Salazar Snape and the Cult of Morsmordre

"Up!" commanded young Salazar Snape.

Immediately, his Blitz 9 leapt into his grasp. With a quick jump, Salazar swiftly mounted the broomstick, kicking off from the trodden, muddy ground with a resolute grunt. All around him, cheering crowds roared with excitement. The bellowing winds and thumping rain continued to drench the Quidditch field, but both teams were ready and eager to settle the score at long last. A flash of lightning scorched the black clouds, followed by a rumbling, cruel burst of thunder.

"G'day, fellows students of Sandswept Plains Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry! I am your Quidditch commentator for this evening, David Simmons of house Erech!" boomed an enthusiastic sixth year with his enchanted voice.

"Today is the final showdown for the Quidditch Cup, between the brilliant team of house Seccuen, and the aerodynamic conquerors of house Bauregor!" thundered the announcer, David Simmons.

Immediately two distinct groups of students jumped to their feet all around the stands, shouting, cheering and gesturing triumphantly for their house teams, sending vibrational shocks into the Quidditch grounds with their mad celebrations. The Seccuen students wore stunning blue-and-silver robes, which swished and fluttered in the heavy downpour. The mighty Bauregor mass, dressed in brown-and-orange regalia, stamped their feet relentlessly, blinded with excitement. Drums, trumpets, didgeridoos and all manner of other instruments played house anthems louder and louder, inspiring a fiery spirit of rivalry and competition in the gathered mob.

Down on the pitch, hovering just a few metres above the saturated earth, the Bauregor Quidditch team huddled about, ignoring the curtain of rain, discussing once more, for what seemed like the millionth time, their strategy.

"Now, remember, Salazar must be flanked by both the other two Chasers at all times, understood?" demanded the Seeker-Captain, Tim Perry.

"Got it!" exclaimed two Chasers, Arnold Green and Hayden King simultaneously, both sparing a quick glance at Salazar, the third Chaser, also the "secret weapon" of the Bauregor team.

"Good. Gregory and Barry, focus on their Keeper, but if it looks like their Seeker has spotted the Snitch, turn all your attention on her," detailed Tim, looking quite small and insignificant compared to the pair of Beaters. Barry Edmonds and Gregory Reid were the tallest, broadest, most muscular seventh years at Sandswept Hills.

"Right!" agreed the two of them viciously.

"And Blaire, you make sure not one Quaffle gets through our goals, you hear me?" hissed Tim, sneering at the Keeper with lowered eyebrows.

Blaire Andrews, a lanky, bony fifth year Keeper, nodded eagerly.

"Excellent! Let's play some Quidditch!" barked Perry, whilst steering his lightning quick Firebolt into the sky.

"Rip 'em apart, Bauregors!" screamed Hayden. His hyena style voice tore through the drizzly wind, and his flaming, spiky red hair whipped suddenly as he kicked off after the Captain.

And then the whole Bauregor team broke off into their positions, facing the enemy with a steadfast calm. The crowd became silent, the wind jumped up a notch in ferocity, and then the balls were released. Instantly, the Golden Snitch disappeared like a bullet, fading into invisibility.

THERE! Salazar's mind screamed like a thunderstorm in his ears when the Quaffle sped by under his broom. His whole body shifted as he spun upside-down, and then snapped back upwards once he'd clamped his fist around the ball.

"Bauregor in possession! An amazing catch by Salazar, there!"

Snape was a fourth year Bauregor, and his marksmanship with a Quaffle had recently been discovered by Tim Perry. His Blitz 9 broomstick was designed specifically for tight, near impossible manoeuvres, so when a rocketing Bludger came within two inches of his skull, Salazar was easily able to spin at a breakneck angle, then send himself jetting across the field, with Hayden and Arnold flanking him from just behind. The crowd trembled with suspense, but gasped with a mixture of shock and suspicion when the prized Chaser came to an abrupt and purposeful halt, still way out of range of the three Seccuen hoops.

"Wait-could this be?" whispered David Simmons excitedly.

Suddenly, with such a strength and power not seen before in world Quidditch history, Salazar Snape cracked his arm overhead, firing off the Quaffle with intense velocity. Like a sniper's shot, the suicidal ball blurred across the field, blasting through the central goal far too rapidly for the Keeper to even recognise what had occurred. The entire field went dead silent for what seemed like hours, until suddenly an astounding, wild display of frenzied hype rushed through the swarms of students.

"I don't believe it! We've just seen the incredible-no, the unbelievable, Saaaalazaaaar DESTROYER!" screeched David, his voice raspy with awe.

