AN: So this story came about one afternoon because I saw a note in a random fic about skilled Occlumens being able to fake memories. This set me to thinking about the Snape's last 'gift' to Harry and how things might be a bit different if he had actually faked some or all of that sequence as a final dig against a young man he despised. The result is this fic. It's short and doesn't really have any clear pairings unlike the majority of my work. If you squint it could either be a Honks or a Harmony pair, but that's not the point of this fic at all. It was just something to help me over some blockages recently. Enjoy and please review if you feel the urge.

As usual, I do not own Harry Potter or any of these characters. Except Death. I own him; I have the Hallows to prove it!

Severus Snape's Final Revenge

"Harry Potter, the boy who lived…come to die."

"Let's get this over with, Tom," Harry stated squaring his shoulders. If this was to be the end he would go leave this world on his feet. No one would see him falter at the close.

Voldemort smiled and chuckled as he raised his wand. The clearing was deathly silent as the remaining Death Eaters watched on avidly. "Perhaps…not just yet. Cruicio!"

Harry had just enough time for his eyes to widen as the sick red beam of energy lashed towards him. Every nerve fired and pain descended upon him. One distant corner of his mind registered that he was screaming and writhing on the ground, but the larger portion of Harry's brain was consumed with the pain. He couldn't think, he couldn't breathe, his throat was raw and he was wheezing by the time that Voldemort lifted the curse.

Harry could only blink and try to focus his eyes as he saw feet step closer to him from Riddle's position. Clenching his teeth Harry bit back another scream of pain as a heavy book kicked him onto his back. The snake-like face of Riddle peered down at him. The eyes were narrowed and the mouth was quirked to the side as Voldemort grasped Harry's face slowly twisting his head this way and that. Finally Voldemort sighed and shook his head releasing Harry. "Why did you come here, Harry? Certainly you must know that I'm going to slaughter anyone still willing to fight me anyway? We've come across each other often enough that you know me that well at least…Have you prepared something for me? Some trap you think I will walk into after killing you? Something you'd need to buy time for your…friends to prepare? Or do you truly just hate yourself that much to simply want me to end all this and prevent yourself further suffering?"

Harry smiled and tried to tell Voldemort to piss off, but all that came out was a grunt vaguely sounding like, "Prs ff." Not his best comeback ever. Idly, Harry wondered just how long Voldemort had held that curse.

"My lord," Bellatrix said softly as she came to stand near Voldemort. "Why do you not just finish it? I toyed with my pitiful little cousin and, well, the haughty bitch used my inattention to slip away at the very end."

"Are you calling me inattentive, Bella?" Voldemort asked. The steel and ice in his voice had every Death Eater snap to full attention and Harry nearly laughed as he saw Bellatrix's mouth drop into a gape and her eyes widen to comical proportions.

"Of course not, Master! I did not mean to imply anything! I merely meant to comment that – "

"That I was unable to kill Potter at my leisure before so now I should take the scrap opportunity given to me on a silver platter." This time Harry did actually manage a gurgle resembling a chuckle at Voldemort's reply. "We shall discuss your feelings on my competence later, Bellatrix. For now…for now I would know just what it is that Potter is planning. Legilimens!"

Harry screamed again as he felt Voldemort slam through his pitiful mental defenses like a lorry through tissue paper. Snape's mindrape in Fifth Year had been bad, this was exponentially worse. Harry felt as if his head was going to split apart as Voldemort came to a stop in his mind and called up Harry's memory of watching Snape die. Before he could even try to stop him, Harry watched helplessly as Voldemort shifted ahead and observed the Pensieve thoughts of the Potions Master. Harry was forced to watch all over again as he learned that he was fated to die. That no matter what happened he couldn't live through this night. That he had to sacrifice himself in order for Riddle to finally be mortal once again.

Almost before it had started it ended and Harry was curled up on the ground again. Vomit was splattered all over the ground beside him and he could barely think through the aching in his head.

Voldemort for his part just threw back his head and laughed. The Death Eaters swiftly followed suit though the quick glances to each other showed none really had any clue what they were missing.

"That? That is why you walked here to offer yourself to me? You think you are a Horcrux boy!?" Voldemort doubled over holding his sides and shaking his head as he kept cackling.

