Chapter 3:
Disclaimer: Was not, is not and won't EVER be mine. (*sad face*)
Authors note: The first paragraph includes mentions of abuse so if this offends you skip straight to the second paragraph… Sorry if Voldermort seems OC (*I tried*)
Snape's POV:
The next two weeks passed in a rather content blur. Each day the two would discuss books, play chess and wander around the beautiful countryside that surrounded the Lupin residence. For the first time in forever he didn't have to spend the holiday looking over his shoulder for his father or wandering the muggy Cokeworth streets alone, getting into scraps with the other boys on his street. Surprisingly Lup… Remus was rather good company and he had managed to find a friend in the boy, it was easy to forget the other marauders when it was just the two of them. The Gryffindors were just so friendly and so bloody welcoming that he was hard pressed not to just give in and just embrace the newfound friendship and dare he say it, family. Remus' parents were lovely, he thought fondly exasperated, of course they were. Charlie regaled tales of his funnier experiences as an auror and Hope was an excellent source of literature and endless snacks. It was quite unlike anything he had ever experienced before, used to the arguments and the lack of happiness that seemed to perpetually hang in a cloud around his house. Briefly he allowed his thoughts to wander back to his parents, his father was probably in a muggle prison hating every moment of it (they were quite strict regarding alcohol he thought amused by the thought of his father sober). His mother Eileen Snape had been buried in the small local cemetery and unable to afford anything better he had placed a small tree above her instead of the usual grey headstone. He hadn't really mourned her but a few times had woken up screaming, seeing himself in the place of his mother, powerless in the face of his father. Each time, to his embarrassment, Remus had woken him up and offered to talk about them. Naturally he had refused but he couldn't deny the warmth that spread through his chest at the offer, his father had often just shouted at him to shut up, if he wasn't passed out roaring drunk.
That brought them to today. The dreaded day. The day of doom. Armageddon. Call it what you like but today was the day that James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew arrived and he was most definitely NOT nervous Severus told himself as he hid shaking hands in the sleeves of his shirt. "There's no need to be afraid," Remus had softly said, "if they try anything I'll stop them."
"I'm not afraid," he had snarked back, however now standing in the corner of the room watching the fireplace roar he found himself wondering if Remus actually meant what he had said. Mutiny among the marauders Severus snorted to himself. Just then the burning red flames turned a vibrant green with floo powder and out came Sirius Black and James Potter respectively. "Moony!" Black greeted Remus enthusiastically, "how are you? What's happened? I've been bored since me and Prongs decided to go night flying and got caught, Mrs Potter was so mad we had to spend the last 3 days cleaning…"
"Pads take a breath," huffed Potter as he grinned, running his hand through his disheveled black hair. "Seriously Moony how has it been with the slimy git? He didn't, you know, try something." Severus couldn't take much more of this incessant jabbering.
"No Potter I didn't, as you so eloquently put it, try something." He pushed himself off the wall in one fluid motion and stalked towards the three other wizards.
"Pads," intervened Remus, "Severus has been nothing but polite and I want you and James to leave him alone unless you can be civil. I'm serious, ok?"
"Well that is my name," joked Black although his smile didn't quite meet his eyes and Potter's gaze was still laced with suspicion.
Dinner that night was tense and the conversation forced. Although he was shocked and impressed by the wolf's courage he knew that it was not enough to keep the remaining marauders at bay so he declined the invitation to join them as they cycled to the village when Pettigrew arrived (something about a sick aunt), ignoring the pleading look that Remus gave him. The five of them were going to camp in the garden as the weather was nice and the tent that Pettigrew brought with him would easily fit all of them. Originally Severus had been dead set against the idea but after Potter had suggested that he was too scared there was no backing out of it. Pettigrew had been particularly pushy that they slept in the tent and Severus resolved to keep a closer eye on the mousy boy, he had learnt to never underestimate his opponents.
The tent was a nice size (albeit bare) and the camp beds about a metre apart from each other. There was a lingering smell of dust that seized his lungs and invaded his eyes. Altogether, thought Severus, there were worse places to sleep, his bed at Spinner's end most definitely being one. He could hear the murmur of the marauders talking to each other and on that note resolved to not go to sleep until he was sure that they were all having Gryffindorish dreams of heroic and stupid acts. And then he saw them. The runes that were hidden in the flaps of the tent. He could just make out the rune for transport. Merlin that could not be good he needed to warn the others. Leaping out of bed he made a beeline towards Remus. "There are runes in the tent," he began shouting , shaking his half asleep form. "We need to get out of here."
"Shut up Snivelly," groaned Black "if you can see runes then they're probably your own death eater mind playing tricks on you." However Remus' amber eyes widened in what he supposed was fear. "Severus are you sure?" he questioned and began to half sit up.
