The Little One with Green Eyes

30: The Immortal Lord

-November 20 1991-
If there was a hell, this would surely be it. Never before had Severus longed for the sweet release of death, but as he stood there, watching the two people he hated most duel, Severus found himself wishing for eternal sleep. When the Dark Lord told him he was to train the two new recruits, Severus thought he'd gotten off easy.

Then the Dark Lord told him the recruits' names and Severus wanted to cry.

Sirius Black and Remus Lupin fought against each other in a mock duel in the Dark Lord's dueling room. Severus had regretfully called them forward for their training, resigning himself to the fact that he'd be forced to be around them for a substantial amount of time. Months in the very least, as it took a while to get recruits ready for the missions that the Dark Lord required of them.

"This is a waste of time! I already know how to duel!"

Severus wasn't sure he had the patience to deal with these two for the next few months.

"Are you able to duel to the Dark Lord's standard?" Severus bit back, crossing his arms against his chest. "Because I'm watching a pair of dancing chickens, not a duel."

"Shut up! You don't know anything Sniv---"

Black let out a yelp when Severus's overpowered stinging hex hit him in the behind. The sudden shock caused him to stumble, and his extra momentum caused him to fall to the ground with a loud thud. Severus withheld his smirk in favor of stalking over to him and hefting him up by the collar of his robes.

"Do not address me that way," Severus snarled. "I am training you so that the Dark Lord doesn't slaughter you on sight. Treat me with respect, Black, because your life depends on it!"

The room was silent for a long time, the only noise coming from the harsh inhales from the two wizards as they attempted to regain their air. Finally Severus scoffed and let go, Black falling to the ground with another thud. Severus turned around and walked back to his position by the wall, and waved his hand, bidding them to continue.

The sounds of fighting filled the room once more, and time passed silently, only the occasional bout of conversation, usually from Severus calling out a mistake or flaw in their fighting style, and Black fighting back.

"Can't believe we're missing the speeches for this," Black drawled, snapping Severus's attention to him. "I mean, Dumbledore is speaking, you have to admit, it's gotta be entertaining."

"The Dark Lord gave you an order," Severus responded dryly. "You'd be a fool to ignore it."

"I wasn't saying that," Black sighed dramatically. "I'm just saying that Dumbledore's speech is probably going to piss off the Dark Lord, and that's gotta be funny."

"Be silent, Black, before you get yourself killed!" Severus hissed, pinching the bridge of his nose with a weary sigh. "Honestly! Have you no filter between your brain and your mouth? Oh who am I kidding, of course you don't."

"Who cares? There's no one here but us?" Black asked, crossing his arms over his chest defensively.

"If you truly believe that, then you are more of a fool than I took you for," Severus snapped. "We are in the Dark Lord's castle. He has eyes everywhere!"

Black opened his mouth to argue, but Lupin stepped forward and pressed a gentle hand to his shoulder. Black whipped his head over at Lupin only for the werewolf to shake his head. Black all but deflated and nodded.

"You're right," he said softly. "I need to be more careful with my words. I... apologize."

Severus stared at him for a long time before he scoffed. "That must've been painful."