Chapter 88: Cruelty's Pire

{A/N: Here's Another Update...Late Post}

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

Unknown Location, Unknown World...

Flames shot up as far as the eye could see as thick clouds of the blackest smoke filled the rapidly darkening evening sky. The blaze had been quite a wild one as gray robed figures seemed to huddle around the vacant town that had once been populated by men and women going about their rather mundane daily lives before the onset of everything around them becoming engulfed in flames. Severus S. Snape stood among the smoke and embers as he watched behind his ivory mask as countless Muggle bodies burned before him some still twitching as the screams died down. The despot seemed quite pleased with himself as he turned his attention toward celebration and revelry. Snape had been sick to his stomach and wanted nothing more than to flee this scene and be done with it, but it seemed the despot took particular joy in watching him to see if he'd squirm the first chance he got. While he had earned a measure of trust saving the despot from the Aurors, Voldemort had been none too keen on trusting anyone much since his revival. Snape had been on his guard the entire time noting the strange expressions on the faces of Xerius and Lucius both as they chatted amid the smoke and ash.

Severus Snape's mind had been more or less occupied via the anguish of their former captors. The stench of burnt flesh as thick as the smoke and accompanied by death like every other Muggle town that fell prey to the dark lord's ire. The place had looked to be no different than the place he had taken Hermione to in a bid to spend time with her, far from the prying eyes of her friends and their enemies. Lucius Malfoy approached him, his own mask a split silver and ivory façade with pristine markings. Snape marveled at his old friend's gall when it came to anything as a representation of himself. Even as a death eater, Lucius found a way to stand out among the rabble.

"The Dark Lord is apparently pleased with your recent attempts to earn his favor." said Lucius rather slyly. "This of course puts you in the crosshairs of everyone of the newly released rabble but at least you won't be made an example of before the group any time soon."

Snape seemed unaffected by the implication. His mind had once more been back on the pile of burning corpses that use to be casual Muggles going about their daily lives as if they had not a care in the world. He had lived among them as a boy, grown up in their world and despised them as much as the despot had for the very crime of not accepting him outright. He had no better luck when returning to the wizarding world and the irony had not been lost on him.

Obsidian eyes fell upon the charred remains of women, children, and men alike as they burned for the sheer amusement of a boundless tyrant more terrified of the implication of his own death than any of these Muggles had been of what he had been capable of putting them through.

"Are we yet finished?" asked Snape his tone as cold as his manner had been when dispatching the Muggle's at the behest of his rather giddy and twisted master.

"Indeed we are...S-S-Severus-s-s." hissed the despot seemingly pleased with what had been done to this formerly mundane little town.

Snape had been quite relieved to have been dismissed as he attempted to ignore the creeping sensation of bile that threatened to make him wretch as a result of the stench that surrounded them. Black smoke was all one could see for miles, no doubt it would get the attention of the Ministry Of Magic. Things like this were never suppose to happen on their watch, but with Cornelius Fudge ignoring the blatant signs of the despot's return, no one had truly been safe.

The Potions Master took off in a trail of black smoke leaving everyone else to deal with the bodies and the outcome from the soon to be arriving Aurors. He had no doubt that word would have reached a panicked Hermione, her parents were mere Muggles after all and the prospect of her own husband committing atrocities in a bid to survive being on the opposite side of the war could not have made her feel any better.

The more he thought on it, the more Snape became convinced that he needed to show her now, more than ever that he had every intention of doing right by her. Even with Dumbledore's idiotic antics and the despot poised to drive everything into ruin just for the sake of doing so.

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The Grounds, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...

Hermione couldn't bring herself to wait any longer as she cleverly found a way to ditch her friends and make her way down to the grounds just before curfew. She knew that Severus would be on his way at some point and wished to see him straightaway. The previous weekend he'd been preoccupied and the strange encounter she witnessed with Dumbledore had not made anything he'd done after the fact make any sense to her. She had a terrible feeling that he'd been keeping something from her, something horrendous and try as she might she couldn't help but think of the Muggles he watched die and worry for her parents.

The lone witch paced back n forth as she awaited her husband's arrival unsure of what the night would bring. As much as she loved Severus Snape, she knew all too well that he'd been capable of a vast number of atrocities and then some. His previous life as a death eater had been greatly reflected in his demeanor whenever he'd come back from a meeting or a revel with them, the stench of death and drink always littered his attire but never enough to completely erase the familiar scent of herbs and fresh earth that always made her feel so comfortable around him. She could see for quite some time now that her husband had been at war not only with the despot but with himself, as if being among the death eaters had caused a splintering of his personality in some fashion.

The rumbling of thunder echoed across the open air as Hermione found herself taking in the sight of her husband, the gray robes and ivory mask caught her off guard as Snape skillfully spelled them away before collapsing onto the ground and taking in the evening air.

"I know you are there." he hissed in annoyance.

Hermione had barely a moment to consider her options before making herself known, but keeping a firm distance between them. There was no telling what state of mind the poor bloke had been in after returning from the unwanted summons.

"S-Severus." she began only to find herself levitating toward the dour Potions Master.

"I told you to steer clear of me when I am not in control of my faculties." growled Snape his expression harsh and his eyes seemed to flicker with rage.

"I had to know that you were alright." said Hermione in her own defense.

"As you can see, Miss Granger...I am in once piece." replied Snape still in the same cold tone. "You may return to Gryffindor tower now."

"Severus...why won't you tell me what's bothering you." she insisted. "I know there's been something...something terrible and I'm afraid for you."

"You should be." replied Snape before releasing her and walking away.

He had not seemed very much like himself at all but Hermione knew better than to follow and press the matter further.

The Potions Professor had returned to Hogwarts alive and well, it was as much as she could hope for given the circumstances.