Prologue [2 / 3]:
Of All The Ways.
Severus' eyes flew open to discover he was standing in the centre of a tranquil meadow. Butterflies and birds flew by and he heard the giggles of excitement coming from a young child chasing them. The long grass stopped behind his knees and the air felt a lot lighter here than at the spiritual gateway.
He soon became aware of his change of clothes. He wore a flowy, white shirt that was tucked into a pair of light brown trousers. With a quick glance to his left and right, he saw many others dressed in clean clothes and looking around in a daze.
A line of people waited by a tree across the meadow. Six official looking people carried quills and parchments while smiling at them all generously. The others seemed to be ordinary people, and by the looks of their teary faces, they were familiar ones to those who had just died.
There was a massive wave of people running and embracing one another, heaps of bodies landed on the green ground, kissing, sobbing, hugging, crying, and more kissing. An airy feeling ghosted over his chest, then he suddenly remembered who he arrived with.
Hermione.
Severus whirled around and saw her standing underneath an old-fashioned gazebo; it was a tiny, worn structure covered in moss and vines. A few other people stood around her looking at the reunions taking place, but she was staring at him.
She seemed to glow as she walked over to him slowly. Her body was covered by a white dress that stopped just above her knees; he could see the scar that must've inflicted her death, but it seemed to have faded slightly. Her hair was now tame and it fell behind her shoulders in gentle waves. Severus wasn't blind to beauty when he saw it, however, he'd do his best not to connect such a thought towards an ex-student.
Hermione smiled up at him. "I guess this is it."
"So it seems," he said, then they turned to see the Officials approaching. She stood proudly by his side with her head held high; a small smile grew on his face from her persistent flare of giddiness.
Maybe she hadn't believed in an afterlife and happened to be rather pleased that she was wrong.
They watched the Officials go around ticking people off their list. Those with family members and familiar faces were told to go with those they knew and they'd be guided through what to do next. Severus and Hermione were approached last by a young boy who had to be around eighteen.
"Hermione Granger and Severus Snape?" he asked.
"Yes," they replied together.
"Do you two know each other?"
His words immediately put Severus' back up straight; there was an instant thought that they could be separated, even if Severus didn't want to admit it consciously, he wasn't about to allow himself to be parted from Hermione. He needed familiarity, and she lived and breathed it.
"We do," Hermione replied cautiously. "Does that matter?"
"No!" he exclaimed. "I was just looking over your papers; they get attached to my clipboard the moment you put them through the keyhole at the gates. It says that you both died during a battle, one by a snakebite and the other-"
"What happens now?" Hermione interrupted him and Severus cast bemused eyes onto her. Does she not want people to know how she died?
"Oh…well I'll be your guide for today. Most of the people from your group had people waiting for them so it made our lives much easier as we're usually assigned a large number of people to guide," he explained. "I'll be taking you to a kingdom called Excalibur—it's the place where we take all the new arrivals and teach them the ongoings of Heaven."
"Kingdom?" Severus mumbled.
"Like Kings and castles?" Hermione asked and the boy chuckled at their similar expressions. "Excalibur as in the story around King Arthur and Merlin? The Merlin?!"
Severus jumped back when she squealed with delight; he imagined this was how it felt to be around a star-struck teenager.
"It has a medieval feel to it, with the compact housing and square marketplaces. There's a castle in the centre of it all, ruled by Merlin himself, and cleaned by servants—I use that term loosely as anyone can come and go as they please and have the choice on whether to work or not."
"Are you sure we haven't gone back in time to medieval England?" Severus asked more to himself than the other two.
"I bloody hope not," Hermione leaned closer to him and glanced around. "I'm guessing you have a lot you need to tell us?"
"You're correct Miss Granger, let's get moving!"
"Isn't this amazing, sir? Never in my life could I have imagined something like this," she stared up at the clear blue sky, then they started to follow behind the boy.
"It's adequate."
Hermione laughed at him before moving to catch up with their guide. "What's your name?"
"Jerome, a pleasure to meet you," He shook her hand and Severus walked in stride by his left side. He sneakily tried to have a look at Hermione's sheet, but he curled his lip in annoyance when it was his that covered hers.
