53 Chapter 53. Humans?

Lily and Narcissa screamed in horror as the flames consumed Severus, leaving no trace of him behind.

Their hearts pounded, and they felt helpless as a single piece of burnt cloth drifted out of the fiery cocoon and landed before them.

To them, there was no battle between curses and fire, no flickering green light; all they witnessed was the crimson bird into which consumed Severus in the blink of an eye.

"Blast the fucking shield now!" Narcissa's urgent cry broke the group out of their shock-induced stupor.

They all aimed their wands simultaneously, unleashing their most powerful offensive spells, but their efforts proved futile. The flames moved closer to them, and the feeling of impending doom hung heavy in the air.

Meanwhile, in a realm of darkness, Severus opened his eyes to a familiar yet altered environment. It felt like home, but different— an empty void, shrouded in darkness and brimming with sorrow. He found himself surrounded by emotions not his own—agony, pain, and hatred emanating from the darkness around him. These feelings weren't his; they belonged to something else.

Glancing down at his hands, Severus noticed he was in a plasmatic state—almost transparent, nearly translucent. It was an extraordinary experience, as he realized he was partially out of his body, yet still tethered to it.

This was the first time he had ever found himself in such a state, existing inside another being's mind. Whenever he used Legilimency to read someone's mind, it was from their perspective, as if viewing a memory from their point of view. But this was different; he had a physical presence inside another person's consciousness.

Legilimency was a complex art, far more than mere mind-reading. Highly skilled wizards like Severus could communicate telepathically with others, even at a considerable distance, by projecting their thoughts, emotions, and memories directly into the mind of the intended recipient, creating vivid visual impressions within their consciousness. It was a powerful skill that required finesse and control, and Severus had honed it to an exceptional level.

In his pursuit of recruits, Severus wielded Legilimency, skillfully honing in on emotions like greed, interest, and desire. These feelings acted as beacons, leading him to their memories and innermost desires. Though he strived to be discreet about their private lives, he couldn't avoid delving into their memories to assess their worthiness.

Severus shared his knowledge of Occlumency with others, employing brutal yet effective methods to teach them. By constantly invading their minds, he encouraged them to become acquainted with Legilimency, erecting barriers to safeguard their thoughts, emotions, and memories.

Despite what Severus discovered in Benjy's memories, he chose not to reveal it to him, preferring to wait for Benjy to share it himself. With each passing day, Benjy's body deteriorated slowly under the relentless assault of the dark parasite growing within him, overpowering its host.

While Benjy had locked away the memory of his condition, Noelle's mental defenses were not robust enough to keep Severus from accessing their conversations.

From Noelle's mind, Severus gleaned some crucial clues about the enigmatic forces inhabiting Benjy's body, but the information remained incomplete. Benjy was cautious about what he shared, divulging only because of his affection for Noelle and her role in brewing him potions.

One last puzzle piece remained, crucial to unraveling the mystery entirely. Closing his eyes, Severus focused on the earliest memory of pain in Benjy's life.

The surrounding darkness crumbled, revealing an empty space that transformed into a bustling street scene. As he glanced down at his hand, he found dark skin instead of his usual pale complexion, signifying that he had entered Benjy's memory. With careful observation, he immersed himself in the unfolding scene.

--

In the dimly lit night streets of Rustenburg, a young child, bruised and battered, wandered through the shadows. At the tender age of seven, he was already entrenched in a world of crime and destitution.

Day after day, he fought for mere scraps of bread, his small frame often bleeding from the brutality of the streets. With no one to care for him, the meager coins he managed to beg for were snatched away by heartless gangsters.

Yet, amidst these darkest of times, the child found friends, his family in this unforgiving world. On these streets, names were abandoned, and identities became a distant memory. They learned to speak through the hushed whispers of wanderers, making the cold, unforgiving pavement their playground, shelter, and everything they ever longed for.

Gazing up at the night sky, the child wore a wide, innocent smile as he made a heartfelt proclamation, "I wish we could reach a place where there is no cold, no hunger, and a big, big cardboard above us. I want to be like the big, scary black cat that people talk about," his speech broken but filled with hope.

Beside him, a boy no older than him retorted with equal excitement, "Tomorrow, the big money guy will take us, said Ekwensi. And it's not a cat, it's a big, scary panther, they say."

"No, big cat."

"No, Panther."

"No, cat."

"Panther."

Exhausted from their debate, they eventually drifted off to sleep, clutching onto a glimmer of hope for a better tomorrow.

As the sun rose on the following day, the child and his friends eagerly awaited the arrival of the people who promised them a new life.

