Fourteen

Author's Note:

Where I have quoted dialogue from the original Harry Potter books, I have marked it with an asterisk.

---

Make This Go On Forever

Running down the stairs to the dungeons, Tess noticed a sandy-haired boy lurking in the alcove of the Potions office door.

"Robert!" she whispered as she came to a halt beside him. "What are you doing out of Gryffindor House so late at night? It's past ten o'clock!"

The third-year boy stepped out of the shadows into the flickering light of the dungeon corridor. His brown eyes darted to the end of the passageway.

"Terry Boot is locked up in there, Miss." He nodded towards the Carrows' office. "There's no-one in the DA left to rescue him, so I'm going to bust him out when the Death Eaters have gone to bed."

Tess placed her hand on Robert Selwyn's shoulder. "I think I can help you with that," she said, unlocking the door to the Potions office. "Wait in here for a couple of minutes. I'm about to ask the Carrows to attend the Headmaster's office. When you've heard us leave, go and get Boot."

She hurried Robert inside the office and set off down the corridor, knocking briskly at the door to the Carrows' room.

Terry Boot was chained up against the wall with a bloody lip and a puffy black eye. The pair of Death Eaters regarded Tess with surprise.

"Your attendance is required immediately in the Headmaster's office," Tess said brusquely.

Alecto watched Tess from the comfort of her chair. "At this time of night?" she remarked.

"It's urgent," Tess pressed the witch.

Amycus stood up, his lumpy, pallid face leering at Tess. "Fancy a little ménage-a-trois with me and Snape, do yeh?"

"Don't be so dense, Amycus," Alecto interrupted. "Snape doesn't share his toys."

Tess bristled, wishing the Carrows hadn't been so indiscreet in front of the only remaining member of Dumbledore's Army. However, now her cover was blown, she could afford to be more direct.

"The Dark Lord wishes to speak with you both," Tess said.

She noticed Boot assessing her, wide-eyed.

Tess waited for the Carrows to exit the room then whispered to Boot, "Help is on the way."

She left the Ravenclaw boy alone in the office with the door ajar to prevent the protective enchantments from resealing.

Jogging after the Carrows, she followed them out of the dungeons, hoping Selwyn would attest to her true loyalties.

---

Hovering in the flames of the fireplace, the snake-like face of Lord Voldemort was waiting for them in the Headmaster's office. Severus stood with his arms folded as the Carrows knelt before the Dark Lord. Tess circled around the back of the room, standing at Severus's side, out of the line of sight.

"I am certain," Voldemort began, "that Harry Potter will attempt to re-enter Hogwarts castle very soon."

Tess noticed Severus tensing beside her.

"It is my belief he will seek access to Ravenclaw Tower when he arrives," the Dark Lord continued. "I shall leave for Hogwarts shortly, after I've attended to other matters. In the meantime, I expect you to apprehend Potter."

"My Lord," Alecto crooned, "I'll go to Ravenclaw Tower and wait for Potter in the common room. My brother can replace Flitwick on his night-time patrol of the school."

"Very well," Voldemort replied. "Severus is to remain in the Headmaster's office, where I may easily reach him. You will detain the boy and notify Severus. The Caterwauling Charm on Hogsmeade will alert me should Potter Apparate there."

Voldemort's face disappeared, and the Floo extinguished with a crackle. The Carrows bustled out of the room to take up their respective guard posts.

Alone now with Severus, Tess felt a pulse of panic in her chest. Stuck inside the Headmaster's office, there was no way Severus would be able to pass his vital information to Harry.

Tess wrung her hands together. "What are we going to do? We can't just sit here and wait. The Carrows won't hand Harry over to you if they catch him, and they're stupid enough to kill him, given half the chance."

Severus walked around to the back of his desk and placed his hands on the back of his chair.

"The Headmaster's office is the best place for us to wait, which is why I suggested it to the Dark Lord," Severus explained. He looked around at the dozens of portraits hanging on the walls, each former Headteacher poised and alert in their frame. "We have an army of spies who can patrol the castle for us."

Tess gasped as she comprehended the possibilities.

Severus addressed the room. "Headteachers of Hogwarts, the crucial time is upon us. I need each of you to vacate the office and roam the portraits in the corridors, paying particular attention to the Entrance Hall, secret passageways and Ravenclaw Tower. If you hear or see anything which suggests Potter has arrived in the castle, return immediately to this office."

A chorus of assent preceded their departure, and soon Tess and Severus were standing in a deserted room, staring at the empty canvases on the walls.

"Your office will be a nerve-centre," Tess realised.

He gestured for her to take a seat, and he retrieved his Tiger's Eye ring from underneath his collar.

Tess unclasped her own necklace and placed her ring alongside Severus's on the desktop.

"When we have Potter's location, I shall leave you here in the office," Severus explained. "We can communicate with each other using our rings, and you can keep me apprised of further developments from the Headteacher portraits."

"You've got it all worked out," Tess commented.

"I've had several months to prepare for this eventuality. I just hope the Carrows don't find Potter first. If he's using his Invisibility Cloak, it'll be much harder for the portraits to trace him."

Trepidation crept through Tess as they sat silently, awaiting news of Potter's arrival.

---

It was past eleven o'clock when Severus suddenly leapt from his seat, clutching his left forearm.

"Alecto has pressed her Dark Mark!" Severus growled. "They've got Potter!"

"No!" Tess's voice was a tiny yelp.

They looked frantically around the office, hoping for one of the former Headteachers to put in an appearance. Finally, Phineas Nigellus Black resurfaced, puffing in his frame.

"Amycus is banging on the door to Ravenclaw Tower, and Minerva just arrived too!" Phineas said.

Severus recoiled. "This is it, Tess."

He snatched his Tiger's Eye ring from the desk and pocketed it. Not looking at her, he strode towards the door and cast a charm at the fireplace.

Tess's heart thudded and seconds passed in slow motion as Severus reached the exit and placed his hand on the latch. He gazed back at her for a long moment, his face a maelstrom of conflicted emotion. Knowing how perilous the situation had become, Tess took a step towards him.

However, before she could reach him, Severus swept in her direction, his cloak billowing and dark eyes blazing. Tess found herself fixed to the spot by the ferociousness of his sable gaze.

And then Severus was upon her, glittering eyes mere inches from hers.

His strong hands slipped roughly into her hair, one hand holding her firmly beneath the ear, the other pressed against her temple, forcing her head to tilt to one side. His eyes focused on her mouth, and as he claimed her lips with his own, all the blood seemed to rush out of Tess's body.

The kiss was fierce and unyielding. His lips devoured her hungrily, and her muscles melted to flaccidity as she returned his kiss. She pushed her tongue into his mouth, encouraging and welcoming him in return.

Severus seemed then to realise she was more than amenable to his forcible ravishing of her mouth, and Tess felt his hands drop from her head. One of his hands slipped to the small of her back, his other arm wrapped around her shoulders, and the weight of his body shoved her backwards, up against a cold stone pillar.

His lips bumped against hers upon impact, and even though it didn't seem possible, the kiss gained in intensity as Tess's fingers slid into Severus's hair. She pushed the long black locks out of his face and pulled him closer, further into the deep, fluid, intoxicating warmth of swollen lips and tussling tongues.

The kiss might have gone on forever, it seemed, washing away doubts and insecurities, awakening and fulfilling her. Their fusion offered a sense of wholeness which she hadn't dreamed possible until this moment.

Tess perceived a similar change in Severus as their kiss slowed to a warm, luxuriant osculation. She stroked her fingertips against his hairline... the part of his neck not obscured by his high collar... the nape of his neck and the roots of his oily hair. Finally her hands came to rest either side of his head, her thumbs brushing against his temples.

As her touch slowed their lips parted, but Severus remained there, nose brushing against her cheek, hot breath warming her lips, eyes tightly closed.

