3. A Death Warrant
"No rest for the wicked."
"None, apparently."
A hollow laugh reverberated through the wooden barrack. It mixed with the racket of thunders coming from outside. The weather got mad, it seemed. Severus should have been prepared as he in fact lived in mountain area for twenty years. But the castle walls were thick and blocked out much of noise. The one he was experiencing right now felt nearly unbearable, it was hitting the very center of his soul so it trembled along with feeble walls of their shelter.
It was ridiculous to fear the thunderstorm, he knew. He admonished himself for it but to no avail. The fear was there, deep and primitive. He was a defenseless animal waiting curled up in some bloody dump, waiting for the day his predators find him. They will come for him, he just knew it.
Once upon a time he had dignity. But it was taken from him during those long nights he didn't care to remember. It was taken along with his magic and any manner of defending himself from the assault. Really, he forgot he had any up to the day no more than two weeks ago when dragon's magic have touched his soul.
That thing happening was both good and bad for him, he realized. Bad because it prolonged his agony and because since then the Bastard, probably ashamed of his juvenile reaction, started venting his anger on Severus. Snape was guessing that he also noticed that soon his prisoner will be of no use and decided to exploit him to the maximum. Snape has been given the hardest works like hacking solid stone or removing full loads of debris.
The magic that have given him powers to do it kept him functioning but now his forces were waning. Magic, even dragon magic, has its limits and everything it could do it have done. More and more often Severus was unable to continue the given work. Then he was being punished by the Bastard and even if it brought no results the Bastard's face lit every time he was seeing Severus writhing on the floor.
It was already going on too long, thought Severus grimly. One huge part of him wished intensely to be dead and done with it. But there was also the other one who was just too stubborn for its own good. Something within dragon magic have woken it up and now it was barring its claws and hissing angrily at Severus to 'Move his lazy ass and do something!' This part, this irrational, ugly and highly successful in keeping him alive in the past bit of his mind was keeping him awake in the nights. Not agreeing to the abuse it was watching and observing and wishing for an occasion to come.
But when there were times when it was integrated into his personality, now it seemed like some evil pixie has taken its residence in Severus brain. Because the rest of him knew that there was no escape from this trap. The rest of him was quivering on the floor, half-dead already with terror.
What a miserable way to go.
Martin have decided that there was no way he was getting any truth from the press. It was mostly about wild accusations. Bah, any editor that is trying to disparage their own hero must surely be mad. If that was the respect and admiration that Harry Potter was getting, Death Eaters were sure to be portrayed as evil slime and nothing more.
In any case he found some interesting tidbits of information in the articles. Like there was no proper trial of accused Death Eaters. In opinion of his government such proceeding was crucial when dealing with atrocious crimes because public was never satisfied other way. But it seemed that the British MoM have done the same mistake as before, chucking them into prison basing on the sole accusation of being the Voldemort's followers. Only this time they put Death Eaters in the Hinches and sent them away to US.
And the trial of Severus Snape might have been quite exciting to say the least. During the first war he was accused of being a Death Eater, but was freed from accusations by no one else than Albus Dumbledore. During the second war he was seemingly playing a role of double agent and no one really know for which team he really was cheering until the day he killed Albus Dumbledore.
Then the hell broke loose and they branded him the worst bastard in the whole universe. In the last year of the war he was nominated to the post of Hogwart's Headmaster by Voldemort himself. During his watch the school was turned into the Dark Arts academy. Then he fought in the Battle of Hogwarts, where he was caught by the Ministry Aurors. No doubt whatsoever was raised about his allegiance.
It was all very convincing, even to Martin. If not for the opinion of his dragon he would have also called Snape evil and be done with it. But now he wandered and every day was getting more curious. Even if Snape really worshipped Voldemort there had to be much more to that story. Even if his crimes warranted the punishment he was given, he deserved at least someone to listen to his version of what has happened. With this thing in mind Martin one day, no more than two weeks after he saw him for the first time, decided to approach Snape directly.
He walked down the east side of mountain, where he knew the new system of corridors was being caved. It was meant eventually to become the new dragons' quarters to accommodate the growing number of them. Dragons normally didn't sleep in human buildings and since long they were complaining about lack of space and irritating bursts of occasional magic. That was the main problem, really. Dragon magic and wizard magic didn't mix well. The beasts could stand the battle spells being thrown near them as their effects were short-timed but they just couldn't bear any regular magic being used around their living quarters. They were saying it gives them unpleasant sensations like constant buzzing in the ears or itching of skin and disturbs their sleep.
