"What? That cannot be," said Severus gripping the table in support. "The last of the magi died in the age of Merlin."
"Well the stories of my demise have been greatly exaggerated." Said Adam indignantly.
"You are kidding right?" gasped Severus.
"What do you think," said Adam with a wicked smile. Adam brought his hands in front of him and arched a bit of blue lightening between them to make his point.
"Oh Merlin." Said Severus cradling his head in his hand.
"Hey don't take my name in vain."
This could not be happening to him. When he got back to Hogwarts he was going to kill Albus, slowly. Merlin was supposed to be a myth. He should have stayed a myth. He was the end all and be all of wizards. How could this scrawny irreverent alcoholic fool be him? True the man possessed an unearthly amount of magical power, but Merlin? It just could not be. There must be some other explanation, thought Severus. He closed his eye trying to remember the stories he learned as a child. Merlin was said to be an elemental with the power to control and manipulate time and energy. Even the weather it was said was under his control. Right, I'm a scientist thought Severus. No trust without proof. Severus looked up to exact proof only to find the room in light drizzle and Adam casually bouncing balls of blue light around the room like a yo-yo.
To Severus' eternal shame he fainted like girl.
Severus woke to the rancid odor of smelling salts and the velvet sound of Adam voice.
"Yoo hoo fair maiden time to get up," Adams voice dripped with sarcasm. Severus cracked an eye open and found himself looking up into Adam's concerned face.
"Sorry about that I keep forgetting that you guys really take this Merlin thing seriously," said Adam, sounding not in the least bit apologetic.
"Well you could have given me some warning." Said Severus trying to push himself up off the floor.
"Careful Sleeping Beauty you took quite the wallop there." Adam held out a hand to help Severus up. Severus grabbed it but flinched as the bathrobe slipped down his arm revealing his dark mark.
"Well well Albus was right you have been a bad boy," said Adam fingering the mark. "Where did you get this beauty?"
"The Dark Lord," said Severus not meeting Adam's eyes.
"Whoa, I thought Voldemort was after you."
"Yes, he is now." Severus braced himself against the table, slowly lowered himself onto the kitchen chair and stared down at the dark mark. It glowed a livid black against the fairness of his skin.
"So how did you end up with it?" asked Adam. Severus had expected disgust or worse pity but Adam's voice hinted neither only curiosity.
"It was a long time ago. I was angry at the world. And in my everlasting stupidity I pledge allegiance to a madman who promised me power and glory." It had been a long time since he had told anyone this story. It sounded pathetic even to his ears.
"Ahhh," said Adam as Severus had explained everything. "So what made you turn away?"
"Nothing earth shattering really," said Severus pulling the sleeve back down his arm. "I got tired and bored. At first it was exciting to belong. But after a while I realized that I didn't like the group I belonged to, a bunch of idiots the lot of them. There is no real power or glory in terrorizing defenseless people is there. They just couldn't see that. We were all just the Dark Lord's slaves. With the Voldemort there is really only two options terrorizing innocents victims or being the victim."
"So you went back to Albus."
"Yes, the old fool took me back without question." Severus smiled remembering the headmaster meeting him at the great doors of Hogwarts, welcoming him back with open arms. He shook his head at the memory. He had expected recriminations but Dumbledore had accepted Severus at face value, he had trusted him.
"I went back. I wish I could say that I saw the errors of my ways but the reality was there was no place else for me to go. Since I no longer believed in Lord Voldemort and the world no longer believed in me, my only other option was Albus Dumbledore."
"Black or White, good versus evil, if life were only that simple," said Adam.
"Yes. It's hilarious really."
"What's hilarious?"
"I actually became a sneakier, more sadistic person after my defection to Dumbledore."
"Ahh, well few people realize it but it takes more power to be good. If Voldemort is the master of black magic...God only knows how many colors of magic old Dumb-dumb has mastered." Said Adam with a chuckle.
Severus groaned in agreement.
"Well the stories of my demise have been greatly exaggerated." Said Adam indignantly.
"You are kidding right?" gasped Severus.
"What do you think," said Adam with a wicked smile. Adam brought his hands in front of him and arched a bit of blue lightening between them to make his point.
"Oh Merlin." Said Severus cradling his head in his hand.
"Hey don't take my name in vain."
This could not be happening to him. When he got back to Hogwarts he was going to kill Albus, slowly. Merlin was supposed to be a myth. He should have stayed a myth. He was the end all and be all of wizards. How could this scrawny irreverent alcoholic fool be him? True the man possessed an unearthly amount of magical power, but Merlin? It just could not be. There must be some other explanation, thought Severus. He closed his eye trying to remember the stories he learned as a child. Merlin was said to be an elemental with the power to control and manipulate time and energy. Even the weather it was said was under his control. Right, I'm a scientist thought Severus. No trust without proof. Severus looked up to exact proof only to find the room in light drizzle and Adam casually bouncing balls of blue light around the room like a yo-yo.
To Severus' eternal shame he fainted like girl.
Severus woke to the rancid odor of smelling salts and the velvet sound of Adam voice.
"Yoo hoo fair maiden time to get up," Adams voice dripped with sarcasm. Severus cracked an eye open and found himself looking up into Adam's concerned face.
"Sorry about that I keep forgetting that you guys really take this Merlin thing seriously," said Adam, sounding not in the least bit apologetic.
"Well you could have given me some warning." Said Severus trying to push himself up off the floor.
"Careful Sleeping Beauty you took quite the wallop there." Adam held out a hand to help Severus up. Severus grabbed it but flinched as the bathrobe slipped down his arm revealing his dark mark.
"Well well Albus was right you have been a bad boy," said Adam fingering the mark. "Where did you get this beauty?"
"The Dark Lord," said Severus not meeting Adam's eyes.
"Whoa, I thought Voldemort was after you."
"Yes, he is now." Severus braced himself against the table, slowly lowered himself onto the kitchen chair and stared down at the dark mark. It glowed a livid black against the fairness of his skin.
"So how did you end up with it?" asked Adam. Severus had expected disgust or worse pity but Adam's voice hinted neither only curiosity.
"It was a long time ago. I was angry at the world. And in my everlasting stupidity I pledge allegiance to a madman who promised me power and glory." It had been a long time since he had told anyone this story. It sounded pathetic even to his ears.
"Ahhh," said Adam as Severus had explained everything. "So what made you turn away?"
"Nothing earth shattering really," said Severus pulling the sleeve back down his arm. "I got tired and bored. At first it was exciting to belong. But after a while I realized that I didn't like the group I belonged to, a bunch of idiots the lot of them. There is no real power or glory in terrorizing defenseless people is there. They just couldn't see that. We were all just the Dark Lord's slaves. With the Voldemort there is really only two options terrorizing innocents victims or being the victim."
"So you went back to Albus."
"Yes, the old fool took me back without question." Severus smiled remembering the headmaster meeting him at the great doors of Hogwarts, welcoming him back with open arms. He shook his head at the memory. He had expected recriminations but Dumbledore had accepted Severus at face value, he had trusted him.
"I went back. I wish I could say that I saw the errors of my ways but the reality was there was no place else for me to go. Since I no longer believed in Lord Voldemort and the world no longer believed in me, my only other option was Albus Dumbledore."
"Black or White, good versus evil, if life were only that simple," said Adam.
"Yes. It's hilarious really."
"What's hilarious?"
"I actually became a sneakier, more sadistic person after my defection to Dumbledore."
"Ahh, well few people realize it but it takes more power to be good. If Voldemort is the master of black magic...God only knows how many colors of magic old Dumb-dumb has mastered." Said Adam with a chuckle.
Severus groaned in agreement.