Of Death and Fire

darkness ascending


Author's warning: Here we go again. Rape, torture, kinky stuff. Considered yourselves warned.
A couple of notes: This is the censored version. What first came to my head was far darker, but I dare not put it in writing.
I suppose you all remember who Snuffles is...
 
 
CHAPTER 31: Darkness ascending.
 
 
The days grew nearer to the Tournament's last task. With each day, Snape's Dark Mark became more painful and his nights were haunted by dark dreams. Se his his distress, Morgaine decided to postpone the news of her pregnancy, at least for a while.
It was just another restless night, a couple of days before the Third Task. Severus was asleep, lost in yet another nightmare, mumbling incoherent words, tossing the covers away and sometimes laughing softly. It was not a sound of happiness; it was a sinister laughter, which made Morgaine shiver in terror. She did not attempt to wake him. In previous similar incidents when she had done so, he woke up with every detail of the dream still clear in his head, and the torment continued for hours after. When she had left him to sleep and the nightmare reached its ending, it had dissolved like smoke and he had no recollection of it in the morning.
But she did, each and every time. She would remember his face being a mask of agony alternating with an expression of wicked bliss. She would remember him tuning in his sleep, his limbs fighting an unseen foe, throwing away the covers, drenched in sweat as if burning from a hellish fire. And she could take no more.
Slowly, she crept out of bed and reached for the cabinet where he kept the most rare and dangerous potions and ingredients. It was locked, but she had seen where he kept the key. She opened it up and in no time she found what she needed: the potion he had made from her own blood. If she couldn't help him fight his nightmares in the conscious state, she would do so in the dream world. She would enter his mind and face the terror that lurked within.
She held up the small vial and looked at it. OK now, how much should I drink? Last time it had taken only a drop of it to expand her mind, but it had lasted no more than half an hour. She took out a glass, filled it with brandy and added four drops. This should be enough, she thought and emptied the glass in her throat.
The effects were instantaneous. As her head exploded and her mind reached out to unite with the universe, she stumbled back on the bed, embraced the dreaming man, pressing her lips on his mouth.
~*~
She found herself in a dark crypt. She looked at herself, but saw nothing. She felt like floating above ground, not in body but in spirit. Relieved she was not in a physical form and thus protected by any physical harm, she let herself examine the room and the people within.
It was a cold dungeon, hidden in the bowels of earth. Ancient scripture was engraved on the walls, probably of Druidic or Pictish origin. The scent of an annoyingly sweet incense filled the room, which was illuminated by a few black candles. There was a sarcophagus in the middle, covered by a black cloth decorated by runes and strange symbols. Behind this altar stood what seemed to be a throne. A throne made of human remains, mostly skulls.
There were people in the room. People in black cloaks and white masks, standing in a semicircle facing the altar. Death Eaters. Two of them were near the altar, leaning over a naked body. She moved closer, to see what was taking place there. In horror, she realised they were over a teenage girl, naked and spread on the cold stone. She recalled her brother's account of the case of the ravaged and slain Muggle children and she knew she was witnessing one of the crimes.
Moving closer, she heard one man laugh softly and froze. It was Severus' laughter, low and wicked, the sound he had made in his dreams. She turned to face the other man, and saw his grey eyes looking lustfully on the girl's naked breasts. She knew he was grinning under the mask, having seen this expression more times than she'd like. It was Lucius Malfoy.
And then she saw the man standing behind the altar. Sitting on the throne, she saw a dark figure with his features shaded by his hood. With her mind expanding, she reached out and saw his face. It was dark and handsome, illuminated by eyes that revealed unspeakable malice and vices. He was evil, and yet beautiful. Seductive, like a fallen angel who had come to lead her to her true destiny.
Her body, back in Snape's bed, entered a convulsing state as her mind reached a new phase of consciousness.
~*~
She found herself inside the girl's body. She tried to scream and break the connection, but she couldn't. The potion's effects should have to make their cycle. As for screaming, she realised that this body was under the Imperius curse. It was a body different than her own. Shorter, younger, with no protective tattoos or magical powers. It was a Muggle girl's body, and it was raped at the time.
