Disclaimer: Severus Snape belongs to J. K. Rowling
2nd Chances, 2nd Choices: Prologue
Severus Snape sat up in bed drenched in a cold sweat. He pressed his hands to his eyes in a desperate attempt to block out the haunting vision that had come to him in his sleep. This vision deeply troubled Severus because he almost never dreamt. Usually his sleep was accompanied by swirls of gray mist, or a high pitched voice reciting the thousands of formulas for all the potions that he knew.
Only twice before had he dreamed a true dream, a vision and they had both been the same. Just as the one that he just awoken him was the same. Always the same dream, and always with the same event to follow. Though he had only seen it twice before Severus knew every detail of this dream.
The damp air, the thin light of many candles and the soft scent of Freesia circulating through his senses as he stood, alone. But then he was not alone, a figure stood before his clad in a dark, hooded cape. Suddenly Severus could feel shivers all along his back, shoulders, and arms. He stood stock still, not daring to move. Slowly the figure advanced on him, right hand outstretched. Severus felt fear pulsing through every nerve in his body, yet still he did not move. Now the figure was but a foot from him and the right hand reached out and grasped his left arm, not forcefully, but steadily. The hand ran down the length of his arm till it rested on the back of his wrist and it slowly drew his hand up till it stretched across the distance between them. The figure brought its other hand up and pushed the sleeve of Severus's robe back past his elbow revealing that shameful mark that daunted him every day of his life. At this point he always felt the urge to draw away and conceal the snake and skull, something about this figure made him feel so belittled and ashamed. Not that he wasn't ashamed of what he'd done, but with this figure, for what ever reason he felt like only half a person, because somewhere inside him he knew, that this figure was the one who would ever truly forgive him for his many crimes. But he did not draw back and both of the figure's hands began to examine his mark and as they did he felt a radiating warmth and comfort. But then he worked up the courage to look the figure in the face, for a moment he saw two flecks of piercing blue, then all went dark and he awoke in his own bed.
Throwing off his covers Severus got out of bed and went through the door to his office. He did not bother to turn on a light, he knew what he was looking for and he did not require his eyes to examine it. Sitting at his desk he bent and opened the bottom drawer. He let his fingers slide along the side of the cabinet till he found what he was looking for. A hole in the side of the wood that he had covered with tape many years before.
Swiftly he pulled the tape aside and felt inside the hole. Sure enough it was still there and he drew out the little velvet bag before pushing the drawer closed again. He carried the little bag back to his room and sat on the edge of his bed to examine its contents. He emptied the contents out over the comforter, a scrap of hunter green velvet, a dark red curl, and a white gold ring with a perfect, uncut ruby in the center surrounded by a diamond carat on each side.
First he ran his fingers along the scrap of velvet, remembering when he had run his hands down the length of the scrap's origin. Next he turned to the curl, this he brought to his face and let rest on his check. Like the other two items in the pouch it still carried the faint fragrance of freesia.
Lastly he picked up the ring; Severus turned it over and over in his fingers before closing his fingers around it to form a fist. Suddenly he was possessed by a fit of bitter tears. Bringing his fists up to his eyes in a feeble attempt to stop the flow he felt the stones of the ring cutting into his palm and he knew two things, his vision would return, and it would ruin hi, again.
Author's note:
This is my first fan fic, so what do you guys think, any good? Any ideas? Opinions and ideas welcome