Snape rubbed his forehead and poured another goblet of red wine in his dungeon office. "Then the Aurors arrived, and he Disapparated."
"He threatened you, and used wandless magic, but cast no other wanded spells but the Dark Mark?" Albus asked quietly.
Snape sipped the wine, and nodded as he swallowed. "Yes, Albus, but I believe he was responsible for the explosion. Were there any fatalities?"
"Three were killed in the explosion, and four died of Avada Kedavra. No students were among the fatalities, only the injured. Mr. Weasley had several bruised organs from his contact with them, but other than that, just minor concussive injuries and bruises." Albus paused and looked Snape straight in the eye. "What can you tell me about this Silver Serpent?"
"Not much. Voldemort is very protective of him. He is the boy that I brought here several months ago, though. But he seems to have some sort of rapport with me that I don't understand. I just need time to get closer to him. He knew that the attack would come on Hogsmeade, but he wouldn't confide in me."
Albus sighed. "Then he is wise. He knows that telling you would change your reaction to the situation. But we do not have the luxury of such time, Severus. You must discover his identity, however, as the Aurors have no idea, and the Azkaban records didn't include his description before they were destroyed."
The Dark Mark seared on Severus' arm and he doubled over in pain, spilling the goblet on a stack of parchment. "Voldemort is summoning me."
"Go Severus. Be safe."
Snape grabbed his broomstick and flew to the edge of the Apparition barrier. He then Apparated to the Riddle Mansion.
Dumbledore sighed, and cleaned up the evidence of Voldemort's pull. So much stopped when the Dark Lord called.
"Snape is a traitor, milord. He opposed us in Hogsmeade and what is worse, he defied the Silver Serpent as well," Nott growled, as Snape arrived outside.
"Severus, enter," Voldemort commanded and Snape walked into the great ballroom where his Master often held court.
"Milord, I…"
"Quiet, traitor," Nott hissed.
The doors swung open with great force and slammed into the walls beside them. In strode a furious Silver Serpent, wreathed in Dark flame. "My apologies for the disturbance, milord. May I handle this dispute?" he ground out through clenched teeth.
"Of course, my boy. Good job in Hogsmeade, by the way." Voldemort said, walking back through the door and wandlessly closing them again.
As the Master left, he advanced coldly on the smug Death Eaters. "Snape. Stay on your feet. The rest of you, bow before your Lord," he demanded, with a hand gesture pushing them down with his might. He paced the length of the floor in front of them, as Snape stood behind the Serpent. Loud footsteps became the only sound, besides the Serpent's controlled breathing. "Nott, I can't decide if you are incredibly zealous or incredibly stupid. That goes for all of you three as well. Has it ever gotten through that thick skull of yours that Severus spies on Dumbledore for us, giving us an edge that we could not hope to achieve given a lifetime?" He paused, letting the men cower. "As a result, from time to time, he must play the loyal Hogwarts professor to convince the world that he is trustworthy, when really he is our spy." He drew his wand, playfully uttering the last sentence. "He did as I wanted, without prompting or instruction. I wanted him to make a show of defying me in public, so that his cover would not be blown. And you four accuse him of betrayal. Crucio!"
Snape marveled at the boy's power. He held all four men under Cruciatus at once. And from the look of the men, the power of each curse was not diminished by the dissemination. "Milord," he said quietly, and then continued as the teen turned. "Perhaps you could be merciful tonight."
He looked curiously at Snape, then shrugged and released the Death Eaters. "Get out of my sight, you disgusting worms. And beg my forgiveness the next time you see me, or you might get to repeat the experience. Leave."
"Thank you, milord," they said, limping toward the doors.
After they left, the Serpent collapsed in a chair on the platform, rubbing his forehead trying to get rid of a concentration headache.
"Are you alright, milord?"
"Yes, Severus. I have felt Cruciatus before, but I have never cast it on anyone. The power is immense," he said, taking deep breaths.
"If you don't mind me asking, who cast it on you?"
