Beyond Death

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­"Look… at… me…" Severus whispers, his grip on Potter's robes weakening.

Severus gazes into the eyes – the striking green eyes that had governed his every thought and his reason for being since the time he saw them nearly 30 years prior – Lily's eyes…

Severus' time in the physical world ends. He passes away quickly, unknowingly relinquishing his grip on the robes. His hand thuds to the floor.

Severus' soul departs, seeking out the place that all souls flee to when their work is done, a place of peaceful eternity.

Severus awakes in a place that is neither here nor there; a place of time and yet timeless. If what he has can be termed a body, he finds himself facedown on some indeterminate material – indescribably firm, yet somewhat comfortable.

Severus tries moving, and finds that his form moves in much the same manner as his recently departed body. He grimaces; through what he determines is some cosmic joke, Severus finds that he is naked, and he looks around furtively attempting to discern some way to rectify this problem. His brief glance around the space brings further consternation; white nothingness stretches for eternity in every direction.

Severus' first thought is 'bugger – no clothes'.

No sooner does he start thinking 'clothes', a white robe appears to one side and Severus unsteadily stands up and pulls it on, then looks down at himself in distaste.

White.

Severus loathes white. He wouldn't be caught dead in white…

'Bugger,' he thinks, pulling the robe away from him as though it scorches him, the word summing up his exact sentiment – dead and wearing white… Could this be any worse…?

"Severus," a disembodied voice, off to one-side, intones. Severus starts – clearly, he isn't here alone. He glares in the direction of the voice, trying to discern the speaker through the burning whiteness.

"Severus." The voice comes again, more stridently this second time. Severus still can not see the source of the voice, though he recognizes the tone.

"Dumbledore?" Severus enquires, as the Headmaster materializes from the colourless surroundings, wearing not white, but deep blue robes.

Severus' brow furrows as he looks at the robes – here he is, dressed in white, and Albus could waltz in here wearing… those. Death, it appears, is as unfair as life ever was.

Dumbledore notes Severus' look of distaste and chuckles. "Severus, Severus, you have much to learn – come; let us walk."

Severus reluctantly follows Dumbledore, who continues, "Were you able to inform Harry of the truth before you passed?"

Severus glances at him. "You expected so much of me, Albus, but yes – Potter was there as I lay dying. I gave him my memories; there was no time for lengthy explanations."

Albus stops. "Did you give him everything? Did you die knowing that someone else, other than I, would know the best of you?"

Severus sneers. "It appears so, Albus. The boy will see exactly who I was, as well as how you orchestrated his downfall – playing me for a fool, preparing him to become the sacrificial lamb. Perhaps, Albus, he won't react according to your grand plan."

Albus looks towards the distance for an infinitesimal amount of time. "We will know soon, Severus. Whichever path he shall choose, I will meet with him."

Severus glares back. "Will you tell me now of the things you told Potter in secret, those things I was not worthy of hearing whilst alive, Albus? I have proven my loyalty to you, have I not?"

"I have all of eternity to share that with you, Severus, but at the present there are more momentous events happening," Albus notes, leading Severus into a grand hall, filled with people wearing a variety of robes. He can see Severus continuing to stare down at his robes as though he finds them offensive, and he chuckles again. "All you need to do is think about what you desire, Severus, but why not try something other than black?"

Severus scowls. "I happen to like black," he snaps back as his white robes turn to the black he prefers, "and why bring me into this space, with these people? I do not desire to spend eternity surrounded by the ignorant and foolish – I had enough of them at Hogwarts," he snarls, the scowl dropping to a sneer.

Albus looks at him in mild disinterest. "Many are gathered here as they can sense a change. A balance in power is about to shift." He glances over to a corner where five people are huddled together.

Severus follows his gaze. There is something familiar about the five, and when he glimpses a flash of brassy red hair, he quickens his pace and draws away from Albus. 'Lily?' he thinks, as the woman hugs someone in front of her. After a while, he reaches the group and he sees that it is not just her, but James and Sirius and…

"Lupin?" he gasps, then, noticing another person beside Lupin, "Nymphadora?"

Lupin looks at Severus, troubled; the last thing he knew before he died was that Severus had betrayed them all, that he was a supporter of Voldemort. Dumbledore reaches the group just as Lupin demands, "And what in Merlin's name are you doing here?"

Before Dumbledore can reply, Lily responds, "There are some things you need to know, Remus; Severus killed Albus on his instruction, there were events he had to put into play to ensure that Voldemort trusted him, and so continued to fulfil Albus' strategy for Harry."

James scowls at his wife; even in death she chooses to side with Snivellus. He glances towards Sirius, who looks just as displeased as he is.

