Disclaimer: All characters and copyright belong to J.K. Rowling
October 31, 1981
For almost two years Snape had been a slave to Voldemort, yet he did not know how much longer he could survive. He had persisted at the hands of his abusive father, the training facilities of Villa Pietra, and had been a personal slave to the cruel Lucius Malfoy, yet after all of that, it was only now that he was at the brink of his sanity.
This moment was a brief respite from torture from the Dark Lord, so Snape knelt against a wall in reprieve from the constant pain. Unlike his previous Master, the Dark Lord was more than a sadist; he was a sociopath. While Lucius still attended Hogwarts and was underage he had been owned by his father, Abraxas. While the elder Malfoy was a demanding Master, he was determined that Severus remained as unmarked as possible. He was more interested in his return of value. However, once Lucius because of age he made sure that every inch of him was marked and owned. Most of those scars faded, but the ones on his back and neck remained. The Dark Lord found the possession of him amusing and liked to toy with his mind.
Earlier this week the Dark Lord was exhilarated at finding the Potter family safe house. Right before he was bound to the Dark Lord, Snape had begged Dumbledore to keep Lily safe. Lucius had tasked Severus with infiltrating Hogwarts to try to get a teaching position. During that time of limited freedom, he had used that opportunity to ask Dumbledore to protect Lily. That act had pushed the limits of his bond to almost killing him. He had spent three days almost blacking out from pain until he finally gave in and told Lucius that the Potters were being sent to a safe house. Luckily Dumbledore did not tell him any hints of the location, so he couldn't tell his Master where they exactly were.
He felt terrible knowing Lily's fate - she was one of the few people to have ever shown him kindness. However, at this moment he felt relieved as he started the process of healing himself. He had only recently received this permission, as his Master was in a generous mood. Unfortunately, his bond would not let him kill himself, as his body was not his own, but belonged to the Master. He continued healing himself in the corner of the manor, shutting off his emotions and focusing on the task at hand.
Severus did not know how long his Master had been gone, but it was hard to tell time in the dim manor. He knew that when his Master came back, his childhood friend would be dead. However, his Master would be happy, and it tore him apart thinking that all he cared for was to keep his Master pleased. After some more time he heard yelling coming from down the hallway "The Dark Lord is dead! Run! The Ministry is on the way!" He did not know who screamed but tried to understand as he saw Death Eaters apparating out of the manor.
Severus knelt horrified, as his Master forbade he use magic. However if my Master is dead? Snape felt his hands move to his robe and pulled out his wand. He had been allowed to keep his wand as he unwillingly took part in the Dark Lord attacks. He produced light from the end of his wand and his eyes widened.
His thoughts started to become clearer as the fog of bare survival lifted. For the past two years he had acted a mindless slave for the sake of his sanity. He stood up, exhilarated at the movement of his own free will. Still, he did not know where to go. He needed to find somewhere quiet. He settled on the house he was raised in. He did not know where they took his mother or if his father was still around, but he had assumed his father died.
He apparated to his former house on Spinner's End. He looked around, and it was Halloween night. The muggles had decorated the dreary neighborhood which made the place seem more eerie than festive. He had noticed that the house was deserted, and by the dilapidated frame, overgrown plants, and cobwebs it had been for a while now.
After coming to the door, he willed himself to enter. From the sour smell of mildew, he knew that it had been abandoned. He forced himself up the stairs and into his old room. The bed was still there, alongside his bookshelf, which now was toppled leaving the books scattered along the floor. The last time he was here he had just turned 11, and at that time he was hiding as he heard screams coming from the next room. He remembered that it was not just his mother screaming, but also his father. He looked at the bed where he hid. It was useless, as he was pulled out. He may have been knocked out after and woke up at the training center.
He shook his head trying to get rid of the bad memory. He did not know how long he had laid there, mind half in the past. He was shaken out of his daze when he felt a cruciatus curse. He opened his eyes and saw Lucious, his former Master before his eyes. "D-Dominus" he managed to croak out before another wave of pain overtook over him. Snape wondered for a second of how he could be found so fast, but remembered that the Malfoy's had his original file. They would have known his original home.
