Chapter 8: He Knows.
Severus had rushed quickly to a familiar graveyard as he had been beckoned by the dark lord. He opened the heavy, eerie doors and locked them behind him. He walked down the dusty halls to a fairly large room with cobwebs and old dusty portraits decorating the walls. Severus bowed his head mock graciously as he did so many times before. Then, he took his seat at a large and long table amongst a few of the other trustworthy spies. Lucius Malfoy being one of them.
"Ah, Severus" the words hissed "so good of you to join us, this evening. I am sure you are wondering why I have summoned you here."
The few people in the room quivered as the dark lord spoke. Few people could frighten the wizards in the room, Voldemort was one of them. The dim candles lighting made it difficult to see who was there. Severus could usually tell who was who at meetings even though they wore masks. You can't hide your personality behind a mask and Lucius' arrogance always seemed to come through as a dead giveaway. The dark lord continued to speak.
"This evening I have brought you here to continue what we've set out to do years ago. I know you are wondering why we've kept below the radar. Harry Potter is deceased so what's the point of waiting. Well my pets, I want more than just to cleanse the world. I want to prosper it. I have gained control of the ministry and the only place left untouched is Hogwarts. I've let the old man keep his school to give him hope. To torment him in what might have been if the boy who lived didn't die."
The room jumped into a roar of laughter. Some laughed at the expense of the" humble old dumble" and others mocked about "the boy who could've lived, IF he didn't jump out a window". Severus was beginning to feel queasy. He had never forgiven himself for that day. Not because it had been Potter but because he had ruined his name of being a teacher that influenced a child to die. He was supposed to give detentions. Not kill.
The dark lord silenced the room quickly and continued to give orders. This consisted in families that must die for the sake of saving the wizarding world from the "scourge". Severus had been given a list as well. He was rarely given a list but when he was, he would consult Dumbledore and they would move the family into hiding. Severus had only killed one family and they had been rogue death eaters.
A husband and wife, going against the dark lord's orders and killing pure bloods and muggles alike. The dark lord would not have pure bloods die. He even let half bloods live. Only those that "stole" their power or those that mocked it should die. Severus' list had only two names on it; two names that he knew well. He was given the Granger household and the Dursley household.
Severus Snape was in charge of killing not only the savior of the world, but to kill those he died trying to protect. It was a way of the dark lord spitting on his grave. Severus didn't know how he would be able to do this. He would have to consult the headmaster on it. The dark lord looked at Severus and smiled.
"Severus?"
"Yes, my lord?"
"See to it that the Dursley's get a message for me will you?"
"What do you wish for me to tell them before their deaths, my lord?"
"Tell them, it has been an interesting voyage to work aside a muggle but the end has come and our contract has expired."
Severus gave an inquiring look and nodded his head. It would not do to annoy the dark lord in a line of questioning. He must abide the rules of his lord, and leave with them. As the rest of the death eaters gathered their lists and discussed whom they got to rid the world of today, Severus stepped out of the room, down the webbed halls and through the heavy bolted door. He had never felt colder to the bone than he did today. Why would the dark lord make a pact with Potter's family after the boy's death?
He decided not to worry about it until tomorrow and he would take his anger out on the Hufflepuff's. He missed insulting the Gryffindors but since the dark lord came into power, he had rid the school of such a group. How Dumbledore's heart had hurt to see his own house disappear. Severus had to hand it to him though. No matter how much the dark lord wanted to conquer the world. He was still too scared to remove an elderly man from his place as headmaster. What a pity to be him. A coward and ruler all in one.
Severus was transported to the grounds of Hogwarts and began up the walkway to the front doors of the school. There sat a grieving old man waiting for Severus' safe return as he always had. Severus sought little comfort in that. Not one person other than Albus Dumbledore cared for Severus' well being.
He remembered the muggle in the coffee shop. He had seen those eyes and he wanted to get lost in them. Those were a pair of eye that he could lose himself in for days. He suddenly missed the company, even though it was only for a few moments. The man did have a small bladder and just as Severus was enjoying the man's company, he left.
He supposed the man may come back to that shop eventually but really what were the odds of that? Severus continued through the doors and down the stairs on the left to the dungeons. Tonight he would sleep, and not think of bad memories. Tonight he would forget about Harry Potter and his family. He would forget Granger, and he would forget himself. Tonight he would sleep and get lost, lost in those beautiful light brown eyes.