Holocaust

Holocaust

Chapter One: A Taste of Revenge

1960 -- London

'Hey, you here?'

'Yes, you bring the ingredients?'

'Yeah. So you're really going to do this, eh?'

'That bastard stole everything from, he deserves to pay. Let him feel what it's like to lose everything.'

'I still say you're taking this too far. Just kill him and get it done with, why curse the whole line?'

'Because killing him would be far too easy, you dolt. Cursing him will be far more rewarding.'

'Fine, but don't expect me to help on the rest. This is your problem, not mine.'

'I didn't ask for your help on the rest. Now go away, I need to concentrate on this.'

'Gypsies, I swear I never will understand you people and your silly magic. Go on then, have your fun, I'll be at the pub when you're finished.'

The blonde-haired man watched his friend leave the room, a grin on his face. 'If you only knew how real our magic is, my Muggle friend,' he chuckled, and then turned to the small cauldron on the table.

Adding in some ingredients, he picked up a large book and flipped through the pages until he found the one he wanted. He then picked up a picture of a black-haired man with a crooked nose, a pretty yet unhappy looking woman at his side with a baby in her arms. His fingers lovingly caressed the black and white photograph where the woman stood, his eyes trailing down her body.

'You should have been mine, Marushka; instead he took you from me. Now he will pay for it,' the man said softly.

Putting down the picture, he picked up a phial that had a strand of black hair in it and placed the hair into the bubbling cauldron. A small flash of light showed the hair had been accepted, and with a satisfied nod, he began to recite his spell.

'Marius Snape, your offspring will never know happiness just as you have robbed me of mine. Your son's fate will be to suffer by never knowing acceptance and friendships, only deceits and lies. Only the darkness shall want him, and only when the day comes that your son can find light within the darkness will he be free to find love.'

When the potion shimmered and suddenly disappeared, the man chuckled darkly. Everything was in place now, and revenge would be his. His curse would last eternity, he was sure of it, for there was no such thing as light within darkness to break it ...

1997 -- Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

'Severus, a moment if you would?'

Severus muttered under his breath as he was stopped. 'What do you want, Lupin? I have classes to teach,' he said irritably when the man in question walked up to him.

'Err ... yes, I know, but I really have to speak with you about ... err that is ...' Remus trailed off, fidgeting somewhat under the taller man's dark stare.

'About what? I do not have all day here,' Severus said.

'Ah well, I wanted to talk to you about Harry --'

'Save yourself the chat, Lupin,' Severus said, cutting him off. 'I am not interested in the Potter brat or anything you have to say about him.'

'Severus, please, I really must insist on --' Remus began again.

'And I insist you leave me alone,' Severus said coldly. 'I have already told you that I will not change my mind about --'

'Snape, will you just shut up and let me finish what I have to say?' Remus said angrily.

Severus blinked a moment, a bit taken aback by Remus' aggression, something he'd never seen before in the normally mild-mannered werewolf. 'Very well, Lupin,' he said slowly. 'What do you want?'

'Look, I know that you and I don't see eye to eye on things --'

'That is an understatement,' Severus muttered.

Remus glared at Severus and continued without replying. '-- but in this case even you can't be blind by what Harry is going through. Since Sirius' death --'

'Oh for pity's sake, you are not going to start in again about that are you?' Severus snapped. 'The man is dead, how long are you and Potter going to keep moping about it?'

'We are not moping, Severus,' Remus huffed. 'God man, haven't you ever lost anyone that you cared about?'

'No,' Severus said simply. 'I have never cared about anyone, nor do I plan to.'

'You really are a cold-hearted bastard, aren't you, Snape,' Remus said shaking his head sadly.

'That you for stating the obvious, Lupin,' Severus said. 'Now what do you want already? Time is wasting here.'

'Fine, what I want is simple. Since Sirius' death Harry has been relying on me as a surrogate Godfather, but in this case what he needs right now ... well ... I can't really help him with,' Remus said.

