The Importance of Being Snape

by KyleLandy

An extensive look at the character of Severus Snape through the means of an AU fanfic. Snape gets sorted into Gryffindor and lives a much different life that the one he was supposed to. But change comes at a cost as Snape learns that not all heroes can save the day. AU for the moment. Chapter 10 is in.

10. Chapter 10

A/N: So, here is Chapter 10. I've made some adjustments to it for reasons I will disclose at in my Author's Note at the end of this chapter. I'm sorry but this story is a tragedy as that is Snape's life. It doesn't mean that the story doesn't have a happy ending but there are some hardships that have to happen before we get there. I've always loved the flawed, tragic heroes or antiheroes in fictional stories. After all, Fitzgerald once mentioned, "Show me a hero and I'll write you a tragedy." Forgive me for what I have to do.

In the meantime, please enjoy this chapter. I appreciate all your feedback so review if you can! Thank you.

Disclaimer: You already know who it belongs to.

The Importance of Being Snape

"You do care…You care so much you feel as though you will bleed to death with the pain of it." Albus Dumbledore, The Order of the Phoenix

Chapter 10

1979

At first, it was the gentle pressing of lips. The aroma of her apple shampoo drifting into him, like a scent of passion as Snape continued to let his lips linger upon first. However, once the first step had been initiated, what followed could only be described as a primal force of passion as Alice pressed her lips onto his once more, this time more desperate to savour the taste of him. He could feel her tongue forcing her way through as Snape allowed his to envelop hers. Every tilt of the head, every movement of her hands caused the butterflies inside his stomach to flutter at a furious pace as her touch sent shiver after shiver, wave after wave, of insatiable pleasure flowing throughout his blood. Snape could feel a hardness growing between his legs as he spied Alice's cleavage whose heaving bosom was just screaming to be let out. With a growl unlike anything he ever let out before, Snape dropped his hands onto Alice's bottom as he raised her from the floor. This led to her pushing him onto the bed as she kissed him all over the face from his cheeks to his nose and down to his neck as Snape let out whimpers and moans of ecstasy. Alice raised her head, her expression one filled with lust and passion as she worked on unbuttoning her shirt with her red, satin push-up bra coming into full view. Snape could only gape at the wonder as Alice grabbed his hands and pressing his large hands onto her ample breasts while moaning out his name in a tone that drove him mad with desire. She then took his fingers before pulling them towards her skirt where, as his eyes widened out like large saucers, made him realised that she was very much…

"Wet."

"What?!" Snape cried as he dragged himself out from his thoughts to see a soaked Lily in front of him, frowning at him in puzzlement.

"You're still wet, Sev," Lily replied as she motioned to his wand. Snape nodded sheepishly as he cast the warming spell on himself while Dumbledore who had been leaning against a rock, chuckled lightly.

"A Galleon for your thoughts, Sev," Dumbledore said as his eyes twinkled while Snape did his best to hide his blushing face. No amount of money or power would ever get him to divulge what happened at Hagrid's Hut. It was a memory, Snape thought proudly, which would only be for him, vowing to use Occlumency to keep anyone out.

"Focus, Sev!" Lily admonished him as she handed him the Invisibility Cloak.

"Sorry, Lily," Snape replied as Lily gave him another curious stare before following Dumbledore into the cave. He and Lily had met up with Dumbledore in his office before the trio made their way to the cave to destroy the locket Horcrux. Snape recalled Dumbledore insisting on bringing the cloak as well as Sirius and the other members of the DA going towards Hogsmeade to have pints of Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks. Snape felt a pang of jealousy as he watched Alice run off with Frank though his mind calmed him at the thought of what happened inside the hut.

"This is the place, Sir," Lily spoke as she stopped abruptly with Snape nearly crashing into her. Dumbledore's fingers ran about the hard surface of the rock wall before making a tsking sound with his lips.

"So crude. You disappoint me, Tom." Dumbledore sighed before whipping a sharp knife from under his cloak. Before Snape or Lily could protest, a flash of silver appeared in front of them as Dumbledore placed his bloody hand onto the rocky surface, allowing for the archway to appear once more.

"Sir, one of us could have..." Snape began to speak as Dumbledore shook his head.

"Both your blood is much, more precious than mine, Severus. You will understand that, one day." Dumbledore said as he entered the vast, black cavern. Snape and Lily exchanged a look as Dumbledore proceeded to walk ahead of them around the edge of the lake, whispering something to himself as his fingers ran through the empty air. Smiling, Dumbledore came to a halt and, just as James had done previously, tapped his wand against an invisible chain that Dumbledore held in the air. The boat soon came to view as Dumbledore turned to face them, with his wand pointing towards the pair.

Snape felt a strange, cold feeling flowing through him as Dumbledore cast a spell upon the pair. Snape recalled the word Dumbledore used, though the language was unlike anything Snape had heard before. Snape felt himself feeling slightly fitter and hungrier as he felt himself growing slightly shorter.

"What did you do to us?" Lily asked as Snape took a look at her. Lily looked the same as she always was, though judging from her expression; Snape could see that something felt wrong. Dumbledore gave each of them a smile before motioning towards the boat.

"That vessel only allows transport for one fully, matured wizard or witch. It cares not for weight, but on one's magical ability. What I've done is made a loophole by de-aging the both of you to your fifteen-year-old state, something I suspect that Voldemort himself has missed. Do not fret. What I've done is only temporary and will wear off soon enough. Now, get in." Dumbledore said as he motioned towards the boat. Given its small size, Snape took a step in before squeezing himself towards one end, while Lily pushed herself closer towards him. Dumbledore then entered the boat and just as it did before, took off as soon as he placed both his feet inside the vessel.

"Are you okay?" Snape said as he shifted his body to give Lily more space. Lily nodded silently in response although, in the darkness of the cavern, Snape could not see that she was blushing furiously being this close to him. Eager for any form of distraction, Lily motioned towards the lake and the creatures that lay in its depths.

"Professor, what do you think is in there?" Lily said before gasping as a human hand floated to the surface. Dumbledore lit his wand and frowned as Lily and Snape peered towards the lake. Snape gasp as a grisly corpse came to view, its skin deteriorating and rotting while its sharp teeth protruded from its lips. It was his eyes, however, that frightened Snape the most. The white and cloudy eyes, devoid of any life, reminded Snape of the corpses he had seen in recent memory.

"These are Inferi," Dumbledore muttered as he frowned. "The lake is full of them."

Lily look at Snape for an explanation as Snape shook his head. The Inferi were grisly puppets, gaunt skeletal beings that were reanimated by a Dark Wizard's spell. Similar to zombies in a way, Inferi were fierce and dangerous creatures, brought into this world through necromancy. They were capable of tearing human flesh to shreds and proved quite difficult to combat against. Inferi comprised of both wizards and Muggles and their appearance depended on their host as well as the time between their deaths.

"Fire is one way to fight against these monsters. Whenever light comes to battle, the darkness will retreat." Dumbledore said as he heaved a sigh. "However, that isn't what concerns me. What concerns me is that some of these Inferi seem…fresh."

"Fresh?" Lily cried as her voice echoed throughout the cavern. "You mean they were put in there recently?"

"It would appear so," Dumbledore said as he pointed behind Snape. "We are here."

Though he could not turn his head, Snape knew that Dumbledore was right as the green glow from the tiny island shone from behind him. The boat came to a halt as Snape felt the vessel bump hard against the surface of the island. Helping Lily out of the boat, the two young sorcerers watched as Dumbledore approached the stone basin. Snape could see the expression on his former headmaster's face which alarmed him. He had expected to see a triumphant look on his face or Dumbledore frowning, or looking curious, or confused or maybe even angry but instead, from the lack of twinkle in his eyes and his sagged shoulders, there was only one word to describe the Hogwarts Headmaster's expression.

Resigned.

Dumbledore conjured up a goblet in his hand as he turned around to smile at Snape and Lily.

"Professor?" Lily said as she pointed to the cup. "What is that for?"

"This, my dear Miss Evans, is the only way to retrieve the locket. I know that both of you are excellent at Potions so can either of you tell me what the green liquid is?"

Snape, who had witnessed the potion before, shook his head while Lily frowned deeply before shaking her head as well.

"That, my dears, is the Drink of Despair. A powerful charm lies upon the potion that prevents anyone from retrieving the locket by any means with the exception of drinking it. By now, you both must have wondered why Voldemort would even allow a wizard to pass safely through the Inferi towards his prized possession. It is merely due to the fact that Voldemort intends to know who his intruder is. This curiosity, however, does not lessen his evil as the Drink of Despair will force the person to fall into a weakened state, one that would probably incapacitate him."

"Dumbledore!" Snape gasped as Lily stared at Albus in horror. "Let me take the potion instead!"

Dumbledore shook his head as he smiled towards Severus Snape. He had recalled the young boy in his first year, the angry, hate-filled child who wouldn't stand up for others. How far had Severus come in such a short time? The man before him was a true Gryffindor, one willing to sacrifice his own life for the betterment of others.