And then he began to pull away, loosening his grip on her, eyes open but looking at the floor. Her hands fell from his head as he took a step backwards.

Knowing he was about to leave and risk everything to search for The Boy Who Lived, Tess's heart pressed, aching and swollen against her ribs.

"Severus, I..." Her voice broke.

Severus twitched, taking another step to extend the distance between them and making it harder for Tess to say the words pounding inside her.

"I..." she croaked.

His eyes, afraid now, found hers.

She tried again. "I love..."

He touched her lips, enforcing silence, and then his fingers pushed past her teeth and onto her tongue. Her resolve diminished as his lips captured hers one last time in a slow, tender kiss.

The soft brush of his lips was then replaced by fingertips upon her mouth once more.

Glittering black eyes met hers in a wondrous, dizzying gaze.

"Don't say it yet," his deep voice murmured.

Tess wanted to rebel, say it anyway, but when his fingers left her lips and caressed her neck, the words evaporated on her tongue. She leaned her head into the palm of his hand.

"If I make it back in one piece, you can tell me then," he said.

Severus stroked Tess's cheek gently with the back of his hand, then marched across the room and left the office without looking back.

---

Into the Fray

Standing on the landing at the top of the spiral stairway, Severus withdrew his wand and cast a complicated succession of spells upon the door to his office. The protective enchantments were a different combination to the ones he used at Spinner's End and had been carefully planned in advance.

Satisfied the entrance to the Headmaster's office was securely sealed, he then groped inside his frock-coat for his Tiger's Eye ring. The metal was tingling before he'd placed the silver band on his little finger.

Having already shut down his own emotions, Severus was overwhelmed by a tidal wave of Tess's feelings: fear, anguish and... unmistakeably... love. The strength of her emotions caused him to stagger at the top of the stairs.

Occlude yourself, he sent.

As Tess complied, Severus stored the latter feeling safely inside his heart.

Better? She sent.

Yes.

Sorry.

Don't be.

Severus swished his wand and changed the password to the office to 'Dumbledore'. He felt Tess's smile.

You'll be safe now, he thought, knowing she'd hear him.

Severus ran down the stairs and passed the sliding stone wall, heading in the direction of Ravenclaw Tower.

Shortly afterwards, Minerva McGonagall emerged from the Ravenclaw common room, and the headteachers' portraits were able to send him a steady stream of co-ordinates via Tess. Eventually, two floors below the tower's entrance, Severus witnessed three cat-shaped Patronuses racing down the corridor.

He stepped into an alcove, and within a few seconds he saw Minerva running down the passageway, dressed in her tartan dressing gown.

Severus listened closely. There were definitely more than one set of footsteps, and they followed her invisibly down the corridor.

His heart leapt to his throat. Potter.

Severus stepped out into the dimly-lit hallway and followed the Transfiguration professor, eyes alert to the signs of a concealed wizard, but before he had taken even a dozen steps, he observed Minerva come to a halt and raise her wand.

He stealthily concealed himself behind one of Hogwarts' many suits of armour.

Be careful, Tess sent.

"Who's there?"* Minerva asked.

"It is I,"* Severus said, stepping out into the corridor. "Where are the Carrows?"* he asked, modulating his voice to sound soft and calm. He hoped to avoid a duel; Minerva seemed primed to fight at a moment's notice.

"Wherever you told them to be, I expect, Severus,"* Minerva replied crisply.

Severus moved closer and searched the shadows for a sign of Potter. All sets of footsteps had ceased when Minerva had turned to face him. The Boy Who Lived had to be here somewhere.

"I was under the impression that Alecto had apprehended an intruder,"* he said.

"Really?"* Minerva replied. "And what gave you that impression?"*

The witch's eyes flitted to Severus's left arm, drawing his attention to the fact he was unconsciously flexing his wrist. The skull and serpent branded into his skin would be there forever. If only he had known at the tender age of seventeen that taking the Dark Lord's Mark would alter his life-course so irrevocably.

"Oh, but naturally,"* Minerva said. "You Death Eaters have your own private means of communication, I forgot."*

Severus ignored her and continued to move furtively in her direction. "I did not know it was your night to patrol the corridors, Minerva."*

"You have some objection?"*

"I wonder what could have brought you out of your bed at this late hour?"* Severus deflected, now standing within a few feet of her.

"I thought I heard a disturbance."*

"Really? But all seems calm."* Severus assessed her, knowing he had moved as close as he dared. He knew she wouldn't co-operate and offer up Potter of her own accord, and his next question might be the last. Prepared to enter into the fray, he asked, "Have you seen Harry Potter, Minerva? Because if you have, I must insist..."*

At the first signs of movement, Severus cast a Shield Charm, which met her Stunning Spell and repelled it with such force that Minerva stumbled backwards.

Severus followed her line of sight as she seized a torch from a sconce on the wall. Flames descended, fashioned into a lasso by Minerva's wand. Severus reacted quickly, Transfiguring the fiery whip into a great, black snake, which Minerva promptly vanquished to smoke. Through the smouldering haze, Severus caught sight of a glint of metal, and just in time, he dived behind a serendipitously-placed suit of armour to dodge the swarm of daggers flying towards him. He sheltered behind the armoured suit as dozens of knives pierced its breast.

"Minerva!"* came the recognisable squeak of Filius Flitwick.

Severus could discern the sound of several sets of footsteps, heading in the direction of the duel. It could mean only one thing: the Heads of House had arrived. Severus knew this was the end of round one – he couldn't fight all four of them on his own – especially if Potter might be hurt in the crossfire.

Let me help you, Tess sent.

No. Stay there, he replied.

Severus could hear Horace Slughorn panting as he jogged towards them and knew he had to move quickly. Straightening up, he made to sprint to a nearby classroom.

"No! You'll do no more murder at Hogwarts!"* Filius squealed.

The Charms professor's spell hit the suit of armour and animated it into action. Metallic arms grappled Severus, but he managed to fight free from the onslaught and pushed the silver suit in the direction of his attackers.

Without looking back, Severus fled to the nearest classroom door, sprinting full-speed toward the window and jumping straight through it.

The glass shattered around him, and he fell into the night air to the sounds of Minerva's cry.

"Coward! COWARD!"*

---

Beyond the perimeter wall, Severus landed on the shore of the Great Lake.

The waxing crescent moon reflected on the black, watery mirror with eerie stillness. It was as though the battle inside the castle had never happened.

Enraged by failure, Severus kicked the trunk of a nearby pine tree in disgust. If only Minerva hadn't found Potter first, he could have told him all he needed to know, and the boy would have been fully prepared for the Dark Lord's imminent arrival.

Now it would be so much more difficult for Severus to find Harry Potter.

He growled his annoyance into the night.

Belatedly, he realised he was no longer Occluding his emotions.

Don't worry, we'll find him, Tess reassured.

But how am I to gain access to him now?

I'll leave the office, find him and bring him to you.

No, you won't, Severus thought firmly.

Why not?

Potter doesn't know who you are, Tess.

No, but Ronald Weasley does – I can convince them to trust me.

Severus sensed her physical movement and then felt her ripple of shock.

Severus, I can't open your office door!

He cringed. I know.

Tess paused, incredulous. What have you done?

You're safe. That's all that matters.

Safe? How can I be safe if I can't get out? What if someone breaks in?

He sighed. The moment someone penetrates the barrier, uses the password, or unblocks the Floo, the enchantments will break and you'll be able to escape.

Tess's frustration felt like a fist tightening around Severus's stomach.

You've blocked the Floo Network too?

Yes.

Severus!

I needed to know you would be alright. I can't do this without you.

He felt something in Tess melt away when she heard the plea in his thoughts.

Please stay in the office, Tess, whatever happens... Promise me?

