Six
18th June 1976
Lord Morpheus has never seen anything like this. Severus’ dreams have become increasingly creative and volatile, which is not abnormal as a person grows from a child towards adulthood. The simplistic metaphors of being chased which were not so different from his real life experiences, have become more complex as his life changes, and his mind struggles to deal with the more subtle nature of his troubles. But this… this was a mind in turmoil.
The world is split in two. Separate, and yet as one. No distinct line or border as such, yet two simultaneous existences nonetheless. The edges are blurred, and flow into each other, but the spaces themselves are in complete contrast.
One is cold and empty. The floor and walls – if one could describe them as such – colourless, edgeless, nothingness. In the centre a small boy sits with his knees pulled up to his chest, arms wrapped around his legs, patella pressed into eye sockets, hair falling around to cover the rest of his face.
The other side is heat and violence and anger. A young man strides through the hallways of a castle hexing everyone in his path, his face twisted with pain and fury. Tears stream down his cheeks in hot rivulets, burning red into his pale skin.
‘Severus.’ Morpheus intones.
The young man ignores him.
Morpheus frowns. Severus has never ignored him before.
The violence continues, and Morpheus recognises some of the faces of those who have haunted Severus’ dreams before; the werewolf and his friends, people from his youth, the shadow of his father, his friend’s sister. His mind seems to supply an endless crowd of people who this time rather than laughing and taunting, run screaming, or simply choke on their own blood as Severus cuts through them.
The Dream Lord understands the desire for revenge, but this level of violence is out of character. Severus could be mean, cruel even in thought and word, and was certainly becoming able to defend himself rather effectively, but he was not naturally a violent person. Defensive certainly, but he never struck first, and would look for an alternative if there was one.
‘Severus stop.’ He intones again. His voice soft yet forceful, impossible to ignore. The Sandman curls his fingers inwards, and the victims of Severus’ tirade melt into dust. The young man turns on him then, eyes cold as the depths of space, yet burning with anger.
‘They’re not going to stop!’ He screams. ‘None of it will ever stop unless I make them. They tried to kill me, and I kept their secret, but even that wasn’t enough! They choked me and humiliated me, and everyone thinks it’s funny because it’s only Snape right? It’s just that freak kid from the bad part of town. That’s all I’ll ever be. They all hate me, even her.’ His voice wavers slightly then, anger shifting to pain. ‘I was only ever her little pet project. A charity case. She thinks she’s better than me just like everyone does. But she isn’t. They’re not. I called her a mudblood, you wanna know why? Because she is one. Her bloody is dirty just like mine!’
The King of Dreams approaches the trembling young man, who looks more like a feral creature, the veins in his neck are sticking out, and spittle is frothing in the corners of his mouth.
He grabs Severus’ arm and holds it out. Severus struggles, his eyes widening in fear as the Sandman pulls out a sharp blade. Dream has never hurt him before, he would never… oh but of course he would. Everyone did in the end, he had been stupid to think anything else.
But when the black blade of Dream’s cold knife touches his skin it does not hurt. And when it cuts his flesh no blood flows out.
Instead the substance flowing from his veins looks like a galaxy. Black, midnight blue, and indigo, pricked with silver stars. It flows into a pool which shifts and floats into a cloud of dark sand that is blown in a silent breeze toward an endless desert.
‘We are all just sand Severus.’ Morpheus intones.
Severus collapses on his knees, shaking with sobs, and grabbing the lower folds of Morpheus coat. Gradually the two worlds pull together until the young man and the boy are one.
‘She’s never going to forgive me.’ Severus rasps, his desperate eyes staring up at the Sandman.
‘Forever is a very long time Severus. Though forgiveness is a precious thing. I cannot tell you the future, but perhaps I can give you some hope, or at least a pleasant dream…’
~~*~*~~