Severus was working diligently on his project when he heard a tiny yelp from Elise, followed by a loud crash. Startled, his heart raced as he realized someone had entered his home. Cautiously, he crept to the door of the bedroom as the intruder banged around loudly. Wand at the ready, he heard the person step next to the door.
Pulling the handle quickly, Severus surprised the intruder and stunned him. The large man fell backward. He was wearing all black; his face was obscured by a large black hood. Severus knelt beside him and took note of the platinum blonde hair that poked beneath the ornamental mask. Curious, Severus yanked back the hood and gasped.
“Ennervate!” Severus exclaimed, staring into the frozen eyes of Lucius Malfoy.
“Lucius!”
“Severus?” Lucius asked, quickly standing and regaining composure and dignity.
“What are you doing here? Why have you broken into my home?”
“I didn’t know it was your home. I was given a mission. I was told blood traitors lived here. I was given orders to kill them immediately. But surely it’s not you….why would the Dark Lord want you dead?”
“The Dark Lord?” Severus asked, feeling the blood drain from his face. “Blood
traitors…oh no, Elise!” he exclaimed, rushing to get past Lucius, but the man stopped him.
“Easy, friend. I only knocked her out. Usually when I kill spouses I…well, I usually make the other watch before I kill them as well. It’s cruel, I know, but it’s the way the Dark Lord prefers for the treachery of empathy for those with dirty blood.”
Severus nodded absently as Lucius continued.
“I felt unsure about this mission from the beginning. It was quite out of the ordinary. Usually missions are carried out in groups with a fair amount of planning, but this mission was very rushed and all I was given was the location of the house. I do not know who the informant was, it was an unlikely source, of that I am sure. Even the Dark Lord did not seem sure of it, which is very rare. He told me that he and the source were not on amicable terms, and that if the information turned out to be false, the informant would be killed. I was told that if I did not see fit to kill the people that I was to bring a representative to the Dark Lord himself, which is very rare, my friend.”
“Excuse me?” Severus asked, stunned. “But Elise-“
“We can put her in a magically induced sleep while we are gone.”
“But…but I…I’m not ready, I haven’t prepared myself for the Dark Lord,” Severus said truthfully.
“It must be done, today is as good a day as any.” Severus realized he was without options and nodded curtly once. He was in a state of shock. Not more than twenty minutes ago, he had been happily at work, anxiously awaiting his leisurely lunch and afternoon with Elise.
As seventeen year olds, it might have been difficult living together, but the two were doing fantastically. It had just been perfect and balanced out, and Severus knew that he had never been happier in his entire life. It was a new feeling for him to be afraid of being alone, without her tender touch and love. Continuing his rouse, in front of anyone else he was a loner who didn’t answer to anyone, but behind closed doors he was positively enamored with the Elise and wanted nothing more than to curse the name of the Dark Lord and Hogwarts and just run away with her.
That, however, was not an option.
“Wonderful,” Lucius was saying. “Come, let us not keep him waiting.” Severus swallowed hard and nodded, following Lucius through the hall and into the living room. Upon seeing Elise, Severus ran to her side. A bruise began to form across her soft features where Lucius had so carelessly struck.
“Elise,” he said quietly, scooping her up and gently laying her across their old, tattered sofa.
“I’m sorry, friend, I did not know she belonged to you.” Severus frowned deeply to show his distaste but said nothing.
“She’s very exotic looking. A pureblood?”
“Indeed. She’s of Spanish and French ancestry, but she looks mostly Spanish.”
“You’re a lucky man. Having a woman in your life changes you. Narcissa has defied my expectations time and time again as a good and obedient wife,” Lucius admitted. Severus cast a sleeping charm over her and the two stepped outside.
“Some advice to you. Only speak when spoken to. Do not show fear, anger, happiness, or any other emotion. Do not ask questions. Do not move in his presence. Bow deeply before him. Allow yourself to surrender to him, and do as he asks. If you do these things, you will not die. I cannot guarantee your safety, however. Be forewarned.” Severus nodded. He was beyond frightened, though he didn’t show it. He mostly worried about Elise, and whether or not he would return to her.
The brightly colored flowers, lush green leaves, and warm summer breeze mocked the two men as they prepares to enter dangerous territory.
