All Men Must Die
Chapter 18 of 19
morgaine_dulacAfter Snape has been told that Lily’s son has only been kept alive so that he can die at the right moment, he leaves Hogwarts for a little Muggle town where he once spent a happy weekend with his father. Walking down memory lane he finds a shabby little pub, a memory and hope. (Sequel to His First)
ReviewedChapter 18: All Men Must Die
Looking up at the portrait of Albus Dumbledore, Snape did his best to look indifferent.
'Your tomb has been raided,' he informed his predecessor, his voice cold and detached.
'By your master, I presume?' Dumbledore asked.
'By the Dark Lord, yes,' Snape confirmed.
'What has been taken?'
'Nothing but your wand.'
Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, stroking his long white beard. He seemed neither upset nor surprised. In fact, he looked almost satisfied, as if a carefully crafted plan had finally born fruit. Snape, however, did not yet understand.
'May I ask why the Dark Lord has need of your wand?'
Dumbledore smiled benignly.
'What is Voldemort's greatest desire, Severus? What is it he longs for the most?'
'Immortality,' Snape answered quickly. Most witches and wizards would have said that Lord Voldemort's ultimate goal was to take over the Wizarding world, but Snape knew better. Becoming the greatest wizard in the world was a mere bonus. What the Dark Lord really desired was to live forever.
Dumbledore nodded.
'And what, Severus, stands between him and his ultimate goal?'
'Harry Potter,' Snape answered, parts of Sybill Trelawney's first prophecy ringing in his ears.
... neither can live while the other survives...
Once more, Dumbledore nodded.
'And he himself must be the one to kill the boy,' he said.
'I am very much aware of that already,' Snape interrupted. He did not need to be reminded of the fact that he had protected the boy, Lily's son, for all those years just to see him being led to slaughter like a lamb.
'I am also aware that the Dark Lord has failed to kill the boy on several occasions,' he carried on. 'Are you implying that he intends to use your wand now? That he thinks that your wand will do the trick?'
Dumbledore nodded a third time.
'He is quite convinced of it, for a matter of fact.'
'Why?' Snape asked, his tone a tad sharper than he had intended for it to be. Dumbledore was once more driving him insane. The old man knew all the answers but insisted on beating about the bush.
Obviously sensing the dark wizard's impatience, Dumbledore leaned slightly forwards in his chair, gazing down at Snape.
'The wand I carried, Severus, was not just any wand. It is the Elder Wand.'
'I beg your pardon?' Snape narrowed his eyes. 'The Elder Wand? The Unbeatable Wand? That is an old wife's tale. Such a wand never existed.'
'Has it not?' Dumbledore asked, his blue eyes twinkling behind his spectacles. 'Can you be sure?'
Snape drew breath as if to speak but thought better of it. There were many mysteries in the Wizarding world he did not understand, many myths that had turned out to be true. Who was he to deny the existence of the Deathly Hallows?
'The Elder Wand is the most powerful wand known to wizardkind,' Dumbledore continued, 'Voldemort believes that it will make him undefeatable. He believes that the Elder Wand will enable him to finally kill Harry Potter and that he, consequently, will become the Master of Death.'
'But he will fail,' Snape pointed out. 'When he kills the boy...'
'... he will destroy the part of his own soul that lives inside Harry,' Dumbledore finished Snape's sentence. 'It will be the end of him.'
'Then there is nothing to worry about, is there?' Snape exclaimed sardonically.
'Voldemort will vanish, and the Wizarding world will be saved,' Dumbledore continued calmly. 'But I am afraid, Severus, that I have put you in grave danger.'
'Me?' Snape asked.
'Yes, my boy. You see, according to legend, to gain the allegiance of the Elder Wand, a wizard must defeat its previous owner. But as I was ready to be defeated, according to our plan, I assumed the powers of the Elder Wand would be nullified.'
'And you were wrong?' Snape wondered.
'Partly,' Dumbledore started to explain. 'You see, technically you did not defeat me. I was, prior to your arrival, disarmed by Draco Malfoy.'
Snape frowned.
'So now Draco is the master of the Elder Wand?'
'Most probably, yes,' Dumbledore replied. 'But Voldemort must never know. The boy is still innocent, his soul untarnished. We must protect him. For as soon as Voldemort suspects that the Elder Wand's loyalty does not lie with him, he will set out to kill its true master. Will he not, Severus?'
Any other man would have paled or at least gasped in terror. After all, the portrait of Albus Dumbledore had just read out his death sentence. But Severus Snape stood tall, seemingly unmoved.
'He will indeed,' he concurred, his voice impassive.
'And when that time comes, Severus, you will have to be ready. You will need to make sure that Harry learns everything he needs to know.'
'I will be ready.'
Snape's face was an inscrutable mask. There was no way of telling what he was feeling. In fact, he did not allow himself to feel anything for the time being. It wasn't until later, in the privacy of his study, that he drew in a deep, shuddering breath. His shoulders slumped, and as he held on to the back of his chair, his knuckles turned pure white. So this was it then. He was to be sacrificed for the greater good. He could understand Dumbledore's reasoning, of course. As the old man had said, Draco was still innocent and his soul not yet damaged. He could still be saved. Severus Snape, on the other hand, the Dark Lord's most trusted servant, a liar, a spy, a murderer... He was beyond salvation. Certainly, he had been innocent once as well, and his soul had been pure. But all this was so long ago that Snape could not remember how it had felt.
