Hey everyone,
So this chapter was supposed to be about Harry and his arrival in Radiant Garden, also known to him and the others as the Garden, but the whole thing with Snape felt like it had to take priority. And I feel like I NEED to remind everyone of my warning about the Snape bashing as, from this point on, the Snape lovers are going to hate me as I am going to make him unbearable and horribly awful. He is going to be the villain for this part of the story and I am NOT going to change that.
You have been warned,
Venquine1990
PS. Please note that he will also be quickly captured and dealt with.
Chapter 29
To Ensnare A Snake – Part 01
12th of November 1995
Great Hall, Hogwarts
Albus' POV
"Greetings and good morning, everyone. As most of you have probably noticed, our usual Chamber group has shrunken down quite considerably. And while I may be just as happy about Gryffindor's brilliant victory as most of you, has the attack by Mr. Malfoy raised the concerns of Mr. Lea and his friends to new levels. Because of this, have they decided to take Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, Mss. Granger, Mr. Longbottom, Mss. Lovegood and the Weasley kids to Radiant Garden, to remain there until Mr. Potter has given birth."
I tell everyone upon feeling sure that all of the students and staff have arrived at the Great Hall for breakfast, which, because it is a Sunday and because of the match of the other day, makes it so that I have to wait until the near end of the breakfast run time. Yet while a few in Gryffindor look upset for reasons other than half their team now being gone, does someone in Slytherin stand up and ask: "And what about Draco? He hasn't been seen since last night."
To which I calmly reply: "Which is because of what Lord Black said at the end of the match, Mr. Warrington. The matter of Draco attacking Harry became a family thing, thus Lord Black took it upon himself to inform Lord Malfoy of this. And because Lord Malfoy is an upstanding citizen as well as a parent, he and his wife, Lady Malfoy, did not take kindly to their son nearly causing another person to miscarry, all over the sake of a time-out. Young Draco is at Malfoy Manor and will remain there until he has seen the error of his ways."
And then Warrington proves to me just what kind of bond there is between the members of the Slytherin Quidditch team as he asks: "So Malfoy not only got us a penalty and lost us 20 points, but now he's lost us the season as well. That bloody ponce." And while Snape reprimands him for his language and while Crabbe and Goyle crack their knuckles at the much sturdier looking teen, do I just return to my seat. Yet while I resume the last bits of my meal, do I already know that Warrington isn't the only one upset over this for personal reasons.
Yet after meeting with Harry and the others, did I go to bed, rethinking everything I have done since allowing Snape on the staff and vouching for him having switched sides during the war. And earlier this morning, I resumed this perusal through my memories and recounted for myself the amount of times I stubbornly and consistently stood up for the man, even when I knew that the one I was defending him against was in the right. It had made me leave for breakfast with a bad taste of foolishness and shame in my mouth.
I have always known that some Death Eaters and other people, like Umbridge and Lucius, have made fun of me for my many Second chances to people they believe don't deserve this honor and looking back has made me realize why. Snape is now on his 387th Second chance. And the fact that that is more second chances than that there are days in a year proves to me that I really have been too lenient with the man, thus giving people like Lucius all the more right to call me weak-minded, weak-willed and everything else I'm sure the blonde has called me over the years.
Because of this, do I simply steel myself and take on a look of hardened determination and annoyance when, after breakfast is over, Snape follows me out of the Great Hall. And once we are out of earshot of the students, even magical earshot, does the man start griping and bemoaning Harry's departure and snarl: "Just like Potter to make life harder for others." Which almost makes me burst with fury as that is exactly what he's been doing for years.
"How am I supposed to apologize to someone who's not even here?" The man asks, but while I just keep walking, making the man have to walk after me to keep his spiel going, do I snarl: "First of all, I'd appreciate it if you didn't insult my intelligence like that, Snape. I can tell, from everything you say and how you behave, that you have no desire to actually apologize, other than for your own convenience. That's not an apology, those are just empty words." And I send a single look back, telling the man I know darn well he's been doing this for years.
And while the man sends me a look, do I instantly answer and retort to it: "Yes, I did accept this for years on end, Snape, but unlike you, I genuinely regret that. Plus, I was the one to ask you to apologize, you were the one who always did without meaning it. So in that case, we are both to blame. Though you might be interested to know that, last night, Harry actually found the evidence that Lily was talking about in the memory."
