Of Charcoal and Rose
By: ann no aku
General Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling.
Chapter Five
Author's Notes: Um, sorry? *blush* It has taken so damn long, ne?.
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The meeting is tonight, Severus?" Dumbledore questioned stopping the potions professor in the passageway.
"Yes," he replied with a bit more venom in his voice than intended. "I am to meet Lucius by the Screaming Shack at ten."
"I wish you luck, then. Hopefully all will go well."
"Thank you, Sir." Snape retreated back to his quarters and prepared himself for the Death Eater's meeting. He had only an hour left before he had to meet up with his old friend. His Dark Mark burned brightly on his arm.
It was time to leave.
He took the long way out of the school and walked alone in the dark with his hand gripping tightly about his wand. Before he realized where he was, the cool metal knob of Malfoy's cane tapped him on the back.
"Glad to see you could make it. Come with me," he instructed and led him to the outskirts of Hogsmaede. Lucius pointed to a small rock. "We are going to pick this up at the same time."
"A port key?" Snape questioned.
"You think I don't trust you." He chuckled. "No, Severus, whether or not I trust you is not the issue."
"Is that what this is about, then?" he inquired, studying Malfoy very carefully.
"It's only going to be you and me, Severus." Lucius bent down by the rock. "You're going to prove your everlasting friendship to me." Snape followed in suit and instantly they were transported to a secluded medow. "Come. We're going to my manor."
The duo treaded through tall weeds and walked for what felt like three hours when it had only been half the time. They finally reached the doorstep to the house, and Snape understood the reason for using the port key. Malfoy never trusted people and did not allow disapparation or apparation on his land. Lucius lured his guest to the basement of his house which was amazingly high considering they were just below the house.
"Wait here," he told Severus and left him standing at the edge of a circular platform. Lucius entered the dungeon where he kept the Muggle and was pleased to see that she was still asleep. He carried her body to the platform and gently laid her in the middle facing Severus.
Snape's throat constricted.
"It's a Muggle, Severus," Lucius began, stating the obvious. "You know what you have to do. She won't realize that anything has happened because she's under a very potent sleeping draught. I want to make this as painless for you as possible, my friend. I know how much killing disturbs you."
Claudia stirred and struggled to move. She opened her eyes, but found that she still could not see. Her hands and feet were bound together. Where was she? Her thoughts flooded back to her encounter with the snake like man. He had put something over her mouth. Was he going to rape her? The man had been dressed like those whom had been terrorizing London as of late. She was a victim! Why? Was it because she recognized him from before? She cried out hoping someone would hear her, but even her cries were silenced.
"Awake so soon?" Lucius neared her and slowly untied the rope on her hood. His ice cold fingers burned her skin as her delicately removed the bandana from her mouth. He then unveiled himself by pulling back his own hood. "Sh," he commanded before she could protest. "I regret informing you, Miss, that today you are going to die."
"No," she whimpered and doubled over. "Please, don't kill me." Tears streamed down her face.
"It won't hurt, I promise." Lucius' words offered no comfort.
"Y-You can't," she gasped and stared at him. "Please, don't kill me."
"I am not the one who's going to kill you, my dear."
"D-Don't kill me," she begged. "Please. I am pregnant."
"Really? Oh, this has just gotten interesting." Malfoy proceeded to unbind her wrists and ankles then stood to face his 'friend'. "You have two choices," he boomed, "You can either kill her or save her. Either way, you must show yourself. If you do not follow those rules, I shall be forced to kill her." He laughed ominously. "Do you agree?"
Far too much in shock to say anything, Snape just nodded his covered head and put his hand in his pocket. He had a choice. Why give him a choice? Just what was he playing at?
"Do you recognize this lovely Muggle?" Lucius cupped her face. "No matter your decision, she'll suffer."
Ms. Wallace! He'd have to save her. That was the only logical thing to do. Then he could cast a memory charm on her later. But, if he did save her, did it show he wasn't loyal? What was more important—Dumbledore's plan or the Muggle?
