The Beginning Of The End
Snape stared at his hands, wondering how his life had come to this. How had he survived when Lily had not? How had that happened? Finding out that she was a target, that their child was a target, had been the final blow that had driven him back to Dumbledore begging for redemption. News of her death, and that of her husband, his nemesis James Potter, defending his son, had almost broken him.
And now that child was coming to Hogwarts.
Snape had not expected to live long enough to meet his son. Now the day had finally come, and all that he could think of was the beautiful woman that had sacrificed her life to make it possible.
"I promise on my life." Her words haunted him still. Even though he was the one responsible for Lily's death, he knew it would take all his strength not to blame the boy for his mother's sacrifice. He realised, too, that he would fail miserably.
"Harry Potter!" McGonagall's Scottish accent rang through the hall.
He watched a small, dark-haired boy move forward and sit with trepidation. The Sorting Hat was placed upon the boy's head, and the entire hall of students and staff waited. Harry Potter, celebrity of the wizarding world, his son, a Snape, not really a Potter at all, was about to be sorted. The boy would never know the truth though, keeping that secret was the only thing he could do to repay the debt he owed Potter for accepting the boy as his own.
"Gryffindor!" The hat called out.
The hall was filled with cheers as the small boy moved to the Gryffindor table. One of the throng, however, did not cheer, even though he had been prepared for the inevitable choice.
Snape watched the boy from across the hall and the boy seemed to watch him in return, rubbing his scar, that damned scar, which had cost so much. His own scar, the Dark Mark, was burning too, as if in warning of the trouble to come.
He hated the boy for what his life had cost, but he would never let Voldemort have him. Never. Lily had given her life to save him from that, at his request. If necessary, Severus Snape would do the same. He almost wished for that opportunity.
***************
Note: Just in case it isn't obvious, Snape doesn't know that Voldemort is his father. IF I write a conclusion, it is swimming around in my head at the moment, he might just find out..
Snape stared at his hands, wondering how his life had come to this. How had he survived when Lily had not? How had that happened? Finding out that she was a target, that their child was a target, had been the final blow that had driven him back to Dumbledore begging for redemption. News of her death, and that of her husband, his nemesis James Potter, defending his son, had almost broken him.
And now that child was coming to Hogwarts.
Snape had not expected to live long enough to meet his son. Now the day had finally come, and all that he could think of was the beautiful woman that had sacrificed her life to make it possible.
"I promise on my life." Her words haunted him still. Even though he was the one responsible for Lily's death, he knew it would take all his strength not to blame the boy for his mother's sacrifice. He realised, too, that he would fail miserably.
"Harry Potter!" McGonagall's Scottish accent rang through the hall.
He watched a small, dark-haired boy move forward and sit with trepidation. The Sorting Hat was placed upon the boy's head, and the entire hall of students and staff waited. Harry Potter, celebrity of the wizarding world, his son, a Snape, not really a Potter at all, was about to be sorted. The boy would never know the truth though, keeping that secret was the only thing he could do to repay the debt he owed Potter for accepting the boy as his own.
"Gryffindor!" The hat called out.
The hall was filled with cheers as the small boy moved to the Gryffindor table. One of the throng, however, did not cheer, even though he had been prepared for the inevitable choice.
Snape watched the boy from across the hall and the boy seemed to watch him in return, rubbing his scar, that damned scar, which had cost so much. His own scar, the Dark Mark, was burning too, as if in warning of the trouble to come.
He hated the boy for what his life had cost, but he would never let Voldemort have him. Never. Lily had given her life to save him from that, at his request. If necessary, Severus Snape would do the same. He almost wished for that opportunity.
***************
Note: Just in case it isn't obvious, Snape doesn't know that Voldemort is his father. IF I write a conclusion, it is swimming around in my head at the moment, he might just find out..
