Harry Potter & The Black Sacrifice – Chapter 20

Harry Potter & The Black Sacrifice

Post 22: Full Disclosure

Chapter 20

Full Disclosure

Excerpt – THE DAILY PROPHET

November , 1997 – PERSONAL ADS

SOMEDAY MY PRINCE WILL COME

Where is my Prince? I lost him last year in Scotland. Teach me something, please.

I've heard from him twice since, and I wish to return his favor.

My Prince is fiercely close minded,

but if he remembers where he once found Roonil Wazlib,

He'll find me there as well.

- - -

"I wish you had run this by me first, Harry," said Remus. "You're an adult now, and you've certainly earned the right to make your own decisions, but…"

"But you would have tried to talk me out of it," finished Harry. "If it makes a difference, I don't trust him either. But if he was going to kill me, he would have done it at Hogwarts."

"Do not underestimate Severus Snape, Harry," Remus said severely. "He could have any number of tricks or traps planned for you. His entire message to you through Pettigrew could have been to push you into doing something like this."

"Something like what?" said a voice from the front door.

Remus and Harry turned to see Ginny leaning against the front door, the early morning sunlight at her back. Harry and Remus exchanged guilty glances, like they'd been caught discussing something dirty.

"Nothing," said Harry.

"Don't 'nothing' me Harold Potter," Ginny said. "If you're going to attempt something heroic and stupid again, I at least deserve to know what you're attempting."

"Fine. I put a coded message in the Prophet for Snape," Harry said matter-of-factly. "If he is really trying to help us, he'll need to know what the book and the locket really look like."

"Meaning…" Ginny began.

"Meaning that I told him to meet me somewhere and I would show them to him."

Ginny gasped. Hermione, who had just woken up and had joined them from the living room, gasped as well. "A coded message?" she said. "How do you know someone else won't decode it?"

Harry, who had begun this conversation by showing the message to Remus, showed it to Hermione. "Because only Snape will know what 'Roonil Wazlib' means. It's the name that was in Ron's Advanced Potions book that I tried to pass off as my own."

Hermione scanned the ad. "So.. it's a book code?"

Harry nodded. "The first number is the page number, second is the number of lines down the page, third is the letter. All Snape has to do is get a copy of Advanced Potions to decode it."

Although Hermione was horrified at Harry's plan, her eyes widened in admiration. "That's really clever Harry!"

"Stop encouraging him!" said Ginny angrily.

"Not that clever," said Harry. "I got the idea from a muggle book I'm reading called Red Dragon."

"So what does the message say?" asked Ginny.

" 'Snape,' " Harry begun. " 'I have some items that may be of some interest to you. Meet me at my parents' house this Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. Come alone. I will do the same. Potter. ' "

"Like hell you will!" exclaimed Hermione and Ginny at the same time.

"I have to agree," said Remus. "In spite of everything we've witnessed over the past week Harry, at the end of the day Snape is still a fugitive and a murderer. If you meet with him and don't tell the Ministry, and anyone found out…"

"I'll take my chances in that regard," said Harry coldly. "Even though it was Pettigrew you were talking to in Ireland, Snape couldn't have been too far away. Unless Pettigrew developed supreme Legilemency skills, Snape was probably just outside the inn, or maybe even inside it somewhere, letting Pettigrew know what to say. He'll know if I'm not alone, and he'll disapparate before you can say Quidditch."

"Fine," said Ginny. "Then you're not going. You're no Legilemens Harry. Snape will know if you're alone; you won't know the same about him."

"I'm supposed to be dead," said Harry. "And if Snape is still alive, by now he's led Voldemort to believe the locket and book that I will have with me are still safely stowed. Anyone he brought with him, he'd have to kill them if they saw me." Harry smirked.

Hermione had been staring silently at the floor, but she suddenly looked up. "Why?"

Harry looked at her. "Why what?"

"Why bother Harry? This isn't like you! Why do you feel like you owe him anything?"

Harry considered this for a moment. "It's not just that. Maybe I still feel like he owes me a little. I have many questions for him. I feel like he owes me some answers."

- - -

Harry sat alone in the ruins of the house in which he should have grown up. Though it was in the same town as the house he was hiding in, he hadn't come back here since his first visit at the beginning of the summer.

