Thank you so much for reading, Zeugma412, and PadmeG!

BlueWater5: Severus and Neville have an odd, civil working relationship. I only wished I had more time/space to write more of their interactions.

PearlM21: I completely agree! Severus is a very complicated, emotional man. He's just so scared of any new commitment because he is always reminded how badly he's messed things up in the past. Draco was an interesting addition I never planned on initially. But a lot of the drive for bringing Severus to Hogwarts was Horace retiring, and I needed a replacement but did not want to introduce any more OCs.

Authors Notes: Brace yourself for finally, a closed subplot and chapter, coincidentally. For both Harry and Severus. I hope you enjoy this one, and hopefully that I've done justice to these characters. Because the only way for them to truly heal is to confront their innermost fears and regrets.

Much love, and thank you for following me on this whirlwind journey! xx

"Letting ourselves be forgiven is one of the most difficult healings we will undertake. And one of the most fruitful."

― Stephen Levine

CHAPTER 37: Lily

June 15th, 2002

[Severus Snape]

Severus barely slept that all that night, doing nothing but tossing and turning where he lay tangled in his sheets. He did have some strange dreams, but nothing nightmarish. With great relief. Distorted dreams he could deal with; horrific realistic nightmares he could not. Eventually, he woke up rather groggily to a flurry of Merpeople swimming so close to his bedroom window, already starting his Sunday morning off on a sour note.

Today was the day he was planning on seeing Lily.

…But the urge to jump into the Black Lake was even stronger.

What was he thinking?

It was such a strange thing to consider. Lily was dead and had been for just over two decades now. And yet the thought of the loss of her life by his hand to a degree – though he knew now, not entirely – was a mortifying thing to live with. He didn't want to keep holding on to her like this. The childhood memory of their blissful, happy times they shared was squashed once Hogwarts became their home. Too much broke them apart – some by influences out of their control, some by others. Even themselves. Too much went terribly wrong.

Was she at least at peace? Supposedly, he was going to find out.

With Severus living and her death, that seemed very unlikely. Hopefully, she'd at least be more at peace than he was in the dull life he was living.

Sometimes he would ponder what she would have been like if she hadn't died; a thought he had multiple times since her passing. She would have been the same age as he was and been at least one of the most significant figures in Harry's life. She would have been the one to guide Harry and teach him the values he needed to remain a good person. She would have showered him with love and affection one that Harry had been deprived of in his youth with the vile fecal stains of the Muggle world. Lily would have protected Harry and taught him all the magic that she grew fond of. He would have been deeply cared for.

Her love in her living state would have been enough.

…And yet Severus took that away from Harry.

But if she hadn't died, or even been targeted, would Severus have still defected? Thinking hard on this, he wasn't sure. As cruel and vile as it was, the threat on her life enabled and encouraged him to swap sides. Her death was the catalyst for his true defection and oppose his master. As long as her life was a threat, he would have defected anyway. That, he was completely sure of.

Still, even to this day, life wasn't something Severus ever thought he deserved. He did his duty, and yet out of everyone, he was paying the biggest price. He would forever tear himself apart in the agony of it all no matter how much time had passed.

There was no reset, no third chance. This was it and he had to live with it. Wretched mistakes and all, whether he chose to face them head-on or not.

Harry was unusually quiet at lunchtime that day. Rightfully so. After all, this was his blasted idea and one he blastedly agreed to. No one else around them had any idea what they had planned and that was for the best. Their gazes met briefly halfway through, and he could tell immediately how anxious Harry was about it. That was a given and he expected nothing less. He watched as the Gryffindor picked pieces off his now disgustingly crumbled ham and cheese sandwich, quite obviously void of any appetite. The young man soon excused himself and left the table most likely to sit with his thoughts.

Both of them were terrible for such things, that which made them both so very similar.

They understood the other, often without words.

Severus looked down at his own plate of sad-looking now-soggy scones and realised he had since lost his own appetite, too. He gave up with any ounce of a meal and followed suit soon after the Gryffindor. He really didn't know what to do with himself and he couldn't even bring himself to look over at Dawn this time, who was happily engaged in a conversation with Filius, blissfully unaware of the turmoil Severus was about to undertake. She looked content and he didn't want to sully her upbeat mood with his own, dour one.

