"Nagini. Kill."
The two words that struck fear in his heart and wove their way through every crevice in his mind. Even the darkest parts of his soul shivered at the memory of the two words meant to end his life. While he knew such an end was coming, Severus Snape did not wish to die. Despite how dark his life had become, Severus Snape did not wish to die. But in his last moments, Severus knew he was meeting his end. Severus Snape was going to die alone, without anyone knowing the truth behind why he had done what he had done. He was going to die, branded a traitor and murderer, unloved by the world.
"Nagini. Kill."
Time seemed to stop and his heart froze. Of all the ways that he had pictured his death, being killed in such a manner was not what he had pictured. Severus had expected hours of torture, before he came to an end; Severus knew he deserved as much. Traitor. Murderer. Coward. The list went on and on, and it was those words that rang through his mind as the first bite scarred his flesh. As his body fell back against the glass, blood staining the clear windows, his life did not flash before his eyes. Instead, if you had looked into the eyes of Severus Snape within these moments, you would have seen the light fade from his eyes as he lost his will to fight any longer. Severus Snape was prepared to die for a cause he had given his life to.
"Nagini. Kill."
When it came to death, many felt fear. Remorse. And finally, peace. But Severus Snape did not feel fear. He felt regret. Regret for not telling his story. Regret for not doing all the things he had desired to do in life. Regret for not getting the chance to say his goodbyes. Yet, he knew it was not likely anyone would miss him. He had played his part in life, and now it was time for death to take him away from the pain of this world. Or so he had thought.
"Nagini. Kill."
Time after time, he was slammed against the glass, fangs at his neck, slowly sapping the life out of him. He wanted to fight back, but knew his efforts would be futile. He deserved death. How could he go on living with all the terrible things he had done in the name of love? He had killed and betrayed those who had needed him most. But where were they when he needed them? As time went on, Severus had not even realized that fangs had stopped piercing his neck. Even so, Severus could feel his life leaving him. But as his vision darkened, a pair of eyes he never thought he would see again came to look over him. At first, he could not believe she had returned for him, but a moment of pure clarity made him realize that it was not Lily, but Harry who stood over him. In him, Severus saw his chance at redemption. He could tell someone his reasoning. Severus knew the boy would understand. And so he parted with a few of the only tears he had ever shed in his life and within the blink of an eye, the boy and his friends were gone. And it was when he sat there in the dark, alone, with his life seeping out of him, the Severus felt fear. He was left alone with his own mind, and that was truly terrifying.
"Nagini. Kill."
The words were whispered in the wind, and engraved in his soul, and those words were what woke him up days later in a bed at Saint Mungo's. His neck was bandaged, but he knew the flesh would be forever scarred by the venom. A constant reminder of yet another battle he had had to endure. How he had survived was still a mystery to him, even to this day. He was supposed to be dead; in those last moments, as the light faded from his eyes, and his life dripped from him in red splotches, Severus had wanted to die. He would never admit that to anyone, yet he had wanted his life to end. He had lived his life; he had helped save the world. But there were wounds that would never be able to heal from this war. He was still cold, and afraid to care too much. His heart was still in pieces, and he was still the broken man he had been before. But now, he questioned whether or not he would ever heal completely, for now it seemed that his mind as well as his body was riddled with terrible scars. Two words. That was all it had taken to break a man who had endure countless agonies. Two words and his mind had broken, as was his soul. To this day, Severus was unable to close his eyes without hearing those words whisper through his mind and make his soul shiver.
"Nagini. Kill."
How could one man survive so much? How could one man deserve such pain? Had he done something wrong? What had Severus Snape done to deserve a life full of such agony? Yet life went on, seemingly, without a care. But Severus knew; Severus knew there would be those unable to recover from the havoc caused by the War. The havoc he had help cause. But just like the rest of the world, Severus was shattered. But life went on. But with each breath he took, and each heartbeat that pounded in his chest, two words bit at his mind and tore at his soul. Two words that could bring him to his knees, and as Severus Snape ran a hand over the scars that criss-crossed his neck, he winced as the image of fangs and the eyes of death came forward, bringing with them two words that would forever control him. Two words that he would never be able to forget. As the words rang through his head, Severus only continued to remind himself that he deserved this. He deserved every ounce of pain he felt. He deserved this agony, and so, when the world came crashing down, he faced it as he had always done before. But those two words that had almost ended his life that night would forever scar his soul. But he deserved it; he deserved all of it. That being known, when the two words whispered across his mind, sending shivers across his being, Severus did not flinch away. He would face what he deserved.
"Nagini. Kill."