'If you are referring to Potter's lack of a life, then I don't see the problem here,' Severus smirked.

'I am referring to his trouble in Potions, Severus,' Remus bit back, again refusing to rise to the bait. 'As I said, surely you know that he is --'

'Horrible at potion making?' Severus offered dryly.

'That he is having issues, yes,' Remus said, again glaring at Severus. 'You do realise that if Harry fails Potions, as he is failing everything else, then he will be forced to spend another year here?'

Severus stared at Remus in shock. 'I was not aware that Potter was failing all of his studies.'

'Well he is, Severus,' Remus said quietly. 'I wish I could be here for him more and help him, but I can't. Albus has me --'

'Be quiet!' Severus said angrily and pulled Remus off to the side whilst glancing round. 'Are you daft? Anyone could be prowling the corridors!'

'I'm not an idiot, Severus,' Remus snorted. 'I would have heard it if someone was round. I don't just have sensitive hearing at the full moon you know.'

'Be that as it may, you should be more careful. Unless you want to be captured and tortured for days on end,' Severus said.

'Why, Severus, that almost sounded as if you cared if I were,' Remus grinned.

'Hardly, I just would hate to see Dumbledore's favourite pet disembowelled because he opened his foolish mouth,' Severus snorted. 'Now, what do you want of me, Lupin?'

'All right, Severus, I want you to tutor Harry in potions,' Remus replied.

'Not asking for much are you,' Severus sniffed.

'I'm only asking for what you are capable of, Severus. I'm not asking you to like Harry, just make sure he passes the year.'

'Passing my class will not assure that he will pass the year you realise.'

'I'm aware of that, and I've already spoken to the other professors. They've all agreed to help him whenever they can,' Remus said, then put his hand on Severus' arm and looked up at him. 'Please, Severus, will you help him?'

Severus shook off Remus' hand then sighed irritably. 'Very well, Lupin, but I will not tutor him alone. You will have to be there as well.'

'What? Why?' Remus asked in surprise.

'If anything, to keep me from killing the boy when he mucks everything up,' Severus said.

'All right, that seems fair,' Remus nodded. 'When are you available?'

'Tell him to be in my classroom at nine o'clock tonight.'

'How often can you tutor him?' Remus asked.

'I will have to check my schedule. Now, if you don't mind I have classes to teach,' Severus said and stepped away. 'Nine o'clock, Lupin, and not one minute later or I will not do this.'

'Of course, Severus, nine it is,' Remus said and watched as Severus walked away, then he headed himself off in the direction of Gryffindor Tower.

***

'You can't be serious!'

'I'm perfectly serious, Harry,' Remus said ten minutes later when he managed to get Harry aside.

'I'm not doing it, I refuse,' Harry said and flopped down on his bed. 'I'd rather fail than spend one minute being taunted by that git.'

'It's not up to you, Harry,' Remus said and sat down next to him.

'I'm not doing it, end of discussion,' Harry said.

'Harry, I'm doing this for your own good,' Remus sighed.

'Sirius wouldn't have made me do this,' Harry mumbled.

'Sirius isn't here, I am,' Remus said.

'Yeah well, I don't want you to be here!' Harry said angrily and got off the bed. 'You're not Sirius, you're not my Godfather, and you can't tell me what to do! I hate you, Remus, stop trying to run my life, all of you, just leave me alone already!' Harry yelled and before Remus could say anything, he dashed out of the room.

Remus sighed. He didn't know what to do about Harry anymore. It had been bad the first year since Sirius had died, but now two years later it was far worse. Not only was Harry failing at school, but also ever since Dumbledore had told Harry about the Prophesy the boy had withdrawn from everyone. Even Harry's best friends Ron and Hermione didn't know what to do with him, when he spoke to them at all that was.

