Severus Snape walked cautiously down the steps, coldly observing the obvious signs of disturbance about the room. The stone walls and floors of the chamber were stained with soot and rubble was scattered down the stairs he was descending. Quirrell had made a right mess of things. But, the wreckage around him was of no consequence to him- he'd come here for a very different reason.

Every teacher involved in the protection of the Sorcerer's Stone had come to its hiding place in order to take down any remaining guards after the thing they'd been ordered to protect was removed. They'd all gone through the maze of obstacles and traps, stopping where they were needed and turning back when they were done, and it just so happened that Snape's table of potions in the room encased by black and violet flames had been the last thing before his destination.

Snape had slowly gone about vanishing each of his potions, wines, and poisons, then taken his time removing the spells and the flames that covered each exit. Once he was standing in the empty chamber, he'd taken a long look from the way back to the way forward.

Could he handle it? It had been years.

He'd been determined when he'd entered the 3rd floor corridor, and even as he'd passed through the Devil's Snare, gone through the room with the flying keys, the giant Wizard's Chess board and the now empty troll chamber- which still stank wretchedly. But, when he came to his own addition to the protections placed over the stone that gave the bearer the elixir of life, he faltered.

He hadn't really thought of her in years… her image had faded nearly entirely from his mind. The flashing crimson hair had faded in his mind. Her sharp tongue and wit were merely a dull tapping at the back of his head. She was in the past… Perhaps he'd forgotten? Perhaps he was free now?

No, he sneered to himself, barreling through the door towards the last obstacle. Every one of his previous thoughts had been a lie. He thought of her every day, no matter what, and he would never forget her face, her long, rose-colored hair. Her intelligence, which had surpassed every witch and wizard their age, was forever immortalized in his mind. And her eyes. Her green eyes. He snarled under his breath at this. He saw her eyes daily- planted in the face of his worst enemy. Potter. No, he hadn't forgotten- nor would he ever.

He could never be free.

Severus Snape frowned as he thought, picking over the wreckage to get to the only thing that really mattered to him right at this moment. He stumbled once, lowering his guard in his wary excitement, then regained his composure as he came to a stop and looked into what he'd come to this place to see.

Severus Snape closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly. Was he ready for this? It had been years…

Of course he was.

His eyes snapped open and he stared in awe at his own face, only there were fewer creases around his mouth, his beady black eyes had a glimmer of happiness in each of them, and his greasy black hair had a more lustrous sheen to it. His eyes skimmed over his own appearance quite quickly, then turned to rest much more peacefully on the face he'd come here to see.

Lily Evans.

It was just as it had been before he'd screwed things up. She smiled at him and twisted her fingers into his. He knew he was opening his hand outside of the mirror as well. He had to let her in.

He allowed his eyes to fog over. When the Lily in the mirror put her head onto his shoulder and grinned her toothy grin at him, he could almost feel her chin and her warm breath on his cheek. If he closed his eyes, he could feel her fingers intertwined with his, and if he concentrated, he could hear her sweet, sad whisper.

Sev…

Severus Snape was not afraid to cry.

The tears spilled over and he remembered the last time he'd heard her say his name- the last time before she gave up on him. He knew he'd been a lost cause, that he didn't deserve her, but he'd never expected her to think that Potter was any better. He used his free hand to swipe at the tears, not wishing to relinquish his grip on Erised-Lily.

She cried with him, but she smiled through her tears and he could do nothing but smile back as the sobs ripped through him and he moved closer, putting a hand onto the glass.

He didn't know how long he spent there. It didn't matter, as long as he could gaze into those piercing green eyes and imagine his undeserving hands running through that long, red hair.

"Severus…"

Snape opened his eyes, realizing that he'd been leaning on the mirror, his eyes closed, imagining what it would be like to have her alive, here with him.

"Severus, I think it's best we leave the mirror. To dwell on the past is unwise."

Severus Snape looked at the real reflection of Albus Dumbledore, feeling for what felt like the millionth time the penetrating sensation that came from looking into those electric blue eyes.

He got to his feet and wiped the dust off of his cloak, turning to the old headmaster who smiled kindly at him. They stood awkwardly for a moment, then Snape spoke.

"We need not ever speak of this again."

Dumbledore only smiled and nodded, chuckling, "Of course not." He turned and led the way out of the last chamber. Snape scraped along behind him, still wiping at the dirt and soot that covered his clothes, and the wise old man turned to him once more and said more seriously, "If you do wish to speak of this to anybody, I'm always here for you, Severus." Electric blue eyes gazed sympathetically into beady black ones, and then the moment had passed. Snape shuffled awkwardly, sneering at himself for his moments of vulnerability as the old headmaster continued out of the chamber.

"She was just as beautiful as she used to be, Dumbledore," he said quietly, running a hand through his oily hair.

"I know, Severus. And that is why you must do your best to protect what's left of her."

The weary potions master sighed and said resignedly, "I know. I remember."

This is my first story. Review?