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Summary: Love, hatred, and death all spin a web of pain into Severus Snape's life and only one person can save him

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by J. K. Rowling. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. It's just fan fiction!

Author's Pre-Note: Thanks to all of you who have read and reviewed this story since December 1999. It always surprises me to find out how many people remember it and how many people like it. In fact, a lovely lady named Carol Graymalking liked it so much, she translated it into Portuguese!

< >That said about how this story is, it was obviously written before Goblet of Fire and doesn't completely connect to what we learned about Severus Snape in that book.

what is this??? is this a real book??? it would be sooo cool if it was, but i've never heard of it...

rerincess_rinoa1 Gryffindor's Head Girl

WOW. If tassie sees this she want be so happy, u know she is our head girl!

Is this a fanficstion?? perhaps this needs to go there.

hm........

This needs to go to the Fanfic section!

Hey princess Rinoa1, where can I find the link to this story, the rest of it actually......Can you help me out?

I just want to clarify that... i am not the one who wrote this fanfic.. I really like it and so, I post it so that everyone can scan this story.. hope u like it too... Thank you..

< >As he strode across the grounds toward the school, someone yelled his name. He turned toward the voice and his mood - which wasn't that bright in the first place - was brought down excessively.

< >"James," Severus said coldly in greeting as James stopped in front of him.

< >"Severus," James replied with the same coldness.

< >"What do you want?"

< >"What were you doing in Hagrid's hut?" James demanded instantly.

< >Severus glared at him. "I don't see how it's any of your business."

< >"It is my business, Severus; Hagrid's my friend."

< >"Really, James, if you must know, Hagrid brought me breakfast. I missed it and he invited me in," Severus said, exasperated. He sighed. "Are you satisfied? Or are you devastated that your friend invited me in?" Severus pushed past James and hurried into the castle, leaving James behind to stare at his back.

< >He was hurrying down an empty corridor more than ten minutes later when he heard soft crying and he stopped. "Hello?" Severus called, squinting his eyes in the darkness, trying to get them to adjust.

< >There was a pause in the crying and sniffling. "Severus?" someone called.

< >"Samantha?" Severus asked, his voice failing him. He looked around a turn and there was lovely Samantha - sitting against the wall, face buried in her hands. She raised her head to look at him, her eyes red from crying.

< >"Oh, Severus!" she wailed, burying her face in her hands again.

< >"Samantha?" Severus asked again, stunned.

< >She didn't answer; just kept sobbing.

< >Severus debated with himself - though he knew it was stupid - about what he should do. Finally, he decided to speak. "Samantha, what's wrong? What happened?" he asked shrilly, startling himself at the sound of his worried voice.

< >"No, no, no," Samantha said softly through her hands, oblivious to him, talking to herself. "It's impossible. Why did it have to happen to me?" She looked up at Severus, trembling.

< >"What?" Severus demanded, suddenly frustrated.

< >"Why did my parents have to die?" Samantha nearly shrieked. "Haven't you heard? Or are you just taunting me because your parents are still alive?" Her hands were in tight fists and her knuckles were white.

< >Severus stared at her, stunned. "W - w - what?" he said in a high voice, not about to correct the fact that his father was dead.

< >Samantha turned her head away and shook her head indigantly.

< >"Oh, mother of . . ." Severus kneeled beside her and stared at the cheek facing him. "Samantha . . . oh, God . . . I didn't know . . . I was outside all morning. I am such an idiot!"

< >Samantha looked back at him and closed her eyes. "No, no you're not."

< >"Yes, I am!" Severus said miserably. "I should be comforting you - not the other way around!" He grabbed his wiry hair angrily. Stupid, stupid, stupid, he whispered harshly to himself. Idiot! Her parents are dead and she is comforting you!

< >Samantha's closed eyes leaked with tears and she leaned against his chest, surprising him, but he didn't protest. He felt his heart beating against hers as she sobbed quietly.

< >Slowly, Severus put his arms around Samantha's shaking body and she gripped his arm with her hands, unable to let go. Her eyes were squeezed tight, trying desperately not to let any tears spill, but her strength gave out on her, and her face was suddenly flooded with tears again.

< >"Severus," she whispered softly after a few minutes of silence.

< >"Yes, Samantha?" Severus asked tenderly, looking down at her sweet face.

