Snape was about to pull his hair out. Two hours of reading boiled down to 'we don't know'. Of course blood magic had always been complicated, near taboo even, but he had hoped there was at least something concrete on the subject. He held the book up and was flipping back through it to a chart on magic content in blood versus age when he was interrupted.
"Why are you reading such drivel?"
Snape looked up from the book about blood to see Mr. Lee standing over him, Hagrid closing the door behind them.
"Excuse me?"
"If you wish to find out about blood, that book by wizards will hold no answers for you. They are fools when it comes to it."
"Really?" If the sarcasm dripping from his voice like ichor were real it would have stained the cover of the book as he closed it. "Hundreds of years of research amounts to nothing?"
"Until wizards put away their prejudice about magic being unique, they shall always be at a disadvantage."
"What do you mean, unique?" Pressed Snape.
"It is not the best word for my meaning, but it gets the point across. There are other forces in the world, are there not? Dumbledore champions love as one of the most powerful. I would broaden that to emotions, after all they can create boggarts. Thought and belief also hold power. Tulpas exist because of collective thought. Blood holds a magic in and of itself. Until it is thought of as such I doubt they will realize that it and the magic it carries react to will and intent more than anything else, is it not so?"
Snape frowned, and flipped open to a page in the book and pointed down at an image of a ritual going very wrong. "Intent? You must be missing part of your brain to think such a thing. This experiment in chapter fifteen was done to bind an imp, the caster wanted it to work. It failed."
The vampire shook his head. "No, he wanted information, therefore it did not work. It was an experiment after all. He got his results whether it was a failure or a success. He did not want the imp, he wanted answers. I believe it to be like your ah… Cruciatus, you need to want it. It is all about intent."
"So if I do not intend for someone to be a thrall, they will not be a thrall? That's absurd." Snape scoffed.
"But correct nonetheless. Of course, a thrall still requires large amounts of blood, or extremely potent blood. But without intent the amount of blood means nothing, odd though it may be. Many things in the world are quite absurd, blood and magic among them." Said the elder vampire.
"Uh… 'scuse me. Mr. Basarab?"
Both men looked over at the half giant who was standing there fiddling with his fingers like a student who wanted to ask a question during a lecture.
"Mr. Lee, that name is outdated. And yes Hagrid? How may I be of assistance?"
"Well, as much as I enjoyed our conversation about dragons, yeh seem…ter be talkin different now? Everythin ok?"
Snape smirked at Hagrid's open curiosity. Sometimes the man's bluntness came in handy.
"Yes Mr. Lee, why Do you switch back and forth between accents?"
The vampire smiled, as if answering this was no bother at all. "It is simple. It helps me blend in, and it confuses people. Some have come to know me one way, so vhen they cannot hear me speaking in such a manner they assume it not to be me. If I could not learn an accent or two in hundreds of years it vould be a pity."
"So…which is yer real one?"
At that question Samuel smiled a bit more. "Now, vhy vould I tell you that? Perhaps it is not efen one you hafe heard."
Hagrid floundered a bit at that response, unsure of its meaning, and so headed onto easier questions. "Uhhh, how bout where the auror went then? Coltus?"
"He left." Said Snape who buried his nose in the first book of the wandless magic series. He did not want to discuss that particular event with the half giant.
"What? Yeh really convinced him ter leave?"
"Yes. Dumbledore's vord vas efentually enough for him. It took some confincing but he agreed to just escorting me out of England aftervord. I may trouble your headmaster for a portkey so I do not haf to interact vith Coltus again."
Hagrid nodded at this. The grounds keeper venerated Dumbledore, and took it in stride that other people would see sense when it came to the man. How Mr. Lee knew this though, was beyond Snape. Hopefully it was just through conversation with Ablus. Dumbledore knew of Hagrid's devotion, and did try not to abuse it, Mr. Lee would not be so kind.
"Now. Let us leafe Seferus to his research." Finished the vampire.
"Course. When we leavin?"
"As soon as the sun ceases to kiss the horizon."
"What?"
"The verbose man means after sunset. Now, I will go sit in the main part of the store so you two can prattle on incessantly about dragons or some such inanity." Groussed Snape. He picked up the books and headed out in search of some peace and quiet.
Five hours passed and Snape had determined very few things. The first, which he already knew, was that wands and words were just conduits for will and intent. The same was true for blood if Mr. Lee spoke the truth. The second was that he could indeed manipulate his own magic, that's how he performed wandless magic after all. Manipulating leftover, cast off, or latent magic, would take practice. This meant overloading the cravings would be impossible at his current skill level. The third, was that the author was more long winded than Mr. Lee, an impressive and annoying feat.
He set down the book and pinched the bridge of his nose, the bud of his earlier headache now fully blossoming between his temples.
"Still searching for your miracle?"
Snape looked up and Mr. Lee once again stood above him. "I have two hours remaining, at least. Kindly leave me be until then."
"I just find it interesting that you have not tried to flee, knowing my current speed is less than-"
"I paid for information with my blood. I have no doubt you would have to spend little effort to find me."
"You are correct. Have you tried such a feat?"
"Up until this year I had yet to leave someone alive for more than a week, let alone free to wander. Now, leave."
"Very well." Said the vampire, ignoring the fact that his question had not been answered. "If you wish relief for your headache I'm sure Dault will provide you with the ability."
"Yes sir."
Snape looked over at the man. He had barely done anything of interest since they came in. He had cleaned, organized the till, moved around some artifacts, and stood. Stood staring at nothing. For hours. On occasion he swayed. Snape could hear his heartbeat. It was still weak. How the man was standing right now was beyond him.
Snape shook his head and opened a book from Dault on the undead, eager for a break from the verbose writer. He paused and magicked some galleons onto the counter for the books, he had yet to pay for them. Dault looked up at the movement and Snape nodded.
"For the books."
"Oh, right. Uh. It came to-"
"I don't care. Just be quiet."
Dault nodded and slipped the galleons in the register and Snape returned to his research.
It felt like minutes later when he once again looked up to see the vampire standing above him. The aura about the man had changed. His presence was nothing special before unless you talked to him, now it was imposing.
