Author's Note: Last part! I hope you have enjoyed reading it. Please leave a review to let me know what you think of it.

18 Years Later: 1998

I sat, waiting somewhat impatiently. I could see what was going on and I knew that the time I was going to be needed was soon. I just couldn't be sure of when it was… seconds possibly, minutes at most.

As I was expecting, the older man went limp as his soul left his body. Almost instantly, his body materialized in front of me. Still, I did not move from my spot on the bench. I was merely observing, I wasn't needed yet. I kept my eyes trained on his face, being sure to ignore the rest of his nude body.

The man twitched slightly, and his dark eyes opened. He sat up, looking utterly confused, before he looked around. When his eyes landed on me, the look that came over his face when he looked at me could only be described as a mixture of shock and disbelief. He blinked a few times, rubbed his eyes, and looked at me again.

I couldn't resist the urge to laugh, and a small giggle escaped. Looking down, Severus realized that he was naked and blushed a deep shade of crimson. I tossed him a pair of black trousers, which he hastily put on. He still looked incredibly perplexed, but I was sure he was thankful to have some clothes on.

"Remember me?" I asked, with a small smile. We had not talked since that day when I was pregnant with Harry, and I remembered that that was the way he had greeted me.

"Lily?" he asked incredulously.

I smiled at him. "Of course it's me."

He looked around, taking in his new surroundings. Unlike the last time that we met, this was not a familiar place. Also unlike the last time we met, I was truly and completely happy to see him again.

"So I take it that I'm… dead then," he said.

I nodded. "Yes. I've come here to collect you and take you on." He looked puzzled by this. I remembered the feeling clearly, even though it had been many years since I found myself here. Thankfully, I had James with me at the time. It kept me from completely freaking out when I found myself face to face with my mother and my mother-in-law.

"Why?"

My eyebrows furrowed together. "You can't stay here forever, you have to move on like the rest of us. I'll take you to where everybody else is."

He shook his head slightly, still rarely breaking eye contact with me as though I would disappear if he looked elsewhere. "Not that. Why did you come and get me?"

I smiled at him. "Because I need to thank you Sev."

Severus's eyes widened momentarily at the old nickname. "For what?"

"Don't think I haven't noticed what you've been doing for the past several years," I said. "I've seen you looking out for Harry. And Albus has explained to me that you were the one who gave him the tip-off about Voldemort coming after my family."

A strange look came over his face. Shifting uncomfortably, he asked, "Does that mean that you know about…" Starting over, he asked, "Do you know why I did it?"

I nodded. "I know why you did it Sev. And it was very brave of you. All of it." He looked uncomfortable at the compliment, but I had to continue. "I will never be able to thank you enough for looking after my son."

"I didn't do it for him," he said quickly.

"I know that too," I said. "But I think, in time, you'll come to realize that you did it for reasons other than for me."

Severus looked down at his bare feet. "Does everybody know that I…"

"Protected Harry?" I supplied. "Yes. And they all want to thank you for it. Especially James."

His head snapped up and he looked at me. "James Potter?" he asked, as though he must have heard me wrong.

I laughed. "Of course James Potter," I said. "He reminded me to thank you at least half a dozen times before I came to collect you."

"Oh," he said. He seemed to be unable to get anything more elaborate out. I could see why the idea of James being so intent on thanking him would be strange, but under the circumstances, he must have realized that it was coming. Changing the subject, he asked, "Are we going to go to where you wanted to show me now?"

I shook my head. "I have something I have to do for Harry first," I said, grinning at the thought of finally seeing my son again. "But then I'll show you where everybody is."

"Have you managed to forgive me entirely now?" he asked.

"Completely," I replied. It was entirely true, he had saved my son's life on more than one occasion. If there was any way a person could completely redeem his- or herself, protecting my only child was it.