Have you ever hated someone so much, you loved them? Have you ever loathed someone so passionately you wanted to kick them in the face and kiss them at the same time? Have you ever despised someone with such intensity that you desired with every fiber of your being to be one with them? I have hated people. I have detested people. I have even kicked people. But none of them was like this. None of them… did this to me. Save one. One abhorrent, irritating, bull-headed, detestable, magnificent, amazing, charming, and doggedly determined girl.
Bloody Muggles.
You'd think, being a Slytherin and all, I 'd hate them. Well, I do. Normally. But… Argh. This is so hard to confess after all these years. I've been an accomplished Muggle-hater since my youth- in fact, for my entire life! And now, this. This… whatever you call it. Writing down my final words, I suppose. I'm sure the Dark Lord is coming for me, even as I write here. But before I go, I must memorialize what could have been the happiest time of my life. Just this once, I relinquish my hatred of all non-wizards and tell my story, the way it should be told.
The day I met her I will never forget. It will forever be burned into my memory- and my buttocks. She ran me over with a car, you see. Not something you forget easily. I still have the tread marks from the tires.
It was a lovely, clear September day, the second. I was just walking down the street when suddenly I heard a car horn and a screamed, "Look out!"
I don't remember much after that. I remember tires, squealing brakes… Oh, and pain. Lots of searing pain. After that point, my memory gets a little fuzzy. I saw a face, pale, with dark eyes and a halo of dark hair, leaning over me. Someone, someone who seemed to be very far away, whispered, "Ohmigod, are you okay?"
The next thing I knew, I woke to the sterile, cool smell of a hospital. My head was throbbing, my butt hurt, and I was certain I was a quadriplegic. I managed, somehow, to prop myself up on my elbows. "Oww…"
"Oh, thank god! You're awake!" A voice cried, and suddenly a pair of arms wrapped around my neck.
I gagged; in this position I could neither breathe nor see my assailant.
The voice cried out again. "I was so terrified you were dead! Or worse!"
My dry humor came to the rescue; I managed to snort, "There's something worse than death?" I tugged away and glanced over at this mysterious entity.
It was a girl, about my age, with shoulder-length dark hair and earthy brown eyes. She was short, a little stocky, and wore a pair of plain jeans and a simple top that said, 'If Idiots Could Fly, This Would Be An Airport.' Her expression was one of frank honesty and concern; she was obviously a guileless young woman.
"What happened?" I inquired, rubbing the back of my head. I felt a monolith of bandages.
"Uhm…" She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Well… I kinda… ran you over… But only a little bit!"
"Enough to put me in the hospital," I muttered to myself. "You ran me over? Like with a car?"
She nodded. "Yep. Sorry 'bout that. I failed driver's ed. twice- well, three times, now- so…" She chuckled. "Be glad it wasn't six months ago. I might have killed you." Beaming like she was pleased with herself, she perched on the edge of the bed. "I'm Jo. What's your name?"
This girl seemed to have fallen into a veritable vat of cheerfulness. Being in the same room with her made my head hurt. But I somehow soldiered through it and answered, "Severus."
"Man, your parents must have hated you."
I mustered my worst skunk eye glare (as much of a glower as I could, considering I was swathed in bandages and in an open-backed hospital gown).
"What?"
I just shook my head and looked away.
"Severus. Geez." She grimaced. "I'm sorry. Are you going to have it legally changed so something normal can go on your tombstone?"
Crossing my arms over my chest, I glanced back at her without turning my head. "My name is perfectly normal, thank you very much. Can you just go now? I'd like to take a nap." I hoped against hope that that ploy would make her leave, but no dice.
"Then nap. I'm not disturbing you. Besides, I'm not leaving until I know for sure I'm not going to be indicted."
"I beg to differ." I snarled irritably as I turned over and pulled the covers over my head.
"What? That I'm not being indicted? Are you going to press charges?" She was suddenly in front of me, crouched at my level so we were almost nose to nose.
"That depends. Are you going to leave?"
She thought for a moment. "Probably not."
"I'm going to sue you."
"Fine, I'll leave! Geez!" Spinning on her heel, she stalked toward the door, accidentally catching her foot in my IV cord. It pulled tight; I was yanked out of bed.
"Ow!"
"I'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorry! I'll-I'll just go wait in the hall!" With that, Jo hurried out.
I picked myself up off the floor, limped back to my bed, and fumbled in, collapsing comfortably. I hope the Dark Lord doesn't see me like this.