He felt confused. An utter, pathetic mess.

He found himself pacing his quarters shortly after, watching the clock as it ticked painfully by and closer to probably one of the most significant moments of his life. He felt himself tremble; he didn't realise how anxious he'd become until they reached this very moment. He even considered allowing himself just one glass of whiskey just to desperately settle himself, but he knew full well that the one glass would eventuate to several. And showing up drunk was not the image he wanted to maintain for Harry.

Yes, for Harry.

He wouldn't even have considered this if it weren't for that pesky Gryffindor. Of course, Harry was distraught and for a strange amusement, he knew they could be miserable about it together.

What was that saying? Misery loves company?

But again, it was something they needed to do. And it was now or never.

A last chance to set things right.

It was early – Five o'clock was painfully near and yet not near enough. He didn't want to be late. So, he left behind his traveling cloak on yet another warm evening and made the solemn journey to the Astronomy Tower a slow, nervous step at a time. Of course, once he arrived, it was empty. Harry was rarely early, nor on time.

This worked in his favor, however, because he could sit with his own racing thoughts in his bid to make some sense of it and somehow calm himself down. He paced. Again. He had the entire tower to himself, and he spent most of those precious early minutes figuring out what the hell he was going to say. He even gave a manic laugh to himself, realising how silly he was becoming and rehearsing a speech as if he'd be performing a monologue in front of an eager audience.

He felt like he was going to be sick.

Much to his great relief, Harry eventually made his way to join him looking just as grim and worrisome as he was. Flapping quietly overhead was his owl Godric, who soon glided its way over to the railing to preen its wings. Severus had to bite back the urge to laugh again, knowing they were gluttons for punishment. Perhaps Severus rubbed off on him after all, and not in the best way he had hoped for.

"It is not too late to change your mind, " Severus began, breaking through the heavy silence that befell them.

Harry refused to meet his gaze, keeping it fixed beyond the horizon, "I know. I don't."

He gave a small snort in disbelief, "I sure hope you're confident in that decision, at least?"

"…I was, " Harry shrugged. The dullness in his voice seemed reminiscent of listening to Binns drone on. The young man was vague. Severus didn't expect to get much else out of him given the situation.

Severus himself leaned against the railing – so many events had taken place here and yet another important one was about to be added to the list. He felt like he was kneeling in the forest yet again, awaiting the finality and fate of the third ritual. One, which culminated all his literal blood, sweat, and tears just to keep him alive a little longer.

And now he was about to face Lily yet again. One final time.

Without another word, Harry's hand outstretched to him, revealing the glistering, black stone in the palm of his hand yet again. The object was indeed dangerous in its silent suicide of those forever longing for those lost to them. Severus knew the story; therefore, he knew how dangerous such a thing was. Of course, before he knew of the true existence of it, it was all but a mere story. A children's tale, with such a dark undertone leaving the young innocent blissfully ignorant of such a lesson.

And now his eyes glittered upon its quiet power. The power to drive one to madness, if one let such power completely take hold. Like it almost took hold of Harry.

Severus punished himself enough, as did Harry. How much more damage could it possibly do?

Harry trembled where he stood and without speaking anything else, he turned it thrice within his hand. Severus immediately turned away from such an offensive object, so much so that he couldn't bear to see it anymore. Whatever he felt at that moment was quelled and crushed by his sudden desire to flee. He didn't want to see, or hear, or even think. He kept his wandering gaze fixated upon the iron torch ablaze along the stone wall of the tower. The flickering flames seemed to calm him enough so that he didn't lose his mind.

Severus' feet felt possessed as if he lost any control over his own feet. He wandered further away; sight still focused on that flame. But he knew…He knew he had to eventually turn the other way.

"Severus – " Harry called quietly. The croakiness in the young man's voice was enough to know that it had indeed worked.

She was here.

A cool breeze blew through the tower and Severus felt himself shiver straight to his bones.

