To Snare a Snape
May. 27th, 2004 06:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
zinayaYay! y2 finished his story!
To Snare a Snape
by: Y2kewel
Rating: PG/PG-13 Pretty harmless stuff
Summary: The story of how Severus came to the attention of Voldemort
Author's Note: Just a gen fic
Lightning flashed over the Hogwarts grounds as a slow moving storm creped its way closer to the school of witchcraft and wizardry. The momentary light was the only break in the moonless black that reflected the mood of the young student who sat near the window of the 6th year Slytherin dorm.
Severus Snape looked over the seen with lightening flashing over his dark eyes as it flashed over the surface of the lake that was the dominate feature of the grounds that could be seen from the window. His thoughts swirled around the potions class that he had earlier that day, and the dismal failure that he suffered, having accidentally added eye of rat to his love potion instead of eye of toad. The result being a burst of purple smoke that engulfed the classroom and solidified into a great tentacle that all but destroyed the laboratory and injured 3 students and the potions master who chastised him severely while threatening to have him expelled for making an obviously stupid mistake. Snape’s brow furrowed as he remembered the other students laughing at him as he wiped a streak of blood from a cut on his own face. The loudest of those students being James Potter and his “friends”, whom he had learned later, had switch the labels on his ingredients as a prank.
“How dare they laugh at me.” He whispered under his breath as a soft rain began to fall outside. “My talents in potions are unmatched by anyone else in this school and rival those of the potions master himself.” He fumed, pulling his robes closer to him as a cold wind began to blow through the window. “Of everyone in this pitiful group of 6th years I alone can bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper in death. Never before have I failed at potions and never will I again. Damn that Potter.” This last part came out louder than he had meant it to causing one his classmates sleeping nearby to stir.
“Did you say something Severus?” A groggy voice croaked from the darkness of the room.
“No you prat. Go back to sleep.” Snape spit out at the unseen student.
“One day that Potter and all of his friends,” he began when all was quiet again. “Will see my brilliance for what it is and stare in awe at it.” Being satisfied with his oath he retired to bed and quickly fell asleep.
The following day was pretty normal, or as normal as any day in the wizarding world. Snape’s scheduled classes went as predictably as always, including the usual roadblocks caused by moving staircases, though he and 5 other students were late to defense against the dark arts class because Peeves thought it would be great fun to smear chicken fat on a main ramp in one of the larger halls that served as a major thoroughfare through the sprawling castle that was Hogwarts.
That days potions class however was canceled because the potions master, having only been released from the hospital wing that morning, had yet to repair the damage to the classroom caused by Snape’s potion the previous day, leaving him with a free period. Secluding himself in an unused classroom, high in a remote tower and well away from the noise and bother of other students, Snape pulled out his wand and conjured a simmering cauldron and set to work practicing what he considered to be the subtlest and most exact of magical arts.
Slowly and methodically he cut, mashed and blended his ingredients for a potion that had been a pet project of his but was now a way for him to win favor again with his potions master. This potion was to do what no other potion had done before. Instead of using flu powder or port keys to predefined and limited destinations, this potion would open a portal to anywhere the user desired, and Hogwarts, with its security wards seemed to be the perfect place to test it. Snape had spent most of his free time at the school since discovering his knack for potions, researching and formulating this recipe. He smiled to himself as the bubbling liquid in the cauldron began to change from clear water to emerald green and back to clear again. “Just as I had hoped.” He spoke to the empty room around him and prepared to leave for his next class. This potion would take some time to brew to perfection. If his calculations were right, and Snape had no doubt that they were, then it would be ready in about a month or so.
Each day Snape returned to the abandon classroom to check on his potion, adding ingredients or stirring it gently as needed, paying meticulous attention to make sure that the liquid was never anything than perfectly clear. “The portal can only be as stable and transparent as the potion that created it.” He repeated this to himself often as he worked on his experiment until nearly a month to the day, as if in response to his words, the liquid in the cauldron ceased to boil. The surface of the clear potion became as smooth and motionless as a pane of glass.