“Grab on to my cloak. I will take you there, but you cannot know how to get there,” Lucius instructed. Severus complied, and his clammy hand grasped the cloak tightly. Within minutes of a dizzying side-along apparition, they arrived in a damp, murky graveyard. The sky was dusk, the wind was suddenly cool, and Severus felt uncertainty cloud his senses. The ominous red hue painted across the diamond sky encouraged ghostly shadows to form in front of the cracked cemetery stones.
“Come,” Lucius instructed quietly. He led Severus into a series of underground tunnels, each one as winding as the next. They were cold, poorly maintained passageways, lit magically with candles. Water seeped in, making muddy puddles throughout the paths.
“Of course, I usually just apparate to our headquarters,” Lucius said, his countenance displaying a disgusted expression, as though he was above walking through the mud.
Severus was lost in his own thoughts, weighing his many options carefully. Truthfully, he didn’t have many options. Elise would be highly disappointed. What would Dumbledore say? But oh, how jealous everyone in the house of Slytherin would be, that he- Severus Snape- actually stood before the Dark Lord in his own headquarters- and lived to tell about it!
Finally, the two men came to a concrete wall, covered in wet earth. Lucius muttered a few words, and the wall slowly creaked open, giving the two their first taste of dry land in over a half an hour.
“This way,” Lucius ordered.
The hall they were in was covered completely in marble. Statues of snakes, their fangs bared, lined the walkway. The lighting was no better, and Severus took the time to notice that they had not yet run in to anyone else.
Another few doors, another few secret words and finally they were in a more homely atmosphere, about 1500 hundred feet below the Earth’s surface. Here, Death Eaters mulled about, planning and conversing with each other. Severus was startled to recognize several faces.
“Rodolphus Lestrange? Bellatrix Black?”
“It’s Lestrange for her. Rodolphus married her last February,” Lucius commented absently. Severus nodded, taking in the scenery.
The walls were decorated richly in silver, black, and green; the floor was marbled, and crystal chandeliers hung from the vaulted ceiling. The gargantuan space gave Severus the feel of a waiting room, with a maze of rich black leather sofas and chairs.
“The Dark Lord treats those who serve him without fail very, very richly,” Lucius said with a small smile.
The two stopped at the sofa closest to a large cherry wood door.
“Wait here. I will soon return.” Severus nodded and lowered himself down, his heart pounding uncomfortably. It was almost as though he wasn’t in the room. The 15 or so death eaters currently there were very busy in their planning. Severus looked like a wreck- his already greasy hair was plastered to his forehead, the entire bottom half of his body, though dry, was caked with pasty dirt. He hoped his appearance alone would not offend the Dark Lord.
After 5 minutes, Lucius reappeared, unharmed and calm.
“He will see you now,” Lucius said. Severus rose slowly, his joints seemingly unwilling to move. Lucius led him into a spacious dark room, and then, much to Severus’s discomfort, vacated the room. A fire cackled behind a large throne-like chair. A man- was it a man?- cloaked in black, shrouded in ominous darkness, stared out at Severus with familiar eyes.
“Come closer,” the voice rasped. Severus took a few steps closer, and then, remembering Lucius’ instructions, bowed deeply.
“I see that my faithful servant, Lucius, has shown you how to properly greet me,” the voice whispered. Severus said nothing, he merely straightened his form.
“I have been informed that the house in which you reside is currently being in habited by vicious blood traitors, very dear to the cause opposite my own. Is that true?” Severus hesitated before answering.
“No, sir,” he responded strongly, as though responding to a military general. The voice laughed very softly.
“Calm down, boy. Why would this person assume you were a blood traitor?”
“I do not know, sir. Perhaps it is someone who has something to gain by my demise, though I cannot think of anyone. It would be much easier to respond if I knew your informant.”
“In time. Lucius seems to think you are of worth to me. What is your name, and why does Lucius think so highly of you?”
“My name is Severus Snape. He was in my house at Hogwarts- Slytherin. I have a high aptitude for potions and the dark arts in general.”
“I see. How old are you now, Severus?”
“17.”
