Hogwarts.
Severus Snape hurried through the infamous moving stairs of Hogwarts. The deceptive stairs from the entrance hall to the upper floors played tricks on their challengers, shifting paths or sending them back to the start of the climb as if they were alive. Severus was used to them and moved with a certain mastery. A step to the side, sometimes just waiting, and in the next moment, he would suddenly jump back, catching the new moving staircase nearby.
It didn't take long to get out of Hogwarts' 'Fun' stairs. Well, he didn't seem to be having fun anyway. His serious face and deep-set eyes accentuated his slightly hooked nose. His long, straight hair had a greasy appearance, and he was skinny for his height. He walked down a long corridor to a gargoyle statue. 'What was the password again? Sweets...'
"Candy Bombs," he exclaimed with his velvety voice.
In response to the password, the gargoyle's ruby-red eyes lit up. The wall was disassembled into stone blocks, which piled up in the corners to clear the way. An old wooden door appeared. Upon opening it, Snape was quickly noticed by an elderly figure writing on scrolls with a quill: Albus Dumbledore.
The office stood out with its dense decoration: shelves filled with scrolls and magical knick-knacks, a bird perch, a desk with quills and scrolls, and candle chandeliers illuminating the space. Marks of the school's magical past were highlighted in the living portraits of former headmasters. And, of course, a large gothic stained glass window was open, letting in the autumn chill and the beauty of the night sky.
"It's good you came, Severus. Have a seat," Dumbledore said in a gentle voice. He reached into one of the pockets of his long robe and brought out his wand. It was slightly larger and more rustic than common wands, with distinct appendages growing symmetrically along its length.
Severus looked at the wand and couldn't help but gulp, standing there motionless. The old wizard in front of him was no ordinary man but a monster famous for hunting other monsters. He had defeated Grindelwald, the greatest dark wizard in the world, even greater than Voldemort, though Snape would never admit it. The discomfort of seeing a powerful wizard wielding his wand was sinister. Lost in thought, for a moment he felt as if his life was ending and that he should never have come. He only gathered the courage by remembering a certain redhead, interrupted in his thoughts.
Dumbledore observed his former student with a mix of disdain and compassion. So much talent is wasted on ego, loving desires, or a will for revenge. Perhaps the disdain wasn't for the boy but for himself. After all, he had done the same with Gellert. Still, he might have overlooked some of Snape's challenges. Hence, he felt responsible for Severus; the young man was not a bad boy, just one who had made poor decisions. And that he could understand. Perhaps it was a chance for redemption for both.
"Sit down, Severus. We have much to discuss about what you told me via owl."
Severus looked sternly at Dumbledore, raising his voice. "What part of the Potters being attacked right now do you not understand? And you're telling me to sit here with you? Aren't you going to offer me lemon drops or make some tea? Wake up, Dumbledore! You need to stop his actions. Are you going to let them die?"
Dumbledore listened silently to Severus's desperate complaints. The boy had never raised his voice this way to him, but Dumbledore wasn't concerned. "Calm down, Severus. The Potters are safe. They are under the protection of the Fidelius Charm, a spell I provided them with, so powerful that it is almost impervious to any intruder. How would you attack something you don't know where it is?"
'And Sirius, the Secret Keeper, would never betray them,' he thought to himself.
Dumbledore's gaze fell on the young man's eyes, a deep black exasperated by despair, taking advantage of the vulnerability of a Legilimency probe, needing to see deeper. Severus quickly turned his eyes away, feeling his mental defenses being attacked, remembering why he hated Legilimens so much. He fought with all his strength to expel the intruder, growing even more frustrated.
"I hate you, Dumbledore. You underestimate the urgency of what is happening, always waiting while your people die believing in your cause. You and he show the same disdain for your people. That's what I've never understood about you," Severus vented, not holding back his anger at the old wizard.
The living portraits on the wall gathered to question Dumbledore along with Severus. Impatiently, he merely waved his wand, casting a spell that turned the portraits of former headmasters around. The old man closed his eyes, bringing his hand to his long beard. When he opened those blue eyes, a hint of sadness was momentarily visible. "Yes, I remember each of their faces, whether before, when we fought Gellert, or now, when we face Tom Riddle. I am just a man, Severus, just a tired man who would like to spend his days teaching magic. But the world insists that I fix it, time and again. And I... I don't want this."
Severus observed Dumbledore, a man with hundreds of years, his long white hair, his majestic beard covering more than just his face. The skin was old and wrinkled, the nose crooked, and the eyes, once a light blue that used to remind one of the summer sky, now glowed with weariness and sadness. He looked so human, not the most powerful wizard in the world, but a tired old man waiting for the end, or even wishing for it.
"But don't think that my apparent inaction is a sign of disdain," Dumbledore continued in a gentle tone, "Every action I take is observed by many eyes, and every word I say can influence the world; both those who believe in my peaceful ideals and those who wish for my downfall. I make every decision with extreme care and planning, trying not to cause more harm than has already been done. That is the weight of being where I am. I know what you have sacrificed to fulfill your role and understand how much you care about Lily. All I can do now is accompany you to the Potters' house and show you that, for now, everything is fine."
Dumbledore saw that Snape was beginning to calm down and approached him, extending his hand. As headmaster, he was the only one able to enter and exit Hogwarts' protections via Apparition. Severus hesitated for a moment, accepting the old man's kindness. Dumbledore waved his wand without a word. Both were dematerialized into shadows, compressed into a hole in space-time and instantly appeared in a small forest in Godric's Hollow, near the Potters' residence. Dumbledore was one of the few who received constant updates on the Fidelius secret. Normally, people forget the existence of the protected location, making it completely inaccessible to those who don't know the secret.
However, what unfolded before them was far from expected: the place was exposed, and the Potters' property was destroyed. From where they stood, they could see two lifeless bodies on the ground—James Potter and Tom Riddle. Lily Potter was holding her child near James's body, and Sirius was beside her. The mingled cries of the three could be heard.
Severus was overcome with relief to see that Lily was alive. He felt sadness seeing her cry and a kind of bitter joy as he looked down at James. But the shock came when he saw Lord Voldemort's body. He was confused and automatically raised his wrist, pulling up his sleeves. He activated the Dark Mark, which now stood out on his wrist like a skull devouring a snake, but it was different—worn and almost disappearing. The pain the mark used to convey had vanished. He knew then that Voldemort was greatly weakened, but not completely dead.
Dumbledore, on the other hand, was devastated to see James and Tom Riddle's figure dead. He needed to understand what had happened, but he didn't hurry. He looked at Severus, who was still checking the mark on his wrist. "What do you think is happening, Severus?"
"I don't know. I could feel that he is weakened, but not dead." Severus looked at Lily, the most important person in his life, wishing he could embrace and console her, but he knew he couldn't. He turned to the old man and calmly requested, "You must go, Dumbledore."
"And you?"
"It's all right. I'll be fine."
Dumbledore disappeared, and Severus saw the old man suddenly appear near Sirius and Lily. He ran first to check Voldemort's body, finding it to be harmless and then went to assist Lily and Sirius. Severus just stood there, watching everything, wishing he could comfort her.
.....
A/N: This scene was quite complex to write; I had to reread much of the original book to get the characterization right, trying to adapt it for a younger version of the characters. I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you very much for following this chapter.