He knew he shouldn't be here. He knew the school was in a rage, Hogwarts was—Slytherines against Gryffindors, Gryffindors against Slytherines… And the Dark Lord's servants… Who were, without a doubt, about as loyal as a pack-rat. The well-being of the students was in his hands… However, quite truthfully, he hadn't cared about the safety of the children, unless, of course, it were one particular child- a child he thought to be rude, ungrateful, and horrible to the core (like father, like son)—but, most importantly, the child…. Of a particular woman….

Severus Snape had stepped away from the school, and it's thousands of 'gifted' students, if only for a moment…. To take a walk down memory lane. He felt there was little time before the worst, his closing--and perhaps, just one last time, he'd like to be with her- her, her- as they could have been so easily, many years ago to pass.

Yes, he was, once again, in the 'Muggle World'. His face was expressionless, not quite cold, as he Apparated into a thicket of trees—although if you had looked into his mind, (which is not so impossible to do, of course) you would find the dark memories of his childhood swirling wildly at the simple memory of this place.

A poor family. A loveless father. Parents whom would be much better off, divorced. And yet Professor Severus Snape had found, after all these years, that the days spent shredding leaves out of anger and frustration had actually been the happiest of his life.

It was all thanks to her….

"Lily…"

The park had been renovated many times over, it seemed… The overgrown oak 'Sev' and Lily sat under as mere children—the days that hadn't seemed so long ago, to himself—was ….completely gone. The original swing sets were also obviously replaced. Replaced with shiny, new swings… Swings made of extremely uncomfortable plastic.

He took a seat—as awkward-looking as he'd felt in doing so—an adult, a tall, fairly built adult, sitting on an instrument that was made for the average five-year-old…. And, for the first time in such a very long time, Severus Snape had looked towards the sky…. Agreeing willfully with himself- he was the only person he could talk to, after all- that it was quite a beautiful day (Although perhaps not in those words).

Today, he hadn't come to wallow in the endless amounts of guilt he held on Lily Evan's death, or to anguish through his sadness, his remorse. No, no. Today was different. He would surround himself with the memory of her, but not her death, nor her son, nor the man who stole his everything…. But simply the good times they shared together.

How many times had they spent, talking of the smallest of things? The sky, the grass. So many times, he remembered. But not nearly as much as the times Severus had told her about magic, the dementors, and Azkaban (why she was interested in the wizard prison particularly, only God knows), for she was truly captivated in this world more than anything else—captivated in their world.

He tried to picture her as she would've looked, if her death hadn't come so early. She'd be growing older, for Severus and Lily were nearly the same age, and there was no doubt in his mind that he himself was aging, as well. She would always have that breath-taking smile, no matter how young or old she would've been, or has been, or was.

She would have always been beautiful. As the sky on a fine day such as this, only, even more so, he knew. Snape's thoughts hadn't been directly said as plainly as I put it—but truthfully, he was never such a smooth-talking guy to being with. Inside, though, hidden beneath all his hate, his anger…. He's always….

"I've always…."

It had been a pleasant day enough. He retained his composure, chin held high, face…. Cold. Severus Snape had his duties to attend to, however much he'd enjoy the stay. Dumbledore was counting on him, his death haunting him…. And Lily Evans' son, the one she'd given her life to protect (Potter being completely unworthy, of course) in mortal danger without his help…

Without a sound, he'd Disapparated back to Hogwarts grounds, walking towards the castle in such a confident stride only he could pull off. As the new headmaster of the school… You'd think he'd get just a little more respect.

"Snape! Where have you been? We've been looking the corridors for ages—the Longbottom child's started a riot again-"

The Carrow siblings. How troubling. How was Longbottom's ignorance any of my…?

"What you'll do with the boy is nothing of my concern…. However, Alecto, Amycus…. May I remind you that I am the headmaster, and what I do on my free-time is not,"

His voice lowered—but the harshness concealed in Snape's tone…. Was enough to kill a man. Deathly… Even for a Death Eater.

"Your. Business."

He would have loved to walk away at that moment. To be bold, and dramatic—to show them that he wasn't in a very good mood, but—

The pair gave a strange giggle, as if they expected what he were going to say, and as if they predicted correctly, and also… As if there was something he didn't know.

"The Dark Lord has been checking on you, Severus. Keeping tabs. You don't suppose I can say to him… That it's none of his business, do you? Now-"

He was already have way down the hall as he called, quite fiercely,

"Tell him I went for a stroll, Alecto. A place called memory lane: It's in the Muggle world."