Amidst the worn-out surroundings, they anxiously anticipated a chance to escape their bleak reality.

"Are you excited?" asked one of his friends.

"Very," replied the boy, his smile radiating joy and anticipation, as he saw figures cloaked in weird garments approaching them.

Though their instinct urged caution around strangers, they trusted Ekwensi, placing their faith in him.

Kneeling before the children, the leader of the group removed his cloak, revealing a striking white beard and a bald head. Despite the pleasant smile he wore, the glint in his eyes betrayed the hidden malice.

"Are you ready for your new home?" the leader asked with a seemingly warm demeanor, though the warmth did not reach his eyes.

"Yessssss!" the children shouted in unison, their innocent voices oblivious to the deceit lurking behind the leader's facade of kindness and comfort.

Before leading the children away, the leader glanced at Ekwensi one last time, a sinister expression flickering briefly across his face.

The memories lingered like haunting shadows, reluctant to reveal the unspeakable cruelty these innocent children had endured.

A group of dark wizards, claiming to pursue knowledge, truth, and immortality, inflicted unspeakable torment upon the defenseless souls.

Day after day, the anguished cries of these helpless children were ruthlessly silenced, their spirits snuffed out, leaving them to wither and decay.

Even in death, they found no peace. Their nameless bodies were subjected to perverse experiments, their innocence desecrated for twisted purposes.

Among them was the boy, locked in a cage like a savage, forced to witness the slow demise of his friends, his only family.

He wept, screamed, and pleaded for the lives of his companions, only to be left with lifeless corpses.

All he yearned for was a chance to escape the harsh streets, stave off hunger, and feel the warmth of at least one full meal each day.

But were such simple wishes too much to ask for?

Were they unworthy even of having a name?

Did they not deserve love?

Were they not human?

Every day brought new torment. The boy endured the searing pain of burns, the sting of cuts, and the crushing blows of experiments meant to explore the darkest realms of magic.

Yet, one fateful day, he found the courage to escape the confines of that wretched facility, determined to break free from the chains that bound him to despair. But his bid for freedom was short-lived, as the relentless pursuit of the dark-cloaked guards quickly cornered him once more.

These children, some as young as five, were imprisoned on a desolate island, trapped in enchanted cages that held their tiny bodies captive.

Even before they comprehended the concept of death, they sought to end their own lives, desperate to escape the relentless horrors that besieged them.

But their pleas went unanswered, and hope seemed like a distant dream, forever beyond their grasp.

"Please, no! Please, please, no! Take me instead. Please leave him alone," the boy implored, his voice trembling with desperation as the guards dragged away his last brother, his last glimmer of hope.

"Live…*sniff*..for me, please!" shouted his best friend, the harsh ground tearing at his delicate skin as he was dragged away by his leg, leaving a trail of blood—an untold tale of the horrors of humanity and its darkest nature.

Desperation consumed the boy as he frantically banged his head against the unyielding cage, trying desperately to save his last family.

No matter how hard he fought, the cage held firm, denying him the chance to rescue his companion.

Three years of torment had taken an immeasurable toll on the boy's spirit, leaving him with a shattered soul and a longing for death to end his suffering.

It was during this dark and hopeless moment that a perverse power or a parasite seemed to awaken within him, granting those demons the very thing they desired.

Yet, instead of bringing relief, this newfound power only magnified his agony, twisting it into something even more harrowing.

It was as if a terrible entity had taken root inside him, an entity that thrived on his pain and suffering, feeding off his misery like a relentless parasite.

In the midst of this despair, an ancient and malevolent ritual was set in motion. These demons sought to test the boundaries of magic, attempting to merge the spirits of a hoo-hoo and a phoenix into an Obscurial. The boy, already broken and vulnerable, found himself caught in the web of this grotesque experiment, his very existence subjected to torment beyond comprehension.

--------

As the memory was about to play out, Severus felt an external force pushing him away from it. Back in the familiar darkness, he was no longer alone.

Before him, an ethereal figure of a woman materialized, her eyes filled with a fierce glare as she moved her arm, as if choking him. In an instant, Severus felt a constriction around his throat, lifted into the vast emptiness of the void.

"No one shall harm my child!" the woman's voice resounded, unleashing a powerful surge of energy.

"I am in no mood for this, miss. Forgive me," Severus responded, "I have a child to save."

The grip around him began to weaken, and a soft, light blue aura enveloped his plasmatic form. Floating in the emptiness, he summoned a colossal hand, slamming it against the woman.