“A bit too young for our leagues just yet. We only accept those 18 or over, I’m afraid. I’m inclined to let you live, Severus Snape, if only for your usefulness later on.” Suddenly, Severus felt like his mind was being split open. Memories poured out of him---
His father hitting his mother ”How could you lead me to believe you were normal? And now we have a fucking freak for a son!”
“Tobias, leave him alone!”
“I hope you both die, you’re such a whore, a dirty bitch….”
His mother leaving
“Mummy please!”
“No son of mine!”
Meeting Elise…the death day party, the first kiss.
“The Dark Lord Ferrous is your grandfather?”
“He did it in the name of love…”
Their first make out session, the first time the made love, being tortured by Black and Potter, creating spells to be used against them…
Meeting his mother again
“The name Snape to you just means ‘not pureblood.’”
Suddenly Severus’s thoughts rang over the memories.
“He knows, he knows, my God, he knows.” Severus was snapped back to real life. The Dark Lord’s laugh was ringing around the room. Severus was on his hands and knees, panting.
“You are correct, boy. I now know that you are not a pureblooded wizard- yet still a Slytherin? That is very hard to do. That makes you very unique. I am assuming your dear friend Lucius doesn’t know?”
“No, sir.”
“I shall not inform him. Who was the girl? A direct descendent of the Dark Lord Ferrous, I saw?”
“Yes, sir. Elise Aguirre.”
“Well done. I saw your mother. Do you care for her?” The Dark Lord’s voice, now stronger, rang out.
“No. I could care less what happens to her,” Severus said, negative emotion swelling in his voice.
“I see. Eileen Prince, is that your mother?”
“Yes, sir.”
“She will be disposed of immediately.”
“What? Why?” Severus questioned, startled.
“Because, Severus, I promised death to my informant in she were wrong.” His mother, his own mother, had fed the Dark Lord information to have him killed?
“Your informant? My mother?”
“Indeed. It seems she wanted you and your lover dead. She informed me you intended to be with a blood traitor, that you would be turned, and that it would be wise to dispose of you. However, after careful examination of your thoughts and personal testimony, I find her to be wrong. Nott! Bring in the woman!” Suddenly the door burst open and a huge death eater dragged an unconscious woman in.
Her body was badly scarred, and she was wearing tattered gray robes.
“Ennervate,” the death eater spat, and Eileen Prince came to.
“Severus? Severus, why are you here?”
“Because, mother, you tried to have me killed,” Severus said very quietly.
The woman’s eyes turned from her son to her Lord.
“M-my Lord, his evil girlfriend, she is a threat-“
“She is a 17 year old girl, in love with your son. You are a very bad mother.”
“But…but…I…Severus, I love you, I never meant for it to be this way, your grandfather, he-“
“Silence!” The Dark Lord bellowed, clearly becoming irritated. “I am tired of your insolence. Avada Kedavra!” His mother slumped forward without another word. Severus stood stunned, amazed and awed at the power, while his heart wrenched for his mother.
“I look forward to good things from you, Severus. You are dismissed.” Severus bowed again, with one last look at his mother, and then vacated the room. Lucius was waiting for him outside.
“He killed my mother in front of me,” Severus said, before Lucius could speak.
“I’m sorry,” Lucius said half heartedly.
“No, it’s okay. I wanted her to die.” Lucius raised his eyebrows but said nothing.
The two returned in silence to Severus’ house.
***
“Elise!” Severus said, waking the girl after his return from the Dark Lord’s lair.
“S-Severus?” she asked, wincing from her headache.
“Ssshhh, it’s okay. I’m here. The intruder is gone.”
“I was scared…he came in and knocked me down.”
“I got him. He’s gone now.” She clung tightly to him.
“Why are you dirty?” she asked.
“I had to chase him down. I summoned aurors, and they got him,” Severus lied.
“Aurors? But…why were they…”
“My mother is dead,” Severus interrupted bitterly.
“I found out through the man, who I didn’t know, that my mother had gone crazy, sold me to the Dark Lord, and ran. But it’s been taken care of.”
“The Dark Lord? What? What do you mean, it’s been taken care of? What happened?” Elise demanded angrily, shaking off Severus’s loving embrace. “Tell me everything. This is my life, if it’s in danger, don’t you think that’s something I need to know?” Severus sighed deeply, feeling the weight and strain of the experience fully.
