Chapter 102: Rats In The Gutter
{A/N: Here's Another Update...This song reminded me of Snape, apparently Viktor and Snape have some things in common.}
My Thanks To My Readers and Reviewers...Enjoy-S.S.
{Yeah, I guess I feel alone...I'm a slave to my bloodstream, I never feel at home...I'm running out of time and I'm feeling like a ghost...Got these aches in my body, feel it in my bones...I've been coughing up blood, I guess I don't need it...I've been burying myself in my feelings...Can't change the world, through the lens of glass ceilings...All these worries in my head...I'm a rat in the gutter, all of my thoughts rip me open...When the sky falls new horizons...Been coming up short all my life...Plants just wither and die...I'm a rat in the gutter, all of my thoughts rip me open...When the sky falls new horizons...Been coming up short all my life...Plants just wither and die, I'm a rat in the gutter...}Arcane "The Undercity" Rap ,DaddyPhatSnaps (DPS) Ft. Golden EMP.
The Snape Residence, Spinner's End, Cokeworth, England, Muggle World...
Nausea was the first thing Severus S. Snape noticed when he opened his eyes and found that he'd been lying on his back in the center of his sitting room floor surrounded via many an empty firewhiskey bottle. The fireplace was dim and the sound of constant rain beating against the roof of the house and windows broke the eerie silence that filled the now cold place. Snape knew all too well that he hadn't been alone as he heard the shuffling of feet from the master bedroom upstairs. He rolled his eyes recalling that the spineless imp known as Peter Pettigrew was inhabiting his childhood home adding to his annoyance. The dark lord no doubt assumed the intrusion would give him the opportunity to get back at the idiot for his hand in the events that occurred while they both attended Hogwarts. Snape knew it was something of a test for him as well, as he was more than of the mind to kill the spineless imp due to him being directly responsible for not only the death of Lily Evans-Potter and her idiotic husband James, but the sole reason the despot returned in the flesh to begin with. Snape got up off the floor spelling away the bottles and his righting his attire before taking a seat in Tobias' arm chair. He'd never been allowed to even look at it when he'd been a boy but the drunken brute was no longer around to object, not that he could after all this time.
Worm-tail entered the room, the sniveling coward always repulsed Severus as he glared at him from the chair in the far corner of the room.
"I've finished the upstairs, Snape." said Worm-tail none too pleased about his new duties cleaning house for Severus Snape of all people.
Snape looked upon the miserable wretch that had once been a trusted friend of James Potter.
Not even Potter Sr. deserved what was done to him, at least not without the dour wizard getting immense satisfaction from it.
"The gutters are getting clogged again with all the recent rain and they must be cleaned." said Snape turning his attention to a recent copy of The Daily Prophet. "Why don't you make yourself useful."
Pettigrew seemed quite agitated about the new assignment but quickly shifted his expression to appear grateful and well mannered. Snape rolled his eyes as the rat scurried off to do his bidding.
With any luck he'd slip and break his neck.
The Potions Master got up from his seat and made his way back toward his makeshift bar. His time away from Hogwarts were filled with juggling his duties between the despot and the Headmaster as well as getting his lesson plans ready for the upcoming term. While it was a relief to get a break from having to monitor his students and Potter especially, he had begun to miss the company of his young wife. He had been quite truthful with her when he confessed that she made his rather meager existence bearable since they had become wed.
He was no fool, he knew all too well that Hermione would never want anything more to do with him after he'd taken a step toward his darker nature. Yet, he wanted to believe that she'd see passed it if nothing else, she'd at least remember him fondly once the dust settled.
The Headmaster had once more put him in an impossible situation, but this time it was the life of his own godson on the line if he chose to walk away.
Snape had barely any time to contemplate as well as enjoy Pettigrew's suffering before a knock on his front door got his attention.
He walked back toward his arm chair and sat down taking up the copy of The Daily Prophet once more.
"Snape..." said the ever annoying voice of Worm-tail. "You have guests."
With that the sorry excuse for a wizard accompanied Bellatrix LeStrange and Narcissa Malfoy into Snape's sitting room.
Without being told, Worm-tail served each witch their respective choice of drink as Snape greeted them. He eyed Bellatrix rather suspiciously despite the fact that he'd known all too well why Narcissa had arrived or rather the reason she seemed so frantic and desperate for assistance. The imp attempted to linger much to Snape's annoyance. With a quick flick of his wand, Snape reminded Worm-tail of his place when it came to matters that were not of his concern.
"Run along, Worm-tail." said Snape in a rather firm tone as he swiftly flicked his wand slamming the door closed that forced the imp into the nearby kitchen.
He had taken extra care to ensure nothing could be overheard in addition to the rumbling of thunder from the storm as Bellatrix moved about touching everything in sight. How Snape longed to toss the wretched harpy into the fireplace and hear her shriek in the wake of the event. He loathed her of all people being in his home as much as he had worm-tail's presence.
"We don't mean to intrude Severus." said Narcissa attempting and failing rather miserably to disguise her desperation. "But there is a matter in which I wish to discuss with you."
Snape kept watching Bellatrix as she continued to walk about as if she owned the place running her no doubt filthy fingers along his things as carelessly as Potter would when the nosy child had ventured into his pensive. He knew it was a matter of time before she broke something of his mother's and of course it would have been out of spite.
"I don't know how best to say this, as The Dark Lord has forbidden me to speak of this." continued Narcissa unsure how to proceed.
"If the dark lord has forbidden it, than you ought not to speak of it." replied Snape coolly. "Put it down Bella, we mustn't touch what isn't ours."
