Redeeming Snape

Chapter One: Life After Life

When Lily and Severus were twelve Lily's cat had died. A very over-emotional Lily had asked a rather embarrassed and uncomfortable Severus whether he believed in Heaven.

He hadn't. Still didn't.

But unable to cause Lily anymore unhappiness, the young Severus had lied in order to give her hope. And, besides, it was a cat, and there was no harm in wishing it an afterlife.

On the Halloween night the Potters were killed Severus saw a stray cat killed by a newly recruited Death-Eater, eager to show his "daring." Severus had immediately remembered old lie and had almost unconsciously wished the cat well in her next life.

It wasn't until later, when, in Dumbledore's office, he had been told what else had happened that ill-fated night, that Severus had realized the true irony of the cat's death, and his wish.

After Lily's death he had begun to believe in a Heaven –or at the very least something resembling the Muggle ideal—for certain people. Lily was there, and, though Severus never really thought about it, he supposed Potter must be there as well, to make Lily happy.

Severus Snape had long ago come to the logical conclusion that he would never join them there. In fact, he wasn't sure he wanted to. After all, if the legends were to be believed, then Heaven was endless and you never wanted for anything. Watching Lily and Potter acting like lovesick teenagers for the rest of eternity was not Severus' idea of a happily ever after.

So when Severus awoke with his last memory being of death, he wasn't exactly happy.

He had never been a man to act irrationally so when he sat up and found himself in a large room filled with white fog he did not start screaming and tearing his hair out... even though he was sorely tempted to do so. After all, once you died, was there any reason to care if you were half bald?

The room was larger and taller than the Great Hall of Hogwarts, Severus could see that as the fog shifted, and there was a door in a corner. It didn't open when Severus tried, and he wasn't surprised. They never did, in tales.

"Severus"

Perfect. Now he was hallucinating as well.

"Severus."

No. He hadn't heard that voice coming out of anything but a portrait since he killed its living counterpart and sent it hurtling off the Astronomy Tower.

"Severus, my boy. Turn Around."

Why? So he could see the proof of his hallucinations? He jumped a foot when a hand touched his shoulder. Hallucinations were supposed to be transparent. Not that Severus knew personally.

"Severus, it's all right. Turn around."

Maybe if he turned and realized that no-one was there his hallucination would go away. Severus turned. It didn't work.

"Albus."

His old protector smiled at him, blue eyes twinkling madly. Even a wizarding portrait couldn't quite catch that special sparkle in the eyes that was all Albus. Except...this was a much younger version of Albus than Severus had ever seen.

"I died...didn't I?"

"Yes, Severus."

Severus nodded. It was more likely than suffering from hallucinations.

"So you're not a hallucination." Because really, if he was still halucinating, there was nothing to say he couldn't carry it a step further and hallucinate his own death.

"I assure you, I am quite real. Just as substantial as you are."

Which, Severus considered, didn't really make sense because they were both dead, and ghosts are not substantial. He took it in stride, because really, he had no idea what to expect now that he seemed to have found himself granted an afterlife.

"Why am I here?"

"This is one of the Holding Rooms."

Severus raised his eyebrows, silently demanding more information.

"No one is denied entrance into the afterlife if they can feel true remorse for their past actions. Those who can are allowed to open the door and step out, forgiven." Albus' face grew sad. "Remorse is a terrible thing to live with, and sometimes the people who step out have a harder time than those who don't." Albus glanced over his shoulder, into the fog, where a handsome, mischievous looking man with bright golden hair stood, apparently waiting for Albus to return.

"And those who can't?"

"They become cursed beings for all of eternity. There is nothing to be done to help them."

Severus nodded. Perhaps it was from post-traumatic shock, but he seemed to find nothing surprising.

"You're just supposed to feel remorse?"

"Oh no, my dear boy. You shall be visited by people of your past, perhaps be shown other people's memories. I am the Messenger. The others will be following soon. Once you have met with all the people, if you truly feel remorse, you will be able to open the door. It is time for me to go, Severus. Good luck. I shall be waiting for you on the other side."

Albus had always had an illogical amount of faith in Severus.