Remembering
Chapter 17 of 18
livvy6Alissa waits as the Healers tend to Severus. As she looks at his supine form, memories of the past come rushing back to her with painful clarity.
Reviewed
***
She made her way out to the forest where she instinctively knew the fighting had shifted. She found the lair of the acromantulas and saw Yaxley and Dolohov. She crept around the perimeter and listened for signs of any skirmishing. All was still. Too still. It was eerie.
A green flash and a hate-filled “Avada Kedavra” came from inside the acromatulas’ lair. Yaxley and Dolohov rushed in and Alissa followed them slowly and cautiously.
She saw the sneer on the Dark Lord’s face as he said in a mocking tone, “The Boy who Lived.” There on the ground was Harry Potter’s dead body.
She saw Bellatrix catch her eye and she sidled closer to the Dark Lord. Alissa knew it was just a matter of time before she was found out.
“My Lord… my Lord,” she crooned.
“That will do!” Voldemort snapped.
Alissa didn’t need anyone to tell her this was the opportune moment to make her escape. Potter was dead. She could do no more. She had to get back to Severus and get them away as soon as possible.
***
She had retreated back to the castle, the battle still raged somewhere in the distance, but Alissa could have cared less. Potter was dead, but she hadn’t the heart to tell anyone anything about it. All she cared about was Severus. The Healers were working on him, trying to save his life. She knelt on the floor and grasped one of his legs. The memories were flooding back into her mind as she watched the Healers’ noble efforts.
“Ella, what was that? Why are those big boys fighting?”
“The one boy, I’ve seen him around. Everybody is a’scared of him. But I think it’s because he makes mean faces.”
The tears slid down her face as the others dashed around her. The real world was moving, but hers was in stasis. She could not and did not want to envision a world without him in it.
Perhaps she had not been able to break away as she hoped she could.
“Little cub,” Snape called.
“Here, it’s like this,” he said softly, taking pity on her.
He stood behind her, took her wand hand in his, and the young girl felt a shiver down her spine as he covered her hand in his to pose it correctly. He then stood behind her as he showed her how to plant her feet firmly on the ground. He showed her some basic steps, lunges and such. She beamed at him.
“Look, if you are going to do something, you should do it correctly!”
She knew then at twelve what she knew now at 36. There would never be another. He would be the only one she would ever love. She couldn’t help it. She couldn’t break away and move past him. She had tried so hard, but she didn’t really want to. She sobbed as she held onto him.
“Why do you do this?” he asked one night as she was dressing herself right after having sex with him. She was not facing him. She never faced him when she dressed.
“Just remember, I’ll always be there if you need my help. All you have to do is call for me.”
Finally he turned and fixed his eyes on her. “Why, Alissa? Why of all the wizards you’ve known and must have met over the years, why me? I showed you some kindness when you were a child. When I was barely out of my own childhood! Why?”
She recalled his promises, the love he claimed to feel for her. She had to believe he meant it and would always mean it. A Healer disrupted her thoughts.
“Miss, the Headmaster is weak, he is stable for now, but I cannot promise anything. We’re moving him out of the way; the battle isn’t over. I assume you’ll stay with him?”
“Of course,” she muttered.
They moved him into an empty classroom where some others were being held, out of the way of danger. She conjured a chair and sat next to his hovering stretcher. He was mercifully unconscious, but Alissa was still so afraid. She began to remember again.
“I’ll never let you go,” he whispered into her mouth as he kissed her. “I don’t know how, but I promise I will be with you forever.”
“I swear I will only give myself to you. I want to be worthy of your love, Alissa. You are so lovely…”
“I love you, Alissa,” he blurted out to her.
“I love you, Severus,” she answered.
She pulled his hand to her and kissed it over and over, rubbing it against her cheek, trying to feel him, wanting to know if he knew she was there, if he knew how much she loved him. She regretted their last true intimate moments had been so hurtful, so sad…
“I shall never understand why me, of all men?”
“Why her, of all women?”
Severus looked away from her. Alissa could still see his jaw clench, and his breathing was a bit ragged.
“I watched her for so long; I didn’t know how to even approach her! She was so fearless. I was so young—she was the most wonderful sight. She was beautiful,” he whispered lovingly.
Alissa took the opportunity to face him. She walked over to him and looked up into his sad face. He looked down at her, her perfect smile, her thick black hair playing in the breeze around her pale face. Then she spoke as she took his hands in hers.
“I was young, he was so fearless. I watched him for so long; I didn’t know how to approach him. He was the most wonderful sight. When I watched him duel, he was beautiful.”
“Just go, Alissa. There can’t be an ‘us’ anymore. This time tomorrow, I’ll be dead, and I don’t want you to see that. Just go far away and forget all this. Forget me.”
