Severus recoiled away from the Killing Curse, waiting for his life to be swept away. But no such event occurred, and Severus stared forth at Voldemort; his whole frame was shaking with rage, his eyes livid and a fierce crimson. The Dark Lord just stood there, however, the Elder Wand clenched tightly in his fist.

Severus lowered his stiff arms, his eyes vigilant and ready for another round of curses. But none came; Voldemort continued to glare at him, seething, until he swept away and out the Shack door without a backwards glance.

Severus was quite stunned; he stood in the exact spot as if Petrified, apprehensive as to if the Dark Lord would glide right back through the door and finish him. It seemed a lifetime before Severus dared move, standing about the midst of the wreckage that had collapsed from the curse. Severus breathed heavily through his nose, examining the interior of the Shack through the dusty gloom, trying to sort out why he was still standing and very well alive.

The Killing Curse had rebounded against Nagini's cage, protecting Severus, and exploded the entire roof of the Shrieking Shack. It seemed eerily identical to the house that had been destroyed on the night of October in 1981. It was a replay, except Severus had escaped the Killing Curse, aided by the Dark Lord's own doing.

The second story and roof overhead had crashed to the ground, leaving piles of debris and hazards scattered about the floor. Jagged pieces of wood, bent pieces of metal, furniture, and pieces of shingle from the roof cluttered the space, making walk nearly impossible. Voldemort had swept away part of the rubble, clearing a path to exit the Shack when he had left.

Severus, still half dazed, realized he was still encased in the protective sphere, trapping him as the snake had been. Nagini herself was crumpled on the cage floor, her body thrashing about even though her head lay beheaded a few feet away. Severus bared his teeth at the pathetic corpse, sneering at it. With a last shudder, it became quite still; Severus suddenly remembered Dumbledore's solemn words as he stared at the serpent's broken body; it was the old Headmaster's statement that made Severus scowl, rubbing his temples.

"Now listen closely, Severus. There will come a time when Lord Voldemort will seem to fear the life of his snake."

Severus was not amazed that Dumbledore had been right, the grand wizard usually was. But Severus was just surprised at how fast his next task had come to greet him, if not benevolently. It seemed Time itself was flying faster than it had previously, as if it was eager to see to the end of the Wizard War. Severus then stood to his full height, accepting his next mission. And the first step was to find Potter; Severus mused at how he would find the boy, if not at all. But Severus knew he would have to find Potter swiftly, before the boy had another notion to do something absurdly foolish.

There was a sudden movement by Severus's feet, and his eyes flashed down to see the body of Nagini thrashing once more, the wounds from the Sectumsempra curse regenerating, healing over. Severus's wand was stiff in his hand once more as he became rigid with a thrilling horror; he vaguely deliberated why the serpent was alive once more, contemplating why the Dark Lord had placed a spell on it to keep it alive; why was the snake so important? But Severus pushed the sudden rush of questions out of the head, trying to focus on the physical serpent itself, which was lashing out, a new head blossoming out before Severus's eyes. It hissed, its newly grown fangs glistening in the moonlight; its beady eyes locked onto Severus as it advanced, eager to sink its fangs into flesh.

Severus put as much distance as he could between himself and the serpent; he felt the sphere enclosing him, however, and fought against it to escape. At last, the cage gave way and Severus caught himself from falling upon the jagged shrapnel that littered the floor; he swiftly turned to greet the serpent, sliding easily out of the spherical cage, its long body taking a momentous amount of time to be completely free. As it did this, Severus swept the wreckage away so as to move more freely; he did not want his cloak to snag on the hazards that piled the Shack floor.

Before the serpent was completely out, Severus shot a hex at it; the snake recoiled, hissing fervently. It then lunged for Severus, quite agitated; its fangs glistened with its deadly poison, literally dripping off of the dagger-like teeth. Severus deflected the snake with surprising accuracy, not allowing himself to be caught off-guard once more. The snake hissed and spat, its eyes seeming to glow crimson as its master, calculating its next move; Severus thought of hitting the serpent with another Sectumsempra curse, but a scuffling noise behind him made him falter his attack; the serpent took advantage of this one pause of Severus Snape, and all too soon it was bearing down upon him, targeting its dagger-fangs at his neck; Severus had hardly a chance to react; the serpent almost had its fangs around his vulnerable flesh – and then there was a flash of yellow; the serpent was gone.

