Sorry it took so long to finally update again. Here's the next bit. Happy reading!

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Severus stumbled slightly as his vision was assaulted by bright red and gold colors. Severus looked at the room he was in and with a disgusted snort realized everything in this room was red and gold. This room belonged to a Gryffindor. With a sinking feeling in his stomach he knew immediately who the room belonged to. He could feel the twinkling blue eyes stare at the back of his head. Severus slowly turned around and looked at his former Headmaster, and unlike his usual self, avoided eye contact. The man in question looked over at Severus kindly, but there was also a hint of sadness. Severus' breathing constricted as he looked into the face of the man he had killed. He was sure that if his heart were still beating it would have also stopped. He drew in a shuddering breath when the Headmaster took a step towards him. The Headmaster stopped and gave Severus a sad look. Severus tried to speak.

"Al-" His throat constricted involuntarily. The Headmaster took his speechlessness as an opportunity to speak.

"I am so very proud of you, Severus, my dear boy." Dumbledore said; his voice filled with emotion. Out of all the things he could have said, Severus was not expecting this. His black eyes, for the first time, looked directly into Dumbledore's. He found no trace of anger within those forgiving blue eyes.

"Severus, you have done so much for the cause. You have done everything that I have asked of you, no matter how painful it was for you. I am so very proud of you." He paused as he put his hand on Severus's shoulder.

"Albus." Severus' voice contained more emotion than it ever had before.

"The things that I have done…" He paused as his mind was tortured by the numerous things he had done to muggles and muggleborns. He was ashamed of the things he had done to impress the Dark Lord. When he had returned to him as a double agent it had been emotionally painful to do as he was told. If it hadn't been for Dumbledore teaching him occlumency he wasn't sure he would have stayed sane for long. Severus' mind wandered to the only other time he had ever killed.

Severus was only eighteen and had just graduated from Hogwarts the week before. Lucius had brought him to the Dark Lord to be initiated within his ranks. Lily had become engaged to James Potter and Severus had lost all hope of ever being with her. He felt alone and abandoned. Lucius and the other Death Eaters were his only friends now, the logical solution to his loneliness (and to also prove he was more powerful then Potter) was to pledge his allegiance to Lord Voldemort. To prove he would be a loyal follower he had to kill a muggleborn girl. It was no coincidence that they had chosen this specific girl. She looked about his age and looked remarkably like Lily. Though she was French, he knew this because when she pleaded for mercy she had a thick French accent. Her hair was the exact same shade as Lily's, but her eyes weren't the same green. Lily's was the color of grass at midday whilst this girl's eyes were a deep forest green. This was the only reason why he was able to kill her. Her life ended swiftly and painlessly. If it weren't for the bright green light that had come out of his wand, she probably wouldn't have even known that she would die in those last few seconds of her life.

Months after the murder he could not sleep more than a few hours without hearing her accented pleas or the cruel laughter of the Death Eaters. He was disgusted with himself, but he could not back out of the Dark Lords ranks or he would be killed. His death wouldn't be as painless as that girl's.

He had also caused others deaths, albeit indirectly, with his potions. He had contemplated suicide a few times, but it was his bargain with the Headmaster to keep Lily's son safe that had kept him alive. Dumbledore had taught him Occlumency and it was finally this that allowed him to sleep peacefully at night (though a bottle of Dreamless Sleep was sometimes required), it is also what kept him sane.

The Headmaster looked into Severus' eyes and stayed silent.

"I do not deserve your praise or your forgiveness."

"I have forgiven you a long time ago, Severus. You have showed me countless times that you are brave; braver then many Gryffindors." Severus scowled. "You have done so much for Harry, sometimes even putting aside your hatred for James Potter. I have asked myself many times if I was asking too much of you, but you have never wavered from my side. I am sorry for the life you have had to live, for such a short life you have accomplished so much. It is because of you and people like you and Harry that we have won the war. You could have changed your allegiance after my death, but you did not. You are a good man, Severus."

"Please." Severus pleaded, turning his head away from Albus' forgiving gaze.

"I was- am selfish. I only did it for Lily… for myself." Severus and Albus stared at each other for several moments in silence. Then, finally,

"No, I don't believe you did. Maybe in part, but I also believe you did this because you knew it was the right thing to do." Albus smiled warmly at Severus and sat down in the nearest chair. It was red and plush. Albus reached down for a tin box that hadn't been there before.

"Lemon drop?" He said, and for once Severus took the offered treat. He put the sweet yellow candy into his mouth and realized, with some surprise, that it was delicious. He sat down next to Albus in a green chair that had materialized out of thin air. He closed his eyes and savoured the delicious taste. He wondered why he had been so adamant on not eating one when he was alive. The candy and peacefulness of being in Albus' company soothed his damaged and tired soul. It wasn't long before he fell asleep in the comfortable chair.

Severus awoke, for the first time since being back, feeling at peace.

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