Chapter 7: Signs of Blood

Unknown Location, Wizarding World...

Screams filled the air as Snape stood silently behind both the white mask of death eaters and the mental mask of indifference. He had not been alone under the light of the Waxing Gibbous moon that loomed above them. He had been sent to carry out the orders of the dark lord accompanied by Rabastan LeStrange and Lucius Malfoy. LeStrange had a natural aptitude for torturing Muggles that put most hard-core death eaters to shame. The group was joined by Bart Crouch Jr. and Worm-tail as they entered the house and slew the members of The Order of Phoenix. Snape had not been pleased to see either one of the amateurs there. The damage they were capable of was catastrophic.

"Alright," said Lucius. "You all know what to do...we are here to send a message to The Ministry of Magic as well as The Order of Phoenix."

Snape said nothing as the terrified homeowners glanced up at him and the others. He had only been sent along to ensure that the dark lord's orders were carried out in full. He had not known how he was going to get through this. Worm-tail was a pig even among pigs. He would jump at the chance to dally with the women and young girls if there were any and Bart Jr. was just as pathetic. At least LeStrange was more into murder and torture.

"Come on Lucius," said Worm-tail. "The master told me I could have some fun."

"The Dark Lord instructed us to send a message you sack of horse manure," said Lucius annoyed. "Now wait here and control yourselves until I give the word otherwise."

Snape still said nothing standing quietly in the back.

There was a pretty redhead little girl with pale skin and blue eyes sitting with her feet and wrists bound.

"She's pretty isn't she Snape?" asked Worm-tail with a grin. "I bet you'd like a crack at her."

Snape still said nothing.

Worm-tail smirked as Bart crouched and jeered alongside him aided by LeStrange.

"Or is it the man you fancy?" asked the rat-faced buffoon.

Snape still did not reply. He simply watched the girl. Tears streamed down her pale cheeks as she cried against the gag that had been put into her mouth. Lucius came back and Snape saw a hint of a grim look on his pale face. The target was a man and his family. A wife, A husband. And their young daughter. He did not doubt in his mind that his old friend had been thinking of Draco and Narcissa possibly being at the dark lord's mercy in this way.

"What did he say?" asked Worm-tail hopeful.

Lucius composed himself and gave his best menacing scowl.

"He said have fun," he replied and turned his attention back to Severus. "You Four do what you will I will not spoil my cock with secondhand trim."

"Nor will I," replied Snape in an emotionless tone.

Worm-tail, Rabastan, and Bart Crouch Jr. eased their way forward amused at their spoils. Both Snape and Lucius stood with their backs against the wall and their arms folded across their chest in indifference. This was going to be a long night for the both of them. As their associates indulged the two simply watched not taking their eyes off the others or their victims. Both were careful not to let on how much this act disgusted them in a bid and asserted their dominance as the highest-ranking members of The Dark Lord's inner circle.

"Get on with it," commanded Lucius.

Worm-tail happily started things off pulling the redhead by the hair and forcing her onto her back. Snape's obsidian eyes never left her even as she drew her last breath.

"It's a pity you declined Snape." taunted Worm-tail with a grin. "She was every bit as wonderful as you were imagining."

Snape stifled the rising bile and the urge to rip the little creep apart. He would have to settle the old score another time. The Dark Lord expected them back soon.

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Later...

Snape touched down on the familiar grass of Hogwarts grounds. If he had been upset by the events of the night he did not show it as he made his way closer to the Slytherin dungeons. The images of what happened forever burned into his keen and intricate mind. As long as he lived he would never forget the look on those people's faces even as they drew their last breaths. Twisted and horror-filled faces seemed to burn further into his mind.

From her room in Gryffindor tower, Hermione Granger had seen the ebony-clad figure of Severus Snape make his way across the field. He had a grim expression even from where she sat. She got the feeling whatever happened had not been very good from the quick way Snape breezed across the grounds in an elegantly graceful but swift fashion.

She wished she knew what was going on with him. She had been studying all she could get her hands on about werewolves and their transformations. She wasn't sure what was happening to Snape, but she figured it was something going on with him. Something that might end up being more dangerous than he let on.

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Snape's Quarters, Slytherin Dungeons...

It took a while for the burn of the fire whiskey to set in and enable him to even think about the prospect of sleep. He kept seeing their faces. The redhead more than the others. Her crystal blue eyes were lifeless and her pale face twisted in fear. There had been so much blood. By the time LeStrange had gotten through with them the blood had been so much, it could have been used to paint the walls. He hated the seedy look on Worm-tail's face as he forced himself on the unfortunate man's wife.

It took every ounce of his self-control not to hex the little maggot into oblivion.

The only thing that restrained him had been Dumbledore's words to act as if nothing had changed when he returned to the so-called fold. It sickened him to no end to have to watch the three of them rape and torture those innocent people for kicks. With his pale eyelids too heavy to leave open Snape attempted to drift off to sleep in the center of his large black four-poster bed.

Somewhere inside him, the beast raged helplessly to free itself from its fleshy confines.

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ELSEWHERE...

The Beast could hear it. It wouldn't be long now. The binds of his fleshy prison were starting to slip. Soon it would be free to hunt and rip the world asunder. The moon's song was growing louder and more focused. Soon. The night would know a terror like never before and the female. He could get to the female and her intoxicating scent. The bones of those mortals had been weak. He wanted to sink his teeth into them and snap them in half.

The stench of fear radiating from the four wizards had been thick. He wondered just how much he could make them sweat in the heat of battle. The weaker one...of the rat-like build had been the most annoying. Its flesh is so squishy and frail. A wolfish grin filed across its face as it thought about its claws slashing through the jiggling mound of rolls. Licking its chops the beast snorted in anticipation.

There would be blood when the call came.

So much of it that it could fill a river.

The beast would make sure of it.

Starting with the pudgy one.

Impatient and enraged it beat against the walls of its fleshy prison.

It wouldn't be long now but he still wanted out.

Freedom is just on the horizon.

The Blood moon was calling and Hircine himself would oversee the hunt.