"The same man who undoubtedly cast it on you. Severus, listen to me and remember. I have protected you, because I find value in the work you do and the friendship you provide. But if you ever betray me, you will experience pain worse than the men who accused you tonight. Do you understand?" he asked, walking closer to his servant.
"Yes, milord."
"Go home, Severus. I am certain your duties at Hogwarts require your attention. I hope no delicate work was disturbed," the teen said, pausing right in front of the Potions Master.
"Milord, why do you trust me?" Snape asked, pausing at the doorway.
"You have saved my life more than once. Such loyalty is rare in this world. Good night, Severus," he said, waving his hand in a gesture of dismissal.
Snape bowed and left silently.
The sound of a man clapping came from a shadowy corner. "Well handled, Argentus. I couldn't have thought of a better way to assure your servants' loyalty. But there is one thing I don't understand. Why do you set Severus apart?"
"One treats the pawns different than one treats the bishop," the Serpent said, a silent silver tear rolling down one cheek. "By your leave, milord."
The pupil left the room, heading for some aspirin and a bottle of wine.
Severus walked the empty night-darkened hallways back to his office. He knew that Albus would be waiting for him the second that he reached his rooms.
Certainly enough, as Snape crossed the threshold to his apartment, he saw the venerable wizard's outlandish robes and greeted him.
"Severus, what did Voldemort want?"
Severus removed his cloak and set it on the sofa, then collapsed next to it. "Apparently, Nott saw me during the attack at Hogsmeade and accused me of defying the Silver Serpent, and therefore betraying Voldemort."
"Were you placed under Cruciatus?" Albus asked, surveying his comrade.
"Strangely enough, no. The Silver Serpent interceded and cast Cruciatus on my accusers. He told them that I acted exactly as he wanted. He wanted me to pretend to protect the students for keeping up 'my ruse as a professor'," Severus replied, rubbing his forehead. "Part of me wonders exactly how much he knows about me. The other part is afraid to know."
Albus raised an eyebrow and asked, "Severus, can you try to find out as much as you can during the next month? I want to know before he gets caught by the Aurors."
"So do I."
It was nearly three weeks before Snape was able to formulate a plan to trap Voldemort's heir. The teen had caught a virus from one of the other Death Eaters, and was fairly well bedridden.
Snape walked through the hallways of Riddle Manor, and knocked gently on the Silver Serpent's door.
"Come in," the teen replied.
Snape opened the oak door and walked inside. "I have returned, milord."
"Severus," the boy said, propped up on a few pillows. "That was rather quick."
The Potions Master sat down next to the boy on his king-sized bed. "I managed to find a bottle of the flu potion behind my private stash of veritaserum. It should help the symptoms better than anything Avery tries to give you." He turned to look for the Serpent's reptilian servants. "Milord, where are your serpents?" He pulled out a vial of light blue liquid, which he handed to the youth.
"Oh. I sent them to Lord Voldemort earlier today, because I'm not going anywhere, and you said that you would return soon," the boy said, uncorking the potion, and drinking it.
"Be sure to take it all," Snape said, getting up from the bed.
After the boy finished the medicine, he turned to Snape and said, "Severus, you are too good to me."
"No, milord. It is you who are too good to me," the older Death Eater said, as the boy slumped over unconscious. Snape checked that he was truly out before he lifted the teen and Apparated from the Manor.
Within 20 minutes, Snape had reached a cell in the dungeon and walked in. He lay the boy down on the floor, pulled the chains from their place on the wall and attached them to the heir's wrists and ankles. He surveyed the boy, clad in his sleeveless black shirt and pajama pants. In plain sight were his Dark Mark, and his silver tattoo, and he looked anything but threatening as he slept in a drug-induced stupor. Severus had made the same mistake as the boy had. Both, when faced with the man known as Voldemort, had chosen to join the Darkness to save their lives and get revenge on their enemies. But could Snape pull him out of the downward spiral he had started on? It had taken one wizard to save Snape, but that was Albus Dumbledore.
