Part Three – The Summons
Severus Snape stirred the cauldron in his dark and dreary basement with an ease that came from years of practice. He didn't even need to think about what he was doing. And that was the trouble he thought bitterly. What was the point of mixing potions to take his mind of things if he didn't have to use his mind to do it?
It had been two weeks now since his father had been killed.
The Dark Lord had summoned him personally to break the news. Severus had listened to the words his master had spoken without really hearing them.
"A faithful supporter...tragic loss to the cause...will be hard to replace..."
At the news of his death the only thing he had felt was relief, like a weight had been lifted from him. One that had gradually increased over the years as he had tried to live up to his father's expectations, something he had never quite managed.
Severus wondered if there was some part of him missing because he didn't grieve his father. He had stood at the funeral by his mother's side and watched with dry eyes as she had wept for the man who had mentally tortured her and physically abused her for as long as he could remember.
Carefully pouring the poisonous potion into a small glass bottle he felt the tingling sensation begin on his left arm. Pocketing the potion in his robe he pulled back his sleeve to see the symbol of his master branded upon his skin.
A simple rendition of a skull with the snake slithering from the mouth. He recalled the New Year's Eve around ten years ago when he had casually drawn the picture. He had never imagined when he had passed the parchment to the stranger who asked for it that one day the symbol would be burnt into his skin, that it would be a sign feared by all. Rationally he told himself that if it was not that particular image the Dark Lord would have chosen something else equally gruesome. But even so he felt responsible for the fear the image wrought.
It began to burn and Severus covered up the hated image and left the basement to answer the summons once again.