example.

I had intended to kill Severus Snape, but at the last second I changed my mind. I didn't want him to die. I wanted him to suffer eternally. I wanted him to suffer for what he'd done to my Death Eaters, and what he'd done to me. Once he was unconscious and a pitiful, insignificant spec amongst the curses and spells, I arrived to admire my men's work. He was alive, but barely. I ordered the Death Eaters to clear out while I set a second trap for Snape. He will probably have enough time to think he's safe before the ministry finds him and sends him to Azkaban for good.

I love how my mind works. Good-bye, Snape. Hope you find the dementors good company.

-Severus Snape-

I awoke to find myself still in one piece, and in my right mind. The curses effects were wearing off, and although most of the lasting damage was a little more than aches to say the least, I'm glad that the cruciatus doesn't leave persisting results. I stood almost easily, and remembered what I wanted to do. But first I had to find my wand. I suspected it was long gone by now, but it was worth the look. I wondered why the others hadn't come back, or why they hadn't thrown me in the rapids or something. They had probably moved on to another location by now...

I began to walk in the general direction of where I had left my wand behind. I remember the scene clearly; watching in the dark from the tall shrubs towards the river and the small clearing...

I came slowly upon the clearing, but all I could see was barren grass, not even a stick on the ground that could alert my attention. Stupid pigs. I knew they wouldn't just leave a wand there. Oh well; I can get a new one. There's no reason for hiding now; besides, nobody ever saw me without my Death Eater mask on. Not one person even has to know I made that two year long mistake. It's a secret only the Death Eaters and I share, and they have no reason to tell anything.

Feeling very vulnerable without a wand, I set off to walk to the ministry building if I had to. Seconds later, I found out it wasn't necessary.

"You there, hold a moment!" a voice called. I looked to my left to discover that the ministry was already here. The minister himself was sprinting up to me from a distance while other ministry members apparated around him. The man looked worried and a bit panicked, but once he saw I wasn't going anywhere, he seemed to relax.

"Yes, what is it?" I asked him warily, eyeing the other men as he approached. My fingers itched for a wand.

"I am Oswald Claude, Minister of Magic, and these are active members of the ministry. Are you Severus Snape?" the minister asked, slightly out of breath from his run over.

I was hesitant in answering. Why did he want to know?

"Are you Severus Snape?" Claude repeated.

"Yes..." I replied cautiously.

"We would please ask you to accompany us back to the ministry. We have business to discuss," the minister said sternly. "And if you do not willingly come, we will have to resort to force, and we wouldn't like that, now, just for your information, so you should mind our request..."

"What for?" I asked harshly on the verge of an outburst as the other men stood in what I thought to be a seemingly threatening stance behind the minister. I recognized one of those men as Albus Dumbledore, and instantly tried to distract myself from knowing he was there.

"It has been reported that you are a likely Death Eater, and as a suspect we must take all necessary precautions," the minister said quickly. "We have arrested and imprisoned several of these Death Eaters, as this destructive cult is more commonly referred to as, and we have discovered that upon entry to this band of... killers..." the man eyed me before he went on. "...bear a distinct tattoo-like marking on their left arm that signifies their loyalty to the group or something along those lines. If you would slowly show us no marking of this kind, we would be entirely ready to deeply apologize. These are standard proceedings, and there is NO cause for disturbance of the peace." He stared at me hopefully. I didn't make a move.

"Come, now, standard, is all. If you're clean, you're free to go along your way," the minister assured me. I still did nothing. What was I supposed to do? Show him the mark? He would never believe that I wanted to do away with the Death Eaters! I really did think I was ready to join the ministry and civilians against Voldemort, I truly did! They would just think I was being cowardly, and oh - there's Dumbledore's stare, that calm, all-knowing stare... And he had no clue whatsoever!

"If you don't show us immediately, we will be forced to make you show us, by law," the minister said sternly with a superior edge to his voice. "Will you show us by your own will?" This last sentence was said with so much authority I wondered how he could even call that my own will.

"No," I said.

"I do not want to resort to violence, sir," Claude said gruffly. I knew he would never believe me now that I was trying his patience like this, stalling for more time, to think of a way to keep from showing him. "I will be forced to use my wand if you persist to be disobedient, you understand that?"

"Ha," I laughed. "I wouldn't advise you to make such threats, sir, I don't think your men would cooperate." Of course I was thinking curses, although none of the others were. They looked puzzled at my ignorant confidence. When Claude began to withdraw his wand from his belt, I almost gasped in surprise, but responded quickly enough to alert the minister when I hit him across the head to keep him from pointing the thing at me.

In an instant of confusion, at least three of the men of the ministry whipped out their wands while a couple leapt to hold me back from hitting the minister again. Claude stumbled back in shock but quickly gained his balance, putting a hand to where I had hit his head and pointing his wand at me like the few others were.

"Show the mark," Claude growled to the men who were holding me back. I began to struggle in their grasp, but I was still too weak to be fighting again and easily was caught in a strong hold.

"Let me go!" I objected as one of the men held me while the other pulled my sleeve up. Too late. Damn. There it was, not quite as clear as before, but still there, and that was all that mattered to them.

"Escort him to the ministry!" Claude huffed.

"I'm not a Death Eater," I said quickly, struggling still. "I'm not, I haven't been!"

"We will settle this in front of a jury of qualified witches and wizards," Claude said sharply. "And you will most definitely be seeing Azkaban!"

"Listen!" I shouted, but we were already apparating away, me in one man's grasp.

In a flash, I was transported to a remote holding cell, thrust down by the one man who worked for the ministry.

"Wait!" I protested, but he apparated swiftly away, leaving me to myself to just wait it out until I would be put on the spot that would decide if I would go to Azkaban or not.

"DAMN IT!" I shouted in a burst of rage, throwing my fists against the stone wall.

They were my last resort, and they didn't even let me talk! Undoubtedly, my chances of getting away were slim.

One bad thing after another; I feel like I've been set up... you know?

A/N: BUM BUM BAAAH! And STILL not the end! I've got more, too! Tis all in mah head, heheh. I estimate....... ummm....... many more chapters! So review and I'll upload faster! (Next week is finals so I may not update for a week, but wait a minute, I never update in less than a week - LOL - bad me. Anycrap, I'm rambling now, so I'm gonna stop. ENJOY!