She sighed, retreated from the door, and slumped into a cushioned seat by the leaded windows. Tess was gazing out towards the lake, in the direction of where he was standing. She pressed her palm against the cold glass.

I promise, she sent, after painfully long deliberation.

---

"I know that you are preparing to fight."*

The Dark Lord's cold voice rang clearly across the lake, echoing through the Highland landscape.

"Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood. Give me Harry Potter, and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter and you shall be rewarded. You have until midnight."*

Severus sensed the Dark Lord's strategy, reaching into the hearts and minds of students and teachers alike, to persuade them to save themselves first. He glanced at his timepiece. It was half past eleven.

Tess, where is Potter now?

In the Great Hall, with everyone else.

Minutes later, she sent, The Slytherins are vacating the castle via the Room of Requirement... And now the Ravenclaws... and the rest of the underage students. The defenders are dividing up, heading to the towers, preparing for battle. What should we do, Severus?

We wait. And when the battle begins, I must fight for the Dark Lord.

Tess's heart plummeted.

I'll do what I can to protect Hogwarts, he promised.

---

"Severus!"

The male voice shouted to him from the edges of the Forbidden Forest. Severus lowered his wand and retreated to the cover of the trees.

In the dark shadows, behind a twisted tree trunk, a blond-haired Death Eater awaited his presence.

"Lucius," Severus said, approaching the man. Fear burned his throat.

His old friend staggered raggedly towards him, one eye puffy and the other half-closed. Lucius Malfoy's fall from grace had never been more apparent.

"Do you know where Draco is?" the broken man asked.

Severus sent the request for information through a single thought to Tess.

He's still in the castle, she replied. Sir Cadogan followed Harry into the Room of Requirement, talking to his friends about Horcruxes. Draco entered the room shortly afterwards.

Horcuxes? Severus mused for a moment.

"Draco remained behind," he told Lucius presently.

Lucius grimaced. "The Dark Lord sent me to fetch you, Severus. He wishes a service of you at the Shrieking Shack."

Severus felt a flurry of terror adding to his own.

Stay calm, Tess.

"Of course. I shall go there immediately."

The flashing colours of spells firing from the battleground briefly illuminated the torn features of his old friend, and Severus departed to meet with his master.

---

Eye of the Beast

Tess's thoughts pressed urgently into Severus's mind. Harry is leaving for the Shrieking Shack! He's heading your way!

Potter's coming straight to the Dark Lord?

Yes! Where are you?

Outside the shack. I can't delay any longer. Tess, please try not to interrupt me – I need to concentrate. Stay in the Headmaster's office and keep safe.

I will.

The Dark Lord was waiting for Severus behind the light of an old oil lamp.

The creaky, dilapidated front room of the supposedly haunted house was lit up by the far-away lights of firing spells, flickering like fireworks against the night sky. The pounding against the castle walls sounded muffled from this distance, a distance which Potter was traversing at that very moment.

Severus knew Potter might not be far away. If he was foolish enough to use the secret passageway underneath the Whomping Willow, the boy would walk straight into the dragon's lair.

The Dark Lord was seated next to a table, his long fingers caressing his wand thoughtfully. At his side, suspended mid-air in a silvery protective sphere was his pet snake, Nagini. The giant serpent coiled inside its enchanted cage, issuing soft hisses into the shabby, claustrophobic room.

Severus's heart froze as Albus Dumbledore's words came back to him – there would come a time when Lord Voldemort would seem to fear for the life of his snake. When he no longer sent the snake forth to do his bidding, but kept it safe beside him, under magical protection, then it was safe to tell Harry the truth.

That time had apparently arrived. The moment was here, and Potter might be about to walk into a trap, not even aware he was missing essential knowledge to defeat the Dark Lord.

Severus stepped into the room, kneeled before his master, and then placed himself between the Dark Lord and the old crate which concealed the hidden passageway to Hogwarts.

"You wished to see me, my Lord?" Severus said with a bow.

"Indeed I do, Severus. You have been loyal and served me well." The Dark Lord's voice was contemplative.

"Allow me to serve you again; I can return to the battle and add my weight to the attack, my Lord, their resistance is crumbling..."*

"...And it is doing so without your help,"* the Dark Lord interrupted. "Skilled wizard though you are, Severus, I do not think you will make much difference now. We are almost there... almost."*

"Let me find the boy. Let me bring you Potter. I know I can find him, my Lord. Please."*

Severus took a pre-emptive step towards the door, but the Dark Lord stood up, forcing him to stop.

"I have a problem, Severus."* The Dark Lord's voice was unusually soft.

"My Lord?"*

The wand in the Dark Lord's hand rose into the air with delicate precision.

"Why doesn't it work for me, Severus?"*

Severus felt a frozen stone plunge through his stomach. The Dark Lord obviously had something he wished to discuss, and Severus wasn't going to be able to absent himself quickly.

"My – my Lord?"* he replied, puzzled. "I do not understand. You – you have performed extraordinary magic with that wand."*

"No,"* The Dark Lord declared. "I have performed my usual magic. I am extraordinary, but this wand... no. It has not revealed the wonders it promised. I feel no difference between this wand and the one I procured from Ollivander all those years ago. No difference."*

The calmness in the Dark Lord's voice turned Severus's spine to ice. Something was going to be required of him – was it knowledge or something else? Severus stared at Nagini twisting and curling as she floated in her sparkling cell. He knew the snake was important, but he knew not why.

The Dark Lord began to pace around the room. "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. Let me find Potter."*

"You sound like Lucius. Neither of you understands Potter as I do. He does not need finding. 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."*

Severus knew his master was correct and knew there was even a chance that Potter could already be within a few feet of them both. "But my Lord, he might be killed accidentally by one other than yourself..."*

"My instructions to my Death Eaters have been perfectly clear. Capture Potter. Kill his friends – the more, the better – but do not kill him. But it is of you that I wished to speak, Severus, not Harry Potter. You have been very valuable to me. Very valuable."*

"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!"* The Dark Lord turned and his cloak swished against the dusty floorboards. "My concern at the moment, Severus, is what will happen when I finally meet the boy!"*

"My Lord, surely there can be no question – surely...?"*

"...But there is a question, Severus. There is."*

Red eyes fixed themselves upon Severus, and the Dark Lord's wand slid through his pale fingers.

"Why did both the wands I have used fail when directed at Harry Potter?"*

"I – I cannot answer that, my Lord,"* Severus replied shakily. However, he might have access to the answer...

Tess? I need your help.

"Can't you?"* The Dark Lord's question was a sibilant whisper. "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 Lucuis's wand shattered upon meeting Potter's."*

"I – I have no explanation, my Lord."*

Tess, wandlore! There will be a reference book in the office! Find it!

Severus's eyes were drawn once again to the snake, swimming mid-air in its enchanted cage.

"I sought a third wand, Severus. 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."*

It was as though Severus's heart had stopped beating. Dumbledore's wand had in fact been the fabled Deathstick, and it was now in the clutches of the greatest Dark wizard the world had ever known.

He looked into the slit-like eyes of the Dark Lord, Occluding his emotions and adopting an unperturbed mask. Severus knew what this meant: he had been the one who had killed Dumbledore. If the Dark Lord thought Severus himself was now the master of the Elder Wand...

"My Lord – let me go to the boy..."*

"All this long night, 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."*

Tess, am I the master of the Elder Wand?

Frantic flicking of old parchment pages was quickly followed by, If you defeated Dumbledore that night on the Astronomy Tower, then yes.

But his death was already arranged between us. Would the wand know that? And what about Draco? He Disarmed Dumbledore first!

Disarming could be the same as defeating, I'm not sure.

"Perhaps you already know it?"* the Dark Lord continued. "You are a clever man, after all, Severus. You have been a good and faithful servant, and I regret what must happen."*

Severus wondered what the Dark Lord was postulating; did he believe he needed to defeat Severus in order to win the wand's loyalty? The Deathstick was reputed to be won through murder, though, not simply defeat. Was that true?

