Author's note: This is really unusual for me to update this often, so
no one die of shock please:-) I was on a role. I hope this is long
enough for you. (It had better be shaking fist ) J/K. Anywho, I really
love this chapter, and I hope you all enjoy it. It was 21 pages
handwritten. My hand hasn't hurt this much in a long, long time. Also,
I typed this at 3 in the morning, so please let me know if you find any
editing errors. It gets hard to keep track when your eyes won't stop
crossing. Please REVIEW!!!!!!!!!! Let me know what you think. Also, I
need to know how you feel about the Sirius situation: alive or dead?
Happy reading!!!
Paranoidin2005: Thanks for the review. It really encouraged to me to push myself on this chapter, hence the tremendous length.
Questie: Always much love to my biggest fan. You always help me work through my writer's block. Thanks for everything.
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It had been true. Severus hadn't believed the location when he read it on the map at Pettigrew's shack. But as soon as he apparated into the edge of the yard, he knew it had been correct. The sight that laid before him was going to plague him with nightmares for years. He arrived in time to see Crabbe send the infamous Harry Potter flying halfway across the yard, slamming into the side of the house with a sickening thud. Despite any animosity towards James Potter or Harry, Severus could not stand to see the boy in this condition. He was covered in bruises and blood, both fresh and old, his left eye was swollen completely shut, and it was quite obvious that his right leg was broken below the knee. Even though many regarded Severus Snape as a fearful monster, which suited him fine, deep down he was really quite humane. He wished this kind of treatment upon no one, save perhaps Voldemort himself, the true definition of "monster." He was as cold-blooded as the snakes he so frequently kept in his company.
Many years ago, Dumbledore had told Severus the story behind Tom Marvolo Riddle's rise to evil. Severus suspected he was one of a meager few that Dumbledore ever discussed this with.
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"Did Voldemort ever discuss his childhood with any of the Death Eaters?" Dumbledore inquired, initiating the conversation.
"Not really. He reveals very little of his own life. He prefers to use Occlumency to pry into everyone else's life so he can find some way to torture or blackmail them." Severus replied only halfway interested since this was after Voldemort's downfall. This information seemed almost useless at this point in time.
"His life was a relatively uneventful one. It held no major childhood traumas like yours and, now, Harry Potter's. His grandparents, both muggle and magical, died before he was born. He had no extended family nor siblings. The Riddle's mansion was located in a small village named Little Hangleton. Tom's parents were rich, snobbish, and rude. They kept to themselves, their money as their main source of company. I was quite surprised when he began attending Hogwarts. It had been expected that they would hire a tutor to teach him magic."
Severus could already tell that this was going to take awhile, so he settled further into his armchair and thanked Merlin that the house elves knew to put a little fire whiskey in his already very strong coffee. He knew Dumbledore had a reason for telling him this. He just hoped it wasn't for the sheer sake of reminiscing and that the point could be made quickly. The realization that Albus was continuing the tale snapped Severus back into paying attention.
"Of course, the only reason I can figure as to why the old couple sent Tom to Hogwarts is because they had no use for a teenage boy running about the house disturbing the silence. But at that time, Tom told everyone that his parents were dead and he had been living in an orphanage. It wasn't until after he graduated and his parents were found dead that anyone learned the truth. The then headmaster, Dippet, never was sure how he got that lie past him. I still don't know.
"Anyways, Tom Riddle began studying at Hogwarts. He was a brilliant wizard with very obvious potential, and yet, he seemed to prefer to stay out of the lime light. Perhaps because his parents were such hermits. No one really knew why. During his first year, he kept to himself and never really made friends, just a few necessary, no... forced, acquaintances." Dumbledore paused to sip his lemon tea and think, as if organizing the memories in his head.
"The second year he attended Hogwarts, Tom seemed much more chipper. He was still snobbish and quiet, but he didn't look so melancholy all the time. Same thing for his third and fourth years. He received top marks in all of his classes, made no real friends, and really wasn't noticed much. But halfway through his fourth year, he did something remarkable. He developed a sort of crush on a girl in his Arithmancy class that I was teaching at the time. She was a good student, but often got made fun of for the ridicules things teenager pick out to torment one another about. Ridiculed as she was, she was still relatively popular, if for no other reason than to provide comic relief and esteem boosting for the "pure-blood" witches. Yes, Myrtle was a muggle-born witch.
"Tom, being half-muggle as well, thought that this made two things they shared in common. Yet, every time he approached her to strike up conversation, she snubbed him, using the excuse that she only associated with pure-blood wizards. And then, one day near the end of term, her so called "friends" pulled a horrible trick on him. They cast a spell on him during Defense Against the Dark Arts class that covered him in a nasty skin rash and made all of his hair fall out. And Myrtle just laughed. There was pity in her eyes, but her friends were laughing, so she did too. Not her finest hour, I must say. Anyways, one student was expelled and the others were severely disciplined. Argus about burst with glee at the thought of reprimanding all of those students. Poor Tom, he was never the same. We healed the rash and regrew his hair, but it didn't matter. The damage had been done. He was worse than melancholy. You could practically see the chip on his shoulder. He left fourth year miserable, and returned the fifth year even worse. Of course, that was the year the Chamber of Secrets was opened and poor Myrtle was killed. Tom graduated after seventh year with top marks, and then five years later, his parents were found dead, making us realize that had lied about the orphanage. By that time, it didn't really matter. Tom Marvolo Riddle was dead. The only person left was Lord Voldemort."
