darth_stitch: (Alice Snape by Brevisse)
[personal profile] darth_stitch
It's official - [livejournal.com profile] book_wyrm is now another Muse. She is In Charge of Getting My Lazy Arse Back To Work On My WIPs.

Again, I couldn't have done this without her and [livejournal.com profile] vileseagulls.

Earlier chapters of As You Wish are HERE.

Now let's go back to Snapercup and Hastley, shall we?



As You Wish
Chapter Eleven: Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Cold


Standard Disclaimers Apply

***

Severus Snape had spent a long time contemplating his vengeance.

He had carefully and meticulously studied each and every possibility that could have led him to this moment, this point where he could confront the Dread Pirate Roberts and call him to account for what he’d done. He had a long list of things he wanted to do to the murderous wretch, prepared noxious brews that would set fire to a man’s insides and render them into mushy goo, made a careful study of any and all hexes that were guaranteed to turn its victims into gibbering wrecks.

Snape wanted the Dread Pirate Roberts, this self-styled “hero of the people” to suffer. He wanted the murderer of his beloved Harry to spend eternities redefining pain and torment.

And so he quickly drew his wand and spoke one of the most painful Curses in his repertoire – one that many wizards deemed Unforgivable.

“Crucio.”

The sheer agony from the continuous application of that Unforgivable Curse alone had driven many a person mad. However, Snape wasn’t going to be contented with just that. He’d worked hard over that list after all.

And he definitely wasn’t inclined to be forgiving at the moment.

However, the pirate nimbly dodged out of the way. Snape was about to cast the Curse again when the pirate shocked him by drawing out his own wand.

“Expelliarmus!”

Snape was no longer blessed with a young man’s reflexes and he’d been too surprised to find out that the Dread Pirate Roberts was capable of spellcasting. The spell knocked him off his feet and neatly divested him of his wand.

The pirate picked up Snape’s wand, keeping his own trained on the Potions Master. “Hand those potions ingredients over.”

Snape sneered. “You should have cast the Killing Curse on me, pirate, instead of a simple Disarming Charm. I do not need a wand to kill you.”

“I don’t want to kill you. I just want to keep you from making that potion to turn His Nibs Prince Voldemort immortal. Wouldn’t want him to become a permanent plague upon the face of the earth now, do we?”

“Ah, don’t like competition, do you?” Snape returned silkily. “Want to try out that potion yourself?”

The pirate smirked. “Sorry. M’not very good at potions myself.”

“So that’s why you wish to spare me,” Snape drawled. “You want me to make the bloody thing for you. Two words, pirate: Bugger. Off.”

The pirate snorted. “Don’t be ridiculous, Snape. You’d have handed me poison in an instant and knowing you, it would be something I’ve never heard of before so I would never have been able to tell the difference in time. No – the fact of the matter is this – I simply do not want to kill you.”

“Fine words coming from a murderer.”

“That’s a bit of the pot calling on the kettle, isn’t it?” The pirate’s voice hardened. “How many deaths have you caused with those poisons of yours, all at Voldemort’s command?”

Snape shot to his feet, noting with grim satisfaction how Roberts took a cautious step back, staying out of arm’s reach. “Do not presume to judge me, pirate. The rest of common folk might be fooled by this new heroic pose of yours, but I am not. You are still the same thieving murderous bastard who’s terrorized the seven seas. The only difference between you and Voldemort is that you’ve got yourself a ship and he’s got himself a castle.”

“So why do you choose to serve Voldemort, Snape? Is the pay much better?”

Snape crossed his arms over his chest and smirked. “It was a good bargain. My services in exchange for you.”

“I’m terribly flattered,” the pirate said slyly, “but I’m sure I can offer you something much better in exchange. You’d thrive better in sunshine and fresh sea air than in Voldemort’s dark cold dungeons.”

Good god, Snape thought, that fool couldn’t possibly be - “Are you actually trying to recruit me?”

“Shanghai you, actually,” Roberts replied cheekily. “We could always use a Potions Master among the crew.”

“I’m afraid I must decline,” Snape answered, seething at the sheer gall of the man. His hands twitched, wanting very much to wrap around that man’s neck and squeeze. “The debt you owe me is far more than you can ever repay.”

“I owe you a debt? I’m afraid I can’t recall anything of the sort.”

Yes, forget the hexes and potions. It would be much more satisfying to break the bastard’s neck. "Liar! Think back, if you can, Roberts, to one of your many innocent victims. A boy. A beautiful green eyed boy whose only mistake was to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."

