Chapter 6 : Hungry

The sun rests so high up in the sky. Looking down from there, it seems peaceful. It's as if death didn't linger on the earth yesterday night. People who aren’t involved still sleep and wake up in time and do their own thing.

They are all bystanders and could only watch from the side lines.

...

Crunch.

["... authorities are still working their best as the death toll continues to rise. 135 people were already confirmed death, 35 people were in critical condition..."]

Crunch.

["...and 187 were injured and currently being treated to the nearest hospital..."]

Crunch.

["...in total, approximately 400 people were said–"]

Click.

The TV went out suddenly. The old man stood up, placing the remote on the coffee table and went on his way to do his usual walk.

Unknowingly, this series of action, though looks normal, already offended someone. At the side of the living room, the stairs going towards the rooms on the second floor lies a girl with short stature and a petite body. She sat leaning at the edge of the railings watching the news from the TV.

Her brow frowned, looking at her grandpa. She knew that this old man is already old and doesn't have any sense towards his environment. And she really can't blame the old man for not noticing her. She didn't want to be noticed. That's why she just sat here and didn't go down entirely.

But she still can't help but feel dissatisfied.

She sat on the stairs, munching on a cookie.

"Tsk!" She clicked her tongue, and stood up, as finishing her cookies. She climbed the stairs and strode towards her room in haste.

She opened the door and immediately closed it. She rushed and jumped towards the bed with her arms spread out. She closed her eyes and felt the soft mattress as she calmed down her nerves.

She feels moody and she easily gets annoyed. Within this house, there's no one better than plucking her strings until they snap than her Grandpa. Even that old man's unconscious movement could pissed her off. So, it's better to avoid that old man these days.

Sighing, she reached her hand under her pillow to get her phone. She better read some novels; it will surely ease her nerves.

...

...

...

"Where's Zee?" Leon sat on his chair staring at his laptop, scrolling down. He looked up, staring at his wife, though his face looked indifferent and unfeeling, his eyes can't help but express how worried he was.

When Ginger heard his husband, she almost burst into tears. She really regretted it. She is worried about her daughter's future. She knew how Zee is, as long as it is not necessary, she will not try to look for a job. That's why, without informing Zion, she as a mother used her connections to let her attend some job interviews.

She didn't expect something like this to happen. If she knew, then she would not force her daughter to go out. Now that this happened, she was not certain if her daughter would be willing to go out again. She really regretted it.

Without looking at her husband she answered with uncertainty, "Let her sleep for a while. She came home really late yesterday."

Leon can't help but sigh, hearing his wife. No one is at fault. It’s just that their daughter was caught in bad luck just when she decided to face the outside world again.

...

...

...

Wavering sight that refuses to let go of the light. Continuing clinging onto the little strength he left just to keep his eyes open, Severus Snape stared blankly at the young man looking at him from above.

With fluttering eyelids on the verge of closing, he persisted. Looked at the young man kneeling, slouching in front of him, gazing at him unbelievably.

His hold on his wand tightens, his eyes widen full of disbelief. His lips quivered, opened and closed but refused to say anything.

His hand holding his wand was still raised. Despite his dumbfounded reaction, he was still on guard.

Unblinking, Snape stared at the young man.

He knew he was dying.

Nagini's venoms contain the deadliest poison, with just a bite he knows he is dead.

The poison continues to circulate throughout his veins and seep through his bones and destroy his internal organs, in which carries unimaginable pain as it burns deep into his very core.

But for him, this pain is nothing.

Compared from everything he's been through. This little pain is worth not paying attention to.

From that day, she heaves no breath, with a heart that ceases to beat...

With the cold stealing the warmth of her body...

And her eyes that will forever remain closed.

Severus Snape was already numb.

Looking the same, indifferent and cold, Snape focused his gaze upon the young man.

Gathering what little strength he has, Snape opened his mouth and whispered feebly.

"...t-take...them..."

Closing his eyes, he squeezed a teardrop, he watched as the young man gathered his drop of tear in a flask, looking doubtful and confused.

Plop.

With his tear remaining within the flask, Snape's mission then came to an end.

Unimaginable relief came to him in a flash.

Heavy burdens disappeared in an instant, shackles bidding him from his neck and limbs shattered.

He felt his body becoming lighter and comfortable. Pain disappeared in a blink of an eye.

What remained was only exhaustion.

He was tired, extremely tired.

