Forgive, forget, that is all I ask, but how can they, when they realized what I had done? When I condemned an innocent man to death just because I wanted to? Even if they forgive me, I will never forgive myself.
"Obliviate"Staring at my nephew's momentary blank look, I barely suppressed a tear. Knowing, when the sun rises again, there will be no one who was, or is an acquaintance with Victoria Evans. I had decided this long ago, since the War ended, but there were matters to clear up, matters too important to miss.
Albus had tried to persuade me out of this "mad" notion and even compared it to his brother's goat charming. I ignored him at this jib, not that it was not funny, but I was in no mood for jokes. Just as I turned to leave, Albus shouted out some ineligible stuff which should, according to me, never escape a Hogwart's former Headmaster's mouth. I turned, a frown creased my forehead, preparing to give the potrait a piece of my mind. But nothing would have prepared me to what i saw.
He was crying, at least there were water flowing down his crooked nose. He got an air of, how to describe that? Exactly like when he is telling Harry about the Prophecy. Which is to say, nothing good.
"Vicky, I got something to tell you, something very important, which you definitely need to hear before you make any rash decision."The old man pleaded, his wizened, saddened face sagged as if he is under great pressure, more pressure than when he had to tell Harry about that Prophecy?
"Break it." I knew what is coming, knew when he lost the twickle in his piercing blue eyes, but then, it is not piercing anymore. I suspected a long time ago that my power did not come from nothing, I had lost something very important for my Dumbledore-like powers, something like...I wanted to stop Albus from speaking anymore, to make it final, but I seem to have grown numb, unable to move, I watched, petrified as he spoke the awful truth.
"Your soul, Vicky, you have no soul, if you die, you can never go on, you will just, well, disappear. Never to see Lily, James, Sirius, Sev again..." I saw Albus' lip continue moving, but the rest of his words never struck home. I stood up, patted the potrait and said what I think was in an impervius tone,"It is ok, perfect actually, that is why I choose to die. I will just go to the graves and such one last time to say sorry, then go."
Seeing Albus' wet face, my resolve almost faltered, but I am tired of it all, I cannot live with that horrible guilt inside me. I strode towards the door but halted to a sudden stop. I turned, stared at Albus and managed it in my most cheeky tone,"Miss me, won't you?" Before turning the doorhandle and stroding out into the cool darkness of the corridor beyond.
In Hogwart's grounds, there are two graves that are the final resting place of the bravest person I ever knew, the whole wizarding world ever knew. Without whom, Voldemort might never be defeated. The Chosen One - my nephew would never have finished off Voldemort. Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore. I can still talk to Albus, but Severus, nevermore, yet I owe him his life. Even if i can, I will not have the face. I watched him die, saw the life flickering out of his coal black eyes, eyes that I had once loved, knowing fully well what he had done, yet chosing not to believe. He as good as killed my sister, how can I fogive? After the War, I testified, like so many others, Ginny, Neville, Luna, Harry to clear Severus' name, and to get him the Order of Merlin, First Class, he so deserved.
Among so many other things Severus left behind, his will broke my heart "If ever Voldemort is defeated, bury me in Hogwarts' Forbidden Forest. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Let everyone forget me. I hereby leave all my possessions to the Hogwarts School of Wizardry, except my journal, which I leave to Victoria Evans, and photographs, to Harry Potter."
Of course we did not obey the man's dying wishes. He deserved a burial just as grand as Albus Dumbledore's, perhaps even more. His body were encased in a black marble coffin, just like Albus' white one. A black marble figure of him with a white figure of Albus stand erect on either side of the Hogwart's front door. I stared at them, let my tears flow, I had not cried since thirty years ago. With a wave of my hand, white roses climbed up the legs of the black marble figure of Severus while black roses circled the sweeping robes of the white marble figure of Albus, my dear old godfather. Let them serve as a lasting tribute from me. Its time to go.
I lifted up the veil and stepped through the doorway, to nowhere.