< >"Stay with me?"

< >"Always and forever, Samantha," Severus whispered into her ear. He leaned down after a moment and kissed her forehead, stroking her soft hair, wishing he could see her beautiful eyes, no matter how horribly tear-stricken they were, just to see her eyes looking into his . . .

< >They stayed in their positions for nearly three hours. Severus's knees ached horribly, but he didn't complain or shift around, even though his dear Samantha had fallen asleep in his arms.

< >After the three approximate hours - there was no clock in the corridor, but Severus was just estimating - Professor McGonagall came around the corner, looking sour.

< >"Mr. Sna - " Her voice faltered instantly when she saw Samantha in Severus's arms. "Oh, dear . . ." She slowly turned back to Severus. "Is she all right?" the professor asked slowly, looking down at Samantha again.

< >"Of course," Severus sneered, surprising himself. "Her parents have just died, but she is just fine." He shook his head in disgust, disregarding his mantra of never speaking back to a teacher. "What happened?" he demanded after a moment. "What happened to David and Florence?"

< >"You - you knew them?" McGonagall faltered.

< >"Yes," Severus said, struggling hard not to sneer again. "I've known Samantha - and her parents . . . nearly all my life . . ." He looked back down at Samantha, still in his arms.

< >McGonagall gulped. "You wanted to know what happened - " Severus snapped his head up - "and I will tell you, since you are seemingly telling me that you two," she gestured to Samantha, "are nearly like family."

< >Severus looked down again, embarrassed. Does Samantha agree? he wondered.

< >"It - I suppose you've heard of Lord Voldemort?" McGonagall continued when Severus nodded dimly. "He is growing, fast, and he's . . ." She gulped. "He's killing every one who goes against him."

< >"Did - ?"

< >"No, they were . . . they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, sadly," McGonagall replied, somewhat stiffly. "He went on a rampage two days ago - not even half of the bodies have been found . . ."

< >"Will he rise even farther?"

< >"Yes, I believe so, Mr. Snape."

< >"He will kill more?"

< >"Yes, again, it is believed."

< >"Leave us, then, professor." Severus looked up, a menacing glint in his eyes. "I will take her to her common room when she awakes. Go, please, just go." He looked down, not wanting to look McGonagall in the eye again.

< >The professor stayed silent for a moment, then slowly walked away down the corridor without a verbal answer, but Severus knew she had consented. He listened until he could no longer hear her footsteps and turned back to Samantha.

< >"Samantha," he whispered softly, nudging her gently.

< >She groaned softly, protesting her awakening.

< >"Samantha," he said more urgently.

< >"Hmm?" Samantha asked, her eyes fluttering open to look at him.
She stared. "How long - ?"

< >"I think about three hours," Severus replied quietly.

< >Samantha sat up, dazed, and looked back at him, seeing he was still on his knees. "Oh, Severus," she breathed in amazement, staring at him. "I bet you can't even walk, let alone stand up."

< >Severus shook his head, though he knew she was probably right. He pulled his legs out from under him, his knees aching. He grimaced as he straightened his legs out in front of him.

< >Samantha stood up shakily, putting a hand on the wall to steady herself. Her knees shook violently, but she stayed on her feet; barely, though.

< >Severus took the last of his strength and pulled himself to his feet, his whole body aching - muscles cramped in places he didn't know could ache. "Let's get you to your common room," he said softly, taking Samantha's elbow.

< >He lead her all the way to the Ravenclaw common room entrance. He turned to her and asked, concerned, "Are you sure you can make it? All the way to your dormitory, I mean?"

< >Samantha opened her mouth to speak, but her shaking knees gave way, and tears formed in her eyes again, a sign of impeccable grief. She looked up at him from the ground, her blue eyes shimmering in the torch light. "Why? Oh, why, Severus?" she sobbed. "They weren't even saying or doing anything to him - they never did! Oh, why?"

< >Severus crouched in front of her and took her hands in his, looking her in the eye. "I don't know, Samantha, I really don't know. I am very sorry, for your loss, you know that, don't you?"

< >Samantha gulped and nodded. "Yes, yes, of course I do. You always told me they were like family to you." She pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her running nose, dabbing blindly at her flowing tears.

...........

Cont...

