A/N: Thank you so much for all the reviews and comments you've left me. This chapter is shorter than the previous ones. Enjoy. :D

Last Wave

Using his forearm, Severus wiped the condensation from the fogged-over mirror in front of him, closing his eyes once he uncovered his reflection. Outside, he could hear the Christmas carolers move from house to house spreading their merry cheer throughout the quiet, sleepy neighborhood. His body shook silently as his mind faltered for a moment and allowed the darkness within to gain a temporary hold inside him. He recalled painfully how it had been a few days after Christmas when the Lestrange brothers had broken into his home and killed his wife and unborn child in front of him.

Stifling his sobs, he drew in shaky breaths, his palms pressed hard into the sink almost painfully. He couldn't keep thinking about that. Not if he were to succeed. He had to push through all of the pain he was feeling currently and focus on his objective like the skilled agent he had been once before. That said, he was finding it easier said than done currently.

It had been easier protecting Harry the first time from Voldemort. This time, it was utterly insane, thanks to the Horcruxes. Though, he supposed that was why Albus had sent Harry to destroy them and not Severus in the first place. Harry had the naïve innocence that Severus did not.

"Enough!" Severus snarled suddenly. His hands then slammed down hard onto the sink's edge, a loud crack echoing around him as a piece broke off and shattered onto the floor. He drew in a sharp breath, raising his head up and glancing into the mirror. He was Severus Snape for Merlin's sake! Yet there he was, sniveling like some brat in someone's bathroom.

He grimaced and shook his head in disgust with himself. How was he ever to succeed if he wasn't able to push aside his emotions and focus on his task? Where now was the man who fooled the Dark Lord, making him believe that Severus was his man? Where was that man?

At hearing a little voice in the back of his mind reply that he had gotten soft over the years, Severus gave a tired laugh. He had gotten soft, clearly. The Severus of old wouldn't have been reduced to tears at the sight of his own reflection. That Severus, he knew, would never have looked in the mirror in the first place. But that Severus had died in the Shrieking Shack, allowing him to rise from the ashes and start anew.

And start anew he did, moving on fully after reading Lily's letter while at St. Mungo's. He hadn't meant to fall for the beautiful woman whom later became his wife. He hadn't intended to fall in love ever again, actually. But it had hit him like a Blasting Curse straight to his chest when it happened.

She had remained at his bedside in St. Mungo's throughout his entire stay, ever patient with him as always (even when he lost his temper and snapped at her harshly). And hearing the others talk privately with him about how determined she had been in keeping him alive after everything that had happened, he couldn't ignore the truth any longer. There in front of him was a woman, loyal to a fault to him alone; kinder and more accepting of him than Lily ever had been; and more forgiving than Lily as well. A woman whom had always defended him fiercely to the others, and whom wasn't afraid to stand beside him when even he himself wouldn't if given the choice.

She had become his light in the darkness.

He rubbed the underside of his wedding ring lovingly, knowing it was one of the few items left that connected him with her. He could feel the faint warmth fill him inside and inhaled deeply. This next Horcrux would be the hardest one yet.

Of all the places in the world, Bellatrix had to put the damned cup into her vault in Gringotts. He had spent this past month pondering possible ways of breaking in. However, every scenario ended with one outcome.

"Though, I knew that when I came here, didn't I, love?" he murmured quietly, his eyes once again on his wedding ring.

He knew what needed to be done now. That didn't make it any easier, though. In fact, knowing made it more difficult. Everything had built up to this moment, and if he didn't succeed . . . He didn't even want to consider that. It made him sick just thinking it. But it was the only way.

He wondered for a moment if this was what Harry had thought in the end. He supposed it had, but Harry had others to lean on whereas Severus had none currently. No one would know the sacrifices he made for them. Not unless he told them, but that held various drawbacks to consider. The major one was the ramifications it could have on his past self.

Another tired laugh made it past his lips. Mumbo jumbo, the whole lot of it. Actually, headache-inducing torture was a better description for it, he decided after a moment of thinking. All of it was based on abstract theories someone from long ago had dreamt up one day, likely after a long night of drinking. And yet there he was proving the theories correct. One could influence the past in a way for a better future without unraveling the entire universe.

Longbottom would grow up with his parents this time, not having to visit them in St. Mungo's during the holidays with his grandmother instead. Albus would consider the consequences of his actions first before he sent others in to die for his mistake. Narcissa would know of the darkness Lucius had brought into their home before it ever threatened to tear their family apart. Tobias would be cleared decades earlier of his supposed crimes than he had previously been. And Harry, he would flourish in a loving home this time with people who appreciated and loved him. There were countless others whose lives had changed for the better now.

There were loses as well, though. Chloe had been one that came to mind instantly. She had not been killed in his timeline. Or if she had, he hadn't read about it at least. Kreacher had been another. He honestly hadn't intended for the house elf to die when he entered Grimmauld. The old house elf had served a greater role in his timeline, he knew, helping Harry succeed. But Severus had given into the darkness of the Horcrux's influence, and the elf paid the price for that. To lessen the guilt, Severus frequently reminded himself of how Kreacher likely was finally at peace now, having been released of Regulus's final request that the poor house elf couldn't complete.

Severus sighed quietly. As long as he believed that, the guilt wouldn't overtake him.

Before walking out of the bathroom a moment later, he flicked his wand towards the sink and repaired it before he headed towards the front door. It was time to move again. He had already stayed here too long as it was. The homeowners would be back soon based on the calendar hanging on the wall. He stopped for half a moment and stared at the Christmas tree. Whoever owned this house, he wished them all the warmest wishes. He then opened the front door and slipped unnoticed outside into the brisk cold late December afternoon.

