"Albus, is it true?" Someone asked from behind. Albus truned around to see Minerva McGonagall standing behind him; with tears in her eyes.
"Sadly, Minerva, it is true. Poppy had just informed me a little while ago that Hagrid and Fang found him out by the gates. She will not tell me how bad Severus' injuries are, but by the look of dispare on her face it must be bad." Albus said. Tears started to fall down his face as everything finally set in. Severus, his pericous child was lying in the hospital wing, dying.
"I want to see him.' Minerva said strongly.
"Then let us go and see him, then." Albus said pushing the doors open.
Minerva and Albus froze as soon as the spotted Madame Pofermy leaning over her patient. They could not see Severus, but what they could see was a pile of bloody bandages. "Poppy...what happened...to Severus?" Albus asked once he recovered from seeing the bandages.
"All I know is he was...att...attacked...by...by.." Poppy started to cry.
When she collapse to the floor they could see how horrible Severus' injuries were. His chest was torn open, he had claw marks up and down his arms and legs. His stomach still had on of the monsters claws still in it.
"Poppy, please. Did Voldemort order this?"
"You...you dont think He would want this to happen to Severus? Unless...He knows! Albus I knew this would happen! We should have stopped him!" Poppy cried.
Minerva went to comfort Poppy, while Albus went over to Severus' bed. Normally Albus would sit on the side of the bed when Severus was ill or hurt, but now he was afriad to touch him. He pulled up a chair and took ahold of Snape's hand. After a few seconds the Headmaster let go when he started to feel something wet and sticky. He pulled his hand away, what he saw made him want to throw up. Afew seconds of holding Severus' hand, his hand was covered in blood.
"Oh, Severus! I am sorry!" Albus sobbed.
He felt something squeeze his hand, but it was a weak squeeze. Albus looked at Severus. His eyes were still closed and his breathing was still shallow. He felt something moving in his hand. He looked down. It was Severus! Albus couldnt believe Severus was able to respond. Then he reliazed Severus was trying to tell him something.
"Severus? What is it, child?" Albus frowned trying to figure out what Snape was doing with his hand.
"Albus? What is it?" Minerva asked.
"Hes trying to tell me something, but hes using his fingers." Albus said.
"Hes using sign language, Albus." Albus stared at her.
"Minerva, how do yo-"
"My uncle tought me, he had a friend who was deaf." Minerva took Severus' hand and formed what he was saying.
"Okay, Severus, I'll tell him." Minerva put Snape's hand on the bed, but kept her hand close in case he needed to tell them anything else.
"Albus, he says he wasnt discovered. He wants you to know Voldemort or his Death Eaters didnt do this."
"Then who did?" asked Poppy.
"He was att...attacked by some dark creature roaming the forest. He said is was a..." She cut off, feeling Severus franticly signing in her hand.
"Severus, dear, clam down. I will tell him, okay." Severus didnt listen. He tried to speak, but only blood seeped through his lips.
"Severus, calm down." Albus repeated, but Severus was determined to tell Albus this one last thing before he passed on.
"...A...Albus..." All three people in the room stared wide eyed at him.
"Yes! Severus, I am here! What is it, child?" Dumbledore asked grabbing Snape's hand, noy caring his own hand was covered in blood, again.
"I...it...wa...was a...a werewolf..." Snape said. Dumbledore looked at Minerva and Poppy. All their thoughts went to one man. Remus Lupin.
"...N...no not...not Re...mus...some...one...else." Severus told them. The man in question walked in with a slightly injuried Harry.
"Poppy, do you think you could...Severus!" Lupin cried and ran over to the bed.
"What happened to Severus?" Lupin asked.
"He was attacked." said Minvera.
"Attacked, by what?" The others glanced at each other, wondering weather they should tell Remus what attacked Snape.
"Please, tell me." Lupin pleaded.
"Lu...Lupin..." Severus wheezed. Remus looked down at him with wet eyes. "What is it, Severus?"
"Y...you...dont have...to...w...worry..." Severus started to cough. Poppy held a glass of water to his lips; Severus took a few sips.
"Poppy, is there anything you could do for him?" asked Lupin.
"Remus, I dont think there is anything I can do for him." Poppy said staring at the floor. "You have to-" Remus stopped when he noticed Severus doing something with his fingers. "What is he doing?"
"Hes using sign lanuage." Remus watched as more tears sprang into McGonagall's eyes. ''Okay, Severus, I will tell Albus, but let me tell Remus what happened." Albus looked at Severus. He took one of Severus' hands and began to storke his matted, dirty, bloody hair.
"Remus, Voldemort did not do this. Neither did the Death Eaters. Severus was attacked by a werewolf in the Forbbiden Forest." Minerva saw the horrifed look on Remus' face and quickly pushed those thoughts from his mind.