"Severus. It is time. Your half giant friend and I have discussed all manner of creatures, as well as most of what I am willing to tell him of our kind, which I must admit is little. At this point the sun has also said its farewells, and unless you have found a solution, I have come to return you to your master's abode."
Snape put the book down and looked at the vampire.
"I am not returning until I am no longer a danger to those there. I will fight you if I must, though I believe neither of us want to garner that much attention."
The vampire raised an inquiring brow.
"My dear Severus. Do you really wish to fight me? The one whom Albus himself failed to strike down due to my machinations? I could merely allow you to win and sow chaos that would make all your plans fall through. How about instead I remove your ability to fight, so as to not waste time?"
Snape sneered and stood, wand in hand, ready to destroy the shop if necessary. More than happy to, in fact. The vampire's threats were dark ones, but he could fight to trap instead of kill. He would be happy to put this beast in its place if Albus could not. If he fought, the blame would lie on his shoulders. It would be easy to shift blame to someone already hated.
"You might boast incredible power, but I have not had a drop of your blood. And I am not some mortal who is a slave to your commands merely because you tasted my blood."
The smile that graced Mr. Lee's face at Snape's comment had no warmth in it. Snape knew immediately he had been led to those words like a pig to slaughter. It boded very ill indeed.
"Ah, but you are, as are all those with ties to others. My potency is great, but with that alone I would have quite quickly fallen to your Headmaster. No, it is our minds that find challenges in the other. So, I offer you the choice that is not a choice, as I did him. Walk with me back to the castle willingly, your half giant by our side, or be carried back, alone." The man's smile widened as Snape stiffened slightly. "It would be a great pity, you having gone through all that effort just for him to fill my veins tonight."
"You wouldn't dare…" Hissed the Potions Master angrily, already knowing the answer but too furious not to ask.
"Why not? His life matters little to me at the moment except as leverage. Perhaps once I know him more I might be sad to see him go, but right now he is a means to an end. Should that end come to kill me, well… I have told you of the secret, but not of where mine lies, or even if there is more than one. No one outside the castle will mourn his death and Dumbledore will not be punished for it."
Snape fumed, nearly shaking with rage. How dare this… creature manipulate him with this web. How dare he use his ally in such a way! Snape seethed, his wand pointing at the evil thing before him, it shook slightly with want. Oh how badly he wished to fight him. Drain him dry. Cause him pain. If he couldn't kill him surely he could trap him! Wrack his body with pain until it didn't matter if Mr. Lee died because what would return would be a blubbering insane mass of undead flesh! But if he failed… if Snape lost. Dammit! This was why he didn't make friends! The wand trembled one last time and then lowered to his side. Mr. Lee nodded.
"A wise choice. Let us retrieve your friend and your books and adjourn to the castle."
Snape begrudgingly followed him toward the back room, shrinking his books and putting them in a pocket in his robes as he walked. When they were about to enter the back room the old vampire paused and looked back at Dault.
"Dault."
"Yes sir?"
"Eat your last meal and make any arrangements you find necessary that do not betray my or my companions' existence and machinations. Be sure not to mention your intentions, and then you may kill yourself before this morning's light."
"Thank you sir." Snape looked back at the man and could see him sweating, but relief showed through his eyes despite the blank expression on his face. That was odd indeed for a thrall to his knowledge. As far as he knew, thralls lived to serve and were always happy to carry out commands. Relief should not be the emotion here, elation at being able to serve, perhaps, but relief?
"That man is not a thrall." The words were a question hidden in a statement as Snape looked back in confusion and disgust at the man behind the counter.
"No, he is merely enthralled."
"But…"
"How is he so totally in my control? Because I constantly exert my will upon his. Because I give new commands. Mainly, because he knows what I will do to him otherwise. Death is freedom compared to what I have shown him."
"And that is?"
"Fates worse than death. The one I would go through now is to simply let him, and him alone, live. Watching while his family and friends died around him. It is easy to scare those who have love in their hearts."
"That is manipulation, not fear."
"I would call the fear of losing your loved ones a great fear indeed." Countered Mr. Lee.
"But it is not a fear for yourself." Snape retorted. "Can you manipulate a man who cares for no one?"
"Of course. He-"
"Including himself?"
"Ah, that would be more difficult. I assume you speak of yourself if you did not care for the wellbeing of others? I am sure I could find something."
"Well, you spoke of other fates. Perhaps one of those." Snape said, digging for information.
"Those are not for you to know of, they would drive you mad."
"I truly doubt it." Disappointed at the lackluster answer, the dismissive tone in Snape's voice caused Mr. Lee to pause. He looked back at Snape as he turned the knob to the back room.
"What a sad world you live in, with nothing left to fear for yourself. How dreadfully boring."
"So, you fear something still then?" Snape's voice was still dismissive, for what did the vampire have left to fear? And if he had nothing to fear, who was he to preach if it? He did not expect an answer.
"Of course. And to save you the time of asking; I fear being killed by an unworthy opponent." And before Snape could respond the man had opened the door and walked through. "Hagrid! Ve leave for your home. Are you prepared?"
"Wait, really? Yeh convinced Snape ter come back? How?" Said Hagrid, a surprised look on his face as he stood up from the pile of boxes in the corner.
"Under duress." Snarled Snape as he walked up to stand between the two men. He looked at Mr. Lee who smiled slightly, the congeniality an obvious veneer. It took a great effort to not shove his wand through the vampire's eye and cast something explosive. Snape turned his attention to Hagrid. "I'm assuming you have no trouble side along apparating?"
"Oh! No, none at all."
"Good." And with no preamble Snape grabbed both mens' wrists and apperated away.
They landed between Hogsmeade and the castle. Snape immediately started walking, not wishing to be in contact with either longer than necessary.
"It's good ter be back."
Snape held back a snort at Hagrid's proclamation. The man had barely been gone for more than a day.
"I hafe not been here before. I hafe had no reason. How long has this place been your home?"
