Severus Snape sat at the top of a hill that overlooked the Hogwarts grounds. The wind blew right through him and he shifted his robe around him though it made no difference. Dying had left him cold, the kind of a cold he couldn't shake even if he tried. His fingers were the kind of numb one felt after laying on them for too long, and he had still to learn how to achieve balancing his visibility properly. Maybe this was the wrong choice? Maybe he should have remained behind, sitting on the warm beach he had found himself on, the sun kissing his skin and taken the cute little thing in the bikini up on that offer, but something had tugged at him.

Feeling out of place in his little Heaven, returning became the only option and before he had a chance to change his mind, the paradise that surrounded him had quickly faded. The Palm trees were quickly replaced with the crumbling walls of Hogwarts, the shimmering ocean with a murky lake, and the sand dunes with scorched grass.

Well damn.

Far from anywhere he would consider Paradise, and not exactly glad to see that tugging feeling had brought him back to the place he had felt trapped in even before dying, Severus could only hope he had come here by mistake.

Fuck.

He had yet to become accustomed to gliding, and found himself walking unnecessarily over the ground, growing closer to the rubble of what used to be the Grand Entrance. He could just make out the tall archway, the doors no more and the brick crumbling around him. He flinched as part of the ceiling crashed through him, straight down through him. It sent a shiver up his spine, a sensation not much different than a gentle breeze that traveled through him, and he shivered.

He made his way up the staircase, taking advantage of his ability to float over the gaping holes that had been blasted away, and soon reached the top. Entering into the Great Hall, he stopped, watching a witch in front of him. Her back was facing him, and she did not notice his presence, busy waving her wand, moving debris and what was now the unrecognizable mess that had once been Hogwarts favorite gathering place.

"Minerva." He said, moving towards her and watching her pause her wand. She turned slowly, an aged face coming into view that looked twice as old as the last time he had seen it. Her expression mirrored his, only differing in terms of seeing Severus...barely...standing in front of her.

"You're...you're..." She let out a tiny cry. "I didn't think you'd want to return." She finished, fully facing him now and letting her eyes wander over his ghostly form, not even trying to hide the jaw that dropped open.

"I didn't expect to return." Snape confessed. "I guess I have some unfinished business that wouldn't allow me to remain on the other side." He shrugged, his hands going out to his sides. "Who knew?"

A/N: this story may be slow to be updated. Mainly using this one to break through my writer block moments, but do plan on updating more frequently when my other story is finished!