Drawing in a deep breath, he turned on his heel which felt like a moment that lasted for far too long. There she stood, Lily, cloaked in a pale, shimmering white slowly dulling back to the colors that reminded him that she was still somewhat human. Almost as if she were a Patronus and appeared very reminiscent of one. How very fitting.

He exhaled strongly, feeling all the wind escape from his lungs until it began to ache.

Lily was the same yet…remarkably different. Her familiar, youthful face was the last thing he ever remembered and yet there she was, completely unrecognisable. Her thick red hair was far longer than he recalled and yet her emerald eyes were shrouded in pale light as intense as they ever had been. Her face was older and wiser. Her once-rounded youthful face was pointed and more adult and her cheeks were now gaunt with age. She wasn't the child he once remembered in their youth before Hogwarts, nor did she even resemble those last few months when they departed Hogwarts after their seventh year. A last moment burned into his mind, but he was not aware that it was the last time he'd ever see her alive.

But it was a strange experience. Lily here, looked older. The age she should have been had she been alive. Had she survived. Severus wasn't sure if it was a part of the allure of the Stone, or perhaps the spirit itself adapts where it seemed to fit. Either way, the sight took him aback. She wasn't the same and neither was he. Both obvious worlds apart, but since all that had happened in his life, he didn't see her the same way anymore and that brought Severus many mixed emotions. He wasn't sure how to feel. Because Lily had been dead for over twenty years now, so the only one who truly changed out of the two, was Severus.

Guilt struck Severus sharply within his chest.

Behind Lily, was unmistakably James. Severus felt a heat rise within his chest of an old anger resurfacing, but he couldn't help but notice the same observation as he made with Lily. He, too, looked older. His age. The physical resemblance of Harry and his father was unmistakably identical, and yet James' features were adult, and dare he say it, more dignified than he remembered when he was alive.

It was such a strange sight. The pair of them were familiar, but…they weren't. They no longer were.

Severus glanced to his side to see Harry's face alight with longing. A particular smile long since absent from him for so long, now rekindled. Harry walked forward with the instinct to embrace his parents but stopped cold when he realised he couldn't make physical contact. They were transparent and yet as the Stones power enticed, it was not possible.

Perhaps it worked in Severus' favor so he could resist the urge to want to clock James in the jaw. That hindrance was indeed for the best.

He had to be civil and with Harry present, that was the most challenging.

"Mum, dad – " Harry broke through the silence, recognising the tension that was slowly brewing.

Lily's smile burned brighter than the flickering flames upon the wall, "Oh, sweetheart. It's so good to see you again."

"It's really good to see you both, too, " Harry gave a half-hearted smile, but Severus recognised the sadness buried within it.

Lily returned the small smile, understanding the reason for their summons, "Your father and I…We anticipated this meeting to no longer be a social call."

"You know why I summoned you. I just…I love you both, you know that. This grief…I – we – " Harry nodded pointedly in Severus' direction, " – we just can't...This has to be the last. No more."

Severus' gaze cast sharply away to the side, refusing to meet Lily's gaze whom he was certain was trying to catch his attention. He felt those haunting emerald eyes burn into his skin and yet the guilt of what he had done was still burning within him.

Harry continued, "We know the power of the Stone and what it is capable of. I can't allow myself to see you again after this. We made that decision together."

For a moment Lily and James looked saddened, but his mother took several steps towards Harry and cupped her hands against Harry's face, close to where it should have made contact, "I know, my beautiful son. We have been waiting for quite some time for you to use it again. For a final time. We knew it would happen eventually."

"You can understand that, can't you?"

James nodded, concern seeping through his hardened features, "Of course we do. You've suffered enough and as much as we wish to see you more often, we understand why this is necessary. I don't want my son to succumb to that fate. We are not benevolent spirits."

Severus turned back to watch the exchange feeling mute and powerless. A voice couldn't escape his lips even if he tried. His heart wrenched from his chest, and he felt frozen to the spot. Lily's gaze was fleeting from Harry and then to himself intermittently and yet he still couldn't muster up any sensible words.

Grow a spine, Severus.

But even glancing her way was an emotional gamble.