"Oh, quite some time now. Got a nice little stone cabin near the forest. Nice little pumpkin patch too."
"It sounds quite lofely. And vhat serfice is it you profide to the castle? Seferus is a professor, vhat is it you do?"
"I'm keeper o' the keys and grounds at Hogwarts." Said the half giant proudly as Snape walked quickly in front, trying to figure out if he could apparate away now that they were here. Mr. Lee had made a vow to not harm anyone in the area after all. But how quickly could he leave it with the gullible half giant?
"Vell, if they are nice and I approfe should you need respite from here some decades hence I vould be happy to find a place for you on my grounds. If you efer grow tired of the noise of children."
"Oh, I couldn't. This place is my home." Said Hagrid shyly, not wanting to insult the man.
"Vell, the offer stands."
"Oh! Well thank yeh. Uhm… I thought of another question for yeh."
"Very vell. Ve shall see if I hafe an answer."
"Uhm, Professor Snape gained quite a few attributes when he aged. Wings and claws and such. Yeh don't have that too, do yeh?"
Snape scowled at the reveal of his personal attributes, and increased his pace. He knew the man wasn't attempting to make him nervous or uncomfortable, he was naive and innocent. Still, the question succeeded in its unintentional goal.
"I do. But I find that 'halfvay' form distasteful."
At this Snape stopped and turned.
"What do you mean…Halfway?" He probed.
"Of course. It is a point between the classic bat transformation and a human. Vhat else could gife such features?"
Snape fell in stride with his compatriots as they caught up, now having reason to walk beside them.
"Are you telling me that I have these features only because I have yet to completely turn into a small furry mammal? That it is not a sign of advanced age?"
"If you are saying that these features appeared vhen the potion hit you…I vould beliefe so. That form is a more comfortable state for many of our age, and only accessible vith such age. It is not exactly a halfvay point, so much as the term used to describe it. If you complete the transformation and then turn back they should, in all theory, vanish. They are attributes that show our true nature, our power, but they do not profide more abilities. They are just… natural. Those vings are too small for extended flight vithout high vinds or further transformation, such as hollow bones. Those claws are completely unnecessary, our regular nails are quite hard and sharp. Hafe you really not pushed the transformation further?"
"I found it unwise to turn into a potion ingredient in a potions classroom." Snape said scathingly as he hurried forward once again. The fact that he had not thought of such a thing irked him. Turn into a bat? It was ridiculous. It was inconceivable. It was insulting and idiotic!
It would most definitely be done in private.
He looked beside him to find Mr. Lee had kept in stride. He regarded the vampire with distaste and the man smiled slightly at him.
"I know vhat you hafe been contemplating."
"Really? And what is that?" False disinterest dripped from Snape's voice, covering up trepidation that his plans were about to be dashed.
"If that now that ve are on the land vhich prohibits my more fiolent tendencies, you could escape. It is after all vhat I vould be thinking. I must discourage such ponderings for the moment."
Snape seethed that the vampire could know this. Surely it wasn't legilimency? Surely it was just him knowing what he would be doing in such a situation? Snape was not sure that was such a comfort either. Still, he had to ask the required follow up question anyway.
"I'm assuming you're about to tell me why?"
"Of course. There are no vords in my vow that vould prevent me from removing somevone from the area. It may take a good veek if I vished to be subtle but the town could be half empty. Less time if you vished to assist me."
The comment was said almost like an amused after thought, a friend asking a friend if they wished to accompany them in a last minute errand. Snape snarled in disgust at it and hurried forward once again; away from the monster and the temptation he wished he didn't feel.
To his annoyance the vampire kept in stride.
"Vhy do you fight your nature?"
Snape remained silent, but he felt the vampire looking at him and got the distinct impression he would not be left alone. His glares and insults had no effect, he did not see why that would change now. He sighed and answered after a good minute, just to make the man wait. Unfortunately it seemed to amuse him more than irritate him. "Because I'd rather not kill the students I am here to teach and protect."
"Kill? Vhy must you kill them? And vhy must it be the students?"
"I have very little opportunity to be around anyone else."
"The teachers-"
"Have said they will provide me food, most likely enough to not starve, but that will be all." He said snidely. Even with the replenishing potion he doubted his colleagues would be that generous. Or maybe they would. Or maybe he could lie about how much he needed.
"Efen if they profide you vith more that would not help entirely."
"I am surrounded by energy daily, I'm sure I can figure out a way to manipulate it eventually." Said Snape in annoyance. He looked at the vampire next to him and raised an eyebrow at the confused look he sported.
"Manipulate? That vould be most impressife."
"Impressive? Is that not something all middle aged vampires do?"
"No," Mr. Lee said while shaking his head, "blood vith high energy, magic, mana, vhatever you vish to call it, is merely addictife to most vampires. As a vizard, I beliefe you require it, but too much vill hafe the same effect it does on those of the non magical persuasion."
Snape scowled. "And this means that I cannot manipulate… latent magical energy?"
"I am unsure. Perhaps one day you may in fact be able to, but it is not an innate ability vampires possess. Still, that is not vhat I speak of. You hide your natural desires, human and vampire, from yourself. Vhy?"
Snape schooled his face, betraying nothing. Inside, he was in turmoil. So many questions, so many things he did not want to talk about. Which was more important to him? He glanced at the vampire beside him. The man knew, he had to know, Snape's dilemma. Trading his privacy for knowledge was a hard choice. However, he doubted the vampire next to him was the type to sell information about others easily… or more accurately he doubted that anyone who received information from the man lived very long, through natural means or… not. His own personage included. Mr. Lee also did not seem the type to meddle in affairs that would bring attention to himself. The war would. Or… he could just ask...
"Why do you want to know?"
"To know you. If ve are to machinate against each other some day, vould it not be more engaging, more fun, if ve could predict the other's mofes based on motifes?"
Snape held back a snort. Fun, right.
"So you have no interest in using this information against me?"
"Now? Vhile you are preoccupied vith your own machinations, vith var? No, I am greedy and vish your attentions for myself. If ve fight, it shall be vhen this is done. I fery much hope my old friend vins."
