Authors Note: So didn't get it up quite as fast as I would have liked, but (not to make excuses) I am sick. My quill (yeah it's easier for me to write a story with a quill) broke and my cat spilled all my ink. So in that sense, I was totally screwed until someone (seeing as how I am only a freshman and can't drive) would take me to Barnes and Noble and my mom to buy my cough medicine. But I am still sick, but I stuck it out for you guys! - took me forever to figure out how to make those.
Chapter 27
Tricked and Burned
"This sounds dangerous, Ash."
"I know."
"So what are you going to tell him?"
"I don't know yet." There was an odd forcefulness in his voice that wasn't normally there and his eyes darkened, "It sounds too much like a cult,"
"Are you going to check it out?"
"Haven't decided yet, what do you think?"
"I think," she paused, "I think this is going to sound stupid…but, you've never had friends besides us, maybe it'll be a nice way to meet people. You should check it out..."
………
Severus and Sarah were standing in the King's Cross Train Station uncertainly, "I can't believe you're going back to him," she whispered softly, "after all he's done to you."
"I have no choice."
"You could come to my house."
He smiled softly, "Maybe."
She through her arms around his neck, tears already falling, "Just be careful, Ash," she whispered, "just, please, be careful. I don't want to loose you."
………
"Ah, you're back." Ashitaka didn't flinch under the circling priests' glare, just stood, arms clasped behind his back, legs spread to shoulder width, staring blankly ahead.
"Yes, my lord, but I don't intent to stay."
"Oh," he stopped his circling to stand face to face with Ash, "and let me guess…running away with your little whore of a friend…Lea, wasn't it?"
Ash tensed at the insult, but kept his face passive, "No. I am leaving alone. As prince of the Four Worlds, I am handing over my position to Lady Rekorian Delia Catrithian Elistratoral to be appointed as stewardess," he turned his back on him, "I thought you should know."
"You are abandoning your country?"
"Yes."
"Then leave."
Ash smiled, then turned and walked towards the priest as if he was going to give a proper farewell. Instead he lifted his hands as if to snap. The priests' eyes went wide and he tried to scramble away, "to slow," snap.1 Flames through the priest back, "Goodbye and good riddance," he sneered and walked away, adding, "My lord."
………
He was standing in front of a muggle house, dressed in a black trench coat and a fedora that hid his pointed ears. The vines on his hands were covered by black gloves, his cat eyes obscured by black rimmed, square glasses that went dark in the sun. He was almost unrecognizable.
"Ash?" the door opened. Sarah was standing in her pajama pants and a t-shirt, her pulled back into uneven pig tails.
Ash tilted his hat, and looked at her over the rims of his glasses, the points of teeth poking through his lips in a wicked grin, "Hiya shorty," he winked.
"Ash!" she through herself at him and he laughed, "I've been so worried….YOU BASTARD! I WAS WORRIKED SICK ABOUT YOU…but I'm glad you're okay. JUST DON'T DO IT AGAIN!"
"Sarah, honey, who's at the door?"
"It's Ashitaka, mum, remember I told you about him," she grabbed his hand pulling him into the house.
When inside Ash pulled of his glasses and hat and smiled at the very confused Mr. and Mrs. Sinclare, "Ma'am, sir," he bowed formally, lowering his head as a sign of submission and apology, "I apology for my early arrival, but it is wonderful to meet you."
Mrs. Sinclare smiled, "Don't worry about it, dear," she laughed, "just give me that," she took his disguise and whisked away with it, "oh dear, you look starved, well, we'll fatten you up before the day is through."
"Mum…" the groan from Sarah was typical, "Dad do something."
"What was your name again son?" the burly man asked, sucking on a wooden pipe that found its way between his lips.
"Ashitaka Jodiki," he bowed again, "at your service."
The man's laughter was booming and echoed through the house, "Well, Sar, you can tell he's royalty. Jerry Sinclare," he offered a hand and they shook, "s'my wife in there, Louise." He nodded towards the kitchen door opening.
The house was simple, three stories. The front door opened right into the living room, through a door to the right was the dining room and straight ahead was the opening to the kitchen and a short staircase that led to the family room and a half basement. To the left there were stairs leading up to what she (remember this is Hermione's perspective) was assuming were the bedrooms.