The pirate's lips twisted into a sneer, not missing the emotion in Snape’s last words. "Can it be? Does Voldemort's pet poisoner actually have a heart? Does he love this poor lad I've supposedly dispatched to the hereafter?"

Snape cursed himself for giving too much away. But before he could frame a suitable retort, the pirate continued:

"Now that I think of it, I do remember the lad. Begged for his life, he did. Had nothing of value for me to steal - what he had was a mere pittance. I asked him why I should let him go and he answered 'true love.' A sweetheart waiting for him at home. Someone he had to prove himself to. Thought I'd spare him finding out what a shallow chit she was and put him out of his misery." The pirate laughed. "Never tell me that it was you!"

"You. Bastard." Snape was shaking. He wanted to tear the man limb from limb, as slowly and as painfully as possible. "I wanted to die that day when I learned he was gone. Silly, stupid boy...I prayed he'd grow out of his foolish infatuation and find some other person worthy to love. And he never got that chance. Because of YOU, Roberts.”

The words continued to pour from him in a heedless, impassioned rush. “But I chose to live one more day and forced myself to exist through the next one and the one after that. One more day…one more bloody day until I could get my hands on you.”

And then, Snape bared his teeth in the barest approximation of a smile. A feral snarl was closer. "This is one more day. With or without my wand, I'm going to kill you. And then I shall have one more day after another until I've presented this potion to Voldemort, and finished my part of the bargain. And after that I care nothing if Voldemort takes over the world or damns it into perdition or both because nothing, NOTHING is worth anything now that my Harry is dead!"

The pirate seemed stunned. "So this is why, Potions Master. All the deaths and all this pain and suffering by countless innocents, all at Voldemort's command...it was all your vengeance, for your lost love." There was a strange, odd note in the pirate's voice now but Snape was not about to be troubled thinking about it.

"The Dread Pirate Roberts, now a so-called Champion of Light and Good and Justice." Snape rasped. "What will you pay for the taking of an innocent boy's life? Will you suffer for me, my fine young hero? Will you take all the days I hurt and raged and wept and suffer them in my place?"

The pirate closed his eyes for a moment (strange, Snape thought, that they were the exact same color as Harry’s were) and then, smiled this sad, achingly familiar smile. "As you wish."

And then, he deliberately turned and threw himself down the mountain.

Oh God. It couldn’t be, it just couldn’t…Snape couldn't believe it.

He wanted to believe it….

“Oh bloody hell,” Snape whispered. And he found himself picking up his wand, which the pirate had dropped to the ground in his foolhardy jump.

And then, he threw himself in after him.

Of course, Snape had the sense to use levitation charms instead of rolling down the mountain and chance the possibility of breaking his neck. He thought he’d taught Harry that much of common sense.

Fortunately, the mountain side was grassy and blessedly free of rocks and other debris. Snape found the pirate lying down on the grass, the mask ripped off in the fall.

The face had matured, age and experience having left their clear mark. And there were bruises and an angry red scratch down one cheek. But Snape knew him, knew that it was still his beautiful green-eyed boy...

He knelt by Harry’s side, wanting to touch him, wanting to affirm that he wasn’t dreaming, that this was all real. But he found himself asking one single question and it was all he needed to say at that point.

“Why?”

The green eyes that squarely met his own were suspiciously bright. But Harry’s voice was clear and unwavering as he listed his reasons.

"Because I thought Voldemort had corrupted you.

"Because I thought that the man I loved was no more.

"Because I wanted to prove myself worthy of you, to be equal in your eyes. Not the boy you once took care of.”

Hesitantly, Harry raised a hand and traced a shy, tentative finger down Snape’s cheek. "But I've been the worst kind of fool...and I squandered what you gave me. I am sorry....so very sorry....and I say this with no expectation of forgiveness."

"I thought I lost you," Snape whispered.

"I thought I lost you," Harry answered.

"You. Idiot."


"Well?" Katerina demanded.

"Well what?" Daddy asked. He looked a bit pink.

"They're supposed to kiss, aren't they?" Katerina said in exasperation.

"Yes. Well." Daddy pushed his glasses up his nose, his cheeks still that suspicious rosy hue. "They do. Kiss. I mean."

"DAAAAADDDY!"

Daddy took up the book again, scanned that particular page and muttered, “G-rated. This story was supposed to be rated for children, for Merlin’s sake….”

"Daddy!" Katerina wailed again.

"You seem VERY interested in the kissing parts, young lady,” Daddy said sternly.