For a few hours I slept. It was a deep, dreamless, blank sleep, when it was suddenly invaded by a voice, an annoyingly cheerful one at that, saying, "Hey, Sev. Se-ev. Hellooooo." I had the sensation of being shaken; my eyes opened but a fraction and I cursed the Powers That Be.
"Oh. It's you."
Jo looked up. "The doctors are here to take some tests and X-rays."
I considered strangling her with my bare, bandaged hands, but decided against it (too many witnesses) and just sat up. "Did you have to wake me?"
She shrugged. "Probably not, but I figured you'd want to know." With a smile, she watched as I was wheeled from the room.
That was how it began. After I went home, I found myself wondering where she was and how she was doing. When I was at a meeting with other Death Eaters, I would look up into the sky and ask myself if she had taken her fourth driver's test yet- and whether or not she'd killed anyone. It wasn't until a few months later that I noticed how much I had been thinking about Jo.
God, I must be losing it, I thought as I dressed for a trip to the Muggle mall. The Dark Lord had sent orders to survey a Ministry member in disguise that was undercover there. We were unsure of what form the person had taken, but we were pretty sure they were posing as a teenager, since the mark was only about twenty anyway.
Once I had arrived, I walked through two large glass doors and into a world of endless chatter and blaring music and stores. I thought I would go either deaf or blind, depending on what got to me first- the music or the neon signs. Sliding on a pair of sunglasses, I made my way through the throngs of bantering, laughing Muggles, keeping a lookout for my target.
After an hour of aimless walking, I suddenly felt something boring into my back. I spun; then abruptly cursed my luck.
"Hey, Sev!"
I winced. "Damn."
Jo ran towards me. "Hey! It's me! Josephine! Jo! Remember? I ran you over!"
"How could I forget?" I queried, cocking an eyebrow at her. "I still have tire marks on my back." I considering offering to show her, but chose not to. "So… What have you been up to?" Hoping to speed her departure, I asked a simple question.
"Oh, nothing, I just passed my driving test, finally!" Jo grinned up at me and it suddenly occurred to me that she had stepped close.
I couldn't suppress the chuckle. "And how many tries did it take?"
"Shut up," she retorted.
"Make me," I said before I could stop myself.
Sticking her tongue out at me, she folded her arms across her chest. "I've heard better comebacks from a wet cardboard box."
"You should really see a doctor."
She looked confused. "Why?"
"You seem to be suffering from ultra-acute idiot syndrome."
Jo's eyes went dark. "I will so kick you in the face for that." To cement her point, she punched me square in the nose.
"Ow!"
She snorted. "That's what you get for calling me an idiot."
Stumbling to my feet, I held a hand to my face and shook off the dizziness. "I thought you were going to kick me… That really hurt…" I looked at my hand; she'd given me a bloody nose. "Oww…"
"Oh, don't be a sissy. I barely even hit you," she said with that hateful, guileless smile on her face.
I said nothing and waved as if to say goodbye, trying to beat a hasty retreat so I could get back to tracking my quarry. We were outside a game store; I assumed she would just go in and leave me alone.
Apparently I underestimated her. Or rather, misread her.
"Hey, Sev! Where are you going?" She had to jog to catch up. Unfortunately, she tripped on a crack in the floor. Her hand caught hold of what was closest in a vain attempt to break her fall.
I was suddenly aware of a draft on my legs.
She'd pulled down my pants.
Luckily she left the boxers, but my cargos were still in a pool on the floor, Jo's hand wrapped around them. She moaned and sat up. "Ow." Then she realized what she had done and tried to apologize, despite the mirth that glittered in her eyes. "I'm… hee hee… sorry!"
Two girls inside the game store, both short and stocky, were staring at me. The taller one, a blonde with long hair, started laughing. The brunette was already in stitches; she must have pointed me out to the other one.
Yanking my pants away from Jo, I tugged them on and ran off without thinking. The mission didn't matter right now; I had been publically pantsed.
Humiliated (and rather chilled) I ducked into the nearest kiosk and finished zipping my pants back up and tightening my belt to head off a repeat performance. I sighed and left the mall; there was no sense staying since I had drawn so much attention to myself. Well, truthfully, it was that accursed Muggle girl's fault, but who cared. I had been pantsed. In public!
A few days later I woke to the ringing of my telephone. Glancing at the clock, I sat up, yawning, stretched, and picked up the receiver. "I wonder who it could be at this hour." I thought aloud as I held it to my ear. "Hello?"
"Hey."
