Hogwarts Online Prompt of the Day Friday July 1st 2011: "Last Days on Earth"

This is a file I found on my laptop from two years ago that I never published...Apparently it was originally written for an HO prompt of the day. Well. I thought it was an fairly good piece considering my experience back then, so here it is. Enjoy, and please review! I promise I'll be back to updating stories as regularly as I ever do as soon as I finish reorganizing all the files! :)

Last Days on Earth:

Golden red light streamed into the Headmaster's office. The portrait of Albus Dumbledore stretched and yawned loudly. And yawned again. And again. Finally, he started whispering random nonsense. Then, exasperated, he screamed "ARE YOU DONE YET?!"

The black-haired wizard at the desk sat bolt upright. He whipped his head around to glare at the portrait. "No." he stated flatly before returning to the papers on his desk. "Running a school is more paperwork than anything you ever did. I wonder, who did the Headmaster's work during your time?" he sneered.

"Come now, Severus, you don't need to work yourself to death! I say you've been at that desk working all night since I fell asleep! You need your rest. You know the Dark Lord is going to make his move soon. The final battle is coming, and you're worried about paperwork? This is not like you, Severus. What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" Snape snapped irritably. He gathered up some papers and stormed out. Albus sighed.

"Stubborn as always."

Snape stalked out of the doors, striding across the grounds to the lake shore. He found the tree he and Lily used to sit under all the time and settled underneath it, staring out across the water.

"He wouldn't understand." he sighed. "I know the final battle is coming up. What I know that he doesn't seem to is that I'm going to die. Yet I have nothing I want to do before I go that is still possible. What happened to the days when life was for living and enjoying?" he sighed again, his eyes prickling. "I guess I gave those up when I lost Lily." He sat for a little while, fighting the grief that never really went away.

He jerked his head as a thought flashed into his mind. Was there really a heaven? Why was he wondering this now? Even if there was, Lily would be there and he wouldn't. So why did it matter so much to him?

The sun by now had risen fully and he stood, brushing his robes off. As he headed back towards the castle, another unexpected, more unwelcome thought occurred to him. Where is Potter and what is he doing?

That day went by fairly smoothly in comparison with the past few months. As did the next day. Before he knew it, the Dark Lord had gained possession of the Elder Wand. Severus didn't have much time left. And Albus knew it.

"Say, Severus, why don't you go out tonight? It's calm and quiet, very peaceful. Nothing to worry about here." the former Headmaster commented deliberately nonchalantly from his frame.

"No." the younger wizard replied without even considering the option.

"More paperwork?"

"Yes."

"You know you're running out of time."

"Yes."

"You're not going to do anything with the time you have left?"

Severus finally turned around. "No, because what would I do? I'm trapped, Albus. And the only things I ever wanted, I wanted to do with Lily. So even if I were 'free', I would still be trapped."

Albus remained quiet.

Now, looking back, Severus realized that his last days on Earth were over. And he hadn't done anything. Hadn't accomplished anything. Hadn't cleared his name from all his sins. He'd done nothing. Wasted his life. Just as Lily had always told him not to.

Just as he was thinking those thoughts, a young boy appeared out of nowhere, throwing aside his Invisibility Cloak and stepping carefully to Severus' side. A young boy that the former Potions Master would know anywhere.

Maybe I have accomplished something. Potter is safe, he has all he needs. Hopefully he has the brains to use it. Everything I did for him, I did for Lily. But in doing so, I kept him alive. Do the lives he has saved or will save count for me? Will this redeem me?

Looking into Potter's eyes, he saw Lily. He saw the beautifully amazing young woman, the mother of this boy, who didn't know her, never would. Perhaps I can fix that...After all, every child deserves to know their mother.

He couldn't control where the memories went as they leaked away, but...reaching out to Potter, he gasped, "Take...them." The boy fumbled for a few seconds until Granger solved the problem for him. I have to admit, they make a pretty good team. All of them.

Potter scooped up the memories, and looked at him. At a loss as to what to say or do as the man who hated him, and whom he hated himself, let his life drain away.

Lily... her eyes gazed down at him, full of some unknown, uncertain emotion. Lily...

"Look...at...me." he whispered. Losing himself in the depths of those beautiful eyes just once more.