Rose Among the Thorns: The Third Evans Sister

By Jedi Blu, Lady at Large

Standard Disclaimer Found Here: I do not own anything that is not mine. Sarpedon Snape, however, is mine. Hands off the miserable lout.

ITALICS: In this chapter, Italics are thoughts, emphasized words, or letters. Thank you!

NOTE: I just finished writing a very difficult chapter to this story (and no, I'm not telling you what it's about; suffice it to say it's the most challenging I've written so far), and so I'm feeling very generous. So here's the next chapter, in which we meet Sarpedon Snape. Enjoy the angst. I'll get back to some fun fluff soon. And PLEASE review, this was a difficult chapter.

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CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: When Hell Freezes Over

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Severus Snape wasn't in the habit of speaking civilly to his father. He was, however, hopelessly devoted to his mother; for years she had been the only thing to stand between him and a beating, and she had been the only person to show him anything except contempt or cool regard.

So when Sarpedon Snape came to Hogwarts the third day of Easter Break with news for Severus, he had come to the Headmaster's office immediately. The only reason he could even think of his father coming to see him would be because something had happened to his mother.

Sarpedon met his son at the entrance way to the Headmaster's office, looking for all the world as if he was not more than a dark spot on humanity. He wore all black, as his son did, complete with a long cloak that had seen better days.

Severus Snape inherited nothing from his father, who was tall and had the fair appearance of a Dane. His hair was dark brown and curly, his eyes were blue, and despite his harsh living he had a handsome face; he often accused Severus's mother of giving birth to the son of another man, for no one as hideously plain as Severus Snape could be his son. But Severus did bare a strong resemblance to his mother's older brother, who had perished in a terrible accident involving a dragon. His mother had dark hair that she wore long, and she had the same black eyes as her brother and son as well. She had been beautiful when she was young, but beatings and hard times, coupled with sorrow, had aged her far more effectively than any number of years could have.

"What do you want?" Severus asked when he drew close, only five paces away, from the man who was his father. He realized with some surprise as he stood there that he was eye level with the man he loathed so greatly. Sarpedon was only slightly taller than average, and Severus was tall for his age, so he probably should've expected this.

The older wizard tilted his head up, a brief flash of anger distorting his perfect features for a moment. "Not much to do with you, of that you can be certain," Sarpedon snapped out, his ice blue eyes taking in the slightly unkempt boy in front of him. "You've done nothing more than sprout like a weed." He shook his head with disgust. "How old are you?"

The young Slytherin tipped his head up, refusing to be cowed this time. Something important was going on, or else Sarpedon would not have come. "Sixteen in June."

"Miserable child; just won't grow up quick enough for me to be rid of you," Sarpedon added with a careless wave of his hand. As he made that motion, dismissing the age of his only child, he also made his cloak fly open for the merest instant.

Severus was startled to see the fine robes beneath his father's bedraggled cloak, with colors and such rich embroidery that there was no possible way a Snape could have owned it. He said nothing about this, however, and instead schooled his features into the mask of snide indifference he had almost perfected. "I doubt you've come to chat about birthday presents; what is this about, Father?" He poured all the malice he could into that two-syllable title, a title which should've held respect and honor but was only an object of loathing for the boy.

"I've come with news and an offer," Sarpedon answered smoothly, brushing some dust from the edge of his cloak. "I've come into some money, and fallen in with quite a ... unique crowd. Your mother, being the insipid thing she was, declined to continue on with me in this new venture. I'm afraid no one's seen her since she left the flat at Knockturn." His smile was colder than a thousand winters, and Severus could feel his blood freezing as the man smirked at him. "Which was shortly after she sent you a little note about staying at Hogwarts. The woman seemed to think you wouldn't be safe anywhere else. She had the strange idea," his eyes flashed, a predatory gleam in them, "that I would do some harm to you. Of course, there's no reason for us to have a falling out if you'll agree to the offer I'm about to make you."

The boy was inwardly reeling at what he had all ready heard. His father was going about something that was decidedly wrong, or else his mother would not have chanced leaving him. But to know she had disappeared...he wouldn't doubt for an instant that his father knew exactly what happened to his mother, or even had a hand in it. "Get on with your offer," Severus managed to get out between his teeth. "Then tell me where my mother is."

Sarpedon looked sickeningly pleased. "Good. You know how to play the game at least. That's what this really is, boy, a game. Oh, some will tell you that it's a war between good and evil—those are the romantic idiots that probably spend their lives teaching snot-nosed children like you. This is a game, boy, and the winner is the one with the most power at the end of it. I've taken sides in this game, and I've come to offer you a position with my lord and master. It means leaving this school, but it assures you'll live when the game is over. You're my flesh and blood, and blood is a thick tie."

