𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐖𝐈𝐒𝐃𝐎𝐌

Chapter 20

Severus knew the Killing Curse. He knew it very well. The swirl of green light that drained a body of life. It was painful. Every bit of life was shattered the instant that the curse touched the skin. It was a chemical reaction, he thought. That’s all. Just a chemical reaction of the hatred in the spell with a person’s force of life.

The green light swirled and two of his comrades were dead. That was it. Their lifeless bodies lay at his feet a few yards away. He wouldn’t allow himself to feel sorry for them. He couldn’t. It was the way of the life he was doomed to live. The three muggles had suffered much worse than these two men. The muggles’ crimes were only that they had once been born. The two Death Eaters’ crimes were much, much worse in Voldemort’s eyes yet he had spared them the suffering of torture. Treachery and deception were the most hated of acts in the Dark Lord’s eyes.

Then how much longer, Severus thought. How much longer will I live? I am the worst among these for that crime. His face was set as stone. He showed no emotion at the deaths or the suffering he’d witnessed. He couldn’t. Weakness of emotion was not an option.

Severus followed the other Death Eaters from the Dungeon of their meeting place. The night was over. Already some of the Dark Lord’s followers had apparated away. They were probably at their homes taking up their little pathetic lives with their wives and children as if nothing had ever happened. Their causality at seeing torture and death nauseated him. In some strange fashion he revered the fact that he could still be bothered by seeing torture anymore. He was almost glad that he had that one tiny shard of conscious left.

Severus spoke with the other members of the inner circle. He noted Lucius a bit away from the others speaking with Nott. Severus made his way in that direction as Nott moved away.

“Lucius, my brother in His service,” Severus greeted him in the traditional way expected at any formal meeting.

“Severus, my brother in His service,” Lucius returned the appropriate response.

“I wish to speak with you privately,” Severus said in the icy coldness that was laced in his veins. Lucius narrowed his eyes to survey his intention, and scanned the area to make sure no one was interested. He motioned with his nod the chosen direction, and followed Severus over behind a stone wall.

“What is it you wish to speak to me about?” Lucius asked hurriedly.

“Your son. There are several other things that he has not finished that require his attention. He has been working very hard on some studies over the summer that he needs to complete before term begins. I will not have the time to work with him privately when school starts. Draco is a very gifted student, far better than anyone else in the school at potions. He is my prize pupil,” Severus stated flatly. It was true, after all.

“And when do you wish that he be allowed?” Lucius asked.

“His training could be completed in three days time. Perhaps if I were to retrieve him three days before the beginning of the term, we would be able to complete his study. I would come and collect him myself,” Severus added.

“Yes, I’m sure you would,” Lucius walked along the wall in the shadows. Draco was a gifted student, no denying that. He was even the best student at potions at Hogwarts, no denying that either. Lucius had no use for the boy at this time. Draco had kept himself holed up in his room the whole time he’d been at Malfoy Mansion anyway.

“Very well. Three days before term begins. You may retrieve him at the Manor on that day, at ten in the morning. Do not be late.” They nodded on the agreement. Lucius apparated. Severus did the same.

With a tiny pop, Severus appeared in the sitting room of Dumbledore’s mansion. Severus looked around to see Dumbledore was there. Severus was surprised to see him, but not that surprised. It was late and the old man looked very tired. Severus had been gone for four hours. It was past eleven.