The Deity's Favorite

By: Alexa V.

Chapter 1: Unfair

Harry bent over him, and Snape seized the front of his robes and pulled him close. A terrible rasping, gurgling noise issued from Snape's throat.

"Take...it...Take...it..."

Something more than blood was leaking from Snape. Silvery blue, neither gas nor liquid, it gushed form his mouth and his ears and his eyes, and Harry knew what it was, but did not know what to do- A flask, conjured from thin air, was thrust into his shaking hand by Hermione.

Harry lifted the silvery substance into it with his wand. When the flask was full to the brim, and Snape looked as though there was no blood left in him, his grip on Harry's robes slackened.

"Look...at...me..." he whispered.

The green eyes found the black, but after a second, something in the depths of the dark pair seemed to vanish, leaving them fixed, blank, and empty. The hand holding Harry thudded to the floor, and Snape moved no more.

A beautiful tall woman who sat across a large glowing orb that reflected the current events of Hogwarts and the fate of Severus Snape stared at it perplexed.

"...Is that it? He's dead? That can't be!"

She said frustratingly as she grabbed the orb and began to rock it violently back and forth.

"Calm yourself Arianrhod. It is what the wheel of fate has decided for the mortal." A man in robes that reflected the sky said exasperatedly as he held golden scrolls that flowed out of a liquid gold pool in the center of the white room. "Do not fret, once he passes the bridge between worlds his next life will be much more satisfying." He reassured her, his diamond monocular eye glinting as he looked at her.

"Pfft… satisfying? He'd be nothing but a non-magical mortal by then, I've seen the scriptures you hold Taranis. It's a waste of wonderful magic! It's unfair!" Her voice thundered the room as the galaxies in her hair swished in anger as she turned to face the old man. "I've only been gone for a few days and when I finally return he's already grown to be a miserable man dying in the most cruelest of ways!"

"You are aware it was your own fault that you were forbidden to enter the room after you blatantly said in the presence of everyone who was here that you wanted to take the boy for yourself. As a matter of fact you are still under probation! You should be thanking me that I allowed you to enter the room in the first place or you wouldn't have been able to see the boy for one last time." Taranis sighed as he watched the goddess pace back and forth in the room grumbling. Her starlight dress practically sweeping the floors. "A day for us is years for the mortal world, what did you expect Arianrhod? Why are you even so fixated on this boy he is nothing more than another magical mortal."

"I don't know, I'm attached to him the moment the orb showed him to me. My heart aches as I watch him, I've never felt like this before." Arianrhod stops in her tracks in the middle of the room standing across from Taranis. The golden water in the pool finally stilled after all her pacing.

"Perhaps it's just your bleeding heart, the boy did have a miserable life. The day you wanted to steal him for yourself was when you were watching him as a child in that dirt of a home they call." Taranis said, focusing back on the scriptures that never stopped flowing out of the pool.

"I am unsettled of his fate Taranis, I will be visiting him." Arianrhod said, with so much will and confidence she did not notice the old god had dropped the scriptures back into the pool in a panic from what she exclaimed.

"Oh no… No no no no no… No! You may be Goddess of the universe and time itself but as God of the wheel and sky I cannot permit you to do something as tip the balance! AGAIN! The last time you did this bore the creation of magical mortals!" Taranis said in equal panic and order in his voice to try and dissuade the eccentric Goddess.

"Oh… I did do that yes, I now remember… what was the boy's name again?" Arianrhod asked confused, titling her head like a confused earth canine. Taranis grabbed his hair in frustration at the irresponsible response of the Goddess of all things living and non-living.

"His name was Merlin for infinite's sake Arianrhod! The small scrawny farm boy who found a way to summon you after stealing a relic from one of our dilapidated temples! You gave him the tiniest portion of your essence for the sake of your own enjoyment when in FACT, you are highly aware that even a drop of your essence on a mortal body gives them power not meant for mortality! Now look! It's like you took a pet not knowing it can multiply and now you don't even care about it! And now you want another one! Of all the most irresponsible-"

As Taranis continued to lecture the Goddess, Arianrhod took this as an opportunity to escape and head to the mortal world.

"-and that is why I cannot allow you to go to the mortal world and change the course of the universe for one boy! Arianrhod?" Being met with the silence of the room and the absence of Arianrhod's presence Taranis screamed into the empty room.

"Oblivion's despair, Arianrhod!"