Snape raised a brow at that. "You have a… pardon my expression, stake in this war?"
"Of course. A despot going around killing my food supply seems rather troublesome. Now, my question?"
Snape frowned at the lackadaisical attitude the vampire took towards the war. Still, he had his answer about whether the man would interfere with it, more specifically, with him. "I will answer that if you answer a question of my own."
"A fair price. Ask."
"How did you fight Dumbledore to a draw? I barely escaped one altercation with him while he was injured, and I believe it was only due to his worry for a bystander. More to the point, he didn't even wish to kill me as he no doubt did you."
The smile that graced the vampire's face was familiar. Predatory and full of pride.
"Ah. You are correct. I am no match for him, magically, he is my superior, and that trumps my strength, and when used well trumps my speed also. Howefer, I hafe ofer 500 years of tactical experience. I led armies and played politics vhen I vas alife. He is a fery smart man and has gained knowledge equal to my own in his life, equal, not better."
"But then with his magical abilities and finding you an equal in strategic plays, he should have beaten you." Proposed Snape as he looked behind them to check how far away Hagrid was. The man had very politely decided to take his time inspecting an odd bush a bit of a ways back. Or perhaps he had actually gotten distracted by said bush, it was hard to know with the groundskeeper. Snape returned his attention to the vampire.
"Ah, but you see, he has a fery big veakness."
Snape raised a brow and tried to look disinterested. "Yes?"
"He, is a good man. He cares for others. He has gotten better vith age, but vhen ve first met he vas attempting to make up for some great sin. He threw himself at me, loathe to let another die at my hands, through his failure to act. By the time he had matured enough to allow others to help him fight, die instead of himself, I had trapped him vith a blood oath, offers of a sounding board, and the knowledge that he is safing lifes. He beliefs he has trapped me, but he is mistaken. Ve hafe trapped each other. There is no other truth behind such an oath."
Snape pondered that. The lesson that one could not do everything themselves must have been a hard one. That he had to trust others to do tasks he could not, would not, was something every leader had to learn surely? That he had to let them risk their lives as well, if they wanted, and sometimes even if they didn't. There was much to discover about Dumbledore, he was a very complicated man. He had learned as much, if not more, about him from this vampire as he had from the man himself. Perhaps he could unearth even more.
"You know he most likely works toward your demise."
"Most definitely. He vill fail."
Snape scoffed. "And you know this, how?"
"I vill only be felled by the pure of heart, I promised myself as such long ago. The problem, the challenge, I haf created, is that by the time most get to the point of achiefing my demise, purity fled long ago. And if it has not, they are easily manipulated."
"He was bowed to by a-"
"Yes yes. That vas in a political situation, entirely different. Besides, that vas a rather long time ago, vas it not? People change."
Snape scowled. "You've created an impossible scenario then."
"Improbable, not impossible. I am bored with the repetition of history. I attempt to create something new by putting those who seek my demise under strange duress."
"You will not be felled by the pure of heart then."
"But by somevone like yourself?" The vampire looked at him with a contemplative gaze, as if truly seeing him for the first time. He nodded and continued, a smile far crueler than any before gracing his face. "Perhaps. But then I vill hafe my successor in the vone that felled me. For if I die by your machinations it vill not be your vand that ends me, I vill make sure of that. If you defeat me Seferus, rifers vill run red vith your glorious hunger. This I promise."
There was something in the man's tone, a glee and hope that was wholly unnatural when speaking of the things he did. Looking forward toward his own demise, and the result of a darker ending than his plans worked toward. Failure on his part, should not elicit such elation. He refused to go down such a path, to become like the…thing, next to him. It might give him all the power, all the knowledge he'd want… But he'd lose himself. There would be no Severus Snape, just… hunger.
He blinked out of his thoughts and sneered in an attempt to recover ground. "I doubt you could entice me into such an act. The smell of my own blood revolts me, I doubt yours is much better. How you stomached mine is beyond me."
The smile he received was just as unnerving as the one from moments before.
"You hafe not tasted a vampire's blood since you vere turned…hafe you?"
"Besides my own after my face was lacerated in a duel? No."
"Ah, I know you vould refuse mine, but should you get the chance, I recommend it. Try to find someone who is lesser than you, so you shall not be beholden to them. Or drain them dry and kill them. Although you should not hafe to vorry much, there are no vampire's matching our potency in Britain or Scotland…perhaps Ireland. Most certainly none in my country."
"Why?"
"It is a true treat, especially from the vein."
"No, why are you so certain there are none in your country?"
"I do not like competition. Not on my home soil. Any vampire there svears fealty."
"On pain of death?" This was beginning to sound familiar.
"Of course, if they are stupid. I gife them the option to leafe if they do not vish to svear. Most do svear, because if they reach the age vhere they might be a threat, I gife them gold and send them elsevhere. It means I am velcome in many countries." Mr. Lee gave a side eyed glance and another smile at Snape's decidedly blank face. "Ah, you thought I vould be like your despot? Killing all those who refuse to svear loyalty? No. I do not hafe followers, svearing fealty to me means they follow my laws, vhich are three. Bring no undue attention to oneself. Don't interfere with my plans. And the most important, don't be an idiot. And before you ask that usually goes back to the first rule. Idiots who gorge themselves until whole fillages are empty in under a fortnight, they deserve to be drained, impaled, and set outside so they hafe a fiew of the sunrise! I brook no fools."
"And you're telling me all this because you adore the sound of your own voice?"
"It is more that I miss it." Said the vampire sadly. "Talking to voneself out loud is uncouth, it brings madness. I am often alone, and do not hear my foice ofermuch. But no, I tell you this so you know me. How vill ve play chess, how vill you hope to best me, if you do not know me?"
"And yet you won't tell me who you are."
"My name brings…connotations. Associations. Defamations. Like Rasputin, Napoleon, Vlad Tepes, and Joan of Arc, my name has many myths associated with it. I vould have you know me, before you attempt to vade through them."
"So you are famous in the Muggle world?"
"I vould hope in both, but yes, mostly there. My doings in vizarding Britain vere kept hushed by your ministry."
