The Renegade (1/?)
Title: The Renegade
Rating: PG
Word Count: 679 words
Warnings: Ummm... Not so 'white knight' Dumbledore, does that count?
Author's Notes: Yeah, Vinnie is talking loudly to me right now. If anything is confusing, it will be explained in later chapters, promise. This house is not a home is a prequel of sorts to this fic.
Vincent crumpled his father's letter and then set it afire. It wasn't that the idea of becoming a Death Eater wasn't appealing, because it was. Killing people was just so much fun. Second only to torturing them slowly and listening to their screams. Wasn't that what his father had taught him with all the years of abuse? How to be cold, merciless even?
But, did he truly want to be marked by that disgusting thing his father bowed to? Did he truly want to stay a servant, a henchman? Was there no other option out there?
"Vincent."
Vincent turned slowly, recognizing the low drawling voice immediately. What the hell did Snape want with him? "Professor Snape, Sir."
He watched as Snape's dark eyes noticed the pile of ashes and his brows rose into his greasy hair. "I take it you have received the news of your acceptance into the ranks?"
Vincent shrugged. "Just a letter from my father, Sir."
Snape shook his head and sighed heavily. "If you'll follow me another option may be made known to you."
Intrigued, Vincent couldn't resist following his Head of House through the castle. He stopped, shocked as hell when they reached the door to Dumbledore's office. "Just what would he want with me?"
Snape smirked. "Go in and see. You may be surprised."
Vincent figured either he'd be arrested or given an out. Either one was preferable to staying a minion all of his life, he decided as he stepped onto the stairs, not once looking back.
No matter the outcome of this little meeting, he knew his life would never be the same.
--
An hour later, Vincent sat back stunned speechless. He wasn't smart and everyone knew it, but he had a Slytherin upbringing instead. And yet, he honestly couldn't find a reason to turn down the offer. He did want to be certain that he'd heard correctly though. "So, you want me to sign a contract saying that I am killing for you rather than the Dark Lord?"
Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, my boy, that is exactly what I am saying. My time here is short. Professor Snape will act as your protector, for lack of a better term. You will not spend one minute in Azkaban, nor will you be forced to join any group you don't wish to."
Vincent's brows rose. "So, in exchange for my skills in torture and killing, you will protect me even from the grave?"
"Yes."
"And all I have to do is wait until the proper moment and allow all of my friends, my true family, to believe I am dead?"
He swore he could see a hint of sadness as the Headmaster nodded once again. "Sadly, it is the only way to guarantee your safety."
Vincent closed his eyes to hide the overwhelming emotions he knew he couldn't hide otherwise. He could escape being a minion to the Dark Lord and the only price was losing everyone that had ever meant anything to him. Slowly he brought his emotions under control and opened his eyes, leaning forward with his elbows propped on his knees. "And if I find out that some, if not all, of my friends aren't interested in the same sort of offer I was given?"
Dumbledore smiled. "You can get word to myself or Professor Snape and they will be protected."
Vincent smiled slowly, if not a bit evilly. "Add in killing my father to our little deal and you have yourself a deal, Professor."
Dumbledore picked up his quill and added a line to the magically binding contract on his desk before sliding it across towards Vincent and held out the quill. "It is done. Will you sign?"
Vincent laughed softly as he took the quill and pricked his finger with it. "I'd be a fool not to," he said, signing his name with a flourish.
He couldn't wait to start. In one fell swoop, he'd protected himself, his true family, and he got to kill freely. It was the perfect job.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 679 words
Warnings: Ummm... Not so 'white knight' Dumbledore, does that count?
Author's Notes: Yeah, Vinnie is talking loudly to me right now. If anything is confusing, it will be explained in later chapters, promise. This house is not a home is a prequel of sorts to this fic.
Vincent crumpled his father's letter and then set it afire. It wasn't that the idea of becoming a Death Eater wasn't appealing, because it was. Killing people was just so much fun. Second only to torturing them slowly and listening to their screams. Wasn't that what his father had taught him with all the years of abuse? How to be cold, merciless even?
But, did he truly want to be marked by that disgusting thing his father bowed to? Did he truly want to stay a servant, a henchman? Was there no other option out there?
"Vincent."
Vincent turned slowly, recognizing the low drawling voice immediately. What the hell did Snape want with him? "Professor Snape, Sir."
He watched as Snape's dark eyes noticed the pile of ashes and his brows rose into his greasy hair. "I take it you have received the news of your acceptance into the ranks?"
Vincent shrugged. "Just a letter from my father, Sir."
Snape shook his head and sighed heavily. "If you'll follow me another option may be made known to you."
Intrigued, Vincent couldn't resist following his Head of House through the castle. He stopped, shocked as hell when they reached the door to Dumbledore's office. "Just what would he want with me?"
Snape smirked. "Go in and see. You may be surprised."
Vincent figured either he'd be arrested or given an out. Either one was preferable to staying a minion all of his life, he decided as he stepped onto the stairs, not once looking back.
No matter the outcome of this little meeting, he knew his life would never be the same.
--
An hour later, Vincent sat back stunned speechless. He wasn't smart and everyone knew it, but he had a Slytherin upbringing instead. And yet, he honestly couldn't find a reason to turn down the offer. He did want to be certain that he'd heard correctly though. "So, you want me to sign a contract saying that I am killing for you rather than the Dark Lord?"
Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, my boy, that is exactly what I am saying. My time here is short. Professor Snape will act as your protector, for lack of a better term. You will not spend one minute in Azkaban, nor will you be forced to join any group you don't wish to."
Vincent's brows rose. "So, in exchange for my skills in torture and killing, you will protect me even from the grave?"
"Yes."
"And all I have to do is wait until the proper moment and allow all of my friends, my true family, to believe I am dead?"
He swore he could see a hint of sadness as the Headmaster nodded once again. "Sadly, it is the only way to guarantee your safety."
Vincent closed his eyes to hide the overwhelming emotions he knew he couldn't hide otherwise. He could escape being a minion to the Dark Lord and the only price was losing everyone that had ever meant anything to him. Slowly he brought his emotions under control and opened his eyes, leaning forward with his elbows propped on his knees. "And if I find out that some, if not all, of my friends aren't interested in the same sort of offer I was given?"
Dumbledore smiled. "You can get word to myself or Professor Snape and they will be protected."
Vincent smiled slowly, if not a bit evilly. "Add in killing my father to our little deal and you have yourself a deal, Professor."
Dumbledore picked up his quill and added a line to the magically binding contract on his desk before sliding it across towards Vincent and held out the quill. "It is done. Will you sign?"
Vincent laughed softly as he took the quill and pricked his finger with it. "I'd be a fool not to," he said, signing his name with a flourish.
He couldn't wait to start. In one fell swoop, he'd protected himself, his true family, and he got to kill freely. It was the perfect job.