THE PROMISE
a/n Thanks for the reviews guys . You should know that English is not my second language . Since i am from India,there may be influences of Indian English in my writing. Thanks for noticing this story and i will make sure that you will enjoy this experience.
Severus Snape was running through the halls of hogwarts,with tears in his eyes. "I failed her. I failed Lily. O god i failed the only person who cared about me", he muttered as he ran desperately towards a statue of a gargoyle. "Sherbet lemon", he told the gargoyle as he reached the foot of the gargoyle it moved and Severus moved into the stone platform, it went up like an elevator to a door which was closed. "Come in" , said a voice from inside and the door swung open. Inside the room was Albus Dumbledore."Ah Severus.I take it that you got the news about potters",he told in a grim and sad voice. "I ...thought ...you..you were going to protect her.",Severus cried angrily with tears in his eyes. "I was helpless Severus. Like you they put faith in the wrong person",Dumbledore told." I wish ..I wish ..I were dead."Severus told with tears in his face.
"And what good will that do Severus? If you truly loved Lily your way forward is clear.",Dumbledore told and conjured a chair and motioned Severus to sit. Severus sat down wiping tears off his face. "What do you mean my way forward, Albus? My life is shattered the only one who cared about me is dead because of me! There is nothing left in this world for me to live .", Severus said. "You are wrong Severus. Lily's daughter is alive,though voldemort tried to kill her too.",Dumbledore told. Severus looked at Albus in shock and asked,"lily is dead but her daughter is ...is alive? how?". "It was love Severus. The most powerful weapon in the which voldemort never understood and will never understand. Lily put a protective shield in front of her daughter , which caused the curse to rebound and hit Voldemort.",Dumbledore told Severus. Severus watched him with disbelieving look,but did not ask any all sounded very strange to him,but he knew that if Lily loved someone,she will love with everything she got,and will sacrifice anything for them. He remembered how she had defended him from the marauders. A lifetime ago, he thought with fresh tears in his eyes. The very thought about those days was disheartening. "Oh lily! I am so sorry.", he thought.
"What i am saying is that her daughter needs protection, and i think you also can help me in doing that",Dumbledore told."She doesn't need any protection, the dark lord is gone. Dead.",Severus cried. "I don't think Voldemort is truly gone Severus, i believe that he has become powerless and is just abiding his time to get his powers back. And he is not the only threat out there is it? His followers are out there looking for revenge now. They will surely want to take revenge on the one responsible for the fall of their master won't they?",Dumbledore asked. Severus nodded without saying any word. He knew it was true. He knew many of his followers will not sit idle. Especially the Lestrange couple. He hated to even think about what would happen if lily's daughter came to the hands of Bellatrix lestrange. She was the most feared and the most cruel of the death eaters. She was known for torturing her victims mercilessly before killing them. She was the one who was the closest to the dark knew the girl was in danger.
"She has her mother's features Severus, I am sure that she will look just like her mother when she's grown up.",Dumbledore told."Oh lily,how beautiful she was", Severus thought. For him she was the most kind ,and the most beautiful woman in the world."I caused her death. It was my bloody mistake that caused her death. At least i can try and make up for my sins by protecting lily's daughter",he before that ,there was something to be settled."No one shall know about this", Severus told ,no requested Dumbledore. "Are you saying that no one should know the best of your Severus?",Dumbledore asked with amazement at his request."Yes Albus,i want this conversation to be a secret. I will protect lily's daughter. My only request to you is that she will not know about this",Severus told. "Okay Severus i will keep this secret to my grave ,unless you wish to divulge it",Dumbledore told."I shall also protect you from ministry's persecution ,by saying that you were my spy. Which is of course true."."No Albus ,i deserve to go to Azkaban after all the terrible things i did",Severus said."No Severus,you can protect Ms potter only from the outside ,not from inside a godforsaken prison.I shall appoint you as the potions teacher at hogwarts ,as Professor Slughorn has decided to retire after a long ,and interesting teaching career here at hogwarts. This way you can keep a close eye on Ms potter when she comes to hogwarts after ten years",Dumbledore told.
Yes Severus thought, I can protect her that way."Lily, i could not protect you, but i promise you that i will protect your daughter with my life ,if it comes to that",He said in his mind. "OK , I will accept your job Albus,but don't you think i will be better with DADA?",Severus asked. "No Severus isn't potions your mastery? And with the rumors about a jinx in the job , we don't want for you to lose your job after a year, do we?, Dumbledore asked with a questioning look. Severus nodded but he did not believe in the rumors about the jinx, though he did know that none of the professors lasted more than a year. During his time at hogwarts,professors retired after many freak accidents, his sixth year DADA teacher was rumored to be murdered by the dark lord himself, though it was not confirmed by anyone. He wanted DADA position ,but he have to be satisfied with this one now. At least Dumbledore accepted him despite his past. "You can join next year Severus, it will be whole new experience for you for sure",Dumbledore smiled and told."Oh what an experience that will be",Severus thought sarcastically. He despised kids. But this was his only option now.
"Is there anything else you want to say or ask me,Severus?", Dumbledore asked."No i don't think so, besides i should be going. I have to go to lily's funeral tomorrow.",Severus told. He knew many people will not be happy to see him there, but he knew he had to go. He had to see her one last time and he won't let anyone stop him from seeing her."Well go on Severus, i may not be seeing you till next year",Dumbledore said.
"Goodnight Albus", Severus told.
"Goodnight,and best of luck",Dumbledore said smiling.
Severus went to the gargoyle ,and it took him down. "Now i have something to live for, i promise you lily, i will look after your daughter", He thought ,as he once again walked through the hallways.