Disclaimer:  The Harry Potter Universe was created by J. K. Rowling.

 

No monetary profit is being made from this writing

 

Summary:  Something that is little known about Snape's past.

 

Rating PG -

 

Enjoy!

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

                                                                   SALVATION

 

 

  “I can’t believe Professor Snape wasn’t there for potions today,” Hermione said.  “He’s *never* ill.”

  “I can’t believe it either,” Potter said, “not that I’m complaining.”

  “I think we should enjoy it while it lasts,” Ron said.  “Speak of the devil,” he said in a hurried whisper as he saw Snape, the Professor's arms full of potion ingredients.

The Professor ignored the three children as he walked briskly by.

  “Is it my imagination or did he look paler than usual?” Hermione asked.

  “Whatever it is, let’s hope it keeps him away,” Ron said.

 

For the next two days Snape did not show up for class.

  “This isn’t like him,” Harry said.

  “Harry, you’re not actually worried about him are you?”

  “Well ... no, it’s just strange, that’s all.”

 

Snape did show up the next day for the lesson, though the trio noticed he looked rather frazzled.

  "I trust you learned something in my absence," he told the class, "but I doubt it."

 He sat behind his desk.  "Today we will be brewing forgetfulness potions."

  "But we've already-" began one student, but a cutting glance from Snape silenced him.

  "Revision is vital.  Five points from Ravenclaw."

  "He's still the same old Snape," Ron whispered.

  "What was that Weasley?"

  "Nothing, Sir."

  "Five points from Gryffindor."

  "See what I mean," Ron whispered quieter.

 

Snape swirled around the classroom checking everyone's potions. Neville was dreading his teacher's glance.

  "Longbottom."

  "I … I forgot whet goes next, Sir."

  "It seems Longbottom's potion's working," Snape said, sarcastically.

Hermione whispered to Neville the next correct ingredient when Snape had moved on.

Harry looked at the books on Snape's desk, they all seemed to be about communicating with the dead and raising spirits.

 

He told the others this after class.

  "He's up to something."

  "Harry," Hermione said.  "Last time we thought Snape was 'up to something' it turned our we suspected the wrong person.  When we were all so sure it was Snape it wans't."

  "Yes, but this time I'm sure he is."

 

Harry kept a close eye on Snape who seemed to be frequenting thr Restricted Section of the library quite often, aided by Mr Filch.  Potter even spied on the Professor with his invisibility cloak one night.  Snape left the book on the table in the restricted section as he left the library.  Harry took a look at it.

  "Invocation of Hekate…"

He read on.

 

And he told the others.

  "So Snape's invocating the Gods?"

  "To raise the dead."

  "Harry are you sure?" Hermione asked.

  "That's what the whole book was about and he muttered something about Persephone."

  "She was the Goddess who descended to the Underworld when she fell in love with Hades."

  "I thought Hades abducted her," Ron said.

  "A common misconception," Hermione said.

  "Oh, trust you to know that."

Hermione smiled.

  "And Hekate?"

  "Witch of the night, Goddess of the Crossroads, also known as the Triple Goddess," Hermione replied.  "There's nothing wrong with communing with the Gods, but if Snape is really trying to raise the dead…"

  "Hang on … I thought the Gods were just stories," Ron said.  "Let me guess, another misconception?"

Hermione nodded.

  "Do you think we should tell Dumbledore?" Ron asked.

  "Not yet," Harry said.  "We need some more information.  He said something about saving Persephone, if that means anything."

  "Saving her from Hades?" Ron said, "but I thought that's how it was meant to be."

  "It is," Hermione said.  "I think there's more to Persephone than you heard, Harry."

  "I think so too.  Let's go to the library."

 

And so they did in broad daylight, they got their hands on every magical Greek Mythology book they could lay their hands on, but they found nothing they didn't already know.

 

  "If Snape plans to raise the dead, perhaps he expects the Gods to help him?  Hekate and Persephone?" Ron said when they were alone in the Gryffindor common room.

Harry shook his head.  "I think there's more to it than that.  He seems worried."

  "Worried that he might be caught," Ron said.

  "Again I think there's more to it than that."

 

*    *    *

 

She watched as the Gryffindor student left.  "Are you alright, Severus?" She helped him up.  No one had ever asked if he was all right before as the Slytherin student stood.  It was not the last time she would help him either.

 

The two were seen a lot together and teased, but that didn't bother Snape anymore, now that he had a friend.  He'd never had one before.  So what if she was not in Slytherin.  She would chase away would be antagonists, though Snape did a fair bit of the chasing too, now that he had gained more confidence.