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And now Severus was looking at the creature before him known as Lord Voldemort.
"It is time." Voldemort hissed, prohibiting Crabbe, Sr. from killing Harry before Voldemort got to have any fun. The yard was a large clearing surrounded by trees on three sides and the house on the fourth. Near the middle of the back of the clearing was where Lucius Malfoy projected the Dark Mark. But now that Voldemort and a couple dozen Death Eaters had arrived, he released the projection and barked at a lower ranking Death Eater to unstupefy Goyle, who was still lying near the stump in the middle of the yard. A few yards from Malfoy was a large wood teepee with one large wooden pole sticking out of the apex. He can't be serious. thought Severus. He really is going to burn the boy alive. His stomach dropped, his heart pounded against his ribcage, and his mind raced, trying to figure out how to save the boy and escape when they were completely surrounded by Death Eaters. Even with the ability to apparate, it would be next to impossible to get that close to the boy. Voldemort was going to make sure of that. He wanted Potter all to himself now. Severus doubted he'd even let Lucius near Harry at this point. Especially since it was apparent from Harry's conditions that Malfoy had already had his fair share of fun.
"Bring him to me." Voldemort commanded. Crabbe got a maniacal look in his eyes and then sent Harry flying towards Voldemort in the same fashion he'd given him a taste of the house's siding.
"Fool!!!" Voldemort yelled, enraged at Crabbe's immaturity. He stopped Harry before he landed on the ground, then hit Crabbe with the Cruciatus Curse for his insolence. While Crabbe, Sr. was writhing and screaming, Voldemort hovered Harry upright, just above the ground. Annoyed by Crabbe's screams, he ordered a Death Eater near him to shut him up, then turned back to Harry as a Silencing Charm was being cast just behind him. Now the yard was quiet as a graveyard as everyone waited for the Dark Lord to proceed.
"You have been a thorn in my side for far too long, Mr. Potter. It is amazing how such a miniscule, pathetic wizard could cause me so much trouble. Of course, you would have been dead long ago had you not been hiding behind that old fool, Dumbledore. But as is quite obvious, he's not here to save you now." That extracted a few evil chuckles from the crowd of Death Eaters.
Harry was terrified. This was much worse than when he'd been abducted with Cedric Diggory during his fourth year. As horrendous as that had been, there had been fewer Death Eaters and a portkey he had been able to use to escape. Even though he knew they had used a portkey to get here, he had no idea of what it looked like or where it possibly was. Not to mention the facts that he was much more severely maimed this go around and the portkey would only take him back to the dungeons Lucius had held him in, not Hogwarts. He was in deep, deep shit and he knew it. Every inch of his body was screaming from his earlier thrashings, but he knew the worst was yet to come. He had a faint hint that if he miraculously managed to survive the night, he was going to be pyrophobic for a long time to come, if not for the rest of his life.
Where was that help Sirius had promised? Had he been real at all? It seemed like an eternity had passes since his silvery dream. Maybe it had been just that, a dream. A coping mechanism for a delirious subconscious, desperately trying to escape its hellish reality. Harry now faced that hell of a reality, determined to not let his emotions show. He refused to let Voldemort have that satisfaction.
"You're scared, boy. Granted, most are in the face of death. The funny thing is, no one can escape it, save perhaps me. I have already proven that." Voldemort gloated. He was beginning to become quite pleased with himself and the whole situation. Soon the prophecy would be fulfilled. One would die and the other would survive. The he would kill Dumbledore and take over the wizarding world and, soon after, the rest of it. He had already decided that he would kill most of the Muggles, enslaving the ones he spared, making wizards the majority. But he would be careful to weed out ant wizards that might pose a threat to him, few as they would be. He would be a GOD!!
Severus saw that maniacal glint in Voldemort's eyes and knew he was formulating plans in his twisted head. Snape's tall stature allowed him to see what was going on even though he was behind three or four other Death Eaters. He must have slipped out of the loop because he had no idea there were this many active followers. He wasn't even sure of who most of them could possibly be, and the masks didn't help. He had been carrying his mask in his robes when he left Dumbledore and the Order, so he had managed to slip it on before he apparated to the Potter's house. He wondered how much longer Voldemort was going to taunt the boy and if Voldemort was ever going to release Crabbe, whose nose and ears were now bleeding, from his curse. That made Severus wonder if the body continued twitching even after the person had died.
"It's such a waste that your parents died trying so desperately to save you when it is inevitable that I WILL kill you. Of course, I would have killed them regardless. Or at least your father. Maybe I would have given your mother to some of my Death Eaters so they could have some fun. Yes, she would have been a very nice toy."
Harry's blood boiled, but he knew that Voldemort was just trying to get him to react, so he did nothing. He could barely see Voldemort for the fury burning throughout him. Even though he was getting no response, Voldemort could feel the boy's anger radiating from within him, so the Dark Lord decided to continue.
