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The woman screamed and turned to run. But the curse caught up with her and she crumpled to the ground, dead.
Severus Snape sat bolt upright in bed, shaking.
Cursing himself for not taking a Sleeping draught, Severus sank back onto the thin mattress. For about two months now, the Sleeping draught had been Severus' drug of choice. He had run out the week before and had neglected to make more. As a result, Severus had had to endure five nights of uneasy sleep and nightmares.
The woman in his latest dream was Mrs. Martha Scott. Her husband, Joseph Scott, had been a Death Eater, like Severus. But Joseph had decided to leave the Death Eaters and had fled the country. Severus had been sent to question Mrs. Scott as to her husband's whereabouts, but she had refused to give any answers. So, Severus did as he had been instructed, he killed her.
Mrs. Scott wasn't the only one who haunted Severus' dreams; aurors and muggles kept him awake as well. Severus threw back the covers on his bed and stumbled into his apartment's tiny kitchenette. When his mother had died, Severus had been left the family mansion, but at the age of seventeen Severus swore to himself that he would never live in that house again. Severus intended to honor his vow, which was why he was living in a grimy apartment building in a rundown part of town.
Severus poured himself a cup of coffee and added a large amount of firewhiskey. It burned going down, but he felt much better, he had stopped shaking at least.
About two years ago, Severus had joined a group of people known as Death Eaters. These people followed a man who called himself, Lord Voldemort. When Severus had first joined, the idea of unlimited power had been appealing, but not any more. The unending killing and torture wasn't what Severus had counted on, if he hadn't known the penalty for leaving Lord Voldemort was death, Severus probably would have quit right then. Severus was a very powerful wizard and had earned himself a high position in the Dark Lord's ranks. Severus had once looked up to Voldemort, but not anymore, Severus now only saw him as mad, power hungry maniac.
Severus drank another cup of coffee then glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall and swore. It was eleven o'clock; he was due to meet with some other Death Eaters at eleven thirty. Severus took a quick shower and shaved, frowning at the mirror as he saw his reflection. His gaunt face made him look as if he was thirty-five, he was actually twenty-two, life as a Death Eater was taking its toll. Severus dressed and pulled on a set of swishy black robes. They were new, he and another Death Eater were to induct a new member and Severus wanted to look impressive.
Placing his wand inside his robes, Severus disapparated, and appeared outside a large mansion. Severus knocked on the front doors, they were immediately opened by a house-elf, which bowed Severus inside and led him into the parlor to wait for the master of the house.
Severus didn't wait long, less than three minutes later, the parlor door opened and Lucius Malfoy strode in.
"Hello, Severus," said Lucius, grasping Severus' hand firmly.
Lucius Malfoy was tall, though not quite as tall as Severus, and very handsome. His silvery blond hair was long and tied back with a black satin ribbon. His gray eyes were cold, as was his manner. Lucius was about six years older than Severus; he was also very, very rich.
The two men sat and began to discuss what the day would hold. Severus and Lucius were to teach a new recruit the ways of the Death Eaters; Severus received quite a shock when he learned the young man's name.
"Black?" Severus asked in surprise. "Regulus Black, the younger brother of Sirius Black? He wants to join the Death Eaters?"
"Yes he does," Lucius replied. "Sirius is the only muggle lover the Black family has produced, except for Andromeda, of course. The whole family is quite ashamed of him."
Severus nodded. Of course Regulus wanted to become a Death Eater, any Black who associated with muggles was disowned, no doubt Regulus just wanted to stay in his family's good graces. Lucius had married a Black, Narcissa, her sister, Andromeda, had married a muggle, and was now shunned from her family forever. Severus had gone to school with Sirius Black; they had hated each other.
"So, where is Regulus?" Severus asked.
"Bellatrix will be bringing him here shortly," Lucius replied.
Severus groaned inwardly. He didn't like Bellatrix Lestrange, formerly Bellatrix Black. She was the elder sister of Lucius' wife, she had thick, glossy black hair and a voluptuous figure, but she always made Severus feel ill at ease. Severus knew why, Lucius was cold and calculating when it came to killing, Bellatrix on the other hand, took pleasure in the suffering of her victims.
A few minutes later there was a knock at the front door. Severus could hear the house-elf scurry across the hall to answer it. Moments later, the parlor door was opened and Bellatrix Lestrange entered the room. Both men stood as she came in, Lucius strode over and kissed her lightly on the cheek. Severus merely bowed.
"Hello, Severus," she said coldly, inclining her head.
"Where is the young man?" Severus asked, wishing the day were already over.
"Oh, him," Bellatrix smiled, "I have already given him an assignment."
Severus wondered what kind of an assignment would cause Bellatrix to smile in that way. Knowing her it was probably something awful.
"What exactly is his assignment?" Severus asked, not really wanting to know.
"Well, on the way to my aunt's house to collect Regulus, I spotted a young witch in Nightingale Park. I told Regulus that if he could successfully kill the witch then he could consider himself a Death Eater," said Bellatrix, still smiling.
Severus felt sick. Bellatrix had just ordered her cousin to murder an innocent young woman and she was smiling about it.
"Do you happen to know the young woman's name?" Severus asked coolly.
"Why, yes. Actually I believe the two of you were at Hogwarts together," said Bellatrix. "Celeste Potak, a half blood."
Severus thought he would throw up then and there.
Celeste Potak. His childhood friend, the girl he had grown up with, the only friend he had ever had. Their friendship had fallen apart during Severus' sixth year at Hogwarts. Celeste had come to his mother's funeral, seeing her there had ripped a hole in Severus' heart, it was his foolishness and stubborn ways that had ended their friendship and he hated himself for that. Now Celeste was going to be murdered.
Severus felt as if someone was trying to smother him. It was becoming hard to breathe and his head was spinning wildly.
Maybe she's not dead yet, Severus thought to himself.
The thought that Celeste might still be alive brought Severus back to his senses.
"Well, then," he said, fighting to keep his voice level. "I guess there's no reason to stay, I think I'll just go back to my apartment."
Neither Lucius nor Bellatrix made any objections, but Bellatrix's eyes were narrowed as she watched him leave.
As soon as the house-elf had closed the door behind him, Severus disapparated.
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The next chapter is the one to decide Celeste's fate...but I won't post it without feedback!