Witch Hunt

22

'Severus, 

By the time you read this, I will most likely be dead. Truly dead, this time. Unfortunately, I will not have the luxury of miraculously returning to life a second time. 

Not that you would mind, manky old tosser. At last, free of me. 

Enclosed in the envelope on your desk is my revised will and testament. The house will go to Helios when he is of age, as will 80% of my inheritance. The leftover 20% will go to Harry. I leave the home in Godric's Hollow to you, my darling friend. Should you ever require sanctuary in the place you lost your greatest love, I hope you may find some peace there. 

As Helios' only parent and sole guardian, I leave you in charge of the house and his finances until he comes of age. I imagine he will have your eyes, kind and intense. Merlin knows I hope he is blessed with my nose... Though, I wish for him to be born with your passion, your stature, your confidence. I wish for our son to aspire to excellence, to aim for perfection, to have a role model that will lead him to greatness. 

Most importantly, Severus, I wish him to be happy. 

Perhaps the boy will teach you a thing or two about happiness. What joy a new baby brings! I wish for him to love you as unconditionally as I love him already. We have not yet even met, still I love him fiercely. As you can plainly tell, I am whole-heartedly convinced that we will have a son. Should I be wrong, I expect you to choose a proper name for our daughter. However, I would be horribly surprised to be incorrect. He will be born a boy. I know it.

Finally, -and then I'll leave you be for good- I wish you peace, my dearest confidant. Peace from Lily's passing, peace from the war, peace from my insufferable presence in your life these last 20 years. Peace from our predicament. I hope you may find it with our baby boy in the years that follow.  

I also hope you pull your head out of your arse and write to Hermione. She has bewitched you, anyone with eyes can see it. Go to her, you fool. You will both be better for it. 

Do not grieve me. We have had an interminable 9 years together. Do not punish yourself for my passing. It is my time to go. I will at last be where I belong. In your memories, smiling, yelling, throwing things over your head. And in the ground, returning to the Earth alongside my Sirius, with Lily and James, as I always ought to have.

I shall never forgive you for the pain you've caused me. Making me befriend such a strange and angry man. For forcing me to learn to love our routine, for finding peace in your presence and in your arms. For trusting you with my entire being, with my life. Learning to love all the ways we are. 

You are my very best friend, Snape. I resent you for it. 

Kiss my son for me nightly and tell him I love him fiercely. Protect him the way you promised you would for Harry. Love him, please. Love him the way you should. You are all he has in this world. You and Harry. 

Farewell, caro mio. 

Your beloved Katie.'

At the bottom of the page, there was a photograph, tacked on with a safety pin. Snape could not help but chuckle at the impracticality of his wife's choice of tool. The photograph was of her and Severus at the ball a year prior. A picture that had not made it into the papers. The pair were laughing about something, Kate grinning ear to ear as he whispered to her. Her head was then thrown back as she laughed. A small smile touched his lips as he laughed with her. Then, it replayed, over and over. He carefully removed the image, flipping it over. 

'The world's most despicable married couple. I hate you. xoxo' Her messy scrawl hastily penned across the back.

He smirked, sliding it into his pocket. He would cherish it forever. He could practically hear his wife's laughing as she imitated him. "Insufferable, you are. You'll be the death of me, witch."

His heart was heavy and he sighed. Despite their animosity and all their squabbling, he would miss her terribly. Glancing over at his son, sleeping peacefully in the bassinet by the window, he smiled sadly. His wife, the mother of the darling boy sleeping soundly, had left them with only each other. "How irritating, ridding herself of her greatest responsibility," he chuffed, knowing she would appreciate such dark humour. 

He walked into his new den, sliding open the top drawer. A photograph of Lily stared up at him, smiling. He covered it with the letter from his hands. He had mourned Lily long enough.

Enough.