Shadows of Light

After alerting the teachers to the presence of the Death Eaters, the first years had remained in position watching the battle begin. Those watching the front gates had seen the moment Professor Snape had activated his spell.

There had been nothing but black in sight, and then suddenly one of the figures had begun to glow with a bright white light. To say they were amazed when none of the figures on the ground took notice was an understatement, even knowing how magic worked, few of them could believe that the light couldn't be seen, especially when they were so close to it.

"That must have been one hell of a powerful spell Snape used." Thomas Everidge, a Hufflepuff, whispered.

"Well you must have heard the rumours surrounding Snape's family; it wouldn't surprise me if he wasn't as powerful as Dumbledore." Everidge just nodded at the voice, too busy watching Snape move across the grounds towards the castle to find out who had spoken, coming from a wizarding family, he had heard the rumours, but he hadn't really believed them, until now.

"I haven't heard any rumours. What's wrong with Snape's family?"

"Well you're a muggle-born aren't you? It's no wonder you haven't heard about them." Everyone turned to look at the Slytherin as he spoke, expecting a sneering comment about the small girls parentage but when none came, Everidge smiled at the boy and then turned to the muggle-born witch.

"I don't really remember everything they say about them Scouter, but my brother does, he's one of the fourth years watching the kids downstairs. If we're all finished here maybe we could go down there. I'm sure they could do with a hand anyway, can't see there being much to do in the Slytherin common room." The Slytherin boy turned at the mention of his common room.

"There's nothing wrong with our common room, but you're right, there isn't anything there for kids, perhaps we should get the others, Dumbledore did say that as long as we stayed inside the castle we could go help anywhere once the battle began."

They all nodded in agreement and separated to get the other groups together. Eventually all the first years stood in the Astronomy tower and after a quick role call determining that they were all there, they headed for the dungeons. The sounds of the battle going on outside the castle grew louder as the approached the Entrance Hall, and the students huddled close together, wands drawn, wincing at every scream and shout that reached their ears.

Hurrying much faster they almost ran down the dungeon steps. The group of fourth years standing outside the portrait entrance to the common room stiffened when he saw them approached. Pointing their wands at the first years they asked for the keywords that each student had been told and ordered to request if they met each other once the battle started.

"What would Professor Snape say if I melted my cauldron?"

"Longbottom clear up that mess." They said as one, small smiles reaching their lips. Longbottom had flushed with embarrassment when the Headmaster had suggested that particular password, but had soon started laughing with his friends, saying that just imagining Snape's face if he found out about it was good enough incentive for him to allow it. Not that he really had much choice.

"So the battle's begun. We thought so, but you can't see anything down here, we could just hear it. How did it look when you left?" There was definitely fear in the older boy's voice, but he was controlling it, he had to remain strong for those younger than him. When it was all over, then he would allow himself to quiver like a leaf.

"Snape's spell worked. I think it may have worked a little better than they thought, he was glowing like a white Christmas tree." Seeing the fear increase on the boys' faces Everidge hastily added, "But its ok, the Death Eaters couldn't see it. They split into two groups, Snape lead the first group to where Dumbledore was waiting, and the other group went over nearer the forbidden forest, but our lot separated too and they surprised them before they reached the forest. Then there was this pause where they all stopped and just stared at each other. Dumbledore and all the teachers moved forwards, and then all the others did the same until they were all standing in plain view. I don't know but I think Dumbledore might have been talking to You-Kn...to Voldemort but he just threw his head back, looked to me as if he was laughing, and then this green light shot out of his wand into the sky, and the Dark Mark appeared in the sky, that must have been some kind of signal, 'cause when they saw it all the Death Eaters started firing spells, but our lot got them back, and then they started pairing off and duelling, nothing like we did in DADA though. That's when we started talking about Snape and his family, but we don't know much of the rumours so we thought we'd come down here and see if any of you lot knew them, besides, we thought you could do with the help."

"Sure could." One of the other fourth years spoke up.

"Any of you mind standing out here with us, the more people out here the better."

Everidge looked at the Slytherin he'd been talking to earlier.

"What d'ya say Hartnett; think we could defend these poor helpless students?"

