Disclaimer: The Potterverse is not of my property. We must thank J.K. Rowling for creating such a wonderful world. The story and others, however, are mostly mine.
Summary: He had been told that death was a gap in reality full of constant darkness. He had grown up fearing that, from one moment to another, the life he was leading would vanish in front of his eyes to make way for the solitude of eternity. Luckily, there was somebody willing to change his mind.
Warnings: Drabble. Angst. My first language isn't English, it's Spanish. This may contain grammatical mistakes that I don't care about because I'm literally crying my heart out.
Initial notes: Yes, I know, you can't write about real people on Fanfiction. But honestly, at this very moment, I couldn't care less. Alan is and will always be one of my idols, and I couldn't stay quiet until a made some kind of tibute for him, even if it's just this short and mediocre drabble. So yeah. Here it is.
Always
He had been told that death was a gap in reality full of constant darkness.
He had grown up fearing that, from one moment to another, the life he was leading would vanish in front of his eyes to make way for the solitude of eternity.
So when he was separating his eyelids slowly, and a bright light blinded him, he was surprised. However, it wasn't painful, as when the sun rays radiated in the morning.
He stood up with some difficulty, and noticed that his joints no longer complained about his movements. In fact, he was feeling younger, younger than ever!
By looking around, he had to squint his eyes a bit to recognize his surroundings. It seemed that he had been there before, and yet couldn't quite remember where or when it had happened.
Then he heard someone clear his throat loudly, trying to get his attention. That surprised him, so he turned quickly.
The person who stared back had very similar features to his own, with the only difference that he looked considerably younger.
The black robes contrasted with the brightness of the place, giving him a kind of divine halo. His hair, like two dark curtains around his sallow face, and his eyes as eternal tunnels were watching him expectantly.
It didn't take him more than a second to recognize him.
"Mr. Rickman" he said then, with a deep voice that was horribly familiar. "I'm really sorry."
Alan blinked several times, because until that moment he had the feeling he was hallucinating. He took a couple of steps forward, still hesitantly.
"So it's true..." he mumbled with unusual clumsiness, indicating the nervousness and confusion he felt. "Am I dead?"
The man in front of him nodded once solemnly, with an impassive expression on his pale face.
"Yes, you are."
Alan couldn't help a small wince at that revelation, putting a hand to his gray hair to tangle his fingers a moment there, like a simple automatic gesture on him.
"But... I feel so alive" he murmured, still denoting disbelief in his voice. "I don't feel pain. I feel young, strong... is it always like this?"
Severus Snape nodded again, this time approaching himself to the newcomer, and laying a hand of slender fingers on his shoulder when he tried to pull away.
"For a well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure" he quoted then quietly, as if the situation was something that wasn't surprising to him in the least
Alan watched him intently for a moment, analyzing the features of his face, as if to make sure he really was there.
Apparently satisfied, he turned to look away.
Then, only then, he could see hundreds of little lights right in front of them, rising. Not hundreds, thousands, maybe millions. Tirelessly they shone, dancing sparingly before his astonished eyes.
"They're are Lumos" Snape's voice said, as if reading the question in his mind before he could say it. "They are all those people who today mourn your death."
Alan swallowed hard, feeling in his chest a warm feeling. It didn't burn him, but it was strong and steady. It was commotion, and gratitude.
"Thank you, Mr. Rickman."
He startled slightly at those words, and instinctively turned to the man standing beside him. Snape had a tiny smile on his thin lips.
"You've brought to life countless characters while in the living world, including me" then he added, pressing slightly his shoulder. "Thank you."
Alan couldn't help but return a faint smile with a slight nod. He could see several lights highlight among all of them, thanks to their brilliant shine, and he knew they belonged to his beloved family.
Helplessly he turned to look around, trying to figure out the place where he was again.
"Is this... a set? A movie set?" he asked, slightly confused
Snape shrugged slightly.
"Is it? I honestly have no idea" admitted the man, sighing, before patting his shoulder. "Come with me. There are several people who also want to have the honor of meeting you."
Alan gave him another brief nod, still slightly misplaced, before starting to walk beside him. He was silent for a moment, watching him sideways occasionally, until he could no longer contain himself.
"You're not real, right? You're just inside my head."
Snape gave him a small smile, the most honest one his lips had never sketched, before speaking.
"Of course I'm inside your head, Mr. Rickman, but why on earth should that mean that I am not real?"
Alan couldn't hold a genuine laugh at that, feeling totally nostalgic to hear those words again.
He patted Severus in the back with friendly gesture, as the two began to be consumed by the intense fog that filled the road in front of them.
"After all this time?"
The wizard gave him a meaningful look before taking his wand and conjure a beautiful silver doe, who got lost giving joyous leaps in the bright surroundings.
"Always."
Endnotes: That's all. Sorry if there's any mistake, my hands are literally shaking. We love you, Alan, wherever you are. Lumos.
_-*-_-*-_KovatePrivalski97._-*-_-*-_