Oh Severus, if only you knew what was coming

"No, Severus," Dumbledore said before his tone dropped into a low, serious whisper. Dumbledore removed two objects from his cloak and handed them to the pair. The first was the Sword of Gryffindor which had now reverted to its normal size which he handed to Lily. The second was a curious item, one which Snape had seen before. The Deluminator! Snape thought as Dumbledore handed it over to him. He had seen it Dumbledore use it once, to remove the lights from lamps.

"Sir?" Severus said as Dumbledore raised his hand, indicating that no one should interrupt him.

"Use it when things seem their darkest, Severus. You will know when. Now to both of you, listen to me. Now when I consume this liquid, there is a strong possibility that I will reach a state that I will ask you to stop me due to pain or delusion. I want you to ignore this. You will continue to force me to consume the liquid until the locket can be retrieved. Under no circumstances, do you do anything else, is that clear?"

"Yes, Sir." Both Snape and Lily said in unison.

"Thank you. My dear Severus and Lily, please forgive an old man for what is about to happen. You may not understand these words right now but just know this… it was the only way." Dumbledore sighed as Snape and Lily exchanged alarming looks. Dumbledore stood to his feet as he placed the goblet on the liquid, bypassing its protective enchantments. With a scoop of the green liquid, Dumbledore raised the goblet. "Your good health," Dumbledore said before draining the first goblet.

The first few drinks seemed to have no effect on Dumbledore as Snape and Lily exchange nervous look. On his fourth drink, however, Dumbledore gave a frown as his eyes remained closed, almost as if he was trying to fight the pain. For a moment, Dumbledore appeared to be fine. Then, all of a sudden, Snape watched as Dumbledore staggered before falling forward against the basin, his breathing heavy.

"Professor Dumbledore?" Snape called out, his voice strained. "Can you hear me?"

Dumbledore did not answer. Instead, his face was twitching as though he was deeply asleep, but dreaming a horrible dream. His grip on the goblet was slackening; the potion was about to spill from it. Lily reached forward and grasped the crystal cup, holding it steady. "Professor, can you hear me?" she repeated loudly, her voice echoing around the cavern.

For a moment, it seemed that no answer would escape his lips. Then, Snape and Lily watched as their former headmaster panted out loud before speaking in a strange voice, almost as if something had greatly frightened him.

"I don't want. . . Don't make me ..."

Snape stared into the whitened face he knew so well, at the crooked nose and half-moon spectacles, and did not know what to do. ". . . don't like . . . want to stop . . ." moaned Dumbledore.

"You can't stop, Professor," Snape said as he stared at Lily who looked in distress. "You've got to keep drinking, remember? You told us you had to keep drinking. Here . . ."

Hating himself, repulsed by what he was doing, Snape forced the goblet back toward Dumbledore's mouth and tipped it, so that Dumbledore drank the remainder of the potion inside. "No ..." he groaned, as Snape lowered the goblet back into the basin and refilled it for him. "I don't want to. ... I don't want to. . . . Let me go. . . ."

"Snape, stop," Lily begged as Snape shook his head, his resolve remaining firm

"It's all right, Professor," said Snape, his hand shaking. "It's all right, I'm here —"

"Make it stop, make it stop," moaned Dumbledore.

"Yes... yes, this'll make it stop," Snape said as he cursed himself for lying. He tipped the contents of the goblet into Dumbledore's open mouth. Dumbledore screamed; the noise echoed all around the vast chamber, across the dead black water

. "NOOOO! I can't! I can't! Don't make me, please. PLEASE! I don't warn to. . . ." Dumbledore pleaded as tears dripped down his face. Snape hated himself at that moment, his resolve weakening as he held the goblet in his hands.

"It's all right, Professor. Everything is going to be all right.

Snape looked towards Lily who was now whispering as she stroked Dumbledore's head. "Shhhh" Lily whispered as she motioned for Snape to take another gobletful. With his trembling hands, Snape scooped up yet another goblet of potion as his heart brightened slightly at the sight that the basin was now half empty.

"Nothing's happening to you, you're safe, it isn't real, I swear it isn't real — take this, now, take this..." Lily whispered as she took the goblet from Snape and pressed it onto Dumbledore's lips. Dumbledore consumed the liquid obediently though upon finishing it, sank to his knees while he shook uncontrollably. "It's all my fault, all my fault," he sobbed. "Please make it stop, I know I did wrong, oh please make it stop and I'll never, never again ..."

"If you want it to stop, Professor, you have to drink." Lily cried though her voice was cracking as she tipped the seventh glass of potion into Dumbledore's mouth. Dumbledore began to cower as though invisible torturers surrounded him; his flailing hand almost knocked the refilled goblet from Snape's trembling hands as Dumbledore continued to moan each time they handed him the goblet.

"Don't hurt them, don't hurt them, please, please, it's my fault, hurt me instead ..."

"It's okay, Professor, keep drinking."

"Please, please, please, no ... not that, not that, I'll do anything ..."

"Just drink, Professor, just drink . . ."

. "No more, please, no more ..."

"We're nearly there, Professor. Drink this, drink it. ..."

"KILL ME!"

"It'll be over ... all over!" Dumbledore gulped at the final goblet scoop, drained every last drop, and then, with a great, rattling gasp, rolled over onto his face.

"No!" shouted Snape and Lily, who dropped to their knees. Dumbledore's glasses were askew, his mouth agape, his eyes closed. "No." Lily said, shaking Dumbledore, "no, you're not dead, you said it wasn't poison, wake up, wake up!" Lily screamed as Snape pointed his wand towards the wizard, casting spells. For a few long seconds, Snape feared the worst. Suddenly, he could see Dumbledore's eyelids beginning to flutter as a soft croak escaped his lips.

"Water," croaked Dumbledore. "Water,"

" Aguamenti!" Lily shouted, jabbing the goblet with her wand. The goblet filled with clear water but as soon as she brought it to Dumbledore's lips, the goblet was empty.

"Snape, what's happening?!" Lily cried as Snape stared in shock at the disappearing water.

"It must be the potion or some sort of enchantment, Lily. Water from the wand can't touch his lips." Snape said as he looked around. There was nothing in sight except for the lake, surrounding the island on all sides. His brain whirling in panic, Snape flung himself over to the edge of the rock and plunged the goblet into the lake, bringing it up full to the brim of icy water. Snape and Lily gave a cry of relief as the water did not disappear but instead allowed itself to enter Dumbledore's lips.

Snape reached towards the lake once more, ready to take another goblet when out of its depths, a slimy white hand had gripped his wrist. The surface of the lake was no longer mirror-smooth; it was churning, and everywhere Snape looked, white heads and hands were emerging from the dark water, men and women and children with sunken, sightless eyes were moving toward the rock: an army of the dead rising from the black water.

"Lily!" Snape cried as he wrenched his hand away. The pair of them stood over Dumbledore throwing spell after spell towards the Inferi, who seemed unfazed as they moved closer towards the group.

"Remember what Dumbledore said!" Lily called out as a blaze of flames emerged from her wand. Snape nodded as he did the same, both of them firing out as many flames as they possibly could. The Inferi cowered from the flames with many burning in the process. Yet the overwhelming and sheer size of their numbers were slowly weakening Snape's and Lily efforts as both of them felt tired and strained, their spells not being able to match up to the strength of the enemy.

All of the sudden within the darkness of the cavern, a fire erupted: crimson and gold, a ring of fire that surrounded the rock so trio, its blazing heat so hot that the Inferi merely hissed but did not dare pass through the flames. The Inferi dropped back, retreating into the sanctuary of the lake as Snape turned to see a woken Dumbledore, leaning on the basin; his wand rose like a torch and from its tip emanated the flames, like a vast lasso, encircling them all with warmth. The Inferi bumped into each other, attempting, blindly, to escape the fire in which they were enclosed and Dumbledore did not stop until they were all gone. With none of them in sight, Dumbledore reached into the stone basin and scooped out the locket from its bottom.

Without a word, Dumbledore threw the locket onto the rocky surface before whispering some ancient words. Snape watched in awe as the locket started to crack on both its sides though it still remained.

"Lily, now," Dumbledore spoke as Lily raised the sword before slamming its end onto the locket. The locket released a loud screech as black smoke started to rise in the air until finally, the locket stopped screaming as it broke into a thousand pieces, its remnants scattered throughout the rocky surface.

"You did it!" Snape cheered as he and Lily shared a hug. Dumbledore laughed at the pair before letting out a groan, causing both Snape and Lily to stop their celebrations midway to tend to the wizard.

"I'm fine," Dumbledore said as he gave Lily a reassuring smile. As Lily and Dumbledore exchanged words, Snape felt a vibration in his pants. Reaching inside, Snape pulled out a Galleon, the same one he used to communicate with Regulus. The message on the coin baffled Snape as he cleared his throat to face Dumbledore.

"Sir, I've received a message from Regulus," Snape said. "He mentions that Voldemort just requested for a house-elf and has left the manor."