Snape had no time to gloat. Seccuen were now converging on the Bauregor Chasers. A Bludger almost sent Arnold Green plummeting to the ground, but he dodged in the last half a moment. Then Gregory and Barry were knocking Bludgers all over the field, sending the Seccuen team into disarray. Whilst the chaos ensued, Salazar gracefully intercepted a small pass between a pair of Seccuen Chasers, whipping away with the Quaffle. Again, the remaining Bauregor Chasers lined up next to their star player, the three of them trading the Quaffle between themselves rapidly, confusing the Keeper.

"HAYDEN KING APPROACHES THE SECCUEN KEEPER!" bellowed David eagerly.

"CATCH!" screamed Hayden whilst faking a throw at the central ring. Hayden's fakes were so realistic and intimidating, the Keeper didn't think twice before leaping in front of the central goal, right into the course of a speeding Bludger. The large, heavy ball belted into the Keeper's shoulder, which broke backwards awkwardly.

A second later, Hayden had passed the Quaffle to Salazar, who slammed it into the right hoop at pointblank range. The entire crowd, except for Seccuen house, cheered voraciously.

And so the game continued, with Seccuen's Keeper sustaining more and more serious injuries, until finally he was basically useless, unable to raise a hand against Salazar's ripping shots. It seemed now that Snape's Quaffle shots were just as dangerous as Bludgers, thanks to their shocking speed and precision.

The only tense and challenging moment for the Bauregors was when the three Seccuen Chasers were in possession of the Quaffle, and their Seeker, Natasha Mills, had spotted the Golden Snitch, and was in hot pursuit. Thankfully, Gregory and Barry were able to dislodge her trajectory, whilst Blaire easily caught the Quaffle before it could enter the left goal.

Now that Salazar had just scored through the central ring once again, the Bauregor team was at one hundred-seventy, with Seccuen still skulking about on zero. Snape was just about to score again when the Golden Snitch abruptly fluttered past his face, trailed ravenously by Tim Perry and Natasha Mills. Both Seekers reached out with their arms, but Tim's advanced Firebolt thrust him forward just enough to apprehend the winged Snitch first.

A billowing rumble of cheers and roars engulfed the Quidditch field, the poor weather completely forgotten. Professors, students and players alike raised their fists in glee. Even the Seccuen House students clapped and whistled appraisingly. The Bauregor team had triumphed three hundred-twenty to zero. Their style, strategy and skill had been far above this year's Seccuen attempt.

Amidst the glory, Salazar Snape sunk back, breathing deeply and grimacing at the craziness surrounding him. His arm hurt like hell after all those amazing shots.

"Excellent game, Salazar! Bloody excellent!" exclaimed Tim, smiling broadly.

"You're welcome, Perry. Anytime," was the fourth year's casual response.

Before he could be swamped by his avid fans, Snape quickly fled the Quidditch pitch, returning to the change rooms. He was feeling quite deflated lately, and not even a crushing victory such as the final Quidditch match had managed to rekindle his joy for life and mischief. He felt sadly lacking in purpose. Salazar thought not for the first time, that something was missing in his life. Perhaps it was his complete lack of friends and social etiquette...

"Well played, boy," said a strange man from the shadows of the changing rooms, draped in black robes.

Salazar placed his broom against the wall, then studied the man in the corner. He had a hooked nose, long black hair and a very dark expression.

"Who're you?"

"My name is Severus Snape. It's good to see you again, son, at long last."

Salazar sputtered uselessly for a moment, unable to think of anything to say. His "father" simply frowned, before casting a spell in the fireplace. Immediately, Salazar's mother's face appeared in the hearth, blue eyes sparkling. She looked flustered and bothered.

"What is it, Severus?" she demanded angrily. Her long, auburn hair flowed down her shoulders like placid water.

"I found him. It's about time you told him why I'm here all of a sudden, Sophia," drawled the gloomy man.

"Very well then. Salazar, darling, I'm sorry to tell you this, as it might come as a great surprise to you, but your father and I agreed when I moved to Australia just after you were born, that before you started your fifth year of school, your father would become your new guardian. I'm afraid you'll be moving to Britain, Zar," stated the cold, stern woman.

"What? You can't be serious! This is my home, my-my life!" hissed Salazar, fury rising within him. He'd obviously inherited quite a temperament from his two parents.

"Oh, we're very serious, Salazar, my boy. You are coming to Hogwarts, where you will be Sorted into Slytherin house, and there you shall finish your education in wizardry," explained Severus Snape, looking quite amused and obnoxious.