"How old are you?" she asked.
"We might as well get the explanations started. By appearance alone, you'd assume I'm around eighteen, but I'm actually one hundred and two years old."
"How so?" Severus spoke up, mildly interested in how he looked so young. I could do with using whatever the hell he's using.
"You don't age in Heaven if you're over the age of eighteen. However, if you, unfortunately, die before you turn eighteen, the magic in the air allows one to grow up until they're that age, then they stay that way forever. To those on earth, it may seem sad when their child dies at a young age, but there is comfort when their parents eventually arrive and discover that their child has grown up and started to live a long life."
"That is-"
"Beautiful," Hermione cut Severus off with a blissful sigh. I was thinking more along the lines of depressing.
"It really is." The parchments attached to Jerome's board disappeared and were replaced with a long list of words with tick boxes next to them. "This is a list of everything I must go over with you before we can allow you to leave Excalibur."
"Where else is there to go?" Severus asked, and he soon felt eyes on him so he looked up just as Hermione averted her eyes.
"Heaven is endless; we view it as multiple layers since there are new places being discovered every day. Most people leave Excalibur and head out onto the open road exploring for the rest of eternity. You have to remember that there are people here from the beginning of magical time, and they're still travelling around. It's very rare that anyone sees the First Souls anymore."
"Is that what you call the first people to arrive here?" Hermione questioned, and Jerome nodded his head.
"Merlin is rarely seen, but he has ventured out a lot more in recent years with his friend Albus-" Hermione gasped, and Severus saw the moment she suddenly remembered everyone that had ever died.
"Professor Dumbledore, of course, he would be here," Severus mumbled. "Is he followed around by the mutt as well?"
"I don't know who you mean?" Jerome said.
"Sirius," Hermione whispered then gave him a perplexed look. "I think it's going to be weird to see them again. Doesn't that mean...James and Lily Potter…"
Severus refused to look at her; it was painfully obvious that she knew of his regrettable past, and he didn't want her sympathy.
"You can head to the local Seeking Souls in town to find people you know," Jerome smiled at them both. "They'll tell you where they are to the nearest kingdom."
It sounds like a dating agency.
Severus saw the sad look on Hermione's face, and he found himself almost ask what was bothering her. He shook the idea from his head and focused on the opening ahead through the trees.
The buzz of life filled their eyeline and they saw numerous people racing around. Some were travelling by horse-and-cart, while others carried baskets on their hips and talked with friends. A small bridge led over to the communal area where Severus could see some of the people they'd arrived with.
When he could finally look up without seeing leaves, Severus caught sight of the enormous castle in the distance. Gold flecks caused the sun to bounce off the walls and radiate the town below; he could hear the sound of music coming from far away, and a small dragon squawked overhead as it flew past them and headed towards the castle.
"Wow…" Hermione gasped, and Severus snapped out of his daze. "This place is beautiful."
He stared at the wondrous look on her face and the odd tightness laced around his heart once more.
"It's a hole," Severus muttered.
"You'll be stuck here for a week so you better get used to it," Jerome replied. "Let's go."
Hermione stepped over to Severus and walked alongside him; he felt her eyes all over his face as she smiled at everything that moved, but he could still sense her sadness.
"Sir, you have to admit that this place is amazing," she said as they started to cross the bridge.
"Why are you sad?"
Her smile disappeared. "I don't want to bore you, sir-"
"I wouldn't have asked. Also, stop calling me sir," he said. "I'm no longer your Professor."
"OK," she whispered. "I...my parents are Muggle and this is the afterlife for witches and wizards."
"Oh," he said in realisation, and they navigated their way through the small crowds. "I'm...sorry," he gave her a sympathetic look, then frowned. Wasn't I just annoyed at her for giving me such a look about Lily?
She shook her head. "It's perfectly OK, I'm sure a lot of people have had to go through the same thing."
"You still have every right to be sad about it," he pinned her with a look and she smiled back at him.
"Come along now!" Jerome waved them over and they followed behind him.