She felt someone's hands reaching inside her vagina, searching, tearing, and hurting her. And still she couldn't move. She looked up and saw Severus molesting her tender flesh in an uncomfortably familiar way. The times he had used his fingers to pleasure her, the time he had gathered her own broken hymen, it all came running in her mind and wished she could scream. But she couldn't even cry. As Severus walked away from her body, presenting the offering to the Dark Lord, Malfoy took his place between her legs. While she was trying to see what was going on the throne, she felt a wave of unspeakable pain cutting her in half.
Her own body had been forged by her encounters with unholy creatures during her Guild training and her first intercourse had not been as painful, for pain had been an old comrade in battle. But the body she had found herself in was younger, smaller, truly virginal. Malfoy's engorged organ tore its tender walls as he thrusted inside her in pure lust, setting her mind in fire. As fast as he had entered her, he withdrew. But before she could breathe the pain out, he pushed back inside in the same rough way, leaving her breathless inside a bright sphere of pain. With the last remnants of her consciousness, she saw Snape walking behind Malfoy and speaking to him in an amused tone, arousal evident in his voice.
"Easy there, Lucius. Don't break her completely. There are more wai in in line and she still has to be able to stand afterwards. And run". His statement opened a new path of terror in her mind.
"Don't worry, Severus", she heard him reply as he thrusted inside her once more, and resumed a faster rhythm. "I'll leave enough for you to feast on. After all", he said, as his hands gripped tighter her thighs, reaching hiimaximax, "she has two more holes to chose from!" With the last word, he came inside her with a growl.
Seeing Severus taking Malfoy's place between her thighs, her soul screamed in agony. Oh Gods, no! Please, don't let me live this! But her plea went unanswered, and she found herself being brutally raped by the man she loved, the father of her unborn child. A younger and more evil Severus but still the same man she had offered her affection and trust.
Morgaine felt his fingers reaching inside her once more, and despite the pain of her sore flesh, she thought in relief that his touch was gentler. As he moved his fingers inside and out of her bloodied vagina, she braced herself for what was about to happen. When she realised that his fingers had been lubricating her anus with her blood and Malfoy's fluids, she wished she could die.
As he pushed his organ through her tight opening, the level of pain was a revelation. Nothing she had experienced in her life could be compared with this agony and the humiliation she felt. With every thrust, she felt something breaking inside; both in body an in soul. Her flesh trembled under his savage conquest and her soul screamed by the pleasure he derived from her torture. Once more, she tried to break the connection and retreat back in her own body, wishing to crawl inside a dusty sarcophagus and sleep with her beloved dead. And once more she failed. She lived through the whole act, hearing Malfoy's encouraging comments as Severus was pushing harder and deeper, feeling Voldemort's eyes feasting from her torment. When he finally came, unsheathing his organ from her torn flesh and baptising her body with a hot string of pearly drops, she hoped it was finally over.
Not really. A new game was about to begin.
Voldemort raised his wand at her.
"Finite Incantatum", she heard his low, entrancing voice. And then she heard herself scream, as the curse was removed.
She tried to jump off the altar, but the body she was in failed to comply. She fell on the cold floor, her torn flesh making each move intolerable. With horror, she saw the cloaked figures closing on her. Gathering her strength, she reached out with her mind, trying to use the potion's effects to her benefit. Up to a point, it worked. She slowly stood up, and turned to face her torturers.
The Death Eaters momentarily paused their advance, surprised by the fact that this victim didn't try to escape. Instead she stood there, her fists clenched, her legs slightly apart while blood and semen dripped from her body, daring them to come closer. Malfoy was the first who attempted to grasp her, but she managed a well-balanced kick to his groin, sending him on his knees. In a brief moment of triumph, she rejoiced on the hurt and humiliated look in his eyes. Which, just seconds later, was replaced by anger. Before she could react, she felt hands grasping her arms from behind, as Malfoy rose and closed his fingers around her neck.