Maybe death would be a relief, he mused. To slip away, to be freed of all the pain and be absolved of all sins. But what would come afterwards? Snape believed neither in heaven nor hell, and purgatory was a concept he was unable to grasp. Would there be anything at all, he wondered. Or would there be nothing, just vast, eternal blackness with neither beginning nor end? The mere thought made Snape whimper. He had been alone for most of his life, and at times this had been so painful that he had wished to die. Was he now destined to spend eternity in the same miserable state without any hope of ever escaping it?
'Please, no,' he whispered into the darkness, acutely aware that no one would hear him. There had to be something! Some light, some hope, a tiny flame that burned in the depths of darkness, not unlike the one that was burning in the worn wooden frame above the fireplace.
Snape looked at it now, mesmerised. Hope had lit the candle in her room every night since he had left on New Year's Eve, and while Snape had been worried for her at first, while he had feared that she had once more grown afraid of the dark, he had soon understood that Hope wasn't lighting the candle for her own sake alone. For she rarely seemed fearful when he watched her in the flame. Instead he often saw her standing by the window, longingly looking out over the lake. And on some nights, when the darkness seemed impenetrable, Snape dared believe that she was waiting for his return.
He longed to go to her now. He longed to lie beside her, to listen to her breathing and feel the warmth of her body. He longed to feel her comforting touch, to see the precious glimmer in her emerald green eyes, a rare smile dedicated only to him. But he dared not go. He dared not look at her and tell her that all hope was lost. And so he settled on the chair in front of the empty grate, his eyes firmly locked on the tiny flickering flame, hoping that it would give him peace once again.
~~~
How many nights had he spent sitting there, Snape wondered as he stood in front of the fireplace, ready to leave his study for the very last time. How many nights had he wished he were able to Apparate right into the wooden frame, into Hope's comforting embrace? How many nights had he dreamed about escaping the Wizarding world, the war and his certain death? Too many to count, most probably, Snape concluded, but it did not matter now. For he knew that tonight he would be gazing into the candle light for the very last time. Harry Potter had returned to Hogwarts, and the Dark Lord was approaching, called by Alecto Carrow. By the time the sun rose in the morning, everything would be over. Either the Light would have triumphed or Darkness would have started its everlasting reign. And he, Severus Snape, would be dead.
Should he be afraid, he mused. Should he be angry or sad? Disappointed? A bit of each, maybe, and he had gone through all of these stages over the last weeks, but now he felt nothing. Nothing at all. For emotions were a luxury he could not allow himself that night. He had to stay focused. He had one more task to fulfil, one more message to convey. If he failed, Potter would fail. And if Potter failed... No! He mustn't even consider that possibility! Dumbledore had believed in the boy. Dumbledore had believed in him, Snape. He still did! It could work. It just might. It had to.
Now to get close to the boy...
One last time, Snape checked his pockets. In his right, he carried three phials: Blood-Replenishing Potion, Essence of Dittany and Phoenix Tears. In his left, he carried a Bezoar and the key to a shabby little pub in a tiny Muggle village. Just when he would use any of those items, he did not know. Surely, when the Dark Lord decided to kill him, he would use the Killing Curse. Swift and merciless. No potion would save him then, Snape was aware of that, but maybe he would be able to save someone else. For the Bezoar, he would most probably not have any use. It was highly improbable that someone would get poisoned during the battle. But he would keep it in his pocket for good luck, for the same reason that he carried the key Hope had given him last summer. For luck, he would need. He would need plenty of it.
~~~
His first attempt to get to Potter had failed. He had hoped to get the boy on his own, up in Ravenclaw Tower, where Alecto had apprehended him. But unfortunately, Minerva McGonagall had gotten to him faster and as could be expected of the Head of Gryffindor House she had protected her student. Fiercely, like the lioness she was! Then Flitwick and Sprout had appeared, followed by Slughorn, and Snape had realised that they would not let him anywhere near Potter. In fact, had he even made the tiniest of moves towards the boy, they would have torn him to pieces and Potter would have gladly joined in. For the boy hated him, so passionately that the air around him seemed to vibrate. And so Snape had been forced to make a run for it, hoping against hope that he would get a second chance to encounter Potter on his own. But now he did not even know where the boy was.
The battle was in full rage: giants and Acromantula had joined in, spells and curses were cast and found there mark, followers of Potter and the Dark Lord alike were injured, maimed and slain. The walls of Hogwarts were crumbling, and the ground was turning red with blood.
Concealed by a Disillusionment Charm, Snape moved carefully across the battlefield. He helped where he could, stunning Death Eaters and shielding students whenever possible, but his main goal was to find Potter. The boy needed to know! He needed to understand before he came face to face with the Dark Lord. He needed to know that he had to die.
'Lucius! Lucius! Have you found him? Have you found Draco?'
Snape came to a halt. Some feet to his left, protected by the shadows of a crumbling wall, stood Narcissa Malfoy, reaching out for her husband, who was hurrying towards her.