Instantly I have the man's interest and he snarls: "How on earth could someone as –." But I am beyond done with listening to him hating on anyone and everyone else, do I interrupt him and say: "Through James Potter's will. You remember that, don't you Snape? A copy of it was, after all, used to prove Sirius innocent and it turns out that the original was left with Harry before then. And when he read it last night, he read a hint his father had left him to help him find it."
"What was it?" The man asks, his curiosity obviously trying to mask his fear and I answer curtly: "A picture that showed Mrs. Evans' decapitated hand – wearing the ring that you buried when you got yourself drunk after your mother died. Guess you buried it in the Evans' backyard and then forgot about it. And no, Severus, I do not think that to be just more evidence that you and Lily were meant for each other, more just evidence of your obsession with her."
The man glares at me, but I just turn to him and snarl: "Severus Tobias Snape, wake up and see the truth already. You have been going scot free for your very first crime for almost 20 years. If you actually want to prove me wrong, if you actually want to prove that, somewhere deep, deep, deep down, you actually have a conscience, you will go to the one who deserves your apology the most, even if she is no longer among us. If you don't want to prove me wrong, fine."
The man stares at me and I stare him down, daring him to make his choice. After a few minutes he huffs, pulls his robe closer around his form and passes me. And just by the aura the man lets off as he passes me, do I feel a strong sense of unease overcome me. Instantly I fear I may have made a huge mistake and I turn around, moving over to where the other members of staff have come to stand to the side, watching our interaction with a sense of genuine curiosity.
I move over to Minerva and motion with my head for her to follow me before walking off to the side, a little bit away from the other staff members. "Minerva, if you could do me a solid, call Madam Bones and tell her to meet me in Godric's Hollow. I just gave Snape a challenge, based on information that was revealed to me late last night and I fear that he may, in his own Snape kind of way, take it the wrong way, again."
The woman nods, while I can tell that I slightly threw her off her game by not calling Snape by his first name and she asks: "Is everything alright, Albus?" At which I decide to reveal a tip of the veil and whisper: "It's not up to me to decide that, Minerva, at least not right now. However, if the sensation I just felt is right, we might need to send out applications for a new Potions Master and a new Head of Slytherin."
The woman looks shocked, losing her usual stern demeanor, and gives me a firm nod before heading off for her office. I turn to the rest of my staff and say: "Please keep the school running. I'm afraid I will be needed elsewhere for what might just be the rest of the day. If I am back sooner, I will let you know. Please know that more information will be made available once I have all the facts set straight. I will not hold anything back, once I know all that is necessary about this."
The staff nods and I head out of the Entrance hall, the students having left before I had my discussion / confrontation with Snape. And when I pass the East side of the Entrance Courtyard, do I notice Snape taking long, determined strides down the stairs heading for the Boat House. Yet thanks to the fact that I have known the man for over a decade, can I easily tell that the determined steps are forced and are meant to give off some kind of impression to anyone who sees the man leave.
"He doesn't want to prove me wrong, he wants to trick me into thinking he is about to." I think to myself and this makes me furiously hiss: "Fawkes." The golden and red bird of honor, strength and glory appears before me and I raise my hand for him to land on before I whisper: "Take me to Godric's Hollow, my friend." And when the warm flames of his fire-transport engulf me, do I also feel someone grabbing my robe from behind.
But when I arrive and turn around, do I not see anyone. Instantly I get a strong sense of suspicion that I know who just traveled with me and I look at Fawkes, the look in the phoenix's black eyes making me smile as I can almost tell that he and I are suspecting the same thing. I take a look around and notice that I am still alone and that no one is outside or looking outside from their windows. Yet I don't feel like taking risks and so I tap one of the stars embroidered on my robe.
Instantly one of the many charms that I infused with the fabric of the star actives and Glamour and privacy charms that I created for myself during the war with Grindelwald cover my entire body. The spells, which I continued to work on even after the war, are designed in such a way that, to anyone casting detection charms, they will actually trick the one casting said charm into thinking someone else cast some other kind of magic.
