The Choice of Severus Snape
The Choice of Severus Snape
Severus Snape’s life had been a series of complicated decisions, sacrifices, and quietly enduring pain. But when his own attempt to tap into the dangerous magic of an early matured phoenix core resulted in his untimely death, he found himself in a place that was neither Heaven nor Hell—limbo. It was here, in the vast expanse of nothingness, that he encountered three entities who were far more than mere concepts: Magic, Death, and Fate.
Magic, ever a force that governed the balance of the wizarding world, was the first to speak, its voice both warm and authoritative. "Be at Peace Severus"
Severus blinked, a sharp mix of curiosity and suspicion flashing in his dark eyes. Before he could voice his confusion, Fate spoke, its voice like a faint whisper, yet it carried the weight of inevitability.
"Your sacrifices in the original timeline were significant. They did not go unnoticed by the powers that shape all destinies." Fate paused, as if weighing the moment carefully before continuing. "But you, Severus, are at a crossroads. A choice awaits you now. What will you do with the chance that’s been given?"
And then, before Severus could respond, Death, ever the somber and patient observer, appeared. The hooded figure radiated an air of finality, but there was no malice in its gaze. "I have brought you here for a reason," Death said, its voice a low echo of inevitability. "You have already given so much of yourself. But the future remains unwritten, and your path, as it stands, is yours to choose. What you decide next will shape not only your fate but the very fabric of your being."
Severus glanced from one entity to the next, feeling a strange sense of calm settling over him. This was not the chaotic uncertainty of life but something far more significant. Magic's mischievous smile, Death's solemnity, and Fate’s cryptic manner—each was offering him something he hadn’t expected. A chance.
"I understand now."
Death continued, "You are here, in limbo, not because of fate’s cruelty, but because it was meant to be. A reward, not just for the things you did, but for the things you will do."
Severus frowned, trying to make sense of their words. And then, Magic stepped forward, offering him a choice.
"There are two options before you, Severus Snape. The first: you can leave this world behind. You can reincarnate and begin a new life. You will retain the wisdom of your previous existence, and I will ensure that you retain your magical ability. In this new life, you will be a wizard again, free to choose your destiny without the weight of the past holding you back. Fate promises that in this life, you will find love and purpose."
Severus could feel the pull of this option, a tempting chance to forget his pain, his grief, and the many, many years of bitterness that had tainted his soul. A fresh start. But the other option, offered by Death with a quiet but steady gaze, was just as compelling.
"The second choice," Death intoned, "is to merge with your younger self. The version of you that still has the potential to make different choices. You will retain all the power and knowledge you have gathered, and Magic will ensure that you will have the full strength of an adult wizard, with the added power that comes with magical maturation. You will have a chance to fix your mistakes, to change your fate."
Severus listened carefully, his thoughts tangled between possibilities. But then, Fate added the final weight to the decision.
"If you choose this path," Fate said, "you must leave your grief behind. Lily Evans and James Potter were soulmates, bound by destiny. The love you held for her will not be your own in this new life. You must release that and embrace a new future—a future where your love will be reciprocated, and you will find your own path."
Severus closed his eyes, the weight of everything pressing down on him. His first instinct was to reject the notion of letting go of Lily—after all, hadn’t she always been the one he had been meant to protect? But the realization of her fate, her connection to James, and the depth of his own grief over her death gave him pause.
"I can’t..." Severus whispered, almost to himself. "I can’t just leave everything behind. Not yet."
Fate, sensing his hesitancy, softened its voice. "You have time, Severus. You are not required to decide now. Watch your younger self, see how the choices made in this new world affect the path ahead. You will have until your younger self fifteenth year old to make your decision. Before the next major shift in his life occurs."
Severus nodded, reluctant but resigned. He had always been a man of careful thought, and this decision wasn’t something he could rush.
In the following years, as he watched the life of his younger self unfold, he saw something different—his younger self was changing. Veronica, the adult soul who had crossed paths with Severus long ago, had already begun to shift the dynamics of the world he once knew. And as Severus observed, he couldn’t help but feel a flicker of hope.
