Hey everyone,
So here's the deal. When I first started writing chapter 23, I planned to put the whole thing with the events of the match being told to Lucius and Narcissa, the conversation about the prophesy, Lucius losing that spell stuck to his Dark Mark and his conversation with Snape to all be one big chapter. Then, when that didn't happen, I changed my mind and planned to have his conversation with Snape and Snape's upcoming conversation with Dumbledore to be one chapter.
That didn't happen,
Venquine1990
PS. After this I PROMISE I will get back to Harry AND cover the will. I Solemnly Swear It.
PPS. When I first started on this story, I kind of figured that, at this point in chapters, I'd be nearing the end, not the halfway mark.
Chapter 25
Severus, Albus – Sirius?
11th of November 1995
Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts
Severus Snape's POV
I never once imagined myself with Narcissa as I had imagined my life by Lily's side even before we went to Hogwarts together and even after the moron that is the Sorting Hat put her in the wrong House, making it so that, for both our sakes, we had to grow apart and believe that we could rekindle our friendship either during the summer breaks or after graduation. Yet to know that the actually gorgeous and sophisticated blonde had an eye on me still astounds me.
I truly wonder what the, at the time 16 year old woman could have seen in me, but decide that, compared to other things I learned, this is a topic to be studied and thought over at a later date. Right now, while I can only imagine the debauchery that is the Gryffindor Victory party up in the Tower of Idiots, I am heading for the Headmaster's office, feeling confident that he might indeed already be aware of the news I am about to share with him and desiring to have his opinion on it all.
"After all, the two of us have been working for years to make Potter as miserable and independent as possible, to make sure he would be ready to battle the Dark Lord to the death, only to die himself and then leave a weakened Dead Man Walking Lord for Albus and me to finish off, finally allowing me to get the revenge I have been desiring for 14 years now." I think to myself as I ascend the moving staircase heading up to the small tower of the Headmaster's office.
I use my Occlumency shields to hide most of my fantasies of what Potter might look like once he has finally drawn his final breath as well as the one of him dying just before he can give birth and where the Dark Lord first pulls his unborn infant from him, tortures and maims it before killing it in front of him and then killing him upon the boy begging for death and knock on the door, knowing I can't let Albus become aware of these hidden dreams of mine.
And while I had expected the man to be a little upset with me after my little mistake earlier this morning, do I actually feel shock as I notice how coldly the man stares at me and he tonelessly asks: "Can I help you, Severus?" A tone I have never heard him use with me before. I turn from him to the bookcases behind him, wondering if he has done the same as Lucius did and actually spot a few new tomes that have the words prophesy and predictions written on the side cover.
"Ah, I see you found out about that." Albus coldly comments and I turn to him as I say: "Yes. Apparently Pomfrey has a sister who is an Unspeakable and who decided to visit Lucius alongside Black. She put him under some kind of protective magic that allows him to speak of what he's learned only one and only with someone who has a positive link to Potter and he decided to share it with me." The man nods, but his cold demeanor remains unchanged.
This irks me as it will get me nowhere in getting the information I desire and I ask: "So? Is it true? Are the Unspeakables now the ones responsible for the Dark Lord's demise? Will he truly meet his end on the Thursday before the Christmas Hogsmeade weekend?" And Albus shortly answers: "According to Poppy, it does have a 123% chance of happening, yes." At which I continue: "And the spell on the Dark Marks? Did you know about those as well?"
And while I had sounded accusing, does Albus actually fell me with a stare of intense annoyance and snarl: "Why, Severus, do you think I've been trying to get you to come meet me in my office all last week?" And not for the first time today do I regret planning all those secret training programs and team meetings this past week. I sigh and mutter: "Apparently all Death Eaters who are parents are offered the chance to get the spell removed."
"So I've been told, yes." Albus curtly retorts, only for a knock to interrupt the rest of our conversation. Annoyed that anyone would even think of visiting the Headmaster at the one time I decided to do it first, does it really not surprise me when Black enters the office after being offered the chance to do so by Albus. And the fact that the elder man's tone of voice turns to its usual warm and pleasant doesn't surprise me either, but annoys me even more.
