A GLIMMER OF THE PAST
I don't own anything. That right belongs to J.K. Rowling.
If I did own anything, Severus wouldn't have died.
The streets surrounding the abandoned industrial area of a small village were quiet and dark. The air was damp and murky and every so often the stench of the shut down mill and the overgrown, neglected river wafted by. The few street lamps that still worked flickered pitifully, not giving near enough light to see in the daytime, much less night, which what they were supposed to be used for.
The six visitors to this forgotten relic of time wasted no time in walking to their destination, the last house on the street known as Spinner's End. The house was dark, as was the others on the street, but this particular one seemed darker and more intimidating. The leader of the group, a boy with black hair, sticking up in all directions, glasses, and what appeared to be a lightning bolt scar on his forehead, breathed out heavily.
"We don't have to do this now, Harry. Kingsley said we could take as much time as we need. We can Confound the Muggles to forget this area again." The redheaded female, Ginny, put her hand on the black haired boy's shoulder.
"No Ginny. We've waited long enough. I'VE waited long enough. It has to be done. I'll sleep a little better when I know this has been done." Harry grimaced, then proceeded to walk up to the front door of the house that once belonged to their former Potions Professor, Severus Snape.
It had been six months since the battle of Hogwarts. Six long months rebuilding the grand castle, catching Death Eaters, raiding houses, and settling in to the new Voldemort-free lives. Harry had cleared Snape's name and the man was given a burial spot with the rest of those who had fallen in a small shrine in the Forbidden Forest.
The Aurors were given the task of going through every Death Eater's house that had died and given what was deemed safe to the surviving family members. The dark objects would be destroyed, or if proven too dangerous, locked away. Harry, being in charge of the Aurors, had requested to go through Snape's house with those he trusted, to give the man some dignity and respect that he should have had. It still left an empty pit in his stomach and he kept postponing the trip to the house, until finally, when the wards on the house and surrounding area began to falter, he decided to go.
Snape's wards were the only things keeping the Muggles from coming into this area to demolish it, to make room for the growing society. The Ministry kept Confounding them to keep the area from being noticed, but it would not last forever, so finally, six months later, on Halloween, Harry Apparated to the area to finished what he requested to do with his best friends by his side.
The weakening wards allowed the group entry into the house and immediately, Hermione's eyes grew wide, taking in the number of books lining the walls. Harry glanced over at her and chuckled softly. "You can start with the books Hermione. I'm sure he would be glad they'll be put to good use."
Harry began walking through the house, sinking in every detail of the place. His hands lightly brushed against an old typewriter on a worn desk, bits of crumpled paper surrounding it as well as handwritten notes in the man's familiar scrawled writing. The lava lamp in the corner of the desk threw him off a bit and he reached to flip the button on to see if it worked, smiling a bit when the light came on. There was electricity in the house that proved more than useful. Candlelight still made the house too dark.
"There's electricity in the house! Turn the lights on! We'll need it!" he called through the house. Harry decided to start in this room, unshrinking the boxes they had brought with them to pack stuff up. Since Snape hadn't left anyone to inherit his stuff, Harry had asked the Malfoys if they wanted anything. The rest would be sold or given away. The family had been courteous in their answer of not wanting anything since what they would have wanted would be deemed necessary to be disposed of.
In little more than two hours, the bottom floor of the house was separated and packed up. One of the most time consuming tasks was packing up the books, which Hermione had to have help from everyone, since she near tried to read every book she touched. The other was explaining to Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna, about the different Muggle things in the house and how they worked. They all knew that Snape had been half-blood, but it still shocked them to find so many Muggle things in the man's home. Snape had blended the two worlds he had lived in perfectly, the best things from the Wizard and Muggle world working simultaneously in the house.
Harry had never told anyone about what he saw of Snape's childhood. He surmised the reason for the Muggle items was probably because it would have been too weird to not have them there. And there were some advantages of having them, the fridge for example. After showing how it worked, Ron decided that it was an absolute must in Hermione's and his new house.
While the rest went upstairs, Harry walked around the empty rooms of the bottom floor, reflecting on how the man's life would have been had he not made that one mistake in his fifth year. The house had seemed so lonely and Harry was beginning to understand just why Snape had remained here for all that time.
"Harry, there's a room upstairs that's still heavily warded. Can you help us out?" Ginny's statement snapped Harry out of his thoughts. "Sure, I'll be right up."
As he walked up the stairs, he already knew which room was warded tightly. Snape's boyhood room had been his sanctuary, the place where he could get away from the pain and torment he knew Snape had been through in his youth. It had been the same as Harry's cupboard before starting Hogwarts and he knew the importance of what it meant to the man. What was in this room had to be important, not even the potions lab they had found had been this heavily warded. None of the wards showed signs of weakening, despite its caster being dead for six months.
"You guys do the rest of the rooms up here. I'll do this room myself. I have a feeling that what's in this room, the fewer who see it, the better." Harry said, beginning to undo the wards. After a half hour, the last ward fell and Harry gingerly turned the doorknob and walked into the room.
The room looked the exact same as when he accidentally glanced into Snape's memories, the exception being the larger bed. The room was still dark, despite Harry turning on the light and shadows crept in the corners. A bookshelf housed several worn books and Harry pulled one out, surprised that it was actually a journal of some kind written in the man's script. The bottom half of the bookshelf seemed to be these journals and Harry carefully packed each book in the boxes he enlarged. The top half contained knick knacks of some kind as well as a few Potions awards, and some Muggle books and records. A record player was on top of the bookshelf, collecting dust.