"I let you choose, friend," he released her damp cheeks, "Because I know that no matter the decision, suffering will be on both sides. If you do an 'obliviate', well, you'll just have to wait and see, right?" Malfoy whispered in Claudia's ear, "Maybe if you tell him you're pregnant, he'll rescue you."
Claudia was too hysterical to see the game he was playing. "But you said suffering was either way," she clutched her slowly forming womb.
"True, but you won't die if he rescues you. Your child will live. Tell him," he urged.
"I-I can't!" she cried and held her tear stricken face low. It pained Snape to see her so. "Please, just don't kill me!"
"Do not beg to me, woman! Tell it to your true murderer!"
"Don't kill me."
"He can't hear you! Give him a reason to spare you!"
"Oh, god," Claudia sobbed loudly and tried to keep herself calm so she could speak. "Please," she looked up at the concealed Severus. "I'm pregnant. Don't kill me."
"Good girl."
Pregnant? It all made sense to him. Lucius really did not care which decision he'd make. If he was to rescue her, she'd hate him. If he was to use the memory charm, he'd never be able to be a part of his child's life. Somehow Malfoy knew.
"You have thirty seconds to decide, Friend, or I kill her." Lucius readied his wand. "What is it going to be? Ah! Twenty-five seconds!"
"Please do not kill me. My-My child-" she stuttered.
"Twenty!" he read from his watch. "Tick tock."
What could he do?
"Please," she cried into her hands sitting on her bloodied kneecaps.
"Fifteen! Half of your precious decision time is wasted."
"I cannot die. Not yet."
"Ten!"
"Please!" she shouted, not caring anymore about how pathetic she appeared.
"Nine. Honestly, I would have thought you'd save her by now. Six. Now is the time to do it, Friend."
"No," she sobbed.
"Three . . .two . ."
"NO!" she screamed sounding as though she was dying already.
"One. Say goodbye to-" Lucius stopped as he watched Severus pull back his hood, revealing a very frightened expression. "You are going to save her, I presume?"
Claudia looked up right into the confused eyes of her hero. "Oh my god." Nausea overwhelmed her. "Not you."
"Doesn't seem too happy to see you. I wonder why. Aren't you her prince on a white horse?" Lucius' words angered Snape. "Come now, either save her or kill her. She already knows who you are!"
"It's not true," she mumbled.
"Oh, my dear, but it is!"
"Nn . ." Bile erupted from her mouth and she passed out onto the wooden platform.
"How disappointing."
Snape marched up to her and picked the woman up in his arms. She was a mess. Rage boiled deep inside of him. Malfoy had done it all on purpose. He had hit him where it would hurt the most.
"When are you going to learn to let go, Severus? She's just another one of them! Worst part is is that she carries your unborn child. Yes, I do know. It is hard to believe someone, no a Muggle as lovely and so well brought up would choose to fuck you. Disgusting, isn't it?" Lucius sneered at Snape. "Either way, I've won. There's nothing you can do to change that. I bet she'd be so distraught that her 'gentleman' lover has betrayed her that she'll never trust anyone ever again. Isn't it just funny how things work out?" He pointed to a chair by the platform. "Please do not forget her things; I have no use for htem."
He glared at Malfoy with his jaw tightly clenched. Snape found it hard to accept everything that happened that evening. He was not a Muggle lover or even partial to them. He hated them almost as much as the Potters and Marauders. He especially loathed Lucius at the moment.
"Well? Aren't you going to get out of my sight? It's bad enough having witness you risk all you ever stood for to save the life of a blubbering Muggle!" Lucius watched in distaste as his once old friend trudged up the steep stairs and out of the dungeon.
Severus carried her all the way off Malfoy's land and apparated into the Leaky Cauldron where he checked out a room for the night. He could not return to Hogwarts with a Muggle in his arms, especially a female one at that! It took him an hour to fall asleep considering he was on the floor. He knew it'd be hard for Claudia to get over everything that had happened and Severus began to pity her. It wasn't fair that she had to go through all she did. It was not right.
End of Chapter Five! Hope you enjoyed!
~ann no aku