Disclaimer: All the characters belong to JK Rowlings, NOT ME! I own nothing, she owns all... WAAAA!
Author's Note: Weirdness! Okay this chapter is getting strange, trust me... I don't even know what is going on anymore, stupid, stupid me. Really should grow a brain some time. Yup, definitely a plan for the future... Anyway thank you to all those who reviewed... I'm even going to name names... har har!
Right then... in chronological order, or something like that.
LoPotter: Dude take a chill pill... ^_^ but thanks for the wacky, wacky review. I am working on finishing it, I wouldn't want you on my conscience, that is if I have one. *takes a look* hmm not sure about that. Getting them together is a pain in the arse, so well... all I can say is I'm working on it. You tell me, is this okay?
Potionsmaster: You got me, what can I say other than DAMN! They swore they'd do a good job! Trusty Butchers knife hey? All I can say is put it down and go silently, we all know you want to. ^_~ Lol! Thanks for reviewing my fantastically groovy friend! hehe, if you're interested I posted chapter 6 of Shadows and Dust with a really cute five year old Severus Snape! AWWWEEEE!
BlackDragonFly: Thank you for the kind review, an I think I have a plot sorta sorted though I'm not sure but thanks for reviewing, I'll be sure to check yours some time.
Celia: Thanks for the boost on my grammar, really appreciate it, however, people still whine! WAA! As for the realising stuff, do check this, it should give a picture for where I'm taking this.
Green Pig: Yuppers they kissed! And I hope it wasn't too sappy. Oh who cares! As for some other stuff, since I bored you to death with my plot ideas I'm going to do something for you, okay? Go and read Green Pig's stories if you like Draco and stuff cause she is a better writer than me... me I just fluff everything. Anyway Pig, I'm not doing that so if they no get the picture, I'm very sorry. Thanks for reading it twice, appreciate it dude!
Sweet Audrina: Thank you for finally reviewing, you make me very happy! YAY! ^_^ And wilco.
Christine: I hope this is a weird enough chapter, I'm working on the getting to the end thing, trust me... I'm working Oh so hard to finish it. Thanks for the suggestions... ^_^
Fiona: Will try and slot stuff that has happened in for you, though it's kinda hard because the plot is meant to kinda confuse ya. Well not just you, everyone really. lol, how am I doing?
Kitty Kat: Well... umm... working on it dude. Trying to get to the end is making my iq slowly collapse like a flan in a cupboard.
Emiko: LONG REVIEW! Thanks for the proping about grammar though I think it kinda went down hill... lol. Some of the weird things about this is that I don't know what is going to happen next. That's how weird I am, though when I get so close to points I enjoy writing I get stuck getting to them without completely fudging the plot. But yup, I came up with something... Any good?
. : Patience my friend, patience. I'll get there, I will, stop looking at me like that. I'll get there, just trust me on this. I think I should finish writing this story before I continue with anything else. But yup, and thanks for reviewing.
Green Pig: Dude, you read it again, I know I was there, but yeh that chapter is kinda funny since you helped me big style. hehehe... Pink track suit... eww!
Miss E: You downloaded the songs? WOW! They rule don't they! Try downloading, 'Ball' from 'Plunkett and Macleane.' That song is just crammed with groovyness! I always end up finding inspiration in music for some reason... Don't ask me why.
You guy's are the best! YIPPEE! Thanks for reviewing.
Away, towards; but always around the centre...
Abduction, Adduction, Rotation
There was something odd about June, May had definitely made a mark in Severus' mind but June, it felt stranger knowing that Kratts wasn't Kratts but Stark trying to mess with his head. He kept trying to shake it off but he couldn't, he wasn't sure how he felt about her anymore... whether he hated her or liked her in the slightest. Well there certainly was one thing about her he couldn't help thinking was almost unreal... the fact that she played it all so coolly. She was lying her head off without even flinching; he wouldn't have noticed either had it not been for the name and strange dreams. Why... It was like she was trying to create a new being from her old self... it was as if she had made a mess of her old life and was trying to make up for it with a new one, it made about as much sense as the sword. Why would he need such a splendidly crafted object?