"This isn't fair! I don't even bloody know you!" barked Salazar nastily.

"And I you. That's why I'm here to collect you, son. It's time you and I got more acquainted with one another. Your mother's time with you is up. Pack your things. We leave tonight!" stated Salazar's father, before he put out the fire and slid out of the changing rooms.

Salazar slumped onto a bench, head in his hands.

I really, really hate life.

* * * * *

Salazar returned to the Bauregor common room as quickly as possible, still quite displeased with the abrupt appearance of his father, and the sudden, forced change of lifestyle. He huffily packed up his Quidditch gear, and then put on his best robes and cloak, all in the orange-and-brown colours of his house. The Bauregors had always been fearsome warriors, and Snape was proud to wear such distinguished clothes. It suddenly occurred to Salazar that the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, divided into the houses of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Hufflepuff, had no place for an Australian Bauregor. The idea of disregarding his house seemed ludicrous, but his father had said he would be Sorted into Slytherin. Salazar knew all about Hogwarts, from studying the huge book, Hogwarts: A History.

After folding his last set of robes, and pushing them inside his charmed suitcase, Salazar ran a brush through his messed up hair. Jet-black strands were strewn all over his face. Playing Quidditch always turned Snape's hair into a wild tangle.

Suddenly the Principal, trailed by Salazar's father, burst into the room, seemingly quite distressed.

"Salazar! Is this man speaking the truth?" demanded Headmaster Owens.

The fourth year grudgingly nodded, sneering at his smug father. Severus Snape turned his nose up at the short, balding Headmaster, speaking with obvious distaste as he surveyed the dark room.

"This looks very similar to the Slytherin dungeons back in Hogwarts, but a little too shabby for my liking." Severus slowly ran his pale hand along the edge of Salazar's desk, then wrinkled his nose whilst rubbing the dust from his fingers.

"Well, are you ready Salazar, son?"

"Yes. And don't call me that," growled the young Snape.

"Don't call you Salazar, or son?"

"Both!" snapped the teenager wearily.

"If you say so, Salazar my son. I'm afraid you don't have time to collect much more than what's in this room. It's time to leave, now!" hissed the Potions master.

"Err-herm! How will Salazar be able to finish his school year if he leaves now? It's not like Hogwarts will just accept him and-" the Principal was suddenly cut off by Snape, mid-sentence.

"Nonsense! I am Head of Slytherin, and a close friend of Headmaster Dumbledore. My son will be admitted and he will sit the final exams at Hogwarts. Good day, Professor Owens. Thank you for educating my son these last four years, but he is no longer a member of this school or this community. Effective immediately!" barked Snape.

He spun quickly, striding out of the gloomy chamber, ordering Salazar to follow. The younger Snape hastily shook hands with his ex-Headmaster, then asked the man to apologise and bid farewell to his housemates for him.

Without waiting for a response, Salazar jogged at Severus' heels, winding up through the school's basements and tunnels. Suddenly, Severus lifted him from his reverie by asking, "What was this place, before it became a school?"

"Oh, uhhhh, Sandswept Plains was a convict settlement, but because it was so far inland, all the prisoners died from heat exhaustion and dehydration. There are so many ghosts here, you wouldn't believe it," explained Salazar, a little dejectedly.

Suddenly, as if to confirm this, a whole pack of mangy phantoms leapt from one wall into the other. The elder Snape grimaced. "Should have known your mother would drop you in a prison!" hissed Severus, eyes aflame with sharp anger.

"It hasn't been a prison for hundreds of-"

"Did I ask for your opinion, boy? Be quiet and follow me," demanded Snape, pulling his son into an alcove quite abruptly.

He wandered casually over to a fireplace, and then threw a mist of dust into the flames. They turned a deep green, gradually emanating less heat, but more light.

"You know how to use Floo Powder, I hope?" sneered Severus.

"Of course. I wasn't raised in a cave, you know? Mother is from pure-blood lineage, after all, so she raised me proper," said Salazar airily.

"Good, good. Well, we're going to Diagon Alley," replied Salazar's rather grim father.

The pale, yet athletic boy stepped into the fireplace, then shouted at the top of his lungs, loud and clear, "DIAGON ALLEY!"

With a WHOOSH, Salazar was captured in the trans-fire, thrust from his feet into a blur of hearths all along the Floo Network. This was the longest time Salazar had ever spent in one Floo trip, and he was beginning to feel very, very ill. He thanked God for his Chaser conditioning, which required a strong stomach, but this whole ordeal was quite disturbing.