Or was this just a test, some sort of cruel experiment to check Severus's own loyalty? Was he expected to divulge knowledge? He secured his wand in his hand, ready to defend himself.

"My Lord..."*

"The Elder Wand cannot serve me properly, Severus, because I am not its true master. The Elder Wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner. You killed Albus Dumbledore. While you live, Severus, the Elder Wand cannot truly be mine."*

Severus's hand jerked as he raised his wand. "My Lord!"*

But, from the look on the Dark Lord's face, Severus knew his plea would be ignored. Whilst the Dark Lord believed he needed to die by his hand, Severus was certain his death alone would not accomplish the Dark Lord's mastery of the Elder Wand. He could, of course, earn himself a reprieve by offering the information that it was Draco Malfoy who had Disarmed the wand's master, but then the power of the Deathstick could be easily transferred to the most dangerous man alive, and Harry Potter would have no chance of defeating him.

"It cannot be any other way,"* said the Dark Lord, prowling like a cat circling his prey. "I must master the wand, Severus. Master the wand, and I master Potter at last."*

Severus knew he was trapped, and that he was not the one destined to kill the Dark Lord. There could only be one winner.

There was, of course, still the chance that the Dark Lord was testing him. He sensed Tess now, furiously thumping the door as she tried unsuccessfully to undo his protective spells.

Perhaps this was the way it had to be...

Dumbledore's wand cut through the air.

And nothing happened.

Severus let out a fraction of the breath he'd been holding.

He hadn't cast a Shield Charm in the hope that he was being tested. Had he passed the Dark Lord's inquisition?

But then the starry pen which enclosed Nagini began to roll in his direction. Tess screamed in his mind, and as the cage encased his head and shoulders, Severus yelled his own surprise. The scaly skin of the serpent brushed up against his cheek, and he tried desperately to push the cage away. The eye of the beast glinted at him malevolently.

Severus started to feel faint, as if all his blood had drained from his head. It was as though time had suspended, and his body turned to marble.

He heard the Dark Lord hissing in Parseltongue and sensed the snake's fangs sinking into his neck. At first there was a sting of venom, but soon there was very little pain; it was as if his body accepted its fate and had stopped fighting. He was aware of his scream as the breath he'd held in his lungs rushed out. And then he was falling to his knees...

He didn't feel the impact. The sound of the hissing snake sounded strangely remote. However, he could hear Tess's hysterical cry in his mind. He tried to reassure her.

"I regret it,"* The Dark Lord said, but there was no remorse in his voice.

The caged enclosure floated away, and Severus was free to fall to the ground. His knees buckled, and he landed sideways. He heard the clunk of the Tiger's Eye ring when his hand thudded on the floor.

Footsteps resonated on the wooden floorboards as the Dark Lord exited the room, and the illumination dipped as Nagini followed her master.

Warm liquid flowed against his cheek. Severus realised he was haemorrhaging, and he pressed his free hand against his neck to stem the blood flow. But he had seen others die this way and knew the attempt was futile.

As his strength waned he could no longer Occlude himself, and he rushed full-force into the sanctuary of Tess's mind.

Tess, he thought. I need to tell you what Dumbledore entrusted to me, and then you must find Harry. I won't make it.

No! I'll come to you! There's still time to save you!

No. There isn't. It's too dangerous. Stay there.

But...

Don't argue! This is more important. I need to do this, not just for Harry, but for me.

Severus felt Tess waver.

Take my memories, Tess. Give them to Harry. I want him to know everything. I want him to understand. He deserves to know the whole truth. I need him to know everything... Why I did what I did.

He selected his memories assiduously, telling his story, the entire story – his love for Lily, his one big mistake, his attempts to redeem himself, and finally the information which Dumbledore had assigned to him, more critical now than ever before.

Tess had barely begun to see his memories when the crate in the corner of the room levitated silently to one side, and Harry Potter revealed himself from underneath his Invisibility Cloak. He was followed closely by Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley, climbing into the room from the secret passage.

Harry bent down and looked at Severus, entranced. Severus reached out and grasped Harry's robes, pulling him closer.

When he tried to speak, blood gurgled in his throat, choking him. Severus heaved another breath, the air struggling to push past the gushing flow.

"Take... it... Take... it,"* he rasped.

The silvery-blue whispers of the past, which he'd collected for Tess, leaked slowly into the stale air of the room, a précis of his hopes, fears and quest for redemption.

Out of the corner of his vision, he saw Miss Granger conjure a flask and collect the precious memories. All of them.

The Half-Blood Prince's tale was told, and he knew that The Chosen One would know who Severus truly was and who he had always been.

Severus was complete.

Lily's green eyes peered at Severus. They were all he could see now the peripheries had darkened. He felt his fingers starting to lose their grip and slip against Harry's robes.

"Look... at... me."*

Lily's eyes locked onto his.

And then suddenly Severus realised he no longer needed Lily's forgiveness.

Because now, in this moment, Severus had forgiven himself.

He could feel Tess's presence encircling and cradling him as he drifted away from this mortal coil. She held him and comforted him in ephemeral arms.

Severus held his last breath in his lungs, knowing his end had come.

The Tiger's Eye ring on his little finger tingled furiously.

I love you, Tess.

And then all was black.

---

The first thing of which Severus became aware was the soft stroke of a warm breeze and the rushing sound of flowing water.

The gentle wind tickled his body which, he now realised, was naked. As soon as his discomfort registered, he could feel the soft brush of cotton and wool against his skin.

He lay for a while, wondering if he should open his eyes.

He felt calm, untroubled and free of pain.

Eventually his curiosity got the better of him. He needed to know where he was and, indeed, if he were still alive.

Opening his eyes answered neither of these questions.

He was lying upon grass, surrounded by a swirling white mist.

Shapes began to form above him. First, the outline of tree branches, then leaves, and the sun breaking through the canopy, casting shadows in the dappled shade.

Slowly he sat up. The leaves glowed luminous green in the sunlight, and the branches of the ancient willow creaked, their extent almost brushing against the bank of the river. Beyond, the gentle flow of water lapped against the riverbank.

Now he knew where he was.

It was the same riverbank he had shared with Lily during their childhood; some of the happiest memories of his life.

Severus pulled his knees towards him and wrapped his arms around his legs. He realised now he was wearing the clothes he'd worn for Tess's birthday – the same dark green shirt and black waistcoat. He studied the cufflinks and remembered fidgeting with the cuffs and straightening his attire nervously as he'd battled to tell her how he felt about her.

But he'd done it now.

With his last breath.

Even though they'd spent nearly a year together, it seemed their time had been cut tragically short.

Severus tried to recall the taste of her on his lips, and then, as if by request, he evoked the flavour of Marasca cherries, intense, rich and refined, like a classic Amarone wine.

It seemed whatever he imagined in this place would materialise, all his wishes and requirements, like some universal Mirror of Erised.

So, if he had access to anything he desired, living or dead, what would he choose?

He was in the special place he'd shared with Lily, and yet he didn't want her here with him.

He wanted Tess.

Wanted her to find him, to hold him, to love him.

The leafy branches at his back made a rustling sound, which could not have been caused by the wind.

If he looked around, Severus wondered who he might see.

---

Despair and Hope

Inside the Headmaster's office, leant against the oak door, Tess stood with her hands over her eyes, forcing herself to keep her eyelids tightly shut. A brilliant white light blinded her from within.

Afraid to open her eyes and lose contact with Severus forever, she squinted into the brightness, perceiving shapes forming and moving in the mist. She watched gleaming white fragments interweaving into a coherent whole, and she sensed Severus's peaceful serenity as the patterns shifted and bound together. It was as though his soul were melding and transforming inside her mind.