“What happened,” Elise repeated more softly than her previous tirade. Small droplets clung to her dark eye lashes as she begged for the truth.
He hated lying to her, but he was trying to protect her. He was intensely afraid of her reaction upon finding out that he had been in the presence of the Dark Lord and lived to tell about it. He sighed once more and began to speak.
“The intruder was Lucius Malfoy. He was sent by the Dark Lord on a hazy tip that Blood Traitors lived here. When he realized it was my house- we were friends before he graduated from Hogwarts-he suspected foul play. He led me for an hour somewhere underground, and brought me to the Dark Lord. The informant had been my mother, who seemed to have lost her sanity, The Dark Lord let me live, and he sent me home, and told me I was lucky to have you, and he killed my mother in front of me.”
Elise nodded throughout the story, and was quiet for two minutes afterward. Finally, she took a shallow breath and looked into Severus’ eyes.
“Why do you call him the Dark Lord?” she asked in a tiny voice.
“Because that’s who he is- the Dark Lord,” Severus replied, irritated.
“But only Death Eaters call him the Dark Lord,” Elise said.
Anger rose quickly, as though a volcano had erupted inside him. His words spilled like hot lava, burning Elise and leaving open wounds.
“I-AM-NOT-A-DEATH-EATER!” He exclaimed, standing up, leaving her to topple over on the couch.
“Is that what you think? That I’m going out, parading in black, murdering behind your back?”
“No, I-“
“So is it because I’m a Slytherin? Because the only friends I’ve ever had were slytherins? Or maybe because I met the Dark Lord and lived, so that automatically makes me evil?” He ripped up his sleeve to show his bare forearm. “Do you see this?” he asked, shoving it in her face. “No Mark. Clean.” He shoved the sleeve back down. “Do you think I’ve been hiding out? What is it exactly, Elise, do you think I’ve been doing?” He finished, standing over her.
The stress of the day had also taken a toll on Elise, and she did not fight back as was her standard. Instead, she cried. Long, low sobs as her body shook with fear and sadness. Her breaths became gasps as she moaned through her tears, and Severus went from ten feet tall to six inches.
What had he done to his girl? He took a few steps back, and after a moment of deliberation, he sat down next to her and enveloped her in a warm embrace, where she cried even harder.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I feel like my life has been turned upside down and I took it out on you. Please don’t judge me on the shell of a man I just displayed, but the heart you know I possess.” She nodded slightly between tears. He made an executive decision to pick her up in his arms and carry her into their bedroom- the one he’d had as a child. The rest of the day they laid there in each other’s arms. She fell asleep a few hours later, and he watched her, sorrow pooling in his heart, anger at his own temper consuming him.
It had been a natural response for him- to attack when the situation became rough and sticky. But here was Elise in his arms, cheeks still stained with tears, hair frazzled, even breathing, a word of pain and uncertainty halted for the involuntary happiness brought by dreamless sleep. She was gorgeous, even now.
What bothered him more than anything about the evening was Elise’s face when he had finished his violent monologue. It was a face he’d seen so many times before. In Elise’s face, he saw his own mother, after his father had screamed and abused her. His mother, who had been powerless and scared, crouched in a corner while his father verbally and physically abused her. His father was dead and now his mother was also dead. She had never fully recovered from the loss of his father.
Severus was the only one left and today, he had acted no better than his father.
He then made a personal vow never to do this again. He would not turn into that horrible man. Elise would not turn into his mother.
-His mother-
Had he really wanted her to die? Part of him had wanted her to live, to be okay, to be a real mother to him. But it was too late, a life wasted, and still the hours went on.
He looked over at Elise one more time, kissed the top of her forehead and closed his eyes, finally at 4 A.M. He would not sleep until 6, holding the love of his life the entire time.
A/N: Hey guys, sorry this took so long, it’s been sitting in my notebook for a week now it takes forever to type up 3000 words, as I found out! I know it was dark, I’m sorry for that, and I hope that it was satisfactory. I pumped this out really quickly during my classes, so I’m sorry if there are typos or misplaced words, I just wanted to get it up. Any criticism would be appreciated. Thank you for reading
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