Samantha

Yes, you guessed it... anything you recognize belongs to the fantastic JKR. Anything that sounds a bit strange or severely out of place... well, that's mine. I would like to dedicate this chapter to two very special readers, harrypotterfan2005 (who offered some plot points to straighten a few things out) and justjennifer (who requested an update for her birthday, which is or was June 28th--depending on when this goes up). So this one's for you two, thanks for the suggestions, and I hope this suffices as a much belated birthday gift! Please enjoy! Is it a dream, some fantasy produced by a potion, or is it something else? You decide, and don't forget to review.

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CHAPTER 3: Samantha

Severus could hear soft feminine tones somewhere in the distance as he struggled through the limbo between wakefulness and sleep. His body ached from tremors, his throat was sore from sobbing, his eyes felt swollen and dry from tears, and his head and heart ached with the knowledge that his wife was dead. Samantha Cole Snape, his soul mate, his salvation from the darkness that so often threatened to overwhelm his soul, had stepped beyond the veil, sent there at the business end of Lord Now-A-Pile-Of-Stinky-Ashes Voldemort's wand. There was nothing he could do about it now, he had failed her even after vowing on their wedding night that he wouldn't let any harm come to her. At least he had done something right; at least he had the good fortune to keep Andromeda safe.

Allowing the fingers of sleep still lingering over his mind to draw him back into the peacefulness of unconsciousness, he let go of all coherent thought. Everything around him was veiled in thin, gray mist, the sound of a far off brook filling the air. Severus could barely hear the sound of his shoes against the cobbled street on which he walked. He had no sense of direction in this place; he simply walked forward, knowing somehow, somewhere ahead there was something he wanted desperately. Music that reminded him of phoenix song filled his senses, making him feel as if something warm and perfect had dripped into the pit of his stomach and began radiating outward. The pain in his limbs disappeared, and the emptiness of his heart dissolved into a peace he'd only known once in his life.

Severus Snape lifted his ebony eyes and looked off in the distance through the dissipating mist. Standing beneath a sprawling tree at the end of the street, her auburn curls draped over her shoulder and her emerald eyes shining, was Samantha. She was smiling knowingly at him and held out her hand to beckon him forward.

"Dear Merlin," he whispered softly, his feet taking him closer to her before he could make his brain think move! He reached out his hand as he came nearer and traced it over her face. He felt the familiar warmth of her skin beneath his palm as his eyes focused on those beloved freckles and the flecks of gold in her eyes that only he knew were there. "It can't be... It's impossible. You're dead, I saw you. Albus said they buried you at the war monument. But I know the feel of you, the way your hair wraps around my fingers like velvet, the way your skin is warm and soft against mine, the smell of rose water and soap that lingers whenever you leave a room. Oh, gods," he groaned, sinking to his knees onto the cobbled street in front of her.

The tears came again, but they were refreshing. It felt as if the pain of losing her bled out of him with each tear that streaked down his pale face. Severus wrapped his arms around her legs like a frightened child and sobbed into her robes as she softly stroked his head and whispered soothing nonsense to him.

"It's alright, Severus," Samantha said softly, stroking his hair the way she knew would comfort him. "If you take nothing from this meeting, I want you to know this. It is all right to grieve, but don't grieve so hard that you do not enjoy the life you have left."

Severus raised his tear-stained face and looked into her serene face. "I don't have a life left without you. The bastard won, Samantha. He took you to break me, and he succeeded. Please, let me come with you."

She smiled indulgently and knelt. "You can't, dearest. Your time isn't finished yet. Andromeda needs you; she needs her father who she adores more than anything in the world. You can live for her. I know you can. Grieve for me, Severus, and let Andromeda grieve with you. There's nothing shameful in missing someone you love. It's the highest honor you can pay to my memory, to show that you will miss me."

"How am I going to get along without you? I don't know how to raise a child." Images of Andromeda playing by the lake with flowers woven in her black curls appeared before his eyes. Severus shook his head as if to clear away the thoughts as the scene he imagined appeared in front of him. The cobbled street gave way to the sloping lawns of Hogwarts, a bright summer sun shining on the rippling lake, a soft breeze wafting through the trees, and the sound of his daughter's laughter ringing in his ears.

Samantha stood up and extended her hand to help Severus from the ground. He stood on aching legs, feeling a bit dizzy, as the sight of his daughter remained. "She knows I love her, Severus. She will never forget that, but my time with her is over. The fates gave me six years with her, and seven with you, but I was never destined to see her grow up. There is someone else who fate has given that honor..."

She turned her eyes toward the scene playing before them. Andromeda was squealing with delight as she dipped her toes into the cool water of the lake. The breeze ruffled the flowers in her hair as she turned, seeming to look right at them, and called, "Are you coming, Mummy Herminny?"

Severus felt his robes rustle slightly as the form of Hermione Granger swept past him, striding cheerfully toward his daughter. Hermione was smiling in a way that he didn't think he had ever seen her smile before. She toed off her shoes when she reached the bank of the lake and stuffed her socks inside them before settling onto a spot on the grass next to Andromeda. "What do you want to talk about today, love?" Hermione asked, picking up a smooth stone and skipping it across the water.

The little girl rested her face in her hands and tapped her fingers against her cheeks as she thought. "Tell me stories, Mummy Herminny. Tell me 'bout my Mum and Dad."