On the grassy lawns of Hogwarts where numerous students were lounging about, some were playing in the waters dipping their feet to cool themselves off and some were with friends laying in the grass. However a young scrawny, pale Severus Snape was sitting by himself by the shade of a clump of bushes close to the lake's waters. He had just finished his O.W.L exam and was reviewing his answers, his black lank and greasy hair moving in sync with the passing wind. He was satisfied he had gotten everything right. As he was about to pick himself up and head back into the castle, he felt a strange sensation that someone was watching him. He slowly laced his fingers into his pocket, his fingers wrapping itself reassuringly onto his wand. When he heard a crackle of broken branches from behind him. Swiveling quickly he pointed his wand at the stalker, muttering "Petrificus totalus!" as a ball of light burst out of his wand and into the direction of what made those sounds.

"Oh dear, you are as feisty as I remember you to be. Like an adorable little viper." A beautiful girl the same age as Severus came out of the shadows, her snow white hair and icy blue gaze was enough to mesmerize anyone, even Severus. On her hand was the same ball of light that previously came out from Severus' wand. Shocked and now completely on guard by the presence of this seemingly dangerous new enemy. Severus held his wand tighter as the mysterious girl continued to approach him, turning and twisting the ball of magic as if she held nothing but a play toy.

"It is so wonderful to finally see you at last. I have been aching for this moment." She said, eagerness so clear in her voice.

"Who are you?" Severus demanded.

"Oh my, where are my manners. I was so excited to finally meet you I completely forgot to introduce myself." Disapparating the ball of magic with the flick of her wrist like it was never there, the young girl gracefully curtsied in front of Severus.

"I am Arianrhod, and you must be Severus Snape."

"How do you know my name?" Severus asked perplexed, wondering why this girl's name sounded so familiar to him.

"My dear little viper I know many things about you." She said in a sly low voice while tilting her head with every word as she walked around him in circles. "I know your past, your present, and-" passing behind a thin tree she suddenly disappeared until a whisper in Severus' right ear made him jump in his skin. "-even your future."

"How did you- Are you some kind of magical creature?" Severus said still on his guard.

"Creature? Oh what are those blasted old coots teaching you younglings these days. I am known in many names, you may know me as the mother of all living and non-living, the great bearer of time and infinity itself. I have many forms. The west call me a djinn, the east calls me EL. I wonder what you'd call me. But nevertheless I am here to help you."

"Help me? I don't need anyone's help, I can perfectly stand on my own. You also can't handle numerous wizards and witches at once when people begin to notice your presence. Where is your proof that you 'are' who you call yourself to be?"

"You can stand on your own? Hardly, you didn't even notice I stopped time as you and I were conversing."

Only when Arianrhod had mentioned it did Severus finally realize how quiet it was. As he looked around, everyone and everything had gone into a standstill. Splashing water stood midair, pebbles stopped skipping on water, and students had all come into a pause. When Severus quickly turned back to face the mysterious girl, she was already standing inches away from his face. He wanted to run, point his wand at her and cast charms and jinxes to defend himself. But somehow he couldn't, it's as if the magic flowing in his veins wanted to kneel before her. He could only but stand so still as sweat beaded of his temple.

"Now you wished for proof didn't you?" Arianrhod asked, gently caressing the side of Severus' face with her fingers. "Then allow me to show you your fate to come."

Grabbing Severus' head with both of her hands, a burst of magic seeped through Arianrhod's hands and into Severus. Both of their eyes burst with glowing light.

Severus screamed in pain as the memories of his future self flashed before him, making him live through the years of suffering he would have to endure sooner or later. His soul could do nothing as it watched himself create mistake after mistake and finally trying to make amends, until his death. To Severus it felt like years, but it was only mere moments. Letting go of him, Arianrhod watched as Severus collapsed onto all fours on the ground gasping and coughing for breath, clutching his throat tightly as if he could still feel the fangs of that blasted snake.

"I died…" Severus said still gasping.

"In the most cruelest of ways." Arianrhod added nonchalantly, as she continued to watch the poor boy continue to realize.

"Potter... Tell me! Did he succeed? Was the Dark Lord defeated?" Severus desperately asked, clutching unto Arianrhod's robes.