"Sirius, thank you for coming. How is the party going?""Haven't been yet, Albus. My meeting with Lucius took a bit longer than I expected. Just thought I'd let you know that Lucius is aware of the whole thing. The prophesy, that one line, the actual meaning, Voldemort's demise, the whole shebang. Oh, and he's probably getting that spell removed from his mark as we speak."
Yet to this, loving and grasping onto the chance to have one over Black, I laugh and say: "Wrong, Black. Lucius will get his removed tomorrow at lunch, he told me before I left to inform the Headmaster about the events that took place at the Manor." Yet at this Black astounds and infuriates me as he just casually shrugs and says: "Heh, whatever. He's still getting it removed before the attack. That's what matters, really. For both Draco and Harry's sake."
And while I feel disgusted that the man, again, managed to get that brat of his involved in all of this, and the memory of Lucius telling his third reason for naming me godfather, does Black then suddenly raise an eyebrow and ask: "What the hell did you say after I left that made Narcissa hit you that hard, Snape? Even Bella and I never managed that." And while I curse my own stupidity for not casting a glamor charm to hide the mark, do I snarl: "None of your business, Black."
Only for the man to shrug again and mutter: "Fine by me." And while I can barely believe that the bastard thinks he can just treat me with such insignificance, does Albus worsen it all as he says: "Sirius, correct me if I'm wrong, but – you don't seem as – interested in fighting with Severus as he is." At which Black actually utters the worst lie I have ever heard escape his lips: "Why should I? I paid for my sins and the things I did wrong as a teen, so – why bother?"
At which my mental control over my own emotions snaps just like I always imagined myself one day being able to snap his spine or that of his brat and I rage at the man: "WHY BOTHER? WHY BOTHER? YOU PAID? When did scum like you ever pay? You really are –." But then I suddenly notice that both Black and Albus are looking at me with murderous disgust and Black hisses: "I paid, Snape, when I spent 12 years being accused of murdering my own friends, to the point that even my other friends believed it.
I may not have paid for my sins through you, but I did pay for them. And the fact that you never realized that, that you are so self-centered and arrogant and delusional that you won't consider any punishment acceptable unless it comes from you, is beyond disgusting, sickening, stupid, wrong and a whole lot of other things. But most of all, it proves one thing beyond a shadow of a doubt." And while I hate the fact that Albus isn't stopping the man, does Albus instead ask:
"And what would that be, Sirius?" Black sends him a short glance and then turns back to me. And the stare that he sends me actually reminds me of the towering rage I had seen in Lucius' eyes only minutes ago before he snarls: "That Lily was in the wrong when she decided not to come forward with what she knew about you." This hint both angers and confuses me and I snarl: "Lily knew tons of things about me. We grew up together, Black. Be more specific or –."
"She knew – that you were the one who had led Voldemort – to her parents." Black interrupts me and the dead serious and honest tone of his voice break me, making all of my rage and hatred for the man vanish and be replaced with horrified disbelief, fear and fright as I whimper: "She – she – she didn't. She – she could – she – she couldn't – there is – you're –." But before I can accuse the man, does he turn to Albus and ask:
"Would you mind?" The ancient man shakes his head and I turn to him myself as I snarl: "You know as well as I that Black is raving! The Evans' were killed in November, I was in school at the time. You can even ask the House-Elves. I know you were using them at the time to keep an eye on the Snakes. They will tell you. They will tell you that I never left the grounds, not once that entire week." But while I avidly try to convince the man and make him turn to my side for once in my life, does Black calmly walk to one of the build-in cabinets.
He gives it a tap with his knuckles and the door opens to the same crystal bowl with silvery mist floating inside it as a few days ago. The man then proceeds to put his wand to the tip of his temple and while a small part of me whispers: "Fail. Break your own mind. Turn yourself insane." Does none of that happen and does Black just dump one of his memories inside the basin. He then turns to Albus and me and states: "See for yourself. This was three days after the attack."
