I know I said updates every monday but hell seeing I am still in the beginning of this fanfic I will add a few more throughout this week so the story should hopefully get some flesh in it by next week. I do so hope you are all enjoying it... again I am trying (weak laugh)
"Charlie come have a look at this!"
Charlie Weasley wiping sweat from his brow in the summers heat, crept over some large rocks where his three other colleagues stood on the edge of a very recent cave in within the carpathian mountains they did their current draconic research.
The fading echoes or nearby dragons bellowing their evening calls scattered any remaining avian wildlife from the few sparse pines scattering around the rocky hides of the mountains.
"What is it you have found?" Charlie spoke in a winded voice as he tempting to not fall, slid down the rocks edge into the ruins the other three stood.
"Just look for yourself, there where the suns light reaches into the cave." the youngest of the three poke eagerly as he with a dirt lathered hand pointed to the ominous hole from where the cave had failed in its many years of strength.
Charlie leaning in for a closer looks, his dusty clothes giving him a dusty grain color in the scorching sunlight, the red headed youth saw the glistening white bones of hundreds if not thousands of dragons.
His breath caught as he stumbling, went to his knees on the rocks, hands gripping the ledge tightly saw with a gawking expression all the bones.
"We finally found one... and no one believed our research." Outright laughed one of the men as Charlie could not restrain the giddy smile breaking across his face.
"Gentlemen, we have made a discovery! A dragon graveyard just as that old fool spoke about. Come on let us get our gear prepped and go down there as soon as we can." he laughed while dusting himself off rose to his feet.
"Um... boss, one thing... what about what Dobson had told us? You know, to not disturb the grounds of where magical creatures go to die?"
Hearing the worried voice, Charlie turning around met all three pairs of eyes. His determination glowing alongside his shear joy. "He also believed we were no more then mythological seekers." the man winking twirled his wand around his fingers.
The unease lifted as they set to work on entering the cavernous hole below...
Yet...
Down in the depths of the caverns, gripped tightly in what looked like dragon talons resided a large red orb, seeming to glow from the suns touch from high above.
A low hiss echoed softly through the cavern, dust lazily swirled about. The claws upon the orb slowly began to flex as the spinal cord it was attached to began to shiver.
Again...
The orb began to give off a crimson steam, dancing more wildly then the swirling dust clouds.
Rocks tumbled as one of the researchers landed within the cavern. Wand held out with its tip glowing brightly, his brown eyes scanned the area.
"Brandon? You see anything?"
Hearing Charlie's voice, he coughing covered his both with his wool jacket, eyes narrowed as he tried to see anything further then the bones.
"there is nothing but bones. Wait; I think I see something."
Charlie hanging on the edge of the hole above the cavern below squinted his eyes trying to see the dark depths the sunlight would not permit.
He could only hear the rocks shift below as the man stumbled towards what he was after.
"What is it you found?" Charlie yelled down into the darkness.
Brandon shifting his weight on the loose rocks stood there peering down at the large crimson orb as large as a man's skull contained in the boney claws of a dragons hand with a spinal cord, its other end buried in the debris of rock and bones.
"I found some sort of red orb, it looks to be of our world, but wait... there is something written on it..."
Brandon kneeling down for a closer look, used his right sleeve to rub away the dirt from the the glossy surface.
"Well?"
Hearing the echoing word bounce around the cavern, Brandon gave a odd expression as he stared at the word.
"I think it is another language, it says 'Niemand'. Any ideas what that-"
His voice swiftly faded away as with wide eyes, the man staggered back hard as there within the very orbs center, a crimson demonic eye stared at him. Crackles of red light danced upon its surface as the air suddenly chilled to ice.
Niemand... I awaken... once more...
Rocks began to tumble from the ceiling high above as the ground shook and roared.
"Shit! Brandon get out of there! It's going to cave in!"
"Brandon!"
"Brandon Lief!"
Far below as the rocks shattered from their impact to the cavern floor below, the orb shimmered brightly as beside it a mummified male lay in dust covered clothing, his wool coat sprinkled with the rocky debris from the caving in ceiling.
"He's stuck down there!"
"No! Charlie we have to go or we all will die!"
One of the colleagues having grabbed hold of the man's waist, dragged him from the failing ledges as Charlie with wide eyes struggled to get loose, his gaze locked with the cave he had his friend go down into.
"No!"
"Brandon!"
In the failing light the orb blazed as it being the head of the spine slithered like a serpent towards a large ribcage still intact.
I live... again...
"""""""""""""""""
Icy blue eyes flew open as Alana; the recovering witch still within the hospital wing of Hogwarts sat up with a yell. Frantic eyes looked about the darkened room as panic rose in her heart.
"Alana?"
the woman looking over saw Madame Pomfrey in her night garments, candle in hand as she made her way over to the panic stricken female.
Trying to calm her shot nerves, Alana gave into a weak sigh as she looking down at her remaining hand, all she had was her left hand, her right utterly gone...
The tears sprang up as her hand gingerly touched the bounded shoulder. Blood still seeped through at random times when she flexed her upper body to much or in the wrong gesture.
"Dear; is everything all right?"
Hearing her soft kind words Alana looked to Pomfrey and smiled even if bitter. "I am alive and that is all that matters." she spoke laying back down on the rough white sheets of the bed, her eyes focused on the dully lit ceiling above.