Severus was having problems processing what was going on. His father had taken sides in the increasingly war-like atmosphere of the wizarding world, and it was probably the wrong side to be on. But still, his mother was involved. "Tell me where my mother is," he demanded, "and then we'll negotiate. I owe you nothing, I owe her everything."

This wasn't what Sarpedon wanted to hear, and the murderous look in his eyes spoke that clearly. Blood ties were indeed strong, and the longer he stood trying to work his magic on his son the more certain he was that he was not the child's father. Still, he continued to try and sway the youth before him.

Perhaps all he needed was a good shock.

"She's dead. Killed in one of the strange attacks that seem to be plaguing the civilized muggle world."

It was as if a knife had been thrust into Severus's heart and then twisted sharply, injecting an icy poison into his veins. Darkness pressed in on him, and a rage began to fill his chest. It was growing hard to breathe.

"No." He fell back a step, then another, before sinking to the floor on his knees. "No. It's not true."

"Isn't it?" Sarpedon asked, smirking. He reached into his robes and pulled out a small, shining object before tossing it to the floor in front of his son.

The ring clattered to the floor, but no harm was done to it. It was a beautiful piece of jewelry and had belonged to Evelina Snape, Severus's mother. It had been her wedding and engagement ring, as it had been her mother's before her, and her mother's before her, and so on for many generations back. It was a Mithril band which formed into the head of a dragon, and in the jaws of the dragon was a black diamond. This ring was priceless, and it had meant the world to his mother; Evelina had told her son the ring was enchanted to never fall off her finger so long as she lived.

He shook his head, picking the ring up carefully and gripping it in his fist. "I hate you," he hissed at last, his black eyes suddenly flashing towards his father. "And someday, I'll kill you."

Sarpedon raised his eyebrows and smirked. "You? Kill me?" He chuckled darkly. "That's hardly likely. So you won't be joining me then?"

"When hell freezes over," Severus spat, coming to his feet. Rage and sorrow propelled him; he leapt at his father like a viper, blind to everything except his need to murder the man before him, whom he knew was responsible for his mother's death.

Sarpedon quickly had his wand raised, a curse upon his lips to knock his son from the air, when—

Time froze.

Severus hung in the air, within an arm's reach of his father, but found himself unable to move at all, not even his eyes could blink or roll. Sarpedon was also frozen, a snarl on his handsome face and his wand poised for attack.

A tall wizard, with hair just turning from gray to white, stepped into the small space between the Snapes. He was running his fingers through his long beard, his hat was tilted at a jaunty angle, but the look on his face was quite grave.

"Many centuries ago," he said in a voice heavy with wisdom and age, "when this school was founded there were spells, wards, enchantments, and charms placed upon this building to protect the students within, and through-out the ages each new teacher, each new headmaster, has added his or her spells to fortify this building. Unfortunately, harm does occasionally befall our students." His bright eyes flashed from Severus to Sarpedon. "But not when the Headmaster can prevent it. You are dismissed, Mr. Snape. Severus, come with me."

They unfroze, and both Snapes were seething. Sarpedon stormed down the corridor without saying a word or even looking at his son. Severus, for his part, let his eyes fall to the floor and when Albus Dumbledore motioned for him towards the staircase leading to his office, Severus mutely shuffled forward.

They rode the staircase together, with Severus still not saying a word. Albus Dumbledore, possibly the greatest Headmaster that Hogwarts had ever seen, was calmly stroking his beard and humming a nonsensical tune to himself. They entered his office at last, and Severus mutely took a seat in one of the plush chairs before the Headmaster's desk. To his surprise, the Headmaster sat in the chair next to him rather than opposite him.

"Severus," he began, his kind eyes taking in the student before him with compassion, "while I am privileged to know a great deal about what goes on in this school I must say I'm not quite certain what that episode was about. Would you mind explaining to me what just occurred?"

Severus slowly raised his eyes to look at the man before him and realized that he was crying, and Severus hated himself for that weakness. For a moment the Headmaster just looked into his eyes, searchingly, before he seemed to truly see and understand all that had just happened between Severus and his father.

Albus Dumbledore then did the thing that would forever remain in the memories of the young boy before him; the Headmaster of Hogwarts knelt before him and opened his arms, then embraced the child that was at that moment more lost and heart-broken than he had ever been in his life. All the beatings, curses, bullying that Severus Snape had received in the past were nothing compared to what he felt now. His tears fell in torrents upon the shoulder of the powerful wizard, and it was some time before the fifteen year old could think again.

"Ah, Severus," Albus said when the boy's crying quieted. "Even the darkest nights are followed by dawn." He distanced himself enough so that Severus had to sit up on his own.

