The Final Cut

Chapter three - A new Death Eater

'You can't do this Ron!' Fred shouted in indignation.

'Yeah, this is the worst idea ever!' George shouted with equal enthusiasm.

Ron looked at himself in the mirror. He had grown into quite a strapping young man, even towering over the twins who were not slightly built themselves. His face, always pale, had now reduced even further so that he looked quite ghostly. Without the influence from Harry or Hermione, Ron had withdrawn and focussed his attentions on righting all of the wrongs. A little piece of Ron knew that it wasn't just to do with Voldemort tearing people's lives apart, but equally to do with the fact that he had been cast in the role of the sidekick. It was time to change the pace. Ron had promised Harry that he would not interfere in his quest for the Horcruxes, but Ron knew that it was a promise that he would have to break. As much as he was jealous of his friend, he would do anything to ease Harry's pain and the weight of duty. This combination was the one that reinforced his desire to make a pre-emptive strike.

Ron smoothed his dark ginger hair over his ears and frowned at the bags under his eyes. The war needed to be over soon so he could relax a bit more. As the twins watched in horror, he pulled the Death Eater mask over his head, and assessed his appearance. Sure, he looked a bit scary, but in a way, that made a nice change.

'Where did you even get one of those?' George asked.

'It doesn't matter,' Ron told him.

'Don't do this Ron!' a girlish voice shouted from the doorway.

'Ginny! I told you to keep out of my room!' Ron said harshly.

It had been bad enough having the twins use their ridiculous contraptions to hear his whispered conversations and find out his plans, but now Ginny walking in when he didn't expect it? He supposed that Fred and George had told her.

'Oh shut up! That hardly matters compared to what you're getting yourself into!'

'You think I can't handle it?' he challenged angrily.

'I know you can't, you idiot! It's suicide!' she retorted, infuriated with him.

'I'm sick of this stupid war Gin,' he said sighing. 'This may seem stupid... to all of you,' he added as he felt the twins about to comment. 'But I have to try.'

'I'm not losing you and Harry,' Ginny said quietly.

'This might work you know!' Ron shouted.

'Hardly likely,' George added.

'Better chance of killing you,' Fred echoed.

'What makes you think Voldemort could ever believe that Harry Potter's best mate could possibly become a Death Eater?' George asked in disbelief.

'Because I'm scared okay? If he uses Legilimency on me, he'll know that! He'll think that's why I switched sides.'

'I'm going to tell Mum and Dad,' Ginny responded shaking her head and backing out of the room.

'You're too late,' Ron said wearily.

'What?' The other three Weasleys asked at once.

'He already knows about me... You'll just put everyone at risk if you tell Mum and Dad.'

Ron looked at Ginny. The tears starting to run down her cheeks and the drawn, shocked expressions of the twins wasn't making this any easier for him.

'Look, just trust me, okay? Just this once, believe I can do something right.'

Ginny wiped her blotchy face with the back of her hand and nodded at Ron, though she couldn't seem to meet his eyes. Fred and George simply stared at the floor; their posture showed Ron that they were still very angry with him.

Suddenly Ron felt a strange feeling grow from his toes towards his stomach, and instantly found information in his head that wasn't there before. He had the coordinates that Voldemort wanted him to Apparate to imprinted on his brain as though they'd always been there. He supposed that the tingling was growing at the same rate as Voldemort's impatience.

He cursed the timing as he began to wobble and sweat slightly and the other Weasleys looked at him as though he had gone mad. He backed away suddenly and adjusted his Death Eater's mask. The last thing he saw as he Apparated was Fred and George trying to grab him before he vanished and Ginny running towards him.

He arrived in the middle of a small circle of Death Eaters and either knelt under his own volition or was quietly attacked with the Imperius Curse. Either way, he found himself with his nose practically touching the ground.

He felt invisible strings disappear, and in a show of courage, tilted his chin up slightly so that he could at least appear to be in control. He shuddered involuntarily at the contorted face that looked at him with interest. Voldemort seemed to laugh softly and Ron dipped his head again, not wanting to invoke the Dark Lord's wrath before it was necessary.

'It seems that we have a guest,' Voldemort chucked. 'My loyal followers,' he continued. I don't want to spoil the surprise by revealing who exactly kneels before me; so instead, we must proceed with his initiation!'

'Subject, you may rise,' Voldemort said curtly.

Ron got to his feet and felt a surge of adrenaline course through his body. For some reason, he didn't feel any fear. He supposed that this was because he could never have imagined being in this situation before and his body had no idea how to respond. For the first time in his life, he felt prepared for whatever painful thing his 'initiation' would involve.

Voldemort suddenly pointed a long talon at another Death Eater in the group and stated authoritatively, 'Come forward.'

The Death Eater did so, purposefully and slowly and uttered, 'My Lord?'

'Surely you know by now what I wish for you to do. I think our apprentice requires a lesson in submission,' Voldemort grinned, his slack mouth stretching over the rest of his face grotesquely.

The Death Eater stood directly in front of Ron's face and awaited the commands of Lord Voldemort.

'Unmask,' Voldemort commanded him.

The death eater nodded slightly and pulled the mask off his head in a swift movement with his left hand. Throwing it to the ground, the man shook his head backwards, the black hair falling from his face. Ron found himself face to face with Severus Snape. Snape scowled and sniffed as though it was beneath him to be conducting such initiations. Ron knew exactly why it was Snape that he would be facing. Would he allow himself to let the man who had killed Dumbledore dominate him? Would he be able to stop himself from killing him right now? If he struck Snape, he knew he was as good as dead.