'I haven't,' Lucius replied, panting. 'The Dark Lord, he doesn't want me to... He sent me to find Severus.'
'I don't care what the Dark Lord wants,' Narcissa cried. 'We need to find our son. We need to bring him home.'
'I can't, Cissy,' Lucius replied, his voice breaking. 'The Dark Lord... I have orders... I must find Severus.'
'You have found me.'
Against his better judgement, Snape cast off the charm that had been veiling him and joined the Malfoys in the shadows.
'Severus!' Narcissa exclaimed, sinking to her knees and clasping his hand. 'Have you seen Draco? Have you seen my boy?'
'I have not,' Snape replied, pulling Narcissa up onto her feet. 'Where is the Dark Lord?' he enquired, turning towards Lucius.
'The Shrieking Shack,' Lucius replied. 'He wants you.'
'I know.'
It's over, Snape thought, his heart sinking. Voldemort had connected the dots. He thought that he had understood the secrets of the Elder Wand and had therefore called for its master, the master he would have to slay in order to gain the wand's allegiance. Severus Snape would die without having fulfilled his last task. He had not found Potter, and the boy would be unprepared when he met his nemesis. The Dark Lord would be victorious.
'Find Draco,' Snape told the Malfoys. 'Find him and get as far away from here as you can. Lucius, you have kin in France. Go there. Disappear.'
'He will find us,' Lucius replied, desperation ringing in his voice as he held out his left arm. 'No matter where we go.'
'You have to try,' Snape insisted. 'Now go. Find your son. Save him.'
They ran right out into the battle. Blinded by fear, neither Lucius nor Narcissa knew where they were heading, and Snape understood that they would never succeed. In fact, they might die before they even came close to finding their son. They needed protection. They needed guidance.
Snape looked down at his wand. It might be useless to even try, he thought. Darkness and desperation was spreading inside his heart, and he doubted that he would be able to cast the spell. And even if he did, he did neither know if the Malfoys would follow his Patronus nor where it would lead them. But they were his friends. He had promised Narcissa to help protect her son. He had to try.
'Expecto Patronum!'
At first, nothing happened, but still Snape kept his wand aloft. He wasn't about to accept defeat just yet. It might be too late for him to help Potter, but he would at least try to save Draco, one last innocent life.
His wand arm started to tremble, but Snape stood tall, searching deep in his mind for a happy memory. He saw a candle flicker, heard the sound of slow, regular breathing. He looked down and saw a little hand lying in his, fingers entwined. Then the candle went out, and Snape feared that he had failed. But instead of darkness, there suddenly was a light, a bright silvery light. A swan shot from the tip of Snape's wand, spread its wings and rose into the air. It dived down over the Malfoys, flew ahead of them, leaving a silvery trail for them to follow, and Snape stared after the majestic bird, his mouth open. Was he dreaming, he wondered. This couldn't be. His Patronus had always been a doe. Always. His blessing and his curse. But now it had changed form, and as Snape watched the swan glide through the open gates of Hogwarts castle, he felt his heart grow warm. There was still hope, he thought. There would always be hope.
~~~
'Let me find the boy. Let me bring you Potter. I know I can find him, my Lord. Please.'
Snape refused to give up. There was still hope. There bloody well must be! He would be given another chance to approach Potter. Even better, if he were to bring Harry Potter into Voldemort's presence now, the boy armed with knowledge the Dark Lord had not, they might be able to bring the monster down together. It could work. It could! If only Voldemort let him go. But the Dark Lord seemed for the time being not interested in Potter. Instead, his eyes and his mind were on his wand. The Elder Wand. The Death Stick. He was concerned that once he met Potter, the wand would fail him, just like his old wand had failed him, just like Lucius' wand had.
'My Lord, let me get the boy,' Snape pleaded once again, trying to win time. But Voldemort would have none of it.
'The Elder Wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner,' he explained. 'You killed Albus Dumbledore. While you live, Severus, the Elder Wand cannot be truly mine.'
No! NO! It mustn't be this way, Snape thought, gritting his teeth. He wasn't ready. Potter wasn't ready! He must get to the boy! He must tell him! He could not die now. He mustn't! But the Dark Lord swiped the air with the Elder Wand, and seconds later, Snape screamed as Nagini's fangs pierced his neck. But he didn't scream from pain. He was screaming out his desperation, his hopelessness. He had failed after all.
His knees gave way, and he fell to the floor. Desperately he tried to staunch the wound in his neck with his right hand while trying to get his left hand into his pocket. He mustn't die. Not now. He wasn't ready. The boy was not yet prepared. He had to try the potions. He must at least try. The Phoenix tears, they would help. They would keep him alive. But when he thrust his hand into his pocket, all he could feel was a cold stone and realised that his phials, the vessels that held his salvation, were in his other pocket. He coughed and spluttered and tried to move his hand. But his arm was heavy as led, and he understood that it was too late. The blood loss and Nagini's poison had weakened him. It would only be a matter of minutes until his organs would stop functioning, only a matter of minutes until he perished.
Then he heard footsteps. Out of nowhere, the Potter boy appeared. He was approaching him, bending over him, and Snape's heart once more filled with hope. It could still work. There could still be time.
