Erwin finished speaking.
A heavy silence blanketed the Headmaster's office. The instant Snape heard the name Lily Potter, he drifted into a daze, his eyes reddening against his will.
After a long pause, he murmured, "Her name is Lily Evans."
Erwin rolled his eyes inwardly. No surprise there—his godfather still couldn't shake the sting of Lily marrying that arrogant git James Potter. It made a twisted sort of sense. From what Erwin recalled of the original stories, Lily must've been out of her mind to fall for a swaggering bully like James. Schoolyard tyrants were a nightmare, but at least Erwin had been on the right side of that equation.
What Erwin couldn't shake, though, was whether James had ever truly loved her. Everyone in their year knew about Snape's crush—even Lily. So how could the Marauders, those notorious pranksters, miss it? Yet James pursued her anyway, sweeping off his feet a Muggle-born witch who'd never tangled with the Potter family's slick ways in wizarding business circles.
She fell hard, leaving Snape shattered. Was James's courtship born of real affection, or just another cruel jab in their endless rivalry? Erwin's theory felt more convincing by the minute. If his hunch played out, the tale took on a far darker edge.
Snape pulled himself together, his face settling into its familiar mask of composure. He trusted Erwin enough to let his guard slip briefly, but as godfather, he couldn't afford to linger in sentiment.
"What did you mean by that, Erwin?" he asked.
Erwin leaned forward. "Through a string of sheer luck—pure coincidence, really—I snagged a sliver of Death's power. Nothing grand, just enough to pull a soul temporarily from the afterlife."
He sketched out the ability for Snape, skipping any mention of the System. No point; no one would buy it, especially those unfamiliar with the tales. It'd be like explaining quantum physics to a house-elf.
Snape shot to his feet. "Stealing from Death? Erwin, do you grasp what that means? That's no mere prank—it's a god! Hand it back now, before you're noticed. The risk—it's madness!"
Gone was the cool professor; anxiety cracked his voice, raw and urgent. And notably, his first instinct wasn't to glimpse Lily again, but to shield Erwin from the fallout. That hit Erwin square in the chest. The gamble had been worth it.
He knew Snape's fixation on Lily all too well. That's why this reaction cut deeper—Snape was prioritizing him over everything.
"Godfather," Erwin said gently, "we're not turning back now. Death won't clock it, trust me—I know the limits. But tell me: do you want to see her one last time?"
Snape faltered, torn. He ached for it, even if only to beg forgiveness for his youthful blunders, the careless words that had driven her away. Yet Erwin's safety loomed larger. Not just gratitude for the Cavendish family's lifeline in his darkest days, or his father's quiet safeguards at Hogwarts. No, it was Erwin himself—somehow, the boy had burrowed into his heart. Maybe from the godfather vow, or sooner still.
Erwin read the conflict in Snape's eyes and sighed to himself. Classic Snape: always putting others first.
Decision made, Erwin invoked the power without another word.
A bitter chill whipped through the office. Snape's head snapped up as swirling gray mist coiled around Erwin, the cold radiating from him like frost on a winter pane.
"Erwin, stop!" Snape barked. "What are you—"
Erwin managed a grin. "I get it, you're looking out for me. But when have I ever jumped without a net? You're hesitating, so I'll decide for us. You've given me everything—consider this my first thank-you."
He fell silent then, not from choice. The divine force clawed at him, a mere fraction overwhelming his mortal frame. His body quaked, life's essence straining against the invasion—like a child wielding an ox's might, crumbling under the weight.
The power surged inward, hungry to corrupt, but the Invisibility Cloak held it at bay. Even so, the icy bite left Erwin shuddering, teeth clenched against the bone-deep freeze.
As the energy stirred, the mist thickened, shaping from the ground up into a human silhouette. It sharpened, wisps fading to reveal a translucent form—a face echoing Harry Potter's.
Lily.
The final traces of mist settled, and her soul solidified.
Snape stared, tears tracing silent paths down his cheeks.
Lily blinked, confusion clouding her gaze as she scanned the room. "Where... Hogwarts? The Headmaster's office?"
...
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