A/N: *blows off the cobwebs* Well, hello there, my wonderful readers. It's been four years since you received an update, but I finally figured out the ending for it. I always said every story I ever started would be finished, and this on is no exception to that. Thank you to all who have waited patiently for me to return to this fic. I enjoyed this little world I created all those years ago. Admittedly, picking it up four years later is probably one of the most difficult things I've done in my life so far. I likely have some plot bunnies I overlooked, and it may not be as satisfying as you had hoped, but, alas, I finally think I got to where I needed to reach in order to say it's finally complete. But, like Chuck from SPN says, "No doubt, endings are hard, but then again nothing really ever ends, does it?" ;)

Again, all the best to you.

He watched Sinistra silently digest the news of her mother's interference. A few emotions crossed her face, but not nearly as many as he'd have thought there would be. He briefly wondered if she heard him, but he could tell by the way her right hand was picking at the covers incessantly she had. She was as thrown as he was unfortunately.

"Aurora?" he softly spoke, unable to stay silent any longer.

"I heard you."

"What do you need?" He hated seeing how lifeless she looked currently.

She shook her head, though. "I don't even know where to begin," she murmured.

Nor did he honestly, but he'd help her however he could. Always.

The urge to embrace her was practically screaming inside, but he didn't. He'd give her this time to find a way to come to terms with all of this that he just dropped in her lap. She stared ahead blankly. As if the rest of the world didn't even register with her anymore. He supposed it didn't in some way.

Syra's earlier words echoed in his mind as he patiently waited for Aurora to regain her mental footing again. He found himself mulling over Syra's question to him concerning why Aurora's mother would go to such lengths. Deep down, he did agree she may have cared somewhat about her eldest, but she committed terrible acts in the name of her so-called love for her daughter.

Earlier, they learned the man who attacked Aurora in June and poisoned her had been found dead outside the steps of the Ministry of Magic. His confession rested in a bottled memory pinned to his chest with the help of a thin ribbon. It didn't make sense what they found, though. The man admitted to acting alone, yet Syra insinuated there was another involved, hadn't she? Of course her honesty left much to be desired, considering the elaborate ruse she pulled. However, from what he knew of her, there was definitely a reason for her saying that. He had a feeling based on the brief meetings he had that Syra was not one for rash decisions.

"Is it strange I didn't even notice my necklace was gone?" Aurora finally spoke. She met his gaze after a moment longer. "I knew something was different, but I didn't know what." She shook her head lightly. "Everything's felt . . . off lately. I thought it was the Bliss. Or maybe even the Dreamless so I didn't see that weird dream again."

"What dream?" He had thought she was avoiding her memories of her family's deaths, but perhaps it was something else entirely.

She paused for a moment, clearly trying to recall it. "I'm in some room at Hogwarts. It's old and musty, full of neglect."

The hairs to the back of his neck prickled up as she spoke. Could it be?

"I don't know it, though. I've never been there. But there's this . . . thing in the middle. Some structure reflecting lights all around," she continued.

His heart wildly beat as he listened numbly to her.

"Are there others?" he asked, swallowing down his emotions.

She nodded jerkily. "I think so. I can't be certain, though."

"Is one of them Flitwick?"

She glanced down, trying to recall. However, she shook her head not long after. "I don't think so. I never see them. They're just shadows in this odd mist." Her eyes darted back to him. "Why?"

He knew he should tell her his suspicions. However, how did one tell a person they shared a dream that may not have entirely been a dream after all? She'd think he was mad for this. However, he was sure of it. What he wasn't sure was what it meant exactly.

"Where's your son?"

Her question startled him. Harrison? She was worried about the boy?

"With my mother," he answered, trying to keep the concern from his voice. Why was she worrying about Harrison of all things right now?

"He didn't see it, did he?"

"Which part exactly are you referring to here?" He then added, "My being an arse or . . . ?"

Her eyes dropped instantly as her tongue lightly swiped over her lips to re-wet them again. "The seizure, Severus."

He shook his head. "He didn't."

"Good. That poor child has enough nightmares already. He doesn't need that on top of everything else."

"He's also a toddler, though, Sinistra. I'm certain he'd forget like all other kids do."

"My sister never did."

His mind instantly jolted with her admission. "You've had a seizure before?"

"Once." She laughed hollowly. "I was being a stubborn fool and thought I knew better. I was angry at something Mother said likely. I don't even recall anymore. I pulled it off and threw it on the ground. Woke up not long after to my father staring down at me with this sad look in his eyes and my sister sobbing, convinced I was dead. Of course, she's always been the dramatic one in the family."

He caught the humor in her words.

"Perhaps now that the veil has been lifted you can see her?"

Sinistra huffed a small, unamused laugh. "I sincerely doubt that, considering Mother kept them from me, but thank you."

"What do you mean?"

She regarded him for a moment, seemingly confused by his question. "Why else would she go to all this? Fake her and Jezlyn's deaths? She wanted to protect her perfect daughter."

"No, Aurora," interrupted a low voice. "She wanted to protect you, not protect others from you."

