Summary: Severus dies in the Shrieking Shack and finds himself being sent back in time to relieve his teenage years, with the knowledge of his past. Now, he can use this to change the many things that went wrong in his original life, perhaps even with Lily.

Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns everything HP.

Notes: Okay! So I know a lot of fics have the sent back in time theme and this is no exception. Reviews would be nice, but please no flames. If you have any constructive criticism, PM me with them, rather than review. There may be some inaccuracies and such, some may be intended, some may be accidental. Any questions, PM me and I will get back to you. :] Enjoy!

Iridescence

Chapter 1

Death and Rebirth

Death was awaiting. It had been a long time coming and Severus welcomed it with open arms, or at least he would, had he not had one terrifying thought: Harry Potter did not know the last vital clue to his search for horcruxes. The cruel truth Albus had kept hidden from everyone, even himself, until the vital moment. For 'the greater good.' Like everything, where Albus was concerned. It made him angry; he had lived only to protect her son, to make amends for his wretched mistakes that cost her everything. He needed to tell Harry the truth, but it would seem that it was not meant to be. He could only hope that the boy would realise it or…don't even think about that. He inwardly grimaced, but his outward expression did not falter as the Dark Lord spoke of the Elder Wand. He did not need to protect the boy any longer; he could only hope that the war would end and that victory comes to the Order. That his actions had not been in vain.

Death was painful, but not quite as painful as life. Felled by his own curse and finished off by the living emblem of his own house. Perhaps death would be better than life was. Severus was barely still alive when Harry and his two friends entered his slowly blurring vision, Harry quickly dropping down before him and holding his hand on his gaping wound, sliced and bitten, left in a bloody mess. His eyes were full of pain as he tried, in vain, to slow the bleeding. It was at that moment that he realised that, despite seven years believing him to be the spit of his father, appearance and attitude-wise, he was actually…more like his mother.

More like Lily.

The green of his eyes and the sadness that dwelled within, despite the man being the murderer of Albus Dumbledore and the man who tormented him for seven years, just for looking like his father. Pain welled in his chest, a pain far worse than the physical blow to his throat. The painful reminder of Lily, stronger now than ever before, mixed thickly with the heavy realisation that he was so much like Lily. Brought up with guardians who treated him poorly. Yet here he was, not a trace of smirk or mirth at the Professor's pain nor a trace of darkness or spite, something he knew well. He knew the boy hadn't used any of his fame to his advantage nor had he grown bitter from his years of bad home life. The reality of the matter was that Severus had ignored the truth and chosen to instead cast him in the light of his father, because it was easier than living with yet more painful reminders of the one whose heart could never be his.

For the first time since he had held the lifeless body of Lily in his arms, he felt tears roll down his face as he asked the boy to take them. He had no energy to give him his memories, only the ability to cry over the mistakes he had made and the final release.

"You have your mother's eyes."

Green eyes were the last things he saw as darkness overcame him. He could have sworn he heard a whispered 'thank you' from a voice he had not heard in too long before it went dark.

It was finally over.

Severus opened his eyes and blinked, seeing a white sky-like apparition before his eyes. He felt grass underneath his hands and he was instantly struck by how odd this seemed. Was he not dead? He hadn't really believed in an afterlife, or at least that there would be one for someone like him. While he had lived gruellingly for the past seventeen years protecting the son of the woman whose blood was on his hands, hoping to atone for his wrongs, it would never be enough. Never to him. She had died far before her time and had not deserved such a death, never. He had taken her for granted and had pushed her love away, and even though she had married the very person who caused him such misery during what was supposed to be the best years of his life (other people's words, not his own), he could not fault her. To love was, perhaps, to look beyond faults and see only the good qualities. To forgive the misgivings. Like she had done him, with a different kind of love, of course. But love all the same. She had not cared about his poverty nor his unfortunate looks. Where everyone else avoided him, she smiled at him and gave him what he had needed most. Until he had thrown it away and said the unforgivable.

So why was he here?