He had come here early to reflect on some of the questions he wanted to ask Snape. Although he had told Hermione that answers were his main reason for arranging this meeting, he really only had one question planned.

Harry looked at his watch. 8:55, and Remus had told him that Snape wasn't very punctual. Harry stood and moved through the ruins slowly, marveling at the fact that nobody had ever tried to rebuild on this land. It was as if the terrible things that had happened there had become ghosts, haunting the ruined house and keeping everyone away from it. Harry had a brief image of Arcturus surrounded by hundreds of dead wizards, in what was now the Dark Forest, and thought that this idea was all too likely.

"Clever, Potter," said a voice behind him suddenly.

Harry jumped and whirled around, his thoughts evaporating. Severus Snape was standing five feet behind him.

Knowing it was probably a bad idea but unable to stop himself, Harry brought out his wand. Snape regarded it and smirked.

"I must say, too clever," Snape continued. "Clever enough for me to assume that Hermione Granger has gone from writing your Potions essays for you to writing coded messages in the Prophet for you."

"I wrote it myself," said Harry indignantly. "Check if you don't believe me."

"That won't be necessary, Potter," said Snape with a sneer. "I daresay I've had enough glimpses into your pathetic little mind to last me some time."

Harry brought his wand to chest level. "Against all better judgement, I may be saving your life tonight Snape. And yet you still continue to insult me to my face?"

Harry expected nothing more than another cynical jibe from Snape. What he didn't expect was for Snape to suddenly look troubled at these words.

"You're…you're," Snape appeared to be having difficulty with what he was about to say. "You're.. absolutely right Potter. And… I apologize."

Harry was dumbstruck. His arms fell to his sides and he accidentally dropped his wand. In what seemed like an eternity to Harry, he and Snape both looked down at it. Harry picked it up as quickly as he could. He knew that in the time between dropping the wand and picking it up, Snape could have easily drawn his own and done whatever he pleased while Harry was defenseless.

Snape merely stood silently and stared the whole time.

Once Harry had his wand again, Snape looked around at their surroundings.

"A rather morbid place for a meeting, Potter," Snape mused. He seemed to have recovered from his apology already. "Perhaps you could tell me what we are doing here."

"I'm here to show you the locket and the book," said Harry simply.

"That's not what I meant and you know it!" Snape snapped back. "Why did you bring me HERE of all places?"

"Maybe I wanted you to see the consequences of your actions in person," Harry said. "You did this Snape. Voldemort came here and killed my parents because of you."

Snape's face twisted as violently as it had when Harry had called him a coward during the flight from Hogwarts. "Oh to be 17 again," said Snape angrily. "To know everything and to have everything in the whole world figured out. God, how I miss that feeling."

Snape turned on his heel and walked towards where the front door used to be.

"Hey!" said Harry, surprised. "You're leaving? Don't you want to see the 'cruxes?"

"In a moment Potter," said Snape. He had calmed down slightly. "First, I have some things to show you."

Harry followed him to the front. Snape walked behind a tree and when Harry joined him, he saw that Snape had brought his Pensieve with him.

"You don't need to tell me that you came here for answers tonight, Potter," said Snape, and Harry thought he heard a slight hitch in Snape's voice, as if he was holding back tears. "I owe you none. But.." Harry noted that Snape was having the same difficulty speaking as he had had when he apologized. "I.. I simply can't stand to see those eyes of yours look at me so accusingly anymore."

"Huh?" said Harry, confused. "Since when do you…"

"I will be missed soon Potter, so we need to get this done." With that, he grabbed Harry's elbow and plunged headfirst into the Pensieve."

They landed with a thud on the grounds of Hogwarts. Harry looked around and saw his father, Sirius, Lupin, and Pettigrew sitting underneath a familiar looking oak tree. James was playing with a snitch while Pettigrew looked on in awe. Harry turned around and saw Young Snape sitting under a different tree, his face buried in a piece of parchment.

"Snape.." Harry said. "I've already seen this memory."

"Had you not been staring at your father the whole time, you might have seen something significant the first time Potter," Snape said. "Come on over to where I am sitting."

Harry followed Snape over to where Young Snape was seated. "What am I looking for?"

"Read the parchment," Snape said impatiently.

