Daddy Dearest - (No Update, Edit)

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 50 ~ The Temptation of the Dark Soul

Mathias began to jog, running toward the mountains at a good clip. Above him, the black cloud seemed to drop lower, filling the sky behind him. There was no sun here, but the reddish glow was constant. After about twenty minutes, Mathias reached the base of the first mountain. It seemed to jut out of the ground as if something had pushed it through the plain.

Mathias looked up the side of the mountain. It was made of black, jagged stone. He didn't think anything lived there, so began to walk around the base. After about half an hour he came to an opening between the mountain he was traversing and a neighboring mountain. He walked through the gap, coming out on the other side. He stopped.

The plain continued, bordered by mountains on three sides, forming a kind of cul-de-sac. Standing in this cul-de-sac were at least two hundred black men and young boys, frozen and staring up at the sky. All of them were naked, their eyes open. They looked like statues, but Mathias could tell they were alive because they were breathing. There was no sound except for the occasional rumble of thunder.

The wizard walked through the still forms, looking up at each as he did so. He stopped in front of one young black man who had a pleasant face.

"Hello?" he said to him.

There was no response. Tentatively, Mathias reached out to touch the man's arm, hoping to rouse him. His hand passed right through his flesh. Mathias stared at him. He looked so solid.

He is on his journey.

Mathias spun as a deep, yet silken voice spoke to him.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" Mathias said, looking about.

A low chuckle sounded.

Show myself? I am everywhere. Look above you.

Mathias looked up. All he could see was the red sky and dark cloud covering the entire plain.

"I don't see anyone," Mathias said.

That is because I am not anyone. I am everything, Mathias Snape.

Mathias frowned.

"How do you know my name?" he called out, still looking up intently.

Suddenly two small openings formed in the black cloud above him, a single circular patch of cloud in the center of each one. The openings looked very much like eyes. Then the central clouds shifted and looked directly at him. They were eyes.

I know everything. I am the Dark Soul of the World. You are not a usual journeyer. Your skin is white and you are covered in the stench of Mbutu.

The stench of Mbutu? Suddenly Mathias realized that Andreas was not very popular with the Dark Soul of the World.

No. He is not popular. He uses my gifts but stands outside my influence. I long to take him.

"I want to know how connected I am to you," Mathias said. His belly was tight with fear as he stared up at the cloud.

Ah. You are black-eyed. Andreas seeks a brother. No, he seeks something more...something greater. There is great purpose here.

"He says I am connected to you, and have power. I want to use that power," Mathias said.

Power. Something all flesh craves. Well, I can grant you power if you are worthy, Mathias Snape.

Mathias suddenly noticed he was alone on the plain. The frozen men were gone.

"Where did everyone go?" he asked the Dark Soul.

You are on your own journey now, frozen in their midst. Each of them is being tested as you will be. There is no need to see them.

Mathias absorbed this. The voice continued.

You want power? Stretch your hand toward the far mountain and lift it slowly.

Mathias did so. As he raised his hand, a terrible rumble sounded, filling the plain. The mountain before him quivered and shook, then was wrenched from the ground, floating several feet above it. Mathias moved his hand sideways and the mountain floated in the direction his hand moved.

"Wow!" he exclaimed, shaking the mountain up and down. No single wizard could move an entire mountain. The Dark Soul chuckled.

You like this power? I can let you take it back with you. You will be the most powerful wizard on earth. You will be able to level entire cities without wands or incantations. You could rule, Mathias Snape. I only need you to do one thing to prove your worth…

Mathias carefully set the mountain back down. It landed with a great crash.

"What do I have to do?" Mathias asked him.

Thrust your palm out vertically toward that same mountain.

Mathias did so, and there was a great explosion as a portion of the mountain was blown apart.

You can have the power I showed you and this destructive power as well, if you will do a simple thing.

Suddenly Hermione materialized about fifty feet away from him. She was dressed in her Ministry robes and smiling.

"Mum?" Mathias said, looking at the witch.

No. It is only a representation of your mother. Use your power to destroy her, and I will give you both abilities.

"No!" Mathias said. He wasn't sure if this was his mum or not, but he wasn't about to destroy her. Not for anything.

Then how about this one? He abandoned you. You must have some anger.

