Got inspired today and ended up writing this I think it came out pretty good anyway Harry Potter I do not own

On the grounds of Hogwarts we see a young Severus Snape who is currently reading a book by the black lake looking broody as usual. He seemed to be both distraught and serene at the same time, he felt that it would be another day but he would get through it, his only true friend gave up on him a few weeks ago because he called her a Mudblood in the heat of the moment and embarrassment, with her coming to his rescue.

He knew that there was no going back, after weeks of begging her for forgiveness he realized that he was tired, so very tired of everything: his drunkard of a father, power struggle, impressing people he no longer cared for, Potter especially Potter, the Marauders in general, the Dark Arts, their ways were no longer so seductive to him after he realized what they had done to him. There were just so many things he was fed up with, he couldn't take much more.

He no longer wished for fame or power, realizing that they are just false promises, all of it. The one thing he wanted above all else was no longer in reach, but perhaps it was never in his reach, just a fleeting dream, now all he had was himself, that was all. Nothing he wanted lied in the darkness but it was too late now to turn to the light. He was tainted by the darkness, perhaps he had always been stained and he had just not known?

That had to be it, why the darkness was so tempting, it was familiar. Yes that is how things were now all he had was himself and if he did loose himself he would fall off the edge he was so desperately holding onto, just one more push and he was sure he would not survive the fall, not only darkness but death would also claim him he knew this and had accepted this hoping that he would be able to at least have that.

If life would at least allow him to have that... to have himself then he could go on, no masters for him to follow blindly, no one for him to worry about except for himself, he could be content with that alone. Unfortunately, it seemed that even when he did not want more than contentedness life would not allow that for him, it wanted to strip everything from the young man, for what he did not know, but he did know that he would not even be able to hold onto himself and would truly left with nothing.

This became clear when he heard the all too familiar taunting voices of the Marauders, all of them present Lupin at the back as always never doing anything to harm but also never doing anything to stop his friends. "Look what we have here Padfoot, it seems that Snivellus is on the verge of tears, what's the matter Snivelly? Are you upset that Lily won't accept your slimy good for nothing apologies?" Severus silently stood and began to walk away, the Marauders were stumped and didn't do anything usually he would have snapped at them by now.

Snape was already at the courtyard when they broke out of their stupors and chased after Sev with indignant shouts of "get back here!" or "come back and fight, coward!" that was the last straw for him. Those fools could hex him all they wanted but no one called Severus Tobias Snape a coward and got away with it, even if he was tired. Then he knew that this would be the final battle between the Pureblooded Potter and The Half-Blood Prince, only one person would walk away from the duel with their lives intact.

These thoughts in mind when he spotted Potter who was ahead of his band of Marauders he cast the strongest field possible one only the caster would be able to undo, the field closed quickly around the two and then the confrontation began. Severus was the first to talk "why do you still bother me James, I have lost, can you not see that I have lost everything I hold dear because you have a crush on my best friend"

James just stared so Sev continued "I have truly lost everything, and what do you gain? I am aware that my existence is what you despise the most, but why? is it because you were afraid of my connection with Lily? I was willing to just let her be if that was what made her happy, and yet you still pester me, you were the one who initiated this feud all those years ago and they intensified when you took interest in Lily" James stood there, mouth agape.

"Don't look at me like that James, you think I didn't notice the difference in the way you changed our banter, if you had just stopped I would have stopped as well, I am very vindictive if you haven't noticed by now. Now all you have done has led up to this James, I know you so intimately, I could be your lover James Potter, that is what this feud has done, all because you didn't like the look of me and then because of the house in which I was placed and lastly because of my relationship with the girl you fancied." Severus was yelling with rage at his enemy.

Severus calmed minutely before continuing."But I should thank you James, you gave me another reason to live but I have grown so tired these last few week and here we are, I had come to terms with what I had done and what I had ruined all because I craved power and a love I could not obtain. But now the time for words has ended James, this is the day our feud will come to an end, the field I have put up is the strongest known to wizard kind and only I can take it down, not even Dumbledore will be able to save you this time. I have no plans of undoing the spell, this duel is the ending only one of us is going to make it out of here alive and I will fight with all I have so I suggest you do the same, now then let the duel begin."

With that Sev cast the bludgeoning charm, which was dodged by Potter at the last possible moment, and to return it with a stinging hex, and the battle waged on until both opponents were exhausted and on the verge of collapse.

Sev spoke again "it seems that we will be at this for a while and we are both running out of energy James one last thing to do about it a ten pace draw and Avada Kedavra" are you ready James only your Marauders can see and hear us made sure of that" James spoke "that seems fair, seems one of us will make it to lunch today, huh Severus?" as they walked towards each other, they met in the middle and "I suppose so James, I suppose so" they were back to back now and Sev spoke again "on three we start to pace, one….two…..three" then the pacing began they both counted down mentally in their heads "one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten." They both whipped around and shouted "Avada Kedavra" and jets of green light poured out of both wands, unfortunately there could only be one.