Harry looked down at the parchment in Young Snape's hands. Two years ago he had thought that this was a list of O.W.L. questions that Snape had brought with him to review; instead, he now saw that it was his own mother's name, written over and over again, with slight differences each time. "Lily Prince" "Lily Evans Prince" "Lily Snape-Prince" "Mrs. Severus Prince" "Mrs. Severus Snape (crossed out)" "Lily Snape (crossed out)" "Severus Prince-Evans"

"Seen enough?" said Snape.

"You.. had a crush? On my mom??" asked Harry, incredulous.

Snape sneered. "You could say that."

"But later in the memory…" Harry stammered. "You call her a…"

"I know what I called her Potter," said Snape. "Being who I was, it would have seemed odd if I hadn't said something unpleasant to her. She might have realized…. how I felt…"

Harry looked out to the edge of the water where his mother was spending time with friends. He then looked down at Young Snape and saw that he was looking in the same direction, with the same look of longing he had seen on his young father's face the last time.

"All right, Snivellus?" Harry heard his father yell from across the grass.

"No need to watch this bit again," said Snape. He brought out his wand and twirled it, and the scene before them evaporated like smoke.

Harry and Snape now found themselves in the Hogwarts library, and Harry saw Young Snape seated by himself at one of the bookshelves, his nose buried in a book about werewolf hunting. Harry noticed that this Snape was slightly taller than the one following the O.W.L.s

"First day of sixth year," Snape said to Harry without prompt.

"Hello, Severus," said a timid voice behind them. Both Snapes and Harry looked up to see Lily Evans standing there, with three books in her left arm and a small piece of parchment in her right hand. She was holding this bit of parchment out to Young Snape.

"Evans," Young Snape said curtly.

"Have a good summer?" Lily asked.

"What do you want?" Young Snape asked, ignoring the question.

Lily sighed. "Fine, be that way. I'll get right to the point, then. I received Os in every O.W.L. except one, Severus. I received an A in Defense Against The Dark Arts. I've been accepted into the N.E.W.T. level class, but I thought I ought to get some tutoring anyway. Professor McGonagall said you were available."

Young Snape reached out and snatched the parchment from Lily's hand and scanned it. "Snape – You will receive the standard 50 points to Slytherin if you will tutor Miss Evans. – M. McGonagall"

"150," said Young Snape after a moment.

"Excuse me?" said Lily.

"I won't tutor you for less than 150 points, Evans. If that's a problem, find someone else." With that, he went back to his book.

"I can't haggle points with McGonagall!" exclaimed Lily. "Are you insane?" Snape ignored her and kept on reading.

"Please, Severus," pleaded Lily. "I need a N.E.W.T. to have any hope of becoming an Auror."

Young Snape raised his eyebrows and closed his book with a slam. "Oh! That's different then," he said sarcastically. "I'd never miss a chance to help someone join those self-righteous jerks. When do we start!?" He stood up, turned on his heel dramatically, and stormed off. Lily sat down and began to cry silently.

At that moment, James Potter strolled into the aisle, whistling quietly. He stopped whistling when he noticed Lily sitting there. "Evans? Are you o.k.?" he said, concerned.

Lily looked up sharply and began quickly drying her tears. "Potter. Beginning your creepy ogling of me as soon as possible this year eh?"

James had begun to sit down next to her, but this made him stand up again. "Fine. I was just trying to be nice. See you around." He began to walk away.

Lily watched him go for a moment. "Pott… James! Wait!"

James looked around. "Don't go," Lily said. "I'm sorry, I just… that was mean. I take it back."

Harry looked up at Snape. A question had just formed in his mind. "You stormed off. How are we still seeing this?"

"I'll show you in a moment," said Snape.

James sat back down, almost reluctantly. "What did he say to you?" he asked.

"Who, Snape?" asked Lily. "Oh no, it wasn't what he said. I just really need a tutor for Defense Against The Dark Arts, and he won't do it. I hate to admit it, but there's really nobody else in the school good enough."

"Lily Evans needs a tutor in something?" said James incredulously. "I was just… well I thought that.. you pretty much knew everything!"

"Oh stop it," Lily said, but the innocent compliment had made her blush. "For your information, I only got an A on my O.W.L. I barely passed."

"You got an A? What do you need a tutor for then?"

"Because you need top marks on your N.E.W.T. to become an Auror! All the other requirements aren't an issue; I got Os in all of them."

