"No, my worst fear is dying alone. I have to get over the fact if the Dark Lord finds out about me, he will probably kill me. I would be nowhere near Albus or the others I care about." Severus said and closed his eyes. When he opened them this time he saw a dark hospital wing and Albus sleeping in an arm chair next to him.
"Albus." Severus croaked. The Headmaster did not hear him, so Severus cleared his throat and tried again. "Albus!" This time he heard Severus call. Albus jumped out of his chair, looked at Severus and smiled.
"Well, welcome back, my child. You gave me quite a scare. I thought you where going to pass on." Albus aid with tears in his eyes.
"Albus, I m not going anywhere soon." Severus said. "Yes, Severus, you are. The potion is going to rip your insides apart."
"We can make a cure, but first we need to do something about Acheron."
"Why?" Albus asked. "Because Poppy didn t give me a pain relieving potion. She gave me a poison that traps people in their minds."
"I do not see how Acheron is to blame."
"He put the poison on the same shelf." Severus said and Albus eyes grew wide. "Why would he do that?"
"He is controlled by Dark Hunters." Sakarabru said stepping out of the shadows. Albus drew his wand and pointed it at Sakarabru; Poppy and Minerva walked in and saw what was going on. They both rushed over to the others and drew their wands.
"Who are you ad who are these Dark Hunters?" Albus asked.
"If you are trying to frighten me, it will not work. I know your worst fear, Dumbledore." Sakarabru said. "I know yours as well, Poppy and Minerva."
"How do you know our names?" Poppy asked.
"I am an African demon of darkness. I feed off of peoples worst nightmares and experiences. My name is Sakarabru."
"An African demon of darkness?" Poppy asked and Sakarabru nodded.
"She helped me get rid of the mind trapping poison Poppy accidentally gave me." Albus quickly explained what Severus had told him.
"What about these Dark Hunters? Are they like Death Eaters?" Minerva asked.
"No. Dark Hunters are not like those idiot Death Eaters. No offense Severus. I know you did not truly believe in what he said."
"None taken."
"Anyway, Dark Hunters are immortal warriors who pledged to the Greek goddess Artermis and dedicated to defending mankind against vampires and other enemies. Like these Death Eaters you have to fight against, but they like to take matters into their own hands. They also do not care if you are reformed." Sakarabru said and turned to face Severus. "Im sorry, there is no way to save your brother."
"BOTHER!" Albus, Poppy, and Minerva yelled.
"Yes, Acheron is my older brother. Something happened when...my father was killed and Acheron had disappeared; so I believed him dead." Snape expalined.
"Well, he was not. You can get to know him now."
"He cant. Acheron wants to kill him because of all the darkness that surrounds him. He has already poisoned him, Acheron also did much worse when-"
"He would beat like my...Tobias. Just not as bad." Severus interupted.
"Child, I am so sorry. I had no idea. You know if he trys to kill you, I will have to kill him." Albus said. "I know."
"Why would you call him child?" Sakarabru asked. "I love him like he is my own son." Albus said.
"I am a demon of darkness. We do not understand love or everu felt it before." Albus looked at Sakarabru with wide eyes. Poppy and Minerva looked at the demon with shocked expressions. "Love is hard to explain. It is a feeling. I mean no offense by this, but do you have feelings and know what they are, right?" Albus asked.
"I know of them, but I do not feel any." Albus sighed. "There is no way to explain it then." Sakarabru shurgged and looked at Severus. "We must go to your lab."
"Alright." Severus said sitting up, but Poppy pushed him back down. "You are not going anywhere. Least of all your potions lab." she said sternly.
Sakarabru rounded on Poppy and said, "Why not? You can do nothing more! You are going to let him sit here and let him waste away!"
"NO! I am going to try and save him!" Poppy yelled at the demon. "You already gave him another posion! Why should I, let alone anyone else here, trust you to save him! You should always-"
"ENOUGH, SAKARABRU!" Severus snapped. "She was trying to help me and was scared so she acted without thinking. And something good came out of this."
