Lily's Charm

NotEvenHere

Story Summary:
In a story that spans two decades, Lily and Severus attempt to dispel the power of the Dark Mark after her life is threatened by Eileen Prince. Seventeen years later, Harry uncovers a long-buried truth which changes the course of his life. AU. Complete.

Chapter 37 - He Knows Not

Posted:
08/09/2008
Hits:
1,150


1980

Severus squeezed Lily's hand firmly as Blunt encouraged Lily to push. Lily, her sweat-darkened hair plastered to her forehead, grimaced as she obeyed. Severus sent a drift of ease toward Lily Her face, though contorted in pain, relaxed the smallest bit.

"When you're ready, Lily," Blunt said calmly, nodding at Lily.

"I can't," Lily gasped out, her face burning a bright red. Severus moved his free hand over his wife's back, kneading her muscles expertly.

"You can do this, Lily," he assured her, opening his mind fully to her, letting her feel what he was feeling; his love, his gratitude and his awe at the strength he was witnessing. Lily gritted her teeth in renewed determination, nodding only once as she squeezed Severus' hand with all her might.

"That's it, Lily." Blunt smiled as Lily pushed. "A nice full head of a black hair," she told them and Lily somehow managed to smile. Severus felt a nervous flutter against his ribs, though with his shields given over to Lily, he couldn't be certain whose nerves he was feeling. "Once more," the Healer calmly directed and Severus squeezed Lily's hand this time, his anticipation driving him.

Lily groaned in agony as she brought their son into the world and Severus' pulse quickened as with deft maneuvering, Blunt grasped the little squirming body gently with both hands. She guided him forward and placed him onto Lily's chest, a bloody, soggy mess...and absolutely perfect.

Severus heard the little sob that escaped Lily's lips, but Severus couldn't take his eyes off the tiny features as Blunt quickly tied off the umbilical cord, wrapped a blanket around the newborn and applied a Warming Charm over mother and child with practiced ease. The little face scrunched and the baby let out a squalor that warmed Severus through. Lily, her hands shaking, brought her arms around her bundle. Severus moved closer to them, wrapping his arm securely around Lily's shoulder as the wailing quieted.

"Look at him, Sev," Lily marveled, touching the baby's cheek gently. Severus, as if in a daze, leaned in to study the baby as directed. He ran his finger along the soft skin of the baby's exposed arm, until he had freed one of the trapped hands. Severus stroked his finger along the inside of the tiny palm. The little one curled his fist around Severus' long, calloused finger. Severus' heart leapt in his chest.

"Hi, Harry," Lily whispered and Severus started at the greeting. They'd decided on the name months ago, but to hear it...

Severus stared in wonder at the little person in Lily's arms. Harry.

His son.

--

1996

Ginny watched Hermione pacing back and forth in front of one of the bare stone walls in the Room of Requirement. Ron was sitting against the opposite wall next to Ginny. His knees drawn up to his chest and Ginny couldn't help but wonder if he was consciously imitating Harry's posture in Snape's quarters. She doubted it though. Her brother seemed completely oblivious to everything, even Hermione's agitated pacing.

McGonagall had left them at the Enchanted Staircases, seeming to forget that there was plenty of time for Ron to make it to at least some of his detention. She'd sort of waved them off vaguely, looking rather dazed after Hermione had asked her repeatedly for some answers about what had happened to Snape. Hermione had watched their Head of House, a furious frown on her face and without another word, she'd stormed up the moving staircases. Ginny and Ron had scrambled after her. Hermione hadn't stopped until the door to the Room of Requirement had allowed them entrance.

Ginny wasn't certain what Hermione had been thinking about before the Room let them in, but the entire space was empty, the walls blank. It was rather eerie. But Ginny wished that Hermione would stop her incessant pacing; it was only a matter of minutes before she would snap at the bushy haired girl. And as though Hermione had recently become a Legilimens, she sat abruptly.

"It's the Charm," she declared, bobbing her head up and down to emphasize her words. "It has to be," she insisted firmly as she narrowed her eyes, even though no one had contradicted her first statement.

"What has to be the Charm?" Ron finally spoke up, his eyes moving to Hermione. Hermione waved her hand in a direction that was probably meant to be aimed toward the dungeons.

"Whatever happened down there. You saw Harry," she stressed. "The only time I've ever heard him even that close to panicking was when he thought Voldemort was going to kill Sirius," she reminded him, leaning forward so far toward them, she would have fallen over had she not been using her palm to steady herself.

