Stave One - Snape's Ghost

Snape was dead to begin with - about that there was no doubt whatsoever. He died the day of the final battle, his attempts to play both ends against the middle ultimately culminating in his death at the hands of the lunatic to whom he had feigned allegiance for many years.

Draco Malfoy knew that his former potions master was dead. Of course he did. How could he not? Draco was keenly aware of all of the deaths that had occurred because of that fateful day - most especially those of his parents.

Draco was the only member of his immediate family to survive the conflict. His mother, Narcissa, had been killed by her sister, Bellatrix, once her duplicity concerning Harry Potter's demise was revealed in the courtyard at Hogwarts. His father, Lucius, managed to escape during the ensuing chaos but was arrested soon after the Dark Lord's defeat. He lasted about a week in prison before he died under what were officially termed as 'mysterious circumstances.' To Draco's mind the only mysterious thing was that his father had stayed alive as long as he had, seeing as how he had been incarcerated alongside the very people that had killed his wife and blamed the Malfoys as a whole for Voldermort's failed bid to gain power.

Draco was sentenced to one year of house arrest in the Manor - to his mind a particularly cruel punishment seeing as how the Manor was the one place in the world that he hated most of all. However, once his time had been served he found himself unable to leave, having utterly convinced himself that pit of despair was all that he deserved. This decision impacted him in many ways, most notably the lack of visitors that he received. As a matter of fact, other than his house elves and the occasional visit from his Aunt Andromeda, Draco did not see another living soul.

Nobody at all - save one and that was not by his choice. Every Friday afternoon at one, like clockwork, the bell would ring at the front door of the Manor and one of the elves would usher in Luna Lovegood.

This particular Friday fell on Christmas Eve. Just like every Friday prior she was lead into Draco's study by one of the house elves and, just like every Friday prior, she had brought some little trinket for them - a habit that endeared her to the house elves but only served to further irritate her unwilling host. He was already annoyed that legislation enacted after the war required him to pay the little creatures. He didn't need Luna giving them any more ideas.

The elf announced, "Miss Luna Lovegood is here Master."

Draco sat unmoving in his chair in front of the fire, his long legs sprawled out before him. Without looking in her direction he merely grunted.

"Happy Christmas, Draco!" Luna bounced over and extended a brightly wrapped package. Receiving no response Luna placed the gift on the table next to him and smiled. "Do you have dinner plans yet? I'd love for you to join us today."

Draco inadvertently lifted an eyebrow. "Us?"

"Yes. I've been invited to Christmas eve dinner at the Burrow with the Weasley's. They said I could bring a guest if I wanted."

"Dinner? With the Weasels? Have you lost what little mind you have left, Loony?"

"They are your family Draco. "

"Bite your tongue!"

"But they are. Your mother's great aunt Cedrella married Septimus Weasley and since they are Arthur Weasley's parents, that makes you..."

"Nothing more than an accident of biology." Draco snarled as he shifted his body even further away from her. "Now, if your little lecture on genealogy is over then please do me the courtesy of showing yourself out."

Luna ignored his tone and made herself comfortable on a threadbare chair on the other side of the fire. "Very well. If dinner at the Burrow doesn't sound appealing then perhaps you could accompany me to the party for the children at Lupin House."

Draco snorted, "What's that? A depository for baby werewolves?"

"No, silly. It's a charity set up for children that lost one or both parents during the war. Those without any family live in residence until they come of age. Those with family can receive a variety of services - both financial and emotional - to help them cope with their losses."

"Sounds like a scintillating way to spend an evening," Draco rolled his eyes. "Surrounded by snot nosed brats begging for attention and money? You seriously have nothing better to do with your time? If you are that desperate to be around a bunch of rug rats then you'd be better served tricking some hapless bloke into marriage and popping out your own litter of half wits."

The remark had been calculated to cause pain and a quick side glance told him he had succeeded but this realization did not provide him with the pleasure he had anticipated. Instead, the look in her eyes caused a brief twist in his gut which he quickly stamped it down. Luna cleared her throat and continued, " I am also planning to stop by the Janus Thickey Ward at Saint Mungo's."

