The muscles in his back gave a hard spasm, but Severus Snape dared not acknowledge the agony. He could not utter a sound, stand up or do anything to relieve his growing pain. He had to remain still with his forehead touching the cold flagstone floor in between the flat palms of his hands with his knees carrying his weight on the stones. It could be fatal for him to move or speak until his Master would deign him to do it. He and the other eight supplicants had already waited approximately fifteen minutes in their subservient postures.

“Severus, why are you here? You were ordered to stay in your position at Hogwarts, unless-�

The Dark Lord’s lisping pronunciation of the last syllable made it sound more like the hiss of a snake rather than something spoken by a man.

“Bellatrix, did your nephew totally fulfill his mission?�

From the floor to his right, Snape heard Bellatrix Lestrange began to speak.

“My Lord, Draco repaired the vanishing cabinet and he opened the way for your chosen Death Eaters to gain access to Hogwarts.�

“Yes, I already know that. What happened next?�

Severus fought the urge to speak to his Lord.

“As we left the Room of Requirements, we were intercepted by a large group. Part of the group was made up of members of the Order of the Phoenix, and the rest were a handful of Potter’s little playmates. We fought our way up to the tower following where Draco had already gone. When we arrived, we discovered that he had disarmed Dumbledore.�

“And…�

Severus heard the intake of air from the far left where Draco kneeled and to his right where Narcissa also awaited their Lord’s pleasure. At the two sounds, he felt, more than heard, Nagini leave his master’s side and began to slither across the room towards them.

“As we climbed the stairs, I saw Dumbledore standing there without his wand, I heard Dumbledore attempting to persuade Draco to betray you, My Lord, but the boy did not.�

“Yet, Dumbledore was alive and unarmed when you arrived. Draco had not yet fulfilled his role?�

“No. I think that Dumbledore had confused the boy. Maybe, it was the result of a spell, but he seemed unable to kill the Blood Traitor.�

And with that Bellatrix had left her nephew alone with no one to speak for him. She might as well have cast the Killing Curse herself and saved the Dark Lord the bother.

“So, how many minutes elapsed in between your arrival and the death of Dumbledore?�

Lestrange hesitated for a second. Even Bella, with her fawning devotion to the Dark Lord, knew that she was on a tightrope in windy weather. If she misspoke, she and Draco would die together.

“My Lord, Dumbledore began to speak to us. I encouraged Draco to fulfill his destiny, but he wavered. And then through the door behind us came Snape.�

“How many minutes, Bellatrix?�

“Four or five at the most, my Lord.�

“Four or five?� A deadly paused lingered in the air. He heard his Master take a step towards the teenager. “Draco, get up and stand in between me and your parents and look into my eyes.�

Draco slowly stood, and he heard Draco’s slow, heavy footsteps as he walked across the room and stood where he had been ordered to stand.

Suddenly, Draco let loose an ear-piercing scream. He took a step backward and collapsed, The writhing and screaming continued on as he lay upon the floor.

Severus could hear Narcissa beginning to sob. He dared to turn his face to the side to catch the woman’s eyes. He put all of his energy into his thoughts and attempted to push them into her mind.

If you rise, we all will die. Stay still.

Narcissa looked at him; he saw the tears welling in her eyes. She nodded back to him and remained prostrate.

Draco continued his yells of pain. Time crept slowly on. The yelling stopped and for a moment, he could not hear anything. Finally, he realized that both the Dark Lord and Nagini were on the move towards them.

Out of the corner of his right eye, he saw a toe of a black boot roll the quaking body of the boy over onto his back. Bending down so Draco could not miss what he was about to say to him, Voldemort in a soft, almost caressing, tone of voice instructed the teen.

“Don’t ever disappoint me again, boy! If you do, you will die a very slow, painful and public death!�

As his Master left Draco, he heard the boy begin to retch on the floor. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Narcissa began to rise. However, her caution quickly overrode maternal instincts and she remained on the floor

Snape heard more footsteps leading away and the thud of a foot striking a body. A second later he heard a short gasp of pain.