Harry was able to snarl at the man and lift his head to spit a curse at him. "F'cc, yrsef 'om!" Marginally better than previously. At least now it was approaching real words.

"You foolish, foolish boy," Voldemort said finally getting his laughter under control. He leant down and tapped Harry's forehead. "That scar was there before I ever arrived, Harry. A remnant gift from your mother. I know not what ritual she used, only that it was powerful and ancient. I knew if you were allowed to grow with her as your teacher you would be my equal. She was dangerous and brilliant. One of the very few Mudbloods worthy of their magic."

Voldemort stood and idly flicked his wand lifting Harry into the air to float behind him as Voldemort turned and moved to sit on his throne again. As soon as he was settled he smiled at Harry and fingered the Elder Wand disinterestedly. "You never found the ritual describing Horcruxes did you, Harry? Or should I say, your Mudblood friend never found them. Such a pity. They are quite complicated pieces of magic and they never fully separate from the base caster. Without that continued connection how are they supposed to tie someone to this plane?" Voldemort paused and he shook his head. "It works both ways, Harry. I felt every one that you destroyed. I always know the general location for each of my Horcruxes at all times. I let you keep the locket. I had hoped it would corrupt you. Failing that I thought that you might get lucky. Seven is magically powerful, six is not, five less so. Four might as well be useless. I gained no extra power from possessing four pieces of a split soul."

Harry's eyes widened. His aching brain kicked into overdrive and he tried desperately to reach a different conclusion than what he kept falling back to.

He'd been betrayed.

"Most Dark Wizards will only split their soul once. The fools don't realize the benefits…the power of splitting it again. And yet, it was not enough. I wanted more. I needed more. So I made six splits. Six tears. Six pieces. Unfortunately I could not go to the next magically active number as six is the maximum that a soul can be divided before mental debilitation begins. Harry, Harry, Harry," Voldemort said with a heavy sigh. Harry just grit his teeth and curled his lip into a snarl. "I cannot tell you if Albus truly believed that fable about you, but I can assure you that Severus did not. Severus was the one who found the ritual book in the Hogwarts library when Dumbledore started to research me after all! He knew all about Horcruxes."

"He 'oulnt," Harry spat. Not for nothing. This couldn't have been for nothing!

"Yes he could, Harry." Voldemort grinned wider and laughed again. "Oh how he despised James Potter. I recruited him into my fold with a promise that he could kill the man himself. I was honestly disappointed when I had to break that promise. I was looking forward to seeing just how horrific a punishment Severus had dreamed up for the man. And here…here it seems he has finally achieved his revenge by proxy."

"Fuck 'ou!"

"Harry, Harry…language dear boy, language. One must remain civilized after all, hmm?" A smattering of chuckles sounded throughout the clearing before a glare from Voldemort had silence falling once again. "Albus Dumbledore trusted Severus because, as much of a hate-filled man he was, he was excellent with Legilimency and Occlumency. Severus was skilled enough to construct entirely new memories and feed it to a watcher with none the wiser for the deception." This time it was Voldemort chuckling. "I admit though, using his last breath to convince you to willingly walk to your death with a smile on your face? That…that is masterful. It is more cruel and spiteful than anything I have ever done myself. My revenge tends to be quiet and harsh – painful yes, but quick all the same. I wonder just how long Severus planned this deception…"

Harry struggled against the invisible bonds holding him. He'd always hated Snape, but Snape had loved his mother hadn't he? He'd switched sides to try and protect her! He'd never betray Harry like…this! Not after everything that he'd done previously! Not after the trust that Dumbledore had placed in him! No! Harry had seen those memories, they were proof that Snape was…they were proof that he…they…Harry stopped struggling and clenched his teeth squeezing his eyes shut.

Snape had never thought of him as Lily's son. He'd only ever seen James in Harry's face. "And gloating like this isn't just as evil, Tom?" Harry asked in a whisper. Oh good he could talk correctly again. Perfect timing. Just in time to die. To die for nothing. For a lie. To die thanks to a man that had done nothing more than hate him, curse him, and wish him suffering.

"True. I do draw this out don't I? My apologies, Harry. I simply felt you should understand how…weak love makes you. How blindly trusting. You thought he loved your mother? He did actually; if that makes you feel any better. He just never extended that feeling beyond that single woman. A good thing for me I believe. Goodbye, Harry Potter. If you should see Severus in your 'next great adventure' do tell him I am very impressed with his work will you? Avada Kedavra!"