"Obviously, after I've killed you and Dumbledore, I'll kill all of you friends, especially that pathetic red headed family that call themselves wizards. Except, perhaps the girl and that mud-blood you associate with. I'm sure I can find someone who would be willing to let them live as slaves. I bet they would make very obedient slaves once they were properly broken." Harry tried so hard to control his anger, but this was too much. Without even knowing how it happened, a large log from the bonfire stack launched itself directly at Voldemort's head. Quick as lightening, he flicked his wand and shattered it into millions of splinters that fell lightly to the ground. A roar of laughter erupted from the crowd of Death Eaters. After a minute, it died down so Voldemort continued.
"Please don't tell me that's the best you can do, Mr. Potter. You can blow up Muggles, but merely launch lumber at fellow wizards? Though, you're not strong enough to blow me up, are you? Pity. I was hoping for more of a challenge."
"You coward! If you wanted a real challenge, then you would have given me my wand and we could've had a real showdown. This is quite low, even for you Voldemort, attacking me with all of your goons while I'm unarmed." Severus was shocked at how strong and steady Harry's voice was, even if it was raspy. Well, so much for saving the bloody boy, he thought. Voldemort never tolerated insolence of any kind. Had it been anyone else, Voldemort would have killed them immediately. He had certainly done it for less. Of course, Severus was surprised it had taken Harry this long to stand up to Voldemort. He certainly had no trouble with retorts in Potions class.
"Why Harry, you're quite right. Who would I be to deny Dumbledore's great champion a fighting chance? Which one of you would like to lend Harry a wand so he can kill me?" There were numerous volunteers amongst the laughing.
"You!" Voldemort pointed to one of the smaller Death Eaters. Severus wondered if it was a woman until he was the man's rough, hairy hands when he handed Voldemort the wand. Not even the ugliest female circus freak Severus had seen had hands this gnarled and calloused. Not to mention, they were just too large to be a woman's hands. Hell, they were too large even for this man. They seemed obscene compared to his small stature. At least what was apparent through his robes.
"Here you are, Harry." said Voldemort as he handed the still hovering wizard this foreign wand. "And seeing as how it's not the wand you're used to wielding, I'll let you practice with it. How about on......... it's owner. Any spell you'd like. Give it a whirl." With that, he lowered Harry to the ground, then remembered that one of Harry's legs was broken.
"Oh that's hardly fair. What can we do about that leg, dear boy?" Immediately, a blue light engulfed Harry's right leg and a thick splint materialized around it. It wasn't healed, but he could at least stand on it.
"Now, have a go." Severus was very surprised by the cat and mouse game Voldemort was amusing himself with. He rarely had the patience to toy with people for so long. Normally, Voldemort left the toying to Lucius Malfoy and some of the other high ranking Death Eaters. Severus wished he knew why Voldemort was acting so oddly. Perhaps he had finally and completely cracked. He had never been too far from it. Severus turned his attention back to Harry and waited with bated breath to see which spell he would use on the now horrorstricken Death Eater. This would determine how far gone Harry was. If he killed the man, Voldemort would have already won. Maybe this is why Voldemort's been holding out. If Harry can kill an unarmed man, then Voldemort will have an easy time manipulating him and turning him into a weapon. This thought sent chills up and down Severus' spine. That pair would be unstoppable.
Harry just stood there, not even looking at his target. Then, faster than most could see, he raised the heavy wand and, with a look of sheer determination, uttered not a sound, but a bright orange blast slammed into the man's chest and sent him crashing into several Death Eaters. Harry immediately acted again, sending Crabbe's now still and most definitely dead body flying at Voldemort.
"Avada Kedavra!!" Harry yelled with all his might, determined to end this now. The green energy followed just behind and below the body. Voldemort flung Crabbe, Sr.'s body aside and went wide-eyed at the death curse that was streaming towards him. Had he hesitated even a second, the curse would have hit its mark. But he did not. He sent another of his Death Eaters sailing through the air and right in front of the curse. The majority of the followers that hadn't been bowled over by the now unconscious, large-handed man were unsure of what to do. They knew Voldemort would be furious if they interferred, but Harry was doing better than expected. Despite looking exhausted and sallow, he was holding his own. But how much longer could he last? Severus knew the boy was running out of energy fast, but it was still too early to make his move. If he did something now, he would only get them both killed.
"Bravo, bravo." Voldemort was obviously very amused as he moved closer to Harry, clapping slowly and purposefully. "You have managed to rid me of two Death Eaters and send a dozen of them into disarray. I'm impressed."
"You're wrong. You killed both of those men (being Crabbe and the one that was forced to sacrifice himself for the greater evil)." Harry argued.
"But it was your curse that hit him."
"It would have hit you if you weren't too cowardly to face it yourself, Voldemort. Besides, why would you be scared of it? You've survived it before."
"I am no fool, boy! Even if I hadn't been killed, I would be in no fit state to finish you off. Expelliarmus!"
Harry tried to duck the spell, but with his lame leg and other injuries, he just wasn't fast enough. The wand shot out of his hand and he fell backwards onto the hard, unforgiving ground.
"Now let's see what's going on inside that head of yours that is making you so assertive. Legilmens!"
Harry felt like he was floating outside of his own body. He saw many different images in his head, but could do nothing to stop them.
"Where to begin? How about at our most recent encounter?" Voldemort's cold voice slid over every inch of Harry's mind, making him feel sick and violated. Suddenly he was back in the Ministry of Magic watching Sirius die, again. Voldemort watched that it replay in Harry's head a few more times, then decided move on.