The décor was dark, to put it simply, wooden floors or dark red carpets, dark paneled walls and ceiling, pictures of the family on the walls and leather furniture or dark cherry wood woodwork.
"You have a lovely home, Mr. Sinclare,"
"What a gentleman," Mrs. Sinclare bustled back in, "will you be staying with us, hun?" she was a pretty woman, thin, blonde, green eyes, motherly features.
"No, I wouldn't want to intrude; I have a room in London."
"On no, that won't do. A 16 year old boy, on his own, get your things, you can stay with us."
"Really, it's not a problem. I would only be a nuisance."
"I'd listen to her," Sarah whispered warningly, "she doesn't take 'no' for an answer."
"I…" he looked nervously between Sarah and her mother, "alright, I'll stay…but only for a short while."
"As long as I like, you'll stay. You won't be living on your own for the summer." She reprimanded dragging him into the kitchen were breakfast was already cooking, "you're a vegetarian right?"
"It'll be nice to have a man in the house besides me," the mister said. He was of stocky build, brown hair, strong determined jaw line, some one you probably wouldn't want to physically mess with, but someone with a good heart, warm eyes, "you can get your things later."
………
"So you left, huh?" they were standing outside in an open field that was speckled with horses and a barn, a white fence disappearing over the hills.
"You never told me you're parents were horse farmers,"
"Don't change the subject, Ashitaka, what made you leave?"
"I just…" he walked away from her, "I missed you…and….I just didn't want to deal with it anymore."
"'Bout time," she smiled
"Yeah," he walked back over to her and wrapper his arms around her, "I know."
………
The next few memories were quick, sprinkles of the summer leading up to 6th year. Nothing was ever said about the conversation he and Lucius had, nor was the 'cult' ever brought up. Until school began.
………
"Ready, Sev?" Sarah stood confidently outside the Hogwarts Express.
"Do I have a choice?"
She glared, still forcing a bright, painful, smile, "at least look enthused to see everyone and be back at school," she whispered in between clenched teeth, "and would it kill you to smile?"
The corners of his lips twitched upwards revealing white teeth making him look sick or like he was at the dentist, "it might."
………
"Going to talk to him?"
"Yeah."
………
"Lucius."
"Severus, glad to see you joined us," Lucius grinned, opening the door to the pub wider, revealing many known Death Eaters inside, "please join us."
Severus let out a shaky breath and nervously stepped in, "Lucius wait; I want to here a little more information about this place, before I take another step further. What is it you actually do?"
Lucius hesitated only for a split second, but it was barely noticeable. "We help each other. We are a family, Severus, if one our members is in danger we destroy that danger. Look, Severus, I know you grew up alone, with no one to care for you. Join us and you will have the family you lacked as a child." That naturally caught his interest and Hermione's heart went out to him. He was tricked into believing they would protect him.
He and Lucius walked to the group and after Lucius introduced him and bought him a drink they began to talk, "so what do you like to do, school subject wise, my dear Severus?" Lucius smirked again, "potions isn't it?"
Severus nodded, "who is the leader here?" he was slowly becoming more and more relaxed in his surrounding as the talk became more familiar to him, school, people at school, was going on in the school, everything he was familiar with.
"His name is Tom Riddle, a wonderful man, he is."
"Thank you, Lucius," a cold voice interrupted them.
The entire group spun around dropping down to bow, everyone except Severus, "Mr. Riddle I assume," Tom casually stepped over the crouched Death Eaters and smiled warmly at Severus.
"Yes, Tom Riddle, but you may call me Voldemort," the name, then, meant nothing to Severus, "Severus Snape, correct, father died in battle, mother brutally murdered, grew up with an abusive family."
"How do you know?" Severus jumped at the ease of the man, he was so laid back, and it was almost frightening.
"I know a lot of things, come now," he motioned for the Death Eaters to stand, "let's have a drink."
………
"So how did it go, Ashitaka?" Ash looked excited, "you look like you had fun."
