Login
MuggleNet Fan Fiction
Harry Potter stories written by fans!

His Final Hours by SevsGirl33

[ - ]   Printer Chapter or Story Table of Contents

- Text Size +
Chapter 2


Severus found himself moving into the room where the Dark Lord was within minutes of leaving the playground. His eyes were not red or puffy, as would be expected after having cried for so long. His face was dry and emotionless, which he was more than grateful for. Any sign that he had shown any regret or grief was wiped from his being. Had it not been, he would not have been able to face the man (for lack of a better word) before him now.

He looked around the room and saw, to his great surprise, Nagini enclosed in a large magical sphere. A conversation he had with a man he killed came flooding back to him as he gazed at the serpent.


*–There will come a time when Lord Voldemort will seem to fear for the life of his snake…keeps it safe beside him under magical protection, then, I think, it will be safe to tell Harry.”*


–Severus,” the Dark Lord hissed, bringing him back to the present. –I was beginning to worry Lucius had abandoned his duties to me and went into battle to find his son.”

–Of course not, my Lord,” said Severus. –He would never betray your trust so deeply.”

–Tell me, Severus, how is the battle coming along?”

Lucius had been right; the Dark Lord had not the slightest clue that Severus had left the fight. He was now asking for information, information that Severus did not have. He thought back to what Lucius had said before he had returned to the castle in search for his family.

–They are not doing well, my Lord. Allow me to go to the castle and help finish them off.” He needed to find the boy; it was the only way…

–It sounds to me that your assistance is unnecessary. My Death Eaters have come this far, they will be able to finish the task I have set.”

–If you will allow me to return to battle…” Severus heard a small scuffling sound behind a crate that was sitting against the wall. He knew what the crate was blocking, and suspected who had made the noise, so quiet that Voldemort had not noticed, but continued to sit and twist Dumbledore’s wand through his fingers. He needed to continue so as not to raise suspicion.* –…my Lord, their resistance is crumbling-”

–-and it is doing so without your help. Skilled wizard though you are, Severus, I do not think you will make much difference now. We are almost there…almost.”

Yes, Severus thought, looking at the snake in her cage. We are one step closer to your destruction.

–Let me find the boy. Let me bring you Potter. I know I can find him, my Lord. Please.” He moved past the crate where he knew Potter was. He only wished he could get the message across to him.

The Dark Lord rose from the table he sat at. –I have a problem, Severus,” he said, ignoring the previous request.

–My Lord?” Severus was still looking at the snake.

–Why doesn’t it work for me, Severus?” Severus tore his eyes from the snake to see with Voldemort holding the Elder Wand.

He knew why, though he did not say so. He thought about the night he was told by Dumbledore what he must do. He had not wanted to, but he was forced to by the two greatest wizards the world had ever seen. His eyes once again found the snake and he remembered that he was expected to answer.

–My-my Lord? I do not understand. You-you have performed extraordinary magic with that wand.”

–No, I have performed my usual magic. I am extraordinary, but this wand…no. It has not revealed the wonders it has promised. I feel no difference between this wand and the one I procured from Ollivander all those years ago. No difference.”

Severus did not like the sound of the Dark Lord’s discoveries. He had to leave now and find some way to tell Potter how to defeat this wizard. If he could just use Legilimency…but he would need eye contact for that.

Voldemort began to walk and speak before Severus had come up with any new ideas. –I have thought long and hard, Severus…Do you know why I have called you back from the battle?”

–No, my Lord, but I beg you will let me return.” He was speaking to Nagini still. –Let me find Potter.”

–You sound like Lucius. Neither of you understands Potter as I do. He does not need finding.” This Severus knew, and he again wished he could see the boy behind the crate. Voldemort continued: –Potter will come to me. I know his weakness, you see, his one great flaw. He will hate watching the others struck down around him, knowing that it is for him that it happens. He will want to stop it at any cost. He will come.”