"That was delightful. Let me see another. Why don't we go back to the very beginning?" Abruptly, his mind filled with the echoes of a woman's screams. "Ahh, yes. I remember that night well." Harry tried to prevent Voldemort from resurrecting the memory of his mother's death, but he didn't have the strength. Too long had he gone without sustenance and rest. He was fading fast. Some part of his mind registered that he was writhing on the ground, screaming, but there was nothing he could do.
Severus could stand it no longer. As Harry's screams reverberated against the trees and into the night sky, he knew he was going to die for what he was about to do, but he had no choice. He had to help the boy. He hoped that cat who looked like Minerva's transfigured form was not an illusion.
"Legilmens." Severus attacked Voldemort's mind just long enough to force him away from Harry. He was standing behind the captivated Death Eaters and barely whispered the word. Maybe no one heard him.
"WHO WAS THAT!?!?!" Voldemort looked around seething, while Harry lay panting on the ground with his eyes clamped shut, but still unable to stop the flood of tears that had broken through. Dead silence filled the air. It was so thick and heavy you could choke on it.
"Answer me NOW!!!!!" A small squeak escaped from a trembling Death Eater and in the blink of an eye he was dead. "I will kill you all if I have to."
"It was Severus." accused two voices in unison.
"Explain immediately!" Voldemort demanded, his patience wearing very thin. Cautiously, Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange stepped forward.
"Master, he is the only follower known to possess such Occlumency skills." Lucius explained.
"And, my Lord, Pettigrew was convinced Severus was a spy. Maybe he was right after all." Bellatrix quickly bowed her head and prayed Voldemort would not kill her just for the sake of it.
"Severus, come forward and tell me why I shouldn't kill you immediately." Voldemort was being extremely patient with him.
"My Lord, you were killing the little bastard. You would not be able to enjoy watching him burn to death if he was already dead." Severus tried, but he knew Voldemort would see right through him.
"I have spared your life so many times before and you repay me by spying against me and then making up pathetic lies that insult my intelligence?! I would have expected better from you, Severus. You really were one of my favorites."
Before he could even blink, an orange light hit him square in the chest, Voldemort's personal concoction of spells possessing his being. Every inch of his body was trying to seizure with a Crucio, but was being held perfectly still by a Petrificus Totalus. His muscles were literally being torn between the stress of the contradictions. He wanted to scream until his lungs burst, but he couldn't move his vocal chords or jaw. Just as some of his bones were beginning to snap under the strain, Voldemort removed the curse, leaving Severus panting on the ground, unable to move. The pain was still too near. With every breath, his muscles would spasm, sending a new wave of agony screaming throughout his body as some of the muscle would tear completely in half, the exertion being more than they could handle.
His agony-clouded mind didn't even register that Voldemort was standing practically on top of him until a heavy boot connected with his ribs with a sickening crack. Turning to the motionless group, he proclaimed,
"Tonight, my loyal followers, you are getting a real treat. We will burn them both. And anyone else who dares to defy me will join them." With that, he signaled for Malfoy, who had been guarding Potter, to prepare the fire.
"I'm tired of playing game. Tonight will mark the beginning of a new era. My era!" Voldemort watched as Lucius and another Death Eater dragged Harry to the wood pile, then levitated him to the large stake in the middle and bound him with thick rope.
Harry was still numb all over. His mind was still clouded from Voldemort's intrusion. Even though he knew he was being moved, he couldn't quite figure out what was going on. It wasn't until he heard Voldemort say "Inflamaria." that he remembered what was going on. He looked down and saw flames growing at the base of the wood teepee. His entire body shook with terror. He silently prayed and begged for someone to save him, but no one that would help was in sight. As he desperately looked around, he finally saw a battered Severus Snape laying in a heap near the fire where he'd been dragged as well. Wondering why he hadn't seen him earlier, he saw a Death Eater mask laying on the ground several yards from them. Realization that Snape had been the one who stopped Voldemort from completely destroying his mind and then paid severely for it struck Harry hard. The man who had tormented Harry for so many years had still done everything in his power to help him.
As his eyes began to sting, Harry realized the flames were growing quickly and smoke was billowing around him. He tried to yell, but choked on the dense fumes that burnt his lungs and eyes. His breathing became labored and soon he was barely able to wheeze through the smoke. He could see only darkness as his eyes could no longer stand the smoke. Through the black pillar and roaring of the climbing flames, all Harry could hear was the cold laugh of Voldemort as he slipped into a hot darkness, having been robbed of all his oxygen.
Severus felt the rough hands drag him across the yard after Voldemort's little speech. He opened his eyes and saw his wand on the ground several feet away, broken into multiple pieces. As painlessly as possible, he turned his head in time to see the smoke rise up around Harry and hear the boy start coughing and choking on it. Where the hell are you, Dumbledore? he half-begged, becoming frantic. He couldn't lie there and do nothing. Crestfallen at the realization that he must have been mistaken about the cat, he summoned every ounce of strength that remained in his body. This was going to be slightly easier since Voldemort and the Death Eaters were all transfixed on Harry He glanced up again when Voldemort started laughing and he saw Harry's head fall, his toes being liked by the climbing fire. With a last burst of strength, Severus willed his broken body into action. He sprang up, ran and leapt into the fire. He threw his body onto the stake holding Harry, then heard it crack. As it broke under his weight, he pushed with all his might and sent it, with Harry still attached, tumbling off of the wood pile, on the opposite side from the Death Eaters. Unable to breath through the smoke, Severus collapsed on the burning pile, and knew nothing more.