“I expected much more from your son, Lucius. Perhaps your blood isn’t as pure as you claim it is. If he fails me again, you will watch him die, and you will share his fate.

“Yes, my Lord.�

Again more steps, and he realized that he was next. Severus closed his eyes clearing his mind and calming his emotions.

“Severus.�

“My Lord.�

“Tell me how you got to the tower and what you did there.�

He realized that he was being offered the rope that might be used to hang him. He drew moisture into his mouth, began to choose his words carefully and spoke.

“Dumbledore had ordered me to remain in my office until he returned from an excursion outside of Hogwarts. He told me that when he returned from London, we would have to talk. He had something to tell me, so I was waiting in my office when Flitwick came bursting through the door. The midget gasping for breath tried to tell me that they needed me. Flitwick was addle-brained. He had run down from the tallest tower down into the dungeons instead of simply sending a messenger Patronus to me.�

Voldemort gave a little snicker. “He ran all the way down into the dungeons on those tiny legs.� The sounds of his mirth died within a breath.

“When I finally was able to make sense of what he was saying, I realized that Draco had succeeded in his mission. I stunned Flitwick and used a secret passageway to get to the tower. When I arrived at the landing, I found your servants in a battle with members of the Order and some of Potter’s little friends. The Order ceased their attacks assuming that I was on their side. I ran up the stairs and found Dumbledore standing next to the ramparts, He was not well. I assumed that Draco had injured the old fool and could not finish the task.�

“You gave the boy too much credit, Severus.�

“Dumbledore was trying to convince the boy to betray you, my Lord. He did not. However, he could not do the deed. I did not know what the status of battle below was. I did not know if more of the Order or the Aurors were coming to the school to join the fray. Someone had to act, Fenrir just stood there salivating over the possible feast of Dumbledore’s corpse, the Carrows were having a bizarrely polite little conversation with Dumbledore, and Bella was trying to convince Draco to act. It was up to me, or the mission would fail. I walked out of the shadows and Dumbledore saw me. For a second, I saw relief in his eyes. I pulled my wand out, and Dumbledore said ‘Severus, please.’ He must have thought I was going to save him.�

From the floor, he heard the Dark Lord emit a slight moan of almost ecstasy as he described his old teacher’s last words.

“I cast the Killing Curse, and he fell backward over the ramparts and I heard him slam into the ground form below. Not knowing what spells or alarms his death might have triggered, I grabbed the boy by the wrist and ordered them to follow. We burst through the battle with the Order, and out into the grounds. Somewhere along the way, the Potter boy found our trail and tried to delay us. I stunned him leaving him alive as you ordered; Bellatrix set Hagrid’s cottage on fire and after we had left the grounds we came here to report to you.�

“Severus, please,� the Dark Lord repeated with even more delight in the voice than the small moan that had slipped out earlier. “The trusting fool is dead and we can set our plans in motion. You have proven yourself worthy, Severus. Go home and rest. We will meet tomorrow to set our final timetable.�

He pushed aside the blood-red curtains to stare down from his bedroom window to the wet paving stones of the walkway that led to the front door of the Cokeworth townhouse. He was still alive and had not expected to be still alive just four hours earlier.

He had been certain of his death when he, Draco, Narcissa, and the Death Eaters, who had infiltrated Hogwarts and survived the battles, had entered into the Great Hall of Malfoy Manor.

A bright light shone through the window, temporarily blinding him; he reactively flinched from the unexpected illumination. He threw up his left hand in reaction, pulled out his wand with his right and searched for the source.

For a second, he was on a hilltop begging Dumbledore to protect Lily from his Master.

I’ll do anything!

He quickly blinked away the distraction.

The source of the light was from the front of a smoking and dented Muggle vehicle; teenagers probably using the abandoned steel mill as a place they could snog or worse. A satisfied smile curled his lips as he knew that while he was behind his wall of spells no one could see him standing in the window or see the light from the gas lamps.

