The battlefield was dark red with spilled blood, slippery under the feet of the survivors. The world of magic had faced an Armageddon and made it through with a horrendous amount of deaths on both sides. Unwilling to go down without a fight, the Dark Lord and his loyal Death Eaters had done the most damage they could before being captured or killed by the agents of the Light.

A man in torn, dark clothing made his way through the debris. He stepped wearily over the bodies of the dead and dying to make his way off the field. His soul was cold and unmoving at the sights and sounds around him. He had died a long time ago at the hands of a madman – his Master.

****

The battlefield was dark red with spilled blood, slippery under the feet of the survivors. The world of magic had faced an end day and persevered. There had been a horrendous amount of bloodshed on both sides, but now, finally, it was over. Unwilling to go down without a fight, the Dark Lord and his minions had done the most damage before being killed or captured. They were no longer a threat for the agents of the Light.

A young man, battered and torn with blood running down the side of his face from a particularly dangerous hex, made his way through the debris. He stepped wearily over the bodies of the dead and helped to find medics for the dying as he made his way towards one side of the field. His soul felt numb from all of the sights and sounds around him. He had survived though all of the odds had been against him.

****

That day, at the end of a battle to end all wars, two men came to an exhausted stop next to each other. Neither immediately noticed the presence of the other, but when they did it was to do no more than to just stare.

Severus Snape, double agent and spy, looked over at Harry Potter, Boy-Who-Lived and Vanguard of the Light. No illuminating spark of recognition was exchanged. No acknowledgement of past grudges. Instead, they simply shared the look of two men who had survived through a lifetime of darkness. They had made it to this moment, and neither was looking back.