Demon's Calling
Chapter 4: Serpent Children
An: ah another chapter another bust. I hate the fact that I'm always too damn busy to type I wish I had a laptop but oh well. Anyway, I want to say thank you again for all my readers who enjoy this. And Lost but not yet broken will be updated shortly if not right after this chapter. Unless I get bitched at about studying for school! heheh
Disclaimer: ok repeat after me. 1 I'm a fool. 2 you cannot lure 3 cause it all a dream 4 I do not own. Hahahhhahahaah
Warnings: It's going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better buwhahahahah. Poor Sev.
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After being led to his room Draconis bid Klaith a good night and waited patiently till the man's footsteps had disappeared completely from the hall. Draconis took a moment to look at his surroundings. Although it was nothing like the lighted manor they were accustomed to, his rooms were quiet and isolated, just like he had wished. A rather large four poster bed adorned the bedroom draped in navy blue sheets. Draconis did not care much for the small living room set that adorned a grand fireplace or the kitchen status. They were necessities but not essentials, he was however grateful for the large pool like tub that lay in the bathroom, for, it would be much easier for him to groom his wings. Keeping them hidden was a great task in itself and often made the feathers crack and crinkle. The tall blond Adonis took a moment to look out at the rather large window adjacent to the fireplace, satisfied by its grandeur he set out to look for his brother.
Draconis's thoughts wondered over to the image of the raven haired vampire that he had encountered earlier. A fresh wave of disgust crossed his mind, although no outward presence of the feeling was visible, as he thought of how pathetic the man was. He could not understand why Harold had become so enthralled by such a creature.
This man, neither mortal nor immortal was a disgrace to his kind. A vampire beaten and broken down like a mere dog - it was in insult to their noble line. The blond just couldn't comprehend such a thing. Never in his life had he met a creature as him. As he stepped towards his brother's chamber door, his last thoughts on the matter were of the terrified look in the vampire's eyes as he had walked in on the pair.
"Hello Draconis." came the soft sensual voice of the black winged man.
"Harold. I see you have settled in nicely amongst the others." stated Draconis, his voice cold and calculating.
"Yes, though I believe I have made an error by choosing the serpent children."
"You refer to the surprised looks that surrounded you?"
"Yes. However, I believe it was the best choice to first associate myself with them."
"Hmm. Harold?"
"Yes?"
"Why do you insist this desire of yours? This vampire, he is a pathetic creature who has forgotten the true nature of his kind. For us, who have descended from the blood and magic of vampires, it is insulting and disgraceful to even find remote interest in his being."
Harold sighed before answering softly "On that night, I attempted the Demon's Calling and on that very same night a vampire should dare enter my domain during such a time. A vampire who allowed me to look into his soul and judge him. Draconis, this 'pathetic creature' as you say is atoning for a sin that has long been forgiven."
Draconis laughed at this, his tone mocking and scornful as he retorted "You have involved us in a battle that we should not be apart of Harold. I do not appreciate being lied to. I did not ask for his judgment, that, I shall give myself in time and perhaps then you will tell me the truth of this matter. Goodnight Harold." The blond ignored the shocked look on his brother's face as he turned swiftly exiting the room with all the grace of an eagle in mid flight.
Harold seethed in repressed anger. "Damn you Draconis!" he hissed his anger not so much directed at his silver eyed counterpart but at himself. He knew the question his brother had asked but had been unable to answer it, however, it was irrelevant at this point since the blond had basically just told him that he knew perfectly well the answer that he, Harold, had not realized. Harold sighed deeply as his gaze moved towards the half moon light. Like his brother's room, he to had a large window that presented a perfect view of the night sky.
And as his gaze lingered on the night light's comfort his thoughts remained on that of an onyx eyed vampire. "Severus Snape. What plagues your soul? What do you mourn for with such fervor that you would allow yourself to become a puppet?" he whispered to know one in particular. A sorrowful look passed his eyes as he closed them slowly whispering softly to the night air.
"Forgive me Draconis." he whispered as his black silver tipped wings grew from his back and rapped themselves around him allowing him the comfort of their warmth for, the night was a chilled one - one of many to come.
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Something is burning...
My eyes opened rapidly with the inert realization that that something was me! I stood quickly from my bed, practically skidding into the closest darkest corner in my room. I grabbed my right arm almost willing the burning pain to go away. As I clenched my jaws to keep from crying out, my fangs dug deep into my lower lip only adding to my current discomfort. Finally after a good ten to fifteen minutes the pain subsided. I removed my clamped hand from the burn and saw it already swelling and turning an ugly black. Small welts continued to appear and pop as the skin continued to burn slightly.
I noticed a bright stream of light on my bed exactly where my arm had been, looking up I noticed - a window. A window that was not supposes to exist within these chambers. For, no windows were apparent in the dungeon rooms of Hogwarts except for the Slytherin common room.
I found myself staring at the window blankly and with a sigh summoned a pair of black satin curtains to cover it. Apparently I was not even safe in my own chambers. I knew it was probably the work of some Gryffindor pranksters enlisted by Klaith. After all, he is their head of house. Making sure the window was properly covered, I reached for the small supply of healing potions in a near by cupboard, still rubbing my welting arm, and took out a burn salve.
