Chapter 10- Aube la plus somber

                        (Darkest Dawn)

I love it just before dawn, they say it is always darkest just before dawn

Severus Snape stood on the balcony of the large Snape manor, alone as it had been for 8 years, watching the dawn in all is magnificence as if it were the last time he would have the chance.

He watched as the night sky lightened, unmoving and silent within his own world of the suffering he considered his life. Or rather his life he considered as suffering.

All the happenings of late combined with all the feelings and dug up memories had piled on top of him until in these moments he was lost beneath them. He was slipping, falling away from stable ground, falling.

His long black hair, which had grown fast in response to the trim in true wizard style, was tangled in a morning's breeze as he looked out over the fields of his estate. A few more hours and Lucius would awake, and Severus would start to question just how much longer he could go on like this, hoping to discover when it would all end.

~~**~~

The two young men stood together on the driveway in the morning's cold, silent, both lost within thought.

"Severus, you will be home in 2 days, I am correct in believing so? You need to pack to go back to Hogwarts." Wesley stood on the manor steps looking down at the two boys, waiting anxiously for the carriage to appear so he could return inside.

"Correct, I shan't be too long, if I am I will send an owl." Severus replied through chattering teeth, half wondering why they called this summer.

"Do what you deem best Master Snape. Young Malfoy I expect I will be seeing you when Severus returns or next Christmas." Lucius looked up realising he was being addressed by Wesley.

"Yes perhaps, I m-" He was cut off as Severus interrupted, indicating to Lucius that he could see the carriage coming slowly from the stables. Both boys stared at each other for a moment before simultaneously looking away as they picked up their bags.

"Master Snape, one more thing, where are you two going?"

Severus slide into the carriage and hesitated for a moment before answering. "Hell..." He slammed the door closed and Lucius beside him muttered

"I thought you were already there Satan."

Severus looked at Lucius and stared the sort of stare nobody wants to receive from Severus Snape, but Lucius feigned ignorance and settled himself in the carriage, without a word.

There was silence for a while neither saying anything as Severus shifted and fidgeted, uncomfortable with this whole situation, until finally speaking. "Lucius, where exactly are we going?"
 "You will know all in good time Severus, all in good time my friend, Trust me."

"Lucius, how can I trust you? You've said 'Trust me' many times before and I have, but all that trust gave me was trouble and you were usually wrong." Severus crossed his arms; he was always good at arguing with Lucius.

"Come off it Severus when have I gotten us in trouble, or been wrong for that matter?"

"Where do you want me to start?! Remember that whole Remus Lupin thing?" Lucius groaned. "Still brooding Snape?"

"Oh and you were trying to tell me Morganna Montaque was an evil veela and you were wrong." Severus said driving his point with the best example he could find.

"That was years ago and how do you know that she isn't?" Lucius replied, losing the argument.

"I know her much better than you do, and she isn't evil- as you say"

"You're obsessed with her!" Lucius said desperately trying to change the subject to one of Severus's flaws.

"No Lucius, I'm not." Severus used his most calm tone of voice and scared Lucius into silence. And that was how the rest of the ride was spent- in silence.

It was late Afternoon when they arrived at the unknown location. A large abandoned castle loomed over the carriage as it came to a stop. Lucius got out slowly and told Severus to stay put. Severus could hear Lucius talking to the driver. Nothing made sense to him, if this location was so secret that Lucius could not tell him, why would he tell one of Severus's drivers? There was a flash, it was unmistakably that of a magic hex, and it prompted Severus to emerge from the carriage.

"Jesus Christ!"
"Severus!?" Lucius looked up from what he was doing to see Severus. He panicked.

"What the hell did you do?" Severus looked at Lucius from where he was, climbing down from the carriage. Lucius was standing 10 metres away, his wand out in one hand, dragging a body away with the other. The body of the driver. Lucius narrowed his eyes.

"I told you to stay in the carriage." He hissed surprising Severus with his behaviour

"You forget Lucius, you can't tell me what to do and expect me to do it now what the hell have you done! Or more to the point what are you doing?" Severus looked shocked and livid at the same time, and Lucius looked as equally livid.

 "Getting rid of this. He knows about the castle, he might see one of Death eaters and we have to be damned careful about what we do. I'll have you understand Severus, this isn't a game."
"Well you often act like it is Lucius so I don't know what to think." Severus turned away as Lucius kicked the body of his victim into a nearby ditch, muttering afterwards. " That will do…"

Severus added to his remark."- Do you know how much trouble we will get into if the ministry finds out- underage wi-." Stopping mid sentence Severus turned around again  to stare disgustedly at Lucius Malfoy, his whole impression of him changed. Vicious callous killer. And it was obvious now Lucius held some intelligence, that he had not revealed until now.

 "Basterd…" Severus muttered under his breath, a feeling of rage washing over him.

"Come on Snape, Come meet your new family." Lucius walked off and when Severus did not follow he beckoned him to come. Severus followed.

"Lucius Malfoy you are late!" A harsh voice barked from the room at the end of the corridor. Lucius seemed to shake for a moment. Severus followed taking in this new environment. Lucius looked to Severus, before taking deep breath and entering the room. Severus stepped into the room after him. There was a small flash and Severus felt as though the breath was knocked out of him, everything slowed down and slowly everyone turned to face Lucius Malfoy and this newcomer. All except one that is. A cloaked figure stood in the middle of the room, surrounded by several other cloaked men. Severus was amused by the use of cloak indoors but decided it wise not to comment on this.

