Author's Note: Sorry that last one took me so long -- And Canarde, that is
the perfect way to say it: "Poor, sweet Severus is a doormat" (So true)
Major breaking of cannon in this one but, then again, cannon was made to be broken
Chapter Thirteen -- Confrontation at the Hollow
Godric's Hollow was a quaint little Muggle village with picturesque cottages. The Death Eaters stopped on the edge of the town, waiting for the next command. Peter ran off, joining Mulciber and Karkaroff. The one-time Marauder launched into a torrent of gossip. Karkaroff, black hair shimmering, looked at Severus and rolled his eyes -- Meaning: "Peter is a tedious bore, Severus." Severus adamantly nodded in agreement. Severus liked Igor for some strange reason. The man was shrewd and harsh but he was also an embarrassing coward. Severus kept Igor on as his personal attendant -- Trying to keep the man out of Voldemort's way.
Severus felt a boot brushing up against the inside of his thigh. He turned his attentions to Lucius who was looking at him with no small amount of hatred.
"Are you ready to destroy the Potter family?" Lucius asked, smiling sourly. "It should be fun -- Hearing James scream."
Severus tensed a little but remained cool. "It depends on what your sense of 'fun' is."
"Voldemort is a very jealous man, is he not?" Lucius asked, his voice hardly above a whisper.
"We're all jealous," Severus replied in a tone that signaled that the conversation was over.
Voldemort rode up into the clearing at that moment, dismounting from his horse.
"We will proceed on foot from here on in," he stated, helping Severus out of the sleigh and wrapping an arm around him. Lucius openly scowled at the two.
In a straight line, they marched into the Hollow, covered in the shadow of nightfall. Severus kept shivering violently. Voldemort had to call the men to a stop once so that Severus could get himself together. After ten minutes, they found themselves in front of a red brick house, ivy languidly growing up the sides -- The Potter household.
"My Lord," Severus said, his voice stammering. "Tom, I beg you, do what you will with James Potter just don't make me watch."
"I have no intention of making you watch and, more than that, I have no intention of doing anything to James Potter."
Severus stood there, confused and shocked for a moment. Then, the implication of the statement finally dawned on him.
"No . . ." he managed. "I absolutely refuse . . ."
"Then they will die a more horrendous death than you could ever imagine," Voldemort said tersely. "It is your choice, Severus."
Severus continued on by Voldemort's side.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------
James and Lily Potter sat in the living room, talking about the upcoming visit to see "Uncle Sirius." Nothing was more precious than watching Sirius sit Harry down on the floor and play peek-a-boo with him for hours at a time. Sirius was absolutely perfect with children -- Perfect.
The door opened. The two of them heard footsteps in the hall and automatically rose to their feet. Albus would have knocked. Sirius might come charging in like that but . . . There were so many pairs of feet trampling through the hallway into the living room.
"Lily," James said in a very measured tone, "Go upstairs and watch Harry."
"No," Lily exclaimed. "I won't leave you! It's them, isn't it?"
"Yes," James replied. "Go upstairs and watch Harry, Lily. Protect the child. I promise you -- Everything'll be all right."
Lily didn't have time to think. The Death Eaters came charging into the room and she fled up the stairs to Harry's bedroom. James stood his ground firmly as Voldemort came striding into the room, a hooded figure by his side.
"What do you want?" James asked through gritted teeth.
"James," Voldemort said gently, "I never held anything personal against you. You crusade for that fool Dumbledore but a trifle like that is hardly a reason to kill you. You possess no true power or skill. You are simply another name on a long, tiresome list."
"So why come here?"
"Tell him," Voldemort spat, pushing the hooded figure forward. The figure fell on his knees before James Potter.
"I am so sorry, James," the figure whispered. James recognized the voice immediately. The figure untied the cape and let it fall to the floor. Automatically, James' eyes fell upon the tear-stained face of Severus Snape. How many times had James seen that face contorted in the throws of ecstasy? Now, the eyes were red and the cheeks were rose-colored and blotchy. Hair fell in messy strands around his face.
"Why not do what you want to?" Voldemort asked softly. "Take him and kiss him, if that is what you wish."
Severus could only cry more fervently. James sank to the floor next to Severus and put his arms around the boy, drawing him close. The ever-noble Gryffindor kissed the tears from his cheeks and the sobs from his mouth, calming him and soothing him.
