Title: A Special Christmas
Author: Ex libris(from the libray of) Lord D and Lady S
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters belongs to J.K. Rowling, the plot is ours though.
Chapter III
As Hermione walked down the corridors back to the Gryffindor Common Room, she couldn't help thinking of the Potion Master out in the cold beautiful blizzard for any other reason other than to respond to a summon from Voldemort. And that is enough for her to worry and fear for his safety…
…and his soul.
Arriving at the Riddle Manor where Voldemort was residing, Severus couldn't help but revolt at the smell of death and decomposition surrounding the place. Half eaten carcasses of unfortunate witches and female muggles who were discarded after countless rapes from the male death eaters were scattered along the corridors, results of Nargina's fussy eating habits.
As he walked deeper down the corridor, he soon neared the sitting room of the manor. Screams of another unfortunate female could be heard, and he could distinctly make out the disgustingly guttural sounds Peter Pettigrew was emitting as he continuously pounded into the poor woman. As he walked to the ring of death eaters surrounding the act of rape, he decided to put the poor woman out of her pain and prepared to cast the Killing Curse. But before he could do it, another death eater did the mercy killing.
With the chanted words of the curse, a green light emitted from Draco Malfoy's wand and the woman's eyes no longer were huge with revulsion but void of life. With a last groan, Peter Pettigrew plunged to the woman once more and came all over her.
Breathing hard as he buttoned his filthy robes, he panted to the Dark Lord who was sitting on the armchair illuminated by the fire burning in the hearth in the fireplace behind it.
"Thank you, my lord for your most generous reward. Thank you, thank you…"
Take her away, Peter, and do not come back till Nargina's satisfied with her flesh," hissed the Dark Lord.
"Yes, yes of course my lord…" Pettigrew complied, dragging the lifeless woman away with Nargina slithering behind him. Voldemort then focused his attention at the last and latest newcomer.
"Severus," he hissed, "What news do you bring of Hogwarts and its occupants?"
"My lord, as far as I know, Harry Potter and his loyal vassals are all staying at Hogwarts for Christmas. And not a day or moment are they not walking in large groups with at least two teachers in the same place at a distance of no less than 10 inches away. To attack now would not be the best of time, my lord."
"I see," Voldemort rasped. "So you are telling me that's all you can give me after 6 months of spying? And come back with such paltry information and dare tell ME what to do? Crucio."
As the beam of light hit him and his body convulsed in pain and agony, he thanked his good sense to brace himself for such a punishment and lessened the pain a little.
Hermione woke with a silent cry of pain and anguish from her dream and looked around frantically before remembering that she had fallen asleep on one the armchairs set near the fireplace in the Gryffindor Common Room. Wrapping her arms around herself she closed her eyes and tried to block the image of Severus body contorting in pain on a cold concrete floor which appeared in her dream. Unconsciously, tears flowed and she cried for the second time in the day and got up to climb the stairs to the girl's dormitory.
When she reached the dormitory, she heard voices and laughter down at the Quidditch field. Pushing the windows open, she saw Harry and Ron throwing snowballs at Fred and George Weasley. One of the snowballs hit Ginny and some other students from the other houses and soon, a snowball war begun. Catching sight of her, Harry yelled out to her.
"Hey Hermione! Come on down and join in the fun!"
"Thanks, but I'll take a snow check! I'm tired!" she hollered back but before Harry could start his persuasion, he was hit by a snowball sent by Ginny. Grinning, he waved at her and turned back to have his revenge.
Smiling at their childish yet fun antics and bickering, she closed the windows with a snap and sighed, steam forming where she blew air out. Walking to her trunk, she drew out a carefully wrapped package with Severus' name written on it and fell on her bed with a tired "oomph".
Feeling a headache coming on, she tried to sleep but imagesof Severus convulsing in pain returned. Hugging the present to her chest, she wept herself to sleep, weeping for the pain Severus has taken into his soul and shared with no one and weeping for the hope that her present would be able to ease his pained and lonely soul.
Her last thought before giving up to slumber land were prayers of hope that the Potion Master would understand the meaning of the gift and not reject but embrace its help.
To be continued…