Paranoidin2005: Thanks for the review. It really encouraged to me to push myself on this chapter, hence the tremendous length.
Questie: Always much love to my biggest fan. You always help me work through my writer's block. Thanks for everything.
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It had been true. Severus hadn't believed the location when he read it on the map at Pettigrew's shack. But as soon as he apparated into the edge of the yard, he knew it had been correct. The sight that laid before him was going to plague him with nightmares for years. He arrived in time to see Crabbe send the infamous Harry Potter flying halfway across the yard, slamming into the side of the house with a sickening thud. Despite any animosity towards James Potter or Harry, Severus could not stand to see the boy in this condition. He was covered in bruises and blood, both fresh and old, his left eye was swollen completely shut, and it was quite obvious that his right leg was broken below the knee. Even though many regarded Severus Snape as a fearful monster, which suited him fine, deep down he was really quite humane. He wished this kind of treatment upon no one, save perhaps Voldemort himself, the true definition of "monster." He was as cold-blooded as the snakes he so frequently kept in his company.
Many years ago, Dumbledore had told Severus the story behind Tom Marvolo Riddle's rise to evil. Severus suspected he was one of a meager few that Dumbledore ever discussed this with.
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"Did Voldemort ever discuss his childhood with any of the Death Eaters?" Dumbledore inquired, initiating the conversation.
"Not really. He reveals very little of his own life. He prefers to use Occlumency to pry into everyone else's life so he can find some way to torture or blackmail them." Severus replied only halfway interested since this was after Voldemort's downfall. This information seemed almost useless at this point in time.
"His life was a relatively uneventful one. It held no major childhood traumas like yours and, now, Harry Potter's. His grandparents, both muggle and magical, died before he was born. He had no extended family nor siblings. The Riddle's mansion was located in a small village named Little Hangleton. Tom's parents were rich, snobbish, and rude. They kept to themselves, their money as their main source of company. I was quite surprised when he began attending Hogwarts. It had been expected that they would hire a tutor to teach him magic."
Severus could already tell that this was going to take awhile, so he settled further into his armchair and thanked Merlin that the house elves knew to put a little fire whiskey in his already very strong coffee. He knew Dumbledore had a reason for telling him this. He just hoped it wasn't for the sheer sake of reminiscing and that the point could be made quickly. The realization that Albus was continuing the tale snapped Severus back into paying attention.
"Of course, the only reason I can figure as to why the old couple sent Tom to Hogwarts is because they had no use for a teenage boy running about the house disturbing the silence. But at that time, Tom told everyone that his parents were dead and he had been living in an orphanage. It wasn't until after he graduated and his parents were found dead that anyone learned the truth. The then headmaster, Dippet, never was sure how he got that lie past him. I still don't know.
"Anyways, Tom Riddle began studying at Hogwarts. He was a brilliant wizard with very obvious potential, and yet, he seemed to prefer to stay out of the lime light. Perhaps because his parents were such hermits. No one really knew why. During his first year, he kept to himself and never really made friends, just a few necessary, no... forced, acquaintances." Dumbledore paused to sip his lemon tea and think, as if organizing the memories in his head.
"The second year he attended Hogwarts, Tom seemed much more chipper. He was still snobbish and quiet, but he didn't look so melancholy all the time. Same thing for his third and fourth years. He received top marks in all of his classes, made no real friends, and really wasn't noticed much. But halfway through his fourth year, he did something remarkable. He developed a sort of crush on a girl in his Arithmancy class that I was teaching at the time. She was a good student, but often got made fun of for the ridicules things teenager pick out to torment one another about. Ridiculed as she was, she was still relatively popular, if for no other reason than to provide comic relief and esteem boosting for the "pure-blood" witches. Yes, Myrtle was a muggle-born witch.
"Tom, being half-muggle as well, thought that this made two things they shared in common. Yet, every time he approached her to strike up conversation, she snubbed him, using the excuse that she only associated with pure-blood wizards. And then, one day near the end of term, her so called "friends" pulled a horrible trick on him. They cast a spell on him during Defense Against the Dark Arts class that covered him in a nasty skin rash and made all of his hair fall out. And Myrtle just laughed. There was pity in her eyes, but her friends were laughing, so she did too. Not her finest hour, I must say. Anyways, one student was expelled and the others were severely disciplined. Argus about burst with glee at the thought of reprimanding all of those students. Poor Tom, he was never the same. We healed the rash and regrew his hair, but it didn't matter. The damage had been done. He was worse than melancholy. You could practically see the chip on his shoulder. He left fourth year miserable, and returned the fifth year even worse. Of course, that was the year the Chamber of Secrets was opened and poor Myrtle was killed. Tom graduated after seventh year with top marks, and then five years later, his parents were found dead, making us realize that had lied about the orphanage. By that time, it didn't really matter. Tom Marvolo Riddle was dead. The only person left was Lord Voldemort."
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And now Severus was looking at the creature before him known as Lord Voldemort.
