I don't own anything. Everything belongs to JKR.

Those green eyes were the last thing Severus Snape ever saw as it all went black. Then there was light, so much light that his eyes had to adjust and when they did, it looked like the woods when he was a boy.

"Severus!" yelled Lily, running to him, but this wasn't Lily as they'd met when they were young. This Lily was as she was upon graduating Hogwarts, an adult. He could only stare and when she hugged him, he hugged back and if he had not already died, he would have done so as she kissed his cheek.

"I knew you'd come eventually," she spoke, her voice as smooth as honey and his insides warmed at the sound although he couldn't believe she would expect him here after everything that happened…everything he did. Once as they were first years in Hogwarts castle, the two could know what the other thought without speaking and she proved that she still had that ability by adding, "Dumbledore told us what you did, watching over my son."

"I'm sorry for what we did," started Potter who Severus hadn't noticed and his former adversary looked towards Black who stood a few feet away, "We're sorry for what we did. Thank you."

Black looked at the ground as though Severus were the sun and just the sight of him would burn the man although he gave the barest of nods. It was as good an apology as any and he found that it didn't quite matter anymore anyway.

"Where is Albus?" he asked and looked to see that no one else was around before looking back at Lily and her beautiful eyes.

"Around," she answered which sounded like the man he knew, "he spends a lot of time with his sister. She's a sweet girl."

That thought was interrupted by the arrival of a new couple, walking hand in hand. He was surprised at how much it saddened him to see Lupin and Tonks. Her figure was still fuller from the pregnancy and he realized he was more shocked at her death than her husband's. The others ran to them, but Severus hung back as though it wouldn't be appropriate. There were hugs and tears and all of that while he leaned against a tree when a voice startled him.

"So, you weren't a git after all!" the voice exclaimed and he turned to see none other than Fred Weasley.

"What makes you say that?" he questioned, trying to maintain a sense of his usual demeanor.

"Well, you're here, aren't you? I bet not Voldemort or any of his real followers could pull that off," the younger man retorted with a grin. Severus had been caught and revealed for all eternity as a fool with his heart on his sleeve. At this rate, he may as well admit to everything, but the words never went past his tongue. Lily was looking at something he couldn't see and suddenly called, "He needs us!"

"Harry?" asked Fred and Severus nodded; not wanting to remember what was to come. This could only mean one thing: that Harry had seen what he'd given him and understood what was to be done. The group started to walk away until she peered back and beckoned to him, "Come." With a shake of the head, he refused and knew as he did so that it would be one of the most cowardly acts he'd ever done except as hard as it was to see acceptance of one's death in Albus' blue eyes, he doubt he could take it in Harry's green ones. Tonks let go of Lupin and stayed as well.

"Didn't seem right, that's all," she remarked and gave him an inquisitive glance.

"He'd probably apologize and that's not something I need to hear, Tonks" Severus explained and they didn't notice Fred leave. As she stood next to him, she became younger before his very eyes so that she was seventeen again and he looked at his hands to see that the same must have happened to him.

"You were the first to call me Tonks," she commented as her hair changed back to brown, "I'd always hated my given name, but didn't want everyone to call me Dora."

"I call…" he started and stumbled to correct himself, "called all the new students by their last name."

It was a strange thought to think that there would be no more new students for him. Someone else held that responsibility now. Someone else would look after the students to come, like the baby Tonks had left behind. He couldn't imagine…

"Do you regret it?" he inquired and a sad look appeared in her brown eyes before she answered, "No, I want him to have better than his parents did."

"Is he a Werewolf then?"

"I don't know," she admitted, "The full moon isn't for eleven more days, but he was like me. When I left, he was sleeping and his hair was blue again."

Severus wasn't sure what to say.

"I barely knew him," she complained and laid a hand on her stomach as if she was still pregnant, "But I hope he understands. I know why my dad did what he did."

There was silence once more and she asked the same of him, "Any regrets?"

Regrets…there were so many that came to mind and so few he would actually be willing to share so he went for the simplest response, "Not if Voldemort is defeated finally."

They shared a small smile at his finally able to say the name and waited for the others to return.