Where Armageddon ends
Disclaimer: Characters belong to
JK Rowling, the faire godmother of these characters. However, I believe the
plot is mine.
Summary: AU – Twelve years
later, Harry James Potter is found, after disappearing after the Great battle. Voldemort
has won. Harry James Potter is a defeated man. Prologue is up.
Dedications: To a_typical_Snarry_fan and Rachel1979 , two
of my fairest reviewers.
Prologue : Lost and found
He raised his hands slowly, gracefully, making sure that he had all the time of
the world to behold them to me in all their glory.
Fingers that had grown and been bent into awkward angles, skin that had been
mutilated over and over again until only large pieces of scar tissue
remained; those hands could have belonged to an old man.
An old man who no longer had the strength in them to hold a wand, let stand
alone a book. An old man who had lived to see his share.
He had had a quick glimpse at these hands before; but only now he realised that
they had been handled without care. Mutilated. Tortured without any visible
reason. For a Potions master like himself, it would have meant the end of the
world. Hands were little wonders of nature; most people had no idea about the
amount of muscles and sinews that were needed to properly move a hand. Once a
few of them were destroyed or mutilated, you could forget the proper use of a
hand.
"I have never liked the look of them, but as the years pass, you have no choice
but to get used to them."
His voice was hushed, as if he had perhaps forgotten how to speak, his green
eyes, once bright, now only dull, rested upon the sight of those awful hands.
Strands of his hair fall before his eyes; his hair is long; it had been unkempt
and unwashed for several years; until just hours ago. The beard, now gone,
could have flattered him if it had been growing on a healthy face; this face
was pale, with protruding cheekbones, and eyes that looked like they were lost
in a world of inhumanity. He knew that this gaunt face, and Merlin knew he had
seen many before; would haunt him forever. He looked like Sirius Black when he
escaped from Azbakan. It would be barely a compliment.
He had nothing more to say and lowered his hands, away from the sight of the
tall, imposing teacher that he had loathed once, in years gone by. He went over
to the most comfortable sofa that the teacher's lounge owned and sat down on
the soft pillows, propping his feet up on the Victorian prayers bench. Severus
Snape didn't stop him. He wouldn't have.
Although he looked on his ease, comfortable, Severus
Snape knew that he wasn't.
He was battling his inner demons, a fight that had probably lasted for over 10
years.
"Can I get you something, Potter? Some tea perhaps?"
He slowly shook his head, as he folded his hands in his lap. They were causing
him discomfort, yes. Any fool could see that.
"No tea. Water would be just fine."
Severus Snape nodded shortly as he grabbed the jug that was set on the small
wooden table and took one of the
beakers that stood aligned next to each other.
"Nothing else?"
The boy shook his head again. "I don't need anything else, thank you."
He gladly accepted the filled beaker, and winced when his hand dropped down
momentarily from the weight, but quickly regained strength. With shaking hands
he brought the beaker to his lips , and managed to drink some, with only
spilling a few drops.
Perhaps he had learned to spare his water when imprisoned; after all, his
actions were still of those of a prisoner. Not surprising, when it had only
been a few days ago since he had been found.
What would Sirius Black have loathed it to find out that Harry James Potter had
been captured by Voldemort, and imprisoned, to be only forgotten and neglected,
only to be fed scraps once a week.
Remus Lupin was also no longer here; Death eaters had captured him when he had
on the search for Harry, en he had never left their dungeons alive. His corpse
had been exposed in Diagon Alley to warn any other people that might be looking
for 'The golden boy'; if they were caught, they were killed without pardon.
Severus Snape shook his head when he saw the boy drink from his beaker; and was
surprised at the fact that Harry Potter was not complete lost in this imaginary
world he was sure he had. At least, not yet.