"It is time." Voldemort hissed, prohibiting Crabbe, Sr. from killing Harry before Voldemort got to have any fun. The yard was a large clearing surrounded by trees on three sides and the house on the fourth. Near the middle of the back of the clearing was where Lucius Malfoy projected the Dark Mark. But now that Voldemort and a couple dozen Death Eaters had arrived, he released the projection and barked at a lower ranking Death Eater to unstupefy Goyle, who was still lying near the stump in the middle of the yard. A few yards from Malfoy was a large wood teepee with one large wooden pole sticking out of the apex. He can't be serious. thought Severus. He really is going to burn the boy alive. His stomach dropped, his heart pounded against his ribcage, and his mind raced, trying to figure out how to save the boy and escape when they were completely surrounded by Death Eaters. Even with the ability to apparate, it would be next to impossible to get that close to the boy. Voldemort was going to make sure of that. He wanted Potter all to himself now. Severus doubted he'd even let Lucius near Harry at this point. Especially since it was apparent from Harry's conditions that Malfoy had already had his fair share of fun.
"Bring him to me." Voldemort commanded. Crabbe got a maniacal look in his eyes and then sent Harry flying towards Voldemort in the same fashion he'd given him a taste of the house's siding.
"Fool!!!" Voldemort yelled, enraged at Crabbe's immaturity. He stopped Harry before he landed on the ground, then hit Crabbe with the Cruciatus Curse for his insolence. While Crabbe, Sr. was writhing and screaming, Voldemort hovered Harry upright, just above the ground. Annoyed by Crabbe's screams, he ordered a Death Eater near him to shut him up, then turned back to Harry as a Silencing Charm was being cast just behind him. Now the yard was quiet as a graveyard as everyone waited for the Dark Lord to proceed.
"You have been a thorn in my side for far too long, Mr. Potter. It is amazing how such a miniscule, pathetic wizard could cause me so much trouble. Of course, you would have been dead long ago had you not been hiding behind that old fool, Dumbledore. But as is quite obvious, he's not here to save you now." That extracted a few evil chuckles from the crowd of Death Eaters.
Harry was terrified. This was much worse than when he'd been abducted with Cedric Diggory during his fourth year. As horrendous as that had been, there had been fewer Death Eaters and a portkey he had been able to use to escape. Even though he knew they had used a portkey to get here, he had no idea of what it looked like or where it possibly was. Not to mention the facts that he was much more severely maimed this go around and the portkey would only take him back to the dungeons Lucius had held him in, not Hogwarts. He was in deep, deep shit and he knew it. Every inch of his body was screaming from his earlier thrashings, but he knew the worst was yet to come. He had a faint hint that if he miraculously managed to survive the night, he was going to be pyrophobic for a long time to come, if not for the rest of his life.
Where was that help Sirius had promised? Had he been real at all? It seemed like an eternity had passes since his silvery dream. Maybe it had been just that, a dream. A coping mechanism for a delirious subconscious, desperately trying to escape its hellish reality. Harry now faced that hell of a reality, determined to not let his emotions show. He refused to let Voldemort have that satisfaction.
"You're scared, boy. Granted, most are in the face of death. The funny thing is, no one can escape it, save perhaps me. I have already proven that." Voldemort gloated. He was beginning to become quite pleased with himself and the whole situation. Soon the prophecy would be fulfilled. One would die and the other would survive. The he would kill Dumbledore and take over the wizarding world and, soon after, the rest of it. He had already decided that he would kill most of the Muggles, enslaving the ones he spared, making wizards the majority. But he would be careful to weed out ant wizards that might pose a threat to him, few as they would be. He would be a GOD!!
Severus saw that maniacal glint in Voldemort's eyes and knew he was formulating plans in his twisted head. Snape's tall stature allowed him to see what was going on even though he was behind three or four other Death Eaters. He must have slipped out of the loop because he had no idea there were this many active followers. He wasn't even sure of who most of them could possibly be, and the masks didn't help. He had been carrying his mask in his robes when he left Dumbledore and the Order, so he had managed to slip it on before he apparated to the Potter's house. He wondered how much longer Voldemort was going to taunt the boy and if Voldemort was ever going to release Crabbe, whose nose and ears were now bleeding, from his curse. That made Severus wonder if the body continued twitching even after the person had died.
"It's such a waste that your parents died trying so desperately to save you when it is inevitable that I WILL kill you. Of course, I would have killed them regardless. Or at least your father. Maybe I would have given your mother to some of my Death Eaters so they could have some fun. Yes, she would have been a very nice toy."
Harry's blood boiled, but he knew that Voldemort was just trying to get him to react, so he did nothing. He could barely see Voldemort for the fury burning throughout him. Even though he was getting no response, Voldemort could feel the boy's anger radiating from within him, so the Dark Lord decided to continue.
"Obviously, after I've killed you and Dumbledore, I'll kill all of you friends, especially that pathetic red headed family that call themselves wizards. Except, perhaps the girl and that mud-blood you associate with. I'm sure I can find someone who would be willing to let them live as slaves. I bet they would make very obedient slaves once they were properly broken." Harry tried so hard to control his anger, but this was too much. Without even knowing how it happened, a large log from the bonfire stack launched itself directly at Voldemort's head. Quick as lightening, he flicked his wand and shattered it into millions of splinters that fell lightly to the ground. A roar of laughter erupted from the crowd of Death Eaters. After a minute, it died down so Voldemort continued.