Snape smiled in satisfaction. “At last it’s ready.” His excitement was growing as he whipped out his wand and extinguished the flame beneath the cauldron. It would take the rest of the day for the potion to cool before it could be tested. “I wonder where I should visit.” He mused as he secured the door to the classroom and moved down the stairs and headed to the great hall for lunch. “The staff wing?” he shook his head. “To easy. Maybe the headmasters office.” He dismissed that idea as well. “Too risky.” He knew that he was talented, but he also knew that Professor Dumbledore was even more so. A sly grin creped across his lips. “Perhaps the Gryffindor common room.” He snickered at the idea. “Plenty of time to think about that,” he said as he entered the great hall.
The remainder of the day moved at an impossibly slow pace as Severus’ anticipation grew. Minutes seemed like hours and hours seemed like days until finally classes were done for the day. Without even stopping at the Slytherin common room, he dashed to his secluded laboratory and found his potion just as he left it. Perfectly still, perfectly clear and now perfectly cool. Tossing his books aside he quickly made his way to the cauldron to admire his work. From a nearby table Snape retrieved a dipping spoon and a small beaker and carefully transferred some of the liquid from the cauldron to the container. The potion flowed as smoothly as water but the surface never rippled as it filled its way to nearly the top of the thin necked receptacle in the student’s trembling hand.
With great care he moved to an open part of the room and placed the beaker on the floor. “Now to activate it.” His voice quivered with excitement as he pulled a small vial that contained another perfectly clear liquid from a pocket in his robes. He was just about to add a single drop of the liquid to the potion when a thought struck him. “I still haven’t decided where to go.”
Nearly an hour had passed and still Snape had no idea for a fitting test of his creation. He had wracked his brain until he was exhausted. “I finally have the most powerful transportation tool ever, and I can’t even go to the bathroom.”
He began looking around the room in frustration trying to gleam some sort of inspiration. After a moment his eyes fell upon the stack of books that he had flung to the corner earlier. That morning’s copy of The Daily Prophet poked out from the mess. “Of course.” He said to himself. He had read a story in it that described Lucius Malfoy’s growing influence in the community and the ministry of magic. “I wonder.” It had been some time since he had talked to the former student that had mentored him in his fledgling years at Hogwarts.
Snape was sure that the potion could easily breach the security wards at his friend’s estate but had his doubts about breaking the school’s wards. “Hell.” He said aloud. “I’m not a Slytherin for nothing.” Carefully he added a single drop to the beaker on the floor from the vial in his hand and stepped back to watch the results as he formed a picture of the Malfoy estate in his mind.
At first nothing happened. “Lucius Malfoy.” He stated aloud, the confidence in his voice never faltering. A moment later the potion began to fume, releasing a clear, vapor that made everything beyond it appear as if it were under water. Soon the vapor solidified into what looked like a sheet of glass. It looked into the study of the Malfoy estate as if it were nothing more than an ordinary window. In the room Snape could see a familiar figure sitting at a large oak desk going over some important looking documents.
Lucius appeared very calm as he laid the papers aside and looked directly through the portal at the student. “Welcome Severus.” He said in an easy manner. “It’s about time you finished that potion. Please come in.” He motioned to a chair in front of his desk.
Snape hesitated for a moment. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” He thought as he moved forward. The sensation that he experienced as he stepped through the portal was exactly what he had expected. He felt absolutely nothing. In a single step, as easy as walking from one room into another, Severus Snape left the school, traveled nearly one hundred miles, and was now in the luxurious home of Lucius Malfoy. He looked around at the rich tapestries and grand paintings for a moment before addressing his friend. “How did you know…”
“That you were working on a traveling potion?” The older man finished for him. “I keep tabs on all of my friends.” A smile spread across his lips. “It’s good to see you again Severus.”
Snape took a seat across from his friend. “It’s good to see you too Lucius.”