"And what were those doings?" Snape dearly hoped he could milk this for all it was worth, and that the man wouldn't expect him to answer as many questions as he had asked. Because he wouldn't.
"Ah. You have heard, I assume, of the sacred twenty eight?"
Snape nodded. "Yes, the remaining pureblood families that 'accept' each other as being pureblood."
"Yes, there vere more. They died out, interbred, vere cast out, some wvre assassinated by others."
"And this relates to you how? None were exterminated by a lone vampire. They would be up in arms, there would be many more laws against vampires."
"No no. I vas hired to kill vone man-"
"And you accepted? I find that hard to believe."
"Vhat they offered up as payment, I could not in all propriety refuse."
"What could they have possibly offered that you would want?"
"Two of their children."
Snape almost blanched. "They would nev-"
"A squib, the female vas I beliefe. The male, sterile, by choice. They vould hafe forced him into a marriage he did not vant. He vas in love vith another man, and yet vas expected to bear progeny. He refused, they insisted, he magically made himself sterile and spat in their faces. He vas cast out. Both bore their name still, so they considered them fair trade for my serfices. So, I killed the man, and took them. Ve vent home, and had a sveet honeymoon that lasted a month."
Snape tried very hard not to think of what might have happened during that month and managed to just grimace instead. The vampire continued.
"Then I released them. In doing so, vas responsible for the deaths of three bloodlines. The parents', the family vone vas to be married into, and the vone of the man the young vizard loved vhen he found his lover did not care for vhat he had become. All perished in two nights."
Snape swallowed and walked forward. That was quite a tale. "And you wanted that outcome?"
The vampire waved his hand dismissively. "I didn't really care, but expected it. I really just required a distraction. There used to be two fials of Merlin's blood in the ministry two hundred years ago."
"And what did you need it for?"
"Need it? No, I vanted it. It was quite good."
"You…ended three blood lines because you wanted to taste Merlin's blood…" Snape stared incredulously at the man who sported a wistful look.
"It tasted of the sun. And deep sorrow. He sleeps somewhere I beliefe, as a tree I heard."
Snape snarled. "That is beside the point! You killed-"
"I killed vone man. I set my children free, the girl efen managed to come back. I vas unfortunately found out."
Snape stared. A manipulator, a master tactician. Cruel and uncaring beyond measure with seemingly no goal other than his own amusement. Was this something he himself could become?
"And… you did not worry about the attention it might bring you?"
The vampire laughed. "Vhat? The purebloods admitting a vampires ended three of their blood lines by teaching his children, once theirs, how to be sneaky? Or the ministry allowing the general public to know of their failure not only to stop my machinations, but protect one of their most sacred artefacts? No, I vas not vorried, they vere far too ashamed, too vainglorious, to admit I outmaneuvered them before they caught and banished me. Most vampires are not especially dangerous to vizards Seferus. I played a good little being until I grew, knew, aged, enough to pose a threat."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"A good story is a good story. And you surmise correctly that I enjoy the sound of my foice. Now, I hafe told you many of my stories. You shall tell me yours. Vhy do you suppress the part of you that vishes to thrife?"
Snape scowled. "Don't you know that already? You've had my blood."
"I hafe a guess based on vhat I'fe learned, that is all."
Snape sighed. He already knew the answer to what he was about to ask, but it didn't hurt to try. "And that is really what you want to know? Not how I make my lotions, or if I-"
"Yes. That is really vhat I vish to know."
Snape steeled his expression alongside his nerves. "Fine. I practice a form of magic that makes it difficult for people to see into my mind. It requires near absolute control of one's emotions."
"Control, or turning off?"
"It is the same thing." Snape said dismissively.
"I disagree."
"Really?" Snape sneered again, he felt he was doing that a lot lately. "You're going to argue the finer points of emotion and mind magic with a master of the craft?"
"Certainly. Debate is the gentleman's pastime. Now, I argue that by suppressing emotion constantly vone creates greater problems, becomes prone to outbursts. Deciding vhen and vhere to feel, if you must turn off or dull such emotions, is a far better tactic."
"And if the emotions one chooses to suppress are ones not fit to be let out ever?"
"No such thing."
"Really? The want to manipulate and destroy and drain mortals dry has an appropriate time?"
"Of course. Amongst enemies."
"And if enemies are…not available?"
"Then vith chattel."
"Chattel? You are aware slavery was abolished, correct?"
"I mean the unvashed masses. The general populace that f-"
"And if one does not have access to that either?" Interrupted Snape, not wanting to think about what the man was suggesting.
"Ah. I can see the dilemma. I am sure vone can find an outlet, efen if it is just making sure students are not vandering off after curfew. Or boobytrapping vone's abode…or something innocuous. Like a cup."
Snape rolled his eyes and hurried forward once again, and was relieved to find that the vampire let him. Of course he noticed the cup was gone.
Snape wondered briefly how Dault was faring; if the man was dead yet, and how he had decided to do it. There was no question he would, not with the threat Mr. Lee had given. He pondered in silence what the other fates the vampire mentioned might be until they reached Hogwarts. Much to Snape's annoyance there was someone, something, waiting for them.
A cat.
It sat in the middle of the road, familiar markings on its face telling Snape everything he needed. He stopped in front of the feline and glared at it.
"I find myself lacking the language to articulate just how much I hate all of you."
The feline remained unmoved except for the flicking of its tail.
Snape thought upon the events of the last few months, and the wretched vampire's comments resounded in his mind. He sighed. "But I do appreciate the attempts. Now kindly find a donor to drink somnum sanguine so I can remain asleep until that leaves and my addiction is gone." Said Snape, pointing back at Mr. Lee.
The cat took a step forward into Minerva's form. Thin lipped and wand at her side she regarded Snape. "Well while I appreciate the recognition of our efforts, Severus, you know that we don't have enough of that potion. Not to speak of the side effects of taking it for that long. Now-"
"Oh how vonderful. I haf not seen an animagus for at least fife decades. Running vith vone by my side vas a delight." Voiced the vampire as Snape cringed.
