Author's Note: Sorry for such the long delay, dear readers! School and work has taken up most of my time and not to mention all the reading I've been doing also. Hope you enjoy this next chapter. Be forewarned, this chapter contains some disturbing imagines.
Chapter Three: The First Nightmare
He woke up damp and cold. His back ached and his arm was twisted painfully underneath him. The concrete he slept on felt like ice rather than stone. His robes were dirty and frayed and his hair was even more greasy than it has ever been. He should have never left his cloak with that ungrateful brat. He had three days of stubble on his face and he had bags under his eyes. The lines of his face stood out more pronounced. He winced slightly as he sat up. His joints popped as he stretched.. He could see his own breath. He shivered slightly. The stupid girl didn't even have proper wards up. He was lucky to have been able to apparate into her house and more so into her room. What if the Dark Lord had tried that? There would have been nothing he could do... The room the Prince occupied was bare. There was only one window with moth eaten curtains hanging from it. The only light that entered the room came from the street lamp below. He heard the faintest rustle of robes. He was on his feet in a flash, wand at the ready.
"It is only I, Severus."
The room's temperature dropped another ten degrees if possible at the sound of that cold high voice. Snape kneeled as fast as he could.
"My Lord."
"Raise, Severus. We have much to discuss."
"Yes, my lord."
"A different setting is in order though. Take my arm. I know you cannot apparate..."
Snape took the Dark Lord's arm and suppressed a shudder. It felt like marble. They appeared in another room. It was modestly furnished with a high backed chair, a table in the middle of the room, and another chair with soft brown fabric. Voldemort seated himself and motioned to Snape to do the same. Snape did, noticing how sore he still was.
"Why did you hide away these past days, Severus?"
"Some of my fellows are trying to — dispose of me. I'm hunted by both sides, my Lord."
"Do not worry about my deatheaters. I have told them that if you were killed, then all of them will die."
Snape's face did not change but his eyes showed his skepticism. Voldemort waved his hand idly at the empty fireplace. And the grate burst into flames. Warmth flooded the room. Snape began to relax. He's stalling, thought Snape. Voldemort waved his hand again and a tea service appeared fully set. His long pale fingers wrapped around a delicate cup and he brought it to his almost non-existent lips.
"Your loyalty is of no question to me, Severus. That is why I want you to find one of my horcruxes."
Those pitiless red eyes told him not to disagree. A hiss was heard below them. Nagini wound herself around the hems of their robes. She settled near the fire.
"I will do what my Lord asks."
The Dark Lord moved his chair closer to the fire.
"Snakes are such magnificent creatures... Hardly any weaknesses yet a lot of enemies. I have enemies even within my own ranks and sadly I have to watch them more than Potter. That boy wanders aimlessly around the British Isles looking for the remaining horcruxes. I can feel him. I know where he is... Be wary of him, Severus. He wants to kill you as much as he does me."
"I am aware of it, my Lord. Potter has become quiet skilled but he lacks self-control. No doubt he is powerful as we know he shares your gifts. That boy has been lucky. The only thing I can do is avoid him since according to the prophecy, only you can kill him."
The Dark Lord chuckled softly. He placed his cup back on its saucer and looked directly at Snape.
"How long has it been since you slept properly?"
"Three days, four nights."
Voldemort nodded. His wand appeared and in an empty corner a bed appeared with black linens. Voldemort put his wand away and brought something else out from under his thick cloak. It was a purple bottle.
"Drink this, Severus. A sleeping drought of my own brew."
He reluctantly took the bottle and placed it on his lips. He couldn't smell poison. It was only when he tasted it that he detected something added to the potion. He couldn't tell what it was; it scared him. The last thing he remembered before closing his eyes was Voldemort's snake-like face leering at him.
Severus...
Snape opened his eyes. He was in the Lightening Tower. He could barely see the stone walls around him and the ramparts.
Severus... he heard his name again.
He turned around slowly. He saw a body lying on the floor about two meters away. Against his will, he moved towards it. He stepped into something sticky. The body twitched. It was a young man covered in blood and dirt. The boy's hair was so dark it appeared blue to his eyes. He felt bile raise into his throat; he choked it back. The boy had been slashed violently all over his body. His clothes barely covered him. Grimly, Snape noticed the boy had no eyes. The body moved again.
You could have saved me.
No, I came too late. I could do nothing.
You always come too late...
He mechanically moved his head to the left and saw a figure slightly taller than himself next to him.
You did all you can, it whispered to him.
No I didn't, he tried to say back. The figure stepped closer to Snape. He could smell rotting and diseased flesh. Something on the figure gleamed silver when it moved slightly.
You did all that you could, no one will ever blame you for that...
I blame HIM! screamed the young man on the floor suddenly.
The whole bloodied mass had turned onto its stomach and started crawling towards Snape. Snape couldn't move.
He killed you! He killed ME! The man screamed again.
Severus, the figure started, remember that you are the only one who can help Harry understand. Don't let him be reduced to this.
The figure motioned with a blackened hand. Snape gasped as he realized who it was.
No! Get away from me! I can't take this right now!
You already know where one of the horcruxes are... Save Harry and maybe you can save her also...
I CAN'T! GET THE BLOODY HELL AWAY FROM ME!
Snape tried to move away from Dumbledore but was unable to. He felt something wrap around his left ankle.
You're a coward! You've always been one!
The grotesque mass of flesh had reached out with one mangled arm and the hand grasped Snape's ankle. The hand only had three fingers. The face of the boy looked up. Snape could see that the scar on its head had been enlarged and now covered most of its forehead. Snape tried to get away and flung his arms out–
And he awoke in a dark room with modest furnishings. His chest was heaving and sweat covered his whole body. He blinked a couple of times to adjust.
Voldmort was still sitting in his chair with his long white fingers together.
"Go back to sleep, Severus," said Voldemort. "It was just a nightmare."
