See AN at bottom… please!
The boy didn't say a word after he left Riddle's dungeon, no matter what Severus tried to say. He asked about the condition of the boy's arm, if he needed a handkerchief, or if he needed a warmer cloak. The only response Severus ever got was a nod or shaking of the head. Mostly, the boy replied stubbornly in the negative. Finally Snape sighed and they lapsed into complete silence. As he steered the boy to the Hospital Wing, he saw Albus waiting outside. "Severus, are you alright?"
"Yes Headmaster, I am fine."
"Ah," the ancient man said. "Who is this young man?"
The boy flinched at the attention. Severus drew him slightly closer. "He is my sister's son. He is ill, and I believe Poppy should have a look at him."
"Ah. A pleasure," Albus said, but asked no more questions.
The boy collapsed on the bed and coughed more, before Snape could say any more, and crimson drops ran from between his fingers. Albus raised an eyebrow, but watched as Severus drew a tissue and started cleaning the blood up. "Stay here and lay down while I get the medi-witch."
Snape let himself be moved away as Poppy came over to look at the boy, and Dumbledore led him into a corner. "Severus, what happened?"
"Voldemort summoned me as usual, and while I was discussing Potions with him for the upcoming revels, Avery burst in, claiming that the boy was ill. We didn't believe him until we saw the teen in a cell in the dungeons, coughing up blood onto the floor, and in his current state. It appears that Voldemort removed him from Azkaban the night that he destroyed it. I was present at his initiation rites not a half hour ago," Snape replied, carefully watching the boy as Poppy worked on him.
"He can't be more than…" Dumbledore began in horror.
"Sixteen is what Voldemort told me. It seems that he knows the boy, but has forbidden us to know his true identity. Apparently," Severus said, sighing. "Voldemort intends to make him his heir."
Albus turned and gazed in sympathy at the teen that now lay sleeping quietly on the Infirmary cot. Poppy stalked over to Severus, livid at the boy's condition.
"He is in the final stage of tuberculosis. How did he manage that?" she demanded hotly.
"Azkaban." It was the only word that Severus knew that could speak volumes to a British wizard.
She paled. "He's just a boy."
"Yes. He is."
Poppy frowned, shaking her head. "What happened to his forehead? The bandages were magicked on."
"When one of the Death Eaters stunned him in the prison, he hit the floor fairly hard. Avery was caring for the cut when he came to get us. What more needs be done for him?"
"Well, for one thing, he hasn't had a decent meal in quite some time. Plenty of food and he needs bed rest and some medication for at least 2 days."
"That's quite alright. Voldemort has permitted 3. With your consent, Headmaster, I believe someone should stay with him at all times," Severus replied, scratching an itch on his scalp, then smoothing the hair again.
"I quite agree. I shall take the first watch, Severus."
They had to have a second watch and third watch before the boy woke up, nearly 12 hours later. Dumbledore sat, reading a first edition of Tolkien's the Hobbit when he noticed the boy stir. He replaced the book in his left sleeve and smiled at the boy. "Good morning."
The boy rolled from his side to his back. "Where's Severus?"
"He should be here any minute. He and I have been taking turns watching you while Poppy slept," Albus said. "Are you feeling any better?"
Again the boy resorted to nodding, gently coughing, though it sounded drier than before.
"That is well indeed. Can you tell me where you are?"
"Yes," the boy replied, but said nothing else. Curiously enough, he appeared to be avoiding the Headmaster's gaze.
Noticing that yes or no questions were getting him nowhere, he changed tack. "Why were you sent to Azkaban?"
The boy turned to him in shock, brown eyes meeting icy blue. "How did you…"
"Your right collarbone," he explained, brushing the boy's collar back. "They mark every inmate who enters that prison. Ghastly thing to do. Why were you sent there?"
"Double murder with an Unforgivable," the boy whispered.
"You say that regretfully. Did you kill those people?"
He smiled weakly. "Does it matter?"
"Everything in the world matters to someone. Why don't you want to tell me?"
The boy sighed, rather than explain his reasons. He shook his head. "No. It was my wand they found, but my words did not curse them. However, the person who did used Cruciatus and the Killing Curse. And they couldn't find a brother wand for Priori Incantatem. So I got life imprisonment in Azkaban. And since I just discussed my case, in direct violation of my sentencing, I am now required to receive the Dementor's Kiss."
"Azkaban has been destroyed. And the Dementors are missing," Albus said gently. "You need not fear them. The Ministry's laws no longer bind them. But you wouldn't happen to know where they are?"
"You're as subtle as an Avada Kedavra," the boy muttered. "You want to know how I escaped, when all the others died."
Snape entered the ward and approached the boy's bed.
"Severus," the teen whispered. As the Potions Master leaned closer, the teen grabbed him by the collar and pulled him close, hissing questions into his ear. "What does he know?"
Snape seemed taken aback by the abruptness of the contact. "He knows only that I brought you here, and that you had been in Azkaban. That is all I told him."
"Does he know my name?"
Snape blinked. "I don't even know your name. He has told no one what it is."
The boy released him, and pushed up from the bed in self-loathing. He walked to the window, where Severus followed at a safe distance.
"Why do you look out the window? Do you know this place?"
"I used to," he said tearfully, through dark brown eyes. "A lifetime ago."