Minerva just looked at the man with distaste. "I thought you were a vampire? Unless Albus has gotten his guests mixed up, which I highly doubt considering he was concerned enough to take over my evening class so I could be out here an hour before sundown."
Mr. Lee bowed low to the woman. As he did, Snape could see Minerva's grip on her wand tighten. She obviously knew who this was.
"A pleasure. And no, I hafe no magical ability, but I am far more fersed in my own than our friend here. He has yet to complete his first transformation into a mere bat."
At this statement McGonagall looked at Snape, who remained decidedly blank faced. He could feel the mirth hiding behind her feigned disappointment though.
"Really Severus? And here I thought you knew what you were doing. You haven't even turned into a bat yet? How shameful." Scolded McGonagall, her amusement skillfully woven into the taunt.
"Minerva, go tend to your litter box if you're so full of it. At least bat guano is worth something." Countered Snape before trudging toward the castle. Before she could respond Mr. Lee interrupted again.
"So you are the fabled chess mistress I hafe been promised. I look forvard to our battle, and vhat ve shall find to bet."
"We'll start with your life and go from there." Suggested Minerva with a frown.
Hagrid gasped and Mr. Lee smiled. "Only if you bet the same, my chess mistress."
Snape halted his trek forward. He turned and took a few steps back to put his hand on McGonagall's shoulder. She looked up, ready for a fight, but only found the very serious gaze of the Potions Master.
"Do not. It is not worth it."
McGonagall looked appalled. "How can you say that?! You surely know what he's done, what he's like?"
"I do. It's not worth it…" Snape looked back at the vampire. "Not yet."
Mr. Lee looked positively giddy. "Go ahead. Tell them. They vill nefer find them all."
"So you confirm there is more than one? Thank you for the information." Said Snape before pivoting in place and continuing his trek toward Hogwarts, eager to be away from everyone and back in his chambers.
"Severus! Severus!"
He ignored the calls from his colleague and continued on his way.
"Mr. Severus Snape! You stop right there or so help me I will cast that spell!"
Snape froze. She wouldn't. Not in front of other people. In private was one thing, but here? His shoulders stiffened and he swallowed, his response so full of vitriol it might very well poison her. "You wouldn't."
McGonagall held his gaze and returned it with one of a cat who knew without a doubt what it wanted. "I can and I will! Not another step until we figure out what should happen next! We need to think of the students!" Replied McGonagall, her concern and annoyance a fine antitode.
Snape turned around and trudged back to his old Professor. "I am not starving. I have not had any pangs of addiction. The only thing I yearn for is solitude and silence."
"Not starving, not hungry, and not addicted, are three very different things." Said the learned witch as she tapped her foot.
Snape scowled and sibilated his reply, unhappy that this conversation was happening in the open. "I have told many of you numerous times, I am always hungry in some form. It does not abate! Not even with…." Snape paused as he looked up at the castle. He could feel him, slightly. Albus was up there. He gathered his thoughts and turned his attention back to the situation at present. "Never for more than an hour, and that is the longest it has ever lasted. I am … something similar to satiated, not full."
"I…I don't understand. You're always… Even after? That shouldn't be possible! It's… inhumane!" Said an exasperated McGonagall.
"Of course it is! It's a curse!" Barked Snape, annoyed to be explaining this again. He could hear Hagrid shifting his weight, uncomfortable witnessing the argument.
"Severus! I want to understand but I can't if you don't work with me! I can fathom being hungry, I can even fathom constant hunger. But to a point where you flounder? That does not seem possible!"
Snape nearly screamed in frustration. He swore this wasn't that hard a concept. Hunger that was linked with, and affected the intensity of, the constant pull to just give up his sanity and morals, was less complicated than most potions he brewed! He glanced at Mr. Lee who was looking on with amusement.
"That vow prevents-"
"The harm of any student or employee vhile on these grounds, except in self defense of course. And now that you are here, I hafe completed my duty and hafe no need to take anyvone anyvhere." Confirmed Mr. Lee.
Snape could tell he meant what he said, the man had no interest in harming anyone if there was no strategic value behind it. Snape nodded then looked at Hagrid. "Take him to the headmaster. No detours. Minerva, follow me."
"Severus-"
"No! We are settling this now!" Snape whirled around one more time and headed toward the school, not stopping to see if he was in fact being followed. It didn't matter.
He made his way to the castle and through the gate. Students stopped and stared as he walked through the courtyard, the glower on his face so deep that everyone scurried out of his way.
He listened to the whispers, the rumors about the incident of his egress as they bounced about the halls and corridors. The conversations that paused as he got near and started again as he passed. They were as annoying as always, but held none of the amusement for him that they did on other occasions.
He had snapped and finally attacked a student who messed up a potion. He was a Death Eater. He was secretly Slytherin's heir. He was tired of being refused the DADA position. He was a vampire. The offending student that voiced that comment immediately received a detention during which they would research the effects of sunlight on that particular type of undead. He walked through winding halls as rumors and the rushing footsteps of McGonagall echoed behind him. Suddenly he heard something new. He lightened his steps.
"Do you really think a love potion would work on a professor who drinks antidotes in his morning pumpkin juice? Of course it went wrong!"
"Who the hell tried to give a love potion to Snape though?"
"Rumor is, it was a Ravenclaw. Thought he was sexy-smart."
"I heard it was the astronomy professor?"
"Yeah, uh… no. She is way too hot for Snape."
"Trellwanny? You think Professor Trelwanny is hot?"
"That's divination dumbass. I'm talking about Professor Sinistra. Trelwany is still too hot for Snape though."
"Anyone is too hot for Snape." Sniggered the other student.
"Detention! Twenty points from both your houses for disrespecting your Professors!" Barked the annoyed Potions Master. If he just gave detention to the student who mentioned vampires it would be suspicious; also, this theory irked him. Drinking antidotes before the fact did nothing. If they paid attention in class they would know the correct term was alexiteric. He should deduct another ten points for that alone.