Normally, the light of the sun would not affect me so gravely, being a pure blooded vampire and all, but the lack of blood and slow healing my body was forced to do every day had dangerously lowered my natural resistance to the sun. Now I had no choice but to hide under the shadow of night. I did my best to keep away from the light and was very thankful that my classes were in the lowly dungeons of this retched school.
I opened my chamber door slowly not really paying attention to my surrounding until the blinding light of an unforgiving sun blinded me. I couldn't help the scream that erupted from my throat as I felt the intense burn of the light through out my body. In my blindness I think I moved away from the door and somehow ended up even deeper in the light's embrace. I felt my body tremble in pain, falling to my knees and keeping a firm hand over my eyes I wandlessly summoned any manner of cloth of sheet to shield me from the pain. I don't know how, but somehow I navigated myself under the small dining table that sat forgotten by my kitchen.
I was gasping by now, trying to keep the burns from getting aggravated and at the same time looking through the light. Once my eyes cleared of their blindness, I began looking for the source of this misery.
My eyes widened as I noticed that now my small living area had large clear windows that looked out to the forbidden forest. They must have been magically linked to the outside world for; I knew for a fact that the dungeons were below ground level.
Suddenly I heard a loud pounding at the entrance to my door. However, the light from the windows would not let me answer and frankly I was terrified by who it might be. Perhaps Klaith had come to see his handy work or the headmaster. I knew someone must have heard me scream. A voice called to me from the other side of the door - no voices, there were more than one. However, they sounded more frantic as if, as if...
"Professor Snape!" cried one of the voices. I knew who it was but for some reason I couldn't bring myself to allow them entry.
"Professor! Are you okay! Professor!" another voice cried.
Am I ashamed? Afraid?
Then suddenly I heard it, a prefect, one of my prefects had arrived. NO! They can't come in! All I wanted to do was cry and I wondered why I had ever given my prefects the password.
In my despair and shame I curled my legs up to my chest, ignoring the pain from my still sizzling skin and stared at the light, the blinding ever present light, the light of my atonement that would always burn. I couldn't face them, not my children, not my Slytherins. They are the only ones - the ones who know what I am and have never judged. Yet I feel I have plagued them with my existence. I hear the door swing open as one of the prefects screamed the password. I could smell their shock and their anger and I couldn't help but curl up even more because of it. Suddenly the room began to grow dark and dull. They were covering the light, covering the windows.
I knew who they were, the closest out of all my Slytherins, the ones who have been with me since their first year at this hell hole - Blaise Zabini, Millicent Bulstrode, David Cardey, and Malcom Kardin, the Slytherin prefect.
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Resident Slytherin playboy Blaise Zabini sat comfortably in a low back black leather sofa near a comfortable fire. He was currently the only seventh year Slytherin up however, it wouldn't be long before he cohorts joined him. Blaise was a tall boy with wide muscular shoulders and strong arms and legs thanks to his Quidditch training. His hair was a light hazel that accentuated his honey brown eyes perfectly. His skin, unblemished and smooth but sporting fine little scars around the small areas of his arms and neck, some from Quidditch but most from fist fights with Gryffindors.
Blaise tore his gaze from the fire to find his fellow Slytherins and friends coming up the stair case that led down to the Slytherin dormitories.
"Always up." said Millicent Bulstrode, a petite girl with long dark brown hair and light green eyes and a pale complexion.
"Always." answered Blaise as he stood from his comfy spot on the sofa and stretched eagerly.
"Hey! Blaise you never told us what you thought of that new guy who sat next to you yesterday." came the excited but smooth voice of David Cardey, a black haired, tall boy with pale hazel eyes that looked almost gold and a lanky body.
Blaise gave him a blank stare before recognition settled in. "Oh you mean that Potter guy?"
"No we mean the invisible transfer student who happened to of sat next to you." said Millicent sarcastically
"I don't really know. Didn't get much of a chance to talk to the guy and frankly I was more concerned with that new professor that came with him." everyone nodded at his declaration.
The small group of three continued talking amiably as they stepped out of the Slytherin common room. They always enjoyed going to breakfast a bit earlier than the rest of the school in order to avoid the loud crowd. However, they had only passed Professor Snape's chambers by mere feet before an audacious, agonizing scream erupted from said rooms.
They hardly kept themselves from tripping over each other before all three sped back with amazing speed to their head of house chambers. Blaise frantically began pounding on the door fearing for his head of house as the others cried out as loud as possible but not loud enough to attract any unwanted attention.
"Millicent get Malcom now!" cried Blaise as he continued to pound on the portrait ignoring the growling protests of the portrait.
David continued calling Severus's name but to no avail. Soon Malcom Kardin the Slytherin prefect and the only one with the password to Severus's rooms appeared. A tall imposing boy, skinny but well shaped sporting a slightly crooked nose from being broken twice in a fight, and dusty blue eyes that were hidden by dusty brown bangs.
"Get out of the way damn it. And quite yelling before you attract someone we don't want!" he hissed at the three frantic Slytherins, who readily calmed as the prefect opened growled the password at the portrait. It swung to one side almost smacking Blaise in the process before opening the door to Severus's rooms.