Severus looked up at this powerful man and saw something he had not expected; Albus Dumbledore had not only let Severus cry on his shoulder, but Albus had cried with him. This wizard was respected world-wide for his wisdom and strength, and yet he had the humility to kneel and share the tears of a boy that most of the world would have dismissed in an instant.

"I have experienced the sorrow you feel now," he continued, keeping one hand on the boy's shoulder. "But perhaps not to the intensity you are feeling it...I wasn't so young. Severus, there are times when it feels as if the whole world is crashing down upon your shoulders and you alone can carry it, with pain and suffering every step of the way." The sorrow in the eyes of the Headmaster was genuine, and Severus felt that he spoke of more than the pain of one boy. "It's terrible, Severus, and it's not right or fair but that is how the world has always been. The truly great men and women of the world, whether muggle or magical, have always been those individuals who have conquered their own pain only to then ease the pain of others. The great ones are not those who seek for power, but those who seek to give strength to the good souls around them."

It was easy for Severus to absorb every word, though he could not understand what it meant or why it was being said to him. These words would come back to haunt him later in his life, but for now they offered the only comfort he could have. He wiped at his tears and stared quietly down at his lap.

"You have my special permission, Severus, to remain at Hogwarts under the guardianship of the school until you come of age. The necessary paperwork will be easy enough for me to obtain," Albus continued, a slow smile forming on his wise old face. "There are many people who owe me favors, and I am sure you will not be a burden upon this institution; you're a very smart and resourceful young man. If you are ever in need of anything, and I do mean anything," the Headmaster stressed this point with a smile and a squeeze of the boy's shoulder, "you can come to me. I see in you the man you could be, and it far surpasses anything that Sarpedon Snape ever dreamed of, but Evelina will be very proud of you."

In the quiet of Albus Dumbledore's office many things were spoken of that afternoon, and it was the first time in his life that Severus Snape felt capable of opening his heart to anyone. The boy, who had been exposed to things no adult should have to withstand, told his life's history to the compassionate listener he found in his Headmaster. Severus spoke of his mother, of the man he had known as his father, of his only friend and even of those he considered his enemies. He would glance up occasionally, expecting to see reproach or disapproval in the eyes of the exceptional man in front of him, but Dumbledore only listened and did not once pass judgment on him.

It was on that day that Severus Snape lost both mother and father, but gained the trust of a man he would one day come to admire and adhere to.

It was also on that day that Albus Dumbledore took Severus Snape under his wing, and tried to undo some of the damage that the boy had been done.

Thank you for reading, and learning why our dear Severus has a soft spot (one of the few) for Albus Dumbledore. I can't wait to hear reviews about this. I WANT CRITICISM FOR THIS CHAPTER! PLEASE! It was hard to write, edit, and I want to know how you readers think it turned out. Again, I'm begging for a response here!

To Those Who Reviewed The Last Chapter:

Emprezz Andromeda: Thank you for your now constant reviews, I really appreciate any and all feedback. This story is so much fun to write!

Moriann: But isn't it easier to check your mail (one link or click of the button) that to check every single story you're currently reading? Don't worry, I'm as obsessed as anyone with checking author alerts…and review alerts (hint, hint). And since you didn't like the preview of what's ahead, I didn't do that for this chapter. Honestly, I don't try to be evil. Let me know what you thought of this one.

Vivian: It's not that your company isn't wanted…it's just that firecrackers make me nervous. I was in the movie theater once when someone threw a bunch into the building, RIGHT after 9/11, so I was pretty freaked out. Feel free to visit. :-) Yes, Severus Snape is ticklish despite himself. Rose will exploit this later on. This chapter also explains why he wasn't allowed to leave the school, and so we once more find ourselves feeling very sorry for the boy. How'd you like this chapter?

Illume: You've now met Sarpedon Snape, a terrible villain and black-hearted scum-bucket. Can you tell I hate him? Well, I do. I can't believe I created this monster. What did you think of him?

Loraliant Angelisa Snape: You're forgiven for the short review, but I expect you to make up for it with this chapter. What did you think of Sarpedon? What did you think of Albus to the Rescue? (I almost called this chapter that, but thought this title was more dramatic.)

Nabenabe: Thank you for the high praise and the continuing interest in my story, I'm so glad you're enjoying it! I do hope this chapter (though angsty) was equally interesting to read. It wasn't easy to write. You will soon be seeing the romance of Severus and Rose blossom, and get an explanation for why they were estranged for so long in the 'present.' Just plod along with me, it will be worth it. ;-)

Thank you to all who have continued to offer feedback about this story, thank you to all who've put my on favorite's list and keep me on author alert (even if you DON'T review). I'm glad so many are enjoying this story and relieved it's being received so well. Please, please, review! It offers me incentive to keep posting!

'Till Next Time,

-JB-