The distant sound of music started to relax Severus as they walked down a narrow alleyway. Hermione stayed by his side with a little skip in her step. They stopped in front of a chipped, wooden door, and Jerome knocked loudly.
"This will be your accommodation for the time being," he said. "Madam Leona-"
A curvy, dark-skinned woman flung open the door with a loud "Hello!", startling Hermione and causing her to collide with Severus. He reached out to steady her and she thanked him with another smile.
"You must be the new people, husband and wife?"
"Oh," Hermione's cheeks flushed pink, and Severus curled his lip in annoyance. He looked Hermione up and down then narrowed his eyes at the woman.
"Leona, they only know one another," Jerome chuckled.
"Ah, well that was slightly awkward," she pushed open the door some more. "Come on in!"
They walked into the wooden interior and Severus gazed around at the old decorations. It definitely screamed medieval England, and he found himself content with it.
"Tea?" Madam Leona offered.
"If you don't mind," Severus said as they sat down at the small table. He sensed Hermione gazing at him funnily and he leaned closer to her. "What's so amusing?" his tone warned her to answer carefully.
"Well...it's just odd hearing you be polite, sir."
"Didn't I tell you to stop calling me sir," he retorted. "I'm capable of politeness Miss Granger."
"You can call me Hermione then...Severus," he turned away at the sound of his name coming from her lips. It sounds weird.
"Oh, he was your Professor," Jerome took one of the biscuits from the middle of the table.
"Yes," Hermione took the teapot when Madam Leona placed it down on the table. She slid it to Severus who thanked her with a nod.
"Lovely biscuits Leona," Jerome grinned up at her and she hit him with the cloth in her hands. "What was that for?!"
"Those are biscuits for my house guests, not you!" she sat down with a huff and Jerome grabbed his list from the board.
"Right," he grumbled. "Any questions?"
"What are the rules here?" Severus asked.
"They're pretty similar to normal wizarding laws. Bad things still happen here, thankfully, we can never die so that's good."
"So what happens if we do get hurt?"
"The magic in the air will heal you, or stop the impending danger from happening," he ticked a box on the parchment. "You're given a weekly allowance as money is still used here. Everyone starts off with the same amount and it's enough that you can live comfortably. However, it's up to you whether you want to earn more by selling things or working."
"How do we access this money?" Hermione asked while reaching for one of the biscuits.
"Here," Jerome tossed two brown pouches in front of them. "These will automatically refill once a week, and there is a bank up by the castle for you to put money away if you make more than what can fit in there."
Severus grabbed the small pouch and stared at it. What does he want to do now? Work? Travel? Find his mother? He saw the troubled look on Hermione's face and knew she was thinking almost the same as him.
He cleared his throat. "What about our wands?"
"I'll take you to the market tomorrow morning," Madam Leona said. "There is a wand shop in each Kingdom in case you break it. They're not like the wands you're used to."
"How so?" Hermione wiped the crumbs from her mouth and leaned closer.
"They're more colourful," Jerome laughed then pulled out his bright orange wand. "You get to create your own! I've seen some fantastic ones over the years; Merlin himself has a solid gold wand."
"That's amazing," Hermione gasped. Severus wasn't as enthusiastic as her. I only want a simple wand.
"Now, I'll show you to your rooms," Leona said and she led them upstairs.
The floorboards creaked beneath his feet and he glanced behind him to see Hermione smiling. Perhaps he was being stereotypical towards women, but he'd assumed she would be crying hysterically about being dead. I never would've guessed that she would seem happy about it.
"This one is for you, Mister Snape," she pointed to the door on her right. "And that one is yours, Miss Granger," she gestured to the door opposite.
"You can call me Hermione," she said.
"OK, Hermione, take some time for yourselves and I'll have a nice meal ready in a few hours," she smiled at them both then walked back down the stairs.
Severus awkwardly looked at Hermione and settled for nodding his head and walking into his room. The door shut behind him and he slid the bolt across.
His bedroom held basic furniture: a wooden bed, wardrobe, dresser, and a mirror. He walked over to stare at his reflection and lowered himself onto the bed with a sigh.