Alissa must have fallen asleep. It was so quiet, except for an occasional sob or pitiful shriek of disbelief from the mourners outside in the Great Hall. She was awakened by sounds of the battle closing in. She jumped to her feet, her wand out, ready to fight to the death if she had to. The doors burst open and the Healers were rushing inside.
The Healers announced hurriedly that they were evacuating all the patients to St. Mungo’s. The battle was now raging inside the castle.
“What is going on?” she demanded as the Healers and Mediwitches bustled around her.
“Potter is alive! He and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named are fighting in the Great Hall!” one person said happily.
Alissa was frozen on the spot she stood, unable to move. Potter was alive! Then she cleared her head.
“I’m coming with him!” she told the orderlies that were moving Severus’ stretcher.
“No!” said a Healer abruptly. “We have far too much on our hands than to coddle family members. You can arrive after we’ve evacuated the injured! Let’s go!” he barked at the orderlies.
“Wait!” she said. She bent over his pale face and kissed him. “I love you,” she whispered.
Then they took him away.
She stumbled to a nearby wall and slid down to the floor, crying as if she were coming apart at the seams. She had no one. No one knew of her. No one! She screamed and ripped off the hated Death Eater weeds and threw them aside.
Minerva!
Minerva and Remus! They knew her! They knew all about her! She made her way in her torn dress into the Great Hall. As she entered, she saw the Killing Curse blast from Potter’s wand, and the Dark Lord fell. She backed up against the wall for strength and covered her mouth with her hand in astonishment. It is finished! Dear God, it’s finally over!
***
A/N: Well, we are finally reaching the end. The next chapter will tell about the fates of our couple and others who have survived. Please review! Huge thanks for my beta, MadBrilliant.
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Latest 25 Reviews for I'll Be There
70 Reviews | 2.93/10 Average
YAY! That rotten bastard is dead!!! Oh I hope Alissa and Snape can get together soon!!!!Yeah, I'm gettin' into this story big time. :)
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Thanks! I hope you enjoy the ending:)Livvy
I think you've done an amazing job of working Alissa into canon. I am amazed again and again by the details you've included. I'm enjoying the story immensely. I'm glad Sev and Alissa have each other.
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Thank you so much for reviewing! I really appreciate it when an older story gets a review. I am actually doing a sequel based on Hermione and Remus in this alternative universe of this story. It was talked about at the end, but not indetail about Hermione and Remus getting together. I don't know if you are a HG/RL shipper, but if you are, watch out for it!Thanks,Livvy
Okay, so I cheated and came over here to finish the story I started reading on Occlumency. I could say it is because I prefer reading on the blue background, but really it that I wanted to read the rest of the story. Instant gratification takes too long and all that. I've had the best time reading this fic. I even liked the battle scenes, and that almost never happens. I like Remus and Hermione, I never could see her making a go of things with Ron. Hell, I liked everything about this story. It also gives me hope that your current WIP might turn out okay for Hermione and Snape.
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Hey, thanks! I appreciate that. keep your mind open, and I hope you like the sharp turn I'm going to take the story in.Thanks for rviewing!Livvy
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Hey, thanks! I appreciate that. keep your mind open, and I hope you like the sharp turn I'm going to take the story in.Thanks for rviewing!Livvy
WOW, Alissa is undoubtedly suitable for Severus, but oh uh, I don't want to cross this woman -- not even if I was Severus Snape! Will he be grateful that she saved him at all?
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Well, you'll have to read the story ;)Yes, she's pretty scary when she needs to be!Thanks for reviewing!
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Well, you'll have to read the story ;)Yes, she's pretty scary when she needs to be!Thanks for reviewing!
Wonderful work.
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Thanks you very much!Livvy
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Thanks you very much!Livvy
Oh, wonderful! And I look forward to reading about the Hermione/Remus romance!
Well done!
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Thank you so much!Livvy
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Thank you so much!Livvy
Beautiful ending to a wonderful story. I especially like the Remus/Hermoine ending, it seemed fitting as she has always (in cannon) been very responsible and mature in her actions.Cant wait to read more of your stories.
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Thanks! I'll be starting the HG/RL story later this summer. I've got "Bookends" warming up in the queue now, and I'm working on another HG/SS fic right now. Thanks for reviewing!Livvy
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Thanks! I'll be starting the HG/RL story later this summer. I've got "Bookends" warming up in the queue now, and I'm working on another HG/SS fic right now. Thanks for reviewing!Livvy
lovely story...........it was so different and interesting!!!!! in fact it was one of your story's that i enjoyed the most!!!!!! alissa was such an arrestin character!!!!!!!! am really looking forward to remus and hermione's story!!!!