Katerina crossed her arms over her chest and smirked. "I'm a girl. I'm supposed to be interested in the Kissing Parts."

“Two words: Convent. School.”

She waved a hand airily. "Well? Go on!"

“Ahem…”



The memory of their first kiss was one of the very few things that kept Snape going for all those long, empty, hurting days. It was all he had left – that first kiss and then, the second one he stole, just before Harry went away. He cherished each and every detail of those few precious moments where he'd committed the taste and scent and the sweetness of his beloved to memory.

And this third kiss that they were sharing now made up for all those lost days, for all those painful nights. For one moment, Snape knew he was whole and he was home and he was with Harry again. He was still angry and he knew that there was a lot of things that Harry needed to tell him (not to mention that he needed to see how badly his beloved idiot was hurt).

But now Severus had this kiss, this one perfect moment where everything was all right with his world once more.

-tbc-

A/N: Sigh. Finally. Um. Just to tide you over to the next bits, I challenge the rest of the audience (and those who've been told the answer, please - hush! Heheh) - what is a W.O.U.S.?

Date: 2004-07-11 08:54 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] joannindiw.livejournal.com
Thank you thank you so much for more As You Wish! *bows deeply to book_wyrm*

I like the detail of Snape lowering himself to the ground rather than just tumbling after... I like the how they had misunderstood what had happened (though, Harry's a bit dim -- what did he think Snape would think when word got around that his ship got taken by the Dread Pirate Roberts?) Nice how Snape noticed, just before the revelation, that the pirate's eyes were the same color as his Harry's... *grin*

I've a friend who doesn't actually read Snarry, but who really likes The Princess Bride whom I've shared your story with -- she's on chapter two (or three?) as I type and seems to be enjoying herself immensely.

Again, *thank you*.

(now if only I can have some more of murisaki99's Airs Above Ground (I think that's it))

Date: 2004-07-11 10:12 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] darth-stitch.livejournal.com
Harry's not one for thinking clearly when his emotions are involved....HOWEVER, he does have a very good and much more detailed explanation for Snapercup after they're done with the Kissing Parts.

Believe me, Harry's not that stupid. :p

Date: 2004-07-12 12:54 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] joannindiw.livejournal.com
*bows deeply* Many apologies to Harry. I should have known he wasn't that stupid -- and I await the revelations with ... impatience. ^^V

Date: 2004-07-11 09:42 pm (UTC)

Date: 2004-07-12 02:44 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] darth-stitch.livejournal.com
Oh dear....

*grabs bucket for Melted Mia*

Date: 2004-07-11 10:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jedilora.livejournal.com
::puddles::

One of my favorite scenes in the orginal story, and you've delivered a lovely homage to it.

However, you're going to need a mop to clean up after all the melting readers.

Date: 2004-07-12 02:47 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] darth-stitch.livejournal.com
*Hastley hands Stitch the Mop*

Thank you, sweetness - er...don't you have a Snapercup to Explain Things To Right Now?

Hastley: (winces) I'd like to delay that for a bit, if you don't mind. He's not very happy with me at the moment. Can't I help you with the mopping up stuff instead?

Stitch: *raises brow* Where's that Gryffindor courage, m'lad?

Hastley: It's currently being squashed by my Slytherin Sense of Self-Preservation.

Date: 2004-07-11 11:09 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] nataliadarimini.livejournal.com
Mmm...
*happy sigh*
My love for Snapercup knows no bounds. None. Not any.

Date: 2004-07-12 02:48 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] darth-stitch.livejournal.com
Harry Muse is protesting that with a resounding "OI!!!"

Sigh. Harry Muse, we all love your Severus but you needn't do the jealous thing, okay?

Jeez....

Date: 2004-07-12 12:27 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gaycrow.livejournal.com
He was still angry and he knew that there was a lot of things that Harry needed to tell him (not to mention that he needed to see how badly his beloved idiot was hurt).

Yes, let's get our priorities right here. Kiss first, check for vital signs second. ;)

Loved this, especially the little interaction between Katerina and Daddy.

Date: 2004-07-12 02:50 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] darth-stitch.livejournal.com
Hee! His Snarkiness definitely has his priorities in order - he has definitely WANTED that snog for quite a while now....

*cough* You guys mind if Papa decides to join in the fun....?

Date: 2004-07-12 08:10 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gaycrow.livejournal.com
Oh, Papa can join in any time he likes. :)

Date: 2004-07-12 01:45 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] vileseagulls.livejournal.com
Awwwww. *goes looking for someone to cuddle*

*goes into a jealous sulk over [livejournal.com profile] book_wyrm being a Muse too*

:D

Date: 2004-07-12 02:52 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] darth-stitch.livejournal.com
*sends Arthur over to Frances for Cuddling*

Awww....sweetie, don't be jealous. You know I still wuv you!