Harry awoke in a white featureless void. He laid still for…moments? Minutes? Hours? Time seemed…weird. Scowling, he eventually clambered to his feet and tried to squint through the fog surrounding him. It was relatively featureless but dim shapes were around him. Walking forward, Harry let out a quiet sigh as the area slowly resolved itself into a mockery of Kings Cross complete with a waiting train idling on the platform. Glaring at the train Harry stalked off to the bench in front of it and slammed himself into the seat crossing his arms and tapping his foot on the ground.

"Well!" he shouted to the empty area. "If you want me to get on with it, you're going to have to come force me to do it! I didn't walk out to die for bloody nothing! You can at least come and chat with me or offer me a game of chess or something!"

"Ah, but don't you generally lose those games, Master Potter?" a deep, sibilant voice rang out from just over his shoulder. Harry squawked and jumped forward tripping over his own feet and falling face first to the floor.

Harry groaned as he put a hand to his nose and pushed back to his feet as gracefully as his dignity would allow. "At least I've got a shot if I try."

The figure behind him laughed. It was not a natural sound. It reverberated throughout the entire space, the echoes seeming to shake inside Harry's very bones before dying off. "That is very true. That is why I let such a system remain in place. In eight thousand years, there have only been four to best me. One created a new game during his lifetime and challenged me to that. He confessed later that he had created it solely for such a purpose when his time came. I would have let him go simply for that entertainment. One tried to challenge me to a swimming competition of all things. Again, I let him go for the novelty of such an attempt. The third…well the third was recent. A…'Dungeons and Dragons' game. I could have defeated his challenge easily enough, but the game when for so long that it just became more trouble than it was worth so I let him go."

Death fell silent and Harry swallowed on a suddenly very dry throat. Mouthing off to an empty void was one thing. Mouthing off to an avatar of The End was something entirely different. "Err…what about the fourth?"

"The fourth?"

"You said that four people beat you…?"

"Oh, yes," Death shrugged and moved over to the proper side of the bench before smoothing his black trench coat and taking a seat. "The fourth was an actual game of chess. He was quite good I have to say. You are not I'm afraid. I do not recommend you challenge me in that fashion."

Harry snaked a hand through his hair and gulped again. He blinked a few times before sighing and moving over to take a seat next to Death. "Do I have to get on that train?"

"Only if you want to."

"But…I did die…right?" Harry hated the way his voice petered out at the end of that sentence, but…there was always a chance that Voldemort had been playing with him.

"You did."

Harry frowned and hung his head. There went that idea. He turned to peer curiously at Death. "So how long do I get to sit here and think up something I can win against you at before you get annoyed and toss me on the train anyway?"

Death laughed again and a shiver ran up Harry's spine. "Technically time does not have meaning here. Practically, I would say I could give you two days before I grew bored. But that is all immaterial. You can leave whenever you wish."

"…Why?" Harry's mind raced trying to go over the last conversation to find what he had missed. What tidbit was most important that would let him just…walk away from Death himself.

"Because you are the 'Master of Death'." Death's laughter rang out a third time though this time there was an edge of annoyance to it. "The Deathly Hallows are real, but the story is not. They were items that were split off from myself long ago. I sought release and connection. I was here before things began and I will be here when things end. I will shut off the lights on this universe before moving to the next. But there are precious few worlds with sentient life on them. Precious few things to keep my interest for very long. The Hallows assist in giving me a view onto a world that – while not completely unique – is still rather rare. My price for you gathering them and walking back to your existence, Harry Potter, is simple."

"Name it," Harry said immediately. He took a deep breath and sat up straight. He could parse the meaning of this conversation later.

"My price is thus: scatter the Hallows. One to the West. One to the East. I do not care where for the third. They are not meant to be together. They are meant to be apart so I may experience more through them. Return here again with the Hallows clustered so and we will be having a very different conversation the next time we meet, Master Potter."

"I…I think I understand." Harry closed his eyes and nodded before turning his gaze back onto Death. "Can you give me any tips for taking out Voldemort while I'm here?"