"Are you saying," Ron demanded incredulously, "that Snape was trying to activate it...tonight?" He had let his knees slide down so that his legs were straight out in front of him. He rested his hands on his knees and shook his head. "Well, then it didn't work," he told her. Hermione shook her head, looking very irritated.

"Maybe he was just going to try and Harry could sense it. Their mental connection would have to be really strong for that though-"

"Hermione," Ron huffed, "Harry's not going to go all mental just because Snape wants to kill..." he lowered his voice, "...You Know Who."

Hermione paused long enough to roll her eyes at Ron's inability to use Voldemort's name before disagreeing, "Harry was a complete mess after Halloween. He did go mental, remember?"

Ron, looking affronted at such a slight to his friend, opened his mouth, but Ginny interrupted before he could speak. "That's not it," she told them, shaking her head slowly. Her brother and Hermione looked at her expectantly. She frowned. "Didn't you see his eyes?" She swallowed through the question. They looked perplexed.

"He was upset," Hermione agreed.

"No, Hermione," Ginny said as she shook her head again. "He looked haunted...almost vacant." She blinked back tears unbidden. "Something happened down there and it wasn't about Snape fighting Voldemort. Harry would have just gone with him if he knew he was going to go." Hermione and Ron stared at her but then Ron began nodding his agreement.

Ginny leaned forward a bit. "It was all of them...even McGonagall. They were all just staring at Harry...like they were waiting for him to disappear..." The last part was a whisper as much as it was a revelation and Ginny's heart began to beat faster though she had no idea why. It meant something...something so terrible that Harry couldn't even look at them.

"Disappear?" Ron echoed, his voice cracking at the end of the frightful word. "Harry's not going anywhere," he told her fiercely, his eyes uncharacteristically ablaze. Ginny studied him, having not realized Harry's behavior earlier would have affected her brother so much; he was glaring at her.

"But he is going to have to face Voldemort sometime," Hermione mused. Both Ron and Ginny turned to her sharply. Hermione frowned at them. "You know he is," she told them defensively.

"You think they're planning something?" Ron demanded, while Ginny brought Harry's face to the front of her mind, trying to pull an answer from it.

"Of course they are Ron," Hermione huffed as she pulled Flitwick's book from her robes; it had become her constant companion over the past few weeks. She was just opening it when Ron stood up angrily. Both Ginny and Hermione craned their necks in surprise as he glared at them in turn.

"Well, that's it!" he exploded. Ginny glanced in confusion at Hermione, who shook her head in bewilderment. "Who the bloody hell do they think they are?"

"What are you on about, Ron?" Hermione demanded, staring up at him again. He scowled.

"Snape swoops in here and suddenly Harry can't tell us anything anymore. And now they're plotting something that's turned Harry into some sort of nutter!" he ranted, his face going pink.

"Ron," Hermione said with a frown, "not three days ago, you told me to not to pester Harry about keeping things from us."

"Well, that was before Ginny announced that Harry's leaving!" Ron retorted.

"She didn't say he's leaving," Hermione countered back.

"Would you two quit squabbling," Ginny finally demanded, pulling herself up to stand next to Ron. "We need to find out what's going on and arguing about it isn't going to do that," she told them calmly. Hermione nodded.

"Of course not," she agreed. "What we need to do is go down to the library and do some research," she decided, pushing herself up as well and dusting off the seat of her skirt. She didn't even pause for a confirmation before she began rattling off the known facts with her fingers. "The Charm was meant to kill Voldemort. Professor Snape confirmed that Harry's mum was the caster."

Ginny and Ron nodded, Ginny feeling relieved now that she'd gotten Hermione fully engaged in the problem again.

"So then this can't be about trying to kill Voldemort right now...not if they don't have a sure way of doing it," Ron deduced but Hermione was shaking her head slowly, bending her right middle finger back with her left index finger.

"Third," she emphasized, "whatever is going on has Harry distressed enough that either he won't tell us what's going on or his father won't let him." Ron opened his mouth to protest, but Hermione spoke right over him. "You really need to pay more attention to people, Ron," she said mildly. "They were obviously having some sort of mental conversation, though Harry seemed surprised that he could..."

"And Snape was nodding at Harry," Ginny remembered. Hermione nodded again, taking that in.

"But that's mad, Hermione," Ron interjected again. "If Snape gave him permission to tell us, he would have."

Hermione shook her head. "Not if he thought it would upset us...upset Ginny especially," she amended, turning her brown eyes to Ginny. "He wouldn't even look at you," she said quietly. Ginny balled her hands into fist. Did Hermione really think she hadn't noticed?