He was certain that no one alive outside of Wormtail and the Black sisters knew any connection between him and the former owner of this townhouse: Myra Prince. They were in the conspiracy with him; if they revealed the facts they would be killing themselves. So, only one who ever knew and could tell was dead. He was dead by my hand. He reached down to squeeze the back of his wand hand as if touching it would confirm the horrible reality of it all.

Stop! All of this wallowing in worthless emotion is doing me no good. I’ve been too sloppy and let others manipulate me. I must leave here with a plan of what to do. I need a plan; I need a perfect plan.

“Someday, boy, your brain and that wand are going to get you in a spot of bother that you can’t escape. And I hope I’m there to see it,� said the ghostly voice of his father, as it arose in his memory. After all of these decades, Severus could still smell the pungent whiskey and cigar-smoke breath as it wheezed its curse.

Get out of my head! You worthless old bastard. I outlived you, didn’t I? I’ve outlived them all: except the Dark Lord and the Boy.

Severus lowered his head, knowing that his father’s prediction might have just come true. He wondered who would be the one. Had his explanations about Dumbledore’s death mollified the Dark Lord? Are there Death Eaters out there hunting him down? No, if the Dark Lord had even a dram of uncertainty, he would have tortured the lot of us, and we’d be snake food now. Severus rubbed his index finger up from the bridge of his nose up to his hairline. If I can’t solve this, Draco, Narcissa, and I are as good as dead. And if he died, Lily’s son stood no chance at all.

He was certain that the Order of the Phoenix would be coming at him for blood: his blood. He clicked through the names of their roster. Shacklebolt has the ability, but not the time away from his Auror duties. Tonks, she was not seasoned enough to be a true threat. Lupin was talented enough yet too full of his demons to be a challenge to him. Moody was well past his prime but could be a threat. Could it be a member of the Weasley family? Please! Granger has the raw talent, but she’s no killer. Her boy, it would only be the boy. And what would he do if he faced Lily’s son in a battle in front of the Dark Lord? Would he kill him or allow the boy to kill him?

Stop it, concentrate! Perhaps how we got here could help figure out how we get out of here?

After he had finished his evening meal, he had returned to his office. He sat quietly reviewing the lesson for the First Years class on Monday, when the Headmaster arrived. Dumbledore did not knock but waltzed into his office leading two large, floating, leather-bound tomes. The old man pointed his wand to the left and the books in settle in the middle of his desk.

“I have some homework for you, Severus,� Dumbledore said with an ironic smile on his face. “Tonight, Harry and I will be hunting for one of Voldemort’s hidden artifacts. When we return, I will send for you to join us up in my office. You will demonstrate to Harry one of the methods of destruction mentioned in these books.�

His index finger involuntarily rose to his lips as he said, “Why have me do it? Certainly, you don’t need me to do the deed?�

Dumbledore made a face like he was disappointed that a star pupil did not grasp the core of the lesson. He took a deep breath, and he answered, “We both know that I have a finite time remaining in this world. I need both you and Harry to know how to do this. After I’m gone, Tom Riddle will be free to strike. I don’t know how far or fast the blows shall come, but I know it will happen. And when it does happen I need to know that when Harry locates another one that both you and he can destroy it.�

“If I destroy a Horcrux, will I still be able to hide the fact from the Dark Lord?� he asked. “It may mark me somehow or perhaps it will be something so strong that I cannot mask the fact from him.�

Dumbledore’s scorched hand moved out while he gave a shrug. “I don’t know, Severus. We are dealing with magical questions that have never been faced before.� Sitting down in the chair across from him, Dumbledore contemplated his response for a few more moments before he added.

“Mayhaps it would be best if you would teach young Harry what and how to do it so he alone can destroy the items. If he does destroy it, there may not be a trace that Tom Riddle can link you with the death of the device?� Dumbledore smiled and added, “You’ve always known the proper questions, Severus. If only you had an equal skill for divining the proper answers.�

“Maybe, I should just teach Granger? She has talent. I’d trust her more than him with the knowledge,� he spat out.

“While I think that it is likely that Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley will faithfully remain with Harry, remember she is Muggle-born. She may need to abandon Harry eventually in the interest of self-preservation,� Dumbledore answered.

