Authors Note: I worked really hard on this chapter and personally I really like, I mean at the moment it is my favorite. I know, you might be asking yourself, "Why the hell does she have a favorite chapter of her own story?" Well, my answer is, "because I want to, damn it," lol just joking with you. Hope you like it as much as I do!

So chapter may slow a little, with the absence of my beta (holidays ya know) and I got HP Scene It? So you know what I'm going to be doing and a bunch of other stuff and I'm helping a friend move, so yeah. Sorry if it takes long.

For those of you who read "I'll Be Home for Christmas" it says it will speed up, but it won't so don't count on it. I am very sorry, really I am but Christmas season is hectic. So HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Chapter 21

The Torment Begins

Ashitaka was a little older now, and he was a solemn looking child at that. His black hair was tied back with a thick leather band revealing dark bruises on his neck, which were barely visible do to the high-necked dark green tunic. His swollen bottom lip was set into a light frown of concentration directed at the cauldron in front of him.

"Hey, Ash," Ashitaka jumped at the voice and spun around, quickly. A young girl, maybe a little older then he, was watching him nervously as if she was nervous to speak to him. Her silver gown gave her a delicate, vulnerable look but any notion of her vulnerability was soon dashed at the sight of a sword that hung loosely around her slender waist. She looked abnormal standing there in, what they assumed was, the potions room, the cauldrons and shelves upon shelves of ingredients gave that away.

"Lea," he said his mouth forming a smile, "What are you doing awake at this hour in the morn?" if looked at closely enough, he almost looked like he was blushing.

"I was worried about you," she sat on the table next to him, her dress pooling at her feet, watching him curiously, "when you didn't come to your father's funeral feast…what happened to you?" he had turned slightly so the light of fire hit his face. She very gently ran her fingertips along his jawline where a bruise had begun to blossom. He flinched at the touch and wretched out of her grasp.

"It's nothing," he snapped, "it's from dueling, that's all,"

"Last time I checked, Prince Ashitaka, you don't get physical in dueling," she hopped of the table, "…besides you're one of our strongest fighters, physically and magically and your powers aren't even fully developed." She walked to the door and froze, "what's happening to you, Ash?"

He refused to meet her gaze, "it's….nothing,"

………

The Order found they were following him as he walked down the empty halls. The glass that was normally the ceiling had disappeared revealing clear night sky, letting the wind in. He was dressed now in a long sleeve silver under-tunic, and over that were a short sleeve dark green tunic and a pair of lighter green breeches. His cloak flowed behind him, matching his attire with a woody green color that changed to brown when the cloth came into contact with the ground or walls. A belt hung around his waist, there, there was a knife and sword strapped on. Across his chest there was a wide leather strap that wrapped around his back, hanging from the strap were pouches, the smallest at the top and getting larger as it went down.

He turned down a different hallway, ducking in and out of shadows as he went the screen focused on his face for the briefest of seconds allowing the Order a glimpse of a much different potions master. His hair was down now, blowing lightly in the wind and his ears were pointed, much like an elves, but not as extravagant more subtle. His nose was NOT the hooked thing they were used to, it was a normal noise, and there was really no other way to describe it. His eyes were his normal black, glistening pools of darkness that read straight through someone. They sparkled with a hidden gleam of mischief. He winced in pain as he pressed his back to the stone behind him while ducking into the shadows giving them a view of sharp teeth, cat teeth or more precisely panther teeth. All in all for an eight or nine year old he was a cute kid.

His only features that were obscured were his bottom lip was swollen and split. His right jaw was bruising and there was a gash across his forehead and left eyebrow. He evidently reached his destination for he ducked inside a door were he was met by silence.

Inside the room it was dark, it looked like the back entrance of a temple, if he looked straight ahead of him across the huge open floor there were pillars, too many to count, that was the only thing that was standing in front of him and the outside. He made his way to the pillars, and stood on the edge of the marble floor. If he took another step he would be on a staircase that was open all around and built into the side of a mountain that the temple was apparently built on. It looked similar to the stairs of the pyramids of Egypt of the Mayan Temples in Mexico.

"Prince Ashitaka, you really should be asleep," Ashitaka visibly tensed at the harsh voice.

"Yes, sir," his voice quavered slightly in fear. He turned and walked past the priest that they recognized as the one that first struck his mother.

"Prince Ashitaka," he said again, "you're mother is looking for you,"

"Yes, sir," he walked away closing his eyes briefly as he did as if he was praying.

He made his way slowly down another dark hallway his breathing slightly heavier with fear. He reached another door and knocked gently the door was opened and he was roughly pulled in.

"Mother!" was the first thing that escaped his lips she was lying in the middle of the room (more like a cell) in a pool of her own blood.

"Ashitaka, it's alright, just listen to them like you always do,"

The Order had tears in their eyes, except Moody who still look disgusted at the sight of the weak and broken former Death Eater.

Hermione was watching her much changed professor with worry. His eyes were screwed shut, his breathing labored as if every pain he felt then he felt again. His disguise, she assumed this was a disguise to cover up his demon looks, seemed to be slipping, his face had a softer look as if with every memory that was provoked caused the Demon looks to come back.

Ashitaka sat next to his mother, tears falling freely now.

"Stop it, you brat," came the harsh words of a guard, a swift kick in the ribs followed the words. He rolled and didn't move, "get up, boy," another kick and another shove, but still Ashitaka didn't move.

"Please, sir, don't hurt him," his mother pleaded with the guards desperately which only earned her another slap in the face.

The guards pulled out a small vile of black liquid.

………

The Order knew what that liquid was, it was torture. Worse even then the liquefied Crucatius curse.

………

The guard grabbed Ashitaka's bruised jaw and forced it open; forcing the liquid into his mouth and forcing him to swallow. It took a moment for the potion to go into effect but when it did the torture was colossal. Ashitaka's scream echoed through the stone room, it was filled with pure angst and pain. The guard in the corner laughed as he curled into a pitiful ball screaming, digging his nails into his arms and pulling his hair. It seemed like hours before his muscles finally relaxed and he entered the sweet blissful state of unconsciousness.

End Chapter 21

The Torment Begins

As I said before I really do like this chapter, I think if really gives a sight of where and how you Severus (Ashitaka) lived, but it doesn't matter what I think only what you think. So drop me a review and tell me what you think! Thanks.

Ani