He spent a lot of time in his office and his chambers trying to stay out of her sight. He knew she meant what she was saying - he would have to choose a very good and opportune time to tell Dumbledore. He wasn't going to let her get away with lying to him, and what had she meant, did he know more than what he was telling Dumbledore? What could she mean... he told Dumbledore everything, there was no other way around it. He had to tell Dumbledore, he couldn't lie, and he didn't want to lie... not anymore... Not again.
::~::~::~::~::~::
He headed to the Great Hall watching the students wander past him, yet again there was something drone like about them, either that or he just wasn't interested. Probably that he wasn't paying attention to them. Maybe he just felt like a drone doing the same things over and over again everyday, day in day out... need it be so repetitive?
He stepped into the Great Hall and oddly Kratts looked at him with a frown, she actually frowned, but then he didn't think it mattered since he now knew that she was Raine and not the ditzy red head. Perhaps deep down she was a bit of a ditz... he hoped not, she did play it rather well though, part of him said, enough introspection! Take your seat! The other side snapped. He sat down abruptly.
"Good evening Severus." Dumbledore smiled warmly. "How are you? Well I hope?" Dumbledore continued helping himself to some potato, Snape didn't quite know whether to eat or just stare into space and reflect on the day. Reflection was good... but he was feeling rather hungry for once. Why did he keep getting a strange urge to eat those sandwiches, they were foul but as Raine had said, oddly satisfying.
"Fine thank you Headmaster." Snape said with an air of finality, Dumbledore turned his head to Kratts who gingerly took a bite out of a piece of toast.
"Shouldn't you be eating slightly more than a slice of toast Eenai?" He said looking at her, she made a tiny squeaking sound and dropped the toast on the floor. "Are you okay Eenai? Do you need to go and see Madam Pomfrey?" Dumbledore said putting a hand on her shoulder, she shivered.
"I zink I need to go and take a rest Sir, I hope you understand," she said patting her stomach... there was something wrong.
"I'll send Poppy down to see you a little later, you have to be sure you're okay Eenai... it isn't going to be long now is it?" She smiled weakly, and gave a shy chuckle.
"Oh... it couldn't be that yet... it's only just hit seven months. I'll be fine Albus," she said, getting up and walking from the hall slowly.
"Is she alright?" Severus asked, Dumbledore lowered his gaze and looked at Snape scrutinously. He was actually interested?
"Are you feeling okay Severus? I didn't think you would care about the well being of Professor Kratts," Dumbledore felt it was time for a strokey beard moment but decided to wait till later.
"Well I don't like her as a person but I wouldn't like anything to happen to her," he said taking a sip of pumpkin juice and looking absently at the wizened wizard.
"Well I'm sure she'll be fine Severus," Dumbledore smiled. Snape looked back at Dumbledore as if the old man were reading too much into the situation before he felt a sharp pain rise within him and he knew what it meant... what did he say...
"Umm, I'm not quite sure how to say this but I have to go..." he said slowly looking at his arm meaningfully.
"Go?" Dumbledore said in a tone like he had forgotten.
"You know? Go..." he threw glances to his arm and to the door.
"Oh..." Dumbledore said quickly. "Make sure you come back - won't you Severus?" Snape nodded and swept out of the hall the greatest sense of purpose filling his mind all of a sudden, what was wrong with him? He couldn't shake off the feeling that something good, or bad, was going to happen to him but he didn't know what…
Dumbledore watched Snape leave then thought about the man's behaviour, he actually took an interest for once, two months ago he would have gladly seen her to her grave, and even helped her to it. Very strange... Dumbledore sat back into his chair and ran his fingers down his silver beard his eyes twinkling, nodding his head and thinking about what all the changes around the school. Yes… definitely a strokey beard moment… There was certainly something strange happening to Severus Snape.
"Albus, are you okay?" McGonagall asked noticing Dumbledore going into a severe bout of introspection. He stopped stroking his beard and looked at Minerva with a sincere smile sitting up properly again.
