Path of the serpent

Title: Path of the serpent
Author: ejab
Pairing: SS/LM with a little SS/RL and SS/DM on the side
Rating: will become NC-17
Feedback: oh yes, highly appreciated!
Disclaimer: I resent the fact that these are J.K. Rowling's boys and not mine
WARNINGS: bodies, stakes, skewers - not for the faint-hearted
Category: all over the place
Summary: Severus makes preparations
A/N: perfection as always from my truly irreplaceable beta underlucius. All
remaining mistakes are mine. This is my view of our beloved potions master. I
truly believe he would be capable of doing anything to save his life and continue to
spy for The Order. (talk about a spoiler)

16/?

In the following days, the potions master not only locked himself up in his dungeons (which wasn't exactly unusual) but also left the castle several times during the darkest hours of the night. It didn't take Dumbledore long to notice this behaviour... At first he thought Snape left to meet his Lord. But when the potions master never came back to see him and give his usual report, he started to get suspicious. Then the complaints started coming. Students tried everything in their power to avoid lessons by various means, even seeking refuge in their Skiving Snackboxes. Better to spend an afternoon in the hospital wing than suffer through a class with HIM. Teachers also made sure to keep well out of his way. For some reason, 'odd' things started to happen to them as soon as they came within several feet of professor Snape - professor Trelawney suddenly blossomed, literally, when she insisted on laying cards for the obviously distressed potions master and professor McGonagall's lips were inexplicably glued together after 'trying to speak some sense into the man'. Even the DADA teacher not not able to get near him. The one time he did try, all of the sudden he got the very painful sensation of his cock being squeezed to pulp. He got the message and made sure to keep a safe distance.

After three days of this terror, the Headmaster decided enough was enough and summoned Snape.

"Severus, what is the matter? Please talk to me - I worry about you." The direct approach? Ah, the old man was really worried, then. Too bad he didn't give a rat's arse… The potions master shifted in his chair, leaned backwards and gave the Headmaster a look of indifference. And a faint smile. Just to confuse him some more and for the fun of it.

"There really is nothing to be alarmed about, Headmaster. I simply am preparing myself and need the right state of mind for my next and undoubtedly crucial meeting with The Dark Lord - the potion, remember?" the potions master said, sounding cold and unconcerned, immediately withdrawing his hand the minute Dumbledore placed his own hand on top of it.

"Your pupils are dilated, you feel cold to the bone, your skin is even more pale than usual, you are behaving irrationally and you still want me to believe that there is no reason for concern? I am sorry, Sev, bu, but an old fool like me knows better… what have you done to yourself, my dear boy? I have never seen you like this before and - "

"Well, maybe you don't know me as well as you think, then," Snape countered, unusually calmly for him. "You certainly demonstrated that by sending Lupin after me to spy on me."

"Ah, yes, I admit that was a mistake… but you do understand my concern on that particular issue, I hope?" Dumbledore actually seemed to be genuinely remorseful. Well, he should!

"Tell me, Headmaster… have I ever, in any way, deceived you? Lied to you?" The potions master stared fixedly at his employer, not willing to back down even an inch. Gods, even now the fool was still trying to justify his actions!

"No, Severus, you haven't. Please accept my sincere apologies." After a moment of silence, in which he clearly tried to 'read' his visitor, the Headmaster finally gave up and sadly shook his head. It obviously bothered him very much that he was not able to penetrate the mind of his guest this time, Snape noticed. Good. The potion clearly already had taken effect.

"Accepted," the potions master nodded curtly, satisfied for now with this little victory.

"But would you care to tell me what actually scared Remus off? He just came up to my office, told me he would not be able to do what I had asked him to do and how sorry he was and off he went. Just to satisfy my curiosity?" Dumbledore smiled warmly. Ah, manipulating again… really, how thick did the man think he was?

"I'm afraid I can't, Headmaster - SS, you see." Playing with him was rather fun, though.

"SS?" Dumbledore looked puzzled.

"Slytherin Secrecy." Snape stood up, happily ignoring the annoyed glare the Headmaster gave him for just a tiny second. "Was that all, Headmaster?"

"Yes, that was all," Dumbledore sighed tiredly. "Severus, I know that your life is at stake here and that knowledge is keeping me awake at night… isn't there anything, anything I can do?"

"There is not, Headmaster," the potions master noticed the, what seemed to be sincere, concern for his well being but felt completely indifferent. As he should by now. After all, he needed no distractions at this poinnd end even less, any emotions.

"When will you go?" My my, the old man's voice almost broke there. How touching.

"Tomorrow night will be the deciding factor. If you will excuse me…?" Without waiting for an answer, Snape walked out of the room, very aware of the Headmaster's eyes follg hig him. He really couldn't care less.