"Yes well it's always up to us Slytherins to help you lot anyway, by the looks of it, I'd be failing in my loyalty to my house if I didn't." Smiling he moved to stand next to the Hufflepuff and the fourth years opened the door allowing the others entrance. They were too busy counting those that went in through the portrait they didn't notice the small figure slip out and run soundlessly down the corridor and around the corner towards the dungeon entrance.

Severus was the first person to see the small child in the middle of the battlefield. Frozen momentarily in horror he didn't even feel as Lupin's spell cut across his cheek. The girl looked no older than two and she was running unsteadily towards a figure in brown robes who lay slumped down a few feet away from him, he couldn't hear her above the noise of the battle, but he could see the tears and fear on her face, and could read the shouts of 'mummy' on her lips.

And then he wasn't the only one to see the child.

Goyle Sr. turned in the direction of the witch he had just fired down to see a tiny girl running towards her. The child posed no threat to him but the Dark Lord had said that anyone without a white mask was to be killed, and he wasn't about to go against his Master's orders. Grinning like the madman he was, he spun his wand in her direction and pointed it at the small chest.

Severus saw the movement of Goyle's wand and before he had time to think clearly he ran towards the girl.

"NO!"

Reaching her just in time he grabbed her into his arms pulling both of them to the ground. Breathing heavily he checked the girl over for any signs that he might have been too late, but the screams of fear she was releasing told him all he needed to know.

Raising himself back to his feet, the crying child tucked safely behind him, beneath his robes he suddenly realised that the battle ground had gone quite. Not silent for there were still duels occurring but those closest to him had stopped their fighting to look at him in shock. It would have been funny to think that just by saving a child he could stop a fierce battle, if it hadn't been for the fear that gripped him.

Perhaps he'd been wrong, Slytherins could feel fear.

"Snape this girl had better be your child." Avery's voice broke through his terror and he realised that the time had come; he could finally fight for the side he had been on all along.

"Yes Avery, she is my child." There were several gasps of surprise around him and he smiled maliciously behind the white mask, knowing full well that 'Dumbledore's Army' could see it.

"Every student in this school is my child Avery, and since this child appears to be attending for a little while I feel justified in calling her my own." It was amazing really how even behind a full face mask, shock could still be seen.

"Are you crazy Snape?" It wasn't a question. "When Our Lord finds out about this he's going to kill you. What kind of sick game are you playing?"

"'Our Lord' isn't going to find out about this, 'Your Lord' might, but he was never My Lord, and as for a game, I'm not playing any, and that is where the problem lies. This is no game, this is reality, these are real lives, real people not chess pieces that can be crushed without concern. Do you know how many years I've watched you torture and murder the innocent just because you feel like it? Do you know who many times I've watched each one of you go under the Cruciatus simply because He feels like it, how many times I've been under it? Well I do and it has been far too many times for each of them. Is that really the world you want to live in, one where you still fear for your life, is that the life you want for your children, He won't share the power he promises to have, haven't you seen that yet? He wants to rule, but he wants to do it alone, you'll be no more than servants to him and he'll replace you the first chance he gets. You have one last chance to stop that. To save your own lives and the lives of your children. He won't win here today, and you'll all go down with him." There was no sound when he finished, and for once he wasn't grateful for the oppressive silence. And then he heard clapping and his blood ran cold.

"Very impressive Severus, I see some of your family's blood does indeed run through you, you would have made a good Politician, just like your Great Grandfather, but you made one mistake. You forgot that no one can leave me." He felt more than saw Arthur's presence behind him and before the circle of wizards and witches that had formed around him had separated completely to allow access to the Dark Lord, he pulled the girl out from behind his robes and pushed her into his waiting arms.

Relieved that her life no longer depended on him, Severus allowed his anger to surface over his fear.

"I didn't have to leave you, I never joined you." That definitely shocked some people.