And while I allow for a small smirk to grow on my face, do I again mumble to myself: "And people wonder why I wear robes like this." I head for the Godric's Hollow cemetery and enter the premise, lying just enough Galleons on the desk of the landlord to make sure that, even if I reveal myself, he will keep my privacy and will not tell anyone about me having been here. I also, yet again, marvel over the fact that the spell that makes Galleons look like pounds to Muggles is still going. I head over to where James and Lily are buried and then move over to the small patch of trees to the side.
Here I lean back, my magic keeping my body lean enough that I won't regret such a move later on, and yet luckily enough I don't need to wait long. Less than five minutes later I sense Snape's magic and to my annoyance the man actually Confunds the landlord instead of just paying him the privacy payment. He heads over to the graves I am standing a few feet away from and instantly gives me a whole other reason to be suspicious.
His wand is still in his hand and the man waves, flicks and swishes it in a pattern that proves he has been casting these privacy and Notice Me Not charms several times over. They create a dome of privacy and blindness from outside over the area surrounding the Potter graves and even hide the graves themselves from sight as well as the caster. Instantly I tap another star on my robe and the spell seeps into my entire body, allowing me to see past the enchantments.
I move over to where the dome is, my enchantments allowing me to pass them without Snape becoming aware and the sight that greets me upon passing the magic horrifies me and makes me draw my wand. Snape has actually lifted Lily's coffin from her grave and even opened it, exposing her still healthy looking corpse to the elements. And while I commend the landlord and graveyard owner for consistently casting the preservation charms, do I hate what I see next. Snape, instead of looking sorrowful, has a look of crazy lust on his face.
And when he next swishes his wand and vanishes Lily's robe, shirt and even her bra, do I yell: "DEPULSO!" My spell shooting Snape several feet away from the grave and the dome that we are in. And to my own personal delight, he actually lands near my mother's grave. Instantly I start casting spells that only work around graves of my own blood and vines, in the color of my mother's eye color, spring out of the grave and ensnare Snape, one slapping his wand from his hand.
I storm over to the man and snarl: "I knew the minute I saw how you were faking that determination that you were just trying to trick me again, Snivelus, but even I didn't think that someone like you could sink this low. How long have you been desecrating her body like that?" But Snape seems to have finally snapped as he laughs and shouts: "Desecrate? I give her what she deserves, what that waste of space can no longer do for her. Not that there's much of him left."
And while the thought of Snape not just disgracing Lily's grave, but James' as well raises my fury to whole new levels, does a new voice suddenly state: "Stupefy." And the spell hits the man even through the vines. I turn my head and notice Amelia standing a few graves away. The woman turns to look at me and asks: "Now can I arrest him?" And I give her a solemn nod, feeling only too glad to be rid of this lying cheat and, yet again, regretting that I didn't let her do this years ago.
I then again feel that same presence behind me and turn around, smiling at Pepper Pomfrey, even though the woman herself has a solemn look on her face. She turns to Amelia and says: "Consider this just the tip of the iceberg, Madam Bones, and know that, if you feel the need, the Unspeakables will only be too happy to take this case from the DMLE. I know that you have been dying to get something on Snape for years, I just want to give you the option in case necessary."
The monocle wearing Head of the DMLE gives a respectful and grateful nod to the Unspeakable and the latter waves her hand, undoing every last charm that Snape has cast upon the grave. Yet as she does, do I frown as I notice that there are even charms being removed that aren't even all that recent, a few of them dating back several months, others even a good couple of years. "That can't be a good sign." Pepper mumbles to herself and I nod at her as we approach the grave, Amelia whispering for an elf to take Snape to a holding cell.
We approach the graves and while I am glad that even Snape's vanishing charm has been undone, causing for Lily to be fully clothed again, do I then turn to the other grave, the man's words ringing in my ears like alarm bells. I gently use my own magic to raise up the coffin, but when I want to cast the opening charm, I find myself hesitating. Knowing this is because of everything I have realized and discovered these past several hours, do I feel grateful when Pepper whispers: "Alohomora." Casting the charm herself instead.
Yet the sight that greets me instantly makes me regret that I had breakfast less than an hour ago. My porridge, tea and the slices of orange that I ate this morning come back up and I turn away from the sight, casting a spell to create a hole in the ground on the other side of the pathway and rushing to empty my stomach out into the hole before vanishing the contents and making the hole refill itself with ground, grass and a few flowers.
