A Matter of Circumstance

Chapter 4 ~ How Severus Was Targeted By the Gods in the First Place (Short Chapter)

One day Ares, the god of War was visited Eris and discovered Severus Snape's existence. His sister was watching him being tortured in her magic mirror and her brother sat down beside her quite interested. He was into bloodshed after all.

”Now that’s a man,” the burly god commented, stroking his thick red beard.

“He’s something else all right,” Eris said with a bit of admiration as the bullwhip sliced open the wizard’s back, “I’ve sent plenty of strife and discord his way and he’s always managed to deal with it without a single complaint. He’s very centered.”

Ares studied Severus as the lash bit him again and again. He pointed a thick finger at him.

”He doesn’t even cry out,” the god said, “He has to be in agony. A strong mortal indeed. I must know more about him.”

Using Eris’ mirror, Ares rewound it back a quarter of a century then observed the highlights of his life, Eris narrating and filling in the necessary information. Ares was delighted he wasn’t a follower and was a spy against a despot. Ares loved war but not senseless killing.

“I’m putting that mortal under my protection,” he said, which caused a big blow-up with Eris, who liked throwing things at the dark wizard. Finally Ares withdrew…leaving Severus as is. Yet he still liked to watch him.

Now the god of war sat in his weapon-covered room in Mount Olympus watching the demise of Voldemort through his own mirror with a heavy heart. The Potions Master’s time of war seemed over. Aphrodite wandered in and looked at the mirror.

”Who is that?” she asked Ares as she looked at the tall, pale wizard casting hexes at robed, masked figures.

“That is probably the bravest wizard on earth. His name is Severus Snape. He’s been serving as a spy for the Greater Good and duping the evil Dark Lord for years. Now the Dark Lord is dead and his war is over,” Ares said despairingly, wiping away a tear.

Aphrodite sat down interested as time moved forward and everyone was celebrating and embracing. She noticed no one embraced Severus, who simply stood in the middle of the throng of revelers, looking rather bored.

”Doesn’t he have a woman?” she asked Ares who looked at her as if she were insane.

“Of course not. True warriors never have “women” unless it’s for a quick fuck. Women drain a man’s strength of purpose, particularly if they fall in love. Luckily, Severus doesn’t believe in or need love,” Ares said.

Aphrodite swelled visibly.

”What do you mean he doesn’t need me…er…love?” she demanded, “Everyone needs love.”

”Not him. He doesn’t need it or want it,” Ares said proudly, “So your wiles would be wasted on him.”

”My…my wiles?” Aphrodite snorted.

Ares could hear little peals of thunder in the distance…not a good sign.

“He does want it…he just doesn’t know he does,” she stated flatly.

Ares laughed, his round, muscular belly shaking with mirth beneath his chain mail.

“Why do women always say that? We men only want pussy. We pretend to fall in love to get it regularly,” he said.

“You just say that because you’ve never been in love,” Aphrodite said, scowling. The thunder peals were growing louder.

“I’ve been in lust, and that’s always worked for me,” Ares replied smugly, “And it works for Severus Snape as well, when he bothers. And he’s smart. He pays for his sexual forays. No strings that way.”

“That’s…that’s just awful. He needs to know what a joy a meaningful relationship is,” Aphrodite declared, standing up in righteous indignation.

Now it was Ares turn to scowl up at the beautiful goddess.

”What he needs to be is left alone,” he growled at her, standing up himself and making as if to draw his sword. Ares was huge and towered over her.

Aphrodite scowled up at him. Thunder crashed all around them, Ares’ gaze like steel as he tried to cow the goddess.

“Hiyaaaaaaah!” Aphrodite suddenly screamed, kicking him squarely in the balls.

The god grunted and went down, clutching his unprotected nads and groaning as Aphrodite demurely fixed her toga and smoothed her hair. She watched as he rolled around for a minute or two then drew in a deep breath.

”A warrior would never strike there,” he groaned up at her, his eyes watering.

”Too bad I’m not a warrior. That’ll teach you to menace me, you big bully,” she said to him, turning, “I’m going now. I’ve got a wizard to tame.”

”You leave him alone, Aphrodite!” Ares called after her, attempting to sit up.

”Oh, go run a sword through yourself, Ares!” she snapped back as she sashayed out of the door.

The god finally managed to sit up, gingerly rubbing his injured balls and glowering after Aphrodite. There really wasn’t anything he could do. Even if he got Zeus to side with him on this, Aphrodite would just charm the King of the Gods around to her way of thinking. Zeus couldn’t get it up anymore but he still appreciated a beautiful woman or goddess. Most likely Aphrodite would give him a striptease or something to gain his favor.

”Women,” the god hissed, getting to his feet shakily, “Goddess or mortal, they are the bane of every man in existence.”

*******************************************

Aphrodite was the Goddess of Love, but her powers extended to love between men and women. Her son Eros was considered the “Patron of Male Love” his focus being on love, lust and intercourse, the last two being foremost, being that he himself was male and favored uncomplicated dealings with the fairer sex. That he mostly fucked nymphs was proof of this, since nymphs were all airheads and didn’t think before they acted, or afterwards. Mortal women and goddesses wanted more out of a god. Eros kept it simple for the most part…though there was one goddess in particular that made his arrows quiver and she was just as callous as he was.

Since Severus had no woman to speak of, Aphrodite had to go to Eros and get him to soften Severus up. Once the wizard was involved with a woman, Aphrodite could take over. However, things had taken a disastrous turn, the wizard becoming involved with Hermione, who was already loved by someone else.

Hermione had to be free and clear for Aphrodite to do anything for her and Severus. However, Eros sincerely doubted his mother would be able to reach the wizard’s heart…simply because he didn’t seem to have one. The thing that throbbed and drove the wizard to action was connected to his loins, not buried in his chest.

Well, getting Severus to love Hermione was his mother’s problem. Eros had got him fucking her, and as far as he was concerned, he’d done the best he could. Still, he had to stop the marriage to Ronald Weasley and he needed some expert help.

According to a very disgruntled Hermes, it would arrive soon in the form of the trouble-making Eris.

Eros cranked up his love-juice.

He hoped the goddess was wearing leather.

*********************************************
A/N: A reader mentioned wanting to know why the gods were meddling in Severus’ affairs, so I thought I’d add this little chapter to clarify it, since Sahara’s story is coming in sentences rather than a flow today. Sigh. But anyway, I hope you enjoyed this short chappie. Thanks for reading.