"Fine Minerva, why do you ask?" He said pushing his glasses up his crooked nose again.
"You just look a little distant that's all," she said taking a sip of water from her goblet.
"Just thinking that's all," he hummed looking about the four house tables at the students smiling happily, he knew the full horror of the rise of Voldemort, if it were to happen but they seemed blissfully unaware and in a way he envied them for it. There was something almost perfect in not knowing, it was like the knowledge of all because you didn't know any better. Because everything you knew was all that mattered and not knowing of Voldemort's rapid rise was just the kind of blissful existence, the old Headmaster wanted.
The Hufflepuffs were sitting peacefully eating their dinner amidst smiles and jokes by friends. Dumbledore liked the Hufflepuffs, they were never any trouble, they liked to help everyone and would always tell him the truth and were worthy - as he could see it - of his trust.
The Ravenclaws were the most silent of the lot, many conversing, Dumbledore could only assume about something educational or philosophical, or reading, at one end of the table they were having a discussion, it seemed to the old Headmaster like it was a debate about the fate of the wizarding world or something equally topical. Of all the houses they seemed to be the ones most in touch with the knowledge of what could lie ahead, simply because they would discuss it. Rowena would have been proud to see her charges take such an interest.
The Gryffindors were the loudest of all the houses, the students from that particular house liked to be noisy like they were trying to assure everyone that they were still there. Not that Dumbledore needed reminding, they were probably the only ones he could relate to having been one himself. He had once been like them as well, always joking, constantly trying to discover things, the problem he discovered however with discovery was that he didn't often like what he found. In his life he had eventually become troubled by what lay ahead rather than what had happened, you could never undo what had happened and therefore looking ahead to what might happen was far most logical. That you could alter, that could always be written if only once. Maybe he himself had a bit of Ravenclaw in him?
The only house that really remained a real interest to him was Slytherin. Being Headmaster he had become acquainted with the character, you could always see it in people. They were the only ones that could lie convincingly, a lack of scruples he often thought but then he did know that most of the Dark wizards had come from that house. He had an understanding of they way they behaved only because he had been studying them more closely than the pupils in the other houses, he had more of an interest because he knew they could turn out like Voldemort, but, it was always very hard to tell who would end up rotten.
The students on that table at this time however seemed to be happy enough, some were muttering amongst one another, he could see Malfoy, glaring at Ron, of all people and then looking to Hermione, who was looking back in a rather interested way. This was quite amusing for Dumbledore, to see since it was very rare for students from those two houses to show any interest at all in each other. He had heard as he often did about his own school the relationships between his students, Ron, and Hermione, had liked each other for a long time and now Mr. Malfoy, was taking her affections away from Ron, and interesting her in him. Dumbledore, thought it to be because she could play Ron, like a xylophone and Draco, offered her some form of challenge. Even he could see that, and Harry, he was as always looking around the school, watching everything that was going on around him. Dumbledore chuckled to himself before leaving the hall and heading to his office.
::~::~::~::~::~::
Severus ran along the dark passages of the Dungeons until he once again discovered himself in Hogsmeade. From the cobbled streets and quaint shops to the cliffs with roaring winds so cold it was almost impossible. It wasn't difficult to bring himself to disapparate in this temperature, he was actually thankful to be in some place warmer, even if it was the Riddle House, there was however something not quite right about it.
When he arrived at the Riddle House, it seemed to have a darker purpose than it normally would. He headed into the building through the crooked old doors and along the corridors trying not to look at the moth eaten carpet which he believed was coming up on the soles of his feet as he stepped. It was quite disgusting the prospect of having to clean your shoes of rotting carpet, it was going to be like removing dogs mess from the tread in the soles. But saying that he would rather clean them than walk about with a layer of crusty carpet on his feet.