Death shrugged. "By the time you return, your friend should have destroyed the final anchor. Just send that abnormality to me and I will deal with collecting the scattered remnants of his soul from the Void myself."

"I don't think that was what I was asking…"

"It wasn't, but it is the only answer I can give. Now I believe you were going, yes?"

Harry nodded and stood up. He made it a single step before turning back to Death. "Are…are my parents here? Are they…are they happy?"

Death cocked his head and shrugged. "Each life tends to be somewhat unique here. They share a small pocket of their particular slice of reality with several others that they knew in your world. I cannot speak to happiness or agony. That is not my purview."

"Oh – uh, okay then. I guess," Harry paused to push down the emotions surging forward before he continued. "I guess that's good enough for now. Thanks. Bye…?"

"Until we meet again, Master Potter."

Harry walked through the damaged Great Hall after the battle with a heavy heart. So much death, so much destruction, so much…waste. So many people getting onto that train. That train he'd avoided mostly by chance. His family just so happened to have the Cloak, Riddle just so happened to have the Stone, Dumbledore just so happened to have won the wand…So many coincidences all conspiring to let Harry skip a train to his own small corner of…Harry shook his head and took a deep breath. This wasn't helping anyone.

Glancing to the side he saw Lavender holding a bandage to the side of her neck while Parvati changed dressings along her back. The wince on Lavender's face gave proof to the extent of the damages, but at least she would live.

To Harry's right he saw Daphne Greengrass talking softly with Tracey Davis. He missed a step as he ran his gaze over the two Slytherins. He hadn't realized that any of the students from that House had stayed to fight…Tracey was being worked on by Madame Pomfrey currently and her leg was…not good. Harry grimaced and started towards them before his eye caught sight of someone else off to the corner of the room. Drawing in a sharp breath Harry twisted and set off to towards his friend at a pace barely below a trot. His dodged through the crowd and the clutter until he could finally step around the last obstacle.

Coming level with her he dropped down to the castle floor and let out a strangled sob of relief. "Tonks! You're alright! You're…I thought you were dead…"

Tonks shifted her son in her arms and lifted her head to peer at Harry. Her eyes took a few seconds to focus, but finally she seemed to actually see him and she nodded. Her mouth attempted to lift into a smile though she gave up the gesture halfway through and just collapsed back against the wall. "Wotcher, Harry. I almost was. Bella had me cornered and tagged me with a nasty curse. If she hadn't gotten sloppy I would've…I crawled away when I saw Remus get hit and…I just…he's gone!" Tears started to roll down well worn paths along her dirty cheeks and she hiccupped as she looked out over the rest of the masses in the Hall. "What am I supposed to tell Teddy? Harry, how do I tell him what happened to his father?"

"We tell him that his father was a good man who was cut down defending what he believed. He died saving Teddy. We tell him that." Harry hesitated for a few moments before throwing caution to the wind. He was no Hermione, but he knew what she would do in this situation. Leaning over, Harry gently hugged Tonks' shoulders. He didn't maintain contact long. It was only really enough to remind her that he was there. That she wasn't alone in the world.

"Thanks. I…thanks," Tonks said sniffling. She pulled Teddy in closer and frowned before looking up to meet Harry's eyes. "We?"

Harry shrugged and smiled sadly at her. "You guys named me godfather remember? I have no plans to get tossed in prison for twelve years so I fully intend to help you out as much as I can with Teddy."

Tonks' chuckled though there was precious little humor in the sound. "Thanks, Harry. I think Mum and I will need to take you up on that more often than not."

"I'm here whenever you need me, Tonks."

Squeezing her shoulder one final time, Harry slowly stood and went in search of the three people he hadn't been able to find since all the fighting had died down.

Granted, it hadn't been very long since the battle ended. True to Death's word, Harry had awoken just after the fighting was rekindled. He'd opened slitted eyes just in time to see Neville slice the head off of Nagini with the Sword of Gryffindor and spells begin to fly from both sides. It had gone rather quickly from there.

Neville had tossed the sword through a shield Bellatrix raised, cutting the older witch down with a large piece of goblin steel sticking out of her chest. Hermione had sent a bludgeoner straight into Lucius Malfoy's face while Ron had launched a cutting curse across Draco. Harry hadn't bothered to trace any other spells.