"Uhm, who is this?"
"Josephine Sawyer. Don't you remember?"
Oh great. I went to slam the receiver down, but thought better of it. "How did you get my home phone number?"
"It was in the legal documents from when I ran you over. I figured I'd call to apologize for the…incident… at the mall last weekend." She sounded genuinely sorry.
I had to bite my tongue to choke down the fiery reply. "Okay, you've said it. Bye."
"Wait!"
I held off hanging up. "What?"
"I want to make it up to you. Tell you what: I'm going to a theme park today with some friends. Do you want to come?"
I thought for a moment, debating whether it would be too rude to say no, and finally decided to give her a second shot. I couldn't afford to make enemies, even among Muggles. "I suppose so. What time?"
"We can pick you up now. Where do you live?"
I told her my address, then hung up the phone and hauled my carcass out of bed to shower and dress.
Two exasperating hours later, we stood outside of a large amusement park. Jo tugged on my elbow. "C'mon! We gotta go ride the Demonator!"
"And what, pray tell, is the Demonator?"
She grinned. "You'll see."
It turned out the Demonator was a massive rollercoaster that suspended the rider twenty feet in the air at the lowest point. It travelled along the track at upwards of a hundred miles an hour, twisting and turning in some places over a hundred feet high.
It might be prudent to mention that I am deathly afraid of heights. If not for Jo's incessant heckling, I would never have gone near the thing in a million years. Unfortunately, I am a proud soul and could not sacrifice my sacred honor because I was afraid of a rollercoaster.
So up we went and up came my lunch. And my breakfast. And my dinner from the night before. When the ride had ended, I wasn't sure I could speak because of how loudly I had screamed.
Jo, however, was whooping and hollering with delight. "That was awesome!"
I was once again ill in a nearby trashcan, but somehow found the energy to glare at her. Such was our third meeting.
The rest of the day was largely uneventful. After heading to the food court to refill my now empty stomach, Jo and I sat down at one of the many park benches to eat and watch people pass by. I contemplatively took a bite of my hamburger, when suddenly I had the sensation of something being pulled out of my back pocket. I looked over at Jo, who was holding my wand.
"Hey, Sev, what's with the stick?"
I almost swallowed my tongue. "Jo! Don't play with that!"
"Play with it? It's just a stick." She bent it a little, much to my horror, to test how springy it was. With a loud crack and showering of sparks, Jo snapped my precious wand in two. "Oops…"
My hamburger dropped to the pavement. I grabbed the halves of my wand from her hand and held them, cradled them really, while simultaneously glaring at her, murmuring death threats. "You broke my wand…"
"Your what?"
"Oh, never mind. Let's just go home," I snapped, hoping some duct tape and a little glue would fix the problem. After all, duct tape holds the universe together.
So we went home and I spent the rest of the night, past dawn, attempting to fix my broken wand.
As time went by, Jo and I began to develop what may have been called a "friendship". Well, you couldn't really call it that, but no one could think of anything else to term it. We spent weekends together, just sitting in the park, throwing insults back and forth. It was all in good fun, or so she thought. I actually thought all those horrible things about her. I hated Jo with every fiber of my being. Or so I thought. I despised that contemptible, beautiful creature and her deplorable excess of personality.
She grew on me. Sort of like toe fungus.
On one particular weekend, Jo informed me that she was in need of a new bathrobe, and inquired as to whether I wished to accompany her- which I didn't, but she dragged me along anyway.
After a terrifying car drive on the highway (I understood why she'd failed the driver's test so many times), we arrived at the mall and aimed toward a store that looked innocent enough on the outer façade; but once we had gone in, it was like another world.
Frilly things in pink and black and red and all sorts of other horrendous neon colors hung all over the walls and on the stands in the middle of the store. I had no idea what any of this was, since I'd never seen any of it before. I feared to tread across the threshold, worried that my skin would ignite from merely touching the air of this strange place known as Victoria's Secret.
Jo, however, seemed unbothered. She walked right in without fear of spontaneous combustion. She went into the back while I stayed outside. I was pretty sure the sales women were trying to match my picture up in the sex offenders' catalogue.
I heard my name being called from deep within the bowels of this otherworldly hell.
"Sev! Sev! C'mere! I need your opinion on something!" Jo's voice rang out.
After a few seconds of arduous mental preparation, I entered. I passed a few women up front who tried to spray me with perfume, but, I'm not sure how, I managed to dodge the floral-scented shower.