"But what could be so awful that it would upset Ginny especially?" Ron asked, bewildered.

Hermione gave a Ron a hard look, which made Ginny sag a little against the cool stones. "If something were to happen to Harry-"

"Don't say it," Ginny ordered fiercely, stilling Hermione's explanation with a firm shake of her head as she straightened up again. Ron glowered at Hermione.

"Nothing's going to happen to Harry," he told her, sounding disgusted. Ginny rounded on her brother.

"Did you even hear what I said?" she demanded. "Something's terribly wrong. Harry just sat there, staring at nothing. He was pale and he'd been crying, Ron. It was Halloween all over again!" she tried to tell him furiously, but her voice was shaking too much to project anything other than her rising desperation at the inconceivable thoughts racing through her mind.

"Ginny," Ron said as he put his arm around her, patting her shoulder, "we'll talk to Harry at breakfast tomorrow. It'll be all right," he said, in a surprisingly soothing voice. But Ginny shook her head, though she appreciated her usually fumbling brother's support.

"I'm not waiting until tomorrow," she told him stubbornly. "It didn't seem like Harry would be in any sort of shape to leave their quarters." And if something was going to happen, she wasn't about to sit around and let it happen without her. She knew Ron and Hermione wouldn't either.

But still, Ron frowned down at her. "How are we supposed to get down there? We'll never be able to find our way on our own in that maze."

Ginny deflated a little, but Hermione was undeterred. "Harry's Floo powder."

Ginny brightened immediately. Of course. She wriggled out from under Ron's arm and dug her fingers quickly down into her pocket, bringing the little box into view. She grinned at Hermione. Ron was staring at both of them as though they'd lost their minds.

"Are you mad?" he wondered, his eyes wide. "You want to Floo into Snape's quarters?" he gulped.

--

Remus walked along the dungeon corridors, wondering if his heart was even beating any more. What the hell had he agreed to? He couldn't do it. But how could he refuse? To damn Harry to an existence with Voldemort... He shuddered; it was too horrifying to even contemplate.

It seemed like hours had passed before he was finally standing in front of his portrait. He didn't even spare the usual good natured annoyance at the wolf depiction as he said tiredly, "Annullo." With only a cursory, disinterested glance, the wolf flicked his head back toward the moon and the portrait swung forward, the door appearing in the wall as it always did.

Remus stepped through, his eyes widening in surprise as he saw Tonks standing in front of his sofa, her small hands perched on her hips, her head tilted in something dangerously close to exasperation. Remus tried a small smile and failed. Tonks' face immediately shifted with concern.

"Remus?" she questioned as she stepped toward him. "What's going on?" But he could do nothing but stare at her. He shook his head mutely. Tonks' brown eyes took on a fearful look for a moment, before she said quietly, "The Headmaster sent me a message to come to your quarters." Still more silence and Tonks took his hand, twisting her fingers up in his. "Remus, please just tell me." And the plea cracked him.

"It's Harry," he whispered, his eyes filling with tears again at the thought of his friend. Why couldn't Voldemort just leave Harry alone? Tonks' grip went into a spasm and then it all tumbled out, the entire story from Sybil's prophecy to Dumbledore's ominous news this evening. He even told her about Lily's Charm, realizing as he did that Severus would likely strangle him, this time until he no longer breathed, but somehow he couldn't seem to stop himself.

And by the time he'd finished, Tonks' arms were around him and he was leaning into her embrace. There was only a short silence though before Tonks said firmly, "You have to tell the Headmaster." Remus pulled up in surprise, but Tonks shook her head. "You can't let Snape do this," she told him.

Well, that wasn't the response he'd been expecting at all. "Severus has to-" he croaked, but Tonks was shaking her head again.

"He's giving up," she told him, her face filled with sympathy, "before he's even had a chance to process this."

Remus stared at her.

"Tonks," he breathed. "Harry's going to-" he tried but couldn't finish as the unthinkable word caught in his chest. How could she have misunderstood?

"Just like that?" she demanded, leaning forward. "You're just going to accept it, then?" She sat back, her head tilted back to rest on the cushion as she studied him. Remus continued to stare.

"What?" Remus asked, utterly confused by Tonks' observation. Tonks smiled sadly at him.

"You're supposed to get angry, Remus," she told him, leaning forward again, "not just shrug and accept it. I can't pretend I understand all of this but, why aren't you fighting for Harry?"