His moment of unity was precious, momentous and agonisingly brief.

When the light extinguished it was as if someone had cancelled a Lumos Charm in the dead of night. The emptiness was stark and pitch-black.

Tess heard the crackle of the Floo as it roared back to life. She opened her eyes and realised the protective barrier had gone; the spells which Severus had cast had been cancelled.

Either there was an intruder on their way into the office, or...

Tess simply couldn't face the other explanation for the undoing of Severus's spell-casting; there must still be a chance to save him.

She immediately Floo'd to the hospital wing. The ward was a hive of activity whilst the Battle of Hogwarts raged within and without.

Not stopping to intervene or offer help, Tess Summoned a phial of snake-venom antidote, a bottle of Blood-Replenishing Potion and some essence of dittany from the Medicinal Potions cabinet. She dashed out of the hectic room and ran down the corridor towards the Entrance Hall.

Lord Voldemort's voice rang like a bell through the corridors.

"You have fought valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery. Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat, immediately."*

At these words, the duelling armies stopped fighting and the Death Eaters began to retreat. Whilst the defenders of Hogwarts listened warily to the Dark Lord's conditions, Tess fought her way through the commotion, unnoticed. She had to reach Severus. She had to believe there was still enough time.

"You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured. I speak now to Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."*

Tess hurried past dazed and confused students, and sidestepped Pomona Sprout, who shouted, "Tess!" at her back.

But she didn't stop running.

Ahead, Minerva McGonagall heard Tess's name and turned to lock eyes with her. Tess attempted to push past, but was caught by a firm grip on her forearm.

"Where have you been?" Minerva asked, her gaze calculating. "We've looked everywhere for you."

"There's no time to explain," Tess panted, "I have to find him whilst there's still time!"

Minerva's grasp tightened like a vice. "I won't permit you to hand over Harry Potter to Voldemort, Tess."

Tess's eyes widened with astonishment. "Not Harry!" she snapped. "I need to get to Severus!"

Minerva's hand slipped in shock, and Tess immediately tore herself away, running as fast as she could, half expecting to be hexed from behind.

Instead, a silver cat Patronus overtook her and sped towards the Entrance Hall.

Tess followed its feline form as she cut through blown-apart balustrades, dodged shattered pieces of marble, and slipped on the Slytherin emeralds scattered across the floor. The Patronus, however, raced effortlessly across the battle-strewn arena and reached the door in plenty of time to deliver its message to Aurora Sinistra. The Astronomy professor raised her wand and quickly moved to meet Tess, blocking her exit.

"Let me through!" Tess pleaded, tears falling down her cheeks in desperation.

Valuable seconds trickled inexorably away as Aurora pointed her wand at Tess's chest.

"Severus is dying. I have to save him... I have to..." Tess faltered hopelessly.

Aurora studied Tess's features closely, seeming to decide something.

"Do you love him, Tess?"

Tess felt her mouth gaping open and her eyes pinching together as more tears streamed out. "Yes," she conceded hoarsely.

Aurora nodded swiftly. "Then go to him."

The professor stepped aside, and Tess's heart skipped a beat. It took a moment for her feet to respond to the command. "Thank you," she whispered.

She sprinted out into the night, through the dark, littered grounds, and past the retreating troops. At the perimeter wall the Dementors scattered, under old orders to let her pass.

Despair burned through her like a branding iron, and simultaneously a beam of hope encircled her heart.

As she darted to avoid obstacles and debris on the ground, Tess realised she had lifted into the air. Her despair and hope had propelled her skywards, flying like a tornado in the direction of Hogsmeade.

Towards the Shrieking Shack.

Towards Severus.

---

Tess blasted through front door of the Shrieking Shack and raced inside to search for the room she had viewed through Severus's eyes.

She saw the pool of blood first, and then his body, supine on the floor.

Skidding forward on her knees, she heaved his bloody mass onto her lap and rested his head, still warm, on her thighs. Severus's eyes stared fixed and unblinking into the distance, his body completely immobile.

Tess refused to give up hope and rifled through her robes to retrieve the bottles of potion. She parted his blue lips and tipped the liquids down his throat then sprinkled the essence of dittany onto the neck wound.

And waited.

She cradled his head, softly whispering a plea.

Seconds turned to minutes, and Severus did not stir.

Tess stroked his matted black hair away from his face, checked his jugular for signs of a pulse and listened closely for the sounds of breathing.

But there was nothing.

Nothing, except for the tears flowing down her face, and the sob clawing its way up her throat. Realisation dragged its talons inside her windpipe, freezing the air in her lungs.

She was too late.

Severus was dead.

Through the tightness in her chest, a shocked cry forced itself out, then Tess turned weak and her shoulders slumped. She drew in gulps of air with disbelieving moans.

The creaking sounds of the shack ripped through her eardrums and tore her body and mind asunder. It was as though her heart had turned to stone, and nothing, including herself, felt real.

She knew not how long she stayed there, holding his head on her lap, her tears falling on his bloody robes. It could have been minutes, it could have been hours. It could have been an eternity.

No amount of staring at his ashen features could convince her that she should move.

Eventually she swallowed, noticing the dryness in her throat and the hollow space in her stomach. Numbness enfolded her like a shroud, rendering her insensibly removed from events.

Tess tenderly closed Severus's eyelids, so he might appear peacefully asleep, and then noticed the Tiger's Eye ring glinting on his little finger. She closed her eyes and clasped her hand, trying to make contact with him through the rings. But the band on her finger no longer tingled; the connection between them had severed.

Tess lay his head gently down and pulled herself along the floor to remove the ring from his finger. Blood had congealed around the oval, golden-brown stone, and as she watched, the clots seemed to be absorbed into the silver metal. She blinked once to force her eyes to refocus, and the ring was clean again; all traces of his blood had disappeared.

Not knowing what to make of it, and feeling increasingly sick, Tess stood up and pocketed the ring. She draped her cloak over Severus's remains, resolving to return to the Shrieking Shack after the battle.

Completely unaware of her blood-stained robes, she left the derelict building, intending to do everything possible to bring down the man who had killed the one she loved.

---

Love and Loss

Outside the Shrieking Shack, Tess realised she could not Disapparate; Hogsmeade and its surrounding areas had been charmed to prevent escape.

She staggered through the gate and, guided by the distant lights of Hogwarts, attempted to fly. However, all she managed to do was trip and stumble in the dark woods. Her hope drained away; the combination of emotions required for the spell was beyond her reach now.

Hogsmeade village was deserted; not a single shopkeeper or homeowner remained. Tess looked down the hill towards the school and saw the distant flicker of wand-light as the population descended through the trees in the direction of Hogwarts. With no one to help her, no broomstick to fly, and no means of transportation, Tess had no choice but to trek down the steep path alone.

The cold stone which had replaced her heart drummed nauseously, and her chest began to burn. The night air penetrated her clothing, making her shiver.

The pre-dawn sky was tinted indigo, and stars were blotting out one by one as the sun made its steady journey towards the horizon. Through the clouds scattered overhead, Tess could make out the morning star, Venus, shining like a talisman, leading her onward.

Sometime later, ahead in the distance, the sounds of battle raged once more when the crowd from Hogsmeade penetrated the perimeter wall. Spells flickered, red, green and blue, lighting up the grounds like a swarm of fireflies. Dark shapes in the castle grounds suggested the Dark Lord's giants had added their strength to the fight, and Tess caught a horrific glimpse of an Acromantula scuttling out from the Forbidden Forest.

Despondency engulfed her as she realised she might be too late. Her desire to take out a Death Eater or two diminished, and the strength in her muscles began to fail. It was all so very hopeless.

Exhausted and overwrought, Tess eventually passed through the castle gates and climbed up the gravel path. By the time she had reached Hogwarts, the grounds were deserted; the battle had been taken inside and, when she stepped cautiously through the cloisters of the courtyard, a hush had fallen.

