Savior

Truth

"You don't have to come along."

It was the night of 7th September, and Lord Voldemort narrowed his eyes at his guest who was dressing up in layers of robes and cloaks.

The young man - his ward, Severus Snape - avoided his gaze as he put on his school cloak. "I just want to see it for myself," he said. "And who knows, maybe you'll need some help."

The Dark Lord rolled his eyes; why would he need some child's help? Still, the two men walked out of the apartment in Knockturn Alley and Apparated to the skirts of Hogsmeade Village, having their hoods covered their faces as they walked toward the Forbidden Forest. The few bugs and insects buzzed through the night, masking the sound of dried leaves under their footsteps.

They then hid behind some thick bushes nearby the entrance of the forest and the Dark Lord called out in Parseltongue, "O friends of the great Salazar Slytherin and his descendants, I wish to speak with all of you."

He watched as numerous snake species began to slither toward them from the bushes and trees. A normal wizard or Muggle would run away from such sight, but he felt no fear for it was an ability he inherited from one of Hogwarts' Founders. After a reasonable amount of the serpents gathered around them, Severus casted his muffling charm so that they didn't catch any unwanted attention.

"Are there any werewolves around here?" Lord Voldemort asked.

One of the serpents, a silver-colored and slender snake flicked out its forked tongue, "Oh yes, there are. We don't mind much at those who seek refuge in this forest, but... "

"There's one loose out there."

"Yes."

"Tell me more about it."

The Dark Lord listened to the snakes' stories, in which the rogue werewolf supposedly went to the animated willow tree nearby the greenhouses with the school nurse for four years until it was recently joined by three other... animals beginning the last school term. He hummed as he pieced together the information and turned around to see Severus' onyx eyes glinted in utmost curiosity and awe.

"You can talk to snakes," the boy said.

Lord Voldemort felt greatly offended by such statement. "Of course I can, you think it's all a ruse? A fake?" he nearly spat in anger.

Severus backed away from him slightly, head bowed. "I- ...No, of course not," he muttered. His eyes fell onto the snakes and he went on as if musing to himself, "It's just... it must be really nice, for them to not run away and shun you."

The Dark Lord glanced at the serpents that swayed their heads as if they too are interested with the young man; the boy's innocuous comment filled his mind. Just how lonely can someone get? He might be a terror in the orphanage but most of the time he himself didn't want any close... acquaintances. From what he gathered of Spinner's End, he could only assume the Muggle community was small and words spread quickly over the Snape family.

"There they are," the silver snake hissed and he turned to see two figures approaching the rampant Whomping Willow and the taller one - the nurse - had a long stick in her hand, to which she poked the root with it. All the sudden, the tree froze and the nurse left after the other person entered the tunnel underneath the Willow. They then remained in place, waiting for any other signs and looked at the sky in which the clumps of clouds thankfully still covered the moon.

"There," Severus whispered and Lord Voldemort narrowed his eyes when the tree froze once more but there was no one nearby. Or better yet, they were invisible to the eye.