Madame Pomfrey watching her sighed and nodded her head though the motion went unseen. "I will brew you up some tea then to calm your nerves. Earl gray once more my dear?"
Before she could mention the being called 'dear' Pomfrey had already left to brew the drink leaving Alana once more on that cursed bed with her fingers tenderly stroking her wounded shoulder with a numb mind.
Crippled for failing her duty, they found her out but how?
Her head felt like it was going to split in two... rubbing her temples as best she could with one hand, Alana ignored the hospital wing door open and shut with swiftness.
Black harsh eyes graced the entire hospital wing taking in all who were there, some auroras remaining to get their stitches redone or removed slept soundly on the many white beds. He scanned over the form of the one witch who had lost an arm and was tempting to rub her head. No doubt a headache...
With a breath passing his dry lips, Snape made his way towards Madame Pomfrey's personal chambers that were to the far end of the wing.
She was humming, at this bloody hour. What did she have to hum about? His mind fell silent as he breathed in the sweet aroma of the dark tea, so bitter and unloved by so many yet he loved its dark taste. Black teas in general helped aid his weary mind and body to ease from a stressful day or in his most recent months; simply unwinding him of his very life.
Standing there at the doorway to her chambers, he with shoulders pulled back and arms crossed over his chest watched her as she humming away was removing the tea ball from the teapot and began to pour tea into three cups.
He just stood there waiting for her to take notice of his leering presence as she placing two china cups on the little porcelain plates grasped them in her soft hands before turning and her oh so cheery eyes dancing as they met his beetle black.
"I figured you would arrive around this hour; here this one is yours and could you please be a dear and give this to the young lady in bed thirty four? The poor thing cannot seem to sleep well tonight. I will be here waiting for you to return." She spoke while handing the tall man the tea cups of the smooth smelling brew.
She may be annoying but Severus enjoyed her teas, the woman had a natural knack of brewing them just right.
With a grumbling breath, the man stalked out of the brightly lit room into the wing and made his way silently to the woman's bedside.
Icy blue met hard black, the two just glared at each him standing there and she on the bed with hand half poised to her side, no doubt where her wand was concealed.
With a sneer, he held the cup of tea to her. His loathing towards this woman rising as swiftly as it normally does when his room is filled with bloody gryffindors.
"Pomfrey wished you to have this." Snape spoke setting the glass rather roughly on the bedside table, turned to leave.
"Thank you..."
The man stopped for just a moment before continuing back to the doctor's chambers. Having taken a sip of his own glass, Severus could feel the coil of tension within him settle so slightly when he entered the room and saw Pomfrey sitting properly at her small tea table with a white lace table cloth.
"Please sit, I hardly see you anymore."
She spoke gesturing her head towards the empty chair on the other side of the table. Severus curled his lip to it before allowing his grumbling self to sit down.
"So I have prepared a list of the potions we need to have restocked here in the hospital wing, especially with the new year coming closer. Many students who did not finish their N.E.W.T.S. From the war are coming back here to research and take their tests."
Why? Why carrying on as if I did nothing?
He sipping his tea shut his eyes while the woman continued to prattle on about the upcoming school year. He had noticed all the teachers seemed to treat him as if he had not done anything; that he had not killed Dumbledore...
It infuriated him to no end... did they not hate him for killing man that many cherished?
His hands began to grip the cup tightly, his own self loathing rising like a ill bile in his gut. He did not deserve anyone's kindness nor pity. If he had not shared that memory with the Potter boy thinking he was done for... No one would see him as a bloody hero. He worked so hard to make people fear him; hate him.
Remembering Ron's fear that gave a small twitch in the corner of his mouth, he still had a good grip of fear on the students and with the new first years arriving in a matter of weeks.
"Severus!"
Snape's eyes flew open as he felt his lap get wet, looking at his hands he saw the small china cup he had been gripping shattered. Tea was soaking into his robes as the small porcelain pieces laid around his feet.
"bloody-"
"It's no worries, a few cleaning and repair charms and everything will be right as r... rain?"
Severus having risen to his feet stalked towards the door. "I am going to my chambers to clean up. Good night Poppy." was all he said when he silently left her sitting there watching him with a lost stare. The woman really had no opinion on what to think about the cold man.
With a sigh she pulling her wand out began to cast cleaning charms as a single repair charm began to knit the cups many broken pieces back together.
Severus having entered his chambers, closed the door yet remained there holding the door handle with his forehead pressed against the old wooden door.
Why did he do that? That glass just shattered in his hands...
With a small breath he turning looked at his small domain, a domicile that was his and yet also his very prison.
Removing his hand from the door handle, began walking to the attached bathroom while proceeding to pull off his robe and clothing, letting it simply fall as he walked through the room.
Upon entering the shower, Snape gave a slow breath as the hot water soaked his pale form. He allowed the hot water to wash away not just the tea on his skin but the stresses that he has been holding onto. He knew they would return like they have every other morning when he would awake and realize he was still alive.
Upon using a drying charm on himself, Severus slipping into his covers laid there on his back, wand under his pillow, hands behind his head. He looked to the ceiling above him, his mind filled with many thoughts and yet nothing at all.
The dark mark was gone, the Dark Lord vanquished; so why did he feel something was stirring? With that final unsettling question having gone unanswered, the man fell into a weary slumber unaware how true his thoughts were.
Gasp! I am starting to get a plot going so it is not just random nonsense! R&R welcomed! Perhaps more chapters this week but no promises^^;