There was a strange eerie aura about the room where he knew everyone would be, it was like mist, a fog that he could feel but not see. It didn't settle his stomach in the slightest; he wanted to be sick. The scent of the place had seen better days, like it was fighting his nostrils, he was trying to keep the smell out but it was so pungent it was getting up his nose anyway. He opened the door to the main room where Voldemort, was sitting looking at everyone - a sinister smile on his thin lips, forming over his skeletal face. All the Death Eaters - all of them - even the newer ones - some he had never seen before, not that he could see their faces - were gathered in a circle, waiting to see something - but what... what were they waiting for? They seemed to be even more evil at this point than Severus had remembered. They all adopted the same kind of twisted expressions as he turned up, like from then on he knew he was going to be the butt, of the evening's entertainment. There must have been over thirty of the black devils.
Voldemort, looked more sinister than he ever had at this point, sitting in the rickety old chair like a rotting corpse decomposing along with the seat. Snape would have been thankful of the cold now - this was a little too strange. He took his place among the assembled group donning the dark hooded black robes as the rest of them had and standing in line waiting for the Dark Lord, to address them en mass. He must have been the last to join them since Voldemort, spoke almost immediately after he had joined the group, that wasn't going to go down well... if there was one thing he had learned about the Death Eaters - it was to be punctual, the one that turned up last usually took the brunt of what was coming.
"I see you are all here now," he hissed a note of pleasure in his voice. "You may all be wondering why I have called you all here, and now I shall tell you... do not be alarmed for this day is going to bore into the hearts and minds of many, especially two of you... step forwards Professor..." Voldemort hummed his voice sinuating a high hissing note of joy at ending his little speech with a flicker of the tongue.
Snape considered it very carefully, Professor, who else of the Death Eaters was a Professor? He took a small step forwards his knees shaking and wanting to buckle beneath him, he knew, he should have just got up and ran from the hall. Something else odd happened though... he didn't think he had been the only one to step forwards, there was another. What was going on, it must have been his imagination - there was only the sound of one set of feet moving forwards - not two.
"Don't be shy, come closer," Voldemort hissed, the double sound happened again, keep your head you know its the mind playing tricks on you... have you been drinking again? "My, my Severus, do you get the feeling you're not alone here?" Voldemort's voice was a shrill cackle, almost impossible to distinguish. "You'd be right you know, take a look to your left," Snape looked at Voldemort from under the hood his heart racing, he didn't want to know who was betraying Dumbledore anymore, he'd rather not know. "Well look then," Voldemort said almost impatiently. Snape snapped his head to the side doing as he had been told immediately - there was a gut wrenching feeling creeping though him. There was a short little figure that appeared to be hunched over, it didn't look like any of the staff he recognised, and none of them had the Hunchback of Notre Dame look about them. None of them had little self-respect, he looked deep at the figure, and it appeared to be facing Voldemort blindly like it had nothing more interesting to watch. He couldn't see the face, it was hidden under the hood. He turned back to Voldemort who was positively beaming. "Surprised you don't recognise her, you did get awfully close to her," he hissed, Snape furrowed his brow beneath the hood, Voldemort adopted a devious smile and looked to the second hooded Professor. "Lets just say that his woman is more than loyal to me, she has gone beyond anything any of you were capable of, Severus, you helped her, for that I thank you, but you my spineless friend are not loyal... I see it in your eyes."
"My Lord?" Snape said thunderstruck. Shit! Shit! SHIT!
"How do you think you got past me all these years? Luck?" Voldemort screeched his tone becoming more than irate, Snape was actually afraid for once in his life.
"I... I have been more than loyal to you my lord... I swear," Snape muttered his voice unsure and the whole of his body shaking, stuttering! Stop it Severus, you're beginning to give the game away, the shakes are not the kind of response expected from an innocent man.
"I don't want to kill you yet Severus, I've weaved something far more elaborate as your torture, and all though your life ends tonight, you'll wish you had never been born in the first place..." Snape cringed his insides tightening, he didn't want to die; not really, he had longed for it once but now... he had a job to do.
"But, why?" Was all he managed to muster.
"Oh, well, you see this character here?" Voldemort extended a long bony finger to the person to his left.