Severus blinked, staggered. The snake was now writhing upon the floor, twisting and knotting about as if a Cruciatus curse had been placed upon it. Except, once more, the serpent was beheaded, and something told Severus that this time it was permanent. It continued to thrash about, its head still attempting to hiss, but its movements became weaker and weaker with every passing second. Soon, Nagini the serpent was quite still, her beady eyes still glaring out into space.

Severus did not lower his wand, however; he swept the Shack with a penetrating gaze, trying to decipher his savior. There was no one in the confined space of the Shack room, however; but Severus continued to feel a presence in the back of his mind, nagging at him to continue to be wary. Keeping one vigilant eye on the snake, Severus processed what information he knew. As Severus looked about the dilapidated Shack, his eyes caught hold of something curved and yellow, standing out in the rubble; it had a sinister look to it, scarlet-red blood dripping from one end. Severus used his wand to recover it, still cautious, and recognized it as the fang of a basilisk.

He vaguely pondered why a basilisk's fang had saved him, as it was the serpent's blood trickling down the fang's blade. Severus turned it over in his pallid hands, thoughtful, when he remembered whom he had been seeking originally. And it was by the fact that Severus's rescuer was invisible, it came to him – the one person he knew with a cloak was Harry Potter himself.

"Potter?" Severus's voice was barely a whisper, scarcely heard in the silence of the Shrieking Shack. Severus was testing to see if his theory was true, if Potter was in the very same room. "Potter, if you are truly there," spoke Severus, giving another perceptive gaze about the Shack with no avail, "then you must understand something. Potter, firstly, show yourself," Severus commanded in his deadly soft voice; to his favor, Harry Potter now stood before him, the cloak held in his free hand. But his wand was up, and he was as wary and cautious as Severus was himself.


Harry scrutinized Snape, wondering if the move to reveal himself had been a fatal move. He did not move or speak, simply waiting. Harry wondered why he had just saved Snape from the snake… He had launched himself forward on instinct, bringing down the serpent in a fluid movement. He had not hesitated doing it, but now, he had afterthoughts.

Harry remembered Snape battling McGonagall, and his stomach clenched and squirmed. He suddenly regretted his actions; he was now standing in front of a Death Eater, a minion of Voldemort. Harry swore mentally; was he insane? What had made him save Snape, and why had he revealed himself?

Behind his back, Harry motioned for Ron and Hermione to keep to the tunnel; Harry felt an urge to go join him, but he stayed where he was, facing Snape. It was as Harry glared at Snape, he abruptly remembered his bitter loathing at the man standing before him. The hate was quite dull though, seeing Snape nearly killed by his own master. It was all quite confusing for Harry, but a sudden pang from his scar made him grit his teeth, and he remembered with a flash all of the vile deeds Snape had done over the years.

The detestation must have flashed across Harry's face, for now Snape finally spoke in a slow manner, as if either he thought Harry was too stupid to comprehend it, or so that he could absorb it better.

Harry chose the first option, all to have another reason to hate the man who's lips now curled into a sneer, as if remembering, too, who was standing before him. It was as if Snape himself was shocked that Harry Potter was now standing before him, the boy who had just saved him from certain death.

Somehow, this brought back a fleeting memory of Harry's father… of how he had saved Severus Snape so very long ago. Harry pushed the thought away, however, and forced himself to focus upon Snape's words.

"Potter, I can assure you that what pitiful assumptions you have made of me are incorrect. But, of course, you have been too blind to seek the truth; although the truth was hidden from all eyes, all but Albus Dumbledore, now passed."

"Because you killed him!" snarled Harry, his glasses flashing dangerously. His anger was flaring once more, all of the anger he had had over the years. And it was preparing to be released. Harry clenched his wand tight, ready for a duel. He was actually itching to start it.

"Potter, you still need to control your anger. You must have a clear head when I tell you this–"

"My head is perfectly clear, Snape," retorted Harry viciously, wishing for him to just spit out what he wanted to say. "But whatever comes out of foul mouth, I won't believe a word–"

"How much more daft can you get, Potter?" Severus muttered silkily, cutting across Harry, even though his voice was growing quieter and more dangerous as Harry's grew louder. "And if you will be kind enough as to not interrupt, I will gladly explain to you what Dumbledore has assigned me to tell you–"

"Shut up!" snapped Harry, furious. "You're just making it all up, you were just chatting with Volde–"

"Do not interrupt me, Potter! You are making this much more difficult than need be. Just let me talk, that is all I ask. I am simply Dumbledore's… messenger." Snape sneered the last word, as if disgusted. "But I am willing to do the job if you accept it. Potter, you need to understand that my alliance with the Dark Lord is a sham. I returned to Dumbledore's side shortly before your parent's death."