"Of course I'm sure unlike you I..." he began but before he could finish his snarky comment the world began to jerk and spin wildly, knocking him into Potter and they both fell onto the bed with a thump. Just as abruptly as it had begun the shuddering stopped and all was silent for a moment. "Snape get the hell of me!" Oh he was still on Potter, how embarrassing. Swinging his legs round he righted himself and looked around. The tent seemed exactly the same with Black, Potter and Remus all looking around with bewildered expressions and messed up hair. They had to be somewhere new and there was no way that it could be good, they had just been effectively kidnapped. "Umm guys where's Peter?" That was a good point, come to think of it he hadn't seen him since he had 'expressed his concerns' via shouting at the rest of the boys in the tent. But Severus had no time to contemplate this as the worn flap of the tent opened and in came five dark robed figures.
They were so screwed.
The tallest and clearly the leader of the group raised a delicate hand and lifted off his embellished silver mask. "Well what do we have here," sneered Lucius Malfoy. His eyes wandered over the boy's faces, both defiant and terrified, until he rested at Severus' face. "Snape?" His tone was questioning, "What in Salazars' sake are you doing here?" Within the 5 seconds it took Malfoy to pose the question Severus made a decision, clearly he was not a target and so if he pretended to be on their side it would give them a greater chance to escape. He slipped on a cool aloof mask, "Dumbledoor had decided to place me with the Lupins after the incident with my parents. But surely you know that had I a choice I would never have gone, I serve only Slytherin house and it is my ambition to become a loyal follower of your lord." Ignoring the shouts of "Traitor" and "slimy death eater" he focused his gaze on the blond pureblood in front of him, knowing it was his approval that he needed in order for his plan to work. Malfoy gave him an appraising look and nodded his consent, "Come with me and you shall meet him, if he takes a liking to you you will be spared the fate that meets the 3 other blood traitors." This was the time to confirm his suspicions. "Forgive me but if I may," here he paused and waited for the regal nod that followed, "what happened to Pettigrew?" A smug smile graced his face. "He has been working for the lord since third year, he unlike the others of his house recognises greatness when he sees it." Well well it seemed that he was right, never underestimate your enemies. "But enough chit chat, the blood traitors are secure and now, Snape, we shall bring you to the dark lord and see what he thinks of you." In a swirl of black the four other black figures swept from the room, Malfoy following in a swirl of robes. Ignoring the angry glares and hurt look from Remus he took a moment to collect himself and mentally prepare for what was to come. Taking a deep breath he strode out the tent, his shoes making a tapping sound on the cold stone floor. The corridors were dark and gloomy, a molten candle the only source of light as they continued down the twisting and turning pathways. As they walked he contemplated when to try and make his escape. The dark lord was a powerful legilimens and he knew that instead of his usual shield he would have to try and direct his legilimency probe to the memories of the marauders tormenting him, Merlin knew he had enough. He was propelled out of these musings as the small party drew to a stop outside a great oak door, "enter" called a high voice and with little hesitation that was exactly what they did.
The hall was lavish. Embroidery lined the walls in colours of rich purples and golds. The floor, like the rest of the place, was a slate grey stone but unlike the rest the floor held no scuff marks, cobwebs or dust. Instead the entire room was well kept and clearly a place fit for a lord. A massive wooden table stood proudly in the middle and as they drew closer to the head of the table Severus felt the temperature begin to drop a few degrees. At the top sat a throne, a massive thing with intricate drawings carved into the tall wooden back. On the throne was him, the reason Severus was in this position in the first place. The dark lord. He had pitch black hair slicked over to one side and dark red eyes that sat above thin pale lips. "My lord," grovelled Malfoy, bringing Severus forward and pushing him towards the dark lord, "the Potter boy and his friends are secure but with them came Snape, half blood Slytherin." Severus shivered slightly apon feeling the powerful gaze from those blood red eyes. "Ssnape, what motivates an ambitious Slytherin such as yourself to spend time with those Gryffindors," he sneered.
"My lord it was not an action born out of choice but one out of necessity. Had I a choice I would have never sullied myself with such blood traitors." He lowered his head slightly in an effort to seem less threatening and more repentant of his actions.
"I see.. Well Snape, what can you offer me, I see no reason to spare a filthy half blood if you cannot serve me."
"Potions my Lord, and spells, I invent them." Hopefully this was enough to make the dictator reconsider his expendability.
"Show me," he demanded, conjuring a stuffed dummy with a wave of his hand. Severus took a deep breath and took out his wand. "Sectumsempra!" The spell hurtled towards the dummy and deep, long gashes appeared across its chest and throat. Ignoring the bile that rose at the thought of what would happen if that were a human he risked a glance at the man in front of him. Suffice to say he looked suitably impressed. "I like you Snape. Lucius, take him to the dungeon room.
The plan had just begun.