James pondered this for a moment. "Well… I mean I'm not exactly a tutor, but I got an E on my DADA O.W.L. If you want… I could maybe…"

"Evans!" said a voice from the end of the aisle. James and Lily turned to see that Young Snape had returned.

"Yes, Severus?" Lily said angrily.

"I've changed my mind. Or rather, McGonagall changed it for me. When do you want to start?"

Lily's mood brightened instantly. "You mean it?! Okay! The sooner the better!"

"You're just lucky you asked me so early," said Young Snape, as he glared at James. James, on the other hand, ignored Snape entirely. "My tutoring schedule has filled up within a week for the past 3 years. I have a Sunday night spot open and a Saturday night spot."

"Sunday is good. Thank you Severus!"

Young Snape nodded, and left. The memory then began to dissolve around them.

"You never went to see McGonagall," said Harry. "You just didn't want my dad helping her study."

"Very good Potter," said Snape.

"So you were listening to them the entire time?" Harry asked, a little disgusted.

Snape ignored this. "Ready for another?"

Harry shrugged and nodded. "How many more are there?"

"A few. Does it really matter? You're getting to know your parents, isn't that enough for you?"

Harry pondered this, and nodded.

"Fine then. Next memory. This one is about 1 month later."

Snape twirled his wand, and they found themselves once again in the Hogwarts Library. Young Snape and Lily were seated next to each other at a table, and she was whispering animatedly into his ear, a smile on her face. She finished whatever she was saying and he looked at her and shook his head no.

"By the end of tonight," Harry heard Lily whisper, "I will make you laugh Severus!"

Young Snape crossed his arms and gave Lily a look of mock defiance. "Not a chance Evans." But when Lily turned her head briefly, Harry saw Young Snape's lips curl up into a tiny smile. Harry looked up at the scowling figure next to him and couldn't imagine this man ever smiling, even with the evidence right in front of him.

Young Snape managed to hide the smile by the time Lily looked back. "You're too serious!" she said. "You won't live to be 25 if you stay so serious all the time!"

"Being serious suits some people, Evans," said Young Snape. "I happen to think it suits me well. Maybe I don't even enjoy laughing all that much, have you ever considered that?"

Lily looked him over. "No," she said. "I don't believe that." She smiled at him, and looked back down at her paper.

Young Snape tried to think of a response to this. When he couldn't, he said, "We'd better finish up, Alice will be here any minute. She aspires to be an Auror as well, you know."

"And I bet she'll make a great one," said Lily as she stood up to leave. "Thank you Severus. I'll see you next week." To Harry and Young Snape's surprise, Lily bent down and kissed him on the cheek. Lily turned and left, and Young Snape put his hand to his cheek and held it there. His hand was still there and his mouth was still slightly ajar when Alice walked in to the library 3 minutes later.

Harry didn't see it, but Snape twirled his wand again. The library dissolved into the library a week later. Again, Young Snape and Lily were seated next to each other. This time though, Snape was bent over his schoolbooks, clutching his stomach laughing hysterically. He was trying without much luck to keep his laughing quiet, and Madame Pince was giving the pair hateful stares every couple of seconds.

"Shhhhh!" Pince said every three seconds.

Lily was trying her best to look smug, but being smug didn't seem to suit her: she merely looked happy.

"See how good that feels?" said Lily, and she giggled. "You'd better be careful, people might actually think you're happy Severus."

Severus stopped laughing immediately and tried his best to go back to his perpetual frown. Lily was still beaming at him though, with a smile that had melted more hearts than Severus could even guess. He gave up, and smiled back.

"That's more like it," Lily said, satisfied. "Now come on, let's get back to it. I think we may be getting a surprise test on vampires tomorrow."

Snape twirled his wand once more, and the library gave way to the Hogwarts grounds once more. This time it was just before sunset. Severus was sitting with his back against the same tree Harry had seen him at before, a thick book open in his hands, while Lily paced in front of him nervously.

"November," Snape said quietly.

"Come on Lily, I've asked you this one three times already!" said Severus. "The three blood types that are more resistant to vampirism. I know you know this one!"

"I'm certain I do," said Lily airily. "It's just… it's too nice of a night to study! That's partly why I asked for our session to be outside tonight."

"Your make-up test is tomorrow, Lily," said Severus with a grin. "Nice night or no, you need to know all of this by tomorrow at 11:00."

