So I know I said I was going to take forever to get this next chapter, but….I lied. I just posted that last chapter and got all sorts of wonderful comments and I just hated the felling off leaving you all out there with no chapter for a long time, so I sat down and started typing and this is what I came up with.
Also a special thanks for FireChildSlytherin5 for her much appreciated suggestion, she probably cut down the wait for this chapter by about a month. I was having a huge problem with writers block and to be honest I still sort of am.
WARNING: THISCHAPTER DOES CONTAIN DESCRIPTION OF ABUSE AND TORTURE, SO IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE READING THIS E-MAIL ME AND I WILL SEND YOU AN EDITED VERSION, THANK YOU!
Chapter 25
Slowly Being Broken
The sound of the belt connecting with flesh resounded through the empty temple halls. Ashitaka was beneath the blows. He knelt with his forehead pressed against the cool stone, submissively.
"I'm sorry we have to do this, Ashitaka," the priest spoke from where he stood circling the edge of the room, watching with a gleam of malice as the leather ripped through bare flesh.
Ash muffled a cry of pain as a boot connected with his ribs pushing him onto his tender, abused back. The priest smiled wickedly, "tsk, tsk, tsk….Ashitaka, you know better than to show signs of such weakness…" he motioned to the guard that stood at the door.
"Bring her…"
The guard opened the door and grabbed something…or someone to force in….
"Mother!" Ash fought the guards grasp desperately, which only earned him another whip with the belt. His mother barely raised her head from where she hung limp in the guard's arms.
"You know this must be done,"
Ashitaka let out a weak whimper.
"Pathetic," the priest motioned for the guards to whip him again.
"Ash…." His mother's voice was weak, her red hair falling in her dull eyes.
"Quiet, bitch." the guard back handed her hard and she went reeling, landing in a heap, in a puddle of her own blood.
Ashitaka fought again, "Mother!"
The priest glared at the struggling young prince, "Kill her," he turned to walk away, "and make sure he watches," his cruel, dark laughter trailing after him as he left the chamber.
"Mother…" his voice was weak and pathetic, "please don't…."
The guard pulled out a dagger, the silver metal glinting in the dim torch light. He held the blade to the woman's throat and laughed, dragging it lightly across it, a thin line marring smooth, pale skin, yet not deep enough to kill.
Ash tried to look down but the guard who held him grabbed his raven hair and yanked it back, forcing Ash's head back up.
The guard smiled sadistically. Tears were streaming down his cheeks as the final blow fell upon the beautiful woman and she was dead.
……….
Hermione's eyes were wide with horror as the scene played out before her. Sometime time is played out, she found herself sitting as close to Snape as she could without the magic interfering, arms wrapped herself, crying for him. Crying as she watched his mother slaughtered right before their eyes.
……….
The guards dropped him to his hands and knees and left.
Ash cried as he crawled over to his mother's body. She laid face down, blood pooling around her, spreading until it encircled him, "Mother," his voice cracked as he gently turned her over. Her eyes were glossy, staring lifelessly at him, "I'm sorry, Mother…" he placed a blood soaked hand to her forehead, whispering softly an incantation. When he was finished he placed a hand on hers, trembling, "Goodbye Mother…." He was sobbing openly now as he stepped back and weakly snapped his red-stained fingers. A ring of fire erupted around her, engulfing her body in flames. Ash dropped to his knees, shoulders slumped as he watched his mother's body burn in the linking flames.
………
Minerva and Molly were both crying by the end of the scene, Ginny had ducked under the table so she didn't watch and most of he Order wisely turned their heads away. Hermione was one of the few that watched the full scene, forcing herself to be strong. She looked at Snape, now almost Ashitaka, she could just barely make out a vine etching on the top of his hand and she had a sneaking suspicion that if it wasn't for the sleeve it would be all the way up his arm. His eyes were screwed shut in what looked like pain….from the memory. Hermione forced herself to look away from her professor and focus her attention on the screen where it had changed.
………
"Can you believe it, Sev?" Sarah whispered excitedly, "fourth year already," she grabbed the hand of the well-disguised Ashitaka and took off towards the castle.
He followed obediently, his face blank.
When they were in the entrance Hall they finally slowed down, Sarah's laughter fading, "you okay, Ash?" she whispered softly so as not to be overheard, she still hadn't released his hand.
Severus offered a weak smile, "fine."
Sarah looked like she was about to argue when an all to familiar broke in, "don't you two make a cute couple," Sirius Black, with a sneer on his face, "thought you could do better that him, Sarah, never imagined you the type to go slutting around with a Slytherin,"
"You bastard," Severus flew forward in and in an instant Sirius was down, spouting a black eye.
"Severus!" Sarah caught his arm before he could throw another swing, "he isn't worth it, Sev," she grabbed his arm and forced him to turn and walk away.
"Are you just going to let him talk to you like that?" he whispered heatedly, throwing a dirty look back at Sirius who was stumbling to his feet with the help of James.
"Severus what has gotten into you lately?" she pulled him into a dark corner so they were out of the view of prying eyes, "when you came to school last year you were depressed, not this year your hot-blooded and snapping at every little comment….what's wrong with you?"
He looked down, morphing into Ash, shame faced, "I…"
"Well, look what we have here," Lily said bouncing, "and what have you two been up too, not hidin' away in the closet are we?" she winked suggestively.