As she ascended the steps to the Entrance Hall, the sun rose on the horizon, casting a stream of pink light from the East, flooding through the stained-glass windows of the Great Hall.

An almighty cheer broke the silence, and screams and roars of hundreds of people rent the air. The exultant jubilation stopped Tess in her tracks. A knot, which she hadn't noticed until now, loosened itself in her stomach, and she knew, unequivocally, that Voldemort was dead.

Soon after, a Death Eater limped out of the Great Hall unnoticed by the joyous masses. Tess waited for him in the shadows of the antechamber and saw the man was Robert Selwyn's father. Perhaps she had arrived in time to do some good.

Before the Dark wizard knew who or what had hit him, Tess's Stunning Spell rammed him against the wall. His head cracked on sandstone, and he slumped onto the floor with a groan.

Tess dragged her tired and sore feet towards the unconscious man, surveying him with contempt. She kicked him hard in the stomach.

"That's for Robert," she whispered.

Tess felt a hand on her shoulder. She jumped and turned to see Aurora Sinistra appraising her with concern.

"Did you find Severus?"

Tess nodded.

The expression of hope on Aurora's face caused fresh tears to leak down Tess's own.

"I was too late." Tess almost choked on the words. Her vision blurred, and the lump in her throat swelled like a balloon.

The next thing she knew, Aurora's arms were around her.

Tess crumpled as she fell into her embrace, sobbing and wailing as the pain of grief overwhelmed her.

---

"Come on, Tess, we need to get you out of these clothes," Aurora was saying.

Tess seemed to be void of any feeling as she looked down at her heavily-bloodstained robes. Numbness had taken over in the hours since Severus's death. She was in the Great Hall, surrounded by a mixture of the bereaved and the survivors, who were celebrating and commiserating.

She was aware she hadn't spoken since being found in the Entrance Hall, even though Aurora hadn't left her side. Tess's reactions were slow, and she looked at Aurora, bemused.

"You're frightening some of the younger students," Aurora explained.

Tess looked down at her garments, soaked in Severus's crimson life-force. Blood had dried on her hands, and now that she thought about it, she could feel the same sensation cracking around her face. She lifted her head to see the gazes of several students flicker away.

She felt nothing, only emptiness. If she were to put her feet on the floor, she felt certain that a chasm would open up and swallow the remnants of her soul, and part of her wanted to sink down into it to escape from the pain.

"Madam Marchbanks," came a woman's tentative voice from behind her.

Tess turned to see a sandy-haired, middle-aged woman with her arm around Robert Selwyn. The woman offered Tess her free hand.

Tess shook it automatically.

"I believe you apprehended my husband?" she asked. "Robert's father?" she added.

Tess cleared her throat, uncertain she could even speak. Up until now, she'd had no words.

"Yes," Tess managed.

The woman smiled. "I'm Anna Selwyn. Thank you for all you've done for Robert."

Tess nodded once and moved to stand on her feet for the first time in hours. She staggered when her knees gave out. Instantaneously, Aurora was at her side, supporting her, and together they left the Great Hall for the sanctuary of the dungeons. Anna and Robert looked on in concern.

"How long have you known?" Tess asked as Aurora helped her into her quarters.

"That you loved Severus?" Aurora clarified. "Since the night he came looking for you on the Astronomy Tower."

"How? I didn't even know it myself back then..." There were so many things she hadn't known until it was too late. "How did you know where to look?" Tess asked.

"Minerva asked me to keep an eye on you. She had... concerns... about your affiliations. Once she even suspected you were under the Imperius Curse."

Tess exhaled mirthlessly at the irony.

"But I noticed something in Severus's eyes that night, and from the look on your face when he arrived on the Tower, it was plain to see. I knew then that you weren't a danger to the Order, and I hoped that love might save Severus from a dark and miserable fate. I've watched his suffering for years. Little did I know he had once loved Lily Potter."

"I can't believe you didn't turn me in."

"Well, I suppose I'm an old romantic at heart, Tess. That, and I trusted Dumbledore. I had to believe he had good reason for bringing you to Hogwarts." Aurora paused. "I'm so sorry for your loss."

Aurora kissed Tess on the forehead. "Get changed and get some sleep. I'll bring you some breakfast in a few hours' time."

Tess nodded, and Aurora left.

But Tess didn't move, or bother to take off her clothes. She stood, contemplating Aurora's reason for trusting her – Aurora had trusted Dumbledore's judgment.

Had Dumbledore known Tess would fall in love with Severus?

Surely not. That would make no sense at all.

In fact, Dumbledore probably chose Tess because she had loathed Severus so, and would have thought the distraction of love to be an unlikely complication.

Tess's curiosity piqued and she glanced at the Floo, thinking she might visit the Headmaster's portrait after she'd had some sleep.

That was it.

The Headmaster's portrait!

How had she not realised it sooner?

She threw Floo Powder into the fireplace and stepped upon it, knowing she would see Severus again, if only as a picture hanging on a wall.

---

Still wearing her blood-stained robes, Tess arrived in the Headmaster's office and scanned the walls for the new portrait.

Slowly the Headteachers awoke from their early-morning slumbers and watched Tess sympathetically. There was no sign of Minerva McGonagall having taken up residence and no portrait of Severus to greet her.

"Where is he?" Tess's voice sounded harsh in her ears. "Where's Severus?"

Dumbledore strode wearily into his frame, having apparently been elsewhere. Tess met the wizard's piercing blue eyes with a cold stare.

"Why is he not here?" she demanded.

Dumbledore, beneath his long white beard and half-moon spectacles, appeared somewhat embarrassed. "I'm afraid, Tess, that Severus's removal from the Headmastership was tantamount to abandonment, and, ah, tradition states that ignoble departures do not earn one a portrait in this office. It was the same for Dolores Umbridge."

"But that's outrageous! Severus did everything possible to protect the students of Hogwarts and bring down the Dark Lord – he lay down his life for them!" Tess hissed with exasperation.

Dumbledore nodded understandingly and lifted his upturned palms in apology.

Tess's anger soon waned. Her last hope had dissolved. She would never see Severus again. She had truly lost him.

Forcefully, she wiped tears from her cheeks and dried her hands on her robes. It was only then that she noticed the disappearance of the bloodstain around the pocket in which she had stowed Severus's Tiger's Eye ring.

Tess studied the circular pattern of clean material around the pocket and turned the ring over on her fingertips. The silver band gleamed, pristine.

She shuffled over to Magda McDougall's portrait. The former Headmistress leaned forward to look at the ring in the palm of Tess's hand.

"This ring has an affinity for blood – how is that possible?" Tess asked.

Magda pushed cascading brown ringlets away from her face and scratched her head. "Who knows what that ring has become whilst Severus has worn it. You've exposed it to so much magic, and the bond between you became so close, I doubt even the Ministry could categorise it."

Tess stared at the silver ring she had taken from Severus's body. Proportioned for his little finger, it was wider than the band she still wore. "It's all I have of him now," she murmured.

Without thinking, she placed the ring on her middle finger – the only one which would fit – and the metal cooled instantly against her skin.

The last thing Tess remembered was a flash of brilliant white light and the sensation of her knees giving way as she fell to the floor.

---

Weeping Willow

Sitting in the dappled shade of his tree, Severus turned to see the figure of a woman opening the curtain of willow branches and stepping onto his riverbank.

She wore a silk dress of bronze and blue, and her brunette tresses tumbled over her shoulders in waves, swept by the breeze. The lime-green luminosity of the leaves seemed to dance in patterns across her features.

At first, Tess approached hesitantly, watching Severus as he arose to greet her. Then suddenly she sped towards him, flinging her arms out and almost knocking him over with the force of her embrace.