Draco barked out a cold, cruel laugh. "Oh! Saving the best for last are we? Topping off the evening with those pathetic wastes of space? Ought to do us all a favor and pull the plug on the lot of them. Better off for everyone if they were dead, I say."

Draco saw her fight back a tear which, again, was not nearly as satisfying as he had wished. She glanced away to compose herself then leaned towards Draco. "What happened to us Draco? Our mothers loved each other like sisters and you and I have been friends since we were babies..."

"We aren't friends and we never were, Loony. I don't know what deranged fantasy your addled brain has created but you and I are not - and never will be - friends," Draco sneered.

Luna shook her head sadly as she rose to her feet. "Say what you want, Draco, but you and I both know the truth. When you decide you want some company you know how to reach me." She laid a card with her address by the neglected gift on the table. "I mean it, Draco. You have always been my friend and you always will be."

"And I mean it when I say that you aren't wanted here, Lovegood. Not now. Not ever," Draco snapped as jumped up and tossed both the present and her calling card into the fire with one quick motion. He then spun around and marched towards the door. He heard a sharp hiss and turned to see Luna standing with her hands behind her back. "Now, you can either leave voluntarily or I will call the aurors and have you charged with trespassing."

Luna appeared to consider saying something else before deciding better of it and dashing past Draco to the door. Once there she turned and said, "Happy Christmas, Draco." In two quick steps he crossed the distance between them and violently slammed the door in her face.

After she left, Draco paced restlessly around the around the room until one of the elves poked it's head nervously into the room. "D-does Master require anything?"

"Master REQUIRES that he be left alone!" Draco shouted, slamming the door once more with a wave of his wand, narrowly missing decapitating the hapless little creature. Another wave and an entire shelf of books were blasted across the study and an vase exploded to dust. The young man snatched one of the tossed volumes from the floor and threw himself back into his chair. He sat and read the same paragraph a dozen times before hurling the book across the room. He glared at the fire until night fell at which point he trudged up the stairs to his bedroom.

He changed into his bedclothes and wrapped himself in a silk dressing gown and then once again sat, staring into yet another fire while draining the remainder of a bottle of fire whiskey. As he laid his head back in the chair, his gaze happened to fall upon an old, unused bell that still hung on the wall of the room. It was with a strange, inexplicable dread that he witnessed this bell begin to swing of its own accord. It moved so slightly at the outset that it scarcely made a sound but soon it was ringing out loud and strong, and within seconds it was joined by what sounded like every bell and chime in the entire manor.

This deafening noise lasted a only half a minute but it seemed to Draco that it went on for the better part of an hour. The cacophony ceased as suddenly as it had started but the subsequent silence provided no comfort as Draco slowly became aware of a ponderous clanking noise emanating from below. It seemed to start in the cellars and grew progressively louder until it had made its way to the very entrance of his bed chamber.

Draco was staring at the door in cold terror when a ghostly figure passed through the barrier and made its way straight towards him. It only took a moment for Draco to realize that he was once more in the presence of Severus Snape.

About the man's identity could be no question - the tall, thin build, the gaunt face, the hooked nose, the flowing robes were all the same as in life with one notable addition. Now the former potions master carried about his person an incredibly long and cumbersome chain. It wound about his body and seemed to weigh quite heavily upon him. Draco observed that it consisted of not only huge metal links but also empty cauldrons and what seemed to be a series of large portraits in metal frames.

Draco managed to stammer out, "P-professor Snape?"

"Bravo." The apparition said in a flat tone as it fixed him with a hard stare. "Well spotted, Malfoy."

"B-but you're dead."

The ghost arched an eyebrow and dryly intoned, "Obviously. I hope you don't expect me to award ten points to Slytherin House for that observation." Snape moved closer and glowered at his former student. "Now that we have that out of the way, I need for you to pay attention, Draco. I don't have much time and we've got a lot of ground to cover."

Draco stared in disbelief. "But why are you here? What do want with me?"

