The room of darkness
~past~
Severus awoke with a start as his mirror image charged into the room.
"What… what do you want.." He was still drowsy and sat up in bed, confused and a tad concerned.
"Relax!" it came curtly: "I just have some questions I need answered." The Sheriff stopped in the middle of the room, legs apart, arms across his chest. Severus rose from the bed. He didn't like to look up at this man, when they both stood he felt a little more equal to the man.
"How can it be we're so alike, is this your true face or did mother change your looks when you came here?" A good question indeed.. Severus was wondering the very same thing.
"I don't know.. why we are so alike," he answered carefully, knowing all to well the wrong answer would set off one of the Sheriff's fits: "This is my true face, and it is as great a surprise to me that we look like brothers."
"So you don't know why?" The tone of his voice had a trail of suspicion in it, he didn't trust Severus' answer.
"Maybe I'm your descendant, and you my forefather," Severus said promptly, as he did his little eggshell dance of which he'd been so familiar with lately. As he thought of it didn't seem all that far fetched actually. Maybe he really were this mans direct descendant. That would certainly explain some of the bad blood in his family's bloodline..
"I think you're right," the Sheriff nodded as he seemed to do a great deal of thinking and then, just as sudden as he'd come barging in- he changed the topic: "Did you like the meal I sent for you?"
"Uhmm…yes," Severus answered confused. He hadn't eaten since breakfast and his stomach started protesting by the mere mentioning of food. What was this insanity? He had enough to handle in the moment if he hadn't have to stand here having an odd conversation with the source of his misery! But the Sheriff seemed patient and in a good mood so he relaxed just a little bit, denying the growing thing inside his stomach for the moment. One thing at the time! The Sheriff continued his weird questions. He was wondering if Severus could see the moon from up here in his window, if he'd ever eaten horsemeat before and all sorts of other insane questions. Severus answered them all as best as he could up until the one last question set him off guard.
"Do you find me disgusting, Severus?" And there it was. The dangerous glimpse in the corner of his eye again. Severus hesitated just a second too long before he answered him "no". The other man's eyes were piercing his soul and he didn't find Severus answer satisfying.
"Don't lie to me, Severus- you're smarter than that!" Severus took one step back, defense in his voice as he answered:
"I…don't. I'm not lying." But he was, and it was as plain as day. They both knew it.
"I give you one more chance to answer that question. Do- you- find- me- disgusting?!"
"Yes," it came from Severus after a heavy pause. The Sheriff started pacing back and forth on the floor, mumbling for himself. Unaware Severus tugged the cloak closer to his body as he stood there waiting for the man's next move. After about a minute the pacing madman seemed to have settled his mind and he stopped, fixed his gaze on Severus once more.
"I don't like it when people are lying to me," he said, every word burning with acid. "When I catch one of my servants lying I usually cut off their tongue. Would you like me to do that to you, Severus?"
"No." Severus wasn't able to meet his gaze.
"And how do I know you're not lying now, huh? How do I know that you really do prefer to keep your tongue, and that you're not lying to me again??!" Severus wasn't able to cope with this, not now. If that man left right now he would be eternally grateful to whatever unmerciful God it was who found it fit for him to watch his own father kill and eat his mother..
"I'm… sorry… I didn't mean to lie to you…"
"SHUT UP!" the Sheriff suddenly screamed, small drops of spit showering Severus as the words hit him as a sledgehammer: "Will you just shut up?!??! You think you're so wise and gifted, that I'm just an ignorant brat you have the displeasure to teach! If you're so talented and magic, so show me some of it. Huh?! Show me some of your magic tricks, curse me with your deadly eyes or something!" The man had gone from bad to worse in a split second. Now his eyes were lighting with fury, his whole body was shaking from decompressed anger and Severus stood in the middle of the line of fire.
"I…" he began, but he never finished. The punch came as a sudden relief to the whole constipated situation. The pain inflicted on his face made Severus finally wake up to the unreality unfolding in front of him. Last time he got away with one hit, this time he wasn't sure he would be equally lucky.. He stumbled backwards, but didn't loose his balance. A furious smile entered the Sheriff's features as he watched the blood dripping from Severus nose. It would be the size of a tomato by the evening. Then he turned and left the room in swift steps.
Severus was shaking all over. He was just about to drag himself back to bed, grateful the man finally had let him be, when the Sheriff came back. This time he wasn't alone. Two sturdy guards were following him inside, one of them carrying some kind of cudgel. Severus stood like a deer caught in the light of a muggle automobile.
The Sheriff threw in the first punch, of course. This time he hit Severus in the chest so hard he lost his breath. The next one sent him staggering to the floor, where a kicking-feast began. A wild image ran through Severus' mind as the kicks and the heavy petting of the cudgel hailed his body.
Instinctually he crouched together making himself as small as possible, making the surface these men were beating into a pulp no bigger than necessary. His arms went down to his stomach where he tried to protect the very thing cursed upon him, the thing he wished would be removed from his body. In that moment the true Severus shone through, the very person everybody but Albus had failed to see. Not for a moment he thought about his face or other delicate spots he should be protecting instead of a vulnerable creature that had no right occupying his body.