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Excellent! I know people mostly go for HG/SS and Lord knows, I do like them best, however, I can't resist doing a HG/RL ship!Thanks for reviewing!Livvy
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Excellent! I know people mostly go for HG/SS and Lord knows, I do like them best, however, I can't resist doing a HG/RL ship!Thanks for reviewing!Livvy
I love the end, it was everything I asked for. I never read the GWTWsequel, but I watched miniseries, that must be why the line is so familiar to me.I've always preferred that 'beautiful friendship' line Bogart says to Claude Rains to the 'We'll always have Paris' line he says to Ingrid Bergman.I hope you will continue with your OFC stories. You create such wonderful OFCs and I always find an OFC much more interesting than Hermione.
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Thanks so much! For a while I will be working on my HG/SS fics, I do have in the back of my mind to make a one-shot I did for the DH Prompt Challenge into a multi-chapter. That has an OC named Laura in it. If you read it, any ideas on how to build on the story would be much appreicated!Thanks so much for staying through and reviewing so consistantly. It really touches my heart.Thanks!Livvy
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Thanks so much! For a while I will be working on my HG/SS fics, I do have in the back of my mind to make a one-shot I did for the DH Prompt Challenge into a multi-chapter. That has an OC named Laura in it. If you read it, any ideas on how to build on the story would be much appreicated!Thanks so much for staying through and reviewing so consistantly. It really touches my heart.Thanks!Livvy
Nice wrap up Livvy! :)
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Thanks! Glad you liked it!
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Thanks! Glad you liked it!
Wow that was fast getting up ......... awesome and the story as expected a wonder pleasure. Thank You for sharing your talent with everyone who is fortunate enough to read your stories
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Thanks so much! I hope you continue to like my fics. I have two more that I'll be posting so far and one that is swimming in my head! :)Thanks for continuing to review!Livvy
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Thanks so much! I hope you continue to like my fics. I have two more that I'll be posting so far and one that is swimming in my head! :)Thanks for continuing to review!Livvy
I didn't get a chance to read until tonight, I had surgery on my left hand two days ago and I've finally recovered from the anesthetic. They told me it would be done with a local, but they used a general so I've really been out of it for the past two days. They had both better survive and have a happy ever after, I've invested too much in them emotionally for them to die. Harry could have died and I would have been indifferent, but she let Snape die with disrespect. I want him to live respected by all. This is short, but I can only use one hand for typing right now.
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Ouch! Hope you are feeling a little better. I hated the idsrespectful way she let Snape die. He deserved so much more.I do hope you like the ending! It will be posted as soon as it gets through the queue!Thanks,Livvy
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Ouch! Hope you are feeling a little better. I hated the idsrespectful way she let Snape die. He deserved so much more.I do hope you like the ending! It will be posted as soon as it gets through the queue!Thanks,Livvy
Zing! She got him at the end, didn't she?
Good girl, Alissa!
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
LOL! He'll be pondering that for a bitThanks,Livvy
anwser the danm question Severus!
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
LOL! He is the king of getting out of things, isn't he?Thanks,Livvy
I really like the point she made at the end, which was more difficult being the adorer or the adored. For Severus I think it's actually being the adored one. As she said, he was in control when he was the adorer but he has no control of her adoration of him.
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Yes, that is going to really bother him and cause a rift between them. He's going to have to deal with it.Thanks!Livvy
I have a corection for you to make. Bathilda's last name is Bagshot, not Babcock.
Things are moving slowly and I can see that it's putting a lot of stress on them both. Fortunately, you are giving me information about what happened at Hogwarts and what happened when Luna was abducted, that's a lot more than JKR did during that period in the book.
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Thanks for pointing out the mistake! I'm glad you're still liking the story!Livvy
I've been trying to place the time frame of this chapter so I went to HPL and looked at the timeline for DH but the date Gregorovitch was murdered wasn't there. I figure that it must be late Autumn in this chapter. I can really understand now why Alissafeels so impatient with the trio and their search. I've always thought they went way offtrack when they decided to search for the Deathly Hallows.If they had concentrated on the Horcruxes first and then looked for the Hallows the battle would probably have been fought sooner and 'He Who I Found Most Tiresome' have been permanently vanquished sooner. I've often wondered why Dumbledore never told Harry about the Elder wand, that was the most important thing he kept secret from Harry and i don't know why.
