Greetings [Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore, DH spoilers]
Fandom: Harry Potter
Title: Greetings
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Dumbledore, hint of Snape/Lily, more Snape
Spoilers: entirety of DH
Genre: angst/general/romance
Rating: G
Summary: Dumbledore and Snape meet again--briefly.
Notes: Yes, I did think of something along the lines of, "Snape and Albus meet in heaven: what happens next?" before seeing that prompt from snape_after_dh; but this is probably shorter than what others would do, and may be offered for the ficathon/ficfest of snape_after_dh later.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter; if I did...yes, I suppose the epilogue would be different. ^^;
It had been quick.
Lily's green fading into dark, only for all lights to go on a second later. Another second for the new surroundings to twist and reform into a familiar train station. Another second for panic to set in; it had been close, too close, so lucky the boy had been that near, but what if he still failed--he'll die, he'll have to die, but at least Severus could attest to death not being so horrible; the boy would not be so damaged.
Severus frowned; to think there would be such confusion in death, should there not be some all-knowing peace, at least for convenience's sake?
Then it was so sudden that the man almost pushed away--one more second to realize someone had embraced him as if the stranger's afterlife depended on it. Another second to feel the white beard straying everywhere.
Severus was struck silent to hear the stifled sobs of Albus Dumbledore, to feel the old gnarled hands grip his back so tightly so as to almost tear cloth, almost bruising. Any childish fear that Albus would haunt him upon entry to the grave, accuse him--easily banished, and replaced by a nagging guilt.
"I'm so sorry, my boy, so sorry...."
Any reply, any instinct to give a report as if death had never happened, to tell him that he had delivered the message to Potter--it all died away in Severus' throat, as the elder choked the words out. The younger's arms hung uselessly at his side, having no idea what to do with themselves, but always held; finally he lifted them up slowly, hesitantly, and stiffly returned the favor to Albus, the hug on his side miraculously smoothing out by a fraction in the end.
Severus wondered if he had touched a certain pressure point, for the old Headmaster gave one final squeeze before untangling himself with unprecedented awkardness. A gnarled hand was still on his dark shoulder, and Albus' eyes were not clear, tears still dripping down, though slowing.
An inhaled breath, and, "Harry should live...."
Really, it was a shock how much that pressure in his freshly dead chest lessened....
"...And I won't keep you here any longer; we can discuss everything later, to your heart's content, our heart's content--but right now, she's waiting for you."
Albus Dumbeldore pressed his eyes shut as he felt Severus rush past him, his footsteps echoing and fading as it crackled on grass; then the old man took one more breath, and continued to wait--one more abandoned boy, and then it would all be over.
Title: Greetings
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Dumbledore, hint of Snape/Lily, more Snape
Spoilers: entirety of DH
Genre: angst/general/romance
Rating: G
Summary: Dumbledore and Snape meet again--briefly.
Notes: Yes, I did think of something along the lines of, "Snape and Albus meet in heaven: what happens next?" before seeing that prompt from snape_after_dh; but this is probably shorter than what others would do, and may be offered for the ficathon/ficfest of snape_after_dh later.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter; if I did...yes, I suppose the epilogue would be different. ^^;
It had been quick.
Lily's green fading into dark, only for all lights to go on a second later. Another second for the new surroundings to twist and reform into a familiar train station. Another second for panic to set in; it had been close, too close, so lucky the boy had been that near, but what if he still failed--he'll die, he'll have to die, but at least Severus could attest to death not being so horrible; the boy would not be so damaged.
Severus frowned; to think there would be such confusion in death, should there not be some all-knowing peace, at least for convenience's sake?
Then it was so sudden that the man almost pushed away--one more second to realize someone had embraced him as if the stranger's afterlife depended on it. Another second to feel the white beard straying everywhere.
Severus was struck silent to hear the stifled sobs of Albus Dumbledore, to feel the old gnarled hands grip his back so tightly so as to almost tear cloth, almost bruising. Any childish fear that Albus would haunt him upon entry to the grave, accuse him--easily banished, and replaced by a nagging guilt.
"I'm so sorry, my boy, so sorry...."
Any reply, any instinct to give a report as if death had never happened, to tell him that he had delivered the message to Potter--it all died away in Severus' throat, as the elder choked the words out. The younger's arms hung uselessly at his side, having no idea what to do with themselves, but always held; finally he lifted them up slowly, hesitantly, and stiffly returned the favor to Albus, the hug on his side miraculously smoothing out by a fraction in the end.
Severus wondered if he had touched a certain pressure point, for the old Headmaster gave one final squeeze before untangling himself with unprecedented awkardness. A gnarled hand was still on his dark shoulder, and Albus' eyes were not clear, tears still dripping down, though slowing.
An inhaled breath, and, "Harry should live...."
Really, it was a shock how much that pressure in his freshly dead chest lessened....
"...And I won't keep you here any longer; we can discuss everything later, to your heart's content, our heart's content--but right now, she's waiting for you."
Albus Dumbeldore pressed his eyes shut as he felt Severus rush past him, his footsteps echoing and fading as it crackled on grass; then the old man took one more breath, and continued to wait--one more abandoned boy, and then it would all be over.