“If she does leave, the other two are doomed. With her gone, who will do the thinking for them?� Snape said with a smile.

“I think you underestimate Harry and Ronald,� replied the Headmaster.

“No, Dumbledore! You always overestimate them. Potter is weak willed, and Weasley is even weaker minded. If left alone, they will be a massacre waiting to happen,� Snape predicted.

“If you say so, Severus. It is even possible that Miss Weasley might join the trio also and make it a foursome.�

“Ah, the little romance! Has ‘The Chosen One’ finally noticed her constantly throwing herself at his feet?�

“You are out of touch, Severus. Lately, Ginny Weasley has been playing, I believe they call it, the waiting game with Harry. The attraction is natural.�

The assertion caught him by surprise. “How?�

“Miss Weasley is a fiercely independent soul. She like Lily has the ability to see the hidden positive attributes in those that others barely notice: Master Longbottom and Miss Lovegood. And physically, she looks near enough like Lily to perhaps remind him on some deep level of his mother.�

“She is nothing like Lily Evans? Weasley is a plain, little tomboy lost in foolish romantic dreams of landing ‘The Great Harry Potter’ and living happily ever after.�

At that comment, Dumbledore just shook his head in resignation. He took a deep breath and changed the subject. “When we return, I will send my Patronus to you here. When it arrives, I need you to join us in my office.�

As he turned away from the desk, a tremor ran through the old Headmaster’s entire body, and his good hand quickly reached to grab the corner of the desk to steady himself.

“Are you all right, Headmaster?� he asked of Dumbledore.

“Of course not, Severus, as we both know,� Dumbledore said. After a few deep breaths to re-balance and when he felt steady enough, Albus Dumbledore left to meet with Harry Potter.

He made a list in his head of the possible methods of destroying a Horcrux: Fiendfyre, Basilisk’s venom, Dementor’s Kiss, Acromantula venom. Which one?

“Dementor’s Kiss? No. Fiendfyre? He had an image of Potter and Weasley running around in circles after losing control of the spell and setting Number Twelve Grimmauld Place on fire. No.�

So that leaves only the options of the two venoms to destroy the Horcruxes. I have a few small vials of each, but what if it is not enough?

He walked into the cupboard, moved the sliding staircase to the poisons and checked the shelves of his potion supplies. He had been correct. He had three Acromantula and only one Basilisk vials. So the spider’s poison it was to be. Also, with the help of Hagrid, Harry could lay in a large stock of the poison from the denizens of Forbidden Forest. He pocketed the sample from the Giant Spider and returned to his office.

He looked at the clock on his office wall and saw that it was later than he expected. Had Dumbledore failed in trying to retrieve whatever he had been looking? What if the attempt been fatal? What if it was? Would Potter believe him if he offered to teach him to destroy Horcruxes? The answer was obvious, no. Potter would rather wallow in his ignorance than accept help from me. He is so much like his father!

He turned at the sound of something coming down the stairs. He could hear steps coming closer toward his office. They were not the heavy footfalls of an adult. Had Dumbledore sent Potter down to fetch him? If not Potter, who would it be? Reaching into the sleeve of his robe, he pulled his wand from its holster and attempted to palm it so it would not be obvious to the intruder until it was too late.

He stood and with a wave of his wand the books moved to his desk chair and out of sight. The office popped door opened and in stepped an out-of-breath Flitwick.

“Severus, come quickly with me up to the tower. There are Death Eaters in Hogwarts.�

He could feel the rush of blood to his face as he fought off the shock and regained his normal composure. His mind raced through the permutations of Flitwick’s news. “If there are Death Eaters in the school, Draco was successful with his assignment and he is in danger. If he is in danger and if things go wrong, my life could be forfeited. Damn that Unbreakable Vow!�

He faced Flitwick and said, “If they are in the school there is only one thing for me to do.�

He showed his wand to his colleague. The diminutive man smiled and nodded in approval. The smile was still on his face when his Stunning Spell struck him, and the tiny man slammed into the stone wall and crumpled to the office floor.