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Well, Dumbledore knew from experience that the Hallows could get a person bogged down in getting them and keeping them for one's own power. To think you could bring your loved one's from the dead with the resurrection stone alone! It's like the Mirror of Erised. The Hallows can suck the life out of you with it's promise of glory and all of what you desire most.I thought Dumbledore was really stupid in not preparing Harry for his quest. Either that or JKRowling really screwed the pooch (which I think she did anyway by killing off Snape) but anyway- I can see why it would be important for Harry to know of the Hallows existence, because that was what Voldemort was trying to get. Harry already possessed two out of three and the Elder Wand was supossed to go to Snape- he REALLY screwed the pooch on that one.DH was a huge disappointment for me. I literally thought someone was playing an evil joke when I started reading it. Halfway through I was like, "This is just stupid!" I want to know what's going on at Hogwarts!Anyway, I hope you keep liking the story!Livvy
Response from Trickie Woo (Reviewer)
I agree with you, DH was a big disappointment. I found most of the trio's adventures to be very secondary to what was going on at Hogwarts. Heck, I never cared much about those three anyway. Neville was the kid I cared most about, and then Luna. Snape was the crux of the whole series, the entire saga turned on whether he was good or bad and she not only killed him off, she did it in the most disrespectful and ridiculous way. She couldn't even be bothered to have 'HW' throw and Avade Kedavra at him. She has him killed by a giant snake in a bubble.BTW, am I right in my guess about the timeframe of the chapter?
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Yes, it was important to show how dragging the time was, the inactivity of the three of them in that damn forest! I was told it was to be compared to the wandering in the desert in the Old Testement by the Israelites. Now, I understand Jewish Numerology and there are many references to the 40 days and 40 nights, four days, also 40 years signifying a time of "probabtion" for the kinks in the personality of the person or persons involved to be worked out. I could see the point. I couldn't say if they were out in the Forest of Dean for 40 bleeding days or what-not, but I just thought it was a real waste of time. I agree totally on Snape being the crux of the books. He was the most important person next to Harry Potter. So, he got the shaft in life and he got the shaft in death. Pretty rubbish death!I would have LOVED to have seen Neville's metamorphasis from ne'er-do-well to a brave leader of a radical underground movement. Luna is always a riot! Anything with Luna is awesome and I LOVED the girl they got to play her in the movie.
Wow. That was intense!
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
I really wanted to show a side to thier relationship that wasn't just sweetness and light. Their encounters have been so tame thus far, and that is just not in character for Snape, at least not all the time. So, I wanted to show he had a partner that could indulge him in his darker side and not be put off by it.Thanks!Livvy
Response from mia madwyn (Reviewer)
Well, and she's pretty dark, too. I think it's a valid point and you did a great job.
nice on the Rowle twist......and having Draco do it under the imperius Curse ... just goes to show that Draco (pain that he may be at times) is not his father....again impressive and awaiting more.
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Thank you! I thought it was important to point that side of Draco out, that it was canon that he was forced to do things under the Imperius Curse.I also wanted to show how Alissa dealt with the carnage around her. She isn't a machine that is unfeeling. Unfortunately, dissociating isn't the healthiest thing either!Livvy
I appreciate that the chapter was so fast paced, I never like to read death, gore, and violence. I hope you keep the pace up and get past all of that much more quickly than JKR did so we get to the really important part and find out if Snape and Alissa survive and can make a future together..When I read DH last July I found that for me tha climax took place in the Shrieking Shack and the denouement was in 'The Prince's Tale'. After that I was indifferent to what happened to the other characters and only read the last few chapters out of habit.
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
The Prince's tale was really the chapter that made all the other books make sense. It was the glue to everything that was supporting Harry. THere will be a very dramatic and climactic later with the battle and what happens in the shack. I hope you like I do that.Thanks,Livvy
This was a well-written chapter. You really made me feel for Alissa. Very original premise! Looking forward to more!
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Thank you! BTW, I'm enjoying 'Anthem'!Livvy
Response from emmeline33 (Reviewer)
Thanks, Livvy! I'm glad you're enjoying it.
I tried to review this chapter after i read it last night but I couldn't get it posted. TPP must have been doing some more work on the system.This was such a sad chapter to read. I always wondered why Rowling had to put anything more in DH except that Charity Burbage was killed by Death Eaters.I do hope that things will be better for them by the end and that they survive to have a future together.
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
I thought it was important to see how it is on the flipside, where Snape thinks he can't be loved because of the horrible things he has had to do, so I wanted him to be the one to accept the insecurities of another instead of being the one accepted or rejected because of his own insecurities
It was an interesting insight on our characters.
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Thanks!
Even to this point, he still thought of Lily first, and Alissa still loved him. So powerful. And of course, at the end, he finally loves her.
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Yes, from now on it is a new story, major turning point. However, memories of Lily will still linger and cause difficulties.Livvy
I'm happy that he finally has accepted her love and allowed himself to love her. I've never followed the cult of St. Lily. If she had really been a good person she would have accepted his apology and remained his friend. Anybody would have realized that he would lash out at the first person who came near and said things he didn't mean at all. She didn't have to fall in love with him, but she ceratinly should have remained his friend.
Response from livvy6 (Author of I'll Be There)
Preach it sister! I agree. I'm glad you are liking how the story is turning out.Livvy