That was the main reason the caves were being done. And without use of any spells, of course. This tedious work was left to the outside company, now reinforced by the Death Eater prisoners. They labored day and night so the new dragon quarters could be opened next spring.
An uneven path took turns left and right, going down the steep hillside. Martin could have Apparated, of course, but he preferred to walk. Soon he saw the stone-pit. From this altitude it looked like some monster have taken a huge bite of the mountain. Leviathan could have managed it, but they were no longer showing in that part of country. In any case that precise stone pit was purely man-made. Huge Muggle machines could be seen from here, biting into rock. Around them a dozen of people were busy transporting debris, digging, constructing. Even more of them he knew was working inside the caves which entrances were puncturing the opposite hillside. Descending he thought it won't be easy to find Snape here without raising too much suspicion.
He decided to be blunt about it. Like any citizen he had right to be curious about Death Eaters in the town. As an Auror he had even more right to take interest. After all they could be still a threat to the society, better to check on them. With that thought in mind he walked purposefully in between the workers who were in turn raising their heads and eyeing him with mistrust. A presence of an Auror in their minds always signified trouble. Someone caught on doing something illegal. Martin was paying them no attention, intent on finding a guy in charge.
And he found him near one of huge heaps of debris. The man had a face of a common criminal, cruel and indifferent at the same time. His dull, watery eyes were focused on someone laying on the ground. He was so completely absorbed in some small Muggle-like contraption he never saw Martin approaching. And Martin in turn felt all his previous thoughts fleeing from his mind. It seemed that he have found them both. Only, Snape seemed unconscious. Or dead.
"Move, you son of a whore!", snarled the man, pushing some button. Whatever it was supposed to do, it took no effect on the prisoner. He was still face down in dirt, his face deathly pale with a greyish tinge around the mouth.
"I have to say that this looks like severe misconduct toward a prisoner", said Martin softly. "Back away."
The man jumped. His eyes bulged out, making him look even more stupid.
"Er- Er- Officer, sir! I've wanted to- to revive him, sir! He must have got a concussion... or something."
"Revive him? That is what this thing does?", asked Martin, pointing to the little box held by the man.
"More or less", said the man, shrugging. "It was provided to us by the British MoM with instructions to use when necessary, sir." His voice grew defensive. When the element of surprise has worn off, it was obvious that the man thought he was doing nothing wrong.
Martin have said nothing. He kneeled in the dirt and turned Snape on his back. The prisoner looked ghastly and Martin for the first time understood what Amaranth have meant by "close to death". At least Snape was still breathing. Martin felt anger building. Something was quite obviously wrong here.
"It is not a concussion. It is making a man to work himself into the ground. You will be facing an inquiry very soon, my friend. Now, give me that contraption you are holding."
The man scowled but obeyed. He looked annoyed.
"As you wish, officer. But your boss won't be asking. No one cares one whit about those prisoners."
"We will see about it."
Martin grabbed Snape's hand. It was so thin it looked nearly skeletal and it was caked in dirt. The offending wart that was supposed to be the guy in charge muttered something.
"What? I didn't quite hear."
"I was saying that magical transportation may kill him. The Hinches doesn't like it."
Great. So now he had to march all the way up levitating the unconscious body. His day was just growing more and more interesting. He raised his wand for a levitation spell. So damn it. He was not leaving Snape here.
"A prisoner? I can't remember any of them coming for a checkup", said Remmy, one of the two Healers employed in the Headquaters. He was a true professional and kindness was radiating from him and both that features should have made him a highly regarded Healer. But his always slightly-worried expression made his patient mistrustful about his skills so he ended up here, where sturdy Aurors were more tolerant than a majority of wizarding population.
He also never showed any stronger emotion. Up to now anyway, because Martin was seeing something strange happening to that easy-going man.
It started after he run a few diagnostic spells over Snape. Strange light appeared in his eyes. He poured some potion down the prisoner's throat and it took an immediate effect. Only, Martin was quite sure it was not one the Healer aimed for. Snape wheezed, retched violently and vomited the substance all over the bedcovers. Remmy cursed under his breath, a thing Martin have never heard him doing before, and run some more spells intercepted with even more cursing. He was getting quite red on the face at the end of his proceedings.