Date: 2004-07-12 08:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] vileseagulls.livejournal.com
*licks him*

I know love. Just teasing. :D *smooches*

Date: 2004-07-12 03:00 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cydah.livejournal.com
yeah the kiss!! hehe, great chapter, I love Snape's heartfelt confession (colored of course by Harry ^_~)

As Katerina does: 'She waved a hand airily. "Well? Go on!"'

Date: 2004-07-12 02:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] darth-stitch.livejournal.com
*sweatdrops* Oh dear. This next bit is going to be a doozy, do you know that?

*Severus Muse rolls his eyes*

SeverusMuse: Hasn't that idiot figured out yet that I would practically forgive him anything?

Stitch: (archly) Not without making him suffer first.

SeverusMuse: (shrugs and smirks) Naturally.

Date: 2004-07-12 04:16 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] imasisara.livejournal.com
Darling, as usual. I'm really curious about the w.o.u.s.es. . . . is it bad that the first thing that came to mind was "Weasley of Unusual Stature"? Followed shortly by "Wombat of Unusual Size" and "Wodent of Unusual Size" (as said by the priest in Princess Bride..."Mawwage is what bwings us togezah today...")

Date: 2004-07-12 02:57 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] darth-stitch.livejournal.com
Someone got the right answer already. *cough*

Here's a hint - the W.O.U.S. is always with its Constant Companion, the D.O.U.S.

*evil grin*

Date: 2004-07-14 04:50 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jedilora.livejournal.com
Oooh! Oooh!
I think I got it! Though at first, I too thought it was Wombats of Unusual Size. Because you can never have enough wombat.
::claps hand over mouth::

(Though I keep filling in the S with Sweaters now...)

ShaeLynn

Date: 2004-07-12 04:45 am (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
siiiiiighhhh Thank you. (completely relaxed) That was a great reliever from the d@m# stress filled evening I've had. Now on to the explanation and more snogging! (is this going to be just the rating it is or will it get... more?) O_O (drool at imaginings)

Re: ShaeLynn

Date: 2004-07-12 03:17 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] darth-stitch.livejournal.com
Awww...I'm glad you feel better. Believe me, I find myself working out a LOT of stress and Real Life junk whenever I get cracking on this fic. Thanks ever so for reviewing! :D

I've been asked about the "R" rating before. I can not write smut to save my life *facepalms* and obviously, Daddy is doing some Creative Editing for his precious kitten's innocent ears. Hee.

Technically speaking, this is more PG-15 than anything else. And if I remember correctly, I have rated it as such on Skyehawke.

Still, I just rated it an "R" on ff.net because I'm taking on children's book characters and putting them in situations that are a wee bit more adult than the more innocent Potterverse fans are prepared to accept.

And ff.net's a pretty open site, even with its clampdown on NC-17 fics. Most EVERYONE still goes there, from the sheer volume of fics and reviews. I'm far more comfortable leaving it an R there - a subtle warning for those who might not like the slightest hint of slash and won't accept it for the Potterverse characters.

And at least in Skyehawke and ISF, which ARE known to be slash-heavy, I can leave in the PG-15 rating, trusting that folks who go there know what they're about.

Date: 2004-07-12 12:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sevter.livejournal.com
*looks around*

Strange that this part left me with a bit of an odd taste in my mouth. Is it because that it was not a cliffhanger or was it the fact that it was fluffy. Curiouser and curiouser...

*ponders*

Date: 2004-07-12 03:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] darth-stitch.livejournal.com
*sheepish grin* Never fear, the Cliffhangers shall return.

And hey, after keeping everyone on tenterhooks for ages? I figure it's about time we take a deep breath and relax for a bit.

Until the next chapter, that is. *grin turns evil*

Fallen in Love with Harry/Snape again!

Date: 2004-07-15 04:02 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lady-vader67.livejournal.com
I found your story and before reading this I had kinda drifted away from Snape/Harry but your take on the Princess Bride is just enchanting.

I'm addicted and can't get enough.

Just love "Snapercup"!

Wish I'd thought of it but oh well.

toodles

Re: Fallen in Love with Harry/Snape again!

Date: 2004-07-15 04:29 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lady-vader67.livejournal.com
I'm replying to myself but does W.o.u.s
stand for Wizards of Unusual Size? LOL!

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