"This was my father's choice for me, not mine. He pushed me to become what he was, but in his wish to please you, he forgot that you can't force a Snape to become anything against their will. I disowned them the night I was branded and I disowned you the first time I saw him come back from one of your meetings, praising you while he bled from the wounds you had inflicted. You see, I left you before I ever joined you. I was never loyal to you. Why do you think all your raids were discovered so quickly by Aurors, why do you think I continuously failed to kill the Headmaster and Potter? I'm a Potions Master, that feat would have taken little effort to achieve, and yet I failed. I failed every time you asked it of me and I faced every punishment you gave me because I knew that it didn't matter what you did to me, I wouldn't beg your forgiveness, I didn't need it, I wouldn't ask for mercy, I knew you had none to give and I wouldn't give myself over to you fully because I don't belong to you. You were never anything to me but the monster you are. That night you asked for my loyalty, and that night I pledged it to another. I was and will always be loyal to Albus Dumbledore, not you, never you." His eyes were hard as he changed the spell on him to reveal himself to Voldemort. He smirked coldly as realisation dawned on Voldemort's face and reached up to rip the mask from his face, throwing it up in the air it burst into flames without a spell being spoken or a wand being raised.

Voldemort stared blindly at the spot where the mask had been and Severus smiled as he felt a hand grab his left arm. The small burn that ran through the Mark on that arm told him that the hand belonged to Potter.

Looking down at the boy he was relieved with what he saw there. He knew Potter didn't want to kill, but he also knew that the boy would do what ever it took to keep his friends safe, and the look of pure hatred and determination he saw on the young face told him that the boy was prepared to kill for the one's he loved and Severus vowed to help him when it came the time that Harry would have to face that he had killed a man. But then there wasn't much of Voldemort that anyone could call human, so perhaps Harry wouldn't need that much help after all.

"I can see that your alliance isn't the only thing you've been hiding from me." Voldemort's eyes were stabbing into him, but he refused to flinch, to look away, and he met the red with endless black. "You could be very powerful one day you know. I would let you reach the potential you have. Come back to me and I will forget all of this, and once this battle is over we will remove the muggles together."

"I can see that you've become deaf in your old age Tom," He smirked further at the anger that caused. "I already told you that I was never on your side, I cannot go back to where I never was, please try to listen this time, I loath repeating myself to creatures not worth the time." His tone casual, impatience seeping in and he knew when it had its intended affect; losing his smooth voice to hissing always showed a loss of control on Voldemort's part.

As long as Voldemort thought he was in control, as long as he kept himself collected, he would have the ability to win, but if he lost that control, if his rage got the better of him then it wouldn't take Harry much to remove the beast from their lives forever.

"Sssseverussss I will kill you." And then he began to hiss.

Severus felt a sharp tug on his sleeve and looked to Harry, his face was white and he practically whispered the words in his fear.

"He's calling his snake, he's calling Nagina."

"I know." Severus smiled at the shock that overtook the fear on the-boy-who-lived's face. "You're not the only Parselmouth around here you know." He winked at the boy for good measure then continued.

"And Nagina has been a large source of the information I bring... brought," he corrected himself. "to the Order.

The smirk was back and this time it was reflected on the face beside him.

"We don't really know anything about you do we sir?"

"Not now, but I don't hold out the hope that that will last for long after tonight."

They said no more as Nagina chose that moment to slither into the circle. The Death Eaters that had formed the semi-circle behind their Master jumped away in fright as she slid close to them, but upon seeing neither Harry nor Severus move away, it was only the Death Eaters that stepped aside.

"Not afraid of ssssnakessss then Ssseverussss?"

"Not when some of my best friends were serpents." Severus at least would hold onto his control. He could see the Order members slowly shifting around the circle, slipping behind the Death Eaters, if he could just distract Voldemort a little longer they would all be in place, it wouldn't be like before though, this time the Death Eaters would aim for death.

"Well then let me introducssss my friend."

"We've already met thank you, she's a very good conversationalist if you spend the time with her, favours the basement to the upper floors though." The subtle hints weren't lost on anyone there, including Voldemort.

"Well, well sssomething elsssse you failed to tell me, but I don't think that a mere conversssation will stop her from killing you Ssseverusss." His eyes were feverish with madness.

"She won't kill me, I was the one who healed her when you took your anger out on her, I saved her life when you left her to die. She owes me a life debt." He stopped talking to Voldemort and turned his attention to the large snake.

"Nagina."

"Professsssor"

"I need your help, I know that Voldemort is your Master but he is going to request you kill me, but that won't be the case, will it Nagina?"

"I cannot kill you ssssir, you ssssaved me when my Masssster wanted me dead." He could see Harry following the conversation closely, he wasn't the only one.