"Blast it all, turn that thing off, Martin!", snarled the exasperated Healer.
"What thing?", asked the Auror, shocked to the core by the behavior of his colleague.
"The thing that makes all the potions useless! That thing sucks out all his magic! Potions has nothing to work with. Remove it now!"
"Ah, you mean the Hinches? I am afraid it cannot be done. To take them off you will need British Unspeakables."
"You mean you have no means to deactivate it? One day, I ask of nothing more."
"I've got this thing." Martin pulled out an innocent-looking box. "I doubt it was devised to turn off the Hinches. But I will ask at the Headquaters anyway."
"It better does that.", said Remmy grimly. His face turned serious and there was that feeling in his voice. It was the same feeling that burned in Martin so he recognized it immediately. Anger. "I am not sure I will be able to save him without potions. He is one wink from dying out of exhaustion, Martin. I warn you I will be reporting this. I don't care a whit for the games you and British MoM are playing. That have gotten too dirty, Martin."
"I am not the part of it! I just found out a couple of days ago. I don't like it too, that is why I decided to act."
"Good.", said Remmy shortly, turning back to his patient. "Now go. I have much work to do if I am to heal him... Merlin help us all, by Muggle means..."
Severus was gradually resurfacing. It felt like his body was buried in the bottom of a muddy river and the dirty waters were sloshing over him, washing out the mud until he was able to see the light. It was at the beginning dimmed by two meters of water above his head but it was getting brighter every second until it burned his retinas... The wand-light. No some eerie glow that was supposed to welcome him after death but mundane blueish light of a Lumos spell.
So he wasn't dead yet. What a pity.
He hoped it to be quick because, in all honesty, he had enough of pain. He didn't care for more torture like the one the Bastard was generously offering him. It wasn't worse than Cruciatus so at the beginning the stubborn part of him was fighting against loosing consciousness but at the end he lost.
He seemed to be always loosing those days.
But he was still miraculously alive. So, because he was never a coward he decided to face the reality. He expected to see the Bastard's face hovering above his, annoyed and impatient. But what he saw was an unknown man with a soft face that kind of reminded him of Neville Longbottom. The man was looking into his half-opened eyes with a studious expression. Severus stared at him. The man smiled a very longbottomish smile which made Severus quiver inside with annoyance.
"Welcome in the land of living, Mr. Snape", he said. "I'm Remmy Torrent, resident Healer. You were in a bad shape when you get here yesterday. Your body wasn't used to that much strain and you overworked yourself."
Severus snorted feebly. "You say it like I had any choice", he said hoarsely. His voice was weak and unused. "Face it, Mr. Healer. I am a prisoner. It is not like they are coddling us."
"No, I believe they were doing just the reverse thing, weren't they? I suppose that they not quite familiarized themselves with the Human Rights Card?"
Severus tried to shrug but his body felt like it weighted a couple of tons. "That Muggle thing, you mean? Our Ministry was never paying that much attention to weird Muggle laws. They believe that every method of subduing a Death Eater is acceptable." He smirked. This conversation was getting quite funny. "Don't get too flustered about it. I am sure the majority of your society would agree that better a dead Death Eater than a free one. You see, we are as Dark as it gets. I, for one, betrayed a great amount of people and killed some of them. You surely understand 'an eye for an eye' law? That is the one our community is based upon. I believe yours too."
"Our country, unlike yours, observes the Human Rights Card.", said the Healer. "And you, whatever you did, are also a human being. I believe some people will be facing an inquiry quite soon, no mater what is your opinion about all of this."
"Merlin, help us all, you are really a bloody Gryffindor, you know?", said Severus with disdain. "There will be no inquiry, believe me. Our countries value their friendship too much to risk it for a bloody Death Eater. And if you believe US to be so merciful that only proves you are a fool. Don't tell me you have no knowledge of your own history. That you have never heard about the Revolution of Cauldrons in the eighties and what they did to the riotous traders. That you have never heard about the wizard's participation in the Vietnam war."
"We learn from our mistakes.", said the Healer shortly. Now he looked mildly annoyed. "And I believe that in few short sentences you managed to insult me at least twice. Now I am starting to see why no one wanted to help you before. You are lucky that I have a strong moral fiber or I also wouldn't be arsed to do that."