They had to shield their eyes from the sudden rush of light that greeted them inside.
"What the hell!" cried Blaise angrily as he noticed the many large windows, magically in place around his professor's living area bombarding it with sunlight.
All four spotted their professor curled up under the dining table, small trails of smoke were still noticeable and the welts and burns on his hands and face told exactly what had happened. They rushed to their professor's side grabbing anything they could find to cover the uninviting windows, even covering some with a thick gooey substance with the help of their wands. After making sure every instance of day light was extinguished Malcom set about lighting a few candles. Blaise and David slowed coaxed their potions master out his protective shield and guided him to a near by ragged sofa. Millicent had been smart enough to close the door before anyone noticed them inside their head of house's chambers.
"Professor! Professor, are you okay?" asked David desperately. Blaise on the other hand was seething along with Malcom. They knew perfectly well who had done this and they knew why. All of the Slytherins knew of Severus Snape's supernatural nature. What they couldn't understand was why Snape allowed such treatment to his self. Were it to defend one of his Slytherins he would jump in front of the fires of Hades themselves but not for himself. Malcom and Blaise clenched their fists in an effort to control themselves, turning their attention to their injured professor.
"Professor. I'm going to go into your room and get you some burning salve and a healing potion okay." said Malcom knowing that his professor was still in too much of a haze of pain to know what was going on. He came back shortly and between Millicent and himself began applying the salve to all the burned areas of skin, many of which were turning an ashy black.
Blaise found a small goblet filled with blood on the kitchen counter 'must be his daily feeding dose from the headmaster' he mused before picking up the goblet and inspecting it. However, he was not thoroughly convinced and thus had David inspect it. The hazel eyed boy took a small whiff of the goblet and readily through it against the wall with all his might. Blood smeared against the stone wall as the goblet clattered noisily to the ground. Blaise stared at his friend.
"Silver." growled the hazel eyed boy as he sneezed rapidly trying to get the irritating smell out of his nose.
"What?" asked Millicent.
"Not enough to kill or weaken a healthy vampire but for Professor Snape it would of made him either extremely sick or caused him unbearable pain for a few hours."
All four sighed as they realized not for the first time just how much danger their professor was in his current state. Ever since they had learned of the abysmal way that the professors, especially the headmaster and professor Klaith, would treat the raven haired vampire they had made it their personal mission to protect their mentor and father figure from outsiders and himself.
They knew all too well the consequences of prejudice and hate and for a man like Severus Snape who know longer saw a purpose in fighting their was little they could hope for. But the onyx eyed man had always been like a surrogate father to the whole of Slytherin house and thus was greatly loved by his children - his serpent children.
After tending to his burns and wrapping them in a soft balm so that they could heal unhindered, the quartet set about removing the magical windows from the walls.
Their movements were stopped abruptly though by the unsteady voice of their head of house.
"Thank You."
"Are you Okay sir? Are you sure you don't want an alternative for blood I mean any one of us would be more than..." Blaise was cut off abruptly by the frantic sound of his professor's voice.
"No! No, I would never. It's alright but thank you none the less. You should get to breakfast you are already missing most of it I believe."
"Sir...Alright if you're sure." Severus nodded his affirmation and watched as the four stepped out of his quarters.
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I watched them leave. My serpent's children, the shame I feel at this moment is unimaginable. For them to see me in such a state, I am truly pathetic aren't I? Not even able to protect myself from the forsaking light of the sun.
Suddenly, cold silver eyes flash in my memory and I remember the look of disgust thrust upon me only a mere night before. I want to weep and stay in my shadowed corner but I know it is not my fate. I have cried enough and my children have seen me at my worst. How can they confide in one who can't even confide in him self?
Many times they were there over the years when Klaith would have his fun and would be unable to reach my rooms. They spared me the indignity of being found the next day. Many times I had tried to discipline his out of control Gryffindors only to incur not only his but the headmaster's wrath as well. I knew my Slytherins suffered as well, having to deal with the prejudice of being in their house and then to have to endure the banters of their weak head of house. The blood sucking, unredeemable monster that committed unforgivable sins and still they continued on, demonstrating the true Slytherin strength of the serpent, always planning, plotting, scheming, thinking ahead without leaping first.
I knew that if I were to leave, what little protection my sorry existence provided would be stripped bare and nothing would save them. I couldn't help the single tear that trailed down my pale placid cheek bone as I thought of them. But then, that agonizing pain and sorrow would grip my heart and squeeze with all its vigor. I was a puppet till the end and one day even this vampiric, immortal body would wither and die - Leaving them utterly alone. However, right now I could not cry for my lost children, I had too much to do, and the day had just begun.
There would be plenty of time later.
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MD: OMG! Can you believe it! I did it! Woohoo chapter 4. and not a bad length chapter given that I don't have any muses at the beginning. Now for anyone wanting an update on Lost But Not Yet Broken. Yes I am going to update. I have three scenes planned out for the next chapter so hopefully that'll be up soon if my mother doesn't stop fucking bitching gah!
Anyway don't forget to review. I just love reading them.