The thought of merging with the younger Severus was no longer an abstract concept—it was a possibility. But this time, Severus knew that the decision couldn’t be his alone. He would need to share this burden with the younger soul. If they merged, it would have to be a mutual agreement.
"I will wait," Severus finally decided. "If my younger self is willing, if he agrees, then we will merge. Only then."
The three entities—Magic, Death, and Fate—seemed to accept his decision with quiet understanding. Fate’s voice lingered in the air as the world around Severus began to fade.
"Take your time, Severus. The future is yours to shape, and love will find you when the time is right."
And so, Severus waited, watching, hoping that when the time came, the younger soul would be ready to share the weight of their destiny—together.
In the limbo between life and death, time moves differently. It's a realm where past, present, and future blend into one—the boundaries of time and space no longer apply. Severus Snape, a 15-year-old boy on the cusp of adulthood, found himself here after the catastrophic explosion during his Animagus attempt. The flames of his transformation had not claimed his life completely, but instead, they had ripped his soul from his body, thrusting him into an existence where neither life nor death held sway.
He hovered in the dark, the faintest glimmer of light cutting through the endless void. There was no pain, no sensation—just the heavy stillness that surrounded him. Then, in that eerie silence, three beings materialized before him.
The first was an ancient, ethereal presence—Magic itself. It had no shape, no form, but Severus could feel its power, its essence, swirling around him, like a vast, unseen ocean. The second was a tall figure, standing with the grace of a being beyond mortal comprehension, also a being that could only be his older self, Severus at thirty-eight, but much more than he remembered. The third figure was an enigmatic, faceless presence, whose aura exuded an air of authority, yet left Severus with a strange sense of empathy.
"You should know better than to tamper with such powers at your age, Severus," it scolded. "The magic you sought was beyond what even an older, more experienced wizard could handle."
Severus, undeterred by the rebuke, crossed his arms, a familiar pout tugging at the corners of his lips. "Why is it only me? My friends—Potter, Black, Lupin—they didn’t die. They didn’t even face the consequences of their reckless actions. Why should I be any different?"
Magic chuckled softly, a sound like the rustling of pages in an old, ancient book. "You see, Severus, the universe has its own way of balancing things. You were always meant for something more, something far greater than the life you led in your world. And while those friends of yours certainly played their parts, your sacrifices in the original world weren’t going to be forgotten. The universe aligned to reward your soul for the things you endured and the choices you made." And the knowledge of deal was given to him.
The older Severus, standing with a solemn expression, met his younger self’s gaze, and for a moment, there was an unspoken understanding between them. A promise that had never been fulfilled in life—a sense of regret that hung between them, too heavy to ignore.
"You've made it this far," the older Severus spoke softly. "But what do you truly want now?"
The younger Severus looked at his older counterpart. "I want to go back," he said quietly, his voice filled with both determination and a deep sadness. "But I want to be whole. I want to become something better."
Magic, in its infinite wisdom, observed silently as the boy spoke. There was an understanding in his eyes, a knowing that Severus had found a path even more difficult than the one he had walked before—one shaped by love, loss, and sacrifice. Severus had made peace with the fact that his love for Lily Evans would never be reciprocated. But now, in this space between worlds, his heart was torn in another direction—towards Petunia Evans, Lily’s sister, someone he had never truly acknowledged in life.
Severus’s younger self looked at the older Severus, his voice wavering, yet resolute. "You... loved Lily. But she has never been it for me. And now we both know that Veronica isn't really her sister, you shouldn't feel you are having feeling for Lily's sister either." He hesitated for a moment, then continued, "But Veronica deserves a chance. She, too, has her own struggles, and perhaps my soul should find peace with that." He took a deep breath. "I want to help her. I don’t want to carry this burden of unrequited love for Lily anymore. Can you, can we, try to give her a chance?"
The older Severus’s eyes softened, a mixture of melancholy and understanding flashing in his gaze. He nodded slowly, as if he had known this would be the conclusion all along. "You were always more self-sacrificial than I was," he said quietly, "but your compassion is not misplaced. She deserves kindness, too."
