Title: The Year That Snape Never Came Back
Rating: M
Summary: One shot! The year that was suppose to be Severus sixth, he never comes back. Lily doesn't care, but what she doesn't know is that he'll never come back…ever. Contains character death and a ghost.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything that belongs to Rowling and I'm making no money.
It was September 1st and the Great Hall was filled with promising witches and wizards. The only thing that was missing was the empty seat among the older students. It was over at the Slytherin table, but the one person that should have cared, or worried, was busy chatting with her friends. When the feast had ended everyone left and headed to their houses. No one noticed that Hogwarts was one student short.
The next day James made a comment about not seeing the 'Snivellus' around. Sirius Black laughed, saying that he was probably hiding somewhere and didn't want to be seen.
"He's probably doing some dark magic somewhere," Peter said.
"Yeah, you're right," James said. "So, Lily, do you want to see me practice Quidditch this Saturday?'
"Sure," Lily said, grinning at him.
The days went by and one by one the teachers reported that Slytherin House was one student short. Minerva McGonagall said that Severus Snape hadn't been in any of her classes and even Slughorn reported that he wasn't in his dorm.
"Do you think that he came to school," Dumbledore said.
"I'm sure he did," Minerva said. "But I think that we should go and check on him. He lives on Spinner End, doesn't he?"
"Yes," Slughorn said.
"Then we should go and check on him," Minerva said. "I would hate the Ministry to think that we didn't care for a student just because he happened to be in Slytherin."
"I'm sure that he's fine," Slughorn said. "He's nothing important!"
"Excuse me, but what kind of Head of House are you?" Minerva asked. "If any of my lions hadn't shown up for school I would be checking on them."
"Me and Minerva will check on young Mr. Snape," Dumbledore said. "Wouldn't want you to worry about his care."
Slughorn said nothing.
When Minerva and Albus arrived they found yellow tape around the back of the Snape residence. It said 'Crime Scene: Do Not Cross.' A man was busy drinking coffee and looked up at them.
"You're not allowed here,' he said.
"I'm sorry, I'm the Headmaster of a private school and one of my students didn't show up for class," Dumbledore said. "We came to see if he was alright."
"Your too late," he said. "Found two bodies last night, dog found them, a young male and a grown woman."
Minerva gasped and then Dumbledore asked, "What happened to them?'
"The corners report isn't back yet," the officer said. "Funny thing, they both had these sticks."
"Thank you," Dumbledore said and they hurried off. "We have to get that report."
"You mean, go to that place where dead people are," Minerva said, looking green.
"Yes," he said. "I hate it as much as you do, but I have to know if it's our missing student."
"Poor Lily," Minerva said.
"I don't think that she cares," Dumbledore said. "Gods, I should have nipped this bullying in the bud and now we've lost a promising student due to something that is our fault."
Minerva nodded and they both vanished.
They both arrived at the only corners office that served the area. They signed in, claiming to be family.
"We just want to know if it's our nephew," Dumbledore told the guard.
"Then follow me," the guard said.
The smell of death was all around and Minerva shook with dread. Bodies were lined up, ready to be cut open, and the horror that Severus body might be among these was almost too much to think about.
"Dr. we have family that want's to I.D a body," the guard said.
"Wait here," the Dr. said and she vanished around a corner.
She came back ten minutes later and Minerva and Albus were led into a small room that had a window. The curtains were moved and the covered body of the dead was presented. Albus could hear Minerva sobbing and then the head was uncovered. Minerva screamed when she saw the dead face of Severus Snape laying there.
"Is it your nephew?" the Doctor asked.
"Yes, it is," Albus answered, his eyes no longer twinkling.
"Come on, ma'am, I'll get you a cup of tea," she said and they were led outside.
"What happened?" Albus asked.
"Gunshot wound to the back of the head," the doctor said. "Your nephew was in bed, most likely, when it happened. We believe the father did it because a woman's body was found as well. We believe that it's the wife."
"When can we pick up the bodies?" Albus asked.
"In a week," the doctor answered. "We haven't finished the blood tests yet, but we'll let you know when you can pick them up."