"Lucius…" The 'thing' in the middle of the room spoke softly now. "You are late..."

"I know master I was-" Lucius doubled over mid sentence and Severus watched wide eyed.

"Hush boy I didn't ask for an explanation, I was stating a fact." The thing spun around to reveal a dark shadowy creature not that of human status with the features of a rotting corpse and snake like eyes, glowing red in small slits. Exactly the disgusting mass murderer Severus had been imagining.

"You are Severus Snape…"

"Yes."

"Don't interrupt!" Severus jumped a bit at the mans response.

"Severus Snape, 17 years of age. Son of Angele Russier and Edward Snape. Born in Dover…. I know all about you. You will make an excellent Death Eater. Severus say hello to your family my child." Severus was trying not to laugh, and succeeding, but only just. He had observed some of the death eaters around them were older than this Voldemort character. He was chilled by the atmosphere though.

The thing slowly snaked his way other to Severus and touched his cheek. Severus's insides froze and he felt cold all over. Severus recoiled and took a step away.

"Excellent……" The thing drawled

His name was Tom Riddle. All were to call him Lord Voldemort or suffer the 'consequences'( whatever they may be) and Severus did discover. Fortunately not the hard way though.

"Hold out your arm to me boy"

The room was now empty and Severus stood alone with Tom Riddle or 'Voldemort'. The hood of Voldemort's cloak was now down and he was staring at Severus with a piercing look that came to him naturally. Severus had not heard Voldemort as he was lost in his mind.

"You intrigue me Severus Snape. You power is intriguing, your intelligence is intriguing... and your personality. - Hold out your left arm."

Severus wasn't sure what he was talking about but he held out his left arm for him.

"I can tell you are a pureblood Severus, it's rarely ever easy to tell with others but you... Now hold out your right hand." Voldemort had rolled up Severus's sleeve as he talked. He withdrew a dagger from the inside of his cloak made deep cut in the palm of Severus's right hand, causing Severus to let out a sharp cry of pain and then to finish by swearing in Latin.

"Why the hell did you..?" In the all the confusion Voldemort had drawn with his wand a mark, identical to Lucius's, on Severus's inner left forearm. It looked like ink and it sparkled on his skin, then it started to sink beneath his skin. It hurt. And Severus could almost see why he had cut his hand, to confuse him, so he could mark him without any protest. And he did a good job. Severus was extremely confused.

"Sit down Severus, the pain will go away in a few moments and I'm sure you can heal yourself." Severus nodded, sitting down in a chair nearby, while withdrawing his wand to heal his hand.

"Your loyalty is to me now. Understand that, and when I am displeased with you I will not hesitate to let you know." Severus decided not to ask what Tom or 'Voldemort' meant by this.

"Now come with me." Voldemort walked out of the room and Severus leapt up and followed, still healing his right hand, not wanting to be left behind in that room.

Severus followed Voldemort through many corridors and trap doors. In one particular corridor howls of what would be pain could be heard. Voldemort seemed to ignore this but Severus was disturbed by it. Walking with his eyes closed he studied the screams.. they were so familiar to him. The torched screams of a weary victim… it was so close to him. The pain.

And then they passed a man.

He was lying on the ground his black robes, convulsing in pain. There was blood on the floor around him and Severus observed it was coming from his mouth.

Severus stopped but Voldemort kept on going.

"Whats wrong with him?" Severus knelt beside the man. Severus had never really been a caring person but sure as hell if that was him in a corridor, in that state, he wouldn't want to be ignored.

"He disobeyed me Severus. Now come" Voldemort stopped and spun around to see Severus. The man was still convulsing and as a result hitting his head against the wall and floor. Severus tried to stop this by holding him down.

"What is happening to him?" Severus demanded. Voldemort's eyes flashed at this display of disobedience and he hissed in reply.

"It's a curse. Consumption. Highly contagious and highly fatal. Can not be traced to magic. Now come away, you will catch it from him or I will gladly give it to you myself."

The man was coughing blood up all over Severus. Severus made an attempt to move away from the man but he grabbed onto to Severus and pulled his face down to his by Severus's collar.

"Don't trust  ... him."

Severus managed to tear himself away from the man, to follow Voldemort who got bored with the display and walked off.

Severus was covered in the man's  blood and he was later told the man was dead.

He heard Voldemort cursed people with all sorts of diseases, Tuberculosis and Ebola being the most popular. Mainly because no one could trace it back to magic. (Although Ebola looked suspicious because to many though and there weren't many outbreaks in Europe) Many were punished in this manor and as a result died a long and drawn out painful death.

Severus was scared sick, so much as breathing around a person with Tuberculosis (or better known as consumption) was life threatening and now he had been coughed and bleed all over. He now figured he'd have to wait and see if he contracted the disease. But after a few hours he forgot completely. Mostly because of the alcohol Lucius had been giving him.

After a night with Lucius and other slimy creatures from the underworlds Severus was more than ready to go home.

He sat Alone in his carriage on his way to Richmond, intending to meet up with his tutor there, staring at the mark on his left forearm. He had tried to wash it away, but some sort of sparkling ink had settled beneath his skin.

He now had something else to add to his long list of regrets.