"A house-elf." Lily cried as she scratched her head. "What in Merlin's name does Voldemort need an elf for? I don't suppose it's to do chores."

"Dumbledore, what's wrong?" Snape asked as Dumbledore had a strange expression on his face, his eyes locked towards the edge of the lake where the darkness seemed to be more intimidating than it usually was.

"He's coming," Dumbledore whispered, his lips trembling as Snape and Lily stared at him in terror.

…

Alice walked out of the Three Broomsticks, the raucous atmosphere of the pub proving too much for her. She had all sorts of thoughts running through her head, all of them focusing on a black-haired wizard with grey eyes. Alice smiled as she thought of what had happened inside Hagrid's Hut. She had never done that before, not even with Frank. It was strange when Alice thought of the first time she had properly spoken to Snape, that such a thought had never even existed. Alice did feel a moment of guilt while thinking of Mary but she knew, in her heart, that her late best friend would have wanted her to be happy. As Alice rubbed her hands, trying to protect it from the cold winds, she wished Dorcas would be here right now but her female best friend was staying with Remus at the Shrieking Shack, keeping an eye on the werewolf. She peered through the glass window of the pub, seeing Sirius and Peter laughing as they traded quips on how the Quidditch match went. Alice wondered where Frank had gotten off to when she felt a tap on her right shoulder.

"Too noisy inside, huh?" Frank spoke as Alice turned to face him. He had a nervous look on his face, one which made Alice feel uneasy.

"Yeah," Alice spoke in a high-pitched voice as she smiled at him. "Just needed some time to collect my thoughts."

"Congrats on Penelope being an aunt," Frank exclaimed as he scratched the back of his head. "I'm glad things are working out for her."

"Yeah, it is, isn't it?" Alice sighed as she stared into the brown eyes of her ex-boyfriend. Despite their relationship ending, Alice always wanted to remain friends with Frank even though she knew how difficult it would be. The war, despite its horrors, had come as a silver lining to them both, providing both of them with a distraction. Then again, it also meant that Alice and Frank had to stay with each other despite both needing to spend some distance apart in order to heal. Her thoughts of Snape only fuelled her guilt as Alice wondered if she should tell Frank about what happened.

"How's your mother?" Alice said as she cursed herself for being mentally weak. Frank looked at her in surprise before smiling.

"She's doing okay. She misses you, though."

"Really?" Alice said incredulously as Frank gave a laugh.

"Really. I know that Mother can be a handful but the truth is, she's a strong woman and she respects a strong woman like yourself."

"I think your mother hated me because I was stealing away her son," Alice said as Frank shook his head.

"I'm done letting my mother tell me what to do. She can't tell me how to feel." Frank said as he took a step closer to Alice. Alice felt herself being more uncomfortable by the second. Trying to play it cool, Alice stuffed her hands around her cloak before pulling out what she thought was her wand only to see a hyacinth flower in her hand. She had charmed it so that the petals did not break or wilt nor did the flower see damage in any way. Frank raised his eyebrows as he stared at the flower.

"Where did you get that?"

"Oh," Alice said, before deciding not to lie. "Sev gave it to me."

Frank's face considerably darkened as he stuffed his hands into his coat. "Oh."

"Yeah," Alice said as she gave Frank an apologetic look. "Frank…"

"Are you two… you know…" Frank asked as he glared at her.

"I don't know," Alice replied hastily. "We never spoke about it." as Frank's face turned a bright red.

"No, you just shag on a daily basis, don't you?!" Frank spat. "Were you shagging him behind my back?"

"Frank!" Alice snapped. "Do you think I'm that kind of girl?!"

"I don't know, Alice!" Frank cried as he raised his hands in the air. "Can you blame me for being angry? You and Snape always had your get-togethers in secret! Talking and sharing things with each other that you won't share with me and you blame me for being jealous?!"

"I share things with you too that I don't share with him!" Alice cried hotly. "You're the one that became so possessive! So clingy!"

"Well, if your girlfriend starts spending more time with a guy than you, can you really fault me?! Especially when it turns out to be true!"

"You don't know what you're talking about!"

"Oh please," Frank replied icily as he scowled at her. "You made me feel like I was special and then, all of a sudden, you fall for some guy with a sob story that you can relate. You know what? I don't actually hate Snape but the guy stole my girlfriend from me and he has the gall to be upset when Lily fell for James?"

"He didn't steal me away from you." Alice cried. "I chose him, Frank! If you're going to blame someone, blame me!"

"Oh, I do!" Frank roared as people on the street gave them questionable looks. One glare from Frank got them to scatter before he turned his attention back to Alice. "You think I want to be around you and him, right now? I would rather much just get away from the pair of you so you can go about snogging all you want!"

"Then go! No one is asking you to stay!" Alice snapped though her eyes became teary.

"I can't do that to James!" Frank cried as he glared back at her though Alice could see his eyes were shimmering as well. "I'm not going to turn my back on the war just because my heart is broken!"

"I'm….I'm sorry, Frank," Alice whispered as she took a step towards him, only for Frank to pull away.

"Yeah, me too," Frank whispered as he looked back at Alice, his expression softening as the anger ebbed away, leaving behind only sadness. Alice could feel the guilt rising in her chest as Frank wiped away his tears.

"Tell me." Frank sniffed as he stared at her with red, wet eyes. "Did you fall for him before we broke up or after?"

Alice gave a whimper as she came to a loss for words. She wished, beyond anything, to tell Frank that she did fall for Snape after they broke up but she knew, deep down, that it wasn't true. All those times Penelope had told her how painful the truth can be and only now did she realise how true the saying was. Alice heaved a sigh as she took another step forward only for Frank to take another step back.

"I still remember that night, you know," Frank said as Alice stared at him. "That night when Mary died. I remember how painful it was, thinking you had died for Snape, sacrificing yourself stupidly like that. I thought nothing could ever hurt as much. Guess I was wrong." Frank said as he turned around, walking away from the pub.

"Frank, where are you going?!" Alice called out as she took another step, intending to follow him only for Frank to raise his hand.

"I need some time to be alone," Frank whispered as he walked into the night. As Alice watched him depart, she felt herself bursting into tears as she hugged herself tightly. The cold winds were piercing her cheeks as she felt sharp pangs of pain on her face but Alice didn't care. Nothing could hurt as much as her heart did. As Alice collapsed on a bench with her head buried in her hands, she failed to see the hyacinth flower jutting out from her pocket, the petals appearing to be more purplish than blue.

….

"Quickly, get to that corner and hide underneath the Cloak," Dumbledore spoke as he pointed to a far end of the tiny rock island. Snape and Lily looked ready to protest, only for Dumbledore to whisper in his most commanding voice. "Do as I say!"

Nodding his head, Snape and Lily threw the cloak over themselves as they crawled to the far end of the rock. Even through the darkness, Snape could make out a large pile of black smoke floating towards them.

"Whatever you do or whatever you see, do not reveal yourselves in any way. I'm so sorry." Dumbledore said as he stood to his feet, ready to face the horror that was coming their way. Snape silently cast a Silencing Charm inside the cloak as he could feel Lily hands grabbing him tightly. The smoke soon reached the island as it gave way to reveal Lord Voldemort and a frightened, ancient-looking elf. The blood red eyes of Voldemort gleamed dangerously as his reptilian and waxy appearance looked far more intimidating in the darkness of the cave. Snape saw as Voldemort approached Dumbledore cautiously, his wand sticking out from under his hand.

"Dumbledore…" Voldemort whispered as Kreacher whimpered, the house-elf inching further away from the pair.

"Tom." Dumbledore cried weakly as he held his wand. Voldemort's eyes darted towards the goblet on the floor before turning towards Dumbledore, his face holding a malicious sneer.

"I should have known. If anyone could have discovered my secret, it would be you."

"Your ego blinds you from the truth, Tom."

"That's not my name!" Voldemort spat as Dumbledore shook his head.

"I'm not calling you by that. You are no lord, just a frightened boy who succumbed to the Dark Arts."

"Frightened, eh?" Voldemort whispered dangerously as Dumbledore nodded his head.

"Yes. Isn't that why you made these?" Dumbledore cried as he revealed the destroyed locket, its image causing the Dark Lord to recoil in anger. "Of all the foolish things that you've done, splitting your soul does take the cake," Dumbledore replied as he revealed his blackened hand, slipping the ring off his finger. "Seven times, no less."

Snape could see that Voldemort was ready to snap, his wrath imminent as Snape gazed into his hateful eyes. Yet the sight of Dumbledore's blackened hand seemed to have softened the Dark Lord, who instead of cursing, let out a malicious laugh.

"You are dying, old man. You fell for my curses and you call me foolish?!"

"I'm not the one who's afraid of death," Dumbledore replied, his tone rising as he stood tall, though Snape could see that his legs were trembling. "How ironic is it that the most powerful Dark wizard to ever exist is afraid of something so common and simple as death? Even your followers are braver than you, each willing to risk their lives for your cause and how do you reward them? By making them all fear you."