"Then... we merge," the younger Severus whispered. "I want to merge with you, with all the knowledge of your mistakes and your unrequited love for Lily... but also with a chance at something different."
The three entities around him nodded as the process began. The merging of the two souls—young and old—was not an easy one. Time warped around them as the memories of both lives began to blend together. The boy, at fifteen, and the man, at thirty-eight, felt themselves entwining, their hearts and minds fusing into a singular being.
For three days—three Earth days—the merging continued, each moment stretching into an eternity. The boy’s innocence and idealism fused with the wisdom and sorrow of the man he had become. All the love, all the pain, all the regrets—they swirled together, creating a new entity, a new Severus Snape.
But in the chaos of this merging, the boy spoke again, his voice filled with quiet desperation. "Before I leave—before we leave this place—I need one more thing. Can you help me? Can you blur the feelings of my past life, the feelings for Lily... so they won’t haunt me in my present? I can keep the memories. I can keep the lessons. But I don’t want to carry that love for her with me. I don't want it to define who I am now."
Magic, the ancient force that had led him here, responded. It was both understanding and compassionate. "I will do as you ask," it said. "Your memories will remain, but the weight of your past feelings will be softened. You will not be bound by them any longer."
And with that, the merging process reached its conclusion.
The boy—now a man, a unified soul—felt the last remnants of his former self fall away, the love for Lily Evans that had once consumed him blurring into something faint, like a distant memory. He was no longer the boy who had pined for her, no longer the man who had built walls around his heart. He had been given a chance to change, to redefine himself.
As Severus stood, the three entities faded into the ether. The room—the realm of limbo—began to dissolve around him. He felt the pull of the world of the living, the weight of his body returning, the warmth of the familiar.
But before he stepped fully back into his former life, the faceless entity spoke one final time.
"Remember," it intoned softly. "The path you now walk is yours alone. But never forget that it is not always love or hate that defines a person. It is the choices they make that shape them."
Severus nodded, feeling the weight of the words settle into his being. With one final glance at the void of limbo, he stepped forward, ready to return.
And just as the last fragments of the realm faded from view, he whispered softly to himself:
"Petunia... it's time."
Meanwhile, during the three days Severus spent in limbo, his body, now transformed into a dark phoenix, drew on the combined strength of the Marauders—Lily, Sirius, Peter, James—as well as Regulus and Remus. They used their collective will to soothe his fiery form, calming the phoenix long enough to put him to sleep and transport him to the Hogwarts medical wing.
The students didn’t have a choice but to tell the truth about what had happened. They explained that they had all decided to attempt the Animagus transformation together. They had discovered that it could help with Remus' curse, and they wanted to be together as a family, to help him and each other. However, something had gone wrong during Severus' own transformation. The magic was too overwhelming, and it had triggered an unintended effect.
Fortunately, Fawkes, the Phoenix, had been able to communicate with Professor Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts. He informed Dumbledore that, since this was Severus' first "burning" (the initial transformation), the young wizard would need time to adjust. Severus, now a baby phoenix, was not yet fully matured. Fawkes explained that in three days, Severus should grow back to his normal age, as phoenixes matured rapidly through a natural cycle.
Fawkes also assured Dumbledore that he would take care of the young phoenix during this time, but cautioned that Severus was a different type of phoenix, not a typical one. The transformation had triggered something unique in him. Fawkes emphasized that Dumbledore needed to contact Severus' human family, as it was crucial for them to help Severus’ human consciousness stay grounded and not let his animal instincts overpower him. Once he matured, Severus would be able to shift back into his human form.
When the Prince family patriarch arrived at Hogwarts, his presence was commanding and authoritative, though he barely acknowledged Tobias. His focus was entirely on Eileen, whom he reassured with a calm but firm tone. "We will help Severus in any way possible," he said, his eyes glinting with the weight of unspoken knowledge. Despite the tensions in the room, Eileen felt a sense of relief from his words, even though she could tell his attention was already on the more important matter at hand—Severus.