Albus hadn't shown up yet, so Severus went off in search of the older wizard, who he found in the Headmaster's office, talking to Lupin. "I have him here. The potion should wear off in about 20 minutes, so I suggest we adjourn to the dungeons if you wish to speak with him."
"Of course," Albus said, gesturing for Snape to lead the way. "No one knows?"
"They know that I went in, and that I haven't come out. The Death Eaters that serve him are used to my presence, and his non-human servants were sent away. Otherwise, there would be three poisonous snakes latched onto my ankle. I brought him directly here, and he had been sending away everyone else all night," Snape said, the only voice in the hallway.
They walked inside, and saw the boy lying on the floor. "This is the Silver Serpent?" Lupin asked.
"Yes. I know that he doesn't look like much now, but be glad that he doesn't have his wand with him, or he would hex us the second he became conscious. Oh, Albus, I should like for you to cast a Memory Charm on him after we finish. I am not certain that my power would be able to overcome his inherent magic," Snape said, drawing his wand. "Ennervate."
The boy stirred, and the chains clinked quietly as he moved. He blinked a couple of times, looking over the three wizards and fixing his eyes on Snape.
"Oh, Severus," the boy said very dangerously as he pushed himself to his knees. "I warned you of the consequences of your betrayal, so I should ask this. Are you completely out of your mind?" He strained at the chains, pulling them to their full length as Remus took a step back, slightly phased by the movement.
"No, milord, I am fully sane. I suppose you would like to know what you are doing here?" Snape replied
"I know exactly what I am doing here. You kidnapped me to answer questions that are not yours to ask!" he said, glaring at Albus and Lupin. "And you have delivered me into the hands of the worst enemies of our true Lord."
"People have died at your hands. We have to know where you came from," Remus replied.
"And no one has ever died at your hands?" the boy demanded.
Snape and Dumbledore looked downward. The boy smiled.
"I see. I'm right," he said, examining the mechanism of the locks that bound him.
"Milord, you have the information we need. The second you tell us, I will free you," Snape said, moving closer and withdrawing a vial of veritaserum from his pocket.
"Voldemort will kill you for this, Severus. And I will not stop him this time. In fact, I just may ask him for the pleasure of delivering the final blow," he hissed, the silver in his eyes catching the torchlight.
"Voldemort told me you were 16. Is this correct?"
"Yes," he said, testing the bonds.
"And you were rescued from Azkaban?" Albus asked.
"We've been over this, Dumbledore. Yes," he snarled.
"What is your name?" Lupin asked.
"You don't deserve to know, werewolf."
Lupin tried not to let the teen bait him. "Who does?"
"Not you. My Master is the only one who is worthy of my trust," he retorted, wandlessly opening his handcuffs. "I had thought that Severus was close, but I was a fool to believe that he would not betray me, when I knew he was guilty of espionage."
Albus took note of this and moved quickly to close them and bind the boy's wandless powers. "Why don't you trust us?"
"You really want to know?" he asked, obviously angry with Dumbledore's question. "Do you really? I told you why I was sent to Azkaban. I was sent there by people like you who thought that putting me away was the only way to sleep soundly at night; people who took away my life; people who broke me. Voldemort picked up the pieces. He fixed the shattered mirror and gave me a new purpose."
"A purpose that includes the murder of innocent people?"
"Come now, Lupin, you know the old adage. You cannot make an omelet without breaking a few eggs," he said, smiling.
"Tell us your name," Snape commanded.
"You know who I am. You taught me for 5 years." He glared at Severus. "You know, you never liked me in classes, and yet I have saved your life numerous times since I entered the Dark Lord's service. You never asked why I trusted your Potions expertise so greatly. It is because you once called me almost as incompetent as Longbottom."
Severus' heart sank. "Well. Not exactly the person that I expected, but I can see why Voldemort so carefully guards your identity."
"What is it, Severus?" Lupin asked.
"Don't you recognize him? You taught him in your first teaching stint here. Does the word Patronus ring any bells?" Snape asked dryly.
"Harry?"
"No. Not any more," he replied coldly. "Harry Potter died in Azkaban. I am all that survives."