Lily stopped pacing. "I know, I know," she said. "I'll make a deal with you. Walk down to the lake with me. Leave the book behind. I just want to forget school for an hour. After that hour, I'll be a captive audience, I promise."

"I don't earn points for my house by taking evening strolls, Lily!" exclaimed Severus nervously. "I earn them by making sure you get an O on your make-up test!"

"Severuuuus!" she mock pouted, and began to pull on his arm. "One hour. I promise." She finally succeeded in pulling him in to a standing position.

Severus chuckled. "Fine. Starting now."

Harry and Snape followed Lily and Severus down to the lake. Lily did almost all of the talking, and Severus mostly just nodded in the right parts to indicate he was listening. She talked mostly about home and how much she was starting to miss it again, her wonderful parents and her less-than-wonderful sister. She would sometimes ask about Severus' home life, but he would only shake his head and indicate that she should continue doing the talking.

"I haven't decided yet if I'm going to go home over Christmas," Lily said.

"I know I won't be," said Severus. "Hogwarts is more of a home to me than that place ever was. But you sound like you have much to go home to. Why would you stay?"

Lily bit her lip, and looked out at the lake. "Severus… are we friends?"

Severus looked out at the lake as well, not entirely sure how to respond to this. "Yes… yes I think we are," he said finally.

"Good," she said, and smirked. "Because I don't tell deep dark secrets to my tutors."

"Deep and dark, hmm?" said Severus. "I'm intrigued."

"It's just that.." Lily began, and she paused. "I'm just… I might stay because I'm just hoping that someone will ask me to the Yule Ball."

"The.. the Yule Ball?" stammered Severus, and he swallowed hard. He had definitely not been expecting this. "Someone… in particular? Or just someone?"

"Oh, someone in particular," said Lily. "I just… don't think he will ask me. We don't exactly have the best history.."

Severus swallowed hard again, looked down at the ground, and began to fidget nervously. "Well.. ahh..," he began. "He'd be a fool not to.. Lily.."

Lily smiled, and gave Severus a brief hug. "You're sweet. Do you think you'll ask anyone to go?"

"Oh! I umm.. I don't… maybe. I don't think anyone… would say yes though…"

Lily observed him silently for a moment. "Well," she said, "maybe you should start acting around everyone else the way you act around me. If they knew what I did… they'd be fools to say no as well."

It was the kindest thing anyone had ever said to Severus, and he turned his face away to hide the fact that his eyes had begun to well up a little.

"Severus?" said Lily. "Are you okay?"

A small hourglass that Severus kept for his tutoring sessions began to glow red in his pocket. "Time's up, Lily," he said quietly.

Snape twirled his wand once more. They now found themselves in what Harry recognized as the corridor outside of the Slytherin dorms. Severus was pacing nervously. Harry noticed that he had combed his hair for a change and had tried his best to hide as much of his acne as possible.

"One week later," said Snape.

Severus was whispering under his breath. "Miss Evans, would you do me the honor of… no no… Lily, I was wondering if…. Oi! Lily! Come to the ball with me!" Severus slapped his forehead several times. "No that's stupid! Lily… your eyes are especially beautiful tonight… no… Lily.. I was thinking about what you said last week…. Lily! Since you're staying here over the holiday anyway…. Okay.. okay.. let's do this."

Severus began to walk very fast up to the library. He continued to practice the entire time.

When he reached the top of the stairs on the fourth floor, he turned the corridor to the library just in time to see James Potter bending down to give Lily Evans a goodnight kiss. Severus screeched to a halt.

"Goodnight," Severus heard James say. "I'll see you in Potions tomorrow morning." Lily nodded, smiling. James walked away, leaving Lily leaning against the outside wall of the library, staring dreamily at the ceiling.

As soon as James was out of sight, Lily finally looked down and noticed Severus standing there, his mouth agape. She ran over to him and hugged him tightly.

"He asked me!!" shouted Lily. "He asked me Severus! Can you believe it!?"

"Yeah…," said Severus, but he did not hug her back. "Yeah.. that's.. great news Evans."

The sudden usage of her surname brought Lily back down to earth. She stood back and observed Severus for the first time. "Don't you look nice tonight!" she exclaimed, and examined him again from head to toe. "What's with the… no! You thought of someone to ask, didn't you!?"

"Yes," said Severus immediately. "Yes, that's exactly it. I was going to ask her after our session actually."

