Summary: When your life is built on lies and double crossing, it's best to be prepared.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters and I'm not making money from this, both of which make me sad.

1968

I Severus leave this record to bekweeth at my death. I want to give my mum the special bandages in my drawer and the picture I drew for her. It has me and her together in a new house without Dad or his belt and I think it will make her smile. I leave my magik gobbstones to Tyler from skool. He is a muggle and he would like them very much. I want Jason from skool to have my anti flu potion. It is gross and I hope he drinks it all. This is all I have that I kare about but if I forgot something I want Tyler to have it because he is nise and I like him better than everybody else.

-Severus

1976

I, Severus Snape, being of sound mind and free of coercion declare this to be my last will and testament.

There is little to give but I declare that my collection of gobbstones be gifted to Juliette Platcher. She is surely the least annoying of the vapid Pureblood daughters among our class and I have once or twice admitted that her skills in Potionry are equal to mine. Our occasional games in the Slytherin common room were a surprising joy.

To Lucius Malfoy, my despised mentor and respected opponent, I leave my muggle radio and story books. No doubt he will be too disgusted to touch either one, but his bride-to-be has confessed to me that she is a fan of The Beatles. For her protection I request that this be kept private and Lucius be Obliviated if he reacts aversely to this secret.

All other possessions, my books, writings, and trinkets, I wish to leave to Lily Evans. You were my best and truest friend. I wish you the greatest happiness.

-Severus Snape

1981

I, Severus Snape, being of sound body and mind and free of coercion do declare this to be my last will and testament.

There is every likelihood that I will die soon. I have made the ultimate betrayal, twice. I have turned my back on the Dark Lord and I will pay for my duplicity. Worse, I have betrayed my dearest friend. My home at Spinner's end, my books, my vaults, everything I own I leave to Lily Potter. You were loyal and I was a coward. I lashed out and drove you into the arms of a man I considered my greatest enemy. That was childish and cruel and I take this time to make my final apology. I have done all I can to save you and I can only hope you will take that as proof of my sincerity. Goodbye Lily, you were always the most beautiful magic I'd ever seen.

-Severus Snape

1982

I, Severus Tobias Snape, being of sound mind and body and free of coercion, do declare this to be my last will and testament.

To Lucius Malfoy I leave my veela made cloak as repayment for the debt of his advice and assistance.

To Draco Malfoy, my young godson, I leave my dragonhide gloves and smock as well as my collection of introductory potion texts. I see a great mind in you, Draco. Do not let your father, nor even I, be your guide to happiness.

To Narcissa Malfoy, a surprising friend and a sharp mind, I leave my best cufflinks and my ceremony robes. She will wear neither and, of course, has no need to sell them but I bequeath them as a nod to her fine eye for quality and style.

All else I leave to Albus Dumbledore for the benefit of the world at large. My potions work is meek but several of my theories may lead to great discoveries. My house is modest but acceptable for emergency situations and I have come into certain possessions that may be useful if examined properly.

-Severus Snape

1991

Having now seen for myself what I have long suspected, that the Dark Lord is not fully dead despite the preferred ignorance of our world, I revise this record for greater accuracy.

To Draco and Narcissa I still bequeath my previous gifts. I would like to add my silver dagger to be given to Narcissa. Forgive me if it seems forward of me to suggest such a weapon would fit nicely strapped to one of your thighs, and do take the compliment when I say they are pleasantly shaped. My collection of Charms essays are to be given to Draco whom I know to have a hidden skill for the subject. Talent such as this should be nurtured.

I retract my gift of the veela made cloak to Lucius Malfoy. My debt has been repaid and it was a fake anyway.

To Minerva McGonagall, friend and colleague, I give my grandmother's hidden recipe books. I myself am not particularly gifted as a chef or as a baker but I find her guide to be both informative and fruitful. I also leave her the woolen scarf I bought last Christmas. I know you look at it covetously.

To Filius Flitwick I give my best quills and stylized parchment. Your work in your field has greatly impressed me.

To Pomona Sprout I leave my plants and the notes I have made on magical fertilizers. Our coordination on healing potions has been a pleasure.

Above all else, I leave to my fellow Hogwarts professors my pity. May your future students be less boorish dunderheads than the ones thus far.