The teen revealed nothing else until they left the castle for the Death Eater stronghold. They were greeted at the door by a pair of Death Eaters, who guided them to a large room on the ground floor. It was almost a ballroom, furnished in black marble flooring, and large stained glass windows, that added an eerie brilliance to the room in the night. The two were led before Voldemort, who stood on a raised platform at one end.
Severus had dressed the boy in an old cloak of his that he had outgrown, but never gotten rid off. The boy wore his hood up, but with no mask that was standard faire for a Death Eater. The teen knelt before Voldemort, his head bowed in subservience.
Voldemort lowered the hood to reveal the boy's features, and inspected him for signs of healing. "My dear boy, welcome back."
"Thank you, My Lord," he replied, and the Master gently touched his head.
"Arise, my heir." The boy did as he was commanded, and Voldemort continued to all present. "Long have I searched for one to stand as my heir and leader of the Cult of the Silver Serpent. I have found him, in the depths of Azkaban, cast there by our mutual enemies. He is as powerful as I was in my youth, with the blood of Merlin and Gryffindor, and the many gifts of Slytherin. He shall be called The Serpent Lord, and be heir to all that I possess, leading my most gifted in battle."
Snape watched as Voldemort publicly embraced the boy.
"There is just one last thing to do. Serpens Argentus."
The boy flinched, but tried to remain still and impassionate as a burning sensation shot through his right arm. Now neither arm was untouched by his Master, and he knew he was Marked for life. When the burning stopped, nearly a minute later, with eyes stinging with tears, he looked at the skin under his sleeve. The Master examined his work as well.
A silver, almost metallic, snake tattoo was coiled around his arm, with the head starting at the wrist, and the tail reaching to his collarbone. The boy flexed his fingers to remove the numbness. Voldemort fingered the head of the Serpent tattoo, and said, "It's beautiful, isn't it?"
"Yes, My Lord. Thank you," he whispered.
"That is all for tonight, my faithful. Be watchful, and patient," he said, dismissively. "Serpent, you know how to find me when you are ready to go to sleep."
The teen stood in the ballroom after all of them but Severus had Disapparated.
"My Lord. May I speak with you?" Severus asked respectfully as the boy considered the windows through newly colored silver eyes.
The boy smiled. "It's going to take me some time to get used to that. What is it, Severus?"
"Are you well, my Lord? You seemed slightly distracted during the ceremony," he prodded gently.
He turned back to the windows, and sighed. "It's not that I'm not happy, it's just that I…"
"You are having difficulty adjusting to your new surroundings, milord."
"Yes, Severus, exactly. I went from being in prison to being the chosen one of Voldemort's servants. As you might well imagine, it has been a bit disconcerting," he said, distantly.
"Do you require anything for the pain?"
"Not at this time. But rest assured, Severus, that is the one thing I would not trust to anyone else. Your Potions skills are respected and appreciated. As well as your concern for a new leader that is untried and unproven."
Severus nodded, as the teen turned and handed the cloak back to him. "Thank you for its use. Good night, Severus Snape," he said, and walked to find his new Master.
********
Well, there's Chapter Two… Just to let you know, I try not to post chapters that are less than 1500 words. I hate it when others do that, and refuse to do it consciously.
Shameless plugging alert! If you like the dark and depressing atmosphere of this story, go read one of my other fics, to be posted soon. I have the first chapter up of Nepenthes and one called Tears of the Wolf. I have had great reviews on both before posting… then again, the readers are close friends. :P
I realized while rereading my post that yet again with this fic, I forgot to post a disclaimer… a very, very bad habit of mine. So here goes. If you think that I created the character and/or masterpiece that is the world of Harry Potter, you are more than sorely mistaken. And please don't sue me… I only have money because I am in debt. And you're not getting my thin mints for compensation.
Yea for reviewers.
Nephir- thanks for my first review on the Silver Serpent! You'll see in the third chapter. Maybe 4th.
angelhitomi- thank you! I always love to be told I am doing something well.
Kit Vincent- You'll have to wait a bit longer. Next chapter is when you see more Serpent and Voldemort conversation… your question comes later.
petunia812002- I know, that frustrates me too… so many good premises, like "Tangled Fates" by Lauren and Nappa is a favorite of mine… but that fic may never be finished L Mine will be though… I wouldn't do that to you.
amy- it depends… I would like to get 10 reviews per chapter, just cause I am a Leo… hence I love the adoration and praise that comes with this type of media. It may be finished by mid April, maybe longer… TELL YOUR FRIENDS!!!!
RaistlinofMetallica- Glad to hear it. I just did. :P
Katy999- I did… good premise. I'm sort of a fan of people getting screwed over by circumstance though. You might want to read If Thine Enemy… I forget who writes it. Either here or at Snitchfiction.net. Really good, features awesome Dark!Harry… although I wrote this last summer.
HPIceAngel- I agree… I really love Dark!Harry fiction… because I'm one of the people who believes that even the best can fall, and only the strongest can recover.
Slytherin- Well yes, it is… but I am an American, and I thought it would add to the sarcasm, as he is neither a beauty queen, nor from the United States.
M.E.- Thanks. Here's more.
Dark-past- 'Yes, well, we all have our little excuses, don't we?' But seriously… temporary insanity is sometimes the only saving grace I experience, and a good survival technique when used wisely.
Next chapter… The Serpents talk, play chess and the Silver Serpent prepares for his first mission.