Harry looked around the train station bathed in white light. It looked like King's Cross, but there was some subtle difference he couldn't quite place. The last thing he remembered was throwing himself in front of a Killing Curse meant for Snape. Voldemort had taken the Potions Master's betrayal as a personal insult, and had momentarily forgotten about his much younger foe. Harry's last thought before the green light had struck him was that he'd finally done something right, he'd finally done what he should have done ages ago and given his life for someone he cared about.

"You've grown."

Harry turned sharply, knowing that voice. Behind him, beside a white bench, stood both of his parents. Tears sprung into his eyes as he raced towards them and threw his arms about their necks. He found no words as he choked on a sob. He was sorry he was dead, sorry he hadn't finished the job, but he was unbelievably happy to be able to hold his parents.

"Oh, Harry, I have missed you," Lily murmured, wrapping her arms around him.

James placed a hand on his shoulder. "I only wish you could stay."

Harry pulled back, frowning. "W-what do you mean? I'm dead, where else am I going to go?"

"Not quite, love," Lily said, touching his cheek gently. "You've still got a job to do."

"You mean…" Harry sighed, heartbroken. "You mean I still have to kill Him." He looked up at his parents. "But I want to stay with you. Let somebody else give him his end. I don't want that burden."

"It is yours to bear," James told him softly. "Though, that was not the business we meant. Severus needs you right now."

"What?" Harry asked, honestly confused.

"With you out of the way, there is no one to protect him," Lily said. "Tom will make sure he suffers."

Harry gasped sharply. "No! He can't! I- I have to go back! I have to stop him!"

Lily smiled. "You're such a good boy. Before you go, however, there is a message I would like you to pass along."

"Anything," Harry breathed.

"Tell Severus that I always loved him," Lily said. "Not the way he wanted, but he was always in my heart. And I did forgive him. We… we were going to ask him to be godfather to your little sister, had I lived long enough to bring her into the world."

"Really?"

"Really," James answered. "I regret a lot about my youth, but none more than my appalling behavior towards him. I was always jealous. He was better at everything, and had Lily's confidence. But I was young and stupid. I tortured and brutalized what should have been one of my greatest allies." He kissed Harry's temple lightly. "I can't imagine anyone better to entrust my son's life and happiness to."

Lily kissed Harry's cheek. "I love you," She told him warmly, giving him a tight hug. "And we are so proud of you. You've had such a hard life, but you keep coming through every trial stronger than before. You're more precious and amazing than we could ever have hoped, and I am so glad Severus has you to care for, and you him."

"I love you, too," Harry murmured, returning the hug. "I miss you both, so much. I wish there were more time. I wish I didn't have to go back."

"I know," James said, kissing his head again and ruffling his hair. "But we'll be here, Harry. When the time comes, we'll be waiting for you. Until then, know that we are immensely proud of you, and that we're always watching."

Harry nodded, and closed his eyes as warm air suddenly rushed at him. Sounds of shouting and spells brought him around and he opened his eyes. He was on the musty floor of the manor-like base Voldemort had chosen. He lay trembling for a moment. Then, very near to him, he heard a familiar voice cry out. He looked with frightened eyes and saw Snape writhing on the floor under the Cruciatus, crying out whenever he could draw enough breath.

Fire flared in Harry's chest, a burning hatred like nothing he had ever felt. Harry picked himself off the floor, his hand curled around his wand so tightly that his fingers were white. His whole body was trembling with rage as he turned to face the Dark Lord, who had stopped his onslaught on Snape and was looking at Harry with a kind of horror.

Harry raised his wand and spoke the forbidden words to the unspeakable spell. Green light flared from the tip of his wand and sped like lightning towards the evil man who'd dared to harm the Potions Master. The spell struck the center of Voldemort's chest. Surprise colored the pale face and red eyes as the bastard collapsed. His body lay in the dust, his reign of terror ended in the space of a heartbeat. Harry turned from the corpse and collapsed beside the Potions Master, who was unconscious. The Gryffindor twisted around until he was kneeling with the man's head in his lap, off the dirty floor. Blood trickled from the side of Snape's mouth, and from his nose.

Around them, the fighting continued. No one had even noticed the battle, no one had witnessed the fall of the Dark Lord. But it didn't matter. Snape was safe, for now, and Harry carded his fingers through the glossy raven hair. Eventually, someone saw him, and he and Snape were whisked back to the school while the Death Eaters fell at the hands of the Order. It was done.