Disclaimer: I wish!

Note: Aaah.. I liked this chapter. Anyways, next chapter will probably be the end. Thanks for all the reviews, they are truly delightful pastries to feed one's ego and pride and to swell the cake of contentment. :) Anyways, sincerely hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I relished in it's creation. Please be so kind as to continue in your reviews to let me know your opinion as always. Enjoy as you read!

Dumbledore surpressed a sigh as he lowered the spoon. He longed to fly. To fly away till he reached the sun and turned to dust, a powdered gold that would sprinkle the people of the earth and make them rich with happiness. But he could not. When he looked into his eyes he saw only impenetrable dark. A velvety night in which the moon did not shine. He craved to see a glimmer of light, but even the stars seemed to have been turned off. How could he dream of helping the others when he could not save one? He saw the gaping hole of despair widenening as he looked upon Snape's pale countenance, when he heard Madam Pomfrey muttering under her breath as she checked him over, when he stopped at Headquarters and listened to the reports, when he looked at his wrinkled old hands lying on his lap, useless...

'You have taken my hand Severus and I will not let you go now that I have grabbed you by the fingertips. Just a few more spoonfuls please.'

Severus clawed his nails into his skin. There was an ache in his soul that stopped his breath and squeezed his heart, a grief so intense his head swam as he drowned in the ocean of sorrow. Even as Dumbledore held him he felt other hands of iron pulling him back into the darkness, throwing him back into the basement. And a small part of him wished to let go, to fall into his coffin and be buried beneath the blanket of forgetfulness that was Death.

'The Darkness will always be with us Albus. No matter how much you deny it to yourself.'

He whispered suddenly. The old man gazed into his eyes, his heart surging forth another spout of blood as it was wounded anew. He had to save him.

'Our hearts will be torches of hope that will illumine our souls and like beacons of Light we'll shine and drive away the darkness.'

A small frown appeared in Severus' usual calm demeanour, followed by a veil of somberness that enveloped him.

'But the dark will always be on us. Staining my arm and soul, edging deeper every wrinkle of yours reminding you of all the years you lost fighting, gazing back at Harry Potter as he looks at himself upon the mirror and sees the scar that will mark him forever, as families trace their family trees remember their dead...You may heal a wound with tears and smiles but the scars will forever remain. It is impossible to go back unstained, unblemished. If going back it can be called for there is no real returning, nothing is ever the same.'

'You are right. And yet will not having seen the darkness make the light seem ever brighter? And the darkness will diminish into a light gloom, a shadow of the past-'

'That will haunt you forever.' Snape concluded interrupting Dumbledore's sad reply.

'It is no use dwelling on the past. Look foward and up and not down and behind you. We will stand victorious bathing in the light.'

'Yes, celebrating upon the graves of the dead while the sun shines on their tombs.'

'We will raise our cups to their memories and sing their praise. All must lose to learn how to win, Severus.' he added gently.

'But when the lost ones are the lives of the innocent... They fought as much as others and yet they will not enjoy the light if it ever comes. Why won't you dance upon my grave too?'

'They died fighting for what they believed in. And their deathbeds were not of darkness, though they died at it's hands, they will lay on a bed of flowers bathed in the light of the sun they helped to drive away the storm clouds. But they did not die willingly as you are prepared to do, they died because they had no option. You erred once you say, do not mistake again. We will miss them, but you can still live Severus. You stand in an antechamber of Light, a room where those who were in the dark get accostumed to the light. You have grasped my hand and though the darkness may attempt to envolve you I will not let you go.'

'But if it threatened to drag us both down you shall release me!' Snape cried with vehemence in sudden panick, 'I will not be responsible of leaving the world without it's only hope.'

Dumbledore leaned foward as he set the bowl down and held both of the young man's hands.

'I would die to save you Severus.'

He stated clearly and with utmost honesty. Snape's lips parted slightly in surprise and he seemed to forget to breath as he looked into Albus' blue eyes and saw something unknown to him in them. Something he had seen shining in other's eyes, but never when gazing at him.

'And I live to help you save the world you love.'

He replied truthfully.

'But why? Why would you sacrifice yourself for me?' he questioned in confusion.