< >He did not come out for lunch, nor did he even think of leaving for dinner. Severus had drawn the curtains around his bed once again and spent his time staring into space. He knew he should have been studying, but he really didn't care.

< >Severus heard Dorian and the other sixth year boys come in after dinner, suddenly lowering their loud voices, when they saw Severus was in the room, or, at least, figured he still was.

< >When morning came, Severus was first up. He hurried down to the Great Hall after he had dressed, ate quickly before many students arrived, then headed to the library, wanting to find a quiet, reserved place for studying.

< >He had been working for nearly an hour, when someone passing by stopped next to him. Severus looked up, his eyes immediately darkening. "What do you want?" he sneered, looking back down at his papers.

< >James Potter shifted from one foot to the other uncomfortably. "I - I just wanted to say . . ." Severus looked up, ready to come back with a sarcastic remark. "I just wanted to say what you did - it was really decent of you," James finished defiantly.

< >Severus stared at him, then, realizing what James was about to say, turned back to his work. "I suppose the whole school knows if you know," he replied in a hard tone.

< >James sat down in front of Severus, making him look up. "What do you mean?" he demanded, narrowing his eyes at Severus.

< >"What do you think I mean?" Severus sneered.

< >"I just came here - " James started to say, his voice rising.

< >"To say that what I did was really decent. Yeah, I know. I'm not exactly deaf, am I?" Severus demanded angrily through gritted teeth. "I heard you perfectly, James Potter."

< >James's eyes stayed narrowed. "If you must know - your whole house was telling everyone at lunch and at dinner, for those who missed the tale. Are you telling me what they said wasn't true - "

< >"Am I supposed to know what they said is true or not when I was not even there?" Severus hissed, slamming his quill down. "I wasn't there - was I? I'm sure at least half of them said I'm crazy - that's why I was in bed all day. Ha! I stayed there because I did not want to talk to any idiots yesterday or today! But today has already been ruined and it's barely even started!"

< >"They said that you carried that girl - Samantha Halloway - all the way to the common room, yelled at one of the prefects, and walked straight in. You then carried her to her room and you were there for a while, comforting her," James said, ignoring Severus's last, cruel comments.

< >"I helped her to her common room door, then carried her to her room when she started crying again, even though my legs had been bent in the same direction for three hours," Severus said, "though that is clearly besides the point. And how in hell did my house know about - ?"

< >James waved his hand impatiently. "The Ravenclaws, of course. They included their own stories. Stories," he emphasized.

< >Severus opened his mouth, then shut it. "No, I'm not saying anymore. It's my personal business and for one thing, what will the Gryffindors think when they find out you spoke to me in an actual conversation?" he demanded. "They'll condemn you for life!" Severus laughed shortly and looked back at his work. "I'm busy," he said to James in a hard voice after a moment of silence, but no movement.

< >James hesitated for a moment, then got up, and turned to leave.

< >"James," Severus said suddenly, his voice low. He did not look up, but his mind was focused on the exiting boy.

< >James turned around slowly. "Severus," he replied, unnerved by the odd show of reserve in Severus.

< >"You're lucky, you know," Severus said quietly. "Damn lucky . . ."

< >"Lucky? For what?" James demanded.

< >Severus sighed in hesitation. "You have Lily," he replied softly.

< >"And you have Samantha, Severus," James said quietly, then walked away.
~

< >At lunch time later that day, even though it was Sunday, the Great Hall was crowded with people on study breaks.

< >Whispering had erupted once again when Severus had walked in, but he gave a glaring glance around the room, and it had returned to semi-normal talk, with staring, though, of course. Everyone was worried he was going to beat them up like he supposedly did to Dorian.

< >Suddenly, near the end of lunch, after a few people had sauntered out, not looking forward to getting back to their studies, two lonely owls swooped into the Great Hall. The whole room went silent because they knew what this probably meant - a death.

< >One headed to Dumbledore and the other - the other was headed toward Severus. The owl headed toward Dumbledore dropped it in his lap and Severus's letter was dropped right into his hands.

< >Severus tore open the letter and a long, gold chain with a small, roughly cut amethyst on it fell out onto the table with a clatter. He jumped up, making the chair he was sitting in crash onto the floor behind him.

< >Dumbledore jumped up from his own seat, but couldn't move any farther. Everyone was staring at Severus, who was himself staring open-mouthed at the necklace in pure horror.