His eyes wide and mouth hanging open, Severus watched as his former student pulled his daughter close to her side and began telling her stories about him that no one but Samantha knew. He turned to face her, a question lingering in his eyes. "How... I've never told Miss Granger those things. I've only told you. So, how could..." His question trailed off as he took in the knowing look on his wife's face.

She smiled again and took his hand in her own. Leading him toward Hermione and Andromeda, she chided, "Close your mouth, dear, before something flies in." She giggled at the sour look her husband gave her before returning to a serious countenance. "I'm surprised you never picked up on it, Severus, even when we talked about it. Hermione and I looked so much alike, different hair and eyes of course, but our personalities were identical. Andromeda looks like her, Severus, because Hermione looks like me. We read the same books, have the same tastes in friends, our favorite meal is the same, we're both only children, Muggle-borns. Piece it together, Severus. I know you can. Just think about it for a moment."

Looking back and forth between his wife and the young woman sitting and laughing with his daughter, comprehension dawned on him as to how alike they really were. He had noticed, all those years ago, although he would never have admitted it. He looked at her differently during her last year at Hogwarts, as if he knew her better than he should have. Something in her eyes were familiar, little flecks of gold amidst the chocolate brown, and it was almost as if he knew exactly where each freckle across her nose belonged.

He thought back over the past seven years. Samantha Cole appears out of the blue, a graduate student from a Wizarding University in America, and ends up becoming the love of his life. She was younger than he was, but only by ten years or so. She was a showoff with her knowledge, but it amused more than irritated him. All those nights they stayed up late nipping at each other over some article in Potions Monthly and then spending hours shagging each other senseless came flooding into his brain. He waited for the scene in front of him to change to reflect his memories, but it didn't. No matter how hard he concentrated on thoughts of shagging his wife, the scene remained. And then...

"Daddy!" Andromeda screeched, springing up from her seat on the bank and running across the springy grass to her father. Severus watched in awe as he saw himself striding across the lawn towards his daughter. He caught her in his arms and twirled her through the air as she laughed. Andromeda took her father's face in her tiny hands and kissed him sweetly on the tip of his beaklike nose.

Toeing off his boots and struggling out of his socks, Severus settled into Andromeda's vacated spot by the lake. He dangled his feet in the shallow water, allowing Andromeda to sit between his legs to stick her feet in as well, before leaning over to kiss Hermione on the cheek.

The real Severus turned back to Samantha and crossed his arms over his chest, looking very much like Andromeda did when she pouted. "What's going on, Samantha? I see it now, the similarities, but that doesn't mean anything. It's coincidence that the two of you are so alike, but there's nothing strange about it. There's..." He stopped, his mouth dropping open again, the proverbial light bulb going off over his head. "It can't be..."

"Geminus animae," Samantha whispered, nodding. "Geminus animae sororum, in our case."

Severus felt his mind whirling in a thousand different directions as he watched the three of them sitting by the lake enjoying a summer afternoon. He could hear Samantha's voice somewhere in the distance, and struggled to hear what she was saying.

"She is your other half, Severus, as much as I am. It's okay to move on, to love her. You're supposed to. The two of us, Hermione and I, were meant for you. I want you to be happy, to be the man I know you are going to become. You started to become that man with me, now you must finish it with Hermione. But when you love her, don't look at her and see me. Look at her and see the woman you are supposed to die beside. Love her, Severus, and love our daughter."

Severus felt a whispered kiss on his lips and looked up in time to see Samantha disappearing through a veil at the end of a cobbled street. The thin, gray mist was reappearing; the warmth of renewed phoenix song coursing through him again. He felt as though he were falling backwards even though he was standing straight up.

Hermione and Madam Pomfrey both jumped when Severus awoke, bolting upright in his bed. They were both silent for an instant, staring wide eyed at the Potions master.

"Lay back, Severus, and have your medicine," Madam Pomfrey said, gathering her wits and moving to guide the wizard back to bed.

"Hermione," he said, his voice sounding hoarse and strangled. Severus reached out, groping in the air in search of her. His fathomless black eyes fixed on her when her hands clasped over his.

"I'm right here, Severus," Hermione replied, not caring whether she used his first name or his title. "What is it? What do you need?"

Staring at her for a moment, almost as if he was seeing her for the first time, Severus saw something familiar flicker in Hermione's eyes. He swallowed hard and squeezed her hand. "Do you know what geminus animae is, Hermione?"

Looking more than a little confused, Hermione shook her head. "Not really. Please lay back, Severus. I'll be here when you wake; you can tell me then." She tried to help Madam Pomfrey get him back into bed, but he refused to budge.

"Geminus animae... twin souls. Do you understand now, Hermione?" his voice sounded pleading as he stared into her familiar eyes. "You and Samantha..." He trailed off as Madam Pomfrey forced a spoonful of potion into his mouth. He promptly fell asleep.

Notes from The Mistress: An unexpected twist, I hope. I had planned this one to be a short story, so I felt the need to move it along a bit. To harrypotterfan2005, I'm sorry I couldn't fit Sirius in, but I enjoyed writing this dream sequence so much that I may put in another and bring him in. Thanks for the idea!! I hope you, and justjennifer, enjoyed this one because it's for you!

Translations: I got them from the University of Notre Dame Latin website, so I don't know how good they are. Anyway, this is what they mean:

Geminus...................twin

Animae.....................soul

Sororum........................sister

Special thanks to shalimar1981 for corrections of the Latin!