–But my Lord, he might be killed accidentally by one other than yourself-”

–My instructions to my Death Eaters have been made perfectly clear. Capture Potter. Kill his friends-the more, the better-but do not kill him.”

Severus continued to gaze at the giant serpent, as if she held the answer to this unsolvable problem. The Dark Lord, however, did not notice. He still had more to say.

–But it is of you that I wished to speak, Severus, not Harry Potter. You have been very valuable to me. Very valuable.”

Tearing his eyes once more from the protective sphere, Severus gave another effort to free himself from the presence of his former master. –My Lord knows I seek only to serve him. But-let me go and find the boy, my Lord. Let me bring him to you. I know I can-”

–I have told you, no!” He turned and his cloak whipped around him. –My concern at the moment, Severus is what will happen when I finally meet the boy!”

He had figured it out. He knew the wand was not truly his. But what would he do about it? All Severus could do was play dumb.

–My Lord, there can be no question, surely-?”

–-but there is a question, Severus. There is. Why did both the wands I have used fail when directed at Harry Potter?” He stared so intently at Severus, who, once again, had eyes only for the snake.

–I-I cannot answer that, my Lord.” Severus was beginning to panic, though he kept his voice calm. Why was the Dark Lord asking these things of Severus, who knew nothing about his first two wands?

–Can’t you?”

Severus looked again at Voldemort. It seemed to him as though there was a change in Voldemort's eyes. Was he imagining it because so much of the night had been thinking about Lily or was there actually a very slight rim of green around the red?

–My wand of yew did everything of which I asked it Severus, except to kill Harry Potter. Twice it failed. Ollivander told me under torture of the twin cores, told me to take another’s wand. I did so, but Lucius’s wand shattered upon meeting Potter’s.”

Severus had not heard what Voldemort had said. The appearance of the green in the red eyes forced him to think again of, not Lily, but her son. He now knew not what to say. –I-I have no explanation, my Lord.”

–I sought a third wand, Severus.” He did not even notice his name being used, his mind still consumed with finding and warning her son. –The Elder Wand, the Wand of Destiny, the Deathstick. I took it from its previous master. I took it from the grave of Albus Dumbledore."

At the sound of the name, Severus heard the words that always followed: –You must kill me.”

He felt weak again as he looked at Voldemort. He tried to keep his face emotionless, but he felt all the blood rush from his head. He had to keep his promise. There was no way around it. He gave one final attempt to leave, his last chance to bring some good out of losing the only woman he loved.

–My Lord-let me go to the boy-”

–All this long night,” Voldemort whispered, –when I am on the brink of victory, I have sat here, wondering, wondering, why the Elder Wand refuses to be what it ought to be, refuses to perform as legend says it must perform for its rightful owner…and I think I have the answer.”

Severus could not find his voice. Words from earlier that night came back to him: –…I do not think you will make much difference now...”

–Perhaps you already know it? You are a clever man, after all, Severus.”

–Why doesn’t it work for me, Severus?”

–You have been a good and faithful servant, and I regret what must happen.”

–…what will happen when I meet the boy…”

–My Lord-”

–The Elder Wand cannot serve me properly, Severus, because I am not its true master.”

–…as legend says it must perform for its rightful owner…”

–The Elder Wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner.”

–You must kill me.”

–…its rightful owner…”

–You killed Albus Dumbledore. While you live, Severus, the Elder Wand cannot be truly mine.”

–…I regret what must happen…the Elder Wand cannot be truly mine.”

–My Lord!” Severus raised his wand, knowing the Elder Wand could not-would not-kill its master.

–It cannot be any other way. I must master the wand, Severus. Master the wand, and I master Potter at last.”

–…regret what must happen.”

Voldemort sliced the air with the Elder Wand. Severus prepared himself for death’s blow, almost wishing it would come.

–…what must happen…what must happen…what must happen…”

But nothing did happen. Voldemort did not seem surprised, but Severus could not believe he was still standing. The Dark Lord had made it sound as though his intentions were to kill Severus to poses the wand. Severus must have misunderstood.

