It was too late. Looking at the ruins of what was the Potter's safe-house, Severus knew he was too late to save her. His mind kept on coming up with ways she might of survived, he knew none of them were true, and that hurt him. As if he'd just taken a Crucio and now was shaking off the residue pain.

Mostly he just felt numb. Emotionally dead.

Stumbling through the rubble, Severus found the auburn-haired female, lying motionless on the ground. He tried to resuscitate her, though he knew fully well that his former master had used the killing curse on her. With trembling fingers, he laid Lily's delicate head in his lap and gently stroked her pale cheek. Her captivating green eyes – once filled with so much life, now replaced with a vacant stare. Severus couldn't bear looking into those green eyes that he had once loved. With a feathery touch, he ran his hand down her face, closing her eyes. With no gaudy scars or blood stained clothes, Lily looked like she'd fallen into a peaceful slumber – beautiful even in death.

It was all his fault, Severus knew. He had heard the prophecy and told his former master, finding out much later that it was Lily's son who was the one with the power to defeat the Dark Lord. Upon finding out that the love of his life was in danger, he hadn’t hesitated to switch sides. He had done it to protect her. He thought he could keep her safe. He also knew that Dumbledore hadn't taken enough precautions. He hated him for that.

Not as much as he hated himself though.

Severus was to slow, and to weak to save Lily. He had known that Lily was in danger, Lucius had told him. Severus had still been to slow, despite his knowledge. Severus could still hear the blond pureblood's mocking words, telling him that the Dark Lord had found where the Potters' were hiding.

Severus picked up a piece of a piece of ruble and threw it at one of the crumbling walls, but it was only half-felt. He only felt rage at himself. Severus just wanted to rip his hair out, he wanted someone to blame for all this.

But there was only him. And he felt hollow. All he had was his self-resentment and grief.

Raising his tear-stained face to the heavens, Severus allowed his grief to echo out into the clear, starry night. His sobs came loud and hard, yet not loud enough to block out another sound – that of a baby's wail.

Her son.

Gently, ever so gently, Severus kissed Lily's cold lips and laid her down onto the ground. He swiftly wiped the salty tears off his face and went looking for the baby. There it was. In a ruined cot, the black haired spawn of his childhood nemesis sat.

Not knowing what to do, Severus awkwardly picked up the child, and to his amazement, the child stopped crying. It blinked its green eyes up at him, snuggled himself into his chest and promptly fell asleep. In the background he could hear the hum of one of those Muggle motor things gradually getting closer. Someone would see him! Severus made to place the child down and disappear into the night.

But he couldn’t just leave the small boy there.

What if other Death Eater came by, looking for his master, and found his slayer resting here?

Try as he might, Severus could not even imagine himself leaving the child that Lily gave her life for. He could not just stand by and let the child of Lily Evans be harmed, even if he was contaminated by James Bloody Potter. But what could he do? He could take the child with him or...

Albus!

Severus's mind swirled with ideas in conjunction to that name. Albus could help! He thought. Dumbledore would need to know what happened tonight and he could tell Severus what to do.

Severus strode swiftly over to were Lily's corpse lay. He bent down and kissed her forehead goodbye… well, he tried to. It became an awkward quick head butt, as he tried not to jostle the baby. Severus tired to take in every detail of her, lest he forget... He didn't want to just leave her there, lying broken. But he had to go now. The Muggles were getting closer.

"Goodbye, Lily Evans." Severus said quietly.

Severus tried to calm himself. Dumbledore would need to know what happened tonight and could tell Severus what to do. With a crack, Severus disapparated away from Godric's Hollow.

 <li>

"ALBUS!" Severus bellowed as he pushed through the Hogwarts doors making his way towards the headmaster's office. "Albus, where are you?"

"Severus? Is that a ... a baby??" came the incredulous voice of Minerva McGonagall. She immediately followed him, but he was too focused on his task to notice her. He made it to the gargoyle that guarded the headmaster's room, just in time to see the old man descending the stairs.

“Albus,” Severus hissed in an angry voice. Albus was also to blame for Lily's death. “I need to talk to you. You said you'd protect her!” Albus Dumbledore eyed the child wrapped up in blankets writhing in Severus's tight grasp. Minerva McGonagall came to screeching halt behind him, still trying to find out what was going on.

"Calm down, Severus. I'm listening," the old man said kindly, ignoring Severus's vehemence.