"Well, who is it?" Lily asked excitedly. "Maybe all four of us could go together as a group!"

"Yeah… yeah that'd be… super," Severus said absently.

Lily cocked her head and looked closely at Severus. "Are you okay?"

Severus did his best to recover from what had just happened to him. "Yes.. yes I'm fine.. just anxious to get started. We've got three chapters to cover tonight."

Lily thought about pursuing the matter further, but simply nodded. "Are you going to tell me who you've decided to ask?"

"Dina Shacklebolt," Severus said. Not coincidentally, Dina had just appeared at the end of the corridor.

Lily's smile faltered. "Oh Severus.. I'm sorry, but I think Remus already asked her.. and she said yes."

"Oh," said Severus, who had known this already. "Well I really don't know who else to ask, so I guess I just won't go."

Lily nodded. "Don't give up yet. You've still got a few weeks to ask someone!"

"Why are you showing me all of this?" asked Harry.

"You've wanted to know since your fourth year why Dumbledore believed that my remorse over what happened to your parents was genuine. I am showing you why."

"Remus told me that they didn't get together until 7th year.." said Harry.

"They didn't. Not really. The Yule Ball was their only date that year, as far as I know. He still hadn't matured enough in her eyes to start anything serious with him. Not that it mattered to me whether or not they were truly together…All that mattered was that I wasn't going to the Ball with her. And after that night, I never got up the courage to ask… anything of her again."

Snape watched silently as Severus followed Lily into the library, the younger version slumped over like he had just been punched in the stomach.

"Let us jump ahead a couple of years," said Snape, and he twirled his wand again.

Harry now found himself in the living room of a tiny run down house. Severus was sitting on the couch with his face in his hands, and Harry's mother's head was in the fireplace, weeping uncontrollably.

"Severus!" she cried. "How can you do this?"

"I… I'm sorry Lily..," said Severus.

"You're my best friend Severus! You were the first invitation I sent out! How can you not be coming to my wedding!?"

"I just… can't. I just can't Lily," Severus said, barely above a whisper. "Maybe if.. maybe if the groom were anyone else…"

"Don't give me that!" she shouted, suddenly angry. "He's changed! You know he's changed! It's you who refuses to change Severus Snape! Certainly if James Potter can grow up, so can you!"

"I… "

But before Severus could say any more, Lily had disappeared from the fireplace with a pop.

"Three more, and then we're finished here," said Snape.

"Okay," said Harry. He was not sure how much more of this he could take.

Spinner's End gave way to.. Spinner's End, this time during the early morning. Someone was knocking at the door. Severus, yawning, trudged over to answer the door.

It was Lily, and in her arms was an infant Harry. The real Harry gasped.

"Hello stranger," Lily said, and she smiled. "Long time, no see."

Severus smiled wearily. "Hello Lily. Come in, come in."

Lily walked in and sat on the couch. "Tea?" asked Severus.

"Thank you, but no," said Lily. "I actually can't stay very long. I just wanted to introduce you to my son. Severus, say hello to Harry."

Severus gazed down at the squirming baby in Lily's arms. He tried to smile, but he couldn't.

"I had heard that Lily and James had had a son a few weeks before," said Snape to Harry. "And my worst fear for their son was confirmed by this little visit."

"And that was?" asked Harry.

"You see Harry, when a pure-blood marries a mu… muggle-born, their children will very rarely inherit any physical traits of the muggle-born parent. The pure magical blood will always carry the dominant traits. I could already tell that you would be a dead ringer for your father when you grew up. I knew then that if ever we were to meet when you got older, every time I saw you, it would be a constant reminder…"

"Except for my eyes, of course," said Harry suddenly.

Snape shook his head. "No Harry. Look at your eyes as they are here."

Harry walked over and looked into the infant Harry's eyes, and received one of the worst shocks of his life. They were most definitely his father's eyes.

"What the… what did you do Snape? You.. you modified this memory somehow."

"No. No I did not," said Snape simply.

"Then what…?"

"That is for the final memory to answer," said Snape, cutting him off.

"Severus…," began Lily. "Be honest with me. Is it true that… you've joined the Death Eaters?"

Severus recoiled a little. "Where did you hear that?" he asked.

"Mostly just rumors," said Lily. "But.. when I heard it from an Auror, it became rather hard to ignore."