< >"No," he whispered softly. "No, no, no!" He turned his head to stare at Dumbledore who nodded solemnly and looked truly sorry. "NO!" Severus shrieked, backing up and falling onto the floor, scrambling backwards desperately to get away from the necklace.

< >Though he desperately tried to back away, kicking his legs out hysterically, he could barely move out of his place. Out of the corner of his eye, Severus saw James leap to his feet, but he was not paying attention to anyone at that moment, just staring at the stone and chain in absolute terror.

< >The necklace was on the edge of the table and after a few silent moments, teetered off the table onto the floor, a few inches from Severus's feet. The clang of it hitting the floor echoed through the Great Hall.

< >Severus screamed.

~

Watch out for the ending....

< >Samantha was breathing harshly as the blood drained quickly from her veins. She was pale as a ghost, gazing up at the sky with a blank expression, ignoring the rainwater splashing into her still beautiful eyes. Her grip on the handle of the blade was lost and the dagger slid into a thin stream of rain water, gliding away slowly, as if wanting to leave an even more lasting impression on Severus than it already had.

< >She did this to herself, Severus knew with sudden alarm, gulping down a scream.

< >There were gasps of horror behind him as the rest of the school joined him in the rain.

< >"No, no, Samantha!" Severus suddenly yelled in anguish, slamming his fist down in the mud. He crawled around to her and brought her limp head into his lap. "No, Samantha! No! Don't leave me! Not here! Not now!" he cried, tears streaming down his cheeks.

< >Samantha looked into his eyes, but didn't say anything. She looked . . . happy.

< >"No, don't do that! Don't look at me like that! I love you, Samantha!" Severus shrieked, burying his face in his hands. "Don't you understand? Isn't it clear? Why? Oh, why do I have to lose so many people? It's not fair! My father, my mother, and - and now you - my only reason for not taking my own life!"

< >Samantha started crying - Severus didn't know if it was the pain or realization. "Oh, Severus," she said, her voice choking on the blood that was swirling and coming up through her throat. "Oh, Severus, I knew! I know, but . . . but my life was over the second Voldemort was conceived! Before I was even born! His destiny was to kill my parents and mine is to be with my parents and - "

< >"And my destiny was to be with you!" Severus yelled back at her, suddenly angry through his miserably pain. His shoulders shook as tears began to overwhelm him.

< >"I love you, too, Severus," Samantha choked through tears, her pale, feeble body shaking horribly. "But I can't go on. Not without my family - my parents, I mean."

< >"My mother died, you know!" Severus cried accusingly. "I - I . . . how do you think I can go on without you?" He cried harder, not wanting to believe the truth which lay right in front of his very eyes in its shocking, terrible reality.

< >Samantha managed a weak smile and stared up at him, eyes dipped in ferocious ocean water. He felt his angel, his love leaving him, escaping the murky depths of the terrible sea. "What did I ask you once?" she asked, her voice trembling as tears rolled silently away from her eyes and joined the rain puddles surrounding them.

< >Severus stared at her, paralyzed and confused.

< >"I asked you," she continued, taking in a shaky breath, "to stay with me."

< >"And I . . ." Severus gulped back a sob. "I said 'always and forever.' I'd be always with you . . . forever . . . and ever . . . and always . . ." He brushed away the tears that came down even faster from his eyes.

< >Samantha reached up to him and grasped his hand. "Always and forever, Severus, always and forever," she whispered hoarsely, smiling as best she could, despite the pain. "I will always be with you . . . forever."

< >Severus leaned down and kissed her deeply, never wanting to let go - he couldn't, he knew. He'd never let go. Never. "Always and forever, my love," he whispered, his voice whimpering with anguish. "Always and forever."

< >The two lovers were oblivious to the people surrounding them. Their screams, their crying, their stares of terror, their whimpers of emotional distress all mixed together came upon deaf ears. It was just the two of them in the bleak of the dark stormy night, alone, and together . . . always and forever in their hearts.

< >Samantha died in Severus's arms that stormy night, leaving a lonely, angry man behind in grief of his lost life. He knew he would never again regain that life and he knew he never wanted it back because he knew he would lose it again if he ever did.

~

So who did write it?

I don't know who write this fanfic... but its really an interesting story of Snape, right?

It's a bit psycho, but you really should credit the writer...