THE FALL
A/N: All right, this is an update about my story The Fall because I have a few things to clear up.
To Choclairs—thanks for the review. No, I don't update for reviews; it's nice to receive them, but my life doesn't revolve around getting comments about my stories. I have my friend Emily for that. Anyway, I'm going to further explain Liz's character in this note before I update a final chapter in this story. (Okay, I lied about the one-shot bit.)
Liz is…in a word, complex. She's mad, but absolutely brilliant. Her history is a sad one, and I did not do that for attention. To further develop her as a character, I needed explanation for her fucked up ways. Because Elizabeth is indeed that—fucked up. I shall be brief about her past because I'm not quite up to writing it all out at the moment. The basics—
Liz was born into a middle-class Irish family, with an older brother, younger sister, and two parents that were not meant for one another in any sense of the word. Samuel, Elizabeth's father, was her savior—her hero in all senses of the term. Exactly alike in every way, he and she were close because they related in thoughts and mind. Katherine, Liz's mother, however, was not pleased to have another girl. She needed money made in the poverty of Armagh and was not going to receive much of it in a patriarchal society. Liz's younger sister, Sarah, was everything society wanted—pretty, smart, and energetic. However, Sarah at a very early age took to beating her sister up out of anger. Liz was light enough to allow this to happen, and get away with the bruises.
When she was three, Kat sent her daughter to a Catholic rehabilitation center, convinced her daughter was insane. This wasn't a random action—Liz had been diagnosed with epilepsy, although this was a false action. From three to five Liz stayed at Serenity Rehabilitation Institute, its name a contradiction in all terms. (I am not meaning to offend any Catholics, by the way. Artistic license.) Sam was falling into a deeper depression with his daughter gone, and his close friends could not help. Ironically, Sam had befriend three boys in his youth and had stayed loyal to them all through his life—Severus Snape, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin. While Sirius and Remus had always been close to James, they managed to fall in a platonic love with Samuel for his wit, his talent, and his endearing charm.
At the time, Severus was in a loving relationship with a woman named Ceri, who is not my character. She's Animus et Anima Wyrmis', so talk to her if you want to know. Liz knew the three 'uncles' and loved them; they here. It was a good relationship.
When Liz returned from rehab, she was a very different girl. She was a brilliant five year old who took to reading the dictionary very early one and telling the world they were full of thanotomaniacs. (This isn't unrealistic—I was like that at 5, minus the brilliant bit. I had no childhood.)
Mid-year, however, as Liz was 5 and a half, her parents were murdered abruptly while her siblings were out, and she was in the room. Sam had had a questionable past with the Death Eaters, and was their kryptonite among with others. Liz ran from the scene, leaving behind a world of Ireland and a life she had loved from afar. Going back to rehab, she lived there quietly for 3 years until she was found again. This is where it gets tricky. For the sake of time, I shall just say that it came that Liz was 'bought' back from the center and came into the care of Severus and Remus until the time she was to go to Hogwarts. Thus the change in her relationship with Severus—in the beginning, he had been much of an uncle to her, but now that there was no paternal figure in her life, he gladly took the role of a father. And so it stayed that way until her 5th year, when everything changed.
Sarah, who had been under the pressure of popularity and former friends, took to cutting, anorexia, and bulimia. The two sisters had never liked each other, as they hadn't grown up together and came from two different worlds. Liz struggled to keep her sister alive, but failed as Sarah died at the beginning of 5th year. Full of revenge and anger, Liz signed a deal with Fudge, taking the path her father once had. She became a Death Eater for Voldemort, but also spied for the Ministry. It was a double-edged sword and Liz was careful to keep it in its sheath…for a time. The 15 year old girl killed literally thousands, which would make a lot of you consider that she's a horrible person. Which, at the time, she was. She offered no mercy, not even the children that lost their lives by her wand.
But, it was not to last. Liz's demise ended with a trial sending her to Azkaban on charges of treason, massacre, terrorism, possible arsenal, etc. Previously, she had become a lover to Severus, finding comfort in his 'pompous' arms. They had a good relationship, very loving and passionate. Now, most of you are probably blinking at me—what happened to Ceri? Unfortunately, she died just shortly after Liz went to rehab. I cannot say how, as it's not my place, but do note that it tore Mr. Snape up quite a bit.
So, Liz went to Azkaban. In my RPG/story line, Azkaban has five levels instead of one grandeur room. There's Division A, B, C, D, and E. It's like the levels of Hell, if you've ever read Dante. A and B are like Purgatory—not entirely the worst of crimes, but still bad enough to warrant the prison. C is the middle—not too bad, not too good. It's neutral. D is for betrayers, for those that killed a street-load of people. Sirius was there. Now you have a scale. E…is Hell. It's your own personal Hell. Its timing is different, where every month is actually a year in normal time. Liz spent 60 months in there=60 years. It's a hard concept, so to make it easy, just know that it was a shitload of time. She came out a shell, returning to Severus as a different girl with nothing to strive for.
Then…the fight. This coincides with my collab fic with Animus et Anima Wyrmis—Interitus et Superbian. There was a painful fight, that involved Severus' yelling at Liz's cool rage. She left the same night, going to Scotland and becoming an undercover Inspector for the same Ministry that had ruined her to begin with.
And so the fic. Understand now? She loved Severus, and still does. Now that that's explained, proceed to my new fic—Severus' POV.