Sitting alone at a table inside the Leaky Cauldron, Severus shook his head when he caught the nasty look directed at him from one of the bar maids before she continued on. No doubt, she thought he should be drinking something other than water as well, like Tom had suggested none too kindly earlier. His eyes then moved back to the goblin in the corner who was nursing a drink in hand. Deciding nothing had changed on that front, Severus turned his attention back to his wife's journal.

His fingers tenderly brushed over her elegant handwriting once more before he leafed through to find a page she hadn't written on. As soon as he found it, he closed his eyes and ripped the empty page out, his stomach fluttering instantly in response to his actions. It was necessary, though, he reminded himself. He had loose ends to tie up before he could move on to the final phase.

He debated on who should be the first recipient. Though, after a moment, he realized how foolish that was. It would have to be Dumbledore. Everything had started with him in the first place. So with that in mind, Severus dipped a quill into the ink and quickly scribbled out his note to the older wizard.

"Once the chaos erupts in London, you'll get your chance at redemption in the forests of Albania with a possessed animal. End it as you should have done before."

He looked over his message once more before he cast a quick spell on it so only Dumbledore could read it. He then tore the section with his message from the parchment, folded it in half, and set it aside. Dumbledore would find a way to figure out which animal the Dark Lord was currently possessing at the time. That was guaranteed now that Dumbledore had the missing piece.

Sighing, Severus rubbed the back of his neck. He would succeed, and Harry would be safe finally. Hell, even the twenty-one-year-old Severus would be spared from the darkness this time. He would not witness his coworker's brutal murder at Malfoy Manor. He would not be subjected to witnessing unspeakable crimes committed against Muggles, Muggleborns, and Blood Traitors. But above all else, his soul would not be as shredded by his dark acts as it had been before. He had a chance to live in the light for once, to feel the warmth of goodness flow freely inside him.

"You think it's true?" a voice suddenly asked from a nearby table, pulling Severus out of his thoughts. "What they're saying in the Prophet?"

"About Celestina?" someone replied, clearly confused.

"No, you idiot. About Black," the first voice huffed.

"Oh. Well, uh, what are they saying exactly?"

There was a loud sigh of annoyance before the person answered. "Short version is that they're thinking about Kissing Black for his killing those twelve Muggles. Seems the Minister isn't exactly keen on wasting money on him. What with having to house all those other dark bastards in Azkaban now."

Severus's eyes narrowed instantly. That didn't match up with his timeline anymore. He then frowned, shaking his head. It was likely a consequence of Dumbledore's resigning from Hogwarts and Minerva's ascending into the headmistress position in his stead.

As the two people at the nearby table continued their conversation quietly, Severus felt his mood darken. With the world at large believing Harry Potter had died with his parents at Godric's Hollow, there was no reason why Sirius had to be out of the picture for so long and rot in Azkaban for a crime he had not committed in the first place. Not unless one counted the fact that Black was a git who deserved it for tormenting Severus in their youth. But age, unfortunately, had given Severus the experience to recognize that reason made him seem rather petty for continuing to carry a grudge for something that occurred in their childhood. Allowing his head to fall forward, his shoulders slumped in defeat. Perhaps if he did this one thing, karma would help him later on in Gringotts. Not to mention, his message also made it possible for the real betrayer of the Potters to be thrown in Azkaban like the dirty rat he was.

He dipped the quill back into the ink before he wrote out his next message.

"Pettigrew lives. Find him at the Burrow in Animagus form as a rat. Remus Lupin can confirm Pettigrew's form for further proof."

He stared long at his words, his emotions swirling inside. It was the right thing to do. Black was innocent, at least in terms of his supposed killing Pettigrew. He had learned that long ago. But a small part reminded him of how Black had tormented him for years, had nearly led to Severus's death once as well. Black didn't deserve to be saved that little voice in the back of Severus's mind reminded him.

But Severus had grown past that vindictiveness, though. He had moved on and let go of his painful past finally. First with letting go of the abuse he suffered at the hands of Roger away from his mother's eyes, then the Dark Lord, and finally with the Mauraders. Letting go hadn't been a walk in the park by any means. It had taken months of therapy, months of baring his soul to another, before he could. But looking back on it now, he decided it was worth it in the end.

Sighing, he glanced at the remaining empty page. Whom would he write to next? He contemplated writing to his wife's past self for half a moment and thanking her for not giving up on him all those years, but he knew what would happen if he did. He wouldn't stop at writing letters. He would likely try to see her then, to hold her one last time. And soon even that wouldn't be enough for him. No, he would let her remain on her path without him interfering. It was better that way.

So, then who else remained? He thought about Harry, but decided against that right away. The boy didn't need anyone interfering in his life past his being given to Severus's past self.

Minerva seemed a viable answer, but from what he was reading in the Prophet with the latest changes she was implementing at Hogwarts, it wasn't necessary. So, he crossed her off as well.

He moved on to his father. Was there anything he needed to tell the man before he broke into Gringotts? Severus then gave a quiet laugh. No. He had made his peace with his father after Nagini's attack. Whatever else there was left was between his past self and his father. It was in their hands now.

His eyes moved back to his last message that concerned Pettigrew. He could always add onto it and give the Auror the vital information he'd need to find Severus's mother as well. Only that wasn't entirely needed anymore. The Aurors had all the pieces judging by the articles in the Prophet. They just had to match them up now and complete the puzzle. So, all that remained was the final message.

He debated with himself if he should even write it. There were so many possible ramifications that could come about with it. Glancing over at the wobbly goblin, though, he realized that it had to be said, though. He needed someone to know the truth, all of it, before he undid everything.

Dipping his quill back into the ink pot, he twirled it gently before he began.

"Since it will no longer matter soon after I succeed, let me tell you my story, Severus…"