'Because I love you, my child.'

Dumbledore responded, his eyes still locked with Snape's.

Love. That was the strange brilliance he had seen. Love. The love of a parent he had never had. Love. Loved.

'I-love-you-too.'

He replied breakingly, ever word seeming to seal his conviction. Every word bringing him closer to Life. Dumbledore saw the brilliance in the black eyes and saw a star had been illumined. He pulled Snape towards him and embraced the young wizard who hugged him in turn, trembling.

'My child...'

Dumbledore murmured softly. He had uncovered a diamond in the dark mine, and with work and time perhaps the whole cave would be sparkling and the darkness buried beneath the rubble. Perhaps the sky would be lighted by thousands of stars once more. The graveyard transformed into a garden with flowers of dazzling colors and a shining sun unobscured by rain clouds. His desire to die into a wish to live. To live what though? If they lost. If Voldemort won, all would be lost. All would be lost. He pressed the young man closer to his chest and squeezed his eyes against the pain. Their hearts would be torches in the dark and their souls would never be conquered- not even by death. Whilst Voldemort survived only for his craving of dominion and hatred. And was not Love the most powerful of emotions? They would win, they would survive. The darkness would never consume the light. Yet what did he truly fight for? For peace, freedom, love, happiness? For the world as it should be... but had it ever truly been like that? What did he fight for then, for hope? No, he decided. He fought for Life. Clear and simple. Life with it's twists and turns. A Life like a sunny garden with a stony path, in which some encountered small stones and others passed smoothly, where flowers flanked either side and though all observed the flowers some got pricked by thorns and others did not; but all were in the light. Without fear of a monster springing from the bushes and attacking them, where the sweet smell of roses swelled their hearts and the sound of twittering birds made their eyes glow. And not a Life lead blindfold by Evil, stumbling barefoot on a path of jagged stones while fire licked their sides and lashes hit their backs as demons pulled them foward by a cord on their necks, choking them as the fumes of hatred lit their eyes with madness, and the screams of agony tore from their lips and roared in their ears ceaselessly, all the time walking towards and endless abyss of darkness. He was fighting. He would fight until he achieved his wish or was carried away by a monster and thrown into the pit. But he would fight and, hopefully win.

Snape felt tears slipping down his face and into Dumbledore's white beard, and felt as though he were being bled. His heart had been cut open and he was bleeding slowly. But the worst part was that he was bleeding to Life and not to Death as he had wished. He had to live for Dumbledore. But did he truly want to? A small piece of his heart was doubting. Wondering if it were possible to truly discover happiness...if the old man with his love might bring the peace of mind he desired, the peace and contentment of soul he had deemed only possible through death. He clung to Dumbledore's robes unconciously as he held onto the ledge. He felt as though he were hanging on the ledge of an abyss, his hands were bleeding as the rock cut into his hands, and he questioned himself it perhaps falling would be better than the perpetual pain. But there was something new there, somehow water was trickling to hisdry lips and the clouds were breaking to reveal an azure sky. The rock seemed to smoothen though his hands still bled and stung and his arms ached and he was weighed down by weariness. He felt the embrace tighten, and it seemed to him that a lemon-smelling breeze passed around him. He still longed to let go...he was exhausted. But he clung on, and as Dumbledore held him it was as though he were sustaining him and letting him rest. Giving him strength to climb up, and he knew there would be a branch of smooth bark ready to help him up when he regained his energy.

Albus stroked the raven hair lovingly and noticed suddenly that Snape had either fallen asleep or fainted. Carefully he lay him back down against the pillow and saw Snape's hands still grabbing his robes hard, gently prised his fingers apart and placed the bony young man's hands on the bed. He gazed at him with concern, registering once more his extreme paleness and thinness. A few nights with Dreamless Sleep potion had done him good, but dark smudges under his eyes still signalled exhaustion. Yet it was difficult to think about his precarious health situation when so worried with his mental state. After all, for a real recovery the mind must be the first to heal in order for the body to follow in the healing.

With a last caress to his child he conjured an armchair and sitting down comfortably, passed the night gazing upon Severus as the shadows darkened around him and the moon appeared glimmering to substitute the sun, while he was lost in his thoughts.