She held him tightly, seeming afraid he might evaporate if she were to let go.

Severus gathered her hair gently away from her face and cupped her chin tenderly. When their lips converged her kiss was ragged and possessive, attempting to devour and contain him, as if he might otherwise slip away. He responded patiently, kissing her reassuringly, holding her head loosely in his hands.

And then Severus tasted salt.

His fingers grazed her cheeks and discovered they were soaking wet. He pulled away from her lips and wiped the tears from her face with his thumbs.

"I didn't imagine you would cry when I kissed you," he murmured.

Tess pressed her head into his chest and held him close.

"I don't want to believe this is real," she whispered. "It can't be real..."

Severus stroked her hair. "Why not?"

"I saw you," she said, her voice muffled against his shirt. "I felt you die." Tess clung to him fearfully.

"I'm fairly sure I did die."

Tess looked up at him, not sure what to believe. "They recovered your body a couple of hours ago. You're currently laying on the dais in the Great Hall, next to Remus and Dora. This must be a dream. I must be asleep."

Severus saw the seriousness of her expression, her confusion, and her loss of hope.

"And I thought this was somehow my dream..." he said. "Or some kind of afterlife. Everything I wish for appears here." He lifted her chin with his fingertips, so he could look into her beautiful blue-grey eyes. "Including you."

He moved closer, and her eyes flickered shut as her lips welcomed him in a slow, tranquil kiss. This was what he had imagined: Tess in his arms, belonging to him, melting against him as their bodies merged, never to be parted again.

And now Severus knew a true moment of serenity. Of loving and being loved.

If only it could last forever.

He sensed a change in her when her fingers pressed into his cheek, and she softly pushed his lips away. He saw questions flicking though her eyes: all too quickly, her Ravenclaw inquisitiveness took over, her rational mind struggling to comprehend their apparent shared existence, unable to go with the flow of the moment.

Tess studied his features as if he were some great mystery waiting to be understood.

Severus knew he had been an enigma in life; he had deliberately remained so to protect himself over the years. But he now realised he wanted Tess to understand him.

He cared little about the puzzle of his being there with her, impossibly, implausibly, in the happiest place he had ever known.

What he needed now was for Tess to know him, inside and out, the best of him and the worst of him. All of it.

All of him.

But, for now, it appeared Tess needed to know the answer to 'How?'

Severus glanced at the grassy verge, and a picnic blanket appeared forthwith, together with two plump cushions. He took her hand and guided her to sit down beside him.

Tess couldn't relax. She fidgeted incessantly, wringing her hands, looking furtively around, trying to work out the conundrum. She turned and rested against the side of her hip, and her eyes devoured him. "Where are we?"

Severus looked around once more at the branches of the weeping willow enclosing them. "On the riverbank near my home, the place I felt most happy."

Tess swallowed the answer with consternation. She adjusted the straps of her dress as they threatened to slip from her shoulders.

"We appear to be wearing the clothes we wore on your birthday," Severus continued. "I assume my choice was based on the moment I was happiest with you."

Tess smiled self-consciously. "They would've been my choice too."

Severus felt a spike of fear. "Oh my God, Tess. You're not dead too? Did you die in the battle?"

"No. I'm not dead. At least, I don't think I am. After Harry killed Voldemort, I returned to the Headmaster's office, hoping to see your portrait, and then... I put your Tiger's Eye ring on my finger." Tess looked down at her hand and there it was – his ring on her middle finger. "That's the last thing I remember."

Severus took her hand and kissed it. His fingers nudged the golden brown stone. The silver band sparkled in the broken rays of sunlight.

"So it must be something to do with the ring. Tell me what happened to it," he said.

"I... took it from your little finger, and it was covered in your blood. But then the spots of blood disappeared, as if it had been absorbed into the metal. Later on, the ring soaked up the bloodstains from my robes."

Severus pondered the repercussions. Somehow his essence could have become trapped in the ring. He remembered Harry Potter had been discussing Horcruxes when he'd returned to the castle, so that must have been how the Dark Lord had survived death all those years before.

But what new magic was this, which sealed Severus's soul into a ring? His soul did not tear at the time of his death; if anything, he felt it heal.

He shared his musings with the woman at his side.

Her nose scrunched as she considered the question of Horcruxes and souls. "Would Horcruxes absorb blood?" she asked.

"I don't know. I don't think so."

"How much time do you think we have?" Tess asked.

"I think time works differently here," Severus said. "You said my body had been moved two hours ago, yet I had barely been here two minutes when you arrived. I have the sense that we have plenty of time, although I can't tell you how I know that."

Tess stifled a yawn. She looked tired and weary. Severus brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face.

"When did you last sleep?" he asked.

She thought about it for a moment. "About twenty-two hours ago."

Tess yawned properly now. Her tiredness was contagious.

Severus laid back on the cushions and gestured for her to rest her head against his shoulder. "We can solve the mystery of the Tiger's Eye ring when you've had some sleep," he said softly. "Lie down with me, Tess. I'll be here when you wake."

Tess sat watching him, no doubt torn between her need for sleep and her need for answers. He smiled at her, happy that she was there with him. She was all he really wanted, after all.

Her smile spread to a mischievous grin.

"There are several things I'd like to do before I get some shut-eye, Severus," she said. Her eyes narrowed as her gaze swept his body.

Severus did a guileless double-take.

Tess laughed and slipped one leg over his hips, straddling him. Playfully, she began to undo the buttons on his waistcoat.

Then she was unbuttoning his shirt and running her warm hands up his chest, and it seemed as though Severus had forgotten to breathe. His lips, slightly parted, had nothing to say. His eyes could only watch.

If this were heaven, he wanted to stay for all eternity.

She leaned over him, locks of her hair tickling his face and chest.

"Besides," Tess said, her voice a whisper in his ear, "I want to see what kind of underwear you imagined I'd be wearing."

Severus felt little-used muscles contracting as a smile crept across his face.

His fingers found the zipper on the back of her dress, and Amarone lips enveloped him in a teasing kiss.

---

Sleeping in Light

The first thing Tess became aware of was the slightly medicinal smell of the air.

She could see the orangey-pink glare of bright sunshine through her eyelids, but it took some time to find the energy to open her eyes.

When she did so, daylight streamed onto her retinas, making her squint. She lifted an arm, which felt like a block of stone at her side, and her skin brushed against crisp cotton sheets. She raised her hand to shield her eyes from the unrelenting brightness.

A figure stepped forward from a chair at her bedside, and when her vision came into focus, she saw her brother, Nate, leaning over her. His concerned face lightened as she continued to stir.

"Welcome back, Tess," he said, squeezing her other arm, which lay motionless upon the bed in Hogwarts' hospital wing.

Tess attempted to speak, but her voice was a squeaking croak.

"How do you feel?" Nate asked.

Tess swallowed and ran a mental checklist through her body. There were no aches, no pains and no stiffness. Just a very dry throat.

"Thirsty," she whispered.

Madam Pomfrey appeared at her bedside with a glass of water, and Nate helped to adjust Tess's pillows as she sat up. Small sips of deliciously cool water slid down Tess's throat, and with each mouthful she seemed to regain mental acuity.

"What happened? How long have I been here?"

"Aurora Sinistra found you unconscious in the Headmaster's office yesterday morning. You were lying on the floor, covered in blood." Nate reclaimed his seat next to the bed. "Madam Pomfrey checked for everything, but could find nothing wrong. You've been here, fast asleep, for twenty-four hours."

The breath in Tess's lungs seemed to ache. "So it was a dream," she said shakily. "He wasn't real." As she said the words out loud, she felt her heart sink into her hollow stomach.

Poppy stepped forwards. "The Headteacher portraits told me you'd put this ring on your finger before you collapsed."

In the matron's upturned palm was Severus's Tiger's Eye ring. It sparkled in the sunlight.