What most people didn’t know was that the Prince patriarch had long been aware of Severus’ exceptional potential. He had seen signs of greatness in Severus even as a young boy, and in his eyes, Severus was not just a typical wizard—he was a descendant with extraordinary power waiting to be unlocked. That knowledge, though, had always been kept private within the family. It was part of the Prince legacy that had been carefully guarded over the years. Now, in this crisis, it only added to the patriarch’s determination to see Severus restored to his proper form and fulfill the potential that was his birthright.
Meanwhile, Dumbledore, through his connection with Fawkes, had managed to explain the full extent of Severus’ situation to the Prince family. He shared with them the complexity of the transformation, that it was tied to the Animagus process, and that Severus needed time to adjust. Fawkes had communicated that Severus, still a baby phoenix, required grounding to ensure his human consciousness didn’t become overwhelmed by his animal instincts.
Understanding the gravity of the situation, Dumbledore made arrangements for the Prince family to remain at Hogwarts for the next three days, during which time they would assist Severus in maintaining his connection to his human consciousness. The patriarch, while stoic as always, nodded in agreement, recognizing that Severus needed time to recover and stabilize in his new form before he could safely return to his human body.
The next few days at Hogwarts would be crucial. With the combined efforts of the Prince family, Dumbledore, Fawkes, and the guidance of the Hogwarts staff, Severus would have the chance to regain his equilibrium. It was a delicate balance, but one that they all hoped would lead to the young wizard’s full recovery.
For Eileen, though the tension was palpable with the presence of her family and Tobias' quiet discomfort, she felt a sense of relief in knowing that Severus wasn’t alone in this struggle. The Prince family, despite their rigid demeanor, were fully invested in ensuring Severus' future—something that gave her hope that, together, they could navigate this challenging path.
During the three days that Severus remained in the infirmary, still in his baby phoenix form, his friends could hardly stay away. Each of them took turns sneaking in to sit by his side, talking to him and keeping him company. Guilt weighed heavily on their hearts. They all shared in the responsibility for his predicament—after all, it was their decision to undergo the Animagus transformation together. They never imagined that it would go so wrong for Severus, that his transformation would result in him becoming a phoenix, let alone a baby one in need of urgent care.
Though they tried to keep their spirits up for Severus, each of them felt a gnawing sense of responsibility. They couldn't help but wish they had done more to ensure he was ready, or that they could somehow undo the consequences of their collective actions. But they were there now, offering their support and hoping that Severus would recover from the trauma of the transformation.
Meanwhile, Severus' soul, now in the process of merging with his older self, was undergoing a transformation of its own. The merging of memories and experiences, both from his past life and his current one, was a complex and sometimes overwhelming process. As his younger self absorbed the wisdom of the older Severus, he began to experience the weight of his past decisions, his sacrifices, and the knowledge he had gained after death. His mind was a whirlwind of emotions, but slowly, the pieces began to fall into place.
By the second day, the merge was complete, and Severus was now the unified soul of both his younger and older selves. With the merging came new knowledge, but there was still much to learn, especially about controlling the phoenix magic that had come with his transformation.
Fawkes, always a patient and wise teacher, took it upon himself to guide Severus through the intricacies of phoenix abilities. Severus would need to master several key aspects of his new form before he could return to his human body. Fawkes began teaching him how to control his phoenix fire—a flame of intense power that could heal or destroy. Severus also needed to learn how to use the phoenix song, a melody capable of soothing pain and restoring vitality. Phoenix travel, the ability to vanish and reappear in an instant, was another skill Fawkes would help him unlock. Then, there was the power of the phoenix's healing tears, which could mend wounds both physical and emotional, and the sacrificial protection—a gift that allowed the phoenix to protect others at the cost of its own life force.
Each of these abilities was tied to the phoenix magic that coursed through Severus’ veins. Fawkes explained that only after Severus mastered these skills would he have enough control over the phoenix magic to transform back into his human form. Until then, his body would remain in its current state, and his magical abilities would be wild and untamed.
The process was slow, but Severus, now more resolute than ever with the wisdom of his older self, was determined. His friends, still visiting and offering their support, noticed subtle changes in him as the days passed.