Ok, so this is my first fic, please review so I know how I can improve in the future. I don't care if you give me praise or criticism; just let me know what you think. I plan on writing 3 chapters for this story. Anywho, R&R!

Now here is my lame attempt at a disclaimer: This fanfic contain excerpts as well as embedded quotes from JK Rowling's best selling book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I do not own Harry Potter nor do I own any of the other characters. I am using Jo's amazing story as a vehicle for expressing what I thought would have be going through Snape's mind at the time of his death and just before. Excerpts are taken from Chapters 32 (The Elder Wand) and 33 (The Prince's Tale).

Ch.1 – Summoned

"Go and fetch Snape."

"Snape, m-my Lord?"

"Snape. Now. I need him. There is a – service – I require from him. Go."

Frightened, stumbling a little through the gloom, Lucius left the room. Voldemort continued to stand there, twirling the wand between his fingers, staring at it.

"It is the only way, Nagini," he whispered.

Severus was standing on the edge of the forbidden forest watching the battle playing out on the grounds and within the castle from afar. He stood with his perpetually cool demeanor, his pale face devoid of emotion. This, as usual, was only a mask. Anger boiled beneath his sallow skin. As he watched the battle raging throughout his first and only real home, he felt a strong desire to enter the fray himself, to defend the magnificent castle by whatever means necessary. Doing so, however, would require compromising his position to the Dark Lord. He still had one last mission to fulfill before he could abandon secrecy.

Dumbledore had left him a task. Severus was to make sure it was upheld before he revealed his duplicity. He had to make sure Potter knew the truth about her sacrifice. He needed to know the truth about what had happened when his mother had died. Harry had to know that he was destined to die.

Severus knew that the boy's sacrifice was essential, but he couldn't help the rage that filled him when he thought of how Dumbledore had played him. He used me, Severus thought. He used me to babysit his precious Potter. He knew from the start that the boy would never live. He took advantage of my feelings for her to make me watch her son. He was raising the boy like a pig for slaughter. Potter was never supposed to survive.

He thought back to the night that he had over heard Sybil Trelawney make that awful prophecy. Dumbledore always was a clever man. I guess the prophecy was right: Neither can live while the other survives. Neither will live, neither can survive. Dumbledore made sure that Harry was alive and well when it was time to confront the Dark Lord and raised him so that he would not back down when told what had to be done to vanquish the Dark Lord once and for all. Dumbledore planned it from the beginning so that he could kill two birds with one stone. It will be nice and clean.

Severus knew he was being unfair. Dumbledore had done what he had to in order to ensure the Dark Lord's downfall. He was grateful for this. He was sick of the deception that was required of him. He was required on a daily basis to watch first years suffer under the cruciatus curse and was powerless to help. What bothered him was that he had been Dumbledore's tool. He still was in fact. Dumbledore had instructed him to wait to tell Potter the truth until there came a time when the Dark Lord feared for Nagini's safety. He found the instruction odd, but he did not question it. He didn't even particularly care about Potter and his imminent death. Severus cared about the promise he had made to protect Lily Potter's son from danger.

It had always been for Lily that he has monitored the boy's welfare.

It had always been for Lily that he had striven to protect the boy.

Always for her. For Lily. Always.

Severus heard a rustle in the trees nearby. He quickly shook himself, discarding his idle thoughts. He was angry with himself for letting down his guard.

Severus pivoted to his right as he whipped out his wand to face the hidden assailant just as Lucius Malfoy emerged from the foliage.

Lucius held up his hands to show he meant no harm as he approached Severus. Severus slowly lowered his wand as he studied the older man. Lucius' long platinum blonde hair looked greasy, as if it hadn't been washed in ages. His grey eyes were sunken into his skull from his time spent in Azkaban. The man's face was pale and drawn as if a great weight was bearing down on his shoulders. Severus knew the reason for the man's distress, of course. When Minerva had had the students evacuated from the castle, almost all the Slytherins had forsaken the school. All but Lucius' son, Severus's godson: Draco Malfoy. Draco had failed to appear with the rest of the Slytherins in Hogsmeade along with his two idiot cronies: Crabbe and Goyle. No one knew what had become of the three and the worry was evident in Lucius' expression.

"You didn't think you could sit this one out did you Severus?" Lucius asked, his voice strained.

"Of course not. I have my reasons for avoiding entering the fray Lucius," like staying alive long enough to tell Potter of his fate he finished in his thoughts. "The Dark Lord obviously values my life higher than others…others he would deem expendable."

Lucius' expression darkened. "My son's life is not something to be just thrown away," he snarled.

"No," Severus agreed, "but the Dark Lord does not see things as you or I. Any life lost to further his rise to power is considered a necessary sacrifice in his mind, no matter who it is." I doubt he cares about the death of anyone besides himself and Potter…and perhaps Nagini. "I believe him especially impartial to your son after that fiasco with Dumbledore on the astronomy tower and now the fact that he must question Draco's loyalty. The loss of Draco's life would not phase the Dark Lord in the slightest. Besides," he sneered, "most death eaters would give their wands to die for their master. Perhaps Draco will finally regain the honor you lost for your family at the Ministry."

Lucius glared at him. However, before he could respond Severus asked, "What is your purpose for seeking me out Lucius? In case you didn't notice, there is a battle raging only meters away."

The anger in Lucius' eyes suddenly drained away and he sighed as he slumped against the thick oak behind him. "The Dark Lord desires your presence. He said he had a service he requires of you." He paused, and then looked up at Severus with pleading eyes, "I wasn't able to convince him, but perhaps you can get him to listen. He likes you Severus, he listens to your advice. Maybe you can convince him somehow to call off the fight…"

Severus looked in to the eyes of this worried father, seeing the pain that had lived there since Draco had been initiated into the ranks of the Dark Lord's followers. Severus knew that pain, the pain that came from not knowing the fate of one you loved. He had experienced it constantly in the months that followed the making of that horrid prophecy. In those months when he feared for the life of the only woman he had ever loved. Why did it have to be her son he went after? Why had he even relayed the prophecy to the Dark Lord in the first place?

Severus mentally kicked himself. Why is it that I can't keep my thoughts from wandering to Lily for more than a few minutes? I need to focus. It had been sixteen years since she died and he still couldn't get her out of his head.

"I will try Lucius," Severus finally said, refocusing. "I don't think I have nearly as much influence on the Dark Lord's opinion as you presume, however, I will do my best as I have no desire to see Draco die."

"Thank you Severus," Lucius said. Hope shone in his grey eyes and gratitude clearly perceptible in his voice. "The Dark Lord is waiting for you in the Shrieking Shack."

Severus nodded, turned on his heel and disappeared with a loud crack.

As Severus disapparated, he had a strange feeling that he would never see the man again.

A/N: So what did you guys think? please review, I'm working on chapter 2 now but I may be able to insert some suggestions if people review... :)