Somewhere between consciousness and unconsciousness he heard the Sheriff screaming:
"Not the stomach, you idiots!" And then Severus passed out.
His attackers wrapped him in a cover and then the inert form was carried down to a small private room. The Sheriff entertained female "guests" in this little room. It contained all the things a man needs when he wants to let the victim know who's the boss. A bed with straps, a closet with various equipment suited to inflict delicious pain of all sorts. It was the Sheriff's favorite room in the entire castle. The guards left them on their Master's order and he strapped his twin image to the bed, before he sat down to wait.
*-*
The fear stayed in this room. Dishonor, disgrace ..ugliness and pain… humiliation- it all stayed locked inside this room. And one bruised semi-conscious bound wizard felt it all. Much like the blood running down his throat from his nose he felt it- suffocating him. To live with the fear was bad enough, but this… no other man had been here before him, of that he was sure. The Sheriff had brought terrified girls to this room, beaten them into submission and then beaten them again. This place had only one purpose and Severus Snape understood what the Sheriff really wanted to do to him, and would do- given any sign or dissent.
But why? The muggle was border-line psychotic at times but preyed on women. Why him?? Why Severus Snape, the man brought back in time to carry forth this bastards heir?! Finally the stone fell from his eyes as he finally saw the desire burning in the man's eyes as he leaned over him, checking the straps. And suddenly Severus wasn't only afraid the man would kill him…
*-*
Pain is a curious thing. It's supposed to help you avoid damage to your body and further pain, as part of the body's many intriguing defense mechanisms. But pain can just as well kill a man as save him.. The Sheriff wasted no time with his delicate flower. To see the pain ripple through this man's body, to feel it twinge when caressed with a powerful blow to the delicate stomach. He knew he shouldn't but couldn't let it be. The soft curve revealing the life growing within his prisoner was so delightful to punch. Soft moans from the man he was hurting made him even more aroused. He wanted to do unspeakable things with this man, things no man should do to another man. But just around midnight he suddenly felt hungry and he decided this would do for today and so he left.
"George! What are you doing to the wizard?!" His mother attacked him the very second he sat down to have a well-earned meal.
"Mother, don't ever call me by my first name!" the Sheriff said calmly as he savored the memory of Severus' sweat. The little witch stumped her foot in anger as she gave him one of her most intimidating "mother-looks".
"That wizard is worth nothing to us if you kill him! Remember what he's carrying!" Her son smiled as he speared a piece of meat with his fork.
"Don't worry mother, I'm just giving him a lesson. I'll let him out in a day or two."
"I do not approve of this!" The old woman turned his back at him and left, mumbling furiously.
*-*
Back in the little room down in the dungeons Severus lay as the Sheriff had left him. Sprawled out on his back, bound to the bed. At least he still had his clothes on and it only hurt when he breathed.. How long had he been beaten? He wasn't sure. Time was impossible to tell down here amongst the phantom cries of prisoners before him. But the Sheriff wasn't finished with him, Severus had been a naughty boy and needed to be punished, or so the man had told him during his beating sessions. Severus was worried the many blows to his tender belly would kill the offspring inside. It was ludicrous to think this way, he should be happy if the little rat kicked the bucket, but he wasn't. All his years of protecting people in his immense, unselfish way had left its mark on the man. He wanted nothing to do with it, but he was in no place to kill it, or let anyone else do it for him. Tiny movements made him gasp in relief. Maybe it was hurt, but it was alive.. still… What Severus would have to do to keep it that way he had no idea of..
For two long days Severus lay in his dark prison, listening to the distant sounds of prisoners screaming further down the dungeon. Rats were scattering around in the room from time to time, some of them even taking a nibble on the fragile wizard on the bed. Smelling the rot and fear reminded Severus more of Azkaban than he wanted to remember. Knowing that he would come back, even preparing himself to an assault that he had never experienced before or wished to, made him despise himself for the coward he felt he was. A guard came by twice and let him urinate in a cup, still bound to the bed. How humiliating it was, it was better than the alternative.. But no one brought him any food or water, and the wizard was slowly getting more and more dehydrated. The cold was also starting to affect him and he was starting to think he would die here, alone in the dark while rats were chewing parts of his flesh, feasting on his blood.
By the break of dawn the third day the Sheriff returned with a mug in his hands. Severus could tell the time of day by the smug smile the man always bore after a solid night's sleep. He actually saw two of the man he hated as he approached him. They both sat down the mug on two small tables in a corner besides the closet with all his torture devices. Severus had to close his eyes as his prison keeper lit the torches hanging on the walls all around the room. The light scorched his sore eyes that had grown accustomed to the darkness. It made him freeze even more, made his throat even sorer.