"Listen to me you worthlesssss sssserpent, I am your Massssster, you will obey me! Kill Ssssnape now!"

"I can not do that Masssster. I am bound against harming him."

"Then I will kill you and then him myssself."

"As you wissssssh Masssster." She turned to look Severus in the eyes and he conveyed to her the gratitude and sadness he felt at her sacrifice. "I sssaid I would find a way to repay you for the kindnesssss you sssshowed me, I hope thissssss will ssssuffice."

"It is far more than I would have ever asked Nagina, and I wish there were some other way."

"ENOUGH! Avada Kedarva!"

While Severus and Voldemort had fought over the snake the Order members completed their task and were now surrounding the Death Eaters. Preparing to attack them as soon as any signal was given, they had not expected the killing curse to be released on the snake, and in their shock the Death Eaters were able to gain time to defend themselves, the battle began again as if the break in fighting hadn't occurred, but this time the duels were harder, the spells stronger and the wizards and witches wearier.

Severus fought the Death Eaters coming towards him, jumping over hexes, dodging curses and firing back with spells of his own. All around him he watched as the Death Eaters pushed, student and teacher alike onto the defence, firing spell after spell until they were able to do nothing more than hold a constant shield around themselves.

Attacking with a renewed vigour Severus almost didn't see the Headmaster fall.

Almost.

Fingers of ice closed around his heart as he watched Minerva fight hopelessly to get to his side, and he saw Draco Malfoy close in for the kill. With strength he didn't know he had he conjured the strongest shield he knew and with all his power behind it he threw it at the Headmaster. He wouldn't let them kill the people he loved.

Albus had too been busy fighting two of his former students and fathers of two of his more recent students; Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle that he didn't see Draco come up behind him. When he did see him it was too late for him to defend himself and the spell sent him to the ground gasping for breath, his wand out of his hand. He saw Draco approach, but he didn't have the strength in that moment to move for his wand.

He couldn't believe that this would be how he would die, he had been so sure that he would see the end of the battle, the end of the war, that he hadn't planned for the possibility that he wouldn't. Now as he lay collapsed on the ground of his school, he realised that even with how long his life had been, he hadn't done nearly as much as he wanted to, hadn't said everything he needed to. He found himself wishing for just a little more time, for a miracle that would allow him to do all the things he hadn't and he didn't believe his eyes when the world became covered in a silver glow.

He saw the green light coming towards him, braced himself for the impact. But it didn't happen. He stared in wonder as the green beam hit the silver film around him and was absorbed into it, disappearing the instant it made contact. Catching himself, he reached for his wand and using Draco's momentary shock, stunned the young Death Eater. He reached out to touch the silver film, wanting to determine what it was, he had never seen anything like it before, but as soon as his fingers touched it the film disappeared.

It took him a moment to realise that his fingers were now glowing the same silver, and raising his other hand he found that too to be shining with the odd silver glow. Still seated on the ground he posed no threat to any of the Death Eaters around him and so he took the break in duelling to look around the battlefield.

Where moments before he had seen his friends being backed up against the castle walls, his students huddling beside each other offering the strength of their defence to each other, he saw silver figures raising their wands proud and determined, groups of silver witches and wizards stunning the black figures with an ease he had never known before. The Death Eaters were falling one by one, their attempts at attack and defence being absorbed effortlessly by the intended witch or wizard's skin, the silver hue glowing brighter and then fading again with every spell it took in.

Sirius had watched Severus hissing at the giant snake, seeing his Godson clutching tightly to the man's robes he had wanted to run over to them and pull them out of Voldemort's way, but Harry's face didn't show fear, and Severus was smirking as he spoke, so he resigned himself to waiting, wishing that a snake had been his animagus form.

Then the fighting had begun again, wizard on wizard, witch on witch, student on student but the night was starting to take its toll on the children, and the effort of looking out for their students as well as themselves was gradually wearing them down.

Fewer curses were fired, more shields were summoned, and the Death Eaters were showing no mercy. It was obvious that they aimed to kill them all, they would leave no survivors, but a simple Advra Kadavra was too nice, they wanted to cause pain, to torture, to kill slowly, and it was starting to look as if they were going to get their wish, that was until Draco took down Albus, and then the metaphorical tables were turned. His eyesight adjusted and suddenly he was seeing the world through silver lenses, the spell the nameless Death Eater shot at him disappeared into the silver and when he reached for it his skin absorbed the silver, but it still shone clear through him.

