The Greatest Love, The Highest Sacrifice

Prologue

Directly following the incident in the last chapter of Goblet of Fire, when Dumbledore sends Sirius and Severus out on their respective missions...

Bowing his head in acquiescence to Dumbledore's instructions, Severus had turned and left the room, not sparing a glance for Harry, Mrs. Weasley, or any of the others present. He had silently closed the door of the infirmary, and turned to make his way to his own chambers, when he had been confronted with a totally unexpected sight.

Sirius, still in dog form, was being frantically embraced by a young woman. Snape stared in surprise, and then started as his mind processed all the similarities. Tall, slim, with flowing hair - not russet as hers had been, but still the same length and sheen…without even realising it, her name escaped his lips as he gazed in shock.

Sirius obviously heard, with the keen hearing of his animal form, and he turned towards Snape, growling softly. But the girl tapped the side of his face gently, and he turned his attention back to her. She fastened something to his collar, and it shone with a gleam. Sirius whined, though Snape could not tell whether in protest or sadness, and licked the girl's cheek. She nodded and spoke to him, her voice too low for Snape to hear, and the black dog loped off, pausing at the end of the corridor to stare at her again before he was gone.

As Snape stood, still staring at the slight figure in front of him, she turned and smiled at him. It was a watery smile, and she was still crying, the tears falling softly down her cheeks. His original impression was confirmed, although now that he could see her properly, it was obvious her temperament must be totally different from her sister's.

She smiled again, and walked up to him, removing a chain from around her neck as she did so. When she was directly in front of him, she paused. He was much taller than she was, and she had to look up to make eye contact. She stared hard at him, then took his hand gently and placed the chain in it.

"I'm not Lily," she said, and her voice was low and warm. "But I do care". Snape could only look at her, unable to speak or react. One of her hands reached up, and long, slim fingers gently caressed his cheek. Then she turned quickly, muttered something unintelligible, and was gone in a flash of light, leaving the Potions Master totally dazed in the middle of the empty hall.

***

...She stood looking into the mirror, staring hard at her own reflection. As if, if she looked long enough, she would fade away until the mirror reflected only an empty room. "Is this really necessary?" she asked herself aloud. The empty silence around her gave no answers. But she had one of her own. "Yes", she said, and sighed to herself.

She fingered a gold band on her hand, its smoothness broken by a glittering speck, sighed again and pulled the ring from her finger, laying it next to a white envelope on the bureau in front of the mirror.

"Yes", she repeated to herself, and this time the word was hard, matching the steely determination in her eyes. "There is no other alternative. He has to be safe". Her eyes became adamantine, then their own startled blue as the effects of her whispered incantation began to take place. "He will be safe"...