"Fear is a much better thing to have than respect, you Muggle-loving simpleton." Voldemort drawled. "You wish you could have walked in my shoes, Dumbledore. You wish you could have conquered death."

"And what makes you think that I didn't?" Dumbledore said as Voldemort, Snape, and Lily stared at the old wizard in surprise. "You think you were the only one? I too sought a way to conquer Death but I never had to demean myself by splitting my soul. There are far worse things than death in this world, Tom. Something you ought to have learnt."

"Enough!" Voldemort said as he pointed his wand, blasting a spell towards Dumbledore who deflected it easily.

"No!" Dumbledore roared as Snape watched the Dark Lord cower slightly. Snape stared at Albus, whose blue eyes no longer twinkled but instead was filled with rage. Every inch of his wrinkles, ever line on his face, contorted to give Dumbledore a truly terrifying visage.

"You are nothing more than a vile coward, Tom! You kill the innocent and the guilty without any regard, your spells and your followers having taken the blood of Muggles and wizards alike! I should have seen it earlier, how truly weak you were, having to consort to Dark Magic just to make your ego feel better! There are days when I wished I had left you in that orphanage, the one place where you would have withered away instead of casting your evil upon us all. You are nothing but a witless, miserable coward!"

"HOW DARE YOU?!" Voldemort roared in anger, his rage causing Lily to press herself closer to Snape. "Perhaps you won't be so cocky after I kill you, old man."

Dumbledore gave a derisive laugh as Voldemort gawked at the older wizard. He's gone mad Voldemort thought as his eyes darted to the stone basin.

"You wish you could kill me but I will never give you the satisfaction of it, Tom," Dumbledore replied as Snape's and Lily's eyes began to widen. "There had to be a reason, isn't there for you never to have called me out to duel? You claim to be the most powerful wizard in the world and yet, you never even dared to come to where I was, challenge me to a fight like an honourable wizard would. Instead, you skulk away like a coward because you know, deep down, you could never defeat me."

Voldemort felt his anger starting to boil over. "Only because I'm not an imbecile Gryffindor like you are, Albus! I'm the Heir of Salazar Slytherin himself! Do you think I'm afraid of you? YOU?! The saviour of Mudbloods and Mudblood lovers?! I am a king and a lord while you're nothing more than a pathetic headmaster."

"Your taunts mean nothing to me, Tom," Dumbledore replied. " You're not even the most powerful Dark Wizard there was."

"Grindelwald?!" Voldemort cried in anger. "You're comparing me to Grindelwald."

"An insult to Gellert, so he tells me," Dumbledore said. "At least he had ambition, ideas to be executed. Gellert was on the run at the same age, having defeated many opponents, whereas you were a Head Boy. You could have done outstanding things in your life, even becoming Minister For Magic one day but instead, you balked at such dreams, wishing nothing more than to throw yourself into Dark magic all because you were afraid to die. Gellert, despite his evil, had followers that believed in him, worshipped him, and listened to him but you? You make them fear you, hiding behind the delusion that you want purebloods to rule over the muggles which we both know has never been your true intention. You are the simpleton, Tom, wanting nothing more than to have power."

"And yet you defeated Grindelwald that year I became Head Boy, did you not?" Voldemort snapped as he felt the sting of Dumbledore's words. "All that power and Gellert loses to the likes of you because he chose to duel you in combat. But I was more cunning, more resourceful. I bided my time like a True Slytherin, growing stronger and weakening you until you make a mistake and you did. How is it, an all-powerful wizard like yourself could fall for putting on the ring? I've overestimated you, Dumbledore and now, you finally die underneath my wand."

"Hasn't a single thing I've spoken pierced through that thick skull of yours, Tom?" Dumbledore spoke as Voldemort turned his attention back to him. "You think death frightens me as it does you? I am ready to die, Tom, for many years now. The only thing preventing me from doing so earlier was you. But not anymore. He is coming."

"Who is?!" Voldemort snapped, his curiosity overwhelming his anger. "Who is coming?"

"The wizard who will defeat you."

"Lies!" Voldemort cried as Dumbledore shook his head.

"No, Tom. Soon, there will be born a wizard, far more powerful than you or I. And when he comes, he will have a power that you know not. And the last thing you will see as he defeats you will be just how all of it, everything you've done since you first stepped into Hogwarts, was all for nothing. When there is light, the darkness retreats."

Voldemort tried to compose himself as he considered the words of Dumbledore. No doubt, the old man had some skills but Divination had never been one of them. Could it be true? Could there be someone who will come to defeat him?

I must destroy this so-called powerful wizard! Voldemort thought as he concentrated his wand back at Dumbledore. To his surprise, Dumbledore lowered his wand, his expression softening as he stared sadly back at Tom.

"Before I die, Tom, I do have one last thing to say to you." Dumbledore sighed as Voldemort stared at Dumbledore, astonished by the expression on his face. Despite his disgust for Dumbledore, it shocked him that the most powerful wizard since Merlin himself didn't seem to want to put up a fight.

"I'm sorry,"

What?!

"Forgive for an old man." Dumbledore sighed. " You never stood a chance, having been born underneath a Love Potion concocted by your mother to seduce your father. Your heart is devoid of love and so you filled it with hate. Perhaps if I had paid more attention to you at Hogwarts, none of this would have happened. But it has and now others will have to pay the price for my mistake. Maybe you are capable of remorse, Tom. It would give you the strength to which you are lacking."

How dare he?! Voldemort thought as he glared daggers at Dumbledore with blazing red eyes. I do not need your pity, old man! I am LORD VOLDEMORT!

"Enough of this," Voldemort said as he aimed the wand at Dumbledore while staring at the destroyed locket and ring. "Pick up your wand, old man. I will give you the fight you so badly desire."

Dumbledore gave a laugh before staring at Kreacher with sad eyes. Snape could almost see Dumbledore's lips moving, eliciting a wordless apology as he kicked the wand towards Voldemort.

"You can have my wand. My dear Tom," Dumbledore said as he reached into his cloak. "Did you honestly think I would allow you to make a Horcrux out of me?"

A flash of silver, a burst of red and Lily nearly screaming in horror only for Snape to stifle her voice with his hand, thankful for his Silencing Charm. Voldemort and Kreacher stared in shock as the knife Dumbledore had pulled out was now in his chest, blood spurting out from the wound. The old wizard turned around as he gave the invisible pair a smile before collapsing on the ground, a smile on his lips as life disappeared from his eyes.

Dumbledore, no! Snape thought, horrified by what he had just witnessed. Lily had turned her head away from the scene, burying herself onto Snape's chest as she sobbed. Snape could see the shock disappearing away from Voldemort's expression as the wrinkles on his reptilian and waxy countenance turned into one of anger.

A bright flash of green light. And Kreacher fell to the ground, his glassy orb-like eyes staring in shock as the dead elf rolled towards the edge of the tiny rock-like island.

Voldemort let out a piercing howl, his scream of anger echoing around the walls of the cavern. Snape watched, his body frozen in fear, as Voldemort advanced towards Dumbledore, his face contorted into one of fury and disgust as he pointed his wand at the wizard but not before removing the ring. Levitating the dead corpse of Albus Dumbledore, Voldemort threw him into the Black Lake and watched as the corpse disappeared amongst the waves of waters and Inferi while it sunk to its depths. Voldemort then reached for the Dumbledore's wand, that had been abandoned on the ground before staring at it with an evil glint in his eyes.

"Who else did you tell my secret too, old man?" Voldemort spoke dangerously before glancing about the rock. Snape saw Voldemort locking eyes with him as Lily shut hers, not wanting to see the snake-like red eyes of Voldemort glaring at them. For a moment, Snape thought that Voldemort had seen them as he took steps towards them, only for him to bend down and pick up the destroyed locket from the ground. Black smoke started to form around the wizard as the smoke began to spread bat-like wings before flying away from the island.

Snape and Lily huddled together, neither moving a muscle for a good five minutes before Snape decided to pull the Cloak off. Determining that they were alone, Snape stood to his feet as Lily burst into tears. Snape collapsed next to the stone basin, his tears flowing down his face as he contemplated what just happened. Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard alive and the only one Voldemort feared, was dead. The war is over, Voldemort had won.

"What do we do?" Lily croaked as Snape moved towards her, pulling her close to his chest. He looked around and was relieved to see the boat, still floating next to the island. If anything, they still had a way out.

"We should leave," Snape said as he stared at the dead body of Kreacher, leaning close to the surface of the water. Snape wondered if he could bring the elf onto the boat when Lily stood to her feet, her face holding an expression of fear.

"Severus, Voldemort knows that his Horcruxes are being destroyed!" Lily cried.

"Yes, he does. He'll probably go and make more as soon as he can." Snape sighed as Lily grabbed his arm, shaking her head furiously.

"That's not what I mean. I mean, if Voldemort knows his Horcruxes are being destroyed, he would want to check on them as soon as possible. He knows the ring and locket are gone, the diary is safe at the manor. He might want to check on the cup first if we're lucky but once he has done that, there's only one other Horcrux he will go for."

