Til I See You Again
Tribute to Snape and Lily's love.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
He remembered the flash of pain as the serpent hissed and backed away, fangs still bared. The numbing pain, the flash of someone running to his side. The fear that it was one of the Death Eaters, and a flash of relief when he knew it was not.
Those green eyes, the exact shade and shape of Lily's that met his. His rising desperation to keep living, but also a flicker of hope that he might see her again.
His lungs felt tight, pain still seared through his ribs and he struggled to pull another breath through clenched teeth.
Then nothing.
Silence. He felt almost numb after the pain he'd been in.
He twitched his fingers experimentally, still keeping his eyes closed and testing his strength carefully.
"Sev?" that voice, it was her voice.
Despite the heavy feeling in his limbs, he opened his eyes, to see the exact eyes he'd just left. Lily. There she was, as beautiful in death as she had been in life. Her long auburn hair tickled his cheek and she was crying, he instinctively reached up to wipe away her tears.
"Don't cry," he whispered, his voice raspy. He felt choked, struggling to breath, but for a different reason.
She smiled, even through her tears, gripping his robes and she sobbed. "Thank you, Sev. I can never repay you." She kissed his cheek.
Someone cleared their throat. For the first time, he became aware of other people watching him. Two people he had hoped he would never see again.
He sat up and looked around, taking in his surroundings. It looked like he was in the meadow, where he used to spend his days at the park down at Spinner's End, where he and Lily used to lie in the soft grass and talk for hours.
"You saved my son," it was James, with the same unruly hair and hazel eyes he'd had when he was living. He wore his glasses a little crooked, but he smiled a genuine smile. "For that," he hesitated. "Thank you, Severus."
He felt a pang of sadness. Even in death, he was reminded that Lily didn't love him like that. She tore her gaze from him to look to her husband, James Potter. But there was also a kind of calmness that washed over him.
James returned the look and kissed her forehead, then pulled her up off the grass. "Come on, Sev," she motioned him up and he followed willingly. He would always follow her.
"See what's happening," she led him to the small pond that they used to dip their feet into. She motioned to the reflection, her green eyes fixed on him apprehensively.
He looked, but staring back at him he could see no pale face, with black eyes. Instead, he saw life. Life as it was still happening even after he was dead.
He stared at the battle, the fire, the flash of curses, feeling numb. "What is this?" he raised his eyes to look at her in confusion and terror. He took an instinctive step back, looking away from the pond.
Lily looked at him, it was a look of half sadness and half, something that he couldn't quite put an emotion to. "It's life, Sev. Life goes on even though we're all gone."
"Where are the others?" he asked in a hollow voice. He was expecting more people than her and Potter.
Lily tilted her head slightly. "Others? You mean other people who have died?"
He nodded. In his mind, he thought of his mother. Almost instantly she was walking towards him, even more beautiful than when he was young. Her face was clear of any marks and as she got closer he could see that her arms were free of any signs of the abuse she had suffered when he was little.
She was still pale, but she had a youthful appearance, her long black hair was in a neat braid down her back. Her robes were loose and made of soft emerald, with gold stitching. Her favorite robe when she had been happy.
She smiled her lips curving up and her eyes shone. "I'm so proud of you, my son," she pulled him into her arms and despite her thin frame he could feel her strength. "My prince."
"So, Snape has joined us," the voice was cool, void of any emotion, but as Severus pulled away from his mother's embrace, he knew who he would face.
"Black," he greeted in the same indifferent tone, nodding his head in slight acknowledgment. Sirius was handsome as ever, in the prime of his life, his eyes shone with a light that years of Azkaban had taken away from him.
Suddenly Sirius tore his eyes from Snape, looking beyond to the lake's reflection. His voice softened, taking on an almost affectionate tone, mingled with fear. "Remus is in trouble." James turned his head at the same time, the brothers locked eyes.
Death Eaters were closing in on a pair of fighters. Remus and Tonks, both guarding one another, even as they battled back to back.
Remus was fighting hard, but there were too many of them. James's hand tightened its grip on Sirius's and the two seemed to accept what was about to happen before it did. In an instant Remus was hit by a green jet of light and crumpled. Tonks whirled to scream his name, and in that instant she too was hit and fell down.
James was silent. Sirius turned to where Remus would appear, gazing towards the trees.
There was a rustle of leaves, Remus emerged, holding the hand of a younger woman with short violet hair, her eyes shone with tears as she stared at him.
It was Sirius who ran to them first, hugging Remus and then kissing his cousin's cheek. "I've missed you," he leaned his forehead against Remus's, the brown haired man laughed and pushed him away playfully.
Snape ran a hand through his hair and took a few steps away from the group. He felt a little dazed and still confused. Lily pulled away from James and went to him.
"I'm sorry," he murmured, gaze locking on hers.
A faint smile crossed her lips. "I know." She tilted her head to the water, watching over her son. "And I know that you loved me."
"I never stopped loving you," he replied, carefully avoiding anyone's eyes. He didn't have to worry though, the others were distracted by Remus's arrival.
She sighed calmly. "I love you, but you know it's never been like that."
He looked away. "If I had told you sooner-?"
"I don't know, Sev. But I love James, you know that," she brushed away a tear. "I love my son and even though I died, I don't regret my decision. Maybe if you had told me sooner it could have been different. I still love you, just not the way that you want."
She watched as Harry approached the bowl of memories. "We were so young, so innocent. If only I had known what we would be facing." She gave a shaky laugh. "I don't think that would have helped though, my son will save the world that he turned our world into." Snape's eyes widened slightly at the mention of Voldemort.
Suddenly she quirked an eyebrow, a bit of the teasing coming out again. "Did you hate my son?"
Snape smirked slightly. "Someone had to be harsh on him. How is your sister?"
Lily's gaze shifted once more to the lake. "She's safe," she pursed her lips slightly. "And happy. That's all I've ever wanted for her, after all."
He had to know one more thing. "Are you happy?"
There was a deep sadness in her eyes as she gazed at him, but her eyes glowed with happiness. "Yes." And he found that he loved her even more. He wanted nothing more than for her to be truly happy.
Watching her walk back to her husband, he felt no resentment. No burning rage. She was happy and that's what mattered. He was finally content as he followed her to watch the final moments.