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The sky was a swirl of pink and orange, a sunset frozen in time. Behind the opaque colors of the marbled sky lay a network of hazy blue- occlumency shields one could only see if they knew of its existence.
Severus Snape strolled on his beach, a place laced with his memories of happier times. Filled with false hope for a better future. Hope for a joyful life.
The calm waves lapped away the wishes once written on the golden-brown sand. Sand that had once been whiter, purer. For once, the man didn’t mind the darkening. It wasn’t a symbol of bad- just a change. Like a marshmallow roasted over an open fire on a sweet night. It was the same, in essence. Some preferred them done this way, to eat in smores. Heated in the middle and hard around the edges. Rather like himself,he mused.
Underneath the sand lay buried memories and dreams. Chests of knowledge and joy. This was his safe space in his brain. Safe from the likes of other legilimens. Safe from the worst horrors he had faced. Pristine in its upkeep and cleansed of most pain. Some troubles would always linger, but he was through the worst of it now.
Looking out to the sky, the dark-haired man found himself filled with an emotion he couldn’t describe. He was no longer troubled by what his life might have been. What happened had happened, and the longing that he felt for a different life was almost comforting. He had known that feeling for so long; it was now naught but an old friend. One that wouldn’t leave him, wouldn’t change.
A ghost appeared behind him. She drifted in with her red hair and shining green eyes. A sweet smile gracing her face. “Severus.” She whispered.
“Lily.”
A tear rolled down his cheek. She had been his hold to life, tether to sanity. Those green eyes held so much pain, so much sorrow. And yet they glittered with light and hope and joy. How?
“Severus.” She repeated, reassuringly this time. Things weren’t the best and he had plenty of regrets. But maybe, just maybe-
He took her hand and went back with her, no longer smelling the salty ocean air. No longer leaving footprints in the sand. As he left, the beach trapped in time faded to black, blue shields finally coming down.
In the afterlife, many were waiting for him. James stood proudly by Lily, a slight tilt of his head as an inclination to forgiveness- to moving on.
Regulus was there too. The man let Snape know of how proud he was. They eloped in an awkward yet comforting hug. More tears rolled down Snape’s pale face.
His mom gave him a weak smile, and his heavily-guarded heart clenched in bittersweet agony. They had both been through so much, unable to really help each other. But they were both here now. And for all the pain she had caused him, she had meant well.
Dumbledore gave him a pat on the back and an apology, more than Severus thought he deserved.
Even Black was there. They didn’t get along well yet. But, maybe they could someday. At least they had Harry and Lily in common. Maybe they could find more to agree on.
The ghosts sat together, watching Harry live through the rest of his night. None departed with a dry eye.
He knew he had a lot of work still to do. Work to fix broken bridges and build new ones. He had many to meet that he knew from his life- potioneers he had worked with and Death Eaters he had betrayed. Ex-friends and students he had failed.
And yet, with all that in mind, he somehow found a glimmer of hope inside.
For once, when he went to sleep that night, Severus Snape was calm and content, knowing he had all the time in the world.