Title: The Inferno, Canto VI

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: Another chapter? I guess I am really getting back into this. This chapter is going to be pretty short because not much happens in the Canto.

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: For AetherUnicorn. Thank you for that lovely review.

"Pape Satan, Pape Satan, Aleppe!"


Thus Plutus with his clucking voice began;


And that benignant Sage, who all things knew,

Said, to encourage me: "Let not thy fear


Harm thee; for any power that he may have


Shall not prevent thy going down this crag."

Then he turned round unto that bloated lip,


And said: "Be silent, thou accursed wolf;


Consume within thyself with thine own rage.

The descent to the fourth circle seemed longer than the last. A new gathering of souls with a new and more difficult punishment lay before Remus. He cringed at the thought of a cruel God assigning such terrible tasks. What was the sin of these poor souls?

Remus searched for a familiar face. There was not one to be seen. With a sigh of relief he continued on, coming closer to the continuously moving crowd. There were many souls. Many more than Remus found in the other circles. Each one rolled a large stone in a semi-circle. At a point they would collide with another, turn and continue on their way until colliding again.

"What is there sin?" Remus asked his guide. Severus looked into the crowd. It seemed as if he were trying to find someone.

"You see that soul there? Do you recognize him?" Severus pointed to a man whose body was covered in so much filth that no one would have recognized him. "I see that you do not. It isn't important. You do not need to know the man to know his sin." Severus turned to Remus and motioned for him to come closer.

"These men have squandered their fortunes. They cared more for their worldly possessions than their fellow man." Severus shook his head slowly. It was clear to Remus that he was having difficulty watching the suffering of the soul he had pointed out to Remus. "Let us continue." Severus urged.

It was then that they continued down to the river Styx. Remus looked into the muddy liquid and saw that it contained more souls. Each soul mumbled and groaned. They complained that they could not leave, their sins were too great. Remus felt disgusted and looked away from their faces as quickly as he could.

Thus we went circling round the filthy fen


A great arc 'twixt the dry bank and the swamp,


With eyes turned unto those who gorge the mire;

Unto the foot of a tower we came at last.