Suicide Solution.

Notes: this is a Severitus Challenge, go to www.geocities.com\challengefics\thechallenge.htm To find out the 'rules' for a Severitus Challenge piece.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything that is recognisably harry potter-ish, and the Severitus challenge-ness belongs to the writer Severitus, userid=123967

Summary: A Severitus challenge, [Snape is Harry's father] Story begins at 11.59pm on July 30th. It's the summer before Harry's 6th year, and Harry's changing . . . (A Dark Harry fic)

Chapter 15

"Harry! HARRY!" Someone was shaking his shoulders but he couldn't focus on them through the blinding pain he was in.

"Harry, come on snap out of it!" he felt someone's hand collide with the side of his face and then more shouting "Harry for Merlin's sake cut it out!"

It was Ron.

The minute was over, and Harry's body relaxed again. He rubbed the back of his hand over his forehead, he was sweating like mad.

He felt someone push a glass of water into his hands and he drank it greedily.

"You okay? What did you see?" Ron was questioning him

"I didn't see anything Ron, it had nothing to do with the Dark Lord, now move I have to go to Snape."

Harry climbed out of his bed and pulled a cloak on over his pyjamas

"Why do you need to see Snape?" Ron asked shocked

"Because he is a potions master and I need pain killers, that's why." Harry was awake now and noticed Ron watching him, he then remembered something

"Why the hell are you talking to me Weasley? We're not friends any more remember. Now sod off and go back to sleep like a good little Gryffindor."

Harry spat out the last bit as if it tasted foul. Ron was taken aback by his viscous tone and stepped back as Harry left the dormitories.

"What was that about?" Dean asked from his bed

"I have no idea" he replied

"He's been acting so weird lately" Seamus said to the others

"I know" came Neville's voice "He scares me"

"I know exactly what you mean Neville, he scares me too." Ron was walking back towards his bed as he continued talking "Lets get some sleep, we'll try and figure him out in the morning."

"Yeah good plan. Night."

"Night"

~S~

To say that Harry was in a bad mood, would be an understatement, but his mood was nothing compared to Snape's as he was woken from his sleep by someone pounding on his door.

'What do they want?' he glanced at the clock 'It's 10 past bloody midnight! Unless they have a very good reason for waking me I will make the rest of their time at Hogwarts unbearable' he reached the door and pulled it open

"What do you w-"

"Evening father, got any pain killers?"

Snape stared at his son

"Why on earth would you need pain killers?"

Tanathos walked into his fathers rooms and Snape shut the door behind him.

"Because I just got woken up by Weasley slapping my face." He replied, Snape raised an eyebrow questioningly "And my body still convulses at night, and it bloody hurts" he finished.

Snape watched his son sit down on one of his high backed black chairs and sat opposite him

"Why does you body convulse every night?" he inquired

"Because of this stupid charm, it's wearing off but it's bloody annoying. I've been going through this every night at midnight since my birthday."

Snape looked thoughtful

"You say Weasley woke you up by slapping your face?"

"Yeah little bugger if it leaves a mark I'm gonna beat the shit out of him"

Snape smirked "As much as I would like to see that, you can't"

"Why not?" Tanathos exploded

"Because you would get expelled. Though there is another way to get back at him"

Tanathos smirked "What's that? Throw him off the quidditch team?"

"That would be good too, and then Slytherin might actually win against you. But no I suggest a duel"

Tanathos looked questioningly at his father "A duel?" he repeated intrigued

"Yes, a wizards duel. You have been in a fair few, as has Weasley though not as many. I will ask Weasley to come down in one week's time after school and you two can duke it out down here in the dungeons."

Tanathos smiled "That would be a brilliant idea! Whose rules will be using? The ministries, Dumbledore's or the Dark Lords?"

Snape smirked

"The Dark Lords of course, unless you don't want to use anything that you will learn in that week from the books Blaise gave you earlier?"

"The Dark Lords rules sound fine to me. What about sound proofing, we can't have anyone we don't want finding this out. I could get into a lot of trouble"

"Since when have you cared about the rules and getting into trouble?" Snape teased

Tanathos faked a look of shock

"I have always cared haven't I?"