When all was said and done there was nary a scratch on James Potter but there was a scorched mark on the ground in front of him, he looked up at Snape who had a scorch mark burned through his robes and seared on his chest.

Sev looked down and said "Looks Like you've won James" said boy looked at him and raised a finger "how are you still alive? you should be dead!" Severus smirked and said "don't worry. I am, but slowly. I have made something to slow the effects, I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but it did, so I hope you don't mind James I must go I have one final wish before I die and I have only bought myself ten minutes, My last words to you James Potter, are I wish we could have been friends maybe in another life perhaps, and don't be harsh on all the Slytherins, most of them are only lonely and want somewhere to belong. Goodbye James" Sev walked away and when the other Marauders (Sirius and Peter) were about to chase after him James stopped him, they looked at him and saw the solitary tear slide from his right eye. "It's over! there is no need, leave him be."

Severus walked or more like staggered for what felt like miles to what felt like an eternity which was neither and was more like five minutes. He finally made it to the Great Hall where everyone was enjoying lunch, until a first year Hufflepuff saw him and let out a terrified scream, and more people started to look in his direction.

This did not deter him in the slightest as he continued on to his destination, which was the Gryffindor table where his ex-best friend (in her eyes) sat. There were a few people who tried to help, which he shrugged off he finally made it and he was now visibly limping but he made it to her before nearly collapsing, catching himself on the table before he spoke

"Hey Lily" she seemed staggered for a moment but then came back "Sev what?..." he shushed her and said "Let me talk Lily, I don't have much time." He was again interrupted by her "Sev, what do you mean you don't have much time? what's going on?" he quieted her again and spoke "It's exactly what is sounds like I am not long for this world, I wanted to go without regrets and my main regret was calling you a Mudblood, I just wanted to apologize to you, from the bottom of my heart, I got so caught up in it I didn't even realize how much I had changed" he slipped and was on his bottom on the stone ground with Lily soon to follow.

Lily put his head on her lap and he continued "I was so enthralled by false promises. I wanted so much that I thought could only be found in the darkness but it was not there I could never have what I wanted because it resided in the light." He coughed into his hand bringing it away with some blood on it.

"All I seek now before I die is your forgiveness Lily Rosario Evans. I would like to have my best friend back, so will you please forgive this foolish young man for all that he has done? Will you give me the honor of allowing me to call you my best friend once more" Lily was in tears at this point and said in a voice close to sobs "Yes, Sev you can. always be best friends remember? I'm sorry for not forgiving you earlier, please don't go Sev! I just got you back don't go!" Snape had a smile on his face when he spoke once again his voice seeming to be more strained "I'm sorry Lily but there I nothing I can do. I will die today I could only give myself more time."

He stopped momentarily and began again "Hey, Lily" she looked into his deep onyx colored eyes "yes?" he reached into his robes and pulled out two pieces of paper, handed them to Lily and spoke again "Can you give these to the Headmaster? but before that can you sing me our song, you remember the one right 'Dream' we used to sing it to each other when one of us had nightmares. I want to be sent off to that song. please?" his eyes were starting to feel heavy "Sure Sev." she said with tears streaming down her cheeks.

The entirety of the Great Hall was so silent you could hear a pin drop, Lily opened her mouth and the verses were coming out they went like this:

Close your eyes, shut your mouth

Dream a dream and get us out

Dream X6

Hit the hay fast asleep

Dream a dream you little child

Dream X6

Just relax and laya' bout

Or my wand will put you out

Take your time but beware there's magic in the air

Dream X6

So lay your heap upon the pillow and sleep a sleep so deep

That you won't make a peep

Dream X6

Lily's voice tapered off at the end of the song and she looked down at Sev whose breathing was very labored and eyes were closed he smiled as best he could and spoke in a raspy voice "That was beautiful as always Lily you always were the better singer though weren't you?" Sev paused before continuing "I'm so very tired Lily, I don't think I can go much further, this is where the line ends for me, I hope you have a happy life Lily I will see you again, hopefully not to soon though" he made a soft laugh before he took his last breath "Goodnight Lily" and his heart stopped before she said "Goodnight Sev" and kissed his forehead, before she completely broke down and was bawling her eyes out. She made a promise to herself that she would live a full life like Sev told he to till the day she dies she would live life to the fullest.

That was Dream I hope you liked it if so leave a review always appreciated, if you didn't tell me why and thanks for reading I hope you enjoyed it until next time Later Daze