"I'll have a man name Alister Moody pick up the bodies. I know a wonderful place where they can be buried."
The doctor nodded and said, "There's evidence that the victim has suffered abuse. We found broken bones that never were mended but fused the wrong way. I'm surprised the boy lasted as long as he did. The gunshot wound was the only thing that could never be healed."
"We didn't know that this was happening," Albus said. "But I vow to make things right."
The doctor nodded again and then Albus got up.
"Come on, Minerva, we need to make funeral plans," Albus told her. "Thanks for giving them respect."
"No problem," she said. "God, I really hate my job!"
"Don't we all," Albus said and they left, Albus supporting Minerva as they walked away.
When the got back to Hogwarts Albus called Madam Pomfrey to give Minerva a Calming Draught and to bring two extra with her.
"I'll be there," she said and Madam Pomfrey appeared a couple of minutes later with the required potions. "What happened to her?"
"We found out why Severus never showed up for school," Dumbledore said, drinking his down. "He's dead, Poppy. The mother as well!"
"What!" Madam Pomfrey gasped.
"Gun shot wound in the back of the head," Dumbledore told her. "Minerva screamed when she saw the body. The father did it, from what the Police believe."
"Dear, Merlin, that poor boy," Madam Pomfrey said. "Here, drink this."
Minerva took it and drank it down. She shuttered at the taste and said. "He died alone!"
"No, he died with his mother," Albus said. "I need for you to get Lily, tell her that the password is Mars Bars."
"I'll do it at once," Madam Pomfrey said.
"I want him buried here," Minerva said. "He needs to always be at Hogwarts."
"They will both be buried here," Dumbledore told her. "Now I need to get a hold of Alister."
She nodded and Dumbledore got up to fire call Alister.
"What do you need, Albus?" Alister asked when Dumbledore's head appeared in his fireplace.
"Next week the corners office is going to be releasing the bodies of Severus and Eileen Snape. I want you to bring them here for burial. I also need to have a talk with the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. What happened to Severus, even though it's mostly my fault, shouldn't happen again."
"And what did you do?"
"I ignored abuse," Dumbledore answered. "We need to draft a new law so that Wizarding children are protected, even from people like me."
"What happened to them?"
"Killed by the father/husband," Dumbledore answered.
"Dear Merlin," Alister said. "I'll pick up the bodies for burial."
"Thanks," Dumbledore said and he pulled his head back out just as the door opened.
"Madam Pomfrey told me that you wanted to see me, sir," Lily Evens said.
"Come over here and sit down," Dumbledore said. "I'm afraid that I've got some bad news about Severus."
"Okay, what happened?"
"Sit down, first," Dumbledore said and she took her place. "I regret to inform you that Severus and Eileen Snape are dead."
"W-What," she gasped, tears welling up.
"Drink this before we continue," Dumbledore said and she took it and drank the contents.
"What happened?" Lily asked.
"Severus was shot in the head while he was asleep," Dumbledore said. "He died instantly!"
"His father, his bloody bigoted father," Lily said.
"Did his father hate him for being a wizard?" Dumbledore asked her.
"Yes, he hated anyone that had magic," Lily said. "Oh gods, he's dead, and Peter was saying a couple of days ago that he's probably doing dark magic. He's not doing dark magic, he's dead."
"Their going to be buried at Hogwarts," Dumbledore told her. "Do you want to say something during the funeral?"
Lily nodded.
"I want her to have some time alone," Madam Pomfrey ordered. "This whole thing is going to be a lot for her to take in."
"I agree," Dumbledore said. "And I'm sorry about your loss. I know that you two had a falling out, but-."
"That doesn't matter anymore, nothing matters anymore," Lily said to him. "Has the bastard been arrested?"
"I don't know, Miss Evens," Dumbledore said. "But if he thinks that he's going to get away, he's wrong. The Ministry will bring him in and he will get kissed, I can guarantee that."
"Thanks," Lily said and then Madam Pomfrey led her out of the office.
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Lily couldn't believe that Sev was gone. She had called him Snivellus and he had tried to apologize and she had turned him away. And now she couldn't even tell him that she was sorry. She sat down and looked at the table, not really seeing it.
