Snape pulls off his nightrobe and lays it over a chair, then takes Therion's from him and does the same. He notices something on Therion's arm, অথবা rather, something missing...Therion doesn't meet his gaze, but shows him his left arm. Where there was once a Dark Mark is a terrible scar. Snape asks him quietly who did it for him, but he doesn't say. "I swore an oath that I'd never tell. That's why they agreed. The process was absolutely excrutiating, but I was desperate--" Snape leads him over to the বিছানা and they sit down carefully, so as not to wake Malfoy and Elsbet. "You didn't have it done here, did you?" Therion tells him no, and Snape tells him that perhaps the Silhouettes can still do something about it. "What does it feel like? The scar?"
Therion sighs and says that he has no sensation from his wrist to his elbow, and Snape says, "we really should take আপনি to have it healed properly." Therion shakes his head slightly. "No, not...not until he's dead, Severus. I'll carry the scar 'til then." Snape nods and tells him that he understands, then tells him to lay down. Snape lays down with his back to Malfoy's, and Therion lays down facing him. "I want to share something with you," Snape says, "something I've never shared with anyone." He sighs and says, "you asked me earlier why I am so willing to share Elsbet. This may give আপনি an answer."
Their eyes meet; Snape gently slides his mind into Therion's, and the information that flows to him from Snape is vivid and powerful.
It is a bright, sunny day, and Severus Snape is in a foul mood. His life, already difficult, has recently become even more complicated. A Hogwarts student, Cedric Diggory, was murdered two months পূর্বে in the last event of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, and it could so easily have been Harry Potter. That, in and of itself is a horrible thing, that a child's life has been snuffed out, but it's worse still...it means that the Dark Lord has returned. He has spent these many long years strengthening himself, forcing himself to remain focused on why he is where he is, and now, the reason for all of his pain and effort has reared its ugly head at last. And, as if to add insult to injury, Sirius Black is back in his life as well.
Honestly, sometimes it takes everything he has just to make it through another day.
He would much rather be far away from here, truth be told, leading a life of quiet anonimity, perhaps operating his own Apothecary someplace out of the way. Like Cornwall.
At least, he thinks that's what he would have done, had he not made the awful choices he made in his youth. But it does not do him any good now to think on that at all. He moves swiftly through Diagon Alley toward Knockturn Alley; he hates that place, and he wants only to make his purchase and be done with it. He makes it to the shop, only to discover they do not have what he needs. The shopkeeper gives him the name and last known loction of another dealer who might have what he needs, and Snape departs in a hurry. He goes where the shopkeeper told him to but the dealer is not there. But what he finds instead is extraordinary.
The place is a bit creepy, even for him, and he almost feels like he's back in Knockturn Alley. It appears to be some kind of curio shop, full of oddities and antiques, and he resists the urge to look around. He's about to turn around and leave, when he hears someone call his name. He looks around the dimly lit ভান্দার cautiously; he can't afford to be caught off-guard. He hears the sound of shuffling, and sees a tiny old witch, shrivelled and hunched over, moving slowly toward him. He doesn't move, he barely breathes, his হৃদয় pounds in his chest for some reason, and as the woman gets closer to him, he sees that she is totally blind.
She says his name again in that raspy voice and takes his hand. While her touch is gentle and non-threatening, her hands are icy cold and he has to fight the urge to pull his hand away. "Come, boy, come," she says, pulling him along with her, and he finds himself in a battle between curiousity and extreme discomfort. He loathes physical contact, and hers is almost আরো than he can bear, and yet, he manages to remain in control of himself. She pulls him into a tiny room filled with knicknacks and strange dried things incased in glass, and finds her আসন at a small table. "I've been waiting," she says, "a long time, I've been waiting for you."