"Yes, he was successful. But because of this battle many lives were taken before Tom's. Lives that weren't even destined to die yet. It was devastating to see so many souls walking the bridge between worlds." Arianrhod said, with a faraway look in her eyes as she spoke, a hint of sadness and disappointment briefly reflected in her face. Severus let out a sigh of relief, but was immediately overwhelmed with emotion again.

"Lily… because of me she-" Severus choked tears.

Crouching down to his level, and clutching his face gently, Arianrhod wiped Severus' tears.

"Now do you understand why I wish to help you Severus? I want to give you a life better than what my blasted colleague thought you were fated to receive." She said cooing the young boy as she slowly got back up.

"Now I remember why your name was so familiar… It was only ever mentioned once in an old textbook I read in my mother's attic. You're the god who blessed Merlin with magic." Severus said stuttering, sweat beading off of his forehead as he looked up at Arianrhod.

"Goddess." Arianrhod corrected.

"What happened just now, it felt as if years have passed. I feel much older than how I felt moments ago." Severus said, instinctively touching the skin of his face to see if his wrinkles were still there, no, he was a young boy.

"I've made you live through his years, through the entire pain and suffering so you would know what mistakes he made and what you are willing to change now. All his skills and knowledge are yours to keep." Arianrhod said.

"But I don't understand, why me? What makes me so special that you would do something so great as to change fate itself? There has to be some sort of exchange for this." Severus asked, looking up at Arianrhod. He was nervous at what a goddess could possibly want from him.

"Good question viper." Arianrhod said, her sly voice returned as she answered him in face level. "Because of sheer utter boredom. Living for infinity you can't help but wish for a bit of excitement in your life. I can't die, I can only keep existing through the vast planes between life and death. What I want from you is enjoyment, entertain me Severus, show me what choices a mortal would make knowing now that he could change his fate." Arianrhod said, her demeanor as a Goddess showing its true colors. "Look up, you've got company." She says as she eyes a group of boys behind Severus. Before Severus could say anything else she disappeared into thin air.

"All right, Snivellus?" said James loudly.

Severus tried to react quickly to the oncoming attack, but wasn't quick enough. Grabbing his wand from the ground James shouted, "Expelliarmus!"

Severus' wand flew twelve feet into the air and fell with a little thud in the grass behind him. Sirius let out a bark of laughter.

"Impedimenta!" James said, pointing his wand at Severus, who was knocked off his feet, halfway through a dive toward his own fallen wand. The two boys barked in laughter. Students all around had turned to watch. Some of them had gotten to their feet and were edging nearer to watch. Some looked apprehensive, others entertained.

Severus lay panting on the ground, he hadn't recovered from his previous headache from Arianrhod. By now his head was practically swimming and something else new appeared, a bleeding gash on his forehead. He was too weak to try and curl himself into a ball at the impact he was blasted with.

'It's happening exactly as what I had seen. She wasn't lying.'

Severus thought to himself, realizing that what Arianrhod has shown him was exactly his future he couldn't help but retch once again at the thought of how many people died under his watch, especially Lily.

"How'd the exam go, Snivelly?" said James.

"I was watching him, his nose was touching the parchment," said Sirius viciously. "There'll be great grease marks all over it. They won't be able to read a word."

Several people watching laughed. Wormtail sniggered shrilly. Severus tried to get up but his head felt like it was still underwater and the jinx was still operating on him; he struggled greatly, as if bound by invisible rope.

Severus upon previously seeing Potter and Black again after what Arianrhod had shown him, felt immense relief to see them alive. But he was once again reminded why and how much he loathed them.

"Wait-" he panted, staring up at James with pure loathing and hazy eyesight. "You - wait…"

"Wait for what?" said Sirius coolly. "What're you going to do, Snivelly, wipe your nose at us?"

Severus knew what would happen next but in his anger and exhaustion he couldn't help himself to stream a mix of swearwords.

"Wash out your mouth," said James coldly. "Scourgify!"

Pink soap bubbles streamed from Severus' mouth. The froth covering his entire mouth, making him gag, he couldn't breathe, it was choking him.

'Wow, so this is what you call standing on your own?'

'Arianrhod? Are you in my head?'

'Where else would I be, I can't let my favorite mortal die out on me now after I went through great lengths to pick a timeline my colleagues won't be able to find me in. Hush now, your knight in red armor has arrived.'

"Leave him ALONE!"

James and Sirius looked behind them to find Lily. James' free hand jumped to his hair.

