Title: The Inferno, Canto V

Author: "Kitten Malfoy"

Disclaimer:  The characters do not belong to me.  They belong to JKR.  The title does not belong to me.  The book that this fanfiction is based on was written by Dante Alighieri (1265-1321).  I have used quotes from his book as an introduction and to show some of his description. 

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay!  Work is evil!

Warning:  SLASH!!!!  MEN WITH MEN!!!!  This is based on a book that describes hell.  This is Dante's version of hell and the only version I can agree with…if I believed in hell.

Dedication:  This is for everyone who's been reading this fic so far!

                Remus paused, shocked by the sight before him.  Sitting there, among groups of sinner's souls was a man taller than any giant he had ever seen before.  This man held in his hand a tail, the tail of a snake.  Upon closer observation Remus realized that the tail belonged to the disturbing giant.

                " Minos."  Severus motioned to the creature that had caught Remus' attention.  " He has the last say in where a soul spends eternity." 

                Remus blinked a few times, taking in the site of Minos.  He seemed a terrible beast, examining each soul carefully before wrapping it's tail around the tormented being's body and flinging deep into the inferno.

                " Tell me, why does he wrap his tail about each soul a different number of times?"  Remus asked his guide cautiously.

                " Minos' tail will circle a soul based on where the soul is to be placed.  That man there has the tail around him seven times.  He is to be sent to the seventh circle."  Severus sighed softly.

                " You there!"  Minos shouted, staring down at Remus and then paused to be sure that he had been heard.  Remus looked up at the giant, waiting for him to continue.

                " Be careful how you enter and whom you trust.  Do not be tricked."  Minos laughed coldly.

                " Why do you call to him?"  Severus asked, stepping in front of Remus.  " Leave him be."

                " My guide, tell me who those souls are."  Remus pointed across the distance to what seemed like a cyclone of souls sweeping across the air.

                " What ones?  There are many, be more specific."  Severus followed Remus' gaze.

                " The two that are coming towards us now." 

                " Ask them."  Severus stepped aside.

                Remus hesitated before approaching the two spirits.  " Who are you and what was your sin?"  He asked, voice timid and shaky.

                "  In life I was Narcissa Malfoy and this man beside me only an instructor hired by my husband in life to keep me company while he was away."  The woman moaned.

                " Narcissa, what was your sin?"  Remus looked on with pity in his eyes.

                " On a late evening when my husband had told me that he was to be far away my instructor came to me and we read together.  We had assumed that no one was watching us and shared a kiss.  There was no more time for reading that night.  My husband had been watching and murdered us both before we could confess our sins.  Now here we are, bound together for eternity."  Narcissa wailed then and was swept into the cyclone again.

*        *        *

          I felt myself diminish, as if I were dying,

          And fell down, as a dead body falls.

*        *        *