NOTE: Congratulations to Lorwyn Daystar, RinaSparrow, sweetytweety013, and Cantoris for guessing the traitor correctly! And thanks for trying to everyone else whom guessed.
This chapter is dedicated to a teacher who recently died at my school, she'll be greatly missed.
CHAPTER 17: A Traitor's Payment
"Hello," Artemis said as she appeared next to him. He looked around and found that he was back inside the Dark Palace.
"I thought you didn't come into reality," he remarked, studying the room.
"Oh, I don't," she replied. "Not usually, and I haven't. This has already happened. Now I suggest you take a closer look into that cell.
"Selina!" he gasped, horrified. "But-but he swore he wouldn't hurt her!"
"Have you become so fool-hearty that you believed the dark lord," Artemis said spitefully. He felt his heart clench at the sight of Selina's battered body. She looked so fragile, so helpless. He felt like the lowest slime on earth…and he wasn't that far from it.
"No," he whispered.
"Watch," Artemis commanded. In difficulty, he did. Another figure entered the room; it was Stacy. She knelt down beside the broken body of the girl.
"Hello," he heard Stacy say in a pleasant tone. "Fancy seeing you here. Are you enjoying yourself? I am. Though I had expected Tom to be my first little victim, I suppose you'll have to do because I won't have you spilling any secrets to his death eaters. The Order is mine to destroy at my will, as is Tom and his little empire. So good night little girl." And then he felt Selina die. It was like someone had stabbed and icicle into his heart and twisted it around.
"Do you see what you have caused?" Artemis asked him as Stacy disappeared. "She was the last bit of family you had and you've ruined it…Salazar." He smiled grimly.
"I don't see why you never used my name before," he said quietly, fighting back tears.
"I was waiting for the right moment," she answered. "But that's not the point. Salazar, do you see what you have started? The killing will not end with Selina; it will spread, as I've showed you before. How is it that when you saw your world end it did not move you but the death of your sister did? It doesn't make much sense; did you think she survived the total destruction? It's not possible."
"I- I suppose I had never thought of her dying," Salazar said, a stay tear breaking past his barriers. "She is, was, my twin. It just seemed like she'd always be there. I love Artemis, but I need Selina, we've been through so much together.
Flashback
"Salazar," a twenty-three year old Selina said, her face red and eyes puffy from all the crying she had endured. "What are we going to do?" He turned around and embraced her.
"We've get through this," he promised his sister. "Dad would want us to keep going, he wouldn't want us to give in now, not after he worked so hard."
"But he's gone, how would he know?" She sniffled. "Who's going to lead us now? Maybe we should just give in, there's not much left to fight for."
"Don't say that," Salazar said fiercely. "I won't give in and neither can you! Promise me you'll stay by my side, Selina. I'll lead the order, as long as you promise to help, I'm only human and need companionship, especially twin-ship." Selina smiled.
"All right," she answered. " 'S long as you promise to never leave me Sal, you're all I've got left."
"We'd be not let Vickie, Cherie, and Rye here us talking like that," Salazar teased. Selina laughed a little.
"Right."
End Flashback
"I broke my promise," he said hollowly. "It's my fault Selina died." Artemis smirked.
"You're right, it is your fault," the immortal agreed. "You had to have know something like this was going to happen. After all, Voldemort is known as the dark lord, that should say something to you."
"It should have," Salazar said in a pained voice. "But it didn't matter, not when I met him."
Flashback
"Ah, my little Salazar Snape," Voldemort said. Salazar was chained to the wall, his face a blank, expressionless thing. "You remind me so much of your father…he was a rather stupid man at time, spying for the light. But I will give him this, he was tricky. I didn't suspect him for years. It just goes to show you never know who will do what, I never would have guessed that one of the famed Snape's would be the spy, but ah well. No time to dwell on that now." Internally, Salazar raged at the insult to his father, but his face remained just as calm and cool as ever.
"Listen, Salazar, I have a small proposition for you." Salazar didn't like the sound of that, but he let Voldemort continue.
"Since your father betrayed me, I haven't had a spy in the Order of the Phoneix," Salazar could guess where this was leading up to.
"No."
"Ah good, I was wondering when you'd speak. Such a nice word too, I was hoping to have a reason to kill your sister," Voldemort said with a cruel delight.
"My sister?" Salazar struggled to remain calm. They'd captured Selina too? But he'd been certain she'd escaped! "You have her here?"
"Oh no," Voldemort said, still grinning evilly. "But we know where to find her and the rest of your silly Order as well."
"How?" Salazar asked swiftly.
