~Surprise~

That voice, it has the ability to touch every inch of flesh and every part of your being. It gave me a horrid feeling, a feeling of unease that would not shake itself. The creature before me was twisted and bent out of shape, snake like features meshing with human ones. It looked nothing like the man, that years ago, I had called master.

How ironic, that after all these years of penance, that I should once again resume my duty and beg my allegiance to the man, if you could call him that, that I was his loyal servant.

This world surely has a plan to destroy me, no I shouldn't think that, and yet I do. Redemption is not mine, surely I would be given something, I would take anything to break away from the fate of this world and move on to the next.

But no, now is not the time, the creature is looking at me, with those horrible vermilion eyes.

"Master, I was not told of your resurrection. If I had known…I would have…Lucius…" My composure was shattered, I couldn't think, not after Virginia, and now…Voldemort.

"Ahhh, yesssssss, Luciusss has told me, but that does not matter now, Sseverusssss, I need you to do sssomething for me. You sssee, Virginia Weasssley, ssshe isss to be my heir. I need her trained. Do you underssstand me Sssverussss?"

"Yes Master, she has been coming to me, asking to be trained in the Dark Arts. She is brilliant, I have not seen someone with so much aptitude for the Dark Arts since Draco Malfoy, sir." I keep watching him, he has not moved an inch from when he first entered my chambers. And Virginia, did she know that she was to be the heir. This new information does not answer any of my questions, it only fills my mind with more. Though her first question has been answered. What does Lord Voldemort want her for? He wants her to be his heir, a Queen among death eaters. How fitting, yes, Virginia is meant to be Queen.

"Hmmmm, ssshe hasss already requesssted training, then you have been training her? For how long? Luciusss told me nothing of thisss… And Draco, yesss, he isss to be my Heir asss well, he is for Virginia. They will be powerful together. No one will be able to stop them, no one."

"Yes Master. I have been training her, for years, since her second year. And Lucius hasn't told you anything, he has been keeping secrets then. I should not like a man who keeps secrets."

Too much, I went too far, but I so loathe Lucius, he was the one that drove me to this, that put me here.

"You ssshould not sssay sssuch thingsss Sseverusss, even if you are right."

"Crucio"

Excruciating pain, hot needles ripped through my body from that single world. And His face contorted with glee as my knees gave way and I fell to the floor. I would not scream, I would not give him the pleasure of seeing me weak.

The satisfaction of keeping the scream swallowed in my throat did nothing for me as I bit on my tongue and felt to blood choke me, I would do anything not to scream.

He got bored after awhile, as he always does.

"Sseverusss, I hope that I ssshall not have to do that again. Teach Virginia what ssshe needsss to know, and perhapsss the next time we meet it sshall be a happy occasion. Good bye Sseverusss."

He apparated away with a similar "pop" and I am left to lay on the floor, my breathing uneven. The taste of my blood still in my mouth. At least now I have answers for Virginia, perhaps she will come back to me, I have much to teach her. She is, after all, to be Queen, and a Queen must know things that our dear Virginia does not.

This day could not get worse, and I hope the fates will spare me from more. I fear any more and I will break. Weakness does not suit me, but just this once.

He lay there, in blackness, the stresses of a life time taking their toll.

****

A/N sorry it took so long, but I got the encouragement I needed. I hope you all like it, even if it is short.