"What?"
"I got to meet you." Severus said shyly. "Oh, well. Sorry for yelling." Sakarabru said. "Acheron must be stopped though. Severus must be the one to kill him, but since he is...unwell...we must create an antidote to give him as well."
"Okay, but if he has a seizure you must get me right away." Poppy said. "You do know I am still in the room." Severus growled.
"We know, my boy, but would you honestly tell us if you had one?" Albus asked. "Why? Sakarabru and myself will be making the antidote." Severus expalined.
"We care about you and want to make sure you are okay." Minerva said. "But-"
"Severus." Sakarabru growled and gave him a warning look. Severus throw his hands up in defeat. "Fine. I know when I have lost a battle." Albus laughed and put his hand on Snape's knee.
"My boy, you are always surpising me. You normally keep fighting until you've won."
"What can I say; having a demon on your side is very clever."
"But do not forget it was you who wanted me to come back with you.' said Sakarabru. "Severus, why would you have asked her that? No offense Sakarabru. We would have helped you." Minerva said.
Severus didnt answer, instead he suddenly became interested with his fingernails. Albus laughed, he knew why Severus wanted the demon to come back with him. Severus would often tell Albus about his nightmares and in most of these dreams he was being watched by an African demon of darkness. Later Severus would have a conversation with the demon. He had done all the talking. Demanding why she was watching him, why did she not talk, and who she was. The demon only said, "Skarabru." and vanished.
She had never been back to his dreams, but when she was there Severus admitted to starting to fall for her. For this, Albus felt sorry for him. Everytime Severus fell asleep he would want to see the demon, but after telling him her name, Sakarabru never appeared in his dreams looked up everything he could on her, but there was little information. Now she was in the room where everyone could see her and she said the one thing Severus should never had heard. She didnt know what love was. Sakarabru had no other emotions except for anger and calmness. She did not understands feeling happy, sad, being in love, feeling loved, ect. It was depressing to hear her say those things, but worse to see Severus' hope fade away.
"Shall we get going?" Sakarabru's voice brought Albus out of his muse. "Yes, thank you for trying to help me." Snaoe said getting out of the bed.
"Your welcome Severus. Im sorry we couldnt do more." Poppy said. "Its alright. This is my fault anyway. I should have tried harder to keep my cover, but it did not work that way. I am not even sure how Wormtail got in here to spy on me..." Severus realized it was not Peter who was watching himand ratting him out. "Severus?"
"Acheron! That stupid bloody git! Im gonna kill him! How could I be so stupid! He told me! He told me, he told me, he told me!" Severus shouted.
'Why would Acheron spy on you?"
"Dont you see! He is a Death Eater! He joined before me! Other than Lucius, he was trying to get me to become a Death Eater!"
"Your brother was told to talk to the Dark Hunters about getting them to join Voldemorts side. He was unsuccessful and the Dark Hunters turned him into one of them. Now he seeks to kill anyone that is tainted by evil." Sakarbru said.
"Severus, not meaning to change the subject, but you lost so much blood; how are you still alive?" asked Poppy.
"The potion is degisned to kill the drinker by ripping their insides apart. Everytime blood leave my body through my mouth or my nose the potion makes more so the drinker does not die from blood loss." Severus expalined taking in the horrified looks of the nurse and two Professors. "Hey, it wouldnt be a poison for the Dark Lord if he did not get to enjoy watching his victims die."
"True, but they will not be able to provide good informents if they are dying slowly." Sakarabru said. "Thats the point. It is a death meant for traitors. People like me."
"My boy, you did not desver this. I will help Sakarabru and you anyway I can. You know this." Albus said. "Any of the staff will be willing to help you." Minerva said. "Thank you. We should get going." Severus said. Sakarabru nodded and followed Severus.