The walls were mostly bare, a few certificates were hung on the wall and a painting was hanging above the bed. Harry began pulling out drawers and found a few important Muggle documents of the man. A birth certificate, deed to the house, bank statements, even a Muggle driver's license. Harry had to bite back a laugh looking at the license which was checked to where he could also drive a motorcycle. An awkward picture popped into his head of Snape and his godfather, Sirius, driving motorcycles together, the song Born to be Wild playing in the background.
Harry saved the closet for last. He knew all that would be in there was the man's clothes. The warded box, however, was exactly what Harry was hoping was in here. He felt unnerved that the wards on the box broke so easily, as if it were meant for him to be the one to open it. Inside was what Snape had kept bottled up for so long and what had made the man who he had been.
When Harry had found out about Snape's true loyalties, he had often wondered that if Snape and his mother were best friends, if Snape had had any pictures or anything that confirmed the relationship besides his memories. As it was, Harry hardly had any pictures of his mother by herself or when she was younger. After reconciling with his aunt, he had asked Petunia if she had any pictures and the woman shamefully told him she got rid of them. Now, as Harry peered into the box, he was glad he told the others he needed to do this alone.
Not only were there pictures, both Muggle and Wizard, there was also bottles of memories and a note. He carefully unfolded the note and began to read.
Potter
If you're reading this, then obviously you have miraculously learned how to deactivate wards in that thick head of yours. No doubt I am either in Azkaban or dead because it would be under those circumstances that this box and this note will be visible to you. Anyone else and the box would stay under an illusion charm that can't be broken by anyone save me or anyone by blood of the original caster, which was your mother.
That being said and not knowing if or when I will see you and we actually have a decent conversation, without either one of us yelling and trying to kill the other, there are a few things I wish to discuss that warrants your full undivided attention.
Any conversations we might or might not have aside, there are reasons for the things I have done that you seem to think I've done to cause you misery. You may not believe anything in this note to be true, but I am a man of my word and considering our pasts together, I may have withheld truths from you but have never lied. Take this into consideration.
As I am writing this, the date is August 31, the day before this school year starts. As you probably know, I was made the Headmaster, a job I regret taking, especially in the way I took it. You see I may have killed Albus Dumbledore but I'm sure you saw his hand last year, how it was black and useless. The man had found a Horcrux in a ring with a very nasty curse. I was able to trap it in that one hand, but the Headmaster would not have survived the entire year. After hearing I had to make an Unbreakable Vow, (ask the know-it-all Granger, I can imagine that dunderhead look on your face) he made me swear to end his life so Draco (yes I know you were following us at Christmas Potter) could possibly saved from the same fate that befell his father.
This brings me to my second topic. Horcruxes. The Headmaster didn't want me to tell you this until the last minute, but your scar is an unintentionally Horcrux made by the Dark Lord. He doesn't know and I've done my hardest not to let him find out. I'm afraid Potter, that you'll have to sacrifice yourself to rid the world of the Horcrux inside you. It really pains me to say this because I've tried so hard these past years to protect you. You may not believe me judging from our pasts but I made a vow to your mother.
Which leaves the last topic, your mother. I knew your mother very well. In fact, until 5th year, she was my best friend. I met Lily at the old park that you can barely make out if you look out the window in my bedroom. You know which one it is. You obviously found this box here. I was in love with her at first site. In fact, I never fell out of love for her. I never thought I was endangering her when I heard part of the prophecy the Headmaster no doubt told you I was the one that relayed it to the Dark Lord.
When he targeted her, I went to the Headmaster to beg to keep her safe as well as you and your... father. I told him I would do anything to keep all of you safe. When the Dark Lord fell, I made a vow on your mother's death to keep you safe which if why when Dumbledore told me you had to die, I got a little irate. I couldn't do it anymore. I couldn't let the one thing I had been living for, the promise I made for Lily, crumble.
I do hope you are reading this letter after you have defeated... Voldemort and not before you have to face him. If so, my sacrifices will not have gone in vain. If I'm in Azkaban, don't try to be a hero and rescue me. I deserve my punishment for what I've done. If I am dead, well it doesn't matter what happens to me. I'm not afraid of death so I won't come back to haunt anyone.
There are wards on the house that keep Muggles from tearing this part of the village up, but if I'm not here to keep them up, they will fall. Just let them. I've done my job and there is nothing to come back to. The only reason I stayed here was to keep remembering my promise and as it is, I'm getting older and tired. I feel the war coming to an end and I know I'll never walk foot in this house again.
Severus Snape
Harry carefully folded the letter and put it back in the box, then shrunk all the boxes save the one with the pictures. He gave the room one last glance before walking out. Finding noone in the other rooms, Harry made his way downstairs, discovering everyone was sitting at the kitchen table.
"You okay Harry?" Ginny asked softly. Harry nodded. "Yeah, everything is done right? Are we ready?" The others nodded and together they walked out of the house.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" Luna asked, pointing at the box. Harry smiled. "Yeah. He knew exactly what I would come for if I came here."
As they began walking off, Harry looked off into the distance, noticing a metal frame and something swaying in the breeze on it. For a split second, he thought he saw a red haired girl and a black haired boy swinging on it. He clutched the box tighter. Turning around and giving the house one last look, Harry Apparated away, to continue his new life.
This first thing that he would do was to get Snape's portrait in the Headmaster's office. He knew the man told him not to prove his innocence but Harry felt it had to be done. He owed the man so much, in more ways Snape had thought. And he did owe the man a decent conversation.