The battlefield was wide and bloody.

Bodies lay scattered on the frozen ground, good or evil unobservable, only the identical faces of death on every victim.

In the center, light pulsed black and white around two figures, locked in the Great Battle.

Here and there skirmishes caused the ground to heave with motion, but the remainder of the survivors were frozen in place, staring and willing the power of their souls into the magic essence of the Battle.

Only two beings moved right outside the circle of light, one creeping up from behind, the other a young lady watching the field carefully. Severus lay flat on the ground, alternating between playing dead and creeping up to the Dark Lord’s back.

Time seemed to freeze as the darker light pushed closer and closer to the young man, knocking him down to his knees and then to his back.

Severus knew the end would be near if he didn’t act now. In one move, he leaped up onto Voldemort’s back like a panther taking his prey. The impact caused Voldemort’s magical light to snap back into his wand. In less than a breath, Voldemorts guard, Tonks, turned to Snape and hit him in the side with an Avada Kadavra. As he flew up into the air, he saw Harry jump on Voldemort, forcing a pure white light down into the monster. When he hit the ground, he had only a moment to feel the burning of his left arm before everything went black.

For once in his life, everything was still and quiet. Severus hesitated to open his eyes. Although he was certain he had seen the defeat of Voldemort and would not be waking up to the vengeful hands of the Death Eaters, he did not want to end this peace he now felt, cocooned within his own body.

But was he in his own body? He clearly remembered pain in his arm, as if it were being burnt off from around the dark mark. And he couldn’t feel the normal pain of his constantly stiff back.

Slowly and unsurely he cracked his eyes, and then shut them again. He was surrounded by the brightest pure white light he had ever seen. Raising his arm to shield his face, he opened his eyes again. He feared that somehow he had gone blind, because all he could see was the whiteness without end. His eyes quickly adjusted, and he stood up from the floor.

“Look, he is waking,” a melodic female voice whispered. Severus looked around, but couldn’t see anything still.

“Ah yes,” a male voice whispered back. “Severus, my child, welcome!”

“Welcome to where? Who are you? Where are you?” He demanded from the voices. He reached for his wand, but found nothing.

“Shush, it’s alright. All will be explained if you will hear us out,” said the female.

“That’s right. For your first question, well, you are no longer of the earth. Your time has come to move on to a greater existence,” said the male.

“So this is finally Hell?” Severus asked.

The voices’ laughter tinkled like bells. “No, of course not! You would probably refer to this as Heaven, though it is not quite the definition you are used to,” the female replied.

Severus snorted and began to form his typical scowl. “Now I know this is an elaborate hoax. You could have at least tried to make up a believable story.

“My child,” the male spoke with sadness, “my dear child. You burden yourself with an imaginary guilt, when you could soar through the sky with your precious soul. You have indeed arrived at the place of transition to a greater dwelling. You have, in fact, obtained Heaven.”

“That’s ridiculous. I would never deserve such a thing.”

“The ones who deserve it most never do believe they could actually be here, do they dear?” The female intoned to the male, with a sad hint in her voice.

“No, I don’t suppose they do,” he responded. “Well, if you cannot accept your fate here, I cannot force you to.”

“So, what will happen to me? Will I be punished in Hell as I deserve?”

“No, because you do not deserve it!” The voice began to get angry, but then fell back to a sadness. “But neither can you receive what is rightfully yours if you will not take it by your own will. No, for you I’m afraid there is no other choice but to send you back.”

“Back? To the battle? Is it over yet?”

“Yes, it is over.”

“Then I have no need to return. Albus was the only person there who valued my existence, and even he is gone now. Is there not any way I can go to Hell?”

“No, Severus. That will not be your fate. And there is one other who values you greatly. She is waiting for you now,” the female said with a smile in her voice.

“When you can accept your fate here, we will call you back. Until then, remember this above all else: You are loved, and always have been loved, and always will be. And by more people than you will ever know of.”

Before Severus could make a sarcastic reply to this, he felt a sharp pulling in his stomach, and lurched away into unconsciousness again.

He lay quietly unaware for a few moments more, and then the pain shot through him. Every ache he had accumulated and ignored all his life seemed hit him at once, especially the new searing pain in his arm. He took in a long shuddering gasp of air.

The scream next to his ear brought him back to full consciousness. He jerked his eyes open, to see an Angel with blurry halo inches from his face. After a few blinks, his eyes focused and he realized his Angel was Hermione Granger, tears streaking down her muddy face, her hair frizzed out in all its glory.

He watched as she carefully composed herself. She leaned forward and pressed his neck with only slightly shaking fingers. After confirming his pulse, she gently touched his cheek.

“Welcome back, Severus.”