Snape felt his throat go dry as his eyes widened in realisation. "He's going to Hogwarts! We have to warn the others." Snape said as he reached into his pocket to pull out a Galleon. Typing a message away furiously, Snape watched as the Galleon glowed before sending the message.

"Come, Lily," Snape said as he pulled Lily towards the boat. "We need to get to Hogwarts as soon as possible."

"Sev…" Lily whispered as she stood rooted to the spot. Snape looked to where she was pointing, the spot where Kreacher's body had been but was now no longer in sight. Before Snape could ask Lily, he could hear growling sounds coming from the surface of the lake as white, skeletal hands and faces emerged from the water.

…..

"STUPEFY!"

"EXPILLIARMUS!"

"PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!"

Moody felt his body snapped together as his wand dropped away from him. Frozen, Moody felt himself topple to the ground, his lips barely moving due to the charm cast on him. A delighted James stood proudly over Moody as he gave a laugh.

"Hah! Finally!" James said with a triumphant look on his face as Moody managed to move his fingers, his magic forcing the charm's power to ebb slowly away. "Looks like I finally won."

"You made a mistake, kid."

"Oh, and what's that?" James said as he leaned over the wizard. Moody's eyes turned to his wand, to which James snatched off the ground and pointed both wands at him.

"Never gloat," Moody said before grinning at James. A powerful charm blasted James away as Moody used his spare wand to remove the charm. James groaned as Moody helped him to his feet, his hazel eyes glaring at Moody.

"You cheated! You had another wand!"

"I won because you were cocky!" Moody growled as he handed James back his wand. "You came close to your enemy without assessing him properly or finishing the job. Not to mention, you were also arrogant."

"I thought you could only use one wand," James replied, clearly disgruntled at the older wizard.

"All wizards have one true wand, kid, that is true," Moody exclaimed as he straightened his robes. "But that doesn't mean that a spare wand can't work. I use it all the time, especially with cocky, arrogant opponents who think they can get one over me."

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

Moody watched as his wand floated onto James's hand, a smile etched on his lips as James smirked at him. Before either wizard could speak, the sounds of distant screams pierced through the night. James and Moody cast their eyes to the village of Hogsmeade in the distance, where to their horror, they could see the Dark Mark floating high in the sky.

"Death Eaters," Moody growled as he raised his wand, ready to Apparate. "Class is over. Stay here, kid."

"Like hell I will!" James cried in anger as he glared at Moody. "My friends are there! I have to go help them."

"Help is on the way," Moody said. "I've already informed the Order and the Aurors. They are coming." Moody replied as he raised his Galleon. Staring at the Galleon, James realised that he had dropped his while duelling with Moody. Summoning the Galleon to his hand, James cried in shock.

"Voldemort is coming to Hogwarts."

"What? How?" Moody asked as James pocketed the Galleon, remembering how he promised Dumbledore that only the DA would know of the Horcruxes.

"Sev told me. He was with Dumbledore and…"

"And what, kid?" Moody said as James's eyes began to tear. "What are you on, about?!"

"Dumbledore is dead," James replied as he could see Moody staring at him in shock. "Voldemort killed him and now he's on his way to Hogwarts." Though Severus never told them in the message how Dumbledore had died, James assumed it must be so.

Moody grabbed James by his collar, shaking the young wizard furiously. "How do you know this?! Don't you say stuff like that, boy!"

"IT'S TRUE!" James roared back as he pulled his cloak away, his eyes glistening in tears. "Sev told me. Dumbledore was killed on a mission."

"What mission?"

"I can't say. Dumbledore promised me too."

Moody looked as if he was about to burst a blood vessel, his face turning purple. Yet the seemingly inevitable yell never came as James watched the colour disappear from Moody's face, only to be replaced by sadness.

" That stubborn git." Moody sighed before running his fingers through his hair. "Well, kid, if that's true then you won't be helping anyone by getting in our way."

"But my friends – "

"Will be okay," Moody replied. "I will have someone get them and bring them here. But you must stay here, James."

"I can't," James replied in a pleading voice as he grabbed Moody's arm. "These are my friends, my family. I can't just stay away."

"You have to." Moody sighed. "It was what I promised Dumbledore. That your safety would be my utmost priority. I promise I will explain to you why it is so important that you stay here but you need to trust me now. Like a true leader. Trust me and wait here, I will bring your friends."

James looked ready to protest until the most unexpected thing happened. Moody took a step forward and gave James a hug, causing the young wizard to freeze in shock. Though he did not know it, Moody was in mourning. His friend, Albus, had just died and Moody still recalled his friend's words to him earlier in the day, spoken between the pair as they trained James.

Whatever happens, make sure James is safe. Make sure you train him as I ask.

But why, Dumbledore?

Just trust me. The boy has a mission.

Moody shook off any tears that threatened to come down as he composed himself. If there was just one person in the world that the paranoid Auror trusted beyond measure, it was Albus Dumbledore.

"I will bring your friends here once I find them. Whatever mission Dumbledore might have given you, it must be very important. Just stay here and I promise you, your friends will be alright." Moody released James from his hug as he stood a few feet away. He could see that James was reluctant to stay put but the young wizard did as he was told.

"Stay sharp, Potter. And oh, one final lesson." Moody said as he held the Galleon that he had pinched from James's pocket. "Constant vigilance."

"Son of a – "

….

Screams filled the air as Alice watched in terror as dozens of Death Eaters emerged from black smoke, blasting curses all around the place. She aimed a hex towards a couple of them, blasting them back as Sirius yelled for her to take refuge in an alley next to her while he fought back another Death Eater who had taken Madam Rosmerta hostage. A well-aimed jinx later and Rosmerta was safe, thanking Sirius before screaming for people to take refuge in her pub as she and a couple of wizards continued to hit the Death Eaters with spells.

"Help!" cried the voice of Peter as Alice turned to see him dancing about as a Death Eater witch cackled as she played around with him. Before Alice could cast a spell, however, the witch was blasted back as cheers were heard all around Hogsmeade. Alice turned to see a group of Aurors advancing as they did battle with the Death Eaters. Not wanting to get in the crossfire, Alice helped Peter to his feet as they stumbled into the alley where Sirius was waiting.

"Where's Frank?" Sirius asked as he flinched from the wounds on his hand.

"I don't know!" Alice said as she whirled about desperately, her guilt and fear gnawing away at her. "He said he wanted to go for a walk, I don't know where he is!"

"I'm here!" came a voice as the trio spotted Frank entering the alley. Alice could see that his head was wounded as she rushed towards him, throwing her arms around the Hufflepuff.

"Frank!" Alice wept as Frank held her tight before Sirius motioned them towards the dustbins which offered a safer hiding place, deep inside the alley.

"It's okay, Alice. The idiot hardly grazed me." Frank said as he touched the cut on the right side of his head. Alice opened her mouth, wanting to apologise before Frank shook his head, nodding towards Sirius and Peter. This wasn't the moment to talk about it, Alice knew as she turned to the group.

"So he's coming to Hogwarts," Peter whispered as Sirius glared at his Galleon.

"Dorcas and James aren't answering. I've sent a message to Sev and Lily but they haven't responded either."

"And Dumbledore is dead," Peter spoke in a low whisper as the news finally settled on the group. Alice could feel the sense of despair as Frank lowered his head while Peter shed a few tears. Sirius, on the other hand, punched his fist against the wall.

"Guys, we need to focus," Alice said, trembling as Sirius and the other boys nodded their heads.

"Okay, first, we need to meet up with Dorcas and Remus," Sirius said, taking charge. "If Voldemort is headed to Hogwarts, he could try to Apparate to the Shrieking Shack."

"Merlin!" Frank cried.

"If Voldemort is there, they're both as good as dead," Peter said as Alice gasped.

"Don't say that, Peter!"

"Then why isn't she answering?!" Peter cried back, his tone filled with anguish.

"That's not helping, Peter!" Sirius snapped. "We need to focus! I say we make our way to the Shrieking Shack, see if we can find her and Remus. James told us he was going training at the lake with Moody, remember?" Sirius said as he held up his Galleon. "So he should be safe by now. If I have to guess, I say James probably dropped his Galleon while taking on Death Eaters with Moody."

"So let's go find Dorcas now!" Alice said as the group nodded in agreement. Making their way out of the alley and through the raging battles that were taking place in the village of Hogsmeade, the four managed to enter the Forbidden Forest as they quickly made their way to the Shack.

"Guys, what is Voldemort going to do if he finds out we destroyed the Horcrux?" Peter said as the group ran through the trees, their wands ever ready to fire any curses. Though none of them responded, Alice could feel the sense of uneasiness creep over the group. Alice would have never dreamt that it was possible considering that Lord Voldemort was already a ruthless, cruel tyrant but now, with the death of Dumbledore and the fact that someone was out to kill him, it seemed that the Darkest wizard of all time had just become even more dangerous.

….