Snape let out a harsh bark of laughter

"Not that I'm aware of"

Tanathos smirked "Okay fine, I admit it I have never cared about getting into trouble before."

"So why do you now?"

"Because if someone hears Ron screaming they will bring a teacher who will get Dumbledore and then you would be in trouble for seeing over a duel where dark arts are used."

Snape thought for a minute before answering

"Fair enough, I will put up a sound barrier. It's been a long time since I heard a Weasley scream."

Tanathos looked over to his father who was deep in thought

"You've attacked a Weasley before? Which one, bill? Charlie?"

"No, none of the ones you've met this one died about 3 years before you were born."

"You killed him?" Tanathos asked amazed

"No, he betrayed the Dark Lord and I was given the privilege to dispose of him."

Tanathos adopted a looked of wonderment, "Do you remember it clearly?" he asked eagerly

"Yes of course I do."

"Can I see it?"

"What do you mean? Ah I understand yes, let me go get my pensive."

Snape stood up and walked over to one of the cupboards lining the walls. Tanathos heard him mutter a charm the door unlocked and Snape reached inside, he then pulled out a smaller version of the pensive he had used last year and walked over to his desk. He placed the pensive on top of it and tapped his wand against his temple and then on the top of thee bowl. The thin silver liquid joined them for a moment then Snape cut it off.

"Come over here Tanathos."

He stood up and walked over to the pensive.

"Ready?" his father asked

"Let's go." Tanathos' voice was cold and his face was set. Leaning forward he looked down into the basin. As soon as he touched the surface and felt himself be drawn into the memory. A few moments later his father joined him, standing at his side.

Tanathos looked around

"Where are we?" he asked in awe, taking in the stone walls and flickering torches.

"In the basement of the Malfoy's Cleveland manor. Come."

They walked along the dungeon passage in silence. Further along they heard voices, one Harry recognised as the Dark Lords. They were coming from behind the wooden door in front of them. Tanathos walked towards it and pushed it open.

The room was a very large stone dungeon, within it stood the Dark Lord and surrounding him in an arch were over 50 figures all robed in black.

"Which one are you?" Tanathos asked his father

"Watch, you'll see me in a minute."

Tanathos focused back on the death eaters.

"Meredith." The Dark Lord called, and a tall figure stepped forward and bowed before him

"Meredith, whom do you serve?"

"You my Lord."

"Funny, that's not what I've been told." The Dark Lord shot back at him

"No my Lord I serve only you!"

"LIAR!" He hissed, "Severus"

Another tall figure walked forward, and bowed just like Meredith

"Yes my Lord"

Tanathos moved forward as he heard his father's voice

"Whom do you serve?"

"The true heir of Slytherin, who shall rid the world of all the filthy muggles, mudbloods, squibs and muggle-lovers."

"Stand up Severus"

Severus did so

"Severus, why don't you show mister Weasley what happens when you betray me."

"Gladly my Lord."

Tanathos saw his father turn to face Meredith Weasley; he drew his wand and pointed it at the still bowing figure

"Crucio!" he hissed, the curse shot forward and hit Meredith, he screamed as the curse covered his body. The Dark Lord was laughing, as were the rest of the death eaters.

"Traitor!" Severus hissed at him and he shot the curse at him again. Meredith's screamed filled the room. The death eaters were laughing, behind him Tanathos could hear his father laughing wit them. He looked back at the crouching figure on the floor.

"Again!" cried the Dark Lord, Severus did as he was told

Meredith screamed again and this time coughed up blood, Tanathos smirked, 'serves him right. Stupid Weasley.'

He watched Meredith claw at his skin ripping it off the bones, and Tanathos began to laugh to.

"Do they always rip at the skin when under Cruciatus?" he asked his father, who like him, was still laughing

"No, it depends on the strength of the spell."