Jo was in the back, holding a pair of bathrobes alternately up against her body and staring at herself in a large three-sided mirror. "Which one looks better: the blue stripes, or the lavender clouds?"
I stared at her for a moment, then blurted, "How am I supposed to know?"
She swung one of the bathrobes at me; I dodged, and then yelled as soon as I was clear, "The blue striped!"
Satisfied, Jo dragged me to the counter and paid for it. By this time, I felt like everyone in the entire store was staring at me. And they were. I was the only man.
When she finally deigned to leave, we walked on to the next store over, which smelled of an odd mixture of lemons, lilacs, fresh linen, and apples. It was the Bath and Body Works, according to the sign.
I didn't mind this store as much. It smelled nice, and I didn't feel like a pervert because there were two other men there besides me. All we bought was a single bottle of cucumber melon shower gel. As Jo was checking out, I was looking at the bottle in her hand, and had the most unexpected longing to smell her after she'd just used it. Almost immediately after having this thought, I hit myself. Several times. She's a Muggle! How could I think that, even for a second?
After a quick pit stop in the food court for ice cream and soda (we'd already had lunch), we walked into GameStop, one of the few stores I was actually familiar with. Just as we walked in, I noticed a familiar pair standing by the Used Games rack.
The laughing brunette and her blonde friend.
I put my hand up over my face to hide my identity. I could only pray our stay here would be short.
After that insightful visit to the mall, I told Jo I was never going there again. When she asked why, I told her two words. "Victoria's Secret."
The week after this, Jo unexpectedly called me around three o'clock. It was Thursday, April eighteenth. We usually didn't talk until the weekends, when we planned to go somewhere together, so I was surprised to say the least. "Oh, Jo, hi."
"Hey, Sev. One of my friends is having a birthday party. She says that there's gonna be a live DJ and everything. Do you want to come with me?"
"Well, what the hell, I suppose I could. But I'm not dancing. I don't care how many times you ask, I'm not dancing."
Jo's laugh sounded tinny over the phone, but it was still her laugh. "You say that now, Sev. I'll get you. You know I will. I always do."
"We'll see," I answered coyly, hanging up the phone to get ready.
I picked out a plain black shirt and just plain black slacks. Nothing too fancy, but not grubby either. Just right for me.
Just as I'd finished pulling my shirt over my head, I heard a car horn honk outside. Luckily, my shoes were already on. All I needed to do was run a brush through my hair and walk out. There was Jo, idling out front.
Upon making it to the party, I discovered I was a little out of my league. For one thing, I know absolutely nothing about Muggle music, or Muggle dancing, or Muggle anything- and everyone here was a Muggle. I stayed close to Jo, hanging near even when she was talking to other people. I tried not to speak, but only smiled and nodded politely. Luckily, the Muggles took this to mean I was shy, and generally left me alone.
Jo didn't seem to mind me hovering. In fact, I think she rather enjoyed the neediness. I noticed her chuckle a little and followed her eyes- and to my mortification, there were the two girls from GameStop. I suddenly had the fierce urge to melt into the wall.
Luckily, my attention was soon diverted when a slow, lilting melody emitted from the speakers. A few girls converged on me, but Jo skillfully maneuvered me away. Before I knew what was happening, we were in the middle of the dance floor. I looked at her, shook my head, and said, "No. No way. Nuh-uh. Not gonna happen. I don't dance."
Jo giggled, something I'd never heard her do- she always chuckled- and placed one hand on my shoulder and the other in my hand. "Just shut up and dance, Sev."
I knew if I resisted, chances were good she was going to punch me and my face still hurt from the last time. So I went along with it, placing one clammy hand on her hip and trying not to flush. Her hand in mine was making me feel… nervous. My stomach jumped like a pond of caffeine-hiked frogs. Infuriatingly, she didn't look the least bit upset by it, any of it. That I was a Pureblood falling in love with a Muggle. That we came from two different worlds- and she didn't belong in mine, no matter how much I wanted her there.
What killed me the most as I stood there, swaying with her, was the sense of loss as it finally dawned on me that the second woman I loved, I couldn't have either.
Our union would be an abomination in the eyes of my kind. Lord Voldemort would kill me. He'd kill her. I could live with my own death, but to let him murder her…
Even so, I still wanted her. I still needed her. I still loved her. Nothing would change that. No amount of persuasion, no amount of cajoling, not even torture would change how I felt. Nothing- nothing- would change it. This was real. This was true.
And there was nothing anyone could do about it.
Not even me.