He walked out of his room, turned, and walked down the dark paneled hallway towards the water closet. The reason for his walk was not to satisfy any physical urgings; he just needed to be going somewhere to give his body something to do while his mind raced. The deep, red carpeting cushioned his footfalls as he paced. He was surprised when his body stopped on its own. He looked up to see where he was and saw that he had stopped in front of the one door that was not open in the entirety of the townhouse. The room was his mother’s room.

An odd thought crossed his mind: while the room was the bedroom of his parents, he always considered it ‘her’ room. He had sealed the door upon his return from his fourth year at Hogwarts. He had closed off her room and their memory from his mind after he had read her last letter.

He had looked from face to face of every adult on the platform; his mother was not present. Although he felt a rising panic at the absence of his mother, he walked at a slow, steady pace. He could not show the fear. Malfoy, Nott, and Goyle were all watching him, and if he showed fear he would be ostracized not only from their little clique, but they would make his life as a Slytherin unbearable.

Just as he was about to begin a third pass through the crowd, he noticed a familiar pinch-faced girl walk past him on her way towards the front of the train. The face belonged to Petunia Evans. He followed the teenage crone towards Lily and her parents who were loading the last of Lily’s trunks onto a trolley.

The entire Evans family turned to look at the approaching boy. Petunia, who had not noticed she was being followed, turned as well and gave him a look with eyes so hard that they could have injured him with their hatred. He had seen that look before; with her long hair sliding across her face, he saw his mother about to take out her disappointments on him. The ghosts of all of those past rebukes froze him in place.

Lily whispered something to her parents and walked over to him. She stood up to her full height and crossed her arms across her chest hiding her hands as she spoke.

“Severus.�

He turned to look at Lily from Petunia still shaken by the vision of his mother in the other girl.

“Severus?�

Through a dry mouth, he said, “My mother is not here. I wondered if I could get a ride back to Cokesworth with you and your family.�

For a second, Lily’s resolve seemed to melt. Her head began to move slowly from side-to-side as she said, “Severus, we are not going back home. We are going to the seaside for a holiday.�

He lowered his head in response to her pronouncement.

She continued to talk, just barely audible in the din of trolley wheels and hissing locomotive. “Marlene McKinnon says that there is a magical way to get anywhere for just a few coins; it’s called the Knight Bus. All you have to do is step up to the curb of a street, stick out your wand into the street and it will appear with minutes. It supposedly can get you anywhere, except Hogwarts, in Britain.�

At first he looked up thankful, and another point of shame struck home. He pulled on his white smock as he said, “I don’t have any money. My mum didn’t send anything for Christmas.� He looked to the platform floor, closed his eyes, and wished he could be anyone else in the world. He opened his eyes to find a hand holding one silver Sickle and eight bronze Knuts.

“Take them, they’ll be no good to me at the seaside.� Her voice was full of exasperation; he dared not meet her eyes to see her rebuke.

“Thank you, Lily. If there is anything I can do to repay…� was all he had got out before she replied.

“You already know what you must do to be my friend, Severus. Remember, our conversation in the hall outside of the Gryffindor Common Room?�

He felt full of shame, anger and despair. The emotions were all fighting for control of his brain, and since no one was in control, he couldn’t answer her.

“Fine,� Lily said, and she dismissively turned and walked back to the trolley where her parents and sneering sister all eyed him.

He quickly pocketed the gift into the pocket of his Muggle trousers. He didn’t take his eyes off of Lily until the Evans family began trundling towards the pillar. As they passed, only Petunia turned to see him as they walked by, and she shot him a look of delight at his being left behind on the platform to fend for himself.

Severus loaded his trolley and waited until he was the last one on the platform. He then walked through the pillar, through the Muggle station and outside to the street. He walked to an area where the Muggle traffic was not as dense. He stepped to the curb and extended his wand over the curbstone, hoping that Marlene McKinnon had not played a prank on Lily. His fear had been misplaced, because a giant, purple bus appeared on the street in front of him.

He paid the fare, with a single Knut to spare, loaded his trunk on the bus, and began his nine-stop trip to Cokesworth. He put the coin back in his pocket; he would return it to Lily along with the rest of his fare when they returned to school.