'If you submit...' Voldemort hissed. 'Get to your knees.'

Staring at Snape's unknowing eyes, Ron realised that it would be easier knowing that Snape had no idea who he was. He forced himself to his knees and bowed his head low in front of one of the people whom he hated most in the world.

Snape raised his chin and assessed Ron with a look of hatred before lowering his eyes to Ron's own and softly stating, 'Crucio.'

Even with the softness in Snape's voice the pain that accompanied it could not be described as soft. It wasn't the sharp pains that Ron imagined came from Bellatrix's wand, having seen people suffering under the curse. But this was an agony that took away all thought and burned right from his very core. Slowly, he felt invisible strands of intense hurt burst through the walls of his body and involuntarily made a grasping movement with his arms, as though to pile all of his internal organs back into his physical form. The vibrations simply sent him down a flowing river of pain and the rippling waves of agony that coursed throughout his body had him quickly wishing for death, wishing for anything that would ease the pain.

Suddenly, he found that the pain had disappeared only to be replaced by a sense of doom and terror. He looked up at Snape, his eyes wide open, and Snape simply looked back, unfeelingly, lowering his wand. Quickly, Ron lowered his head into an even lower bow to show that he was submitting as much as his body would allow. His hands shook, but his expression remained steely beneath his mask. Snape would not beat him.

'Will you submit to him doing it again?' Voldemort asked softly.

'Yes, my Lord!' Ron almost shouted through gritted teeth.

Voldemort smiled, but the light didn't reach his eyes, and gave the nod to Snape, who turned to Ron, raising his eyebrow. When Ron didn't look up, he bared his teeth and shouted 'CRUCIO!'

This time, there were no waves, no sea of pain. This time, Ron felt as though his entire body was in a vice. Everything was constricted, it felt like he was being squashed and pounded into nothingness. Pain echoed into pain and blackness began to swim over blackness. He could literally feel his breathing beginning to stop, as if trying to save him from the torture. As he danced with agony, Ron felt his heart slow and the equilibrium between him and his pain began to sway. Soon it felt as if he was being lifted, lifted away from the scene. With every feeling of constriction, he began to feel freer... and the sky began to grow lighter... and everything began to...

'Stop!' Voldemort commanded.

Snape lowered his wand automatically and Ron didn't move or realise for a full minute whether the torture had stopped or whether it was still going on. Some barrier had been broken this time and Voldemort knew that he was ready.

'Stand, servant of Lord Voldemort,' Snape intonated deeply. Ron caught a slight suspicion in his voice. He knew there was a reason that he had been the one to carry out the torture.

Ron shakily got to his feet, amazed that his limbs were still there and still responded to his neurological commands.

'Reveal your...' Snape began, but Voldemort waved him into silence.

'I think that you should remove his hood for yourself, Severus,' Voldemort told him evilly.

Snape looked unhinged for a second, as though genuinely worried about what he would find under the hood. He sniffed slightly and strode meticulously towards Ron before grabbing his hood and tearing it off his head in one grasp.

Snape paled and his eyes flashed angrily when he saw the slightly battered-looking Weasley standing in front of him. Ron simply tried to look through him, but found himself meeting his eyes with equal anger. Snape breathed deeply and looked around at the other Death Eaters who were equally as shocked. Some were even caught so off guard that they gasped audibly or made other involuntary noises.

Suddenly Snape grasped Ron by the chin, who stiffened fearfully. Looking him over with hate in his eyes, Snape threw him down roughly. Ron fell hard to the ground, his legs splayed out behind him.

Voldemort advanced on Snape quicker than he appeared to and pulled his wand on him, pointing it directly at his throat. Snape simply glared back, not showing any weakness. Ron watched as Voldemort grunted, clearly trying to achieve something, while Snape flexed his hands. Snape's legs started to shake and he growled and tried to smooth them out with his hands. Voldemort however continued what Ron supposed was the Imperius Curse and Snape finally fell to his knees. It was another twenty seconds before he bent his head at the feet of Voldemort.

Voldemort walked closer to him and swiftly kicked him in the face, causing him to fall to the side. Snape groaned as blood flowed freely from his nose but got back to his feet, wiping his face with the back of his hand, keeping his head down now as Voldemort looked at him.

'Temper, Severus,' Voldemort hissed softly. 'I remember that we nearly had to kill you at your own initiation. Your student learns a lot quicker than you do it seems. But resisting the Imperius Curse from me? I expected better. You're lucky I don't kill you now.'

Snape looked Voldemort in the eyes and then dropped to his knees and bowed low at the feet of his Lord.

'Excellent, as long as you continue to learn, I will continue to teach you,' Voldemort told him almost affectionately.

Snape arose and again wiped the blood from his broken nose. Voldemort smiled at him gravely and addressed him once more. 'Severus, if I see you mending that nose using magic, this time I will kill you. Let that be a reminder to you the next time you choose to resist me.'

Ron, who had been watching this display open-mouthed, suddenly found Voldemort's attention resting on him once again. He quickly found himself in another bow at the feet of his new Lord.

'Left arm, Weasley,' Voldemort commanded.