'Take it,' he managed to bring forth, seizing the boy by his robes. 'Take it.'
He could feel the memories leave his mind. Those memories which he had harboured so carefully and protected from the Dark Lord for so many years. They left him and left behind a coldness that chilled Snape to the bones.
'Look at me,' he whispered, pulling the boy close. He wanted to tell him what to do with the memories he had just been given, wanted to tell him how to use them. But he felt his mouth fill with blood, his throat, his nose. He was drowning, unable to utter one single more sound.
Staring into the boy's emerald green eyes, Snape let go off Harry, and his hand thudded to the floor, limp and lifeless. He had nothing more to give, was empty even of emotions. He was tired now and wanted to sleep, slip into well-deserved rest. From far away, he heard the Dark Lord's voice. It reverberated from the walls and the floor, and as Harry Potter jumped to his feet, Snape felt an urge to once more grab the boy by his robes. But he was unable to. He could neither move his hand nor speak, and as he heard the boy leave the room with his companions, he felt the coldness devour his heart. He should have known, he thought, blankly staring into the darkness. He should have foreseen that he would die like he had lived. Alone. All alone.
A spasm went through his body, made him convulse and involuntarily close his hands to fists, and in his left pocket, his fingers closed around a little piece of metal.
'Hope!' he croaked as his eyes suddenly locked onto a pair of green emeralds.
He was delirious now, Snape was sure of it. He couldn't be looking into Hope's eyes. He was lying on the dusty floor of the Shrieking Shack, and his dying mind was playing tricks on him. He had looked into Potter's eyes before everything had become dark. Lily's eyes, almond shaped and emerald green. Hope's eyes, framed with dark lashes, holding the promise of a smile that was destined for nobody but him. What he was seeing now was but a memory, the last he'd ever have. His last and his most precious.
One last time, he tried to draw breath but found that he could not. There were iron bands tightening around his chest, pressing the last air out of his lungs. The green eyes vanished from his sight, and as darkness drew in over him, becoming denser by the moment, Severus Snape felt himself fall into nothingness.
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Latest 25 Reviews for There Will Always Be Hope
64 Reviews | 7.31/10 Average
What a lovely final twist. The way you maintained canon was perfect. The fact that you still manage to give us a happy ending was absolutely brilliant. You're a very talented Author and I wish you the very best on your original works. The story earns a 10+
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
I just could not kill him off again. Just. Could. Not. (I'm getting soft, haha.) The Muse is lurking around with a part three to Severus and Hope's story, but we will have to work out some details before I even consider sitting down to write it. Thank you VERY MUCH for reading! I''m thrilled that you ejoy my stories. :)
That was truly heartbreaking. How devastating it must've been for Severus to learn about the elder wand and the dark Lord's need to master it. Reading this discovery as well as his journey leading up to and including his death of the shrieking shack was absolutely heart wrenching.
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
*hands over hankie*
As I have cried often and long when reading your stories I waited until this one was finished before I read it. The wait has been worth, it is simply a heartbreaking tale, thank you!
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
I need to stop making people cry. :P The ending of this story was nothing like I had imagined it in the beginning. Actually, both Hope and Severus stopped following the original plot around chapter three. As an author, I sat back and let them play. It is THEIR story, afterall, not mine. I think they did well. Thank you very much for reading and leaving a review. Both are very much appreciated!
When I first began reading this epilogue I wasn't completely clear about where all these students were and why they were there, but then it dawned on me that it was a group from Hogwarts and that they had to be at Hope's pub. But where was Severus? Had she managed to save him or not?
I really like the way the charmed key had brought Severus back to the pub. It was a brilliant bit of magic by a witch who hadn't routinely plied her craft for decades. But the Apparition to St. Mungo's with Severus was even more impressive! I don't know if "doing magic was indeed like riding a broom" or if it was an indication of just how powerful a witch Hope really is, but save him she did, and she erased the memory from the healer who had so skillfully applied the Phoenix tears, the bezoar, and the potions he had found in Severus' robes. Hope is damned good at memory charms, isn't she? She's very clever that way– no one is mortally damaged, and yet her purpose is accomplished.
When she went for her walk down to the lake, I was champing at the bit. Surely Severus would be there... YES!!! When a voice said, ‘Swans mate for life. Did you know that?’ I finally breathed a sigh of relief. I didn't realize I'd been holding my breath. I have come to associate Hope and Severus with the mated swans so much, and it was especially sweet to see that the lovely birds had their place in this epilogue, too. I sometimes think of Severus as a black swan, so when she looked toward the willow and saw him– "Black clothes, black eyes and black hair streaked with strands of silver"– it seemed perfect to me.
I love knowing that Hope and Severus are together. I love that they can tame each other's demons and wraiths with a gentle touch. And I love that both know that There Will Always Be Hope.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful gift for story telling with us. I have completely enjoyed this journey together, and "hope" to see more of these two sometime in the future. Likewise, I'm thrilled to know your first novel will soon be out and that you're working on a second one. Go, You!!! Of course I'm interested in finding out more about them, so be on the lookout for a PM from yours truly.