Dorcas could not move her arms or legs as she laid, propped on the wall while Remus, now in werewolf form, growled viciously in a corner. Remus was being kept at bay by a spell although that did not stop the werewolf from trying to claw and rip the wizard who cast it. Dorcas's eyes shifted to the centre of the room, where Lord Voldemort sat on a chair, his red eyes glaring at Remus. Beside him, were a bunch of Death Eaters, most of whom she could recognise. Rodolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange were next to him, each smirking and grinning at the sight of Remus. In front of them stood Antonin Dolohov, who stood silent. There were others in the room, including a familiar face. Dorcas' eyes landed on Regulus Black. Black to his credit, looked away from Remus as he stared with pained eyes at Dorcas.

A loud crack was heard as out came Igor Karkaroff, a professor at Drumstrang according to some chatter in the room. His appearance caused the entire room to go silent as Igor cowered in front of the Dark Lord.

"The attack is going as you requested, my Lord. But the Aurors and the Order have come. We have kept them at bay for now"

Lord Voldemort ignored his servant as he turned to the Lestranges. "Is it safe?"

"Yes, my Lord," Rodolphus spoke. "Rabastan and Travers are there right now."

"Good," Voldemort whispered as he stood to his feet. "And Lucius is at the Manor. Dolohov, Bellatrix, Rodolphus, you will follow me into Hogwarts. The rest of you, clear us a path."

"What about this one, My Lord?" Bellatrix cackled as she pointed her wand at Dorcas. "Shouldn't we kill the half-breed lover?"

Lord Voldemort walked over to Dorcas, who was trembling in fear. He had taken the pair by surprise, appearing in front of her as she watched Remus doze off. A spell later and Dorcas found herself frozen while Remus, growling from the appearance of the Dark Lord, tried to attack him only to fall to his wand as well. She snuck a glance at Remus, staring into the werewolf's eyes. Even though Remus appeared crazed, Dorcas could swear she could see the sadness in his pupils staring back at her. Out of the corner of her eye, Dorcas could see Regulus who had searched her upon his arrival, removing the two Galleons from her pockets. She had begged him to send a message though Regulus shook his head as he stowed the Galleons into his cloak.

"What is your name?" Voldemort said as she felt the curse lift from her lips.

"Dorcas Meadows."

"And what is your relationship to this beast?" Voldemort asked in a mocking whisper as the other Death Eaters sniggered in response.

"He's my…boyfriend." Dorcas cried proudly. If this was to be her last moments, she refused to give them any satisfaction! "Let him go," Dorcas said. "He's done nothing to you."

Voldemort stared at Remus, his face contorted with disgust as Remus snarled in response.

"You see? The problem with our world right now? Witches consorting together with disgusting breeds, all because of that arrogant, Mudblood-loving wizard? But the days of Albus Dumbledore ruining and destroying our world is over! I have defeated the so-called most powerful wizard of our time since Merlin himself! Was there ever any doubt?"

Murmurs of "No" were heard all around the shack as Bellatrix dropped to her knees, kissing the floor in front of Voldemort.

"Yet the idiot dare call me a coward?! He said that I was too afraid to show my powers! That I, Lord Voldemort, heir to Salazar himself, was nothing more than a power-hungry monster? Well, I guess perhaps it's time the wizarding world had a demonstration of my powers. I, Lord Voldemort, will be cruel! I will be hard! I will show you who the real monsters are!"

With that, Lord Voldemort blasted his wand at Remus, a red light attacking the werewolf. Remus writhed in pain as Dorcas yelled his name. Yet Remus did not die. Instead, Remus stopped to move as he stood on all fours, his eyes turning a bright crimson as he snarled and roared more violently than ever. Some of the Death Eaters flinched as others laughed at the werewolf. Dorcas stared at Remus in fear. The Wolfsbane Potion no longer had any effect on him as Remus was now a rabid, snarling creature.

"Let us show Hogsmeade what happens when they tolerate half-breeds like this one?" Voldemort said as he turned to face Dorcas. "Do you think your love for him or his love for you can overcome what he truly is? A monster?"

With that, Voldemort cast a spell as Remus leapt in the air, only to collide with some invisible barrier between him and the Death Eaters. Dorcas felt her arms and legs being freed as she leapt from the wall, only to be restricted by the barrier as well. Dorcas felt her throat constrict as she realised that the barrier separated Voldemort and the rest from her and Remus and she doubt that there was such a wall between them.

"Go on, give your boyfriend a kiss." Voldemort drawled as the Death Eaters laughed derisively in response. Without her wand which had been taken away, Dorcas was defenceless. She could see Remus approaching her, getting closer and closer as he snarled at her.

"Remus, it's me. Please, please recognise me." Dorcas begged as Remus took a step forward, baring his sharp teeth as his saliva dripped onto the floor. He then stood on two legs as Remus raised himself to his full height, towering over Dorcas. As Dorcas felt the breath on his face, she shut her eyes as she waited for the inevitable death at the hands of her werewolf boyfriend. Just as she felt his nose touch her cheek, the hot stench from his mouth vanished as Dorcas felt the presence of Remus disappear in front of her. She stared in shock as did the other Death Eaters at the spot where Remus was, now an empty space on the floor.

"Pathetic."

Everyone turned to Lord Voldemort who had a smirk on his face as he glared at Dorcas who stared at him in a mixture of fear and confusion.

"Do not say that the Dark Lord isn't merciful," Voldemort replied as he pointed his wand at Dorcas. Before she could even scream, a flash of green light filled the room as Dorcas dropped to the floor, dead.

"The werewolf should keep them busy. It's time for me to return home." Voldemort said as the Death Eaters started to cheer raucously around him.

….

"Severus!" Lily yelled as she jumped into the boat. "Come on!"

"I'm coming!" Snape said as he fought off an Inferi that was grabbing onto his ankle. Blasting his way through two more, Snape leapt into the boat. To his horror, the boat did not move as the Inferi started to make their way towards them.

"Why isn't it moving?!" Lily cried as she shot another flame towards a female Inferi whose jaw was dislocated from his face.

"Dumbledore's De-aging spell! I think we still have it on!" Snape yelled before pointing the wand at Lily. "Finite Incantatem!" Snape said as he cast the spell on Lily, praying to Merlin that it would work. At first, nothing seemed to happen as Lily shook at her head. Suddenly, Lily felt a warmth entering her body as she stared at the boat which now began to float into the lake.

"It worked!" Lily cried excitedly as Snape blew a sigh of relief. Despite this small victory, the swarm of Inferi continued to attack the boat, rocking it on all sides as Lily and Snape held on as tightly as they could. Lily conjured up a rope and used it to attach her and Snape onto the boat.

"Can this blasted thing go any faster?!" Snape called out as he shot another flame at the Inferi. The darkness in the cave had started to become more prominent, their only light source being the light on Lily's wand as she illuminated their surroundings. All of a sudden, the rocking of the boat stopped as the waters became quiet once more.

Lily and Snape both exchanged a look, neither wishing to say anything for fear of jinxing their situation. A good five minutes passed as everything remained calm. As Lily held up her wand, her other hand found Snape as the pair stuck close together, their hands holding tight.

"Sev," Lily whispered.

"Yes?" Snape whispered back as he looked around them, seeing nothing but the blackness of the cave walls and the darkness of the lake.

"I don't want to die here."

"You won't," Snape said as he placed his arm around her. Lily turned to face him, her long, red hair and green eyes staring at him with a mixture of fear and anticipation.

"Sev, there's something I want to tell you."

"Can't it wait?"

"No," Lily said firmly. "I've been holding on to this for far too long. If we are going to die in here, I don't want to have not said this to you. Sev, you're my best friend."

"And you're mine as well, Lily," Snape said as Lily smiled at him before biting her lips. Summoning the rest of her courage, Lily shut her eyes momentarily before staring into the grey eyes of Severus looking bemusedly at her.

"Severus, I lo –"

BAM!

Snape and Lily felt themselves being thrown off the boat as something powerful slammed against its side, causing the boat to turn over and capsize. As soon as he entered the lake, Snape felt the icy chill of the waters piercing his skin as he sunk down. The shock of being thrown over soon wore off as Snape realised, to his horror, that both he and Lily were in the lake of Inferi. Snape turned his head to see Lily sinking to the bottom, her face filled with terror as Snape noticed a white hand pulling her under. Diving towards her, Snape wrenched Lily's ankle away from the Inferi's grasp as he pulled them both to the surface. Snape welcomed the cold, musty air of the cave into his lungs as both he and Lily gasped for breath.

"Swim!" Snape yelled as he and Lily made their way to the boat. Every second that passed, Snape pushed away thoughts of the Inferi grabbing onto his legs and pulling him down. As soon as they reached the boat, Snape helped Lily on board. As he grasped the side to pull himself up, a rotting white arm appeared from behind him, pulling Snape into a chokehold.

"Sev!" Lily cried as she aimed her wand though the Inferi was using Snape as a shield. Snape stared at his best friend as she screamed for him, her green eyes staring back at him as they did when he first met.