The students, a Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, jumped about a foot in the air as he passed by and then jumped again as a thin lipped McGonagall hurried past as she tried to keep up with the man's long legged gait.
"Three points from both your houses for unabashed gossip!" She said and Snape smirked.
It was not enough to get him to slow down or stop however. He swooped down to the dungeons, ignoring the minor protests from behind him that started whenever there were no students about. They turned a corner into another empty corridor and McGonagall voiced her annoyance and fears once again, more loudly now that they were alone.
"Severus, we are putting the students in danger! That man-"
"Quiet! He will hurt no one. It holds no interest for him. There is no strategic value in such an act. Right now his focus is on me. Removing anyone from the grounds would just encourage me to follow and fight him. He seems to have no interest in that as, if you couldn't guess, I am here under extreme duress and not from losing a-."
"Duress? What did he threaten to do to you?" Interrupted his fellow teacher, a worried look on her face.
Snape sneered at the show of concern. "Nothing. He threatened to kill our resident half giant if I didn't accompany him." Said Snape as he whirled around and continued down toward his quarters. He could almost feel Minerva's smile. He walked faster. He finally stopped about a minute later in front of his doors. When she caught up she continued the conversation as if there hadn't been a break in it.
"So you do care, I-"
"Considering I had just spent quite a sum to save his life, yes." Said Snape as he opened the door to his rooms and waved Minerva inside.
"Save his life? From-"
"From me, who else?" Snapped the vampire after he closed the door behind him.
Minerva huffed in exasperation. "I just don't understand Severus. You have one of the strongest wills I know. How did this happen?"
Snape paced as he tried to figure out how to explain. He was tired of talking about this over and over. She would understand tonight, somehow, or at least learn to stop asking questions. She would learn even if it meant he had to shove his blood down her throat. He paused his pacing, considering magicking it into her stomach. There was always the chance she might not be able to stomach it, that much at once. Any amount of food or liquid just manifesting in the stomach caused indigestion, vampire blood was volatile already, it-
"Severus? What is going on? If you're not going to talk, why have you brought me here?" Huffed McGonagall with hands on her hips and foot tapping.
Snape refocused, then frowned and resumed his pacing. He had too much on his mind, the red mist was pervading his ability to machinate. He had already forgotten that turning any of the teachers into thralls, or even enthralling them, could be disastrous in the long term. Hopefully Flitwick would jolt out of it. Hopefully it wore off. If it was about intent, and he had believed it would, or wanted it to do so, maybe it would wear off. Either way he had to figure out how to explain this or make sure she never bothered him about it again.
He glanced at her, cold eyes looking into ones filled with concern. He kept his eyes forward as he paced, mainly so he wouldn't have to look into hers while he talked about something so personal.
"It's subtle. Things make sense in an odd way when I am…" Snape paused, unsure and a bit uncomfortable about explaining this. He decided to start more general. Perhaps the centaur's explanation would assist. "Vampires are dark creatures by nature, and that natural tendency comes forward at certain times, mainly if they haven't eaten for a while, years for instance." He said, not noticing McGonagall's raised brow. He continued pacing, hands behind his back as if he were trying to parse out the facts himself, convince himself of something, not just relay complicated truths.
"Hunger does things to a normal human's mind, blurs morals due to a need to survive. It is worse for a vampire. And its severity increases with numerous factors, how close one is to starvation just being one of them."
"And what-" The glare sent her way made McGonagall pause, but she stood firm. "What other factors?"
Snape scowled at the interruption, and the question he didn't want to answer. He could skirt it. He knew the woman, she wouldn't accept his quiet, nor a half answer. "How long I've been hungry. If I've hunted recently. How my Occlumency shields are faring."
"Your shields? Why would you have your shields up? They are only necessary during an attack." Minerva looked concerned at the implication that his shields were up so often.
"The exercises required to bring them up keep emotions in check Minerva. I cannot afford to slip and act in a way that betrays my position."
"Are you saying you've had your shields up since you became a spy?" She said with a hand raised to her mouth in shock.
"Before."
"Since you were tur-"
"Before! It is irrelevant! I-"
"It is most certainly relevant! No wonder you have outbursts of anger if you never learned to control your emo-"
"I control them fine!" Snape hissed, glaring at the green clad woman.
"Deal with them in a healthy way!" She snapped back with a scowl and furrowed brow that put many students in their place. Including Snape. In fact he was surprisingly silent right now, though his own scowl was formidable. Minerva continued. "Not shove them down! It is detrimental in the long run! You-"
"I, will die far before it becomes a problem. We both know I won't survive this war Minerva!"
"You sound like you plan on that," She accused with narrow eyes and more than a bit of disappointment "if you have no intention of even preparing for a future where you do! It seems to have already bitten you in the posterior with this potion problem. I can't imagine bottling up your emotions helped this situation!"
Snape huffed. He had to admit she was probably right. He had suspected as much. He would never admit that though. He stopped his pacing and stood up to his full height. "Nevertheless, the course of action I decided on before my departure was the best I could come up with in my state. Once secure with you obviously the situation worsened due to my proximity to what I wanted, despite you feeding me and my hunger not being… extreme. I let myself relax and feel, as you seem so instant I do." He sneered at her as he pointed out the result of the last time he let himself 'feel'. "I assumed you could handle yourself against me and protect the students. I was obviously wrong in that assumption."
"Not extreme? I thought you said you were always hungry, to some extent?" McGonagall huffed, ignoring the jab in favor of information gathering.
"You're starting to understand then. If I'm not starving, I'm still hungry. All the time. It takes quite a bit not to let it wear me down, something my occlumency in fact helps with. I am at constant war with myself, can you fathom how tiring that is?" He said with a glare before turning away, tired of her confused eyes and the pity and anger he saw etched in the lines of her face. It was ironic. He had longed to see those there as a student, for someone to try to understand his side of the story. Now, they just felt insulting. Years too late, an attempt at redemption for her past blindness. And yet… wasn't that what he wished for? Redemption? His was unattainable, hers…might be. It seemed she was trying. The question was, how far would she go, and would he let her, help her…forgive her?
He didn't know.
