Severus was still sulking in his dungeons. He had not been out at all since he entered, and was more angry than ever since James lied to him about Lily being in love with him after all.
But in the time he had spent to moan and sulk, one thing kept returning to his mind; Albus' promise. He had assured Severus that he would be happy in Heaven, not that he was in Heaven. But he also felt he couldn't trust Albus anymore. He made him believe that they were protecting Lily's son when in fact Albus was raising him and training him to die at the right time for the good of the Wizarding World. True, Harry Potter was not dead, but Albus couldn't have guaranteed Harry's survival, surely.
But Severus was not going to let his anger at Albus' latest lie go. He had to find Albus and confront him. Did he lie to Severus so he could go to his punishment in Hell? Did he lie about trusting Severus and just want him to die a slow, painful death and suffer every day of his prolonged life for his mistakes? But what he didn't know was where to find Albus. He couldn't go back through his door and back to the King's Cross Station to reach him, as the door was gone, vanished upon his entry.
Then, an idea formed in his head. He could see Albus in this very place he called Hell. There was a place in this Hell Hogwarts that he could find his old Headmaster; his portrait in his old office. So Severus decided to go and confront Albus' portrait for what he had condemned him to. He knew he would have accepted Hell himself, but he was not going to tolerate Albus lying to him about it.
So Severus slowly opened his dungeon door by a fraction and peered out. Once he was sure that his enemies and Lily were not there, he left the dungeons and set off for Albus' office. But in his haste to look around to make sure James, Lily and the others wouldn't see him walking around the castle, he failed to notice that there were no portraits on the walls. No Fat Lady, no Sir Cadogan, no-one.
Soon Severus arrived at the gargoyle entrance but it just allowed him entry without a password since there wasn't any. He soon reached the top of the staircase and entered without any hesitation into the office. He looked up to the spot where Albus' portrait usually stood, but saw only a plain wall. And this plain wall was spread across the entire room. Not a portrait in sight.
Severus howled in misery. He should have realised that Hell wasn't going to let him talk to Albus again. He sat down on the floor, hoping that he was dreaming everything. He closed his eyes and opened them again but knew that he wasn't dreaming. He was still dead, still an occupant in Hell itself.
Then he saw something new to him. In the place where Albus' Pensieve usually was in life, was a glass mirror propped against the wall. Severus had never seen it before in life and reasoned that it must be an item specifically made in Hell. He stood up and approached it to investigate if there was a way for him to communicate with Albus after all.
But as he came before it, all he saw was his own reflection. He felt disappointed that it was just a common mirror.
Then a voice spoke behind him. "Who do you see, Severus?"
Severus darted round and saw that standing in a corner behind him was Sirius. He looked at his old enemy with pity in his eyes and with a grim expression on his face.
"What d'you mean, Black?" asked Severus angrily.
"Who do you see in the Glass?" asked Sirius again.
"My reflection?" said Severus sarcastically.
"So it is just a mirror to you, Severus?" asked Sirius, looking more sorrowful than ever.
"Yes. You obviously know something I don't so explain!" ordered Severus.
Sirius didn't even argue at Severus' rudeness. "It is not a mirror. It is known to us as the Mortal Glass. It allows us to see into the world we left behind and see the people we love and how and what they are doing with their lives." he explained, "For instance, Remus and Tonks can see their son, Teddy being cared for and looked after by Andromeda and Harry, Peter can see his mother, still alive but close to death herself, I wager. And...James, Lily and myself can see Harry and his friends getting on with their lives after the Battle of Hogwarts."