He had the Knight Bus drop him off a block away from the townhouse. He pretended to struggle to carry his trunk. Although he had used a spell to lighten the load, he had to maintain the charade for the Muggle neighbors. It took him almost an half an hour to get to the door of the townhouse. When he got to the door, he rang the chime, but no one answered the door. He tried knocking on the door with the bronze knocker, but again no one opened the door. After looking to see if any of the neighbors was watching him, he pulled his wand out and unlocked the door.

He dragged the trunk into the foyer and after he had closed the door he waved the wand, and the trunk flew up to his room.

“Mum,� he called out and no one replied.

He slowly walked up the stairs to the bedrooms. As his hand slid up the banister, he noticed a film of dust. His father would never allow this situation; he would have made his mother clean the house, not with her wand but like a Muggle with rags and polish.

“Mum,� he repeated with more urgency in his voice. As he left the steps and walked onto the landing, he added, “I’m home.�

He walked over to his parents' bedroom door; he paused as he took the knob. He took a deep breath and turned the knob. The room was empty and as dusty as banister had been.

Something was very wrong; all pretense of control left him. He ran down the steps and ran into the kitchen. In the middle of the table, he saw the breadbox. The breadbox did not belong on the kitchen table; the breadbox was always on the counter. If anyone had left the box there, his father would have removed his belt and given the offender a whipping. The box was there in the forbidden place, and the table was dusty. Leaning against the box, he saw an envelope. On the envelope was written one word in his mother’s cramped, small scrawl: Severus

Dread filled his soul as he looked at the envelope. He desperately wanted to open it and read it. He desperately couldn’t read it. He stood there frozen as if his will had somehow escaped his body.

Almost on its own, he found his hand reaching towards the breadbox. Just a he got within a few inches, the envelope jumped into the air, and he heard the disembodied voice of his mother.

My dear, dear Severus,

By the time you hear this letter, I will be long dead. I’m sorry, please forgive me. Your Father is also dead; he was killed at my bidding. However, the Muggle police believe a bar maid murdered him.

I found him and that woman together, and I used magic to force her to strangle him in our bed. I then came in the house, pretended to find them and called the authorities. They both deserved what they got, but I find myself haunted by him. I cannot sleep, food has lost its taste, and all I wish is if I could go back and undo what I did.

I cannot live with what I’ve done, and I cannot live without him. I will go to the seaside and I shall walk, without my wand, into the sea and drown. I couldn’t take poison and have you find me here. I love you too much for that.

I went to the Muggle bank and withdrew the pittance we had there, and I also went to Gringotts and emptied the family vaults. The Muggle money is in the breadbox, and the rest is in the basement. The treasures I leave here will be sufficient to see you through school until you build the better life than I provided for you.

I know you do not understand why I have done what I’ve done. In time, my dear son, I hope that you will find it in your heart to forgive me.

Love,

Mother

The envelope finished its reciting of his mother’s last letter in her sad quavering voice. The reading had been so alive, which she no longer was. His grip became slack, but instead of falling to the kitchen floor the paper flew up to his left cheek and deposited a lifeless kiss. His mother’s last kiss had been from cold, lifeless paper, not human lips.

A tidal wave of grief mixed with a growing undercurrent of anger crashed down upon his heart, taking his breath away.

How could she have done this? How could she say that she loved him and still leave him alone to fend for himself? How could she leave him alone?

He had done it all for her! He had focused all of his energy on mastering the Dark Arts and Potions so that he could return here and liberate her from the clutches of his father. He was going to be her Knight in Shining Armor; she was going to be so grateful and loving. And now by her hand, she was gone. She was beyond rescue.

He felt the weight of it all pull him down to his knees onto the cold, wooden floor. From his eyes began a torrent of uncontrollable tears rolling past his nose and dripping off of his pointy chin. He reached up with his left index finger to remove the offending moisture from his chin, and as he did this, his grief became rage.