Hazy shadows slowly shrouded Snape's sight. With one last shot, he focused his eyes at the young man.

"...l-look...at...me..." He said using all effort and strength he has. Burning will power gleam from his blank eyes, wishing to last long until the young man granted his last dying wish.

The young man looked back at him and met his eyes.

Snape went in trance, his expression melted and his lips moved up slightly.

Deep yearnings, hidden affection...

Obsession, fondness...

Guilt, sadness...

And pure love.

All flashes within Snape's eyes, until it becomes a relief, and shows a satisfied gleam.

And finally closes his eyes.

After everything, in the end Severus Snape still died.

But before he died, he took one last looked at his dying grounds.

Dilapidated house, tattered old wood.

The scent of dirt and old rotten wood...

Just like those years ago, before he had met her.

…

…

...

Gurgle. Gurgle.

Zion squinted her eyes, reaching for her complaining stomach. She halted her constant moving eyes and shifted to the right corner of her phone, glancing at the time.

"... f*ck, it's already 7pm." Time really went on fast when reading. Nonetheless, her eyes moved towards the center of the screen once more and continued reading the whole chapter. It was already the last one. She decided to finish it now.

This is a fanfic centering Severus Snape after he died in front of Harry Potter. Zee actually rarely reads fanfic novels. She only read doujin. This time, she didn't know what occurred to her, but when she saw this fanfic– "Harry Potter: Snape's Memoir"– while browsing new novels to read. She just went and read it on the spot.

Actually, Zee really doesn't know what's the point of this series. It's just a short novel with 30+ chapters. After Snape died, his spirit lingered on earth and actually went back on time. But as a spirit he can't do anything and just watched everything from the sideline. So even if Snape went back on time, "Harry Potter" was still the same, except for the lingering ghost in the background.

Well, the highlights of the series are Snape and Lily's childhood. Lily can see Snape's spirit and Spirit Snape is the one that led Lily to little Snape. The story went on the same.

However, Spirit Snape became Lily's spirit guardian. Teaching her everything she wanted to know. But Snape didn't meddle with the timeline much. Spirit Snape watched Lily advance with her studies at Hogwarts. He watched as Lily became distant with Little Snape, and became more closer to his rival, James Potter.

Spirit Snape was there when Lily married and became a Potter. He watched on the sideline, watching the days go on. Until the day Voldemort arrived to kill the Potters.

That's when Snape realized that no matter how strong Lily is. Even if she gave her life to protect Harry Potter, her effort would still fall short against Voldemort magic.

Snape thought hard for a very long time why he appeared here as a spirit. He can't do much, he can only watch everything happen and pass the day on the side. Now he knew.

Snape used his little life and blended his spirit to Lily's magic to protect Harry Potter. And then just like that, at least his wish was fulfilled.

He died together with his love.

As his spirit dissipated in the air, he saw himself walking in anxiety and flustered. The Snape of the past hugged Lily, his loved and cried in remorse and regret.

Until the last sliver of spark of Snape spirit, he whispered to himself, "Live and protect the only remnant of your unfulfilled Love."

At the end, it goes back to the scene of the Prologue, where Snape wanted to see Harry's eyes once again before he died.

When Zee finished reading the short fanfic. She actually didn't know what to think. 'Is this actually a hidden plot?' Even on fanfic, Snape didn't get a happy ending. Such a sadistic author.

Gurgle. Gurgle. Gurgle.

Throwing the fanfic at the side of her mind. Zee rose from her bed and went down to eat her suffer.

She's hungry. Very very hungry.

When Zee reached the Kitchen, she saw no one. It's expected. Although Ginger, Zion's mother is nothing but a housewife. Ginger actually has a small store in front of their house. And since the pandemic strikes, that store is the only source of income to their family. Leon, resigns for fear of getting sick. Since then, he just works online. And the old man was resting in his own room.

Zee wasn't that bothered seeing that she's alone, and eating on her own while reading. After eating she directly went to her room. And continue reading novels with relish.

However, an hour passed by when suddenly Zion threw her phone on the bed without care and quickly covered her mouth with both her hands. She strode towards the comfort room and kneel in front of the toilet and vomited.

As Zion let out everything in her stomach, her eyes glowed bloody red. From the center of her iris, blood red light shone vicious light. Zion's pale skin paled even more. After letting out the food on her stomach, she let her body fall on the tiles while caressing her stomach, while sighing.

"...I'm hungry..."