A/N: Snape's Point-of-View
Severus saw himself in the Department of Mysteries, and heard the battle going on in the depths of the Hall of Prophecy. The other side of the Permanently Locked Room was filled with light and laughter.
Lily's voice.
He was pounding on the door, begging to be let in. He knew that if he went through the door, he'd never come back. He wasn't sure exactly what was there, but it had to be better than his life now.
"I love you, Sir."
He slammed himself against the door harder, only to find himself restrained by both arms, being pulled away from the doorway.
"You don't deserve it, Snivellus!" The voice on his left arm called out. "James died because of you! Sirius is about to fall through the the Veil of the Death Chamber because of you!"
As Severus craned his neck around, he saw it was Lupin dragging him to the room with the Veil in it.
"He showed remorse, and didn't know that it was going to hurt James or Lily!" Narcissa shouted from a distance, unable to come closer to save him.
"I only secured his obedience because of his guilt over Lily! He's no longer in love with her so his loyalty is compromised. I have no use for this Death Eater anymore." On his other arm was Albus Dumbledore, his withering hand having a vice-like grip on Severus as he entered the room where the Order was dueling the other Death Eaters. The battle had been won by the Order, and Lucius and Nott were bound along with other death eaters while Narcissa ran away, Harry chasing her.
Nymphadora was kneeling in shock, having seen Sirius fall through the veil. Her face widened in fear as Severus was being dragged towards the archway.
"What are you doing, Albus! He's on our side!" Nymphadora yelled, running to Severus' defense.
She was knocked back by Remus' spell, falling flat onto her bum.
"Nymphadora!" Severus called, his heart wrenching for her pain.
"Tonks! Her name is Tonks! And how dare you try to put your greasy hands on her! 'Dora, you'll be out of his control once we dispose of this trash!" Remus sneered.
She got back up and ran toward Severus, and was hit with another spell, throwing her back and hitting the wall at the edge of the chamber.
"Why is she trying to save you, Severus?! Does she really think you can be redeemed by love? I've just been using your guilt to manipulate you for the past sixteen years! You aren't salvageable, I see the Dark within you. Even if you could love someone else, you're just going to drag them down with you!"
Severus tried to wrench away from them, but couldn't. "She's mine! And I do love her! I'm still your spy and want to see The Dark Lord dead and deposed!"
Severus felt a hand grab him from behind; the skeletal grip was attached to a voice he had never expected to hear again.
"No, Snivellus. You deserve to be down here with me." Sirius pulled Severus through the veil, and the ground was out from under his feet.
He was falling backwards, his body floating and dropping into the dark abyss. His eyes saw Tonks put her wand to her bracelet and disappear as the horror dawned on him.
Arms wrapped around him. Tears fell on his face as she was on top of him, past the reach of the veil.
Severus heard the harsh laughter cut off as others realized that Nymphadora joined him beyond the veil, falling down into the dark abyss to the unknown.
no...
A sharp banging woke him up, and Severus bolted to the door, slamming it open.
Oh god is Nymphadora okay? Severus wondered as a fist landed across his face, knocking him sideways.
Remus had woken him up, and now Severus' pulse was racing as the adrenaline was coursing through his veins.
"What are you playing at with her, snake? Didn't you understand my warning the first time?" Remus spat.
"No, I didn't. Apparently I'm as slow as you were at Keeper Tryouts." Severus snapped back.
"What do you think can actually happen between someone like her and you?" Remus pointed his wand at Snape as Severus wandlessly summoned his own wand to his hand.
"I took her to a party that I didn't want to go to in the first place, and it elicits this kind of response from you? Jealousy is an unbecoming trait, considering you have no claim to her." Severus' wand was trained on his target, and felt his mind going to that quiet place where he had no doubt in what he would do in order to defend himself. His face was already swollen and his left eye was nearly shut.
His fireplace roared to life, and the face of Andromeda Tonks poked through. "Severus Snape! I demand an explanation!" She looked around, noticing the pair of them with wands drawn. "Remus?" She asked, perplexed at this.
"That's what I'm here for as well, Mrs. Tonks." Remus said calmly, "but I knew well enough to not blindly walk into the Serpent's Den without your wand drawn."
Severus cast a shield charm long enough to turn to face Nymphadora's mother. She gasped at the black eye forming. "Lupin's revising of history aside, I simply needed a companion and asked the one witch whom I am on civil terms with, considering I saved her life last week against a vampire in the midst of a bloodlust-driven frenzy!"
"Why didn't she tell me?!" She gasped.
"How about you tell us exactly how you saved her. I saw your eyes; they were red like Voldemort's." A sensation like a nail being driven through his Dark Mark made him flinch, and he knew that The Dark Lord could now witness the next few moments through Severus' eyes. I wish Dumbledore would bloody well tell The Order why the name shouldn't be mentioned.
"I used Brimstone to save her; I deemed it a just cause, considering." Severus replied, his eyes repressing the fury he wanted to unleash upon Remus.
"Yeah, how noble of you to fall back on Dark Potions and make it sound like it's for the greater good. Why didn't you down some Dark Elixir and kill yourself and spare us all the trouble?!" Remus' wand was sparking, showing how little control he had over himself.
The fireplace sparked, making Andromeda jostle as Narcissa barged through.
"Severus, you and my niece are on the front page of the Prophet. I'm not sure this was a good thing to... Expelliarmus!" Narcissa disarmed Remus as she came through, shocked at the scene.
Severus' head turned and lowered his wand at the sight of Narcissa, putting his wand away in a sign of trust.
"Look at you two boys overreacting like always!" She chided at the pair.
Andromeda stepped through as well now, pacing to stand by Remus, who looked ashamed at his actions.
"Narcissa." Andromeda regarded her sister coolly.
"Severus, on your word and on your honor, did you mistreat my niece Nymphadora in any way last night?" Narcissa snapped at him, giving him a way out of this situation.
He took a deep breath, calming himself. "I was a perfect gentleman; even when I excused myself at the end of the night to mark papers and simply kissed the back of her hand."
"And what was that gift I saw in her room this morning!" Remus yelled.
"I see that I'm not the only person whose room you so rudely barged into today. Tell me, did you punch her in the face as well, or are you selective in your hatred like some of my former colleagues that we are sworn to fight against?" Severus sneered in reply, playing up his black eye for effect.
"Severus!" Andromeda chastised.
"I gave her a rare potted plant, as a thanks for such a wonderful evening. I would like to know if any of you consider that as impolite, seeing as how you're in my room without welcome."
Andromeda looked a bit crestfallen, but held her resolve. "Cissy, care to have lunch today? You, me, and my daughter?"
Narcissa nodded as they discussed plans. Lupin wanted to seem helpful.
"Ladies, I know of a wonderful cafe that just opened in Hogsmeade..." He started, attempting to invite himself.
"It's a girls day, sorry..." Narcissa said sweetly, not hiding the venom in her voice.
"Family thing, really." Andromeda soothed at the same time. They exchanged a glance and a private smile, a throwback to when they were siblings before the first war.
As the Black sisters left Severus' room together, Remus lashed out with a parting shot. "Don't think you'll get away with this, Snivellus."
"Find a new way to insult me, you homicidal furry with moon issues." Severus smiled as he shoved the man out of his room, slamming and warding his door shut.