Hermione disappeared, and a scowling, black-robed Severus took her place. He stared at Mathias.

Destroy him and all will be yours.

"No! He's my father. I won't destroy him," Mathias said.

It is only a representation, Mathias Snape. No true harm will come to him.

"No. I still won't do it," Mathias said.

The boy had a feeling that if he did as the Dark Soul requested, there would be some negative effect. There had to be.

All right. How about someone not a member of your family?

Severus disappeared, and in his place, Andreas appeared. He looked very solemn.

"No. Not Andreas either. He's my friend. My only friend besides Jasmine," Mathias said, staring at the black wizard.

What is friendship to power? Who needs friends when the whole world would be willing to serve you?

"I think I would rather have a friend," Mathias replied.

A great peal of thunder sounded at this comment, and the red eyes narrowed for a moment.

Very well…if not a friend…what about an enemy?

Suddenly Andreas disappeared…and in his place stood James Potter, smirking at Mathias nastily. Mathias felt his stomach clench in anger at the sight of the smug Gryffindor. He'd like to blast James even without the promise of power. Mathias felt a pulse of pleasure from the cloud above him. It seemed to go right through him.

Hatred. What a wonderful, strengthening emotion. Now him, you could destroy. No true harm would be done. Do it, Mathias Snape. Do it and receive my gifts.

In the Room of Requirement, Andreas was watching the unconscious wizard intently. He saw a shadow pass over him.

"No, Mathias. Whatever he is tempting you with, resist!" Andreas said, his eyes worried.

Mathias wavered. It would be so easy to blast James to bits. But then he thought about Harry and how much he loved his son. Even though this wasn't the real James, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Not knowing the anguish it would cause Harry to lose him.

He is not real. Destroy him!

"No. I can't…I won't," Mathias said firmly, "I can't stand James, but I wouldn't destroy him."

Suddenly a blast of lightning blasted a crater in the ground right next to Mathias, who jumped away, staring up at the cloud.

You are weak, Mathias Granger. You have no ambition. I offer you great power, and all you have to do is destroy a mere shell and you refuse me.

Mathias simply shrugged.

"It just doesn't seem right," he said, peering up at the cloud.

Right and wrong is a mere matter of perception. With such power you would be like a god and able to decide right and wrong for everyone.

"I don't want that. That's too much power. People need to live their own lives," Mathias replied.

There was another great rumble of angry thunder and the eyes snapped shut.

Suddenly, there was great screeching, and Mathias saw several forms running towards him. At first they looked human, but as they drew closer, the young wizard saw they weren't. They were subhuman. One had two faces, both tusked and screaming and was covered in scales. Another had a demonic face and its chest was without flesh, the bloody ribcage showing through. The next was a female, leathery, wrinkled breasts bouning, as it ran toward him on what appeared to be chicken legs. She had a beak where her mouth should be and her head was covered in black and white feathers. And the last creature looked like a dragon in human form, smoke streaming from its scaly nostril, its lower jaw elongated into a muzzle.

They surrounded Mathias, raking at him with long clawed hands, truly horrible.

"Get away from me!" Mathias cried, drawing his arms around himself protectively as they circled him.

"You are unworthy. Death to the unworthy!" the creatures screeched, closing on him.

Mathias thought about what he had learned about the Iboga root.

"You can't kill me! There is no lethal dose of the Iboga root!" he shouted at them.

The creatures faded, but not before the chicken woman raked Mathias on his arm. Blood poured from the wound and it hurt like hell. Maybe he couldn't die here but he could feel. Right now he was feeling pain. He applied pressure to the wound. Above him the red eyes opened again.

You are a man of logic, Mathias Snape. Your logic can withstand your fear. It is admirable. Because of this, I have another gift for you…one that will bring you great knowledge and great pleasure. All you must do is accept it and indulge yourself.

Suddenly, Jasmine Malfoy appeared before him, smiling.

You know this witch?

"Yes, that's Jasmine Malfoy. She's kind of a friend of mine," Mathias replied, looking at the witch. She was dressed in her house robes, her white blonde hair loose around her shoulders. The Dark Soul chuckled.

Kind of a friend? She is more than that Mathias Granger. She is destined to be the first woman you gain carnal knowledge with.