Bellatrix rolled her eyes as she placed the dark curio she was fiddling with back on the mantle of the fireplace and turned her attention to her sister's conversation.
"As it so happens..." began Snape turning his attention to pouring himself a glass of firewhiskey. "I am aware of your situation."
"The dark lord told you?" replied Bellatrix in disbelief.
"Your sister doubts me." replied Snape sensing the lingering annoyance of Bellatrix LeStrange. "Understandable, over the years I've played my part well...so well in fact that I've deceived one of the greatest wizards of all time."
Bellatrix scoffed in her annoyance adding to Snape's as he rather skillfully suppressed his own emotions as a result of this encounter.
"Dumbledore is a great wizard only a fool would question it." replied Snape resisting the urge to roll his eyes at this. While he recognized the elder wizard's feats in the past as well as his influence over the magical world, he still knew first hand that Dumbledore was quite foolish and petulant when he wanted to be. Putting that cursed ring on his finger and setting in motion the events that lead to this very moment had been one of those petulant foolish times. Still, Snape continued to keep his composure.
Narcissa's eyes met Snape's it had been a while since he'd been this close to her and she'd looked upon him with such intensity.
He knew what she had in mind and it had not been necessary as not only where they in the company of her sister, but Pettigrew was no doubt lurking about for anything of use to relate back to The Dark Lord.
I don't doubt you, Severus." she said still staring at him intensely.
This made Bella rather uneasy as she began pacing again much to Snape's chagrin.
"You should ignore him Cissy, as should Draco." hissed Bellatrix in response.
Narcissa did her best to convey her feelings on the matter at hand. She had loved her son, her only son whom she knew would no doubt be destroyed in the wake of all the chaos either due to being murdered to punish Lucius or his well-being in general with what was to come being at the forefront of his mind day in and day out. Life as he knew it would never be the same and she wished to minimize the damage as much as possible. His father could do little to assist him in this life altering endeavor but his godfather, Severus Snape was still in good standing with the dark lord and surely that would carry some weight.
Knowing all too well what she'd been suggesting, Snape met her gaze once more.
"I can't change the dark lord's mind." he said flat out. Noting the apparent disappointment that flashed across Narcissa Malfoy's beautiful face Snape continued. "But it might be possible for me to help Draco."
"Severus..." began Narcissa before being cut off by her now fed up elder sister.
"Swear to it." insisted Bellatrix narrowing her chaotic brown eyes at the dour Professor. "Make the Unbreakable vow."
Both Snape and Narcissa watched her in silence for a few moments. It wasn't an easy thing to demand of anyone knowing the binding magic would surely kill the one whom broke the vow. The Potions Professor had already made an unbreakable vow in service to Albus Dumbledore to assist with his final scheme against The despot. Now here he was being asked to do it again for the sake of his only Godson.
Narcissa once more stared at him with intensity, she seemed to be of the same mind as her sister on this occasion. A turn of events that unnerved Snape to say the least.
"It's just empty words." hissed Bellatrix walking around Snape and circling him like a vulture making designs on his liver. "He'll give it his best effort...and when it matters most...he'll slither back into his little hole...coward."
Snape bristled at the word he despised coming from the accursed lips of Bellatrix LeStrange. His measure of control slipped just so as he wished to hex the harpy where she stood. He was by no means a coward. Tobias Snape might have been a coward and a drunken brute but Severus Snape was far from as weak a being as that Muggle bastard. Unable to hide his annoyance any further, the Potions Master glared in Bella's direction.
"Take out your wand." he said his voice growing more forceful and his expression one of pure outrage.
Bellatrix had done just that as both Snape and Narcissa stood in the center of the room as the spell was cast binding them together via the vow to ensure Draco's survival and Snape's compliance in a rather dark deed that none would speak of ever again once it had taken place.
"Will you, Severus Snape watch over Draco Malfoy as he attempts to fulfil the dark lord's wishes?" asked Bella looking into Snape's eyes as the magic continued to swirl around his and Narcissa's arms.
"I will." replied Snape vowing to do as Bella requested.
"And will you, to the best of your ability protect him from harm?" continued Bella almost taunting in her manner.
"I will." replied Snape looking down at the swirling magic that would bind him to Narcissa Malfoy via the vow.
Narcissa's gaze continued to focus upon Snape as her mind was put at ease. Bella approached Snape, her deranged expression and taunting whisper filled his ear.
"And if Draco should fail, would you yourself carry out the deed the dark lord has ordered Draco to perform?" asked Bellatrix still taunting.
Narcissa had been speechless as she studied Severus Snape for the longest time. Their arms clasped as the magic swirled around them binding them to the unbreakable vow. Their history was a rather complicated one and she knew that he cared for Draco and would only want the best for him but hearing her sister put the dour man on the spot was another matter. Would he indeed carry out Draco's orders in his place and ultimately save her already tormented child's soul.
Snape's obsidian gaze met Narcissa's curious expression as he gave his reply without wavering.
"I will." he said binding them at once.
The strange magic disappeared, but the vow had been in place.
Narcissa was the first to pull away as the ramifications of what Snape had agreed to do took hold of him and he made his way back to the make shift bar. Seemingly satisfied, the infamous Black sisters took their leave of him and Snape focused on the flames dancing along the log inside his fireplace. He drank down another round of firewhiskey and poured another glass. Worm-tail had evidently gone back to cleaning the gutters in the rain. It was strangely apparent to Snape as he took another drink of Ogren's finest, that Pettigrew had not been the only one whom had been a rat in the gutter.