The Morte Codex
After sending the letters to Amelia Bones with one of the school owls, Minerva decided to check in on her younger colleague. Severus was once her student and she had failed him. She had not stopped James and Sirius from bullying him. Partly because she felt students needed to be able to handle themselves, partly because Severus gave as good as he got and also, she was far too busy. Albus was a terrible headmaster. She was always handling things he should do himself. She was also the Head of House for one of the most notorious Houses and a full-time teacher.
After Severus had become her colleague and she had seen how burdened he was, they had talked for a long time and she offered him an apology. He told her about his time with Voldemort and what he had done…it wasn’t an easy conversation, but it cleared the air. Now, 10 years later, they were on good terms with each other and she considered the younger man a friend. She had a more active role in terms of making sure nobody in her house bullied other children, however, the workload was not getting smaller.
She walked over to the dungeons, muttered something about the cold and knocked on the door. Hearing nothing, she knocked again. A pop from a House Elf next to her made her look down. ‘Potions Master is sleeping professor. He will not wake…Dipsy tried.’
Ah, she understood…Severus, in his guilt, drank himself in a stupor and was now sleeping it off. Well, too bad, they needed to talk. ‘Dipsy, please go to Madam Pomfrey and ask her for a Hangover Potion and a Pepper Up Potion. Bring it to me when you have it, please.’ The Elf popped away and Minerva used the emergency password to enter Severus’ rooms. She used a spell to let natural light in and walked over to his bedroom. Proprietary be damned. She barged in and doused Severus with freezing water using her wand. He woke up with a scream, cursing and holding his wand out, to curse the unfortunate soul that woke him.
‘You!’
‘Yes, me…get up and get a grip. We need to talk and I need you sober.’ The Elf popped back in, gave her the potions and left again. Minerva threw the potions at Severus. ‘Drink.’
What the ever-loving fuck…Severus thought, mind still foggy from the alcohol. He went to bed about 2 hours ago, so his hangover was not as bad yet, but he was groggy. Minerva stood in his bedroom…his bedroom! The nerve of the woman! Grumbling and growling and muttering curse words under his breath, he drunk the contents of the vials and stumbled over to his shower.
10 minutes later he walked into his living room, where Minerva sat with a cup of tea. She looked serenely at him like she didn’t have a care in the world. ‘What do you want?’ he growled.
‘Well, maybe I wanted to check up on you…since I know how you must feel. And we need to talk about what I just did and what we will do now…so sit down please.’
Severus shook his head, sat down and poured himself a cup of coffee. He knew that at this point there was no evading the woman opposite him, might as well get it over with.
‘I…am angry. Sad. But mostly angry…at Albus, at myself. I feel like a schmuck, believing him blindly. I feel I keep making the same mistakes with him and that hurts.’ Severus was not an emotional man, but after 10 years of friendship, he could let his guard down with the older witch. ‘Why he did what he did, probably because he needed her compliant…if she would have been raised by a magical family, she would know much more and this way, when she would come into our world, she would be malleable…that’s the reason I suspect.’
Minerva nodded. She had the same suspicion. Albus was a chess player. Always seeing people as pawns…Dick.
‘I wrote a letter to Amelia Bones…’ Severus raised his brow and Minerva let him in on her plans. By the end of her tale, he was smirking. Hell had no fury like an angry Scottish witch.
‘I was wondering about something…your Vow…can you still feel it?’ Severus looked confused at the turn in the conversation. ‘Why do you ask? The girl died…’
‘Yes, exactly…so either the Vow would have demanded your life because you failed…or…’
At that point, Severus went as white as a sheet of parchment. He didn’t notice before, but he could still feel the Vow…not as strong as it should be, but it was there. Like a shimmer. But that was impossible since the girl died. ‘It’s still there,’ he whispered. Minerva looked pensive…something to look into. Unbreakable Vows were not often used. ‘Perhaps a visit to Gringotts is in order?’ she offered. Severus nodded mutely…what the hell was going on?
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
It was around 2 in the afternoon that the mail was delivered. Amelia Bones, Department Head of the Auror Office, was sitting behind her desk looking at the pile of files that seemed to grow, instead of getting smaller. Minor things really, but they needed her attention. She could use an assistant at this point. Not to mention the huge bombshell from yesterday, when Aurors had been called to Surrey because the Girl-Who-Lived had died. To say the Ministry was in shock was putting it mildly. Fudge was lost at what to do, but that wasn’t really a surprise. Without the advice of Dumbledore, the man probably couldn’t wipe his own arse.
At this point all the evidence was being examined, just as the body of the girl. One thing was clear, heads would roll.
A little cart with a huge pile of files and letters came to stop at her desk and a small stack of letters levitated to her desk. The top one was written in green ink and had the Hogwarts seal on it. What would the old coot want with her now? That was her first thought…but then, if Dumbledore wanted something, he usually Floo-called her. Her curiosity peaked, she put the rest of the letters aside and opened the envelope.
She read the letter, read it again, put it down…picked it back up, to read it a third time. This could not be true…for it would mean…oh shit. Putting her monocle down, she stood and paced around her office. Minerva had sent the letter in an unconventional way. She could have Floo-called her…so this must mean she mistrusts Dumbledore. Interesting. She looked through her windows at the Aurors who were currently in the office. Shacklebolt, Scrimgeour and Dawlish. How to handle this?