As the song was ending, the lights dimmed low and it came to my attention that Jo was leaning in towards me. The response in my body was immediate. I was thrilled when my heart did not burst out of my chest, but just settled into a hard rhythm against my ribs.
She was within an inch of me; one more inch and we would kiss. I broke out in a cold sweat, a mix of pure terror and pure adrenaline thundering through my veins. I wanted so badly to just close the remaining distance; to surrender myself completely.
I couldn't.
Jerking away from her, I walked at a brisk pace out of the house. I could hear Jo following me, calling my name. I walked a little faster.
"Severus! Where are you going? Sev!"
I kept walking, trying to lose myself in the black woods out back. Leaves crunched underfoot as I walked, then began to jog as I heard her nearing me.
"Sev!"
Fingers tugged on my arm; I tried to wrench free only to trip on a tree root and fall. Apparently Jo was still holding onto me- she also fell, landing squarely on my chest. The air was driven completely out of me.
"Severus, what the hell is wrong with you? You just up and walked out! You didn't tell anybody where you were…"
"Jo, shut up."
I saw her eyes for a split second and almost cowered. She had the fiercest gaze I had ever seen when she wanted it. She could have frightened the Dark Lord with that ferocious stare. For a moment I was worried she might hit me.
Jo's expression softened and she got up, tugging me to my feet. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," I answered blankly, turning away from her.
She spun me to face her. "Why won't you admit you like me?"
I wouldn't answer. I couldn't. Blood seeped from where I bit my lip as I stared at her, then tried to extricate myself from her grasp. "Jo."
"Why won't you admit that you like me?" She demanded, fixing me with those eyes of hers.
I lost it. I couldn't hold in my frustration anymore. "Because!"
She took a step back, surprised that I had lost my temper. Then the fury was back in her eyes, back in full force, the strength and courage in them billowing like fire. "Because why, Sev?"
I turned my back on her; I glanced back but once. "Because." The words echoed in my head, even though my lips didn't form them: Because I love you too much.
And with that, I walked away.
And that is my story, beginning to end. I loved two women; Lily I lost to another man, Jo I lost to my own weakness.
Despite loving Lily, I can say with certainty that the love of my life was Josephine Sawyer. Of that I am sure. If this paper survives, I hope whoever finds it finds Jo. Perhaps she has found a man who deserves her far more than I.
I want no regrets, but alas, I have many already. This is the greatest.
To my beloved Josephine: May you one day hear these words that I never spoke to you- I love you.
Severus Snape, Headmaster of Hogwarts, closed the piece of parchment gently, almost reverently, in one of his books and slipped it back into its nook in the bookcase. He stood, dusted himself off, and glanced out his door as he heard a song playing.
One of the students walked by, listening to that new song, that one that went… Snape thought for a moment. What was it? Better Than Me? Was that it?
As he listened, all he could think was how appropriate it was, considering the kind of mood he was in. A lesser man would have pulled out a bottle of gin and gotten drunk. But Snape was not a lesser man. He instead slipped out of his office and went down to school grounds to walk in the quiet places near the lake.
It was almost time for dinner. He could hear his stomach rumbling and he wouldn't have been surprised if everyone else could too. Eventually the rumbling got unbearable and he went inside. He had to get something in his stomach, at least. He hadn't eaten since midnight. He hadn't realized it took him so long to write that small memoir. Then again, drudging up those ancient memories tended to take a long time. They became misty, clouded, as time passed. Soon, they would no longer be there.
Snape knew better than to think- hope- that he would be lucky enough to forget Jo. He was certain he would have to live with this, with his own failure to seize happiness when it presented itself, until the day he died. Something about that seemed like poetic justice- breaking Josephine's heart resulted in all of this for him.
He heard footsteps, voices, laughter. "Students," he said to himself.
They shuffled in, in organized disarray, and headed to their tables. A few teachers wandered amongst their ranks, heading to their own table, at the head of which sat Headmaster Severus Snape.
The Headmaster was already seated, staring fixedly at his plate, almost as if he expected it to say something to him. He was obviously deep in thought; a few of the teachers warily watched him from afar. There was no telling what Snape was like in one of these moods. Normally, he was just sour, but when he got contemplative…
Dinner was served; Snape blinked dully at it. He wasn't in a mood to eat, despite his stomach's protests. The last thing he wanted right now was food.
He could sense Hagrid's eyes on him, and returned the stare with placid half-closed eyes. The giant knew. Everyone knew. Severus Snape's time on this earth was very soon to come to an end. Snape knew it too; which was why he gifted Hagrid with the tiniest, most transient ghost of an approving smile.