Ash, realizing how close they were, jumped back, blushing furiously, Sarah giggled, "oh you know you thought about it, Ash,"
His blush deepened, "bloody…." He trailed off seeing their raised eyebrows of surprise, "I mean…" thinking of no alternative insults he was going to throw at them, he just morphed back into Severus and causally sauntered away, whistling.
………
Severus was in the library again, deeply absorbed in some book or another.
"Um….Snivel…..Snape, hey…." A soft whisper caused a very annoyed expression on his face.
Severus slowly turned in his chair to stair darkly at whoever dared to bother him. He looked very surprised to see a very nervous James Potter. His look of surprise darkened almost instantly, "what do you want, James?"
Hermione found it very odd that he calls his enemies by their first name but his best friends by their last.
James sat across from Severus with a nervous smile, "I want to talk to you,"
Severus casually turned another page in his book, barely sparing him a glance, "about….?"
"Lily,"
Now Severus looked surprised, very surprised, "excuse me?"
"you're her best friend aren't you?"
"Well, I – why are you so interested in her?"
James looked around, noticing the confused looks the duo was getting, "maybe we should go somewhere else,"
Severus raised an elegant eyebrow but stood and left with James.
………
They stood beneath one of the trees of the forbidden forest, Severus casually leaning against the trunk, arms crossed, impatiently.
"What is it, James?"
"I want you to talk to Lily for me," he hurriedly went on seeing Severus was about to say something, "I know she hates me, but I just want to talk to her,"
Severus' eyes lit up, wickedly, "you fancy her," it was a statement.
James' silence answered for him.
"I knew it!" the triumphant smile lit up his face for the first time in a long time.
"Quiet!" James pleaded desperately, "Will you talk to her for me, please?"
Severus turned serious again, "why should I?"
James looked crest-fallen, "what do you want?"
Severus looked thoughtful, "I don't want anything for myself….I want you and your little…friends….to apologize to Sinclair and leave her alone,"
The anger that crossed James' face was almost frightening, "why the hell would I do that?"
"Sirius practically called her a whore and you, a fellow Gryffindor, the loyal and brave, stand up for others just stood by and watched!"
"I'm not loyal? Look at her she's hanging around with you!"
"And why is that so bad?" his voice dropped to a deadly whisper, "a long time ago people from all different houses were friends….friends, a Gryffindor who is SO loyal should understand that now if you want me to even breath a word about you to Evans than you better apologize,"
James looked humbled, "I can't believe you,"
Severus shot him a look.
"No not like that. You're a Slytherin you're supposed to be a cruel bastard who doesn't care about other people, selfish, arrogant…." He trailed off.
"Look James, go read Hogwarts A History once of twice, there is a very different description about Slytherins that has been warped. We're loyal to those who accept us, we fight for what we believe in, I'm not saying we're not cruel, but that's often a misconception, though…" he looked at the castle with a glare, "there is not one student in that room who can call themselves a real Slytherin," he refocused his attention on James, "they're the Slytherins that society made them, they don't even hint at what a real Slytherin is."
An inkling of respect spread in James' eyes, and he turned to walk away, "I'll do what you want," he walked a few more feet before turning around again, "hey….S-Severus…." He smiled slightly, "you're alright,"
Severus did his infamous raise an eyebrow look and smirked, "Thanks, wish I could say the same for you," he quipped, "I'll see what I can do for you about Evans," he began to make his way into the forest.
"Oh wait, Severus," he caught his attention, "what do you say about helping me with potions sometime?"
That earned him a mock glare, "don't push it,"
………
Hermione glanced at Harry nervously. He was staring at Snape with what looked like new found respect. She wasn't sure how to read it, whether it was because Snape was obviously the one that got his parents together or the fact that he explained the true meaning of being a Slytherin.
………
"So who are you going to Winter Ball with, Evans?" Ashitaka and the other two sat in the clearing of the Unicorns doing what looked like homework.
"Not you. Besides I thought you and Sarah were going together," Lily obviously misread the statement.
"No I'm not asking you, and yes, Sinclair and I are going together," it was obvious now that the two of them were a couple, one reason was the fact that they were using each others as supports., "actually, I said that because I happen to know some one who is mighty interested in you," he winked at Sarah over his shoulder.
"Since when have you been so intone with everyone's love life, weren't you the one who said at the beginning of the year, quote, 'who needs a relationship? It's our fourth year,' unquote?"
"Well yes, but that was before Sarah and I got together. Besides I think you've fancied him for a long time."
"Severus Snape, Ashitaka Jodiki, the only person you ever accused me of fancying was James Potter and I know he doesn't…fancy….me….." her voice trailed off when Ash raised an eyebrow at her, "oh my God he does…."
"Ask him, Lily, it is girls ask guys," Sarah said, "you'd be cute together, besides Ash and I don't want to be the only couple that's from two different houses."
Lily by this time was blushing deeply, "how do you know, Ash?"
"I have my sources,"
A few seconds past before Sarah spoke, "you know something very strange happened the other day, the Marauders all came up to me and apologized, and then James told me to apologize to you Ash, can you believe that?"
"That's uncharacteristic of him," Ash said calmly, feigning disinterest.
Lily and Sarah shared questioning looks, but didn't comment.
TBC
A little longer I think to make up for the wait!
R&R thanks!