WARNING! this description is quite gross. I do not advice reading this if you just ate anything. Consider yourself warned.
I take a deep breath and turn back to the corpse – or what's left of it. Most of James' flesh has been burned, some parts by such a dark burning spell, I instantly recognize it for Fiendfyre – which only makes me hate the fact that I allowed a wizard who can cast this spell into my school even more – other parts by either a long-lasting fire spell or even pure acid and other burning fluids.
One of his eyes seems to have been completely destroyed and the other is dangling on nothing more than a small bit of skull, which is one of the few bits of skull that are left as the rest seems to have been completely obliterated to the point that there's not even dust left. Parts of his robe has tears and holes in them, some even resembling bite marks and making me wonder what kind of animals Snape let loose on this poor, defenseless body, others clearly created by cutting curses.
Having no doubt that Severus probably used his own signature curse – the Sectumsempra – at multiple points all over the body, I look on with tears in my eyes as I notice that, at some points over his body, his skin is actually still there. But it's also quite obvious that this is only further meant to serve Snape's sick need for vengeance and revenge as James' bones are sticking out of these parts and other parts of the skin are colored in such a way it's obvious that Snape cast all kinds of curses on it or used poison to make it look rotten.
Yet then I notice something even worse. Snape has apparently expanded the coffin at the bottom and because that spell is now undone are James' legs situated in an even more gruesome and unnatural position than they had been when the spell was still active. Amelia quickly waves her own wand to undo this and this allows me to see just what has been done to the legs of my former friend, a sight that makes me glad my stomach is empty right now.
Flesh still there, but looking torn and mutilated at some points, muscles shredded to bits over his kneecaps, his kneecaps actually now stuck to the inside of his calves and having been cut into spear-like shapes with the spear point very clearly aimed at the crotch and James' actual appendix serving as the piece of him that connects a broken looking foot to his knee, while his right foot seems to have suffered the same fate as his skull.
"That offer still open?" Amelia asks and I can easily tell by how badly her voice is quivering that the woman is trying everything she can to keep herself calm and composed. I turn to Pepper and my eyes widen as I see that she has actually donned the hood of her Unspeakable robe and enchanted it to hide her entire form from view, obscuring all parts of her that reveal the fact that she's female. Yet the nod she gives is still visible.
"Good. I, Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, hereby officially hand the case of Severus Tobias Snape, desecrator of Ancient Family graves, over to the Department of Mysteries and its Unspeakables. I wipe my hands clean off this case and officially declare that the DMLE will not interfere, no matter the actions through which the Unspeakables will judge, question or punish Severus Tobias Snape. So mote it be."
And a voice I have never heard before and just can't recognize comes from the robe beside me and repeats the last four words. Amelia then sighs and mutters: "If this is what he did to the grave then – do you think he got to the house as well? I mean, I know the Ministry claimed it, but I also know darn well that, after doing so, they never looked back on the place. Trust me, I know this for a fact, many of my Aurors often get complaints over it from the other magical citizens here."
At this I sigh, already sure that the answer to her question is a definite affirmative and mutter back: "Do you think you can do anything to salvage this? Even by a little?" To which Amelia grimaces and says: "I can definitely try. Though if I want to do anything really definitive and thorough I'll need Regent Pomfrey's permission to take the body back to HQ and leave it with the Healers there. Here, the most I can do is fix the robes and maybe small parts of the body."
At this Pepper actually surprises me as she pulls the device that I saw Roxas use on the day he arrived at Hogwarts from her robe. The woman walks a few steps away from us and even lowers her hood again, obviously talking to her sister on the other side as I have come to learn is a possibility with these devices. After a few minutes of Amelia and I waiting, the woman returns, her hood back up, and she says: "You have Poppy's permission. Don't worry, she won't tell Harry – yet."
I nod at her, grateful and relieved as I really don't want Harry knowing about this until I have all the facts and until Snape has paid his due in full and then some for all he has done against the boy and his family. I look from her to Amelia and the woman nods, closing off the casket and casting various protective enchantments upon it before giving me another nod, this one in greeting. I return the gesture and then guide Pepper out of the cemetery.