Remus suddenly shivered, an odd feeling going through him. Getting up he went over to the window and looked out. He shivered again, feeling as if someone had just walked over his grave and got the feeling that something was about to happen, but what it was he couldn't be sure. Looking at his watch, he realised that it was nearly dinner, which meant he had to return to his lodgings at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. Much as he wanted to stay at the school with Harry right now it wasn't possible, and from the reaction today, it didn't even matter anymore since Harry didn't want him there anyway. Sighing heavily he shook off the odd feelings and made his way back to the Three Broomsticks, making sure to keep in mind that he had to return to the school later.

***

At nine o'clock on the dot, Remus, with a very reluctant Harry in tow, arrived at the Potion's classroom. Nothing seemed out of place except for the fact that Severus wasn't there.

'Well, he's not here, let's go,' Harry said turning to leave.

'Not so fast, Harry,' Remus said holding him by the back of his robes. 'Just because he's not here yet doesn't mean he won't be. We'll wait.'

'Fine,' Harry muttered and sat down at a desk. 'But if he's not here in five minutes then --'

'Then you will what, Mr Potter?'

'Ah, Severus, you're here,' Remus said cheerily.

'Oh no, what's he doing here?' Harry said and pointed to another person who walked into the room now. 'Hell no, I am not going to stay here if he's here!'

'You will hold your tongue, Potter,' Severus snapped. 'Put those things on the table, Malfoy.'

'Yes, Sir,' Draco said and smirked at Harry.

'Ah, Severus, I thought we agreed this was to be a private tutoring lesson?' Remus asked.

'Mr Malfoy is here to assist, Lupin. If you don't like it, leave,' Severus said.

'Since when do you need assistance?' Remus asked.

'I do not; Potter, however, does. If for any reason I am called away, Malfoy will make an admirable substitute. Now are you going to continue balking at me, or are we going to attempt to get Potter up to snuff?' Severus asked.

'That would take a miracle,' Draco snorted.

'Shut up, Malfoy! That's it I'm leaving, I don't care if I pass, not as if it matters anyway, I'll be dead soon enough!' Harry said and jumped up from his seat.

'Sit down and keep quiet, Potter!' Severus barked out and pulling out his wand closed and locked the door. 'You are not dead, and as I have no wish to see you again next term, you will do as you are told. Do I make myself clear?'

'Tell him to keep his mouth shut then,' Harry said glaring at Draco. 'If anyone and I mean anyone, finds out about this, Malfoy, you are going to wish you were in Azkaban with your dear old Death Eater daddy.'

'Don't talk about my father, Potter! You're the reason he's there in first place!' Draco said angrily.

'He deserves it, so do you for that matter you stupid Slytherin!' Harry bit back.

'Take that back!' Draco yelled and launched himself at Harry. 'I'm not stupid; you're the stupid one, Potter!'

'Harry ... Draco, enough!' Remus shouted, though his attempts to get the two boys apart were in vain. 'Severus, for God sake, do something!'

'What would you have me do, Lupin?' Severus shrugged and casually went about setting out a cauldron and some ingredients.

'They'll kill each other, we've got to stop them!' Remus argued.

Severus looked at the two boys a moment then sighed. 'Pity, seems Malfoy has the upper hand too, but very well,' he said and pointed his wand at the boys. 'Diduco!' he called out and instantly the two boys were on opposite sides of the room. 'Potter, Malfoy, get over here and keep you're hands to yourselves,' he said sternly.

'He started it,' Draco muttered whilst wiping away blood from his lip.

'You are not a child, Malfoy,' Severus snapped. 'At seventeen I would think you could restrain from making a fool out yourself. Potter, sit, Malfoy, over here with me.'

'Remus, this isn't going to work. Just let me fail,' Harry muttered as he tried to stop a bloodied nose.

'Harry, what Severus said applies to you too. I happen to want you to still be round, and when this is all over you can start your life the way you want to, but you need to pass school first,' Remus said quietly as he used some spells to stop the bleeding.

'Whatever, let's just get this over with,' Harry said.

'If the two of you are quite finished,' Severus said, 'then we will begin with the Basicus Potion.'

'And what, exactly, is that?' Harry asked.

'Malfoy, if you would be so kind as to explain to Potter what it is?' Severus asked.

