The Nothing I've Become (Areas of Expertise II)

Chapter Eleven - I've Been Living a Lie

'You failed me Severus.' The Dark Lord stood silent in the centre of a circle of cloaked and masked Death Eaters.

Lying face down on the ground, the other wizard didn't move. Not even when Nagini slid over his ankles, the heavy coils pressing down awkwardly on his body.

'He should have been Bound to you, Severus. Bound and delivered to me.'

The Death Eaters in the circle tensed. They had noticed the change in their master's voice, the anger that was leaking out, and the deep crimson of the snake-like eyes.

The man on the ground made no attempt to move, or shift. He even made no sound when Nagini settled across his back, her face next to his, the tongue flicking out again and again to taste the air. To taste his emotions as he lay there.

Voldemort took one silent step closer, his wand held lightly in his hand. 'A failure, Severus. Lucius failed me.' He peered at the three Malfoys who stood a little straighter but kept their masked faces bowed. 'Only the actions of his son saved him from dying in Azkaban. But you have no son, Severus. How can you repay what you owe me?'

There was silence in the large, opulently furnished room. None of those present took in the rich draperies, or the beautiful paintings. All were watching and listening to the pale skinned man, and glancing surreptitiously at the man spread eagled on the floor. A man who still made no noise, despite his master pacing ever closer, a wand pointing dangerously at him.

'A failure.' Voldemort repeated the word meditatively. Then he spat out venomously, 'A failure! Get up!'

Nagini slithered away allowing Severus to rise and stand still, facing the other man.

The silence in the room was thick. None of Voldemort's followers would have dared to interrupt their leader. They were all intently watching Snape, wondering if they were about to witness his slow, painful death.

'You should have led him to me,' Voldemort commented, musingly, cold eyes slowly travelling up and down the other man's black robes. 'Even now, he should be whimpering, begging for my mercy, begging me to kill him. But instead he isn't here. No one knows where he is.' His control snapped and he screamed at Snape, 'HE ISN'T HERE! A FAILURE, Severus, that's what this is. A failure, and I shall not tolerate it.'

His wand shot red sparks and they slammed into Snape's legs, twisting around his knees, a tight red band that cinched smaller and smaller.

Severus dropped to the floor, a cry rent from him uncontrollably. The red became flecked with poisonous green that seemed to strike the material before burrowing into the flesh underneath. Unable to stop himself, Severus yelled as the curse shattered his knee caps and moved to his thigh and calf, splintering and breaking those bones slowly and completely.

In the circle, the other Death Eaters shifted uncomfortably. Draco, squashed between his parents, took an abortive step forwards, which was halted by a tug from his mother. Hidden behind his mask, tears flowed down his face as he watched his teacher being tortured.

'You failed to lead him to me, Severus. You failed ME.' He paused, then spoke slowly, giving full weight to his words, 'Failure has consequences, Severus.' His wand flashed again. This time ugly brown streams shot out and bathed the abused legs in deep blues and harsh blacks. Severus' head flew back and his mouth opened on a silent scream that went on and on and on.

Finally, long minutes later, Severus managed to pull himself together and gasp out. 'I will please you, my Lord. I will not fail you again.' He shook with the effort of controlling himself and went on, 'He shall be brought to you.'

Voldemort lifted his wand away from Severus' body, a cruel smile playing on his thin lips. He had enjoyed seeing the other suffer. Severus was the Death Eater he most relied on. He didn't trust the other. He trusted no one, but he knew Severus belonged to him and would not fail him a second time, which was the only reason why Snape was still alive.

'Very well,' Voldemort said, eyes still shining with pleasure, 'I shall expect you to bring him to me as soon as he arrives at school in September.'

Severus glanced up, tears of anguish flowing over his cheeks. 'My - my Lord,' he panted, 'I no longer work there.'

The Dark Lord smiled, 'You shall work there. You shall lead the school, and mould the students to be properly respectful.' He paused. 'And you shall bring Harry Potter to me.'

***

Severus stared unseeingly into the fire. He rubbed his sore knee and considered his chances of escaping more of Voldemort's anger. The Dark Lord had not been happy to learn that Harry hadn't returned to Hogwarts. Although Severus hadn't been surprised. After last year, he was amazed that he hadn't been hexed by Harry and his friends. He did wonder about Voldemort sometimes. Did the other really think Harry was going to stroll into a building that was filled with Death Eaters?

He snorted derisively.

But that left him with the vexing problem of avoiding punishment from his master for something he could do nothing about. And he was keen to avoid punishment. Repairing the shattered bones had been exceptionally painful, and the curse still affecting him meant that his knees hurt, and not in anyway he could get used to. One day his left leg would feel encased in ice, yet on another, his right would feel like it was on fire.

The physical pain he could bear. The emotional pain of not being with Harry and his daughter, and not being Bound to Harry was harder to deal with. He didn't understand why he hadn't been driven insane by their failed Bond, but wasn't about to complain about the lack of misery.

But it still didn't explain WHY.

Part of him almost wished Granger were around, so that he could (carefully) ask her to investigate. He had no doubt that the irritating know-It-All would discover the reason. But then, if Granger were at Hogwarts it would mean the Dark Lord had been defeated, and Harry could be with Severus anyway.

Who am I fooling? Harry will never come back to me. I'm living a lie ' following a man whose cause I don't believe in, promising to bring him a boy I would never betray, believing I'll one day have my happy ever after.

No, Severus, my boy, he thought, you're screwed.

--Hi, wanted to explain Sev's limp!