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"It is a curious thing, the death of a loved one. We all know that our time in this world is limited. And yet it is always a surprise when it happens to someone we know. It is like walking up the stairs to your bedroom in the dark, and thinking there is one more stair than there is. Your foot falls down, through the air, and there is a sickly moment of dark surprise as you try to readjust the way you thought of things" - Lemony Snicket The Reptile Room
Water splashed all around as Severus suddenly sat up and gasped for breath, his eyes wandered around in a panic, where was Hogwarts, where was Harry!
Struggling to his feet he looked behind him where a beach sat, filled with crowds upon crowds of people, none of them Harry, he turned around again to look out at the vast, unended ocean.
As he stared unmoving, he remembered, he remembered the damned snake tearing at his throat, Harrys watery, pain filled eyes, and he remembered with startling clarity, his last breath, how it had been difficult and tinged with his life blood.
Panic pulled at him again and he looked around praying he didn't see Harry, he was too young and full of life to appear here.
The water splashing behind him was ignored as was the quietly whispered "Severus" , he had to watch, had to make sure that if Harry did appear here, he wouldn't be alone.
How much time passed, he didn't know, he kept his silent vigil, he had to.
"Severus, my son, he isn't coming," his hand twitched "Weeks have past in the living world, he is safe ," Severus' vision blurred as relief filled his core, and his knees buckled as he fell back into the water with a loud splash, and suddenly he was wrapped in his mothers arms.
"I…I had to be sure, sure that he wasn't coming," Eileen pulled back and cupped his cheek "I'm sure that you are eager to see him," that earned her a glare, though the intensity was lessened due to his watery, bloodshot eyes "I can wait, I dreaded seeing him appear here Mum, I want, I need him to live,"
Eileen gave him a soft, tender smile
"He did, and he will,"