"All right, Evans?" said James, and the tone of his voice was suddenly pleasant and deeper, more mature.

"Leave him alone." Lily repeated. She was looking at James with every eye of great dislike. "What's he done to you?"

"Well," said James, appearing deliberate to the point, "it's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean…"

Many of the surrounding watchers laughed, Sirius and Wormtail included, but Lupin and Lily didn't.

As both boys and Lily kept arguing Severus found this as an opportunity to inch away as he felt the jinx wearing off, he needed to get to his wand, he didn't want to fight and just wanted to get out of the situation before having to go through the most embarrassing moment of his life. While Severus was trying to inch closer to his wand, Arianrhod began to talk to him through his mind again.

'I can't believe that brown haired mop head said that. The audacity to laugh and wish to rid about someone's existence.'

'I'm surprised that you wouldn't laugh about something like that since you keep calling us mortals.'

'Every life is precious little viper, from the ants that crawl to the eagles that fly, even yours. If I never cared do you think I'd be here talking to you?'

'Well-'

"OY!" Barked Sirius.

Severus hadn't even reached his wand yet, but James blasted a ball of light at him. Severus was now hanging upside down in the air, his robes falling over his head to reveal skinny, pallid legs and a pair of graying underpants. Many people in the small crowd watching cheered.

Lily, whose furious expression had twitched for an instant as though she was going to smile, said, "Let him down!"

Embarrassment washed over Severus, having to go through this process all over again. Despite having already lived it through the memories Arianrhod had shown him.

"Ugh! For the love of-"

'Don't use my name in vain.' Arianrhod said sternly in his head. 'I can't watch this any longer.' Suddenly Severus' head became extremely quiet.

"Arianrhod? Where'd you go?" Severus muttered to himself.

"Oy! James I think you bashed his head in a little. He's talking to himself. Gone a bit loony aye?" Sirius laughed. Before Lily could yell at James even more, an unknown hooded figure in blue robes had quickly entered the circle. Students parted ways as they watched the hooded one snap her fingers and both boys were immediately disarmed. Lupin by then felt alarmed and began to get closer.

"Hey!" James exclaimed but stopped midway as the unknown figure dropped her hood and what could be seen was a young beautiful girl who was at the same age group as they were. Her hair was white like snow and her eyes were of a dark mesmerizing icy blue. She ignored the three students and immediately approached Severus, worry laced her face.

"My little viper, don't worry I'll bring you down. It's not good to have blood rushing in your head." The onlookers watched as she gracefully brought Severus down on to the ground wandlessly.

"Arianrhod? Why are you-" Severus was perplexed that she had shown herself to everyone. Arianrhod placed a finger to Severus' lips.

"Shhh… Don't call me by that name, call me Iris when there are other people around understand?" She said whispering to Severus. Severus only nodded in reply.

"Would you look at that, Snivelly's got a girlfriend. Did you know this Evans?" James said mockingly, trying to put Lily on the spot. But she was just as flabbergasted at the new arrival of this unknown person.

"So what brings a lovely lady like you to Snivellus' side? I can show you a better world if you're up for it darling." said Sirius, winking at Iris trying to flirt his way through her. But she stared at him coldly, her eyes boring down on him.

"Do not speak to me mutt, you smell like dog." said Iris, her words were so cold it was like a shard of ice was sent through Sirius who backed away from her as she walked closer to James.

"And you, boy with the ugly mop head." said Iris pointing at James.

"Excuse you-" James sputtered.

"Do you think it's funny to joke about someone's existence? Let alone that you almost killed him when he choked on that soapy spell of yours?"

"Pfftt… you don't need to be so dramatic girly." James chuckled.

"You could have murdered him. How does that sound? Does it still sound like fun to you? A game? Because if you still think so, then it is you who does not deserve to live. Treating life so carelessly makes you nothing more than a spoiled child hiding in his father's pocket money. Knowing he can get away with anything when he cries for daddy who sees no wrong in him." Iris said with so much conviction it made James fidget his feet in place despite the scowl he wore as he stared at her. But her words not only struck James but to every on looker as well. Just then Lupin arrived at the scene, casting himself between James and Iris.

"Woah woah… okay there's no need to go so far." said Lupin.

"No need to go so far? I am only speaking facts, it was your companions who went too far, and you… you just sat there letting your so called 'friends' bully another student when you yourself carry a duty that aims to help avoid such casualties."

