Buried History

Chapter 23 Lifechanging

Thick, red blood was everywhere. The metallic smell was all over the room. In the dim lighting, you could make out the silhouette of a very tall man and a very slim woman. A large snake slithered along the floor from the body she had just attacked.

"Well done, Nagini." The man slithered, as though he were a snake himself.

The snake coiled itself around the man's shoulder's protectively.

The woman tossed a curtain of long curls over her shoulder and smirked at the body lying on the ground.

"Such a shame we had to kill you, Sev. You know, I almost liked you." She purred.

Maniacal laughter escaped her lips, as she glanced at the man struggling to stay alive.

"Took two kids and many, many, many years for you to trust me, but I'll admit it was worth it. Look at me now, best Deatheater, Headmistress and the subject of every man's desires. Such a pity that I had to seduce you. It would have been so much more gratifying if I was set onto someone more powerful... For example, Lucius Malfoy. Now there's a man with money. I'd have been filthy rich instead of dirt poor. Well, I'm already filthy rich. However, the extra money wouldn't have hurt."

Sage green eyes glinted malevolently and ruby lips spread into a demonic grin.

"By the way," The former teacher whispered to the dying man. "I knew you'd fall for someone with so many imperfections, so I made a few up. I'm not clumsy, I'm not hopelessly devoted to you, I never left the Deatheaters, as you can most obviously see. I'm not insecure, nor have I ever needed help with anything. But everyone could see you needed the confidence boost."

Severus tried to speak, but it came out garbled, his throat filling with blood.

How could she betray him this way? He had opened up to someone and for what? His one true love was using him to get more power. He was angry, so bloody angry. And he could do nothing. He was dying. All he could do was listen to her taunt him, insult him, reveal her true self.

"Severus, my love. I love only you, you mean so very much to me. I can't wait to finally have a proper family with you. Oh, Severus how I'm proud of the person you have become." She mocked. "Load of poppycock that is. Actually, I'm not even sure if the second kid was yours after all... Might have been the child of that attractive young man at the bank, not long before our little incident... Anyway, no matter. All that is taken care of."

Her Cheshire Cat smile grew, she looked completely and utterly insane.

"Poor baby, dying there. Dying, knowing that the reason for his death is because his wife's a nasty little vixen who sold him out to the Dark Lord for power. Well, darling, nothing to worry about. Potter is going to kill him and then I will kill Potter, and take charge over the Deatheaters. Then, I'll restart until I've taken control of the entire Wizarding world."

More maniacal laughter followed.

Severus couldn't hold on for much longer. He was yearning for death to finally take him. He couldn't bare this anymore. Dumbledore had been right, he shouldn't have tried to remember her. This had all been a game. A game to ruin him.

"One last thing before you go, Sev. I'm the one who killed your parents and ransacked your house that night. And when Lily died, I was there. I watched you cradle her lifeless body, as tears streamed down your face and I yearned to rip her from your arms and take her away. Only I didn't, because I was given final orders to finish off the boy, only you didn't leave. And because of you, Potter still lives today."

Severus felt as though he should feel triumphant, only he didn't have the will nor the energy to be.

"Goodnight, sleep tight, I'll see you in hell."
***
Eliza woke up screaming.