Sorry, Lily

Knowing that there was no other option, Snape planted his feet onto the boat as he pushed against it, pushing the boat away from him and allowing the Inferi to pull him away from the boat. At least this way, one of us gets to make it out of here alive, Snape thought as he watched Lily drift away in the boat, screaming his name. As his eyes began to close as he felt himself being submerged once more, Snape's thoughts only went towards a single individual, a girl with brown curly hair and piercing blue eyes.

…..

I'm sorry, Dumbledore

James had enough of waiting around. He cursed Moody for taking his Galleon though James suspected he knew why the Auror had done so. James drove himself crazy thinking about Sirius and the others. His thoughts flew towards Snape and Lily as James wondered if the pair were safe as well.

Some kind of leader, you are. Your friends are all fighting while you're benching yourself

James let out a roar of anger as he kicked against a stone on the ground. He was tired of waiting. To hell with Moody and his promises! He was a Gryffindor! He was not going to wait on the sidelines while his friends were fighting for their lives. He thought of going towards Hogwarts or Hogsmeade but thoughts of Moody made him feel slightly conflicted. Instead, James decided that he would go to the cave instead. Snape and Lily could use his help, and it would be away from Voldemort as per Moody's wishes.

James conjured up a parchment as he wrote a note, pleased about coming to a decision. He left the parchment underneath a stone, in case his friends were to appear here. Before he could wave his wand, James heard a loud CRACK! as something landed behind him. Thinking it was one of his friends, James turned, ready to welcome them, only to stop himself halfway. The person in front of him was wearing a dark cloak, his face covered by the hood. James glared as he realised who he was facing.

A Death Eater.

"James Potter, what an honour it is to finally meet you."

Only the sound of his name prevented James from blasting a curse towards the stranger. "How do you know my name, Death Eater?"

"What makes you think I'm a Death Eater?"

"Oh, I don't know. The fact that you look like one!" James growled as the stranger shook his head.

"Death Eaters wear masks. Do you see a mask on my face?"

"I can't even see your face!"

"Well." the stranger replied in a low yet sinister-sounding tone. "I assure you, I am no Death Eater."

"Then what are you doing here?" James asked, his wand aimed directly at the stranger.

"I'm here on a mission." The stranger replied. "One that concerns the very fate of our world. I'm here to stop you, James Potter, from doing something utterly foolish."

"Oh yeah?" James said as he glared at the stranger. "You're welcome to try. But not even my mother can stop me from doing what I want to do.

"I suppose not," the stranger laughed although his face continued to be hidden underneath his hood. "Tell me, James, why do you think Dumbledore kept you away from your friends today?"

"He wanted me to train."

"Yet he did not ask your friends. Why not Black, or Snape? Why not Lupin or Pettigrew? Why not Longbottom? Why did he pick you?"

"He picked me becau –" James stopped midway as he stared at the stranger in shock. "You know about me and my friends?"

"You can say that. I've been watching you, James."

"You have?"

"But of course. You have an important role to play in this war, James." The stranger spoke as James felt his curiosity rising by the second.

"Who are you?!" James barked as the stranger heaved a sigh.

"I'm someone who has kept a close eye on you and your friends for quite some time now." the stranger said as he removed his hood. James let out a gasp as his eyes rested on the man in front of him. Though he knew the man, James was not close to him, unlike his other friends. Almost balding but for a few strands of grey hair, brown eyes and a strong jaw, James recognised the man almost instantly.

"Professor Cayce?"

….

Sirius panted as he ignored the beads of sweat on his forehead. He could see the Shack in sight as all four stumbled onto the path, their wands pointed out, prepared for an attack. All of a sudden, a figure appeared in front of them as Sirius yelped while the other three crashed into his backs.

"Idiot! Why did you come here?!" Regulus cried once he removed his Disillusionment Charm while Sirius glared at his younger brother.

"We're here to rescue our friend! Unless you're here to stop us!" Sirius roared as he aimed his wand at Regulus who tossed something towards Alice. Alice grabbed the items, staring at them in surprise as she held the Galleons in her hand.

"You're too late," Regulus said as a roar escaped Sirius's lips who tossed his wand aside, grabbing his brother by the cloak.

"What did you do?!" Sirius growled in a menacing manner as Regulus pushed himself away.

"I didn't do anything!" Regulus snapped. "Voldemort was here. You friend Dorcas did not make it."

Alice gave a howl as Peter dropped to his knees while Frank stared in shock, trying to process what had happened. Regulus explained the incident inside the Shack as Sirius continued to glare at his brother.

"Why didn't you try to help her?!" Sirius cried as Regulus stared at him in disbelief.

"In front of Voldemort? Are you crazy?! I would have been killed!"

"So you just let her die?"

"There was no other choice, Sirius!"

"Spoken like a true Slytherin!" Sirius growled as Regulus rounded up on his brother.

"As opposed to you? Jumping into a situation without assessing it first? Do you think I didn't want to help her?! Of course, I did! But unlike you, I remember that I have a mission that takes precedence. Why did you think I didn't try to contact you? I knew you, dumb brother would make a beeline for the Shack, forgetting about his mission to destroy Horcruxes! And you still came here! What if Voldemort had left someone else here? You all would be dead."

"Where is Voldemort now?" Frank asked as he placed a comforting hand on his crying ex-girlfriend.

"He's going to Hogwarts, to retrieve the Horcrux he hopes is still there," Regulus said as he rubbed his neck. "But when he finds out that it's destroyed, Hogwarts will be as well. I've never seen him so unhinged. He looks like he would kill everyone who lives in that castle."

"We should leave!" Peter cried in horror.

"No, we can't!" Sirius said as he glared at Peter. "There are children in there, for fuck's sake. They're all going to pay for what we've done."

"We can contact the Aurors and the Order back in Hogsmeade," Frank said. "They can send reinforcements to the castle!"

Regulus shook his head. "They're about to be occupied at the moment. Voldemort put a spell on Remus making him into some kind of crazed animal. Voldemort set him loose in the Forbidden Forest. Remus is making his way to Hogsmeade as we speak."

Sirius's face turned a bright shade of white. "We MUST help Remus!"

"Are you crazy?!" Regulus cried. "The most logical action would be to get as far away from here as you can. Don't forget the mission! Hogwarts is lost! You can still save yourselves. Get away from here and regroup. All that's left is the cup and the diary and then finally, we can kill the bastard!"

"Remus is our friend!" Sirius snapped. "Or have you forgotten what it's like to have friends? Or anyone you care about for that matter? It's not like you understand what it feels like to lose someone you love!"

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Regulus roared as he glared daggers at his brother. Ever since Voldemort returned to Malfoy Manor without his trusted house-elf, Regulus had been driving himself hoarse calling out for his beloved Kreacher. But his house elf had not returned. Regulus had allowed himself a moment of grief as he recalled that Kreacher, despite being a house elf, had been the closest thing to a real family. At a time when his parents cared more about his academics and his service to the Dark Lord while his brother hated his guts, Kreacher had been a beacon of light in his life. Now, the light had extinguished as Regulus felt himself being truly alone. "You're not the only one who lost people tonight, Sirius!"

"Regulus," Alice whispered as she grabbed his bands. "We can't abandon our friends. Remus is out there and James could be at Hogwarts. We need to go find them."

Regulus stared blankly at the four of them. He could see that Peter was more than willing to accept his request yet the other three were adamant in pursuing after the rest. Didn't they understand just how important it was that some of them were kept alive? Being trained as a Death Eater and a Slytherin meant that Regulus could weigh the different outcomes logically, without emotion. Yet as he stared into Alice's eyes, an image of Kreacher passed through his mind as Regulus felt the guilt starting to sink. Kreacher never asked to be a pawn of the Dark Lord and now he was dead. For years, Regulus had trained himself not to let emotions get in the way of his tasks but right now, all that flew out the window. A sense of anger grew inside him, one borne from the need to avenge his house-elf.

Regulus let out a groan as he shook his head. "For the record, this is about the dumbest thing that anyone can do. But if you all are insisting on staying here, the least I can do is help."

"Thank you," Frank said as Sirius gave a slight grunt. Regulus glared at his brother before clearing his throat.

"This might be the most insane plan I've ever thought of but it could work," Regulus said as the others gathered close to him. "Voldemort just wants to check on his Horcrux so I say we give one to him. Transfigure something into the diadem as close as you can recall it and put it back inside the Room. If Voldemort goes in and sees it, he might think that Dumbledore hasn't discovered this Horcrux just yet and might leave Hogwarts untouched. But of course, if he chooses to inspect the item then that's it. It's over."

"Are you crazy?" Peter cried. "Going up there to place a fake diadem is reckless! Not to mention, suicidal!"

Frank and Alice exchange looks before the latter nodded her head. "It could work. We need to try something. People are going to die."

"Agreed. We can look for James on the way. We'll use Disillusionment Charms to disguise ourselves." Frank said as Peter shook his head.

"No, I'm out. It's too dangerous."

