A Haunting at the Shrieking Shack

Darkness fell upon the Hogwarts school grounds as another day passed without any further progress. Three years had passed since that fateful morning when the most notorious Dark Wizard fell for the very last time. He lost his own life on that very day as well. Severus Snape had no will to stay in this world, he had made his peace. Yet he remained attached, haunted to the Shrieking Shack. The former professor's lifeless and bloodless body was removed from the shabby building shortly after his death. No doubt Harry Potter was the one who made sure Snape received a proper burial.

'I'll have to thank Potter later,' Snape joked to himself.

The final gesture of Harry's forgiveness and understanding helped to put him at ease. Now the only desire that burned in his heart was the insatiable want to cross over. In the first few weeks following his death Snape feared that he would remain among the living for the rest of his existence. For at the center of his chest was a chain that bound him to the Shrieking Shack. At first the metal leash connected to the same spot on his body when his soul parted from it. The bond broke when they moved his body, but its chains remained.
Snape found movement as a soul to be a challenge. But in the three years he made considerable amounts of progress. First he moved around the room where Nagini struck him, then the entire house, and onto the school grounds outside the Forbidden Forrest. And however far he had the energy to travel the chain adjusted its length to accommodate. Walking the school grounds was all he could do. He had to get away, far away.

'What am I not doing right?' Snape asked himself as he watched the sun set.

He was certain that it was this chain that kept him bound to this life. Snape tugged lightly at the base. A deep pain radiated in his chest and he ceased to touch the chain. There had to be another answer.

'Lily…'

Snape had planned to make it farther into the Forbidden Forest, but today his energy felt unusually low. Sleep no longer existed for his tired soul. And even though he could not feel the comfort of the ancient bed Snape laid on its covers every night for a few hours before making his night trip. The weary man stared at the barren ceiling before closing his eyes, wishing for the luxury of sleep.

"Maybe tomorrow…Maybe I'll find a way to cross over tomorrow."

"How about now?"

Snape's eyes flashed open at the sound of the new voice. A young, familiar face stared upside down at Snape. He quickly sat up and turned to look at the blonde that was standing at the head of the rather large bed.

"Malfoy? Draco Malfoy?"

Malfoy laughed lightly at the ghost's surprise, "Severus-san knows my gikongan well. I am Malfoy, yes and no, not the Malfoy you are familiar with."

Snape was looking at the face of Malfoy, but his voice was not. And his attire, Malfoy had on the most unusual outfit for a British wizard. He wore no robes but a flowy, black samurai kimono. Snape would never imagine a prideful and rich wizard to be seen in such a costume.

"A-are you dead?" Snape said.

He had numerous questions rushing through his mind, but that one seemed most important to know from the young blonde's sudden appearance.

"Oh no, I am not dead. But death is my job. And I'm here to help you move on to the afterlife."

'Move on?' Snape thought, 'This is it! But…'

"But…You…I don't understand. Who's the Malfoy the Wizard World knows?"

The blonde gave a sigh, "I would love to answer all of your questions but this time we don't have time. Whether you wish to pass on or not I've been given orders to remove you from this place. Even in death you are in danger. But to answer your last question, the Malfoy you know is ...…"
A monstrous cry filled the air causing Malfoy to stop his speech. For the first time in three years Severus felt what seemed like an earthquake that rattled every nerve in his body, if he still had one. Malfoy felt the shock wave as well for his face showed the surprise and fear that Snape himself felt.

"What was that?"

The blonde quickly turned his attention behind him to where the roar came from.

"Crap! I should have hidden my spiritual pressure better! He's found me out!"

A second and louder cry echoed in the room and Snape began to hear the foundations of the house come apart. Malfoy grabbed Snape by the arm and moved the two of them to the farthest room in the building away from the source of the destruction.

'What's going on? What is that I hear? That thing I feel. And Malfoy…No…Not Malfoy. And he can't be alive. No living person can touch a ghost.'

"What are you?" Snape spoke after Malfoy finally let him out of his rather strong grip.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't let you stay here longer," Malfoy said as he drew his sword from its sheath, "But you have to leave now."

With the hilt of his sword Malfoy stamped its seal upon the confused man's forehead.

"What the…?" Snape began to feel rather lightheaded and he saw a great glow of light surround his vision.

"Where am I going?"

"You're crossing over, to Soul Society."

Snape heard and saw the chains that bound him to the living world break apart.

"Go and find her," Malfoy smiled.

'He knows? How?'

Suddenly the enormous monster finally made its way crashing into the room where the two had hidden. Malfoy did not hear it fast enough and it attacked him from behind. Its enormous jaws would have bitten an ordinary man in half. But Snape feared that the attack was still fatal to him as massive amounts of blood gushed out from his neck, right arm, and most of his right side as the creature latched onto Malfoy's shoulder.

"GAAH!" Malfoy dropped his weapon.

"MALFOY!" Snape yelled as he continued to vanish into safety.

The beast was the oddest creature Snape had ever set his eyes upon. Its body was mostly that of a giant serpent such as a Basalisk. But its torso resembled something of a deformed man. In the middle of its pale chest bore a large hole that could be seen clearly through. And even though a ghastly mask hid most of its face, Snape knew right away who the creature was.

'Voldemort!'

"Malfoy!" Snape cried out for the last time among the realm of the living.

The last he saw was another dark figure darting toward the beast that was the Fallen Dark Lord, and apple red hair that shone brightly against the crimson blood.