"Severus!" Lucius Malfoy's voice echoed around the, surprisingly, empty hall in which Severus Snape was standing in. Severus turned to face Lucius.
"Yes?"
"The Dark Lord wishes to speak with you." Malfoy's relief was evident, even in the dim light cast by the torches lining the walls. It was relief that he was still here, still walking and talking, still alive, after his latest encounter with Voldemort.
'Coward,' thought Severus, 'too weak to fight back.' THinking this reminded him of Potter, which reminded him of what he must do before... well. he'd think about that later. He nodded at Malfoy, who was still waiting for answer. "Where?" he asked.
"the Shrieking Shack." replied Malfoy, "there is a knot-"
"I am aware of that." Severus interrupted curtly. He paused before adding, "Thank you. I will go at once.
Walking through the grounds, Severus tried to spot Potter through the battles still going on. He arrived at the Whomping Willow, the tree planted to conceal the entrance to the shack. He pointed his wand at a stick lying nearby in the ground. THe stick rose into the air and jabbed at at the knot that would freeze the tree. Severus took one last hopeful look around for Potter, and slid into the secret passage.
Down in the Shrieking Shack, Severus tried to console his master. Anyone looking in would have thought he was choosing each word with the utmost care, but, in reality, he was barely thinking of the words as they lest his mouth. He kept his eyes on the snake, Nagini, enclosed in it's magical protection, thinking of how he could do it before...well, before it happened.
"Perhaps you already know it?" Voldemort inquired, "you are a clever man, after all, Severus-you have been a good and faithful servant, and I regret what must happen."
"My Lord-" Severus began in desperation, tearing his eyes away from Nagini.
"The Elder Wand cannot serve me properly, Severus, because I am not its true master. The Elder Wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner. You killed Albus Dumbledore. While you live, Severus, the Elder Wand cannot truly be mine."
"My Lord!" Severus protested, and, almost unconsciously, raised his own wand.
"It cannot be any other way. I must master the wand, Severus. Master the wand, and I master Potter at last."
The wand came down, slashing the air, and Nagini's cage came rolling toward him. The sphere closed around Severus's head, and a terrible scream filled the air. Severus wasn't sure who it belonged to, or even if it was real.
When he opened his eyes, Voldemort was gone, and the snake with him. Severus put his hand up to try to stanch the blood pouring from the wound in his neck. He looked up, and, for some reason, was not surprised to find Potter there, flanked on either side by Granger and the youngest Weasley boy. A hand that Severus vaguely recognized as his own was pulling Potter down, closer to him. "Take...it...Take...it ..." he rasped as his memories flowed from him. He thought of the two people in his life that he had ever loved and trusted, Albus Dumbledore and Lily Evens. He could only hope that the right memory came. A flask, conjured from nothingness by the Granger girl was soon filled with his life, all the memories worth remembering. "Look...at...me..." Severus whispered. Their eyes locked, and for a second, Severus could no longer see the face he hated, but only the green eyes he so loved. And then he was gone.