Severus Talks - Severus Snape (COMPLETE)

Potions Professor

Minerva was the most surprised to see the newly-proclaimed Professor Snape. She was perhaps the one who'd missed him most in his mysterious years of absence from the wizarding world. They had been rumours - oh yes there had been - that he'd joined You-Know-Who and was their Potions Master. Minerva ignored these rumours. Those that spread them had been his enemies at Hogwarts and likely still were outside of the school.

"Severus," she greeted warmly.

He nodded his head in response. "Professor McGonagall. What a pleasure to see you again."

"It's been too long," responded Minerva. "And it's Minerva, now," she admonished sternly.

Snape looked around at the Entrance Hall.

"Too long to see you," he said, "but not too long to see these walls and pass through these doors. It's a lot smaller, that's for sure. There's no magic here."

"Not here out of nostalgia then?" Minerva questioned, smiling gently.

Snape snorted. "As if." He glared darkly at the approaching figure of Albus Dumbledore. "I have to keep my own life afloat, no matter how dreary my existence."

Dumbledore nodded at the new professor, beaming.

"Ah, Severus! I have long awaited the day when you would return to grace us with your presence once again." 

"It seems you are not the only one pleased to see me, then," Snape muttered to Minerva. "If you'll excuse us."

He and Dumbledore walked off, apparently deep in conversation, and Minerva returned to her office, inwardly questioning the sullen man's sudden reappearance into wizarding circles.

*

Severus settled back in his armchair. It'd been a tiresome first few days. With the obvious exception of Minerva, every single teacher, and student alike, loathed his existence. If this was how he lived his life... It was exceptionally tiresome to be hated, but far easier to hate than to love. He'd proved that with dear, sweet Lily Evans.

He was only teaching to keep her safe. He was only being a spy to keep her safe. And yet, she didn't know. That was what was most disheartening about the whole charade. He would gladly risk his life for his childhood sweetheart, but for her to be in the dark, shrouded in mystery, and totally unaware of the danger he was in, for her? Why did he still do it? If Lily wasn't around, he wouldn't.

*

A MONTH LATER

Severus lay motionless in the Hospital Wing. Apart from his hands, which shook like Dedalus Diggle's hat when the Order of the Phoenix member was excited, he was completely still. His eyes occasionally shut, when the blinding white of the ceiling hurt his retinas, but for the most part he remained frozen and staring in utter, total, disfunctional shock.

"Lily is dead, Severus."

Blue eyes stared down at him, cold and unfeeling. No remorse. Severus willed his hands to move, to reach up and strangle the manipulative old codger but he could not feel his hands.

"She is dead. She is not alive - she is dead."

There was a silence, and then -

"BECAUSE YOU KILLED HER, YOU DODERING OLD FOOL!"

"Now, Severus," Dumbledore began reasonably.

"NO NOTHING, HEADMASTER!" Snape spat. "I LIED FOR YOU, SPIED FOR YOU, PUT MYSELF IN MORTAL DANGER. SO DID SHE. SHE PUT HERSELF IN MORTAL DANGER FOR YOU, HID FOR THIS POINTLESS PROPHECY AND DIED FOR YOU. WHERE'S YOUR REMORSE, OLD MAN? Where's your remorse?"

Suddenly he was crying. 

And then there was another voice. A female voice. A calm one. Lily.

"I'm always here, Severus. Always."

But you're not, Severus thought. You never will be, any more. What about our promise? We said we'd be together, forever. Always. And I can't fulfill my promise without you here. I'm lost. And I can't be found. Not by anyone. I'm too far gone.

*****

A.N. I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter - it was a pleasure to write!

If anyone's confused by the ending, please message me, but I hope you're not! Or if anyone has any ideas about what the ending means, likewise, message me. If not either, message me anyway. I love messages!

For those who read all the way to the end of the Author's Note, thank you for reading and please comment!!!!!