Chapter Three: The Last Letter From Dumbledore:
Severus Snape was in a very bad mood and wanted out of here where ever here was. By the accent of the witch he knew he was in America and he wanted to kill who ever brought him here. When the silly little witch refused to tell him where he was he had raged at her as he felt she deserved. She had stormed out of the room and he tried to follow her, only to run into the wards set up. He had felt a bit dizzy and sat back on the bed and saw the IV in his arm. Angrily he had pushed up the sleeve of his white night robe and tried to pull it out but got shocked for that. He had swore at the witch telling her exactly what he wanted to do to her if he had his wand. Again she was not impressed and left him here in this small bare room. Now he sat curled up on the bed wondering what was to happen to him now as he knew very well Voldemort was dead, his mark had faded to a dull gray and with luck it might disappear altogether. He looked up as someone entered the room and his eyes widened in shock, before him stood the very much alive Regulus Black!
"How, how are you here?" Snape asked him.
"I confounded my elf, he believes to this day I had died." Regulus replied calmly.
"Where in America are we?" Snape asked.
"Still so smart Severus, Colorado, in the Rocky Mountains." Regulus replied.
"I have to go back." Snape said trying to get up but still too weak to do so. "I cannot stay here."
"You cannot go back Severus." Regulus said knowing Snape would get mad and he was right.
"Who is in charge that dare keeps me here?!" Snape snarled. "I demand to speak to whoever is in charge!"
"I am in charge, what do you want to talk about?" Colton asked.
He stepped into the room and realized that the pictures he had seen of this young potions master did not really capture the youth of the man. He looked for all he had been through so very, very young and he was, he was not even forty yet! However in his short life he had been through more than most people ever were in the average life of six score years. The young man before him was a very angry young man and that anger hid the fear deep down in the man. This was a man who had lived day-to-day with no thought of the future except for counting down the days when he would be called back to Voldemort, never knowing if he would live or die. Right now he was too weak to stand and so he sat curled up on the bed, his anger nearly boiling over.
"I want out of here!" Snape snapped.
"I am afraid I cannot let you leave." Colton said calmly, oh dear Snape was turning white with rage now, not good for the young man in his condition. "If I were to allow you to leave you would head back to England and promptly be thrown into Azkaban. I cannot allow you to go to that hell as they are heartless enough to dare use Dementors there."
"Why should you care what happens to me?" Snape snarled his anger still at dangerous levels. "Who are you to say what is good for me or not?"
"I am Thomas Martian Colton, headmaster of Yarrow Academy for Magical Education of Witches and Wizards. I don't have much to offer for you but a place to stay in, food and medical care but that I offer free of charge. You are a hero professor Snape, you have done so much and helped destroy one of the most evil wizards of our time."
"I am no hero, I am a cruel wicked man." Snape said calming down.
"I don't see things that way." Colton said. "You made some horrible mistakes I will not deny that but you repented of it and I know you suffer still. At least stay out the year, then if you still wish to go back I will see what can be done to make sure you stay free."
Snape considered the offer, on one hand it was not a bad offer, he would not have to deal with the hatred and whipping boy status he had to bear for so many years. Yet on the other, on the other side he had to go back, he needed to find the stone. He had to talk to Lily one last time, he knew of course what the stone was when Dumbledore had come back near death when he had destroyed the Horcrux within. Dumbledore had told him about the elder wand and of course Snape had worked things out from there. Yet when Dumbledore had died the stone had not been found and Snape knew the brat who lived had it. But now it would be in the forest, lost and forgotten as Harry would have no need for it now. Yet he could wait a year, after all if Colton was willing to help him why not let him? He would get to the stone and finally get to speak with Lily once more.
"I will stay the year." Snape said quietly. "What shall I do whist I am here?"
"Well when you are up to it you could brew for us." Colton said. "I have seen your work, you are the best potions master in the world."
"Thank you sir." Snape said, "I wound be honored to help you sir."
"Good, when you are recovered we can talk of wages and such, for now you rest and get well." Colton said and as Snape arched an eyebrow. "Yes that is an order."
"Yes sir." Snape replied quietly.