"I..." Snape looked again, he wanted to know who it was now, who could possibly want to help in his destruction? Okay he could think of a few but... his colleagues? Voldemort pointed his wand at the figure and the outer robe dropped off falling to the floor showing a very tired and lifeless woman... Raine?
"Now you know Severus, there is another small detail however you did not, something that drove her away from you, tell him what it was Miss Stark, my sweet," Voldemort got to his feet and started to pace around Snape making him feel dizzy, Raine just stood there saying nothing her eyes glazed and half closed, why? She stood still until Voldemort finally slowed and looked at her. "Will you not show him what he has done?" He hissed looking at her with what appeared to be a genuine smile.
"My Lord," she said like the lights were on but there was no one home. She didn't move but remained hunched and looked blankly in front of her.
"Show him what he has done," Voldemort hissed in a sleazy tone.
"My Lord?" She hummed in the same deadpan tone, what could he have possibly done to her?
"Show him what he has done Miss stark," Voldemort reinforced his voice slightly, she turned to face him her facial expression darker than before and she look him directly in the eyes, as if she had just been woken sharply from a deep sleep, like someone had disturbed her and now she was out to see who had disrupted her nap...
"No." She said quietly, Voldemort looked at her irked.
"What did you say?" He hissed harshly.
"No." She said in a defiant tone. Voldemort quickly pulled out his wand and pointed it at her.
"Pertrificus Totallis!" Voldemort roared. "Leviosa!" She stood completely erect lightly lifted off the ground, there was a clearly visible bump under her bust, but it was all an act? She wasn't really... she couldn't have been... Voldemort, looked delighted at the sight of Snape's repulsed features, Raine, was suspended in the air as if on show, her face was drawn and pale. Severus, could have sworn that was the first time he had ever seen fear in her dull green eyes, they sparkled as her eyes glazed over, they no longer had the pond water effect. "Oh," Voldemort hummed. "You don't think you did this to her - do you? You think it is all a dream and that you'll wake up soon, don't worry Severus the dream is almost over, the culmination of these last points will make your life so unbearable, you'll wish I had killed you when I knew the truth, and believe me I would have done had I not needed you." Voldemort brushed a hand over Raine's stomach making the fear she was feeling more noticeable as she gave a little squeak of depreciation for the way she was being treated - not to mention the way she was feeling.
"How?" Snape said remaining standing where he was maintaining a lot more dignity than she was able to - he wasn't being treated like a puppet just yet though, Raine was being strung up for the world to see and clearly in pain from her facial expression.
"Tell him Raine... Though I don't think the 'Professor' is going to need to be reminded of the birds and the bees. I mean - I think all men know how that works..." Voldemort smoothed his skeletal fingers over the delicate curve of her bust and brushed his fingers over the soft skin of her neck causing her to shudder. In a way it reminded Raine that even though Voldemort, was a resurrected corpse, deep down he was a man, and had the memories and perceptions of any.
"Never," she squeaked unable to look her aggressor in the eye, her tone was short her breath ragged and Snape could even hear the fear in her voice, he wasn't sure how to react... what should he do... he wanted to help her so much.
"Don't be a fool girl!" Voldemort hissed coldly to her hear. "You can't honestly believe he cares for you, he's a Death Eater, the most spineless being on the planet... he couldn't careless for you," all Snape could hear were the beats f his own heart and her breathing, the tortured squeaks as she dragged her breath in and forced it out again in an effort to keep going. "Finite Incantatem!" Voldemort hissed a note of disappointment within him. Raine fell to the floor in a heap unable to move her normal energy levels appeared to be non-existent... this wasn't Raine, it couldn't be. She adopted a helpless expression reaching out a hand to his foot, weakly pawing at the floor her fingers clenching before she gave up and lead on her back looking at the ceiling blankly still sucking in her breath like she had to think about every action. It seemed that all of her actions were no longer passive but took a huge strain to carry out. For one instant Severus saw something he thought he would never see again, she looked directly at him in the eyes reaching a hand out slightly to him and mouthing in a soft whisper.
"Help, me."