*sending loads of hugs and bouquets*Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Dear Beth, First, I'd like to offer my sincerest apologies for taking so long to reply. The last couple of weeks have been filled with editing and re-writing and sitting at the computer almost felt like a punihsment. I am ever so thankful to be able to count you among my most loyal readers. Your reviews and your willingness to share your thoughts with me have been ever so appreciated. I am quite sure that I will never be able to leave the Harry Potter fandom completely. Also, writing for me is like breathing, and sometimes writing in someone else's universe is easier than creating one of your own, so I am pretty sure I will return to fanfic sooner or later. When I do, Hope and Severus will be high up on my priority list. Their story certaintly isn't finished yet.Once more: many, many thanks for being there through the years! Hope to see you again!
When you told me there would only be two chapters left, I expected something like this, of course. But you write it so emotionally, eloquently and elegantly that it didn't matter the least. I absolutely adore your empathy with your heroes and how you keep the plot focussed on them and yet tell a whole story also on side characters. Even the village came to life before my inner eye.Would love to bestow a dozen or three more stars on your story!Thank you so much for sharing your talent with us and all the best for a career as a pro!
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Dear
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
, Thank you for making it through yet another story with me. Your continued support means the world to me!Hopefully I'll will be able to visit Severus and Hope one day and hope you'll come along. Maybe Hope will make her famous Shepard Pie for us?
Wonderful story! Thank you. I hope your imminent novel is successful
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Thank YOU for reading, for leaving a lovely review and for your best wishes.
Severus' conversation with Dumbledore' portrait and his return to his private study afterwords was heartbreaking. I cannot begin to imagine the soul-withering emptiness that must have claimed him as he sat before his cold hearth and watched the small candle flame in the wooden frame.
Reading his thoughts during his brief meeting with Lucius and Narcissa put tears in my eyes. And when he was finally able to cast his Patronus to guide them to Draco, I latched onto that beautiful Swan with all my mental might. I hope that the symbolism of the Swan, that they mate for life, would mean that Severus might somehow get lucky and find his way back to Hope. But then he was in the Shrieking Shack, and Nagini's attack was swift and vicious.
I hope it was a fortunate happenstance that led him to use his right hand to try to staunch the bleeding so that he found the key in his left pocket. "A spasm went through his body, made him convulse and involuntarily close his hands to fists, and in his left pocket, his fingers closed around a little piece of metal."
Oh, dear god, please let those emerald eyes he saw at the end have been Hope's eyes. Please let the key she had charmed have brought her to him. Please let her save his life. Please, even as Severus falls into nothingness, please let him awake to find himself alive and his love there with him.
Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
*hands over hankie and big girl panties and sends Beth to read the epilogue* Come on girl, be brave. You can do it!
When I'd finished reading this chapter I thought back to what Severus had noticed about the preparations Hope had made for the New Year's Eve feast. The simple fact that she couldn't make herself sit down, and the fact that "She had cleaned the tables so thoroughly that the wood shone with polish and had decorated them with white roses and tiny silver stars," spoke volumes about how tense she was. By the end of the chapter it was very clear that she was dreading the moment when Severus would have to leave, worried about him because of the things he'd told her about the light fading, and afraid she would never see him again.
I'm very happy that she used her magic to charm the key to the pub that he always carried with him. I hope she turned it into a Portkey that it will bring him back to her if he should be injured or unable to Apparate on his own.
George tickled me when he started giving Severus the third degree: ‘When are you going to take our darling Hope out for a date?’ Yes, I imagine many of the village folk have noticed a change in our Hope– she smiles when her friend is around.
I totally understood that Severus not staying another night was the right decision, but it broke my heart when he Disapparated. I had read this chapter the day it posted, but I just had to live with it a while to let my feelings sort themselves out. As always you have so entangled my emotions with those of Hope and Severus that at this moment my heart is trying to beat its way out of my chest.
When I came back to this chapter to reread it, I saw that the final chapter and the epilogue had already posted. So I'm going to put my big girl panties on and go find out what happened. Whatever it is, I know I'll love it because the way you write your stories it all makes sense. ~Lots of hugs~Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Oh, this was a tough chapter to write. I really wanted Severus to stay. I really wanted him and Hope to have a sweet night togethe. But nope, no sir, no way Jose. The Muse wouldn't have it. She really kills me at times!
It's good that they have at least addressed their feelings. And I hope her charmed key will somehow be essential in his survival.
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
*sits back and waits for you to read the two last chapters* :-)
Oh, she's reconnecting with magic and shows an interest in the wizarding world! I guess it will be a while until we know what spell she used on the key. So good for Severus to know there's a place he's welcome to visit any time, even if he cannot risk it. Once again a great chapter!
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
*sits back and waits for you to read the two last chapters* :-)
My gracious, so much has happened in such a short time. Edmunds' death came as a complete shock! I felt so sad for Hope and for Severus. It seems that how ever long it's been, things will happen that remind each of them of the sorrow, loss, and sadness they've known... separately and together.
Thank goodness they both had gotten a goodnight's sleep the night before because the day would be a difficult one to navigate. Laying Edmunds to rest seemed to open the lid on all those closely held memories for both of them, and I'm amazed that Hope was able to stay strong for all the friends who had come back to the pub to have a drink in his honor. These loving neighbors were people that Edmunds cherished and looked after just as he had looked after Hope.