Severus stood up. "So what if I have, Lily?" he said. "It's not as if it's an illegal organization…"

"Not yet," said Lily. "Severus… some of the things I've heard.. the terrible things they've done..."

"None of which the Ministry can prove!" said Severus. "We are a politically inclined organization, Lily, seeking merely to gain influence with the Ministry, just like every other politically inclined organization. The stories you hear are merely our political enemies trying to discredit us!"

Lily shook her head in disbelief. "You either really believe all of that, or you've become a terrific liar. I don't know which is worse."

Severus sat down again, troubled. Lily stood up to leave.

"Just promise me, Severus, that if it becomes too dangerous, that you'll get out while you still can."

"Nobody leaves the Death Eaters," Severus said coldly.

"Political organization, hmm?" said Lily sadly. "Just like every other, with their no-leaving-or-punishment-of-death clauses." She got to the door, then turned around again.

"You're welcome at the house any time, Severus. James said he would love to see you."

"I'm sure he did," Severus said sarcastically.

Lily nodded as if she'd been expecting this. "I'll say it again, Severus. It's you who refuses to change." She gave him a small half-smile, closed the door, and left.

Spinner's End evaporated, and they now found themselves in a room that Harry knew very well. It was the room that he had killed Nagini in.

Severus was kneeling on the floor in front of Lord Voldemort much as Pettigrew had done in Harry's 4th year dreams.

"Rise, Snape," said Voldemort.

Severus stood, and regarded the Dark Lord without fear.

"I have summoned you because I thought you might like to know the progress I have made with the information you gave me. The information on the seer Trelawney's alleged prophecy."

"Yes, my Lord?"

"I have narrowed the child's identity down to two possibilities," said Voldemort. "The first is the son of the Aurors Longbottom."

"That was my thought as well, my Lord."

"The second is the son of two other Order members. The Potters."

Severus tensed at hearing this. He had come to the same conclusion, but he had hoped the Dark Lord would not.

"The Potters, my Lord? Surely.. surely it would not be the son of the Potters. The Longbottom boy is a pure-blood… while the Potter boy is.."

"A half-blood, just like me?"

Severus tensed up even more, anticipating a curse. Voldemort chuckled softly.

"And a half-blood, just like you Snape."

Severus, who had closed his eyes, opened them in surprise.

Voldemort nodded. "Yes Snape, I know. I've known for some time now. And while it may matter to some of the others… I know Lucius would call for your immediate expulsion if he knew… I've decided it doesn't matter to me. You've proven yourself more than worthy to be amongst us."

"Thank you, my Lord."

"So what of it then? Do we ignore the Potter boy simply because he is a half-blood? Or do we kill them both and remove any and all chance of the prophecy coming true?"

"I… I suppose you're right my Lord."

"I'm going to see to their destruction personally, Snape. This is too important to be trusted to anyone but myself."

"Of course, my Lord."

"And I'm going to start tonight." Voldemort stood up and walked towards the doorway to the hall.

"My Lord…," said Severus hesitantly. "I wonder if.. maybe.. I could ask something of you. A favor, if you will."

Voldemort considered this, and nodded. "I think you've earned that right Snape. Though I'm not guaranteeing that I will grant your request."

Severus nodded. "When you… when you visit the Potters… are you going to just kill the boy?"

"Are you asking if I am planning to kill his parents as well?" Severus nodded.

"No doubt they will attempt to get in my way Severus, as parents are wont to do when their child is threatened. If they force me to, then yes, I will kill his parents as well. Why?"

Severus hesitated. "If at all possible… please spare his mother."

Voldemort regarded Severus warily. "Why? Why do you care about the Potter woman, Snape?"

"We were.. friends at school for a short time, my Lord," Severus said. "We've since grown apart… but… I would not want her to come to any harm because of me.."

Voldemort watched Snape in silence for a few moments. "You were in love with her," he said finally.

Snape decided that a lie would be pointless here, and he nodded. "I… I still am, my Lord."

Voldemort nodded slowly. "Very well Snape. If I can avoid killing the Potter woman, I will."

"Thank you, my Lord."

"I know what you're thinking," said Snape.

"Do you?" asked Harry

"You're wondering why I didn't ask him to spare your father's life as well."

