Severus... Reformed / SNILY (COMPLETE)

Chapter Forty-Seven

The funeral was as deserted as had been expected. Severus and Rose were the sole attendees, although both Lily and Remus had offered to go. Lily had been dissuaded from this idea, considering she hated blood and gore, and Eileen Snape would be in an open casket until she was cremated, and also because she was too young. Severus had simply told Remus that while the offer was taken to heart, he'd prefer the boy not go.

The wizened man hosting the ceremony was in fact a wizard; the local priest refusing to bury the woman whose son was a freak, and wizarding funerals were far less grandiose than Muggle ones. Severus believed that the Ministry was funding the event, bearing in mind that Eileen Snape's body was only being ostracised due to her fraternity with the aforementioned community and so as such was partly responsible for the unfortunate circumstances. With a wave of his wand, Eileen's body became ash, and then the ashes were magically transferred to an urn that Severus set on the dull, grey headstone.

Severus Snape was an unusual boy in many ways. He did not cry, as Rose might have suspected him to. He stood, hands clasped tightly behind his back, knuckles whitening, and his head bowed in silent contemplation. He did not speak, or say any final words. Instead he sighed, massaged his throbbing temples, and stepped gingerly away. Rose followed him, waiting for guidance of what to do next, but he ignored her. It had been mental support he needed, with a physical presence, not hugs and kisses.

Once a safe distance away from the ugly grey stone, Severus turned and faced it, examining the inscription with barely-concealed annoyance.

Eileen Prince

Mother, Daughter and Academic

1939-1972

Severus had refused to allow the sculptor write Snape. His mother had been, and always would be, a Prince. Furthermore, his irritation was only because of the frivolity of carving an engraving. She'd been buried on the moor, where people for centuries would trip over the horrendous stone and move their inquisitive eyes to the inscription which he wanted no-one else to read. Then, years later, the words would fade away, and Eileen would finally be forgotten, as she'd always wanted.

*

Severus went briefly back to the Evanses' house, receiving a considerate pat from Mark, and a teary embrace from Rose, and then was Side-Apparated back to Hogwarts via Dumbledore. Once ensconced in the headmaster's office, Severus immediately left, before the interfering old codger could make him reveal all his secrets. He wanted Lily's company right now, no matter in what form that company might be. Heartfelt hugs, or grieving glances, Severus Snape could take them all.

*

Strangely enough, when on his way to the lake, where he and Lily often met, he saw someone he never thought he'd see again, and mindlessly took a step back in surprise. Regulus Arcturus Black, the sinner who repented. Resolving to meet with the tentative first-year when he had the chance, Severus continued to Lily's side, and gave in to her questions.

"How was it?" She asked first. She'd tried really hard to act normally, but she looked close to crying, and Severus couldn't handle it.

"As you'd expect."

Her lip began trembling.

"Your mother was very generous, though, going with me. I don't know what I'd have done without her."

Inwardly sighed in relief at the peace and quiet, maybe, but Lily wasn't to know that.

"She's_ at peace now," Lily hazarded, throwing caution to the wind.

Severus snorted, but managed to disguise it as a sneeze, and otherwise nodded.

"Most likely," he replied. "Listen, Lils, don't worry about her. Never pity the dead. Pity the living and, above all, those who live without love."

He'd done it. Tears began cascading down Lily's cheeks and she could hold in her sobs no longer. Gently, very gently, Severus took his friend into a comforting embrace, and held on tightly.

"Don't worry, Lils. Never worry. I'll always be here, for you."

Above, looking out of the castle's windows, were Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore. 

And neither had a dry eye as they stared at the scene.

*****

A.N. Another chapter, eventually! My schedule will be, more often than not, shunted to the side in favour of homework and revision, unfortunately.

Eileen is now dead and buried, and Lily has had to cope with her first loss. Who will be her next? DUN DUN DUN!!!!!!

Thank you for reading and PLEASE COMMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!