Lucius looked back at the portal through which Snape had just traveled. The view of the unused classroom held steady and unwavering. “I know you don’t have much time Severus, so let me get right to the point.” He ignored his friend’s sudden look of confusion. “I’m sure you’ve noticed that since I left the school I’ve been working very hard for the betterment of wizards and witches everywhere.”
Severus nodded his agreement.
“I’ve recently become acquainted with a man that has the same goals as I do. He has been searching for the rarest of talents and offering them incredible opportunities to advance in their crafts and reach untold levels of power and recognition.”
Snape listened intently as his friend continued.
“The man I’m referring to is known as Voldemort.”
“I’ve never heard of him.” The young student interjected.
“That doesn’t surprise me.” Lucius smiled again. “Voldemort likes to do his work in complete anonymity. Such is his way. This achievement of yours,” He motioned toward the portal. “marks you as worthy of his attention.”
“Worthy you say.” Suspicion shown in Snape’s eyes. “Just what does this ‘Voldemort’ get out of this?
Lucius’ smile grew. “Besides the satisfaction of knowing that he helped yet another wizard to greatness?” the man snickered lightly to himself. “He also gets the security of knowing that there are powerful friends that on witch he can rely in the future.”
“I see,” was Snape’s only reply.
“No, I don’t think you do.” The man took an envelope that was sitting on his desk and handed it to the student. “Take this. When you think you are ready to hear what he has to say, go to a private place and open this. Then you will see.” Lucius glanced at the portal as it began to waver ever so slightly. “It’s time for you to go my friend. We’ll talk again after the term is over.”
Snape took the envelope from his friend and stepped back through the portal with just enough time to watch it collapse in a fine watery mist. He took a moment to examine the envelope in his had before placing it in his robes. After grabbing his books he left his makeshift laboratory and headed back to the Slytherin dorms to retire for the night.
The rest of Snape’s term went relatively uneventful though he continuously replayed his conversation with Lucius in his mind. Until after exams were over he hadn’t really thought about the envelope that his friend had given him, but when he heard Headmaster Dumbledore give his final speech in the great hall before the parting feast, the thoughts of what it might hold pushed their way to the front of his mind.
Leaving the hall early he made his way to a seldom-used restroom in a remote part of the school. Once inside he retrieved the envelope from a pocket and nervously opened it. As he tore the top edge of the envelope a silvery mist began to issue forth. It coalesced into a cloudy and indistinct form of a man and began to speak.
“My young and talented Severus Snape. I am Voldemort. I see in you the ability to achieve a level of greatness never before seen in the wizarding world. The strengths that you possess, properly honed under my tutelage will raise you to heights of fame, glory, recognition and riches beyond your wildest dreams. Every man, woman, and child will speak the name Snape with awe and reverence. But the choice is yours to make. Will you accept the gifts witch I wish to bestow upon you?”
Snape took a step back, shocked by what he heard. Nobody acknowledged his talents for what they were. Even his potions master scoffed at him when he mentioned his portal potion to him, never giving him the chance for a demonstration. “But what of Hogwarts? I still have one year left.” He said to the shifting form before him.
“Fear not Master Snape.” The silky voice responded. “You will complete your education at Hogwarts before I guide you to greatness. All I need from you now is your acceptance of what I have to offer.” The voice fell quiet as if waiting for a reply. The student thought for a moment and realized that with his main strength in potions, his career choices were pretty limited once he left school. What was he really going to do; brew rash creams and burn salves or even worse, teach potions once he graduated? He turned again to the shimmering form and spoke. “I accept Voldemort.”
“Very well Severus.” Without a moment’s notice a searing orange ray shot out from where the form’s head was supposed to be and burned through his robes to strike him on the left for arm. Snape was paralyzed as he watched the shape of a human skull with a snake coming out of its mouth scorched its way deep into his skin. Finally he could stand it no more and a horrifying scream issued from his throat to echo unheard through the deserted halls of Hogwarts.
In the great hall, everyone was enjoying their final meal before departing for the train home. Everyone except for Professor Dumbledore. His brow was furrowed in concentration and gaze was distant as he looked at the plate before him. The expression on his face spoke of terrible things to come.