I completely understand why Hope would want to be alone for a while to gather her thoughts. And even though she had asked Severus to be there when she returned, I became just as worried as Severus when she hadn't come back by ten. When he saw the crack in the ice on the lake my heart jumped to my throat. Whew! I'm very happy she was just standing on the shore looking out over the water.
I wondered what she was thinking when she asked him about what was happening in the Wizarding world, and it made me breathe a sigh of relief that she said she needed to know 'whether or not there is a chance that you will come back to me once you’ve left. I need to know if there is hope.’
‘There will always be hope,’ he said quietly, and for the duration of a heartbeat, he managed to believe it himself.
I think sharing Hope's bed that night lead to a wonderfully redemptive moment that I'm sure scared the pants off Severus when it began... 'How do you know? What did you lose?' By choosing to answer her question, I believe Severus finally allowed a deep festering wound to finally open so it could then heal. Even though it was painful, I think being able to talk about Lily to someone who obviously cares about him and to be able to shed the tears and say 'I loved her more than life itself' was immensely healing. The most beautiful thing about this scene was Hope's response: ‘I know,’ Hope whispered, bringing his hand to her chest and cradling it like a little child. ‘I know you’ve loved. And I pray that you haven’t forgotten how to.’
Thank you for such a lovely, sad, tear-filled, heart rending, and loving chapter!!!
Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Dear Beth, Imagine my surprise when the Muse looked at me with her head tilted to the side and an ever so innocent smile on her face, saying: "We're gonna kill someone today." My Muse is bat-shit crazy, I tell you. Needless to say, the crack in the ice made me wet my pants a little as well. :P They have a lot to work through, Severus and Hope, and none of it will be easy. But they'll manage... I hope. To more chapters and the epilogue to go. All written and beta'd. Should all be posted soon. Thank you, as always, for reading and your lovely words. Have a great weekend.
Response from braye27 (Reviewer)
Imagine my surprise when the Muse looked at me with her head tilted to the side and an ever so innocent smile on her face, saying: "We're gonna kill someone today."While she may be bat-shit crazy, she clearly takes her job seriously. The proof is in the pudding, m'dear! I'm excited to know the story is complete, but I'm beginning to suffer from separation anxiety myself. I can't find the words to tell you how much I look forward to each new chapter!!! ~hugs you lots~Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
I know all about separation anxiety. Spent the whole day yesterday feeling "hung over". The day after finishing a story is always totally weird.
This is a beautiful chapter. I suspect the next time Severus casts his patronus, it will have changed--released to Harry, on some level. And the spoken and unspoken in their discussion about sharing a bed was beautifully done. Except the imperative of the verb lie is "lie down." The past tense is "lay," as you correctly have it in your last sentence ("he lies down," "he lay quietly," and "he has lain still for hours.") The verb is intransitive. "Lay down" is the transitive verb and expects a direct object: "I lay the book down on the table at this moment," "I laid it there yesterday," and "I have laid it there every evening for weeks." The difference is the same as that between sit (intransitive) and set (transitive). Sorry to be pedantic, but from your writing you obviously care about such things, and a slip in this lovely story is unusual and distracting.
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Thank you for finding and pointing out my typo. Lie and lay confuse me. Alway have, always will. Which annoys me because if I think about it, it's actually pretty easy to understand. So again, thank you for being "pedantic". And thank you for reading, of course.
I am so damned glad that Severus has never found himself in the land of the of the fairies. I couldn't have borne it. And as painful as it was for him to send his Patronus to call Harry, I'm so glad he was able to call forth his Doe to guide the young wizard to the Sword of Gryffindor. He's going to need it...But the thing in this chapter that totally blew my socks off was the exchange between Severus and Hope. Thank goodness he was able to return to the village because I don't know what would have happened to him if he hadn't. The minute I read the last part of this chapter I realized how much it reminded me of Chapter Nine in His First!!! Except his and Hope's roles were reversed... he was the one whose lips had turned blue, he was the one who was shaking uncontrollably, and he was the one who was afraid that he would freeze to death. When I read this part I was so glad I had read the first story. It is a great feeling when an author ties part of a sequel to something so vitally important as this in the original story. Although there was no love making here in Hope's bedroom, I can't help wondering what the morning will bring. I have no idea what these two will tell you write in the coming chapters, but I guarantee I'll be here waiting with bated breath.Brava! Well done! Here is a lovely bouquet to show you my appreciation for all your hard work, my friend. Ten stars, not even twenty stars would be enough.Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Allow me to give a lovely bouquet to you too. Or how about some nice chocolate? You are spoiling me, dearest Beth. With flowers, your wonderful reviews and rec'ing my stories. Thank you SO MUCH!! Bit speechless right now, really. Chapter 16 should be up withing the next few days, and I just sent chapter 18 off to my beta. Now there is only the epilogue left to write. Need to buy chocolate tomorrow. And tissues. Seperation anxiety, here I come. Smooches!