"No! Remus, Severus said it wasnt you!" Albus was trying to figure out what Severus was signing in him. Minerva made the letters into Albus' hand and told him want they meant. "I, l, o, v, e, y, o, u." Minvera watched as Albus signed back while he was crying.
"Poppy, can you take the claw out?" asked Albus.
"No!" Harry yelled. Everyone turned; they forgot Harry came in with Lupin.
"This isnt happening! He is a Death Eater! He desevers to suffer!" yelled Harry.
"Harry, Professor Snape was a spy for us."
"No! Your lying!"
"Harry, trust me. Professor Snape has saved your life many times." Albus said.
"Porfessor Dumbledore, please I know he is a Death Eater! I saw him!" Harry shouted.
"Harry, listen. He is a former Death Eater, he no longer serves Voldemort." Albus said. Harry froze. 'Hes on our side?' Harry thought.
"I can not pull the claw out. If I do he will drown in his own blood. The claw prieced his lung." said Poppy looking defeated.
"But either way he will drown in his own blood." said Lupin.
"Yes, but if I take the claw out he will have a quicker death, but if I leave the claw in he could suffer for minuets or hours." Poppy said.
Severus started to sign into Minerva's palm. "No! Severus there must be a potion that can help!" Minerva watched as Severus shook his head no.
"Please, there must be some other way we can help you!" Minerva cried.
"What did he say Minerva?" asked Dumbledore. "He wants...Poppy to take the claw ou...out." Minerva cried even harder.
"What! Severus! There has to be another way!" Poppy yelled. "No! I will not do it!"
"Plea...please...Pop...Poppy...i...it...hur...hurts..." Severus gasped.
"Albus, I dont think Harry should see this." Minerva said quitely. "Harry, what is it that you needed?" asked Poppy.
"I just hurt my leg and Professor Lupin brought me here to see if you could help, but if Professor Snape needs your help, you may try and save him." Harry said backing out of the hospital wing.
"What are we going to do?" asked Minerva. Severus grabbed Albus' hand and surpiseingly squeezed his hand very hard. "What is it my child?"
"Ta...tak...take i...it...o...ou...out!"
"No! I refuse to let you go! You mean so much to me! Severus, you desver to live a longer, happy life, please dont go yet." Albus sniffed.
"St...stop being...so...so..sel...selfish...I...I ha...have lived...a lon...long...lif...life already...plea...please...Al...Albus." Severus begged.
"Severus, do not beg me to kill you. I want you to live longer! You are only a child!"
"I...I..a...am...not..." Severus stopped as he despertly tried to get air into his lungs. Albus squeezed his hand harder and tried to keep his tears at bay. Minerva and Poppy started to cry as they watched Severus. Remus felt like he was going to be sick. Severus was able to calm down and continue.
"I...am...not a...ch...child. I...I...am...thirty...fiv...five yea...years...ol...old..." Severus closed his eyes and his hand fell from Albus' grasp.
"Severus! Please, you cant do this! You've pulled through so many times! The Order needs you! The school needs you! Harry needs you! I need you!" Albus begged.
Minerva felt Severus fingers moving weakly. His fingers moved for a couple of minutes, then they were still. "Severus?" Albus asked. Severus gave no respones.
"Severus! Please, you cant leave!" Albus yelled. But it was to late, Severus had passed on.
"Albus, he lied." Minerva said through her tears. "What? What did he lie about?" Albus asked still holding Severus' hand.
"Now listen, he didnt tell you the truth because he didnt want you to blame yourself. He made the choices he chose. These are his words not mine." Minerva broke down when she saw the look on Albus' face. He reilazed what Severus meant.
"Albus, what did he mean?" Remus asked.
"He was discovered by Voldemort, he ordered a werewolf to attack him." Minerva answered. Albus let out a heart wrenching wail. Albus picked up Severus' body and held it close to him.
"I love you, child." Albus said. Minerva and Poppy broke down even more at his words. Remus finally let his tears fall.
"Albus, he wanted me to tell you, Remus, and Poppy thanks for careing for him and he says goodbye." Albus hugged the lifeless body tighter. "Your welcome Severus."
"He also wanted me to thank you Albus for him. He wanted me to tell you he says thanks for seeing a worth in him. He wanted you and the other to know we are the only group of people who has never hurt him in any way. He felt like he was usless, but we changed his way of thinking." Minerva sniffed.
"You are very welcome Severus, but it should be us who is thanking you' for everything you have done."
"Thanks you, Severus." Minerva said.
"Thanks, Sev." Remus said.
"Thanks you for everything Severus." Poppy said.
"Yes, you will never be forgotten. I will always remember and love you, child." Albus said; he leaned down and kissed Severus forehead one last time.