He had instead rolled out of Hagrid's hands just as a battle cry resounded over the grounds and a small army of House Elves stormed onto the field with Kreacher and Winky at the lead of the procession. Harry had ignored it completely. He had had a job to finish. A score to settle. A curse for a curse.

A single shout of Avada Kedavra had been all it had taken. The words had barely left his mouth before Harry saw Tom Riddle's eyes widen. Voldemort had twisted his head and gaped for a precious instant as he locked gazes with Harry. Harry's wand tip had lit up green and the Unforgiveable lanced out from the end. Voldemort had tried to throw himself backwards as he lifted his wand from its previous position covering Neville. But he had been too slow; Harry had been too close. Harry had had just enough time to grin back at Voldemort before the curse struck home. Voldemort had been blasted back into the center of the no-man's land between both sides as Harry's spell worked its magic.

The fighting had stopped nearly immediately at that. Using the opportunity, Harry had summoned the Sword of Gryffindor and calmly walked into the center of the field. He had turned to regard first his own people with a grim smile before twisting and leering at the Death Eaters. Never breaking their gazes he plunged the sword down into their 'Dark Lord'.

One way or another, Tom Marvolo Riddle, aka Lord Voldemort, had died.

Wrenching himself out of his memory, Harry shook his head. He was up in the Gryffindor Common Room. He chuckled and shook his head as he pushed open the passage; the Fat Lady having long since fled her portrait. "Well, I guess that shows me my body doesn't need my mind. Hermione would have a fit."

"Harry?" A bushy head poked up from over the back of the couch across the room. Harry lifted a hand in a soft wave and a squeal greeted him. "Harry! Ron, Ginny, get up!"

Harry barely followed the movement as Hermione practically vaulted over the couch and rushed to wrap him into an embrace. The breath was forced out of his lungs as his friend's arms crushed his ribs and she buried her head in his chest. Ginny was only a few instants behind with her crashing into him and clinging on as well. Harry awkwardly patted both girls on the back as Ron stood and smiled at him. "Harry! You're okay!" Hermione murmured into his chest. "We tried to find you, but there were so many people and everyone said you had gone somewhere else and we didn't know where else to look!"

"We figured you'd make your way up here eventually, Harry," Ginny said. "Are you alright? Fooling Voldemort like that…that was seriously impressive. And scary. You really freaked me out, Harry."

"I'm sorry, guys. I didn't mean to worry any of you," Harry said grimacing. Both girls finally let him go and he exchanged a handshake with Ron before all four sat down on the couch again.

Ron snorted and raised his eyebrows at Harry. "No, you just meant to die, mate. Did you have a secret weapon or something that you forgot to mention when you waltzed out into those woods? I thought you…you know…had to…well, yeah."

Harry groaned and wiped a hand through his hair. "It's complicated. Ginny, we've been going around destroying items that Voldemort used to keep himself from dying. We thought that I was one of those items and that I needed to die so that Voldemort could be killed too. We…I was tricked."

There was dead silence for several long moments as Harry looked to each of his friends. Hermione finally reached over and grabbed his hand. "What do you mean, Harry?"

"Voldemort gloated for a bit before killing me. He…" Harry grimaced, but charged forward. "He dived into my head and I couldn't keep him out because I was still reeling from the Cruciatus. He saw when Snape gave us the memories as he died and he saw when I watched them in the Pensieve. He…Tom explained how Snape faked it all. He wanted me to die. Revenge by proxy against father! I can't believe I started to feel sorry for that bastard!"

"Harry, Voldemort lies," Hermione said softly as she squeezed his hand. "How can you be sure he wasn't just saying that to torture you further?"

"You weren't there, Hermione. He was being completely honest. I think he…saw me as a worthy opponent or something at the end. He seemed genuinely disappointed that we weren't have a true battle thanks to Snape."

Ron and Ginny both shook their heads. "No, mate, it doesn't make sense. I hate the greasy git just like the everyone else, but he had a life debt to you. He couldn't set you up like that."

"Sure he could, Ron," Harry said shrugging. "His debt was to my father. From what I understand those things don't just transfer like houses or vaults. Besides, it's not like he was casting the spell himself."