"Do you feel better now, my love?" Voldemort asked. Severus tensed instantly and James' hands fell to his sides.
"My love?" James repeated, startled. "You mean, you were . . . But you told me you weren't seeing anyone else. And him . . . My god, Severus, what have you gotten yourself into? Why didn't you tell me?"
"How was I going to admit . . . this?" Severus asked, choking on the tears that were collecting at the back of his throat. "I loved you, James. You were so nice to me."
Severus reached out to touch James' cheek but the man pulled away stiffly.
"Kill him, Severus," Voldemort commanded. "I would take you into my arms and offer you the world. He would turn from you when you wish to simply touch him. Kill him."
"I cannot," Severus pleaded. "I love him."
"Really?" Voldemort asked with an amused arch of his eyebrow. "Crucio!" he bellowed and James lurched into spasms on the floor.
"Stop!" Severus begged, trying to find a way to restrain James before he hurt himself. "Please stop!"
Voldemort ceased the spell and looked at Severus expectantly.
"Either we can continue on this path for the evening," Voldemort stated. "Or you can put him out of his misery now and save him the pain and the agony."
"There has to be another way . . ." Severus declared.
"There is no other way and you know it, Severus."
Severus rose to his feet so that he was looking down on James' still form. He reached into his robes and took out his wand -- Thin maple with an obsidian core -- and pointed it towards the Gryffindor.
"Do it," James said, staring up at Severus for a moment.
"Avada Kedavra," Severus said, his voice shrill under the pressure of the moment.
Then, the boy fell to his knees and the world went black.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------
When Severus finally awoke, he was lying in his bed and Lucius was sitting next to him.
"He's dead, isn't he?" Severus asked, his voice tired and worn.
"How did you know?" Lucius asked.
"You wouldn't be here if he wasn't," Severus smiled. "I suppose we have no reason to compete anymore."
Lucius stiffly rose from the bed and scowled at the young boy.
"I was only making sure that you were still alive. I was the one last seen with you. I didn't want to be locked up in Azkaban for your death, after all."
Lucius left the room.
And Severus wept.
For he had nothing.
Major breaking of cannon in this one but, then again, cannon was made to be broken
Chapter Thirteen -- Confrontation at the Hollow
Godric's Hollow was a quaint little Muggle village with picturesque cottages. The Death Eaters stopped on the edge of the town, waiting for the next command. Peter ran off, joining Mulciber and Karkaroff. The one-time Marauder launched into a torrent of gossip. Karkaroff, black hair shimmering, looked at Severus and rolled his eyes -- Meaning: "Peter is a tedious bore, Severus." Severus adamantly nodded in agreement. Severus liked Igor for some strange reason. The man was shrewd and harsh but he was also an embarrassing coward. Severus kept Igor on as his personal attendant -- Trying to keep the man out of Voldemort's way.
Severus felt a boot brushing up against the inside of his thigh. He turned his attentions to Lucius who was looking at him with no small amount of hatred.
"Are you ready to destroy the Potter family?" Lucius asked, smiling sourly. "It should be fun -- Hearing James scream."
Severus tensed a little but remained cool. "It depends on what your sense of 'fun' is."
"Voldemort is a very jealous man, is he not?" Lucius asked, his voice hardly above a whisper.
"We're all jealous," Severus replied in a tone that signaled that the conversation was over.
Voldemort rode up into the clearing at that moment, dismounting from his horse.
"We will proceed on foot from here on in," he stated, helping Severus out of the sleigh and wrapping an arm around him. Lucius openly scowled at the two.
In a straight line, they marched into the Hollow, covered in the shadow of nightfall. Severus kept shivering violently. Voldemort had to call the men to a stop once so that Severus could get himself together. After ten minutes, they found themselves in front of a red brick house, ivy languidly growing up the sides -- The Potter household.
"My Lord," Severus said, his voice stammering. "Tom, I beg you, do what you will with James Potter just don't make me watch."
"I have no intention of making you watch and, more than that, I have no intention of doing anything to James Potter."
Severus stood there, confused and shocked for a moment. Then, the implication of the statement finally dawned on him.
"No . . ." he managed. "I absolutely refuse . . ."