"End it." The Dark Lord hissed

"Avada Kedarva!" Severus shouted, and the jet of bright green light, which was so familiar to both Severus and Tanathos, shot out of his wand and hit Meredith. He stopped screaming immediately and collapsed to the floor. Dead. "Comburo!"

A flash of orange light filled the room as Severus cast the burning curse on Meredith's body.

It disintegrated slowly and the stench of burning flesh filled the room. It didn't affect Tanathos as he thought it would. He didn't feel remotely sick from the smell nor from the sight of a burning body, instead he was intrigued and eager to try the Comburo curse for himself.

"Father, is there any more?"

"What too much for you?"

"No, I just want to try out the Comburo curse. And take some pain killers my body still smarts."

Snape smirked at his son, 'he really is becoming my son, and Dumbledore's plans are falling apart. Soon the order will disintegrate and I will do nothing, but stand back and laugh as my son destroys the side of light.'

"Hello father! Wake up and take us back."

Snape sneered "Fine no need to get shirty"

"You were staring off into oblivion." Tanathos shot back; ignoring the scowl that his father sent his way

"Fine, come on. Stupid boy." He muttered

"I heard that." Tanathos snarled back.

"Let's go."

Tanathos felt his body being pulled upwards and he was back in his father's room. Snape walked over to the fireplace and threw some floo dust in to it.

"Kitchens" he told it, and a house elf apperated next to Tanathos

"What can I get you master Snape?"

"A whole live chicken, plucked."

"Oh course sir." The house elf dissapperated and then a few moments later a live chicken appeared in the room and started scurrying around.

"Stun it" Snape said calmly

"Stupefy!" Tanathos said, and the chicken stopped moving.

"Now try the curse."

Tanathos moved towards the chicken and staring down at it he hissed "Comburo"

Slowly the chicken began to set fire, and burn up. First the skin turned black before falling off and turning to ash on the cold stone floor. Then the muscles, followed by the internal organs. The smell of burnt flesh filled the room and laughing Tanathos asked his father seriously

"Fancy roast chicken for dinner?"

Severus laughed too, and they watched as the spell reached the birds bones. The fire turned them black and then went out.

"Aboleo" the chickens bone structure was obliterated with the spell.

Tanathos sat down while Severus went to another one of his cupboards. He returned shortly with a bottle of liquid.

Tanathos took it.

"Pain release potion, take half of the dosage it says there, because of the Veilskurn potion. Take the full dosage and the potions will cancel themselves out. You will look like Tanathos instead of Harry and the pain you feel every night will increase for a week."

"Got it. Now I need to get sleep, it's all hallows eve tomorrow and I need to be awake for the feast."

"Today." Severus corrected him

"What?"

"All hallows eve is today." He motioned to the old grandfather clock which said it was 1.30am "Shit, I need to get back. See you tomorrow father. Will you be at the feast?"

"Yes, the DE party doesn't start 'till 11pm."

"Shame I can't go."

"You could, it will be a risk but you could manage it."

Tanathos shock his head

"No I've already taken the potion; it won't wear off 'till gone 11 tonight."

Severus thought for a minute then asked

"Exactly what time do you take the potion?"

"11.30pm last night tonight will be 10.30. If I take it."

"You could come then. The party starts at 11, but myself and the others here can't normally get away for then, so you could come."

"Seriously!" Severus nodded "Brilliant! Wait 'till I tell Blaise."

"You're lucky it's a Saturday today, you can head down to Hogsmeade and get some appropriate robes."

"Yeah, I'll bring Blaise; he'll know what'll be good."

"Good idea, now get to bed!"

"Goodnight father."

"Goodnight Tanathos."

Tanathos left the room and silently made his way back up to gryffindor tower. "Eatsqueakmeat" he whispered to the fat lady who was surprisingly, still awake. She swung forward, for once not asking him where he was, and he climbed in. quickly he walked up to his bed and collapsed onto it falling asleep immediately.

~S~

AN: the curse 'Comburo' and spell 'Aboleo' both come from Not Myself by Saerry Snape.

Go read it!

Keep reading and reviewing!

Lady Snake ~