Remus looks at Dumbledore. "Albus, is this true?"

"Yes, I arranged that Severus kill me. At the time, a curse had beset itself upon my hand and my time was short. I felt it necessary to sacrifice my life for the greater good. Severus merely implemented my instructions – at one stage, I had to convince him it would be for the best; he was reluctant."

Before any of the group can exchange further words, Lily, James, Sirius and Remus shimmer and start to fade. Severus looks at Albus in horror. "Where have they gone?"

"Harry makes his choice; he must be going willingly to his death. They are going to assist him," Albus states simply, before he turns and walks away. "I have a feeling my presence may be required also."

Albus departs, leaving Severus to stand and stare at the space where Lily has been snatched from him again.

Sometime later, perhaps merely seconds - time is hard to judge in eternity – Lily, James, Sirius and Remus rematerialize. The four look at Severus blazingly.

"He is so brave," Lily whispers.

"I am so proud," James affirms, his voice low.

"He goes to his end like a man," Sirius states.

Lupin nods. "And still he concerns himself with others; he was sorry I died so soon after we had Teddy," he says to Dora as he pulls her to him.

Dora grins. "That's Harry, all right."

Severus looks at them, and at Lily in particular. "Where did you leave him?"

"Deep in the Forbidden Forest, staring defiantly at the face of his adversary," Sirius replies, glaring at Severus.

"What if he fails?" Severus snaps back, noticing the look. "Voldemort has the Elder Wand; how does he hope to defy that?"

Lily stares at Severus bracingly. "Albus has told us that Harry has power Voldemort knows nothing of – my love for him protects him still, and an older magic binds the two of them together. If Harry was able to complete both of the tasks Albus left him, he will triumph."

"The secret that Albus had chosen not to entrust me with," Severus spits.

Lupin looks at Severus. "If you refer to the mission Harry, Hermione and Ron were set to complete, no one knows but Albus and Harry. I attempted to help them, but he turned me away." He turns and addresses James with an afterthought. "You would have been so proud of him, James; he chided me for wanting to go into danger, said it was something even you wouldn't ask me to do – then told me to go home to be with my pregnant wife." He hugs Dora again as he refers to her.

James looks around for Dumbledore, before reluctantly turning his attention back to Severus. "Where is Albus?"

"He left shortly after you four disappeared," Severus asserts.

Time stretches again, the moments passing from one instant to the next, until Dumbledore is perceived as striding towards them from an unfathomable distance. Severus observes the absence of Harry, and can hear numerous gasps behind him.

"He lives, James, he must have survived," Lily breathes.

As Albus draws closer, the group becomes aware that he beams; happiness radiates from his being. He arrives and glances at each of them. "He endures – though Tom Riddle used the Killing Curse, Harry remained tethered to life. The blood which Riddle used to rebuild his body still contains your sacrifice, Lily."

"What of Voldemort?" Severus enquires.

"The Killing Curse did accomplish one important thing – it removed the piece of Riddle's soul which had attached itself unwittingly to Harry on that night in which the curse rebounded. Harry has destroyed all of the Horcruxes except for the one that remains in Nagini."

Severus looks at Dumbledore, understanding dawning. "That is why he had her protected; that is why you requested I tell Harry everything when I saw the snake protected."

"Yes – Riddle's remaining soul is diminished; my hope is that Harry now has the tools to finish Riddle for good," Albus notes.

"What tools, Albus? Is this another of your schemes?" Severus queries, unsure of what Albus is referring to.

"Harry possesses the Hallows," Albus states simply, "and with them lies the hopes of the Wizarding World, as by possessing them, Harry has more than a fair chance of defeating Riddle."

Albus turns and walks away from the group, leaving Severus deep in thought.

Severus dismisses the thoughts of Harry and the future of the Wizarding World; he has all of eternity to contemplate the implications of the last 18 years.

Instead, he turns to Lily; the witch that captured his heart with her eyes. He glances at James and Sirius and Remus, who, after several seconds of exchanging nasty looks, seem to understand what he wishes and they begrudgingly take a step back, leaving Lily alone in his presence.

He looks at her face, still youthful and unblemished, and seeks out her eyes.

They are the eyes that haunted his sleep and every waking hour he gazed upon her son. The eyes that tortured him when he realized how much hurt and pain and suffering he had caused her. The eyes that spurned him to hate himself, and his life, when she was taken so cruelly from him, but gave his life meaning when he agreed to help bring about the downfall of he who took her.

Severus reaches out and holds her chin gently. "Lily?"

As she raises her green eyes to meet his black, he whispers:

"Look at me."