Behind him the focus of his internal monologue answered his question with more than a bit of exasperation.
"No Severus! I cannot fathom it! You refuse to talk about it, about nearly anything, to any of your colleagues! We have no idea of any of the hardships you endure or how to assist you with them!"
Snape spun around to face his colleague. He towered over her, face blank but the hidden taunt behind each word made his anger apparent. "Do you really want to know Minerva? Do you really want to understand what I felt? The torment, the starvation, the ecstasy? I cannot tell you apparently, but I could show you! If you want to know I won't stop you, but you will know the worst, the best, of it!"
"I…" The woman was quiet. What he was offering was the deepest most personal and horrifying aspect of himself. It would be the greatest gift, and curse, to know. He knew that. It's why he offered, and then sneered at her hesitation; but there was a sadness behind his contempt.
He had known the world would fail him once again, had counted on it. Albus was right, there was a universal human want to be known. There was no denying it. Very few had offered him that with no expectation of anything in return. One, maybe two, in fact. Every single other person wanted something from him. His servitude, his life, his skills, his blood, his help. So he had come to expect that.
And now, here was a woman who claimed to only want to know him, help him… But given the chance the truth was revealed. She didn't really. She just wanted to know enough to protect herself and those she cared for. Just like he had come to expect.
So he sneered, and turned away.
However, the cat had finally found the words she was looking for. "We…you know we cannot use a pensieve for this. It would not allow me to experience anything the way you do. Very few things do. Even legilimency-"
"I am quite capable of changing someone's perspective to be in line with mine if I want. I doubt you'd even have to let me." He said, still sneering. Her protests were obviously excuses, and he intended to offer solutions she would not take amidst the jabs at her ability. He was going to offer to feed on her, in a far more pleasing way than last time. Perhaps a few drops of his blood with no intent behind it. Give her some idea of how damn good it felt to feed. To eat. To break a fast that had lasted years.
McGonagall nodded, ignoring the taunt. "You are correct. I am not very good at legilimency, Severus. Despite what many students seem to think I am, in fact, not good at everything. It is one of the many spells I have never cast with the intent for it to actually do something besides allow me to pass a test!"
Snape turned, and looked at the woman before him. She had a worried but determined look on her face.
"I do not wish to wander accidentally into places you'd rather I'd not."
Snape looked at her more closely. Was she really proposing legilimency? He had not seriously considered she would accept his offer to show her, let alone suggest legilimency. What sane person would? It was insanity to want to know what he felt, to go into the mind of a master occlumens. He had brought her here to put an end to her incessant questioning through castigation and unacceptable offers. He had not actually considered she'd accept.
Still, was wandering off really what worried her? Was this a facade, a cover for fears of what she'd see? An excuse not to? No, it couldn't be, as she was still offering. He was torn between the want to be known, and the mortifying ordeal of it. The fact that being known could be dangerous to his position as a spy was always a good reason, and excuse, to keep people away. However, Minerva knew of his position, and did not put herself in undue danger. Her job was here at the castle. Also, as a cat, legilimency would not affect her even if she did go into the field. … Bloody Gryffindors. Accepting an unacceptable offer, from a fucking vampire.
Perhaps he could taunt her into changing her mind.
"Minerva, you couldn't wander off if you tried. You cast, I will steer. I will not hesitate to obliviate you if I find you cannot handle it."
At this Minerva's lips thinned as she pushed them together in annoyance. "Severus. Being eaten by a vampire doesn't even make the top ten list of things I'd never want to do again. I doubt knowing what it feels like to be on the other side will make the top thirty."
Snape raised a brow, curiosity piqued. "And what, pray tell, is number one on that list?"
McGonagall's face tightened at an unwanted memory. She swallowed and pushed it aside before answering the question. "Going to Tahiti with Albus Dumbledore on summer vacation. I would rather spy on Death Eaters. And no, that is not a joke and I will not elaborate. Now let's get on with this before one of us comes to our senses."
"Very well. Unless you'd care to make a wager?" He watched as her eyes narrowed. He knew she couldn't resist a bet. They bet five detentions every Quidditch match. Whoever lost had to take over the next five detentions the other gave out. So, what could he bet that would make her back down? She might be a gambler, but she knew a bad gamble when she saw it.
"It depends on the wager." She said quietly.
"You will not last one minute before canceling the spell."
McGonagall nodded. "And the bet?"
Shit. What could he say that would make her back off?
"A drink, during which you'll tell me what happened in Tahiti."
She nodded. "Very well, but if you lose, you have to come with me to see Dumbledore."
Snape cursed silently again. He had picked something too easy, or she was very determined. Either that or she interpreted 'drink' to mean whiskey. Her mistake. He fought with himself on whether or not to correct her. If he did this farce might stop, but if he didn't and he won… He didn't want to pass that up. Still, he should.
"You do realize what I mean by drink, Minerva?"
"I'm not a dullard Severus, of course I realize. Now, do you accept these terms?"
Perhaps if she couldn't find something she wanted that he agreed to…
"Absolutely not. I refuse to go with you to see Dumbledore."
"Then you will let me assist you practicing occluding during rictusempra." She quickly countered.
Snape winced internally. That would actually be useful.
"It's either that or letting me assist you with learning how to manipulate energy without a wand, or turning into a bat." She said with an amused look which he ignored. He was doomed, this was going to happen. He refused to back down from something he'd offered, even inadvertently. It would mean that he had to admit that being known might…actually… He stopped the thought and stood up straight.
"I will happily take your assistance on the first two if you win, which you will not."
Minerva nodded and stepped forward, wand drawn.
"I have one rule. I swear to Merlin Severus Snape if you show me a student under your fangs I will cast rictusempra tria potens so fast that if you had a heart it would stop."
He stood up straight, hands behind his back and his patented sneer on his lips. "No promises. Cast it." One last chance, would she back down if he refused her stipulation?
She raised her wand.
"Legilimens."
She would not.
(Mr. Lee is going away for a while now. You get to enjoy Severus, our lovely confused hypocrite, by himself again. Ta till next week.)