To Snare a Snape
by: Y2kewel
Rating: PG/PG-13 Pretty harmless stuff
Summary: The story of how Severus came to the attention of Voldemort
Author's Note: Just a gen fic
Lightning flashed over the Hogwarts grounds as a slow moving storm creped its way closer to the school of witchcraft and wizardry. The momentary light was the only break in the moonless black that reflected the mood of the young student who sat near the window of the 6th year Slytherin dorm.
Severus Snape looked over the seen with lightening flashing over his dark eyes as it flashed over the surface of the lake that was the dominate feature of the grounds that could be seen from the window. His thoughts swirled around the potions class that he had earlier that day, and the dismal failure that he suffered, having accidentally added eye of rat to his love potion instead of eye of toad. The result being a burst of purple smoke that engulfed the classroom and solidified into a great tentacle that all but destroyed the laboratory and injured 3 students and the potions master who chastised him severely while threatening to have him expelled for making an obviously stupid mistake. Snape’s brow furrowed as he remembered the other students laughing at him as he wiped a streak of blood from a cut on his own face. The loudest of those students being James Potter and his “friends”, whom he had learned later, had switch the labels on his ingredients as a prank.
“How dare they laugh at me.” He whispered under his breath as a soft rain began to fall outside. “My talents in potions are unmatched by anyone else in this school and rival those of the potions master himself.” He fumed, pulling his robes closer to him as a cold wind began to blow through the window. “Of everyone in this pitiful group of 6th years I alone can bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper in death. Never before have I failed at potions and never will I again. Damn that Potter.” This last part came out louder than he had meant it to causing one his classmates sleeping nearby to stir.
“Did you say something Severus?” A groggy voice croaked from the darkness of the room.
“No you prat. Go back to sleep.” Snape spit out at the unseen student.
“One day that Potter and all of his friends,” he began when all was quiet again. “Will see my brilliance for what it is and stare in awe at it.” Being satisfied with his oath he retired to bed and quickly fell asleep.
The following day was pretty normal, or as normal as any day in the wizarding world. Snape’s scheduled classes went as predictably as always, including the usual roadblocks caused by moving staircases, though he and 5 other students were late to defense against the dark arts class because Peeves thought it would be great fun to smear chicken fat on a main ramp in one of the larger halls that served as a major thoroughfare through the sprawling castle that was Hogwarts.
That days potions class however was canceled because the potions master, having only been released from the hospital wing that morning, had yet to repair the damage to the classroom caused by Snape’s potion the previous day, leaving him with a free period. Secluding himself in an unused classroom, high in a remote tower and well away from the noise and bother of other students, Snape pulled out his wand and conjured a simmering cauldron and set to work practicing what he considered to be the subtlest and most exact of magical arts.
Slowly and methodically he cut, mashed and blended his ingredients for a potion that had been a pet project of his but was now a way for him to win favor again with his potions master. This potion was to do what no other potion had done before. Instead of using flu powder or port keys to predefined and limited destinations, this potion would open a portal to anywhere the user desired, and Hogwarts, with its security wards seemed to be the perfect place to test it. Snape had spent most of his free time at the school since discovering his knack for potions, researching and formulating this recipe. He smiled to himself as the bubbling liquid in the cauldron began to change from clear water to emerald green and back to clear again. “Just as I had hoped.” He spoke to the empty room around him and prepared to leave for his next class. This potion would take some time to brew to perfection. If his calculations were right, and Snape had no doubt that they were, then it would be ready in about a month or so.
Each day Snape returned to the abandon classroom to check on his potion, adding ingredients or stirring it gently as needed, paying meticulous attention to make sure that the liquid was never anything than perfectly clear. “The portal can only be as stable and transparent as the potion that created it.” He repeated this to himself often as he worked on his experiment until nearly a month to the day, as if in response to his words, the liquid in the cauldron ceased to boil. The surface of the clear potion became as smooth and motionless as a pane of glass.
