The Hepatic Hex

Chapter 3

Snape apparated in the same clng tng that the Dark Lord had summoned his Death Eaters to for the past month. Around him he could hear the unmistakable ‘pop’ of apparition as more and more of his ‘brothers and sisters’ appeared for the nights gathering. Not stopping to muse whether or not tonight would be the night that his espionage would be uncovered, Snape headed for his place in the inner circle, directly in front of the platform that Voldemort would ar oar on.

Although he was sure that the Dark Lord suspected him as a traitor, he still held his place amongst the small group of Death Eaters who answered only to Voldemort and were untouchable by those in the outer circles. It had taken many years to reach this standing and it provided him with the luxury of not having to partake in the Dark Revels in which Muggles and Mudbloods were abused for entertainment.

He stood a little off from center with Malfoy and Avery flanking his left and right sides respectively. He nodded his greeting to them before he fell to his knees in anticipation of the Dark Lords arrival. No sooner was he on the ground than did the bolt of light signaling Voldemort’s presence flash across the clearing.

“Rise my loyal Death Eaters.” hissed Voldemort. “Tonight I have a surprise for you all”

\'Fuck\' cursed Snape inwardly. Voldemort’s ideas of surprises were never exactly cuddly, happy moments. \'He knows’ Snape continued to himself. He knew that the other Death Eaters would consider the ratioation of his double agent activities a happy surprise because they would get the chance to hex and kick the living shit out of him until someone decided to put him out of his misery. They wouldn’t be as accommodating and merciful as using a quick ‘Avada Kedavra’ killing curse on him either. No, he had seen the demise of others before and knew that he would be guttered like a fish for his betrayal.

“But first we need to take care of business” Voldemort continued.

,i>‘Oh Merlin help me! Here we go then’ sighed Snape inwardly.

“Severus” hissed the reptilian creature

“Yes my Lord” said Snape approaching Voldemort.

“Tell me, what news of Hogwarts?”

“I’m afraid, My Lord, that other than my knowledge of the upcoming Yule Ball, I have no information for you” Snape started, “the old fool still does not trust me My Lord.”

“Severus…” Voldemort began

‘Nah Sev, this is sooo not good\' Snape cringed.

“I have held you close to my side for 23 years now,” the Dark Lord continued, “in the hope that your position within Hogwarts would provide me with the means to defeat our enemies, but the information you have provided to me has been worthless at best.”

‘Now Sev. You can kiss your arse goodbye now.’ Snape\'s sympathetic response system kicked in then. He was sweating, his heart was racing and any previous desire he had to wet his pants was now long gone. Despite the feelings of adrenalin coursing through his body, Snape willed himself to appear outwardly calm.

“I have long questioned your loyalty to me Severus and certain events tonight have made it unnecessary for me to put up with your incompetence any longer” Voldemort finished angrily.

\'Here it comes Sev ol’ boy’

“Good-bye Severus… Crucio!”

Snape fell to the ground buckling under the curse. He had suffered through the torture of this curse many times in the past, but no one was ever able to build up immunity to the pain that it caused. As his body convulsed, the blood in his body started to expand. It felt like hot lava and millions of shards of glass running through every blood vessel in his body. His bones started creaking, he could hear it inside his head. Although it felt like every bone in his body was breaking, he knew from previous experience that only his ribs and occasionally legs and arms ever actually did so. It was of little consequence anyway, he would be dead soon, and there was no one, except for perhaps Dumbledore that would grieve over his death. As his body continued to writhe automatically in pain he could hear the approving snorts of his ‘fellow’ Death Eaters around him. He tried to turn his mind to a pleasant thought to block out their amused tones.

“Hermione” he ground out in a rough voice as the pain thrust though him. He was close to death now, he could feel it, but before he could lose himself a strong female voice called out and interrupted not only his thoughts, but also his pain.

“ENOUGH”.

The voice cut through to the very core of his body. Cautiously Snape slightly pried open one eye and caught momentary glimpse of a woman walking over to the Dark Lord.

“My Death Eaters,” Voldemort started “I have gre great pleasure in introducing my surprise to you, although I must say, my dear” he said as he turned to face the woman “ I would have much preferred it if you hadn’t interrupted my little bit of fun.” Turning back towards Snape, who was still on the ground, Voldemort launched a heavy boot at his groin making him scream in further pain.

“My children,” he continued ignoring Snape’s whimpering and gasping for breath, “I would like to introduce to you Lady Suzie Owen, my bride and your Queen of the Dark.”

Immediately gasps of disbelief and murmurs echoed through the gathering. Had he not been so physically rooted Snape would have reacted in a similar fashion. As it was, he could only try to process the information mentally.

“Now my dear, if you don’t mind I have business to take care of here before I deal with you.” Voldemort stated as he moved back towards Snape’s limp body. Snape was about to pray to whatever Gods were listening to make his end quick, but before he could do so the woman, Owen, started again.