"You little bitch! Now you'll pay for this!" he hissed and took out his wand.
"Stop!" A deep voice was heard from behind, as Lord Voldemort walked down from his throne and stood before her. He pushed Malfoy at the side and stood examining her face. Morgaine was caught in his gaze as she felt psychic tentacles reaching out inside her, searching her mind.
"Who are you?" she heard his low seductive voice. "You might have been a Muggle girl when you were brought here, but I feel someone else inside your head". He brushed her wet cheek with his fingers, and then his hands closed around her throat. For a moment, Morgaine felt she just had to tell him, to surrender completely to these incredible eyes, to fall down and kiss the feet of her Master.
"Who are you?" he commanded again.
Then she felt a slap against her face, but could not see her attacker. All she saw was Voldemort's fiery eyes and felt his hands crushing her throat.
Just a heartbeat before the girl's neck was broken, the connection was terminated and Morgaine found herself back in her own body.
~*~
She opened her eyes and saw she was back in Severus' bed. Before she could speak a word, another slap landed on her face. Only this time, she slapped him back. She opened her eyes and saw him rubbing his cheek.
"So, you're back", he said in a cold voice. As the worried expression vanished from his eyes another, an angry one appeared. He grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at him. "Silly, stubborn witch, what have you done?"
Still dizzy from the transition, with a splitting headache accompanied with nausea taking hold of her body, she looked back at him with haunted eyes.
"I wanted to help you", she whispered, "so I drunk from the potion to enter your dream".
His face turned to a pale mask of anger.
"Remind me of when I asked of your help, stupid girl", he hissed. "And since you've brought up the subject, how much did you drink?"
"Four drops", she whispered, trying to avoid his eyes.
Now he was really angry. He shook her violently, adding to her discomfort from the potion's side effects.
"Tell me what you saw!" he demanded. And she told him everything, even Voldemort's last words. And with every new detail, his face turned fromer ter to horror and then to guilt and shame. As she completed her tale, he got up, threw his robes around his body and sat at his desk across the room.
"Morgaine, this was not a dream you found yourself in. The potion took your spirit into the past through the portal opened by my nightmare. You were not a part of my dream; you are a part of my past". He hid his face in his hands. "The girl that died that night was you, at least in spirit".
His low voice was an amalgam of pain, gilt and shame, knowing that he had molested the only woman he had ever care for. He had no knowledge of this at the time, but the thought would never leave his head. He had learned to keep his victims nameless, inhuman, so he could live with the memories. And all of the sudden, one of them had acquired a face and a name; her face and her name. This punishment was just, but still too much to bear.
"Go away, Morgaine", he said in a tired voice. "I can't bear to look at you tonight. Leave me alone in my nightmares". She tried to reach out to him, but he moved further away. "I'm serious, Morgaine. If you don't go, I will", he added and entered his office.
Broken is spirit and with sore muscles, Morgaine vanished into the night. She now was certain that she should never give birth to the child inside her.
~*~
The next day, the torture continued. Snape avoided her eyes all day. In the rare occasions she caught him looking at her, for a brief moment she could see in his eyes the same guilt and pain she had seen before. She felt the same; for it was her own deed that had brought them to this point. Bitterly, she thought that perhaps Voldemort had already won. In one way or another, their own darkness was dragging them down.
Albus Dumbledore was aware of the whole situation. He had expected that Severus past would eventually catch up with him, but this he had not foreseen. He was deeply concerned, knowing that the Dark Lord lurked somewhere close, ready to grasp his first chance to return to full strength. It was not the time to indulge in guilt or self-loathing. It was the the time to dwell on the past but to prepare for the future. And somehow this was getting harder with each day.
~*~
It was the day of the Tournament's third task. When Potter and Cedric vanished on touching the Cup, Severus and Morgaine ran with the others inside the maze. And half an hour later, Snape's face turned white by pain and terror as his mark turned completely dark.
"Voldemort is back", he whispered to Dumbledore. And a while later, when Harry returned, he confirmed Snape's statement.