Snape smiled in satisfaction. “At last it’s ready.” His excitement was growing as he whipped out his wand and extinguished the flame beneath the cauldron. It would take the rest of the day for the potion to cool before it could be tested. “I wonder where I should visit.” He mused as he secured the door to the classroom and moved down the stairs and headed to the great hall for lunch. “The staff wing?” he shook his head. “To easy. Maybe the headmasters office.” He dismissed that idea as well. “Too risky.” He knew that he was talented, but he also knew that Professor Dumbledore was even more so. A sly grin creped across his lips. “Perhaps the Gryffindor common room.” He snickered at the idea. “Plenty of time to think about that,” he said as he entered the great hall.
The remainder of the day moved at an impossibly slow pace as Severus’ anticipation grew. Minutes seemed like hours and hours seemed like days until finally classes were done for the day. Without even stopping at the Slytherin common room, he dashed to his secluded laboratory and found his potion just as he left it. Perfectly still, perfectly clear and now perfectly cool. Tossing his books aside he quickly made his way to the cauldron to admire his work. From a nearby table Snape retrieved a dipping spoon and a small beaker and carefully transferred some of the liquid from the cauldron to the container. The potion flowed as smoothly as water but the surface never rippled as it filled its way to nearly the top of the thin necked receptacle in the student’s trembling hand.
With great care he moved to an open part of the room and placed the beaker on the floor. “Now to activate it.” His voice quivered with excitement as he pulled a small vial that contained another perfectly clear liquid from a pocket in his robes. He was just about to add a single drop of the liquid to the potion when a thought struck him. “I still haven’t decided where to go.”
Nearly an hour had passed and still Snape had no idea for a fitting test of his creation. He had wracked his brain until he was exhausted. “I finally have the most powerful transportation tool ever, and I can’t even go to the bathroom.”
He began looking around the room in frustration trying to gleam some sort of inspiration. After a moment his eyes fell upon the stack of books that he had flung to the corner earlier. That morning’s copy of The Daily Prophet poked out from the mess. “Of course.” He said to himself. He had read a story in it that described Lucius Malfoy’s growing influence in the community and the ministry of magic. “I wonder.” It had been some time since he had talked to the former student that had mentored him in his fledgling years at Hogwarts.
Snape was sure that the potion could easily breach the security wards at his friend’s estate but had his doubts about breaking the school’s wards. “Hell.” He said aloud. “I’m not a Slytherin for nothing.” Carefully he added a single drop to the beaker on the floor from the vial in his hand and stepped back to watch the results as he formed a picture of the Malfoy estate in his mind.
At first nothing happened. “Lucius Malfoy.” He stated aloud, the confidence in his voice never faltering. A moment later the potion began to fume, releasing a clear, vapor that made everything beyond it appear as if it were under water. Soon the vapor solidified into what looked like a sheet of glass. It looked into the study of the Malfoy estate as if it were nothing more than an ordinary window. In the room Snape could see a familiar figure sitting at a large oak desk going over some important looking documents.
Lucius appeared very calm as he laid the papers aside and looked directly through the portal at the student. “Welcome Severus.” He said in an easy manner. “It’s about time you finished that potion. Please come in.” He motioned to a chair in front of his desk.
Snape hesitated for a moment. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” He thought as he moved forward. The sensation that he experienced as he stepped through the portal was exactly what he had expected. He felt absolutely nothing. In a single step, as easy as walking from one room into another, Severus Snape left the school, traveled nearly one hundred miles, and was now in the luxurious home of Lucius Malfoy. He looked around at the rich tapestries and grand paintings for a moment before addressing his friend. “How did you know…”
“That you were working on a traveling potion?” The older man finished for him. “I keep tabs on all of my friends.” A smile spread across his lips. “It’s good to see you again Severus.”
Snape took a seat across from his friend. “It’s good to see you too Lucius.”
Lucius looked back at the portal through which Snape had just traveled. The view of the unused classroom held steady and unwavering. “I know you don’t have much time Severus, so let me get right to the point.” He ignored his friend’s sudden look of confusion. “I’m sure you’ve noticed that since I left the school I’ve been working very hard for the betterment of wizards and witches everywhere.”