"Forgive me for what I am about to do, but a mere memory like you can't stop me," Severus declared. Just as he was about to crush the woman into oblivion, a warm sensation he had long forgotten enveloped him, momentarily distracting him.

It was the warmth of a mother—the boundless love she has for her children.

The woman's pleas for her child's life echoed in his mind, but even her fiercely protective nature could not rival Severus's indomitable will.

"No one will harm my son!!!" the woman shouted, summoning giant spikes to attack Severus. However, to his melancholic smile, the spikes simply dissolved upon reaching him. With a sense of pity, he approached the woman.

"No, go away!!! Leave!!!" she cried, creating barriers to stop Severus, but each attempt proved futile as he effortlessly dismantled them.

No matter what she tried, the strength of a mere memory was no match for Severus's will.

"I don't know who you are or how you lived your life, but I can feel the love you have for Benjy," Severus conveyed gently, pulling the woman into a comforting embrace. His thoughts were laid bare before her. "I am not here to harm your child, nor am I here to uncover his secrets. I am here to help him. He must confront his past and break free from the chains that bind him. Do not fear, your child will be safe."

The world around them crumbled, and for the first time, the woman spoke words that deviated from the memory's script.

Her anger subsided, and she hugged Severus, surprising him greatly. "Please, take care of him. He has endured enough. Tell him... tell him his ma loved h--" she said, smiling, as she began to fade away.

An inexplicable longing tugged at Severus's heart. He wasn't sure why he had acted the way he did, but it felt right.

He could have ended the memory the moment it attacked him, but he chose not to.

"Was it truly a memory? A safeguard to protect his recollections?"

The emotions he had suppressed rushed back, haunting his mind with the scenes he had witnessed. An overwhelming fury threatened to shatter the carefully constructed barriers he had placed around his emotions, intensifying his anger toward this accursed world.

"I can't lose myself," Severus steeled, strengthening his mental shields as he found himself back in a familiar cell.

---

The boy's eyes fluttered open as a cruel guard in black robes struck the cage, urging him to wake up.

He was draped in filthy, tattered clothes, and his frail body bore the evidence of countless scars and cuts, still raw and open.

Devoid of any will to resist, he obediently followed the guard's command, his spirit broken by the relentless torment he had endured. Even in his darkest moments, he had attempted to end his suffering, but the guards always intervened, healing him each time, ensuring that his torment persisted.

The stench of decay hung in the air, as the lifeless bodies of his family lay nearby, their screams haunting his every moment and their blood staining his clothes.

Led into a foreboding chamber, he found himself surrounded by a sinister assembly donning dark crimson robes.

In their company, he felt akin to a caged creature, trapped and powerless. The room resonated with the eerie screeching of various creatures dragged inside. His eyes were drawn to the entrance of the room, where a majestic phoenix and a Hoo-Hoo, both bound by powerful seals, were brought forth, their attempts to apparate thwarted.

"Place him inside the hexagram," commanded the leader, distinguished by his white robe emblazoned with a golden-threaded R symbol.

With the boy positioned in the center, flanked by the legendary creatures, the leader produced a book emanating a sinister aura that even those observing the memory could feel.

The chanting commenced, and with each syllable, the boy's very soul was assailed by excruciating pain. The phoenix and Hoo-Hoo struggled, their wings desperately flapping, as crimson energy surged into the boy's body, intertwining with a dark cloud that enveloped him.

A wicked smile graced the leader's face as he chanted,

"May the beast of rebirth give birth to the immortal darkness."

The child writhed in agony as the dark cloud and the crimson energy clashed and devoured each other.

However, just as the dark cloud appeared poised to consume the crimson energy, the room was engulfed in chaos.

An explosion tore through the wall, and armed individuals stormed in, opening fire on the sinister assembly. Caught off guard and reeling from the impact of the blast, the wizards struggled to counter the sudden onslaught of the armed intruders.

"Firestorm!"

A monstrous fire erupted from the leader's side, surging toward the intruders with the intent to reduce them to ashes. Just as the flames seemed poised to engulf them, a massive wall of water materialized, intercepting the fire's path.

A beautiful blonde woman with hazel brown eyes stepped forward, shielding the intruders from the deadly blaze.

"Fire! I and the other wizards will handle the defense. Your task is to aim for a kill shot, or you'll be dead. Remember, you're facing a wizard, and you only get one clean hit," she instructed.

'It's her.'

The intruders wielded advanced weapons that appeared almost magical, leaving scorching holes in their victims' bodies.

Alongside them were invisible flying drones and hidden shooters that added to the chaos, making it even more challenging for the robed wizards to defend against both the armed assailants and the magical attacks.