After what seemed an hour of woozy, disorientating travel, Salazar was flung out of the flames, straight onto a rug in a dreary tavern. Half a minute later, Severus Snape stepped out of the inferno, looking calm and prim as ever.

"Let's go." With one driven step, Snape pulled away from the fireplace, approaching a brick wall in the corner of the inn. Salazar obediently followed, feeling too sick to argue or act rebellious any longer. Besides, this was his first trip overseas, especially to such a famous location as Diagon Alley. It had been a target for Grindelwald during WWII, and was a renowned wizarding location around the world.

Severus tapped his wand against the wall sharply, and an archway rapidly formed a clearing. The two Snapes stepped through, and then meandered amongst the crowds until reaching an apothecary.

"You'll need supplies. I'll get your Potions and Herbology gear. I'm actually sorry I rushed you, because now I'll have to buy you all new equipment. Such a waste of my money. Did you have a pet?" inquired Severus, more impatient than curious.

"No. I always used the school owls, when I rarely sent a letter to anyone. Besides, I've never found an animal with which I can bond. Cats are decent, but all the fur is rather unsightly," drawled Salazar, before realising he was sounding just like his father. The boy pulled a face, before becoming serious again.

"In that case, go look in the Owlery. If you find something that you might like, buy it," commanded Severus, whilst pushing a bag of gold into Salazar's hands. The teenager nodded agreeably whilst turning towards the Owlery. He entered the store and surveyed the scene. The whole filthy room disgusted him. Feathers everywhere, cages all over every shelf. Salazar wove through the room until he reached a suspicious rear section of the building. Behind glass containers were dozens of snakes, all coiled or nestled in comfortable positions. As Salazar got closer, they stirred, waking with his presence.

"Masssster!" hissed a brown snake, average length. Its crystalline, black eyes peered into Salazar's own blue ones, striking him with a sudden urge to free the caged animal. The snake itself looked like an Australian Eastern Brown Snake. Potentially deadly, highly strategic, but not aggressive.

Suddenly Salazar yelped in realisation. He'd just heard a snake speak!

"Masssster! Free me from this placccce! I wish to sssserve you!" the snake continued.

"Can you understand me?" whispered Salazar excitedly. He'd never even seen real snakes before this. Was he truly a Parseltongue?

"Of coursssse. We are all your sssservantssss! But I need to be freed, masssster!" demanded the snake again.

"Very well. I will purchase you then," replied Salazar.

The young Snape ran up to the man behind the counter, asking him to retrieve the snake for him. Salazar quickly paid the cost, and then let the brown hunter coil itself about his shoulders loosely, acting like a scarf against the cold weather of Britain. Coming from Australia's summertime, Salazar had been ill prepared for the chilling temperatures. He eventually convinced the shop assistant that he was well trained in handling snakes-although he wasn't really-before strolling back into Diagon Alley with a smug grin.

"Son!" shouted Severus as he ran through the crowd, alarmed.

"Son! There's a snake around your neck!"

Salazar merely chuckled, then raised his fingers to pet the creature's head. Severus was dumbstruck for a moment, before his eyes lit with understanding.

"You must have handled snakes a fair bit, coming from that backwards hole of a country and all," said Salazar's father knowingly.

"Uhhhh, yeah, something like that," agreed Salazar, rolling his eyes, but secretly deciding to keep his newly discovered ability a secret.

"Right then, I've got all your books in my office at Hogwarts, so all you need now is to have your robes fitted. I'm going to go and check my account at Gringotts. Get yourself over to Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions, and they'll suit you up," detailed Severus, whilst taking his first steps towards the notorious wizarding bank.

Salazar nodded absently, and then entered the shop.

After a short interlude in Madam Malkin's, the teenaged Snape was ready to go, all dressed up in his black Hogwarts robes, laced with green-and-silver fabrics. Although he hadn't been too keen in the beginning, the idea of joining Slytherin was becoming more and more attractive to the young Chaser. Anything to do with snakes had a sudden alluring aspect.

"Salazar! Stop daydreaming," snapped the Potions master as he left the Gringotts building.

He hurriedly led his son back to the Leaky Cauldron, and then entered the Floo Network once more, this time exiting in his dungeon office. A second later, Salazar also appeared out of the flames, looking a little worse than before he'd jumped into the magical hearth.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, brat. We're going to go up to the Great Hall shortly. The school's waiting to meet you," whispered Professor Snape. A peculiar glint was sparkling in his eyes.

Sinister bastard. Who does he think he is, anyway?