Fading: Chapter 1
A/N: Rowling is the genius behind the characters and any recognizable material in this story, not me. I just get to rearrange them for a bit. This story is canon through most of DH, but with a slightly different ending. Reviews, good or bad, always welcomed.
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She wasn't a ghost. She lacked the pearly colorlessness of a spirit trapped between the world of the living and the world of the dead. But nor was she real, alive. Severus was never sure how to describe her; not that he described her to anyone but himself.
She oftentimes perched herself on his desk; simply watching him and silently sharing time with him as he marked essays and tested his under-competent students' potion samples from class. But then there were the times she spoke to him. Sometimes, their conversations held nothing of real value; just passing time together as friends, or whatever their relationship could be determined as. Other times, she insisted upon talking about her son, the bane of his existence, going on about how proud she was of him and how thankful she was for Severus' protection of him. It made him smile to know she appreciated him.
Lily was the only good inside of him left.
This night in particular, she stood in front of the Headmaster's desk.
"You can't let the Carrows punish them, Severus. They are standing firm in the belief that Voldemort is wrong. You can't destroy them for it." Lily stood with both of her hands resting on the desk. Her voice was not filled with anger, but with quiet pleading. Severus put his head in his hands.
"But surely you do not think I can simply allow them to get away with breaking into my office and attempting to steal a school artifact," he sneered, with more venom than he intended. "That would cause suspicion! If I were to be found out, the idiot children would have much worse to deal with than Amycus and Alecto Carrow!" Severus took a deep breath. Damn Dumbledore for leaving him with the promise of protecting the students while leaving his true loyalties secret. It was near impossible.
But she was at his side.
"Send them into the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid. The Forest has always served as punishment before and you and I both know Hagrid would rather die than let anything happen to the students."
Severus sighed. He knew she was right. She was always right. He took the quill from the inkwell and began scribbling the details of their detentions on the parchment in front of him. As soon as his signature was completed at the bottom, the parchment disappeared with pop.
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They stood in the middle of the forest. It was bitterly cold and the darkness was almost tangible. He had carried out Dumbledore's wishes and had made sure Potter gained possession of the Sword of Gryffindor. He raised his wand and cast the Patronus charm. He heard Lily gasp.
"Sev, your Patronus is a doe. But that's my- oh." She stopped abruptly. Harry had just come into view from their spot of hiding, following the silvery doe as she walked toward the frozen pool. "My boy," she said in a sad whisper. She placed her hand on Severus' arm. He knew it was there, but he couldn't feel it.
"I must return to Hogwarts," he said in a clipped tone. "If I am gone for much longer, my absence will be questioned." He turned on his heel. But Lily didn't follow immediately.
"Aren't you going to make sure he finds it?" Her voice made him pause for only a moment.
"There is nothing more I can do. He mustn't know about me. Not yet. I must go. Now." He started walking again with more purpose in his steps. He knew Potter would be able to retrieve the sword from the pond, but he wasn't going to admit it out loud. As much as he had loved the boy's mother, Severus loathed Potter. He was a reminder of his tormentor during his school years and of the girl he never had the chance to call his own. With an ache in his chest, Severus Disapperated back to the grounds of Hogwarts.
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There were few times Lily was not at his side. His meetings with Voldemort were normally void of her presence; except tonight.
The Shrieking Shack was as desolate as it always had been. Deep scratches from many full moons adorned the walls. Dust was thick on the hard wooden floor. And it mingled with his blood.
Lily knelt at Severus' side as the wounds from the great snake leaked with his lifeblood. Suddenly, Potter appeared. This was the moment. He mustered all of his strength and lifted his wand to his temple.
He gave Harry his memories. The memories would save them all. And then, Potter was gone.
Lily, who had gone to the door with her son, moved back to Severus' side, grasping his hand.
"You've been so brave, Sev. Stay with the living. Please. You can be happy soon. Stay here." Her green eyes pleaded with him. He desperately wanted to obey her wishes, to stay alive. But he didn't have the strength left.
He fell asleep to her beseeching voice, praying that he would be able to comply with her request to stay alive.
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A/N: Thank you so much to my beta, Ks51689, and to my Morgan for alpha reading.