Severus snorted. He wanted to say that no society have ever learned from its mistakes but he decided that enough was enough. His Longbottom-Gryffindor Healer might actually take the offense and storm off in righteous anger and allies was not something Severus had in abundance. So he stopped himself from voicing any more acerbic comments. "How did you manage to heal me?", he asked, changing the topic. "The Hinches does not allow for the usage of potions and most of healing spells. How did you do it?"
"Luck and more than a little help of Muggle means. I've managed to modify a couple of spells that are used for wizards suffering from magical drainage and fed you to a lot of Muggle drugs by intravenous route. I keep them in stock just in case, you have to be prepared for virtually everything if you are working for Aurors. Your body took its own healing from there. You are regenerating pretty quickly because of the residues of dragon magic that you still have in you. They are pretty tough beasts and can even grow back small parts of their bodies. It's actually kind of fascinating, I can't say I have ever seen dragon magic working on human."
"Why?", Severus asked. "You have plenty of them up here."
"Yes but their magic clashes badly with ours. That's why their future quarters are done Muggle way. As your magic is virtually nonexistent the dragon magic was free to work. You are quite an unusual case."
Severus stared at him. Curious was not even beginning to describe a feeling that was slowly creeping into him. He was always an inquisitive sort of person. And here was something definitely worth investigating. So what if he was a bloody slave with his fate already sealed. He knew that boredom was worse than an imminent death. And his mind, rusty from unuse, was heartily agreing to academical challenge.
"Do you have any books on dragons?"
To say that Martin feared that meeting was an understatement. To see that Death Eater face to face, to hear what he had to say... That situation had the potential to get bad in so many ways. The man was a criminal, a murderer and at the same time was a victim of an abuse that was outlawed in US. What would he say? How would he behave? And, finally, what will Martin think at the end of all this? His thoughts were a turmoil. He never participated in such morally dubious thing. So with a trepidation he went into the hospital area of the Headquaters.
Remmy greeted him. He said that the prisoner was doing well and in a week or so will be released. He said that this day will be the happiest in his life. Martin asked what has happened and he was given an information that a 'difference of opinions' was too big between them two so Remmy generally avoided excess talking with the prisoner. He looked disgruntled saying this.
Remmy have shown him the way to a small private room and Martin entered. The first thing he saw was Snape, looking decidedly more healthy, sprawled on the bed with a thick volume in his hand. Martin felt his eyes drawn to the Hinches glittering on prisoner's ankle and wrist and he felt himself shiver. Blasted thing. Snape noticed the newcomer and sat up, looking at him with sudden interest. Martin cleared his throat and pulled out his hand. It was grasped by the prisoner's thin one. The dark eyes were intent on Martin's face and he felt himself momentarily disconcerted by the intense look.
"Martin Scoresee, Senior Officer Auror. Nice to meet you Mr. Snape.", he presented himself. "I brought you here."
"Severus Snape, an exclusive prisoner of the British Ministry of Magic. Nice to meet you too, Officer Scoresee." The man smirked. "Shall I understand that you took pity in my miserable condition and decided to save me from my fate?"
"Yes, you should." Martin stared at him challengingly. He was already understanding why Remmy didn't like Snape. He was an easy-going person who didn't like subtexts. And this man looked like he was secretly sneering at everything, even at himself.
"Then I suppose I should thank you for saving my life... this time." Again that intense stare. Martin wondered what was going on behind those eyes. "And your dragon, for the time before. For whatever good it will do to me."
Martin blinked. "Believe me, If I put that much effort into keeping you away from death, I intend to not let you waste it in the nearest time."
Snape snorted. "Beautifully. And tell me, how do you plan to stop them?"
"Them? Whom could you possibly mean?"
"Don't be a fool, Officer. I am sure you understand how this world works. I mean British Ministry of Magic. They send us here for a reason. I am sure you can contrive their reason."
"Possibly but I would like to hear it from you." In truth Martin wasn't that sure what Snape could mean. The prisoners were given, or rather borrowed because being the British citizen they still belonged to British MoM, as a kind of war retribution. At last that was the official version.