The rest of the day went on in haste. Cedric was dead and Mad Eye Moody was identified as Barty Croutch, who in turn was kissed by a Dementor, loosing his mind. Fudge refused to acknowledge the danger or even the possibility of Voldemort's return. So, Dumbledore had to take the matter in his own hands. With Pomfrey and McGonagall sent to their tasks, he closed the door behind him and spoke to the dog sitting next to Harry's sickbed. And the dog transfigured to Sirius Black.
Molly Weasley shrieked. And Snape looked at him with open hostility. Unmoved, Black bowed slightly his head toward Morgaine, smiling.
"Ms.Greenleaf, a pleasure to see you again. Although I regret to see you fully clothed this time", he added with a naughty smile. And Snape's eyes flashed with renewed hatred.
Dumbledore intervened to ease off the tension.
"You two will learn to exist together. As I've trusted you, Severus, so I trust Black. I'll be content with a period of non-open hostility for now. Shake hands, the two of you. We have no time for fighting among us right now."
They shook hands over Harry's bed, but a moment before breaking off, Snape grasped Black's hand tighter, pulled him closer and hissed at him in a low voice.
"Raise your eyes again at her, Black, and next time I meet Snuffles, he'll get neutered". And he let go off his hand, leaving him stunned by this new revelation.
After Sirius was gone, Dumbledore turned to Snape.
"You know what I must ask of you, Severus. I've you're ready... If you are prepared...," he said, his eyes staring sideways to Morgaine.
"I am", he repliand and turned to leave. Morgaine ran behind him.
As he opened the door, she reached out to touch him.
"Severus, I -" she started, but stopped in seeing his face. Paler than usual, his eyes flashed with anger.
"Fully clothed this time? You have 'forgotten' to tell me something about Black and yourself? Are four legs better than two, little bitch?" he spat at her, trying to keep his voice down, but in vain.
Morgaine's pointed ears turned red, as her eyes filled with rage.
"Don't bother going back to Voldemort", she hissed. "I can save him the trouble and kill you right here".
In the back, Dumbledore sat on Harry's bed, feeling really tired as he watched Snape leaving, slamming the door behind him.
We don't need the Dark Lord, after all. We are more than capable of killing ourselves without his assistance.
~*~
Snape did not return the next day. Or the following. And Morgaine was beside herself in agony. Every night she would enter the Dark Forest and sit at the appointed place or apparation, waiting for his return. She would indulge in the silence of the woods and submit to the dominance of darkness, reliving every moment of their affair. She relived the lust and the affection, the fragile trust and the bitterness. She recalled everything up to their angry parting and cursed herself for acting in the same stubborn way.
At the third night, she sat there waiting, feeling she was sitting on a wake. He should have returned by now... She should have gone with him... All the ifs that haunted her resurfaced again. Unconsciously, she started rubbing her belly, as if she wanted to comfort the child inside her. And then she felt it. A kick.
Startled, she stopped the rubbing. This could not be happening! Elfish children don't manifest their presence until the end of the fourth month. She wasn't even in her third month, unless... Then it came to her. Unless the potion had an unexpected effect on the life in her womb. Now Severus would be really furious. If he ever returns, she reminded herself, and the pain took hold of her once more.
She saw a dark figure approaching and her heart jumped. It was not Snape, but Dumbledore and he was looking at her with sad eyes.
He sat beside her on the fallen trunk and she rested her head on her shoulder. Before she could restrain herself, she started crying in his arms like she had never done since she was a child.
"Uncle Albus, he's gone... He's gone, and I've never told him, I never..." Her words were shuttered by her sobs, as he gently stroke her hair.
Her grief subsided after a while and they both sat in the silence of the woods. Sometime later they jumped up from a sudden noise. A man apparated before them and collapsed on the ground. Morgaine ran to him and turned him over. He was hurt, he was bleeding, he was broken. But he was alive. He raised his hand to her face, leaving a crimson fingerprint on her cheek. He opened his eyes and smiled weakly at her.
And then he passed out.