Severus sat up, looking around as he did so. It was all white, the only differences being the tones, differentiating the grass from the trees, the trees from the sky, the sky from the clouds and so on. It did not take long for Severus to realise where he was. The place he and Lily used to lie down and talk for hours on end. What was he doing here? Was this…really what the afterlife was like? Alone in life and alone in death, he thought bitterly.

"Not quite, Severus."

A voice from somewhere behind him called out. One he had not heard in a little while. He stood up and turned around to see the Headmaster stood there, his blue eyes twinkling as they had done before he had retrieved the ring.

"Albus…" Severus said, momentarily shocked to see him standing there. Albus smiled at him, though this time sadly and without the twinkle in his eyes.

"I'm terribly sorry, Severus. It was a great burden I put you under, but you followed my wishes anyway," Albus said.

"Where are we? Some sort of afterlife?" Severus asked. "It is very…white."

"Where are we indeed. I believe, if I am not much mistaken, we are in a place close to your heart," Albus replied. Severus narrowed his eyes.

"Yes, I realise what it looks like, but why, how…?" Severus asked.

"There is a reason you are here, Severus. I am afraid I must ask yet another task of you. One you might, however, find to your advantage," Albus said. Severus furrowed his brow. Was he not free even in death? Could he not rest? The war was surely to be won, should the boy succeed. Should the Order finish off Voldemort in time.

"The war will be over, I am dead…what more could you ask of me, Albus? You know better than anyone the only reason I remained in your service after-after…" Severus stumbled. What happened to his stoicism? What happened to his careful shield? Those green eyes. His care for the Professor he hated. Lily's son. He doubted Lily would have left him to die, no matter what he called her…no matter the path he had taken. Perhaps he would have gone deeper into the darkness and become more of a monster, had Lily not shown him that there was one person who accepted him.

"All is not well, Severus. Harry died, yes, and he returned to Hogwarts, no longer a horcrux. However, even after he has been stripped of his horcruxes, Tom cannot be killed," Albus stated. Severus frowned at the Headmaster. How was that possible? All…seven…horcruxes should be gone, leaving the Dark Lord vulnerable. His eyebrows rose.

"You do not think he created another?" Severus asked, calmly. "If Harry cannot sense them anymore, then it would be more difficult to find out what and how many."

"That is what I fear. We had the advantage before, but I am afraid with such a set back…should Harry be killed for good, along with his two friends…there will be no knowledge of horcruxes and it will perhaps be the downfall of the wizarding world as we know it," Albus said.

"Then…what do you suggest?" Severus asked, slowly.

"Now, here is the fascinating part. You see, most people who have made mistakes, particularly ones which were devastating, that they have come to regret wish they could turn back time. Sadly, the things we say and do cannot be undone. We can only wish to make up for what has transpired. However, it so happens that a stroke of luck has finally befallen you, Severus. By some power I cannot begin to understand, you are here in the echoes of your past to be given a chance to return to a point in your past and perhaps fix your mistakes. But, you will also be charged with the task of making sure Tom's horcruxes are destroyed and that he is taken down before all of the horror from this lifetime does not happen again," Albus said.

Severus narrowed his eyes. "Return…to my past?" Severus asked, hardly believing such a thing was possible.

"Yes, you would be your teenage self again, with all of the knowledge you have retained over these 38 years. You could become friends with Lily again," Albus said cheerfully. Severus gave him something akin to a smirk or a grimace.

"I would not dare dream, Albus. To dream is to disappoint," Severus said, bitterly.

"Well, Severus, you have but two choices: return to your past or move onto the next life," Albus said, simply. Severus smirked, bitterly.

"There never really was a choice, Albus, let alone two. Very well. I will return. How do I do that?" Severus asked.

"You do not need to do anything, Severus. I bid you farewell and the best of luck," Albus said.

"Albus, one question…changing time is a delicate matter. One small change could stop someone being born…" Severus said. Albus smiled in a way that infuriated him; he knew what was coming.

"You pretend like you do not care for the boy, Severus, but I think you do. Alas, that is something we cannot predict. You can be assured that Harry would not care, so long as his parents are alive and well," Albus said. "Much like his mother."

"…" Severus said nothing, but he did not have to. The sorrowful expression on his face said it all.