She hadn’t needed him to save her! She was a witch married to a worthless, powerless Muggle. She could have walked away from him and gone anywhere in the magical world and built a happy new life with her son. She had chosen to stay with him in both life and death.

A final dagger pierced his young heart; she had loved this abusive, monster of Muggle more than she had loved her only child. She chose him over me!

He found himself slipping onto the floor, and he curled up into a ball, allowing his grief and anger to have full reign. Eventually he closed his eyes, hoping to join her in death, but all he did was fall into a nightmare-filled sleep on the cold floor.

He came back from his recollections and found he was still staring at the room. The room he had sealed and never reopened. The room was just as she had left it, except on the pillow of her bed propped up on a pillow was the envelope that had delivered her last kiss.

He was alone again. Maybe even more alone than he was on the day he heard her note. He had his Slytherin friends and the illusion of winning back Lily. Now she and Dumbledore were both gone. And if his ‘friends’ knew the truth, they would kill him.

Acting reflexively, he quickly drew up his sleeve to wipe away the pair of tears that had trickled down his cheeks. No one, not even himself, was allowed to know that Severus Snape could cry or be made to hurt. They must view me a stone. My survival requires it.

He lifted the mug up to his lips and found that the Earl Grey tea was gone. He took the wand that had not left his hand since he had begun his planning and filled the small pot on the sideboard with water. He heated the water and brought from the kitchen the tea leaves that moved into the strainer. The water continued to heat. When he flicked his wand, the perfectly steeped tea filled the pot.

He walked from the window to the tabletop and filled the ceramic mug. He blew once upon the surface of the hot liquid and walked over to his dresser. On its top sat a photograph stored in an ornate silver frame. The photograph was of an eleven-year-old Lily Evans and him taken at the Halloween celebration during their first year at Hogwarts. In the picture, his hand kept moving over to touch her and her hand repeatedly slipped out of his grasp.

Lily!

Draco was practically dead weight as I pulled the boy down the stairs and back towards the landing that was a full-blown battlefield. As I looked ahead, I saw Ginny Weasley cast a shield spell to protect Longbottom. Longbottom, as expected, was useless in battle as he was in the classroom. He lay prostrated on the floor, struggling to rise so he could offer his feeble efforts. Amycus’ spell would have ended his worthless life if the Weasley girl hadn’t shielded him. In almost the same breath, the girl had performed a diving roll to escape Alecto’s killing curse and answered Alecto’s attack with a spell of her own.

In that split second, I could see what Dumbledore had told me about her. In the grace of her movements, her flying red locks framing a face with a determined wide-eyed, excited face, and her precise spell work for an instant I saw a pale version of Lily Evans.

Bellatrix smiled and took aim at the redhead’s back. I didn’t know why, but I couldn’t let this pale imitation of Lily die. So with a quick jerk of Draco's arm, his arm flailed to his left and struck his aunt, causing the spell to sail over the redhead’s shoulder and explode against the wall of the landing.

Onward across the landing, we ran through the landing and down onto the stairs. I must protect the Draco. His life is my life.

As we reached the grounds, I heard a challenge from behind. Lily’s son was yelling worthlessly at us. I was torn about what to do, I had to save Draco to survive, but I had to make sure her son survived. I ordered Draco to run out through the front gate and turned to face Potter. I turned to accept the challenge from him, so that Bellatrix would not kill him.

Potter’s spells were wild, yet powerful. Since he was not concentrating on a precise attack, I was able to deflect each spell. I could see the desperation growing on his face. I found pleasure in his frustration. If only this were James, he would be a corpse by now. Searching for anything he could harm me with, he attempted the spell with which he had injured Draco. Potter's attacks were so predictable. I had the counter spell ready to defend myself before he even thought to use it against me. Rage filled me; I had sacrificed so much to give this boy a chance to live and defeat the Dark Lord and he was this inept! What a waste! He would be dead within a week. I wanted to hurt him and yet give him something to focus on, which might give him reason to fight on. I looked down at his father’s face and smiled in victory.

I am the Half-Blood Prince.

I kept Bella from killing you. However, did I just delay the inevitable? At least, I kept your best hope for survival alive and gave you the knowledge Dumbledore wanted you to know.

