Severus Snape and the Long Silence
Lady Agatha Hal
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Sev is not my character; he is J K Rowling's. As goes with Dumbledore. Ilzy, however, is mine. Plot is mine. Do not copy without permission, please.
This is the first in a Severus Snape series I'm writing. The Return Of Severus Snape is the next one.
He watches the sky. Always. That is how he knows night from day.
He watches as the black sky gives up its specks of light to the brightness of day. He watches, as the sun's rays appear behind a bleak horizon, hurting his eyes just a little. He watches, as the sun climbs higher in the sky, seeking its goal of midday. He watches, always.
He wasn't always so alone, so isolated. He wasn't always a Watcher who did nothing else. He used to lead a life, a double life, even. But that was at his prime. Who cared about him? No one. He didn't even recognize the old fool who visited every week. He didn't understand the tongue in which he spoke and couldn't decipher the pain that passed across his face. He was a mute now.
He even, in a peverse way, enjoyed his new lifestyle. He knew it was new – he knew that much. He knew very well that it was different from how he used to live his life. He could remember when all this started, when that feeling first left him. The feeling of fear, of apprehension that always used to follow him. In every dark corner, every neglected cranny, the apprehension would follow, crowd him, suffocate him. As 'brave' as he was called, he always gave up without a fight for that feeling.
What did he used to do?? What life did he lead?
He was so very confused. His eyebrows stayed furrowed, his lids automatically closing and opening every night and morning. He didn't move. His muscles were stiff with six months staying still.
A three foot high twig that seemed to breathe walked into the room, "Good morning, Master Snape, sir. Ilzy is bringing you food. Master Snape has to eat food so Master Snape can stay strong. Ilzy is taking good care of Master Snape, yes, yes. Now eat your food, Master Snape, sir." Here the little house-elf preformed some elf-magic to keep his mouth open and the spoon-fed him soup, the spoon hovering uncertainly in midair for a second, "yes, sir, that's it. Now Ilzy is going to go. Ilzy will eat her lunch. Ilzy is a good house-elf. Yes, yes." She mumbled to herself as she made the tray travel through the air in front of her.
His eyes hadn't moved. They didn't waver. They focused on one bright star. His star. He loved that star, and always had. One of the few things he recalled.
The dark blue sky lightened for a second, as if reflecting the man's feelings for a second. A single finger moved an inch to scratch his forearm. The scarred patch on his forearm. Life went on.
He watched the impossibly green fields stretch along the horizon. He watched as the green met gold which in turn met the blue glitter, sparkling as far as the eye could see. He watched as the usual specks of floating white made their way across the land of blue. He watched as ant-sized specks travelled across the golden stretch of earth. Silently pleased that the order of his new life was the same, his eyes glittered.
The sun started its voyage down the sky, slowly and steadily. Its rays hit the blue sea sharply, throwing more beauty into the world. The endless blue suddenly contained a multitude of colours.
His lips itched. His subconscious wanted him to smile, to move his stiff limbs and be happy. The rest of him, however, resisted. He liked it where he was. He loved it in this pretty little world, where not more than three people visited. He loved looking at the world through a mute's eyes. And, for the time being, he loved keeping his discoveries secret.
The sky darkened. The shade of brilliant blue turned sapphire, and the sun slowly gave up its position, riding the sky. The sapphire turned darker, and suddenly the world that was full of light an hour before was brimming with darkness.
He started counting. 1… 2… 3… 4… 5… and… lights flickered on down the long dirt path that led to the mansion. 6… 7… 8… and lights appeared along the hem of the sea. 9… 10… and he saw the glow on the floor, telling him that the hall lights had been switched on.
Life was so very beautiful. Especially when there was nothing to expect.
Next in the series, The Return Of Severus Snape. If you enjoyed this read that.
Lady Agatha