"Carnal knowledge?" Mathias repeated, looking at Jasmine, whose smile became knowing.

Sex. She will be the first witch you stick your penis in.

Obviously the Dark Soul had reached into Mathias' mind and found a term he would definitely understand.

Mathias' face screwed up.

"I don't want to do that with Jasmine," he declared as the Dark Soul chuckled again.

You don't?

Suddenly, Jasmine aged significantly. She became tall, leggy, gorgeous and naked. She still wore that knowing smile, but her ice-blue eyes looked different. Hungry. Mathias' eyes bulged out of his head.

"That's how Jasmine's going to look when she gets older?" he gasped. He was just a boy, but he knew a beautiful witch when he saw one.

Yes.

The Dark Soul chuckled again.

Mathias began to feel strange. His perspective shifted several feet higher. He looked down at himself and gasped. He was tall, lean and muscular. He had a ribbed abdomen and…and was that…pubic hair? He looked himself over. He had the body of an eighteen year old. He was a man. A full-grown man. And his arm was healed.

A large four-poster bed appeared behind Jasmine. As Mathias looked up at her, he felt a strange stirring throughout his body. It was as if he were hungry, but not for food. His black eyes swept over the witch's curves, then he felt dizzy as if his blood was pounding in his veins. He felt himself swelling and looked down to see his penis stretching out. It was enormous. Huge. He looked back at Jasmine who was backing toward the bed. He felt a strong desire to follow her, to touch her. It was as if the witch were magnetized and he was being drawn towards her.

You can have her now. You feel what men feel toward women. It is strong. You can know what it is like now. You don't have to wait, Mathias Granger…you can go to her. My gift to you. Carnal knowledge.

Jasmine lay down in the bed and spread her legs. Mathias peered at her trying to see what was between them and felt a powerful, aching throb. What would it be like to be inside her? He wanted to know badly. Every part of his body was tugging toward the witch.

"Come here, Mathias," Jasmine purred, running her hands along the silk sheets.

As if hypnotized, Mathias took a step toward the witch. His body felt tight as a spring and he was finding it hard to resist the lovely, naked woman crooking her finger at him invitingly.

Go to her and learn a great secret, Mathias. Such pleasure awaits you. It is my gift. She is beautiful, is she not?

"Yessssss," Mathias hissed, realizing he sounded very much like his father. He took another step toward the waiting witch. He was about fifty feet away from her. He was aching to let his hands touch her skin…aching to do more than touch it.

"I'm only eleven. I don't want to do this," he thought desperately as he took another step toward the bed. "I'm too young to do this. That's not Jasmine."

Go on. You will never have another opportunity to learn this so soon. Take her, Mathias Granger. Learn what secret pleasures there are between men and women.

Mathias was facing the test that almost took Andreas out. He had been shown the witch he would take for the first time and was actually climbing into the bed when he managed to reassert himself and not take what was offered. It was very difficult. He felt everything a grown man would feel toward a woman, when inwardly he was just a child. The Dark Soul believed he wouldn't have the ability to resist his urges. Children rarely did. But Andreas did resist. Now Mathias faced the same temptation, with the same powerful, physical urges.

Mathias took another two steps toward the witch, who began to call him passionately. The sound of her voice seemed to hook into his loins. The wizard hissed and began to walk faster.

In the Room of Requirement, Andreas watched as Mathias got an erection. It was quite large…much larger than it should be for an eleven-year-old. Andreas shook his head.

"Resist, Mathias," he breathed, "Whoever she is, if you shag her, you'll belong to the Dark Soul! Step back! Refuse her!"

Suddenly a large cloth and a bowl of never-melting ice appeared next to Andreas. He looked at it, then at Mathias.

"The room seems to think you need assistance," Andreas said, picking up several cubes of ice and putting them inside the cloth, wrapping it around them and gripping the excess fabric in his fist. "So do I."

He looked at the wizard's tented boxers, then wincing, brought the icy cloth down and rested it on the bulge.

"Sorry Mathias, but it's for your own good," Andreas said, shuddering a little.

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A/N: Woo. Going waaaaay out there on this one. The Dark Soul has some temptations, doesn't it? Poor Mathias. Poor Andreas, having to 'cool him off' lol. Anyway, Please review.