"Hay, Lily," James's voice called out. "Why did the Headmaster want you?"
She got up and walked past him, disappearing into the girl's dorm.
The next day Lily was busy eating when Remus sat down next to her. Lily said nothing to him, even though she knew that he was there.
"Lily, what's wrong?" Remus asked. "Why did Dumbledore want you?"
"He's dead, Remus," Lily said, tears falling down. "His magic hating father killed him and his mother."
"Who's dead?"
"Sev," Lily answered. "He was shot in the back of the head while he was asleep."
"Dear gods," Remus muttered. "I know that we didn't like him, but that's low."
"I don't want to talk to James anymore," Lily said. "Tell him that if he even talks to me I'll punch his face in."
And Lily got up and left the Great Hall.
That night the entire school was summoned to the Great Hall. All the tables were gone, leaving only rows of chairs. Lily was shaking with grief, her eyes red and puffy from crying. Dumbledore stood up and silence fell.
"I regret to inform you that one of our own was killed by his muggle father," Dumbledore told the school. "His name was Severus Snape, a Slytherin with a promising future. His mother was also murdered, most likely because she was a witch. As of today, any form of bullying will result in expulsion. I will take a zero tolerance for this kind of behavior and I will no longer stand it from any student. Both of his and his mother's bodies will be brought to Hogwarts for burial. It's time to bring Severus Snape to the only place that he called home, Hogwarts. Classes will be canceled during their funeral and if anyone wishes to talk to someone I will bring a mind healer from St. Mungo.
"Also Tobias Snape will be kissed for this crime. We had to put up with this kind of thing from muggles in the past. Our kind almost died due to the hate that muggles can have for anything that's different from themselves. He will pay for the murder of Eileen Prince and Severus Snape, I can guarantee that. Also, Mr. Lucius Malfoy has donated two coffins to us so that they can be buried. Thank you!"
And he sat back down.
No one could talk to Lily over the next couple of days. She kept to herself, did her work, and talked to no one. Even Remus had stopped talking to her out of respect. She was hurting inside, sorry about what she hadn't been able to say. A couple of days later she broke down and cried as two carriages brought the bodies back to Hogwarts. They were black horses, with black feathers, pulling black carriages. Minerva had allowed Lily to wear a black dress to the funerals.
The students lined up to go outside, the clouds were dark, which fit the mood perfectly. Lily didn't think that sunshine would ever fill her life again. She sat down in the front row, next to others, and waited for the service to begin. Dumbledore stood up and said, "We gather to morn the death of Severus Snape and Eileen Prince Snape, two fine people that were talented beyond measure. To bad we overlooked them.
"I remember Eileen when I was Transfiguration Professor. She had been sorted into Slytherin, but she had such a refreshing mind. She could work out any problem and figure out how to solve it. She was the best potion student that Slughorn ever had and I was thankful when she left the Prince family and decided to give muggles a chance. To bad she picked the wrong muggle.
"Severus Snape was another talented mind, good at anything that he touched. I know that many people, here, believed that he was destined to be a Death Eater. But, now, he's gone and we shall never know if that was even true. He was a brave soul, to bad we lost him. Rest in peace, old friend."
He sat down and Lily stood up and walked over.
"Severus met me when he saw me doing accidental magic. He told me that I was a witch and taught me all about the Wizarding world. He even mentioned the Dementors. My sister hated him, hated us both, called us freaks and unnatural. He said that my sister was jealous, and I know that he was right. I regret many things that happened, including not accepting his apology when he was outside the Gryffindor common room. I should have accepted, and then I would have known if anything was wrong. Tobias Snape deserves to burn in hell for what he did to boy that wanted his love.
"I'm so sorry, Sev, for not being there with you. And I promise, in some way, to make things right."
She broke down in tears and had to be led away.
She watched Severus and Eileen be buried and she felt Remus hand on her shoulder. Nothing would ever be the same, Lily knew it. Time moved forward and Tobias Snape was caught. Lily was summoned to the Ministry to give testimony about how Tobias treated his own son. Remus was with her when she went through this, the anger coming off of her made some Ministry officials shake.