He grimaces, trying to fathom what's going on, when she says, "someone is trying to tell আপনি something, Severus Snape, but আপনি are not listening! They've been trying for years, but আপনি don't hear..." She sighs sadly, and while she is sightless, Snape has the distinct feeling she's aware of the look on his face. It's the same expression he wore the evening of the Yule Ball, when Dumbledore told him he sometimes feels students are Sorted too soon. His mind, his হৃদয় and his stomach now do battle with each other, and he supresses the urge to leave. The ancient little witch sighs and tells him, "Severus Snape, over the পরবর্তি seven days events will occur that will change your life forever. Whether it be for Good অথবা Ill depends on the choices আপনি make."
He suddenly wants to sit down, but she hands him a moleskin pouch and he knows it's time to go. "I've been saving these for আপনি for quite a while. Do not open that pouch until আপনি are home." He turns slightly, then asks her if he may come back, and she tells him of course he may, but, "I will not be here." He grimaces again, then walks out of the little room. He doesn't look around at anything as he departs the shop, and once at a নিরাপদ Apparating distance, he's gone. When he makes it back to Hogwarts he speaks to no one, but goes directly to his quarters. The new school বছর begins in a month, and he still has much preparation left.
Loki, nestled securely between his pillows, hops up when he enters his room and caws happily at him, and he actually manages a smile. The little raven is the one bright spot in his life. Out of his right pocket he pulls the treats he picked up for the rambunctious yearling, and rolls a few of them out on to his blanket. Once his Familiar is occupied, he sits down at his ডেস্ক and pulls the pouch out of his other pocket. He sits the pouch down and thinks about the encounter and decides it's নিরাপদ to open the pouch. What rolls out of it has a definite and immediate effect on him.
Beads. Jade green beads on a woven red cord, and a Gryffindor class ring, just large enough for a petite woman's little finger.
They're not hers, no they're not hers, he knows they're not, but Gods, it hurts! His hands shake and his হৃদয় pounds, and when the tears come he can't stop them. He picks up the ring, his hand shaking so badly and eyes so full he can barely read the বছর on the ring. He wipes his eyes and sees...1969. The বছর he and Lily met. His eyes fill up again and he sobs. Loki flits over to the ডেস্ক and looks up at him closely. 'My Da?' The little raven thinks, 'why আপনি leakin?' Snape wipes his eyes again, and Loki examines the beads very carefully. 'Pretty,' he thinks, and when Snape sits the ring back down Loki moves it so that he can look at it. 'Pretty pretty,' he thinks, then looks up at him. 'Dey mind you,' he thinks and Snape scoops up his Familiar and cradles him close to his heart. "Yes," he says finally, "they remind me of someone..."
Therion sighs and says that he has no sensation from his wrist to his elbow, and Snape says, "we really should take আপনি to have it healed properly." Therion shakes his head slightly. "No, not...not until he's dead, Severus. I'll carry the scar 'til then." Snape nods and tells him that he understands, then tells him to lay down. Snape lays down with his back to Malfoy's, and Therion lays down facing him. "I want to share something with you," Snape says, "something I've never shared with anyone." He sighs and says, "you asked me earlier why I am so willing to share Elsbet. This may give আপনি an answer."
Their eyes meet; Snape gently slides his mind into Therion's, and the information that flows to him from Snape is vivid and powerful.
It is a bright, sunny day, and Severus Snape is in a foul mood. His life, already difficult, has recently become even more complicated. A Hogwarts student, Cedric Diggory, was murdered two months পূর্বে in the last event of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, and it could so easily have been Harry Potter. That, in and of itself is a horrible thing, that a child's life has been snuffed out, but it's worse still...it means that the Dark Lord has returned. He has spent these many long years strengthening himself, forcing himself to remain focused on why he is where he is, and now, the reason for all of his pain and effort has reared its ugly head at last. And, as if to add insult to injury, Sirius Black is back in his life as well.
Honestly, sometimes it takes everything he has just to make it through another day.
He would much rather be far away from here, truth be told, leading a life of quiet anonimity, perhaps operating his own Apothecary someplace out of the way. Like Cornwall.