The next day was filled with yet another bunch of stupid and oh so easily intimidated despicable spawns but finally, at four o'clock, the teaching was done and the potions master retreated to his chambers again. Where he took his last dose of the, somewhat altered, numbing potion. He had started to take regular doses every day for four days in a row in order to build up the tolerance for it and was extremely pleased with the resuls fas fas as he was concerned, the school could now collapse and he would not give a damn. Exactly the right frame of mind for what he was about to do. He slowly packed all that would be needed, checked three times just to make sure he had all the required potions with him and took a quick sip straight out of the brandy bottle before leaving the school. A few minutes later he then Apparated to Snape Manor.

Snape Manor. Snape hated that house. With a vengeance. No happy childhood memories here. Hell, no happy memories at all! Just the look of it would make anyone feel instantly depressed. A neglected house build from depressingly sto stones and deprived of any colour. On the outside it was all black and grey. Even the garden was nothing more then some brown dead grass and a few tiny pathetic bushes. No flowers, no trees, no real life. Nothing. Inside the Manor, it wasn't much better. The house-elf had kept it clean but that was about it, as fas as anything positive could be said about it. The rooms were mostly empty nowadays. He never went here. This was the second time in 18 years and the first time had been three days ago to instruct the house-elf.

Speaking of that bloody house-elf…

"Master is back! Effy is very happy!" a high pitched voice came from behind him.

"Ah, there you are. Is everything prepared?" The potions mr lor looked down on an old and still very dutiful creature, dressed in a brown, clean pillow-case. The elf had been very happy indeed when he had seen his Master return, three days ago. It had bounced and bouned with excitement until the potions master had threatened to give it his cloak.

"As Master requested." Effy bowed deeply and his nose almost touched theor.
or.

"Good. Let's get started then. Where are the stakes?" Sanpe looked around impatiently.

"Here, behind the door, Master. Two solid, long stakes," Effy looked for approval and got it when Snape nodded. He beamed with pride. And watched curiously when his Master levitated the stakes outside and placed them on the floor on each side of the main entrance.

"Now get the first one - the male with the beard," Snape ordered his servant and watched him leave. He reappeared shortly, leading a naked Muggle by his hand. The potions master looked the Muggle over carefully. He had abducted him, and the others, from a house where he knew Muggles kept their lessless people and tramps. That was one concession he had made to himself - no children or Muggles who would be missed any time soon.

The man in front of him was naked, cleaned up and just stood there, staring into nothing with big lifeless eyes. After capturing his victims, Snape had used Imperio on them, thereby stripping all of them of their own free will and, of course, any desire to flee during his absence. It was at least rewarding to see he was still able to cast such a strong Imperio after all this time…

He levitated the man several feet in the air, Stupified him so he would not move an inch and grabbed one of the stakes, slowly positioning the stake exactly underneath the man's entrance and spearing him by levitating him down until the stake went in his rectum. He then magically anchored the stake into the ground and stepped back to take a good look. Yes, quite satisfactory.

Those big eyes seemed to almost bulge out of their eye-sockets. The only indication the man was in excruciating pain. Well, yes, he would be, wouldn't he? And this was just the beginning…

"Get me a second one - the bald one," the potions master ordered his house-elf. Without hesitation Effy obeyed and the whole process was repeated. Within half an hour the main entrance was now suitably decorated for the occasion: two naked staked Muggles on either side of the door. Distasteful but his visitors would undoubtedly appreciate it. He would undo the immobilisation spell as soon as the others arrived. After all: the more he was able to please The Dark Lord, the better his changes to survive.

"I take it the dining room is ready?" He walked back inside, into the dining room. Yes, excellent.
herehere was a rectangular big wooden table in the middle of the room, flanked by four comfortable high throne like chairs and burning torches on the walls. Sober but sufficient.

"Excellent. Now, get me the others," Snape ordered. Within minutes Effy was back with four other naked Muggles, three men and a woman. A very ugly one, he noticed. He chained one man and the woman to the walls. He had no other use for them than being toys, close by for convenience. The two remaining men were laid down on huge silver plates on the table whereafter he rammed several large skewers in their bodies. With the meat pinned on the skewers they would make a nice human barbecue, he mused. And theour our of their blood would also contrast beautifully with the silver of the plates. Yes, he was almost done. For his last action, he would have to wait until the others were present. Which could be any minute now.

"Remember - the meat has to be served on those skewers and the rest of it around them on the plates. Understood?"

"Yes, Master. Effy understands," the house-elf hid his horror extremely well. Snape noticed it all the same but let it be. He then undid the spells he had used earlier and immediately the room was filled with moans and screams. He could even hear the screams coming from outside. It was a good thing he never suffered from migraine, he thought. And waited.

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Rahela - LOL! Severus got the lube!
Ah, but you would not want to know if he and Lucius will stay together, jusr yet,
would you? Takes all the fun away!