At the words of Iris, Lupin froze in place.

"I see your prefect badge, and yet you did nothing. Continuing to ignore those who were in most need for the sake of 'friendship'? You make me laugh. You are nothing but a cowardly dog with his tail tucked between his legs, too scared to correct your pack. Out-bested by a proud strutting grass-eating idiot." Iris inched closer to Lupin's ear, slowly whispering words for only Lupin to hear. "You shame yourself, lycanthrope."

At those exact words Lupin's face lost all its color, backing away from Iris, his eyes bulging in fear and embarrassment. Turning to Lily she didn't sugar-coat her words either.

"You girl, are supposed to be his best friend. But you did nothing but just scream at this mop head to put your friend down. You barely even tried, if it were me in your place and my friend was hoisted into the air in his undergarments for the world to see." Iris marched closer to Lily their noses inches away from each other. "I would have demanded a duel from the mop head on the spot to defend my friend's honor. You shame Severus. You shame yourself." With having said what she wanted to say, Iris quickly walked back to Severus to check up on him again.

"Then square up girly, duel me." James barked back at Iris. But Iris lazily side eyed him, staring at James as her eyes traveled down to his shoes and back up to his face.

"Have you forgotten I had already disarmed you? The strength of your bark must be equal to your bite, boy. You are not worthy to duel me with your current level nor will you ever." Iris threw back at James, embarrassing him with the reminder that his wand had flown meters away from him in an instant of her presence. Turning back her attention to Severus, Iris kneeled down to him.

"Are you okay?" Iris asked Severus, she was very concerned.

"I'll be fine, hisss…" Severus winced at the throbbing gash at his forehead. Lily instinctively reacted, wanting to get closer to him but a single gaze from Iris' blue eyes stopped her. Iris made it clear she didn't want the red head to be within radius of the boy. Turning back to Severus once again.

"Don't move, this will hurt a little since the gash is a little deep. But it will heal you." Clutching Severus' head close to her chest.

"What are you- Hiss! Augh!" Severus couldn't finish his sentence as Iris licked his wound. The pain felt like his wound was drenched in alcohol. Clutching unto her arm and robes tightly. Everyone watched shockingly as she licked his forehead as if it was the most normal thing of the day. Until all the blood was gone.

"See? It wasn't so bad. Come we need to get you to the hospital wing." Iris said as she offered a hand to the pale boy who was still sitting on the floor panting from the pain.

"Wasn't so bad? My wound felt like it was practically swimming in alcohol." Severus said as he grabbed Iris' hand to prop himself up. He and Lily caught each other's gaze. Severus stood there just staring at her. Iris noticed the young boy hadn't followed her and without looking back called out to him.

"Come Viper. We must heal your other wounds." Iris urged Severus to move quicker, he didn't know what to say to Lily not after hearing what Iris had told her. Even he noticed her reaction from both the memories and at the present, he couldn't deny the hurt he felt from that quick moment her face had twitch to look like a smile when he was upside down. Looking away first, he picked up his wand and bag and jogged to catch up to the snow haired girl who had already walked a few paces before him. Leaving everyone on the lawn perplexed at the turn of events.

"What just happened?" Sirius asked as if asking what everyone else wanted to ask as well.

"Who the bloody hell does she think she is?" James yelled out.

"Who is she?" Lily asked quietly to herself, her eyes stared longingly at the back of Severus, watching him as both he and the mystery girl named Iris walked away from the crowd and into the castle.

"Did she just say, 'we must heal your other wounds' after she practically just healed him by licking him?" A third year Hufflepuff asked out loud. Earning everyone a shade of red ears as each of the students imaginations went wild. While Lily felt like her guts were being twisted at the very thought that this mystery girl was a part of Severus' life that Lily had no part in.

Author's Notes:

This is the first chapter of my on-going fanfic. If you like this don't worry I will not and never abandon it, I will try and publish once or twice a week, but I am a college student so please understand if there are times I won't be able post on time. This is the first time I am posting any of the fanfiction I've ever written so I hope you like it. I am a huge Alan Rickman/Severus Snape fan and this fanfic is based on my own ships and I might a bit biased here and there. But hey, it's my fic, if you don't like you're free to step out :)

Arianrhod is a Celtic goddess but I weaved her entire attitude and demeanor myself, so basically she is a character of my own creation and imagination.

I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, nor do I make any money out of writing this story. This purely just for fun.