"Please don't tell me that's the best you can do, Mr. Potter. You can blow up Muggles, but merely launch lumber at fellow wizards? Though, you're not strong enough to blow me up, are you? Pity. I was hoping for more of a challenge."
"You coward! If you wanted a real challenge, then you would have given me my wand and we could've had a real showdown. This is quite low, even for you Voldemort, attacking me with all of your goons while I'm unarmed." Severus was shocked at how strong and steady Harry's voice was, even if it was raspy. Well, so much for saving the bloody boy, he thought. Voldemort never tolerated insolence of any kind. Had it been anyone else, Voldemort would have killed them immediately. He had certainly done it for less. Of course, Severus was surprised it had taken Harry this long to stand up to Voldemort. He certainly had no trouble with retorts in Potions class.
"Why Harry, you're quite right. Who would I be to deny Dumbledore's great champion a fighting chance? Which one of you would like to lend Harry a wand so he can kill me?" There were numerous volunteers amongst the laughing.
"You!" Voldemort pointed to one of the smaller Death Eaters. Severus wondered if it was a woman until he was the man's rough, hairy hands when he handed Voldemort the wand. Not even the ugliest female circus freak Severus had seen had hands this gnarled and calloused. Not to mention, they were just too large to be a woman's hands. Hell, they were too large even for this man. They seemed obscene compared to his small stature. At least what was apparent through his robes.
"Here you are, Harry." said Voldemort as he handed the still hovering wizard this foreign wand. "And seeing as how it's not the wand you're used to wielding, I'll let you practice with it. How about on......... it's owner. Any spell you'd like. Give it a whirl." With that, he lowered Harry to the ground, then remembered that one of Harry's legs was broken.
"Oh that's hardly fair. What can we do about that leg, dear boy?" Immediately, a blue light engulfed Harry's right leg and a thick splint materialized around it. It wasn't healed, but he could at least stand on it.
"Now, have a go." Severus was very surprised by the cat and mouse game Voldemort was amusing himself with. He rarely had the patience to toy with people for so long. Normally, Voldemort left the toying to Lucius Malfoy and some of the other high ranking Death Eaters. Severus wished he knew why Voldemort was acting so oddly. Perhaps he had finally and completely cracked. He had never been too far from it. Severus turned his attention back to Harry and waited with bated breath to see which spell he would use on the now horrorstricken Death Eater. This would determine how far gone Harry was. If he killed the man, Voldemort would have already won. Maybe this is why Voldemort's been holding out. If Harry can kill an unarmed man, then Voldemort will have an easy time manipulating him and turning him into a weapon. This thought sent chills up and down Severus' spine. That pair would be unstoppable.
Harry just stood there, not even looking at his target. Then, faster than most could see, he raised the heavy wand and, with a look of sheer determination, uttered not a sound, but a bright orange blast slammed into the man's chest and sent him crashing into several Death Eaters. Harry immediately acted again, sending Crabbe's now still and most definitely dead body flying at Voldemort.
"Avada Kedavra!!" Harry yelled with all his might, determined to end this now. The green energy followed just behind and below the body. Voldemort flung Crabbe, Sr.'s body aside and went wide-eyed at the death curse that was streaming towards him. Had he hesitated even a second, the curse would have hit its mark. But he did not. He sent another of his Death Eaters sailing through the air and right in front of the curse. The majority of the followers that hadn't been bowled over by the now unconscious, large-handed man were unsure of what to do. They knew Voldemort would be furious if they interferred, but Harry was doing better than expected. Despite looking exhausted and sallow, he was holding his own. But how much longer could he last? Severus knew the boy was running out of energy fast, but it was still too early to make his move. If he did something now, he would only get them both killed.
"Bravo, bravo." Voldemort was obviously very amused as he moved closer to Harry, clapping slowly and purposefully. "You have managed to rid me of two Death Eaters and send a dozen of them into disarray. I'm impressed."
"You're wrong. You killed both of those men (being Crabbe and the one that was forced to sacrifice himself for the greater evil)." Harry argued.
"But it was your curse that hit him."
"It would have hit you if you weren't too cowardly to face it yourself, Voldemort. Besides, why would you be scared of it? You've survived it before."
"I am no fool, boy! Even if I hadn't been killed, I would be in no fit state to finish you off. Expelliarmus!"
Harry tried to duck the spell, but with his lame leg and other injuries, he just wasn't fast enough. The wand shot out of his hand and he fell backwards onto the hard, unforgiving ground.
"Now let's see what's going on inside that head of yours that is making you so assertive. Legilmens!"
Harry felt like he was floating outside of his own body. He saw many different images in his head, but could do nothing to stop them.
"Where to begin? How about at our most recent encounter?" Voldemort's cold voice slid over every inch of Harry's mind, making him feel sick and violated. Suddenly he was back in the Ministry of Magic watching Sirius die, again. Voldemort watched that it replay in Harry's head a few more times, then decided move on.
"That was delightful. Let me see another. Why don't we go back to the very beginning?" Abruptly, his mind filled with the echoes of a woman's screams. "Ahh, yes. I remember that night well." Harry tried to prevent Voldemort from resurrecting the memory of his mother's death, but he didn't have the strength. Too long had he gone without sustenance and rest. He was fading fast. Some part of his mind registered that he was writhing on the ground, screaming, but there was nothing he could do.