"We are so very proud of you, Harry, " James' smile beamed with pride, "You've come so far, and look you at you know…A Hogwarts Professor. Married. A life that we are happy you found, despite the horrors in your past."

"It-It's been – " Harry's voice broke, "It's been difficult. But I couldn't have gotten through it without everyone, my friends, the Weasleys, Dumbledore…Severus."

And then he finally looked upon the mention of his name.

Lily's eyes finally met Severus' – It was difficult to ascertain what it was behind those emerald eyes that so ruled his life for so long. She glanced at him with recognition, but the youthful warmth in the face he once remembered now hardened as if she, too, had endured the Second War. He wanted to peel his own dark ones away, but something within the power filling the room prevented him from doing so. He could not bring himself to turn away from her now that he found her again.

But he couldn't take the silence between them anymore.

"Just say it, Lily. Tell me I failed you. Tell me, that you're disgusted with me, and I can finally have my answer and we can end this quickly, " Severus' jaw clenched; tension filling every muscle, every nerve. A sinking feeling in his gut made him nauseous and yet somehow deep within himself, he regretted saying anything at all.

Maybe deep down, he really didn't want to know.

Lily herself tensed – her shoulders raised, caught in a painful truth that would hurt them both. This was not an easy road for either of them and yet she stared hard at him almost in quiet pity. A small frown appeared at the bridge of her thinned nose, but no anger resided on her face, "Severus, I never thought that little of you. I am disappointed you assumed I would be."

"I find that hard to believe."

She exhaled deeply; her face soon relaxed, and her eyes fleeted from her husband to Harry, and then back to Severus, "I had hoped you'd see differently in school…I wanted you to. I wanted you to see that you were going down a path that you expected me to save you from. I know I didn't try as hard as I should have, and yes, I did regret that after you tried to apologise to me. I should have given you a chance to explain…But I had to stand my ground."

"I didn't want you to save me, Lily. You didn't want to listen to me. I told you what Black had tried to do to me where Lupin was concerned, but you dismissed me like it was nothing. Like I meant nothing, " Severus' voice trembled, and he so desperately tried to keep himself together. He was upset, but more so the idea of all the built-up of unresolved anger and sadness culminating to the surface, "You were supposed to be my friend, yet all you did was judge me and placed the blame all on me."

"How could I after you called me a – "

Severus winced, " – I know what I called you. I have never stopped blaming myself for it."

Lily's face fell, "I know, Sev. I know. I messed up. We both did, didn't we? I didn't try hard enough for our friendship. We didn't listen to each other and instead of guiding each other properly, we judged each other unfairly. Severus, I truly am sorry."

"It doesn't matter. It cannot be changed, " Severus spoke bitterly.

"No, it can't, but we can make things right again, can't we? I know after all this time you've been afraid to confront me again, especially knowing the pain that has since destroyed you. I know that - " Lily's voice softened with a kindness he was since relieved to hear, despite the harsh truth. She didn't sound spiteful, and her tone was considerate and even compassionate. For a strange moment, he thought of Dawn, "Truth is Severus, I missed our friendship. Really missed it. We were both idiots at school. I wasn't kind or supportive to you in the times you really needed it, but I was also hurt that you seemed to choose your Slytherins over me. The Slytherins whose parents were Death Eaters."

Guilt grappled his heart once more and he felt his breathing grow irregular. He felt a hand rest on the upper of his back, soon realising Harry had joined him at his side. His voice was heavy and filled with so much remorse enough to shatter him all over again, "I could never allow them to hurt you, Lily. I turned to them because I felt that I would be protected, and in turn, to protect you. Joining them was one of my biggest regrets…I know that now. I was foolish and, and…What I did was unforgivable."

"And then you turned your back on them, " Lily tried to reassure him, but it fell on deaf ears. Severus felt far worse knowing it very well wasn't that simple.

"It was too late, " Severus could only manage a hoarse whisper, "I was too blind to see the true atrocities of Riddles' goals. The prophecy…You…Lily, what I did destroyed me. I painted a target on your backs…I was never the same after that. I hurt you in more ways than I ever dared to admit, and that guilt would always follow me through each day."