Tess's heart leapt back into her chest and began to thrum.

"We didn't dare take the ring from you," Poppy continued, "not knowing what magic held you in your slumber. I felt certain you were safe, because... well, you were smiling in your dreams." Poppy touched Tess's forehead to check her temperature. "Nate arrived yesterday and has watched over you whilst I triaged and cared for the injured. This morning, we decided the time had come to remove the ring from your finger." Poppy's fingertips checked Tess's pulse for a few seconds, then she took a step away from the bed. "You seem fine now. I'm going to tell Minerva you're awake."

And then the nurse left the bedside.

An uneasy silence lingered between brother and sister. Tess realised the removal of the ring had pulled her away from the riverbank. She watched Poppy slip Severus's ring inside her apron as she left the ward.

"Aurora told me everything, Tess," Nate began. "That you were in love with Snape..." The words seemed to cause him some distaste, but his next sentence was filled with regret. "I'm so sorry you lost him."

Tess blinked a flurry of tears from her eyes. "I haven't given up hope," she mumbled.

"Harry Potter relayed Snape's story after the battle, how he'd loved Lily Evans, and worked as a triple agent to protect Harry and bring down Voldemort. But nobody knew about you, Tess. Well, no one except Aurora."

Tess nodded sadly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Nate's tone was soft, without reproach.

"I couldn't. I was sworn to secrecy," Tess replied. "Anyway you weren't really around for me to tell. I think Gran might've figured it out, though."

"I still don't fully understand it, Tess. Snape just didn't seem your type – I mean, you hated him when he was your Potions master."

"Yes, I did. But that was sixteen years ago. A lot has changed. I've changed. And so did he. We grew closer; I was the only one who knew of his true affiliation. At first, it was just a physical attraction, but I came to realise some weeks ago that I loved him."

Nate's hazel eyes were wide, betraying his surprise. Nevertheless, he reached for his sister's hand and squeezed it.

The doors to the hospital wing opened; Poppy had returned with Minerva McGonagall. They walked past the rows of injured in curtained beds, until they stood beside Nate in Tess's cubicle.

Minerva held out Severus's Tiger's Eye ring in her hand, then placed it upon the bedside table and clasped her hands awkwardly.

"I owe you an apology, Tess."

Tess shook her head, but Minerva continued.

"No, I do. I doubted your allegiance, thought you were colluding with Death Eaters. I should've trusted you as a fellow member of the Order. I'm sorry."

"It's OK," Tess reassured her. "You weren't to know. You did what you thought best. I wouldn't have expected anything less of you."

"But I impeded you when you were trying to save Severus..."

"He was already dead," Tess interrupted. "It was already too late. I just couldn't accept it. I was desperate – hoping there was still a chance to save him."

Minerva's head hung low, and she dropped her hands to her sides, brushing them against her tartan robes. "I feel terrible about the whole thing. I didn't trust him, and I stopped trusting Dumbledore's judgment too. If I hadn't duelled with Severus in the corridor, he might still be alive today."

Tess offered her hand, and Minerva reached out and gently grasped it.

"The only person responsible for Severus's death is Voldemort," Tess assured her.

"You are kind, Tess. I'm so sorry for your loss."

With that, Minerva and Poppy left the bedside, leaving Tess alone with her brother.

"Help me out of bed, Nate. I need to speak to Dumbledore's portrait."

"Are you sure you're up to it?"

"Yes. It's important. There's something I need to know."

---

Tess was forced to eat breakfast before Poppy would allow her to leave the hospital wing. After some tea and toast, Tess dressed in fresh robes and followed her brother to the Headteacher's office.

Despite Nate being overly-protective, Tess managed the walk up the stairs unaided and found her strength gradually returning. By the time she stood before Albus Dumbledore she felt strong and calm.

"Did you know?" she asked the blue-eyed, bearded wizard sitting in his portrait.

Dumbledore peered at her through half-moon spectacles. "That you and Severus would fall in love?" he elucidated.

Tess nodded, her chin set.

"No," Dumbledore replied simply. "I knew you would be good for him, help him work through some of his grief, and ensure he remained at Hogwarts to protect the students. I hoped you'd become friends. I admit I never thought Severus capable of getting over Lily."

"You used Severus's grief for Lily as a way of guaranteeing his loyalty," Tess said without accusation.

"I did," Dumbledore confessed.

Tess retrieved Severus's ring from her pocket and held it out for all the Headteacher portraits to see.

"I've spent the last twenty-four hours with Severus," she began. The audience of witches and wizards took a collective intake of breath. "Somehow his essence has become trapped in this ring. We don't know how, or why. I need to know what this ring has become. Is it some kind of Horcrux?"

Dumbledore looked troubled. "Tell me what happened at the time of his death."

"Lots of things. After he was bitten by the snake, Severus collected his memories and gave them to Harry. Then I felt him forgive himself... I saw bright, white shapes moving... coalescing... He told me he loved me then everything went black."

Dumbledore sat back in his seat and hummed thoughtfully under his breath.

Tess continued, "Nothing happened to my ring, but when I recovered his, the ring had soaked up his blood. I returned to this office, placed the ring on my finger, fainted, and woke up inside his happiest memory. No time had passed for Severus since the moment of his death."

The piercing blue eyes of the portrait studied Tess, and she felt her brother's hand on her shoulder, reminding her of his presence.

"Horcruxes are formed when the soul is torn in two," Dumbledore explained. "The magic, naturally, is Dark; it requires a murderous act to tear the soul. What happened at the time of Severus's death sounds anything but Dark... Perhaps, in the moment of death, you witnessed Severus's fragmented soul being restored."

Tess remembered the shapes she had seen shifting and reforming, becoming a coherent whole. Maybe that had been a manifestation of Severus's soul?

"The healing of his soul at the precise time of his death, coupled with your connection to him through the rings, may have caused magic unheard of to have erupted spontaneously. Your love for each other and your shared connection through the rings must have melded his soul to the vessel on his finger. Perhaps, then, it has become some kind of anti-Horcrux, a version of the Light. Severus's soul may indeed live on, intact."

Tess started to feel faint as the ramifications stormed her mind.

Nate squeezed her shoulder and spoke softly into her ear. "Maybe you did save him, after all."

"No," she replied. "He saved himself. He was the one who forgave himself, and he was the one who allowed himself to feel love. Severus held the power all along. It took him until the moment of his death to realise it."

Tess stroked the silver band in the palm of her hand. "If his soul resides in this ring, there might be a way to bring him back."

There was a moment of silence as the listening portraits pondered the possibilities.

Dumbledore spoke first. "It could be feasible. After all, Voldemort regained his corporeal form in the graveyard of Little Hangleton, at his father's burial site."

"I could research how Voldemort's soul was reunited with his body that night," Tess contemplated.

"You could, Tess. But, before you begin, perhaps you should ask Severus to express his wishes? Does he want you to bring him to life, or would he prefer his soul be released into the ether?"

Tess bit at the dry skin of her bottom lip, a snake of doubt and worry curling in her abdomen. "You're right. I can't make the decision for him."

She hesitated as she placed the tip of her finger inside Severus's Tiger's Eye ring.

Nate stepped forwards, forcing her to look at him. "Tess, at least wait until you're back in the safety of the hospital wing."

"No, Nate. I have to do it now. I might not find courage to ask him otherwise. This needs to be Severus's choice." She looked steadily into her brother's eyes. "Catch me if I fall?"

With mingled acceptance and resignation, Nate nodded.

Tess slipped the ring onto her middle finger.

The last thing she felt was her brother's arms capturing her before she hit the ground.

And then Tess found herself stepping through the cascading branches of the weeping willow. Her presence caused the leaves to rustle peacefully.

Severus laid half-dressed upon the blanket, sleeping in light, just as she had left him.

The End