"But I..." Remus began and then slowly closed his mouth. Why wasn't he fighting? What the hell was he doing? Of course he wasn't going to accept this! "Harry can't die!" he sputtered as he pushed himself to his feet. Tonks nodded, standing now as well, her mouth set in a grim smile.

"You need to go tell the Headmaster what Snape has planned," she told him, angling her head toward the Floo. Remus set his jaw. Of course he did. Albus would talk some sense into Severus. He'd been beside himself with worry when he'd Flooed Remus earlier. Of course he wouldn't just let this happen. They had to do something.

--

Severus was pulled awake by the sound of the Floo; he sat up from where he'd been slumped over in the chair next to Harry's bed. He cast a quick Tempus Charm. He immediately narrowed his eyes in both suspicion and anger; how dare they disturb them right now? Severus stood slowly, giving himself a moment to survey his son--they could wait.

The blanket had twisted around Harry's legs as it always seemed to do. Severus tugged the blanket up and tucked it gently around his son's shoulders, feeling the need to ensure he was secured within its warmth. Harry made an unintelligible almost-sighing sound into his pillow and Severus stilled. But Harry was still firmly asleep; Severus relaxed. He smoothed back Harry's fringe...the gesture always eased him. Satisfied that Harry was safe, Severus adjusted his robes and, leaving the door open just a bit, he went out into his sitting room, his face fixed in a firm glower.

"Is Harry still asleep?" was Lupin's first question, without even a greeting. Severus ignored him, turning instead to study the Headmaster.

"Was my message unclear, Albus?" he asked, his tone exaggeratedly polite. Albus gazed at him, his blue eyes weary.

"It was, Severus," he agreed, "but I needed to discuss your plans to accompany Harry beyond the veil."

Severus spun around to face Lupin. "How dare you?" Severus hissed at him. Lupin seemed to have acquired a tic; the muscles around his mouth and eyes twitched vaguely.

"Albus doesn't think-" he put in, but Severus didn't give a damn what the old fool thought.

"Get out," he ordered both of them through his pinched lips. Lupin's new twitch graced his face again, while Albus simply sighed.

"You need time to process this, Severus," he said calmly. "You are not thinking rationally right now."

Severus narrowed his eyes in fury. "Rationally?" he echoed in disbelief. He leaned in ominously toward the headmaster, completely forgetting himself as he lowered his voice until it was a deadly whisper. "He is my son. I have accepted what must be."

"Severus, nothing must be a certain way," Albus returned softly.

"You have been preparing my son for this for fifteen years," Severus reminded him scathingly. "And now you come here in an attempt to convince me there is another alternative?" he demanded with acid. Albus didn't even seem to notice his tone. He just shook his head.

"Severus, you can't be certain that Harry will be pulled with Voldemort through the veil."

"And you cannot be certain he will not. I will not allow the risk," he told them, his voice steely with resolve.

"Whether or not Harry goes beyond the veil has nothing to do with the prophecy," Albus assured him. Severus glared at him, wishing he could forcibly remove both him and Lupin from his sitting room.

"I will not abide your riddles, Albus," he spat. "Say what you have to say."

"Harry is strong, Severus," Lupin attempted to mediate. "He's not simply going to go without a fight, no matter how strong Voldemort is."

Severus continued to glare at the Headmaster, ignoring Lupin again. "You were here, not two weeks ago to tell me that Harry's soul is bound to Voldemort's. And now, I suppose, you wish to retract that statement?" he guessed sarcastically.

"Oh, there is no doubt that their souls are connected," Albus told him lightly, in a tone that Severus supposed, was meant to soothe him; it had the opposite effect. He flexed his long fingers against his palms, attempting to still the movement that would propel the infuriating Headmaster toward the Floo. Perhaps sensing that his Potions Master was only seconds away from ejecting him, Albus continued, "You will need to entwine yourself to Harry more securely if you intend to remove him from Voldemort's grasp, should it come to that."

Severus actually blinked in startlement at the Headmaster's statement. Lupin was predictably less subtle in displaying his shock.

"Albus!" he gasped, his eyes going wide. "You can't agree to this."

"Is that why you ran to Albus, Lupin?" Severus sneered. "In a pathetic attempt to persuade me to abandon my son?"

"No one is asking you to abandon Harry," Lupin said evenly, his eyes narrowing slightly--the only sign of his slowly-growing irritation.

"No?" Severus returned. "Then perhaps you invited Albus down here for tea?" he inquired, his voice grating with sarcasm. Lupin's fingers flexed against his palms.