At least, he thinks that's what he would have done, had he not made the awful choices he made in his youth. But it does not do him any good now to think on that at all. He moves swiftly through Diagon Alley toward Knockturn Alley; he hates that place, and he wants only to make his purchase and be done with it. He makes it to the shop, only to discover they do not have what he needs. The shopkeeper gives him the name and last known loction of another dealer who might have what he needs, and Snape departs in a hurry. He goes where the shopkeeper told him to but the dealer is not there. But what he finds instead is extraordinary.
The place is a bit creepy, even for him, and he almost feels like he's back in Knockturn Alley. It appears to be some kind of curio shop, full of oddities and antiques, and he resists the urge to look around. He's about to turn around and leave, when he hears someone call his name. He looks around the dimly lit ভান্দার cautiously; he can't afford to be caught off-guard. He hears the sound of shuffling, and sees a tiny old witch, shrivelled and hunched over, moving slowly toward him. He doesn't move, he barely breathes, his হৃদয় pounds in his chest for some reason, and as the woman gets closer to him, he sees that she is totally blind.
She says his name again in that raspy voice and takes his hand. While her touch is gentle and non-threatening, her hands are icy cold and he has to fight the urge to pull his hand away. "Come, boy, come," she says, pulling him along with her, and he finds himself in a battle between curiousity and extreme discomfort. He loathes physical contact, and hers is almost আরো than he can bear, and yet, he manages to remain in control of himself. She pulls him into a tiny room filled with knicknacks and strange dried things incased in glass, and finds her আসন at a small table. "I've been waiting," she says, "a long time, I've been waiting for you."
He grimaces, trying to fathom what's going on, when she says, "someone is trying to tell আপনি something, Severus Snape, but আপনি are not listening! They've been trying for years, but আপনি don't hear..." She sighs sadly, and while she is sightless, Snape has the distinct feeling she's aware of the look on his face. It's the same expression he wore the evening of the Yule Ball, when Dumbledore told him he sometimes feels students are Sorted too soon. His mind, his হৃদয় and his stomach now do battle with each other, and he supresses the urge to leave. The ancient little witch sighs and tells him, "Severus Snape, over the পরবর্তি seven days events will occur that will change your life forever. Whether it be for Good অথবা Ill depends on the choices আপনি make."
He suddenly wants to sit down, but she hands him a moleskin pouch and he knows it's time to go. "I've been saving these for আপনি for quite a while. Do not open that pouch until আপনি are home." He turns slightly, then asks her if he may come back, and she tells him of course he may, but, "I will not be here." He grimaces again, then walks out of the little room. He doesn't look around at anything as he departs the shop, and once at a নিরাপদ Apparating distance, he's gone. When he makes it back to Hogwarts he speaks to no one, but goes directly to his quarters. The new school বছর begins in a month, and he still has much preparation left.
Loki, nestled securely between his pillows, hops up when he enters his room and caws happily at him, and he actually manages a smile. The little raven is the one bright spot in his life. Out of his right pocket he pulls the treats he picked up for the rambunctious yearling, and rolls a few of them out on to his blanket. Once his Familiar is occupied, he sits down at his ডেস্ক and pulls the pouch out of his other pocket. He sits the pouch down and thinks about the encounter and decides it's নিরাপদ to open the pouch. What rolls out of it has a definite and immediate effect on him.
Beads. Jade green beads on a woven red cord, and a Gryffindor class ring, just large enough for a petite woman's little finger.
They're not hers, no they're not hers, he knows they're not, but Gods, it hurts! His hands shake and his হৃদয় pounds, and when the tears come he can't stop them. He picks up the ring, his hand shaking so badly and eyes so full he can barely read the বছর on the ring. He wipes his eyes and sees...1969. The বছর he and Lily met. His eyes fill up again and he sobs. Loki flits over to the ডেস্ক and looks up at him closely. 'My Da?' The little raven thinks, 'why আপনি leakin?' Snape wipes his eyes again, and Loki examines the beads very carefully. 'Pretty,' he thinks, and when Snape sits the ring back down Loki moves it so that he can look at it. 'Pretty pretty,' he thinks, then looks up at him. 'Dey mind you,' he thinks and Snape scoops up his Familiar and cradles him close to his heart. "Yes," he says finally, "they remind me of someone..."