"If you wish so." Snape's face grew deadly serious. " Our Ministry is a bunch of cowards, the greatest of them being Kingsley Shacklebolt, our Minister of Magic. They were afraid of us. We were by then closed up but we still had support within British society, our relatives and those who still believed in Voldemort's ideology. The upcoming trials were expected to be downright messy and the Ministry was also afraid that some of us may escape it's clutches like Lucius Malfoy and his family already did. And then they found a solution, a brilliant one. They announced to the public that every man bearing a Death Eater mark will be sent away to serve the US citizens for the time of ten years. They called it rehabilitation. By lucky coincidence at the nearly same time the Unspeakables have announced their last invention, the Hinches, ready for testing. And so we were sent here. What the public did not now, however, was that they simply meant to rid themselves off the problem that we became. We are not supposed to survive those ten years, Officer . The sooner we are out of the picture, the better to them. It's like galleys, only wizard type. Me, particularly, they have no wish to see again. I knew Kingsley Shacklebolt and I believe he is particularly adamant about not letting me go back to Great Britain. So how do you plan opposing them, Officer Scoresee?"
Martin wondered. This made a perfect sense to him, even if it was a dirty business. But just when the governments have played fair? Well, in any way he won't be sitting idly waiting for things to happen. Especially those that obviously shouldn't be happening. That was, after all, the reason he became an Auror.
"In a week I will be back to that hellhole", said Snape gloomily when Martin kept being silent. "Then I would like to see you stopping the Bastard..."
"Maybe I haven't got any real standing within the British MoM", Martin interrupted him. "But be assured that in this place I am the person to be reckoned with. I am the senior Auror and you don't get much higher than that. So you will not be going back there. I have already discussed your precarious state of health with President Goodwich and we decided that you are in no condition to bear such a workload. You will be moved here, to the Headquaters. You will be doing a menial work. Merlin knows that our regular staff could use some help with some mundane tasks as they have to be done without magic. Also, your boss will change and Bartolomeus Chang is a man you can trust to be fair."
"Chinese?", Snape rose his eyebrow. "I have heard that name before. One of my ex-students."
"Half-half. His family is numerous, it is quite possible that some of them live in Britain too. So how do you like your new accommodation?"
Snape blinked. "I suppose I should be grateful.", he said slowly. "After all I didn't count on surviving the next month. I still don't understand what have motivated you to help me, but I am grateful anyway. Even if it means I will be cleaning stables for the foreseeable future."
Martin grinned. "Hey I have said nothing about dragon dung!"
"Seriously." Snape rolled his eyes. "What type of menial work could you possibly mean?"
Martin snorted. He felt he was already starting to like that strange guy. Funny, thinking that he knew virtually nothing about him. Well, he knew that the man was a criminal. That brought into a question...
"Why your Minister hates you so?"
"He has a bone to pick with me. Several ones in fact. Its irrelevant, anyway." Snape closed his mouth and stared hard at Martin, obviously refusing to go into the details.
"Oh well." Martin rolled his eyes in exasperation. "As you wish. But I should say to you that if you won't share things that may help you, you won't be helped."
Snape stared at the ceiling. "Nothing in my life is redeemable", he said in hard tones. Martin wasn't sure if Snape was informing him about his final decision or trying to convince himself. Well, if he thought Martin was going to stop at that, he was sorely mistaken.
"Well then", said Martin. "I suppose I should leave you to your reading. Have a good day Mr. Snape."
"And you too, Officer. Thank you again for delaying my death warrant. What a strange thing...", Snape mused, his eyes glittering oddly. Martin frowned because out of sudden he felt being scrutinized. He didn't care for the feeling. "You are gay, aren't you?"
Martin bit his tongue to not reply with a scathing comment. "How do you know? And what does it have to do with anything?"
"I am an observant person, Officer Scoresee." The prisoner smirked. Martin forced himself to stay calm. " I can also see that it is a touchy subject with you. And to answer your second question: I am still searching for motives."
Martin stared. And then laughed.
"That was the best one I've heard", he said after a moment. "No, Mr. Snape, I most definitely does not hold a torch for you. You are not my type, sorry to say."
Snape, to his amazement, snorted. He didn't look much offended. " I am hardly anyone's type, Officer. But still I am wondering why you seem to appear so often in my life. My previous employer was gay too. He has wrecked a havoc in my life. I would like you to desist from doing the same."
Martin shrugged. "I don't think it has anything to do with a sexual orientation. Rather, it is out of a sense of duty. Good day again, Mr. Snape."
"Oh dear. Sense of duty? I think I would have preferred love."
Martin heard those parting words when he was closing the door. He decided to not answer. Because really what do you say to such an admission? He knew one thing for sure. That man, was he evil or not, was seriously fucked up.
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