Harry bit down his retorts; as soon as his parents were mentioned, however, a question flitted across his face. Why would Snape return to Dumbledore? That didn't make sense, after he had been with the Death Eaters. What made him do it?

"Fine," muttered Harry darkly, "then prove that you're on Dumbledore's side–" Snape sneered at this "–and… and why did you come back?"

"Come back?" Snape was suddenly cautious, forgetting to look intimidating. "Potter, I am not sure if you are aware, but anyone who is the slightest bit human withholds penitence." Snape raised his eyebrows at his own words, giving Harry a shrewd gaze.

Harry saw a slight frown upon Snape's lips for a fraction of a second, looking as if he would say more, but he withheld it. "And?" prompted Harry, knowing it would take more than just remorse to turn a Death Eater good.

"And that is all." Snape growled firmly, his lip curling once more. "So, Potter, you can believe either way. But while we are together in this short lapse of time, I must deliver the message Dumbledore has left for me, contrary if you prefer otherwise.

"And Potter, I advise you once more not to interrupt," Snape said swiftly, cutting across Harry before he could speak, "for the message is long and tedious, and it would be preferred if you listened carefully the first time, so I will not have to go back. But it is quite plain that it is not my fault your brain is too slow to register what I say, all the better to keep silent."

Harry was annoyed, still being insulted by Snape, but kept quiet. It had taken long enough for the two of them to become settled with each other, and yet Snape still had to deliver his "message". Harry wondered if this was meant to be Dumbledore's last communication to Harry, one last slight push to the finish line before he completed the grueling task of the Prophecy. "Alright," growled Harry, but his voice was much more subdued.

"Very well. Potter, you must accept that one of you will die. You must accept that, at times, you feel one with Voldemort. As Dumbledore stated previously, he had asked you to learn Occlumency. This was as to keep him out of your mind, to resist the bond between the two of you."

Harry had never heard Snape say Voldemort's name before, but it had taken him a moment to register that he had. Harry frowned, concentrating, now considering that Snape was telling the truth.

"You must accept, Potter," continued Snape, gazing down upon his clasped hands as he spoke, "that you and Lord Voldemort have bonded a deep parasitic connection with each other; while you live, Harry Potter, Voldemort can not die."

"But," said Harry, his voice slightly weak; it seemed to have taken awhile for the words to reach him and a lifetime to fully grasp them, "how? How is that… possible?" Harry remembered the times he had felt Voldemort in his own conscious, the time when he had wanted to attack Dumbledore in his fourth year and the time Voldemort had possessed him in the Ministry of Magic. It had been overwhelming… and yet, a part of Harry had reacted in such a way Harry had not known before. But now, at a sudden realization, his heart stopped.


"On the night of October thirty-first, 1981, your mother…" Severus paused, his heart clenching to say it, "she protected you from Voldemort's curse, a shield, and the Killing Curse rebounded against the caster. A fragment of Voldemort's soul latched itself upon the solitary living soul left. Harry Potter, Dumbledore told me that, because a part of Voldemort is living inside of you, he will fail to die. It is this connection with him that allows you to communicate with snakes, this connection that allows you to see through his eyes. But you must also accept that while you still stand, protecting Voldemort's soul, he cannot die." Severus then looked up from his hands, studying the boy before him closely. He spoke no more, his eyes withholding no emotion whatsoever. He stoically watched, a spectator, as realization fully donned upon Harry Potter.

And Severus Snape knew his task, at long last, was at an end; he had delivered to Harry Potter not only the death sentence of Potter, but one of the Dark Lord himself, as well. The nearing of Lord Voldemort's life was now in sight.


A/N: I apologize if this chapter varies from the first; I had a slight change in mind as I wrote it, re-reading and watching the magnificent feats of Severus Snape. I just admire what he does... and sorry if Harry is not in character, I am not used to writing him.

I also apologize for my absence from FF. But now I am back, and am eager to catch up on my writing straight away. I hope you enjoyed this chapter of "A Second Chance."

Review. x)