"No," he retorted, his anger barely restrained now. "I invited Albus down here to stop you from accepting the prospect of death so easily," he informed the Potions Master, his upper lip curling over his teeth a little, giving Severus a glimpse of the beast inside him; Severus was unmoved.

"What would you have me do?" Severus asked him snidely. "Carry on as though Harry is in fact not a Horcrux...that he will not attempt to sacrifice himself for the good of the many? Is that your plan?" he sneered.

"Harry doesn't have to die!" Lupin told him, low and furiously. Severus opened his mouth to snap at the imbecile, but Lupin shook his head immediately. "Yes, I heard the prophecy, Severus and it doesn't say he-"

"Are you Trelawney's apprentice now?" Severus drawled, his words dripping with venom, hoping to finally shut the damn werewolf up. He'd had enough of this false hope.

"If you'd quit being a hippogriff's arse for longer than ten seconds, Severus, Albus could explain," Lupin returned, perfectly calm again, his tones even and steady. Severus stared at him. Had Lupin just called him...

Albus cleared his throat. Severus and Lupin turned to their former Professor automatically. "The arses of magical creatures aside, Severus, Remus does have a point," he said gently.

"Neither can live," Severus reminded him, though his tone had been reined in again.

"A prophecy can be interpreted in many ways, my boy," Albus said, regaining his customary mysterious tones. Severus' lips thinned.

"This is what you came to persuade me with? More of you riddles?" he inquired acerbically. Before either of them could interject with another ridiculous non-alternative, he said firmly, "I am not going to fill Harry's head with false hopes."

Lupin's eyes snapped. "Harry is sixteen. He deserves a chance for a full life. A life with you...which he won't have if you go through with this."

Severus clenched his fists. "Do you think I do not know that?" he asked, his voice giving him away, though it wavered only slightly. "I would give my life, and anyone else's, to see Harry live a long and contented life."

"Then don't give up," Lupin shot back, his fingers curling fully into fists now.

"I am not giving up," Severus snarled. "I am saving my son from an eternity with Voldemort!"

"And what if you manage to separate Harry's soul and send him on and you can't untangle yourself, Severus? " Lupin asked angrily as his voice rose. "What then?"

Severus looked at him steadily. "Then, so it will be."

There was a strangled noise behind them.

The sound filled Severus' chest with ice. He turned slowly to face his son.

Harry was staring at him, his emerald eyes wide. Severus took three swift steps toward him, intending to make him sit, but Harry grabbed Severus' robes in his fists before Severus had even come to a stop.

"What are you talking about it?" Harry asked him, his voice rising and falling chaotically. When Severus didn't answer right away, Harry's fists began to tremble. "You're-you're going to-"

"Harry," Severus tried to soothe him.

"No," came Harry's whispered shout. "I won't let you." The words were inaudible as he wrenched Severus' robes sharply toward him.

Severus wrapped Harry in his arms, bringing him in so that Harry's chest was pressed tightly against his gripping fists. He struggled violently but Severus held on. "I will not let Voldemort have you," he said over his son's silent protest.

"You can't sacrifice yourself," was Harry's rasped retort. Severus pulled Harry closer, bending his head down so that he was speaking into Harry's ear.

"I have nothing to fear from death, Harry," he told him gently. Harry quieted at that. He brought his eyes up to study his father. Severus lifted his head to hold his son's gaze. "I know what awaits me...I came back only for you. Because you needed me. There is nothing for me here with you gone, Harry."

"But..." Harry still tried to argue.

"I cannot allow you to go alone," Severus interrupted him firmly and he watched as Harry swallowed. He could feel Harry's anxiety slowing, his fear abating. And Severus realized, as he should have earlier, how much the unknown journey of death would frighten him.

"You'll be with mum again?" Harry asked quietly now, his green eyes blinking rapidly up at Severus. Severus nodded. Harry hesitated. "Will I be there as well?" he asked, sounding fearful again; Severus nodded hurriedly. Perhaps it would be easier for Harry if he could find some measure of comfort in the inevitable.

"James...and Black will be there as well if you wish it," Severus told his son, though it was only an assumption. But he had seen Lily, and there was no reason why Harry should not be able to see those he loved. He felt Harry lose some of his stiffness with the reassurance.

"I can see Sirius?" he asked in a shaky voice. Severus nodded again, surprised at the lack of jealousy he felt that his son should be so anxious to see his godfather. Harry relaxed even more. "It'll be good to see Sirius again..." Harry mused quietly.