"What do you expect to find at the Potter home?" The woman asks and I can't really help myself as I whisper: "A fool's dream, really. The house in an abandoned state, left for nature to do with as it pleases, but otherwise untouched." And while the woman has her hood on, do I just know that she is looking at me with concern and a deep desire for that dream to be a reality after all. Yet when we reach the street that the Potter cottage is in, do I already know that this won't be the case.
Snape's magic, which I have been able to discern and recognize thanks to the many times the man has been in my office the last five years, is something I can sense covering and surrounding the property, even while there are at least four houses between the location and the end of the street where I'm standing. And it takes me only another minute to recognize it for the same dome of Notice-Me-Not, privacy and Glamour charms as the one at the graveyard.
"What did you do?" I think to myself, only realizing after the fact that I muttered it as well as Pepper gently takes my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze to prove that she's here to support me. I take a deep breath to center myself around that, around the knowledge that someone who has more experience with gruesome sights and the dark side of arcane magic is with me. And while I can only imagine how hard this must be for the woman herself, do I still feel grateful for her presence.
We slowly start to walk towards the cottage, which thanks to Snape's magic, really does look exactly like I just described. Vines, ivy and weeds growing over the stone-made fence that is build around the perimeter as well as the walls. A huge hole in the wall and roof on the second floor to the right of the building, showing exactly where Voldemort met his temporary ending all those years ago. The front entrance open to all as the front door had been blasted off.
Yet while there is a Ministerial perimeter ward, obviously meant to detect and record anyone passing by the stone fence that is slightly crumbling and that has lost a few rocks over the years, as well as a small, weakened enchantment meant to keep most of mother nature at bay, do I also sense a strong amount of glamor charms as well as various forms of dark and destructive magic, even a few traces of the Fiendfyre spell, all over the place as well.
"He's been here, alright." Pepper mutters, her voice again having been changed by the magic of her robe, though at the same time there is no mistaking the fury, rage, disgust and hatred that is sounding through her voice. I look at the woman, who is still observing the whole thing, obviously able to see past the glamor or other hiding charms and she whispers: "He really did a number on this place. Though I think I know a way to hit two Dementors with one Patronus."
I look at her, the fact that she turned something as small as a pixie into something as huge and powerful as a Dementor making me know that, whatever she has planned, is quite immensely forceful, but also terribly violent and perhaps even terrifying. The woman takes a deep breath and mumbles: "Only a 1 in 3200 chance, but – if the last exception can take place, then this should work as well." And these words shock and horrify me, yet she continues.
"I, Unspeakable #5446 hereby enact punishment protocol #4444. May the magic of the Department of Mysteries and the Veil of Death deem my reasons worthy or, if not so, punish me accordingly. So mote it be." I stare at her, fright and concern gripping at my heart, yet nothing seems to happen for several minutes. The woman turns to me, actually unveiling her face again and mutters: "He's a goner." To which I ask: "It worked out?"
The woman nods and says: "Yeah, if it hadn't, I would have been erased from existence and my magical essence would have been sent through the Veil." This makes me grimace and I ask: "Pepper, may I ask you for a favor?" And the woman proves that she knows me well enough as she asks: "Try not to take risks like this anymore?" To which I answer: "Not when I have already experienced so many shocks and horrors within the previous 24 hours."
The woman nods in understanding and I ask: "So, in your personal experience, would you recommend me removing the spells so I can see the damage?" At which the woman answers: "Under normal circumstances, I would." I nod, understanding what she isn't saying and mutter: "Well, I can definitely sense the Fiendfyre as well as some of the other dark curses. I will just use this to explain to the students why Snape will no longer be teaching."
At this the woman nods and then says: "Also, use the fact that, even in his prime, Voldemort never attacked the ancient homes of families that had been wiped out by the Grindelwald war. That should make sure that even students as loyal to Snape as Malfoy will accept him no longer being there." I give the woman a grateful nod and then Fawkes, who had flown off to a tree after I entered the cemetery, flies back onto my shoulder and reactivates his ability.
Well, that happened.
And to be honest, I was hoping to go onto lunch, where Dumbledore would explain all of this to the students, from here, but the current chapter, yet again, took up more pages than I had expected. And to be perfectly honest, I actually had this really horrible, gory, disgraceful image of what Snape had done to James' body in my mind, but I am not sure if I was properly able to put that image into the description I wrote down.
You tell me,
Venquine1990