Colton left Snape with Regulus who sat down carefully by his old friend. He noticed with concern the haunted dead look in Snape's eyes. Snape was a man who had suffered far too much in his life and the shock would catch up to him regarding all he had been through, if it had not already. Snape was a broken man Regulus knew, he had lost far too much and had nothing of his own left. His life took a steep downward spiral when his very poor but loving parents had died. His father of cancer that ravaged his body, his mother shortly after of grief and Regulus knew Snape had never fully recovered. Voldemort the bastard had exploited Snape's rage and used that to make Snape his tool. Regulus knew what caused Snape to leave Voldemort, his love for that which was good and right, he had been jolted back to the side of right and light when Voldemort went after Lily Evans nee Potter. Regulus knew that Snape still blamed himself to this day for her death.
"How did you manage to stay here all these years?" Snape asked Regulus.
"Headmaster Colton has been very good to me." Regulus replied. "He found me hiding not far from here, he checked for the dark mark and even when he found it he could have thrown me in prison. Yet he did not, he let me train here and become a healer."
"What did he want in return?" Snape asked. "He must have wanted something."
"He only asked one thing, for me to never go back to evil and to use my life for good." Regulus replied. "I hope I have, I have married and have two beautiful sons and three daughters. I am a very lucky man."
"Why not go back to England now?" Snape asked. "The death eaters are all dead or went over, surely you miss home."
"England is no longer my home Severus." Regulus replied quietly. "This nation is my home, the magical world and muggle world are closer here, the blood relations are not as fanatic as in England. Many of the new nations do not hold to the old code Severus. Muggle-born children are treated the same as purebloods. As it is the muggle-born who have protected the magical community better than the purebloods."
"I don't belong here." Snape said. "I should not even be alive, I wish I had died in the shack."
"A bit of a selfish way to think." Regulus said getting upset. "I did not risk my life going to Hogwarts to save your life to have you whine about it."
"You went back to save me?" Snape asked surprised at this.
"Yes, and I think this letter will explain it all." Regulus said holding up the letter for Snape. "It's from Dumbledore."
"Then I don't want it." Snape snapped.
"Look I know what he asked of you, pretty rude actually but he had something to say to you." Regulus said. "Humor an old friend and read it?"
"Fine, for you I will." Snape said snatching the letter from him.
"Good, you need anything before I leave you alone to read it?" Regulus said.
"Besides poison to kill myself?" Snape said silkily, "I can think of nothing."
Regulus left and Snape looked at the letter, the outside was addressed to him in Dumbledore's firm handwriting. Snape did not want to open it, he hated Dumbledore for using him and he wished only to rip this letter up and toss it away. How could Dumbledore explain away how he had treated him? He had given the man his life, his trust and he had been knifed in the back. All this last year that knife was twisted even harder deeper and deeper into his back. The pain would never leave him he was sure of it. He looked at the letter and realized he had to get this over with and so he opened the letter and began to read.
My Dear Severus,
By the time you read this I will be long dead through mistakes by my own hand. No doubt you know those mistakes I have made of which there are many. My dear boy I never intended to hurt you and I never intended you to go through what you have gone through to this point. I trusted you to make my death painless and if you are reading this you succeeded in that and Harry is still alive. Yes Severus I did not believe Harry had to die, I know you profess to hate the boy but you and I know the truth. I needed your anger at me to do the task otherwise you could not have.
My dear boy I am so very, very sorry for all the pain I caused you. You are a far better and braver man than I ever was. Slytherin does produce good wizards and you are proof of that. Tom Riddle who became Voldemort did not understand love or miracles or that there were Gods. He could only see this life and that he did create that which many have tried but failed at, the Horcrux. At this time I am sure you know he created much more than the one or two I had spoke to you about. He in fact created six, but as you read this they are destroyed as is Voldemort.
Now my dear boy I know you are reading this in a strange land, brought by a man whom the world believed dead. In the last months of my life I went to America to visit an old friend and found Regulus Black alive and well. After promising not to tell anyone I had seen him alive I asked him for two favors. One was to take the ring you saw on my hand, the other was to get you to safety in America. I know you will be mad that I meddled in your life, but there was no life for you where you were. I know you will be cared for and hopefully find happiness in America. It is a new life for you.