The Death Eater looked stunned, even behind the mask, and it took Sirius little to disable him and bind him to the ground, snapping the wizard's wand for the satisfaction of knowing that the wizard was now helpless.

Turning back into the battle he saw the masked figures stepping back as their spells disappeared in front of their eyes, and those they were fighting began to glow silver.

It took only moments for the teachers and Order members to realise the advantage they had over the Death Eaters and began, Sirius thought humorously, 'rounding' them up. When there were only a few Death Eaters left standing Sirius's gaze moved to a circle of light to the side of the battle, it was here that he saw Harry and Voldemort locked in an intense duel.

Logically he knew that it was up to Harry and Harry alone to defeat the Dark Lord, but that logic didn't stop the irrational part of him wanting to run over their, transform and plunge his teeth into the monsters neck, but something that caught his eye stopped any irrational thought. Harry was glowing silver as well.

At first Sirius thought that it must have been Harry that had caused the silver mist that had spread over them all, but a movement to the right of the duel made him change his mind.

Severus stood leaning heavily against the trunk of a large tree, his eyes didn't move from Harry's form, he didn't blink, and even from where Sirius stood he could see him mouthing a spell, but what had changed his mind wasn't the chanting, but the silver light that seemed to have erupted from within the Slytherin.

He wasn't glowing like the rest of the teachers, but the silver was pulsing off him in waves, it didn't seem to be related to the chanting for even though Severus's mouth had stopped moving, the light didn't vanish but continued to pulse.

Bathed in the silver light, Sirius didn't think he had ever seen the man look as good as he did then, his nose didn't look too big, his skin was clear and white, not the sallow colour it had once been. Had they been anywhere else Sirius would have been kissing his way down that powerful body, but they weren't anywhere else, and Harry needed his full concentration.

Dragging his eyes away from Severus, he focused his attention on his Godson, and any sense of piece he had felt left him. Harry was on his knees, Voldemort leaning over him, speaking low in his ear. Harry's body was shaking, but Sirius couldn't tell if it was anger or exhaustion. Setting off at a sprint he made it only a few metres, when a weak spell hit Voldemort's back.

The spell did nothing to harm him, but it did make him spin around to face the wizard responsible.

Severus.

He could barely stand up now, the tree being the only thing keeping him on his feet; he had a whole new appreciation for them now. He stopped chanting the ancient spell when Harry fell at Voldemort's feet. He couldn't, wouldn't let the bastard kill the boy, not while there was still life in his own body.

He wasn't arrogant enough to think he could take on the wizard himself, even if he had had the strength left, that role could only be taken by Harry, but he could give the boy a chance.

Drawing his wand he threw the first curse that came to mind and then outright denied to himself that at the age of 30 something, and aiming at one of the most powerful dark wizards ever to live, he had fired a jelly legs curse.

But what ever the curse it served its purpose because the moment Voldemort's back was turned, Harry drew himself to his feet and in a voice that carried across the almost still battlefield he spoke the curse that would free them all.

"Avada Kadavra." At first nothing happened and they each felt their hope seep out of them, but then a green light began shooting out Voldemort's body, his screams pierced the early morning air, and he was levitated 5 foot in the air.

The green light continued to burst out of him, and with every new ray, and every sharp scream Voldemort's body was ripped apart. No one moved when the screaming stopped, nor when the green light faded, not even when all that was left of the wizard who had haunted their nightmares for too many years, fell lifelessly to the floor. But they did move when the silver left their bodies, and a pain filled groan filled the grounds.

Following the sound to its source Sirius expected to find Severus still leaning against the tree, but he couldn't see him anywhere.

Panicking his eyes darted across the grounds until they returned to the tree, another groan reached his ears, weaker than the first, and his eyes dipped low and his heart stopped beating.

He waited out Voldemort's intense gaze, he felt his presence in his mind, but he didn't have the strength to fight against it, and so he dropped his walls, unveiled his thoughts and allowed himself to be violated, but it didn't matter, it was a distraction and Voldemort would be dead soon enough, besides he wanted the satisfaction of Voldemort knowing just how much he had deceived and tricked him, wanted the wizard to know how much pleasure he was going to feel when he died.