"I..." Severus mouthed back unsure how to react to her - Voldemort drew back his wand a second time pointing it at Snape this time. Raine wasn't sure what she was feeling - she just wanted someone's help... Severus' help, there was a part of her that needed to believe he cared, that he would help her. She needed to cling to a belief in human nature, that he didn't completely lack compassion when it was truly needed.
"Crucio!" He screamed, Snape fell to the floor unable to see or feel anything, it was worse than before, Voldemort, didn't appear to want to lift it but he couldn't feel it, he was almost beyond feeling it. He was coughing... could feel his insides tighten like they were being placed on a rack, as everything contorted, it was as if his very bones were rotating within him, and his heart just wanted to stop, or explode...
In his mind he could see the girl, her silver eyes going dull as she fixed him with a stare he never forgot, the one that she left him with as she died in his arms... Her hand was extended to his and all she mouthed was help me, before saying she was sorry... and never allowing another breath to escape her.
I'm sorry... I'm sorry... Don't leave me, not again...
"Not again!" Severus screamed through the pain. "Never again!" He opened his eyes and looked up before rolling to face her - her hand was still extended towards him, the same look of desperation in her eyes. Help me...
"Please," she breathed, she closed her eyes slowly before opening them again, "you have to stop him Severus, or it won't stop at this..." her already weak whisper faded into the night like the rest of her words.
"Oh how touching, she isn't completely devoid of emotion - you see - too late now though Snape. Pity, pity... though you'll soon be together when I kill you both, who shall I do first?" Severus looked at Raine, she normally had an answer, she normally looked like she knew exactly what she was doing even if she hadn't a clue and was just bluffing, but she was scared and he could see it. Her hand continued to creep across the floor towards him; it was like she didn't want to be alone when she died. He understood it even if he didn't understand her. He felt the same...
Locked within dying eyes,
Painful to see but feel we must,
Our pain as one,
In your arms alone,
Together face the stars,
As we embrace eternity - can't fight it any more, don't want to let go but slipping... born sliding... perishing with you... and I want nothing more.
Dreamer...
"Help..." She whispered softly her eyes glittering oddly – an idea? "Please..." She looked to him then to her hand.
"He won't understand you my dear... he's a man, they only think of one thing, don't you remember?" Voldemort knelt down near Snape, pressing his wand tip to the younger mans head and allowing a cruel smile to slip up his face as Severus, emitted what sounded like a howl of pain into the darkness. "So you see what you have done... what she didn't want you to know for so long, curiosity killed the cat you know Severus..."
Voldemort stood to his full height, Snape led on the floor his heart racing, he couldn't have he wouldn't have, why? She never said a word, she should have said he would have helped her... he didn't know how to react, it was impossible, they had to be making it up...
"Please Severus…" she breathed, he reached a hand to hers smoothing his fingers lightly over her fingertips, she gripped his hand with all her strength and closed her eyes.
"Oh how hearts and minds are never meant to be... you two could never be together through simple chemistry... he's smart and she's beautiful. Not a good combination, only one can win and I'm afraid this is where the game ends…" Voldemort looked to the group of Death Eaters standing around them, they smirked at their master's command.
"Empathis Abso..." Raine breathed, he could barely hear her. Severus felt like he was having his very life force sucked out of him, Raine's eyes span back in her head her whole body beginning to shake like something was attempting to possess it.
"I don't want her harmed!" Voldemort shrieked two Death eaters automatically pulled out of the circle and pulled the two apart. Severus didn't know whether he was alive or dead and Raine looked like she had seen better days, she was still shaking violently before it all stopped and a warmth that she had never felt before over came her. She opened her eyes but was no longer looking through her own, as if looking out of a window into the unknown as the heat rose around her and what felt like an enormous gust of wind struck her face...
Those born of Darkness make Light work of the night...
Author's Note: WAAAAA! What's happening?!! I don't know!! HELP! ARGH! Okay I'll shut up now. Please, please review!
I.C. Fire (Prodigal Drop Out)
silver_shadow54@hotmail.com