At which I snarl: "On the day that I had my busiest schedule and had study hour with my year mates from the end of dinner until curfew. You just dug your own grave, Black." But the man actually has the damned gall to ignore me and just takes a seat in one of the lounge chairs set on the bottom floor of the office. Having regained control over my emotions after the shocking blow the bastard dealt me, do I storm past him and dip my nose into the mist.
The magic of the Pensive pulls me in and when I land in the memory, I instantly recognize it to be one that takes place in the Entrance Courtyard, at some point late in the evening. I look around and while Albus seems to have followed me in as he comes to land beside me, do I spot Potter and Black, looking to be in their late teens, walking together across one side of the courtyard and apparently laughing at some kind of joke.
Already feeling positive that the joke is at my expense or something, do I notice them stopping and turning to look at something that is around the corner. Turning my own head the same way, my heart aches as I notice a sixteen year old Lily sitting on the stone floor, her arms wrapped around her knees and her face hidden in her arms as she seems to be crying while holding onto something in her left fist. The two idiots share a concerned look and Potter mumbles:
"That's the third night in a row now." And Black goes on: "It has to be that raven we saw fly away from the tower a few days ago.""He got to someone, someone Evans loved very dearly." Potter states and there is no mistaken the venom in his voice as he mentions the Dark Lord. This makes me roll my eyes as I always considered sheer bad luck – bad luck for me – that Potter survived his three encounters with the all-powerful wizard and then notice him mutter: "Keep an eye out."
Black smirks and taps his inner robe breast pocket, obviously hinting at that stupid map of theirs. But when Potter wants to walk over, does Black suddenly stop him and strongly mutter: "Whatever you do, don't ask her out." Yet Potter only sends him a disbelieving raised eyebrow at which the teen nods and lets go before crouching down himself. Potter leaves for Lily and I notice Black breathing deeply in and out. This I want to declare as stupid, but then realize that he must be using the magical senses of his Animagus form to listen in.
I turn from the stupid mutt to his dead as a fossil friend who walks over to Lily and leans against the wall opposite from where she is crouched down. "Go away, Potter." Lily instantly snarls at him, yet her usual spirit and strength of character is severely lacking thanks to how she had been crying only moments later. Potter sighs and mutters: "No, I felt like coming to the Hogwarts pity corner myself tonight. Though, you're in the wrong spot."
"What's that supposed to mean?" The girl growls, a bit of her former spirit coming back and Potter, who has his arms crossed in front of him, untangles them and motions for the corner a few meters to the left of him as he says: "That's the pity corner, the one place in this courtyard where, if you sit just right, no one will be able to see you. Everyone from the fourth floor and up has been able to spot you here for the last three days."
At this a red hue appears on Lily's face for just a moment, but then she shakes her head and mumbles: "Even so, why would you want to go here?" And while I want to revel in how disparaging my long lost friend sounds, does Potter sigh and mutter: "Last year in March, on my birthday, my parents got diagnosed with Dragon Pox." This instantly makes me want to smirk in victorious glee, even while Lily looks up startled. Potter looks away and mutters:
"They've been trying every last kind of medication and medicine that money can buy. They actually spent up all of the money dad has earned the last decade and still, nothing seems to be sticking, no cure seems to be working. The Healers still think it a miracle that they've managed to hold on this long. And yeah, I know dad was seen fighting those Death Eaters back in September, but – he ended up in a two week coma, after that happened.
Personally, Sirius and I think it a miracle he was even standing up. He and mum had been bedridden for two weeks before summer ended. Heh, mum even needs a House-Elf to go to the bathroom she's that weak these days." And while Albus being beside me is the only reason I'm not openly cheering over all of this as any kind of misery on Potter's end is like Christmas come early to me, does the stupid little weakling cross his arms again and tighten his hold on his arms as he speaks:
"I know my parents and, if it were up to them, they'd fight until my graduation. But – last summer was – was so hard. I even had this meeting that I was supposed to go to together with him, but, because mum was busy fussing over my outfit, I got there late and couldn't find him. Then the people we were supposed to – ugh, never mind. Long story short, that was the first time dad pushed himself so far, he almost succumbed to the Pox. He and mum just don't want to, because – because they don't want to leave me, me or Sirius."