I checked for a pulse on Flitwick. He was still breathing. For a second, I considered my options. I heard the Dark Lord whispering in my mind, “He is helpless, kill him!�

I twitched for an instant as my hand wand moved into position. I stopped it. I saw Lily’s lifeless body lying in the nursery. I will not needlessly take a life; I am not like you.

I opened the door and noticed something or someone badly hiding in the shadow cast by a suit of armor. Illuminating my wand, I saw the startled face of Granger, and standing beside her, of all people, was the Lovegood oddity.

I felt flush with the rising blood; I had to get upstairs and protect Draco. However, I could not do anything to harm Granger. She was the only hope for Lily’s son to survive. As they stared at me, a possible solution struck.

I silently cast my spell. Granger’s face went blank just as any normal person's would. However, Lovegood just stood there looking at me. I could feel her eyes following me. Was she immune to my spell?

“Granger, in my office you will find two books on my office chair. The books are about very dark magic that will help Potter’s quest. If I’m am dead or forced to leave this school, you will return to my office and take the books up to your dormitory and place them in your trunk. Do you understand?�

The bushy-haired girl nodded up and down.

“When you notice the books, you will remember casting a summoning spell towards Professor Dumbledore’s office, and the books flew to you. Do you understand?�

Her head bobbed again. I looked over towards Lovegood; she was still staring at me with her large unblinking eyes.

“When I cough, you will awaken without memory of the instructions I just gave you. Do you understand? You two will stay with Flitwick and not follow me upstairs for an hour.�

Granger repeatedly nodded for a third time and Lovegood nodded more slowly and only once.

I stepped back to the doorway and coughed. Both girls’ heads snapped to attention, and I quickly spoke to them, “Professor Flitwick has collapsed.�

They rushed in, and I ascended the stairs.

Reaching up to my throat to try and staunch the bleeding from my neck, I found the holes and realized that it was the jugular. Without help, I would not make it. I began looking around for the wand that I had dropped upon Nagini’s first strike. I slid down to the floor from weakness and into a seated position. I saw the wand meters away. The wand was my only dim hope, and it might as well have been on the moon for all of the good it would do.

I’ve failed. I’ve failed Dumbledore and failed Lily. For a year, I had protected the students at Hogwarts by helping to hide their clumsy efforts to protest against the Death-Eaters. As the lights began to dim, and the growing numb fingers had become sticky with blood, a sound came from behind some boxes. I felt more than saw someone approaching me. Is the Dark Lord returning to watch me die?

Trying to look over at the interloper, I found could not control the movements of my head; it wobbled as I tried to focus. Through the dimming light, was the face of James Potter looking down at me. Potter leaned over to check the wound. The look on Potter’s face confirmed what he already knew: Severus Snape was a dead man.

Have you come here to watch me die and gloat over me one last time?

I blinked with a jerk when Granger stepped next to Potter. My foggy mind realized its mistake; the face was Lily’s son, not James Potter. Maybe it had not all been in vain! Maybe there was still time! Maybe, I am not a failure!

Gathering strength, I concentrated on the messages that I needed to deliver to Potter. As I felt the tears come to my eyes, the room swam around me. I released the message in my tears.

Potter, as usual, was confused by the obvious. He didn’t understand what he needed to do.

I had to tell him. I gasped for air and heard the gurgling and bubbling of the blood within my lungs. “Take them. Take them.� The arms that should have pointed to my cheeks refused to what I wanted. I could no longer control them.

Something touched my cheek where I knew the tears were flowing. Granger, as usual, had told Potter what he had to do. They had captured the memories and the messages.

The world spun again, and the universe became a small tunnel in front of him. He saw them; he saw her eyes. Lily was there, but she wasn’t looking at him. She had to notice him before he was gone. An arm as if on its own grasped for her and took hold of something out of sight.

“Look at me.�

Lily looked at him; she had returned to him. The world was right. He tried to form a kiss to place on her cheek.

As the light left, he felt the touch of what must be her giving him his last kiss: the kiss of death.