“I think not Tom.” She stated with, what was that Snape detected? Smugness in her voice?

Once again gasps of disbelief flooded his senses. This new woman was quickly becoming Snape\'s new best friend.

“You dare to dispute my intentions woman?” Voldemort was really peeved now.

“Yes, my dear”, she said simply ”the only person who will die here tonight is you my Lord….Expelliarmus!..Crucio!”

‘What the…?’ Snape thought. ‘This woman has to be lost of a few faculties if she thinks that is going to effect the Dark Lord.’

That was Snape’s thought until he saw Voldemort’s wand landing in Owen’s hand, which she promptly snapped in two and tossed aside, and his body collapsing on the ground next to his.\'Hang about, Sev’, continued Snape ‘that witch does not only NOT have a wand in her hand but she is standing with her hands crossed over her chest and a smile on her face.’

Snape told himself that if he actually got out of this tonight, he would NOT fuck with this woman.

As Voldemort’s body thrashed about on the ground he heard the sounds of Death Eaters approaching the woman. With a wave of her hand they were sent flying backwards crashing hard on the edge of the clearing. It was a gesture that insured her no further disruption.

After what seemed like hours but was actually only a few minutes of attention to the Dark Lord, the Owen woman stated, “I grow tired of this… Avada Kedavra!”

The Dark Lord Voldemort, born as Tom Riddle bucked once more and then lay still. With a murmured incantation from the witch, ‘a long one’ Snape thought, shrieking sounds started being emitted from of Riddle’s body. Snape had no idea what it was but had no need to ask for clarification as the woman started to exp.
.

“What is happening to your former Dark Lord at the moment is similar to what happens through the Dementors kiss. His soul is being ripped from his body, but instead of it being ingested or held it is being obliviated, atom by atom, into the cosmos. It is ancient cosmic magic which I am positive none of you idiots no anything about”

As soon as she stopped speaking the high pitched squealing ceased and she turned to her audience and in her matter- of- fact voice said “Tom Riddle is dead, body, mind and soul. He cannot return again, he has been completely destroyed.”

The Death Eaters looked around at each other, seemingly at a loss. Owen noticed and continued on. “If you think you are free now, I suggest you hastily rid yourself of such fantasies. From now on you follow me.en pen paused “Any objections?”

It was apparent that there was not at the sound of 150 Death Eaters falling to their knees in acknowledgement of her position.

“Good” she said causally “Now, I wiot bot bother you with the specifics of who I am and why I have been in exile for the past 50 years but, I will tell you that tonight my followers, we are going to make ground on Voldemorts stalled agenda. I am going to bring you with me from here to St Mungo’s Hospital where I am going drop all the wards there and you my children will kill every last Medi-witch and wizard in the place. You may do with the patients as it pleases you, but by dawn I want every medical mage in Britain dead by morning. You will not question my motives and once you are done you will return home and go about your normal business until I have the need to call upon you again. Does anyone of you not understand me?”

Silence.

“Excellent. Maybe you are all brighter than I first thought. Now before we leave I am going to \'bless\' you all with a curse that will help me in my endeavor to keep you loyal. Each individual here will have the opportunity to prove their loyalty to me and they will receive that antidote that will stop my \'blessing\' from killing them. It is a highly infectious curse that I will only give the remedy for after I am assured of your devotion. Until that time everyone you come into contact with you will infect, and tame ame goes for them. I suspect that within a month, without the cure the entire magical community of this country will be suffering from the effects. So you have been warned. At the end of the month I will call you and start issuing you with tests of your loyalty. Now, to the curse…\"

Snape listened to Owen start chanting in a soothing voice, so calm and peaceful that the Latin that was falling from her lips seemed to encompass him like a mournful song. It was an old, medieval dialect that seemed to heighten his already acute senses. It made him feel warm and safe and he quickly found himself to be hypnotized and reenergized. That was until a sharp hissing broke through the beautiful tranquility he was lost in and pain coursed through his already broken body.

‘Parseltongue? Great! Where is that Potter when he is actually needed’ Snape thought harshly while writhing on the ground again in agony.

The woman eventually reverted back to Latin but the cycle of peace and pain continued until the blessing was complete. Snape had listened through all of this with great interest and although he understood very little of the curse he felt oddly protected. Another thought to go through his mind was that Owen had not paid any attention to him. Was it possible that she would let him live?

“Now my minions we shall leave for St Mungo’s. Oh and Snape,” she paused and paid him her first attention, “you may return to Hogwarts and tell Dumbledore that Suzie Owen sends her regards”

“Yes, my Mistress” Snape managed to choke out. Gathering all the strength he could, he prayed it would be enough to avoid splinching himself. Not waiting for a further invitation, Snape disapparated to Hogwarts.

…Meanwhile, in a darkened room at Hogwarts, a boy wakes up from his sleep screaming and clutching his head.

”Harry! What is it Harry?”

“Ron,” he said simply “I think Voldemort is dead.”