Thanks!  I working through a story and thinking about their relationship.  I tried to look at it from a lot of different angles, and this was one of them.  I don't think it ever would have worked without one or the other bending into something completely different.  I just wish he could have seen enough of it to understand that.  Maybe he wouldn't have been as interested in saving Harry's bacon if he had, though.

It's an interesting question.  Snape loved Lily, but I don't think he was in any way prepared for the reality of what he would have done had she actually been in love with him.  He so idealized her that he would not have coped well with her imperfections.  I choose to think that, given full disclosure, he probably would have selected what happened in the canon.  On the other hand, I think he would have looked for a way to prevent the Potters' deaths.The crummy part of Snape's story is that in the afterlife as JKR describes it, now Snape is stuck for all eternity, watching the love of his life be happy with the love of her life.  Some reward.

The crummy part of Snape's story is that in the afterlife as JKR describes it, now Snape is stuck for all eternity, watching the love of his life be happy with the love of her life.  Some reward.This is a really excellent point. Did you see the documentary JK Rowling: A Year in the Life? She describes her childhood and how her mother suffered for many years before she died young; how Rowling was scared of her father and had very little relationship with him; and her divorce and raising a child by herself. It was as if the HP books were a cathartic process for her and a way for her to cope with her family situation. And this is reflected in Harry's life starting off not ideal, but after perseverance ended up quite marvelously (both Harry and her now and happy marriages and three children each).So my point in writing this is: Harry had a poor childhood, and Rowling gives him a chance at a happy ending. But knowing Snape also had a poor childhood (his one friend Lily being the only bright spot), Rowling doomed him from the beginning and didn't give him a second chance at happiness. So am I wrong to be angry she did that? Did someone have to get the shaft because Snape's character is more tragic (and profound?) that way? I mean it works out in the end, if he didn't still love Lily greater than all others, then he couldn't have sent the doe Patronus to Harry, but I still don't get it why Rowling doomed him so. Sorry for the long reply, all these thoughts came up again after re-reading HBP and watching the movie. Looking forward to reading more of your fics (Snape or other characters) if you plan on writing them!

Thank you again!  I know what you mean about JKR.  I generally let Snape live in my fics.  There are so many ways to make it work. I have a few stories posted on other archives. I just put the first chapter of my current one into the queue here.  If it goes through, it's called The Tower Affair and is SS/OC.

Thank you!

Thank you!

Thank you! 

Thank you! 

Thank you!  That was one of the first things that hit me about the Lily/Severus friendship as I read Deathly Hallows.  It's such an irony that she wanted nothing to do with him but that without him Harry would have been doomed.

Thank you!  That was one of the first things that hit me about the Lily/Severus friendship as I read Deathly Hallows.  It's such an irony that she wanted nothing to do with him but that without him Harry would have been doomed.

Thank you!  Believe it or not, I really like Lily.  In some ways I can be like Lily.  I just don't think she's a good fit for Severus.

Thank you!  Believe it or not, I really like Lily.  In some ways I can be like Lily.  I just don't think she's a good fit for Severus.

Thank you!  In every scenario I think up, I just don't see the two of them getting and staying together.  I think he would have needed to have an honest try at it to realize, though.

Yeah, sometimes you just need to find things out for yourself.  He would never accept it unless he lived it.

Thank you!  In every scenario I think up, I just don't see the two of them getting and staying together.  I think he would have needed to have an honest try at it to realize, though.

Yeah, sometimes you just need to find things out for yourself.  He would never accept it unless he lived it.

Wow!  Thank you!  I've never quite bought into the whole perfect Lily thing, myself.  She's more lovable when I think of her as a young woman trying to do what she can.  The heroic leap of her sacrifice for her son seems even greater when I think of her in those terms.  I was kind of surprised when I realized it, but Snape had a definite impact on Harry in his own right, and oddly enough, the truest information Harry gets on either parent is through Snape's memories.