Severus could stand it no longer. As Harry's screams reverberated against the trees and into the night sky, he knew he was going to die for what he was about to do, but he had no choice. He had to help the boy. He hoped that cat who looked like Minerva's transfigured form was not an illusion.
"Legilmens." Severus attacked Voldemort's mind just long enough to force him away from Harry. He was standing behind the captivated Death Eaters and barely whispered the word. Maybe no one heard him.
"WHO WAS THAT!?!?!" Voldemort looked around seething, while Harry lay panting on the ground with his eyes clamped shut, but still unable to stop the flood of tears that had broken through. Dead silence filled the air. It was so thick and heavy you could choke on it.
"Answer me NOW!!!!!" A small squeak escaped from a trembling Death Eater and in the blink of an eye he was dead. "I will kill you all if I have to."
"It was Severus." accused two voices in unison.
"Explain immediately!" Voldemort demanded, his patience wearing very thin. Cautiously, Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange stepped forward.
"Master, he is the only follower known to possess such Occlumency skills." Lucius explained.
"And, my Lord, Pettigrew was convinced Severus was a spy. Maybe he was right after all." Bellatrix quickly bowed her head and prayed Voldemort would not kill her just for the sake of it.
"Severus, come forward and tell me why I shouldn't kill you immediately." Voldemort was being extremely patient with him.
"My Lord, you were killing the little bastard. You would not be able to enjoy watching him burn to death if he was already dead." Severus tried, but he knew Voldemort would see right through him.
"I have spared your life so many times before and you repay me by spying against me and then making up pathetic lies that insult my intelligence?! I would have expected better from you, Severus. You really were one of my favorites."
Before he could even blink, an orange light hit him square in the chest, Voldemort's personal concoction of spells possessing his being. Every inch of his body was trying to seizure with a Crucio, but was being held perfectly still by a Petrificus Totalus. His muscles were literally being torn between the stress of the contradictions. He wanted to scream until his lungs burst, but he couldn't move his vocal chords or jaw. Just as some of his bones were beginning to snap under the strain, Voldemort removed the curse, leaving Severus panting on the ground, unable to move. The pain was still too near. With every breath, his muscles would spasm, sending a new wave of agony screaming throughout his body as some of the muscle would tear completely in half, the exertion being more than they could handle.
His agony-clouded mind didn't even register that Voldemort was standing practically on top of him until a heavy boot connected with his ribs with a sickening crack. Turning to the motionless group, he proclaimed,
"Tonight, my loyal followers, you are getting a real treat. We will burn them both. And anyone else who dares to defy me will join them." With that, he signaled for Malfoy, who had been guarding Potter, to prepare the fire.
"I'm tired of playing game. Tonight will mark the beginning of a new era. My era!" Voldemort watched as Lucius and another Death Eater dragged Harry to the wood pile, then levitated him to the large stake in the middle and bound him with thick rope.
Harry was still numb all over. His mind was still clouded from Voldemort's intrusion. Even though he knew he was being moved, he couldn't quite figure out what was going on. It wasn't until he heard Voldemort say "Inflamaria." that he remembered what was going on. He looked down and saw flames growing at the base of the wood teepee. His entire body shook with terror. He silently prayed and begged for someone to save him, but no one that would help was in sight. As he desperately looked around, he finally saw a battered Severus Snape laying in a heap near the fire where he'd been dragged as well. Wondering why he hadn't seen him earlier, he saw a Death Eater mask laying on the ground several yards from them. Realization that Snape had been the one who stopped Voldemort from completely destroying his mind and then paid severely for it struck Harry hard. The man who had tormented Harry for so many years had still done everything in his power to help him.
As his eyes began to sting, Harry realized the flames were growing quickly and smoke was billowing around him. He tried to yell, but choked on the dense fumes that burnt his lungs and eyes. His breathing became labored and soon he was barely able to wheeze through the smoke. He could see only darkness as his eyes could no longer stand the smoke. Through the black pillar and roaring of the climbing flames, all Harry could hear was the cold laugh of Voldemort as he slipped into a hot darkness, having been robbed of all his oxygen.
Severus felt the rough hands drag him across the yard after Voldemort's little speech. He opened his eyes and saw his wand on the ground several feet away, broken into multiple pieces. As painlessly as possible, he turned his head in time to see the smoke rise up around Harry and hear the boy start coughing and choking on it. Where the hell are you, Dumbledore? he half-begged, becoming frantic. He couldn't lie there and do nothing. Crestfallen at the realization that he must have been mistaken about the cat, he summoned every ounce of strength that remained in his body. This was going to be slightly easier since Voldemort and the Death Eaters were all transfixed on Harry He glanced up again when Voldemort started laughing and he saw Harry's head fall, his toes being liked by the climbing fire. With a last burst of strength, Severus willed his broken body into action. He sprang up, ran and leapt into the fire. He threw his body onto the stake holding Harry, then heard it crack. As it broke under his weight, he pushed with all his might and sent it, with Harry still attached, tumbling off of the wood pile, on the opposite side from the Death Eaters. Unable to breath through the smoke, Severus collapsed on the burning pile, and knew nothing more.