"And if you can't separate him from Voldemort?" Lupin interrupted them, his teeth set on edge, unwilling to give up, even with Harry's acceptance. Severus didn't even blink.

"Then we go together." And he could feel Harry's tension easing more fully. There was comfort in knowing he'd be with his son, in whatever was waiting for them beyond life.

The Floo flared unexpectedly and in a tangle of thrashing limbs, three Gryffindors were spit out onto the hearth rug. Severus felt Harry's fear return in a rush of wind so forceful, that his flames flickered as he stared at the knot of arms and legs. And somehow, Severus felt no surprise at seeing them there.

"Good evening," Albus greeted easily. "Though perhaps that particular greeting does not apply at this hour," he mused. Weasley and Ms. Granger colored as they struggled to sit up. Ginny, her mouth set in a line of grim determination, stood quickly, brushing soot from her clothes, even as she moved toward Harry, paying no attention to the others in the room.

"We know something's wrong, Harry," she told him quietly. She turned to include her brother and Ms. Weasley. "And whatever it is, we want to help," she said firmly, including Severus now in her statement.

Do you wish me to tell them, Harry? the flame warmed the ice that was trickling through the storm. The storm darkened as thunder rumbled its indecision. Ginny was looking back and forth between them, understanding dawning in her eyes. She took Harry's hand in her own, her fingers moving to squeeze it gently. The storm lightened several shades, the darkening shadow burying itself deep. Harry took a deep breath.

I should be the one to tell them, the storm rumbled firmly. Severus nodded his agreement. He sent as much warmth through his shield as he could and he felt his son's appreciation.

"Perhaps you'd best sit," Albus advised the other children. Ginny stayed close to Harry as he sat on the sofa. Severus sat on the other side of his son. Albus moved two of the chairs from the small dining table over to the group, but Lupin declined a seat, his arms folded over his chest as the others sat. Ms. Granger, her eyes unusually sharp, was already leaning forward to study Harry.

"Harry's the caster, isn't he?" she asked before Harry could even begin. Everyone in the room turned to stare at her. Hermione nodded, taking their silence exactly as it was meant. Harry shook his head, and he looked like he would have been amused had the situation not been so desperate.

"Yes," he answered, his posture straightening and Severus could sense his son drawing on his strength and most likely Ginny's as well. The only sign that Ginny found this either surprising or disturbing was her empty hand closing over the fingers that were already woven with Harry's.

"So, you're going to activate the Charm then?" Ms. Granger asked, her tone indicating it was a perfectly reasonable supposition. Harry nodded.

"Dad and I are," Harry confirmed, his lips only trembling the slightest bit.

"When?" Ginny asked, her voice losing some of its calm.

"But if the Charm works, everything will be all right, won't it?" Weasley asked quickly before anyone could answer Ginny's tremulous query, his face pulling into a frown as he looked between the three on the sofa.

Harry closed his eyes again and Severus was buffeted with a gale, the pain seeping through him in unbearable measure.

I can't, the storm whispered, the quiet plea belying the raging of the cloud. The flames wrestled to right themselves again, but they had grown cold, almost dormant with the storm's renewed terror.

"Harry is connected to Voldemort through his mother's Charm," Albus told them softly.

There was a gasp, followed by Ms. Granger's quivering response, "But then if you kill Voldemort, Harry will..." Her first two fingers covered her lips before she could say the horrible words, her eyes suddenly filling with tears. Weasley looked sharply between Ms. Granger and Harry.

"What?" he demanded, his voice going up several octaves.

"When Voldemort dies, it is likely that Harry will go with him," Albus explained gently. Weasley stared at the Headmaster, his lips moving in a strange, silent pattern.

Severus flinched again from the grief flowing freely from his son now. He turned to him, wanting to ease the pain. He and Ginny were staring at one another. Tears were glimmering in Ginny's eyes, blurring the question there. But Harry nodded silently and a small sob broke through the room though it was impossible to tell from whom.

Severus watched, his heart pressed into his throat, as Ginny pulled his son to her. Harry's eyes were filled with too many tears; the grief and regret made Severus dizzy. Harry leaned into Ginny's embrace as if accepting some sort of protection from her and for a moment, Severus saw Lily. And everything that Harry would miss...

He saw Harry holding his first born; he witnessed the joy that it was supposed to bring to his son. Severus saw it all. A life stretching out to fill Harry with the happiness he deserved--a happiness that he'd always been denied. A chance to finally live...without the shadow of Voldemort.