Glancing about the Great Hall, he managed to catch Harry Potter's eyes. The son of Lily Evans, the first woman he had loved, met his gaze squarely and nodded to him. Even Potter knew.
Severus stood without warning and turned to the student body. "As most of you already know, I am not long for this world." He paused, cleared his throat, and seemed to be thinking. "I have reason to believe that tomorrow will be my final day."
The Great Hall was eerily quiet. Even the Slytherins had gone silent.
"I want all of you to stay up in your Towers tomorrow. Do not open the portrait for any reason. Do not let in anyone you don't know. Stay in your Towers. That is all." With that, Severus Snape left the Hall and disappeared with a swirl of his black cloak.
He went quickly to his study. Fawkes the Phoenix sat on his perch in the corner, eyeing the new Headmaster as he entered the room.
Behind the desk was a large watercolor painting of Albus Dumbledore himself. The portrait was sleeping presently. That was all it seemed to do. Severus, in a state of despair, punched the wall beside it to wake its resident. The Dumbledore within jumped up. "What? Huh? Professor Snape, what's wrong?"
He was pacing back and forth in front of the painting. "I'm worried, Sir. I've told the students to stay in their Towers tomorrow. I'm almost certain tomorrow is the day Lord Voldemort will come for me."
The Dumbledore in the portrait nodded. "I see. Are you afraid for your life?"
"Well, that's a stupid question. Of course I am. Well, not afraid for my life, per se. My life means very little to me. I worry more about the students and staff. Should I try to get away from here, lead Voldemort away?"
The watercolor Dumbledore scratched his beard. "Well, I can't tell you what to do. But I can tell you that running away is only going to stall the inevitable. Voldemort will come here. Better he come when you're here to protect them than when you're already dead." The portrait nodded sagely. "Make your stand here. The students will stand with you."
Snape nodded wearily. "It's decided then. Tomorrow, I make my stand."
The next morning, Severus Snape rose from his bed after enduring a long sleepless night. There were heavy blue bags under his eyes and his entire expression seemed resigned to death. He didn't even come to breakfast. He knew the students were safely in their Towers; all he needed to worry about were the faculty, and he knew that they were safe deep in the dungeons.
He would take his stand alone. He would not sacrifice anyone else. If Voldemort wanted Severus Snape, Voldemort would get Severus Snape. But not without a fight.
The clock struck noon. An eerie silence had descended on the grounds and a strange gray mist crept across the lake.
Snape sat at his desk, shuffling a few papers, trying to busy himself in what could be the last few moments of his life. He stood and walked to his bookcase, taking out the volume in which he'd hidden hi s memoir about Josephine. It was still there, nestled safely, hidden from view. He replaced the book and sat back down.
Suddenly, a voice rang out. "You know who I want."
The Headmaster rose from his seat. "I know."
In a burst of gray smoke, the Dark Lord himself appeared, wreathed in black, eyes glowing red. "You knew this day was coming, Severus. You just couldn't keep your nose clean under my watch."
"Absolutely right," Severus answered. There was not a trace of fear in his voice.
"You were my best right hand man… And you betrayed me. You helped them. As a spy. A worthless, cowardly spy. And you dropped your guard in the end. You thought I was growing weak, didn't you?"
"Well, you do have no nose." He was trying to speed what he knew was coming. There was no sense delaying it.
Voldemort glowered. "Insolent worm! I let you live for this long, and you repay me this way?"
"Yes. Life's a bitch. Then you die." His eyes were cool, emotionless. He wasn't afraid.
Sensing this, the Dark Lord snarled with rage. "Think you're so brave? Any last words, before I end your pitiful existence? I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got so many young lives to cut short." He fished a wand out of his robes, aiming at the man in front of him.
Snape's face tightened at the mention of the students, and he drew his own wand. "Go to hell."
"You first. Avada-"
A foot winged up between his knees. Voldemort's eyes crossed and he crumpled, clapping both hands over his groin as the figure behind him was revealed.
"Leave Sev alone, you bastard."
Jo.
She was older, of course, her dark hair a little longer, tied back in a ponytail, but her eyes were still as bold as ever. Her posture, straight and tall, was the same. Even the smile when she saw Severus. "Hey, Sev. Long time no see."
Jo stepped over the Dark Lord, who was whimpering quietly. Apparently she had kicked him rather hard…
Upon reaching Severus, she grinned. "Hey."