"And how the hell do you know that?" she demanded, glaring at the obvious vampire.

Severus couldn't shake the feeling of déjà vu.

"Because I served your family long ago at Windsor. I was there as she worked long nights to ensure your survival. You have always been her everything."

"Oh, have I?"

He had to concur with her. He saw very little evidence of this. Maybe once Syra did, but to go to such extreme lengths as this? Nothing justified it.

"Please. Allow me the chance, Mistress Aurora."

The second Severus caught her flinch, his wand flew into his hand. Who the hell was this? The vampire regarded him with little interest, though.

"As you wish."

A moment later, the pale hands of the elder vampire rested atop of their arms. They both tried to shove the hands off, but it was too late. The feeling of weightlessness and bone-chilling cold returned before their surroundings reappeared inside a very, very familiar room to Severus.

So many questions rattled off in his mind.

How did this vampire know about this room of all rooms?

A soft chuckle lightly pulled Severus back from the non-stop frantic thoughts.

However, before he could even say a word, another spoke, sending him into yet another spiral of mind fuckery.

How was this possible?

"Hello, Severus." The voice was light and airy.

His dark eyes darted about the room, noting each of the four stepping forth from the mist.

"Why are we here?" he challenged. He was shoving every bit of rare panic down into the furthest depths of his mind as he stood beside Sinistra protectively.

"Because I asked for you to be brought here," replied the entity he knew as Hogwarts.

"Why?"

"Various reasons, main one being that you're remembering."

Instinctively, he pressed a hand against Sinistra's forearm to still her.

"So, it's true then?" he asked.

"Yes. You both have been here before. Both asking for Fate's Judgement on yourselves to save the other the pain of losing one another," the Cloud answered.

"Why are we remembering?"

A soft giggle that reminded him of a child echoed around the chamber, bouncing off the cool stone. "Why, Severus, you know that answer."

A flash of annoyance rose up, but he brushed it off.

"You are the Master of Death, and she is the Azrial."

"The what?"

"How do you know that?" Sinistra asked instead.

"The Fates have always worked closely with Hogwarts and the other schools," Flitwick softly explained. "Not to mention the Ministry itself at times. We didn't take enough action during Grindelwald's campaign. It was something we corrected once the threat was dealt with."

"By Dumbledore, you mean?"

"And others who never received the accolades they should have," declared Bane.

"No. You wouldn't have known that particular word at the Ministry," she argued, her shoulders hunching upwards in obvious suspicion.

"They know because of me, Mistress Aurora," coolly drawled the vampire.

"Just who the hell are you anyway?"

"Adolphus," he replied, bowing his head respectfully to her. "I was there the day you were born. Held you even for a brief moment before you were whisked away by Declan to safety."

"What does any of this have to do with why we're here?" Snape hated playing twenty questions like this, and the longer it continued, the more annoyed he became. Not knowing answers that they should have was a dangerous thing. Yet, somehow, he didn't feel as if they were in danger here.

"The threats against you are no more. Your mother has seen to that."

"What?"

Severus had to agree. What did that mean?

"Just as I said. She's eliminated the threats against you both. Hopefully, with this, you can focus your efforts on your health instead."

"You mean the illness she gave me?"

"She didn't give it to you," Adolphus argued. "Not knowingly at least. We wanted to show our appreciation for their continued support of us, so we altered the serum she created to give to you to ensure your survival."

"Oh, well, thank you very much for that," Sinistra scoffed. "Much appreciated of course."

"We have done far more than what was asked of us."

"More than you will ever know, yes," the Cloud confirmed.

"Yet you ask for more."

"We ask for nothing. We remove all bonds placed on you. You are all free."

"Why?"

The Cloud paused for a moment, its colors shifting silently between red, green, yellow, and blue.

"Because we asked too much of you, Severus. Too much of both of you. Too much of your son even. Your future self showed us the error of our ways. He died so you would have everything he could not. To give you everything taken by prophecy and destiny. It is not fair of us to demand then the same of you now. You will ensure the Hallows will die with you. It is said nowhere where you must do set tasks to remain the Master of Death, however. So, live. Enjoy the peace that finally awaits you. The happiness you deserve. That is all we ask. That is all we should have ever asked of you, my child. In some ways, we were no better than the others in your lives, constantly tugging at strings to make you play our game of chess. Go now. Be with your son, the one who defied all odds."

"Severus Snape, the Half-Blood Prince who united the Deathly Hallows," Filius squeaked.

Adolphus, on the other hand, stated with a thin smile that showed off his fangs, "Aurora Sinistra, the Azrial who embraced her one true love, the true and only Master of Death."

"And Harrison Avery Snape, the boy who lived happy ever after," Bane remarked quietly.

"Finally," finished the dryad.

"Embrace your happy ending once and for all," spoke a familiar voice as its speaker joined the other four Fates and the Cloud of Hogwarts.

Severus noted with a start the large crystalline structure once suspended in air was now replaced by the image of Demetri Le Fey.

"For this story is now completed. You write the rest now, not us."