-Severus Tobias Snape

1994

Yet again I find myself revising my last wishes as a result of the Dark Lord's rising.

I leave to Minerva McGonagall my un-matching green and red armchairs. Perhaps in death she will allow me to have the final word: I know your silly House loyalty bids you feign favor for the red and gold, but we both know you find the green more comfortable. May you enjoy your tea all the more in your own chambers.

To Poppy Pomphrey I leave the strictest of instructions: Do not buy healing ingredients from the apothecary along Diagon Alley. I have several contacts in France, their information enclosed at the bottom of this letter, who are not only fair in pricing but also the most competent brewers you will find on the public market. Do not allow the students to harvest the shriveling ivy roots when you prepare flu potions and be sure to keep the Draught of Temporary Stasis in a cool and dark environment where the bumbling infants we attempt to teach cannot find any. It will last the better part of a decade if stored properly.

In addition, I have recently come into several tomes on the art of Potionry. I wish for them to be donated to the Potion Master's Guild of Great Britain. The parchment is both old and fragile but also inexpressibly valuable in properly appreciative hands. Likely, they will end up behind glass in a museum.

Properly depressed by the meager total of my worldly possession, I bid you all farewell.

-Professor Severus Snape

1997

This, I believe, is the true end. I now redistribute my things for the final time.

To Narcissa Malfoy nee Black, should she not precede me into the grave, I leave my formal robes and muggle wear. I also gift to her the gold jewelry left to me by Albus Dumbledore. All of these gifts can be sold in both the magical and muggle world should, for some unforeseeable reason, the family vaults be frozen or her access to them be denied.

To Draco Malfoy, should he also not precede me, I leave my spy equipment, this being my sneakoscope, penseive, Disillusioned Cloak, lock-picking kit, and Occlumency guides. You are more than the sum of your mistakes, Draco. Do not let the weight of your family bind you to the past.

To Minerva McGonagall I entrust the care of my garden in the hidden courtyard. The secret ingredient of my holiday cider grows in the third row. I do not regret my actions these past few months. Nonetheless, your suffering was not a source of joy for me.

To Ronald Weasley I give the clasp of my best cloak. It is spelled to aid the mind in protection from outside intrusion. I say now, despite your abysmal potion skills and generally obnoxious conduct in class that you have grown into a true Gryffindor. No doubt you take that as a complement which above all else is a shame. Nonetheless, I will now give you true praise; the sole reason you receive anything from me at all. You made mistakes as a friend. You injured people who trusted and cared for you in a way that quite possibly does more damage than a physical wound. But you recognized your error in judgment and swallowed your pride to apologize. This is more than I have ever allowed of myself and I nod here to your superiority.

To Hermione Granger I leave my private collection of potions equipment and my notes on my undeveloped projects. 'Twere the matter at hand less pressing I would find it irksome that I have so little time available to complete my own work. There is little in this world I find more difficult than to leave my theories in the hands of another. I trust that by leaving it to a mind such as your own that it will not remain forgotten. I have never acknowledged your intelligence openly. At best I mocked your ability to retain knowledge and your eagerness to learn. This, of course, is one of the worst things I have done during my tenure as your professor. You are not only exceedingly clever but also a young witch capable of great humanity. Many a wizard loved by history won his fame with cleverness and found himself alone for it. I predict great things for you, but I warn that you will only find happiness if you keep your friends beside you as you do so.

To Harry Potter, I leave all else. I am awed and disgusted by your genuine heroics. Quite often I envisioned your mother or father in your stead when I heard of the escapades in the Hogwarts rumor mill. Surely only James Potter could charm his way onto the House team during his first year in school. Surely only Lily would start a fight with the richest child in the year for the sake of another boy's toy from Grandmum. But no, neither Lily nor James did those things. I see now, after much willful ignorance and stalwart refusal, that you are a reckless, foolish pugilist all on your own. Selflessness is natural to you, as is the desire to steep yourself in action and fighting. You are a leader, reluctant though you may be to think so, and I believe you will make it through this war. I do not apologize for the animosity which has been between us for all these years because I know you would offer forgiveness if a dead man asked it of you. I will say that I regret much of my childishness and I'm sure you realize little of anything between us was ever your own doing. May the Fates be with you Potter.

-Severus Tobias Snape, Headmaster H.S.W.W.