Severus nodded his agreement.
“I’ve recently become acquainted with a man that has the same goals as I do. He has been searching for the rarest of talents and offering them incredible opportunities to advance in their crafts and reach untold levels of power and recognition.”
Snape listened intently as his friend continued.
“The man I’m referring to is known as Voldemort.”
“I’ve never heard of him.” The young student interjected.
“That doesn’t surprise me.” Lucius smiled again. “Voldemort likes to do his work in complete anonymity. Such is his way. This achievement of yours,” He motioned toward the portal. “marks you as worthy of his attention.”
“Worthy you say.” Suspicion shown in Snape’s eyes. “Just what does this ‘Voldemort’ get out of this?
Lucius’ smile grew. “Besides the satisfaction of knowing that he helped yet another wizard to greatness?” the man snickered lightly to himself. “He also gets the security of knowing that there are powerful friends that on witch he can rely in the future.”
“I see,” was Snape’s only reply.
“No, I don’t think you do.” The man took an envelope that was sitting on his desk and handed it to the student. “Take this. When you think you are ready to hear what he has to say, go to a private place and open this. Then you will see.” Lucius glanced at the portal as it began to waver ever so slightly. “It’s time for you to go my friend. We’ll talk again after the term is over.”
Snape took the envelope from his friend and stepped back through the portal with just enough time to watch it collapse in a fine watery mist. He took a moment to examine the envelope in his had before placing it in his robes. After grabbing his books he left his makeshift laboratory and headed back to the Slytherin dorms to retire for the night.
The rest of Snape’s term went relatively uneventful though he continuously replayed his conversation with Lucius in his mind. Until after exams were over he hadn’t really thought about the envelope that his friend had given him, but when he heard Headmaster Dumbledore give his final speech in the great hall before the parting feast, the thoughts of what it might hold pushed their way to the front of his mind.
Leaving the hall early he made his way to a seldom-used restroom in a remote part of the school. Once inside he retrieved the envelope from a pocket and nervously opened it. As he tore the top edge of the envelope a silvery mist began to issue forth. It coalesced into a cloudy and indistinct form of a man and began to speak.
“My young and talented Severus Snape. I am Voldemort. I see in you the ability to achieve a level of greatness never before seen in the wizarding world. The strengths that you possess, properly honed under my tutelage will raise you to heights of fame, glory, recognition and riches beyond your wildest dreams. Every man, woman, and child will speak the name Snape with awe and reverence. But the choice is yours to make. Will you accept the gifts witch I wish to bestow upon you?”
Snape took a step back, shocked by what he heard. Nobody acknowledged his talents for what they were. Even his potions master scoffed at him when he mentioned his portal potion to him, never giving him the chance for a demonstration. “But what of Hogwarts? I still have one year left.” He said to the shifting form before him.
“Fear not Master Snape.” The silky voice responded. “You will complete your education at Hogwarts before I guide you to greatness. All I need from you now is your acceptance of what I have to offer.” The voice fell quiet as if waiting for a reply. The student thought for a moment and realized that with his main strength in potions, his career choices were pretty limited once he left school. What was he really going to do; brew rash creams and burn salves or even worse, teach potions once he graduated? He turned again to the shimmering form and spoke. “I accept Voldemort.”
“Very well Severus.” Without a moment’s notice a searing orange ray shot out from where the form’s head was supposed to be and burned through his robes to strike him on the left for arm. Snape was paralyzed as he watched the shape of a human skull with a snake coming out of its mouth scorched its way deep into his skin. Finally he could stand it no more and a horrifying scream issued from his throat to echo unheard through the deserted halls of Hogwarts.
In the great hall, everyone was enjoying their final meal before departing for the train home. Everyone except for Professor Dumbledore. His brow was furrowed in concentration and gaze was distant as he looked at the plate before him. The expression on his face spoke of terrible things to come.