A/N: Wow! Look at all the reviews. For the shortest chapter, too. Thanks to : bookwmnjan, mysticalecho, franflutewitch, cherriebaby, Kaaera, Christine, jojo, Copperstring, pixieballerina, candeecastle, Estal0ne11, stargazer starluver, k2, crazley, ferrin .

Thanks for reading! You guys really seem to like Sev a lot. I keep getting these reviews that say they love the story and like the way I write Snape. So thanks, even if it is a trend. I'm just glad I'm not horribly OOC.

Special thanks to my beta BadBugz.

This chapter is completely inspired by the Evanescence song "Hello." For the full words see the ending author's note. I don't want to hold you up any longer. So here it is.

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Chapter 20: Hello, Goodbye

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Silence fell quickly as Dumbledore stood. His face grave, the students wondered what could possibly make this cheerful man sad. It came as a surprise to them all when he said, "I'm afraid I have to announce some bad news. We have lost a student. Miss Elizabeth Gordon is dead."

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She felt the potion hit her stomach like a rock. Within an instant, a strange fizzing feeling came over her. It suddenly faded and all went dark. She tried to look around her but found that she was floating in a sea of nothingness. Just as she was trying to figure out which way was up or down, she felt a tugging sensation as if an invisible current was pulling her. The fizzy feeling returned in force. It became almost a ache. Her skin throbbed with the pressure.

Just as she was thinking it couldn't get any worse, everything stopped. With a slight pop, she was suddenly standing in Dumbledore's office. It was empty. Desperate to find out if the potion had worked properly, she ran over to the desk in hopes of finding a calendar.

It seemed that Albus Dumbledore was a disorganized person when it came to his desk. She shuffled briefly through some papers keeping them in the order she found them. With a slight cry, she picked up what looked like a letter. The date on the top right hand corner read:

February 7, 1997

She carefully set the papers back as she had found them. Slowly, she walked to the other side of the table and sat in one of the provided chintz chairs. Now that she was back, her brain was in overload.

I've only been gone three weeks. It feels like forever. What will they say now that I'm back? What do they know? Does Severus know? What will I say to him? I fell in love with my potions professor for Merlin's sake! What was I thinking? I need to talk to Dumbledore, she thought.

As if on cue, the door behind the desk opened to reveal the headmaster. She jumped to her feet, slightly guilty at being there when he wasn't. Dumbledore looked at her with no large amount of surprise. He calmly walked over to the desk and sat, saying, "Hello, Miss Granger. Please sit. No doubt you've had a tiring experience."

She sank into the chair once more, her legs suddenly unable to support her. She opened her mouth to try to explain, but he cut her off, "I already know. Remember, I was there too. I'm glad the potion worked. You should think of recording your experience for research sake while it is still fresh in your mind. But first, let us attend to other matters. Lemon drop?" He held out the proffered candy and she took one but did not eat it.

Returning the dish to its place, Albus continued, "I will tell you right now, not many know your true whereabouts these last three weeks, or year, depending on how you look at it. The staff knows. Those who were present at your disappearance know. Of course Mssrs. Potter and Weasley know. No, Professor Snape does not know. Professor McGonagall and I agreed that it would be awkward if the previously deceased Miss Gordon was to suddenly become his student. He was told that you ran afoul of a transfiguration mishap and were temporarily not able to attend class or do homework. You are being given until the end of the holidays to catch up. With the time spent in the past, though, I doubt you would need to learn any of it." His eyes twinkled merrily behind his gold rimmed glasses.

She nodded, relieved that she wouldn't have to deal with awkwardness except her own. This was something she would rather stay as private as possible. Not many people would understand.

"I can understand your reluctance to talk about it. Doubtless the world would be shocked to find out that our dear potions master could stand human companionship. I will leave it up to you to reveal your relationship to him or anyone else or not at all. Now, it is about lunch time and I'm sure your friends would like to see you." He rose and escorted her out the door saying, "Welcome back, Miss Granger."