I take a quick look beside me and notice tears of pain and grief shining behind Albus' eyelids, obviously out of sorrow for his long lost friends. Yet while I can slightly empathize with him when it comes to Dorea Potter as she was a Black before her marriage and was a brilliant example of what a Slytherin should be, do I feel no care for the other Potter whatsoever and then hear their spawn from hell speak again.
"So yeah, I, eh, I come here from time to time as well. When I want to be alone and – and think of a way to – to tell my parents to just – just end their –." Yet Potter seems unable to voice his thoughts, which makes me want to snort at his stupid weakness and Lily sighs before she mutters: "I – I got a picture send to me a few days ago.""By his raven. Yeah, a lot of students saw the bloody thing. You know everyone and their mother keeps an eye out for them these days."
The girl sighs and mutters: "He got to them, my parents, I mean. But – that – that's not the – the only reason I'm here these days." Potter looks at her in curiosity and I feel myself subconsciously tensing up, wondering if this is going to prove Black right or wrong. "It – it's the picture that came with the raven. You see, I've been fearing for mum and dad for years now and, last summer, I finally got them convinced to move somewhere.
We agreed that they wouldn't move until after September and that they wouldn't tell me or any of my friends where they were moving until after they had moved. The move was – was supposed to make sure that they wouldn't be able to be found, but – but the picture, it – it proved that – that their deaths weren't – weren't just part of some random raid. Potter, they – they were betrayed. Someone knew where they had moved before me and told – told him."
This makes me wince as I suddenly remember something, something I had forgotten when Black accused me. Hoping with all my heart and soul that Lily never speaks about this in the memory, do I listen on to the rest of it. "I don't want to sound insensitive or anything, but – do you have an idea on who betrayed them, Ev – Lily?" And while I glare at the bastard for daring to use Lily's first name, does the next scene shock me.
"YE-E-E-E-HEEEEES!" The girl cries, bursting into renewed tears and jumping at Potter. The lad actually instantly responds, crouching down and taken the gorgeous fallen phoenix into his arms and lap. At this it takes everything I have to remember that this is a memory and that there is nothing I can change about this huge mistake of the poor crying girl, does she then seal my fate. "And that's why I'm here. I just don't get why he would do this. Was it out of revenge? Was it because I stopped being friends? I just don't get it, Potter, I just don't."
And while the girl continues to cry, do I spot Potter turning his face to where Black is sitting, the other teen having his nails digging into his arms to prove how furious he is over hearing this and how badly he wants to come over and help his thief of a friend. But Potter actually tells him to go and leave, but then without any sound coming from his throat, making it so that Lily doesn't hear him. And while Black is obviously against the orders, does he still comply.
And upon him walking away, does the memory end and do Albus and I get evicted from the Pensive. I land unceremoniously on the ground of the office and grunt, but then notice Albus' heels clicking angrily as he storms over to his desk. This makes me wince and I get off the ground, suddenly feeling like I'm the age I was in the memory as I stand before the man. The man sits down and then sweeps his eyes over the office. Only then do I notice that Black – has left.
Only better,
So yeah, Snape got the Evans' killed. I am going to go into further detail later down the story, but for now I wanted to leave it at this. I just didn't feel like writing from Snape's POV anymore than necessary and this felt like as good a point as any to leave this plotline, at least for now. Next chapter is going to be Harry and the Gryffindor party, then him hearing about a few other details that Sirius remembered after pulling out the memory and then the Will.
After that, while Harry will move to Radiant Garden for a few months, at least until the end of May, I am going to go back to Lucius as I am going to further focus on the whole Dark Mark and Voldemort plotline. So starting, I think, chapter 27, maybe 28, expect there to be jumps between Magical England and Radiant Garden – with a bit of Destiny Islands and Twilight Town thrown into the mix from time to time.
Sounds good, right,
Venquine1990