Snape reached out and gave Draco a sharp smack on the back of the head. The young man was surprised that a ghost was capable of that much physical force. "That is what I am trying to tell you, boy! Focus! Class is in session and you will listen. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes, sir."

"Good. Are you sitting comfortably? Excellent. Then let's begin." Snape lowered himself onto the other chair next to the fire. "I presume that you have noticed the new addition to my wardrobe?" Severus gestured towards the chains which encircled him.

"It's kind of hard to miss."

"Exactly. That is entirely the point. I now wear the chains I forged in life. I crafted this monstrosity myself, link by link and yard by yard."

"Why would you do that?"

"Are you giving me cheek, boy?! I didn't accept it when I was alive. Do you think I will accept it from this side of the veil?" Draco shrank back and quickly shook his head. "Now - to answer your question, most of us don't stop to consider the short term repercussions of our actions, much less the long term ones. You think this is substantial? Wait until you see your own handiwork."

"Mine?"

"Yes, yours. Every bad decision, every regrettable word, every missed opportunity, every cruelty...they all create another link in a chain that - if not tended to - has the potential to burden us for all eternity." Snape shook his fetters and the clanking noise was painful to Draco's ears. "Look sharp! What do you notice about this particular chain's construction?"

Draco's mind raced to come up with what he hoped was the correct answer. "Um...it's long. It's heavy. It appears to be made of iron. A few empty cauldrons. And pictures. Lots of photographs in large, silver frames."

The apparition's expression turned melancholy and his voice dropped. "Yes. Pictures. Constant reminders of moments I regret, of actions I can never take back. All replayed, over and over again before my eyes." Draco noted that the majority of the portraits included a beautiful, red haired girl and what he concluded was a young Severus Snape. The ghost ran a cold finger along the one of the ornate frames. "You see, Draco, I am painfully aware of what it's like to make mistakes - to say things that you don't really mean, to jeopardize a precious relationship due to jealousy and fear. Much like you."

"Relationship? Me? I don't know what you mean."

"Oh, please. I had a childhood sweetheart and I lost my chance at that love, Draco. Don't be an idiot and lose out on yours."

"Love? What do you mean? I was never in love with Luna."

Snape tipped his head. "I never mentioned the Lovegood girl. Interesting that is where your mind went though."

Draco began to protest and was cut off by the apparition. "Hear me! My time is short. I have come here tonight to warn you that you still have a chance of avoiding my fate. A chance that I have procured for you. I once promised your Mother that I would do all that was within my power to protect you. Out of my respect for her, I will continue to honor that vow even from this side of the grave."

Draco's face softened at the mention of his mother. He started to thank Severus for his help in the past but stopped short when he heard the man say, "So I have arranged for you to be haunted by three spirits."

Draco gulped. "I-is that the, um... chance you mentioned?"

"It is."

"Well, then, thank you, kindly, sir but I - I think I'd rather not."

"Without these visits you cannot hope to escape my fate, so visits you shall have," growled Snape. "Expect the first tonight when the clock strikes one. The second when the clock strikes two and the third when the clock strikes three."

"Couldn't I take them all at once and get it over with?" The ghost raised himself to his full height and towered menacingly over the young man who hastened to add, "Or w-we can do it your way. That works fine by me as well."

Snape moved his face to within an inch of Draco's and whispered, "Don't be an idiot, Draco. Listen. Learn. It's too late for some of us. Save yourself while you can."

With a ear splitting crack and rattle of chains the spirit vanished, leaving Draco quaking in fear. After a few moments, he shakily pulled himself up and inspected the chair where Snape had been sitting. The young man then walked over and had a good look at the door. He shook his head and threw the now empty bottle of liquor into the fire, causing a loud bang. Draco then made his way to the bed and crawled in muttering, "Bad batch of spirits." He snorted at the unintended pun and proclaimed (more bravely than he actually felt) "Hear that, Severus? There is more fire whiskey than fire and brimstone about you."

With that, Draco pulled up the covers and after tossing and turning for a few minutes, fell until an unexpectedly deep sleep which lasted until the clock struck one...