Malfoy snarled, kicking him "Why did you not stay at the manor you ignorant, stubborn slave." He was kicked between each breath. Snape was in too much pain and too weak to talk or move, so he laid there until Lucius subsided. He felt jerked up and placed on his knees. He then felt Lucius' move up his collar and press his wand deeply where his curse mark was.
"Tenetur servus ei juramento, hic servus meus est." He heard Lucius repeat the incantation, but nothing happened. Snape felt nothing, but the pain from the wand tip digging into his neck.
"What the- slave, explain!" Lucius' face was so close to Snape's that his spittle landed on his face.
Snape did not know what was going on. He had assumed that in time Lucius would find and rebind him. Severus was able to get out "I-I don't know. Maybe, maybe" he muttered. He felt a tighter tug on his scalp so he continued hoping that would make him stop "maybe the Dark Lord is not dead, there's no way Potter could have beaten him."
Lucius spat back "The Potters are dead - the mother died protecting the boy, and somehow some protection magic killed the Dark Lord." It was then that Snape realized that Lily had died. He was stunned trying to understand what happened. Lily died. James died. His Master died. The boy lived.
However, Severus was unbound. His ownership should have transferred or enabled another to claim him, but it didn't. There was only one answer to him - the Dark Lord still had to be alive, but weak enough that the curse wavered. It was the most logical explanation he could think of.
"Dominus, I don't think the Dark Lord is dead. I have not been transferred to you. The only plausible reason is that he is still alive somehow." Or a part of him was alive. Severus decided not to mention the horcruxes.
That deduction also seemed logical to Lucious who then backed away. "I must inform the others." He then apparated out of the house. Severus knew that if he was still 'owned' by the Dark Lord, then he would be left alone for the time being. He knew Lucius, and if he couldn't completely control him he would barely have any interest in him.
If Lucius did not own him, and he could still perform magic then perhaps he was in a strange purgatory where he could be free, waiting for his Master to claim him. On a whim, he then pointed his wand to his neck and said "alohmora" and the collar snapped off. He tossed the wretched thing on the floor satisfied at the clanging noise it made.
With his new freedom, he knew there would be only one person who could help him. He apparated right outside Hogwarts wards. As he went towards the castle, Albus Dumbledore was already there. Of course, he would be.
It was the first time he saw the Headmaster furious. "Severus you disappeared for nearly two years!" The elderly wizard yelled.
"Headmaster" Snape hesitated thinking about what he could say. "You know the truth. I cared for Lily. The last time we spoke I begged for you to hide her. You said you would keep her safe."
Dumbledore glared "And now she's dead, alongside James. When I promised to hide them, you said that you would be able to bring me some information."
"I thought I would be able to Headmaster, but then I was - I was given to the Dark Lord. I didn't know." Severus tried not to think about what he had gone through.
"What do you mean Severus?" asked Dumbledore, his voice becoming less aggravated.
Severus explained the curse that plagued him, how the Malfoy family was able to enroll him in Hogwarts, when Lucius came of age and claimed him, and the last two years of his life bound to the Dark Lord. He then explained his theory of why he remained unbound - that the Dark Lord would come back and claim him again.
Dumbledore paced around, and Severus stood there waiting to see what he would say. Finally, he spoke "Severus this is an unprecedented situation. I have heard of your curse before, and it may not be as it seems. There is a chance that the bond transferred to the boy."
Severus shook his head. He had witnessed the Dark Lord's power and did not believe a toddler could supplant the bond. Still, Dumbledore was convinced. "Severus, you will start teaching here. When the boy comes to Hogwarts, you must keep him safe. If you are correct and Voldemort may come into power again, then the boy must stay alive."
Snape covered his face with a hand. "If the Dark Lord comes into power and claims me, there will be nothing I can do."
He looked up at Dumbledore who now had a familiar twinkle in his eyes. The Headmaster said, "We'll see, Severus, we'll see."
