madness within - a Snupin fanfiction

chapt one

Severus opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling, his head was pounding and the room was swirling. He knew he was in the Malfoy dungeons; he had been down here too many times to give prisoners food to not automatically recognize it by the smell – blood, mold, and an odd scent he could never identify that differed Malfoy dungeons from other dungeons. He tried to rise up into a sitting position but quickly dropped back onto the dirty pallet he was resting on as he was far too dizzy to sit up. He took a few deep breaths and winced, going through what was wrong in his head: Possibly a few broken ribs, more than likely a concussion, his right forearm ached but not in so much pain that it was broken so possibly just bruised, he glanced over at his left arm and made a disgusted expression at what was carved in it: Traitor – it's what he was, he figured, either way you looked at it, he had been a traitor to both sides of the war, whatever was waiting for him he deserved it, he knew they wouldn't just Avada Kadavra him and get it over with, he'd be tortured until his body gave out and he died on his own.

He scolded himself as he closed his eyes, a moment of letting his guard down, his shields had momentarily for a split second dropped and Voldemort saw right through him, he hadn't even known what was going on until he glanced up and saw Voldemort's eyes flaring red of anger. Before he could open his mouth Voldemort had disarmed him and he was hit with hexes and curses from everyone in the inner circle – even his best friend Lucius, whom he had thought he had on his side, or at least almost. He felt his chest tighten, he wasn't sure if that was from being scared, he hadn't been scared since he was sixteen and came face to face with a snarling growling werewolf. After that, he was never scared, his father had even left him alone after seeing what an idiot he was for not even being able to get himself killed right.

His eyes shot open when he heard footsteps nearing, as well as whoever was walking was dragging something. He couldn't help but gulp and quickly shut his eyes, slowly his breathing down to feign sleeping in hopes that whoever it was wouldn't mess with him unless he was awake. He knew the Malfoy dungeons weren't used often, normally only one person was down here at a time or in the same cell. He heard the cell bar-door open and they tossed something inside, he refused to open his eyes until he heard the door closed and the footsteps walking away. He kept still until the footsteps had completely silent, cricking his eyes open and gazing across the cell at obviously a person lying on his side away from Severus. From where he was he could tell it was a man, and the man was rather tall, covered in what seemed like dirt, from where Severus was he couldn't tell if the man was hurt or even alive until the man stretched his legs and let out a groan deep in his throat.

Severus' eyes widened as the man sat up and brushed his tawny hair out of his eyes and slicking it back – Remus Lupin. Severus' breathing hitched as he remembered what day it was - August 18th – the night of the Full Moon, and he hadn't been there to complete the Wolfsbane potion – he planned to complete it after the Death Eater meeting. He let out a shaky breath, which caught Remus' attention has turned his head to stare at Severus with his almost rust colored eyes – distorted from his normal brown thanks to the werewolf on the edge of coming loose in what Severus figured was shorter than hour or two.

"Severus…" Remus said in a surprised tone. "We all thought… we thought you were dead."

Severus wasn't aware his hands were trembling until Remus' lips stopped moving and staring as if waiting for an answer to a question Severus didn't hear. "H—how much time?" He stammered, trying to keep his breathing under control.

Remus gaped, turning to stare at the ground. "An hour, maybe less… they planned this, Death Eaters attacked a muggle town and we responded, the moment we all apparated in, they jumped only me and quickly knocked me out." He explained, glancing over at Severus who was staring at the ground, hyperventilating. "Severus, don't be scare—"

Severus' eyes darkened as he glared up at Remus. "Don't be scared? I—I'm going to be killed in an hour, shredded into pieces by a /monster/!" Severus shouted. "Do not tell me to not be scared!" He screamed, scooting back into a corner and pulling his legs to his chest to hide his face in his knees.

Silence fell between the two in the cell, the only noise was Severus' heavy breathing as he tried to contain his sobs that threatened to escape his lips. His body stiffened when he felt an arm drape over his shoulders. He glanced over at Remus who was smiling warmly at him. 'When did he walk over here?' Severus thought to himself as he was pulled to rest his head on Remus' shoulder, the other arm wrapping around him to pull him into a comforting embrace. To say Severus was shocked would be an understatement, he had never been held in such a way, or he had but he was very small and it was when his Mother had held him after a nightmare years before Hogwarts. Normally Severus would shrug away and tell Remus to go die in a hole, but this was his last hour on earth. He closed his eyes and relaxed in his arms, trying to calm himself.

Remus glanced down at Severus and frowned. "I know a way to save you."

Severus opened his eyes and glanced up at Remus, his eyebrow rising in curiosity. "How?"

Remus let out a sigh and shifted his gaze to avoid looking Severus in the eye. "I can… mark you."