As much of an interferer as Dumbledore can be, I was delighted that he interfered on Hallowe'en night so that Severus, his colleagues, and the students and ghosts can enjoy the evening without fear of the Carrows wreaking havoc far and wide. I don't know that the Carrows deserved to get a good night's sleep, but everyone else in the castle deserves that they have one... but that's not exactly how the evening turned out for Severus.
I went back to "His First" and reread Chapter 9 (The First He Cried With) so I could refresh my memory about what happened that night, and I have to applaud your gift for so seamlessly merging the two in this chapter of "There Will Always Be Hope." Take a well-deserved bow, m'dear.
When Severus and Hope were talking in the pub everything about her spoke volumes about her frame of mind, but I had no idea of what was about to happen– until she told him to speak to Dumbledore and tell him that she had sent him and that he needed to use the Pensieve, and then I knew what was going to happen.
I'm very sorry that Severus couldn't watch the entire memory, but I damned well understand why he didn't. But if he had, he would have seen something of monumental importance: '... Nadezhda understood. She knew you would blame yourself for what had happened. She knew that you wouldn’t be able to live with yourself. So she did the only thing she could think of at that moment. She used a Memory Charm on you.’
My heart is breaking for both of them. In the review I left for Chapter 9 in "His First," I said "...it is the passion we feel that gets us through the impossible times. Their passion didn't have to follow this particular path, but in the aftermath, in thinking about what has happened in these last few chapters, it just seems like the right path."
And it still seems like the right path to me. I don't want either of them to needlessly suffer, but I hope that Severus will go back to the village. Tonight. And I hope the fact that Dumbledore smiled after him when he turned and left will mean that he won't go off half-cocked. I hope he remembers what Albus said about Nadezhda understanding and that he will remember that Hope had told him that she was sorry: ‘I am sorry, Severus. Unspeakably sorry. And I’ll understand if you decide to never come back here. But please know that I never meant to hurt you.’ I hope this means that Severus will remember that the underlying meaning of this last thing Hope said to him, at the pub, on this night, is that she will understand if he doesn't come back, but that she hopes with all her heart that he will.
And I'm wondering when Severus will remember that Hope gave birth to a son.
This is one of the best chapters I've ever read. You've answered some questions and posed more. Now that we've reached this point, I'm already trying to guess how the rest of the story will read. What will happen? Will they both survive? Is their son still alive? If so, where is he?
A Thousand Point to your House! Perhaps I should just say "to Our House" since both of us are Slytherins. Thank you for this story! Thank you for hanging in there when I know there might been times when you could have thrown up your hands and walked away... and that would break my heart... so thank you from the bottom of my heart for this amazing gift.
Hugs, Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Dear Beth, sorry you had to wait so long for a response. For being off work, I have been ridicullously busy this week. But hey, I wrote the next chapter which will be posted in a few days, so I'm forgiven, right? ;-) Hm, Dumbledore... You've read a few stories of mine, and you know that I don't like the old man. But he is a good plot device. And he does have his students' best at heart. His means, however... Anyway, while you're on the edge of your seat waiting for the next chapter, I promise you that Severus WILL go back to the pub. I can also tell you that the Muse has decided to NOT follow the original plans for this story and that I am considering to take away some of the warnings I posted in chapter one. Curious yet? Hopeful? ;-) "See" you in a couple of days. /M
Response from braye27 (Reviewer)
*fist pump* I am totally curious and filled with hope!!! *big grin*
omg, I didn't expect her to let him know... and just now! Poor Severus!I wonder if she has used the wand by now.Loved also the fine notions like trading chocolate frog cards and feasts. It is a relief that Severus can remember simple habits like these!
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
There is no gentle way to roll in a hand grenade, and Snape needed to be told at some point. I figured Haloween was as bad a night as any other. Buckle up for the next chapter. Thanks for reading and leaving a review!
I love the way you described life in the village in the opening paragraph. The townspeople "had no idea, of course, why the fog made them miserable, why it made them feel as if every ounce of happiness had been sucked from their hearts." But Severus and Hope "knew that the fog was the result of Dementors breeding and that the risk of the world plunging into eternal darkness was more imminent than any Muggle could imagine."Hope and Severus have so much in common. Both were treated horribly by their fathers, both of them had had to lie and pretend to be someone else under circumstances that no child should have to endure. It gives me a feeling of comfort knowing that each of them carries with them something that belongs to the other. In his pocket Severus keeps the key Hope pressed into his hand so many months ago. And Hope now has the larch wand that had belonged to Eileen Snape. I like knowing that the key can symbolize "safe haven," and that larch bestows courage and confidence to its owner. In folklore the wearing and burning of larch was said to protect against enchantment and evil spirits. I have a feeling that before everything is said and done both of them will have need of a safe haven and protection against evil. I think Severus' discovery that when Hope lights her comforting candle he can see her and watch over her was one of the most important things to happen in this chapter– other than Hope agreeing to accept the wand.Thank you for another wonderful chapter.*hugs you*Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Dear Beth, I am - as so often before - impressed and honoured by the way you write your reviews. So detalied, so deep. And I love that you understood the larch reference! Well done! 10 points to your house! As you can imagine, there are hard times ahead for Severus and Hope, and they will need each other more than they can imagine. I'm hoping to have a new chapter for you soon. It's my last workday today, so I should have time to write. Yay! Take care and see you soon!