"Regulus's plan is good," Sirius exclaimed as everyone turned to him. Regulus gave his brother an incredulous look as Sirius let out a sigh before smiling. "We lost Dorcas tonight but we still have a chance to save Remus, James as well as people in Hogwarts. Risky or not, we have to take that chance."

Sirius pointed to Frank, Alice and Peter. "You three, use one of our secret passages to get inside Hogwarts and cut Voldemort off before he reaches the Room. Place the fake diadem there and pray that Voldemort falls for it. See if you can find James. If not, once you've placed the diadem, get the hell out of there. We will set up a place to meet later."

Frank and Alice nodded their heads as Peter looked ready to protest, only for Sirius to place a hand on his shoulder.

"Peter, don't forget you're a Gryffindor. These people, they've taken Mary and Dorcas from us. I won't force you to go with them if you don't want to. You can come with me if you want."

"Where are you going?" Peter asked.

"To save Remus."

"On second thought, I think I'll go with them." Peter said as he pointed to Frank and Alice. Sirius gave a light chuckle as Regulus rolled his eyes.

"Are we done? Is the moment over? Because I really want to get going." Regulus spoke as a loud piercing howl echoed within the Forbidden Forest.

"That's Remus," Sirius said as he nodded to the others. "Go, quick! And good luck!"

"Good luck to you too," Alice said as she gave Sirius a hug before turning to Regulus and offering him one as well. Regulus had an awkward look on his face as his ears turned pink. Frank, Alice, and Peter set off towards Hogwarts as Regulus turned to Sirius who had a strange look on his face.

"What?" Regulus said as Sirius shook his head. "Nothing. I have to get going."

"How are you going to catch him?" Regulus asked as Sirius walked off into the distance.

"Don't worry about that," Sirius called out. "I have a plan." Regulus watched as his brother turned into a large, black dog before running off into the forest.

"That's exactly why I should worry." Regulus groaned. The smart thing to do would be to stay where he was and leave once Voldemort called for his Death Eaters. He was too important to die, his role as a Death Eater spy could give the DA access and information on the other Horcruxes. This was the right thing to do. The logical thing to do. Another howl echoed in the distance as Regulus caught the soft but distinct barking of a dog.

"Fuck this," Regulus said as he removed his wand. Casting a Disillusionment Charm on himself, Remus gripped his wand tightly as he ran off in the direction of his brother.

…..

Sev, Sev, where are you?

I'm here, Alice. I'm right here.

I can't see you. Where are you, Sev?

I'm right here! I'm in front of you. Can't you see me waving my hand?

No….no…. you're dead.

Dead?!

You drowned. You drowned to protect Lily.

I did?

You rather drown for Lily instead of fighting for me. In the end, you always choose Lily.

No, NO! I CHOOSE YOU, ALICE! I CHOOSE YOU!

Then, fight for me, Sev! Fight! Fight!

I'm trying! I'm…what do I do?

Wake up. Wake UP! WAKEEE UPPP!

Severus opened his eyes, only to see darkness all around him. His entire body felt like it was floating in the air. Snape could feel his wand in the grip of his left hand. Snape tried to cast a Lumos spell but nothing seemed to be working. No words seemed to be escaping his mouth. Instead, each time he spoke, only bubbles seem to escape his lips.

Wait, bubbles?! Snape thought as he inched his head forward only to feel something pull back against his neck. In an instant, Snape realised where he was. He was being dragged down deep by the Inferi in the lake! Snape stared upwards, only to realise that blackness of the cave meant it was difficult for him to see just how deep he was. Struggling to break free of the Inferi holding his neck, Snape twisted himself loose, while trying to cast a spell underwater. With his wand failing, Snape used it instead to poke the creature as the Inferi released its hold on Snape. Before Snape could swim up to the surface, however, he felt a tight grip on his ankle as he started to sink even further.

Snape felt himself growing more weary by the second though the adrenaline kept him awake. He needed to survive! He promised Alice that he would survive to travel the world with her! Snape tried desperately to kick off whatever was gripping him but it seemed that all hope was lost as Snape felt himself losing the battle.

A bright flash of white light appeared on top of him as Snape felt something yank him from his hair. Grabbing onto the hand that was pulling him upwards, Snape finally kicked himself free as he felt himself floating towards the surface. All of a sudden, Snape felt a large of gust of fresh air entering his lungs as he gasped each gulp of air as quickly as he could. The bright light still lingered above them as Snape turned to see an angry Lily glaring at him.

"Lily?" Snape panted as Lily gave him a shove.

"Are you crazy?! What were you thinking?!" Lily cried angrily as she shot yet another jet of flames from her wand.

"I was saving you!"

"YOU WERE SACRIFICING YOURSELF, YOU PRAT! How could you, Snape?!"

"What was I supposed to do?!" Snape snapped back. "Let you die as well! One of us could have escaped here!"

"Don't…you…ever…leave me like that!" Lily yelled as Snape could see she was sobbing. "I'm not going to lose you like that."

"Lily…" Snape whispered as he looked around them. The water remained calm for the moment but Snape knew, sooner or later, the Inferi would come for them.

"Here!" Lily said as she handed him something. "I found it while you were trying to kill yourself."

Snape took the item, his eyes widening as he stared at his wand in which Lily handed it to him. "But I already have my wa…". Snape turned to look at his hand, crying in surprise as he realised he had been holding the Deluminator which Dumbledore had given him.

"Sev…" Lily spoke as Snape turned towards where she was pointing. A series of bubbles were rising to the surface as something big was coming their way. Staring at the Deluminator, Snape recalled what Dumbledore had spoken to him.

Use it when things seem their darkest

Snape lifted the Deluminator and pressed it hard.

Suddenly, the cave was filled with light, almost as if the sun itself was shining inside. Lily and Snape gaped at the huge ball of light that had released itself from the lighter, its orange and crimson flames shining onto the lake. Snape watched as the Inferi, which had been preparing another assault, was now screaming and swimming away as the waters around them turned to calm once more.

"Sev, look!" Lily cried as she pointed to the ball of light which was no longer a ball anymore. Instead, the ball had transformed into something with large wings, legs protruding underneath it as a sharp beak appeared on its front.

"It's a phoenix!" Snape cried excitedly as the phoenix-like flame flew about their heads. Lily tapped his shoulder as she pointed to something behind him. Snape turned to see the edge of the lake in the distance, less than a hundred metres from when they were floating. Nodding to each other, Snape and Lily began to swim towards shore as the brightly-lit phoenix flew above their heads.

As soon as they reached the shore, both Lily and Snape collapsed underneath the exhaustion. After a good long rest, Snape stood up on his feet as he helped Lily onto hers. He could see that her face was wet, though Snape knew it wasn't just from the lake.

"Lily…I…"

"You sacrificed yourself to save me…" Lily whispered as she looked up at him, her green eyes shimmering underneath the burning phoenix which was slowly ebbing away.

"You sacrificed yourself to save me. So we're even." Snape whispered back as he smiled at Lily. He could see the redhead biting her lip, almost as if she was deciding something. Snape turned to face the phoenix, whose light was slowly fading. Knowing they had to hurry before the light disappeared, Snape reached into his pockets, only to find that both Galleons were gone, no doubt sinking to the bottom of the lake. Groaning, Snape turned to face Lily.

"Lily, do you still have – "

Whatever words Snape had to say were now being cut off by the presence of something soft and passionate pressing hard against his lips.

Severus Snape froze as he stared down into the green eyes of Lily Evans which were barely a centimetre away as the redhead wrapped herself around his neck while pressing her lips onto his as forcefully and passionately as she could.

It finally happened.

Lily Evans was kissing him.

….

The end for now. A few things to note.

Sorry about Dumbledore but he had to die. Pushing the Horcrux Hunt earlier means that Dumbledore would still go into the Gaunt's shack and put the ring on his finger. Dumbledore's role in the HP books is one that cannot be understated but now, without him, things are going to change quite a bit.

Fate, destiny and prophecies are going to be important as the story progresses. By now, some of you might see a theme happening which is good because it will help to understand the ending of the story once it comes.

I will not confirm nor deny if Alice and Snape had sex. That will be made apparent in the coming chapters.

Sorry about Dorcas. Remus did truly love her unfortunately but her loss will impact Remus greatly. At least, I kept it to the canon storyline where it was mentioned that Dorcas was killed by Voldemort himself.

Something Bad will come at the end of the next chapter. Sorry.

This chapter was not supposed to end here but my friend pointed out that if I were to prolong it further, I might be just cutting through the action too quickly without much development. So I decided to end it here for now. In the next chapter, we will see five very important parts

James and Cayce talking

Reg and Sirius teaming up to try and stop Remus

Voldemort showcasing just how evil he truly can be

Peter, Alice and Frank trying to pull wool over Voldemort's eyes

Snape and Lily in the cave.

You will see by now that although this IS a Snape story, the other characters are just as important and will be given character arcs though not all of them will have one. With that tidbit in mind, thank you for reading and I'll see you soon!