"Then they will die a more horrendous death than you could ever imagine," Voldemort said tersely. "It is your choice, Severus."
Severus continued on by Voldemort's side.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------
James and Lily Potter sat in the living room, talking about the upcoming visit to see "Uncle Sirius." Nothing was more precious than watching Sirius sit Harry down on the floor and play peek-a-boo with him for hours at a time. Sirius was absolutely perfect with children -- Perfect.
The door opened. The two of them heard footsteps in the hall and automatically rose to their feet. Albus would have knocked. Sirius might come charging in like that but . . . There were so many pairs of feet trampling through the hallway into the living room.
"Lily," James said in a very measured tone, "Go upstairs and watch Harry."
"No," Lily exclaimed. "I won't leave you! It's them, isn't it?"
"Yes," James replied. "Go upstairs and watch Harry, Lily. Protect the child. I promise you -- Everything'll be all right."
Lily didn't have time to think. The Death Eaters came charging into the room and she fled up the stairs to Harry's bedroom. James stood his ground firmly as Voldemort came striding into the room, a hooded figure by his side.
"What do you want?" James asked through gritted teeth.
"James," Voldemort said gently, "I never held anything personal against you. You crusade for that fool Dumbledore but a trifle like that is hardly a reason to kill you. You possess no true power or skill. You are simply another name on a long, tiresome list."
"So why come here?"
"Tell him," Voldemort spat, pushing the hooded figure forward. The figure fell on his knees before James Potter.
"I am so sorry, James," the figure whispered. James recognized the voice immediately. The figure untied the cape and let it fall to the floor. Automatically, James' eyes fell upon the tear-stained face of Severus Snape. How many times had James seen that face contorted in the throws of ecstasy? Now, the eyes were red and the cheeks were rose-colored and blotchy. Hair fell in messy strands around his face.
"Why not do what you want to?" Voldemort asked softly. "Take him and kiss him, if that is what you wish."
Severus could only cry more fervently. James sank to the floor next to Severus and put his arms around the boy, drawing him close. The ever-noble Gryffindor kissed the tears from his cheeks and the sobs from his mouth, calming him and soothing him.
"Do you feel better now, my love?" Voldemort asked. Severus tensed instantly and James' hands fell to his sides.
"My love?" James repeated, startled. "You mean, you were . . . But you told me you weren't seeing anyone else. And him . . . My god, Severus, what have you gotten yourself into? Why didn't you tell me?"
"How was I going to admit . . . this?" Severus asked, choking on the tears that were collecting at the back of his throat. "I loved you, James. You were so nice to me."
Severus reached out to touch James' cheek but the man pulled away stiffly.
"Kill him, Severus," Voldemort commanded. "I would take you into my arms and offer you the world. He would turn from you when you wish to simply touch him. Kill him."
"I cannot," Severus pleaded. "I love him."
"Really?" Voldemort asked with an amused arch of his eyebrow. "Crucio!" he bellowed and James lurched into spasms on the floor.
"Stop!" Severus begged, trying to find a way to restrain James before he hurt himself. "Please stop!"
Voldemort ceased the spell and looked at Severus expectantly.
"Either we can continue on this path for the evening," Voldemort stated. "Or you can put him out of his misery now and save him the pain and the agony."
"There has to be another way . . ." Severus declared.
"There is no other way and you know it, Severus."
Severus rose to his feet so that he was looking down on James' still form. He reached into his robes and took out his wand -- Thin maple with an obsidian core -- and pointed it towards the Gryffindor.
"Do it," James said, staring up at Severus for a moment.
"Avada Kedavra," Severus said, his voice shrill under the pressure of the moment.
Then, the boy fell to his knees and the world went black.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------
When Severus finally awoke, he was lying in his bed and Lucius was sitting next to him.
"He's dead, isn't he?" Severus asked, his voice tired and worn.
"How did you know?" Lucius asked.
"You wouldn't be here if he wasn't," Severus smiled. "I suppose we have no reason to compete anymore."
Lucius stiffly rose from the bed and scowled at the young boy.
"I was only making sure that you were still alive. I was the one last seen with you. I didn't want to be locked up in Azkaban for your death, after all."
Lucius left the room.
And Severus wept.
For he had nothing.