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After a few moments of dumbfounded silence, whispers raced through the students and staff. Many girls in Gryffindor, and a few in other houses, began to cry.

Lily was no exception. The Gryffindor seventh years were devastated. Lily sobbed into James' shirt, his arms wrapped around her as he stared misty-eyed in shock at Dumbledore. Sirius' face was turning a strange shade of red green, as if fighting to be angry or sick. Remus had gone deathly pale and silent tears course down his cheeks as he stared at the table. Peter just looked dumbfounded.

Remus got up quickly and headed to the staff table. For several moments he conferred with Professor McGonagall. His shoulders hunched, he slowly walked back to their table. When he sat, the others gave him questioning looks. Finally he said haltingly, "It's true. Sh...she had an accident with her potions project last night. It exploded or something. When they found her, the potion was all over the place and she...wasn't ....breathing. Professor McGonagall said....there was...was nothing they could do." Finished, he laid his head in his hands and cried, not caring if anyone saw him.

They all jumped slightly when Snape said behind Sirius, "Have you seen Elizabeth? I need to talk to her. She didn't meet me like usual. What?" They were all staring at him. He noticed that Lily's face was wet and Remus looked like he had been crying also. He looked around and noticed several others in similar states. Confused, he asked in a slight panic, "What's going on?"

James was the only one currently capable of speech. Giving the Slytherin a sad look, he said, "You didn't hear the announcement? No one told you?"

Snape shot an exasperated glare at the black haired Gryffindor and said, "Told me what?"

Severus turned at the whisper next to him, instead of across the table, as Remus replied, "She's dead."

The Slytherin staggered back a step as if he had been struck, staring at them in horror. The Gryffindors watched him turn a waxy pale white. For a brief moment it looked like he might faint. Suddenly he turned red. They all looked at him in shock as he spat, "You lie. This is some ploy to break us up or something. Where are you hiding her?"

Disdain dripping in his voice, Sirius responded, "It is not a lie. Why does it matter to you? You weren't that serious. You only knew each other a few months." Sirius suddenly found himself on the floor and rubbed his cheek where Snape had punched him.

Snape loomed over him menacingly as he quietly hissed, "She meant more to me than she ever did to you. You only saw her as a pretty face to snog in a corner. Yet you can mourn her, but I can't. We were engaged! Is that serious enough for you!?" He stood back up, oblivious to the stares his speech had brought about in the silence.

He breathed raggedly, trying to control the trembling starting in his limbs. He did not want to break down in public. This is a nightmare. I am dreaming. Fate would never do this to me. She can't be dead. She can't be. She can't, his mind wailed. He jumped at the touch of a hand on his shoulder.

Turning he found Lupin looking at him. Softly so as not to startle him, Remus said, "I am sorry. We all loved her in our own ways. We will all miss her. If you need someone to talk to ...I ...you could talk to me."

Severus only stared blankly at him for a moment. Suddenly, he noticed the look on pity on Remus' face. He did not see the mutual pain and sadness at loosing a loved one. He only saw the pity. He hated to be pitied. Slowly anger took over. It was much easier to be angry than deal with the pain. "I don't need to talk to you. I don't need to talk to anyone. I'm not the broken one. Don't try to fix me. Just leave me alone," he spat. He turned swiftly and strode out of the hall leaving the stricken group of Gryffindors behind.

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Hermione fingered the sapphire ring hanging around her neck as she walked to the Great Hall. She was suddenly nervous. Its just Harry and Ron, she chided herself. You've been friends for half your life. Get a grip. You don't have to tell them everything. Just answer the questions honestly as much as you can. Relax. Pretend it's like you went on vacation and just got back. It can't be that bad. She paused in front of the door and steadied herself. Face grim, she entered the hall.

Harry turned to ask Dean Thomas to pass the mashed potatoes and noticed a familiar bushy haired girl enter the Great Hall. A huge grin spread across his face as he shouted, "Oy, Hermione!"