He was speechless. Haltingly, he reached up, grasped her shoulders, just to make sure she was real. "Jo. It's you. H…How did you find me? It's been…"
"Thirty years, give or take a decade," she joked.
Same old Jo.
Tears sprung to his eyes, but dried quickly when he saw Voldemort struggling to rise. "Jo! Get out of here! Now! He'll kill you!"
"B…Bitch… I'll deal with you, Severus… in a moment. Your friend dies first." He leveled his wand with her heart.
Jo's eyes were unwavering; she knew what she was dealing with and chose not to back down. There are worse things than death. She had already experienced one and refused to experience the other. "I'm waiting," she said, eyes still glittering with the undying flame.
"Avada kedavra!" A bolt of green energy shot forth from the Dark Lord's wand.
She waited.
"Jo! No!" Snape tried to shove her out of the way; he worked to at least place himself in front of her to shield her.
But in the end, Jo simply sidled around him and took the blow.
The shock of the impact knocked her flat. The curse had only glanced Severus but had slammed brutally into her. She would die very soon.
Snape saw the bolt of green crash into her chest with horrifying force. He felt her flop back limply like a ragdoll, and slump to the floor. His gaze shifted to Voldemort, whose eyes and smile betrayed the euphoria of triumph.
"You…"
The Dark Lord's expression changed to one of confusion at Snape's tone.
"You…"
He leveled his wand to kill Severus, quickly. Something in the other man's onyx eyes… frightened him.
What he saw was rage. Pure, unbridled fury.
"You killed my Jo! For that, I'll kill you!" Snape snarled, his face twisted into an animal-like grimace. Her catchphrase flitted through his red-clouded mind: 'I'll so kick you in the face for that!'. A fresh wave of hatred seared through his body like fire as he tossed aside his wand and rushed the Dark Lord head on.
Voldemort's eyes widened and he took a step back. "Avada-"
For the second time that day, a foot hindered his utterance of the killing curse. This time it connected with his knee. There was a sickening snap and Voldemort hit the ground and rolled a few feet away, howling in pain.
Stalking over like a panther eyeing his prey, Snape stood over the Dark Lord. He lifted his foot and pressed it to the man's windpipe. "This is for Jo." His other foot smashed across his adversary's flat, disfigured face, grinding it into the carpet.
Picking up Voldemort's wand, Severus pointed it at him. "Avada kedavra."
A spark of green lightning lit up the entire room; with a final shriek of terror the Dark Lord fell back dead.
"Uhh…"
The Headmaster's head snapped up. "Jo!" He leapt over Voldemort's prone body and fell to his knees beside her, lifting her gently from where she had fallen. "Jo!"
She was deathly pale; even the twinkle in her eyes was diminished. She was dying. "Didja get him?" She asked with a little smile playing about her lips.
"Of course." He whispered, brushing her hair back from her forehead. "Jo, why…?"
"Why do you think, dumb ass?" Were there tears in her eyes? "I love you. I always have."
Severus Snape's eyes filled briefly; he couldn't see through the blur of tears. "Oh, Jo. You… How could you… I was the one…"
"That was supposed to die? Like I'd let that happen." She laughed.
He pulled her a little farther up and buried his face in her hair. "You idiot. You colossal idiot. I told you you suffered from ultra-acute idiot syndrome," he murmured.
Another chuckle. "Hah. That again." She winced and her body stiffened. It wasn't long now. "Do… me a favor, Sev."
"Anything."
"Take good care of your… kids and find… yourself a wife. A good one."
He was surprised by that and he pulled back just long enough to stare at her. "Jo… You're not going to die… I won't let…"
"Now who's the one suffering from ultra-acute idiot syndrome?" Jo asked, her eyes closed. "You can't stop death- any more than you can stop a speeding car driven by a teenager who's failed her driving test twice."
Snape bit his lip as hot tears scorched down his cheeks. "No! No, I won't let you! I'll die first!"
"And then… I would have to kill you." Jo answered, her smile fleeting. She convulsed suddenly, violently; Severus almost dropped her but managed to keep hold. "Looks like this is it then. Heh. At least… I found you." Her eyes drifted closed again.
He shook her. "Dammit! Don't you dare die! Not yet!"
"Death waits for no one."
"Will you shut up about that? I have something to say." He took a deep breath. "Something I should have said a long time ago."
"Mm?" That was all she had the energy for.