"I know, Severus. But you are not solely to blame for this. You didn't know. James and I put our faith in the wrong person. That was our greatest mistake, too. All that doesn't matter now. What matters to us, is that you kept your word. You kept our Harry safe and alive. You watched over him and put yourself in danger for him. I cannot be mad at you for that. You willingly turned away from Voldemort, to work for the Order, for Dumbledore…For our son. In my eyes, that makes up for it."

Severus' eyes filled with a deep sadness. Her words simply could not penetrate the wall of stone he built around his heart. He remained guarded and yet he felt like a lost teenage boy yet again, "Lily...you abandoned me. You knew I was in a dark place, and you left me to rot. Did you know I once stood on this very tower?" He turned to nudge in the direction of the railing, "I stood at that edge for a very long time, trying to summon enough courage to jump. It would have been all too easy, once I knew your decision to remove me from your life, was final."

Lily remained silent; a hollow sadness encompassing her once-brightened eyes.

"Fifth year was the mark of hell for me, Lily. And you refused to see that. I always cared for you and yet...you couldn't do the same for me. I tried to apologise for my horrid mistake, but you had already made up your mind. That hurt me...more than I could ever bear. Even still to this day."

"Severus, I am so sorry."

"We were supposed to be best friends."

"I…I know. Even the dead have regrets, too, " Lily's eyes drooped with sadness. She took several ghostly steps forward and with an outstretched hand, hovered it beside Severus' gaunt face. He could almost feel the coolness of her ghostly touch. Severus' eyes welled with tears as she continued, "I've always had a measure of affection for you, Severus. Perhaps not in the way that you had hoped, but I do not want you to live without it for the rest of your life. You deserve happiness in so many other ways…More than I could have ever given you. I am deeply sorry things happened the way it did. You lived in that hurt and regret for so long, that you denied yourself worthy of anything good after you blamed yourself for my death. But now, Severus, you have a chance to find that spark again – the same one I saw in your eyes when we first became friends. Remember when you introduced me to this magical world? They were wonderful, innocent times. Simple joys, we found, didn't we?" She stopped to pause, giving Severus a warming smile, he hadn't seen for so long. His heart jumped within his chest, "I will always have a place within my own heart, for you. Of course, I was disappointed in you for taking the darker path…And I never could understand why. But hate is not something I do, Severus. I could never hate you. Even in death."

Severus almost stumbled in his words, but he managed to croak out another genuine truth, "I could never hate you either, Lily."

Harry smiled and Severus was shocked to find he was also tearing up. Harry gently intercepted, "Mum, he felt terrible about it for so long. Even after the War. He could never stop hating himself over it all and endured such terrible things because he felt like he deserved it. But I also wouldn't be here if it weren't for him. I know everyone made mistakes but bringing it to the surface is a start."

"I only hope it will be enough, " Lily glanced at Severus quickly, before they rested upon her sons' identical green eyes, "I don't want Severus to spiral into self-hate again."

"That's why I made the decision to bring you here. To resolve this and lift a weight that has been hurting him for so long. I have since come to make peace with it all…But he still needs to. More than anyone, "Harry's hand, which still hadn't left his back, rubbed gently upon the surface where it rested. Severus skin rippled, almost ashamed by such a painful admittance in the words he was too scared to speak, but he was relieved that Harry remained by his side in his support. Harry's voice croaked, "I-I don't want to lose him, too."

A single tear fell from Severus' pale cheek, unable to contain it any longer. Here he was intending to be strong for Harry in this moment and yet instead it was Harry staying strong for him.

A soft pause shrouded the four of them, allowing them to ponder on the conversation and the emotions that swirled and evoked because of it. Lily looked somewhat relieved in longing for her son standing by in support of her old childhood friend. The pride on her face was evident and she smiled in acceptance for the both of them alive and by each other's side. She soon turned to her husband and gave him a small nudge at his side.

James then stepped forward, looking rather apprehensive. He almost forgot he was there, and yet he was somewhat relieved that he was able to have that conversation with Lily without interference.

"Snape."

"Potter."