The presence pulled painfully away, wrenching itself from his mind, and Severus watched numbly as the man he had played servant to, who he had been summoned to at the wizard's whim burst into a green light.

Time seemed to spin, and he didn't know how long it was until he saw the body hit the ground with a dull thump, his gaze shifted to Harry, to Albus where he stood looking at the corpse of his enemy, to Sirius who was also looking nowhere but at the slayed Lord and he knew at that moment that regardless of the Gryffindor's feelings, he could never be satisfied with anyone else and he was finally able to classify what he had been feeling for him since that kiss so long ago; Love.

After seeing with his own eyes that they were alright, his body drained and he saw the ground rushing to meet him before the world turned to black.

"Severus!" He was at the fallen wizard's side quicker than apparation would have allowed. "Oh my God Severus." And that about summed up what he saw. Where only minutes ago, Severus's skin had looked like milk, it was now as white as a corp...No he wouldn't think of that comparison.

A long cut had spread across his cheek, and the blood from it had dried, leaving a trail down to his lips. Severus's lips had always been pale and thin, but now they were almost transparent, tainted with an ominous blue hue. Sirius dropped abruptly to his knees and pulled the black-haired head into his lap, forgetting everyone else around them as he tried desperately to get a response.

"Sev? Come on Sev wake up. You have to wake up. Come on!" He was suddenly very angry with the situation. "Don't you dare die now you git. Not now after everything. Wake up damn you Sev don't do this to me." He was only seconds away from grabbing hold of the thin shoulders and shaking Severus to life, when the shallow breathing turned into a pain-filled rasp.
"Don't...Call...Me...Sev." He tried to sneer, but it was too hard. Breathing in short gasps, he forced his eyes open, for a moment his vision swam, before settling on Sirius's face.

Sirius watched barely believing when the black eyes came to rest on him, though glazed they hadn't lost their intensity, somehow that made it better. Confusion and concern fell on the Slytherin's face.

"Don't...cry." He brought a hand up to rest on Sirius's cheek, his arm shaking violently with the effort it took, unable to hold it there any longer, he allowed it to drop. Sirius caught the falling hand in his own and pulled it back to his cheek, holding it tightly against him. Severus began ghosting the pad of his thumb across Sirius's cheek, gently stroking away the tears it encountered.

"Oh God Sev, I was so scared. Promise me you won't go. Please, I don't know what I'd do." He lent into the touch, absorbing the feel of the too cold palm against his skin, relishing in the comfort the gesture brought. Pride be damned he was going to beg to who ever he had to to keep this man alive.

"Can't." His voice was weaker now, and his breathing had become more laboured, the air bubbling in his chest.

"No Severus. You've got to hold on, for me. You can't go now."

With enormous effort, Severus turned his head to where Voldemort now lay forgotten.

"Vold...?" His voice hitched cutting off his question, but Sirius knew regardless.

"He's gone Sev. You and Harry, you did it, so you've gotta hang on you're free now." He clutched tighter at the paling man, more afraid of losing him than causing more pain.

"Can't...Sorry..." It was becoming harder to breath now, everything was jumbling up in his mind, he couldn't form sentences, too tired to stay awake much longer.

"No, no do it for me, you've come this far don't give up now."

"Sorry." He heard the begging sobs above him as his vision became edged in black, he kept repeating his apology, but he couldn't tell if the words ever made it to his lips.

He knew he should be cold by now, with his life slowly slipping away, but the arms wrapped around him almost painfully tight burnt into him, warming him from the outside in. As the black enclosed him his last conscious thought was of holding the owner of those arms and he finally fought to hold onto the air within his lungs, but he was so tired, and the black looked so attractive, but then so did the other Black, the one that was begging him to stay. Him. He couldn't think anything further as the black surrounded him, and he fell into it fighting all the way.

"No, no, no, no, no..." Harry watched as his Godfather sobbed uncontrollably into his Potions Professor's chest. He moved closer to the two wizards.

"Siri..." He froze when the man's head rose. The despair he saw there brought tears to his own eyes and he forced himself forward. Encircling the older wizard within his arms, he held him while he cried, Snape's body still held lovingly in his own arms.

End of Part Seven