Severus leaned his forehead on hers and sighed. "Josephine Sawyer. I…" He trailed off as his throat seemed to close, but he mustered the power to whisper in her ear, "I love you." As he said the words, he slid the ring he wore off and took her hand, slipping it onto her ring finger. "I love you and I always will. I love you. Forever."
Jo said nothing; her breathing was starting to slow.
Severus bent and whispered, "Goodbye." His lips caught hers. Their first- and last- kiss.
He couldn't stop himself from crying at this point, cradling her body, stroking her cheek with his thumb. There were so many things he had longed to tell her; he'd finally said all of them. And it was too late.
"Sev, get off. I can't breathe." Jo murmured against his mouth, tugging gently on his collar.
He leapt back, his eyes wide, amazed. "J…Jo! Jo! You're alive!" He hugged her again, tightly, kissing her with all the strength he could marshal. His fingers were tangled in her hair and he was almost rocking her against him. "Oh my god, you're alive."
"Yes, we've established this. Now, about getting off…" She chuckled and cupped his chin. "I'm fine. Thanks to you."
He stared at her. "What?"
"You, my love. You deflected part of the killing curse. You saved my life. My hero… Idiot."
Snape didn't care what she called him. She was alive, she was here, she was his. Nothing but that mattered. "Jo."
"Yes?"
"Did… Did you hear me? Earlier? When you died?" He asked quietly.
Jo cocked an eyebrow. "Of course I did. Dead doesn't mean deaf." She put her hand up. "Nice ring, Sev. Does it come with a proposal?"
He smiled. "Naturally." Then he drew her close and laid his forehead on hers once again. "Josephine, will you marry me?"
"On one condition."
"What?"
"You stop calling me Josephine. Ass."
5 YEARS LATER
Headmaster Snape sat at his desk, writing busily. A sudden commotion outside alerted him. "I wonder what all the ruckus is." He got up and opened his door, looking out just in time to see three small children, two girls and a boy, rush at him shrieking "Daddy!"
A few feet behind them was their mother Jo, seven months pregnant with their fourth child. "Severus. All work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy."
The two little girls, Lily Helga and Meri Rowena, were twins and looked exactly alike. Lily was tugging on her father's right pant leg, or at least it looked like Lily, while her sister Meri (or it could have been Lily and the other was Meri) was doing the same on the other. Their son Remus Godric was a few feet away, holding his mother's hand and dragging his stuffed stag James along with him.
The expected child was a little boy, to be named Sirius Salazar, and it was also expected that he would be dark-haired like his brother and sisters. All the children had thus far inherited their father's black hair and their mother's fiery eyes. But who knows? Maybe Sirius Salazar would be an onyx-eyed little brunette.
Anything was possible. After all- a pureblooded wizard's love for a Muggle woman survived thirty years of separation. A boy with brown hair isn't much of a stretch.
"EVERYTHING"
By Michael Buble
You're a falling star, You're the getaway car.
You're the line in the sand when I go too far.
You're the swimming pool, on an August day.
And you're the perfect thing to say.
And you play it coy, but it's kinda cute.
Ah, When you smile at me you know exactly what you do.
Baby don't pretend, that you don't know it's true.
Cause you can see it when I look at you.
[Chorus:
And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It's you, it's you, You make me sing.
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.
You're a carousel, you're a wishing well,
And you light me up, when you ring my bell.
You're a mystery, you're from outer space,
You're every minute of my everyday.
And I can't believe, uh that I'm your man,
And I get to kiss you baby just because I can.
Whatever comes our way, ah we'll see it through,
And you know that's what our love can do.
[Chorus:
And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It's you, it's you, You make me sing
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.
So, La, La, La, La, La, La, La
So, La, La, La, La, La, La, La
[Chorus:
And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It's you, it's you, You make me sing.
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.
You're every song, and I sing along.
'Cause you're my everything.
Yeah, yeah
So, La, La, La, La, La, La, La
So, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La
"Oh…. Oh…Oh my god!" The two girls that Severus had encountered numerous times throughout his adventure hugged each other and cried with delight at the happy ending. The brunette was the one speaking. "For a minute there… I thought… they weren't gonna make it!"
The blonde rolled her eyes. "Of course they were gonna make it. We wrote the story."
"So?" The brunette, Kai, looked at the door of the Headmaster's office. "I wonder if we get to watch the kids…"
The blonde, Eli, smiled. "Hey, maybe we'll get paid." She walked up to the door slowly and knocked. "Hey, Mr. and Mrs. Snape! We heard you need babysitters!"
Kai looked at Eli. "I wonder if they'll remember us…"