Chapter 22: The Hand Of Hate

{A/N: Here's Another Update...It's been a while...}

My Thanks To All My Readers and Reviewers...Enjoy S.S.

{"Do I care anymore, if there's a new beginning...The simple plan is broken...Every time it's given...I needed thrust and love but grab the hand of hate...To help me up again...To fuck me up again...Destroy all you see...Tattoo the world, change everything...Save the world for me...Tattoo the world..."}Disease ,Sevendust

Diagon Alley, Wizarding World...

Sheets of towering flame surrounded the formerly frequented alley as embers rose from the numerous familiar buildings that had been the staple of the wizarding world for generations were reduced to rubble as a seemingly manic Severus Snape levitated in the air above the screaming and fear struck crowd below him relishing the chaos his embittered antics had unleashed. He had not been so delighted in the wake of his tormenting of those whom had forced him to be this way in years. The knowledge that Dumbledore had been the reason for their pain, their martyr and oldest of heroes was all the more pleasing. The former Potions Master of Hogwarts Castle descended upon the scorched earth grinding the ash from the distant memories of the past beneath his black dragon hide boot covered heel.

He cornered a trembling wizard whom had been out for a bit of shopping in a bid to gather supplies.

There was nothing special about him, in fact he had been quite ordinary in terms of looks and magical capability but that meant nothing to Snape. The Headmaster Of Hogwarts moved swiftly like a flicker of light wrapping his large pale fingers, once used for brewing potions of every sort in the hopes of obtaining redemption for his part in the first wizarding war under the banner of the despot Voldemort, now instruments of his blatant cruelty toward his fellow wizarding community and the muggle world alike.

He owned no allegiance to no master in this embittered and broken world following the failure of Harry James Potter.

Power had been absolute.

Death was a certainty.

And Misery was unquenchable when it came to this deranged wizard's antics.

His accursed heart cold to any and all emotion aside from rage.

Snape smiled rather wickedly as he increased his numerous body count igniting the man's body aflame via his hand and relishing the screams of torment that filled his ears as a result of such a twisted act. The world was his playground, a fitting place where his cruel endeavors knew no bounds and the blood of his enemies ran like rivers of crimson in his wake.

Nothing mattered to the dark wizard as he had no concept of true pleasure, only the desire to destroy everything he had fought so hard to preserve seemed to consume him. He had been darkness incarnate and there wasn't a single one of these cowering beings that could stand against him.

"Hateful day when I received life." he said to the smoldering corpse of the man he had murdered just moments before hand. "But then...you know that all too well by now."

Removing his hand from the charred flesh of the man no longer struggling to get free of his powerful grasp in a bit to preserve his life, Snape watched as the body collapsed onto the black ground and walked away satisfied at the terror he had inflicted for the evening upon the citizens of the wizarding world.

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The Fortress Of Solitude, Unknown Location...

Snape entered the Fortress of Solitude to seek counsel with the dark lord Voldemort, or what remained of him since his fateful battle at Hogwarts against Harry Potter. The severely weakened once formidable monster had been largely out-classed by his lesser half-blood associate and it had not gone unnoticed. Not by the despot nor Snape as he stood before the stone throne of the serpentine wizard no longer capable of exerting his will upon the world, wizarding or muggle alike.

"S-S-Severus-s-s." said the despot faking delight upon seeing him. "How wonderful to see you, thriving in the wake of your new found strength."

Snape smirked as he noted the false praise from the despot.

Normally it amused him to see the once vicious former Master barely concealing his hatred for him in the wake of the shifting of fortunes. Voldemort had coveted Snape's inability to be killed.

"As you have come to note, I feel no connection to such a sniveling sack of useless flesh." he said revealing his own agenda for the despot. "You have vastly out lived your usefulness to me and it is high time you knew your place."

Voldemort narrowed his glowing red eyes at the suggestion that he had been useless or that he needed to know his place.

Snape continued to smirk rather confidently in the wake of his bold words to his former master.

"Did you really think that I wouldn't know that you put those fools up to the task of challenging me in open combat to the death?" he asked with an arched brow.

Voldemort did his best to hold on to the shred of pride that had kept him going thus far.

"You will not speak to me as if I am a lesser..." he began only to be cut off.

"You are a weak, pathetic little half blood poser whom cowered when faced with the possibility of a child being greater than you." hissed Snape rather maliciously. "How you whimper when faced with the prospect of death while thousands meet it head on with more courage and belief in your lies than you could fathom in that small little brain of yours."

Voldemort had not been about to stand for more of Snape's disrespect but found that his time as master of the increasingly powerful wizard had been well and truly over. He had not even bothered to be so weak as to beg for his life as his worst fears about Severus Snape were confirmed.

The evil behind Snape's eyes had caused even the former dark lord to tremble as he noted for the first time the wizard whom had truly been worthy of a title of darkness.

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Snape's Manor, Unknown Location. Unknown World...

The door to Severus Snape's Manor opened as he moved swiftly through it covered in the blood of his greatest enemy and made his way toward his study. Twinkling blue eyes belonging to the portrait of the former Headmaster of Hogwarts widened as he noted the degree of crimson that had stained the once immaculately kept ebony attire of Snape.

"Y-You've finally decided to end it then?" asked the aged wizard.

Snape moved toward his desk and plopped down into his chair kicking up his feet on the desk and summoning a glass of poured firewhiskey into his hand. The eerie satisfied smirk that filed across his pale face had been more than enough to unnerve the elder wizard.

"Let's just say...the so called "dark lord" has relinquished the ill-fitting title due to him having managed to far outlive his usefulness." he said rather smugly as he turned up the glass of firewhiskey in celebration.

The glow of satisfaction behind his obsidian eyes was not easily forgotten. The fact remained he had been rid of the final master that had forced him into their service and it pleased him greatly if only due to the blood lust he had developed in the wake of the curse.