I have no idea how long it's been since I last posted, other than it must be at least 3 years. An English Lit degree, dyslexia, fibromyalgia, society presidency and organising a major folk festival took over my life. Not to mention my original fiction!

One of my friends was recently trying to find decent-quality Snape-survives fics. About 3 days ago I got inspired to write, and the result is A Chance of Redemption. Enjoy!

Prologue

"He wasn't Voldemort's," Harry Potter declared as he stepped in front of Hagrid, who was holding Professor Snape's limp body, and Professor McGonagall.

Dumbfounded silence fell amongst those within earshot.

Neville Longbottom reached out and put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "He killed Dumbledore, Harry. You saw him do it."

Harry sighed. "It's complicated. But please, don't put him with the other Death Eaters. Put him – put him with Tonks and Lupin. Please trust me on this."

McGonagall gave him an incredulous look, but then relented. "Fine, then, Potter." She and Hagrid changed direction.

An exhausted blonde witch approached them as Hagrid laid Snape carefully on the floor. Her eyes widened and she gasped in shock. "Severus? What – what happened?"

"Nagini," McGonagall told her softly. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Malfoy. I know he was close to your family."

Narcissa Malfoy covered her mouth with her hand in an attempt to hold back her tears, and knelt down on the floor. "I'm sorry, Severus," she whispered. "I am so, so sorry. I owe you my life. More."

McGonagall knelt down beside her. "Why?"

Narcissa shook her head. "I can't. Not right now. Please, just – just leave me alone for a while."

"Of course." McGonagall began to rise – but stopped when something caught her eye. Don't be silly, she told herself sternly. It's just your imagination.

No – there it was again, a bigger movement this time. When Narcissa raised her blue eyes to the Deputy Headmistress's, McGonagall crouched down again and reached out for Snape's long, thin, pale hand. No uncertainty this time: it had moved. "Severus?" she asked in disbelief. She felt for a pulse in his neck; it was very weak, but it was definitely there. She quickly stood up. "Poppy!" she shouted urgently, disrupting the subdued noises in the Great Hall.

The school mediwitch, Poppy Pomfrey, was not far away, tending to a student, but hurried over, detecting the urgency in McGonagall's voice. "What is it? Natalie McDonald's got a nasty gash on her leg. I don't have time for the dead – and certainly not dead Death Eaters who betrayed the Order."

"Potter says he wasn't You Know Who's. But that's not the point," added McGonagall impatiently. "The point is that Severus appears to be alive."

"What?" Pomfrey stared as Snape's eyes fluttered open and he struggled to focus. That action nudged her into her professional mode. "Severus, can you hear me?"

The current Headmaster of Hogwarts blinked slowly and dazedly. "Apparently."

"Potter said Nagini killed you," stated McGonagall.

"That's what I thought," murmured Snape, finally able to focus on Pomfrey. "But Fawkes – I remember Fawkes, after Potter left…"

Narcissa looked up at the other two women, who seemed to have forgotten that she was still there. "Fawkes? Who or what is that?"

"Dumbledore's phoenix," McGonagall softly informed her. "But he disappeared after the funeral. Nobody's seen him since."

Groaning, Snape rolled onto his side. "It would seem that he came back."

As though the full weight of what she was seeing had suddenly hit her, Narcissa shrieked and pulled him into a rib-crushing hug. "I can't believe it! You're really alive!"

Snape visibly winced. "I won't be…for much longer…if you persist…in crushing…my lungs," he wheezed.

"Sorry!" Aghast, Narcissa hastily released him and he fell back against McGonagall.

"I'm getting you to the hospital wing," Pomfrey informed him briskly. "Don't argue. Minerva will go with you. No doubt the Ministry will want to talk to you. You are wanted for murder, after all."

Snape met McGonagall's eyes. "Promise me you will ensure I get a fair trial?" he pleaded, his voice almost cracking. "I'll take Veritaserum, anything. Potter – Potter will back me up." He glanced briefly at Narcissa. "However, I draw the line at Unbreakable Vows." Narcissa cringed; McGonagall frowned in confusion and he continued. "If you get me that fair trial, all will become clear. At this moment, though, a bed and sleep would be most welcome."

"I promise," McGonagall assured him.

"Thank you."

TBC, probably on Friday, maybe Thursday.