Death Whispers

Chapter Six - Auchou

Auchou, 17th August 1979

It was a dark foul-smelling dusk, empty, grey sky, swollen looking and purple tinged. Severus Snape was a stark contrast. He stood tall and proud against the drab grey background his sleek black hair tied back elegantly with a velvet ribbon. He looked about appraising his new surrounds, his long thin fingers sat contentedly on his silver clasp.

Men hurried toward him dressed in Death Eater regatta. Severus looked at them, disinterested and disdainful.

Dolohov's form pushed through the crowd, the only other man not wearing a mask.

"Snape," he greeted him holding out a hand.

"You must be Blair," Severus said, pulling off a glove and accepting the man's handshake, "I know your brother Antonin."

Dolohov had a strong grip and Severus detected a durable smell around him. A predatory smell. It made him alert like a deer to a wolf. Dolohov pulled Severus closer toward him in their handshake, staring down at him. Severus now well versed in these power games and pulled back with equal force. He met Dolohov in a steely-eyed glare.

Dolohov's eyes were the indefinite shade of the sea before a storm, not quite, green, blue or gray but a mix of those colours. They swirled and made him uncomfortable. Severus didn't show it though, after training in Voldemort's service his power was strong and aura infallible. Though inwardly in the deep recesses of his soul, this man made him feel uneasy.

"Let's get moving shall we?" Dolohov asked apparently satisfied, as he moved forward to the cement building. A short and balding man with a strong aura of physical strength guarded it. Dolohov nodded to him and the two men proceeded inside.

The smell hit Severus like a freight train.

It was unbearable. He pulled his robe to cover his nose and face. The air was as thick as syrup and smelt like some kind of fetid animal den. His stomach flipped.

He looked at the caged people around him. They stood in dirt repugnantly blending with it. There was blood thickly oozing from the earth. The people were skeletal and looked at his strong black presence with renewed horror.

They looked old, but as he assessed the room, he realised most were young people, starved and lying in their own excrement. The faces were ghostly pale and almost inhuman, bloodied and tear-stained.

All eyes averted his as he cast a glance over the crowd. All except one pair of shining aqua eyes. They were smiling eyes, kind eyes, they looked on him for compassion. A feeling that was lost on him. He sneered at her gaunt drawn face, which made her eyes more pronounced and alien from her pale features. She confused him by nodding in some silent understanding and shed small happy tears. It made him want to vomit.

"What is this filth?" he asked Dolohov, turning to see the man looking at the subjects with a sickly grin.

"Traitors, Muggles and fools," he replied sneering, "as you requested."

"I requested people," Severus spat, "These are less than animals. They disgust me. Get them cleaned and fed immediately," he barked.

Dolohov spat on the people and looked at Severus with defiance.

"This is my camp, and you will do as I say!" Severus ordered, "These people have a purpose and are to be fit for experiments! One Pepperup Potion would finish off half of this lot!" he yelled, "And I won't stand for insubordinance," he threatened glaring at Dolohov who shifted his weight menacingly. Severus smirked and added, "And neither will the Dark Lord!" And then left the room.

Dolohov watched Severus' retreating back carefully, his eyes appraising every move with a deep loathing.

***

Severus jolted awake and gripped the side of the bed. The hazy room was foreign to him and he tried to remember his surroundings. He was dizzy and his head spun with images and colour. The smell brought him back.

The dank smell of the place threw him onto his feet. He was heaving in the bathroom and closed his eyes in pain. It made no difference, he could still see those eyes. They were pleading and smiling, compassionate and empathetic all at once. Burning through his skull. The pain was unbearable. He heaved again tasting the bile and stomach acids at the back of his throat.

Light was entering the room. It must be morning. The dreams had made him uncomfortable and apprehensive. He struggled to regain his breathing.

Today was the first experiment. He had prepared the lab himself the night before. It was difficult to establish a clean and scientific area with Dolohov breathing down his back. He pulled himself up from the cold tiled floor and got dressed.

"So has Pucey finished charming the grounds?" Severus asked the Death Eater beside him as he strode the length of the compound.

"Yes, and we made it Unplottable sir," he said with a thick accent.

"Good."

Severus walked into a small room that looked like a hospital room. It was split by glass down the middle. On one side sat three white chairs with three dirty men upon them and on the other side was a laboratory. Severus was looking forward to learning, scientific work.

"Let's clean these men up," he ordered the lab assistants.

They held their wands to the glass and removed the men's clothes. They didn't make an effort to hide themselves just sat as if bound to the chair. They probably were, Severus thought later. Water filled the room and washed the men and then they were sprayed with acid. It ripped off the top layer of their skin making them look red and rare.

Today he would start the pseudoscientific medical experiments. He disposed of thirty bodies in the first day. Testing developmental hexes. He had discovered a particularly nasty one, one that burnt the mucous membranes of the lungs, it had the same effect as the Choking Curse but far more sinister. New killing curses had to be developed if the Death Eaters were going to win in battle. Their curses had to be unknown to protect against a counter curse.

Severus didn't particularly enjoy his work. It was messy, but he could rationalise it, or at least he thought he could.

The end of the day was welcomed and he joined Dolohov in a walk of the camp. Dolohov was much friendlier this evening as Severus relayed to him the new developments. They went to the prisoner's room for a final count as they agreed they would need more prisoners.

The room was cleaner and the people dressed adequately but the stench remained. Unfortunately the roll call gave them names. Severus listened as they were called. Three Weasleys were present this confused him; as they were purebloods. He tried to keep his eyes averted, however, his face snapped up when he heard a soft 'here'.

It was her. The voice was like phoenix song, it rushed into his heart. He looked shocked and she met his eyes. She smiled kindly at him and he immediately felt sick. Her presence was warm and out of place. He felt frightened to be near her.

He left the room quickly when Dolohov had finished counting and stood outside. It was cold and dark even though it was only late afternoon.

Once they had left the bald man and returned to Severus' room he turned to Dolohov with calmer nerves.

"Weasleys?" Severus asked.

"Yes, they are against the cause, do you have a problem with that?" Dolohov demanded.

"No, no problem," Severus said quickly. "In fact it would be great to have their assistance with a potion that I'm working on to test the purity of blood, stop pricking my own finger for one thing," he joked.

Dolohov smiled, "Yes."

Severus nodded quietly, although there was one other question he needed to ask.

"Who's the girl, pale face, limp blonde hair, aqua eyes?"

Dolohov smiled sinisterly, "Oh Lallie," he said like she was a familiar friend, "You interested?"

"No," Severus replied a little to quickly as though the thought disgusted him. It did, rape did, he disliked it as he was uncomfortable in the presence of a woman. Even more so in her presence, she was giving him nightmares, but he couldn't say this to Dolohov. Instead he ordered, "Kill her."

"Why?" Dolohov asked.

"She smiled at me," Severus responded, "no respect."

Dolohov laughed, it was a madman's cackle, "No problem."