As for the ring, you know of the Deathly Hallows, the tale of the three brothers. It is, for the most part true, cleverly put in with children's tales where it would be dismissed as a children's tale nothing more. I should have told you this in life, you deserved that, however I will tell you now what about my involvement with the Deathly Hallows. I was friends with Grindelwald, he came when I was a young man and I was drawn to him. I neglected my sister and brother and for two months we plotted how we would use the Hallows to create a new world ruled by Wizards. Finally my brother could take no more and shouted at me what Grindelwald was. In the fight that took place I never did know if it was Grindelwald or myself that shot the fatal curse that killed my sister.
When I found the ring I had to put it on, to see if it was real and I was cursed. You saved my life my dear boy and if not for my foolishness many good people would not have died. That is my fault and I should have resisted the urge to put on the ring. I have hurt so many by what I did and for that I am no hero. This brings me to the book that was written by Rita Skeeter about me, I had her come to my office and told her all about my life. I wanted the truth known and I read the final draft before she would publish it. No doubt you wondered how she was able to get 900 pages off to press so shortly after I died.
Severus you need to live a good life, you are far better than I ever was. Please do not allow what has happened in the past to taint the rest of your life. I know you are thinking of doing just that to spite me but please do not, you will only hurt yourself. I do love and care about you my boy, you now have a chance at a new life, please take it. I was foolish and wrong and you suffered for my mistakes. I never told you how proud I was of you, how brave and good you really are. I love you my boy and always have, I should have said that in life and that is my greatest regret. Have a good life my boy, you deserve it.
Sincerely
Albus Dumbledore.
Snape pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. He put the letter down, rested his head against the headboard and wanted to give vent to his emotions. He wanted to cry and howl and scream and rage but had no energy to do so. He was so very tired, the loss of blood, the poison that had attacked his system and the shock of the last few years was catching up to him. He wanted to curl up in a hole and die that was how badly he felt. Yet outwardly he showed no emotion, he was shutting down as he could no longer think clearly and he was aware how tired he still was. When Regulus came in with Dora they saw Snape was fast asleep. Dora noticed how vulnerable Snape looked and she walked up and gently covered him up with the bedclothes and put the letter on the nightstand.
"He has been through way too much." Regulus said.
"It's shock, all he has been through." Dora said, "however that does not excuse his rudeness."
"He is scared, oh he never would admit that, he would deny it and lash out at any who suggested it." Regulus said looking down at his friend. "He has a reason to be fearful but he is strong, I think this move was the best thing for him."
"I hope so, I don't want to deal with a surly patient." Dora said. "He was very rude to me."
"Well you could threaten to lock him in a bright sunny room with nothing but romance novels to read. He would hate that." Regulus said with a smirk.
"And you are his friend?" Dora asked rolling her eyes.
"Well it might draw out his since of humor buried deep, deep inside." Regulus said. "It will take time I am sure, he has suffered so much but I am sure he will survive this."
"As long as he does not tick me off again." Dora said looking down at Snape. "Then again he has no reason to trust me."
"Give him time, I am sure he will come around." Regulus said.
Regulus took out a syringe and filled it with a dreamless draught and injected it into the IV line. Snape would need this, he needed a good restful deep sleep. As he was a bit stronger now the dreamless draught could be administered to help him heal fully, at least physically. He would still need to face his demons but for now he could sleep without worry. Regulus finished checking Snape's IV, putting up a new bag of blood replenishing potion and changing the dressing on Snape's neck. Once he was done he left his friend and went curled up on a cot outside the room. He was so tired he fell asleep almost before his head hit the pillow.
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Ah yes a snarky bitter Severus Snape makes the world go round or not. Severus Snape has been badly hurt but I see Albus Dumbledore as having seen he had made some mistakes in his life. The letter would not be out of line and of course Dumbledore meddling is not out of line. After all I really truly believe he was just trying to do the right thing. He saw his chance to hopefully help Severus start a new life as there are way too many ghosts in England for him. Severus reading the letter, well he is a curious man and would want to know what Dumbledore had to say to him.
As for the mix of muggle and magical medical techniques, well okay this is America we are talking about. The magical and muggle world would be closer than in Europe as this is the new world and to survive we had to evolve. As an American I can attest to this, we freed ourselves from European rule and created our own society. This would include the magical world too, still secret to muggle society but still close to the muggle world.