This chapter is simply an introduction. It is my intention to have future chapters be longer.
All characters in this story belong to JKR unless otherwise specified.
Severus Snape was not dead. Not yet, anyway. He lay there, frozen in suffering, wishing the slow, agonizing onset of death would quicken its pace. The boy had gone as soon as Snape's eyes had glazed over, assuming he had passed. Now he lay alone, paralyzed and immersed in bitter memories.
Can it all just end already? How long does this take?
Nagini's venom was like ice, creeping through him like some pervasive curse. The haze over his eyes was making it impossible to see, and his heartbeat was fading away into nothingness. It would be over soon.
…What is that…?
A dripping sensation appeared on his neck, and a pressure weighed over his heart. Through the haze, he thought he saw a blend of red and gold. As the haze began to clear, and the ice crept from his veins, he was finally able to make out a magnificent bird sitting on his chest.
Fawkes.
Of course! Basilisks weren't the only species of snake whose venom could be cured by phoenix tears.
I'm going to live…?
As this realization dawned on him, so too did a swarm of emotions he had kept locked away for months. Hurt at being shunned and despised by those he was truly allied with. Fear at being discovered by the enemies who saw him as their own. The strain of keeping his mind guarded from the prying magic of Legilimency. It all struck him at once, causing him to shake in anguish. Then there was Lily….
He didn't want to live. Not when Lily dwelled in the very place Fawkes had just stolen from him. He swung at the phoenix, forcing the bird off of him and sending it into the wall. His regained strength shocked him- it was too late. The phoenix tears had done their magic, and his life was saved.
The disgruntled phoenix let out an irritated cry and then flew off. Snape watched it go, filled with rage rather than appreciation.
He wanted to die. He wanted the ice, the haze, the Lily at the end of the tunnel. No meddlesome birds would stop the inevitable this time. More importantly, no Dark Lords would play a role. Instead, he'd die on his own terms.
Severus Snape had been stronger than his enemies, and stronger than his allies. He had fought evil when he had nothing, and with no appreciation from a living soul.
He was through with being strong. Death was calling.