"Tobias Snape, you have been found guilty of murdering a wizard, child endangerment, and spousal abuse. You will be kissed for your actions. Take this piece of filth away."
Tobias was dragged away and Lily was glad that this part of her life was over.
Lily visited Severus grave to put flowers every Sunday and on his birthday. She told him about what was going on and about how badly James was acting. James didn't like it that, even in death, she was still seeing him. Lily thought he was acting stupid to be jealous of a dead boy. When he asked her out, she turned him down.
"You act like Sev is still here," Lily said. "Of course he's not here. HE WAS KILLED MY HIS DAMN FATHER."
And she stormed away.
Lily starting dating Remus during her seventh year. On the anniversary of Severus death Remus said something that made Lily's heart melt for the young werewolf.
"I think, if you ever have a son, that you should name him Severus. I think that you should take him here so that he understands what hate can do to someone. Severus was a victim of hate, because a witch took a chance and trusted that muggles had changed."
"I agree," Lily said. "And I will name my son Severus."
Remus smiled at her and Lily knew she was in-love.
Remus and Lily married when they left Hogwarts, much to James dislike. When Lily was in her twenties she got pregnant and that's when everything changed. Someone had overheard a prophecy about a boy born as the seventh month died. Dumbledore at once told Remus and Lily to go into hiding. They made Sirius Black Secret Keeper but then changed to Peter. When Severus Remus Lupin was born Lily knew that, if things went badly, that she would be joining Severus in the afterlife.
That's when Severus Snape made his first appearance.
Severus had been haunting his old house for years, driving away anyone that tried to move in. However he was getting tired of it and found out that Lily had married Remus. Of course no one knew that Severus was a ghost or that he had overheard that Lily and Remus had gotten married. He was able to find them and Lily screamed when he first appeared.
"Sev!" she gasped.
"Lily," Severus cried out. "You have-."
"Gotten married," Lily finished. "Oh Sev, I'm sorry for not accepting your apology and I have a son. I named him after you."
"You did, what," he said, not angry.
"Remus suggested it," Lily said. "He said that my son should know the price of what hate does to a person. So I named him Severus Remus Lupin. I visit your grave every Sunday and on your birthday. Your father is kissed!"
"So he finally got what's coming to him," Severus said. "Good!"
"I knew you would be happy," Lily said. "I'm so glad that he can't hurt you anymore, even if you're dead. What is it like to die?"
"It's like falling asleep," Severus told her. "Why do you ask?"
"The Dark Lord wants me and Remus dead, wants our son, dead, and so we're in hiding," Lily told him. "Peter Pettigrew is our Secret Keeper. I'm also pregnant with a daughter; I'm going to give birth to her in the middle of October."
"What are you going to name her?" Severus asked.
"Rose," Lily answered.
"That's a pretty name," Severus told her.
"Thanks," Lily said and then Remus walked in.
He stared at the ghost of Severus Snape and said, "S-Severus." And he fainted.
It took time for Remus to get over the fact that Severus Snape had come back as a ghost. Of course he didn't have that long to get use to it. Voldemort had arrived and located where the Lupin's were staying. He killed Remus with a wave of his wand and then went for Lily, who was still weak from giving birth. Of course she had the strength to fight him off, and died to protect both her children. Severus Remus Lupin survived the Killing Curse and became the Boy-Who-Lived. The ghost of Severus Snape watched as Hagrid took both children away.
"I'm not going to allow those children to be unprotected," Severus vowed. "I might not be living but I'm sure as hell not going to allow Petunia to abuse them."
And so when Petunia and Vernon brought the two children in the ghost of Severus Snape followed them inside. Oh he was going to have fun with them every time they even thought of hurting them. Severus Snape would finally, through the grace of death, have his revenge. And, that, is how the whole story ends.
Or does it? I'll let you decide.
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A/N: Well that's the end of the story, though I'm going to do one where Severus and Rose start Hogwarts and all that stuff. Oh and there will be plenty of Severus Snape haunting the place. Laughing my full head off at Petunia's face when she's haunted by her sister's childhood friend. Let me know what you think.