"I suppose even we get another chance, right?" James gave a small chuckle to break the tension, but no one was sharing the sentiment, given how cold Severus was glaring at him. So, his face grew serious – an odd sight to behold, considering he had been so accustomed to seeing him with all his sadistic glee, "I'm sorry we – I – was such a git to you. I was foolish and arrogant, and…stupid."

"…Am I supposed to disagree with that self-assessment?"

"Well, no, of course not. But Snape – Severus – I'm sorry about how I treated you at school and it wasn't until my death did I realise how bad I really was, " James buried his hands within his robe pockets, looking from his own son, and back to Severus. His face full of equal regret – again, such a strange sight to behold, "I never wanted to admit it, but had I not been such an arse, maybe you'd have not been so inclined to turn so vehemently to the Dark Arts to protect yourself from me. I should have tried to do something, instead of pushing you further toward them and giving you every reason to do so. I never realised that my actions would have had those consequences."

"Far too late, Potter. The damage done was far more than you'd ever admit. You left me with no better choice, " Severus felt enraged, but he did everything within his own power to contain it as best as he could. He didn't want to be angry about it anymore, because where did such anger get him?

…Losing his friendship with Lily.

James' jaw clenched, "Look, although you treated my son like utter garbage at school, and don't deny it, I…understand why. That fault lies with me. Despite all that, you really did look out for him and save his life. You didn't have to, but you did."

"I don't want your platitudes, most certainly not from you."

"I know we can't erase the past, as much as we want to change things. But we can't, and…Oh hell, Severus…You get to live. Be thankful for that. You get to look out for my son, where Lily and I couldn't. You've seen him grow and become a young man with a family. We never got to experience that. We missed it all. And I'm sorry. For everything."

"You're dead. An apology will change nothing."

"Wouldn't it?" James questioned.

Severus hesitated, giving a slight pause between them, "The damage has long since been done."

"I don't know what else you want from me. I can't undo the pain I caused, pushing you away from Lily. I was a selfish idiot. I know that now. I could never ask for your forgiveness for that reason. But if it's any consolation...I forgive you. I gave you reasons to fight with us. I hurt you. And maybe, just maybe, we could have been allies if I didn't."

Severus couldn't help but sneer coldly, "It never would have worked. I was an evil Slytherin to you. The filth beneath your boots. The poor oddball to be pitied. My friends were the only people who didn't treat me as such."

"Perhaps, " James responded, grimly. But Severus could see the guilt seeping through the man's face, and there was an odd, twisted satisfaction in seeing that look on one of his greatest enemies. Severus suffered enough, so why couldn't he? James lowered his voice, speaking with such sincerity, which again, was an odd thing to see, "You kept my son safe. Despite your uncalled behavior towards him over the years...so understandably, I am still rather resentful of that. But all this time, we've been looking over Harry for so long…But so it appears, you have been doing the same. Like Lily, I cannot hate you for that."

Still, Severus was in disbelief, "Why are you saying such things?"

"Because this is for your closure, not mine. I lost that chance."

Severus heaved a heavy sigh in defeat. He was angry because deep down, he knew he deserved to be harshly berated and yelled out for all that he had done. He deserved to be crucified and ripped apart. He deserved to cower in the directed fury. He deserved to feel terrible about it all over again. He deserved to be in the firing line because at least hurting himself felt more justified than hurting someone else.

And yet those stones cast were not hard enough. But he had to remind himself of Harry, and the penance they had since spoken in truth, and how such terrible times had brought them both here to this moment. A chance to release all that bottled-up anger, rage, guilt, remorse, and deep sorrow. Now he could hear those words straight from Lily and James and feeling odd with himself, he was finally able to express his own words to those that needed to hear them. To those whose troubles were his.

Somehow, and by some odd miracle, he felt a weight lift from him. The burden of guilt he so carried through his days, now felt justified and validated. Although his heart remained bleeding from the pain that consumed him, it was settled now upon the fact that the pair of them had forgiven him.

And he too, forgave her. Lily, at least he could forgive. James, perhaps he never would. But an apology from him was at least a start.

Harry swallowed thickly, but his face was relieved, yet exhausted. He gently cleared his throat, "Mum…Dad…I hope you understand why I have to get rid of this. The Stone…"

Lily nodded, agreeably, but her eyes dropped in a haunting sadness, "You're making the right decision."