Then he saw the snake, in her enchanted protective sphere, moving through the air towards him.

A horrible sound escaped his throat as his head moved through the cage. All sounds were muffled except the quiet hissing of Nagini. Then, another set of hissing cut the air, coming from the figure watching the scene without a sign of the regret he had mentioned.

Pain like he had never felt caused Severus to scream, a sound that rang out through the quiet shack. The fangs inside his neck let venom seep slowly into his veins. He tried to push the bubble from his head, but it was no use. The venom had spread quickly despite how slowly it had entered him. His knees gave way and he found himself on his knees once more that evening.

–I regret it.” There was no regret in the voice or expression. Voldemort ordered the snake off the dying man with a flick of his wand. Severus fell to the floor as his killer left the room.*

Blood spilled onto the wood floor, and Severus had a few moments to reflect. He thought of Lily and of Dumbledore, of how he had failed them both. He had not been able to warn the boy of what must come. He had been unable to give him the instructions set by Dumbledore. As blood flowed from his limp body, Severus wished only to be able to see those brilliant green eyes once more.

As though on cue with his thoughts, the crate against the wall began to slowly move aside, an inch off the ground, revealing the passage he knew was there. There was a small scuffling issuing from the hole in the wall, but Severus felt no fear. Footsteps, nearly silent, came towards him. With all his effort, he put his hand to his neck to keep as much blood off the ground as possible. The person coming closer should not slip on his blood.

A small flurry of movement, and there he stood, the boy who Severus had given his life for. But he was no longer a boy. He was a man. A man who looked so like the man that had tortured Severus in every possible way, Severus had to look into the eyes to remind himself that it was only the son.

Harry bent down, a look of pure bewilderment on his face, whether from the shock of seeing the man he hated die, or because he was now standing so close to the killer of the only parental figure he had left, Severus was not sure. All he knew was that all was not lost as he had thought. He reached up and grabbed the man’s robes as he thought of everything he could that would make him trust Severus. He let the memories flood inside him, using the complicated spell to make them tangible.

With every ounce of energy he could muster, Severus managed to find his voice. *–Take…it…Take…it…”* And he felt his memories slip away with his words.

The Granger girl-woman-pushed a flask into Potter’s hand, who collected the mist with his wand. Potter just stared at the silver liquid-gas as though he was unsure how he had come to possess it. He looked so like his father.

Severus felt his life leaving his body. He could not let the last thing he saw in this world be the arrogant Potter who stole everything he had to live for. Then he remembered:


*–He has her eyes, precisely her eyes. You remember the shape and color of Lily Evan’s eyes, I am sure?”*


*–Look…at…me….”* It should have taken all his power, everything he had, to whisper those three words. But it did not. It took no effort at all. It was separated only because his fatal injuries would not allow a steady sentence.

As Harry met Severus’ eye, the latter felt oddly at peace. He gazed into the eyes that were Lily’s, and the face around them began to dissolve. A new face took its place. The doe he had called upon for comfort so many times materialized around the brilliant green eyes. She led him away from the Shrieking Shack, away from Hogwarts, away from this life. He followed her willingly, not knowing where she was taking him, only knowing that if he did not follow, surely he would be forced to return to the cruel world he had left.

After a few moments, Severus saw a light in the distance. A moment later, a figure appeared. Another moment, another figure. With every passing second, the green eyed doe and her companion were closer to the light and the two figures within. Soon, they were right next to the figures, now able to make them out. As Albus beamed, the doe vanished, leaving her eyes to float to the second figure, who reached her hand out to Severus. He stared for a moment at the only two people he had ever cared about, the only two people who had ever cared about him. A tear fell behind the half-moon glasses of the man so like a father to him as Severus Snape took the waiting hand of the woman he loved more than anything in the world.
Chapter Endnotes: *All dialogue in these parts was taken from Deathly Hallows. I do not own them or any of the characters.