******
A/N. Well, some of you knew that was coming, others, well, let's just say that the first 3.99 chapters were meant to mess with your mind! Provides a sort of grim contrast to the bright and naïve child that we met in SS/PS, doesn't it. Don't worry, the action doesn't stop there. Coming next chapter is when we find out what Snape intends to do.
Responses and Thanks.
Skull Bearer- Thank you. I read your story 'My Worst Nightmare'. That was cool, and I feel privileged to have made it on your favorites lists. See, I wrote this story when I was feeling really depressed, although I wasn't in prison, my life made it feel that way. Sometimes you just need those kind of fanfics.
Usagi Serenity Yui Cosmos- wow… that's a mouthful. Why a bunny, though? Um… I first would like to make the distinction between Evil and Dark. Right now, he's both, meaning he uses Dark magic, he is depressive, and he uses it for sinister purposes. But it is my belief that the Dark powers will become part of who he is, and he will stay Dark, no matter what. Other than that, be patient, and wait… this fic is only about 20,000 words. But the sequels??? And another fic called Essence of Darkness, that I am still writing? You're gonna love that if you love this. Different circumstances, but there are assassinations, jailbreaks, unlikely allies, and anarchists.
angelhitomi- Now you know. And knowing is half the battle… (way too much GI Joe on TV as a child) Thanks for your review. Enjoy.
Veritas4eterntiy- as was evidenced earlier in the chapter, yes he is. And he feels responsible for Harry for the very reasons that are listed above. Both were posed the same choice, to join or die. And he joined, later regretting the transgressions. He feels responsible because he didn't guide the teen down the 'right' path. Thanks for reviewing!
Maria- yes. There was a line in the first chapter, second scene that said, "You know, your eyes look much better their original color." That was to hint that he had been disguised, prior to being thrown into Azkaban. It's why Snape doesn't recognize him at first, and also why he is surprised to find the boy a Parselmouth. Thanks for your kind review! But don't worry… they are magically silver, but they might revert if Voldemort's power over him is diminished (for some reason).
bee- This is a superfluous response, but yes. It is Harry. Thanks for reviewing!
Katy999- You're welcome, but keep in mind that the more often I update, the quicker it's over L Thanks for the review.
HPIceAngel- Thanks for the compliment. But you may want to have a look at my other fics… just in case this doesn't update every day any more.
tracev- Thank you. Would you believe I'm a biology major, and I can still write like this? I have a best friend who is an English (creative writing) major and I find it tons easier to write than she does.
Maria- Thanks for reviewing again. First off, don't apologize for anything! Without people reading this and reviewing, I wouldn't post this as fast, if at all. No, the Serpent's not presumed missing. That much will be explained in Ch5, and Ch6 shows reactions to who it is… Snape truly didn't want to believe it was who it was, because part of his belief in the possibility of redemption is that of the purity of the light. Perhaps he only rates the shadows, but he believed that a Potter and Heir of Gryffindor would never fall to Darkness. And about the wand, they never knew. I said he wrote the letter, I never said it made it to the right people. And they are upset, but the reasons they aren't mounting a rescue attempt are revealed in Ch5. Ask questions. It shows interest and keeps me on my toes. Although, there are some questions that will not be answered until the final chapter!
petunia812002- Thank you. I do try. :P
Skull Bearer- Thanks. I try to "keep the character in, well, character even with all that [I'm] doing to them" One of my biggest pet peeve in fanfiction is when you read an authors writing, and you literally say to yourself, "There is no way in hell that he would ever do that," or when you find a leap of logic that makes no sense, and ends with you plummeting back to reality, analyzing their mistakes. Glad I could make you shiver… it means I must be doing something right. J
Well, I'm off to run a 5K with my company. Have a good day. And if you get a chance, join my Yahoo group, called Tenebrae Summae. It's Latin, and a gold star goes to the first five people to tell me what it means. I would prefer proper grammar, but I realized that I forgot to use the genitive case, instead using nominative plural. (That's a big hint people.) grrr. It's listed in my profile, I think. If not, leave your email and I will send the link to you directly.