“I-I-I.” Severus stopped himself. He had lied to Voldemort to his face, he could not stutter now! Severus put his emotions away in a box, and then reported to his master. No emotion could be hear in his dead tone.

“I heard that the Dark Lord was attacking the Potter's tonight. Lucius Malfoy was flaunting the information to me. Sir, I told you about why I quit the Death Eaters and began spying for you. It was the knowledge that the Dark Lord was tracking Lily's Family down...” Severus said, his voice wobbled slightly on Lily's name, but he went on quickly. “I always loved her... When I got there it was too late. She was dead, and her boy was crying. I’ve brought him here. If there is anything, anything at all, that I can do to protect Lily’s child, to make her sacrifice worthwhile, tell me.”

Severus slowly handed the rugged child over to Albus, hoping desperately that he had made the right decision about Lily's child.

“This child is Harry Potter?” Minerva demanded. She had gone white during Severus's speech, and now with thin lips she peering inside the wrapped up blankets.

Albus gently took the sleeping one-year-old boy out of Severus's hands. His curious blue eyes raked the child's face. "You have brought Harry here?"

"Yes."

"And you wish to be his protector?"

Severus nodded.

"You, Severus Snape, will do anything to protect your childhood rival's heir?"

Severus hesitated, but nodded again.

Albus thought this over. "I already knew of the unfortunate happenings involving the Potters. In fact, I had already sent Hagrid out to go collect him. Arrangements have already been made for little Harry to live with his Muggle relatives," Albus told the young man in front of him.

"Why not Black? As much as I loathe the man he is the godfather, surely even living with that man would be better than any Muggles. Hell, even that mangy mutt Lupin or the sniveling coward Pettigrew would suffice."

Albus looked pensive. "The only way for Voldemort to track down the Potters' is through their secret keeper." At Severus's confused expression, he continued on. "He's only know if Sirius showed Voldemort where the Potter's were hiding."

“Are you telling me that good-for-nothing wastrel killed my Lily?” Severus asked, his voice dangerously low. I will kill that bastard, even if he gets sentenced to life in Azkaban, Severus promised himself. I'll get to him and kill him. Even a damned life in Azkaban was to good for Sirius Sodding Black now.

"No!" the transfiguration professor exclaimed, momentarily distracting Severus from his murderous thoughts. "That cannot be true! Sirius loves James like a brother and Lily was also a dear friend to him. Surely not, Albus, surely not!"

"Minerva, please," Albus said calmly.

“I'll kill him.” Severus assured Albus.

“Severus, be sensible. This is why Harry must go to his relatives. Also, he will have far more protection this way through blood wards.” Albus said consolingly.

"If you must give the boy to the Muggles, then allow me to be their neighbor or something, Albus, I must help this boy. It might just be the only worthy thing I ever do in my miserable life!" Severus told the Headmaster resolutely.

Albus contemplated. "Allow me to think on this, my dear boy. Till then, take little Harry here to Madam Pomfrey- he might need to be examined after what he's been through." Albus passed Harry to Severus. Turning his head to Professor McGonagall, the old headmaster led the very emotional professor away.

"Of course, Headmaster." Severus said to Albus's retreating back, and went off in search of the school's healer.

<li>

"Everything seems to be in order, Mr. Snape." Madam Pomfrey told Severus. "No damage has been done to little Harry here. But I would like him to stay the night, just in case."

"Good," Severus sighed in relief. "Everyone's saying he survived the Killing Curse... I thought that Lily must have died protecting him and the father somehow scared him off by foolishly risking his life or something..."

"James was a good boy, but according to the facts the Death Inspectors recorded, he died before Lily." She saw that Severus was about to protest to James being a good boy, "James was loyal and just to his friends," Madam Pomfrey told him sternly.

"I still don't think it's possible for the child to have survived the Killing Curse," Severus muttered.

"Well, Albus said he did," the school healer told him with finality. She bustled off to complete some other work, leaving Severus alone with the child once more.

Severus laid himself down next to the sleeping body, telling himself he'd just wait here awhile, till Pomfrey could take care of Lily's son properly. The tiny body curled itself up next to him, and the next thing Severus knew, he was dreaming, or rather having nightmares about, his red-headed angel's death.

Gently, Albus closed the doors of the infirmary and left his watching post. Suddenly he had a thought about the two black-headed boys in his care. In times of test, family is best. Perhaps the cut-off ex-Death Eater and the apparent boy hero could use each other and protect each other more than any one else could.