"It was amazing. A creepy bunch to say the least," he fell backwards onto his bed, hair splaying out around him, "but they are just so….welcoming to say the least, and the funny thing was I should have known most of them, they are all in my house and I didn't even know it. I think you'd like them."
"Well, maybe I should talk to Lucius, it would be fun." Sarah said. She just looked happy to see Ashitaka so happy.
Ash rolled onto his said, propping up his head with his elbow, "that would be fun."
"You really did have fun, didn't you?"
"Yep."
"Who's the leader?"
"Some weird ass, Tom Riddle, only one of the group that bothers me actually, pompous little prick that one."
"Are you going to go back?"
"Probably, they never really did tell me what they do at these meetings. Lucius said all they did was talk, help each other with problems, that whole deal, but I'm not so sure. I am a little suspicious."
"Go on, Ash, go, you seem to be having so much fun, and besides," she sat down next to him, ruffling his hair, "it's about time you have some friends besides me,"
"But I like you."
"So, doesn't mean you can't have guy friends. It'll be nice to see you with something close to a family."
"Yeah…" he trailed off, looking thoughtful, "it would be nice to have a family."
………
"So have you thought about joining, Severus?" Lucius asked, "You seem to be enjoying yourself."
Severus casually sipped whatever he was drinking, "Sure," he seemed very relaxed, "you never did tell me what you do besides talk, though. I'm a little curious."
"Well, the thing is," he looked uncertain for the first time, "some of the things we do, society finds questionable."
Severus straightened swiveling on his stool to stair at him suspiciously, "Like what?"
"Remember, how I told you we protect our friends from danger?"
"Yes."
"Well, sometimes, that entails going to extreme measures."
Severus looked disgusted and he put his cup down, "what do you mean, Lucius?" Hermione thinks he already knows.
"They are below us Severus, listen to me, before you write this proposition off," he grabbed Severus arm as if to stop him from turning away, "they are out to hurt us, these people we do this to, they want to kill us so we have to stop them before they can do that," he sounded desperate, "we are only stopping the violence with violence, it's the way the world works, please, Severus, we need you."
Severus looked thoughtful, "On one condition."
Lucius looked relieved, "Anything?"
"Don't make me hurt anyone,"
"What? But that's the whole point –,"
"Lucius," he cut him off, "I grew up getting hurt, and I may agree with you about stopping people from hurting each other, but there is a part of me that won't do that to some one, I will help if I can, but I will not do anything to anyone."
"Very noble of you, Severus," Tom's voice cut in, "but I am glad you are joining, come," he gently grasped Severus' arm and pulled him off the stool and out the door.
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see,"
………
It was a castle, "This is my home." Tom said once they entered what looked like a study, "please sit."
"You heard my condition, then?"
"Yes, I find it very uplifting to hear that someone in my little bunch has some morals. I have done my share of foul things, and I love all of my children but it's nice to see someone with such a sweet disposition, give me your arm."
"Why?"
Tom smiled again, "Well, I know of quite a many people who want to join, but they don't have the same feelings that we do, so I have created a brand that will prove that we are fighting for a common cause."
Severus very slowly offered his arm.
Tom shoved up the sleeve, revealing scared flash. Hermione noticed some looked very neat, self –inflicted. Placing the wand tip on his flesh he whispered something and the tip glowed red, "this might hurt," and he said something else. Severus let in a sharp breath and held it, tense, but refusing to scream. And there on his pale flesh, was the dark mark.
………
"So you joined huh?" Sarah said, she looked excited, "good for you, Ash,"
Ashitaka smiled, "I'm glad I did, Riddle is growing on me anyway, he told me," he cleared his throat and took on a hissy purr of a voice, imitating Riddle's pompous dialect, "'I love all my children, but you have dignity, unlike the rest.'"
Sarah broke into uncontrollable giggles.
1 That little tid bit ("to slow" snap) is from the anime Fullmetal Alchemist, Lieutenant Colonel (Brigadier General) Roy Mustang. I do not claim it.
End Chapter 27
Tricked and Burned
I know I said this was the last chapter with memories, but my mind sort of ran away and everything just came scribbling out and I hated to continue after that light note, seeing as there are going to be many nice parts after that.
Anyway, it's longer this time, go me.