I am so glad Snape was able to change her self image and encouraged her to take back her strenght.
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
And strength they will need, both of them! Thank you very much for reading and reviewing. Just sent chapter 12 off to my beta.
‘If I left you a wand,’ he started, deeming that there was no point in waiting any longer. ‘Would you use it to protect yourself?’When Severus offered her a wand, Hope reacted just like I thought she would. But what truly surprised me was the gentle argument, the purest illustration that he employed to break through Hope's fears. May I just say that was one of the most gifted bits of writing I've ever read. 
You done GOOD, my friend!Thank you for this beautiful chapter. I feel much better about Hope's future in these coming weeks and months. If push comes to shove, I do think she will fight like a tiger. Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Dear, dear Beth, your words make me blush and smile and believe that there is hope for my writing. Smooches to you! Just sent chapter 12 to my beta, so it should be up soon. Hope you'll enjoy it.
omg, there's a horrid year ahead of them. Your Snape is almost nice, and you've created such a uniqe and loveable own character. Now pulling them through this hell is sheer terror for us as well! Nevertheless, keep going with this excellent story!
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
*giggles at "Snape is almost nice"* He's about to get a whole lot nicer! Well, not ooey-gooey-nice, but Snape-nice. Bit, scary, I know, almost as scary as the year that lies ahead! Thank you for reading and reviewing. I hope you won't have to wait too long for the next chapter.
I was afraid this would be what happened when Severus was Summoned. The nightmare has truly resumed, and all I can think about is what's to come:•How can Severus protect Hope and Edmunds while still playing his role as a spy for the Light? •How will they keep Edmunds from finding out that Hope is a witch and that Elisabeth was a Squib?•Will Hope be able to master her fear and depression to be able to aid Severus in his efforts to defeat the Dark?•What will Severus do if and when he finds out that he fathered Hope's child?•What about their son? Is there any chance that he is still alive?There is so much roiling beneath the surface, and I'm looking forward to seeing where you take this story!Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Your review looks almost like my check-list for the next couple of chapters. Great minds think alike, they say. :-) I've answered two questions with no, have ignored one and put a maybe on the others. Haha! Oh, I do wish that my muse would follow the original plot line just once!
I was afraid this would be what happened when Severus was Summoned. The nightmare has truly resumed, and all I can think about is what's to come:•How can Severus protect Hope and Edmunds while still playing his role as a spy for the Light? •How will they keep Edmunds from finding out that Hope is a witch and that Elisabeth was a Squib?•Will Hope be able to master her fear and depression to be able to aid Severus in his efforts to defeat the Dark?•What will Severus do if and when he finds out that he fathered Hope's child?•What about their son? Is there any chance that he is still alive?There is so much roiling beneath the surface, and I'm looking forward to seeing where you take this story!Beth
Response from braye27 (Reviewer)
Arrrggghhh! 
Please ignore this... I posted it to the wrong chapter.Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
And here I was, thinking that the story had become immensely popular. ;-)
I was so glad that Severus had been able to spend time in the Muggle village with Hope and Edmunds. Being able to feel rested, relaxed and utterly at peace would be a true blessing, one he probably hadn't known in any number of years, if ever. I also believe (with all my heart) that having Severus there was a blessing for Hope, too. Both of them have led such hectic and unpredictable lives that any peace and serenity would be gratefully received as the precious gift it was.When Severus felt himself being Summoned by the Dark Lord, my heart sank. Why couldn't he and Hope and Edmunds have had a little more time to enjoy each other's company. But one thing that stood out clearly was that Hope had felt his summons, too. That tickled some of my memory cells and I just had to go back to His First to recall that Voldemort had given Hope a silver bracelet on her seventeenth birthday... and this bracelet had turned into a silver snake with emerald eyes and had buried its fangs into the flesh at her wrist. It functioned the way Severus' Dark Mark did and she felt the summonds the same time he did. Thank goodness Severus didn't have any dangerous tasks being asked of him by th Dark Lord, and both Lucius and Narcissa should be grateful that he friend was there to help them. Bella is a right nasty piece of work. I hope she ultimately gets her just desserts.Will Severus go back to the village before going back to Hogwarts? I hope so because it would be nice if he and Hope could have a few minutes to be assured that the other hasn't come to any harm. I can't wait to see what happens next!Beth
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
I do believe that Hope and Snape are good for each other and that they are able to see things in each other that other people can't see. And I promise that I will give them some more time together. It will not be as carefree as before, but... Well, you'll see. Chapter 10 is posted. :-)
Oh, you're giving Narcissa a bit of spine here, although unwisely displayed. I'm very curious how you lead us through the seventh book!!
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
I'm quite curious about that, too. The muse hasn't been sticking to the original plot for quite a while. ;-)
I haven't been reading for quite a while and caught up a few chapters right now. This was a most touching and well-written chapter. You've given also the side characters a true story and their own backgrounds in so few words. Amazingly well done.Now I'll read on, although, considering, I should leave the story for a night to give Snape more rest.
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
Welcome back to reading,
Response from morgaine_dulac (Author of There Will Always Be Hope)
!