"Tut, tut, you didn't want to work for me so why do I owe you any information?" Voldemort asked wickedly. Salazar worked hard to keep his anger in check. How could anyone stand this bastard? Perhaps death eaters wore earplugs in his presence…
"I was going to agree to leave your sister and the rest of your pathetic group alone in exchange for a little information each month, but since you'd rather see them all die, I guess I have no choice," Voldemort said with a fake sigh. The dark lord turned and began to walk away, knowing full well what Salazar was about to say.
"I'll do it."
"I knew you'd come around," Voldemort said, stopping. "But we can't have your little friends suspecting anything, so here's what you must do…
End Flashback
"I almost feel sorry for you," Artemis said. "But since I can't feel, I don't."
"You mean you can't feel any decent emotions," Salazar snarled. "You have no problem with spite and anger. Now take me somewhere else!"
"As you wish," Artemis said with a mock bow. Salazar looked around at the new scenery and saw himself in 4PD. In fact it was the first night everyone was staying there. He saw himself huddled up on the bed with Selina.
The door opened and Severus walked in. He sat down on the bed and took the two into his arms.
"I know this is hard," their father said to them in a soothing voice. "But it will get better, I promise."
"Really?" a ten-year old Selina asked hopefully.
"Of course," Severus answered, holding them closer. For a moment the three of them said nothing.
"Why did he kill mommy?" Salazar heard himself say and in his present state felt guilty about it. Severus stiffened for a moment.
"Because he is a bad man," was the best Severus could come up with. Salazar knew his father would explain more fully later because he remembered him doing so. But as a ten-year-old he accepted it.
"Will we ever see mom again?" Selina whispered.
"Yes, princess, we'll all see mommy again," Severus said softly. "We just have to wait a while. Now you two, try and get some sleep, I'll be across the hall if you need anything." Gently, Severus released his two children and stood up. They scurried under the covers and Severus leaned over and gave them each a goodnight kiss before walking out the door.
It was then Salazar realized what he had to do.
"Artemis, bring me to the Dark Palace and get my parents there too," he instructed. "I'm the only one who knows what has to be done to rid the world of darkness, but I can't do it alone." There was a strange glimmer in the immortal's eyes, was it hope? But Salazar had no time to ponder it.
"Fine," Artemis. "But I can only caution you to be careful. If you screw up, your time won't get another chance." Salazar nodded.
"I will be…for Selina, and for my father too." And then the world around him dissolved into the Dark Palace. Artemis stayed in that particular time for a few minutes longer, looking at the sleeping children. One would become a traitor to save his family and get so deep in it that the other one would die. Sighing she began to sing something that she had picked up visiting the year 2004 in America.
"Na na
Na na na na na
I miss you
I miss you so bad
I don't forget you
Oh it's so sad
I hope you can hear me
I remember it clearly
The day you slipped away
Was the day I found
It won't be the same
Oh
Na na
Na na na na na
I didn't get around to kiss you
Goodbye on the hand,
I wish that I could see you again
I know that I can't
I hope you can hear me
I remember it clearly
The day you slipped away
Was the day I found
It won't be the same
Oh
I've had my wake up
Won't you wake up
I keep asking why
I can't take it
It wasn't fake
It happened you passed by
Now you're gone,
Now you're gone
There you go,
There you go
Somewhere I can't bring you back,
Now you're gone
Now you're gone
There you go
There you go
Somewhere you're not coming back
The day you slipped away
Was the day I found
It won't be the same
Na na
Na na na na na
I miss you
Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I'm in a state of shock, 112! Thank you! Anyway, about the urgency for reviews last chapter, the response was great. While I didn't get around to telling you what it was for this chapter, just know that while it comes up at the end of the story, it will mostly concern the sequel and a certain number of "things" that Harry, his unknown girlfriend, Hermione, and Severus have to find so that something happens. So, what'd you think of this chapter? It's getting close to the end! Next Chapter: We briefly meet Athena and the true villains (there's not just Voldemort!) are reveled as well as a full explanation of Stacy. Sorry, I said it would be this chapter, but then this popped up and I had to write it. Don't worry, while there was barely any Severus and no Hermione this chapter, they'll be there next chapter for sure!
Normal comments, girl for Harry and any question are excepted. ONLY THIS CHAPTER AND THE NEXT LEFT FOR VOTING ON A GIRL FOR HARRY, SO ANY IDEAS, PLEASE SHARE!
Small disclaimer: I don't own the Avril Lavigne song "Slipped Away" which is on her new c.d. "Under My Skin"