'Of course, Professor,' Draco nodded. 'The Basicus Potion is what the sands in a Time Turner is coated with. The potion, along with the spell placed on the Time Turner, is what allows a person to travel back and forth in time.'

'Isn't that a bit complex though, Severus?' Remus asked worriedly. 'Couldn't we start with something a bit ahh ... simpler?'

'Am I doing the tutoring here or are you, Lupin?' Severus snapped.

'Sorry,' Remus said softly. 'Go on then.'

'I'm not a baby you know,' Harry said. 'I know how to make a potion.'

'That's why you mucked up the last five potions, Potter?' Draco smirked. 'And you weren't even working with Longbottom at the time.'

'Not my fault Neville can't do potions,' Harry muttered.

'Longbottom is not the one here, you are, Potter,' Severus said. 'Now be quiet and let's get on with this. Potter, you will take this book,' he said and placed a large, musty smelling book on the desk that was opened to a specific page, 'and carefully read out what ingredients will be needed. Malfoy will collect them and then you will both make the potion in question.'

'Fine,' Harry said and with a glare at Draco started to read out of the book.

Ten minutes later, everything was assembled. 'Now, Potter, you will place these into the cauldron in the correct order as specified in the book,' Severus said.

'What'll happen if I don't?' Harry said.

'You don't want to know,' Severus replied. 'Just do as I tell you. Malfoy, see to it that he does it correctly.'

'Yes, Sir,' Draco said and turned to Harry. 'Well, get a move on, Potter, some of us want to get to sleep sometime tonight.'

'Shut it, Malfoy,' Harry muttered and reading the book started to pick up the ingredients.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly until the last two ingredients. Whether it was because it was late, or Harry simply didn't care anymore about doing his task, but he was supposed to add in the Newt's eye first then the Spiny Thorns, but that's not exactly what happened.

'Potter, no, you're doing it backwards!' Draco cried out when he realised what was happening, but it was too late.

Before Remus and Severus could also stop Harry, a cold wind surrounded the four of them. Just as Severus approached the cauldron, a burst of light erupted then a howl of pure pain ripped through the air and Severus collapsed to the ground. Before anyone could react, however, another flash of light came from the cauldron, the air rippled and sparkled, and then suddenly everything was back to normal. Except for the fact that the classroom was empty, not a trace of the four people or the cauldron in sight.

***

'Sir, over here!'

'What have you there, Collins?' an older man with greying hair asked.

'Don't know, Commander, but they weren't here when we did a sweep a bit ago. Must have been blown over by the last blast,' a young man with sandy brown hair replied as he looked down at the four people lying prone by the side of the building.

The sounds of screaming and crying were all round, as were the sounds of an occasional gunfire and bursts of bright lights in the sky.

'Well, get them out of here quickly,' the Commander replied.

Collins called over some men nearby and had the four placed on stretchers. 'They look in pretty bad shape, Sir. Where should we take them?'

'Hospital, where else?' the Commander said, his sharp eyes on the look out for snipers.

'Err, sorry, Sir, but the hospital was blown up in the last drop,' Collins said, his eyes also scanning the area.

'Damn it,' the Commander muttered. 'Very well, take them underground.'

'Is that wise, Sir? They could be German spies for all we know,' Collins said.

The Commander looked down at the four then breathed in sharply as he recognised something. 'Hardly. Do they look like spies to you, boy?'

'No ... I reckon not, but how can you be so sure, Sir?' Collins asked sceptically.

'Don't question a superior, Collins, bad for rising up the ranks,' he said curtly. 'Just get them to the nearest underground facility, and take good care of them or I'll have you're hide, boy.'

'I apologise, of course, Sir,' Collins said quickly, and barked out orders to the men carrying the stretchers.

The Commander watched them go, an odd look in his eyes. 'So even you wizards aren't safe in this blasted Muggle war, eh? So much for magic,' he snorted then nearby gunfire alerted him to move quickly before the Germans made their next bomb drop.