"Nobody is that vindictive, Harry." Ginny frowned and turned to stare into the fireplace. "Not even Snape. Hermione and Ron were telling me what happened. He loved your mother right? He was a bastard, but that means something."

Hermione leaned back and heaved a heavy sigh. "He loved, Lily Potter. He never compared Harry to her except at the very end. It was always James Potter he saw…I'm sorry, Harry. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be, Hermione. I fell for it too." Harry squeezed her hand back and shot her a small smile. "So how are you all holding up? I'm…I'm sorry about Fred."

"At least we didn't lose more family members," Ginny said sniffling and wiping a hand across her eyes. "Ron and I should get back soon. Mum is falling to pieces. She doesn't seem to understand that we're darn lucky compared with others here. Nine people all fighting in the same battle and only one falls? Something or someone was watching over us…"

"Yeah, we'll walk back down in a moment, Gin," Ron agreed. "What about you two? You coming?"

Harry shrugged. "You go, Ron, Ginny. This is your family. We'll be along later."

"Okay, mate. It's good to see you still with us. I'll catch up later, Harry." Ron stood and sent a small sad smile to Harry before walking out of the room with Ginny. Harry settled into the couch and turned to regard the small fire along with Hermione.

"Where are we going to go from here, Harry? It's finally over."

Harry smiled. "Yeah…yeah, it is. I don't know, Hermione. I was originally thinking about joining the Aurors, but now…I don't know. How much of my life was what I wanted and how much of it was being manipulated by others? Snape, Voldemort…Dumbledore…I don't know what I want anymore."

Hermione nodded beside him and laid her head on his shoulder. "You don't have to decide right now where the rest of your life goes, Harry. You're only seventeen."

"True," Harry said. He stayed quiet for nearly a minute before sighing and speaking again. "I think for the next few weeks at least, I have a rough plan. First I help you get your parents back home. Then I'm going to be buying a house and fixing it up. Tonks and Andromeda are going to need help with Teddy. Remus he…he didn't make it."

"I know. So many didn't. Did you see…did you see Colin?" Hermione asked, a slight hitch evident in her voice.

"Yeah," Harry grimaced. "Even more reason to help those who are left behind. What about you, Hermione? After we get your parents are you and Ron going to make a go of it?"

Hermione shot him a sad smile and shook her head. "I don't think so, Harry. After he left us on the Hunt…I don't think I can get over that so easily. I know in my head the locket pushed him to extremes, but he still left. I think I'm just going to ask Professor McGonagall if she'll let me come back to finish my seventh year properly and then I'll see from there. How about you and Ginny?"

Harry shrugged. "Probably not, honestly. I like her and I care about her, but…Ginny was pretty convinced that fighting Voldemort was what I defined myself as. If she didn't know me well enough after a few months of dating to realize how much I hated that I was forced into that fate…I don't think it would last long term. Better to leave things as they are so we can still stay friends."

"That's a very mature attitude, Harry. When did you start to grow up?" Hermione asked arching her eyebrows and smirking at him.

"Oh shut it," he responded playfully. "You're not the only one with the market on good ideas you know. Heck, if I'm going to help raise a baby with Tonks of all people, I'm going to have to be the mature one there at minimum!"

Hermione snorted and collapsed back into the couch as her chuckling turned into full on laughter. "I can just picture her and her son sitting there glaring at each other as they each make increasingly obnoxious faces in an effort to make the other crack first!"

Harry gave a theatrical shudder. "No wonder Remus tried to come with us!"

The two chuckled for a time longer before falling into companionable silence. Finally the light started to dim and the fire started to die. "We should probably head downstairs and join the others, Harry."

"Yeah. Yeah, we should." Harry stood and stretched before reaching down and helping his friend to her feet. Together both cast a brief final look around the Gryffindor Common Room. "One chapter in our lives is finally over. Onto the next one." With a smile both turned and headed out of the open Portrait Door and onto the next adventure.

Thanks to RhyThornbery for his beta assistance on this.

Fic Recommendation: "A Child Avenged" by PandasWearGlasses. This is a oneshot crossover with Marvel's Avengers. Right when Bruce goes to pick up the Mind staff in the first movie, Harry apparates in. He...has a very personal beef with Fury. It's very good, and this is from me, the man who tends to dislike crossovers in general and Marvel/DC/HP crossovers in particular.