"Son, this chance to see you are more than we could all ever hope for, " James' smile, although admittingly it was enough to punch Severus in the gut. But the longing of a dead father for a son he left behind struck Severus far deeper than he would ever care to imagine from James.

"I know, and I'll always treasure it. But Severus is right…it is dangerous to keep holding on to such things. I know it's stupid of me for wanting to see you still, but I understand why it should not be used. I love you both, truly, but…I have to let this go. We have to let you go."

Lily nodded solemnly; tears glistened within her eyes, haunting in her ghostly presence that she, too, could feel this so deeply. There was a moment when even Lily once again, forgot her transparency. He observed her taking a hesitant step forward, eager to touch and connect to the both of them. The devastation in her eyes that she could not do so begged for Severus to hold onto the remaining tears that were so ready to fall from his face.

And yet her presence here, cathartic and yet truthful, gave Severus some measure of closure of words unspoken. Words that had spilled from his chest that he had grappled so tightly for so long, were now out in the ether to be heard by the two people that needed to hear him the most. His own voice felt quelled and silenced, but now was able to finally be heard.

James since re-joined Lily at her side, remaining silent as he, too, come to terms with his honest admission.

Lily's smile lit up the tower, burning as bright at the torches around them, "Be well, you two. You leaned on each other for so long even when the War ended. Even when things were grim and dark. Even through those losses. You helped each other to overcome it all and I am deeply proud of you both for persevering – " She looked at Severus, and brought a hand to her heart, "Severus…Oh, Sev, thank you for looking out for my son and protecting him after all these years when we could not – You gave your entire life and freedom for him. For me. Now I want to give back and wish you the peace that you so desperately longed for. To let go of the past and finally move on to a future that was previously denied to you…Beautiful things await. You'll see. Find peace, Severus. That is all I wish for you."

"Son, we await the time when we meet again. Preferably much later, Harry, if you only stop getting yourself into trouble, " James said, with a shadow of a grin.

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, " Severus could help but crack a smirk through his watery eyes, and he felt a playful nudge from Harry at his arm.

"Until we meet again, " Harry said, whom Severus felt trembling beside him. The young Gryffindor sniffled, but despite the devastating farewell, he managed a broken smile through his own tears.

The young man took several desperate steps toward his parents, but he quickly realised he could do nothing. The ghost of James and Lily wrapped their arms around each other, soon disappearing and fading away into nothingness, leaving a strange emptiness behind from those who had since long passed. Their smiles faded with their ethereal forms and the living pair felt alone once more.

As silence overcome the pair in their bid to process this encounter, Harry tearfully called for Godric who had been waiting patiently during the encounter. With the Stone now carefully wrapped in a pouch, he hooked it loosely upon the bird's talon.

"You know what to do, Godric – " Harry's voice broke towards the end, doing everything he could to keep his own emotions at bay. He didn't even dare look back at Severus for fear of breaking completely.

But Severus knew better.

"Harry, come here – " At first, Severus took a few hasty steps forward towards a trembling Harry. Once he was within arm's reach, he outstretched his arms and gathered him into his embrace. He knew by the expression Harry wore before he melted into his shoulder that was in utmost surprise – Severus had never truly initiated an embrace like this before. Severus felt him return the hug, and the pair stood there in silence holding each other tightly as Godric flew off with the Stone. His wings flapped until those sounds disappeared amongst the evening breeze and the last fading light of the day.

"We did the right thing, Severus."

Severus released a tense sigh, soon feeling relieved which was a strange emotion for him given what he had just initiated. Once Severus pulled away, he gave an odd, relaxed smile. No other words were needed – their shared gazes told them all they needed to know.

Closure. Finally.

One he so desperately needed for so many years. Maybe it wasn't what he expected for such a defining reunion, but he would hold onto it with everything he had left.

Lily forgave him and he forgave her. Maybe in another lifetime, he might one day forgive James, too.

But now, that chapter can finally close. A chapter he never wanted to revisit again.

To him, now, a new chapter awaits.