Tender hands started loosing him from the harnesses, and Severus half noticed the Sheriff whistling a tune as he did so. A few minutes later he was released from his bonds, but the terrible thirst and cramped muscles handicapped him. Severus couldn't have lifted his arm even now, without the bonds. Still the Sheriff hadn't said one word. Now Severus felt him lifting his head and he opened his eyes to see the mug drifting towards him. Precious sips of water, medicine for his sore throat. Severus drank as fast and as much as he possibly could until the mug was taken away from his lips.
Now the Sheriff's hand started to rub feeling back into his limbs. Gently first, then briskly. Severus' body awoke with painful pricking and tingling sensation all over his body. But the rubbing did more than just help the weak and vulnerable wizard on the bed. The touches became more invasive and more aggressive. Severus felt well-known panic drift to the surface. For how could he try to kick out when he couldn't feel his legs or even move his arms properly? All he could do was to stare through sore eyes as the Sheriff did as he pleased, while the warmth slowly crept back into his body only to soon be replaced with pain.
The hands that had given the impression of helping him started to touch his clothing. And before Severus even knew what was going on he felt his clothes being pulled off like they were rags. The sound of buttons ripping loose, the sound of tearing fabric.. A soft moan escaped his throat as he tried to lift his arms to avert what was happening, his wrists felt like they were broken. Still the man was silent, and that was what scared the potions master more than anything. It was not the aggressive touches, not the fact that he now was half naked and that his pants were being ripped off at this very instant. The one and only thing scaring him was the Sheriff's deadly silence.
How could he have been so stupid? To let a pathetic squib catch him out and imprison him! His goddamn instincts had screamed at him that this was a deal too sweat, to dangerous to comply to, but his eagerness to please Albus, to help him in yet another perilous task had dampened his doubts. And here he was, caught in this nightmare trying not to imagine what the Sheriff would do to him. Sharp fingernails tore into his skin leaving fine trails of blood down his chest. Again the urge to protect what he carried inside made him try to lift his useless arms.
And so he did. He could not fight, he knew it, and the Sheriff knew it and savored the weakness of the trembling twin underneath him. Every movement was pain to the wizard and delight to the Sheriff, every bite, every scratch, every punch to the defenseless stomach. Severus' just wanted to close his eyes and shut it all out, like he'd done so many times during his time as a death eater. But this time it was different. Severus couldn't distance himself from this. If he did the Sheriff would double his efforts and he would be maimed permanently. The Sheriff wanted tears, and got them. Severus let the salt drops of submission slowly trickle down his face.
The tears would give the bastard what he wanted. The slaps became more violent, his hands became more needy and the Sheriff's breath could tell anyone with half a brain he was getting more and more aroused.
Severus was turned on his stomach with hasty, impatient movements. His face was held down into a foul-stanching pillow until he nearly choked and then released for a couple of times, still while the Sheriff kept silent. His hands all over him, touching, groping- possessing. Teeth tasting his flesh, nails cutting through his skin. At least he wouldn't reach his stomach as long as he was placed in the bed like this. Blood filled Severus' mouth as the Sheriff had found a new spot that earned his full attention. The sound of a whip. The terrible pain as it ripped the skin off his back was nothing he hadn't experienced before. But the closeness, the unbearable closeness! Every touched spot on his skin left a burning sore that were going to haunt the wizard in his future nightmares. This never- ending breach of his personal space, this needy fumbling on his virgin body..
Suddenly the man was in the bed with him. His shirt was open far down to the chest and he'd removed his shoes. His tongue got to work in a wonderful symphony with his teeth, up and down the battered wizard's body.
The voice inside his head, like a frightened child. He felt the Sheriff's erection brush his thigh and thought to himself he was lucky he had no food left in his stomach.
The sound of pants easing down the other man's thighs. Severus felt his blood turn to ice.
Rough hands spread his thighs as the Sheriff sat down on his knees between them, panting.
Severus closed his eyes and his fingers grasped helplessly for some security in the soft fabric of the bedspread. The mental pain more than the actual physical one as the Sheriff moved inside him with a harsh, unmerciful movement was unbearable. The pressure.. The wizard on the bed shut the silent sobs inside his chest as he heard the loud moans of pleasure coming from the man straddling on top of him. It was over almost as swiftly as it had begun, but the few, violent minutes of rape were more than anyone should be able to bear.
The Sheriff collapsed on top of him with a moan. Somehow the feeling of the man's sweaty body touching Severus' naked skin was almost as repellent to him as the actual raping. And the weight… to much.. to much…
*-*
How he ended back in the tower on his bed he didn't know. Severus had passed out after the last tender touch of the Sheriff's fist before he got dressed and left the wizard once more. He reckoned he'd fetched a couple of guards to carry him back. Severus had crawled back into his shell. He simply existed. Nothing around him mattered any more, if he had the control over his heart it would have stopped beating a long time ago. He was to battered and bruised to move. The bed was his safe haven, or at least for now. Severus wasn't safe anymore, he never had been. And as his broken body slowly started to mend he drifted away, to that place he had visited so many times in his childhood years. A confused and hurt little boy tried to cope with the fact that his parent had abandoned him, just as his previous ones.
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