A/N: Okay, so I haven't written a fanfic in almost a year but now I'm applying to uni soon I really need to practice writing because I'm hoping to do an English literature and creative writing course and you need a portfolio for it so yeah, reviews would be very helpful if you don't mind because I really need tips to help improve my writing so thank you in advance and I hope you enjoy this!

The Finding

Severus searched for the resurrection stone day and night, often stumbling over branches and catching his cloak in his eagerness to observe a shiny object in the leaves of the forest floor that turned out to be just a rock, but he could not possibly think of giving up. The forbidden forest was surprisingly quiet, there was not a rustling of the leaves nor a blowing of the breeze, not to mention the silence of its many inhabitants. It was almost as if everything was in hiding and that disconcerted him but he had no more time to think of this as just at that moment he came across a large clearing. The air smelt of dark magic and the ground had been trampled on carelessly, making this look more like a war zone than a part of the forest. He could still feel the horrid presence of the Dark Lord and it took everything he had not to run away to safety. All he wanted to do was return to Hogwarts, to his dungeon, and lock the door but he knew he needed to be strong, for Lily, for himself.

He knew he was close, it was most likely that Harry had used the resurrection stone moments before confronting Voldemort so it should be within the dense forest surrounding the clearing. Just then he heard a whispering from the trees and, without thinking, went to investigate. He peered in through the dense foliage and spotted an old elf, one he recognised from Hogwarts kitchen, sitting on a tree stump and looking up at an invisible being in front of him. The elf's grey beard reached the floor, the tip touching his tiny brown boots which rhythmically knocked against the old wood of the tree stump. His creased face was brightened by a tired smile and a single tear fell down his small cheek. He spoke in a small but heartfelt voice to whoever stood in front of him but all Snape could see was the small black stone held in his hand.

"Darling, I never forgot about you, you know, never."

Snape took a step towards him in an attempt to get closer to the object he had come here for. Dead leaves crunched under his footfall, giving him away, and the elf took his eyes from his beloved long enough to notice the Professor standing in the darkness with a gleam of longing in his eyes.

"Oh hello Professor, I didn't see you there. Here, I'd like you to meet my beautiful Edith, Edith this is a professor at Hogwarts, you remember him? He saved me from the captivity of the Malfoy's, remember? All to impress a girl I reckon, whatever happened to her, Professor?"

But Snape didn't hear a word that the elf had spoken, his eyes were simply on the small stone that would bring him everything he had wished for and nothing would get in his way, nothing.

"Do you know what that is, Hampy?"

The elf looked astonished but his face brightened even more.

"You remember my name, Professor? Why I thought..."

Severus was in no mood to continue this conversation and he took the front of the elf's ragged pillow case dress in his hand, holding him up so they were at eye level. All joy disappeared from the elf's wide eyes and was replaced by fear but this was of no consequence to Snape, he wanted one thing and one thing only and didn't care how he got it.

"Give. It. To. Me."

He said in a quiet but authoritative voice, expecting the elf to comply as usual but to his surprise, he didn't.

"Please, sir, my Edith..."

"GIVE IT TO ME."

Severus screamed and Hampy began to sob, filling the cold air around him with loud howls of emotion. His small hand fell open and the stone fell to the hard ground silently. Snape was about to throw the elf aside when a voice stopped him. He recognised it immediately, the loud scream of an indignant child, an insufferable know it all, one Hermione Granger.

"STOP! PUT HIM DOWN!"

Snape reluctantly lowered the elf to the ground and the second he let the dirty cotton of his 'clothes' go, Hampy ran as fast as he could through the forbidden forest, still wailing as he went. Severus pulled down his sleeve and picked the stone up with the cloth; he didn't want to have the intolerable girl around when he saw his first and only love again. The girl, spotting this, spoke in a calmer but still irate voice.

"What did you just pick up?"

He said nothing, she had no right to know and he had no intention of telling her but they both knew she wouldn't accepted this. Hermione took a few steps closer to him and held her hand out to take whatever he had but he put his hands behind his back.

"I don't know what you're talking about, now shouldn't you be rejoicing at your recent victory?"

She sighed and looked at him with the uncloaked distain that he now expected of her.

"I know this is probably difficult for you to understand but we have lost far too much for this to be counted as a victory."

Her eyes widened as she realised how stupid she had been not to realise the most shocking thing about this reunion.

"But Professor, you're dead!"