"No," said Harry. "I understand. He would have never believed you were sincere with that request. You had to ask for what you knew you could get, and hope for the best…"

Snape looked over at Harry. "I'm impressed, Potter. Ready for the finale?"

Harry nodded.

The Riddle Mansion gave way to the smoking wreck of the Potter home in Godric's Hollow. In the distance, Harry could hear sirens.

"Snape," said Harry nervously. "You were here? That night?"

"Afterwards, yes," said Snape. "This memory is short, so pay attention."

Severus searched through the remains of the Potter home, tears streaming down his face. He was following the sound of Harry crying.

Severus arrived at what was left of Harry's room and found Lily sprawled out on the floor, her lifeless eyes staring into the sky. He began to sob uncontrollably.

He knelt beside her to close her eyes.. and stopped. With his hand covering Lily's eyes, he looked over to where her son Harry was still crying.

"I.. I couldn't save you," Severus whispered. "But part of you will always live on. A part of you will live on… in your son."

Severus stood and reached into Harry's crib. He placed Harry on to the floor next to his mother. Harry saw his mother and stopped crying immediately, and reached out to be held by her. When she did not respond, he began to cry again.

"Part of you will live on…" Severus whispered again.

"Snape.."

"Shh. Watch."

Severus put his hand over Lily's eyes once again, and then put his other hand over Harry's. He closed his eyes and uttered a brief whispered incantation. There was a brief white flash, and then…

Severus took his hands off of Harry's eyes. They had been replaced by Lily's brilliant green almond shaped eyes. Severus turned his attention to Lily, whose eyes had been replaced by Harry's.

It was then that Severus noticed Harry's scar. He was about to examine it more closely when he heard a voice from outside. "Oi! Lily!? James!? Are yeh okay? Answer me!"

Hagrid, thought Severus. He stood and disapparated, and the memory dissolved around them.

"When people tell you that you have your mother's eyes Potter, they never know how right they are."

Harry looked at Snape, who was trying to smile and failing miserably. Harry thought that he should feel weird or disgusted by Snape's revelation, but instead he actually felt oddly comforted.

"Dumbledore knew. He knew that you were in love with my mother." Snape nodded.

"He knew.. and so he knew that you were truly sorry for revealing the prophecy to Voldemort." Snape nodded again.

"Let's get out of here Potter," said Snape, wiping away a few stray tears. "This thing is even less fun to be in when there's nothing happening in it."

They jumped out of the Pensieve, and landed back at the ruins.

"I went to Dumbledore with everything I knew about the Death Eaters that very night," said Snape. "I swear to you that I've been a loyal Order member ever since."

"There's one thing that still doesn't make sense, though," said Harry. "If you've remained a loyal Order member, then why did you kill Dumbledore?"

Snape shook his head in annoyance. "He ordered me to, Potter," Snape said. "Just as he ordered you to force feed him that green potion, he ordered me to kill him."

Harry, confused, motioned that Snape should continue.

"I had unwittingly taken an Unbreakable Vow with Narcissa Malfoy. The first two parts of the vow were to watch over Draco Malfoy and to make sure no harm came to him, two things that I had no trouble agreeing to. But then she asked that, should Draco fail in a task that had been set before him by the Dark Lord, that I would take on this task myself. That task was the murder of Albus Dumbledore."

"I was beyond the point of no return. If I had backed out at that point, Bellatrix's suspicions about my true loyalties may just as well have been confirmed. My only hope was to tell Dumbledore what I had agreed to and hope he could think of a way out of it. His response was to order me to fulfill the vow. If nothing else, to spare Draco's soul. Dumbledore sacrificed his life to secure my place in the Death Eaters and to spare Draco the horror of committing murder."

Harry looked at the ground, processing everything that he had seen and heard that night. Snape regarded him impatiently.

"Are you finally satisfied Potter? Can you finally accept that Dumbledore knew what he was doing in trusting me?"

Harry nodded slowly. "I'm just one person though… Professor Snape. You still have the rest of the world to convince."

"All in good time, all in good time. Now I must get back, so if you will please show me the two Horcruxes."

Harry brought them out from his coat pockets. Snape lit his wand and observed both closely. "Hmm.. excellent. Thank you Potter."

In a night full of surprises, the final one came in the form of Snape holding out his hand to Harry. Harry hesitated, then he shook it.

"Good night…. Harry. And good luck."