 

Over the months, the two became closer and closer and eventually shared a kiss.  It took Severus to a place he had never been before.  To that mythical place over the rainbow.  He didn't care if he lost 100 points off Slytherin.  All he cared about was her.

 

That night, they made love in the Dark Forest, and were never caught.

 

 

*    *    *

 

  "I know!" Harry said excitedly.  "Perhaps there was a witch called Persephone in our world."

  "Good thinking, Harry, let's find out," Hermione said.  "But we can't stay too long we have to study for our potions exam."

  "Don't remind me," Ron groaned.

 

Harry and Co looked through several books.

  "Here!" Harry said excitedly.  "Found her  … he read down the page … Oh my Gods …"

Hermione reeled back in horror.  "She was killed by You-Know-Who …" She whispered.

  "And Snape plans to resurrect her?"

  "But who is she?" Ron asked.  "It says here she was in Ravenclaw when she was at Hogwarts and made a pact with You-Know-Who."

  "Well if she made a pact with him, she's got to be evil," Harry said, firm.  "But we still have to find more information.  Let's get the yearbook."

And so they found the Hogwarts yearbook for that year.

  "Here she is…" Harry looked at a picture of a pretty young girl.

  "Persephone (no surname) Ravenclaw.  She was a gifted student, a caring girl.  Killed tragically by You-Know-Who, making a pact with him to save the one she loved and who loved her deeply in return.  She let You-Know-Who trap her soul to Tartarus, to save her true love."

  "So she wasn't evil," Hermione said.

  "No," Harry said, feeling guilty.  "Oh My Gods …" he said after a pause.  "You don't think the one she loved was …"

  "For all we know he could be," Hermione said.  "He was at Hogwarts the same time she was."

  "But raising the dead …"

  "I don't think that's what he's doing," Harry said.  "I think he's trying to free her soul."

  "But isn't that incredibly dangerous?" Ron said.

  "Yes, he'd have to open the gates to Tartarus."

  "We have to stop him.  More than one soul could escape.  Evil souls," Hermione said.

  "We're not going to stop him," Harry said.  "We're going to help him."

Ron and Hermione swallowed.

 

The children covered up for Snape as best they could, though he was pretty good at covering his tracks, they made sure.

  "He has to perform the spell on the night of the dark moon," Hermione said.  "That's in three days.  I've cast a protection spell around his room.  That's where he's going to do the spell.  I've seen him carrying all sorts of artefacts and potions in there at all hours of the night. That cloak of yours comes in very handy, Harry.  I've no doubt Snape's taken precautions, but better to be safe than sorry."

Harry nodded.  "Now all we have to do is wait for the dark moon."

 

On the night of the Dark Moon, Snape sat in his quarters, sen it a circle of artefacts, saying an invocation to Hekate.

  "Goddess Hekate

Witch of the night

Hear me, hear my plight

Help me this night

Free the one

Into the Light."

His robes swirled in a gentle wind as Snape waves his hand over a thick black candle, igniting it. He drank a vial of purple potion and closed his eyes.

  "Gates of Tartarus open

To release only one trapped

So wrongly.

Persephone be her name

By Voldemort she was killed and trapped.

Free Her now."

 

From the door to Snape's room, the children saw a great light underneath.

 

A soul burst forth from the depths of the Underworld, a beautiful light.

  "Shut Gates of Tartarus," Snape said immediately.

And they did so.

  "Persephone…"

  "You have freed me, Severus…"

  "It's taken so long … I'm sorry you had to suffer."

  "I did it for you."

  "Why?"

  "Because I love you.  I couldn't let Voldemort take you.  Why did you go to him?"

  "I wanted him to free you, but he never did.  That was the only reason…"

  "You realise you will suffer the consequences?"

  "Yes, though I could not leave you down there.  I'm sorry it's taken me so long."

  "I am free now, free to fly to the Elysian Fields, where my soul will rest in peace and bliss, thank you, Severus."

  "It is I who should be thanking you."

Gently, the spirit kissed him

 

The children didn't know how, but they saw through the door.

  "I've never seen anything so beautiful…" Hermione whispered, tears in her eyes.

 

When the spirit disappeared, Snape collapsed onto the floor.

  "Do you suppose he's all right?" Ron asked.

  "Apparently it took a lot out of him."

A moment later, Professor Dumbledore came running down the stairs.  With a flick of his hand, Snape's door opened.  Dumbledore knelt down to the fallen professor.

  "Severus…"

There was no reply.

  "He isn't dead is he?" Ron asked, through the invisibility cloak, then cupped his hand over his mouth. Harry saw no point in keeping the cloak on.

Dumbledore looked up to see the three children.  "No, he's unconscious."

The older man picked up Snape, carried him to his bed and laid him upon it, before snuffing out the candle.