Hearing him, Ron looked up from his quidditch magazine and joined Harry in greeting their long-lost friend. They cleared a space on the bench between them for her. Once she had sat down, they both grabbed her in a large hug until she couldn't breathe. Her sadness at leaving the friends of 1978 began to dwindle, though the loss of Severus made her heart ache still. "It's good to see you too guys. What have you been up to? How are classes going?" she asked in hopes of staving off some of the questions.

Harry gave her a rueful grin and a shake of his head at her one-track mindedness about classes. Smiling he said, "Charms is okay. We got to look after a pack of hinkypunks in Hagrid's class. Potions was abysmal without you. Neville's cauldron exploded three times. Malfoy has been insufferable. We snuck into Hogsmeade once when we got a butterbeer and chocolate frog craving. But enough about us, we want to know how it went with you. Did, did you see my parents?" This last he asked quietly, his nervousness showing through in his tone.

She smiled softly and said, "Yes. Lily was my dorm mate. She was the only other girl in seventh year Gryffindor besides the Head Girl. I know all of them." She suddenly looked nervous. "Could we just eat? I really don't want to talk about this where so many people could here. I was supposed to be transfigured, remember? I'll tell you guys later okay?" she hedged.

Ron and Harry looked at her in disappointment. Ron said, "But Hermione, can't you just tell us a little of what the marauders were like as students. We're your friends. Come on."

She shook her head and replied, "Not here. Not right now. I still need to get used to being back. I just spent a year in another time. Let me adjust. Now, please can we talk about something else while I eat? I'm starving."

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The day was unfittingly bright and sunny. It did not reflect the moods of the many witches and wizards gathered on the grounds for the mournful occasion. This was Elizabeth's funeral.

It should be raining, not sunny, Severus contemplated. It was strange how grief made you focus on the trivial stuff. She like the sun though. Especially the sunset. She love the colors. For a few long moments, he was lost in the memories of many sunsets watched by the lake or from the astronomy tower.

He was brought back to the present, by the sound of Dumbledore making the eulogy. He heard the sound, but his grief- stricken mind could not process the words. Maybe this is a dream. I'm actually asleep in bed, having the worst nightmare of my life.

Hello. Wake up. That is a lie. You are not sleeping. She is dead and you know it, said a cruel voice of reality in his head.

He suddenly felt cold as the reality sank in. The coolness spread until it filled his entire being. The rose he held gripped tightly in his hand slowly turned the darkest shade of blue, almost black. She is dead. It is over. My love is dead. I am all that's left. Yesterday is gone and I am alone. This is what happens when you love someone. You give your heart to someone so fate can smash into a million little pieces. I cannot, will not take it. He glanced up in time to see the casket that carried the body of his love, burst into flames, the traditional ending of a wizarding funeral.

Goodbye, my love. Goodbye, Elizabeth. I love you. I will never love again, he vowed. He did not see the rose turn black as he placed it in a pocket.

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A/N: So there it is. The past is finished. Yes, he kept the rose. Yes, I am going to continue. Like I would end a story there. There are many trials and rewards ahead for these two don't worry. For those interested here are the words to the song Hello. I highly suggest to anyone who does not own the Evanescence CD Fallen, to go buy it, borrow it, check it out of the library or download it. This is the most beautifully haunting song I have ever heard and the words just don't portray it. You will find some direct references throughout this chapter, and I give full credit to the group for the ingeniousness. So here it is:

Hello by Evanescence

represents held note

(Piano and cello back ground)

Playground school bell rings

Again

Rain clouds come to bring

Again

Has no one told you

She not breathing

Hello

I'm your mind giving

You someone to talk to

Hello

(Piano plays)

If I smile and don't believe

Soon I know I'll wake

From this dream

(Piano plays)

Don't try to fix me

I'm not broken

Hello

I'm the lie living for you

So you can hide; Don't cry

(Piano and cello solo)

Suddenly I know

I'm not sleeping

Hello

I'm still here

All that's left of yesterday

(Piano and end note)