The lines on his face seemed to have deepened and a nice set of bags nestled beneath his eyes. So much for not ageing here. Maybe it was because he'd avoided mirrors during the last few years of his life; the stress of his last year had aged him much quicker.
So this is my life now? Severus smiled to himself. The weight had fled his shoulders and he felt like he could finally be himself. There wasn't much of a character difference between his normal and Death Eater self, however, one was less painful to live.
Severus stayed in his room for a few hours, he dozed off now-and-then, only to wake up to the sound of Leona shouting that dinner was ready.
He got to his feet eagerly and walked down the stairs with his stomach grumbling. A lovely roast dinner covered the small table and Leona beamed over at him.
"Everyone knows that I'm the best cook in the afterlife, so I won't tolerate any complaining," she started scrubbing a dirty pan, and Severus sat down.
"Why don't you use magic?" he asked while he waited for Hermione to come down.
"The nostalgia kind of wears off over time—those who have been here a while tend to do things by hand now," she explained.
"If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?" Severus forced away his smile. I can't remember the last time I initiated small talk.
"I'm at the ripe old age of six hundred and one!" She wiped her forehead with a cloth. "I've been welcoming the newbies for two hundred years—I may consider changing my job soon; I've heard that travelling is the best way to live out the rest of your life."
"Travelling...do you have any places in mind? The idea appeals to me."
Severus mentally urged himself on. I'm having a normal, mundane conversation. He could picture his old students shaking in fear and fainting at the simple thought of him being civil.
"There's an endless amount of places. My friend Rebecca was the first to discover an island made out of cake—"
"Cake?" he narrowed his eyes at the thought, then Leona nodded her head.
"It has been added to the map. I believe it takes around a year to get there, you have to trek over some of the highest mountains and weave through the lowest valleys. Rebecca is a popular explorer—that's another job if it's of any interest to you."
"I'm not sure whether I want to work yet," Severus kept glancing at the food. Where is she?
"You have all the time in the world, literally! I feel like you could benefit from seeing the limitless world you're in now," she turned around to face him. "There is one place I would recommend going."
"Where?"
"There's a small village a few months journey away from here. It's a calm place filled with relaxing music, and some of the finest food I've ever had—not as good as mine though—I spent a year there, dancing with strangers and meeting a lot of new people. It tends to attract the people that have been here the longest, so I'd definitely recommend Dosrose Village."
"I'll consider it," Severus smiled back at her then got to his feet. "I'm going to go and see what's taking her so long."
He made his way up the stairs, much lighter on his feet than he had been before. Her bedroom door was open a little, so it didn't mask the sound of her crying.
I've never been good at dealing with people who are upset.
Severus knew that he could turn away, but his body moved on its own accord, and he walked into the room. She sniffled then turned to look at him.
"Oh," she wiped the tears from her face. "I-I'm sorry."
"Don't be silly," he murmured and stood awkwardly at the foot of her bed. "I suppose it would be stupid of me to ask what's wrong."
She sighed. "It just hit me all of sudden...we died...I'm dead...and I'll never get to see my parents again; they won't even know I existed because I wiped myself from their memories."
Severus didn't know what to say. He had no idea what words would comfort her, and he doubted anything would ease her pain.
Hermione got to her feet and brushed the creases from her dress. "Is dinner ready?"
"Yes, but it can wait if you still need time—" she walked over and wrapped her arms around his waist.
Why does she keep hugging me?
Severus swallowed the lump in the back of his throat and waited for her to finish. I don't understand how she's getting any comfort out of this? Perhaps he was wrong, maybe a hug would help her a little.
He responded soon after, gently holding her in his arms. "Professor—Severus...can I stay with you for a while?"
"What do you mean?" he said by her ear.
"I mean, once we are allowed to leave this place, can I go wherever you go?"
Severus pulled away and stared down at her. "I'm sure there are many other things you might want to consider-"
"I want to go travelling, with you."
AN:/ Thank you for the response to the first chapter! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, so let me know what you think and I'll update again in a weeks time!