She decided she wanted Shacklebolt. He was a good Auror, fair, open-minded and loyal to a foot. She knew he liked Dumbledore, but she also knew that he had a strong respect for the law and for Lady Magic, so he would do what needed to be done. Yes, it would be him.
She called him over and asked him to close the door. She let him read the letter.
‘And? What do you think?’
‘Ma’am, if this is true, and I believe it is, then Dumbledore has a lot to answer for. He not only broke the law, but he is also in a way responsible for the Death of Regina Potter. At the very least, he should be investigated, discreetly, and if the claims in this letter are true, he should no longer be allowed to be Chief Warlock.’
Amelia smiled. She had made the right choice. ‘Very well. You can start your investigation. Whom would you like to be partnered with?’ Shacklebolt thought about this. Whom indeed? ‘Dawlish ma’am.’
‘Good. Keep me updated. I will talk to Minerva, either today or tomorrow.’
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
At the same time, a witch with a Scottish tartan and a wizard dressed all in black left Hogwarts in the early afternoon. Severus was completely sober at that point and he and Minerva decided that the sooner they visited the Goblins, the better it would be. They hadn’t informed Albus that they left. Both did not want to deal with the meddling man at this moment.
The other reason they didn’t tell him, was that Albus had the annoying habit of reading minds without asking permission. Severus could block him out, but Minerva never mastered the power of Occlumency.
They Apparated to Diagon Alley and walked over to the bank in silence. They entered the white building, after greeting the guards. After the proper greetings were given to one of the tellers, they were led to a private room. After a little while, two Goblins entered. Minerva explained the situation to them. A test was performed with some blood of Severus. The Goblins looked at it, looked at each other and left, after telling Minerva and Severus to wait.
Severus felt uneasy. Something was wrong. He felt it in his bones. He stood up and paced up and down the office. Minerva observed him quietly. The door opened after about 15 minutes and another Goblin entered the room.
‘Good afternoon, professor McGonagall and professor Snape. My name is Ragnok. I am the department head of this Gringotts branch. Please sit down.’
The Goblin rolled out a piece of parchment, that had various scribbles on it. ‘Do any of you have other appointments today?’
Minerva and Severus shook their heads. ‘Good, for we will be here for a while.’ Dread filled Severus’ body at that statement and Minerva, seeing him in distress, patted his hand.
‘We have examined your blood. The Vow is in place, but it has diminished. It is something we have not seen in a very long time, but it has happened before. We also found several compulsions in your blood.’
‘Excuse me?’
‘Someone placed compulsions on you, I have the list here.’ Ragnok showed Severus the list. Minerva read along and went as white as a sheet. She gasped and tears filled her eyes. That bastard!
Compulsions placed on Severus Tobias Snape
- Hatred of Gryffindor House
- Hatred of James Charles Potter
- Hatred of Sirius Orion Black
- Hatred of Remus Lupin
- Hatred of Regina Lilian Potter when she turns 11 (recently placed)
- Loyalty to the Dark Lord Voldemort
- Loyalty to Slytherin House
The list went on and on. At the bottom of the list stood; Placed by; Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.
Severus trembled with rage as realization sunk in. The man he trusted, the man who saved him from Azkaban, the man he respected up to a certain point…he felt betrayed. Before he could explode however, Ragnok spoke.
‘The compulsions can be removed today. That is not the problem at this moment. We need to talk about the Vow. Would you like a minute to gather your emotions?’
Severus was unable to answer, rage still flowing through him. Minerva accepted and Ragnok left. Minerva consoled her younger colleague. ‘It will be fine. The Goblins are the best at removing compulsions. We add this to the case we are building against him.’
Severus could only nod. Ragnok came back and had with him a very large, old, dusty tome.
He placed it on the desk and looked at it with trepidation. ‘Do you know what this book is?’ he asked.
Minerva didn’t, but Severus recognized it. He swallowed, fearing the book instantly but nodded and the Goblin gestured him to elaborate. Severus cleared his throat and said ‘It’s the Morte Codex. An ancient book said to be more than 5000 years old. It is written in a language we can not read or understand. It only becomes readable when there is a need for it.’
‘Very good. We have had this book in our possession for more than 2 centuries. It’s far older than that, but throughout history, it has been lost many times. We believe it was written by Death himself.’
Ragnok opened the book. A chill formed in the air, giving Minerva goosebumps. ‘Since you took a Vow, that has not been fulfilled even though the child you took the Vow for is dead, we must see what is going on. I, as Head of this Department, can order the book to answer our question. I’m warning you both, do not interfere while I am doing this.’
Ragnok spoke an ancient incantation and the book began to glow. A green shimmer rose from the book, in the form of the Grim Reaper. To their bafflement and fear, the shimmering figure started speaking.
‘The Vow placed upon Severus Tobias Snape has been placed falsely, by one who claims to be something he is not…the child is not in the Shadowlands and will return…in 7 years…she who died once will come to be…’
The shimmering figure disappeared and left a very confused Goblin and two very confused wixen behind. Across the Earth, Death had felt her book being used. It had happened eons ago that someone used the proper incantation to get the book to speak. One of her more clever ideas. She smiled.
She popped over to see what she was dealing with and without being seen she saw a Goblin, a witch and a wizard. She quickly read them and to her surprise…Severus Snape…how very interesting.