Chapter 4 - Severus

Sitting in his childhood house at Spinner's End, Severus watched the flames of the fireplace. He certainly has a crazy life. He has made plenty of memories too. More so bad than good, yet one he still remembers of sitting there - in that exact spot - with young Lily. That was a time when his father was out. His mother let Lily stay when Tobias Snape was away. Severus thanked her with accepting the next beating, instead of his mother suffering. Eileen never wanted his child to experience such a life, but in her fragile state, she couldn't step in.

Severus sighed, as the orange flame rose and fell. He ended his father himself. Tobias was his first kill, to prove he is worthy of being a deatheater. His hands unconsciously fell to his arm where his dark mark layed. Mistakes; he made many of them.

Nevertheless, he made it right. As much as he could. His mind drifted off, memories surfacing.

"It will contain a curse to your hand for the time being. It will spread, Albus."

"How long?"

"Maybe a year."

Severus turns to leave but then stops.

"I could.. I could try to find a counter-curse."

"But, Severus. We both know Lord Voldemort has ordered the Malfoy boy to murder me."

"What if I have a way to save you?"

Albus looked at me stunned, but then gave his smile.

"You have done enough, Severus."

"I'm not going to let you die. Nor am I going to kill you or watch you getting killed."

Albus Dumbledore was the only person who gave him a second chance. He trusted Severus, and treated him as one of his own after the Dark Lord disappeared. Not to mention the years after. Severus couldn't watch him die. He was clever enough to make something up.

"Mors auferat" the Potions and Dark Arts master performed the ancient spell, and it successfully removed the curse.

"What about, Malfoy? Voldemort will not hesitate to kill him if his job won't be completed. And what about you too? You made an unbreakable vow with Narcissa." Albus rambled on, and for the first time ever he actually has shown worry on his face.

"I've got it under control."

In all honesty, Severus was proud of his ingenious plan. Albus even thought of the man as the Greatest Wizard of their time - but of course he refused to say that out loud.

"Do you, Stelia Lotta Riddle, promise to allow Severus to perform old magic on you and pretend to be myself?" Albus said, his wand casting the unbreakable vow strings around mine and Voldemort's cousins arm.

"I do." she replies simply.

"Do you promise to aid Harry Potter in retrieving a horcrux, then safely return him to Hogwarts?"

"I do."

"And lastly, do you promise to die in my place, when it is time?"

"I do."

Severus found out of the Riddle descendant by mere accident. From then on however, his plan seemed smooth as silk. Unless the Dark Lord found out of her existence. Luckily that never happened.

"Severus... please..." Stelia pretending to be Albus begged.

To anyone around them - like Draco, Bellatrix and others - it would have seemed like he(she) was asking Severus to not kill him(her).

But through legilimency she was telling him otherwise:

Do what you have to Severus. And win this war.

"Avada kedavra." the wizard cast the killing curse, and watched as he(she) fell of the Astronomy tower.

Bellatrix gave her wicked chuckle and started dragging Draco away.

Severus stood there frozen for a moment, but then followed the other deatheaters to not raise suspicion.

Despite hardly knowing the woman, her sacrifice meant a great deal to their war, and Severus' respect towards her was high. He had killed before, yes. He killed innocent on order too. Although, it was still painful watching the Riddle's limp body fall to the ground below.

"Here. Drink this." Albus opened a vial and held it to Severus' mouth.

He groaned in pain, but opened up.

"I'm so sorry Severus."

"Its.. not.. your... fault."

"Yes it is. And this time he used the Cruciatus curse on you with more force and for longer."

"Albus... Stop."

"No Severus! You stop!" to the dark man's surprise, Dumbledore shouted, "You've been risking you life for me ever since you joined the Order. And now... What if he finds out that I'm still alive? That you got his cousin, who he didn't even know, to sacrifice her life for me?"

"She was doing it pretty willingly. For the greater good. And so shall I." the potion began to work, "I must keep my act up." he managed to talk properly now, the pain slowly faded away.

"Do you hear yourself?!" Albus took a breath before carrying on calmer, "Severus. You're like a son to me. I can't.. I can't watch you suffer the way he daily tortures you."

"But you will not interfere. Otherwise Stelia would have died in vain."

Albus was hiding in no other than Snape's quarters. Noone entered other than Severus, or if they did... They died a painful death. He returned to the old man everyday and updated him of happenings, whether they were good or bad. Sometimes Severus barely managed to crawl in (most likely after a meeting with the Dark Lord); but Albus was always there for him and helped him recover quickly.

"Come back for me, Severus. Alive and in one piece, son."

"Always." But he had a feeling this time he was truly lying.

Harry Potter was sighted in Hogsmeade. Severus dreaded what was to come next. And rightly so.

"Look . . . at . . . me. . . ." the injured man whispered.

The green eyes found the black, but after a second, something in the depths of the dark pair seemed to vanish, leaving them fixed, blank, and empty. The hand holding Harry thudded to the floor, and Snape moved no more.

Dumbledore watched from afar through a magic glass, as all the life left his son.

He waited until the trio left, then apparated next his limp body.

Albus got Snape's wand and began go through all the healing spells he knew.

"Vulnera Sanentur" he said thrice and the blood stopped flowing from Severus' neck, and his wounds knitted, as well as all left over blood had been cleared.

"Rennervate" he tried, but of course, there was no change in outcome.

The old man thought for a second, before pointing his wand at Snape's chest again and performing the last, ancient spell he knew.

"Vivifica"

A jolt went through the whole body of Severus Snape, before he reawakened and after Albus instantly apparated him away.

Severus felt the jolt pass through him again, as he remembered the memory. Albus saved him; because he needed him. Not as a spy or puppet, but as a person and someone he truly cared for. The fire slowly died out, and the Potions Master vowed to be a better man.