  "You three knew about this," Dumbledore stated.  "Come with me."

 

The children stood in Dumbledore's office.

  "How long have you known?"

  "A while, Professor," Harry said.

  "And yet you told no one." Dumbledore paused.  "Have you any idea how dangerous a spell that was?"

To the children it sounded as though Dumbledore thought they had cast it.

  "Yes, Professor."

  "Why then did you not come to me?"

  "We wanted to help Professor Snape.  He may not be our favourite teacher, but he really loved her."

  "I realise that and I also realise that he took precautions, but that doesn’t change how serious a situation this is.  All three of you will receive detention.  Be thankful it's not expulsion."

Harry swallowed, thanking his lucky stars that Dumbledore was so forgiving.

 

*    *    *

 

After Snape had regained consciousness, a day later, he stood before Dumbledore.  He said nothing.

  "Severus, I realise you meant well.  I know how deeply both of you were in love."

  "I realised the danger, Headmaster and I took precautions."

  "I realise that, Severus and I would have been horrified if you had not, but as it stands what you did last night was very dangerous.  You could have been killed!  Or worse."

  "I realise that also. But I could not leave her trapped down there."

  "You put the school at risk.  If other souls had escaped from Tartarus, our entire world, not to mention the Muggles' world would have been put at risk.  While I am aware that did not happen, it was a great risk.  Did you think of that?"

  "Yes Headmaster, I did."

  "And you went ahead with it anyway.  I've no doubt the ancient God Hades would have intervened and set things straight if things had gone awry, but you still took a great risk."

  "I realise that, but I had to save her." Inwardly Snape cursed himself for being so open.

  "I am sorry, Severus, but this is just too severe."

Snape swallowed.

  "I am going to have to ask you to leave Hogwarts."

Snape stared at Dumbledore.  "But … But where would I go?" he blurted.  "I have no home but here."

  "You should have thought of that, Severus."

Snape was dumbfounded.

  "I will give you time to set your affairs in order and pack your things."

  "Th … thank you, Headmaster."

  "I am sorry, Severus."

Snape nodded, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.  He was relieved to have saved Persephone, and as she said, he was facing the consequences of his actions.

 

*    *    *

 

Snape began to clear out his room, something he had not done since he received the job at Hogwarts.  It surprised him at how much stuff he had accumulated over the years.  He placed a pile of things he no longer needed or wanted in the middle of the room and used his wand to disintegrate them.

Snape was disturbed by a knock on his door.

  "Headmaster?" he inquired.

  "Harry, Ron, Hermione." Harry said.

  "Be gone, Potter and company," Snape snarled. "I'm busy."

  "We've been asked to spend detention with you."

Snape flung his door open.  "No doubt you've heard.  Come to help me pack, Potter?"

  "For what it's worth I'm sorry, Professor.  We know you really loved her."

  "What?  I can't believe Dumbledore told you-"

  "He told us nothing," Hermione said.  "We figured it out for ourselves."

Snape glared at them.  "Is nothing sacred?  I'd take points of Gryffindor, but I can't.  Well what are you just standing around for like lumps?  Hurry up and pack those robes.  The train leaves at eleven." He pointed to some black and green robes on the floor.

  "What have you got detention for anyway?" Snape asked.  "Sneaking around at night again?"

  "Helping you," Harry replied dryly.

  "What?"

  "You heard."

Snape was silent, and oddly touched.  "Why would want to you help me?"

  "Beats me," Harry said.  "But true love has a tendency to bring out the best in people."

  "If you think I'm going to get mushy, Potter…"

  "Heaven forbid."

Snape actually smiled.

Harry, Ron and Hermione carefully packed some of Snape's things.

 

It was ten o'clock when Dumbledore entered the room.  "Severus, there you are."

  "Where else would I be, Headmaster?"

  "I would have thought you'd be teaching your class.  You didn't show up for potions today."

  "But Headmaster, you … fired me."

Dumbledore gave a small smile.  "It seems as though you've learned your lesson, Severus.  I trust you'll be on time for this afternoon's potions class."

  "Y … Yes, Headmaster." Snape stammered. He could hardly believe it.  "So I sorted out my things and packed for nothing?"

 "I wouldn't say for nothing, Severus.  This place needed a good Spring clean."

Snape gave a small, but rare smile.  "Thank you, Headmaster."

  "And I believe you three have learned your lesson?" Dumbledore asked.

  "Yes, Professor," Harry said.

Dumbledore smiled as he left fore his office.

  "I suppose you think this changes things between us, Potter?" Snape asked.

  "Heaven forbid."

Snape gave another rare smile as the children helped him unpack.

 

 

*

 

 

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