"Rescue the children!" shouted a man in tactical gear, entirely covered from head to toe. His suit seemed to repel some spells, and he proved to be the most ruthless among the intruders. Without a hint of hesitation, he thrust a knife into a wizard's throat, unfazed by the blood staining his gear.

The beautiful woman swiftly came to the man's aid, preventing him from being impaled by a barrage of spells.

"You didn't have to save me, darling. I could've dodged that attack from a mile away. Your potions are working perfectly, allowing me to perceive spells in slow motion and react swiftly," said the scar-faced man as he regained his footing.

"These potions do have side effects that would leave you bedridden for days. Remember, we need to take advantage of the shock and chaos. We can't afford to lose many more," she responded, her voice laced with concern.

Despite their meticulous planning and formidable forces, the intruders suffered considerable losses on their side.

Amidst the mayhem, the boy found a newfound hope to cling onto life.

Just as he felt his breath slipping away, the phoenix and the Hoo-Hoo alighted on his body.

"Please... save... me..." the boy whispered, his voice barely audible.

Tears glistened in the eyes of the phoenix and the Hoo-Hoo as they shed their lament. With a resounding screech, crimson flames engulfed the boy's body.

'Live for us, Benjiyira. For we will save you, now and forever' a gentle whisper reached his mind, and finally, his overwhelmed consciousness surrendered to the intense pain.

Gradually, the once-mighty creatures began to disintegrate, but not before leaving an indelible mark on the boy's fate.

As he slipped into slumber, the last images he beheld were the faces of the woman and the scar-faced man, and a tender smile graced his lips, for at last, he had found a name - Benjiyira.

------

For the next few years of memories, Severus merely skimmed through them briefly.

The couple who rescued Benjy from that nightmare adopted him, granting him a newfound chance at life and love.

Benjy's adoptive parents were once mercenaries, tough and seasoned in their trade.

It took years of patience and compassion for them to break through Benjy's barriers and earn his trust.

His mother, Sara, devoted her time to concocting a potion to aid Benjy with his unique physiology, tirelessly researching ways to heal her new son. Their daughter, a sweet and resilient girl despite being a squib, played an instrumental role in pulling Benjy out of his self-destructive state. Her kindness and support helped him let go of the haunting idea of suicide.

This loving family surrounded Benjy with care, nurturing him with love, and providing the happiness he had yearned for.

Sara taught him about magic, while David, his father, taught his knowledge of various weapons and combat skills.

As Benjy finally settled into this newfound family, Sara decided to join him at Hogwarts for his fifth year to take his OWLs.

It seemed that finally, things were falling into place for him.

But fate had a cruel twist in store.

On a fateful day when Benjy was about to leave for Hogwarts, tragedy struck.

Their peaceful home was invaded, and his father sacrificed himself, setting off an explosion that took down the intruders and their home alike.

With the last of her strength, Sara apparated herself and her children to safety, but even she couldn't evade the curse that befell her.

"Always protect each... other," whispered Sara in her final moments. The pain became unbearable for Benjy, threatening to unleash his uncontrollable Obscurial.

In a desperate act to protect her children, Sara entered Benjy's mind, numbing his emotions and locking away the most traumatic memories. Though Benjy could still recall them, they would no longer inflict the same intense emotions.

With her last ounce of magic, Sara safeguarded his most nightmarish memories and took her last breath.

In the blink of an eye, Benjy lost everything he held dear, his life stripped of meaning by the very same people who had robbed him of his childhood.

Filled with rage and thirst for vengeance, he yearned to hunt down those who had caused him so much pain. But destiny had other plans. His sister's latent telepathic abilities awakened, leaving her vulnerable to the constant barrage of thoughts around her, with no control over her gift.

Putting his quest for revenge on hold, Benjy became his sister's protector and support. He knew she needed him more than ever. To learn about occlumency and find a way to aid his sister, Benjy returned to Hogwarts. A trusted family caretaker kept her company and ensured her safety in the wizarding world.

From there, Benjy's memories shifted to the days he spent at Hogwarts, learning and growing in the enchanting castle and its magical wonders.

As the web of memories came to an end, the world around Severus dissolved, breaking into shards like glass, and he found himself in a familiar space once more.

Before him hung Benjy, chained to a hexagram, his eyes devoid of their former light, lost in a dark abyss of despair.

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Author's Note:- Finally, I have completed the rewrite. I hope you liked the rewrite and the new elements I brought to the story. And finally, I hope you like the chapter and I was able to portray the horrors of this world.

Leave a comment about what you like the most in the rewrite.

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